Continuing with their new licensing partnership with Victor Entertainment (Asia), Sliptrick Records announces the release of the debut EP from Japanese all girl band, Lovebites. The Lovebites EP will be made available in the US, Canada and Mexico via Sliptrick on August 31st.
Meet one the most promising rising stars of Japan’s female metal scene, Lovebites. The band consist of, Asami (lead singer), Miho (the band leader and the bassist), Haruna (drummer), Midori (guitarist) and Mi-Ya (guitar and keyboards). The Lovebites sound owes a debt to the many great overseas heavy metal bands that have directly influenced their writing. Coupled with their own unique take on music, with each members eclectic background and experiences, everything has culminated into forging a truly formidable group. We’ve written a full biography about Lovebites on their new official English landing page, here.
Lovebites started working on their first EP at the end of 2016, joined by amazing an engineering team of Mikko Karmila and Mika Jussila from Finland who are known for their work with Nightwish, Children Of Bodom and Amorphis to name a few. The Lovebite EP was the culmination of those sessions and is ready for release in 2017. All the girls are exceptional musicians and coupled with their own unique brand of fire and attitude, the EP is simply a blast.
The Lovebites EP (US Edition) tracklisting:
“Don’t Bite The Dust”
“The Apocalypse”
“Scream For Me”
“Bravehearted”
Renowned Danish composer and classically trained multi-instrumentalist, Myrkur, has released a video for “Ulvinde”, featured on the upcoming Mareridt album. The clip can be found below.
The video, directed by Mats Ek, beautifully captures her longing for a place in nature, in peace, away from the 'real' world - a world that she explains "often feels I cannot and was never meant to function in." Inner and outer demons all come to life in breathtaking footage captured across Norwegian landscapes and scenery.
"Ulvinde" features Amalie Bruun on violin, guitar, piano, Wolves In The Throne Room's Aaron Weaver on drums, alongside Andreas Lynge and William Hayes on guitars plus choir singers Veslemøy Heyerdahl and Ida Sandberg Motzfelt.
“Mareridt” (translation: Nightmare) is a rich juxtaposition of the dark and the light; the moon and the mother earth; the witch and the saint. Myrkur explores deeper into the mysterious and the feminine with 11 tracks that further progress her visionary blend of metal with gorgeous, stirring melodies, dark folk passages, choral arrangements and superb, horrific beauty.
Mareridt was recorded between Copenhagen and Seattle with producer, Randall Dunn (Earth, Marissa Nadler, Sun O))), Boris). Like a marriage of King Diamond's Them with Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, Mareridt is a carefully composed concept freed from genre. It flows between English and Danish, from guttural growls charged with testosterone, to emotive feminine hymns and Kulning. The compositions sweep into one another like a soundtrack designed to guide the listener through emotional turmoil. One minute the songs are fighting back, the next lulling you to submission. Lyrically, Myrkur hatches open the folklore of her Nordic heritage, applying the ancient fables to her personal piety. Mareridt toys with juxtaposition and finds life between theoretical opposites. Timeless, triumphant, powerful and hypnotic, Mareridt is a sonic nightmare that you never want to escape.
Relapse offers an exclusive, one time pressing deluxe 2LP on red inside clear with blue splatter and custom Myrkur logo etching on side D; limited to 900. The deluxe version also features alternate cover art painted by Norwegian painter Odd Nerdrum and contains core album on LP 1 plus 5 bonus tracks on LP 2 (not available on CD or single LP versions). Pre-order Mareridt now via Relapse.com.
Mareridt will be released on September 15th. Artwork and tracklisting below.
Tracklisting:
“Mareridt”
“Måneblôt”
“The Serpent”
“Crown”
“Elleskudt”
“De Tre Piker”
“Funeral” (featuring Chelsea Wolfe)
“Ulvinde”
“Gladiatrix”
“Kætteren”
“Børnehjem”
“Death Of Days” *
“Kvindelil” * (featuring Chelsea Wolfe)
“Løven” *
“Himlen blev sort” *
“Två Konungabarn” *
* Digital / Deluxe 2xLP Bonus Track
“Måneblôt”:
Live dates:
August
17 - Brooklyn, NY - Saint Vitus
18 - Las Vegas, NV - Psycho Las Vegas
October
26 - Stockholm, Sweden - Close-Up Baten Cruise
November
4 - Leeds, UK - Damnation Festival
17 - London, UK - Heaven #
18 - Leeuwarden, Netherlands - Neushoorn #
19 - Lille, France - Maison Folie Beaulieu #
20 - Paris, France - Alhambra #
21 - Rennes, France - Antipode MJC #
23 - Bilbao, Spain - Santana27 #
24 - Madrid, Spain - Caracol #
25 - Barcelona, Spain - Razzmatazz2 #
27 - Milan, Italy - Circolo Magnolia #
29 - Munich, Germany - Theaterfabrik #
30 - Salzburg, Austria - Rockhouse #
German heavy metal trio, Rage, have released a music video for “Seasons Of The Black” the opening track from their new album, Seasons Of Black. The band’s 23rd studio album is released today (July 28th) via Nuclear Blast. The new video can be found below.
Get your copy of the new album here, or get the digital version here.
