It’s time to rumble with THE HEADBANGING MOOSE SHOW every Thursday @ 20:00 UTC+2 (with a reprise on Saturdays @ 19:00 UTC+2) exclusively at Midnight Madness Metal e-Radio, your Greece-based web radio blasting the best of heavy music nonstop 24/7!
Presented by Gustavo Scuderi, The Headbanging Moose Show will bring to you the cream of underground metal music, giving you a short and sweet background on every band played on the show. No silly jokes, no shenanigans… THIS IS PURE F****N’ METAL!
So remember, EVERY THURSDAY @ 20:00 UTC+2(with a reprise on Saturdays @ 19:00 UTC) tune into Midnight Madness Metal e-Radio to enjoy one hour of kick-ass underground metal from all over the world, courtesy of The Headbanging Moose!
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Heavy as the dark, bright as the sun… Set Your Hearts on Fire!
As the sun gets further away from the Northern Hemisphere day after day, let’s dive deep into a sun of Symphonic Metal to brighten up our daily lives with our metal lady of this month of November. Owner of a powerful and enfolding voice, which even led to her being compared to the one and only Tarja Turunen, she’s the classically trained frontwoman for the rising Swiss Symphonic Metal ensemble Deep Sun, an accomplished vocal coach, and of course, a diehard metalhead who’s always willing to bring her fans endless joy when she hits the stage with her bandmates. Her name is Debora Lavagnolo, and as you might have noticed her official website is called, “die sängerin,” a German phrase that translates to “the female singer” or “the vocalist” in English, already giving you a very good idea about what Debora is all about. She truly loves to sing, and you’ll love to know more about such a talented artist, her career with Deep Sun, and her passion for heavy music.
Born on July 27, 1984 in Brugg, a Swiss municipality and a town in the canton of Aargau, Debora attended the Zurich Conservatory of Music for 10 years studying classical singing, and the FeMale Funk Project Vocal Performance School in Zurich for 3 years studying pop and rock singing. Furthermore, she’s been performing on stage for over 15 years, whether with a band, solo, as a duo, or as a quartet, at various events, weddings, receptions, parties, in clubs, at festivals, and other types of gatherings, and she’s constantly educating herself by attending vocal coaching sessions or (silent) retreats to continually give her voice and mind renewed energy to keep developing her skills even further.
As aforementioned, Debora is the unstoppable frontwoman for the striking Symphonic Metal outfit Deep Sun, who, together with their community called “Deep Sunlights,” offer a musical home for those seeking strength, passion, and positivity. Formed in 2006 (under the name One Hour, while also going through constant lineup changes), and currently comprised of our diva Debora alongside guitarist Erik Dummermuth, bassist Angelo Salerno, keyboardist Tom Hiebaum, and drummer Tobias Brutschi, combining epic orchestrations, powerful metal riffs, and emotional storytelling into a cinematic and unmistakable sound while bridging light and darkness, strength and vulnerability, therefore creating a sonic universe that reaches far beyond genre boundaries, the band released their debut EP Flight of the Phoenix in 2014, followed by four full-length albums, those being Race Against Time (2016), Das Erbe der Welt (2019), Dreamland – Behind the Shades (2022), and more recently Storyteller (2025), all available on Spotify, and you can also enjoy the official videos on their official YouTube channel for songs such as Journey Into the Unknown, Worlds Collide, and Eternal Love, as well as tons of live footage.
Having already performed hundreds of shows across Europe, including tours through the United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland, the band incorporates several elements from other music styles such as Hard Rock, Power, and Folk Metal into their core Symphonic Metal essence, while always remaining loyal to their foundations from day one. “I deliberately sought out a Symphonic Metal band where I could fully utilize and express my voice. Musically, I come from the realm of Uriah Heep, Pink Floyd, Slade, Jethro Tull etc. I grew up with this music. But classical music also fascinates me. That’s why I also pursued vocal training. When I joined Deep Sun in 2009, the basic sound we know was already established, and I knew immediately that these were the songs I wanted to sing,” mentioned the unrelenting Debora.
The band’s songwriting process, according to Debora herself, always develops a little differently. She said in an interview that she for example only starts thinking about the lyrics for a new album once the vocals for the current album are already finished. She also mentioned that her journey with Deep Sun taught her how to become more flexible and adaptable in her pursuit of perfection, saying their touring schedule showed her many things simply cannot be planned, and yet somehow it always works out. Furthermore, she also mentioned that balancing the band, her career, and her private life requires a lot of organization and structure. “Sometimes I manage it better, sometimes less so. But especially during a release phase, there’s an enormous amount of motivation and energy involved, which provides the necessary drive. And what always motivates me is the interaction with fans on social media,” she commented.
Apart from Deep Sun, and of course from her career as a vocal coach and artist, Debora recorded the lead vocals for the debut album Starwalkers, released in April 2026, by an up-and-coming German Symphonic Metal project named Withering Beauty, the brainchild of Russian guitarist Matt Plekhanov (of bands like Dragony and Red Eye Temple). You can find the official videos or lyric videos for several of their songs on YouTube, like Why Men Lie, Hold Me, and Follow Me, and of course stream their music on BandCamp, Spotify or any other streaming service. No idea if she’ll be a permanent member of the project or not, but her performance in Starwalkers is indeed fantastic.
