Posts By Asher

0 SHROUD Unleashes Ferocious Cover of NIFELHEIM’s “Storm of the Reaper” + Canadian Tour w/ HELLRIPPER “Goatkraft & Granite Canada 2026”

October 1, 2026
by Asher
· Music News · Shroud

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – October 1, 2026

SHROUD Unleashes Ferocious Cover of NIFELHEIM’s “Storm of the Reaper”

Tour Dates w/ HELLRIPPER “Goatkraft & Granite Canada 2026”

Debut Album “Pax Nocturna” Out Now!

L-R – Justin Cournoyer – Bass, Matteo Conti – Guitar and Vocals, Zack Osiris – Drums, Jordan Barillaro – Guitar

Montreal blackened thrash band Shroud has released a new cover of “Storm of the Reaper”, a fierce tribute to Swedish cult legends Nifelheim and a nod to one of the band’s earliest shared influences. The track arrives as Shroud continues to ride the momentum of their debut album “Pax Nocturna,” released this past June, and as they prepare to hit the road for their upcoming Canadian tour with Hellripper this coming November.

Shroud’s decision to cover “Storm of the Reaper” comes from deep admiration for Nifelheim’s legacy and the song’s impact on the band’s formation and identity.

“We wanted to pay homage to the legendary Blackened Thrash Metal band Nifelheim from Sweden. Storm of the Reaper is an absolute banger with old‑school heavy metal elements twisted into black metal, and it’s a huge influence on all of us in Shroud. It’s also a nod to lyricist Erik Danielsson, frontman of Watain, another major influence. We perform this live often and wanted to pay it forward with our own spin. It was a major song that Zack Osiris and I, Matteo Conti, bonded over when forming Shroud. Storm of the Reaper is legendary and a staple of Blackened Thrash Metal.”

The band’s rendition stays true to the track’s feral spirit while injecting Shroud’s signature intensity, razor‑edged riffs, venomous vocals, and the raw, ritualistic energy that has defined their rise in Canada’s extreme‑metal underground.

Shroud’s cover arrives on the heels of their debut full‑length “Pax Nocturna,” a blackened thrash assault praised for its speed, atmosphere, and conceptual depth. The album introduced listeners to the band’s evolving universe of dark, violent, and occult storytelling.

The release of “Storm of the Reaper” sets the stage for Shroud’s upcoming Canadian dates with Scotland’s speed‑metal powerhouse Hellripper for the “Goatkraft & Granite Canada Tour”. Fans can expect Shroud to perform the cover live, where it has already become a crowd‑igniting staple.

Listen to Shroud‘s cover version of “Storm of the Reaper” at the following links:

Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/track/5ypzud248uB53eLL72aXpw

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEKNl16Zceo

Recommended for fans of Watain, Dissection, Hellripper, Skeletonwitch, and Necrophobic, “Pax Nocturna”, released on June 4th, 2026, is available now on all digital platforms, CD, and vinyl.

CD / Vinyl – https://shroudmtl.bandcamp.com/album/pax-nocturna

Add to your Spotify playlist – https://open.spotify.com/album/5dfAWpVKaWlsdSBYNZ8L1H

All Creation – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4okttHfnlg

The Eternal Void – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJ56_laldDc

Tour Dates: Hellripper w/ Shroud
Nov 25 – Montreal, QC – Piranha Bar
Nov 26 – Quebec City, QC – La Source De La Martiniere
Nov 27 – Ottawa, ON – Dominion Tavern (Capital Punishment Festival)
Nov 28 – Toronto, ON – Supermarket Bar & Variety

Track Listing:
1. Pax Nocturna (0:43)
2. The Eternal Void (5:09)
3. The Zealot (5:15)
4. Merciless Tyrants (5:59)
5. Darkest Night (4:45)
6. Diablivion (5:28)
7. Death Blows Over (4:18)
8. All Creation (5:29)
9. Abaddon (7:55)
Album Length: 45:05

Album and Live Band lineup:
Matteo Conti – Guitar and Vocals
Jordan Barillaro – Guitar
Zack Osiris – Drums
Justin Cournoyer – Bass

More info:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086688022343

https://www.instagram.com/shroud.mtl

About: Emerging from the depths below, Shroud formed in 2022 when Conti and Osiris began writing together during the pandemic. With the later addition of Barillaro and Cournoyer, the band’s lineup solidified into a unit defined by technical skill, raw aggression, and a shared vision of darkness. Their sound of blistering riffs, thunderous drums, and vocals echoing through the void has quickly earned them recognition as one of Montreal’s most promising extreme‑metal acts. Now, with Pax Nocturna, Shroud is ready to unleash its full power.

Album Recording Credits:
– All songs performed by: Matteo Conti, Zack Osiris, Jordan Barillaro, Justin Cournoyer
– All songs written by: Matteo Conti and Zack Osiris
– Produced by: Shroud and Jordan Barillaro
– Mixed by: Jordan Barillaro
– Album Art by: Justin Cournoyer
– Mastered by: Tore Stjerna

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“Imagine the ferocity, the grit and attitude of ‘Power n Pain’ era Whiplash, add the nocturnal melodic majesty of Necrophobic, and then a heaping helping of D-beat (always appreciated). Vicious, limb twitchin’ and about as infectious as something you believe you might have picked up on a recent European vacation, but wish you hadn’t. Recc for fans of SkeletonWitch, Necrophobic, Hellripper and others who successfully manage to imbue ragin’ Thrash insanity with an exquisite sense of darkness. This scatches the itch, then successfully obliterates it!” 94/100 – Cult Metal Flix

“the Canadians are beyond any doubt and have put together a debut album that not only packs a serious punch in terms of aggression but also delivers enough memorable moments to perfectly balance frenzy, speed, and punchiness.” – PowerMetal.de

“There’s almost a black ‘n’ roll thing going on here, with some cool rocking solos that snap you out of the blackened onslaught here and there. There’s no shortage of heaviness here, and I love how Shroud have mixed the old and the new throughout the album; you never really know what’s going to hit you next. Lots of energy, not many parts to give you rest, Pax Nocturna is one of those albums that tortures your speakers and makes the house shake. Good stuff (duh).” – The Metal Crypt

“A definite early AOTY candidate with strong claims, 5 star Black/Thrash!… There’s a high amount of crushing chugging riffs across this full length and the leadwork is absolutely scorching across the board, shreddy solos with that classic heavy metal, Thrash phrasing with a few mid-paced ones thrown in that are topped off with a couple of whammy bar accents and tremolos in them. Some of these riffs just will absolutely pummel you, as they’re fast and unrelenting as hell; also, there’s one or two solos that appear in a single track too. The vocals on this aren’t just high black metal screams, but there’s creepy deep spoken word vocals, chants and a few death growls also; if you’re into absolutely groove filled Blackened Thrash then absolutely look no further than this masterpiece, absolutely don’t sleep on it, a definite AOTY contender personally. Rating: 10/10!” – Drako’s Metal Reviews

“With Pax Nocturna , SHROUD makes a striking statement that will allow them to carve out a prime spot among the new Canadian bands to watch.” – Ondes Chocs

“Some nice thrash with plenty of fury and speed beyond it. Rip-roaring riffs that will have your neck moving, I assure you. Vicious vocals also work here as they fit the music rather well. Production is good and solid, and those thrashy riffs just ripped my soul apart and in two. With thrash, for me it is the riffs, the speed and intensity, and this had it all. This will just pound you into the ground, showing little or no mercy. Thrash crushes.” – Chris Forbes – Extreminal

“Shroud’s debut is a vicious blackened thrash release with scorching guitar work, relentless percussion and a grim philosophical core.” – Heavy Metal Darkness

