Arizona thrash and speed metal icons, Flotsam And Jetsam, have revealed a new playthrough video for the track “Brace For Impact”, the latest single from the group’s new album, Blood In The Water.
“This is a fun one to play because it’s definitely a challenging picking workout,” says guitarist Michael Gilbert. “Everything from fast alternate picking to slow eerie melodic tones to compliment the rest of the music and vocals. Hope you enjoy it as much as I love playing it.”
Flotsam And Jetsam have announced a short run of tour dates for North America during August of this year.
Dubbed the "Brace For Impact Summer Tour 2021", the trek begins on August 17 at Albuquerque, New Mexico and wraps on August 28 in Mesa, Arizona. Find the full itinerary below.
Tour dates:
August
17 - Albuquerque, NM - Lauchpad
18 - Oklahoma City, OK - 89th Street Collective
19 - Austin, TX - Come And Take It Live
20 - Dallas, TX - Trees
21 - El Paso, TX - Rockhouse Bar & Grill
22 - Denver, CO - Herman's Hideaway
23 - Salt Lake City, UT - Liquid Joe's
25 - San Francisco, CA - DNA Lounge
26 - Los Angeles, CA - Whisky-A-Go-Go
27 - San Diego, CA - Brick By Brick
28 - Mesa, AZ - Nile Theater
Flotsam And Jetsam frontman Eric "AK" Knutson recently spoke with BraveWords about the band's new album, Blood In The Water. Following is an excerpt from the chat, with Knutson commenting on the pressure of following up The End Of Chaos from 2017.
Knutson: "We were really worried about that when we started writing this record. We knew we had to top The End Of Chaos; otherwise, why bother even putting one out? That was in our heads when we started writing so I'm sure that had a lot to do with the intensity on this new one. When we started writing Blood In The Water, we started with leftover from The End Of Chaos that didn't make it to that record, and we didn't end up using any of them (laughs). This is all brand new stuff. But that's always how we usually start; by working on stuff we didn't work on hard enough for the previous record. Sometimes we use a couple of them, sometimes we don't, but this time not only did we not use any of the leftovers, we wrote 10 or 15 more songs that we didn't use. Music was just pouring out of (guitarists) Steve (Conley) and Mike (Gilbert)... it was ridiculous."
Flotsam And Jetsam have seen many of their peers that started at the same time, including Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, and Venom have their day in the sun. Considered in metal circles as “legendary”, the mighty Flotsam And Jetsam, over their long career, has seemed somewhat plagued by label snafu’s, changes in trends, or other unfortunate events. On album number fourteen, and without a doubt making the best music of their career, Flotsam And Jetsam finally smells blood in the water this time around.
Blood In The Water literally shreds the listener’s ears and pummels Flotsam And Jetsam’s message into the hearts of the most diehard metal fans, the album must be heard to be believed. Featuring twelve brutal and powerful tracks that will rip your head off, the outstanding guitar work of Michael Gilbert and these killer vocals by Eric AK – one of the most gifted metal singers in music history – Flotsam And Jetsam's Blood In The Water will see the band deliver one of their heaviest records to date!
It’s been 35 years since Flotsam And Jetsam, formed in Phoenix, Arizona released their landmark debut, Doomsday For The Deceiver, the only album to ever receive a 6K rating from the influential British magazine Kerrang! Bassist Jason Newsted would jump ship to Metallica while the band released the unstoppable No Place For Disgrace in 1988. Cuatro (1992), Drift (1995), High (1997), and My God (2001) all still rank extremely high in heavy metal circles. But it was the first part of this unofficial trilogy in 2016’s self-titled Flotsam And Jetsam, followed by the the crushing 2019- successor, The End Of Chaos, that a certain rejuvenation and reset was clearly felt. Fast-forward five years to a planet that was forced to its knees: While spending most of the past year in a holding pattern like the rest of the world, Flotsam And Jetsam made the best of a struggling situation and just let those creative juices and angst flow. What emerged was twelve brand new blistering tracks under the moniker Blood In The Water.
“We really had a hell of a time figuring out which songs to actually include in this album, because we don’t feel we had any fillers,” describes Steve Conley about the new songs clocking in at nearly 55 minutes of thrashing glory.
Says singer Eric “AK” Knutson, “We’ve seen our fan base increasing, and we’ve seen the response to the last two albums getting louder and louder. We have some of the most committed and crazy fans in the world. We charted higher on our last album than at any point in our career. Maybe our career path will run similar to Motorhead’s, who although was always considered iconic, didn’t really break through in a big way until later in their career. We feel our time is now...” says AK. “We’re like that dog that’s been kicked...we’re ready to break the door down and take what’s ours.”
And the Flotsam lineup has never been stronger. AK keeps bringing the magic every album and tour, and oddly seems to be getting better and better as time goes on. He’s backed by the incredibly talented, exceptionally brilliant guitar duo of co-founder Michael Gilbert and Steve Conley, the powerful, precise and lightning fast engine of drummer Ken Mary, (whose Hall of Fame resume includes over five million albums sold with artists such as Alice Cooper, House Of Lords, and Accept), and the “fresh blood” and extraordinary technical skills and prowess of bassist Bill Bodily.
No filler, all killer, Blood In The Water was once again mixed and mastered by Jacob Hansen (U.D.O., Volbeat, Amaranthe, Powerwolf) and sees Flotsam And Jetsam exploding with creativity, moving forward but nodding to their past.
