On April 21, Finnish post-punk outfit, Grave Pleasures, will release their third full-length, Plagueboys, via Century Media Records. For a preview of Plagueboys, the video for the new single, "High On Annihilation" (directed by David Fitt) can be viewed below.
Formed in 2015, after the dissolution of singer Mat McNerney and bassist Valtteri Arino's short-lived sensation Beastmilk, Grave Pleasures have defiantly expanded on what has been described as their "war-cry for the eternally doomed," with each album seeing their song-craft reach new heights. Their raw atomic punk of their major label debut album Dreamcrash (2015) was revamped and contorted into the uplifting nihilism of distinctly more frenetic sophomore smash-hit album Motherblood (2017), ultimately amped up and finessed into the heady Plagueboys (2023), their most mature yet dangerous album to-date. With the electrifying contradiction of light and darkness, the duality of the funereal Grave and euphoric Pleasure in their moniker, Plagueboys is an exhilarating, tear-filled, grinning dance of death, undoubtedly their most pleasurable yet.
With music written by McNerney (Hexvessel, Carpenter Brut, Me & That Man) and guitarists Juho Vanhanen (Oranssi Pazuzu) and Aleksi Kiiskilä, and then arranged together with Arino and drummer Rainer Tuomikanto, Plagueboys sees the lineup, who frantically hacked out Motherblood together, come of age and find their superpowers. Recorded in Finland and produced by Vanhanen and his Oranssi Pazuzu comrade Niko Lehdontie at the controls, the sound on Plagueboys is a blistering wash of reverb and neon warehouse dancefloor; unabashed lone drum and bass carrion call give way to synth and guitar interplay that brings to mind British grandmasters Wire, The Sound and Echo & The Bunnymen through a contemporary lens.
Album formats:
- CD Digipak
- Black LP (incl. LP-sized booklet & poster)
- Transparent blue LP available from CM Distro Wholesale EU and CMdistro.de (limited to 300 copies; incl. LP-sized booklet & poster)
- Yellow LP available from UK outlets, Levykauppa Äx, Nuclear Blast (limited to 300 copies; incl. LP-sized booklet & poster)
- Lilac LP available from Grave Pleasures via Evil Greed (limited to 300 copies; incl. LP-sized booklet & poster)
- Digital album
“Disintegration Girl”
“Heart Like A Slaughterhouse”
“When The Shooting’s Done”
“High On Annihilation”
“Lead Balloons”
“Imminent Collapse”
“Society Of Spectres”
“Conspiracy Of Love”
“Plagueboys”
“Tears On The Camera Lens”
“Heart Like A Slaughterhouse”:
“Society Of Spectres”:
On April 28, Grave Pleasures will host a special album release show for Plagueboys in Helsinki, FI.
Frontiers Music Srl announces the upcoming release of Swedish hard rock/traditional metal worshippers Vypera's second album, Race Of Time. The first single from the album, "Hey You", is out today. Watch a video for the track below.
Vypera, consisting of lead singer Andreas Wallström, guitarists Christoffer Thelin and Cederick Forsberg, bassist Andreas Andersson, and drummer Johan Pettersson, are hard rockers to the core. Emerging from the fruitful Swedish rock and metal scene, they are yet another high quality musical offering from, arguably, the new center of the rock n' roll universe. Their debut album, 2022's Eat Your Heart Out, was a headbanging, fist-raising salute to the great '80s metal/hard rock scene whose musical altar the band worships at.
Vypera, originally known as Madhouse, formed in Sandviken, Sweden in 2016 and soon set out on crafting original material to reflect the rock 'n roll and metal spirit that burned within the band. They began writing music that they felt traveled on the same good ol' road where their influences like Rainbow, Icon, King Kobra, London, Triumph, W.A.S.P., and the like had originally started. Their musical signature is that aforementioned classic hard rock/metal style played with immense pride... and joy.
"Hey You"
"Riding On The Wind"
"Mary Jane"
"Stormwind"
"Vicious"
"No Place For A Dreamer"
"Trying Hard To Run Away"
"Fool's Game"
"Speedin'"
"Daytona"
"Slave To Love"
"Hey You" video:
Lineup:
Andreas Wallström - Vocals
Christoffer Thelin - Guitars
Cederick Forsberg - Lead Guitars
Andreas Andersson - Bass
Johan Pettersson - Drums
California’s Lunar have recently released their fourth album “The Illusionist” featuring album guests Jørgen Munkeby (Shining), Christian Münzner (Obscura), Andy Gillion (Mors Principium Est), Taylor Washington (Paladin), Sam Vallen (Caligula's Horse), Ben Karas (Thank You Scientist), Gleb Kanasevich, and Patrick Corona.
The nine-track album takes the listener through the life of a magician as he confronts the choices in life and offers a metaphor for those who also question their path. They have created a listening video for the serene, instrumental track “For My Next Trick” – premiered exclusively through BraveWords! Written by bassist Ryan Price, the low end plays a prominent part in this track and it signifies the calm before and after the storm where the main character has an idea for one last epic trick to pull and finally feels a sense of peace.
The band goes into detail:
“For the final single of the album we wanted to show something a bit different. This song is very different from everything else we’ve released so far. The song is instrumental and very soft and serene. The polar opposite of the track ‘Juggling Chainsaws,’ which was the first single released from the album and also the track that directly precedes this one on the album. We wanted this one to be out there for people who haven’t listened to the album yet and see what kind of extreme variety they can expect between songs.”
