DROMOS RELEASE "FAILING LIGHT"

 

PRESS RELEASE:

Uk Funeral Doom Visionaries Dromos Announce Debut Album “Failing Light”;

Reveal First Single And Video “My Final Tomb”

London based funeral doom collective DROMOS announce their debut full-length Failing Light, set for release on May 15, 2026 via Argonauta Records in CD and digital formats, and unveil the first monolithic excerpt with the lead single and official video “My Final Tomb”: https://youtu.be/Yl_ht1mktQM

Expanding across vast, slow burning movements, “My Final Tomb” captures the band’s core identity, tectonic pacing, crushing density and a near ceremonial sense of weight. It is not a track that unfolds, but one that engulfs, pulling the listener into a deeply immersive sonic space.

With Failing Light, DROMOS deliver a work conceived for full immersion. Rooted in funeral doom yet reaching into atmospheric and progressive territories, the album develops with deliberate restraint, revealing new layers through repetition, detail and emotional tension. It is a record built on presence and patience, where heaviness is experienced as much as it is heard.

The band states:

“With Failing Light, we wanted to create something that reveals itself over time, a record that offers new layers with each listen. Our focus was on textural density, tectonic patience and a near ceremonial weight, treating heaviness as a physical sensation as much as a sonic one.

By the end of the process, we found ourselves with a work that feels out of time, music shaped to trace the sharp edges of loss.”

Formed in 2019, DROMOS draws from London’s extreme underground, with members connected to acts such as Grave Miasma, Final Dose, Mutagenic Host and Eihort. While grounded in that background, the band pushes toward a more expansive and meditative sonic language, positioning itself within the most forward thinking edges of contemporary doom.

Further cementing their growing presence, DROMOS will bring their intense and immersive live performance to DesertFest London this May, marking a key step in their rise within the international heavy scene.

Failing Light stands as a defining record that bridges oppressive weight and vast atmosphere into a singular, deeply affecting experience.

Tracklist:

My Final Tomb – 12:17

Death Is Silence – 13:17

Sinking – 20:33

https://www.facebook.com/dromosdoom

https://www.instagram.com/dromosdoom/

https://dromosdoom.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ArgonautaRecords

ERSEDU RELEASE "GORE"

 

PRESS RELEASE:

ERSEDU, a Ukrainian cinematic symphonic death metal project, will release their conceptual EP “GORE” on May 19, 2026.

 “GORE” is the first chapter of a planned series dedicated to colors, beginning with red - the first color perceived by the human eye and one of the earliest used in human art and rituals.

The EP explores red as a multifaceted symbolic system: death and sacrifice, blood and life, pain, passion, and love. These states intertwine in a dark, heavy, and emotionally charged space. The music is grim and atmospheric, filled with cinematic tension, dramatic contrast, and narrative depth. Each track stands as an independent story with its own emotional identity.

 

The four tracks are:

G O D O F W A R

O F F E R I N G

R E A P S O U L S

E R O S

The track titles form the acronym G.O.R.E., reinforcing the conceptual unity of the release.

 

The first two singles, “Eros” and “Offering”, are now available on all major streaming platforms: 

"Eros": https://push.fm/fl/ersedu-eros

"Offering": https://push.fm/fl/ersedu-offering

Musically, ERSEDU blends powerful orchestral arrangements with extreme metal to create a dark, narrative-driven, and cinematic sound. Influences include Septicflesh, Dimmu Borgir, Devin Townsend as well as Hollywood composers Alan Silvestri, Jerry Goldsmith, and Howard Shore.

The production was mixed and mastered at Fascination Street Studios (Amon Amarth, Arch Enemy, Opeth, among others).

In addition to the music, ERSEDU presents a self-created visual artbook that expands the EP’s universe. Filled with hidden details, Easter eggs, and symbolic imagery, each track is represented by its own characters and motifs.

The project’s mascot is an archetypal figure interpretable as Mother Nature.

Creation of “GORE” took four years instead of the planned one. The ongoing war in Ukraine profoundly shaped the process and infused the release with raw, grim intensity - making the color red feel especially personal and visceral.

