Yucatan based melodic death metal outfit Death Scythe have unleashed their latest offering, "Final Ascent", their first new music since the Killing For Pleasure Forever album.
The band elaborates on the legends that inspired the single: "'Final Ascent' describes the Mayan legend of Chechén and Chacá, a story of two warrior brothers, Tizic and Kinich, who fall in love with the same woman, Nicté Ha. Their rivalry leads to a deadly duel, invoking the wrath of the gods. After their deaths, they are reborn as trees: Tizic as the poisonous and dangerous Chechén, and Kinich as the Chacá, capable of remedying Chechén's poison. The story warns about the existence of the poisonous Chechén tree in the states of Quintana Roo and Yucatán in Mexico, causing painful burns and spreading its poison if the wound is opened. This legend of Chechén and Chacá teaches us that our choices can weave a complex and enduring destiny. It invites us to consider how our actions, even after death, impact the world we leave behind."
For further details, visit Death Scythe on Bandcamp.
Crossbone Skully — the exciting new project led by mastermind Tommy Henriksen (guitarist and musical director for Alice Cooper’s band & member of Hollywood Vampires) — shared their explosive single “The Boom Went The Boom” (feat. Phil Collen of Def Leppard) last month and are excited to return with a third new track, the justice-driven, affirmational and anthemic “I’m Unbreakable”, out November 17, digitally via Better Noise Music.
“I’m Unbreakable” was recorded by Henriksen on lead vocals, guitar, bass, percussion and sound design, with Glen Sobel (Alice Cooper, Hollywood Vampires) on drums, Jamie Muhoberac (My Chemical Romance, John Mayer, Seal) on keys, Jason Roller (Ganjo), and The Hellhounds on backing vocals. It was executively produced by the legendary Mutt Lange (AC/DC, Def Leppard) who emerged from retirement to work on the upcoming album. Pre-save “I’m Unbreakable” now at this location.
Henriksen reveals Crossbone Skully’s touring lineup in the live performance shot music video for “I’m Unbreakable” which premiered today, November 16, via YouTube, and can be streamed below. The live band lineup includes Henriksen and Wyse along with up-and-coming musicians including guitarists Sam “Bam” Koltun (Dorothy, Faster Pussycat, Budderside) and Anna Cara — who Henriksen found after seeing her viral YouTube guitar cover videos — along with Tuesdai on drums.
“The entire Crossbone Skully universe is built around the age-old concept of good vs evil, right vs wrong and, as a result, that concept is central to the songs of the album,” shares Henriksen. “With ‘I'm Unbreakable’, we wrote it while thinking about having confidence to know that you can win. We're all warriors just dealing with the bullshit of everyday life that we all gotta deal with. I'm telling everyone to be strong and to believe in yourself because you are a warrior, you've made it this far so you must be unbreakable, remember that.”
Crossbone Skully will release a series of limited-edition 7” vinyl singles with the first of the series having been announced with the release of “The Boom Went The Boom” (feat. Phil Collen of Def Leppard) in October. After initially being available only through Spotify, the band have announced it will now be made available through their merch store at CrossboneSkully.com and will feature “I’m Unbreakable” as its B-side track. The 7” will also come with a limited-edition signed copy of Crossbone Skully’s “Thing #1” ashcan comic. Proceeds from the sale of the limited edition 7” vinyl will be donated to the 501(c)(3) charity MusiCares who offer preventive, emergency, and recovery programs for musicians and music industry workers in times of need.
Slasherwave outfit and recent Metal Blade Records signees, Gost, will release the thundering thirteen-track full-length, Prophecy, on March 8, today revealing the record's first video/single and pre-orders.
Gost exists in the dark crack between black metal and the most shadowy end of electronic music. Since the release of the Radio Macabre EP at the start of 2013, and the remorseless digital nightmare of their Skull debut album six months later, Texas-based multi-instrumentalist, producer, and main-brain James Lollar has become an increasingly singular force in music. Far more aggressive and sinister than the synthwave he's often grouped with, Gost is a harsh and unique digital nightmare that takes the listener right into the heart of the abyss.
