Japanese metal band Bridear released their new album, Born Again, on June 28 via Psychomanteum Records. A vinyl release is planned for December 1. A CD and merchandise bundle is available to order now at psychoshop.net.
Bridear is about to begin a tour in Australia with Dream Evil and have dates planned for Japan, Europe, UK, the United States, and Canada. The Japanese act has shared an official live video for "Voice Is To Silence", taken from their live show on June 29.
Check out the previously uploaded "Born Again":
Tour dates:
October (supporting Dream Evil)
31 - Soapbox Beer - Brisbane, Australia
November (supporting Dream Evil)
1 - The Abyss - Canberra, Australia
2 - Marrickville Bowling & Recreation Club - Sydney, Australia
4 - The Leadbeater Hotel - Melbourne, Australia
April
4 - Stereo - Glasgow, UK
5 - The Cluny 2 - Newcastle, UK
6 - Deaf Institute - Manchester, UK
9 - The Par
Richmond, Virginia metal-punk trio, Bat, are ringing in Hallows Eve with the perfect onslaught of horror movies and speed metal. The track "Horror Vision" is taken from the band's second full-length album, Under The Crooked Claw, available via Nuclear Blast Records.
The brainchild of Municipal Waste guitarists Ryan Waste & Nick Poulos, Bat ascended from the underground a decade ago on a dark, leather-winged trajectory. The band delivers their own blood-spattered horror leaning heavily on the dirtier side of speed metal.
The track features 20 of the 'video nasty' titles highlighted throughout the song along with other classic horror clips edited together by Jim Stramel and Ryan Waste.
Ryan Waste states, "I grew up watching horror movies at a young age, and just like with heavy metal, I became obsessed, delving deeper into the obscure. In the early 80s, UK starch conservative Mary Whitehouse spearheaded a campaign against certain films she deemed unsuitable for viewing at home and coined the term 'video nasties'. There was an initial list of 72 'obscene' films on VHS, so of course I had to hunt them down and watch all of them in reverse protest. I inserted 20 Video Nasty movie titles in the lyrics for 'Horror Vision' as a tribute to anti-censorship. In the music video, we highlight those films plus many more in the horror realm. I called upon fellow fright enthusiast Jim Stramel (BAT, Streetbanger) for his editing skills once again to create this onslaught of terror. We made sure that Mary Whitehouse not only rolls in her grave, but rocks her stiff bones down to hell with this video clip."
Watch the music video for the single "Horror Vision":
Order/stream Under The Crooked Claw at this location.
The power trio, completed by drummer Chris Marshall, decamped to Philadelphia in June 2021 where Arthur Rizk recorded the basic tracks for Under The Crooked Claw. Yavé Rust tracked lead guitars and vocals later when the band was back in Richmond, ultimately to be mixed by Rizk and mastered by Joel Grind. The artwork for the album was inked by Brandon Holt and colored by Margaret Rolicki.
Jam-packed with tight, concise songs loaded with punchy choruses and lightning-laced leads, each of the 13 tracks offers a new horror short story mixing the perfect blend of heavy metal, punk, and rock ‘n’ roll or as Waste coins it "primitive heavy speed".
Tracklisting:
“Una torcia illumina il cielo”
“Vampyre Lore”
“Rite For Exorcism”
“Streetbanger”
“Just Buried”
“Warshock”
“Horror Vision”
“Battered”
“Revenge Of The Wolf”
“Marauders Of Doom”
“Electric Warning”
“Bastardized Force”
“Final Strike”
Hollands' oldest death metal band Thanatos is premiering a video from the group's upcoming anniversary album and DVD Four Decades Of Death, set to celebrate the 40th year of the band's existence on November 15 via Agonia Records. Watch "Global Purification" below.
The album consists of previously unreleased songs and a bonus DVD, which captures, on a multi-cam recording, the band's last live show from 2022.
"From beyond the grave we bring you this album with unreleased stuff from the past four decades plus a cool live registration of our last show ever," comments Thanatos's founder, Stephan Gebédi (Hail Of Bullets). "Filmed at the Baroeg Open Air festival in our hometown Rotterdam on September 10th 2022, the band played songs ranging from the early demo days to our final album Violent Death Rituals in front of about 8000 people. This is a posthumous celebration of our 40th anniversary. Releasing this rare, unreleased stuff on CD/vinyl and our final show on DVD feels like a great way to end things or, to put it more bluntly, put the last nail in our coffin!"
Four Decades Of Death will be released in CD, LP (both formats to include the bonus DVD) and digital. The cover artwork was drawn by Toni Hietomaa.
Tracklisting:
Album
“A-Thanasia” (2021 remake, originally recorded in 1989)
“Putrid Existence” (2021 remake, originally written in 1988)
“Thou Shalt Rot” (2021 remake, originally recorded in 2000)
“Tied Up, Sliced Up” (2021 new vocals, original recording 1992)
“Violent Death Rituals” (2018 studio demo)
“Corporate Indoctrination” (2018 studio demo)
“The Silent War” (2018 studio demo)
“They Feed On Fear” (2006 studio demo)
“Destruction. Chaos. Creation.” (2006 studio demo)
“Justified Genocide” (2006 studio demo)
“March Of The Infidels” (2006 studio demo)
“Unholy Predators” (2023 version feat. Michelle Nocon)*
*CD bonus track
DVD
“Intro”
“Dawn Of The Dead”
“The Murder Of Innocence”
“Violent Death Rituals”
“And Jesus Wept”
“Unholy Predators”
“Angelic Encounters”
“Feeding The War Machine”
“Outward Of The Inward”
“Global Purification”
“
In time for a perfect Halloween, Norway's one and only Gothminister has released not just a 4-track EP, featuring songs of the latest Battle Of The Underworlds album plus a previously unreleased, original version of Eurovision pre-contest hit "We Come Alive", but also a final music video for "Tonight", taken off the colossal Pandemonium saga.
In random order, five music videos have been revealed to date, whereas this last part, "Tonight" , includes the final battle between the Evil King Gothminister and the leader of the uproars against the King (Pandemonium), also known as the leader of the Werewolf clan who joined forces with the clan of the Witches (Battle of the Underworlds).
"Tonight - a change is in the air. The King’s revenge! We have finally come to the last one of the 6 music videos in my hexalogy about the Evil King Gothminister and his Battle", Gothminister comments. "I hope you all will like it!"
Get the Tonight EP here, and watch the new video below.
Tonight EP tracklisting:
"Tonight"
"We Are The Heroes"
"We Come Alive" (In The End Original version)
"Creepy Shadows"
"Tonight" video:
Gothminister is an indescribable phenomenon. With a unique blend of modern gothic industrial metal, danceable EDM parts and a pinch of retro charm, impressive theatrical live stage shows or the sophisticated music videos which received more than 30 international film awards to date, Gothminister have earned themselves a reputation of being “one of the most iconic gothic/industrial metal acts” in the heavy music scene. Not only has their power-laden sound with its remarkable atmospheric density inspired audiences since 1999, its eloquent fantasy stories have also transported them to uncharted territories.
Texas rockers, Texas Hippie Coalition, have released the hilariously entertaining animated video for their recently released track, "Bones Jones". The video was directed by musician Edsel Dope and co-directed by David Perada, and animated by Makinita Silva. The video tells the crazy story of the character Bones Jones, with the heavy riffs on the tracks setting the manic mood.
“In our hometown, there was a guy named ‘Bones’," says frontman Big Dad Ritch. "He was about six-foot-seven-inches tall like Lurch from The Addams Family. I’d get weed from him, but he sold everything you could think of. Just weed for me though,” he chuckles.
