RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS have released their new single "Poster Child". The song is taken from the band's upcoming album, "Unlimited Love", which will arrive on April 1 via Warner.

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS's first new LP with guitarist John Frusciante since 2006's "Stadium Arcadium" was once again produced by Rick Rubin who previously worked on "Blood Sugar Sex Magik" (1991), "Californication" (1999), "By The Way" (2002) and the aforementioned "Stadium Arcadium".

The band stated about the new record: "Our only goal is to get lost in the music. We (John, Anthony, Chad and Flea) spent thousands of hours, collectively and individually, honing our craft and showing up for one another, to make the best album we could. Our antennae attuned to the divine cosmos, we were just so damn grateful for the opportunity to be in a room together, and, once again, try to get better. Days, weeks and months spent listening to each other, composing, jamming freely, and arranging the fruit of those jams with great care and purpose. The sounds, rhythms, vibrations, words and melodies had us enrapt.

"We yearn to shine a light in the world, to uplift, connect, and bring people together. Each of the songs on our new album 'Unlimited Love' is a facet of us, reflecting our view of the universe. This is our life’s mission. We work, focus, and prepare, so that when the biggest wave comes, we are ready to ride it. The ocean has gifted us a mighty wave and this record is the ride that is the sum of our lives. Thank you for listening, we hope you enjoy it."

Frusciante said: "When we started writing material, we began by playing old songs by people like Johnny 'Guitar' Watson, THE KINKS, THE NEW YORK DOLLS, Richard Barrett and others. Ever so gradually, we started bringing in new ideas, and turning jams into songs, and after a couple of months the new stuff was all we were playing. The feeling of effortless fun we had when we were playing songs by other people, stayed with us the whole time we were writing. For me, this record represents our love for, and faith in each other."

On lead track "Black Summer", ethereal guitar underlines introspective lyrics as the rhythm unlocks a hypnotic drum groove highlighted by evocative bass. It quietly inhales only to exhale with a massive refrain, "It's been a long time since I made a new friend, waiting on another black summer to end," before a guitar solo echoes to the heavens and back. For the music video, the group teamed up with acclaimed director Deborah Chow (Disney+'s "The Mandalorian", "Obi-Wan Kenobi"). The result continues a tradition of captivating cinematic visuals — with a twist.

The interplay between the band borders on intergalactic once again — yet elevated to another stratosphere altogether. "Unlimited Love" represents the united spirit of four individual souls still fearlessly exploring the future of their eternal friendship and musical congregation.

"Here Ever After" follows a staccato bassline down a rhythmic wormhole as the hook promises, "She's the kinda girl that make you wanna go faster now." And whether it be wrangling wild horns and boisterous bass on "Aquatic Mouth Dance" or the poetic dreamscape of confessional ballad "Not The One", the album twists and turns with gleeful unpredictability. On "Poster Child", a funky riff spiked with wah pedal magic wobbles in tandem with the delivery as a blissful chorus takes hold. "The Great Apes" charges forward towards a primal clarion call. For nearly six minutes, "It's Only Natural" slips in and out of hypnotic harmonies and magnetic grooves. The slinky funk of "She's A Lover" bleeds into a chantable gang vocal and dancefloor-ready refrain, while "These Are The Ways" sees a soft melody give way to guitar and vocal catharsis.

"Whatchu Thinkin'" leans on head-nodding percussion as the vocals flutter with the tempo only for guitar to ignite the chorus. An analog synth choir colors the intro of "Bastards Of Light" while a heavenly crescendo elevates "White Braids & Pillow Chair" beyond the clouds. Hitting the highways, "One Way Traffic" revs up funk at an intersection of airy bass and drums. "Veronica" trades the band's sunny Los Angeles for the South Side of Chicago and a near-cinematic story about the title character. Then, there's "Let 'Em Cry" where trumpet punctuates the momentum before peaking on an emotionally charged guitar solo. "The Heavy Wing" takes flight on a climactic burst of distortion and vocal conjurations. The ride culminates on "Tangelo". Threaded together with delicate guitar and emotionally charged vocals, this otherworldly lullaby leaves off on a vibrant, vulnerable, and vital final note as it slips into the arms of feedback.

"Unlimited Love" track listing:

01. Black Summer

02. Here Ever After

03. Aquatic Mouth Dance

04. Not The One

05. Poster Child

06. The Great Apes

07. It's Only Natural

08. She's A Lover

09. These Are The Ways

10. Whatchu Thinkin'

11. Bastards Of Light

12. White Braids & Pillow Chair

13. One Way Traffic

14. Veronica

15. Let 'Em Cry

16. The Heavy Wing

17. Tangelo

Last fall, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS drummer Chad Smith told Rolling Stone that the four members of the band were "getting along great", and were "really listening to each other in a new way".

