Blackened blues project ME AND THAT MAN — founded in 2013 by BEHEMOTH frontman Adam "Nergal" Darski — has released the official music video for its new single, "Confession", off its upcoming album, "New Man, New Songs, Same Shit, Vol. 1", to be released on March 27 via Napalm Records. "Confession" is everything and nothing at all: a call straight into the void, a statement filled with melancholy, a prayer to no one and an apology to people you care about. A mournful country lament, the song mirrors the dark epilogue of the upcoming album. The charismatic singer of Swedish black metal band SHINING, Niklas Kvarforth, lends his unforgettable, almost weeping vocals to the song and sublimates an almost physical sorrow that resonates through the subtle yet catchy guitar riffs. He manages to breathe life into the self-loathing that the protagonist of the song seems to be feeling. The song will surprise the listener with a sudden eruption of an unanticipated black metal inspired drum solo and a bewildering outburst of emotion.
Nergal says: "'Confession' — an ode to gunslingers and saloon singers! The ending will surprise those who aren't aware of my other half and I hope it will put a smile on the faces of those that do; a statement, ME AND THAT MAN is limitless and capable of anything.
"'That Man' for this one, Niklas Kvarforth. I sent Niklas a demo; my voice and lyrics and suggested he change anything he felt he should… only two words from the original demo version remain and happy to report, his version is way better! Some people compared his performance to Peter Steele… that gives me some ideas for the afterlife! Enjoy!"
Three years after their initial debut, ME AND THAT MAN has returned with an offering that is indeed different from the first, but in no way less brilliant. The mysterious collective has surpassed themselves with their bewitching new collection — featuring ominous lyricism atop unfiltered blues, gothic-laced folk, outlaw country and Americana-influenced anthems. The enthralling album visits a completely new spectrum of dark desert vibes and sees notable heavy music icons such as Corey Taylor (SLIPKNOT), Brent Hinds (MASTODON), Matt Heafy (TRIVIUM), Ihsahn (EMPEROR) and Sivert Høyem (MADRUGADA) join the pact with the devil. "New Man, New Songs, Same Shit, Vol. 1" is a diversified, dynamic masterpiece that presents Nergal in a completely new light, providing a strong contrast to the heavier sounds of BEHEMOTH. Evil has truly never sounded so good.
Nergal comments: "With the utmost pride and… kind of relief;,I present to you, the second ME AND THAT MAN album — 'New Man, New Songs, Same Shit, Vol. 1'. This time 'round, I wanted to take on a different challenge and curated an album of 11 songs — each with their own character and vibe, alongside the most talented and important individuals across the whole scene. Together, we take trips to the lands of blues, folk, country and even spaghetti western. Only time will tell if we hit the mark, but I deeply believe so. I'm very proud of this piece of work and it has been a monumental task to achieve.
"I would like to thank EACH one of our guests for being part of this project: Mat and Matt, Niklas and Jørgen, Corey, Alan, Addi, Brent, Vegard, Sivert, Anders, Rob, Jerome, Johanna and Nicke. I LOVE you all from here to the moon and back! Without the passion and heart you granted us, this wouldn't have been possible!"
"New Man, New Songs, Same Shit, Vol. 1" track listing:
01. Run With The Devil (feat. Jørgen Munkeby of SHINING)
02. Coming Home (feat. Siver Høyem of MADRUGADA)
03. Burning Churches (feat. Mat McNerney of GRAVE PLEASURES)
04. By The River (feat. Ihsahn of EMPEROR)
05. Męstwo
06. Surrender (feat. Anders Landelius of DEAD SOUL)
07. Deep Down South (feat. Nicke Anderson of ENTOMBED / Johanna Sadonis of LUCIFER)
08. Man Of The Cross (feat. Jerome Reuter of ROME)
09. You Will Be Mine (feat. Matt Heafy of TRIVIUM)
10. How Come? (feat. Corey Taylor of SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR) / Brent Hinds of MASTODON)
11. Confession (feat. Niklas Kvarforth of SHINING)
ME AND THAT MAN released its debut album, "Songs Of Love And Death", in 2017 — introducing the world to its unique brand of folk and blues, mixed with hints of outlaw country. The atmospherically dark album provided a strong contrast to BEHEMOTH with its catchy melodies and relaxed rhythms, and gave Nergal space to express his creativity in a different setting. Since its release, the album's lead single, "My Church Is Black", has racked up over 2.5 million streams on Spotify.
