Following the launch of their new single "Sincerity", BUTCHER BABIES have shared a music video for the track, available on YouTube today. Directed by the powerhouse duo, singer Heidi Shepherd and guitarist Henry Flury, this raw, unrelenting one-take video rips through the shadowed streets of London. A visual that captivates the city's gritty chaos which mirrors the intensity of a metal riff that only BUTCHER BABIES can materialize.
"Sincerity" is a song rooted in wishful thinking. The lyrics dive into trusting someone to be delicate with your feelings, but rather having used those emotions to feed their own ego and benefit.
"Sincerity" marks BUTCHER BABIES's first release since the departure of co-founding co-vocalist Carla Harvey.
On the new single, Shepherd states: "Over the last decade and a half, BUTCHER BABIES has become known for our aggression and soaring melodies. This new release is no different. Diving into real-life experiences and expectations while exposing the rawest part of our souls, this single is bound to invoke an emotional rollercoaster between looking toward the future with hope while reminiscing of past losses."
Though a release date has yet to be confirmed, there are more plans for new BUTCHER BABIES music. Future releases will be available via Judge & Jury Records, a powerhouse record label and production company founded by multi-platinum producer Howard Benson (MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE, SEETHER, SKILLET, OF MICE & MEN) and Neil Sanderson of THREE DAYS GRACE. The instrumentation was meticulously crafted by Benson and Sanderson at West Valley Recording Studios, Benson's studio in Woodland Hills.
On the signing to Judge & Jury Records, Benson shares: "I have always been a fan of the band and never really thought we'd get a chance to work with them! I especially love Heidi's vocal range and ability to weave compelling stories through her music. Excited Judge & Jury got to do this music together with her and Henry, and for the fans to hear it!"
BUTCHER BABIES is Heidi Shepherd on vocals, Henry Flury on guitar, Ricky Bonazza on bass and Devin Nickles on drums.
BUTCHER BABIES played their first concert since the official departure of Harvey on July 27 at the Stonehenge festival in Steenwijk, The Netherlands.
The band announced Harvey's exit in a social media post on July 20. BUTCHER BABIES wrote: "As you may have already guessed, it is confirmed that Carla Harvey and BUTCHER BABIES have officially parted ways.
"Carla has been an integral part of our journey, bringing her unique talent, passion, and energy to the band. We are grateful for the incredible memories we've made together and the impact she has had on our music and our fans. We will miss her greatly and we wish her all the best in her future endeavors.
"We deeply appreciate your support over the past 15 years," BUTCHER BABIES added. "We feel incredibly fortunate to keep making and playing music as our career, and we are excited for this new era of BUTCHER BABIES!
"See you on the road."
Carla added in a separate post: "Over the last 6 months You may have noticed my absence from BUTCHER BABIES posts. After 15 years of dedication, I wanted to let you know that I will not be rejoining the band for any future endeavors.
"I am super proud of my work with BUTCHER BABIES…2 EPS, 5 Full lengths albums and countless tours with our metal heroes! To all of our incredible BUTCHER BABIES friends and fans…you have provided me with some of the greatest experiences of my life! I have loved every second of writing and performing all over the world for you! I have loved meeting you. WOW. I still can't believe this kid from Detroit got so lucky.
"I am not done making music and performing. I WILL see you soon".
In the fall of 2023, BUTCHER BABIES completed a European tour without Carla, who sat out the trek in order to undergo emergency surgery on her left eye.
BUTCHER BABIES' three-week 2024 European tour concluded on August 17 at the Czech Republic's Rock Of Sadská festival.
BUTCHER BABIES kicked off a U.S. headlining tour on September 18 in Palmdale, California. Support on the "Good Lord! The Butcher's Ded!" trek is coming from DED, DROPOUT KINGS and FOX LAKE.
This past January, Harvey and ANTHRAX and PANTERA drummer Charlie Benante announced that they were officially engaged.
BUTCHER BABIES released a double album "Eye For An Eye..." and "…'Til The World's Blind", in July 2023. The double album celebrates the tenth anniversary of BUTCHER BABIES' critically acclaimed debut, "Goliath", released on July 9, 2013 via Century Media Records.
BUTCHER BABIES' previous album, 2017's "Lilith" was produced by Steve Evetts (THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, SEPULTURA, SUICIDE SILENCE) and marked the band's recording debut with drummer Chase Brickenden, who replaced Chris Warner in 2016.
SCOUR, the extreme metal collective featuring an impressive lineup of heavy music veterans, including Philip H. Anselmo (PANTERA, DOWN),Derek Engemann (PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS),John Jarvis (NEST, AGORAPHOBIC NOSEBLEED),Mark Kloeppel (MISERY INDEX) and Adam Jarvis (PIG DESTROYER, MISERY INDEX, LOCK UP),will release its long awaited full-length album, "Gold", on February 21, 2025 via Housecore Records in North America and Nuclear Blast in Europe.
Deepening the experience set forth on SCOUR's previously released EP trilogy, "Gold" pulls the listener through a blistering vortex of speed, aggression, and, above all, absolute horror. Drawing from a deep framework of literary horror masterworks, "Gold" guides the listener beyond the realm of death and through the metaphysical anomalies of a disheveled and decaying mind. In-so-which the pall of a savage universe is lifted, an inconceivable puppet master revealed, the remaining self of the listener excruciatingly dissolved, and left asking, "who is it that pulls the strings?"
Musically, SCOUR fuses the raw aggression of black metal with grindcore, punk, and thrash influences, manifesting a sound that honors extreme metal's roots while pushing it into modern territory. Their minimalist approach is relentless and brutal, perfectly embodying this vision.
In advance of the release of "Gold", today the band unveils first single, "Infusorium", and its accompanying video, filmed and edited by Malcolm Pugh.
Comments Engemann: "SCOUR is storming back onto the scene with our new single, 'Infusorium', a relentless blend of intricate guitar work and raw, unforgiving intensity. This track raises the bar, with more intricate guitar work, and featuring a searing solo by Mark Kloeppel, undoubtedly some of his finest work that cuts straight to the core.
"Inspired by Jon Padgett's haunting short novel 'Infusorium', the lyrics channel the story's eerie depth and darkness, bringing a literary edge to the metal mayhem. As the lead single and first music video from our upcoming full-length album, 'Gold', 'Infusorium' proves the SCOUR is fiercer and more dynamic. The SCOUR boys are back, more ripping than ever!"
"Gold", which features cover art by Cain Gillis, will be available on CD, LP, limited edition cassette (U.S. only),and digital formats.
Forged in 2015, SCOUR quickly made their mark with the blistering debut single "Dispatched". Their first release, "The Grey EP" (2016),came via Anselmo's own Housecore Records, followed by "The Red EP" in 2017. In 2020, SCOUR unleashed their most aggressive effort yet, "The Black EP", released under Housecore and Nuclear Blast Records and featuring guest appearances from notable figures like Erik Rutan, Pat O'Brien and actor Jason Momoa.