Texas Hippie Coalition released their new album, Gunsmoke, via MNRK Heavy on October 4. This time, Big Dad Ritch and his crew wholeheartedly embrace their country and Southern rock stylings as well as a lifelong passion for westerns.
With drinks poured, fists raised, and smiles wide, Texas Hippie Coalition (THC) always know how to have a good time. A collective of tried-and-true rabble-rousers and dyed-in-the-wool storytellers, the Texas quintet - Big Dad Ritch [vocals], Cord Pool [guitar], Nevada Romo [guitar], Rado Romo [bass], and Joey Mandigo [drums] - spike ass-whopping hard rock with a kick of country swagger and a whole lot of Texas grit and gusto.
Gathering tens of millions of streams, logging thousands of miles on the road, and energizing countless fans, they deliver ten anthems tailor-made to simmer and scorch on Gunsmoke. “In terms of the lyrics, the vibe, and where THC come from, we definitely went home on this album,” says Ritch. “It represents the wild west Texas-Oklahoma area. You’ve got a little red dirt country spilling over into the storytelling and metal. It’s a return to th
The raven-haired rock star from Los Angeles, Dorothy, returned this summer, with the scorching new single "Mud". She rode in on a black horse, equipped with leather and signature red lip, the rock world will once again be schooled in the undeniable chemistry that is alive and well amongst metal and rock loyalists and country badasses. A musical outlaw through and through, Dorothy's new single is a display of raw, full-bodied vocal power complimented by heavy-hitting instrumentation and riffs galore. The song is sitting at No. 3 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Chart and at No. 4 on the Active Rock chart.
Earlier this month, the singer shared an explosive performance video of the song, something her legion of fans has been eager to see and hear. Dorothy also performed alongside CREED's Scott Stapp at the legendary Grand Ole Opry in Nashville on October 23. It served as the first-ever live performance of their duet "If These Walls Could Talk", an acoustic ballad that delivers two Grammy-worthy vocal performances that escalate to soaring climax as they depict the experience of suffering in silence. It also marked Dorothy's first time performing at this historic venue.
Today, she closes out a bustling and busy month by offering fans another new sonic gift in the form of the new track "The Devil I Know". Watch the video below.
"'The Devil I Know' is a battle cry about the human condition and the spiritual warfare we engage in every day," the singer offers, sharing insight into the song's deeper meaning. "It's a prayer for help in time of need, laced with fury toward the demons that we fight against individually and collectively."
She continues, "This one also boasts a mean and heavy riff."
The details of Dororthy's forthcoming fourth studio album will be announced in due course.
Dorothy's discography thus far includes "Gifts From The Holy Ghost" (2022),which was inspired by a spiritual awakening, as well as "ROCKISDEAD" (2016),which inspired Roc Nation to sign the artist to the label, and "28 Days In The Valley" (2018). The Budapest, Hungary-born stunner has enjoyed over one billion global streams combined across her career and has participated in high-profile collaborations with everyone from STAIND to Slash of GUNS N' ROSES to Scott Stapp of CREED to ALICE COOPER guitarist Nita Strauss, earning and ultimately cementing her place among the hard rock elite.
The reunited expanded classic lineup of German power metallers HELLOWEEN will release a new live album, "Live At Budokan", on December 13, 2024 via Reigning Phoenix Music (RPM). The colossal effort immortalizes HELLOWEEN's September 16, 2023 performance at Tokyo's legendary Nippon Budokan.
"Live At Budokan" will be available in a plethora of formats: 2CD-digipak and 3LP vinyl in trifold with the first print run of both coming as "deluxe edition" including embossed cover artwork, as well as Blu-ray, DVD and digital. Each version is meticulously crafted to suit the metal community's diverse tastes, ensuring every fan can relive the raw, unfiltered energy of HELLOWEEN in their preferred medium.
To tide fans over until "Live At Budokan" arrives, HELLOWEEN has launched the second single, "Eagle Fly Free". This high-octane rendition of their timeless classic captures the unmistakable chemistry between the band and the spirited Japanese audience at Tokyo's Budokan, elevating the track to an entirely new level.
HELLOWEEN guitarist/vocalist Kai Hansen states: "A song that is just as wonderful and popular today as it was when it was first released. It comes with an effective overture, has a great upbeat and a brilliant, fast-paced ending. 'Eagle Fly Free' has the ultimate vibe and encourages you to sing along. It has everything you would expect from an 'evergreen,' I love playing it."
This release celebrates the grand finale of HELLOWEEN's epic world tour from 2022 to 2023. Spanning over 30 countries on three continents, the tour was nothing short of a triumph, drawing massive crowds and showcasing the band's undying appeal, the sold-out concert in Tokyo is the crowning glory of the cycle. Known for their explosive stage presence and high-voltage performances, HELLOWEEN's shows are fueled by the unique chemistry among the band members. Triple lead-guitar attacks from Michael Weikath, Kai Hansen and Sascha Gerstner alternate with goosebump-inducing duets from vocalists Michael Kiske and Andi Deris, occasionally supported by Kai Hansen, the band's original singer and third voice. He also takes the spectators on a journey back in time with a medley from the band's early days, returning to the origins of their sound — HELLOWEEN, the godfathers of melodic speed metal.
Choosing the Nippon Budokan for this live recording was no coincidence. A venue rich in musical history, it has hosted countless legendary concerts and is an accolade for every music group that has played there. HELLOWEEN is the first German band ever to record a live album in the Nippon Budokan, and for the members it was a dream come true.
Kiske described the show as "surreal, with the electrifying fan energy creating a magical atmosphere." Bassist Markus Grosskopf spoke of the venue's profound personal and historical significance, expressing how humbling and inspiring it was to perform in a place that shaped their own musical journeys.
The live recording's technical brilliance is another highlight. With 29 cameras capturing every nuance, the production team ensured that each moment of the concert is preserved in stunning detail. This attention to detail means the Blu-ray and DVD versions offer an immersive viewing experience, making fans feel like they are right there in the front row.
The setlist of this live album is a treasure trove of surprises, contains the entire 2-hour+ show and offers a fresh experience compared to previous releases like "United Alive" (2019). This thoughtful song selection honors both the die-hard fans craving something new and the band's rich musical legacy, showcasing their evolution and expansive repertoire.
This live album is more than just a concert recording; it's a celebration of HELLOWEEN's enduring impact on the metal scene. It promises to bring the magic of an unforgettable performance straight into fans' homes, offering a piece of music history that embodies the spirit and energy of a legendary band at their peak.
"Live At Budokan" track listing:
01. Orbit
02. Skyfall
03. Eagle Fly Free
04. Mass Pollution
05. Future World
06. Power
07. Save Us
08. Kai's Medley [Walls Of Jericho, Metal Invaders, Victim Of Fate, Gorgar, Ride The Sky, Heavy Metal Is The Law]
09. Forever And One (Neverland)
10. Best Time
11. Dr. Stein
12. How Many Tears
13. Perfect Gentleman
14. Keeper Of The Seven Keys
15. Drumokan (*on Blu-ray/DVD only!*)
16. I Want Out
Artwork by Martin Häusler
Earlier this year, HELLOWEEN signed with Reigning Phoenix Music for the release of its next studio album. The band was scheduled to enter the studio this past summer to begin work on the follow-up to 2021's acclaimed self-titled effort, with plans to issue the LP in 2025.
HELLOWEEN's recent "United Forces" world tour took the band to 26 countries on three continents, bringing together more than 800,000 fans. The trek included sold-out headline shows in Los Angeles, New York and São Paulo, as well as highlights like the show at the Prague O2 Arena, the Schleyer-Halle in Stuttgart, or in front of 14,000 metalheads in Santiago de Chile and HELLOWEEN's first-ever sold-out concert at the iconic Budokan in Tokyo, Japan — the Holy Grail and the ultimate accolade for every rock band. Without a doubt, there were tears in everyone's eyes at the bombastic Hell & Heaven festival in Mexico City, which closed the tour.
