Hiraeth, the new full-length album from melodic death metal band Lutharö will be released on October 15th 2021. Hailing from Hamilton, Canada, the band formed in 2013 and have shared stages with the likes of Unleash The Archers, Alestorm, The Agonist, Battlecross, Nervosa, Exmortus, and Striker. Following their 2018 debut EP Unleash The Beast, and 2020 EP Wings Of Agony, Hiraeth sees the quintet push their compositional and performance skills further than ever before.

The band strives to deliver an epic sound that sees aspects of power and death metal colliding. Hiraeth unveils how Lutharö have elevated their sound through theatrical effects and intense moods. The atmosphere through the music is hauntingly beautiful while also capable of great power shown through the fierce breakdown which truly delves into the heavy depths.

Combining artfully crafted melodies, harmonies and precision with a hard-hitting power, Lutharö have created an album that hasn’t been afraid to explore above and beyond. They expertly balance an ethereal element of beauty with raw power and aggression. Hiraeth is an astounding new album, a fantastically epic journey that needs to be experienced to be believed.  

More information will be available soon.

Lineup:
Krista Shipperbottom – vocals
Victor Bucur – guitars, backing vocals
John Raposo – guitars
Chris Pacey – bass
Duval Gabraiel – drums

 




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"So I finaly did it! I made a how to play / playthrough video," says Gaia Epicus guitarist Thomas Chr. Hansen. "Since I haven't played guitar in a year now, I chose to do an easy one. So here it is, 'Hand Of Fate'."

"Hand Of Fate" can be found on Symphony Of Glory, originally released in 2005, and re-released in 2012.

Epicus Records signed a worldwide license deal with Pure Steel Records for a limited edition version of the latest Gaia Epicus album, Seventh Rising. The CD was released on June 4th, limited to only 200 copies, containing one bonus track.

This album was officially released in December 2020 and is the band's seventh studio album.

Seventh Rising Limited Edition tracklisting:

"Like A Phoenix"
"Rising"
"Nothing To Lose"
"From Ashes To Fire"
"The Dream"
"Invisible Enemy"
"Dr. Madman"
"Number One"
"Gods Of Metal"
"We Are The Ones"
"Eye Of RA"
"Jailbreak" (Thin Lizzy cover) - Bonus track

Album lineup:

Thomas Chr. Hansen - guitars, bass and vocals
Lukky Sparxx - lead guitars
Mike Terrana - drums

Special guest:

Tim "Ripper" Owens – vocals on “Gods Of Metal”





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Fractal Universe drummer Clément Denys has filmed a playthrough video for his band's latest single "Symmetrical Masquerade". 

According to Clément, "This song is quite versatile, there are lot of dynamics and also some interesting independence work. I built some specific ostinatos between hi-hat and ride of the second verse and the bridge, while keeping snare and kick following the bass theme. Just to explain the concept a bit more: RLL on verse number two, but the ride beee is played half time. On the last part of the bridge, sticking is RLRRLRR etc, and it's a really tricky one to play."

On June 25th, Fractal Universe will release their new album, The Impassable Horizon, via Metal Blade Records. For a preview of the record, a video for the new single, "Symmetrical Masquerade" (animated by Costin Chioreanu of Twilight 13 Media), can be viewed below.

In regards to the lyrical theme of "Symmetrical Masquerade", the band comments that it is, "the hope humans have of a something, whatever its nature, after death. In that constant denial of the fact that death could equal the 'non-being', humans turn this anxiety into an expectation, even a deliverance. But there's always a doubt remaining. And the most distressing thing isn't the knowledge of the inevitable, but rather the fact that nothing's for sure."

Director Costin Chioreanu adds: "The video is a collection of beyond death moments experienced by the last human body left. The robots are trying to keep the body alive, in order to record the travels into the afterlife of the soul incorporated into it. There are memories melted with products of subject's subconscious mind work. At one point, the robots are planting in the veins of the character a strange recording device, which will follow his soul beyond the realms of death... and then, the memories of the human collective are accessed and collected, and we can see how the entire species got lost into a self-sabotaging belief system."

With 2019's Rhizomes Of Insanity, France's Fractal Universe created one of the most musically, lyrically, and emotionally complex and compelling progressive metal works of the twenty-first century. The band toured the record hard, joining heavyweights Obscura in February/March of 2020, making for one of the last tours in the world pre-pandemic, and in doing so, sated their faithful while winning legions of new followers. With its successor, The Impassable Horizon, they have gone even deeper, effortlessly following the trajectory they set themselves on to create an album that is riveting from start to finish.

"We wanted to keep developing our musical personality and the natural sound we managed to get on Rhizomes," says drummer Clément Denys. "It's a very versatile and complex album. Musically speaking, you will find catchy songs which are really direct, progressive and mysterious ballads with epic saxophone solos, and technical songs with intricate riffing."

Elaborates vocalist/guitarist/saxophonist Vince Wilquin, "despite the record being even more diverse, dynamic and including more clean vocals than its predecessor, the overall atmosphere is also slightly darker and more melancholic."

And with the introduction of Wilquin's newly honed saxophone skills to their live set, alongside working with Gojira's Christian Andreu on their stage scenery and production, once the band return to the road they are sure to be an unmissable act.

With the first riffs and ideas for The Impassable Horizon emerging in November 2018, before Rhizomes was even released, composition for the whole record took about a year, with the last six months before entering the studio in May of 2020 dedicated to vocal preproduction/arrangements and finalizing the guitar and saxophone solos. Drums were recorded at the band's own professional recording studio - Boundless Production Studio - in Florange, France, while the other instruments were tracked in their personal home studios. It was overseen by producer Flavien Morel, who has been working with Fractal Universe since the beginning and really understands the band's vision.

"The sessions were good," says Denys. "We were not in a rush. This was the first record we entirely tracked in our own studios, so we were for example able to spend two complete days on sound-checking the drums, which was really comfortable."

The most demanding aspect of tracking was the vocals, which took as long to record as all of the other instrumentation combined. "Flavien really encouraged me to bring the vocal production to the next level: there are chorus sections where there are about thirty tracks of backing vocals, with every line quad-tracked, to make it sound really massive and 'chorus-y'."

With mixing being Wilquin's favorite part of the realization process, the point at which the record really starts to come alive, he was happy to work closely with Morel, and the finished product is everything they wanted it to be. "It feels like the natural evolution of our band sound, keeping our distinctive trademarks and incorporating new sounds and ideas," says Wilquin, and adds Denys, "we hope the new album will reach new fans and please our current ones, which have been amazingly supportive even during the pandemic, and that it will bring the band to the next level."

The Impassable Horizon can be pre-ordered here on CD, vinyl, as well as digitally. Fans can also visit Fractal Universe's official store for additional vinyl and more.

The Impassable Horizon tracklisting:

"Autopoiesis"
"A Clockwork Expectation"
"Interfering Spherical Scenes"
"Symmetrical Masquerade"
"Falls Of The Earth"
"Withering Snowdrops"
"Black Sails Of Melancholia"
"A Cosmological Arch"
"Epitaph"
"Godless Machinists"
"Flashes Of Potentialities" (Unplugged)

"A Clockwork Expectation" video:

Fractal Universe lineup:

Guitar/Vocals/Saxophone: Vince Wilquin
Guitar: Hugo Florimond
Bass: Valentin Pelletier
Drums: Clément Denys

(Photo - Anthony Dubois)

 




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Canadian tech death titans, Beyond Creation, are pleased to announce a brand new signature beer in collaboration with Vox&Hops' Brewtal North America/

Beyond Creation's "Entre Stout Et Mirage" brew will be released this summer. It is a stout with Brazilian coffee and amburana with a 6% ABV and it will be crafted by the Quebec-based microbrewery Overhop Canada.

Brewtal North America is presented by IndieMerchstore, fueled by Heartbeat Hot Sauce Co. & supported by Yakima Chief Hops! Vox & Hops host Matt McGachy have paired 22 Vox&Hops Alumni with metal breweries to create unique collaborative craft beers for their bands. More information can be found here.

