Riding off into the sunset on a high note, today we have Nate Garrett and Spirit Adrift with their last release: “Infinite Illumination”. Not even advertised until its release date, this album delivers eight tracks and 46 minutes of crafty Doom/Heavy Metal featuring a plethora of sick riffs and a very mellow headbanging vibe. Slowly evolving from more of a classical Doom Metal core, into Heavy Metal territories, this band has managed to deliver consistency and quality music over the years, and while sad to see them go, we are glad they leave with a bang.

Opening with the crushing guitars of “Infinite Illumination”, the band instantly sets a very old-school Doom Metal vibe with a very Candlemass-esque progression. Having set a high bar from the get go, the band pummels through: “Window Within” and its crunchy guitars, “You Will Never Hold The Key” with its retro guitar leads, and the playful “Born In A Bad Way” which quickly had us headbanging. The band has never shied away from making simple and yet direct songs that are both heavy and melodic, featuring great versatility and craftiness.

With an ominous name like “Anthems For The Grand Collapse”, SolNegre unleashes one of the most soul-crushing Death/Doom Metal releases in 2026. Featuring five tracks and over 41-minutes of music, this release is both devastating and expertly crafted to infuse bleakness and hopelessness. Hailing from Spain, this outfit can be compared to the greats of the genre like Saturnus, October Tide, My Dying Bride, etc.

Opening with the demoralizing atmospherics of “The Axiom - Song for the Inert Part II”, the band sets a very crushing mood with a slow tempo alongside weeping guitar leads and Ûkh’s growls. Like a funeral procession, this opener is slow and beautifully devastating. Changing things up a bit, “The Hollow Inside” picks up the pace, creating some lush transitions into heavier territories while also delivering some haunting interludes that expand the band’s range.

After kicking off the (proper) revival of old-school Symphonic Black Metal back in 2018 with “Netherstorm”, Vargrav has cranked out a few additional masterful releases. With “Dimension: Daemonium”, the band comes back after 3 years with eight tracks and over 42-minutes of their high-octane retro-inspired music, filled with dramatic synths and chilling atmospheres. For those fans of the genre, this release showcases Vargrav’s creativity and knack for writing some truly epic songs.

Setting a very cinematic and theatrical mood with the opener, the blistering “Ablaze Upon the Nocturnal Realms” unleashes that frosty old-school Symphonic Black Metal vibe as the magical keyboards permeate the atmosphere. Don’t get us wrong, the band is more than its atmospherics as their riffs are vicious, the drumming is punishing, and the vocals, handled by Graf Werwolf Von Armageddon (of Satanic Warmaster, etc.) since 2023, create a very cohesive and ravaging Black Metal core as “Moonfrost Storms”, “Dragons of Nightmare”, and “The Gates of My Dimension” showcase.

Just when you think you have heard enough Finnish Melodic Death Metal, a band like Crowen comes around and lets you know that you can always enjoy some more. In their latest EP, “Through the Dying Mist”, the band combines elements from all the greats: Wolfheart, Before the Dawn, Insomnium, Dawn of Solace, etc. Unleashing 16-minutes of high-octane music, this release is the perfect addition for any fan of the genre, as it is unique enough to not be labeled a clone of the previously mentioned outfits.

Unleashing hell on earth, today we have Relic with their hard-hitting EP “Crown of Flies”. Featuring four songs and over 10-minutes of crushing Death/Black Metal, the band makes a serious introduction with some of the most crushing music released in 2026. If you are looking for a heavy release to mosh till you drop, this is a diamond in the rough.

Hailing from the UK, today we have Industrial Death/Black Metal outfit The Machinist with their latest EP “Towers”. Featuring a futuristic and yet pretty crushing sound, this British trio unleashes all hell for over 24 minutes. With hefty influences from bands like Mysticum and Malignant Eternal, the band also incorporates additional influences to create very engaging and atmospheric songs.

Continuing their musical journey outside of the confines of their original Post-Black Metal sound, today we have Markus Skye and Lantlôs, with their latest effort “Nowhere in Between Forever”. First off, for anybody expecting the old sound, they should have realized by now that Markus and company have embarked into more experimental territories since “Melting Sun”, and this one takes the band’s sound into more Alternative Metal territories with some Post-Punk, Electronic, and Shoegazey elements thrown into the mix.

Opening with the vibrant “Daisies”, we get crunchy and playful distorted guitars with some masterful atmospherics, in a very magical Shoegazey way. With some elements of bands like Deftones and Holy Fawn, the songs in this release are beautiful sonic exploration of unique combinations, like the electronics of “Cherries”, the 90’s vibes of “Oxygen”, and the dreamy video-game esque atmospherics of “Jeanet”. There are definitely no fillers in this release as each track creates its own unique aural universe with very lively vibes like “Numb TV Superstar” and “Solar Death”.

Unleashing one of the most explosive and expansive Atmospheric Black Metal releases of the last few years, today we have Antrisch and their sophomore full-length release “Expedition III: Renitenzpfad”. Clocking in at nearly 50-minutes of music, this release creates a very thick and tense atmosphere that is benefitted with sprinkles of Doom/Ambient/Djent elements around a fierce and punishing Black Metal core.

Opening with the mysterious “I. Prolog - Conquista”, the band creates a very cinematic experience that quickly escalates with Maurice Wilson’s fierce shrieks and the band’s superbly crafty guitar work. The album’s lyrical narrative focuses on Pedro de Ursúa's Amazon expedition of 1560, delivering a very unique and powerful cinematic experience. Particularly, the mixture of passages in both Spanish and German, creates a very immersive and unique experience throughout the release.

Completely unexpected and totally out of the blue, 2026 sees the return of the mighty Neurosis with none other than Aaron Turner on vocals and guitars. If the band’s return wasn’t enough, they also dropped a monumental release with the crushing “An Undying Love For A Burning World”. With over 63 minutes of music, the band takes the listener through their cavernous and visceral sound, delivering some of their finest songs to date.

Ripping things wide open with the crafty “Mirror Deep”, we get the back coming back in their best form with a wall of punishing riffs and massive drumming. The addition of Aaron Turner is quickly evident with his signature snarl alongside Steve Von Till’s. The band’s sound has always been quite cavernous and filled with slower and atmospheric sections, and the opener alongside “First Red Rays”, and “Blind” continue the tradition. There is a certain sense of hopelessness that the band masterfully conveys through their crushing distortion alongside subtle and yet powerful atmospheric synths, point in case, the pummeling and yet hypnotic “Seething and Scattered”.

It has been quite a while since we heard from Melechesh and their unique Black/Death Metal, thankfully “Sentinels of Shamash” is a little taste of what is to come from the band. Featuring three songs and over 21-minutes of music, mastermind Ashmedi returns with a vengeance. Filled with aggression and a hefty dose of melody, this release showcases the band hasn't lost a step and it is ready for bigger and greater things.