Kitarist/vokalist Shelby Lermo (Ulthar, Human Corpse Abuse, ex-Vastum) in bobnar Jason Bursese (Black Fucking Cancer) predstavljata nov projekt Thanatotherion, ki je nadaljevanje Shelbyjevega projekta Naughtskeid. Led sta prebila s komadom Nuclear Womb z albuma Alienation Manifesto, ki bo izšel 7. junija pri založbi I, Voidhanger Records in obsega komade:

Red Cathedral
The Raven and the Box of Stars
Orb
Wilczyca
Nuclear Womb
Lament
Codex Crepusculum

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.«

V 59. letu starosti je bitko z rakom na pljučih izgubil Eddie Sutton, vokalist ameriške HC/crossover/thrash zasedbe Leeway. Naj počiva v miru.

Deftones se po nekaj letih zatišja vračajo na sceno z novim albumom. Kot je v intervjuju za radijsko postajo KROQ povedal vokalist Chino Moreno, je instrumentalni del albuma že posnet, zdaj je potreben le še njegov vložek na vokalih. To bo nova izdaja banda po letu 2020, ko je izšel album Ohms. Kdaj točno bo izšel novi plošček zasedbe, pa za zdaj še ni znano.

Ameriški death metal/hardcorovci Terminal Nation predstavljajo komad Merchants of Bloodshed, pri katerem je sodeloval vokalist Jesse Leach (Killswitch Engage). Omenjeni komad je že drugi single z bandovega drugega albuma Echoes Of The Devil's Den, ki izide 3. maja pri založbi 20 Buck Spin.

Švedski power metalci Veonity imajo pred mikrofonom novega moža. To je postal Isak Stenvall. Odločitev za razširitev zasedbe je padla po tem, ko se je prejšnji vokalist Anders Sköld odločil, da se bo v celoti posvetil kitarskim dolžnostim v bandu. Z novim vokalistom bodo Veonity tako jeseni izdali tudi nov celovečerec.

V Mariboru je nastal nov projekt z imenom Zyklon B. Združili so se vokalist Marko Krajnc (Decatholicize), bobnar Tin Matuš (ex-Uporabniki, Liburoa, Pirhalter), basist Leon Pondelak (Decatholicize) ter kitarist Mladen Buletinac (Decatholicize). Tukaj že lahko prisluhnete njihovemu prvemu singlu Sonder.

Velenjske legende KAOZ so predstavile prenovljeno zasedbo. Band je namreč zaradi zdravstvenih razlogov že pred meseci zapustil vokalist/basist Dejan Đorđević – Đoko. Na njegovo mesto prihajata dva nova člana, in sicer vokalist Rok »Mike« Miklavžina (ex-Inmate) in basist Aleksandar Trivunovič.

Kot smo januarja poročali, je v 78. letu starosti umrl Tony Clarkin, kitarist, ustanovitelj britanskih veteranov Magnum. Že takrat se je šušljalo, da to pomeni tudi konec za zasedbo, ki je to zdaj tudi uradno potrdila. Izjava vokalista Boba Catleyja:

»Hello, everybody. Bob here. All right. I wish I didn't have to tell you this, but I really can't carry on with Tony not here anymore. Please forgive me, and I hope you can understand how I feel. I've been thinking about it a lot lately.
Since we lost Tone, we lost our guiding light, the magnum force behind the band, our songwriter, our producer, our guitar player. He was everything to the band. He was everything to me. For the last 50 years, we never went anywhere without each other. On tour, in the studio, I was at his side constantly, working on stuff with him. I had a wonderful life with Tony. But now it's all too much for me, people. I can't carry on without Tony.
I may pop up in some other shape or form in the near future – you never know – but I can't keep going on like this. It's far too sad; it's all too sad.
So, I hope you understand. You've been fantastic – the best audience ever. You kept this band going year after year, album after album, and we thank you for that.
So, be good. Keep Tony's music in your heart always. I know I will. I will always carry MAGNUM inside me. And I will always have Tony Clarkin beside me wherever I go.
I love you. You've been brilliant. But it's time for me to bow out now. It's my last curtain call, okay? I'll see you sometime. Be good. Cheers. Bye-bye.«

Iz tabora zasedbe Skid Row sporočajo, da so se razšli z vokalistom Erikom Grönwallom. Grönwall je bil član banda od leta 2022, vzrok prekinitve sodelovanja pa naj bi bile zdravstvene težave pevca. Na vokalih naj ga bi za nekaj prihajajočih nastopov zamenjala Lizzy Hale (Halestorm).

Sporočamo, da je umrl Dennis Cornelius, vokalist in kitarist doom metalcev Memory Driven. Naj počiva v miru. Izjava banda:

»It is with indescribable melancholy that words cannot express in which I make this announcement. Dennis Cornelius, our long time musical brother, in this band, and in life, has passed away. We cannot begin to process this immense loss, as we just send love and prayers to his family and loved ones. Thank you for so many years of such passionate and inspirational music. It has been such an honor to be a part of this journey with you. Thank you sooooo much for sharing that with us all, Dennis. You and Jyme are together again. We love you, Dennis, our brother.«

Finska melodična death metal zasedba Wolfheart sporoča, da je združila moči z založbo Reigning Phoenix Music. Izjava kitarista in vokalista Tuomasa Saukkonena:

»I am confident that signing to Reigning Phoenix Music is an exciting game changer for us and RPM is nothing but the right place to continue conquering the world with our art. The future looks brighter than ever and excitement is an understatement for what we feel about the forthcoming co-operation and adventures.«

Angleški ekstremneži Cradle Of Filth se potikajo v studiu, kjer pripravljajo material za 14. dolgometražec. Novico je v svojem profilu Instagram razkrila vokalistka in klaviaturistka Zoë M. Federoff:

»I am beyond humbled to have been allowed to contribute vocals and/or keys to many of the songs on this album. Dani and the guys showed a lot of faith in me for my first album with the gang, and I went in extremely nervous and hellbent on making them all proud. Thank God Dani Filth and producer Scott Atkins are so good at calming my nerves! That was the most fun and relaxing studio session I've had in ages!

Fourteen will be something very special, a distinctly new chapter, and it quite satisfies both the musician and the long-time Cradle fan inside me. A piece of each of our souls lives audibly in it. Prepare yourselves, Filthy family!«

Nemška melodična death black metal zasedba Human Abyss bo 21. marca izdala drugi celovečerec Death Obsessed. Posneli so tudi video za komad Cut, pri katerem je kot gostja na vokalih Britta Görtz (članica in vokalistka death metal banda Hiraes).

Včeraj je kot strela z jasnega odjeknila novica, da po več kot 20 letih sodelovanja zasedbo Noctiferia zapušča vokalist Giani Poposki. Za to se je odločil iz osebnih razlogov, bo pa, kot je mogoče prebrati iz objave na družbenih omrežjih, nadaljeval glasbeno pot v novih projektih.