(Photo - Simon Girard)




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German genrefluid visionaries, Lord Of The Lost, return with their seventh studio album, Judas, out July 2 via Napalm Records. The band recently released a second cinematic and visually stunning video for their second single, "For They Know Not What They Do". They have now released a session breakdown video, which you can view below:

Watch a guitar playthrough video for the song:

The music video for "For They Know Not What They Do" picks up where the first video for "Priest" leaves off. Together, the two videos form the start of a grand narrative of black and white, good and evil, and loud and quiet.

"For They Know Not What They Do", the second single from Judas proves that this new piece of art is musically and organically grown and has very lively highlights - including a choir, grand piano and string quintet - as well as a real church organ. We Will Outlive Them!

Chris Harms on the new video: "With ‘For They Know Not What They Do’, the audiovisual experience of ‘Priest’ is not only continued, but in a certain way, a cycle opens here which connects the two videos in their beginnings and endings. In addition, we have fulfilled a childhood dream here, because what musician would not like to be seen once as a ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ choir in the best Queen manner in his video..."

Lord Of The Lost on Judas: “Don’t judge a book by its cover. This sentence could hardly apply any better to someone in theological history than to the figure of Judas Iscariot, who represents only one thing at first glance: Betrayal. If you take a closer look, almost endless possibilities of interpretation open up here: from "Judas the murderer" to "Judas the redeemer" and "Judas the actual martyr", who, if you believe in it, could only find room in hell for his salvific betrayal after dying for what he did, in complete contrast to Jesus Christ. This field of tension and the apocryphal writings of the "Gospel of Judas" are the basis for a double album that not only illuminates the dark and light side of history, but above all the grey areas in between, in which we move emotionally and ideologically throughout our lives and try to find our place.”

Judas will be available in the following formats:

- Deluxe Box (incl. 2-CD Mediabook, 1 CD The Sorrows Of The Young, 2 CD LOTL+, DVD Becoming Judas, Cover Alu Print) - strictly limited to 1500 copies worldwide
- 4 CD Earbook - strictly limited to 500 copies worldwide
- Double Music Cassette - strictly limited to 100 copies worldwide
- 2-CD Mediabook
- 2-CD Sleevepack
- Vinyl Box incl. 2x 2LP Recycled Black Vinyl Gatefold
- Digital Album

Pre-order here.

Judas tracklisting:

CD1: Damnation
"Priest"
"For They Know Not What They Do"
"Your Star Has Led You Astray"
"Born with a Broken Heart"
"The 13th"
"In the Field of Blood"
"2000 Years a Pyre"
"Death Is Just a Kiss Away"
"The Heart Is a Traitor"
"Euphoria"
"Be Still and Know"
"The Death of All Colours"

CD2: Salvation
"The Gospel of Judas"
"Viva Vendetta"
"Argent"
"The Heartbeat of the Devil"
"And it Was Night"
"My Constellation"
"The Ashes of Flowers"
"Iskarioth"
"A War Within"
"A World where We Belong"
"Apokatastasis"
"Work of Salvation"

"Priest" video:

Next to the 2-CD Judas Mediabook and a cover alu print, the strictly limited deluxe box includes the special CD, The Sorrows Of The Young, double extra CD LOTL+, as well as the six part behind the scenes documentary bonus DVD, Becoming Judas. The Sorrows Of The Young features ten unreleased songs, written by Chris Harms at the age of 18, that have now been re-recorded, whereas LOTL+ showcases 32 completely different interpretations in terms of vocals and lyrics on the original song “Viva Vendetta”, written and performed by artists like Megaherz, Equilibrium, Lacrimosa, Subway To Sally, Nachtblut, Unzucht and many more.

The Sorrows Of The Young tracklisting:
"Catharsis"
"Syringes in the Sand"
"Deus Absconditus"
"Die Without Your Love"
"This Piece of Art"
"The Last Saviour"
"All I Am Is The Void"
"Obscularum Infame"
"Infinity"
"Supernova"

LOTL+ tracklisting:

CD1:
"Living a Lie" feat. A Life Divided
"Consume Hate" feat. Aesthetic Perfection
"Vergissmeinnicht" feat. AnnA Lux
"Still Life to Die For" feat. Ben Christo (The Sisters Of Mercy / Diamond Black)
"The Darkest Hour" feat. Chemical Sweet Kid
"Into the Dawn" feat. Simon Moskon (Cryptex)
"The Warrior" feat. Daria Trusova
"Old-School Pagan Spirit" feat. Robse (Equilibrium)
"Entität" feat. Erdling
"Doomed Love" feat. Erk Aicrag (Hocico / Rabia Sorda)
"Crimson Masque" feat. Face Time Police
"Your Skeleton Grin" feat. Faderhead
"A Pain That I Know" feat. Florian Grey
"Ohne Zweifel" feat. Heldmaschine
"Sadly Ever After" feat. Hell Boulevard
"Stolen" feat. Jaani Peuhu (Mercury Circly, Swallow The Sun, Iconcrash)

CD2:
"Alles wird gut, aber…" feat. Lacrimosa
"Dein Blick" feat. Letzte Instanz
"Pale Rider" feat. Lolita KompleX
"Revenge" feat. MajorVoice
"Aus und Vorbei" feat. Megaherz
"Bloody Flower" feat. Nachtblut
"Abandon Ship" feat. Night Laser
"The Shadow and the Sun" feat. OH FYO!
"Digging Deeper" feat. Scarlet Dorn
"It Starts with a Crack" feat. Solar Fake
"Fake Gods" feat. Soulbound
"Träume zu Tränen" feat. Subway To Sally
"Die Flamme" feat. Sündenrausch
"Feuerrot" feat. Tanzwut
"Während die Welt in Flammen Steht" feat. Unzucht
"Today" feat. Saku Solin (Turmion Kätilöt / Fear Of Domination)

Lord Of The Lost are:

Chris Harms - vocals, guitar, cello
Pi Stoffers - guitar
Class Grenayde - bass
Gared Dirge - piano, synthesizer, percussion, guitar
Niklas Kahl - drums

(Photo - VDPictures / Jan Season)




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London metal trio, Urne, will release their debut album, Serpent & Spirit, on June 25 via Candlelight Records. The band has shared the video for "The Palace of Devils & Wolves", which can be found below.

Bassist/vocalist Joe Nally comments, "When it came to writing 'The Palace Of Devils & Wolves', we wanted to write a straightforward heavy metal song compared to some of the longer pieces on Serpent & Spirit. Inspired by late '70s-Judas Priest and Megadeth Countdown To Extinction with our own spin, I believe we wrote a song that will have people headbanging at shows and festivals all over."

As for the video, Nally says, "The video was shot by Gav Thane and edited by our very own Angus Neyra. We took huge inspiration from the classic '90s metal videos; if there was a new Drilling the Vein video compilation coming out now, we would want this video on there. We wanted the grittiness of 'Davidian' (Machine Head) mixed with the energy of 'Slave New World' (Sepultura) but again, with our own spin."

During the writing process for Serpent & Spirit, Nally found an old demo of the first few minutes of the track and instantly knew it had to be finished. "Desolate Heart" subsequently became the first single released from the album.

There is no single way that Urne describe their sound. It all comes back to one thing: heavy. There are shades of Metallica, Mastodon, and Alice In Chains in the mix - hopping between sludge, tech-metal, doom, hardcore, and anything else with a weighty heart.

Formed by ex-Hang The Bastard bassist Joe Nally and guitarist Angus Neyra after their former band called it quits, the pair already had a reputation for big, heavy riffs. Getting drummer Richard Harris on board in 2018, they gilded their new outfit with debut EP The Mountain of Gold, which immediately marked Urne out as a formidable new metallic force.

They return with debut album Serpent & Spirit. Heavier, wider, and with an even higher ratio of killer riffs than the EP, it also comes with a weighty concept based around the central character's struggle as he's pulled between good and evil, darkness, and light.

