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• LOUD AS HELL OPEN AIR FESTIVAL Opens Band Submissions For 2026 Line Up - Camping & Extreme Music In Alberta's Badlands

  Sep 30, 2025 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

  

  Set against the rugged backdrop of Alberta’s badlands, where sculpted sandstone, wind-carved hoodoos, and sweeping canyons dominate the landscape, Canada’s most decibel-breaking extreme music gathering, the Loud As Hell Open Air Festival, returns for its 14th edition in 2026. From July 31st to August 2nd, Drumheller’s Dinosaurs Down Stampede will erupt with the ferocity of rising Canadian and international metal acts, roaring through the heart of the nation’s largest dinosaur fossil beds.

  Band submissions for the 2026 edition officially open on October 1st and will be accepted until October 31st. This is your band's chance to join one of the loudest and most brutal festivals in Canada, where underground talent meets prehistoric fury.

  Bands interested in performing can apply at the following link: https://loudashell.ca/​

  Early Bird tickets go on sale December 1st, 2026. Don’t miss your chance to lock in the loudest weekend of the summer at a killer price. Get ready for prehistoric heaviness and decibel-shattering performances in one of Canada’s most surreal landscapes. Loud As Hell is coming… and it’s going to be louder than ever.

  The 2025 edition of Loud As Hell delivered three relentless days of headbanging, moshing, and pure metal chaos, featuring over 40 bands from Canada, the U.S., and Mexico. Acts like Revocation, Insurrection, First Fragment, Gorgatron, Filth, Opal in Sky, Judicator, Beguiler, Gore Pig, Spit On Your Grave, Hazzerd, Cyborg Octopus, and Thirteen Goats tore through the badlands with crushing performances. The festival even hosted a heavy metal wedding, adding a unique twist to the weekend’s sonic carnage.

  LAH 2025 Lineup Spotify Playlist – https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3cu3CgEX8n2g2MQbADNJmg

  ​

  Since launching in 2012, Loud As Hell Open Air Festival has cemented its place as a cornerstone of Canada’s extreme music scene, showcasing hundreds of bands from across the country and around the world, save for a brief pause in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the years, the festival has hosted heavyweights like Beyond Creation, Striker, Green Jelly, The Convalescence, Jungle Rot, Narcotic Wasteland, Into Eternity, Goatwhore, Fit for An Autopsy, Archspire, Unleash The Archers, Protest the Hero, AngelMaker, and many more, drawing metalheads from coast to coast for a weekend of sonic devastation.

  In 2026, Loud As Hell returns for its 14th edition, presented by Loud As Hell Productions, Jurassic Ink Custom Tattoo, Prairie Fire Events, and Asher Media Relations. Renowned for delivering one of the most punishing lineups in Western Canada, the festival promises another unforgettable experience packed with crushing performances, freak shows, burlesque acts, clinics, vendors, and yes, dinosaurs. Loud As Hell isn’t just a festival. It’s a full-throttle celebration of metal mayhem.

  More info:
  ​LoudAsHell.ca​
  ​Facebook.com/LoudAsHellFestival​
  X: @LoudAsHellFest
  Instagram: @LoudAsHellFestival
  ​Social Media Hashtags #LAHXIV, #LAHOA, #LAHOA2026

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• ARMSTRONG METALFEST Opens Band Submissions For 2026 Lineup - The Okanagan’s Ultimate Mountain Mosh Pit Returns

  Sep 29, 2025 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  Following a landmark celebration of 15 years of extreme metal in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley, marked by record-breaking attendance and its most triumphant edition yet, ARMSTRONG METALFEST is officially set to return in 2026 on July 17th and 18th at the Hassen Arena, for two days of moshing, headbanging, and camping.

  Armstrong MetalFest’s 15th year of mountain moshing roared to life with a powerhouse 2025 lineup featuring BORN OF OSIRIS, HAVOK, GLYPH, RIOT CITY, THE BROWNING, VIRVUM, and many more heavy hitters from across Canada and beyond. On July 11th and 12th, the town of Armstrong, BC, was transformed into a metal haven, complete with Yeti Games, the Metal Madness Market, and the chaos of Thrash Wrestling.

  Check out the Armstrong MetalFest 2025 Spotify playlist - https://spoti.fi/4i4u2OV​

  Armstrong MetalFest has also released a promotional video that traces its journey from humble beginnings to becoming one of Canada’s premier metal festivals in British Columbia. Watch the full recap below.

  Band submissions for the 2026 edition of Armstrong MetalFest will be open from October 1st to 15th, inviting artists to become part of the next chapter in the festival’s legendary legacy.

