AMAHIRU, the musical collaboration between Frédéric Leclercq (KREATOR, ex-DRAGONFORCE) and Saki (MARY'S BLOOD, NEMOPHILA), will release its self-titled debut album on November 27 via earMUSIC in Europe and the U.S. and and Ward Records in Japan.
The official music video for AMAHIRU's second single, "WTTP", can be seen below.
Frédéric and Saki's friendship started in 2015 when MARY'S BLOOD opened for DRAGONFORCE in Hong Kong. They got along very quickly and it didn't take long until they came up with the idea to collaborate on a musical project. Many ideas exchanged between them for the following few years, and finally, the time has come to release their self-titled album.
Some prominent musicians in the metal scene gathered to make this project a real band. Coen Jansen from EPICA, who helped with some keyboard works for the new DRAGONFORCE album, played keyboards on the disc. Then comes Mike Heller, who has been known as a super drummer of FEAR FACTORY and RAVEN. As AMAHIRU's vocalist, Archie Wilson was invited to join the group. This vocalist from the U.K. may be less known than other musicians involved in this band, but obviously he became the key to AMAHIRU's music. Frédéric says: "He has a powerful voice, great sense of rhythm and he is versatile, 'cause he can hit those high notes, sing in a mid register and also be both melodic and aggressive; the perfect match for AMAHIRU." Elize Ryd from AMARANTHE will also participate as a guest vocalist.
AMAHIRU's debut also includes a guest appearance by Sean Reinert from the American progressive rock band CYNIC, who, unfortunately, passed away in January. Moreover, some tracks include a shakuhachi performance played by Kifu Mitsuhashi, known for being awarded the Shiju hosho (the Medal of Honor with Purple Ribbon) and the Order of the Rising Sun. This is what we call a combination of occident and orient.
"Amahiru" was mixed by Jens Bogren, who has previously worked with DRAGONFORCE, KREATOR and SEPULTURA, among others. Mastering was done by Tony Lindgren, Jens's right-hand person. Cover artwork was created by Travis Smith, known for his collaborations with OPETH and KING DIAMOND.
The Japan edition will have a bonus DVD which includes two music videos, filmed in Japan.
"Amahiru" may sound like a Japanese word, but actually it is not. Oddly enough, it was coined by Frédéric himself, not by Saki. In fact, the word was born in his dream.
"We were trying to find a name and I had a dream in which someone was asking me to sign a contract for this band, AMAHIRU, and the number 13 kept appearing in the contract," Frédéric recalls. "When I woke up, I actually remembered the dream vividly and started to do my little 'thinking process.' I made the name AMAHIRU, so that it would be easier to pronounce for the Japanese people. But I wonder, does it mean anything? I type the name on the Internet, nothing. Then I tried Hamahiru just for different spelling sake, and here is the freaky thing, Hamahiru means 13 in Basquian. And I don't speak Basquian at all!"
Regarding AMAHIRU's musical direction, Leclercq says: "I'm influenced by many artists, pretty much anything I hear I can consider an influence and music should be the reflection of that. With AMAHIRU, I personally wanted to do something groovy and melodic and still metal/hard rock. We didn't want to make 12 songs sounding the same. Saki and I have a lot in common musically and it was really easy to work together in the same direction."
"Amahiru" track listing:
01. Innocent
02. WTTP
03. Hours
04. Way Out
05. Ninja No Tamashii
06. Vanguard
07. Bringing Me Down
08. Lucky Star (feat. Elize Ryd)
09. Waves
10. Samurai
11. Bringing Me Down (alternative version) (feat. Sean Reinert)
12. Zombi (bonus track)
13. Shine (Japanese bonus track)
Lineup:
Frédéric Leclercq - Rhythm, Lead Guitar, Bass Guitar
MACHINE HEAD has released the official music video for its acoustic version of the song "Circle The Drain". You can now watch it below.
Commented MACHINE HEAD frontman Robb Flynn: "When the pandemic hit in March, and all MACHINE HEAD tours got canceled, I started doing free Acoustic Happy Hour shows on MACHINE HEAD's Facebook page to get out the pent-up energy, entertain some friends, have some laughs, and have a few drinks every Friday. As we had just released our new song 'Circle The Drain', fans started asking for me to play it, so I started messing around with it and came up with a re-imagined version of it. It got a phenomenal response… People genuinely loved it, and were continually asking me to release it, and so I recorded it a few weeks back in my home studio, and here it is."
Originally released in February 2020 via Nuclear Blast, the anti-Valentine's Day song has racked up millions of streams and cracked the Top 50 at radio. "Circle The Drain" was inspired by Flynn's friend who served in Afghanistan and returned home only to find his relationship with his partner falling to pieces.