Lunar cites that they have an interesting process when it comes to writing because the story or concept has come first with the last couple of albums. Then that gives a rough layout of how the music should assist in the storytelling and then the lyrics come last to really fill it in. Compared to their other three albums, which had a lot of prog-rock sounds, the newer stuff has more metal influences, and this new album has steered into new sounds they’ve never done before. There are more technical songs, there’s one that’s very Egyptian sounding, and one that is very Lunatic Soul inspired.
Expansive, creative, and technical, Lunar offers wild stories and impressive riffs. They are recommended for fans of Caligula’s Horse, Devin Townsend, and Opeth. Order The Illusionist on Bandcamp.
Tracklisting:
“Prestidigitation”
“The Illusionist”
“Showtime”
“Worship The Sun”
“Turn Off The World”
“Disassembled”
“Juggling Chainsaws”
“For My Next Trick”
“Now You See Me”
Recording Lineup:
Drums & Percussion – Alex Bosson (Music - Track 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8,9) (Lyrics - Track 2, 3, 5, 6,9)
Guitars – Balmore Lemus (Music - Track 4) (Lyrics - Track 4, 7 Bass – Ryan Price (Music - Track 8)
Keyboards & Synthesizers – Alex Nasla
Lead Vocals – Chandler Mogel
Growl Vocals – Brian Lewis
Clarinet – Gleb Kanasevich (Track 1)
Saxophone – Patrick Corona (Track 2)
Flute & Saxophone – Jørgen Munkeby (Track 6)
Violin & Viola – Ben Karas (Track 9)
Additional Guitar Solo – Andy Gillion (Track 2)
Additional Guitar Solo – Taylor Washington (Track 3)
Additional Guitar Solo – Sam Vallen (Track 5)
Additional Guitar Solo – Christian Münzner (Track 7)
Trivium frontman Matt Heafy has shared video shot by Metal Justice Tokyo of their entire Knotfest Japan 2023 show, which took place on April 1st in Chiba, Japan. Check it out below.
The setlist was as follows:
"Rain
"Amongst The Shadows & The Stones"
"Strife"
"Feast Of Fire"
"To The Rats"
"Down From The Sky"
"The Heart From Your Hate"
"In Waves"
"Pull Harder On The Strings Of Your Martyr"
Trivium recently announced their return to the UK this summer, for the Goblins And Wizards Tour - a baker's dozen of intimate shows including venues the band haven't played in over 15 years. Special guests will be Bleed From Within and Orbit Culture.
Bassist Paolo Gregoletto comments: "Since the first UK headline tour in 2005 we’d made it a point to do our best to get out of the big cities and play other ones that might get overlooked or skipped. We looked at old Maiden and Motörhead posters and let that inspire the way we routed this one. Bleed From Within and Orbit Culture are two of our favourite new bands and we are honoured to have them join us. This is going to be the biggest and best metal show to hit your town this summer guaranteed!"
August
23 - Cambridge, UK - Corn Exchange
24 - Norwich, UK - UEA
25 - Nottingham, UK - Rock City
26 - Oxford, UK - O2 Academy
28 - Stone, UK - Victoria Hall
29 - Liverpool, UK - O2 Academy
30 - Sheffield, UK - O2 Academy
31 - Newcastle, UK - NX
September
2 - Edinburgh, UK - O2 Academy
3 - Leeds, UK - Stylus
4 - Bristol, UK - Academy
6 - Folkestone, UK - Leas Cliff Hall
7 - Southampton O2, UK - Guildhall
Finnish melodic metal band Dark The Suns released a new single and music video, "Raven". The track features Paavo Laapotti (Before The Dawn & Defiled Serenity) on vocals and is taken from the upcoming fifth studio album, Raven And The Nightsky, which is released later this year via Inverse Records.
Comments from the band:
Mikko: "'Raven' is the fourth single from our upcoming Raven And The Nightsky album. In the 'Raven' single we have a special guest vocalist, Paavo Laapotti. He has an amazing voice, and it brought really beautiful and melancholic athmosphere for the single! Jani also played acoustic guitar for the song, so we got more good new elements. I'm really proud of the results!"
Inka: "We had talked with Paavo about making a song together, and when one night I played the piano and made the chorus to this song, I immediately thought that this would sound great with Paavo’s vocals. He is super talented and he has such a great voice. The result sounds exactly like what I thought at the time. I thought about the single cover for a long time and made many sketches of ravens and black wings to catch the right feeling; in the end it felt like all the pieces fell into place, melodies and words, Jani’s acoustic guitar, painting, video... this was a really great project with a great team, and I am so happy for the results."
Paavo: "Making of this song was very easy with seamless teamwork and a great, clear concept. I really like the song and it has the great distinctive sound of Dark The Suns but with a twist. It was an honor to be a part of this release and I think we succeeded in bringing the nordic feel to the listeners around the world."
Jani: "As usual, working with Mikko and Inka was at the same time professional and easy-going, it is always a pleasure to spend time with them. The new song, 'Raven', is super catchy with beautiful melodies in it, and the vocals by Paavo are outstanding. I was honored to be involved in this one."
The single is available via digital platforms found here.
In 2005 Dark the Suns was founded by Mikko Ojala. In 2006 the band grew when three new members (bass player Inka, Juha on the keyboards and drummer Markus) joined the band, which signed with Firebox Records that same year.
During 2007-2010 Firebox Records released the band’s three full-length albums (In Darkness Comes Beauty, All Ends in Silence and Sleepwalking in a Nightmare). The band performed many live shows during these years.
There have been some changes in the line-up over the years, but Mikko and Inka have been continuously together, making music. The band was inactive for 2013-2020 but in 2020 Mikko and Inka decided to resume making music together. It was a really natural way to continue the band as a duo, because they have written almost all the band’s music and lyrics during all these years.