In March 2023, Kiske told Canada's The Metal Voice that Kai had already sent him a demo of a song that he was working on that "I was very happy about, because it's not what you would expect; the song was a bit outside of the box, which I am always grateful for," Michael said. "I always thought that was exciting about HELLOWEEN. When you check out the 'Keeper [Of The Seven Keys: Part] I' and 'Keeper [Of The Seven Keys: Part] II' records, now they're classics, but when they came out, it was very different to what the 'Walls Of Jericho' record sounded like. But we had the balls to do it. And I think that's why I'm still here, because those records had an impact because of being pretty fearless. And it is always the benefit of the youth; most of the time, the younger people are very fearless.
"What I like about WeikiandKai, they can't fool themselves. They just write songs. They don't function in any other way but just making the song, and whatever it is, that's what it is. And that song was a bit QUEEN-like. It had a lot of piano parts in it — very operatic, with big choirs. And then it gets rocking again and stuff like that. It's another Kai Hansen sort of symphony. But I really liked it. And I'm glad that he does something like that. I just hope the rest of the band has the balls to do it. I would do it."
Asked if he will be contributing any musical ideas to HELLOWEEN's next effort, since he didn't write anything on "Helloween", Kiske said: "I don't know. I'm not so much of a metal songwriter. I was when I was a teenager. But these days I just don't write metal songs; I just write songs on acoustic guitar somehow. And if I have something where I feel like the band could make a HELLOWEEN song out of it, of course I will present it to them, and then if they get a kick out of it, something's gonna happen. But we have so many songwriters in this band now. And they're all really capable of writing that sort of material that everybody loves, and that's mainly Andi, Sascha, Weiki and Hansen. And I think that's more than enough. If I have an idea, I sneak it in. But I don't really push myself."
As for whether the rest of HELLOWEEN has also begun composing music for the band's next LP, Kiske said: "I know that Andi has songs, and I know that Kai has a whole bunch of songs. He was a bit lazy last time; he only had that one great song, [the 12-minute] 'Skyfall', which was maybe good for three songs, and that's why it's justified, but I would have wished for even more from him. And I think this time he will be presenting a whole bunch of songs more. At least that's my impression, the feeling that I have — there might be more coming from him this time. Andi is always in the game. Andi has this gift; he can just sit down and write 10 songs. He can just do it. I don't know how he does it."
In August 2022, Kiske told Chile's Radio Futuro that the overwhelmingly positive response to "Helloween" "was pretty unexpected. I was expected it to do good, but it was, like, perfect.
"It is very difficult for you, when you're involved in an album, to have an objective view at what you're doing," he explained. "You just do what you do. You always try to make the best out of every song. And obviously the spirit within the band is very good, which helps, but you never know how people hear it. So the best thing you can do is fade it all out, not think about it, and just try to make every song exciting for yourself; that's the best thing you can do. The less you think about success or how critics might see it, the better for the album. It's not easy, but you've gotta have that discipline to kind of fade it out and not let it get to you.
"I was surprised how well it was received, but, of course, it was a very welcome motivation, especially [in 2021]," Kiske added. "We released it right in the middle of the whole pandemic crap, and that was a positive lift, doing the interviews and seeing how people reacted to it."
Regarding how HELLOWEEN had managed to pull off the seemingly impossible by splitting vocals on the album between returning singer Kiske and longtime frontman Deris, with added contributions from Hansen, Michael said: "It was actually great. It was very easy. I was kind of expecting it to be difficult, but it wasn't, because there was no ego fights going on between me and Andi. We were just there on Tenerife meeting up almost every day.
"Before we started recording, we had Dennis Ward making a rough draft of what he thinks could work in terms of splitting: 'This sounds like Andi. This sounds a bit like Michael.' And that was how we approached it. It was some kind of pre-draft of how we could do it, but was nothing written in stone.
"One day I came to the studio and the evening before Andi was recording something, or had recorded something, and he wasn't feeling so happy with it. He came and said, 'I was trying this and that. And maybe you should give it a try too.' And then we figured out what sounds the best for the song.
"There are a whole bunch of songs where you can hear right away, 'That's an Andi Deris song. He should sing that.' Or, 'That's a typical Kiske song. That sounds great [with Kiske vocals].' It's like 'Angels', for instance, it was very clear that that was mostly a Kiske song, and Sascha [Gerstner, guitar] had written it with my voice in his head. But there are other songs, especially when Andi writes his own songs, usually it sounds best when he does it unless he wrote it with my voice in his head, like he did with 'Fear Of The Fallen'. 'Fear Of The Fallen', he was writing it with both singers in his mind, and that works out.
"But it was very easy," Kiske repeated. "Because you just try it out, and you very quickly hear what works best. And I would say, like, 70 percent of the time we knew before that that would be sounding better with him or that would be sounding better with me. Or even with Kai — there were even spots where we thought he should do it."
Upon its release in June 2021, "Helloween" landed in the Top 10 in more than 10 countries, including Germany, Spain, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland and Austria. The cover artwork for the LP was painted by artist Eliran Kantor, who has previously worked with HATEBREED, SOULFLY, TESTAMENT, ICED EARTH and SODOM, among others.
Produced by Charlie Bauerfeind and Dennis Ward, the latest HELLOWEEN LP was recorded in part at the H.O.M.E. Studios in Hamburg (where everything started in 1984). The same recording console used for such HELLOWEEN albums as "Master Of The Rings", "Time Of The Oath" and "Better Than Raw" was utilized to record the band's new material. The effort was mixed at the Valhalla Studios of Ronald Prent (IRON MAIDEN, DEF LEPPARD, RAMMSTEIN).
"Helloween" saw the legendary German power metallers going "back to the roots," with the band recording fully analog and Daniel Löble playing the drum kit previously used by HELLOWEEN's original drummer, the late Ingo Schwichtenberg, on the legendary "Keeper Of The Seven Keys" recordings.
The "Pumpkins United" tour marked the first time Kiske had played live with HELLOWEEN since 1993. Hansen, who departed HELLOWEEN in 1988, had been joining the band onstage on various tours and festival appearances throughout the years. The set featured several duets with Kiske and his replacement, Deris, along with many rarely played songs, including "Kids Of The Century", "Rise And Fall" and "Livin' Ain't No Crime". Hansen — who fronted HELLOWEEN until late 1986 — sang a medley of several early HELLOWEEN classics, including "Ride The Sky", "Judas", "Starlight" and "Heavy Metal (Is The Law)".
In 2022, Deris told the "Metal Command" podcast that he "strongly" hoped the reunited expanded classic lineup of HELLOWEEN would eventually make another album to follow up "Helloween". "I mean, as long as the vibe is great, chemistry is great and everybody's having fun with each other, it would be a crime not to do so and not to plan for a future together," he said.
"'Pumpkins United' is not only the name for the last tour, I think that's something like a brand," he continued. "HELLOWEEN 'Pumpkins United', that's something like a band — a new or something like [that] growing from the old band."
