News Posts

Finnish melancholic death/doom metallers Hanging Garden unveiled the details of their upcoming new album ‘Isle of Bliss’, set for release in March via Agonia Records and shared a music video for its opening track ‘To Outlive the Nine Ravens’!

Ferocious melodic death metal act Bloodhunter are back with a vengeance with their new single ‘The Devil’s Own’, out with ROAR – A Division of Reigning Phoenix Music!

Extreme metal outfit Blood Of Angels release new single ‘The Last Rites’, offering a first lok into their upcoming new album ‘Les Agnst ov Thanatou’, set for release in June!

Finnish melodic death metal powerhouse Omnium Gatherum drops a surprise new single with ‘Moongold’! Catch them on tour in Europe starting next month in support of their latest album ‘May The Bridges We Burn Light The Way’!

Finnish doom-laden death metal force Marianas Rest have released their new album ‘The Bereaved’ last Friday via Noble Demon and shared a video for the track ‘Again Into The Night’ to celebrate!

German pagan metallers Wolfchant shared the new single ‘Lifeblood’ from their upcoming album ‘Echoes Of A Time Once Past’, out next month! Catch them live on tour in Europe with Ereb Altor, Skyforger and Belore in February, including a stop at our very own Asgaard!

Avatar expanded their already impressive touring schedule for the next couple of years by adding a Spring 2026 headline tour of North America in April and May, bringing along Fleshgod Apocalypse and Frozen Soul!

Danish melodic death metal warriors Vanir strike first with ‘Never Surrender’, the opening salvo from their upcoming album ‘Wyrd’, set for release in April via Mighty Music!

North Carolina’s melodic death metal outfit Blackwater Drowning share new single ‘The Sixth Omen’ from upcoming album ‘Obscure Sorrows’, out in February via Bleeding Art Collective and Blood Blast Distribution!

Sylosis dropped their devastating second single ‘Erased’ from upcoming album ‘The New Flesh’ out next month via Nuclear Blast! Catch them on tour through Europe for the next couple of months!

Interviews

Fear of Domination’s Saku opens up over a good craftbeer at Crafters Bar in Finland about the long, difficult road behind their recently released album ‘Katharsis’, finding the missing piece with producer Jarno Hänninen, and why this album became a true emotional release.

Nearly 30 years in, Chthonic still see their music as a journey, one rooted in Taiwanese history, melody, and emotion. Just before a rare live appearance at the cultural exchange event Formosa:Finland:Fest in Helsinki, we spoke with the band about culture, tradition, and letting music speak for itself. Thanks to Ginger Vine Management & PR for setting this up!

After nearly three decades, Finland’s melodic death metal veterans Omnium Gatherum are still burning bright. We sat down with vocalist Jukka Pelkonen to talk about their new tenth album “May the Bridges We Burn Light the Way” (out on Century Media Records since last Friday, November 7th), a record of raw emotion, street-level storytelling, and the stubborn spirit that keeps the band moving forward.

Two months after our talk at Alcatraz Festival, we stepped back into the forest with Johannes Eckerström of Avatar to talk about their upcoming album ‘Don’t Go In The Forest’ (out next week October 31st), from disco death grooves and true crime commentary to piano-born love songs and the return of the metal circus among many other things.

On the release day of ‘Cold Flare Eternal’ (out via Reaper Entertainment), right before their Helsinki release show, Tuomas Saukkonen reflected on momentum, rebirth, and the chemistry driving Before The Dawn’s strongest chapter yet.

Bloodred Hourglass are back — heavier, sharper, and more focused than ever. We talked with them about their new album ‘We Should Be Buried Like This’ (out now with Out of Line Music), finding their sound, working with a producer for the first time, and what fans can expect from their upcoming tour.

We sat down with Orbit Culture’s Niklas to talk about their upcoming album ‘Death Above Life’ (out now with Century Media Records), their journey from support slots to headliners, and why this new era feels like a true rebirth. Catch them live on tour with Gaerea and Atlas in Europe next month or at summer festivals in 2026 like the already confirmed Alcatraz Festival!

Last night, we got to enjoy a killer set by Millhaven, but earlier this year when they were playing at Alcatraz 2024, we caught up with them to have a chat about the festival, the band and their music!

We had a chat with Jussi and Pasi from Where’s My Bible about their latest album ‘Kave’ (out now via Inverse Records) and the new direction they took their music and lyrics with this one, adding new instruments, vibes, vocal delivery and themes into a new chapter for the band!

Catch them live tonight at On The Rocks in Helsinki as support for the anniversary show of …and Oceans!

Last summer, we sat down with Johannes from Avatar for a short chat about how 2023 had been so far after their explosive opening show at Tuska 2023, how he experienced that show, and how he feels like the band is in its best form right now, ready to take over the world!

