In a new interview with Chile's Radio Futuro, DEEP PURPLE bassist Roger Glover weighed in on some governments' decision to use lockdown measures as an integral part of combating COVID. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think that that's what government is for, whether we trust them or don't. We have to have some kind of guideline, and that's the only one. If everyone had their own guidelines, it would be chaos. So we don't have a lot of choice about it. Actually, it's money versus life, isn't it? That's what it boils down to. And I have to go for life. But I understand both sides."

Last month, U.S. president Joe Biden said his plan to fight COVID-19 during the winter months would not include new lockdowns. "It doesn't include shutdowns or lockdowns, but widespread vaccinations and boosters and testing a lot more," Biden told reporters.

A number of European countries have been introducing more curbs to fight a surge in COVID-19 infections, including new lockdowns in the Netherlands and Austria. Meanwhile, Germany has called for stricter rules for entering from variant-hit countries to slow the spread of the omicron coronavirus variant, while France has imposed strict travel restrictions on those entering from the United Kingdom — the hardest-hit country in the region.

U.K. prime minister Boris Johnson said this week that new restrictions, including a lockdown, are off the table.

"We have a chance to ride out this omicron wave without shutting down our country once again," Johnson said. "We can keep our schools and businesses open and we can find a way to live with this virus."

Italy, France, Greece and Spain all reported record numbers of new infections in recent days.

Recent research has found that lockdown measures, like those widely used in the spring of 2020, are effective at keeping people home, but for limited periods of time.

DEEP PURPLE's latest studio effort, an album of covers titled "Turning To Crime", came out on November 26 via earMUSIC. The LP contains DEEP PURPLE's versions of great rock classics and musical jewels — including songs originally recorded by Bob Dylan, FLEETWOOD MAC, Bob Seger, CREAM and THE YARDBIRDS — carefully chosen by each member of the band.

SCORPIONS' new single, "Rock Believer", will be released on Thursday, January 13 at 7:00 a.m. PT / 10:00 a.m. ET. The first snippet of the song will go live on Friday, January 7 via TikTok. The single's cover art was designed by Klaus Voormann and can be found below.

"Rock Believer" is the title track of SCORPIONS' 19th studio album, which will be released on February 25.

Two months ago, SCORPIONS released the official music video for "Rock Believer"'s first single, "Peacemaker". The track features music courtesy of guitarist Rudolf Schenker and bassist Pawel Maciwoda and lyrics by singer Klaus Meine.

Asked in a recent interview with Chile's Radio Futuro what fans can expect to hear on "Rock Believer", Meine said: "Well, you can expect an album that is dedicated to all the rock believers in the world. And we're very excited after all these years. We thought, when you think about all the touring we did the last 10 years, after the release of 'Return To Forever' in 2015, the time was right to go back into the studio, to write new material, to write new songs and check out if the creativity is still working. The big aim was, the goal was to make a rock album — to make an album with lots of attitude, power and focus on the good old times and really enjoy the music and have some fun with the music. And that feels really good."

Speaking about the "Rock Believer" album title, SCORPIONS guitarist Rudolf Schenker said: "Look, we are around the world since 50 years or more. And when somebody can say he's a rock believer, then this is us. And of course, we meet our rock believers in front of us, our audience.

"So many people said rock is dead. It's not dead," he continued. "It's always coming back — sometimes, okay, more stronger [or] less strong — but in the end, it's great to play around the world in over 80 countries we've played so far, and all rock believers. It was always great to share the music with them together and be in connection with them. I mean, that's so amazing and so fantastic, that we are very happy to come out with a new album. And yeah, let's see what's happening."

Asked if "Peacemaker" is representative of "Rock Believer" as a whole, Klaus said: "It is an uptempo rock song, and this album really rocks. There are some heavy songs on the album, like when you think about 'China White' and 'Animal Magnetism', there's a track on the record that is really in the best way of those songs. There are many uptempo songs and, believe it or not, there are even faster songs than 'Peacemaker'. [Laughs] There's also a very beautiful ballad on the album, and I'm sure there are fans out there especially love the SCORPIONS ballads, and they will enjoy this record as well very much. 'Peacemaker' is the appetizer for what the album is all about. It rocks."

"Rock Believer" was recorded primarily at Peppermint Park Studios in Hannover, Germany and was mixed at the legendary Hansa Studios in Berlin, Germany with engineer Michael Ilbert, who has earned multiple Grammy nominations for his mix work with producer Max Martin on albums by Taylor Swift and Katy Perry.

"The album was written and recorded in the SCORPIONS DNA with core Schenker/Meine compositions," said Klaus. "We recorded the album as a band live in one room, like we did in the '80s."

SCORPIONS' new album will mark their first release since 2017's "Born To Touch Your Feelings - Best Of Rock Ballads", which was an anthology of new and classic material.

SCORPIONS originally intended to record the new album in Los Angeles with producer Greg Fidelman, whose previous credits include SLIPKNOT and METALLICA. However, because of the pandemic, some of the initial work was done with Greg remotely, after which SCORPIONS opted to helm the recordings themselves with the help of their engineer Hans-Martin Buff.

Meine previously told Talking Metal that the goal with using Fidelman to produce "Rock Believer" was to bring "the old vibe from albums like 'Blackout', 'Love At First Sting' or even 'Lovedrive'. We try to focus on those albums and this attitude," he said. "If we get there, who knows — it's so many years later. But it's the spirit and it's the whole vibe around this album. This time, the focus is on the harder songs."

According to Meine, SCORPIONS' new LP features "no outside writers at all," unlike 2015's "Return To Forever", which was largely co-written by the album's producers, Mikael Nord Andersson and Martin Hansen.

SCORPIONS will kick off their "Rock Believer" world tour in March in Las Vegas where the band will play nine shows as part of their residency at Planet Hollywood Hotel. Afterwards they will cross the Atlantic to Europe where they will play six concerts in France and six shows In Germany supported by Wolfgang Van Halen's new band MAMMOTH WVH.

SCORPIONS' last full-length collection of new recordings was the aforementioned "Return To Forever", partially comprising songs the band had in the vault from the '80s. It was the final recorded appearance of SCORPIONS' longtime drummer James Kottak, who was dismissed from the band in September 2016. He has since been replaced by Mikkey Dee, formerly of MOTÖRHEAD.

Rockers Tygers Of Pan Tang are gearing up to release a new four track EP, A New Heartbeat, on February 25th via Mighty Music.


 


The EP features two re-recorded tracks from their first album, Wild Cat, plus two new tracks. "Fireclown" and "Killers" from Wild Cat now firmly bear guitarist Francesco Marras' musical stamp and new tracks "A New Heartbeat" and "Red Mist" demonstrate what might be expected from the next Tygers album - the Tygers signature sound of heavy as hell riffs, finger knotting solos and Jack Meille’s vocals extraordinaire. The mix was executed by Marco Angioni at Angioni Studios and, as with all recent Tygers releases, the mastering was completed by Harry Hess (Harem Scarem). 




