Dorothy returns today with her powerful, soul-baring new single, "What's Coming To Me". The swampy blues canticle recounts her time spent away since her lauded last record, during which she re-evaluated herself and found strength in her rock and roll roots. The soulful revelation sung through Dorothy's momentous voice "is a story about casting out a demon and getting redeemed — a metaphor for depression or addiction," she reveals. "I think it's something we can all relate to. Everyone's struggling with something."
Directed by frequent SMASHING PUMPKINS collaborator and visual artist Linda Strawberry, the bold video for "What's Coming To Me" features spiritual iconography, striking costumes and a full-on exorcism — a moving depiction that foreshadows a new and defiant era for the songstress.
"What's Coming To Me" is available today across all digital retailers on Roc Nation. The track is expected to appear on Dorothy's upcoming album, "Gifts From The Holy Ghost", which is tentatively due later this year.
Dorothy recently stated about her musical evolution so far: "The first record [2016's 'Rockisdead'] was heavier, hard rock-influenced, and then the second record [2018's '28 Days In The Valley'] was a deviation into LSD land. I feel like I was willing to take a risk. But for my DNA and for what I love and just what feels genuine to me, rock and roll is just the way to go, even hard rock. There's something about rock where this other person comes out, and I get to be a badass, and it gives me permission to do that. And also just to vent my frustration or my grief or whatever."
Dorothy Martin was born in Budapest but raised in San Diego. As a child, she started singing early and eventually made her way to Los Angeles. Rolling Stone named Dorothy one of the best 50 Best New Artists of 2014 and soon after, Jay-Z's Roc Nation signed Dorothy.
Industrial metal pioneers MINISTRY will release their 15th studio album, "Moral Hygiene", on October 1 via Nuclear Blast Records.
Containing some of MINISTRY's strongest and most inspired material to date, the 10-track follow-up to 2018's "AmeriKKKant" is frontman Al Jourgensen's societal manifesto and plea for civilization to get back to a set of standards that lives up to and embraces our humanity.
Says Jourgensen: "The good thing about literally taking a year off from any social activity or touring is that you really get to sit back and get an overview of things as they are happening, as opposed to being caught up in the moment. And what I saw with how we handled several public crises — from the pandemic to racial injustice to who we vote in to lead our country — is that times are changing, and society needed to change to get away from the idea that has permeated us of take care of yourself, fuck everything else. Now more than ever we need moral hygiene. It consumed me as I wrote this album. It's not some pious term. It's what we have to return to in order to function as the human species on this planet. And I'm proud to have had such great guests on this album to help cement that message like Billy Morrison, Jello Biafra and Arabian Prince."
In conjunction with today's album announcement, the track "Good Trouble" has been released. The song, inspired by the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests and the activist work of the late congressman John Lewis, is accompanied by a new video that includes sampling from last year's demonstrations in Los Angeles as captured by Jourgensen and his partner Liz Walton.
"Moral Hygiene" also includes the previously released "Alert Level" that sounded the alarms about our collective dissonance towards the pandemic, climate change and the man formerly in the White House, bolstered by the song's overarching question posed to listeners: "How concerned are you?"
The new album also adds perspective to the countless lives that were tragically lost to the COVID-19 pandemic on the haunting track "Death Toll" while "Disinformation" describes the too frequent willingness to accept everything — even mistruths — as fact.
Other musical jewels on the upcoming release include a collaboration with Jello Biafra (Jourgensen's cohort in side project LARD) on "Sabotage Is Sex" and a unique take on THE STOOGES' "Search And Destroy" that features guitar virtuoso Billy Morrison (BILLY IDOL, ROYAL MACHINES). Morrison is also heavily featured on a number of songs on the album.
"Moral Hygiene" was recorded with engineer Michael Rozon (also behind the boards on "AmeriKKKant") at Scheisse Dog Studio, Jourgensen's self-built home studio and creative lab. As with all MINISTRY albums, all songs are written and performed by Jourgensen. Additional contributions come from Morrison, Cesar Soto (MAN THE MUTE), John Bechdel (KILLING JOKE, FEAR FACTORY), Roy Mayorga (STONE SOUR, SOULFLY, NAUSEA), Paul D'Amour (TOOL, FEERSUM ENNJIN), Arabian Prince (N.W.A.), Jello Biafra (DEAD KENNEDYS) and sitar player Flash.
"Moral Hygiene" will be available in CD, vinyl and digital download formats.
"Moral Hygiene" track listing:
01. Alert Level
02. Good Trouble
03. Sabotage Is Sex
04. Disinformation
05. Search And Destroy
06. Believe Me
07. Broken System
08. We Shall Resist
09. Death Toll
10. TV Song #6 (Right Around The Corner Mix)
Born in 1981 in Chicago, MINISTRY has been the lifetime passion project of Jourgensen, considered to be the pioneer of industrial music. In its early days, MINISTRY was identifiable by its heavy synth-pop material in line with the new sounds and technology that were being developed in the '80s. MINISTRY's output began with four 12-inch singles on Wax Trax! Records in 1981 before the first LP, "With Sympathy", in 1983 via Arista Records. As time progressed, however, so did MINISTRY, quickly developing a harsher, and more stylized sound that the band soon became infamous for on seminal albums "Twitch" (1986), "The Land Of Rape And Honey" (1988), and "The Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Taste" (1989). With the release of "Psalm 69: The Way To Succeed And The Way To Suck Eggs" (1992), MINISTRY hit an all-time high in the mainstream musical realm and received its first Grammy nomination. In total, MINISTRY has been nominated for a Grammy Award six times. Eight more albums would follow before an indefinite break in 2013, only to be unearthed again in 2018 with "AmeriKKKant", continuing to reflect Jourgensen's views on the frightening state of society and politics.
Scorpions have uploaded new classic footage, this time of the Love At First Sting track “Coming Home” live from Mexico City on March 23, 1994.
Video footage of Scorpions performing "Rock You Like A Hurricane", live in Brooklyn, New York in September 2015 as part of their Return To Forever tour, can be seen below:
Scorpions have offered fans a first glance at their new music. The currently untitled effort will be the band's 19th studio album; a release date has not yet been announced.