 Pre-Save Link: https://push.fm/ps/ersedu-gore

For more info:

https://ersedu.band

https://www.youtube.com/@erseduband

https://www.instagram.com/erseduband

https://www.facebook.com/erseduband

https://ersedu.bandcamp.com

https://open.spotify.com/artist/40uKSzuemWsiTwmQHsgmBw

DROUTH RELEASE VIDEO FOR "THE OUTER CHURCH"

 

PRESS RELEASE:

Black/Death quartet, Drouth, in collaboration with Cvlt Nation, have premiered the video for new single, "The Outer Church." The song is taken from the forthcoming split release with Baltimore Black Metallers, Nixil, titled Toward Dead Temples. Just click and go below!

cvltnation.com/drouth-raging-black-metal-the-outer-church

"With this song, the band pulls you into their blackened universe of fury. Say it loud and proud: NO GODS, NO MASTERS, NO BOOTLICKERS! And always, Fuck White supremacy!"

- Cvlt Nation

"On Toward Dead Temples, we are gifted with 17 minutes of new Nixil across three tracks, followed by 11 minutes of new Drouth split between two tracks. All are worthy of your attention."

- Toilet ov Hell

The bands have each released a statement concerning their respective contributions to Toward Dead Temples, as follows:

Nixil: “Our contributions to Toward Dead Temples explore the spiritual depth of death and isolation. Through the use of imagery representative of the crumbling edifice of christo-fascism, we strive to push toward the eradication of the oppressor in all its manifestations. Sonically, this album marks a point of transition for us, beginning a deep dive into darker waters on a quest for stranger, more unsettling discordance. We are thrilled to be joining forces with our friends in Drouth to present this anthem of defiance against the crushing weight of impending dictatorship - until all tyrants and their temples fall.”

Drouth: “Originally recorded during The Teeth of Time sessions in late 2023, 'Cathartes Aura' and 'The Outer Church' stand on their own by representing both the past and future of Drouth. We are proud to share this release with our friends in Nixil and join them in spreading sonic misery throughout the West Coast this May.”

FFO: Enslaved, Ludicra, Blut Aus Nord, Altar of Plagues, Dawn, Black Curse, Ulcerate, Spectral Wound, Weakling, Sacramentum, Schammasch, Watain, The Ruins of Beverast

Nixil and Drouth will embark on the Toward Dead Temples West Coast Tour 2026 in May. Tour dates are as follows:

May 7: Seattle, WA - Neumos (Northwest Terror Fest)

May 8: Eugene, OR - John Henry's

May 9: Redding, CA - The Dip

May 10: Sacramento, CA - Cafe Colonial

May 12: Los Angeles, CA - The Moroccan Lounge

May 13: San Diego, CA - Tower Bar

May 14: Palmdale, CA - Transplants Brewing

May 15: Santa Rosa, CA - Arlene Francis Center

May 16: Eureka, CA - Savage Henry Comedy Club

May 17: Portland, OR - The High Water Mark

Toward Dead Temples will be released April 24 on vinyl, cassette tape, and digital formats.

Pre-order:

nixil.bandcamp.com/album/toward-dead-temples-nixil-drouth

nixilnothing.com/merch-store

drouth.bandcamp.com/album/toward-dead-temples

Track Listing:

1. Never Rise Again [Nixil]

2. Bloody Footprints on the Path of Bones [Nixil]

3. I Am Not Here [Nixil]

4. Cathartes Aura [Drouth]

5. The Outer Church [Drouth]

Credits:

Nixil:

All songs written and recorded by Nixil.

Recorded and mixed by J. Robbins at The Magpie Cage Recording Studio

magpiecage.com.

Mastered by James Plotkin, plotkinworks.com.

Artwork for Nixil by Ash Nix.

A. - Vocals

S.G. - Guitar

A.B. - Guitar, backing vocals

A.R. - Bass, backing vocals

Drums on Toward Dead Temples - M.T.

Drouth:

All songs by Drouth.

Recorded & mixed by Billy Anderson at Hallowed Halls & Everything Hz, Portland, Ore. MMXXIII-IV.

Mastered by Justin Weis at trakworx.com, South SF, CA.

Layout & Artwork for Drouth by Matt Stikker.

Matt Stikker - Guitar, Vocals, Lyrics

John Edwards - Guitar, Vocals

Patrick Fiorentino - Drums

Matt Solis - Bass, Vocals

Viola on “The Outer Church” by Eva Vonne

Nixil Photo Credit: Shane Gardner (rocknrollsocialite.com)

Drouth Photo Credit: Jason DeSomer (whatever.photo)

facebook.com/drouthpdx

instagram.com/drouthxdeath

drouth.bandcamp.com

youtube.com/@drouthxdeath

nixilnothing.com

facebook.com/nixilnothing

instagram.com/nixilnothing

youtube.com/@nixilnothing

nixil.bandcamp.com

AZARATH RE-RELEASE "IN EXTREMIS"

 

PRESS RELEASE:

Azarath – In Extremis!