In 2020 and 2021 Inverse Records released four singles from the band’s 4th album Suru Raivosi Sydämeni Pimeydessä. The album includes ten songs of melancholic and melodic Finnish metal music. The band has always described their music as "beautiful piano melodies and dark vocals."
Jani Moilanen joined the band in March 2023. Their fifth studio album is set to be released later in 2023 via Inverse Records.
Following the release of the anthemic single "Joy", Northern Irish rock outfit, Therapy? drop their hard-hitting new track "Poundland Of Hope And Glory". The track is taken from their new album, Hard Cold Fire, which is set for release May 5th 2023 via Marshall Records.
Therapy?’s latest opus drips with the confident and regal essence of alternative rock royalty, while simultaneously delivering a sharp and contemporary bite that leaves a lasting impression. The band use their unique sense of socio-political satire to shed light on the dangers of living in an era rife with misinformation. The lyrics are strewn with bleak imagery, serving as a poignant reminder of the pitfalls that await those who blindly accept the narratives fed to them.
“This track started out as a hard take on how people lose themselves in narratives to the point that the myth takes on greater importance than the fact,” vocalist / guitarist Andy Cairns exclaims. “Just like the old adage about the liar repeating the lie so much that they eventually believe it themselves, the culture around us is bursting with fairy stories we tell ourselves.”
“Metaphor and hagiography surround us, but in a post-truth world, the Walter Mitty character is no longer a harmless fantasist but an incendiary zealot using misinformation and chaos to achieve their goals.” Cairns continues adding, “It’s easy to smirk at middle class parents whose Harry Potter loving kids are sent to private school because of the Hogwarts style uniforms, and easy to eye roll at adults who actually play Quidditch, a fictional sport from a novel written for children, but it’s not so easy to stomach the less savoury reinvention of colonialism as a lost paradise to which we should return.”
As Therapy?’s fourth decade finally gets underway in earnest, sixteenth album Hard Cold Fire, written and pre-produced during an unprecedented time for music, is hefty, compact, and accessible, a distillation of everything that has made them what they are - hewn from County Antrim basalt, still possessed of their stoicism, but casting a renewed focus on catharsis and healing.
“One thing we did decide when we were eventually able to rehearse, was that we didn't want to make a lockdown record,” says vocalist and guitarist Andy Cairns, “because people have been through enough.”
“When we began to rehearse the songs, we realised there was an empathetic quality to them. We wanted to make something that was a bit more relatable, and less standoffish and claustrophobic - which we have a history of, and it stands in places - but we wanted to make something more approachable and open.”
“We wanted this album to be one that felt good to play live, almost a release after this period of stasis, but then also not dwelling on the whole situation - we’re moving forward, and we wanted that energy to be there,” adds bassist Michael McKeegan.
The serrated, chugging riffage, churning low-end and propulsive rhythms that are hallmarks of the band’s sound are all present and correct, but met with a new-found sense of resolution and release, as most readily displayed on the one-two punch of their first single, "Joy".
Working once more with renowned producer Chris Sheldon (Feeder, Biffy Clyro, Foo Fighters), a consistent good-luck charm for Therapy? dating back to 1994’s breakout album Troublegum, the band decamped to the newly opened Marshall Studios in Milton Keynes toward the end of 2021, working furiously to put the album down in its final form.
“We know Chris. We've got a similar mindset, a similar outlook in life, a similar sense of humour,” McKeegan says. “It works well, and it's a very easy, collaborative environment. There's no agenda to making the album, apart from 'let's make this absolutely brilliant'.”
While Hard Cold Fire represents the next milestone in the band’s ongoing journey, it sits at the front of a long body of work, veering between noise-rock, discord and sparse, groovy experimentation, and million-selling, mainstream-friendly pop and noirish, cinematic vistas.
For long-time fans, this new offering will reward an attentive ear in terms of musical flourishes and Cairns’ trademark lyrical substance, but as a finished product, the band has set out to create something that stands alone, and Hard Cold Fire achieves just that.
“There's a reinvigorated feel to the band, as though things are moving forward,” adds drummer Neil Cooper. “I'm very excited about people hearing this. It's not just about turning up and performing. Everyone's so invested... we're unbelievably lucky, some bands don't get that privilege, and I appreciate that. We're in a fantastic place.”
Hard Cold Fire will be released May 5th 2023 via Marshall Records. Pre-save / pre-order limited edition bundles here.
Hard Cold Fire tracklisting:
"They Shoot The Terrible Master"
"Woe"
"Joy"
"Bewildered Herd"
"Two Wounded Animals"
"To Disappear"
"Mongrel"
"Poundland Of Hope And Glory"
"Ugly"
"Days Kollaps"
Therapy? will play a run of intimate UK in-store dates coinciding with the album’s release. Find information for in-store tickets at this location.
Australian doom cultists Oceanlord are now releasing the sinister video clip for “Come Home”, the second track taken from their forthcoming new album Kingdom Cold. The unfathomable debut full-length is slated for release on May 26, 2023 via Magnetic Eye Records. Find preorder options here.
Oceanlord comment: "The song 'Come Home' was written as a haunted tragedy, prompted by the thought that if ‘home is where the heart is’, where is home when my heart has died?" guitarist and vocalist Peter Willmott asks. "The swirling psychedelic guitar and crushing riffs follow a journey from love to guilt to grief and death. Perhaps a morbid reminder to come home while you still can, or a thought that all separated roads will join eventually as we all find our home in the final darkness."
