Swedish Heavy Metal Unit BAND OF SPICE to release new album "Fathers in the Sky" on Ripple Music this winter; first single streaming now!

Swedish heavy metallers BAND OF SPICE have signed to Ripple Music for the release of their new album "Fathers in the Sky" on January 22nd, and deliver the first single "Weak And Dangerous" today.

Stream new Band Of Spice single Weak And Dangerous + watch the official video at this location

Band of Spice is back with a new album that promises to take listeners on a journey through the cosmos and straight into the dark alleys of the human psyche. Blending the ferocity of classic heavy metal with the raw, unpolished energy of alternative grit, their new album Fathers in the Sky is a thunderous clash of sound. Lyrically, the album explores a fascinating duality, weaving together themes of extraterrestrial existence and the gritty reality of everyday life. "We explore the strange behavior of humanity," the band explains.

The opening and closing tracks serve as bookends to this theme, dealing with the possibility that we are not alone in the universe, and perhaps never have been. Between these cosmic pillars, Fathers in the Sky dives deep into the strange, often contradictory behavior of humanity, touching on subjects ranging from war and hate to hopes and dreams. Prepare for a sonic collision of interstellar proportions!

New album "Fathers in the Sky" - Out January 22nd on Ripple Music (LP/CD/digital)

Guitarist and singer Christian “Spice” Sjöstrand has been writing songs and recording music since the 1980s. He first played locally with the band Aeon in his hometown of Värnamo, Sweden, and from 1993 to 2001 he was a member of the Halmstad-based Spiritual Beggars together with Michael Amott (Arch Enemy, Carcass). The successful album Ad Astra led to international tours and major festival appearances alongside bands such as Slayer, Pantera, and Queens of the Stone Age. When Iron Maiden made their triumphant comeback in 2000, Spiritual Beggars, together with Entombed, were invited to join them as support on the subsequent European tour. Since then, Spice has also released albums and toured with The Mushroom River Band, Kayser, and My Regime.

In 2006, Spice formed the solo group Spice and the RJ Band, later renamed Band of Spice, which has since become his longest-running project. The music spans a wide spectrum of rock, both heavier and softer, and no two albums sound alike. Attentive ears may pick up influences from artists as diverse as Black Sabbath, Thin Lizzy, John Frusciante, Dire Straits, and Monster Magnet. Now back in Värnamo, where it all once began, Spice has recruited an experienced lineup of musicians to back him up for the release of their upcoming new album, to be issued this winter on Ripple Music.

BAND OF SPICE is

Ronnie Nielsen – guitars
Robert Petersson – drums
Alexander Sekulovski – bass

BAND OF SPICE links

Facebook | Instagram | Youtube

RIPPLE MUSIC links

Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the details.

Serial Hawk - White Sands (Album Review)

Release Date: November 06th 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

White Sands - Tracklist 

1.Mirage

2.Pretending

3.White Sands

4.Abandoned Memory

5.Floating In

Members

Will Bassin, Adam Holbrook and Karter Rosner

Review

White Sands is the fourth full length album from Doom/Sludge Metallers Serial Hawk which is a calmer experience compared to their 2025 album Psychic Pain. This does have massive amounts of Sludge/Post-Metal energy and aggression but it’s told through a sense of Shoegaze, Post-Doom and Post-Rock qualities. Serial Hawk are perhaps channeling the likes of YOB and ISIS even within the uplifting cycles that the band bring to the table.

Opening song Mirage offers over ten minutes of Ambient Post-Metal with Serial Hawk creating meditative movements that can be heard and experienced for every part of the song. With moody lyrics and refreshing vocals that has a certain Doomgaze / Shoegaze posture from start to finish. The echoes of Post-Rock always flirt with Psychedelic heaviness but Serial Hawk adds levels of Prog Rock/Metal prosperity before it slowly fades out into the darkness.

Second song Pretending is another epic song with Serial Hawk exploring that new found meditative momentum with eerie vocals lurking in the background. The slow-to-mid paced Post-Rock melodies always hint that something darker and heavier is on it’s way which Serial Hawk fully commit themselves to within the middle section of the track. The first section allows those subtle Ambient and Cinematic themes to allow sudden Atmospheric Sludge sounds to try for complete domination. 

The vocals fade in and out of existence with that thrilling “LESS IS MORE” way of musical delivery being deliberately slow-paced. The song is one of those great examples where it’s destructively heavy whilst also being quite restrained at the same time. You begin to notice how Serial Hawk adds small instances of what made their last album Psychic Pain such a standout but White sands always allows the uplifting Post-Doom and Post-Metal surroundings to fully remain in complete creative control.

