Ventura, California's heavy metal institution, Night Demon, have released a video for "Beyond The Grave", from their third full-length, Outsider, out now via Century Media Records. Watch below.
Jarvis Leatherby (vocals/bass) comments: "'Beyond the Grave' marks a pivotal moment in the Outsider album. This concept record follows a storyline, and here our main character finds himself in a dire situation, having to confront the darkest aspects of his own psyche. It's an ode to waging war and making peace with our own alter egos. The music video builds on these themes. We explore the darker aspects of ourselves, expressed on screen through magickal ritual and dark mirror gazing. We're immensely proud of this next single and video, and we hope it strikes a chord with our fans."
For more than a decade, Night Demon have defiantly flown the flag of traditional heavy metal, unwavering in the face of shifting industry trends and unscarred by global calamities. With new album Outsider, the band have challenged themselves musically and lyrically, pushing creative boundaries and evolving their sound far beyond their NWOBHM-worshipping origins into something truly singular.
"Prelude"
"Outsider"
"Obsidian"
"Beyond The Grave"
"Rebirth"
"Escape From Beyond"
"A Wake"
"The Wrath"
"The Last Day"
"Escape From Beyond" video:
"Outsider" video:
Night Demon are out on the "Hell's Decibels Tour 2023", hitting cities across the US alongside Satan and Haunt - with the trek concluding in Philly as the official Decibel Metal & Beer Fest pre-party. See below for all dates.
March
24 - Austin, TX - Come And Take It Live
25 - Houston, TX - White Oak (Hell's Heroes)
26 - Dallas, TX - Amplified Live
27 - Wichita, KS - - Barleycorns
29 - St Paul, MN - Turf Club
30 - Chicago, IL - Reggies
31 - Des Moines, IA - Lefty's Live Music
April
1 - Tulsa, OK - Cain's Ballroom (2 Minutes To Tulsa)
4 - Grand Rapids, MI - Pyramid Scheme
5 - Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom
6 - Columbus, OH - Ace of Cups
7 - Mechanicsburg, PA - Lovedraft's
8 - Cambridge, MA - Sonia
9 - Brooklyn, NY - Saint Vitus
11 - Clifton, NJ - Dingbatz
13 - Philadelphia, PA - The Foundry (Decibel Metal & Beer Fest pre-party)
Night Demon lineup:
Jarvis Leatherby - Vocals / Bass
Dusty Squires - Drums
Armand John Anthony - Guitars
Available below is a remastered video for "Brutal Planet", the opening track of Alice Cooper's Brutally Live tour. The video was filmed at London's Hammersmith Apollo in 2000. The Brutally Live tour followed the release of the studio album, Brutal Planet, a great collection of songs showing Alice Cooper embracing the harder side of heavy rock.
The Alice Cooper North American tour, with an all-new show dubbed "Too Close For Comfort," kicks off in late April in Michigan and continues through late September, including a handful of August stadium shows with Def Leppard and Motley Crue, followed by a co-headlining late summer "Freaks On Parade" tour with Rob Zombie.
April
28 - Mt. Pleasant, MI - Soaring Eagle Casino + Resort
29 - Youngstown, OH - Covelli Centre
30 - Hershey, PA - The Hershey Theater
May
2 - Fort Wayne, IN - Allen County War Memorial Coliseum
3 - Milwaukee, WI - Miller High Life Theatre
5 - Prior Lake, MN - Mystic Lake Mystic Showroom
6 - Bemidji, MN - Sanford Center
7 - Sioux City, IA - Tyson Events Center
9 - Champaign, IL - State Farm Center
10 - Louisville, KY - Louisville Palace Theater
13 - Knoxville, TN - The Tennessee Theatre
14 - Spartanburg, SC - Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium
15 - North Charleston, SC - Performing Arts Center
17 - Shreveport, LA - Shreveport Municipal Auditorium
18 - Biloxi, MS - Beau Rivage Theatre
20 - Daytona Beach, FL - Welcome to Rockville*
* Festival
With Def Leppard and Mötley Crüe:
August
5 - Syracuse, NY - JMA Wireless Dome
8 - Columbus, OH - The Ohio State University Ohio Stadium
11 - Fargo, ND - Fargodome
13 - Omaha, NE - Charles Schwab Field Omaha
16 - Tulsa, OK - Skelly Field at H.A. Chapman Stadium
18 - El Paso, TX - Sun Bowl Stadium
Freaks On Parade Tour with Rob Zombie:
August
24 - Dallas, TX - Dos Equis Pavilion
26 - Tampa, FL - MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
27 - West Palm Beach, FL - iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre
29 - Raleigh, NC - Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek
30 - Virginia Beach, VA - Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater
September
1 - Tinley Park, IL - Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
2 - Des Moines, IA - Wells Fargo Arena
5 - Clarkston, MI - Pine Knob Music Theatre
6 - Toronto, ON - Budweiser Stage
8 - Scranton, PA - The Pavilion at Montage Mountain
9 - Wantagh, NY - Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater
10 - Hartford, CT - The XFINITY Theatre
12 - Nashville, TN - Bridgestone Arena
16 - Englewood, CO - Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre *
19 - Ridgefield, WA - RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater
20 - Auburn, WA - White River Amphitheatre
22 - Concord, CA - Concord Pavilion
23 - Anaheim, CA - Honda Center
24 - Phoenix, AZ - Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre
An official visualizer for the new single from Outlanders (Tarja Turunen and Torsten Stenzel), "Echoes", featuring Jennifer Batten can be viewed below. You can also stream the single here.
