Last fall, British metal legends PARADISE LOST exorcised the demons and ghosts of a dreary dry spell without concerts and thrilled the world with their stunning livestream "At The Mill". Today, the band is proud to announce the captured testimony of this special night to be relaeased as live album on July 16.
Captured at The Mill nightclub near the band's hometown in Yorkshire, England, the recording of the Blu-ray was directed by Ash Pears, who previously worked with the band on their music videos for "Medusa" and "Obsidian". Mixed by Les Smith and mastered by Jaime Gomez Arellano, the audio version of the show will be available in various formats including CD, Blu-ray and different vinyl colours.
To bring back first bittersweet memories from better days when concerts were still a thing, the band releases a haunting yet beautiful live version from "Darker Thoughts" that you can watch below.
"Due to the ban on live music, we, like many other bands, have had to adapt and do something we never thought we'd have to do," reflects guitarist and songwriter Greg Mackintosh. "No, not stacking shelves in Aldi like METALLICA, but playing a show at a disused mill in Yorkshire with no one else there. We decided against trying to pretend there was an audience in the room with us, opting instead for a rather moribund version of a live lounge show. Whilst never being pleased with anything, we were however slightly less miserable at the result. It was also almost fun playing some of our new album 'Obsidian' within the set for the first time too. We can now announce that we will be releasing this show as an official CD/Blu-ray and vinyl imaginatively entitled 'At The Mill'."
PARADISE LOST's latest album, "Obsidian", was released in May 2020 via Nuclear Blast. The group's sixteenth studio LP was recorded with producer Jaime Gomez Arellano.
Singer Nick Holmes told Invisible Oranges about "Obsidian": "The last album [2017's 'Medusa'] was very much a specific attempt to make a death-doom metal album. That was absolutely the intention with the last album where we didn't want to wander too far off. I guess any time we start to write a new album, the last one is the model we look at for where to go next, and bearing that in mind, we just thought we'd vary this one up a little bit. Actually, the first song we wrote, 'Fall From Grace', is very reminiscent of the last album. From there, you kind of get a vibe for where you're going after about three songs. I suppose these sorts of influences from different eras are in this album, but I think it's very, very much a PARADISE LOST album. I have no doubt about that. I also think it's a very, very dark album as well. In many ways, darker than the last one, even if it's not as heavy. I think we don't wander too far away from what we're known for, but we still added a few new kind of gothy extra bits which we haven't done for a while. Perhaps a more gothic slant in a couple of songs."
Misha Mansoor, the highly innovative musician renowned for his acclaimed guitar acrobatics, is set to release his first proper solo album using the longtime BULB moniker that earned him internet fame in his pre-PERIPHERY days. The LP, "Moderately Fast, Adequately Furious", arrives on July 16 via 3DOT Recordings.
An introduction to the 11-song album arrives via the newly released "Parabolica" video, which can be seen below.
"I can't tell you guys how excited I am and how cathartic it feels to finally be able to put out my first solo album. 'Moderately Fast, Adequately Furious' has technically been about 15 years in the making, so your patience has been appreciated," explains Mansoor. "It was important that I felt genuinely happy with this BULB debut, but I can say that I finally put together something that I am proud of. This album represents something important to me, and that was both the impetus and the goal in its creation and completion. With that said, I do hope that you enjoy it too!"
BULB is known within guitar circles as the online moniker Mansoor used as he shared demos and playthroughs via fan forums, eventually coming to international attention for his groundbreaking guitar playing via his Grammy-nominated and highly influential band PERIPHERY. In the years since, BULB has become both an enduring nickname as well as a reference to Mansoor's solo work. Over the latter half of 2020, Mansoor released ten archival BULB albums featuring 110 tracks from those early aughts explorations.
Album pre-orders, including the first-ever BULB vinyl (limited to 300 pieces), can be found now via the 3DOT Recordings' webstore as well as the standard digital service providers.
Italian metallers LACUNA COIL will release a new live album, "Live From The Apocalypse", on June 25 via Century Media.
A live version of the song "Apocalypse", which originally appeared on LACUNA COIL's latest studio album, "Black Anima", can be seen below.
Says vocalist Cristina Scabbia: "'Apocalypse' is factual and actual in today's pandemic, though we couldn't foresee this when we wrote it: the separation, the solitude, the confusion, the resilience. We keep on fighting for our will to survive."
Adds co-vocalist Andrea Ferro: "'Apocalypse' is usually a huge concept involving destruction or damage and the way the world ends. In our vision, there's no big apocalypse — just endless little ones. Ignorance, complacency, selfishness alone can bring apocalypse."
"Live From The Apocalypse" is the fruit of an unprecedented time. Unlike previous live efforts the Italians, under the yoke of the pandemic, cleverly devised a way for their devoted fan base to hear and see them on stage by organizing a special livestream event performing their latest album, "Black Anima", in its entirety, in September 2020. This very special show will now be released on vinyl and CD as well as a digital album. The physical album formats come with a bonus DVD featuring the footage of the original live stream.
"Live From The Apocalypse" will be available in the following formats:
* CD+DVD digipak
* Gatefold 2LP+DVD and LP booklet
* Digital album
The vinyl version will be available in the following colors and limitations:
* Black vinyl, unlimited
* Neon yellow, limited to 300 copies worldwide, available at CMDistro EU
* Red vinyl, limited to 200 copies worldwide, only available at EMP
* White vinyl, limited to 300 copies worldwide, only available at the band's official store
* Silver vinyl, limited to 300 copies worldwide, only available at Century Media U.S.
* Orange vinyl, limited to 300 copies worldwide, only available at Revolver
"Live From The Apocalypse" track listing:
01. Anima Nera
02. Sword Of Anger
03. Save Me
04. Now Or Never
05. Reckless
06. Through The Flames
07. Apocalypse
08. Black Feathers
09. Under The Surface
10. The End Is All I Can See
11. Veneficium
12. Black Dried Up Heart
13. Bad Things
14. Layers Of Time
15. Black Anima
16. Save Me (Apocalypse Version)
By all accounts, this was no ordinary gig. Even though LACUNA COIL was in its hometown of Milan — at the famed Alcatraz Club — there were no fans to greet them. No roar of anticipation; no claps of adulation; no interaction with the people who had become deeply involved in and had a profound love for LACUNA COIL's music and live shows over two-plus decades. The livestream energy was different. It had to be. With hearts on their sleeves, cameras rolling, and the world tuning in online, LACUNA COIL brought "Black Anima: Live From The Apocalypse" to life.
