News

• HIGHWAY Shares Music Video For Electrifying Anthem "Last Call for Rock’N’Roll"

  Sep 4, 2026 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  L-R - Ben Chambert - Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals, Florian Arnaud - Rhythm Guitar, Backing Vocals, Benjamin Folch - Lead Vocals, Cerise Pouillart - Bass, Backing Vocals, Romain Chambert - Drums

  Photo Credit - Mr. Cana Photography

  ​France's electrifying hard rockers HighWay have raised the stakes and unveiled their latest music video for “Last Call for Rock N Roll,” the explosive title track from their new album released this past April.
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  Filmed live during their packed release party at the Rockstore in Montpellier, France, the video, shot by Cana Prod (Loudblast, Heart Attack, Akiavel, Les Tambours du Bronx), throws fans straight into the sweat, electricity, and chaos of a HighWay show. It’s raw, loud, unfiltered, and the perfect showcase for the band’s revitalized line‑up and their massive new twin‑guitar attack.
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  The title track, “Last Call for Rock N Roll,” is a fast, melodic, high‑voltage anthem built for the stage. The lyrics draw a parallel between the love of Rock ’N’ Roll and the love of a woman. Tested live long before recording, the track instantly became a fan favourite and the obvious opener for the album.
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  After the acoustic detour of "The Journey" (2022), HighWay returned in 2026 louder, bolder, and fully electric with their sixth studio album. Produced and mixed by Brett Caldas‑Lima (Ayreon, Devin Townsend, Megadeth), “Last Call for Rock N Roll” delivers 12 brand‑new tracks blending power, melody, emotion, and timeless hard‑rock spirit that explore themes of love, loss, resilience, nostalgia, and self‑determination.
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  ​The album also marks a turning point for HIGHWAY with the arrival of two new members, Cerise Pouillard (bass), known from the acclaimed AC/DC tribute Ladies Ballbreaker, and Florian Arnaud (guitar), a powerhouse musician who completes the long‑awaited return of twin guitars. Both contribute backing vocals, elevating the band’s signature harmonies to new heights.
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  Formed in 1999 by brothers Ben and Romain Chambert after being “thunderstruck” by AC/DC’s Live at Donington, HIGHWAY have spent more than two decades refining their craft. With over 500 shows across Europe, support slots for Michael Schenker Group, Gotthard, Jeff Scott Soto, Kissin’ Dynamite, Nashville Pussy, and more, and a growing reputation, the band has become a defining force in Europe’s modern classic hard rock revival.
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  ​“This is our most personal, emotional, and mature record. We took the time we never had before, and we’re incredibly proud of every detail,” adds guitarist Ben Chambert.
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  Recommended for fans of AC/DC, Queen, Aerosmith, and Guns N’ Roses, "Last Call for Rock’N’Roll" (released April 24, 2026) is now available via the label Rock City Music, with physical distribution by FTF-Music and digitally from Virgin Music.

  CD Digipack and exclusive collector Vinyl at https://highwayshop.sumupstore.com/​

  Add to your Spotify playlist - https://open.spotify.com/album/1njIM62jUDeg4Td3iGSBHq​​

  Track Listing:​
  1. Last Call (For Rock N' Roll) - 5:13
  2. Hi-Way - 4:40
  3. ¡Bang Bang! - 3:47
  4. Nineties Action Movie - 5:16
  5. Peace Out - 5:44
  6. Mayday - 4:25
  7. Go! Go! Go! - 5:48
  8. Let Me - 4:54
  9. D.K/D.C - 3:16
  10. Rat Race - 6:00
  11. Action - 4:32
  12. (Don't) Look Back - 5:09
  Album Length: 58:48

  Album Band Line Up:​
  Ben Chambert: Lead guitar, Backing vocals
  Benjamin Folch: Vocals
  Sam Marshal: Bass Guitar, Backing vocals
  Romain Chambert: Drums

  Live Band Line Up:​
  Ben Chambert: Lead guitar, Backing vocals
  Florian Arnaud: Rhythm guitar, Backing vocals
  Benjamin Folch: Vocals
  Cerise Pouillart: Bass Guitar, Backing vocals
  Romain Chambert: Drums

  More info: https://linktr.ee/highway_the_band

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• KINGCROWN New Album "Moonfall" + Music Video "We Are Kingcrown"

  Sep 4, 2026 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  French melodic heavy/power metal band KINGCROWN releases their new album “Moonfall” today, September 4th, 2026, via Rockshots Records, accompanied by the official video for “We Are Kingcrown”.