  Interested bands can apply through the official portal: https://armstrongmetalfest.ca/band-submissions/

  "To close the night and the weekend, Born of Osiris delivered a high-octane headline set that tore the roof off. It was the perfect finale to an unforgettable weekend. When the last note rang out, it hit us — AMF 2025 was coming to a close. There's always that bittersweet feeling as you start packing up. But that's the beauty of this festival: it stays with you long after the amps cool down. Every year, Armstrong Metalfest brings together a community that truly loves heavy music. It's not just about bands and beer — it's about belonging. The friends you make, the moments you live, the memories that stick — they're why we keep coming back. If you've never been to AMF, consider this your sign. It's more than a music festival—it's a metal rite of passage. Once you go, it gets into your blood. We're already counting the days until the next one." - Stan Schinners of Broken Neck Radio / Absolute Underground Magazine (Live Review AMF 2025)

  Tickets for AMF 2026 will be announced at a later date, granting general admission and access to the festival grounds, camping area, and arena from 9:00 AM on Friday, July 17, 2026, until 10:00 AM on Sunday, July 18, 2026. Free camping is included.

  Please Note: Camping - RV / Non-Hookup RV / Vehicle Passes: Make sure to reserve your vehicle spot to get the best location on the grounds. A fee is required for a weekend pass per vehicle in addition to your day or weekend pass. RV hookups include water and power. If you choose to park your vehicle outside the camping area in the main parking lot, then a vehicle pass is not required.

  About:

  Since its inception in 2009 (with a brief hiatus in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic), West Metal Entertainment and Armstrong MetalFest have championed hundreds of local bands while welcoming renowned international acts to the quiet town of Armstrong, British Columbia.
  ​
  Every year, metalheads from across Canada and the U.S. converge on the scenic Okanagan Valley for three days of camping and two days packed with heavy metal mayhem. Under the blazing summer sun, fans revel in live performances, wrestling spectacles, scavenger hunts, and reconnecting with their extended metal family.
  ​
  Armstrong MetalFest has hosted legendary headliners like Kataklysm, Cattle Decapitation, Archspire, Nekrogoblikon, Origin, Rivers of Nihil, Warbringer, Fallujah, Striker, and Beyond Creation, alongside rising stars from across North America. And when the final riff fades, the festival vanishes without a trace, leaving the landscape as untouched as it was before.
  ​
  West Metal Entertainment, a non-profit society, not only produces Armstrong MetalFest annually but also supports the regional music scene by organizing performances at various venues, including all-ages shows, to inspire musical passion in both youth and adults.

  For more info:​
  ​http://www.armstrongmetalfest.ca/​

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

  ​https://www.instagram.com/armstrongmetalfest/​
  ​
  ​https://x.com/amfcanada

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• HELLFOX Release Official Video for “Water On The Ceiling”

  Sep 26, 2025 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  Italian all-female metal band HELLFOX have unveiled the brand new official video for “Water On The Ceiling”, one of the standout tracks from their latest album "The Spectrum Of Human Gravity", released last June 6th, 2025 via Rockshots Records.

  A song born from the suffocating sensation of insomnia, “Water On The Ceiling” captures the eerie stillness of endless nights when eyes remain wide open as reality blurs into a waking dream. The track blends haunting melodies, distorted synths and Hellfox’s trademark dual female vocals to convey the claustrophobic feeling of staring at a ceiling that turns into water—suffocating, oppressive and inescapable.

  The video adds a new visual dimension to the song’s atmosphere, portraying the emotional weight of sleeplessness and the surreal imagery that inspired the lyrics. It represents yet another chapter in the band’s journey of exploring the depths of human emotion through music and imagery.

  "The Spectrum Of Human Gravity" has already gained recognition for its unique fusion of Nordic melodic death metal roots, pop-inspired clean vocals, and modern electronic textures. With singles like “Seaweed Braids” and “Atlas”, Hellfox set the stage for an album that confronts loneliness, mental struggles, and the search for identity without resorting to clichés. “Water On The Ceiling” continues this narrative, offering a vivid metaphor for psychological weight and restless nights.

  Recorded at Eden Studio by Alessio Lucatti and mixed/mastered by Simone Mularoni at Domination Studio, the album showcases the band’s fearless approach to songwriting and their growth since their 2022 debut.

  For fans of Amorphis, In Flames, and Dark Tranquillity, Hellfox’s new video is not just a performance but a visceral dive into the emotions that define "The Spectrum Of Human Gravity".
  ​

  "The Spectrum Of Human Gravity" is now available on all digital platforms.
  Stream the album here: "The Spectrum Of Human Gravity"
  CD available via Rockshots Records here​

  More info: https://www.rockshots.eu | https://www.instagram.com/hellfoxofficial | https://www.facebook.com/HellfoxOfficial

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• TRISKELYON Announces 4th Studio Album “Maelstrom of Chaos” Out Nov 2025; Streaming Single "Blood Drowned Prophecy" ft. Liv Jagrell (Liv Sin)

  Sep 26, 2025 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  Canada’s undisputed Thrash Metal Gods Triskelyon return with their long-awaited 4th full-length, “Maelstrom of Chaos”, a relentless storm of speed, fury, and precision due out on November 28th, via Moribund Records.

