Finnish symphonic power metallers Everfrost have unleashed the new official video "Die Young" off their latest album, Winterider, released in September 2019 via Rockshots Records.
The band comments: "Winterider is an album about battling through life’s hardships. 'Die Young' is a song that pop star Kesha put out way back when we were basically just out of high school starting our own lives. It carries one of the biggest middle fingers to the struggles in life, proclaiming instead to make the most of the night and party like we’re going to die young. We realized an explosive metal cover of this would be perfect for the second half of the album as the story becomes very dark. So that is just what we did! As many people know, we embarked recently on our first voyage to our holy land Japan. While there we had our own version of the endless winter we ironically presented in Winterider when a well-known disease put the world in a great panic. Before things became dire we made the most of the trip and had the time of our lives among the fear and uncertainty, just like this song proclaims. With this single we want to share this adventure and the positivity this song brings along with a music video bringing you back to Akihabara, Japan with Everfrost!"
Winterider is a unique undertaking for a metal/rock band, as it will be the combination between a fully coherent manga comic and a conceptual album. The story features characters from their debut album Blue Eyed Emotion.
The music includes generous use of catchy melodies and heavy riffs, plenty of guitar and keyboard solos, a large instrumental variety from orchestral to electronic and energetic drumming. 10 Freezing Songs Of A Harsh Winter Tale!
The album features Asim Searah from Wintersun as special guest on "Above The Treeline", and includes a cover version of "Die Young" originally By Kesha.
Tracklisting:
“Winterider”
“Juhannus In January”
“Chainlace Angel”
“Actraiser”
“Cold Night Remedy”
“Above The Treeline”
“Brandy And Antifreeze”
“Die Young”
“Darkwoods Drain Backwaters”
“A Whisper In A Frozen Tale”
“Winterider” lyric video:
“Cold Night Remedy” video:
Album trailer:
Lineup:
Mikael Salo - Lead Vocals
Markus Laito - Lead Guitar, Vocals
Benji Connelly - Keyboards
Jope 'James' Salminen - Drums
Allan C Hasanen - Bass
Pretty Maids have released Maid In Japan - Future World Live 30th Anniversary on CD/DVD, Blu-ray, and 2xLP via Frontiers Music Srl. Order here, and watch an official live video for "Little Drops Of Heaven", below.
This is a special release which sees the Danish hard rockers offer a full performance of their classic album, Future World, originally released in 1987. This was the band’s first major breakthrough release in the metal community and arguably the band's most popular album.
To celebrate Future World’s 30th Anniversary, over the course of 2017-18 Pretty Maids hit the road to play the album in its entirety to mark the release of this landmark album in their discography. The band decided to record and film a live performance of the album in Tokyo, Japan where the band was set to play on two nights in November of 2018.
"After all, the decision to record it in Japan was kind of obvious since Japan has been one of our strongest markets since the ‘80s by all means, and we never filmed any live stuff there,” says singer Ronnie Atkins. "I remember both the concert we did while being there as absolutely great fun with a very loud and enthusiastic crowd. I mean, it is always a pleasure performing in Japan since it’s a fantastic and very dedicated audience, always have been. And so it was on those two nights in November 2018."
At the moment, the band is not planning to play the Future World album again in its entirety, so this is a very special release which all Pretty Maids fans should own.
Tracklisting:
"FW30" (Intro)
"Future World"
"We Came To Rock"
"Love Games"
"Yellow Rain"
"Loud ´N´ Proud"
"Rodeo"
"Needles In The Dark"
"Eye Of The Storm"
"Long Way To Go"
"Mother Of All Lies"
"Kingmaker"
"Bull’s Eye"
"Little Drops Of Heaven"
"Sin-Decade"
Bonus on DVD and Blu-ray:
The videos:
"Little Drops Of Heaven"
"Mother Of All Lies"
"Nuclear Boomerang"
"My Soul To Take"
"A Heart Without A Home"
"Kingmaker"
"Face The World"
"Bull’s Eye"
"Last Beauty On Earth"
"Serpentine"
"Will You Still Kiss Me (When I See You In Heaven)"
- Balingen Documentary
- Japan Documentary
- Interviews with Ronnie Atkins, Ken Hammer, Chris Laney, Rene Shades
"Little Drops Of Heaven" live video:
"Rodeo" live video:
"Sin-Decade" live video:
"Future World" live video:
Lineup:
Ronnie Atkins - vocals
Ken Hammer - guitars
Rene Shades - bass
Chris Laney - keyboard, guitar
Allan Sørensen - drums
Video has surfaced of Scorpions performing "Wind Of Change" live at Hellfest in June 2015. Check it out below:
Scorpions have postponed their Las Vegas residency. Promoted by Live Nation and Caesars Entertainment, Scorpions “Sin City Nights” was due to begin Saturday, July 4 at Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. Scorpions were to be joined by special guests Queensrÿche.