  For fans of Iron Maiden, Helloween, Gamma Ray, Masterplan, Symphony X and Powerwolf, “Moonfall” follows 2024’s “Nova Atlantis” and develops the band’s melodic heavy/power metal sound across ten tracks exploring technological evolution, artificial intelligence, temporal displacement, apocalypse and the uncertain future of humanity.

  While these themes shape much of the album, “We Are Kingcrown” shifts the focus directly onto the band. Driven by a straightforward heavy/power metal approach, melodic guitars, and an immediate chorus, the song reflects KINGCROWN’s identity and their connection with the audience.

  As the band explains:

  “It’s simply about us, who we are, what we exude, what we want to give you. We are Kingcrown!”

  “Moonfall” expands on the conceptual direction established in “Nova Atlantis”, using science fiction and dystopian scenarios to examine possible futures. The title track imagines a final encounter between the Moon and Earth as a lunar apocalypse approaches.

  The technological theme takes a darker turn on “Rise Of Machines”, where artificial intelligence turns against humanity, while “All United” focuses on resistance and collective survival. Elsewhere, “A Thousand Years” draws on relativity and space travel, and “Lost Horizon” follows a World War II B-17 pilot caught in a temporal vortex and transported from 1945 to 2045.

  The album also reconnects with the musical roots behind KINGCROWN through “Back To The 80’s”, a tribute to a decade that left a defining mark on heavy metal. The closing track, “Beyond The Stars,” brings the record’s futuristic narrative to its conclusion, looking beyond Earth's destruction towards what might exist elsewhere in the universe.

  Produced by KINGCROWN, “Moonfall” was mixed and mastered by Simone Mularoni at Domination Studio, bringing together the band’s European melodic heavy and power metal roots with a contemporary production.

  Watch the official video for “We Are Kingcrown”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSo7JncnKCQ​

  Listen to the album "Moonfall": https://lnk.to/ymQgrYYE​
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  ​Order “Moonfall” CD:
  ​https://rockshots.eu/products/kingcrown-moonfall-cd​

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  Kingcrown Line-up:

  Joe Amore: Vocals
  ​Ced Legger: Guitars
  ​Bob Saliba: Guitars
  ​Seb Chabot: Bass, Guitars

  ​David Amore: Drums​
  ​More info:

  ​https://rockshots.eu/​

  ​https://linktr.ee/kingcrown_off

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• Northern Irish Pagan Metal Pioneers WAYLANDER Unveils Video "Macha" From New Album "Mac Tíre - Son of the Land" Out Nov 2026

  Sep 3, 2026 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  Northern Irish Pagan Metal pioneers WAYLANDER will release their new album, "Mac Tíre - Son of the Land", on November 6th, 2026 via Rockshots Records. The band introduces the record with its first single, “Macha”, accompanied by an official music video. For fans of Skyclad, Eluveitie and Korpiklaani.

  More than three decades after their formation in Northern Ireland, WAYLANDER return with "Mac Tíre - Son of the Land", a nine-track album rooted in the landscapes, mythology and cultural heritage of Ireland. The record continues the path the band has followed since the early 1990s, combining extreme metal with traditional Irish instrumentation and Pagan themes.

  While "Mac Tíre - Son of the Land" is not a concept album in the same way as its predecessor, "Ériú’s Wheel", its songs share a strong connection with the land and the stories embedded within it. The title itself reflects this relationship: Mac Tíre, literally “son of the land”, is the Irish term for the wolf, an animal closely connected with Ireland’s natural past.