 


The release comes initially as a digipak CD and will only be available in physical form from the Tygers website and directly from their record company Mighty Music/Target Group. A vinyl version will follow. 


 


Guitarist Robb Weir commented: "'Fireclown' and 'Killers' are much neglected Tygers gems. They are rarely played live but often requested so we thought it would be interesting to hear a modern take on them. Visiting the past brings back so many memories for us and, I’m guessing, for Tygers followers." 


 


Vocalist Jack Meille added: "Lockdown may have prevented us from playing live but it couldn’t curtail the creative spirt that has resulted in the creation of 'A New Heartbeat' and 'Red Mist' for this single." 


 


A New Heartbeat EP will be released on digital, and digipack CD (with the vinyl version coming out later in the year) on February 25th, 2022 via Mighty Music. It’s on sale exclusively now in Targetshop.dk and in the band’s webshop.


 





 


Tracklist:


"A New Heartbeat"
"Red Mist"
"Fireclown"
"Killers"


 

A new trailer has been released for "Pam & Tommy", Hulu's upcoming limited series about MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer Tommy Lee's and "Baywatch" star Pamela Anderson's infamous leaked sex tape.

Sebastian Stan and Lily James star in the series as Lee and Anderson, while Seth Rogen also appears as the man who stole the tape, and produced with his partner Evan Goldberg. The series also stars Nick Offerman, Taylor Schilling, Andrew Dice Clay, Pepi Sonuga, Spencer Granese and Mozhan Marnò.

Three of the series' eight episodes were directed by Craig Gillespie, who helmed 2017's "I, Tonya" — which also starred Stan.

"Pam & Tommy" premieres February 2 on Hulu.

Four months ago, Tommy said that he had no problem with "Pam & Tommy". Speaking with ET's Rachel Smith at the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards, Tommy admitted that he hadn't seen the photos of 39-year-old Stan portraying him, but he said: "I know Sebastian; he's playing me. And from what he's told me, it's a really beautiful story. I think a lot of people would think that it's one thing, but it's really about privacy and how things got crazy then. And there's different laws now. The story's actually cool. What actually happened wasn't, but he told me it's pretty wild."

Asked if he is surprised the story is being told now, Tommy said: "Yeah. It's such a… God, I feel like it was forever ago. But it's a cool story, and people need to know. I mean, it's cool. I'm stoked. That's cool."

The series focuses on the duo's salacious relationship in the 1990s, including the leak of the private honeymoon video and the legal battle that ensued.

Lee and Anderson are not involved with the series, which was written by Robert Siegel and DV DeVincentis and produced by Annapurna.

Anderson and Lee got married on a beach in Mexico in 1995 after dating for just four days. The couple, who divorced in 1998, share two sons, Brandon, 24, and Dylan, 22.

The sex tape Lee made with Anderson during their 1998 honeymoon ended up finding its way online after being stolen from their home by an electrician. Pamela later sued the distribution company, but ended up settling, and the tape continued to be available online as a result. The tape reportedly made $77 million in less than 12 months.

"I've never seen it," Anderson said on "Watch What Happens Live" in 2015. "I made not one dollar. It was stolen property. We made a deal to stop all the shenanigans. I was seven months pregnant with Dylan and thinking it was affecting the pregnancy with the stress and said, 'I'm not going to court anymore. I'm not being deposed anymore by these horny, weird lawyer men. I don't want to talk about my vagina anymore or my public sex — anything."

Cyhra / Red Wolf guitarist Euge Valovirta has shared another instructional video, this time taking  his viewers through Ozzy Osbourne's "Desire", taken from the No More Tears album. Valovirta breaks down the gear, tuning, verses, pre-chorus, chorus and leads. 










Valovirta has shared some new original music along with the following message:


"Happy 2022 everyone! Let's start the year with a brand new song called 'The Boogie Boy' by yours truly. Available now on all major digital platforms.


I’ve been publishing videos on my YouTube channel quite often for the past two years since we haven’t been able to tour with Cyhra for the obvious reasons. Most of my videos starts with an intro song written specifically for that video about a certain amp, effect pedal etc. and 'The Boogie Boy' started as one of those.


The title comes from the amps I used on the song; my Mesa/Boogie Mark V and my old Marshall JCM800 2203 (The Bad Boy). It’s also a reference to John Sykes, one of my all time favourite guitarists, since he was/is also known to use Boogie & Marshall amps and blend them (in the studio), like I did with this one, to get that pretty huge tone.


I’ve been asked quite many times that are those intro songs available anywhere and ten of them are on my second solo album ‘Shooting From The Hip’ (2020). But I’ve written so many songs after the release of that album so I just thought that I’ll start to put them out every once in a while which someday will lead to the release of my third solo album. And some of the songs will appear on the next Cyhra album which we’ll start to record in early 2022."


"The Boogie Boy" is available here.

As part of his ongoing Quarantine Project, Devin Townsend will perform his '98 Infinity album front to back for his next livestream.


"We're going live on Saturday, February 5th, 12noon PST / 3pm EST / 8pm GMT / 9pm CET / 7am AEDT (next day). If you can't make it at that time, no fear: we'll record the show and keep it available for another 48hrs.


Tickets go live on Friday, Jan 7th at 15:00 CET and are exclusively available on DevinTownsendShop.com. We've also added a show-exclusive t-shirt and the option to bundle with the ticket for a discounted price.




Note: the t-shirts are pre-orders and ship from the United Kingdom the week prior to the livestream."


Townsend has said he will perform Infinity in the original album sequence, with songs included from the Christeen EP.

Helsinki-based metal band Affection has released a new song “Since Blood”, which presents the heavier side of their upcoming debut album, titled Remnants. The music video, which can be seen below, was created by Riivata Visuals (Fear Factory, Atlas).


Affection vocalist and songwriter Andy H.C. reveals the background of the song: “'Since Blood' was the last song written for the album, and there’s a tragic, true story from my family history behind the lyrics. With this song, I wanted to remember this person whose sad and ferocious fate has been tried, I think, for generations to forget, without reason. Although I’ve never been able to meet this person, there’s a part of him in me and in his other descendants, and that’s why I wanted to write this song.”







Remnants will be released on January 21st through Omnicult Records, and can be pre-ordered now at this location. Artwork and tracklisting are as follows:





"Man In The Shadow"
"Escape"
"Since Blood"
"Thousand Mirrors"
"Ben Moore"
"Highway Of Denial"
"Inherit Silence"
"Animal Kingdom"
"Absorbia"


"Highway Of Denial" video:





(Photo: Patrik Nuorteva)


 


 

Møtivatiøn, a collaboration of top tier creatives from across the heavy music spectrum, will release The Infinite 8 Steps To Power / Money / More full-length on February 22 via Seeing Red Records.