We are pleased to share an important update regarding the legendary extreme metal force Azarath. In addition, the jewel case CD reissue of In Extremis is scheduled for release on May 22. We encourage fans to secure their copies early, as demand for both formats is anticipated to be strong.

Azarath / In Extremis (Tracklist)

1. The Triumph of Ascending Majesty

2. Let My Blood Become His Flesh

3. Annihilation (Smite All the Illusions)

4. The Slain God

5. At the Gates of Understanding

6. Parasu Blade

7. Sign of Apophis

8. Into the Nameless Night

9. Venomous Tears (Mourn of the Unholy Mother)

10. Death

Azarath is a Polish blackened death metal band formed in 1998 by drummer and vocalist Inferno (also known for his work with Behemoth). The group is known for its aggressive, fast, and unrelenting style that blends brutal death metal with black metal atmospheres and themes centered on anti-religion, chaos, and nihilism.

Across their discography, Azarath has built a reputation for precision, intensity, and extreme speed, with Inferno’s drumming often being a defining element of their sound. Albums like Demon Seed, Blasphemers’ Maledictions, and In Extremis highlight their evolution into one of Poland’s most consistent and ferocious extreme metal acts.

http://www.facebook.com/AzarathBand

https://twitter.com/azarathband

http://www.youtube.com/user/AZARATHofficialtube

https://www.instagram.com/agoniarecordsofficial/

http://agoniarecords.bandcamp.com/

ACERBIC RELEASE "ABHORRENT ATROCITIES AGAINST ALL HUMANKIND"

 

PRESS RELEASE:

ACERBIC, the searing death-thrash powerhouse from Olympia, Washington, has officially unleashed their debut EP, Abhorrent Atrocities Against All Humankind , available now. Fusing relentless aggression with melodic darkness, ACERBIC delivers six devastating tracks built to wreck speakers and satisfy fans of Carcass , At The Gates , and Power Trip .

Founded in 2013 as a solo project by guitarist Chris Thompson, ACERBIC has evolved into a full-force unit featuring Gabriel Glandon on vocals, Xander Provencher on bass, Chris Hannan on drums, and Thompson holding down guitar duties. Drawing from old-school death metal grit and razor-sharp melodic precision, the band’s sound blends vicious riffing, menacing grooves, and dark, haunting leads into a crushing sonic assault.

The band first turned heads with their 2023 demo, featuring session drums by Dirk Verbeuren and blistering leads from Kragen Lum on “Despondent.” International features in Slowly We Rot magazine in Romania and Guts N Blood Records’ Rotten Pages #8 compilation in Peru laid the groundwork for the current lineup and the creation of this ferocious debut EP.

Recorded in August 2025 at Elektriccity Recording in Portland, Oregon, and mixed and mastered by Charlie Koryn in late 2025, Abhorrent Atrocities Against All Humankind captures ACERBIC at peak intensity. Gabriel’s guttural lows and piercing highs tear through the mix, backed by Hannan’s relentless drumming and Provencher’s six-string bass lines that weave seamlessly with Thompson’s razor-wire riffs. It is a front-to-back barrage with no filler and no apologies.

The lead single “Shallow Grave” arrives with a striking music video produced by J. Donovan Malley , while the EP’s hand-painted cover art by Matt Stikker visually embodies the record’s bleak intensity.

Abhorrent Atrocities Against All Humankind is available now in limited CD and cassette editions through the band’s Bandcamp page.

Hailing from Olympia’s thriving underground, ACERBIC continues to haunt stages along 4th Avenue, delivering uncompromising death-thrash the old-school way: loud, aggressive, and in your face.