Photo Reports

In 2025 Anna/ScarletMemory Photography covered again tons of bands and events both in Finland and Germany with her favorite captures being of shows from Amoral, Apocalyptica, Apulanta, Battle Beast, Blind Guardian, Bloodred Hourglass, Bush, Catch Your Breath, Cemetery Skyline, Cyan Kicks, Finntroll, Hammerfall, In Flames, Indica, Leverage, Lordi, Michael Monroe, Nothing More, Popeda, Powerwolf, Sabaton, Shade Empire, Sonata Arctica, The Legendary Orchestra, The Rock Orchestra, Timo Rautiainen & Trio Niskalaukaus, Toto, Volbeat and Wednesday 13.

A show with no brakes. Bloodred Hourglass at Tavastia, celebrating their latest album ‘We Should Be Buried Like This’, with the support of local deathcore heroes Enemies Everywhere.

Melodic power on full display with Aephanemer at a sold out On The Rocks, touring their new album ‘Utopie’, and support from Dark Oath and Valhalore.

Bloodred Hourglass are currently on their “We Should Be Buried Like This” tour around Finland and came to Tampere’s Tavara-Asema on November 13, where they together with Luna Kills and Shereign delivered a sweaty hot show.

From melodic to feral, the “European Blood Dynasty Tour” rolled through Helsinki. Arch Enemy with Amorphis, Eluveitie and Gatecreeper at Jäähalli.

Orbit Culture

On the European leg of the “Death Above Life world tour”, Orbit Culture made a stop at Trix in Belgium with their special guests Gaerea and openers Atlas. We were there!

Melodic death metal heavyweights ARCH ENEMY are conquering Europe with their explosive “European Blood Dynasty tour”, and it’s nothing short of a musical crusade. To complete the total metal mayhem nights they have company from GATECREEPER (USA), ELUVEITIE (Switzerland) and AMORPHIS (Finland).

Wolfheart

Wolfheart took over the European mainland with the “Draconian darkness over Europe 2025 tour”, bringing along Before The Dawn and Suotana for a top tasting menu of Finnish melodic death metal, which we were able to attend in Kortrijk at the DVG Club at the end of last month!

TLMNTR

The final day of Tolminator brought madness till the end. Mordkaul, Brutal Sphincter, Milking the Goatmachine & TLMNTR, captured by our photographer Tom!

Omnium Gatherum

Tolminator Day 1 through the lens of our photographer Tom with Stagewar, Marche Funèbre, High Parasite, Ghost Bath, Kreator & Omnium Gatherum. A powerful start to the festival!

Album Reviews

The third studio album “Elevation”, by the internation band Enshine is reminiscent of 90’s melodic death/doom metal and is out since January 3rd.

Bloodred Hourglass’ latest release ‘We Should Be Buried Like This’ combines versatile, catchy soundscapes with heavy riffs and harsh vocals. A success from start to finish, out via Out Of Line Music.

Before The Dawn returned this year with their new album ‘Cold Flare Eternal’. The second full-length since the band’s resurgence and a masterclass in how to write a massive melodic and melancholic death metal album, out with Reaper Entertainment!

Greek titans Nightfall display remarkable musicianship on their eleventh studio album “Children of Eve”, out via Season of Mist since yesterday. The songs embrace and recapture the gothic facet of its music with dark atmosphere.

Sweden’s melodeath supergroup The Halo Effect conveys what fans should expect from (former) members of Dark Tranquillity and In Flames on their second outing “March of the Unheard”. Yet another excellent album for this collective, solidifying their sound and strengths, out now via Nuclear Blast.

Aeon of Awareness’ new album ‘Rarohenga’, named after the subterranean realm where spirits of the deceased dwell after death, according to Māori tradition, is an excellent result of the band expressing themselves through the music itself and the deeper meaning between the lines. Out independently this Friday!

4 years in the making and it was worth the wait. Ensiferum does a throw to album of the year where epic, gloomy, atmospheric, and melodic are some of the words to describe this journey that is ‘Winter Storm’, out via Metal Blade Records on October 18!

Pioneers of melodic death metal Dark Tranquillity returned with the long-awaited album ‘Endtime Signals’ offer excellent musical performance and creativity. Out via Century Media Records since last week Friday August 16th!

Chris Maragoth just released his first album, ‘Gatherer of Souls’. Some of the songs have already been released before, and have been remastered for this album. Some songs are brand new. This album contains mostly instrumental melodic death metal/modern metal tracks, worked on by Chris alone or together with other artists, bringing a lovely collection of melodeath-inspired modern metal tracks!

Swedish melodic blackened death metal super group Night Crowned offers a compelling mixture of aggression and modern mixture of Nordic melodies on the third album ‘Tales’ out via Noble Demon Records today!