Helix recently released the Eat Sleep Rock CD on Perris Records, a compilation album with some of singer Brian Vollmer’s personal favorite songs recorded since leaving Captiol/EMI in 1990. The album was recorded at bassist Darryl Gray's own Dawghouse Studios, mixed by Siegfried Meier and mastered by Harry Hess (Harem Scarem). The artwork was done by ex-Helix guitarist Brent Doerner with photos by Victor Azziz Studios. "Brent is a very creative guy," states Vollmer. When he was in the band writing songs, he was with us for I think 16 or 18 years. I've always found him as a person who thought outside the box when it came to creativity so it's great still having him involved with Helix projects. He's like a 6th member."
Eat Sleep Rock adds the new track "Eat Sleep Rock" and includes "The Story Of Helix," a rap that Brian wrote a couple of years ago to kick off the acoustic show. "Eat Sleep Rock" is the first to feature new Helix guitarist Gary Borden, a veteran of the Canadian music scene who has played with Sass Jordan, Toronto and The Guess Who, worked with Gowan, and fronts his own original act Blood Of VanGogh. Brian continues, "Kaleb left last year, he was a solid member for over 10 years and he is still involved with the band writing for the next studio album. Gary is a great guy and he fits right in. It's great having guys with personalities like Gary and Chris (Julke, guitarist) to bring you up as it's tough when you are out there doing it all weekend long, travelling, playing, getting up early and flying. I got a great bunch of guys behind me."
For anyone that missed the August 14th BraveWords video premiere for "Eat Sleep Rock", check out the clip below.
Keep up to date with all things Helix in their newly designed website at Planethelix.com.
Last week's Robb Flynn Acoustic Happy Hour, which streamed live on August 7th, is available below. It features classics such as Bryan Adams' "Summer Of '69", Kenny Loggins' "Danger Zone", Black Sabbath's "Die Young", Depeche Mode's "Stripped", plus Machine Head tunes "Circle The Drain", "Bastards", "Darkness Descends" and "Crashing Around You".
Flynn recently marked three years since the passing of Chester Bennington, sharing his cover of Linkin Park's "In The End" via Instagram.
Says Flynn: "3 years ago we performed this song at my birthday bash after learning of Chester’s horrible death only a couple of days before. We were shocked and saddened, and I think most of us were still recovering from Chris Cornell’s sudden and tragic death, when this came along and hit us like a ton of bricks. I know people are gonna pooh pooh this, but I don’t give a shit. I love Linkin Park, I saw them before the first record even dropped opening for Orgy at the Maritime hall. I saw them almost every time they came to the Bay Area, and they always put on a fantastic fucking show. Played numerous festivals with them, saw them in Paris, France doing promotion for The Blackening, and I saw them again in Belarus well getting ready to tour for Bloodstone & Diamonds. I know Chester‘s passing was (on Monday), but it seemed appropriate to share this heartfelt cover. Shout out to J-Mac for bringing it on the chorus. #linkinpark #chesterbennington"
Primitive Man return after three years with the extreme, terrifying, and confrontational new album, Immersion, out now via Relapse Records. A music video for the song "Consumption", can be seen below.
True to the band's ethos, every moment of Immersion is overwhelming; from the sonic pummelling of the album opener "The Lifer" to the brooding, unnerving guitars whirring throughout "Entity", Immersion builds and builds. The tension throughout the record is palpable. Hair raising tracks such as "Menacing" push and pull constantly, shifting from passages of harsh doom to an endless corridor of horrid screaming, blast beats, and a formidable low end.
Adding to the album's darkness, a pervasive lyrical anxiety erodes throughout the record. A stark look at a mirror, Immersion's themes tackle sobering views on existential crises, a general distrust among another, and the current state of the world. Frontman Ethan McCarthy elaborates, "Souring your view on your existence and everything you had worked towards... allowing yourself to become possessed by the darkest parts of your mind that you have carried around your entire life and not dealt with."
True to these dark times, Primitive Man's Immersion is an introspective look into ruin and undoing. As McCarthy explains, Immersion dives into the point of no return. "Now you're a grown man and you're fucked."
Immersion will be released on CD, LP, cassette, and digital formats via Relapse. Physical pre-orders are available here. For digital downloads and streaming services go here.
Immersion tracklisting:
"The Lifer"
"Entity"
"Menacing"
"∞"
"Foul"
"Consumption"
"Menacing" video:
"The Lifer" video:
Primitive Man lineup:
Ethan Lee McCarthy - guitars, vocals
Jonathan Campos - bass
Joe Linden - drums
To celebrate today’s re-release of extreme progressive metal pioneers Into Eternity’s hard-to-find 1999 self-titled debut and their acclaimed 2008 concept album The Incurable Tragedy, the band has unveiled a visualizer for the rare track, “Silence Through Virtue", which appears on the newly-released CD and LP editions of their debut album.
The clip - designed by Raf Ortega of Ecliptic Visions (Ayreon, The Absence) - can be seen below:
In addition to “Silence Through Virtue”, Into Eternity - which has never previously been available on vinyl - also includes three bonus demo tracks, as well as newly-written liner notes by founding guitarist Tim Roth and two of his former bandmates.
