2 ALBUMS AND 2 SINGLES
AFTER LAPSE: Pathway (progressive metal)
THUNDERMOTHER: Bright Eyes (hard rocking)
TROLD: Mod Den Endeløse Skov (folk metal power ballad)
TUMENGGUNG: Back On The Streets (classic heavy metal)
SLÖA KNIVAR CONFIRMED FOR DALFESTIVALEN
Southern Swedish hardcore/punk band SLÖA KNIVAR have been confirmed for Dalfestivalen, which happens on August 30 at Folkets Park in Dalsjöfors (outside Borås), Sweden.Confirmed since earlier are CONFLICT, TWIN PIGS, CHARTA 77, DEAD POLLYS, Fou, DOGFIGHT, The STOMPING ACADEMY, ALLIGATOR and KAMPEN.
Tickets go on sale January 25.
facebook.com/dalfestivalen
THE HAUNTED IN THE STUDIO
Swedish death/thrash veterans The HAUNTED are currently in the studio to record something new.
Follow the process: facebook.com/officialthehaunted
RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE's "Killing In The Name" SURPASSES 1 BILLION STREAMS ON SPOTIFY
RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE's classic track "Killing In The Name" has surpassed 1 billion streams on Spotify.twitter.com/tmorello | spotify.com
BAD RELIGION AND PENNYWISE TO HEADLINE PUNK IN THE PARK ARIZONA
Punk In The Park returns to Arizona on Saturday, April 12 for a day of music from punk rock legends along with craft beer tasting at Wild Horse Pass Festival Grounds in Chandler, Arizona, just outside Phoenix.
Punk In The Park Arizona will feature sets from headliners BAD RELIGION, along with more fan favorites, including PENNYWISE, FACE TO FACE, STRUNG OUT, The CASUALTIES, ADOLESCENTS, GUTTERMOUTH, MANIC HISPANIC, The DWARVES etc.
More info: punkinthepark.com
HEAVY METAL AND HARDCORE/PUNK = LOVELY STUFF
GRAVE DIGGER: Bone Collector (old school German heavy metal)GASMIASMA: At War With Punk (noisey and chaotic hardcore/punk)
LIV SIN PARTS WAYS WITH GUITARIST
Swedish metal band LiV SiN's guitarist Jay has decided to leave the band. They are currently recruiting new members and have been working on a new album.
Singer Liv Sin (real name Liv Jagrell) is also doing shows with her old band SISTER SIN.
Read more: facebook.com/livsinofficial
NEW ALBUM WITH JETHRO TULL IN MARCH
After 2 consecutive new JETHRO TULL album releases in 2022 and 2023, a new record, "Curious Ruminant", will be unleashed on Friday, March 7. Consisting of 9 new tracks varying in length from 2 and half minutes to almost 17 minutes, this is an album of mostly full band music.To coincide with this announcement, the album's title track has been launched digitally, alongside a video.
youtu.be/sFOv9HHe19c
SIENA ROOT ANNOUNCES ACOSTIC TOUR
Swedish root hard rockers SIENA ROOT are going on a acoustic tour in March. They will play in Germany and Denmark.Dates and tickets: sienaroot.com/shows
3 VERY DIFFERENT BANDS
DEATHCONTROL: The Endless Echo Of His Own Litany (grindcore)LAMBRINI GIRLS: Who Let The Dogs Out (British punk rock)
LOWMIST: Custodians Of Pain (atmospheric black metal)
EX DEO RELEASE NEW VIDEO
Symphonic death metallers EX DEO has released a lyric video for "Vitellius", a song from their brand new EP, "Year Of The Four Emperors", which is out today (Jan. 10) via Reigning Phoenix Music.youtube.com/watch?v=Www3VXe0wak | exdeo.rpm.link/yotfePR | reigningphoenixmusic.com
NEW SINGLE WITH ALIEN
Swedish melodic rock band ALIEN is back again with a new single, "If Love Is War". The song is taken from the album "When Yesterday Comes Around", which will be released via Pride & Joy Music on March 21.youtu.be/ULVdrPpvrc4 | facebook.com/Alien.Sweden
A BOX FULL OF DAVID LEE ROTH
Rhino will unveil a very special David Lee Roth box set, "The Warner Recordings 1985-1994", on February 21. It includes the first 5 solo releases recorded by the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductee and original VAN HALEN lead vocalist in 1 comprehensive collection for the very first time."The Warner Recordings 1985-1994" arrives in multiple configurations.
Pre-order: dlr.lnk.to/TWR8594
MIMIKRY ANNOUNCE NEW TOUR DATES
Swedish melodic punk rockers MIMIKRY will do some shows in Sweden and Norway between February to May.
Dates here: facebook.com/mimikrysverige
NEW SINGLE WITH THE HELLACOPTERS
Swedish action rockers The HELLACOPTERS will release a new single, "Do You Feel Normal", on Friday, January 10.