  Musically, the album represents a natural evolution of WAYLANDER’s established sound, retaining the balance between metal aggression and traditional Irish elements that has defined the band throughout its career.

  The first single, “Macha”, is dedicated to the ancient Goddess whose connection to WAYLANDER is both mythological and deeply personal. “Macha” is associated with the area the band calls home: both Ard Chieftain O’Hagan’s hometown and the county from which WAYLANDER originates bear her name.

  “Macha is the Goddess of the area where we live. My hometown and the county where we're from are both named after Macha. The time felt right to celebrate her in song, and we believe we have written a song worthy of her,” says Ard Chieftain O’Hagan

  For WAYLANDER, mythology is not simply material drawn from a distant past but something that remains present in the landscapes, place names, and traditions surrounding them. “Macha” reflects that relationship while providing the first introduction to the themes running through "Mac Tíre - Son of the Land".

  Listen to "Matcha" here: https://lnk.to/mxjegEpC​
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  Formed in Northern Ireland in 1993, WAYLANDER were among the early bands to combine extreme metal with traditional Irish music and Pagan themes, developing their approach before Folk and Pagan Metal became established movements within the international metal scene. Whistles, Irish bouzouki, bodhrán, and Uilleann pipes remain integral elements of the band’s musical identity.

  Pre-order "Mac Tíre - Son of the Land" (release date Nov 6th, 2026):
  ​https://rockshots.eu/products/waylander-mac-tire-son-of-the-land-cd​

  Track Listing:​
  1. When The Land Speaks - 4:12
  2. Macha - 5:28
  3. Ages of Éireann - 5:50
  4. Hy Brasil (Isle of Mists) - 5:47
  5. Sliabh Gullion - 6:16
  6. Our Once Wooded Isle - 6:44
  7. Mallachtaí - 4:52
  8. Signs and Symbols - 6:22
  9. She of the Sorrows - 7:58
  Album Length: 51:29

  WAYLANDER is:
  Ard Chieftain O’Hagan: Vocals
  Tor Dennison: Electric Guitars
  Connor Murray: Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals
  Lee McCartney: Drums and Percussion
  Dave Briggs: Whistles, Irish Bouzouki, Bodhran, Uilleann Pipes, Backing Vocals
  Saul McMichael: Electric and Acoustic Guitars, Backing Vocals
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  Guest Musicians​
  John Ryan: Fiddle, Cello
  Lily Maria: Voice of Deirdre
  Nicole Quinn: Additional Voicing

  For more info:

  ​https://rockshots.eu/​

  ​https://www.instagram.com/waylander.official/​

  ​https://www.facebook.com/clanwaylander/​

  About:

  Northern Irish Pagan Metal pioneers Waylander have spent more than three decades forging their own path through the worlds of Celtic, Folk and Extreme Metal. Since forming in 1993, the band has become renowned for blending crushing metal aggression with authentic Irish folk instrumentation, mythology and pagan themes, helping shape the foundations of the modern Pagan Metal movement.

  With acclaimed releases including "Reawakening Pride Once Lost", "The Light, the Dark and the Endless Knot", "Honour Amongst Chaos", "Kindred Spirits" and the epic concept album "Ériú’s Wheel", Waylander have earned a loyal international following and shared stages with some of the biggest names in Folk and Pagan Metal.

  Now the band returns with their forthcoming album "Mac Tíre - Son of the Land" - a powerful new chapter that captures the spirit of Waylander at its most fierce, atmospheric and authentic. Combining savage riffs, soaring Irish melodies, ancient mythology and cinematic storytelling, the album stands as both a tribute to their roots and a bold evolution of their sound.

  After more than 30 years, Waylander continues to fly the banner for Pagan Celtic Metal with the same fire and conviction that started it all.

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• QUEMASANTOS Unleashes New Video "One Foot In Hell" From Concept Album "Stranded In Hell" Out Oct 2026 + Launch Pre-Order

  Sep 3, 2026 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  New York-based metal project QUEMASANTOS has officially opened digital pre-orders for its forthcoming second album, "Stranded In Hell," and has simultaneously released the album’s opening track, “One Foot In Hell,” accompanied by its official lyric video.

