Moldovan modern metal force Infected Rain have released the official music video for their brand new single "Stranger." The track offers the first glimpse into the band's upcoming musical chapter and marks the beginning of a new creative phase for the group as it continues to evolve its sound.

GET INFECTED RAIN'S ENDORPHIN ON VINYL HERE: https://amzn.to/411fUzj

Vocalist Lena Scissorhands explains the inspiration behind the song: "'Stranger' came from the moment when you realize you don't fully recognize yourself anymore. It's an inward fight with identity, with the roles you've worn for too long, and the distance that grows between who you are and who you think you should be. In the end, it's about becoming strangers to ourselves, and trying to find the way back."

The release arrives just days before the band hits the road for the "Mutation Phase" tour across Europe and the UK, co-headlining alongside Butcher Babies. Kicking off on March 25 in Glasgow, the tour will bring the band's explosive live show to audiences across the continent, featuring a mix of fan favorites and brand new material!

Speaking about the new single and the band's current direction, Infected Rain comment, "'Stranger' is part of the Mutation Phase Infected Rain is entering right now. It's the sound of Infected Rain pushing forward, leaving comfort behind, and stepping into something sharper and more direct. This song belongs in the setlist for the upcoming EU and U.S. tours because it represents what the band is becoming. The album is still in progress, but we're proud of where it’s heading and wanted to share a first taste of the next record with everyone already now."

Formed in Chișinău, Moldova, Infected Rain have become one of the most distinctive and rapidly rising acts in modern heavy music. Fronted by the charismatic and powerful Lena Scissorhands, the band blends elements of modern metal, metalcore, nu-metal and alternative influences into an intense and emotional sonic identity.

Over the past decade, the band has built a global following through relentless touring and a series of acclaimed releases, including albums such as Endorphin, 86, Ecdysis, and TIME. Known for their explosive live performances and emotionally charged songwriting, Infected Rain have appeared on major international festival stages and toured extensively across Europe and North America.

With new music on the horizon and a new album currently in progress, the band now enters what they call their "Mutation Phase" — a period of transformation that pushes their sound into even sharper and more direct territory while maintaining the raw intensity that has defined their impressive career.

TOUR DATES:

MUTATION PHASE TOUR 2026: WITH BUTCHER BABIES SUPPORT: BLACK SPIKES
3/25 — Glasgow, UK — Slay
3/26 — Newcastle, UK — Anarchy Brew
3/27 — Manchester, UK — Club Academy
3/28 — London, UK — O2 Academy Islington
3/29 — Bristol, UK — The Fleece
3/30 — Birmingham, UK — O2 Institute
3/31 — Southampton, UK — The 1865
4/1 — Brighton, UK — Concorde 2
4/3 — Kortrijk, Belgium — DVG Club
4/4 — Nijmegen, Netherlands — Doornroosje
4/5 — Oberndorf am Neckar, Germany — Easter Cross Festival
4/7 — Essen, Germany — Turock
4/8 — Mannheim, Germany — Alte Feuerwache
4/9 — Paris, France — La Machine
4/10 — Lyon, France — La Rayonne
4/14 — Toulouse, France — Metronum
4/11 — Barcelona, Spain — Salamandra
4/12 — Madrid, Spain — Mon
4/15 — Milan, Italy — Legend Club
4/16 — Zurich, Switzerland — Dynamo Saal
4/20 — Vienna, Austria — Szene
4/17 — Lindau, Germany — Club Vaudeville
4/18 — Munich, Germany — Backstage
4/23 — Hamburg, Germany — Bahnhof Pauli
4/19 — Budapest, Hungary — Barba Negra
4/22 — Warsaw, Poland — Hybrydy
4/24 — Copenhagen, Denmark — Pumpehuset
4/25 — Stockholm, Sweden — Kollektivet Livet
4/28 — Helsinki, Finland — Ääniwalli
4/30 — Kopervik, Norway — Karmøygeddon Metal Festival

