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Category: Music News

0 LITTLE KING Celebrates 30 Years and Eight Albums with “Lente Viviente” Tour (NM, TX, AZ, MX)

  • February 9, 2026
  • by Asher
  • · Music News · Little King

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – February 9, 2026

LITTLE KING Celebrates 30 Years and Eight Albums with “Lente Viviente” Tour (NM, TX, AZ, MX)

L-R – Ryan Rosoff (Guitar, Vocals), Tony Bojorquez (Drums), David Hamilton (Bass, Cello),

Photo Credit – Damian Becerra

Little King is hitting the road, bringing three decades of songwriting, storytelling, and sonic exploration to the stage. Formed in 1997, the band’s current tour draws from a deep catalog spanning 8 albums and over 30 years of music, blending thoughtful lyrics, dynamic arrangements, and an unmistakable emotional core that has resonated with audiences across generations.

Released this past September 2025, their most recent album, “Lente Viviente,” has become their most critically acclaimed work in their long history!

Rooted in the American Southwest yet shaped by wide-ranging influences, Little King’s sound reflects long friendships, lived experience, and a refusal to stand still creatively. Their songs move comfortably between intimate reflection and expansive, cinematic moments, music built not for trends, but for connection.

Over the years, Little King has earned international acclaim, with music reaching listeners well beyond regional borders. Their work has been praised for its honesty, depth, and craftsmanship, appealing to fans of art-driven rock who value substance as much as sound.

The band’s full catalog, tour updates, and additional information can be found at www.littlekingtunes.com, with ongoing updates and media available via social media at @littlekingtunes.

Tour Dates – Little King – Lente Viviente​
March 6 – Las Cruces, NM – Picacho Peak Brewery
March 7 – Ruidoso, NM – Downshift Brewery
March 8 – El Paso, TX – B-29 Bombers
March 11 – Tempe, AZ – Yucca Tap Room
March 14 – San Carlos, MX (Secret Show…hit @littlekingtunes on social media for details!)

The band’s latest album, “Lente Viviente” (Spanish for “Living Lens”), stands as Little King’s most ambitious project to date. Featuring new members Dave Hamilton on bass and Tony Bojorquez on drums, the record delves into themes of memory, identity, aging, addiction, and resilience. Each song unfolds as a “micro-epic,” blending intricate arrangements with concise, emotionally charged storytelling.

“I want people to take a short, mind-blowing journey…like Musical DMT. The dynamic range of this record will push and pull from the first note to the last,” says frontman Ryan Rosoff.

Across its tracks, “Lente Viviente” reveals a sweeping emotional and musical spectrum. “Catch and Release” and “Dawn Villa” revisit childhood and enduring friendship, while “Pass Through Filters” meditates on aging and addiction. “Kindness for Weakness” explores the fragile balance between vulnerability and strength, and “Who’s Illegal?” confronts immigration and identity with bold conviction. Together, these songs create a cohesive journey, complex yet melodic, that invites listeners to think deeply, feel fully, and return again and again for the complete experience.
​
Since forming in 1997, Little King has steadily evolved through confidence, technical growth, and relentless creativity. Rosoff, a former Creative Writing major and English teacher, has penned over 65 songs, blending literary depth with progressive rock intensity. With influences ranging from Rush, Porcupine Tree, Pink Floyd, Muse, Led Zeppelin, and Night Verses, Little King’s music resonates with fans of both classic and modern rock.
​
“Lente Viviente” (released Sept 26th, 2025) is available on digital platforms.

Add to your Spotify playlist – https://open.spotify.com/album/3a3zhTxNkC6u9xaD5gytJe​

Music Video – Who’s Illegal? – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTh1THFdij4​

Lyric Video – Dawn Villa – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ksxlb2ekYIM​

Lyric Video – Catch and Release – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hgt9U547jbw​

Track Listing:​
1. Catch and Release – 3:22
2. Dawn Villa – 3:42
3. Who’s Illegal? – 3:56
4. Kindness for Weakness – 3:21
5. Sweet Jessie James – 2:42
6. Pass Through Filters – 4:50
7. The Living Lens – 3:37
Album Length: 25:34

For more info: https://littlekingtunes.com/​
​

-30-

“Overall, this band showcased a sophisticated sense of melodies that were not overly complicated, but easy to assimilate as well. Not being familiar with them, I am surprised to learn of their longevity, and you wouldn’t know this was their eight album, because the drive and fire in them is very much alive in their music. 8/10” – Metal Temple​
​
​“Little King maintain high intensity from start to finish, achieving a rare balance between complexity and immediacy. Each track has its own identity and emotional range, and the musicianship and production are consistently top-tier. According to Rocky, Lente Viviente is essential listening for prog and heavy-rock fans who miss the spirit of Saga, Rush, and King’s X.” – Metalized​
​
​“Seven songs, clocking in at just over twenty-five minutes Little King pack a powerful and melodic cocktail of prog, rock and alternative. If Rush jammed with REM and King’s X it would sound a little like this. Impressive.” – Get Ready To Rock!​
​
​“Little King hasn’t just released an album; they’ve crafted an immersive, emotional journey that rewards every listen.” – Jace Media Music
​​
​“Long-running Progressive Rock outfit Little King is unveiling “Dawn Villa,” the second single from their highly anticipated eighth studio album, Lente Viviente! A sonic time capsule wrapped in staccato riffs and melodic crescendos, “Dawn Villa” is a heartfelt tribute to frontman Ryan Rosoff’s formative years in Mercer Island, Washington. The track comes from their eighth album Lente Viviente, which is available for pre-order/digital pre-save now at the links below, and releases September 26th, 2025. If you grew up obsessed with the classic seventies prog rock greats like Rush, King Crimson, and Pink Floyd, with a modern flare for drama such as Muse or Neal Morse, Little King deserves your attention! ” – Ghost Cult Magazine​
​
​“The album reflects a stylistic maturity that has strengthened over time and a layering of ideas that have, on this occasion, found a stable place. The project’s artistic perspective rests on very solid technical foundations and a strong will to celebrate the traditional principles of classic rock, while also flirting with progressive elements and ultimately making the most of a decidedly pronounced melodic inclination. An absolutely original point of view that has given rise to an elegant and refined sound, capable of effectively combining electric jolts and delicate harmonies in the spirit of a truly contagious passion.” – Rock Hard Italy​
​
​“Over nearly three decades, Little King has evolved from the El Paso roots of “Transmountain” to the intricate, personal soundscapes of “Lente Viviente,” blending complex arrangements, strong melodies, and lyrical depth.” – Progressive Rock Journal​
​
​“Lente Viviente is as striking as it is arousing and easy to suggest a must for all rock appetites. LITTLE KING seem to know how to feed every instinct and want with their eclectic enterprise and at the same time spring something strikingly new, the proof all there in Lente Viviente.” – The Ringmaster Review
​​
​“Tucson progressive rockers’ Little King are gearing up for the release of their 8th studio album, ‘Lente Viviente’ on Sept. 26th and have also just dropped their first single from the album, ‘Catch and Release’. This band truly pushes boundaries and yet makes modern prog rock very accessible. That is a difficult feat and a challenge many bands can’t overcome. But these fellas make it sound very simple, even though the music is quite complex. Similar to YES in that every instrument, including the vocals, all seem to be doing their own thing…but somehow it all works beautifully, and that is what good prog is about. Listen up for Little King on your Home for the Best New Rock… W-J-O-EEEE” – WJOE – Findlay’s Home for Rock & Roll​
​
​“”Lente Viviente” is a great release, very short of course, but still atmospheric and moving. Overriding the higher-faster-further mentality in such a playful way deserves respect, and the men deserve it again with their eighth appearance overall.8/10″ – PowerMetal.de

