With tireless perseverance and distinct musical and production talent, the unrelenting ascent of top-charting modern nu metal stars Tetrarch has been palpable in the scene since the release of their first album, 2017's Freak, followed by their Napalm Records label debut, the highly-acclaimed Unstable, in 2021. Now, after three years of intensely focused growth, the band is thrilled to release their first taste of brand new music - launching their next unmissable era.
Today, Tetrarch's gripping new 90s industrial-injected anthem, "Live Not Fantasize", has fully impacted earth. Pummelling guitars and drums blend with intense electronic flourishes, as guitar icon for the new era Diamond Rowe deftly accents the eerie vocals of Josh Fore with quick riffage and a dynamic, spine-tingling guitar solo.
Partnered with a high-quality, energetic, story-driven music video, the track - co-produced by renowned producer Dave Otero, Diamond Rowe and Josh Fore - provides an intense preview for what's to come for Tetrarch in the new year.
Guitarist Diamond Rowe offers about the track and video: "We are extremely excited to release 'Live Not Fantasize' to the world. We had a lot of fun writing this song because of how heavy and aggressive it is, while still having a big catchy chorus that gets stuck in your head. This song is about never letting the negative feelings and thoughts in your mind define who you are and doing everything you can to get through tough times to find peace within yourself - so that you can live instead of dreaming of something better."
Watch the "Live Not Fantasize" video below. Stream/download the track here.
Fierce individuality and a fearless embrace of the outsider are at the heart of Tetrarch. Combining energetic modern musical aggression and lyrical honesty while organically and proudly honoring nu metal's foundations, the band leads the charge of the genre's new wave - appealing to fans both in and outside of the metal scene, and enthusiastically providing newcomers a gateway into heavy music.
The band’s tireless hard work and relentless determination has established them as one of the top newer bands in heavy music, catching the attention of major media, many in which lead guitarist Diamond Rowe was the first African American female lead guitarist from the heavy metal genre to be featured. Featured on Spotify playlists such as Kickass Metal, Rock Hard, New Blood and Metal Tracks, the band has also seen stellar support from Apple Music and their users, appearing on several additional playlists.
Tetrarch’s most recent album, Unstable, received massive critical acclaim. Upon release, Unstable's debut single, “I’m Not Right”, cracked the Mediabase Active Rock Top 30 and has garnered ove
Greek melodic metal outfit, InnerWish, have released the new single and video, "Sea Of Lies", featuring Blind Guardian's Hansi Kürsch. The track will be featured on the band's new album, Ash Of Eternal Flame, out on November 8 via RPM (Reigning Phoenix Music).
"It wasn't the 'Hansi song' in the beginning but there actually was no way around! And how couldn't it become that since Hansi Kürsch blessed it with his voice! We love 6/8-time songs, they come totally naturally out of us and this one might be our best one to date! Lyric-wise, it's about one of our times' biggest problems: immigration. The story's told from the perspective of a child, leaving home and warmth for an unknown destination and a probably dark future. The obstacles, the images, the thoughts - they're all shown through the child's eyes and mind. Sometimes people overlook this situation perhaps believing that it doesn't affect them or it's far from their future. But is it after all? Who's next in line? Children are the future. They all deserve the world. Nothing less!," state the group.
Drummer Franki Samoilis adds, "I've been a HUGE Blind Guardian fan since my teenage years, and so is our singer George. Having Hansi Kürsch lend his voice to one of our songs was a childhood dream come true. Thanks to my best friend, Sakis Fragos from Rock Hard Greece, we were able to make it happen. When Hansi sent us his recordings, it was a surreal moment - I was moved to tears. That voice, that presence...we are beyond honoured to have him on our album."
Stream the song here. The video, created by John Nikolopoulos, can be viewed below.
Ash Of Eternal Flame can be pre-ordered physically [ltd. CD-digipak or ltd. coloured vinyl], pre-saved on your favourite digital service provider (DSP), or pre-orderd digitally to receive "Sea Of Lies" feat. Hansi Kürsch instantly, here.
Ash Of Eternal Flame features two distinct cover designs by Giannis Nakos of Remedy Art Design (known for his work with Amaranthe, Kamelot, Arion, and more). The blue version is used for both the CD and digital formats, while the red version is reserved for the vinyl edition. The album includes twelve tracks (including a bonus cover version for physical formats), recorded at LoNe and Devasoundz Studios in Athens, Greece under the guidance of producer Fotis Benardo. Mixing and mastering were handled by award-winning engineer Henrik Udd, who has worked with acts like Hammerfall, Powerwolf, and Septicflesh.
With a diverse range of lyrical themes -- spanning social and global issues, personal struggles, mythology, and even fantasy -- InnerWish are poised to shine brighter than ever with Ash Of Eternal Flame. Musically, the album cements their legacy as a formidable force in the melodic metal scene.
Ash Of Eternal Flame tracklisting:
"Forevermore"
"Sea Of Lies"
"Higher"
"Soul Asunder"
"Primal Scream"
"Ash O
Symphonic metal veterans NIGHTWISH have released the official music video for "An Ocean Of Strange Islands", the third single from their upcoming album, "Yesterwynde", due on September 20, 2024 via Nuclear Blast. It marks the band's tenth studio LP, following on from the release of "Human. :II: Nature." in 2020.
NIGHTWISH keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen, who once again composed most of the material, states: "The song 'An Ocean Of Strange Islands' gives you sheer heaviness with its massive guitars, epic orchestrations and phenomenal vocals by Floor Jansen. Classic NIGHTWISH at its best! 'An Ocean Of Strange Islands' takes us on the ultimate musical island-hopping adventure, reminding the adventurer that happiness is most joyous when shared."
Holopainen previously said about the new NIGHTWISH LP: "'Yesterwynde' took more time to make than any previous NIGHTWISH album. The new album was intensively worked on for three and a half years. My ambition and piety really skyrocketed, and I just couldn't let go of the creative process — and didn't want to. Along the way, 'Yesterwynde' became both an exhilarating obsession and a comforting haven for me. All aspects of the making — compositions, lyrics, arrangements, cover art, videos, mixing and so on — were given more attention than ever before."