MUTATION PHASE 2026 IN THE U.S.:
5/4 — Lubbock, TX — Jakes
5/5 — Austin, TX — Come And Take It Live
5/6 — Dallas, TX — Club Dada (Outside)
5/10 — Daytona, FL — Welcome To Rockville
5/12 — Atlanta, GA — The Masquerade
5/13 — Greensboro, NC — Hangar 1819
5/14 — Virginia Beach, VA — Scandals Live
5/15 — Baltimore, MD — Zen West
5/16 — Philadelphia, PA — Underground Arts
5/17 — New York, NY — Mercury Lounge
5/19 — Millersville, PA — Phantom Power
5/20 — Rochester, NY — Montage Music Hall
5/21 — Lakewood, OH — The Winchester
5/22 — Columbus, OH — The King Of Clubs
5/23 — Westland, MI — The Token Lounge
5/24 — Joliet, IL — The Forge
5/26 — Denver, CO — The Roxy
5/27 — Salt Lake City, UT — Metro Music Hall
5/29 — Seattle, WA — El Corazon
5/30 — Portland, OR — Star Theater
6/2 — San Jose, CA — The Ritz
6/3 — Los Angeles, CA — Whisky A Go Go
6/4 — San Diego, CA — Brick By Brick
6/5 — Mesa, AZ — The Rosetta Room
6/6 — Las Vegas, NV — Swan Dive

INFECTED RAIN ARE:
Elena "Lena Scissorhands" Cataraga — Vocals
Vadim "Vidick" Ozhog — Guitars
Alice Lane Pandini — Bass
Eugene Voluta  Drums

GET EXHORDER'S DEFECTUM OMNIUM ON VINYL HERE: https://amzn.to/47asoYM

Exhorder is heading into a new chapter — and doing it without the drummer who helped define their modern era.

The New Orleans groove-metal legends announced this week that Sasha Horn has parted ways with the band after more than eight years behind the kit, citing a desire to step back from life on the road and focus on his personal life. Stepping in as his temporary road replacement is Corey Pierce of God Forbid fame, who will join the band for "The Tour of Unsound Minds" next month.

The split appears entirely amicable. In a statement, the band praised Horn warmly: "All of our best to Sasha in his journey, and we thank him for the time, contributions, and sacrifices he made alongside us for all of these years. Best of luck and nothing but love from us moving forward."

Horn himself addressed fans directly, striking a tone that was reflective rather than bitter. "After eight and a half years, two albums, and countless touring cycles, it is time for me to permanently step away from my position at Exhorder," he wrote. "All things have come to that split in the path." He noted that he's seeking more time with family, continuing his education, and pursuing his own creative projects — and he was careful to leave the door open. "This is not a farewell," he said. "This is a time-out."

The timing comes as the band wraps up a two-year touring cycle behind their 2024 Nuclear Blast album Defectum Omnium — a natural breaking point if there ever was one. With that cycle now complete, Exhorder says their creative canvas is clear and the writing process for their fifth album is already underway. The search for a permanent drummer is ongoing.

In the meantime, Pierce is more than a capable placeholder. The God Forbid veteran brings serious heavy metal credibility to the fill-in role, and the band sounds genuinely excited about the pairing. "We are excited to jam with Corey," they said, "and to bring our live show back to the eastern states for the first time in 2026."

Horn's departure marks yet another significant lineup shift for a band that has navigated considerable turbulence since their 2018 reformation. Guitarist Vinnie LaBella — who co-wrote much of Mourn the Southern Skies — exited in early 2020. Guitarist Marzi Montazeri followed in 2022, replaced by former Cannibal Corpse axeman Pat O'Brien. That leaves vocalist Kyle Thomas as the band's sole remaining founding member, a distinction that carries a lot of weight for a group widely credited as a primary architect of the riff-heavy power-groove style that Pantera would go on to popularize worldwide.

Through all of it, Exhorder keeps moving forward — leaner, hungrier, and apparently ready to write the next chapter. Album five is on the horizon. The drum throne is open. Stay tuned.