Says the band: "Our Vegas Residency at (Planet Hollywood) is postponed, new dates to be announced soon. We want our fans & everybody involved to be safe during these uncertain times. Please take care of yourselves, stay healthy and we will see you again when times are better. Lots of Love. Scorpions.”
Venom Inc. guitarist Jeff "Mantas" Dunn and Behemoth frontman Adam "Nergal" Darski recently teamed up for a lockdown version of the Venom classic "Satanachist". Check out the clip below.
Nergal: "That came out spontaneous... just to have some fun and kill the time during quarantine. But to me, as a big Venom devotee, it’s a fan boy moment. Thank you, Jeff Dunn, for involving me, means a lot. Ladies and gents, from the very depths of hell... one of my all time favorite Venom songs, 'Satanachist'.
PS: Shout out to Haldor Grunberg for making all this possible in his home studio... plus thanx for backing vocals!
PS2: Becoz this riff sounds almost EXACTLY the same as Burzum’s 'War', I used the same opening scream 'This is... war' just like Varg did. Just to build the link and show who inspired who..."
"Satanachist" appears on Venom's fourth album, Possessed, from 1985. It was performed by the band's classic line-up of Mantas, Cronos (vocals, bass) and Abaddon (drums).
My Ruin vocalist Tairrie B. Murphy has checked in with the following update:
"I know it’s been a couple months. I've never been a huge fan of social media and some times I find it necessary to take a mental health break from the internet, which is so filled with ignorance and toxicity. Especially in the era of Donald J. Trump and this scary COVID-19 pandemic. I plan to share more of my thoughts on both later; right now I want to announce that My Ruin will be debuting a fun new video for our Mudhoney cover of "Touch Me I'm Sick" that Mick (Murphy) and I filmed at home while in lockdown.
Earlier this year, My Ruin released a new album, Rock Love And Red Lipstick featuring 16 of our favorite covers that we have recorded for various studio albums and / or live on tour, dating back to 1999, in honor of our 20th Anniversary. You can download it FREE here:
"My War"
"Trouble"
"Touch Me I'm Sick"
"Have A Drink On Me"
"Tainted Love"
"Mean Street"
"Do You Love Me"
"Turned Out"
"I Ain't No Joke"
"Slide You The Horn"
"Rid Of Me"
"Stoopid"
"War Machine"
"Sex Junkie"
"Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo"
"My Way"
Originally recorded for our 4th album, The Brutal Language back in 2005, "Touch Me I'm Sick" will be our second video offering to follow our cover of "My Way", which was inspired by both the Frank Sinatra and the infamous Sid Vicious versions of the song.
We will be sharing our new video this coming Tuesday, May 26th on our band page and we're excited for you to see it! In the meantime, here’s a little teaser. Have a nice Memorial Day weekend and remember to wash your hands, wear a mask and be kind + mindful of others if you are venturing out."
The official "social lockdown" video for the song "When The Bell Tolls" from ATKINS MAY PROJECT, the band featuring original JUDAS PRIEST singer Al Atkins and Christian guitarist and music artist Paul May, can be seen below. The track is taken from ATKINS MAY PROJECT's latest album, "The Final Cut", which was released in April.
"The Final Cut" track listing:
01. The Revealing (:36)
02. The Final Cut (4:43)
03. When The Bell Tolls (4:58)
04. The War In-Between (4:22)
05. Treading Water (6:18)
06. Buried Alive (4:32)
07. Fighting Man (4:52)
08. Dead Mens Bones (3:53)
09. Stranger In A Strange Land (5:26)
10. The Cold Wind Blows (4:12)
11. Masquerade (5:34)
12. The Final Cut (full version) (9:04)
Atkins and May previously created three records — "Serpents Kiss", "Valley Of Shadows" and "Empire Of Destruction" — available on Gonzo Multimedia. There are enough doses of melody and metal madness to entice all fans of the genre, and while it is solid, honest, working-class heavy metal, it also has its roots in contemporary metal with some fine axe-work and killer choruses.
This marriage of metal mayhem has earned them stunning reviews from the world's press and has seen them gain a steady momentum of fans globally since their initial release back in 2011.
A compilation album, "Anthology", arrived in 2015. The effort featured a previously unreleased bonus track — a cover of PHIL COLLINS' "In The Air Tonight".
Atkins is the co-writer of several PRIEST songs which are included on the band's first two albums, "Rocka Rolla" and "Sad Wings of Destiny", both of which eventually went gold. Atkins co-penned the heavy metal classic "Victim of Changes", which was a combination of Rob Halford's song "Red Light Lady" and Atkins' own "Whiskey Woman". He also co-wrote "Winter", "Never Satisfied", "Dreamer Deceiver" and "Caviar and Meths".
In 1989 Atkins released his debut solo album, "Judgement Day", to great acclaim. But it was "Heavy Thoughts" and "Victim of Changes" (the latter being his collaborative album with ex-JUDAS PRIEST drummer Dave Holland) that brought him strong sales and critical acclaim around the world.
