Kanonenfieber unveiled the lyric video for the track ‘Meine Lieben’, out with Century Media Records! Catch their spectacle live next year when they tour through Europe on the “Kriegstage 2027” tour or next summer at Tuska 2027!
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News Posts
Austrian pagan black metal outfit Draugr unleashed new single ‘Surturs Zorn’ last night via Immortal Frost Productions, a first track unveiled of their upcoming album ‘Ahnenfeuer – Ginnungagap Chaos Pt. I’ out in September!
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Finland’s black/thrash metal outfit Flame set the release date for their new album ‘Ignis Draconis Daemonicus’ on September 25th via Primitive Reaction and unveiled a first track with ‘Kaosphere’!
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Black metal legends Emperor are releasing an “Emperial Collection” in collaboration with Down With The Most High Productions, featuring an actual shield, jewelry and a highly limited high-end backpatch!
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Noctule, the solo project of Serena Cherry dedicated to ‘Elden Ring’, announced its new album ‘Extinguish Thy Flame’ to be released in September and unveiled a first single with ‘Lord of Blood’!
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German black metal outfit Servant announced their new album ‘Lux Ex Inferis’ to be out in October via AOP Records and shared a first single with ‘Tabula Rasa’ featuring P.G. of Groza!
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Extreme metal outfit Firtan announced their new album ‘Herlios’ to be out in October with AOP Records and dropped a first single with ‘The Hierophant Way’, featuring James Dorton of Ne Obliviscaris!
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UK outfit Burner unleashed their new single ‘What Will You Give?’ featuring Josh Middleton of Sylosis, another track from their upcoming album ‘No One Is Coming to Save Us’, out in September via Church Road Records!
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Dark black metal duo Hulder shared ‘In Blood and In Earth’, second single and final preview of their upcoming album ‘Verbolven’, out next month with Season of Mist and 20 Buck Spin!
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Czech black metal pioneers Inferno are back with a visual for their new track ‘With Raving Mouths They Utter Things Mirthless, Unadorned and Unperfumed’, from the upcoming album ‘The Anthropic Sophisms’, out next Friday on Debemur Morti Productions!
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Album Reviews
Chamber of Unlight upped its craft on its second album “Avernus”. The veterans take an expansive approach to their composition and maintain the right balance between melodic and symphonic elements, out via Werewolf Records since today.
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The Norwegian veterans prove that their songwriting and dark musical mystique fit the style of second-wave black metal and even the early phases of first-wave black metal. Mortem delivers something different than the usual state of the art. Out via Peacevill Records since July 3rd.
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The third studio album “The Nocturnes of Iswylm”, is a steppingstone for Colorado’s black metal stalwarts Stormkeep. The album comes highly recommended for fans of Carach Angren, Dimmu Borgir, and Emperor. Out via Vesperian on June 12th.
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Dimmu Borgir achieves a sonic alchemy that flawlessly blends a sinister and darker approach on its long-awaited album “Grand Serpent Rising”. The Norwegian gods foray into a bombastic and triumphant majesty that resonates with the past studio albums and is the best-sounding album since “Death Cult Armageddon” according to our reviewer. Out via Nuclear Blast Records next week Friday on May 22nd.
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Greek black metal formation Yoth Iria embrace bombastic elements on their new album “Gone with the Devil”. Blending heavy metal and melodic black metal, it delivers a majestic sound full of hooks. Out via Metal Blade Records tomorrow, May 8th.
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Emanating raw, grimy black metal in its most primordial form Doodswens’ self-titled, sophomore album was invoked on last Friday, April 17 via Svart Records.
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Venture once more into Albion’s rich past on Winterfylleth’s ninth studio album, ‘The Unyielding Season’, out via Napalm Records.
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Fifth studio album “Unveiled Nightsky” of Greek black metal act Winter Eternal conjures up nostalgic elements of the Swedish black metal era. The album is a well-crafted piece of music for fans of Dissection, Unanimated, and Sacramentum. Out since February 13th, via Hells Headbangers Records.
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Norway’s Vreid prove they are a forward-thinking band and one of the acts that hold the black metal torch high. The tenth album “The Sky Turn Black” offers atmospheric passages and aggressive Nordic black metal tendencies. Out via Indie Recordings since March 6th. Catch them on tour in Europe with Hypocrisy, Abbath and Vomitory starting next week!