"All of our records are just real good snapshots of where we're at that time," he said. "You can't really go, 'Oh, gee, I hope it's as good as...' Then you're starting to have preconceived notions about what you want to write.

"Look, John hasn't been in our group in 10 years. That's a long time. So of course it's going to sound different, but it's going to sound like the four of us because we do have this special chemistry together. It sounds like RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, but it's different and new, and to me that's great.

"We really like it and we're proud of it and it has to start there. If other people like it, great. If people compare it to this or [say] it doesn't sound like that, we have no control over that. But yeah, we're all really happy with the record."

Regarding the return of Frusciante, Smith said: "He is so dedicated. He's so into it. He's working so hard. We're all working hard, but he's in there with all the overdubs and the magic that he brings."

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS will embark on a world tour this summer. The North American leg will kick off in Denver, Colorado on July 23 at Empower Field at Mile High. It will conclude in Arlington, Texas on September 18 at Globe Life Field.

Frusciante originally joined RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS following the death of founding guitarist Hillel Slovak in 1988. This lineup recorded two highly successful albums that brought the group mainstream popularity: "Mother's Milk" and "Blood Sugar Sex Magik". Sadly, Frusciante fell into a deep heroin addiction that caused him to leave the band while touring to support "Blood Sugar Sex Magik". Frusciante rejoined CHILI PEPPERS six years later, playing on 1999 album "Californication", 2002's "By The Way" and 2006's "Stadium Arcadium" before quitting the band again in September 2009.

In October 2020, Frusciante told the Australian digital radio station Double J that playing with his RHCP bandmates Anthony Kiedis, Flea and Smith once again was like "returning to family. I'm extremely comfortable with those people. It was as if no time had gone by at all when we started playing, pretty much, with a couple of minor exceptions, like how Chad and I gradually got our communication together in a new way. Basically, we're all just as comfortable with each other as we ever were, and it just felt like that right off the bat."

Photo credit: Sandy Kim

Swedish extreme tech-metal pioneers MESHUGGAH have released "Light The Shortening Fuse", the second single from their upcoming ninth studio album, "Immutable".

Due on April 1 via Atomic Fire, the follow-up to 2016's "The Violent Sleep Of Reason" was recorded at Sweetspot Studios in Halmstad, Sweden; mixed by Rickard Bengtsson and Staffan Karlsson; and mastered by multiple Grammy Award winner Vlado Meller (METALLICA, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, SYSTEM OF A DOWN). Visionary artist Luminokaya once again created the stunning cover artwork.

Full of surprises and yet instantly recognizable as the work of metal's most idiosyncratic force, "Immutable" redefines and redesigns the MESHUGGAH sound across more than an hour of the most stimulating and absorbing music the band has ever made. Despite the challenges of the last couple of years, the progressive principles that have always informed their artistic efforts remain as cherished as ever. As we spiral towards a dystopian future, MESHUGGAH still stand alone.

For guitarist Mårten Hagström, the task of embarking on another unprecedented tech-metal odyssey was impossible to resist. "For us, it wasn't all that clear that we were making a new album," he said. "We knew we could do it, but did we want to do it? We had to decide, are we doing this or what else are we doing? After a long, long discussion, we agreed on certain things. We would make an album with as few restraints as possible. We would go in and try to make as cool an album as possible, have no anxiety about it and see it as an opportunity. How do we make this a challenge that we feel like accepting and rising up to? Pretty quickly we had a starting point. Everybody started to write, the ball started rolling and suddenly we were sitting there, discussing how many songs we were going to have to cut."

Regarding the "Immutable" title, Hagström said: "The title fits perfectly for where we are as a band. We're older now. Most of us are in our fifties now, and we've settled into who we are. Even though we've been experimenting all along, I also think we've been the same since day one. The way we approach things and why we still make new albums, and why we still sound the way we do, it's immutable. Humanity is immutable, too. We commit the same mistakes over and over. And we are immutable. We do what we do, and we don't change."

The most inventive and creative metal band of the last 30 years and one of the most widely revered, MESHUGGAH has been standard bearers for forward-thinking creativity in heavy music throughout their illustrious careers. Over the course of more than 30 years and eight studio albums, Sweden's widely worshipped progressive mavens have consistently redefined what it means to be heavy, while exhibiting a ferocious intelligence that belies the crushing weight of their riffs. From the ground-breaking savagery of 1995's "Destroy Erase Improve" to the psychedelic tech-splorations of "CatchyThirtyThree", and on to the streamlined grotesquery of "ObZen" and "Koloss", MESHUGGAH has always been way ahead of the game and plainly without peer.

