Latest Articles

• Sit By "The Candlelight" And Listen To NIGHTWRAITH's New Black n' Roll Anthem To Welcome Lauren Vieira (Dreadnought) To Line Up

  Dec 18, 2025 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  Denver, CO’s NightWraith returns with a powerful new standalone single, “The Candlelight,” a hook-forward black n roll anthem that marks a bold sonic shift and a new chapter for the band. Alongside the release, NightWraith proudly announces the addition of Lauren Vieira (Dreadnought) as their full-time keyboard and synth player, further expanding the band’s dynamic soundscape.
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  Formed in 2016 by longtime friends Ben Pitts, Spy, and Igor, NightWraith emerged from Denver’s underground metal scene with a mission to break genre boundaries. With roots in technical death metal and a shared love for melodic Swedish metal, the band has evolved into a force of musical sophistication and emotional depth. Their sound? Melodic, melancholy, musical, unique, and thought-provoking.

  Originally written during sessions for their previous album "Divergence," “The Candlelight” didn’t quite fit the mold, so the band saved it for something special. The result is a mid-tempo, riff-heavy track that leans into classic heavy metal while retaining NightWraith’s signature blackened edge. With harmonized guitar leads, driving double bass, and evolving keyboard melodies, the song builds to a crescendo of instrumental harmony that begs for repeat listens.
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  Lyrically, “The Candlelight” is a romantic ode to a wild, creative era in frontman Ben Pitts’ life, specifically his time living in Denver’s legendary punk house, The Yellow Bordello. It’s a snapshot of youthful abandon, DIY shows, and fleeting romances, rendered with honesty and grit. Rather than indulging in nostalgia, the lyrics treat memory like postcards, personal, vivid, and emotionally resonant.

  “It can be hard to take a leap of faith and think outside the box, but if an artist won’t take risks, then nothing new is ever going to happen. I hope listeners will understand our vision for ‘The Candlelight’ and are receptive to the risks we’ve taken by releasing a non-traditional sounding heavy metal song,” adds vocalist/guitarist Benjamin Pitts.
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  The single’s artwork, illustrated by Nate Burns (@revoltingworship), features an otherworldly woman conjuring Bacchanalian party magic. Done entirely in pen, the piece is rich in detail, especially in the hands and dagger, and evokes a dark, mystical energy. Rob Burelson completed the layout, making the final presentation a striking visual companion to the music.

  The track was recorded at The Band Cave (Denver, CO) and mixed/mastered by Van Labrakis (NITE) in the Bay Area.

  “The recording process was quick and easy, allowing everyone's natural performances to shine. It was my third time engineering music with NightWraith, so we were all familiar with the process and each band member's recording style. Because of our comfort level, we took a more creative and natural approach,” says Jacob St. Amand (bass, recording engineer).
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  While “The Candlelight” stands strong on its own, it’s also a harbinger of what’s to come. NightWraith is currently deep in the writing process for their fourth full-length album, which promises to be their darkest and most cohesive work yet. With a renewed collaborative energy and a lineup firing on all cylinders, fans can expect music that’s both emotionally resonant and musically daring.
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  For fans of Tribulation, Opeth, Mastodon, Kvelertak, and Ghost, NightWraith offers a fresh yet familiar take on heavy music, one that’s steeped in European melodic metal and driven by heartfelt storytelling.
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  ​“The Candlelight” can be heard via its premiere on Decibel Magazine HERE.

  Single pre-save (out Dec 18th) - https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/nightwraith/the-candlelight​

  Bandcamp - https://nightwraith.bandcamp.com/​

  More info: Nightwraithband.com | Facebook.com/nightwraithband | Instagram.com/nightwraithband | X.com/nightwraithband​

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• INSECT INSIDE Unleashes “Hiveborn Abomination” ft. Josh Welshman (Defeated Sanity) From New Album "Reborn in Blight" Out March 2026

  Dec 17, 2025 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  Gore House Productions is proud to announce the upcoming release of "Reborn in Blight," the crushing new full-length album from slamming brutalists Insect Inside, arriving worldwide on March 6, 2026. Alongside the announcement, the band unleashes their devastating new single “Hiveborn Abomination”, featuring guest vocals from Josh Welshman of Defeated Sanity.