Says Roth, “Thanks a million to M-Theory Audio for finalizing this dream of getting our debut album properly released! It has taken us over 20 years, but the time is finally here. Originally, our first CD only had nine songs on it. In 1999, we entered a local Battle of the Bands, and we ended up winning $1000 of recording time. With that money, we ended up recording ‘Silence Through Virtue.’ On this song, there are some brutally heavy riffs, plus some nice clean vocals over the top mixed in with some death vocals as well. At the time, I wanted to try to add a bit more expression in my clean vocals, and I love the Iron Maiden-influenced guitar harmonies toward the end. I think this song sums up our early sound as a band and really combines some of our best heavy metal elements."
Also out today is a first-ever vinyl release of the band’s 2008 concept album, The Incurable Tragedy, their second recording with dynamic vocalist Stu Block (now in Iced Earth). The record - which also features drummer Steve Bolognese (Ross The Boss, Witherfall, Death Dealer) - was written after cancer claimed the lives of Roth's father and two best friends, resulting in the most emotionally charged album of the band’s career. Commemorating its cancer theme, the album will be released on limited-edition (300 copies) lavender-colored vinyl.
“This was the darkest, most difficult record of our career, but looking back 12 years later, it was an important album for us,” Roth says. “At the time, there was incredible personal tragedy happening, which is why the album turned out as dark as it did. Still, I have so many great memories of this lineup touring the world together and playing all over Europe, Asia, Mexico, Canada and the USA. We'd be out touring on a death metal package and then we'd go right into a Hammerfall/Edguy Tour. There were no limits for us at the time. I hope every Into Eternity fan will enjoy revisiting this album.”
Seether return with the new album, Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum, out August 28 via Fantasy Records. Translating to “If You Want Peace, Prepare For War,” the album features 13 new tracks, a primal mix of euphoria and misery, undoubtedly some of the strongest material of Seether’s illustrious career.
Today, the band offer another preview from the new album with the release of the heavy new track, “Beg”. The adrenaline-fueled new rave-up is accompanied by another bold animated music video from noted Turkish director Mertcan Mertbilek (Santana, Ray Charles, Ravi Shankar, Elvis Costello) that can be seen below.
Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum, Seether’s eighth studio album, was produced by Morgan and engineered and mixed by Matt Hyde (Deftones, AFI) in Nashville from December 2019 through January 2020. The band is joined on the album by newest member, Corey Lowery (ex-guitarist/vocalist for Saint Asonia and Stuck Mojo) Morgan’s friend of 16 years, who also assistant-engineered the album. “Corey has a lot of experience and is an inspiring guitarist as well; he’s the older brother I’ve always wanted,” Morgan adds. Seether’s rock-solid rhythm section is bassist and founding member Dale Stewart, and drummer John Humphrey (who joined in 2003).
Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum will be available in CD, vinyl and digital download formats. Pre-order here. For special offers and exclusive merchandise, visit Seether’s online store here.
Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum tracklisting:
"Dead And Done"
"Bruised And Bloodied"
"Wasteland"
"Dangerous"
"Liar"
"Can’t Go Wrong"
"Buried In The Sand"
"Let It Go"
"Failure"
"Beg"
"Drift Away"
"Pride Before The Fall"
"Written In Stone"
Welsh death metal vanguards, Venom Prison, have shared the crushing new single, "Daemon Vulgaris". The track was originally released in 2015 on their second EP, The Primal Chaos, prior to their acclaimed debut album. This updated version of the song is taken from their forthcoming Prosthetic Records release, Primeval, out on October 9 and available to pre-order here.
Discussing the song, the band explain, "Human cruelty can take many forms, from the daily almost unnoticed ways in which we hurt each other to atrocities like genocide and slavery. The capacity for such destructiveness is rooted deep within us. 'Daemon Vulgaris' depicts humanity as the evil force of destruction. Exploring our destructive impact on other species and the capacity of the planet to sustain life as we know it. “Wrong does not cease to be wrong because the majority share in it.” (Leo Tolstoy)."
Watch the video for the track below:
The 11-track album will feature re-recordings of tracks from their early EPs, Defy The Tyrant and Primal Chaos, as well as two brand new tracks. The first track from Primeval is a re-working of "Defy The Tyrant", which is streaming everywhere now, and features an accompanying video which can be viewed below.
Since 2016, Venom Prison have gone from strength to strength; debut full length Animus catapulted them into the consciousness and record collections of discerning death metal fans the world over. Their follow up release, Samsara, solidified them as a serious force to be reckoned with in the world of metal, paving the way for a string of high profile shows and festival slots around the globe. On Primeval, Venom Prison revisit the earliest days of the band, capturing the same intensity and visceral energy they possessed from day one and adding an additional layer of sophistication to their sound by re-recording, re-mixing, and re-mastering those old favourites with producer Tom Dring in late 2019. Artwork is once again handled masterfully by Eliran Kantor.