Seasons Of The Black was recorded in February / March 2017 at Megafon Studios (Burscheid, Germany) and at Soundchaser Studios (Zandhoven, Belgium). Its production was handled by Rage, whilst the renowned Dan Swanö (Marduk, Opeth, Katatonia) took care of the mix and mastering at Unisound Studios (Grefrath, Germany).
Tracklisting:
“Season Of The Black”
“Serpents In Disguise”
“Blackened Karma”
“Time Will Tell”
“Septic Bite”
“Walk Among The Dead”
“All We Know Is Not”
“The Tragedy Of Man - Gaia”
“The Tragedy Of Man - Justify”
“The Tragedy Of Man - Bloodshed In Paradise”
“The Tragedy Of Man - Farewell”
Avenger Revisited (Bonus CD):
“Adoration”
“Southcross Union”
“Assorted By Satan”
“Faster Than Hell”
“Sword Made Of Steel”
“Down To The Bone”
“Season Of The Black” video:
“Adoration”:
“Blackened Karma” video:
Track by track #1:
Track by track #2:
Track by track #3:
Rage live dates:
August
3-5 - Wacken, Germany - Wacken Open Air
10 - Villena, Spain - Leyendas Del Rock
12 - Kortrijk, Belgium - Alcatraz Festival
13 - Königs Wusterhausen, Germany - Zombie Rock Festival
AUGUST BURNS RED will release its seventh full-length album, "Phantom Anthem", on October 6 via Fearless Records. The follow-up to 2015's "Found In Far Away Places" was recorded with longtime producers Carson Slovak and Grant McFarland.
The Lancaster, Pennsylvania five-piece teamed up with SiriusXM Liquid Metal to premiere new track "Invisible Enemy" and has released an imaginative music video for the song.
Working with director Samuel Halleen, the band was turned into 3D marionette versions of themselves, with no details spared, even including a scene of one of their most iconic videos for "Meddler". To the clothes they wear on stage, to the small details in their personal instruments, this video truly captures the energy of AUGUST BURNS RED's commanding presence and even includes some of the band's top fans in the video.
"Phantom Anthem" track listing: 01. King Of Sorrow02. Hero Of The Half Truth03. The Frost 04. Lifeline 05. Invisible Enemy 06. Quake 07. Coordinates08. Generations 09. Float 10. Dangerous 11. Carbon Copy
AUGUST BURNS RED will kick off its European headline tour for the tenth anniversary of its much-loved album "Messengers", with performances slotted for the fall on Rock Allegiance, Houston Open Air and Aftershock festivals.
"Found In Far Away Places" marked AUGUST BURNS RED's second consecutive Top 10 debut on the Billboard Top 200. The single "Identity" notched a Grammy Award nod in the category of "Best Metal Performance."
In April 2016, Edmonton, Alberta-based metallers The Order Of Chaos had the distinct opportunity to play the Midi Festival, China's second largest international outdoor music event. It was an experience like no other that the power metal quintet will not soon forget. The sheer energy from the crowd was immense and thrilling for them to play for an audience that is still just beginning to embrace Western music.
The band's new video, "Indoctrination”, was all shot on location during the fest and BraveWords has the exclusive premiere.
The band comments: "Our tour in China last year was an incredible experience. Walking into the midi festival and seeing a veritable ocean of dedicated metal fans ready to lose their mind to our songs was mind blowing. We think this video captures the energy perfectly."
Watch "Indoctrination”, directed and edited by guitarist Barrett Klesko, whom also runs FadeBack Studios, below:
"Indoctrination" is featured on The Order Of Chaos’ latest album, Apocalypse Moon, released via German label Killer Metal Records to follow 2013's Sexwitch EP. The album was recorded/mixed and mastered at the Physics Lab by Terry Paholek in Edmonton and features 12 tracks that showcase the talent and diversity of one of Canada’s up and coming heavy metal bands.
The album features Amanda Kiernan (Into Eternity) on vocals, John Simon Fallon and John Saturley on guitar, Tim Prevost on drums and Duncan Hickerty on bass guitar, who has been replaced by Barrett Klesko of All Else Fails for live performances.
Apocalypse Moon tracklisting:
“The Anthem Of Pain”
“Death After Life”
“Indoctrination”
“Downfall”
“Evil Surrounds Me”
“Survival Of The Richest”
“Apocalypse Moon”
“The Venom”
“Sexwitch”
“Victim Of Circumstance”
“Deceiver”
“The Devil That You Know”
California based symphonic black metal artists Empyrean Throne have released the music video for their song "Sed Nomini Tuo Da Gloriam" off their upcoming debut album Chaosborne, out August 11th on M-Theory Audio. The video for "Sed Nomini Tuo Da Gloriam" was directed by Matt Zane (Zakk Wylde, John 5, Dope) and can be seen below.