The result? There's a fascinating, but inexplicable feeling that NIGHTWISH has once again been able to find unprecedented nuances, spices and perspectives in their new works after a career of nine classic albums.
"'Yesterwynde' is an experience that takes time to digest," Holopainen explains. "The gravid ingredients of the songs are easily recognizable, but beneath the surface lies a large number of intriguing details and features."
He continues: "It's interesting – but not surprising – that 'Yesterwynde' has attracted quite a variety of opinions. Some have stated that it is the most 'band' record to date. For some it appears to be the heaviest and most ominous NIGHTWISH release. It has also been called our most progressive album. And the list goes on."
And what does Tuomas think of it himself?
"To me, 'Yesterwynde' sounds, tastes and feels strongly like the true essence of NIGHTWISH — enriched with new moods and flavors."
The lyrics of "Yesterwynde" deal with large-sized universal themes: memories, mortality, humanism, time and much more. "The new album is the conclusion of the trilogy — textually, it follows in the footsteps of its predecessors 'Endless Forms Most Beautiful' and 'Human. :II: Nature.'," Holopainen says. "At the same time, 'Yesterwynde' is the band's most lyrically driven album: our music has never been so 'married' to the lyrics. So here's a tip: if something in the composition puzzles you, the words might clear it up."
"For me, one of the key lines is 'we are because of a million loves' — taken from the song 'Perfume Of The Timeless'," he continues, "Each of us is part of an unbroken chain that stretches back billions of years. If even one of your ancestors had died too young — mauled by a cave bear, for example — during this incredibly long period of time, you would never have been born. In other words: our existence is such an unfathomable privilege."
What does the term "yesterwynde" mean? Tuomas says: "It describes a feeling that cannot be found in any human language. That's why we had to invent a whole new word. The album is supposed to open that feeling to the listener."
Without taking anything away from the solid delivery of guitarist Emppu Vuorinen, drummer Kai Hahto, bassist Jukka Koskinen and multi-instrumentalist/singer Troy Donockley, it might be worth highlighting one fact: the performance of the eloquent storyteller Floor Jansen is once again unparalleled. It is simply breathtaking how the singer is able to make songs fly with her performance.
"Floor's second child was born just over a month ago, and we hadn't rehearsed together at all... So it was a little nerve-wracking to go to Floor's home studio for vocal recordings," Tuomas says. "Well, what happened? We had booked twelve working days and after six days everything was completed in style. Floor's preparedness for the sessions was something extreme."
After the recordings and mixing process, there was one more working phase. Mastering. Could you possibly guess that no shortcuts were taken at this point either?
"The album was mastered seven times until we reached the finish line — one hundred percent satisfied,", states Tuomas. "When the record was eventually finished, a three-year, extremely inspiring adventure had come to an end. I felt very, very happy."
NIGHTWISH's next steps are clear. And they are not the most common ones.
"NIGHTWISH will not go on a world tour this time," Tuomas says. "This was a decision made for personal reasons. But don't worry... Our contract with Nuclear Blast Records includes several albums, and there's plenty of motivation to create new music!"
"Yesterwynde" track listing:
01. Yesterwynde
02. An Ocean Of Strange Islands
03. The Antikythera Mechanism
04. The Day Of...
05. Perfume Of The Timeless
06. Sway
07. The Children Of 'Ata
08. Something Whispered Follow Me
09. Spider Silk
10. Hiraeth
11. The Weave
12. Lanternlight
"Human. :II: Nature." was released in April 2020. The follow-up to 2015's "Endless Forms Most Beautiful" was a double album containing nine tracks on the main CD and one long track, divided into eight chapters, on CD 2.
In August 2022, NIGHTWISH announced the addition of Jukka Koskinen (WINTERSUN) as an official member of the band. Koskinen, who made his live debut with NIGHTWISH in May 2021 at the band's two interactive experiences, had spent the previous year touring with NIGHTWISH as a session musician.
In November 2022, Jansen revealed that she was "cancer free" after undergoing surgery to have a tumor removed following a breast cancer diagnosis.
Photo credit: Tim Tronckoe (courtesy of Nuclear Blast)
Platinum-certified rock band 311 is back with the announcement of its highly anticipated 14th studio album, "Full Bloom", out October 25.
In celebration, the band has released a new song and visualizer for "Need Somebody". The track speaks to avoiding isolation and staying connected with the people that love you.
With more than 10 million records sold in just the United States alone, the group has never been hotter. Having just wrapped a successful headlining U.S. run of their "Unity Tour", one of the most successful tours of the band's 34-year history, the group is known to emphasize the importance of community through the lens of communication and connection.
"Full Bloom" is 311's first full-length project in five years, following their album "Voyager" in 2019. Their first single off the album, "You're Gonna Get It", is the band's highest-charting song in 13 years, breaking into the top 15 at Alternative Radio. The introspective track reflecting upon the realization that all actions have consequences, even if they aren't immediate, has over one million streams since its release this summer.
311 states: "We hope fans can take from this album 311's message of positivity and unity. In today's world, it's so easy to become alienated by the pressures of everyday life. Whether it's social media, stress at work, an illness, the list goes on. It's so important to stay open with your loved ones and community so we can all thrive in full bloom" shares the band.
"Full Bloom" track listing:
01. You're Gonna Get It
02. Need Somebody
03. Full Bloom
04. Friend
05. Mountain Top
06. New Heights
07. Days Go By
08. Persimmon
09. All You've Seen
10. Braver
The band has entered a renaissance and continues to bloom fully. This year alone, the band sold out the biannual 311 cruise in under 24 hours that will set sail in March 2025. The 30th-anniversary reissue of their 1994 album "Grassroots" saw a 40,000% surge in sales, reentering Billboard's list of best-selling albums at No. 34 with the vinyl charting at No. 11. The group also toured Japan for the first time in 10 years, along with a massive tour of Europe that included top-selling festivals and headline shows in Europe. This was their first time back in the region in 20 years, and will be returning to Australia for the Good Things festival and Jakarta for Everblast festival.