Of their decision to revisit their earliest tracks, the band explain, “Primeval is a snapshot of the earlier days of Venom Prison, simpler times where we locked ourselves in a room for days on end to create the early incarnation of what would be our first collection of songs. Our first release/demo Defy The Tyrant was subsequently born, and we never thought this would lead onto being picked up by Prosthetic Records or touring the world. This became a starting gun for touring and festivals in between the studio to write, including what would become The Primal Chaos. Given the current climate and the global pandemic situation we felt it was appropriate to package together our early material so that it is presented in a form of how it was always intended. This is what you hear now. Our previous EP’s plus two new tracks to give you an idea of what is to come in future. Our new chapter awaits, the grind must continue.”
Tracklisting:
"Usurper Of The Throne"
"Life Suffer"
"Mortal Abomination"
"Path Of Exile"
"Defy The Tyrant"
"Babylon The Whore"
"Daemon Vulgaris"
"Narcotic"
"The Primal Chaos"
"Defiant To The Will Of God"
"Slayer Of Holofernes"
Prog-metal supergroup The Progressive Souls Collective have revealed their new video "Fractional Emotion". The video is the first track to be issued from the band's debut album, Sonic Birth, set for international release on September 11th via Metalville Records. See and hear The Progressive Souls Collective's "Fractional Motion" video now.
Sonic Birth is special in many ways. Florian Zepf, guitarist and the driving force behind The Progressive Souls Collective, was able to convince his international prog music colleagues Aquiles Priester (ex-Angra & Tony MacAlpine, drums), Conner Green (otherwise working full-time with Haken on bass), Kevin Moore (ex-Dream Theater, O.S.I., Chroma Key) in the area of loops and programming as well as Luis Conte (among others, he was the percussionist for Phil Collins) to work together on the album.
As a very special guest, keyboard maestro Derek Sherinian (Sons Of Apollo, ex-Dream Theater, and many more) had the honor to personally record all keyboard parts on the entire album. This gave the recordings a very special touch, not least in terms of virtuosity, sound design, and of course character. Florian met with Derek in his studio in Burbank, where they worked together on the album.
Vladimir Lalic, himself musically on the road with the Serbian prog metal band Organized Chaos and meanwhile more than an insider tip, took over the lead vocals. Vladimir is convincing because of his enormous vocal range, the vocal melodies, and his style. His extraordinary vocal parts are a figurehead for the whole album.
As a result of these collaborations, with Sonic Birth a very special album has come to life, in particular because of this very unique combination of musicians and the character added by their distinctive styles and influences. The cover art and tracklisting are as follows:
"Metature"
"Comfortable Darkness"
"Killing True Beliefs"
"Fractional Emotion"
"A Formula For Happiness"
"Inner Cirlce"
"You And Me Alone"
"Hurt"
"Destiny Inc."
"Mind Treasures"
"With Others"
For further details, visit The Progressive Souls Collective on Facebook.
Epic melodic death metallers Nothgard recently released a brand new digital single, “Lightcrawler”. To underline the message of the single, the band shot a dark, atmospheric music video (directed by Dream Film Factory) with high quality special effects. It can be viewed below along with a new guitar playthrough video of the track.
Comments Nothgard singer/guitarist Dom R. Crey: "To me, 'Lightcrawler' is a bit more than just a single. The whole thing has slumbered in my brain for some time. I just needed the right trigger to put it into lyrics and music. For the listener, the 'Lightcrawler' is just a metaphorical figure, but for me, it is a real being. It is an embodiment of people I met in my life. People who made me feel drained and sick."
Nothgard lineup:
Dom R. Crey - Vocals, Lead Guitar, Studio Keyboards
Skaahl - Guitars
Nico Kolja - Bass, Backing Vocals
Felix Indra - Drums
In the video below, Helloween perform their Walls Of Jericho classic, "How Many Tears", in their "Pumpkins United" lineup live at Wacken Open Air during their United Alive World Tour 2018.
Helloween recently launched the pre-order for Unarmed, Straight Out Of Hell and 7 Sinners, that will be re-released on September 4th via Nuclear Blast. Below you can find the formats and tracklistings for each of the albums.
"Dr. Stein"
"Future World"
"If I Could Fly"
"Where The Rain Grows"
"The Keeper's Trilogy" (Medley)
"Eagle Fly Free"
"Perfect Gentleman"
"Forever And One" (Neverland)
"I Want Out"
"Fallen To Pieces"
"A Tale That Wasn't Right"
"Why"
Straight Out Of Hell formats:
- CD-Digi
- LP (Clear, Orange-Black Bi-colored, Red-Gold Splatter)
Tracklisting:
"Nabataea"
"World Of War"
"Live Now!"
"Far From The Stars"
"Burning Sun"
"Waiting For The Thunder"
"Hold Me In Your Arms"
"Wanna Be God"
"Straight Out Of Hell"
"Asshole"
"Years"
"Make Fire Catch The Fly"
"Church Breaks Down"
"Another Shot Of Life" (Bonus track)
"No Eternity" (Bonus track)
"Burning Sun" (Hammond Version) (Bonus track)
"Where The Sinners Go"
"Are You Metal?"
"Who Is Mr. Madman?"
"Raise The Noise"
"World Of Fantasy"
"Long Live The King"
"The Smile Of The Sun"
"You Stupid Mankind"
"If A Mountain Could Talk"
"The Sage The Fool The Sinner"
"My Sacrifice"
"Not Yet Today"
"Far In The Future"
"I'm Free" (Bonus track)
"Faster We Fall" (Bonus track)
"Aiming High" (Bonus track)
Pre-order the re-releases in the formats of your choice here.