"'Sed Nomini Tuo Da Gloriam' is the catalyst for our narrative arc within our album Chaosborne," says vocalist Andrew Knudsen. "The song encompasses the legendary Battle of Montgisard during the 10th century Ayyubid-Crusader War. We wanted to bring the horrors of that battle to life with our story’s main character, Mathias, an idealistic Templar. Within the song, his worldview is shattered, as he is utterly unprepared for the ensuing madness upon the killing fields of Montgisard in addition to the true nature of his brothers among his knightly order. We also wanted to explore that darkness that lurks within mankind, what we call the 'Shadow Self.' Director Matt Zane and I talked about how we wanted to bring these concepts to life, while showing the struggle of a Templar confronted with the consequences of the Crusades as he is tormented by the souls of the vanquished. Zane and the rest of the cast and crew were an absolute pleasure to work with. We couldn’t have been more pleased with the end product. We hope you enjoy the latest offering from our debut album, Chaosborne."
Empyrean Throne's debut album Chaosborne was produced by Mick Kenney (Anaal Nathrakh) and features artwork by Valadislav Kutusov.
Tracklisting:
"The Twilight Order"
"Sed Nomini Tuo Da Gloriam"
"Usurping The Obsidian God"
"And None Shall Rise…"
"The Devouring Mark"
"From The Mouth Ov The Black Icons"
"Stormrite Ascension"
"Chaosborne"
"Haereticus Stellarum Part I"
"Haereticus Stellarum Part II"
"Follow The Plaguelord Part II: The Harbinger Ov Pestilence"
Empyrean Throne have also released a lyric video for the single "And None Shall Rise" from their upcoming debut album Chaosborne. The lyric video was produced by Scott Rudd (Opeth, Fear Factory).
After recently announcing their appearance at Ozzfest on November 4th at the Glen Helen Amphitheater & Festival Grounds in San Bernardino, CA, Tombs is now premiering their new video for "Walk With Me in Nightmares”, directed/edited by David Brodsky. Watch below:
Tombs released their fourth full-length, The Grand Annihilation, back in June via Metal Blade Records. Produced once again by Erik Rutan (Cannibal Corpse, Soilent Green, Belphegor, Hate Eternal), The Grand Annihilation remains rooted in the blackened, post-metallic sound that the band has become known for since 2007's self-titled EP, while also being their most experimental record to-date.
The Grand Annihilation tracklisting:
“Black Sun Horizon”
“Cold”
“Old Wounds”
“November Wolves”
“Underneath”
“Way Of The Storm”
“Shadows At The End Of The World”
“Walk With Me In Nightmares”
“Saturnalian”
“Temple Of Mars”
Masterplan are back with a new CD of re-recorded Helloween classics, featuring songs that the band’s founder, chief songwriter and guitarist, Roland Grapow, performed on during his time with Helloween. The official release date is July 28th.
Entitled PumpKings, the album consists of songs originally featured on the Halloween albums Pink Bubbles Go Ape (1991), Chameleon (1993), Master Of The Rings (1994), The Time Of The Oath (1996) and The Dark Ride (2000). PumpKings will be released as a digipak and colored (of course orange) double vinyl in gatefold sleeve. Artwork and tracklisting below.
The new version of “Mr. Ego”, originally on Master Of The Rings, is available for streaming below.
Tracklisting:
“The Chance”
“Someone's Crying”
“Mankind”
“Step Out Of Hell”
“Mr. Ego”
“Still We Go”
“Escalation 666”
“The Time Of The Oath”
“Music”
“The Dark Ride”
This Friday, July 28th, Byzantine will release their new album, The Cicada Tree, via Metal Blade Records. Heralded as the most underrated band from the New Wave of American Heavy Metal Movement, Byzantine has slowly gained a cult-like following after releasing five genre-bending albums. 16 years underground, it's finally time for the world to hear Byzantine.
For another preview of The Cicada Tree, a video for the new single "Vile Maxim" (directed/edited by Holly Mollohan, and produced by Screaming Butterfly Entertainment), can be seen below.
The new album can be pre-ordered here in the following formats:
- CD
- 180g black 2LP + etching (limited to 150 copies - USA exclusive)
- peach orange marbled 2LP + etching (limited to 350 copies - USA exclusive)
- clear pastel rose 2LP + etching (limited to 100 copies - EU exclusive)
* exclusive bundles with a shirt, plus digital options are also available
To state that The Cicada Tree is "classic Byzantine" in no way implies that this is an album solely rooted in the band's past. Certainly, all of the hallmarks that have made their sound so compelling for close to two decades are present and correct: muscular yet lithe riffs and fluid leads play against gripping, dynamic and at times unpredictable rhythms, while rich melodies and lyrics that are both involved and intelligent wind their way through every track. But, once more, the groove metal unit has continued their steady evolution - the interplay between their members organic and natural, imbuing the record's sixty-two-minute running time with a freshness and urgency.
Founding member Chris "OJ" Ojeda states, "The first few albums, you're trying to find your sound, and sometimes you tend to not see the forest for the trees. Now, on album number six, it seems a calmness took hold during the songwriting process, possibly from just having more confidence in our sound. At this point, our fans expect us to experiment and push our boundaries, which is an extremely liberating feeling."