““Pax Nocturna” is a solid album of high-energy thrash packed with razor-sharp riffs. The guitars cut right to the bone, the drums pound relentlessly, and the bass rumbles like never before. This honest, sincere, and effective record, with its raw and brutal energy, is well worth discovering. ” – Music Waves

“Shroud’s debut is thus a classic representative of the product DIY (Do It Yourself), when the band’s actors are talented enough to provide for themselves… The debut work “Pax Nocturna” is an impressive example of modern blackened thrash.” – MetalForever

“The debut album from the thrash/death newcomers goes hard from start to finish! Right from the opener ‘The Eternal Void’ this thing is heavy, urgent and awesome, and it keeps its momentum for its full 45-minute runtime. The fact that it’s only nine songs in that time as well means that everything gets time to breathe, and everyone in the band gets time to shine. Highlights include ‘Merciless Tyrants’, ‘Diablivion’ and the epic closer, but the whole album is great from start to finish! It certainly won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but if you are into the heavier end of metal, this is absolutely worth a spin. The band have a bright future ahead of them, and in years to come people will look at this release as their big launching pad. 8.5/10” – Overtone Magazine

“Shroud’s latest offering, ‘Pax Nocturna’, is a relentless onslaught of blackened thrash metal that will leave listeners in awe of its sheer intensity. The album exudes a dark and foreboding atmosphere, with haunting melodies and aggressive riffs that create a sense of impending doom. Standout tracks such as ‘The Zealot’ and ‘Merciless Tyrants’ showcase the band’s ability to seamlessly blend black metal fury with thrash metal aggression. The production quality on ‘Pax Nocturna’ is top-notch, with every instrument cutting through the mix with clarity and power. This album marks a significant progression in Shroud’s career, solidifying their position as one of the leading forces in the extreme metal scene.” – MetalStorm.com.au

““Fans of extreme metal will find a record crafted for them. It’s intense, tightly executed, and overflowing with raw energy. Its lyrical depth explores philosophy, anti‑religion, the abyss and the darkest corners of human existence. The overarching concept is Satanic Gnosticism, a rejection of imposed order and corrupt leadership, and an embrace of the chaos from which humanity originates.” – The Black Metal Archive

“Shroud have delivered a lean, mean, and deliciously dark debut that proves traditional, blackened speed insanity is alive and thriving.” – VM Underground

“Montréal, Québec’s Shroud have released a perfect blending of two extreme genres. Black metal elements of demonic, screechy vocals, tremolo picking, and black and roll beats. Then you have the Thrash tempo changes, galloping riffs, and break-neck speed sections. This album grabbed me by the back of the head and slammed my face into the concrete a dozen times during the first track. It’s not all sound barrier breaking speeds though. There are sections of clear black metal. Down tempo sections. Pure thrash. And every combination of the two sub-genres.” – Mike On Metal

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ASHER MEDIA RELATIONS
Jon Asher – Music Publicist
#.514.581.5780
jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
Facebook – Asher Media Relations
Instagram – AsherMedia
Tweet – AsherMedia

0 SHORES OF NULL Unveils New Video “Homesick” The Title Track of New Album Out Mid-October 2026 via Dusktone

October 1, 2026
by Asher
· Music News · Shores of Null (Spikerot Records)

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – October 1, 2026

SHORES OF NULL Unveils New Video “Homesick” The Title Track of New Album Out Mid-October 2026 via Dusktone

Album Out October 16th, 2026 via Dusktone

Album Guests – Natalie Koskinen (Shape of Despair) and Shaun MacGowan (My Dying Bride)

Shores of Null – Photo Credit – Francesco Esposito

Italian melodic death doom visionaries Shores of Null have released “Homesick,” the latest single and title track from their forthcoming album set for release on October 16, 2026, via Dusktone. Following the previously released singles “Two Mountains,” “Son of the Tide,” and “Bleed to Life,” the new track offers one of the album’s most intimate and emotionally powerful moments while revealing the record’s thematic heart.

“Homesick was the very first song written for the album, and in many ways it set the emotional direction for everything that followed. I still remember Raffaele coming up with the opening riff while we were on tour with Swallow The Sun back in 2023 and playing it during soundchecks almost every day. From that moment on, it felt like the seed from which the entire record would grow. Because of that, it couldn’t be anything other than the title track,” says vocalist Davide Straccione (vocals).

Musically, it’s one of the album’s most reflective and introspective moments. Lyrically, the song revolves around the contradiction contained within the very idea of homesickness itself: the longing to return to something familiar while knowing that what we call ‘home’ may also be the source of our pain. The recurring line ‘My home is dangerous’ embodies that tension between attraction and repulsion, while the question ‘Will I return?’ remains deliberately unanswered. After all, what is home? For some, it’s a place of comfort and safety. For others, it may be a place marked by war, violence, abuse, or painful memories. And yet, for better or worse, it remains home, and a part of who we are.

Serving as the emotional centerpiece of the album, the title track captures the tension between nostalgia and trauma, comfort and danger, belonging and exile. Its reflective atmosphere and haunting melodies showcase a more introspective side of Shores of Null while maintaining the band’s trademark balance of crushing heaviness and emotional depth.

Watch and listen to the lyric video for “Homesick” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPnsdVeyvWU

Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/artist/76lKNyW77arKg42qdDO9Sm

Their upcoming album “Homesick” follows the critical success of 2023’s “The Loss Of Beauty” and finds Shores of Null delivering what may be their most mature and focused work to date. Conceived as a complete listening experience, the album explores longing, loss, anger, vulnerability and the search for belonging across ten meticulously crafted tracks. Produced by Marco “Cinghio” Mastrobuono, the record refines every aspect of the band’s sound, blending doom metal, gothic atmospheres, atmospheric black metal and melodic death metal into a cohesive and deeply immersive whole.

“Homesick is probably the most honest representation of who Shores Of Null are today. Behind this record lies a meticulous amount of writing, rewriting, and pre-production work, to the point that entire sections and arrangements were completely reworked whenever we felt the songs demanded it,” adds Straccione.

At its core lies the idea of home as something deeply ambiguous: a place of comfort and belonging, but also of fear, pain, and memories we can never fully leave behind. The album explores that tension between attraction and repulsion, nostalgia and trauma, asking what home really means when it can be both a sanctuary and a curse.

The album also features special guest appearances from Natalie Koskinen (Shape Of Despair) on “The Numbing Void” and Shaun MacGowan (My Dying Bride), whose violin performances further enrich the album’s emotional landscape.

Recommended for fans of Paradise Lost, Amorphis, Swallow the Sun, Katatonia, and Borknagar, “Homesick” is available for pre-order (Vinyl, CD, Digital) at the following links:

https://www.dusktone.org/

https://dusktone.bandcamp.com/album/homesick

Music Video – “Two Mountains” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGa75zQf3T4

Music Video – “Bleed to Life” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s825Pn_EOLg

Lyric Video – “Son of the Tide” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7OWUN07V2w

Tour Dates:
15/10/2026 – Joy Station, Sofia (BU) w/ Swallow The Sun
16/10/2026 – Temple, Athens (GR)
21/10/2026 – Quantic, Bucharest (RO) w/ Swallow The Sun
21/11/2026 – Live Club, Trezzo Sull’Adda, MI (IT) w/ Messa
26/11/2026 – Pitcher, Dusseldorf (DE) w/ Decembre Noir
27/11/2026 – Elfer, Frankfurt (DE) w/ Decembre Noir
28/11/2026 – From Hell, Erfurt (DE) – Birth Of Death Festival w/ Decembre Noir
05/12/2026 – The Garage, Malta – The Conjuring Fest w/ Weeping Silence, Ponte Del Diavolo
25/03/2027 – Rockefeller/John Dee, Oslo (NO) – Inferno Metal Fest w/ Kampfar, MGLA and more

