Silent Skies, the cinematic ambient project of Evergrey’s Tom S. Englund and classically trained pianist and composer Vikram Shankar (Redemption), will release their second studio album, Nectar, on February 4 via Napalm Records. Watch an unboxing video below:





In 2017, the paths of Swedish progressive band Evergrey's vocalist Tom S. Englund and multi-instrumentalist Vikram Shankar crossed fatefully. Both artists set themselves free from limitations to captivate their listener with Nectar - a soulful ten-track offering, produced by Englund and Shankar themselves and mixed/mastered by Jacob Hansen at Hansen Studios.




Silent Skies on the new album: “We are tremendously proud to announce our second record, Nectar, will be released on February 4th, 2022. Nectar represents an expansion and an elevation of all things that make us who we are; simultaneously grander and more intimate, more futuristic yet more organic and thoughtful. This record represents who we are, and it means so much to both of us, that we cannot wait for you to experience it.”


With Gothenburg’s Evergrey known as one of the most prolific bands in progressive metal, Englund is by far no stranger to the scene. After partnering with North Carolina, USA-based piano player Vikram Shankar – who had already worked with greats like Anneke van Giersbergen – this fateful encounter, now known as Silent Skies, set its first milestone with the release of their spine-tingling debut Satellites back in 2020. Two years later, this fruitful collaboration returns with Nectar, marking the sequel of something that’s far more than just a side project of Englund’s. Rather, it’s the brainchild of two highly talented individual artists with deep knowledge and many years of experience, whose creativity and spirit culminates in an exceptional form of musical expression. Shankar’s sensitive yet intense piano tunes merge with the poignant vocal interpretation of Tom S. Englund to take the listener on a touching, melancholic ride that wanders through the darkest facets of life, while always leaving a spark of hope to hold on to. This otherworldly sonic collaboration is graced by the outstanding contributions of Leprous' cello player Raphael Weinroth-Browne, who appears on nearly every track of the album to spice up the stirring sound even more.


Silent Skies’ sophomore full-length sets off with the soulful, ethereal “Fallen From Heart”, immediately creating a tapestry of sound to get lost in. Tracks like delicate “Taper” and shimmering “Neverending” are dominated by the yearning vocals of Englund, but never fail to give Shankar’s instrumental virtuosity the well-deserved space to shine bright like the first sunray welcoming the day. Beautifully honest “Let It Hurt” addicts with its remarkable chorus hitting on point, blending cinematic strings and piano with hooky modern vocals. Darker realms lure with heart-breaking “Leaving”, combining gloomy ambient and infectious pop influences, and dramatically accented, heart-beating “Cold”, with its lingering electronic elements that build a tangible, gripping maelstrom of emotions. Instrumental title track “Nectar” closes this new chapter of Silent Skies but leaves its audience with a long-lasting impact and the key to a door that’s worth entering over and over again.





Nectar will be available in the following formats:


- 6p Digisleeve
- 2LP Gatefold Black
- Digital Album


Pre-order here.





Tracklisting:


"Fallen From Heart"
"Taper"
"Neverending"
"Let It Hurt"
"The One"
"Leaving"
"Cold"
"Better Days"
"Closer"
"Nectar"


"Leaving" video:





"Taper" video:





(Photo - Patric Ullaeus)

Celebrate 10 years of "Storm The Sorrow" by watching this original behind-the-scenes video for the official music video from symphonic metallers Epica. The track is featured on the 2012 album, Requiem For The Indifferent.





Full video:







For their 20th band anniversary in 2022, symphonic metal titans, Epica, have prepared a massive celebration from January to December, with plenty of surprises, new projects, and of course some new music too that will all be revealed throughout the year.


In the clip below, watch guitarist Isaac Delahaye walk you through the things that happened during the launch month of the Epica Universe. Also, find out what's yet to come...





After recently relaunching their first three albums, the now-classic The Phantom Agony, Consign To Oblivion and The Score 2.0, via Nuclear Blast, with an extensive physical re-release on CD, vinyl, as well as strictly limited earbooks and boxsets later this year.


Epica have started the year with launching nothing less than, well, their own universe: “We truly feel like there’s a universe within the band, a world of our own, and we want to invite our lifeblood to be citizens - Epicans, if you will”, the band explains. “Think of it as a sequel to past Epica fan clubs like “The Fantom Agony” and “The French Crusade” but updated for the modern era; it’s more fan community than a club. Epica Universe will give Epicans insight into our lives, both personal and professional, through exclusive behind-the-scenes photos, podcasts, polls, vlogs, live hangouts and much more. There’s even a (super limited) tier that includes one-on-one video calls with a band member each month!"


Join the Epica Universe here. Get a first glimpse of what’s to expect via this trailer, presented by the whole band:





And what would a 20th anniversary be without a proper celebration live and in full color? The massive anniversary show is taking place at the same venue as Epica played their first show back in the day, supporting Anathema: the 013 in Tilburg, The Netherlands. Tickets are moving fast, so get yours here.





(Photo -  Tim Tronckoe)

Andorra’s extreme progressive metal unit, Persefone, have returned with the next single from their upcoming album, metanoia, entering the last round before its long-awaited release this Friday.


The third single, “Architecture Of The I”, features grim growling, sharp screams and technically precise riffing - creating dark sound walls that alternate with calmer atmospheric parts underlined with electronic elements - once again showcasing the band’s variety in just one epic song. Underlining this opus of sound is a mesmerizing visualizer video that enters another universe - just a sneak peak of what’s to come with their new album metanoia.


Says the band: “‘Architecture Of The I’ represents one of the most progressive songs on metanoia. On this track, we really let the song come alive as we were writing, and because of that, the listener will find in there a huge dynamic range from one of the most fast and heavy riffs in the whole album, to some of the most introspective passages. This song has been a challenge for us to write and perform, and we are sure that it will also present a challenge for the listener to keep track with its particular pace and structure. Now it's up to you to find the purpose of all those notes within the album. The stunning video was created by our guitar player Filipe and his partner K (DeadFlag Studios and Gráfica de Ferro).”







Persefone are known for technical precision at its highest levels, and with their newest single, “Katabasis” - out today alongside an astounding new music video created with the support of SDADV - draw dramatic, cinematic soundscapes mixed with electronic influences. The soft, clear vocals of Marc Martins alternate with sharp growls and bleak yet dynamic riffs. This ride ties in with the well-received first single “Merkabah” and leaves you anxiously awaiting Persefone’s upcoming album, metanoia, out on February 4.


Persefone on “Katabasis”: “"Katabasis" stands as the opening track of the new album and marks an important event when it comes to the concept of metanoia, as it led us to the depths of the being. This song displays many of the elements that can be heard throughout the album, and we hope that it welcomes the listener to the journey we want to offer with all this new music.”


Persefone is known for their brand of rich soundscapes and technically precise work, setting new standards in modern extreme progressive metal. Founded in 2001, Persefone has released five studio albums, each showcasing the band’s myriad of musical principles: high technicality, distinct melodies, plenty of head-turning riffs and musical acrobatics. The band has toured worldwide with notable acts like Obituary and Leprous, has hit stages at important festivals such as Wacken Open Air, Metal Days, Brutal Assault, ProgPower and 70,000 Tons of Metal, and is now set to release their new album, metanoia!