Moreover, she also collaborated on the release of the 2014 album Das Blaue Amulett, with German Folk Metal/Classical crossover band project Fairytale and renowned musician Angelo Salerno, featuring fantasy-themed, dreamy melodies such as The Elves Land and The Enchanted Butterfly. There isn’t any additional information anywhere about the project, apart from the fact they released another album in 2015 (most probably without Debora on vocals), but their music is so compelling it would be nice to see Debora taking the vocal duties with Fairytale again for another album of sheer fantasy and sonic magic.
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When asked about her idols and influences, her answer basically reflects her vocal and music style, also in line with her songwriting where she tells stories of life, of fantasy worlds, of epic adventures and profound emotions, and also stories that perhaps should have never been told. “Through my parents I came into contact with bands like Uriah Heep, Deep Purple, Pink Floyd, but also ABBA, etc. at an early age. All the different music styles and influences have always fascinated me. But when I met Nightwish and Tarja Turunen, I knew exactly where I wanted to go with my voice. All the early symphonic metal bands were very groundbreaking for me.” She complemented by saying she truly enjoys going to concerts, in special to see Symphonic, Melodic and Power Metal bands, like for instance the great Powerwolf.
An accomplished singer and vocal coach in the Zurich, Aargau, Basel, Bern, Solothurn, Lucerne, Zug, Schwyz, St. Gallen, Thurgau, Valais, Graubünden area and, upon request, also outside of Switzerland and abroad, owning a powerful 3-Octave-range voice (which gets even more powerful through her Neumann KMS 105, Sennheiser e945 wireless microphone), and always collaborating with various professional musicians in different musical projects, Debora also helps her clients in their songwriting process, lyrics, stage performance, as well as other general coaching services including preparation for studio recordings, and tips and tricks for voice problems. Furthermore, the fact she’s a perfectionist is also very important in her line of work, and she’s proud of that. “Either perfection is in my genes, or I absorbed it during my 15 years in track and field. As a former top athlete, especially in the sprint disciplines, everything had to be precise down to the millimeter. Nothing could be left to chance, and technical sequences like the start from the starting blocks were practiced thousands of times—until they were perfect. When the seamless transition from sports to classical singing with its corresponding vocal technique began, my approach and attitude remained essentially the same, only now it was in the music room instead of on the track.”
As aforementioned, one of Debora’s biggest idols in music, if not the biggest, is the one and only Tarja Turunen, and she feels honored to have her music compared to the early days of Nightwish. However, she also likes to mention the uniqueness of her voice and music when such comparisons happen. “Being compared to Nightwish is definitely flattering, and we’re very grateful for such comparisons, especially since Tarja Turunen is one of the greatest singers of all time in my opinion. However, if you listen closely to our songs, you can clearly hear our own unique sound. I, too, am constantly evolving with my voice, for example, always incorporating screams, which Tarja doesn’t do. But what remains constant is the fundamental timbre of my voice, which is perfectly suited to this kind of music. I don’t copy anything; that’s just how my voice sounds, not least because of my classical vocal training. And I love being able to use my voice this way.”
Furthermore, Debora had some very nice words to describe her absolute admiration for Tarja. “Not just because of her voice and her power, but also because of her energy, her commitment to women in the metal scene, and her ability to constantly reinvent herself while staying true to herself.” Debora has the same opinion about Lady Gaga and her incredibly powerful voice, as well as Agnetha Fältskog from ABBA, and Sue Schell from Peter, Sue and Marc. “And in classical music, I could lose myself in the sound of the voices of Diana Damrau or Regula Mühlemann,” complemented our Swiss diva.
As already mentioned, Debora is also a former track and field athlete, a multiple Swiss champion in the 80m, 100m, 200m, and 400m over 15 years, a member of the national team, and a multiple European Championship team participant. “Over time, however, I realized that I wasn’t fully committed to sports anymore and that I had to follow the call of music. Music has been a part of my life since childhood, and I even started classical vocal training during my track and field days. So, after my last Swiss championship title, there was a smooth transition from competitive sports to music, where I also give my all,” she said. And it doesn’t matter if it’s in sports or in music, Debora always does it for the passion. “I don’t make music to get rich. I work so I can fully pursue my passion for music in my free time. And with sports, it’s the same story – it’s never been about the money for me, only about constantly striving to improve.”
A fan of the short stories by Roald Dahl and of Swiss writer Mirjam Richner, saying both have the gift of expressing their creativity and imagination in such lyrical, poetic, yet modern language, labeling their stories as unconventional and always with a twist at the end, therefore getting truly inspired to write her music, Debora has a very active life, usually related to her music career. “When I’m not working with Deep Sun, I’m preparing for other musical engagements, such as weddings, events, parties, and collaborations. My life is already very musically rich.” However, she always takes some time out for herself every day, in which she dedicates herself to Vipassana (an ancient meditation technique that means “to see things as they really are”), yoga, and strength and stability exercises, or to her two tortoises Powerwolf and Steelhammer. Those are very lucky tortoises, having the pleasure of listening to Debora singing basically every single day of their lives, but we can consider ourselves lucky metalheads as well, since we’re able to enjoy Debora’s music with Deep Sun or any other of her music projects. She’s a fantastic vocalist, and I can’t wait to see what’s next in her always evolving and thrilling career.
The annihilation of the world continues with the sophomore opus by this amazing Progressive Death Metal entity, a 77-minute concept album criticizing theocracy, oligarchy, and religious fundamentalism.
