Pig Destroyer will release a new song titled “The Cavalry” as part of Decibel Magazine’s flexi disc series. “The Cavalry” will be the 100th flexi in the exclusive series. The flexi will be available to active Deluxe Decibel subscribers who purchase before February 1st. Subscriptions are available via Decibel here. Stay tuned for more information and a stream of “The Cavalry” in early 2019.

Pig Destroyer's lead guitarist Scott Hull comments on the flexi:

"The music for ‘The Cavalry’ was written as an explicit tribute to Jesse Pintado during the month of August 2018, specifically after listening to Harmony Corruption and World Downfall on repeat.  We are proud to give this track to our hermanos over at Decibel and finally contribute to the Flexi Series as the 100th entry."

Decibel’s Chief Editor Albert Mudrian comments:

"This flexi disc is literally 11 years in the making. Back in 2007, as we were putting together Pig Destroyer's first Decibel cover story, Scott told me how cool it would be to include a PxDx flexi disc in the issue. Great idea, only one problem: no one on earth was producing flexi discs in 2007. It would be another three years until those presses started rolling again and the Decibel Flexi Series came to life. When that occurred, I mentioned to Scott we should look into have Pig Destroyer record a track for the series. Lineup turmoil, conflicting schedules and various other hurdles prevented us from consummating a PxDx recording for the next several years. Then, sometime in early 2017, I realized it had been a decade since Scott conceived the idea. What's more, we were about 15 months away from 100th release in the Decibel Flexi Series. He and I agreed that a little over a year should be enough time to get it done, so a late November 2018 deadline was set for a master, and, miraculous, DB100 is a reality in the form of "The Cavalry."

Pig Destroyer frontman JR Hayes comments:

"This song is about being disillusioned and desensitized in modern America. The aftermath of 24/7 negativity and paranoia. I want to thank Decibel for this opportunity and I hope all the fans out there dig the new song!"

Heavy metal vocalist, songwriter and former Accept/Bonfire frontman David Reece released his new solo album worldwide through Mighty Music on November 9th. Resilient Heart, an album rich on full blown melodic heavy metal, is the follow-up to his Compromise album, released in 2013. Resilient Heart is available on limited red vinyl, CD, and digital. BraveWords is premiering the new video for “Forest Through The Trees”; check it out!

Reece about "Forest Through The Trees": "The music for the track was composed by Alessandro Del Vecchio, we were driving late one night after we'd done a show with Ian Paice as his backing group in Yambol, Bulgaria. I'd already written most of Resilient Heart with Marco [Angioni, guitar] and Martin [J. Anderson, guitar] but I had this lyric I'd co-written with John Wilde lying around screaming to be put into a ballad so I casually asked if Ale had anything and when he sent the music it miraculously set right into the music! It's about opening your eyes and seeing beyond your nose so to speak and looking at things in a different light.”

BraveWords previously premiered the video for "Two Coins And A Dead Man" - be sure to rock out to this one:

Reece will support UDO on tour in February 2019.

Dates (venues TBA):

February
1 - Heidelberg, Germany - Halle 2
2 - Regensburg, Germany - Eventhall Airport
3 - Stuttgart. Germany - LKA
6 - Munich, Germany - Backstage
7 - Pratteln, Switzerland - Z7
8 - Memmingen, Germany - Kaminwerk
9 - Schwalmstadt. Germany - Festhalle Treysa
10 - Leipzig, Germany - Felsenkeller
12 - Oberhausen, Germany - Turbinenhalle
13 - Hannover, Germany - Capitol

"A Perfect Apocalypse" video:

"Any Time At All" commentary video:

"Any Time At All" video:

Lineup:

Vocals: David Reece
Guitar: Marco Angioni
Guitar: Martin J. Andersen
Bass: Malte Frederik Burkert
Drums: Sigurd J. Jensen

TURILLI/LIONE RHAPSODY, the Italian symphonic metal band featuring original RHAPSODY members Luca Turilli and Fabio Lione, has entered Domination Studio in Fiorentino, San Marino to record its debut album. This marks the first time that Luca and Fabio are recording new music together in over eight years. The band is completed by former RHAPSODY members Dominique Leurquin, Patrice Guers and Alex Holzwarth.

A video message from the studio can be seen below.

Turilli comments: "The moment to enter the studio has finally come. For this new band, we want a specific modern-day sound that Fabio and I always dreamed to have. The search for a great studio was quite easy and we ended up choosing the Domination Studio of Simone Mularoni in San Marino. Simone and his well-known studio are synonymous with top-quality, he is an amazing engineer and has that 'workaholic' attitude we all share together and love so much. Time to start and no need to say we are excited like children. We will keep you updated!"

TURILLI/LIONE RHAPSODY recently launched an Indiegogo campaign to cover the recording costs of the upcoming album. The band reached its goal of 40,000 euros within 10 days and has vowed to invest all revenue from the campaign in the LP and the upcoming touring cycle.

In 2017, Luca and Fabio embarked on RHAPSODY's 20th-anniversary farewell tour which saw them reunite and return to stage to perform classic RHAPSODY songs. After closing their RHAPSODY chapter and LUCA TURILLI'S RHAPSODY disbanding, the two friends kept in search of creative, original and innovative ways to express their artistic visions. Luca and Fabio started visualizing their new collaboration, in the process creating a whole new generation of symphonic metal, enriched with modern elements of the musical productions they love so much. The excitement for their project grew with each passing day, so the men agreed to realize their vision under a new and clear band name

Lione says: "We believe a lot in the new TURILLI/LIONE RHAPSODY band, the vision and in the possibility of making new music together presenting something really innovative, modern and fresh, also enriched by the no-compromise sound of the most modern productions. We also believe in the precious contribution of our fans to help us achieving this important goal and re-start an important new chapter of our music career facing a new album production. We count on you for all this to happen!"

TURILLI/LIONE RHAPSODY will release its debut album next summer.

In 2016, Within Temptation performed at the 013 in Tilburg, Netherlands, as part of their annual Black X-mas show.

A message from the band: "Since we are not doing a Black X-Mas show this year, we do want to give you a Black X-Mas treat: we are wrapping up this year with 12 live videos each day until X-Mas! But that’s not all. We will also look back on all our highlights of 2018! Want to join our feast?"

