KITTIE Release Long Awaited New Album 'Fire'; Drop New Music Video For Title Track

Kittie prove that they remain the undisputed Queens of Heavy Metal as they unleash their long-awaited seventh studio album, 'Fire', their first in thirteen years, out now via Sumerian Records. The album's release is highlighted by a brand new music video for furiously incendiary title track, "Fire". Fans can finally stream the album now HERE and watch the official music video below.

Speaking on the arrival of their new album, Kittie vocalist/guitarist, Morgan Lander shares

"We’ve gone from 0 to 100 within the last few years and it’s almost unfathomable that the culmination of all of our work, sacrifice, pain and triumph has finally come to fruition with the release of our 7th studio album, “Fire”.  We burn with more determination, focus and drive than ever, and hope that these elements resonate with every word, and can be heard in every note of this album. Fire is for you!"

Kittie sent the internet ablaze earlier this year when they announced their return with brand new music, in the form of blistering single, "Eyes Wide Open". They followed up with a second new single, "We Are Shadows", which is currently blazing its way up the Top 40 at Active Rock Radio, and the announcement of a very special run of exclusive headline shows across the US and Canada in April. A truly iconic live performance at Sick New World festival in Las Vegas set the scene for the announcement of the new album and release of third new single, "Vultures", followed by more show-stealing live performances at globally renowned US festivals Welcome To Rockville in Daytona, FL and Sonic Temple in Columbus, OH. They released fourth single, "One Foot In The Grave" in May, their final taste of the album before its release.

Early reviews unanimously suggest that 'Fire' has been well worth the wait. Here's what the press have been saying:

"Kittie have completed one of modern metal's great comebacks with Fire."

Metal Hammer

"Kittie did right by naming their new album Fire, as the band’s first LP in 13 years is an absolute scorcher."

Consequence

"Fire proves that the burning passion in Kittie is back, and when the smoke clears, a new, matured version of the band emerge forebodingly, ready to snatch the world in their claws once again."

Exclaim!

"The core of this album is straight, relentless metal, sometimes melodic but mostly powering through with sinew and vim"

Kerrang!

"This album proves that they haven’t just returned—they’ve evolved into a more powerful and polished version of themselves. It’s a masterclass in blending heaviness and melody, aggression and nuance."

Lotz Of Muzik

"Fire" is true to the band's original spirit, but also resolutely up to date. It's great to have them back."

Blabbermouth

"Fans of Kittie will positively love this record and those that haven’t listened much may find this to be the perfect starting point, as it shows a band that is older, wiser, but no less kick-ass than they were in their youth."

Metal Epidemic

The band's eagerly-anticipated, upcoming headline shows will see them perform in 5 cities across the US and Canada this July and August, giving fans a very special and rare chance to see the band play a full headline set that will include their new material as well as classic hits and some deep cuts not played live since the band's early days.

Each show will feature a different supporting line-up (full details below), ensuring a unique experience for Kittie fans in each city. Tickets are on sale now and selling fast, get yours from kittie.net

KITTIE

FIRE 2024

EXCLUSIVE HEADLINE SHOWS

July 12th - Toronto, ON - History w/ Vile Creature

July 19th - New York, NY - Palladium Times Square w/ Unearth, Within The Ruins and Stabbing

August 2nd - Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade w/ Upon A Burning Body

August 4th - Dallas, TX - The Studio at The Factory w/ Upon A Burning Body

August 23rd - Chicago, IL - Concord Music Hall w/ VCTMS and Conquer Divide



UPCOMING FESTIVAL PERFORMANCES

July 6th - Quebec City, QC - Festival d'Été de Québec

August 24th - Jackson, MI - Havoc Festival

ABOUT KITTIE

When you discovered Canadian bashers, Kittie, has a direct influence on how you see them. For those that were on board from the beginning with the Spit album, released in 1999, Kittie was considered part of the nu-metal movement. Going into their later albums, In The Black (2009) and I've Failed You (2011), the band had evolved into something far more sinister, and were viewed as a serious full-on metal outfit. Just as they seemed to be hitting their stride six albums into their career, however, Kittie slowly disappeared from the scene in the wake of touring for I've Failed You. The silence was eventually dubbed an "indefinite hiatus" by the band, broken only by a one-off hometown show in London, Ontario in 2017, and the release of the documentary, Kittie: Origins/Evolutions, in 2018. Until now…

 

Thirteen years and 12.6 million career streams later, that silence has been broken in earnest. Vocalist and guitarist, Morgan Lander, drummer Mercedes Lander, guitarist Tara McLeod and bassist Ivy Vujic maintain that Kittie did not break up because it is an ingrained part of their identity. The documentary and the one-off show in London were intended as a cap on everything, leaving a big question mark at what might happen down the road. Offers from promoters to do some shows in 2022 and 2023, including the sell-out, inaugural Sick New World Festival in Las Vegas, were enough to convince Kittie to dust off their instruments, resulting in a renewed interest in the band and a label deal with Sumerian Records

When they finally did gather as a unit, it was like putting on a pair of comfortable boots, with no need to break things in before getting down to business.It turns out that thirteen years away has seen the band develop growth in songwriting, arranging, lyrical content and vocal melodies, creating something monstrous and volatile. Produced by Nick Raskulinecz (Foo Fighters, Rush, Alice In Chains, Korn), Kittiehave finally surfaced and unleashed 'Fire', their first new album in thirteen years via their new label home, Sumerian Records. With renewed fury and unfathomable sonic brutality, the new era of Kittie is well and truly upon us. 