  Formed in 2021 by guitarist Geoff Waye of the acclaimed True Metal band Category VI, Triskelyon came roaring out of the gate with their self-titled EP and landed a deal with Moribund Records for their chart-crushing debut, “Downfall” (2022). They followed with the bone-splitting “Artificial Insanity” (2023), dominating radio for six weeks, followed by the apocalyptic “Shattered Elysium” (2024). Each release bigger, faster, heavier… and now comes the ultimate Thrash onslaught “Maelstrom of Chaos”.

  For “Maelstrom of Chaos,” mastermind Geoff Waye once again summons an all-star cast of metal warriors from the Canadian scene and from the global scene. Enlisting the vocal talents of guests Liv Jagrell (Liv Sin), Amanda Jackman (Category VI), James Delbridge (Lycanthro), Carolina Padrón (Tribus, Bloodrain), Dale Drew (Sea Dogs), and Pete Healey (Marshall Law, Ex Oberon), this album reigns as a true Thrash Metal masterpiece. On drums, the thunder is split between Raul Marques (Burning Torment) and Nicole Trinchero (Chaos Rising, Acroma), while bass devastation comes courtesy of Dwayne Pike (Afterforever), Rick White (Within the Realm, Exorcist), and Darrin Pope.

  ​

  In true Triskelyon fashion, expect more than Thrash - this is a molten fusion of Thrash, Speed, Power, Death-Thrash, and Traditional Metal. Wild and impressive, explosive riffs, razor-sharp solos, and skull-crushing rhythms resurrect the glory of the ‘80s while forging it into something bigger, louder, and deadlier for today.

  In keeping with Triskelyon's tradition of closing their albums with an iconic cover, this release delivers the heaviest Metal rendition of Peter Schilling's mega-hit “Major Tom” that the world will ever hear!

  “Maelstrom of Chaos” is not just an album - it’s a Thrash Metal supernova. Brace yourself.​

  CD pre-order (out Nov 28th) - https://www.moribundcult.com/product/DEAD336.html

  ​

  Track Listing:​
  1. Of Dust and Divination (4:49)
  2. The Winter Tsar (4:02)
  3. Maelstrom of Chaos (4:24)
  4. Unit 684 (4:21)
  5. Blood Drowned Prophecy (4:10)
  6. Death Racer (4:24)
  7. Blame Game (4:27)
  8. Divide and Dissent (3:53)
  9. Cretin (5:08)
  10. Major Tom (cover) (5:22)

  Follow TRISKELYON:
  ​Facebook | Bandcamp​
  ​
  Follow Moribund Records:
  ​Moribund Website | Facebook | Instagram | Bandcamp

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• “Poems By a Poltergeist” Materializes as Juliet Ruin’s Most Haunted Creation Yet

  Sep 25, 2025 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  Canadian modern metal band Juliet Ruin returns with their most vulnerable and sonically ambitious release to date: the five-track EP "Regime," their fourth studio offering, available this October 24th, 2025. Leading the charge is the haunting first single “Poems By a Poltergeist,” accompanied by a gripping lyric video (created by vocalist Jess Felming) that dives deep into themes of depersonalization, mental health, and emotional isolation.
  ​
  ​“This song came straight from the pages of Jess’ journal. It’s about feeling like a ghost in your own life, angry, disconnected, and searching for meaning,” the band shares.
  ​
  Formed in 2015, Edmonton, AB's Juliet Ruin has evolved into a genre-fluid powerhouse known for its chunky, groovy, pretty, powerful, and catchy sound. With influences ranging from Spiritbox and Jinjer to Alexisonfire, the band blends metalcore, pop, and progressive elements into a style that’s both emotionally raw and technically sharp.
  ​
  "Regime" is a sonic double-edged sword, balancing pop-infused vulnerability with bone-crushing breakdowns and the heaviest subject matter the band has ever tackled. From the introspective "Chrysalis" to the socially charged title track "Regime," each song is a collaborative effort shaped by personal experience and collective passion.
  ​
  ​“We wanted this EP to feel empowering but also understanding,” says vocalist Jess, whose scream vocals, honed during the COVID lockdown through YouTube tutorials and lucid dreaming, now anchor the band’s evolving sound.
  ​
  The album artwork, created by longtime collaborator Feen Murray, uses abstract imagery of skulls and hearts to reflect the tension between emotionality and overthinking, a visual metaphor for the EP’s lyrical core.

  "Regime" is more than just a record. It’s a statement. A safe space. A scream in the silence. And with “Poems By a Poltergeist,” Juliet Ruin invites listeners to confront their shadows and find strength in the echo.

  Add Single to your Spotify playlist (Sept 26th) - https://open.spotify.com/artist/54QrxuOJkvabZgah6SA4qv​
  ​
  EP pre-order (out Oct 24th) - https://julietruin.bandcamp.com/​

  Track Listing:​
  1. Reactance Theory (4:03)
  2. Chrysalis (4:01)
  3. Poems By a Poltergeist (3:02)
  4. The Art of Being Wise (4:09)
  5. Regime (5:02)
  EP Length: 20:18​

  More info:

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

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

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