More video of Vic And The Rattleheads, aka Megadeth, performing at a secret show at Saint Vitus Bar in Brooklyn, NY on December 12, 2016, has been released. Watch the band perform "Symphony Of Destruction", as well as the previously posted "Dystopia", "Sweating Bullets", "Tornado Of Souls", "Rattlehead" and “Hangar 18”, below:
Rust In Peace: The Inside Story Of The Megadeth Masterpiece, by Dave Mustaine with Joel Selvin, will be released on September 8. Pre-order in a variety of limited edition autographed bundles here, and watch a short video trailer below.
A new book by the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter of Megadeth, the original lead guitarist of Metallica, and the author of the New York Times bestseller, Mustaine.
Rust In Peace: The Inside Story Of The Megadeth Masterpiece details the making of Megadeth’s iconic record, Rust In Peace, which was released in 1990, at an incredible time of flux and creativity in the rock world. Relayed by Dave Mustaine, the book covers the process of hiring the band and supporting cast, of trying to handle the ensuing success, and ultimately the pressure of fame and fortune - which caused the band to finally break-up. In short, it’s a true story of groundbreaking anti-pop that was moving toward the mainstream (or the mainstream that was moving toward the band), at a time of great cultural change, power, ego, drugs, and other vices that went hand-in-hand with rock n' roll, circa the late eighties-early nineties.
Little did Mustaine know that the birth pangs of the record were nothing compared to the oncoming pain and torment that would surround it. Alcohol, drugs, sex, money, power, property, prestige, the lies the band was told by the industry - and the lies they told each other - were just beginning, and much like rust in real life, these factors would ultimately eat away at the band’s bond until only the music survived.
Rust In Peace: The Inside Story Of The Megadeth Masterpiece is a story of perseverance, of scraping off the rust off that builds over time on everything: ourselves, our relationships, pop culture, art, and music.
"Strong", the new music video from the Swedish modern metal force AMARANTHE, can be seen below. The song, which features a guest appearance by one of Finland's most powerful voices, Noora Louhimo (BATTLE BEAST), is taken from the band's upcoming album "Manifest", which will be released on October 2 via Nuclear Blast.
AMARANTHE commented: "Devil and saint, martyr and sinner, betrayal and loyalty — 'Strong' essentially underlines the dualistic nature of what it means to be human. In an increasingly polarized world, we found it incredibly exciting to reach across the metal world, and find collaboration and unity with the phenomenal Noora Louhimo. Even if the world around you is on fire, and if you find yourself at a disadvantage, remember that there is always one part of you that will remain — 'Strong'."
"Manifest" will be available as CD, media book with four bonus tracks, media book bundle with patch (limited to 250 units, mailorder exclusive), gold vinyl (limited to 300 units, mailorder + wholesale exclusive), Blue/black marbled vinyl (limited to 300 units, EMP exclusive), cyan vinyl (NB USA exclusive) as well as six individual band member vinyl (limited to 150 units each, bandshop exclusive).
AMARANTHE commented: "'Manifest' is the latest step in the evolution of AMARANTHE, and across the board it is the boldest statement: We are here to stay, we are utterly passionate about what we do and we will take no prisoners in our strive for musical excellence! An all-out metal rollercoaster, 'Manifest' does not hold back in any regard — from the first second to the last, it is brimful with some of the heaviest AMARANTHE riffs to date, soaring and emotional vocals and unrelenting metallic fury. We hope you will enjoy this album as much as we enjoyed making it!"
The band added: "Finally we can unleash 'Viral' upon an unsuspecting world! It is one of the grooviest and downright heaviest songs in AMARANTHE's history — it is the very epitome of what we have always stood for: massive choruses, a thundering rhythm section and a constant will to push our sound forward into the future. 'Viral' was prophetically titled before the onset of the current worldwide situation, and so we felt compelled to tie it in lyrically with this. Welcome to a new era of AMARANTHE history — welcome to 'Viral'!"
"Manifest" track listing:
01. Fearless
02. Make It Better
03. Scream My Name
04. Viral
05. Adrenaline
06. Strong (feat. Noora Louhimo)
07. The Game
08. Crystalline
09. Archangel
10. BOOM!1
11. Wake Up And Die
12. Do Or Die
Bonus Tracks:
13. 82nd All The Way (SABATON cover)
14. Do Or Die (feat. Angela Gossow)
15. Adrenalina (Acoustic)
16. Crystalline (Orchestral)
AMARANTHE has spent the last decade establishing itself as a formidable, positive and fervently melodic force for metallic good. From their explosive self-titled debut in 2011 to the more sophisticated, streamlined likes of 2014's "Massive Addictive" and its immaculate follow-up "Maximalism" (2016), AMARANTHE has masterfully blurred the lines between melodic metal, crushing brutality, cinematic sweep and futuristic sparkle. Led by the endlessly ingenious songwriting of guitarist Olof Mörck and powerhouse vocalist Elize Ryd, their rise to prominence has been a joy to behold.
