Upcoming Metal Releases: 2/22/26 – 2/28/26

Here are the new releases for February 22nd to 28th. Releases reflect proposed North American scheduling, if available.

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Upcoming Metal Releases: 2/22/26 – 2/28/26

Blodørn — Det Finnes Ingen Trone | Solistitium Records | Black Metal | Norway (Sauda, Rogaland)

The atmosphere on Blodørn’s third record is dim and morose as they tap into a more reserved and melodic side of black metal. Even the patches that scan as viking metal, like the back half of “Blodslit for Lit,” come off as miserable despite their heroic guitar work.

–Colin Dempsey

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Spelgas — Endarkenment, Being & Death | Trust No One Recordings | Death Metal | Sweden (Stockholm)

Featuring the lead guitarist and drummer of Sweven, Speglas are very much students of Swedish death metal, combining the melodies that brought Gothenburg to global fame in the 90s with the punkish flair of HM-2 buzzsaw acts like Entombed.

–Colin Dempsey

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Nordlys — Lichterglanz Finsternis | Solistitium Records | Black Metal | Germany

Nordlys are finally releasing their debut album, 30 years after forming, going through multiple name changes, and dropping just enough demos and compilations to stir excitement. While Aleksi Schorn from Totalselfhatred fronts the band, Nordlys are a traditional black metal act. We’ll have more on them and Lichterglanz Finsternis soon.

–Colin Dempsey

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Harrowed — The Eternal Hunger | Dying Victims Productions | Death Metal | Sweden (Stockholm)

This week’s second Stockholm-based death metal record is primal, not in its ferocity, but that it’s closer to death metal’s infancy. Harrowed sew pieces of heavy metal, thrash, and hardcore punk onto their battle vests but avoid getting too deep into the waters of death. Instead, they deliver a morbid and grizzled take on metal that’s not far, spiritually speaking, from Tribulation’s early work.

–Colin Dempsey

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Cryptic Shift — Overspace & Supertime | Metal Blade Records | Technical Death Metal + Thrash Metal | United Kingdom (Leeds)

This Leeds-based quartet wowed many of us with their 2020 debut Visitations from Enceladus, and they are set to be unfrozen from their stasis pods this Friday for a new reality-bending mission into the unknown (and unknowable). Overspace & Supertime is a death metal space opera bursting with laser-targeted riffing, eldritch dissonance unearthed by hapless xenoarchaeologists, and unstable doppler-shifted tempos that will send you reeling. As its title implies, this album is bigger and badder than its predecessor, so strap in and steel your mind.

–Alex Chan

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Chalice — Divine Spear | Dying Victims Productions | Heavy Metal | Finland (Helsinki)

From Kevin Zecchel’s upcoming full album premiere:

The songs have an ethereal and melancholic quality to them, embedding themselves in your brain like an astral spell. Tracks like “Dwell of a Stellar Trance” and “Divine Spear” provide the classic metal goodness thanks to memorable choruses and shredding lead guitar work, whereas others, such as the eight-and-a-half-minute “Age Ethereal” offer something more cinematic and epic

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