On September 7th, Metal Blade Records will release Cruel Magic, the new album by English NWOBHM legends Satan. For a preview of Cruel Magic, watch the video for the first single, "The Doomsday Clock", below.
Satan comments: "Not everyone believes in magic but you all better believe in Cruel Magic. This album is going to change everything, and we are ready for it. Satan is calling you!"
Bearers of the NWOBHM movement and responsible for '83's seminal Court In The Act and '87's Suspended Sentence, Satan make it abundantly clear with their upcoming new album that in 2018, they are not interested in simply capitalizing on past glories. Comprised of 10 tracks of searing metal, it is blatantly and profoundly the work of the Newcastle upon Tyne natives at their very best, infusing their signature sound with a more raw, wild and spontaneous vibe than they showcased on 2015's mighty Atom By Atom - and in the process, displaying more passion and energy than slews of bands half their age.
Tracking the album at First Avenue Studio, they further demonstrated their trust and rapport with past collaborators, recruiting engineer Dave Curle and Dario Mollo to handle the mix, letting them handle the technical side of things so the quintet could focus all of their energies on giving the best performances. Confident in the songs they had written and how they wanted them to sound made the process a very easy one, walking out of the studio with a record of which they are understandably proud, and will reign supreme in the speakers and headphones of metalheads the world over when it drops in September. "We truly feel we've got it 100% right this time, the balance between considered content and reckless performance. We always break loose on stage so why not on record?"
Pre-order the album here in the following formats:
- ltd. Boxset (incl. Digipak-CD, excl. bonus-CD, excl. dead gold-marbled vinyl w/excl. bonus-LP, 75x75 cm flag, circular 12" back patch, five A4 art prints, A4 photo card, numbered certificate)
- Digipak-CD (EU exclusive)
- CD
- 180g black vinyl
- clear vinyl (limited to 500 copies - EU exclusive)
- red/black-marbled vinyl (limited to 300 copies - EU exclusive)
- water blue-marbled vinyl (limited to 200 copies - EU exclusive)
- steel grey-marbled vinyl (limited to 300 copies - US exclusive)
- yellow/ochre-marbled vinyl (limited to 200 copies - US exclusive)
Cruel Magic tracklisting:
"Into The Mouth Of Eternity"
"Cruel Magic"
"The Doomsday Clock"
"Legions Hellbound"
"Ophidian"
"My Prophetic Soul"
"Death Knell For A King"
"Who Among Us"
"Ghosts Of Monongah"
"Mortality"
"The Doomsday Clock" video:
In support of Cruel Magic, Satan will head out on the road this October for a US tour, which includes an appearance at the Frost and Fire IV festival in Ventura, CA. See below for all dates.
October
5 - San Diego, CA - Brick By Brick
6 - Ventura, CA - Frost And Fire IV
7 - Los Angeles, CA - Whiskey
8 - San Francisco, CA - Elbo Room
9 - Seattle, WA - El Corazon
10 - Cleveland, OH - Grog Shop
11 - Chicago, IL - Reggie's
12 - Brooklyn, NY - Saint Vitus
13 - Boston, MA - Great Scott
14 - Philadelphia, PA - Voltage Lounge
Satan lineup:
Brian Ross - Vocals
Russ Tippins - Guitars
Steve Ramsey - Guitars
Graeme English - Bass
Sean Taylor - Drums
Dreamborn, a melodic/power metal band formed in Osijek, Croatia, released a new music video for the song “Heart of Steel” taken from their first album Seven Deadly Sins.
“Heart Of Steel” is a song that shows metal music is no stranger to themes about love and romance. However, don't let that fact fool you. “Heart Of Steel” has enough heaviness and guitar riffs to remind you that you are listening to metal.
All work on the video was done by the members of the band and their friends and with a budget of less than what you would spend on a morning cup of coffee.
Fun fact about the music video is that it was recorded in only one day. Due to time limitations of the person who filmed the video, all the scenes had to be recorded in less than a single day, so there was no room for error or do-overs.
Wisconsin’s vicious heavy metal band Rig Time! has released their new single and video for “Deserve”. The video’s track is featured on the band’s recently released album, War, which is available now from Innerstrength Records.
“The video was filmed/edited entirely by vocalist/drummer Bryan W. Fleming. Lyrically, ‘Deserve’ addresses reaching a point of being powerless as civilians under the government. We are represented to the world by an organization that has more interest in profit and control tactics, than it's citizens basic needs. The song is spoken from an angle of tragedy and accepting consequence declaring ‘We should have never let them speak for us’ and ‘We deserve the worst, and now it's coming full force’. It's meant to provoke thought and paint a dystopian landscape.” - Rig Time!
Rig Time! is an angry, caustic and vehemently heavy trio based in La Crosse, WI. Their full length album War was released on October 20, 2017 via Innerstrength Records, following the self-released full-length Sick of It (2016) and two EP’s (2014’s Awful and 2015’s Devout). Featuring a sound that is the audio equivalent of a tank column entering a besieged city, the crunch and clangor of War is a game-changer. Forged in the fires of hardcore, sludge, and powerviolence, War epitomizes Rig Time!’s scorched-earth tactics and demonstrates the natural chemistry of the band.