A mammoth project uniting an eclectic array of musicians, the ambitious effort boasts twelve stirring psalms brought to fruition by members of Agnostic Front, L7, Black Anvil, Toxic Holocaust, High Reaper, Obituary, and so many more. The premise of Møtivatiøn is simple: If you want to motivate yourself by motivating others and/or motivate others by motivating yourself, then your positive collaboration will be most welcome. Møtivatiøn’s immersive listening experience and teachings continually challenge and engage candidates searching for the best possible version of themselves.  


Comments chief motivator/instigator/orchestrator Ø, “The goal is to cultivate a culture of positive collaboration in which individuals actively contribute to each other's evolution, and to achieve these through a unique process designed for a unique audience. In short, this is all about personal development. Are you familiar with the field of ‘life coaches’ and 'motivational speakers?’ Have you ever been frustrated with how artificial, and…well, ‘normal’ they tend to be? Have you ever felt like you would like a role model like that, but none of them feel relatable to you? We have.




“Our vision is about crafting a subculture approach to personal development,” he continues. “The ‘dark’ imagery and mysterious language are tools to create a distinct frequency and culture which will appeal to the outcasts and misfits and repel those who are unwilling to face their own darkness. Our processes and strategies are intentionally novel, mysterious, and even sometimes apparently apocalyptic. Psychologically, this allows individuals to experience them with a sho-shin-beginner mind. A sense of curiosity and apprehension which activates the nervous system in a different way.”


In advance of the release of The Infinite 8 Steps To Power / Money / More, today the cooperative unveils its first single, “Prisøn Løgic”. The track seamlessly exhumes psychic survival techniques designed to enlighten the listener, introducing the realm of both mental and physical self-liberation. “Prisøn Løgic” was birthed as a singular acoustic video offering via legendary guitar innovator Parris Mayhew (Cro-Mags) as the vom messaging materializes from Mike IX Williams (EyeHateGod). Williams has an intimate understanding of confinement and the institutionalization of one’s mind. Theo Kogan’s (Lunachicks) blessed vocals are fractals of aural Blondie resonance intertwined with the dueling guitar leads of Gina Volpe (Lunachicks) and Shane Trimble (High Reeper) cultivating in a comforting frequency that coats the closing message in an easily ingested amalgamation of the positive.


Watch the video below, as well as a brief discussion about the track among its collaborators.


The Infinite 8 Steps To Power / Money / More will be released on LP and digital formats. Find pre-orders here.





The Infinite 8 Steps To Power / Money / More tracklisting:


"Step Øne (In 5 Easy Steps)" (Feat. Theo Kogan, Joel Grind, Lucy Pierce, Shane Trimble)
"Swalløw" (Feat. Theo Kogan, Roger Miret, Shane Trimble)
"Prisøn Løgic" (Feat. Mike IX Williams, Parris Mayhew, Gina Volpe, Shane Trimble)
"Cøntrol" (Feat. Paul Delaney, Theo Kogan)
"Initium Fire/Gøld" (Feat. Donita Sparks, Gina Volpe, Theo Kogan)
"Medi (C+T) Atiøn" (Feat. Paul Delaney, Theo Kogan, Victoria Starr)
"Helder Fan Eagen, Ferljøchte Fan Geast" (Feat. John Bart Van Der Wal, Thomas Haywood)
"Pay Tø Play" (Feat. Roger Miret, Roddy Bottum, Theo Kogan , Richie Long)
"Øpen" (Feat. Eddley Odowd, Theo Kogan)
"Revelation Denied" (Feat. Erik Payne, Gregg Roberts, Mike Radford, John Sutton, Kenny Andrews)
"Løgistics" (Feat. Norman Reedus, Matt Katz-Bohen, Theo Kogan, Shane Trimble)
"Spøils; Zenith" (Feat. Roddy Bottum, Victoria Starr, Genesis P Orridge, Norman Reedus, Eddley Odowd, Joe Letz, Andy Duval)

Trick Or Treat will release the new studio album, Creepy Symphonies, on April 1st via Scarlet Records – and, no, it ain’t gonna be a joke!


The band describes their new album as, "A mix of all-time musical inspirations and magic worlds. Trick or Treat, you have a choice, are you scared or do you enjoy it? The dead are rising from their crypts, it’s time for Creepy Symphonies.”


Recorded by Trick Or Treat, and mixed & mastered by Simone Mularoni at Domination Studio, Creepy Symphonies showcases artwork & layout courtesy of frontman Alle Conti.




Creepy Symphonies will be released in the following formats:


- digipak CD
- limited edition vinyl
- digital





Tracklisting:


"Trick Or Treat?"
"Creepy Symphony"
"Have A Nice Judgment Day"
"Crazy"
"Peter Pan Syndrome (Keep Alive)"
"Escape From Reality"
"Falling Over The Rainbow"
"Queen Of Likes"
"April"
"The Power Of Grayskull"


The first single and video clip taken from Creepy Symphonies will be released on February 28th.



 

If you ever wanted to take a deep dive into the musical journey of bassist Marco Mendoza (The Dead Daisies, Black Star Riders, Whitesnake) , here it is.


Showtime, is the brand new Limited Edition book from Marco Mendoza covering the timeline of his life in music. From early days in Mexico, through to playing with some of the biggest rock bands on the planet, the book features testimonies from musical legends like Neal Schon of Journey, drummer Tommy Aldridge, and Ted Nugent to name a few. Illustrated with a Mexican theme which reflects Marco's heritage, you can order the book now at this location. This is a Limited Edition book so it will only be available for a very short period of time.










 

Athens, Ohio-based metal band, Skeletonwitch, performed at the 2011 edition of Germany's Wacken Open Air festival. Professionally-filmed footage of the band's full set can be found below.


Setlist:


"Upon Wings Of Black"
"Submit To The Suffering"
"Crushed Beyond Dust"
"Reduced To The Failure Of Prayer"
"Beyond The Permafrost"
"Sacrifice For The Slaughtergod"
"Strangled By Unseen Hands"
"The Infernal Resurrection"
"Within My Blood"

Sweden's Whaledog have released their new single, "Leave Me Alone", along with a video that can be viewed below.





The new song is another strong rock tune, but this time with a slightly more progressive touch. The production, instrumentation and arrangements invite you to some new and thrilling soundscapes. If you liked the first single, "No Go Zone", you won't be disappointed.