Tracklisting:
“Kingdom”
“2340”
“Siren”
“Isle Of The Dead”
“So Cold”
“Come Home”
Lineup:
Peter Willmott – guitar, vocals
Jason Ker – bass
Jon May – drums
Two-time-Grammy-nominated band RIVAL SONS has shared the official music video for its latest single, "Bird In The Hand". It stands out as the latest anthem to be unveiled from the group's upcoming full-length album, "Darkfighter", set for release on June 2.
"Bird In The Hand", directed by Kurt Kubicek, continues the narrative featured in the previously released companion videos for the explosive singles "Nobody Wants To Die" (directed by Eli Sokhn) and "Rapture" (directed by Kurt Kubicek).
"The saga continues with another prequel in our new video," says guitarist Scott Holiday. "Jay and I teamed up to write and produce this one again, as well as working with our pal Kurt Kubicek. All shot in our backyard in the Hollywood Hills… right off the Sunset Strip! Right up the street from the world-famous Whisky A Go Go, actually! We found this incredible time capsule mid-century home that sets the scene for most of the video. It's been incredible making these little vignettes. Really fun. All created on pretty tiny budgets. But the limitations force us to get ultra creative and focused. We've been extremely blessed to have such talented friends/crew/and collaborators working with us that see these videos as passion projects… which is the only way they come together. I think when you watch the series of videos you can feel the love that's gone into them."
Vocalist Jay Buchanan adds: "'Rapture' was a prequel to 'Nobody Wants To Die' and 'Bird In The Hand' is a prequel to 'Rapture'. Same cast of characters, different part of the story. It's been a great time writing and producing these videos along with great directors and crew. With video production we're really at that sweet spot where we don't know the rules so we're not afraid of breaking them. We'll see where it goes from here."
Buchannan previously stated about "Bird In The Hand": "There's a lyric in there, 'Let's go down to the river where the water runs still and deep, to scatter the ashes of the mess I used to be.' You can burn through a whole lot of time just trying to find your lane, your realized intention. At some point you accept reincarnation as a waking process. Build, refine and burn again and again and the lyric, 'A bird in the hand, now that's a miracle I can believe' is the immersive commitment to the present."
In support of new LP, RIVAL SONS will embark on an extensive five-week North American headline run dubbed "The Darkfighter Tour" which will feature support from THE BLACK ANGELS, THE RECORD COMPANY and STARCRAWLER on select dates. The trek kicks off on May 11 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma at the Diamond Ballroom, visits major markets across the country, and concludes on June 18 in Denver, Colorado at the Ogden Theatre. In between, the band will perform at a handful of festivals such as Welcome To Rockville in Daytona Beach, Florida on May 20 and Sonic Temple in Columbus, Ohio on May 27.
Heightening excitement for this next chapter of RIVAL SONS, the band has also shared details of a companion album titled "Lightbringer" — due out in late 2023.
Expanding on the two-album set, Buchanan commented: "In comparison to our previous records, we certainly took our time both writing and recording this collection. When we set out, the intention was mostly to dig as deep as possible. Even in the beginning before the body had formed, we agreed to throw the map away and chop our way through the woods to make a new path. Then lockdown hit and it felt like the whole damn country decided to throw the map away too. For myself, 2022 was like an eight-stage rocket of life changing events, so every time I thought I was finished writing, a new bull would come tearing through the clothesline and I'd have to illustrate it in some way. By the end, there were really two different sides to the same story being told. On one side, you're fighting the darkness and, on the other, you're bringing your own light to where there is none. One side in a corner, on the ropes, and the other advancing, cleaning the ring. Without an intermission, a refractory period, the collection would be too big a bite, so splitting it in two was the only way to do it."
"Darkfighter" and "Lightbringer" were both produced by longtime collaborator and multi-Grammy Award-winner Dave Cobb. These albums mark the first new music from RIVAL SONS since the release of 2019's "Feral Roots", which earned the band two Grammy Award nominations.
In 2021, RIVAL SONS celebrated the 10th anniversary of their 2011 album, "Pressure And Time", by performing the landmark longplayer live in its entirety on the "Pressure And Time" tour for the first time. They also lit up Southern California with a two-night livestream event, "Rival Sons: Pair Of Aces", live from the historic Catalina Casino on Santa Catalina Island. They performed their debut LP, "Before The Fire" (2009),in its entirety on the first night and their self-titled EP, "Rival Sons" (2010),on the second.
"Darkfighter" track listing:
01. Mirrors
02. Nobody Wants To Die
03. Bird In The Hand
04. Bright Light
05. Rapture
06. Guillotine
07. Horses Breath
08. Darkside
RIVAL SONS is Jay Buchanan (vocals, harmonica, rhythm guitar),Scott Holiday (lead guitar),Mike Miley (drums) and Dave Beste (bass).
Australian hard rockers Big Red Fire Truck have released a video for "Trouble In Paradise". The song, which is the title track from their upcoming EP, kicks off with high-energy guitar riffs, driving rhythms and dynamic drums. It's a modern take on a classic hard rock sound filled with vocal harmonies and it packs a punch with heavy momentum.
Big Red Fire Truck began in 2016 as a project by lead vocalist / guitarist Digby to write some fun heavy metal and hard rock songs and fulfil his need to hear new music in the style of his beloved bands. Taking inspiration from the likes of Van Halen, Reckless Love, The Darkness, Aerosmith, Sum 41, and Crazy Lixx, the quartet pay homage to previous generations of hard rock while delivering their own distinctive character.
Leviathan Project is a powerful new metal ensemble, featuring Bobby Koeble (Death), Matt Nardo (producer), Tom Kay (Britny Fox, Gun Shy) and Tim “Ripper” Owens (Judas Priest, Yngwie J. Malmsteen) exploring the ongoing study of our human condition through music, writings, and visual communication.