JUDAS PRIEST bassist Ian Hill penned the foreword to Al Atkins's autobiography, titled "Dawn of the Metal Gods: My Life in Judas Priest and Heavy Metal". The book, which was written with Neil Daniels — a freelance rock writer and heavy metal fan who befriended Atkins during the writing of Neil's book "The Story Of Judas Priest: Defenders Of The Faith" (Omnibus Press) — was released in 2009 via Iron Pages.
SOULFLY has released a new digital EP, "Live Ritual NYC MMXIX". The effort was recorded at The Gramercy in New York City on February 11, 2019 while SOULFLY was on tour in support of its most recent full-length album, "Ritual". The audio for the EP was mixed and mastered by Charles Elliott (ABYSMAL DAWN) from Tastemaker Audio. Cover artwork was comprised of live photos taken by Rodrigo Fredes.
Vocalist/guitarist Max Cavalera comments: "New York is a mesmerizing city; the city that never sleeps! I always look forward to playing in NY.
"The Gramercy is a great venue and the SOULFLY crowd was in the trench frontlines of a battlefield, crowded and moving like some kind of tribe.
"I hope this unforgettable night of metal in NY can uplift you during this quarantine. Start a pit in your living room! I'm in quarantine too, and together, with metal, we will all get through this! Let the ritual begin!"
"Live Ritual NYC MMXIX" track listing:
01. The Summoning
02. Under Rapture
03. Fire
04. Porrada
05. Ritual
06. I And I
07. Back To Primitive
A live video for the track "The Summoning" can be seen below.
"Ritual" was released in October 2018 via Nuclear Blast. The follow-up to 2015's "Archangel" was produced, recorded and mixed by Josh Wilbur (KILLER BE KILLED, LAMB OF GOD, GOJIRA). Cover artwork was painted by artist Eliran Kantor (TESTAMENT, ICED EARTH, SODOM). Additional booklet art was handled by Marcelo Vasco (SLAYER, HATEBREED, KREATOR), who also handled the package design. The album features multiple guests, including Randy Blythe (LAMB OF GOD).
Max Cavalera told PureGrainAudio about "Ritual": "I know musicians [always] say their new record is their favorite, but [this new] SOULFLY [album] really hits home, man, because it's got a little of everything that I really love about SOULFLY. It's got some of the tribal elements back in the groove, and it's got a lot of fast stuff. It's almost like a 'tribal thrash' record, which is kind of… it's never been done before. So it's a real political and spiritual [album mixed] with tribal [and] thrash [sounds]. The tribal grooves go right in hand with fast thrash, death metal stuff. So it's pretty cool, man. I think people are gonna be turned up when they hear the new SOULFLY."
As for the disc's musical direction, Max said that it has "a little bit of a 'Chaos A.D.' [SEPULTURA] kind of feeling to it — that kind of groove, but also [with elements of] thrash. It's a contemporary record — it feels like it's done right now. I'm really stoked on it. I think it does kind of have that classic 'Chaos A.D.' feeling to it, which is great; I think it's really cool to have that kind of feeling on the record."
Max also praised his SOULFLY bandmates' contributions to the new album, saying: "Marc Rizzo [SOULFLY guitarist] is doing some amazing guitar stuff. All the players — Zyon [Cavalera, Max's son and SOULFLY drummer] did a great job on the drums. I tried really hard to have different topics and different lyrics, so my vocals are a bit different and I'm touching different subjects on the album. So all that together makes it into something special."
Poland's Hate have released a guitar playthrough video for "Triskhelion", a track from their eleventh full-length, Auric Gates Of Veles, released last year via Metal Blade Records. Find the clip below.
STYX guitarist/vocalist Tommy Shaw has just released a music video for his cover of the LED ZEPPELIN classic "Going To California". The track, which was made available as a digital single, was recorded years ago at his then-home studio in the Hollywood Hills, California with longtime collaborator Will Evankovich, who also plays with THE GUESS WHO, during a period when there was talk of a second covers album from SHAW BLADES, his side project with his ex-DAMN YANKEES bandmate Jack Blades of NIGHT RANGER.
Says Shaw: "After touring behind two SHAW BLADES albums, we discussed a second album of covers and actually recorded a few more. But we never officially set a project into motion. STYX would soon get back together and hit the road with the 'Return To Paradise' tour. Will Evankovich and I decided to cut 'Going To California' and did it at my home studio in the Hollywood Hills.
"We recently gave it a listen and when STYX manager Charlie Brusco suggested we release it now to help fill the musical void that the lockdown had created, it suddenly had a new purpose. We had it mastered here in Nashville and created some artwork and got it placed on all the streaming platforms. Robert Plant's original vocal is stellar, but I tried to make it my own while honoring its essence. I hope you enjoy it!"
SHAW BLADES's 2006 album "Influence" consisted of covers of tracks such as ORLEANS's "Dance With Me", STEELY DAN's "Dirty Work" and SEALS & CROFTS' "Summer Breeze".