—
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0 Exitus Stratagem Records – MATT MILLER Announces “3 Shredders Tour” Featuring RENE BENTON, MANUEL & Special Guest BIKO WRIGHT (History Channel’s Alone, Discovery’s Expedition Bigfoot)

  • February 9, 2026
  • by Asher
  • · Matt Miller · Music News

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – February 9, 2026

MATT MILLER Announces “3 Shredders Tour” Featuring RENE BENTON, MANUEL & Special Guest BIKO WRIGHT (History Channel’s Alone, Discovery’s Expedition Bigfoot)

New Album “Fiber Momentum” Out Now! via Exitus Stratagem Records

L-R – Justice Robinett (Bass), Jordan Kelso (Drums, Synth), Matt Miller (Guitars, Synth), Biko Wright (Vocals)

Photo Credit – Lilly May Everett

Tech‑death guitarist and composer Matt Miller is gearing up to ignite stages across the USA this April with the launch of his 3 Shredders Tour, a high‑octane, guitar‑driven showcase featuring fellow shred titan Rene Benton and explosive guitar virtuoso Manuel Urgiles. Inspired by the spirit of legendary guitar tours like G3, this run brings together three elite players for a night of precision, speed, and boundary‑pushing musicianship.
​
The tour supports Miller’s latest full‑length LP, “Fiber Tormentum,” a sci‑fi‑infused technical metal odyssey that has already captured attention for its intricate compositions and cinematic scope.
​
Adding to the excitement, the tour dates will also feature a special appearance from vocalist and survival expert Biko Wright, known for his standout roles on History Channel’s Alone and Discovery’s Expedition Bigfoot. Wright’s presence brings an additional layer of intrigue and crossover appeal, drawing fans from both the metal world and the survivalist TV community.
​
​Matt Miller shares his excitement:
​
​“We are stoked to be hitting the road this April with Manuel Urgiles and Rene Benton, it’s going to be a shred guitar extravaganza! Fans will also get the chance to meet survival expert Biko Wright from the TV shows Alone and Expedition Bigfoot. Keep your eyes peeled for the ticket links and more dates TBA.”​
​
With three world‑class musicians on one bill, the 3 Shredders Tour promises a night of blistering solos, technical mastery, and genre‑bending creativity. Dates listed below with more to be announced.

The 3 Shredders Tour w/ Matt Miller, Rene Benton, Manuel, Biko Wright​
April 10 – Reno’s Chop Shop – Dallas, TX
April 11 – Hi-Tone – Memphis, TN
April 12 – SK8 Bar – Kansas City, MO
April 13 – Reggie’s Music Joint – Chicago, IL
April 15 – Driftwood Charbar – Minneapolis, MN
April 16 – Boheme – Sheboygan, WI
April 17 – Alley Cat – Iowa City, IA
April 18 – Gray’s Keg – Lincoln, NE
April 19 – Rockwell Event Center – Amarillo, TX

Matt Miller’s September 2025 release, “Fiber Tormentum” on Exitus Stratagem Records, marks a major creative shift, evolving from an instrumental concept into a full band effort with vocalist Biko Wright, drummer Jordan Kelso, and bassist Justice Robinett.

“I knew it needed vocals and the input of other people to make it come to life,” says Miller.

The album blends technical death metal, power metal, and progressive elements into his heaviest and most melodic work yet, built around a loose sci‑fi concept of an alien species rewriting human DNA, an idea shaped by post‑COVID anxieties.
​
The late Joshua Nassaru Ward (Voraath) created the album’s striking artwork, depicting the agony of forced transformation, echoing the record’s themes of tension and invasion. Miller’s journey to this point includes launching his solo project in 2020, touring with Rings of Saturn and Possessed, and assembling a lineup with diverse musical backgrounds. Recording the album came with memorable moments from Wright tracking vocals between filming Expedition Bigfoot to the band getting banned from music stores for sampling high‑end instruments. Hidden somewhere on the record is Wright’s triumphant “One Take Willy” shout.
​
From his early 2017 EP to 2022’s “Monument of Velocity,” Miller has steadily pushed extreme music forward. Now backed by Extreme Management Group and a fully realized band, he continues to expand his sound and ambition.

Recommended for fans of Necrophagist, Symphony X, Wintersun, The Faceless, and Death, “Fiber Momentum” (released Sept 12th) is available on all major platforms through Exitus Stratagem Records.

Digital – https://hypeddit.com/mattmiller/fibertormentum

CD – https://www.exsrmusic.com/store/p/wnn3m10s6beq0pbmnot0e17ghvj629​

Music Video – Effecively Neutralized – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJDoR9JL9b8

​

Band Playthrough – Summoned – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FJxxg_dd2k

​​

Track Listing:​
1. Descent into Violence (5:04)
2. Summoned (3:33)
3. Effectively Neutralized (4:53)
4. Blight and Disfigurement (3:23)
5. Maimed Paralyzed Dead (3:12)
6. Horror Beyond Comprehension (3:15)
7. Fiber Tormentum (Instrumental) (3:31)
8. Abiotic Origin (3:14)
Album Length: 30:08

Album Lineup:​
Matt Miller (Guitars, Synth)
Jordan Kelso (Drums, Synth)
Justice Robinett (Bass)
Biko Wright (Vocals)

For more info:

​Exsrmusic.com | Shreded1.com | Facebook.com/matt.miller.96995238 | Instagram.com/mattmiller630

​- 30 –

“All in all, it’s a fascinating song (Effectively Neutralized) — head-spinning and heart-palpitating but also a heavy-hitter and a conjurer of strange, sinister, and haunting visions. In other words, in the space of just five minutes it pulls off a lot of impressive feats. And the well-filmed and well-edited video for it is a perfect complement, in that it shows us how all these talented performers executed all the impressive accomplishments.” – NoCleanSinging

“Hell yeah. Holy moly canoli. Fiverr to Fiber Momentum, and that was the album. This song is Descent into Violence. Holy moly canoli, dude. Go support, Matt Miller. That was absolutely badass. Total shredding. Jordan, also a homie of mine, your drums are incredible. The new singer, Bo, I love the harsh vocals in the clean. Total is it almost the cleans almost reminded me of Queensryche meets Cannibal Corpse. It’s pretty freaking sweet. And of course, Justice always lays down the heavy bass with the beautiful bass faces. But an absolutely incredible album….Matt Miller, you could find him everywhere. He’s an incredible guitar player, one of the best guitar players of our generation. Remember, this is Fiber Tormentum courtesy of Exitus Stratagem Records. So, a huge shout-out to them as well. Matt Miller has so many more songs. If you guys like this song (Descent into Violence), believe me, this guy is an absolute shred master. Not only does he do like a ton of his own originals, he does a ton of covers, and also he’s just a shred master of all sorts. Just exactly how they say, melodic, technical, and death. But I will definitely say the big thing that stands apart about this whole song is great structure, absolutely shredding on all levels, and the vocals are just 100% one-of-a-kind. And I totally enjoyed it. Guys, I love you guys from the bottom of my heart. This has been Matt Miller with his new song, Descent into Violence. Pick up the new album on September 12, Fiber Tormentum.” – Omar Rodriguez – The Metal Mixtape – YouTube Channel

“The songs on “Fiber Tormentum” are rather good, and make for very interesting listening sessions.” – Metal Temple
​
“”Fiber Tormentum” is a real killer and so refreshingly creative that you can’t help but toast this previously unknown genius in awe! Cheers! 9/10″ – PowerMetal.de

“Soaring, crushing, ferocious, emotive, and relentless, are words that strongly describe Decrepit Shed. The album has a lot to offer from various metal sub-genres and encompasses the best elements of technical guitar playing while still having well-written songs”. – Brave Words