311 was formed in 1990 in Omaha, Nebraska, featuring Nick Hexum (vocals/guitar),Chad Sexton (drums),Tim Mahoney (guitar),SA Martinez (vocals/DJ) and P-Nut (bass).
311 mixes rock, rap, reggae and funk into their own unique, hybrid sound — and 33 years later, the band is still regarded as one of the most entertaining and dynamic live bands in the U.S.
As veterans of over 2,000 shows across 27 countries, 311 is one of the longest-running original lineups in rock, alongside iconic acts like U2 and RADIOHEAD.
311's celebrated live shows and touring schedule have earned them a vast and dedicated following nationwide. Their annual, headlining, amphitheater show is a staple of the U.S. summer touring season. Past support acts include THE OFFSPRING, SNOOP DOGG, SUBLIME WITH ROME, CYPRESS HILL, SLIGHTLY STOOPID, DIRTY HEADS, THE ROOTS, MATISYAHU and Ziggy Marley.
311 have released thirteen studio albums, two greatest-hits albums, two live albums, three DVDs and a box set, and have sold over nine million records in the U.S.
Ten albums have reached the Top 10 on the Billboard 200 sales chart — and nine of their singles have reached the Top 10 on Billboard's Alternative Radio chart — including three No. 1 singles: "Down", "Love Song" and "Don't Tread On Me" — along with "Amber", "All Mixed Up", "Come Original", "Creatures For Awhile", "Hey You" and "Sunset In July".
Claustrofobia’s latest album, Unleeched, hit physical and digital store racks on September 13, 2024. Get your copy now at this location.
“We have a new video clip for the track ‘The Encrypted’, which is the second song off Unleeched,’ and it's the heaviest, grooving track on the album. There is a curious story about the shooting day of this video,” elaborates singer / guitarist Marcus D’Angelo. “We recorded it on the same day as the video for ‘Stronger Than Faith’ in Nelson Ghost Town, an abandoned gold mine located just 45 minutes from Las Vegas, and then we decided to do an extra take in a different spot, but the photography and background was too different from what we had been doing. Someone mentioned, you could shoot another song in this spot. We looked at each other and said, why not? We switched t-shirts, chose the ‘The Encrypted’ song and improvised everything on the spot without any pre-production or ideas. It was all very spontaneous and we were extremely pleased with the results. Caio D'Angelo, our drummer, edited it and this pure art happened.”
Unleeched was produced, mixed and mastered by Adair Daufembach (Angra, Cadaver, Tony MacAlpine) with cover artwork by Alcides Burn.
“The first step in our partnership with M-Theory Audio will be the reissue of the album Unleeched, including two bonus tracks – ‘Riff Cult’ and ‘Força além da Força’ which is a Portuguese version of Pantera's ‘Strength Beyond Strength’,” explains Marcus. “We composed and recorded this album during the pandemic, and all that atmosphere of uncertainty, fear and faith were crucial to finishing the work. For the first time we used clean vocals on a song, we brought Marc Rizzo [Soulfly, Cavalera Conspiracy, Ill Nino guitarist] as a guest player. This album is very brutal but there are lots of emotions on it. I consider it our most inspired album ever because the band was united and solid.”
Tracklisting:
"Stronger Than Faith"
"The Encrypted"
"Neuro Massacre"
"Psychosapiens"
"Corrupted Self"
"Unleeched"
"Snake Head"
"Crawling Back To Yourself"
"2020 (March To Glory)"
"Riff Cult" *Bonus Track
"Forca Alem da Forca" ("Strength Beyond Strength" - Pantera Cover) *Bonus Track
“We are about to hit the road with Sepultura, Obituary and Agnostic Front and 80% of our set will be focused on the new album, Unleeched, which is gonna be at the merch booth, available on CD and Cassette. We count on your support. Don't expect anything but our best. See you on the road," says Claustrofobia.
Dates:
September
17 - Chicago, IL - ConcordMusic Hall
18 - Minneapolis, MN - UptownTheater
20 - Denver, CO - The Ogden Theater
21 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Depot
22 - Boise, ID - Knitting Factory
23 - Seattle, WA - The Showbox SODO
25 - San Francisco, CA - The Warfield
26 - Los Angeles, CA - The Novo
27 - San Diego, CA - House Of Blues
28 - Tucson, AZ - RialtoTheatre
30 - Dallas, TX - The Factory
October
2 - Tampa, FL - JannusLive
3 - Atlanta, GA - Buckhead Theater
4 - Raleigh, NC - The Ritz
5 - Baltimore, MD - Rams Head Live
6 - Philadelphia, PA - Franklin Music Hall
8 - Cleveland, OH - The Agora Ballroom
9 - Toronto, ON - Rebel*
10 - Montreal, QC - L’Olympia*
11 - Worcester, MA @The Palladium
12 - New York, NY - The PalladiumTimes Square
Canadian singer, songwriter and producer Devin Townsend has released the official music video for his new single, "Jainism". The track is taken from his upcoming studio album, "PowerNerd", which is due on October 25.
Devin comments: "This next song was based on my connection to music in the mid-'90s. Also the idea of what it means to rend yourself artistically to an unresponsive world in 2024. I referenced THE WILDHEARTS in the chorus, as Ginger is one of our generation's greatest songwriters.
"In preparation for 'The Moth', 'PowerNerd' is meant to look back and celebrate the past before moving forward. Thank you for the support…back to work here :)".
