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Exodus, Exumer & Hirax Invade Islington

When it comes to metal's many sub-genres, thrash metal may well be the most exciting. Inspired by punk, it took the speed and aggression of the genre and mixed it with the intricacies of metal, becoming something which could switch between serious and fun easily, and with the energy contained in the music, it's almost a sonic fountain of youth. If ever there was a band that took the aggression and fun of thrash to the extreme, it was the Bay Area's own Exodus. Founded back in 1979 by guitarist Kirk Hammett and drummer Tom Hunting, along with Keith Stewart and Tim Agnello, the band became legendary in the iconic California thrash scene and their debut, "Bonded By Blood," is an unquestionable classic. They've released a further ten albums since then, along with live releases and lineup shake ups but in 2024, they're as strong as ever. With the release of their new live record, "British Disaster: The Battle of '89 (Live at the Astoria)," it seemed like the perfect time to see them once more in London, this time with some very special guests.

Opening the show tonight was fellow Bay Area thrashers Hirax. On a personal note, I've waited literally half of my life to see Hirax, so expectations were high. I'm glad to report that expectations weren't just met, they were exceeded. Still led by vocalist Katon de Pena (although fans of both bands will know that there was a brief period where former Exodus vocalist Paul Baloff fronted the group,) the singer is still in magnificent form, belting out old favourites such as "The Plague" and "Warlords Command" with sheer ferocity. The rest of the band are playing to their fullest too, keeping the songs sounding fresh and fierce and the crowd were into every minute of it.

Katon endeared himself to the London faithful, continuously engaging with them, while also trying to get as many songs in as possible since the doors opened later than scheduled. New songs "Drill Into The Brain," "Drowned Bodies" and "Faster Than Death" all sounded excellent and easily on par with the best tracks of their career. Hirax promised to come back to London with a longer set and I can't wait for them to do so, because this was so much fun from start to finish and maybe if I'm really lucky, they'll play "Unleash The Dogs Of War" then too. More...

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Brutal Assault Announces First Wave Of 2025 Bands

Brutal Assault Announces First Wave Of Bands To Play In 2025 To Include Gojira, Ministry, Obituary, Dimmu Borgir, Pig Destroyer, Suffocation, Unleashed plus others.

This year's festival just ended and it was incredible. If you've never been, we can't urge you enough to check it out!

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Entrenched In Epidermal Slippage Premiere Single

Entrenched In Epidermal Slippage premiere a new single titled "Trench Knife Termination", streaming via YouTube for you now below.

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Stru66led Premiere New Single & Music Video

Prague, Czech Republic-based metalcore/deathcore outfit Stru66led premiere a new single and music video titled "Break This Chain", streaming via YouTube for you now below.

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God Dethroned Premiere Single & Music Video

Ahead of their upcoming album "The Judas Paradox" set for release next month, Dutch black/death metal band God Dethroned has unveiled the title track along with its music video. The track, characterized by a slower, brooding intensity, pulls the listener into the dark atmosphere that the rest of the album promises.

"The Judas Paradox" is set for release on September 6 through Reigning Phoenix Music.

Vocalist/guitarist Henri “The Serpent King” Sattler shared some insight into the track, exploring how Judas might have felt as he prepared to betray Jesus Christ. More...

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Cemetery Skyline Premiere New Music Video

A new music video for goth metal supergroup Cemetery Skyline's track “Torn Away” has premiered online, both now available for streaming via YouTube and Spotify for you below. The band is set to unveil their debut album, “Nordic Gothic,” on October 11th via Century Media.

Vocalist Mikael Stanne (also of Dark Tranquillity, among others) commented on the single: More...

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Bleeding Through Premiere New Music Video

Orange County, CA-based metalcore outfit Bleeding Through premiere a new official music video for their track "Our Brand Is Chaos." This single, originally released on May 8th, marks a return for the band. Earlier this year, the group hinted at their upcoming ninth studio album, though specific release details are still under wraps.

2024 live dates: More...

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