Kittie are

Morgan Lander (vox/guitar)

Mercedes Lander (drums/backing vox)

Tara McLeod (guitar)

Ivy Vujic (bass)

CAVALERA - SCHIZOPHRENIA OUT NOW + RELEASE VISUALIZER VIDEO FOR 'NIGHTMARES OF DELIRIUM'!

CAVALERA has become synonymous with extreme metal music, a name that to this day still holds the highest regard, a family legacy built upon decades of musical aggression. In 2023, Max and Iggor Cavalera achieved what some would say was an impossible feat; they revisited their earliest releases, Morbid Visions, and Bestial Devastation, and re-recorded them with bone-breaking intensity. A risk that few would dare to even attempt, yet they artfully and prolifically attained their trademark raw sound by means that could only be described as magic or time travel. 

Today, the band releases the final chapter of their early-days trilogy, Schizophrenia. The iconic album in terms of early thrash and death metal, is a household name for those of us invested in extreme metal. It was the point where the Cavaleras refined their dark, dingy, speed-influenced songs, into something a bit more mature, developed, and technical. 

In celebration of the release, the band offer fans a fresh new single , 'Nightmares Of Delirium'. The song is a bonus to the landmark 1987 album and features lyrics from Max's son Igor Amadeus Cavalera.

Max Cavalera states, "Schizophrenia has been locked away in a mental asylum for nearly 37 years. I’m very proud to bring it into the future with a modern sound without losing its old-school mentality. Complete with a new bonus track, 'Nightmares of Delirium', created especially for this album. Thrash till death!"

Iggor Cavalera comments,“Hello head bangers… can’t wait for you all to hear our re-recorded version of Schizophrenia. It’s a labor of sweat and love… see you in the pit” 

Purchase Schizophrenia here:  
https://cavalera.bfan.link/schizophrenia

Watch the visualizer video created by Costin Chioreanu for 'Nightmares Of Delirium', below

No stranger to collaborations, the Cavalera brothers enlisted Travis Stone (PIG DESTROYER) on lead guitars, and that choice becomes obvious within the first song. The full lineup would consist of more Cavalera alumni, as Igor Amadeus Cavalera (GO AHEAD AND DIE, HEALING MAGIC) once more brought his talents on bass to the fold. Thundering and thrumming the low end with brute force, it is clear that the double Iggor and Igor combination is a rhythm section to be reckoned with.

It should come as no surprise that the CAVALERA brothers always felt that these songs deserved a fresh take with modern production. From April 15th to June 5th, 2023 the band re-recorded the album at Focusrite Room in Mesa, Arizona. Mixing and mastering was handled by Arthur Rizk(SOULFLY, GO AHEAD AND DIE, TURNSTILE).

Schizophrenia’s album cover has obsessed and fascinated fans for decades. The brothers left no stone unturned and no detail unnoticed, also revisioning the original cover artwork of the album, restored in hand-painted watercolors by Eliran Kantor

CAVALERA is traveling across Europe and the U.K. on their 'Third World Trilogy' tour. 
Purchase your tickets, here: https://www.cavaleraconspiracy.net/tour

With the impressive catalog that the CAVALERA brothers have created over the years, you will soon see that Schizophrenia will also sit amongst their greatest achievements. Max and Iggor have relinquished an album that for many years was locked away behind rusty, iron cell doors, barred by straight jackets and haunted by madness. From the past comes the storms as Schizophrenia is set loose on the world once more!

CAVALERA is:
Max Cavalera | Vocals, Guitar
Iggor Cavalera | Drums, Percussion
Igor Amadeus Cavalera | Bass
Travis Stone | Lead Guitar

More information:
https://www.cavaleraconspiracy.net/
https://www.facebook.com/cavaleraconspiracy/
https://twitter.com/cavconspiracy
https://www.instagram.com/cavaleraconspiracy/
https://www.youtube.com/@CavaleraConspiracy
https://www.tiktok.com/@cavconspiracy

ALCEST - RELEASE NEW ALBUM LES CHANTS DE L'AURORE

French shoegaze/indie act ALCEST release their brand new album Les Chants De L'Aurore via Nuclear Blast RecordsLes Chants De L'Aurore is the 7th album of the band. After four long years the band is finally back with their new masterpiece.

