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• WACKEN METAL BATTLE USA Announces 2026 Battle Cities and Bands! One Band To Conquer Them All & Play Wacken Open Air

  Jan 15, 2026 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  One Band To Conquer Them All! Wacken Metal Battle USA proudly unveils the 2026 battlegrounds across the nation, where one rising independent metal band will earn the chance to perform at Wacken Open Air, one of the globe’s most iconic and influential metal festivals.

  Battles will be hosted in the following cities listed below. Please note that the national final will be held in San Diego, CA, on June 13, 2026.

  The 2026 WMBU champion will receive the following:
  - A slot at the 2026 Wacken Open Air Festival.
  - Full professional backline provided.
  - $1,000 USD towards flights to Germany.
  - VIP camping at the festival.

  List of previous WMBU national winners: Mourning High (2025 - Southern California / Arizona), Cascade Effect (2024 - San Diego), Fadrait (2023 - San Diego), Mythraeum (2022 - San Diego), Monarch (2019 - San Diego), Voices of Ruin (2018 - Anaheim), and Corpse Hoarder (2017 - Philadelphia).

  Watch - Wacken Metal Battle 2025 - Aftermovie | Have You Heard the Future of Metal? - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCulXiLlaSw​

  Wacken Battle Trailer Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjMugRXEc5g​

  Battle Cities

  Atlanta
  ​Jan 30 – Atlanta, GA – Star Bar (Round 1) – Esca, Vicki’s Dream, Death Rift, Endera, Valkyrie’s Fire, Disenthralled – https://www.freshtix.com/events/wackenmetalbattleatl
  Jan 31 – Atlanta, GA – Star Bar (Round 2) – Jaeger, Red Hot Empty, Sugar Virus, Beast Mode, Dead Alive, Widow Anchor – https://www.freshtix.com/events/wackenmetalbattleatl
  Feb 13 – Atlanta, GA – Star Bar (Atlanta Final)
  ​
  ​Austin
  ​Feb 1 – Austin, TX – Come And Take It Live (Round 1)
  March 15 – Austin, TX – Come And Take It Live (Texas Final)
  ​
  ​Brooklyn – https://www.facebook.com/events/880819674913930​
  ​March 13 – Brooklyn, NY – The Monarch – Wood Shop (Round 1)
  March 14 – Brooklyn, NY – The Monarch – Wood Shop (Round 2)
  April 11 – Brooklyn, NY – The Monarch – Wood Shop (Brooklyn Final)
  May 9 – Brooklyn, NY – The Monarch – Wood Shop (East Coast Final)
  ​
  ​Baltimore
  ​Feb 7 – Catonsville, MD – Morsbergers Tavern (Round 1) – Tugboat, Casual Cruelty, Gods End, Corpse God, Reign, Ametropsa – https://www.facebook.com/events/2105141780021444/
  Feb 28 – Catonsville, MD – Morsbergers Tavern (Round 2) – Eden of Fire, Illusion of Solace, Babies for Brunch, Diegression, Deadkind, Blood Zero – https://www.facebook.com/events/1530819171310018/
  March 21 – Catonsville, MD – Morsbergers Tavern (Round 3)
  April 11 – Catonsville, MD – Morsbergers Tavern (Catonsville Final)
  ​
  ​Concord
  ​March 14 – Concord, CA – Vinnie’s (Round 1) – Embryonic Devourment, Sonus, Thares, Cardboard Ringo –https://www.facebook.com/events/2070524426817816/
  March 28 – Concord, CA – Vinnie’s (Round 2)
  April 18 – Concord, CA – Vinnie’s (NorCal Final)
  ​
  ​Dallas
  ​Feb 7 – Dallas, TX – The Rail Club (Round 1)
  ​
  ​Houston
  ​Feb 7 – Houston, TX – BFE Rock Club (Round 1)
  ​
  ​Portland​
  Feb 28 – Portland, OR – Dante’s (Round 1)
  TBD – Portland, OR – Dante’s (Pacific Northwest Final)
  ​
  ​Sacramento
  ​March 6 – Sacramento, CA – Old Ironsides (Round 1)
  March 20 – Sacramento, CA – Old Ironsides (Round 2)
  April 3 – Sacramento, CA – Old Ironsides (Round 3)
  ​
  ​San Antonio
  ​Feb 6 – San Antonio, TX – Rock Box (Round 1) – Aeternal Requiem, Cheese Grater Masturbation, Voltreus, Thunder Horse, Surge
  Corpse Pile, Life Undone, Ariah Falls, Forever Silent, Bloodmoon, Immortal Execution, Overlay, Egregious
  Glorious https://www.facebook.com/events/3331767850332917
  ​
  ​San Diego
  ​March 13 – San Diego, CA – Brick By Brick (Round 1) – https://www.facebook.com/events/1274721898034186/
  March 14 – San Diego, CA – Brick By Brick (Round 2) – https://www.facebook.com/events/4304692073075456/
  April 25 – San Diego, CA – Brick By Brick (San Diego Final)
  May 23 – San Diego, CA – Brick By Brick (California Final)
  June 13 – San Diego, CA – Brick By Brick (National Final)
  ​
  ​Santa Ana
  ​Feb 28 – Santa Ana, CA – Stages (Round 1)
  March 7 – Santa Ana, CA – Stages (Round 2)
  April 4 – Santa Ana, CA – Stages (LA/OC Final)
  ​
  ​Seattle
  ​Jan 16 Seattle, WA – The Funhouse (Round 1) – Trip The Wire, Ocean Ghost, Fate Defined, AC3, Serene, Wayward Shot – https://www.facebook.com/events/1182381040748946
  ​
  ​Tampa Bay
  ​Feb 27 – Tampa, FL – The Brass Mug (Round 1) – Ramtha, Endurus, Roads End, Mind Virus, Parallel Motion, Coralines Collapse – https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wacken-metal-battle-florida-round-1-tickets-1979192270359
  Feb 28 – Tampa, FL – The Brass Mug (Round 2) – Announce The Apocalypse, Failure Protocol, Nocturnal Dawn, Precipice, Livekill, Nibiru – https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wacken-metal-battle-florida-round-2-tickets-1979194475956
  March 14 – Tampa, FL – The Brass Mug (Tampa Final)
  April 18 – Tampa, FL – Tampa Metal Meeting (Southeast Final)
  ​
  ​Wimington
  ​March 7 – Wilmington, DE – Bar XIII (Round 1)
  March 20 – Wilmington, DE – Bar XIII (Round 2)
  April 18 – Wilmington, DE – Bar XIII (Wilmington Final)