In October 2020, MESHUGGAH drummer Tomas Haake confirmed to Knotfest.com's "Mosh Talks With Beez" that the band had spent much of the downtime during the COVID-19 pandemic working on fresh material.

Regarding the musical direction of the new MESHUGGAH songs, Tomas said: "Of course, we have a certain framework that we still wanna sound like MESHUGGAH, we wanna have that signature sound, we want people to be able to — even if they haven't heard the song [before] — in the best-case scenario, it's, like, 'Oh, that's gotta be MESHUGGAH,' even if it's a brand new thing. So hopefully that's something we're aiming at. But with that said, as far as the music goes, we try to [do] kind of the opposite of what AC/DC has been doing for 40 years. So we're not trying to write the same album over and over. And whether we succeed with that or not, that's more up to our fans and other people, but that's definitely the aim. We try our best to kind of find new grips within the framework of what we're supposed to be, I guess. 'Cause we don't wanna really step out of that either. We're not looking to be another band all of a sudden or something that we haven't been or that is not true to kind of what we're doing."

"Immutable" track listing:

01. Broken Cog

02. The Abysmal Eye

03. Light The Shortening Fuse

04. Phantoms

05. Ligature Marks

06. God He Sees In Mirrors

07. They Move Below

08. Kaleidoscope

09. Black Cathedral

10. I Am That Thirst

11. The Faultless

12. Armies Of The Preposterous

13. Past Tense

MESHUGGAH is:

Jens Kidman - Vocals

Mårten Hagström - Guitars

Dick Lövgren - Bass

Fredrik Thordendal - Guitars

Tomas Haake - Drums

Former VENOM and current VENOM INC. guitarist Jeff "Mantas" Dunn says that he would love to reunite the classic VENOM lineup to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the band's "Black Metal" album.

Released in 1982, "Black Metal" is considered a major influence on thrash metal and extreme metal in general. VENOM's second album proved influential enough that its title was used as the name of the extreme metal subgenre of black metal. The band classic lineup trio of Dunn, vocalist/bassist Conrad "Cronos" Lant and drummer Anthony "Abaddon" Bray recorded two further studio LPs, "At War With Satan" (1984) and "Possessed" (1985), and live album, "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" (1986). Often cited by bands such as METALLICA, BEHEMOTH, CELTIC FROST and MAYHEM as major influences, they are one of the most revered bands of their generation. VENOM is still fronted by Cronos and headlines festivals all over the globe and continues to release new music while Dunn and former VENOM bassist/vocalist Tony "Demolition Man" Dolan have joined forces in the similarly named VENOM INC.

Dunn touched upon the possibility of a classic VENOM reunion during a Facebook Live chat on Monday (February 28). He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'll never retract anything I've said, because I'm sorry but it's true. Regardless of what him or him thinks, it's true; it's just as simple as that. I'm not gonna go out there and blatantly talk a lot of bollocks like one of us did. What I've said is absolutely true, and I've put it in print — into the book as well. It's there. It's absolutely true. But we're at that age now — I'm 60; Bray's, like, 61; Conrad's what — 58, 59? We've just been through a massive fucking pandemic where nobody's done anything. We've got fucking a war in Europe at the minute. [All the issues we've had with each other], it fucking pales into insignificance; it's fucking bollocks.

"Like I say, I'll never fucking say 'sorry'; I'll never fucking turn around and go, 'Yeah, well, I didn't fucking mean that,'" he continued. "What I said was fucking true. But we missed the 25th anniversary. We didn't celebrate the 30th anniversary. And it's, like, for a band who had such a fucking impact… And, again, my friends, I still find it difficult to take in myself, people saying…

"When I did the interviews for the 40th anniversary of 'Welcome To Hell' — there's another anniversary we fucking missed; nothing done about it; it just passed, Dunn added. "But the thing was, I got these interviews in, and people were saying to me, 'You just don't realize the importance of what you did.' I don't, because I suppose we were so close to it. I've said it a million times — I was just a fucking kid writing tunes in my fucking bedroom living with my mom, and I was lucky; people fucking dig them.

"But it's, like, could we not just fucking celebrate this for once? I mean, fucking hell — I've already died once. And fucking you haven't got long, and you haven't got long, because I know what you've fucking done to yourselves."

Addressing the fact that VENOM INC. will commemorate "Black Metal"'s 40th anniversary by performing it in its entirety on October 2 at the Keep It True festival at Posthalle in Würzburg, Germany, Dunn said: "When the Keep It True thing came along, I thought, 'Yes! Yes! I'm gonna fucking do it.' Because no one fucking else is. Nobody else is gonna go out there and celebrate this fucking album — monumental fucking album. It should be fucking celebrated."