"On one hand, it felt awkward to play for a huge empty room," says vocalist Andrea Ferro. " But on the other hand, it felt great to finally reconnect with our fans at home and with the people working behind the scenes. A lot of people enjoyed the show — it was definitely a one-off event loaded with a lot of emotions and feelings. 'Live From The Apocalypse' is an opportunity to offer a new release to our fans while the COVID-19 crisis is still a real thing, affecting them and us. The live album represents a unique moment in our career (and life) that will be forever remembered as that one time when we literally 'rose from the Apocalypse.'"
This past March, Scabbia told The Pit's podcast "Last Words" that she and her bandmates have not used the coronavirus downtime to work on new music. "To be honest, no, because we didn't want any of our music to be connected with this period, because it wasn't something that we wanted to talk about," she explained. "Of course, unconsciously, it will be inspiring us for the next record, because everything everything you live translates into music and lyrics unconsciously.
"The thing is that when you write a new record, it's because you're inspired by something," she continued. "But if you don't travel, if you don't live experiences, if you don't meet new people and [see] new cultures, I find it hard to find inspiration only through movies and — I don't know — series on TV. I need to live to be inspired, and the same for the guys [in the band]."
Cristina went on to say that she and the rest of LACUNA COIL have previously used negative personal experiences as fuel for their songwriting. "I feel really inspired when something bad is happening, but at least something is happening, and I'm living it," she said. "But this [pandemic] situation is really static."
In February, LACUNA COIL took part in an initiative dubbed "L'Ultimo Concerto?" (Last Concert) to highlight the increasingly uncertain future of music venues. Instead of delivering live performances as part of a scheduled free virtual stream on February 27, each of around 130 Italian artists was filmed taking the stage at a different venue and then standing there in silence as a way of commemorating the one-year mark since the first Italian venues closed.
The official music video for "My Lucky Card", the latest single from ZZ TOP frontman Billy Gibbons, can be seen below. The track is the third single from Gibbons's upcoming solo album, "Hardware", which will be released on June 4 via Concord Records. The LP was recorded at Escape Studio in California's high desert, near Palm Springs, and was produced by Gibbons along with Matt Sorum and Mike Fiorentino, with engineer Chad Shlosser providing additional production.
Sorum, veteran of GUNS 'N' ROSES, VELVET REVOLVER and THE CULT, also serves as "Hardware"'s drummer and was joined in the album's core band by guitarist Austin Hanks. The same Gibbons-Sorum-Hanks aggregation recorded "The Big Bad Blues", Gibbons's earlier solo effort for Concord and winner of the Blues Foundation's Blues Music Award.
In contrast to "The Big Bad Blues" and "Perfectamundo", Gibbons's debut solo album, almost all of the "Hardware" repertoire is original and rock-oriented with eleven of the album's twelve songs written by Gibbons, Sorum, Fiorentino and Shlosser. The sole exception is "Hey Baby, Que Paso", originally recorded by the TEXAS TORNADOS. The album's title is a tribute to legendary recording engineer the late Joe Hardy who worked with Gibbons and ZZ TOP dating back to the mid-1980s. Sonically, the album was influenced by the high desert circumstance of its recording. Says Gibbons: "The desert settings, replete with shifting sands, cacti and rattlesnakes makes for the kind of backdrop that lends an element of intrigue reflected in the sounds created out there."
"Stackin' Bones", one of the album's standouts, features a guest appearance by LARKIN POE, with whom Gibbons has been familiar and friendly for quite a while. He initially met them through the good offices of Tyler Bryant, husband of LARKIN POE's Megan Lovell; he had toured extensively with ZZ TOP in the past. LARKIN POE also shared a bill with Billy at New York's "Love Rocks NYC" benefit in 2019 and the "Hardware" collaboration grew from there.
While a truly broad spectrum of approaches is notable on the album's hard driving tracks there is, to be sure, no mistaking the remarkable tone and growling vocals that are hallmarks of Billy Gibbons's artistry. Elements of traditional hard rock, neo-metal, country rock, new wave, blues and even surf music make "Hardware" difficult to categorize and it would be a fool's game to do so. In fact, "Desert High", the album's last track, is a spoken-word piece accompanied by a sinewy guitar that evokes the legend Graham Parsons, whose death 48 years ago took place very close to where "Hardware" was recorded.
Billy sums up the album's ecumenical construct: "We holed up in the desert for a few weeks in the heat of the summer and that in itself was pretty intense. To let off steam we just 'let it rock' and that's what Hardware is really all about. For the most part, it's a raging rocker but always mindful of the desert's implicit mystery."
In the spirit of legendary power trios such as RUSH, KING'S X, NIRVANA and PRIMUS emerges an unprecedented power duo — featuring a familiar character. Guitarist/vocalist Douglas Blair, known for his searing and emotional lead work with W.A.S.P., introduces his well-kept secret to the world — the innovative SIGNAL2NOISE.
Blair's self-invented eight-string GuitarCross creates a wall of thunder, atom-smashing guitar and bass — while drummer Toxy London (SANTA CRUZ) slices the concoction to pieces. Blair states: "The power duo simply employs the very core of every successful collaboration — two artists, bringing their halves of the equation to the table in the most streamlined manner!"
The portmanteau title "Generica" alludes to Blair's widely shared frustration with the ubiquitous, generic nature of society — while the lyric "I long to be someone other than me" succinctly sums up the direct result of such an environment. L.A.'s uber-talented ORCHID QUARTET contributes an entwining and powerful string composition, representing the journey of reflective self-assessment — which, of course, culminates in a smashed television.
To recognize May as Mental Health Awareness month, all proceeds from the sale of "Generica" will be donated to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. It can be downloaded via Bandcamp.