Featuring collaborations with standout artists like Steffen Kummerer (Obscura, Thulcandra), Einar Solberg (Leprous), Angel Vivaldi and Merethe Soltvedt (Two Steps From Hell), metanoia exploits the full potential of contrasts in every song, with each track representing a story evolving from beginning to end and constantly growing in strength - redefining typical musical boundaries. Mixed by David Castillo (Leprous, Soen, Opeth) and mastered by Tony Lindgren (Enslaved, Ihsahn, Sepultura), the new full-length stretches over 10 songs, each appearing to glide seamlessly from one to the next.


metanoia sets off with the opulent opener “Katabasis”, drawing dramatic, cinematic soundscapes mixed with electronic influences. The soft, clear vocals of Miguel Espinosa alternate with sharp growls and pierce through constantly changing riffs. Persefone balances soft passages with intense walls of sound on tracks like “Aware of Being Watched” – in which clean vocals and jazzy sections alternate with intense riffing carried by dense drumming – while solid, rich sound takes on orchestral dimensions on songs such as “Leap of Faith”. Vivid and dynamic instrumentation, tempo and rhythm make up the intense ride “Merkabah”, showcasing the band’s hardest yet most vulnerable sides as screams and blast beats are followed by soft instrumentation – spanning the song’s intensity to its maximum. A special surprise is the 11-minute masterpiece “Consciousness Pt III”, which continues a series of songs from the band’s fourth album Spiritual Migration (2013). The album closes with another opulent set of songs, “Anabasis Part I”, “Anabasis Part II” and “Anabasis Part III”. “Anabasis Part I” starts off with calm, dreamy piano sounds, drifting over to the intense “Anabasis Part II” and leading seamlessly into “Anabasis Part III”, gently closing the album with a cinematic outro.


Persefone about the new album: “metanoia is the next step in our personal pursuit for existential growth through music. This album is a call for a deep change, a call for an inner journey through fear and pain, a call for a leap into a meaningful and rooted place. Making this album has forced us to face many musical and personal hurdles and fears, and the result of that confrontation lives within all the notes and words captured on this new chapter in our journey.  May you will find meaning in all this musical chaos.”





metanoia will be available in the following formats:


- Digipack
- 2LP Gatefold Black
- 2LP Gatefold Clear (incl. Slipmat & Logopatch)
- 2LP Gatefold Marbled White & Black
- Digipack & Shirt Bundle
- Digital Full Length Album


Pre-order here.





metanoia tracklisting:


"Metanoia" ft. Einar Solberg
"Katabasis"
"Architecture Of The I"
"Leap Of Faith"
"Aware Of Being Watched"
"Merkabah"
"Consciousness Part III"
"Anabasis Part I"
"Anabasis Part II" ft. Steffen Kummerer, Angel Vivaldi und Merethe Soltvedt
"Anabasis Part III"


“Katabasis” video:





"Merkabah" video:





Persefone is:


Marc Martins - vocals
Miguel "Moe” Espinosa - keyboards and vocals
Carlos Lozano - guitar
Filipe Baldaia - guitar
Toni Mestre - bass
Sergi " Bobby” Verdeguer - drums


(Photo - Èric Rossell)

Old-school brutal death metal outfit, Embryonic Autopsy, have released a lyric video for their new single, "Cauterized Womb Impalement", which features a guest solo by James Murphy (ex-Death, Obituary, Testament). Watch the clip below.


The song is taken from the upcoming album, Prophecies Of The Conjoined, out on February 18 via Massacre Records. It contains a total of ten songs, and will be available as CD Digipak, limited edition vinyl LP as well as in digital formats. Pre-order here.


Nine of the ten songs were mixed by Scott Roberts, whereas Ulrich Wild mixed the remaining song. All songs were mastered by Jason Z at TVR Studios. The album's cover artwork - available below - was designed by Diego Gedoz de Souza.




Embryonic Autopsy are focused on bringing back the style that made death metal so popular back in the early ‘90s, so get ready for blazing guitars, guttural vocals and lightning fast drumming galore.





Tracklisting:


"Regurgitated And Reprocessed"
"Cauterized Womb Impalement"
"Prophecies Of The Conjoined"
"Craving Of The Mutated Fetus"
"Upon The Mayan Throne"
"Splicing The Alien Gene"
"Telekinetic Insemination"
"Cannibalized By Octuplets"
"Cauterized Womb Impalement (Genetically Altered)"
"Recombination Sequence Complete"


"Cauterized Womb Impalement" lyric video:





"Regurgitated And Reprocessed" video:

Richmond, Virginia's Devolution have released their debut single, a heavy cover of Depeche Mode’s "Enjoy The Silence". BraveWords is exclusively premiering the music video for the song, which can be viewed below.





The single is from Devolution’s upcoming self-titled debut EP. Recording of the EP began in May 2021 with producer Mike Trubetskov at EOL Studios. Mastering by the legendary Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound.







"Enjoy The Silence" features Christian Olde Wilber’s (Fear Factory, Vio-lence, Powerflo) on bass, and Jon Howard (Threat Signal, Imonolith) on vocals. The video was directed by Scott Hansen (Sevendust, Meshuggah, Ill Nino).


For more on Devolution, visit the band's official website, here.

Death Dealer has announced the upcoming release of a new EP, titled Fuel Injected Suicide Machine (the second Steel Cartel Records product to implement the variant cover art vinyl product).


The band features Ross The Boss (ex-Manowar, Ross The Boss Band, Dictators), Sean Peck (Cage, The Three Tremors, Denner/Shermann, Warrior), Mike Lepond (Symphony X, Steel Assasins), Stu Marshall (Dungeon, Night Legion, Arkenstone), and Steve Bolognese (Ross The Boss, Into Eternity) and is coming off of their successful third full-length release of the award-winning album, Conquered Lands.


The new EP release features four new songs of pure heavy metal goodness, and stunning cover artwork by Marc Sasso (Dio, Halford, Adrenaline Mob, Cage) and is being released on vinyl and digipak on February 25 worldwide via Steel Cartel Records. Pre-order here.







The digipak and vinyl versions both have an additional Free Steel Cartel Sampler CD with 11 tracks from such bands as Cage, Snowy Shaw, The Three Tremors, Sledd, Seventrain, Refexicon, Monarch, Spiritual Sickness and others. Many of the tracks on the sampler are new and unreleased. Each track has an introduction recorded by one of the corresponding band members and they are hilariously entertaining.


The title track can be heard below via an insane lyric video that really sets the tone for the entire 4-song journey. The theme of the record harkens back to the Mad Max series of movies and tales of survival in a dystopian future.


Mike Lepond said “We had such a powerful positive reaction from our last record, that we felt we should get something out sooner rather than later. We had so much material written and recorded that were able to get an EP ready that is amazing sounding.”


Sean followed up by saying “I am really stoked on how the EP came out it is a great mix of heavy speed songs and classic Death Dealer mid-tempo head bangers too. The packaging again is stunning looking with custom artwork everywhere and some cool new collector’s elements we have included in the pre-order options.”


Stu Marshall said “We stayed extremely busy during all the COVID bullshit and I happy to formally announce not only is the EP here now, and the songs on the EP will NOT appear on any upcoming releases, but the 4th album is completely done and the 5th album is almost finished as well. Haaa,it was crazy how the lads and I really grinded out what I feel is our finest metal to date during that period. After all we had plenty of time on our hands so why not make more heavy metal?”


Ross The Boss chimed in about the release. “Once again we are focusing on the metal fans out there that love the music and support what we do. There will only be one song from the EP that hits the streaming platforms so this will not be on Spotify or any of that other shit. We put our hearts and souls into rock and roll and we got a tremendous amount of support for that stance we took on our last record, both from the fans that bought our stuff and the press that respected us for not just giving it away. Heavy Metal fans treat the music and physical product like a cherished thing of value to hold in your hands and collect. So this time, same thing we will give you the first track free but we are focused and embrace the hard-cores that support us by buying the albums.”