“Monument of Velocity” initially had a different title and was not going to be a Matt Miller release and some of the songs were written with vocals in mind and were not going to be instrumental, however, it turned out to be the sixth of seven powerful albums in his discography. contains eight tracks full of technical and progressive metal eliciting feelings of suspense, and tension while being fun, melodic and brutally heavy. Miller’s melodic and relentless music has a wide range of influences and is recommended for fans of Jeff Loomis, Necrophagist, and Obscura.” – Rock’n’ Load

“Even though Miller’s music is instrumental, he likes to think of the guitar as a voice. Which in turn makes him ask what is the guitar saying? He is able to easily convey emotion, tone, and a story even without the use of vocals. Throughout his releases, his music has developed a more modern sound in both the music and the production. Musically the songs are more well written and a lot of the ideas he writes are being accurately represented. He is always trying to push himself as a musician and this is reflected in his discography. Influenced primarily by technical and progressive death metal with a dash of power metal and symphonic metal as well, Matt Miller’s music is recommended for fans of Obscura, Dragon Force, and Racer X” – Metal Sucks

“Mr. Miller can shred like his fingers are on fire” – Ever-Metal.com

“Matt shreds all over this album with guitar solos galore”. – Transcending the Mundane

“Soaring, crushing, ferocious, and emotive, Miller conveys a wide range of tones throughout his instrumental music. It is recommended for fans of Dragon Force, Racer X, and Jeff Loomis” – Metal-Rules

“For guitar enthusiasts, I guess it is a feast for the eyes and ears.” – Antichrist Magazine

—
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0 Rockshots Records – Out Now! Thrash Metal From Reunion Island – LOMOR Unleashes New Album “Sabouk Rouge” + Drops Ferocious Music Video for Title Track

  • February 6, 2026
  • by Asher
  • · Lomor (Rockshots Records) · Music News

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – February 6, 2026

Out Now! Thrash Metal From Reunion Island – LOMOR Unleashes New Album “Sabouk Rouge”

+ Drops Ferocious Music Video for Title Track

Photo Credit – Mikael Thullier

​Reunion Island’s rising thrash metal force LOMOR proudly announces the official release of their second full‑length album, “Sabouk Rouge,” out today, as of February 6th, via Rockshots Records. To celebrate the album’s release, LOMOR has unveiled a fierce new music video for the title track. This visual assault channels the record’s themes of historical and modern oppression through the band’s trademark intensity, with its pounding rhythms and razor‑edged lyrics setting the tone for everything “Sabouk Rouge” delivers.

Watch and listen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSBEQJOr754

​
​
Following the momentum of their previous single “Tantine Lo Clou,” LOMOR continues to carve their identity as one of the most distinctive metal acts emerging from the Indian Ocean. Their sound, described by guitarist/vocalist Eric Castelnau (aka Babouk) as “creole thrash old‑school stuff,” blends classic 80s thrash aggression with the cultural grit and linguistic identity of Réunion Island.
​
​LOMOR began as a deeply personal project for Eric, who formed the band in 2018 after the passing of his cousin and brother, both former bandmates in his earlier project, Black Babouk. The name Lomor itself means “The Deads” in Réunion Creole, a tribute to the people and memories that shaped his musical path.
​
Joined by drummer Gurvan Cambrai (aka Typhvs) (also of grind outfit Brvtal trve d’baal) and bassist Micha (member of a local Rage Against the Machine tribute band), the trio has forged a sound rooted in old‑school thrash but sharpened by modern production and raw island energy.

Produced by LOMOR, recorded and mixed by Sébastien Camhi at Art Music Studio in France, and mastered by Kai Stahlenberg at Kohlekeller Studio in Germany, “Sabouk Rouge” broadens the band’s sound while staying true to their raw, old‑school thrash roots. With more Creole lyrics woven in at fans’ request, the album strengthens its cultural identity as it shifts through a wide range of moods.

“The tracks are all different, each bringing its own atmosphere. It’s still trash, but with a variety of flavors,” says Eric.
​
That diversity fuels a record that moves from the title track’s sharp satire of Réunion’s slavery legacy to the grotesque obsession of “Meet Your Meat,” the ritualistic mysticism of “Sanctuary,” and the blistering critique of religion in “La Haine.” The tone lightens with the street‑racing humor of “La Pouss’,” then darkens again with “Panzram,” exploring the roots of a killer’s hatred. The album also revisits Eric’s past with a reimagined “Kit Ta Mère” before ending on “Nevroz,” a reversed, tongue‑in‑cheek remake born from a studio joke, a fitting close to an album defined by intensity, identity, and creative edge.

New album “Sabouk Rouge” is now available as of February 6th, 2026, at the following links:

DIGITAL – https://lnk.to/th31Lt​

CD ORDER – https://rockshots.eu/SaboukRougeCD​

Music Video – Tantine Lo Clou – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fx2FUx0G01c

​Music Video – Panzram – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=388LBe1K7x4

​
​

Track Listing:​
1. Sabouk Rouge – 5:13
2. Tantine Lo Clou – 3:40
3. Meet Your Meat – 3:16
4. Sanctuary – 5:17
5. A Shiny Day For A Vampire – 5:14
6. La Haine – 5:06
7. La Pouss’ – 3:07
8. Panzram – 4:29
9. The Ugly, The Bad & The Bastard – 3:02
10. Kit’ Ta Mère – 4:24
11. Nevroz (feat. S. Camhi) – 2:34
Album Length: 45:22
​
​Lomor Line Up:
– Eric Castelnau (aka Babouk) – Vocals & Guitars
– Gurvan Cambrai (aka Typhvs) – Drums
– Mathieu Michalina (aka Micha) – Bass Guitar

More info:

​https://rockshots.eu/​

​https://www.instagram.com/lomor.music​

​https://www.facebook.com/lomormusic​

About: Lomor is a power trio from Reunion Island (France) delivering an explosive blend of old-school thrash, punk, and core metal. Drawing inspiration from Slayer, Testament, and Kreator, the band channels the raw spirit of 80s thrash through modern production and unrelenting stage energy.

Formed in 2018 by Eric Castelnau (vocals, guitars), joined by Gurvan Cambrai (drums) and Mathieu “Micha” Michalina (bass), Lomor quickly became one of the loudest voices in the island’s metal scene. Their first single, “Kanyar L’Enfer” (2021), set the tone for their uncompromising sound, followed by their debut full-length “Perseverance of Sickness” (2022), recorded by Sébastien Camhi (Art Music Studio, France). The album was praised by international outlets like Rock Hard France and Legacy.de for its sharp riffing and fierce authenticity.

In 2023, Lomor hit mainland France for their Kanyar Tour, performing seven shows and sharing stages with Akiavel and Mass Hysteria. They also released the live record “Live on Dock“, capturing the raw, chaotic energy that defines their performances.

Now, with their second studio album “Sabouk Rouge” (out February 2026 via Rockshots Records), Lomor dive deeper into the social and historical themes that shaped their identity — from the brutality of slavery on their island to the universal struggle against human madness and oppression. Recorded again with Sébastien Camhi and mastered by Kai Stahlenberg at Kohlekeller Studio (Germany), the album reaffirms Lomor’s old-school ethos while delivering a powerful, modern punch.

Fueled by adrenaline, rebellion, and Creole pride, Lomor stands as a unique voice in today’s global metal scene — pure thrash from Reunion Island.

-30-

—
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​

0 Rockshots Records – Italian Melodic Death KARMIAN New Video “Libido Et Mors” From Upcoming Album “Horror Vacui” Out March 2026

  • February 6, 2026
  • by Asher
  • · KARMIAN (Rockshots Records) · Music News

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – February 6, 2026

Italian Melodic Death KARMIAN New Video “Libido Et Mors”

New Album “Horror Vacui” Out March 20th, 2026

Rockshots Records announces the release of “Libido et Mors”, the new single by Italian melodic death metal act Karmian, out now on all digital platforms.

“Libido et Mors” is taken from Karmian’s upcoming full-length album “Horror Vacui“, a dark and uncompromising concept record that explores the psychological and existential void behind real acts of murder and moral collapse.