And now SCOUR elevates their intensity with the announcement of their first full-length album, "Gold", which includes a guest solo by Gary Holt (SLAYER, EXODUS). Recording for "Gold" began in February 2023 at Nodferatu's Lair — Philip Anselmo's personal studio and rehearsal space — which saw the band highly engaged in a concentrated effort toward a truly diabolical composition, with Anselmo leading the charge at every turn. One would often find the entire band in the control room in ecstatic debate, meticulously mulling over every blast beat and divebomb. The album was intermittently refined, and lyrical concepts finalized, over the course of 2023 as touring schedules would allow.
Anselmo began vocal recordings in the fall of 2023 at The Lair. Backup vocal recordings were then executed by the rest of the band in arena backstage rooms over the course of PANTERA's February 2024 tour, where the full band would also thoroughly review the instrumentation mixes. Once the tracks were finalized by SCOUR and mixing engineer Dennis Israel, they were then passed to Fascination Street Studio in Örebro, Sweden for mastering by Jens Bogren.
Despite their relatively short career, SCOUR has performed at some of the world's most prominent festivals, including Roskilde, Hellfest, Tecate Metal Fest and Maryland Deathfest. With such a powerful pedigree, SCOUR remains a dominant force in both live performances and studio recordings, and fans can expect even more from them in the future.
Swedish high-energy rock 'n' roll royalty THE HELLACOPTERS have released the first single from their upcoming studio album "Overdriver", which will see the light of day on January 31, 2025, via Nuclear Blast Records. The aptly titled track "Leave A Mark" unites two styles that THE HELLACOPTERS have become known for over the course of their 30-year career — the full-blown guitar assault reminiscent of THE STOOGES and MC5 as well as the anthemic, hook-laden approach to rock 'n' roll, which is topped with a hint of melancholy.
Less than three years after their triumphant, chart-storming comeback record "Eyes Of Oblivion", which entered at No. 1 in their home country and at No. 3 in Germany, Sweden's most consistently great rock outfit is back with another banger of an album. "Overdriver" was recorded at Strawberry Studio and The Honk Palace and is the first HELLACOPTERS album entirely produced by Nicke Andersson. As you might expect from a HELLACOPTERS album, it's filled to the brim with roaring guitars and earth-shattering grooves, fist-raising energy and anthemic choruses, while keeping the variety richer than ever before. The striking cover for "Overdriver" was created by German illustrator Max Löffler.
Coinciding with today's single drop, a music video for "Leave A Mark" has been released. The video was directed and edited by Emil Klinta with whom the band has already worked on their most recent videos.
And since they're also celebrating their 30th anniversary in 2025, THE HELLACOPTERS will have a few more tricks up their sleeves to keep you boys and girls in line, so keep your eyes peeled! First off will be a run of "Overdriver" release shows in Scandinavia.
"Overdriver" track listing:
01. Token Apologies
02. Don't Let Me Bring You Down
03. (I Don't Wanna Be) Just A Memory
04. Wrong Face On
05. Soldier On
06. Doomsday Daydreams
07. Faraway Looks
08. Coming Down
09. Do You Feel Normal
10. The Stench
11. Leave A Mark
THE HELLACOPTERS released their eighth studio album, "Eyes Of Oblivion", on April 1, 2022. It marked the first full-length since the release of their temporary farewell record "Head Off" in 2008, which Nuclear Blast Records reissued in October 2024. "Eyes Of Oblivion" was met with massive acclaim from fans and media alike. Charting at No. 1 in Sweden, No. 3 in Germany, No. 6 in Finland, the band celebrated a triumphant return culminating in a show with the mighty IRON MAIDEN in Gothenburg in July 2022, and apart from their own string of shows, gigs with GHOST in Germany in June 2023. Eager to keep the rock flowing, February 16, 2024 saw THE HELLACOPTERS release not one, but two stunning versions of their classic "Grande Rock" album, which was originally released in 1999. "Grande Rock Revisited" included a remastered original version and a remixed and partially re-recorded version showing how the album could have sounded in a parallel universe with guitarist Dregen being in the band at the time. After making rock grande again, the group set sights on new material, debuting the phenomenal single "Stay With You" in May 2024 and releasing it as a limited seven-inch single via Lightning Records.
Cabal have announced their second album, Everything Rots, with the new single, "End Times".
Everything Rots features 13 brand new tracks and shows once again what the hardest band in Denmark is built for - brutal deathcore. The album will be released on April 11 via Nuclear Blast Records.
Singer Andreas Bjulver comments: "'End Times' is our soundtrack to the end of the world, it's fast and aggressive and marks a new era of Cabal and the announcement of our next album, Everything Rots. We are back and we are angrier than ever."
Stream "End Times" here, and watch the video below.
Cabal has through the years proved themselves as one of the heaviest and most uncompromising metal acts hailing from Copenhagen, Denmark. The bands sound is visceral and destructive and aims to bring forth absolute chaos by drawing inspiration from everything from crushing death metal, contemporary metallic hardcore and metalcore to unnerving soundscapes and dark electronic music.
Since the release of their first album in 2018 the band toured most of the planet, from Europe and North America to Japan and Australia, as well as renowned festivals like, Roskilde Festival, Copenhell, Summer Slaughter, Brutal Assault and many more, and they have no intention of slowing down. All of the above combined with features from some of the modern metal scenes most prominent names like; Matt Heafy from Trivium, Jamie Hails from Polaris and Joe Bad from Fit For An Autopsy, the band has shown the world that Denmark has something to offer when it comes to bone crushing heaviness.
The band are now gearing up for the release of their 4th studio album, Everything Rots. Everything Rots is the most focused and ferocious Cabal has ever sounded, while still expanding on the sound that fans expect from the band. Ear piercing electronic parts and unsettling soundscapes fuse together with bone-rattling riffs and uncompromising breakdowns to create a sonic attack on the senses that’s sure to please and surprise any fan of extreme heaviness. Just like instrumentals the lyrics are dark and direct as they detail the cyclical nature of depression, addiction and trauma, as they work through and detail deeply scarring life experiences and invite the listernes inside a dark world were everything everything rots and falls apart again and again and again.
Tracks like ’Still Cursed’ dives into the struggle of dealing with depression and feeling eternally cursed, while the title track is an anthem for the generations born into a world of crushing uncertainty, that feels like it could collapse around them at any time. "No Peace" describes the harrowing real life ordeal of finding a dying suicide victim in the streets of Copenhagen, and powerlessly watching the life drains from their eyes. "Unveiled" and "Forever Marked" deals with two sides of the same experience of having an abuser close to you. One describes the intense anger and feeling of betrayal, that comes from finding out that someone you considered family could commit such acts, while the other the feeling of guilt in knowing that this happened so close to you without you catching on to it.
The album will be released through Nuclear Blast in April and like a rabid hell hound on a chain, this album is foaming at the mouth to be released and unleash the rot upon the world.
InsideOutMusic is excited to announce the signing of the Italian progressive metal band, Benthos. Alongside the signing announcement, the band has unleashed their new single, “Fossil”, which marks the first song from their upcoming album with InsideOutMusic. It will be Benthos’ second full length record and will be released in spring 2025.