Now Gost returns with their sixth album, Prophecy. Unquestionably their most exhilarating and dangerous sounding work to date, Prophecy is a record that perfectly reflects the horror and grim anxieties of a world beset with religious and political overreach, and progress, "being rolled back to the fucking 1950s."
"It's about an imaginative fall of the Western civilization, the biblical end of the world - the rise of Satan and Armageddon," says Lollar. "In America, there's been a big rise of scared, reactive Christianity again, and almost like a re-emergence of the Satanic Panic. So it felt like an appropriate time to bring Satan back into things."
Recorded alone in Texas during a burst of creativity at the end of 2022, Prophecy is the perfect vessel for such things. Following the experimentation and more melodic touches of 2019's Valediction, Lollar says it also acts as something of a return to older roots, to recapture the spirit of Gost.
"When Valediction came out, COVID hit, and I guess people weren't so into art while the world was on its knees," he says. "I also wanted to reconnect with some of my older fans who maybe didn't feel that album so much. I wanted to go back in time and bring some of the older shit back, some of the older sounds."
In advance of the release of Prophecy, Gost has unveiled the first single, the record's title track, and its accompanying video (which includes intro track, "Judgement").
Elaborates Lollar, "With 'Prophecy,' I wanted to revisit some of the sounds of 'Possessor.' Rather than simply replicate those sounds I expanded upon them. I pushed the saturation and compression to their literal limits, resulting in some of the heaviest sounds I have yet to produce. I wanted to combine some classic EBM elements with my digital metal sound as well. This EBM influence can be heard throughout 'Prophecy.' Horror has been a huge aspect of my sound since day one and that theme is ever present on 'Prophecy,' through ratcheting strings and dreadful choir lines. 'Prophecy' expounds on the slasherwave genre I originally created with 'Behemoth.'"
Watch Gost's "Judgement / Prophecy" video below.
Prophecy will be available on CD, LP, and digital formats. Find pre-ordering options here.
Prophecy tracklisting:
"Judgment"
"Prophecy"
"Death In Bloom"
"Deceiver"
"Obituary"
"Temple Of Tears"
"Decadent Decay"
"Widow Song"
"Golgotha"
"Digital Death"
"Shelter"
"Through The Water"
"Leviathan"
"Judgement / Prophecy" video:
Gost is currently traversing North America supporting Katatonia on their Sky Void Of Stars tour. Additional support is being provided by SOM on select dates.
German-based melodic death metal formation Hiraes - featuring former members of Dawn Of Disease and Critical Mess - will furiously kick off the new year with the release of their sophomore studio album, entitled Dormant, due out January 26 via Napalm Records.
Wasting no time, Hiraes have just unveiled the first single from Dormant - thunderous album opener “Through The Storm”. The track offers a glimpse into the variety of elements on the album, including powerful and varied drumming, poignant and melancholic melodies, infectious choruses, and breathtaking soundscapes – all complimented by Britta's versatile vocals.
The band comments about the track and video: “In a way, the video is a continuation of our first single, ‘Under Fire’, from the last album. It’s dedicated to a storm and its indomitable energy. Experience this debut single and join us as we navigate ‘Through The Storm’ together!“
The band adds: “We are far beyond proud to present our second album Dormant to you! The album will grab you with its intensity from the first second on and won't let you go. We invested a lot of energy, dedication and passion to create this monumental and melancholic piece of melodic death metal. Having played countless shows over the last two years, Dormant captures the energy of Hiraes’ live performances and places the songs right between heart and gut. Once again, none other than the talented staff of Fascination Street Studios under the direction of Jens Bogren are responsible for the refinement of our sound. We are so much looking forward to unleashing Dormant upon all those metalheads out there!“
Watch the official video for “Through The Storm” below.
Compared to their lauded 2021 debut, Solitary, it's immediately evident that Hiraes did not only grow within their sound due to countless live appearances, but have invested more time and energy into developing their sophisticated songwriting and production, leaning further into their own unique sound profile. Due to the use of varying keys and sonic elements, Dormant is undoubtedly fresh without sacrificing the nuances that caused their first album to connect so successfully with fans.