Track Listing:
1. Allies Before Defeat – 4:35
2. Two Mountains – 4:34
3. Bleed to Life – 4:09
4. Homesick – 5:31
5. Son of the Tide – 4:18
6. Dreaming of a Scar – 5:08
7. Society Is the Murderer – 4:30
8. The Numbing Void – 6:18
9. Another Breath – 3:52
10. Disappear – 4:33
Album Length: 47:32

Album and Live Band Line-up:
Davide Straccione – Vocals
Gabriele Giaccari – Guitars
Raffaele Colace – Guitars
Matteo Capozucca – Bass
Emiliano Cantiano – Drums

For more info:

https://www.shoresofnull.com/

https://www.facebook.com/shoresofnull

https://www.instagram.com/shoresofnull

About:

Formed in Rome in 2013, Shores of Null emerged from a shared passion for gothic and doom music between longtime friends Davide Straccione (vocals) and Gabriele Giaccari (guitars), who had previously toured together in separate bands before laying the foundations for what would become Shores of Null. Rounded out by Raffaele Colace (guitars), Matteo Capozucca (bass) and Emiliano Cantiano (drums), the band has steadily built a reputation as one of Italy’s most distinctive metal acts through acclaimed releases including “Quiescence,” “Black Drapes For Tomorrow,” “Beyond The Shores (On Death And Dying)” and “The Loss Of Beauty.”

Known for combining blackened aggression, gothic melancholy, death-doom weight, and soaring melody, Shores of Null have shared stages with acts such as Swallow The Sun, Draconian, and Avatarium, while appearing at major festivals including Hellfest, Rock Imperium, and 70000 Tons of Metal.

– 30 –

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ASHER MEDIA RELATIONS
Jon Asher – Music Publicist
#.514.581.5780
jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
Facebook – Asher Media Relations
Instagram – AsherMedia
Tweet – AsherMedia

0 EPK – Halycon Drift – I Made Do (single) (2026)

October 1, 2026
by Asher
· EPKs · Halycon Drift

EPK – Halycon Drift – I Made Do (single) (2026)

Publicist – Jon Asher – jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com

“I Made Do is the story of resilience through adversity, rising above it all & making do with the cards you were given. In the verses, we also explore adversity and describe it, and the chorus rips it all up almost to say, “and you, are you gonna give up?” The instrumental is meant to capture the sense of anger & hopelessness felt in those situations, and the lead guitar sections are truly ethereal, vibey, and intoxicating; they give the song its character! It’s a heavy track, with a heavy subject, but it NEVER stops being captivating & fun to listen to!” – Matt Zephyr – Halycon Drift

For fans of PRESIDENT, Volumes, Issues, Dance Gavin Dance, Architects

Instagram.com/halcyondriftband | Facebook.com/HalcyonDriftOttawa | Tiktok.com/@halcyondriftottawa

Sales Links: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/halcyondrift/i-made-do

Band: Halycon Drift
Single Title: I Made Do – 3:18
Release Date: October 1st, 2026
Label: Self-Release
Genre: Metalcore/Djent
Location of Band: Ottawa, Ontario

Single Recording Credits:
• All songs performed by: Matt Pilon, Matt Senneville, Matt Zephyr, Guillaume Parisien, Mikey Trottier • All songs written by: Matt Pilon, Matt Zephyr, Guillaume Parisien
• Produced by: Matt Zephyr
• Mixed by: Matt Zephyr
• Mastered by: Matt Zephyr
• Single Artwork by: Matt Zephyr

Band Lineup:
Matt Pilon – Lead Guitar
Matt Senneville – Rhythm Guitar
Matt Zephyr – Scream Vocals
Guillaume Parisien – Clean Vocals
Mikey Trottier – Drums

============================================

About the Single Artwork:

The single artwork is a band photo, but not because we ran out of creativity; it’s because it’s our introduction to the world, and we wanted the artwork to reflect that with our faces on it. This music is FROM US to YOU & we wanted you to know who we are as people while listening to it!

About the single:

I Made Do is a song about the resilience of the human spirit through tough adversity, which is a subject most people can relate to, and it’s got this blend of hardcore-djenty-hiphop that really feels unique.

=============================================

BAND STORY ANGLES / FUN FACTS:

1. We’ve actually been a band for around 2 years now. The reason it took so long to get this project out is we’ve been looking for a drummer this whole time, interviewed & tried out around 10 different people; unfortunately, none of them panned out. Then we found Mikey, and it was instantly the best fit, both in his playing and in his personality; he’s such a planner, always looking for ways to improve the project, get us booked on shows, etc.

2. Matt Pilon, Guillaume & I have actually known each other for over 15 years. Guillaume actually used to come swim at my house when we were under 5 years old. Matt Pilon & I flooded my mom’s basement on Christmas in 2016. The washing machine safety feature where the water automatically stops pouring in didn’t work, and there were 3 inches of water in the whole basement- a terrible ordeal, but a funny story now that it’s passed!

3. Matt Senneville & I met in school at TARA, The Audio Recording Academy, and we both used songs from this record to do our final mixing projects! (We also used the studio to record the album, so technically, the recording of it was also a school project)

=============================================

L-R: Guillaume Parisien – Clean Vocals, Matt Pilon – Lead Guitar, Mikey Trottier – Drums, Matt Senneville – Rhythm Guitar, Matt Zephyr – Scream Vocals

Photo Credit – Roxanne Morin

Halcyon Drift creates heavy, story‑driven music where every track feels like a chapter and every album unfolds like a world. Formed by longtime friends Matt Zephyr and Matt Pilon after the loss of their first drummer and close friend Diego Bussières, the project began as a tribute and quickly evolved into a fully realized creative universe. With the addition of clean vocalist Guillaume Parisien and drummer Mikey Trottier, the band forged a sound that is balanced, aggressive, beautiful, and complex, blending metalcore, djent, hardcore, pop‑punk, and cinematic storytelling.

Led by Zephyr’s nonstop writing engine, Halcyon Drift builds songs from raw emotion, real‑life struggle, and vivid narrative concepts. Their records weave genres to match the rise and fall of their storylines, offering listeners a journey meant to be felt, pictured, and lived through. Onstage, the band delivers a high‑energy, immersive experience with synced lighting, seamless transitions, and a dynamic presence that pulls the crowd into their world.

0 LOUD AS HELL OPEN AIR FESTIVAL Opens Band Submissions for 2027 Lineup! Canada’s Heaviest Badlands Gathering!

September 30, 2026
by Asher
· Loud As Hell Festival · Music News

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – September 30, 2026

LOUD AS HELL OPEN AIR FESTIVAL Opens Band Submissions for 2027 Lineup!

Canada’s Heaviest Badlands Gathering!

July 30th – Aug 1st – Camping & Extreme Music In Alberta’s Badlands – Drumheller, AB

Hashtags #LAHXV, #LAHOA, #LAHOA2027

Where the rocks are heavy and so is the metal, Canada’s loudest gathering returns to Alberta’s Badlands. Celebrating its 15th anniversary in 2027, LOUD AS HELL OPEN AIR FESTIVAL is back with another unforgettable weekend of crushing performances, freak shows, burlesque acts, clinics, vendors, and, of course, dinosaurs.

From July 30 to August 1, 2027, Drumheller, Alberta, will once again become the epicenter of extreme music as one of Western Canada’s premier metal festivals takes over the Badlands. In a landscape once ruled by dinosaurs, thousands of metalheads from across Canada and around the globe will gather to unleash a roar of their own.

Band submissions for the 2027 edition will be open from October 1st to October 31st. This is your band’s chance to perform alongside some of Canada’s heaviest acts and make your mark on one of the country’s most unique festival stages. Bring the noise to the Badlands, where the roar of metal echoes louder than ever.

