According to Eonmusic, a visibly emotional Geoff Tate performed QUEENSRŸCHE's "Promised Land" album in its entirety for the first time ever on Sunday night (August 28) in Belfast. While appearing at the intimate Limelight 2 venue in the Northern Ireland city, Tate broke down a number of times during the performance of the 1994 set.

Following the atmospherics of the original with intro "9:28 a.m.", "I Am I" kicked off what would be a very special evening for both the audience and the former QUEENSRŸCHE frontman. With a spectacularly on-point band behind him, Tate arrived to a hero's welcome, attacking the "Promised Land" material — which veers in mood, scope, and dynamics — with a renewed vigor.

During the underrated gem "Damaged", it was clear, even from this early stage that the singer was in fiercely impressive form. "Out Of Mind", which followed, brought with it the first real revelation of the evening. Tate confessed he hadn't performed the song for almost three decades, telling the crowd, "I've not done it since '95", before introducing the track as "a song about mental illness that seems to fit exactly in this day and age."

Despite being written solely by guitarist Chris DeGarmo about his strained relationship with his father who died during the "Promised Land" sessions, it was during "Bridge" that the singer first became emotional, breaking down as the emotive song unfolded. Visibly weeping, clutching a handkerchief, and caught up in the moment, he said: "I was being interviewed earlier today was asked about what it feels like to perform the 'Promised Land' album. I had a clever answer prepared, but I can't think of what that is right now." Fighting back the tears, he continued, "I just know that I'm very happy to be here tonight."

Staying faithful to the album's running order, the epic title track followed, which saw Geoff don his saxophone and take on an extended solo. Reaching the second half, the album's deeper cuts continued, including the off-kilter "Disconnected", the dark "Lady Jane" and progressive "My Global Mind".

Deviating marginally, "Last Action Hero" soundtrack cut "Real World" (recorded during the same period in the mid-Nineties) saw the singer reminisce about the song's recording with composer Michael Kamen.

Closing the first set with the stripped down piano an vocals of "Someone Else?", the singer once more was reduced to tears, as the stirringly emotional refrain of "Here I stand at the crossroads edge / Afraid to reach out for eternity" rang out across the venue.

Read more at Eonmusic.

In a recent interview with the "Thunder Underground" podcast, Tate touched upon the possibility of performing "Promised Land" from front to back, saying: "We did it when it first came out, but that was almost 30 years ago. I'd like to do that one [in its entirety], although it's a bit of a dark album. I'm not sure that it would be a candidate for doing something like [that]. I might have to marry it with another album, 'cause it's a bit — I don't know — stark, a little bit introspective.

Asked if he had good memories of the making of "Promised Land", Geoff said: "I have really definitive memories of it, actually. I'm not saying they're all good memories, but there were some interesting times. We made the record under extreme circumstances. We hadn't talk to each other in three years after we finished the 'Empire' tour, and the record company was knocking at the door for another record. And we knew we had to get in the studio to make one. None of us really wanted to be in the same room, but we had to do it. So I came up with this idea, 'Well, let's get everybody together on a remote island and we'll all sit in one place for a few months and throw around a bunch of ideas and see what happens and maybe kind of get back to being a band again,' like we were on maybe the first album. That didn't work. [Laughs] We still went and did that plan, but I think the drummer, [Scott] Rockenfield, he stayed for two weeks. He got all his parts done and left. And then the same with Eddie [Jackson, bass]. He was there about a week; he got done and left. Michael [Wilton, guitar] did some parts. He was there about three weeks and left. And it was just Chris [DeGarmo, guitar] and me and our engineer for six months [laughs], staying on the island, making the record.

"It was good. It was interesting," he continued. "I have good memories of being there. It was the kind of a situation like this where we lived in this log cabin on this remote island. We put the studio together. It took us a couple of different tries to get the studio to work, 'cause our first attempt kind of failed, putting all the gear together. But then we got the right setup set up, and then it was kind of magical. Being there in this remote place. The ocean was [very] close, and there was whales and seals and all kinds of wildlife. And it was quiet — really super quiet. So the only thing you heard was what was going on your head. So we took that, what was going on in our heads, and made music out of it."

Pressed about whether he was surprised by the fact that "Promised Land" wasn't as commercially successful as the two albums immediately preceding it, Tate said: "I've never been surprised. The '[Operation:] Mindcrime' album was the one that caught us all off guard because we weren't expecting it to be as big and popular as it got, 'cause it was really dark and very challenging for people. But we had just tremendous airplay and video play as well, with MTV. So it went from nothing to five hundred thousand — boom — and then it went to a million and then it went to two million… And then 'Empire' was a little bit more out of the box because the record company was really geared up and ready and had a really fantastic team of people that were promoting the record. And it definitely got a lot of airplay. 'Promised Land'didn't get so much airplay, 'cause everything was shifting at that point in the record industry, so it was kind of left on its own. Although it sold 1.5 million albums — something like that — which is nothing to sneeze at."

Tate previously shared his feelings on "Promised Land" in a 2015 interview with Classic Rock Revisited. He said at the time: "Well, I quite liked that record. It's one of my favorite records that I've done. I just think there's a lot of really interesting music on it. And I think of all the albums that we made up until 'Promised Land', it was the first one to capture a certain mood, overall, with the album, and stay in that mood, and not deviate a lot from song to song. It seemed to me at the time that the records we did previously, they were kind of sporadic in the… not sporadic — I don't mean that to be negative, but just varied song choices and flow to the record, that kind of thing. Where 'Promised Land' had a certain feel to it. It's kind of hard to define, but I would say that on it, we found a space, and we stayed there through the entire record, not deviating from that space too much. Which I liked; I like that kind of thing. It's quite challenging to make something like that."

Regarding how the three-year period of intensive touring between "Empire" and "Promised Land" affected the relationships between the QUEENSRŸCHE bandmembers, Geoff said: "Well, we never were like a really close group of people. But leading up to "Promised Land", it was a tumultuous time with a lot of... well, like you said, a lot of touring, a lot of media attention, that kind of thing, which is a direct influence... it was actually what really influenced 'Promised Land'. It was the whole premise of the record. The whole premise of the record was that as Americans, we're really tuned into and trained to compete, and to win, and to accumulate things and goods, an accumulative position. Success is very important to Americans. And so I felt like we, as a band, had reached that pinnacle of success, that we had done and achieved all of the things that are sort of associated with being a musician. And so 'Promised Land' was a reflection on that. You know, "What does it all mean? Is it really that important? Is it very important? Is it something that… where do you go from there?" It's almost like people think that success is this platform that you reach — and it really isn't. It's a never-ending ladder. It just keeps going and going and going; the ladder keeps going and you keep climbing and climbing. There's never an end to it, you know? [Laughs]"

Tate's recent tour celebrated the 30th anniversary of QUEENSRŸCHE's "Empire" and "Rage For Order" albums.

Prior to that, Geoff celebrated the 30th anniversary of "Operation: Mindcrime" on European and U.S. tours.

Tate was fired from QUEENSRŸCHE in 2012 and was replaced by former CRIMSON GLORY singer Todd La Torre.



GEOFF TATE LIMELIGHT BELFAST ROCKED IT

Posted by Jimbo Junior on Sunday, August 28, 2022

**NEW SHOW**

Geoff Tate's Operation: Mindcrime return to Belfast on Sunday 28 August (Bank Holiday weekend) to play at...

Posted by SD Entertainment on Wednesday, February 23, 2022

Multi-camera video of Jay Weinberg's performance of SLIPKNOT's new song "The Dying Song (Time To Sing)" on August 5 at the Wacken Open Air festival in Wacken, Germany can be seen below. (Strobe Warning: This video contains brief strobe lighting effects and may potentially trigger seizures for people with visual sensitivities. Viewer discretion is advised.)

"The Dying Song (Time To Sing)" is taken from SLIPKNOT's seventh studio album, "The End, So Far", which will be released on September 30 via Roadrunner Records. The follow-up to 2019's "We Are Not Your Kind", it will be the band's final record with Roadrunner after first signing with the rock and metal label in 1998.

The official music video for "The Dying Song (Time To Sing)" was directed by SLIPKNOT percussionist M. Shawn "Clown" Crahan.

Produced by SLIPKNOT and Joe Barresi, "The End, So Far" includes the band's 2021 surprise single "The Chapeltown Rag" and follows their widely celebrated 2019 album "We Are Not Your Kind", which marked SLIPKNOT's third consecutive No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The release made a massive global impact with No. 1 debuts in the official album charts of twelve countries around the world, including the U.K., Australia, Canada and Mexico, with Top 5 debuts in an additional twelve countries including Germany, France and Sweden.

Regarding the lyrical inspiration for "The Dying Song (Time To Sing)", SLIPKNOT singer Corey Taylor told Kerrang! magazine: "To me, it just seems like it's all the outrage and none of the punishment. For the last few years it's been very trendy to be offended and outraged by everything, and yet nothing happens – especially in my country, which is just fucking ridiculous. It's almost like the tables have turned, and the more angry people get, the more the people who they're mad at just double-down on the shit. Instead of there being cause and effect, or crime and punishment, now it's just like, 'Fuck you, we don't care.' I can't tell if that's a reaction because of the almost nihilistic isolation of the cultures themselves, where neither side is acknowledging any of the good parts of each other – they're just really honed in on the shit that they consider inflammatory. And it's almost like people are ringing the doomsday bell. You're sitting there going, 'Well, it's been fun! Everybody, pick up your trash when you're leaving, and I'll see you in Hell!' That's kind of what that song is. It's just like, 'If we don't figure it out, I'll see you when the meteor hits, basically.'"

