IN THE WOODS...
"OTRA"
Black Metal
Year:11.04.2025
(PROPHECY PRODUCTIONS)

With their seventh studio album "Otra", Norwegian avant-garde metal stalwards IN THE WOODS... might surprise their listeners – and particularly those, who have not followed the remarkable evolution that the band from the southern Norwegian city of Kristiansand has undergone since the early nineties. The tracks of "Otra" are surprisingly captivating with melodic tunes dominating the present sound of IN THE WOODS... – although progressive elements and the occasional rough reminder of the Norwegians' harsh past are also regularly shimmering through the fabric of these songs. What sets "Otra" apart from the average heavy work of music is the excellence of composition that shows expert level experience and comes with a seeming ease that makes the achievement even greater. Lyric...

ELVENKING
"READER OF THE RUNES - LUNA"
Epic/ Viking/ Folk Metal
Year:11.04.2025
(ADA - Alternative Distribution Alliance)

The final installment of the Readers of the Runes trilogy crowns one of the most epic sagas in metal history. With Luna, Elvenking combine the medieval splendor of Divination with the dark intensity of Rapture, finally unraveling the mysteries surrounding the enigmatic rune reader and the fate of the eight characters.Masterful songwriting and a unique blend of folk, melodic and symphonic metal create stunning anthems like “Throes of Atonement” and “Gone Epoch” as well as dramatic epics like “The Ghosting” and the monumental 11-minute finale Reader of the Runes - Book II. An absolute must for fans of Blind Guardian, Skyclad or Helloween - an album that redefines fantasy metal.Immerse yourself in the magical world of Luna - where magic, wonder and heavy me...

BENEDICTION
"RAVAGE OF EMPIRES"
Death Metal
Year:04.04.2025
(NUCLEAR BLAST)

British death metal legends, BENEDICTION, have unveiled the cover of their upcoming new studio album, Ravage Of Empires, which is due to be released on April 4, 2025, via Nuclear Blast Records. Ravage Of Empires will be the band's ninth full length since forming back in 1989 in Birmingham, England.The year 2020 saw BENEDICTION re-enter the stage with their eighth record, Scriptures, after 12 years without releasing any new music. The album was a huge success and it was praised by fans and critics alike, also due to the return of long-time vocalist Dave Ingram.Just like its predecessor, Ravage Of Empires was produced by Scott Atkins at Grindstone Sudio with cover artwork by Wolven Claw Artist. The album continues BENEDICTION’s flawless discography on Premier League lev...

ROTTING CHRIST
"5 YEARS OF EVIL EXISTENCE - LIVE IN LYCABETTUS"
Black Metal
Year:04.04.2025
(SEASON OF MIST)

•    Celebrate the monumental 35-year legacy of ROTTING CHRIST with the live album "35 Years of Evil Existence - Live in Lycabettus," capturing their career-spanning performance at Athens' Lycabettus Theater with audio(visual) grandeur. Note: visual to be released on the Season of Mist YouTube channel, not on the physical products.•    Experience the diversity of ROTTING CHRIST's genre-defining Hellenic black metal, from primal anthems to symphonic masterpieces, featuring tracks like "The Raven" and "666" – available in vinyl, digital, and CD formats.•    Immerse in ROTTING CHRIST's ever-evolving saga with their thunderous live homage that includes their latest thematic journey in "Pro Xristou," refl...

THE HAUNTED
"SONGS OF LAST RESORT"
Thrash/ Death Metal
Year:30.05.2025
(CENTURY MEDIA)

Swedish deadly Thrash Metal pioneers and purveyors THE HAUNTED are back with a bang! A first release in 8 long years, THE HAUNTED finally return to the spotlight and re-energized with their 10th studio album “Songs Of Last Resort”. The album features 12 unmerciful tracks across 40 minutes of absolute heaviness, which were skillfully mixed and mastered by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios (Kreator, Arch Enemy, Sepultura, etc).CD/ LP:        1. Warhead        2. In Fire Reborn        3. Death To the Crown        4. To Bleed Out        5. Unbound        6. Hell is Wa...