Darski has been a fixture in the music industry for years. As the frontman of black/death metal band BEHEMOTH, Darski has been known to preach unholy sermons, praise Satan and sing about explicit blasphemy. Naturally, the next step was to channel those themes into another genre commonly dubbed as the Devil's music — blues. ME AND THAT MAN is exactly that — Nergal's solo project will surprise and bewitch the listener. The visionary creative founded the band in an effort to showcase his true ability to adapt to any genre. In summer 2018, British/Polish rock musician John Porter left ME AND THAT MAN after the band completed a number of gigs in support of "Songs Of Love And Death".
Finnish heavy melodic death metal unit WOLFHEART will release its new full-length album, "Wolves Of Karelia", on April 10 via Napalm Records.
Today, WOLFHEART has revealed another fantastic cut from "Wolves Of Karelia", titled "Hail Of Steel". The track signals oncoming war with an ocean-like wave of rhythm and hair-raising guitars, cascading into an extreme, melodic wall of blastbeats and symphonics. Accented by piercing clean vocal harmonics and pummeling double bass, the song sets the grand stage for the entire album. The new music video is equally as searing — a fiery performance fitting for the epic track.
WOLFHEART frontman Tuomas Saukkonen says about the track and video: "'Hail Of Steel' is an embodiment of the fierce chaos of war. The Finnish army had 32 tanks against 3000 Russian tanks, 114 planes against 3800 Russian planes, three times bigger troops, etc., so those Fins really saw steel and fire raining from the sky."
Just as wildlife itself maintains harmony with a violent clash of beauty and unpredictability, "Wolves Of Karelia" explores the band's previously coined genre of "winter metal" — smoothly bridging a traditional approach of extreme genres while maintaining atmospheric and acoustic elements. The album's lyrical and musical content is inspired by the Winter War waged between Russia and the band's native country, Finland, which took place during the winter of November 1939-March 1940. Finland ultimately managed to stop the Russian troops from invading their country. Saukkonen was inspired by the personal stories of local veterans, conveying the tales of what they experienced and survived from their perspectives. Somber, frostbitten and heroic, "Wolves Of Karelia" portrays these tales with stunning musical precision.
Pre-orders are now available for the self-titled album from long-standing Texas speed metal band Rabid Flesh Eaters (R.F.E.), featuring the final performance by late Rigor Mortis and Warbeast vocalist Bruce Corbitt, due for release April 11.
The band also recently revisited the song “Lycanthrope” from their Reign Of Terror album, revealing a brand new, campy video for the classic track. The song was produced by the late Mike Scaccia (Rigor Mortis, Ministry), who can also be heard performing the main solo on the track.
“When the guys at Cyclonus Video said that they wanted to make a new video in 4K and needed a heavy song, we immediately thought of ‘Lycanthrope’ because we wanted to pay homage to one of our biggest musical influences - Mike Scaccia,” says guitarist Mike Taylor. “At that time, we were really missing our friend and brother, since it was right around his birthday. Also, he made our last album possible, and out of all the songs that we had in the can, ‘Lycanthrope’ made the most sense for the video because he also played the main guitar solo. Besides producing and playing on the song, Mike did a ton of pre-production work with us. He had us work through every song at many different tempos, and he directed us like an orchestra conductor emphasizing different accents and hooks. Mike helped us learn how to better focus as musicians, and he truly elevated our performance level by whipping us into shape before even stepping into the studio.”
After over 30 years of a brotherhood founded on the searing fire of classic metal bands like Black Sabbath, Motörhead, Slayer, and Rigor Mortis, the aggressive foaming at the mouth sonic assault of the R.F.E. is more relentless than ever.
“We recommend people get vaccinated for rabies before they listen,” teases bassist John Hill. “Even a man who is pure of heart, and says his prayers at night, may become a wolf when the wolfbane blooms, and the moon is full and bright.”
R.F.E.’s eight vicious new tracks are stronger and achieve heavier, faster heights than anything they’ve released before. With developed dynamics, extreme tightness, and a heart pounding impact this band has clearly evolved since their last album, 2016’s Reign of Terror. Beyond setting new standards for today’s speed metal genre, this record is a visceral homage to their longtime friends, Texas metal legends Rigor Mortis - drummer Harden Harrison, bassist Casey Orr, and their fallen brothers, guitarist Mike Scaccia (1965-2012) and vocalist Bruce Corbitt (1962-2019).
“We feel Mike Scaccia’s and Bruce Corbitt’s spiritual energy around us every day, both when we’re making music or just hanging out,” says Hill. “When these tragedies happened and we lost our buddies who played with us and encouraged us for so many years, we realized that it was high time to honor their legacy. We feel that we’ve done our best to do their songs justice and keep their spirit alive with ‘R.F.E.’”