With their very first offering, Hiraes already created an exciting new melodic death metal emergence, built upon a brutalized vocal attack, intense melodies and aggressive guitars. On Dormant, Hiraes flexes their own trademarks in an intensified way, ranging from versatile drumming, catchy riffs and hymn-like melodies to enthralling soundscapes and the impressive vocal onslaught of singer Britta Görtz. Dormant is a stirring, intense and dynamic death metal affair that is both heavily brutal and dark, yet full of melodic melancholy.
Set to be released on January 26, Dormant will be available in the following formats:
- 1 CD Digisleeve (6page)
- 1 LP Gatefold solid royal blue
- Digital Album
Tomorrow's Outlook are set to release their new album Black Waves early next year, on their own record label, Sörvik Rock Music.
The 10-track follow-up to 2018's A Voice Unheard is mixed and mastered by Sascha Paeth (Avantasia/Masters Of Ceremony) and includes the second single, "Silver Ghost", the official music video for which can be seen below.
The concept behind the song:
“In the year 1905, Hanna was a hard-working northern Norwegian woman whose husband had tragically just passed away. She took on his duties as lightkeeper at Steglholmen near Gressholman, the old trade centre in Vågsfjorden south of Harstad. For more than 20 years she dutifully kept the light shining, guiding the ships safely past her post and on their way. The light was often exposed to the harshest of weather, but the job was an important one for more than one reason – the homestead they had bought when her beloved husband was still alive must be paid for, so the money was needed.
“The work was challenging, both physically and mentally. Crossing the dark, stormy sea in a small rowboat, that’s one thing. Another was the ever-present knowledge that once upon a time, this was the place of execution for three murderers whose remains were mounted on stakes and left there until time and nature had done away with them. As the black waves beat her boat and the wind howled at her light, she often glimpsed their horrific spectres beneath the foamy sea. But Hanna remained a brave and dutiful human, and she stood ever firm in the face of these trials.”
Black Waves is a concept album based on real events from the coastal region surrounding the Gressholman peninsula, stretching from 1748 to the early 1900s. We hear the deeply shocking story of a brutal double murder which shook a small community, and also about a once vital and important trading post which met its ultimate end in a fire centuries later. The stories are mostly told through the eyes of the people involved, whose stories are guided by the superstitions, fears, and beliefs native to the northern part of Norway.
Rado Javor, who created previous works for the band, including 2018's "A Voice Unheard", provided the record’s magnificent artwork.
Tomorrow's Outlook is based in northern Norway and is one of the most hardworking and aspiring bands in their region. The band uses the term Arctic heavy metal to describe its music, which is heavily influenced by their homeland both in its somewhat gloomy sound and lyrical themes.
After 15 years as a studio project, core members and songwriting partners Trond Nicolaisen, Andreas Stenseth and Øystein Kvile Hanssen decided to take it to the next level and form an actual band. They completed the lineup with singer Tony Johannessen (Thunderbolt), drummer Owe Lingvall (Nocturnal Rites) and guitarist Valentino Francavilla (White Skull).
Black Waves tracklisting:
"Eventide"
"Oceans Of Sadness"
"Black Hearts And Roses In Snow"
"Black Waves"
"Silver Ghost"
"Wait For The Sun"
"Lament Of The Damned"
"When Falls The Axe"
"The Monument"
"The Calm" (Aria cover)
Before they drop their cutting-edge debut album, Reptilian Warlords, this Friday, uprising death metal unit Plaguemace gear up for the release of their final pre-release single “Carnivore”. The track attacks immediately, as low growls are joined by contrasting screams and bombastic melodies. Watch the official music video for “Carnivore” below and get sucked into its brutal soundscapes.
Hailing from Denmark, Plaguemace is one of the most promising bands of the new generation of old school death metal, and there is no doubt that fans of bands such as Grave, High on Fire, Entombed and Obituary will enjoy their new offering. After winning over live audiences in Scandinavia, as well as in the UK while supporting thrash metal powerhouse Nervosa, Plaguemace are ready to conquer the scene with their first album.
