Schattenmann |Endgegner |Perception Label

Release Date March 13^th, 2026
Format CD/Vinyl/Digital
Genre Alternative Metal
Country Germany

Schattenmann crawled into the German music scene around 2018 and clawed their way up the ranks. They dropped four full-length attacks over the years, including "Licht An", "Epidemie", "Chaos", and "Día De Muertos". That 2023 release pushed them into the top tier of German charts and packed venues across Germany and Austria. They cut their teeth sharing stages with heavy metal acts like Eisbrecher, Feuerschwanz, and Hämatom. Now, Frank Herzig and his crew return with "Endgegner", bringing a massive shift in their sound. They stripped away a lot of their older electronic parts and injected straight-up metal and core aggression into their DNA.

"Endgegner" delivers a serious metal beating. Frank Herzig screams and shouts the German lyrics with total aggression. The guitar riffs from Jan Suk smash through the speakers, backed by a relentless rhythm section courtesy of drummer Nils Kinzig and bassist Luke Shook. Henning Verlage handled the production, dialing in a massive guitar tone and booming drum acoustics. Schattenmann unloads crunching grooves and heavy breakdowns. The new core influence works well for them. A few sections get slightly predictable. The formula is very simple. They stick to a specific verse-chorus structure throughout the entire runtime.

"Kein Kommando" strikes fast and leaves a trail of destruction. The guitars chew through the distortion, dropping massive core-influenced breakdowns right in the middle. The title track, "Endgegner", provides massive gang vocals and a stomping groove built for the mosh pit. "Einen Scheiß Muss Ich" delivers pure aggression and a giant middle finger to the mainstream. The chorus gets stuck in your head instantly. Then you hit tracks like "Schna-Na-Naps" and "Wir Sind Das Ende Der Welt", where the energy shifts into a massive live-arena anthem mode.

Schattenmann took a huge risk changing their sound, and the payoff is mostly positive. "Endgegner" brings a hell of a lot of heavy riffs and screaming vocals. "Besser Als Der Rest" and "Kamikaze" keep the speed high, tearing through the speakers with zero compromises. The band successfully transitioned into a heavier core-driven machine. A couple of tracks blend together near the end, making the album lose a tiny bit of steam before "Gelegenheit Macht Liebe" closes things out. "Endgegner" remains a killer spin for anyone needing heavy German metal raging in their car stereo.

Score: 7.0

Schattenmann:

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Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/schattenmannband/

TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@schattenmann_official

YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/schattenmann

https://www.schattenmann.net

Clawfinger |Before We All Die |Perception

Release Date February 20^th, 2026
Format: CD/Vinyl
Genre: Rap Metal
Country: Sweden

Clawfinger started their path of destruction back in 1990. Zak Tell and Jocke Skog crossed paths working in a geriatric hospital, cleaning up messes and dreaming of loud music. They dropped their massive debut album "Deaf Dumb Blind" in 1993. The guys quickly ended up touring alongside Alice In Chains and Anthrax. Decades later, they have destroyed massive stages like Monsters Of Rock in South America and completed over fifteen hundred gigs worldwide. Eighteen years after their last full release, Clawfinger finally returns with their eighth studio album, "Before We All Die".

"Before We All Die" delivers pure musical violence directed at a collapsing society. Zak Tell spits vicious lyrics targeting political hypocrisy, societal ruin, and environmental disasters. The vocals punch through heavy guitars and pounding drum beats. The music asks tough questions about a dying world and corrupt leaders. Bård Torstensen and Jocke Skog supply crushing riffs. Mické Dahlén and André Skaug keep the rhythm moving aggressively. The entire band attacks every track furiously. "Going Down (Like Titanic)" tackles a sinking society partying on the deck pretending everything is fine.

The onslaught continues heavily on "Big Brother", destroying fake reality and internet fame. Clawfinger brings insane energy to "Environmental Patients", diagnosing humans with massive selfishness. Personal struggles take over on "A Fucking Disgrace" and "Ball & Chain". These tracks focus on internal failures and modern existence pressures. "You Call Yourself A Teacher" violently screams at institutional ignorance. "Linked Together" rips apart emotional stubbornness destroying personal relationships.

"Scum" and "Tear You Down" spew total rage at right-wing politicians. The guys play brutally on every single song. They punish the microphones and the fretboards mercilessly. Clawfinger drops heavy music for metalheads wanting honest aggression. The Swedes deliver a fantastic punch to the skull.

Score: 8.0

Clawfinger:

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TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/tag/clawfinger

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www.clawfinger.net

J.B.O. |Haus Of The Rising Fun |Perception Records

Release Date: January 9^th, 2026

Format: CD/Digital

Genre: Fun Metal, Heavy Metal

Country: Germany

J.B.O. are a long running fun metal band from Franconia, Germany, active since the late 1980s. Over more than three decades they have built a clear identity around humor, parody, and loud metal wrapped in satire. With fifteen studio albums behind them, they hold a special place in German metal culture, sitting comfortably between comedy and classic heavy metal tradition without losing their audience along the way.

“Haus Of The Rising Fun” is J.B.O.’s fifteenth studio album and its title is a playful paraphrase of “House Of The Rising Sun” by The Animals from 1964. The title track takes that classic song and reshapes it fully into the band’s own style, turning a dark folk rock tale into a loud, ironic metal version that fits perfectly into their catalog. This approach sums up the album’s general spirit, familiar ideas filtered through humor, exaggeration, and metal energy.