Formed in 2018, by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Daniel Saillant, blending elements of Death Metal, Shoegaze, and Progressive Rock, Boston, Massachusetts-based Progressive Death Metal entity Annihilus Mundi (a dark, destructive twist on the classical Latin philosophical phrase anima mundi, or “soul of the world,” effectively translating to “the annihilation of the world”) continues to push musical boundaries, combining harsh and clean vocals, complex guitar arrangements, and introspective lyrics in the project’s sophomore album, titled The Dead Sea Scrolls, following up on their critically acclaimed 2019 debut Grief. Produced, mixed, mastered and engineered by Daniel Saillant himself at Wailing Pines Productions, the new album by the aforementioned Daniel Saillant on vocals and all instruments, alongside Noah Magnelli on harsh and clean vocals, is a 77-minute long concept album exploring his personal life experiences. In a fusion of genres and artforms, Annihilus Mundi reconceptualize the album’s central ideas through Hideaki Anno’s notorious 1995 anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion and its subsequent 1997 film The End of Evangelion.
Second Impact (Overture) is a massive creation by Daniel and his henchmen, offering a wild fusion of Progressive Metal with more extreme and grandiose sounds where his guitars transpire fire and aggression, followed by Absolute Terror, featuring a guest guitar solo by Chris Jones (Æther Realm), absolutely captivating from start to finish, with the clean and harsh vocals by Noah working majestically. A Hedgehog’s Dilemma sounds as complex and multi-layered as the previous tunes, with both keys and drums sounding epic; whereas The Dead Sea Scrolls, Mvt. I – “Reminiscence” is a semi-acoustic ballad that sets the stage for The Dead Sea Scrolls, Mvt. II – “Incursion”, with Andrew Matarazzo (Perennial Quest) on a guest guitar solo, offering us all an overdose of infernal growls and crushing riffs, resulting in ten minutes of undisputed, no shenanigans extreme music with a strong progressive vein. Black Moon, also showcasing a guest guitar solo by Chris Ramusciwicz (Graveborn), and Olive Gallop (Ice Giant) on vocals, is as epic as it is venomous and dark; while King of Thorns, boosted by a guitar solo by Sam Mooradian (Sam Mooradian, Fallujah), lacks the same energy of the rest of the album, sounding a bit tiresome in the end.
Then the four-part beast named “Terminal Dogma” kicks off with Terminal Dogma, Mvt. I – “Do you love me?”, a serene and grim tune where Daniel is ruthless armed with his axe, flowing into Terminal Dogma, Mvt. II – “Take care of yourself.”, featuring Alex Haddad (Dessiderium, Atheist) on a guitar solo and Sarah Hartman (Aversed) on vocals. Needless to say, Noah makes a phenomenal duet with Sarah in a lecture in Progressive Metal. In Terminal Dogma, Mvt. III – “Love is destructive.” we have a break from Daniel’s usual heaviness, warming our hearts before we face Terminal Dogma, Mvt. IV – “I need you.”, again featuring Sarah Hartman on vocals, presenting the power of the riff, massive beats, and deep, evil vocal lines. Silent Planet, featuring Anthony Harter (d r 0 n 3) on noise and atmospheres, is noisy and perturbing, working as a wicked bridge to Human Instrumentality, featuring a guest guitar solo by Michael Laurendeau Jr., bringing forward 13 minutes of complex, intricate passages, acoustic and cinematic moments, and the always visceral guitars by Daniel.
Criticizing theocracy, oligarchy, and religious fundamentalism, exploring how unquestioned ancient dogmas lead to destruction, The Dead Sea Scrolls is definitely a must-listen for metalheads searching for a high quality blend of extreme music infused with a rich and deep storyline. You can get in touch with Daniel and his Annihilus Mundi via Facebook and Instagram, subscribe to their YouTube channel, stream their music on Spotify, and of course, purchase The Dead Sea Scrolls from BandCamp or by clicking HERE. Put differently, the annihilation of the world continues with the new album by Annihilus Mundi, a dense and detailed journey that will surely hypnotize you and consume your soul just the way we like it in extreme music.
Best moments of the album:Absolute Terror, The Dead Sea Scrolls, Mvt. II – “Incursion”,Terminal Dogma, Mvt. II – “Take care of yourself.” and Human Instrumentality.
Worst moments of the album:King of Thorns.
Released in 2026 Independent
Track listing 1. Second Impact (Overture) 5:25
2. Absolute Terror 6:39
3. A Hedgehog’s Dilemma 5:50
4. The Dead Sea Scrolls, Mvt. I – “Reminiscence” 2:10
5. The Dead Sea Scrolls, Mvt. II – “Incursion” 10:32
6. Black Moon 4:35
7. King of Thorns 7:27
8. Terminal Dogma, Mvt. I – “Do you love me?” 3:09
9. Terminal Dogma, Mvt. II – “Take care of yourself.” 5:19
10. Terminal Dogma, Mvt. III – “Love is destructive.” 3:29
11. Terminal Dogma, Mvt. IV – “I need you.” 5:31
12. Silent Planet 2:52
13. Human Instrumentality 13:55
Band members Daniel Saillant – vocals, all instruments
Guest musicians
Noah Magnelli – harsh & clean vocals
Chris Jones – guitar solo on “Absolute Terror”
Andrew Matarazzo – guitar solo on “The Dead Sea Scrolls, Mvt. II – Incursion”
Chris Ramusciwicz – guitar solo on “Black Moon”
Sam Mooradian – guitar solo on “King of Thorns”
Alex Haddad – guitar solo on “Terminal Dogma, Mvt. II”
Michael Laurendeau Jr. – guitar solo on “Human Instrumentality”
Olive Gallop – vocals on “Black Moon”
Sarah Hartman – vocals on “Terminal Dogma, Mvts. II & IV”
Anthony Harter – noise & atmospheres on “Silent Planet”
A ruthless Swiss Death Metal horde is back from the grave with their fifth full-length opus, sounding bleaker, harder and more devastating than ever before.
