Latest Metal News
Last updated on January 28, 2022 at 11:43 AM ET
We post metal news every day, throughout the day, covering thousands of metal bands including underground and unsigned bands.
Below is the latest news, but check back often for updates. You can also browse our news archive or find news by band.
Recent Headlines
- Former Dark Tranquillity Guitarist Passes Away
- Meshuggah Premiere New Single “The Abysmal Eye”
- Testament Part Ways With Drummer Gene Hoglan
- Every Time I Die Announces Breakup
- Budgie Frontman Burke Shelley Passes Away
- Vio-lence Premiere First New Material in 29 Years
Hot Topics
- Former Dark Tranquillity Guitarist Passes Away
- Shield Of Wings Unveil Lyrical Music Video
- Diamond Oz Presents: The Best Of 2021
- Power Paladin Posts New Lyric Video Online
- Incrypt Unleashes New Lyric Video
- Miscreant Posts New Music Video Online
- Wolf Releases "Dust" Music Video
- Kissin' Dynamite Lands At #2 On German Album Chart
- Meshuggah Premiere New Single “The Abysmal Eye”
- Imonolith Introduces New Members
21 news articles posted today (and counting...)
Headline News
Former Dark Tranquillity Guitarist Passes Away
Fredrik Johansson, former guitarist of Dark Tranquillity, has passed away at the age of 48 after battling cancer. A post from Dark Tranquillity vocalist Michael Stanne reads as follows:
"One of us is gone.
"Fredrik Johansson passed away on January 25th after a three-year long battle with cancer.
He joined Dark Tranquillity in ’93, right after the recording of our first album “Skydancer”. He replaced me as guitarist so that I could focus on singing, and with that he raised the bar and set the course for what we could do and wanted to be. His influence and passion had an absolutely massive impact. The first song that we wrote together was something we ended up calling “Punish my Heaven”, and with that we knew that we were on a path that we up until then had only dreamed of.
Fredrik was mercilessly funny, sharp and highly intelligent, and would light up a conversation with his amazingly positive and quick witted commentary. But also, as easily, he would tear an uninformed argument or opinion apart with well articulated and thoroughly researched logic. His sense of humor and adventure would more often than not lead to epic excursions in stupidity and madness that I will forever miss.
"Fredrik left the band in ’99 to focus on his family, yet he remained our biggest fan and our fiercest critic. His insights into the direction of our music was invaluable and knowing that he always listened and cared about what he had been part of creating meant the world to us.
"A recent story, that speaks volumes about his personality, is when we launched the album “Moment” with a streamed concert in 2020. For weeks ahead of the release, Fredrik was on our Facebook page making sure that those who did not have access to a credit card or simply could not afford it would be able to see the show as well. By personally paying a ticket for those who weren’t able to, Fredrik made sure that no-one was left without. That’s who he was.
"Having known about his cancer battle for almost three years and having dealt with the fact that this day would eventually come doesn’t make it any less real. We all still feel it. And we always will.
Living without you in this world will be radically different and not even close to as interesting and curiously fun as it has been with you in it. On behalf of the entire Dark Tranquillity family, we love you Fredrik and we will miss you forever.
"We start our US tour today and by playing the songs that Fredrik wrote and helped create we aim to keep his name and musical legacy alive. He was one of us and we love him.
”It is what it is, and what will be will be” as Fredrik used to say might serve as a reminder that our time here is nothing but temporary and we should make the most of the beautiful personal connections we have and treasure the people that we have surrounded us with. Tons of love from all of us to Fredrik's wife and three daughters.
"Mikael Stanne and all of Dark Tranquillity"
Shield Of Wings Unveil Lyrical Music Video
North American Symphonic Metal revivalists Shield of Wings have shared the next single, "Mind of Myth" from their upcoming debut full-length album, Unfinished, set to release February 11th. Sure to appeal to fans of symphonic metal giants Nightwish and Epica, as well as film score composers like Hans Zimmer, James Horner, and Howard Shore, their new album, Unfinished, will bring into view 10 bombastic compositions of poetic exploration.
Check out the video here: More...
Kissin' Dynamite Lands At #2 On German Album Chart
Kissin' Dynamite has entered the official German album charts at #2 with their new album "Not The End Of The Road!" This marks the highest chart entry in the career of the Germans and continues the unique success story they started about 20 years ago as a school band in their hometown.