  Listen to this blistering track at the following links:

  ​Add to Spotify Playlist - https://open.spotify.com/track/5m0cWWNqF9DdVqamY0i1AY​

  Emerging from Chelyabinsk’s underground scene, Insect Inside has carved a reputation for its tight and aggressive sound, blending groove-heavy slam with suffocating atmospherics. "Reborn in Blight" marks their second full-length release and showcases the band’s evolution toward a rawer, more visceral tone. Lyrically, the album continues their apocalyptic storytelling, chronicling humanity’s downfall and the rise of the insectoid race.

  The album unfolds as a relentless journey through death metal’s most visceral elements, each track carving out its own brutal identity while contributing to a cohesive whole. Fragments erupts as a chaotic burst of groove and sinister atmosphere, distilling the essence of the band’s love for the genre into a concentrated assault. At its core lies Hiveborn Abomination, featuring Josh Welshman of Defeated Sanity, whose guest performance elevates the song into one of the band’s most commanding creations, fusing speed, groove, and atmosphere into a centrepiece of devastating power. Carnal Ruins pays homage to the New York death metal scene with a hardcore, groove-driven tribute that nods to pioneers like Soils Of Fate, Internal Bleeding, and Dying Fetus. The highlights continue with Abhorrent Landscape, where Mr. Ochoa of Cephalotripsy lends guttural weight to the album’s slam-heavy foundation. At the same time, Echoes of the Swallowed Sinners plunges into the darkest lyrical territory, exploring the abyss of humanity’s disfigured souls. Closing with Reborn in Blight, the band weaves groove, speed, and even soaring guitar solos into a monolithic finale, cementing the record as both a brutal and atmospheric statement of their craft.

  Insect Inside was formed out of a shared obsession with slamming brutality. They began as a group of friends jamming covers before evolving into a full-fledged force in the brutal death metal realm. Their lineup features seasoned veterans of the Eastern European scene with Bogdan (bass) (Cold Blooded Murder, Traumatomy), Pavel (guitar) (Ocean In My Bath), Daniel (vocals) (Nauseating, Morphogenetic Malformation), and Ivan (drums) (Nauseating). The band’s collaborative writing process, conducted across different cities, results in a sound that is both meticulously crafted and relentlessly heavy. Live, Insect Inside is notorious for chaotic shows filled with mosh pits, slams, and even fans dressed as dinosaurs.

  Drawing inspiration from brutal death and black metal, Insect Inside cites Disentomb, Relics Of Humanity, Cryptopsy, Defeated Sanity, and Vulvectomy among their top influences. The album artwork mirrors the music’s grotesque vision, characterised by gloom, disgust, and apocalyptic themes.

  "Reborn in Blight" will be available March 6, 2026, via Gore House Productions.

  Album pre-order available on Digital, Vinyl, CD, and Cassette at https://orcd.co/reborn-in-blight​

  Track Listing:​
  1. Echoes Of The Swallowed Sinners - 3:31
  2. Abhorrent Landscape (feat. Cephalotripsy) - 2:54
  3. Fragments - 2:18
  4. Putrid Lament - 3:35
  5. Hiveborn Abomination (feat. Defeated Sanity) - 2:51
  6. Flesh Cathedral - 3:00
  7. Obscuration Worship - 1:20
  8. Carnal Ruins - 2:45
  9. Parasite Messiah (feat. Pestilectomy) - 3:29
  10. Reborn In Blight - 5:22

  Album and Live Band Line Up:​
  Daniel Sementsov - Drums
  Bogdan Pisavnin - Bass
  Pavel Pleshkov - Guitar
  Ivan Tyulkin - Vocals