Flynn stated after the original was released: "She had messed around on him, then got paranoid about him messing around on her, and drove him crazy. We had a conversation on Valentine's Day and he said to me, 'They were just circling the drain.' … The phrase struck me. A few days later I incorporated it into the song I'd been working on.
"It was a strange parallel with my life at the time, having recently had two bandmembers quit, and even more bizarrely, two long-time couple friends of my wife and I, also divorce. It was break-up season, and it played out with friends taking sides, people not being invited to certain events anymore, social and emotional pressure, and all the typical stuff that happens when a relationship goes bad.
"Watching this guy pull through it helped me pull through my own upheaval. The lyrics to 'Circle The Drain' came out of that frustrating time. It's a sad song about relationships gone bad, but accepting that it's over, and making yourself move on. It's written in a more metaphorical tone, as I didn't want it to be about my life, but to be about anybody's life who may be going through a rough time. It may not be a song that connects with everyone, especially those in a solid relationship, but if the day ever comes when your life goes awry, this song will be a lifeline for you, something to help pull you up out of that dark place."
This past June, MACHINE HEAD released "Civil Unrest", a two-song digital single featuring A-side "Stop The Bleeding" and B-side "Bulletproof". This pair of fierce protest anthems were both written days after the back-to-back murders of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery. "Stop The Bleeding" features a guest appearance from KILLSWITCH ENGAGE frontman Jesse Leach, with Flynn and Leach trading lyrical lines that spit anger and frustration at current events.
In July, MACHINE HEAD canceled its previously announced rescheduled 2020 tour dates for Europe and Australia due to the coronavirus crisis.
MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer Tommy Lee has released the official Nick Peterson-directed music video for "Caviar On A Paper Plate", the latest single from his new solo album, "Andro". The track features a guest appearance by Mickey Avalon.
"The video's ridiculous," Tommy told Kare11.com. "It's fun."
The theme of "Andro" is the male and female sides of music, equal in power and status. Androgyny is a combination of the essences of male and female genders and the album is the manifestation of the concept.
"It is a culmination of a bunch of different flavors that I love," Lee told Kare11.com. "There's some super heavy stuff on it that people would typically think from my background. There's also some EDM sounding stuff on there…There's some funky stuff. I covered a Prince song on there. It's called 'When You Were Mine', which is mind-blowing.
"I separated all the female energy tracks and I separated all the male energy tracks, and that's where the title came from, 'Andro', which is [an] abbreviation for androgyny," he added. "There's something for everybody on the record."
Lee has had a mega-popular Netflix film ("The Dirt"), starred in and produced three network TV shows ("Tommy Lee Goes To College", "Rockstar: Supernova", "Battleground Earth: Ludacris Vs Tommy Lee"), had a New York Times bestseller ("Tommyland") and has appeared on scripted and interview TV shows — most recently, a hilarious appearance as a professor on ABC's "The Goldbergs".
Legendary rocker Alice Cooper is gearing up for the 2020 presidential election in the only way he knows how — by running for president, something he has done satirically every four years since releasing the song "Elected" back in 1972.
The Godfather of Shock Rock released a new "campaign" video for the classic track. The clip takes a lighthearted look at the process and positions Cooper as the best candidate. Running on the Wild Party ticket, Cooper's campaign platform speaks volumes: "I can do nothing as well as they can do nothing."
The new video features call-backs to the original 1972 music video, in which Cooper first announced his "candidacy" and the formation of the Wild Party.
Since all eyes and ears are on this year's heated election, Cooper's video administers just the right dose of levity that we all need. The song remains a tried and true anthem for modern times.
"Elected" was the first single from Cooper's iconic sixth studio album, "Billion Dollar Babies". The record reached No. 1 in the U.S. and U.K. and was certified platinum by the RIAA.
In a 2018 interview with The Guardian, Cooper said that he keeps his political opinions to himself. "I don't like to mix politics and rock 'n' roll," he said. "I don't look at Bono, Sting and Bruce Springsteen as political. I look at them as being humanitarian. I'll contribute to anything humanitarian. Helping people who can't help themselves. But when musicians are telling people who to vote for, I think that's an abuse of power. You're telling your fans not to think for themselves, just to think like you. Rock 'n' roll is about freedom — and that's not freedom."
Four years ago, Cooper said that rock stars offering their political opinions is "the worst idea ever." "First of all, why do people think rock stars know more than they do?" he said. "That is the biggest fallacy in the world — if anything, we're dumber. We're not smarter than anybody else. I mean, why do you think we're rock stars?
"Trust me, we don't read magazines you don't read. Nobody calls us up and gives us as inside information on politics. We know less than you do. If I watch TV, it's 'Family Guy'.
"Rock 'n' roll was built to go as far away from politics as you could get. When my mom and dad talked about who to vote for, I'd go in the other room and put on THE BEATLES or ROLLING STONES — and I'm still like that."
