As previously reported, Limp Bizkit guitarist Wes Borland recently made headlines after telling Donald Trump supporters to unfollow him on social media. His feelings towards the matter came amid political strife related to the fascist nature of the current administration and the continued overreach of ICE. However, Attila frontman Chris Fronzak has since blasted Borland for his take. He said the following:
“I thought he was smarter, kind of a retarded thing to say, there’s no reason to lose most of your fan base over a political opinion lmao”
Seventh Wonder have officially recruited Mattias Olofsson (Grand) as their new singer. The band are currently working on a new album with the vocalist. With this news, the group have also shared a cover of John Norum’s “Eternal Flame.”
Bassist Andreas Blomqvist commented:
“Seventh Wonder is finally back with a new voice on the microphone. Those who have known us through the years know that we work slowly and, in order to avoid delaying the album, we opted for a cover song to introduce Mattias to the world.
John Norum and Marcel Jacob, who wrote and play on the original track from 1987, have been very important in shaping the origins of Seventh Wonder and we though a little modified version of this ’80s rocker would be a fun way to say ‘Hello, World!’ We hope you like it and, while you give this track a few spins, we’ll head back to the studio to wrap up the new album!
We really took our time in finding a new singer and, while the rest of the band remains unchanged and therefore also much of the songwriting, we are excited to go to new places where haven’t ventured before as Mattias will put his mark on the band’s sound. Super excited for 2026!”
Omnium Gatherum vocalist Jukka Pelkonen has been diagnosed with lymphoma. With this news, he has also revealed that he will be sitting out the band’s upcoming European tour. During his absence, Henry Hämäläinen will be filling in.
Pelkonen commented:
“Hello friends
It is Jukka from OG. I have to inform you I won’t be able to participate on the upcoming European tour. This is because I have been diagnosed with Lymphoma. And now this serious situation requires my full attention.
But worry not. OG is a train which is not easily stopped. After a careful dialogue and concideration with my brothers in OG we decided to ask a talented individuall to join the tour. He is Henry Hämäläinen. An experienced singer and a frontman. We think he is more than suitable to headbang with OG on this tour.”
Hämäläinen continued:
“Hi there OG family, Henry here!
While I’m truly saddened by Jukka having to step away from this tour, I’m extremely honored to be called upon in the band’s time of need.
The trust shown by the whole band – and especially Jukka himself – means a lot to me.”
The band added:
“As a silver lining, the tour is still happening in its entirety and we’ll make sure it’s going to be one hell of a ride! Even with this setback, the spirit of OG is strong, so see you all at the shows!”
Tour Dates:
02/11 Copenhagen, DEN – Pumpehuset
02/12 Hamburg, GER – Gruenspan
02/13 Leipzig, GER – Hellraiser
02/14 Berlin, GER – Lido
02/15 Krakow, POL – Hype Park
02/17 Budapest, HUN – Barba Negra
02/18 Prague, CZE – Rock Cafe
02/19 Vienna, AUT – Szene
02/20 Munich, GER – Backstage Halle
02/21 Aarau, SWI – KiFF
02/22 Stuttgart, GER – Im Wizemann
02/23 Lindau, GER – Club Vaudeville
02/25 Hannover, GER – Muzikzentrum
02/26 Aschaffenburg, GER – Colos-Saal
02/27 Almelo, NET – Metropool
02/28 Oberhausen, GER – Kulttempel
03/01 Esch-sur-Alzette, LUX – Rockhal
03/03 Colmar, FRA – Le Grillen
03/04 Paris, FRA – Petit Bain
03/05 Utrecht, NET – Tivoli Pandora
03/06 Kortrijk, BEL – DVG
03/07 London, UK – The Dome
The Grammys have been facing backlash after excluding the late Brent Hinds (ex-Mastodon) from their “in memoriam” segment during last night’s (February 1) ceremony at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA. The news is especially shocking considering Mastodon have been nominated for six Grammys over the years. Their track “Pushing The Tides” even won the “Best Metal Performance” award in 2022. Notably, Mike Inez (Alice In Chains) was among those who blasted the exclusion:
“BIG party foul Grammys for forgetting the MIGHTY Brent Hinds in the In Memoriam. #mastodon”
Ligature Marks recently lost thousands of dollars worth of gear after thieves broke into their van in Spokane, WA. Bassist Karl Whinnery commented:
“Van got broken into in Spokane. Thousands Of $$ worth of gear stolen. Show Friday at the Mission Theater. Times are tough- but if you wanted to snag music on Bandcamp, it would help offset the costs.”