The SIGNAL2NOISE debut nine-song offering, tentatively titled "Fighting Mental Illness", is nearing completion and will be released by Platform West LLC.
"I believe we all deal with various degrees of mental illness in our lives. We're each affected and influenced differently, leading to widely disparate outcomes," says Blair. "I've witnessed so many of these scenarios in our industry and beyond, so I'm really honoured to pitch in for the Mental Health Awareness cause!"
Finnish power quartet MegaSnake has released their first single "Sun Don't Shine". The band's line-up features singer Richard "Tipe" Johnson (Leningrad Cowboys, Gringos Locos, Apocalyptica's live line-up), drummer Twist Twist Erkinharju (Peer Günt, Leningrad Cowboys, Los Bastardos Finlandeses), guitarist Samuel Hjelt (Kings of Modesty, ex-Ancara) and bassist Henrik Tuura (Kings of Modesty, Killer Kachina). The new single was released through Inverse Records, the official video can be viewed below.
"What’s in a name?
A: Everything
B: Nothing
MegaSnake?! WTF?! Really!?
MegaSnake is a four piece Rock band from Finland, who carry their name with dignity and pride. They are out to have a good time, putting smiles on people's faces (and their own) with high energy rock n' roll. As far as previous history goes (former bands / projects, etc.) the MegaSnake gentlemen have it and then some.
Having been around the block several times the guys also know how to take their music seriously, while not themselves too seriously. We might grow older but we’ll never grow up.
So, what’s in a name? The guys in MegaSnake choose A and B. Maybe playing covers by Megadeath and Whitesnake explains everything. Or then again nothing."
When two greats of the German folk rock and medieval scene get together, there’s nothing but magic taking place - not even a prevailing pandemic can change that. Today, Subway To Sally drop their captivating performance of the Saltatio Mortis hit “IX”, cut from the band’s upcoming, unique Blu-Ray/DVD/CD highlight, Eisheilige Nacht - Back To Lindenpark, out June 18 via Napalm Records.
The original song can be found on the Saltatio Mortis full-length Das Schwarze Einmaleins (2013) and is now captured for eternity, presented by both bands as an exclusive version on Eisheilige Nacht - Back To Lindenpark.
Subway To Sally states: “We covered ‘IX’ and put it into our very own Subway To Sally version. Our long-time companions from Saltatio Mortis wanted us to cover the song for a bonus CD that’s part of their album Zirkus Zeitgeist (2015). Within a short time, the track became very popular amongst our fans and even pushed a few of our classics out of our streaming top 5 temporarily. After a joint tour playing the track together with Saltatio Mortis, we enjoyed it so much that we decided to keep it in our regular live set for some time. Or in other words: a Saltatio Mortis cover version became part of the Subway To Sally set! I don't think there can be a better alliance within our scene and so we were really looking forward to performing the song again with our friends at Eisheilige Nacht - Back to Lindenpark.“
Watch the official live video for “IX”:
Subway To Sally demonstrate their exceptional live presence once more, carving a unique stage experience in stone with the upcoming release, Eisheilige Nacht - Back To Lindenpark. In an intimate setting, the Potsdam based unit drops a colorful bunch of songs taken off their multifaceted discography and invites its listeners to be part of an exciting adventure. Supported by many great artists, Subway To Sally created an unforgettable evening that offers numerous surprises and specials neither seen nor heard until now.
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!"
Since their foundation in the early ‘90s, Subway To Sally have established themselves at the top of the scene. Having released thirteen studio records so far, the seven-piece featuring the remarkable Eric Fish on vocal duties never fails in surprising their devotees with an ingenious symbiosis of folk, heavy metal and rock. In the course of time, it became a tradition to celebrate every year with numerous fans and a final live show on December 30 at the venue Lindenpark in the band's hometown of Potsdam. Due to great demand, in 2009 the band decided to move to a bigger location in the same area. The Eisheilige Nacht was born and turned into a whole annual festival tour shortly after, where top-notch bands heeded the call to join Subway To Sally for some magical evenings.
In 2020, Subway To Sally returned to Lindenpark and - supported by many great artists like Chris Harms (Lord Of The Lost), Feuerschwanz, Schandmaul, Saltatio Mortis, MajorVoice and Patty Gurdy - created an extraordinary lockdown live experience. In an intimate setting, the recording starts with “Messias” and “Königin der Käfer” from the band’s latest chart-breaking full-length, Hey! (DE #5). Subway To Sally then continue to not only travel through their own discography with songs like eerie “Unsterblich”, animated “Tanz auf dem Vulkan” and live-sensation “Grausame Schwester”, but also present a bunch of enchanting features as well: Don’t miss when highly talented Birgit Muggenthaler-Schmack and Saskia Maria Forkert (Schandmaul) join Subway To Sally for Schandmaul’s “Dein Anblick” and a premier version of “Kleid aus Rosen”, or when the band sets the exceptional stage on fire for an explosive performance with Saltatio Mortis on their hit “Sie Tanzt allein” - just to name a selection.
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"
"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
Death Pop Radio will release their self-titled debut album on May 7 via Dark Star Records. Preorders are available here. BraveWords is premiering the new video for "Flatliners"; watch below!
"‘Flatliners’ is about those that no longer think or act for themselves, you're dead, a Flatliner." Eric Lljehorn - Vocals
"The music for ‘Flatliners’ was based on a really cool drumbeat that our drummer Jimmy sent me. The beat was so badass the guitar part wrote itself." Dee J Nelson - Guitars
Death Pop Radio began their journey as a song, not a band. A fun collaboration that quickly blossomed into a full-blown hard-pop-grunge melting pot of backstories and musical experience.
"This album, for Death Pop Radio, was a perfect reflection of what happens when you take four guys with a wide range of tastes musically, mix in self-reflection, some humor, some horror, a pandemic, and heat it all up over a flame of desire to create something you were waiting for someone else to do." - Death Pop Radio.
"Death Pop Radio has the fire, the image, the sound and the songs that will destroy all in its path... the road ahead looks clear, once unleashed there will be no stopping this monster." - Jeffrey A. Swanson / President of Dark Star Records
Their debut single and video, “Ravens”, had thousands of views and hits within days. Death Pop Radio was born and came into the world with a natural buzz within the Chicago music scene.
