Reuniting with longtime producer Josh Wilbur, the band delivers exactly what you’d expect: crushing riffs, Randy Blythe’s signature snarl, and a message that hits harder than a circle pit at full tilt. The accompanying video, directed by Jon Vulpine, is a stark, desaturated descent into madness that perfectly captures the track’s intensity.

“The Information Age has birthed the attention economy, an industry worth hundreds of billions of dollars anchored in keeping eyeballs firmly glued to screens,” Blythe explains. “You are a product, and you are being sold in a marketplace you have no share in.” It’s a brutal wake-up call wrapped in a sonic assault, classic Lamb of God, really.

The band’s just announced a massive Spring 2026 North American run with support from Kublai Khan TX, Fit For An Autopsy, and Sanguisugabogg. Guitarist Mark Morton called it “the loudest, proudest, floor shakin’-est, earth quakin’-est, ear-splittin’-est, mosh pittin’-est, undiluted, undisputed HEAVIEST tour of the whole damn year.” Hard to argue with that lineup.

They’re also headlining Friday night at Bloodstock Open Air on 7th August 2026. Plus, there’s the annual Headbangers Boat cruise featuring Zakk Sabbath, The Dillinger Escape Plan, In Flames, GWAR, and more debauchery than your liver can handle.

The post Lamb of God release ‘Parasocial Christ’ Single appeared first on RAMzine.

Decapitated was first and due to an early start, the audience was fairly sparse but the few people there got the show started on a high. This set was largely made up of tracks from Cancer Culture, a great record in its own right but it would have been nice to hear ‘Day 69’ again. There’s really not a great deal to talk about, considering the set was only 6 songs long but the band were airtight due to the godlike drumming of James Stewart and the punishing, complex guitar work of Vogg. 

‘Spheres of Madness’ was the obvious highlight of the set and brand new vocalist Eemeli Bodde did the song justice as he stalked the stage with brilliant stage presence and power. Hopefully, this show wins over the metalcore crowd and introduces them to the world of technical death metal and we see some new fans next time they come back to Manchester. 

Next up was Fit For An Autopsy, arguably the heaviest band on the bill. Their set was a quintessential slab of thick chunky death metal with all the fixings, but a significantly large portion of sweet, sweet breakdowns. The band even treated the audience to a sweet and salty new song entitled ‘It Comes For You,’ a track that inspired all kinds of wild and crazy pits throughout the audience. 

The highlight of their set was closer ‘Far From Heaven,’ a legato-driven deathcore masterpiece that features so much technical precision and skill that it may as well be a tech death song. It’s one of the many complex tracks they have alongside the likes of the Gojira-tinged ‘Pandora’ and the blistering insanity of ‘The Sea of Tragic Beasts‘. Their last show with Thy Art is Murder featured a less than stellar mix and it just goes to show that you can have all the best songs in the world, but it means nothing if you don’t have the right mix. Fortunately, everyone’s sound at this show was absolutely incredible and just kept building hype for what was about to come. 

Hatebreed were up next, and to call the audience hyped would be a massive understatement. Appearing just a week before their freshly announced intimate show at The Star and Garter, a show RAMzine won’t be attending for the sake of self-preservation, Hatebreed were the biggest draw outside of Killswitch Engage, and they didn’t disappoint. 

Hatebreed is a band that I’ve unfairly dismissed for many years as a generic hardcore band, and having witnessed them firsthand now, I can safely say I was wrong. Frontman Jamey Jasta puts in the work to get the crowd moving and singing as he belts out mantras of positivity on tracks like ‘I Will Be Heard’ and ‘Born To Bleed’. The pits were insane and the crowdsurfers were out in full force during the violent rock club dance anthems like the infectious ‘Destroy Everything’ and the fast paced thrasher anthem, ‘As Die Hard As They Come’.

Later in the set Jamey asked the important question, “Who’s coming out of Mosh retirement?” and a legion of bald shorts-wearing men threw down their big coats and jumped into the pit headfirst like an atomic bomb being dropped on an unsuspecting crowd for ‘Looking Down The Barrel Of Today’. Being that I’m too short to see over the crowd, I just have to assume that’s what happened. Tell us in the comments if you threw down. 

Finally, Killswitch Engage came on to rapturous applause from the gigantic crowd of this sold out show. Opening with the legato-laden rager of ‘Strength Of The Mind,’ Killswitch Engage asserted dominance very early, with Jesse Leach’s screams maintaining the same power and clarity he’s had since the very early days of the band. Following that was the Howard Jones-era anthem, ‘Rose Of Sharyn,’ a certified metalcore classic and a showcase of the band’s abilities to write brilliantly accessible but still nuanced and complex tracks that have stood the test of time, irrefutably proven by the whole crowd screaming every single word at the top of their lungs. 

There’s an unserious vibe throughout the show with guitarist Adam D regularly goofing off and just generally chatting light-hearted crap with the audience in between songs. “I know how much you guys love that word, it’s awesome” mused Adam as the Manchester crowd passionately chanted the C word with all the love it could muster. It’s important to balance seriousness with humour, which is a skill not every band can master, but Killswitch have nailed it. 

