RAM Unleash “Night Blade” Video, Announce Bassist Change Ahead Of “Against”

Sep 3, 2026

Swedish heavy metal band RAM have released a video for “Night Blade”, the latest single from their upcoming album Against, due October 9 on Metal Blade Records.

Vocalist Oscar Carlquist explained where the song came from:

“The return of the riff! Before writing this song, I had been contemplating about the fact that ’70s and early ’80s metal was a lot more about the riff than what you hear and have heard for a long time. I wanted to bring that back and wrote a typical super simple oldschool riff to carry the song. A perfect song to headbang to.”

Against arrives nearly seven years after The Throne Within, an album built around spiritual and metaphysical themes. This one is more grounded, centered on being pushed past reasonable limits and refusing to go along with it. The band describes it as capturing that moment of resistance, “that fire of defiance, which ultimately defines its title and message.”

Guitarists Harry Granroth and Martin Jonsson stick with bridge pickups for a sharp, aggressive tone, and the gear used throughout follows a classic approach. Sonically the record was conceived as a return to older recording philosophies, drawing on early Dio, MSG and Sweet, aiming for something honest and unpolished.

The band positions itself outside the endless subgenre carving of modern metal. The title reinforces a longstanding identity as nonconformists who treat heavy metal as sonic rebellion.

One of the clearest changes is the songwriting itself. Where earlier records leaned toward complexity, this one favors clarity and precision, a shift the band frames as maturity: restraint landing harder than technical display. The cover art, created by Carlquist, follows the same logic. Instead of the symbol-heavy sleeves of the past, it puts the band’s ram-horned skull emblem front and center.

As the band puts it: “Fear the return of the Heavy Metal Tyranny!”

Bassist Change

In related news, Tobias “Tobbe” Petterson is stepping down after 17 years as RAM’s bassist. The band called him a pivotal part of both their recordings and live shows, and said his bass playing and stage presence will be missed.

“Petterson will always remain a part of the RAM family and we part as brothers, still united by the power of heavy metal. But the heavy metal tyranny must proceed, new horizons await and these will be shared with our new bass player Desekrator of Voodus and Stormdeath fame. Desekrator has been close to the band for decades and through being a die hard fan he is already well versed with the true spirit of RAM. This combined with his bass skills makes him the perfect replacement for Tobbe. Onward Upon The Black Path!”

Petterson plays his final show with RAM on October 9 in Gothenburg, the band’s record release show.

Against will be released on CD and digital formats plus vinyl in five variants: 180g Black, Clear Lilac Marbled, Purple Melt (limited to 300), Crystal Clear Blackdust (limited to 300) and Silver Black Splatter (limited to 250).

Pre-order Against: metalblade.com/ram