The result is an aggressive and captivating sound that combines traditional heavy metal with catchy melodies, haunting vocals and other worldly guitars. They are currently working on a new record which will add Vinny Appice (Black Sabbath, Dio, Last In Line) to the mix.
Check out the newly released video from Leviathan Project for the song "Falling Apart", from the EP: Phantoms Vol. 1.
For further details, visit Leviathan Project on Facebook.
Canadian rock band, Saga, have released the video for "Humble Stance", filmed in London, England in 1981, and beautifully remastered to full HD. Watch below.
"Humble Stance" was part of their debut album, Saga, which was released 1978 and was written by the complete band. Today the song continues to be recognized as one of the band's most iconic and enduring songs.
The band previously released a remastered video for their all-time classic hit , "On The Loose", recorded live in Pratteln, Switzerland on December 8, 2005.
Saga formed in 1977 and has been known for their progressive rock sound and thought-provoking lyrics. "On The Loose" is one of their most popular songs, with a catchy guitar riff and memorable chorus that has made it a fan favorite for decades. Recorded during their Trust album tour, the video captures the energy and excitement of a Saga live show, with the band playing their hearts out and the crowd singing along to every word.
Germany’s Eurovision Song Contest 2023 representatives, Lord Of The Lost, have revealed a music video for “Forever Lost”, cut from their latest #1 charting album, Blood & Glitter. The captivating music video consists of shocking news content from around the world, reflecting on the current state of the planet and society, and impending doom.
After being announced as support for heavy metal legends Iron Maiden again on their upcoming European tour, and with their first-ever #1 debut on the Official German Album Charts, 2023 was already set to be a game-changing year in the history of Lord Of The Lost. Then, in March, the Hamburg/St. Pauli based five-piece took part in the German Eurovision Song Contest preliminary rounds with their track “Blood & Glitter” - winning the most public votes by a long shot. Now, the band is prepared to bring its glamorous party combining glam rock and metal to the finals in Liverpool on May 13, 2023.
Lord Of The Lost on “Forever Lost”: “With all the hustle that's going on around the band and us as individuals in particular, it felt important to take a step back with the new video for "Forever Lost". The video we had planned originally was a completely different one - but we've changed our minds, to put the focus on the things that REALLY matter.”
Watch the winning performance of “Blood & Glitter” live at the German preliminaries below:
"Blood & Glitter"
"Leave Your Hate In The Comments"
"Absolute Attitude"
"The Future Of A Past Life"
"No Respect For Disrespect"
"Reset The Preset"
"Destruction Manual"
"Dead End"
"Leaving The Planet Earth"
"Forever Lost"
"Save Our Souls"
"One Last Song"
"The Look" (Roxette Cover)
"Absolute Attitude" video:
“Leaving The Planet Earth” video:
"Blood & Glitter" video:
Lord Of The Lost are:
Chris Harms – Vocals, Guitar
Pi Stoffers – Guitar
Class Grenayde – Bass
Gared Dirge – Piano, Synths, Percussion, Guitar
Niklas Kahl – Drums
Unearth have released their new single, "Into The Abyss", from their upcoming album, The Wretched; The Ruinous, out May 5.
Unearth delivers another bar raising track of extraordinary musicianship loaded with technical prowess and an utterly brutal vocal delivery, taking listeners from dismal to hopeful and yet again raising Unearth to higher ground.
Trevor Phipps says, "A riff fueled interstellar endeavor sums up our third single ‘Into the Abyss’. Our future planet is in disrepair and the fortunate are forced to flee to a distant world to continue the human race while billions of the less fortunate are left behind to meet a hellish end. Buz McGrath lights the path with a journey of melodic riffs, leads and solos that set it apart from the bulk of The Wretched; The Ruinous album. Beyond oblivion we ride!"
Get "Into The Abyss":
On album number eight, The Wretched; The Ruinous, Unearth not merely continues to amp-up their metal meets hardcore intensities, but they also exceed themselves with a record that incorporates elements of classic Unearth offerings dating back to 2004’s “breakthrough” The Oncoming Storm, while exploring beyond the recent back-to-basics promise of 2018’s Extinction(s). For Unearth’s founding mainstays, Trevor Phipps and guitarist Buz McGrath, it feels like the beginning of a new chapter. “Buz took the entire pandemic to write these songs,” says Trevor. “He pushed himself to get out of his comfort zone and explore what Unearth is, both past and present. Buz adding these new elements and killer song structures inspired me to be more diverse vocally. The Wretched; the Ruinous is still Unearth, but it’s also the most dynamic record we’ve ever done.”
Teaming again with Extinction(s) producer, Will Putney (Body Count, Thy Art Is Murder), the goal was simple: create the definitive Unearth record. From the scathing title track opener to the explosive "Cremation of the Living", the brooding "Mother Betrayal" to the album’s riff-violent closer, "Theaters of War", The Wretched; The Ruinous is Unearth pulling out all the stops. “There’s certain songs where you can really hear the band’s hardcore roots,” explains Trevor. “The track 'Dawn of the Militant' is a true mix of metal and heavy hardcore, that to me define what the term 'metalcore' truly is. For the bulk of this record though, the metal, aggression, and technicality are reminiscent of our Watchers of Rule (2014) album. All of the ingredients of Unearth are present on these songs, but the band continues to explore new territories as writers and players."