Dunn, Bray and Dolan released three albums as VENOM between 1989 and 1992 — "Prime Evil" (1989), "Temples Of Ice" (1991) and "The Waste Lands" (1992).

VENOM INC. is not to be confused with the aforementioned Cronos-fronted version of VENOM, which is continuing to tour and make albums under the VENOM moniker. Joining Cronos in that group are Rage (a.k.a. Stuart Dixon) on guitar and Danté (a.k.a. Danny Needham) on drums.




Posted by Jeff Mantas Dunn on Monday, February 28, 2022

Sean Dowdell, the drummer for Chester Bennington's pre-LINKIN PARK band GREY DAZE, has once again opened up about his late friend's mental state before his tragic death nearly four years ago. The singer's passing was ruled a suicide soon after his body was found in July 2017 at his home in Palos Verdes Estates, California. Bennington had been candid about mental-health battles in numerous interviews over the years, saying he grappled with depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts and substance abuse.

Asked in a new interview with Anne Erickson of Audio Ink Radio if he was surprised that Chester ended his life, Dowdell said (hear audio below): "Over the years, he did struggle in several different areas. But in the weeks and months leading up to his life-ending choice, I guess, is the best way I can put that, I did not sense anything. I talked to him two nights before he passed. He was on top of the world. He was excited about starting rehearsals. He was excited about a lot of things. We were working on a new business location together. I didn't sense anything. Now, eight or nine months before that, my wife sensed something in him and said, 'Chester's not right. Something's off.' And I said, 'No, no, no. He's just trying to go for a new look or whatever.' And she said, 'No. I can see something in his eyes.' And she literally said that to me. And I just blew it off, like, 'No. I don't think so.' And then, of course, what happened, happened. And it's easy to look back and go, 'Oh, yeah. She saw it.' But you never truly know what's happening in someone's mind."

He continued: "Had Chester been thinking rationally, I don't think he would have done what he did at all. I just think that that's what depression does — it removes the rational thought process from the moment that you take that choice. And sometimes there's somebody there to help talk you out of it or to guide you in a different way or to distract you away from it, but the way this happened, it didn't. There was nobody else there. And when that hit him at that specific moment, there was nobody else for him to lean on at the time, and that's the most unfortunate thing, I think."

GREY DAZE's "Amends" album was released in June 2020. The LP contains updated versions of older songs in the group's catalog featuring newly recorded instrumentals accompanying the late Bennington's original vocal takes.

Bennington had been open with the press and public about his struggles with drugs and alcohol, which landed him in rehab twice around 2006.

Bennington's friends told Rolling Stone that he fell off the wagon for three days in August 2016 and drank until he blacked out, adding that he had been consuming alcohol again as recently as October 2016. Bennington's longtime friend Ryan Shuck, who played with the singer in DEAD BY SUNRISE, thought Bennington may have had "a couple of drinks" before hanging himself on July 20, 2017.

Investigators found no illegal drugs or prescription drugs while searching Bennington's home following his passing, although a partially consumed bottle of alcohol was found in the bedroom where the 41-year-old singer’s body was discovered.

LINKIN PARK paid tribute to Bennington in October 2017 with an emotional three-hour show that featured numerous guests joining the band onstage in Los Angeles.

LINKIN PARK released a concert album titled "One More Light Live" in December 2

Canadian thrashers Hyperia, formerly of Calgary, AB, now residing in Vancouver, BC will be self-releasing their new album Silhouettes Of Horror this coming March 2022. The full-length follows their 2020’s Insanitorium unleashed via Sliptrick Records and their 2019 EP Fish Creek Frenzy.


The mosh quartet has already shared two songs "Experiment 77" and "Operation Midnight" off the upcoming record, and today they are ready to get the pit moving once again with their third single "Prisoner of The Mind", a song about how we are all slaves to our thoughts and conditioning.


"This song opens with a neo-classical style lead that unleashes into a fast double kick run before transitioning into a thrashy and in-your-face verse. The chorus on this song is arguably the catchiest on the album, with a power-meta-lesque sing-a-long feel to it. Another song that showcases the dynamics of Hyperia between melodic harmonies and balls to the wall thrash," adds guitarist Colin Ryley.




Hyperia's forthcoming second album Silhouettes of Horror sees guitarist Colin Ryley behind the soundboard producing and mixing the record with mastering done by Mika Jussila at Finnvox Studios in Helsinki, Finland (Children of Bodom, Nightwish, Battle Beast). Album artwork was created by Andrei Bouzikov (Vektor, Municipal Waste, Skeletonwitch, Toxic Holocaust).


