[Heavy News] #MusicMonday New Release Roundup, 07.04.25.
Welcome to another Music Monday here at Inner-Strength Check!
After taking a couple of days off from all the emails and other project management-ey admin stuff, I’m back in the hosts’ chair. And boy oh boy is our email being veritably annihilated with a whole horde of albums both TBA and recently released.
Stay tuned for a separate upcoming releases post. For now, though, everything contained below has been shipped out and ready to cop a bunch of listens from the global music community.
There’s a lot here, and quite a broad spread of genres. Take your time with it, check out the singles and streaming links and, most importantly - show these artists some support!
Enjoy.
Peace, Love and Genre-Gumbo-Soup Monday Specials xoxo - Brady.
The List:
Luna Kills Releases Highly Anticipated Album 'DEATHMATCH' & New Video For 'love u' Out Now
India’s Godless Release Genesis of Decay EP (Genre: Death Metal)
Finnish old-school death metal band Messiah Paratroops, formed in 1989, have released their long-awaited debut album Legions of Tomorrow! (Genre: Obviously Death Metal!)
Chiarusco Tour Starts Tomorrow; Self-Titled LP Available Now on Unholy Anarchy Records (Genre: Melodic Death Metal)
Thornhill Release Third Studio Album 'BODIES' & Share Visualizer For 'under the knife' (Genre: Post-Hardcore/Metalcore)
LUNA KILLS
RELEASES HIGHLY ANTICIPATED ALBUM DEATHMATCH
NEW VIDEO FOR ‘LOVE U’ OUT NOW
Photo Credit: Guilty Visuals & Lucy Alienne Visuals
LUNA KILLS has officially dropped their highly anticipated album, DEATHMATCH, via Sharptone Records, bringing their signature raw energy and fierce attitude to fans worldwide. Accompanying the release, the band has unveiled a brand-new music video for love u—a track that perfectly encapsulates their bold sound and unapologetic vision.
“This is one of those songs that came together really fast, in just a couple of days, somewhere between being inspired by anime soundtracks and feeling furious about unsolicited opinions on what kind of band LUNA KILLS should be. And just like that, love u was born," shares vocalist Lotta Ruutiainen. "It’s the first song that we wrote for DEATHMATCH and it became sort of like the blueprint of what the album was going to be like. The name of the song and the intro kind of lulls the listener, but it’s quickly very evident that the song is not about that vibe at all and it really takes you for a ride and punches you in the face."
"The song's lyrics are about controlling, obsessive behaviour towards someone and falling into a delusional toxic kind of love that is and has not been reciprocated in any way.”
love u follows the success of previous singles WAVES, LEECH, sugar rush, and slay ur enemies further demonstrating LUNA KILLS’ relentless energy and artistic vision leading up to DEATHMATCH.
Watch the video for ‘love U’ HERE:
LUNA KILLS has added new dates to their 2025 tour schedule, currently on the road in Europe. With major festival appearances and an album release show on the horizon, these live performances promise to showcase the band’s raw energy and unforgettable stage presence.
DEATHMATCH - OUT NOW
https://bfan.link/deathmatch-1
LUNA KILLS is Lotta Ruutiainen [vocals], Samuli Paasineva [guitar], Jimi Kinnunen [drums] and Lassi Peltonen [bass]
DEATHMATCH TRACK LISTING:
01. love u
02. LEECH
03. SADIST
04. sugar rush
05. slay ur enemies
06. hallucinate
07. WAVES
08. get mad
09. burn the world with me
10. fever dream
ABOUT LUNA KILLS:
LUNA KILLS are without a doubt the most refreshing modern metal act in the scene, combining alternative and nu-metal vibes with electronics inspired by game soundtracks. Their frontwoman Lotta with her jazz singing background and incredible fry scream vocals brings the audience to their knees - unless they are speeding around in moshpits, as often witnessed in their fiery live shows. Even as newcomers LUNA KILLS have already opened the door to their beloved gaming world as their music is featured in the hit mobile app Beatstar. The band, first formed in 2019, has now taken their first steps on European stages, gained the attention of multiple rock radios in their native Finland and are moving forward towards their first full-length album with SharpTone Records.
FOLLOW LUNA KILLS:
SHARPTONE RECORDS - LINKS:
India’s Godless Release Genesis of Decay EP
Genre: Death Metal
Release date: April 4th, 2025
Emerging from the heart of India’s thriving yet unorthodox metal scene, Godless has steadily climbed to the pinnacle of the country's death metal scene. But it’s not their experimental innovations that have set them apart—rather, it’s their unapologetic dedication to pure, high-octane, thrash-infused death metal. With their ferocious energy and no-holds-barred approach, they’ve become a standout force in the global extreme metal landscape.