"I had a bit of a bad patch for a few months," explains Nally, revealing the inspiration for the album's lyrics. "I'm absolutely fine now, but I drew on those two months where I just wasn't feeling great. I took that and wrote a story based about that. The actual track listing is done like that film Memento, where it's all in a different order. Maybe one day someone will listen to the lyrics and work out which order the story goes in."

He continues, "The album is called Serpent & Spirit. The spirit is the human experience and the serpent is the evil that tricks your mind. It's about getting pulled apart and trying to find yourself within all of that. So it's almost good and evil, and throughout the album it's about a person getting pulled from the light to the dark."

Due to COVID, the final parts of the album were written over Skype, before being recorded by Chris Fielding (Conan, Electric Wizard, Primordial) at Foel Studios in deepest Wales during lockdown. It was then sent to acclaimed producer Jens Bogren who handled the mastering of Serpent & Spirit.

Serpent & Spirit tracklisting:

"Serpent & Spirit"
"The Palace of Devils & Wolves"
"Memorial"
"Moon & Sky"
"Desolate Heart"
'Envy The Dead"
"Memorial - Sing Me To Rest"
"A Tomb So Frail"

"Desolate Heart":




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George Lynch rejoined DOKKEN on stage last night (Saturday, June 5) at the Live United Live Music Festival in Sunbury, Pennsylvania to perform the band's classic songs "Kiss Of Death", "Tooth And Nail" and "When Heaven Comes Down". Fan-filmed video footage of his appearance can be seen below.

Three months ago, Lynch was asked in an interview with Jeff Gaudiosi of MisplacedStraws.com if there has been any talk of more shows featuring the reunited classic lineup of DOKKEN. He responded: "I've actually been talking to Don [Dokken] a little bit, and we're both in agreement that that should probably happen — meaning some kind of a meaningful reunion done in the right way, carefully and with proper preparation and time and rehearsals and not just throwing it out there like we did last time." George went on to say that "the obvious choice" to replace DOKKEN's recently retired drummer "Wild" Mick Brown would be Mick's brother Steve, who can be heard playing alongside Lynch and ex-DOKKEN bassist Jeff Pilson on the latest THE END MACHINE album, "Phase2".

In a separate interview with Alamo True Metal, Lynch reflected on the last time DOKKEN's classic lineup — Dokken, Lynch, Pilson and Mick Brown — reunited for a short Japanese tour in the fall of 2016. The trek marked the first time in 21 years the four musicians had hit the road together.

"I think I was slightly disappointed in it — not overwhelmingly disappointed, but I have some regrets," he said. "I wish we had prepared more. And I know we all feel that way. 'Cause of the logistics, we all had things we had to do right after the time we had allotted and beforehand. So we just were barely able to even pull it off with everybody else's pre-existing commitments. The fact that we got to do it at all was… you know, we were fortunate for even being able to pull it off. So we were a little underprepared, I feel. And yes, we were offered a good amount of money to go to Japan and do some other things, so it made it just kind of a no-brainer."

A DOKKEN concert DVD focusing on the band's reunion tour, "Return To The East Live (2016)", was made available in 2018. In addition to the Japanese performance, the set included footage from the classic lineup's only U.S. show in September 2016 at Badlands in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, as well as newly recorded acoustic reworkings of "Heaven Sent" and "Will The Sun Rise". Also featured on "Return To The East Live (2016)" was "It's Just Another Day", the first DOKKEN track featuring the group's classic lineup since 1997's "Shadowlife".

Since completing the Japanese reunion dates, DOKKEN has continued to perform with the group's current lineup — including bassist Chris McCarvill, guitarist Jon Levin and drummer BJ Zampa (HOUSE OF LORDS).

Over the past four years, Lynch has appeared on recordings by THE END MACHINE, KXM, ULTRAPHONIX and SWEET & LYNCH.






























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Germany's Feuerschwanz have prevailed against pandemic paralysis and are set to release two recent virtual live highlights under the banner Die letzte Schlacht (engl. The Final Battle), via BluRay/DVD/CD on August 6 via Napalm Records.

The bundled live offering, including extras like a special Feuerschwanz-branded game of “Bingo” and a tour diary, will be available in limited Wooden Box, Mediabook, LP Gatefold and digital formats.

Feuerschwanz on Die letzte Schlacht: "We are very happy and proud to see all the live power of Feuerschwanz, as well as our creative work of the pandemic period, collected as this piece of art for eternity."

Despite the yawn-worthy barrenness of festival fields and stages, the Franconian formation has inimitably managed to capture the magic of a live concert, twice – gifting fans an entertaining adventure full of hits and a huge dose of humor.

The virtual concert, Die letzte Schlacht, was originally released in January this year, and presents an adventurous ride through the discography of Feuerschwanz as well as a lovingly prepared visual framework story with the band itself as grandiose protagonists and storytellers. Topped by some great guest appearances, including Angus McFife (Gloryhammer), members of Saltatio Mortis and Patty Gurdy, this night to remember can now be experienced over and over again from the comfort of your own home. Secondly, Hauptmann Feuerschwanz and his entourage revisit their virtually released open air (11:O:A) from their last album, the chartbreaking Das Elfte Gebot (The eleventh commandment, 2020, GER #3), and deliver more than two hours of hits.

Join the final battle and watch the exciting trailer below.

Featuring high quality footage, electrifying pyro, lighting effects, and above all, the unique, charismatic, tongue-in-cheek talents of the band, Die letzte Schlacht is an absolute must-have. May your drinking horns never be empty and the mead flow forever.

Die letzte Schlacht will be available in the following formats:

- Wooden Box incl. Mediabook, Lanyard, Pass, Stamp, Wax & Autographed Card)
- Mediabook: 2-Blu-Ray + 2-DVD/CD (incl. Die letzte Schlacht & 11:O:A)
- 2-LP Gatefold (Die letzte Schlacht only)
- Digital Album

Pre-order here.

DVD/ BluRay - Disc 1:
Die letzte Schlacht
Die letzte Schlacht - Vorfilm
Die letzte Schlacht - Making Of
Die letzte Schlacht - Aftermovie

DVD/ BluRay - Disc 2
11:O:A, Schatzkammer, Musikvideos

Audio CD:

Die letzte Schlacht tracklisting:

"Powermet" - Intro
"Lords of Powermet"
"Metnotstand im Märchenland"
"Die Hörner hoch"
"Moderation Schubsetanz"
"Schubsetanz"
"Das Elfte Gebot"
"Totentanz"
"Moderation Metfest"
"Metfest"
"Meister der Minne"
"Ding"
"Moderation Hauptmann und Maid"
"Hauptmann und Maid" (feat. Patty Gurdy, Saltatio Mortis)
"Schildmaid" (feat. Saltatio Mortis)
"Kampfzwerg"
"I See Fire" (feat. Angus McFife)
"Das Hämmerunser"
"Methämmer"
"Malleus Maleficarum"
"Unter dem Drachenbanner"

Trailer:

Feuerschwanz are:

Hauptmann Feuerschwanz - vocals, guitar
Johanna von der Vögelweide - violin, hurdy-gurdy
Sir Lanzeflott - drums
Jarne Hodinsson - bass
Prinz Hodenherz - flutes, bagpipe, guitars, vocals
Hans der Aufrechte - guitar

(Photo - Nikolaj Georgiew)




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In celebration of Pride Month, JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford connected with Apple Music's Hattie Collins to talk about being a young gay musician in the late 1970s. Rob shared the difficulty of social pressures holding him back from coming out, writing "Raw Deal" inspired by the idea of Fire Island, and his unplanned coming-out story.

Speaking about what it was like to become the first metal icon to announce he is gay in 1998 during an MTV interview, despite knowing about his sexuality since he was 10, Halford said: "It was beautiful. It was very unplanned. It was one of those things where I'm at MTV in New York, I'm talking about a project that I was working on called TWO, with myself and John 5, the amazing guitar player. I was doing the rounds in New York City and ended up at MTV talking about this project. And in the casual course of the conversation, we were talking about the overall music, and the direction, and the feelings. And I said something to the effect of, 'Well, speaking as a gay man… blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.' And then I heard the producer's clipboard bounce on the floor. It was one of those gay sharp intakes of breath, 'Oh my God! He's come out.'