STYX is currently working on material for 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 Evankovich.
Professionally filmed video footage of MACHINE HEAD's February 21 hometown concert at at The Fox Theater in Oakland, California can be seen below.
The North American leg of MACHINE HEAD's 25th-anniversary tour for the band's debut album, "Burn My Eyes", kicked off in Phoenix on January 16 and will wrap up tonight (Saturday, February 22) at the House Of Blues in Anaheim, California. Each show on the trek consists of two parts: part one sees frontman Robb Flynn and bassist Jared MacEachern performing alongside new recruits, Polish guitarist Wacław "Vogg" Kiełtyka (DECAPITATED) and British drummer Matt Alston (DEVILMENT, EASTERN FRONT); while part two features "Burn My Eyes" played in its entirety for the first time ever, with original drummer Chris Kontos and guitarist Logan Mader joining in.
Flynn told France's HEAVY1 about Kiełtyka and Alston's addition to MACHINE HEAD: "We were doing auditions for a while, and Vogg's audition just fucking blew my mind — it was so fucking tight and fucking accurate. He sent over [a recording of] 'Imperium' as his first song just as a test. We always had all the dudes do a sound test, just to make sure the levels are good and stuff. I was, like, 'Oh my God! This dude is playing 'Imperium' better than I can right now.' [Laughs] It was crazy. And we ended up talking. Super-nice guy. Matt, same thing. We flew him out, jammed with him, and he killed it."
Asked how all the musicians are getting along and whether they are traveling together, Flynn told HEAVY1: "We're all in the band together — we all live together. The band's all on the bus — all six of us. And it's a great ride, man. Everybody is very respectful; everybody knows their role and just kind of doing it here and enjoying it. Everybody is out here having a blast. It's so nice to have people who are in a positive frame of mind, 'cause it wasn't like that in the past. And now it is, and it's fucking awesome."
Kontos left MACHINE HEAD before the release of the band's second album, 1997's "The More Things Change", and was replaced by Dave McClain.
Mader contributed to two MACHINE HEAD albums, the aforementioned "Burn My Eyes" and "The More Things Change", before exiting the group and being replaced by Ahrue Luster and, later on, Phil Demmel.
Demmel and McClain exited MACHINE HEAD in the fall of 2018.
Evergrey frontman Tom Englund has uploaded a new video to his YouTube channel, where he has been working on new music for the band's next album.
Tom: "Today I'm playing a song that, in its album version, features my friend Floor Jansen."
Englund recently posted a new "Tom Plays Guitar And Talks Shit" clip along with the following message:
"In this video I go over one of your wished for riffs / licks / parts from one of our songs ('Weightless') and albums. I also talk about my approach to this part of the song and how it was for me to learn it.
I often talk about guitar playing and music production. How I write music, play guitar and produce music. How I do and see things, and how I have stayed in the music business for 25 years releasing albums and touring the world.
This is 100 % me and no fake, I am not perfect, especially not when it comes to guitar playing and or singing, or in any other sense for that matter, but that is just the point. I have managed to stay inspired throughout these last three decades, always writing, always wanting something else and never being totally satisfied, always hungry for more. To me it's been a gift that I still cherish every day and I love to talk about it with you through these videos I upload here.
The latest episode in the new series, Ivan Moody’s Guitar Zero: Legends Of The Fail, can be seen below. Join Five Finger Death Punch frontman Ivan Moody on his journey to learn to play guitar with new episodes each Wednesday.
"The lessons begin! This week Ivan jumps on the phone with shredder Andy James who shows Ivan the right way to hold a guitar pick."
Hard rocking Detroit-based power trio, Left For Dead, have announced the release of their sixth album, simply titled L F D. L F D is a 10-song barrage in the hard rock/classic metal style. From the up tempo opener "Bulletproof" to the rock radio friendly "Rock And Roll Dogs", the current LP touches all the bases that inspire the "classic rock" genre. Bark at the moon with BraveWords; as we premiere LFD's new video for "Rock And Roll Dogs"!
L F D will be availalbe on May 29 on all digital services. Pre-order here.
After many attempts and false starts... the recording of L F D would finally commence. The band choose the award winning Tempermill Studio (named 2020's Detroit Music Awards "Best Studio") to record the latest LP. They toiled from May through October to get the sound just right. They not only recorded their latest material but also dug into their past a bit. "Make Me A Star", "Cool Black", and "Late Around Midnite" are songs never officially released. So whether its the mid-tempo crunchy AC/DC inspired riffing, the faster Motörhead-inspired beats or the rock radio inspired "classic rock" charm... if you like your music hard, heavy and most of all... FUN... you are sure to find something to love here.
