Industrial glam kingpin Raymond Watts and his chief songwriting partner in swine Jim Davies (ex-Prodigy and Pitchshifter) are proud to announce that PIG has given birth to a healthy new album, ‘Hurt People Hurt’. Weighing in at 10 tracks, this latest addition to the PIG bloodline will be released into the wild on 22nd May 2026.
‘Tosca’s Kiss’ is out today as the album’s first single. Inspired by Watts’ well-known love of opera, it’s a song for the strong of stomach but not the faint of heart.
The album follows the dirt directly to the dustcart where misfits and reprobates can both lose and find themselves in this full fat emporium of ecstasy, naked words and momentous music. Plucked and sucked on the fruits of pain and bliss, this prime slice of PIG provides a light space for dark spirits. Enter bruised, leave changed.
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Raymond Watts has an impressive resumé. Aside from fourteen albums as PIG, he has worked with stalwarts of the global industrial scene such as Einstürzende Neubauten, Foetus and Psychic TV, in Japan with the bands Schwein and Schaft, and was a founder member of electronic rock band KMFDM with a key writing and vocal role on their best known songs of the ‘80s/’90s.
Watts has also written music for film, TV, advertising and fashion shows in Europe, Japan and America. His work in fashion includes ‘Punk: Chaos to Couture’ (Metropolitan Museum Of Art, New York) and ‘Plato’s Atlantis’ for the late fashion icon Alexander McQueen, which was reprised as ‘Savage Beauty’ (MMOA and the Victoria & Albert Museum in London).
Dark electro project, STABBED BY PRONGS has just unleashed their new full-length LP, Static Skin.
Drawing from EBM, electro, and 90s industrial influences, protagonist Craig Drabik has crafted six original soundscapes blending dance and destruction. Longtime collaborators Ry White, Andy Breton, Kimberly Kornmeier (Bow Ever Down), and Lail Brown return, along with newcomer Gabrielle Emerson.
Human relationships are a primary lyrical theme that permeates the album. The opening track, ‘Corpus’ hints at imposter syndrome under its moody S&M vibe, while ‘Another Realm’ embodies the longing and isolation of a long-distance relationship. ‘Violent Delights’, the album’s first single, is a harrowing look into an intimate relationship with a malignant narcissist. ‘Fall Into Darkness’ wraps up the album, longing to escape into the kind of love that consumes your sense of self.
STABBED BY PRONGS founder, Craig Drabik states, “Static Skin seems to have two personalities split between the male and female vocalists. I think there’s a nice contrast between the thumpy, heavy aggression of tracks like ‘Corpus’ and ‘Big Fake World’ and the laid-back electro-trip-hop of ‘Pyromancer’ for example. It provides more surface area to attract different kinds of listeners.”
As a taster, they’ve released a video for the opening track, ‘Corpus’, which you can check here:
Witch Ripper enter epic storytelling mode with a track that’s got it all: ‘The Clock Queen’ is groovy, heavy and proggy, and serves as the next advance single from their forthcoming third album Through the Hourglass, which is scheduled for release on April 10, 2026.
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Witch Ripper comment: “’The Clock Queen’ is the best representation of Witch Ripper in its purest form: Heavy. Melodic. Progressive”, vocalist and guitarist Curtis Parker writes. “In our story, it represents the big reveal of who our antagonist meets in this world they’ve found themselves in. Throughout the album, we peppered in what we call "the clock queen’s theme,” a melody that sneaks its way into almost every song at some point. This song is the culmination of that tension and it’s when we finally meet the driving force of the album: The Clock Queen herself.”
Bristol based progressive sludge metal band Urzah have announced details on their new album ‘A Tranquil Void’ set for release on 5th June via APF Records (Mastiff, Video Nasties, Swamp Coffin). The band have also shared first single ‘Infernal Star I’ which you can check out now:
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Formed in 2020, just before the pandemic hit, Urzah’s intensely collaborative and productive writing process was immediately evident, leading to the quick release of self-titled EPs I (2020) and II (2022). These laid the foundation for Urzah’s unique brand of ‘progressive sludge’. Inviting comparisons to Neurosis, DVNE, Mastodon and Elder, their forward-looking sound combines the abrasive elements of punk and post-hardcore with atmospheric post-metal passages and soaring melodies.
Urzah’s vision of ‘Earthen Heaviness’, combining oppressive darkness with moments of transcendence and cosmic awe, was realised on their critically acclaimed debut LP ‘The Scorching Gaze’ (2024, APF Records). The band’s sonic world draws on both the intensely personal – rage, loss, grief and self-doubt – and a profound awe and vulnerability in the face of the celestial and natural worlds, framing visceral human struggle within vast cycles of death, decay and rebirth.