Following the intensity of the previous single “Beastmaster Of The Void”, this new chapter reveals one of the album’s most disturbing and symbolically charged narratives.

Entirely sung in Italian for the first time in the band’s career, “Libido et Mors” delves into the collision between repressed desire and corrupted faith. Inspired by the historical case of Sister Maria Luisa Ridolfi and the scandal of the Sant’Ambrogio della Massima convent in 19th-century Rome, the song exposes a world where religious devotion becomes a tool for manipulation, abuse, and murder. Ecstasy and control, flesh and doctrine, spirituality and obsession merge into a single language of power, revealing how denial and silence can turn faith into a breeding ground for violence.

Commenting on the track, the band states:
​
“‘Libido et Mors’ represents a breaking point within “Horror Vacui“. It’s where the spiritual void and the carnal void collide. Writing and performing it in Italian allowed us to strip away any distance and confront this story in the most direct, unsettling way possible.”

Musically, the single highlights Karmian’s ability to balance melodic death metal ferocity with narrative tension. Crushing riffs, oppressive rhythms, and a dramatic vocal delivery reinforce the song’s claustrophobic atmosphere, reflecting the album’s broader vision: melodic death metal as a storytelling tool capable of merging brutality, reflection, and emotional weight.
​
Recorded, mixed, and mastered at Audiocore Studio by Luca Cocconi and Simone Sighinolfi, “Horror Vacui” marks Karmian’s darkest and most mature work to date.

Each track on the album is inspired by a real Italian criminal case, not to glorify horror but to expose the emptiness, alienation, and moral disintegration that precede violence.

“Libido et Mors” stands as one of the album’s most unsettling portraits, where sacred imagery is corrupted, and redemption wears the face of the abyss – reinforcing the central message of “Horror Vacui“: the most terrifying horror is not external but born from the void within.

For fans of: The Haunted, Kataklysm, Heaven Shall Burn, At The Gates, early Dark Tranquillity, and early In Flames.

DIGITAL: https://lnk.to/cOzTCF

​
​
​“Libido Et Mors” (Official Music Video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qe4bccF7cx4

​

New album “Horror Vacui” out March 20th, 2026.

PRE ORDER “Horror Vacui” – https://rockshots.eu/products/karmian-horror-vacui-cd​

First Single – Visualizer – “Beastmaster Of The Void”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NhBZGSShJE​

DIGITAL: https://lnk.to/PMCdGh​

Track Listing:​
1. One Thousand Shining Bubbles – 06:38
2. Beastmaster of the Void – 03:21
3. Gott Mit Uns Nicht – 04:38
4. The Call of the Abyssal Bell – 06:17
5. Black Magical Soap Opera – 03:54
6. Temple of the Fleshless Goddess – 03:23
7. Libido et Mors – 03:40
8. Beyond the Dream Gate of Fear – 04:16
9. Maker of Angels – 04:43
Album Length: 40:50

Karmian Line-Up:​
Andrea Bertolazzi: Vocals
Andrea Baraldi: Guitars
Michele Perla: Guitars
Luca Marmi: Bass
Nicholas Badiali: Drums

More info:

​https://rockshots.eu/​

​https://www.instagram.com/karmian_official/​

​https://www.facebook.com/KarmianBand/​

BIOGRAPHY:

Originating from Modena, Italy, Karmian stands as one of the most consistent and distinctive voices in Italian melodic death metal, forging a sound that blends raw aggression, melodic nuance, and strong conceptual depth. Their music draws from the sharp-edged intensity of the Swedish tradition while embodying a uniquely Italian sense of drama, history, and emotional resonance.

The band’s earliest incarnation dates back to 2005, when founders Andrea Baraldi, Mauro Leone, and Nicholas Badiali formed a project under the name When the Storm Broke. Though the group disbanded in 2009 after several lineup changes, the experience laid the foundations for what would later become Karmian. In 2011, the founding members revived the project with the addition of vocalist Andrea Bertolazzi, giving rise to the definitive identity of the band and solidifying their path within melodic death metal.

Karmian debuted in 2012 with the EP “Ways of Death”, a conceptual release exploring psychological decline and the “ways of death” – themes that would become central to the band’s artistic identity. Years of touring across Italy and Europe further strengthened their presence within the extreme metal scene, leading to their first full-length album, “Surgere et Cadere” (2018). Rooted in historical and mythological narratives, the album recounts the struggle of the Celtic Boii tribe against the Roman Empire, showcasing the band’s lyrical ambition and intricate musicianship.

Following extensive touring, including performances with Dying Fetus, Mortuary Drape, and Venom Inc., Karmian released “Live at Slaughter Club” (2022), a testament to their intensity and authenticity on stage. After the pandemic years, the lineup evolved with the arrival of Luca Marmi (bass) and Michele Perla (guitars), marking the beginning of a darker, more elaborate creative phase.

This evolution culminates in their most ambitious work to date: the 2026 full-length “Horror Vacui”, recorded at Audiocore Studio with Luca Cocconi and Simone Sighinolfi. The album explores the psychological and existential void behind real acts of Italian murder and madness, transforming nine true-crime cases into allegorical portraits of emptiness, collapse, and human frailty. Musically, “Horror Vacui” expands the band’s soundscape through intricate dual-guitar writing, powerful rhythmic structures, and Bertolazzi’s blend of guttural intensity and narrative expressiveness.

Across their discography, Karmian have built a reputation for merging conceptual storytelling with extreme metal intensity. Whether navigating historical epics or psychological abysses, their work is defined by a commitment to exploring the deeper forces that drive human behavior – resistance, decline, obsession, and the void within. “Horror Vacui” stands as the culmination of this journey: a mature, uncompromising statement of artistic vision, philosophy, and melodic death metal identity.

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0 Streaming Now! Norway’s Rising Rock Power LILY LÖWE Unveils New Album “Beautiful Disaster”

  • February 6, 2026
  • by Asher
  • · Lily Löwe · Music News

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – February 6, 2026

Streaming Now! Norway’s Rising Rock Power LILY LÖWE Unveils New Album “Beautiful Disaster”

L-R – Stian Hansen, Patrik K. Svendsen, Lill Sofie Wilsberg, Adrian Sunde Bjerketvedt, Eiliv Sagrusten

Photo Credit – Jarle Nyttingnes

Norwegian hard‑rock force Lily Löwe has officially released her highly anticipated sophomore album, “Beautiful Disaster,” out today, February 6th, 2026, and is now available worldwide.
​
After a year of momentum built through six singles, “Wild,” “Demons,” “Puppet Master,” “Glitter & Gore,” “Haunted House,” and the newly spotlighted “Love Like This”, the full record arrives as a bold, cinematic, and fiercely melodic statement from one of Norway’s fastest‑rising rock acts.
​
Rooted in the chaos between strength and vulnerability, “Beautiful Disaster” dives headfirst into the emotional extremes that define Lily Löwe’s sound. The album blends heavy riffs, dark atmospheres, and soaring hooks with raw storytelling inspired by real experiences, transformed into dramatic, larger‑than‑life narratives.
​
​“It’s all killer, no filler, every track hits different, and fans are already loving the singles. We wanted to give listeners a real experience, that feeling of power, emotion, and release you get when music truly hits. This album captures the intensity and vulnerability that define who we are as a band,” says Löwe.
​
​“Beautiful Disaster” moves fluidly between high‑energy anthems and emotionally charged moments, balancing modern production with the heart of classic hard rock. Themes of desire, power, self‑destruction, and transformation run through the record, from the haunting introspection of “Haunted House” to the glam‑punk swagger of “Glitter & Gore” and the cathartic punch of “Demons.”​
​
What began as Lily’s solo project evolved into a full band after her breakout debut at Melodi Grand Prix 2022, where she introduced “Bad Baby” to a national audience. Her debut album LÖWE, produced by Trond Holter, earned critical praise for its punch, attitude, and vocal power.
​
For “Beautiful Disaster,” Lily brought together some of Norway’s strongest rock musicians: Adrian Sunde Bjerketvedt (Jorn), Patrik Svendsen (Tonic Breed), Stian Hansen (Suicide Bombers), and Eiliv Sagrusten (Invasion). Together, they’ve forged a sound that’s sharper, more dynamic, and more emotionally resonant than ever. The result is an album that hits with cohesion, power, and a signature identity that’s unmistakably Lily Löwe.
​
Recommended for fans of Wig Wam, Halestorm, and The Pretty Reckless, “Beautiful Disaster” is out now on all digital platforms.

