Well, I didn't even know Hollenthon was "on hold", but then again, I never expected another Pungent Stench album to happen, so as long as Schirenc is still active in one or the other way, I wouldn't rule it out as impossible.

More doom awaits us as Crypt Sermon are finally in the studio with Arthur Rizk to record their second album, the follow-up to 2015's phenomenal "Out of the Garden" through Dark Descent. Here's hoping there's some left in the tank for new Trenchrot, too.

Mystifier announced their next album is coming sometime in 2019. Apparently Absu's Proscriptor and Varathron's Jim Mutilator among others make guest appearances. I'll keep expectations in check since it's been so long since their last, but it's still exciting.

Deiphago's I, the Devil comes out February. The first track is promising.


Smut Kingdom was already recorded years ago. It just needed to be mixed, mastered and released. Hollenthon could release something new, but don't count on it. Schirenc is currently in Zombie Inc., though from what I remember in one of his latest interviews, that was also on hold.

Atlantean Kodex
Slough Feg (assuming next year at this point?)
Saint Vitus (likewise probably next year despite my fervent hopes)

Obed Marsh: supposed to come out last year but supposedly it is still being worked on... no idea when it is due anymore though. I'm guessing 2019.

Also heard Sons of Crom is already working on another and it will come sooner rather than later. I hope it's true! Maybe 2019!

Finally, I would really like to see another Eternal Champion album but have no idea of it's possibility or time frame.

Given that Mary's Blood records an album every year and a half or so, I look forward to 2019's AOTY around October/November.

Italy's Epitaph (reunited 80s doom outfit featuring the "other" two members of Black Hole's Land of Mystery) are working on another one. Click for very short blurb in Italian.

You know, I'm starting to feel this way about the X Japan album. It should have been done at least two years ago.

Beast in Black have announced a new album for February 8 release. called "From Hell With Love".

Autopsy are writing now. They tend to have a real quick turnaround from when they hit the studio to a street release date, I wouldn't doubt that'll be the case again.

I remember March being the approximate timetable for new Misery Index.

Willowtip officially announced that we will FINALLY get that new Odious Mortem next year. What a long road and wait it's been for it.

EDIT: Removed blurbs about Immolation and Cannibal Corpse, as the Decibel tour will probably keep at least one if not both from recording until the second half of the year at the earliest.

Don’t hold much hope for any of these bands to release anything any time soon, possibly ever, but I’d like to think that Dawn, Divine Eve and Fields Of The Nephilim will all deliver in 2019.
Hopefully Absu will finally unleash “Apzu” as well.

MGŁA
Avantasia
My Dying Bride
Possibly Hypocrisy?

Beast in Black have just released the cover art for their new album, which should be good.

Apparently Malevolent Creation has finished recording their new album titled The 13th Beast. According to their Facebook, as of Oct 13 it was being mixed and mastered by Dan Swano with no release date. I'm guessing this one will be a 2019 release at this point.

Ancient Bards has announced the release date or the next album, entitled Origine, as Jan 25 2019. Very excited about this, as I was a backer for the album.

Fingers crossed for new Hypocrisy album...

I'd be surprised if there wasn't a new Hypocrisy album next year. There's been a few updates on Facebook and the like about writing new songs.

It's well time for new Hypocrisy indeed.

"Berserker" was such a fun album - it was everything I wanted "Bringer of Pain" by Battle Beast to be. A thoroughly entertaining mix of power metal and 80s pop, and Yannis has an impressive range. Definitely stoked for this one too!

Why the hell am I only just now learning about Beast in Black?

I’m very much looking forward to Kull - Exile: Bal-Sagoth minus original vocalist Byron. It has been five or six years since the first demo, time to finally released the damned thing.

Triptykon may or may not have begun working on a third album.

And I am also holding my fingers crossed for that third Hell record to be released: six years since Curse and Chapter.

New work by Hollenthon would be amazing as well, let’s hope the band did not die a quiet death.

Atlantean Kodex - It'll have been almost 6 years since The White Goddess, depending when it actually sees the light of day. I talked with Michael Koch at Frost & Fire IV this year, and he said they're looking at a Summer/Autumn release.

Hell
Black Sword Thunder Attack
Eternal Champion (nothing official on this, but I can dream)
Briton Rites

Brutality
Chastain
Dark Angel
Deeds of Flesh
Defeated Sanity
Exodus
Heathen
Morfin
Morta Skuld
Overkill
Sacrifice

Hypocrisy is confirmed to begin recording January 1st through the end of February, so it's definitely on the way next year.