Formed in mid-2015 in Hyderabad, Godless was founded by a group of seasoned musicians who had already made their mark on the Indian metal scene. Though their name might suggest a nihilistic, uncompromising spirit, it’s the band’s raw and unrelenting sound that truly defines them. >From their very inception, Godless has drawn upon the rich heritage of old-school metal while constantly evolving their sound—often delving into thrash, death, and beyond.
The band made their debut with Centuries of Decadence, a blistering four-track EP released in May 2016 through Transcending Obscurity Records. Mixed and mastered by Joe Haley of Psycroptic, the EP was met with widespread acclaim, securing features in Rolling Stone India, Terrorizer, XXL Rock, No Clean Singing, Metal Wani, Brave Words, and Dead Rhetoric. The release quickly cemented Godless as a rising force in the Indian death metal scene.
In 2017, the band had the honor of supporting iconic acts like Psycroptic and Jeff Loomis on their Indian tours, gaining invaluable exposure and growing their fanbase. Fuelled by this momentum, they returned to the studio in early 2018 to record Swarm, a vicious death-thrash EP that featured a guest appearance by former Obscura guitarist Tom "Fountainhead" Geldschlager. The EP was recorded and mixed at Poland’s legendary Hertz Studio, known for its work with giants like Vader, Behemoth, and Decapitated.
In 2018, Godless triumphed in the Metal Battle India competition, earning them a coveted spot to perform at Wacken Open Air—one of the world’s largest metal festivals. This international debut marked the band’s first major milestone on the global stage. Following a packed 2019 that included a successful India tour, a four-week European tour, and a memorable Nepal tour, the band set their sights on even greater achievements.
In November 2021, Godless unleashed their highly anticipated debut LP, States of Chaos. Mixed and mastered once again at Hertz Studio, the album delivers eight ferocious tracks of relentless thrash and death metal. States of Chaos quickly garnered praise from fans and critics alike, landing the band at the top of Bandcamp's global charts for both thrash (#1) and death metal (#3). The album earned widespread acclaim from outlets such as Unite Asia, Metal Injection, and Invisible Oranges, and was featured by Rolling Stone India as one of the top 10 Indian albums of 2021. States of Chaos was also nominated for “Album of the Year” by Metal Injection, and recognized by Bandcamp as one of the best metal releases of November 2021.
Now, with a lineup consisting of Abbas Razvi (bass), Nikhil Rajkumar (drums), Moiz Mustafa (guitar), and Nangsan Lyngwa (vocals), Godless is already deep into the creation of their next record. The band has an upcoming India tour in 2025, followed by a return to Europe in April and May for more intense live performances that are sure to continue their ascent.
Upcoming tour dates:
India -
April 04 EXT - Hyderabad, IN
April 04 antiSOCIAL - Mumbai, IN
April 11 The Spotted Deer - Chennai, IN
April 12 On Stage - Kochi, IN
April 13 Fandom - Bangalore, IN
April 18 Saket Social - Delhi, IN
April 20 High Spirits - Pune, IN
Europe -
April 24 SWR Barroselas - Barroselas, PT
April 25 X-Treme Bar - Castelo Branco, PT
April 26 Tronko Bar - Pontevedra, ES
April 27 TBA, ES
April 29 Sala Ásatru Pazo dos lobos - Ortigueira, ES
April 30 Buril - Sarria, ES
May 01 Los Bancos de atras - Unquera, ES
May 02 Rebanado Ruido Rabioso - Palencia, ES
May 03 La Grange - Manlleu, ES
May 04 Sala Creedence - Zaragoza, ES
May 07 Sala Groove - Porugalete, ES
May 08 Melody Maker - Rennes, FR
May 09 Kuckucksei Club - Nurtingen, DE
May 10 MK Bar - Belval, LUX
May 11 Vort N Vis - Ypres,BE
May 13 Schaubude - Kiel, DE
GODLESS - LINKS:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/godlessindia
Instagram: www.instagram.com/godlessindia
YouTube: www.youtube.com/godlessindia
X: www.x.com/godlessindia
Website: www.godless.in
Artist: Messiah Paratroops
Album: Legions of Tomorrow
Genre: Old-School Death Metal
Country: Finland
Label: Inverse Records
Release Date: April 4th, 2025
Finnish old school death metal band Messiah Paratroops, founded in 1989, have finally released their long-awaited debut album 'Legions of Tomorrow' on April 4th 2025 via Inverse Records. The album leaves no room for weakness. It features 9 tracks of rapid blastbeats, brutal guitar riffs, and furious vocals, combining to drag the listener into a raw Death Metal experience.