The band has come a long way from the kids that stepped onto the world stage with their first album in 1986, but the one thing that has never been in question since that day is their dedication to their fans, their incredible talent, and relentless pursuit to produce their best music ever.
“Following up The End Of Chaos was no easy task,” guitarist Michael Gilbert adds. “We weren’t really sure what we had left in the tank, as we put so much work, sweat, and blood into that album. As it turns out, we had plenty left to say. With everything that’s happened in the world, the friends we lost this last year, and not being able to perform or tour… you hear all of that in our music. It’s angry, it’s aggressive, and our emotions pour out all over this album.”
The AFM Records Store has a selection of vinyl and the following box set (shown above) limited to 666 units containing:
- Digipak-CD
- Exclusive Blood In The Water T-Shirt
- Brace For Impact Poster
- Sticker
- Certificate of Authenticity
Tracklist
“Blood In The Water”
“Burn The Sky”
“Brace For Impact”
“A Place To Die”
“The Walls”
“Cry For The Dead”
“The Wicked Hour”
“Too Many Lives”
“Grey Dragon”
“Reaggression”
“Undone”
“Seven Seconds ‘Til The End Of The World”
"Brace For Impact" video:
"Blood In The Water" lyric video:
“Burn The Sky” video:
Album teaser:
Lineup:
Eric "AK" Knutson - Vocals
Steve Conley - Guitar
Michael Gilbert - Guitar
Bill Bodily - Bass
Ken K Mary - Drums
Alice Cooper has released the video below, stating: "School's Out, Minions. The record celebrates 49 years this month. We got no choice girls and boys. Turn it up and let's make some noise!"
Alice Cooper will make his long-awaited return to the road on a headline tour this September and October. The tour kicks off September 17 in Atlantic City and runs through October 23 in Atlanta. Original KISS guitarist Ace Frehley will appear as special guest on all shows September 18 through October 22. All confirmed dates are below.
Cooper, a Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductee, usually spends up to six months a year on the road, bringing his iconic brand of rock psycho-drama to fans both old and new, enjoying it as much as the audience does. Known as the architect of shock rock, Cooper (in both the original Alice Cooper band and as a solo artist) has rattled the cages and undermined the authority of generations of guardians of the status quo, continuing to surprise fans and exude danger at every turn, like a great horror movie. Alice Cooper concerts remain a "not-to-be-missed" attraction.
"We've always had fun touring together and it should be a heavy rock show with Ace and a great way to get everyone back to live concerts again," says Cooper. "It should be a great night of virtuoso guitars!"
Ace Frehley, KISS co-founder and 2014 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductee, continues his reflections on a lifetime in music with Origins, Vol. 2. No stranger to cover versions throughout his musical history - having recorded, rebranded and repossessed such notable nuggets as "New York Groove," "Do Ya" and "I Wanna Go Back" over the course of his eight previous studio efforts - this new collection presents a thoughtful and exciting selection of songs that inspired and helped shape the legendary guitarist. Foremost of importance to the original Spaceman is delivering an album his fans will enjoy, but one where every song also has a place in his life's jukebox.
"I’ve known Alice for over 30 years," says Frehley. "We're good friends, and we've toured together numerous times and always had a blast. Our musical roots are very similar, and the combination of our two bands make for a great event that nobody is gonna want to miss. Being off the road for more than a year because of the pandemic has been tough on everyone in the music industry, and I'm really looking forward to seeing all of the fans happy, healthy, and ready to rock."
September
17 - Atlantic City, NJ - Ovation Hall at Oceans Resort Casino (without Ace Frehley)
18 - Gilford, NH - Bank of NH Pavilion*
19 - Bridgeport, CT - Hartford Healthcare Amphitheater*
21- Boston, MA - Rockland Trust Bank Pavilion*
22 - Farmingville, NY - Long Island Community Hospital Amphitheatre at Bald Hill*
24 - Chicago, IL - Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island*
25 - Detroit, MI - DTE Energy Music Theatre*
27 - Youngstown, OH - Youngstown Foundation Amphitheater*
28 - Huber Heights, OH - Rose Music Center*
29 - Indianapolis, IN - Farm Bureau Insurance Lawn at White River State Park*
October
1 - Milwaukee, WI - BMO Harris Pavilion*
2 - St Louis, MO - Saint Louis Music Park*
3 - Nashville, TN - Ascend Amphitheatre*
5 - Pikeville, KY - Appalachian Wireless Arena
6 - Raleigh, NC - The Red Hat Amphitheater*
7 - Charlotte, NC - Charlotte Metro Credit Union Amphitheatre*
9 - Jacksonville, FL - Daily's Place*
10 - West Palm Beach, FL - iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre*
11 - Tampa, FL - MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre*
13 - Montgomery, AL - Montgomery Performing Arts Center
14 - Birmingham, AL - BJCC Concert Hall
18 - Sugar Land, TX - Smart Financial Centre
19 - Austin, TX - HEB Center
20 - Ft. Worth, TX - Will Rogers Auditorium
22 - Tupelo, MS - Bancorp South Arena
23 – Atlanta, GA – Shaky Knees Festival (without Ace Frehley)
Thomas Zwijsen has released the video below, featuring a guitar/vocal/violin cover of the Kansas classic "Dust In The Wind", along with violinist Wiki Krawczyk.
Zwijsen previously released an acoustic performance of Iron Maiden's "To Tame A Land". Watch below:
Frontiers Music Srl has announced the release of the debut album, Overload, from Brazil's Spektra, a new, exciting project by BJ, a stellar vocalist from the modern Brazilian hard rock scene.