  More info: ​​

  ​https://gorehouseproductions.com/​

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

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

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• LAVISHER interview

  Dec 17, 2025 ArmyOfOneTV 0 Comments

  Chicago-based rock outfit LAVISHER returns with Aligned & Vital, a record that moves confidently between heaviness and introspection, distortion and restraint. Drawing from a broad emotional palette-grief, recovery, frustration, and release-the album places songwriting first, allowing each track to develop its own identity rather than serve a single rigid narrative. With roots touching grunge, space rock, and atmospheric heavy music, Aligned & Vital feels less like a statement of intent and more like a natural evolution shaped by shifting lineups, lived experience, and a desire to keep the process honest and therapeutic.
  We spoke with LAVISHER about the writing process behind the album, the role of mood and visuals, Chicago’s music community, and what lies ahead as the band continues to follow the most organic path forward.
  
  
  

  

   

   1.    “Aligned & Vital” is described as blending beauty and decay within lush, distorted dreamscapes. What themes or emotions drove the songwriting for this album, and how did you translate those ideas into the music?

   

  L: During writing, the music came always first and always dictated the direction of the lyrics. Every song has its own meaning or story.  There are a couple recurring themes throughout the album for sure, but there is a wide range of subject matter.  Themes touched on include grief, addiction, recovery, discovery, politics, frustration, letting go, it's all over the place.  I dont like to delve too deep into back stories because I like people to connect with songs however they like and find their own meaning or value.

    

    2.    LAVISHER’s sound has been compared to bands like QOTSA, A Perfect Circle, Deftones, and Failure. How do you balance these recognizable influences while still carving out your own identity in the modern rock landscape?

  L: In the process of writing a song, sure, sometimes we can hear influences.  But I think by the time we finish writing a song, it sounds like us, because we wrote it haha.

      

     3.    This album is your second full-length release. What lessons or evolutions from your debut carried into Aligned & Vital, and what feels completely new this time around?

   

  L: Not too much has carried over from the EP, except maybe the same drive to just keep doing this, because it's fun and therapeutic for me.  The first EP had 3 drummers on it including myself.  The 2nd LP and 3 singles had a different drummer/co songwriter than the current album, so it feels completely different now.

   

   

  

   

    4.    The press release mentions that LAVISHER fuses grunge, space rock, and heavy atmospheric textures. How would you describe the band’s sonic chemistry when writing and arranging these layers?

   

  L: I’m not really sure how to answer that!

   

  5.    There’s a strong visual and emotional tone implied—“the future of heavy, heartfelt rock dressed in velvet.” How important is mood and imagery in shaping the sound of LAVISHER, both in the studio and on stage?

   

  L: As far as that tagline, it just sounded fun.  As far as the artwork, I am happy that I was able to find an artist to accomplish the vibe I had in mind.  I do take pride in all visuals translating somewhat defined and strong.  On stage is a little less important but I do try to create a vibe with lights when I can.  In the studio nothing matters except trying our best to make things sound good.

  
      6.    What role did Chicago’s music scene play-if any-in shaping the direction or energy of this new record?

   

  L: I love Chicago's music scene and have made so many good friends here.  Some bands you should check out: Bosses and Highdiver (we share a rehearsal space with them), Snooze, Nequient, Blood People just to name a few.

   

   

  

   

   7.    Your music creates a balance between riff-driven heaviness and melodic introspection. Is that contrast something you deliberately pursue, or does it happen naturally when you write together?

   

  L: A bit of both.
  
      8.    With the album now set for release through Nefarious Industries, what do you hope listeners take away from Aligned & Vital once they experience it from start to finish?

   

  L:  The whole album flows wonderfully from start to finish, and the best way to enjoy it is on vinyl for sure.
  
      9.    Looking ahead, what does the next chapter of LAVISHER look like? Any plans for touring, videos, or continued exploration of this “grunge/space rock” identity?

   

  L: We released a video for Sultry (on youtube), we have another 1-2 music videos in the works that will be released next year.  We’re currently booking more live dates for next year as well as continuing to write, wherever the most enjoyable natural path leads. 