The band started in late 2017 when guitarist Dee J Nelson ran into lead vocalist Eric Liljehorn at a King’s X show in Chicago. A few quick word; a potential collaboration and mutual love for all things musical blossomed. The two began working on a few of Dee J’s songs together and both could tell something right away was simply “clicking”. Shortly after the release of “Ravens”, it was clear a full band was in order. In need of a name, the band started out by temporarily using the title of its flagship song "Ravens" and while the temp name stuck longer than expected the guys eventually found the name that would fit them and their unique blend of rock and grunge - Death Pop Radio.
Tracklisting:
“Monster TV”
“Ravens”
“Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em”
“Bitten Lips”
“Wake Up Drop Dead”
“Roses And Disdain”
“Knocked Down”
“Rat Tail”
“Flatliners”
“Fuck It”
“Like A Bomb” (The Joy Thieves Remix)
“Fuck It” (Radio Edit)
“Knocked Down” (Radio Edit)
Progressive rockers STYX have released a new video for their song "Brave New World", the title track of their 1999 album.
The band said in a statement: "In 1999 we released our thirteenth studio album called 'Brave New World'. Now, 21 years later we've created a new video for the title track and we can't wait for you to see it."
STYX is currently recording the follow-up to "The Mission". Released in June 2017, that disc marked STYX's first new LP in 14 years. It was recorded at Blackbird Studios in Nashville, co-produced and co-written with Will Evankovich, a longtime collaborator of guitarist/vocalist Tommy Shaw's in the SHAW/BLADES band and who also plays with THE GUESS WHO.
Drummer Todd Sucherman recently told Audio Ink Radio that the new STYX material "definitely leans to a progressive side with always a big, heavy emphasis on melody and lyrics."
During the late 1970s and early 1980s, four straight STYX albums sold at least two million copies — "The Grand Illusion" (1977), "Pieces Of Eight" (1978), "Cornerstone" (1979) and "Paradise Theatre" (1981). The band eventually replaced original singer/keyboardist/songwriter Dennis DeYoung in 1999 with Gowan.
George Lynch paid musical tribute to Eddie Van Halen during the former DOKKEN guitarist's May 1 performance at the Dallas International Guitar Festival at Dallas Market Hall in Dallas, Texas. At the end of the impromptu jam, George told the crowd: "In remembrance of our fallen brother, who is one of the greatest inspirations of my personal guitar journey."
Fan-filmed video footage of the performance can be seen below (courtesy of YouTube user "arcme262").
In a recent interview with Metal Godz Radio, Lynch was asked if ever got a chance to bond and hang out with Eddie Van Halen. He responded: "Absolutely. I mean, we kind of came up through the ranks together. We were both [in] SoCal bands and played the same bills and same clubs and hung out a little bit and have common connections and friends and different things and acquaintances. But the time that we spent the most together was on the 'Monsters Of Rock' tour [in 1988, where DOKKEN and VAN HALEN shared the bill with SCORPIONS, METALLICA and KINGDOM COME]. Eddie and I would spend a lot of time in the hotel rooms just jamming and staying up all night drinking beers and smoking and playing guitar. So that was a really cool hang."
Lynch previously talked about Eddie's influence in a 2009 interview with Guitar Player magazine. Asked if he was jealous of VAN HALEN's success in the late 1970s and early 1980s, George said: "We were jealous and we were all trying to play catch up. We thought, 'Oh boy, we better get on board. This guy's going to change the world.' I remember my reaction when I first heard Eddie. I had been hearing about this guy with the weird European name. He's got a torpedo onstage, the bass player wears clogs, they have bombs onstage, and the guy's unbelievable. I saw him and it blew my mind. They were still doing covers at the time — RAINBOW, MONTROSE — and their original stuff was as good or better than their cover stuff, which was pretty exceptional. After their show, I went back to our band room and played my guitar until the sun came up. I thought, 'Man, how can I get that tone?'"
Asked if he tried to copy Eddie, George said: "What I really did was sort of bounce off his stuff rather than emulate it. I've done that with a lot of players. Instead of copying them, I react to them. I'll think, 'Well, Di Meola does this thing. I can do some alternate picking, so I won't copy it but I'll embed that a little bit into my toolbox and do it my own way.' I've tried to do that with any player who has influenced me: Clapton, Hendrix, Schenker, Eddie, Holdsworth. I couldn't play any of their stuff note for note to save my life, but I can capture the gist of what they're doing by being exposed to it. I can get the essence."
Eddie died in October at the age of 65 after a long battle with cancer.
Rolling Stone magazine ranked Van Halen No. 8 in its list of the 100 greatest guitarists.
California metallers ATREYU have released the official music video for their new song "Catastrophe". The track is taken from the band's upcoming album, "Baptize", which is due on June 4 via Spinefarm Records. The clip, which features cameos by members of NOTHING MORE, TRIVIUM, ICE NINE KILLS, HYRO THE HERO, BAD WOLVES and SILVERSTEIN, arrives six months after the release of "Save Us", which was the first taste of ATREYU's music since the departure of vocalist Alex Varkatzas in September.
"'Catastrophe' is, in essence, an apocalyptic love song," ATREYU reveals. "We took a more imaginative approach to the feelings about that we as individuals and the rest of the planet were going through. The world felt like it was falling apart around us. Nothing was certain, and stress and darkness were coming in from every angle. But living through it all with someone who you truly love somehow made it all okay."
"Catastrophe" showcases ATREYU's current lineup consisting of drummer Brandon Saller focusing completely on singing after previously sharing lead vocals with Varkatzas for most of the band's two-decade-plus existence. Sitting behind the kit is Saller's HELL OR HIGHWATER bandmate Kyle Rosa, who had filled in for Saller on drums in 2019 after Varkatzas bowed out of the band's European tour while dealing with serious back and hernia issues.