Cooper, who considers himself a humanitarian, said that he had no problem with artists using their platform to highlight global issues if it benefited others.
He said: "I think what Bono does and what [Bruce] Springsteen does, Sting and all the people that raise money for others — that's humanitarian, and I'm all for that. But I don't think that's political."
In a 2016 interview with Rolling Stone, Cooper stated about then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump: "He's an interesting character. It seems like he shoots himself in the foot every single day and gets more popular by doing it. It's the weirdest. It's like [Kurt] Vonnegut: Everything that shouldn't happen is happening."
Cooper previously said that he would even go so far as to do the opposite of what everyone else is doing just to make a point. During the 2004 election season, he said: "When I read the list of people who are supporting Kerry, if I wasn't already a Bush supporter, I would have immediately switched. Linda Ronstadt? Don Henley? Geez, that's a good reason right there to vote for Bush."
He also mused about sitting between such political rocker icons as John Lennon and Harry Nilsson while they argued politics and thinking, "I don't care."
September 25th marked 25 years since Rammstein emerged from Berlin with its debut album, Herzeleid. To celebrate the anniversary, the RammWiki page on YouTube is streaming 100 Jahre Rammstein, restored from the concert VHS tape as a Christmas gift for fanclub members. This show was played two days after the one year anniversary of the release of Herzeleid, and, without counting the label showcases and TV performances, this was the 100th Rammstein show within the Herzeleid Tour. It took place on September 27th, 1996 in Berlin, Germany
Setlist:
"Rammstein"
"Herzeleid"
"Bestrafe Mich"
"Der Meister"
"Sehnsucht"
"Weißes Fleisch"
"Asche zu Asche"
"Seemann"
"Spiel Mit Mir"
"Heirate Mich"
"Laichzeit"
"Wollt Ihr Das Bett In Flammen Sehen?"
"Das Alte Leid"
"Du Riechst So Gut"
To celebrate Rammstein's first indelible impact on global hard rock history, the band and Vertigo/UMe will release limited, remastered editions of the band’s groundbreaking debut on December 4.
Herzeleid (XXV Anniversary Edition - Remastered) will feature the album’s original tracklist on a single CD, housed in a lavish, cross-shaped digipak with deluxe slipcase, and, for the first time ever, the remastered album with HD sound will be available digitally.
In addition, there will be a 2LP version with a slipcase containing two 180 gram heavyweight black vinyl discs with blue splatter effect. The creator of the original artwork, Dirk Rudolph, is also responsible for the Anniversary Edition packaging. The booklets also contain the original band portraits shot by Praler. Both the CD and vinyl editions are strictly limited.
"Wollt ihr das Bett in Flammen sehen"
"Der Meister"
"Weisses Fleisch"
"Asche zu Asche"
"Seemann"
"Du riechst so gut"
"Das alte Leid"
"Heirate mich"
"Herzeleid"
"Laichzeit"
"Rammstein"
BURNING POOLS, the rock trio led by former SMASHING PUMPKINS bassist Ginger Pooley, has released the official music video for its latest single, "Bang Bang".
BURNING POOLS has been long in the making. Ginger and husband Kristopher Pooley had been demoing songs showcasing Ginger's penchant for empowering protest lyrics clothed in pop hooks, when they decided to reach out to guitarist Max Bernstein. He promptly added some tracks with a sub-octave fuzz permanently in the "on" position. Instantly, the three decided that Kris (a keyboard player by trade) would dust off his drum kit as this was not a synth operation — and a band was born.
BURNING POOLS' three members share a long list of studio and touring credits and collectively have worked with rock legends like Tom Morello, Siouxsie Sioux, Slash, Morrissey, Liz Phair, Scott Weiland, Tegan and Sara, and bands like JANE'S ADDICTION and WEEZER. They've also had their hands in the pop world, though it is clear that its influence is positively nil. Their unique brand of noisy power-pop with doomy riffs charts a different sonic course, harkening more to the loud drum and guitar squalls that Kris and Ginger experienced as newlyweds on SMASHING PUMPKINS tours.
BURNING POOLS' debut EP is a critique of the hierarchy of our value system. Ginger says: "It's nothing new for music to be a voice of criticism of our culture. That is the purpose of a lot of art. This is just my way of expressing my frustration with the priorities of modern society. Valuing money over everything, undervaluing women and people of color. Hopefully our songs make people who are of the same accord feel heard and supported. There is so much injustice in the world, we hope to be a part of the solution in some small way.”
Bands like BURNING POOLS are supposed to play shows — and to the list of the world's upended plans of 2020, we add the dream of taking these songs beyond streaming platforms to the stage where a power trio can actually be one in real time. For now, BURNING POOLS will be releasing singles from their forthcoming EP.
