Release Date: January 25th 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD
Planets Collide - Tracklisting
Planets Collide
Review
Doom/Punk/Stoner Metallers Midnight Whiskey Massacre return with their new song Planets Collide that’s from their forthcoming new album and sees the band tone down the outrageous element of their last music in places which focuses on a more snarling Punk Rock attitude. There are still traces of Heavy Metal, Doom, Sludge and Stoner Metal surroundings heard on their previous record. It seems the band are aiming for COSMOS with the title of Planets Collide.
It’s quite surprising with Midnight Whiskey Massacre aiming for a Space Rock environment and adapting their Punk Rock persona for an outlandish premise. The song is perhaps too slow and when it gets going the song suddenly stops with echoes of crying wolves and heavy thunder creeping in.
Overall, it’s a great track with the band adopting a “LESS IS MOR£” creative attitude with that abrupt PUNK energy allowing Midnight Whiskey Massacre to keep with that sense of “OUTLAW” rebellion that made their last album a really great record that sadly didn’t reach much of audience. However, if a band ever deserves “CULT APPEAL” then Midnight Whiskey Massacre is that band.
This makes me excited to hear the rest of the album. Sure, it’s going to be all over the place but at least the nihilistic lyrics contained on this track alone means it’s going to be refreshingly different to listen to.
Release Date: January 23rd 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD
Crimson Rain - Tracklisting
Crimson Rain
Members
Jakob Særvoll – Keyboard and vocals
Vegard Bachmann Strand – Guitar and vocals
Samuel Robson Gardner – Bass
Sivert Kleiven Larsen - Drums and vocals
Review
Doom/Stoner Rockers GJENFERD latest single Crimson Rain is the single from their forthcoming album Black Smoke Rising where the band apply a classic Seventies style of Hard Rock, Proto-Metal and Prog Rock. Inspired by the likes of Blue Oyster Cult, Deep Purple and dare I say GHOST at times. There’s a great sense of Blues Rock and Occult Rock vibes with those sublime Organs setting the scene that steals the show by adding a creepy feeling along the way.
You can hear an essence of Black Sabbath along the way but also moments of Eighties Hard Rock and Nineties Stoner Rock attitude. The vocals are provided by multiple members of the band who are all trying for complete vocal control and it works especially within the more melodic Blues Rock dominated movements of the song.
If you’re looking for a cool slice of superbly played Doom/Stoner Rock that has a quality “VINTAGE” flow with a modern day free-flowing instrumental attitude then Crimson Rain is the track for you. This also wonderfully shows how the rest of the upcoming new album plays out with a few surprises along the way.
Lineup – Gary ‘Smith’ Zeus (Drums), Eric Aittala (Guitar/Vox), Dane Taylor (Bass)
AITTALA has released the official music video for “Ashes,” the latest single from their second EP of 2025, "Ill‑Gotten Gains," which arrived this past November through Exitus Stratagem Records. The animated video brings to life one of the EP’s most traditional heavy‑metal‑driven tracks, a song centered on the story of someone who spirals far beyond their limits and drags others down with them. Musically, “Ashes” captures the band’s signature fusion of classic metal grit and modern heaviness, showcasing the dynamic songwriting and emotional weight that define AITTALA’s evolving sound.