"Baptize" track listing:
01. Strange Powers Of Prophecy
02. Baptize
03. Save Us
04. Underrated
05. Broken Again
06. Weed
07. Dead Weight
08. Catastrophe
09. Fucked Up
10. Sabotage Me
11. Untouchable (feat. Jacoby Shaddix)
12. No Matter What
13. Oblivion (feat. Matt Heafy)
14. Stay
15. Warrior (feat. Travis Barker)
Asked in a recent interview with the "RRBG Podcast"if fans have responded positively to ATREYU's lineup change, guitarist Travis Miguel said: "For the most part, yeah. There's obviously naysayers and people who are bummed out. And that's totally fine — I mean, we all expected that. Because change in any shape or form, really, can be very uncomfortable. Especially for a band that loses their frontman, a lot of bands, they either thrive or it just doesn't resonate the same with the listeners. But luckily, it's not like we got a complete stranger coming in and moving up to the frontman spot. Brandon, obviously, did just about 50 percent of the vocals on all ATREYU stuff anyway. And he's been working his ass off kind of transitioning from literally the dude from behind the drums to into the front of the stage.
"That being said, not this past summer, but in 2019, we did a tour in Europe, and Alex, at the time, he had injured his back and he literally couldn't sit on a plane for 11, 12 hours to fly over to Europe, so he had to sit that one out," he continued. "So we went over to Europe with this lineup that we have now. So there wasn't a whole lot of thought [put into it]. It was kind of a no-brainer. Kyle Rosa, who is now playing drums for us, it was almost like that was his tryout, and we didn't even know it. So it's just kind of weird how things pan out."
Speaking about the musical direction of the new ATREYU material, Travis said: "There are definite heavy bangers on there. It's definitely ATREYU, which that could mean just about anything, really. A lot of people would consider that complete shitty music. Some people think it's the greatest thing on earth. It's all over the place, really, which is kind of what we've always done."
ATREYU spent the first couple of months of 2020 working on material for its eighth album with producer John Feldmann, who previously helmed 2018's "In Our Wake" and 2007's breakout LP "Lead Sails, Paper Anchor".
In August 2019, ATREYU released a deluxe edition of "In Our Wake" via Spinefarm Records. The new version featured the original "In Our Wake" album, along with seven additional tracks. The bonus material included B-sides from the sessions for both "In Our Wake" and 2015's "Long Live", along with alternate versions of the title track and "The Time Is Now" from "In Our Wake". The deluxe edition featured completely redesigned artwork and a total of 19 songs.
Grammy-winning band GRETA VAN FLEET has released the official live music video for its song "Light My Love". The clip was directed by Rob Sinclair for Sinclair/Wilkinson and Mark Haney for Black Bear Productions. The track is taken from the group's sophomore studio album, "The Battle At Garden's Gate", which came out on April 16 via Lava/Republic Records.
A bold evolution from the band's 2018 full-length debut "Anthem Of The Peaceful Army", "The Battle At Garden's Gate" came together primarily on the road or while in the studio after the runaway success of 2017's "Highway Tune" led to the band packing up, leaving home, and eagerly soaking up new experiences on an extended road trip around the world.
Over the past three years, GRETA VAN FLEET — vocalist Josh Kiszka, guitarist Jake Kiszka, bassist Sam Kiszka, and drummer Danny Wagner — played to hundreds of thousands of people across North America, Europe, Japan, Australia, South America and New Zealand. While driving to gigs, the first-time world travelers passed many unfamiliar sights, from the favelas in Sao Paulo to the Gold Coast of Australia and everywhere in between, meeting and enjoying conversations with fans and other musicians that opened up new worlds to them. To cap off the change-filled era, the quartet moved from Michigan to Nashville, immersing themselves in Music City's rich history. The melding of all these experiences opened their eyes to amazing new worlds of culture, history, philosophy and spirituality — and ushered in an entirely new way of looking at life and the approach to their music.
Accordingly, GRETA VAN FLEET poured everything they experienced into these new songs - the music reflects their spiritual and intellectual growth, increased awareness of the inequalities plaguing the modern world, and deep empathy for what other people are going through.
"We realized that while growing up, we had been shielded by many things, and we were unaware of a lot of things," says Wagner. "And then we were thrown out into this huge world, and it was a bit of a culture shock at first. But as we started to travel a lot, meet new and different people and experience different cultures, our definition of 'normal' changed."
"I suppose that everything has changed except what got us here in the first place," adds Sam Kiszka. "Everything — our perception of the world, perception of life itself, what it means to be an artist, what it means to be part of a beautiful, gorgeous society. We've gained a larger understanding of why we're all here."
In general, the album's arrangements are spacious and leisurely, giving the music pleasing dynamics, as the band touches on all manners of rock 'n' roll. "The Battle At Garden's Gate" is cinematic, capturing the breathtaking energy of an exciting fight scene or the smoldering passion of a brooding, heroic protagonist saving the day. The new music also illustrates that the members of GRETA VAN FLEET are paving the way for a new generation of musicians — ones that use rock 'n' roll's foundational elements to build an entirely new sonic blueprint.
Sonically, "The Battle At Garden's Gate" also feels bracingly modern, an embodiment of genre-blended musical freedom. Recorded in Los Angeles with Greg Kurstin (FOO FIGHTERS, PAUL MCCARTNEY), the album is ambitious and expansive, marked by epic journeys such as the second single, "Age Of Machine", and the Top 5 rock hit "My Way, Soon", which boasts a towering chorus hook and rip-it-up-and-start-again lyrics.
Josh explains: "It's very dynamic, lyrically speaking. And that's the human experience. It's much more than pain or fear; it's also beauty. People need people, and love is important." Lyrically, "The Battle At Garden's Gate" muses about the influence of technology on modern life; the role conflict plays in the global sphere; the deceptive fulfillment of tangible riches; and philosophical questions about life, love and power.
"There was a lot of self-evolution happening during the writing of this album that was prompted by experiences I had, experiences we all had, so a lot of contemplation occurred," Josh says, while Jake adds, "It's reflecting a lot of the world that we've seen, and I think that it's reflecting a lot of personal truth. What Josh does very well with the lyrics is telling ancient tales with a contemporary application."
For Josh, working with Kurstin provided the confidence he needed to push his songwriting into these vivid dimensions. "I'm always a little bit hesitant about my abilities as an artist; I think a lot of artists feel that way," he says. "But Greg hovering over me while I'm on the piano, taking an interest in what I was doing — that was really important for me."
