Papa's back! While we've known Ghost's latest papal frontman couldn't be too far away - he had been announced for this summer's Black Sabbath gig after all - the official confirmation that we'll have a new Ghost album in April is welcome news and another hefty entry for new albums to be excited about in 2025.
Speaking of which, there's also a wonderfully diverse spread of new music to sink into; but first, the results of last week's vote! Punk hellraiser Djerv stormed her way into the top 3 with Rebel Heart, while Japan's Esprit D'Air took an admirable second place with Lost Horizon. The overall champs though were Siberian black metallers Grima, their frosty missive Beyond The Dark Horizon taking the crown.
This week we've got a wonderfully diverse selection for you, as ever. At arena level, we've got new offerings from Ghost and Volbeat, while we also dive into the realms of global metal with new acts from Brazil (by way of Berlin), Wales and Estonia. There's also new music from Bury Tomorrow, a stunning rendition of Metallica's The Unforgiven and Belarusian black metal from Dymna Lotva. As ever, don't forget to vote for your favourite in the poll below - and have a fantastic weekend!
Ghost - Satanized
With a UK arena tour just a few weeks away, we've finally got our first glimpse at Papa V Perpetua. The Ghost lore remains as batty and mysterious as ever as the band officially announced new album SKELETÁ for an April 25 release, lead single Satanized carrying the pop-metal-bop energy of the past couple records whilst seeming decidedly less bombastic than the lead singles of Impera. It's anyone's guess how that'll translate to the record, but its safe to say Ghost are going to bring us some delightful earworms again.
Kittie x Diamante x The Pretty Wild - The Unforgiven
Following on from last week's soulful rendition of Dust In The Wind by Bad Omens and Corey Taylor, this week we're given an emotive, bare-bones take on Metallica's colossal ballad The Unforgiven. Featuring Kittie, The Pretty Wild and Diamante, it's a massive collaboration that does justice to the original, adding a cinema-worthy scope that ramps up the emotive heart of the song.
Volbeat - By A Monster's Hand
After returning to his death metal roots with Asinhell in recent years, Michael Poulsen is back at his Metallica-by-way-of-Elvis best with Volbeat on new single By A Monster's Hand. Chugging riffs and silken vocal melodies remain a potent force in Volbeat's arsenal and with the band announcing a massive European/UK arena run for later this year - with support from UK grungers Bush - we can't wait to hear how massive the rest of God Of Angel's Trust will sound when it arrives June 6.
Messa - The Dress
Enchanting doom metal from Italy, Messa's latest single The Dress is a swirling mass of darkness and thumping power. Taken from the band's upcoming album The Spin, due April 11, it combines the weighty allure of Hiss Spun era Chelsea Wolfe with a distinguished, 80s rock star style panache that really takes off when the song veers into a trumpet solo - no really - and a lead guitar that sounds like it should've been on The Lost Boys soundtrack. Sublime.
Bury Tomorrow - Waiting
With The Seventh Sun, Bury Tomorrow proved they weren't going to jump on the bandwagon and soften their edges for radio. Even so, Waiting feels like an especially vicious offering from the UK metalcore veterans, howling and shrieking with early Slipknot-like intensity that still somehow manages to slip in canny crowd-friendly choruses and melodies.
Nungara - North Star
Just listen to that Gojira groove! Berlin-based Brazilians Nungara are bringing a gargantuan stomp on North Star, the latest single - and closing track - from their Reflections In Stillness EP, out today. But while it might possess a similar colossal percussive thunder, Nungara's sound also invokes modern doom staples like King Woman and Chelsea Wolfe, vocalist Noelle dos Anjos switching between ethereal clean melodies and shredded-throat rasps.
Dymna Lotva - Ідзі І Глядзі (Come And See)
Ghost preaching the right message but just not evil enough for you? If you're seeking something sonically Satanic, you'd do well to stick on Ідзі І Глядзі (Come And See), the latest single from Belarusian black metallers Dymna Lotva. Featuring possibly the most mournful accordions we've ever heard (no, really), the track evokes an otherworldly hellishness that, combined with some decidedly occultish imagery, whispered vocals and veil-piercing snarls, make this another stand-out - and a handy reminder to check out 2023's The Land under the Black Wings: Blood.
Paradise Slaves - Aesthetic Of Serpents
36 Crazyfists might seemingly be gone from the world, but Brock Lindow's inimitable vocal still lives on through his new group, Paradise Slaves. Latest single Aesthetic Of Serpents definitely touches on similar sonic grounds to Lindow's 25-plus year tenure with Crazyfists, sweeping guitars and sway-along vocal lines coming thick and fast as the band announce their debut With Hell In His Eyes will arrive on May 2.
Cytotoxin - Biographyte
Hyperactive technical death metal, Cytotoxin strike a balance between thick, neck-jolting grooves and astoundingly acrobatic guitar lines on new single Biographyte. The title-track of their fourth record, due April 11, the track is an impressive workout of mind-searing extremity as the band fly through frenetic notes and double-time drums across an expansive and impressive five-minute run-time.
Pridian - Diny
A sci-fi take on metalcore, Estonia's Pridian are setting their sights on the future of the genre with new single Diny. A heavy deployment of Blade Runner like synths mix with thumping metalcore fury, the single offering a glimpse at the direction the band may well be taking on their upcoming debut Venetian Dark on May 16.
Cwfen - Wolfsbane
Stalking, mysterious doom metal from the valleys and mountains of Wales, newcomers Cwfen will release their debut album Sorrows on May 30. Lead single Wolfsbane combines the brittle tones of goth metal with a doom metal crunch that taps into some of the dark crossover of 90s bands like Paradise Lost or Iowaska, packing some surprisingly vicious barbs in amidst the floating melodies.
Thus Spoke Zarathustra - Can't Save You ft. Matt McDougal
When it comes to album titles, Thus Spoke Zarathustra might have everybody beat in 2025 with I'm Done With Self Care, It's Time For Others' Harm. It's a perfectly tongue-in-cheek title for the deathcore bruisers, new single Can't Save You balancing sweeping metalcore guitars with a brutish breakdown that wouldn't have sounded out-of-place in late 2000s deathcore. Keep your eyes out for the album on May 23.