Widely acclaimed as a dazzling live act, the Swedes reached a new peak of creativity on 2018's hugely successful "Helix": an album that pushed the band's vision to new heights, breadths and depths, while showcasing the brilliance of Elize and her co-vocalists, Henrik Englund Wilhelmsson and recent recruit Nils Molin.
Not just a glorious return but a wholesale upgrade for their exuberant sound, "Manifest" is simply the most daring, dynamic and unforgettable album that AMARANTHE have released to date. The perfect antidote to the nagging anxieties plaguing us all in these troubled times, it's a technicolor celebration of metal's ageless power, blazing with all of life's colors and chaos, but delivered with utmost artistry and skill.
Acclaimed keyboardist Derek Sherinian (SONS OF APOLLO, BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION, ex-DREAM THEATER), one of the most significant keyboard players of the modern era, has signed to InsideOut Music for the release of his new solo album, "The Phoenix". His first solo LP since 2011's "Oceana" is due on September 18. The official music video for the disc's second single, "Dragonfly", can be seen below.
Once again, Sherinian has teamed up with drummer extraordinaire Simon Phillips, who not only plays drums but also co-produced and co-wrote the album.
"It is always an amazing experience to be able to work with Simon," Derek says. "He's been a hero of mine for ages, ever since I heard him playing on albums with Jeff Beck and Michael Schenker. And he is such an invaluable part of the way this new record has come out.
"I truly feel that this is my best solo record to date," he adds. "Simon and I put a lot of energy into the writing, and I am grateful to all of the great players that contributed to this recording."
There are a number of guests featured on "The Phoenix", as has been the case in the past for Sherinian, on both guitar and bass. Some have become regular contributors to his solo sessions, people such as bassists Tony Franklin ("He's been on all my albums to date"), Jimmy Johnson and Billy Sheehan (Sherinian's bandmate in SONS OF APOLLO), plus guitarists Joe Bonamassa and Zakk Wylde. In addition, others are welcomed into the fold for the first time. For instance, there's master guitarist Steve Vai.
"Steve Vai has always been on my hit list," Derek says. "But it was when I played keyboards on the 'Generation Axe' tour of Asia in 2017 that I asked him to play on my record, which he gladly accepted."
Also present are Derek's SONS OF APOLLO bandmate Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal (ex-GUNS N' ROSES) and Kiko Loureiro (MEGADETH).
"Kiko and I have known one another for about 20 years," Derek says. "But this is the first time I've had the opportunity to play with him."
"The Phoenix" features eight tracks, including a cover of Buddy Miles's "Them Changes", and will be released as a limited-edition digipak CD, 180g LP + CD and as a digital album.
Track listing:
01. The Phoenix
02. Empyrean Sky
03. Clouds Of Ganymede
04. Dragonfly
05. Temple Of Helios
06. Them Changes
07. Octopus Pedigree
08. Pesadelo
Sherinian's far-ranging talents have been much in evidence through the music of Alice Cooper (who once called him "The Caligula of keyboards"), DREAM THEATER, BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION and current band SONS OF APOLLO. Moreover, proving just how much he is demand to work with rock royalty, Sherinian has also toured and recorded extensively with KISS, and Billy Idol, proving his classic and hard rock pedigree, whilst also being voted No. 9 in Prog magazine's greatest keyboardists of all time.
SYSTEM OF A DOWN bassist Shavo Odadjian's NORTH KINGSLEY musical collaboration with producer Saro Paparian and lyricist/vocalist Ray Hawthorne has released its first three-song collection, "Vol. 1", via 22 Red Media, a subsidiary of Odadjian's lifestyle and cannabis brand 22 Red.
"Vol. 1" features the hard-hitting, previously released debut track "Like That?" and two other songs — rabble-rousing protest anthem "Shot Guns" and biting critique of the hypocrisy of the current social media landscape, "Die For The Pic", for which NORTH KINGSLEY has released an official music video.
Hawthorne explains: "'Die For The Pic' is a statement on modern hypocrisy. The masses are tending to follow popular trends without taking the time to analyze what's actually going on. People often agree with whatever they are told the correct way to think is, and then post about it online, in an effort to be perceived well by their peers. In my experience, most of these people don't even take the time to look into why they believe what they're demanding others believe. It's a cycle."
Paparian adds: "'Die For The Pic' is a really unique production compared to our other tracks. The goal was to establish a minimalist setting while still experimenting with how elements fit in the mix. It's really bare bones — and that allows for this wide open space where Shavo's guitar work pushes and pulls against Ray's lyrics. My bandmates are sparring on an open stage — it's beautiful.
"I'm very proud of that fact that Shavo and I could find a place to leverage a bit of our people's history and culture in our tracks. 'Die For The Pic' has vocal samples cut from an a capella of a song from Palu, a village in Western Armenia. Means a lot personally since my great-grandfather was born in Palu....We almost lost those songs — it's almost by sheer luck that it not only survived but that it found a place in NORTH KINGSLEY's music."
"Vol. 1" track listing:
01. Die For The Pic
02. Like That?
03. Shot Guns
The dawn of NORTH KINGSLEY is a challenge to the very system itself. The way music is released, distributed and marketed is all being approached in a unique and creative way relevant to today's world and showcases a determination to revolutionize arcane structures. Instead of a full album release, NORTH KINGSLEY will instead be releasing miniature volumes of three tracks every few months, the first of which, "Vol. 1", will drop next week.