Overload will be released on August 6, but today, fans can get their first look at the album with the release of the single and video for the title track. Watch the video below, and pre-order/save Overload here.
"This song is about how the internet and the velocity of information are moving and changing people's lives. How we're feeling "Overload" these days. How we are losing the "real life" for the fantasy of social media," says BJ of first single 'Overload'.
Spektra is BJ’s musical brainchild and his first band built from scratch featuring original music inspired by his vast range of influences including Journey, Foreigner, Winger and other melodic and hard rock masters. The goal is to deliver pure stadium rock melodies and high driven hard rock vibes with music aiming straight for the hearts of melodic rock aficionados. Produced and overseen by the legendary singer Jeff Scott Soto and Italian mastermind Alessandro Del Vecchio, Spektra will introduce BJ’s amazing voice to the international scene in 2021.
"This is a very special album for me as a singer, for sure and in a special moment of my career. I can say that I love every note, every harmony, and also these songs represent the kind of music that I love. Hard Rock, Melodic Rock, AOR....everything is there in a modern way. I sang with all my heart, with all my love. I can't wait to sing these songs live! Big fans of Journey, Talisman, Kansas, Boston, Winger, Bon Jovi, Foreigner, W.E.T., and the like will love this album, I guarantee it! I have on my side in the band my big brothers, amazing musicians that I admire and trust as a family and also the best producers ever, my big brother Mr. Jeff Scott Soto and the unbelievable talent Alessandro Del Vecchio! This is my Dream Team," says BJ.
In Spektra, BJ brings along his longtime bandmates from Tempestt and the JSS Band, Edu Cominato (drums) and Leo Mancini (guitars) as well as Henrique Canale (bass), a well known Brazilian producer and composer.
BJ is well known and respected in Brazil for his phenomenal vocal abilities and his work with Tempestt and other projects and collaborations, but also recognised internationally, being a constant member of all of Jeff Scott Soto’s bands and projects (Jeff Scott Soto Band, S.O.T.O.) as a guitarist and backing vocalist since 2009. He has recorded and released several albums with Soto, either as part of the Jeff Scott Soto band ('A Night in Madrid' CD/DVD, 'Damage Control', 'Loud and Live in Milan') or S.O.T.O. ('Inside the Vertigo', 'Divak', 'Origami'). He is also a member of the latest iteration of Talisman (on keyboards and backing vocals) for their recent appearances at major European Festivals.
Since 2014, BJ has also been the lead singer for the Greek hard rock band Danger Angel with whom he has recorded and released one album (All The King's Horses). He has toured Europe and Latin America extensively while also participating in most of the major festivals including Sweden Rock, Graspop, Hard Rock Hell AOR, Monsters of Rock Cruise, Rock of Ages, Bang Your Head, etc.
BJ has also released a solo album of covers containing music from his heroes and influences, titled Acoustic Heroes.
Tracklisting:
"Overload"
"Runnin' Out Of Time"
"Just Because"
"Since I Found You"
"Our Love"
"Breakaway"
"Don't Matter"
"Back Into Light"
"Forsaken"
"Behind Closed Door"
"Lonely Road"
"Overload" video:
Lineup:
BJ - Vocals
Leo Mancini - Guitars
Edu Cominato - Drums
Henrique Canale - Bass
Portland, Oregon’s Unto Others (formerly Idle Hands) have announced their signing to Roadrunner Records and have shared a brand new single, "When Will Gods Work Be Done". Produced and mixed by Arthur Rizk (Power Trip, Code Orange), "When Will Gods Work Be Done" is available now on all streaming platforms and is joined by an official music video directed by Brock Grossl, which can be viewed below.
Commenting on the new track and news of the signing, frontman/guitarist Gabriel Franco remarked, “Our last full length came out over two years ago and much has changed, including the band and I, our name, etc... so I consider this a reintroduction of ‘us’ to those who connected with our music in the past, as well as a debut for the many who haven't. We did our best, and that's all we can do. So out of the frying pan, and into the fire, I think we have all been frying long enough."
Roadrunner Records SVP of A&R, Dave Rath adds, “Having Unto Others join us at Roadrunner Records feels like a ‘welcome home’ to a family member we’ve been waiting for - for a very long time. Unto Others’ innovative combination of goth, rock and metal brings the genre to entirely new and unique places. They are pushing the genre beyond the expected to create a blend of heavy, dark, melodic songs combined with traditional metal we haven’t heard in quite some time. We are incredibly excited for this band to be part of the label’s storied legacy.”
Comprised of Gabriel Franco (Vocals / Guitar), Brandon Hill (Bass), Sebastian Silva (Guitar), and Colin Vranizan (Drums), Unto Others formed in Portland, OR in 2017 and quickly made waves out of the Pacific Northwest under their previous band name, Idle Hands. Following 2018’s Don’t Waste Your Time EP, they released their debut full-length album Mana in 2019.
Unto Others joined King Diamond and Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats on a sold-out, coast-to-coast tour across North America in support of Mana and returned in 2020 with the surprise release of Don’t Waste Your Time II.
Next up, Unto Others will join Behemoth, Arch Enemy and Carcass for a massive European fall tour, kicking off on September 28 in Dublin, Ireland and running for six weeks through November 7 at Rockefeller in Oslo, Norway.
New Finnish death metal band Noutaja will release their debut EP this fall via Inverse Records. The official video for their first single, "Born Unto Hawthorns", is available below.
