News

• CONFLUX COLLECTIVE's New Album "In the Wake of Saturn" (ft. members of ex-Augury, ex‑Decrepit Birth, Derelict, Gross Misconduct, Continuum and more!)

  Jun 18, 2026 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  After years of dormancy, reinvention, and sheer determination, Conflux Collective unleashes its long‑anticipated debut full‑length album, "In the Wake of Saturn", available digitally and on CD and Vinyl on June 19th, 2026.

  And before it officially releases, check out its full stream premiere on BraveWords HERE.
  ​
  Born from a chance reunion between drummer Tommy McKinnon (Derelict, Akurion, ex‑Neuraxis, ex‑Augury) and guitarist Chase Fraser (Continuum, ex‑Decrepit Birth, ex‑Animosity) after a King Diamond show in Montreal, Conflux Collective has always been something different, a project built on spontaneity, collaboration, and the collision of extreme voices.
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  What began as an unexpected jam session years ago has now evolved into a fully realized underground force.

  
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  ​"In the Wake of Saturn" is the culmination of a long creative journey marked by setbacks, reinvention, and unwavering resolve. After the project fell dormant, McKinnon resurrected it from the ground up, writing new material, reconstructing old tracks, recording all bass parts by ear, and crafting lyrics drawn from deeply personal experiences.
  ​
  To bring the album to life, he assembled a powerhouse lineup of vocalists whose performances define the record’s emotional and sonic assault: Jesse Brint (Gross Misconduct), Mallika Sundaramurthy (Emasculator, ex‑Abnormality), Jeffrey Mott (The Monster Factory, Growlers Choir), Eric Burnet (Derelict, Samskaras), Max (Derelict), who also contributes a blistering guitar solo. Each vocalist adds a distinct identity, turning the album into a multi‑dimensional narrative rather than a traditional death‑metal record.
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  Across its eight tracks, "In the Wake of Saturn" channels the raw ferocity of ’90s death metal through the precision and ambition of modern technical death metal, forging a sound McKinnon defines as “progressive, brutal, technical, melodic, uncompromising.” The album moves through themes of loss, fear, survival, and rebirth, unfolding as a transformative listening experience where each song feels like a chapter in a larger narrative. Shifting vocal perspectives, intricate drum work, and a balance of atonal violence and melodic clarity guide the listener through its evolving landscape. As vocalist Jesse Brint put it, “…it’s a journey.”​
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  That journey begins with the ferocious opener “The Antidote”, a blast of brutal energy featuring some of McKinnon’s most demanding drum performances and a searing vocal delivery from Eric Burnet. From there, the album descends into the doom‑leaning weight of “Devouring Light”, a groove‑driven, darkly atmospheric piece crowned by one of Fraser’s most expressive solos. “Reincarnation” follows as a technical, emotionally charged centerpiece that mirrors the rebirth of the project itself. The title track, “In the Wake of Saturn”, delivers the album’s fastest and most direct assault, embodying the transformative force at the heart of the record. Finally, the journey closes with “Desperate Post‑Humanist”, the album’s most layered composition, an expansive and unsettling dialogue between man and machine that ends the record with haunting finality.

  
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  Mixed by Jeanne Comateuse, the album stands as a testament to perseverance and artistic integrity. Despite setbacks, lineup changes, and years of uncertainty, "In the Wake of Saturn" exists because the collective refused to let the vision die.

  “This album is a journey through pain, fear, defeat, survival and finally rebirth… a true underground monster, made for those who appreciate and seek the unusual,” adds McKinnon.

  Recommended for fans of Cryptopsy, Necrophagist, Decrepit Birth, Augury, and Beyond Creation, "In the Wake of Saturn" will be available at the following links:

  Album pre-save - https://confluxcollective.bandcamp.com/​

  Vinyl and CD pre-order - https://elasticstage.com/confluxcollective​

  Merch / Apparel available - https://confluxco-shop.fourthwall.com/​​

  More info:

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

  ​https://www.instagram.com/confluxco/​

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• METALADIAN Unleashes Ferocious Title‑Track Single “Deaditation” Ahead of Debut Album Out On Canada Day!