   

   

  

   

  Aligned & Vital stands as a record that rewards full immersion-best experienced front to back, without interruption, letting its contrasts breathe and unfold naturally. Rather than forcing meaning, LAVISHER leaves space for listeners to connect on their own terms, whether through weight, melody, or atmosphere. With new videos on the horizon, live dates in the works, and fresh material already taking shape, the band remains firmly in motion - guided less by expectation and more by instinct, enjoyment, and the simple need to keep creating.

   

  More information:

  https://www.instagram.com/lavisher_band 

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• Symphonic Black Metal Visionary DAIDALOS Descends Into Darkness With New Single “Dis” From Upcoming Album "Dante" Out Feb 2026

  Dec 16, 2025 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  Following the powerful response to the first single “Inferno”, DAIDALOS unveils “Dis”, one of the most dramatic and oppressive chapters of the upcoming album "Dante". The track is accompanied by an evocative new lyric video marking an important step in the album’s unveiling and placing DAIDALOS on one of the most respected platforms in extreme music.

  Where “Inferno” introduced the descent with a sense of momentum and discovery, “Dis” captures the moment where wonder transforms into dread. Fast, dark and ritualistic, the new single reflects "Dante"’s entry into the infernal City of Dis, an oppressive realm where fear becomes a deliberate tool of domination. In the track’s refrain, the faceless voice calling “Enter my fear” embodies the kind of power that preys on the frightened not to protect but to control.

  Musically, “Dis” heightens the defining traits of "Dante": monumental orchestration, dramatic tension and a fusion of symphonic black metal with melancholic undertones. The guitars, recorded and shaped by Nahuel Lozano of Mental Cruelty, cut through the orchestral mass with precision, providing the modern edge that characterizes the album’s sound. As with every composition in DAIDALOS, all orchestrations, drums, vocals and themes were written by Tobias Püschner, maintaining the project’s deeply personal identity as a one-man artistic vision.

  Within the conceptual arc of the album, “Dis” stands as a crucial turning point, a descent into a darker, more suffocating level of Hell, mirroring both Dante Alighieri’s text and the political, emotional and spiritual undercurrents that shaped Tobias’ reinterpretation. The track continues to deepen the album’s central themes of doubt, despair and hidden truths between faith and fear; a soundscape described as “more melancholic than evil”, blending orchestration and harshness into one continuous dramatic vision.

  For devotees of symphonic and atmospheric black metal, “Dis” resonates with the monumental orchestrations of Fleshgod Apocalypse, the dark theatricality of Dimmu Borgir and the apocalyptic scope of Septicflesh.

  The new lyric video offers a visually striking gateway into this chapter of the narrative, further immersing listeners into DAIDALOS’ descent, now deeper, darker and more commanding than ever.

  Watch and listen to the lyric video for "Dis" via its premiere on NoCleanSinging HERE.

  Digital pre-save - https://lnk.to/Zdalvd​

  New album “Dante” out February 20th, 2026, from Rockshots Records.

  PRE ORDER CD Version of "Dante" - https://rockshots.eu/products/daidalos-inferno-cd​
  PRE ORDER LP Version of "Dante" - https://rockshots.eu/products/daidalos-inferno-lp​

  DIGITAL - http://lnk.to/E9IymE​

  Track Listing:​
  1. Dante – 2:18
  2. Inferno – 3:42
  3. Ashes – 4:22
  4. Storm – 4:05
  5. Minos – 0:30
  6. King – 4:00
  7. Styx – 2:08
  8. Gate – 0:20
  9. Dis – 4:15
  10. Phlegethon – 1:18
  11. Malebolge – 0:40
  12. Euphobia – 4:54
  13. Ultimatum – 4:19
  Album Length: 36:51

  Daidalos Line-Up:​
  Tobias Püschner; Vocals, Drums, Keyboards, Orchestrations, Songwriting, Production

  More info: Rockshots.eu | Instagram.com/daidalosmusic | Facebook.com/daidalosband​

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• THE RETICENT Unveils Harrowing New Video “The Bed of Wasps (Those Consumed With Panic)” From Acclaimed Album "Please" Out Now!