On R.F.E., the thrashers put crazy new twists on three classic Rigor Mortis - the merciless, murderous war drama “Die In Pain;” the blazing, intensely percussive instrumental “Welcome To Your Funeral;” and the bloody, carnage, plague and vengeance filled “Contagious Contamination.” The album’s title track, a freewheeling, flesh eating, pain inducing romp, features Rigor Mortis vocalist Corbitt’s last recorded studio performance, trading lines with vocalist Ricky Wilson to soul-searing effect.
But make no mistake: R.F.E. is not some sort of Rigor Mortis cover band. While R.F.E. is a visceral homage to their longtime friends, the increasingly angry and aggressive band is fast expanding their influence with their latest epic album. R.F.E. sets new standards for today’s speed metal genre through their own original tunes, such as “Demons Within”, which tackles the dark reality that the demons one needs to conquer are the ones that hide within; and “The Fall,” a searing self-reflection on how those demons can drive one over the edge of sanity.
HEAVEN SHALL BURN's Philipp Hirsch-directed music video for the song "Übermacht" can be seen below. The track is taken from the German band's new album, "Of Truth And Sacrifice", which is being released today (Friday, March 20) via Century Media Records.
Guitarist Maik Weichert says: "For our conditions, it is an unusual video for an unusual HEAVEN SHALL BURN song and was lots of fun to shoot. 'Übermacht' is one of our favorite songs off the album and we are thrilled to hear what you think of it."
On "Of Truth and Sacrifice", you can look forward to HEAVEN SHALL BURN's trademark sound, more unusual tunes and atmospheric strings that the band fleshed out with Sven Helbig and recorded with conductor Wilhelm Keitel in Minsk. On top of roughly 100 minutes of music on the regular album, the limited editions come with an 80-minute documentary, "Mein Grünes Herz In Dunklen Zeiten" ("My Green Heart In Dark Times"), by renowned producer Ingo Schmoll, who followed the band for almost a year in order to get to the bottom of the HEAVEN SHALL BURN phenomenon.
Instead of getting stuck in the ever-grueling cycle of studio recordings, album releases and touring, the members of HEAVEN SHALL BURN allowed themselves a well-deserved break. While taking the time off, the members recharged their batteries and gathered new influences and ideas.
Weichert explains: "We decided that one album wasn't good enough, but we wanted to create a double album as a statement. Our goal was a total work of art that people could dive into, something that leaves a lot of room for surprises and experiments. It was only fair to give our fans twice as much after letting them wait for so long."
Conceptually, "Of Truth And Sacrifice" is split into two halves: "of truth" and "of sacrifice". Weichert adds: "The title is exploring the idea of truth and the question what kind of sacrifices you are willing to make for it. Something reflected in the artwork: A warrioress is shielding her child with her own body. While the mother is representing the willingness to sacrifice the child is standing for truth." The original artwork courtesy of Eliran Kantor (TESTAMENT, ICED EARTH, SODOM) is a triptych showing the mother as a child and her son as a grown-up. "It's a title that refers to numerous current developments: people's blindness in daily life and the unwillingness to make any sacrifices in order to bring about change. Still, there are many people in this world who do exactly this: teachers in Africa risking their lives in order to be able to educate children, journalists and whistleblowers who are putting their own safety at risk in order to flag things going wrong."
FIREWIND, the band featuring former OZZY OSBOURNE guitarist Gus G., has released the official music video for the song "Rising Fire". The track is taken from the band's ninth, self-titled studio album, which will be made available on May 15.
Says the band: "Hey everyone! We're finally back with some new music for you! 'Rising Fire' is the first single off our upcoming self-titled ninth studio album. It features our new singer Herbie Langhans, who sounds amazing! This song is about overcoming difficulties and situations that one might be stuck in. We've all been there at some point in our lives. We hope 'Rising Fire' can be a soundtrack to a positive mindset. So play it loud!"
With his charismatic voice, Langhans (AVANTASIA, RADIANT, SEVENTH AVENUE) refines each and every last one of the ten new songs and infuses them with an expressive force that is remarkable.
Gus and Langhans got to know each other back in the autumn of 2019, when the FIREWIND leader was looking for a suitable replacement for Henning Basse after the tour with QUEENSRŸCHE. Just a few weeks later, the recordings for "Firewind" were a done deal, ready for Swedish sound engineer Tobias Lindell (EUROPE, AVATAR, H.E.A.T.) to mix them in Lindell Audio Studios.
The result is impressive indeed. "Firewind" boasts 11 prime examples of melodic metal songs. The skill, craftsmanship and power bleeds through every note, a passion you can almost taste, with hymnal melodies as a particularly outstanding feature.
Finland's mean disco metal machine Turmion Kätilöt are releasing their ninth album Global Warning in just under a month on April 17. The band now treats their fans with another "soft-spoken and gentle" single: "Kyntövuohi" is now available on all streaming services and is guaranteed to please all friends of Kätilöt.