EP Title: Abhorrent Atrocities Against All Humankind

Out Now

Genre: Death-Thrash / Melodic Death Metal

Format: Limited CD and Cassette

Recorded at: Elektriccity Recording, Portland, OR

Mixed & Mastered by: Charlie Koryn

Produced by: ACERBIC

Video for “Shallow Grave” by: J. Donovan Malley

Artwork by: Matt Stikker

Label: Independent

Check them out on YouTube and subscribe:

https://youtu.be/NE1HH6y5IwY

Connect:

https://www.facebook.com/AcerbicMetal

https://www.instagram.com/acerbic.metal/

https://www.youtube.com/@AcerbicMetal

https://acerbic.bandcamp.com

FIRMAMENT RELEASE "REVERIES OF A FORGOTTEN SPIRIT"

 

PRESS RELEASE:

Firmament - "Reveries of a Forgotten Spirit"

Release: 24.04.26 (24th April)

Merch: CD in two editions, Shirt, Logo-Patch

Tracklist:

1. Into Nocturnal Wilderness (Video)

2. Through the Enchanted Woods

3. Over Old Hills and Far Away

4. Reveries of a Forgotten Spirit

5. From a Cosmic Shore

6. Her Eyes in the Lake

7. The Seven Sisters of Dreamtime

8. (CD Bonus) Raabjorn Speiler Draugheimens Skodde (Dimmu Borgir Cover)

The majesty of nordic nights awaits as you embark on a journey through vast, starlit forests and across the cosmic waters of ancient myth.

Carried by nocturnal winds you voyage from the woods to the stars and back again to the sea — the ancient thalassic cradle from which all life once emerged.

Everything is connected by the great forgotten spirit that dreams all existence into being.

https://jkfirmament.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Firmament-108116848438530/

NOCTURNAL REVERIES RELEASE "SONG OF THE FOREST"

 

PRESS RELEASE:

Nocturnal Reveries - "Song of the Forest"

Release: 15.05.2026 (15th May)

Nocturnal Reveries' debut album "Song of the Forest" is a journey into the deep dark woods.

In seven acts, it seeks to understand that mysterious force residing in nature that resonates with some primal part of human mind to endlessly fuel creation.

Delivered via raw, unpolished soundscapes and beautiful melodies, the songs range from blast beat driven fury to more atmospheric and introspective sections and even occasional catchiness with folky touches.

Nocturnal Reveries, at least for now, is a one man studio project from Tampere, Finland.

Tracklist: 1. Intro: Kuuttomana yönä syntynyt 2. Gates to the Nocturnal Realm (Video) 3. The Raven: Ajatus ja muisti 4. Song of the Forest 5. Eyes Upon the Sky 6. The Raven: Brink of Mimisbrunnr 7. Intuition's Quest

Credits: 

Music, lyrics, mixing and mastering by Konsta Hietaniemi 

Additional vocals on tracks 3, 6 and 7 by Aleksi Peltokangas 

Cover art by Elisa Kivelä 

Cover art photographed by Iida Hietaniemi 

Nocturnal Reveries logo by Konsta Hietaniemi and Susanna Riihimäki 

Layout by RB/Naturmacht Studios

https://nocturnalreveries.bandcamp.com/

https://naturmacht.com/nocturnal-reveries/

https://naturmacht.com/nocturnal-reveries/

GRAVERY RELEASE "PURIFIED IN BLOOD"

 

PRESS RELEASE:

Italian Downtempo Deathcore band GRAVERY are set to unleash their newest EP, Purified in Blood. This four song maelstrom of violent and aggressive pummel follows the band's critically-acclaimed debut Everything That Is Born Must Die. Prepare yourselves for a relentless decent into darkness that refuses to let up.

This is evident with the EP's lead single, "Icon of Sin." Watch the official music video at youtu.be/U9GVEz8HYdU

Stream the song on Spotify.

Purified in Blood is due on May 15 through Upstate Records in partnership with Blood Blast Distribution. Pre-save the release at gravery.bfan.link/purified-in-blood

Purified in Blood Tracklist:

1) Icon of Sin

2) Purified in Blood

3) Fragments of Life

4) An Ode to Death

FFO: Bodysnatcher, Cell, Heavy//Hitter, Volatile Ways.