As usual, Steel Cartel has constructed some amazing pre-order package combinations that are targeted to the heavy metal freak in all of us and the hard-core collectors. The Ruler Of The Wasteland packages include digi-pak and vinyl combinations with two options for the vinyl colors, a custom Death Dealer metal key chain, band sketch print, and two insane t-shirt designs. And as usual there is a “Gotta Have it All” package that has a version of everything included for the ultimate collector. In addition, all Ruler Of The Wasteland packs will get two brand new, surprise cover tracks emailed to them for free! In addition, all pre-order packages will receive two secret, never to be released cover tracks done by the band both heavy metal classics, but to discover which songs they are you will have to grab a bundle. Like all Steel Cartel products, only the video single will hit the streaming platforms, the rest will remain on physical product only.





Steel Cartel is also implementing a new concept for their vinyl releases, borrowed from the comic-book industry which is the addition of “Variant” cover artwork. The Death Dealer EP will be the first product from Steel Cartel to implement this. The 1 in 5 cover artwork shown above will be an option available for purchase in the store here. That means that for every 5 vinyls pressed, 1 of the variant covers is made, making it a rare collectible.

German thrash metal veterans, Destruction, celebrate their 40th anniversary by setting the world ablaze with a new, hard-hitting grenade in the form of their new album, Diabolical, out April 8 via Napalm Records.


Destruction have released the new video below, stating: "We have made a little clip with some impressions from the recording session of the new album at Little Creek Studio in Switzerland for you folks!"


Singer/bassist Schmier on the recording of Diabolical: "This was the most fun we had working on a record in a very long time and you can hear that. Yes. it was theoretically a difficult album but we did not think this way while we recorded it.  We just followed our emotions, jammed and rocked out with a strong gut feeling! This recording was like a therapy to me, we all know how difficult the times are at the moment. So I m super happy how everything turned out!"




Guitar shredder Damir adds: "It was a real honor for me to record this album. The studio work for Diabolical was very spontaneous and we had a lot of fun creating these dynamic, multifaceted and brutal but diverse songs. I loved every second working on this record!“





The new single and video, "No Faith in Humanity", will be released in late February.


As one of the most legendary German thrash metal bands in existence, Destruction grace the wall of fame alongside giants like Kreator, Sodom and Tankard. On their 15th studio record, Destruction brings out heavy artillery full of honest and uncompromising thrash metal, catapulting you straight into the seventh heaven of metallic bliss and causing a massacre of razor-sharp sound no fan of the genre should miss.


After the charging start of opener "Under The Spell", Destruction shows no mercy on title track "Diabolical", with raging drums, bloodthirsty riffs and hellish vocals that sink deep down into your bones. "No Faith In Humanity" relentlessly rages on with non-stop headbanging action, while Destruction continues to smash eardrums on "Hope Dies Last" - providing unbeatable brutality with unstoppable speed, destructive verses and screeching voices. "Tormented Soul", on the other hand, is loaded with proper heavy metal and explosive drums. The grand finale of the 47-minute parade of devastation is provided by cover track "City Baby Attacked By Rats", originally by GBH, guaranteeing whiplash by combining rough hardcore punk with brute thrash metal.


Destruction riff killer Furia about the new record: “Diabolical is an album of extremes, everything is more brutal and more technical but at the same time more melodic and to the point. It's a pure and devastating Destruction album with no gimmicks, full of power and adrenaline. I'm excited for what the future is bringing and can't wait to play the new songs live!”





Diabolical will be available in various formats in different territories, including a digital album and CD (bundled with a t-shirt + an exclusive “Mad Butcher”-bust), 1LP gatefold editions in black, crystal clear and marbled yellow/red. Pre-order here.





Tracklisting:


"Under The Spell"
"Diabolical"
"No Faith In Humanity"
"Repent Your Sins"
"Hope Dies Last"
"The Last Of A Dying Breed"
"State Of Apathy"
"Tormented Soul"
"Servant Of The Beast"
"The Lonely Wolf"
"Ghost From The Past"
"Whorefication"
"City Baby Attacked By Rats"


"Diabolical" video:





Artwork "making of" video:





Destruction are:


Schmier - Bass, Vocals
Martin Furia - Guitars
Randy Black - Drums
Damir Eskić - Guitars


(Photo - Gyula Havancsák)

Deko Entertainment and Blackbird Entertainment, Inc have teamed up with Union and all the original members - John Corabi, Bruce Kulick, James Hunting, and Brent Fitz - to bring you two very special releases. All details will be revealed on March 1st. Until then, sign up for the Deko Newsletter to get all the latest updates, and check back regularly as we slowly unveil what’s to come…





Union is comprised of vocalist / guitarist John Corabi (Mötley Crüe, The Scream), guitarist Bruce Kulick (KISS, Grand Funk Railroad), bassist Jamie Hunting (David Lee Roth, Vince Neil), and drummer Brent Fitz (Slash Featuring Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators, Vince Neil).




Formed in Los Angeles, California in 1997, Union released two studio albums and one live album: Union (1998), Live In The Galaxy (1999), and The Blue Room (2000).


 


 

In September 2021, just prior to embarking on their Somethin' Wicked Tour, Blacktop Mojo made the following announcement:


"Due to personal reasons, (guitarist) Ryan Kiefer will not be joining us on our fall tour. Ryan is still and will always be a member of this band. We ask that you respect his privacy at this time.


Stepping up in his place for these shows will be our good friend Malcolm Booher. Please give him a warm welcome, as he has worked his ass off to fill Ryan’s shoes for us on the stage!"




Earlier today, February 1, 2022, Ryan Kiefer issued the following statement via social media:


“My dear friends,
It’s with a very heavy heart I inform you that I will not be returning to Blacktop Mojo.
This whole journey with the boys has been a great one and I want to thank you guys so much for the support all these years and helping us succeed. I wish you all the best! Please keep supporting and spreading The Mojo love around the world.
Stay safe and stay healthy!”


Blacktop Mojo commented:


"While this has been a difficult transition for all of us, there’s absolutely no bad blood here and there won’t ever be. We love and appreciate our brother Kiefer for all the years of creating together, goofing off together, sharing experiences both good and bad, all the lessons we learned as we grew up together, the sacrifices we made together, and the life-long memories made while we lived together. As this was a personal decision, we ask that moving forward, everyone please respect his privacy.


Thank you for everything brother! May you be blessed in all that you do moving forward! We’ll be cheering you on."


Vocalist Matt James chimed in personally saying:


"Ryan Kiefer, it was an honor to see all the things we saw, do all the things we did, and laugh at all the dumb things we laughed at together while you were in this band.


Now that your job title’s a little different, I’m sure we have plenty more to see, plenty more to do, and plenty more to laugh at together because that ain’t ever gonna change. Love ya bud."


Drummer Nathan Gillis offered the following:


"The thing that makes you great is that you’re much more than a band mate, and the silver lining to it all is this doesn’t change that. Love you Kiefer , it was an honor." 


Blacktop Mojo will visit 13 cities across The United States on their upcoming spring tour . Confirmed dates are listed below, tickets can be purchased at this location.