Spanish metallers, Lords Of Black, have released a video for "Into The Black", the new single for the upcoming album, Alchemy Of Souls, Pt. I, out November 6 via Frontiers Music Srl.
Says guitarist Tony Hernando: "'Into The Black' is a straightforward rocker with great energy that we're sure will make our fans headbang and sing along! Lyrically, again, it is a wakeup call, a call to arms if you will, about the rat race times we've been living in. To make a difference and defeat evil starts with everyone of us. A call to undo a world devoid of humanity."
Lords Of Black is a metal band originally formed by the artistic union between two world class Spanish musicians, vocalist Ronnie Romero (Rainbow, Vandenberg) and renowned guitarist Tony Hernando. Their new album, Alchemy Of Souls, Pt. I showcases the band’s fondness for the legendary artists and albums that are the blueprint of the genre, while also highlighting their songwriting that incorporates modernity into the overall sound.
Alchemy Of Souls, Pt. I also represents a reunion of sorts as Romero took a hiatus from the band during 2019. Hernando auditioned several new singers and even appeared live with a lineup featuring two well respected singers, Diego Valdes (Dream Child) and Dino Jelusick (Animal Drive). Simultaneously, Hernando kept working on new songs for the next LOB album, working incredibly hard to create music that pushed him past the boundaries of anything the band had done in the past. In 2020, Hernando decided to send the music he was working on to Romero and such was the quality of the material that he immediately wanted to be part of it and agreed to come back and front LOB once again. Alchemy Of Souls, Pt. I represents a rejuvenated, inspired, and hungry Lords Of Black, who are ready to ascend to the upper tiers of European melodic metal.
Upon their formation, Lords Of Black’s vision was to form a metal band with a modern approach blended with catchy, melodic, and progressive elements. After months of intense hard work on the songs, the band independently released their acclaimed self-titled debut in 2014, which was co-produced by Roland Grapow. The band supported the release with a series of successful live shows, some of them as “very special guest” for high profile international acts.
Legendary guitarist Ritchie Blackmore became aware of Romero and invited him to front his, at the time, newly reformed Rainbow. This brought the band to the attention of international music media and in particular, the words from Blackmore describing Romero’s voice like “a cross between Ronnie James Dio and Freddie Mercury” piqued the curiosity of journalists and fans alike.
While enjoying this new found attention, Romero and Hernando continued work on Lords Of Black and signed a worldwide deal with the Frontiers label. The first global release from the partnership was "II", an album which did and continues to blow the minds of fans of modern melodic metal! Once again co-produced, mixed, and mastered by Roland Grapow (Masterplan, ex-Helloween), the album created a stir in the scene and is still regarded as a true classic.
The band played several European shows in support of the release and then headed back to the studio to create the follow up album, "Icons of the New Days". Upon its release, the album once again set a new standard for melodic metal with outstanding epic tracks mixed with glorious power/progressive metal songs.
Alchemy Of Souls, Pt. I somehow manages to best the seemingly unbeatable predecessors it follows and is a new gold standard for melodic metal. An album not to be missed if you love bands like Masterplan and legends of the genre like Queensrÿche, DIO, Savatage, and the like. An absolute delight for the ears and another classic in the making.
"Dying To Live Again"
"Into The Black"
"Deliverance Lost"
"Sacrifice"
"Brightest Star"
"Closer To Your Fall"
"Shadows Kill Twice"
"Disease In Disguise"
"Tides Of Blood"
"Alchemy Of Souls"
"You Came To Me" (Piano Version)
"Dying To Live Again" video:
Lineup:
Ronnie Romero - vocals
Tony Hernando - guitars
Jo Nunez - drums
Dani Criado – bass
Wargaming today announced that KORN and free-to-play video game titan World Of Tanks Blitz launched a special Halloween collaboration, revealing the music video for "Finally Free", a track featured on KORN's latest studio album, "The Nothing". The exclusive video sets the stage for World Of Tanks Blitz's brand-new Halloween mode: Burning Games. Watch it below.
Fans of the band and World Of Tanks Blitz players won't want to miss out on Convergence, a five-stage event which brings KORN to the widely popular game that boasts more than 137 million downloads globally. From October 16 through October 24, all players can complete in-game challenges to uncover pieces of band artwork and extra special items.
This event also features the brand-new Burning Games mode, where players will fight for dominance on the battlefield in order to secure in-game rewards. In a Halloween-themed twist, from the time the battle clock starts, every vehicle on the battlefield will start draining health like a vampire, and players will need to deal damage to their foes in order to get their health back. The Burning Games mode is available to all vehicles Tier V and above and runs from October 16 until October 24.