  Dec 16, 2025 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  The Reticent, the emotionally charged progressive metal project led by Grammy‑nominated music educator and multi‑instrumentalist Chris Hathcock, has released the official video for “The Bed of Wasps (Those Consumed with Panic)”, one of the most visceral and punishing tracks from the band’s latest album, "please," out now on Generation Prog Records.

  “The Bed of Wasps” is the album’s most aggressive and technically demanding moment, a sonic embodiment of panic disorder. Written immediately after Hathcock suffered a real panic attack, the track’s jagged rhythms, dissonant harmonies, and relentless shifts in meter are designed to keep the listener off balance, mirroring the terror and disorientation of the condition itself.
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  Lyrically, the song is constructed from real statements made by panic‑disorder patients, culminating in the desperate refrain “please stop”, a plea familiar to anyone who has lived through such episodes.
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  The video amplifies this intensity, plunging viewers into a claustrophobic, escalating psychological spiral. True to The Reticent’s reputation for emotionally devastating performance art, the visuals aim not merely to depict panic, but to induce its sensation.

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  ​The Reticent’s new album "please" is a concept record chronicling the many battlefields of mental illness, insomnia, concealment, panic, depression, dismissal, and the brink of suicide. Hathcock’s writing is deeply autobiographical, each track drawn from lived experience and crafted to immerse listeners in the emotional reality of these struggles.
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  The album was written in just six months. Drums were recorded in one day, all other instruments in two, but vocals took two weeks, leaving Hathcock with a vocal injury that required six weeks of silence. This is the first Reticent album, almost entirely engineered by Hathcock himself at Silent Muse Studio. Drums were tracked by Jamie King (Between the Buried and Me, The Contortionist) at The Basement Studios, who also mixed and mastered the album. All songs (except “The Bed of Wasps”) were recorded using 6-string guitars, the first time since 2016’s "On The Eve Of A Goodbye."

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  Known for its devastatingly emotional live performances, described by Metal Injection as “one of the most heart‑wrenching performances in ProgPower USA history”, The Reticent blends progressive metal, post‑metal, and cinematic storytelling into something wholly its own. The band is slated to appear at the 2026 editions of ProgPower USA in September and ProgPower Europe in October, marking another major milestone for the band’s growing international presence.

  Formed as an outlet for Chris Hathcock’s most painful experiences, The Reticent has evolved into a critically acclaimed progressive metal project known for its tragic concept albums and emotionally immersive performances. Previous releases such as "On the Eve of a Goodbye" and "The Oubliette" earned widespread praise, with "The Oubliette" named the #1 essential prog metal album of 2020.

  Fans of Opeth, Cynic, The Contortionist, Wilderun, and Devin Townsend will find much to resonate with in "please," released on November 13, 2025, via Generation Prog Records. A follow-up album is already underway, shaped by the profound loss of Chris Hathcock’s father during the creation of "please."

  CD Order:

  North America - https://thereticent.net/please-pre-order​

  EU - http://www.generation-prog.com/shop/​

  Digital Album - https://show.co/MoPdl8W​​

  Track Listing:​
  1. Intake – 1:45
  2. The Concealment (Those Who Don’t Want To Wake) – 6:06
  3. The Night River (Those Who Can’t Rest) – 6:55
  4. Diagnosis 1 – 2:18
  5. The Bed of Wasps (Those Consumed With Panic) – 5:47
  6. The Scorn (Those Who Don’t Understand) – 8:12
  7. Diagnosis 2 – 2:39
  8. The Riptide (Those Without Hope) – 6:09
  9. The Chance (Those Who Let Go) – 6:52
  10. Discharge – 2:56
  Album Length: 49:45

  Band Line Up:​
  Chris Hathcock - Vocals, Guitar
  James Nelson - Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals
  Paul McBride - Bass, Backing Vocals

  For more info: Thereticent.net | Facebook.com/thereticentmusic | Instagram.com/The.reticent.band​

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