Shavo says: "We're giving you songs you can marinade on, instead of 12 songs all at once. There's going to be a clip for every song, something visually for you to vibe on.
"I directed videos for SYSTEM, I do stage production visuals for the band, so that's important to me.
"Saro has an incredible eye for creating new things visually and I act almost how a producer would on that and we are going to drop merch with every release, so it's more than just music."
When Shavo began experimental studio sessions with producer Saro Paparian and New Jersey lyricist Ray Hawthorne, he had no idea that it would turn into anything more than a creative outlet to jam with like-minded musicians. The result was a genre-bending mix of deep, cinematic instrumentals and thought provoking, socially charged words.
"I love to collaborate," says Odadjian. "I love to hear my ideas come through other people. There is strength in numbers. Saro would make the beats, and I would play guitar and bass — and not in a way that you'd usually hear in rock. When Ray came in, he was very turned on to what's going on socially and politically. They both know their way around the studio with what's new and fresh. I played hard to get for a little while with them, but the vibe and what we were working on was so cool that it became the start of NORTH KINGSLEY."
Capitalizing on a musical legacy that includes musical collaborations with the likes of funk master George Clinton, spiritual hip-hop guru RZA and legendary production accomplice Rick Rubin, Odadjian's sonic blueprint for his new project takes in everything from crisp and hard trap beats to gritty rock flavors.
"I'm known for playing metal but you can't say it's just metal — it has a lot of other influences in there," Odadjian points out. "I did ACHOZEN with RZA and that was straight hip-hop. NORTH KINGSLEY is right in the middle. The kick and the hi-hats and the snare sounds punk.
"To me, punk rock isn't a style of music, it's something you live. It's a lifestyle and it means going against the grain and I heard that there, and we are putting it all together to create something exciting and new for today.”
In 2018, Odadjian came to Paparian, who provided him with an education in the latest, cutting edge studio techniques. As an Armenian-American raised on everything from SOAD to surf rock, Paparian took that base principal and spent years around the underground Los Angeles hip-hop community, going to club nights where people would manufacture beats and he and Ray would lose themselves for hours as often as they could.
Speaking about the new project, Paparian says: "Our sound is very L.A. Ray and I were raised in those dirty clubs for years and you have Shavo who's part of one of the biggest L.A. bands of this century.
"I want people to know that this came from L.A. You can hear it in the griminess of both the rock and the beats.
"The three of us align across the spectrum and bring different things. It's like these musical and cultural nodes that center and become NORTH KINGSLEY. We have specific creative identities. It's like watching those three things clash and meld together like steel rods being sculpted by friction.
"I'm stirring this witch's brew with Ray's lyrical intellect and Shavo's exceptional songwriting talent. It's in his DNA to know when a song feels right and I throw my flavor into that and that's us."
Hawthorne, the final component to join the inner workings of NORTH KINGSLEY, is a longtime associate of Paparian. Armed with knowledge of today's political, social and entertainment landscapes and showcasing a lyrical dexterity that can take him anywhere from Hemmingway to animation and scholars to psychopaths, nothing is off limits when it comes to how he communicates his ideas.
"I grew up on SYSTEM and had lots of albums by socially conscious bands and that spoke to me," he says. "We are all focused and are all hard on ourselves to challenge one another and make something that's great musically and that, I hope, extends to our message."
With this razor-sharp approach to both the creative and business output of the project, NORTH KINGSLEY is a socially conscious, creative force shaped by the modern age. Drawing on a multitude of cultural, visual and political influences, they aim to create a musical movement that is both rooted in what's come before, but that focuses on creating what's next.
The At The Movies project - launched by Pretty Maids guitarist Chris Laney due to the COVID-19 lockdown - caught fire over the last several months, with many fans asking that the '80s soundtrack covers be made available as digital platform streams, or on CD and vinyl. They have checked in with the following update:
"You guys have been the best!! We are now over 230% on the Indiegogo campaign and albums are getting pressed at the pressing plant as we write this. We still have 6 days to go on the campaign so make sure you get hold of these one-of-a-kind limited issues of the album.
Ok, so here we are…. time to reveal the bonus track of the album. Hope you love it as much as we do, progressive but sweet as candy!
'Far From Over' taken from the 1983 soundtrack, Staying Alive, (Frank Stallone/ Vince DiCola). It was a top-ten US single in September 1983, peaking at #10 on the Billboard Top 100. It also charted at #2 in Canada.
So people, see you in a few weeks for a new exciting and fun season! We love ya!"
Check out the pre-order page for The Soundtrack Of Your Life Vol 1. here or go to the official At The Movies Facebook page.