"And so that was it. So it was very simple. I think if I'd… I still say today, if I'd have really thought this through, like today's the day I'm going to come out, maybe I even wouldn't… maybe I may not have come out per se, because it's still a big moment for so many of us, with a close friend, with someone at school, with Mum and Dad, with whomever, to actually say, 'Hey, I'm a gay guy or I'm a gay girl.' It's just a big, big deal. It's just a glorious, glorious moment."

He added: “So there I was, and I did the interview, and then I walked back to the hotel, and went back to my room, and [I said], 'Well, that's it. Now everybody knows.' And then, of course, it hit the news wires and that was that.

"So wow, it was just this enormous feeling of freedom, and the pressure was gone, and there's no more talking behind your back because you have all this ammunition of power as a gay person now, as an out gay person. Nothing can hurt you because this is it. You can't throw insults, you can't throw rumors, you can't say anything negative about me because I am who I am. So that's my wonderful memory of my great coming-out day."

Last October, Halford spoke to New York's Q104.3 radio station about his recently released autobiography, "Confess", in which he described in detail how was advised to be discreet about his homosexuality given the macho hetero nature of the metal world, even though his PRIEST bandmates and their management knew he was gay and were accepting.

"When I read the audio for 'Confess', that's when it really started to hit me emotionally," Halford said. "'Cause it's one thing to read the words, but when you speak 'em out… Man, I've been on some of the most incredible journeys and experiences.

"I'm not unique in the issue of finding your own sexual identity, but certainly the way I've tried to balance that in my professional working life as a musician was tough; it was difficult," he continued. "And we go into detail how I couldn't go to clubs or bars for fear of recognition and that hitting the press, and blah blah blah, just because the world was a different place then. Of course, the long-term discovery, when I did come out, famously on MTV in the [late] '90s, when I was in the 2WO band with John 5, was that it was the most perfect example of the way the metal community is so accepting and inclusive and welcoming people from all over.

"There are no labels on us in the metal community; we're just all together," Rob added. "I think that's kind of attached to the fact that metal, for the longest time, was, like… In rock and roll, everybody was kicking heavy metal music: 'Oh, man, what is that stuff? It's nothing. It's got no value.' But we knew, as metal maniacs, this was our music; this is how we expressed ourselves. We love to listen to this music, be with each other at home listening to it. Most importantly, going to shows together. Man, please bring back those days as quick as possible. So, all of that is discussed in detail in 'Confess'."

"Confess" arrived in September via Hachette Books. It was written with Ian Gittins, co-writer of "The Heroin Diaries" by Nikki Sixx.

In a new interview with Sakis Fragos of Rock Hard Greece, drummer Mario Duplantier of French progressive metallers GOJIRA was asked what it feels like to receive praise from some of their musical idols, such as the members of METALLICA. Mario responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It feels great. It feels amazing. It's almost like when you go to school and you teacher is congratulating you, 'You did a great job. You have a good note.' It's almost like Lars Ulrich and James Hetfield were my teachers, in a way. I just watched so many videos of them, analyzing every detail. They are geniuses, you know. And the reason why I'm playing metal in my life is 'cause of them. So having the recognition is something mindblowing, I would say. But it's also a lot of work. We've been a band for 25 years, so I would say we didn't steal it. We did a lot of sacrifice. And believe me, when you grew up in France, in the south side, in the countryside, it's a tough idea, it's almost a dangerous idea to just start a band as your main job, et cetera et cetera."

Back in 2017, Hetfield mentioned GOJIRA while speaking to WLS-TV about how METALLICA goes about choosing its support acts. He said: "When we go out and tour, we try and bring bands out that have either done well on their own or we get along with or we just like their music. There's gotta be some connection. It's not, 'Oh, they're hot right now. Bring 'em out.' But you have a history with them, you get along really well. That's one of the main things about touring — just getting along with people. Maybe it happened in the old days, where there's fighting between bands and all this crap. But that's kind of… It's old hat. But as far as bands going out with us now, there's a band called GOJIRA, who we've had out quite a few times. And, yeah, they're good and they're heavy."

A year earlier, METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett told Malay Mail Online that he remains supportive of younger generations of heavy metal artists. He spoke glowingly about GOJIRA, saying that they were "the best thing I've heard in a long time. I love their new album," he said, referring to 2016's "Magma". "I think it's an incredible piece of art. It's heavy, it's vibey, it's moody. It has all the things you want to hear — great complex rhythms, great drumming, great riffs, great songs."

GOJIRA's new album, "Fortitude", was released on April 30 via Roadrunner Records.

Rudy Sarzo has commented further on Randy Rhoads's upcoming induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

The late OZZY OSBOURNE guitarist will receive the Musical Excellence Award at this year's induction ceremony, which will be held at Cleveland, Ohio's Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on October 30.

The Musical Excellence Award is given to artists, musicians, songwriters and producers whose originality and influence creating music have had a dramatic impact on music.

Speaking to Terrie Carr of the Morristown, New Jersey radio station 105.5 WDHA about the Rhoads honor, Sarzo, who played with Randy in both QUIET RIOT and Osbourne's band, stated (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It was a surprise for everybody. We were not expecting anything like that. And what a wonderful honor — so deserving for Randy.

"People ask me what do I think," he continued. "Well, to think about it means that I have to be analytical, so my analysis of how and why and all that… And this is just beyond what a deserving tribute to Randy's music and his legacy and everything, and as a human being. In addition to that, I think if you're analyzing it — this is how I see it. You have a period, let's say in the '70s, where Eddie Van Halen was the last shredder for a rock band to be signed. After that came punk and new wave. And what happened was that we — meaning QUIET RIOT with the Randy Rhoads version — we were in Los Angeles during that period trying to get a record deal and develop the band, and none of the bands of our musical style, of our genre, were getting the attention from the labels because they were concentrating on punk and new wave in Los Angeles. But it took Randy to actually leave L.A., QUIET RIOT and join Ozzy in England, who already had a record deal, where the metal scene was the New Wave of British [Heavy] Metal was buzzing, was building up — bands like JUDAS PRIEST, bands like IRON MAIDEN, DEF LEPPARD… DEF LEPPARD, who I actually toured with, with Ozzy. MOTÖRHEAD …

"Randy was a major, major part. Randy was the lead shredder, the lead classical-influenced composer, something that him coming from a musical family of teachers… Randy was a teacher. He got all these incredible qualifications that a lot of musicians did not have growing up — growing up in a musical family; him becoming a teacher himself. So he brought a lot of that into his music. That was the essence of Randy Rhoads. So here you have Eddie Van Halen — the last of the shredders of the '70s — and here you have the first shredder of the '80s opening up the doors for future shredders of the '80s. It's kind of like a validation to that musical genre — the guitar virtuoso. I believe he was the first new guitar virtuoso of the '80s to influence a whole new generation of guitar players. So who better than Randy Rhoads to enter the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame as a pioneer of that genre of music."

Rhoads played on Osbourne's seminal records "Blizzard Of Ozz" (1980) and "Diary Of A Madman" but tragically died in a plane crash when he was just 25 years old, on March 19, 1982. He influenced many musicians and is considered one of the greatest guitartists of all time. His death was a huge shock to the world and Ozzy wrote in his autobiography "I Am Ozzy" that he almost quit music after Randy's passing.

The Rock Hall induction ceremony will be broadcast on HBO Max and streamed on HBO Max at a later date.

Image courtesy of Sweetwater

Cyhra / Red Wolf guitarist Euge Valovirta has released the second single from his forthcoming second solo album, Shooting From The Hip, due out on June 30th. Check out "Bogrenious below, now available on all digital platforms found here.

Pre-save the new album here.

"Bogrenious"

"The Bad Boy"

Cyhra recently checked in with the following update:

"We are extremely happy and excited to announce that we are joining forces with our friends in Twilight Force touring Europe and the UK! Sadly, our 2020 No Halos In Hell Tour abruptly ended due to the Covid-19 pandemic. To finally announce that we are going back on the road again, feels almost  somewhat surreal.