The main question many people have before going to a Killswitch show is “Can Jesse do Howard’s stuff” and the answer is absolutely! Howard will always be a massive part of Killswitch history, and his songs are still beloved. Jesse puts in all the effort possible to make them authentic to the original version while putting his spin on them. His version of classics like ‘This Is Absolution’ and ‘This Fire’ have all the same fire they did from Howard. Jesse could easily have opted to sticking to tracks from the albums he was on and just doing ‘My Curse’ and ‘End Of Heartache’ but, like an absolute champ, he put the effort in to keep these tracks alive. 

Killswitch Engage’s latest album was a focal point of the show. The latest album isn’t my favourite from a mix standpoint but the live show more than makes up for that. Tracks like ‘Broken Glass’ are monstrously heavy and showcase that burning aggression we’ve come to love. The one-two punch of ‘The Signal Fire,’ a track that features Howard Jones, and ‘I Believe’ made up the sing-along portion of the show; the classic piece of metalcore positivity circulated throughout the room as if it was cold air through an air conditioner, which was not in operation through this insanely hot show. 

The latter portion of the show featured back-to-back rock club staples. Within the space of 15 minutes, we heard ‘My Curse,’ ‘End of Heartache’ and ‘My Last Serenade,’ three tracks that made thousands of people fall in love with metal. A true collection of masterpieces performed by a band still at the height of their powers and destined to go down as one of the greats in the genre. 

Killswitch Engage will always be a glorious beacon of hope in a genre that some argue is struggling to maintain its identity. Metalcore may have moved away from its roots somewhat but we can always rely on a masterful band like Killswitch Engage to come back every few years with a new collection of bangers to be performed by a stellar team of legends. 

The post This Consequence, That Performance: Killswitch Engage Rule Manchester appeared first on RAMzine.

Spite was first on and it didn’t take long for the biggest problem of the show to rear its ugly head: the sound was awful. Likely the worst I’ve heard at the Academy which is typically a great venue. Spite were full of energy, their frontman Darius Tehrani had this malevolent and unhinged stage presence, he stalked around the stage making these bizarre faces while erratically jerking around. 

The drums were so much louder than anything else, particularly the cymbals, it made for a rather dull listening experience but having listened to the setlist after the show, I can confirm that they have the songs to back that formidable stage presence. ‘Kill Or Be Killed’ was the only song that cut through the bad mix due to the slower pounding drumming. 

Next up was Fit For An Autopsy, there was hope that the sound would improve but those hopes were quickly destroyed. Having seen Fot For An Autopsy previously, I can confirm they have the ability to command a crowd with devastating intensity. 

Once again, the higher register was gone and it all sounded like absolute mush through ear defenders and without them. For those suggesting to just move, that’s not an option for some people and it’s unreasonable to suggest that when a massive section of the room has the same sound problems. The only place with decent sound was by the mixer but if there’s only one point in the room with good sound then what’s the point in even having a mixer? 

Fit For An Autopsy once again did a stellar job, a particular favourite was the melodic track ‘Far From Heaven’ with its ambient legato-driven intro. It would have been nice to hear it live but for now, I’ll have to settle for just hearing the drums and bass. 

The final support was Whitechapel, the band I was most excited to see, very little had changed in terms of sound. This show had quickly become one of the most frustrating shows of the year with very few songs actually cutting through the mix. 

Phil Bozeman is one of the most powerful vocalists in deathcore and even he couldn’t get through it. ‘Doom Woods’ was a welcome addition to the setlist due to its slow hypnotic nature and ‘This Is Exile’ was also fantastic to hear but that is largely because I knew the song from beforehand. 

Finally, the last hope for the show was taking to the stage; Thy Art is Murder opened with the bombastic chugs of ‘Destroyer of Dreams’. The incredibly low slamming palm-muted chords were building tension, the crowd was at boiling point, everyone on my side needed this drop to be the most colossal drop of all time and when the drums kicked in… It was still inaudible mush. 

The majority of the set was centred around Godlike, perhaps due to Tyler Miller needing more time to learn the songs but he still did a good job at imitating CJ’s songs. His stage presence was on point as he ripped through classics like ‘Holy War’ and ‘Make America Hate Again’. 

At some point during the set, I moved towards the mixing desk which is typically where you’ll find the best sound at the average show. The sound was average at best there as well and it seemed like even the people mixing the show were commenting on how bad the sound was on the side. 

Godlike has been divisive amongst fans but they translate well in a live setting, ‘Join Me In Armageddon’ and Keres got many people moving in the centre of the room. A personal favourite of the new album is ‘Bermuda’, with its slow-crushing atmosphere and shoegaze style droning which added some variety. A number of people were heard saying “It’s not CJ” before leaving and that just speaks to how much of a split there is amongst fans and also shows how little some people have researched the issue before making knee-jerk reactions. 