  =======================================

  Last year's 2025 WMBU national finals were held on June 21st at Dingbatz in Clifton, NJ, where Southern California and Arizona-based band ​MOURNING HIGH​ emerged as the seventh champion selected to represent the United States at the prestigious international showdown, Wacken Open Air, that took place from July 30th to August 2nd in Wacken, Germany, where over 185,000 attendees from around the world gathered.

  Mourning High, crowned the West Coast Winner, competed alongside five other standout American bands: ​PRIME PROPHECY (New Jersey), ​WHAT’S WRONG (Pacific Northwest), ​PONTIFEX​ (Florida), ​FIREHAZE (East Coast), and BROKEN TIME (Texas). A panel of seasoned industry professionals, including Jeff Buttermark (FM Management), Shawn Quinn (Napalm Records/FM Management), and Rob Caggiano (formerly of Anthrax and Volbeat), ultimately selected Mourning High as the top U.S. act to perform at the International Wacken Battle.

  Spotify - 2025 WMBU National Finalists Playlist - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5q7Or6tHAsWsAGg8zQSVgZ​

  For the last seven years of battles (2017-2019, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025), Wacken Metal Battle USA has hosted battles across the country to send one independent metal band to perform at the world’s largest metal festival, Wacken Open Air in Wacken, Germany. 2019 saw the festival celebrate its 30th anniversary, but due to COVID, the 2020 and 2021 editions were both canceled. As the metal community regains its strength, Wacken Open Air 2026 will be the 35th edition of the festival and will be held from July 29th to August 1st. The 2026 event is already sold out with a line-up that includes Def Leppard, Lamb Of God, In Flames, Powerwolf, Emperor, Sepultura, and Running Wild, among others. Details here.

  Wacken Metal Battle USA is part of an international competition that sees bands from across the country battle each other for the chance to win their spot among over 55 other countries’ champions, and represent the USA in an international battle of the bands at the world’s largest outdoor metal festival: Wacken Open Air. The battles have been hosted at the festival for over a decade and give independent bands the opportunity to showcase their talents to an international audience, along with the chance to win multiple prizes.

  How it works:​
  ​Participating cities will host qualifying rounds plus a city final organized by a local city concert promoter, where one band will move forward to the American national final (date and city to be determined). The winner of the national final will advance to perform at Wacken Open Air 2026 and compete against the winners of international bands from around the globe in a major international battle. All bands will be judged during battle rounds by respected local music industry representatives.