"There is a song off our last album called 'Idol Threat' and I wrote a line in that song that goes, "Play with passion...ignore the fashion." That pretty much sums up my view on not only music but life itself. We've never chased trends and never tried to be something we are not. It's one of the many reasons that a lot of the guys we knew who played growing up are no longer playing." - Mark Cicchini
Tracklisting:
"Bulletproof"
"Rock And Roll Dogs"
"Cool Black"
"War Dance"
"End Of The Line"
"Make Me A Star"
"Comin Home"
"Son Of The Gun"
"Late Around Midnite"
"Burn It Down"
Formed in 2002, Left For Dead developed their musical chops listening to the great hard rock/metal acts of the 70's & 80's. These influences are immediately apparent upon first listen. "Old school metal" - as some like to call it - is obviously not a genre that is particularly trendy today, but LFD has never been about trying to "fit in”.
"Our philosophy is a simple one... in your face, hard driving, no frills hard rock in the classic sense. Staying true to that philosophy Left For Dead (or LFD as we like to say) has enjoyed a significant level of success in the Detroit music scene. LFD have previously released 5 CDs and played hundreds of shows in the Detroit metropolitan area as well as in Cleveland & Chicago.
"Guitarist Mike Lipski first met drummer Mark Cicchini at college in the Fall of 1983. Both stood out amongst their fellow students, dressed in concert t shirts and shoulder length hair. They exchanged demo tapes and kept in touch, each interested in one another's musical journeys. Mark was already in a band with bassist Keith Jones at that time. Mark & Keith made up the rhythm section of Detroit favorites Chain who appeared in numerus national & international rock/metal magazines throughout the 1980's. Chain also won a spot on the nationally syndicated Metal Shop radio program and appeared on their Best Unsigned Bands In America release in 1989 shortly before the grunge era took over. Chain broke up shortly thereafter. Old friends Mark & Mike then formed a new band-SPFH. (you really don't wanna know what it stands for! LOL) SPFH was a project that recorded lots of demos (covers & originals) over the years but would never play a single gig. Mike was gigging heavily (in a band of his own) around the Detroit area during this time. Keith was concentrating on his career outside of music for the remainder of the 90's while Mark demoed & recorded (and even played some shows) with a local hard core punk band that needed his services and even released a couple of albums with them.
"By the beginning of the 2000's Mark wanted to play music he actually enjoyed. He first contacted Mike about recording some demos and seeing if he was interested in starting a new project. However, Mike was already playing in another popular Detroit area band. Mark then contacted Keith to see what he was up to. When Mark reached out to Keith he was playing in a band with the former guitarist from CHAIN When that band fizzled out, Mark rejoined with Keith (and the original CHAIN guitarist) and brought along a singing friend to start the first version ofLeft For Dead.
"Left For Dead was born.
"LFD was now a four piece band (Guitar/Bass/Drums/Vocals) that lasted a couple of years. That era of the band released two CD’s. Mike Lipski replaced the original LFD guitarist after the 2nd LFD release. The four piece, with original LFD vocalist quickly recorded a three song EP. After the release of the EP we decided we wanted Mike to be our lead singer. It was a tumultuous couple of years but the line up of Mike-Keith & Mark has remained ever since. We would release two more full length CD's."
Lineup:
Mike Lipski - All guitars, lead vocals, backing vocals
Mark Cicchini - Drums, backing vocals, lead vocals
Keith Jones - Bass, backing vocals
"Lady Killer", the latest video from PSYCHOSEXUAL, the new rock band fronted by former FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH drummer Jeremy Spencer, can be seen below. Joining Spencer's alter-ego, Devil Daddy, in the group are guitarist Crucifier, bassist Astaroth and drummer Volac.
"Lady Killer" and the previously released single "Let The Sin Begin" are taken from PSYCHOSEXUAL's debut album, "Torch The Faith", which will be released this fall through Spencer's own independent label 6ex Records. The effort was co-produced by Spencer with DROWNING POOL producer Shawn McGhee.
PSYCHOSEXUAL plays a unique brand of gothic metal and industrial-edge music that has been described in a press release as "a character-driven, visually arresting tour de force guaranteed to spark controversy."
Late last month, PSYCHOSEXUAL released the official music video for "Let The Sin Begin", featuring the eye-popping gifts of performers Masuimi Max, Madison Morgan, Janey Doe and Idelsy Love.
Spencer left FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH at the end of 2018, but in his mind the persona of Devil Daddy had occupied part of his creative consciousness for several years. Never one to rest on his laurels creatively, he released a series of '80s-like new wave originals in early 2019 as a precursor to the band — including some arresting and entertaining videos such as a remake of TYPE O NEGATIVE's "Love You To Death".
Spencer said: "I've been such a fan of so many types of music from Bowie to DEVO to black metal bands, PSYCHOSEXUAL really is the outlet I've needed to bring all these things together in one big Evil Stew."
A tour to support the release of PSYCHOSEXUAL's new album is planned for late fall/early winter.