Bands interested in performing can apply at: https://loudashell.ca/

“As Western Canada’s festival season heats up, Loud as Hell Open Air stands out as an absolute heavy hitter.” – Broken Neck Radio

“Nestled in the sun-baked badlands of Drumheller, Loud As Hell has long held the crown as one of Western Canada’s premier heavy metal pilgrimages.” – Metal-Rules

“Metal music takes over Drumheller… If metal is your music of choice, Drumheller is the place to be this weekend. The Loud as Hell open-air festival showcases a diverse roster of independent and signed acts from across North America.” – Global News Edmonton (Video Interview)

Early Bird tickets go on sale December 1, 2026.

Secure your spot before prices rise and join us for the loudest weekend of the summer. Set against the breathtaking backdrop of Alberta’s Badlands, Loud As Hell Open Air Festival returns with earth-shaking riffs, relentless performances, and enough volume to wake the dinosaurs.

The 2026 edition featured Fallujah, Allegaeon, Summoning the Lich, Gravemass, Crimson Shadows, Starkill, Super Monster Party, Mourning High, Edge of Paradise, and many more.

Live Video – SlimBzTV – ALLEGEON at LAH 2026 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uX7XWNM2hY

Live Video – SlimBzTV – Summoning The Lich at LAH 2026 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXs9aEh9OHA

Live Video – SlimBzTV – Starkill at LAH 2026 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcZJ9AlTstY

LAH 2026 Lineup Spotify Playlist – https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1Nbkvo4kG0ePTcsCVl2V2T

Year after year, LAH continues to grow, drawing metal fans from across Canada and beyond for a weekend of unforgettable performances, campground camaraderie, and pure moshing mayhem among the hoodoos of Drumheller, AB. As one of the country’s most distinctive heavy music destinations, the festival delivers a one-of-a-kind experience where prehistoric landscapes and extreme metal collide.

Since launching in 2012, Loud As Hell Open Air Festival has cemented its place as a cornerstone of Canada’s extreme music scene, showcasing hundreds of bands from across the country and around the world, save for a brief pause in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the years, the festival has hosted heavyweights like Revocation, First Fragment, Beyond Creation, Striker, Green Jelly, The Convalescence, Jungle Rot, Narcotic Wasteland, Into Eternity, Goatwhore, Fit for An Autopsy, Archspire, Unleash The Archers, Protest the Hero, AngelMaker, and many more, drawing metalheads from coast to coast for a weekend of sonic devastation.

In 2027, Loud As Hell returns for its 15th edition, presented by Loud As Hell Productions, Jurassic Ink Custom Tattoo, Prairie Fire Events, and Asher Media Relations. Renowned for delivering one of the most punishing lineups in Western Canada, the festival promises another unforgettable experience packed with crushing performances, freak shows, burlesque acts, clinics, vendors, and yes, dinosaurs. Loud As Hell isn’t just a festival. It’s a full-throttle celebration of metal mayhem.

More info:
LoudAsHell.ca
Facebook.com/LoudAsHellFestival
X: @LoudAsHellFest
Instagram: @LoudAsHellFestival
Social Media Hashtags #LAHXV, #LAHOA, #LAHOA2027

LAH Partners:
WCMFA – Western Canadian Metal Festival Alliance
Asher Media Relations
Bravewords
Metal-Rules
Absolute Underground Mag
Ghost Cult Magazine
This Day In Metal
Valley Brewing
Canalta Hotels
Neighbours’ Corner Pub
Prairie Fire Productions Ltd
CFUV 101.9 Thrash Can
Slimbztv
High Voltage TV
Through The Looking Glass Photography
Heavy Metal A Way Of Life
QMR (Queen Metal Radio)
BrokenNeckRadio

– 30 –

What the press is saying:

“Nestled in the sun-baked badlands of Drumheller, Loud As Hell has long held the crown as one of Western Canada’s premier heavy metal pilgrimages. For its 14th edition, the festival is delivering its most ambitious, face-melting lineup to date—headlined by technical death metal powerhouse Fallujah, a long-awaited return from Allegaeon, and opening-night chaos from Summoning the Lich.” – Metal-Rules

“Drumheller metal festival Loud as Hell continues international growth… The Loud as Hell Festival began in Drumheller in 2012. What began as a small indoor gathering of heavy metal enthusiasts has turned into a three-day outdoor summer festival at the Dinosaur Downs Speedway… As the festival has grown in popularity, so has the desire for bands to participate. In recent years, the festival selection committee has reviewed about 500 submissions of metal bands from across the globe…. While the nearly 1,000 people the festival draws on average are made up of metal fans from central Alberta, Bourrie said that it is beginning to draw international visitors as well, from the U.S., Norway, Germany, and Sweden.” – Stettler Independent / Red Deer Advocate

“Located an hour and a half east of Calgary is the town of Drumheller, Alberta. With a population in the neighborhood of 8000 and existing smack dab in the middle of Canada’s desert and dinosaur country, it’s not a place one would immediately associate with any sort of metal scene, let alone a big-ass outdoor metal fest. But that’s where you’d be wrong. Going into its 11th year, the Loud as Hell Festival is set to roll on August 4-6th with the likes of Narcotic Wasteland, Jungle Rot and Incite headlining three days of metallic fun featuring 40 or so bands, including The Convalescence, Gorgatron, Necronomicon, Untimely Demise, Eyes of Perdition and more.” – Decibel Magazine

“Western Canada’s loudest heavy metal festival brings fans to town more known for dinos than drum solos.” – CBC Calgary

“What’s more metal than the badlands? Drumheller, AB, is known for being the dinosaur capital of the world — but it’s also the home of the Loud as Hell festival, an event celebrating none other than the loudest music known to man (and, by proxy, prehistoric reptile).” – Exclaim!

“Loud as Hell – one of Canada’s top underground metal festivals – was a metal family reunion. If you walked around the grounds, where tents covered the landscape like flowers, you would experience concert goers laughing, hugging and just enjoying the moment. The music played non-stop and the people were some of the best you’ll meet. What else do you need? If you’re a metalhead fan, mark it down for next year because this is a concert you don’t want to miss.” – Blackfalds Life

“Headbanger alert: Loud As Hell festival to ramp up the volume” – Calgary Herald

“Nevermind the bug spray and sun tan lotion, as August approaches Drumheller residents should stock up on earplugs.” – Calgary Herald

“Loud As Hell returns to the southern Alberta city for its seventh year and as its name implies, will rock the city to its core.” – Calgary Herald

“Loud as Hell has celebrated eight years in the Badlands to date, with acts from all over the world-shattering the peace and quiet of the hills in a camping and music extravaganza.” – Hanna Herald

“Drumheller with its dinosaur bones is the site of the annual Loud as Hell heavy metal festival Friday through Sunday. Dozens of the heaviest bands known to Man will be taking the stage, many of them Canadian” – Gig City

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0 Northern Irish Pagan Metal Pioneers WAYLANDER New Video “Hy Brasil (Isle Of Mists)” From New Album “Mac Tíre – Son of the Land” Out Nov 2026

September 30, 2026
by Asher
· Music News · Waylander (Rockshots Records)

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – September 30, 2026

Northern Irish Pagan Metal Pioneers WAYLANDER New Video “Hy Brasil (Isle Of Mists)”

New Album “Mac Tíre – Son of the Land” Out Nov 2026

Northern Irish Pagan Metal pioneers WAYLANDER return with “Hy Brasil (Isle Of Mists)”, the second single from their forthcoming album “Mac Tíre – Son of the Land”, due for release on November 6th, 2026. Blending extreme metal with traditional Irish influences, the band will appeal to fans of Skyclad, Eluveitie and Korpiklaani.

Following the release of “Macha”, WAYLANDER delves deeper into the folklore and ancient mysteries of their homeland with a song inspired by “Hy Brasil”, the fabled island said to lie hidden in the mists off the west coast of Ireland.