ARCH ENEMY
"BLOOD DYNASTY"
Death Metal
Year:28.03.2025
(CENTURY MEDIA)

Sweden’s extreme metal titans Arch Enemy return with their 12th studio album, “Blood Dynasty”. 11 new tracks (+ 2 bonus tracks on Deluxe formats) of guttural force, Arch Enemy’s powerful signature guitar riffs and clean vocal surprises.Mixed & Produced by Jens Bogren.CD:1. Dream Stealer2. Illuminate the Path3. March Of the Miscreants4. A Million Suns5. Don’t Look Down6. Presage7. Blood Dynasty8. Paper Tiger9. Vivre Libre10. The Pendulum11. Liars & Thieves12. Break The Spell (bonus track)13. Moths (bonus track)LP:1. Dream Stealer2. Illuminate the Path3. March Of the Miscreants4. A Million Suns5. Don’t Look Down6. Presage7. Blood Dynasty8. Paper Tiger9. Vivre Libre10. The Pendulum11. Liars & ThievesBonus LP:1. Break The Spell (bonus track)2....

KARDASHEV
"ALUNEA"
Deathgaze/ Progressive Dark Metal
Year:25.04.2025
(METAL BLADE RECORDS)

The eight sonically and lyrically immersive songs on Alunea have set yet another high-water mark for the dynamic lineup. Known as the progenitors of the “deathgaze” genre, that descriptor is evolving as KARDASHEV continually explores and pushes boundaries. “Words you could use to describe our music are ‘atmospheric, progressive, emotional, dynamic, and contrast,” explains drummer Sean Lang. “Our music attempts to sonically portray the emotions of anger and sorrow which creates a palpable but natural dynamic contrast.” Music has always been a universal language, but KARDASHEV creates their own lyrical language, adding depth and meaning.Alunea is a direct sequel to the events of The Almanac and picks up right where the song "Beyond Sun And Moon" leav...

DRUDKH
"SHADOW PLAY"
Black Metal
Year:21.03.2025
(SEASON OF MIST)

•    Epic Atmospheric Soundscapes: DRUDKH returns with Shadow Play, an album brimming with rich, atmospheric textures and a captivating blend of post-black metal and folk elements. Each track is meticulously crafted by DRUDKH, ensuring an authentic and introspective journey through Eastern European landscapes and lore.•    Immersive Conceptual Artistry: Delve into a profound lyrical and musical odyssey that explores themes of nature, exile, and the passage of time. Shadow Play showcases DRUDKH’s signature sound in a six-track masterpiece that transcends the traditional boundaries of black metal.•    High-Fidelity Production: Recorded at ViTeR Music and mastered by Jaime Gomez Arellano at Orgone Mastering, Shadow Play promise...

SAOR
"AMIDST THE RUINS"
Epic/ Viking/ Folk Metal
Year:07.02.2025
(SEASON OF MIST)

Immerse yourself in the fusion of atmospheric black metal and haunting Celtic folk melodies with SAOR's upcoming album, Amidst the Ruins. Embark on an epic voyage that rekindles the fires of Scottish heritage and valour, guided by the spellbinding compositions of Andy Marshall.Hailing from the mist-clad highlands of Scotland, SAOR is a band that breathes life into history with their majestic blend of black metal intensity and Celtic folk melodies. Guided by the spirit of Caledonia, SAOR's music transcends time, echoing the ancient tales of their homeland.Amidst the melancholy ruins and the grandeur of nature, their latest album, Amidst the Ruins, majestically intertwines the past with the present. From the haunting echoes of Glen of Sorrow that recounts the betrayal of the Massac...

...AND OCEANS
"THE REGENERATION ITINERARY"
Black Metal
Year:23.05.2025
(SEASON OF MIST)

In the frozen depths of Finland's iciest lakes, …and Oceans emerged, fusing symphonic black metal with avant-garde twists and splashes of industrial chaos. For decades, they've been the torchbearers of a genre that defies boundaries - constantly reinventing their sound with each new album.Their latest full-length, "The Regeneration Itinerary," is a transcendent expedition into the duality of light and dark. Recorded in the halls of SoundSpiral Audio and mixed to perfection at Necromorbus Studio, this album weaves a tale as old as time yet refreshingly modern. With tracks like the ethereal, techno-laden "Inertiae" and the haunting "Förnyelse i Tre Akter," Mathias Lillmåns' lyrical prowess unfurls across Timo Kontio's and Antti Simonen's ...