"Ill‑Gotten Gains" continues AITTALA’s long‑standing tradition of blurring genre boundaries, weaving together elements of traditional metal, doom, groove, progressive influences, and hard rock to create a cohesive and immersive listening experience. Lyrically, the EP explores the darker corners of human behavior, focusing on the creation of chaos for personal benefit, the inevitable consequences that follow, and the difficult search for redemption. The EP’s artwork features an updated interpretation of the band’s mascot, Frank, a cartoon pig head in a pentagram originally created in 2014 for the song “Pigs” from the album Effigy. In the world of AITTALA, Frank represents the shady figure who can acquire any “ill‑gotten gains” for the right price, making him the perfect symbol for the EP’s themes. Across the EP, AITTALA delivers a series of songs that reflect both musical evolution and lyrical depth. “Isolation” opens with a doomy, heavy atmosphere that shifts between crushing riffs and clean passages while confronting the consequences of past decisions. The title track, “Ill‑Gotten Gains,” drives forward with a powerful eight‑string riff before descending into a darker, doom‑laden interlude, lyrically exploring the exploitation of chaos for personal advantage. “Blacklisted” counters the themes of the earlier tracks by calling out manipulative personalities with a sludge‑infused groove, while “Ever After” offers a modern metal ballad steeped in internal conflict and the longing for redemption that may never come. The EP culminates with “Ashes,” a traditional heavy‑metal burner that now takes visual form in the band’s newest music video, capturing the emotional descent at the heart of the song. AITTALA, pronounced EYE‑tah‑la, has long been recognized for a sound that refuses to fit neatly into any single metal subgenre. Their music blends classic heavy metal, doom, progressive elements, power metal, thrash, and hard rock, all tied together by lyrics inspired by the darker side of the human condition. This unique combination has earned the band a reputation for crafting a sound that is distinctly their own, a rare achievement in today’s crowded metal landscape. The band’s origins trace back to 1991 in the Netherlands, where founder Eric Aittala first formed the group with American and Dutch bandmates. Their early EP, "Selling Heaven," gained traction in the European underground scene and led to opening slots for acts such as The Gathering and Sadist before Eric’s return to the United States brought the project to a temporary close. AITTALA was revived in 2008, leading to a prolific run of releases that includes "Bed of Thorns" (2009), "Haunt Your Flesh" (2011), "Effigy" (2014), "American Nightmare" (2016), "False Pretenses" (2019), "Live to Regret" (2022), and "Machines" (EP, 2025). Each release reflects the band’s continued growth while preserving the unmistakable core of the AITTALA sound.
Today, AITTALA is anchored by founder Eric Aittala on guitars and vocals alongside drummer Gary “Zeus” Smith, known for his work with The Fifth and formerly with Mr. Blackwell. The pair continues to write, record, and tour with the goal of delivering AITTALA’s unmistakable brand of metal to audiences everywhere. The band has also expanded its live lineup with the addition of bassist Dane Taylor, whose arrival brings a renewed surge of energy and chemistry to the stage. His presence strengthens the group’s momentum as they push their sound forward while remaining true to the identity that has defined AITTALA from the beginning.
Release Date: January 30th 2026. Record Label: Majestic Mountain Records. Formats: CD/DD
Universal Heat Death - Tracklisting
1. Universal Heat Death 2. The Raven 3. Bloodsands Pt I 4. The Slow Descent into Hell 5. Debt Ridden Blues 6. Bloodsands Pt II 7. So Low
Members
Tom Pilsworth – Guitar, Vocals
Lewis Batten – Guitar
Andrew Haines-Villalta – Bass
Rich Walker – Drums
Review
Doom/Stoner Metallers Indica Blues return after a five year absence with their new album Universal Heat Death and they’ve gone under a major transformation with their music. As they play a darker, heavier and progressive style of music compared to their previous records. There’s a more moodier atmosphere which draws a stunning SLEEP and HOWLING GIANT energy to their music. Last time round they were more closely associated with the likes of FU MANCHU and KYUSS which is still intact here but Indica Blues are quite adept at drawing up sonic passages fuelled by Sludge, Grunge and Post-Doom aggression which you can feel very early on within the opening tracks of Universal Heat Death and The Raven.
The music has a certain DOOM & GLOOM energy with a bleak stripped down atmosphere being played against Tom Pilsworth vocals. The band are joined by a new guitarist Lewis Batten for this release and he brings a different style of music on this record with a sullen and moody performance which adds to the nightmarish Blues Rock sound that cautiously develops on tracks such as Bloodsands Pt 1 and The Slow Descents Into Hell. With a gloomy message being contained within the whole album it’s good to hear Indica Blues developing a thrilling and distorted style of Heavy Psych and Post-Stoner energy which gives another level of heaviness to the record.