Bassist Pekka Johansson comments: "All I had to do was throw out the idea that we should probably play some death metal. The band was immediately there and working from day one! It really felt like we were like 15 year old dudes making music that is larger than life. The vibes were packed with energy and I feel we captured that on the record.
'Born Unto Hawthorns' was a logical choice as the first single because it was also the first song we ever wrote together. No holds barred from the first riff on, which incidentally was the first Noutaja riff ever played! You don’t have to be a super genius to hear some of the influences being channeled from our hands to your home speakers!
This is the real thing. Out of love towards the game."
Following is some background information on the band:
"Collectively we are Noutaja (Finnish for The Grim Reaper.) We are not young, so everyone in the band has already done cool and succesful stuff. Many of those things together in some formation on another in the last 15 years. We are not old either. But we are hungry to make music. We love '90s Death Metal and we want to make music that we feel passionate about.
What would you imagine we would sound like? We sound like every band you thought was good back in the day. Only better. Also we know that in life you get zero points for nostalgia. So now is good. Scars and all. We are Noutaja."
Line-up:
Masi Hukari - Vocals and Guitar
Pekka Johansson - Bass
Juhana Karlsson - Drums
Jonne Lindqvist - Guitar
Italian power metallers Frozen Crown recently released their new album, Winterbane, via Scarlet Records. The clip below is a playthrough video for "Far Beyond", taken from the record, featuring Federico Mondelli (guitar, vocals), Fabiola "Sheena" Bellomo (guitar) and Francesco Zof (bass).
The band recently issued the following update:
"Dear friends, we made it! And we made it together! Our new album is out now!
It's not easy to be a band in 2021. If you're an Italian band playing metal, it's even worse. If, in addition, you had to face a line-up change right before entering the studio for your third album during a pandemic, it's nightmare difficulty on Doom II played blindfold with both hands tied behind your back. But we made it, together with your INCREDIBLE support, and with these awesome new guys who fiercely conquered their place, fighting tooth and nail against time and odds proving they were meant to be a part of this.
Together with that genius called Andrea Fusini and his masterful work behind the machines, as well as our brother Luca Morselli and his unreal filming talent (who also holds the credits for this pic), and our label team, which is simply the best ever. Winterbane is a new beginning, like someone said, but also a confirmation. A message of perseverance and strength, a way to tell the world we are here to stay.
Thanks to the ones who have been with us since Day 1, thanks to the brand new fans, and also thanks to the ones amongst you who left, as they gave us the chance to prove to ourselves we don't need anyone to go forward.
Now enjoy this album as much as we enjoyed making it, let us know about your favorite songs, and be ready for A LOT of stuff, including a new official video clip as well as the usual weekly content on our YouTube channel."
Tracklist:
"Embrace The Night"
"Towards The Sun"
"Far Beyond"
"The Lone Stranger"
"Crown Eternal"
"The Water Dancer"
"Angels In Disguise" (feat Federica Lanna)
"Night Crawler" (Judas Priest cover)
"Tales Of The Forest"
"Blood On The Snow"
Winterbane was released on April 23rd on Scarlet Records and Marquee/Avalon (Japan).
Frozen Crown is:
Giada "Jade" Etro - Lead Vocals
Fabiola "Sheena" Bellomo - Lead Guitar
Federico Mondelli - Vocals and Lead Guitar
Francesco Zof - Bass
Niso Tomasini - Drums
Brazilian rockers, Electric Mob, have released a video for "Your Ghost", a track from their debut album, Discharge, available via Frontiers Music Srl. Watch the video, as well as a message from guitarist Ben Hur Auwarter, below:
"Awaken"
"Devil You Know"
"King’s Ale"
"Got Me Runnin’"
"Far Off"
"Your Ghost"
"Gypsy Touch"
"123 Burn"
"Upside Down"
"Higher Than Your Heels"
"Brand New Rope"
"We Are Wrong"
"Higher Than Your Heels" video:
"Far Off" video:
"King’s Ale":
"Devil You Know" video:
Lineup:
Renan Zonta - Vocals
Ben Hur Auwarter - Guitar
Yuri Elero - Bass
André Leister - Drums
Death Dealer has released a video for the powerful ballad "22 Gone", off of their album Conquered Lands, which was released in November 2020 via Steel Cartel Records. This song deals with the soldier suicide epidemic in the United States and the shocking statistic that on average, 22 service men commit suicide every day.
Singer Sean Peck who penned the lyrics talks about it: “When I was researching the song, I was blown away by this shocking number of tragic losses that happen each day. This video brings attention to it in a very powerful way. Even though it was a ballad, this song was a surprise hit with the critics and our fans so we decided to give it the video treatment. We put it out via YouTube, since we only release a limited amount of content to the streaming services. We are focusing on exclusive music content to our supporters that buy the physical product and only those that bought the record have heard this track.”
Ross The Boss commented on the track calling it, “Without a doubt, the most depressing song in heavy metal history!”
Stu Marshall said, “I feel passionately about our combat agencies and respect the fact these people put their lives on the line every day for our liberties and freedoms. Australian and American troops have stood shoulder to shoulder for decades and this song resonates the sadness of soldier suicide and why we need to support our troops in every way we can. '22 Gone' represents some of Sean's best lyric writing in my opinion.”
Check out the official video:
The all-star heavy metal roster of Death Dealer features Ross The Boss (ex-Manowar), vocalist Sean Peck (Cage, The Three Tremors, Denner/Shermann), guitarist Stu Marshall (Dungeon, Night Legion), drummer Steve Bolognese: (Ross The Boss Band, Into Eternity), and bassist Mike Lepond (Symphony-X, Ross The Boss Band).