Scorpions singer Klaus Meine, along with guitarists Rudolf Schenker and Matthias Jabs uploaded the following video to social media from Peppermint Park Studios in Hannover, Germany.
According to Klaus: "We're in the studio right now, as you can see — Peppermint Park in Hannover — and this morning, we decided to give you guys a little snippet. We're here for a year. We spent so much time in here working with the recording sessions. And right now it's so very exciting to finally listen to the mixes coming in from Berlin the other day. And we just wanted to share this moment with all of you out there. And believe me, we can't wait — not only to give you a little snippet but to play you the whole damn album. All right? And we'll see you out there."
On September 3, Portrait will release their new album, At One With None, via Metal Blade Records. For a first preview of At One with None, a video for the new single "Phantom Fathomer" can be viewed below.
Preorders are available at MetalBlade.com and are in the following formats:
- jewelcase-CD
- deluxe box set (hardcover box, white vinyl, exclusive 7", back patch, art print, hand-signed photo card - limited to 500 copies)
- 180g black vinyl (EU exclusive)
- gold vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 300 copies)
- silver vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 200 copies)
- red w/ black dust vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 200 copies)
- green vinyl (US exclusive)
When it comes to modern heavy metal, there are few bands operating at the same level as Portrait. For a decade and a half, the Swedish unit have been forging their own path, and in the process, infusing life into a longstanding, well-established genre and taking it in new directions. Following up 2017's acclaimed Burn The World, they return with the mighty At One With None, which was recorded at JFK Studios in Kristianstad, Sweden with Tommy Hansen (Helloween, Hatesphere) handling the mixing. While Portrait fans will immediately recognize it as the work of their heroes, they are not simply rehashing old ideas and treading where they have before.
"One simple 'rule' that I have had personally is that no song written for this album and onwards should be similar to any song that we have already written and released. We have been doing this for 15 years now, and I am proud to say that I think we have managed to find our own identity and sound, which can't really be said about that many bands today. This is our greatest achievement, and the goal is to keep exploring and developing our own sound, without repeating ourselves." The results of working with this philosophy are undeniable, making for an essential addition to the Portrait canon.
Artwork by Adam Burke:
Tracklisting:
“At One With None”
“Curtains (The Dumb Supper)”
“Phantom Fathomer”
“He Who Stands”
“Ashen”
“A Murder Of Crows”
“Shadowless”
“The Gallow’s Crossing”
Classical metal collective Lost Symphony, whose third album, Chapter III, is available today, has revealed a powerful video for the album’s “My Last Goodbye”, featuring a performance from the late All That Remains guitarist, Oli Herbert.
Lost Symphony was set in motion when multi-instrumentalist and producer Benny Goodman invited guitarists Kelly Kereliuk and Conrad Simon to add another dimension to the classical demo he had composed. An early recording of “Leave Well Enough Alone,” which appeared on the band’s Chapter II album, made its way to Herbert, who quickly jumped aboard as a chief collaborator.
“I wrote ‘My Last Goodbye’ in 2004 as an homage to my friend Jimmy who took his life,” says Lost Symphony’s Benny Goodman. “I never used it and decided to try using it again but still didn't release it. When I showed it to Oli he loved the progression and we intended it as a tribute song in general, not as our actual last goodbye to him. But that's what it has become. Oli was not just an amazing composer, performer and guitarist, but one of my favorite people I've had the privilege of calling a friend.”
“My Last Goodbye” also features guest performances by guitarists Matt LaPierre and Ryan Formato.
“Working with Lost Symphony was a dream made into reality,” Formato says. “Benny Goodman was able to assemble an all-star cast of musicians with diverse backgrounds and formulated incredibly creative songs that allowed the artistry of each musician to flourish. He provided a canvass that allowed each musician to paint with their own signature. I am honored to have been part of the Lost Symphony experience as I was able to shred, side by side, with guitar greats such as Oli Herbert, Marty Friedman, Nuno Bettencourt, Alex Skolnick and Matt LaPierre.”
The collective founded by multi-instrumentalist and producer Benny Goodman and comprising his brother Brian (compositions, arrangement), Cory Paza (bass, guitar), Kelly Kereliuk (guitar), Paul Lourenco (drums), and Siobhán Cronin (violin, viola, electric violin), has once again welcomed a revolving cast of virtuosos to join them for Chapter III. This installment includes Marty Friedman, Nuno Bettencourt, Alex Skolnick, David Ellefson, Richard Shaw, Angel Vivaldi, Jimi Bell, Jeff Loomis, Joey Concepcion, Matt LaPierre, Oli Herbert, Matt LaPierre and Ryan Formato.
"Denial Of Anger" (feat. Marty Friedman, David Ellefson, Jimi Bell & Matt LaPierre)
"Bargaining Depression" (feat. Marty Friedman, David Ellefson, Jimi Bell & Joey Concepcion)
"Acceptance" (feat. Alex Skolnick, Angel Vivaldi & Richard Shaw)
"Decomposing Composers" (feat. Jeff Loomis, Jimi Bell, Matt LaPierre & Joey Concepcion)
"Take Another Piece" (feat. Marty Friedman, Nuno Bettencourt, Alex Skolnick & Richard Shaw)
"My Last Goodbye" (feat. Oli Herbert, Matt LaPierre & Ryan Formatto)
Hamburg, Germany's GAMMA RAY has delivered impressive statements of its own musical philosophy to the worldwide heavy metal community for more than 30 years now. Founded and fronted by Kai Hansen after his departure from the famous German power metal band HELLOWEEN, GAMMA RAY recorded 11 studio albums between 1989 and 2015. Alongside Dirk Schlächter (bass), Henjo Richter (guitar), Michael Ehré (drums) and Frank Beck (vocals), Hansen is the band's lead vocalist, guitarist and chief songwriter.
The expressive power of the band's music is reflected in their energetic live shows. There's hardly a renowned metal festival where GAMMA RAY hasn't rocked the crowds and hardly a European metal magazine which hasn't featured at least one GAMMA RAY cover story.