  WATCH THE OFFICIAL “ONE FOOT IN HELL” LYRIC VIDEO:

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  ​DIGITAL PRE-ORDER STRANDED IN HELL:​
  ​https://quemasantos.bandcamp.com/album/stranded-in-hell​

  Fans who pre-order the album digitally can immediately hear “One Foot In Hell,” the first chapter of the eleven-song descent that makes up Stranded In Hell.

  Musically, “One Foot In Hell” draws heavily from the aggressive character of late-'80s and early-'90s thrash and death metal. The song began with the memory of the type of fast, old-school, Pestilence-influenced drumming that QUEMASANTOS founder Ignacio Orellana had always been drawn to, but it developed into something broader as the composition took shape.

  The track combines fast thrash-driven sections with a contrasting middle passage that became the foundation for its guitar solo section, carrying influences that Orellana associates with bands including Anthrax, Metallica, and elements of his own musical history.

  Joining QUEMASANTOS on “One Foot In Hell” is Colombian guitarist Juancho Gómez of Masacre, whose performance brings another direct connection to the South American death metal tradition that has influenced Orellana throughout his career.

  Orellana comments:

  “One Foot In Hell was actually one of the last songs that came together for the album, but once it was finished, I knew it was the right place to begin. It has that old-school aggression I grew up loving, but it also contains several different pieces of my own musical history. For me, it became the perfect first step into Stranded In Hell.”

  Vocalist and lyricist Nelson “Sr. Díaz” describes the track:

  “One Foot In Hell is one of the most intense songs I’ve recorded in recent years. Many different styles coexist harmoniously within it, along with a high level of vocal demand. I believe the infernal horror it presents is captured faithfully through a demonically powerful yet technical performance that will take us into a paroxysm of metal.”

  "Stranded In Hell" marks the second QUEMASANTOS album featuring Sr. Díaz on vocals and lyrics, and the first album by the project performed entirely in English.

  The record was constructed differently from a traditional band recording process. Orellana composed the majority of the material beginning with the bass, followed by drums and guitars, allowing the bass to function as an independent compositional voice rather than simply following the guitar arrangements.

  “One Foot In Hell” was the notable exception: its composition began with the guitars.

  The finished album features 11 songs and 11 guest guitarists, with musicians from across the international metal scene contributing to individual tracks.

  Track Listing:​
  1. One Foot In Hell (Juancho Gómez – Masacre, Colombia)
  2. Burning The Black (Felipe Roa – Acaro, USA)
  3. Succubus (Héctor Guzmán – Distraught, Chile)
  4. Stalking Sharks (Marco Cusato, Chile)
  5. Nameless (Joe Sims – Axemaster, USA)
  6. Red Planet (Regisson Silva – Masterpiece, Brazil)
  7. Vampire (Richard Pilnik, Chile)
  8. The Oneironaut (Cristian Ira – Nimrod, Chile)
  9. Under The Moonlight (Sebastián Osorio – Reigning, Chile)
  10. Before The Law (Yanko Tolić – Massakre, Chile)
  11. Lex Talionis (Enrique Zúñiga – Atomic Aggressor, Chile)

  QUEMASANTOS

  Ignacio Orellana — Drums, Bass, Music, Production, Mixing & Mastering
  ​Nelson “Sr. Díaz” — Vocals & Lyrics

  Guest Solo Guitarists

  Juancho Gómez — Masacre
  Felipe Roa — Acaro
  Héctor Guzmán — Distraught
  Marco Cusato
  Joe Sims — Axemaster
  Regisson Silva — Masterpiece
  Richard Pilnik
  Cristian Ira — Nimrod
  Sebastián Osorio — Reigning
  Yanko Tolić — Massakre
  Enrique Zúñiga — Atomic Aggressor

  Vocals were recorded at Estudios Ultrasónico with Arturo Contreras and Estudios Attic with Marco Cusato.