"Kyntövuohi" was written by MC Raaka Pee who gives the following statement about the new single: "Everyone of us will encounter the moment when it's time to let the hoe hit the tussock. But are you the goat or the plough? Both will turn the soil. Where there's a furrow, there's a seed. Where there's a seed, there's Satan."
The single will be track number two on the upcoming album, and it also has its own video – assembled from "best of" live material from past Turmion Kätilöt shows:
"We decided to simply go all in, so we made a compilation of the best live shows of the past couple of years, along with a few Kätilöt-style twists, featuring the drummer's goat called Lucifer," Elina Ylkänen the editor of the video explains.
The Finnish tour of Turmion Kätilöt will be postponed until next autumn as well as their big concert in the Helsinki Ice Hall – this will take place on September 19. All new dates can be found on the Turmion Kätilöt webpage unfortunately the gig in Stockholm has been cancelled but the European tour with Nightwish will take place as planned in November and December.
Breakout Southern metal band Irist will release their massively anticipated debut album, Order Of The Mind, next Friday, March 27 with Nuclear Blast. In a much-needed distraction, the band has delivered a colossal new single, “Creation,” and accompanying video that can be viewed below.
Although their record release show was cancelled due to COVID-19, Irist’s new video for “Creation” gives fans a taste of their incendiary live performance. Director Dan Almasy beautifully captures the song’s introspective spirit and powerful energy. “‘Creation’ is an upbeat song on the surface, but it’s also meant to be meditative,” says guitarist Pablo Davila. “I think it somehow conveys a subtle “otherworldliness” that’s not easy to express. Dan Almasy did a great job of interpreting that vibe for us in this music video.”
Digging in further, the lyrical concept of “Creation” is a profound exercise in self-reflection that peels away at the layers of a contrived identity in search of truth. “We sometimes need to abandon our beliefs to know who we really are, and that’s what ‘Creation’ is about,” states vocalist Rodrigo Carvalho. “It asks us to connect with ourselves in a deeper way, to learn our identity and to rid ourselves from who others think we are. In sum, ‘Creation’s’ meditative theme and music make it a truly cathartic song for us.”
Pre-order your copy of Order Of The Mind here. Pre-save the album on Spotify here.
Order Of The Mind tracklisting:
“Eons“
“Burning Sage“
“Severed“
“Creation“
“Dead Prayers“
“Insurrection“
“Order Of The Mind“
“Harvester“
“The Well“
“Nerve"
WDR Rockpalast has uploaded professionally-filmed footage of Blind Guardian, performing the Nightfall In Middle Earth album track, "Nightfall", live at the 2016 edition of the Rock Hard Festival in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. Watch below:
Footage of the band performing "The Bard's Song - In The Forest" at the same show can be seen below:
Blind Guardian's new studio album is expected in the first half of 2021. Hansi Kürsch told Loud TV: "The real production for the album will start around April, and what we have in mind is mixing in November. So, I would guess that this album will be released in the first half of 2021"
With the April 24 release of their M-Theory Audio debut, Path To Immortality, fast approaching, the Southern California-based melodic death metal quintet, Voices Of Ruin, have unveiled a music video for their powerful new song “Carved Out”. The clip, filmed and edited by Matt Zane (Zakk Wylde, Society 1, Static-X), can be seen below.
“Carved Out” - which can now be streamed on Spotify, Apple Music and other digital platforms - is also now available as an “instant grat” download with all digital pre-orders of Path To Immortality. Pre-order the album - which was produced by former Machine Head guitarist Logan Mader (Gojira, SepticFlesh) and features cover artwork by Par Olofsson (Exodus, Immortal, Revocation) - in various formats here.
Says vocalist David Barrett, “This song is one hell of a banger that's sure to get your blood moving! With its vicious guitar riffs, infectious chorus and a pummeling rhythm, this tune is a crushing death metal anthem that you'll want to put on repeat! Matt Zane really kicked our asses and pushed us to unleash one of our most energetic performances yet. His attention to detail, as well as his experience behind the camera, really motivated the band to create this dynamic video that we think is one-of-a-kind. The song has an intense lyrical theme, as it tells the story of a deranged stalker who is enraged by his failed life and grotesque image. He sees others who are attractive and living their 'perfect' lives, and this fuels his rage. He hunts them down and carves out their eyes, leaving them trapped between life and afterlife. Crank the fucking volume up and rage to 'Carved Out!'”