Earlier this month, Devin released a new video in which he explained the inspiration for the "PowerNerd" title. He said: "'PowerNerd' is essentially a manifesto of working through the problems that you face in life. And the definition of it had originally been — there are certain personality traits or proclivities that one may have that perhaps society deems as being a weakness, whether or not that's empathy or hypersensitivity or something. And to people who don't have those sorts of aspects of their personality, certain things can be taken for granted, as it's, like, 'Oh, it's easy to do that,' 'It's easy to go out in public,' 'It's easy to socialize,' whatever. But if these aren't things that are part of your psychological makeup, it's sometimes effort just leaving the house. So a powernerd, in a sense is — the definition that I at least adhere to — you turn those tendencies into a superpower. So if you're hypersensitive, your hypersensitivity becomes your superpower. It's about harnessing it, so it doesn't get imposed on others, of course, but at the same time, to be able to recognize the ways in which you're different and not view that as being a liability, but rather view it as being a strength. That's the definition of 'powernerd'."
Townsend's career is one of many distinct eras. He's been the leader of STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, the lynchpin of the DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT and the co-architect of country duo CASUALTIES OF COOL, all while maintaining his prolific and lauded solo project. Now, the polymath's newest era starts with "PowerNerd".
"It was a conscious thing," Devin said of his brand-new album, the music on which he wrote in just 11 days. "I thought, 'I've spent so much time overthinking every aspect of my work — what would happen if I didn't?' Maybe I would have the opportunity to be a bit more direct with what it is that I'm trying to do. I really wanted to see if I could cut through some of the meandering."
A song that embodies that is the album's title track, which features a guest spot from HATEBREED's Jamey Jasta. You can watch the video for that high-speed rampage of a song below.
However, that aggression is far from the only thing to come from "PowerNerd"'s 11 episodic tracks. "Dreams Of Light", by comparison, is an evocative and dynamic four-minute ballad. "Younger Lover" calms down from an explosive opening to lush verses of synths and singing, whereas "Falling Apart" and "Jainism" add texture after texture on top of dulcet, acoustic introductions.
Where "PowerNerd"'s music was written in less than a fortnight, its lyrics were refined over a far longer period of time into a narrative about strength and healing. On "Falling Apart", Devin commands himself to "keep the tension under control." "You've got to believe that things will only get better," subsequent song "Gratitude" powerfully declares. These uplifting messages even play into the record's title.
Devin previously offered as a definition: "I would say that a powernerd would be somebody that has a tendency that society has deemed weak or not valuable, whether that's empathy or being an insular person or an introvert, and turns that into a type of personal power. It's like, 'Okay, yeah, I'm sensitive to this, that and the other thing, but man, I am going to pull through! I am going to do things with that sensitivity that are rooted in strength.'"
"PowerNerd" will be available on several different formats, including a limited 2CD+Blu-ray artbook (featuring the album, bonus tracks and Devin's first-ever Dolby Atmos mix),limited 2CD digipak in O-card, standard CD, gatefold 2LP and digital album.
The full track listing for "PowerNerd" is as follows:
The album's artwork was created by longtime collaborator Travis Smith.
As well as express strength through adversity, "PowerNerd" will open the door to Devin's immediate future. Its positivity and succinctness will soon be contrasted by follow-up "The Moth" — described by Devin as "orchestral, over-the-top, dark and uncomfortable" — and the "alien weirdness" of finale "Axolotl". Both efforts have already been written, and together the trilogy will express the mind-boggling range of this man's musical talent.
"PowerNerd" recording lineup:
Devin Townsend - Vocals, Guitars, Synths, Bass and Computer
Darby Todd - Drums
Diego Tejeida - Keyboards, Synths
Mike Keneally - Additional Keyboards
Jean Savoie - Additional Bass
Aman Khosla - Additional Vocals
Tanya Ghosh - Additional Vocals
Jamey Jasta - Additional Vocals
CREED and ALTER BRIDGE guitarist/songwriter Mark Tremonti will release the sixth album from his solo band TREMONTI, "The End Will Show Us How", on January 10, 2025 via longtime partner Napalm Records. The official music video for the LP's second single, "The Mother, The Earth And I", can be seen below.
"The Mother, The Earth And I" is a personal favorite of Mark's and sets the tone for what fans can expect from the rest of the album. The song talks about the connection that all people have to the planet Earth regardless of personal differences. The song is now available via all digital service providers. The visually captivating music video depicts the message of the song with cinematic visuals created by director J.T. Ibanez (SEVENDUST, HAWTHORNE HEIGHTS, LOVELESS).
Tremonti explains about the message of the song: "Throughout mankind, everyone has fought over things like power, religion, and their beliefs. One side believes it's right and everyone else is wrong. No matter what you believe in though, we all belong to the earth. You can always fall back on its beauty."
With a musical catalog that includes 18 previously released full-length albums from his work with CREED, ALTER BRIDGE and various solo endeavors, Tremonti is back with a collection of 12 original compositions that continues his musical evolution while showcasing his ability to write memorable songs — something he has done for nearly three decades. Mark is backed in TREMONTI by Eric Friedman (guitars),Tanner Keegan (bass) and Ryan Bennett (drums). Each song on "The End Will Show Us How" will take the listener on a journey as Mark set out to create an album of a dozen individual compositions each unique from the other. The debut single "Just Too Much" is a perfect example of this. The song opens with a driving guitar riff — the basis for the entire song — as Mark delivers the message to keep pushing forward no matter what adversity is in front of you. An official music video for the single directed by J.T. Ibanez can be seen below.
TREMONTI's musicianship and songwriting is on full display on each song on "The End Will Show Us How". Tracks like the opener "The Mother, The Earth And I" the thought-provoking "It's Not Over" and the epic closer "All The Wicked Things" show that Mark continues to create compositions that continue to engage audiences — both old and new fans alike. "Nails" is a musical idea that Mark has had for years and finally found the inspiration to complete. "Tomorrow We Will Fail" is an inspirational piece that talks about not putting off until tomorrow something you can conquer today. "Now That I've Made It" is a message for anyone who has ever had anyone doubt them and try to hold them back from following their dreams. "The End Will Show Us How" was produced by longtime friend and collaborator Michael "Elvis" Baskette — the producer Mark has worked with exclusively since 2007.