Shrouded in mystery for centuries, “Hy Brasil” has long captured the imagination of those drawn to tales of lost lands and the unknown. WAYLANDER channels that sense of wonder into a track that brings together metal intensity and traditional elements, providing a fitting musical backdrop to one of Ireland’s most enduring legends.

“A tale of a mysterious island off the west coast of Ireland.” – WAYLANDER

“Hy Brasil (Isle Of Mists)” offers another glimpse into “Mac Tíre – Son of the Land”, an album shaped by the Irish landscape, ancient traditions and the relationship between people and the land.

Formed in Northern Ireland in 1993, WAYLANDER have spent more than three decades developing a distinctive sound that combines extreme metal with traditional instrumentation and themes rooted in mythology, history and pagan spirituality.

With “Mac Tíre – Son of the Land”, the band continues that journey, carrying their established musical and cultural identity into a new chapter.

Listen to “Hy Brasil (Isle Of Mists)” – https://lnk.to/rudEhf

Watch the official video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTp6-yjc4sw

Pre-order “Mac Tíre – Son of the Land” (release date Nov 6th, 2026):
https://rockshots.eu/products/waylander-mac-tire-son-of-the-land-cd

Track Listing:
1. When The Land Speaks – 4:12
2. Macha – 5:28
3. Ages of Éireann – 5:50
4. Hy Brasil (Isle of Mists) – 5:47
5. Sliabh Gullion – 6:16
6. Our Once Wooded Isle – 6:44
7. Mallachtaí – 4:52
8. Signs and Symbols – 6:22
9. She of the Sorrows – 7:58
Album Length: 51:29

WAYLANDER is:
Ard Chieftain O’Hagan: Vocals
Tor Dennison: Electric Guitars
Connor Murray: Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals
Lee McCartney: Drums and Percussion
Dave Briggs: Whistles, Irish Bouzouki, Bodhran, Uilleann Pipes, Backing Vocals
Saul McMichael: Electric and Acoustic Guitars, Backing Vocals

Guest Musicians
John Ryan: Fiddle, Cello
Lily Maria: Voice of Deirdre
Nicole Quinn: Additional Voicing

For more info:

https://rockshots.eu/

https://www.instagram.com/waylander.official/

https://www.facebook.com/clanwaylander/

About:

Northern Irish Pagan Metal pioneers Waylander have spent more than three decades forging their own path through the worlds of Celtic, Folk and Extreme Metal. Since forming in 1993, the band has become renowned for blending crushing metal aggression with authentic Irish folk instrumentation, mythology and pagan themes, helping shape the foundations of the modern Pagan Metal movement.

With acclaimed releases including “Reawakening Pride Once Lost“, “The Light, the Dark and the Endless Knot“, “Honour Amongst Chaos“, “Kindred Spirits” and the epic concept album “Ériú’s Wheel“, Waylander have earned a loyal international following and shared stages with some of the biggest names in Folk and Pagan Metal.

Now the band returns with their forthcoming album “Mac Tíre – Son of the Land” – a powerful new chapter that captures the spirit of Waylander at its most fierce, atmospheric and authentic. Combining savage riffs, soaring Irish melodies, ancient mythology and cinematic storytelling, the album stands as both a tribute to their roots and a bold evolution of their sound.

After more than 30 years, Waylander continues to fly the banner for Pagan Celtic Metal with the same fire and conviction that started it all.

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0 SECRET RULE Unveils New Video For Title Track “Someone Killed The Pope” From Eleventh Studio Album Out Feb 2027 + EU Tour Dates w/ Xandria, Seven Spires

September 29, 2026
by Asher
· Music News · Secret Rule (Rockshots Records)

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – September 29, 2026

SECRET RULE Unveils New Video For Title Track “Someone Killed The Pope” From Eleventh Studio Album Out Feb 2027

+ EU Tour Dates w/ Xandria, Seven Spires

Italian modern metal band SECRET RULE return with “Someone Killed the Pope”, the title track of their upcoming eleventh studio album set for release via Rockshots Records on February 5th, 2027.

Following “Edge of Control”, the new single pushes the heavier side of the band’s sound further, bringing a stronger metalcore influence into the mix. Powerful guitars, electronics, and cinematic orchestral elements frame Angela Di Vincenzo’s melodic vocals, building towards a hard-hitting breakdown that gives the track an even more aggressive edge.

Behind its provocative title, “Someone Killed the Pope” explores what happens when something perceived as untouchable begins to fall apart. The figure of the Pope becomes a metaphor for established authority and for the structures people accept as permanent, until someone starts to question them.

The lyrics then take that idea further, shifting towards the persistence of truth and resistance. Silencing one voice does not necessarily silence what it represents: another can rise in its place, turning an individual act into something that becomes increasingly difficult to contain.

Angela Di Vincenzo – Vocals and Lyrics:

“The title is deliberately provocative, but the song isn’t really about killing the Pope. For me, he represents something deeply rooted in our society, something people see as almost untouchable. The song is about what happens when those certainties begin to collapse, and people start questioning the structures they have always accepted.

There’s also another side to the lyrics that is very important to me. The second verse talks about a truth that someone is trying to silence. They can try to destroy one voice, but another will rise, and then another. That’s where ‘And I think it was me’ changes meaning. It’s not a confession. It’s about realizing that each of us can be part of breaking something that seemed impossible to challenge.”

Written and produced by guitarist Andy Menario, the track builds on the direction introduced with “Edge of Control” while taking its heavier elements a step further. The result reflects the more aggressive side of Secret Rule’s new material without losing the melodic and cinematic character at the core of their sound.

LISTEN: https://lnk.to/Q7ECB3Tw

VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41NOsXEQcIQ

Grab your copy of the new album now! The official pre-order is live at https://www.secretrule.it/store

Track Listing:
1 – Edge of Control
2 – Someone Killed the Pope
3 – Labyrinth
4 – Bury Them Deep
5 – Indifference to Brutality
6 – Forever You
7 – Phoenix Rising
8 – Tell Me More
9 – I’m Still with Me
10 – Trip Into My Hell
11 – Empty Instant
12 – Whispers in the Dark

The band will play live on stage from October 5th to October 23rd, all around Europe, supporting Xandria and Seven Spires. The shows will give audiences across Europe the chance to hear the band’s new material live ahead of the release of their eleventh studio album. Here is the complete schedule:

05.10 – Cluj-Napoca, Romania / FORM Space
06.10 – Bucharest, Romania / Quantic Club
08.10 – Sofia, Bulgaria / Pirotska 5 Event Centre
09.10 – Belgrade, Serbia / Zappa Barka
10.10 – Budapest, Hungary / Analog Music Hall
12.10 – Berlin, Germany / Lido
13.10 – Warsaw, Poland / Hydrozagadka
14.10 – Kraków, Poland / Zaścianek
15.10 – Prague, Czech Rep / Distrikt Prague
16.10 – Dresden, Germany / Blauer Salon
18.10 – Cham, Germany / L.A. Live Style Cafe
19.10 – Frankfurt, Germany / Das Bett
20.10 – Pratteln, Switzerland / Z7
21.10 – Stuttgart, Germany / Im Wizemann Club
22.10 – Nuremberg, Germany / Hirsch
23.10 – Hamburg, Germany / Bahnhof Pauli

If you don’t want to miss them live, you can get tickets:
https://www.bandsintown.com/a/10541610-secret-rule

SECRET RULE is:
Angela Di Vincenzo: Vocals
Andy Menario: Guitars
Luca Pecchia: Bass Guitar
Diego Divizia: Drums

More info: https://www.rockshots.eu

Secret Rule Links: https://lnk.bio/secret_rule_official

ABOUT SECRET RULE:

Founded in Rome in 2014 by vocalist Angela Di Vincenzo and guitarist, composer, and producer Andy Menario, Secret Rule has developed a distinctive sound that brings together modern metal, powerful melodies, electronic elements, and cinematic arrangements.