On the topic of how HELLOWEEN has managed to maintain internal harmony with so many members involved, Andi said: "I just can tell you getting along with each other, I think it's rooted in the matter of fact that we're finally too old for the other shit. [Laughs] From a certain age on, you let other people live and you don't take everything personal. Talking for [myself], whenever somebody told me something that could be looked at in a negative way, I took it the negative way. Even though when you look at it from the positive side of you, you could say, 'Well, man, maybe it was even a compliment, because have you seen it from that side?' 'No.' That's what happens when you're getting older — you don't take everything on the negative side: 'Oh, he's attacking me' or 'he's meaning bad' or 'he's meaning to annihilate you or intimidate you' or whatever. Everybody in the band, even together now with seven people, I have to say everybody is old enough to not always look at it from the negative [point of view] but also try to realize who's talking. So I cannot imagine that the boys are meaning bad if they speak about me in a sense that I could take negatively, but because I like everybody, I personally think, 'Well, I don't think they're talking negatively.' So I try to find the sense in a positive way, and most of the time — 99.9 percent [of the time] — it's exactly that. It's nothing negative; it's positive. But back in the day, everything I took was negative — when I was in my 20s and 30s. Then when you get [to] 40, it's getting better. [Laughs] Or maybe it's just you don't give a shit anymore."
Southern California heavy metal veterans, Leatherwolf, are celebrating Halloween with the release of a horror themed video for the song "Lights Out Agan", off their most recent full-length album, Kill The Hunted. The clip features vocalist Keith Adamiak, the triple axe attack of Rob Math, Luke Man and David Coffman, bassist Brice Snyder, and drummer Dean Roberts and can be viewed below.
The band once again collaborated with award winning Spanish filmmaker, Èric Boadella, whose credits include L.A. Guns, Black Swan, and Revolution Saints, among others. Filmed at The Barracks in Downtown Los Angeles, "Lights Out Agan" finds the band in the clutches of a train driving wolfman on the way to their next concert but his train runs out of blood!
"We've done several videos with Eric and this one is definitely different", says Roberts. "All the others have pretty much been straight forward performance videos - this one has a bit of a storyline, it's sort of a mini-horror movie with an element of camp. Eric came up with the concept and we pretty much gave him and his crew free reign. I think it turned out really cool and the whole vibe of the clip is perfect for Halloween so here we go!"
Leatherwolf are currently working on an EP for 2025, which is set to feature a mix of new songs and re-recordings of several tracks from the band's catalog. The first of these re-recordings, a remake of "Thunder" off 1989's Street Ready, re-titled "Thunder (MMXXII)", was released as a bonus track on the Japanese CD and the vinyl edition of Kill The Hunted and features a lead guitar guest appearance by Joel Hoekstra.
Kill The Hunted album artwork, tracklisting, and videos below.
Kill The Hunted tracklisting:
"Hit The Dirt"
"Nobody"
"Kill The Hunted"
"Only The Wicked"
"Madhouse"
"Medusa"
"The Henchman"
"(Evil) Empires
THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER has released the official music video for the song "Utopia Black". The fiery new tune comes off the band's tenth studio album, "Servitude", which came out on September 27 via Metal Blade Records.
With the tragic passing of the band's frontman and co-founder Trevor Strnad in 2022, guitarist Brian Eschbach, bassist Max Lavelle, drummer Alan Cassidy and producer/guitarist Brandon Ellis were faced with a decision: close the door on one of the most beloved death metal bands of the last twenty years, or carry on in their fallen brother's charismatic spirit?
"Everyone that's in the band now is someone that Trevor and I searched for," Eschbach says. "We spent so much time on the road together that everyone understands the mission statement. We don't really need to talk about it. We just need to make great music and try to make people happy playing it."
After a period of profound grief and deep soul-searching, Eschbach moved from guitar to vocals, setting aside his lifelong identity as a live guitarist for the survival of the band. Former THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER member Ryan Knight returned to the fold to take Eschbach's place on guitar. The new lineup made their debut in the band's hometown of Detroit in late October 2022 for a tribute show for Strnad.
Fast forward to right about now: THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER's new album is the one that many would have thought impossible. "Servitude" marks Eschbach's recorded debut as THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER's lead vocalist and lyricist — and their first with Knight on guitar since 2015's "Abysmal".
"I just had to lean into it hard," Eschbach says of approaching 'Servitude' in a completely new role. "Honestly, writing the lyrics for this album was easier for me than writing the music for the three songs that I wrote music for. I'd pick a subject, research it, and just kinda dive in. Even though it's not something I'd really ever done before, there was a natural flow to it once I started."
You can hear the thrilling results on "Aftermath" the ripping lead single, which envisions a post-apocalyptic cannibal scenario. "We wanted that one to be heard first because it's one of the faster songs on the album, if not the fastest," Eschbach says. "We wanted that very aggressive BLACK DAHLIA melodic death metal feel coming right at you. Lyrically, it's about a meteor that fucks up the whole planet, but there's still people living. Kind of like 'The Walking Dead', but with no zombies — so you get right to how people deal with it. And by the end, they're eating each other."
The members of THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER know that some will be skeptical of an album without Trevor's inimitable presence. But many fans have already embraced the band's decision to move forward.
"More than pressures or expectations from the fanbase, I feel their trust and support," Ellis says. "We've always done what we do for them, and they've appreciated our consistency over the years. The global outcry following Trevor's passing has shown us how important the band's music has been to so many people, and how important it is that we continue in his honor. Under all that weight, I think we all knew what needed to be done."
"We put in everything we had, and this is the album that felt right to make," he adds. "I'm proud of it and proud of the five of us. You can never please everybody, but I know that this music will be a healing and positive force for those who embrace it!"
The guitars, bass, and vocals for "Servitude" were recorded at Ellis's home studio in New Jersey. The drums were recorded by Mark Lewis in Nashville, Tennessee where the album was also mixed. "Servitude" was mastered by Ted Jensen.
"Servitude" was released on digipak CD, cassette and digital formats as well as vinyl.
"Servitude" track listing:
01. Evening Ephemeral
02. Panic Hysteric
03. Aftermath
04. Cursed Creator
05. An Intermission
06. Asserting Dominion
07. Servitude
08. Mammoth's Hand
09. Transcosmic Blueprint
10. Utopia Black
THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER has joined DYING FETUS for a North American co-headlining tour this fall. The "Beg To Serve 2024" tour commenced on October 3 in Cleveland, Ohio and is making its way through over two dozen cities, the journey coming to a close on November 10 in Chicago, Illinois. Support is being provided by SPITE, ANGELMAKER and VOMIT FORTH.
THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER is:
Brian Eschbach - lead vocals
Max Lavelle - bass
Alan Cassidy - drums
Brandon Ellis - lead guitar, backing vocals
Ryan Knight - rhythm guitar, backing vocals
With an unyielding spirit and defiant energy, "Not Dead Yet" is the latest offering from ENVY OF NONE. Featuring the masterful musicianship of RUSH's Alex Lifeson (guitars),CONEY HATCH's Andy Curran (bass, keyboards, backing vocals),Alf Annibalini (guitar, keyboards) and Randy Cooke (drums),with the ever-compelling Maiah Wynne delivering lead vocals, ENVY OF NONE conjure a unique blend of classic, progressive rock and modern, vibrant textures.
Speaking on the song's meaning, Maiah, who penned the lyrics, shared that it was inspired by Andy's raw chorus line: "I'm not dead yet, come on along and see what I am good for." She describes the track as a cathartic anthem, one that embodies resilience and defiance against the forces that aim to tear us down. "You have to continue to exist, to create, and to fight. That's the heart of the song: keep going and enjoy the ride." The single is accompanied by a video inspired by the Mexican Dia De Los Muertos 'Day Of The Dead' holiday.
As the band blends their dynamic soundscapes, "Not Dead Yet" unfolds as a layered journey, driving forward with tight rhythms and Alex Lifeson's legendary guitar lines. The breakdown, Wynne's favorite part, is the song's emotional peak, offering listeners a moment of release before launching back into its resilient conclusion. The mix, by Annibalini, coupled with Harry Hess's mastering, guarantees that every element shines with clarity and force.