Tracklisting:
"Other Side"
"Carved Out"
"Path To Immortality"
"Suffering Silence"
"Reach Toward The Sky"
"I Am God"
"Into The Aether"
"Whispers"
"The Undoing"
"Everlong"
"Carved Out" video:
"I Am A God" lyric video:
Voices Of Ruin is:
Dave Barrett - vocals
Tom Barrett - lead guitar
Steve Calton - rhythm guitar
Wally Myers - bass
Lonnie Van Horn - drums
German rockers, Bonfire, will release their new 14-track album, Fistful Of Fire, on April 3 via AFM Records. Watch a video for the song "The Devil Made Me Do It" below.
The combination of toughness and great melodies suites Bonfire perfectly. The band show again all their typical trademarks, dearly beloved by fans all around the globe: charismatic vocals, catchy riffs and hooks and driving grooves.
Fistful Of Fire is definitely one of the toughest Bonfire albums ever. “This development already became apparent the last time around,” explains guitarist and founder member Hans Ziller. “However, this time our approach was even more focused and consistent."
"The Joker"
"Gotta Get Away"
"The Devil Made Me Do It"
"Ride The Blade"
"When An Old Man Cries"
"Rock'n'Roll Survivors"
"Fire And Ice"
"Warrior"
"Fire Etude"
"Breaking Out"
"Fistful Of Fire"
"The Surge"
"Gloryland"
"When An Old Man Cries" (Acoustic Version)
"The Devil Made Me Do It" video:
"Rock'n'Roll Survivors" video:
Find Bonfire's Fistful Of Fire tour itinerary here.
Dark Star Records has announced the world premiere of the new video from Conquest, which is “Snowman” from the band’s ninth release, The World Has Gone To Hell.
The album is available everywhere on vinyl, CD, and digital via Dark Star Records / MVD / Sony.
The artwork was created by Drake Mefestta with Drake Mefestta Designs and shows a decaying Statue Of Liberty. The songs are amongst the tightest and strongest that the band has ever released.
The official music video for "Fall From Grace", the new single from British gothic metal pioneers PARADISE LOST, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's upcoming album, "Obsidian", which will be released on May 15 via Nuclear Blast. The group's sixteenth studio LP, which was recorded with producer Jaime Gomez Arellano, eschews its immediate predecessors' gruesome, myopic approach in favor of a richer and more dynamic deluge of black shades. From the deceptive elegance and dual atmospheres of opener "Darker Thoughts" through to the crushing, baroque doom of war-torn closer "Ravenghast", "Obsidian" reveals a band in masterful control of a broad array of vital ideas. Most noticeably, the record boasts several songs that draw heavily from the much-loved, Kohl-encrusted days of '80s gothic rock: in particular, newly minted PARADISE LOST anthem "Ghosts" is a guaranteed dancefloor filler at any discerning goth nightclub.
Singer Nick Holmes comments: "This is a song about struggling through difficult times, and a point-blank refusal to accept that the end is within range."
Guitarist Greg Mackintosh adds: "The first song written for 'Obsidian' so probably one of the closest in style to the previous album, [2017's] 'Medusa'. It has quite a few different elements to it but is essentially a classic PL song. Doom laden, but hopefully heartfelt and subtle in places."
Last December, Mackintosh told That Drummer Guy about PARADISE LOST's next studio album: "There's a couple of songs in the new stuff that kind of pick up where 'Medusa' left off, but, for the most part, it's a lot more varied. It's hard to pigeonhole, but a couple of songs, I would say, are almost '80s goth music. There's a lot of stuff in between and a lot of quite eclectic stuff on there. It's going to be quite a varied album, I think."
DEEP PURPLE will release its new album, "Whoosh!", on June 12 via earMUSIC. The legendary rockers' 21st studio LP was once again helmed by Canadian producer Bob Ezrin (KISS, PINK FLOYD, ALICE COOPER), who also worked on DEEP PURPLE's last two studio albums, 2017's "Infinite" and 2013's "Now What?!" Together they created the most versatile album in their collaboration. DEEP PURPLE "stretched out in all directions" without any limitation, letting their creativity go.
The official music video for the disc's first single, "Throw My Bones", can be seen below.
"DEEP PURPLE is putting the Deep back into Purple" was the half-joking motto in the studio after the first songs made it clear that Ezrin and PURPLE were on their path to creating an album pushing the boundaries of time, while voicing their resentment about the current situation of the world and addressing all generations.
"Whoosh!" will be available as limited CD+DVD mediabook (including the one-hour feature "Roger Glover And Bob Ezrin In Conversation" and, for the first time, the full live performance at Hellfest 2017 as video), 2LP+DVD edition, limited boxset and digital.
"We've included everything that made the whole band smile, including Bob Ezrin. We've always enjoyed making music and having the incredible luxury of a loyal audience," said guitarist Steve Morse.
