So Cal punk royalty, Descendents return to Australia and New Zealand this June for the Run Down Under tour, celebrating 30 years of Everything Sucks. Originally released in 1996, Everything Sucks, remains a pivotal release in not only the band’s catalogue but in the genre they helped define.

One of the most influential acts in modern metal and hardcore, in 2026 Florida heavyweights POISON THE WELL will at long last again be at arm's length for Aussie fans, heading down under for their Australian headline tour in June, joined by special guests HAYWIRE (USA).

Australian heavy music and dark arts staple Dead of Winter has unveiled its full 2026 lineup, marking a huge return after six years away. Hosting 34 Australian and New Zealand acts across multiple stages, the festival lands back at Brisbane’s Mansfield Tavern on Saturday June 27, featuring DZ Deathrays, Mammal, Jay and Lindsay of Frenzal Rhomb, Toe to Toe, Lo!, Neptune Power Federation and more.

One can’t overstate the size of the FEAR FACTORY boot print on the neck of heavy metal. Unleashing influential albums with devastating anthems for 35 years now, they are widely recognized as both crucial and innovative in extreme metal circles. FEAR FACTORY manufactured, demanufactured, and remanufactured a sound that reverberates across several subgenres.

Paradise Lost are touring Australia this October, bringing decades of gothic metal mastery with them. Expect a career spanning set that moves from early doom soaked classics through to their towering later era material, delivered with the atmosphere, weight and authority that only Paradise Lost can summon.

Choose Your Cruise today reveals the full lineup for the much-anticipated January 2027 cruise. Global metal heavyweights Parkway Drive will return to headline Hellbound II, alongside metal icons The Amity Affliction, Tassie trailblazers Alpha Wolf, metalcore mainstays I Killed the Prom Queen and deathcore headliners Thy Art Is Murder. This unbelievable combination of heavy hitters will cruise the Carnival Splendour across four nights January 17-21, 2027.

Behemoth’s live shows aren’t built for comfort. “It is heavy metal on steroids,” Nergal says, describing performances that push body and mind to the limit. As the band return to Australia in 2026, the frontman reflects on survival, endurance and why these shows still demand everything from him.

Finnish progressive metal legends AMORPHIS will return to Australian shores for the first time in 13 years this September 2026, bringing their atmospheric power and mythic storytelling to Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, and Sydney. AMORPHIS will bring their signature blend of melodic metal and progressive soundscapes to Australia, performing a career-spanning set that journeys through their rich discography — from early classics to modern fan favourites.

Lou Reed was a true master of his music, writing and art, and one of the most profound influences on modern culture. His gritty realism focused on urban life and compassion for marginalised individuals. The team behind ‘Celebrating Lou Reed, The Velvet Underground & Nico!’ delivered an immersive musical experience.

Attention all Aussie ENTER SHIKARI fans: prepare to be a winner this May, with the dynamic UK electronicore marvels set to return down under for a headline run, joined by special guest GRANDSON. Opening on Thursday 14 May in Fremantle, ENTER SHIKARI will take their juggernaut live show to Adelaide, Melbourne, Frankston, Newcastle, Sydney, Brisbane, and close out proceedings on Sunday 24 May on the Sunshine Coast.

Choose Your Cruise is pleased to announce Hellbound will return in January 2027, following the immediate sell out of its maiden voyage in 2026. The next chapter of Australia’s dedicated heavy metal cruise experience will sail 17-21 January 2027 aboard Carnival Splendor, delivering four nights of heavy metal mayhem.

Colorado-based progressive melodic death metal innovators Allegaeon are set to storm Australia this March 2026 with a highly anticipated tour, bringing their signature blend of intricate guitar work, symphonic interludes, and science-themed lyricism to fans Down Under.
Following the release of their critically acclaimed 2025 album The Ossuary Lens, Allegaeon will deliver powerful live shows in five major cities.