War was recorded/mixed by Pete Grossman at Bricktop Recording in Chicago, IL (Weekend Nachos, Harm’s Way). The album was mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege in Portland, OR.
The official video for the song "I Am Night" from veteran Swedish metallers TAD MOROSE can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's tenth album, titled "Chapter X", which was released on June 15 via GMR Music.
After the release of "St. Demonius", the quintet took to the road to do what they do best, destroy clubs, theatres and festival stages all across the European continent. "2015 and 2016 was the same as always with these guys — lots of fun touring and collecting souls, or, as most people call it, 'gaining new fans,'" says singer Ronny Hemlin.
TAD MOROSE spent much of 2017 holed up at Hemlin's Studio Claustrophobic and working at the pace of "freedom." There was no pressure or time restraints so the five worked when they wanted and how they wanted. "The actual recording process was the same as for the two previous albums," says guitarist Christer Krunt Andersson. "Kenneth recorded his guitars at his place and I recorded mine at my studio. The drums, bass and vocals were recorded at Studio Claustrophobic. This way we all can record whenever we want. Then we meet up and listen through everything at Studio Claustrophobic and add some bits and pieces. Then when we are satisfied it goes into mixing. The mixing was done yet again by Ronny and his studio partner Johan."
"Chapter X" opens with the powerful "Apocalypse", a semi-proggy, symphonic melodic metal tune loaded with a chorus that kicks the listener in the ass while "Deprived Of Light" is straight-up double bass melodic power metal with a stench of '80s Germany yet very modern at the same time. "I Am Night" is a fist to the face with a chorus that screams for an audience sing-along and album closer, "… Yet Still You Preach" calms things down with an atmospheric feel.
Signing with GMR Music in the spring of 2018, TAD MOROSE has a new home to tie to their new chapter. "It feels great to have signed with GMR!" Andersson declares. "We are really looking forward to see how this will evolve. We've got some shows booked for the summer and more to come. It feels great to get back on the stage again since playing live is the fuel in our engine."
Mastering of "Chapter X" was handled by Jonas Kjellgren at Black Lounge Studios and the band turned to an old friend, Rainer Kalwitz ("A Mended Rhyme") to take care of the album's artwork.
"Tell No Lies", the new video from CORELEONI, the project founded by GOTTHARD guitarist Leo Leoni to pay a very personal tribute to his rock and roll past, can be seen below. The track is taken from CORELEONI's debut album, "The Greatest Hits - Part 1", which was released on February 23 via Frontiers Music Srl.
Leo Leoni is joined in CORELEONI by Ronnie Romero (LORDS OF BLACK, RAINBOW) on vocals, Hena Habegger on drums, Jgor Gianola on guitar and Mila Merker on bass.
Says Leo: "On the 25th anniversary of the release of the first GOTTHARD album, I wanted to pay tribute to songs like 'Downtown', 'Firedance', 'Higher', 'Here Comes The Heat', 'In The Name', 'Ride On…', 'Let It Be' and 'All I Care 4'. Songs that with GOTTHARD we have kind of left aside. We've re-recorded, refreshed, and 're-brushed' them in a respectful way. These songs are very dear to me and they are part of a period that will remain forever with me."
Leoni dusted these songs off and brough a new life to these overlooked masterpieces from his past.
"Walk On Water" is the sole new track featured on "The Greatest Hits - Part 1".
"This CORELEONI project made me feel so many emotions and memories, filling my heart with joy," says Leo. "I hope hearing these new versions gives all the GOTTHARD fans, especially the ones who knew and loved the band in the early days, the same great emotions that it has brought to me."
Bloodguilt, the upcoming new EP from Montreal’s Depths Of Hatred blends ferocious vocals with aggressive riffs and relentless drumming in a tour-de-force of technical death metal. Set for official release on July 20th, watch the new video for the harrowing album track “An Infidel's Dissent” below.
"We released our last single 2 years ago. In those two years, a lot has changed. New lineup, new label, new EP and finally, a new single. We couldn't be more stoked with what we've done and what is to come. Enjoy our brand new music video for ‘Infidels Dissent’ from our upcoming EP Bloodguilt”, comments the band on the new release.
Tracklisting:
“My Penance Beheld”
“An Infidel’s Dissent”
“Covenant Curse”
“The Nail Remains”
“Throes Of Desperation”
“Bloodguilt”
"An Infidel's Dissent" video:
Just before the release of Bloodguilt, the band will embark on a two and a half week Canadian run with Hideous Divinity.