Spencer, who co-founded FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH with guitarist Zoltan Bathory, underwent back surgery in the fall of 2018 that required a significant recovery period. Asked in a new interview with Music Mayhem Magazine for an update on his condition, Jeremy said: "I had degenerative discs in my back from years of physical drumming forcing me to get disc replacement surgery and fusion. That surgery was a setback and really took a toll on me mentally as well as physically. I'm so much better now. A year has gone by and I'm back to working out with a trainer and can actually be mobile again, which is something we all take for granted."
Spencer's replacement in FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH is Charlie "The Engine" Engen. Engen made his recording debut with the band on the "F8" album, which came out in February.
German band Dust Bolt have just released a beautiful, aesthetically pleasing new video for their emotional single, “Exit”, off the 2016 album Mass Confusion. Dust Bolt addresses a rather important topic with “Exit”: one’s own mental health. Everyone suffers from mental health issues from time to time, some more than others. Especially under the circumstances we are currently living in, social distancing becomes a mostly overseen social problem. But the fewest actually talk openly about it, and rather isolate themselves instead of opening up to someone. With “Exit”, the band wants to encourage people who suffer from these kind of issues to step forward and lean on a friend in times of dire need, to believe in themselves and to accept help when provided or provide help yourself for others.
The band comments: “Mental health is a huge but yet often forgotten topic. Especially in these days, during a lockdown and social distancing, but also in our everyday lives, many of us struggle with anxiety and mental health problems. A few years ago, we crossed paths with Enrique Guilhermes - a talented video and film maker from Portugal, finding the right visuals to our song 'Exit'. In times of #stayathome, we want to share this stunning video and interpretation of the song with you. If you deal with mental health problems, or if you know somebody who is struggling with it, we want to encourage you to know that you are not alone. Don't ignore the chance to get help for yourself or someone else you know who may be in crisis. This life is not about being the strongest. This life is not about fulfilling countless expectations, role pictures or competitions. This is no competition. This is no TRUMPeting of being the best, most beautiful or wealthiest person in your compass. This life is about being YOU, finding yourself and loving yourself. You are stronger than you know.”
Los Angeles-based riff worshippers Painted Wives release their new song and music video for "Shangri La". "Shangri La" is the third track released off Painted Wives long-awaited forthcoming sophomore album New Medusa set for release this fall via Century Media Records.
"Shangri La" follows the release of "Truth & Consequences" and, most recently, "Device", from the forthcoming full-length. After a long and intense writing and recording span, New Medusa found the quartet rounded out by drummer Derek Eglit, guitarist Jeff Lyman, bassist Justin Morales, and lyricist Ryan Williams working with Cave In/Mutoid Man frontman and guru Stephen Brodsky and producer Machine (Lamb of God, Clutch). The band spent a year conjuring New Medusa, which was mixed by Jay Ruston (Anthrax, Stone Sour). Along the way, songs were honed and twisted into a sound that invites comparisons to Alice In Chains, Mastodon and Black Sabbath, but emerges out of the riffy muck as something uniquely their own. "This feels like as much of a new start for us as a continuation of Obsessed with the End," says Suitor. "In the past, we labored over every part, every lyric and probably over-thought things. Once we hit our stride, it started taking on a life of its own."
New Medusa continues the inscrutable path Painted Wives began on their 2017 Century Media debut, Obsessed With the End, a remixed version of the band's self-recorded and issued debut of the year before. Songs like the opener "Cellular Eclipse" straddle elements of rock, modern progressive rock, and doom metal topped with frontman Justin Suitor's distinct and plaintive vocals. The band praises Brodsky in helping them nail their sound. "I was a fan of Steve's to begin with - all the way back to Cave In's Until Your Heart Stops," says Suitor. "He helped us really hone our sound and get to the essence of what Painted Wives is all about."
Painted Wives ossified from the remains of Railroad to Alaska, a cult Orange County ensemble that straddled the extremes of heaviness and eclecticism. A musical downshift to heavier turf found Suitor & Co. rechristening the band Painted Wives and gigging around the OC. When their independent release crossed the desk of Century Media's A&R dept., the band was signed to their current label home. Gigs and tours with the likes of Lacuna Coil, Avatar and most recently, Cave-In ensued, proving the Wives an engaging (and fucking loud) live proposition.
Hamburg-based Tragedian have announced they will be performing live tonight at the famous Markthalle in Hamburg tonight (May 20th) at 8:00pm CET / 2:00pm EST. Donations are welcome; information to contribute can be found here.
"The world may be at a standstill at the moment but not live entertainment. A wholehearted thanks to the Markthalle in Hamburg for making this possible not only for us but to all of you as well."
Tragedian recently posted video from their performance at Hamburg Metal Dayz 2019 back in September. Check out "Napoleon" below.
Led by US-born guitarist Gabriele J. Palermo, the band features a new line-up including Joan Pabon (vocals), Dawid Wieczorek (bass), Denis Scheither (keyboards) and Nicolò Bernini (drums). More information will be available soon.
For information and updates on Tragedian go to this location.