Formed in 2003 in Huttwil, a municipality in the Oberaargau administrative district in the Swiss canton of Bern, the ruthless Death Metal horde known as Nihilo is back from the grave once again with their fifth full-length opus, titled Abyss, following up on their 2022 album Resolution. Produced and mixed by Romano Galli and Simon Egli at HardBeat Studio, mastered by Christophe Brandes at Iguana Studios, and bound in the disconcerting and unsettling artwork of Rodrigo Pereira Salvatierra, the new offering by Ragulan on vocals, Marco and Schwab on the guitars, Florian on bass, and Damiano on drums hits hard and convinces utterly from the very first notes, sounding bleaker, harder and more devastating than ever before, being highly recommended for fans of Morbid Angel, Vader, Immolation, and Nile.
Primal Instinct offers us all two minutes of absolute destruction and hate flowing from all instruments, working as a striking welcome card by those death dealers; and the guitars by Marco and Schwab are breathing fire in Voidbound, a lecture in Death Metal where Ragulan roars like a demonic entity nonstop. They continue to spread hate and fury in Impending Doom, with Florian and Damiano blasting our heads with their thunderous kitchen, followed by the fast and furious Dishonored Death, perfect for some action inside the pit, with Damiano sounding once again like a stone crusher on drums. The band shows no sign of slowing down at all in Inherent Cracks, delivering another hard hitting, heavy-as-hell blend of pure Death Metal insanity.
Veil of Nothing is absolutely demolishing from the very first second led by the demented screams by Ragulan, ending in an ethereal, soothing manner, before Damiano kicks off the pulverizing Suffocating Silence, another explosion of Death Metal where all band members are in sync and utterly enraged. Fractured feels even more demented than its predecessor while also showcasing strident, melodic riffs and solos by Marco and Schwab, whereas Roots in Bone flirts with Blackened Death Metal at times, bringing even more violence and darkness to their already demonic core sonority. Finally, Enter the Abyss ends the album on a high note, again presenting Ragulan’s infernal guttural amidst pure sonic madness.
If you want to know more about Nihilo and join them in their world of violence and bloodshed, you can find those amazing musicians on Facebook and Instagram, stream their sick music on any platform like Spotify, and above all that, purchase their striking new offering from Xtreem Music’s BandCamp or webstore, or click HERE for all things Nihilo. Those Swiss metallers are out for blood armed with Abyss, or in other words, simply lower your gaze in fear and submission before the return of the ruthless and demented Nihilo.
Best moments of the album:Voidbound, Dishonored Death and Suffocating Silence.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2026 Xtreem Music
Track listing 1. Primal Instinct 2:20
2. Voidbound 2:47
3. Impending Doom 2:46
4. Dishonored Death 2:40
5. Inherent Cracks 3:21
6. Veil of Nothing 2:55
7. Suffocating Silence 3:01
8. Fractured 3:29
9. Roots in Bone 3:18
10. Enter the Abyss 3:44
Band members Ragulan – vocals
Marco – guitar
Schwab – guitar
Florian – bass
Damiano – drums
Guest musician
Shyai – vocals on “Dishonoured Death”
The vile witch of doom from Denmark is back with its venomous sophomore offering, a 36-minute descent into an occult nightmare.
Built from colossal low-tuned riffs, crushing drums, ritualistic vocals, psychedelic textures and an absolutely massive wall of sound, Cult, the new opus by Aarhus, Denmark-based Sludge/Doom Metal entity Dread Witch, and the follow-up to their 2023 debut Tower of the Severed Serpent, is a 36-minute descent into an occult nightmare. Recorded, produced, mixed and mastered by Tue Madsen at Antfarm Studio, and showcasing a sinister artwork by Deliriavision, the new album by Mikael Rise on lead vocals and rhythm guitars, Jesper Kragh on lead and rhythm guitars, Andreas Cadaver on rhythm guitars and backing vocals, Leifur Sørensen on bass and backing vocals, and Dennis Larsen on drums once again creates an immersive sonic experience in an occult universe of serpents, witches, human sacrifices and unspeakable horrors, unfolding like a horror movie translated into sound. Think Conan, Triptykon and Devin Townsend, but dragged through a Boschian hellscape.
Gloomy and pensive, the intro Born Again will darken the skies before the witch from Denmark consumes our souls in the title-track Cult, with the thunderous, heavy-as-hell riffs by Mikael, Jesper and Andreas melting our faces mercilessly while Dennis deliver those slow, steady and massive beats we all love so much in Doom Metal. The Summoning continues with their reverberating, inhumane heaviness, with Leifur’s demonic bass walking hand in hand with the phantasmagorical drums by Dennis, offering Mikael exactly what he needs to vociferate in absolute darkness. And then they switch gears to a faster, more infernal tune titled Cyclops, adding Death and even Post-Metal elements to their core sound.
Altar offers more of their trademark fusion of somber Doom Metal with sluggish and visceral Sludge Metal, again showcasing hammering drums and the always vile gnarls by Mikael, while Sofia Schmidt of Ethereal Kingdoms makes a guest appearance as the Dread Witch herself, delivering haunting vocals for our total delight. Marrow feels utterly dissonant and experimental, with their guitars breathing fire, therefore sending shivers down our spines with their disturbing sounds. And then after the imposing interlude Vesexuff we face their coup-de-grace in the form of Omen of Oblivion, offering us all eight minutes of no hope, no happiness nor any positive feelings, only the crushing venom of Doom Metal. Moreover, Mikael is once again bestial on vocals, while Jesper and Andreas extract sheer insanity from their stringed axes.