  Jun 15, 2026 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  Hamilton, Ontario, extreme‑metal outfit METALADIAN erupt with the release of “Deaditation,” the ferocious and hypnotic title‑track single from their upcoming debut album out on Canada Day, July 1st, 2026. After more than twenty years of composing, refining, and shaping the band’s sound, composer, lead vocalist, and drummer Andrew Brophy finally unveils the first official chapter of METALADIAN’s long‑awaited recorded legacy.
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  ​“Deaditation” is METALADIAN’s most aggressive and unrelenting work, a dizzying, chromatic, multi‑vocal assault built on a three‑stage structure: plateau, ascension, descent. Each time the cycle restarts, the tempo subtly increases, dragging listeners deeper into a spiralling frenzy.
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  ​“The interplay between vocalists is quick, dizzying and hypnotizing… the music is incrementally and constantly gaining momentum, driving the track to a spiralling frenzy by the final descent,” adds Brophy.
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  Lyrically, the single paints a blackened world where victims reclaim power through a psychic retaliation, a Deaditation, forcing abusers to feel the pain they inflicted “100,000 fold.” Musically, it opens with riotous crowd samples, chromatic bass lines, droning harmonies, ripping feedback, and a tribal drum solo that launches the track into its relentless progression.
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  Fans of extreme metal, progressive death metal, and classical‑influenced metal will immediately recognize the ambition and precision behind the single.

  Arriving July 1, 2026, "Deaditation" is the culmination of more than two decades of writing. Brophy began composing the framework on classical guitar in 2003, later expanding the material into a full three‑album arc.
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  The debut album is a story‑driven descent and ascent, moving through spiteful violence, spiralling depression, suicidal ideation,
  confrontation with God, revenge, and finally, redemption.
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  ​“The album is drenched in violence and darkness, but with a hint of light that begins to show itself as the album progresses,” says Brophy.​
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  Musically, the record is dense, chromatic, harmonically lush, and rhythmically punishing. Vocally, all four members contribute in a rapid‑fire call‑and‑response style: Andrew Brophy (drums, lead vocals) with melodic leads and rhythmic anchors, Dustin Smith (bass) brings guttural, ogre‑like lows, Dan Brophy (guitar) adds vicious, rabid‑dog riot vocals and Ruth Guechtal (guitar) exports ripping, high‑screeching screams. The result is a massive, layered vocal machine unlike anything in the Canadian metal landscape.
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  ​METALADIAN formed in Hamilton, Ontario, as the vehicle for Andrew Brophy’s intricate compositions, music that blends thrash, death, progressive, and technical metal with the darker works of classical composers such as Bartók, Penderecki, Mussorgsky, Stravinsky, Beethoven, and Mahler.
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  “Metaladian is my passion, my main source of creativity and catharsis for years,” adds Brophy.
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  Their sound is best described as complex, emotional, heavy, dark, and hypnotizing. The band’s lineup is deeply interconnected: Andrew and guitarist Dan are brothers, Ruth (guitar) is Dan’s wife, and Dustin (bass) is their “metal brother from another mother.”
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  All four also perform in the Hamilton extreme‑theatre metal act 30 Immolated; 16 Returned, and three members hold classical‑music degrees, including two doctorates in composition.
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  Recommended for fans of Strapping Young Lad, Metallica (early), Suffocation, Bela Bartok, and Ludwig Van Beethoven, METALADIAN's "Deaditation" is available for pre-order at https://metaladian.bandcamp.com/​

  Track Listing:​
  1. Left Hand Path – 9:44
  2. Deaditation - 6:21
  3. No Worse Death Than The Loss Of All Hope - (Wondering Why I Wonder Why) - 7:35
  4. Confrontation With God - 11:59
  5. Cure For Judgement - 6:51
  6. Welcome To Your Holy Hell - 8:49
  Album Length: 51:19

  Band Line-up:​
  Andrew Brophy - Lead Vocals - Drums
  Dan Brophy - Vocals - Rhythm, Lead and Classical Guitars
  Ruth Guetchal - Vocals - Rhythm Guitars
  Dustin Smith - Vocals - Bass Guitars

  More info:

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

  ​https://www.instagram.com/metaladian​

  ​https://www.tiktok.com/@metaladian​

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• LEVINIA Sinks Their Teeth Into 2026 With Dracula Inspired Single “Bite”