Since their debut, Urzah has refined their live shows across the UK, playing festivals and headline shows, and sharing stages with a diverse roster of heavy bands including Bongzilla, Tuskar, Mastiff, Greenleaf, OHHMS and Dopelord, as well as progressive atmospheric bands such as Hidden Mothers, Underdark and Nadja, demonstrating their strong cross-genre appeal.
Now the band are set to release new LP A Tranquil Void on 5th June 2026 via APF Records. The record marks a defining moment for the band, following up their critically acclaimed debut The Scorching Gaze (2024, APF) with an even more assured, mature and ambitious full-length. Conceptually, The Scorching Gaze and A Tranquil Void function as a visual, musical and thematic diptych; where their debut burned brightly with the rage and destruction of an erupting volcano, their new LP captures the cathartic, contemplative still that follows.
A Tranquil Void draws inspiration from both personal introspection and awe in the face of the vast cosmos. Lead single ‘Infernal Star I’ reflects on the power of memory and connection to cast light in the darkness of a vast and uncharted universe.
Now in their twentieth year of uncompromising and mind-bending music, Gnod return with Chronicles of Gnowt Vol. 1, the first of a planned trilogy, to be released via Rocket Recordings on 10th April. Vol.2 should arrive in October and Vol. 3 in early 2027.
Today, they share another track from Vol 1 with ‘All Tunnel No Light’.
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“I am only interested in people engaged in a project of self-transformation,” Susan Sontag once remarked. Sontag never had the chance to work out how she felt about Gnod, given she sadly left this earthly realm in 2004. Yet Gnod’s now twenty year journey through spiritual and audial exploration has been nothing if not that. Driven by relentless curiosity, magpie irreverence and a fierce countercultural imperative, their project has always refused to acknowledge all or any rules and boundaries, internal or external.
The latest adventure of this band may never have been intended to celebrate their two-decade anniversary, but as long-time Gnod member Paddy Shine notes, they don’t always have a lot of say in these matters –“I know that we didn’t plan it this way but perhaps it was always in the plan and we just didn’t know it,” he notes cryptically. “I guess what I’m saying is that the Gnod thing seems to have its own energy now and certain things tend to take care of themselves”.
“We haven’t reflected too heavily on the twenty year mark and maybe we shouldn’t, but I’m glad we are marking it in true Gnod fashion by releasing too many albums” he laughs –indeed, what began as a trip into a residential studio setup in Hellfire Studios with producer John ‘Spud’ Murphy (Lankum, Black MIDI, Caroline) for six days resulted in more potent material than anyone bargained for.
“Working with Spud was probably the best studio experience we’ve had,” Paddy notes. “He was open to all our ideas, facilitated them the best he could and always had great suggestions. The vibe was right and things just flowed”. The end result has been three studio albums to be released over the next year. “This trilogy revealed itself to us in the studio,” says Paddy. “We were hoping to get a good album out of the session and lo and behold we got three of the fuckers. It’s interesting that we did pretty much capture the full spectrum of the Gnod sound across all three”.
Oakland, California – based post-punk band, False Figure has just unveiled their new full-length album, Incarnate.
The themes across Incarnate remain familiar to the band’s legacy. Ranging from lamenting toxic interpersonal dynamics in ‘Favorite Game’, finding sobering respite within the chaos of an unsalvageable world in ‘Original Sin’, to a more immediate and explosive call to action in ‘Say Nothing’. There’s an undeniable flow to the songs on the record that don’t leave you lingering in the same feeling for too long.
Incarnate is an example of what modern post-punk could sound like while not being pinned to one particular repetitious theme. The tracks serve as a cathartic release for listeners, drawing from lived experiences that are universally shared. It is the intention of the band to speak to the inner world of its audience and connect in a meaningful way.
Check single cut ‘Flowers in Bloom’ here:
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Conceived in 2016 in the depths of San Francisco, False Figure exploded onto the bay area’s burgeoning modern deathrock scene as a loud and driving three-piece. Distinguishing themselves with tribalistic tom beats and screeching guitars ala Killing Joke, this became the hallmark to early releases as swirling feedback gave way to drippingly saccharine melody. Toying with a dichotomy of tension building verses only to be releases by lush melodic choruses. Andres Ruiz’s haunting vocals blend together a rich chemistry of melancholic, desperate crooning alongside guitars. 2022’s release, Castigations recorded in April 2-21 by Grammy winning engineer, Greg Wilkinson and mastered by Grammy winning engineer, Chris Dugan, saw the band take a step towards traditional gothic rock and further from traditional punk sounds while retaining their own alchemy.
