Featuring Liz Ziegler’s commanding vocal debut, ‘Vain’ is a bold statement of empowerment. Its provocative narrative challenges listeners: “Do not mistake her silence for agreement.” The song is a reflection on how women endure constant belittlement and unwanted attention, using its intense sonic landscape to convey the weight of these experiences. It epitomizes the band’s unique fusion of doom, black, and gothic metal, bridging ethereal clean vocals with raw, uncompromising energy to create a powerful and immersive listening experience.

Set to take the world by storm in 2025, BEX has released her first music of the year with ‘crybaby’, a single addressing on-going female oppression that’s all-too ingrained in our society. Raw, real and fun, this is the first glimpse of a new BEX, feeling like she’s re-found her purpose. The instrumentation is punchy, lively, aggressive. The vocals are simple, one take, going straight back to basics. The music video, directed by BEX herself as usual, exemplifies her unique style and vision.

Written by BEX, alongside Sam Matlock (WARGASM) and Sam Cramer (Future Humans), ‘crybaby’ is out now on BEX’ own outlet “SCUM”.

“‘crybaby’ is a representation of female oppression,” says BEX, matter-of-factly. “Throughout history women have been deemed the weaker sex and the property of men. This track explodes those ideas. With references to a Molotov Cocktail, ‘crybaby’ represents the built-up rage exploding out of today’s women with the unjust still playing out all around them.

“In life, we can close our eyes to inequality and live blind and naive to the facts (the ‘crybaby’ eye masks in the music video represent this). It can be easier to ignore the ‘little comments’; it can be easier to not ‘cause a scene’; it can be easier to just ‘not care’. This doesn’t make it right; this doesn’t make it ok; this allows it to continue. It is our choice to remove the mask and fight back. You just have to be prepared for what you see.

“‘crybaby’ is about not letting go. It’s about holding that grudge with you every day and using it to fuel your mission, using it to make a difference.”

IZZY REIGN releases haunting new single ‘Phobos’, out now, new self titled album out on March 21 on FiXT.

‘Phobos’ delves deep into the unsettling world of panic attacks, drawing from personal experience to convey the overwhelming and unpredictable nature of these episodes. With raw emotion and vivid descriptions, the song captures the sensation of air thinning, heartbeats overpowering, and the inevitability of panic despite any attempts at control. Through ‘Phobos,’ Reign seeks to resonate with those who have faced similar battles, whether through the struggle to resist the attacks or the resigned acceptance of their recurrence, creating a visceral sonic journey of anxiety and resilience. This song is about the experiences of having panic attacks. A true understanding of how they feel and how at complete random they can occur.

In her own words, “I spent many years of my life undergoing random panic attacks, which felt like, for no reason at all, but upon learning and understanding how much the subconscious stress levels of your brain truly affect the physical responses of your body, it seemed to make more sense. I struggled with this for a long time and as many people have experienced them selves, it can take a major toll on ones every day life. How ever, I wrote this song in regards to this becoming my norm, and when I felt the coming on, I just had to take them steps to prepare and let them pass. The inevitable would happen, regardless of how in control I felt or how much I changed my situations/surroundings. I wanted to give the feeling of what a panic attack felt like to people who have gone through the many different stages of them. Whether or not they let it consume them, the sensation of the air around them thinning, or your heart beat being the only thing you can hear, or the other side of acceptance, almost, in a way, being annoyed that you have to sit down and ground yourself to prepare for what you’re already used to.”

Eville is already surpassing expectations after being chosen as Alyx Holcombe’s One to Watch for 2025 with their first release of the year, ‘Plaything’.

The Brighton-based trio may have debuted and ascended as pioneers of Brat Metal, but ‘Plaything’ sees the powerhouse mature into provocateurs of psyche-piercing post-hardcore furore with their lacerating hyper-sonic hooks, heavy riffs and indomitable drum n bass beats which precariously teeter on the edge of cataclysmic chaos.

With endless vocal transitions, Eva dons a kaleidoscope of guises with her chameleonically always-in-flux shifts from bubblegum pop siren to nu-metal lyrical waxer to outpourer visceral metal screams which cut through the mix like a razor-sharp buzzsaw to protest against capriciously selfish protagonists prone to treating others as easily discard objects of pleasure.

