Iz tabora hrvaških doom metalcev Old Night sporočajo, da jih je zapustil vokalist in kitarist Matej Hanžek. Vrzel v zasedbi bo na vokalu tako zapolnil njegov brat Ivan, na kitari pa se je zasedbi pridružil Rafael Cvitković (Nekroza). Spodaj lahko preberete celotno izjavo banda:

»This is a post I write with a heavy heart, yet full of hope and with a bright look on the future. After eight years with us as our lead singer and frontman, earlier this year Matej decided to step down from his duties within Old Night. I know you are hoping for some gossip or a sassy story, but there was no drama involved. He just wants to focus on other things in life and at this point, music is not a priority for him. Having said that, I wish to thank him on our behalf for everything he has done for us, all the great times we shared on stage and backstage, but also for all the long hours he has put in working on our first three records. It was a privilege and you'll always be a part of our family. Obviously, this news has taken us aback and we had to figure out how best to proceed. We took some time to see what our options were, as this is an important role we needed to fill. After much deliberation we figured out we need not look outside our band for a perfect candidate as we have one in our midst. Ivan has been singing all the backing vocals from day one and from now on he will be handling all the lead vocals. No need to worry, he’ll remain our lead guitarist as well.

The only piece of the puzzle left to figure out was who’ll play the rhythm guitars? Without further ado, we welcome Rafael Cvitković, from the Croatian death metal machine Nekroza, as our new guitarist. If you attended our concerts, you might have already seen him filling in on sound checks or working on our merch booth. Nekroza just released their debut album on InsArt Records – you can check them out and show them your support.

With our line-up complete, we will continue working on our new record and we hope we’ll have some news in that regard soon. In a couple of weeks, we’ll have our first concert with the new line-up and we can’t wait to present you the New Old Night.«

Indonezijski brutalneži Anthropophagus Depravity so s komadom Obliterate the Sanctified napovedali drugi dolgometražec Demonic Paradise. Plošček, ki bo izšel 21. junija pri Comatose Music, prinaša vsega skupaj deset komadov:

The Obscure Realm
Dogma Weakened Souls
Malicious Catastrophe
Obliterate the Sanctified
Preaching Above Depravity
Demonic Paradise
When the Darkthrone Reigns
Pseudo Salvation
...of Condemnation
Delusions of the Unholy

Britanski blackened sludge trio Tigguo Cobauc je objavil nov single The Darkest Emperor. Njihov novi album A Fountain Of Anguish Is Done bo izšel 26. aprila pri Fetzner Death Records.

Kanadska heavy metal zasedba Withering Scorn, katere člana sta tudi brata Shawn in Glen Drover, pripravlja material za drugi celovečerec, ki bo nasledil prvenec Prophets Of Demise iz leta 2023. Shawn Drover o novem materialu:

»At this point, this is where we're at. I've got three songs done for drums completed, and we started working on song four today; Glen and I started working on this intro piece to song four, where it's got this whole intro thing and stuff. And so we worked that out. And that's where we're at in terms of music as well. We just started song four. Glen still has a couple of songs to do for keeper guitars and so does Joe for bass. We haven't even approached the lyric process or the singing yet. Once we get far enough ahead, that's when we'll start to tackle that. Once I hear keeper guitars, then I start to assemble lyrics. I need to kind of hear the finished product of certainly the drums and guitars, if not bass as well, so I get inspired to write lyrics. That's kind of how I work with that.«

Indonezijski death metalci Exhumation so s komadom Chaos Feasting napovedali četrti plošček Master's Personae. Ta bo izšel 26. aprila pri Pulverised Records na CD-ju, vinilu in digitalno ter bo ponudil tako tracklisto:

In Death Vortex
Pierce the Abyssheart
Funereal Dreams
Chaos Feasting
The Martyr’s Lament
Thine Inmost Curse
Perilous Tongue
Thy Mighty Locution
Mahapralaya
The Scenic Desolation

Ameriški death metalci Morta Skuld so objavili glasbeni spot za skladbo Perfect Prey s sedmega albuma Creation Undone, ki bo jutri izšel pri Peaceville Records.