“We think that we have polished our sound and pushed ourselves to create what we believe is a newly refined vision. This record has pushed the whole band to their limits, and the songwriting, performance, and production value is a huge step up. We feel the fans will enjoy this new album even more than our first full-length,” adds Collin Ryley.


Energetic, melodic, fast, psychotic, and dynamic are the elements that make Silhouettes Of Horror that old and new fans of thrash, NWOBHM, and power metal will appreciate. The band even included a cover hommage of Abba’s “Gimme Gimme Gimme”. For the recording of Silhouettes Of Horror, Hyperia also recruited good friend and session drummer Gord Alexander (Tessitura, Tides of Kharon, Immunize).


Most of the lyrical themes on the album revolve around inhumane government experiments, sleep disorders, and night terrors. 


Preorder on Bandcamp.


Silhouettes Of Horror is due out on March 18, 2022 and is recommended for fans of Exmortus, Arch Enemy, Unleash The Archers, and Havok.





Tracklisting:


"Hypnagogia" 
"Intoxication Therapy" 
"Experiment 77" 
"Severed" 
"Prisoner Of The Mind" 
"Terror Serum" 
"Whitecoat" 
"Silhouettes Of Horror" 
"Operation Midnight" 
"Pleonexia" 
"Gimme Gimme Gimme" (Abba cover) 


"Prisoner Of The Mind":





"Experiment 77":





"Operation Midnight":

Besvärjelsen have released the video clip “Digerliden” as the first single taken from their new album Atlas. The Swedish forest rockers have also revealed artwork, tracklist, and further details of their sophomore full-length, which can all be viewed below. Atlas has been slated for release on May 27. Find preorders here.


The quite literally sick video “Digerliden” that takes its title from a harsh but magical place far up north in the Swedish Finnmark is now streaming.


"This song was a treat to work with," tells singer Lea Amling Alazam and reveals: "The lyrics deal with people in love who hate themselves. After watching Alice in Chains' MTV Unplugged, I was very inspired by the way their harmonies work and the kind of numb yet powerful melodies. I also felt a bit of a need for an Arabic harmony, so I wanted to find a way to combine grunge and Middle Eastern influences."




Andreas Baier explains the title: "The song's title 'Digerliden' takes its name from a place in Sweden's Dalecarlian Finnmark which roughly translates  as 'the dire suffering', which relates to the hardship that its ancestral people endured while trying to survive and grow crops in its vast forests and mountains,” the guitarist and vocalist writes. "It is a magical and mysterious please, and its native folk music was a well of inspiration for this song."


Erik Bäckwall adds some words about the video: "We didn’t originally plan on doing a video, but I remembered a simple idea one of us had, so we decided to see if we could actually film it ourselves", comments the drummer. "We shot the clip in just an hour and a half and didn't tell anyone we were doing it, just in case the outcome sucked. In the end, we dig it."





Tracklisting:


“The Cardinal Ride”
“Acheron”
“Clouds”
“House Of The Burning Light”
“Paradise”
“Digerliden”
“Descent”
“Celestial”
“Obscured By Darkness”
“Divided Ends”


“Digerliden”:

"Mars Recall" is the second single from Digital Race, the first full-length of Spanish heavy/speed metal band, Redshark. The lyrics and music were inspired by some sci-fi movies and books and spoke about someone remembering a space mission, in a big galactic war, after his return from Mars to the Earth. The open end of this story is inspired by Roy Batty's final speech in Blade Runner: "I've seen things you people wouldn't believe...".





Redshark was founded in 2012 in Barcelona, Spain by Philip Graves (guitar) with the aim of delivering classic pounding heavy speed metal. Their traditional 80s metal influences may plunder the nostalgia circuit but Redshark are ruthlessly carrying the torch with great attitude, and powerful melodic songwriting.




Redshark have since honed their gloriously raw yet precisely incisive, dark, catchy and addictive speed heavy metal crunch staying faithful to their original influences taken from undisputed metal legends like Judas Priest, Savatage, Exciter and Metal Church.


Their new album, Digital Race, was recorded in 2021 and will see a release at the end of March. It was produced by Jaume Perna (Jack Dark) and mixed & mastered by Gonzalo Vivero in In The Red Audio. Cover art was made by Jose Antonio Vives.





Tracklisting:


"The Drill State"
"Never Too Late"
"Digital Race"
"Arrival"
"Mars Recall"
"Kiill your Idol"
"The Death Rides"
"Burning Angels"
"Pallid Hands"
"I'm Falling"


"The Death Rides" lyric video:

March 4 will see Swedish post-rock duo, Oh Hiroshima, release their haunting fourth studio album, Myriad, via Napalm Records. The band have released a lyric video for the haunting, third single, "Ascension".