  Links:​
  ​Metal-Battle.com​
  ​MetalBattleUSA.com​
  ​Facebook.com/metalbattleusa​.official​
  ​X.com/MetalBattleUSA​
  ​Instagram.com/wmbusa.official

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• GRAVEWITCH's New Video Summons “Damnable Evil” From Blackened Thrash Self-Titled Album Out Now! + Show Date w/ Savage Master

  Jan 15, 2026 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  Blackened thrash metal duo Gravewitch has released the official lyric video for “Damnable Evil,” the second single from their self‑titled full‑length album Gravewitch, which dropped this past June via Rock Sun Records.
  ​
  Created by Kenji of Tsunami Films & Narcotic Wasteland, the “Damnable Evil” lyric video marks a first for the band, an intense visual companion that amplifies the track’s themes of psychological torment and early‑20th‑century asylum horror.

  The track dives into the grim reality of early insane asylums, imagining the terror and mistreatment faced by those confined within. Musically, it blends Gravewitch’s signature blackened thrash with a heavier, groove‑driven undercurrent, an unsettling, immersive backdrop for the song’s lyrical descent into madness.
  ​​
  “The instrumentation captures what the lyrics are explaining. It’s different from the rest of the album, but still very much us,” adds Chris Fleming (Guitar/Vocals/Bass).
  ​
  

  Formed in 2013 in the high desert shadows of Bend, Oregon, Chris Fleming (guitar/vocals) and Andrew Ingraham (drums) have spent more than a decade forging their own brand of blackened thrash, fast, melodic, atmospheric, and uncompromisingly heavy. Their sound draws from titans like Kreator, Amon Amarth, Dark Funeral, Uada, Skeletonwitch, Emperor, and Vader, while remaining unmistakably their own.
  ​
  Their self‑titled 2025 album represents the band’s most ambitious and polished work to date. Written during the global uncertainty of 2020, the record explores a wide spectrum of dark themes, from war and witchcraft to sleep paralysis, necromancy, and the infamous serial killer H.H. Holmes. Each of the album’s ten tracks stands apart, reflecting the chaotic energy of the era in which they were created.
  ​​
  “This is our first professional recording where listeners can truly hear the sound we’ve been striving for. Every song takes the audience on a different journey. We wanted this album to be an adventure. We’ve always been told we sound like a five‑piece band even though we’re a duo. This album shows who we are and where we’re going,” says Fleming.
  ​
  Since their formation, Gravewitch have become a force in the Pacific Northwest metal scene, sharing stages with Warbringer, Goatwhore, Flotsam and Jetsam, Lord Dying, Nervosa, and more. Their reputation for ferocious, tightly executed live performances has earned them a cult following and a respected place in the underground.
  ​
  Despite their growing success, the band has remained fiercely independent. Fleming handles the bulk of instrumentation on their releases, while both members collaborate closely on themes, structure, and songwriting. Their DIY ethos has shaped their identity from day one.

  
  ​
  ​Gravewitch's self-titled album, released on June 18, 2025, via Rock Sun Records, is available on all digital platforms and CD.

  Bandcamp (CD) - https://gravewitchofficial.bandcamp.com/album/gravewitch​

  Add to your Spotify playlist - https://open.spotify.com/album/7kBWr27iJzjvjOfTLP3ZgM​

  In additional news, Gravewitch will be local support for Savage Master's tour stop in Eugene, OR, on February 12th, 2026. Info can be found here.

  Show Dates:​
  Feb 12 - John Henry's - Eugene, OR - Savage Master, Oxygen Destroyer, Gravewitch

  Track Listing:​
  1. Damnable Evil (4:24)
  2. Phantasm (4:21)
  3. Mistress of Hate (4:13)
  4. Ritual Reanimation (4:35)
  5. Atmospheric Alterations (4:31)
  6. White City Devil (4:00)
  7. Woodland Trance (5:09)
  8. Systematic Fallout (4:21)
  9. Operation Overlord (5:27)
  10. The Once Sacred Gift of Life (3:32)
  Album Length: 44:38

  Band Lineup:​
  Chris Fleming: Guitar/Vocals/Bass
  Andrew Ingraham: Drums

  More info: Facebook.com/gravewitch | Instagram.com/gravewitchofficial

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• RAVENMOCKER Unleashes A Fierce First Step Into a New Era of Melodic Death Metal w/ Debut Single “Infallible”

  Jan 12, 2026 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  Southern California’s newest force in melodic death metal, Ravenmocker, has released their debut single, “Infallible”, accompanied by a music video to mark the band’s official arrival and the first of several tracks set to drop throughout the year. Formed in 2025 by guitarist/vocalist Tom Tierney, the band emerges from a period of personal upheaval, creative rebirth, and a desire to carve out a culturally rooted identity inspired by Native American lore.