Whaledog is a Swedish rock band formed in August 2020 in Stockholm. The music has a heavy modern touch with influences back from the 70’s rock. The members have been a part of the Swedish music scene since the early 80’s as live, studio/session musicians, producers and songwriters. A full-length album is planned to be released in early 2022.





Whaledog is:


Ole Breimo - Lead vocals, guitar
Ulf Hedin - Guitar, vocals
Robban Wirensjö - Keyboards, vocals
Samuel Laxberg - Bass, vocals
Mikael Kerslow - Drums

OUTLANDERS, launched by Finnish soprano legend Tarja Turunen (ex-NIGHTWISH) and EDM pioneer Torsten Stenzel, has released the official visualizer to "Closer To The Sky". The track features guitarist Trevor Rabin, best known as guitarist of prog rock icons YES, as well as a top Hollywood blockbuster movies score composer.

The next single "The Cruellest Goodbye" arrives January 28 and features Al Di Meola. It will be released as a limited-edition seven-inch vinyl exclusively at Tarja's online store and digitally at earMUSIC.

A Side:

"The Cruellest Goodbye"

B Side:

"The Cruellest Goodbye" (Rough Mix 2014)

Tarja's vision for OUTLANDERS is to create something fresh and new. OUTLANDERS combine chill, exciting electronic beats with Tarja's emotional, classically trained vocals, along with unique guitar performances. These three elements are a constant in all the songs.

"Closer To The Sky" marked the start of a release series of eight tracks via earMUSIC preceding a full-length album; each song presents an exceptional guitarist as a guest. Some other participants include Joe Satriani, Jennifer Batten, Steve Rothery, Mike Oldfield, Walter Giardino, Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal, Vernon Reid and Marty Friedman.

Recorded and mixed mainly on the Caribbean island of Antigua during the last 10 years, the sounds of OUTLANDERS are mystic. They are soft and powerful; catchy and dreamy; modern but vintage — at the same time. Their music is about opposites that magically attract each other and the three aesthetic pillar elements unite to create a singular unique sound.

Guitarist Gus G. (Firewind, Ozzy Osbourne) has released a live playthrough video for "Demon Stomp", featured on his new album, Quantum Leap. Watch below:





Quantum Leap album art, tracklisting, and videos below.







"Into The Unknown"
"Exosphere"
"Quantum Leap"
"Chronesthesia"
"Enigma Of Life"
"Judgement Day"
"Fierce"
"Demon Stomp"
"Night Driver"
"Not Forgotten"
"Force Majeure" (feat. Vinnie Moore)


"Chronesthesia" video:





"Into The Unknown" video:





"Enigma Of Life" video:





"Fierce" video:





"Exosphere" video:

After three years of silence, Poland's Sothoris is back. The blackened death metal band will release their new album, Wpiekłowstąpienie (Eng. "Harrowing of Hell”), on January 6 via More Hate Productions (Russia), Old Metal Rites (Brazil), Misantropia Records (Finland) and in the third quarter of 2022 via Entropy Records (Columbia).


An advanced album stream, courtesy of Black Metal Promotion, can be found below.


Cover artwork was painted by Polish artist Bartosz Muszyński. Music production was done by Krzysztof Kostencki (Tetra Wave Studio).







Tracklisting:


"Proroctwo"
"Potępieniec"
"Człowiek z marmuru"
"Przykazanie śmierci"
"Opus Dei"
"W cieniu Golgoty"
"Wpiekłowstąpienie"
"Requiem Dla Hien"


Album stream:

As the world circles the abyss at gathering speed, Wiegedood have returned to provide a perfectly vicious soundtrack. A week prior to the release of their upcoming album, the band is allowing for a glimpse behind the creation of the artwork of There’s Always Blood At The End Of The Road while listening to another new song, entitled “Carousel”.


The band comments: “One riff descending round and round into the abyss like a sputtering carousel. Pulling and pushing downwards at the same time.”







Wiegedood about the new album: "There’s Always Blood At The End Of The Road focuses on the filthiest and most disgusting parts of human nature and society. It steers clear from the typical Black Metal themes and concepts, instead zoning in on the struggle we lead within, trying to overcome the fact we are all made from that same filth. Exploring places the previous trilogy didn’t even scratch the surface of, both lyrically and musically. A first-hand look into pure disgust, a psychotic ride with synths, tape-recorders, hot club jazz and distressing samples. A definite switch from our previous work, a dark turn into something unexpected and unwelcome.”





Pre-order here.








Being dedicated road dogs, the band will embark on a European tour following the release of the album. The first part will be supported by Portrayal Of Guilt.





Wiegedood is:


Gilles Demolder (guitars)
Wim Coppers (drums)
Levy Seynaeve (guitars & vocals)

Andorra’s extreme progressive metal unit, Persefone, recently announced the upcoming release of their long-awaited Napalm Records debut, entitled metanoia. In this new video, keyboardist/vocalist Miguel "Moe” Espinosa shows you around majestic mountains, beautiful villages and teaches you interesting Christmas traditions.





Scheduled for release on February 4, metanoia crosses genre boundaries with ease, mesmerizing the listener with dynamic songwriting and technical precision and proving Persefone’s worthy position as longstanding favorites of progressive metal.




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.


First single "Merkabah" promises an intense ride that reveals both the heaviest and most vulnerable sides of Persefone. An atmospheric entrance carries Miguel Espinosa’s deep, majestic voice, transitioning into an interplay of Marc Martins evil growls and Miguel’s clean vocals. Flickering guitar riffs front a spherical orchestra, spanning the song’s intensity to its maximum. Persefone guide progressive metal to a new chapter.


Persefone on "Merkabah”: "metanoia is all about a musical journey for a spiritual breakthrough. Merkabah is a vehicle to elevate, Merkabah asks for meditation and trust in the process. With this song we wanted to mark a pivotal moment in the album and write about a personal detour from the old self, a painful and needed transformation to reach new heights, to leave fear behind, to embrace life as the amazing experience we have been gifted with... "on my knees, I still believe".”


Watch the music video for "Merkabah" below.


Outstanding progressive/melodic death metal outfit Persefone is known for their band of rich soundscapes and technically precise work that sets new standards in modern extreme progressive metal. Founded in 2001, Persefone has released five studio albums, each one 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.


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"


"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)

Progressive metal label Sensory Records presents the limited vinyl edition of Wolverine's score for the award-winning short film, A Darkened Sun, issuing the record’s details and pre-orders ahead of its late February release date.





A Darkened Sun was released in 2020 and was greeted with acclaim at a wide array of independent film festivals. The four tracks on Wolverine's score for the picture revolve around a common theme, but each piece of this concept release is open to its own interpretation. In its cinematic form, however, A Darkened Sun tells the story of a young and seemingly lonely woman in distress. Contemplating her existence, she realizes she has lost part of herself while succumbing to the expectations of modern society. Our protagonist embarks on a somewhat existential journey, and as the narrative unfolds across the story’s four chapters, she is forced to confront her inner self. The storytelling rests heavily on metaphorical expression, with some instances of intertextuality that pays homage to other works.