Stream/download “Fossil” here, and watch the video below.
Benthos is an experimental progressive metal band from Milan, Italy. Formed in 2018, the quintet gained recognition in the Italian metal scene by opening for The Contortionist in 2019 in their home country. Their debut album, II, released in 2021, is defined by its technical edge, complex rhythms, and heavy, dynamic guitar work balanced with serene, melodic interludes. Benthos’ live performances, described as hypnotic and chaotic, have taken them across Italy and Europe, including a notable appearance at Milan's Dissonance Festival in 2023. While working on their sophomore record, Benthos signed with label InsideOutMusic, which marks a significant milestone for the Italian band.
The band shares about the signing: “Signing with InsideOutMusic marks the start of an exciting new chapter for the Benthos family. This announcement symbolizes a monumental change, where our courage to break free from conventions brings a powerful sense of hope for our future. Now is the time to share our music with the world, with all the passion that has united us since the first moment we played together.”
Thomas Waber, label-head of InsideOutMusic, adds: "We are delighted to welcome Benthos to the InsideOutMusic family. Their modern and daring approach to music caught our attention and we are looking forward to developing this young ambitious band!”
Daring might be the perfect description for their first single with InsideOutMusic, “Fossil”. The immersive song delves into themes of memory, identity, and time. Anchored in the themes of Benthos’ upcoming record, “Fossil” draws on the idea that our present selves are intricately shaped by fragments of the past — fossilized memories embedded deep within our souls. Musically, Fossil is a whirlwind of chaotic, fuzzy tones with atmospheric, space-driven sections, mirroring the disorientation and clarity within the lyrics. Frenetic drumming and unpredictable guitar tones add to the sense of cyclical chaos, while moments of calm draw listeners into a surreal space where time seems to suspend. Shifting from organic vintage sounds to futuristic synthetic tones, Fossil exemplifies Benthos' no-holds-barred approach to music, where boundless creativity reigns.
The band share about the single “Fossil”: “Fossil is the most extravagant track we’ve ever created. A persuasive, energetic, dynamic and primordial journey where the instruments know no boundaries, projecting the listener into an abstract dimension that blends various soundscapes. The song delves into the confrontation between the
Following on from their #1 lockdown single “Get Up", Talia Dean and Brian May have collaborated again for "You Made Your Bed". 10% of proceeds, this year, will be donated to Crisis homelessness charity.
The track is a powerful post-break-up song with a new twist that will resonate with millions. The lyrics turn heartbreak into a powerful vision of the future, all overlaid on an irresistibly up-beat music track with unforgettable hooks.
Talia's vocals are rich, empowering and fuelled with raw emotion as she belts out the lyrics, “You made your bed – now lie in it!”, with May’s period-style tremolo guitar licks providing responses to every chorus line. He also takes a landmark 16 bar solo in the same style.
The tune is lively and irresistibly catchy - an uplifting pop song that instantly inspires us all to run faster, dance harder and sing out.
Talia Dean says: "I see this song as a firm reminder that the world is a huge place with a population of 8.2 billion. Nobody should never stay in a relationship with a person who treats you badly. Know your worth. It’s better to stay single than with a person who doesn’t respect you. No matter what age you are, where you are in the world, or what your situation is - it's NEVER too late to break free and strive for happiness. In recent times I’ve come to realise that I deserve love, attention and respect. I put up with toxic behaviour longer that I should have. I deserve to be with someone who cherishes me and so do you. Live your life and strive for true love. It’s defiantly out there.”
Mantar will release a brand new full-length, Post Apocalyptic Depression, on February 14 via Metal Blade Records.
2022's Pain Is Forever And This Is The End saw the German duo bring a sonic richness to their madly heavy blackened death-punk grooves, assisting the record to its position at #2 on Germany's Official Top 10 album chart. The record added smoother, calmer, more harmonic textures to Mantar's expanding palette, but on 2024's Post Apocalyptic Depression, the band smashes the palette and punches a hole in the canvas.
"We wanted to do everything different from the last album," affirms guitarist/vocalist Hanno Klänhardt. "The last album was very produced. A huge sounding record with clean production. Display of power. That was what we wanted and felt at that time. Now we are trying to destroy what we've built up with the last album. There is a certain beauty in disappointing people's expectations."
One earful of monster-grooving punk 'n' roll opener "Absolute Ghost" confirms that disappointment is an implausible reaction to the wildly energized righteous blood-shakers assembled here. Mantar has already eaten up the road all over Europe, the US, Japan, Latin America, and South Africa, as well as all the major European festivals and American festivals over their ten-year existence, but these tunes are destined for especially visceral live connection.
The ethos is clear from the first two words Hanno uses to describe the recording process: "Quick and dirty. We didn't even bring our own gear to the studio, and just used the equipment that we would find there. There was zero planning involved in the making of this album. We wanted to keep it as primitive as possible. We were bolder this time and literally cut any shit off the songs that we didn't think was necessary. I think you can hear that and playing these new songs is more fun. I feel very connected with my punk roots on this album. Very punk rock production and next to our first album definitely the most raw sounding one."
Further reconnecting Mantar with the spirit of their 2014 debut Death By Burning, the new front cover is again painted by renowned artist Aron Wiesenfeld, whose haunting aesthetic lends the band such distinctive and striking visual impact. It feels like a band coming full circle, drawing to a close the first ten years of Mantar.
As for that intensely full-on title, Hanno defines Post Apocalyptic Depression as "the feeling you get after a mass hysteria. The feeling you get once you've invested all your power in a mass hypnosis and suddenly realize there won't be no salvation. Also, it refers to a very one-dimensional and basic human feeling we all know. Being just burned out after a very tedious and exhausting period of life. Post Apocalyptic Depression also can be taken as the insight that people just refuse to learn. Besides that, it's a damn catchy and cool name for an album that sounds exactly the way these words sound."
As a precursor to the record's release, today Mantar unleashes first single, "Halsgericht". Comments Hanno, "The title means something like 'the right to impose extra heavy punishment.' Mantar style. Old fashioned darkness. It's fun to not only finally work with a German song title but also introduce some German lines to the song. It makes it weird and sinister. Just what we like. Especially in the US, people seem to love these kinda vibes. Fine by us. Celebrating it with the most epic hook of the whole album."
Watch Mantar's video for "Halsgericht" below.
Post Apocalyptic Depression is available on CD, and digitally as well as vinyl in the color variants below and a limited-edition box set:
- Rose/White Splatter (US - Ltd. 300)
- 180g Black (EU)
- Pink (EU)
- Grass Green Marbled (EU - Ltd. 500)
- Neon Splatter (EU - Ltd. 300)
- Rose/White Splatter (EU - Ltd. 300)
- Birthday Cake Splatter (EU - Ltd. 300)
- Pale Skin Marbled (EU - Ltd. 300)
- Box Set (EU - Ltd. 1000) - includes standard album on CD and vinyl, bonus 7" w/ two exclusive cover tracks, back patch, signed 12" art print on thick cardboard, + 12" booklet incl. lyrics
"Absolute Ghost"
"Rex Perverso"
"Principle Of Command"
"Dogma Down"
"Morbid Vocation"
"Halsgericht"
"Pit Of Guilt"
"Church Of Suck"
"Two Choices Of Eternity"
"Face Of Torture"
"Axe Death Scenario"
"Cosmic Abortion"
"Halsgericht" video:
Mantar will join Kvelertak for a short run of live shows this February with more dates to be announced in the weeks to come.