"Sorcerer Supreme"
"Every Nation"
"Beauty And The Blood"
"Running With The Wolves"
"The Heretic Has Returned"
"Conquered Lands"
"Hail To The King"
"Slay Or Be Slain"
"Faith Under Fire"
"22 Gone"
"Born To Bear The Crown"
El Paso, TX’s Scattered Storm have a debut EP Oblivion coming out this summer, and in advance are releasing the second single “Aeon Flux”. Scattered Storm’s music can be described as both primal and futuristic, a juxtaposition that can only be pulled off by seasoned musicians.
“Aeon Flux” was the first song written by Kevin Armstrong (guitars) who sent it off to Jay Arriaga (drums/keyboards/samples) and kickstarted what would become a state supergroup along with Andre Acosta and Ed Razor (Pissing Razors). The song lyrically focuses on a lot of fake friendships and backstabbing. The band continues to explain:
“The song musically is very percussive and has a very tribal feel all throughout. Its pulse is steady like the beating heart while there is all this chaos and aggression behind it. Andre took that aggression very well and kept it by growling continuously and not singing clean vocals. Again the primal aspects continue up until the end where it is obvious with the tribal chants that the ending breakdown is about to destroy. This was done intentionally to kick ass live.”
Full of catchy hooks and memorable vocals, Oblivion is a debut EP that will be eaten up by listeners. It was mixed by Jay Arriaga (drums/keyboards/samples) who then sent it to their good friend Alan Wallace from Eminence in Brazil to master.
Formed three years ago, Scattered Storm is a group of seasoned musicians that write very dark, futuristic heavy music with a lot of ambience. They are recommended listening for fans of Fear Factory, Gojira and Devin Townsend.
Last Temptation have signed a new record deal with Golden Robot Records/Crusader and are ready to present several new singles between June 2021 and January 2022, followed by their brand-new album Ashes ’N’ Fire in February 2022. The first single “I Don`t Wanna Be Your God” (supported by a video clip) is out now; check out the video below.
“You can feel that we’ve made a major step forward, both as a live band and as songwriters, all thanks to the shows we’ve played so far.” - Peter Scheithauer
Talking of the new line-up: In bassist Julien Rimaire (Los Dissidentes Del Sucio Motel) and drummer Vince Brisach (Mitch Ryder), along with Scheithauer and Vukovic, the band have a whole new rhythm section supporting them on Ashes ’N’ Fire. While Last Temptation’s self-titled debut still boasted a number of international guests, such as Bob Daisley, Vinny Appice, Stet Howland, James Lomenzo, Don Airey, Steve Unger and Rudy Sarzo, the band now consists exclusively of European musicians. “This step was necessary to make Last Temptation more flexible when it comes to the organizational side,” explains Scheithauer. “The new line-up makes it so much easier to rehearse spontaneously, play gigs at short notice and prepare album productions.”
No doubt about it: Last Temptation have grown into an even tighter unit, musically as well as logistically, and are positively bursting with enthusiasm. The songwriting team consisting of Scheithauer and Vukovic, together coming up with 16 tracks for Ashes ’N’ Fire, eleven of which have made it onto the album. They range from up-tempo numbers such as “Stronger Than Fate” and “Free Strong And Loud” to the Black Sabbath-esque “Going Crazy” and the ballad “In The Mirror”.
New Jersey based brutal death metal act, Cognitive, have released a video for "To Feed The Worms", from their fourth album, Malevolent Thoughts Of Hastened Extinction, out July 16 via Unique Leader. Watch the clip below, and pre-save Malevolent Thoughts Of A Hastened Extinction here.
Tracklisting:
"Eniac"
"The Maw"
"Arterial Red"
"From The Depths"
"Oroborous"
"To Feed The Worms"
"Malevolent Thoughts"
"Tearing Tendon From Bone"
"Destitute"
"Of A Hastened Extinction"
Infernalizer, a horror-filled creature conceived and brought to life by the creative mind of Claudio Ravinale, best known as the vocalist of Italian death metal veterans Disarmonia Mundi, shares his latest music video “Leave A Scar” from the debut album The Ugly Truth, released this past February via Rockshots Records.
Heavily influenced by '80s metal acts such as Iron Maiden, Alice Cooper, and Danzig, Ravinale's new project Infernalizer relies on the use of gloomy keys and eerie samples, paying homage to more somber gothic rock acts like Type O Negative and The Sisters Of Mercy. Vocally closer to contemporary acts like Rob Zombie and Wednesday 13, the range of influences also include evocative cinematographic soundscapes that provide Infernalizer's songs with a more solemn and nocturnal atmosphere.
The album, The Ugly Truth, is ten tracks to take fans on a roller coaster ride into band founder Claudio Ravinale’s own horror-themed amusement park. Providing a modern take on the concept of heavy metal, the full-length features crooning vocals alternated with more harsh yet still melodic tones along with added layers of evocative keys and samples for a solid foundation deeply rooted in an '80s metal sound.
“I’m a child of the '80s that loves horror movies. So as soon as I started to think about how this band was going to sound, I really tried to focus on my main influences, the music I’ve grown up with and tried to filter all these influences giving them a more actual approach. To me, this record is like A Nightmare On Elm Street movie made music: there’s the horror part but without forgetting the lighthearted approach,” adds Ravinale.