"Wargaming is no stranger to musical collaborations, having teamed up with IRON MAIDEN, Swedish metallers SABATON and punk rock outfit THE OFFSPRING for previous projects," said Andrey Ryabovol, product director of World Of Tanks Blitz. "KORN is the perfect partner for our Halloween event, and we can't wait for rock fans and World Of Tanks Blitz players to experience this exciting collaboration."
KORN singer Jonathan Davis said: "I really like World Of Tanks Blitz. It's true to the era, there are a lot of great tanks in there, and you don't just jump in and start shooting. I think there is a connection between rock and video games because video games are intense and rock 'n' roll music is intense. It seems like they have always gone hand in hand."
The music video for "Finally Free" tells the story of Captain, a die-hard KORN fan (and a known character in the World Of Tanks Blitz universe) who's doing all he can to get to KORN's live performance at the "Burning Games". The problem is a crew of wasteland raiders who do all they can to keep him from his goal. Will he make it to the front row of the KORN show in time?
The Halloween extravaganza will also include The Way Of The Raider, a 60-stage event. Tankers will be able to get Credits, Free XP, days of Premium Account, several camos, a сustom player profile, and two new post-apocalyptic vehicles: The Tier V Spike and the Tier VII Annihilator. Both tanks are featured in the new video from KORN. All tankers who complete all 60 stages will be able to get their hands on the unique animated "Radioactive Glow" camo. The Way Of The Raider runs from October 16 through October 31, and is available to all vehicles Tier V and above.
And finally, from October 24 through October 31, Mad Games makes a welcome return. A true fan favorite, the game mode gives tankers unique abilities ordinary tanks could only wish for.
Rob Halford (JUDAS PRIEST), Biff Byford (SAXON) and Doro Pesch are among the musicians who have wished MOTÖRHEAD's "Ace Of Spades" album a happy 40th anniversary in a new video posted to the band's official YouTube channel. Check out the 10-and-a-half-minute clip below.
Featured artists:
0:00 Don Jamieson ("That Metal Show")
0:54 Frank Ferrer (GUNS N' ROSES)
2:19 Andi Derris (HELLOWEEN)
2:49 Wendy Dio
3:19 Ginger Wildheart (THE WILDHEARTS)
4:11 Joel O'Keefe (AIRBOURNE)
5:40 Joey Tempest (EUROPE)
6:27 Biff Byford (SAXON)
7:14 Doro Pesch
9:09 Rob Halford (JUDAS PRIEST)
In addition to the previously announced expanded editions of "Ace Of Spades" and the deluxe collectors box set, the album will also be released digitally in 360 Reality Audio, a new immersive music experience utilizing Sony's spatial audio technology, that will let listeners hear this behemoth like never before. The 360 Reality Audio content will be available on Deezer and Tidal and can be enjoyed on any headphones and also on Amazon Music HD, playing on the Amazon Echo Studio.
In 1980, off the back of two essential albums, "Overkill" and "Bomber" the previous year, MOTÖRHEAD continued to get bigger, better, louder and faster by the second. This time, on "Ace Of Spades" they teamed up with producer Vic Maile and came up with twelve songs; each and every one of which crams a regular band's ten minutes of playing into an average of three. The songtitles alone made ears bleed; "Love Me Like A Reptile", "Shoot You In The Back", "The Chase Is Better Than The Catch" and "The Hammer" were a few examples. This landmark album saw the three amigos of Lemmy, Fast Eddie Clarke and Philthy Animal Taylor at the helm of the juggernaut that was MOTÖRHEAD, gaining phenomenal growth in popularity as they forged onward. The band's and fans ideas, wants and inspirations, converged at a perfect tangent. Anyone disputing this fact need look no further than any heavy metal gig of the time and play "spot the MOTÖRHEAD T-shirt and jacket." They outnumbered anyone else by at least five to one. A statistic that is still accurate some forty-five years since they first began!
The "Ace Of Spades" album release was a magical moment in rock 'n' roll history, an album which had enormous global impact and continues to resonate and inspire people worldwide. Fans to this day still remember where they were when they first heard it, and it immediately inspired bands worldwide to absorb the album's energy, speed, and attitude into their own work. "Ace Of Spades" is ground zero for thrash, speed metal, and punk/metal crossover.
The "Ace Of Spades" deluxe anniversary editions will be made available on October 30.
Baol Bardot Bulsara, the Spanish-born lead singer of the veteran Norwegian rock band TNT, has released an acoustic cover of a classic VAN HALEN song in tribute to Eddie Van Halen, who died on October 6 after a long battle with cancer. His choice was "Dreams", a track from VAN HALEN's "5150" album, which was the first music he heard from the legendary Southern California rock act as a teenager. Baol arranged and recorded all instruments and vocals at his studio in Madrid, Spain.
Bulsara states: "Well, as much as I love this song since forever, I wish I didn't ever have a 'reason' to record it now.