Following ten studio albums and an extensive international live career, the band now enters a new phase with their upcoming eleventh studio album. The current line-up features Angela Di Vincenzo on vocals, Andy Menario on guitars and male vocals, Luca Pecchia on bass and backing vocals, and Diego Divizia on drums.

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0 Quebec’s VORTEX Announces EU Tour Dates w/ XAON “Symphony For The Dead: The Last Symphony Europe Tour”

September 29, 2026
by Asher
· Music News · Vortex

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – Sept 29, 2026

Quebec’s VORTEX Announces EU Tour Dates w/ XAON “Symphony For The Dead: The Last Symphony Europe Tour”

Rimouski, Quebec’s Vortex will embark on their first European tour this fall alongside France’s Xaon, bringing their orchestral blackened death assault across Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, and France. The run follows their Eastern Canada dates last year with Xaon and marks a major milestone for the band as they take their sound overseas for the very first time. The tour is also Xaon’s final tour across Europe. After three critically acclaimed records, tours all around the world, and a very special appearance at Wacken Open Air, it is time to go out with a bang.

Tour Dates: XAON and Vortex – “Symphony For The Dead: The Last Symphony Europe Tour 2026”
26/11 – Frankfurt (DE) – Nachtleben
27/11 – Cologne (DE) – ArTheater
28/11 – TBA
29/11 – Hamburg (DE) – Logo
30/11 – Berlin (DE) – Maschinenhaus
02/12 – Fontaine L’Èveque (BE) – MCP-Apache
03/12 – TBA
04/12 – Lenzburg (CH) – Met Bar
05/12 – St-Maurice (CH) – Manoir Pub
06/12 – Barberaz (FR) – Brin de Zinc

Vortex’s concept EP “Alien Realms” continues to build momentum following its release in April 2025. The four‑track release dives into cosmic horror and humanity’s search for intelligent life, merging massive orchestral arrangements, soaring epic melodies, and relentless blackened death aggression.

The band describes the EP as a refinement of their orchestral blackened death identity, expanding on the foundations laid in The Future Remains in Oblivion:

“This is a Blackened Death EP that blends massive orchestral elements, soaring epic melodies, and relentless, aggressive riffing. On this new EP, we doubled down on what worked best in our previous album. If you’re into massive orchestras and melodies blended with aggressive riffs and Blackened Death vocals, then Alien Realms is for you.”

Across its four chapters, “When Humans Defy the Void,” “Haunting the Abyss,” “Ripping The Threads Of Reality,” and “Where Wonders Dwell”, the EP builds intensity and emotional weight as the narrative unfolds, blending technical death metal roots with expanded orchestral and black‑metal influences. Fans of Fleshgod Apocalypse, Dimmu Borgir, and Cradle of Filth will find plenty to devour.

Music Video “Haunting the Abyss” (directed by Chris Kells (The Agonist)) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxIiP9VVWSQ

Released on April 11, 2025, “Alien Realms” is available at https://vortexband.bandcamp.com

Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/album/637oe1ZAzJZ6uRu0mkAzpK

XAON. An elusive name born in the Alpine Might. Never quite fitting in any of the numerous galleries metal has to offer, drifting through the extremes whilst juxtaposing finesse and vehemence from an unworldly orchestra, endlessly exploring the vast echoic gloominess of the human mind.

In only a few short years, the combo has managed to set foot on 3 continents through the release of their debut album “The Drift”, notably across Europe with gothic metal monsters SIRENIA and folk metal legends TYR, in Japan with OBSCURA and ARCHSPIRE, in the US with THE VEER UNION, and sharing the stage in festivals across Europe with bands such as MEGADETH, TESTAMENT, EXODUS, GOJIRA, PARADISE LOST, ELUVEITIE and many more. In 2019, XAON came back with their critically acclaimed 2nd album “Solipsis” and raged across Europe with SEPTICFLESH and KRISIUN, and distinguished themselves as an extremely powerful live act.

On July 1st, 2022, XAON released their new magnum opus, “The Lethean”, bringing the band’s grandiose aggressiveness to a whole new level, pummeling their way through a cataclysmic atmosphere while reaching a new majestic apotheosis. This record got them to play at the mighty WACKEN OPEN AIR 2023 and tour Canada for the very first time in 2025! Now, as 2026 nears its end, so is XAON, as they will be embarking on their last European tour, marking the end of a decade-long career and a lifetime of memories.

Music Video – If I Had Wings – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXAA1Flep7Y

For more info:

Vortex – https://linktr.ee/vortexband

XAON – https://www.xaonmusic.com/linktree

– 30 –

“There is not one weak song on the EP. The songs are well crafted and mastered by hugely talented musicians. For me the perfect 10. Can’t wait to see the songs performed live.” – Project Metal Music

“When Humans Defy The Void is, like its creators Vortex, unique, and unlike anything else you have ever heard. It is everything you think it would be, but cranked up to eleven and with more twists and turns than a Raymond Chandler novel, and if this is just a taster of what Alien Realms has to offer, then I can’t wait to be abducted on April 11th.” – Black Metal Archive

“No need to fuck around with this one folks; I loved Alien Realms from the first intense beats of “When Humans Defy the Void” to the fading notes of the haunting “Where Wonders Dwell”. Vortex’sAlien Realms pulls you in with its unpredictable symphonic blackened melodic death metal that blends elements of bands like Mechina, Fleshgod Apocalypse and Behemoth with the likes of Dimmu Borgir, Graveworm and Hermh. Needless to say, this is a DENSE little EP full of some unique metal.” – The Poser’s Graveyard

Canadian College Radio Charts – August 2023 – top 20 loud – #14 Vortex (earshot)

“#8 on Top 10 Quebec Band 2023 Albums – The Future Remains In Oblivion delivers a solid punch with their intense and well-felt symphonic death metal and, with a quality product like this, they have nothing to envy of the big names in the genre.” – Thorium Mag

“The Future Remains in Oblivion is the collision zone between powdered wig classical and battle jacketed death metal that should hold appeal for fans of Fleshgod Apocalypse, Septicflesh and those who like their Suffocation mixed with Dimmu Borgir.” – Decibel Magazine

“The song’s (The Walls) multi-faceted nature is further revealed in harrowing and haughty growls, jolting chords, and fiery sunbursts of sound, as well as through a swirling melodic guitar solo that spectacularly sends the song into the stratosphere. The song’s finale is itself a full-power spectacle that really gets the adrenaline surging.” – No Clean Singing

“If there’s anything that Vortex nails, it’s drama. Album highlight and banger track “First Blood” is simply massive” – Angry Metal Guy

“For some music is pure escapism but does that still hold true when bands like Canadian Melodic Death Metal monster Vortex whisk the would be listener into a bleak world that is recovering from a devastating cataclysm? Scenes of war and survival are punctuated with harrowing strings, technical riffs, and guttural and Black Metal inspired vocals as the band weave cinematic stories and orchestral touches into their third concept album “The Future Remains In Oblivion”” – Metal Noise

“the title-track The Future Remains In Oblivion, a song that will blow your mind with its insane wall of sounds, background orchestrations, epic passages, striking riffs and solos, and visceral yet intricate drums, resulting in one of the most breathtaking moments of the entire album.” – The Headbanging Moose

“An excellent group that you must discover because of the intensity they are able to show” – Ondes Chocs

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0 ARMSTRONG METALFEST Announces Band Submissions For 2027 Lineup! – Canada’s Colossal Mountain Mosh Pit Experience

September 28, 2026
by Asher
· Armstrong Metal Fest · Music News

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – September 28, 2026

ARMSTRONG METALFEST Announces Band Submissions For 2027 Lineup!