Third track White Sands has an optimistic Post-Stoner Rock delivery which reminds me of ELDER and KING BUFFALO at first with the Post-Rock explorations being quite euphoric once more. Though, the music still has that unexpected level of Post-Metal urgency emitting from the speakers. This song allows Serial Hawk to develop and play sounds they perhaps became known for when they first started out. The Drone / Sludge Rock elements offer a thrilling backdrop of distorted environments which are quite grounded and superbly riff orientated. 

The final two tracks Abandoned Memory and Floating In allows Serial Hawk to perfectly move around the Post-Rock and Post-Metal landscapes with distinctive flavours of Ambient Metal, Sludge Rock and Post-Doom being created, broken down and rebuilt from the ground up with superbly played vocals reminding me of Trent Reznor and Aaron Turner along the way. There are chilling instrumental passages which remind beautifully authentic to the absolute core of what Serial Hawk achieved with White Sands. 

Serial Hawk feel at the height of their creative abilities with White Sands and perhaps with their last album Psychic Pain. I’m hoping they continue to explore this type of music for some time to come. However, I also adore their heavier and violent energy they created on Psychic Pain but it’s always good to know that Serial Pain always have options to tease, entice and reward their fanbase with. 

White Sands is an emotionally charged and beautifully heartfelt record that deserves your undivided attention. 

Words by Steve Howe

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Sea Of Flame - Fumes (EP Review)

Release Date: October 16th 2026. Record Label: Golden Robot Records. Format: DD/Vinyl

Fumes - Tracklist 

1.And I 03:00

2.Varnish 05:04

3.Giants 04:30

4.Banshee 03:53

5.Broken and Burnt 04:14

Members

Drums - James Cook

Bass - Ben Gregory

Guitars and Vocals - Miles Skoog

Guitars - Jason "Heavy" Easker

Review

Fumes is the latest record from Stoner Rockers Sea Of Flame that injects a hard rock approach into their music with some spiky Punk Rock vibes that almost venture out into Southern Rock melodies. The EP has an unforgiving quality with Sea Of Flame demonstrating an almost HEAVY METALLIC sound which does have a certain Alt Metal delivery which gives everything a cool sounding mid-2000’s swagger especially within the opening tracks of And I and Varnish.

The vocals are quite spiky and highly melodic when the EP naturally progresses through each stunning track. Sea Of Flame feels inspired by the likes of CLUTCH and EVERY TIME I DIE in places but this is very much the band doing their own thing with a more melodic style with an outlandish style of Stoner Rock/Metal appearing throughout.

Songs such as Varnish, Giants and Banshee is where the band truly excels at with aggressive rhythms and sublime melodies leading the way. There’s some stunning Psychedelic sounds that merge with an intense Sludge Rock swagger with the music being quite abrasive and melodic in equal measure.

There’s some cool sounding Post-Doom touches that begins to appear in small doses of the record that gives Fumes a slightly atmospheric sound but Sea Of Flame continuously switch to that heavier Southern Rock/Stoner Metal delivery that lasts through the dying seconds of Broken and Burnt.

Fumes is an excellent record that lasts a little over twenty minutes which is packed full of intense grooves and riffs to impress even the most jaded Heavy Rock fans. 

Check this out when you can. This is an absolute thrilling slice of modern day Stoner Rock with streetwise attitude to match.

Words by Steve Howe

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Shevils - The Force Of Water (SIngle Review)

Release Date: November 06th 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Format: DD

The Force Of Water - Tracklist 

1.Mirage

2.Pretending

3.White Sands

4.Abandoned Memory

5.Floating In

Members

Anders Voldrønning: Vocals

Anders Emil Rønning: Drums, Percussion & Euphonium

Andreas A. Myrvold: Guitar & Vocals

Johan M. Staxrud: Bass & Guitar

Markus Lindstøl Aase: Guitar & Vocals

Review

Hardcore/Sludge/Stoner Rockers Shevils release the first single The Force Of Water from their upcoming new album “Sect Resurrection”, coming February 19th 2027. The song starts off rather quietly and low-key before exploding into a loud wall of noise that’s held together by Doom, Sludge, Punk and Stoner Metal. There’s a haunting Psychedelic and Post-Doom quality that lurks within the song especially when the quieter and reflective moments appear.

Shevils tread the same creative ground as the mighty KVELERTAK but they have their own Hardcore Punk identity to stand on their own creative merits. The song does become focused on a Blackened Sludge Metal groove whilst keeping with it’s intense Hardcore Punk identity that allows the vocals from Anders Voldrønning to put in a commanding performance.