It’s that mixture of emotions – from infinite sadness to moments of clarity and heart-rending melodies blending into a rumbling volcano of aesthetic noise and ferocious power, but also the unique use of trumpets, cello and trombones throughout – that sees Oh Hiroshima outclass and grow renowned not only in post-rock circles, but beyond. Following their latest magnum opus, Oscillation in 2019, and due to pandemic lockdowns, for Myriad the band channeled all of their time and creativity into delivering an epic successor.


Tracks such as "Ascension" - with its glistening guitar lines and the otherworldly voice of Jakob Hemström - leave you lost in a sphere of said sadness mixed with light and hope, matching the imposing sonic melancholy of the track and throughout the record.




“We’re very happy to present one last song before the release of our coming record Myriad on March 4th," Jakob Hemström comments. "'Ascension' is one of the more dreamy and mellow tracks on the album, meant to offer a nice balance to Myriad as a whole - Though we couldn’t resist to put the ending of the song on fire.”





Recorded by Kristian Karlsson (pg.lost, Cult Of Luna), and once again mixed and mastered by Cult Of Luna’s Magnus Lindberg, with Myriad, Oh Hiroshima demonstrate outstanding ability - melding captivating melody with epic, fulminating fervency, and delivering a majestic masterpiece that will undoubtedly be an early album of the year contender.


Myriad will be available in the following formats:


- 6 Page CD Digipak
- Purple Gatefold Vinyl LP
- Digital Album


Pre-order here,





Myriad tracklisting:


"Nour"
"Veil Of Certainty"
"All Things Pass"
"Ascension"
"Humane"
"Tundra"
"Hidden Chamber"


"All Things Pass" video:





"Humane" video:





(Photo - Oskar Nilsson)

Pattern-Seeking Animals, the California-based progressive rock band featuring Ted Leonard (lead vocals & guitars), Jimmy Keegan (drums & vocals), Dave Meros (bass) and John Boegehold (keyboards), will release their third album, Only Passing Through, on April 1 via InsideOut Music.


Pre-order the album here, and watch a video for the new single, "Rock Paper Scissors", below.


John Boegehold comments: "This is a cheery little tune about kids and the games they once played in a dystopian, alternate universe."







Offering eight songs (and two bonus tracks) that are as varied as they are excellent, Only Passing Through is a work that will deliver on all fronts. From the opener "Everdark Mountain" to the weighty "Much Ado" and the 13-minute epic "Time Has A Way", the album has something to please fans in all quarters. If you ever wondered what Spaghetti Western Cinema would sound like in the world of 2022 prog, have a listen to "Said The Stranger". For some jazzier stylings, lend an ear to "Here With You With Me".


Boegehold is justifiably proud of the album: “Only Passing Through picks up where Prehensile Tales left off but soon takes several stylistic detours as it progresses. Everyone involved made this album a lot of fun to make and we're all looking forward to it finally being heard."





Tracklisting:


"Everdark Mountain"
"I Can't Stay Here Anymore"
"Time Has A Way"
"Rock Paper Scissors"
"Much Ado"
"Only Passing Through"
"Said The Stranger"
"Here With You With Me"


Bonus tracks:


"I'm Not Alright"
"Just Another Day At The Beach"


"I Can't Stay Here Anymore" video:

Extreme metal outfit, Obsidious, have released a lyric video for their new single, "Under Black Skies". The track will feature on the band's debut album, Iconic, set for release on October 28 via Season Of Mist. Pre-save the single here, and watch the new clip below.


Bassist Sebastian Lanser comments on the track: “'Under Black Skies' turned out to be a very complex and demanding tune involving/incorporating multiple meter changes and metric modulations. Regardless of its complexity it has a lot of catchy moments. Our producer V. Santura once said: '‘Under Black Skies’ sounds like Dimmu Borgir on steroids'.”







In April 2020 guitarist Rafael Trujillo, bassist Linus Klausenitzer and drummer Sebastian Lanser decided to move on from their former band Obscura to continue their musical path with the completely new band Obsidious. Free from former boundaries, Obsidious merge extreme metal with other genres of music into a unique style that people will somehow find familiar, but haven‘t heard yet. Together with their singer Javi Perera they set out to create a musical evolution: With a fresh name, reaching for new fan groups utilizing modern marketing ideas. Obsidious’ band members have many facets and influences to build upon, using virtuosity & technique to write great songs.


Rafael Trujillo, Linus Klausenitzer and Sebastian Lanser built a strong bond after years of worldwide touring and recording together with Obscura. With their last record Diluvium, that was primarily composed by the trio, the band celebrated their biggest success to date. Formerly unseen chart positions alongside massive praise by prominent media outlets & magazines document the success of this team. Obsidious aims to expand the existing fan base that they’ve gained: All (ex-)formations of the Obsidious members were defined through their musical characters.