On GAMMA RAY's upcoming live album "30 Years Live Anniversary", the band would like to invite everyone to the party that was their exclusive and only show in 2020. Due to COVID-19, the band was not able to play shows so they decided to do a livestream event and set up a big stage in the ISS Dome in Düsseldorf, Germany. This event took place on August 27 and was streamed to fans all over the globe.
Check out "Land Of The Free" from that livestream event below.
Several cameras recorded the very best of power metal with guest keyboard player Corvin Bahn and former (and first!!) GAMMA RAY singer Ralf Scheepers as a very special guest. This livestreamed show will be released as a double live album on both audio and video via earMUSIC.
Due to COVID-19, this concert, like so many others, took place without an audience. This is why the band decided to invite the fans to send in recordings of screaming, hailing, and whistling to their favorite GAMMA RAY songs, which will be added to the end of the show and gives fans the chance to participate on this release.
"30 Years Live Anniversary" will be released as a digipak CD, as 3xLP on black vinyl, and digital. Furthermore, there will be a limited edition 3xLP on colored vinyl. Each of the three LPs will be pressed on a different vinyl color.
The CD/DVD and vinyl will be available November 12; the digital version will be out September 10.
Italy's Rhapsody Of Fire will release their new album, Glory For Salvation, on November 26 via AFM Records. A lyric video for the first single, "Glory For Salvation", can be seen below. The album can be pre-ordered here.
The distinctive voice of frontman Giacomo Voli will make Glory For Salvation not only a glorious, grande part of their trilogy, which started with their 2019 album The Eighth Mountain, but a captivating and true metal masterpiece. The energy of each band member is flowing with precision and fury, opera choirs intersect with Voli’s superlative vocals in a cinematic orchestral polyphonic escalation towards the highest epic musical peaks. The deeply inspiring solos by guitarist Roby De Micheli and Alex Staropoli’s magic ochestrations once again create the film score metal at its best!
The album artwork was created by Alex Charleux.
Tracklisting:
"Son Of Vengeance"
"The Kingdom Of Ice"
"Glory For Salvation "
"Eternal Snow"
"Terial The Hawk"
"Maid Of The Secret Sand"
"Abyss Of Pain II"
"Infinitae Gloriae"
"Magic Signs"
"I'll Be Your Hero"
"Chains Of Destiny"
"Un'Ode Per L'Eroe"
"La Esencia De Un Rey"
"Glory For Salvation" lyric video:
"I'll Be Your Hero" lyric video:
Rhapsody Of Fire recently checked in with the following update: "We are proud to announce that we will be touring all over Continental Europe in January/February 2022 and will be performing songs from our upcoming album, Glory For Salvation in addition to our most iconic anthems! We will be accompanied with special guest Nightmare and opening act Phantom Elite (+ warm-up bands Existance and Manigance in France), which will make each of those shows very special and epic for the fans of the genre".
Tour dates:
January
18 - Barcelona, Spain - Salamandra
19 - Murcia, Spain - Garaje
20 - Madrid, Spain - Shoko
21 - Valencia, Spain - RockCity
22 - Pamplona, Spain - Totem
24 - Paris, France - Le Petit Bain
25 - Nantes, France - Ferrailleur
26 - Bordeaux, France - Rock School Barbey
27 - Pau, France - L'Ampli
28 - Toulouse, France - Metronum
29 - Marseille, France - Jas Rod
30 - Grenoble, France - Sessynet L'ilyade
February
1 - Munich, Germany - Backstage
2 - Siegburg, Germany - Kubana
3 - Diest, Belgium - Hell
4 - Den Hague, Netherlands - Musicon
5 - Leipzig, Germany - Hellraiser
6 - Mörlenbach, Germany - Live Music Hall
8 - Osnabrück, Germany - Bastard Club
9 - Hamburg, Germany - Logo
10 - Essen, Germany - Turock
11 - Nilvange, France - Le Gueulard Plus
12 - Tilburg, Netherlands - Little Devil
13 - Pratteln, Switzerland - Z7
15 - Ubach Palenberg, Germany - RockFabrik
16 - Warsaw, Poland - Proxima
17 - Vienna, Austria - Viper Room
18 - Prague, Czech Republic - Nova Chmelnice
19 - San Dona di Piave, Italy - Revolver
20 - Milano, Italy - Legend
One of The Big Four turns the Big 4-0 this year and is celebrating with a number of special activities and events to honor the landmark anniversary. Formed by guitarist Scott Ian and bassist Dan Lilker in Queens, NY on July 18, 1981, Anthrax was one of the first thrash metal bands to emerge from the East Coast and quickly became regarded as a leader in the genre alongside Metallica, Slayer, and Megadeth.
Active over the past five decades, Anthrax has released 11 studio albums, been awarded multiple Gold and Platinum certifications, received six Grammy nominations, toured the world since 1984 playing thousands of shows, including headlining Madison Square Garden and playing Yankee Stadium with The Big 4. The band has built a strong reputation with fans as well as the record industry. With the lineup including Ian, bassist Frank Bello, drummer Charlie Benante, singer Joey Belladonna, and guitarist Jon Donais, the band is being feted on their 40th anniversary by a wide range of friends and music contemporaries.
Each week, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and wrapping on the band's official founding anniversary of July 18, Anthrax's social media accounts will offer a series of video testimonials sent in by former band members, fellow musicians, colleagues, and industry veterans sharing behind-the-scenes stories of working with the band and what Anthrax's legacy has meant all these years on. These videos will honor each album in chronological order beginning with the original release, Fistful of Metal. Go here for the full schedule, and watch Episode #22: We've Come For You All below.
The 11-week series will include video contributions from Chuck D, Corey Taylor, Dave Grohl, Dave Mustaine, Gary Holt, Gene Simmons, Henry Rollins, John Carpenter, Kerry King, Mike Patton, Nergal, Norman Reedus, Michael Poulsen, Rob Zombie, Robert Trujillo, Roger Miret, Darryl McDaniels (Run DMC), Slash, Tom Morello and more. There will also be video clips from former Anthrax band members Dan Lilker, Dan Spitz, John Bush, Neil Turbin, and Rob Caggiano.