It’s incredibly frustrating that this show had such bad sound because to accurately review a show, you need good sound. Even after making so many changes in location and listening devices it was unsalvageable. No disrespect to the bands who played tonight, they all did their jobs perfectly and were only let down by an awful mix. 

Thy Art is Murder are a fantastic deathcore band and put all the effort they could into making an engaging show and overcoming issues that could kill a lesser band. Hopefully, they return with a much better sound mix. 

The post Thy Art Is Murder: Less than Godlike Sound in Manchester appeared first on RAMzine.

Watch RAMzine’s Hywel Davies speak with the band at this years Hammerfest. They speak about growing up on the scene in Boston and the extremists around at that time, the importance of aggressive music and why the band do what they do.

Watch the full interview here:

The post WATCH: Fit For An Autopsy Interview at Hammerfest “We are going to do whatever the f*ck we want” appeared first on RAMzine.

It’s going to take more than a busted up leg in a cast  to stop Goatwhore frontman and superbly named Louis Benjamin Falgoust II. After breaking his leg to either Satan, sex of Schnapps according to the band’s Instagram page, the Louisiana foursome come baring gifts from the world of traditional, death and black metal. With vocals sounding rougher than a rusted chainsaw cutting through a blackboard, the borderline cheese holds its own that gets a cheeky wiggle or two from the crowd.

The same can’t be said for tech-tack-toe death shredders Obscura. With the life of the party burdened on frontman Steffen Kummerer, who to his credit is a really likeable personality on stage, it’s sighs all round from an all too predictable set. A level of interest does incline slowly with some cracking moments of Necrophagist meets Opeth wizardry but is short lived. It’s all metal with none of the calories having all the charisma of a maths quiz.

To no one’s surprise, it’s become a party atmosphere without so much as a riff being played, but what do expect from Sepultura who still pack one of the meanest punches around. The unmistakable blood red lit silhouette of vocalist Derrick Green is an imposing sight who celebrates 20 years of being ‘The New Guy’ for the Brazilian legends; a feat that has the whole place raising their fists as they chant the frontman’s name. A year into touring latest album Machine Messiah, it’s an immediate blast into ‘I Am Enemy’ and ‘Phantom Self ‘ that garners a strong reaction as a maelstrom of moshing breaks-out. Despite mixed reactions to the latest album, Sepultura have become for better or worse an untouchable name in the world of metal that’s evident on the floor this evening and are given the respect that they deserve.

Their live presence feels more focused in these densely concentrated venues as they feed off the energy that’s being thrown right back in their face. Tonight is all about pleasing the fans. There’s decent helping of new and classic songs that retain their weight and conviction after so many years of blasting out ear drums. Saving the best to last, it’s a tapestry of violence: ‘Refuse/Resist’, ‘Arise’, ‘Slave New World’, ‘Ratamahatta’, ‘Roots Bloody Roots’. Kids, listen up: that’s how you close a fucking metal show! Their eyes set for Hammerfest later this week, we can’t imagine many will be disappointed with what they still offer after what Bristol just witnessed.

The post Sepultura/ Obscura/ Goatwhore/ Fit For An Autopsy @ The Fleece, Bristol appeared first on RAMzine.

‘Hydra’ is one such track that leaves you hungrier for the next track and so on because you want to nestle into your comfort zone and take in every morsel of goodness.

‘Heads will Hang’ knocks out some bludgeoning riffs and blast beats that are fast and unassuming they just get on with it do their job and leave you for dead.

‘Black Mammoth’ accentuates the guitars and let’s not forget there are three of them in this band allowing for a fuller sound that is like an invasion of metal madness that just swamps you in a formidable soundwave.

‘Terraform’ pulls you away from the heaviness and pushes you into a sparse no man’s land at least during the beginning of the track, however, it soon drags you back into their feisty rhythms.

The heartfelt eclipsing vocal on ‘Iron Moon’ cascades down on the ears and simply molests them with all they have.

‘When the Bulbs Burn Out’ is quite a diverse track with a solemn melancholy and sampled voice. Its potency growing more intense and battling the theme of our survival on the planet. It then turns ugly and malignant but never loses its grip or compelling enthusiasm.

‘Too Late’ returns us to a heavy vibe that marks its territory with dark stormy clouds and bleak unpredictability, although gaining heavy enterprise with each corrosive riff.

‘Empty Still’ takes us on a little jaunt and allows for respite. Its melodic rhythms are pleasing and welcoming and most definitely diverse.

‘Spiral’ is an irresistible essence that draws your attention to the vocals as they rip you a new one! The swirling riffs mesmerise through a blaze of heated progressive mischievousness.

This has been a really interesting album to review. The band have mixed the tracks up well so you don’t just get death metal you get a good mix of diversity with the less heavy tracks. It is a compelling album that will enthral and captivate providing you like your music to the extreme end of the scale like me!

Fit for an Autopsy The Great Collapse is out via Longbranch SPV on 17th March 2017.

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