The four band members that are based in Europe are known for their high musicianship and virtuosity. Their advanced technical level is an essential and unique part of their compositions. Guitarist Rafael Trujillo has a multicultural background and studied music in different countries all around the globe. Linus Klausenitzer is one of the busiest session bassists in the scene and renowned for his 7-string fretless bass sound. Strong drum independence skills and stylistic diversity make Sebastian Lanser one of the most influential drummers of the new generation. The web community shares the Ex-Obscura members’ excitement about singer Javi Perera being celebrated for his diverse and charismatic vocal skills.


Obsidious' music consists of modern riffs, strong decisive energetic melodies, virtuosity and epic unison lines. They love music that’s heavy, catchy, fast, and wild.


Obsidious previously released the tracks and videos, "Sense Of Lust" and "Iconic". Watch videos below, and stay tuned for further album details and pre-order info.








Lineup:


Linus Klausenitzer - Bass
Rafael Tujillo - Guitar
Javi Perera - Vocals
Sebastian Lanser - Drums

Rising Swedish “adventure rock” stars, Hällas, return with an evocative, feel-good blend of nostalgic 70’s hard rock, prog, proto-metal, folk and psychedelic influences on their upcoming third studio album, Isle Of Wisdom, out April 8 via Napalm Records.


With its blend of 70’s rock, folk, and psychedelic influences, single “Elusion’s Gate” enchants. In addition to the unique vocal tone of Tommy Alexandersson, the band pairs groovy electric guitars and synth lines, creating another standout single of their upcoming album Isle Of Wisdom. Every instrument in this piece awakens feelings of 70’s rock nostalgia.


Check out a visualizer for “Elusion’s Gate”:







Isle Of Wisdom starts with synthy “Birth Into Darkness”, with an incredibly clever topline from the one of a kind vocals of singer and bassist Tommy Alexandersson. The musical journey continues with the mystical single “Earl’s Theme” embellished by choral voices, and proceeds with exceptional “Elusion’s Gate” - a piece that, by making room for the guitar lines of Alexander Moraitis and Marcus Petersson, highlights the overall epic and mysterious atmosphere of the album. Isle Of Wisdom was produced in collaboration with Linn Fijal and Vilma Colling at Riksmixningsverket studio, which has hosted the diverse likes of Arch Enemy, ABBA and Celine Dion. Comprised of eight bold opuses, Isle Of Wisdom is a deft new step in the noteworthy sonic trajectory of Hällas, cementing them as a band to watch.


This collection of fresh tracks allows the listener to emerge in a brand new realm soaked in mystery and retro atmosphere - key features of Hällas’ fantasy and sci-fi driven auditory aesthetic. Isle Of Wisdom, the successor to Hällas’ full-length offering Conundrum (Top 50 on the Swedish Charts, P3 Guld Award nominee), is set for release just before they hit the road on an extensive European tour.


Hällas on Isle Of Wisdom: "An escape from unwanted happenings doesn't always lead you towards the better as danger can be found in any universe or time. Welcome to the Isle of Wisdom."





Isle Of Wisdom will be available in the following formats:


- Die Hard Edition - 1LP Gatefold Marbled Violet/Black + poster and slipmat (Napalm Records Mailorder exclusive - limited to 300 copies worldwide)
- 1LP Gatefold Purple (Napalm Records Mailorder exclusive - limited to 300 copies worldwide)
- 1LP Gatefold Black
- CD Digipak
- Digital Album


Pre-order here.





Tracklisting:


"Birth/Into Darkness"
"Advent Of Dawn"
"Earl's Theme"
"The Inner Chamber"
"Elusion's Gate"
"Gallivants (Of Space)"
"Stygian Depths"
"The Wind Carries The Word"


"Earl's Theme" visualizer:





"Stygian Depths":





Formed in 2011 and named after the main character featured in the stories of their lyrics - a knight in a parallel medieval universe destined to take part in a religious war caused by a tyrannical queen - Hällas are the originators of the "Adventure Rock" genre, devoting themselves to the aforementioned sonic fusion and eccentric imagery inspired by rock greats of yore with a fantastical twist.


Hällas are:


Tommy Alexandersson - vocals / bass
Marcus Petersson - guitar
Kasper Eriksson - drums / percussion
Nicklas Malmquist - organ / synthesizer
Alexander Moraitis - guitar


(Photo - Marcus Carlsson)

Audio Reign, in conjunction with MR Records, announces the March 17 digital release of the repackaged International Deluxe Edition of their self-titled album, Audio Reign, with a brand new single "Angel".