Says Tarja: "A long time ago I sat down in Antigua together with Torsten, Angela, and Adrian to write songs for my second rock album, What Lies Beneath. The writing session was successful and among other songs written, this beautiful one came out. Still, I felt it needed its own special space and that my rock album was not the right place for it.
Many years after, when we were in the process of working with Outlanders, I remembered our song and wanted to use it. In fact, I ended up recording my vocals for the song more than once…
Our love for Africa and its people was the inspiration for this song. Adrian is a Kenyan national himself, so we started to speak about his life there and we wrote the lyrics having this in mind. The endless abuse of this continent throughout the history created the powerful lyrics and sends out a strong message.
Most of the population in Antigua is of an African ancestry as well, so you can clearly hear the echoes of Mother Africa and our song found its home with Outlanders. Everything is connected and happens for a reason.
When searching for the guitar guest for Echoes, I felt we needed a female sensitivity to capture our soul connection with the song. Jennifer Batten was the right person for it. She understood the concept and played wonderfully throughout the song, colouring it with different pedals and voices. Personally, her playing made me weep. Jennifer, thank you for pouring yourself into our song.
Hopefully you can find 'Echoes' inspiring!"
On the creation of the visualizer, Tarja reveals: "On the visualizer for 'Echoes' we wanted to show a different side of Antigua. Its natural beauty surrounds you wherever we go, but if you get to explore Antigua’s rainforest, you get to fall in love with it.
Wallings Dam is about a 30 minutes drive from Falmouth along Fig tree Drive. The old British built dam in itself is not hugely impressive, but the forest scenery around there makes a visit worthwhile.
'Echoes' is a song about Africa, without forgetting the origins of the people of Antigua and the dark history of slavery.
The day of the filming was super warm and humid, so it felt really nice to be embraced with so much greenery and nature.
We hope you will enjoy 'Echoes'!"
"Echoes" is the seventh of eight singles and is available as a limited edition 7" vinyl exclusively at Tarja's online store and digitally at earMUSIC.
Former Overkill drummer, Sid Falck, has released a new song, "Black Angel", under the Falck name.
Sid Falck: “Who / what is the Black Angel? I think the Black Angel represents something different to each person, typically something bad and/or negative. To me, the Black Angel, is the ‘entity’ that takes over your nightmares, making them even more unpleasant, realistic and scary.. to the point that you’re absolutely convinced, that what you’re in the middle of is real, and therefore, you feel like you can’t just wake up to escape whatever situation you believe yourself to be in. I actually got the idea from seeing posts on social media, from friends, talking about ‘sleep paralysis' and thought it would be interesting to explore.
Once again, Dano Hibbs of Breeding Thorns was asked to supply the lead guitar, and as usual, he took it over the top. I have to interject here, that I find it absolutely criminal, that Dano is not already a household name for top 10 guitarist in not just the US, but everywhere. Guy is F**king amazing!!“
"Black Angel" can be downloaded here for “set your own price”, making it a free download, should you so choose. "Black Angel" is / will also be available on all streaming and digital platforms.
Heavy southern rock band, Texas Hippie Coalition, is set to release their new album, The Name Lives On, on April 21 via MNRK Heavy. The band's seventh studio album is a hard-hitting, riff-heavy sonic assault from beginning to end.
Starting today, fans can pre-save/pre-order the album here. The band also releases the punishing video for their first single, "Hell Hounds". directed by Justin H. Reich. Watch below.
Texas Hippie Coalition is often compared to the many great southern rock and Texas bands that came before them. But they are proving to the world that THC is not just following in their footsteps, they are leaving giant footprints. THC has etched out a place for themselves in the multi-genre fields of music, and have also created their own genre, "Red Dirt Metal." You have to hear it to understand it. Words are not enough to convey how powerfully big their sound is.
Tracklisting:
"Hell Hounds"
"| Come From The Dirt"
"Built For The Road"
"Scream"
"Hard Habit"
"Believe"
"License To Kill"
"Keep My Name Out Of Your Mouth"
"| Teach Angels How To Fly"
"The Name Lives On"
"Hell Hounds" video:
Texas Hippie Coalition is currently on the road, with US dates through mid-June.
Tour dates:
March
29 - Arizona Bike Week - Scottsdale, AZ
30 - Count’s Vamp’d Rock Bar - Las Vegas, NV
31 - Juggernaut Music - Gallup, NM
April
1 - Lauter Haus Brewing Co. - Farmington, NM
2 - The Liberty - Roswell, NM
13 - Southbound - Springfield, MO
14 - Royal 66 Mountain - Home, AR
15 - Kansas Crossing Casino - Pittsburg, KS
16 - Brooksto - Dover, AR
20 - Moxi Theatre - Greeley, CO
21 - Wild Goose Saloon - Parker, CO
22 - Wild Goose Saloon - Parker, CO
23 - Sunshine Studios Live - Colorado Springs, CO
28 - Yukon Czech Hall - Yukon, OK
29 - Diamond Ballroom - Oklahoma City, OK
May
19 - Tannahill's Tavern & Music Hall - Fort Worth, TX
20 - Scout Bar - Houston, TX
21 - Southport Hall - Jefferson, LA
25 - The Crafthouse Stage & Grill - Pittsburgh, PA
26 - Blue Note Harrison, Harrison, OH
June
8 - The Forge - Joliet, IL
9 - The Eclectic Room - Angola, IN
10 - The King of Clubs - Columbus, OH
11 - Mohawk Place - Buffalo, NY
14 - The Big House - Laconia, NH
15 - The L, Horseheads, NY
16 - The Winchester - Lakewood, OH
Texas Hippie Coalition are:
Big Dad Ritch
Cord Pool
Nevada Romo
Lorado Romo
Joey Mandigo
Just in time to celebrate today's launch of their European tour with Evil Invaders, Schizophrenia and Mason, SoCal modern thrash metal frontrunners, Warbringer, have revealed a brand new music video for the Weapons Of Tomorrow burner, "Unraveling". Bang your head to this action-packed, gritty new visual, filmed, produced and edited by Juan Rodriguez with Roberto Maqueos.