Track listing:
01. Throw My Bones
02. Drop The Weapon
03. We're All The Same In The Dark
04. Nothing At All
05. No Need To Shout
06. Step By Step
07. What The What
08. The Long Way Round
09. The Power Of The Moon
10. Remission Possible
11. Man Alive
12. And The Address
13. Dancing In My Sleep
Last fall, DEEP PURPLE bassist Roger Glover told the Chicago Sun-Times that he and his bandmates planned to keep recording new music.
"We've been working a bit," he revealed. "There's a few things around, we don't know yet what's, where, or when, but we've not stopped yet.
"There's a danger, of course, if you've become successful, that people want you to do the same thing and be successful all over again and keep going, but it doesn't work that way," he added. "You can't just simply repeat yourself."
Having released six albums since 1996, Glover said everyone in PURPLE has been committed to keeping things fresh.
"I think that there was almost an unspoken desire to move forward, to not repeat ourselves," he explained. "Of course, the players are the same, so the sounds can be the same in all the style or something like that. But as far as writing songs are concerned, I think most bands don't get the songs right. They talk about performance and hooks and stuff like that, but to me writing a song is much more than that. And we've always tried to write different songs. The danger is, of course, you become a parody of yourself if you try and copy yourself. And so, we've always tried to move on and change. It's a challenge."
Sacramento, California rockers TESLA visited iconic recording studio Abbey Road Studios in London, England in June 2019 for a one-night musical event capturing the band performing songs from their legendary arsenal, including "Love Song" and "What You Give", along with their classic covers of "Signs" and "We Can Work It Out". Additionally, the band performed live for the first time ever its new song "California Love Song", from its latest album "Shock", plus "Tied To The Tracks" and "Forever Loving You". The performance was recorded and filmed in 4K high definition, bringing forth the band's newest live album "Five Man London Jam" as an homage to their critically acclaimed live acoustic album "Five Man Acoustical Jam".
"Five Man London Jam" will be released on March 27 on Blu-ray, 2LP vinyl, CD and digital via Ume. The Blu-ray includes a bonus interview with TESLA reflecting on the 30th anniversary of "Five Man Acoustical Jam" and performing for the first time at the legendary Abbey Road Studios.
The official music video for TESLA' cover of THE BEATLES' classic song "We Can Work It Out" is available below.
Track listing:
01. Cumin' Atcha Live / Truckin'
02. Tied To The Tracks
03. We Can Work It Out
04. Signs
05. What You Give
06. California Summer Song
07. Forever Loving You
08. Miles Away
09. Paradise
10. Call It What You Want
11. Stir It Up
12. Into The Now
13. Love Song
Issued in July 1990, TESLA's stripped down "Five Man Acoustical Jam" was an instant success that coincided with the rise of MTV's unplugged format. The set has since gone platinum in the U.S.
Last year, TESLA singer Jeff Keith told Canada's The Metal Voice about "Five Man London Jam": "It was done at Abbey Road studios [in London, England]. How cool is that? It's been 30 years. We had fun doing it 30 years ago, and we had fun when we were over at Abbey Road studios, where THE BEATLES and a whole lot more other great bands have recorded. And it was awesome. We just did it live [with] a little audience there. Once again, [it was] a live performance. And that's my favorite thing to do — performing live… I like it when it's live, because you don't even realize it. We're just having fun performing songs and they're gonna make a live record of it, and have some extra footage to put in there. We had a great time; we had a fantastic time. It was a blast."
Asked about the setlist for TESLA's performance at Abbey Road, Keith said: "Well, it was requested that we do some stuff to celebrate the 30-year anniversary of 'Five Man Acoustical Jam', so we did five or six songs from that. And then we did some of our new songs, [from] the record that we made with Phil Collen from DEF LEPPARD [2019's 'Shock'], which was fantastic. So we've got some new recordings there — it's new recordings of the 30-years-ago celebration — and we had fun with it. Just like we did 30 years ago, we had fun with it again."
Regarding the original "Five Man Acoustical Jam" recording, Jeff said: "It was just like an accident waiting to happen, and it was a great accident. Not an accident, but… We had been on tour with MÖTLEY CRÜE, and we had to jam an acoustical set that we did for, I think, the Bammies, the Bay Area Music Awards. So we decided, 'Hey, instead of sitting on two nights off in a row, we'll just find a club that'll let us come in and play our songs acoustically and have fun with it,' and that's what we did. And it was feeling so good, the decision was made with Geffen Records, 'Let's just record the whole night.' And we went to a radio station — me, Frank [Hannon] and Tommy [Skeoch] — and we played 'Signs' and the phones were ringing off the hook. I think it's our biggest-selling record to date. But it was all just having fun."