The Wretched; The Ruinous is a turning point moment for Unearth. It’s first album in their canon recorded without guitarist Ken Susi, who mutually parted with the band in 2022. Trevor shares, "It simply came time for Unearth and Ken to take a break from working together. He'll always be a large part of the story of this band, and we wish him the best on all of his endeavours."
The frontman makes no bones about the arduous writing process for The Wretched; The Ruinous. “Coming out of the pandemic I found myself struggling to find my zone of creativity with writing, but I pushed through, and once I found it things caught fire.” Phipps has never been one to shy away from often scathing social commentary. “Lyrically, it’s a warning shot record,” Trevor continues. “I’ve spoken about the decline of our environment by Mankind’s hand dating back to our first record in 2001, and I've continued to write about the environmental crisis throughout our entire career. We are now at a tipping point with Mother Nature and our place on this planet, and I had to devote the entirety of this album to what is happening around us. This album is a collection of stories of what is happening, and what is to come, if we do not make monstrous changes to how we treat our only home."
“The Wretched; The Ruinous is about the eight billion people on this planet,” echoes the frontman of Unearth’s latest state of the world address. "We've created a man-made mass extinction event and have been too slow to correct our faults. Extreme weather, drought, famine, disease, erosion of land, culture wars, civil wars, wars for natural resources, and the displacement of billions of people, is all a current reality. This isn't a future problem; it is a now problem and I take this record to talk about it. As a species we are very quickly turning our once Garden of Eden into our future hellscape.”
"It's not all devastation and gloom though," adds Phipps. "On the track 'Call of Existence' I talk about how we can turn this around with swift, drastic changes to our emissions and consumption of natural resources. There is a responsible way forward that will benefit all life on our planet, and we have to embrace and act on that responsibility now."
"The Wretched; The Ruinous"
"Cremation Of The Living"
"Eradicator"
"Mother Betrayal"
"Invictus"
"Call Of Existence"
"Dawn Of The Militant"
"Aniara"
"Into The Abyss"
"Broken Arrow"
"Theaters Of War"
"Mother Betrayal" video:
"The Wretched; The Ruinous" video:
Unearth have announced a North American album release tour in support of The Wretched; The Ruinous.
"It's been almost five years since we've headlined the Midwest and West Coast of the USA and we are excited to be coming at you all first to support our new album The Wretched; The Ruinous. We've got two killer bands joining us on all dates, Upon A Burning Body and 156/Silence, as well as some yet to be announced bands on select gigs. See you all out there." - Unearth
Dates:
May (Album Release Tour)
4 - Lubbock, TX - Jake's
5 - El Paso, TX - Rock House
6 - Tucson, AZ - The Rock
7 - Anaheim, CA - Parish Room @ House of Blues
8 - Los Angeles, CA - The Regent Theater
9 - Roseville, CA - Goldfields
11 - Portland, OR - Star Theater
12 - Seattle, WA - El Corazon
14 - Salt Lake City, UT - Soundwell
15 - Denver, CO - HQ
16 - Lawrence, KS - The Bottleneck
18 - Columbus, OH - Ace of Cups
19 - Rochester, NY - Montage Music Hall
May (supporting The Halo Effect)
20 - Hartford, CT - The Webster
21 - Brooklyn, NY - Monarch
22 - Philadelphia, PA - Brooklyn Bowl
23 - Worcester, MA - The Palladium Upstairs
24 - Quebec City, QC - Imperial bell
25 - Montreal, QC - Fairmount Theatre
26 - Toronto, ON - Horseshoe Tavern
27 - Detroit, MI - Crofoot Ballroom
Recording lineup:
Vocals - Trevor Phipps
Guitars - Buz McGrath
Bass - Chris O'Toole
Drums - Nick Pierce
2023 is a huge year for Visions Of Atlantis. After they thrilled fans with their recent release, Pirates, the symphonic metal icons are now doubling down on the special experiences. After their very successful first headline tour in the US, the symphonic metal visionaries are ready to set sail in Europe, as their headline tour kicks off tomorrow, April 4.
Today, the band unveils the beautiful live version of "Melancholy Angel", recorded with a full orchestra and taken from the bonus DVD of their recently released live album, Pirates Over Wacken! The fan favorite from Pirates has already reached more than two million streams on Spotify and over a million views on YouTube.
Watch the official live video for “Melancholy Angel” below.
Visions Of Atlantis on Pirates Over Wacken: "There is something purely magical about Wacken. Maybe it is the collective belief that this is the Holy Ground of Heavy Metal. Maybe it simply is, the Holy Ground of Heavy Metal. Maybe this casts a specific energy around the stages and the fields of this special German town. We didn’t miss feeling this magic, while shouting the name “Wacken" out loud on stage or while looking around and seeing thousands of people, at peace, loving being there and sharing this together.
It was very special to us again, as if it wasn’t our first time playing Wacken. We were overcome with emotion several times during the show. There was so much we wanted to say. We felt empowered as artists and human beings. Wacken is a place where you feel you can change the world. Watching this crowd and talking to them on that very day felt like something we never experienced before and we will remember it forever.
Nothing lasts forever, but memories do. Thank you Wacken for having made us a part of your legend.”
Pirates Over Europe tour dates (with support from Autumn Bride):
April
4 - Cham, Germany - L.A.