Fans of such bands as Conan, With the Dead and Triptykon will feel right at home in Dread Witch’s murky universe, where light itself is sought extinguished by dark incantations of cultic evil and apocalyptic worship. Their new album, Cult, certainly feels like a descent into the darkness of a foreboding, mad abyss that is meant to be enjoyed in its entirety from beginning to end, and you can do so by purchasing the album from BandCamp. Don’t forget to also give the guys from Dread Witch a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, to stream their music on Spotify, or simply click HERE for all things Dread Witch. Because, in the end, the vile witch from Denmark is back more venomous than ever with Cult, and there’s nowhere to run, nowhere to hide.
Best moments of the album:Cult, Cyclops and Omen of Oblivion.
Worst moments of the album:Vesexuff.
Released in 2026 Independent
Track listing 1. Born Again 1:53
2. Cult 4:56
3. The Summoning 5:39
4. Cyclops 2:21
5. Altar 6:44
6. Marrow 4:21
7. Vesexuff 2:18
8. Omen of Oblivion 8:18
Band members Mikael Rise – lead vocals, rhythm guitars
Jesper Kragh – lead and rhythm guitars
Andreas Cadaver – rhythm guitars, backing vocals
Leifur Sørensen – bass, backing vocals
Dennis Larsen – drums
An up-and-coming Belgian Melodic Death Metal collective is ready to strike armed with their incendiary debut offering.
A Belgian Melodic Death Metal collective utterly determined to forge something epic and memorable without following fleeting trends, Insolitus are ready to unleash hell armed with their debut offering, titled The Monumental Fall. With a sound built on a foundation of crushing riffage and articulate, driving percussion, layered with catchy and intricately intertwining melodies, the debut opus by Leslie Stroobant on vocals, Floren Van Stichel, Fré Clement and Kaatje Desmet on the guitars, and Dries Claeys on drums presents 11 original tracks inspired by the classic melodeath sound blasted by bands the likes of Amorphis, Nevermore, The Halo Effect and Soilwork, while at the same time offering a fresh twist added to their core sound by each band member.
The opening track Crossing Voyage sounds modern while remaining loyal to the foundations of Melodic Death Metal, with Floren, Fré and Kaatje already offering a triple riff attack tailored for fans of the genre; and their guitars kick off the electrifying A Dream Resonance, also presenting a Progressive Metal vibe while Leslie roars in great fashion, followed by Reclaim the Flame, as incendiary as its title, with Dries stealing the spotlight with his hammering drums. In Search For reminds me of some of the more modern creations by In Flames, with Leslie once again delivering sheer adrenaline through his harsh vocals, while Leap of Life presents another traditional take on Scandinavian Melodic Death Metal with a Belgian twist, and of course, their guitars re again breathing fire. And after such a solid tune we have Beneath a Thousand Eyes, showcasing the hammering drums by Dries accompanied by the slashing riffs by Floren, Fré and Kaatje.
Whisperbox is not as vibrant as the other songs despite bringing forward another striking, intricate guitar attack by the band’s trio. It could have been more ferocious and a little less melodic. Then back to a more aggressive sonority we face The Dying Light of Day, with Leslie’s vocals transpiring rage and fury until the very end; whereas Soar has a very cool and epic vibe, inviting us all to raise our fists together with the band in the name of melodeath. Of Time and Change sounds and feels just as epic as the previous song, with Leslie’s harsh vocals being nicely boosted by all clean and backing vocals. Lastly, the title-track The Monumental Fall puts an end to the album with its imposing wall of sounds, feeling like a climatic conclusion to an adventure movie.
Bringing melody-driven heavy music with both clean vocals and harsh vocals, and lyrics rooted in themes of authenticity, empowerment and emotional honesty, Insolitus are on fire throughout their debut offering, and you can give those talented Belgians a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, keeping an eye on their tour dates, stream their music on Spotify, and of course purchase a copy of The Monumental Fall from BandCamp or by clicking HERE. The Monumental Fall is just the first step for Insolitus, and based on the quality of the music found in the entire album we can rest assured we’ll hear a lot more form those Belgians in a not-so-distant future.
Best moments of the album:A Dream Resonance, In Search For and Of Time and Change.
Worst moments of the album:Whisperbox.
Released in 2026 Independent
Track listing 1. Crossing Voyage 6:36
2. A Dream Resonance 4:17
3. Reclaim the Flame 4:55
4. In Search For 3:41
5. Leap of Life 6:12
6. Beneath a Thousand Eyes 5:10
7. Whisperbox 6:16
8. The Dying Light of Day 5:48
9. Soar 4:48
10. Of Time and Change 5:28
11. The Monumental Fall 4:40
Band members Leslie Stroobant – vocals
Floren Van Stichel – guitars, backing vocals
Fré Clement – guitars
Kaatje Desmet – guitars
Dries Claeys – drums
After over a decade of silence, one of the best-kept secrets in the Italian underground scene is rising from the ashes with a new EP where each song draws on a myth, a figure, or an episode from the Hellenic tradition.