Plaguemace’s thrashy death’n’roll is spiced up with brutal breakdowns and infectious grooves as witnessed on the album opener “Cannibalicious”. The brutal soundscapes on “Rhythmic Demise” impress, before the track fades out into “Warcries from the Crypts”, where trumpet and trombone add to the threatening atmosphere. Catchy title track “Reptilian Warlords” kicks off with metallic soundscapes, with groovy rhythms carrying competent death metal vocals and skillful guitarwork. Closing track “Carnivore” attacks immediately, as low growls are joined by contrasting screams, and bombastic melodies lead the album to its end.
Plaguemace on Reptilian Warlords: “Reptilian Warlords is the first in a series of concept albums taking place in our own fictional universe. The story has been torn apart chronologically, and will be put together throughout this, and the following releases. So stay tuned to find out what happens next. The themes of Reptilian Warlords include ANGER, VENGEANCE, DESIRE, WAR and ENRAGING BLOODTHIRST.”
Reptilian Warlords will be available in the following formats:
- CD Digisleeve
- 1LP Gatefold Reptilian Green
- Digital Album
Disturbed have released a new official live video, filmed on their Take Back Your Life tour. Watch "Just Stop" below:
Disturbed recently announced their 23-date Take Back Your Life 2024 North American tour, which will kick off in Peoria, IL on January 19 (full dates below). The tour will feature support from Falling In Reverse and Plush and is produced by Live Nation.
January
19 - Peoria, IL at Peoria Civic Center
22 - Grand Rapids, MI at Van Andel Arena
23 - Green Bay, WI at Resch Center
25 - Des Moines, IA at Wells Fargo Arena
27 - Oklahoma City, OK at Paycom Center
29 - Omaha, NE at CHI Health Center Arena
31 - Sioux Falls, SD at Denny Sanford PREMIER Center
February
2 - Kansas City, MO at T-Mobile Center
5 - Evansville, IN at Ford Center
6 - Toledo, OH at Huntington Center
8 - Knoxville, TN at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center
10 - Uncasville, CT at Mohegan Sun Arena^
13 - Baltimore, MD at CFG Bank Arena
15 - Huntington, WV at Mountain Health Arena
17 - Nashville, TN at Bridgestone Arena
19 - Lexington, KY at Rupp Arena
20 - Greenville, SC at Bon Secours Wellness Arena
22 - Savannah, GA at Enmarket Arena
24 - Biloxi, MS at Mississippi Coast Coliseum
26 - Orlando, FL at Amway Center
29 - Austin, TX at Moody Center
March
2 - Phoenix, AZ at Talking Stick Resorts Amphitheatre*
3 - Las Vegas, NV at Bakkt Theater at Planet Hollywood
* Rescheduled date. All previously purchased tickets will be honored for this new date
^ non-Live Nation date
To mark the 20th anniversary of Opeth's groundbreaking 2003 album, Damnation, a special vinyl reissue project has been meticulously crafted to pay homage to a pivotal and trailblazing moment in the band’s illustrious history.
Originally recorded in the serenity of Mikael Åkerfelt’s native Sweden, with additional production from Porcupine Tree’s Steven Wilson, the album acclaimed by fans and critics alike has since received a remix and master in 2015, pressed to vinyl on a double LP together with the dichotomous Deliverance.
The 20th Anniversary version sees the 2015 remix and remaster pressed to standard black vinyl, as well as being available on deluxe and limited colour finishes, and for the very first time available on an exclusive picture disc that highlights and reflects the album’s ethereal and bleak visual world. Listen to "Windowpane" (The Lost Tape) below.
Speaking on the release, the band’s lead vocalist Mikael Åkerfeldt comments: “Hello folks! Our old "partners in cryme” Music For Nations are planning a 20th-anniversary re-release of one of our odd records, this time Damnation. We want our records available on vinyl at all times, and it turns out we can’t keep stock! Our vinyl editions are flying out. I’ve seen it with my own eyes when I helped out in a record shop during the pandemic. Some customers didn’t know they’re buying it from one of the people responsible for the music. Of course I went: 'Good record, good band!'.