"Not Dead Yet" not only serves as a bold statement from the band but also as a testament to the unyielding human spirit, a reminder to keep fighting, creating, and pushing forward — no matter what.
Credits:
• Animation / directed by: Mariano Biotico
• Written, arranged, recorded, and produced by ENVY OF NONE
• Mixed by Alf Annibalini
• Mastered by Harry Hess at HBomb Mastering
ENVY OF NONE is:
Alf Annibalini - Guitar, Keyboards
Andy Curran - Bass Guitar, Background Vocals, Guitar
Alex Lifeson - Guitar, Mandola, Oud,
Maiah Wynne - Lead Vocals, Background Vocals, Keyboards
ENVY OF NONE is busy in the studio putting the finishing touches on its next album and the follow-up to 2022's self-titled debut, expected in spring 2025.
Cathy Rankin has released her debut single "Now You've Gone", featuring renowned musicians David Ellefson (formerly of MEGADETH) and Ken Mary (formerly of ALICE COOPER). The emotional track, inspired by deeply personal experiences, reflects on themes of love, grief, and ultimately hope, and will be accompanied by an official music video.
Rankin wrote the song as a tribute to legendary drummer Neil Peart, and her nephew, Christian. "Both had a permanent impact on my life," she shares. "Neil's music and lyrics were a huge influence for me, and my nephew was a light in this world for the 18 years he was here. The song is my way of expressing the void I felt when they were gone, and connecting with others who have experienced similar feelings of loss."
The project came naturally as Rankin, Ellefson, Mary and guitarist John Bronson were all connected through their music roots in Arizona, and their involvement with the Metal Hall Of Fame. They discovered their shared passion for RUSH which led to the development of the song. Rankin explains: "Ken co-wrote and produced the track while John and I have played and performed together for years. David jumped on board, and everything just clicked. The entire process was a fun and smooth experience and we formed lasting friendships."
Both Mary and Ellefson are proud of the project.
"Working with Cathy is amazing," said Mary. "She's a total pro, and when I heard her idea for this song, I wanted to get involved right away. She's an incredible talent, and I feel the song is the most moving tribute I've heard to date."
Ellefson added: "She did a fantastic job honoring Neil with this moving tribute. May this song continue to live to honor our prog hero from fans such as us."
Music enthusiasts will not want to miss the official video. Rankin shares her excitement, stating, "RUSH fans, especially, will catch the subtle metaphors and nods to the Professor, but rock fans in general will appreciate the exceptional musicianship and production."
Though "Now You've Gone" is Rankin's first original single, she's been active in the music scene for years, co-hosting the Metal Hall Of Fame with Eddie Trunk, the annual Bubba Bash with YYNOT (honoring Neil) and singing on countless stages with her successful cover bands. This release is the perfect introduction to Rankin as an original artist, and fans can expect more to come.
To celebrate the release of "Now You've Gone", Rankin is signing a limited amount of "Exit Stage Left"-inspired flats and making available the brand-new Cathy Rankin official t-shirt.
With the release of their third single, Finnish modern metal act Arctis is prepared to unleash their fast approaching self-titled debut album, out this Friday, November 1 via Napalm Records.
The feeling of being lost and hurt, especially after a betrayal can be devastating – but can also inspire a hymn for the strong-hearted as Arctis proves with their new earworm “Tell Me Why”. Despite the pain, stunning vocalist Alva Sandström insists she won´t be brought down and will keep fighting through tough times. An anthem for facing challenges while trying to stay strong, making it relatable to anyone who has felt heartache or confusion.
Arctis is set to take listeners on an exhilarating journey, blending the essence of nature with technological innovation. Inspired by Finland's dramatic seasonal changes, their storytelling captivates fans in ways that go beyond just the music. Arctis features production by Jimmy Westerlund (Sturm und Drang), mixing by Stefan Glaumann (Rammstein), and mastering by Svante Forsbäck (Rammstein). This fall, the band will join forces with Finnish metal legends Apocalyptica for an exciting tour, showcasing their self-titled debut album live on stage and solidifying their reputation as a must-see act.
Arctis comment on their new single: “We’re almost there. ‘Tell Me Why’ is the last echo before the ice shatters and the full force of Arctis is unleashed. Step into the cold, feel the frost creeping closer and let the shadows guide you. The album looms on the horizon... are you ready?”
Watch the official video for “Tell Me Why”:
Arctis is more than just a band—it’s an otherworldly experience, led by the enigmatic and powerful Ice Queen, Alva. Draped in her shining white battle suit, Alva’s ethereal presence transcends the stage, her voice weaving through realms both known and unknown, pulling her followers into a captivating journey. By her side stand the dark-clad warriors: Björn the Captain, whose unshakable command leads the band into uncharted sonic territories; Michael the Magician, a mysterious figure whose fingers conjure sounds that transport audiences across time and space; Mats the Rambler, the wild-hearted spirit who channels untamed energy into every note; and Mika the Sage, whose rhythmic pulse guides Arctis through the mystical realms they explore.
Together, these figures form a force unlike any other—a powerful and dynamic energy that blurs the lines between reality and fantasy. On stage, they do not simply perform, they create an experience—one that immerses fans in the Arctis universe, where music, story, and atmosphere collide, leaving a lasting imprint on all who witness their journey. Arctis is not just a sound; it is a feeling, a moment suspended in time, an escape into a world where legends come to life.
Drawing inspiration on northern themes as metaphors, Arctis explores mental struggles and the internal battles within modern chaos. The strong opener, “I’ll Give You Hell”, delves into the complexities of romance, highlighting the inevitable downfall that arises from a relationship, where honesty and commitment are lacking. With its original version already amassing 5 million streams to date, Finnish modern metal act Arctis is set to add to the song's impressive reception with the release of their own rendition of “Bimbo" (Lambretta cover). With a 2000s pop-rock vibe, “Remedy” addresses drug addiction and the steep price one is willing to pay for it. The mystical “Tell Me Why” paints a starry landscape of anger and self-deception while the enchanting “Frozen Swan” showcases personal musical talent while exploring the concept of self-freedom. This smoothly transitions into the upbeat “Fire”, which explores the risks of drug consumption, before flowing seamlessly into “When The Lights Go Out” lyrically exploring nocturnal metaphors through vivid passages. Closing the album, “Theatre Of Tragedy” features powerful guitar riffs, underscoring the limitations of personal human struggle.
Whether through music, artwork, or storytelling, Arctis creates a multi-dimensional world that fans can immerse themselves in and explore, transcending genre boundaries and offering a truly unique experience. Prepare for an onslaught of powerful riffs, epic melodies, and the raw energy that has never been seen before.
Arctis about their debut album: “The moment we've been dreaming of is finally here, and we couldn’t be more excited to share it with you all. It’s been a long road, filled with hard work, late nights, and an unbreakable passion for music, but we’re thrilled to announce that our first single is out, our debut album is on the way, and we’re hitting the road for our first tour. Now, we’re ready to take on the world, bring our music to life on stage, and connect with each and every one of you. This is just the beginning, and we’re so happy to have you with us as we start this next chapter. Get ready, because we’re coming in full force – and we can’t wait to see you on the road.”
Arctis will be available in the following formats:
- 1LP Gatefold Aquamarine
- 1LP Gatefold Black
- 1CD Digisleeve
- Digital Album
"I'll Give You Hell"
"Bimbo"
"Remedy"
"Tell Me Why"
"Frozen Swan"
"WWM"
"Fire"
"Child Of The Night"
"When The Lights Go Out"
"No Slave"
"Theatre Of Tragedy"
Fan-filmed video of KING DIAMOND's entire October 25 concert at The Eastern in Atlanta, Georgia can be seen below.