A Darkened Sun was written, directed, filmed, and produced by Thomas Jansson, and features Rebecca Evans as the protagonist. The lush score created by Wolverine was recorded at SleepyTown Recording by the band’s Marcus Losbjer and Per Henriksson and mixed and mastered by Losbjer.





Following the film’s release, Sensory Records issued the lush score on all digital platforms and is excited to now offer the deluxe vinyl edition. Cut at 45RPM for maximum audio delivery, this limited pressing delivers A Darkened Sun in a worldwide retail run of 300 copies on black vinyl and an extremely limited run of 100 copies on dark red vinyl exclusive to the band and label mailorder.


Stream Wolverine’s A Darkened Sun score here, and watch the short film here.


Set for release on February 25, the A Darkened Sun vinyl is available for pre-order here, and the digital is available across all digital platforms including Spotify, Bandcamp (standard download) here, and Bandcamp (Hi​-​res 24 Bit) here.


A Darkened Sun Awards and Recognition:


Winner – Sweden Film Awards, January–February 2021
Winner – Luleå International Film Festival, January 2021
Winner – Best Director Music Video, Kosice International Monthly Film Festival
Winner – Best Music Video, Great Message International Film Festival
Finalist – 4th Dimension Independent Film Festival
Finalist – Best Music Video, Prague International Monthly Film Festival
Finalist – Best Music Video, Kosice International Monthly Film Festival
Official Selection – New York Flash Film Festival
Official Selection – Boden International Film Festival, Sweden


(Photo - Thomas Jansson)

HU$H MONEY, the rap duo featuring Skoly-D, the alter ego of TESTAMENT guitarist Alex Skolnick, and Kimmy G (Kimmy Gordon), has released its first video, "B.I.G. L.I.E.", a take on the events that took place one year ago, January 6, 2021, in Washington, D.C.

"B.I.G. L.I.E." deals with plenty of non-laughing matters, yet we can all use a little comic relief," says Skolnick, who is also the song's composer and producer. "What better way to point out the absurdity of it all than some classic rap grooves with humor inspired by the founding father of funny sociopolitical music, Mr. Zappa?

"We don't expect to change any minds here, but hope that whether someone agrees with the song or not, they will — at the very least — be entertained. And for those who aren't: We eagerly await your online rants and zingers. Make 'em good!"

"You can see the fun we had doing this. It's right there!" adds Kimmy G.

Directed by Frankie Fulleda, "B.I.G. L.I.E." was shot "guérilla style" in July 2021 at the Fox News HQ, Times Square and Washington Square Park and is said to be as much a tribute to New York, its resilience and ever-present wackiness as it is a takedown of nationwide right-wing echo chambers. In a t-shirt emblazoned with the oversized logo of the influential RUN-DMC, Skoly skewers Fox News, election denialism and insurrection revisionism. The video also features comic J-Hype (Jonathan Hyppolite) and Karl Lake, best known as "Robot Guy" from "Chappelle's Show". Hot tip: Alex, Kimmy and the video director once performed on the "Maury" show under the name VICIOUS DNA.

"B.I.G. L.I.E." lyrics:

Flipping through the channels

Fox News Prime Time

Grime Time, Crime Time

Let's call it SLIME TIME

Competition lurks: OAN, Newsmax

So Fox has to up the twisting of the facts

I'll need a detox from these toxic talks

It's like chains and locks on my cable box

All from watching Fox

This is a man who will drain your sanity

He goes by the name of Sean Hannity

Followed up by Tucker

He's a disturbed mother...

Then the truth gets further tangled

As we suffer through the Ingram Angle

And getting way out of line

We've got Judge Jeanine and her box of wine

The 2020 election was under historic protection

Subject to inspection

But someone didn't accept his rejection

Had to go and start an insurrection

Such a scam, how could anybody buy it?

Go to DC for a Capitol riot

Doomed and hapless preordained mission

Arrests for sedition

Which is uncontestable. Or is it?

Now they're calling it a “tourist visit”

Voting against an investigation

Now that's misinformation

B.I.G.

You got a whole lotta nerve trying to misinform me

L.I.E.

They're trying to tell the whole world what our eyes didn't see

B.I.G. L.I.E.

Try to deny there's blue in the sky

You can hide from the truth, that ain't nothin' but a big lie

A big lie

CHANT

Nothing but a big big

Nothing but a big big

Nothing but a big big lie

Nothing but a big big

Nothing but a big big lie

(“Kimmy G!”)

VERSE 3

Kimmy G:

Not conservatives, Cons serving

Anti-truths to seduce your earnings

Profits is what they're turning

Flag huggin' for the dollar bills they're churning

It's a burden, Q-Sheep herding

False wording, it's working

Baseless facts that's meant for stirrin'

Half-assed racist fascist vermin

Law curvin', fraud swirlin'

It's hurting, concerting

Just face it they're just spurring

Folks who like their crosses burning

B.I.G.

You got a whole lotta nerve tryin' to misinform me

L.I.E.

They're tryin' to tell the whole world what our eyes didn't see

B.I.G. L.I.E.

Try to deny there's blue in the sky

You can hide from the truth, that ain't nothin' but a big lie

A big lie

SOLO

Mischievous hackers overseas

Corrupting minds just like a disease

Sewing doubt of all that is true

Somebody claiming “I am Q!”

Rumors spreading faster than a Lexus

Arizona, Georgia, Florida and Texas

Recounts based on nothing but fiction

Used as excuses for voter restriction

(GOP)

They once were the party of Nancy and Ronny

Now they got the dripping-haired Giuliani

Their voters have lost all touch with what's real

Sending all their money to “Stop the Steal!”

Biden won man, their ain't no mystery

Chalk it up to revisionist history

Pure conspiracy, don't be a loon

The earth is round and we went to the moon

B.I.G.

You got a whole lotta nerve tryin' to misinform me

L.I.E.

They're tryin' to tell the whole world what our eyes didn't see

B.I.G. L.I.E.

Try to deny there's blue in the sky

You can hide from the truth, that ain't nothin' but a...

B.I.G.

You got a whole lotta nerve tryin' to misinform me

L.I.E.

They're tryin' to tell the whole world what our eyes didn't see

B.I.G. L.I.E.

Try to deny that there's blue in the sky

When you hide from the truth, that ain't nothin' but a big lie

A big lie

It's a big big big big a big a big lie

Ponzy scheme that'll make you cry

Nothing but a big big,

Nothing but a big big lie (BIG LIE!)