March
10 - Little Rock, AR - Stickyz Rock N' Roll Chicken Shack 
12 - Lincoln, NE - 1867 Bar 
13 - Watertown, SD - The Goss Opera House 
15 - Minot, ND - The Original Bar and Nightclub 
16 - Fargo, ND - The Aquarium 
18 - Sioux City, IA - The Marquee 
19 - Minneapolis, MN - The Cabooze 
20 - Iowa City, IA - Wildwood BBQ & Saloon 
22 - Westland, MI - The Token Lounge 
23 - Battle Creek, MI - The Music Factory 
25 - Louisville, KY - Diamond Pub Highlands and Concert Hall 
26 - St. Louis, MO  - Red Flag 
27 - Springfield, MO - Odyssey 





Blacktop Mojo recently issued a lyric video for their brand new, stand-alone single, "Strike Me". The song is available to stream now at this location.





"‘Strike Me’ was recorded in our sessions for our self-titled album (released in 2021) at Sound Emporium in Nashville, TN and we had the privilege to add the background singing of the world famous McCrary Sisters on the track, who were an honor to work with. It was our first time bringing in outside background singing," says Blacktop Mojo vocalist Matt James.


“The song is a sardonic answer to living through the great many turmoils we’ve all dealt with, especially in the last two years. It’s essentially us observing the world around us and exclaiming, ‘I’m coming, Elizabeth!’ to quote the late, great Redd Foxx.”


 

Australia's Triple M is reporting that Meat Loaf has made Australian chart history from beyond the grave with Bat Out Of Hell, his iconic 1977 album, which soared back to #1 on the ARIA chart this week following the shock news of the singer's death. The album was last at #1 in August 1978. 


That means the 44 year (or 2,269 week) gap between Bat Out of Hell being #1 in Australia is a new chart record. It was previously held by the Grease soundtrack which was #1 in November 1978 and then again in June 1991.


Read the complete report here.







Legendary rock singer and actor, Meat Loaf (real name Marvin Lee Aday), passed away at the age of 74 on January 20th. The sad news was shared via the official Meat Loaf Facebook page.


The message states: "Our hearts are broken to announce that the incomparable Meat Loaf passed away tonight surrounded by his wife Deborah, daughters Pearl and Amanda and close friends.


"His amazing career spanned 6 decades that saw him sell over 100 Million albums worldwide and star in over 65 movies, including Fight Club, Focus, Rocky Horror Picture Show and Wayne’s World.


"Bat Out of Hell remains one of the top 10 selling albums of all time.


"We know how much he meant to so many of you and we truly appreciate all of the love and support as we move through this time of grief in losing such an inspiring artist and beautiful man.


"We thank you for your understanding of our need for privacy at this time.


"From his heart to your souls… don’t ever stop rocking!"


Jim Steinman, the composer, lyricist and record producer who worked with Meat Loaf, passed away on April 19, 2021. Steinman composed Meat Loaf’s debut album, Bat Out Of Hell, in 1977, which is one of the best-selling albums of all time with more than 50 million copies sold around the world. Steinman collaborated with Meat Loaf on the singer’s 1981 album Dead Ringer, served as composer/producer on his 1993 album Bat Out Of Hell II: Back Into Hell, and composed his 2016 Braver Than We Are album.

Frontiers Music Srl welcomes legendary '80s hard rockers Autograph to the roster. The band, featuring vocalist Simon Daniels, guitarist Jimi Bell, bassist Randy Rand, and drummer Marc Wieland, are currently working on material for a new studio album.


"Exciting news for  Autograph! We are pleased to announce the upcoming release of a new studio album with Frontiers Music Srl. We are looking forward to introducing our newest collection of hard rock music across the globe. A very special thank you to Serafino, Mario, and the entire Frontiers Family." - Autograph


Autograph, whose hit 'Turn Up The Radio' was a staple of the hard rock soundtrack of the '80s, disbanded in 1989, but in 2011, founding members bassist Randy Rand and guitarist Steve Lynch decided to meet up at the NAMM show in Anaheim, CA. They rekindled their friendship first before even thinking about a musical reunion. With their personal relationship rebuilt, they made a collective decision to play again. “We approached our original singer Steve Plunkett about a reunion,” recalls Rand. “He didn’t have the time to join the band again due to his busy schedule. He did give us his blessing to move forward though, and that was important. We missed our fans. This is for them.”




Fully embracing the future, the remaining members begin a search for a new singer. They discovered some videos of singer/guitarist/songwriter Simon Daniels (of Jailhouse, Flood, 1RKO) on YouTube and instantly, they sensed a connection and knew that he was the right fit for the band. “He was perfect to front Autograph," smiles Rand. "His hard-edged, bluesy voice and massive riffing sharpen our edge. He’s given us a new energy, and he impressed us immediately. We all had a euphoric feeling after the first rehearsal,” Rand adds.


Rand says that during his long-lived career, he has only loved playing with two drummers; one is the great late Randy Castillo, and then there is Autograph's new drummer Marc Wieland. As Rand puts it, “We’re heavier than before. At the same time, the melodic vocals and catchy hooks are still an integral part of our sound.”


In 2019, Lynch decided to leave the group to pursue different musical styles and was replaced by international monster shredder guitarist Jimi Bell (House of Lords, Maxx Explosion). The band hasn't skipped a beat since and is ready to continue their rock n' roll journey on their next studio album.


Autograph, the platinum-selling Southern California hard rock band who gave the world the ubiquitous hit 'Turn Up The Radio', has released seminal albums such as "Sign In Please" [1984], "That’s The Stuff" [1985], and "Loud and Clear" [1987]. Over the course of their career, they have played shows with everybody from Mötley Crüe and Ronnie James Dio to Van Halen and Aerosmith. Successfully touring again since the beginning of 2014, Autograph has strived and shined at arenas, casinos, major music festivals such as M3, Monsters of Rock Cruise, The Moondance Jam, 80’s in the Park, Grand Rock Tember, Cat Club Festival at Irvine Meadows, and Firefest UK, among others. In 2017, Autograph released a new album on ex-Megadeth member David Ellefson's EMP Label Group, hitting # 21 on the Billboard Classic Rock Sales Chart, as well as placing two new singles on the top 10 Hard Rock Mediabase Radio Chart.
 


 

Slam death metal artist Analepsy has shared a music video for their new single "Locus Of Dawning", which foreshadows the Portuguese band's upcoming album, Quiescence.





The vinyl version of Quiescence will be issued on May 27th through Agonia Records. The album will be released on CD, MC and digital formats on April 15th via Miasma Records and Vomit Your Shirt. Pre-orders can be placed now at this location.




Quiescence continues the space motif from Analepsy’s previous releases, but from a different perspective. There are no living creatures, only the deserted cosmos awaiting its own demise. The album features guest appearances from Ricky Myers (Suffocation, Disgorge), Angel Ochoa (Cephalotripsy, Disgorge, Abominable Putridity, Condemned) and Wilson Ng (Facelift Deformation, Vermicular Incubation).


The band commented: "We are delighted to present our most recent work: Quiescence! This has been a tight process, and despite all the changes the band went through, everything worked like clockwork. The essence of our music lives on!"


The recordings of Quiescence took three months (August - October, 2021), entailing the skills of guitarist/co-founder Marco Martins, guitarist/vocalist Calin Paraschiv (ex-Pestilence), bassist João Jacinto and ex-drummer Tiago Correia. The album was recorded, mixed, and mastered by Miguel Tereso at Demigod Recordings studio in Caxarias, Portugal. The cover artwork was created by Pedro Sena - Lordigan.