Honestly, the happiness we are feeling about this upcoming tour is overwhelming! We can't wait to meet all the fans that have been away from live music just as long as us! Hope to see you all then!"

Loaded with melodic vocal hooks and heavy yet dynamic guitars that stay nailed to the brain for days, Cyhra's No Halos In Hell album proves Jake E (ex-Amaranthe), Jesper Strömblad (ex-In Flames), Euge Valovirta (ex-Shining) and Alex Landenburg (Kamelot) are a band ready to take the world by storm.

No Halos In Hell is available as 2 CD digipak, black vinyl or download. The bonus CD included in the limited digipak includes six additional songs, three of them being exclusive acoustic versions. You can order the format of your choice here.

Tracklisting:

"Out Of My Life"
"No Halos In Hell"
"Battle From Within"
"I Am The One"
"Bye Bye Forever"
"Dreams Gone Wrong"
"Lost In Time"
"Kings Tonight"
"I Had Your Back"
"Blood Brothers"
"Hit Me"
"Man Of Eternal Rain"

"Dreams Gone Wrong" video:

"Out Of My Life" video:

"Battle From Within" lyric video:

Album cover photo by Paulsensfoto




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Finnish funeral doom pioneers, Skepticism, celebrate their 30th anniversary with the release of their sixth full length album, Companion. Set for release on September 24 via Svart Records, Companion takes the listener on a journey from Skepticism’s gloomy past through to a monument of a band that has weathered their liturgy for 3 decades of mournful service.

Today the first single and video for "Calla" has been released. “Calla” is a story of longing and closure told in the language of Skepticism’s sorrowful and lamenting vocabulary. Let the bells toll and the ceremony begin. Watch below:

On Companion, Skepticism further refine their signature sound to engulf the listener in a cavernous heavy wall of organ and guitars laid to rest under an ominous cascade of hammering drums.

Companion was recorded and mixed at Sonic Pump Studios with Nino Laurenne. The way Skepticism works is set in stone, like a monument, with every album recorded the same way. The base tracks are laid down with the full band playing in free tempo, feeling every beat and crushing chord together. The atmosphere at the studio helped tremendously in capturing the essence of the songs in the recording of Companion and one that culminated in a very unique set of songs. The band is very satisfied with the result, with even Laurenne experiencing something new in the process.

Companion holds the tradition of all Skepticism albums, containing six songs which draw from the deep well of the band’s history of songwriting, as well as introducing and incorporating some new elements.

On recording Companion, and introducing some rather unconventional techniques, engineer Nino Laurenne explains: “It took a while to get used to some of the unusual details on how the band plays and sounds. One such detail is the snare drum without the snares. Once I got used to them it became obvious that I should refrain from using some of the techniques I normally use when mixing. The drums for example retain the feel of the recorded performance very closely - and definitely have the longest reverbs I have ever used! A band with such a long history and a sound of their own is best presented in its natural form, even when it departs from common practices.”




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Brazil-based animator Val Andrade has released his latest Iron Maiden cartoon clip featuring "Stranger In A Strange Land", from the band's 1986 album, Somewhere In Time. Check it out below:

A selection of Andrade's previously released Iron Maiden-based cartoons can be seen below:




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Finnish theatrical metal band Lost In Grey will release of their third studio album, Under the Surface, on July 2nd via Reaper Entertainment. In the new album trailer, found below, Anne Lill Rajala (vocals) and Harri Koskela (vocals, keyboards and composer) give insights into the recording and the production of the new album.

Lost in Grey recently released the new single, "Waves". An official video for the track directed, filmed and edited by drummer Teppo Ristola, can be viewed nelow.

The band states: "Greetings all thee! Whilst sailing the stormy seas of life we face some ups and downs. At times we may lose faith that we’ll ever find a shore, and all we can do is scream out our fear and anger. At times we may simply enjoy the sunshine and adventure. Thus we invite you to hop on board and come sailing with us on the 'Waves'. Yours sincerely, Lost in Grey."

Teppo Ristola states: "I wanted to make the music video emphasizing the rock part of Lost in Grey without losing the theatrical side of the band. It felt logical to start off following the rougher base of the song; bass, rhythm guitars and drums. The song itself practically wrote the video, so in that sense making it was a rather fast and effortless process. I think this track summarises what the renewed Lost in Grey is all about."

In recent years these theatrical metal pioneers have proven to be one of the most promising and inspiring acts coming from the Finnish metal scene, electrifying their audiences through their versatile musical storytelling and tremendous sound. Now, Lost in Grey invites you to dive with them "Under the Surface" where music and stories dance hand in hand, and everything is possible. Get prepared for a twisted rollercoaster ride through storms and tides - spiced up with some sparkles of stardust.

Under The Surface tracklist

"I"
"Disobedience"
"Waves"
"Shine"
"Varjo"
"Souffrir"
"Stardust - I. The Race"
"Stardust - II. Sand Castles"
"Stardust - III. The Abyss"

The album was produced and recorded by Harri Koskela / Grey Realm Studio, mixed by Juhis Kauppinen / Shedstudios and mastered by Daniel Hagström / Finnvox.

Lost in Grey is:

Harri Koskela (vocals, keyboards and composer)
Anne Lill Rajala (vocals and lyrics)
Emily Leone (vocals and violin)
Miika Haavisto (guitars)
Jarno Suodenjoki (guitars)
Aapo Lindberg (bass)
Teppo Ristola (drums)




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Canadian bashers The Agonist have checked in with the following update:

"Do you like metal and craft beer as much as we do? Well, we are stoked to release a one-of-a-kind signature beer- a 7% DDH IPA using three kinds of hops. We've partnered with Microbrasserie Le Fermentor and Vox&Hops Metal Podcast to deliver a real taste of the Montreal metal scene. We will release exclusive music and video content that we have created to accompany the beer release. Stay tuned for cool stuff."

The Agonist vocalist Vicky Psarakis has used her time during lockdown to record an assortment of covers and accompanying videos. A few examples of her work are available below.

"Panama" - Van Halen

"Hate Me!" - Children Of Bodom

"Ghostbusters"

Photo by Faya




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While the pandemic paralyzed the entire world and prevented bands from touring, Latin America's biggest metal export SEPULTURA refused to sit back and act like an animal trapped in a cage. Like the flowers growing out of the deceased bird's body depicted on the stunning colourful cover artwork by Eduardo Recife, the thrash metal pioneers from Belo Horizonte made good use of their unexpected free time to start a project that kept them busy throughout the entirety of 2020: Their new live album, "SepulQuarta", will see the light of day on August 13 and the pre-order for this one-of-a-kind release featuring renowned guest musicians from all over the world is starting today.

Pre-save the album here.

SEPULTURA guitarist Andreas Kisser comments: "'SepulQuarta' was born at the very beginning of the pandemic when everything was halted. We had a new album out, but we couldn't tour for it. Therefore, we created this recurring event where we could talk with our fans around the world, play our music and exchange ideas. It was a blast! 'SepulQuarta' kept us alive and strong throughout one of the most difficult times in human history."

Obviously, the Brazilian/American pioneers were not the only musicians feeling this way, so they started to connect with friends and colleagues worldwide and asked them to not only be part of their weekly podcast, but also join them in playing one of SEPULTURA's classics tracks. From the safety of their homes, international stars like Devin Townsend, Scott Ian (ANTHRAX), Danko Jones, Matt Heafy (TRIVIUM), and many more recorded a SEPULTURA track together with the band, which have now been mixed and mastered by Conrado Ruther for release on jewelcase CD, recycled 2LP vinyl in black and marbled (Nuclear Blast + bandshop exclusive) and all streaming platforms.

Today, SEPULTURA unveils a spectacular performance of "Mask" that they recorded together with prog master Devin Townsend.