Drummer Carlos Cruz states: "Road Warriors! We’re excited to release this new music video for 'Unraveling', capturing the chaos of all of you heavy metal maniacs going OFF at a Warbringer show! Thank you to Juan and Roberto for once again joining the madness to collaborate on another killer video, and a major thanks to all of YOU for thrashing with us! The anarchy continues overseas on our 'Ravaging Europe 2023' tour with Evil Invaders, Schizophrenia and Mason! Check the dates, spread the word and we’ll see you in the circle pit!”
Breakthrough UK act, As Everything Unfolds, have released their new single, "Slow Down", along with a visualizer. This is the final single before their new album, Ultraviolet, out April 21 via Long Branch Records.
Singer Charlie Rolfe comments: "Ever feel like you’re being pulled down? Like someone is your biggest supporter yet your biggest critic, it’s a confusing and conflicting feeling. ‘You’re letting me shout out, while you’re telling me to slow down?’ Sometimes people will try to manipulate you into thinking they’re your biggest supporter, but jealousy can lead those same people to drag you down leaving you confused, when charged with platform or responsibility, that weight can carry difficult tasks and burdens, push through it and be the best version of you that you can be."
The Who legend, Pete Townshend, has released his first solo single in 29 years, "Can’t Outrun The Truth". Watch the video, directed by Michael Nunn and William Trevitt, below.
"Can’t Outrun The Truth" was composed and produced by Rachel Fuller under her nom de plume Charlie Pepper, and all proceeds from vinyl sales plus at least 10p from every download will go to the Teenage Cancer Trust.
The song was inspired by the difficulties everyone had encountered emotionally due to the lack of human interaction caused by the pandemic. It also occurred to Rachel that young people undergoing cancer treatment may identify with these feelings of isolation.
Rachel Fuller, on the genesis of the song “We’d just moved house and Pete was as happy as Larry up in his studio, working every day, and I put my back out, I was just climbing the walls, I couldn’t do any creative work and obviously, we couldn’t go anywhere. And I really started to think about how unbelievably difficult this period of time was going to be for so many people. I wrote lyrics and then I sat at the piano and wrote the music, and then I thought, Oh, I really would like to record it, because it’s really not a bad song at all – and my singing days are long over. So, I asked Pete to record the demo.”
Pete Townshend: “I’ve helped Rachel make the demos for several of her theatrical projects. She’s a really a fast worker, it’s not that you say to me, let’s go into the studio for two weeks and work on this project. We do it two hours later, or an hour later, it’s done – so it’s easy to work with her."
"Can’t Outrun The Truth" was recorded in Pete’s home studio in September of 2021, with Pete playing lap steel guitar and violin and singing. Once it was recorded the pair decided to release the track and raise funds for the Teenage Cancer Trust.
Pete Townshend: “The pandemic years were terrible for charities; the Teenage Cancer Trust was created in order to take the money from a series of concerts at the Albert Hall every year and various other things and that had all dropped out. So, the idea of doing this, which is it’s something that has sprung out of Lockdown about mental illness, but also for this particular charity. If you’ve got a scenario in which somebody in your family or a teenager has got cancer, they’re being treated, Lockdown hits, and you’re not allowed to go and visit them. There’s a poignancy to the whole thing about the song.”
Rachel and Pete reached out to renowned British artist Damien Hirst to create an artwork for the track. The result is a unique one-off spin painting of Townshend, which adorns the sleeve of 200 12” singles of "Can’t Outrun The Truth" (which also features Pete’s solo classic "Let My Love Open The Door" on the B side). Pete has also signed each of the singles which are destined to become instant collector’s pieces. The 12” singles will be available exclusively to fans in attendance at the Teenage Cancer Trust shows at the Royal Albert Hall from March 21st to March 26th.
Not only is "Can’t Outrun The Truth" Pete Townshend’s first solo single in 29 years, but his first solo video in 40 years accompanies it. The video was shot in a series of one-take performances by the creative team of directors, Michael Nunn and William Trevitt.
Summing up the song Rachel says, “I think one of the things about the song is that it felt like we drew a line, and it was, okay, back to normal. Nobody’s really talking about COVID anymore. There aren’t stories in the papers, and no one wants to talk about those two years. And I think for so many people, there is a long tail, people really, really struggled and just because people are saying let’s move on. I think a lot of people are still finding it really hard.”
Townshend agrees, “Rachel is absolutely right; this is something that deserves to be carried in our daily life."