Canada’s Colossal Mountain Mosh Pit Experience

Band Submissions Open from October 1st to 15th

Armstrong, BC – July 16-17, 2027 at Hassen Arena

Celebrating 16 years of extreme music in British Columbia’s scenic Okanagan Valley, Armstrong MetalFest is proud to announce its return for 2027. Fans can expect another milestone year of headbanging, thrash wrestling, camping, and pure Okanagan chaos at Canada’s ultimate mountain mosh pit.

Armstrong, BC’s Hassen Arena will host the 2027 festival lineup on July 16th and 17th. Following the massive success of their ferocious 2026 event, which featured powerhouse acts like co-headliners Rivers of Nihil and Dying Fetus, joined by Cyborg Octopus, Into Eternity, Fervence, Vintersea, Lycanthro, Iron Kingdom, Odinfist, Art of Attrition, and many more, organizers are gearing up for another legendary summer weekend. Expect an unforgettable mix of heavy riffs and intense mountain mosh pits.

AMF will begin taking band applications for its 2027 lineup from October 1st to 15th. Bands are welcome to become a part of another chapter in the festival’s growing legendary legacy.

Interested bands can apply through the official portal: https://armstrongmetalfest.ca/band-submissions/

“Armstrong MetalFest hits all the right notes… The music was loud, but the impact echoed far beyond the fairgrounds. Armstrong MetalFest’s 16th year reached new heights, drawing the largest crowds in the festival’s history for two unforgettable days of world-class heavy metal music, camping, and community in the North Okanagan.” – Vernon Morning Star / Penticton Western News (AMF 2026)

Live Video by BrokenNeckRadio – Rivers of Nihil at AMF 2026 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJCOe2y00Cs

Live Video by BrokenNeckRadio – Dying Fetus at AMF 2026 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjZJewk8Zyg

Tickets for AMF 2027 will be announced at a later date, granting general admission and access to the festival grounds, camping area, and arena from 9:00 AM on Friday, July 16, 2027, until 10:00 AM on Sunday, July 17, 2027. Free camping is included.

Please Note: Camping – RV / Non-Hookup RV / Vehicle Passes: Make sure to reserve your vehicle spot to get the best location on the grounds. A fee is required for a weekend pass per vehicle in addition to your day or weekend pass. RV hookups include water and power. If you park your vehicle outside the camping area in the main parking lot, a vehicle pass is not required.

About:

Since its inception in 2009 (with a brief hiatus in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic), West Metal Entertainment and Armstrong MetalFest have championed hundreds of local bands while welcoming renowned international acts to the quiet town of Armstrong, British Columbia.

Every year, metalheads from across Canada and the U.S. converge on the scenic Okanagan Valley for three days of camping and two days packed with heavy metal mayhem. Under the blazing summer sun, fans revel in live performances, wrestling spectacles, scavenger hunts, and reconnecting with their extended metal family.

Armstrong MetalFest has hosted legendary headliners such as Kataklysm, Cattle Decapitation, Archspire, Nekrogoblikon, Origin, Warbringer, Fallujah, Striker, Beyond Creation, Born of Osiris, Havok, The Browning, Virvum, and rising stars from across North America and Europe. When the final riff fades, the festival vanishes without a trace, leaving the landscape as untouched as before.

West Metal Entertainment, a non-profit society, not only produces Armstrong MetalFest annually but also supports the regional music scene by organizing performances at various venues, including all-ages shows, to inspire musical passion in both youth and adults.

For more info:
https://www.armstrongmetalfest.ca/

https://www.facebook.com/armstrongmetalfest/

https://www.instagram.com/armstrongmetalfest/

https://x.com/amfcanada

Partners:
PABST BLUE RIBBON
WCMFA
Askews Foods
Rancho Vignola
Staggs Head
AlumaPro Welding & Fabrication Ltd
Shepherds Hardware
Sunbelt Rentals
E B Horseman and Son
Mastodon Equipment Repair
The Higher Path
Asher Media Relations
Monashees Outdoor Armstrong
ACE Containers
Bravewords
V13
Metal-Rules
Absolute Underground Mag
Broken Neck Radio
Ghost Cult Magazine
This Day In Metal
Valstar Electric
Voets Coffee
Braze Magazine

What the press is saying:

“To close the night and the weekend, Born of Osiris delivered a high-octane headline set that tore the roof off. It was the perfect finale to an unforgettable weekend. When the last note rang out, it hit us — AMF 2025 was coming to a close. There’s always that bittersweet feeling as you start packing up. But that’s the beauty of this festival: it stays with you long after the amps cool down. Every year, Armstrong Metalfest brings together a community that truly loves heavy music. It’s not just about bands and beer — it’s about belonging. The friends you make, the moments you live, the memories that stick — they’re why we keep coming back. If you’ve never been to AMF, consider this your sign. It’s more than a music festival—it’s a metal rite of passage. Once you go, it gets into your blood. We’re already counting the days until the next one.” – Stan Schinners of Broken Neck Radio / Absolute Underground Magazine (Live Review AMF 2025)

“It’s one of the premier festivals of its kind in Canada, showcasing the biggest names in local, national, and international heavy metal music.” – Vancouver Sun

“Armstrong Metalfest brings aggressive music to the North Okanagan” – Global BC News

“What started out as a backyard gathering for Armstrong metalheads has turned into a beacon for metal fans of all kinds from across British Columbia and Alberta.” – Kelowna Now

“Metalheads celebrate a decade of gathering in Armstrong… The 10th annual Armstrong Metal Fest is coming to the Okanagan this weekend. About 600 heavy metal music fans will be traveling from across North America to listen to local and international death, thrash and black metal bands…. The 10-year anniversary is special for the organizers, as this is the first year they are providing a scholarship to an Armstrong high school music student.” – CHBC – Global TV Okanagan

Armstrong Metalfest brings aggressive music to the North Okanagan… It’s a beautiful day to go inside and rock out to some heavy metal music. Twenty-seven metal bands have converged in the North Okanagan for the 12th annual Armstrong Metalfest — two days of moshing in Hassen Arena at the IPE Fairgrounds. Metal fans don’t just come for the music, organizers say. It’s more like a family reunion.” – CHBC – Global TV Okanagan.

“In the past, metalheads had to travel to Germany to experience the rush of a big festival, such as Wacken Open Air. But local headbangers decided to bring that feeling home with Armstrong Metalfest.” – Vernon Morning Star

“Go Big or Stay at Home: Armstrong has that welcoming feeling for a rock show.” – The Valley Voice

“To witness such a gathering of talent is an absolute privilege, and for that fact alone, I will certainly be returning to Armstrong Metal Fest.” – Beatroute BC

“This festival is now going to be my yearly must-go-to event and if you’re a metal head that hasn’t attended or a curious metal voyeur, do yourself a favour and check it out, you will not regret it.” – Abort Mag

“The Armstrong Metalfest is one such event and has grown from its initial, humble beginnings seven years ago to be a regular mainstay, with its south-central BC location making for a popular summertime destination for fans and bands alike.” – Decibel Mag

Named one of the out-of-town music festivals worth the trip by The Vancouver Sun

“For metalheads, this is a great vacation where groups of all sizes can enjoy their favourite musical genre in a fun, energized environment. Not to mention, the camping!” – The Permanent Rain Press

“From farm to stadium: Armstrong Metal Fest’s humble beginnings” – Info News

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0 Canadian Extreme Metal METALADIAN Unleashes Full Album Lyric Video for Debut “Deaditation”

September 25, 2026
by Asher
· Metaladian · Music News

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – September 25, 2026

Canadian Extreme Metal METALADIAN Unleashes Full Album Lyric Video for Debut “Deaditation”

L-R: Dan Brophy – Rhythm and Lead Guitars and Vocals, Andrew Brophy – Drums and Lead Vocals, Dustin Smith – Bass Guitar and Vocals, Ruth Guechtal – Rhythm Guitar and Vocals

Photo Credit: Andrew Brophy

Hamilton, Ontario’s extreme metal force Metaladian has released the full‑album lyric video for their debut record “Deaditation,” a 20‑year culmination of composer, vocalist, and drummer Andrew Brophy’s darkest creative visions. The video showcases the album’s complete narrative arc, an immersive descent into pain, revenge, and ultimately redemption, brought to life through the band’s signature chromatic chaos, emotional weight, and hypnotic brutality.

