One of the most renowned festivals in Metal, Wacken Open Air has been rocking audiences’ summers in Germany for almost 30 years now, and in case you weren’t able to be part of the experience in person last year (or if you were one of the many fortunate in the crowd and simply want to relive it), highlights of Wacken 2016 are set to be released this summer. With a lineup boasting names like Arch Enemy, Bullet for My Valentine, Barb Wire Dolls, Triptykon, Saxon, Metal Church, Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons and Steel Panther among many, many others, plus a tribute to Lemmy, August 11th marks the date of the DVD/BluRay and double disc CD release on Silver Lining Music. The experience is available for pre-order now.

Kublai Khan is one of the latest signings to Rise Records, and they’ve got a slew of news to deliver. First off is their new record by the name of Nomad, due on September 29th, and they’ve already released an official music video for the single “The Hammer”. You can check that out on the Rise Records YouTube Channel here. According to frontman Matt Honeycutt, “We are stoked to be releasing our first full track titled ‘The Hammer’. It’s classic Kublai Khan with twists and turns of a new sound and a personal message to push. For all the folks who dig us, we hope you enjoy it. And if you haven’t heard us before, we thank you for giving us a shot”. Kublai Khan also has a cross-country trek in store for the month of September and continuing into October as they hit the road with No Zodiac, Left Behind, I Am, and Great American Ghost. All the dates and further details can be found in the poster above, and at https://www.facebook.com/KublaiKhanTexoma.

36 Crazyfists come from Alaska, and they’re back to unleash their seventh studio album onto the world in the form of Lanterns. Spinefarm Records will be the home for this new record set to be released on September 29th, and it’s only the second time the band has worked with Spinefarm. Lanterns will be a follow up to their last record, Time and Trauma, which was released in 2015. The first single off Lanterns bears the title “Death Eater”, and it has premiered exclusively on Loudwire. 36 Crazyfists is also setting out on a tour alongside DevilDriver, Uncured, Tetrach, then Cane Hill a little later on, and it all kicks off on August 18th, leading up to the record release. More details here: https://www.facebook.com/36crazyfists.

Death Metallers Dawn of Disease have got a new Napalm Records release in store, and Ascension Gate will be out on August 11th. The title track premiered today and you can find it on the label’s YouTube Channel here. Dawn of Disease says of the track, “‘Ascension Gate’ stands for the atmospheric and melodic side of our new album. Intensitiy and a melancholic atmosphere are merged into catchy and monumental tunes which slowly raise tension and culminate in rousing headbang parts. Prepare for a stirring listening experience and enter the ‘Ascension Gate’!” Further info can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/DawnOfDisease.

Industrial Metal Icons Ministry have just announced a new tour, and they’re sharing the headlining spot with the experimental Rap/Hip-Hop group Death Grips. The tour starts off in October in Worcester, MA and spans a full month, wrapping up in Dallas, TX in early November. Ministry currently has a few California dates and they’ll also be making an appearance at the Riot Fest Chicago in September, before heading out on the recently announced tour. Ministry is also working on a fall release for their 14th studio album, and all the details are available via their PledgeMusic campaign here: http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/ministry. Visit: https://www.facebook.com/WeAreMinistry for all the tour dates and album info.

The Agonist may have released their latest album Five in 2016, but it’s carrying on strong in 2017 as a new music video for one of the tracks has just been released. “The Raven Eyes” is the song to come off the Napalm Records release, and you can check out the clip on the label’s YouTube Channel. The Agonist guitarist Danny Marino has given a closer look into what’s behind this particular track: “Writing this was a departure for Vicky and I but it may have been one of the most rewarding as songwriters. It allowed us to explore sounds and emotions we’ve always wanted to but could never quite get to in a metal setting. Also, working with Igor Khoroshev (Yes) really helped bring out the full depth of Vicky’s piano and string arrangements. The lyrics were originally inspired by stories of the renaissance plague doctors. FTB Visuals was able to take these themes and create a modern world storyline with an equally dark overtone that captured the painful emotions in the song.” The band is getting ready to kick off a Canadian headlining tour in just a couple of weeks, starting things out in their very own hometown of Montreal, Quebec on August 4th – the tour runs for the whole month of August. Check out The Agonist on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/TheAgonistOfficial.

September 1st marks the date for the fifteenth effort from Paradise Lost, but the hype is already building via album trailers giving a look into the process. The first was released a few weeks ago and featured frontman Greg Mackintosh discussing the songwriting. Next up is bassist Steve Edmonson, who talks of the present and the past, focusing on the current album as well as some of the band’s background. You can see the second album trailer here. Paradise Lost released a lyric video recently for the first single off their upcoming album Medusa, “The Longest Winter”, which is available via Nuclear Blast. Paradise Lost is heading right out on the road in Europe following the release, and with them will be Pallbearer and Sinistro. Further details at: http://www.paradiselost.co.uk.

Soul Remnants have unleashed a brand-new track this week, in the form of their latest single “Depravity’s Lock”, which you can hear right here.  The song comes off the Bostonian Death Metallers’ upcoming record Ouroboros, to be released on July 21st via Entertainment One/LifeBlood, Inc. This futuristic concept album will be the third effort from Soul Remnants, and two other tracks have already been revealed, “Echoes of Insanity” and “Dissolving Into Insanity”, which premiered via Pure Grain Audio a while back. Visit https://www.facebook.com/SoulRemnants/ for more info, including links to pre-orders, and the record will be out in just a few days.

There’s no question that Cradle of Filth’s upcoming album is highly anticipated in the eyes of many fans as the 12th studio effort Cryptoriana – The Seductiveness of Decay is set for a September 22nd release on Nuclear Blast Records. Now, a new music video for the very first single off the record has been released, and you can find the (uncensored) clip in the same place you’ll find the pre-orders, through the Nuclear Blast Website here. The track, “Heartbreak and Seance” is also available for instant download for those who choose the digital route for a pre-order of the record.

Cradle of Filth currently has a handful of UK and Ireland tour dates lined up for the fall, all of which can be found alongside further details via their official website: http://www.cradleoffilth.com.