The Cicada Tree tracklisting:
“New Ways To Bear Witness”
“Vile Maxim”
“Map Of The Creator”
“Dead As Autumn Leaves”
“Trapjaw”
“The Subjugated”
“Incremental”
“The Cicada Tree”
“Verses Of Violence”
“Moving In Stereo” (The Cars cover)
“Servitude” (Fishbone cover)
“Vile Maxim” video:
“Trapjaw” lyric video:
“New Ways To Bear Witness” video:
To celebrate The Cicada Tree's release, the band will have an official album release party on July 29th at The V Club in Charleston, WV (where the "New Ways To Bear Witness" video was filmed). Dream The Electric Sleep and Against will also perform with Byzantine at the event; for more details, head here.
Byzantine tour dates (headlining shows):
July
29 - Charleston, WV - The V Club (The Cicada Tree Release Party)
August
5 - Pittsburgh, PA - Cattivo
19 - Johnson City, TN - Capone's
September
1 - Baltimore, MD - Sidebar
2 - Richmond, VA - The Canal Club
Byzantine tour dates with Sacred Reich:
September
14 - Santa Ana, CA - The Observatory w/ Hirax, Yidhra
15 - Los Angeles, CA - The Roxy Theatre w/ Hirax, Yidhra
16 - San Francisco, CA - Slim's w/ Yidhra
18 - Denver, CO - Marquis Theater
20 - Chicago, IL - Reggie's
21 - Toronto, ON - Opera House
22 - Montreal, QC - Les Foufounes Electriques
23 - Boston, MA - Brighton Music Hall
24 - New York, NY - Gramercy Theater
25 - Philadelphia, PA - Voltage
27 - Atlanta, GA - Masquerade
28 - New Orleans, LA - Southport Hall
29 - Dallas, TX - Trees
30 - Houston, TX - Scout Bar w/ Slim
Widowmaker have released a music video for “The Nihilist”, the opening track of their self-titled debut album, released earlier this month via SharpTone Records. Watch the new clip below.
Tracklisting:
“The Nihilist”
“Paragon”
“Spineless”
“Regression”
“Dissonance”
“Quarantine”
“The Illusionist”
Northwest Indiana’s Cloakroom have released a video for “The Sun Won’t Let Us”, a track from their upcoming second album, Time Well. The new clip is available for streaming below.
Grandiose and deeply insular, Time Well is a work that transcends simple genre descriptors as the trio prove dually capable of conjuring lumbering walls of sound as well as forlorn Americana (as predicted by a recent Songs: Ohia cover the band posted to Bandcamp). Cloakroom occupies a space between worlds, crafting its unique brand of thoughtfully heavy music, something Relapse has long specialized in.
Time Well will be released worldwide August 18th on CD/2xLP/Digital via Relapse Records. Physical pre-orders and exclusive bundles are currently available via Relapse.com at this location and digital pre-orders are available via Bandcamp here.
For the new album, the trio (consisting of vocalist-guitarist Doyle Martin, bassist Robert Markos, and drummer Brian Busch) opted to explore their shared creative space by building their own studio, transforming their practice space into a sonic laboratory in which they could immerse themselves in every aspect of the creative process. Once the studio had completed its transition it became a workspace that was essential to the creation of Time Well, sheltering the band from the outside world as they immersed themselves in the songs and pushed sounds to their furthest limits.
“We could work at all hours of the night and pick up where we left off days later,“ said Doyle Martin. “We vaulted the ceiling, amassed some gear with a little help from Relapse, and, after laying a rat's nest of cables through the place, we started to record.”
Cloakroom first materialized back in 2012 with a couple songs that appeared on a Bandcamp page with the succinct description: “Cloakroom consists of three factory workers from the Region.” As far as biographies go it’s about as terse as they come, but it conveys simple facts that speak to greater truths. Cloakroom is still a trio and still resides in the Region, a unique amalgam of cities and towns in Northwest Indiana that’s equal parts industrial and rural, a sense of space that leaves a distinctive sonic imprint across all the band’s recorded works. With Time Well, Cloakroom shows itself untethered from the present moment. It’s a record that’s flanked by contradictory ideas that are always running parallel; growth begets destruction begets death. It’s an unending cycle, and Time Well is the soundtrack to that unending, awe-inspiring momentum.
Time Well tracklisting:
“Gone But Not Entirely”
“Big World”
“Concrete Gallery”
“Seedless Star”
“Sickle Moon Blues”
“Hymnal”
“The Sun Won’t Let Us Go”
“Time Well”
“52Hz Whale”
“The Passenger”
“The Sun Won’t Let Us Go” video:
“Seedless Star” video:
Additionally, Cloakroom have announced a run of fall tour dates throughout North America. The band will kick off the fall with a record release show in Chicago before venturing east in October.
September
1 - Chicago, IL - Schuba’s *Record Release Show*
29 - Kalamazoo, MI - Bell’s Brewery
30 - Toronto, ON - The Garrison
October
1 - Montreal, QC - La Vitrola
3 - Boston, MA - Middle East
4 - Brooklyn, NY - St. Vitus
6 - Philadelphia, PA - Philamoca
7 - Washington, DC - Comet Ping Pong
8 - Cleveland, OH - Mahall’s
Shaman’s Harvest have released a video for “The Come Up”, a track from the band’s new album, Red Hands Black Deeds, out this Friday, July 28th, via Mascot Label Group. The new clip can be found below.