Tracklisting:


"Locus Of Dawning"
"Impending Subversion"
"Elapsing Permanence" (featuring Wilson Ng)
"Accretion Collision"
"Stretched And Devoured" (featuring Angel Ochoa)
"Converse Condition"
"Fractured Continuum"
"Spasmodic Dissonance" (featuring Ricky Myers)
"Edge Of Chaos"
"Quiescence" (Instrumental)


Analepsy's sound can be described as a crossover between old-school brutal death metal and modern melodic elements. The correct pronunciation of the name of the band is "uh-nuh-leh-psy" [ʌnʌlepsy], and it was chosen due to its (now obsolete) meaning: recovery of strength after an illness.


 

On the occasion of the 10-year anniversary of the Horror Metal album release, Cadaveria presents, for the first time on YouTube, the extended version of the video for the song "Flowers In Fire", with an upgrade to 4K by Morbid Vision Italy.





Stream / download Horror Metal at this location.




Tracklisting:

"Flowers In Fire" 
"The Night's Theatre" 
"Death Vision" 
"Whispers Of Sin" 
"Assassin" 
"The Days Of The After And Behind" 
"Apocalypse" 
"The Oracle (Of The Fog)"
"Requiem" 
"This Is Not The Silence" 
"Hypnotic Psychosis" 


"Death Vision" video:





 

Frontiers Music Srl recently released The Inner Side, the debut album from Italian symphonic metal band, Agarthic. Check out a lyric video for the song, "Illuminati's Reign", below.


The Inner Side was recorded under the direction of producer Aldo Lonobile (Secret Sphere, Archon Angel, Timo Tolkki’s Avalon, etc.). Order/save The Inner Side here.


Based in Northern Italy, Agarthic was founded in 2019 by composer and bassist Mattia Gosetti and vocalist Valeriano De Zordo. The two musicians, tied by a strong friendship, had already worked together several times over the past years, but mostly just some shows and theatrical performances and never a proper band.




"As a big fan of rock and metal music, I've always followed with great enthusiasm the release of albums by labels. I remember reading album booklets when I was just a kid, dreaming to see my name printed on one of those one day... who would have ever imagined that happening with one of the most important labels of today?" says vocalist Valeriano De Zordo. "For several years, I've been really interested in knowing all the ancient legends and mysteries about the forgotten history of our planet, especially the theories about the hollow earth. I've always been fascinated by it. And when this chance to make an album was offered, the task was quite easy....all I had to do was to combine my two major passions and turn all these themes finally into music!" continues De Zordo.


Adds composer and bassist Mattia Gosetti, "My greatest passion is to write musical stories, to create soundtracks for romantic adventures and fascinating places. I am really proud to have been noticed by a successful label like Frontiers Music, in whose roster there are many of the most famous bands in the world. The enthusiasm for the signing of the contract and the collaboration with Aldo Lonobile, an artist that I have always esteemed and admired, has been fundamental for the realization of this symphonic metal concept. I am experiencing an artistic growth that I would have never hoped for and I will never be grateful enough for all this.”


Valeriano has been active in several bands in the area of Belluno, singing both covers and original music, which brought him recognition thanks to his melodic timbre and great ability as a performer.


Mattia is a symphonic rock composer, with his works mostly dedicated to the history of land located on the Alps, musical tales that he often presents in theater settings. His deep passion for symphonic rock has always been apparent, but in particular when he and his wife won the "Elan Cover Contest”, an international competition organized by Nightwish.


The band's line up is rounded out by two other talented Italian musicians, Jesai Fiabane on guitar and Denis Novello on drums.


Agarthic's music is strongly inspired by the nature that surrounds them, in particular by the Dolomites, a mountain range in Italy. Their compositions tell stories of fantasy and mysteries of humanity, a romantic and enveloping soundtrack that will take you on a thrilling journey with cinematic flavor.





Tracklisting:


"The Beginning Of All"
"The Ancient Secret Scroll"
"A Journey To The End Of The World"
"A Heaven Inside This Earth"
"Through The Mystical Forest"
"Message From The Gods"
"Back Home"
"Negotiations Failed"
"Escape To Antarctica"
"Last Journey"
"Illuminati's Reign"


"Illuminati's Reign" lyric video:





"A Heaven Inside This Earth" lyric video:





"The Ancient Secret Scroll":





"A Journey To The End Of The World" video:





Lineup:


Valeriano De Zordo - Vocals
Mattia Gosetti - Bass, Orchestral Synth
Jesai Fiabane - Guitars
Denis Novello - Drums


Guest vocals on “Negotiations Failed” by Fabio Lione
Guitar solo on “Negotiations Failed” by Aldo Lonobile
Rhythm Guitars by Federico Maraucci
All choirs by Valeriano De Zordo, Mattia Gosetti, Marco Pastorino and Sonia Da Col

Peaceville Records has released a video trailer for the upcoming deluxe 35th anniversary 3LP edition of the Candlemass classic, Epicus Doomicus Metallicus. The set will be released on June 3, and is available for pre-order here.


Candlemass was formed by bassist and songwriter Leif Edling in Stockholm, Sweden in 1984, and is well known for its epic doom metal, having a great influence over a generation of the genre's subsequent greats - Candlemass themselves taking a large influence from Black Sabbath.


Epicus Doomicus Metallicus is a true genre classic, with every track a monument of timeless and finely crafted doom. This is one of the quintessential, definitive doom metal releases, immortalizing the band in the annals of music history & creating the foundations of a legacy spanning over thirty-five years.




Going against the grain of bands at the time using speed to bolster their metal with the ongoing rise of thrash in Europe and the US, Candlemass eschewed this direction, and formed a phenomenon of their own through the latter part of the decade and beyond with their slow & spellbinding atmospherics. Epicus… was recorded at Thunderload Studios in 1986 and was released later that same year, with the grand and inspiring vocals for the debut handled by Johan Längqvist.


“Epicus was our first, and perhaps also the best. I have no clue what we did there in the studio deep under the Stockholm subway, but some sort of magic was created. This is a record I would gladly be buried with!” - Leif Edling


Now, marking 35 years of the iconic debut, this Candlemas endorsed, deluxe triple vinyl release includes a new remastered version of the album itself, as well as a collection of Candlemass’ essential 1985 recordings preceding the Epicus… session, in the form of the Witchcraft demo plus the OAL studio recordings, & completed by the band’s Upplands Väsby rehearsal from November of 1985.


Each vinyl is presented with its own sleeve, with the Epicus Doomicus Metallicus LP containing a layout closely reflecting the original edition, with images used on its initial pressings. The set also includes an 8-page 12” booklet with images from the era and accompanying text, plus A2 poster, as well as a handwritten letter print from founder Leif Edling.





Tracklisting:


LP 1
A.1. "Solitude"
A.2. "Demon's Gate"
A.3. "Crystal Ball"


B.1. "Black Stone Wielder"
B.2. "Under The Oak"
B.3. "A Sorcerer's Pledge""


LP 2
C.1. "Warchild (Witchcraft Demo, Jan '85)
C.2. "Crystal Ball" (Witchcraft Demo, Jan '85)
C.3. "A Sorcerer's Pledge" (Witchcraft Demo, Jan '85)
C.4. "Into The Unfathomed Tower" (Witchcraft Demo, Jan '85)


D.1. "Black Stone Wielder" (O.A.L. Studio Demo, Dec '85)
D.2. "Demon's Gate" (O.A.L. Studio Demo, Dec '85)


LP 3
E.1. "Demon's Gate - V1" (Upplands Vasby rehearsal, Nov '85)
E.2. "Under The Oak - V1" (Upplands Vasby rehearsal, Nov '85)
E.3. "Under The Oak - V2" (Upplands Vasby rehearsal, Nov '85 alternate version)


F.1. "Black Stone Wielder" (Upplands Vasby rehearsal, Nov '85)
F.2. "Demon's Gate - V2" (Upplands Vasby rehearsal, Nov '85, alternate version)
F.3. "Under The Oak - V3" (Upplands Vasby rehearsal, Nov '85, alternate version 2)

Australian metal band, Meshiaak, have announced the new lineup change for their third album, adding guitarist Logan Mader
(Once Human, ex-Machine Head, ex-Soulfly). Also, Jon Dette (Testament, Slayer) rejoins the fold on drums.