Dates:
22 - Windsor, ON - The Beer Exchange
23 - St. Catharines, ON - Warehouse
24 - Toronto, ON - Coalition
25 - Sudbury, ON - The Asylum
26 - Thunder Bay, ON - Black Pirates Pub
27 - Winnipeg, MB - The Handsome Daughter
28 - Regina, SK - Cloud 9 Live
29 - Edmonton, AB - The Forge
30 - Grand Prairie, AB - Better Than Fred’s
31 - Calgary, AB - Distortion
August
1 - Vernon, BC - Record City
2 - Kamloops, BC - The Duchess
3 - Vancouver, BC - Astorial
04 - Victoria, BC - Victoria Event Centre
5 - Nanaimo, BC - The Cambie
Depths Of Hatred first burst upon the Montreal scene with the 2012 album, Aversionist, released on Canadian artist-breaking, Galy Records. They toured with Beneath The Massacre, Blind Witness, and more and in 2014, self-released Hellborn, which showcased a more technical, more developed sound. They followed that up with a single in 2016 and hit the road again with Aegaeon, Alterbeast, Virvum, Vale of Pnath and more. Depths Of Hatred deliver a ruthless sound that keeps their listeners on the edge of their seats. They blend vicious, ferocious vocals, aggressive guitar riffs, and fast, relentless style drumming to result in a sound that some would call unforgiving.
More details on Bloodguilt will be made soon.
Depths Of Hatred is:
Nico Monette. - Vocals
Martin Trottier - Guitar
Felix Demers - Guitar
Karl Desjardins - Drums
Antoine Millette - Bass
With an impressive track record of eight critically acclaimed studio albums, including Total 13 and Making Enemies Is Good, and extensive touring around the world, Backyard Babies have earned their reputation as a true force of nature.
It’s been a long wait since the release of their latest album, Four By Four, in 2015, but now Backyard Babies are back stronger than ever with their new single ”Shovin’ Rocks” as a part of the forthcoming album Sliver And Gold, which is scheduled for an early 2019 release.
The band comments, “We will soon enough celebrate 30 years as Backyard Babies, with the original lineup intact, and ‘Shovin’ Rocks’ is in full covering that fact. This is our first single in a major since ‘Look At You’, our breakthrough single from 1998. If you don’t’ love this, then you don’t love rock’n’roll.”
Watch the video for “Shovin’ Rocks”, directed by the band’s drummer Peder Carlsson, below. Follow this link to direct you to the single on all streaming and download platforms.
Jens Prueter, Head of A&R Century Media Europe comments on signing Backyard Babies, “It’s no surprise that you meet twice if both a label and a band are already around for almost 30 years. It’s 12 years ago when we worked together on the People Like People Like People Like Us album and it feels great to welcome back the Backyard Babies to celebrate their 30th anniversary of rock’n’roll with a new album in early 2019. And the new single is a perfect way to invite the guests to a party that won’t end soon. Some people don’t get older but just stronger. People like us.”
Lineup:
Nicke Borg - lead vocals / guitar
Dregen - lead guitar / vocals
Johan Blomquist - bass
Peder Carlsson - drums
Los Angeles, California based hard rock band Void Vator has announced their Southwest 2018 Tour. Launching July 19th in Las Vegas, Nevada the tour will churn through Arizona, Texas, and New Mexico before winding down in Phoenix on July 28th. The band has also released the official music video for "Until It's Gone", off of their 2017 debut EP, Dehumanized.
Catch Void Vator live at the following shows:
July
19 - Count's Vampd - Las Vegas, NV
20 - The Quarry - Bisbee, AZ
21 - Rockin Cigar Bar - El Paso, TX
22 - Dirty Dog - Austin, TX
23 - Metal Monday At The Mix - San Antonio, TX
24 - Rudyard's - Houston, TX
25 - Three Links - Dallas, TX
26 - Blue Note - Oklahoma City, OK
27 - El Patio - Las Cruces, NM
28 - Yucca Tap Room - Phoenix, AZ
Void Vator is:
Lucas Kanopa - vocals, guitar
Erik Kluiber - guitar
Sam Harman - bass
German Moura - drums
For further details, visit Void Vator on Facebook.
Fueled by a passion to bring horrific and grotesque sounds to their fans, Ottawa's A Scar For The Wicked have released a video for "The Unholy", the title track of their upcoming third EP, set to be unearthed on June 29th. Watch the clip below, pre-order the EP here.
Full of face-melting heaviness and a dark and evil atmosphere that offers more sickening death metal to the unsuspecting world, The Unholy follows their 2012 Machiavellian hymn to the dead Scars, and 2014's brutal assault The Necrobutcher.
The band comments: "The Unholy is a step-up from our previous EP The Necrobutcher. It’s heavier, more technical, faster, more melodic and flows very well from front to back. Silverwing Studios did an excellent production. The vocals often alternate from low to high in range and is accompanied by powerful backing-vocals. Every track is hard hitting and overall the EP and lyrical content have a very dark feel to them."
Since 2010, Ottawa's A Scar For The Wicked has been clawing their way through the Eastern Canadian metal scene playing fast, evil and energetic songs inspired by horror shows and films. Their favorite themes encompass zombies, demons and other evil creatures and for them, each song is executed as a short horror story accompanied by heavy music. Like most horror stories this is not for the faint of heart. There is a fair amount of gore, death and of course a very evil atmosphere, which is reflected in the band name as well.