As for SLIPKNOT's working relationship with Barresi, Taylor said: "He's one of those dudes who's got great ideas, but he also allows you to do what is on your mind. If he has an idea, he lets you pursue yours, but then he'll go, 'You know, just for me, try this and see if these things can live together.' He's very unassuming, which is kind of rare these days. Sometimes you can get a producer who's trying to enforce their will on it, but Joe just wants what's best for the album, and what's best for the song, and what's best for the performance."

Taylor went on to call "The End, So Far" a "darker version" of SLIPKNOT's third LP, 2004's "Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)".

"To me, 'Vol. 3' was really the most expansive album that we had done, up to that point," he explained. "It was the thing that kind of pushed the boundaries for everybody, you know? We were able to experiment with different styles of music, and really show people that there was so much more depth to what we do. And I kind of feel like that's what this album is doing. In a way it is [also] an extension of 'We Are Not Your Kind', but to me, the songs are better, the structuring is better. We're able to kind of take it even further, and after 23 years professionally, being able to say that there's ground that we haven't covered yet, and there's ground that we're excited to cover, is cool."

Jay discovered SLIPKNOT when he was a pre-teen, through his father Max, of Bruce Springsteen's E STREET BAND, and leader of the house band on Conan O'Brien's talk show. He was hooked immediately and was a huge fan of SLIPKNOT by the time he was invited to Los Angeles to try out as replacement for Joey Jordison in 2013.

For the first few months after the release of 2014's ".5: The Gray Chapter", the members of SLIPKNOT had declined to name the musicians who were playing drums and bass on their tour, despite the fact that their identities were revealed as Weinberg and bassist Alessandro "Vman" Venturella by a disgruntled former drumtech for SLIPKNOT who posted a picture of a backstage call sheet on Instagram.

SLIPKNOT announced its split with Jordison in December 2013 but did not disclose the reasons for his exit. The drummer subsequently issued a statement saying that he did not quit the group.

Jordison passed away "peacefully in his sleep" in July 2021 of an unspecified cause. He was 46 years old.

In a new interview with Australia's Heavy, MACHINE HEAD frontman Robb Flynn spoke about how he dealt with the downtime during the coronavirus pandemic. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "For me, the pandemic has been… I've enjoyed it probably more than I should say probably. I've been on the road since I was 19 years old. We've never gone on hiatus; I've never taken a break; it's been 30-plus years non-stop. And whether it was forced or not, it's killer to just have this time to slow down, not be on the road, not be cramming for the next record, not be looking for the next tour. We tour hard too — we do a minimum of 16 months behind any tour cycle. We're doing three-hour shows. And there's no letting up. It just doesn't end. And then you go and write the next record — you just start writing again. And to just have this ability to disconnect from tons of bullshit — disconnect from being around other bands and just whatever — and just kind of dig into what we're into and we're doing and what we're digging on, it was really inspiring, man, and it was really needed. I think I needed that. I didn't realize how much I needed a break until I was having a break. And I was, like, 'Jesus, I really enjoy this.'"

He continued: "I mean, it was tough not having the money coming in, but we had enough money to get through it, so it worked out. In a lot of ways, I could… I don't know if I'm gonna continue touring like this forever. I really did enjoy the time off. Doing my 'Happy Hour' show [on Facebook Live] and then coming home on a Friday night and just drinking with my wife, it was cool. Maybe that's what the future is — I don't know. I mean, certainly not the immediate future, but it was the first time in my life that I ever thought, like, 'Wow, maybe I could do something else [and not stay on the road so much]."

MACHINE HEAD's tenth studio album, "Of Kingdom And Crown", was released on August 26 via Nuclear Blast/Imperium Recordings. The follow-up to 2018's "Catharsis", "Of Kingdom And Crown" includes the three songs that were featured on last year's "Arrows In Words From The Sky" single: "Become The Firestorm", "Rotten" and "Arrows In Words From The Sky". Much of the new MACHINE HEAD album was recorded at Sharkbite Studios in Oakland, California with engineer/producer Zack Ohren.

Flynn told Metal Hammer magazine about the musical direction of the new MACHINE HEAD material: "It's similar to [2003's 'Through The Ashes Of Empires' and 2007's 'The Blackening'] in that we're moving forward into something fresh and new but it's got that classic MACHINE HEAD vibe. We have a lot to deliver and expectations are very high, so I'm lucky to have great people surrounding me. Jared [MacEachern, bass] really stepped up and wrote some great riffs and great vocals. Vogg [guitarist Wacław Kiełtyka] contributed a few ideas and brought some really great songs."

He continued: "It's fucking heavy, probably the heaviest we've been in a few albums. I've been playing so much guitar recently; I do Electric Happy Hours every Friday and sometimes you play a song you haven't played in 10, 20 years, or go through a whole album from top to bottom. When we toured 'Burn My Eyes', it took me back to where I was writing that music. I don't think I can ever be in that place again lyrically, but riff-wise, I think that all spilled into this album."

In November 2020, MACHINE HEAD released a single, "My Hands Are Empty", via Nuclear Blast. The song marked the first musical collaboration between Flynn and original "Burn My Eyes" guitarist Logan Mader in 24 years.

"My Hands Are Empty" was just one in a line of singles to be released by MACHINE HEAD, which issued "Do Or Die" in October 2019, "Circle The Drain" in February 2020, and the two-song digital single "Civil Unrest", consisting of "Stop The Bleeding" and "Bulletproof", in June 2020. "Stop The Bleeding" featured guest vocals from KILLSWITCH ENGAGE frontman Jesse Leach, and was written and recorded just days after the murders of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery.

MACHINE HEAD will team up with Sweden's Viking metal overlords AMON AMARTH for a co-headline "Vikings And Lionhearts" European arena tour in September and October. Support on the trek will come from THE HALO EFFECT, the new band featuring five former members of IN FLAMES: Peter Iwers, Daniel Svensson, Jesper Strömblad, Niclas Engelin and Mikael Stanne.

KORN guitarist James "Munky" Shaffer missed the band's concert this past Sunday night (August 28) in Wantagh, New York in order to fly home for an "an important family matter". Filling in for him at Northwell Health At Jones Beach was once again J.R. Bareis, who previously stepped in last September while Shaffer was recovering from COVID-19.

On Saturday (August 27),Shaffer took to his Instagram to write: "Due to an unexpected event, I am going to be flying home for an important family matter tomorrow (Sunday, 8/28). Because of this, I will unfortunately be missing our show in Wantagh, NY at Jones Beach Theater.

"Although I am bummed that I won't get to see our NY fans, we are very lucky to have our longtime friend and fellow axe-man, JR, fill in for me to keep the KORN set going strong.

"Thank you all for your understanding at this time, and I will be back for our Charlotte, NC show on 8/31."

Prior to last year, Bareis, who is also in the band LOVE AND DEATH with KORN guitarist Brian "Head" Welch, filled in for Shaffer in August 2019 when Munky was forced to miss several KORN shows due to the impending birth of his child.

KORN kicked off its U.S. tour with EVANESCENCE on August 16 at the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. The 18-city trek is making stops across the U.S., including in Boston, Chicago, Houston and more, before wrapping up in Ridgefield, Washington on September 16.

KORN is continuing to tour in support of its latest album, "Requiem", which was released in February via Loma Vista Recordings.

"Requiem", which was produced by Chris Collier and KORN, entered Billboard's Hard Rock Albums chart at No. 1. The band sold 23,000 equivalent album units in the February 4-10 tracking week, according to Billboard. Of that sum, 20,000 units were from album sales. "Requiem" also landed at No. 2 on the Top Rock Albums and Top Alternative Albums charts. On the all-format Billboard 200, it arrived at No. 14.

In honor of 40 outstanding years in metal, Metal Blade Records presents a special limited edition 40th Anniversary premium, 100% French wheat vodka by Infinity Premium Vodka.


Crafted using only the finest grains of winter wheat from the Champagne region of France. Sustainably distilled 5x and filtered through limestone to ensure the perfection demanded by luxury vodka connoisseurs. Carefully crafted at the source of wheat in France and loyally distributed from Infinity Premium Vodkas home in Dallas, Texas.


Now available in select locations in NY, NJ, CO, KS and online at metalbladevodka.com. Coming to CA and NV soon. Shipping is a flat rate of $19.99 for 1-6 bottles and $29.99 for 6-12 bottles. Special t-shirt & vodka packages are also available.

The Halo Effect - Jesper Strömblad (In Flames 1990-2010), Mikael Stanne (Dark Tranquillity), Peter Iwers (In Flames 1997-2016), Daniel Svensson (In Flames 1998-2015) and Niclas Engelin (In Flames 1997-98/2011) - performed at the Wacken Open Air in Wacken, Germany on August 5th. Check out pro-shot video of their set closer "Shadowminds" below.


Their setlist was as follows:


"Days of the Lost"
"The Needless End"
"A Truth Worth Lying For"
"Conditional"
"Gateways"
"Feel What I Believe"
"In Broken Trust"
"Last of Our Kind"
"The Most Alone"
"Shadowminds"







The Halo Effect have entered the official charts in Sweden in the pole position, #1, with their debut album, Days Of The Lost. It's believed to be the first debut album from a metal act that has ever topped the Swedish charts in the first week of release.


The record has also achieved chart success around the rest of the world - check out all chart results below.


The band comments on this incredible success: "We are equally excited and humbled seeing that our debut album is making an impact on the charts around Europe. Nr 1 on our home country of Sweden is just mind-blowing and having the nr 6 positions in Germany, Finland and the Austria respectfully gives us the impression that the unholy forces of melodic death metal fandom is with us. Thank you everyone who has purchased, streamed and viewed our album. We couldn't be more proud and we love you all for being there with us. See you on the road soon!"


