Canadian melodic rock band Fatal Vision return with their brand new studio album Four Sides To Every Story, scheduled for release on May 22, 2026 via Escape Music. The album represents the band’s most ambitious and cinematic work to date, combining powerful Melodic Rock songwriting with a narrative-driven visual concept that has become a hallmark of the band’s recent releases.

Building on the momentum of their acclaimed album Three Times Lucky, Fatal Vision continue to expand their artistic vision with a record that explores the emotional complexity of relationships, heartbreak, and redemption. The album title reflects the idea that every story can be seen from different perspectives, an approach that shapes both the musical and visual storytelling behind the project.

The record features fourteen songs, each accompanied by its own music video, forming the fourth season of Fatal Vision’s ongoing cinematic video series. Together, the videos tell the continuing story of a young woman’s journey after heartbreak, with the same actors portraying the same characters throughout the saga of love lost and found.

Musically, Four Sides To Every Story stays firmly rooted in the timeless melodic rock tradition that defines Fatal Vision, drawing inspiration from classic acts such as Survivor, Bad English, Heart, Van Halen, Journey, and Asia, while also introducing fresh sonic elements. Several songs explore more progressive arrangements, featuring time changes and contrasting sections that expand the band’s musical palette without losing their signature sense of melody and emotional impact.

The album features an impressive lineup of guest musicians and collaborators from across the international melodic rock scene, including:

Phil X (Bon Jovi, Triumph)
David Forbes (Boulevard)
Harry Hess (Harem Scarem)
Jeff Scott Soto (Journey, Trans-Siberian Orchestra)
Paul Laine (Danger Danger, The Defiants)
Alessandro Del Vecchio (Edge Of Forever, Hardline)
JK Northrup (King Kobra, XYZ)
Michael Shotton (Von Groove)
Marc LaFrance (Loverboy, Mötley Crüe)
David Cagle (Silent Tiger)

Christine Corless, who appears on several tracks in powerful duet performances with Fatal Vision singer Simon Marwood.

Songwriting duties are primarily handled by Simon Marwood and Juan Miguel Gomez Montant, with additional collaborators including Alessandro Del Vecchio, Michael Shotton, and members of Boulevard. For the first time in the band’s history, bassist Andrew Burns and drummer Alex Wickham also contribute as songwriters on two tracks.

The album also includes “Turn Around”, Fatal Vision’s first-ever single, which has already surpassed 150,000 streams and now appears on an album for the first time.

Production of Four Sides To Every Story was handled by Marwood, Montant, and JK Northrup, with mixing by JK Northrup and legendary producer Ron Nevison, known for his work with artists such as Heart, Survivor, and Europe. Mike Shotton oversaw lead vocal production, while Alessandro Del Vecchio handled backing vocal production, contributing to the album’s rich layered harmonies and powerful vocal arrangements.

“Four Sides to Every Story” tracklist:

1.Girl Against the World (5:25)
2.All That Glitters (6:19)
3.Run With Me (4:28)
4.Turn Around (5:36)
5.No More Tears to Cry (5:56)
6.If This Is Who You Are (5:28)
7.Maybe Someday (5:07)
8.Out Of the Blue (4:42)
9.After All These Years (4:50)
10.Do You See Me (5:33)
11.Every Time I Think of You (6:12)
12.Too Close to The Sun (5:24)
13.Fly (4:16)
14.The Best Is Yet to Come (6:46)

FATAL VISION IS:
Simon Marwood – Vocals
Juan Miguel Gomez Montant – Guitars
Andrew Burns – Bass
Alex Wickham – Drums

Swedish hard-rock risers Velveteen Queen return with their most ambitious statement yet, their sophomore album, The Greater Good, set for release on September 18^th via Silver Lining Music. Pre-orders available from May 6^th at this location.

Velveteen Queen are rapidly emerging as one of the most electrifying young acts in the modern rock scene, channeling the grit, swagger, and anthemic power of classic ’80s influences into a bold and contemporary sound. Having shared stages with Alice Cooper and Judas Priest, the five-piece have already built a reputation for their explosive live performances, undeniable stage presence and anthemic rock songs with instantly memorable hooks.