LISTEN to Legions of Tomorrow on streaming services:
https://push.fm/fl/messiah-paratroops-album
'Out of Reality' music video available here:
BIOGRAPHY:
The first shots of Messiah Paratroops were fired in 1989. Aku and Niku joined the already existing band Necrophiliac. However, we found out that there was a band with the same name in Brazil, so a name change was necessary. The official launch of Messiah Paratroops was carried out by Aku Oksala (vocals), Niku Oksala (bass), Pekka Laasanen
(drums), Janne Roima (guitar), and Mikko Vainikainen (guitar). At the time, our music was mostly thrash metal. In 1990, Mikko was replaced by Sami Jämsen on guitar, and in the same year, the first official demo Extreme Pain was released. Before this, we had recorded Rheumatoid (1989), Children of the Corn (1990), and the song ‘Other Side’ in Studio Sound.
Our first official gig was at Nuorisokeskus 44 in Kuopio in 1990, and after that, more gigs started coming in. One particularly memorable gig was in Sulkava, where we played with Nuxvomica, Astenia, and Alennusmyynti. The gig was unforgettable in many ways, even so that one of our guitarists wasn’t allowed to play because of intoxication. Nevertheless, we managed to finish the show successfully.
The Extreme Pain demo sold well. With more experience gained from gigs and rehearsing in the trenches, we recorded the Lost Soul Domain demo in 1991. It sold out quickly and was well received worldwide. This led to the release of The Past EP through Seraphic Decay Records. Some copies of this rare release can still be found in various parts of the world.
Soon after, Pekka Laasanen left the band after a gig at Desperado Bar, and was replaced by Ilari Jäntti (Barathrum) on drums. In 1992, with this new lineup, we recorded The Other Gods demo. We also performed at Neulamäki Rock and the recycling center alongside Impaled Nazarene, Barathrum, and Mystification. After a few years of performing and creating new material, we recorded the Jesus Christ Cyberseed demo in 1994. This demo deviated slightly from our traditional death metal style, with lyrics focusing more on technology and sci-fi themes. After this, our war machines
went silent for nearly two decades...
In 2014, it was time to bring out the war arsenal again and start re-recording our old songs with the following lineup:
• Sami Jämsen (guitar)
• Janne Roima (guitar)
• Tuomo Latvala (drums)
• Niku Oksala (bass)
• Aku Oksala (vocals)
We recorded The Breeding, Cyberseed, Lost Soul Domain, and To Be Left High and Dry, but these re-recorded versions were never released. This lineup performed two gigs: the first at Old Farts Rock in Henry’s Pub, Kuopio (2014) and the second at Finnish Death Metal Maniacs Festival in Pori (2017).
War takes its toll, and in 2017, the lineup changed once again. Sami, Janne, and Tuomo left the group, and we brought in:
• Ville Vesterinen (guitar)
• Antti Sinikangas (guitar)
• Peachy (drums)
With Ville’s creative input, three new songs were written:
• Evil Lives Among Us
• Madness Incarnate
• Murders of the Lake
Demo versions of these songs were recorded. This lineup managed to play a few gigs before more changes occurred. Ville left the group, and Jani Vartiainen took over on guitar. More new songs started emerging with the debut album in mind. We even managed to get to the studio to record, but the momentum began to fade...
Once again, it was time to open the tent flap and bring in new soldiers.
• Pete Airaksinen joined on guitar.
• Vilho Kananen joined on drums.
• Jari Bäck took over as the main bassist alongside Niku Oksala.
With this lineup, new songs were written, and after years of effort, the recording of our debut album was finally completed at the end of 2023.
Our debut album "Legions of Tomorrow" is finally released in April 2025.
Tracklist:
1. Out of Reality
2. Rats in the Walls
3. Messiah Paratroops
4. Morbid Prayer
5. Repulsion
6. Bloodlust
7. Legions of Tomorrow
8. Murders of the Lake
9. Painful Sleep
-Mixed and mastered by Jari "Tupi" Tuomainen
-Cover art by Niko Anttila
Line-up:
Vocals - Aku Oksala
Guitars - Pete Airaksinen
Guitars - Jani Vartiainen
Drums - Vilho Kananen
Bass - Jari Bäck
Links:
https://www.messiah-paratroops.com
https://www.facebook.com/messiahparatroops
https://www.instagram.com/messiahparatroopsofficial
https://messiahparatroops.bandcamp.com
Band: Chiaroscuro
Album: Self-Titled
Country: USA
Genre: Melodic Death Metal
Release Date: 28.03.2025
Melodic death band CHIAROSCURO is has given release to their self-titled debut EP. Chiaroscuro showcases this young, Baltimore-based band’s ability to weave complexity, melody, and extremity into a cohesive, immersive experience.