This is the full track listing is as follows:

01. Territory (feat. David Ellefson)

02. Cut-Throat (feat. Scott Ian)

03. Sepulnation (feat. Danko Jones)

04. Inner Self (feat. Phil Rind)

05. Hatred Aside (feat. Angélica Burns, Mayara Puertas & Fernanda Lira)

06. Mask (feat. Devin Townsend)

07. Fear, Pain, Chaos, Suffering (feat. Emmily Barreto)

08. Vandals Nest (feat. Alex Skolnick)

09. Slave New World (feat. Matthew K. Heafy)

10. Ratamahatta (feat. Joao Barone & Charles Gavin)

11. Apes Of God (feat. Rob Cavestany)

12. Phantom Self (feat. Mark Holcomb)

13. Slaves Of Pain (feat. Frédéric Leclercq & Marcello Pompeu)

14. Kaiowas (feat. Rafael Bittencourt)

15. Orgasmatron (feat. Phil Campbell)

Finland-based Record Shop X has announced limited edition Children Of Bodom re-issues are in the works. Check out the update below.

"Exclusive Children Of Bodom colour LP's available to pre-order! The classic Bodom albums Tokyo Warhearts, Are You Dead Yet?, Blooddrunk and Relentless Reckless Forever will be reissued on vinyl in October and we have now special color versions for each album, limited to 300 copies only. The amount is worldwide, as is our shipping policy, so don't you fear the reaper and place your pre-order now."

Go to this location to check them out and to pre-order.

Bodom After Midnight recently released their highly-anticipated three-track EP, Paint The Sky With Blood, via Napalm Records. Today was meant to celebrate the manifestation of a brand new metal era for Bodom After Midnight, but now pays tribute to their incomparable frontman, guitarist and creative visionary; Alexi Laiho.

The EP, recorded in the band's native Finland, was intended to be followed by a full-length album later in the year, but now embodies a whole new meaning and remains the only work by Bodom After Midnight. Paint The Sky With Blood is undeniable evidence of the late Alexi Laiho's artistic spirit and his extraordinary musical skills, together with his talented bandmates Daniel Freyberg, Waltteri Väyrynen, Mitja Toivonen and live keyboardist Vili Itäpelto.

Not only do the band's final recordings arrive in full today, but the matching visualizer for "Payback’s A Bitch" is also revealed. Watch below.

"Like ourselves, Alexi was beyond stoked about these songs and anxious to get these out, so we are happy that we can fulfill his wish. Needless to say, we are honored and proud to be a part of his very last creative work and to unleash it the way he wanted it. It’s time to let the beast out of the cage one more time as a celebration of Alexi’s music, legacy and the man himself." - Bodom After Midnight

The heavy title track “Paint The Sky With Blood” sets the stage for the 14-minute EP of the same name, and is strikingly reminiscent of early-Children Of Bodom elements while also adding exciting modern influences into the fold. Second stunner "Payback’s A Bitch" and its massive riffing are on a quest for retribution, delivering a hard-hitting, second to none offense. The interplay of Alexi Laiho, guitarist Daniel Freyberg, drummer Waltteri Väyrynen (Paradise Lost), bassist Mitja Toivonen (ex-Santa Cruz) and live keyboardist Vili Itäpelto is not only a testament to the band's extraordinary musical ability, but also showcases their skill in deftly incorporating a variety of genre influences.

Closing cover track, "Where Dead Angels Lie" is an absolute triumph – originally performed by Swedish extreme metal outfit, Dissection, the track shines as a timeless classic with a new edge. Eerie riffs and vocals alternating between menacing murmurs and characteristic guttural, distorted vocals stay faithful to the original while branding this version with an undeniable Bodom After Midnight punch.  

Paint The Sky With Blood is available in the following formats:

- 10" Spined Sleeve Oxblood
- 10" Spined Sleeve Inkspot Ox/Black
- 10" Spined Sleeve Black
- Deluxe Box
- 1 Digipak Mini CD
- Digital Album

Paint The Sky With Blood tracklisting:

"Paint The Sky With Blood"
"Payback’s A Bitch"
"Where Dead Angels Lie" (Dissection Cover)

"Payback's A Bitch" visualizer:

“Paint The Sky With Blood” video:




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MEMPHIS MAY FIRE has always made anthems for the broken. The band's explosive new single, "Blood & Water", is firmly in keeping with this tradition.

The official music video for the song, which finds the band in performance mode and exuding crackling and frenetic energy, can be seen below.

"With everything that's happened over the last year, it feels surreal to be releasing new music," says singer Matty Mullins, offering insight into both the song and the band's creative headspace. "Creating during a pandemic came with a lot of challenges. But looking back, I think we needed that time off the road to fall in love with writing songs again. 'Blood & Water' is just a taste of what's to come and we couldn't be more excited for the world to finally hear it."

In other news, MEMPHIS MAY FIRE has launched two new merch designs, which are available here. 100% of the profits of one of the new designs will be donated to Bridges DVC Nashville, which serves women, men and their children affected by domestic violence, ensuring a safe transition to successful independent living. Bridges is breaking the cycle of domestic violence in the greater Nashville area by responding directly to the scene of an assault to offer immediate support, education and networking with other agencies.

Over the course of its career, MEMPHIS MAY FIRE has channeled a generation's worth of angst, frustration, and pain, with a focused blend of gigantic melodic hooks and crushing aggression. Even after topping Billboard's Hard Music Albums chart, having an album debut at No. 4 on the Billboard Top 200, and breaking into radio's Active Rock Top 20, MEMPHIS MAY FIRE refuses to sacrifice who they are or the people who made them.

A new season unfolds for the band, and it's filled with revitalization and renewal. Stripping things down to their core elements, hearkening back to the days when they created the music their fans most cherish, MEMPHIS MAY FIRE rekindled the spark within to build an inferno of riffs and inspirational words. They have returned to their roots with the seasoned polish earned through years of touring and making music together. "Blood & Water" is proof positive of this fact.

MEMPHIS MAY FIRE has toured with a vast list of important rock and metal acts that include KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, SLEEPING WITH SIRENS, BLACK VEIL BRIDES, SEVENDUST and ATREYU. They've co-headlined with YELLOWCARD and THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, regularly appeared on Warped Tour, and at major rock festivals. The band's previous six albums' continued relevance is a testament to the energized connectivity between the band and their audience. Songs like "Miles Away", "No Ordinary Love", "Beneath The Skin" and "Carry On" account for 100 million views and millions of streams.

JUDAS PRIEST, LIMP BIZKIT and ROSE TATTOO are among the first announced bands for next year's edition of Wacken Open Air, the world's largest heavy metal festival.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the edition planned for next month will not be able to take place as scheduled. The 31st edition of the cult festival will therefore take place in August 2022, from August 4 to August 6, in Wacken, Germany.

Jan Quiel from the booking team explains: "We want to move as much of the planned program into next year as possible and we are currently having highly positive discussions on it. Some bands already do have other plans for 2022, so we are more than happy to have great interest from new bands to join the lineup."

Wacken Open Air co-founder Thomas Jensen states: "Another year without Wacken Open Air. It's sad, but we won't let it get us down. We are already looking forward to 2022, so it is great to be able to announce some highlights on the lineup today! Of course this isn't all — we still have some great surprises in store for our fans!"

Wacken Open Air co-founder Holger Hübner added: "The work on 2022 has already started in full swing. Our entire team wants to bring an unforgettable live experience to the Wacken stages with great attention for details. We can hardly wait to share it with all metalheads on the Holy Ground and finally celebrate together again!"

Confirmed bands so far:

JUDAS PRIEST

IN EXTREMO

LIMP BIZKIT

ROSE TATTOO

AS I LAY DYING

LACUNA COIL

GWAR

DEATH ANGEL

THUNDERMOTHER

PHIL CAMPBELL AND THE BASTARD SONS

ALL HAIL THE YETI

WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM

CRYPTA

AUÐN

Taking place in the municipality of Wacken in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, Wacken Open Air is the largest, most established heavy metal festival in the world.

Before being canceled, Wacken 2020 sold all 75,000 tickets in the space of a few hours, and was scheduled to entertain over 150 artists performing across eight stages over 280 hectares of land.