Eva Sheldrake said: “In true Eville style, ‘Plaything’ incites a riot of huge melodic pop choruses interwoven with hard-hitting, edgy verses. The track also marks a pivotal point in our career, exhibiting our expansive versatility and how fearless we’ve become as songwriters as we incinerate the boundaries of our sound.”

Serpentyne unleashes their highly anticipated new album Tales From The Dark, a bold evolution of their symphonic metal sound. The album refines its signature fusion of orchestral grandeur and modern metal intensity, weaving together fast-paced, cinematic compositions with powerful vocal harmonies. Fans of Nightwish, Within Temptation, and Eluveitie will find themselves immersed in a dynamic and evocative listening experience.
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The road to Tales From The Dark has been paved with an electrifying single that introduced listeners to the album’s rich sonic universe. The first glimpse came with ‘Prophetess of Dreams’, a hard-hitting and fast-paced track that set the stage with machine-gun guitar riffs and an ominous tale of fate and destiny. Now, the album release is accompanied by the focus track ‘Run For Your Life’, a relentless and high-energy anthem that captures urgency and fear through a powerful mix of 8-string guitar work, soaring vocals, and layered orchestration. This song encapsulates the cinematic intensity of Serpentyne’s evolved sound, pulling listeners into a desperate chase for survival.

As the band prepares to release their brand new studio album Sleepless Empire, Italian metal titans LACUNA COIL have released the ultimate single ‘I Wish You Were Dead’ alongside a stunning music video.

‘I Wish You Were Dead’ is about the emotional turmoil and struggle that accompanies toxic relationships. The song’s video takes the track’s heavy theme and spins it into a romantic Goth tale just in time for Valentine’s Day. Filmed by Martina L McLean in a church in Capranica, a small town north of Rome, it marks a first in the history of LACUNA COIL: the band performing a choreography!

On the new single, the band shares: “We all have this person we wish never existed, right? We all felt the need to erase the same person from our thoughts, someone who hurt us that it’s still in our mind. We wanted to write heavier lyrics on a happier musical canvas. Also we are a little tired of being politically correct at all costs…”

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CROWLEY is an occult rock band from Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. Comprised of vocalist Lidya Balaban, guitarists Eliza Lee and Ruth Cranston, bassist Kim Fellows, and drummer Sav Montore. Formed in 2022, the band reinvigorates the sounds of retro pagan rock. ‘Silver Star’ is the fifth release from CROWLEY and marks the clearest establishment of the bands sound yet – like Black Sabbath with feminine power, it’s a dark occult fantasy the listener is invited to join. On ‘Silver Star’, singer Lidya Balaban says: “Written from the perspective of a cult leader, the song is an invitation to an initiation ceremony. It’s about being coerced into participating in a ritual and taking a leap of faith. This was definitely an interesting one for me lyrically, the song title is taken from one rumoured translation of Aleister Crowley’s organisation A∴A∴ (Argenteum Astrum). The lyrics themselves are somewhat alchemical in nature, with subtle messages of leaving your old ways behind and being able to transmute into your higher self. In its own twisted way it’s a song of growth and change. But mostly just about getting roped into ritual sacrifice.”

UK Folk Horror outfit Forlorn have announced they’ve signed to Church Road Records and mark their arrival at the new label home by unveiling their Stephen King inspired single, ‘Spirit’. Much like their previous ‘Earth’ inspired offering, Creatress, Forlorn’s first single on their new label, Church Road Records, is based on the fifth element of the same name. “Feeling a connection between a bass synth in the instrumental of the song and the literal transformation one being makes into another, I took inspiration from the Stephen King novel ‘The Outsider’ and the concept of shape-shifting,” explains vocalist Megan Jenkins. “There is so much that we cannot see and don’t connect to when we are caught up in the haze of our daily lives. There are forces, energies and beings that are all around us that we are blind to, and many people are OK with that. I connect so deeply to this idea of shape-shifting or “becoming other” through a desire to explore the unseen and travel beyond the confines of this human skin.”