Across the album, J.B.O. continue their tradition of humorous storytelling, wordplay, and exaggerated characters. The lyrics touch everyday frustrations, social absurdities, and pop culture clichés, always through irony and sarcasm. The songs stay accessible and catchy, built for sing along moments and easy recognition, without drifting into complexity or seriousness. Humor remains the main language here, sometimes silly, sometimes sharp, often unapologetically childish, exactly what long time listeners expect.

One of the most obvious curveballs is the cover of Katy Perry’s “I Kissed A Girl”, transformed into a fun metal version that plays with contrast and exaggeration. Instead of shock value, the song works as parody, placing a glossy pop hit into J.B.O.’s rough, jokey framework. It sits naturally next to original tracks like “Ma Ma Ma Metal” and “Stinkefinger”, reinforcing the album’s focus on entertainment through exaggeration and irony.

“Haus Of The Rising Fun” works as a continuation of J.B.O.’s established world, offering laughter, satire, and loud choruses in uncertain times. It does not aim for depth or drama; it offers escapism through humor and volume. For fans of fun metal and listeners who appreciate metal without self importance, this album delivers what it promises in a straightforward way.

Score: 7.8

https://www.facebook.com/kickersofass

https://www.facebook.com/perception.label

Danko Jones | Leo Rising | Perception

Release Date: November 21, 2025

Format: Album

Genre: Punk Rock

Country: Canada

Danko Jones has walked the rock circuit since the mid nineties, always on the move, always plugged into their own high voltage gospel of bass, drums, guitar and sweat. The Toronto trio built their name through constant touring, short nights of sleep and a catalogue that keeps their fans loud and loyal. Their line up has been solid for more than a decade and that stability shows. They work like a band that has nothing to prove to anyone, just a hunger to keep the machine running.

“Leo Rising” arrives as their twelfth full length, a number that signals how deeply they have dug into this life. The album opens with the swagger of “What You Need” and moves straight into the bounce of “Diamond In The Rough”, where Marty Friedman drops in and adds extra fire. The energy stays high through “Everyday Is Saturday Night” and “I Love It Louder”, a run that sets up the album’s attitude clearly. Danko’s vocals keep their familiar bite, backed by riffs that go straight for the gut without hesitation.

The middle section brings their trademark mix of cheeky lyrics and no nonsense strike. “Hot Fox” and “Pretty Stuff” lean into the band’s playful spirit, while “I’m Going Blind” and “Gotta Let It Go” drag the mood into more grounded territory, speaking from the well worn life of three musicians who spend most of their existence among suitcases and soundchecks. “It’s A Celebration” sits right in the pocket of pure rock adrenaline, a burst meant for live crowds who know how to shout every line back.

Eric Ratz returns to the production chair and keeps the trio’s sound punchy and immediate. Everything sits tight, loud and straight to the point, without unnecessary shine. The band recorded from separate locations again, a routine that clearly suits them. It does not blunt their chemistry, it simply reflects how they operate these days, always in motion.

“Leo Rising” captures Danko Jones doing what they do best. The trio hit hard, keep the tempo hot and deliver songs built for stages packed with sweaty strangers who just want noise and fun. This album will sit comfortably among their strongest work, sturdy and ready for the road, another loud chapter in a career that refuses to slow down.

Score: 8.0

https://linktr.ee/dankojones

Grailknights | Forever | Perception

Release Date: October 17, 2025

Format: CD / Digital

Genre: Power Metal

Country: Germany

Since their formation in 2002, Grailknights has built a reputation as one of the most entertaining and eccentric forces in European power metal. Dressed as comic-book heroes and armed with theatrical humor, the German five-piece has never hidden its devotion to epic storytelling and melodic excess. Their seventh album, “Forever”, continues that legacy with a blend of playful heroics and gallant metal bravado that stays loyal to the band’s cartoonish but passionate spirit.

Produced by the seasoned Sascha Paeth, the sound here is punchy, colorful, and confident in its own absurdity. From the very first shout of “Grailknights Battlechoir!” the band dives straight into their trademark mixture of high-energy metal hymns and tongue-in-cheek heroics. Sir Optimus Prime delivers his vocals with commanding theatrical flair, while Count Cranium and Sovereign Storm keep the twin-guitar attack sharp and melodic. The rhythm section of Duncan MacLoud and Lord Drumcules provides enough drive to power a flying fortress, perfectly fitting for a group that literally has a song called “Grailforce One.”

Each track bursts with melody, singalong choruses, and that comic-book energy that defines Grailknights’ world. Whether they’re battling through Lovecraftian horrors in “Necronomicon,” partying in style with “Weekend Ninja,” or soaring through skies of pure power metal fantasy, the band delivers everything with heroic determination and infectious fun. The guest appearance by Chiara Tricarico on “In The Eyes Of The Enemy” adds a touch of elegance, balancing the theatrics with a more grounded performance.

The production is crisp and dynamic, giving the songs a lively punch that keeps the listener engaged from start to finish. Even the cover of ABBA’s “Super Trouper” fits naturally into their metal adventure, proving once again that Grailknights knows exactly who they are. A band that can blend humor and heroism without losing momentum. “Forever” is a confident chapter in the saga of the Grailknights, a vivid, entertaining, and musically tight power metal ride that never takes itself too seriously. It’s packed with energy, character, and enough epic choruses to arm an entire army of the Battlechoir.

Score: 7.0

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https://grailknights.de