GRAVERY will embark on a string of live across Europe and the UK in support of Purified in Blood, with a US tour set for August. Confirmed dates are as follows:

4/26 @ Freakout - Bologna, IT

4/29 @ JH Asgaard - Ghent, BE

4/30 @ Innocent - Hengelo, NL

5/1 @ Backstage - Hoorn, NL

5/2 @ Rising Tides Fest - Tilburg, NL

5/8 @ Q-Hub - Milan, IT

5/9 @ Le Pourquoi Pas - Liege, BE

Purified in Blood EU Tour:

5/15 @ Rats - Obhausen, DE

5/16 @ Skally Fest - Halle, BE

5/17 @ La Cage - Wez Velvain, BE

5/18 @ Cafe Bluff - Heerlen, NL

5/20 @ Cpunt - Hoofddorp, NL

5/21 @ Fla Fla - Herford, DE

5/22 @ Mk Bar - Esch, LUX

5/23 @ Park In - Hal, AT

5/24 @ TBA - Turin, IT

5/29 @ Slaughter Club - Paderno, IT

UK Tour w/ SUFFER:

6/2 @ The Vic Inn - Derby, UK

6/3 @ Live Rooms - Chester, UK

6/4 @ Moor Brewery - Bristol, UK

6/5 @ The Aatma - Manchester, UK

6/6 @ Gorilla Studios - Hull, UK

6/7 @ The Dev - Camden, UK

Additional EU dates:

6/13 @ Piccadilly - Brugg, CH

6/20 @ Damage Inc - Verona, IT

6/27 @ Gasthaus Sutter - Zweibrücken, DE

US dates to be announced soon.



Purified in Blood was written and produced by GRAVERY with lyrics by Luca De Simone and GRAVERY. The EP was recorded, mixed and mastered at Audiocore Studio in Fontevivo, Parma, Italy.

Line-up:

Luca “Pigo” De Simone – Vocals

Luca Cocconi – Guitars

Francesco Marenghi - Bass

BIO:

Rising from the fog and smog of Northern Italy the band Gravery emerged to set a new standard in violent and straight forward aggressiveness.

The outfit formed in November 2023 immediately started to write no compromise tracks addressing uncomfortable topics such as the analysis of the destructive potential of the human mind.

Gravery decided to use a rough, direct and disturbing sound to outline these themes giving birth to 6 songs that hit straight in the stomach and leaves the listener breathless and further stunned by the aggressiveness of the low tones and the merciless breakdowns leaving no room for interpretation as can be easily understood from the title chosen by the band: Everything that is Born must Die.

The EP was recorded in Autumn 2023 at the MK2 Recordings Studio by Davide Billia (Antropofagus, Hour of Penance), the mixing was delivered by Steph “Orkid” Santi (Lacuna Coil, Lvcifyer) at the SPVN Studios, and the mastering was provided by Chris Whited (Bodysnatcher, Traitors) at the 1776 Recordings Studio assuring to this malevolent masterpiece a dose of pure adrenaline fear.

After releasing 2 single videos Gravery signed with UPSTATE RECORDS USA (Fury of Five, Subzero, Freya, Brick by Brick, These Streets, Gloves Off among others) and their debut EP was released worldwide on August 9th 2024 and premiered on Decibel Magazine. The distribution was provided by Bloodblast/Nuclear Blast.

Gravery’s first EP didn’t go unnoticed and ended up to make his debut at #18 of the NACC Top 30 Heavy Chart USA together with bands such as Lamb of God, Speed, Fit for an Autopsy and more.

This achievement convinced Upstate Records to release a new single “My Own Graveyard” on December 20th 2024 which was also distributed by Bloodblast/Nuclearblast followed by another single video “A Fetish For The Graves” which was released on May 16th 2025.

Gravery is ready to launch their new EP Purified in Blood which will be released in May 2026 by Upstate Records / Bloodblast and they will make 2026 memorable, with Release Tour already planned in USA (August 2026), and UK (June 2026) as well as the EU (May 2026), together with WE shows and Festival in Continental Europe throughout the all year.

Are you ready for this?

linktr.ee/graveryband

www.upstaterecordsny.com

CRIPPLE BASTARDS RELEASE "LA TUA FOTO NEL MARMO"

 

PRESS RELEASE:

CRIPPLE BASTARDS are set to release their brand new EP "La tua foto sul marmo" on June 12, 2026 via F.O.A.D. Records.

While the format might suggest a minor release, this record stands as a remarkably significant statement from the Italian veterans. Showcasing an impressive range of new facets, the EP delivers fresh and compelling songwriting - no small feat for a band with decades of history behind them.

The name CRIPPLE BASTARDS has always been synonymous with uncompromising hate-fueled grind, yet these new tracks reveal intriguing developments: frequent tempo shifts, dynamic structures and a guitar work that, alongside the expected sonic assault, ventures into more subtle and suspenseful territories. Moments of tension and unpredictability keep the listener constantly on edge, wondering what will come next.