Pre-save: hellacopters.bfan.link/dyfnsg
linktr.ee/thehellacopters
NEW SINGLE WITH ROBIN MCAULEY
Legendary rock vocalist Robin McAuley (MSG, BLACK SWAN, SURVIVOR) will release his new solo album, "Soulbound", on February 28 via Frontiers Music Srl. The official lyric video for the LP's title track can be seen here: youtu.be/P8pUfnpDlFYCLASSIC ALBUMS IN A BOX
W.A.S.P.: The 7 SavageMadfish Music on Jan. 17 - 7CD Box Set
This collection was previously released as a LP Box Set in 2023. But due to a huge demand for a CD edition, it will now also be available in that format as well in January 2025.
It's like the press release says "the ultimate tribute to a legendary band". Spanning W.A.S.P.'s influential Capitol Years, this 7-CD set includes their first 5 groundbreaking studio albums: "W.A.S.P." (1984), "The Last Command" (1985), "Inside the Electric Circus" (1986), "The Headless Children" (1989) and "The Crimson Idol" (1992). Fans will also find a CD full of rare demos, B-sides and live tracks, as well as the "Live... In The Raw" (1987) CD. This box also includes a meticulously crafted 60-page hardback book with exclusive photographs, new liner notes from Amit Sharma (Kerrang!, Planet Rock) and exclusive commentary from frontman Blackie Lawless himself.
Now I didn't get more than 12 tracks, but I have heard the studio albums before, so I know that this is really good stuff and something that you really should get if you're a hardcore fan and rich enough. It could have been interesting to hear the whole record with rare demos, B-sides and live tracks though. Beacuse just like many other bands, W.A.S.P. used to have exclusive tracks on the B-side of their singles. And it was often a cover of some other band, like ROLLING STONES or MOUNTAIN for example.
Led by frontman Blackie Lawless, W.A.S.P. has been kicking ass for 4 decades now. The only original member left is Blackie.
waspmadfish.lnk.to/7_Savage_CD | waspnation.com | madfishmusic.com
More reviews from 2025
VENESSA WARWICK BACK WITH NEW RADIO SHOW
MTV's "Headbangers Ball" presenter, Vanessa Warwick, return as a radio DJ and interviewer with a new radio format ready for delivery early 2025.Vanessa is an iconic presenter with a huge and loyal following from her 10 years at MTV in the 90s and you can now tap into that by syndicating her new rock show "RockDrop". You can expect classic rock and metal with news, interviews, a "metal memory" segment by Vanessa or one of her guests, and new bands showcase.
The proposed frequency is monthly.
Pilot/Showreel: entertainmentproductionservice.se/rockdrop-pilot
CHARTA 77 ANNOUNCE NEW TOUR DATES
Swedish punk rock veterans CHARTA 77 has announced the first dates of their touring in 2025. The shows will happen from February to August in Sweden and Norway.
More dates will be announced soon, but confirmed dates can be found here: facebook.com/charta77band
NEW SINGLE WITH LACUNA COIL
Italian band LACUNA COIL kick off the new year with their latest single, "Gravity".It's the fifth single from their upcoming record "Sleepless Empire", which is set to be released on February 14 via Century Media Records.
youtu.be/062UUabHif4
W.A.S.P. ANNOUNCE NEW TOUR DATES
W.A.S.P. have updated the itinerary for their "Album ONE Alive" tour, marking the 40th anniversary of the release of the band's first album. To celebrate this classic metal album, W.A.S.P. are, for the first time in 40 years, playing the entire album from top to bottom, start to finish. The tour includes dates in Mexico, South America, Europe and UK. At some of these shows they will perform a greatest hits set.The updated itinerary can be found here: waspnation.com/tour
MEGADETH AND QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE CONFIRMED FOR BONNAROO MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL
MEGADETH and QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE are among the confirmed artists for this year's edition of the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, set to take place June 12-15 on the Bonnaroo Farm, located 60 miles southeast of Nashville in Manchester, Tennessee.Bonnaroo tickets go on sale tomorrow, Thursday, January 9 at: bonnaroo.com
PARADISE LOST ANNOUNCES NORTH AMERICAN TOUR
British gothic metal pioneers PARADISE LOST will embark on "The Devil Embraced" North American tour in May 2025. The trek will kick off on May 16 at the Milwaukee Metal Fest and conclude on May 24 at Maryland Deathfest.3 of the shows will be together with doom legends TROUBLE.