Avantgarde metal trio, Imperial Triumphant, has released a new single, "Hotel Sphinx", with an accompanying video. Taken from their upcoming sixth full-length, Goldstar (set for a 2025 release via Century Media Records), "Hotel Sphinx" can be streamed/downloaded here, and the video, directed by the band's own Steve Blanco, can be viewed below.
Imperial Triumphant comments: "The 'Entertainer extraordinaire' leads a gullible audience through the sinister halls of the 'Hotel Sphinx'. Behind the lights, cameras, and endless action lies a disturbing undercurrent - where power is fed by the innocence of youth. The lines between entertainment, initiation, and exploitation blur as a conspiracy of silence reigns in the 'Illuminated Valley of the Kings', where political celebrity celebrates death. Rites of passage too dark to speak, promising false salvation in a world where the show never ends."
Celebrated guitarist and singer Orianthi will release her new single, "Some Kind Of Feeling", on Friday, November 15 via Woodward Avenue Records.
"Some Kind Of Feeling" is the title track single taken from the album of the same name. The highly anticipated album is set for release in 2025.
Watch the official music video for "Some Kind Of Feeling" below.
With each new fiery, emotionally impactful single on Woodward Avenue Records, the great Orianthi reveals something fresh in her ever-evolving artistry — and her latest infectious, blues-inflected gem "Some Kind Of Feeling", produced by the legendary Kevin Shirley (JOURNEY, AEROSMITH, LED ZEPPELIN),is no exception.
But before we get to the magical illumination she reveals in the song, it's always fun, for those new to the singer, songwriter, and master electric guitarist/effortless shredder's multi-faceted musical aesthetic, to recount her many accolades and all-star associations to date. To name drop just a few, her resume includes an almost historic run of shows with Michael Jackson (hired for the London performances before his sudden death) and years-long collaborations with Alice Cooper, Dave Stewart and Richie Sambora.
The warm soulful tone of and occasional breathiness in her voice on the first funky verse of "Some Kind Of Feeling" brings to mind one of rock and roll's greatest female voices ever — Chrissie Hynde. High compliments of comparison aside, after opening with a few blistering licks over Ed Roth's bluesy keys in the hooky intro, Orianthi shares on the track what it really feels like to meet that special person, cleverly referencing her last single with an illuminating line in the first verse: "When he walked into my world, now you're by my side. All the ghosts are gone that used to keep me up at night."
After a pre-chorus that describes the entry of love with a Wizard Of Oz-like switch to color from black and white, she gets right to the emphatic, exulting heart of the matter in the chorus, where she sings of love as both a universal phenomenon that fills our deepest desires and her personal key to fulfilment. Orianthi sings it powerfully like an anthem we should all join in on: "'Cause everybody's looking for something. We're all searching for a deeper meaning. Don't make it through the night. Just gonna be right by your side. 'Cause, baby, you give me some kind of feeling." As she repeats the title phrase, she takes us to rock and roll church with gospel-flavored voices swelling around her, backed by more of that effervescent electric energy. As with all Orianthi tunes that show off her ample gifts as a singer/songwriter, she puts all her blistering ammo out there on a lengthy solo after the second chorus.
While it's kind of the aural "money shot" of the song, well worth waiting and singing again through the chorus to get to, Orianthi offers a slightly lower key (and by design, much shorter) preview of the divine madness to come with a fill of that blissful crackle just before verse two. These lines are like a valentine to all the ways her new love pulled her out of difficult, dark places, culminating with the very vulnerable, "Thank you for loving me when I was so hard to love." One of the lyric changes in the second pre-chorus is significant: "Guess I'll never understand how I found somebody like you, baby." Like, love is always a special surprise that brings out the best in us, because, you know, "Everybody's looking for something."
Orianthi's band deserves major kudos for keeping "Some Kind Of Feeling" hopping, exciting and grooving along. In addition to Ed Roth, the ensemble includes bassist Justin Andres, guitarist Nick Maybury and drummer Jimmy Paxson, with those sublime background vocals provided by Jade MacRae, Justin Andres and Orianthi herself.
The title of Orianthi's latest track, "Some Kind Of Feeling", is something of a self-fulfilling prophecy. She's singing in a raw, vulnerable, and romantic way about how love changed her, but along the way gives us a great feeling that we are also experiencing something special and transcendent.
"Some Kind Of Feeling" credits:
Orianthi - guitar, lead and background vocals
Justin Andres - bass and background vocals
Nick Maybury - guitar
Ed Roth - keyboards
Jimmy Paxson - drums
Jade MacRae - background vocals
Produced and mixed by Kevin Shirley
Mastered by Don Bartley
Written by Orianthi Panagaris
Executive producer - Mark Nordman
Bloodstock festival organizers have shared the video below, along with the following message:
"Step into the world of heavy rock as The Vintage Caravan takes the stage at Bloodstock Open Air 2024! Hailing from Iceland, this dynamic trio brought their signature blend of classic and modern rock to the festival, leaving the crowd buzzing with energy. On August 9th, 2024, they delivered an epic set under the roof of the Sophie Lancaster Stage, showcasing their skillful musicianship, captivating stage presence, and a setlist full of hard-hitting tracks. From soaring guitar solos to thunderous rhythms, their performance was an unforgettable highlight of the festival weekend.
"Known for their explosive stage energy, The Vintage Caravan pulled fans into a mesmerizing musical journey, blending psychedelic vibes with powerful, blues-infused rock. This full set includes songs that seamlessly combine 70s-inspired riffs with a fresh, contemporary edge. If you're a fan of high-energy live rock performances, this is one you can't miss!
Swedish rockers, Wildness, are pleased to announce the release of their new studio album, Avenger, out January 24 via Frontiers Music Srl. To mark the occasion, the band share the first single and official video, “Crucified”. Watch the video below, and pre-order Avenger here.
The band express their enthusiasm for this release, by saying: “The wait is finally over, and we're proud to present our fourth album “Avenger” for you guys! This is an album that summarizes everything that Wildness stands for, and we can't wait for you guys to hear it!”
Wildness was formed in 2014 by drummer and songwriter Erik Modin, guitar players Adam Holmström and Pontus Sköld and lead singer Gabriel Lindmark. The band performed live and released a few demos during the first two years, before signing a record deal and releasing their first two albums on the German label AOR Heaven.
Bass player Marcus Sjösund stepped in as a full member of the band during the recording of their debut album, which was released in late 2017 and immediately became a great international success among fans of melodic hard rock. However, disagreements regarding musical directions led lead singer Gabriel Lindmark to leave Wildness in the fall of 2019.