Positions:


Sweden: #1
Germany: #6
Finnland: #6 (Top 50), #2 (physical)
Austria: #6
Switzerland: #8
UK: #3 (Rock), #10 (Indie)
USA: #3 (Top New Artist), #5 (Current Hard Music)


Order the new album here.





Tracklisting:


"Shadowminds"
"Days Of The Lost"
"The Needless End"
"Conditional"
"In Broken Trust"
"Gateways"
"A Truth Worth Lying For"
"Feel What I Believe"
"Last Of Our Kind"
"The Most Alone"


"In Broken Trust" video:





"The Needless End" track video:





"Days Of The Lost" video:





"Feel What I Believe” video:





“Shadowminds” video:





The band will soon embark on an extended European tour and already have plans to hit the studio again to work on new material when they return.

A new coffee table book photo book of Eddie Van Halen, "Ed By Zloz", will be released in September. The book by legendary photographer Neil Zlozower, which contains 384 full-color pages, includes many photos that haven't appeared in Neil's previous VAN HALEN books.

Most of the pictures in "Ed By Zloz" were taken during the David Lee Roth era of VAN HALEN, but there are also some photos from the periods when the band was fronted by Sammy Hagar and Gary Cherone.

Zlozower said: "I sincerely believe that everyone will be truly impressed by this book."

The subject of the award-winning documentary "In Your Face - The Neil Zlozower Story", California native, photography legend and cult figure Neil Zlozower has captured the icons of rock and roll for over 40 years with his electrifying film images defining the very way people think of rock stars. Splashed on the covers and pages of magazines from Rolling Stone, Guitar Player, Metal Hammer, Guitar World, Drum to Playgirl, Zloz has photographed the Mount Rushmore of rock giants — LED ZEPPELIN, David Bowie, GUNS N' ROSES, VAN HALEN, KISS and more.

Order your copy of "Ed By Zloz" from VanHalenStore.com.

Eddie died on October 6, 2020 at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California. Following his death, fans left flowers at his childhood home on Las Lunas Street in Pasadena, California. Additional flowers, candles and fan mementos were placed on Allen Avenue where Eddie and his brother, VAN HALEN drummer Alex, scratched their band's name into the wet cement of a sidewalk when they were teenagers.

After Eddie was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer, he began flying to Germany for treatments. Eventually, the cancer spread to Eddie's spine and brain. Just a few months later, Eddie died at age 65.

Eddie's son Wolfgang speculated to The Washington Post that his father could have flown to Germany for more radiation had the coronavirus crisis not happened, possibly prolonging his life.

In November 2020, Wolfgang said that doctors told Eddie he had "six weeks" after he was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer. "And then he went to Germany," Wolfgang told Howard Stern on his SiriusXM show. "Whatever the fuck they do over there, it's amazing, because I got three more years with him."

In December 2020, Eddie's immediate cause of death was revealed to be a cerebrovascular event, such as a stroke. Pneumonia, the blood disorder myelodysplastic syndrome and lung cancer were also cited as underlying causes in his death certificate, which was obtained by TMZ. The certificate also listed a number of other "significant conditions" that contributed to Eddie's death, including squamous cell carcinoma (skin cancer) of the head and neck, and atrial fibrillation, a condition that causes irregular heartbeat and elevates stroke risk.

In the Howard Stern interview, Wolf said the cause of his dad's death had been "misattributed" by some media outlets as throat cancer. Eddie had previously battled tongue cancer in the early 2000s, which Eddie blamed on holding a metal pick in his mouth.

Wolf said it was "certainly feasible" that Eddie got tongue cancer from the pick but he shot down the suggestion that he died from throat cancer.

"People love to give him shit about that," Wolfgang said, before adding, "He would hold that pick in the same spot all the time, and that's the exact area that he got the squamous cell carcinoma in his tongue that he had to get cut out.

"When it's reported, it's always attributed to the throat cancer and then everybody instead of going 'Oh shit. His cancer's back,' people are just going 'What an idiot. He thinks he got throat cancer from a pick?' And it just totally derails the whole thing," he said.

VAN HALEN was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2007.

Rolling Stone magazine ranked Eddie Van Halen No. 8 in its list of the 100 greatest guitarists.

Swedish metallers IN FLAMES have teamed with Heartbeat Hot Sauce Co. to launch their own variety of hot sauce.

"It's a real pleasure to work with Al and Heart Beat Hot Sauce Co.," the band said in a statement. "Everything they make is world-class and we hope you guys enjoy our special-edition flavor. Do enjoy with beer, BBQ, and heavy fucking metal."

Heartbeat Hot Sauce Co. added: "As fans of IN FLAMES since the '90s, when the opportunity to collaborate was proposed there was no questioning it. So many comparisons can be drawn between metal and hot sauce, with the two parties involved here this is a match made in heaven — or hell! This was the perfect opportunity to take our signature Red Habanero sauce and crank the heat up to hit as hard as the band does. IN FLAMES are veterans of the metal world and we couldn't be more proud to put this product together with them. Approach this one with caution!"

For more information, click here.

Earlier this month, IN FLAMES released a brand-new song titled "The Great Deceiver". The track is taken from IN FLAMES' upcoming fourteenth studio album, tentatively due later in the year via Nuclear Blast Records. A performance video for the song can be seen below.

IN FLAMES vocalist Anders Fridén stated: "'The Great Deceiver' was born out of frustration, basically a reaction to false flags but since then it has grown to represent several meanings. There's a line that says 'Bend the truth to fit your opinion' and I feel that speaks a lot to the narrative happening online, between people, and nations etc. today. We are more a part now than ever before yet it’s easier to communicate than in any other time in history."

As previously reported, IN FLAMES will embark on a fall 2022 European tour with support from AT THE GATES, IMMINENCE and ORBIT CULTURE.

Fridén recently spoke to MoreCore.TV about IN FLAMES' upcoming album,. Asked if the LP's first single, "State Of Slow Decay", is a good representation of what fans can expect from the record, Anders said: "IN FLAMES has always been about melody and aggression. The short answer is yes, but it's not gonna be all fast. We try to explore all corners of metal with our music. Let's put it like this: if you're a fan of IN FLAMES, then you will love this album."

Elaborating on what fans can expect from the upcoming IN FLAMES album, Anders said: "This is the fourteenth album. So if you know IN FLAMES, you know sort of what you're gonna get. But I think this is a good mix of the past, the present and wherever we're going, and [it] has a little thing for everyone; it has the heavy, it has the melodic, it has the uptempo and the slow parts. I think it's amazing, and it really represents who we are at this time."

Asked if the pandemic influenced the songwriting process for the new IN FLAMES effort, Anders said: "Welll, in a certain way. Lyrically, for sure. I thought this two-year break would make us see us who we are as people and maybe come out on the other side being a little bit more nice and gentle and with more understanding, but I think it's the opposite. So it definitely inspired the lyrical side.

"Of course, a break like that, it's a pause, so when you get back into it, maybe unintentionally you have more energy across the board, [and] with the music as well," he explained.

IN FLAMES performed "State Of Slow Decay" — which was produced by Howard Benson, mixed by Joe Rickard and mastered by Ted Jensen — live for the first time on June 10 at the Sweden Rock Festival in Sölvesborg, Sweden.

This past March, guitarist Björn Gelotte confirmed that IN FLAMES' upcoming album was once again recorded with Grammy-nominated producer Benson and Howard's longtime engineer Mike Plotnikoff.

In early July, Fridén told Chaoszine about the songwriting process for the new IN FLAMES album: "Me and Björn, we live on different sides of [Sweden] — he lives in Gothenburg; I live in Stockholm — and we only saw each other once or twice during the whole pandemic. But towards the end, when we kind of felt like it's gonna open up for real, we started talking and then we decided to take a trip to the U.S. and just get the machine rolling again — write some stuff; just get things out of our system. So we spent some time — like, three weeks — in L.A. And then we flew home and had Christmas and so on, and then we flew back again and started recording stuff for real. But as soon as we got together, a few weeks in the writing process, it felt like it always has."

Anders went on to say that he and Björn "had to be in the same room" in order to maximize their songwriting efforts. "We feed off each other's energies and ideas and so on, and I don't think we can write apart," he explained. "I mean, we can, but it won't be the same. So we have to get in the same room and be amongst everyone in the band… Me and Björn, we are the ones that are writing everything. The other guys are obviously partaking and bringing in their energy and their skills to the band, but when it comes to the writing, it's not much different."

Speaking in more detail about the contributions of IN FLAMES' three American members — drummer Tanner Wayne, bassist Bryce Paul and guitarist Chris Broderick — Anders said: "They are great individual musicians, so they bring in their skills and their way of playing, and it's very unique from person to person. And that's what they bring. And also the feeling — it's such a good atmosphere within the band; there's no arguments, really, and we're just having a good time being around each other. And that helps the whole creative process. And what they've done… I mean, you will hear it whenever we… We released one new song, but more to come. You can hear it, what they do. They're amazing guys and amazing musicians and really good friends."

Wayne joined IN FLAMES following the departure of Joe Rickard, who played on "I, The Mask" and 2016's "Battles".

Tanner made his live debut with IN FLAMES in July 2018 in Brno, Czech Republic.

Longtime IN FLAMES drummer Daniel Svensson announced in 2015 that he was leaving the band to focus on his family life.

Paul has been playing most of the shows with IN FLAMES since longtime bassist Peter Iwers's November 2016 exit.

As previously reported, IN FLAMES will embark on a North American tour this September. Support on the trek will come from FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY, ORBIT CULTURE and VENDED.