Watch the band perform "Stairway To The Skies" live at Black X-Mas 2016, below:

Watch more footage from Black X-Mas 2016:

"The Other Half (Of Me)":

"Poison":

"Sabbath Bloody Sabbath":

"Frozen":

"Stand My Ground":

Within Temptation recently announced their 2019 North American tour plans. The band will embark on a tour of the US and Canada this coming winter. The tour kicks off February 28th in Baltimore and runs through March 19th in Los Angeles. The trek makes several stops in Canada.

Special guests will be In Flames and Smash Into Pieces. All confirmed tour dates are below.

February
28 - Baltimore, MD - Rams Head Live

March
1 - Philadelphia, PA - The Fillmore
2 - New York, NY - Playstation Theater
3 - Boston, MA - House of Blues
5 - Montreal, QC - Olympia
6 - Toronto, ON - Rebel
8 - Chicago, IL - House of Blues
9 - Minneapolis, MN - Skyway Theater
11 - Denver, CO - The Summit
12 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Complex
14 - Portland, OR - Roseland Ballroom
15 - Vancouver, BC - The Vogue Theater
16 - Seattle, WA - Showbox SODO
18 - San Francisco, CA - The Warfield
19 - Los Angeles, CA - The Wiltern Theater

The band will now release its new album, Resist, on February 1st via Spinefarm/Universal Music in North America. Pre-order the album here.

Resist marks a departure from the Within Temptation's past. The record is armed with 10 anthemic tracks, driven by grand melodies and dark hooks. It brings a futuristic take on metal to the table - both instrumentally and thematically.

"Resist is a true milestone for us. If it wasn't for Resist, Within Temptation wouldn't be here anymore," the band stated.

"With this record, we've taken inspiration from modern music and gave it a face - a very dark one," said singer Sharon den Adel. "Sometimes, it feels that today's pop music lacks a rebellious edge. Our main goal was to collect pieces from sounds we did like and roughen it up as much as we could, resulting in a surprisingly new musical world that is heavier, dirtier and more futuristic than we’ve ever created before. Resist is our take on metal in a new way: to give modern music its rebellious edge.”

Resist tracklisting:

"The Reckoning" (feat. Jacoby Shaddix)
"Endless War"
"Raise Your Banner" (feat. Anders Fridén)
"Supernova"
"Holy Ground"
"In Vain"
"Firelight" (feat. Jasper Steverlinck)
"Mad World"
"Mercy Mirror"
"Trophy Hunter"

"Firelight" (feat. Jasper Steverlinck):

"Raise Your Banner" (feat. Anders Fridén) lyric video:

"The Reckoning" video "making of":

"The Reckoning" video:

"The Reckoning" lyric video:

An official video recap of BEHEMOTH's November 24 concert at the Wiltern in Los Angeles, California can be seen below.

BEHEMOTH's latest album, "I Loved You At Your Darkest", was released on October 5 via Metal Blade Records in North America and Nuclear Blast in Europe.

Unlike "The Satanist", which was primarily recorded in one studio, "I Loved You At Your Darkest" saw its production spread across Poland and the United States. It was produced by the bandmembers themselves, with drum co-production by Daniel Bergstrand (MESHUGGAH, IN FLAMES), mixing by Matt Hyde (SLAYER, CHILDREN OF BODOM) and mastering by Tom Baker (NINE INCH NAILS, MARILYN MANSON). Which is to say nothing of the 17-piece Polish orchestra arranged by Jan Stoklosa and engineered by Tomasz Budkiewicz.

BEHEMOTH frontman Adam "Nergal" Darski told RockSverige about the "I Loved You At Your Darkest" title: "It came straight from the Bible, a quote from Jesus Christ. It started with me thinking that there was no way I could top 'The Satanist' and the genius of it. I mean, speaking of the title. It was this one-word, super-strong and a powerful statement and nothing can really compete with that. In order to follow that, I must come up with something completely different, so we said we would bring something revolutionary within our own subgenre. This title is refreshing and new and redefining and that's what it's meant to be. I'm super happy that it grew on me because I've had it in my head for a year and I wasn't entirely sure. I was, like, 'Hmmm, maybe it's risky.' But then I was also, like, 'It's risky. Let's go for it!' You know, we've got a saying in Poland, 'If you don't risk it, you never drink champagne.' So let's hope for at least a little glass afterwards. I just thought that… let's make a long story short… let's go to the source of all evil and steal this sentence and twist it around and redefine it and give it our own meaning and then just throw it back at our opponents and see how they react. Or maybe they don't. I don't give a fuck. By doing that, it's a very sophisticated blasphemy, so to say, because, obviously, I'm quite the opposite to your regular Catholic friend or whatever. I'm anti this and I'm not following their rules; I follow my own rules. I've always been about this and played with it, these black-and-white, yin-and-yang kind of meanings and symbols and these contradictions and opposites poles and extremes and when you confront them together, that's what triggers the most interesting effect. To me, when you go through the album and you listen to 'God = Dog', you get these kids versus this extreme heavy music and the kids are singing pretty controversial verses for many people. To me, that's the point. You confront the innocence of a child with a grown-up's aware statement, an anti-religious statement and that's what I find fascinating."

In the new video below, Warrel Dane guitarist Thiago Oliveira performs a playthrough of "Shadow Work", the title track of the late metal legend's final recordings.

On December 13th, 2017, Warrel Dane passed away in São Paulo, Brazil while recording the follow-up to 2008’s Praises To The War Machine. In essence a tribute release, Shadow Work contains over 40 minutes of music with Warrel’s voice tracked during pre-production, demo and recording sessions. The album’s booklet was completed with Travis Smith providing artwork based upon concepts he had previously discussed with Warrel, thorough reconstructions of all lyrics from Warrel’s notebook, personal testimonies by his Brazilian band, and very moving photos.

While recording the album, photographer Renan Facciolo visited the group in the studio to capture footage documenting the creation of Shadow Work as the band further explains: "This documentary was shot mostly during Warrel's final days, in late 2017. Although he was frail and his body was showing signs that it would eventually fade, at that time, he was still putting his heart and soul in every part of Shadow Work. We hope this stays as a testament to his artistic commitment and good will, when it came to producing an album in the studio."

Ultimately, his band members completed the documentary in 2018 to offer you an insight into the promising beginning and tragic end of Shadow Work.

Jens Prueter (Head of A&R, Europe) and Stefan Franke (Product Manager) add: “It is nearly impossible to watch this documentary with probably the last footage recorded of Warrel without getting emotional since at some point in our lives, we and his fans were witnesses to his grandeur and failure, his strength and his frailty. The latter is obviously present in this moving video and we are grateful Warrel's family agreed on its public release. There is no glamour, no stardom in this video, it just depicts the shadow of a man passionately and endearingly being busy with Shadow Work, and a band being torn apart between ambition and tragedy. So, while we are glad to share it with you all, it is almost a relief to not have to watch it again.”