  Jun 12, 2026 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  Los Angeles cinematic‑metal outfit Levinia returns with the third installment of their 2026 four‑single cycle, releasing their heaviest and most visceral track yet: “Bite.” The single and accompanying music video arrive as the follow‑up to the band’s recent releases “Silver Tongues” and “The Thorn,” continuing the group’s evolution into a darker, sharper, and more emotionally charged era.
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  ​“Bite,” like all four upcoming singles, is produced by Brandon Friesen (Halestorm, Nickelback, The Hu, Papa Roach), whose cinematic approach and modern metal sensibilities have helped elevate Levinia’s sound into its most refined form to date.
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  Drawing inspiration from Dracula, specifically the character of Mina Murray/Harker, “Bite” reimagines the classic Gothic arc of vulnerability transformed into strength. Vocalist Kourt Henson channels Mina’s evolution from prey to force of will, weaving a narrative of emotional reclamation, toxic entanglement, and the quiet power of survival.
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  “‘Bite’ is for anyone who’s ever felt drained by something or someone that tried to control them. It’s about finding the strength to fight back and become something stronger than what tried to break you,” says Henson.
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  Musically, “Bite” is Levinia at their most aggressive, relentless riffs, cinematic tension, and a vocal performance that swings between haunting restraint and explosive catharsis. Fans of the band’s heavier material, especially tracks like “Push and Pull,” will immediately gravitate toward its intensity.
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  The single’s artwork features a single drop of blood, a minimalist but potent symbol tied directly to the song’s themes. More than a nod to vampiric imagery, the blood represents the shedding of a former self, a transformation born from pain, loss, and the reclaiming of personal power.

  “Bite” continues Levinia’s 2026 collaboration with producer Brandon Friesen, who worked closely with guitarist Alon Mei‑Tal and vocalist Kourt Henson during pre‑production to refine the band’s most ambitious material yet. The partnership has resulted in a sound that is heavier, more cinematic, and more emotionally deliberate than anything in the band’s catalog.
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  This single marks the third chapter in a four‑part release cycle that showcases the full spectrum of Levinia’s identity, from groove‑driven modern metal to atmospheric balladry to the ferocity embodied in “Bite.”

  Recommended for fans of Within Temptation, Amaranthe, Nightwish, Lacuna Coil, and Delain, listen to “Bite” at the following links:

  ​Digital - https://hypeddit.com/levinia/bite612

  ​

  Levinia:​
  Vocals - Kourt Henson
  Guitar - Alon Mei-Tal
  Bass - Liam Alexander
  Drums- Dylan Suierveld

  More info:

  ​https://www.leviniaofficial.com/​

  ​https://instagram.com/leviniaofficial​

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

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• POWERLÖAD Drops Music Video “Drunk in a Taxi Cab” For New Album "In The Pocket" Out End of June 2026 + Tour Dates ANVIL

  Jun 12, 2026 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

   

  Canadian sleaze‑rock troublemakers POWERLÖAD have released their brand‑new music video for “Drunk in a Taxi Cab”, the latest single from their upcoming album "In The Pocket," due out on June 26, 2026, from Luv Machine Records (Vinyl), Night Strike Records (Cassette) and Nice Load Records & Marital Aid (CD).

  The video is a hilariously literal, grimy, one‑location ride through the life of a drunk trying to get home, shot entirely in the back of a car. The concept came straight from bassist/vocalist Shel Shock, who adds:

  “One night I was in a car coming home from the bar & in the midst of all the spinning, some lyrics appeared. Anyone who’s listening to POWERLÖAD has been there, you drunks. Can’t get more literal or bonehead than that.”

  A slower, swagger‑heavy rocker, “Drunk in a Taxi Cab” captures the bleary, reflective moment between the chaos of the night and the consequences of the morning, all wrapped in the band’s signature maximum-voltage street rock attack attitude.

  Add to your Spotify playlist - https://open.spotify.com/artist/6r7vD3wBNn5j6qdqvKdpVk?si=qqnV1ZABQhe6IBZwtMRVrA

  ​

  POWERLÖAD’s new album is eight tracks of unapologetic, high‑octane sleaze rock that chronicle a full night of the band’s self‑proclaimed lifestyle.

  “We wanted this album to be almost conceptual of the POWERLÖAD lifestyle. People compare it to Tommy or The Wall, mostly because of the musicianship & lyrical themes, which are superior on In The Pocket,” adds Shel Shock.