St. John's Newfoundland is home to some of the most unforgiving, bleak, and snowiest weather in the country and local black metal act Artach uses that grey atmosphere as an inspiration for their raw and epic music.

Last year, Artach released a debut album Chronicles Of A Black Winter and this year, will follow it up with Sworn To Avenge'. The second single from the upcoming release is “She Gathers Leaves”, being presented in a lyric video. The single is more mystical and pagan than the other tracks on the album, as they explain:

“The music has a bit of a gothic feel in places and that leads to having some lyrics about witchy subject matter.” 

They go on, to comment on the album:

“The music on the album is a frigid mixture of topics about nature and how it meets and interacts with the darkness of humankind. The desolation of the world, the planet, and the repeated failure of society to evolve to a place where we are a part of nature and not brutish subjugators of everything in our path.”

Coming from the coldest, windiest, snowiest, foggiest city in Canada, Artach’s music is heavily influenced by nature and even takes after the bleak climate they are surrounded by. “Sworn to Avenge” is an inescapable, cold and at times unhinged grimness. Raw aggression tempered with bouts of melody evoking the grandmasters of the genre while incorporating first and second wave black metal influences.

Raw and epic black metal, Artach is recommended listening for fans of Immortal, Celtic Frost, and Darkthrone.

Sworn To Avenge is being released on June 25 via Depressive Illusions and is available for pre-order on Bandcamp.

Tracklisting:

“Tuiteam An Duine”
“Ice Throne”
“Shimmer”
“Endless Tundra”
“Into The Frozen Woodlands”
“She Gathers Leaves”
“Mistress Of Black Thorns”
“Winter’s End”

“She Gathers Leaves” lyric video:




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British metalcore 5-piece The Five Hundred have announced their new album A World On Fire for July 30, 2021 via Long Branch Records.

Aggressive yet euphoric, empowering yet simultaneously enslaving, The Five Hundred are renowned for overcoming adversities and laying siege to every stage they play. Their debut album Bleed Red told the story of a band struggling with Tourette’s, OCD, and drug addiction. It's now the band’s time to share with the world how they’ve battled through their vices and come out on top. After successful tours up and down the country, Eastern Europe / Russia, and an appearance at the iconic Download festival in 2019, the quintet are back and angrier than ever with their follow-up album.

The Five Hundred have also announced the release of their new single “Our Demise” for June 4, 2021. “Our Demise” follows the band's previous singles “Black Dogs” and “The Rising Tide” which have collectively garnered over 500,000 streams.

Tracklisting:

“Black Dogs”
“The Rising Tide”
“Our Demise”
“The Warmth”
“Walls Of Jericho” (feat. Andreas Bjulver)
“Your Apocalypse” (feat. Jeremy Gomez)
“With Scars”
“Our Curse”
“Agony”
“A World On Fire”

“Black Dogs” video:




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Dutch extreme metal outfit Autarkh are unveiling the official music video for the song "Alignment," which is taken from their latest album Form In Motion. The music video was created by Guilherme Henriques.

Autarkh comments: ''We are proud to present our second music video for ‘Alignment.’ The video was shot by the talented videographer Guilherme Henriques at Koepelhal and Textielmuseum in Tilburg (NL). ‘Alignment’ tries to capture a most desirable form of motion towards a realm where time and space are aligned, a realm of astonishing catharsis, self-government and independence. It feels like the right time to release this video; the times are still uncertain but it seems we’re moving towards more freedom with an abundance of gained experience.”

Autarkh have recently been featured on the national television show Muziekstad (Music City), from the Dutch broadcasting company 3Voor12/VPRO. In the 30-minute short documentary, founder Michel Nienhuis explains his take on the heavy music scene of the city of Tilburg (NL), which is a fertile ground for the arts. The TV show also features Autarkh's first ever live performance of the tracks "Turbulence" and "Alignment."

Cover art by Manuel Tinnemans/Comaworx:

(Photo - Steph Byrn)




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Kollectico has launched the pre-order for a new custom bobblehead inspired by Jimi Hendrix. The "Live At Monterey" bobblehead can be pre-ordered here, and will ship in August.

"Collector's items are a form of admiration for a beloved artist or person of interest," says Janie Hendrix, president and chief executive officer, Experience and Authentic Hendrix. "They can even represent a special bond. We want those who are devoted to Jimi to have something delightful to add life to the spaces where they live and work. Kollectico has created a beautifully artistic and endearing line that we can all enjoy. Jimi was fun-loving. This is a lighthearted way to appreciate him."

• Officially Licensed
• Hand-Sculpted
• 100% Hand-Painted
• Only 1,967 made worlwide
• Each individually Numbered
• Comes in Full Color Collector’s Box
• A must-have for Jimi Hendrix fans & bobblehead collectors




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Frontiers Music Srl recently announced the signing of the Swedish melodic rock combo, Rian, to the label for a multi-album deal. The first release will be the band's sophomore album, Twenty-Three, on July 16. New single and video for "In The Dark" is streaming below. Pre-order/save Twenty-Three here.

"Music is all about creating feelings. On this album we wanted to give credit to the desperate feeling we got listening to music when we were much too young to understand it," says vocalist/guitarist Richard Andermyr.

Twenty-Three took shape under the direction of producer Daniel Flores (Find Me, The Murder Of My Sweet) with these new songs being written during 2018-2020. They are based on melodies and lyrics written by vocalist/guitarist Richard Andermyr. The initial ideas from Richard were crafted into songs that the band arranged together, first with Richard and drummer Jan Johansson and later on with the full band.

Rian released their debut album Out Of The Darkness in July 2017, which was well received by fans and melodic rock media alike. The band made its live debut during 2018, which began the process of the band becoming more and more of a live unit. Add the amazing lead guitars of Tobias Jakobsson into the mix with the band and you have the cocktail that makes up the Rian 2.0 sound.

"We are really pleased to sign with Frontiers Music Srl. Since our first contact, the label has been nothing but helpful. We feel right at home with the support we’ve received so far and look forward to using this relationship to enable us to provide our fans with a steady supply of quality music for the years to come. Our sound can, in the easiest way, be explained as a modern version of classic melodic rock music, the way it was produced in the second half of the 80’s. The sound is American, but the melodies and chord progressions have very strong Swedish roots. Influences such as Bon Jovi, Dokken, Europe, Queensryche, Survivor, and Winger can be heard in the sound. Also, more modern vibes the likes of Alter Bridge have a presence in our music,” explains Richard Andermyr.

Tracklisting:

"Stop"
"In The Dark"
"Where Do We Run"
"Twenty-Three"
"For Your Heart"
"We Belong"
"My Ocean"
"Body And Soul"
"The Passenger"
"Stranger To Me"
"Your Beauty"

"In The Dark" video:

"Stop" video:

Lineup:

Richard Andermyr: Vocals / Guitar
Jan Johansson: Drums
Jonas Melin: Bass
Tobias Jakobsson: Lead Guitar




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Swedish black metal outfit, Wormwood, offer the following comment about the release of their new album, Arkivet:

"Due to the spring's problems in the Suez Canal and Covid-19, we unfortunately have to announce that the Arkivet release will be postponed. This is because the vinyl pressing plant hasn't been able to deliver on time, due to a lack of materials from the factories.

This is terribly sad news for us, but unfortunately beyond our ability to speed up. The new release date is set for August 27th. We apologize to all of you who have pre-ordered the album, but urge you to wait another month. It will be worth it."

Pre-order the album here.

Arkivet tracklisting:

"The Archive"
"Overgrowth"
"End Of Message"
"My Northern Heart"
"Ensamheten"
"The Slow Drown"
"The Gentle Touch Of Humanity"

"The Archive" video:




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ROAR! Rock Of Angels Records has announced the signing of South German melodic hard rock/metal act, Wicked Sensation.

With an almost two decades lasting band existence and four impressive albums in the bag, but also with many lineup changes over the past years, the guys around mastermind Michael Klein (also known for his involvements with Khymera, Place Vendome, First Signal) and David Reece (ex-Accept, Bangalore Choir) are now a real unit and have pressed something like the reset button... new album, new label, new band logo, new promo forces in the back and new plans for increased live activities.