The band recruited lead singer Erik Forsberg (ex-Blazon Stone) as their new frontman and lead singer in the spring of 2020. Their follow-up to the debut album was named Ultimate Demise (released in late 2020), and became an ever greater success for the band, thanks to Erik Forsberg’s powerful set of pipes and the hit-single “Cold Words”.
Wildness spent the main part of 2021 writing and planning the follow-up to Ultimate Demise, and after the band signed a multi-album deal with Frontiers in October 2021, they finally released their third album, titled Resurrection, which contains eleven melodic masterpieces with one foot in the 80’s and the other one in the present.
Followed by intense writing and recording sessions, Wildness finally return with their new album Avenger, a record that musically defines the band better than ever. With songs like “Wings Of Fire”, “Avenger” and “Stand Your Ground”, the band pays tribute to classic hard rock pioneers like DIO, Accept and Yngwie Malmsteen. Songs like “Crucified”, “Wasted Time”, “Walk Through The Fire” and “Broken Heart” represent the classic melodic arena anthems that have always been the key for Wildness.
The band have performed at a number of different festivals internationally and shared stages with well-known acts such as Dokken, H.E.A.T, Dee Snider, Crashdïet, Dragonforce, Arch Enemy, Warrant, Vixen and others, and also had the honor to open for Pretty Maids, among others.
Avenger tracklisting:
"Wings Of Fire"
"Crucified"
"Broken Heart"
"Caught Up In A Moment"
"Wasted Time"
"Avenger"
"Poison Ivy"
"I'll Be Over You"
"Stand Your Ground"
"Eye Of The Storm"
"Walk Through The
Songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Eric Bass (SHINEDOWN) has announced his debut solo album, "Eric Bass Presents: I Had A Name". A concept album set within a sprawling new world, "I Had A Name" was written, recorded, and produced entirely by Bass. The record will be released on February 28, 2025 and is available for pre-save/pre-order now at this location. Fans check out lead single and music video "Mind Control" below.
"We live in a world right now where music gets homogenized and maybe everything sounds and feels the same. I wanted to create something different and I hope listeners hear that," Bass shares. "Lyrically and emotionally I hope it empowers them and they can see themselves in the characters and stories I sing about."
He continues: "We all go through dark times and hardships, but there's always a way out. I think that's what being a human being is about. I feel like Earth is a test and we're here to prove ourselves, go through things and come out better on the other side."
On the new single, he adds: "'Mind Control' is part of a larger story than I'm telling on this record and in the graphic novel that goes along with it. We're following this character Devaren as he's talking about his disdain for the population and how he can't stand them, but at the end of the song he has this reflective moment where he actually regrets everything he's been doing. The interesting thing about the characters in this story is that they represent a different part of my neurodivergence and mental health journey. In 'Mind Control' Devaren represents the depression that has crept into my life over the years that I didn't see coming. I just had to personify that in a character so in 'Mind Control' it has taken over, but ultimately in our story it will be defeated."
Fans can look forward to more new music in the coming months.
Bass is best known as the co-songwriter, producer, and bassist for multiplatinum rock institution SHINEDOWN, which holds the record for most No. 1 singles on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart.
"Eric Bass Presents: I Had A Name" is an immersive, expansive, and richly thematic work. As well versed in KISS and VAN HALEN as PEARL JAM and SOUNDGARDEN, Bass poured passion and creativity into "I Had A Name".
The initial storytelling spark behind "I Had A Name" ignited in a hotel room in Milan, Italy, as SHINEDOWN toured behind 2018's "Attention Attention". "I sat on the bed with a pen and paper and wrote for two hours," Eric explains. "It turned into a synopsis for a prequel to the story I'm telling on the album. When I started writing music, I thought about these characters. The album doesn't chronologically tell the story, but it depicts various scenes from it — bits and pieces that happen throughout it."
As with much of "Attention Attention" and "Planet Zero" (SHINEDOWN's first No. 1 on Billboard's Album Sales chart),"I Had A Name" looks both outward at society and inward, as darker emotions seep out from within the more significant metaphors and storylines on the surface.
"I've spoken about my struggles with depression and neurodivergent issues before," Bass points out. "When I finished writing this record, I looked back at these characters I've created and realized I'd written the most autobiographical record of my life, which wasn't conscious as I was writing it.
"The album is an epic odyssey. I don't want mental health to be an 'angle' that obscures that," he adds. "But I don't mind talking about it. Anytime I talk about it, I hope it's helpful to someone else."
With his SHINEDOWN bandmates' full support and encouragement, Eric challenged himself to write every lyric, compose every song, perform every instrument, and produce and mix the entire affair.
Ultimately, as with every endeavor of the South Carolina native's career, "Eric Bass Presents: I Had A Name" is about authenticity. "I'm always about honesty in art," he says. "When I listen to something, I want to hear that the person dug into the dirt and bled for it to happen. The truth always prevails."
"Eric Bass Presents: I Had A Name" track listing:
01. A World Unseen
02. The New Gods Of War
03. Azalia
04. We Can't Go Home
05. Goodnight Goodnight
06. Mind Control
07. New Graves
08. All Good Children - Our Guts
09. Modenhardt
10. Dead Inside
11. The Churches Of The Dead
12. Wanna Go To Hell
West Coast-based glam, punk 'n' rollers, Prophets Of Addiction, have released the new music video for the track "Let's Get High", from their new album, Face The Music, available via BraveWords Records.
Lead singer Lesli Sanders shares the story of the song and video, "We are all looking for a "high,” although the term is often associated with drug use; in reality, it is most often not the case. In this case, the topic of the song as I was penning the lyrics was a reflection back into time of the excitement that surrounded a new release from a favorite band of mine. It was the effort put into not only purchasing the record, saving up money doing odd jobs, or whatever, as money was never handed to me; it had to be earned. Then I knew I had to be at the record store in a timely fashion as it could sell out real quickly; maybe the particular mom and pop record store only would have 6 copies? I would get there by any means necessary, which usually meant my bicycle. Then the race was on, and after purchasing that record, I would hightail it home to throw that thing on the turntable with an excitement rarely found in this now world of instant gratification. I mean, this was an accumulation of weeks, if not months, of preparation. Once that music was blasting, shaking the house much to my mom’s dismay, it was time to double-task, as I would listen to every nuance all the while scouring the artwork, credits, and photos. It was a time of great excitement and a good "HIGH.""
The album, Face The Music, can be streamed / purchased here.
The praise for the band has been incredible!