NITE
"CULT OF THE SERPENT"
Blackened Heavy Metal
Year:14.03.2025
(SEASON OF MIST)

When darkness engulfs the world, NITE sets the sky ablaze with white-hot, blackened heavy metal. Having completed their journey through the stars and the skies on Voices of the Kronian Moon, NITE now faces the abyssal and shadowy mythology that has long laid dormant on their third album, Cult of the Serpent Sun. Fans who yearn for the days of molten guitar leads, chest-rattling bass and stadium-shaking drums flock to NITE’s circle, and stay for the snarling vocals that speak to metal’s esoteric underground.The title track charges with a newfound urgency for NITE, slithering and venomous in its attack. “Crow (Fear the Night)” is a rallying cry, calling for fists to rise with power and might. “The Mystic” expands the band's sonic palette, fe...

RETROMORPHOSIS
"PSALMUS MORTIS"
Technical Death Metal
Year:21.02.2025
(SEASON OF MIST)

•    Retromorphosis features four former members of Spawn of Possession. •    Guitarist Christian Muenzner also played in Osbscura and Necrophagist.•    Drummer KC Howard was also in Decrepit Birth.Having evolved into one of the most innovative curios in the extreme metal kingdom, after three decades, Spawn of Possession was put to rest back in 2017. But as decreed by the laws of death metal, you can’t bury what’s already undead. Like an especially pungent spore, the seeds of SoP have been festering underground, waiting to come alive and haunt the earth in the form of an even more ghastly mutation.          Such is the sordid origin story behind Retromorphosis. After the demise o...

CRYPTOPSY
"CRYPTOPSY REISSUE"
Death Metal
Year:31.01.2025
(SEASON OF MIST)

Back at the end of the 2000s, the underground had left Cryptopsy for dead thanks to an album that's best left unspoken. But when the recent JUNO Award winners returned from critic-imposed exile in 2011, they reclaimed their crown as the most vile name in death metal with their self-titled album.Even though he hadn't picked up a guitar in the seven years since his departure from the band, John Levasseur rejoined to help Cryptopsy rediscover the right balance between jazzy experimentation and brutal technical proficiency. Future set list staple "Two-Pound Torch" introduced their patented, squirming fishhook riff. Though no longer a fresh face, Matt McGachy established himself as Cryptopsy's vocalist on the band's self-titled album. Each song uncovers a sordid chapter in C...

YE BANISHED PRIVATEERS
"TIL THE SEA SHALL GIVE UP HER DEAD"
Pirate Heavy Metal
Year:11.04.2025
(NAPALM RECORDS)

Raucous Swedish sea marauders YE BANISHED PRIVATEERS are back, ready to set sail once more with their musical journey 'Til the Sea Shall Give Up Her Dead, out April 11, 2025 via Napalm Records! After monumental performances at renowned festivals like Wacken Open Air 2023 and a successful tour in 2024, the beloved crew of shanty renegades promises an evocative exploration of 18th-century sailors’ lives, weaving haunting ballads and riotous anthems into a vivid tapestry of camaraderie, loss, and fleeting joy amidst the unforgiving waves.Opening the journey is ""The Cranker"", a darkly captivating tale of cursed sailors spiraling into a frenetic dance. Tracks like ""Chained Below"" confront historical horrors with heart-wrenching melodies that amplify the voices of the o...

HELLOWEEN
"MARCH OF TIME - THE BEST OF 40 YEARS"
Melodic Power Heavy Metal
Year:28.03.2025
(ADA - Alternative Distribution Alliance)

Over the years, the legendary Helloween from Hamburg have forged a distinctive path and earned their place as early pioneers of melodic power and speed metal. The band left a lasting impression with the groundbreaking albums Keeper of the Seven Keys Parts I and II and today boasts a genre-defining discography that includes 16 studio albums, four live albums, three EPs and 30 singles. With over 10 million records sold and stage appearances with giants such as Iron Maiden, Scorpions and Ozzy Osbourne, Helloween's influence is undeniable and their lasting legacy assured. To celebrate 40 years of this remarkable journey, the band have released a new compilation called March of Time, spanning their entire back catalogue. This collection of 42 hand-picked tracks showcases the band's de...