Produced by Keith Armstrong, the new album pre-meditatively took on a more organic approach, utilizing vintage gear. Nathan Hunt offers, “We used analog effects pedals and vintage amps. It was kind of like trying to find the melting point between Midwest and L.A. It still has the Shaman's Harvest Midwest vibe to it, but it definitely has organic L.A. written all over it."
Guitarist Josh Hamler adds, “Goat toes are the new cowbells. We'd tell Keith we wanted a certain sound, and he'd pull stuff out that we never thought of, like the goat toes we used on “Blood Trophies” and "A Longer View” or sandpaper on ‘Scavengers’.”
The band - singer Nathan Hunt, bassist Matt Fisher, rhythm guitarist Josh Hamler, lead guitarist Derrick Shipp, and drummer Adam Zemanek - simply didn't want to use anything digital, and when a certain effect was needed they approached the process creatively, coming up with solutions to reach a realized vision. As Hamler shares, “We had been so stuck in our way of writing and recording, but Keith had a different, more interesting approach to coming up with that sound. He really helped us find a fresh new creative path."
Red Hands Black Deeds is a darker, visceral, and more layered sound than past repertoire offered on the band’s first five studio albums. The album ranges from the ominous, haunting vibes of the title track prelude, "A Longer View," "The Devil In Our Wake," and "Scavengers" - which could fit just as easily on a horror film soundtrack as it does on this rock band's album - to quieter, more vulnerable moments as heard on "Tusk And Bone" and "Long Way Home”.
Lyrically, the band also ventured into new territory, taking on the current political, social, and economic struggles we're facing as a nation under the new administration. "Red Hands Black Deeds touches upon the darker nature inside all of us,” says Hunt. “The whole record has a contrast and push and pull tension - a juxtaposition of good and bad or questioning what is right and wrong. The record ended up having a concept, though we weren’t intending it to," says Hunt.
The writing of the record began in November 2016 at the time of the presidential election, so it's no wonder there are social and political undertones to many of the songs. "The tension in the record kind of speaks for itself. There's a dark anxiety, tension-filled feeling that reflects what’s going on in the world," says Hamler.
"The Come Up," the album’s first single, is an upbeat song that juxtaposes a Motown backbeat with classic Rolling Stones rock and roll swagger, and that delves into depression. "There's so much negativity on social media today ‑ a lot of people struggling with real issues and with where we're at as a nation," says Hunt.
But, "The Come Up" is also an acknowledgment of the singer's own battle with depression. "It's therapeutic for myself," he says. "It's just about sometimes when you just can't change shit, you got to realize you can't mold everything in your life and you kind of just have to roll with the punches," says Hunt, who overcame throat cancer in 2014 that could've derailed the band, but didn't.
"A Longer View" is a song that touches on civil unrest we face today and global race issues. "When you step back, you see we're all just humans. That's the longer view. It doesn't matter. At the end of the day, we all just want love and to be understood," says Hunt.
On a similar note, "The Broken Ones" touches on immigration issues, as well as anyone who feels disenfranchised, such as Hunt's own Native American ancestors. "My father's family is part of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, which is made of a lot of different races and regions, and because of that they don't get all of the benefits that federally recognized tribes have. The song is a cynical look at society today," says Hunt, whose heritage inspired the band's name.
"The Devil in Our Wake" tackles the topic of war. "I'd go to bed with CNN on to some bullshit at the White House, or the heartbreaking situation in Syria. I'd see what's going on in the world and think, 'Shit, how did we get so divisive?'" says Hunt.
"Soul Crusher," a funky rocker about fighting through tough times, shows off the band's musical versatility. "It mixes a lot of genres musically. You can’t help but want to dance and bob your head. It touches on that old Motown vibe. But it also has some Texas blues to it," says Hunt.
Even through the singer's battle with cancer, and other trials and tribulations every band goes through, the band has persevered. Born in Jefferson City, Missouri, Shaman's Harvest released their first album, Last Call for Goose Creek in 1999, followed by Synergy (2002) and March of the Bastards (2006) before having their break-through moment with 2009's Shine. Shine featured the standout track, "Dragonfly," which hit #9 on Billboard's Heritage Rock chart and #15 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. It was also featured on the soundtrack to the major motion picture, Legendary, and the video has garnered more than 4.5 million YouTube views.
The band followed that success with their Mascot Records debut, Smokin' Hearts & Broken Guns in 2014, which has garnered more than 31 million streams. The album's "In Chains" peaked at #11 on the Media Base chart after a run of 22 weeks at Active Rock radio. It also spent over four months in the Top 10 of iTunes Metal Songs Chart. The song's video has more than 3 million views on YouTube, while the band has a cumulative 8 million YouTube views.
Shaman's Harvest has had equal success on the touring front. They've toured or shared the stage with major artists like AC/DC, Alice In Chains, Godsmack, Breaking Benjamin, Seether, Nickelback, Three Doors Down, In This Moment, Daughtry, Cheap Trick, Theory of a Deadman, Hinder, and others, and played major festivals like Rocklahoma, Rock on the Range, Rock Fest, KRockathon, Rockin' The Rivers, Texas Mutiny, Rock Carnival 2016, High Elevation Rock Festival, and Midwest Rock Fest.