  Joined by guitarist George Patmas (ex‑Dianthus), drummer Dylan Suierveld (Levinia), and bassist Will Buckley (Levinia, Anubis), the band quickly developed a sound that is both nostalgic and fresh. Their influences span Children of Bodom, Insomnium, Amon Amarth, Kalmah, and Dark Tranquillity, while each member brings unexpected flavors, country, jazz fusion, blues, funk, and classical choral music into the mix.

  Ravenmocker’s writing process is collaborative, dynamic, and rooted in emotional honesty. While Tierney currently leads much of the songwriting, every member contributes ideas, arrangements, and refinements.
  ​
  ​“We want to write good songs, not just content. These songs were years in the making. The melodies should stick with you. We want people singing with us at shows. We want to give fans something they can feel together,” adds Tierney.

  The band's first single, “Infallible,” represents the moment everything changed for Tierney, the song that pushed him to leave behind a project he’d been part of for five years and fully commit to forging Ravenmocker’s path.

  “‘Infallible’ was the turning point. It came from a place in my life that was harming me more than helping me. The guys immediately heard the potential, and it became the first song we worked on. A small clip online hit over 75,000 views, and that connection really showed us this was the right direction. This song started it all,” explains Tierney.
  ​
  ​“Infallible” tells the story of a man who has spent too long in darkness, giving everything to an entity that never gave anything back. The track captures the moment he finally walks away, choosing growth, clarity, and self‑determination over turmoil. Musically, the song is energetic and uplifting, while lyrically, it remains cold, rigid, and emotionally raw. This contrast reflects the duality of stepping into a new future while still carrying the weight of resentment, anger, and frustration.
  ​
  The single artwork mirrors this theme: A lone figure stands in the ruins of a devastated city, surrounded by collapsed towers and shattered structures. Amid the destruction, a statue of a raven remains standing, wings spread, defiant, symbolizing resilience, rebirth, and the courage to rise from ruin.

  Watch and listen to the music video for “Infallible” via its premiere on NoCleanSinging HERE.

  Spotify pre-save - https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/ravenmocker/infallible/​

  More info:

  ​http://www.ravenmocker.net/​

  ​http://www.instagram.com/ravenmockerofficial​

  ​http://www.facebook.com/ravenmockerofficial​

  ​http://www.tiktok.com/ravenmockerofficial​

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• CANVAS OF SILENCE Unveils New Vocalist w/ Video "The Great Unknown"

  Jan 9, 2026 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  Rockshots Records is proud to announce the release of “The Great Unknown”, the new official video by Finnish progressive metal act Canvas Of Silence. Featured on the band’s debut full-length album "As The World Tree Fell," the song is now presented in a new version introducing Aino Vuorenmaa as the new lead singer of the band, marking an important step in Canvas Of Silence’s ongoing evolution.

  Following the previously released singles “Drown”, “One With The Wind” and “Humanimal”, the latter having been featured in Spotify’s editorial playlist Metallia Suomesta, alongside the album focus track “Wayfarer”, this new version of “The Great Unknown” represents a pivotal moment within the record’s conceptual and emotional journey, while also signaling a renewed artistic direction.

  Musically, “The Great Unknown” stands as one of the album’s most direct and immediate compositions, while remaining unmistakably true to the band’s sonic identity. Progressive metal foundations are enriched by expansive melodic lines, atmospheric textures, and dynamic arrangements that balance intensity and accessibility. With the introduction of the new vocal line, the song unfolds with renewed momentum, allowing its emotional weight to emerge with even greater clarity and purpose.

  With "As The World Tree Fell," Canvas Of Silence delivered a cohesive and emotionally charged debut album exploring themes of collapse, transformation, and renewal. Within this broader arc, the new version of “The Great Unknown” functions both as a moment of focus and as a statement of renewal, reflecting the band’s evolving identity and the beginning of a new chapter.

  For fans of Pain of Salvation, Nightwish, In Flames, and all those drawn to music that challenges, moves, and transforms, will find much to explore in the world of Canvas Of Silence's debut album, "As The World Tree Fell," released on October 31, 2025.