From the moment the line wrapped around the block, it was clear this night was going to be heavy. Heat and bodies packed the room as Snot hit the stage to a huge welcome. Nailbomb cranked the tension until it felt suffocating, then Soulfly blew the place wide open. No breaks, no breathing room, just raw energy all night.

Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Evening/JBLZE is announcing the final dates to Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Led Zeppelin classic, Physical Graffiti and what better way to wrap up the World Tour than with dates down under! The landmark tour will let fans experience classics such as ‘The Wanton Song’ and ‘Kashmir’ live alongside deeper cuts like ‘In The Light’ and ‘Boogie With Stu.’

Better Lovers were like energiser bunnies on speed. Loud, heavy and completely in your face, the set felt like hardcore at its most honed. This is a band that knows exactly what they’re doing, and in the close, sweaty environment of the Crowbar it hit even harder. They grabbed the crowd, shook it around and made the venue their own, draining every ounce of energy without wasting a second.

The stage went dark as introduction music played and a robotic voice welcomed the crowd before Poppy appeared and the heavy guitar riffs launched into ‘Bruised Sky’. Her high-energy, theatrical take on genre-bending heavy metal was matched with big beautiful lights, smoke pillars and performance energy that kept the crowd jumping and bouncing throughout the set.

PHIL CAMPBELL’s legacy is etched into the very DNA of heavy metal. For over three decades with MOTÖRHEAD, he delivered a guitar style that was raw, unpretentious, and unmistakably powerful; equal parts grit, groove, and attitude. His riffs became the backbone of the band’s late‑era sound, carrying their ferocity into a new generation while honouring the spirit Lemmy built.

September 2026 – Prepare your necks and brace your ears — SHRED FEST 2026 is coming! The renowned travelling metal festival will storm across Australia and New Zealand, delivering an unmatched celebration of technical excellence, intensity, and musical precision.

Yungblud’s return to Brisbane felt massive from the moment the gates opened. Packed lines, oppressive heat and a crowd that refused to leave despite the rain set the tone for a high energy night at Riverstage. With Dune Rats firing up the home town crowd and Yungblud leading the night, it was a high energy night of modern rock.

Metal heroines NERVOSA announce their new album: Slave Machine will be unleashed on April 3, 2026 via Napalm Records! Their sixth album shows the Brazil-based modern thrash metal band releasing their inner beasts at staggering speed and with formidable emphasis. Having performed at the biggest metal festivals worldwide, from Wacken to Hellfest, and making a lasting impression on fans and critics alike, NERVOSA aims to consolidate their standing as genre frontrunners.

Currently blazing their way across Europe opening for ALTER BRIDGE, GRAMMY® Award–nominated metal icons SEVENDUST have announced their 15th studio album, ONE. The highly anticipated release from the quintet arrives May 1 via Napalm Records.

EXODUS have announced their 12th studio album the follow up to their highest charting record ever and Napalm Records debut, Goliath, out March 20, 2026! The band have revealed the massive opening track "3111" – the sinister single strikes dissonant chords before careening into breakneck thrash intensity. This album standout showcases EXODUS' ever-increasingly dynamic approach, even decades into their historic reign.

MØL’s Dreamcrush moves between floating synths, clean melodies, and bursts of heavy vocal fry. Across the album, light and darkness sit side by side, shifting between dream and nightmare as hopes, tension, and emotional weight are explored through layered sound and atmosphere.

Hammers’ ‘Death Wobbles’ delivers heavy alternative rock with metal edge and unmistakably Australian character. Packed with local slang, clean and fry vocals, and thick guitar work, the album moves from chaotic nights out to darker reflections on life, loss, and consequence, closing on the eerie mythos of ‘Yowie’.

Experience the first taste of the devastation with their new single "Adversary"—a crushing blend of blast beats, intimidating leads, and cavernous vocals. Defined by merciless percussion, dissonant riffing, and Ross Dolan’s commanding growls, the track is a monumental display of the band's enduring power.