That added confidence is obvious. Josh sounds commanding on each song, stretching his already-acrobatic voice to newer heights, while the instrumentalists fearlessly push themselves into new territory. Easy going organ and acoustic folk-rock riffs drive one song, while another ends in a torrent of guitar noise that rivals Neil Young's onstage guitar freakouts with CRAZY HORSE. "For all of us, the performances — and the aspects of them that are captured — preserve where we're at musically in time right now," Jake says.
The future is unwritten, and the sky's the limit for these curious travelers and truth-seekers. Josh says, "certainly after this, we've grown in so many ways. This album has taught us a lot, about life in general, about ourselves, about all of us, about the world we live in."
Southern California rockers THE OFFSPRING have released the official Scott Schafer-directed video for the song "We Never Have Sex Anymore". The track is taken from the band's tenth studio album, "Let The Bad Times Roll", which arrived on April 16 via Concord Records. The follow-up to 2012's "Days Go By" was once again produced by Bob Rock, who also worked on the band's last two LPs.
Singer Bryan "Dexter" Holland, guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman, drummer Pete Parada and new bassist Todd Morse wrote and recorded "Let The Bad Times Roll" in the last few years at various locations, including the band's studio in Huntington Beach, California.
Speaking about the long gap between "Let The Bad Times Roll" and the previous OFFSPRING album, Noodles told the 100.3 The X Rocks radio station: "We've been working on it for a while. Really, about two or three years ago, everything started really kind of clicking, and we had a really creative period — then and since, actually. We were hoping to have the record done probably five years ago, ultimately, and it just took longer to make something that we really felt was strong and representative of the band in the best light."
Added Dexter: "I think that's it. It had to feel right before we wanted to put it out. We're not really under a deadline. We didn't even have a label, actually — we were sort of floating out there. So it was a good time to just take our time and make the right record."
Asked how hard it was for them to sit on those songs for so long without being able to share them with their fans, Dexter said: "There really is this feeling, when you have something that you're really happy with… 'Cause sometimes you go through a bunch of stuff that, 'Oh, this song needs work. This needs work.' When you have something that's clicking, you're, like, 'Oh, man. I can't wait to get this out.' But you just kind of have to sit on it for a while. I mean, we basically sat on this since the pandemic started, 'cause we kind of thought, 'This is probably not the best time to release a record, 'cause we can't go out and tour, we can't promote it, can't be there to play it for the people,' so we've kind of been sitting on it for the better part of a year. Although we kept on going back and tweaking it, and it actually got better over that year. But we decided, well, we can't wait forever if we're gonna put this out."
Regarding the inspiration for the "Let The Bad Times Roll" album title, Dexter told HardDrive Radio: "We had a song two albums ago [on 2008's 'Rise And Fall, Rage And Grace'] called 'Shit Is Fucked Up'. We wrote that 'cause we thought how terrible things were in the world back then. But it actually got worse. So we had to come up with a new title, 'Let The Bad Times Roll'.
"You can apply it to a lot of things," he explained. "I mean, we're not a political band. Some people would apply it to the last administration. Some people would apply it to things that are going on today, or just how messed up everything is, trying to fix our pandemic and all that kind of stuff."
Added Noodles: "But really, it's not just an American-centric thing either, cause you're seeing stuff happening around the world. There's unrest happening literally everywhere — on all continents. You're seeing unrest, and then you're also seeing anti-democratic forces kind of taking power in some places, in which case causes more unrest. So, yeah, the whole world is a little bit of a scary place right now."
Dexter continued: "That's right. Climate change, climate deniers, vaccine, anti-vaxxers — whatever you want, it's out there."
BRITISH LION, the side project of IRON MAIDEN bassist and founder Steve Harris, has released a brand new music video, "Land Of The Perfect People".
Taken from BRITISH LION's 2020 album "The Burning", the song's lyrics were written by vocalist Richard Taylor, who comments: "It's about abandonment and issues from being brought up in a children's home."
Although a summer European tour in support of "The Burning" couldn’t go ahead last year as planned, BRITISH LION has now been confirmed for the 2022 U.K. Download festival and is very much hoping to also reschedule some other European club and festival dates.
BRITISH LION completed its first U.S. tour in January and February 2020.
"The Burning" was released on January 17, 2020 in digipack CD, double gatefold vinyl and digital download formats via Explorer1 Music (E1).
BRITISH LION comprises Taylor, guitarists David Hawkins and Grahame Leslie, Harris on bass and keyboards and drummer Simon Dawson.
Recorded, engineered and mixed at Barnyard Studios by Tony Newton and produced by Steve Harris, "The Burning" is crammed with powerful hard rock melodies.
Asked by the Tampa Bay Times what the itch is that BRITISH LION scratches that he doesn't get in his job with MAIDEN, Harris said: "I suppose playing small clubs and being close and personal with the audience. I love playing big places as well. I enjoy them all, and I'm very lucky that I can do them all. But also, it's clubs that I never played with MAIDEN, even in Europe. There's a famous club called the Milky Way in Amsterdam, which I managed to play with BRITISH LION, but I never did that with MAIDEN. There's places now that I'm going to be playing on this [U.S.] tour that I've never played before. So it's all new ground. It's a challenge. It's nice. I like a challenge."
Former SEPULTURA drummer Igor "Iggor" Cavalera recently launched a new video series, "Beneath The Drums", on his YouTube channel, where he dissects some of the best-known songs from his recording history. In the fifth episode, which can be seen below, he gives the backstory of the SEPULTURA song "Refuse/Resist" and also performs a playthrough video of the track, originally taken from the band's 1993 album "Chaos A.D.".
This past January, Igor launched an account on Patreon, where he is offering exclusive content to his fans.
Igor's Patreon consists of two tiers. One of them is "Bloody Roots" ($30 monthly), where fans can obtain the drum tracks in Wav format to play together and learn, the complete list of all the equipment used in their recordings and several benefits to purchase limited merchandise products. They will also be able to participate in Patreon-only polls, watch behind-the-scenes content and livestreams. The VIP Patreon "Beneath The Drums" ($50 monthly) offers all the benefits of "Bloody Roots", plus online conversations via Zoom following each video premiere on YouTube. In the conversation with Igor, the fans will have a chance to learn in more depth how he worked on the track, followed by a question-and-answer session. They will also get early access to updates, tickets and releases.