Add to your Spotify playlist – https://open.spotify.com/album/0DgTyPnM06OM4ojFVoQMK1​

Music Videos:​
Glitter & Gore – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BbJj1HISHI​
Puppet Master – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Xs3dLGsyk4​
Wild – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cX8I3PDkao​

Track Listing:​
1. Demons – 2:49
2. Haunted House – 3:26
3. Puppet Master – 2:43
4. Beg For Your Life – 2:54
5. Beautiful Disaster – 2:54
6. Glitter & Gore – 2:36
7. Our Secret – 3:36
8. Wild – 2:48
9. Love Like This – 3:15
Album Length: 27:06
​
​Album Band Lineup:​
Lily Löwe / Lill Sofie Wilsberg: Vocal
Adrian Sunde Bjerketvedt: Guitar
Eiliv Sagrusten: Drums
Patrik Svendsen: Bass
Stian Hansen: Guitar
​
​Album Credits:​
Album Cover Photo: Jarle Nyttingnes
Mixed and Mastered: Jonas Holteberg Jensen (The Woods Norway)
Mastered for Vinyl: Steve Kitch
Demons – Producers: Ola Frøyen, Oscar Immanuel Mathisen, Jonas Holteberg Jensen
Co-producer: Adrian Sunde Bjerketvedt
Songwriters: Elsbeth Rehder, Ola Frøyen, Lill Sofie Wilsberg, Oscar Immanuel Mathisen, Adrian Sunde Bjerketvedt

More info: https://www.lilylowe.com | https://www.facebook.com/iam.lilylowe/ | https://www.instagram.com/iam_lilylowe​

About: Lily Löwe is a Norwegian hard‑rock band blending melodic hooks, heavy guitar riffs, and emotional storytelling. After debuting at Melodi Grand Prix 2022 and releasing their acclaimed first album LÖWE, the band has quickly become one of Norway’s most exciting new rock acts. With Beautiful Disaster, Lily Löwe delivers their most dynamic, modern, and emotionally charged work to date — a powerful step forward for a band built on passion, precision, and unapologetic energy.

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“Beautiful Disaster lives up to its name. The collection of songs is a contradiction that somehow fits together perfectly. Heavy and heartfelt, playful and emotional. As the band puts it, “every track hits different” – and they’re not wrong. With its tight runtime and zero filler, the album proves that Lily Löwe knows exactly who they are and what they want to say. It’s a confident second release from a band that knows its strengths and isn’t afraid to lean into them. ” – Screamer Magazine​
​
​“The new album “Beautiful Disaster” from Lily Löwe is almost here and set for a Feb. 6th release date. Along the way leading up to the album have been a string of razor sharp singles and perhaps here comes the best one yet, the fierce and moving ‘Love Like This’. Lowe’s vocals pour out the emotion while also bursting with power and a backdrop of heavy rock. ‘Love Like This’ is exceptional modern rock with lyrics, vocals and deep hooks that will have you locked in from the start. Catch tracks from Lily Lowe on your Home for the Best New Rock… W-J-O-EEEE” – WJOE – Findlay’s Home for Rock & Roll

“Songs get to their (usually pretty memorable) choruses quickly and with a minimum of fuss, and you’ll find yourself absent mindedly humming them as you go about your business without even realising you’ve taken the bait, which is always a good sign. Lily herself oozes star quality… she’s got the voice to back it up.” – Sentinel Daily

“‘Beautiful Disaster’ contains powerful hard rock songs as well as melodic and sensitive songs that are extremely skillfully sung by Lily Löwe.” – Maxazine

“Stonking melodic rocker from Norway’s Lily Lowe. Great vocals, soul and emotion as well as rock energy.” – Loud Enough? Magazine

“Beautiful Disaster feel of heavy riffs, catchy hooks and Löwes signature – powerful vocals with both vulnerability and intensity. The song is about intense and destructive love. It captures the feeling of losing oneself in something dangerous but irresistible – a beautiful storm of passion, pain and self-destruction. With its raw energy and emotional depth is Löwe a name to note.” – HeavyMetal.no​
​
​“Löwe has a voice with power, punch, and attitude.” – Norway Rock Magazine

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0 Exitus Stratagem Records – Michigan’s KILLCROWN Detonate Their Debut Single “DEATH” + Performing at Michigan Metal Fest 2026

  • February 5, 2026
  • by Asher
  • · Killcrown (Exitus Stratagem Records) · Music News

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – February 5, 2026

Michigan’s KILLCROWN Detonate Their Debut Single “DEATH”

+ Performing at Michigan Metal Fest 2026

L-R – Orin Knuppenburg (Guitar), Dave Zaza (Drums), Steve Maple (Vocals), Tyler Walterspaugh (Bass), James Alexander (Lead Guitar)

Photograph Credit: Steve Maple w/ Deathhouse Media

Michigan extreme‑metal juggernaut Killcrown has officially released their long‑awaited debut single, “DEATH,” marking the first glimpse into their upcoming full‑length album set to drop later this year.
​
Formed by vocalist Steve Maple and guitarist/composer Orin, Killcrown has evolved from their nu‑metal roots into one of the Midwest’s most punishing and uncompromising heavy acts. Their sound, an explosive fusion of deathcore, slam, death metal, and melodic brutality, has earned them a reputation as “the heaviest band” everywhere they perform. With “DEATH,” the band cements that title with authority.
​
The single was born in a moment of pure creative combustion. Maple recalls receiving a call from Orin demanding that he get over there and listen to this song and write lyrics. Within an hour, Maple had crafted some of the most impactful lines of his career, including a chorus so powerful it stunned the room into silence. The final vocal take captured that day became the version used on the record, raw, immediate, and undeniably ferocious.
​
​“This song is some of our best work to date. We truly feel that people are going to connect with this track. We’ve been told that we are ‘the heaviest band’ so many times that we’re starting to believe it. In all seriousness, this upcoming album is written from a very honest standpoint that is BRUTAL, yet beautiful,” says Maple.
​
​“DEATH” is already gaining traction, spinning on stations such as Q106 WJXQ in Lansing, MI, with early support from Scary F’in Terry and Metal Mandy, longtime champions of the band.
​
The single’s artwork, a visceral depiction of knives to the face, mirrors the intensity of the music itself. Lyrically and musically, the upcoming album represents Killcrown’s most profound and meticulously crafted work to date. Each track stands as its own piece of violent musical art, shaped by real‑life experiences, emotional lows, and the band’s unwavering commitment to authenticity.
​
​Killcrown’s rise from the small towns of Hastings and Delton to becoming a dominant force in the Michigan metal scene is fueled by grit, passion, and an unrelenting drive to push their sound further. With “DEATH” now unleashed and a full album on the horizon, the band is poised to make their most devastating impact yet.
​
​“DEATH” is available worldwide now at (Spotify) – https://hypeddit.com/killcrown/death​

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oORK4Ek-TNA

​

YouTube (Radio Edit) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbfj5ScjSk8​

In additional news, Killcrown will also be sharing the stage with Green Jelly, Visitant, Casket Robbery, Hemlock, Narcotic Wasteland, and more at the 2026 edition of Michigan Metal Fest on August 14th and 15th in Battle Creek, MI. For more info on the festival lineup and tickets, please visit https://michiganmetalfest.net/.