Original member Dette played drums on the first Meshiaak album, Alliance Of Thieves. The band parted ways with guitarist Dean Wells, drummer David Godfrey and bassist Andrew Cameron back in early 2021.


Vocalist Danny Camilleri is planning on relocating from Australia to the United States to commence work on the third Meshiaak release. "I haven't been this excited to create music in years! The next Meshiaak album is going to be a monster! A big, fat, angry monster," Camilleri shares.




Guitarist Logan Mader, who will also be co-writing and producing the next record says, "I am beyond stoked to be a part of this album with Meshiaak. I’ll be producing and playing guitar on it. I have a good feeling about how heavy and epic it will be."


Stay tuned for updates.

Heavy metallers, Spirits Of Fire, recently announced their return with new vocalist Fabio Lione (Angra, ex-Rhapsody Of Fire), who joins original members Chris Caffery, Steve DiGiorgio, and Mark Zonder on their second album, Embrace The Unknown. The album will land on February 18.


Produced by Aldo Lonobile (Secret Sphere, Archon Angel, Sweet Oblivion), Embrace The Unknown sees Spirits Of Fire picking up where they left off on their debut, with Caffery's skillful songwriting and fiery fretwork leading the charge.


Listen to the album's title track below, and pre-order/save Embrace The Unknown on CD/LP/Digital here.




Heavy metal supergroup Spirits of Fire first formed in 2017, released their first single in late 2018, and unleashed their debut album in February 2019. Originally formed by Chris Caffery (Savatage, Trans-Siberian Orchestra), Steve DiGiorgio (Testament, Death, etc.), Mark Zonder (ex-Fates Warning, Warlord) and Tim "Ripper" Owens (ex-Judas Priest), the band's self-titled debut was met with fan and critical praise upon its release. As it approaches two years since the release of their debut, Spirits of Fire are now set to return with a new album, Embrace The Unknown that sees renowned Italian metal vocalist Fabio Lione taking over frontman duties for the band. Production this time comes courtesy of Aldo Lonobile, whose recent work on releases by Archon Angel featuring Zak Stevens, Sweet Oblivion featuring Geoff Tate, and his own band, Secret Sphere, makes him the perfect fit for the band.


Once again, the band worked on a set of songs that were primarily put together by Caffery, with Lione and Lonobile adding their own touches to Caffery's stellar songs. The final result sees a killer musical output that continues in the vein of “classic Priest meets Savatage” sound that the band has pursued since their formation. With Caffery's renowned guitar playing, the undeniable power of the rhythm section of Di Giorgio and Zonder, and the world class vocals of Lione, Embrace The Unknown sees Spirits Of Fire pushing their sonic stamp further and further. From the biting riffage of the charging "Embrace The Unknown", the band is firing on all cylinders and prepared to appease the heavy metal gods.


Spirits Of Fire are built to deliver classic in-your-face heavy metal and they have accomplished that goal on every level on Embrace The Unknown. From Lione's soaring vocals, to Caffery’s guitar pyrotechnics, to the propulsive and crushing rhythms of Di Giorgio and Zonder, the performances are stellar from beginning to end. There is no shortage of memorable, metal hymns to raise your fist and bang your head to on this all killer, no filler metal journey.





Tracklisting:


"A Second Chance"
"Resurrection"
"Wildest Dreams"
"Into The Mirror"
"Embrace The Unknown"
"My Confession"
"Sea Of Change"
"Shapes Of A Fragile Mind"
"Hearts In The Sand"
"House Of Pain"
"Remember My Name"
"Out In The Rain"


"Embrace The Unknown":





"Into The Mirror" video:





"A Second Chance" video:





Lineup:


Fabio Lione - Vocals
Christopher Caffery - Guitars
Steve Di Giorgio - Bass
Mark Zonder - Drums

David Ellefson, who was fired from MEGADETH last year following a sex video scandal, says that "we're meant to learn from our past but we're not meant to be stuck in it."

The former MEGADETH bassist, who turned 57 in November, touched upon his life philosophy while filming a new video message on Cameo, which lets users hire celebrities to record brief, personalized video messages about virtually any topic.

Asked to offer words of advice and motivation to a fan named Rafael who recently celebrated his 50th birthday and is about to retire, Dave said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Look, what do I know? I'm just a dude living my life like you. But one day at a time, I guess, is the thing, right? And more will be revealed.

"I always say the front windshield is bigger than the rearview mirror for a reason — 'cause we're meant to be looking forward through the bigger picture of life and not regretting or looking backward at the things in the rearview mirror," he continued. "That's past, it's gone, and move on. And we're meant to learn from our past but we're not meant to be stuck in it. So that's all I would say.

"What an awesome opportunity to reinvent yourself. I don't know if you're a man of faith, but check in with the Creator once in a while, if it be your desire. And lead me where you need me. I think that's kind of my deal; that's what I do."

Ellefson added: "I don't know if I'm any good at advice; maybe just more of my sharing my experience."

David charges $30 for each of his Cameo videos for personal use and $100 for a video for business use.

Ellefson stepped away from Cameo for several months beginning last May, just days after sexually tinged messages and explicit video footage involving the bassist were posted on Twitter. At the time, Ellefson released a statement on Instagram denying all social media chatter that he "groomed" an underage fan. He also filed a report with the police department in Scottsdale, Arizona alleging unlawful distribution of sexually explicit images of him by unknown offenders. In the report, Ellefson admitted that he had been exchanging sexual text messages with a Dutch teenager, who captured a video of several of their virtual "masturbating encounters" without his consent and shared them with friends. (According to Ellefson, the woman was 19 at the time of their first virtual sexual encounter.) Within two weeks, he was fired.

David, a Christian who launched the Mega Life Ministries worship group in 2007, studied for a year at Concordia Lutheran Seminary in St. Louis a decade ago.

Last October, Ellefson told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that there is a perception that people of faith must set a higher standard of how they live with and treat others. "It's almost like you're this entity that's floating up toward the heavens: 'Oh, he's such a wonderful man. He's a man of faith. He's got his family. And then this happens.' It's, like, 'What the hell is this?'" he said.

"I mean, look, admittedly I've sort of trained the public to think that I'm one of the more well-behaved rock stars out there, and for the most part I have been," he continued. "But at the same time, and this isn't to claim anything other than just, oops, shit happens. That is what it is."

Ellefson was in MEGADETH from the band's inception in 1983 to 2002, and again from 2010 until his latest exit.

In July, MEGADETH leader Dave Mustaine addressed the possibility of Ellefson returning to the band while filming one of his own video messages on Cameo. Asked by Rock Feed if Ellefson could once again play with MEGADETH at some point down the line, Mustaine said: "Any chance on Ellefson coming back later on? The answer to that is no."

Memphis southern rockers, Fevertree, have released their music video for the new single, "More Than Enough". Watch the clip below.