5 - Bologna / Alchemica
6 - Monthey, Switzerland - Pont Rouge
7 - Montpellier, France - Secret Place
8 - Toulouse, France - L’usine A Musique
10 - Lisbon, Portugal - RCA Club
11 - Mos-Pontevedra, Spain - Sala Rebullon
12 - Madrid, Spain - Revi Live
13 - Vitoria, Spain - Urban Rock Concept
15 - Gent, Belgium - JH Asgaard
16 - Amersfoort, Netherlands - Fluor
18 - Aschaffenburg, Germany - Colos Saal
19 - Saarbrücken, Germany - Garage
20 - Essen, Germany - Turock
21 - Hanover, Germany - Musikzentrum
22 - Nuremberg, Germany - Der Cult
23 - Klagenfurt, Austria - Volxhaus
Visions Of Atlantis are:
Clémentine Delauney - Vocals
Michele Guaitoli - Vocals
Dushi Duscha - Guitars
Herbert Glos - Bass
Thomas Caser - Drums
MACHINE HEAD's Robb Flynn and Jared MacEachern celebrated the sixteenth anniversary of their sixth album, 2007's "The Blackening", by performing it in its entirety during their "Electric Happy Hour" session on Friday, March 31. You can now watch the video below.
Says MACHINE HEAD: "Join the boyz as they rip through 'The Blackening' to mark its sixteenth anniversary! All tracks from this bona fide classic album are given the 'Electric Happy Hour' treatment, starting with 'Clenching The Fists Of Dissent' through to epic closer 'A Farewell To Arms' and everything in between."
Featured songs:
0:00:00 Welcome And Beers Up
0:03:13 Clenching The Fists Of Dissent
0:11:50 Beautiful Morning
0:20:05 Aesthetics Of Hate
0:26:37 Now I Lay Thee Down
0:34:37 Slanderous
0:40:15 Halo
0:55:37 Wolves
1:04:49 A Farewell To Arms
1:15:06 Become The Firestorm
1:25:34 Blistering
1:30:41 Children Of The Grave (BLACK SABBATH cover)
1:35:56 South Of Heaven (SLAYER cover)
1:41:10 Battery (METALLICA cover)
1:45:48 Hallowed Be Thy Name (IRON MAIDEN cover)
1:58:38 Locust
In a March 2020 e-mail blast to its mailing list, MACHINE HEAD celebrated the thirteenth anniversary of "The Blackening" by stating the following, in part, about the LP: "While ex-guitarist Phil Demmel is often viewed in the media as the savior of the band, 85% of the material on 'The Blackening' was written by drummer Dave McClain and guitarist Robb Flynn, with Robb playing all guitars on the album, including rhythm, lead, all intros, harmonies, and all dueling lead guitar harmonies. McClain wrote the main riff in 'Halo' and Robb wrote all of 'Aesthetics Of Hate'."
That same day, Demmel took to his Twitter to apparently address MACHINE HEAD's characterization of his involvement with the record, writing: "Proud of this record and my contributions. 'Beautiful Mourning', 'Slanderous', 'Now I Lay Thee Down' and 'Farewell To Arms' simply do not happen without them. Thanks for all the kind words and continued support from all the Head cases."
When one fan on Twitter told Demmel, "Sad that the email sent out to the mailing list tried to downplay your contributions. That record wouldn't have been what it is without the entire band at the time.", he responded: "Yeah, right? Sometimes ALL of the glory isn't enough."
After Demmel's comments were picked up by BLABBERMOUTH.NET, Demmel took to his social media to express his regret for his earlier remarks, explaining that there are "way too much more important things to put positive energy into."
He wrote: "Damn, that sure escalated. Not my intention. I guess it might be human nature to defend when provoked but looking back, it's embarrassing to me. This almost 53 year-old, Father of 3/Grandfather of 4 shouldn't be acting like this on social media. So with that, my apologies for letting that get the best of me. No excuses, just culpability. There's WAY too much more important things to put positive energy into. Again, I'm sorry. Thanks for the mountains of support from all my friends/family and especially the HeadCases that have my back. Good things. PD"
Demmel announced his exit from MACHINE HEAD in October 2018, explaining at the time that he wanted "to step away and do something else musically." Phil, who first played with Robb in VIO-LENCE in the late 1980s and early 1990s, went on to complete the Flynn-fronted act's "Freaks & Zeroes Tour" before officially leaving the band.
In 2019, Demmel told the "In The Pitts Of Metal And Motor Chaos" podcast that MACHINE HEAD ended up becoming a Flynn solo project toward the end of his time with the group. "We weren't a band," he said. "That was Robb's trip, and we were basically just being told what was gonna happen… Everything had changed over time. Shit, we were together for 16 years and stuff changes after that. It's been the band that he started. So things shift, and as they weren't what we agreed to or what we wanted to be a part of, [McClain and I] just left. So we do our own thing, and he does his thing."
Demmel also said that the musical side of MACHINE HEAD took a sharp turn for the worse during the writing stage for 2018's "Catharsis", an album that he said he hated.
The Night Flight Orchestra are back with their first new music of 2023. After a successful run of European dates last November, and the completion of an outstanding leg through Scandinavia in March, the Swedes follow up with their new single, "The Sensation". The new song pays tribute to late guitarist David Andersson.
"The Sensation" is accompanied by a brand new music video, which can be viewed below. Stream the new song here.
The Night Flight Orchestra about the single: "'The Sensation' is the first in a series of brand new singles being released this year. It carries everything this band is about: glorious riffage, soaring vocals, infectious rhythms and unforgettable melodies. The lyric is also a tribute to the late great David Andersson and the many journeys Björn shared with him."
Singer Björn Strid comments: “This video shows the rise of a very young female star and the realization of what goes on behind the curtains, when the glitter fades. It shatters her universe but she rises above it in her grand debut in this deliciously tacky game show, where in the end winners are made and losers fade.
The cover art is also inspired by a written note, that David Andersson left us all with: 'Should anybody be reading this, I want you to know that I now am an astronaut. I’m on my way, somewhere out in space, with the aim of eventually being transformed into a ball of ice, with a tail of fire.'"