Izzy Reign is back with her next bold release, ‘Your Entertainer,’ from her upcoming debut album set to release in early 2025 from FiXT. Known for her raw and powerful sound, Izzy merges metalcore and alternative pop in ‘Your Entertainer.’ This single, showcasing fierce guitar riffs, pulsating synths, and thunderous drums, creates an intense sonic landscape over provocative lyrics. With dynamic instrumentation, gritty guitars, synth-driven melodies, and hard-hitting bass and drums this track carries her signature sound while adding a darker, introspective edge. ‘Your Entertainer’ strikes at the heart of celebrity culture and the mental toll of creating from a place of vulnerability. ‘Your Entertainer’ is a concept track born from deep self-reflection. Izzy delves into the personal struggles that come with being a performer. “While I was writing this album, I thought about exactly what it was that I was doing, So I wrote ‘Your Entertainer’ as a concept about selling your emotions and experiences for entertainment and fame,” explains Izzy Reign. “I hope that this song reaches people to help them see that celebrity culture is a wild toxic concept and we need to remember that they are indeed still human. A lot of people create music from their pain or experiences, exposing their inner most difficulties just for your entertainment and it is a mentally wearing, but can also be rewarding, experience.”

Vallorch is back with their latest single and video, ‘Circle Of The Moon’. This liberating anthem invites listeners to reconnect with nature and embrace the joy of living. Inspired by Cimbrian myths, the song captures the essence of the ancient dances to the Moon God Maano, celebrating freedom and authenticity. The track offers a glimpse into Vallorch’s upcoming album, The Circle, set to release in March 2025, which explores the theme of the night in all its facets—from reflection and tranquility to celebration and connection. The album combines Vallorch’s signature folk metal sound with symphonic and power metal influences, blending vibrant melodies, heavy riffs, and a touch of melancholy.

Melodic hard rockers The Big Deal are pleased to announce the release of their upcoming new studio album Electrified, set for release on January 17th, 2025, via Frontiers Music Srl. To mark the occasion, they share the new single and accompanying video ‘Like A Fire’, out now. Guitarist Srdjan Brankovic expresses his enthusiasm for the release: “We are very happy that we have come to the moment to announce our second album Electrified, together with Frontiers Records. We had the honour to collaborate for the first time with great artists such as Anders Wikstrom (TREAT) and Jona Tee (H.E.A.T.), who helped us compose some songs. If you like melodic metal/rock, melodic vocals, plenty of keyboard and guitar melodic solos, two great female vocalists intertwining in harmony, we think you’ll love the album too. Check out the first single ‘Like A Fire’, which is about a rock band performing on stage.”

BLACKBRIAR have released a new music video. The new music video, for the track ‘Floriography,’ is the brand new single from the Dutch symphonic metal band and marks their first new music since their latest studio album, A Dark Euphony, which was released in September last year, via Nuclear Blast Records. Speaking about the new single, vocalist Zora Cock shares, “’Floriography’ marks the start of our upcoming third studio album. It’s a song full of mystery, dark academia meets Sherlock Holmes. The song’s protagonist deciphers hidden messages from a secret lover through the Victorian language of flowers, cryptic poetry, lyrical acronyms, and marks carved in trees. She may have even left some for you.” [via Distorted Sound]

XANDRIA have released a new music video. The new music video, for the track ‘200 Years’, is taken from the German symphonic metal band’s brand new album, Universal Tales, which was released on Friday, via Napalm Records. Speaking about the song and its accompanying new music video, the band shares, “we hope you enjoy our new song and video! It’s inspired by our deep love for Scotland and its rich history. The many stories of this land have sunk deep into our collective consciousness, becoming the roots of the fantasy worlds we all share – worlds filled with epic tales, like those of Middle-earth and beyond. Stories of people fighting for freedom, love, and the survival of their culture. This one’s for you. Slàinte mhath!” [via Distorted Sound]