From the very first teasing riff and maraca-shake of ‘Too Far Gone’, the opening track of the album, the Swedish rockers make it clear your hips had better be ready to swing and your rockin’ boots ready to roll. Produced by renowned producer Sören Andersen, this is a record which brings the strut of the Sunset Strip’s glory days via Sweden, with a healthy dash of old-school Guns N’ Roses, alongside spiritual ties to Aerosmith, Velvet Revolver and Hanoi Rocks.

The new single and title track, ‘The Greater Good’, is out now. The song featured Peter Keys (Lynyrd Skynyrd) on piano and is accompanied by a larger-than-life video directed by esteemed filmmaker Patric Ullaeus.

“In ‘The Greater Good’, we confront the lies that run deep in our city, challenging apathy while calling for action amid chaos. When the fight for truth fades, where does the ‘greater good’ truly lie?” – Velveteen Queen

Watch/Listen to ‘The Greater Good’ here

There’s a snap and vigour in Velveteen Queen that is instantly exciting to the ears. Take the bounce and groove of the glam-punk ‘Talk or Walk’, which boasts a huge choral hook and a snarling top lip of attitude. Meanwhile, ‘Adrenaline’ is built around a razor-sharp, singalong chorus, with riffs swinging low and hard. Yet there’s also full ballad artistry on display with the soulful ‘Chains’, showing that Velveteen Queen can bring it down to strands of raw emotion.

Make no mistake, while the influences on Velveteen Queen are clear, the approach, songwriting, and delivery is utterly fresh, packed with undeniable positive energy and rebel attitude. There’s a new generation of young glam/trash rockers craving The Greater Good, and Velveteen Queen confidently and successfully deliver exactly what they are looking for.

And that same high-voltage energy captured on the record will soon be unleashed on stage, with Velveteen Queen poised to turn every show into a full-throttle rock ’n’ roll event. Their next live chapter continues in truly grand fashion, joining forces with rock legends Alice Cooper and Danko Jones at Rättvik on June 27^th.

Upcoming shows:
27 June – Dalhalla, Rättvik (SE)
18 Sept – Debaser Nova, Stockholm (SE)
19 Sept – Valand, Gothenburg (SE)

More dates soon to be announced; for tickets and more information visit velveteenqueentheband.com

After more than twenty years of silence, legendary rockers Sha-Boom return louder than ever with their explosive new album, Another Nail In The Coffin, set for release on August 28^th via Silver Lining Music.  Pre-orders available from 29 April at this location.

Sha-Boom burst out of Stockholm in 1987 and, within months, were sharing festival bills with Scandinavian hard-rock royalty such as Europe and Treat. Their debut single, the fist-pumping anthem “R.O.C.K.,” shot straight to No. 1 across Sweden and Norway, and the self-titled album that followed confirmed them as one of the era’s defining melodic-rock acts.

After that meteoric rise, the band stepped away from the relentless pace of the spotlight, while their music continued to resonate with fans across the years. Now, decades later, Dag Finn – always the driving force behind Sha-Boom – has returned at the helm with renewed energy and purpose, ready to pick up exactly where the band left off.

Boasting big choruses and plenty of smiles, Another Nail In The Coffin is only interested in bringing you back to days when fun was the name of the rock ‘n’ roll game. The first single, “Never Stop”, a pure AOR-style top-down cruising down the highway track, is out today.

“This is one of my favourite tracks on the record and I couldn’t be prouder of it,” exclaims frontman Dag Finn. “It blends folk influences with the energy of stadium rock. Keep on ROCKING!”

Watch/Listen to “Never Stop” at this location  – video filmed and edited by Daniel Whalström at Heavy Grove Media; additional editing Boom-Nasty Production.

Another Nail In The Coffin is an album that bridges generations with unapologetic rock ‘n’ roll flair. “Walk (Far Away)” is a grand, multi-layered rock ‘n’ roll sea shanty with a twist of glam, “Another Nail in the Coffin” has the swagger and attitude of early Def Leppard, and “One More Drink for the Road” sees the Sha-Boom family go full-generational, as the daughter of Finn’s long-time friend and collaborator Thomas Vikström (Therion, Candlemass) – singer Linnéa Vikström of Thundermother – joins the party.