The album was produced by NeroArgento at AExeron Studio (Turin, Italy) and mastered at Sterling Sound Studio (Nashville, TN) by legendary Grammy Award-winning mastering engineer Ted Jensen (Guns N’ Roses, Korn, Pantera, Alice In Chains).
Tracklisting:
"Night Shift"
"The Outsider"
"Leaving So Soon?"
"In Retrospect"
"Cruel Intentions"
"The Ugly Truth"
"In This World Or The Next"
"Leave A Scar"
"I Don’t Wanna Be Me"
"Autumn Of Terror"
British extreme metal veterans CARCASS will release their long-awaited seventh studio album, "Torn Arteries", on September 17 via Nuclear Blast Records. Along with the announcement, the band has debuted a new song titled "Kelly's Meat Emporium" that is available now on all stream services.
Ferocious and uncompromising in their execution, CARCASS's ability to intricately dissect the innards of death metal and display them for us to sonically understand has been their point of excellence for over three decades. In 2019, the band released its first single in over five years, "Under The Scalpel Blade", followed by a four-song EP titled "Despicable" (October 2020), setting a potent precedent for "Torn Arteries". With the album title itself referencing an old demo created by original drummer Ken Owen back in the 1980s, "Torn Arteries" sits as a bookend on the modern side of the CARCASS discography, connecting directly back to where everything began over 30 years ago.
The "Torn Arteries" album artwork also rings reminiscent of the grotesque photography that appears on classic CARCASS album covers like "Reek Of Putrefaction" and "Symphonies Of Sickness". Artist Zbigniew Bielak traveled outside his normal wheelhouse to bring forth a time-lapsed set of photos showing vegetables shaped like a heart, rotting over time upon a white plate. This form of artwork was influenced by Japanese Kusôzu, meaning "painting of the nine stages of a decaying corpse."
"It's very clean, white, which we've never done before," explains vocalist and bassist Jeff Walker. "It doesn't look evil, or typically death metal, but I like how clean it is; almost like a coffee table book." This new album presents images, lyrics, and sounds that so distinctly scream CARCASS, but ferry us into a new era of production, songwriting, and art all together.
"I think as our seventh album, it does stand out from the others both sonically and stylistically," says Walker. "You can definitely tell that it's CARCASS; when you drop that needle on the vinyl, when you hear that guitar tone, you can tell it's Bill Steer, but each album is always a product of its time."
With "Torn Arteries", each track stands unique from the rest in its approach to guitar, bass, vocals and drumming, along with all the finer details. Filthy and dominating guitar work creates thick layers of tone and melody, piling on top of each other like the weight of dead flesh in tracks like "Kelly's Meat Emporium".
"The working title for 'Kelly's' was originally 'Stock Carcass'," laughs Walker. "We knew that one was a real meat-and-potatoes track for the album." Meanwhile, the elevated speed and catchy beat in "Dance Of Ixtab" tell a robust and airier story, one that is certain to get a reaction from live crowds. "We built this song around the beat. We had an approach to each song that was a definite idea," Walker says. "It's all about 'what haven't we done before?'"
Recording and production for "Torn Arteries" wasn't as simple as sitting down for a few weeks and knocking it all out, but rather spread out over the course of approximately one year bouncing back and forth between England and Sweden. Initially, drummer Daniel Wilding did session work in Sweden at Studio Gröndahl with David Castillo while guitars were recorded at The Stationhouse with James Atkinson in Leeds, England. Eventually needing some form of residential location to finalize vocals, bass, and other guitarwork, the band headed back to Studio Gröndahl in Sweden to continue work in a very relaxed atmosphere with Castillo. "There was no real big plan to do it this way, the process just organically grew on its own," says Walker.
Most will find that the only real struggle when indulging in "Torn Arteries" is fighting the desire to start it over the second it finishes. It covers substantial new ground for a band with such a reputation, while still retaining that addictive, time honored CARCASS sound that has come to represent the face of true death metal.
"Torn Arteries" track listing:
01. Torn Arteries
02. Dance of Ixtab (Psychopomp & Circumstances March No. 1)
03. Eleanor Rigor Mortis
04. Under The Scalpel Blade
05. The Devil Rides Out
06. Flesh Ripping Sonic Torment Limited
07. Kelly's Meat Emporium
08. In God We Trust
09. Wake Up And Smell The Carcass / Caveat Emptor
10. The Scythe's Remorseless Swing
"Torn Arteries" is available for pre-order in a variety of bundles and formats, including CD, box set and limited-edition vinyl pressings.
"Revolution", the second music video from HEAVY WATER, the new project featuring SAXON's Biff Byford and son Seb Byford of NAKED SIX, can be seen below. The song is taken from HEAVY WATER's debut album, "Red Brick City", which will be released on July 23 via Silver Lining Music.
Soaked in gritty, riff-baked blues yet rich with the sound and meter of classic hard rock, "Red Brick City"'s ten songs refuse to let you go. From the taut, elastic swing of the "Solution" riff to the rich, layered balladic strains of "Tree In The Wind", the LP moves with the class and cadence of a cracking journey uniting vintage rock 'n' roll sensibilities with the crackle and excitement of a fresh, youthful perspective.
With Seb on guitar and Biff on bass duties and both providing their vocal talents, the foundations for HEAVY WATER's sound are set in both that incredible father-and-son chemistry and a lifetime of know-how and experiences. Take the title track — and first single — "Red Brick City", all steam and smolder wrapped around a riff SOUNDGARDEN would've been proud of, and then there's the sun-soaked smile of "Follow This Moment" with harmonies evoking the BEACH BOYS relayed through LED ZEPPELIN, a gorgeous 1970s trip right down to the fadeout.