Metaladian was born on the “mean streets of Hamilton” as Brophy’s outlet for the complex music he began composing in 2003. Much of the band’s foundation was written on classical guitar during his final year at Mohawk College, merging his love of thrash, death, progressive metal, and the darker works of Bartók, Penderecki, Mussorgsky, and Stravinsky.

“Metaladian is my passion, my main source of creativity and catharsis for years,” says Brophy.

Metaladian’s music is a dizzying fusion of chromatic riffs, relentless double‑bass, intricate drum fills, and a four‑vocalist assault that creates a massive, multi‑layered sonic identity. Brophy’s lead vocals intertwine with Dustin Smith’s guttural lows, Dan Brophy’s rabid riot‑style aggression, and Ruth Guechtal’s soul‑slicing high screams.

The newly released full‑album lyric video for “Deaditation” transforms Metaladian’s debut into a single cinematic experience, guiding viewers through its complete narrative arc, from the icy, wolf‑haunted violence of “Left Hand Path” and the spiralling, tempo‑driven psychic retaliation of the title track “Deaditation,” into the sludgy despair of “No Worse Death Than the Loss of All Hope” and the anguished collapse of “Confrontation With God.” The journey then surges into the arpeggio‑fueled reckoning of “Cure for Judgement” before erupting in the furious vengeance of “Welcome to Your Holy Hell”, closing on a moment of redemption marked by the final recorded sounds of Brophy’s late dog, Adian.

“The album is crafted to allow the listener to become fully sucked in and able to follow the journey as a kind of sound‑journey,” says Brophy.

Metaladian invites listeners to experience the complete journey: darkness, revenge, catharsis, and the faint glimmer of light at the end.

Watch and listen to the full album lyric video via its premiere on NoCleanSinging HERE.

Metaladian’s lineup is deeply rooted in Hamilton’s music community; all four also perform in the extreme‑theater metal act 30 Immolated; 16 Returned, and three members hold classical‑music degrees, including two doctorates in composition.

Metaladian’s live setup is unconventional; Brophy performs drums and lead vocals front‑and‑center, flanked by Dan and Ruth, with Dustin elevated behind. All four members contribute vocals, creating a massive, theatrical wall of sound, which can be seen and heard at the band’s next performance in Hamilton on September 25th at Doors: Taco Joint & Metal Bar with Volcandra and Graveripper. Event info at https://www.facebook.com/events/1404203981564497.

Recommended for fans of Strapping Young Lad, Metallica (early), Suffocation, Béla Bartók, and Ludwig Van Beethoven, METALADIAN’s “Deaditation” (released July 1st) is available at the following links:

Bandcamp – https://metaladian.bandcamp.com/

Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/album/43R5cqEGN33XTG6XsP7fo1

Track Listing:
1. Left Hand Path – 9:44
2. Deaditation – 6:21
3. No Worse Death Than The Loss Of All Hope – (Wondering Why I Wonder Why) – 7:35
4. Confrontation With God – 11:59
5. Cure For Judgement – 6:51
6. Welcome To Your Holy Hell – 8:49
Album Length: 51:19

Band Line-up:
Andrew Brophy – Lead Vocals – Drums
Dan Brophy – Vocals – Rhythm, Lead, and Classical Guitars
Ruth Guetchal – Vocals – Rhythm Guitars
Dustin Smith – Vocals – Bass Guitars

More info:

https://www.facebook.com/metaladian/

https://www.instagram.com/metaladian

https://www.tiktok.com/@metaladian

About: Metaladian is a new band formed in Hamilton, Ontario, led by composer, drummer, and vocalist Andrew Brophy. Musically, we belong in the metal genre, but are greatly influenced by classical composers, lending itself to the progressiveness and complexity. The overall feel of the music is drenched in violence and darkness, but with a hint of light that can be achieved through our musical journey. The lead vocals, performed by drummer Andrew Brophy, are both harsh and melodic, with soaring melodies and lush harmonies, which alternate with the more thrash-style vocals from the rest of the band. The drums themselves are virtuosic, complementing the crushing riffs and flowing chords. The debut album “Deaditation” from Metaladian is the culmination of 20+ years of work. There is a great deal of variation within the album in terms of musical content, tempo, and texture.

Album Recording Credits:
• All songs performed by: Metaladian
• All songs written by: Andrew Brophy
• Produced by: Andrew Brophy
• Mixed by: Dan Brophy
• Mastered by: Andreas “Seidr Jonsson” Westholm of Dark Prod Mixing and Mastering
• Album Artwork by: Roberto Toderico of Roberto Toderico Art

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“”Deaditation” is an ambitious debut that establishes its own identity within progressive and extreme metal. It’s a raw, luminous auditory adventure, inviting listeners to experience it as a sonic expedition. A clear and well-defined sonic journey, with an arc from pain to redemption. Variations in tempo, texture, and vocal register maintain the listener’s attention throughout the six tracks. The interwoven vocal power creates a unique and recognizable character. Note: 9.6 Author: Violeta Wolff” – Broken Tomb Magazine

“Extreme-metal outfit Metaladian erupt with a torrent of ferocious bloodshed, chaos, and power in Deaditation, the dizzying title track from their upcoming debut album, out this Canada Day, July 1st. Marking the culmination of over twenty years of composing and refining by mastermind Andrew Brophy, the single serves as a fierce introduction to the band, offering a masterclass in progressive death metal, fusing classical-influenced ambition with a brutal, multi-vocal assault.” – The Black Metal Archives

“»Deaditation« is a bold and unusual debut that blends progressive extreme metal, thrash, death metal, sludge and classical compositional approaches into a cohesive story. Especially the four-part alternating vocals, the variable drumming and the dramatic development of »Left Hand Path« until the conciliatory end of »Welcome To Your Holy Hell« give MetaladiaN an independent identity. However, the enormous density, some extra-long sections, the overcrowded production in places and very directly worded texts prevent every idea from having its full effect. Anyone who values concept albums as a demanding overall experience and is prepared to deal intensively with the six long pieces will discover a passionate work with remarkable musical standards.” – MetalUnderground.at

“Andrew Brophy’s production stacks twisted riffs, rapid arpeggios, mobile bass lines and highly active drumming across wide arrangements… Four vocalists alternate soaring lines, guttural lows, high screams and thrash shouts, creating an unusual signature through fast call and response exchanges… Deaditation’ reaches high and often arrives there, especially in its rhythmic design and four‑voice interplay… An ambitious debut with substantial musical depth and an individual character.” – Heavy Metal Darkness

“This record is a ferocious, emotional, and meticulously crafted epic forged over more than two decades. The band delivers a chromatic, hypnotic, and punishingly heavy experience that merges thrash, death, progressive metal, and classical composition into something unmistakably their own. Title track, Deaditation, feels like an explosive retaliatory strike. No Worse Death Than the Loss of Hope is a slow and sludgy song – dark and depressing that feels as though one is wallowing in a pit of despair from which they can never leave. Confrontation with God is what the title says and is one of the more complex arrangements of the entire album.” – WRUV 90.1 FM (Burlington, VT)

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