The finale will come as a very special Livestream performance from Anthrax on Friday, July 16, featuring a deep cuts set that will pull from the band's entire career-spanning catalog.
The special worldwide Livestream event, presented by Danny Wimmer Presents and originating from Los Angeles, will kick off in North America on Friday, July 16, beginning at 4 PM, PT and 7 PM, ET, and in the UK on Saturday, July 17, starting at Midnight, BST.
Livestream event tickets and special 40th-anniversary ticket bundles - one including a live video chat with the members of Anthrax - are on sale now. Special 40th-anniversary artwork was created by Brian Ewing and Stephen Thompson for limited-edition t-shirts, commemorative tickets, and an anniversary poster. In addition to the Livestream and merchandise bundles, fans will be able to buy a digital ticket to relive the past 40 years with exclusive interviews, testimonials, and behind-the-scenes stories of the band's legendary career. All purchasing details are accessible at AnthraxLive.com.
The Global Livestream event, debuting July 16/17 (depending on your global location), will remain available to fans worldwide to tune in through July 25 at 11:59 PM, ET via video on demand. The band - Joey Belladonna/vocalist, Scott Ian/rhythm guitar, Frank Bello/bass, Charlie Benante/drums, and Jon Donias/guitar, will perform an extensive set of hits and deep cuts that will pull from the band's entire catalog.
"I was a 17-year-old metal-head kid from Queens when I started this band," said Scott Ian. "I am a 57-year-old metal-head kid from Queens about to celebrate the 40th anniversary of this band. That means for 40 years, I've gotten to do exactly what I've wanted to do - and getting to do what I love and being a part of something so much bigger than myself has made the time, the unbelievable weight of 40 seems so light. It's been an amazing story so far, and I see 40 as a milestone that absolutely should be recognized and celebrated. Congratulations to us! I also see 40 as a stepping stone to the next chapter of Anthrax - we still have a lot to say and some killer riffs to unleash. I'm not going to say, "Here's to 40 more" because nobody wants to see that (I'd be 97). How about, "Here's to at least ten more, and we'll go from there! Thank you for enabling me, my friends."
SYSTEM OF A DOWN singer Serj Tankian has released a David Bradford-directed and -animated video for "Disarming Time: A Modern Piano Concerto (With Poetry)". The video arrives three weeks after the release of Serj's 24-minute modern classical composition titled "Disarming Time: A Modern Piano Concerto" on his Serjical Strike Records label.
"Disarming Time: A Modern Piano Concerto" will make a redux presence on Friday, July 9 when it is made available as part of the "Cool Gardens Poetry Suite". The release is a rich suite of four elegant cinematic works layered with intimate recital of prose from Tankian himself, taken from the pages of his first published book of poetry, "Cool Gardens". Tankian narrates 87 poems over the nearly 48 minutes of music, weaving his way through a bevy of topics ranging from humorous to sullen.
"Cool Gardens Poetry Suite" will also be accompanied with videos, this time at the hands of visual artist David Bradford, a previous collaborative partner on other Tankian projects. Bradford's visuals quite literally animate pixelated paint onto digital canvas as viewers are caravanned across their screens via Tankian's soundtrack and the gradual unveiling of his visual complement.
"Cool Gardens Poetry Suite" track listing:
01. Cinematic Piano Theme (With Poetry)
02. Les Melodies (With Poetry)
03. Percussion (With Poetry)
04. Disarming Time: A Modern Piano Concerto (With Poetry)
"Disarming Time: A Modern Piano Concerto" arrived on the heels of Serj's critically acclaimed rock EP, "Elasticity", which was released in March of this year via BMG/Alchemy Recordings.
"Disarming Time: A Modern Piano Concerto" is a Dada-esque tapestry of classical to modern mini compositions expertly superimposed together like a BEATLES medley with the dynamics of SYSTEM OF A DOWN utilizing pianos, strings, rock instrumentation, ethnic instruments, choirs, the works.
Tankian comments: "When quarantine hit and all our projects and releases were canceled, I started itching for a musical challenge. One night sitting in bed looking through different voice memos on the iPhone I realized I have this huge trove of short, special, unrealized musical ideas. Right then the thought of creating an epic piece utilizing them all made me smile. So I recorded them all and started arranging the instrumentation to create this incredibly unique musical experience. I mean, who the fuck listens to 24 minutes of music as one piece today? We're about to find out :)".
Over the past decade, Tankian has delved deeply into the world of cinematic composition while creating music for various film, television and video game projects for both major studio productions and independent films. At the same time, he released "Elect The Dead Symphony" in 2009 and "Orca Symphony No. 1" in 2010. This project is an amalgamation of all this and more.
Tankian has slated additional music releases for later this year, as he's queued up an assemblage of 25 cinematic compositions that roam through light and dark soundscapes. The release will be called "Cinematique" and split up into two collections released at the same time in early August. Before the end of year, listeners can also expect two film soundtrack releases from Tankian, for "Truth To Power" and "I Am Not Alone", both being documentaries that the composer produced and scored.
Icelandic tech death battalion, Ophidian I, will be releasing their new album, Desolate, on July 16, making it their debut to Season Of Mist. The band have released a drum playthrough video for the track "Spiral To Oblivion". Watch below:
“Diamonds”
“Spiral To Oblivion”
“Storm Aglow”
“Unfurling The Crescent Moon”
“Sequential Descent”
“Captive Infinity”
“Enslaved In A Desolate Swarm”
“Dominion Eyes”
“Jupiter”
“Wither On The Vine”
Yngwie Malmsteen will release his new studio album titled "Parabellum" on July 23 via Music Theories Recordings/Mascot Label Group. The disc's latest single, "(Si Vis Pacem) Parabellum", can be streamed below.
Malmsteen states: "'(Si Vis Pacem) Parabellum' is a piece of great difficulty. Octave arpeggios it is very satisfying to apply this extremely challenging violin technique to my own composition. Starting in B harmonic minor, it transposes to D natural major and then into F# Phrygian. It is a natural flow within the chord progression of relative keys and modes.
It was very challenging and exciting to perform this piece and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do."