The track is off Fevertree’s second album, Social Mediocrity, which comes out February 25. The album was engineered by Dan Ward and recorded at The Loft in Memphis, TN. It was mastered by Jeremy Anderson of Anderson Mastering. Pre-order here.


Social Mediocrity is the band’s second release, follow-up to Lessons Learned, which came out in January of 2019. The music video for “More Than Enough” was produced and directed by Kim Allegrezza of The Allegrezza Agency and features live concert images of the band by Ms. Allegrezza, Dan Wireman and Danny Day.




Social Mediocrity is loaded with powerful tracks of finely hand-crafted Southern Rock and Roll. Fevertree once again prove they are the maestros of uniquely soulful and innovative songs. Utilizing the best parts of Rock and Blues, with a hint of Southern flavor, Tim Dills (vocals), John Patterson (drums), Mike Bertoldo (guitar), and Rocko Walls (bass) followed their true calling and evolved into one damn fine nitty-gritty rock n roll band.


Tim Dills spoke about the inspiration for the single, “I think we bitch so much about what we don’t have or how bad things are that we don’t see all the things we have to be grateful and thankful for, that was the inspiration for this song. In the middle of the song the lyrics say ‘The farther that you look ahead the straighter you will go’ comes from a story our engineer Dan Ward told me. He said when he was about 11 his dad was teaching him how to drive and he was swerving all over the road. His dad told him to look as far ahead as he could see, to not look at the road right in front of him. Once he did that he started driving straight. I think most people can relate to that.”


John Patterson on their concept for the “More Than Enough“ video, “What we wanted to accomplish with this video was to give the viewers a feel for a live Fevertree show. The still pictures we used were from our friends, photographers Danny Day and Dan Wireman, who really give the viewer the sense of actually being there as well as rock photographer Kim Allegrezza, who understands how to capture the raw emotion of a show. Kim produced the video for us as well.”             





Fevertree is:


Mike Bertoldo - Guitar and Backing Vocals
John Patterson - Drums
Rocko Walls - Bass and Backing Vocals
Tim Dills - Lead Vocals

Author & Punisher issues a third and final preview of the San Diego-based outfit’s forthcoming album, Krüller, out February 11 via Relapse Records. “Blacksmith” is available for streaming below.


“’Blacksmith’ is a track that I co-wrote with the Krüller producer Jason Begin (Vytear),” explains Tristan Shone. “This one is a bit of an adventure where we go from my slow bending drones and morph into Jason's jungle and breaks with the same halftime bassline and vocals tying it together. Lyrically, this is an ode to Black women-led movements who have been fearlessly leading the way against oppression in this country for a long time."







Shone began work on Krüller after returning from his opening slot with Tool across the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand, before being cut short due to the March 2020 lockdowns. "Melody has been and is still a part of my sound," says Shone. "I've always bathed them in a lot of reverb, delay, and distortion, though. This time around, I was bothered by the wall of distortion I had created. I wanted a little more clarity. I wanted to refine the sound. I wanted to step back from my own show and analyze it a bit. I had all these competing distortions that I wanted to streamline. I like contrast and wanted the vocals to be immediately noticeable. There's something about mixing punishing drones and rumble with a mellow thing on top that I really like on Krüller.”


Two already-released singles: “Drone Carrying Dread”, and “Maiden Star”, have showcased the new avenues Shone is taking his music.


Part of the Krüller revamp included refining the machines that have become synonymous with Author & Punisher. As a result, Shone is also launching a bespoke audio gear company called Drone Machines to coincide with the release of Krüller. The gear company launch follows nearly two decades of Author & Punisher honing in on his craft - meticulously inventing, machining, experimenting, and creating custom musical instruments for his incredible live performances and recordings.


Krüller pre-orders are available now at this location, with the 8-song, 52 minute collection available on a selection of limited-edition vinyl variants, CD, cassette and digitally.





Tracklisting:


“Drone Carrying Dread”
“Incinerator”
“Centurion”
“Maiden Star”
“Misery”
“Glorybox” (Portishead cover)
“Blacksmith”
“Krüller”


"Maiden Star":





“Drone Carrying Dread” video:





(Photo - Becky DiGiglio)

Night Cobra plays uncaged music for an age of discontent. The Houston heavy metal band will release its debut full length LP, Dawn Of The Serpent, on February 11 via Irongrip Records/High Roller Records.


Featuring current and former members of Eternal Champion, Necrofier, Venomous Maximus, and more, Night Cobra plays a fiery blend of scorching rock 'n' roll and blistering metal. With Dawn Of The Serpent, Night Cobra delivers high-tech, low life heavy metal that sounds like it was made on the concrete streets of a city. Ominous cover artwork by Adam Burke (Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats) portends the calamity that the record promises.


In celebration of the impending release of Dawn Of The Serpent, the new song, "Run The Blade", is available for streaming below.







Dawn Of The Serpent tracklisting:


"Run The Blade"
"The Serpent's Kiss"
"Lost In Time"
"Black Venom Dreams"
"The Neuromancer's  Curse"
"For Those Who Walk The Night"
"Mortal Danger"
"Acid Rain"
"Electric Rite"
 
"Run The Blade":





"The Neuromancer's  Curse" video:





"Mortal Danger" video:





"The Serpent's Kiss":





(Photo - Violeta Alvarez)

On January 21, Battle Beast unleashed their brand new masterpiece, Circus Of Doom, via Nuclear Blast. In true Battle Beast fashion, the 10 tracks blend true heavy metal with pop and rock-vibes, paired with Noora Louhimo’s unique voice.


Since its release, the album has entered the charts worldwide, including #1 in their home country, Finland. Below is an overview of official chart results:


Finland: #1
UK: #1 (Rock), #6 (Indie)
Sweden: #1 (Hard Rock), #5 (Physical)
Switzerland: #5
Germany: #9
US: #7 (Current Hard Music), #10 (Top New Artist)




Eero Sipilä comments: "We are so grateful to our fans around the world for making Circus of Doom such a huge success. We can’t wait to take this album on the road and get to thank all of you face-to-face! The circus is coming to town!”





Circus Of Doom was recorded at JKB Studios in Helsinki, Finland and produced and mixed by keyboardist Janne Björkroth, while the stunning artwork was created by Jan Yrlund.


Order/save Circus Of Doom digitally here. Order physical copies of the album in the format of you choice here.





Tracklisting:


"Circus Of Doom"
"Wings Of Light"
"Master Of Illusion"
"Where Angels Fear To Fly"
"Eye Of The Storm"
"Russian Roulette"
"Freedom"
"The Road To Avalon"
"Armageddon"
"Place That We Call Home"


"Wings Of Light" video:





"Where Angels Fear To Fly" video:





"Eye Of The Storm" video:





"Master Of Illusion" video:





Battle Beast will make their long awaited return to North America in support of their new record. The band will share the stage with DragonForce and will join the tour beginning March 20 in Denver, CO through April 23 in Berkeley, CA. Tickets here.


Commenting on the tour, vocal powerhouse Noora Louhimo states: ”Battle Beast is coming to you sounding and looking better than ever before! We are very excited to unite our forces with Dragonforce for a North America tour. I think this will be an epic combination of heavy metal energy and our fans will be getting 300% of explosive entertainment with our new album Circus of Doom let loose on stage. Get ready to be mesmerized with high screams, new horns and new Battle Beast.”