In August 2020, IN FLAMES released a special 20th-anniversary edition of its seminal, critically acclaimed album "Clayman". "Clayman 20th Anniversary Edition" came entirely remastered by Ted Jensen (PANTERA, DEFTONES, GOJIRA) and featured all-new artwork in a 16-page booklet, a brand-new instrumental medley plus four re-recorded versions of fan favorites such as "Only For The Weak" and "Pinball Map".

GRETA VAN FLEET drummer Danny Wagner spoke to AXS TV's "At Home And Social" about what it has been like for him and his bandmates to open for METALLICA for several stadium shows in the U.S. this year. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "METALLICA was a big part of our lives. Growing up, that was... They are the biggest rock band in the world. And that's a statement I'm more than willing to make. But when we got that call [letting us know we would support METALLICA], there really weren't a whole lot of words. We kind of just looked at each other and went, 'Really? Us?' And we're honored. And they're such nice guys — they really are. They welcomed us, and they're an excellent role model for being the headline artist bringing on a younger group. They really just were so humble and treated us so well and our crew so well. And everything was just smooth sailing."

GRETA VAN FLEET supported METALLICA on February 25 in Las Vegas and two additional dates with the California metal giants earlier this month.

Back in March, GRETA VAN FLEET announced new arena shows for this summer and fall. The band is being joined by a host of acclaimed artists on the trek, including THE PRETTY RECKLESS, HOUNDMOUTH, DURAND JONES & THE INDICATIONS, FRUIT BATS, Robert Finley, CROWN LANDS and Hannah Wicklund.

The current run of shows comes five months after Jake Kiszka, GRETA VAN FLEET's guitarist, had to be hospitalized while he was battling with pneumonia.

"He pretty much, overnight, came down with a really bad case [of pneumonia]. It was really scary at the time," Wagner told the Des Moines Register. "Jake's healthy again, which is great. We're all healthy again at the moment."

GRETA VAN FLEET is touring in support of its acclaimed sophomore album, "The Battle At Garden's Gate", released last year to extensive chart and critical success. The album debuted at No. 1 Billboard Rock Album, No. 1 Billboard Hard Rock Album, No. 1 Billboard Vinyl Album, No. 2 Billboard Top Album Sales and in the Top 10 on the Billboard 200.

Wagner also told the Des Moines Register that he and his bandmates have been staying creative over the course of the last few months.

"We have been spending the last six months or so curating a new album, and it's been going really well," he said. "It's nearing completion which is wonderful, and that's kind of new information for people. Keep your eyes peeled; that should be on the way soon."

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The Live Rock Music by Scott PerryYouTube channel has uploaded front-row video of MEGADETH's entire concert, as well as the VIP Experience and review, this past Wednesday (August 24) at FivePoint Amphitheatre in Irvine, California. Check it out below.

MEGADETH kicked off its summer/fall 2022 U.S. tour as the support act for FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH on August 19 at RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater in Ridgefield, Washington. The trek, which features additional support from THE HU and FIRE FROM THE GODS, will conclude on October 15 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

MEGADETH's setlist for the Irvine concert was as follows:

01. Hangar 18
02. Dread And The Fugitive Mind
03. We'll Be Back
04. Sweating Bullets
05. Dystopia
06. Trust
07. Symphony Of Destruction
08. Peace Sells

Encore:

09. Holy Wars... The Punishment Due

Just a day or two prior to the Irvine show, MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine spoke to Milwaukee's 102.9 The Hog radio station about why he and his bandmates had yet to perform any of the songs from their upcoming album, "The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!", live, despite the fact that they have already released three of them as singles. He said: "We are adding two songs to our set; we are adding 'Night Stalkers' and 'We'll Be Back'. Hopefully we'll be able to add 'Soldier On!' by then too. But a lot of that is dictated by the radio support and the listeners' tastes. When certain songs our fans like to hear, we'll add them into the setlist if we can. If there's a song that we're playing in the setlist and people aren't responding to it, well, obviously we're gonna do the opposite and take it out of the setlist. This is all part of the showbiz part. A lot of people don't care about that; they just wanna rock."

"The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!" will arrive on September 2 via UMe. Featuring twelve new tracks, the follow-up to 2016's "Dystopia" will be made available on CD, vinyl, and cassette, as well as digitally through all online partners. There will also be a limited deluxe edition 2LP, 12-track album pressed on 180g black vinyl housed in a numbered gatefold jacket with a 12x24 lyrics/credits insert, a lenticular vinyl lithograph and a bonus seven-inch featuring "We'll Be Back" and the unreleased B-side "The Conjuring (Live)". The limited deluxe edition can only be purchased via MEGADETH's official online store, through Sound Of Vinyl and uDiscover.

"The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!" reunites Mustaine with co-producer Chris Rakestraw (DANZIG, PARKWAY DRIVE),who together helmed "Dystopia". The new album was recorded at Mustaine's home studio in Nashville, Tennessee, with guitarist Kiko Loureiro and drummer Dirk Verbeuren. Bassist Steve DiGiorgio temporarily stepped in to record the album. With the kick-off of MEGADETH's recent tour, MEGADETH alumnus James LoMenzo rejoined the MEGADETH family as permanent bass player.

"The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!" features a cover of DEAD KENNEDYS' "Police Truck" and Sammy Hagar's "This Planet's On Fire", the latter of which includes vocals from Hagar himself.

Texas rockers, Pulse, have announced that their song "No Fate", from their album The Sum Of Our Parts, is featured in the end credits for "Hellweek 10 Year Anniversary", now available for pre-order on DVD and Blu-ray and coming soon to many top movie streaming platforms.


The track will also be Included in the motion picture soundtrack, to be released by Dark Star Records / SONY / Universal. In addition, the music video for "No Fate" is included as a bonus feature on the DVD and Blu-ray.


Pulse recently released their new album Dragonfly, digitally on all platforms worldwide  via Dark Star Records. Order the album here.




Talking about their new album the band said, “This album is our most diverse yet, I think Dragonfly is the perfect name for an album that can move in so many directions musically.”


"Pulse is one the most hi calibre bands that I've ever worked with, and there latest release only proves my point." - Jeffrey A. Swanson / President / Dark Star Records





Tracklisting:


"Perfect Like You"
"Wrecking Ball"
"Wake Up"
"Hollowed (Hollow II)"
"Like A Prayer"
"Pendulum"
"Part Of Me"
"The Wave Between Two"
"Until The Night"
"Rocklahoma"


"The Wave Between Two" video:





Pulse tour dates:


September
4 - Rocklahoma - Pryor, OK
5 - BlackHawk Casino - Shawnee, OK


October
22 - 19th Hole - Houston, TX (with 12 Years Driven)





Pulse lineup:


Sean Yeaney - Vocals
James Brennaman - Guitar
Justin Rainbolt - Guitar
Eric Fox - Drums
David Hopkins - Bass
Tina Grace - Keyboard, Vocal

Nasty have released a new song and music video, “Don’t Play With Fire”, via Century Media Records. Check out the video below.


“’Don't Play With Fire’ is a super-aggressive song coming with a wild video. Beware! Don’t play with fire or you’ll get burned…”, states frontman Matthi.







Check out Nasty's previously released music video for “Resurrection" below:





Catch the band on tour for their upcoming ”Taste Of Anarchy Club Rage Tour 2022“. Nasty's headline tour will feature support from First Blood, Paleface and Forty Four.

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions have announced the official reissue of the Deeds Of Flesh classic debut album, Trading Pieces. This masterpiece of brutal death metal is up now for pre-order and will be released October 7 on CD format.


Originally released on June 13, 1996 via Repulse Records, none are more vile than Deeds Of Flesh on Trading Pieces... true innovators of violence and pioneers of brutal, technical death metal. Trading Pieces still stands out as one of the most creative, unique and vicious releases of the 90's that is worthy of repeat listens. Pushing the limits of technicality and brutality, Deeds Of Flesh unleash a masterpiece of twisted, pummelling, blasting and slamming savagery that is complex, technical, and maddening. Ultra-guttural deranged vocals, razor-sharp relentless riffs, frantic chaotic bass and bone-crushing inhuman drumming make Trading Pieces a sinister slab of death metal perfection. This officially licensed reissue features an all new layout design and is dedicated to Deeds Of Flesh founder Erik Lindmark... Rest In Power! For fans of Broken Hope, Cannibal Corpse, Cryptopsy, Dying Fetus, Defeated Sanity, Devourment, Disgorge, Gorguts, Immolation, Internal Bleeding, Pyrexia and Suffocation.







Pre-order the CD for only $11, here.





Tracklisting:


"Carnivorous Ways"
"Born Then Torn Apart"
"Trading Pieces"
"Hunting Humans"
"Impious Offerings"
"Acid Troops"
"Deeds Of Flesh"
"Erected On Stakes"
"Chunks In The Shower"
"Blasted"
"Outro"


"Trading Pieces":

Dutch vocalist/composer Charlotte Wessels continues her successful solo journey by releasing her newest single, the profound “Toxic”, from her upcoming second full-length album, Tales From Six Feet Under Vol II, out October 7 via Napalm Records.


Within this immersive piece of rock, pop, metal and beyond, Charlotte's artistic talent shows no limits on Tales From Six Feet Under Vol II. Carefully crafting lyrics, instrumentals, vocals and even mastering production, her artistic and intellectual sophistication is beyond compare. Besides her own prominent creative impact, the album also features delicate guitar work by Delain ex-band colleague Timo Somers.


It might be easy to get lulled into a false sense of security by the relaxed opening beat of her latest single, but do not be fooled: Charlotte takes no prisoners on her newest single, “Toxic”. The track starts with suspenseful, magical sounds that, together with challenging lyrics, offer a perfect symbiosis. The ambient sounds are completed with hard guitar riffs and growling screams. Staying true to her metal origin, Charlotte proves once again that she does not care for limitations! Effortlessly, she combines various genres making versatility her trademark as she introduces an atmospheric sound with explosive potential.