The name of Yngwie Malmsteen has always stood for uncompromising excellence. In a career that now spans more than 40 years he has proven himself to be a unique artist. You can try to categorize him in any way you wish. But the manner in which this supreme Swedish craftsman has continually developed his music makes Malmsteen sublimely transcend any definition you attempt to impose.
He now has a catalog of 21 solo studio albums, each of which has much to commend. Moreover, the guitarist played a crucial role in helping to establish ALCATRAZZ as a significant force in the 1980s. Malmsteen's artistry has always clearly incorporated a healthy virtuosity, but his talent goes well beyond a comprehensive control of the guitar. The man is a fine composer and, on recent releases, has also showcased a strong vocal presence.
One aspect of his approach has always shone through, and that is an abidingly deep respect for the music he plays. Malmsteen has constantly done whatever it takes to bring out all of the color, shade and hue embedded in each one of his compositions. Merely doing a very good job isn't an option. He wants to go — and does go — well beyond such limitations, into the rarefied realms inhabited by an elite number of timeless masters. This has never been more focused and informed than on "Parabellum". Malmsteen shares, "I always try to push myself on every album I do, and attempt things which are more extreme than previously. But what has helped this time is that I wasn't able to go on the road because of the pandemic. It meant I could take much longer in the studio, both to write and record. Because I am usually always on tour, which is great, I haven't had the luxury of spending a lot of time working on new music for more than 20 years. But I suddenly had no pressure at all on that front. And I feel the album has benefited enormously as a result."
There are instances when musicians can have so much time available to them for the purposes of recording and writing that what comes out of the process is a little stilted and overthought. But that is never the case here. He reflects: "I am the sort of person who doesn't like to do take after take after take of any track. If something isn't to my satisfaction, I'll move on. But there were occasions with this album when I dismissed something because I thought it was a stinker. I went back a couple of days later, listened to it and wondered why I thought it stank in the first place! That's the beauty of having everything available you've done through Pro Tools. Nothing is lost. Things were changing all the time. Song titles, tempos. Everything was fluid. I would listen to a part I had done for one specific song, and realize it worked better if I transposed it into another track."
Four of the songs here feature vocals. But once more, this wasn't mapped out in advance. Malmsteen offers: "I love to listen back to what I've done in the car. Sometimes I find myself singing along to what was supposed to be an instrumental. That's when I realize this song does need vocals. The opposite happens as well."
On occasion, it does sound as if Malmsteen has surely incorporated keyboards into the fabric of the album's sonic tapestry. But this is not the case. He reveals: "I can assure you that, while it may seem as if there are keyboards, everything has been done by myself on guitar. Even what sounds like a piano intro to 'Wolves At The Door', the opening track, has been played on guitar." This particular composition also includes a clever reference to 19th century classical master Paganini. "It's the sort of thing I love to do. It's my way of paying homage to him. And here it works very well within the flow of the track."
The album title "Parabellum" is Latin, translating as "Prepare For War". "There's a track on the album called '(Si Vis Pacem) Parabellum'," he says. "This translates as 'If you want peace, then prepare for war.' It was a last-minute decision to make this the album title. But I think it fits very well."
The striking portrait on the cover was painted by the accliamed artist David Benegas. Malmsteen states: "That was my wife April's idea. David lives near us in Florida, and we were talking to him about other projects. I did a photo shoot with Mark Weiss, who I think is a great photographer and someone I've worked with for a long time. Then David based the portrait on this. The painting itself is huge, and we've had the idea to use it to raise money for the April Way Children's Foundation ('dedicated to bringing the artists of the world together to give hope to kids, teens, and young adults that have been orphaned or are in foster care all across the world')."
In closing, he shares: "The bottom line for me is that the passion I feel for the music I make has to be obvious. I am the sort of person who lives in the moment. I wanted this album to have a joyous, spontaneous atmosphere. This must never sound as if it's been rehearsed so much that it becomes routine. I hope people will put on this record at the start and listen right through to the end, from start to finish. I recorded this as a singular piece of art. Not as a collection of 10 tracks you can hear in any order you want. I was asked by Mascot what song would be the lead track. The one for which I'd do a video. You know what? I'd like to do videos for everything here. I view this album as having a natural flow from start to finish. It's not to be cut up into little pieces. I want fans to experience the delight I had in making it."
The complete track listing includes "Wolves At The Door", "Presto Vivace in C# Minor", "Relentless Fury", "(Si Vis Pacem) Parabellum", "Eternal Bliss", "Toccata", "Good Particle", "Magic Bullet", "(Fight) The Good Fight" and "Sea Of Tranquility". The album will be available on CD, red tranparent LP and digital.
Florida-based Grammy-nominated band TRIVIUM has released a new single "In The Court Of The Dragon". The song is available at all DSPs and is accompanied by an official short film music video directed by Ryan Mackfall. Watch it below.
"In The Court Of The Dragon" represents everything fans have come to know and love about TRIVIUM. It's a summit of masterful melodies, miles of riffs and solos, thought-provoking lyrics, intricate storytelling, and a tiered vocal attack.
"We started putting together the riffs for what would become 'In The Court Of The Dragon' last year with no touring on the horizon," says bassist Paolo Gregoletto about the song's earliest origins during the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown. "We decided to use the uncertainty to our advantage and to create without any of the limitations and commitments that would normally be eating away at our time in the jam room."
About the deeper meaning, he continues, "The title of the song came from a short story by Robert W. Chambers. The story is filled with dread and uncertainty, and that felt fitting for the times we've all been living in for the last year. Rather than a direct re-telling, we decided to go a different route and build our own narrative around the music that we were creating."
He finishes, "Similar to some of our past songs and albums, this song began with lyrics rooted in mythology. But unlike the past, we decided to create our own myth to fit the music. Being free to create the story and write the music without a deadline, due to a once-in-a-lifetime event, really led to one of the most rewarding writing and recording experiences we have ever had. We hope it lives up to your expectations."
Guitarist/vocalist Matt Heafy weighed in about the single's artwork and its unique relationship to the track, saying, "While the music of 'In The Court Of The Dragon' was taking shape, we knew we needed epic artwork of the type that you might see on the wall of an important museum from a long-dead renaissance master."