For some time now, Kissin' Dynamite have fought against childhood cancer through the power of their music. They donated their full income for the song “Good Life” plus the proceeds of the sale of a charity t-shirt to the Förderverein für krebskranke Kinder Tübingen e.V., a charity organization that supports children with cancer in their hometown. The engagement was supported by German company Intense AG, and resulted in a 6000€ donation! More...
Whitechapel Shares "Anticure" Performance Video
To close out 2021, Whitechapel released their eighth studio album, Kin, via Metal Blade Records - which critics are hailing as the band's "most diverse offering yet" (Metal Injection). Today, the deathcore crew unleashes "Anticure," the fourth video from "Kin." You can check it out below.
Volcanova Unleashes New Single
Volcanova turns Icelandic isolation into an explosive fuzz-rock fest on their new single "Desolation." With gritty riffs, multi layered vocal arrangements and gut punching grooves, the power-trio reveals a dynamic piece of energized stoner rock. "Desolation" is the second and final single from Volcanova‘s upcoming EP "Cosmic Bullshit." Dagur from the band comments on the single:
While hovering through space, despite having the time of your life, you can‘t help it but to occasionally feel alone in the endless universe…. But fear not! Take your time, inhale cosmic fumes and let the riff lead you on over barren wastelands of unknown soil, where planets collide with immense power and you will be greeted with the monstrous opus of "Desolation!"
"Desolation" is released on all streaming platforms on January 28. "Cosmic Bullshit" will be released on The Sign Records on the 25th of February as digital/stream, 12" vinyl, and CD. "Cosmic Bullshit" is the first physical release from Volcanova since their 2020 debut album "Radical Waves." More...
Rage Shares Remixed Version Of "The Age Of Reason"
Rage are one of the real iconic metal bands. With an ongoing career of almost 40 years, the band has helped to shape German Heavy Metal as it is today. Now, for the first time, the band has collaborated with a remixer.
The idea of producing a remix from a Rage song was born at a big metal festival in Japan some years ago, when they met Federico Agreda Alvarez, better known as Zardonic, who is an internationally renowned DJ and remixer, famous for his work for Bullet For My Valentine, Nine Inch Nails, Sonic Syndicate, just to name a few.
The result is a pumping new version of the Rage song "The Age Of Reason" – Rage as you have never heard it before! The original version can be found on "Resurrection Day" which was released on September 17th, 2021 through SPV/Steamhammer. More...
Imonolith Introduces New Members
All-star modern metal band Imonolith are back with new single "The Reign," featuring guest vocals from Meshuggah legend Jens Kidman. A remixed version of the track from their critically acclaimed debut album "State Of Being," "The Reign" will appear on the upcoming "Progressions" EP.
Watch the video to "The Reign" below.
Jens Kidman's appearance is a huge endorsement for Imonolith, as he’s only been featured as a guest artist once before.
Drummer Ryan Van Poederooyen commented: “We decided to take one of our most popular songs, ‘The Reign’ from our debut album, State of Being, and do a remix of it as part of our upcoming Progressions EP, being released in March 2022. We saw the potential of how an industrial-type remix could sound and we felt this song deserved to be a standalone single. ‘The Reign’ features guest vocals by the mighty, Jens Kidman from Meshuggah. He absolutely killed it on his performance and that is yet another big reason why we felt this song deserved its own release as a revamped single."
On the lyrics and production, Ryan continues: "The song is about how modern society tries to influence you and/or tells you how to live your life, when truly you should always do what you love and love what you do, not what others want. As for the production, Jason ‘JVP’ Van Poederooyen did a phenomenal job with the remix. It’s massive sounding and has a cool industrial twist to it. We’re all pumped on how this remix turned out!”
Imonolith are pleased to announce new members Oswin Wong (Threat Signal) on guitar and Conan Freeman (Punchdrunk) on bass. They replace Brian Waddell and Scott Whalen who have both decided to step down from touring. More...
Wolf Releases "Dust" Music Video
Swedish Heavy Metal masters Wolf announced their return with a new studio album entitled "Shadowland" last month! The album is set to be released through Century Media on April 1st, 2022!
It is their 9th studio effort and the follow up to the 2020 release "Feeding The Machine."
Today, the band is pleased to release the video for the album‘s first single "Dust" which can be seen below.
Niklas Stalvind (vocals / guitar) says:
"This is the opening track of our new album ’Shadowland‘. Classic uptempo Wolf metal, heavy and melodic. We hope you enjoy this one, because there's more where that came from. Cheers!" More...