Available items:
• Hi-res digital album download
• CD
• Colored Vinyl A
• Colored Vinyl B
• T-shirt A (sizes S-XXL)
• T-shirt B (sizes S-XXL)
• CD + Bonus DVD (with all the videos plus interviews) in a retro VHS cover
• CD + T-shirt bundle
• Vinyl + T-shirt bundle
• CD + DVD + T-shirt bundle
• The BIG bundle (CD, DVD, Vinyl A, Vinyl B, T-shirt A, T-shirt B
Extreme / melodic blackened death metal trio Nevalra will reissue their 2015 debut EP, The Black Flame, across all major digital platforms on August 28th. To celebrate its forthcoming launch, the band has released a new video for the EP's closing track, “Groom Lake”. Designed by Raf Ortega of Ecliptic Visions (Hecate Enthroned), the clip can be seen below.
Says vocalist/guitarist Scott Eames, “'Groom Lake' was influenced by the rumors and secretive nature surrounding Area 51. The subject has always piqued my interest. Are we alone? Or are we not alone? Either thought is astounding. 'Groom Lake' was written in three segments, structurally building the song both musically and lyrically. It is truly one of my favorites to perform live on tour and has been mentioned a lot as a fan favorite. Nevalra felt it was time to create some new visuals to articulate 'Groom Lake' for The Black Flame reissue, and we are excited to now share the new official video with the world (worlds?)...”
The reissue of The Black Flame features an updated treatment of the original cover artwork by noted horror artist Brett Gray. While the five-track EP earned Nevalra extensive praise at the time of its original release, Eames is excited to now introduce its material to a wider audience. Pre-order now at this location.
“In the last year and a half, Nevalra has toured and performed in more than 20 countries while promoting Conjure The Storm, making friends and fans at every stop,” he explains. “Now that Nevalra has reached an international audience, there is no better time to reintroduce The Black Flame. Nevalra has come a long way since 2015, but for us, these songs are where it all began."
Nevalra is currently working on material for the follow-up to Conjure The Storm, which was mixed and mastered by the legendary Dan Swano (Opeth, Dark Funeral, Dissection, Marduk). The album – the cover for which was designed by Seth Siro Anton of Septicflesh – featured guest appearances by Andres Vargas (Thy Antichrist) and Mark Kloeppel (Misery Index, Scour). It was supported by an extensive European tour last year during which Eames performed two sets each night – one with Nevalra, and one with Thy Antichrist, a group with whom Eames has performed for several years. Eames has also toured in recent months with death metal legends Vital Remains.
"Here is our unplugged version of the Streetheart hit, 'What Kind Of Love Is This', to commemorate the day we lost Kenny Shields (lead singer for Streetheart) three years ago," says all-Canadian cover band Toque, in a recent social media post.
Toque is comprised of Todd Kerns and Brent Fitz (who both play in Slash Featuring Myles Kennedy And The Conspirators), along with Cory Churko, and Shane Gaalaas.
Toque initially covered "What Kind Of Love Is This" by Streetheart on their second CD, Never Enough, originally issued in 2019. Visit toquerocks.ca to learn more.
After more than six years, Vanishing Point return with new music. The band's new album, Dead Elysium, will be released on August 28 via AFM Records. Watch a video for the song "Count Your Days" below, and pre-order the album here.
More than six years since the release of Distant Is The Sun, Vanishing Point are once again ready to take on the world with their world-class melodic metal assault on the senses. Their sixth full-length album, Dead Elysium, is a revisit to the epic and bombastic sounds of soaring vocals, heavy guitars and mesmerizing orchestral elements. Dead Elysium is a return to form for Australia’s most iconic melodic metal band.
In the early 1990s when ex-Eye members Tommy Vucur, Jack Lukic and Joe Del Mastro found current vocalist and front man Silvio Massaro Vanishing Point has been formed. The band’s first full-length album, In Thought (1997) received widespread praise and cemented the six-piece as rising stars in the growing Australian heavy metal scene. Just a year after In Thought was re-released by Australian record label Metal Warriors, featuring new (and current) guitarist Chris Porcianko.
The band with that progressive, but still accessible compositions and aspiring musical creations did manage to put quite a few highlights to their vita over the years. They escorted a lot of big names on tour and travelled the globe with them - amongst those names were the Swedish guitar maestro Yngwie Malmsteen, Finnish Symphonic masters Nightwish, Sonata Arctica, power-metal pioneers Helloween, Joe Satriani, Edguy, Dragonforce and even the legendary Iron Maiden. Also they gave their European festival debut at the illustrious Wacken Open Air as first unsigned band ever.
In 2014, Vanishing Point went on to release what is widely regarded as their most recognizable album Distant Is The Sun. The album was received with universal praise by critics and fans and the band did headline tours in Australia, New Zealand & Japan. Then nothing happened for quite a long time.
Guitarist Chris Porcianko explains: “We faced many obstacles over the years between Dead Elysium and Distant Is The Sun, we’d like to think that this album is also a kind of reflection on the journey we had as a band and as individuals over the last few years."
Vanishing Point have undergone a resurgence and have embarked on a campaign to put themselves back in the eyes of the heavy metal world. 2019 saw the band sign to Hard Drive Agency for management and worldwide bookings. Shortly thereafter, Vanishing Point return as a five-piece, with the introduction of bassist Gaston Chin and drummer Damien Hall.