Ferocious four-piece, Saint Agnes, return with new album Bloodsuckers, set for release on July 21 via Spinefarm. Pre-save the album here. Today, they have unveiled the video for the album's raw title track. Check it out below.
Hailing from the UK, Saint Agnes are all about honest lyrics and intense vocal performances, plus rage-fueled music intended to give a voice to those closer to the fringe than the center. With its violent riffs, venomous vocals, and punk attitude, the title track single serves as a no-holds-barred introduction to the Bloodsuckers album.
Vocalist Kitty A. Austen comments on the single and video, saying, "I wrote 'Bloodsuckers' when I couldn't take it anymore — when I decided to stop allowing people to crush me, to diminish me. I took my rage and my pain and used it as fuel and I burned. We are not defined by what has been done to us. We decide who we are. We choose who we want to be. We are whole. We are worthy. The video is an introduction to Team Bloodsuckers. Join us."
As much gang as band, Saint Agnes seek to empower those who've been battered and bruised yet refuse to lie down, and it's a thread that runs deep within Bloodsuckers — SA's first album for Spinefarm and the follow-up to 2019's Welcome To Silvertown, issued on the band's own label.
From the title track onwards, Bloodsuckers is a genre-jumping body of work, taking in elements of metal, punk, industrial, and grunge, without being bound by any specific style; the 11 tracks here come straight from the source, largely self-produced and mixed (NIN collaborator Sean Bevan lends his mixing and production skills to "Follow You"), and this self-contained approach provides an extra emotional weight throughout, with doom trap provocateur Mimi Barks further fuelling the chaos on the short, sharp shock that is "Body Bag."
Created in the months following the unexpected and untimely death of Kitty's mother, Bloodsuckers explores a number of themes, including mental illness, pent-up rage, undying love and, of course, grief; from the trash-metal howl into the night that is "Bloodsuckers" right through to broken ballad, "This Is Not The End," a poignant reflection of Kitty’s still-raw emotions, this is a call to outsiders everywhere...
Concludes Kitty, "Creating this album gave me a reason to get to my feet at a time when I really wasn't sure if I could. I've tried to put everything I've been feeling into it, all the pain, the rage, the grief, even the unexpected moments of beauty and belief. I hope it makes you feel less alone. I hope it makes you feel bigger, badder, and stronger. We might be damaged but that doesn't mean we're worthless. This is a record for the defeated, the crushed. We might be broken but that doesn't mean we're not whole. Bloodsuckers forever, Saint Agnes forever."
Tracklisting:
"Bloodsuckers"
"Animal"
"I Mean Nothing To You"
"Outsider"
"This Is Not The End"
"Follow You"
"I Am"
"At War With Myself"
"Middle Finger"
"Body Bag" (Feat. Mimi Barks)
"Forever And Ever"
"Bloodsuckers" video:
Lineup:
Kitty A. Austen — Vocals, Guitar, Bass
Jon James Tufnell — Guitar, Vox, Bass
Andrew Head — Drums
Ryan Brown — Bass
Brace yourself for an ear-shattering, face-melting experience as Austrian heavy metal outfit, Roadwolf, announces their sophomore album, Midnight Lightning, set for release on May 19 via Napalm Records.
With their debut album, Unchain The Wolf (2020), Roadwolf firmly established themselves as purveyors of classic heavy metal, drawing inspiration from legendary acts such as Judas Priest, Saxon, UFO, Dio and Ozzy Osbourne. Since its release, the band has turned heads on stage, performing at renowned metal festivals such as Wacken and sharing the stage with notable acts such as Enforcer, Skull Fist, Bullet, Lizzy Borden, Vicious Rumors and Night Demon. Now, they bring the madness directly to you with their all killers no fillers album, Midnight Lightning.
To give a first taste of what to expect, the first single, “On The Run”, has been unleashed today. It’s a fierce exclamation point featuring electrifying guitar riffs, a pulsating bassline and driving drums forming a powerful heavy metal track, which makes it undoubtedly clear that Roadwolf are here to stay.
Roadwolf state on “On The Run”: “We are super excited to present the first single of our new album on Napalm Records. Get ready for a fast heavy metal neckbreaker and turn it up loud. Neighbours complaining? A real renegade cranks it up louder.”
Watch the video for “On The Run” below.
Roadwolf sold their souls to traditional heavy metal - showcased on title track “Midnight Lightning”, which brings out their power with soaring vocals and scorching guitar solos, reminiscent of Judas Priest. “Mark Of The Devil” presents the band’s songwriting abilities, with multiple Iron Maiden-inspired solos and dynamic changes throughout the track. “Supernatural” offers a softer side of the band with ballad-like verses, but then explodes into heavy metal power during the choruses. “High Under Pressure” races along with a blistering pace that is further enhanced with great dueling guitar and saxophone solos. “Sons Of The Golden Horde” showcases another powerful song with lyrics of historic wars, reminiscent of Iron Maiden’s great historical anthems. “Don’t Deliver Us From Evil” uplifts with pure energy and catchy choruses that will have the whole crowd singing along. Roadwolf keeps on rolling with another grooving track in “Running Out Of Time”. Bringing out their Motörhead influence on “Savage Child”, the song showcases the band’s speed metal skills, as well as catchy choruses with small alterations to keep it interesting with each repeat. Last but not least, the album concludes with the slow but beautiful ballad “Isolated Hearts”, featuring clean guitar reverb and soft piano underscoring powerful vocals singing of fading of hearts in the face of warfare. With Midnight Lightning, Roadwolf turns the intensity up to 11 and beyond, taking no time to rest and delivering a more explosive and dynamic sound than ever before.
