Heavy Metal

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Avrak - Avrak (2026)

    Avrak - Avrak (2026)
    Avrak - Avrak (2026)

    Unleashing catchiness and epic Heavy/Doom Metal vibes, today we have Norway’s Avrak and their self-titled debut release. Featuring none other than Ted Skjellum (Darkthrone) and Anders Hegna (Nød, El Kayenne, Svidd Grevling), this outfit presents a very lively take on the genre(s), creating a very polished and enjoyable release. While there are no overtly evident Black Metal elements here as some would expect, there are still some to be found, making listening to this album a bit of a scavenger hunt.

    Opening with the sinister riffs of “Forever Mountain”, we get a very lively Rock/Metal introduction to the band’s polished and yet direct sound. The riffs are crisp and Anders Hegna’s raspy vocals are fitting, having a certain Chrome Division/Athera style. The music itself is catchy and engaging, with tight drumming courtesy of Terje Kråbøl (Gjendød, Sarke, Faustcoven), and throbbing bass guitar line from Steinar Gundersen (Khold, Sarke, Satyricon).

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Ram - Against (2026)

    Ram - Against (2026)
    Ram - Against (2026))

    Catching the new wave of traditional heavy metal, Sweden’s Ram has constantly been delivering high octane releases filled with nostalgia alongside a clean and modern sound. In their first release in seven years, the band returns with eleven superbly crafted and engaging songs filled with razor sharp guitars, soaring vocals and all kinds of attitude. For over 42-minutes, “Against” showcases a very talented band belting out epic songs that are both catchy and powerful.

    After setting the mood with the opening instrumental, the band goes balls-to-the-wall with the epic “Ghost Emperor” and its intoxicating nature. Perfectly balancing potent guitars with crafty drumming and Oscar Carlquist signature vocals, this song brings back some memories. The band’s fast pace unleashes hell on pieces like “One Vs All”, “Abattoir”, and the superbly catchy “Out of Control”. Filled with an old-school attitude, the band’s sound is timeliness and very effective as they crush the delivery and incite frantic headbanging.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Darkthrone - Pre-Historic Metal (2026)

    Darkthrone - Pre-Historic Metal (2026)
    Darkthrone - Pre-Historic Metal (2026)

    As one of the most anticipated releases of 2026, today we have Darkthrone and their latest effort “Pre-Historic Metal”. Continuing their path in unleashing crafty and uncomplicated releases, this album delivers eight tracks of the band’s crunchy Black/Doom/Heavy Metal of late. In the same vein of their last couple of albums, the band’s sound is compact and pays homage to old-school Black/Death/Heavy/Doom Metal with a wide variety of engaging riffs and tempo changes.

    Opening with the crunchy riffs of “They Found One of My Graves”, Fenriz and Nocturno Culto showcase that they will continue to de-construct the BM genre and infuse additional elements to keep unleashing crafty and enjoyable songs. The is something quite primal and raw of songs like the album title track, “Siberian Thaw”, and “Deeply Rooted” that have that Norwegian BM vibe, but with some Mercyful Fate/Celtic Frost-esque influences.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Gus G - Steel Burner (2026)

    Gus G - Steel Burner (2026)
    Gus G - Steel Burner (2026)

    After a busy few years of touring with Firewind, multi instrumentalist and shredder-extraordinaire Gus G returns with his fifth solo album, titled “Steel Burner . Featuring ten tracks and nearly 40 minutes of music, we get a very solid balance of virtuosity, composition skills, and guest vocal appearances. This makes up for a very engaging release that is a varied and highly energetic album that will have people headbanging and singing along.

    Right after opening with masterfully crafted futuristic instrumental opener, Doro Pesch lends her signature vocals to the powerful Heavy Metal anthem “Nothing Can Break Me”. On tracks like “Dancing with Death”, we get an excellent interplay between Gus’s guitars and composition skills with the guest vocalist, which in turn is Matt Barlow of Ashes of Ares/Iced Earth fame. For those of us looking for the instrumental stuff, “Advent” and “What If” are some killer tracks.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Spirit Adrift - Infinite Illumination (2026)

    Spirit Adrift - Infinite Illumination (2026)
    Spirit Adrift - Infinite Illumination (2026)

    Riding off into the sunset on a high note, today we have Nate Garrett and Spirit Adrift with their last release: “Infinite Illumination”. Not even advertised until its release date, this album delivers eight tracks and 46 minutes of crafty Doom/Heavy Metal featuring a plethora of sick riffs and a very mellow headbanging vibe. Slowly evolving from more of a classical Doom Metal core, into Heavy Metal territories, this band has managed to deliver consistency and quality music over the years, and while sad to see them go, we are glad they leave with a bang.