It can be wickedly dark and quite deceiving with the deft touches of Cinematic Rock appearing which transforms into a classic aura of Desert Rock, Fuzz and Stoner Metal with the excellent rhythm section of Rich Walker (Drums) and Andrew Haines-Villalta (Bass) once again combining forces for a wholly destructive mission.
The shift to Post-Metal dynamics was another great surprise with Indica Blues that reminded me of heavier artists in places but one that doesn't sacrifice their STONED OUT identity. However, when you have a record touching upon themes of war and revenge which perfectly matches the FUCKED UP feeling currently going on in the world then you can expect moments of darkness from time-to-time.
The final two tracks of Bloodsands Pt II and So Low is where the most hard-hitting, heaviest and socially aware messages appear with Indica Blues leaning heavily into the Post-Whatever environment the record beautifully contains with extended landscapes and trippy soundscapes you can’t but help lose yourself in.
Indica Blues have transformed into real storytellers with Universal Heat Death with the album offering a record with a cautionary musical vision whilst delivering some epic Doomed Out Stoner Metal grooves of the highest order. This is a sublime and superbly produced album throughout that’s topped off by a first rate musical performance from everyone involved.
WITCH RIPPER are back and so is the dark story these US metal innovators present to all those ready to listen. Their new music video 'The Portal' offers a glimpse of a sinister cult and serves as the first advance single from their forthcoming third album "Through the Hourglass", which will be revealed on April 10, 2026.
WITCH RIPPER comment on 'The Portal': "We really wanted to set the tone of Through the Hourglass with a bang", vocalist and guitarist Curtis Parker writes. "A pummeling drum intro, knuckle-dragger riffs and highlighting more evil melodies on the guitar. 'The Portal' kicks off an album with darker themes of loss, confusion, and dread while maintaining our love of big hooks and catchy riffs. Our story's main character asks: 'What have I woken up to?' – and we're all about to find out!"
Tracklist
1. Odyssey in Retrograde 2. The Portal 3. Symmetry of the Hourglass 4. Echoes and Dust 5. The Clock Queen 6. Proxima Centuari 7. The Spiral Eye
On their third full-length, "Through the Hourglass", WITCH RIPPER unleash the full potential of their stunning ability to deliver captivating melodies, catchy riffs, and merciless hooks in sheer droves.
The US metal band perfectly combines melodic heaviness with pinches of progressive, sludge, and other styles with seeming ease. WITCH RIPPER can be generally located within the wider sonic realm that is inhabited by MASTODON, BARONESS, and HIGH ON FIRE, yet they also continue to channel the rock bombast of QUEEN and DAVID BOWIE as well as the modern prog of COHEED AND CAMBRIA and MUSE.
While WITCH RIPPER's songwriting has climbed to a new peak, they continue with their loving pastiche of the legendary pulp science fiction stories of old. "Through the Hourglass" extends the story that began on their sophomore full-length, "The Flight after the Fall" (2023), in which the central character's search for peace in death by flying into a black hole proved futile. As "Through the Hourglass" begins, he awakens to a world without time and a familiar dark presence from his past...
Conceived in 2012 in the city of grey skies, lush vegetation and loud rock, Seattle, Washington's WITCH RIPPER garnered critical acclaim and a strong buzz in the underground scene with their sludgy self-titled EP (2012) and debut full-length "Homestead" (2018). The second album, "The Flight after the Fall", made the band's name on a global scale, as the band dramatically expanded the range of their sound in ways both catchy and progressive.
On stage, WITCH RIPPER have performed alongside heavy rock outfits such as MONOLORD, CONAN, and CASTLE RAT as well as modern metal acts including SLIPKNOT, GOJIRA, and KHEMMIS among many others.