The result is a record that feels vital, with the unmistakable spirit of a band that once helped define a scene and now refuses to be merely a memory. Produced and mixed by renowned producer Erik Mårtensson (Eclipsed), Another Nail In The Coffin is a trip back to the halcyon ‘80s, when songs and melodies truly mattered, with Sha-Boom standing ready to remind the world why their name still echoes in Scandinavian rock history.

Sha-Boom not only have announced an explosive new album, they are also gearing up for a long-awaited return to the stage, ready to reclaim the spotlight worldwide, including a performance at the famous Sweden Rock Festival on June 6, more dates to be announced.

June 6, Sweden Rock Festival (SE)
July 31, Grebbestad (SE)
August 1, Arvika (SE)
August 15, Pukavik (SE)
August 29, Halden (NO)
October 16, Vara (SE)
October 17, Karlstad (SE)
For tickets and more information visit: sha-boom/bandsintown

Another Nail In The Coffin will be released on Vinyl, 12” CD Digipak, Digital Download, Streaming and special D2C bundles. Available to pre-order from April 29^th at this location

Dopo nove anni, gli Europe tornano con Come This Madness, il loro dodicesimo album in studio e la dichiarazione più potente, senza compromessi della loro carriera. Come This Madness uscirà il 25 settembre via Silver Lining Music / Hell & Back Recordings.

Gli Europe hanno visto tutto. Sono andati oltre. Non si sono mai fermati. Ed ancora una volta si rialzano, continuando a superare le aspettative, evolvendosi, adattandosi e andando avanti senza compromessi.

Attraverso brani come “One on One”, “The Cult of Ignorance” e la title track “Come This Madness”, la band incanala una tensione crescente, autenticità ed energia pura in un disco che suona allo stesso tempo profondamente personale e globalmente significativo.

Il primo singolo, “One On One”, è disponibile da oggi e segna un ritorno dirompente per una band che non è mai stata così focalizzata. Costruito attorno ad un riff di basso trascinante ed arricchito da sontuose melodie, il brano fonde il sound classico degli Europe con un’energia fresca e moderna. Si apre con un’introduzione orchestrale prima di lasciarsi guidare dal riff, crescendo fino a diventare un monolite hard rock, perfetto per la dimensione live. Il brano esprime sia la perseveranza che l’evoluzione: scritto in un periodo di immobilità globale, ma sviluppato nel corso degli anni, è un pezzo che la band non ha mai voluto abbandonare, perfezionandolo fino a trasformarlo in uno dei momenti chiave di Come This Madness.

“‘One On One’ è sicuramente uno dei miei brani preferiti dell’album,” afferma il fondatore e frontman degli Europe, Joey Tempest. “La potenza e le sensazioni sono moderne, ma alcune melodie mi riportano a dove tutto è iniziato. A livello lirico, forse non è ricco di escapismo come i primi Europe. Questi testi sono diventati automaticamente più una riflessione dei tempi in cui viviamo oggi. Fin da quando ‘One On One’ era solo una demo, siamo rimasti legati a questo pezzo… non abbiamo mai mollato, e lo abbiamo portato esattamente dove doveva essere: un classico brano hard rock di grande impatto.”

Il nuovo singolo è accompagnato da un video musicale sorprendente e non convenzionale, che segna un nuovo capitolo visivo per la band. Ambientato in un contesto cinematografico essenziale, il video si concentra su un unico personaggio, provato, distrutto ed emotivamente esposto, interpretato con intensità ed umanità dall’acclamato attore Peter Stormare (Fargo, Il grande Lebowski, Minority Report, 8MM, Armageddon).

“Sapevamo da sempre che Peter amava la musica rock, e quando è uscito il suo nome è sembrato subito quello giusto,” continua Tempest. “Volevamo affrontare il progetto da una prospettiva diversa, qualcosa di più essenziale ed inaspettato.”