Miscreant Posts New Music Video Online
Alternative outfit Miscreant have released their latest single, the heartfelt and powerful 'Escape the Night'. The song explores themes of love and the dangers of one-sided passion, in the words of Simon Sinek, "love is giving someone the power to destroy you, and trusting they won’t use it." You can check it out below.
"Escape The Night" is centred on the common narrative of almost losing the person you love most in the world. Miscreant highlight the importance of love and how loving someone is taking a chance, as there is no guarantee it will work out.
Speaking on the storyline of the song, the band explain: "It talks about the protagonist imagining life without the person they love. They see the person they love moving on and wonders if, without them, they could continue to live this life anymore. The lyric ‘so come and find me escaping the night’ is the protagonist saying that without them, they will take their own life. The music video is built to focus on this ying and yang, highlighting the positive and negative mindsets that come with falling in love." More...
Åskväder Unveils "Let You Down" Video
Åskväder is back with the single "Let You Down". The electrifying Swedish garage rockers blends catchy choruses with a thunderstorm of energetic riffing and upbeat rhythms on the new track. "Let You Down" is the third single from Åskväder's upcoming second album "Fenix", which will be released on March 25, 2022 via The Sign Records. The single comes with a sporty music video, shot in a gymnasium by Carl Stenlöv.
Martin Gut from the band on the single: "Let You Down is a love song picturing a very close relationship between two people. It describes the will to always be close, to help and to support. Maybe this is an unusual topic in the world of rock n roll and maybe it is not cool, but hey we are not too cool for school anyway. This is a track that we are really proud of and a track that we will be a definite choice for our live shows." Åskväder's new single and music video "Let You Down" is out now on all streaming platforms and Youtube. More...
Depleted Uranium Streaming New Album
Toronto’s Depleted Uranium have today unleashed their new album "Origins" and before to celebrate their atomic destruction of grindcore, math-metal, and power-violence, they are streaming the record in full via MetalInsider here.
"Origins" is a fast, aggressive journey with existential lyrics delivered with full throttle vocals, coupled with technical melodies and harmonies that bring you to your bad place. It is meant to obliterate negative energy and make life a better place as everyone has something to scream for or about.
The band adds:
"It has been a long time since the recording of 'Origins.' Life, death, and everything in between has blessed and burdened us along our journey. Some say “it is not relevant” or “why not release new material”; for us, this is unreleased material and it’s part of our journey of perspective, and accompanied by the pandemic lockdown. We’ve never been a band to do what people expect, so expect us to do things differently and to not fit in as that’s part of us. That being said, we will always attempt to deliver 100% in music and writing, rehearsing and performing our music, with or without a witness as to us, our time together is sacred, meaningful, and requires sacrifice from all members to exist."
"Origins" is Depleted Uranium's history of who they are and where they come from. It is meant to be listened to in reference to their self-titled, debut release; to give a perspective that will also further be referenced in their future releases. Both lyrics and music hold a high tension and are expressed without hesitation. Both are relevant to their time and space of creation and are embodied with existential yet direct meaning. The album as a whole is a statement of youth being dissatisfied with the existing conditions of reality and channeling our experience into what it is today. “If one cannot withstand the hot glow of anger upon the discovery of a wrong, then time is wasted thinking deeply”.Depleted Uranium's band name, their lyrics, and their music are a product of the system with the right individuals as the recipe. Their message on "Origins" is to strive from personal freedom and to focus on what you want rather than what you don’t.
Incrypt Unleashes New Lyric Video
Formed in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, melodic thrash metal band Incrypt have signed with Wormholedeath for the release of their new album, "Thrashing Extinction," due on February 25th. Ahead of the street date, Incrypt has released a lyric video for the title track. You can check it out below.
Celeste Releases New Single
There's a menacing red-shimmering light, hovering at the end of the dark journey that Celeste started last year, since signing to Nuclear Blast and announcing their latest masterpiece. Today, the band unleashes their new longplayer "Assassine(s)," produced by Chris Edrich (Gojira, Tesseract, The Ocean, Leprous). With their unique mix of black metal, sludge and post hardcore, and over 500 shows played since their inception in 2005, Celeste have cemented their status as one of France's most important underground acts. Today, they have also unveiled a new single off the record, named "Elle répète froidement," accompanied by a video.
The band states:
"After these recent years full of struggles, it is with an immense joy that we unleash our 6th album in its entirety. Recording 'Assassine(s)' was a long journey, during which we’ve all had our hearts working to full capacity. We hope you'll enjoy it as much as we do."