Watch the documentary below:

Shadow Work is out today as Special Edition CD Mediabook offering a 44-page booklet, as Gatefold LP plus CD and 12-page LP booklet and on all digital platforms. An unboxing video can be found below.

Shadow Work tracklisting:

"Ethereal Blessing"
"Madame Satan"
"Disconnection System"
"As Fast As The Others"
"Shadow Work"
"The Hanging Garden" (The Cure cover)
"Rain"
"Mother Is The Word For God"

Unboxing:

"As Fast As The Others":

“Disconnection System”:

After their successful album Stonehymn, appearances at major festivals as Bloodstock Open Air and successful tours with bands like Finntroll, Wintersun, Ensiferum and Eluveitie, Wind Rose are now ready to continue their journey through mountains, ice and snow. Napalm Records will be part of this journey from now on.

Wind Rose recently returned to their subterranean caverns to record a new studio album. There is a lot to expect for 2019. A dwarf doesn’t write songs. He smiths them against the anvil!

Sebastian Münch, A&R Napalm Records states: “Napalm Records coudn´t be more excited to announce the signing of Italy´s Epic folk/power metal band Wind Rose. The 2017 album release Stonehymn was a true masterpiece and should be very intriguing for fans of Turias, Ensiferum and Equilibrium!  Raise the horns and welcome to the Napalm family!”

Wind Rose about the signing: "We are extremely proud to be part of the Napalm family. It's great to have such big support behind our band and vision! The Dwarven army is now stronger than ever and so will be the next album. Get ready for something so powerful you won't believe your ears…The Dwarf and his army are coming and with them a the new wave of folk power metal!!"

Let the dwarves lead you “To Erebor” and feel the epic power of Middle-earth, as more than 1.3 million other viewers did before you!

Wind Rose are:

Francesco Cavalieri - vocals
Claudio Falconcini - guitars
Federico Meranda - keyboards
Cristiano Bertocchi - bass
Federico Gatti - drums

According to News.com.au, AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd is selling his New Zealand mansion.

The six-bedroom property in Otumoetai in the Bay of Plenty region is made up of two apartments and has been owned by Rudd for the past nine years.

The property has a price guide of $4.1 million NZD (approximately $2.78 million USD).

Check out pictures at News.com.au.

Phil and vocalist Brian Johnson are both rumored to be back with AC/DC and working on new music, after the two were caught on camera together outside a Vancouver recording studio last summer. It would be AC/DC's first release since the death of founding rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young in 2017.

Rudd was ousted from AC/DC when he was sentenced to eight months of home detention by a New Zealand court in 2015 after pleading guilty to charges of threatening to kill and drug possession.

Rudd appeared to take responsibility for his dismissal from AC/DC, saying: "I was just being a fucking dickhead. I shot myself in the foot. You make your own bed, mate. You make your own mistakes and you have to deal with them and that is what I have done. Hindsight is 20/20."

Rudd, who has appeared on all but three of AC/DC's 18 studio albums, recently toured in support of his 2014 solo debut, "Head Job". It was the release of that album that led indirectly to Rudd's arrest, with the drummer allegedly so angry at a personal assistant over the way the record was promoted that he threatened to have the man and his daughter killed.

Rudd played with AC/DC from 1975 until 1983, and then again from 1994 through 2014. He first appeared on the band's second album, 1975's "T.N.T."

BIAS, the new band featuring former KORN drummer David Silveria, will release its debut single, "Pity", on January 4. David is joined in the Orange County, California-based group by bassist Chris Dorame, guitarists Joe Taback and Mike Martin and singer Rich Nguyen.

Silveria, Dorame and Taback previously played together in CORE 10, which "imploded" earlier this year after releasing a couple of singles and playing a number of local shows.

Taback said about BIAS: "We received hundreds of submissions from all over the world and heard a lot of amazingly talented people. Rich came in and we just instantly vibed. The songs flowed without a hitch. We were able to get a lot done with him in a very short span of time."

Added Dorame: "I felt that he immediately connected with what we are trying to portray musically; he fit right in. His style is unique, yet familiar enough to be the perfect voice for our music."

Silveria concurred. "Rich's work ethic drives us all to work harder in the studio; it's amazing," he said.

As for the name of the band, Silveria said: "We chose BIAS because everyone has their own opinions and preferences that influence their actions in some way or the other. Whether we know it or not, we all have our own version of bias." Nguyen adde: "It's also short and simple."

BIAS is currently in the studio with Chris Collier (KXM, PRONG) writing and recording material for its debut release. "The songs are all a bit different from one another — some are heavy, some melodic and some are both. I think people will be pleasantly surprised," said Nguyen.

BIAS will make its live debut on January 11, 2019 at The Wayfarer in Costa Mesa, California.

Silveria, who left KORN in late 2006, sued his former bandmates in February 2015, claiming that his exit from the group was merely a hiatus and that he was rebuffed when he tried to return to the band in 2013. Silveria said he still had ownership interest in KORN and was asking a judge to force the band to reveal how much money they've made since he left so that he can get his rightful share.

Silveria was said to be especially upset over the fact that KORN welcomed back guitarist Brian "Head" Welch five years ago but wouldn't do the same for him. Welch left the group in 2005 and continued as a solo artist before rejoining in 2013.

Silveria told fans in 2013 that KORN was not the same since he left, saying, "Until they have the real 'funky drummer' it's just not gonna groove the way it could. I've made it clear that I would come back and restore the groove."

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Once again, Santa Ana, California's Observatory OC (3503 S. Harbor Blvd) will host a massive "Dimebash", a tribute to late PANTERA guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, on Thursday, January 24, 2019. The event will be hosted by Sirius XM's Jose Mangin.


"Dimebash" will feature performances by KILL DEVIL HILL and FIREBALL MINISTRY, followed by an all-star jam featuring members to be announced performing Dimebag's music and his favorite tunes.


Doors open at 7:00 p.m. and the all-ages event starts at 8:00 p.m. Tickets are available now via Ticketweb.

A private afterparty will take place after the main event featuring Dave Grohl's BackBeat BBQ cooking up a monstrous feast for all in attendance, and tons of great raffle prizes will be available to win throughout the night. Details on how you can win a seat at a private afterparty table are coming soon.


For both events, all proceeds will benefit MusicCares and Guitars For Vets.