The key to the band's longevity is threefold: Staying in Missouri, which gives the band a Midwestern authenticity. "Our music wouldn't be what it is if we weren't from a hillbilly kind of a state," notes Fisher. Second, knowing the gift of distance and being open to change. "It's been 21 years for us," Fisher continues, "so it's a brotherhood and there are fights, but I think over all it's just keeping some distance in between tours when we need it."
And, third: "Growing musically as a band each time. I think this record, with how differently we approached it and how we expanded our sonic palette, is a good step toward a new future for us," adds Fisher.
Tracklisting:
“Red Hands Black Deeds” (Prelude)
“Broken Ones”
“The Come Up”
“A Longer View”
“Soul Crusher”
“Off The Tracks”
“Long Way Home”
“The Devil in Our Wake”
“Blood Trophies”
“So Long”
“Tusk and Bone”
“Scavengers”
Australia’s Ne Obliviscaris will release their new album, Urn, on October 27th via Season Of Mist. A video for the new track “Intra Venus” is available for streaming below.
Tracklisting:
“Libera (Part I) - Saturnine Spheres”
“Libera (Part II) - Ascent of Burning Moths”
“Intra Venus”
“Eyrie”
“Urn (Part I) - And Within The Void We Are Breathless”
“Urn (Part II) - As Embers Dance In Our Eyes”
New York City hard rockers Station have released their electric new music video, "All You Need is a Heartbeat."
"This song has been in the works for a long time," explains guitarist Chris Lane. "It was actually written when we filmed our very first music video and it's about the experience of doing so. We've loved the song for a while and were excited to finally get into the studio and record it!"
In addition to the video premiere, Station will be coming home to headline The Gramercy Theater in N.Y.C. on August 24th for the final show of their extensive summer tour.
Hundred Suns - the trio featuring Cory Brandan (Norma Jean), Ryan Leger (Every Time I Die) and Chris LeMasters (Dead & Divine) have released a video for “Amaranthine”, the second track from their debut album, The Prestaliis (New Damage Records). The clip can be seen below.
The band is donating a portion of the track’s sales to THORN, an organization that creates and supports tech initiatives that disrupt predatory behaviour and work to make the internet a more hostile environment for those who seek to exploit children. Click here for more information.
Brandan discussed the song and video, saying, "'Amaranthine' is one of our favorite songs. It switches between two different time signatures and we experimented with a lot of dynamics. Chris and Legs have a very balanced writing and rhythmic chemistry on this track, which gave me a lot of room to be vocally versatile. I feel like the song has a very shadowy, almost 'street' vibe to it, matching its dark lyrical content, which was inspired by human trafficking - a very serious problem that deserves way more attention than it gets. At times, it feels like the world is in a perpetual cycle, talking about the same topics over and over but trafficking is a real crisis taking place in all of our communities, cities and states. I had a conversation with a border agent, who told me that they intervene to help young girls and boys almost every day. According to the US State Department, 600,000 to 800,000 people are trafficked across international borders every year, which is an insane stat. But raising awareness is meaningless without action, so we're donating a portion of profits from 'Amaranthine' to THORN, an organization that focuses primarily on preventing the sexual exploitation of children. They were founded in part by Ashton Kutcher and I've seen him talk about this subject and found it to be very inspiring. Those that want to join us in supporting this important cause can do so by downloading 'Amaranthine' on iTunes. You can also visit wearethorn.org for more information."
“Amaranthine” follows the release of first track “Last Apology” (listen below). Both songs are available as instant downloads by clicking here to pre-order The Prestaliis ahead of its August 11th release date.
In support of their forthcoming LP, Hundred Suns will be touring across North America this summer. The month-long tour kicks off in Dallas, TX on August 5th and wraps up with three Canadian shows in Ottawa (August 24th), Toronto (August 25th) and St. Catharines (August 26th). Tickets for the tour are on-sale now.
Hundred Suns is the convergence of darkness, intention, and emotion, summoning an enrapturing dreamscape of haunting songs that are multilayered yet delivered with urgent immediacy. Tastemaker media outlets like Revolver, Alternative Press, and BBC1 with Daniel Carter have already taken notice. The response from fans is no less exciting, with a crowd-funded campaign that easily surpassed its initial goal.
Armed with the support of campaign backers, Hundred Suns conjured their debut full-length, together with producer/engineer Sam Guaiana (Like Pacific), vocal engineer/producer Jeremy SH Griffith (Norma Jean, Underoath), and producer/mixer (and Saosin guitarist) Beau Burchell (Blaqk Audio, The Bronx). The Prestaliis explores catastrophe, elemental power, primitive anxieties, and complex struggles within songs that are straightforward and structured, free and invigorating, yet deceptively focused on details. Hundred Suns meditates on the unspoken sentiments that hang in the air, the conversations that often are never had, yet exist on the tip of the tongue for so many that often feel the same conflict.
Multidimensional stories intersect with colorfully vibrant music, shrouded and cloaked in introspective fog ‘though they may be. Hundred Suns is an invitation to artistic indulgence, to creative alchemy, and to drink in each shared experience.