The track listing for "The End Will Show Us How" is:
01. The Mother, The Earth And I
02. One More Time
03. Just Too Much
04. Nails
05. It's Not Over
06. The End Will Show Us How
07. Tomorrow We Will Fail
08. I'll Take My Chances
09. The Bottom
10. Live In Fear
11. Now That I've Made It
12. All The Wicked Things
Mark Tremonti is currently on tour across the United States with the recently reunited CREED. TREMONTI will tour around the globe in support of "The End Will Show Us How" in 2025.
After three decades, 18 full-length albums, and thousands of shows, Tremonti continues to relentlessly push himself as a guitarist, a vocalist, and a songwriter, above all. This unstoppable drive has underscored his catalog earmarked by a Grammy Award, cumulative streams in the billions, and total sales of 60 million units worldwide across his inexhaustible output with CREED, ALTER BRIDGE and solo band TREMONTI. Distinguished as Guitar World's "Guitarist Of The Decade," selected as a flagship PRS endorsee, and celebrated on the covers of numerous publications worldwide, he approaches the guitar with an insatiable curiosity and innate need to create. At the same time, he constantly stretches his voice, reaching new heights with each subsequent project. His voice, writing, and playing have supercharged TREMONTI as a force in its own right. The band has delivered a string of celebrated releases, including "All I Was" (2012),"Cauterize" (2015),"Dust" (2016),"A Dying Machine" (2019) accompanied by an acclaimed novel of the same name co-written by Mark with John Shirley, and "Marching In Time" (2021). Earning acclaim, Kerrang! hailed the latter as "another worthy chapter in its creator's well-populated book," and American Songwriter praised how "'Marching In Time' is structured around denser melodies and reflective epistles prodding around chunkier riffs." Loudwire applauded the title track as "hypnotically epic," and Guitar World readers voted "Now And Forever" as "The Best Riff of 2021."
LINKIN PARK played its new single, "The Emptiness Machine", live on last night's (Tuesday, September 17) episode of "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon". Video of the performance can be seen below.
"The Emptiness Machine" was released earlier in the month. The track will appear on LINKIN PARK's upcoming album "From Zero", which will arrive on November 15 via Warner. It will mark LINKIN PARK's first full-length effort since 2017's "One More Light", which was the last LINKIN PARK album before the death of lead vocalist Chester Bennington.
LINKIN PARK played the second concert of its comeback mini-tour Monday night (September 16) at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The show featured LINKIN PARK performing a two-hour set on a high-tech stage shaped like an aircraft carrier, allowing for a unique production as well as a greater-than-usual number of tickets sold at the venue.
As was the case with LINKIN PARK's September 5 one-hour global livestream of a concert in Los Angeles and the September 11 concert at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, the Brooklyn gig showcased new singer Emily Armstrong and drummer Colin Brittain, who have joined returning members Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson, Dave "Phoenix" Farrell and Joe Hahn in the band's new lineup. Guitarist Alex Feder was filling in for Delson for the livestream and the Kia Forum and Barclays Center shows and will continue to tour with LINKIN PARK for the foreseeable future instead of Delson.
The Los Angeles and Brooklyn concerts were the first two nights of a short international tour that will be followed by stops in Hamburg, Germany; London; Seoul; and Bogota, Colombia. A longer tour is promised for 2025.
In an interview with Billboard about LINKIN PARK's comeback, Shinoda explained that drummer Rob Bourdon — who had founded the band with Mike and Brad — had decided to exit LP.
"Rob had said to us at a point, I guess it was a few years ago now, that he wanted to put some distance between himself and the band," Shinoda said. "And we understood that — it was already apparent. He was starting to just show up less, be in less contact, and I know the fans noticed it too. The 'Hybrid Theory' re-release [in 2020] and 'Papercuts' release [this April], he didn't show up for anything. So for me, as a friend, that was sad, but at the same time, I want him to do whatever makes him happy, and obviously everybody wishes him the best."
According to a press release, Shinoda, Delson, Farrell and Hahn "quietly began meeting up again in recent years" and "rather than 'trying to restart the band,'" they worked with numerous musicians and "found a special kinship with Armstong and Brittain."
Regarding the band's new lineup and future plans, Shinoda said in a statement: "Before LINKIN PARK, our first band name was XERO. This album title refers to both this humble beginning and the journey we’re currently undertaking. Sonically and emotionally, it is about past, present, and future — embracing our signature sound, but new and full of life. It was made with a deep appreciation for our new and longtime bandmates, our friends, our family, and our fans. We are proud of what LINKIN PARK has become over the years, and excited about the journey ahead."
"The Emptiness Machine" is said to "channel the DNA of LINKIN PARK." Shinoda said the band feels "really empowered with this new lineup and the vibrant and energized new music we've made together," adding that they are "weaving together the sonic touchpoints we've been known for and still exploring new ones."
EXTREME has released the official music video for the song "Save Me". The track is taken from the band's latest album, "Six", which came out in June 2023 via earMUSIC.
EXTREME guitarist Nuno Bettencourt comments: "This video was shot with a very claustrophobic feel to show the raw emotion of the heavy subject matter of the song. It was important to shoot it this way to create a lack of oxygen in a black void as if 'we' are the voices in your heads… in our own heads, to visually put across the psychological battle of whispers and screams we have all dealt with in coping with life's challenges."
Gary Cherone's schizophrenic vocals in the verses is the dark narrator in our heads, taunting and pushing us to a dangerous edge… whereas in the refrain, his impassioned plea — "Save me from myself / Save me from this hell…" — is our voice that is screaming in our heads but often painfully silent on the outside.
Nuno explains: "The viewer sometimes can't tell where one face ends and the other begins. Like we are small pieces of a human jigsaw puzzle… with one rule… that we will never see the full finished puzzle."
Reaching a crescendo with Nuno's stinging solo, the video ultimately ends in a dark place, but as Nuno and Gary intended, it is a song of hope… in a dark reality.
"YOU ARE NOT ALONE. There is always someone to call when all seems hopeless," they say.
"Six" landed at position No. 10 on Billboard's Top Album Sales chart with first-week sales of 12,500 copies. The set marked the band's first studio album since 2008. The act was last in the Top 10 with "III Sides To Every Story", which debuted and peaked at No. 10 back in October 1992.