Dimebag's longtime girlfriend Rita Haney says: "The thing that I look forward to most about 'Dimebash' is how it doesn't matter if you're up on the stage jammin' or if your standing in the crowd — we're all just one big bunch of fans together, here to pay our respects to the same man for the love, the laughs, and the killer tunes he created with that power groove of his! Lots of fun is had in that room on that one night - you never know the combinations of talent you're going to see! It's pretty damn magical!"


Dimebag was co-founder and lead guitarist for PANTERA. When PANTERA broke up in 2003, Dimebag and his brother Vinnie Paul formed DAMAGEPLAN. On December 8, 2004, while performing with DAMAGEPLAN at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio, Dimebag was shot and killed onstage. He was 38 years old.

Bon Jovi have released another official live video, shot in Philadelphia, PA on the 2018 This House Is Not For Sale tour. Watch the band perform "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead" below:

More footage from the Philadelphia show can be seen below:

Jon Bon Jovi, will curate two special fan cruise experiences titled Runaway To Paradise, offering 2,200 of his most passionate fans the vacation of a lifetime in two idyllic settings.

The Caribbean trip will set sail April 12th - 16th, 2019 from Miami to Nassau, Bahamas, on Norwegian Jade while the Mediterranean excursion follows August 26th - 30th, 2019, from Barcelona to Palma, Majorca, on Norwegian Pearl.

“Ever since we started Runaway Tours, it’s given me such joy to entertain and tell stories of where my songs came from. What I’ve realized after all these years is that my fans have found that these are not only my stories, but their own,” says Jon Bon Jovi. “Hundreds of people have gotten together every time we take off for a destination, and long lasting friendships are born. We want to continue that tradition in Runaway’s fully-immersive vacation trips. Get ready, we’ll see you out there!”

Co-produced by Runaway Tours, creators of world-class intimate artist experiences, and Sixthman, the industry leader in music festival vacations, the Runaway To Paradise immersive fan experience will feature Jon Bon Jovi joining guests on board the ship at each destination port. Guests will be treated to a full rock show on the pool deck starring Jon Bon Jovi and the 11-piece Kings of Suburbia band, a second acoustic storyteller set where cruisers can ask Jon all of their burning questions, multiple shows from support artists (to be announced), and panels with key figures from Bon Jovi’s storied history, all the while sipping Jon and Jesse Bongiovi’s new wine, Hampton Water rosé and enjoying the stunning amenities of Norwegian Cruise Line Jewel class ships.

The action on Runaway To Paradise goes far beyond the music. Guests will get up close with historic memorabilia in the Jon Bon Jovi Gallery, shop for new looks in the Hart N Dagger pop up shop, and even enjoy a meal while giving back to those in need at The JBJ Soul Kitchen that will be brought to life on board. All guests will take home an autographed event lithograph, and fans who book in the first 400 staterooms on each cruise will get an opportunity to take a picture with Jon Bon Jovi.                                       

Watch the invite video from Jon Bon Jovi below:

Double occupancy staterooms on Runaway To Paradise begin at $1,895 (USD) per person for the Caribbean sailing, and $2,221 (USD) per person for the Mediterranean sailing, plus taxes and fees. Prices for the four-night music festivals at sea include access to all shows and activities, all meals and non-alcoholic beverages, customized Jon Bon Jovi Runaway to Paradise gift, commemorative event program, custom event lanyard and laminate. Low deposits and flexible payment plans are available. For the best selection of staterooms, fans are encouraged to register for the cruise pre-sale at runawaytoparadise.com.

Norwegian Jade and Norwegian Pearl are destinations of their own, each offering guests Norwegian Cruise Line’s signature freedom and flexibility, which allows guests to design their ideal cruise vacation on their schedule with no set dining times, a variety of world-class entertainment options and no formal dress codes. The ships also features fourteen onboard bars and lounges, 15 unique dining experiences, a casino, two outdoor pools, five hot tubs, and a full menu of  treatments at the onboard Mandara Spa.

“We are beyond excited to host Runaway To Paradise aboard Norwegian Jade and Pearl,” said Andy Stuart, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line. “Hosting an international rock and roll sensation like Jon Bon Jovi is a testament of our commitment to offering world-class entertainment for all who board our ships. We have been working with Sixthman to host musical experiences at sea for the past six years and believe that our guests are in for the vacation of a lifetime.”

Swedish visionary metallers Soilwork have released the official animated music video for the brand new song, 'Stålfågel'. Check out the video below.

The song is taken from their 11th album, Verkligheten, set to be released on January 11th via Nuclear Blast. The first edition digipack as well as the vinyl versions will also contain the exclusive Underworld EP, carrying four more songs (see tracklist below). The digipack version will also feature special artwork with lavish foil print.

The song is taken from their impatiently awaited 11th album, »Verkligheten«,  which marks their first in more than three years and also the first to feature Thusgaard on drums, who replaced Dirk Verbeuren in 2016.

Also watch the official music video for 'Full Moon Shoals' and pre-order the album here: http://nuclearblast.com/soilwork-verkligheten
Get/listen to the song here: http://nblast.de/SoilworkFullMoonShoals

 

Soilwork frontman Björn "Speed" Strid is featured in a new inteview with Jake Patton and Metal Wani. The discussion covers a range of topics including musical influences, the inception and meaning of the album name Verkligheten, the different stylistic approaches taken on the album, how the band has managed to endure constant line-up changes, and much more.

On the new album:

"We always aim to surprise ourselves and our fans, and I think that’s why we make so much sense today. We aren’t trying to recreate albums, we’re always developing but there’s always that theme running through our songwriting."

On songwriting for Verkligheten:

"This one was just me and David, which was not planned at all. Normally Sven and Sylvain would write some songs but they never really came up with anything. It’s been really interesting to me to write a song from scratch instead of just getting the demos and adding the vocals and the lyrics."

The album as well as accompanying merchandise is now available for pre-order in various formats (Deluxe Box-Set including Digipack CD, lanyard with lavish metal application (mock missing), metal pin, patch, sticker, signed photo card and poster, Digipack CD + T-Shirt bundle, Digipack CD, black/orange/purple vinyl as well as digital download/stream).

To pre-order the album surf to this location.