The lineup has been revealed for the 2027 Hellbound cruise. That event will take place aboard the Carnival Splendor as it sets sail from the Sydney Harbour in Sydney, Australia on January 17. The ship will then return on January 21. The lineup includes: Parkway Drive, The Amity Affliction, Alpha Wolf, I Killed The Prom Queen, Thy Art Is Murder, Banks Arcade, Closure, Dead City Ruins, Down And Out, Elm Street, Future Static, Gravemind, HEAVENSGATE, Hei’An, Major Arcana, Mammal, Maple’s Pet Dinosaur, Mirrors, No Apologies, Ocean Grove, Redhook, Rocky’s Pride & Joy, and Starve.
Kittie have announced a summer European/UK tour. Crypta, VEXED, Split Chain, and Harpy will serve as support on select dates.
Tour Dates:
07/29 Wacken, GER – Wacken Open Air
07/31 Lobnitz, GER – Full Rewind
08/02 Saarbrucken, GER – Garage
With Crypta and VEXED:
08/04 Aschaffenburg, GER – Colos-Saal
08/05 Munich, GER – TBA
Kittie:
08/05 Jaromer, CZE – Brutal Assault
With Crypta and VEXED:
08/07 Cologne, GER – TBA
Kittie:
08/06 Kortrijk, BEL – Alcatraz
08/09 Walton-On-Trent, UK – Bloodstock Open Air
With Split Chain and Harpy:
08/10 Manchester, UK – Manchester Academy
08/11 London, UK – O2 Academy Islington
Kittie:
08/13 Carhaix-Plouguer, FRA – Motocultor Festival
08/14 Cudrefin, SWI – Rock The Lakes
08/15 Sulingen, GER – Reload Festival
08/16 Eindhoven, NET – Dynamo Metal Fest
Oranssi Pazuzu have announced a headlining North American tour. Wayfarer will open.
Tour Dates:
05/08 Seattle, WA – Northwest Terror Fest
05/09 Portland, OR – Star Theater
05/11 San Francisco, CA – Great American Music Hall
05/12 Los Angeles, CA – Lodge Room
05/14 Albuquerque, NM – Sister Bar
05/15 Denver, CO – Bluebird Theater
05/16 Kansas City, MO – Bottleneck
05/17 Chicago, IL – Reggies
05/19 Indianapolis, IN – Black Circle
05/20 Youngstown, OH – West Side Bowl
05/21 Philadelphia, PA – Underground Arts
05/22 Baltimore, MD – Maryland Death Fest
05/23 New York, NY – Le Poisson Rouge
05/24 Boston, MA – Sonia
05/26 Hamden, CT – Space Ballroom
05/27 Brattleboro, VT – Stone Church
05/28 Portland, ME – SPACE Gallery
05/29 Montreal, QC – Piranha Bar
05/30 Toronto, ON – Prepare The Ground
The lineup has been revealed for this year’s Just Another Gig festival. The event will take place at The Airport Tavern in Tacoma, WA on May 23-24 and it will feature: Biohazard, Show Me The Body, 100 Demons, Adipocere, BIB, Bulldoze, Combust, Condition One, Dead & Dreaming, Division Of Mind, Dying Remains, Eliminators, End Of Dayz, Face The Pain, Fatal Realm, Fools Game, GAG, Ingrown, Killing Pace, Misery Whip, Mongrel, Odd Man Out, Scarab, Slug, Spurr, and Witness Chamber.
I was recently given the opportunity to interview The Veer Union’s Ryan Ramsdell about the band’s new album “Reinvention” (out February 20). You can check out that chat below.