Wessels on “Toxic”: “'Toxic' is a direct response to the populism, greed, misogyny and victim blaming that come screaming from our screens on a daily basis, and with the recent overturning of Roe v Wade, it has sadly become only more relevant since its initial release on Patreon. I hope you like the song but I mostly hope the issues it deals with will be a thing of the past before I am."


Watch the lyric video for “Toxic”:





On the exciting new offering, Tales From Six Feet Under Vol II, Wessels’ styles range from melancholic alt-pop to synth-infused rock and connect atmospheric elements with harder sounds, crossing genre boundaries with ease.


Starting with captivating synth-flavored track “Venus Rising”, Charlotte Wessels’ lures the listener into her multifaceted world of sound to be spellbound within the blink of an eye. Following “Human To Ruin” mesmerizes with a sweet melody that breaks into a propelling metal track, where calmer parts alter with powerful break outs. Wessels releases her power on other commanding tracks like “The Phantom Touch” and “Good Dog”, while on “The Final Roadtrip”, she presents the full range of her vocal prowess atop carefully balanced electronic beats and indie soundscapes. “Toxic” comes with an obscure, captivating whispering sound that turns into a strong sonic wall, as the album then fades out with the honest atmospheric gems “I Forget” featuring a cello performance by Elianne Anemaat, and “Utopia”.


This eclectic wealth of songs proves Wessels’ exceptional ability to express the most sincere feelings and emotions within her art and her distinct intuition for the combination of seemingly different genres. Tales From Six Feet Under Vol II is an enchanting portent of Charlotte Wessels’ further multifaceted endeavors.





Tales From Six Feet Under Vol II will be available as 1LP Vinyl Gold, 1LP Vinyl Recycled Black, 1LP Vinyl Recycled Color (Patreon exclusive) as well as on all digital platforms. Moreover, fans will get a combined 2CD Digisleeve that also includes Wessel's exciting first solo offering Tales From Six Feet Under Vol I, which will be released on CD for the first time now.


Pre-order the new album here.





Tales From Six Feet Under Vol II tracklisting:


"Venus Rising"
"Human To Ruin"
"The Phantom Touch"
"Against All Odds"
"A Million Lives"
"The Final Roadtrip"
"Good Dog"
"Toxic"
"I Forget"
"Utopia"


“Human To Ruin” lyric video:





"Against All Odds" video:





Charlotte Wessels will bring her work to the stage on October 23 at TivoliVredenburg - Ronda, in Utrecht, NL, for her first and only live show so far: Tales From Six Feet Under - Live in Concert. Get tickets here.





(Photo - Sandra Ludewig)

Hard rock outfit Weapons Of Anew (WOA) have announced the release of new music with the song “Break The Ties”, dropping on September 16. It will be the first song with new members, singer Richie Hume and drummer Lun’iah Fontana. The new song is the first from the forthcoming 2023 release, The Art Of War. Pre-save the single here.





This was the first song written for The Art of War. It came about as guitarist Freddy Ordine and Logan Mader (Machine Head, Once Human) hit it off while on tour together. WOA were auditioning producers and Freddy, a huge fan of early Machine Head material, invited Logan to spend time at their studio.




"I couldn't be happier with how this song came together and turned out,” exclaims Ordine. "It had our New York attitude and Logan's west coast vibe. We really nailed the direction I wanted to take Weapons in. Logan was just amazing to work with!”


“Break The Ties” is about cutting away the bad and being in a more together space with everything. "It's crazy to me that a year after this song was written, [bassist] Reno and I moved to Florida and rebuilt Weapons,” adds Ordine. "I guess subconsciousness is a mother f*cker! Had we only known or listened sooner!"


This Tampa-based hard rock outfit, originally from New Jersey, released their debut, The Collision Of Love And Hate, in 2017 and toured heavily to support it, including opening for Scott Stapp, Alterbridge and Tesla.


WOA recorded a second album for release in 2020, with the first song released, being a cover of The Chainsmokers “Sick Boy” dropping in September 2020, reaching #25 on Billboard Active Rock, #18 Billboard Indicator and #27 Mediabase Active Rock. It currently has 1.2 million streams. The release was delayed due to COVID and in mid-2021 WOA made their personnel changes and re-recorded the songs for The Art of War.


WOA are:


Richie Hume (vocals)
Freddy Ordine (guitar)
Reno (bass)
Kevin Hicklin (guitar)
Lun’iah Fontana (drums)


(Photo - Angela Goldstein)

Exhumed returns from the depths with their macabre new album, To The Dead, out October 21 via Relapse Records. In advance of the record’s release, today the band unleashes a video for first single, “Drained Of Color”, directed by Nikko DeLuna. Watch below.


Comments frontman Matt Harvey, “Like a lingering infection, we’ve returned to excruciate your eardrums and splatter your senses! The lads and I are very stoked to excrete our latest audio abortion onto the collective face of the underground. We’ve dialed up the ‘gross-o-meter’ to 666, so if gore-soaked blastbeats, disgusting vocals, and meat-cleaving riffs are your idea of a good time, you’re in for a fucken treat!”







To The Dead will be available on CD, LP, and digital formats. Physical pre-orders are available at Relapse.com here. Find digital pre-orders here.





To The Dead tracklisting:


"Putrescine And Cadaverine"
"Drained Of Color"
"Carbonized"
"Rank And Defiled"
"Lurid, Shocking, And Vile"
"Undertaking The Overkilled"
"Nerotica"
"No Headstone Unturned"
"Defecated"
"Disgusted"


"Drained Of Color" video:





Additionally, Exhumed will kick off a US headlining tour this fall. The journey runs from November 11 through December 17. Support will be provided by Hulder and Vitriol as well as Molder from November 11 through November 22 and Castrator from November 23 through the tour’s conclusion. Tickets go on sale this Thursday, September 1.





Exhumed are the pioneers of blood-soaked gore metal and the band's storied career needs no introduction. To the Dead is the culmination of decades upon decades of nightmarish riffs, obliterating blastbeats, and hellish screams from the very depths the band crawled out from!


"To The Dead is a destination," notes Harvey. "A rotting world populated by the grotesquely twisted truths of our waking world and the decaying fallout of our most deranged ambitions. But it's also a title that evokes a celebration of, and an invitation into, the gore-soaked world of Exhumed."


The very celebration of Exhumed's history is ever-present on this album. "We've expanded the writing team on the record to include former members Mike Beams, Leon del Muerte, Matt Widener, and Bud Burke in an effort to celebrate the band's history -- at this point decades of it -- and I think the resulting record is an excellent testament to the surprising longevity of Gore Fucking Metal!"


So please, accept the band's humble invitation and sink six feet down to their level. Exhumed can't wait for you to get a whiff of what they've cooked up - this will be the most fun you've ever had being disgusted!


Exhumed:


Matt Harvey - guitar, vocals
Ross Sewage - bass, vocals
Mike Hamilton - drums
Sebastian Phillips - guitar

Blackened death thrash practitioners, Goatwhore, are pleased to unleash "Death From Above", the fiery new single off their long-awaited new full-length, Angels Hung From The Arches Of Heaven, set for release on October 7 via Metal Blade Records.


Marching into their twenty-fifth year as master architects of the most ruthless extreme metal, with Angels Hung From The Arches Of Heaven Goatwhore spews forth forty-seven decimating minutes of the band's trademark brew of death, black, thrash, and classic metal delivered with breathless intensity and an unapologetic bloodlust.


The title of the record - like all of the band's releases - is both deep and direct. Notes vocalist Louis B. Falgoust II, "It's a mixture of esoteric ideas and biblical scripts; the rise and fall of the self and how the abyss can be a turning point for some and a passageway to oblivion for others." Lyrically, Falgoust draws from a wide-ranging assortment of inspirations. Latest album teaser, "Death From Above," is loosely based on the "Nachthexen," or Night Witches, a group of female Soviet aviators in a bomber division deployed in 1942, a period during which women were in fact barred from combat.




Offers guitarist/vocalist Sammy Duet, "It's an atomic blast of old school blackened death thrash for your asses. Beware the Night Witches…"


View Goatwhore's "Death From Above" visualizer below:





Angels Hung From The Arches Of Heaven was produced by Jarrett Pritchard (Exhumed, 1349), who handled the band's Vengeful Ascension full-length, and tracked primarily at Studio In The Country in Bogalusa, Louisiana under pandemic restrictions. Additionally, the band recruited acclaimed producer Kurt Ballou (Converge, High On Fire, Gatecreeper, Code Orange) to mix the record with final mastering duties handled by Grammy-award winning engineer Ted Jensen (Ghost, Gojira, Cult Of Luna). The record is tied together by the striking artwork of longtime collaborator Jordan Barlow who's cryptic use of sigils holds deeper meaning to the record's entirety.


Unquestionably their fiercest, most accomplished album to date in sound, concept, and execution, the twelve-track Angels Hung From The Arches Of Heaven stands among the most volatile and plainly dangerous records to come out of 2022. Featuring ferocious beasts like the maniacally thrashing "Born Of Satan's Flesh," the oldschool, crossover flavored "Death From Above'' with its guttural chorus, and a towering title track that's as haunting as it is heavy, the band - Duet, Falgoust, drummer Zack Simmons, and bassist Robert "TA" Coleman (his first recorded output with the band) - covers a wealth of sonic terrain while preserving their signature, nefarious Goatwhore aura. With an overall tone described by Duet as "dark and evil" with a perpetual sentiment of "impending dread," the record allows little light to cling to.