    Opening with the crushing guitars of “Infinite Illumination”, the band instantly sets a very old-school Doom Metal vibe with a very Candlemass-esque progression. Having set a high bar from the get go, the band pummels through: “Window Within” and its crunchy guitars, “You Will Never Hold The Key” with its retro guitar leads, and the playful “Born In A Bad Way” which quickly had us headbanging. The band has never shied away from making simple and yet direct songs that are both heavy and melodic, featuring great versatility and craftiness.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Battle Beast - Steelbound (2025)

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    Becoming one of the premier Heavy/Power Metal bands in the scene has been no small feat for Finland’s Battle Beast. With “Steelbound” the band showcases their sheer power and catchiness with nearly 40-minutes of high-octane music. Noora Louhimo signature vocals have made the band shine from the rest, and with this release she is ready to propel her band to new heights.

    Opening with the ridiculously catchy and speedy “The Burning Within”, the band makes a strong statement with crafty instrumentation and soaring vocal melodies. Giving some Nightwish-meets-Sonata Arctica vibes, songs like “Here We Are”, “Steelbound”, and “Twilight Cabaret” feature extremely engaging chorus sections and very engaging atmospheric elements, giving the band a mixture of epicness and playfulness that almost nobody else has.

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    Christian Mistress - Children of the Earth (2025)

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    It’s been almost 10 years since Christian Mistress’s last release and we were pleasantly surprised to get this new album in our inbox a few weeks ago. For the uninitiated, Christian Mistress is a North American outfit that plays a mean old-school Heavy Metal, filled with attitude and an explosive nature. There are no fillers or fancy atmospherics, with “Children of the Earth” the band continues the demolishing path filled with crafty and catchy instrumentations and the gifted vocals of Christine Davis.

    Getting straight to the point, “City of Gold” delivers waves of old-school Heavy Metal catchiness with eclectic guitars and a powerful pace. Christine’s vocals perfectly fit this stripped down Heavy Metal music thanks to their flexibility and excellent range, as one can hear in the ripping “Voiceless” with its epic guitar leads or the superbly catchy “Demon’s Night” that brings back that vibe of 80’s Heavy Metal that has been slowly lost to time.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Avantasia - Here Be Dragons (2025)

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    Returning for their first release through Napalm Records, today we have Avantasia and their 10th full-length album “Here Be Dragons”. Continuing their bombastic and catchy Heavy/Power Metal explorations, Tobias Sammet and company are set to unleash another superbly crafted release with plenty of guest singers and bombastic explorations. With over 50 minutes of music, this release continues the band’s legacy and injects a heavy dose of catchiness to your day.

    Opening with the addictive “Creepshow”, we get a Scorpions-esque bombastic piece with a masterful chorus line and a high level of energy to set the pace for this album. With Geoff Tate, Michael Kiske and Tommy Karevik, featuring on “Here Be Dragons”, “The Moorlands at Twilight”, and “The Witch” respectively, the band showcases their dynamic nature with a mixture of Power Metal anthems, alongside crafty atmospheric arrangements, and a heavy dose of catchy distorted guitars to keep things very energetic and quite epic with some lush choir arrangements thrown into the mix.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Selvans - Saturnalia (2025)

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    Unleashing a very unique and theatrical release, today we have Selvans and their third full-length release “Saturnalia”. This one-man battalion has been delivering very different and unique releases in the past, and with this one he breaks further musical barriers by creating a highly engaging and theatrical Black/Heavy Metal with progressive elements. Think of a mixture of bands like Pensées Nocturnes with Notre Dame and some Snowy Shaw/King Diamond eccentricities. Definitely a unique blend.

    Setting a very grand symphonic stage with the opener, “Il Mio Maleficio V'incalzerà!” quickly changes gears delivering a mix of crafty Black Metal-ish elements with some playful theatrics and a solid mixture of classical Heavy Metal elements. This is certainly quite different from the band’s previous releases, but that core darkness and horror/folklore elements are nicely blended with the more dramatic style. “Madre dei Tormenti” and “Pantàfica” keep the dramatic antics to the max, while unleashing some crafty lead guitars and even some progressive melodic interludes.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    HammerFall - Avenge the Fallen (2024)

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    Unleashing their signature electrifying Power/Heavy Metal, today we have legendary HammerFall and their latest opus “Avenge the Fallen”. Featuring ten superbly catchy tracks and nearly 50 minutes of music, this release reinstates the fact that the band shows no signs of slowing down and they can still put out some killer songs and create epic headbanging moments.

    Coming out of the gates with guns blazing, the album title track creates a very Epic vibe with crafty vocal arrangements perfectly supporting Pontus Norgren’s classic guitars and Joacim Cans signature vocals. With a very stripped down and ‘old-school’ sound, the band continues to deliver hits like “Freedom” and “Hail to the King”. We love that they don’t rely on synths or gimmicks to create their engaging and timeless music.

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