Testament Announces New Album "Para Bellum"

Bay Area thrash metal icons Testament return this autumn with their fourteenth studio album, "Para Bellum." The album which will be released on October 10th via Nuclear Blast Records stands as both a battle cry and an observation of humanity's uneasy alliance with its own creations. As technology accelerates and disconnection grows, "Para Bellum" sees Testament reflecting the modern chaos through music that’s urgent, sharp, and unflinchingly human.

Today, Testament deliver one of their most intense songs they've written to date, "Infanticide A.I.". Lead by the blinding speed of their new drummer Chris Dovas, the band shows off its musical talent far beyond their expected norms. Watch the music video for 'Infanticide A.I.'' directed by Joey Durango, below.

Testament's Chuck Billy comments, "The new album 'Para Bellum' consists of some fast, heavy and melodic tunes. Once again Peterson has found a way to keep the song writing fresh and modern sounding. It’s gonna be hard to choose what songs to play live cause to many to choose from."

Guitarist Eric Peterson states, "It’s been 5 years since our last record 'Titans Of Creation' was released. Since then, we all waited to get back to it and we all did in a big way! Now our long over due new record 'Para Bellum' is upon us and about to be released in October. We are super stoked and excited to release new blood and fury to you all! With our first single 'Infanticide A.I.' we’re coming out swinging! But with new velocities of fury, while maintaining a balance that we all love and know from a Testament track, enjoy!" More...

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Brainstorm Releases "Boys Of Summer" Cover

Still riding on the wave of success caused by their 2025 album "Plague Of Rats" (February 28, 2025 via Reigning Phoenix Music; DE #13, SE #13, AT #41, CH #42, GR #50), Southern German heavy/power metallers Brainstorm use the final weeks of the warm season by having a creative stopover at the beach on their way back from the myth-enshrouded Indus world. Today, they present nothing but a metalled-up take on Don Henley’s classic track "The Boys Of Summer" to their fans.

The track was recorded during Brainstorm's "Plague Of Rats" sessions in 2024, and the timing of its release couldn’t be more fitting as the group have entered the final stages of this year's festival season.

Vocalist Andy B. Franck adds: "Even though ‘The Boys Of Summer’ deals with rather nostalgic themes of ‘summer love’ and the memory of a past relationship, for me - at the time a 13-year-old - it was, beyond the metal anthems of the 80s, a great song that I associated with summer, girls and the corresponding feeling for many, many years. Don Hanley and the Eagles are simply awe-inspiring. Even today, this song still evokes great memories for me, and since it’s also a song about questioning the past, this track fits perfectly into our times. I’m proud that we recorded it, and maybe it will be part of a show soon. People will love it and then share memories with this, our version!"

But the metal world doesn’t have to worry - the band are far from resting on their latest laurels: Behind the curtain, Brainstorm have been working on extending their 2025/2026 "Plague Of Rats" touring cycle, and the announcement of more live dates following their confirmation for the next edition of Summer Breeze Open Air (Dinkelsbühl, Germany) is really just a matter of time… Stay tuned! More...

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Kittie Marks Debut Album With New EP "Spit XXV"

Canadian heavy music pioneers Kittie mark a quarter-century milestone with the announcement of "Spit XXV," a four-track EP celebrating the 25th anniversary of their gold-certified debut album. The collection features freshly updated and re-recorded versions of four of the albums biggest tracks, "Brackish," "Charlotte," "Do You Think I'm A Whore" and the title track "Spit," all produced, once again, by Garth Richardson who helmed the original 1999 sessions at EMAC Studios.

The EP arrives 19th September via Sumerian Records, with the brand new version of the title track, "Spit XXV" available today across all streaming platforms. You can check out the video below.

Speaking about the milestone project, Kittie vocalist/guitarist Morgan Lander reflects:
"It's hard to believe that 25 years after its release, and almost 30 years since Kittie began, people are still talking about 'Spit.' There is something truly unexplainable in why our debut album is still resonating with people, finding a new audience and has had such a lasting impact on so many. Re-imagining some of these classic songs for the 25th anniversary of 'Spit' was a lot of fun and a true testament to their longevity. It reveals just how relevant in the musical landscape they still are today. We were honoured to work with Garth again where it all began after more than two decades, and doing so was a cool way to pay homage to the past while updating these songs with a modern sound, bringing them into the future." More...

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1914 To Release New Album In November

Ukrainian blackened death/doom metal unit 1914 return with unrelenting power on their fourth studio album, "Viribus Unitis," Latin for "With United Forces." More than just the personal motto of Franz Joseph I, the former emperor of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, this title directly speaks to the band’s resilience through war, loss, and upheaval – a powerful symbol of survival and solidarity. Out on November 14, 2025 via Napalm Records, "Viribus Unitis" builds on the band’s acclaimed conceptual approach, reaching new emotional depths and musical intensity.