Guitarist Joe Lyko explains: “A Scar For The Wicked was really a twist on people marking the houses of where witches live, a mark on them so people knew to stay away; a scar as we like to look at it. I always liked the idea of thinking every time we play we leave a mark on the crowd, something to remind them of us.”
A Scar For The Wicked will be hosting an EP release show in their hometown of Ottawa on June 29th at Mavericks with a lineup of the city's most deathly metal bands. To pre-order the EP, click here.
Tracklisting:
"Born From The Grave"
"A Place Where Death Resides"
"The Abyss"
"Darkness Approaches"
"The Unholy"
"Malformed"
"Evil Within"
German metallers POWERWOLF will release their seventh album, "The Sacrament Of Sin", on July 20 via Napalm Records. The follow-up to 2015's "Blessed & Possessed" was recorded at Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden with producer Jens Bogren, who has previously worked with KREATOR, DRAGONFORCE, SEPULTURA and PARADISE LOST, among others.
The official video for the song "Fire & Forgive" can be seen below.
POWERWOLF guitarist Matthew Greywolf told Overdrive about "The Sacrament Of Sin": "I would say the approach was to expand the territory a bit. I think 'The Sacrament Of Sin' has become the most diverse POWERWOLF album with the most variation in the music and a lot of new elements in our sound. At the same time, I think it's become a pretty typical POWERWOLF album in terms of atmosphere and power and character."
"The Sacrament Of Sin" also contains POWERWOLF's first ever attempt at a power ballad in the shape of a song called "Where The Wild Wolves Have Gone".
"The idea of writing a proper ballad was growing for a lot of years," Greywolf told Overdrive. "I think it was some years ago that on one of the tours, I was confessing to Attila that I was a big fan of those classic rock and metal ballads and he was confessing the same, so we agreed that one day we would write a ballad, no matter what. But it never worked in the past. The fact that we did as a part of 'Blessed & Possessed' showed us we could go for that, and that we were ready for it. Because, I mean, back then we covered 'Edge Of Thorns' from SAVATAGE, where we had those verses based on piano and vocals; and that was the first time we tried that, and it sounded pretty great! So when we started writing 'The Sacrament Of Sin', I had that in mind and I was quite confident that we could realize that long-planned ballad this time. Luckily, it all came together very well and I think, for me personally, it's one of the highlights of the album, definitely."
"The Sacrament Of Sin" track listing:
01. Fire & Forgive
02. Demons Are A Girl's Best Friend
03. Killers With The Cross
04. Incense And Iron
05. Where The Wild Wolves Have Gone
06. Stossgebet
07. Nightside Of Siberia
08. The Sacrament Of Sin
09. Venom Of Venus
10. Nighttime Rebel
11. Fist By Fist (Sacralize Or Strike)
12. Midnight Madonna (bonus track; only available at EMP and Napalm Records mailorder)
POWERWOLF will embark on the European "Wolfsnächte Tour 2018" in the fall. Swedish melodic metal sensation AMARANTHE and Germany's heavy/glam high flyers KISSIN‘ DYNAMITE will be joining in as special guests.
METAL ALLEGIANCE — with its four core members: David Ellefson (MEGADETH), Alex Skolnick (TESTAMENT), Mike Portnoy (THE WINERY DOGS, ex-DREAM THEATER) and Mark Menghi — began as a celebration of heavy metal, powered by the almost tribal bond shared between the extreme music community's most revered trailblazers, armed with a list of contributors onstage (and off) that read like a Wikipedia entry on the genre itself.
The band will release its sophomore album, "Volume II - Power Drunk Majesty", on September 7 via Nuclear Blast Entertainment. The thrash-worshiping disc merges old-school legends with the modern metallers of the scene to produce groove-driven, adrenaline-soaked anthems while tackling the frustrating state of the world.
Guest musicians on "Volume II - Power Drunk Majesty" include Trevor Strnad (THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER), John Bush (ARMORED SAINT), Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth (OVERKILL), Mark Tornillo (ACCEPT), Max Cavalera (SOULFLY), Floor Jansen (NIGHTWISH) and Johan Hegg (AMON). The album also marks the return of Mark Oseguesda (DEATH ANGEL) and Troy Sanders (MASTODON).
The official video for the first single from the disc, "Mother Of Sin", featuring Ellsworth, can be seen below.
"Volume II - Power Drunk Majesty" was produced by Menghi and Skolnick while Mark Lewis of MRL Studios handled the mixing and mastering. The cover artwork was created by renowned artist Marcelo Vasco (SLAYER, MACHINE HEAD, SOULFLY, HATEBREED) and Rafael Tavares.
