GOLD SPIRE RELEASE "STEPS INTO SHADOWS"

 

PRESS RELEASE:

GOLD SPIRE’s second full-length album Steps into Shadow will be released on June 19, 2026 via Awakening Records. The album will be available on CD and digital formats.

Formed in 2019 in Uppsala, Sweden, GOLD SPIRE was created by brothers Erik Sundström and Påhl Sundström following the end of Usurpress. What began as an outlet for ideas developed during the recording sessions for Usurpress’ final album Interregnum gradually evolved into a project drawing from progressive death metal, doom, progressive rock, and jazz-influenced arrangements.

Together with saxophonist Magnus Kjellstrand and bassist Petter Broman, the band developed a sound focused more on atmosphere, contrast, and dynamics than strict genre boundaries. Heavy sections sit alongside slower melodic passages, while saxophone, flute, and layered arrangements play a consistent role throughout the material.

On Steps into Shadow, GOLD SPIRE moves toward a darker and more direct approach while keeping the progressive and death metal foundation central to the album. The material balances heavier riffs and dense arrangements with more restrained passages, allowing the album’s atmosphere to build gradually across its runtime.

The album also marks the first release with vocalist Arvid Sjödin (FLOATING), who joined the band following the departure of former vocalist Heval Bozarslan. His vocal approach brings a different presence to the material while fitting naturally into the band’s evolving sound.

Steps into Shadow was recorded between 2023 and 2026 at Studio Siborator by Erik Sundström, with mixing and mastering handled by Lawrence Mackrory. The artwork was created by Påhl Sundström.

Rather than moving further toward technical excess, GOLD SPIRE continues to focus on mood, pacing, and atmosphere, combining progressive structures with death metal weight and darker melodic elements without losing cohesion.

Tracklist:

1. Starvation

2. Steps into Shadow

3. Liberation at Dawn

4. The Mire

5. Crown of Disfigurement

6. A Clarion Call

7. Drag Us Under

8. Truth is an Empty Fortress

Album Credits:

Arvid Sjödin – Vocals

Erik Sundström – Drums, Keyboards, Backing Vocals

Påhl Sundström – Guitars

Magnus Kjellstrand – Saxophone, Flute

Petter Broman – Bass

Music and lyrics by Erik Sundström and Påhl Sundström

Recorded in Studio Siborator during 2023–2026 by Erik Sundström

Mixed and mastered by Lawrence Mackrory

Artwork by Påhl Sundström

For more info:

https://www.facebook.com/goldspire.ua

https://www.instagram.com/gold_spire_band

https://www.facebook.com/AwakeningRecordsCN/

https://www.instagram.com/awakeningrecordscn/

https://awakeningrecordscn.bandcamp.com/

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

https://awakeningrecordscn.bigcartel.com/

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/

NOVOMUNDO RELEASE "THE CURSED CULT"

 

PRESS RELEASE:

Italian metal fusionists NOVOMUNDO will release their first full-length album, "The Cursed Cult", on March 1st, 2026.

The video of the first single "The Coven" is now available HERE.

NOVOMUNDO was born near Rome around 2012 with the idea to blend heavy and groovy music textures alongside various influences, rhythms, and instruments from all over the world. After some line-up changes over the years, the band rewrote and refined some of their previous material, releasing "Echoes of Ego": four songs focused on mid-paced ferocity and exotic grooves, with themes exploring modern world decay, primeval instincts, and nightmarish visions.

"The Cursed Cult" represents the band’s first full-length effort: a darker and more crushing take on their renewed sound. The album explores Voodoo culture, its symbols and meanings, interpreted through the lens of contemporary life. Fourteen tracks of ferocity and raw energy blend dark ambient passages with a rotten edge, fusing death-groove and 2000s metal influences enriched by modern tones and crust-core elements.

The album is a concept piece centered on Voodoo — its mysteries, rituals, and symbolic icons. Lyrically, it touches on slavery, prejudice, and death as a way to give value to life, among other themes. Across the tracks, listeners are guided through the pantheon of Voodoo deities, called Loa, exploring their stories and traits as metaphors to convey the album’s core messages. The soundscape of NOVOMUNDO evokes emotional instability and a sense of unease, symbolizing the fear stemming from ignorance and unfamiliarity.