Regarding this hypnotizing track:
"The sparkling drums introduce us to a song which perfectly depicts how forward thinking and more accessible this new effort is. Modern riffing, almost pop-like lead guitars and structures embrace voluptuous melodies. This song is a praise of despair and melancholia, four magnificent minutes of pure spleen." More...
Amorphis Shares New Music Video
"Halo," the new masterpiece from Finland's melancholic progressive metallers Amorphis will be released via Atomic Fire on February 11th. In advance of the record's official unveiling, today the band finally reveal a new single accompanied by a music video filmed in the Finnish snow and directed by Pekka Hara. "On The Dark Waters" is further proof of the band's undeniable talent in fusing heavy riffs with an epic and melodic chorus, and is not only part of the new album but also available as an exclusive 7'' vinyl.
Lyricist Pekka Kainulainen comments: "I got the idea to reverse the direction of the Tuonela stream - Tuonela is the realm of the dead in Finnish mythology. So I started writing from the moment of death... And death was not the end, but the beginning." More...
Power Paladin Posts New Lyric Video Online
Adventurers, heed the call of Icelandic newcomers Power Paladin who recently unleashed their debut album "With The Magic Of Windfyre Steel" via Atomic Fire Records and made the impossible possible, entering the official German album charts on a sensational position #76, with a record that delivers nine highly infectious anthems.
To celebrate their global success, that also includes two #1 positions at Japanese Amazon and Disk Union's rock/metal charts, the band reveals a unique new lyric video for the song "Dark Crystal". You can check it out below.
State Power Paladin on these festive happenings: "In a land of ancient prophecies and magic, torn asunder by eons of war and hardship. Our heroes venture forth, mourning the loss of their emperor king, as they search for the dark crystal to bring back balance to the realm. But in order to succeed they must survive the onslaught from the kingdom of the elves and wizards wielding foul and dark magic.
"These last weeks since our album release have been one big uplifting, flattering and in many ways humbling experience. When we started out recording this album our first idea was to cast it out to the cosmos via Spotify and YouTube and maybe create vinyls for all the members in the band. Seeing all these positive reactions from press, listeners and charts makes us beyond grateful to both the people that did all the amazing work putting this out there and the people who tossed their hard earned coins to buying this album. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you all!" More...
Illusious Premiere Debut Single
Miami, Florida-based progressive death metal band Illusious premiere their debut single titled “Entangled Paradox”, streaming via YouTube for you below.
Line-up: More...
Pestilectomy Premiere Full-Album Stream
USA/Germany slam band Pestilectomy premiere the full-album stream of the band's brand new album "From Vulnerable To Funeral", which is out today via Realityfade.
Check out now "From Vulnerable To Funeral" in its entirety below.
Ocean of Entropy Premiere New Song & Lyric Video
UK/Canada-based technical deathcore outfit Ocean of Entropy premiere a new song entitled “The Summer Rain”, taken from their upcoming new EP. Check out now "The Summer Rain" streaming via YouTube for you below.
Kanonenfieber Premiere Song - TBDM Singer Guests
German black metal band Kanonenfieber premiere a new song entitled “The Yankee Division March”, taken from their upcoming new EP "Yankee Division", which will be out in stores via Noisebringer Records (in cooperation with Avantgarde Music) later this year.
The Black Dahlia Murder frontman Trevor Strnad makes a guest appearance on that particular single.
Check out now "The Yankee Division March" streaming via YouTube for you below.
Emmure Guitarist Travis Premieres Debut Solo Track
Emmure guitarist Joshua Travis (ex-Glass Cloud, ex-The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza, etc.) premieres his debut solo single, “Web Of Lies“. The guitarist has inked a record deal with SharpTone Records.
Monuments, etc. singer Andy Cizek and guitarist Stephen Taranto (The Helix Nebula) guest on that track.
Says Travis: More...
Headline News
Meshuggah Premiere New Single “The Abysmal Eye”
Six years after the band’s last album, “The Violent Sleep Of Reason“, Meshuggah premiere their first new single “The Abysmal Eye”. The track is off their highly anticipated ninth studio full-length “Immutable“. That 13-track album will be out on April 01st via the band’s new label home of Atomic Fire Records.
Recording sessions for it took place at Sweetspot Studios in Sweden with lead guitarist Fredrik Thordendal making his full-time return to the group’s roster for the album.
“Immutable” track listi: More...
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