The rest of Shevils make sure that Anders Voldrønning has plenty of menacing and aggressive grooves, sounds and melodies to work with. The lyrics are quite abrasive and very much in your face which matches the fucked up delivery of the the vocals and music that’s played at a very fast pace for the majority of the track.

The Force Of Water is perhaps the standout track that Shevils have released so far from their upcoming album and it’s made me quite excited to hear the rest of the album when it arrives early next year.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Cervus - Axis (Album Review)

Release Date: November 13th 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Axis - Tracklist 

1.Black Masquerade 04:50

2.Burning Legacy

3.Giantess

4.Fading From View 05:10

5.Roamer

6.Harbinger of Rain

7.Faces of Evil

8.Beneath the Waves

9.Remember My Name

10.Golden Arms

Members

Jan Woudenberg - Lead / Rhythm Guitar

Tom Mourik - Bass Guitar

Dennis de Bruin - Lead / Rhythm Guitar

Rogier Henkelman - Drums

Tom van der Linden: Main vocals

Thomas Robinson - Keys / synths

Review

Axis is the debut album from Stoner Rockers Cervus who have steadily been building up their own great sound over the last five years through a couple of well received EP’s. Cervus are fully committed to the Stoner Rock cause here by blending elements of Psych, Desert Rock and Grunge into their core sound. Though, there’s a heavier and aggressive Doom Rock vibe that gives Cervus that modern day flavour.

The album is boosted by a great style of Hard Rock delivery that’s inspired by the likes of Soundgarden, KYUSS, Monster Magnet, QOTSA and Lowrider. The lyrics are quite gritty and never feel overstated with the band employing a great vocal delivery into the mix courtesy of Tom van der Linden who provides lead vocals and backing vocals throughout.

There’s some cool Post-Rock touches being added within the quieter moments as Cervus add some haunting Post-Doom and Post-Stoner sensibility into their music that may owe some debt of gratitude to the likes of King Buffalo and Elephant Tree along the way. Cervus play their way through some intense fast-paced melodies and subtle Grunge soundscapes within the opening tracks of Black Masquerade, Burning Legacy and Giantess. These songs allow Cervus to build a commanding rhythm of huge sounding Stoner Rock/Metal grooves that always move into different heavy musical pastures.

The excellent Keys / Synths that are delivered by Thomas Robinson add a seductive Seventies Rock attitude into the mix whilst keeping the classic Doom/Stoner Rock momentum fully intact. Cervus seem fully committed going through a musical transformation for the majority of the tracks as they play a wide range of different styles which gives Axis a vibrant, grounded and highly adventurous sound that’s quite different to their previous releases.

By the fourth track Pulling From View appears then Cervus are masters of their own creative domain where they’re in complete control playing an emotionally charged style of Post-Doom, Post-Rock and Stoner Rock sounds that sometimes tug at the heartstrings. Some elements start to become quite cinematic and dare I say quite orchestral in places which isn’t surprising with the array of different instruments that appear on this record. It’s one of the best things about Cervus as they keep trying different soundscapes and musical performances for each track that keeps the listener fully engaged throughout.

Other great tracks on the album are Roamer, Harbinger Of Rain, Beneath The Waves, Remember My Name and Golden Arms. Some sections of the album do see a reckless HEAVY METAL attitude forming that feels like it's being performed by two completely different bands before CERVUS return to their original musical ways.

Cervus perhaps fully finds their real strength within the heavier sounds on the album which does bring a more dynamic musical performance and presence from everyone involved here. However, the quieter and most reflective moments are the most engaging which offers a stark contrast to heavy Doomed Out passages that Axis contains from start to finish. This proves that Cervus are in full complete control of what’s being played around them with masterful storytelling being one of the standout themes of the whole record.

Axis is an epic album in every sense of the word with Cervus delivering a record that’s fastly becoming one of my favourite records of the year which still surprises me with a different experience every time I listen to it.

Awesome. End Of.

Words by Steve Howe

Axis is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl.

Links

Official | Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Blackened Gothic/Doom Metallers SIDEWALK MAFIA Release New Song TO GO And Sign To OCTOPUS RISING (Argonauta Records)

Finnish blackened gothic/doom metal trio SIDEWALK MAFIA announce their signing to Octopus Rising / Argonauta Records, alongside the release of their new single “To Go”, the first of two tracks set to arrive through the label.

Formed in Helsinki in 2021, SIDEWALK MAFIA combines crushing low-tuned guitars, haunting melodies and oppressive atmospheres. Trio have toured extensively across Finland, the UK and the Baltic states, building a reputation for immersive and powerful live performances.

With “To Go”, the band embrace a renewed creative direction, introducing a fresh production approach while retaining the dark, melancholic character at the heart of their sound.

