Korn, Muse, Scorpions, Linkin Park, Knocked Loose, Judas Priest, Electric Callboy,Turnstile, Exodus, Dethklok, Refused, and More Booked for Hellfest Open Air 2025


  

The Hellfest Open Air festival 2025 has booked a huge lineup. Taking place from June 19th to 22nd in Clisson, France, the fest features headlining performances from Korn, Muse, Scorpions, and Linkin Park, as well as, Knocked Loose, Judas Priest, Electric Callboy,Turnstile, Exodus, Dethklok, Refused, Jerry Cantrell, Jinjer, Turnstile, Unto Others, The Warning, VOLA, Alcest, Abbath (Doom occulta set), SUNN O))), HEALTH, Russian Circles, Chat Pile, Savatage, Dream Theater and more out of a total of 184 bands. A “very special guest” yet to be revealed for June 20th.Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Des Rocs – Dream Machine: The Lucid Edition


It’s been a year since Des Rocs unleashed his sophomore effort Dream Machine to the world. Seemingly not content with this full package, Danny Rocco is back bringing forth Dream Machine: The Lucid Edition (Sumerian Records) to eagerly waiting ears. 

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ALBUM REVIEW: Kingcrow – Hopium


Hailing from Rome and with a name inspired by Edgar Allan Poe’s poem Raven is Kingcrow, after a six-year gap between albums they are back with Hopium (Season of Mist). Theirs is an emotive brand of Prog Rock but the Metal of the previous album The Persistence, has been dialled down with atmospheric, ambient, Electronic, and Alt Rock elements playing a larger part. Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Observe the 93rd – Eternalism


Aesthetically Pennsylvanian duo Observe the 93rd sound like a pop-rock band tailor-made for blasting out catchy bombast from a stadium. Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Temic – Terror Management Theory


With an expansive sound and members whose past jobs include Devin Townsend, Haken, Mike Portnoy’s Shattered Fortress and The Neal Morse Band amongst others is Temic. The idea for this project was first suggested back in 2017, but various touring commitments and a pesky pandemic meant it came to naught until now. 

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ALBUM REVIEW: Fearing – Destroyer


 

Do you like to dress in black? Do you prefer a solitary pint of cider in the back of a smoky bar? (the smoky part might be hard to fashion in this day and age) Do you favour wearing a trenchcoat? Do you feel in a state of perpetual ennui? Maybe you are a Berliner! Or perhaps you’re a member of a Darkwave band… maybe both! 

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ALBUM REVIEW: Pomegranate Tiger – All Input Is Error


 

On All Input Is Error (Self-Released), Canada’s Pomegranate Tiger (aka prog multi-instrumentalist and accomplished composer Martin Andres) takes a topical AI concept and runs with it. Does he win the race? Yes, in the end – even if the final fate of humankind is ultimately unknown (there are no lyrics, you see, so you can make up your own mind, all you creatives out there). 

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ALBUM REVIEW: Urne – A Feast On Sorrow


 

London-based three-piece Urne announced themselves with the stylish Serpent & Spirit, one of the standout Metal debuts of 2021, and a gloriously dismal collection of songs that unashamedly paid homage to an influence of classic eighties Thrash Metal, mixed with an intriguing blend of traditional rock and melodic death metal. 

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REVIEWS ROUND-UP: ft. Church of Misery, Witchskull, Altar of Oblivion, Wytch Hazel, Yawning Man, and Tigercub


 

Nearly thirty years of diving headfirst into the void, and Church of Misery are back with Tatsu Mikami once more giving worship to the Blackest of Sabbath’s, acolyte to ‘The Riff’ and servant to the retro groove once more on Born Under A Mad Sign (Rise Above). Joined once again after a twenty-five-year absence by original vocalist Kazuhiro Asaeda, there is a fine sense of anticipation about the Japanese doom merchants seventh full-length. 

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