"Volume II - Power Drunk Majesty" track listing:
01. The Accuser (feat. Trevor Strnad)
02. Bound By Silence (feat. John Bush)
03. Mother Of Sin (feat. Bobby Blitz)
04. Terminal Illusion (feat. Mark Tornillo)
05. King With A Paper Crown (feat. Johan Hegg)
06. Voodoo Of The Godsend (feat. Max Cavalera)
07. Liars & Thieves (feat. Troy Sanders)
08. Impulse Control (feat. Mark Osegueda)
09. Power Drunk Majesty (Part I) (feat. Mark Osegueda)
10. Power Drunk Majesty (Part II) (feat. Floor Jansen)
"Dreamer", the new video from heavy rockers LUCIFER, can be seen below. The song is taken from LUCIFER's second studio album, "Lucifer II", which will be released on July 6 via Century Media Records.
Apart from a new label home, the follow-up to 2015's "Lucifer I" also marks the first studio release of the new LUCIFER incarnation now consisting of vocalist Johanna Sadonis, guitarist Robin Tidebrink, and multi-instrumentalist Nicke Andersson, who plays drums and also took over bass and guitar when recording "Lucifer II". The band's live lineup also features Martin Nordin (DEAD LORD) on guitar and bass player Alexander Mayr.
"'Dreamer' was the first song Nicke and I wrote together," says Sadonis, while Andersson adds: "We got one horse, one cemetary and one band. That makes up for a pretty good video in my eyes."
"Lucifer II" was recorded at the Honk Palace in Stockholm. It was mixed by Ola Ersfjord (DEAD LORD, TRIBULATION, PRIMORDIAL) at Cuervo Recording Service in Madrid.
Originally, LUCIFER formed in Berlin back in 2014 consisting of Sadonis and members of CATHEDRAL, ANGEL WITCH and LADYTRON. The first seven-inch single, "Anubis", and debut album, "Lucifer I", were released by British label Rise Above Records, quickly establishing the group as a promising new act offering excellent 1970s hard rock with a good dose of proto metal and doom added to the mix. Citing BLACK SABBATH, DEEP PURPLE, BLUE ÖYSTER CULT, LUCIFER'S FRIEND, STEPPENWOLF, 70's HEART and FLEETWOOD MAC as inspiration, LUCIFER corrupted the souls of many and achieved international recognition on tours through Europe, USA, Canada and Japan.
With a shift of constellation within the band in 2016 and Sadonis moving from Berlin to Stockholm, LUCIFER is now ready for an exciting new chapter in its career. With Nicke Andersson, Sadonis found a congenial new songwriting partner, and "Lucifer II" turns out to be a strong sonic statement.
Johanna stated about "Lucifer II": "Maybe I could say it's different from the first LUCIFER album, which was because that first album was written with Gaz Jennings of CATHEDRAL. It had a very particular sound. The new album that has been written with Nicke and me is even more so in the vein of what my original vision of LUCIFER was. I'm very stoked. I think this new album digs even deeper into the record crates of the '70s and opens up even more. There's a whole variety of different moods and songs in there. I think it opens up, hopefully, to more people. For me, it certainly was an expansion."
Female vocalist Pamela Moore, who is best known for her performance as Sister Mary on QUEENSRŸCHE's 1988 epic release "Operation: Mindcrime" and 2006's sequel "Operation: Mindcrime II", has released a video for the song "WiFi Zombie". The track is taken from Moore's new album, "Behind The Veil".
A team of masterful musicians helped bring this masterpiece to life: Rudy Sarzo (QUIET RIOT, OZZY OSBOURNE) on bass, Casey Grillo (KAMELOT, QUEENSRŸCHE) on drums, Michael Posch on guitar and orchestration and newcomer Craig Church on guitar and orchestration. The record also features special guest appearances by Ralf Scheepers (PRIMAL FEAR), Randy Piper (W.A.S.P.) and Elliot Anders.
"I am very grateful and deeply honored to have such amazingly talented friends who agreed to join me on this album," Pamela said.
"'Behind The Veil' is by far my most personal work yet. The sudden loss of my mother really hit home and left me asking some very difficult questions. It was a reality check of sorts and that's what I would say 'Behind The Veil' has become... a reality check.
"Life is short. Don't waste it. Run for your life and always be grateful that you still can run!"
Moore is a proven musical powerhouse and veteran entertainer. A native of Seattle, Washington, Pamela moved to New York City in the late nineties to become the singer for RADAR, recording the band's 2000 release, 'R.P.M." When RADAR dissolved in 2001, Pamela returned to the Pacific Northwest. Pamela continued following her passion, making guest appearances on various albums in the next decade. Pamela also toured with QUEENSRŸCHE between 2003 and 2008 as a featured vocalist and stage actress. That tour reignited Pamela's desire to record her own album, and she began writing songs with former RORSCHACH TEST guitarist Benjamin Anderson. The two found instant chemistry as Pamela's lyrics and melodies brought Anderson's musical ideas to life. "Stories From A Blue Room", released in 2006 under Planet Sweet Records, was the compelling result. The eleven-track album featured guest vocals from Terri Nunn (BERLIN) and contributions from guitarists Michael Wilton (QUEENSRŸCHE) and Jeff Loomis (NEVERMORE).