WITCH RIPPER are already at work planning for tour across the United States once more and hope for a first voyage to Europe in support of releasing "Through the Hourglass". Metal is anything but dead, and this album is living proof of its vibrant present.
P.S.: Music aficionados will find a revelation hiding in the key of each song.
Line-up
Chad Fox – guitar, vocals Brian Kim – bass, vocals Curtis Parker – guitar, vocals Joe Eck – drums
Guest musician
Irene Barber – vocals on 'The Spiral Eye'
Recording by Matt Bayles at Studio Litho & EXES Audio, Seattle, WA (US) Mix by Matt Bayles at Studio Litho, Seattle, WA (US) Mastering by Brad Boatright at Audio Siege Studios, Portland, OR (US)
Cover art by Chris Panatier Layout by Łukasz Jaszak
Release Date: February 01st 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD
Mazzolu- Tracklisting
Grasp The Light
Monstrous God
Wrath
Members
Maurice de jong - Bass/Vocals
Raoul Dumas - Guitar
Nico Beemster - Drums
Review
Mazzolu is the debut EP from Doom Metallers Accabadora and is the new project featuring Maurice de jong from the mighty GNAW THEIR TONGUES. The band is named after the following: “Accabadora is a Dutch doom band formed in 2024, drawing its name from Sardinian mythology as a metaphor for suffering, release and death.”
Inspired by the likes of CONAN, Primitive Man and Amenra, the band take a no hold barred and uncompromising style of Doom Metal which takes a very sludgy and nihilistic turn very much like GNAW THEIR TONGUES. There’s also a brutal sense of melody appearing throughout the whole EP with the opening track Grasp The Light allowing Accabadora to demonstrate a wealth of bleak distortion amongst the pounding grooves that go straight for the jugular.
The sense of death and misery is never too far behind with the harsh growls and pummelling beats that move brutally onwards into the other tracks of Monstrous God and Wrath. The music is a mixture of fast-paced violent thuggish riffs and slow-to-mid paced CAVEMAN DOOM-esque surroundings which amps the VOLUME to a very violent level indeed.
The lyrics superbly match the bleak musical aesthetic with bone-crunching guitars from Raoul Dumas and Nico Beemster’s evil pounding drums opening up the GATES TO HELL themselves. This EP isn’t for the faint hearted and Accabadora thrive on that aspect which allows their debut EP to matter where it counts and unleash HELL ON EARTH.
Release Date: February 06th 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD
Envy- Tracklisting
Envy
Members
Lily Slix - Vocals
Darrin Bell - Guitar
Tommy Bell - Drums
Gareth “Gort” Odendaal - Bass
Review
Envy is the debut single from Blues Rock/Hard Rockers Suede Aces who are inspired by the likes of Led Zepp, Janis Joplin and Aretha Franklin. I suppose you could add Blues Pills to that mix with their own great and honest style of Blues Rock fully coming through on Envy. There’s an essence of Aerosmith with the groovy melodies played by the band. There’s a lot of SOUL within Suede Aces music and has an edgy “RETRO ROCK” sound.
However, there’s an earnest and gritty attitude contained with Lily Slix’s vocals appearing throughout with some great lyrics to match. This is a powerhouse performance from everyone involved and if you’re a fan of good old fashioned Seventies Hard Rock then Suede Aces deliver the goods.
The band have already earned a great reputation within their local scene which their EP advises - “opening for Steven Adler of Guns N’ Roses and Slaughter at the iconic Starland Ballroom, shared the stage with Rachel Bolan of Skid Row at The Stone Pony - a standout moment that added fuel to the band's momentum”.
Not bad for a band who haven’t released their debut album with "Suede Aces - Vol. 1" being set for release in March 2026. If the rest of the album sounds as great as Envy then Suede Aces could be at the start of a very exciting and highly rewarding career indeed. The production values are great with the band putting in a super tight performance.