Angels Hung From The Arches Of Heaven will be released on CD, digitally, and LP in the following color variants:


- Smoke vinyl (US exclusive - clear w/ black smoke)
- Bloodshot vinyl (US exclusive - clear w/ red swirl)
- 180g Black vinyl (EU exclusive)
- Silver/Black Marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 300 copies)
- Blood Red/Black Marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 300 copies)
- White/Black Marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 300 copies)


Pre-order here.





Angels Hung From The Arches Of Heaven tracklisting:


"Invocation 3"
"Born Of Satan's Flesh"
"The Bestowal Of Abomination"
"Angels Hung From The Arches Of Heaven"
"Death From Above"
"Ruinous Liturgy"
"Victory Is The Lightning Of Destruction"
"Voracious Blood Fixation"
"The Devil's Warlords"
"Weight Of A Soulless Heart"
"Nihil"
"And I Was Delivered From The Wound Of Perdition"


"Born Of Satan's Flesh" video:





Goatwhore lineup:


Louis B. Falgoust II - vocals
Sammy Duet - guitars, vocals
Zack Simmons - drums
Robert "TA" Coleman - bass


(Photo - Stephanie Cabral)

On November 18, the engaging, enchanting, cutting, yet beautiful Swedish metal supergroup, Soen, will release (via Silver Lining Music) a very special concert film, Atlantis, featuring thirteen of the group’s most popular compositions reinterpreted with live orchestral accompaniment.


The perfect way for Soen to celebrate a decade together; Atlantis was created within the mystic and magical confines of Atlantis Grammofon Studio in Stockholm, Sweden, which has seen a wide range of international artists record, from Quincy Jones to Lenny Kravitz to Green Day. Formerly a movie house in 1941, it went on to become Metronome Studio (during which time ABBA was born) before becoming Atlantis Grammofon in 1983.


The first track being released as single and video from Soen’s “alternate utopia” is their brand-new piece, “Trials”, which can be viewed below.




Founding members Martin Lopez and Joel Ekelöf deliberate on the meaning of the song: "Freedom is not to be taken for granted. Modern society is built to entertain us and keep us passive, forgetting about the important things in life. We have to be aware of what we really value in our lives.


"The great masses are taken advantage of by a few wolves of wealth, many of whom we put in power ourselves or pay monthly subscription fees to. "Trials" talks about the desperation and anger of knowing that society is unfair and that we all contribute to something we’re against just by existing."


Filmed and recorded on December 10, 2021, Martin Lopez (drums & percussion), Joel Ekelöf (lead vocals), Lars Enok Åhlund (guitars & piano), Cody Lee Ford (lead guitar) and Oleksii “Zlatoyar” Kobel (bass) worked together with an 8-piece orchestra to reinterpret and rediscover fresh energy and elements in classic Soen songs, such as “Antagonist”, “Monarch”, “Jinn” and “Lucidity”, as well as introducing a stunning interpretation of Slipknot’s deeply dark meditation on darkness rejecting love, “Snuff”.


The end result of this eighty minute performance is some remarkable new aural refractions of Soen’s greatest material for fans to absorb and enjoy. As has always been the way with Soen: the deepest dives yield the greatest treasures.


Atlantis was recorded by David Castillo and Iñaki Marconi, mixed by Castillo, and mastered by Tony Lindgren. The performance was filmed and directed by George Laycock from the bespoke British production house Blacktide Phonic/Visual.


Atlantis will be available as a DVD-CD with bonus footage, a Double 12” Limited Edition Vinyl, Long Form Video, Digital Download and Streaming. Pre-orders available here.





Atlantis tracklisting:


"Antagonist"
"Lunacy"
"Monarch"
"Trials"
"River"
"Jinn"
"Illusion"
"Modesty"
"Lucidity"
"Savia"
"Fortune"
"Snuff"
"Lascivious"
"Lotus"


"Trials" performance video:





The additional orchestral musicians and contributors on Atlantis are:


Stefan Stenberg, Double Bass
Joakim Simonsson, Piano and Organ
Karin Liljenberg, Violin 1
Andreas Forsman, Violin 2
Erik Holm, Viola
Cecilia Linné, Cello
Johanna Börjesson, Vocals
Therése Börjesson, Vocals


Technical support: Dan Wahlbeck


Drum tech: Rickard Gustafsson


Sound support: Niclas Lindström


Soen wish to thank them deeply for their immense contribution to this performance.


With no sign of slowing down, the relentless metal quintet recently announced a twenty date North American Tour, kicking-off at Chicago’s Lincoln Hall; the tour will also see Soen perform as special guests of Katatonia in Dallas and Austin on December 6 and 7.


The North American dates follow shortly after the 2021 rescheduled Imperial European Tour that Soen postponed due to the restrictions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic at the time. The European dates include the opportunity for an unforgettable and intimate evening with Soen at their sole premiere live acoustic show taking place at Zoetermeer’s De Boerderij on September 30. The band are excited to be on the road again and have added fourteen new dates in Europe and the United Kingdom.


“It's a dream come true to finally be able to do an extensive North American tour,” enthuses Lopez. “It's a milestone for any band to tour a continent with such a rich musical history and we are very excited about finally getting to meet our North American audience. See you all there!”


All purchased tickets remain valid for the rescheduled dates and tickets remain on-sale. Full list of confirmed dates, tickets, and additional information available here.


Soen are:


Martin Lopez - Drums and percussion
Joel Ekelöf - Lead vocals
Lars Enok Åhlund - Guitars and Piano
Cody Lee Ford -  Lead Guitar
Oleksii "Zlatoyar" Kobel - Bass

Portuguese all-female metal band Black Widows have released a new single and music video from their upcoming second studio album, Among the Brave Ones, which is set to be released on October 21st 2022 via Finland's Inverse Records.


Check out the official video for the title track below.


Vocalist/guitarist Rute Fevereiro comments:"More than ten years ago, during a break with Black Widows and when I decided to think about my musical life, I made several songs. 'Among The Brave Ones' theme comes from that period of creativity. At the time, it didn't have that name but it awakened in me a sense of resilience and freedom. When I proposed this theme for us to work on as a band, Black Widows liked it and improved it substantially, giving their input as musicians. 'Among The Brave Ones' was the name given to this theme and the album. This song is about our band returning stronger and more powerful than ever . It honours the brave artists and has many musicians guests promoving our video, as you will see. Are you ready for what's to come?"







Tracklist:


"Black Orchid"
"Schizo"
"Among The Brave Ones"
"Philosophy Of Fools"
"Electrify Me"
"I'm A Monster"
"Drowning"
"Dead Heaven's Vibe"
"Forgive To Forget"
"Eden Denied"


"Among The Brave Ones"





"Black Orchid"

Architects have shared the second preview off their new album, the classic symptoms of a broken spirit, which will be out via Epitaph on October 21st. Single "deep fake" continues the band's exploration of electronic and industrial elements, pitting gritty synths against wailing guitar leads. The song premiered on BBC Radio 1’s Hottest Record in the World. Watch the music video below.





the classic symptoms of a broken spirit will be the band’s 10th studio album and is the follow-up to last year’s critically acclaimed album, For Those That Wish To Exist.  The band barely had time to celebrate success when they began the process of writing the songs that make up the new record.  Produced by Dan Searle and Josh Middleton, with additional production from Sam Carter at Deacon’s Middle Farm Studios and their own HQ, Electric Studios in Brighton. The band were buoyed by finally being back in the room together after their last album was made mostly remote due to COVID restrictions, the result was something altogether more “free, playful and spontaneous” the band's drummer and songwriter Dan explains. “This one feels more live, more exciting and more fun – it has that energy. We wanted it to be a lot more industrial and electronic,” agrees frontman Sam Carter.




Layers of electronic and industrial elements infuse the album with a blast of energy that sets the cinematic moodscape for the 11-track ride. There is more than a passing nod to the band’s post-rock influences as well as now familiar fist pumping anthems such as “when we were young”, and lead single “tear gas”, an arena ready anthem packed with industrial stomp. 





the classic symptoms of a broken spirit tracklist:


"deep fake" 
"tear gas"
"spit the bone" 
"burn down my house" 
"living is killing us"
"when we were young" 
"doomscrolling" 
"born again pessimist" 
"a new moral low ground" 
"all the love in the world" 
"be very afraid" 


"tear gas"





Pre-order the album here.

Brazilian heavy metal band Thunderspell, has released the cover and the name of the first single, entitled “Immortal Soul”, it will be present on the new album Thunderwarriors. The cover art was in charge of the Brazilian designer Getúlio Faria, who is also the author of the cover of the EP Power, Blood and Glory, released by the band in 2018. 


“Immortal Soul” is the first of two singles that the band intends to promote and that will before the release of Thunderspell second official album and will be issued on September 5.







The new album is being mixed in Los Angeles by the renowned Brazilian producer Adair Daufembach, a reference in terms of production and audio engineering, and will feature two special guests, one of which is Gerrit P. Mutz, vocalist of the German band Sacred Steel. 


“We are very excited, anxious and with excellent perspective on the release of this new album,” says Leonardo Rodrigues, lead singer of Thunderspell. Worldwide release forecast by MS Metal Records for the second half of 2022.

Italian melancholic metallers SilentLie are giving fans another taste of their forthcoming sophomore full-length Equilibrium with the unveiling of their new music video for the second single "On My Skin", a track about the story of the value of life to a son, through difficulties and hopes. It’s a smooth hard rock song, with a good rhythm, and a very catchy refrain.