For more info:

​https://www.exsrmusic.com/​

​https://www.facebook.com/Killcrown

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“Oldschool Death Metal sensibility meets modern aggression” – Terry Stevens, Q106 WJXQ​
​​
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0 Rockshots Records – Feel the Thrash Intensity of NEFASTIS’ New Single “Stardust” From Dark Concept Album “Shadows At The Light Of Dawn” Out March 2026

  • February 4, 2026
  • by Asher
  • · Music News · Nefastis (Rockshots Records)

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – February 4, 2026

Feel the Thrash Intensity of NEFASTIS’ New Single “Stardust”

New Dark Concept Album “Shadows At The Light Of Dawn” Out March 2026

Rockshots Records announces the release of “Stardust”, the brand new single by Italian symphonic death metal act Nefastis, out now on all digital platforms.

“Stardust” is the second single taken from Nefastis upcoming concept album “Shadows At The Light Of Dawn“, an ambitious four-act work conceived as a continuous and immersive listening experience set in a post-apocalyptic world. Positioned within Act III: Alone, the track represents one of the album’s most direct and aggressive moments, offering a sharp contrast to the broader orchestral and progressive framework of the record.

Musically, “Stardust” stands out as the most thrash-driven and straightforward track on the album. Fast, melodic and fiercely aggressive, it delivers a concentrated burst of energy built on razor-sharp riffing, relentless rhythms and a violent yet controlled momentum. While maintaining the band’s symphonic death metal identity, the song strips the arrangement down to its most visceral core, emphasizing speed, impact, and immediacy.

Lyrically, the track portrays a lone individual drifting through the desolation of a dying world, reduced to fragments of memory and matter. “Stardust” embodies the sense of isolation that defines the album’s third act, translating existential emptiness into a raw and uncompromising sonic assault.

Commenting on the song, the band states:

“‘Stardust’ is intentionally more direct and aggressive than the other tracks. We wanted it to hit fast and hard, almost like an instinctive reaction within the album’s narrative. It represents a moment where everything is reduced to violence, speed, and survival.”

Following the atmospheric and story-setting approach of the debut single “Shadow Spell“, “Stardust” reveals another facet of “Shadows At The Light Of Dawn“, highlighting the dynamic range and compositional depth that define the album. The record unfolds as a single narrative arc where each song functions as a chapter contributing to an overarching emotional and conceptual journey.

“Stardust” further confirms Nefastis evolved artistic vision, blending thrash intensity, death metal aggression, and symphonic elements into a cohesive and distinctive extreme metal statement.

For fans of: Wintersun, Hypocrisy, Fleshgod Apocalypse.

DIGITAL: https://lnk.to/ndqoyZ

​

New album “Shadows At The Light Of Dawn” out March 6th, 2026.

PRE ORDER “Shadows At The Light Of Dawn”​
​https://rockshots.eu/products/nefastis-shadows-at-the-light-of-dawn-cd​

First Single – “Shadow Spell” can be heard at the following links:

Visualizer – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yxonu0RIApA

​Add to your Spotify playlist – https://lnk.to/nfstsf​

Track Listing:​
1. Cosmic Silence at the Edge of the New World – 2:50
2. Shadow Spell – 4:30
3. Seduced by the Beauty of the Darkness – 5:05
4. Absence of Illumination – 2:52
5. Tears of the Past – 4:29
6. Vortex of Light – 5:09
7. Lights of Dawn – 3:43
8. Alone Again – 5:57
9. Stardust – 5:05
10. Blackened Vision – 2:45
11. Collapsing Dream – 8:01
12. Flowers Swept Away by the Autumn – 5:33
Album Length: 55:58
​​
Nefastis Line-Up:​
Simone Colombo: Lead Vocals, Lead & Rhythm Guitars
Andrea Lenzi: Lead & Rhythm Guitars, Acoustic Guitars, Backing Vocals, Orchestrations
Fulvio Manganini: Bass
Claudio Invidia: Drums
​
​More info:

​https://rockshots.eu/​

​https://www.instagram.com/nefastis.italy/​

​https://www.facebook.com/nefastis.italy​

BIOGRAPHY:
​Formed in 2008, Nefastis is an Italian Symphonic Death Metal band known for its strong conceptual approach and continuously evolving musical identity. From the very beginning, the band focused on original compositions, gradually shaping a sound that blends extreme metal intensity with orchestral depth and progressive structures.
​
Nefastis made their recording debut in 2014 with “De Diebus Fastis, Nefastis, Infaustis”, a thrash/death metal concept album divided into four acts and conceived as a narrative work. The release earned the band recognition within the underground scene and led them to share the stage with internationally renowned acts such as Toxik, Leprous, Hirax, Onkel Tom Angelripper, and Bonded By Blood.
​
Following the debut, lineup changes forced the band into a hiatus. During this period, Nefastis underwent a significant artistic transformation, redefining their sound and expanding their compositional vision. Moving away from a more direct thrash-oriented approach, the band embraced a broader and more cinematic form of symphonic death metal, characterized by orchestral arrangements, progressive songwriting, and a strong narrative dimension.
​
This evolution fully materializes in “Shadows At The Light Of Dawn”, a four-act concept album set in a post-apocalyptic world and conceived as a continuous and immersive listening experience. Each act is introduced by an instrumental piece that establishes the atmosphere of the chapter, guiding the listener through a cohesive musical and emotional journey. The album was produced by the band, mixed by Frank Altare, and mastered by Tony Lindgren at Fascination Street Studios (Angra, Amorphis, Kreator, Dimmu Borgir, Opeth, Powerwolf).
​
With “Shadows At The Light Of Dawn”, Nefastis reaffirm their commitment to ambitious songwriting and genre-crossing composition, merging death metal, orchestral music, and progressive influences into a unified and expressive soundscape.

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0 SILAS FERNANDES Unveils New Video “Flight of the Navigator” + Named 2025 Guitarist of The Year by Roadie Crew Magazine

  • February 4, 2026
  • by Asher
  • · Music News · Silas Fernandes

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – February 4, 2026

SILAS FERNANDES Unveils New Video “Flight of the Navigator”

Named 2025 Guitarist of The Year by Roadie Crew Magazine

New Album “Carbon Purge Acceleration” Out Now!

Photo Credit – Marisa Terra Fernandes

Instrumental metal guitarist, producer, and content creator Silas Fernandes has released the brand‑new music video for “Flight of the Navigator”, the fourth track from his 2025 album “Carbon Purge Acceleration.”

The release arrives at a high point in Fernandes’ career. He was recently named Best Guitarist of the Year 2025 by Brazil’s influential Roadie Crew Magazine, a publication that also ranked “Carbon Purge Acceleration” 6th Place for Best Album of 2025. These accolades highlight Fernandes’ growing international presence and reaffirm his status as one of Brazil’s most innovative and technically formidable guitarists.

“Flight of the Navigator” is one of the album’s most explosive compositions, an adrenaline‑charged blend of progressive metal speed, fusion‑driven harmonic twists, and precision‑crafted shred guitar work. The track’s shifting time signatures and cinematic pacing reflect Fernandes’s unique writing process, which begins not with riffs or scales, but with vivid mental imagery.
​
​“Sounds and songs always represent an image for me. The album cover was done before the songs. Each track is based on visuals and contemporary matters, so I hope fans take the titles more seriously than the average instrumental music,” says Fernandes
​
The new music video amplifies this visual‑first approach, translating the song’s futuristic tension and narrative energy into a dynamic visual experience that mirrors the album’s themes of technology, chaos, and human disconnection.