Canadian progressive sci-fi metal innovators VOIVOD reawaken and return with a three-track 12-inch vinyl and digital EP titled "The End Of Dormancy", to be released on July 10 worldwide via Century Media Records.
The EP is centered around a special "Metal Section" version of the title track, "The End Of Dormancy" (off VOIVOD's latest album "The Wake") with added trumpets, saxophone and trombones. The complementary tracks on this release are exclusive live versions of "The End Of Dormancy (Metal Section)" and the group's classic "The Unknown Knows" recorded at Montreal Jazz Fest 2019.
A remarkable video-clip for "The End Of Dormancy (Metal Section)", directed by Syl Disjonk (who previously created the clip "Kluskap O' Kom" for VOIVOD) and produced by Igor Simonnet, is now available below.
VOIVOD guitarist Daniel "Chewy" Mongrain commented on "The End Of Dormancy" and its special "Metal/Brass Section" version: "I initially wrote the opening riff of the song on tour, outside, behind a club in Germany on a sunny day and recorded right away. It had that quartal harmony over a pedal point that to me evoke soundtracks of classic roman movies when you hear the brass (lituus, cornu and other instruments). It has a military and solemn vibe to it.
"When in 2019 we had the honor to be invited to play the Montreal International Jazz Festival, we all thought we could do something special in the context. I had the idea to do a brass arrangement and add in an extra open improvised sax solo section which doesn't exist in the studio version. I started to write and was able to finish the arrangement in time for the rehearsal but it was sooo much work that I could only do one song. We hired top players of the Montreal scene. They were very excited to be part of it. It's not every day that a brass section plays with a metal band, so it was as exciting for them as it was for us. We had one rehearsal and it worked perfectly. Then we played the show and the crowd went totally nuts. You can hear it on the live version: it was a great moment for everyone and we had a real blast. The live version is also on the EP, but will not be on the upcoming live album 'Lost Machine', since that was recorded during a different show...
"When the video idea of that song came up, I thought we could record the brass over the studio version and make the video version unique, and share this version with the rest of the world, giving something special to the fans and immortalize the brass arrangement at the same time. So, I just cut out the improvised section that was in the live arrangement and we could time a studio session with all the same guys. Francis Perron (RadicArt Studio), who recorded and mixed 'The Wake', brought his gear and recorded it, then remixed the song.
"It was an amazing experience, a great challenge for me to write each part and conduct it. I don't do that often, so it was a lot of work and I'm very happy with the result. It adds that extra empire, military, roman paddle boat war feel like in the old 'Ben Hur' movie, with the acceleration of the music and intense and stressful emotions that fits the song lyrics perfectly.
"I'm so proud and happy to play in VOIVOD, as we can try this kind of madness projects and everybody in the band gets excited and motivated to do new things. It's so fulfilling. I hope this feeling transpires into the music and that the signal gets to the receiver's frequency."
VOIVOD vocalist Denis "Snake" Belanger, who acted as screenwriter for the video, added: "I must say that we had some hesitations regarding the timing of release for this very special video clip. The shoot took place in November 2019 and the scenario is pure science-fiction, but we were concerned the imagery might be insensitive in these pandemic times. In the end, we decided to proceed as planned. Speaking of sci-fi, the documentary called 'The Creeping Garden' had a big influence on me and was a great source of inspirations for the concept. A must-watch. The slime moulds are amazing creatures and will use ingeniosity to survive. And so are humans... We'll get through this."
"The End Of Dormancy" EP track listing:
Side A:
01. The End Of Dormancy (Metal Section) [08:15]
Side B:
01. The End Of Dormancy (Live Montreal Jazz Fest 2019) [09:08]
02. The Unknown Knows (Live Montreal Jazz Fest 2019) [05:08]
In March 2019, VOIVOD was honored with a Juno Award (the Canadian equivalent of the Grammy Award) in the "Metal/Hard Music Album Of The Year" category. VOIVOD won the award for "The Wake", which was released in September 2018 via Century Media Records. The disc was recorded and mixed by Francis Perron at RadicArt Recording Studio in Canada. The album's artwork was once again created by Away.
Dark Sarah continue the storyline of Orbs, Mörk and mystical, rabbit-headed people with their second single, “All Ears!”, from their upcoming album, Grim, to be released on July 17 via Napalm Records. Pre-order here.
The marching rhythm of the horror-esque intro rises to an all-encompassing theme that coalesces with Heidi’s blandishing vocals and the frightening story of Grim. The official music video (directed by Markus Nieminen) and the energetic soundscapes draw its listener deeper into Dark Sarah’s magical horror fantasy world, while the story behind “All Ears!” is perfectly visualized: The protagonist Luna casts a compelling spell over the citizens of Grim. As mighty as no one could have imagined, she rises, forming an army marching against their conjoint enemy - Mörk.
Heidi Parviainen states: "'All Ears!' is a call to unite all the people who think there is a certain power behind tales, monsters and magic! Join the coven!