Roadwolf state on Midnight Lightning: “Rock and roll maniacs, are you ready to unleash the beast within? We’re finally back from the dead and bringing the thunder with our new album, Midnight Lightning. So crank up the volume, grab a beer and smash your windows so everyone can join the listening party.”
Midnight Lightning will be available in the following formats:
- 1LP Gatefold Violet Transparent (limited to 300 worldwide)
- 1LP Gatefold BLACK (limited to 500 copies worldwide)
- CD Digipak
- Music Cassette Neon Orange Transparent (limited to 100 copies) - Napalm Records Shop exclusively
- Digital Album
"On The Run"
"Midnight Lightning"
"Mark Of The Devil"
"Supernatural"
"High Under Pressure"
"Sons Of The Golden Horde"
"Don’t Deliver Us From Evil"
"Running Out Of Time"
"Savage Child"
"Isolated Hearts"
"On The Run" video:
Lineup:
Franz 'Franky' Bauer - Vocals
Valentin 'Vali' Strasser - Guitars
Christoph 'Aigy' Aigner - Bass
Emanoel 'Mano' Bruckmüller - Drums
17x platinum, Grammy-nominated rock band, Skillet, have released the music video for "Psycho In My Head", their current Active Rock track and WWE's “Elimination Chamber" theme song. Check it out below:
Skillet will wrap the Rock Resurrection Tour this Sunday at the Wiltern in Los Angeles with co-headliner Theory Of A Deadman and special guest Saint Asonia. In high demand throughout its 25 city run, the tour was raising capacities weekly amidst a multitude of sold out shows including Milwaukee, Detroit, Cleveland, Green Bay, Reading and more.
Next the band will head oversees for their spring 2023 European Day of Destiny Tour. Embarking on a 21-city trek, the tour will kick off April 14 in Manchester, UK, and feature opening acts Like A Storm and Eva Under Fire, The tour will run through May 14 and hit major European markets including London, Brussels, Paris, Berlin, Copenhagen, Zurich, Milan and Prague.
Starting Friday, Skillet are offering limited VIP upgrades on their international tour that will include a M&G, photo with the band, early entry and a signed 8x10. VIP upgrades are available here.
L.A. GUNS, featuring singer Phil Lewis and guitarist Tracii Guns, has released the official music video for a new song called "Diamonds". The track is taken from the band's upcoming studio album, "Black Diamonds", which will arrive on April 14. This will be the fourth studio album since the much-welcome reunion of the band's core foundation of Lewis and Guns. It will follow the well-received studio albums "The Missing Peace", "The Devil You Know" and "Checkered Past", plus the live release "Made In Milan", and a covers EP "Another Xmas In Hell".
Written and recorded over the course of 2022, "Black Diamonds" sees Guns, Lewis and company continuing on the same successful and inspiring sonic journey that they've been taking on "The Missing Peace", "The Devil You Know" and "Checkered Past". The band doesn't shy away from flexing its hard rock influences as it always has, but also incorporates more introspective acoustic tracks reflective of its classic rock influences from the '70s.
Last October, Lewis took to his personal Facebook page to share the "Black Diamonds" title and track listing, and he included the following message: "Incredibly happy to announce the completion of our forth record (post reunion). Great songs, fantastic playing and some of the best singing of my career. It's heavy and dark in places and bright n breezy in others. It's all over the place as per our usual style. I think it's the best thing we've ever done but yeah I know I say that about all of them but I truly love this record and had fun recording parts on the tour wagon and then five intense days doing vocals with Mitch [Davis] in NYC. Of course the wait for it to drop will be excruciating but I'll do my best to contain the excitement. Seriously it's fantastic and you're all gonna love it."
"Black Diamonds" track listing:
01. You Betray
02. Wrong About You
03. Diamonds
04. Babylon
05. Shame
06. Shattered Glass
07. Gonna Lose
08. Got It Wrong
09. Lowlife
10. Crying
11. Like A Drug
"Checkered Past" was released in November 2021 via Frontiers Music Srl.
In April 2021, a settlement was reached between drummer Steve Riley and Guns and Lewis over the rights to the L.A. GUNS name. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Guns and Lewis continue to operate under the L.A. GUNS trademark, while Riley and his bandmates from the other version of L.A. GUNS are now operating under the new name RILEY'S L.A. GUNS.
L.A. GUNS was formed in 1983 and have sold over six million records, including 1988's "L.A. Guns" and 1990's "Cocked And Loaded", both of which were certified gold. "Cocked And Loaded" contained the hit single "The Ballad Of Jayne" that went to No. 33 on Billboard's Hot 100 and No. 25 on the Mainstream Rock charts. From the mid-'90s to the mid 2000s, L.A. GUNS continued to tour and release new music. Following their successful performance at SiriusXM's Hair Nation festival in September 2016, L.A. GUNS went into the studio to record the critically acclaimed "The Missing Peace", which was the highest-selling release for Frontiers Music Srl in 2017. Their 12th album, "The Devil You Know", was released in 2019 to the same critical acclaim. Since reuniting, Tracii and Phil continue to tour around the world with L.A. GUNS, which currently includes Johnny Martin (bass) and Ace Von Johnson (guitar).