After over a decade of silence, one of the best-kept secrets in the Italian underground scene is rising from the ashes. JANVS, the Roman god of beginnings, passages and endings, is a Progressive Black Metal entity formed in Genoa over two decades ago, which may have fallen through the tides of time for many, but never really forgotten. Now in 2026 the band formed of Matteo “Vinctor” Barelli on vocals, guitars, keyboards and programming, Claudio “Malphas” Fogliato on bass, and Massimo “m:A Fog” Altomare on drums returns from the waves of the Mediterranean sea with a new EP titled Fatum Est, which translates from Latin as “it is fate” or “it is destiny,” following up on their 2014 full-length offering Nigredo. Produced and mastered by the legendary Dan Swanö at Unisound, and displaying as its artwork the piece Studio per la Gorgone e gli Eroi (1890-1899) by Italian artist Giulio Aristide Sartorio, the EP is comprised of five songs where each song draws on a myth, a figure, or an episode from the Hellenic tradition, reshaping and deconstructing its narrative into an existential vision that is both intimate and universal.
The trio kicks off their feast of progressiveness and fury with Bucefalo, with the scathing riffs by Matteo walking hand in hand with his own roars and the massive beats and fills by Massimo. Then a serene intro evolves into another dark and visceral sound in Filo d’Arianna, slower and more introspective, bringing elements of Doom Metal to their core sonority while also exploding in absolute Black Metal magic; followed by Argonauti, a more straightforward blend of Progressive Black and Death Metal where Claudio and Massimo will crack the sky with their thunderous bass and drums. Quis tantus furor is perhaps the most experimental and diverse of all songs, flirting with Dissonant Death Metal at times, with Matteo once again vociferating like a demonic entity, before we face Gaugamela, which reeks of 90’s Swedish Black Metal. Moreover, all gnarling vocals, blast beats and obscure passages turn it into a must-listen for fans of the genre.
Dedicated to those who defy the gaze of the gods, burning without oxygen in infinitesimal and eternal moments of beauty and death, drowned in the void of a cosmos eternally identical to itself, devoid of any purpose, Fatum Est moves forward from the softer atmospheres of their 2008 album Vega, overflowing intensity and desperate cosmic ferocity. You can get to know more about JAVS via Facebook and Instagram, stream their unique music on Spotify, and of course put your hands on Fatum Est from the Avantgarde Music’s BandCamp or Sound Cave. Your destiny is sealed, and JANVS will make sure the soundtrack to your journey is heavy and electrifying armed with their newborn spawn.
Best moments of the album:Filo d’Arianna and Gaugamela.
This emerging force in the Spanish extreme music underground returns with the last part of their trilogy dedicated to the three core modes of persuasion defined by Aristotle.
An emerging force in the extreme music underground built around a strong conceptual foundation inspired by Milan Kundera’s notion of “Litost” and Aristotle’s rhetoric, Valencia, Spain’s own Blackened Death Metal creature Litost crafts a sonic narrative driven by introspection, emotional conflict and the inevitable decay of the self, always exploring the darkest corners of human consciousness through an intense, atmospheric and boundary-pushing blend of Black and Death Metal. After the successful releases of their 2019 debut Ethos and their 2023 sophomore Pathos, the band formed of Manri Vidal on vocals and guitars, Joaquín García also on the guitars, Luis Bru on bass and vocals, and Dani Molina on drums is back with a new offering entitled Logos, the third installment in their trilogy dedicated to the three core modes of persuasion defined by Aristotle. While Ethos appeals to a speaker’s credibility and character, and Pathos targets the audience’s emotions, Logos relies on logic, reasoning, facts, and evidence to convince the listener.
The band wastes no time and drag us to darkness from the very first second in Tifón, with Dani sounding inhumane with his demolishing beats and fills accompanied by the visceral growls by Manri; while Ábregoon the other hand starts in an acoustic way before morphing into sheer Black Metal madness, with their guitars once again transpiring rage and obscurity. Then after the instrumental interlude Alabeo, where they showcase their passion for traditional Spanish sounds, we face Tràngol, featuring guest vocalist Eloi Boucherie (frontman of Vidres a la Sang), as disruptive, infernal and technical as it can be, not to mention what Luis and Dani do with their respective bass and drums is simply out of this world, resulting in a lecture in modern-day Black Metal.
Ponzoña offers a more introspective and demonic side of the band, with the guitars by Manri and Joaquín sounding as progressive as they’re vile, a downward spiral into chaos and madness; followed by Ocaso, bringing forward a more direct blend of Black Metal with progressive elements, albeit lacking the same punch as its predecessors. The rumbling bass by Luis will hammer your minds and souls in Nimbo, featuring guest vocals by Albert Batlle (from Perennial Isolation), presenting multiple layers, nuances and the always desperate roars by Manri, whereas they conclude the album with an overdose of progressive and grim sounds titled Cerrote, the perfect depiction of present-day Spanish Black Metal showcasing striking riffs, groovy bass lines and intense and captivating beats and fills.
In a nutshell, with a clear artistic vision and a growing presence on the live circuit, Litost continue to establish themselves as a compelling name within the contemporary Extreme Metal landscape with the release of the excellent Logos, which can be purchased by clicking HERE. Don’t forget to also start following those amazing Spanish musicians on Facebook and on Instagram, including their breathtaking live concerts, and to stream more of their music on any platform such as YouTube and Spotify. In other words, after an overdose of character and emotion in their first two albums, Litost will melt our faces with the logic found in Logos, beautifully concluding their dark trilogy and, therefore, pointing to an even brighter future ahead of them.