METAL ANARCHY: First of all, what would you like to tell readers of this site about your new album “Reinvention”?
RAMSDELL: It’s an album we’re super proud of. We worked our absolute asses off on it, but the process was genuinely enjoyable. We pushed—really pushed—to reinvent ourselves, not by reinventing the wheel, but by heading into fresh territory. And honestly, at the moment, the heaviness just felt… inevitable.
METAL ANARCHY: What was the recording process like?
RAMSDELL: It was highly enjoyable. It was one of the most fun records we’ve ever made. Sure, there’s always a bump or two, but this one… stayed fun. We’d pushed harder than ever to evolve— and when we were actually done with the album, we sat back and said, “Wow, this was an amazing experience. We’ll always remember this.” And we hope that the fans love it as much as we do.
METAL ANARCHY: A press release noted that the record focuses on “transformation through adversity.” What inspired this theme?
RAMSDELL: Well, one thing we never stop doing in Veer Union is pushing—always trying to evolve, always keeping the needle moving forward. Every record has to shift a little, feel fresh. This time, we went as heavy as we could while still staying true to our roots. Not for labels, not for trends—just for us.
The last five years have been absolute chaos in the world, and the synergy of what we were feeling lined up perfectly with that anger, that frustration. The industry keeps changing shape, morphing fast—it’s an incredible time to be alive, honestly. We just kept walking through it. We’ve always loved heavy music. Always have. And on this one, it’s our heaviest yet.
But at our core, Veer Union is still about hope. That’s the one thing that never bends. Our whole message—the heartbeat of every song—is: life can knock you flat on your ass, but you get up. Adversity never quits trying, and neither do we. So even when the riff hits like concrete, underneath it all we’re saying one clear thing: you gotta try to beat it.
“Reinvention” is us trying to keep that needle moving toward growth as artists—reinventing ourselves through all the mess, staying heavy, staying honest, and never standing still.
METAL ANARCHY: You have already released a number of singles from the effort, “Caught In The Crossfire,” “Sunk Your Teeth In,” “Sea Of Fear,” etc. How have fans responded to the new material?
RAMSDELL: The response has been great! We’ve reached a bunch of new people, and our existing fans have been telling us how much they love the new music.
It’s impossible to keep everyone happy—and quite frankly, if everyone says they love it, you’re probably doing something wrong. Release a heavier record, and some will say, “We miss the old stuff.” Drop a lighter one or something closer to your last album, and they’ll go, “I wish it was heavier.”
As artists, all we can do is follow what feels right, what we truly believe in, and let the chips fall where they may.
Overall, the response to the singles has been awesome, and we’ll see what happens when the full record drops on February 20th.
METAL ANARCHY: One song I really dig is your latest single “Venom In My Veins.” What would you like to say about that track?
RAMSDELL: Well, thanks for the props. “Venom In My Veins” was one of the most fun we’ve ever had writing. It’s full-on rock—less metalcore, but still heavy as balls. The song is about that exact moment you open the door to someone and—surprise—they’re a snake. You let them in, so you have to own the bite. Now the venom’s in your veins. But instead of dying from it, you burn it up. You take the loss, the rage, and turn it into fuel. You make it forward motion. And yeah… it’s a straight-up fuck-you anthem.
METAL ANARCHY: What are some of your personal favorite songs from the record?
RAMSDELL: Ooff, that’s a tough one. For me, I’d say “Caught In The Crossfire,” “Dying Light” and “Sunk Your Teeth In.” “Dying Light” is probably the most original song on the record—kind of weird, not traditional at all. So yeah, that’s the one I’d shout out. I don’t know if the fans will agree, but we’ll find out when the record drops.
METAL ANARCHY: Do you have any tours planned in support of the album?
RAMSDELL: Yes, we will be announcing soon! We miss tour and very much look forward to getting back out there!
METAL ANARCHY: On another note, your debut album “Time To Break The Spell” is turning 20 this year. Are there any plans to celebrate the anniversary?
RAMSDELL: Well that’s a very good question. As of right now the answer is no but you never know!
Metal Anarchy 
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