Tickets for the dates go on sale this Friday, January 10 at: paradiselost.co.uk/tour-dates
facebook.com/TroubleMetal
AMBITIOUS METAL
SORCERESS OF SIN: Ennea (ambitious heavy/power metal)MEZMERIZER: Whispers Of Leviathan (progressive/experimental metal)
DÉTENTE ANNOUNCES EUROPEAN TOUR DATES
Reunited thrashers DÉTENTE have announced tour dates in Germany, Belgium and The Netherlands in September.Dates: facebook.com/officialdetente
Hard Rock Info's playlists on Spotify: New Hot Rock Old Hot Rock
NEW ALBUM WITH WARBRINGER IN MARCH
Los Angeles thrashers WARBRINGER will release a new album, "Wrath And Ruin", on March 14 via Napalm Records.Alongside the album announcement, WARBRINGER has unleashed the breakneck speed metal ripper "A Better World". The track arrives with a high-octane official music video.
youtu.be/KAZE-Y8-1b0 | facebook.com/Warbringermusic
DEAD KENNEDYS ANNOUNCES NEW U.S. TOUR DATES
DEAD KENNEDYS are playing on the U.S. East Coast in the spring. They got 5 dates lined up, starting in late March, and they run from Boston down to DC. H.R. of BAD BRAINS opens the shows and so does RAGING NATHANS.Dates: instagram.com/eastbayray1
6 REVIEWS
BLUE ÖYSTER CULT: 50th Anniversary Live - Third Night (classic rock/hard rock)CRIMSON STORM: Livin' On The Bad Side (heavy metal)
EX DEO: Year Of The Four Emperors (symphonic death metal)
ICE SUCKERS: The Second Coming (melodic hard rock)
ILLUSION FORCE: Halfana (epic power metal)
NECROMANIAC: Sciomancy, Malediction & Rites Abominale (black metal)
RAGNE WAHLQUIST OF HEAVY LOAD IS DEAD
Ragne Wahlquist, singer and guitarist for Swedish heavy metal legends HEAVY LOAD, has quickly passed away at the age of 69.HEAVY LOAD was formed in 1976 and was one of the first heavy metal bands in Sweden. They went seperate ways in the mid-80s, but came back again in 2018. They were working on a new studio album, and the plan is to finish it.
Read more in Swedish: svt.se/kultur/ragne-wahlquist-dod....
Read more in English: blabbermouth.net/news/heavy-loads-ragne-wahlquist....
DEAD POLLYS CONFIRMED FOR DALFESTIVALEN
Swedish punk rockers DEAD POLLYS have been confirmed for Dalfestivalen, which happens on August 30 at Folkets Park in Dalsjöfors (outside Borås), Sweden.Confirmed since earlier are CONFLICT, TWIN PIGS, CHARTA 77, Fou, DOGFIGHT, The STOMPING ACADEMY, ALLIGATOR and KAMPEN.
Tickets go on sale January 25.
facebook.com/dalfestivalen
NEW EP WITH VADER IN THE SPRING
Polish death metal veterans VADER will release a new EP, "Humanihility", in the spring. They also plan to begin the recordings of a new full-length album in the fall/autumn.
Also planned for this year, are the reissue of the classic album "Black To The Blind" (1997), and the summer tour to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the album "Litany", which for the occasion will be performed live in its entirety.
facebook.com/vader
SPV FOUNDER MANFRED SCHÜTZ IS DEAD
Manfred Schütz, founder of SPV and founder and managing director of MIG Music, passed away on January 3 at the age of 74 after a long and serious illness.INTERPUNK SHUTS DOWN
Interpunk shut down sometime in the past few weeks. The closure follows immediately after the death of founder/owner Bob Schermerhorn, who passed away on December 9, 2024.Interpunk was founded in 1997, and for a time period, mainly around 2005-2015, was one of the largest punk rock mailorder services in the USA and even the world. The site declined in stature with the rise of sites like Amazon, as well as the rise in direct mailorder through Bandcamp and bands' own sites, but continued into the very end of 2024.
HEAVY STUFF
The CRYPT: Rock Kommander (doom metal/hard rock)SLAUGHTERSUN: Black Marrow (heavy death metal of its own kind)
ORIGINAL UNLEASHED GUITARIST FREDRIK LINDGREN IS DEAD
Original guitarist for Swedish death metal veterans UNLEASHED, Fredrik Lindgren, passed away in early January 2025 at the age of 53. And I don't know much else about that..Fredrik played on the first releases with UNLEASHED (1989-1995). He continued to play with some other bands, like ATLANTIC TIDE, LOUD PIPES, CELESTIAL PAIN, TERRA FIRMA, BORN OF FIRE and HARMS WAY.
facebook.com/unleashed
NEW SINGLE WITH BONFIRE
German hard rock veterans BONFIRE has released a new single, "Lost All Control", which is taken from their upcoming album "Higher Ground", out on January 24 via Frontiers Music Srl.The band will be touring a lot this year, mainly in Germany, but also some other countries.
youtu.be/SMrkKLdUvUc?si=hBre2AGEYLRQoqwI | bonfire.de
THRASH SINGLES
OUTBURST: Written In Blood (thrash/speed metal)VÁLVERA: Reckoning Has Begun (neo thrash metal)
NEW SINGLE WITH SPIDERS IN THE END OF THE MONTH
Swedish rock band SPIDERS will release a new single, "Mess With My Emotions", on January 31. The song is taken from their upcoming album, "Sharp Objects", which will be released through Wild Kingdom on February 14.
wildkingdom.se | facebook.com/wearespiders
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Post address: Jimmy Blom, Vintergatan 21A, 504 60 Borås, Sweden | E-mail: blom@hardrockinfo.com | Facebook: facebook.com/HardRockInfo