Verkligheten album tracklisting:

"Verkligheten"
"Arrival"
"Bleeder Despoiler"
"Full Moon Shoals"
"The Nurturing Glance"
"When The Universe Spoke"
"Stålfågel"
"The Wolves Are Back In Town"
"Witan"
"The Ageless Whisper"
"Needles And Kin" (feat. Tomi Joutsen / Amorphis)
"You Aquiver"

Underworld Bonus EP tracklist:

"Summerburned and Winterblown"
"In This Master's Tale"
"The Undying Eye"
"Needles And Kin" (original version)

"Full Moon Shoals" video:

"Arrival" visualizer:

(Photo - Stephansdotter Photography)

Hells Headbangers has set February 22nd, 2019 as the international release date for Pounder's debut album, Uncivilized, on CD, vinyl LP, and cassette tape formats.

Pounder specialize in dealing out classic heavy metal tunes, expertly crafted and executed, drawing from their NWOBHM influences with hints of early '80s speed metal, Sunset Strip flash, and AOR accessibility. The band was borne out of the members' long-standing love for classic NWOBHM and traditional metal in general. After kicking around in the backburner of main songwriter Matt Harvey's (Exhumed, Gruesome, Expulsion) imagination for a few years, he and bassist Alejandro Corredor (Nausea LA, live bassist for Vallenfyre) met guitarist Tom Draper (Carcass, Angel Witch, Crowning Glory), an Englishman relocated to California, and they quickly bonded over their love of classic metal and hard rock.

It didn't take long for things to start coalescing for Pounder once Harvey decided to take over vocal duties himself, after searching for a singer without any luck. In February 2017, the trio (with the aid of North Carolina-based session drummer Carlos Donegean) entered Trench studios in Corona, California to record seven songs, four of which became their Heavy Metal Disaster demo. The other three songs featured on their Faster Than Fire EP for Shadow Kingdom, which also included their live cover of the Angel Witch classic "Sweet Danger". With that EP serving as a teaser for their debut album for Hells Headbangers, Uncivilized, the time has at last arrived for Pounder to truly spread their wings of metal.

Indeed, Pounder truly spread their wings here, unloading an arsenal of many-metalled majesty. Any way you cut it, Uncivilized is an electric, undeniably timeless cross-section of Pounder's iron-clad aesthetic, underlining in no uncertain terms just what's so invigorating and life-affirming about the art of heavy metal. From high-octane speed metal cruisers to moody, night-walking stompers to even haunting power-ballads like "Long Time No Love" and "Answer The Call", Uncivilized delivers the goods, track after track, in a tight, press-repeat 42 minutes. And it's wrapped in a production job that's on the right side of clean 'n' clear, wholly allowing the grit to glisten and the flash to fly. Pounder may be Uncivilized, but that doesn't mean they can't put together a professional product.

Trends may come and go, but only true metal endures. Pounder are as unyielding as the name, so prepared to get Uncivilized! The first glimpse of uncivilization can be found with the new track "Uncivilized" at Hells Headbangers' Bandcamp, where the album can also be pre-ordered.

Uncivilized by POUNDER

Additionally, Pounder have revealed an exclusive new track titled "Desert Rain", which serves as a tribute to the recently deceased Carlos Donegean. Songwriter Matt Harvey had this to say about the track: "The guys and I only knew Carlos briefly, but it was a privilege getting to make some noise with him. We wanted to give him a proper send-off, and we can only hope he would have dug the song. It's obviously heavy subject matter, and we hope the respect we tried to convey in the tune comes through." The track can be heard here, available to be downloaded for free, as per the wishes of Donegean's family; it can also be purchased, with all proceeds going to the GoFundMe set up for Donegean.

Desert Rain by Pounder

Cover art and tracklisting for Uncivilized are as follows:

"Fuck Off And Die"
"Uncivilized"
"Red Hot Leather"
"Long Time No Love"
"We Want The Night"
"The Mists Of Time"
"Answer The Call"
"The Evil One"

(Photo credit: Raymond Ahner)

 

Shadow Kingdom Records has confirmed May 17th, 2019 as the international release date for the second album of America's Haunt, If Icarus Could Fly, on CD, vinyl LP, and cassette tape formats.

Simply put, Haunt is the new face of traditional heavy metal and hard rock. Masterful despite their young years as a band, Haunt began as a solo project of Beastmaker frontman Trevor William Church and promptly self-released its debut EP, Luminous Eyes, during the summer of 2017. Not long after, the EP was picked up for physical release by Shadow Kingdom, and henceforth did Haunt begin their ascent...

With Luminous Eyes reaping widespread acclaim from both fans and critics alike, the stage was set for Haunt's inevitable debut album. Aptly titled Burst Into Flame, the band's full-length debut was released during the summer of 2018 and promptly burned a whole new path for Haunt. Now expanded into a full working lineup, Church's vision proved infinitely powerful and poignant: here, Haunt's blend of turn-of-the-'80s heavy metal with touches of '70s hard rock positively exploded with electricity and excitement at every turn. And that electricity reached a fever pitch as the band hit the touring circuit thereafter, culminating with a rapturously received run on the Speed Of The Wizard tour supporting High On Fire, Municipal Waste, and Toxic Holocaust.

Not ones to rest on their considerable laurels, Haunt are back less than a year after their debut album with the even stronger If Icarus Could Fly. Taking everything that was so magical about Burst Into Flame - compact songcraft, immediately memorable hooks, impassioned playing, an understated emotional element that elevates everything above mere party fodder - and fine-tuning it to near-perfection, If Icarus Could Fly is a step-up on every level. And once again, at every turn there's an absolute anthem, perhaps best exemplified by the unforgettable "It's In My Hands", a masterpiece of a song that will likely be the 'hit' of the album. Elsewhere, Haunt have simply sharpened their attack with seemingly effortless ease: heavy and heartfelt, with an expressiveness that encapsulates everything that's so engaging and enduring about traditional metal. Simply put, If Icarus Could Fly is a natural progression from Haunt's debut album and the next chapter in their saga as new kings.

Once again, Haunt graciously offer the key to heavy metal heaven. Will you take flight with them and see If Icarus Could Fly? Take the first flight with the new track "Run And Hide" at Shadow Kingdom's Bandcamp, where the album can be pre-ordered. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:

"Run And Hide"
"It's In My Hands"
"Cosmic Kiss"
"Ghosts"
"Clarion"
"Winds Of Destiny"
"If Icarus Could Fly"
"Defender"

If Icarus Could Fly by Haunt

(Photo credit: Alejandro Ramos)

 

"This being our last blast out for the year we would like to take this opportunity to wish all our friends a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year," says The Dead Daisies.

"From the bottom of our well-travelled hearts, we want to say THANK YOU to our entire Daisies family. We set out on a mission to Burn It Down this year and you came out to support us in your thousands, and we have enjoyed every moment!"