After touring extensively with QUEENSRŸCHE, Pamela took her time finding the perfect collaborators for her next album, "Resurrect Me". Chicago-based guitarist Michael Posch (RADAKKA) provided potent, addictive metal grooves and soundscapes. Combined with Pamela's stylistic, emotive power vocals and inquisitive lyrics, they created pure metal magic. "Resurrect Me" was released in 2013, with very happy fans across the globe.
King Company have released a video for "Living In A Hurricane", featured on the upcoming Queen Of Hearts album. Watch below.
King Company was formed in 2014 by drummer Mirka ‘Leka’ Rantanen (Raskasta Joulua, Warmen, ex-Thunderstone, ex-Kotipelto) together with a number of well known musicians from the Finnish hard rock and metal scene: Antti Wirman (Warmen), Jari Pailamo (Kiuas, Ponies To Kill), Timo Schleifer (Enfarce) and original singer Pasi Rantanen. The band released their debut album, One For The Road, in August 2016.
The band toured their home territory in 2017, but Pasi Rantanen wound up having severe vocal cord problems and eventually could not sing at all. With a tour of Spain already booked, a high pressure search for a replacement singer resulted in the band finding the perfect candidate on….YouTube! Italian-Argentinian Leonard F. Guillan accepted the job and, proving to be a great live performer, ended up joining the band as their permanent lead vocalist.
"He gives 110% for the band and his enthusiasm is easily transmitted to everybody. Also, he’s a great showman. I had never before seen a guy who runs to the top of the bar and sings there for the audience!” says Mirka Rantanen.
Leonard was stoked to join the band and the vocal recordings for the band's new album were finally able to begin.
"I think the most relevant progression on this album is that this time pretty much all the songs were written after the first album came out,“ continues Mirka. “On that record, you can hear a few very old songs, but the new material is really fresh and the new record will give the listener a much better picture of what kind of band we have become. Also, we have grown up a lot as a band, which means that we play better and are more relaxed together - and it of course affected the songs and feelings when we were recording the album."
The new album, Queen Of Hearts, will be released on August 10th, following which King Company will tour to promote it, beginning in Finland, followed by a festival appearance in Spain and further shows in the works for the remainder of the year and well into 2019. Pre-order here.
Tracklisting:
"Queen Of Hearts"
"One Day Of Your Life"
"Stars"
"Living In A Hurricane"
"Under The Spell"
"Never Say Goodbye"
"Learn To Fly"
"Berlin"
"King For Tonight"
"Living The Dream"
"Arrival"
"Good Thing" (Bonus Track, Digital)
"Living In A Hurricane" video:
"One Day Of Your Life" lyric video:
Lineup:
Leonard F. Guillan - vocals
Antti Wirman - guitars
Jari Pailamo - keyboards
Time Schleifer - bass
Mirka Rantanen - drums
Unleashing their new Downfall EP last month, whiplash tyrants Fallen Legion have premiered their new music video for the track "Way Out", which can be viewed below.
Downfall features six energetic, unorthodox, progressive, spirited and memorable tracks plus guest vocals and keyboard from Cradle Of Filth's Lindsay Schoolcraft on "New Skin". The EP follows Fallen Legion's two well-received demo EPs Screams From The Dungeon (2012) and Infinite Archive (2015). Consisting of Nick Sauter on guitars, Jon Kal on bass, Josh Masterson on vocals and Dylan Waybrant on drums, the band presents an eclectic metal brigade of influences from Gojira, Korn, Iron Maiden, Dethlok and Antonio Vivaldi.
The band comments: “This EP is about dealing with stress- mortal blows, drugs, thoughts of suicide, the inner struggle, and the wrath of it all. The EP represents the outcome of painful experiences. Songs like ‘Escapegoat’ deal with not being able to handle the consequences of one’s actions and pushing them onto those weaker than yourself, and ‘Monster Reborn’-about letting the guilt build up inside, trapping one within their own mental anguish.”
The band is not shy when it comes to hitting the road having performed with bands like Soilwork, Havok, Unearth, Battlecross and 36 Crazy Fists. They are currently wrapping up their Southern Ontario shows in support of Downfall on The Weekend Warriors Tour with one remaining concert on June 16th in Sudbury, ON at The Asylum.
Legendary Greek black metallers Varathron have released a video for "Remnants Of The Dark Testament, taken from their new studio album Patriarchs Of Evil, out now via Agonia Records. Watch below, and order the album at Agonia Records.
Co-founded in 1988 by Stefan Necroabyssious, the band's vocalist and sole original member, Varathron has been on a steady release schedule since 2004's Crowreign. The latter album introduced Haris (drums) and Achilleas C. (guitars) to the band, who were later joined by Sotiris (guitars) and Stratos (bass), and who together established a new, well-bonded line-up of an already established Hellenic black metal act, considered as one of the forefathers of the genre, next to Rotting Christ and Necromantia.