Last year, Nuno told Tiago Ribeiro, that he was thrilled with how "Six" turned out. "I would put our album up against anybody's album; I feel that confident," Nuno said. "And I think the album itself — never mind me or EXTREME — if I heard that album and it wasn't us, I would think the same way I think about the album now. I think it belongs there. I think it's a well-made album. I think the songs are there. I think that the musicianship, the chemistry and the guitar playing. But I think, more importantly, what's really there and what people are connecting with is the mythology of rock and roll. I think that's really what's missing a lot in guitar-driven music, is that…
"I think when people saw a guitar player that's in a band with songs and arrangements and the videos and everything, it was almost like seeing something that… People are saying it's so fresh, but for us, it's, like, this is like going back for us," he explained. "This is more of a reminder than it is anything else that you can still be passionate and have fire and do all those things. And the people are letting us know that they're starved — they're starved for rock and roll like this, I think."
Last September, Nuno told American Musical Supply about the long delay in getting "Six" released: "The recording [of 'Six'], a lot of people are saying like, 'Man, [it took] 15 years,' obviously, minus a few of the handmaid's tale years, pandemic years. But the album itself probably, if you add it up, it took the same length as an album takes to record. It didn’t take 15 years to record the album. It's just that we probably had, like, three albums' worth of material. The guys kept coming out to L.A., and we would do a crop of songs, and we'd write another crop of songs or record another couple crop of songs."
Bettencourt went on to say that he and his EXTREME bandmates had "set a bar" for themselves. "You really have to be super proud and super excited to share your music with anybody, even if it's your brother or it's your family member or if it's Tom Morello that you happen to know," he explained. "Once you have that feeling of, 'Would you play these songs in front of your peers?', then you kind of know you got something there and you're ready to go."
The Commoners announce the release of their title track single “Restless”, available on all streaming platforms from Friday, September 13th. The single is taken from their critically acclaimed third studio album Restless; available from TheCommoners.ca.
Watch the official music video for the new single “Restless”:
In support of their new single, The Commoners will hit the road for a major tour in November through December ‘24 across Europe and The UK opening for Canadian music heavyweights The Sheepdogs, rounding out the year with a coveted slot at Planet Rockstock Festival on December 1st. From the speakers to the stage, one thing is certain: The Commoners are ushering in a party rock renaissance, and we’re all invited.
Tickets for all concerts are available here. Confirmed dates are as listed:
November
8 - Groove – Portugalete, Spain
9 - Outono Codax Festival – Santiago de Compostela, Spain *
10 - Sala Mon Live – Madrid, Spain *
11 - LA Nau – Barcelona, Spain *
13 - Strom – Munich, Germany *
14 - Beatpol – Dresden, Germany *
15 - Frannz – Berlin, Germany *
17 - Bahnhof Pauli – Hamburg, Germany *
18 - HeadQuarters – Aarhus, Denmark *
20 - Debaser – Stockholm, Sweden *
21 - John Dee – Oslo, Norway *
22 - Loppen – Copenhagen, Denmark *
24 - Binnenzaal at De Oosterport – Groningen, Netherlands *
25 - Tivoli Vredenburg – Utrecht, Netherlands *
26 - Luxor – Cologne, Germany *
27 - Badaboum – Paris, France *
29 - The Carlisle – Hastings, UK
30 - Strange Brew – Bristol, UK *
December
1 - Planet Rockstock Festival – Trecco Bay, Wales
2 - Oran Mor – Glasgow, Scotland *
4 - Brudenell Social Club – Leeds, UK *
5 - Islington Assembly Hall – London, UK *
6 - Moonshine Club – Portsmouth, UK
7 - TBA - Wolverhampton, UK
* denotes special guests to The Sheepdogs
The Commoners are experiencing great success with their current album, Restless. The album features ten tracks that grip and groove. The band continues to provide listeners with a hearty dose of Southern-style swagger with every guitar slide, organ swell, and vocal stamp.
Riding high off the strength of their second album, Find A Better Way, the last two years have been a whirlwind for the band. From a UK tour with Grammy-nominated duo Samantha Fish and Jesse Dayton in the fall of 2023, to headline dates across Europe and Britain this year, The Commoners are a must-see act.
Possessing a sound tapped from the oaken belly of a whiskey barrel, The Commoners are a five-piece roots rock band from Toronto, Canada. Offering their own blend of a tried-and-true musical mixture, the group pepper their sound with high-energy riffs, soulful vocals, and rich harmonies that takes the listener on a journey through a Southern-style rock experience.
The band is a culmination of like-minded musicians who have bonded over their love of the classics. All seasoned performers in the Canadian music scene, Chris Medhurst (lead vocals, guitar), Ben Spiller (bass, vocals), Ross Hayes Citrullo (lead guitar), Adam Cannon (drums, vocals), and Miles Evans-Branagh (keys, vocals) have united under a shared dream: to write and perform music; an authentic nod to the greats who paved the way before them.
“The Black Crowes and Led Zeppelin are big influences for us,” says Commoners lead singer, Chris Medhurst. “Derek Trucks, Marcus King, and the Allman Brothers, as well. These are the bands that we wear on our sleeves as we continue to evolve and create our own music.”
Channelling their deep respect and admiration for roots rock trailblazers, The Commoners also incorporate rhythmic stylings inspired by Motown and Soul’s groove masters. The keystone of their unique blend is lead singer, Chris Medhurst’s emotive vocal style, akin to Burton Cummings and Paul Rodgers, with a dash of Sam Cooke and Otis Redding.
A natural evolution from their 2022 album Find A Better Way, Restless offers a peek behind the curtain of success, revealing the grueling routines and ragged emotions that hide behind the glamorous aesthetic of a rock band on the rise. With introspective, slower-tempo numbers pocketed amongst rip-roaring anthems, the new album is a portrait of a hardworking group revitalizing a classic genre.