"We decided to do something together in these dark times and the family came together to help get this album off the ground," explained Seb and Biff.
Seb Byford recorded and engineered "Red Brick City" at the Big Silver Barn in York, U.K., while the drums were recorded by Ben Hammond at Reel Recording Studio in York. Seb produced the album with Biff, and Jacky Lehmann mastered. "Red Brick City" sees Seb take the reins on guitar and vocals, with Biff taking up the bass and vocal mantle. Tom Witts plays the drums, while Dave Kemp rounds out the HEAVY WATER lineup on keyboards and saxophone. To cap off this family affair, the packaging photos were taken by Steph Byford.
"We had great fun doing this album, working together on the songs and recording during lockdown," concluded Biff and Seb. "It's all recorded without samples or profiles... just loud and proud!"
This past March, Biff told Sweden's RockSverige that HEAVY WATER is musically similar to that of Byford's first solo album, "School Of Hard Knocks", which came out in February 2020. "The songs are also, stylistically, very similar to the [SACXON's] 'Inspirations' album," he explained. "There's some laid-back stuff and there's some heavy stuff. I wouldn't say there's any prog rock on there, but there are definitely two or three metal tracks on there. Seb's a great songwriter, and he likes to play heavy guitar riffs, so I'm sure people will be interested."
Asked what it's like working with his son, Biff said: "It's pretty cool. We're both pretty set in our ways, so it's working really well. It's great for me and for him, really. I'm getting off on his excitement and his first time doing things, and he gets off on my that wisdom that I've learned over the years."
"Red Brick City" track listing:
01. Solution
02. Turn to Black
03. Red Brick City
04. Tree in the Wind
05. Revolution
06. Personal Issue No. 1
07. Medicine Man
08. Follow This Moment
09. Now I'm Home
10. Faith
"Inspirations" was released in March via Silver Lining Music. The 11-track effort contains some of the classic rock songs that influenced Biff and the rest of SAXON.
Two Minutes To Late Night is back with a cover of the Jefferson Starship classic, "Jane". Watch below.
A message states: "You taste like a burger! We covered the best song by a band who has changed their name three times because we love Wet Hot American Summer that much. This is our 42nd bedroom cover made with the support of Patreon. Become a Patreon patron today and get access to exclusive rewards like patches, t-shirts, even custom songs! Plus, you get to see every cover we make before it publicly premieres."
This cover features:
Johnny Kelly (Type O Negative, Danzig, Silvertomb)
Johanna Sadonis (Lucifer)
Nicke Anderson (Lucifer, The Hellacopters, Entombed)
Mlny Parsonz (Royal Thunder)
Cory Barhorst (Kylesa, Black Tusk)
Jordan Olds aka Gwarsenio Hall
Majustice is a multinational power metal band formed in 2021 by guitarist Jien Takahashi (Stormheart, Baskerville), who was heavily influenced by Timo Tolkki's composition skills (during the “classic” Stratovarius period), as well as the guitar wizardry of Marty Friedman and Yngwie Malmsteen.
Majustice features the powerful vocals of Iuri Sanson (Eternity's End/ex-Hibria), the genius shred of keyboardist Vitalij Kuprij (Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Ring Of Fire), and the fretboard pyrotechnics of guitarist Kelly Simonz (Kelly Simonz's Blind Faith). The lineup is rounded out by bassist Kaz Nakamura (Kelly Simonz's Blind Faith, Mark Boals) and drummer Yosuke Yamada (Kelly Simonz's Blind Faith, Mark Boals).
The band’s debut album will be titled Ancestral Recall, with some of the tracks slated to appear include “Ancestral Recall”, “Tears Of The Sky”, and “Now Your Turn”. In addition, four songs written by Timo Tolkki will be appear on the album: “Sonata Black”, “Dangerous”, “Infinite Visions”, and “You Rock My World”; originally slated to appear on an album by Timo’s now-defunct band Infinite Visions, these songs were acquired by Majustice and given new life.
Ancestral Recall will also have special guest performances: legendary vocalist Mike Vescera (ex-Loudness, ex-Yngwie Malmsteen) who will be singing two songs, and Loudness drummer Ryuichi Nishida playing on one track.
Majustice have released a preview video of the demo version of two songs which will be on their upcoming debut album, "Ancestral Recall" and “Now Your Turn” (featuring Mike Vescera). It can be viewed below:
Lineup:
Vocals - Iuri Sanson (Eternity’s End, ex-Hibria)
Guitar - Jien Takahashi (Stormheart, Baskerville)
Guitar - Kelly Simonz (Kelly Simonz’s Blind Faith, Mark Boals)
Keyboards - Vitalij Kuprij (Artension, Ring Of Fire, Trans-Siberian Orchestra)
Bass - Kaz Nakamura (Kelly Simonz’s Blind Faith, Mark Boals)
Drums - Yosuke Yamada (Kelly Simonz’s Blind Faith, Mark Boals)
Guest Vocals - Mike Vescera (Animetal USA, ex-Loudness, ex-Yngwie Malmsteen)
Guest Drums - Ryuichi Nishida (Loudness)
(Photo - Day Montenegro, Hikaru Ohta, Dani Metalcry)
“First we wish to thank the hundreds of friends and fans that reached out to us on Cleve’s passing,” states Dominic St. Charles, Urn’s singer/guitarist. “He was loved by so many for all of his work spanning over three decades in the horror, film, and music industries. It has been a great loss to us on a personal level as well as professional. We are still hurting, but we are healing as well. Thank you and bless you all.”