TESLA is continuing to tour in support of "Shock", which was released in March 2019 via UMe. The follow-up to 2014's "Simplicity" was produced and co-written by Collen.
Following the announcement that KATATONIA will be returning with a brand-new album, "City Burials", on April 24 via Peaceville Records, and the release of the album's debut single "Lacquer", the band present their next single and video for "Behind The Blood". This track is one of the highlights from "City Burials", bursting into life with a trademark screaming guitar solo before dropping into an upbeat distinctive and hugely memorable KATATONIA chorus.
Vocalist Jonas Renkse states: "'Behind The Blood' is a celebration of the heavy metal music that we all grew up with, modified to fit the KATATONIA universe. Whilst lyrically it is telling the tale of dark revelry, to awaken the blood with the sound and taste of thunder."
KATATONIA, formed in 1991 by Jonas Renkse and Anders Nyström, and transitioning from early pioneers of the rising black/death/doom movement, to powerhouses of the progressive metallic rock genre. Following on from their 2016 haunting "The Fall Of Hearts" album KATATONIA have returned with arguably their finest album to date, the enormously vivid and powerful "City Burials".
With the winds of a new direction steering the band on their latest journey, "City Burials" stands as KATATONIA's new triumph of deep and enigmatic progressive rock — the fruits of a rejuvenating and profound chapter in the band's legacy; a catalyst for its creators, with a collection of moments constructed out of the fragments of an ever-evolving life. Compiled into one of their most important modern works and statements to date, the finely honed instrumentation provides a multi-textured backdrop with the voice of Jonas Renkse guiding us through these latest trials of loss and ruin.
The proof of Jonas and Anders's enduring artistic bond is displayed throughout "City Burials" absorbing 58 minutes of meticulously crafted melodies and inspired, idiosyncratic arrangements. From the spine-tingling dynamics of opener "Heart Set To Divide" through and the simmering menace of "Lacquer" to the wildly evocative sorrow-scapes of "City Glaciers" and the exquisitely delicate "Vanishers" (featuring a guest vocal from Anni Bernhard, of Stockholm art rockers FULL OF KEYS) KATATONIA's eleventh studio album is a showcase for a partnership that was magical from the very start.
Inspired by an injection of fresh blood into KATATONIA's creative brew, with their most recent recruit, guitarist Roger Öjersson, whose contributions have been extremely significant, "City Burials" is an album that sees the band reclaim part of their heavy metal roots, via several moments of exuberant, old-school classicism, deftly woven into these new songs' kaleidoscopic fabric. Although songs like "Behind The Blood" and "Rein" are as heart-rending and immersive as any in KATATONIA's illustrious catalogue.
The result is an album that looks certain to push the band ever further into the spotlight. With grand plans for extensive touring around the world in support of their latest and perhaps greatest album, KATATONIA are wringing fresh hope from life's gloom-sodden tapestry.
"City Burials" was produced by Nyström/Renkse and recorded at Soundtrade Studios, Tri-Lamb Studios and The City Of Glass throughout October and November 2019, with engineering work handled by Karl Daniel Lidén and mixing and mastering from Jacob Hansen, who states: "Once in a while, you end up working with artists that are special, and that particular session being something you'll remember forever. This session is one of them, and only for good things! Proud to say I mixed and mastered the new KATATONIA album."
"City Burials" also sees the return to the KATATONIA fold of Anders Eriksson (FRANK DEFAULT) beloved for his keyboard contributions to "Night Is The New Day", "Dead End Kings" and various remixes.Artwork appears courtesy of Lasse Hoile, the image itself representing the ongoing era of the "Dead End King".
French plague doctors Abduction are ready to lift the veil on their third opus, Jehanne. The black metallers’ first concept-album, based on the life of Joan Of Arc (ca 1412 -1431) – one of the most fascinating figures in France’s rich history – will be released on April 29th as a remembrance of the day in which Joan entered the besieged city of Orléans in 1429. The cover artwork can be seen below.
Abduction has released an official video for "Aux Loges Les Dames", which can be viewed below.
"As Jehanne is a concept album, choosing which song to unveil first was not an easy decision to make," says the band. "Although the album was designed to be experienced as a whole, we thought that its opening track, 'Aux Loges Les Dames', would be the best possible introduction! Lyrically, the song takes place at the beginning of the story, its title referring to one of the exact spots where Jehanne heard 'her voices' exhorting her to battle. Musically, this song builds a bridge between the previous album and the new one, and sets the mood for the journey to come. Tout est vôtre et y entrez!”
Jehanne will be available in double LP gatefold and digipack CD. More details will be revealed soon.
Check out the official Abduction Facebook page here.