Always drawn to the dark side of emotions, SilentLie's Equilibrium proceeds along this path. It stands on modern heavy tones and an obscure mood that can be compared to bands like Ghost, Ozzy Osbourne, and The Cure. Spreading their dark wings, drums, and bass, SilentLie builds a wall of sound on which the guitars dance with tombstone keys while a powerful female voice embraces the listener with gritty, but catchy melodies. Many of the songs on the album, thematically, deal with the eternal struggle between good and evil, with lyrics introspective and personal. There’s a maturity to the music that acts as a pendulum swinging between ‘80s liquid verses and gloomy, almost doomy, parts.


"Our first EP, Blood Under Snow was a collection of five obscure and atmospheric tracks, while our first full-length Layers Of Nothing featured dark/gothic influences with some old-fashioned Sabbath riffing. The new material on 'Equilibrium" reveals a more focused sound with a blasting production. It's deep, heavy, and gritty with a dark outline. It's a collection of 10 heavy songs, a journey in the dark without fear," adds the band.




Equilibrium was mixed in the U.S.A. by Grammy Award winner Dave Hagen at Dark Horse Studios (Mastodon, Evanescence, Alice in Chains). The album will be released on September 30.


Preorder the CD at the Rockshots Records webshop.





Tracklisting:


“Divided”
“On My Skin”
“Something To Remember”
“Taste Of Solitude”
“The One Who Disappears”
“Equilibrium”
“Hysteria”
“Modern Paradox”
“The Others”
“World Upside Down”


"On My Skin" video:





“Something To Remember” video:

Symphonic melodeath act Brundarkh is teasing their new album with “The Dark Tree”.


“The Dark Tree” is the first single from the Middle-earth inspired album, Those Born Of Fire And Shadow, which is set to release later this year. It is based on the unfinished sequel to The Lord Of The Rings called The New Shadow, set approximately 100 years after the fall of the Dark Tower during the reign of King Aragorn's son, Eldario.







-- "A new shadow is growing in the hearts of Men and a secret cult worshiping the old enemies of the world is taking root once again. A cult which is only referred to as The Dark Tree."


Brundarkh is a symphonic melodic death metal act inspired by dark fantasy stories and founded in late 2020 by South African composer, Heino Brand who is also joined by Caleb Bingham of Athanasia.

Texas hard rockers Diosa are back with a new single and music video for “Fire”.





Speaking about their new single, the band comments:




“The meaning of our new song is simple and was written poetically by our vocalist 'this fire that burns in me; I won’t let it die until I’m 6ft down below.' Never quit on yourself, embrace the struggles that life throws at you and come out on top. No one can take that away from you.”


Born from a series of eclectic tastes over time to form the sound they have today, the boys Justin (vocals, guitar), Tyler (bass), and Luis (guitar) knew from a young age that music was something they always wanted to pursue. While the band's rocky journey has been constantly tried and tested, Diosa made those life-changing moments count by sharing them through their music.

Marc Urselli's exciting project SteppenDoom which blends indigenous throat singers from around the globe with the cream of doom metal have released a first track, “Etugen Eke & Od Ana”, featuring legendary axeman Matt Pike (High On Fire, Sleep) and Tuvan vocal legend Batzorig Vaanchigfirst "Zorigoo". The single is taken from the album SteppenDoom that will rise and soar over grasslands, seas, and cities on November 18, 2022. Preorder here.


“Etugen Eke & Od Ana” tells of the Mongolian Earth Goddess and the Goddess of Fire as incarnated by the two main artists performing this song.


Marc Urselli comments: "The first single 'Etugen Eke & Od Ana' is a song of many firsts: Matt Pike of Sleep and High on Fire was one of the first guitar players that I reached out to, it was the first time that he and I collaborated, and also the first time he ever did something with a throat singer", the project's mastermind explains. "Furthermore, it was one of the first songs I'd written for the project, and therefore it is only fitting that it is the opening track of the SteppenDoom album. Batzorig Vaanchig of Khusugtun is one the greatest throat singers alive today. Throat singing, or overtone singing, is the ancient folk singing technique from Mongolia, Tuva, and Siberia. Mongolians often sing around the campfire with lyrics about Mother Earth, animals and the elements in nature. 




“'Etugen Eke & Od Ana' bridges the gap between the spiritual aspects of the Mongolian tradition and the wrath brought on by a creative powerhouse like Pike, which is exactly the kind of maelstrom that I wanted to bring to life. Even the title reflects this: Etugen Eke is the Mongolian earth goddess, while Od Ana is the Mongolian goddess of fire. It makes perfect sense that Batzorig Vaanchig brought the spirit of the earth and Matt Pike set it all on fire!"





Something wonderful is afoot when wolves howl, wild horses neigh, and seals bark through human spirit and voices. The exciting new SteppenDoom project from New York City and London-based Italian-Swiss audio engineer, sound designer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist Marc Urselli sees the producer inviting and uniting eminent musicians from across the doom metal genre and legendary indigenous singers employing ancient throat signing traditions from around the globe.


Among many others, the renowned artists who answered three-time Grammy Award winner Marc Urselli's call include Matt Pike (Sleep, High On Fire), Aaron Aedy (Paradise Lost), Steve Von Till (Neurosis), Christopher Juul (Heilung), Dave Chandler (Saint Vitus), Lori S. (Acid King), and Scott "Wino" Weinrich (The Obsessed) from the metal side, as well as masters of throat signing such as Alash Ensemble, Batzorig Vaanchig "Zorigoo", HUUN-HUUR-TU, Tanya Tagaq, Albert Kuvezin (Yat-Kha), and Alexey Tegin.


The ancient art of throat singing carries on in the grasslands, tundras, and hearts of the people living in and with nature. Heavy metal was born in England's industrial heartlands to the pounding of steel hammers and the mechanised mining of coal. Yet both share a deep desire for freedom and human dignity.





Tracklisting:


“Etugen Eke & Od Ana”
“Garuda Khuresh”
“Agloolik Igaluk”
“Tamag & Ocmah”
“Imdugud In Shambhala”
“Peri To Ela Guren”
“Sedna & Eliduc” (bonus)
“A-dkar Theg Pa” (bonus)


“Etugen Eke & Od Ana”:

New Jersey-based six-piece, Fit For An Autopsy, have shared the video for their cover of Lamb Of God's "Walk With Me in Hell". Watch below.


"When we started this band, Lamb Of God was one of our collective inspirations as to what we hoped FFAA could become one day.  Uncompromising DIY work ethic, socially conscious subject matter, timeless songs and riffs for days. In celebration of our upcoming tour with them, we thought it'd be fun to do a little tribute to one of their classics. Please enjoy 'Walk With Me In Hell,'" says the band.







FFAA released their sixth album; Oh What the Future Holds; earlier this year via Nuclear Blast. The band is also back on the road this fall.

Dutch hard rock band, Frontline, will release their long awaited debut album, Scream All You Want, on October 1. The album will be available on Spotify and other streaming channels.


Influenced by the likes of Guns N' Roses and Thin Lizzy, all 13 songs are self-penned originals, except for a hard rock cover of Taylor Dayne's 1987 dance-pop hit, "Tell It To My Heart". Following up on the releases of the Accidental Gathering EP and the "Judgment Day" single, the album features eight previously unreleased tracks, and re-recorded & remixed versions of the other five.







Tracklisting:


"Scream All You Want"
"Love Creeps"
"Out Of The Darkness"
"Keep It A Secret"
"Judgment Day"
"No More"
"High In The Sky"
"Love In Trouble"
"Lift Yourself Up"
"Tell It To My Heart"
"Cheating Is Easy"
"Tower Of Lies"
"Into The Sun"


(Photo - Peter Nolten)

SLIPKNOT frontman Corey Taylor has weighed in on the news that PANTERA's surviving members Philip Anselmo (vocals) and Rex Brown (bass) will unite with guitarist Zakk Wylde (OZZY OSBOURNE, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY) and drummer Charlie Benante (ANTHRAX) for a world tour under the PANTERA banner.

Anselmo and Brown, along with Wylde and Benante, will headline a number of major festivals across North America and Europe and stage some of their own headline concerts.

According to Billboard, the lineup has been given a green light by the estates of the band's founders, drummer Vincent "Vinnie Paul" Abbott and guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, as well as Brown, who last year said Wylde wouldn't tour with PANTERA if a reunion were to happen. It's unclear what changed his mind.

Taylor discussed his views on the PANTERA comeback during an appearance earlier today (Tuesday, August 30) on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk". He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I know everybody in the [current PANTERA] band; I knew everybody in the prior band. So it's interesting. I know there's a lot of debate about it. All I'm going to say is that I'm stoked to see these songs played live. I'm stoked to see it done with respect.

"Whether anybody wants to admit that or not, these fans online, they wanna admit this or not, you're talking about two dudes [Charlie and Zakk] who not only knew the brothers from years ago, knew them before PANTERA was even a thing," Corey continued. "They were friends with those guys from when PANTERA was still playing clubs, and they would go and hang out with them when those respective bands would go and play Dallas; they would go and hang out with those dudes. So then when PANTERA becomes massive, lo and behold they're touring with their friends, man.

"You can't get a better drummer than Charlie, you can't get a better guitar player than Zakk to step into those shoes," Taylor added. "Is it going to work? I don't know. But to say that it's not the right thing — first of all, it's for anybody else to say except for Phil and Rex, because those guys, they were in the band. So let's just give them the benefit of the doubt and let's see what happens."

PANTERA will play its first shows in over 20 years in December 2022, starting with a co-headlining slot at Mexico's Hell & Heaven Metal Fest, followed by appearances at three Knotfest festivals in South America.

PANTERA will perform at Hell & Heaven Metal Fest on Friday, December 2 at Foro Pegaso in Toluca. Knotfest Colombia is scheduled for Friday, December 9 at Campin Circuit of Bogotá. Knotfest Chile is slated to take place on Sunday, December 11 at Estadio Monumental in Santiago. Knotfest Brasil will follow on Sunday, December 18 at Sambódromo do Anhembi in São Paulo.