Australian metalcore trailblazers THE AMITY AFFLICTION will release their new album, "Not Without My Ghosts", on May 12 via Pure Noise. To celebrate the news, the band has shared the video for "It's Hell Down Here". Watch it below.
"It's Hell Down Here" address mortality — a topic frequented several times on the album. It also boasts the vocal dynamics and pummeling breakdowns that are the band's signatures.
THE AMITY AFFLICTION vocalist Joel Birch states: "This song is a letter from myself and Ahren [Stringer, bass/vocals], written by me, to our friends who have passed on to the other side."
He continues: "I'm 41. I'm bipolar. And I'm pretty tired of it. That's where lyrics like 'Like a snake I tire / the cold dark clouds, they steal my light' come from. The song is wrapping up how I feel daily, and reflecting on the time leading up to my friend killing himself. I'm sure a lot of people who have experienced that guilt at not seeing what becomes glaringly obvious after the fact."
The album boasts multiple features — something the band has not incorporated into a release in quite some time — including late New Zealand rapper Louie Knuxx, who passed away in 2021, as well as COMEBACK KID's Andrew Neufeld, THE PLOT IN YOU's Landon Tewers, and Phem.
"Not Without My Ghosts" track listing:
01. Show Me Your God
02. It's Hell Down Here
03. Fade Away
04. Death And The Setting Sun (feat. Andrew Neufeld)
05. I See Dead People (feat. Louie Knuxx)
06. When It Rains It Pours (feat. Landon Tewers)
07. The Big Sleep
08. Close To Me
09. God Voice
10. Not Without My Ghosts (feat. Phem)
In a recent interview with AndrewHaug.com, Birch revealed that the "Not Without My Ghosts" title is something that he "ripped off. It's from this art show in Sheffield. And I was just walking past and I saw it, and I just wrote it into my notes. And I never went in or anything," he said.
Birch went on to say that he wants to make it clear that he didn't come up with the phrase himself. "I'll tell everyone. I don't care about that shit. You've gotta credit people," he explained. "I didn't come up with that, but that did inform the direction for my lyrics. 'Cause I was, like, 'Oh, fuck. That's something I can apply to my past behaviors, my past experiences — everything; past traumas and everything.' One of the lines on one of the songs is 'I have to carry on but not without my ghosts.' That's sort of the overarching theme, I guess, of the record."
The singer, who has been diagnosed with the bipolar II disorder, a condition in which people experience patterns of hypomanic episodes, which are briefer and less severe than full manic episodes, along with depressive episodes, elaborated on the meaning of the "Not Without My Ghosts" for him, saying: "You can help it sometimes. No amount of therapy can excise [your ghosts]. It's sort of discussing how to move forward despite them. So happiness despite trauma."
Last November, THE AMITY AFFLICTION shared a powerful new song, "Show Me Your God", which will appear on "Not Without My Ghosts". Speaking about the single, Birch said: "'Show Me Your God' is the first song of our first self-produced record. The song is the first in a series of explorations and internal meditations on how our past shapes us and interacts with our various mental struggles in the present, drawing from both personal experience and also the trauma of close friends who have passed away or who have dealt with close loved ones passing away."
THE AMITY AFFLICTION will appear at several festivals this year, including Louder Than Life in September and Aftershock in October.
Since emerging in 2008 on the debut "Severed Ties", THE AMITY AFFLICTION has served up two ARIA gold-certified albums, "Youngbloods" (2010) and "Chasing Ghosts" (2012),and earned a platinum certification from ARIA for the seminal "Let The Ocean Take Me" (2014). "This Could Be Heartbreak" (2016) marked the band's second consecutive Top 30 debut on the Billboard Top 200 and went gold in Australia, while "Misery" (2018) elevated them to new critical heights and most recently "Everyone Loves You...One You Leave Them" (2020) showed the band returning to their heavier side and saw the group's total stream tally surpass a billion.
Power / progressive metal band Immortal Guardian continue building the anticipation for their next opus, sporadically issuing new material it completes as we head towards a late summer release of the band’s next full album. Today, the group unveils “Roots Run Deep” along with a corresponding music video. To heighten the experience, the group has enlisted the services of famed vocalist Ralf Scheepers (Primal Fear, ex-Gamma Ray) who guests alongside Immortal Guardian singer Carlos Zema.
Recording independently and remotely, the quartet is assembling the follow-up to 2021’s successful Psychosomatic track-by-track and sharing the material as it is completed, along with visually captivating music videos, that again the self-contained group produces themselves. Check out “Roots Run Deep” on all streaming / download services, including Spotify, and watch the following clip.
“This Super Metal style song brings together the powerful vocals of Mr. Scheepers with Immortal Guardian’s signature sound to create an epic and inspiring anthem,” explains Carlos. “’Roots Run Deep’ takes us on a journey back to a time when we were all united before our differences and conflicts divided us. It reminds us that we all share a common history and that as a society we must learn to survive the separations and unite to conquer. With a message of hope, unity, and perseverance, ‘Roots Run Deep’ encourages us to make the world a better place. So let us embrace our shared history and let this song inspire us to make a positive change in the world. Thank you for watching this powerful and inspiring video.”