Best moments of the album:Tifón, Tràngol and Cerrote.
Immune to the familiar rock narratives, these unstoppable Norwegian Progressive Black and Viking Metal masters are back with their stunning seventeenth studio offering.
Immune to the familiar rock narratives, and celebrating 35 years of existence, Norwegian Progressive Black/Viking Metal masters Enslavedare back with their seventeenth studio offering, titled Mið, an Old Norse word for “centre,” or “middle,” marking another departure, and another new beginning. Recorded at Duper Studio, Solslottet Studio, Personal Sound, Conclave & Earshot Studios, and Scandinavia House, mixed and mastered at Fascination Street Studios, and displaying a cryptic artwork inspired by a Bronze Age stone monument found in the township of Skjeberg, Østfold Norway, near the Swedish border, but removed by a museum in the 1960’s, the follow-up to their 2020 album Utgard and their 2023 opus Heimdal sees the band formed of vocalist and bassist Grutle Kjellson, guitarists Arve Isdal and Ivar Bjørnson, keyboardist and pianist Håkon Vinje, and drummer Iver Sandøy build their unique, expansive cosmology from a vital new starting point. With the swerving prog flourishes and krautrock wormholes dialed back, these eight tracks fizz with a newfound clarity and purpose while casting yet more illumination on the band’s kaleidoscopic palette. “I’ve come to realize that this is a really positive album. It’s about growth, it’s about digging yourself out of a pit, and it’s about leaving yourself open to the element of surprise. It’s about all the possibilities of being a human being,” commented Grutle Kjellson.
The cold and enfolding intro Non-Being sets the tone for the band’s darkened feast of melancholy in the form of I Am Ice, featuring guest Johan Sara Jr, a Sami musician and a central Sami composer, producer, teacher, arranger, actor and performer of contemporary music with roots in the Sami tradition. Needless to say, the song is an explosion of Enslaved’s core prog madness, and the same can be said about Solar Will, showcasing poetic lyrics vociferated by Grutle (“Son of cosmic wisdom / Son of Mother Earth / The starlight at the center / The illuminated I / Drowned in dreams of blood / Pierced by merciless vanity / The starlight at the center / The illuminated I”) accompanied by the hammering drums by Iver. And Mountain is by far the most experimental of all songs, and although the heaviness is there (in special through the devilish kitchen by Grutle and Iver), it’s not as exciting as the other songs.
Spirit Helper, featuring vocals by Kevin Kicking Woman, an esteemed Native American educator from the Blackfeet Nation who made history as Montana’s first-ever Native American Teacher of the Year, is a tribalistic tune that unites Kevin’s vocals with the heaviness of the guitars by Arve and Ivar; whereas they go full Progressive Black Metal in the eight-minute aria titled Parting, with their riffs once again clashing in a beautiful way with the keys by Håkon, alternating between stormy moments and delicate passages. Tales of Trees brings forward the perfect balance between Black and Progressive Metal, with Iver sounding insane on drums from start to finish, followed by I Miðju, a more atmospheric and pensive aria by the band including elements of Doom Metal to make things heavier and darker, with Grutle once again sounding bestial on vocals until the song’s Stygian finale.
A album that sheds light on harmonies and dialogues embedded all around us, between the ways of the past, and how they can bring enlightenment to the present, between small kernels of truth and their ability to project onto the most universal on canvases, and between band members relying on instinct and each other to create a record that galvanizes on every possible level, Mið is another solid stone in the unbreakable castle built by Enslaved through the years. “I started with the songwriting very shortly after Heimdal, but I had a feeling that the old ways didn’t work anymore. I’d always been chipping away, playing on the guitar and then on keyboards, something would happen then I’d work on that. But once I had a bunch of demos, none of it felt like it was good enough to follow up on Heimdal. It felt like we had to go somewhere else,” said Ivar Bjørnson. Needless to say, you can get in touch with Enslaved via Facebook and Instagram, subscribe to their Youtube channel, stream their music on Spotify or Apple Music, and of course purchase Mið from Bandcamp or several other locations. Because the excellent Mið represents the past, the present, and a new beginning for a band that’s never tired of stunning us all with their first-class heavy music.
Best moments of the album:I Am Ice, Parting and Tales of Trees.
Worst moments of the album:Mountain.
Released in 2026 Nuclear Blast Records
Track listing 1. Non-Being 1:19
2. I Am Ice 5:02
3. Solar Will 4:39
4. Mountain 5:46
5. Spirit Helper 4:52
6. Parting 8:16
7. Tales of Trees 4:43
8. I Miðju 7:16
Italy’s own Black and Funeral Doom Metal architects return after a long hiatus with their fifth full-length opus, approaching the notion of duality from an esoteric perspective and exploring its many manifestations.
Active in the Extreme Metal underground for more than two decades, Cagliari, Italy’s own esoteric Black and Funeral Doom Metal architects Urna return after a long hiatus with their fifth full-length opus, titled The Great Jihad, the follow-up to their 2013 effort Mors Principium Est. Recorded through multiple sessions between 2014 and 2025 across Italy and the United Kingdom, before being mixed and mastered by the band’s own guitarist MZ at 322 Studio in early 2026, and displaying a colossal artwork by Francesco Gemelli, the new opus by RM on vocals, MZ on the guitars and synthesizers, T (Sangue Nero) on bass, and Sibilans (Anamnesi, Simulacro) on drums is more poisonous and tense than its predecessors, retains the crushing atmosphere and funeral doom connection that have long defined Urna, while pushing their faster passages towards a harsher, more abrasive form of Black Metal. The conceptual framework once again expands RM’s personal spiritual journey through Hermetism, approaching the notion of duality from an esoteric perspective and exploring its many manifestations.