"Prophets Of Addiction is a modern day Hanoi Rocks meets The 69 Eyes with plenty of pop hooks and Whisky drenched vocals." - Metal Sludge
"These lads have an American smash hit in their laps... I've always enjoyed Lesli's songwriting he's truly a expressive spirit." - J.B. Frank, Kingdom Come
"So if, like me, you are a huge fan of the Dogs D’Amour / Erotics / Quireboys style of sleazy story-telling, then you will find this fine selection of songs from the underbelly of life, absolutely essential." - Sleaze Roxx
"Pound-for-pound, front-to-back, it contains more high quality riffage in one space." - Sentinel Daily
"It's 70s glam/punk music with a modern spin, both production-wise and talent-wise, raw guitars, bouncing rhythms and lyrics that often actually mean something." - Rough Edge
"A record that will appeal to many guitar rock purists." - Mayhem Rockstar Magazine
Face The Music tracklisting:
"Flavor Of The Danger"
"Let's Get High"
"Slippin' Away"
"Walk The World"
"Maggie May"
"Superhero"
"I Want You To Know"
"Hollywood"
"Wasted Tears"
"Last One In The Bar"
"Take Me To Your Leader"
"Superhero" video:
The Players:
Lesli Sanders: Lead Vocals, Guitars
Phil Soussan: Bass, Piano, Mandolin,Percussion, Backing Vocals
Wayne Stokely: Drums,Backing Vocals
Tchad Drats: Guitar, Ebow, Backing Vocals
G.G. Guitar, Backing Vocals
Terry Bratsch, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Steel, Backing Vocals
About BraveWords Records:
There is a serious void which desperately needs to be filled, hard-working and creative bands that have yet to find a partnership and a mutual vision with a professional team. The music-fuelled minds behind BraveWords Records, Brian Adams, Giles Lavery, Tim Henderson and Michael Brandvold, have built the ultimate home for an artist that will take you where you want to be. Collectively, with nearly 100 years of music industry experience under our belts, the BraveWords Records team will take care of all the crucial aspects of your project from global distribution (digital and physical), publicity and media coverage (web, radio, visual), social media blanketing and streaming opportunities (such as Streaming For Vengeance). Where most labels have forgotten the concept of actually marketing a release sensibly, BraveWords Records will construct a viable and comprehensive marketing plan, including visibility at BraveWords.com, which attracts a million visitors monthly. BraveWords Records has all senses on high alert as the music industry continues its never-ending transitioning, so the artist will always be aware of new opportunities to build their brand and strive for world domination. BraveWords will also have a focus on licensing film and TV content, both contemporary and retrospective across many genres. A
Luminare Christmas!, the acclaimed holiday music sensation known for their innovative take on Christmas classics, unveil their new single and accompanying video, “The Light That Shines”, from their forthcoming debut album Mistletoe Madness, out on November 22 via Frontiers Music Srl. Watch the official music video for “The Light That Shines” below:
Get ready for an unforgettable holiday experience, led by former Mannheim Steamroller keyboardist and longtime musical director for Dennis DeYoung of Styx. Luminare Christmas! brings a fusion of reimagined holiday classics, high energy symphonic rock and cinematic magic.
Their sound can be described as a blend of Mannheim Steamroller’s holiday classic vibes, the high-energy rock of Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and the cinematic atmosphere of Hans Zimmer. The result is a musical fusion that’s sure to leave you breathless and wanting more.
With a phenomenal lighting show and a heartwarming story woven throughout the performance, Luminare Christmas! creates a magical atmosphere that’s perfect for all ages. You’ll feel the holiday spirit and be swept away by the passionate and sonically lush vocal and instrumental musical performances.
Unleash your festive side and experience the exhilarating energy of a high-octane holiday rock concert with Luminare Christmas!, the ultimate celebration!
“The Light That Shines”
“Mistletoe Madness”
“Oh Holy Knight”
“Carol Of The Bells”
“Toy Soldiers”
“Like A Child”
“A Ray Of Hope”
“Winter”
“His Majesty”
“You Look Like Christmas”
CATEGORY 7, the new band featuring former MACHINE HEAD and current KERRY KING guitarist Phil Demmel, ex-ADRENALINE MOB guitarist Mike Orlando, ARMORED SAINT/ex-ANTHRAX singer John Bush, SHADOWS FALL/ex-OVERKILL drummer Jason Bittner and EXODUS bassist Jack Gibson, has released the music video for the song "Land I Used To Love".
The track comes by way of CATEGORY 7's eponymous debut album, out now on Metal Blade Records, and serves as the fifth video from the record. As with the previous four videos, the clip was directed by Tom Flynn and shot in Long Island, New York.
Last month, CATEGORY 7 announced its first-ever tour in support of its self-titled debut album. The 14-show trek commences on March 6 in Baltimore, Maryland and runs through March 23 in Atlanta, Georgia. Direct support on all shows will be provided by EXHORDER (except Milwaukee). Additional support will come from HAND OF THE TRIBE on all dates, as well as DEAD BY WEDNESDAY on the first four dates, and ENGINEERED SOCIETY PROJECT on the remainder of the tour, starting in Warrendale.
Bush comments: "Looking forward to CATEGORY 7 blowing off the roofs of some venues on the East Coast and Midwest in March of 2025. This will be the first time the band will be playing live so come and check out some killer musicianship. Playing songs from the debut record should be fun. See ya there!"
Demmel adds: "Batten down your hatches because the C7 tempest is about to touch ground in the U.S. this March! We all are so thrilled to launch this band and bring our show through the states! See you in the eye of the storm!"
CATEGORY 7's self-titled debut album was released on July 26 via Metal Blade Records.
With veteran musicians from so many legendary bands, it's hard not to think of CATEGORY 7 as a supergroup.
"I think we're pretty super," jokes Demmel, who has also earned mega-metal cred over the decades as a member of VIO-LENCE and has played as a fill-in road guitarist for SLAYER, LAMB OF GOD, OVERKILL and others. "Really, I feel like this is a band, not a side project. And I feel like we have written this incredible piece of music, and we're not done. I'm so proud of the way this came together and the people who were involved. And I think we all feel super positive about this and what else we can do with it going forward."
The songs on the band's self-titled debut speak for themselves. As crushing and confrontational as an armed rebellion, as rhythmically thunderous as a storm of golf ball-sized hail, and as fiercely melodic as infectious riffs and aggressive vocals can be, CATEGORY 7 is a new breed of metal that lives up to the storied histories of its members. They're as heavy as a battleship, yet the songs are meticulously structured, skillfully balancing thrash beats, New Wave Of British Heavy Metal rhythms, punk metal attitude, blistering and ferocious dual guitar work, and scar-inflicting vocals.
"It's all about big verses and big songs, and it has a lot of the elements we've explored in our other bands," explains guitarist and main songwriter Mike Orlando (ADRENALINE MOB, SONIC UNIVERSE, NOTURNALL).
Take the upbeat album opener "In Stitches", which starts with piledriving double-bass drums, a feral thrash passage, and a fiery lead before toning down just enough for the distinctive vocals to stand out.
"It gets heavy, it's thrashy at times, but it opens up in the verses, and then the double-bass drums come in and knock you off your chair, but in a great way," Orlando says.
Bush further elaborates, "I read an article on an unhoused pregnant woman named Stitches who resided in Los Angeles obviously living a very difficult life that was compounded by mental illness and drug abuse. The encampment situation in my beloved city drives me bats. I balance between serious empathy and complete anger. The combination of imagining her life as well as my own internal turmoil led me to an almost humorous insanity state while writing this scathing album opener."