Tracklisting:
“The Prestaliis I”
“Partner/Predator”
“Bedburner”
“Last Apology”
“Fractional”
“Reversal”
“December”
“Hellelujah”
“Infinite Winter”
“Amaranthine”
“The Prestaliis II”
Wayward Sons’ debut album, Ghosts Of Yet To Come, will be released on September 15th. An acoustic version of the song “Until The End” is included in the new video below:
Wayward Sons is a UK guitar act made up of Toby Jepson (vocals, guitar), Sam Wood (guitar), Nic Wastell (bass), Dave Kemp (keys) and Phil Martini (drums). They have an impressive resume of groups they have previously worked with - Little Angels, Gun, Spear Of Destiny, Treason Kings and Chrome Molly to name a few - which is reassuring in terms of the band as players, but doesn’t really hint at their sound. Wayward Sons sound nothing like the sum of their parts. The music is hard rock but mixed with a vitality and energy - both musically and lyrically.
Ghosts Of Yet To Come is a hugely accomplished debut album - as might be expected. From the staccato riffing of “Give It Away” to the melodic intro of first single “Until The End”, from the hard rock of “Ghosts” to 4/4 rock of “Don’t Wanna Go”, the album sounds familiar yet of its own. Toby Jepson had the basis of songs written when the band formed. Together they then took these rough song ideas and forged their own sound. Lyrically the album sees Jepson treading a far more personal line than some of his previous output.
“I feel I have unfinished business, stories still left to tell, points to make, noise to create, all of the above... besides, it wasn't a choice, more of a need. My intention is very simple. I want to write about what makes me tick; about what I believe in. Hopefully you will believe in it too. It will be warts and all,” says Jepson.
The album was produced by Wayward Sons (Toby Jepson’s previous credits as a songwriter and producer include the likes of Katie Melua, The Virgin Marys, The Answer and Toseland) and Chris D’Adda (Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds).
Tracklisting:
“Alive”
“Until The End”
“Ghost”
“Don't Wanna Go”
“Give It Away”
“Killing Time”
“Crush”
“Be Still”
“Small Talk”
“Something Wrong”
“Alive” acoustic:
“Alive” video:
“Until The End” video:
“Until The End” alternate studio video:
Wayward Sons have a series of dates through 2017, with more to follow.
July
26 - Bristol, UK - Louisiana
28 - Derbyshire, UK - Rock And Blues Custom Show Festival
29 - Kent, UK - Ramblin’ Man Fair Festival
30 - Ebbw Vale, UK - Steelhouse Festival
HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD will release its fifth full-length album, "V" (Five), on October 27. The music video for the disc's first single, "California Dreaming", can be seen below. Powered by neck-snapping guitars and fast and furious bars, the song cycles between guttural rapping and quick quips. Everything culminates on the choral chant "We never sleep, in California we're dreaming."
"It dissects both sides of California," HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD's J-Dog reveals. "You've got the glitz, glamour, sun, and surf. Then, you've got the super-fucked side of people not being able to afford rent, celebrities being assholes, and that fake façade.
"We wanted to do a heavy song with a RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS-esque chorus. It's an old school vibe explored in a new way."
"We're five brothers, and this is our fifth record," affirms Johnny 3 Tears. "Nothing gets to the essence of the music like this number does. Numerology has a lot of power. When we said 'Five', it just made sense. The fact that we could all agree on one word codifies who we are. It also nods back to 'No. 5' from our first album, because it was our fifth song. Moreover, it hints at this secret society of fans supporting us for the past decade. The number is significant, and this is a significant moment for us."
HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD has also announced a new set of dates in support of "V", which will begin on September 30 at the Louder Than Life festival. Tickets and VIP Packages for all shows go on sale this Friday, July 28 at 10 a.m. local in each city. For all U.S. headline shows, BUTCHER BABIES will serve as direct support.
"Obedience School", the new Dennis Bersales-directed video from DEAD CROSS, the Southern California outfit featuring drummer Dave Lombardo (ex-SLAYER, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, MISFITS) and singer Mike Patton (FAITH NO MORE), can be seen below. The song is taken from DEAD CROSS's self-titled debut album, which will be released on August 4 via Ipecac Recordings. The effort was helmed by producer Ross Robinson, who has previously worked with KORN, DEFTONES, SEPULTURA and LIMP BIZKIT, among others, and was mastered at Golden Mastering in Ventura, California.
DEAD CROSS, which is rounded out by Justin Pearson (THE LOCUST, RETOX, HEAD WOUND CITY) and Michael Crain (RETOX, FESTIVAL OF DEAD DEER), last year parted ways with singer Gabe Serbian.
"Dead Cross" features a glow-in-the-dark cover (CD/LP) created by Eric Livingston, with vinyl available in a limited edition gold and a clear/red/black swirl.
Joining DEAD CROSS on the bulk of their North American tour is SECRET CHIEFS 3. The San Francisco-based outfit, who describe themselves as "an ever-unfolding musical vision," features Patton's former MR. BUNGLE bandmate Trey Spruance. "I have no idea what kind of chaos it will conjure on stage or in the audience," said Lombardo of the five-week outing, continuing, "but I know it's going to be a hell of a good time."
The late-summer tour kicks off on August 10 at The Observatory in Santa Ana, California and includes a stop at Riot Fest in Chicago.