The first half of the album, named Creator, kicks off with First of Three, sounding cadaverous and grim from the very first second, with the harsh vociferations by RM sending shivers down our spines while Sibilans brings absolute heaviness with his blast beats, flowing into Second of Three, just as caustic and visceral as the first song, with MZ slashing his axe in the name of evil, sounding imposing and heavy as hell just the way we like it in Black Metal. And Third of Three starts in a serene, ethereal way before exploding into absolute chaos and heaviness, blending Black and Doom Metal in great fashion to the pounding drums by Sibilans, therefore concluding the album’s first act majestically.
Then we face the second act titled Created, starting with the title-track The Great Jihad, a more epic take on the band’s trademark Funeral Doom Metal essence led by the demonic roars by RM while his bandmates keep delivering absolute darkness and heaviness from their sonic weapons. Dream Death, Towards Rebirth is also dense, visceral and infernal, with the kitchen crafted by T and Sibilans exhaling Doom Metal insanity; and Four Levels of Infinite Splendour ends the album with an epic vibe while also bringing anguish and despair to our rotten souls, with the riffs by MZ once again cutting our flesh deep before the song’s climatic ending.
After all is said and done, you’ll realize that The Great Jihad is a work that feels both familiar and renewed, balancing oppressive density with moments of stark, otherworldly beauty, bringing a journey that began in 2005, when the album was originally crafted, to its intended conclusion. The guys form Urna might not be found on any social media (which in the end is never a bad thing, to be honest), but you can add their striking new album to your collection by purchasing it from the ATMF’s BandCamp or from Metal Odissey, showing your support and admiration for the band and their music. The Great Jihad is dark, intense, bold, multi-layered and, above all that, loyal to the foundations of a band that will never abandon their core Black and Funeral Doom Metal essence no matter what. Because although much has changed since the already distant year of 2003, Urna have not.
Best moments of the album:Second of Three and The Great Jihad.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2026 ATMF
Track listing Creator
1. First of Three 5:55
2. Second of Three 4:43
3. Third of Three 7:02
Created
4. The Great Jihad 4:11
5. Dream Death, Towards Rebirth 6:42
6. Four Levels of Infinite Splendour 8:09
Band members RM – vocals
MZ – guitars, synthesizers
T – bass
Sibilans – drums
This uncanny entity from Norway is back with their third studio album, one of the finest 32 minutes of idiosyncratic Black Metal insanity you will come across in a long time.
Formed in 2003 by vocalist and guitarist Aldrahn, one of Norwegian Black Metal’s foremost legends, especially infamous for his inimitable vocals on landmark albums by Thorns, Dødheimsgard, and Zyklon-B, the uncanny Avantgarde Black Metal entity Urarvis back with their third offering, titled Nychta Psychis, following up on their 2023 sophomore Substratum. Currently formed of the aforementioned Aldrahn on vocals and guitars alongside Sakis also on the guitars, Sturt on bass, and Trish on drums, the band brings forward one of the finest 32 minutes of idiosyncratic Black Metal insanity you will come across in a long time, making it unmistakably clear from the album’s very first second that they couldn’t care less what anyone might expect or think. This resulted in a beautifully unconventional album that is both adventurous and sophisticated without sounding pretentious or artificially original, in special the sheer versatility displayed by Aldrahn’s vocal delivery throughout the album’s duration.
Dødheimsgard offers an excellent start to the album with Aldrahn’s demented vocals walking hand in hand with the song’s metallic, sharp riffs, and crushing beats and fills, sounding like two or three songs in one; followed by the title-track Nychta Psychis, keeping the momentum going with its ethereal intro followed by a burst of Avantgarde Black Metal madness led by the scorching guitars by Aldrahn and Sakis. Then like a dark waltz of Black Metal insanity we have When Consciousness Identifies With Matter It Is Lost, again showcasing a wild fusion of clean and harsh vocals, caustic guitars, and thunderous bass and drums, whereas Operation Genocide already kicks off in full force, sounding very experimental and diverse. Needless to say, Aldrahn is once again insane on vocals. And lastly, Youniverse sounds as demented as it is melodic and dense, with their otherworldly vociferations and venomous riffs captivating our putrid souls until the very end.
While the band recognizes the ancient heritage of Norwegian Black Metal, they also trample across limitations in their new album. “We’re traveling to remote regions of metal music and mental space with this music. Although our message is one of emotional putrefaction, we want to help listeners find a way through the black hole,” commented the band, and you can find more information about them on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their eccentric creations on Spotify, and purchase a copy of their new album from the Darkness Shall Rise’s BandCamp or webstore. Nychta Psychis is simply honest music written by seasoned musicians who have nothing to prove and none to please, and if you like the early works of Dødheimsgard mixed with a handful of different spices, do yourself a favor and make sure to purchase a copy of the new album by those amazing musicians from beautiful Norway.
Best moments of the album:Nychta Psychis and Youniverse.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2026 Darkness Shall Rise
Track listing 1. Dødheimsgard 6:48
2. Nychta Psychis 7:00
3. When Consciousness Identifies With Matter It Is Lost 7:18
4. Operation Genocide 4:30
5. Youniverse 7:04
Band members Aldrahn – vocals, guitars
Sakis – guitars
Sturt – bass
Trish – drums
Attention, metalheads!
