Metal, Hardcore, Indie, Rock
The long-term weather forecast for late spring in Europe just changed to bright blues skies and steaming hot! Brilliant stoner metal outfit Howling Giant will journey from Nashville, Tennessee across the Atlantic to delight European audiences by bringing their acclaimed third full-length “Crucible & Ruin” to the stages of the old continent for the first time.
Please see below for all currently confirmed live dates, album details of “Crucible & Ruin”, and biographical information.
Howling Giant comment: “We are excited to partner up with Atonal Music Agency to get back to Europe on the heels of our ‘Crucible & Ruin’ album“, drummer Zach Wheeler writes. “It has been about two and a half years since our last European tour and we’re quite pleased to perform in a ton of cities where we’ve never played before! Looking forward to see you on the road!“
“Crucible & Ruin” was released on October 31, 2025. Alongside a host of great reviews, the album has scored remarkable top ten positions in the soundchecks of leading German magazines ROCK HARD (4/49) and VISIONS (7/25)!
The album is available for purchase here: https://spkr.store/collections/howling-giant
Howling Giant European Headliner Tour 2026
Howling Giant take another huge step on their third full-length “Crucible & Ruin”, a collection of sparking ideas, captivating melodies, and heavy riffing close to perfection – quite a feat of on-point songwriting for such a still young band!
This is the band’s first album to feature new fourth member Adrian Lee Zambrano. Although the guitarist and synth player arrived somewhat toward the end of the writing process, he was still able to add his mark with cool textures on the record. The extra guitar certainly adds even more punch to Howling Giant‘s sound, which delivers a slightly more aggressive approach compared with predecessor “Glass Future” (2023).
It also helped the overall feel of “Crucible & Ruin” that this is the band’s first album to be entirely recorded in a proper studio setting as opposed to their home studio, “the bunker”. Howling Giant even leaned into some raw band live takes to capture the emotion in the room.
Lyrically, “Crucible & Ruin” explores the story of the clash of a novice deity against the forces of primordial chaos as an overarching theme that loosely connects the songs. This is also reflected in the album artwork, which was painted by the mother of guitarist and vocalist Tom Polzine, featuring a unique style of alcohol ink on yupo paper.
Howling Giant hail from Nashville, Tennessee, USA, sidestepping the self-proclaimed Music City’s assembly line of modern pop country while taking inspiration from the brilliant songwriters and virtuoso session players that keep the town’s musical legacy burning bright. Fertile ground for a preeminent fuzz-psych power trio, now turned quartet, who consciously live in the pocket of that lineage!
Following a trilogy of EPs, “Howling Giant” (2015), “Black Hole Space Wizard: Part 1” (2016), and “Black Hole Space Wizard: Part 2” (2017), Howling Giant struck a chord with critics and fans on their debut full-length “The Space between Worlds” in 2019. “Glass Future” proved a gargantuan leap for the band that now featured Sebastian Baltes, son of legendary Accept bass master Peter Baltes. Released in 2023, “Glass Future” brought their outstanding musicianship and triple vocal attack fully into stride.
Howling Giant storm forward once more in defiant refusal to remain still. Having grown into a four-piece as well as in their prowess as musicians and songwriters, “Crucible & Ruin” is an album at least as big as their name. Don’t take our word for it, just give it a spin – or two or three…
Line-up
Tom Polzine – guitar, vocals
Zach Wheeler – drums, vocals
Sebastian Baltes – bass, vocals
Adrian Lee Zambrano – guitars, synthesizers
Guest musicians
Kim Wheeler – additional synths and EWI on ‘The Observatory‘
Adam Nohe – additional percussion on ‘Beholder I: Downfall‘