  The album was produced, mixed, and mastered by Ignacio Orellana at Oily Sound Studios in New York.

  LISTENING PARTY:​
  ​https://quemasantos.bandcamp.com/live/quemasantos-stranded-in-hell-listening-party​

  DIGMETALWORLD:​
  ​https://www.digmetalworld.com​

  More info:

  ​https://quemasantos.com

  ​https://instagram.com/quemasantos1

  ​https://www.facebook.com/quemasantos

  ​https://x.com/quemasantos1

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• TRAUMATOMY Unleashes Groove Heavy Slamming Death "Visceral Maceration" From New Album "Ascension Of The Ineffable" Out Oct 2026

  Sep 2, 2026 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  Traumatomy announces their fourth full‑length album, "Ascension Of The Ineffable," due out on October 30th, 2026 via Gore House Productions. After two years of work, the upcoming record is their rawest, sharpest, and most brutal offering yet, elevated by the distinctive production of Konstantin Ogarkov, whose approach brought a uniquely savage edge to the album’s sound.

  This next offering delivers a faster, rawer, and even more brutal evolution of Traumatomy’s sound while keeping their familiar lyrical themes intact. Each track highlights a different facet of their extremity. "Entropic Obliteration" sets the tone with full-force brutality, "Pervigilium of the Obsolesced Xenolith" pushes speed and blast beats to the limit, and "Endoneural Parasitosis" leans into sickening breakdowns. "Repugnant Coalescence" stands out as the drummer’s most balanced pick, while the title track "Ascension Of The Ineffable" embodies the album’s concept and atmosphere. "Visceral Maceration" brings groove-heavy slam energy, "Autognathic Avulsion" blends grooves, blasts, and atmosphere, and "Xeno‑Homeostasis" closes the record with a perfectly structured finale. The cover art, created by legendary artist Jon Zig, captures the exact atmosphere and cosmic horror the band envisioned. As Traumatomy put it: SLAM IS THE ONLY WAY!
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  The first single to be unleashed, “Visceral Maceration”, was written specifically for fans of true slamming brutal death metal.

  "This may be the most groovy heavy track on the record and shows that we can find a different approach to composing and structuring music," adds guitarist Constantine.

  ​

  Formed in 2012 by guitarist and main songwriter Constantine Chevardin (Disfigurement Of Flesh, Nauseating, Morphogenetic Malformation) and Haruka Kamiyama (ex‑Gorevent / Medic Vomiting Pus), Traumatomy quickly became a cult force in the brutal death metal underground. Their 2013 debut "Transcendental Evisceration of Necrogenetic Beasts" established their reputation for slammy, primitive, crushing extremity. Between 2012 and 2018, they released two albums and three EPs before evolving into a full touring band with the addition of bassist Leonid (Cephalic Impurity) and drummer Ivan.
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  Known for coordinated, intense performances and a relentless commitment to monolithic slam, Traumatomy continues to push their sound into increasingly brutal, higher‑quality territory with every release. Lyrically inspired by H.P. Lovecraft and criminal TV shows, and musically driven by riffs, beer, and cosmic horror.

  Recommended for fans of Gorevent, Cerebral Incubation, Disgorge, Epicardiectomy, and Defeated Sanity, "Ascension of the Ineffable" is out on October 30th, 2026, from Gore House Productions.

  Album pre-save / CD/ Cassette - https://orcd.co/ascension-of-the-ineffable​

  Track Listing:​
  1. Entropic Obliteration (3:34)
  2. Pervigilium of the Obsolesced Xenolith (3:26)
  3. Endoneural Parasitosis (3:07)
  4. Repugnant Coalescence (2:55)
  5. Ascension Of The Ineffable (2:54)
  6. Visceral Maceration (2:34)
  7. Autognathic Avulsion (2:43)
  8. Xeno-Homeostasis (3:07)
  Album Length: 24:15

  More info:

  ​http://gorehouseproductions.com​

  ​https://www.facebook.com/traumatomy​

  ​https://www.instagram.com/traumatomy.slam

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