Domača zasedba Noctiferia ima novega vokalista. Mesto je zasedel Miloš Mihajlović (Once Was Never), ki bo v zasedbi sodeloval tudi pri pisanju besedil. Zasedba za jesen obljublja izid prvega singla.

Over Müra Breka Fest V, ki bi se moral zgoditi v Tuzli (BiH), je zaradi tragičnega dogodka odpovedan.

Tako pravi ekipa Breka Festa: »Gone but never forgotten! Svet nikoli več ne bo isti brez tebe, prijatelj! Vedno si nas nasmejal, vedno bil pozitiven, luč v tem temnem svetu. Hvala za vse trenutke, ki smo jih preživeli skupaj. Počivaj v miru, Tivek!«

Avstrijska death metal/darkfolk zasedba Cadaverous Condition je podpisala za založbo The Circle Music, kjer bo izdala album Never Arrive, Never Return. Več informacij sledi.

Ruski epic heavy/doom metal band Vendel predstavlja komad Never Surrender z dolgometražnega prvenca Out in the Fields, ki ga bo 14. junija izdal pri založbi Dying Victims Productions. Album obsega te naslove:

Intro
Defender
Never Surrender
Dirge
Vengeance
Out in the Fields

Black metalci Svneatr iz Kanade predstavljajo video Never Return. Gre za komad z istoimenskega albuma, ki bo izšel 10. maja pri Prosthetic Records.

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.«

Ferski folk metalci Týr predstavljajo videospot za pesem Dragons Never s prihajajočega albuma Battle Ballads, ki bo izšel 19. aprila pri založbi Metal Blade.

Kanadski folk/black metal band SIG:AR:TYR po večletnem zatišju predstavlja svež material. Tukaj lahko prisluhnete novi skladbi Ascending the Stellar Throne s prihajajočega albuma Citadel of Stars, ki ga bo 31. maja izdala založba Hammerheart Records. Album obsega te naslove:

Awaiting the Last Dawn
Beyond the Stars Unknown
The Blood that Came Before You
Citadel of Stars
Ascending the Stellar Throne
I Sail on, Eternal
Who Will Guide Me Now
From the Land of the North
Where the Sun Never Sets

Tehnični brutal death metalci Hideous Divinity so prejšnji petek pri Century Media Records izdali album Unextinct in videospot za komad More than Many, Never One.

Keltski punk rockerji Black Tartans iz Belgije so objavili video za komad Give Us the Beer iz aktualnega albuma Never Stop iz lanskega leta.

Progresivni folk metalci Týr po petih letih prekinjajo studijsko molk in naznanjajo novico o novem albumu. Temu so nadeli naslov Battle Ballads, izšel pa bo 12. aprila pri Metal Blade Records. Tracklista:

Hammered
Unwandered Ways
Dragons Never Die
Row
Torkils døtur
Vælkomnir føroyingar
Hangman
Axes
Battle Ballad
Causa Latronum Normannoru

Finski doom/death metalci Swallow The Sun bodo 30. aprila pri Alone Records na vinilu izdali zbirko The Singles Collection (The Spinefarm Years). Kot pove že ime, bo izdaja pokrivala bandovo sodelovanje z založbo Spinefarm Records, natančneje te izdaje:

The Morning Never Came
Ghosts Of Loss
Hope
New Moon
Emerald Forest And The Blackbird
Plague Of Butterflies (EP)

Nemška zasedba Paradox se vrača z napovedjo novega albuma Mysterium. Album naj bi izšel še letos pri založbi AFM Records, točen datum izida pa še ni znan. Spodaj pa si lahko preberete izjavo Charlyja Steinhauerja:

»Friends and fans,
I had a dream. I wanted to start together with AXEL BLAHA, with whom I founded PARADOX in 1981, and end together again at some point. Unfortunately, that is no longer possible because he has said goodbye to this world.
In all these years, AXEL was the only musician who worked with me the way you have to, to achieve a goal. We never danced around at multiple weddings and were always loyal to one band. PARADOX! This was the only way the two classics “PRODUCT OF IMAGINATION” and “HERESY” were possible.
I miss him very much and it is very difficult for me to move on without him, but anyone who knows me knows that giving up is not an option for me.
Not even after 43 years and that's why I can tell you, that I have composed a new PARADOX album, which will hopefully be released worldwide this year via AFM RECORDS. The album will be called “MYSTERIUM” and will contain all the trademarks a Paradox fan wants.
The special thing about “MYSTERIUM” is that I composed all the songs and played all the instruments myself, because I will never again work with project-hungry musician whores who play a few notes on an album but otherwise have nothing to do with PARADOX, or none maintain contact with his colleagues. Unfortunately, this runs like a common thread through the entire career and is the main reason why PARADOX was never able to really get off the ground. To do this you need musicians who work together and pursue a common goal.
It should also be a warning to all young musicians and new bands who want to achieve something with their band. You can find out more about this in the numerous interviews for the new album. You should definitely read this!
I will also be responsible for the mix and the entire production.
The lyrics are written by ACHIM “DAXX” HOEMERLEIN (ex-Vendetta), who also wrote the lyrics for “TALES OF THE WEIRD” and “PANGEA”.
TRAVIS SMITH (Opeth/Nevermore etc) is currently working on the artwork.
“MYSTERIUM” is a very heavy album and contains 10 songs with a playing time of 51 minutes. Dedicated to AXEL BLAHA, my best friend and co-founder of PARADOX!
Cheerz!
Charly«

Norveški progresivci Madder Mortem so predstavili Unity, tretji single s prihajajočega albuma Old Eyes, New Heart, ki bo izšel 26. januarja pri založbi Dark Essence Records. Tracklista:

Coming from the Dark
On Guard
Master Tongue
The Head that Wears the Crown
Cold Hard Rain
Unity
Towers
Here and Now
Things I’ll Never Do
Long Road

Srbkinje Jenner predstavljajo še en komad s prihajajočega albuma Prove Them Wrong. Za skladbo Never Say Die je band posnel tudi video, album pa bo izšel 24. januarja pri Fighter Records.