"Chiaroscuro is a converging point of careful study and artistic impulse, conducted through an interpretation of melodic extreme metal forms"
- Cassiopeia, vocalist/lyricist
Chiaroscuro is now available on digital and limited-edition CD via Unholy Anarchy Records. Order and stream the EP at unholyanarchyrecords.bandcamp.com/album/chiaroscuro
Tracklisting:
1. Sunbeat
2. Hekatomb of Malevolence
3. Unbridled Darkness
4. A Song for Ghosts
The band is set to hit the road in support of the EP. Tour dates are as follows:
4/03 @ Bonk's Bar - Philadelphia, PA (w/ Bastard Cross & Frog Myst)
4/04 @ Ralph's Rock Diner - Worcester, MA (w/ Caregiver & The Outlourdes)
4/05 @ El Bunker Del Diablo - Queens, NY (Del Diablo Fest)
4/06 @ Quinnz Pinz - Middletown, NY (w/ Grave Heist & Ape Metro)
4/07 @ Wax Atlas - Baltimore, MD (w/ Fear Agent & Julia Set)
Vocalist/lyricist Cassiopeia and guitarist/songwriter Nick Temoshok met during their brief stint in a local Baltimore band. The two soon pulled away from that project in a vie for a firm establishment of their collective creative endeavors.
Thus came CHIAROSCURO, by way of a self-produced demo quietly released in 2024. A full live ensemble was arranged shortly thereafter, playing multiple shows in and around the Baltimore area. Drums for Chiaroscuro were recorded at The Sludge Factory in Baltimore, MD, with vocal tracking done at Eternal Rapture Studio. The EP was produced by Wes Walker at Eternal Rapture Studio in Aberdeen, MD.
Art by George Cruikshank, of "The Drunkard's Children" series, Plate VIII (1848) “The Maniac Father and the Convict Brother are Gone -- The Poor Girl, Homeless, Friendless, Deserted, Destitute, and Gin Mad, Commits Self Murder.”
CHIAROSCURO is:
Cassiopeia: Vocals
Nick Temoshok: Guitars/songwriting
Adam Smith: Percussion
Ben Baris: Bass
Clay Baucom: live rhythm guitarist
instagram.com/chiaroscurometal
unholyanarchyrecords.bandcamp.com
Band: Thornhill
Album: Bodies
Country: Australia
Genre: Post-Hardcore/Metalcore
Release Date: 28.03.2025
THORNHILL RELEASE THIRD STUDIO ALBUM BODIES
BAND SHARES VISUALIZER FOR UNDER THE KNIFE
“...as always, Thornhill have honed in on their ‘go big or go home’ mentality, and yet again, it’s paid off big time.” - Forte Magazine
“...BODIES feels spontaneous...open your ears, and let the energy Thornhill pour into album number three flow through every muscle and sinew." - Beat Magazine
“There’s not a single sound or moment on this album that feels forced or oddly out of place. Thornhill have produced a masterpiece, a true work of art and indeed a solid contender for album of the year.” - Everblack Media
“BODIES is a compelling and impressive record that marks an exciting new direction for Thornhill. It’s a brave exploration of new sonic territory and a reflection of the band’s growth and maturity.” - The AU Review, 4/5
“BODIES endeavours (and succeeds) in capturing the essence and energy of “Thornhill right now”...in literal and figurative perfect harmony, BODIES is an astounding creation.” - Spotlight Report, 4/5
“Thornhill has thrived in reinvention, and BODIES is proof of that—the album is instinctual and wild…It’s an album that doesn’t tell you about obsession—it pulls you into its thrall. You don’t just hear these songs—you feel them, live inside them.” - Amnplify
"Whether you are a long time fan or have only just jumped on board, you are in for most likely one of the most impressive releases of the year. Thornhill have breathed air back into their own lungs." - The Alt Journal
“This has all the brawn of The Dark Pool and all the romantic Deftones-worship of Heroine...the buzz is real. Let the Bodies hit the floor.” - Sense Music Media
“...there are definitely stand out tracks that put it into consideration for the band’s best work, put to record. A worthy follow up, and an exciting road map as to what we can expect next from the Melbourne four piece.” - The Live Wire
The wait is over, and today an astonishing new era for Melbourne's Thornhill has arrived via their brand new studio album BODIES, out now via UNFD.