“’Roots Run Deep’ is about the levels of today’s division. Black and white, religion vs religion, left vs right, rich and poor, war and peace, etc.,” further explains guitarist / keyboardist Gabriel Guardian. “The world is so divided right now and what we want more than ever is unity. This song is about putting our differences aside and remembering that we are all humans just trying to survive. We all just want a happy life, and that would be more likely to happen if we all just agreed to disagree and respect each other and celebrate the things that make us all so different and unique.”
Heavy topics are not unfamiliar to Immortal Guardian whose previous album focused on the Covid pandemic, likely the first full album to be thematically linked to the disease and its effect on the globe and its people.
In the past year, Immortal Guardian has revealed four other brand new songs including “Perfect Person”, “Ozona”, “Echoes” and “Southern Rain”, forming a basis for their next conceptual piece, Unite And Conquer. The band will continue to share new material as the creative process proceeds to build up to a new full-length album planned for late summer 2023. Watch for pre-orders soon for CDs and limited-color vinyl variants. More info will be released by Immortal Guardian and M-Theory Audio in the weeks and months to follow.
Immortal Guardian is:
Gabriel Guardian – guitars / keyboards
Carlos Zema – vocals
Justin Piedimonte – drums
Joshua Lopez – bass
For further details, visit Immortal Guardian on Facebook.
After releasing their full-length debut, Seething Malevolence last year, Northeastern death metal outfit Vomit Forth are back today with a video for the album track, "Pain Tolerance". Directed by Peter J-T, the clip can be viewed below.
Vomit Forth comments: "This song is about dealing with the trauma of existing in the modern world. You have to develop a thick skin or you might end up hurting yourself or everyone around you, and it's an exploration of everyone's limits when it comes to that. Everything seems parasitic and harmful now. People's self-worth and mental health is constantly picked at and eroded by social media and unrealistic expectations."
Currently on tour with Upon Stone, Vomit Forth are making their way across the USA this spring, before appearing at Baltimore's Hell in the Harbor festival in May.
Dates:
March
17 – Louisville, KY – Triple Crown Pavilion (LDB Fest)
18 – Kansas City, MO – Farewell
19 – Denver, CO – Hi Dive
20 – Salt Lake City, UT – Ace’s High Saloon
21 – Las Vegas, NV – Eagle Aerie Hall
22 – San Francisco, CA – Thee Parkside
23 – San Fernando, CA – Midnight Hour
24 – Tempe, AZ – Cornish Pastry
25 – Albuquerque, NM – Eclipse
26 – Ft. Worth, TX – Tulips FTW
27 – Memphis, TN – Hi Tone
Norway’s Vulture Industries have unveiled the first offering from the band’s upcoming new album. The dark progressive metal quintet have announced that their new LP, Ghosts from the past, will see a June 16 release, and the first single, “New Lords Of Light”, is out today.
The new record, which will be released on Dark Essence and distributed via RedEye, is the band’s first full-length release since 2017’s Stranger Times.
Speaking about the record’s first single, the band shares:
“Starting life with the working title ‘For Roky’, I felt this one had a haunting feel, reminiscent of Roky Erickson. This was back during the pandemic summer of 2021, and I remember listening to early versions of the track in my car, driving up and down the west coast with my kids in the back. Processing the song in this way probably had a defining influence on the final product, so in the end it turned out upbeat and energetic, yet bound in somber atmosphere that harkens back to the ‘80s.”
Commenting on the themes and external influences that inspired the creative process for Ghosts from the past, the band states:
“(This album) was written and recorded in a period of big changes, both in our personal lives and in the world around us, this album is somehow a mirror of this. It reflects fear of a world spinning out of control, and sense of powerlessness in the face of world order falling apart. Crumbling only to be replaced by old ideas fronted by autocratic warlords with no sight in mind but their own power and legacy.”
Detailing the journey of recording the LP, the group adds, “With a writing and production period that started in 2018 and ended last year, the process was our longest haul to date, and for a long time we felt lost and struggling to find a sense of direction. Now, having finished the mix and mastering some months ago, it is a great relief to have some distance from the process and I would say ('Ghosts from the past') is our strongest album to date. We hope you enjoy what is essentially a piece of our soul.”
Ghosts from the past draws a line from childhood spells of dark mystery and a sympathy for the outcast, to a present where monsters hide under your bed. Waiting, not to prey upon the sleeper, but to hide from the monstrosity of the day. Pulling on a wide range of influences; from dust-riddled Spaghetti Westerns accompanied by Ennio Morricone, past the monochrome melancholia of apocalyptic post-punk, through deep valleys and steep hills shrouded in progressive darkness and a Nordic noir looking to solve the murder of the truth.
Tracklisting:
“New Lords Of Light”
“Saturn Devouring His Young”
“This Hell Is Mine”
“Deeper”
“Right Here In The Dark”
“Not By Blood But By Words”
“Tyrants Weep Alone”
Detroit, MI-based rock band, Artificial Agent, have released an official music video for "Pop Culture Disruptor", the title track of the band's latest album, Pop Culture Disruptor, out now. Watch the clip below:
Artificial Agent released 200 hot pink vinyl records to coincide with the music video. You can get more info about the vinyl on Artificial Agent's Facebook page, here.
"Pop Culture Disruptor" is the second single released from the album, The first was "Down And Out", and you can find a lyric video for the song below.