Tracklist:

01 Son of Mawu

02 Deathless

03 Erzulie

04 Bokor

05 The Coven

06 Mojo

07 Vodun

08 OSFTG

09 Le Marriage de Brigitte

10 Warlord

11 God’s Violence

12 Maitresse La-Sirene

13 Papa Legba

14 Orishas

Line-up:

Valerio Cristiani - Vocals

Carlo Ridolfi - Guitar

Fabio Ciccone - Guitar

Fausto Idini - Drums

NOVOMUNDO

https://www.novomundo.it/

https://www.instagram.com/novomundo_13/

https://novomundo13.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/NovomundoTribe

NEW VIDEOS: JULY 5TH TO JULY 13TH, 2025

 

NEFAS RELEASE "OBLATION OV OBLITERATION"

 

PRESS RELEASE:

NEFAS, an American cross-country collaboration, bring psycosmic deathgrind on debut EP, Oblation ov Obliteration! Featuring members of Cryptic Gallbladder Splatter, Bedlam of Cacophony, Teeth, and Wax People, the EP is out now! Click to grind at the links below!

nefas.bandcamp.com/album/oblation-ov-obliteration

open.spotify.com/album/43avkrGsVPgDFNCElemdgn

"With NEFAS, Rajan Davis and crew have crafted an eclectic array of both musical and vocal approaches, that push the boundaries of creativity and extremity further than most new bands these days; while still remaining at all times challenging, interesting and memorable. I’m super glad that Rajan finally has a proper, personal showcase of the impressive guitar/bass playing that earned him a spot playing live bass for GIGAN! Definitely listen to NEFAS as soon as ya can and enjoy!"

- Eric Hersemann (GIGAN)

"A debut of the highest quality from seasoned musicians, this one leaves you craving more while hiding behind a cushion, afraid to hear what more Psycosmic Deathgrind might sound like." (8/10)

- Metal Noise 

"NEFAS are an exciting and enjoyable addition to what I affectionately refer to as spacey death grind."

- Black Angel Promotions

"An EP with high energy, on which sounds crash into each other like particles in the Large Hadron Collider."

- Apocalyptic Rites

With seasoned experience across the technical, dissonant, and mathematical landscapes of metal, the band's sonic statement of malicious intent, Oblation ov Obliteration, is a unique offering composed of churning death metal inspired riffs; ever shifting grooves; monstrous howls, shrieks, and yells; and the sonic representations of the undoing of reality.

FFO: Earlier works of Cephalic Carnage, Intronaut, and Gojira.

Track Listing:

1. Xenomorphic

2. Spiral Degradation

3. Mindstream Transference

Credits:

Produced, engineered, and edited by Samur Khouja at Seahorse Sound Studios in Los Angeles, California.

Mixed and mastered by Erol Ulug at Bright Lights Studio.

All album art and layout: Moonroot Art.

Line-up:

Erik Burkhead-Fernandez - Vocals

Rusty Kennedy - Bass

Rajan Davis - Guitar

Alejandro Aranda - Drums

linktr.ee/nefasband

instagram.com/nefasband

facebook.com/nefasmusic

x.com/nefasband

NEW VIDEOS: MAY 28TH TO JUNE 6TH, 2025

 

HTETHTHEMETH RELEASE "TELLURIC INHARMONIES"

PRESS RELEASE:

 Out Now via Layered Reality Productions

Genre: Avant-Garde/Progressive Metal

For Fans Of: Arcturus, Anathema, Vulture Industries, Pain of Salvation ("BE" era)

Hailing from Romania, avant-garde/progressive metal act Hteththemeth unleashes their highly anticipated new album, Telluric Inharmonies , available now via Layered Reality Productions . Known for their self-coined genre of ‘Unhuman Music’ , the band delivers a striking fusion of progressive metal, theatrical storytelling, and genre-defying experimentation—crafting an immersive soundscape that transcends conventional boundaries.