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Izzy Reign charges ‘Into Oblivion’ in her latest alternative pop metal single from her upcoming debut album – out early 2025 from FiXT. “This is your time to sacrifice.” Intense is only the starting baseline as Izzy Reign dives deep into the the psyche’s darkest corners. This latest offering blends elements of metalcore, alternative pop, and alternative metal, creating a unique soundscape that is both haunting and electrifying. The song captures the haunting experience of living in constant anticipation of one’s fate, a theme that resonates with Izzy’s personal struggle with religious-induced OCD and intrusive thoughts. Izzy Reign showcases her ability to blend brutal vocals with the ethereal, a diverse array of instruments, including synth, drums, guitar, and bass, seamlessly weaving together different musical styles to reflect a range of emotions, as she draws out an emotionally stirring and intricate soundtrack of her personal struggles. “This song is about the Egyptian goddess of death, Ammit and the constant feeling of waiting to know your fate,” explains Izzy Reign. “I wanted to pull influences from a few different like My chemical romance, or Kim Dracula for their theatrical vocal styles but also draw interesting harmonies from artist like Imogen Heap. I wrote this song because one of the dark parts of myself stemmed from going to church and constantly being surrounded by religion and one of the major downfalls that lingered with me was the ultimate judgment. I thought about it so consistently that I became obsessive with everything I said or did, leading to severe OCD and horrifying intrusive thoughts.”

Nashville based rocker Royale Lynn has been busy breaking boundaries with an ambitious crossover sound, blending her love of hard rock and metalcore while proudly displaying her country roots. Currently on a nationwide tour with legends Seether and Skillet, which also brings her to festivals Aftershock and Louder Than Life, she shares her latest single ‘SACRIFICE’ via Epitaph Records. Featuring ominous figures draped in hooded capes, macabre imagery and shadowy nods to the occult, the powerful music video for ‘SACRIFICE’ paints a visual picture of the darkness that can accompany mental illness. Through thundering drums and a cascade of heavy riffage, Royale’s bright vocals are razor sharp as she carries a message close to her heart. “‘SACRIFICE’ shows a vulnerable side of me, it portrays my journey of dealing with my mental health while navigating the music industry,” she explains. “I want to show people that it’s okay to have struggles and talk about them openly because you should never let it stop you from doing what you love.”

Ex-Delain singer Charlotte Wessels has teamed with Arch Enemy’s Alissa White-Gluz for new solo single ‘Ode To The West Wind’. The track was released with an accompanying music video and can be heard on Wessels’ new solo album The Obsession, out now. It’s the fifth time Wessels and White-Gluz have made a song together and sees White-Gluz turn in one of her most melodic performances to date. In a press statement, Wessels explains that ‘Ode To The West Wind’ pulls its title and themes from a Percy Shelley poem, while the video laments how humanity has treated the natural world. She comments: “I’m thrilled to present the fifth single from The Obsession – and my fifth collaboration with the incomparable Alissa White-Gluz. Many of our songs together are inspired by or based on classic poetry, and Ode To The West Wind, drawn from Percy Shelley’s poem of the same name, is the latest addition to this thematic journey. Shelley’s poem reflects his admiration for the untameable force of nature and his thoughts on his own legacy.” She continues: “For the music video, we explored humanity’s impact on the natural world (spoiler: it’s not pretty) by reimagining iconic artworks like Caspar David Friedrich’s Wanderer Above The Sea Of Fog and Raphael’s cherubs from the Sistine Madonna, only this time suffused with pollution, wings made of trash, and covered in toxic waste.” [via Louder]

RedHook and Holding Absence have unleashed a brand-new single together, ‘Dr. Frankenstein’. Taken from the Aussie band’s upcoming second album Mutation, the track “tells the story of a fairytale romance that rapidly devolves into a nightmare as one partner displays increasingly more possessive and controlling behaviour,” according to RedHook singer Emmy Mack. “But the bridge then hits us with a plot twist by suggesting that this emotional abuse may have spawned from the other partner being dishonest and unfaithful, thus posing several questions for us to consider: who is the real monster in this situation? Does making mistakes and hurting each other (emotionally) make us monsters? Or does it make us human? Ultimately, this song is about me owning my shit and taking accountability for my role in a past relationship that became toxic as all hell. During the break-up, I was guilty of privately indulging that kind of ‘victim’ mentality, but now that I’m a bit older and wiser, I feel like it’s important to take responsibility for the mistakes that I made too.” Emmy adds of Lucas Woodland’s unsurprisingly awesome guest appearance: “Holding Absence are one of our favourite bands in the world right now, and Lucas’ vocal talents are unparalleled. I wrote this song with a male feature in mind, and Lucas was number one on the list! We cheered so hard when he said he loved the song and was keen to jump on board!” [via Kerrang!]