Tracklisting:
"Devil Teasin’ Me"
"Shake You Off"
"The Way I Am"
"Restless"
"Gone Without Warning"
"Who Are You (Ain't Knocked Down)"
"Body And Soul"
"See You Again"
"Too Soon To Know You"
"All That We Have"
Polish blackened death group Ephialtes shares a brand new music video for their single "To The Victims of Sirens", available now from the band’s upcoming debut album Melas Oneiros, out November 1 via Black Lion Records. Pre-orders can be placed here.
Produced and directed by CMS – Creative Media Solution, the video was filmed on location at Fort Prusy Nysa and Moto Fort Nysa.
"The song, "To The Victims Of Sirens', draws upon a story from Homer's 'Odyssey' - our titular protagonist, Odysseus, trying to reach home after the Trojan war and lands upon the island of Sirens. Their beautiful, mesmerizing voices lead sailors to their doom, causing them to crash their ships and drown in the process. While Odysseus commanded his crew to stuff their ears with wax as a protection and ordered them to tie him to the mast of the ship, in the song our character falls victim to the Sirens’ deceiving singing and ultimately shares the abysmal fate of men that came there before him," reads a statement fromm Ephialtes.
Ephialtes’ debut album, Melas Oneiros, is aggressive, anthem-laden melodic blackened death metal with a traditional heavy metal feel to it. A peculiar, explosive blend that the band itself decided to call heavy metal of death.
The name of the band derives from the ancient Greek word "ephiáltēs", meaning "nightmare", which in turn derives from the "ephàllomai", composed of two elements: "epí" (upon, on) plus “állomai” (assault, climb, uphill, jumping, jump) because, in reference to a popular belief, the nightmares were nicknamed "one who climbed over the body of the dormant."
Tracklist
"Ad Patres" (intro)
"To The Victims Of Sirens"
"In Her Embrace Again"
"The Void"
"Children Of Arachne"
"Homo Deus"
"The Blood Of The Gods"
"Pulvis Et Umbra Sumus"
Swedish hard rockers, Seventh Crystal, are thrilled to announce the release of their third studio album, Entity, set for release on November 8 via Frontiers Music Srl.
To mark the occasion, the band shares the first single and accompanying video, “Path Of The Absurd”. Watch the video below, and pre-order Entity here.
Describing the new single, the band had to say the following: “Have you ever been to a concert, or maybe visited a beautiful natural monument and thought, “Am I the only one experiencing this right here and now?” Everyone's looking at the world through a camera- or a smartphone screen, trying to get online affirmation, likes and reactions. No one is really living in the moment. 'Path Of The Absurd' is about getting caught in that web, pun intended. Addictive, quick impulses that trigger the reward system and then you're stuck. You become an asset to the system, and not the other way around...”
Seventh Crystal also explain the concept of the album: “We live in an age of social media, AI, filter bubbles and sensational headlines by unknown writers. Disinformation controls the masses and creates multiple truths where the reality remains unknown. The development of technology is largely about solving problems and fulfilling human needs. But can it also lead to the opposite and become its own master with humans as its subjects? A kind of being, an "Entity". “Entity” is a depiction of past and present in which this particular development is at the centre. “For good or bad?”, “Under or out of control?” - the listener is the one who gets to decide."
Seventh Crystal, who stormed on the melodic rock scene in 2021 since their debut album Delirium, with this third full-length work, Entity, take everything up a major level (or two, really).
The album sees the band exploring and expanding different genres, bringing their melodic rock formula, to progressive rock fields, sometimes little heavier and back to their unique rock style.
Seventh Crystal is a melodic hard rock band from Gothenburg formed by Kristian Fyhr in 2019. What started as a solo project by Kristian, quickly grew into a larger endeavour when Johan Älvsång and Olof Gadd joined the project. Shortly after, Anton Roos and Emil Dornerus also joined the band, completing the initial lineup.
In 2020, the band signed a deal with Frontiers Records and released their debut album Delirium in 2021, making waves all around the world. Due to the guitar-heavy parts on the album, the band realized that they needed one more guitarist to be able to perform the songs live. Gustav Linde, an old friend of Anton Roos, took on the job, and the band began to work on their slightly more guitar-oriented follow-up album, Wonderland.
Wonderland was released in 2023, alongside the Infinity EP, establishing the band as an act to be reckoned with. During the fall, Johan Älvsång decided to step aside, and the band continued as a five-piece into the recordings of a third album.
Drawing inspiration from a variety of genres, from soft rock to hard-hitting heavy metal, Seventh Crystal showcase a diverse range of musical expression. The band aims to be authentic and serve as an inspiration, outlet, and escape for their audience. Their sound is characterised by bombastic productions, catchy hooks, and dramatic and emotional melodies.
Entity tracklisting:
"Oathbreaker"
"Thirteen To One"
"404"
"Path Of The Absurd"
"Architects Of Light"
"Interlude"
"Blinded By The Light"
"Siren Song"
"Versus"
"Mayflower"
"Push Comes To Shove"
"A Place Called Home"
"Song Of The Brave"
Swedish heavy rockers Bombus share their latest single “Killer”, the first track from their upcoming album Your Blood, out November 1st on Black Lodge Records.
Known for their powerful blend of metal, punk, and classic rock, on "Killer", Bombus once again pushes sonic boundaries delivering a raw, high-energy anthem that perfectly captures their signature sound. Fire up your reptile brain and blast this "Killer" track straight into your earballs here.
With Your Blood, Bombus ventures down a somewhat different path than before, marking the dawn of a fresh musical chapter. Yet fans need not worry; the essence of the band remains intact. The new album is classic Bombus with a twist — a blend of heavy metal and classic rock, layered with modern elements that reveal a band expanding its sonic horizons. While introducing a more melodic side not previously featured, the band's core sound — heavy, raw, and unmistakably Bombus — persists.
"We decided early to record Your Blood ourselves, without external influences," the band explains. This self-reliance allowed for a meticulous and unhurried recording process, with each member deeply involved. The production, handled by Petter Lithvall at Stigbergstudion, achieves a dynamic sound — thick, beefy bottoms, crispy highs, and punchy mids — all while maintaining clarity and space.