Brutal tech / death veterans The Arcane Order have unveiled details of their forthcoming album, Distortions From Cosmogony, which will be released via Black Lion Records on June 9th, 2023. The new single, "Cry Of Olympus", is available now at this location.
The central theme of Distortions From Cosmogony explores the eternal existential struggle of humankind's division between autonomy and submission, influenced by lead singer Kim Song Sternkopf's fascination with the fluctuation between the simplicity of faith and the complexity of the free will. With its thought-provoking lyrical theme and unique musical ambiance, this album is a must-listen for any fan of melodic death metal.
Pre-order your copy of Distortions From Cosmogony now via Bandcamp. The cover art and tracklisting are as follows:
"Distortions From Cosmogony"
"Cry Of Olympus"
"A Blinding Trust In Chosen Kings"
"Starvations For Elysium"
"Favors For Significance"
"The First Deceiver"
"Empedocles’ Dream"
"Ideals Of Wretched Kingdoms"
"Children Of Erebos"
"Wings Of Duality"
For further details, visit The Arcane Order on Facebook.
Atlanta, Georgia-based progressive death metal band, Dååth have released a playthough video for their new single, "No Rest No End". Check it out below:
Metal Blade Records recently announced the signing of Dååth.
Said the band: "After 12 years on hiatus, we agreed that if we're bringing Dååth back, we're doing it right. That's why we're so excited to announce that we've signed to our dream label, Metal Blade! From day one, they understood and backed our vision for the future, have an inextinguishable passion for the genre, an incredible staff, and are one of the reasons Metal is on the map and thriving. We're excited to add to the growing metal history Slagel & Co have forged with unstoppable determination. Dååth signing to Metal Blade couldn't be a better pairing - we're taking this to its full potential, letting nothing and nobody stand in our way. If you're not going all out, what's the point?"
Check out the single, "No Rest No End", below. Go here to see where you can stream or purchase the track.
The band began their journey in 1999 and stayed busy for just over a decade before taking a hiatus in 2011. In that time, Dååth released four studio albums (Futility - self-released 2004, The Hinderers - Roadrunner Records 2007, The Concealers - Century Media 2009, Dååth - Century Media 2010) and toured throughout the world with band's like Dark Funeral, Naglfar, Zyklon, Dragonforce, Goatwhore, Chimaira, Throwdown, Dying Fetus, and Devildriver making a lasting impression with the metal community and its many subgenres. Dååth also landed a coveted spot on Ozzfest playing before tens of thousands of fans in outdoor amphitheaters across the US in addition to the infamous and long-running metal tour, Summer Slaughter.
In their time, Dååth managed to create an extensive fanbase worldwide with their unique brand of experimental death metal, which makes it no surprise that the metal community lit up once rumors of the band's return began to surface online. The metal community only continued to buzz with support as members began making posts teasing new material. The metal world made it clear they were ready for the return of one of the strongest progressive death metal bands of the first part of the 00's.
Dååth is now back with an updated lineup and stronger than ever, which can be heard in the group's new single "No Rest No End". The track features guest solos by Rafael Trujillo (Obsidious, ex-Obscura) and Spiro Dussias and was mixed by Jens Bogren (Sepultura, At The Gates, Kreator, Dimmu Borgir), Mastered by Tony Lindgren (Enslaved, Katatonia, Leprous, Wardruna), with Vocal Production by Andrew Wade (A Day To Remember, Motionless In White, Wage War), and Engineering by John Douglass (Megadeth, Alluvial, The Contortionist). Fans can expect to hear the next stage in evolution of Dååth's brand of melodic and progressive death metal.
"'No Rest No End' is the reason Dååth is back." comments guitarist Eyal Levi. "When the writing began, I was looking for proof that we still had it. The last thing I want to do is put out music that sounds like a bad cover of our back catalog. When this song came together, it was clear that we needed to see this through. 'No Rest No End' is the pinnacle of everything I've wanted to do with this band and features our full lineup firing on all cylinders: crushing riffs, orchestrated to the max, an infectious chorus, insane solos, my favorite metal drummer, baroque insanity, signature clean guitars, and an incredible mix. It's the most ambitious song we've ever written or recorded and we're just getting started. Enjoy!"
Vocalist Sean Z adds, "The first time I heard 'No Rest No End' in demo form, I was blown away! I immediately knew exactly what I wanted to do vocally. The words practically flew off the page. During every step of the creation process, the song was an obvious masterpiece. It's meant to be heard, and it's meant to be played loud!"
Jesse Zuretti who handles orchestration, synth, and guitar says that "'No Rest No End' is what happens when everyone involved pushes themselves to their extremes. In metal, we often pride ourselves on how difficult something is to master - and this song is the pinnacle to that thought. We all showed up at our very best to make 'No Rest No End' our masterpiece. From the orchestration standpoint, we took this to cinematic & baroque levels in one song. The guitars were also deeply challenging and equally fulfilling to track. Not to mention the Michelin rated guest solos." While the band's new drummer Krimh calls it "a furious ride with the perfect title, 'No Rest No End.' At least that's how I feel while playing this song. From a drumming perspective - you better get your running shoes on because this track makes you work hard! It has fast double bass, blast beats and a ton of groovy parts. It is definitely one of our strongest songs and with its many layers you will find new things each time you listen to it."
Dååth lineup:
Eyal Levi - Guitar
Sean Z - Vocals
Krimh - Drums
Jesse Zuretti - Orchestration, synth, guitar
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Dave Marvuglio - Session bass
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