Never Obey Again has released a video for ‘G.O.D. (Given Or Denied)’, second single taken from the new album Trust to be released on October 18 by Scarlet Records. ‘G.O.D.’ is a ‘straight fire’ modern metal song with female scream vocals and heavy riffs. ‘G.O.D.’ means: we’re all human beings, we are all blank canvas at birth. The place and the moment in history we were born turn ourselves into the people we will become tomorrow. Some of us are given, some of us are denied. [via Italia de metallo]

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Ignescent have released the deluxe edition of their debut album, Fight In Me, available digitally via Frontiers Music Srl. Their new single and accompanying video ‘Under Attack’, are also out now. Jennifer Benson comments on the release and on the new video: “We are stoked to present you our digital DLX edition of our album Fight In Me. The new music video to ‘Under Attack’ was directed by J.T. Ibanez. The song is about the attacks, lies, and betrayals I’ve endured. But, in the end, we will come out fighting and stronger for it.”

Boundaries will be crossed, genres will be pushed, crushed, and turned inside out in this latest single, a potent blend of synth, drums, guitar, and bass that hits both the stable and chaotic energies inside of us. There is no escaping this latest single ‘Sandman’ from cyber pop / metal Queen Izzy Reign. Taking inspiration from the movie Get Out the third single, from her next album ‘Sandman’ is equal parts brutal and equal parts ethereal with an official music video that is so whimsically macabre you’d have to see to believe. Energetic and fierce, the song showcases Izzy Reign’s ability to jump from a calm and serene vocal performance to screaming vocals that only add fuel to the fire that is ‘Sandman.’ The electrifying soundscape manages to capture the essence of metalcore, pop rock, and alternative while smashing through each genre and bending them to her will.

Swiss/German modern metal frontrunners, Ad Infinitum, redefine their sound as they look to the future with their upcoming album, Abyss, out October 11 via Napalm Records. Since breaking into the scene in 2020, Ad Infinitum have experienced a remarkable rise, evolving their musical style with each release. While their earlier offerings showcased a symphonic metal approach, Abyss reveals a whole new side of Ad Infinitum, marking their most dynamic, modern and progressive record to date. Now, the band offers a first taste of what’s to come by unleashing the mesmerising and catchy opening track, ‘My Halo’, featuring powerful breakdowns and setting the tone for the album. This first single arrives with a captivating official music video. The band comment on the new single: “Our brand-new single, ‘My Halo’, is out, and with it, the announcement of not only our upcoming album, Abyss, but also our next album trilogy. This is our most elaborate, intimate and unapologetic work yet with the Ad Infinitum signature sound, playing with new sounds and swimming in darker waters.” [via Metal Planet]

April Art’s third album Rodeo will be released on October 4 via ReaperEntertainment, unapologetically changes into the fast lane, speeding away from everyone else with huge hits, a brutal bite and peerless power. Trigger warning: a German band hasn’t sounded this explosive, this hungry, this insatiable for a very long time. Now, the band presents the album’s title track as a digital single together with the official music video. The video was filmed in Offenbach/Germany in summer 2024 and produced by drummer Ben. The band comments: “The song compares life to a wild rodeo ride on an untamed horse. Because that’s exactly what life is like. The biggest challenge is to stay in the saddle. And when we fall off, it’s time to get back on the horse: Get back on the horse! Because giving up is not an option!” [via Metal Heads Forever]

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Inspired by the scenes from the movie Get Out, Izzy Reign‘s latest release ‘The Sunken Place’ is the first single from her next album due out early 2025. Energetic and fierce, ‘The Sunken Place’ is a deep dive into personal introspection. In her own words Izzy Reign explains, “Creating this song, for me, it was a way to reflect on a personal quality of mine that I’ve always disliked about myself. The Ability to manipulate situations or opinions of other people. Although knowing this ability personally stems from learned survival mode. It is written from the perspective of those who use this ability for their own advantage. The inspiration heavily derived from the film Get Out.”

The second single from Attractive Chaos‘ upcoming new EP Tame & Conquer – ‘To The Moon’ – is out now and you can watch the accompanying video below. Speaking about ‘To The Moon’ the band commented, “‘To the Moon’ is a very direct and catchy song. The lyrics are an invitation to travel and to dream. The song also invites us to never stop searching for who we are and to never abandon our quest for happiness.” [via Metal Heads Forever]

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