On May 29, Sorcerer will release their third full-length, Lamenting Of The Innocent, via Metal Blade Records. For a preview of the album, a video for the first single, "The Hammer Of Witches" (directed by Daniel Wahlström - Heavy Groove Media), can be seen below.
The album can be pre-ordered here in the following formats:
- digipak-CD
- deluxe box set (box, digipak-CD, DVD, coasters, pin, pendant - EU exclusive - limited to 3000 copies)
- 180g black vinyl (EU exclusive)
- ochre brown marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 500 copies)
- translucent red vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 300 copies)
- clear mustard yellow marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 200 copies)
- maroon marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 200 copies)
- clear warm gray marbled vinyl (limited to 100 copies)
- gold blackdust vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 100 copies)
* exclusive bundles with shirts and merch items, plus digital options are also available
Since they first started, Sorcerer have been labeled "epic doom" - a tag that fits but does not define them, and this has never been more evident than on their third full-length, Lamenting Of The Innocent. On this record, the Swedish quintet return with a revamped lineup that includes longstanding guitarists Kristian Niemann and Peter Hallgren plus vocalist Anders Engberg, joined by bassist Justin Biggs and former drummer Richard Evensand - both of whom bring something new and fresh to Sorcerer. This time around, the band let their influences shine through, breaking up the epic doom with flavors of prog, post-metal, classic heavy metal and hard rock. The track "Deliverance" also features a guest appearance: Johan Langquist of Candlemass and renowned Swedish cellist Svante Henryson.
Sorcerer comments: "They truly brought another dimension to that song and now it's impossible to imagine it without their contributions, which is the way it should be when you bring guests in to perform; they are there to provide something you couldn't do on your own."
Producing the album themselves, the band are self-confessed hardcore perfectionists who will accept nothing but the absolute best in every aspect of the recording process. The only collaborators involved in the making of Lamenting Of The Innocent were Ronnie Björnström, who both mixed and mastered the album, and Conny Welén who contributed to the songwriting.
Sorcerer adds: "We play music that relates to when we grew up, with bands like Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden and such. They are all influences and we like to build that dramatic touch into our music. It's important for us to create a feeling in the song that will take you, maybe, to another world or a fantasy place somewhere, and the bands we grew up with are the masters of this. By the same token we are also influenced by more contemporary acts and their approach to arrangements and orchestration. Inspiration can come from anywhere, but we all know when we've captured that 'Sorcerer sound'. It feels like home."
Lamenting Of The Innocent tracklisting:
"Persecution" (intro)
"The Hammer Of Witches"
"Lamenting Of The Innocent"
"Institoris"
"Where Spirits Die"
"Deliverance"
"Age Of The Damned"
"Condemned"
"Dance With The Devil"
"Path To Perdition"
"Hellfire" (Bonus Track - only available on Digipak CD)
"The Hammer Of Witches" video:
In support of Lamenting Of The Innocent, Sorcerer will head out on the road this May/June for some special shows and festival appearances across Europe.
The band comments: "We are really looking forward to playing both the new songs and the old ones at the upcoming shows! See you out there!"
Dates.
May
9 - Heavy Metal Club - Madrid, Spain
29 - Rock Hard Festival - Gelsenkirchen, Germany
30 - Little Devil Bar - Tilburg, Netherlands
31 - Bambi Galore - Hamburg, Germany
June
3-6 - Sweden Rock Festival - Sölvesborg, Sweden
Sorcerer lineup:
Anders Engberg - vocals
Kristian Niemann - guitars
Peter Hallgren - guitars
Justin Biggs - bass
Richard Evensand - drums
Recently, Finnish singer/ bassist Marko Hietala (aka Marco Hietala, Nightwish) released his solo album, Pyre Of The Black Heart, via Nuclear Blast. Today sees the release of a live video for "For You".
Hietala comments: "Hi everyone! What a sorry state we, the civilization on planet Earth, are in. Everyone, everywhere feels it this time. For a lot of us this has already become a personal issue in the worst possible ways. For my part I’m just grateful that my lady got back to me from the other side of the world in time. There’s a trusted hand to hold in this isolation. I was lucky.
"Patience, courage, strength & love to all. Marko.
"And here’s one more live video from Z7, Pratteln, Switzerland. This one’s 'For You'."
Pyre Of The Black Heart can be ordered on CD (jewelcase) or clear vinyl, here.
Tracklisting:
"Stones"
"The Voice Of My Father"
"Star, Sand And Shadow"
"Dead God's Son"
"For You"
"I Am The Way"
"Runner Of The Railways"
"Death March For Freedom"
"I Dream"
"Truth Shall Set You Free"
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Me and That Man
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