The music was recorded by Stefano Santi at SPVN Studio, while vocals were tracked by Carlo Altobelli at Toxic Basement Studio, with mixing and mastering also handled by Stefano Santi.

"La tua foto sul marmo" ultimately stands as a powerful manifesto of the unrelenting hunger that still drives this legendary band forward.

The trailer of the first single, "L’era della dispersione", is now streaming HERE.

Tracklist:

01. Il respiro si chiude

02. Scarto del rimorso

03. Vendicativo

04. La tua foto sul marmo

05. L’era della dispersione

06. Ai confini di quel che puoi dire

Formed in March 1988 in Asti, northern Italy, CRIPPLE BASTARDS are one of the longest-running and most respected names in extreme underground music. What began as a raw collaboration between teenage misfits Giulio the Bastard and Alberto the Crippler quickly evolved into something far greater: a project rooted in the legacy of Italian hardcore acts like Negazione, Raw Power and Wretched, but pushed to new extremes through the emerging language of grindcore and noisecore.

After building a fierce reputation through demos, splits, and relentless DIY activity in the late ’80s and early ’90s, the band achieved global cult status, so much so that not knowing them almost feels like having lived under a rock. Their legacy is ultimately defined by a series of uncompromising full-length albums that shaped their identity and influence across decades.

Their debut album "Your Lies in Check" (1996) marked their official arrival on the international stage, followed by the highly acclaimed "Misantropo a senso unico" (2000), which further refined their bleak, nihilistic vision. The final breakthrough came with "Desperately Insensitive" (2003): widely distributed and repeatedly repressed, it became their best-selling record, surpassing 10,000 copies - an exceptional achievement in the grindcore world.

The band continued to evolve with "Variante alla morte" (2008), recorded in Sweden’s famed Studio Fredman, and "Frammenti di vita" (2010), a release that pays tribute to the Italian hardcore roots that inspired them. A major milestone followed with their signing to Relapse Records, which released "Nero in metastasi" (2014), a mature and devastating work that expanded their global reach even further. Their seventh full-length, "La fine cresce da dentro" (2018), confirmed a band still pushing forward creatively after three decades.

Beyond the studio, CRIPPLE BASTARDS have built an unmatched live reputation, playing hundreds of shows worldwide across Europe, the United States, Japan, Brazil, and Australia. They have shared stages with genre-defining acts and have appeared at major underground festivals such as Neurotic Deathfest, Brutal Assault, Obscene Extreme and Maryland Deathfest, among many others, earning the utmost respect from veterans of the extreme music scene.

Today, CRIPPLE BASTARDS are not just an Italian institution but a global cult phenomenon. Their enduring influence, uncompromising visio, and relentless activity have secured them a legendary status that transcends borders. An essential name in grindcore history that continues to inspire new generations worldwide.

“In being a surviving unit like Cripple Bastards for some 35+ odd years, it takes much persistance, perseverance and an undying spirit to wreck yourself, all out with Brutal-Fucking-Grind. Yeah, I said it. I said Brutal, so what. Brutal. That’s the supposed overused adjective that most ‘heavy’ band bios and descriptions overlook nowadays for fear of oversaturation or an unoriginal ‘old school’ repetitiveness. Thats the one word in the dictionary that C.B. should have fucking copywritten a long time ago. It fits them. It defines them. It IS them. Cripple Bastards are indelibly BRUTAL. In all ways; music, violence, artwork, attitude, politics. All born of this represenatitive and passionately destructive word. The mere fact that C.B. even exist confirms they OWN the goddamn word. C.B. are B-R-U-T-A-L. Understand it NOW. “

(Mike IX Williams, EyeHateGod / Arson Anthem / Outlaw Order 00%)

Line-up:

Giulio The Bastard - Vocals

Schintu The Wretched - Bass

Der Kommissar - Guitar

Raphael Saini - Drums

CRIPPLE BASTARDS

https://www.cripple-bastards.com/

https://www.facebook.com/cripplebastards

https://www.instagram.com/cripple_bastards/

F.O.A.D. Records

https://www.foadrecords.com/

https://www.scareystore.com/

https://www.facebook.com/foadrecords/

https://foadrecords.bandcamp.com/

https://www.instagram.com/foad_records/

AGARWAEN RELEASE "THE MURDER TREND"

 

PRESS RELEASE:

Agarwaen “The Murder Trend” (Full-Length)