  Album Order - https://www.rockshots.eu/CanvasOfSilence​

  Add to your Spotify playlist - https://lnk.to/YFjpYgMB​

  Track Listing:​
  1. Watching the World Tree Fall - 6:20
  2. Humanimal - 4:02
  3. Anthem for Ashes - 4:54
  4. Drown - 5:41
  5. One With the Wind - 4:33
  6. Wayfarer - 8:32
  7. The Great Unknown - 4:38
  8. Garden of the Fallen - 4:46
  ​

  ALBUM LINE UP:

  Hanna Uimonen: Vocals
  Tatu Hanhikoski: Guitars, programming
  Jaakko Puusaari: Guitars, backing vocals
  Mikael Minkkinen: Bass
  Iiro Vuori: Drums

  CURRENT LINE UP:​
  ​
  Aino Vuorenmaa: Vocals
  Tatu Hanhikoski: Guitars, programming
  Jaakko Puusaari: Guitars, backing vocals
  Mikael Minkkinen: Bass
  Iiro Vuori: Drums​
  ​
  ​For more info:
  ​Rockshots.eu | https://www.facebook.com/canvasofsilence | https://www.instagram.com/canvasofsilenceband/

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• BORN DIVIDED Unleashes Ferocious Lyric Video “The Dead Inside Ourselves”

  Jan 8, 2026 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  Québec City melodic death metal force Born Divided continue the momentum of their acclaimed sophomore album "Chronicle of a Shipwreck" with the release of a brand‑new lyric video for one of the record’s most visceral tracks, “The Dead Inside Ourselves.”

  A standout moment on the album, "The Dead Inside Ourselves," captures the band at their most raw and unfiltered. The track erupts with stripped‑down, hard‑hitting guitar riffs, no ornamentation, no restraint, just pure, unrelenting aggression. As the song unfolds, it plunges into a brooding, symphonic bridge that channels the dark theatricality of Cradle of Filth before launching into a climactic finale. Vocalist Maxim Levesque delivers one of his most striking performances to date, with clean vocals that rise above the chaos in a haunting, unforgettable close.
  ​
  ​“The Dead Inside Ourselves is one of the most cathartic pieces on the album. It’s raw emotion without a filter, anger, despair, resilience, all colliding in one place. The lyric video gives fans a deeper look into that emotional core,” says the band.

  Released this past October, "Chronicle of a Shipwreck" marked a major creative milestone for Born Divided. Mixed and mastered by Chris Donaldson (Cryptopsy), the album pushes further into the band’s signature blend of orchestral intensity, progressive ambition, and melodic ferocity. Since forming in 2020, following the end of Blinded by Faith, founding members Tommy Demers and Michael Beaudoin have built Born Divided into a powerhouse alongside Levesque, drummer Lucas Biron, and guitarist Fred Bedard, all veterans of Québec’s metal scene.
  ​
  With "Chronicle of a Shipwreck," the band adopted a more personal and emotionally charged direction. Fast, intricate riffs collide with soaring melodies, brutal screams, and cinematic arrangements, exploring themes of collapse, inner conflict, and the fight toward redemption. The album has been praised for its dynamic songwriting and its ability to balance heaviness with haunting atmosphere.
  ​
  The new lyric video for "The Dead Inside Ourselves" provides fans with another glimpse into the album’s emotional landscape, one characterized by intensity, vulnerability, and the band’s unmistakable blend of melodic death metal and symphonic drama.
  ​
  ​

  Recommended for fans of Ne Obliviscaris, Symphony X, Scar Symmetry, Persefone, and Dimmu Borgir, Born Divided continue to carve out a distinct identity in the modern metal scene, delivering music that is as technically sharp as it is emotionally resonant.

  "Chronicle of a Shipwreck", released October 24th, 2025, is available at the following links:

  Album Order (CD, Digital) - https://borndividedofficial.bandcamp.com/​

  Add to your Spotify playlist - https://open.spotify.com/album/2F9dcstQgn1At9fHyfJdum​

  ​

  Track Listing:
  ​1. Everything Comes to an End - 5:09
  2. Chronicle of a Shipwreck - 4:10
  3. Illusion Factories - 7:38
  4. The Dead Inside Ourselves - 5:54
  5. Run, Burn, Die! - 7:52
  6. Subterranean Corridors - 4:48
  7. Anxiety - 7:57
  Album Length: 43:31
  ​
  ​Born Divided is:​
  Tommy Demers - Bass
  Maxim Levesque - Vocals
  Michael Beaudoin - Guitars
  Fred Bedard - Guitars
  Lucas Biron - Drums

  For more info: https://linktr.ee/borndivided

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