Featured songs:
Funeral 0:00:00
Arrival 0:01:25
Mansion In The Darkness 0:07:20
Intros 0:12:14
Halloween 0:14:20
Voodoo 0:19:30
Them 0:24:17
Spiderlily 0:27:34
Two Little Girls 0:32:00
Sleepless Nights 0:35:00
Out From The Asylum 0:40:00
Welcome Home 0:41:46
The Invisible Guests 0:47:56
The Candle 0:53:13
Masquerade Of Madness 1:01:00
The Eye Of The Witch 1:06:09
Burn 1:10:40
Electro-Therapy 1:16:08
Abigail 1:23:42
Insanity 1:28:44
KING DIAMOND kicked off its long-awaited North American headlining tour on October 15 at Boeing Center at Tech Port in San Antonio, Texas. The "Saint Lucifer's Hospital 1920" trek will run through December 6 in Dallas, Texas. Support is coming from OVERKILL and NIGHT DEMON. Additional backing vocals for the KING DIAMOND set are provided by the special guest Myrkur.
KING DIAMOND's setlist for the current tour includes two new songs, "Spider Lilly" and "Electro Therapy".
When the tour was first announced, KING DIAMOND's namesake frontman said about what fans can expect: "This is Saint Lucifer's Hospital. Enter if you dare!
"We have been busy putting this ever-growing horror story together, and it's still growing. I know the end of it, but how we will get there will be a long trip. There are so many characters, and so many unexpected things along this journey. It's a crazy family on another timeline in 1920, where I experienced some hard times, and they have to come to our time to steal from us to survive. This is the most elaborate thing we have ever done, that goes for the stage production as well.
"There will be additional backing vocals by Myrkur and she'll be playing organ for songs that need it. There will be some horrific surprises taking place on stage, but we are not to be held responsible since we are on a whole different timeline in 1920. It was back at the time when medicine was going through a dark period with lots of testing on human beings in order to progress medicine.
"This is Saint Lucifer's Hospital, also known as The Institute. Enter if you dare!"
KING DIAMOND 2024 touring lineup:
Andy La Rocque - guitar
Mike Wead - guitar
Pontus Egberg - bass
Matt Thompson - drums
Myrkur - additional backing vocals, keyboards
Titled "The Institute", KING DIAMOND's first studio LP in 18 years is tentatively due in 2025 via Metal Blade. It will be made available as a two-LP horror concept story, with the second part arriving at a later date.
In October 2023, KING DIAMOND released a music video for the 2019 single "Masquerade Of Madness". The clip was directed by David Brodsky and Allison Woest of MyGoodEye Visuals.
At the time of the video's release, King commented: "'Masquerade Of Madness' was released digitally in 2019 before our North American tour. During rehearsals, we took one full day to film 'Masquerade Of Madness' with David Brodsky and Allison Woest. We spent all day and all night recording while performing the song with our full tour stage show choreography. After the tour, Covid happened.
"The video was all but forgotten as the world came to a standstill — we never saw a single frame from all the footage. Years later, as things began to pick up and writing began for both new MERCYFUL FATE and KING DIAMOND records, we wondered, what happened to that video from four years ago? So we decided to check in with David Brodsky and a couple of weeks later, we had the first cut of the video.
"I was speechless! I had nothing to criticize and after just a few notes from Andy La Rocque, the video for 'Masquerade Of Madness' was finished! There's so much mood and black and white is used in a perfect way with Jodi's performances. The visuals fit the music flawlessly and this is now among my favorite KING DIAMOND videos along with 'Sleepless Nights' and 'Welcome Home' — and not to forget of course, our double live DVD."
A month after KING DIAMOND released "Masquerade Of Madness" in November 2019, KING DIAMOND guitarist Andy La Rocque told The Metal Voice that he came up with the music for the track first before passing it off to King, who "needed to arrange a few things and change just a small few things for making it work with his vocals. And then, of course, he wrote the lyrics for it," the guitarist revealed. "So we [went] a little back and forth until he felt like, 'Okay, this is cool, man. This is the right key to sing in,' and all that."
At the 2022 Bloodstock Open Air festival at Catton Park, Walton-on-Trent, United Kingdom, King spoke to Bloodstock TV's Oran O'Beirne about his plans for "The Institute". "Something with KING DIAMOND, we have a very special thing [planned] for that album," King said. "It's gonna be a two-album story. But KING DIAMOND, we are building something that you will never have seen on a stage before — not that way. And with the light guy, he's never done it that way either. … It's very different, very sick. You will not have seen musicians standing on stage in that type of light. It's gonna be very dark. They have to learn to play in dark areas. It's crazy. I know that our light guy, he can't wait for us to do it. I showed him some pictures that have the kind of feelings I want, the kind of backdrops I want, stuff like that. … This is gonna blow people's minds when they see it, I am a hundred percent sure."
La Rocque, whose real name is Anders Allhage, discussed his vision for the new KING DIAMOND album with The Metal Voice, saying that it will be filled with great "melodies, of course. Super important. Without melodies, there is no music," he explained. "I'm also envisioning a more organic sound of the album. If you look back to the older albums, when Mikkey [Dee] played [drums for the band], for example, it's, like, a little bit up and down in tempo, and that makes it dynamic and also organic. So that's one thing that I would like to hear on the next album, for sure. But building up a dynamic, kind of organic feel, the drummer is a really important thing here, of course. And I know that Matt Thompson [current KING DIAMOND drummer] is the right guy to do this, for sure."
In March 2019, King told Full Metal Jackie's nationally syndicated radio show that the next album from his namesake band will be "absolutely gruesome" with a story set in a 1920s mental institution. "I chose that because I think it's a very creepy scenario," he explained. "And some of the things that go on that we're gonna show onstage is also things that certainly was going on back then, when medicine was beginning to take a beneficial turn in history and actually being able to help human beings live longer. But there was some experimentation going on, too, that was absolutely gruesome. Some of that is involved in the story, but it's something totally different. Once you get to the second part of the story, you will begin to suddenly understand that, 'What the hell is going on here? What is this really about?' 'Cause there's a whole different story that will not come to you till second part. But in the first part, you're gonna get to know a lot people at a certain place… Some of it takes place here, this world, and some of it takes place in a parallel world. And there's a correlation between what happened to me and what happens to some people in this place and where they suddenly appear. And you will find out why they are there, how they appear there and the places down the road. I won't say too much right now, but it's gonna be very creepy."
KING DIAMOND received a Grammy nomination in the "Best Metal Performance" category for the track "Never Ending Hill" off the band's last album, 2007's "Give Me Your Soul … Please".
"Give Me Your Soul ... Please" sold 4,500 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 174 on The Billboard 200 chart.
KING DIAMOND released a DVD/Blu-ray, "Songs For The Dead Live", in January 2019 via Metal Blade Records. The set captures 1987's seminal "Abigail" album in its entirety, twice, and in very different locales: Belgium's Graspop Metal Meeting in June 2016 and Philadelphia's Fillmore in November 2015. The performances feature KING DIAMOND's current band, comprising of guitarists La Rocque and Mike Wead, bassist Pontus Egberg and Matt Thompson.
Portland, Oregon's Unto Others released their triumphant new LP Never, Neverland last month and now, the band announce a North American tour in support of the album. This November and December, Unto Others will traverse the U.S. and Canada featuring stops in Spokane, Vancouver, Calgary, Louisville, Montreal, Los Angeles and more, with additional dates to be announced very soon. Tickets go on sale on November 1 at 10 AM local time.