Watch and listen to the video for “Flight of the Navigator” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXcjRBYt6R4

​
​
Released in September 2025, “Carbon Purge Acceleration” represents a major creative milestone for Fernandes. After decades of refining his voice across genres, he describes this album as the moment where all his influences finally aligned into a single, cohesive artistic identity.
​
Drawing from industrial metal, prog metal, thrash, shred guitar, and 80s melodic rock, the EP creates a soundscape that is both aggressive and introspective. Fernandes cites Steve Vai, Fear Factory, Meshuggah, Judas Priest, and Joe Satriani as key influences, but the result is unmistakably his own.
​
​“The album blends fusion, modern prog metal, and eighties references in a sound that reinvents itself with every track. Instead of compartmentalized styles, the result is a true creative cauldron,” adds Fernandes.

“Carbon Purge Acceleration” unfolds like a cinematic journey through futuristic chaos and emotional introspection, each track painting its own vivid scene. The album opens with the crushing force of “Earth Was Boring,” a modern‑metal assault that blends metalcore aggression with soaring shred melodies, before shifting into the tense push‑and‑pull of “Escape the Reality Room,” where thrashy riffs collide with calm, reflective passages. “John Hughes Didn’t Direct My Life” injects bright ’80s nostalgia into the mix, channeling the melodic charm of Vai and Satriani through Fernandes’ expressive phrasing. The intensity peaks with “Flight of the Navigator,” a high‑velocity prog‑metal odyssey driven by fusion harmonies, rapid‑fire solos, and unpredictable time signatures. “Heavy Droids” deepens the album’s sci‑fi atmosphere with its mechanical 7/4 groove and melodic slow‑tempo breaks, while “The Death of Synthetic Curation” closes the record on an ethereal, introspective note, one guitar, ambient textures, and a sense of quiet reflection after the storm. Together, the tracks form a sonic world that moves from aggression to serenity, from dystopian tension to emotional clarity, showcasing Fernandes’ ability to tell powerful stories without a single lyric.
​
​“Carbon Purge Acceleration” (released Sept 21st, 2025) is available at the following links:

All Digital Platforms – https://silasfernandes.hearnow.com/​

Online Store – CD / Merch – https://www.silascf.com.br/en/services-5​

Bandcamp – https://silasfernandes.bandcamp.com​

Watch the videos at the following links:

Earth is Boring – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2cg6cbJf_w​

Escape The Reality Room – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKEGQIr01Bk​

Track Listing:​
1. Earth Was Boring – 4:21
2. Escape the Reality Room – 3:47
3. Heavy Droids – 4:09
4. Flight Of The Navigator – 3:39
5. John Hughes Didn’t Direct My Life – 5:19
6. The Death of Synthetic Curation – 5:05
Album Length: 26:20

Album Recording Credits:​
• All songs performed by: Silas Fernandes
• All songs written by: Silas Fernandes
• Produced by: Silas Fernandes
• Mixed by: Silas Fernandes
• Mastered by: Adair Daufembach
• Album Artwork by: Jukka Nieminen from Grandio design.

Album Band Line Up:​
Silas Fernandes: Guitars, bass, programming of drums, Production, Mix

Live Band Line Up:​
Silas Fernandes – Guitars
Raphael Arruda – Drums
Nikolai Ck – Bass

For more info: Silascf.com.br | Facebook.com/silas.fernandes.165 | Instagram.com/silasfernandesguitar​

About: Silas Fernandes emerged from São Paulo’s iconic ABC metal scene, first performing in Esfinge alongside future Sepultura guitarist Andreas Kisser before leaving the band in the 80s due to family and religious pressures and dedicating himself to the rising shred movement. Over the next three decades, he built a diverse career as a guitarist, producer, instructor, author, and gear specialist—teaching at IG&T, working as a producer and guitar tech for major Brazilian artists, writing the book Set Up (later adopted as a course at EM&T), and leading clinics across Brazil. In 2014, he launched his popular YouTube channel and the weekly show Rig on Fire, now in Portuguese and English, showcasing his humor, technical mastery, and deep knowledge of guitar gear. Endorsed by EMG Pickups, Solar Guitars, Black Smith Strings, and his own company, Electric Eye Audio, Fernandes also released his first Solar signature model, the A1.6 Silas Canibalismo, in 2024. Known for quirky career moments, from VHS‑era rumors about a missing pinky to sampling Killer Instinct’s Fulgor for robotic voices, he continues to push creative boundaries. Now based in Virginia, Fernandes blends industrial, shred, melodic, and instrumental metal, drawing comparisons to Steve Vai, Plini, Marty Friedman, Nita Strauss, and Joe Satriani. His latest release, Carbon Purge Acceleration (2025), earned him Best Guitarist of the Year 2025 and 6th Place for Best Album from Brazil’s Roadie Crew Magazine, adding to a discography that spans from his 1995 debut to his acclaimed modern work.

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0 Take A Journey Through Sound and Space w/ CEPHEIDAE VARIABLE’s Playthrough For “The Conduit” From Debut Album “Primordial Reverie”

  • February 3, 2026
  • by Asher
  • · Cepheidae Variable · Music News

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – January 2026

Take A Journey Through Sound and Space w/ CEPHEIDAE VARIABLE’s Playthrough For “The Conduit”

Debut Album “Primordial Reverie” Out Now!

Photo Credit – Solo artist: Ryan Koepke – Guitar, Bass, Composition, Production

Progressive metal solo project Cepheidae Variable has released a brand‑new guitar playthrough for “The Conduit,” one of the most dynamic and emotionally charged tracks from the debut album “Primordial Reverie.”

“The Conduit” marks a pivotal moment in the album’s second act, an intense, cinematic chapter that bridges the whimsical sci‑fi elements of “Encounter” with the escalating scale of the album’s final movement.
​
The track opens with melancholic synths before erupting into layered taiko drums, atmospheric guitar harmonies, and shifting rhythmic tension. A dark, unexpected synth interlude fractures the momentum before the main theme returns in a mutated form, culminating in blast beats, a crushing breakdown, and a soaring, multi‑layered outro.
​
Koepke visualizes the piece as a journey through a cosmic portal, an entry point into the album’s “final frontier.”
​
The new guitar playthrough showcases the track’s technicality, emotional weight, and intricate layering, offering fans a closer look at the musicianship behind one of the album’s standout compositions.

Watch the playthrough for “The Conduit” via its premiere on NoCleanSinging HERE.

Created by multi‑instrumentalist and composer Ryan Koepke, Cepheidae Variable began as a personal creative outlet, an experiment in musical growth that unexpectedly evolved into a fully realized artistic endeavor. The project took on new urgency following Koepke’s father’s cancer diagnosis, a life‑changing moment that pushed him to stop waiting and finally release music publicly after nearly two decades of playing guitar.
​
​“Primordial Reverie became something I needed to make. It reflects the turbulence of that period—my father’s treatment, the optimism that followed, and becoming an expecting father myself. All of that emotion found its way into the music,” explains Koepke.
​
​“Primordial Reverie” is a concept‑driven instrumental album built around three distinct acts, each defined by evolving biomes, tonal shifts, and recurring motifs. The record moves from symphonic fantasy elements to increasingly technical, sci‑fi‑influenced soundscapes. Fans of Dream Theater, Haken, Intervals, Wintersun, and Caligula’s Horse will find familiar touchpoints, though Koepke’s writing maintains a unique identity shaped by improvisation, orchestration, and thematic storytelling.
​
​“The album was always meant to be experienced as a complete piece. Themes mutate, rhythms return in unexpected ways, and each track supports the next. I wanted listeners to imagine their own story,” says Koepke.
​
The album features artwork by renowned collage artist Alex Eckman‑Lawn, whose surreal imagery helped shape the album’s tonal evolution. The music mirrors Koepke’s personal journey, blending uplifting fantasy elements with darker, more complex compositions.
​
From the adventurous energy of “Carving a Dragon” to the chaotic, orchestrated grandeur of “Singularity,” “Primordial Reverie” offers a wide spectrum of moods and textures while maintaining a cohesive narrative arc.
​​
“I hope listeners can build their own story from the instrumentation. This album means a lot to me, and sharing it feels like sharing a piece of my life,” adds Koepke.
​
​“Primordial Reverie” (released Nov 7th, 2025) is available now on all major streaming platforms and on CD at the following links:

​https://cepheidaevariable.com/music​

​https://open.spotify.com/album/4BLZtU4yKDxOJEBiwE4Mpg​

Videos:

“Carving a Dragon” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhp5qvAn2Pk​

“The Waiting Storm” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohvtVeir32g​

“Chromatic Haven” ft. guest solo from Matt Mills – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBuDp0Pm_Cw​

Track Listing:​
1. Overture (3:11)
2. Carving a Dragon (4:04)
3. The Waiting Storm (3:13)
4. Zephyr of Ouroboros (9:15)
5. Encounter (5:53)
6. The Conduit (6:03)
7. Chromatic Haven (5:11)
8. Entropic Harvester (10:27)
9. Singularity (11:32)
Album Length: 58:53

For more info: https://cepheidaevariable.com/​

– 30 –

“This was a solid album to listen to. Without vocals, the artist has to work harder to convey his feelings and emotions in his music, and Ryan did that well. Many of the melodies you can hum or sing along with, and that’s a testament to the instrumental album.” – Metal Temple​
​
​“This is a well-performed album, great playing and a punch of a production too. Almost a 4 in grading.4/5” – Melodic.net​
​
​“Combining symphonic textures, sci-fi ambience, and progressive intricacy, Primordial Reverie explores the balance between chaos and melody, emotion and evolution. Through layers of orchestral arrangements, synths, and guitar-driven storytelling, Ryan invites listeners to experience a sonic voyage through creation, transformation, and reflection.” – Crannk​
​
​“It’s easy for instrumental metal, and for progressive metal, to lose their emotional punch in a pile of clever passages. Ryan Koepke does an excellent job maintaining poignancy throughout Primordial Reverie‘s hour-ish run time. This album does feel like a singular journey that takes the listener into different emotional headspaces as the music unfolds.” – Metal Utopia​
—
ASHER MEDIA RELATIONS
Jon Asher – Music Publicist
#.514.581.5780
jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
Facebook – Asher Media Relations
Instagram – Asher Media
Tweet – AsherMedia

0 Rockshots Records – Finnish Dark Metal TORCHIA Unveils Video “Stygian Waters” From Upcoming Album “They Are Born Under Rules of the Darkness” Out May 2026

  • February 3, 2026
  • by Asher
  • · Music News · Torchia

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – February 3, 2026

Finnish Dark Metal TORCHIA Unveils Video “Stygian Waters”

New Album “They Are Born Under Rules of the Darkness” Out May 2026

Rockshots Records announces the release of “Stygian Waters”, the brand new single by Finnish dark metal act Torchia.

“Stygian Waters” is taken from Torchia’s upcoming fourth full-length album, “They Are Born Under Rules of the Darkness,” and represents a deliberate return to the band’s early guitar-driven aggression, infused with heightened cinematic tension and dark melodic intensity. Rooted in thrash-infused melodic death metal, the track channels relentless riffing and an urgent rhythmic drive while expanding the band’s signature gothic and occult atmosphere.

Commenting on the song, the band explains: “‘Stygian Waters’ is a throwback to the early years of Torchia, built around intense riffing and an almost relentless forward momentum. When the riffs first came together, they immediately evoked the image of a raging ocean and towering waves. From there, the lyrics took shape as a story of a maritime disaster – a desperate struggle against overwhelming natural forces with the suggestion that something darker and more supernatural may also be at play.”
​
Lyrically, “Stygian Waters” depicts a harrowing battle for survival where human will is tested against uncontrollable forces, blurring the line between reality and the uncanny. The song’s narrative-driven approach fits seamlessly within Torchia’s cursed fantasy universe, populated by ancient gods, dark rituals, and grim visions inspired by gothic horror traditions.

Musically, the single highlights Torchia’s evolved sound: sharp, driving guitar work remains at the core while cinematic layering and darker tonal shades add depth and dramatic weight. This balance between raw aggression and atmosphere reflects the broader identity of “They Are Born Under Rules of the Darkness“, an album that brings the band’s storytelling to life through a murky, 19th-century gothic vision.

Expanding on the album’s direction, the band adds: “With this record, we wanted to push our sound further into darker and more cinematic territory without losing the immediacy and energy that defined our earlier work. ‘Stygian Waters’ captures that balance perfectly – it’s fast, aggressive, and vivid but still deeply tied to the world and narratives we’ve been building over the years.”
​
“Stygian Waters” stands as a key chapter within “They Are Born Under Rules of the Darkness“, reaffirming Torchia’s identity as a band that merges extreme metal intensity with theatrical storytelling and a strong visual and conceptual aesthetic. Known for their explosive live performances led by masked frontman Nox, Torchia continue to carve their own path within the darker realms of the metal spectrum.

For fans of: Behemoth, Cradle of Filth, Children of Bodom

DIGITAL – https://lnk.to/6cBhhT​
​
“Stygian Waters” Official Lyric Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYW-oQpl7Yo

​
​
New album “They Are Born Under Rules of the Darkness” out May 8th, 2026.

PRE ORDER “They Are Born Under Rules of the Darkness” as CD: https://rockshots.eu/products/torchia-they-are-born-under-rules-of-the-darkness-cd​
​
​PRE ORDER “They Are Born Under Rules of the Darkness” as LP: https://rockshots.eu/products/torchia-they-are-born-under-rules-of-the-darkness-lp​

Track Listing:​
1. Nekromanteion – 4:23
2. Hellmouth – 4:08
3. Into Hell – 3:38
4. Hellstorm – 3:55
5. Die Amour – 4:12
6. The Tiamat Machine – 5:39
7. Black Cat – 3:19
8. Stygian Waters – 4:05
9. Sanguine Masquerade – 4:46
Album Length: 38:05
​
​Torchia Line-Up:​
Nox: Vocals
Villemorte: Lead guitar, Vocals
Henri von Hardy: Guitar
Vulkan: Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals
Vincent Oscar Mill: Drums

More info:

​https://www.rockshots.eu/​

​https://www.instagram.com/curseoftorchia/​

​https://www.facebook.com/TorchiaOfficial/

About: Formed in Tampere, Finland, Torchia has steadily carved out a distinctive identity within the extreme metal scene by blending thrash-infused melodic death metal with dark fantasy, gothic horror, and cinematic atmospheres. Since their early years, the band has continuously evolved both musically and conceptually, expanding a cursed narrative universe populated by ancient gods, occult practices, and grim mythological visions.

With each release, Torchia has pushed further into darker and more theatrical territory. While their core remains firmly rooted in guitar-driven extreme metal, their sound has grown increasingly cinematic and blackened, incorporating dramatic arrangements and a heightened sense of atmosphere without sacrificing aggression or immediacy. Elements of classic heavy and power metal melody remain a key influence shaping their songwriting approach and reinforcing their dynamic, memorable structures.

Their fourth full-length album, “They Are Born Under Rules of the Darkness“, represents a defining chapter in the band’s artistic journey. Set against a bleak, 19th-century-inspired gothic backdrop, the album brings Torchia’s storytelling to life through vivid tales of horror, superstition, and doom, uniting narrative depth with relentless musical force.

Renowned for their intense and visceral live performances, Torchia have built a strong reputation as a formidable stage act. At the center of the spectacle stands masked frontman Nox, a commanding and symbolic figure who embodies the dark curse at the heart of the band’s identity, guiding audiences deep into Torchia’s shadowed world.

-30-

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

​

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