It‘s done: The new STIGMA album Second Chance is being released on June 4th

For a band that has only been around for four years, the German rockers of STIGMA have already made quite a name for themselves, especially abroad. With their relaxed yet haunting ridge walk between hard rock and older-school mid-tempo thrash, which in its mellow nature and clear composition doesn't even try to hide small vocal nods to synth rockers like Depeche Mode, they have not only been able to build up a loyal fanbase right at their own doorstep with two early EPs and a few singles, but have also made waves far beyond.
Their music video for Lies Of War, released two years ago, even made it across the pond and won the “Best Music Video” award at the New York Red Moon Film Festival. Across the Channel in London, the piece was also awarded “Best Music Video” at the Multi Dimension Independent Film Festival. Further awards followed, including “Best of Independent Cinema” at the Festival de Cannes, “Best International Music Video” and “Best Original Sound Designer” at the Maverick International Film Festival, to name but a few. And almost unnoticed over here in Germany, the second EP First Call entered the Top 30 of the renowned college radio station WLTL 88.1FM in Illinois.
Now the time has finally come: Stigma’s brand new full-length album Second Chance will be released on June 4th to be celebrated live on the same day. Not only will Stigma themselves be performing at the Hirsch in Nuremberg, which was awarded “Germany's best live club” by the readers of a major German metal magazine last year, but they will also be joined by cult metallers RANDOM for a double showcase! Singer Gerald Zinnegger addresses the fans on the upcoming release: “Second Chance is more than just an album for us – it's a journey we're taking with you. Every song only comes to life through you. Thank you for being with us – you are the true Stigmaniacs.”

The WHEN and WHERE in compact form:
ALBUM RELEASE PARTY
Acts: STIGMA and RANDOM feat. Angelo Schiliró
Date: June 4th, 2025
Venue: Der Hirsch Nürnberg | Vogelweiherstr. 66
Doors: 7.00 PM | Starting: 8.00 PM

Just one more thing: For the fans at the release show, the band has come up with something very special that has probably never (or not often) been done before in this form: Attendees don't pay a fixed full price for merch items such as T-shirts or patches, or even for the CD itself, but simply design their own prices:“We call it PWYW (Pay Whatever You Want) – just have a good time, take our goods into your hands and simply pay what they’re worth to you.”

About Stigma and Second Chance

Founded in 2021 by singer Gerald Zinnegger and guitarist Markus Mantau and quickly joined by René Chlebnitschek on bass and Bernd Paptistella on drums, Stigma's new album is the logical continuation of a journey that began with the two EPs Last Order (2022) and First Call (2023). Initially still heavily influenced by acts such as Alice Cooper or the later Metallica, the quartet quickly found their own compositional approach: They neither wanted to lay down fashionable accents nor bury what should ultimately matter – the pure song itself – under musical frills and glitter. From the first to the last note, everything compositional is therefore subject to the strict dictation of remaining honest, glare-free and appropriate to the song without compromising the fun in rock.

Following this premise, Second Chance revolves around the central existential questions of working people at the heart of society in an almost metal-atypical way, proving the meaning of existentialism through simple stories of common life with well-dosed detours into philosophy. Shouter Gerald, who delivers the lyrics with an intense baritone, sums up the diversity of themes on the new record: “Second Chance is an album about resilience, transformation and duality. It explores the highs and lows of human experience, relationships and social challenges. The title speaks of the possibility of growing stronger through adversity and complements the trajectory we set out on with our first two EPs.”

With the latest single Faraway, the first outtake from Second Chance, the band is also taking a rather unusual route and prefacing the smash hits to come with a calmer, yet impelling track: “Faraway, our lead single, is a powerful yet introspective song deeply rooted in themes of regret, longing, and resilience,” explains Gerald. “The raw, gritty verses reflect the harsh reality of being trapped, while the upbeat, melodic chorus symbolizes hope and liberation.”