"This is a simplified recording, quite basic, since I have no firework-guitar skills at all. But that was neither the intention for it.
"Eddie was not only a terrific and pioneer guitarist, it was also about the songs! And this one, in my ears, is THE song. So my rendition is to your music.
"Thank you, Edward..."
Due to the fact that TNT is unable to play shows amid the coronavirus pandemic, Bulsara is currently working on his new solo project, which he plans to release before the end of the year. This will be an international project, featuring musicians from the U.K. and Norway. It is being recorded, mixed and co-produced by LEGADO DE UNA TRAGEDIA's Joaquín Padilla at Estudios Espartanos in Madrid.
Baol made his recorded debut with TNT on the band's latest album, "XIII", which was released in June 2018 via Frontiers Music Srl. The band's 13th studio album to date features founding members Ronni Le Tekrø (guitar) and Diesel Dahl (drums) alongside bassist Ove Husemoen and Bulsara.
In a 2018 interview with Tom Leu of "Sound Matters", Le Tekrø stated about Bulsara: "What a find! We wanted an unknown singer and really went into the underground to try to find this guy that could sing the classics, like [former vocalist] Tony Harnell sang them, yet be a part of the creative process and create new, modern TNT music.
"Let me tell you, I'm really impressed by the personality. And he acts like a true star, too, offstage, so I like that. So this guy is cocky and he's got all the elements."
Sombria is a dark, melancholic metal project formed by singer / songwriter Dimi De San, who works under the name Valentina Devin, and guitarist / composer Raven Seven. The band has an international line-up featuring members from Norway, Greece and Mexico. They are set to release their debut album, Chirographon Dei, on November 27th via Inverse Records.
The band has released their second single and music video, "Voyage Into Lethe". Check it out below.
"'Voyage Into Lethe' is a piece that regards to a very desperate and suffocating struggle to release one's self and emerge into oblivion and freedom after a terrible experience. This is the first song we wrote as Sombria which signifies our entrance into a whole different era as musicians and as individuals. A new blood -stained beginning that a soul can make, leading to a road of infinite possibilities and even uncanny secrets."
Pre-save Sombria's Chirographon Dei album on Spotify here.
Dimi De San’s music path started on 2012 with the formation of the band Caelestia which had been leading up to 2019. Then she decided to leave and join forces with Raven Seven creating Sombria .
Both musicians have worked with big names of the metal industry like Toni Lindgren from Fascination Street Studios and Fredrik Nordström, Bjorn "Speed" Strid of Soilwork, drummer Markus ‘’Makka’’ Freiwald of Sodom, and collaborated with big artists and directors like Seth Siro Anthon (Septicflesh, Paradise Lost, Moonspell) , Gogo Melone (Aeonian Sorrow) and Matthias Kolleg (Kreator, Lacrimosa).
Their live appearances are numerous appearing with important bands like Katatonia, Arch Enemy, Insomnium, Draconian among others, including Raven Seven's very succesfull collaborations at big metal festivals. Dimi's successful tour in 2019 with Norwegian Vulture Industries, Hellheim and Madder Mortem marked the beginning of Sombria as a life project.
Its main purpose apart from featuring music, acting and dancing is aiming to raise awareness - through their music, lyrics and performances - over many sensitive subjects like child poverty, environmental issues, equality, and also focusing on helping people in need as much as possible.
Chirographon Dei is Sombria's debut full length album consisting of nine songs, recorded, mixed and mastered by Raven Seven in his studio. All songs were composed by Raven Seven, the lyrics were written by Dimi De San.
Tracklist:
"Voyage Into Lethe"
"Black December"
"Sarcophagus Of Roses"
"Mirror Of God"
"Ballet Of Sadness"
"The Soul's Manuscript"
"Wine Of Lunacy"
"Penitence"
"Poem From The Dark Gardens"
Hard rock band, Fire Follows, released their new single "Black and White" off of their sophomore EP Glass Grenade that will release via The Label Goup/INgrooves in early 2021. In addition, the band released the official music video for "Black And White".
Make no mistake; the Colorado based Fire Follows is here on business. Founded, crafted, and led by vocalist, musician, producer, and writer Chris Watt, the band delivers a melodic, yet heavy rock sound that is defined by anthemic choruses, beautiful piano interludes, and the perfect blend of rap/scream/sing vocals. In an effort to build a dynamic band that is capable of touring in 2021, Chris brought in seasoned musicians Tim Yunker (sing/rap), Emily Gould (drums), and his brother Tyler Watt (harmony/scream). Their influence can be immediately felt on the newest “Glass Gre-nade” release, showcasing Tim’s gospel/soul inspired vocal stylings, Emily’s dynamic and precise drumming techniques, and Tyler’s rich harmony/backing vocals. Fire Follows gained tremendous industry attention with the If It’s War You Want EP release in 2019, and expects that trend to continue with the five song Glass Grenade release in 2021. The songs demonstrate Chris’s ever evolving writing style, and with a radio ready production quality, are sure to cut through the indus-try noise. The sophomore release utilizes more scream vocals than its predecessor, and the addition of Tim, Emily, and Tyler has taken the overall sound to a whole new level. The hooky choruses are sure to produce multiple hits, and will be enjoyed by fans from pop, classical, and country genres, in addition to traditional hard-rock/meal fans.