The track and video also feature an epic intro composed and orchestrated by Ihsahn (EMPEROR).
TRIVIUM is continuing to work on material for its upcoming tenth album.
The band will make its long-awaited return to the road this summer with MEGADETH, LAMB OF GOD and IN FLAMES.
Austin hard rockers, Black Heart Saints, who packed a one-two punch with the release of their recent hit singles “Misery” and “Lines”, are kicking off their summer tour dates with Saliva, The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and more with the announcement of a brand-new song and video.
Described by the band as a “groove-infested tune with a heavier, modern feel," “Reach The End” is released first as a video (see below), and then made available for download on all DSPs Friday, July 16.
“We can’t think of a better way to celebrate going back out on the road and performing live for our fans than by releasing our new single,” said Guitarist Mark Sean. “’Reach The End’ blends the hook-laden, heavy sound that we are known for with an edgy vibe that we think will appeal to a broader audience.”
To capture the song’s more progressive sound, Black Heart Saints turned, once again, to Award-Winning Film Maker Taylor Fredricks from Static Heart Productions to film the video. According to the band, while it is “a commentary on the inner-workings of the music industry, where artists have to ‘sell themselves’ to get to the next level,” it is also filled with the same dark humor that the group has become known for.
“Our last music video series premiered at Alamo Drafthouse theaters, so we knew we had to step up our game with this latest release,” said Sean. “For ‘Reach The End’ we worked with Taylor to put together a website and hotline phone number to promote the single and music video, which can be found here."
The Texas rockers also re-enlisted Producer Omar Vallejo at 512 Studios in Austin, TX, who worked with the band on their last album Misery (2019), for the single. Calling Vallejo the “real deal,” Sean says “he brings out the best of us every single time.”
“Reach The End” is the first new music since Black Heart Saints’ successful EP Misery in 2019. Not only did it land the band in the Billboard Mainstream Rock charts twice but its commercial success also paved the way for appearances at SXSW, Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, and serving as the support act for such national artists as Slash featuring Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators, Sevendust, Steel Panther, Pop Evil, Buckcherry, Dirty Honey, and more.
This year, Black Heart Saints will hit the road performing shows and festivals across the US and have plans to release additional singles and videos as a part of new collection of music.
Official Black Heart Saints tour dates include:
July
23 - The Haute Spot - Cedar Park, TX (with Saliva)
August
6-14 - Full Throttle Saloon - Sturgis, SD (with Colt Ford, Saliva, Tesla, Jackyl, Insane Clown Posse - Sturgis Motorcycle Rally
11 - Main Stage At Full Throttle Saloon - Sturgis, SD (with Wynonna Judd - Sturgis Motorcycle Rally)
19 - Melody Inn - Indianapolis, IN
20 - Illinois State Fair - Springfield, IL
21 - Tater Patch - Rolla, MO
September
9 - New Mexico State Fair - Albuquerque, NM
10 - Skooterz - Amarillo, TX
11 - The Deadhorse - San Angelo, TX
October
3 - Come & Take It Live - Austin, TX (with The Dead Daisies)
* Schedule subject to change
Lineup:
Josh Ross – Vocals
Mark Sean – Guitar
Nathan Flores – Drums
Ian C.G. – Bass
Southern California rockers THE OFFSPRING have released the official Samuel Bayer-directed music video for the song "This Is Not Utopia". The track is taken from the band's latest album, "Let The Bad Times Roll", which arrived in April via Concord Records. The follow-up to 2012's "Days Go By" was once again produced by Bob Rock, who also worked on the band's last two LPs.
In a recent interview with Forbes, THE OFFSPRING singer Bryan "Dexter" Holland stated about "This Is Not Utopia", which talks about the roots of American "hysteria": "Look around. It's obvious this is not utopia. To put it a nicer way, we could do better. We could do better, right?
"It's important for us to not come across as political," he continued. "I never want to be preachy, I never want to tell you that you should think like this, that you should do something or act a certain way, but I do want to throw the observations out there and you can draw your own point — whether you are a liberal or a conservative — to think about the things that we can all do to make things better."
Holland, guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman, drummer Pete Parada and new bassist Todd Morse wrote and recorded "Let The Bad Times Roll" in the last few years at various locations, including the band's studio in Huntington Beach, California.
Speaking about the long gap between "Let The Bad Times Roll" and the previous OFFSPRING album, Noodles told the 100.3 The X Rocks radio station: "We've been working on it for a while. Really, about two or three years ago, everything started really kind of clicking, and we had a really creative period — then and since, actually. We were hoping to have the record done probably five years ago, ultimately, and it just took longer to make something that we really felt was strong and representative of the band in the best light."
Added Dexter: "I think that's it. It had to feel right before we wanted to put it out. We're not really under a deadline. We didn't even have a label, actually — we were sort of floating out there. So it was a good time to just take our time and make the right record."
Asked how hard it was for them to sit on those songs for so long without being able to share them with their fans, Dexter said: "There really is this feeling, when you have something that you're really happy with… 'Cause sometimes you go through a bunch of stuff that, 'Oh, this song needs work. This needs work.' When you have something that's clicking, you're, like, 'Oh, man. I can't wait to get this out.' But you just kind of have to sit on it for a while. I mean, we basically sat on this since the pandemic started, 'cause we kind of thought, 'This is probably not the best time to release a record, 'cause we can't go out and tour, we can't promote it, can't be there to play it for the people,' so we've kind of been sitting on it for the better part of a year. Although we kept on going back and tweaking it, and it actually got better over that year. But we decided, well, we can't wait forever if we're gonna put this out."
Regarding the inspiration for the "Let The Bad Times Roll" album title, Dexter told HardDrive Radio: "We had a song two albums ago [on 2008's 'Rise And Fall, Rage And Grace'] called 'Shit Is Fucked Up'. We wrote that 'cause we thought how terrible things were in the world back then. But it actually got worse. So we had to come up with a new title, 'Let The Bad Times Roll'.
"You can apply it to a lot of things," he explained. "I mean, we're not a political band. Some people would apply it to the last administration. Some people would apply it to things that are going on today, or just how messed up everything is, trying to fix our pandemic and all that kind of stuff."