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The fifth studio album “Hors Temps” by black metal duo Incandescence returns to embrace the glorious sound of atmospheric and majestic black metal. The songs are remarkable in the atmospheric form and crafted in the trademark Quebec black metal. Out via Profound Lore Records since February 20th.
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Lists
Our Support Your Locals series continues! Friday at Alcatraz is packed with Belgian talent, from hometown heroes Amenra to exciting newcomers making their debut at the event, cult comebacks, anniversary celebrations and everything in between with A Thousand Sufferings, Cowboys & Aliens, Dead Serious, Hope As A Weapon, Hope Erodes, Modder, Sons Of Lioth and Temptations For The Weak. Here’s why these nine Belgian bands deserve a place on your Friday schedule! Who are you looking forward to seeing live?
In the first part of our annual Support Your Locals at Alcatraz series, we take a closer look at Thursday’s Belgian bands, from legends like Channel Zero, Cyclone and Enthroned to exciting names such as Aeveris and Death Fury. Which Belgian act are you looking forward to seeing most?
Sure, the lineup is stacked. But if you ask us, Alcatraz is about so much more than the bands on the poster. From the atmosphere and the people to the food, the party spots and all those little moments between the shows, here are our 8 reasons why we think Alcatraz 2026 is a festival you shouldn’t miss.
Belgium may be small, but when it comes to summer festivals, it punches well above its weight. From heavy and alt fests Graspop and Alcatraz to the more commercial Pukkelpop and Rock Werchter, the concert series of Lokerse Feesten and Live Is Live to the small and cosy Rock Zottegem and Parkpop Oostkamp, we’ve selected eight Belgian summer events that are reason enough to visit our home country in 2026. Which one is already on your calendar?
The final day of Steelfest Open Air always hits differently. Fatigue, devotion and one last descent into the underground. We picked out 5 performances again that we think you should check out for sure tomorrow on Day 3 in case your energy level isn’t high enough to go see everything, going from Dutch black metal icons Cirith Gorgor, the icy pressence of Imperial Crystalline Entombment, doom and gloom from Shape of Despair, a rare and most likely very emotionally charged performance by Lifelover to extreme metal innovators Tormentor to close the weekend! See you there!
Steelfest officially opens its doors in about 3 hours and let the madness start. Between your first beers and first riffs, take a moment to check our Day 2 must-see bands, going from a first show from industrial black supergroup Antihuman Industries, the return of ukrainian atmospheric black outfit Severoth, the live madness of Concrete Winds, a nightmare-fueled Akhlys and as closer a now already legendary show by underground icons Beherit! Tomorrow will be massive!
Less than 24 hours until Steelfest Open Air begins. First beers, first distortion, first chaos. With a bunch of excellent acts throughout the whole weekend, we like to highlight a handful of performances for every festival day you really shouldn’t miss. With on day 1 festival openers Evil Angel, the return of US black metal duo FIN, a once-in-a-lifetime 40th anniversary show from war metal icons Holocausto, old school Enthroned music with Sabathan and an absolutely relentless end of the day through Revenge — five very different ways to properly start a weekend of underground madness. If you’re going, what are you looking forward to?
It’s looking like Steelfest is going to sell out this year, but if you’re still somehow on the fence if you should go next week or not, here are some solid reasons why you should make the effort this year… If you’re going, why is Steelfest THE event you’re investing your time and money in?
Finland’s summer festival season is stacked again. From underground black metal rituals to lakeside legends and city concerts with global names, we picked 12 events worth your time this summer with Steelfest, Allas Live, Sonic Rites, Ankea, Nummirock, Tuska, CoolHead Live, Dark River Festival, John Smith Rock, Ilosaarirock, Hellsinki Metal Festival and SaariHelvetti
Who says festival season ends with summer? In Finland, the dark months come alive with music: experience the true punk spirit at HKI SKEPU FEST (starting tonight), get in touch with your ancestors and nature at Pakanafestarit, discover new talent at Lost In Music, embrace the shadows at Hellsinki Industrial Festival, sail into chaos with the Hellsinki Metal Cruise, sink into sorrow at Melancholy Mass Festivals, and feel the fire indoors at John Smith Rock Frozen. When the nights are long, Finland turns the volume up.
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