Guarda/Ascolta “One on One” QUI, video di Patric Ullaeus.

Come This Madness è stato registrato presso gli RMV Studio di Stoccolma, fondati da Benny Andersson e Ludvig Andersson. L’album include la partecipazione speciale di Tobias Forge (Ghost) e Michael Åkerfeldt (Opeth) ed è stato prodotto dall’acclamato Tom Dalgety (Ghost, Rammstein, Pixies, The Cult, Opeth), che è diventato una vera forza creativa durante il processo, profondamente coinvolto nella scrittura e registrazione, contribuendo a plasmare il suono del disco fin dalle fondamenta. Per portare il progetto alla fase finale e completare la loro visione, la band si è affidata a una delle leggende più rispettate del rock, Mike Fraser (AC/DC, Van Halen, Metallica, The Cult, Loverboy), per il mixaggio.

Joey Tempest conclude: “È stato un vero piacere lavorare con Tom, è creativo, musicale ed incredibilmente intuitivo, è diventato davvero il sesto membro della band durante la scrittura e la registrazione dell’album. Lo abbiamo persino invitato a co-scrivere alcuni brani.”

Con Come This Madness, gli Europe firmano un album fondamentale che li vede completamente realizzati e presenti, pronti a confrontarsi con il mondo reale.

Oltre a prepararsi all’uscita del disco, la band sarà on the road con numerose date, inclusi molti festival ed il tour per celebrare il 40° anniversario di The Final Countdown. In partenza da Glasgow il 30 settembre, il The Final Countdown 40th Anniversary Tour promette di unire l’eredità del passato con l’energia del presente. Per l’elenco completo delle date e i biglietti: www.europetheband.com

Formed in Navarra, Spain, in 2011, XTASY have spent more than a decade building a solid international reputation across Europe and Japan through consistent releases, energetic live shows and a long-standing collaboration with Erik Mårtensson (Eclipse). Their upcoming album Phoenix represents the culmination of that journey: a collection of ten brand-new tracks, written during creative sessions in Sweden and showcasing a band at the peak of its creative confidence.

Phoenix also marks an important evolution in the band’s lineup, with the addition of Javi Herrero (Zenobia) on drums and David Zarzosa on bass, bringing fresh power, groove, and momentum to XTASY’s sound and live performances.

Following the success of their live CD/DVD Live of the Storm, which documented a 30+ date European tour, XTASY are now preparing to return to the stage with the Phoenix Tour, taking them across Europe throughout 2026. The tour will include festival appearances and club shows, further confirming XTASY as one of the most solid and exciting Melodic Hard Rock acts on the European Melodic Rock scene today.

Stockholm‐based rock powerhouse REACH return with their next rampage: Hell on Earth, arriving 21 November via Icons Creating Evil Art. The track is an unrelenting collision of melodic hooks, metal-fueled riffs and screams, an anthem for a world unsteady and unafraid, and for those of us still standing when the freaks are running the world with loaded guns.

Hell on Earth addresses the thin line between generosity and taking for granted, between trust and complacency, during a time of transition, and the track pulses with that urgency. Band explains: – “Hell on Earth is a song about the current state of the world. It’s a heavier song for a heavier time.”

REACH are no strangers to international traction. Their 2024 album Prophecy charted new terrain: the single Mama Mama held heavy rotation at Germany’s major rock stations, Radio Bob, Star FM and Radio 21, while Swedish powerhouse Bandit Rock supported them with regular airplay. The band also toured extensively across Europe, sharpening their live intensity into a razor-sharp weapon.

This latest single marks a stylistic evolution: REACH embrace heavier textures, technical precision and emotional resonance, while maintaining their trademark melodic sensibility and vocal clarity (via frontman Ludvig). The forthcoming video underlines this shift, visual, direct and built to amplify the track’s cinematic scope. Filmed and directed by Damón Zurawski @futurelegendsfilms at the Icons Creating Evil Art studio. Band comments:  “We’re happy to be partnering up with Damón Zurawski for this one. It feels like the beginning of a great new partnership for us and we can’t wait to reveal what we’ve been working on.”