In 2026 the band seeks to release the newest iteration departing headfirst into luscious early dream pop ecstasy while maintaining a deep beautiful melancholy radiating throughout the new album, Incarnate. With influences from the French cold wave scene, Spain’s La Movida and British shoegaze, this newest release includes an entirely new line-up with Keven DeFranco on second guitar and Kenan Hamilton on bass explore a deeper concept of what modern post-punk could sound like.
Electronic artist SINE (aka Rona Rougeheart) has released a new single entitled ‘Blood + Wine’ on Metropolis Records. Modern and club-ready, and featuring a vocal that is playful, frenetic and seductive, it is an upbeat dance track with bold electronic basslines accented by sub-bass drops. “Creating this song was about capturing the tension of chasing something that always feels just out of reach; the feeling of an endless pursuit,” states Rougeheart.
Her first totally self-produced song, ‘Blood + Wine’ also marks a key moment in the evolution of the SINE sound. “There was little time to focus on making my new album in 2025, as I was often away on US tours with Clan of Xymox, PIG and Nitzer Ebb,” she explains. “However, being around them taught me a lot. Once home, I started applying the knowledge I had absorbed, which led to this new track. It became a first real test of self-producing, and I was genuinely happy with the result. I’m really proud of the progress I’ve made.”
Mastered by Mark Pistel (Meat Beat Manifesto, Consolidated), ‘Blood + Wine’ remains true to SINE’s self-described ‘electronic boom’ style.
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Originally from New York but based in Austin, Texas, Rona Rougeheart blends dance beats, sub-bass, rhythmic synths and industrial elements. Her live show as SINE blends high-fashion aesthetics with synths, drumming and vocals, led by a strong female-fronted presence and cinematic visuals that entertain and empower.
She has collaborated with Adrian Sherwood, Meat Beat Manifesto, Clan of Xymox, Chris Connelly (Pigface, Revolting Cocks), Mark Pistel (Consolidated), Andee Blacksugar (KMFDM, Blondie), Xiu Xiu and the late Mark Stewart (The Pop Group).
A multi-instrumentalist, Rougeheart has been endorsed by Gretsch Drums, Gibraltar hardware and Roland.
The dark electronic/aggrotech act Dawn Of Ashes (DOA) have released a new single entitled ‘Viral Decay’ today. The second track to be issued from forthcoming new album Anatomy Of Suffering, it captures the ugliness, exhaustion and isolation of inner decay while fully embracing the classic DOA sound – harsh synths, aggressive rhythms and oppressive atmospheres – and paying homage to their genre’s old-school brutality.
“‘Viral Decay’ is a confrontation with inner darkness; not a glorification of death, but a sonic descent into mental corrosion,” explains DOA founder and frontman Kristof Bathory. “It explores the slow mental collapse caused by overwhelming despair and suicidal ideation. Through visceral imagery and repetition, it portrays a mind infected by hopelessness, emotional numbness and self-destruction, exposing the brutal reality of living inside a breaking mind.”
‘Viral Decay’ follows the recent ‘Penumbra (feat. Suicide Commando)’, a powerful collaboration with the veteran Belgian artist Johan Van Roy. Both songs are available on ‘Anatomy Of Suffering’, a new album by DOA out on 20th March. A darker, heavier, and more focused chapter in the group’s evolution, it brings together raw atmosphere with precision production and features some notable collaborations.
The Moon and the Nightspirit reveal the new track ‘Odyssey Limen’ as the next advance single taken from their forthcoming album. Seed of the Formless has been chalked up for release on April 17, 2026.
The Moon and the Nightspirit comment: “The song ‘Odyssey Limen’ represents our new album’s most intense and dynamic peak – a relentless, metallic journey that mirrors the ultimate spiritual metamorphosis”, Ágnes Tóth states on behalf of the duo. “This track charts an inner cosmic voyage that culminates in the profound realisation of one’s true nature. It is the sonic embodiment of catharsis, where all form and doubt are shed in a final, explosive awakening – the most aggressive point on our path, capturing the moment of pure, unbound becoming.”
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With their eighth studio album Seed of the Formless, The Moon and the Nightspirit have reached a crossroads in their ever changing path. A deliberate and significant sonic mutation has created a leap in their stylistic evolution. While the Hungarian duo’s deep roots in ethereal folk remain audible, Seed of the Formless marks their conscious journey into the heavier realms of atmospheric post-metal.