Unto Others' Gabriel Franco comments, "As many of you already know, 5 weeks ago our previously planned North American tour fell through. With very little time our excellent team has managed to keep us on the road. We are making a point on this run to hit cities we do not travel to very often, or have never played at all. There are still a few TBA's right now, but we will keep you updated as we finish up the booking process. This will be our first headlining tour of the USA in 3 years, so expect a long set that covers our entire catalog, in small sweaty venues. If you don't see your town here, we have plans to hit as many major U.S. cities as we can in 2025. Until then, thanks for your support."
Additionally, Unto Others have shared a music video for their Never, Neverland Digital Deluxe Bonus Cover "Pet Sematary" which you can check out below.
Never, Neverland marks a new epoch for Unto Others (rounded out by guitarist Sebastian Silva, bassist Brandon Hill and drummer Colin Vranizan). Having emerged in 2017, the band turned heads with the Don't Waste Your Time EP, followed by the beloved 2019 full length Mana and 2021's heavy hitting Strength LP. Now, Unto Others build upon the seductive and beguiling foundation they've hewn out of a bedrock of goth, classic rock, punk, black metal and heavy metal.
See Unto Others on the road to close out 2024; more dates to be announced soon.
Dates:
November
15 – Spokane, WA – The Big Dipper
16 – Vancouver, BC – Wise Hall
18 – Calgary, AB – Dickens
19 – Edmonton, AB – The Starlite Room
21 – Winnipeg, MB – The Park Theatre
25 – Louisville, KY – Mag Bar
27 – Mechanicsburg, PA – Lovedraft’s Brewing Co.
29 – Syracuse, NY – The Song & Dance
30 – Montreal, QC – Cabaret Fouf
December
1 – Quebec City, QC – L’Anti Bar & Spectacles
3 – Portland, ME – Geno’s
6 – Greensboro, NC – Hangar 1819
8 – Memphis, TN – Growlers
10 – Albuquerque, NM – Launchpad
11 – El Paso, TX – Lowbrow Palace
12 – Tucson, AZ – The Rock
13 – Los Angeles, CA – Knucklehead Hollywood
Singer, poet, songwriter, visual artist, film producer, activist and author Serj Tankian, lead singer and lyricist for the Grammy Award-winning rock band SYSTEM OF A DOWN, has released the official music video for "Life's Revengeful Son". The track is taken from "Foundations", his latest EP of new music, which came out in late September worldwide via Gibson Records.
"Foundations" track listing:
01. A.F. Day
02. Justice Will Shine On
03. Appropriations
04. Cartoon Buyer
05. Life's Revengeful Son
"Foundations" mines music and lyrics from previous decades and reframes them in a hard-hitting, intensely focused collection. Like all of Tankian's work, the five songs that comprise "Foundations" encompass a wide range of sounds and styles. It is music that traverses multiple eras and vast swaths of emotions. It is also very much a rock album — "music of rebellion," says Tankian.
"Foundations" kicks off with "A.F. Day", a raging, heavy-riffing track that sounds like classic Tankian. The origins of the song date back almost three decades, to his earliest days with SYSTEM OF A DOWN. Tankian never brought it to the band to record, and when he happened upon "A.F. Day" more recently he "felt it should finally be released." In doing so, he retained much of the original music, including his vocals — a decision that was partly pragmatic: "My voice has naturally changed over time," Tankian explains. As the lyrics demonstrate, his attitude has not. "Medieval educators locking horns at the playground at 5 / Real live police crime shows submission of the population at large," he rails, expressing disgust with indoctrination and blind deference to authority at every turn.
"A.F. Day" is followed the album's most anthemic track, and also its emotional centerpiece: "Justice Will Shine On". Another song whose compositional roots date back to the early SOAD days, the impassioned hard rocker is nonetheless instilled with a message that is as hard-hitting and vital today. Over potent riffs and pummeling rhythms, Tankian grapples with the atrocities of the Armenian genocide experienced by his grandparents firsthand. He addresses their suffering in jarringly personal and direct terms, singing, "Can you tell me dear grandfather of your childhood so far away / You can see the death of laughter in his teared eyes disarray / Can you tell me dear grandmother of your childhood from hunger and pain / Of the orphans you called brothers in her teared eyes disarray." As the song launches into its soaring chorus, Tankian declares that his grandparents' torment, and the anguish experienced by all Armenian victims, will not be in vain. "We are the children of all the survivors / Justice will shine on!"
Elsewhere on "Foundations", "Appropriations" (an older song I've 're-appropriated' to modern times," he says) juxtaposes a snake-y, arpeggiated verse with a crushing chorus in a clash of eastern and western modalities, as Tankian unspools lyrics that play off complementary sounds and contrasting sensibilities: "Resignation, provocation, segregation… imagination and creation," he croons. And "Cartoon Buyer", which dates to a period just prior to Tankian's first solo record, 2007's "Elect The Dead", begins in hushed, almost folk-y mode, and gradually builds — both in intensity and actual tempo — before exploding in sonic and spiritual catharsis. Throughout the track, Tankian scrutinizes the divides within humanity ("You see me without emotions / I see you across the oceans," he intones) before ultimately declaring our oneness: "California to Argentina…Saudi Arabia to Tunisia…Armenia to Australia…Israel to Indonesia / They are us and we are them."
Finally, "Life's Revengeful Son", originally recorded prior to Tankian's 2010 "Imperfect Harmonies" album, incorporates a variety of instrumentation, including acoustic and electric guitars and dramatic orchestration, into an epic closer with unmatched imagery: "The final revolution will occur when the arms of the clock fall," Tankian sings. "Jesus seen in the streets, dragging a car axel instead of the cross."
A true creative tour de force, Tankian recorded "Foundations" primarily at his own Serjical Strike Studios in L.A. He wrote, performed, orchestrated and produced all the material, as well as contributed the artwork — an original piece titled "Sunburst" — that adorns the album cover. Additional instrumentation on the record was provided by Dan Monti (guitars, bass and drum programming) and, on "Cartoon Buyer", by bassist Mario Pagliarulo and SOAD drummer John Dolmayan.
"Foundations", Tankian says, is "a retrospective of songs from different eras of my life, meant to complement the memoir," and caps what has been an incredibly prolific year for Tankian, from the release of his memoir The New York Times bestseller "Down With The System", to the massive, sold-out SYSTEM OF A DOWN headlining show at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco with over 50,000 fans. But even as he is now revealing his "foundations," Tankian is already looking ahead. "The next record will likely be a record of covers, collaborations and collages," he envisions.
Credit his restless, ever-curious creative spirit. "I'm always moving in different directions," Tankian says. "Repetition is boring, and the death of art."
As previously announced, on November 1, Tankian will release a diverse selection of limited-edition variants of the "Foundations" EP on colored vinyl with an etching featured on Side B of every package. The "Foundations" vinyl package includes a red-and-black starburst vinyl available on Tankian's own official webstore, and an opaque purple version only available in U.S. record stores nationwide.
In celebration of Tankian's fall 2024 Revolver magazine cover story, an exclusive and limited-edition vinyl in a striking dark blue marble, is bundled with a special edition of the cover story wrapped in a one-of-a-kind photo slipcase.
earMUSIC has set a January 24, 2025 release date for "Iggy Pop Live At Montreux Jazz Festival 2023".
Pop is an avant-garde icon and a punk pioneer. The Montreux Jazz Festival is a boundary-pushing event that brings the best of all musical genres to one gorgeous location every year. "Live At Montreux Jazz Festival 2023" captures the dazzling Iggy Pop performance that could only happen there.
First in a series of earMUSIC releases from the festival, this concert marked Iggy's third appearance at the 57th edition of Montreux. Backed by a seven-piece band, Iggy breathes new fire into STOOGES classics like "I Wanna Be Your Dog" and "T.V. Eye" and ignites the adoring crowd with visceral run-throughs of "The Passenger" and, of course, "Lust For Life".