Still resonating with the band's foundational influences like WASP, Motörhead, and Metallica, Your Blood introduces hints of Sisters Of Mercy and Queens Of The Stone Age, merging with a classic rock vibe. The result is a Bombus that feels familiar yet refreshingly new, embodying what could be described as "metal 'n' roll."
Your Blood artwork and tracklisting:
"Killer"
"The One"
"No Rules"
"Take You Down"
"Your Blood"
"The Beast"
"Leave And Let Die"
"Carmina"
Hungarian avant-garde metal band Thy Catafalque will release their new album XII: A Gyönyörü Álmok Ezután Jönnek on November 15 via Season Of Mist Records. A new music video described as “morbid” for "Mindenevő" (directed by G13 Film, screenplay by Viktória Varga).
Tamás Kátai has a vision that extends far beyond his native Hungary, but Thy Catafalque’s twelfth album is tied to the past in more ways than one.
Whereas his previous album returned to the heavier days of Thy Catafalque, XII takes Kátai on a more figurative journey. The album unfolds like a dark night of the soul, whisked away by the dreamy-yet-haunting opener “Piros kocsi, fekete éj”.
“Run with me, life / Whisper the tales”, Attila Bakos sings in Hungarian. His cleans soar over the airwaves, reappearing with ease 15 years after he first joined Thy Catafalque for the project’s underground breakout Róka Hasa Rádió.
More old friends join Kátai on this journey. A gyönyöru álmok ezután jönnek features 20+ guest musicians, including familiar faces from inside and outside of the Hungarian metal scene. Violins, cello and clarinet bring the comforts of home. Still, the road can be quite harsh.
“Mindenevo” is consumed with humanity’s self-destructive appetite, fueled by mechanized blast beats and distorted downpicking that recalls the fiery black metal from which Thy Catafalque was originally forged in 1998.
Hungarian history looms behind the album’s most crushing moments. The coal blackened chugger “Vasgyár” is named after the rusted-out ironworks that once fueled the country’s economy. In the video for the album’s title track and lead single, Kátai runs through not only his hometown but surreal scenes from past and present issues that lie beneath the surface of the countryside. But his flair for the avant-garde still shines like the dawn. The synth's minor key melody glows with the faint but familiar reassurance that the beautiful dreams are yet to come.
Tracklisting:
“Piros Kocsi, Fekete Éj”
“Mindenevö”
“Vasgyár”
“Világnak Világa”
“Nyárfa, Nyírfa”
“Lydiához”
“Vakond”
“Ködkiraly
“Aláhullás”
“A Gyönyörü Álmok Ezután Jönnek
"Gone To Hell" is the latest single from Swedish death metal legends, The Crown. The thundering new track comes off the band's twelfth studio album, Crown Of Thorns, set for release on October 11 through Metal Blade Records.
Elaborates guitarist Marko Tervonen, "'Gone To Hell' is a very special song in many ways. As you may have seen on our older albums, there are quite a few songs where the music is by 'Olsfelt/Tervonen' [referring to former bassist Magnus Olsfelt]. But that doesn't actually mean that we wrote the song together. It was more about Magnus 'stealing' some riffs from me from songs that never made it to the albums. So he nicked the best stuff and included them into his songs. But 'Gone To Hell' was the first time we wrote something together. Magnus showed me the basic riffs to the song, on bass. We recorded it to a metronome and then I sort of 'took over.' I added the melodies, arranged it, wrote the drums and vocals etc. So, it was actually the only song we ever worked on together before he left the band. The song is more mid-tempo oriented; it almost has some post-punk elements to it. I personally love it and I'm super proud of it. I expect to read a lot of 'what is this soft song shit' from people, otherwise I will be very disappointed!"
Watch the "Gone To Hell" video, created by Anton Hallenberg and Robin Schulz, below:
Crown Of Thorns serves as the band's dynamic follow-up to 2021's Royal Destroyer and the record's musical dynamics are on a new level due in no small part to the 2022 addition of drummer Mikael Norén and bassist Mattias Rasmussen as well as the return of lead guitarist Marcus Sunesson, rejoining longtime members Tervonen and vocalist Johan Lindstrand.
"With Mikael, we managed to bring back a bit more of that crazy 'Janne Saarenpää' feel to the drumming, so that was a really cool energy boost. Mattias comes more from a punk/crust background, and he wrote 'I Hunt With The Devil' and 'Mind Collapse,' which turned out great. This is definitely a step up in many ways, changing the way we worked on the CSV and RD albums."
It's very few bands who have a revered and established career - The Crown celebrated their 30th anniversary in 2020 (their first eight years spent as Crown Of Thorns) - yet up the ante continually. With 2018's Cobra Speed Venom the band reached the same lofty heights as their 2002 landmark release, Crowned In Terror. And with the barbaric Royal Destroyer, and now, 2024's powerful and unique Crown Of Thorns, the metal vets rage with a rekindled fire and ferocity while honoring their roots. As Tervonen concludes, noting of Crown Of Thorns, "I guess every band needs to do a self-titled album at some point. So now we did it, our way."
Crown Of Thorns was recorded by Marko Tervonen (Studio-MT), mixed and mastered by Jonas Kjellgren (Black Lounge Studios), and will be released on jewel case CD (US), limited digipak CD with three additional studio songs (EU), and digital formats, as well vinyl in the following color variants:
- Black + White Split (US)
- 180g Black (EU)
- White Black Marbled (EU)
- White Black Dust (EU - Ltd. 300)
- Iron-Grey Marble (EU - LP + bonus 7", slip mat, patch - Ltd. 500)
"I Hunt With The Devil"
"Churchburner"
"Martyrian"
"Gone To Hell"
"Howling At The Warfield"
"The Night Is Now"
"God-King"
"The Agitator"
"Where Nightmares Belong"
"The Storm That Comes"
"Eternally Infernal" (Bonus Track)
"No Fuel For Godv (Bonus Track)
"Mind Collapse" (Bonus Track)
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