As Chapter 24 of their wildly popular webisode series launches, GHOST has unearthed a dusty gem and made its cover of Pet Shop Boys’It’s a Sin available to stream across DSPs for the first time. Previously available only as a 7” vinyl bonus single in deluxe editions of GHOST’s 2018 album Prequelle.

Moodring symbolize transformation. The musical entity's name hints at volatility — color, emotion, and temperature in flux. Nowhere is that more evident than in death fetish, a defining album for a haunting and defiant new chapter. For founder and frontman Hunter Young, this is more than a record. It's survival, reflection, and metamorphosis. It is art made from the raw materials of pain, purpose, and persistence.

 Zakk began writing ENGINES OF DEMOLITION in 2022 during his relentless Pantera Celebration World Tour and continued through 2025, when he wrote his most personally profound and heartfelt ballad to date ‘Ozzy’s Song’. A song for the man who started this all for Zakk Wylde.

Brisbane metal outfit DIESECT announce HIDE FROM THE LIGHT Deluxe EP, out Friday 20 February via Greyscale Records, alongside their new single "FOUR WALLS". The band will tour their new music across Europe for the first time this February and March with Crystal Lake (JPN) & Miss May I (US) and will support Spite (US) & Varials (US) across Australia in March.

Poison The Well released the definitive album The Opposite of December… A Season of Separation in December 1999, which went on to become a benchmark of the genre and inspire a generation of bands. Today, the band announce Peace In Place, their first album in 16 years, set for release on March 20.

Kreator’s Krushers Of The World blends fast thrash songs with darker, more melodic sections. Lyrically, it looks at modern conflict, decay, and resistance. The album shifts between speed and heaviness, with clear production, strong drumming, and guitar work that stays close to the band’s old school roots.

LORD OF THE LOST’s latest journey comes to a brilliant close: with OPVS NOIR Vol. 3, the band announces the finale of their ambitious album trilogy. A direct continuation of OPVS NOIR Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, which were both unveiled in 2025, it releases on April 10, 2026 and gloriously expands on the genre-defying band’s opus.

Beyond The Black’s Break The Silence carries an upbeat yet emotional core, built on recurring imagery of water, flight, and renewal. The album blends melodic heaviness with atmospheric lyricism, focusing on inner strength, resilience, and the need to reconnect in a divided world.

Canadian powerhouse Alissa White-Gluz starts her long-awaited solo career with her new single, “The Room Where She Died”, out now everywhere via Napalm Records. Having performed on the world’s biggest stages as one of death metal’s most recognisable voices, ALISSA teams up with Oliver Palotai of power metal virtuosos Kamelot.

Taylor Momsen's Christmas extended play (EP) ‘Pretty Reckless Christmas’ is a rock and roll-infused Christmas release. If you must listen to Christmas music, then this EP is good for not torturing people as the music is good. It has the Pretty Reckless band signature sonic palate of loud, emotional, and uncompromising style tinged with those holiday sounds.

LORD OF THE LOST goes full opulence with “What Have We Become”, the latest single off their upcoming album, OPVS NOIR Vol. 2, out on December 12, 2025 via Napalm Records. Working with electronic music artist IAMX, the kings of versatility build an emotional masterpiece, with Chris Harms and IAMX duetting in an exceptionally moving way, expanding their musical universe.

Breakthrough Mongolian rockers UUHAI have released the second single from their upcoming debut album, Human Herds, out January 9, 2026 via Napalm Records. With the originally-released demo version of “Khar Khulz” already gaining seven million views on YouTube, the band has finally unveiled the final master of the track.

Explosive Ukrainian metalcore force SPACE OF VARIATIONS returns with Poisoned Art, out on February 13, 2026 via Napalm Records. Blending furious brutality with heartfelt emotion, the four-piece band sheds their skin and continues to push the boundaries of modern metal, with their new record showing a fresh facet of their ever-evolving sound—a new era.