Release Date: July 3rd, 2026

Country: Finland

Label: Over The Border Records

Genre: Asylum Metal

Format: CD, Digital

Tracklist:

1. False Arrival (01:31)

2. Bad Beginning (04:25)

3. God Complex (05:53)

4. Orphan Son (05:23)

5. La Colección (07:14)

6. Circo de la Muerte (03:51)

7. The Hunt (04:07)

8. Clowny Business (05:13)

9. Aenimus (07:07)

10. The Murder Trend (15:57)

The Murder Trend is a full-scale concept album that descends into abuse, trauma, revenge, and inherited madness. Told as a chronological horror narrative, the album follows Anton, a boy broken by systemic cruelty, whose life spirals from neglect and violence into ritualized murder in a circus set and cult indoctrination. What begins as social tragedy evolves into something far more grotesque: a generational curse embodied through masks and a carnival of death.

Musically, the album moves between cinematic instrumentals, relentless extreme metal, crazy combinations of different styles, and theatrical passages that underline the story’s psychological collapse. It’s groovy, it’s progressive, violent as hell and yet brings a twisted smile on your face when you listen to it.

Lyrically uncompromising and narratively explicit, The Murder Trend presents a bleak reflection on how victims can become monsters—and how in the modern world violent trends can spread like a contagion once given a symbol to wear.

The album was mastered by Grammy Award–winning Svante Forsbäck, produced by Emma Award–winning Teemu Aalto, and released on July 3rd, 2026. All lyrics and most of the music were written by founding member Anthony Hodju.

This is not just an album, it is a grotesque modern horror tale set to music.

“The Murder Trend” was mastered by Grammy Award–winning Svante Forsbäck, produced by Emma Award–winning Teemu Aalto. All lyrics by Anthony Hodju. Photos by Rocktografia. 

AGARWAEN is:

Anthony Hodju - Vocals

Pete Bay - Lead Guitars

Crazy Gustav - Rhythm Guitars

Dr. Wolfram - Bass

Tomas Kasprzyk - Drums

Vermin - Percussion, Actor

Discography: 

Vrykolakas (EP, Independent, 2010) 

Dottore I (Full-Length, Independent, 2020) 

Channel: Lunacy (Full-Length, Independent, 2023)

The Murder Trend (Full-Length, Over The Border Records, 2026)

Agarwaen is an Asylum Metal band from Finland, originally founded in 2006 by Anthony Hodju while he was still the band’s guitarist. At first, the band was known as Shathanas, releasing the EP ”The End of the Santa” that same year. Later in 2006, the name was changed to Agarwaen, under which they released their first EP ”Vrykolakas” in 2010—only to disband soon afterwards.

After a nine-year hiatus, Hodju revived the project and began work on the first full-length album ”Dottore I”, joined by session musicians such as Mika Lumijärvi (drums & synths, Voidfallen) and Edward Torchia (vocals, Torchia). The album was met with positive reviews and was even chosen as Album of the Year by the American metal station Metal Nation.

Following the release, Hodju assembled a new lineup for live shows and began work on the next album, ”Channel: Lunacy” (2023). Just two days before the vocal recordings, Hodju switched from guitar to vocals after the band’s current session vocalist proved unreliable.

Agarwaen then hit the road heavily in Finland, toured in Europe in 2024 and played at TUSKA festival the same year. The band went through a few more lineup changes before settling into the solid formation they have today. 

In 2025, the band returned to the studio to record the LP ”The Murder Trend” and the EP ”Arena of Retribution”, produced by Emma Award–winning Teemu Aalto (Insomnium, Omnium Gatherum) and mastered by multiple Grammy winner Svante Forsbäck (Rammstein, Nightwish).

Looking ahead, Agarwaen has already started composing two upcoming albums—”Cocaine Cock” and ”Gypsy Wagon” (working titles). One is set to be an ambitious fusion of Gypsy Jazz and Asylum Metal, while the other explores a lunatic mix of ’90s industrial metal (Rammstein, The Prodigy), ’80s horror synthwave, and modern metal.

Agarwaen offers wild, crazy soundscapes with catchy riffs and stunning atmospheres. The gigs are like a scene from a mental asylum horror movie! The band is an oddball that mixes all kinds of different metal styles into one frantic and lunatic music!

http://agarwaen.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Agarwaenband/

https://www.instagram.com/agarwaen_official/