Originally the brainchild of Läo Kreegan , Hteththemeth evolved into a full band in 2013, embarking on an artistic trajectory that merges dark intensity, avant-garde complexity, and raw emotion. With Telluric Inharmonies , the band once again pushes the limits of musical expression, offering an experience that is both deeply introspective and wildly unpredictable.

Production and Musical Direction:

Crafted with meticulous attention to detail, Telluric Inharmonies showcases Hteththemeth’s ability to weave together haunting melodies, erratic rhythms, and cinematic grandeur. The album's sonic landscapes captivate listeners, drawing influence from the likes of Arcturus , Anathema , Vulture Industries , and Pain of Salvation’s experimental "BE" era.

Fans of boundary-pushing metal will find themselves enthralled by the band's unique ability to blend progressive metal intricacy, theatrical grandiosity, and avant-garde unpredictability into a single, cohesive vision.

Telluric Inharmonies is a landmark release, redefining the essence of progressive and avant-garde metal while staying true to Hteththemeth’s singular artistic identity.

Embrace the inharmonious beauty of the telluric unknown—out now.

Check them out on YouTube and subscribe! 

https://youtu.be/FmMKyBT4kpY

Follow them on Spotify and add to your playlists!

https://open.spotify.com/album/55OjnjNlj2gJw6s3Pbjkba

Support them on Bandcamp! 

https://hteththemeth.bandcamp.com/album/telluric-inharmonies

Stay updated with Hteththemeth:

Website: https://www.hteththemeth.net/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hteththemeth/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hteththemeth/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/Hteththemeth

Bandcamp: https://hteththemeth.bandcamp.com/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4CPUewDHvbQTsKquuv01Xi

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/hteththemeth/1246919707

SAMTAR RELEASE "THE BOG OF COSMIC DELUSIONS"

 

PRESS RELEASE:

Genre-bending one-man band SAMTAR is set to return with The Bog of Cosmic Delusions. The seventh full-length album by the multi-instrumentalist and songwriter comes fresh off the heels of the acoustic-centric A Second Chapter Made of Wood.

The Bog of Cosmic Delusions stands out as SAMTAR's heaviest album to date. With loud and crushing sounds, psychedelic influences, melodic guitars, and grand soaring vocals, this album is sure to satisfy rock and metal listeners alike.  

SAMTAR has released three singles from the album. Stream "The Mire," "Desert Creature" and "Refuse" on Spotify.

The Bog of Cosmic Delusions will be available on digital and limited-edition CD on April 11. Pre-order the album at samtarofficial.com

The Bog of Cosmic Delusions was written, performed, recorded, mixed, and mastered by SAMTAR. Album artwork by Steven Yoyada.

Tracklisting:

1. Desert Creature

2. Fickle Fortune

3. All You Ever Wanted

4. Speaker

5. Distant Voices

6. Refuse

7. Destiny is a Lie

8. The Whispers

9. Vicarious Voodoo

10. The Mire

11. Broken Sparrow

12. Drowning the Goddess

 

SAMTAR, a music-obsessed virtuoso, plies his craft with an unrepentant vigor and passion. Navigating the forests of genre, SAMTAR follows a path to sounds unknown by combining style and influence from all sources. SAMTAR chose to eschew chasing traditional mediums of promotion and instead focused on loving his life through creating music, exploring the outdoors, and translating the ethereal into song. The music SAMTAR creates is human and close, it has a momentum of its own and entreats the listener to be a traveler along the journey to their own peace.

SAMTAR grew up on System of a Down, Nine Inch Nails, The Black Dahlia Murder, Opeth, Sonata Arctica, Muse, Jimi Hendrix, Sublime, and Nirvana. Now he unites these divergent influences with driving bass lines, hook-heavy guitar melodies, powerful vocals, and a healthy dose of synthesizers. He notes some of his biggest vocal influences being from artists like Mike Patton (Mr. Bungle/Faith No More), and Tony Kakko (Sonata Arctica). He also takes inspiration from sci-fi/fantasy films and literature.

www.samtarofficial.com

facebook.com/samtar2

instagram.com/samtarofficial