Urn have released their new single and video for the song “Of Whom We Once Were”, which Mr. Hall himself filmed and directed before his passing. Additional footage was filmed in Florida as the Coronavirus pandemic hit the United States only a couple of weeks after principal photography took place in California.
The band reported that they had scheduled to initially release the single/video for the week after Mr. Hall passed, and elected to postpone so they could re-edit the video to include a memorial tribute to honor his memory. According to St. Charles, the band also filmed a second video during that same time frame for another upcoming single and look to release closer to the 20th Anniversary event in San Jose.
Cleve Hall’s daughter, Constance Hall, who officially announced his death also launched a GoFundMe to raise funds for burial costs of which the band has contributed and is help supporting:
St. Charles continued, “There is the adage of ‘living life on life’s terms” and that certainly has been the case for us these past two to three years. We wish to thank all of our fans, friends, family, and our team for being patient with us as it has been trying times. We’ve been looking to release the Semicolon album for a couple of years now, but major life and health events have kept delaying the process, but we are extremely determined to do so here in the very near future. Thank you for sticking with us”.
Urn also announced today they have rescheduled their 20th-anniversary concert event to Saturday, October 23, 2021 to be held at The Ritz in San Jose, CA.
Originally, to have been held on their actual anniversary date of May 5 in New Orleans, due to the untimely passing of keyboardist Cleve “Monster Man” Hall on March 30 from heart failure, as well as COVID protocols that were still in place with many businesses in the French Quarter, the band felt it was necessary to postpone.
More details on the 20th Anniversary event will be released in the coming weeks as the band is still confirming with many special guests and alumni who planned on participating in the initial event and are checking schedules for the new date.
A year after releasing their 3 EP during June 2020 via RFL Records, Canada's Sven Gali is kicking off summer 2021 with their new music video "Hurt", which premiered Friday, June 11 on BraveWords' Streaming For Vengeance. You can now watch the video below.
Says the band: "'Hurt' features the unmistakable melodic and attitude laced vocals of David Wanless; complimentary and crushing guitar performances from Andy Frank and Sean Williamson; and the solid foundation and groove laid down by Shawn Minden and Dan Fila. As you listen to it, you will hear the combination of classic Sven Gali along with the evolving sound of the band. We are looking forward to getting back out on tour and blowing people away with our high-energy, intense, and crushing performances. Best, SG."
Experiencing extensive touring worldwide where they have shared the stage with legends such as April Wine, Foreigner, Pearl Jam, and Def Leppard, Sven Gali's 3 EP marks their return since releasing 1995’s In Wire and 1992’s gold-selling and Juno Award-nominated self-titled debut album released on BMG Music Canada that featured hits “Under The Influence” and “Love Don’t Live Here Anymore”.
Known for their fusion of 80s screaming hard rock and 90s blazing metal, Sven Gali's 3 EP is available on digital platforms from RFL Records, and on CD here.
3 tracklist:
"Kill The Lies"
"You Won't Break Me"
"Now"
"Hurt"
Sven Gali is:
Dave Wanless - vocals
Andy Frank - guitars
Shawn Minden - bass
Dan Fila - drums
Sean Williamson - guitars
Danko Jones have released a video for their new single, "Saturday", which can be seen below. The track is the second single from the band's new album, Power Trio, out August 27.
The music video was directed (filmed, produced and edited) by Trevor Bowman at Bridgeworks in Hamilton, Ontario in March 2021. The track is an absolute banger with massive power-chord roars and just the right amount of edge. It's undeniably catchy and about so much more than just horndog confessions and sexual conquests. It's about the search for true, everlasting love. Danko (frontman) just wants to spend the evening curled up on the couch with his missus.
The full-throttle album, Power Trio, sees the band reunited with Canadian independent label Sonic Unyon Records, who issued the trio's first recordings and who will release the band's latest masterpiece in North America. Pre-orders are available here.
Power Trio sees Danko Jones delivering each engine-revving riff, soul-shaking stomp, and shout-it-loud hook with a sniper’s precision. It's such a simple, self-evident title, but one loaded with significance, as it speaks to the special triangular alchemy Danko shares with his trusty bass-slinging accomplice JC and drummer Rich Knox. It also stakes out the band’s place on a storied lineage of three-piece titans Jimi Hendrix Experience, ZZ Top, Rush, Motörhead, Venom, Dinosaur Jr., and the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, to name a few.
When you choose to start a power trio, you’re not simply forming a band, you’re entering a blood pact - a tacit acknowledgement that all three members need to carry their equal share of the weight lest the whole enterprise collapse. There’s nowhere to hide in a power trio - no second guitarist to cover your mistakes, no keyboard player to smooth things over, no horn section to distract the crowd. If you fuck up, the whole band fucks up. Everybody needs to be on their A-game at all times.
Power Trio follows the band's electrifying, world charting album, A Rock Supreme released in 2019. It also sees the band once again tapping into the production prowess of Eric Ratz, who previously amped up the bone-breaking boogie of 2017's full-throttle rocker Wild Cat and 2015's bloodlusty Fire Music.
Tracklist:
"I Want Out"
"Good Lookin'"
"Saturday"
"Ship Of Lies"
"Raise Some Hell"
"Blue Jean Denim Jumpsuit"
"Get To You"
"Dangerous Kiss"
"Let’s Rock Together"
"Flaunt It"
"Start The Show" (feat. Phil Campbell)
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