French post-black band DECLINE OF THE I release new track in anticipation of their thrid studio album “Escape”, which is due for release on July 27th via Agonia Records. Listen to “Disruption” below…  

We’ve come to the point with tech death where it’s diversify or succumb to irrelevancy. When Beyond Creation released Earthborn Evolution back in 2014, it was a big deal seeing a band with 8 string guitars utilizing melodic and digestible passages, married to the unique sound of a fretless bass that was just as complicated as their guitar parts. At the time everyone was trying to ape Meshuggah, and now flashforward and the technical wankery that comes with being a tech-oriented band is practically a joke. Yet bands still manage to diversify, to find unique sound avenues, and come out on top. Mordant Rapture are starting on that path with their debut EP, they’re trying to let everyone out of the gate know what’s... 

Progressive Metal pioneers FATES WARNING are releasing their new live album entitled “Live Over Europe” today via InsideOutMusic worldwide. Gathered during the group’s most recent European headlining run for FATES WARNING’s much acclaimed latest studio album “Theories Of Flight” in January 2018, “Live Over Europe” includes audio recordings from 8 different cities (Aschaffenburg / Germany, Belgrade / Serbia, Thessaloniki and Athens / Greece, Rome and Milan / Italy, Budapest / Hungary as well as Ljubljana / Slovenia) and a total of 23 songs in over 138 minutes of playing time, spanning 30 years of the group’s seminal career.   “Live Over Europe” was mixed by Jens Bogren (Opeth, Kreator, Symphony... 

Alternative metal five-piece Gemini Syndrome is slated to headline the Synner Conversion Tour this summer, taking a break from writing their third studio album, expected to be released in late 2018 via RED MUSIC.  

ARMORED SAINT will kick off their anticipated North American headlining tour commemorating their classic Symbol Of Salvation full-length July 10th. On this special thirteen-date run, the band will perform the record in its entirety, with select shows to be recorded for a live DVD. Support will be provided by labelmates Act Of Defiance. See all confirmed dates below.  

LUCIFER’S CHILD, a Greek black metal band from Athens, has signed a record deal with Agonia Records. The band, combining members of Rotting Christ, Nightfall and Chaostar, is on the final lap of the recording process of their sophomore album, follow-up to 2015 debut “The Wiccan”.  

Relapse Records is excited to announce the return of the Relapse Contamination Tour headlined by death metal heavyweights DYING FETUS with support from label-mates INCANTATION, GATECREEPER and GENOCIDE PACT! The tour will kick off September 19th in Flint, MI and travel through 35 cities across North America, ending October 29th in London, ON. All confirmed dates are available below.  

Nonpoint are set to release their new album, titled X and pronounced “Ten,” out August 24 via Spinefarm Records. The album is the tenth studio release of the band’s career.  

American Power Trio PRONG has announced the continuation of their ZERO DAYS TOUR with several dates across Germany and into The Netherlands.  

The Metal community has been rocked by the news of the passing of legendary drummer Vinnie Paul. Mr. Paul was a founding member of Pantera, Damageplan and his currentl band, Hellyeah.  

It was about one minute and thirty-eight seconds into this Oubliette album that I said “Oh boy.” Not in the condescending tone of “I can’t believe I’m gonna sit through this thing,” but rather “I’m gonna enjoy the hell out of this.” There’s something about the cutaway from melodic black metal to Alcest-like dreamscape guitars that says a lot about a band in the opening moments of their sophomore album, and it’s a hopeful plea that this intro isn’t all flash while the rest of the album is uninspired.  

We don’t hear much metal from the Eastern European countries all that often. Coming out of Turkey, Burial Invocation is one of the rare instances where we do hear something. And guess what? It’s death metal. Tried and true, shredding death metal, it just goes to show that even in the most extreme of metal genres, we can get over the hurdle of language barriers with blast beats and tremolo picking.