Added Noodles: "But really, it's not just an American-centric thing either, cause you're seeing stuff happening around the world. There's unrest happening literally everywhere — on all continents. You're seeing unrest, and then you're also seeing anti-democratic forces kind of taking power in some places, in which case causes more unrest. So, yeah, the whole world is a little bit of a scary place right now."
Dexter continued: "That's right. Climate change, climate deniers, vaccine, anti-vaxxers — whatever you want, it's out there."
Frontiers Music Srl recently released the first ever live album and video from Finland's One Desire, One Night Only - Live In Helsinki. Check out a live video for "Apologize" from the release below. Order CD/DVD, Blu-ray, and LP versions of the album and save the digital version here.
Back in March 2020, One Desire had hit the road with The Night Flight Orchestra in Europe in support of their then forthcoming second album, Midnight Empire. Of course, anyone who sees 'March 2020' knows that the coronavirus pandemic was strengthening its grip on the globe at that moment in time. The tour was cut short and venues around the globe were being shut down. Unfortunately, upon getting home, the guys realized they had all caught COVID-19, but luckily, after some time, the guys all recovered.
While the Midnight Empire release in May 2020 was as successful as it could be given the complicated circumstances surrounding the album release at that moment in time due to the various territorial lockdowns in Europe, One Desire still had a yearning to show fans how these new songs sounded live. As they, and the rest of the world, adjusted to a new reality in terms of live performances, the idea of a special one-of-a-kind live product came to pass and a live recording was captured on October 3, 2020 in Helsinki, Finland at the On The Rocks Club. With just a minimal audience, as required for live events these days, the band kicked out a selection of their most beloved and acclaimed songs. One Night Only - Live In Helsinki also comes with a bunch of interesting bonus content.
Tracklisting:
"Shadowman"
"Apologize"
"Down And Dirty"
"Heroes"
"Godsent Extasy"
"This Is Where The Heartbreak Begins"
"Only When I Breathe"
"Falling Apart"
"After You’re Gone"
"Whenever I’m Dreaming"
"Hurt"
"Buried Alive"
"Apologize" (Live) video:
"Shadowman" (Live) video:
"Heroes" (Live) video:
"Hurt" (Live) video:
"After You're Gone" (Live) video:
Lineup:
André Linman – lead vocals, guitars
Jimmy Westerlund – guitars, background vocals
Ossi Sivula – drums
Jonas Kuhlberg – bass
British death metal titans, Ingested, will release The Surreption II - a reimagined recording of their vital second album, The Surreption - on July 30 via Unique Leader to celebrate its 10 year anniversary. Check out a drum playthrough video for "This Disgusting Revelation":
Vocalist Jason Evans previously stated: "As some of you may know, the tenth anniversary of our second album The Surreption is fast approaching, and what better way to celebrate than to unleash this beast upon the world once more? That's right, we have been holed up in the Ingested lockdown bunker hard at work to bring to you our second album the way we always wanted it to be. This isn't a remix, or a remaster, this is a complete re-recording, a reimagining of an important, but often forgotten step in the path of Ingested. We never got to do a music video for the original release of The Surreption and we think that's a shame, so feast your eyes and ears on our video for 'Manifesting Obscenity', and fire up the pre-orders for The Surreption II, because this bad motherf**ker is available July 30th on Unique Leader Records."
Tracklisting:
"Crowning The Abomination"
"Decline"
"The Consequence"
"A Coming Unperceived"
"This Disgusting Revelation"
"Castigation And Rebirth"
"Manifesting Obscenity"
"22"
"Kingmaker"
"The Alpha And Omega"
"Manifesting Obscenity" video:
Ingested are confirmed as support for Bleed From Within's The Fracture Tour, commencing November 2 in Cologne, Germany. Kill The Lights have been announced as openers. Confirmed venues can be found in the official poster below.
European hard rock group Headless - composed of members who have performed alongside the likes of Yngwie Malmsteen, Geoff Tate (ex-Queensryche) and Elegy - have unveiled an animated music video for their newest single, “Streetlight Buzz”. The clip can be viewed below.
The song - which is now available for streaming and download on all digital platforms - is the second official preview of the band's new record (and M-Theory Audio debut) Square One, which will be released on September 24. The album - which showcases the band's blend of classic rock catchiness with heavier progressive metal influences - is now available for pre-order on CD, digital and limited-edition cloudy blue sky colored vinyl, and the limited exclusive Belt of Venus pink variant with autographed photo (only 100 made), here.
“The hype is real! The new Headless album will be released in September, with exceptional artists like Göran Edman (ex-Yngwie Malmsteen) and Martin Helmantel (Elegy) working together on original music for the first time,” explains the guitar duo of Walter Cianciusi and Dario Parente. “The new single 'Streetlight Buzz' showcases the band's vast amount of hard rock influences stretching from Queensryche to Thin Lizzy, with hints of Judas Priest and guitar harmonies over fast double-bass work typical of '90s-era Helloween. The lyrics are inspired by Dostoevsky’s novel 'The Dream of a Ridiculous Man.' The video basically tells the story using neon technology and placing the characters invented by the genius of Dostoevsky in a futuristic context."
“Streetlight Buzz” is the second single to be released from Square One. Earlier this year, the group released the song “Woman In White”, an energetic rocker with a melodic power metal vibe and lyrics inspired by the works of classic American poet Emily Dickinson. A video, directed by Dimitar Stamenov (Sabaton, Motorhead), in which the ghost of the death-obsessed poetess is projected in a typical video game setting, can be viewed below.
The upcoming release of Square One is the latest chapter in the saga of a band whose members have amassed an impressive array of credits throughout their respective careers. Göran Edman has been the group's lead vocalist since 2011. The two Headless albums to which he has lent his melodic croons so far - 2013's Growing Apart and 2016's Melt The Ice Away - join a lengthy resume that began in the 1980s as a part of Swedish hard rockers Madison and Swedish Erotica; included stints during the 1990s as a vocalist for Yngwie Malmsteen and John Norum (Europe); and continued with multiple groups into the 21st Century, most notably alongside members of The Flower Kings in the progressive metal band Karmakanic.