Having previously described Patriarchs Of Evil as "heavy, dark and full of melodies that will revive past memories", Varathron elaborates on the successor to Untrodden Corridors Of Hades (2014), now that the recordings have come to an end:
"The time has come to deliver our new opus Patriarchs of Evil. A sinful sip of this unholy communion will lure you into an astral journey of absurd dimensions - with an awakening smell of the old era. This album is one of the finest pieces Varathron has ever unleashed. We promise a true heavy, blasphemous and unique masterpiece with Necroabyssious delivering his best performance ever. With glorious riffs, profound melodies and a solid rhythm section, this dark testament is to delve into. The time of the rejuvenation has come!! WE ARE FOREVER IMMORTAL!!
"Varathron are proudly spreading the Mediterranean plague since 1988! 30 years have passed and we continue to worship darkness and preach the unholy word! Patriarchs of Evil is not just a new album, it is a celebration and one of our greatest creations. Behold the 8 hymns!".
Patriarchs Of Evil was recorded, mixed and mastered over the course of 2017 by Achilleas Kalantzis (aka Achilleas C.) at Crown Audio Conspiracies, except for drums which were recorded at Infinite Loop Music Studio. Both studios are based in Varathron's hometown of Ioannina, Greece. The album's artwork and layout were designed by Juanjo Castellano. New band photos were taken by Evi Savva.
Album formats:
- Digipack CD with slipcase and 16 pages booklet.
- Black gatefold LP.
- Picture disc gatefold LP (with insert, patch and poster) limited to 200 hand-numbered copies.
- Yellow with black splatter gatefold LP (with insert, patch and poster) limited to 125 handnumbered copies.
- "30 years" zipper hoodie.
- T-shirt.
Tracklisting:
“Tenebrous”
“Into The Absurd”
“Luciferian Mystical Awakening”
“Saturnian Sect”
“Remnants Of The Dark Testament”
“Hellwitch (Witches Gathering)”
“Orgasmic Nightmares Of The Arch Desecrator”
“Ourobors Dweller (The Dweller Of Barathrum)”
Black Mirrors will finally release their full-length debut album Look Into The Black Mirror via Napalm Records on August 31st. It is a prime example of all the wonderful stuff that can happen when you sell your soul to Indie, snotty garage rock, blues and some soner rock.
As a first single the Belgian crew fronted by Marcella Di Troia unveil the crisp Josh-Homme-style stomper "Günther Kimmich" that moves the sound of the band one step further on from their Funky Queen EP from 2017. It's a strong first single for a record which will unveil a stunning variety of all flavors of genuine rock music.
Marcella Di Troia on "Günther Kimmich": "With 'Günther Kimmich' we remain faithful to our musical influences; solid and powerful riffs with strong and catchy vocal lines. It's pretty much the fastest song on the album and it will definitely be among the cooler songs to play live! Making this video clip was such a great and magical experience! I even emotionally interacted with a huge bison haha, which you can also see in the video! The beautiful nature and all the other cool footage were captured by our talented friend Sebastien Van Malleghem!"
Watch the video below.
The beautifully unchained Marcella Di Troia sings, screams, croons and whispers on otherworldly ballads like "Moonstone"or "Inner Reality" and over the danceable grooves of "Lay My Burden Down" - and the band keeps the hypnotic beats and thunderous riff walls coming on their debut album Look Into The Black Mirror. She's literally the new voice of rock n' roll!
Pierre Lateur (guitarist) on the album Look Into The Black Mirror: "Look Into The Black Mirror is the result of all our personal, musical and spiritual experiences we've went through during the past five years. Overall the album is very song-oriented as we believe that 'melody' is the most important element in music. We dug into every aspect of what we enjoy in music; from straightforward heavy rock songs to very intimate, groovy or acoustic tunes. We recorded the album already months ago, and even after all this time we're still getting more proud of what we pulled off. We are so excited to finally share these songs with the world after such a long time! We'll play a lot of them on tour after the summer!"
Available formats:
- LTD Edition 4 page digipack & Bonus Track
- 1LP Gatefold Edition in different colors
- CD & Shirt Bundle
Danish death metallers Baest, whose moniker translates to ‘beast’ or ‘brute’ in the band’s native language, are excited to launch the first single taken from their forthcoming debut album Danse Macabre. Set for release on August 17th via Century Media Records, Danse Macabre offers an intense Messe Macabre uniting influences from the likes of Bloodbath, Dismember, Bolt Thrower, Entombed and 90’s Morbid Angel with uttermost savagery.
As first single, "Crosswhore" (the album’s opening track) has now been launched, check out the video below.
Baest comments: “Some of you out there might already know ‘Crosswhore’ since we already put out that track ourselves a while ago. Now, to properly introduce us to Century Media’s audience, we proudly present you the album version and are excited to kick off the presale for our debut Danse Macabre. If you want death metal, Baest will make sure, you’ll get it!”