Continuing their chronicle of World War I, 1914 shifts their focus from the raw portrayal of death and destruction, to exploring themes of camaraderie, endurance, and the emotional landscapes of those who endured the horrors of trench warfare. While previous releases like "The Blind Leading The Blind" (2018) and "Where Fear And Weapons Meet" (2021) centered on the futility and finality of war, "Viribus Unitis" exemplifies the interpersonal bonds forged under fire and the strength of those warriors who made it home: broken, changed, yet still alive.

Alongside the album announcement, they reveal their first single: "1916 (The Südtirol Offensive)," a despairing blackened doom anthem of defiance, recounting the brutal Battle of Asiago in grim, poetic detail. With thunderous riffs and crushing walls of sound, 1914 makes the Austro-Hungarian attack on Italy tangible, bringing another piece of history to life through sound, relentlessly and uncompromisingly.

Frontman k.u.k. Galizisches IR Nr.15, Gefreiter, Ditmar Kumarberg about "1916 (The Südtirol Offensive)":
"From May 15 to June 10, 1916, the Italian Front saw one of its most intense clashes: the Battle of Asiago, also known as the Trentino Offensive. The Austro-Hungarian army launched a massive surprise attack, hoping to crush Italian forces and break into the Venetian plains. Nearly 200 battalions and 2000 guns, including 280 heavy artillery pieces, were amassed in Trentino. The Italians, caught off guard, were pushed back – but held the line with fierce resistance. The combined toll of 230,000 casualties on both sides underscores the staggering human cost of the campaign. A brutal reminder of the mountain warfare that defined this front." More...

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Breaking News

Brent Hinds Succumbs To Motorcycle Accident

Brent Hinds performing with Mastodon at Mystic Festival in Gdansk, Poland in 2022

According to a report from Atlanta News First, Brent Hinds was killed in an accident on August 20 in a crash while riding a Harley Davidson when the driver of a BMW SUV failed to yield while making a turn at an intersection in Atlanta, Georgia. He was 51 years of age.

He was best known as the co-founder and former lead guitarist of the Atlanta-based band Mastodon, which he formed in 2000 alongside bassist Troy Sanders, guitarist Bill Kelliher, and drummer Brann Dailor. In March, Billboard reported that the band had “mutually decided to part ways” with Hinds, though Hinds stated he was kicked out.

Brent Hinds, born William Brent Hinds on January 16, 1974, in Helena, Alabama, began his musical journey playing the banjo. That early training left a permanent mark on his guitar style, giving him the unique hybrid picking and fast, fluid runs that later became his signature.

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We Came As Romans Premiere New Single & Video

As of today, metalcore veterans We Came As Romans have pulled the curtain back on five of the thirteen tracks slated for their upcoming album, “ALL IS BEAUTIFUL… BECAUSE WE’RE DOOMED“. The latest preview comes in the form of a George Gallardo Kattah-directed music video for the track “one by one”, both of which now available for streaming via YouTube and Spotify for you below.

This new single arrives only days before the album officially lands tomorrow, Friday, August 22nd.

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Arch Enemy Premiere New Music Video

Swedish melodic death metal heavyweights Arch Enemy have unveiled a brand-new music video for “Illuminate The Path”, a track culled from their “Blood Dynasty” release. The visual was helmed by Patric Ullaeus (known for his work with Amorphis and Dark Tranquillity), though the band has yet to issue any official commentary on the clip.

Next up for Arch Enemy is a European/UK tour alongside Amorphis, Eluveitie, and Gatecreeper, slated to launch this October: More...

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Carach Angren Premiere New Single & Music Video

Dutch symphonic black metal duo Carach Angren are set to release a new EP titled “The Cult Of Kariba” on October 17th via Season Of Mist. This upcoming effort delves deeper into the myth of the White Lady from Schinveld—a concept originally introduced on their 2008 debut, “Lammendam.”

Marking the band’s first track written entirely in Dutch, the single “Ik Kom Uit Het Graf” serves as the initial preview of the EP. According to a press release, the track ‘follows a man who was poisoned by Kariba, only to be summoned centuries later by an errant cult ritual. What unfolds is so sinister, it could only be composed by these evil masterminds of symphonic black metal.’

The press release further elaborated: More...

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Higher Power Premiere New Music Video "Better"

Higher Power have premiered the official music video for “Better”, streaming via YouTube and Spotify for you now below. The track appears on the British melodic hardcore band’s most recent album, “There’s Love In This World If You Want It,” which arrived as a surprise release this past June. The visuals for the new clip were helmed by director Murry Deaves.

Alongside the video drop, the band announced an October UK headlining tour, with Existence serving as direct support. Dynamite will also join for the first two dates of the run: More...

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Carcosa (AngelMaker , Etc.) Premiere New Single

Carcosa—the melodic deathcore outfit featuring members linked to AngelMaker and others—are gearing up to release their sophomore album, “The Axe Forgets, The Tree Remembers,” on October 15th. Ahead of that drop, the band have unleashed a brand-new single, “Fade,” which arrived today, August 20th, alongside its official music video.

Vocalist Johnny Ciardullo shared the following thoughts: More...

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