Patton told Rolling Stone that he got involved with DEAD CROSS after reaching out to Lombardo to see if he could release the band's album on Ipecac. After getting a text from the drummer asking him to join the group, "my jaw dropped," the singer said. "I was like, 'Who, me? Hmm …' And I think it took like all of 30 seconds, but in a sarcastic way, I'm like, 'Yeah, of course. I can do this. Are you sure you want me?' So I kind of second-guessed him a little bit. And he said, 'Man, you'd be our dream vocalist.' And then it was just a matter of logistics. I decided to record it here in my basement, which is fitting. It shouldn't sound too polished."
Regarding DEAD CROSS's musical direction, Patton said: "To me, it is a traditional hardcore record. It is very pointed, direct and visceral. Like, I wasn't going to play keyboards, add samples or any kind of orchestration. It was like, 'Yo, just go for it.' In some ways, it reminded me of stuff that we had collectively all grown up with and loved when we were like teenagers — bands like the ACCÜSED, DEEP WOUND or SIEGE, stuff that was just brutal, uncompromising and right to the point. I was listening to all those bands again before this came to be, so it was already back infused in my blood. And now I got a chance to do a pencil-in-your-eye record."
Lombardo concurred, telling Rolling Stone: "The album is only 28 minutes long. And the funny thing is [SLAYER's] 'Reign In Blood' was 29 minutes. This album carries so much anger and frustration. You hear it in my drumming. It was the perfect birth of a hardcore album. It's one of the most brutal albums I've ever done."
"Can't Get Enough", the new video from QUIET RIOT, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's new album, "Road Rage", which will be released on August 4 via Frontiers Music Srl.
QUIET RIOT is led by drummer Frankie Banali, who is joined by bassist Chuck Wright (who has been in and out of the band since 1982), guitarist Alex Grossi (who has been in the band since 2004), and new vocalist James Durbin.
Durbin, who became known as the "metal guy" on 2011's season of "American Idol" after performing "Living After Midnight" and "Breaking The Law" with JUDAS PRIEST, hooked up with QUIET RIOT after the dismissal of Seann Nicols (a.k.a. Sheldon Tarsha; formerly of ADLER'S APPETITE). Nicols was with QUIET RIOT for just a few months, but long enough to record the vocals for an early version of "Road Rage".
Banali told Billboard.com that, lyrically, "Can't Get Enough" comes from Durbin's life experiences: "From that perspective, I think a lot of people can relate to what this song is about. Musically, it is a very straight-ahead, driving rock song with great melodies in the tradition of QUIET RIOT."
"Can't Get Enough" is the first video the band has shot in almost three decades. Banali told Billboard.com the group decided to make the video because it felt "the timing is right to give the fans a visual of the band. Between 1983 and 1987, QUIET RIOT videos were well represented on MTV. While obviously much has changed since, it seemed the time was right to release a video to show everyone what QUIET RIOT is all about in the 21st century."
He added: "The band has always made fun videos, and this was certainly in keeping with that tradition."
"Road Rage" was originally scheduled for release in the spring of 2017, but with the injection of newfound energy for the band with the addition of Durbin in the vocalist slot, the band decided to scrap the original sessions and record a new version of the album with the new and improved lineup.
"Road Rage" track listing:
01. Can't Get Enough02. Getaway03. Roll This Joint04. Freak Flag05. Wasted06. Still Wild07. Make A Way08. Renegades09. The Road10. Shame11. Knock Em Down
Durbin made his live debut with QUIET RIOT on March 18 at The Cotillion in Wichita, Kansas.
Banali revived QUIET RIOT in 2010, three years after DuBrow's death, along with Grossi and Wright. The group went through two vocalists — Mark Huff and Scott Vokoun — before settling on Jizzy Pearl in 2013. Pearl announced his exit from QUIET RIOT last October.
The Midnight Ghost Train have released a video for "Tonight" from their upcoming fourth opus, Cypress Ave., set to be released July 28th via Napalm Records.
"Getting a chance to produce a video like this was an absolute blast.” Says band mastermind Steve Moss “We were tired of seeing all the same type of rock videos out there; so we decided to mix heavy rock with tap dance. It's an unconventional idea, and a big risk we took to mold these different styles together, but it worked out so well. This is our favorite music video we have done thus far." Thank you to Reggie TapMan Myers for killing it for us."
Cypress Ave. tracklisting:
“Tonight”
“Red Eyed Junkie Queen”
“Glenn's Promise”
“Bury Me Deep”
“The Watchers Nest”
“Break My Love”
“Lemon Trees”
“The Boogie Down” (feat. Sonny Cheeba)
“Black Wave”
“The Echo”
“I Can't Let You Go” (Bonus Track)
"Tonight" video:
Trailer:
“The Watchers Nest” lyric video:
"Red Eyed Junkie Queen" video:
The band's organic and authentic sound lives in the musics throaty vocals, deep lyrics, melancholy melodies and forceful, shaky riffs. Honest, straight-forward and peppered with woefulness.
Cypress Ave. is an absolute must for every blues and rock fan. Be prepared, for the return of The Midnight Ghost Train with their most diverse and uniquely sounding album to date.
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