"From the minute the album hit stores worldwide, it fired up the charts setting them alight with top tens in The UK, Germany and The US. A string of singles burned up the airwaves with all of them going straight to their A List, including 'Dead And Gone' and 'Can't Take It With You'."

"We promised you we were going to go extra hard up to the end of the year and our energy was well and truly matched by the sea of amazing faces, new and old, at every Winterland show these past few weeks. Check out the full Winterland recap below:"

 

 

Tax The Heat have released another video from their Live At YouTube Space London session, this time performing "All That Medicine". The new clip and previously posted performance videos for "Money In The Bank" and "Cut Your Chains" can be seen below:

Nuclear Blast Entertainment have released the new album from Tax The Heat, entitled Change Your Position. The album is available as CD and digital.

Tracklisting:

“Money In The Bank”
“Change Your Position”
“Playing With Fire”
“All That Medicine”
“On The Run”
“The Last Time”
“Taking The Hit”
“My Headspace”
“We Are Consumers”
“Cut Your Chains”
“Wearing A Disguise”
“The Symphony Has Begun”

“Change Your Position” video:

“Money In The Bank” video:

Mortal Scepter have released a lyric video for "Where Light Suffocates", the title track of their debut album, out on January 22nd via Xtreem Music. Watch the clip below.

Mortal Scepter was born in 2012 and released their first demo in 2014, followed by a six-song EP titled As Time Sharpens The Sentence in 2015, released by Unspeakable Axe Records (sublabel of Dark Descent). During the two following years, the band played several shows across France and Europe, including a tour with Skelethal in 2017. During the first months of 2018, Mortal Scepter finished the recording of their first full-length album, Where Light Suffocates, which caught the attention of Xtreem Music, who offered them a deal.

The style of Mortal Scepter perfectly captures the essence of the ancient French bands which emerged in the late '80s like Massacra, Agressor, Loudblast, and Mercyless, and can be defined as a raw, savage, and primitive blend of old-school death and thrash metal, dragging influences from bands like Massacra, Sodom, Possessed, Dark Angel, Kreator, and very early Sepultura.

Tracklisting:

"A Ray Of Despair"
"Where Light Suffocates"
"Murder The Dawn"
"Lust Spells"
"Perish With The Flesh"
"The Carpathian Castle"
"Spear And Fang"
"Swallow Your Tongue"
"...The Scepter Reigns"

"Where Light Suffocates" lyric video:

"Murder The Dawn":

Backstabber, from Rouyn-Noranda, in Northern Quebec, Canada, is unleashing raw fury with their first full-length album, Conspiracy Theorist. The 10-track album is a fierce debut encompassing themes of scandals, a critique of mainstream media and conspiracies such as hollow Earth.

Remaining old school, there are no clean vocals or breakdowns here, just a solid and mature death/thrash metal album, with good flow and clear thought in the tracks and compositions.

"Conspiracy Theorist is an album that's meant to open your mind about the way the world revolves around us as it offers a new perspective on many issues that we see in our lives,” says vocalist/guitarist Christian M. Thériault.

Backstabber currently has two singles out from Conspiracy Theorist, “Subterranean” and “No Privacy”. "Subterranean" is a fast-paced revisit to the legacy of Admiral Richard E. Byrd and the theory of Hollow Earth, which was presumably researched during World War II by both German and American forces. Watch a video for the track below.

“No Privacy” is a brutal track focusing on the pervasive usage of metadata collection and their multiple applications merged with quantum analyzing. The song is available for streaming below.

"Conspiracy Theorist will be available worldwide as of February 15th, through Bandcamp and iTunes.

Tracklisting:

"Inaugural Address"
"Whistle Blower"
"No Privacy"
"Subterranean"
"Ink Spill"
"The Hum"
"My Disclosure"
"Geo Engineering"
"Banksters"
"Conspiracy Theorist"

"Subterranean" video:

"No Privacy":

Lineup:

Christian M. Theriault - Guitars & Vocals
Eric Seguin - Bass
Patrick Gagne - Drums

Spanish metallers, Hollow Cry, have released a video for "My Way Out", featured on the band’s latest album, From Ashes To Flames, released back in September via Into Records.

Says the band: "There was this one song that we just couldn't seem to get right, that was meant to be our perpetual, half-finished song. Until Xavi our lead singer had a bad breakup, and took it upon himself to finish the song. He realized that he could now relate to the melody in a way he couldn't before (mostly because Aleix (lead guitar), was in a similar place when he wrote it) and poured his feelings into it. The lyrics were completed in a matter of minutes."

"The videoclip is an honest reflection of what the song is about, expressing how no matter how careful and well-intended you try to be, things never end up the way you want them to. Relationships are pretty much the same, no one's to blame once it's over. The lyrics describe a guy trying to tell his ex-girlfriend that she's wrong, that the relationship she has in her head never existed."

Spain possesses a fertile heavy metal and hard rock scene, of which the fast-rising Hollow Cry are the sonic proof - as evidenced with the arrival of their new album, From Ashes To Flames.

Hailing from the town of Tremp and initially started as a covers band in 2007, Xavi (lead vocals) had always wanted to start a band and on meeting a friend at a Taekwondo class who suggested themselves as drummer, the early formations of Hollow Cry took form. The wheels were in motion, shortly after Xavi recruited friends Marc, on rhytmic guitar, and Aleix on lead guitar, to give the band a more solid sound. Ek-tombe had been born.

In the winter of 2010. Playing metal turned out to be more demanding than expected, so after finding a replacement for the original drummer, Xavi began to focus solely on his singing and Marc picked the guitar to help Aleix with the melodies. Bass was needed, and the new drummer's cousin Joan joined the band.

Ek-tombe had given way to Hollow Cry. The guys had their big debut the following summer, in FestiPallars 2011, the biggest music festival of their region. They established a notorious fan base and kept playing in similar scenarios with crowds of 1-2,000 thousand people, juggling college, work and music, covering bands such as Avenged Sevenfold and occasionally throwing in a few originals of their own.

In 2012 they competed in Barcelona's biggest contest for emerging bands, Emergenza. They reached the final over a pop band whose members were disguised as farm animals, but the judges took a last minute controversial decision and left them out of the contest. The guys decided to focus on their own material then, and it wasn't easy. After a year of sporadic gigs, the band went into a one-year hiatus and didn't regroup until the fall of 2014, when Xavi told them he had composed songs of his own that could do well for a debut album. The band had been re-fueled and reignited, ready to hit the road with more energy than ever.