Battle Beast dates with DragonForce:


March
20 - Denver, CO - Oriental Theater
22 - Lawrence, KS - Granada Theater
23 - St. Louis, MO - Red Flag
24 - Milwaukee, WI - Rave II
25 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue
26 - Chicago, IL - Metro
27 - Detroit, MI - St. Andrews Hall
29 - Ft. Wayne, IN - Piere's
30 - Toronto, ON - Opera House
31 - Montreal, QC - Corona Theatre


April
1 - Quebec City, QC - Imperial Bell
2 - Worcester, MA - The Palladium
3 - New York, NY - Irving Plaza
5 - Reading, PA - Reverb
6 - Cleveland, OH - Agora Theater
7 - Baltimore, MD - Baltimore Soundstage
8 - Pittsburgh, PA - Roxian Theater
9 - Greensboro, NC - Arizona Petes
10 - Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade (Heaven)
12 - Tampa, FL - Orpheum
13 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Revolution
15 - Dallas, TX - Amplified Live
16 - Houston, TX - Warehouse Live
17 - Austin, TX - Come And Take It Live
19 - Mesa, AZ - Nile Theater
20 - Las Vegas, NV - House of Blues
22 - Los Angeles, CA - Belasco Theater
23 - Berkeley, CA - UC Theater

Following an extended break from the music scene, New York's Pist.On will release the Cold World EP on March 25. The EP marks the band's first new studio recordings since 2001, and contains three tracks.


Cold World will initially be available as a digital release on all major channels with a limited edition CD set to follow. The EP was recorded at Flatline Audio, Denver Colorado, USA and produced, mixed and mastered by Dave Otero (Tetrarach, Cattle Decapitation).


The new songs display a natural progression which sees the band drawing on their past whilst adding a contemporary feel to their sound. Pist.On have evolved. With a different approach in the studio and a producer in tune with the band at the helm, their renewed vigour has been fully captured in the new recordings.




States frontman and guitarist Henry Font: “We’re extremely happy with the work Dave Otero has done. He’s modernized our sound and brought a fresh dimension to the band. This feels like where we would have ended up had we continued writing and recording over the years. We’ve moved on from being gloomy miserable to being happy miserable."


Pist.On is built around the core members who recorded the $ell Out album, with Henry Font (vocals/guitar), Burton Gans (guitar) and Jeff McManus (drums). They are joined by bass guitarist Jack Hanley (ex The Deadlyz). Formed in the US in 1993, Pist.On have released two albums - Number One viahrough Fierce Recordings/Atlantic Records in 1996 and $ell Out via Mayhem/Music For Nations in 1999. In addition the band released the independent Saves EP in 2001.


Alongside numerous headline tours, Pist.On have featured prominently on tours supporting the likes of Marilyn Manson, Korn, Clutch, Fu Manchu, Type O Negative, Queensryche and The Misfits.


Pist.On made their live return in 2018 with appearances at high profile European festivals Sweden Rock and Graspop Metal Meeting followed by shows in the US. In 2019 the band completed a short UK tour. The advent of the Covid pandemic in 2020 put a restriction on all activities, which has led the band to adopt a cautious approach to future plans.





Cold World EP tracklisting:


"Cold World"
"Ruin Your Day"
"Icicles"

While the pandemic paralyzed the entire world and prevented bands from touring, Latin America's biggest metal export SEPULTURA refused to sit back and feel like animals trapped in a cage. Therefore, in early 2020, the legendary Brazilians, along with their American vocalist, seized the moment to start their own weekly "SepulQuarta" video podcast in which they invited other famous musicians from all over the world to not only discuss important topics but also perform a track from SEPULTURA's massive catalog together with the band. The resulting full-length compilation was released last August, with the album containing 15 classics featuring internationally renowned guests and friends.

Speaking to the "Behind The Vinyl" podcast, SEPULTURA guitarist Andreas Kisser stated about the band's collaboration with TESTAMENT's Alex Skolnick on the track "Vandals Nest": "Alex is a master — one of the best guitar players out there. And especially because of his jazz influence, he has a metal vision that is very unique. TESTAMENT, it's one of the influences for SEPULTURA as well, especially the early [stuff], 'The Legacy' [and] 'The New Order', that kind of stuff, that really inspired us to try different things in the 'Schizophrenia' and 'Beneath The Remains' era, and try harmonies in leads. Even though Max [Cavalera, former SEPULTURA frontman] didn't play leads, in the studio I tried to work that kind of stuff. And TESTAMENT are the masters of doing that, really the harmonies, because they have a lot of knowledge, especially Alex. And he can play something from Allan Holdsworth and EXODUS and METALLICA like the same — with the same vibe, the same technical mastery that he has."

Andreas continued: "The song we chose was very thrashy because he's a thrash guitar player. And he messed around with different tunings to create different atmospheres — something I didn't expect. Because he put his lower string one step down to the whole song and created even more chaos. It's fantastic; it's amazing. And it's something that I never really tried before… [The song] is very thrashy, so it's kind of creating like a dissonance, even more of a dissonant vibe. Because it's very fast, it's very thrashy, and that song had that feeling — of a chaotic situation, of extremes. And doing that, his trick, it created even more of that type of vibe. That's why this version is so unique, because it's his own reading of the song and his own input.

"We let [all the collaborators on 'SepulQuarta'] be very free and creative about that, because that's the whole point of bringing somebody new to the band. 'Oh, no, You have to do the same tuning. You have to do what I did in the studio.' I mean, why? Why you bother bringing sometimes something new with a new language or a new technique to develop the SEPULTURA sound even further. Which is great, I think. That's why the 'SepulQuarta' album is so unique and so important and one of the very special albums we ever did in our career. On the same album, we put Phil Campbell from MOTÖRHEAD and Mark Holcomb [PERIPHERY], which is very different generations playing SEPULTURA music. Okay, although 'Orgasmatron' is not SEPULTURA, but [it's] almost all our songs."

Back in 2016, TESTAMENT frontman Chuck Billy confirmed that he auditioned for the lead-singer position in SEPULTURA when Max Cavalera quit the latter band in 1996. "Yeah, around that time was right before [TESTAMENT made] the 'Demonic' record, so we had finished our Atlantic [Records] contract, and we were shopping for a new deal," Chuck explained to Eonmusic. "We didn't really have a deal yet, and at the last minute, I just said, 'You know what? Maybe I should try to find a band that's solid, that's going to keep touring and continue on,' and at that point, SEPULTURA was taking auditions, and I think it was at the end [of the audition process] that I decided, 'Screw it, I'm going to do it.' I think I did three songs; I did 'Refuse/Resist', I did 'Territory', and I wrote my version of 'Choke', and gave it to them. But by the time I had delivered, they had already made their decision for [the appointment of new singer] Derrick [Green], which in the end, was probably the way it all should have worked out."

Kisser spoke about Billy's audition for SEPULTURA during a 2015 appearance on "The Jasta Show". He said: "Chuck [laid down his vocals over] the [demo version of a then-new SEPULTURA song called] 'Choke' … Because we sent the instrumental [version] of a new song [to prospective singers to record their vocals over]. We didn't want anyone to sing 'Roots [Bloody Roots]' or 'Refuse/Resist', because we didn't want a clone. We wanted somebody to bring new ideas, to bring SEPULTURA to a different path, to a different level. And Chuck Billy, he did… He used more of the guttural [vocal style on his audition tape]. And it works. Because, recently, we did a 'Metal Allegiance' jam at NAMM in Los Angeles, and we played some SEPULTURA stuff with Chuck Billy singing, and it was great, man — it was great. So he did a great job. But, you know, he's Chuck Billy; he's TESTAMENT. We wanted somebody new."