New & Noteworthy is Metal Insider’s weekly column highlighting some of the newest rock and metal releases coming out each week. This week sees new music from the likes of The Hives, Lathe Of Heaven, Pinkshift, Vicious Rumors and Helloween among the many outstanding works hitting shelves. Don’t forget to check out our weekly playlist below. Enjoy!
August 29, 2025 Release Highlights:
The Hives, The Hives Forever Forever The Hives (Play It Again Sam): The Swedish garage rockers release their seventh studio album, which was produced in part by Beastie Boys’ Mike D and featuring contributions from Queens of the Stone Age’s Josh Homme. According to the band, the new record is “so full of energy, joy, anger and life that you will be questioning reality as you have known it. They finally did it. Every single song a single, every single single a hit, every hit a direct hit in the face of the man.”
Lathe of Heaven, Aurora (Sacred Bones):
The punk band explores a new side to their sound with their sophomore release, describing it on their Bandcamp as “Incorporating influences from mid 80s British and Finnish post-punk, combined with subtle nuances from 90s and contemporary underground pop.”
Pinkshift, Earthkeeper (Hopeless):
The singles on the Baltimore punk band’s sophomore studio effort are described by Brooklyn Vegan as delving “further than ever into their heavy, riffy hard rock side.”
Vicious Rumors, The Devil’s Asylum (Steamhammer):
The San Francisco power metal stalwarts release their latest studio album, which guitarist Geoff Thorpe says “sees us return to our roots, which we’ve combined with contemporary influences.”
Helloween, Giants And Monsters (Reigning Phoenix):
The German power metal legends return with their 17th studio effort, describing it as “confident and bursting with vigor” and “the most versatile album of their career.”
August 29, 2025 Releases:
No Apologies, Life (Last Ride)
Have Mercy, the loneliest place i’ve ever been (Rude)
Belinda Carlisle, Once Upon A Time In California (Edsel)
Ganser, Animal Hospital (Felte)
The Beths, Straight Line Was A Lie (Anti-)
Årabrot, Rite Of Dionysus (Pelagic)
Asymmetric Universe, A Memory And What Came After (InsideOut)
Darker Half, Book Of Fate (Massacre)
Headless, Transitional Objects (M-Theory)
Ihlo, Legacy (Kscope)
Månegarm, Edsvuren (Napalm)
Proscription, Desolate Divine (Dark Descent)
Rising Steel, Legion Of The Grave (Frontiers)
Sowulo, Niht (Season Of Mist)
Sweet Freedom, Blind Leading The Blind (Frontiers)
ThxSoMch, The Sound Of You Laughing (Atlantic)
Unen, Forever Winter (Frontiers)
Wucan, Axioms (Long Branch)
Dragonsfire, Rebirth of the Beast (Independent)
Hexrot, Formless Ruin of Oblivion (Transcending Obscurity)
Mélancolia, Random.Access.Misery (Nuclear Blast)
In Mourning, The Immortal (Supreme Chaos)
Ursawrath, Emergence (Independent)
Zatokrev, …Bring Mirrors to the Surface (Pelagic)
Suotana, Ounas II (Reaper)
Khnvm, Cosmocrator (Testimony)
Torso, Annihilation Day (APF)
Finnr’s Cane, Finnr’s Cane (Nordvis)
Imperishable, Revelation in Purity (Everlasting Spew)
Pilgrimage, From Amber to Sun (Meuse Music)
Trudger, Void Quest (Floodlit)
Ash Magick, Rituals of Anathematic East (Apocalyptic Witchcraft)
Deathhammer, Crimson Dawn (Hells Headbangers)
Evocatus, Inevitable Death (Independent)
Necrokinesis, Death Is the Hammer (Independent)
Ethereal Wound, Defile | Demise (Independent)
Spire of Lazarus, Those Who Live in Death (Independent)
VVarp, Power Held in Stone (Independent)
Porenut, Výstup k svätej Kunde (Independent)
Blutsauger, Nocturnal Blood Tyrants (De Tenebrarum Principio)
Wolves of War, Wasteland Warfare (Independent)
Vipera, Ex Nihilo (Independent)
Hour of Chaos, Bred to Fail (Independent)
It Summons the Shadows, Of Rot of Ruin (Independent)
Merhum, Ungraving the Primal Essence (Independent)
Mutator, Excessive Rage (Independent)
Midjungards, Ravens and Eagles (Dark Rails)
Goatkrieg, Satanic Assault on Holy Lands (Rat Covenant)
Bok, Mors Gregis (Independent)