Artificial Agent has been nominated for multiple Detroit Music Awards in 2023:
- Outstanding Heavy/Hard Rock Artist Or Group
- Outstanding Rock Recording (Pop Culture Disruptor)
- Outstanding Anthology/Compilation/Reissue (Various Artists - "WLLZ Motor City Rocks 2022" Featuring Artificial Agent's song "Do You Love Me Or What?")
Beating at 90 miles an hour, Artificial Agent's heart of rusted metal hemorrhages oil and spews acrid fumes. Pop Culture Disruptor will hit you in the face like a tennis racquet strung with barbed-wire if you don't bend the knee. Here's your warning.
Tracklisting:
"Pop Culture Disruptor"
"Down And Out"
"Off The Deep End"
"Headed For Disaster"
"No One Lies To Me"
"Do Or Die"
"Don't Breathe"
"Tight Rope"
"Down And Out" lyric video:
Lineup:
Derek Jendza - Lead Vocals
Mike Elgert - All Guitars and Vocals
Brad Jendza - Bass Guitar and Vocals
Karl Crafton - Drums
Exploring a new style like never before - symphonic metal icons Sirenia revolutionize their melodic darkness on the brand new studio album, 1977, set to be released on May 26 via Napalm Records. Transporting the listener to a retro auditory arcade harking back to when groovy synthwave melodies dominated the world of music, the international band merges late 70’s and 80’s pop rock stylings with synthwave elements and their remarkable, hard-hitting symphonic melodies - shaking the listener to the core.
Showing off their multifaceted nature at its best, the first single cut from 1977 comes as an absolute time machine in form of the record's bonus track, “Twist In My Sobriety”. The cover of the million-times-over streamed track by German born British singer Tanita Tikaram matches the surprisingly deep voice that presents vocalist Emmanuelle Zoldan in a very new range, while the eerie mid-tempo appears in a brand new light of modern synth beats and characteristic synth-oboe. Transporting their fans right into smokey, neon lit nightclubs, the eclectic mix of 1977 opens up exciting new facets of symphonic, electronic and groove elements in Sirenia’s music.
Bandleader, multi-instrumentalist, composer and songwriter Morten Veland states:“'Twist in my Sobriety' is the first single from our upcoming album entitled 1977. This is the bonus track of our 11th album, and it is a cover version of Tanita Tikaram's original from 1988. I have loved this song since it was released, and it has a very melancholic vibe to it, so it felt like an interesting project to make a Sirenia version of it. I hope that you will enjoy it while we wait for the upcoming album release.”
Watch the performance video for “Twist In My Sobriety” below.
Captured within the magic of 80’s sonics, the four-piece opens up their enchanting new offering with the mesmerizing opener “Deadlight”. The world of soulful violin and fragile piano lines builds up an energetic atmosphere, underlined by the wistful tunes of the multi-talented mezzo soprano voice of French singer Emmanuelle Zoldan. The track is followed by the fast-paced “Wintry Heart”, which gives a bittersweet taste of early 90’s vibes and roaring guitars, while “Nomadic” represents Sirenia’s characteristic dark and heavy side as shredding guitar riffs alternate with playful interludes while relentless drums and symphonic electronic elements go hand in hand with one another. “A Thousand Scars” marks a totally new fusion for Sirenia, as heavy symphonic tunes dressed as remarkable rock riffs and poppy rhythms dance together with the feathery light vocals of Emmanuelle. With the eerie and epic tunes of “Fading to the Deepest Black”, the song is reminiscent of their last album, Riddles, Ruins & Revelations (2021). Kicking off with vertiginous blast beats and a mesmerizing performance by Emmanuelle Zoldan, a warm vocal interlude by Morten Veland supports the song's stunning atmosphere before it leads into an impressive guitar solo. Following their operatic symphonic highs, the heavy side of Sirenia is not forgotten and appears especially towards the end of their 11th record.
Once again, Norwegian mastermind, bandleader, multi-instrumentalist, composer and songwriter Morten Veland produced the 11th record, while HK at Vamacara Studio, France, took care of the mixing. It’s proof that, after more than twenty years of existence, Sirenia still ranks at the very top of the genre.
"Deadlight"
"Wintry Heart"
"Nomadic"
"The Setting Darkness"
"A Thousand Scars"
"Fading To The Deepest Black"
"Oceans Away"
"Dopamine"
"Delirium"
"Timeless Desolation"
"Twist In My Sobriety" (Bonus track)
"Twist In My Sobriety" performance video:
Sirenia is:
Morten Veland – Vocals, guitars, bass, synth, programming
Nils Courbaron – Solo Guitar
Emmanuelle Zoldan – Vocals
Michael Brush – Drums
Melbourne, Australia-based progressive metal band, Teramaze, will release their new album, Dalla Volta, on April 27 via Wells Music. Pre-order the album here, and find a video for the single, "Chaos In The Way", below.
The album features not only new songs, but also reimagined versions of some of their classics. Dalla Volta blend together old and new sounds to create something truly unique. You'll be transported to another dimension with their mind-bending riffs and complex time signatures.
Tracklisting:
"Navigate In Solitude"
"Chaos In The Way"
"These Crystal Walls"
"Shadows II" (Re-Imagined)
"The Heist"
"Waves" (Piano Version)
"Broken" (Piano Version)
"Weight of Humanity" (2017 Demo Version)
"From Saviour To Assassin" (2017 Demo Version)
"Fight or Flight" (2017 Demo Version)
"Are We Soldiers" (2017 Demo Version)
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