Tracklisting:
"A Leaf's Flight Path"
"Woman In White"
"Step Back From Me"
"Misdirection"
"Backseat Rhythm"
"Tail Down Low"
"Langeweile"
"Two's Up"
"Streetlight Buzz"
"Risin' Up"
1349 guitarist Archaon and bassist Seidemann have teamed up with members of Chilean thrash outfit Nuclear and Hellman to perform a cover of Celtic Frost's "Usurper".
Seideman comments, “This version of the Celtic Frost classic doubles as a tribute to the legends themselves as well as a tribute to friendship and brotherhood. Metal music brings people from all over the world together and this combination of Nuclear and 1349 is no exception.”
Punto of Nuclear adds: "We're very pleased to pay tribute to one of the most influential acts in extreme metal history. This idea started as a simple chat in backstage when both bands were touring together in Europe. After that everything went black in pandemic and we put the things rolling to record the song and film this video. It was a real honour for us work alongside such talented musicians and cool guys.”
Check out “’Bound By The Horror”, the brand new video and track that Gost released from Rites Of Love And Reverence, due for a release on August 13. Join the coven and be “’Bound By The Horror” below.
Gost comments: “’Bound by the Horror’ started the writing process for ‘Rites of Love and Reverence’. I wanted a heavy baseline to really start things off for this record and ‘Bound by the Horror’ is the result. ‘Bound by the Horror’ refers to how I started feeling boxed in creatively. One of my favourites from the new album and a kind of goodbye to limiting expectations.”
The following formats are available for Rites Of Love And Reverence:
- Gatefold black LP+CD
- Gatefold neon yellow LP+CD (200) only available at centurymedia.store
- Gatefold transp. orange LP+CD (300) available at CM Distro Wholesale EU
- Digital Album
"Bell, Book And Candle" (feat. Bitchcraft)
"Bound By The Horror"
"The Fear"
"A Fleeting Whisper"
"We Are The Crypt"
"Blessed Be"
"November Is Death" (feat. Bitchcraft)
"Embrace The Blade"
"Coven"
"Burning Thyme"
"Coven" video:
"A Fleeting Whisper" video:
Rites Of Love And Reverence is both an album of beautifully crafted songs and a fascinating and intuitively gothic journey, rich with thoughts of supernatural wickedness and real world retribution.
“The lyrics were inspired by witchcraft themes,” says the man himself. “It’s mainly about how witchcraft has affected women throughout history. Witch trials and the subsequent executions throughout the ages terrify me. I fear, as a society, we are always on the verge of such horrible psychosis based on the misunderstanding and intolerance of one another. I try to educate myself on any historical subject I use as an influence, out of respect for the real people who actually lived through it.”
In keeping with its dark theme, Rites Of Love And Reverence arrives adorned with the most stunning image Gost has used to date, created by celebrated doyen of macabre art, Nona Limmen. Both eerily psychedelic and hazily mysterious, it’s the perfect visual representation of this extraordinary record’s grim but vivid depths.
The perfect soundtrack to these uncertain and frequently horrifying times, Rites Of Love And Reverence renders Gost’s post-synthwave exploits in kaleidoscopic technicolor, delivering all the glass-shattering grit, incisive melodic melancholy and tripped-out, electronic fervour that his ever-expanding army of admirers demand.
Two decades into their journey as ritualistic black metal conjurers, Wolves In The Throne Room have emerged from the forest with Primordial Arcana, their most majestic album to date, and their first release via Century Media Records (outside of US and Canada) and Relapse Records (US and Canada) out August 20.
After releasing a first taste with “Mountain Magick” in June, the band has just launched “Spirit Of Lightning”, including a special visualizer that is diving deeper into the aesthetics of Primordial Arcana. Yet again the clip was was produced by Wolves In The Throne Room.
The band comments on the song itself: “’Spirit of Lightning’ returns briefly to the earthly plane as a tribute to the human connections forged in music. Metal is a community that’s bonded together through music and spirituality. This song is an homage to that community, that brotherhood and the virtues that can be espoused through it—going all the way back to the progenitors of the genre.”
Primordial Arcana is the band’s first completely self-contained work: In addition to composition and performance, brothers Aaron and Nathan Weaver alongside guitarist Kody Keyworth handled all aspects of recording, producing and mixing at their own Owl Lodge Studios in the woods of Washington state.
Primordial Arcana is out August 20 via Century Media Records outside of USA/Canada and available in the following formats with the Ltd. Gatefold 2LP & LP-Booklet & Poster variants being cut to 45rpm and coming with an additional track, “Skyclad Passage”:
- Ltd. Gatefold olive green 2LP & LP-Booklet & Poster (limited to 1.600)
- Ltd. Gatefold deep blood red 2LP & LP-Booklet & Poster (limited to 1.000) only available at Kings Road Merch Europe (Official Store)
- Ltd. Gatefold clear 2LP & LP-Booklet & Poster (limited to 300) available at Distro Wholesale EU
- Ltd. Gatefold dark green 2LP & LP-Booklet & Poster (limited to 200) only available at Supreme Chaos
- Ltd. Gatefold transp. light blue 2LP & LP-Booklet & Poster (limited to 200) only available at Evil Greed
- Ltd. Gatefold creamy white 2LP & LP-Booklet & Poster (limited to 200) only available at EMP and Nuclear Blast
- Ltd. brown LP & LP-Booklet (limited to 300) available at all UK Indie outlets
- Ltd. transp. sun yellow LP & LP-Booklet (limited to 200) only available at Consouling Sounds
- Ltd. CD Mediabook
- Digital Album
Album cover art by Amjad Faur and Wolves In The Throne Room.
Tracklisting:
"Mountain Magick"
"Spirit Of Lightning"
"Through Eternal Fields"
"Primal Chasm (Gift Of Fire)"
"Underworld Aurora"
"Skyclad Passage" (additional track only available on the Ltd. Gatefold 2LP & LP-Booklet & Poster variants)
"Masters Of Rain And Storm"
"Eostre"
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Dorothy
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