  Lyrically and musically, the band sums the album up in three words: sex, drugs, and rock’n’ roll. The record is a full‑throttle plunge into that chaos, ripping through eight filthy, high‑energy chapters that kick off with the AC/DC charged opener "Tons of Tail", a song that sounds like it’s about lots of chicks, but it’s actually about lots of cocktails. Rolling into "Bad Girls," a tribute to the strong, street‑owning women the band admires. "The Ballad of Shit Faced Tony" follows Toronto’s most persistent blow‑seeker, while "Chains of Rock n’ Roll" channels the reckless spirit of the Sunset Strip. The stakes rise, literally and chemically, with "Stakes Are High (& So Am I)," a gambling‑fueled Motörhead homage, before the weed‑worshipping "Defenders of the Eighth" lights up the room. "Lapdog Deluxe" dives into glam‑trash absurdity inspired by ZZ Top confusion, and the night finally collapses into "Drunk in a Taxi Cab," a bleary, stumbling ride home that closes the album with hungover honesty.

  Following the album release, POWERLÖAD will hit the road with ANVIL for three Western Canadian shows, including a hometown blowout in Edmonton, AB.

  Tour Dates:​
  June 25 - Kelowna, BC - Unleashed Brewing Co. w/ Corpus Upir, Charlie Handsome & the Brats
  June 26 - Chilliwack, BC - The Chillhouse Tour w/ Anvil
  June 27 - Vancouver, BC - Astoria Tour w/ Anvil
  July 2 - Edmonton, AB - Divebar Tour w/ Anvil

  POWERLÖAD formed as a reaction to safe, sanitized rock, choosing instead to deliver raw, dirty, high‑energy sleaze rock built for people who want to feel “sexy as hell” when they hit play. The trio features Shel Shock (Bass + Vocals), Hell Hammered (Drums), and Brett Michaels (Guitar).

  Recommended for fans of G.B.H., Motorhead, AC/DC, and Mötley Crüe, "In The Pocket", out on June 26th from Luv Machine Records (Vinyl), Night Strike Records (Cassette), and Nice Load Records & Marital Aid (CD) is available for pre-order (CD/ Vinyl/ Cassette) at https://powerload.bandcamp.com/album/in-the-pocket​​

  Track Listing:
  ​1. Tons Of Tail (2:36)
  2. Bad Girls (3:02)
  3. The Ballad Of Shit Faced Tony (2:58)
  4. Chains Of Rock n’ Roll (2:51)
  5. Stakes Are High (So Am I) (3:21)
  6. Defenders Of The Eighth (2:42)
  7. Lapdog Deluxe (2:20)
  8. Drunk In A Taxi Cab (3:25)

  Band Line Up Album + Live
  ​Shel Shock - Bass, Vocals (Tracks 1, 3, 4, 6)
  Brett Michaels - Guitar
  Hell Hammered - Drums, Vocals (Tracks 2, 5, 7, 8)

  More info:

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

  ​https://instagram.com/POWERLOAD.YEG​

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• TAMPA DEATH FEST 2026 Lineup w/ VIOGRESSION, NASTY SAVAGE, LEPROSY, GANGRENESIA and more!

  Jun 10, 2026 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  Tampa Death Fest returns to the legendary Brass Mug for its 8th annual edition on September 4th and 5th, 2026, delivering one of the strongest underground death‑metal weekends in Florida.

  This year’s lineup fuses rising underground brutality with veteran icons. Friday, September 4th will erupt with Syndicate, Eroguro Phantasmagore, Homicyde, Unholy Disciple, Leprosy, Sacrilous, Viogression, and Foreverless. While Saturday, Sept 5th crushes with Grave Filth, Ramtha, Gouted Corpse, Coathanger Abortion, Sapraemia, Gangrenesia (Puerto Rico), Must Not Kill, and Tampa legends Nasty Savage closing out the night.

  As one of the bands that helped ignite Florida’s extreme‑metal movement in the mid‑80s, Nasty Savage remains a cornerstone of the scene and a perfect headliner for a weekend built on pure aggression. If you crave real death metal, raw, heavy, and unfiltered, the kind Tampa helped define, this is one of 2026’s essential weekends. Two nights. Zero filler. Maximum brutality. See you in the pit.