"Angel is available now to purchase and stream here. The physical release of the album will occur on March 31. Pre-order here.




Watch a teaser for the "Angel" music video:





"MR Records is extremely proud to release Audio Reign’s ‘International Deluxe Edition’ CD. The original CD was previously only available in the Australia market. A new EP was in production and after deep discussions within the label, it was decided that the debut album deserved to be redesigned, repackaged and introduced to the world. This new edition consists 14 tracks including three unreleased bonus tracks, completely new artwork, designed by world renowned album designer Nello Dell’Omo." - Peter Naylor, MR Records


Although Audio Reigns’ self-titled debut album release was well received in Australia, MR Records believed this album was a powerhouse and deserved world recognition. As such, the album has been completely redesigned and repackaged as an International Deluxe Edition with some brand-new bonus tracks for world release 2022.


The album already boasts some explosive singles like "Betrayal", a hard rock tour de force. Hard-hitting and relentless, it sets a musical and lyrical tone that is abundant throughout the album: raw emotion and undiluted power. Vivisecting an act of treachery, the song casts a stark light on a shadowy deception, delivered by the unmistakable voice of frontman/guitarist Jake Fleming. Driving his vocals like a battering ram; the irreplaceable legion of Alek Dyrynda (lead guitar), Ash Lovett (bass) and Dieter Schoell (drums).


The release of Audio Reigns International Deluxe Edition sees a brand-new single emerge into the light. "Angel" is a truly authentic hard rock ballad which begs an answer to a declaration of love. This heartfelt offering once again harnesses the raw emotion of the band and delivers the dynamics and spine-tingling heights that you would expect from such a song. Although the International Deluxe Edition will release a radio edit of "Angel", the band are currently working on another album which will contain the full album version.





Tracklisting:


"Betrayal"
"Pill"
"Senses"
"One Way"
"Broken"
"The Portrait"
"Shining Light"
"Make Me Feel"
"Falling"
"Breaks Me"
"Jezebel"


Bonus tracks:


"Relentless" [Radio edit]
"Angel" [Radio edit]
"Forgotten You"


Audio Reign is:


Ashley Lovett (bass/backing vocals
Jake Fleming (vocals/rhythm guitar)
Alek Dyrynda (lead guitar)
Dieter Schoell (drums/backing vocals)

THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT, the musical meeting of minds between Grammy-nominated STONE SOUR guitarist Josh Rand and PARALANDRA vocalist/guitarist Casandra Carson, will release a new four-song EP, titled "Big F.O.U.R.", on March 18 via Bloodblast. The collection features a clutch of cover versions, one each from heavy music's pioneering icons METALLICA, SLAYER, MEGADETH and ANTHRAX. The duo's take on ANTHRAX's "Caught In A Mosh" is revealed today, to coincide with the EP's pre-order. In addition, the single's sleeve artwork was designed by none other than ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante.

Rand comments: "Recording a 'Big F.O.U.R.' cover EP is something that I have wanted to do for a very very long time, and last fall I decided to finally do it with THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT.

"Without these four bands (METALLICA, MEGADETH, ANTHRAX and SLAYER), my musical career wouldn't be where it is today. In some ways, you could say this project is paying homage to them or, how I see it, a return to where it all started in my parents' house as a teenager trying to learn just a piece of the music.

"Each of the four songs that I picked were pivotal in my development as a musician, whether it was learning the intro to 'One' on guitar, drums on 'Symphony [Of Destruction]' or bass lines in 'Caught In A Mosh'.

"This EP was a true love and passion project for myself. I feel I captured the vibe and the spirit of the original but with THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT sound. Hopefully you hear it too!"

Rand continues; "'Among The Living' is a top three album of all-time for me, so covering 'Caught In A Mosh' was a no-brainer for us to do."

Carson adds: "'Caught In A Mosh' has an infectious energy to it, and I'm absolutely stoked with how it turned out."

Meanwhile, ANTHRAX's own Frank Bello comments: "Casandra sounds great and Josh did an amazing job nailing all the parts on 'Caught In A Mosh'. Great job, guys."

Stylistically, THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT is a fluid combination of classic metal sensibility and Rand's penchant for pushing the boundaries of contemporary heavy. THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT's debut self-titled EP came out last summer and is available exclusively through the band's webstore or via the Nuclear Blast store.

Josh and Casandra's debut single, "The Nothingness", was featured on several major playlists across streaming platforms, including Rock Hard on Spotify, Breaking Metal on Apple Music, Break Through Rock on Amazon and Metal Radar on Deezer. "The Nothingness" was also included on SiriusXM Octane's "Test Drive" show on release.