“‘To Go’ has a fresh kind of melody, which is combined with a melancholic atmosphere and a story that isn't exactly uplifting,” the band explains. “It creates a world where you might have deceptively good or even great vibes, even though an unknown cold void awaits just around the corner. The tempo of the song is the driving force and tries to keep us out of calamity, but it's not safe in the dark.”

Rather than following up Soulcrushers with another full-length album, SIDEWALK MAFIA have opted to release individual tracks, allowing their evolving sound to unfold one song at a time.

“The upcoming singles represent exactly what we want to sound like right now. Feels like a new chapter is beginning for us as a band. We can't wait for the upcoming releases, and to play the new songs live.”

With “To Go”, SIDEWALK MAFIA set the tone for this new chapter, balancing melodic drive with an unsettling darkness that lingers long after the song ends.

“To Go” is out now via Octopus Rising / Argonauta Records.

ALL THE STREAMING SERVICES HERE: https://vm.group/to-go-wyz-5

SIDEWALK MAFIA are:

Tommy Angelov – Vocals, Guitars
Johannes Wolfpathon – Drums, Vocals
Tom O’Valley – Bass

Links

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/sidewalkmafia/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100068191455571
Bandcamp: https://sidewalkmafia.bandcamp.com/

Mountain Of Misery - IV: The Monolith (Album Review)

Release Date: November 06th 2026. Record Label: Electric Witch Mountain Recordings. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

IV: The Monolith - Tracklist 

1.Of Winter Dawn

2.The Other Space 

3.Down the Hill 

4.Traveler of a Fading Land

5.Horizon

6.Out of the Void

Members

Kamil Ziółkowski - Everything

Review

Mountain Of Misery return with their fourth full length album IV: The Monolith and it’s their most dynamic record yet that once again sets this as one of the premier “solo” acts currently working the scene today. If you’ve been living under a rock for the past few years then Mountain Of Misery is the band or creative project that is helmed by Kamil Ziółkowski from the mighty SPACESLUG.

There are many similarities between Mountain Of Misery and Spaceslug with this project happy to focus on a deeply engaging style of Heavy Psych, Shoegaze and Post-Rock dynamics. This time round Kamil is sometimes more focused by Post-Metal and Prog Metal sounds whilst keeping to that epic style of Post-Doom and Post-Stoner energy that ELDER and KING BUFFALO are known for. The vocal arrangements are striking once more with a grounded performance from Kamil that feels more mature compared to the previous Mountain Of Misery albums.

With a fractured Cosmic Doom environment that develops through the opening tracks Of Winter Dawn and The Other Space, this record is more direct and aggressively focused than ever before. The music has a  similar tone to Spaceslug but Kamil keeps that haunting Shoegaze and Post-Doom superbly melodic with flashes of Sludge Rock bursting at the seams that almost break out to take complete control.

The lyrics and vocal arrangements are emotionally engaging without ever feeling out of place as IV: The Monolith becomes ever more aggressive and psychedelic sludge movements dictate how the rest of the album plays out. Kamil always manages to find new ways to add different soundscapes, trippy sound effects and gloomy Space Rock beats on tracks such as The Other Space, Down The Hill and Traveler Of A Fading Land

Some aspects of the album are quite urgent with a fast-paced delivery that I haven’t heard from Kamil under this project but it suits Mountain Of Misery down to the ground. This is a complete change of pace to Kamil’s other music project SEALESS that he released a stunning debut album earlier this year. Though, Mountain Of Misery remains my favourite individual project of his. As it captures all the sounds perfectly that I love to hear and explore from the Psych, Doom, Sludge and Stoner Metal underground scene.

IV: The Monolith has an epic “dreamlike” atmosphere which does allow Kamil to explore some destructive Atmospheric Sludge Metal surroundings within the later stages on the record that’s mostly explored on Traveler Of A Fading Land and Horizon. There’s a lot of cool world-building and “cinematic” levels of music being created throughout with Kamil experimentation with different vocal tones, musical shifts and ambient passages which will leave you in a complete hypnotic trance.

The production side of the album is absolutely masterful with this putting some more well known musical artists to shame. The record sounds amazing with deep levels of pure heaviness dominating the speakers. There’s an unforgiving area of distortion that appears only when it’s needed that deserves to be heard by the loudest speakers possible. 

Mountain Of Misery has exceeded all musical expectations once more for a record that makes them my favourite “solo instrumental” project currently within the underground scene. This is an essential album you need to own right now. 

Words by Steve Howe

IV: The Monolith available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Electric Witch Mountain Recordings.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp