Swiss/Dutch metallers BURNING WITCHES have released the official music video for the song "We Stand As One". The track is taken from the band's fourth full-length album, "The Witch Of The North", which was released on May 28 via Nuclear Blast Records.
Following 2020's "Dance Of The Devil", which charted at #22 in Germany, and the "Circle Of Five" EP, vocalist Laura Guldemond, guitarists Romana Kalkuhl and Larissa Ernst, bassist Jeanine Grob and drummer Lala Frischknecht notably upped the ante on "The Witch Of The North", delivering their most dynamic, intricate and powerful album thus far. Perfectly mixed and mastered by V.O. Pulver and produced by German thrash titan Schmier (DESTRUCTION), the LP sees BURNING WITCHES stick to their irrefutable 1980s influences (JUDAS PRIEST, IRON MAIDEN, DIO, ACCEPT, WARLOCK, W.A.S.P., etc.) and inject irresistible energy and a refreshing vibe, topping it off with classic art by Claudio Bergamín (who illustrated JUDAS PRIEST's triumphant "Firepower"). From the epic title track to the album's catchiest anthem "We Stand As One" over to the ballad "Lady Of The Woods" and speedy riff attacks like "Thrall", "Flight Of The Valkyries" and "Nine Worlds", "The Witch Of The North" marks a new highlight in the band's career, with vocalist Laura brilliantly shifting from aggressive to seductive with ease.
"The Witch Of The North" track listing:
01. Winter's Wrath
02. The Witch Of the North
03. Tainted Ritual
04. We Stand As One
05. Flight Of The Valkyries
06. The Circle Of Five
07. Lady Of The Woods
08. Thrall
09. Omen
10. Nine Worlds
11. For Eternity
12. Dragon's Dream
13. Eternal Frost
BURNING WITCHES' first live performance with Guldemond took place in June 2019 at the Sweden Rock Festival in Sölvesborg, Sweden.
The vocalist of the Dutch symphonic metal band SHADOWRISE, Guldemond was recruited by BURNING WITCHES following the departure of Seraina Telli.
One of The Big Four turns the Big 4-0 this year and is celebrating with a number of special activities and events to honor the landmark anniversary. Formed by guitarist Scott Ian and bassist Dan Lilker in Queens, NY on July 18, 1981, Anthrax was one of the first thrash metal bands to emerge from the East Coast and quickly became regarded as a leader in the genre alongside Metallica, Slayer, and Megadeth.
Active over the past five decades, Anthrax has released 11 studio albums, been awarded multiple Gold and Platinum certifications, received six Grammy nominations, toured the world since 1984 playing thousands of shows, including headlining Madison Square Garden and playing Yankee Stadium with The Big 4. The band has built a strong reputation with fans as well as the record industry. With the lineup including Ian, bassist Frank Bello, drummer Charlie Benante, singer Joey Belladonna, and guitarist Jon Donais, the band is being feted on their 40th anniversary by a wide range of friends and music contemporaries.
Each week, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and wrapping on the band's official founding anniversary of July 18, Anthrax's social media accounts will offer a series of video testimonials sent in by former band members, fellow musicians, colleagues, and industry veterans sharing behind-the-scenes stories of working with the band and what Anthrax's legacy has meant all these years on. These videos will honor each album in chronological order beginning with the original release, Fistful of Metal. Go here for the full schedule, and watch the currently available episodes below.
The 11-week series will include video contributions from Chuck D, Corey Taylor, Dave Grohl, Dave Mustaine, Gary Holt, Gene Simmons, Henry Rollins, John Carpenter, Kerry King, Mike Patton, Nergal, Norman Reedus, Michael Poulsen, Rob Zombie, Robert Trujillo, Roger Miret, Darryl McDaniels (Run DMC), Slash, Tom Morello and more. There will also be video clips from former Anthrax band members Dan Lilker, Dan Spitz, John Bush, Neil Turbin, and Rob Caggiano.
The finale will come as a very special Livestream performance from Anthrax on Friday, July 16, featuring a deep cuts set that will pull from the band's entire career-spanning catalog. All details including ticketing information will be announced shortly.
Fans will also be able to get their hands on a special 40th anniversary-edition bottle of Anthrax bourbon to enjoy during the Livestream and keep as a commemorative keepsake. More details will be coming soon.
Episode #1:
Episode #2:
Episode #3:
Episode #4:
Episode #5:
Episode #6:
Episode #7:
Episode #8:
Episode #9:
Episode #10:
Episode #11:
Episode #12:
Episode #13:
Twenty-twenty-one marks Anthrax's 40th anniversary, during which time the band has released 11 studio albums, been awarded multiple Gold and Platinum certifications, six Grammy nominations, and a host of other accolades from the media, the music industry, and fans. In 1991, the band helped break down race and genre barriers when they collaborated with Public Enemy on the track "Bring The Noise," and was the first metal band to have its music heard on Mars when NASA played "Got The Time" to wake up the Mars Rover in 2012.
Along with Metallica, Slayer, and Megadeth, Anthrax is a card-carrying member of The Big Four, the four bands that defined the speed/thrash/metal genre. Anthrax has also introduced a series now sold-out signature whiskeys and bourbons and partnered with the Stockholm-based NEZUMI Studios for a high-end, limited-edition Baleine dive watch.
Twenty-twenty-one will see the release of Z2 Comics' "Among The Living" graphic novel with a track-by-track storyline inspired by Anthrax's iconic 1987 album, Among The Living. The book pulls together a "who's who" of names from the worlds of comics and music who created "bubble dialogue" and original artwork to express what the songs meant to them. Taking advantage of COVID-19's prohibition of concert touring, the band has been hard at work writing the next Anthrax album.
Sognametal veterans, Vreid, are unveiling another chapter of their new album and movie, Wild North West. The song, "Dazed And Reduced", and its accompanying music video / movie chapter can be found below.
Founding member and bass player Jarle 'Hváll' Kvåle comments: "This is a personal favorite for sure. Our love for classic heavy rock is strong and our musical roots lie in the majestic 70ies rock and its overlap with the catchy 80ies classics. 'Dazed And Reduced' is a nod to the decades that formed our lives and shows that Vreid will forever be rooted in 70ies rock, 80ies metal and 90ies Nordic blackness."
Vreid recently made their ambitious film project, Wild North West, available for sale or rental via Vimeo. The movie is now available here.
The film includes never-be-seen bonus material that was not included during their April premiere. The film includes the following:
- A 6 min biographical intro narrated by author Dayal Patterson (Black Metal: Evolution of the Cult).
- The full concert 'In the Mountains Of Sognametal', which was filmed live at the mountains of Sogndal June 2020. Exclusively available here.
- Two previously unreleased live videos of Ulcus Molle (Vreid's predecessor) from Gaupne in Norway 1996. For the the songs "Train Of Thought" (Yggdrasil demo) and "Mindgames" (Roles EP).
Wild North West' is a concept album that developed alongside an entire movie. Inspired by both true events and pure imagination, the listener is taken on a whirlwind of a journey, diving deep into themes of war, fear, betrayal, loss, anxiety, and madness with thought-provoking lyrics that embody human nature. It captures the Nordic heart at the core of their sound, taking cues from Norway’s rugged landscape as it ricochets between eternal darkness and the solace of bracing light.
Frontiers Music Srl recently announced the signing of Inner Stream to the label for a multi-album deal. The band's new album, Stain The Sea, will be released on July 16. Watch a lyric video for the song "Last Drink" below, and pre-order/save Stain The Sea here.
Inner Stream blends elements of different sub-genres and styles like symphonic metal, electronic, goth, and nü metal, among others. Pushing musical boundaries, the songs hold rich varieties of climates and textures, heavy riffs, powerful melodies, and emotional moments.
"The musical influences for this album are symphonic metal, electronic, goth, and nü metal, among others. Bands like Lacuna Coil, Evanescence, and Within Temptation are maybe the more related bands I can name, but as a big metal fan, my personal song list is full of different things that always inspired me. Korn, Deathstars, Disturbed, The Birthday Massacre, Portishead, Massive Attack, Symphony X, Angra, Sonata Arctica, Queensrÿche, Bring Me The Horizon, and so on," says vocalist Inés Vera Ortiz of her musical influences.
"'Massive Drain' is the last song I did for the album and this happened during lockdown, in a very strange moment of humanity. Like many other people, I found myself in an extremely introspective moment that coincided with the album recording. The concept, the lyrics, and the music came together in two days alone at my place in Spain. The message was clear from the beginning and a kindly reminder for me. The pain that carries the awakening is a birth, a relief. Intuition is a compass to go through it,” says Vera Ortiz of the first single from the album.
Label President Serafino Perugino wanted to highlight the talents of vocalist Inés Vera Ortiz and sought to pair her with producer Alessandro Del Vecchio to highlight her songs and voice. Inner Stream started off in 2008 as a project concocted by Vera Ortiz and her brother Jorge in Buenos Aires, Argentina. At that time, Inés was the vocalist for some local power metal bands, but her songwriting was headed in a different direction. Subsequently, Inés and Jorge recorded a three song demo that was more in a goth metal direction. Afterward, Inés continued composing music on her own and attempted to put a band together, but ultimately decided to set aside the idea for a while. She continued to work on other projects for both Argentinian and international bands while biding her time. In 2017, she teamed up with Guillermo De Medio, an Argentinian keyboard player and producer (Tarja Turunen, Full Nothing, Barilari, etc.), who was undoubtedly the right fit to help Inés work on her songs and bring the vision of Inner Stream together. Now, in 2021, Inés and Inner stream have joined forces with Frontiers Music Srl for the release of their upcoming album, “Stain The Sea” as well as future releases.
"I am very excited and proud to be a part of the Frontiers family," says Vera Ortiz. "This opportunity came at the right time in which the concept of the project reached a peak of maturity and clear vision. While my songwriting is varied, my heart is very close to metal and I will never look away from it. The first album will include songs written during the last few years and I feel they represent well this long journey through lots of different, important, and emotional moments of my life. I am very happy to be able to share those personal moments with everyone.”
Tracklisting:
"Massive Drain"
"Fair War"
"Hunt You"
"Aftermath"
"Dance With Shades"
"Drown Me"
"If You Dare"
"Stain The Sea"
"The Bridge"
"Last Drink"
"Real"
"Last Drink" lyric video:
"Massive Drain" video:
Lineup:
Vocals - Inés Vera Ortiz
Keyboards and programming - Guillermo de Medio
Drums - Nicholas Papapicco
Guitars - Andrea Seveso
Bass - Mitia Maccaferri
Subway To Sally have released the second video from their new live Blu-Ray, Eisheilige Nacht - Back To Lindenpark. This special, intimate version of the fan-favorite "Kleid aus Rosen" (EN: Dress of Roses) offers an absolute world premiere: Ally Storch, as well as Saskia and Birgit from Schandmaul, intonate the legendary three-part polyphony at the beginning of the song for the first time ever live.
This version of "Kleid aus Rosen" stands for what Eisheilige Nacht - Back To Lindenpark is all about: an intimate setting, special guests and unique production.
Bodenski on "Kleid aus Rosen": "There are lyrics that you write in one ride. I can still remember exactly how I put this story on paper. In my mind's eye I saw a balladeer standing in the marketplace with a display board and telling his audience this gruesome story, perhaps as a lesson and warning for young girls. I actually believed at the time that the lyrics would not be suitable for Subway To Sally. I was so wrong. When I heard Ingo's brilliant composition to this text, I was thrilled. It is rightly one of our most popular songs. Everything about this song is just right. In the studio, Sigrid Hausen, better known as Syrah, helped us to sing the three-part intro. Until the Eisheilige Nacht Online, this intro was always recorded. It was a special experience for us to hear it live for the first time!"
Subway To Sally on Eisheilige Nacht - Back To Lindenpark: “After 11 years of our "Eisheilige Nacht-tradition", we definitely did not want that 2020 will be seen as a red "X" in the history of our festival series. So we thought about how we could provide our fans with the Eisheilige Nacht feeling at their homes, when we weren't allowed to tour ourselves. An online concert wasn't enough for us: Eisheilige Nacht is not only about meeting friends, but also being a highlight of the year - with several befriended bands performing live on stage. We wanted to implement all of this in one experience. We wanted to record this very special event where the Eisheilige Nacht originally began. Instead of playing a concert in an empty hall, we used the size of the hall, lined up in a circle and placed our guest musicians into our midst. This created new insights that have never been seen before in any Subway To Sally concert film! We are very pleased that we can now, as requested by countless fans, record this event for eternity as a special concert film!"
This unique experience will be available in the following formats:
- Deluxe-Bundle (incl. Deluxe Fan Gym Bag, Mediabook, Pendant, Lanyard, Pass) – strictly limited to 300 copies
- BD/DVD/2-CD Mediabook (vertical format)
- 3-LP Gatefold BLACK (incl. DVD)
- Digital Album
[Deluxe-Bundle (incl. Deluxe Fan Gym Bag, Mediabook, Pendant, Lanyard, Pass)
– strictly limited to 300 copies]
Pre-order Eisheilige Nacht – Back To Lindenpark here.
Eisheilige Nacht - Back To Lindenpark tracklisting:
CD 1
Intro
"Messias"
"Königin der Käfer"
"Unsterblich"
"Imperator Rex Graecourm"
"Dein Anblick"
"Kleid aus Rosen"
"Das Elfte Gebot"
"Sieben"
"Kalte Winde"
"Minne" (FAUN Version)
"Henkersbraut"
"Falscher Heiland"
"Tanz auf dem Vulkan"
CD 2
"Drag Me to Hell"
"Island"
"Kein Meer zu Tief"
"Arme Ellen Schmitt"
"Eisblumen"
"Sie tanzt allein"
"IX"
"Veitstanz (2014 Version)
"Grausame Schwester""
"Alles was das Herz will"
"Aufgewacht"
"Ausgeträumt"
Outro
"Julia und die Räuber"
“IX” video:
"Veitstanz" (2014 Version) video:
Trailer:
Subway To Sally are:
Eric Fish - vocals
Ally Storch - violine
Ingo Hampf - guitar
Bodenski - guitar, vocals, hurdy-gurdy
Simon - guitar, vocals
Sugar Ray - bass
Simon Michael - drums
Vulture recently released their new album, Dealin' Death, via Metal Blade Records. A drum playthrough video for album track "Count Your Blessings" is streaming below.
When it comes to contemporary thrash, there are few bands that can stand toe-to-toe with Germany's Vulture. Establishing their status with 2016's Victim To The Blade EP and 2017's The Guillotine, then cementing their reputation with 2019's Ghastly Waves And Battered Graves, they now return with the mighty Dealin' Death, one of the most ruthless records the genre has seen.
"Take all our key elements - fierce riffing, halftone-shifts, aggressive vocals, huge toms, changing dynamics, horror-synths and classical twin guitar harmonies and cast it in a mould, then you have 'Dealin' Death'," says guitarist Stefan Castevet. "The result sounds a little 'back to the EP-ish' to my ears, yet it contains new approaches that we've never included in our sound so far, like choirs with harmonies."
When it was time for the band to head into the studio, the recording process was handled by two separate collaborators: the album recorded at Monkey Moon Studios in Dortmund by Alexander Stöcker, the guitarist of Stallion, while the production was once more handled by Marco Brinkmann at Hellforge Studio.
"This cooperation turned out great!" enthuses vocalist Leo Steeler. "Alex's way of recording and the whole studio atmosphere was pretty motivating and inspiring for all of us. Marco, on the other hand, knows exactly how we should sound and already became literally the sixth member of the band."
Working twelve-hour days for ten days straight was pretty grueling, their daily schedule "get up, track, sleep", but the effort paid off. "I think 'Dealin' Death' is the best we've ever sounded. The mix itself is absolutely flawless to my ears," says Castevet. "It's way more direct and less reverb-soaked than its predecessor. It was very important for us this time, to take advice from Marco and make all key elements audible for the listener. The vocals sound piercing, the bass is present, delivering warmth throughout the whole mix, and the guitars have the best sound we've ever had, and the same goes for drums. It's very natural and dynamic, but straight to the point."
And now with everything done, the band are eager to get it out there. "We can't wait to get feedback for it, hopefully people will admire it as much as we do! Once the pandemic is over, we also can't wait to play shows and even tour again."
Dealin' Death can be ordered here in the following formats:
- jewelcase-CD
- ltd. digipak-CD (incl. sticker)
- 180g black vinyl (EU exclusive)
- slate grey marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 500 copies)
- blood red / black marbled deluxe edition vinyl w/ flag, tape, and sticker (EU exclusive - limited to 300 copies)
- leaf green marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 200 copies)
- black w/ red splash vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 200 copies)
- dark teal marbled vinyl (US exclusive)
Dealin' Death tracklisting:
"Danger Is Imminent"
"Malicious Souls"
"Count Your Blessings"
"Gorgon"
"Star-Crossed City"
"Flee The Phantom"
"Below The Mausoleum"
"Dealin' Death"
"Multitudes Of Terror"
"The Court Of Caligula"
"Star-Crossed City" video:
"Malicious Souls" video:
Vulture lineup:
L. Steeler - Vocals
S. Castevet - Guitars
M. Outlaw - Guitars
A. Axetinctör - Bass
G. Deceiver - Drums
France's Avaland's are sharing their latest music video "Never Let Me Walk Alone" in support of their symphonic and operatic metal adventure "Theater of Sorcery" released this past April viaRockshots Records. The album features guests Ralf Scheepers (Primal Fear), Zak Stevens (Savatage/TSO), Zaher Zorgati (Myrath), Emmanuelson (Rising Steel), Stéphan Forté (Adagio), Madie (Nightmare) among many other great musicians.
The music video for "Never Let Me Walk Alone" features Madie (Nightmare) and Ayman Mokdad (Venus Syndrome/Alien Encounters) and can be viewed below.
Band founder Adrien G. Gzagg adds about the track:
"I love singing this one! Madie (Nightmare) made an incredible performance on this track as The Guardian Angel! Ayman Mokdad also played solos with a great feeling on that song! I put a lot of my own in this Progy/AOR song. This song is about the fear of being alone with ourselves and our inner demons. We all sometimes need someone to help us go head in our lives."
Inspired by heroic fantasy, history, mythologies, and esoterism, Avaland band founder Adrien G. Gzagg decided to create the epic story album Theater Of Sorcery with eight characters. The debut is a theatrical metal world that tells the story of a young sorcerer Adam Wilstorm who could be the salvation of bringing back the light to the kingdom of Avaland and during his journey, he must learn to control his powers linked to the Storm.
"This album was a long and tiring, but incredible experience. We could record in a good mood and we were well surrounded by amazing people. Despite of our youth, we could approach a professional atmosphere during studio time. We all surpassed ourselves and we are very proud of the result. We are impatient to share Theater Of Sorcery to the world and very honored to sign with Rockshots for our very first album." adds Adrien G. Gzagg.
Dallas based active rock quintet have been setting radio charts on fire recently with their current single, “California,” one of the more mainstream leaning tracks from current album, Beautiful Chaos. A video for the new single is streaming below.
Directed by Alan Collins, the band headed to Atlanta to shoot the video earlier this year. Brokenrail frontman Blake Clawson says, “The video was shot with our longtime director Alan Collins and his wonderful team back in February of this year at a professional movie warehouse we rented in Atlanta, Georgia. We wanted to capture the dreamlike allure that California has always provided to young musicians in search of purpose and fame. The song is almost a nod to the chase itself and the sacrifices made to continuously move towards those goals even after time has yielded the dream isn’t quite what we had imagined.
“It had been months since we had all seen one another and so the night prior to the shoot got a little out of hand haha. We had the best of times but were paying for it early on setting up the shoot. As always though, the second the lights turn on and the director yells ‘ACTION’ it’s game on. We packed a lot over 3 days in ATL as we also shot the video for our heavier song ‘The Haunted’. Building two sets and sharing those memories with such an amazing musical family is always so rewarding. We really needed it after what 2020 put us all through. This really set the tone for 2021 and kick started some crazy moves on our part that are truly paying off. It’s shaping up to be a very busy year for Brokenrail!”
“California” comes from the band’s new album, Beautiful Chaos which was produced by Joseph McQueen (As I Lay Dying, Bad Wolves) and recorded in Los Angeles at Sparrow Sound.
A recording session the band showed up a few days early for so they bring in the New Year in LA. Clawson recalls NYE and the sessions: “Between The Rainbow and The Viper Room out in Hollywood it was certainly a night! We also had our good friend Michael out in LA take us out on some amazing adventures from rooftop bars, the Santa Monica boardwalk, the Edison downtown. Amazing times for sure! We also went out to NAMM after we finished the record where we met with some great industry reps and spent time with our label reps. We finished the night back at The Rainbow to celebrate the completion of the album. Another great night!” However, not everything was constant wine and roses for certain members of the quintet. “Dave and I got very sick about halfway in and halted recording for almost 5 days. That was brutal. Had to have plenty of bedrest and fight some hoarseness on some of the songs to finish the vocals. It all turned out great though in the end.”
STYX will release its new studio album, "Crash Of The Crown", on June 18 via the band's label, Alpha Dog 2T/UMe. The official lyric video for the LP's title track — directed by Jay and Trevor Ziebarth with Renee Trotier — can be seen below.
The legendary rockers — James "JY" Young (lead vocals, guitars), Tommy Shaw (lead vocals, guitars), Chuck Panozzo (bass, vocals), Todd Sucherman (drums, percussion), Lawrence Gowan (lead vocals, keyboards) and Ricky Phillips (bass, guitar, vocals — wrote "Crash Of The Crown" pre-pandemic and recorded it during the trying times of the coronavirus crisis.
The "Crash Of The Crown" song breaks some brave new world ground for STYX. Actually, it's the first cut in the band's storied canon to feature three lead vocalists, seeing how it has Young unleashed at the starting gate, Shaw heading up the heroic stacked-vocal middle section, and Gowan leading the vocal charge for the final verse.
"I'm always looking for the one different thing we can do and still have it be STYX," the ever-ebullient Gowan notes, "and that's the song I'm most proud of. The beauty of it is that it's the culmination of all our talents crammed together into one song, 'Abbey Road'-style. I also got to use some gear I never thought I'd have the chance to play on a STYX record like Tommy's Hammond B3 organ, my Minimoog, and my Mellotron."
Efforts to record "Crash Of The Crown" began in earnest at Shaw's home studio in Nashville during the fall of 2019, with Gowan — STYX's criminally minded showman extraordinaire and keyboardist/vocalist since 1999 — in the room together with Shaw and the album's producer, Will Evankovich, as he conjured up the album's first song to be recorded, with cosmetic flourishes that reign over the insistent, yearning call for togetherness, "Common Ground". But the global pandemic that inevitably transformed the way we all wound up living in 2020 changed the course for how many of the band's home-and-away recording sessions ultimately had to set socially distanced sail. Safety precautions took precedent for all involved STYX bandmembers and production compatriots with much diligent quarantining and testing required before any one of them could travel to Shaw's tranquility homebase to spread the uniquely ingrained STYX stardust that's been duly sprinkled across the album's cosmically chosen 15 tracks.
Of all those who made the trek to Nashville, original STYX bassist Chuck Panozzo — who, along with his late twin brother, drummer John Panozzo, formed the initial nucleus of STYX when they began jamming together in their basement on the south side of Chicago in 1961 — is hands down the most effusive about the experience.
"I'm constantly amazed at how Tommy's songwriting continues to connect with the social consciousness that spans across generations," marvels Chuck, who plays on "Our Wonderful Lives" and "Lost At Sea". Lawrence's all-too-brief aquatic fever dream. "Both he and Will have been able to tap into the core elements of the human condition, which is something that's not going to change that much in 50 years — or even 500 years. That's why STYX remains relevant after all this time, because we're part of the human condition."
Whether it's the heady rush of the groundwork-laying opening track "The Fight of Our Lives", the wistfully observational treatise of "Reveries", the cautionary extended hand of comfort and redemption that frames "Hold Back The Darkness", the undeniable uplift of "Our Wonderful Lives" (a beautiful sentiment further embellished by a most welcome, first-ever appearance by a banjo on a STYX album!), or the elegiac clarion call for shared grace in "To Those", "Crash Of The Crown" is music that is both concurrently of its time and truly timeless all at once. Although the official release date for this landmark album may be time-stamped as 2021, the omnisciently observational content of "Crash Of The Crown" readily brings to mind an amalgamation of historical events that occurred in 1066, 1455, 1775, 1861, 1941, and even 2001 without citing any of them by name — Winston Churchill's prescient wartime observations that permeate the pervasive pleas of "Save Us From Ourselves" notwithstanding. In essence, "Crash Of The Crown" is a modern-day sonic chronograph of the endless regenerative cycle of the rise and fall — and rise again — of our shared human experience.
"We've never been a protest band. We're more like a gospel caravan trying to send out positive messages wherever we go," observes Shaw, who joined STYX in December 1975 as a guitarist/vocalist and instantly became one of the band's most important songwriters. "In order to share those positive messages, you have to look at what the problems are first to figure out all the ways you can help make sure everything's going to be alright. That's a very important part of how we do what we do."
Though "Crash Of The Crown" takes a hard look at some inherently dark subjects, the prevalent light at the end of the tunnel eventually becomes each song's focal point — a persistent fervor to keep moving forward and achieve the greater good.
STYX's holy mission for cutting "Crash Of The Crown" was crystal-clear to its co-creator from the get-go. "Absolutely no obstacles were going to get in the way of how we approached creating this album," Shaw concludes about the herculean recording efforts of his fellow "Crash Of The Crown" makers. "And everything came out exactly the way we wanted to hear it."
"Crash Of The Crown" is the follow-up to STYX's 16th studio album, "The Mission" (their first in 14 years at the time, which critics called "a masterpiece") which was released June 16, 2017 on the band's label, Alpha Dog 2T/UMe. The highly anticipated two-disc reissue of "The Mission" was released on July 27, 2018 via Alpha Dog 2T/UMe, which includes a CD of the original album, as well as a Blu-ray of the album mixed in 5.1 surround sound accompanied by stunning visualizations for each of the album's 14 songs based on the album artwork. It originally debuted on various Billboard charts, including: #6 Top Rock Albums, #11 Physical Albums, #11 Vinyl Albums, #13 Current Albums, #14 Billboard Top Albums, #16 Retail, #17 Mass Merch/Non-Traditional, #29 Digital Albums, and #45 Billboard 200 (includes catalog and streaming).
Additionally, for Record Store Day on Saturday, June 12, STYX will release "The Same Stardust" EP on blue 180-gram 12-inch vinyl only, which will feature two brand-new songs on side one ("The Same Stardust" and "Age Of Entropia"), as well as five live performances on side two of some of STYX's classic hits previously heard during their "Styx Fix" livestreams that have been keeping fans company during the pandemic on their official YouTube page, including "Mr. Roboto", "Man In The Wilderness", "Miss America", "Radio Silence" and "Renegade".
In touring news, STYX and COLLECTIVE SOUL are rested, healthy, and ready to hit the road for their first-ever multiple city tour together. STYX had previously announced their return to Las Vegas with a three-night sold-out engagement at The Venetian Theatre inside The Venetian Resort Las Vegas on September 24, 25, and 26, which will include an exclusive set list and brand-new stage production. Tickets for various cities, as well as exclusive VIP packages from each band, are available now at StyxWorld.com and CollectiveSoul.com.
GOJIRA drummer Mario Duplantier has released a video for his latest drum solo "Cyclone". The clip, which was directed by Anne Deguehegny, can be seen below.
In a recent interview with the "Behind The Vinyl" podcast, GOJIRA frontman Joseph Duplantier was asked if he ever has arguments with Mario, who is also his brother. He responded: "Sometimes, but we're pretty patient. We have anger. I wouldn't say we have anger issues, but sometimes I wonder. We respect and love each other very much. We're aware that we're dealing with a project that is very life-defining for us, and there's a lot of people around us. So we're pretty patient. Sometimes I can feel and I can tell — and he would say the same — that sometimes we just can't stand each other. For a little bit — for, like, an hour or two hours. And then we'll be, like, 'You know what? I'm outta here.' We will not start screaming, for example, if something is not happening. Maybe once a year or twice a year we'll raise our voice on each other and it's pretty nasty, but it's very short. So, yeah, we're not punching each other in the face or anything like that."
Joseph also talked about the musical chemistry and connection between him and Mario, saying: "Sometimes he starts just playing something and I'll follow him directly. And then something grows. Or we'll stop and say, 'Hey, I have this vision of something. It goes a bit like this.' And then we start… We build together. It's pretty incredible. I actually never really experienced that with anybody — making art together without being, like, 'Oh my God. What is he doing? That's not what I wanna do.' There's always a connection in something. And I'm very comfortable on the creative process, 'cause I know we're looking for the same thing — sort of. He has his world, I have my own world, of course — we're not the same… But sometimes we get together, and the common area is what defines what the band is, pretty much. So when we're in that zone, where we connect, and there's this thing where we're both… And we know — we just look at each other; we raise an eyebrow or something, and, boom. We don't need to talk. We just play, play, play."
Last month, GOJIRA announced details of a fall U.S. headline tour. The new dates, which will feature special guests KNOCKED LOOSE and ALIEN WEAPONRY, are set to kick of October 11 in Salt Lake City, Utah at The Union and continue through a performance at Cleveland, Ohio's The Agora on October 29.
The new headline dates will follow GOJIRA's summer run supporting DEFTONES which gets underway August 12 at The Armory in Minneapolis, Minnesota and includes two GOJIRA-only headline dates on September 3 in Chattanooga, Tennessee and September 20 in Boise, Idaho.
GOJIRA's new album, "Fortitude", was released on April 30 via Roadrunner Records. The disc was recorded and produced by Joseph Duplantier at Silver Cord Studio — GOJIRA's Ridgewood, Queens, headquarters — and mixed by Andy Wallace (NIRVANA, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE).
Norwegian black metallers MAYHEM return this year with an EP called "Atavistic Black Disorder / Kommando" with additional material from the "Daemon" session, including a homage to bands that laid the foundation for what was to come. The EP will be released on July 9.
The official music video for the song "Voces Ab Alta", created by visual artist Costin Chioreanu (GHOST, OPETH, NAPALM DEATH), can be seen below. "Voces Ab Alta" was initially recorded during MAYHEM's "Daemon" sessions but has remained previously unreleased.
The seven-song EP features three original tracks ("Voces Ab Alta", "Black Glass Communion" and "Everlasting Dying Flame") as well as covers of classic punk tracks from DISCHARGE ("In Defense Of Our Future"), DEAD KENNEDYS ("Hellnation"), RUDIMENTARY PENI ("Only Death") and the RAMONES ("Commando"). The band also recruited Billy Messiah and Maniac, who took over vocal performances on two songs.
The visual concept was once again handled by Italian designer Daniele Valeriani (LUCIFER'S CHILD, DARK FUNERAL) who already took care of the artwork for their previous long player "Daemon".
"I always had some punk influences," says vocalist Attila. "I guess it comes from my childhood when we were constantly looking for more extreme music. That's how I discovered DEAD KENNEDYS, GBH, THE EXPLOITED, SEX PISTOLS, U.K. SUBS, DISCHARGE, RUDIMENTARY PENI and so on, in the early '80s, alongside heavy metal. But then I discovered VENOM. That was a game changer!"
Necrobutcher adds: "We got some extra time in the studio recording the 'Daemon' album two years ago, all band members were asked to punch in two cover tracks for some extra material. I chose songs by DEATHSTRIKE ('The Truth') and DEATH ('Evil Dead') which were both used as the bonus tracks on the album. My other contribution was to bring in two old members because of their obvious connection with punk: Maniac on the DEAD KENNEDYS track and Billy (Messiah) on the DISCHARGE track and some of the others."
Florida death/thrash outfit Inhuman Condition have released their fourth and final single from their anticipated debut album Rat°God, before it comes out June 4 on Listenable Insanity Records. The video for “The Neck Step” can be viewed below.
The trio announced their formation earlier this year and have since won the hearts and ears of death metal and thrash metal fans around the globe. The band consists of former Massacre members Terry Butler (also of Obituary, former Death/Six Feet Under) on bass, Jeramie Kling (Venom Inc, The Absence, Goregäng, Fore) on vocals and drums, and Taylor Nordberg (The Absence, Goregäng, Fore) on guitar.
“‘The Neck Step’ is one of my favorite songs on Rat°God. It’s a rifftastic, neck-stepping hell-ride, chock-full of devilish hooks!” Butler says about the new song. The video for “The Neck Step” was filmed and edited by Frank McMahon at Revolt Entertainment.
Rat°God was mixed by Kling and mastered by Nordberg at their own Smoke & Mirrors Productions in Spring Hill, Florida, where the album was written and recorded. The artwork for the album was done by Dan Goldsworthy (Accept, Cradle Of Filth, Alestorm, Xentrix).
The album will be out on June 4 via Listenable Insanity Records, with a vinyl release set for August 6 via Black Serpent Records. Pre-orders are available here.
Tracklisting:
“Euphoriphobia”
“The Neck Step”
“Planetary Paroxysm”
“Killing Pace”
“Gravebound”
“Tyrantula”
“Rat God”
“Crown Of Mediocrity”
“Fait Accompli”
"The Next Step" video:
"Euphoriphobia" video:
“Tyrantula” video:
Inhuman Condition is:
Terry Butler - bass
Jeramie Kling - drums/vocals
Taylor Nordberg - guitar
According to the Helsinki Times, the first of NIGHTWISH's two interactive experiences drew 150,000 viewers, setting the record for the largest paid virtual concert in Finland's history. Most of the viewers came from Europe and North America, but the performance was a truly global event, with fans in 108 countries purchasing tickets to the show and the box office gross exceeding one million euro.
NIGHTWISH performed in a tavern called "The Islanders Arms" built in a virtual world for two nights — Friday, May 28 and Saturday, May 29. On both nights, the fans experienced a one-and-a-half-hour performance, hearing songs live off "Human. :II: Nature." for the first time ever. Each of the two nights had its own slightly different setlist.
Program agency Fullsteam Agency, Zoan, which was responsible for the technical implementation, and the management company Till Dawn They Count produced "An Evening With Nightwish In A Virtual World", which took six months to prepare. Zoan's crew consisted of about 30 people from seven different countries, making it possible for the fans to interact with other fans as well as experience 3D imaginative worlds built based on the band's vision.
"This is definitely one of the coolest things we've gotten to do with the band," NIGHTWISH drummer drummer Kai Hahto said. "When visuals, technology and music meet so well, it becomes a unique experience."
Friday's concert marked NIGHTWISH's live debut with session bassist Jukka Koskinen (WINTERSUN), who joined the band as the replacement for Marco Hietala. Marco announced his departure from NIGHTWISH in January, explaining in a statement that he hadn't "been able to feel validated by this life for a quite a few years now."
Earlier this month, NIGHTWISH keyboardist and main songwriter Tuomas Holopainen said that Hietala's decision to leave the band "came as a bit of a surprise." He told Finland's Kaaos TV: "Marco informed us in December last year [that he was leaving the band]. And even though he has been very open about his state and problems during the past years, it still came as a bit of a surprise for us. So it was a really tough pill to swallow. And for a few days, I was actually quite confident that there's no coming back, that this is it. I remember talking to Emppu [Vuorinen], the guitar player, and we were, like, 'You think this is it?' 'Yeah, I think this is it.' I mean, enough is enough. So much has happened in the past. Something that broke the camel's back, as they say. Then, after some time had passed — a few days — we started to think that it's been such a ride of 25 years, with so many ups also, that this is not the way to end it."
"Human. :II: Nature." was released in April 2020. The follow-up to 2015's "Endless Forms Most Beautiful", "Human. :II: Nature." is a double album containing nine tracks on the main CD and one long track, divided into eight chapters, on CD 2.
Lukuisia ennätyksiä jo aiemminkin urallaan rikkonut Nightwish järjesti faneilleen ainutlaatuisen kokemuksen perjantaina 28.5. 3D-virtuaalimaailmaan sijoittunut ”An Evening with Nightwish in a Virtual World” -konsertti keräsi ensimmäisen päivän aikana ennätyksellisen 150 000 katsojan yleisön. Lipunmyynti lauantain konserttiin on yhä käynnissä, ja molemmat konsertit ovat katsottavissa lipun ostaneille 48 tunnin ajan konserttien jälkeen. Liikevaihdoltaan Nightwishin virtuaalispektaakkelin lippukassa vastaa suurta stadionkonserttia ja on täten moninkertainen verrattuna yhdenkään suomalaisartistin stream- tai virtuaalikeikkaan aikaisemmin. Konsertit ovat keränneet katsojia yhteensä jo 108 eri maasta, valtaosa Euroopasta ja Pohjois-Amerikasta.
Former QUEENSRŸCHE singer Geoff Tate performed the band's classic albums "Rage For Order" and "Empire" in their entirety at this past Friday's (May 28) stop of the "Empire 30th Anniversary Tour" at the Historic Everett Theatre in Everett, Washington. Fan-filmed video footage of the concert can be seen below.
For this show, COVID-19 restrictions were still in effect. Therefore, seating was assigned by date the tickets were purchased and group size (maximum of six), utilizing social distancing requirements. Masks were required while moving about the theatre.
1986's "Rage For Order" introduced a much more polished look and sound for QUEENSRŸCHE. The album featured keyboards as prominently as guitars, and the group adopted an image more closely associated with glam rock or glam metal than with heavy metal (of which glam metal was a subgenre). A video was filmed for the song "Gonna Get Close to You", originally recorded in 1984 by DALBELLO.
Released in 1990, "Empire" included the hit ballad "Silent Lucidity", which reached No. 9 on the Billboard singles chart, helped propel "Empire" to No. 7 on the album chart and earned two Grammy Award nominations.
Prior to the launch of the trek in early 2020, Tate told MisplacedStraws.com that he would take the "Empire 30th Anniversary Tour" to "as many countries as I can and playing the album in its entirety, which I've never done before. So that'll be real fun. In fact, I think there's some songs on that album that I've never, ever played live before, so it'll be a treat — for me, as well, I think, for the audience too," the former QUEENSRŸCHE singer said. "I'm really looking forward to that."
Tate told Eonmusic that one song from "Empire" that was rarely performed live is "Anybody Listening?" "When QUEENSRŸCHE was together, we never really put that song in our set," he said. "We just had a hard time playing it, for some reason; it just never jelled or felt right. And I'd really like to play that song again, and play it right."
In April 2014, Tate and QUEENSRŸCHE announced that a settlement had been reached after a nearly two-year legal battle where the singer sued over the rights to the QUEENSRŸCHE name after being fired in 2012. Original QUEENSRŸCHE members Michael Wilton (guitar), Scott Rockenfield (drums) and Eddie Jackson (bass) responded with a countersuit. The settlement included an agreement that Wilton, Rockenfield and Jackson would continue as QUEENSRŸCHE, while Tate would have the sole right to perform the albums "Operation: Mindcrime" and "Operation: Mindcrime II" in their entirety live.
Tate has been replaced in QUEENSRŸCHE by former CRIMSON GLORY singer Todd La Torre.
Geoff recently celebrated the 30th anniversary of "Operation: Mindcrime" on European and U.S. tours.
Back stage meet and greet last night with Geoff Tate (original singer of Queensryche) in the historic Everett theater in Washington. Wonderful man, incredible night!
Former DELAIN singer and songwriter Charlotte Wessels will release her first solo endeavor, "Tales From Six Feet Under", on September 17, 2021 via Napalm Records.
Unable to perform live due to the pandemic, Wessels spent most of last year buried in her Six Feet Under home studio, writing, performing and producing an eclectic wealth of songs. "Tales From Six Feet Under" offers her favorites out of the bunch. All instruments and vocals on these ten intimate and honest songs were performed or programmed by Wessels herself — except for the exciting collaboration with Alissa White-Gluz (ARCH ENEMY) on the haunting track "Lizzie" — showcasing the multifaceted nature of Wessels, including her exceptional ability to express the most sincere feelings and emotions within her art.
Wessels states: "In May 2020, I started releasing a song every month on Patreon as an outlet for my surplus of music, and tracks I wrote that didn't fit my band. The year that followed was an absolute roller coaster, from living through a global pandemic to closing a chapter so dear to me. It shows through these songs, made right here in my Six Feet Under home studio. Producing these songs with the support of a wonderful community has been a lifesaver during such turbulent times, and I'm happy to bring them out of the basement and into the world with this release. Let me tell you the 'Tales From Six Feet Under'."
"Tales From Six Feet Under" is an electrifying collection with gems ranging from melancholic indie pop to synth-infused rock. The record features Wessels's rendition of goth classic "Cry Little Sister", as well as a beautiful synergy of the stunning voices of Wessels and White-Gluz on "Lizzie". It also debuts a song in Wessels's native language with the Dutch rocker "Afkicken". The mesmerizing and haunting "Victor" was released in April this year along with a visually palpable music video. "Soft Revolution" showcases the artist right where the magic happens; in her Six Feet Under studio. The song — part sweet sorrow, part soaring call to action — is quickly becoming a fan favorite.
Wessels stated about "Soft Revolution": "'Soft Revolution' was such a cathartic song to write, and it means so much to me to learn how it resonates with people. Working on the song, I hoped it would become a piece of music that made listeners less alone in their feelings, but I never expected it would end up doing that for me as well."
The Finnish theatrical metal band Lost in Grey has announced the release of their third studio album, Under The Surface, on July 2nd via Reaper Entertainment. The band has released the new single, "Waves". An official viedo for the track directed, filmed and edited by drummer Teppo Ristola, can be viewed nelow.
The band states: "Greetings all thee! Whilst sailing the stormy seas of life we face some ups and downs. At times we may lose faith that we’ll ever find a shore, and all we can do is scream out our fear and anger. At times we may simply enjoy the sunshine and adventure. Thus we invite you to hop on board and come sailing with us on the 'Waves'. Yours sincerely, Lost in Grey."
Teppo Ristola states: "I wanted to make the music video emphasizing the rock part of Lost in Grey without losing the theatrical side of the band. It felt logical to start off following the rougher base of the song; bass, rhythm guitars and drums. The song itself practically wrote the video, so in that sense making it was a rather fast and effortless process. I think this track summarises what the renewed Lost in Grey is all about."
In recent years these theatrical metal pioneers have proven to be one of the most promising and inspiring acts coming from the Finnish metal scene, electrifying their audiences through their versatile musical storytelling and tremendous sound. Now, Lost in Grey invites you to dive with them "Under the Surface" where music and stories dance hand in hand, and everything is possible. Get prepared for a twisted rollercoaster ride through storms and tides - spiced up with some sparkles of stardust.
Under The Surface tracklist
"I"
"Disobedience"
"Waves"
"Shine"
"Varjo"
"Souffrir"
"Stardust - I. The Race"
"Stardust - II. Sand Castles"
"Stardust - III. The Abyss"
The album was produced and recorded by Harri Koskela / Grey Realm Studio, mixed by Juhis Kauppinen / Shedstudios and mastered by Daniel Hagström / Finnvox.
Lost in Grey is:
Harri Koskela (vocals, keyboards and composer)
Anne Lill Rajala (vocals and lyrics)
Emily Leone (vocals and violin)
Miika Haavisto (guitars)
Jarno Suodenjoki (guitars)
Aapo Lindberg (bass)
Teppo Ristola (drums)
Slovenian heavy metal prodigy, SkyEye, will release their second studio album, Soldiers Of Light, on June 25 via Reaper Entertainment. The official video for their latest single "Soldiers Of Light", can be viewed below. The song is available now on all digital platforms.
The band states: "Soldiers of Light are we the people, who bring joy and positive energy to the world and who treat the people and other living creatures with respect. Yes, we the band members are Soldiers of Light or at least we aspire to become one. There is so much bullshit in the world right now and actually shocking, distorted and negative 'breaking' news are more profitable and are spreading faster than the truth and common sense. Sadly we can see nowadays, that the truth is dying, the world is falling apart and we the people are more divided than ever. That's why we need to let the light back into our lives. SkyEye's torch is glowing in the dark to cast out the shadows from people's lives with music. Because music is the healer and 'We are the soldiers of light with no weapons to fight, just shining, just shining. Knowledge is God, God in us all. Wisdom is heaven on Earth.' So yeah, the song carries the positive message, the triumph over negativity, the victory of light over dark.
With our music video we want to visualize this battle with the band members being soldiers of light and the five actors, all dressed in black with no visible faces, that are each band member's demonic alter ego. The fight was immense. There were some bruises and broken equipment left after the video shooting, but it was all worth it because the end product is realy great and we are really proud of it because we managed to make the video all by ourselves with the precious help from our friends. Onward Soldiers of Light! ONWARD!"
Unique and powerful vocals combined with raw and melodic guitar riffs give the band its signature heavy metal sound, reminiscent of other major representatives of the genre, like Iron Maiden, Saxon or Judas Priest.
The album was produced in summer 2020 by producer Grega Smola Crnkovič and was mastered by Boban Milunović who is known in the hard & heavy scene for his work with Graveworm, Belphegor, Jack Frost and many more.
Album artwork by Aleksandar Živanov:
Tracklisting:
“The Arrival”
“King Of The Skies”
“Soldiers Of Light”
“Constellation”
“Brothers Under The Same Sun”
“In Saecula Saeculorum”
“Son Of God”
“Detonate”
“Eternal Starlight”
“Chernobyl”
Savatage / Trans-Siberian Orchestra guitarist Chris Caffery has uploaded a new video clip along with the following message:
"It’s never too late to do things too late at night! If that makes any sense!
Recorded a quick cover version of the song 'I Saw Red' from Warrant. This is a quick spin off of Jani Lane’s acoustic version of this beautiful song. I explained the story as to why I did this recording and video in the video. Besides it being a great song.
Jani was without a doubt one of the most talented musicians and singers from that late '80s metal bunch. Tragic loss. Not a perfect recording by any means. This wasn’t rehearsed or worked out. I literally listened to it a few times and learned it and played and sang it 10 minutes later! I probably could do it better but it’s late and I’m tired and I’m too busy to spend time perfecting cover versions of songs I like. So remember I didn’t even listen to this take until after this video was made. Live karaoke!"
"I Saw Red" is taken from Warrant's 1990 album, Cherry Pie. The album is the band's best-known and highest-selling release and peaked at #7 on the Billboard 200. The album also featured the hits "Cherry Pie", "Uncle Tom's Cabin" and "Blind Faith".
Hotly-tipped Welsh rock trio Florence Black have shared their brand new single, "Can You Feel It?", the first taste of material from their forthcoming debut album. Purchase the track here.
For the uninitiated, Merthyr Tydfil's Florence Black are a young band of self-taught, childhood friends: lead vocalist / guitarist Tristan Thomas, bassist / backing vocalist Jordan Evans, and drummer / backing vocalist Perry Davies. The group have released three EPs to date, with previous single "Bird On A Chain" clinching #1 in the UK iTunes rock chart and their belting cover of Budgie's "Breadfan" landing on Classic Rock's Track Of The Week. The band have honed their touring chops out on the road with the likes of Stone Sour and Those Damn Crows and are one of the latest recipients of the PRS Momentum Fund, set up to assist development of new bands at pivotal career moments.
Discussing the creation of the song, frontman Tristan Thomas explains, "'Can You Feel It?' was written when I was having a rough time in a few personal relationships. It’s written about the feeling you get when you have to sacrifice something you love to get what you want. A lot of the lyrics are very personal to me. Like most of my songs, I like to let the listener find their own meaning to the song. It was written when I was in a dark place, with a lot of anger generated from the voice inside my head. But now when I hear the song back, it feels like catharsis."
The official video for the single was directed by Aaran McKenzie (While She Sleeps), however making it felt anything but straightforward! Tristan elaborates, "We approached Aaran McKenzie from While She Sleeps to shoot the video for ‘Can You Feel It?’ as we loved his work and style. He came back with a vision for the song we were all excited about. It’s just the three of us playing balls-out in a derelict building, which had been shut down for growing far too much marijuana in!"
"There was a funny story to filming too, which wasn’t funny at the time. We were meant to shoot it outside. Just after we set all the gear up in Sheffield with the sun shining, it started hammering down with rain. Hail-stoning, thunder, lightning, the lot. So we packed all our stuff away after taking an age to set it all up. Headed to our backup location (this derelict building in Doncaster) and then when we set it all back up inside, the generator wouldn’t start. Nightmare! But we rescheduled the shoot for the next day and thanks to the lords above... we hired a new generator, it went smoothly and we came out with a retro, straight to the point, performance video. Just what we wanted for the first single!"
Arising Empire welcomes Eyes Wide Open to the roster. The band has shared the new song and video, "Devastation". Purchase / stream the track at this location.
Eyes Wide Open are a four-piece modern metal band based in Karlstad, Sweden. With their fourth album, 2019's The Upside Down, they hit like a juggernaut. Their music carries the torch from the Swedish melodic death metal scene — mixing it with modern sounds and new influences inspired from metalcore. Catchy melodies, heavy drumming, pumping rhythms, and versatile vocals merge into their own style.
Øâåéöàðèÿ
Burning Witches![=]](/img/news-bord-shr.gif){kind=small}
ÑØÀ
Íîðâåãèÿ
Àðãåíòèíà
Ãåðìàíèÿ
Ôðàíöèÿ
Ôèíëÿíäèÿ
Íèäåðëàíäû
Ñëîâåíèÿ
Âåëèêîáðèòàíèÿ
Øâåöèÿ