Patreon is a crowdfunding service, where fans contribute pre-determined amounts to obtain exclusive access to content and rewards.
Igor left SEPULTURA in June 2006 due to "artistic differences." His departure from the band came five months after he announced that he was taking a break from SEPULTURA's touring activities to spend time with his second wife and their son (who was born in January 2006).
In 1996, Igor's brother, frontman Max Cavalera, exited SEPULTURA after the rest of the band split with Max's wife Gloria as their manager.
For a decade and a half, Igor has been part of the MIXHELL DJ/hip-hop/electro project with his wife Laima Leyton.
Two years ago, Igor teamed up with Wayne Adams (BIG LAD, DEATH PEDALS, JOHNNY BROKE) to form the PETBRICK project. The band's debut album, "I", was released in October 2019 via Closed Casket Activities in the U.S.
Igor's other current musical projects include CAVALERA CONSPIRACY (alongside Max) and SOULWAX.
LIGHT THE TORCH — Howard Jones (vocals), Francesco Artusato (guitar), and Ryan Wombacher (bass) — will release its second full-length album, "You Will Be The Death Of Me", on June 25 via Nuclear Blast.
The band has dropped the official visualizer for the LP opener "More Than Dreaming". Check it out below.
"I love starting the album with 'More Than Dreaming'," says Jones. "It's got great energy and bounce to it — exactly what you want as an opener. We are looking forward to playing this live. The wait is almost over!"
The visualizer is a three-dimensional version of the album artwork. Both the visualizer and album cover were created by Artusato.
"The idea for this artwork started developing in my head right after we were done with the first session of pre-production," Artusato explains. "I started seeing certain colors and this style in my head. To me, the music on this record in fact sounds like 'those colors.' The concept is pretty simple: You can see a torch in the middle and three flames coming out of it. The three flames represent the three of us. The addition of neons and fog was inspired by John Carpenter's '80s movies."
He continues: "Having all the artwork created in 3-D, I was able to place it in a CG environment, start animating some of the elements, and create some sort of story. I think in this case it works well with the 'dream-like' vibe of these visuals. Artwork and visual creativity have been a big part of my growth as an artist for the past few years and I love to be able to combine music and visuals in one project. It made this album even more special to me."
Last month, LIGHT THE TORCH dropped the video for the first track, "Wilting In The Light", which was directed by Ramon Boutviseth in Los Angeles.
"'You Will Be The Death Of Me' has been a journey — even without the pandemic," said Jones. "This album has been emotional and rewarding in every way, and we couldn't be more excited to finally release it. Maybe there was a bit of desperation writing and recording these songs."
He shared: "Going through personal turmoil and watching Francesco deal with injuries, we knew this could change things drastically for us. The album was a welcome distraction, and we dumped every emotion we had into 'You Will Be The Death Of Me'. To watch Fran heal and become an even more complete artist in front of my eyes has been amazing to watch. Everything we went through individually and together with this album drew Fran, Ryan, and I together. I couldn't be more proud of this album knowing I made it with my family."
Artusato opened up about his experiences, saying: "This record is special to me in a different way. From writing the music during one of the toughest times of my life while dealing with a bad injury due to a car accident to being obsessively involved with every aspect of its production, recording, and creating the artwork. It's hard to describe how I feel, and to finally see this record getting ready to be released."
He continues about the redemptive power of the album, offering: "We are all very satisfied with how this record showcases the evolution of our band and our evolution as individuals. Without our brotherhood, this music could not have happened. Music is what kept us strong together during our toughest times. There's nothing like art that expresses pure and deep emotions, and that's what I feel when I listen to Howard's performance on this record."
Wombacher concurred: "I think this album shows the growth the band has experienced after years on the road together, and a friendship that has continued to thrive doing what we love together."
The guys returned to Sparrow Sound in Glendale, California to once again work with the production team of Josh Gilbert and Joseph McQueen (BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE, AS I LAY DYING, SUICIDE SILENCE). This time around, they also welcomed WHITECHAPEL's Alex Rudinger on drums. "He's incredible," said Artusato. "He was exactly what we needed."
Upheld by head-spinning seven-string virtuosity yet anchored to skyscraping melodies, LIGHT THE TORCH crafted 12 metallic anthems, including an unexpected and awesome cover of the '80s hit "Sign Your Name" by R&B singer Terence Trent D'Arby.
"You Will Be The Death Of Me" track listing:
01. More Than Dreaming
02. Let Me Fall Apart
03. End Of The World
04. Wilting In The Light
05. Death Of Me
06. Living With A Ghost
07. Become The Martyr
08. Something Deep Inside
09. I Hate Myself
10. Denying The Sin
11. Come Back To The Quicksand
12. Sign Your Name
The group shot out of the gate as a contender on their full-length debut, "Revival". It bowed at No. 4 on the Billboard U.S. Independent Albums chart and at #10 on the Hard Rock Albums chart in addition to receiving acclaim from Revolver, Outburn, and many more. "Calm Before The Storm" racked up a staggering 14.5 million Spotify streams, while "The Safety of Disbelief" remains one of SiriusXM Octane's all-time most requested songs. They also crisscrossed North America and Europe on tour with the likes of TRIVIUM, AVATAR, IN FLAMES, ICE NINE KILLS, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE and AUGUST BURNS RED, to name a few.
Frontiers Music Srl announces 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. Fans can get their first listen of music from the release today with the debut of the single and video for "Massive Drain". Watch the clip 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"
"Massive Drain" video:
Lineup:
Vocals - Inés Vera Ortiz
Keyboards and programming - Guillermo de Medio
Drums - Nicholas Papapicco
Guitars - Andrea Seveso
Bass - Mitia Maccaferri
Dutch death metal legends, Pestilence, have released a guitar playthrough video for their single, "Morbvs Propagationem". It's the first song taken off the band's new album, Exitivm, which is set to be released on June 25 via Agonia Records. Watch below:
Watch a drum playthrough video for "Morbvs Propagationem":
A new album, on a new label armed with a whole new lineup and a new dynamic: no matter what, Pestilence - or more specifically their maestro Patrizio Mameli - is like the phoenix, rising from the ashes, over and over again. An official website has been launched for Exitivm, providing access to all relevant information surrounding the new album, here.