Američani Witherfall predstavljajo nov single What Have You Done? s prihajajočega albuma Sounds Of The Forgotten, za katerega so posneli tudi video. Album izide 31. maja.

Italijanski temačni doom/death metalci In Autumn predstavljajo drugi single Focus s prihajajočega tretjega albuma What’s Done Is Done. Album izide 16. februarja in bo zajemal te komade:

What’s Done Is Done
Focus
Lucid Dream
Inside My Soul
Despised by Life
Breathing in the Void
The Illusion of Reality
Block
Strange Thoughts
I See You

Lansko leto je enočlanska black metal zasedba Blackbraid, ki svojo inspiracijo išče v zgodbah ameriških staroselcev, izdala album Blackbraid II. Po krajšem premoru pa zdaj idejni vodja Sgah’gahsowáh sporoča, da je že začel delo z novim albumom, ki bo nosil ime Blackbraid III. Podrobnosti za zdaj še ostajajo skrivnost. Celotno izjavo Sgah’gahsowáha pa lahko preberete spodaj:

»I realize it has been several weeks since I posted on this account which is unusual for me. Rest assured the silence is a temporary but necessary one. The solitude of winter has always been an integral part of my writing and this year is no different.

That being said it should not surprise you that I have recently begun work on a third full length, Blackbraid III. The details of this release are still largely unknown and there is much work to be done in the coming months, just know that my lack of social media presence during the writing process is a necessary one.

As the winter wanes on I will make more updates on the new album as the process progresses. As always, thank you all for your endless support, I promise this is only the beginning.«

Mick Mars, nekdanji član zasedbe Mötley Crüe, predstavlja še tretji single Undone s prihajajočega solo albuma The Other Side of Mars. Ta izide 23. februarja. Tracklista:

Loyal to the Lie
Broken on the Inside
Alone
Killing Breed
Memories
Right Side of Wrong
Ready to Roll
Undone
Ain't Going Back
LA Noir

Grški power metalci Firewind bodo danes ob 16. uri premierno predstavili videospot za komad Fallen Angel, ki je del prihajajočega albuma z naslovom Stand United. Tracklista:

Salvation Day
Stand United
Destiny Is Calling
The Power Lies Within
Come Undone
Fallen Angel
Chains
Land of Chaos
Talking in Your Sleep
Days of Grace

Ameriški death metalci Morta Skuld v novem besedilnem videu predstavljajo komad We Rise We Fall s svojega sedmega albuma Creation Undone, ki bo izšel 23. februarja pri Peaceville Records. Album obsega naslednje naslove:

We Rise We Fall
The End of Reason
Painful Conflict
Unforeseen Obstacles
Perfect Prey
Soul Piercing Sorrow
Into Temptation
Self Destructive Emotions
Oblivion
By Design

Witherfall iz Los Angelesa po nedavno objavljenem komadu Insidious zdaj predstavljajo že drugi single Ceremony Of Fire s prihajajočega albuma Sounds Of The Forgotten. Izšel bo 31. maja, tracklista pa je sledeča:

They Will Let You Down
Where Do I Begin
A Lonely Path
Insidious
Ceremony Of Fire
Sounds Of The Forgotten
Aftermath
When It All Falls Away
Opulent
What Have You Done?

Avstralski melodični black/death metalci King so razkrili komad Into the Fire s prihajajočega albuma Fury and Death, ki bo izšel prav tako 17. novembra pri Soulseller Records.

Beloruski simfonični gotičarji Belle Morte in indonezijski glasbenik Maulana Malik Ibrahim so posneli single Black Waters. Poleg Blame Me in Exorcism je to že bandov tretji letošnji single.