"Musically I honestly just went with the flow and naturally the songs just came out how they did, there was no massive thought process as to how the songs should sound", states Porcianko. He carries on: "When writing the Dead Elysium album there was a general theme running through it musically and lyrically that we really wanted to touch upon regarding the state of world affairs in general and the situation we are in. The general theme lyrically when writing this album overall was more or less in regards to how we can see positive change? How can we make things better in terms of looking after each other? It definitely was not a case of “let's make the heaviest sounding album we can, because it’s gotta be heavier” and all that bullshit - it was a case of let the music speak for itself and in a sense we hope that our music helps people to connect or reconnect."
Fans all around the globe will count the days until arrival of this new masterpiece, some of them will be dying to finally listen to it. But we’re able promise you one thing... Dead Elysium is absolutely worth the long wait.
Tracklisting:
"Dead Elysium"
"Count Your Days"
"To the Wolves"
"Salvus"
"The Fall"
"Free"
"Recreate the Impossible"
"Shadow World"
"The Healing"
"The Ocean"
Steve Hackett has announcee the release of Selling England By The Pound & Spectral Mornings: Live At Hammersmith, on September 25 via InsideOut Music. This live recording is from his critically acclaimed 2019 UK tour.
The concert was recorded at the Hammersmith Eventim Apollo, the final night of the tour. Steve Hackett was joined by his touring band of Roger King (keyboards), Jonas Reingold (bass), Rob Townsend (saxes/flutes), Craig Blundell (drums and percussion) with Nad Sylvan on vocals. Special guests for this performance were Steve’s brother John Hackett (flute) and Amanda Lehmann (guitar and vocals).
This was a very special tour for Steve Hackett as it brought together his favourite album from his time as guitarist with Genesis - Selling England By The Pound - which Steve and his band performed live in its entirety for the first time. The show also featured selected tracks from Steve’s personal favourite album from his extensive solo career Spectral Mornings, together with tracks from his acclaimed 2019 release At The Edge Of Light.
Steve comments: “Amalgamating three personal favourite albums, including the whole of Selling England by the Pound, most of Spectral Mornings and At The Edge Of Light highlights was a very special live experience. Both audio and visual on this product give a mind blowing experience of an unforgettable evening at Hammersmith.”
The first set of the concert includes tracks from Spectral Mornings, celebrating its 40th anniversary, and At The Edge Of Light. Steve and the band were joined by Amanda Lehmann on vocals and guitar and by John Hackett, on flute for "The Virgin And The Gypsy" and "The Red Flower Of Tai Chi Blooms Everywhere".
The second part is the live recording of Selling England By The Pound album in its entirety, plus "Déja Vu", a track initiated for the album by Peter Gabriel, but later completed by Steve.The recording concludes with the concert encores of "Dance On A Volcano" and "Los Endos".
Selling England By The Pound & Spectral Mornings: Live At Hammersmith is released in several formats: Limited Edition Deluxe 2CD+Blu-ray+DVD Artbook; 2CD+Blu-ray Digipak; 2CD+DVD Multibox; Limited Edition 4LP+2CD Box Set and Digital album. Pre-order here.
The first track to be taken from the show is "Déja Vu". Watch the video below. The song is also available on all streaming platforms.
Tracklisting:
CD1
Intro
"Every Day"
"Under The Eye Of The Sun"
"Fallen Walls And Pedestals"
"Beasts Of Our Time"
"The Virgin And The Gypsy"
"Tigermoth"
"Spectral Mornings"
"The Red Flower Of Tai Chi Blooms Everywhere"
"Clocks - Angel Of Mons"
"Dancing With The Moonlit Knight"
"I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)"
CD2
"Firth Of Fifth"
"More Fool Me"
"The Battle Of Epping Forest"
"After The Ordeal"
"The Cinema Show"
"Aisle of Plenty"
"Deja Vu"
"Dance On A Volcano"
"Los Endos"
Canadian thrash legends, Anonymus, are have been having a busy summer during these COVID days. Unleashing their latest album La Bestia via label Bam&co Heavy this past June along with launching their own IPA beer (La Microbrasserie Le Fermentor), named in honour of their first Spanish release.
The band is sharing their next music video, "Bicho Loco", translated to "crazy bug" in English. It was directed by Mathieu Charest who previously created their music videos "Suffer The Consequences", and with Mononc Serge "Sous-Marin Brun", "L'Age de Biere", "Woodstock en Beauce". The video also stars well known Quebec actor Martin Dubreuil and follows his character as he descends into insanity from being his own worst enemy.
Watch the video below. The band adds about the track: "A song about a virus, cancer, a disease, something that eats you from inside, that comes and goes without warning. You don’t want that thing in your life, but no matter what, it’s there and you have to live and deal with it. Resonates with what is definitely occurring worldwide as of this moment."
In additional news, Anonymus will be hosting a live stream performance from L'Anti Bar & Spectacles in Quebec City on September 5. Full details on watching the virtual concert can be found here.
Anonymus unleashed their 12th album, La Bestia, on June 12th via label Bam&co Heavy. Details below.
Tracklisting:
“Bajo Presión”
“Bicho Loco”
“Sobrevivir”
“Violencia Versus Violence” (featuring Carlos Maldos of Lethal Creation (MX) and Arno from Black Bomb A)
“La Bestia”
“Máquinas”
“Cada loco con su tema”
“Tierra”
“Terremoto”
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