"Land I Used To Love" is slightly slower and more melodic, with guitar chords that complement the harmonized vocals and a searing guitar fill over the chorus that ups the temperature on the molten riffage. Then there's the propulsive, piledriver "Exhausted", which features blazing guitar licks, a punchy riff, and hammering thrash beats that climax with another unforgettable chorus.
The album closes with the explosive eight-minute instrumental, "Etter Stormen", in which Orlando and Demmel engage in a contest of dueling guitar leads over volleys of battering beats and riffs that see-saw between pounding metal and whiplash-inducing thrash.
CATEGORY 7, named after the numerical designation for the most powerful wind storms, came together from a batch of musicians who strived to play music they loved and weren't hearing elsewhere, and wanted to do so with bandmates they enjoyed being with. Orlando and Demmel became friends after taking part in a batch of tributes to the late OZZY OSBOURNE guitarist Randy Rhoads. The seeds of CATEGORY 7 were then cemented one night a couple years later when Orlando went to hang out at the Clifton, New Jersey metal club Dingbatz as Demmel was filling in on lead guitar for OVERKILL, which also featured SHADOWS FALL drummer Jason Bittner.
"We were hanging out and tearing it up, and between beers we were like, 'Hey, we need to do something,'" recalls Demmel. "We need to write some new music. We've got three-fifths of a band here. Let's get together and do some songs."
Since OVERKILL was practicing in New Jersey for a couple days before launching a tour, Demmel and Bittner were hanging out in the area. So, the day after the Dingbatz conversation, the guitarist got back in touch with Orlando, and the two decided to get together after the show and jam to see if their playing styles meshed.
"We just started throwing around some riffs, and it was pretty incredible, but different," Orlando says. "We immediately clicked together as writers. And to me, it was such a joy because the bands I have been in have always been just one guitar player. I never had a partner. So, to have a dude I liked, who plays really well, to bounce ideas around with was freaking awesome."
"Mike had this idea of doing stuff that was a little more mainstream than the heavier stuff that I've done. But we didn't want anything to sound contrived," adds Demmel. "So, the first thing we did had all these different parts and crazy tempos and it kind of sounded like RACER X-meets-PANTERA. But we liked it and had fun doing it, so it was a great start."
Adds Bittner: "The funniest part about that was me and Phil were rehearsing for OVERKILL in New Jersey, and I had no idea I was two rooms over from you writing this song. So, after we practiced for five hours you guys worked on a song for another two hours. I couldn't believe that. And I went, 'Okay, next time you guys do something, count me in.'"
As a staple of the Bay Area thrash scene, EXODUS bassist Jack Gibson was the natural choice to expand CATEGORY 7, and he was intrigued by the idea of stepping into a new pair of shoes. "When I first heard the song they did, I really liked that it was heavy and melodic, which is very different than the stuff I play with EXODUS, which is very rhythmic and chromatic."
By far, the greatest challenge for CATEGORY 7 was finding the right singer. Not that the members couldn't agree on who they wanted. They all wanted ARMORED SAINT and ex-ANTHRAX vocalist John Bush; there wasn't even a second option. But getting him to agree to join the band was an exercise in patience and persuasion. When he was invited to join CATEGORY 7, Bush wanted to hear the band's music. But the only song they had recorded was the RACER X-meets-PANTERA-style instrumental, which they feared wasn't going to vibe with Bush's interest or ability. So, they put a couple more demos together, which were far more melodic, and they sent them to Bush, then waited on tenterhooks for him to get back to them.
"I listened to the music they sent me, and I was like, "Wow, this is pretty scathing stuff,'" Bush recalls. "It's awesome, but the question was, what could I do with it vocally that would fit? As Jason said, 'These guys are riff maniacs.' So, I wasn't totally sure right away that I was the right guy for it. But I started tinkering around with it and writing, and, to my satisfaction, everything came out relatively easy."
With Bush onboard, CATEGORY 7 went into overdrive. Now that they had a vocalist locked in, they were able to structure the songs to work with his melodic vocal style. Orlando worked separately and then together, assembling dynamic riffs and rhythms that peaked in complexity and heaviness during the intros, midsections and outros, and settled into a sparser, more melodic pocket for the verses and choruses.
"There was a cognizant effort to give the verses some space and to let John create his vocal melodies for them and the choruses," Demmel says. "Because he's the 'Bush hooks man.'"
CATEGORY 7 quickly realized the best way for Orlando and Demmel to combine their considerable talents as songwriters was for Orlando to write the skeletons for the tunes and have Demmel contribute fills, middle eight sections and leads. For Orlando, writing for the band became far easier once he had a vocalist in mind for his songs.
"When John Bush entered the picture, I knew who I was writing for and that helped me immensely," he says. "I wasn't just writing for the sake of writing; I was writing parts specifically for John Bush to sing. That was great for me not only because gave me a goal to strive for, but because, as a fan of John Bush's vocals for decades in ARMORED SAINT and ANTHRAX, it was exciting to know he was gonna be on these songs."
Even though CATEGORY 7 purposely wrote songs that gave Bush the room he needed to make the material shine, they stopped short of writing together anything that sounded like the bands Bush was best known for. That left Bush filtering through the complex rhythms and sometimes unconventional melodies to find the right spots in which to sing and the tone for those passages. While the work was sometimes challenging, it was equally rewarding and imbued songs like "Land I Used to Love", "Exhausted" and "Through Pink Eyes", with urgency and immediacy.
"Working on these songs opened up a big part of my brain to just be real creative," Bush says. "It all came out sounding very fresh and new. And it was really liberating for me because I was able to open up a whole new door for myself. Because working with these guys was just different than what I've done before because they're different people and the way they write, the way they create, and the way they play is new for me. And that compelled me to gravitate to what they were doing, which created this fresh sound that's unlike anything I've done or heard."
Bush also entered new territory with his lyrics. While he has addressed current events and the downfall of society in the past, with CATEGORY 7 he wrote about the desperation that pervades society and the destructive divide that has evolved and separated people for decades but is now worse than ever. As much as anything, Bush wanted songs like "White Flags & Bayonets", "In Stitches" and "Land I Used To Love" to inspire thought while being open to interpretation.
"I just say it's social commentary, man," Bush says "There's a slew of information there to choose from and it's all in there. Obviously, every single day you could wake up and check out the news and have conversations with people and friends and feel a lot of the way I did when I was writing these songs. So, I just ran with that. But there's a certain ambiguity to some of the lyrics because I don't want to spell out exactly what these songs are about because they could be about a lot of things. And I want people to use their imagination. I want to touch on all these particular topics and scenarios that feel very current without telling people what they need to think."
CATEGORY 7 started working together on March 2023. During the months that followed, Orlando and Demmel wrote on a regular basis, and during the pre-production stage, Bittner recorded drums to the tracks at his home studio. When he sent them back to the guitarists, they would send him the next batch of songs to work on. Not only did Bittner bring on the kind of technical drum skills he has exhibited in SHADOWS FALL and OVERKILL, he went above and beyond, injecting a tumbling, barreling feel into the variegated songs.
