North Carolina heavy/doom metal trio Aittala unleash new performance video for »Blacklisted«, first to feature new bassist Dane Taylor!
Raleigh, North Carolina based heavy/doom metal trio Aittala share new performance video for »Blacklisted« taken from their latest EP, »Ill-Gotten Gains«, out on November 21st, 2025 via Exitus Stratagem Records.
Tracklist:
01. Isolation
02. Ill Gotten Gains
03. Blacklisted
04. Ever After
05. Ashes
Courtesy of Asher Media Relations:
Aittala (pronounced EYE‑tah‑la) has released the official performance video for »Blacklisted«, the third track from their second EP of 2025, »Ill-Gotten Gains«, out now on Exitus Stratagem Records.
The clip marks a milestone for the long‑running metal project; it is the first video to feature new bassist Dane Taylor, joining Eric Aittala (guitars/vocals) and Gary “Zeus” Smith (drums). The trio’s chemistry is on full display, delivering a tight, groove‑driven performance that captures the grit and weight of the track.
A groove‑ and sludge‑inspired standout, »Blacklisted« serves as the thematic counterpoint to the EP’s opening tracks »Isolation« and »Ill-Gotten Gains«. Where those songs explore the chaos created by self‑serving actions, »Blacklisted« flips the perspective, calling out the people who manipulate, exploit, and leave destruction in their wake.
Musically, the song leans into thick riffs, a grinding mid‑tempo pulse, and the band’s signature blend of heaviness and melody. It’s a concise, punishing statement that reinforces why Aittala’s sound remains difficult to categorize, and impossible to ignore.
Watch the video via its premiere on Metal Addicts HERE.
Released this past November, »Ill-Gotten Gains« continues Aittala’s tradition of blurring metal subgenres, pulling from traditional metal, doom, groove, progressive elements, and more to create a cohesive, emotionally charged experience.
The EP’s lyrics trace a path from chaos to consequence to the search for redemption, examining how people create disorder for personal gain, face the fallout of those choices, and grapple with whether forgiveness is still possible. Each track sharpens that arc: »Isolation« delivers doomy heaviness and shifting time signatures as it confronts consequences; »Ill-Gotten Gains« rides a bouncing 8‑string riff into the mindset of exploiting chaos; »Blacklisted« uses groove‑sludge grit to call out manipulative behavior; »Ever After« offers a modern metal ballad of internal struggle and uncertain redemption; and »Ashes« leans into traditional heavy metal as it follows someone spiraling downward and pulling others with them.
The EP cover features an updated version of Frank, Aittala’s long‑running mascot, a cartoon pig head inside a pentagram, created in 2014 for the album »Effigy«. Frank represents the shady figure who helps acquire “ill‑gotten gains”… for the right price. His return on the cover ties directly into the EP’s themes of corruption, consequence, and moral decay.
Aittala’s sound resists simple labels, blending classic heavy metal, doom, groove, progressive and power metal, thrash, and hard rock into a style that’s distinctly their own. Lyrically, Eric Aittala pulls from the darker edges of human experience, crafting songs that balance heaviness with introspection.
Founded in 1991 in the Netherlands, Aittala quickly became a staple of the Dutch metal scene, even opening for The Gathering and Sadist after releasing their 1993 EP »Selling Heaven«.
After disbanding and later resurrecting the project in 2008, Aittala released six full-length albums between 2009 and 2022, followed by the »Machines« EP (2025). Each release showcases the band’s evolution while preserving their unmistakable core sound.
Recommended for fans of Mastodon, EyeHateGod, Baroness, Crowbar, Katatonia, live music enthusiasts can catch Aittala at the following show dates below.
Aittala Tour Dates (WV, VA, TN, NC):
May 21 – Tilty McFlipperz – Martinsburg, WV
May 22 – The Spot on Kirk – Roanoke, VA
May 23 – Capones – Johnson City, TN
Jun 19 – Cannonball Music Hall – Raleigh, NC
Jul 31 – The Den | Winston – Salem, NC
Aug 7 – White Rabbit Pub – Fayetteville, NC
Aug 29 – Scandals Live – Virginia Beach, VA
»Ill-Gotten Gains« (released Nov 21, 2025) is available from Exitus Stratagem Records HERE.
Live lineup:
Eric Aittala – Guitars/Vocals
Gary “Zeus” Smith – Drums
Dane Taylor – Bass
Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well