It's a big a big big big a big lie

Pipe dream, pie in the sky

Nothing but a big big,

Nothing but a big big lie (BIG LIE!)

REPEAT

Once again, I'm watching Fox News as they switch to Prime Time

Grime Time, Crime Time, Let's call it SLIME TIME

SLIME TIME

I'm glutinous & green

SLIME TIME

I'm oozin' through your screen

SLIME TIME

I'm on your phone & TV

SLIME TIME

B.I.G. L.I.E.

[End of lyrics]

In the fall of 2020, Skolnick released two anti-Donald Trump rap songs, "Trump Sucks" and "Wear A Fucking Mask".

An outspoken critic of America's 45th president, Skolnick explained his foray into rap at the time of "Wear A Fucking Mask"'s release, writing on social media: "My recent homespun rap track 'Trump Sucks' got so much attention, from being labelled 'an anthem' and 'brilliant' to 'pathetic' and 'cringeworthy,' that I just had to follow it up.

"Staying in my lane is something I've never been good at.

"I realize a jazz/rock guitarist widely known for his thrash metal work releasing old-school rap tunes with a sociopolitical message and Zappa-esque satire might not make sense. But my question to you is: Does anything make sense these days?"

He added: "This sequel had more energy put into it so I hope everyone who appreciated the first one feels similarly about 'WAFM'.

"To anyone who thought the first track represents the pinnacle of my rap technique, three words: HOLD MY BEER".

The 53-year-old guitarist has made no secret of his political views, frequently tweeting against Trump's policies, including the then-administration's handling of the outbreak of of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus first observed in China. In March 2020, the guitarist blasted Trump for not being able to "convey a sense of reassurance during a time of emergency."

This past April, Skolnick explained to Newlines Magazine's Faisal Al Yafai and Idrees Ahmad why artists should speak honestly about social and political upheaval, why he doesn't worry about losing fans who disagree with him, and why he wrote a rap song called "Trump Sucks". Asked if he is concerned about possibly alienating some TESTAMENT fans with his political opinions, Alex said: "It gave me pause at one point, when it first started happening. There's another phrase by an athlete — one of the greatest athletes — Michael Jordan, who once said, 'Republicans buy sneakers too.' I think he said that to turn down an invitation to speak at a rally for a Democratic candidate, something like that. So, at first, I thought of that — I thought, well, I have some fans that... I don't know how anybody could be behind Trumpism — as much as I could talk about Trump; let's talk about Trumpism — I don't get that. But do I really want to drive them away? And then I just thought, well, I don't wanna play this game and just have to suck it up and smile and sort of tailor my social media presence to make them happy. It actually felt like a relief to just say, 'You know what? No.'"

He continued: "I think it's beyond politics 'cause I'm not attacking traditional conservative politics. It would be very different if this was the '80s or even the '90s and I was talking about people who believe in lower corporate tax rates. Now it's gotten so disingenuous. And the whole belief in the right-wing news echo chamber and these headlines. Current headlines on Fox — one example, [President Joe] Biden just gave a press conference, and one of the banner headlines on Fox: 'Biden gives press conference full of lies.' These are the same people when Trump was giving his public appearance, they were praising it, falling over. So it's so disingenuous. And these same people that are criticizing me and threatening to not listen to my music, they're buying into that. And I can't support that. And I can't pretend to support that."

TESTAMENT's latest album, "Titans Of Creation", was released in April 2020 via Nuclear Blast.

Canadian progressive sci-fi metal innovators VOIVOD will release their new studio album, "Synchro Anarchy", on February 11 via Century Media Records. The follow-up to 2018's "The Wake" was produced by Francis Perron at RadicArt Studio and features cover artwork created by VOIVOD drummer Michel "Away" Langevin.

The second single from "Synchro Anarchy", a song called "Paranormalium", can be streamed below.

"Synchro Anarchy" track listing:

01. Paranormalium

02. Synchro Anarchy

03. Planet Eaters

04. Mind Clock

05. Sleeves Off

06. Holographic Thinking

07. The World Today

08. Quest For Nothing

09. Memory Failure

Langevin comments: "We are eager to present our latest work, a real collaborative effort. The new album represents countless hours of writing, demoing, recording, mixing and so on. The band and Francis Perron at RadicArt Studio gave their very best to make it happen under unusual circumstances, which led us to call it 'Synchro Anarchy'. We feel that the sound and music are 100% VOIVOD, and we hope everyone will enjoy it as much as we had fun making it. We certainly can't wait to play it live."

When the official music video for "Planet Eaters" was first released last month, Langevin said: "On April 21st, 2021, an animated video for the song 'Nothingface' popped up online. The video was done by Pierre Menetrier on an Amiga computer in 1991, which I thought was beyond cool. The spectacular imagery and visual effects were just perfect for a VOIVOD song. After wrapping up the recording and mixing of the 'Synchro Anarchy' album, we all agreed on 'Planet Eaters' as the first single/video. We thought the song had a vintage 'Nothingface'/'Hatröss' vibe, so I immediately contacted Pierre and asked him if he could make a video for the song. Once again, the result is just mind-blowing. You just can't get more Voivodian than that!"

Eight months ago, VOIVOD guitarist Daniel "Chewy" Mongrain told The Metal Voice that he and his bandmates were "still in the writing process" for follow-up to 2018's "The Wake". He said: "We're still sharing files and trying to catch up and put more time into it. I think the situation will get better and maybe we'll have a chance to meet more often and jam together; that's where the magic happens, usually. But we've learned to work in this context as well. And that's cool, because I received a bunch of tracks from Away [drummer Michel Langevin], who is programming drums in Logic [audio software] with his computer, and it sounded exactly like Away's playing. I was super impressed, because sometimes when you use a computer, it kind of sounds square. But everything was perfect. So it's really fun to do. It's a different way. So it's gonna bring it different ideas, I think, if we welcome it in a creative way."

Regarding the musical direction of the new VOIVOD material, Mongrain said: "[It's] hard to tell at the moment, but personally, I feel like [injecting] a little bit more thrashy [elements and] some dirtiness, so to speak, to the sound. Compexity has always been part of my influence in songwriting — I don't know what's the problem with me, but it's always there, so I'm not worrying about that side. But maybe [make it] a bit less polished and more rock and roll, I guess."

VOIVOD released a new live album, "Lost Machine - Live", in November 2020 via Century Media Records. The disc was recorded in Québec City during the worldwide touring cycle for "The Wake".

In the summer of 2020, VOIVOD released a new three-track 12-inch vinyl and digital EP titled "The End Of Dormancy" via Century Media Records. The EP is centered around a special "Metal Section" version of the title track (off VOIVOD's latest album, "The Wake") with added trumpets, saxophone and trombones. The complementary songs on this release are exclusive live versions of "The End Of Dormancy (Metal Section)" and the group's classic "The Unknown Knows", recorded at Montreal Jazz Fest 2019.