"Jason is not only technically incredible, his parts are musical, and his feel is musical," Orlando says. "He's the ideal drummer for this band because he exudes this fire and passion which I love because that's the only way I play guitar."
Bush started recording his vocals after Orlando, Bittner and Gibson laid down all their tracks at Orlando's recording facility, Sonic Stomp Studios, where he produced, engineered, mixed and mastered the album. With the songs in their final form, it was just a matter of fine-tuning a mix here or overdubbing a part there. And Orlando had almost as much fun finishing the album as he did writing it.
"One thing I love to do is to be able to take the guitar player hat off and become the producer and studio guy," he says. "And it was easy with these guys because we all had the same vision, and we were so prepared. But it took a little bit of tinkering because I wanted this album to sound big - not in the sense of overly produced but big in a way that it knocks you out of your shoes and off your feet. And we all wanted the same thing, so there was no conflict whatsoever."
In the end, CATEGORY 7 have created an album that is fresh and familiar. The mixture of NWOBHM, thrash, punk-metal and traditional metal is cohesive and sonically rewarding, establishing an eclectic musical backdrop for Bush's instantly identifiable vocals. At the same time, the diversity of styles creates its own template that's ideal for headbanging, moshing, and voluble sing-alongs.
"I think the sound of this band really comes down to the odd connection that all of us have," Bittner says. "We've known each other for years as friends and peers. And we've all looked up to each other and know that one day we'd have to work together. It's taken almost two decades for that to happen, but lo-and-behold, once it did there was no stopping us."
"Category 7" features art and layout by Carlos Fides at Artside Studio (ANGRA, EVERGREY, KAMELOT). The record is available on CD and digital formats as well as several vinyl color variants.
"Category 7" track listing:
01. In Stitches
02. Land I Used To Love
03. Apple Of Discord
04. Exhausted
05. Runaway Truck
06. White Flags & Bayonets
07. Mousetrap
08. Waver At The Breaking Point
09. Through Pink Eyes
10. Etter Stormen
Demmel spoke about CATEGORY 7 in an August 2023 interview with former EXHORDER and PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS guitarist Marzi Montazeri. Regarding how the musicians first came together, Demmel said: "I [was] doing a one-off [show], [filling in as the guitar player for] OVERKILL, and this is just right after things are opening up. It's in Jersey, so we go up to Dingbatz, or what's… there's the bar and then there's the venue. So whatever the bar is, we go to the bar. And Orlando comes and meets us, and it's Corey Pierce from GOD FORBID. And so we're there all getting loaded. And at a certain point, it was just, like, 'Man, we got the band right here, man. Why don't we do something? Why don't we write music together?' And we're all, 'Yeah, let's do.' And then the next day, we're kind of hung over, going, 'Hey, man, did we mean it? Did we mean that? Yeah, let's see can happen.' And I came back [to the East Coast]. I forget what I was doing when I came back. And me and Orlando got together and we just got in the room and started throwing riffs at each other and came up with, like, a dozen or so riffs that he took back. And you know Mikey O — he's got his own studio, and he gets behind something. And he's got such a great ear. He's a phenomenal guitar player. And he's got a great ear for music and melody. So he starts putting the shit together. And we're, like, Damn, this is fucking cool.' … And then so we're thinking, it's, like, all right, well, bass player and vocalists. Vocalists, who would you guys want? Let's make our list. Start at the top.' And then bang, bang, bang. All at the top was 'John Bush', 'John Bush', 'John Bush'. We're, like, 'Hmm.' I said I know him from [playing together in] METAL ALLEGIANCE. We broed down a little bit — we talked sports and stuff — so I said, I know him enough to call him up and ask him. So I did. And he was super… We were in the friend zone for a while — you know, non-committal. And it's been bit by bit by bit."
Phil went on to describe the new band's musical direction as "heavier than the early VAN HALEN and the early PANTERA stuff that's on the — you know, the shuffle beat. It's on the upbeat; a lot of it's on the upbeat, not on the down. So it's the head-bobbing type of type of BPMs, you know? So it's different. Nobody's really doing that now."
Orlando was the guitarist/founding member of the hard rock group ADRENALINE MOB. As owner of his own recording studio, Sonic Stomp Studios, he handles everything from engineering, producing, mixing and mastering.
Demmel left MACHINE HEAD at the end of the band's fall 2018 North American tour. He was in MACHINE HEAD for nearly 16 years, during which time he played on five of the group's studio albums: "Through The Ashes Of Empires" (2003),"The Blackening" (2007),"Unto The Locust" (2011),"Bloodstone & Diamonds" (2014) and "Catharsis" (2018).
Widely known as the drummer from American metal band SHADOWS FALL, Bittner has won numerous awards, including Modern Drummer magazine's No. 1 Metal Drummer in 2005 and 2006, No. 1 Up-And-Coming Drummer in 2004 and 2005, and No. 2 Clinician for DRUM! magazine in 2011. In 2014, Bittner hooked up with the thrash metal band FLOTSAM AND JETSAM and later joined OVERKILL.
Bush continues to record and tour with ARMORED SAINT, which he co-founded in 1982.
John fronted ANTHRAX between 1992 and 2005 but was sidelined when the group reunited with Joey Belladonna for a 20th-anniversary tour. When that collapsed, and relationships disintegrated with next frontman Dan Nelson, Bush returned for a time before Belladonna took the job back in 2010.
In 1996, eight albums into EXODUS's career, Gibson joined the band and has remained with the group ever since. In addition to his work EXODUS, he has fathered a bluegrass brainchild, COFFIN HUNTER, a band that combines Gibson's love for Nashville music and for playing banjo, giving off a vibe of true Americana like a mix of C.W. McCall, Jerry Reed and Sergio Leone.
French dark progressive metal band, The Old Dead Tree, have released a music video for "The Lightest Straw", the latest single from the upcoming album, Second Thoughts, available on December 6 via Season Of Mist. Watch the video below.
The Old Dead Tree stands tall amidst the ruins of fleeting trends and hollow promises. Forged in the fires of pain and perseverance, their music weaves tales of agony and resilience with a dark elegance few can rival.
Their new album, Second Thoughts, dives deep into the brooding abyss of human experience. Each track captures the raw pain of existence and the bittersweet taste of fleeting joy. From the haunting introspection of "Unpredictable" to the merciless pounding of "The Trap", every note is a visceral reminder of life’s unpredictable twists.
As you journey through the melodies and lyrics, you’ll find yourself confronting your own demons, only to emerge stronger, reborn. It’s an unflinching exploration of love, loss, and the burning desire to overcome the shadows that hunt us all.
“Unpredictable”
“Don’t Waste Your Time”
“The Lightest Straw”
“Better Off Dead”
“Without A Second Thought”
“Luke”
“Story Of My Life”
“Fresh Start”
“I Wish I Could”
“The Trap”
“Solastalgia”
“OK”
“The Worst Is Yet To Come”
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