Yeah, really looking forward to the new Hypocrisy, although I thought End of Disclosure was quite average by their standards.

Also, new Swallow the Sun was announced for a January release. Great way to start the year.

According to a recent interview, Paradise Lost will probably start working on a new album by the end of this year - if that will be a case I guess we could expect a new record of them mid 2019 or so.

I would love for a new Bal Sagoth album, but that's likely never to happen even though lyrics for 3 albums' worth of material have already been written...

New Dawn of Ashes is suppose to be going back to their industrial roots. Pretty excited to hear, was sorely disappointed with their metal albums.

That's good news! I wish they venture in some experimentations with this new album...

Mortuary Drape - All the Witches Dance re-issue

Part of me think they will do that. Looking back at PL's metallic progression over the last decade or so it seems that they've always done one ''safe'' album followed by something more experimental. IR to FDU-DUU was quite a progression whereas TI seemed a bit more predictable. Then we had TPW which was a bit more on the experimental side while Medusa was a bit more predictable again I guess - although far better than TI was to me.

The Finnish thrash band Excuse were supposed to release their full-length debut this year but it looks like that didn't happen. Hopefully we see a release early next year, though apparently they're no longer signed to a label so who knows what trouble is happening behind the scenes. It's a shame because their 2016 Goddess Injustice EP was some fucking fantastic thrash metal. It sounds like Slaughter Lord with a more polished production.

In other news, I'd love to see new Gospel of the Horns next year. They signed to Hells Headbangers sometime in the last year or two, I couldn't imagine a more perfect label to put out their material.

Forgot mention that a new Arch/Matheos should come out somewhere in 2019, too.

Rhapsody of Fire (i'm opened to hear what the new songs will sound like with the new vocalist)
Finntroll (they've announced they are working on new materials, maybe out by the end of next year)
Nile
Gorgon
Malevolent Creation
Trollfest
Swallow The Sun
Ancient Bards
Saor
Avantasia
Rotting Christ
Dream Theater
Devin Townsend

New Earth and Pillars has been sort of confirmed to be released next year, this time with a human drummer and some apparent sonic changes, so we'll see what that means. In addition to that I've had a very friendly chat with Kevin Chartré during the latest Beyond Creation tour here in Portugal and he confirmed that his other project Brought by Pain is releasing a new album also in 2019 and that they've signed to Season of Mist. Not sure if this is already out there in the open but he wasn't very secretive about it so I guess it doesn't hurt to say it out loud, even more considering that both previous works form the band are very very good!

I'm stoked for new Mgla and Darkthrone.

Hoping for something new from Moonsorrow. I feel they're about due for another album. Jumalten Aika was phenomenal.

And I wonder if Sumerlands will do another album. I finally got the debut on vinyl this year and it's been getting a lot of spins.

Funny you should mention Jumalten Aika. I've been catching up on albums from 2017 I missed and I just listened to Ulfven by Ereb Altor (great album, btw) which reminded me how much I loved that Moonsorrow album when it came out. New Moonsorrow would be great! Personally, I'm pretty stoked for the new Swallow the Sun, and reading about a new Arch Matheos has me excited too (especially if it can match the last Fates Warning, which I thought was amazing).

There's a new Ectovoid EP coming out on January 18th called Inner Death. A song has been posted on the Blood Harvest Bandcamp page as well. Sounds pretty good.

Tool, Devin Townsend, Megadeth, 1349, Yeruzelem (that Vindsval's side project), maybe even Iron Maiden, who knows.

I'm mostly looking forward to new Devin though. From what I've gathered from his instagram video snippets, the album will be a perplexing and overwhelming beast, which is welcome given the fact he's kind of been phoning albums in since Epicloud. Not that I have anything against those albums, but they weren't Ki/Deconstruction.

Megadeth didn't really make me happy with Dystopia, it was a bit boring to me (maybe the production is to blame?), but hearing about Dirk playing blast beats on the album has peaked my interest.

Oh yeah, new Borknagar, Deathspell Omega, Paradise Lost and (not metal) Steven Wilson albums would really be nice to hear too.

Astronoid.

New track is excellent and Casey's vocals have gotten a bit more forceful now that they've gotten some relatively extensive touring experience under their belts. This sounds like a better version of Air.

Pre-orders are up too.