The group is already writing for the next album, and actively rehearsing in preparation of touring once the industry gets back on the rails.
Combichrist guitarist Eric13 has revealed a new video for his latest solo track, “Black Lipstick,” the first in a series of singles over the next six months.
The video for “Black Lipstick” was created while in lockdown, across three cities in two different countries. Directed and edited by Eric13’s former Sex Slaves bandmate Del Cheetah in Las Vegas, actress Tink’s parts were filmed in Reading, England, while Eric13 himself was at home in Philadelphia.
“It was definitely a challenge to plan and execute a video when none of us could be together,” Eric13 says. “It required a lot of trust to bring together our different artistic elements. I’ve never met Tink, but she has this incredible magic that jumps off the screen. Photos of her inspired the entire video and artwork for the song itself. She is like no one or anything I’ve ever seen. The recording was already complete, yet she is the song, and the song is her.”
The independently released single and video were financed completely with the assistance of Eric13’s Patreon supporters.
(Photo by: Jeff Cohn)
The video will be followed by a limited edition 7” vinyl single from Swedish label Bad Mofo Records. A “Black Lipstick” remix EP featuring wildly different remix reimaginations from Erk Aicrag of Hocico and Rabia Sorda, Dave Parley of Prayers, guitar god Andee Blacksugar, Chemical Sweet Kid and a death metal version by Nidbild will available via all digital platforms on November 13.
The digital “Black Lipstick” single, which was written and performed by Eric13 with former Filter guitarist and producer Oumi Kapila, is available now here.
“I was basically on tour for five years straight,” Eric13 says. As a member of Combichrist since 2014, the guitarist has played nearly 500 shows in 35 countries, with solo acoustic rock shows in Europe and the United States wedged in between tours. “I’ve been writing new songs steadily the entire time, but I was playing live so much that I never had time to properly record and release my new music. ‘Black Lipstick’ is step one. Now I wanna open the flood gates.”
Detroit-based crossover death thrashers Plague Years has unleashed a guitar playthrough for "Incantation." The crushing track comes by way of the band's Circle Of Darkness full-length recently released via Entertainment One ("eOne").
Mining the subterranean depths once unearthed on classic Sepultura albums like Beneath The Remains and Arise, with the vicious bite of Germanic slabs like In The Sign Of Evil by Sodom and the Hall of Fame ‘80s output of Slayer, the devilish and down-tuned death worship within Plague Years serves as a demonic calling card for the foursome; a brutal counterbalance to their otherwise likeminded thrash revivalists. On Circle Of Darkness, the band’s full-length debut, Plague Years reunites with engineer Arthur Rizk, whose work with Power Trip, Tomb Mold, Candy, and Cavalera Conspiracy has propelled him to the front of the horde amidst the resurgence of crossover thrash.
Plague Years pays homage to Detroit forebearers Negative Approach and modern contemporaries Hellmouth in equal measure, while infusing the proceedings with a brutal spin of their own design. In terms of lyrical aggression, songs like "Play The Victim" and "Paradox Of Death" blend traditional death metal blood-and-gore fantasy with the unrestrained bravado of Detroit’s grittier contributions to rap, like LOM Rambo and Motown upstart Icewear Vezzo.
Like an icepick to the face, Plague Years arrives with an electric surge of sudden pain. An unrelenting end of the world assault of the cataclysmic convergence of thrash and hardcore, with bits of blackened death and midtempo madness to spare, the band summons the primitive spirit of the singular moment when the heaviest of metal first smashed into a circle pit. Plague Years reignites that flame with sharp fury.
Circle Of Darkness tracklisting:
"Play The Victim"
"Witness Hell"
"Paradox Of Death"
"Eternal Fire"
"Circle Of Darkness"
"Evil One"
"Incantation"
"Nrftl"
"World In Blood"
"Urge To Kill"
Swedish folk rock pioneers, Garmarna, have released a video for "Dagen Flyr", a track from their upcoming record, Förbundet, available on November 6 via Season Of Mist. Watch the clip below:
The visionary folk sounds of Garmarna marry the past to the present on their captivating new album Förbundet. Förbundet (Swedish for connected) is an especially apt title as their songs, inspired by traditional Swedish folk music and Scandinavian ballads, are played by acoustic instruments but accented by a flourish of modern electronics (beats, loops and samples). The album, led by Emma Härdelin's spellbinding vocals and aided by the rich production of Christopher Juul (Heilung), see the Grammis (Swedish Grammy) winning group operating at the heights of their powers. Garmarna has persevered for nigh on four decades now, and Förbundet further secures their legacy as one of the worldwide leaders of traditional Scandinavian folk music.
