"So I finaly did it! I made a how to play / playthrough video," says Gaia Epicus guitarist Thomas Chr. Hansen. "Since I haven't played guitar in a year now, I chose to do an easy one. So here it is, 'Hand Of Fate'."
"Hand Of Fate" can be found on Symphony Of Glory, originally released in 2005, and re-released in 2012.
Epicus Records signed a worldwide license deal with Pure Steel Records for a limited edition version of the latest Gaia Epicus album, Seventh Rising. The CD was released on June 4th, limited to only 200 copies, containing one bonus track.
This album was officially released in December 2020 and is the band's seventh studio album.
Seventh Rising Limited Edition tracklisting:
"Like A Phoenix"
"Rising"
"Nothing To Lose"
"From Ashes To Fire"
"The Dream"
"Invisible Enemy"
"Dr. Madman"
"Number One"
"Gods Of Metal"
"We Are The Ones"
"Eye Of RA"
"Jailbreak" (Thin Lizzy cover) - Bonus track
Album lineup:
Thomas Chr. Hansen - guitars, bass and vocals
Lukky Sparxx - lead guitars
Mike Terrana - drums
Fractal Universe drummer Clément Denys has filmed a playthrough video for his band's latest single "Symmetrical Masquerade".
According to Clément, "This song is quite versatile, there are lot of dynamics and also some interesting independence work. I built some specific ostinatos between hi-hat and ride of the second verse and the bridge, while keeping snare and kick following the bass theme. Just to explain the concept a bit more: RLL on verse number two, but the ride beee is played half time. On the last part of the bridge, sticking is RLRRLRR etc, and it's a really tricky one to play."
On June 25th, Fractal Universe will release their new album, The Impassable Horizon, via Metal Blade Records. For a preview of the record, a video for the new single, "Symmetrical Masquerade" (animated by Costin Chioreanu of Twilight 13 Media), can be viewed below.
In regards to the lyrical theme of "Symmetrical Masquerade", the band comments that it is, "the hope humans have of a something, whatever its nature, after death. In that constant denial of the fact that death could equal the 'non-being', humans turn this anxiety into an expectation, even a deliverance. But there's always a doubt remaining. And the most distressing thing isn't the knowledge of the inevitable, but rather the fact that nothing's for sure."
Director Costin Chioreanu adds: "The video is a collection of beyond death moments experienced by the last human body left. The robots are trying to keep the body alive, in order to record the travels into the afterlife of the soul incorporated into it. There are memories melted with products of subject's subconscious mind work. At one point, the robots are planting in the veins of the character a strange recording device, which will follow his soul beyond the realms of death... and then, the memories of the human collective are accessed and collected, and we can see how the entire species got lost into a self-sabotaging belief system."
With 2019's Rhizomes Of Insanity, France's Fractal Universe created one of the most musically, lyrically, and emotionally complex and compelling progressive metal works of the twenty-first century. The band toured the record hard, joining heavyweights Obscura in February/March of 2020, making for one of the last tours in the world pre-pandemic, and in doing so, sated their faithful while winning legions of new followers. With its successor, The Impassable Horizon, they have gone even deeper, effortlessly following the trajectory they set themselves on to create an album that is riveting from start to finish.
"We wanted to keep developing our musical personality and the natural sound we managed to get on Rhizomes," says drummer Clément Denys. "It's a very versatile and complex album. Musically speaking, you will find catchy songs which are really direct, progressive and mysterious ballads with epic saxophone solos, and technical songs with intricate riffing."
Elaborates vocalist/guitarist/saxophonist Vince Wilquin, "despite the record being even more diverse, dynamic and including more clean vocals than its predecessor, the overall atmosphere is also slightly darker and more melancholic."
And with the introduction of Wilquin's newly honed saxophone skills to their live set, alongside working with Gojira's Christian Andreu on their stage scenery and production, once the band return to the road they are sure to be an unmissable act.
With the first riffs and ideas for The Impassable Horizon emerging in November 2018, before Rhizomes was even released, composition for the whole record took about a year, with the last six months before entering the studio in May of 2020 dedicated to vocal preproduction/arrangements and finalizing the guitar and saxophone solos. Drums were recorded at the band's own professional recording studio - Boundless Production Studio - in Florange, France, while the other instruments were tracked in their personal home studios. It was overseen by producer Flavien Morel, who has been working with Fractal Universe since the beginning and really understands the band's vision.
"The sessions were good," says Denys. "We were not in a rush. This was the first record we entirely tracked in our own studios, so we were for example able to spend two complete days on sound-checking the drums, which was really comfortable."
The most demanding aspect of tracking was the vocals, which took as long to record as all of the other instrumentation combined. "Flavien really encouraged me to bring the vocal production to the next level: there are chorus sections where there are about thirty tracks of backing vocals, with every line quad-tracked, to make it sound really massive and 'chorus-y'."
With mixing being Wilquin's favorite part of the realization process, the point at which the record really starts to come alive, he was happy to work closely with Morel, and the finished product is everything they wanted it to be. "It feels like the natural evolution of our band sound, keeping our distinctive trademarks and incorporating new sounds and ideas," says Wilquin, and adds Denys, "we hope the new album will reach new fans and please our current ones, which have been amazingly supportive even during the pandemic, and that it will bring the band to the next level."
The Impassable Horizon can be pre-ordered here on CD, vinyl, as well as digitally. Fans can also visit Fractal Universe's official store for additional vinyl and more.
The Impassable Horizon tracklisting:
"Autopoiesis"
"A Clockwork Expectation"
"Interfering Spherical Scenes"
"Symmetrical Masquerade"
"Falls Of The Earth"
"Withering Snowdrops"
"Black Sails Of Melancholia"
"A Cosmological Arch"
"Epitaph"
"Godless Machinists"
"Flashes Of Potentialities" (Unplugged)
German genrefluid visionaries, Lord Of The Lost, return with their seventh studio album, Judas, out July 2 via Napalm Records. The band recently released a second cinematic and visually stunning video for their second single, "For They Know Not What They Do". They have now released a session breakdown video, which you can view below:
Watch a guitar playthrough video for the song:
The music video for "For They Know Not What They Do" picks up where the first video for "Priest" leaves off. Together, the two videos form the start of a grand narrative of black and white, good and evil, and loud and quiet.
"For They Know Not What They Do", the second single from Judas proves that this new piece of art is musically and organically grown and has very lively highlights - including a choir, grand piano and string quintet - as well as a real church organ. We Will Outlive Them!
Chris Harms on the new video: "With ‘For They Know Not What They Do’, the audiovisual experience of ‘Priest’ is not only continued, but in a certain way, a cycle opens here which connects the two videos in their beginnings and endings. In addition, we have fulfilled a childhood dream here, because what musician would not like to be seen once as a ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ choir in the best Queen manner in his video..."
Lord Of The Lost on Judas: “Don’t judge a book by its cover. This sentence could hardly apply any better to someone in theological history than to the figure of Judas Iscariot, who represents only one thing at first glance: Betrayal. If you take a closer look, almost endless possibilities of interpretation open up here: from "Judas the murderer" to "Judas the redeemer" and "Judas the actual martyr", who, if you believe in it, could only find room in hell for his salvific betrayal after dying for what he did, in complete contrast to Jesus Christ. This field of tension and the apocryphal writings of the "Gospel of Judas" are the basis for a double album that not only illuminates the dark and light side of history, but above all the grey areas in between, in which we move emotionally and ideologically throughout our lives and try to find our place.”
Judas will be available in the following formats:
- Deluxe Box (incl. 2-CD Mediabook, 1 CD The Sorrows Of The Young, 2 CD LOTL+, DVD Becoming Judas, Cover Alu Print) - strictly limited to 1500 copies worldwide
- 4 CD Earbook - strictly limited to 500 copies worldwide
- Double Music Cassette - strictly limited to 100 copies worldwide
- 2-CD Mediabook
- 2-CD Sleevepack
- Vinyl Box incl. 2x 2LP Recycled Black Vinyl Gatefold
- Digital Album
CD1: Damnation
"Priest"
"For They Know Not What They Do"
"Your Star Has Led You Astray"
"Born with a Broken Heart"
"The 13th"
"In the Field of Blood"
"2000 Years a Pyre"
"Death Is Just a Kiss Away"
"The Heart Is a Traitor"
"Euphoria"
"Be Still and Know"
"The Death of All Colours"
CD2: Salvation
"The Gospel of Judas"
"Viva Vendetta"
"Argent"
"The Heartbeat of the Devil"
"And it Was Night"
"My Constellation"
"The Ashes of Flowers"
"Iskarioth"
"A War Within"
"A World where We Belong"
"Apokatastasis"
"Work of Salvation"
"Priest" video:
Next to the 2-CD Judas Mediabook and a cover alu print, the strictly limited deluxe box includes the special CD, The Sorrows Of The Young, double extra CD LOTL+, as well as the six part behind the scenes documentary bonus DVD, Becoming Judas. The Sorrows Of The Young features ten unreleased songs, written by Chris Harms at the age of 18, that have now been re-recorded, whereas LOTL+ showcases 32 completely different interpretations in terms of vocals and lyrics on the original song “Viva Vendetta”, written and performed by artists like Megaherz, Equilibrium, Lacrimosa, Subway To Sally, Nachtblut, Unzucht and many more.
The Sorrows Of The Young tracklisting:
"Catharsis"
"Syringes in the Sand"
"Deus Absconditus"
"Die Without Your Love"
"This Piece of Art"
"The Last Saviour"
"All I Am Is The Void"
"Obscularum Infame"
"Infinity"
"Supernova"
LOTL+ tracklisting:
CD1:
"Living a Lie" feat. A Life Divided
"Consume Hate" feat. Aesthetic Perfection
"Vergissmeinnicht" feat. AnnA Lux
"Still Life to Die For" feat. Ben Christo (The Sisters Of Mercy / Diamond Black)
"The Darkest Hour" feat. Chemical Sweet Kid
"Into the Dawn" feat. Simon Moskon (Cryptex)
"The Warrior" feat. Daria Trusova
"Old-School Pagan Spirit" feat. Robse (Equilibrium)
"Entität" feat. Erdling
"Doomed Love" feat. Erk Aicrag (Hocico / Rabia Sorda)
"Crimson Masque" feat. Face Time Police
"Your Skeleton Grin" feat. Faderhead
"A Pain That I Know" feat. Florian Grey
"Ohne Zweifel" feat. Heldmaschine
"Sadly Ever After" feat. Hell Boulevard
"Stolen" feat. Jaani Peuhu (Mercury Circly, Swallow The Sun, Iconcrash)
CD2:
"Alles wird gut, aber…" feat. Lacrimosa
"Dein Blick" feat. Letzte Instanz
"Pale Rider" feat. Lolita KompleX
"Revenge" feat. MajorVoice
"Aus und Vorbei" feat. Megaherz
"Bloody Flower" feat. Nachtblut
"Abandon Ship" feat. Night Laser
"The Shadow and the Sun" feat. OH FYO!
"Digging Deeper" feat. Scarlet Dorn
"It Starts with a Crack" feat. Solar Fake
"Fake Gods" feat. Soulbound
"Träume zu Tränen" feat. Subway To Sally
"Die Flamme" feat. Sündenrausch
"Feuerrot" feat. Tanzwut
"Während die Welt in Flammen Steht" feat. Unzucht
"Today" feat. Saku Solin (Turmion Kätilöt / Fear Of Domination)
Lord Of The Lost are:
Chris Harms - vocals, guitar, cello
Pi Stoffers - guitar
Class Grenayde - bass
Gared Dirge - piano, synthesizer, percussion, guitar
Niklas Kahl - drums
London metal trio, Urne, will release their debut album, Serpent & Spirit, on June 25 via Candlelight Records. The band has shared the video for "The Palace of Devils & Wolves", which can be found below.
Bassist/vocalist Joe Nally comments, "When it came to writing 'The Palace Of Devils & Wolves', we wanted to write a straightforward heavy metal song compared to some of the longer pieces on Serpent & Spirit. Inspired by late '70s-Judas Priest and Megadeth Countdown To Extinction with our own spin, I believe we wrote a song that will have people headbanging at shows and festivals all over."
As for the video, Nally says, "The video was shot by Gav Thane and edited by our very own Angus Neyra. We took huge inspiration from the classic '90s metal videos; if there was a new Drilling the Vein video compilation coming out now, we would want this video on there. We wanted the grittiness of 'Davidian' (Machine Head) mixed with the energy of 'Slave New World' (Sepultura) but again, with our own spin."
During the writing process for Serpent & Spirit, Nally found an old demo of the first few minutes of the track and instantly knew it had to be finished. "Desolate Heart" subsequently became the first single released from the album.
There is no single way that Urne describe their sound. It all comes back to one thing: heavy. There are shades of Metallica, Mastodon, and Alice In Chains in the mix - hopping between sludge, tech-metal, doom, hardcore, and anything else with a weighty heart.
Formed by ex-Hang The Bastard bassist Joe Nally and guitarist Angus Neyra after their former band called it quits, the pair already had a reputation for big, heavy riffs. Getting drummer Richard Harris on board in 2018, they gilded their new outfit with debut EP The Mountain of Gold, which immediately marked Urne out as a formidable new metallic force.
They return with debut album Serpent & Spirit. Heavier, wider, and with an even higher ratio of killer riffs than the EP, it also comes with a weighty concept based around the central character's struggle as he's pulled between good and evil, darkness, and light.
"I had a bit of a bad patch for a few months," explains Nally, revealing the inspiration for the album's lyrics. "I'm absolutely fine now, but I drew on those two months where I just wasn't feeling great. I took that and wrote a story based about that. The actual track listing is done like that film Memento, where it's all in a different order. Maybe one day someone will listen to the lyrics and work out which order the story goes in."
He continues, "The album is called Serpent & Spirit. The spirit is the human experience and the serpent is the evil that tricks your mind. It's about getting pulled apart and trying to find yourself within all of that. So it's almost good and evil, and throughout the album it's about a person getting pulled from the light to the dark."
Due to COVID, the final parts of the album were written over Skype, before being recorded by Chris Fielding (Conan, Electric Wizard, Primordial) at Foel Studios in deepest Wales during lockdown. It was then sent to acclaimed producer Jens Bogren who handled the mastering of Serpent & Spirit.
Serpent & Spirit tracklisting:
"Serpent & Spirit"
"The Palace of Devils & Wolves"
"Memorial"
"Moon & Sky"
"Desolate Heart"
'Envy The Dead"
"Memorial - Sing Me To Rest"
"A Tomb So Frail"
George Lynch rejoined DOKKEN on stage last night (Saturday, June 5) at the Live United Live Music Festival in Sunbury, Pennsylvania to perform the band's classic songs "Kiss Of Death", "Tooth And Nail" and "When Heaven Comes Down". Fan-filmed video footage of his appearance can be seen below.
Three months ago, Lynch was asked in an interview with Jeff Gaudiosi of MisplacedStraws.com if there has been any talk of more shows featuring the reunited classic lineup of DOKKEN. He responded: "I've actually been talking to Don [Dokken] a little bit, and we're both in agreement that that should probably happen — meaning some kind of a meaningful reunion done in the right way, carefully and with proper preparation and time and rehearsals and not just throwing it out there like we did last time." George went on to say that "the obvious choice" to replace DOKKEN's recently retired drummer "Wild" Mick Brown would be Mick's brother Steve, who can be heard playing alongside Lynch and ex-DOKKEN bassist Jeff Pilson on the latest THE END MACHINE album, "Phase2".
In a separate interview with Alamo True Metal, Lynch reflected on the last time DOKKEN's classic lineup — Dokken, Lynch, Pilson and Mick Brown — reunited for a short Japanese tour in the fall of 2016. The trek marked the first time in 21 years the four musicians had hit the road together.
"I think I was slightly disappointed in it — not overwhelmingly disappointed, but I have some regrets," he said. "I wish we had prepared more. And I know we all feel that way. 'Cause of the logistics, we all had things we had to do right after the time we had allotted and beforehand. So we just were barely able to even pull it off with everybody else's pre-existing commitments. The fact that we got to do it at all was… you know, we were fortunate for even being able to pull it off. So we were a little underprepared, I feel. And yes, we were offered a good amount of money to go to Japan and do some other things, so it made it just kind of a no-brainer."
A DOKKEN concert DVD focusing on the band's reunion tour, "Return To The East Live (2016)", was made available in 2018. In addition to the Japanese performance, the set included footage from the classic lineup's only U.S. show in September 2016 at Badlands in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, as well as newly recorded acoustic reworkings of "Heaven Sent" and "Will The Sun Rise". Also featured on "Return To The East Live (2016)" was "It's Just Another Day", the first DOKKEN track featuring the group's classic lineup since 1997's "Shadowlife".
Since completing the Japanese reunion dates, DOKKEN has continued to perform with the group's current lineup — including bassist Chris McCarvill, guitarist Jon Levin and drummer BJ Zampa (HOUSE OF LORDS).
Over the past four years, Lynch has appeared on recordings by THE END MACHINE, KXM, ULTRAPHONIX and SWEET & LYNCH.
Cyhra / Red Wolf guitarist Euge Valovirta has released the second single from his forthcoming second solo album, Shooting From The Hip, due out on June 30th. Check out "Bogrenious below, now available on all digital platforms found here.
Cyhra recently checked in with the following update:
"We are extremely happy and excited to announce that we are joining forces with our friends in Twilight Force touring Europe and the UK! Sadly, our 2020 No Halos In Hell Tour abruptly ended due to the Covid-19 pandemic. To finally announce that we are going back on the road again, feels almost somewhat surreal.
Honestly, the happiness we are feeling about this upcoming tour is overwhelming! We can't wait to meet all the fans that have been away from live music just as long as us! Hope to see you all then!"
Loaded with melodic vocal hooks and heavy yet dynamic guitars that stay nailed to the brain for days, Cyhra's No Halos In Hell album proves Jake E (ex-Amaranthe), Jesper Strömblad (ex-In Flames), Euge Valovirta (ex-Shining) and Alex Landenburg (Kamelot) are a band ready to take the world by storm.
No Halos In Hell is available as 2 CD digipak, black vinyl or download. The bonus CD included in the limited digipak includes six additional songs, three of them being exclusive acoustic versions. You can order the format of your choice here.
Tracklisting:
"Out Of My Life"
"No Halos In Hell"
"Battle From Within"
"I Am The One"
"Bye Bye Forever"
"Dreams Gone Wrong"
"Lost In Time"
"Kings Tonight"
"I Had Your Back"
"Blood Brothers"
"Hit Me"
"Man Of Eternal Rain"
Finnish funeral doom pioneers, Skepticism, celebrate their 30th anniversary with the release of their sixth full length album, Companion. Set for release on September 24 via Svart Records, Companion takes the listener on a journey from Skepticism’s gloomy past through to a monument of a band that has weathered their liturgy for 3 decades of mournful service.
Today the first single and video for "Calla" has been released. “Calla” is a story of longing and closure told in the language of Skepticism’s sorrowful and lamenting vocabulary. Let the bells toll and the ceremony begin. Watch below:
On Companion, Skepticism further refine their signature sound to engulf the listener in a cavernous heavy wall of organ and guitars laid to rest under an ominous cascade of hammering drums.
Companion was recorded and mixed at Sonic Pump Studios with Nino Laurenne. The way Skepticism works is set in stone, like a monument, with every album recorded the same way. The base tracks are laid down with the full band playing in free tempo, feeling every beat and crushing chord together. The atmosphere at the studio helped tremendously in capturing the essence of the songs in the recording of Companion and one that culminated in a very unique set of songs. The band is very satisfied with the result, with even Laurenne experiencing something new in the process.
Companion holds the tradition of all Skepticism albums, containing six songs which draw from the deep well of the band’s history of songwriting, as well as introducing and incorporating some new elements.
On recording Companion, and introducing some rather unconventional techniques, engineer Nino Laurenne explains: “It took a while to get used to some of the unusual details on how the band plays and sounds. One such detail is the snare drum without the snares. Once I got used to them it became obvious that I should refrain from using some of the techniques I normally use when mixing. The drums for example retain the feel of the recorded performance very closely - and definitely have the longest reverbs I have ever used! A band with such a long history and a sound of their own is best presented in its natural form, even when it departs from common practices.”
Brazil-based animator Val Andrade has released his latest Iron Maiden cartoon clip featuring "Stranger In A Strange Land", from the band's 1986 album, Somewhere In Time. Check it out below:
A selection of Andrade's previously released Iron Maiden-based cartoons can be seen below:
MEMPHIS MAY FIRE has always made anthems for the broken. The band's explosive new single, "Blood & Water", is firmly in keeping with this tradition.
The official music video for the song, which finds the band in performance mode and exuding crackling and frenetic energy, can be seen below.
"With everything that's happened over the last year, it feels surreal to be releasing new music," says singer Matty Mullins, offering insight into both the song and the band's creative headspace. "Creating during a pandemic came with a lot of challenges. But looking back, I think we needed that time off the road to fall in love with writing songs again. 'Blood & Water' is just a taste of what's to come and we couldn't be more excited for the world to finally hear it."
In other news, MEMPHIS MAY FIRE has launched two new merch designs, which are available here. 100% of the profits of one of the new designs will be donated to Bridges DVC Nashville, which serves women, men and their children affected by domestic violence, ensuring a safe transition to successful independent living. Bridges is breaking the cycle of domestic violence in the greater Nashville area by responding directly to the scene of an assault to offer immediate support, education and networking with other agencies.
Over the course of its career, MEMPHIS MAY FIRE has channeled a generation's worth of angst, frustration, and pain, with a focused blend of gigantic melodic hooks and crushing aggression. Even after topping Billboard's Hard Music Albums chart, having an album debut at No. 4 on the Billboard Top 200, and breaking into radio's Active Rock Top 20, MEMPHIS MAY FIRE refuses to sacrifice who they are or the people who made them.
A new season unfolds for the band, and it's filled with revitalization and renewal. Stripping things down to their core elements, hearkening back to the days when they created the music their fans most cherish, MEMPHIS MAY FIRE rekindled the spark within to build an inferno of riffs and inspirational words. They have returned to their roots with the seasoned polish earned through years of touring and making music together. "Blood & Water" is proof positive of this fact.
MEMPHIS MAY FIRE has toured with a vast list of important rock and metal acts that include KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, SLEEPING WITH SIRENS, BLACK VEIL BRIDES, SEVENDUST and ATREYU. They've co-headlined with YELLOWCARD and THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, regularly appeared on Warped Tour, and at major rock festivals. The band's previous six albums' continued relevance is a testament to the energized connectivity between the band and their audience. Songs like "Miles Away", "No Ordinary Love", "Beneath The Skin" and "Carry On" account for 100 million views and millions of streams.
St. John's Newfoundland is home to some of the most unforgiving, bleak, and snowiest weather in the country and local black metal act Artach uses that grey atmosphere as an inspiration for their raw and epic music.
Last year, Artach released a debut album Chronicles Of A Black Winter and this year, will follow it up with Sworn To Avenge'. The second single from the upcoming release is “She Gathers Leaves”, being presented in a lyric video. The single is more mystical and pagan than the other tracks on the album, as they explain:
“The music has a bit of a gothic feel in places and that leads to having some lyrics about witchy subject matter.”
They go on, to comment on the album:
“The music on the album is a frigid mixture of topics about nature and how it meets and interacts with the darkness of humankind. The desolation of the world, the planet, and the repeated failure of society to evolve to a place where we are a part of nature and not brutish subjugators of everything in our path.”
Coming from the coldest, windiest, snowiest, foggiest city in Canada, Artach’s music is heavily influenced by nature and even takes after the bleak climate they are surrounded by. “Sworn to Avenge” is an inescapable, cold and at times unhinged grimness. Raw aggression tempered with bouts of melody evoking the grandmasters of the genre while incorporating first and second wave black metal influences.
Raw and epic black metal, Artach is recommended listening for fans of Immortal, Celtic Frost, and Darkthrone.
Sworn To Avenge is being released on June 25 via Depressive Illusions and is available for pre-order on Bandcamp.
Tracklisting:
“Tuiteam An Duine”
“Ice Throne”
“Shimmer”
“Endless Tundra”
“Into The Frozen Woodlands”
“She Gathers Leaves”
“Mistress Of Black Thorns”
“Winter’s End”
Dutch extreme metal outfit Autarkh are unveiling the official music video for the song "Alignment," which is taken from their latest album Form In Motion. The music video was created by Guilherme Henriques.
Autarkh comments: ''We are proud to present our second music video for ‘Alignment.’ The video was shot by the talented videographer Guilherme Henriques at Koepelhal and Textielmuseum in Tilburg (NL). ‘Alignment’ tries to capture a most desirable form of motion towards a realm where time and space are aligned, a realm of astonishing catharsis, self-government and independence. It feels like the right time to release this video; the times are still uncertain but it seems we’re moving towards more freedom with an abundance of gained experience.”
Autarkh have recently been featured on the national television show Muziekstad (Music City), from the Dutch broadcasting company 3Voor12/VPRO. In the 30-minute short documentary, founder Michel Nienhuis explains his take on the heavy music scene of the city of Tilburg (NL), which is a fertile ground for the arts. The TV show also features Autarkh's first ever live performance of the tracks "Turbulence" and "Alignment."
Frontiers Music Srl recently announced the signing of the Swedish melodic rock combo, Rian, to the label for a multi-album deal. The first release will be the band's sophomore album, Twenty-Three, on July 16. New single and video for "In The Dark" is streaming below. Pre-order/save Twenty-Three here.
"Music is all about creating feelings. On this album we wanted to give credit to the desperate feeling we got listening to music when we were much too young to understand it," says vocalist/guitarist Richard Andermyr.
Twenty-Three took shape under the direction of producer Daniel Flores (Find Me, The Murder Of My Sweet) with these new songs being written during 2018-2020. They are based on melodies and lyrics written by vocalist/guitarist Richard Andermyr. The initial ideas from Richard were crafted into songs that the band arranged together, first with Richard and drummer Jan Johansson and later on with the full band.
Rian released their debut album Out Of The Darkness in July 2017, which was well received by fans and melodic rock media alike. The band made its live debut during 2018, which began the process of the band becoming more and more of a live unit. Add the amazing lead guitars of Tobias Jakobsson into the mix with the band and you have the cocktail that makes up the Rian 2.0 sound.
"We are really pleased to sign with Frontiers Music Srl. Since our first contact, the label has been nothing but helpful. We feel right at home with the support we’ve received so far and look forward to using this relationship to enable us to provide our fans with a steady supply of quality music for the years to come. Our sound can, in the easiest way, be explained as a modern version of classic melodic rock music, the way it was produced in the second half of the 80’s. The sound is American, but the melodies and chord progressions have very strong Swedish roots. Influences such as Bon Jovi, Dokken, Europe, Queensryche, Survivor, and Winger can be heard in the sound. Also, more modern vibes the likes of Alter Bridge have a presence in our music,” explains Richard Andermyr.
Tracklisting:
"Stop"
"In The Dark"
"Where Do We Run"
"Twenty-Three"
"For Your Heart"
"We Belong"
"My Ocean"
"Body And Soul"
"The Passenger"
"Stranger To Me"
"Your Beauty"
"In The Dark" video:
"Stop" video:
Lineup:
Richard Andermyr: Vocals / Guitar
Jan Johansson: Drums
Jonas Melin: Bass
Tobias Jakobsson: Lead Guitar
Born Of Osiris have released a guitar playthrough video for "White Nile", featured on their upcoming new album, Angel Or Alien, out July 2 via Sumerian Records. Watch below:
"Poster Child"
"White Nile"
"Angel Or Alien"
"Waves"
"Oathbreaker"
"Threat Of Your Presence"
"Love Story"
"Crossface"
"Echobreather"
"Lost Souls"
"In For The Kill"
"You Are The Narrative"
"Truth And Denial"
"Shadowmourne"
Evergrey frontman Tom Eglund has checked in with the following update:
"Check this out. I had a very pleasant experience working with something that doesn't necessarily sound like anything I am usually writing, so it was great fun helping out here! Order your copy here."
UK-based Dovorian is a project launched by Adam Sayer, born out of lockdown. The album, The Light & Dark, features Evergrey's Tom Englund on vocals - which are also written by him - and is mixed and mastered by Evergrey's Jonas Ekdahl.
Tracklist:
"Lost"
"Betrayal"
"Alone"
"You Are The Reason"
"Feel"
"Ache"
"Life Support"
"A Part Of Me"
"Diamond In The Dark"
"Without You"
San Antonio, Texas-based hard rock band, Kingdom Collapse, have signed on to Dynamic Talent International's impressive roster among acts Red, The Veer Union, VRSTY, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus and Alesana to name a few.
The band will release their new single. "Unbreakable", on June 18. Watch a teaser below, and pre-save the single here.
Relevance. It is one of the most innate human desires; to know that we are not alone and that others go through the same struggles. This is why Kingdom Collapse is carving out their spot in the rock world. They seek to give a voice to people who share similar troubles and crave relevancy in an apathetic world.
The world responded to a relevant theme of betrayal when their first single, “Suffer,” amassed over 5,000,000 YouTube views and 900,000 Spotify streams organically. The group’s 2020 hit radio single, “Uprise,” broke into the Billboard Mainstream Rock Top 40 as well as the Mediabase Active Rock charts for 9 weeks straight. “Uprise” went on to become Sirius XM Octane’s #1 Most Played song for two consecutive weeks and has since accumulated over 1,600,000 Spotify streams, tipping the band’s total stream count over 3.5 million.
The group features Jonathan Norris on vocals, David Work on guitar, Aaron Smith on bass and Elijah Santucci on drums. Together, with a mutual vision, they are bringing their shared experiences to the masses and looking to help as many people as they can with a feeling of solidarity.
The band’s 2021 follow-up radio single, “Unbreakable,” is an anthem that is emotionally honest and relevant to today's times. Written and produced by lead singer, Jonathan Norris and mixed/mastered by Chris Mora of War Horse Recordings, it sends a positive message to listeners by teaching that even life’s hardest moments can be a benefit. Norris writes, “‘Unbreakable’ comes from a lyrical standpoint of looking back at various struggles that life has thrown at you and coming to realize that those struggles ultimately made you stronger. We’ve all been there, and it’s about finding the silver lining in the midst of dark times.”
Kingdom Collapse has been playing stages across the US and has already shared the stage with the likes of 10 Years, From Ashes To New, Cold, Red, Saliva and many other hard rock heavy-hitters. In May of 2021 the band signed with one of the leading booking agencies in the industry, Dynamic Talent International, and will be announcing more tour dates soon.
Arizona's Go Ahead And Die will release their self-titled debut album on June 11 via Nuclear Blast Records. Go Ahead And Die is a raw, urgent, unrelenting, thrillingly shocking, and vibrant new band.
Born from the mind of a creative writer and musician Igor Amadeus Cavalera of Healing Magic and extreme metal icon, and Soulfly leader Max Cavalera. Go Ahead And Die's tempos are wild, with contempt for modern social ills palpable, its riffs monstrous and captivating. They make angry, spiteful, utterly engaging, spirited extreme music for increasingly extreme times.
In this new trailer, Max and Igor Amadeus Cavalera talk about the themes and artwork for the album:
The self-titled debut sees Max and Igor splitting guitar and vocal duties, with utter madman style drumming from Zach Coleman of the blistering Black Curse and critically-acclaimed Khemmis. It sounds like a relic from the glory days of thrash, proto-death metal, and filthy rotten punk, the kind of band that would inspire a teenaged thrasher in 1987 to carve the G.A.A.D. logo into a school desk.
"Truckload Full Of Bodies"
"Toxic Freedom"
"I.C.E. Cage"
"Isolated/Desolated"
"Prophet's Prey"
"Punisher"
"El Cuco"
"G.A.A.D."
"Worth Less Than Piss"
"(In The) Slaughterline"
"Roadkill"
The punk rock revolution of the 1970s not only influenced legions of music lovers through political and social commentaries, it also inspired an entire generation of budding musicians to pick up the guitar, drum sticks, sledgehammer, whatever and form their own band. One such rebellious upstart was Steve Zing, who found inspiration in a little punk rock outfit out of New Jersey called The Misfits.
“Steve was one of the few younger kids who used to sit on the wall and listen outside The Misfits rehearsals,” remembers Misfits founder and vocalist Glenn Danzig.
Zing would eventually form Mourning Noise, a piss-and-vinegar fueled hardcore punk group that, like their horror punk mentors, had a penchant for the dark and macabre - demons, graves, monsters, and the like. Although brief, Mourning Noise caused a ruckus loud enough to get the attention of Danzig who would eventually recruit young Zing to both of his post-Misfits bands, Samhain and Danzig.
Now, the complete studio recordings from Mourning Noise are being reissued on a deluxe collection that includes rare studio outtakes plus a special live performance at the legendary WFMU studio (CD and digital-only bonus tracks). In addition, Zing has written all new liner notes sharing for the first time ever the entire history of this brief but important band. The collection also features the full endorsement and introductory blurb from Glenn Danzig.
“Finally,” writes Zing, “35 years later, a piece of my youth lives on. Enjoy!”
For a preview of what’s in store, check out the first single “Dawn Of The Dead” and a ghoulish new video that resurrects vintage concert footage of Zing & Co. performing live. Watch below, and stream the single here.
Mourning Noise will be available on both CD and your choice of three vinyl colors - Blue, Pink, and Red, as well as on all digital platforms starting July 2. Buy the CD/vinyl/t-shirt here.
1985 Reel Platinum Studio - outtake
"Foolish Grief"
Live on WFMU 1982 (CD Only)
"Progress For The People"
"Fighting Chance"
"Vincent's Theme"
"Laser Lights"
"Sergio"
"Addiction"
"Demon Eyes"
"Radical"
"Crimson Carrie"
"Dawn Of The Dead"
"Monster Madness"
OzzFest has shared previously unseen footage of Down's performance of "Ghosts Along The Mississippi" live at Ozzfest 2002, as heard on the Ozzfest Live 2002 CD. Check out the clip below
The footage was shot on July 16th, 2002 in Boston, MA.
Vocals: Phil Anselmo
Guitar: Pepper Kennan
Guitar: Kirk Windstein
Bass: Rex Brown
Drums: Jimmy Bower
Cameras: Will Knapp & Eddie Williamson
Audio Producer: Thom Panunzio
Video Producer: Will Knapp
Apocalyptica is streaming a clip of their performance of "I Don't Care" at Pol'and'Rock Festival 2016 featuring vocalist Franky Perez. Check it out below.
"I Don't Care" is taken from Apocalyptica's 2008 album Worlds Collide. It features Adam Gontier (Saint Asonia, ex-Three Days Grace) on vocals. The song reached #1 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart for one week and #2 on the Alternative Songs chart where it spent a year in the Top 20.
Apocalyptica have released an official video for their recently released new single "White Room" featuring Jacoby Shaddix (Papa Roach). The song is available on all platforms. Listen to it here, and watch the new video below.
Apocalyptical recently stated: "We were really looking forward to this release. Doing a cover of such a legendary song, originally by Cream, was great fun and having Jacoby Shaddix as featuring artist is a big pleasure for us! We hope you like the song just as much as we do! Produced by Howard Benson at West Valley Recording Studios in Woodland Hills, California and mixed by Chris Lorde-Alge, we tried to give this all-time classic a new interpretation together with our friend Jacoby Shaddix."
Video footage of Scorpions performing "Still Loving You", live in Brooklyn, New York in September 2015 as part of their Return To Forever tour, can be seen below:
Scorpions recently announced that their Sin City Nights Vegas Residency dates, scheduled for May 8 - 30, 2021 at Zappos Theater, have been rescheduled to March 26 - April 16, 2022 with special guests Queensrÿche.
"We can’t wait to be reunited with all of you then," says the band.
Fans who have purchased tickets to an affected performance will have their tickets automatically transferred to a new date with the exact same seats, including VIP packages where applicable. If you are unable to attend that date, please visit your original point of purchase for a refund. Those interested in purchasing tickets for the new dates can do so at ticketmaster.com/scorpionsvegas.
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