Hollow Cry entered the studio to record their first demo EP, meanwhile choosing their shows carefully, to ensure their music hits where it is most greatly received. In recent months Hollow Cry signed to worldwide agency Metal Music Bookings and Management, and have undergone a revival; the name change to Hollow Cry (from WinterShades), a new approach, and an array of epic tracks ready to be unleashed to the public. The underground metal scene is still emerging in Spain, and the newly launched Hollow Cry feel they are at the forefront. This is the result of that journey, the final leap, this is the beginning of Hollow Cry - and From Ashes To Flames is a mighty/bold step forward.

Tracklisting:

"Shades Of Winter"
"My Way Out"
"Procrastinated"
"From Ashes To Flames"
"Heaven’s Jail"
"Beyond Defeat"
"Tears In Rain"
"Never Enough"
"Last Call"
"Years Gone By"

“Procrastinated” lyric video:

"Last Call" video:

In 2016, Within Temptation performed at the 013 in Tilburg, Netherlands, as part of their annual Black X-mas show.

A message from the band: "Since we are not doing a Black X-Mas show this year, we do want to give you a Black X-Mas treat: we are wrapping up this year with 12 live videos each day until X-Mas! But that’s not all. We will also look back on all our highlights of 2018! Want to join our feast?"

Watch the band perform "The Other Half (Of Me)" live at Black X-Mas 2016, below:

Watch more footage from Black X-Mas 2016:

"Poison":

"Sabbath Bloody Sabbath":

"Frozen":

"Stand My Ground":

Within Temptation recently announced their 2019 North American tour plans. The band will embark on a tour of the US and Canada this coming winter. The tour kicks off February 28th in Baltimore and runs through March 19th in Los Angeles. The trek makes several stops in Canada.

Special guests will be In Flames and Smash Into Pieces. All confirmed tour dates are below.

February
28 - Baltimore, MD - Rams Head Live

March
1 - Philadelphia, PA - The Fillmore
2 - New York, NY - Playstation Theater
3 - Boston, MA - House of Blues
5 - Montreal, QC - Olympia
6 - Toronto, ON - Rebel
8 - Chicago, IL - House of Blues
9 - Minneapolis, MN - Skyway Theater
11 - Denver, CO - The Summit
12 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Complex
14 - Portland, OR - Roseland Ballroom
15 - Vancouver, BC - The Vogue Theater
16 - Seattle, WA - Showbox SODO
18 - San Francisco, CA - The Warfield
19 - Los Angeles, CA - The Wiltern Theater

The band will now release its new album, Resist, on February 1st via Spinefarm/Universal Music in North America. Pre-order the album here.

Resist marks a departure from the Within Temptation's past. The record is armed with 10 anthemic tracks, driven by grand melodies and dark hooks. It brings a futuristic take on metal to the table - both instrumentally and thematically.

"Resist is a true milestone for us. If it wasn't for Resist, Within Temptation wouldn't be here anymore," the band stated.

"With this record, we've taken inspiration from modern music and gave it a face - a very dark one," said singer Sharon den Adel. "Sometimes, it feels that today's pop music lacks a rebellious edge. Our main goal was to collect pieces from sounds we did like and roughen it up as much as we could, resulting in a surprisingly new musical world that is heavier, dirtier and more futuristic than we’ve ever created before. Resist is our take on metal in a new way: to give modern music its rebellious edge.”

Resist tracklisting:

"The Reckoning" (feat. Jacoby Shaddix)
"Endless War"
"Raise Your Banner" (feat. Anders Fridén)
"Supernova"
"Holy Ground"
"In Vain"
"Firelight" (feat. Jasper Steverlinck)
"Mad World"
"Mercy Mirror"
"Trophy Hunter"

"Firelight" (feat. Jasper Steverlinck):

"Raise Your Banner" (feat. Anders Fridén) lyric video:

"The Reckoning" video "making of":

"The Reckoning" video:

"The Reckoning" lyric video:

Japan's leading traditional heavy metal band, Anthem, recently signed to Nuclear Blast Records (for the European territory) to break into the worldwide market. The first release, Nucleus, will be their greatest hits album, completely re-recorded with English lyrics.

The ban have released this official video trailer for the upcoming release. Album pre-orders will begin on January 18th.

Anthem recently released the first single from the album, "Black Empire". Listen below.

Mixing and mastering were done by established producer and engineer Jens Bogren, known for his work with a multitude of big name artists. Jens' work is based on elaborate theories and an abundance of knowledge, which has helped guide the careers of many bands, Anthem's case is no exception. This album which features Jens' fat sound with rich low-end is more than up to par with the worldwide heavy metal standard.

A remarkable point worth noting about this release is that all of the songs except "Venom Strike" were written after their reunion in 2001 - proving that Anthem have always has been a 'today band' that does not have to rely on their past.

This re-recorded greatest hits, Nucleus, which includes a variety of their classics is a monumental work, perfectly demonstrating the musical quality of Anthem and proving that they can be ranked as a top-notch band even in the international market.

Naoto Shibata (bass): "Our re-recorded greatest hits album with English lyrics, Nucleus will be released internationally on March 29th, 2019. The title represents the fact that this work is Anthem's nucleus. I am proud that we can internationally release this album right before our 35th anniversary with this current great lineup, and I am also honoured from the bottom of my heart that we can present this to our fans. Anthem will keep doing our best to move forward, always heading towards the future. I hope you will all enjoy Nucleus."

Akio Shimizu (guitar): "Finally our re-recorded greatest hits album with English lyrics, Nucleus is set to be released internationally! I tackled these recordings head on, putting all of my pride into it. Those 13 songs were not easy at all, however I believe they’ve fully captured the sound and the expression of today's Anthem while being true to the originals at the same time. I am really happy that our music is now flying into the internatinal market, hoping for new possibilities. Please give it a listen and feel all of the details of the album with the fresh mixing by Jens Bogren."

Yukio Morikawa (vocals): "4 years have already passed since I re-joined Anthem. I can say that my musical activities have been very busy and fulfilling, containing 2 full-length albums, some video works and a lot of live concerts. And I must say, I am so excited that in 2019, at last Anthem will internationally release an album, the re-recorded greatest hits. Singing all the songs in English was not at all easy for me, but I hope that this album will show the world that Japan has a band like us who loves metal so much. I hope you enjoy Nucleus."