Tracklisting:
“Ramunder”
“Två Systrar”
“Dagen Flyr”
“Sven i Rosengård”
“Ur världen att gå”
“Vägskäl”
“Lussi Lilla”
“Avskedet”
“Din Grav”
The CJSS track, "Destiny", was always one of the fans' favorite tracks from the band's debutlalbum, World Gone Mad. The rare video below features a live version recorded at Bogart's in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Band lineup:
David T. Chastain - guitar
Russell Jinkens - vocals
Mike Skimmerhorn - bass
Les Sharp - drums
Previously released live videos for the CJSS tracks, "Welcome To Damnation" and "Praise The Lourd", also recorded at Bogart's in Cincinnati, can be seen below:
Iceland's Cult Of Lilith have released a drum playthrough video for "Cosmic Maelstrom", a track from their recently released debut full-length, Mara (Metal Blade Records). Watch below:
A frantic collision of death metal, prog, complex classical structures and more, Mara is a restless, constantly shifting collection that is as imaginative as it is compulsive. The album can be ordered here.
Mara tracklisting:
"Cosmic Maelstrom"
"Purple Tide"
"Enter the Mancubus"
"Atlas"
"Comatose"
"Profeta Paloma"
"Zángano"
"Le Soupir du Fantôme"
"Atlas" video:
"Purple Tide" video:
Cult of Lilith lineup:
Mario Infantes Ávalos - Vocals
Daniel Þór Hannesson - Guitar, Composition and arrangements
Kristján Jóhann Júlíusson - Guitar, Composition and arrangements
Samúel Örn Böðvarsson - Bass
Kjartan Harðarson - Drums
Sick Of It All have released their new video for "Paper Tiger", from their quarantine sessions series. "Paper Tiger" is the third video released in the band's quarantine series, following "Alone" and "The Bland Within".
"Going back to a much overlooked 2003 album which has a type of cult appeal to a lot of our fans, we resurrect 'Paper Tiger' for the third release in our series of Quarantine Jams. We're convinced it'll remind you that it's a caustic punk anthem about all the phonies who only flirt with this music just for fashion. We're not letting this go - we're calling em out," states drummer Armand Majidi.
The previously released “Alone” and “The Bland Within” are available below:
Succsexx is a Toronto-based rock quintet that got their start on Halloween night in 1987 at the famed Toronto nightclub, Heaven. The ’87 lineup featured members from Toronto bands Coney Hatch, Harlot and Arson. Shortly after the inaugural performance the lineup evolved into their mainstay membership featuring Saxx Creed (vocals), Gypsy LaRose (guitar), Michael McV (guitar), Justin Zane (bass) and Johnny Rude (drums).
As the group’s live stage show, equal parts camp-glam and zany matured, Succsexx built a loyal and strong following with headline engagements at Toronto venues El Mocambo, Lee’s Palace, Masonic Temple, The Diamond Club and Rock ‘N’ Roll Heaven. When Heaven underwent its transformation to Rock ‘N’ Roll Heaven, Succsexx appeared regularly at the legendary venue known for its steady presentation of international “hair metal” superstars. Courted by several Canadian record labels, Succsexx never signed with a major label.
A self-financed demo session resulted in 17 recordings which have remained “in the can” and unreleased. The band only released four tracks on an indie cassette and was one of the bands where fans clamored for more, but thought nothing else existed. Come along FnA Records and 13 tracks were brought to the surface... and here we go... an album called Sexx Machine. While you can hear many influences, the tracks are extremely diverse bringing to mind 70s era KISS, Faster Pussycat, Guns N' Roses, Aerosmith, and New York Dolls.
Succsexx was a funky, gritty and down and dirty rock ‘n’ roll at its best. Give their long awaited eponymous 2020 release a listen, and let the music do the talking.
Check out the bands music video for "Sexx Machine":
Red Wolf's debut album, Sessions Vol. 1, will be released tomorrow (October 14th), and the band has issued their new single / video "The Point Of No Return" today exclusively through BraveWords. Check it out below.
Check out the cover art and tracklist for Sessions Vol. 1 below.
Tracklist:
"Crossing The Line"
"The Road"
"The Point Of No Return"
"Running In Circles"
"The Devil Inside Of Me"
"Hypocrite"
"Watch It Burn"
"Coming For You"
"Face Of God"
"I Am The Night"
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