Alcatraz Festival just gave us an early christmas present by adding 32 more bands to the 2026 lineup, making it almost complete with another nice selection of metal icons, underground greats, up-and-coming bands and artists from its own Belgian soil!
Primitive Law is set to release their most crushing album to date with ‘Observance’ later this month, out via Relapse Records, but today shared another monstrous and trance-like single with ‘Natural Law’!
Finnish Sonic Rites 2026 just got heavier and darker with the newly added Russian Circles, Pelican, OvO and Helsinki’s own Vestal Climax, joining an already stacked lineup!
The 18th edition of Alcatraz is shaping up to be historic with headliners Arch Enemy and Alestorm, legends like Soulfly, Saxon, Body Count, Rose Tattoo, extreme assaults from Immolation, Internal Bleeding, 200 Stab Wounds, Sanguisugabogg, and modern favorites like Kittie, Northlane, Animals As Leaders, The Ghost Inside.
We’re especially thrilled to see the Belgian flag flying high again with Channel Zero, Amenra, Enthroned, Psychonaut and Mantah on the bill. And let’s not forget our longtime Finnish favorites Luna Kills, making a big step onto the Alcatraz stage!
On top of that, the Prison Stage opens already on the Thursday for the first time ever, and day ticket prices are lower than 2025 right now!
Last week, UK sludgers Mastiff unleashed the new single ‘Decimated Graves’ upon the world, another relentless taste of what is to come with their upcoming EP ‘For All the Dead Dreams’, out next month via Church Road Records!
Earlier this month, URNE announced their new album ‘Setting Fire To The Sky’ to be released in January 2026 with Spinefarm Records and shared the new single and video ‘Be Not Dismayed’!
Finnish sludge metal band Themata released their new single ‘Colossus’ earlier this month, a track from their upcoming EP ‘Riven’, out in a couple of weeks via Meara Music!
UK sludge masters Mastiff recently signed with Church Road Records and are now unveiling their new single ‘A Story Behind Every Light’, a track from the upcoming EP ‘For all the Dead Dreams’ set for release in October!
Japanese legends Boris are celebrating the 20th anniversary of their landmark albums ‘Pink’ and ‘dronevil’ with special editions of both, coming October 17 on Relapse Records!
British metal heavyweights Conjurer are back with their mighty third album ‘Unself’, set for release in October via Nuclear Blast and shared a first single with ‘Hang Them In Your Head’!
Finnish extreme metal act Vanguardian are ready to unleash their debut full-length ‘III: Inhumanity’ (out October 22nd via Inverse Records) — a ferocious, human take on dystopian science fiction. We caught up with Markus and Mikko to talk about the album’s story, the balance between chaos and cohesion, and why imperfection makes their music truly alive.
Earlier this year, we talked with vocalist Lina from Predatory Void about how things came together both as a band and for the debut album, and what she hoped to accomplish with the album.
We talked with John Baizley about his music, new guitarist and dealing with constant pain in the rock ‘n’ roll life.
A talk with Colin H. van Eeckhout about Amenra’s history, their music and playing shows.
Day 3 at Tolminator had it all, chaos, doom, filth, and ritual. Insanity Alert, Ahab, Dopethrone, Wolfbrigade, and Rotting Christ tore up the main stage!
The Obscure and Octagon stages delivered some of the most intense sets of Day 1 at Brutal Assault 2025. From the triumphant return of 3 Inches of Blood to the symphonic fury of Fleshgod Apocalypse, the crushing weight of Inter Arma, the haunting doom of Frayle, the occult darkness of Ruïm, and the mind-bending chaos of Oranssi Pazuzu, it was truely a journey through the extremes of heavy music!
Ufomammut stopped in Ghent with their 25th-anniversary celebration tour in collaboration with VIERNULVIER, Democrazy and Dunk! Records. And with Huracán booked as support, the night delivered on a hefty dose of stoner and psychedelic music!
Pictures of the first day of Alcatraz 2024, with on the Helldorado Stage Eternal Champion, Green Lung, Orange Goblin, Baroness, Danko Jones and Clutch!
Metalheads rejoiced in VIERNULVIER as Crouch, Slow Crush, and Amenra delivered crushing sets for “De 41 uur van Studio Brussel” celebrations of the radio station!
Doodseskader (and Watergruwels as support) shook VIERNULVIER and the surrounding area in Gent, Belgium awake with an intense show in a sold out venue to release their new album: “Year Two”.
Kvelertak is continuing to take Europe by storm on their “Krøterveg Te Helvete Tour” presenting their latest work, in the company of Cancer Bats as support. We were there at the Backstage venue in Munich, Germany last week!
The last day of a long and exhausting weekend of great music and atmosphere brought some of the best of the sludge, post-metal and psychedelic rock scene with Psychonaut, Gaupa, Stake, Brutus and Cult of Luna!
Second day at an exciting edition of Alcatraz with Predatory Void, Shadow Of Intent, Decapitated, and Sodom on the Swamp Stage ripping it up!
Every year, one day of the 10-day long Lokerse Feesten is dedicated to metal. A day full of headbanging, mosh-pits and heavy guitars with this year Hammok, Biohazard, Doodseskader, Bullet For My Valentine, Psychonaut, Megadeth, Slift, Within Temptation, Stake and Amenra.
Brutal Assault 2025 – Day 1 set the fortress ablaze right from the start. From 3 Inches of Blood, Skálmöld and Fleshgod Apocalypse to the chaos of Inter Arma, the industrial punch of Static-X, and the psychedelic darkness of Oranssi Pazuzu, the first day was packed with highlights. Add in Frayle, Dying Fetus, Ruïm, Kerry King and Rotting Christ, and it was a perfect start of this year’s edition!
From sludge legends to Olympic headliners and unexpected big performances on the smaller stage… Lokerse Feesten delivered on August 5th a day that was nothing short of historic. Melvins, Helmet, Coilguns, Amenra, Gojira on the main stage and Coilguns, envy, Red Kross and Light of Eternity on the Club Studio Brussel stage shook Lokeren to its core.
Report of day 3 of Alcatraz 2024 with Soil, Eternal Champion, Jinjer, Korpiklaani, Dark Tranquillity, Baroness, Danko Jones, Architects, Clutch and Opeth!
Support your locals is a slogan we always carry near our heart and Alcatraz Festival seems to have a similar mentality every year when they put together their line-up. Here are some of the Belgian acts we caught at this years edition of the fest with Serial Butcher, Gnome, Do Or Die, Kludde, Predatory Void, Serpents Oath, Aeveris, Psychonaut, Mantah, Evil Invaders, Reject The Sickness, Brutal Sphincter, STAKE and Brutus!
A fine selection of some of the most captivating post-metal, sludge and doom performances at Alcatraz 2023 with Svalbard, Predatory Void, Psychonaut, STAKE and Brutus!
Report of the last Tuska 2023 day with shows from Imperial Triumphant, Lorna Shore, Electric Callboy, The Hu, Urne and Ghost!
The 2nd day brought us massive shows of Oranssi Pazuzu, Reckless Love, Vltimas, Stam1na, Blind Channel, Amorphis, Baroness and Mercyless Fate!
The best of the doom, sludge, stoner and even industrial scene showed up for one weekend in Helsinki at a wonderful small underground festival. Check out our report!