Back in 1986, in the small town of Enschede in the Netherlands, nearby the German border, a true metal phenomenon was born. More than three decades later, not only is Pestilence alive and well, but about to once again reaffirm their place in the extreme metal pantheon, with their ninth studio album entitled Exitivm, which is Latin for "total destruction".
As controversial as he can be to some, nobody will ever deny the band’s undisputable driving force, Patrizio Mameli, and his constant ability to reinvent himself. Unlike most of the bands in the scene, Pestilence just keeps evolving. From the raging thrash leanings of their cult 1988 debut Malleus Maleficarum to the jazz-infused versatility of 1993’s Spheres or 2009’s Resurrection Macabre frontal assault, not to mention the fans’ favorite and Scott Burns-produced Testimony Of The Ancients from 1991, he never did the same record twice. No matter who playes with him on any Pestilence album, Mameli always gets the best out of the musicians he is working with. But first and foremost, the man has a one-of-a-kind vision, instantly recognizable style and yet always stretching musical boundaries. And it’s never more true than on Exitivm.
After a vast reissue campaign in between 2015 and 2018 and an acclaimed new album Hadeon, the band got seemingly stopped in their mission to conquer the death metal scene in early 2020, like everybody else, by the global pandemic, going as far as forcing some of the band’s Hadeon line-up members to drop the towel. But what doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger and instead of letting that whole situation drag him down, Mameli chose to do the exact opposite and write the best and darkest album possible to date. And he just did that. With its ambitious lyrical concept about "global domination", "induced mental illness", "inner and outer demons" and malicious external entities, Exitivm is propelling the band one again to the forefront of the death metal movement with yet another original and brilliant artistic overhaul.
Mind you, as soon as you’re past the very cinematic introduction "In Omnibvs", you’re instantly caught up by "Morbvs Propagationem" whose intense riffing will take back to the Testimony days. Except that their core sound has been revived, with now extra layers of ominous soundscapes ingeniously suggesting an atmosphere of suspence and horror, boosted by Mameli’s jazz-fusion impressive solo works and a renewed sense of urgency. This rejuvenation, with emphasis on "new musical landscapes but also sick and twisted riffs" as stated by Mameli himself, is no accident though. Not only has Mameli been extremely inspired by the turmoil humanity had to face since March 2020 but with a line-up once again, entirely based in the Netherlands and made up of only super-seasoned players – besides former Dew Scented and Creepmime Joost van der Graaf on bass and Bleeding Gods’ Rutger van Noordenburg on lead guitar, former God Dethroned Michiel van der Plicht joined on drums last year – Pestilence is more than ever a BAND where everybody feeds off of each other's musical talent. And it definitely shows.
With the exception of the drums - tracked down by van der Plicht himself at his home studio - the album was recorded over a period of two months in between June and August 2020 at Pitchnote Productions. The album has been produced, like all Pestilence albums, by Mameli and is co produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by Jory Hogeveen (Shinigami and Ancient Rites). Last March, the band filmed their second ever official video – three decades after Land Of Tears – for the song "Morbvs Propagationem". Exitivm will be available in various formats, including supra-limited picture, pin-wheel, "firebreath" and clear vinyl versions. The cover artwork once again brought the band’s iconic sphere and was done by Michal "Xaay" Loranc, known for his various cover for Nile, God Detheroned or Evocation and who had already worked on "Hadeon".
Both a reinvention and a confirmation of everything the band has been standing for since 1986, thirty-five years later Pestilence are more than ever breaking new grounds and exploring the further outposts of the extreme metal sound on Exitivm.
Formats:
- Jewelcase CD
- Digi CD
- Box CD
- Black LP
- Ultra Clear LP
- Blood Vanilla LP*
- Picture LP**
- Pinwheel LP***
- Firebreath LP***
- Digital
* Bandcamp exclusive
** With antistatic all-print slipmat only at Agonia Webshop
*** Agonia Webshop exclusive
UK alt-metal upstarts, Vexed, will release their debut full-length, Culling Culture, on May 21 via Napalm Records. The band have released a drum playthrough video for their new single, "Misery", which can be seen below:
Watch a a guitar playthrough video for "Misery"
Facing very personal experiences, Culling Culture is a tribute to hate, betrayal and anger, whilst also reflecting post-modern society with strikingly honest songwriting and heavy groove. Moreover, for as confident as they are musically, Vexed is as poignant lyrically. The title of the album, Culling Culture, and portions of its contents deliver the band’s unfiltered response to the world’s latest social phenomena of public ostracism, “cancel culture”.
Unrelenting lead vocalist Megan Targett’s vicious vocal assault blending venomously low growls, soaring cleans and razor-sharp rap-like deliveries (see “Fake” and “Weaponise”) is backed by the pure technical proficiency of bandmates Willem Mason-Geraghty (drums), Jay Bacon (guitar) and Al Harper (bass). The warning instrumental “Ignorant” prefaces the record’s menacing atmosphere and provides a flawless basis for smashing wake up call “Hideous” and fiery, threatening tracks “Fake” and “Narcissist”. Ghostly “Aurora” and disrespectfully heavy album-closer “Lazarus” showcase Targett’s multi-faceted clean vocal delivery while clashing otherworldly auras with resonating, melodic rhythms. “Epiphany” blends both, offering a bold message of moving past self-loathing, while superciliously weighty offering “Weaponise” seethes between violent hatred and ambient darkness.
Pre-order Vexed’s debut album Culling Culture here.
Culling Culture will be available in the following formats:
- 1-CD Digipak
- 1-LP Gatefold Vinyl (Black)
- 1-LP Gatefold Vinyl (Orange transparent, strictly limited to 100 copies)
- 1-CD Digipak + T-Shirt Bundle
- Digital Album
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