Italy’s underground metal warriors ESCAPEINOUT are back, and they’re bringing the apocalypse with them! 🤘💀
After spending more than a decade forging their reputation in the underground extreme metal scene, ESCAPEINOUT are preparing to unleash their brand-new full-length album, The Age of Collapse: As Above, So Below, on 21 August 2026 via Brutal Records.
If you’re into crushing riffs, dark atmospheres and albums that actually make you think while they’re melting your face off, this one deserves a spot on your listening list.
⚡ Fifteen Years in the Making
Formed back in 2011, ESCAPEINOUT have quietly become one of Italy’s most respected underground extreme metal acts. Over the years they’ve earned recognition from respected publications including MetalItalia and Metal Hammer Italia, building a loyal following through relentless hard work and an uncompromising sound.
Following a creative reset in 2023, the band have emerged stronger than ever.
Rather than simply turning everything up to eleven, ESCAPEINOUT have refined their songwriting, creating music that remains brutally heavy while introducing greater depth, atmosphere and emotion. The result is a band that sounds tighter, darker and more confident than ever before.
🌍 A Heavy Album for Heavy Times
The title The Age of Collapse: As Above, So Below couldn’t feel more appropriate.
Across nine tracks, ESCAPEINOUT tackle themes including environmental destruction, humanity’s self-inflicted downfall and the constant struggle between creation and collapse.
Instead of relying purely on relentless aggression, the album balances punishing riffs with cinematic passages, allowing each song room to breathe before crashing back into devastating heaviness.
It’s the kind of record that rewards repeat listens, revealing new layers each time while never losing its raw power.
💿 Album Details
Album: The Age of Collapse: As Above, So Below
📅 Release Date: 21 August 2026
🏷️ Label: Brutal Records
💿 Available: Digital & Physical Worldwide
🎵 Track Listing
- Behold The River (feat. F. Burtone)
- The Wait
- No Time (feat. F. Burtone)
- Sink (feat. Andy Neri)
- The Awakening
- Out of The Shade
- As Above, So Below
- Filtered
- The End of All Things Known
🔥 Singles Already Making Noise
ESCAPEINOUT have already given fans a taste of what’s coming with two crushing singles.
🎸 The Wait
Released 5 June 2026
A slow-burning assault packed with razor-sharp riffs and brooding atmosphere that perfectly introduces the band’s new direction.
⚡ No Time
Released 10 July 2026
Building on everything established by the first single, No Time delivers relentless energy, crushing grooves and memorable hooks while maintaining the band’s unmistakable extreme metal identity.
Together, the two singles suggest this could easily become the band’s strongest release to date.
🤘 Guest Musicians Add Even More Firepower
The album also features appearances from F. Burtone and Andy Neri, whose contributions add extra texture without distracting from ESCAPEINOUT’s core identity.
Rather than feeling like guest spots for the sake of it, each collaboration fits naturally into the album’s dark and immersive atmosphere.
🎤 ESCAPEINOUT Line-Up
🎸 Max Calleri – Guitar
🎸 RGNoise – Bass
🥁 Ciccio Blandini – Drums
🎤 Elio Virtù – Vocals
Songwriting: Escapeinout
Production: Max Calleri & RGNoise
🤘 The Riff Report Verdict
There’s something refreshing about a band that isn’t chasing trends.
ESCAPEINOUT have spent years honing their craft, and The Age of Collapse: As Above, So Below feels like the sound of a band completely comfortable in their own skin. It’s heavy without becoming repetitive, atmospheric without losing its bite, and technical without sacrificing emotion.
Whether you’re a lifelong extreme metal fan or simply looking for something with genuine substance beneath the blast beats, this album looks set to deliver both power and purpose.
We’re looking forward to hearing the full record when it lands this August, and judging by The Wait and No Time, this could become one of the standout underground metal releases of 2026.
So stick this one on your radar, crank the volume until the neighbours start knocking, and prepare for The Age of Collapse to arrive in full force.
The Age of Collapse: As Above, So Below is released worldwide on 21 August 2026 via Brutal Records. 🤘🔥
🎸 Keep It Locked To The Riff Report
We’ll be keeping our ears firmly on ESCAPEINOUT as release day approaches. If this album delivers on the promise of its opening singles, metal fans are in for one hell of a ride.
Will you be checking out ESCAPEINOUT’s new album? Let us know in the comments, butt! 🤘🔥
Michael is the founder, editor, and chief riff wrangler behind The Riff Report, an independent Welsh rock and metal publication built by fans, for fans. With a lifelong passion for loud guitars, unforgettable live shows, and the incredible community that surrounds rock and metal, he created The Riff Report to celebrate everything that makes the scene special—from legendary headline acts and grassroots venues to rising bands that deserve to be heard.
A familiar face at festivals across the UK, Michael spends much of the year covering events including Download Festival, Bloodstock Open Air, Steelhouse Festival, Firevolt, Plumpton Revival, and many more. Whether he’s battling the Welsh weather on a mountainside, surviving a weekend in a muddy campsite, or squeezed against the front barrier with thousands of fellow fans, he’s always searching for the next great story to share.
As editor of The Riff Report, Michael writes festival guides, breaking news, album reviews, gig reviews, interviews, opinion pieces, nostalgia features, and behind-the-scenes stories from across the rock and metal world. His writing combines honest opinions, humour, and a genuine love for live music, bringing readers closer to the bands, festivals, venues, and people that keep the scene alive.
Michael is particularly passionate about supporting independent artists, local venues, charities, and the wider UK rock and metal community. He believes every band deserves a chance to be discovered and every festival has a story worth telling. Through The Riff Report, he aims to shine a spotlight on both the biggest names in rock and the future stars waiting to break through.
When he’s not writing or interviewing artists, you’ll probably find him exploring festival campsites, photographing live shows, chatting with fellow fans over a pint, or planning the next road trip in search of more riffs, bigger crowds, and unforgettable moments.
Above all, Michael believes rock and metal are about more than music—they’re about community, friendship, and creating memories that last a lifetime. That’s exactly what The Riff Report exists to celebrate.
Proudly Welsh. Proudly Loud. Always chasing the next great riff. 🤘
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