So before there’s any moaning about ”another reissue, another cash grab” I want to stress out that it really comes down to public demand. We’ll present Steven Wilson’s updated mix (first available in 2015 or thereabouts) on limited edition opaque and transparent vinyl as well as on a picture disc, which I believe is the first time ever (?).
Damnation is a special record, even if they’re all special to me. I remember hearing the first mix on headphones in a crummy hotel somewhere in the UK. I had trouble believing it was us, myself, Peter, Lopez, Mendez (as well as ol’ Steve on keys). It was completely different from anything we’d done up to that point, and quite frankly, since.
Out of all of our records, I think this one is most suitable for the vinyl format due to the fact that it is not really cluttered with stuff. A pretty airy recording with 5 musicians and done on 2 inch tapes as well. It’s a record I’m immensely proud over and it also remains a fan-favourite I believe.”
Commenting further Steven Wilson adds: “At the time I remember getting death threats from metal fans for “ruining” the band! As if it could be anyone’s intention but Mikael’s to do a record like that anyway. Damnation was when everyone understood that he was not going be trapped within the confines of any genre or label, and that the band’s importance and influence would be far reaching. Rightly so Damnation is now seen as a timeless masterpiece, and I’m very proud to have had my part in making it.”
Out Friday, December 15, you can place your pre-order here, and at Omerch.
Tracklisting:
"Windowpane"
"In My Time Of Need"
"Death Whispered A Lullaby"
"Closure"
"Hope Leaves"
"To Rid The Disease"
"Ending Credits"
"Weakness"
Norwegian multi-instrumentalist Ihsahn (EMPEROR) will release his next solo LP, "Ihsahn", on February 16 via Candlelight Records.
In addition to the traditional album version, Ihsahn's new album will also include an orchestral version.
The first single from the forthcoming album, "Pilgrimage To Oblivion", has now been released. Ihsahn comments: "'Pilgrimage To Oblivion' serves as a rather immediate introduction to the overarching musical and conceptual aspects of the album. The lyrics go directly into the storyline and the video is the first in a sequel of videos portraying the whole story.
"On average, I've been releasing a full-length album every second year since I was 16. And, you know, that has given me some opportunity to explore different options, so for my eighth full-length solo record, I thought, 'Okay, how can I do what I do best, but also raise the bar tenfold?' At the heart of what I do is black metal, extreme distorted guitars and screaming, but since the earliest EMPEROR recordings you'll hear the keyboard parts influenced by classic soundtracks by the likes of Jerry Goldsmith, John Williams, Bernard Herrmann, John Carpenter and so on. So, I approached the writing with the intent to present the material in its full-blown metal expression, but also to arrange the orchestral parts in such a way that they would work independently. Somehow an attempt to write a soundtrack within the structures of the full production, allowing me to explore different, and sometimes contrasting, variations of essentially the same music. In the end I wrote all the music as a piano short-score and arranged it for a typical band ensemble and orchestra, accordingly, making sure everything interlocked."
"Ihsahn" features Tobias Ørnes Andersen and Tobias Solbakk on drums and percussion, with Ihsahn's son Angell Solberg Tveitan adding additional percussion and violins by Chris Baum. Artwork was created by Ritxi Ostari.
Track listing:
01. Cervus Venator
02. The Promethean Spark
03. Pilgrimage To Oblvision
04. Twice Born
05. A Taste Of The Ambrosia
06. Anima Extraneae
07. Blood Trails To Love
08. Hubris And Blue Devils
09. The Distance Between Us
10. At The Heart Of All Things Broken
11. Sonata Profana
Ìåêñèêà
Death Scythe![=]](/img/news-bord-shr.gif){kind=small}
ÑØÀ
Ãåðìàíèÿ
Íîðâåãèÿ
Øâåéöàðèÿ
Äàíèÿ
Ôðàíöèÿ
Øâåöèÿ
Èñïàíèÿ
Áðàçèëèÿ
Ãðåöèÿ
Âåëèêîáðèòàíèÿ