  Event Details:

  Date: September 4th and 5th

  Venue: Brass Mug, 1450 Skipper Road, Tampa, FL

  Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1261714482664268​

  Ticket Links:

  Fri, Sept 4 - https://ticketbud.com/events/25a37be2-3998-11f1-af02-42010a71700b

  Sat, Sept 5 - https://ticketbud.com/events/3510b89e-39a0-11f1-ac5f-42010a71700b

  Get a preview of the lineup wth the TDF Spotify Playlist - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0xXgzAxsCqGvjraz6l8YNh​

  TDF Promo Video - https://www.instagram.com/p/DYwwzZXR8qK/​

  Tampa Death Fest 2026 Lineup:

  Friday, September 4th: ​
  Foreverless (Florida)
  Viogression (Wisconsin)
  Sacrilous (Florida)
  Leprosy (Pennsylvania)
  Unholy Disciple (Florida)
  Homicyde (South Carolina)
  Eroguro Phantasmagore (Florida)
  Syndicate (Florida)
  ​
  ​Saturday, September 5th: ​
  Nasty Savage (Florida)
  Must Not Kill (Florida)
  Gangrenesia (Puerto Rico)
  Sapraemia (Florida)
  Coathanger Abortion (Tennessee)
  Gouted Corpse (Ohio)
  Ramtha (Florida)
  Grave Filth (Florida)

  About the Headliners:

  Viogression - https://viogression.info/​

  ​

  Formed in 1988, Viogression rose from the Midwest underground with early demos that led to their acclaimed debut, Expound & Exhort (1991), earning them a world tour with Death and Pestilence. After Passage (1994) and a long hiatus, the band returned with A Pure Formality (2014), reigniting their momentum and live presence. They pushed forward with 3rd Stage of Decay (2022) before crafting their fourth album, Thaumaturgic Veil (2025), praised for blending old‑school brutality with cerebral, metaphysical themes. The record marks a bold new chapter in Viogression’s evolving legacy.

  Nasty Savage - https://www.nastysavage.com/​

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  Nasty Savage is a thrash metal band from Brandon, Florida, that became well known for the wild and theatrical stage antics of frontman “Nasty” Ronnie Galetti. During the band's early years, Galetti gained a reputation for his high-energy performances, which famously included smashing television sets over his head onstage. The group's debut album, featuring the standout track “XXX,” was recorded at Progressive Music in Tampa and helped secure a deal with the influential metal label Metal Blade Records. Nasty Savage released four albums between 1983 and 1989 before disbanding. Following years of reunion rumors, the band returned with the album "Psycho Psycho" in 2004, marking their comeback with a collection of new material. Since then, Nasty Savage has continued to perform select live shows while maintaining its legacy as a cult favorite in the thrash metal scene. In October 2024, the band released its latest studio album, "Jeopardy Room".

  Leprosy - https://leprosy.cc/home​

  ​

  Imagine horror, blood, and gore splattered across a heaping dose of true old‑school death metal, shoved into a meatgrinder and served with a smile. This is Leprosy. Exhumed in 1988, Leprosy is a Death/Splatter Gore metal force hailing from the Pittsburgh “Steel City” underground. Over the decades, they’ve shared the stage with giants including Napalm Death, Cannibal Corpse, Malevolent Creation, Forbidden, Entombed, Venom Inc, Exodus, Deicide, and many more, earning their reputation as one of Pennsylvania’s most enduring and blood‑soaked extreme‑metal acts.

  Gangrenesia - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61561028699841​

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  Gangrenesia is an active, slamming brutal death metal band from Caguas, Puerto Rico, formed in 2022 and known for their ultra‑violent gore themes, hyper‑percussive slam riffs, and extreme vocal brutality. They’ve quickly become one of Puerto Rico’s most vicious new extreme‑metal exports, releasing multiple singles, demos, and EPs that have circulated heavily in the slam/brutal‑death underground.

  A band to watch! RAMTHA - https://linktr.ee/ramthabandfl​

  ​

  Recent WACKEN METAL BATTLE USA 2026 National Finalists! ​Ramtha is an extreme‑metal band from St. Petersburg/Tampa, Florida, known for fusing death metal, thrash, grind, and hardcore into a high‑intensity hybrid sound. Active since 2022, the band has carved out a distinct identity within Florida’s extreme‑metal scene. They’ve released two EPs, Void Tyrant (2023) and Through Eyes of Death (2024), and are currently developing a third EP slated for 2026. Ramtha has earned a reputation for explosive live performances, frequently hitting Tampa’s Brass Mug and sharing stages with major acts such as Exhorder, Crypta, Worm, Gruesome, Artillery, Killing Addiction, Bandit, Gillian Carter, Dayglo Abortions, and Hong Kong Fck You. With momentum continuing to build, the band remains a rising force in the underground.

  More info:

  ​https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61577052471967

  ​https://www.instagram.com/tampadeathfest/​

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