This past February, Taylor spoke about the impact PANTERA's classic sophomore major label album, "Vulgar Display Of Power", had on his musical upbringing. He told HardDrive Radio: "I remember where I was when that album came out, man. I was listening to that incessantly. I was working at the RV center that my grandma got me a job at. 'Cause I didn't wanna cut my hair and I couldn't work anywhere else, man, so I was washing RVs for nine hours a day during the day in the hottest summer I'd ever felt. And it was intense, dude. And all I had was that tape — I had that tape and [a cassette from] BEASTIE BOYS. So I kept trading those tapes back and forth. And when I needed a burst of energy, I'd put on 'Vulgar Display', and when I just wanted to chill and just kind of get into the rhythm of it, I would put on, I think it was [BEASTIE BOYS'] 'Check Your Head'. So it was, like, those two albums really fueled me that summer to get through it. And I just remember listening to that album and just going, 'Jesus, this is so heavy and yet so hummable.' That's the thing that I think people really lose with PANTERA — is that it was so incredibly heavy but the hooks were incredible, dude. I mean, it was like the next evolution of what METALLICA had kind of started to do. To this day, it's still one of my favorite albums."

Back in 2017, Taylor named PANTERA's 1994 effort "Far Beyond Driven" as one of his 10 favorite metal albums of all time. "That album is so sludgy," he told Rolling Stone. "I loved 'Vulgar Display Of Power', and obviously everybody gravitates toward that one just because it's got the songs, it's got the whatever. But to me, 'Far Beyond Driven' was the first example of what a modern metal production could sound like. It was so thick and the mix was a little angrier. To me, it was the first time that you could really hear how heavy they could go and how willing they were to just drive that shit home. And it's got my favorite PANTERA song on it, which is 'Becoming'. That song alone wins. Just when you thought you had some shit figured out, fuck you. You're done."

Benante told "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" about how he plans to approach the PANTERA gig: "I can't go do this as the drummer from ANTHRAX because it would be a different sound completely. So the way I'm gonna do that is if you close your eyes, it's gonna sound like it's Vinnie, basically. And that's how it's gonna be. The sound is gonna sound exactly like him."

Wylde said that he had a similar mindset. "You approach it the same way as you do when I'm playing with Ozzy," he said. "Obviously I've gotta learn [Randy] Rhoads's stuff and I've gotta learn Jake's [E. Lee] stuff, and when I was doing the [BLACK] SABBATH stuff, you learn it and do it as faithful as you can. Charlie's gotta learn all of Vinnie's parts. You approach it as if you're in a cover band. When we do the ZAKK SABBATH stuff," referring to his BLACK SABBATH cover band, "I don't start changing lyrics midway through 'War Pigs'. You learn the songs — so that's what you do."

Talk about a possible PANTERA "reunion" intensified when Anselmo regularly joined Wylde's BLACK LABEL SOCIETY to perform PANTERA's song "I'm Broken" during DOWN's 2014 stint on the "Revolver Golden Gods Tour". That buzz only got stronger after Brown joined the jam on May 23, 2014 when the tour swung through Texas.

Up until his passing, Vinnie remained on non-speaking terms with Anselmo, whom the drummer indirectly blamed for Dimebag's death.

Vinnie Paul and Dimebag co-founded PANTERA. When PANTERA broke up in 2003, they formed DAMAGEPLAN. On December 8, 2004, while performing with DAMAGEPLAN at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio, Dimebag was shot and killed onstage by a troubled schizophrenic who believed that the members of PANTERA were stealing his thoughts.

PANTERA is managed by Scott McGhee of 1 Degree Music Entertainment. The band's legal representative is Nick Ferrara And Associates. PANTERA is booked internationally by Rod MacSween at ITB. Artist Group International will book PANTERA's North American dates, with Dennis Arfa and Peter Pappalardo as the responsible agents.

In the new video below from Knotfest, Sophie K talks to Cradle Of Filth leader, Dani Filth, at the first ever Knotfest Finland. They chat about Filth's upcoming collaborative song with pop singer/songwriter Ed Sheeran, the band's recent and upcoming touring, their natural longevity, the impact of the pandemic on their most recent full length Existence Is Futile, and their soon-to-be-released live album. Watch below.


In regards to the upcoming collaboration with Sheeran, Filth reveals "Believe it or not, we've still to finish our song with Ed Sheeran. He's done some of it, but then he had a baby, obviously he's very sidetracked with that, and doing whatever Ed does, which is playing massive shows around the globe. So, you know, he's not at our beck and call. But, he is going to finish it, he assures me. Actually, I spoke to him quite recently... yeah, so that's happening."







Austrian rock and metal empire, Napalm Records, recently announced their exciting new partnership with Cradle Of Filth, who have signed a worldwide contract with the label. Napalm is honoured to deliver the band’s haunting hallmark to the masses as their musical panorama reaches into the future.


Dani Filth said: “It is with great expectation and excitement that we announce our move to Napalm Records, having seen and heard a great deal of complimentary things about the label, which in turn leads us to believe that this will be the perfect nesting ground for Cradle Of Filth in 2022 and beyond. We’d like to thank all our fans for their continued support and trust in us doing the right thing for the band and its music. All hail the eternal ‘Filth!”


Thomas Caser, CEO, Napalm Records added: “We are thrilled to welcome the most influential and iconic extreme metal band to our ever-growing Napalm Records family. Being a fan of the band since their very first album, it is with great honor and excitement that we’re able to work with them from now on! We are ready to conquer the metal world with Cradle Of Filth!”


Cradle Of Filth live dates are listed below:


September
16 - France - Mennecy Metal Fest
23 - Monterrey, Mexico - Mexico Metal Fest VI


Dark Horses and Forces European Tour with Alcest:


October
1 - Paris, France - Elysée Montmartre
3 - Luxembourg, Luxembourg - Rockhal
4 - Antwerp, Belgium - Trix
5 - Eindhoven, Netherlands - Effenaar
7 - Zwolle, Netherlands - Hedo
8 - Bochum, Germany - Matrix
9 - Berlin, Germany - Columbia Theater
10 - Cologne, Germany - Essigfabrik
12 - Brno, Czech Republic - Fleda
13 - Vienna, Austria - Simm City
14 - Milan, Italy - Live Club
15 - Zurich, Switzerland - Komplex 457
17 - Munich, Germany - Backstage Werk
19 - Toulouse, France - Le Bikini
21 - Barcelona, Spain - Razzamataz 1
22 - Madrid, Spain - BUT Club
23 - Pamplona, Spain - Totem
25 - Rennes, France - L'etage
27 - Bristol, UK - Marble Factory
28 - Nottingham, UK - Rock City
29 - London, UK - Indigo - “The Monstrous Sabbat” Event


(Dani Filth photo - James Sharrock)

Frontiers Music Srl present the sophomore release from Sweden's Fans Of The Dark, Suburbia, on September 16. These Swedish upstarts are coming off a well-received debut album, which saw them seamlessly melding melodic rock with their '80s hard rock and metal influences. Suburbia sees them further perfecting that most agreeable formula with stunning results.


Watch a video for the song "Fantasia" below, and pre-order/save Suburbia here.


Suburbia is a sequel of sorts to the band's self-titled debut, following similar themes, both musically and lyrically and even with the theme of the artwork, while seeing the band continuing to evolve. Drummer Freddie Allen's vision for the band is to do as the great hard rock and metal bands of the '70s and '80s did, which was to constantly work on their craft and release new music with regularity. In keeping with that vision, the band set to work on their second album quickly after the release of their self-titled debut. Suburbia follows more or less exactly one year after said debut, which was released in the fall of 2021.




"It is pretty much a sibling to the first album, with similar themes and ideas, only this time going deeper into the world where most of us grew up, and where we first got in touch with hard rock music, horror films on VHS, 80's teen culture, and all else that shaped us - the suburbs," says Freddie Allen, main songwriter and founder of the band, of Suburbia.


For this new album, Allen and vocalist Alex Falk are once again joined by guitarist Oscar Bromvall and new bassist Rickard Gramfors. The album spans eight tracks (another reference back to those glory days of the '70s and '80s), including two epic songs, "The Pirates Of Maine" and "Restless Soul", around the eight minute mark. Fans of the band's debut will be enthralled with the band's second offering. Melodic hard rock fans looking for genre innovation and a break from 'the norm' will certainly be wise to check out this striking breath of fresh air in the scene.


Suburbia was produced and mixed by multi-talented musician and producer Lars Fredrik Swahn (Dungen, The Amazing) and co-produced by Allen.


Fans of the Dark, is an exciting new band formed in the summer of 2020 by Freddie Allen, drummer and main songwriter, and lead vocalist Alex Falk. The pair went to high school together in Stockholm and after a few years reconnected recently with a vision to create a band which would mix the melodies and approach of classic and melodic rock with elements of the great metal music of the '80s. Their musical output over the course of their first two albums is one of the most exciting things you'll hear emerging from the fruitful melodic rock in Sweden, showcasing a tight, inventive musical approach with outstanding vocals.





Suburbia tracklisting:


"Night Of The Living Dead"
"The Pirates Of Maine"
"Fantasia"
"Sick! Sick Sick!"
"Fright Night"
"Fans Of The Dark"
"The Goblin King"
"Restless Soul"


"Fantasia" video:





"Fans Of The Dark":





"Night Of The Living Dead" video:





Lineup:


Alex Falk - vocals
Oscar Bromvall - guitars
Rickard Gramfors - bass
Freddie Allen - drums