The work on the upcoming album is well advanced and the band have teamed up again with a renowned and proven master behind the mixing desks, their close friend Dennis Ward. So all signs point to success and, without a doubt and just in time for their 20th anniversary, Wicked Sensation is armed and ready for the big throw. More soon...

Lineup:

David Reece - Vocals
Michael Klein - Guitar
Sang Vong - Guitar
Mitch Zasada - Bass
Bernd Spitzner - Keyboards
Alex Hlousek - Drums




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BAD WOLVES have welcomed singer-songwriter Daniel "DL" Laskiewicz as their new lead singer.

Laskiewicz has carved out an impressive career for himself over the last 15-plus years, most notably as a founding member and lead guitarist of metalcore band THE ACACIA STRAIN, of which he was a member from 2001 to 2013. A talented songwriter and producer, he's also worked on projects with ALL THAT REMAINS, LEGION, FOR THE FALLEN DREAMS and collaborated with BAD WOLVES on their 2019 studio album "N.A.T.I.O.N.", where the creative relationship with the band started.

BAD WOLVES are led by drummer and co-founding member John Boecklin, who has honored his commitment to the band's fans by continuing with the group when the previous singer, Tommy Vext, quit in January 2021.

BAD WOLVES broke the news of Laskiewicz's addition to the band via a statement on social media earlier today. The group wrote: "We are excited to officially announce that BAD WOLVES has a new singer — Daniel 'DL' Lasckiewicz. DL is a tremendous songwriter and singer, and we can confidently say that the album we are working on, titled 'Dear Monsters', is the best BAD WOLVES album to date.

"DL is one of the most talented and hard-working people we have ever had the pleasure to know. He is a team player, a creative force, and overall a great human being who fits perfectly with our BW family. It feels incredible to be surrounded with such positive energy and the music we've made is certainly reflective of this new-found optimism and collaborative spirit. This new album shows a more cohesive and unique reflection of the band. There is a lot to prove and expectations are high with a new singer coming in. And we nailed it. The songs speak for themselves, and if you're a BAD WOLVES fan we know you won't be disappointed.

"So much has happened since Tommy publicly quit BAD WOLVES a few months ago — and we disagree with the validity of much of what he has said publicly about our parting of ways — but we would prefer to not look back on the past and instead focus on this new chapter. And most importantly, we'd like to let the music speak for itself.

"Thanks for believing in BAD WOLVES and please join us in welcoming DL to the family. We can't wait for you to hear what's coming."

Vext originally announced his exit from BAD WOLVES in a since-deleted Instagram Live video, insisting that he was forced out by his former bandmates and record label, Better Noise Music, over his conservative political views. The singer also announced plans to launch a solo career while claiming he wrote a significant portion of the new BAD WOLVES album, apparently referencing the band's upcoming third LP.

In recent months, Vext — who is black — has been vocal about his support for President Donald Trump while insisting he had never experienced racism in America and that it was all "manufactured." In June 2020, Vext posted a six-plus-minute video on Instagram in which he suggested, without evidence, that "Black Lives Matter" was created by people like George Soros, the Holocaust survivor and billionaire who is the subject of many right-wing conspiracy theories, along with the Clinton Foundation. He also offered up the debunked theory that they invest in "Black Lives Matter" to profit from media coverage. The singer said he made the video "after weeks of research & interviews with independent journalist(s), military personnel, entertainment industry professionals, a virologist & many ex Democrats."

BAD WOLVES guitarist Doc Coyle later took to his social media to "apologize to anyone who was hurt" by Tommy's comments and to offer up his perspective on what he called a "distraction" from BAD WOLVES' message of "inclusion and positivity."

More recently, Vext was accused of assault by a former girlfriend. He denied these allegations, and it was later revealed that his ex-girlfriend was granted a two-year domestic violence restraining order against him.

BAD WOLVES broke through in 2018 with a cover of THE CRANBERRIES hit "Zombie". CRANBERRIES vocalist Dolores O'Riordan was supposed to contribute to the track but died the day she was supposed to go into the studio.

Photo credit: Karen Jerzyk

TRIVIUM's Matt Heafy has updated his fans on his quest to get his entire body tattooed.

The 35-year-old Orlando, Florida-based musician, who got his first tattoo in 2005, has revealed that his full bodysuit is close to completion — he's already inked his back, legs, arms and buttocks.

Earlier today, Heafy took to his Instagram to share a photo of his progress, and he included the following message: "Bodysuit progress:

"Left arm: Yoshitoshi - Watanabe no Tsuna v Ibaraki Doji at Rashomon by @kahlil_rintye

"Right arm: Utamaro - Ascending Dragon by @brianbruno (forearm) + @kahlil_rintye (upper arm)

"Back: Yoshitoshi - Susanoo v Yamato no Orochi by @kahlil_rintye

"Right lower leg: Kuniyoshi - Minamoto no Tametomo Rescued by Tengu (Wanizame only so far) by @davidbruehl

"Left lower leg: Kunitsuna - Sato Masakiyo Hunting the Magic Two-Tailed Tiger (tiger only so far) by @davidbruehl

"Pondering the front piece. Ideas welcome!"

A few years ago, Heafy told Tattoo.com in an interview that the music industry has "definitely made tattoos a more acceptable thing in popular culture. I think that before music became an 'industry,' it was the ancient Japanese who influenced tattoos by turning them into an art form," he explained. "Unfortunately, now it seems like Japan is regressing to being against tattoos. But with the rest of the world, I think it's funny because of all the stereotypes about tattoos kind of work. For instance, if you see a person who looks like they're in a band and they're covered in tattoos, chances are they're probably in a band. I think it's a great thing that tattoos allow bands to express themselves — and in this sense, the music industry doesn't have the same limitations that other industries have. I also think that music is another way people can express themselves and who they are as a person."

Heafy also discussed some of his specific tattoos, saying: "My right arm was my first piece. It's Brian Bruno's representation of an early Japanese piece by Kitagawa Utamaro. It was called 'Ascending Dragon'. That was when our album 'Ascendancy' was about to come out; it felt like the stars aligned. Kitagawa Utamaro was known more for his pieces of Geishas; I had never really seen him do a dragon piece. After doing years of research on a wooden triptych of the dragon, I had Brian do this piece. I thought he would be the best American tattoo artist to do Japanese tattooing. From there, Kahlil [Rintye] moved into Brian's spot (Kahlil was also trained in Japanese tattooing). He ended up doing my second tattoo, which is on my left arm. It is an interpretation of an old piece in Japanese storytelling done by Yoshitoshi. It's of a samurai named Watanabe no Tsuna fighting Ibaraki no Doji at Rashomon gate. I believe that piece was created in the 1700s or 1800s, so I had Kahlil basically duplicate it on my left arm. Then I have my wedding band tattooed on my left hand, and that's a Japanese 'Ensō,' which is an existentialist symbol based on the philosophies of perfection, imperfection, completion, and incompletion."

Heafy was born in Iwakuni, Japan to a Japanese mother and an American father. His father, formerly a member of the United States Marine Corps, is half Irish and half German. After wrapping up his enlistment at Camp Pendleton, Heafy's father settled his family in Orlando, Florida, where Matt's budding love of music began to flourish.
























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A post shared by Matthew kiichichaos Heafy (@matthewkheafy)

Born Of Osiris have released a guitar playthrough video for "White Nile", featured on their upcoming new album, Angel Or Alien, out July 2 via Sumerian Records. Watch below:

Pre-order the album here.

Tracklisting:

"Poster Child"
"White Nile"
"Angel Or Alien"
"Waves"
"Oathbreaker"
"Threat Of Your Presence"
"Love Story"
"Crossface"
"Echobreather"
"Lost Souls"
"In For The Kill"
"You Are The Narrative"
"Truth And Denial"
"Shadowmourne"

"Angel Or Alien" video:

"White Nile" video:




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