The narrative of 'All Ears!' follows the storyline of the Grim album. A powerful spell on the citizens of Grim empowers the protagonist Luna to fight against the evil monster Mörk who is terrorizing the city. The listener can also get a first glimpse of our new guest Jasse Jatala as Mörk. The whole Grim story will be released as a book at the same time as our album, so that our fans can get even more immersed in the story."
Dark Sarah start an astonishing new fairytale-like storyline with their fourth studio album, Grim. The beguiling new dimension, coalescing between crystal-clear vocals and propulsive hardness, draws you into the tempestuous maelstrom of their horror fantasy theme. Introducing the new protagonist, Luna, the band invites you to their mythical world of orbs, ravens, rabbit-headed people and Mörk, that’ll wrap you up in a surreal dreamscape.
The overwhelming intensity of Dark Sarah’s masterfully told cinematic metal saga sends shivers down your spine and takes possession of heart and soul, while leaving you with pure emotions. Grim flourishes with its full magnitude, unfolding its potential with every very second.
Singer Heidi Parviainen on Grim: “Our new album called Grim is a concept album like its predecessors, but Grim will start a new story line with a modern horror fantasy theme. Musically, Grim introduces a more modern sound and a taste of what's to come in the future - with a “Dark Sarah twist", of course. We're very happy about this album and it has been really fun to make. Also creating the new visual brand and the Grim world has been an adventure already!”
Tracklisting:
“My Name Is Luna”
“The Chosen One”
“Illuminate”
“Melancholia”
“Iceheart”
“La Folie Verte”
“The Wolf And The Maiden” (feat. JP Leppäluoto as Wolf)
“The Hex”
“All Ears!”
“The Devil’s Peak”
“Mörk” (feat. Jasse Jatala as Mörk)
“The Dark Throne”
"Melancholia" video:
Dark Sarah is:
Heidi Parviainen - vocals
Sami-Petri Salonen - guitar
Erkka Korhonen - guitar
Rude Rothstén - bass
Thomas Tunkkari - drums
Norway's avantgarde metal heroes ENSLAVED have released the official music video for their new single, "Homebound". The song is taken from the band's upcoming album, "Utgard", due in the fall via Nuclear Blast.
ENSLAVED will release "Homebound" as a limited-edition seven-inch vinyl, limited to 500 pieces, on June 26. The single title cut will be backed by a cover of the TNT song "Knights Of The Thunder".
The band states: "'Homebound' is about the greatest reward of exploring and travelling into unknown territory — to "go viking" if you will, turning homebound at the end of the journey. It is a song that takes ENSLAVED on a musical journey that is as much an homage to those who dared so we could play our very own style of music: from nurturing blackened roots to nodding at zeppelins in the sky, beholding teutonic thrash titans and watching speeding motorpsychos take off into the futures."
"Utgard" track listing:
01. Fires In The Dark
02. Jettegryta
03. Sequence
04. Homebound
05. Utgardr
06. Urjotun
07. Flight Of Thought And Memory
08. Storms Of Utgard
09. Distant Seasons
Regarding the "Utgard" album title, the band commented: "'Utgard' bears countless meanings to us; an image, metaphor, an esoteric 'location', a word on its own, etc. — on different levels and layers. From Norse mythology we know it as a landscape were the giants roam; where the gods of Asgard have no control; dangerous, chaotic, uncontrollable and where madness, creativeness, humor and chaos dwells.
"The album is a journey into and through 'Utgard'. It is a place of unification of that which is above and that which lies below. It is not about avoiding fear of the pitch-black darkness (it will keep on growing until the next confrontation), but to go into the darkness itself. This is the rebirth of the individual. In a world that has become so obsessed with the false lights of greed, jealousy and egotism this is a necessary journey.
"'Utgard' is not a fairytale, it is a vital part of both your mind and your surroundings, and it has been since the dawn of mankind. Acknowledging that this realm exists and is a vital part of the self, has inspired us deeply since the early days of our lives. Enjoy our journey to the outer limits."
ENSLAVED unveiled the "Utgard" album cover in a social media post in March. The band stated: "This is the 9th consecutive album cover artwork done by Truls Espedal — and like the album itself it is definitely on the wavelength of the long-distance pulse from the ENSLAVED generator. It is a piece of art that mirrors a massive concept and a band that is also more lyrically and philosophically inspired than ever before. That Truls is a master of his art is established a long time ago, but he has truly outdone himself on this interpretation of our Utgard. Just looking at how the colors and techniques are used to create the depth and grandiosity of the horizon. The perfect travelling companion into these uncharted territories."
Ôèíëÿíäèÿ
Everfrost
![=]](/img/news-bord-shr.gif){kind=small}
Äàíèÿ
Ãåðìàíèÿ
Âåëèêîáðèòàíèÿ
ÑØÀ
Áðàçèëèÿ
Ïîëüøà
Øâåöèÿ
Êàíàäà
Íîðâåãèÿ