A dauntless pastiche of creative freedom and ingenuity, BODIES finds Thornhill in full flight, with its 11 tracks layered with authenticity and electrifying execution, cementing the group's status yet again as one of Australia's most engaging heavy acts.
Opening with percolating bounce via DIESEL, BODIES thrives with caustic urgency (Revolver), swooning melodics soaked in oscillating chaos and clarity (Silver Swarm), serene reprieves (fall into the wind), grinding swagger (TONGUES) and mellow R&B flavours (CRUSH), offering an expansive and kaleidoscopic palette that circles upbeat buoyancy and crushing heaviness; a snapshot of Thornhill in their most assured form to date.
Coinciding with the release today of BODIES, Thornhill have also shared a visualizer for the album's haunting penultimate track under the knife.
"I wanted to convey an underlying fear of being unnoticed or forgotten," the band shares of under the knife, "the notion of a silhouette falling between fingers conveys a message of fleeting moments—something that can be grasped but never fully held. Within the atmosphere of the instrumentation, a haunting exploration of love and lust, blends these two feelings into something more tragic, yet hopefully relatable. There's a delicate balance between submission ("underneath your knife") and resistance ("I don’t wanna know yet"), which creates a soft tension, a push/pull that moves with song dynamics."
Watch the visualizer for under the knife here:
"BODIES marks a bold evolution in our ever-developing sound," shares Thornhill of their latest opus. "Heroine was defined by its meticulously crafted and tightly woven concept, but the weight of this careful construction sometimes overshadowed the energy of the music itself, leaving some listeners feeling disconnected. With BODIES, we have embraced a more immediate, unfiltered approach that feels like a lightning bolt, looking to capture the energy of “Thornhill right now.”
"The album thrives on spontaneity and freedom, foregoing rigid concepts in favor of pure, in-your-face authenticity. It’s less about delivering a carefully constructed narrative and more about creating a visceral, open-ended experience. BODIES serves as a sonic moodboard—a collection of feelings and vibes—intentionally left open to interpretation. It has an upbeat and almost celebratory, party energy at times, but also retains all the emotion and intensity Thornhill are known for, making it our heaviest and most explosive work to date."
"With BODIES, we invite listeners to connect on their own terms. It’s raw, personal, and unapologetically immediate—a record that thrives in the moment, capturing our band at our most authentic and free."
Globally renowned for their artful and engaging heavy creations, Thornhill possess a flair for gripping charm forged with unforgettable ferocity. Via their ARIA Award-nominated 2022 album Heroine, Thornhill cemented their reputation as one of the most innovative heavy acts in the Australian scene, with Heroine debuting at #3 on the ARIA Albums charts, and at #1 on the Australian Albums charts.
While Heroine revelled in lush textures and bold, curated aesthetics, the upcoming third studio album BODIES finds Thornhill opening the floodgates to spontaneity. Balancing intensity with boundless creative freedom and ingenuity, album #3 for Thornhill is not only a definitive snapshot of a band in full flight just shy of a decade into their staggering career; it's also a celebration of authenticity and gripping dynamism from one of Australia's most engaging heavy acts.
Thornhill have amassed a heaving array of accolades over the years, including triple j's Feature Album and additions to countless Best Of The Year listings for their 2019 release The Dark Pool. And in 2023 and 2024, the band gifted some insatiable new material courtesy of standalone singles Viper Room and Obsession, as well as a live album, Live On Tour!, boasting performances captured in the wild across the globe that released in June.
Earlier this year, Thornhill supported A Day To Remember for the legendary Florida group's only Knotfest Australia headline sideshow, and also performed three special intimate album preview shows for Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney late last month, with all three shows entirely sold out.
Looking ahead, Thornhill are set to return to North America for a headline run, kicking off next week supported by Avoid, Ocean Grove and Banks Arcade, and will also perform at Louder Than Life in Kentucky this September, and Aftershock in California in October.
BODIES - OUT NOW
https://thornhill.komi.io/
Be sure to check out our review of Bodies by fellow writer Mal, who held the album with high praise!
(Link also contains artist/label links - social media, official sites, merch, tour info and more!).
Stay tuned, as we have more music release news and information that’ll be hitting the website and our social media platforms during the week.
Cheers, and enjoy some great new releases.