"The End Of Dormancy" EP came with artwork by Langevin and is available on 180-fram 12-inch vinyl.




January 5 word of the day is Paranormalium!

New single out as of midnight tonight local times on streaming/download platforms. More amazing Away art! #synchroanarchysynchroanarchy #PlanetEaters #voivod

Posted by Voivod on Tuesday, January 4, 2022

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH has dropped the official music video for the song "The Tragic Truth" to coincide with singer Ivan Moody's 42nd birthday. Originally released in 2011, "The Tragic Truth" appeared as a bonus track exclusive to the iTunes edition of FIVE FINGER's third album, "American Capitalist", and was also included on the second instalment of the group's greatest-hits collection, "A Decade Of Destruction - Volume 2", which came out on digital and CD formats in October 2020.

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH said in a statement: "We wrote 'The Tragic Truth' in 2011 for the 'American Capitalist' album, but it simply wasn't finished by the manufacturing deadline. Since the song was very important to us, we didn't want to wait and hold it until the following album, so it was added as a bonus track to the digital edition. Consequently, it never really got the attention we intended for it and a lot of our fans are not even aware of its existence.

"It's been a conversation for years to somehow circle back to this song, and we felt right now, on Ivan's birthday, and two months from his fourth sober anniversary it is probably as good of an occasion as it can be to release this music video; as it is a visual journal of our story... The battle with addiction... the pain... the chaos ... life and even death. A celebration of a victory, Ivan's rebirth into a new life. It is also a message for those who are battling addiction right now: you are more than your addiction, and you are never alone. Seek help, fight back, it’s never too late... Ivan came back from the dead, literally. He was so far gone, if he can do it — you can do it. Let this be a testament to that.

"So, with that said, Happy birthday, Ivan! Congratulations on your new lease on life.

"And thank YOU to all the fans who stood by us all these years, supported us, supported him, and have been the catalyst of his recovery."

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH has amassed over 7.6 billion streams and 3 billion video views to date and has sold over one million tickets between 2018 and 2020 alone. They are the second biggest artist in the hard rock space measured by total consumption (sales and streams), surpassed only by METALLICA. Recently signed to Better Noise Music, they’ve garnered 25 top 10 hit singles and 12 No. 1 singles.

Having become one of the most recognizable names in music, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH frequently plays all major festivals and sells out arenas around the world.

Since FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's debut album, "The Way Of The Fist", came out in 2007, the band has released six consecutive albums that were certified gold or platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) as well as two chart-topping greatest-hits albums. In addition, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH has earned numerous national and international awards and honors over the last decade, such as the prestigious Soldier Appreciation Award by the Association Of The United States Army, an honor bestowed upon only one other recording artist before them: Elvis Presley.

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's most recent album, "F8", was produced by longtime collaborator Kevin Churko and debuted at No. 1 on rock charts around the world with Top 10 Mainstream chart debuts in the USA, Austria, Australia, Canada, Finland, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, the U.K. and more. "F8" features No. 1 hit singles "Inside Out", "A Little Bit Off", "Living The Dream" and "Darkness Settles In".

Venom Prison have released a guitar playthrough video for "Judges Of The Underworld", featured on their upcoming album, Erebos, out worldwide on February 4. Watch below:





Venom Prison has carved an uncompromising space for themselves over the course of two full-length albums, Animus (2016) and Samsara (2019) with 2020’s Primeval reinvigorating the band’s earlier EPs with two newly written tracks added. What began as an explosive collaboration between Russian-born vocalist Larissa Stupar and guitarist Ash Gray (with the lineup rounded out by guitarist Ben Thomas, bassist Mike Jefferies and drummer Joe Bills) has exploded into a force to be reckoned with as vitriolic and outspoken lyrically as they are musically.




Order the new album here.





Tracklisting:


“Born From Chaos”
“Judges Of The Underworld”
“Nemesis”
“Comfort Of Complicity”
“Pain Of Oizys”
“Golden Apples Of The Hesperides”
“Castigated In Steel And Concrete”
“Gorgon Sisters”
“Veil Of Night”
“Technologies Of Death”


"Pain Of Oizys" video:





"Judges Of The Underworld":





Lineup:


Larissa Stupar - lead vocals
Ash Gray - guitar
Ben Thomas - guitar
Mike Jefferies - bass
Joe Bills - drums


(Photo - Andy Ford)

Choreomanic, the experimental prog / funk project created by Pestilence bassist Joost van der Graaf, has posted a quick short clip of him and drummer Koen Herfst (VandenBerg, I Chaos, Dew-Scented). Watch below:





Choreomanic saw the light when the world came to a halt in spring 2020 due to the Covid pandemic. With canceled tours and no local gigs, musician Joost van der Graaf (Pestilence, Dew-Scented, I Chaos) started writing music in which different influences from his past came together.




Says Graaf: "I had just joined Pestilence and was busy with the material, preparing for a beautiful US tour with Possessed. Then the pandemic struck. Tour canceled everything on hold. I suddenly had a lot of time on my hands with all the other work canceled as well (music school closed, no more local gigs) so I decided to record a punk album to get rid of some of the frustration and anger that had built up inside. What I started writing had little to do with punk though… It was pretty spontaneous from the start and all I knew was that I wanted to create heaviness without any guitars."


Somewhere halfway through the material, Graaf got the crazy idea to incorporate horns. He had never written music for horns ever before so he started experimenting with that.


"That’s probably the greatest joy when creating music: having no idea what you’re doing! Being pleasantly surprised by the total sound, I decided to stay on this path. It resulted in something I never thought I would ever do, but apparently, I just did…. Why not go all the way then? Honestly? I’m not even sure there ARE any fans for this, but I do know that listeners of Pestilence for instance, or of one of the other death metal bands I was part of, will probably be a bit surprised at least. I like to think that crazy people (like myself) will appreciate this."


As soon as the material was ready to record, Graaf reached out to some great musicians friends to help him complete the project. He recruited drummer Koen Herfst (VandenBerg, I Chaos, Dew-Scented), keyboardist Thijs Ronteltap (Disuse, Epistulum), saxophonist Tommie Freke (Gallow Street), trombonist Jeroen Verberne (Sjef’s Special) along with trumpeter and bugler Gidon Nunes Vaz. Once the full-length was mixed and mastered at Nutsville Noiselab, The Hague, the self-titled debut "Choreomanic" was a fact and ready to take on the world.


The album features twelve bass-orientated tracks experimenting in realms of prog, funk, and everything else on the planet that has musically inspired Graaf over his thirty-plus year career. The full length's lyrical concept explores Choreomania, an uncontrollable urge to dance, especially in a frenzied, convulsive manner also known as the Medieval Dancing plagues.