Isama Tamaru (drums): "I am glad and excited that we can internationally release our re-recorded greatest hits album, Nucleus, at this point in time, and we have the opportunity to present Anthem's current music and our way of living not only to Japan but also to the rest of the world. I would like you to listen carefully to the sound by Jens Bogren, who we worked with for the first time. With the current lineup, we have been going through a lot of changes by tackling a lot of new things, which has made the bond between the members and the crew much stronger. I would like to say thank you to all the fans who have been supporting us."

If there is a band that'll break your neck from the sheer force of their music, it must be Legion Of The Damned. On January 4th, the quartet will release Slaves Of The Shadow Realm via Napalm Records. An unboxing video for the limited boxset edition can be seen below:

This monster, Slaves Of The Shadow Realm, resembles a colossal, smooth and blackened monolith. Five years after the much-praised Ravenous Plague, the shredding legion returns with producer Andy Classen and presents an album that merges the unadulterated fury of the early LOTD years with the sophistication of a veteran band.

Pre-order the new album here.

Slaves Of The Shadow Realm tracklisting:

"The Widows Breed"
"Nocturnal Commando"
"Charnel Confession"
"Slaves of The Southern Cross"
"Warhounds Of Hades"
"Black Banners In Flames"
"Shadow Realm Of The Demonic Mind"
"Palace Of Sin"
"Priest Hunt"
"Azazels Crown"
"Dark Coronation"

“Slaves Of The Southern Cross” video:

“The Widow's Breed” lyric video:

Legion Of The Damned are:

Maurice Swinkels: Vocals
Twan van Geel: Guitar
Harold Gielen: Bass
Erik Fleuren: Drums

(Photo - Tim Tronckoe)

Italian melodic power metal band, Kalidia, have released a music video for "Frozen Throne", the first single from their new album, The Frozen Throne. Watch the clip below.

The Frozen Throne is out now via Inner Wound Recordings. The album is available on CD, digital and as an exclusive black wooden box edition, limited to 250 hand-numbered copies.

Inspired by classic power metal bands like Rhapsody Of Fire, Hammerfall and Stratovarius as well as new bands like Beast In Black, Kalidia have created an uplifting melodic power metal album with the roots in classic power metal with a modern and fresh touch.

The Frozen Throne was produced, recorded and mixed by Lars Rettkowitz (Freedom Call), mastered by Achim Köhler (Primal Fear, Amon Amarth, Brainstorm) and the cover artwork was created by Stan W. Decker (Vanden Plas, Primal Fear).

Led by the charismatic vocalist Nicoletta Rosellini and with a really strong album behind them, Kalidia are ready to show the metal scene that they are a force to be reckoned with.

The Frozen Throne tracklisting:

"Frozen Throne"
"Circe's Spell"
"Black Sails"
"Orpheus"
"To The Darkness I Belong"
"Myth Of Masada"
"Midnight's Chant"
"Go Beyond"
"Amethyst"
"Lotus"
"Queen Of The Forsaken"

"Frozen Throne" video:

German thrash metal veterans TANKARD have released an official music video for their song "Schwarz-weiß wie Schnee", the title track of their EP, which was re-released in 2017 via Nuclear Blast. Impressively, the song has been performed three times by the band before the German football cup final (2006, 2017 and 2018) in which their hometown team Eintracht Frankfurt participated. The video was produced by Ralf Holl (Soccer Records) and filmed by Doug Laurent.

"Schwarz-weiß wie Schnee" is the anthem of the German football club Eintrach Frankfurt and has been played at the stadium for 10 years before every home game. The song has now been completely re-recorded by the band. The thrashers were supported by Henni Nachtsheim (BADESALZ), Ande Werner (MUNDSTUHL) and Roy Hammer (ROY HAMMER & DIE PRALINÉES), who can be heard in the backing choir. The artwork was designed by cult comic artist Michael Apitz, whose comics have been published for years in the stadium newspaper of Eintracht Frankfurt.

TANKARD released its 17th studio album, "One Foot In The Grave", in June 2017 via Nuclear Blast.

Following two years of silence, Trailight bassist and mastermind Omer Cordell has checked in with an update on his new album, which is currently in the works:

"I've been having a lot of hardware issues (mainly laptop) which have complicated work on the album for the past while. Despite that, release is set for March 2019. Official title is back to Endure The Fire. This will be a single track, 32 minutes long that must be listened to in its entirety to appreciate the process. An experience to journey through if you will."

Many thanks once again to all who have contributed their voices to the title track! Here are bits and pieces from the album..."

 

Back in 2016, Cordell spoke with BraveWords scribe Carl Begai about Trailight. Following is an excerpt from the interview.

“When I was first starting to think about doing this project, considering the vibe and riffs I was coming up with – ‘A Thousand Years’ was the first song I wrote – I knew who I wanted to play drums on it. Ryan has known me as a photographer for years, so when I called him up it was like ‘This may come as a surprise, but I’m making music now…’ (laughs). I asked if he’d be interested in playing on it and he wanted to hear the demos, but he had a bunch of touring to finish with Devin and then record the DVP double album. After that he had time to do my stuff.”

“Ryan came back from Devin’s album recording, learned my songs in about a week or 10 days, we had one day of pre-production where I had a chance to hear what he would be doing in the studio. Three days later we were in the studio and 10 hours later he was done recording. When we were finished I knew why I’d gotten Ryan to do it. He not only fits stylistically, he was also such an immense help with the whole process. I was basically flying blind. I’d been to the studios lots of times back when Strapping was around to take photos, but I’d never actually recorded in one before, so Ryan was helpful in guiding me.”

Cordell also took on outside help to produce The Primitive Mountain, a long and drawn out process that slowly deteriorated as the songs were being mixed. He eventually opted to take on the task of mixing and mastering himself; a daunting task on one hand, but the only option left if the album was going to live up to his expectations. Rather than a play-by-play of events, Cordell channels Metallica to sum up the situation.

“As far as the mix of the album, the first batch of songs that I sent you sound like St. Anger, and the final mixes sound like the Black album.”

Go to this location for the complete story.

The complete tracklist for The Primitive Mountain is as follows:

"Open Doors"
"Sentient Beings Pt. 1 - The Dim Future Of Our Distant Past"
"Sentient Beings Pt. 2 - All That We Are" 
"We Are The Ocean"
"Frail Human Form"
"The Primitive Mountain"
"Passer By"
"A Thousand Years"
"Navarino"
"Beyond The Rubicon"

Cordell released a 30 minute behind-the-scenes look at the production, which can be viewed below. For information on Trailight go to this location.