CAGED BASTARD RELEASE "LIGHTHOUSE"

 

PRESS RELEASE:

CAGED BASTARD is an experimental extreme music one-man band founded by Muhammad Oun in 2018. The project initially began as a blackened hardcore/grindcore band with crust punk influences. Over time, Muhammad started pushing the boundaries of extreme "metal" by incorporating non metal musical elements and unconventional sounds into his compositions. This marked the beginning of his exploration into experimental extreme music, where he continually challenges and redefines the traditional confines of the genre.

Since 2019 the project has explored the intersection between extreme metal, noise, drone, ambient textures and other non metal sonic elements. This approach allows the music to move beyond strict genre boundaries while maintaining the intensity and atmosphere associated with extreme music.

Caged Bastard is entirely self-produced. Muhammad Oun is a multi-instrumentalist, responsible for guitar, bass, synth/noise, drum programming, as well as recording, mixing, and mastering. During live performances, he uses playback for drums and bass while delivering live guitar, vocals, noise generation, and effect manipulation.

LIGHTHOUSE is CAGED BASTARD´s fourth full length album. Recorded in November 2025 the album explores pressure, restraint and the transmutation of external negativity into a powerful internal structure, something a human being can return to when chaos intensifies.

The first 4 tracks were intentionally composed to feel dense and claustrophobic, almost like moving inside a block of solid concrete. The music emphasized weight, repetition and compression creating an atmosphere where tension builds slowly and deliverately rather than exploding outward.

Across these compositions the sound moves between oppressive heaviness, hypnotic repetition, and vast atmospheric passages. Elements of extreme metal, drone, and experimental textures are used to construct a sonic environment that feels both confrontational and meditative.

The final track, "The Wayfarer, serves as an instrumental closing piece that opens the space after the intensity of the previous compositions, allowing the listener to step outside the structure and observe it from a distance.

With "Lighthouse", the project continues to explore extreme music as a form of architecture where pressure, discipline and restraint shape something capable of standing firm against the surrounding storm.

https://www.facebook.com/cagedbastard/

https://www.instagram.com/caged_bastard/

https://cagedbastard.bandcamp.com/

FALSE MESSIAH RELEASE NEW SINGLE: "IRON SKY"

 

PRESS RELEASE:

False Messiah Unleashes “Iron Sky” – First Single from Upcoming Album Seven (Out June 19)

Presave and stream: https://idol-io.ffm.to/ironsky

Prepare for impact. False Messiah, the visionary force in cinematic symphonic dark metal, announces the release of Iron Sky , the first single from their highly anticipated album Seven , dropping June 19 via Semetery Records.

Iron Sky is more than a track—it’s a declaration. Rooted in the raw energy of death and thrash metal while embracing modern sonic sophistication, the song constructs a dystopian universe where technology rises as the ultimate false messiah. As mass surveillance, automation, and algorithmic governance shape society, Iron Sky confronts humanity with a stark choice: submission or conscious resistance.

Musically, False Messiah constructs a massive soundscape, fusing dark orchestral arrangements, piercing modern guitars, electronic textures, and ritualistic atmospheres. The result is a seamless bridge between symphonic grandeur and extreme metal intensity, creating a narrative-driven, almost conceptual experience that invites listeners into a fully realized dystopian mythology.

At the heart of Seven , of which Iron Sky is the opening fracture, False Messiah rejects the notion of providential salvation. The message is clear: question systems, refuse false saviors, and embrace lucid survival in an age where apocalypse is manufactured and resilience is revolutionary.

Fans of Nightwish, Within Temptation, Epica, Amaranthe, Lord of the Lost, and In This Moment will find themselves drawn into this expansive, cinematic metal journey.

Pre-save and stream Iron Sky now: https://idol-io.ffm.to/ironsky

Genres: Cinematic Symphonic Dark Metal

Label: Semetery Records

Check them out on YouTube and subscribe:

https://youtu.be/RCxi748b25s

Connect: 

https://www.facebook.com/share/1BTGhUpDfU/

https://www.instagram.com/false.messiah.666

HELLEVATE RELEASE "KILLICON VALLEY"

PRESS RELEASE:

 Kansas City thrash masters HELLEVATE will unleash their sixth assault this spring!

Killicon Valley is relentless in execution. Eleven tracks of the bullshit-free, 'thrash-or-be-thrashed' attitude the band has cultivated over their nearly 20 years of existence. Today, that fury has escalated beyond the breaking point. The result is an album that true fans of old-school thrash can blast with pride.

Guitarist Dan Whitmer comments on Killicon Valley, “We couldn’t be more excited about this release! It’s the result of the last few years of a concentrated effort to expand our songwriting capabilities and deliver something for every kind of metal fan there is. Sonically, we’re going to places we haven’t been to before, and we’re trying out a lot of different approaches, sounds, and songwriting angles in our mission to make heads bang worldwide! Everyone involved has pushed themselves physically and mentally in their performances, and it’s all come together in a unique blend of melody and aggression, tackling every subject from our anger at the injustices in the world, to velociraptor attacks and Japanese spider demons. Grab a brace, because this album will make you wreck your neck!”

Get your first taste of Killicon Valley with the album's lead single, "In the Long Grass." Check out the official video at youtu.be/4pvJtJcOrvo.

Killicon Valley is set for release on May 22. Pre-order the album at hellevate.bandcamp.com/album/killicon-valley

HELLEVATE will mark the release of Killicon Valley with an album release show at Warehouse on Broadway in Kansas City, MO. Support will come from Jackson Country 5, Meat Shank, and Bloodscent. Check the event page for details.

Stream more from HELLEVATE on Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music.

Tracklist:

1) D.T.C.

2) In the Long Grass

3) Invoke Apocalypse

4) Demagogue

5) The Rampart

6) Holy Man

7) Jorogumo

8) Part of the Tribe

9) Killicon Valley (Silicon Dust)

10) The Lost Pages

11) Thou Shalt Kill

12) Curse God and Die

HELLEVATE is a thrash metal band from Kansas City, MO, known for their unique blend of melodic thrash, extreme metal, and power metal influences. Formed in the late 2000s by guitarist Dan Whitmer, HELLEVATE maintains a commitment to writing unforgettable music that hits hard and leaves a lasting impression.

Lyrically, the band continues to deliver powerful messages with directness and intensity. Together, they have crafted a sound that is both expansive and undeniably thrash, incorporating influences from speed metal, power metal, death metal, and hardcore to create something truly unique.

HELLEVATE's discography includes their debut self-titled album (2012),Kill Confirmed (2014), Weapons Against Their Will (2016), The Purpose Is Cruelty (2023), and their newest album Killicon Valley (2026).

Since their debut in 2012, HELLEVATE has built a reputation for delivering electrifying live performances, sharing the stage with some of the biggest names in metal, including EXODUS, KREATOR, ACCEPT, OVERKILL, DESTRUCTION, HAMMERFALL, UNLEASH THE ARCHERS, GHOUL,VENOM INC., and DANZIG, among others.

Line-Up:

Robert Browne - Vocals

Dan Whitmer - Guitar

Joshua Cole - Guitar

Zack Burke - Bass

Ruben Lopez - Drums

hellevate.bandcamp.com

www.facebook.com/hellevate

www.instagram.com/hellevatekills

www.tiktok.com/@hellevatekills