2023 marked Iggy's return to the top 10 in major territories with his album "Every Loser". It was the perfect moment to showcase his classic songs and share new ones ("Modern Day Ripoff", "Frenzy") at the venerated Stravinski Auditorium.
With the artist going from strength to strength in this new phase of his career, "Live At Montreux Jazz Festival 2023" is the perfect mix of vintage Iggy and new Iggy with astounding audio (recorded in multi-track). It's a singular moment in a singular career.
"Iggy Pop Live At Montreux Jazz Festival 2023" track listing:
01. Five Foot One
02. T.V. Eye
03. Modern Day Ripoff
04. Raw Power
05. Gimme Danger
06. The Passenger
07. Lust For Life
08. Endless Sea
09. Death Trip
10. Sick Of You
11. I Wanna Be Your Dog
12. Search And Destroy
13. Mass Production
14. Nightclubbing
15. Down On The Street
16. Loose
17. Frenzy
Widely acknowledged as one of the most influential artists and dynamic live performers of all time, Pop is a singer, songwriter, musician, author, record producer, DJ, and actor whose epic body of work has earned him both worldwide critical acclaim and fanatic cult success. Beginning in 1967 with his era-defining group THE STOOGES, Pop merged primal rock, blues, and free jazz into something altogether dangerous and new, paving the way for punk, post-punk, hard rock, and grunge. His landmark solo career — which kicked off with 1977's David Bowie-produced "The Idiot" and "Lust For Life" — has seen Pop traverse a stunning span of musical genres, inspiring generation after generation of rock 'n rollers with his iconoclastic songcraft, uncompromising performance style, and one-of-a-kind charisma. Perhaps the greatest living embodiment of rock and roll, Pop has never slowed down, pushing the art form forward for more than half a century, including his 2019's contemplative, critically acclaimed full-length album "Free".
Neal Morse & The Resonance is the new band from Neal Morse (Transatlantic, Flying Colors) and a brand new set of young musicians from his local Tennessee area, who brought with them a sense of newness and immediacy.
Their new album entitled, No Hill For A Climber, will be released on November 8 via InsideOut Music; the title is taken from a resonant line in Barbara Kingsolver’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Demon Copperhead.
Earlier today, October 28, Morse shared a video of his first writing session with The Resonance, which took place in January 2024. In the clip below, Neal says to the band, "Let me play you this thing that I thought of on the plane." That "thing" is an early demo of "No Hill For A Climber".
“Awesome album! I can safely say this will be a fave of the year for me!” – Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater, The Winery Dogs)
Faithful to any Neal Morse prog album, No Hill For A Climber features two epics (the 28 minute "No Hill For A Climber" and "Eternity In Your Eyes", which clocks in at 22 minutes) as well as three shorter songs: "Ever Interceding", "All The Rage" and "Thief". The latter, Morse admits, is his current favorite: “It’s so different… it’s in all these different sections, and I’m really happy with the way each part has come out. It’s pretty crazy. There’s even a really cool King Crimson-style instrumental bit in the middle that Chris Riley originally came up with at the Radiant School a couple of years ago.”
For all of these reasons, Morse believes that the whole album is unique, but notes that “if I was going to compare its structure to an album I've done in the past, it might be along the lines of Bridge Across Forever or Spock's Beard’s V; it’s not that it sounds at all like those albums, it’s just structurally similar. It has voices and playing styles and soundscapes that many people will have never heard before! Everyone you work with changes you a little bit, so even I sound a little different on this one, but I hope that everyone will love it!”
The album will be available as Limited 2CD Digipak (incl. a second disc of instrumentals), Standard CD Jewelcase, Gatefold 2LP & as Digital Album. Pre-order here.
Tracklisting:
"Eternity In Your Eyes"
"Thief"
"All The Rage"
"Ever Interceding"
"No Hill For A Climber"
VENAMORIS, the project featuring legendary extreme metal drummer Dave Lombardo (SLAYER, FANTÔMAS, TESTAMENT, MR. BUNGLE, MISFITS, DEAD CROSS) and his wife Paula, has unveiled "Spiderweb", a haunting track and accompanying video conjured just in time for spooky season, giving fans a mesmerizing second glimpse into the spellbinding world created by the couple on their forthcoming album.
Paula says: "'Spiderweb' is a cinematic song that serves up the cathartic fantasy of pulling a thread from the sticky, cruel web of a narcissist and using it to choke the sound of their lunacy."
Last month, VENAMORIS announced that it had signed with Ipecac Recordings, prepping a 2025 sophomore release. Also made available was another new single, "In The Shadows".
Paula stated: "'In The Shadows' is a song that arose from real-life feelings. The pulsating drum wholly evocative of marching forward even when internal unrest is still close at hand. It is a call for self-acceptance with the heaviness of a life well lived."
Dave added: "VENAMORIS is such an intimate project for the two of us. To have our sophomore album in Ipecac's exceptionally skilled hands is a dream realized. We are estatic to be a part of this audacious label."
VENAMORIS captures the essence of a sound that is alluring and deeply emotional, blending sultry vocals with mesmerizing instrumentation to create an enveloping experience that is as hypnotic as it is emotionally charged. Like a whispered secret, there's something seductive yet provocative about the noir-tinged songs they create. Brooklyn Vegan, describing an earlier single, adeptly said VENAMORIS has "PORTISHEAD-meets-David Lynch vibes."
Founded in 2021 by what can only be called, astral influence, VENAMORIS was launched a result of some persistent persuasion on Dave's part. The 59-year-old musician, who was in charge of drums and production on VENAMORIS's debut album, 2023's "Drown In Emotion", explained: "Several months after meeting Paula in 2010, she hesitantly shared with me her past decade-long career as the lead backup singer for Wayne Newton. She later played me some of the demos she recorded throughout the years, and I was floored by her sonically soothing, rich tone and natural, instinctive ability to harmonize. I was determined to persuade her to return to her creative self. It's been a deeply gratifying journey witnessing this music come to life."
Canadian-born singer/songwriter Paula Lombardo, who performs vocals and piano for this project, bursts with vulnerability and intimacy, addressing a broad scope of emotion: anger, healing, pain, hope. It's evident that VENAMORIS was founded out of love, passion, communication, respect, and trust. One person thriving in music encouraged the other, who had abandoned music to find their way back. It is the result of many late nights with too much wine, and even more truth laid bare: an aural couple's journaling generously shared with the world.
During a question-and-answer session with the readers of U.K.'s Metal Hammer magazine, Lombardo was asked if he would play with SLAYER again if the band reunited and wanted him to be part of the lineup. He said: "I don't think that's ever going to happen. But, yeah, I'd listen to whatever it is they had to say. That's it. You can't go any further than that."
Lombardo, who has spent most of the recent years between crossover pioneers SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, horror-punk icons MISFITS, hardcore supergroup DEAD CROSS and MR. BUNGLE, was effectively fired from SLAYER after sitting out the group's Australian tour in February/March 2013 due to a contract dispute with the other bandmembers. He was later replaced by Paul Bostaph, who was previously SLAYER's drummer from 1992 until 2001.
Shortly after his dismissal, Lombardo said that he discovered that 90 percent of SLAYER's tour income was being deducted as expenses, including fees to management, costing the band millions and leaving them with about 10 percent to split four ways. While he and bassist/vocalist Tom Araya hired auditors to figure out what had happened, Lombardo said he was never allowed to see any of the information obtained.
In late September and early October, SLAYER played two reunion concerts — first at the Riot Fest in Chicago and then at the Aftershock festival in Sacramento. Joining Araya and Bostaph in the band's reunited lineup are guitarists Kerry King and Gary Holt.
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