Danse Macabre will be released as 180 gram vinyl plus CD, as jewelcase CD, and on all digital platforms. Apart from regular black vinyl, the following limited colours are available:
- 200x transparent green – BAEST exclusive
- 100x gold – CMDistro.de exclusive
- 200x silver – also available through CMDistro.de
- 100x transparent red – Headbangr Edition, available alongside an exclusive t-shirt bundle via Headbangr.dk
Danse Macabre, recorded with Andreas Linnemann at Output Lydstudio and mastered by Lawrence Mackrory at Obey Mastering (Firespawn, Decapitated, LIK), offers extremely focused (de)compositions perfectly blending Boss HM-2 pedal abusing buzz saw guitars, vicious blasts, deep growls and infectious hooks.
Formed in 2015, Baest played over 40 shows within the quintet’s first year of existence, quickly turning heads due to their windmill headbanging skills and ferocious frontman Simon Olsen. Previously, Baest performed at Copenhell, Roskilde, Royal Metal Fest, Eurosonic and supported bands like Hatebreed, Dying Fetus, Entombed A.D. and Illdisposed, in 2018 they will play at Summer Breeze, do a Denmark headlining tour and selected shows supporting Abbath in Germany.
Tour dates:
June
29 - Tuska - Helsinki, Finland
July
12/07 Devilstone - Anyksciai, Lithuania
August
3 - Grimfest - Aarhus, Denmark
10 - Dirty Days Of Summer - Copenhagen, Denmark
11 - Smukfest - Skanderborg, Denmark
16 - Summer Breeze - Dinkelsbühl, Germany
September (with Abbath)
5 - Leiden, Netherlands - Gebr. De Nobel
6 - Essen, Germany - Turock
7 - Mannheim, Germany - MS Connexion Complex
Hitting the road for show dates across Southern Ontario this summer in support of their new EP The Crucible Of Sin, metal warriors on a holy quest, Toronto's AxMinister have teamed up with BraveWords for the premiere of their new music video "Prey".
The band comments:
"'Prey' was inspired by that whole 50 Shades of Grey phenomenon. This video is a comedic telling meant to be shocking and sexy, as well as a little bit cheesy/cheeky."
The EP was released on May 4th to follow singles “Visceral Speed” (2017), “AXistential Christmas” (2015), “Unborn Warriors: The Cries of Tomorrow” (2015) and full length “Betray Everything” (2015).
Warriors of metal on a holy quest, AxMinister are inspired by Megadeth, Metallica, Slayer, Iron Maiden, Manowar and can be best described with a sound that of a sped up Type O Negative.
The band comments:
“Our EP The Crucible Of Sin sports a sense of humour. It tries to tell a… at times, nihilistic, story about love, lust, oppression, and redemption. Following every recording and show, we try to reflect on our own mistakes, and attempt to improve. We grew to understand our 90s thrash/traditional style of songwriting, and compose accordingly. This EP has that ‘90’s warm thrash sound akin to Megadeth’s Youthanasia album. We hope old and new audiences join us on a journey that is at times fictional, visual and imaginative, while other times introspective and contemplative. We like you to dance, head bang, and mosh to it.”
Show dates:
June
16 – Sudbury, ON – The Asylum
July
7 – Stouffville, ON – Wars Fest
8 – Hamilton, ON – The Doors Pub
13 – St. Catharines – The Detour
14 – St. Catharines – The Detour
August
17 – Hamilton, ON – The Doors Pub
25 – Toronto, ON – Coalition T.O.
BAD WOLVES' video for the song "Remember When" can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's debut album, "Disobey", which bowed at No. 23 on the Billboard 200 chat with 19,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending May 17.
The "Remember When" clip explores BAD WOLVES frontman Tommy Vext's relationship with his brother.
"My twin brother is currently serving 17 years for attempted murder — [he] tried to kill me during a home invasion when he was high in 2010," Vext said in a recent interview with Kerrang! "[Testifying against him] was definitely one of the more difficult moments of my life."
"'Remember When' kinda goes through a timeline and highlights two people who lived the exact same life and had the exact same hardships and advantages and disadvantages, and who we are ultimately as adults is defined by the choices that we made, and our lives reflect those choices."
"Disobey" also includes BAD WOLVES' massively successful cover of THE CRANBERRIES hit "Zombie". The track hit the Top 15 on the American rock radio chart and was No. 1 on iTunes in multiple countries, including the U.K., Sweden, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and THE CRANBERRIES' home country of Ireland.
Late CRANBERRIES singer Dolores O'Riordan was slated to record vocals for BAD WOLVES' cover of the track on the day that she died in a London hotel this past January. The band decided to release the song in her honor with all proceeds going to her children.
The original single was first released by THE CRANBERRIES in 1994 and became a worldwide No. 1 hit.
BAD WOLVES will spend much of the foreseeable future on the road. Starting mid-July, BAD WOLVES will join FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, along with BREAKING BENJAMIN and NOTHING MORE, and remain on the road through September.
BAD WOLVES is drummer John Boecklin (ex-DEVILDRIVER) and vocalist Tommy Vext (DIVINE HERESY, SNOT), as well as guitarists Doc Coyle (ex-GOD FORBID), Chris Cain (BURY YOUR DEAD), and bassist Kyle Konkiel (ex-IN THIS MOMENT).
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