Graaf explains in further detail: "In 2019, I became pretty obsessed by the mysterious dancing plagues of the middle-ages. I started reading different studies, learning about the different theories about the cause. It’s still one of the biggest unsolved mysteries in history! One of the theories that made the most sense to me is that people had been suppressed by the ruling class (church, inquisition) for generations. There was collective fear of God and let’s not forget about the black plague! So there was this anxiety relief at a certain point that became infectious and caused convulsions and psychotic dancing, resulting in exhaustion, dehydration, and even death. It spread across Europe and there were large gatherings in towns and villages with frantically dancing people, accompanied by traveling musicians and all kinds of interested parties. These things sometimes became true festivals with people selling food, etc. With today’s reality, the phenomenon seems to have become relevant once again! This project is not only a musical statement, but also a call to action against (cultural) oppression. May everyone move and create in freedom!"


Recommended for fans of Mr. Bungle, Zappa, John Zorn, Infectious Grooves, and Brian Setzer Orchestra, Choreomanic is due out February 18. Digital pre-save is available here, and limited edition CD pre-order here.


Choreomanic's debut single, "Time To Let It Out", can be heard and viewed via Graaf's bass playthrough video, below.





Tracklisting:


"This Is Not A Drill"
"Spun Sugar"
"What You Get"
"Red Flags"
"Choreomanic"
"Walk With Urgency"
"Off With The Figurehead"
"Time To Let It Out"
"Calling God"
"Take The Money Give It To Me Now"
"Story About The Moon"
"Away From The Sun"


"Time To Let It Out" bass playthrough:





Album recording credits:


• All songs performed by: Choreomanic
• All songs written by: Joost van der Graaf
• Produced by: Michiel Eilbracht & Joost van der Graaf
• Mixed by: Michiel Eilbracht
• Mastered by: Michiel Eilbracht
• Album Artwork by: Yvo Sprey
 
Recording lineup:


Thijs Ronteltap - Keys
Jeroen Verberne - Trombone
Tommie Freke - Saxophone
Gidon Nunes Vaz - Trumpet & Bugle
Koen Herfst - Drums
Joost van der Graaf - Bass, Sampling, Voice & Percussion

New Jersey six-piece, Fit For An Autopsy, will release their new album, Oh What The Future Holds, on January 14 via Nuclear Blast Worldwide and Human Warfare Australia/NZ.


The band have released an official animated music video for the track "Two Towers", which can be viewed below.


A message states: "Conceptually, 'Two Towers' is an abstract story which follows the journey of your past self and future self, and the forces that pull them apart. Realizing the impossible concept of them meeting, one is faced with the reality of accepting the things you cannot change. A little out of the box for us, but challenging and fun to create a unique song for the record. Shout out to director Frankie Nasso and his team for the animated video that brought this story to life.  We love it, hope you do too."







Vinyl and apparel pre-orders for the new album can be found here.





Tracklisting:


"Oh What The Future Holds"
"Pandora"
"Far From Heaven"
"In Shadows"
"Two Towers"
"A Higher Level of Hate"
"Collateral Damage"
"Savages"
"Conditional Healing"
"The Man That I Was Not"


"In Shadows" video:





"Pandora" video:





"Far From Heaven" video:

Los Angeles death metal titans, Abysmal Dawn, will be releasing a new EP, Nightmare Frontier, on February 4 via Season of Mist.


During the height of the worldwide apocalyptic dystopia of 2020, the band persevered and released one of the greatest albums of their career, Phylogenesis. Now, they pick up where they left off, unleashing a solid four-song EP.  Watch a lyric video for the polished re-recording of the band's song, "Blacken The Sky":







Nightmare Frontier was mixed and mastered by Charles Elliott at Tastemaker Audio. Drums were engineered by John Haddad at Trench Studios, while tracking for all instruments was handled by Elliott. The artwork for Nightmare Frontier was created by Par Olofson.





Pre-orders for Nightmare Frontier are now live here, as well as from their official Abysmal Dawn online store here. The single and EP can be pre-saved across all streaming services here.





Tracklisting:


"A Nightmare Slain"
"Blacken The Sky"
"Behind Space"
"Bewitched"


"A Nightmare Slain" video:





Abysmal Dawn will be embarking on an extensive North American tour as direct support for Obscura. The trek will kick off in San Diego, CA on February 3 and will conclude on March 23 in Fresno, CA.





Tour dates:


February
3 - San Diego, CA - Brick By Brick
4 - Mesa, AZ - Nile Theater
5 - Los Angeles, CA - 1720 (Hometown Show)
6 - Las Vegas, NV - Backstage Bar
7 - Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge
8 - Denver, CO - The Oriental Theater
10 - Oklahoma City. OK - Whisky Nights
11 - Austin, TX - Come And Take It Live
12 - Dallas, TX - Amplified Live
13 - Houston, TX - Warehouse Live
14 - New Orleans, LA - Santos
16 - Orlando. FL - The Haven
17 - West Palm Beach. FL - Respectable
18 - Tampa, OR - The Orpheum
19 - Atlanta, GA - Masquerade
20 - Nashville, TN - The Basement East
21 - Knoxville, TN - Batley's Knoxville
22 - Virginia Beach, VA - Elevation 27
23 - Baltimore, MD - Soundstage
24 - Harrisburg. PA - HMAC
25 - Brooklyn, NY - Knitting Factory
26 - Boston, MA - Sonia
27 - Hartford, CT - Webster Underground
28 - Quebec City, Canada - Imperial Bell


March
1 - Montreal, Canada - Foufounes
2 - Ottawa, Canada - Maverick's
3 - Toronto, Canada - Lee's Palace
4 - Rochester, NY - Montage Music Hall
5 - Pittsburgh, PA - Preserving Underground
6 - Indianapolis, IN - Emerson Theatre
7 - Louisville.KY - Diamon Concert Hall
8 - Detroit, MI - The Sanctuary
9 - Chicago, IL - Reggies
10 - Milwaukee, MN - X-Ray
11 - St. Paul, MN - Turf Club
12 - Winnipeg, Canada - Park Theater
14 - Calgary, Canada - Dickens
15 - Edmonton, Canada - Starlite Room
17 - Vancouver, Canada - Rickshaw Theater
18 - Seattle,WA - El Corazon
19 - Portland, OR - Dante's
21 - Santa Cruz, CA - The Catalyst
22 - Petaluma, CA - Phoenix Theater
23 - Fresno, CA - Full Circle


Lineup:


Charles Elliott - guitars, vocals
Eliseo Garcia - bass, additional vocals
James Coppolino - drums
Vito Petroni - guitars


(Photo - Rodrigo Fredes)