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”
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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
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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
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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
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“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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