The Hungarians’ embrace of electric guitars and vast synth soundscapes to channel what they describe as a more cosmic and visceral energy, as compared to the whispering of forest and meadows in their musical past, makes perfect sense at this stage of their sonic evolution. As The Moon and the Nightspirit navigate the space between shadow and luminescence, the parallel contrast between the acoustic and the electric as well as their subsequent amalgamation, they unlock the gates to a vast realm of new possibilities.
The Moon and the Nightspirit view their creative process as a spiritual practice. To them, music is not just written; it is channelled through meditation, connecting with nature, and the exploration of philosophical concepts about consciousness and the formless void. These are not just themes, but direct gateways to their compositions.
The Moon and the Nightspirit were founded in 2003 when Hungarian singer as well as piano and violin player Ágnes Tóth joined forces with guitarist and vocalist Mihály Szabó. Their original style has been variously located in the ethereal, pagan, and neofolk realm, which was emphasised by the use of instruments such as zither and woodwinds. A dose of melancholia, dreamlike and sometimes eerie soundscapes as well as lyrics revolving around fantastic, mythical, and shamanic themes quickly carved them their own niche and a dedicated following, starting with the debut full-length Of Dreams Forgotten and Fables Untold (2005) and growing with each following album until Aether (2020). There will always be those who oppose any change, but as true artists The Moon and the Nightspirit acted on their need to evolve further. The result is Seed of the Formless, which is drawing from atmospheric post-metal and ambient, while the duo’s soul remains intact: mystical, yearning, and eternally bound to the infinite!
MOON FAR AWAY impressively deploy their ability to write captivating acoustic songs with their new advance single ‘To Count Her Names’. The gothic folk duo’s new track is taken from their forthcoming new album Acou (‘Listen’), which is chalked up for release on March 13th, 2026.
MOON FAR AWAY comment: “A cold neo-folk hit in the best traditions of the genre — and the lyrical heart of the Acou album”, male vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Count Ash states. “Yes, grim folkers with long beards sometimes fall into sadness, too. This song features guitarist Roman Khomutsky from the famous Moscow black metal band Uratsakidogi.”
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Some of the richest music is also the hardest to categorise. With their fifth full-length Acou, MOON FAR AWAY embark on a musical exploration of the magical nature of sound. The band from the sub-arctic city of Arkhangelsk in Russia’s north is studying the mythological cycle of the universe by assigning certain sounds and musical styles that range from the archaic and folklore to liturgical, classical, and even experimental music to each stage of its existence.
MOON FAR AWAY were inspired by the finding that the world begins and ends in many ancient legends with a sound – from the utterance of a word to actual music or even the big bang of science. On Acou, which means ‘listen!’ in Greek, the word (lógos) and music (mousĭkḗ) are as fundamental to the fabric of the universe as the classical elements of earth, fire, water, and air.
MOON FAR AWAY have occasionally been referred to as “the heart of Russian gothic folk” or “The Russian Dead Can Dance£””, which are notions that still ring true regarding Acou. Their music appears to be both light and even dreamy on the surface, yet at the same time it comes with a dignity, gravitas and passionate seriousness that set these songs apart from simple pop; despite sounding captivating and melodic.
MOON FAR AWAY have already released four studio albums, a live album, several singles, and numerous collaborations since their inception in 1994. The band from the old Russian harbour city on the White Sea shore has also performed at multiple festivals across Europe. MOON FAR AWAY are taking their inspiration from the folklore and unique ancient heritage of their native lands in the North of Russia.
The North is obviously an area of harsh climatic conditions but also of intense human creativity that found its expression in rich poetry, music, visual culture, and wooden architecture. Unlike central Russia, there was no slavery in the North and to this day, this wide region preserves a most interesting and unique cultural heritage with roots reaching back into pre-Christian time.
MOON FAR AWAY have dedicated themselves to the preservation of local traditions, both musically and culturally. By combining traditional European culture with the soundscapes of the Russian North, and influences from classic to neofolk as well as modern technology, the music of MOON FAR AWAY offers a unique artistic expression where the East meets the West.
With Acou, MOON FAR AWAY present their richest and most complete album so far that will find old and new friends from a wide range of stylistic preferences that certainly include fans of DEAD CAN DANCE, ALCEST, WARDRUNA, and many others – although the unique band from Russia’s North does sound different from all of those mentioned above. There is only one way to find out: "Acou"! Listen!
Aural Aggravation 