Neige & Winterhalter comment:
"Today marks the release of our 7th album, « Les Chants de l’Aurore ». We are so happy to share with you the songs we have been working on during the past four years. It was a challenging album to make but we are really proud of the result and we hope you will like it as much as we do. Thank you so much for your everlasting support, it means everything to us. Much love - Neige & Winterhalter"

Order/Stream Les Chants De L'Aurore here: https://alcest.bfan.link/leschantsdelaurore
Watch the official art track for 'Améthyste' below.

About ALCEST:
For principal songwriter and frontman Neige, ALCEST has always been a gateway to the otherworldly, a means of exploring his spirituality. An elemental two-piece, completed by long-serving drummer and creative confidante WinterhalterALCEST seem to dip their toes in a multitude of musical genres without ever quite fitting in. “In the metal scene ALCEST is a weird band, in the indie/post-rock scene ALCEST is a weird band- we never quite fit in,” Neige reflects. “This is how I feel in life, always an outsider; It’s not a problem, it’s just the way it is.”

ALCEST is:
Neige | vocals, guitars, bass, synths
Winterhalter | drums

More info:
www.alcest-music.com
www.facebook.com/alcest.official
www.instagram.com/alcestofficial
www.twitter.com/alcestofficial
www.nuclearblast.de/alcest

GASKET Release "BABYLON" EP on 6/21 + Band Shares "ACOLTYE"

Baltimore quartet GASKET, who released Dull the Needle, a seven-song EP back in November 2023, have just dropped their new EP BABYLON today, June 21, via Blue Grape Music.

Get the EP, which is earning raves from Revolver, Metal Sucks, Brooklyn Vegan,and more, here on vinyl or cassette.

Listen to "ACOLYTE" here.

"'ACOLYTE' is about coping with the monotony of life and accepting that the only thing that can change for the better is yourself," says vocalist Flynn Zimmer.

Regarding the EP as a whole, the band says, "This EP is the hardest we've ever worked on anything together. As simple as it may sound, it's a culmination of all of our favorite bands.  Lyrically, it's a melting pot of experiences and feelings we've had for the past two years that we hope people can relate to. BABYLON represents GASKET as a whole; it's our escape from reality and we couldn't be more grateful for it." 

BABYLON is a perfectly executed and lethal mix of crusty punk, gnarly, old school hardcore, and grimy metal. Most of the tracks span under two-and-a-half minutes, but the band uses the time wisely. Every song is a like a grenade blast that you won't soon forget.

GASKET will also be hitting the road this summer on a series of headline dates. All dates are below. More touring is planned through the year and will be announced in due course.

GASKET ON TOUR: 
7/4: Greenville, SC
7/5: Atlanta, GA
7/6: Athens, GA
7/7: Gainesville, FL
7/8: Orlando, FL
7/9: Miami, FL
7/10: Tampa, FL
7/11: TBD, NC
7/12: BABYLON Release Show (Baltimore, MD)
7/13: Philadelphia, PA
7/14: NYC, NY
7/16: Manchester, NH
7/17: Boston, MA
7/18: Salem, MA
7/19: Providence, RI

GASKET ARE:
Flynn Joseph Zimmer — Vocals
Maxwell Bagster-Collins — Bass
Calvin Mumma — Guitar
 Austin Jenkins — Drums

Daryl Hall’s New Album ‘D” Out Today

Daryl Hall released his sixth solo album, D, on Virgin Music Group on June 21, co-produced by one-time Eurythmics member and fellow Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Dave Stewart, who co-wrote seven of the nine new original songs with Hall penning the other two on his own. The first single from the album, “Can’t Say No To You” can be seen here on YouTube.

The new album was recorded and mixed at Stardust Studios in Harbour Island, Bahamas. The first single from the album, “Can’t Say No to You,” co-written by Hall and Stewart, now sits at #16 on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart. Other songs include “The Whole World’s Better,” “Too Much Information,” “Rainbow Over the Graveyard,” “Not the Way I Thought It Was,” “Walking in Between Raindrops” and “Why You Want to Do That to My Head” along with a pair of brand-new Daryl Hall solo tracks, “Rather Be a Fool” and “Break It Down to the Real Thing.”

Daryl is currently on a Live Nation summer tour with Elvis Costello.

Stream the album now https://ingrv.es/DarylHallD

Matt Wilier new album - 'Variations'

Matt Wilier began improvising on piano at the age of 5, with no knowledge of music other than his own feelings and sensations. After practicing for a few years, it was at the music conservatory that he discovered technique and then classical music.

From the age of 12, he would fall asleep listening to Keith Jarrett’s solo piano albums, including ‘The Köln Concert’ and ‘La Scala’. During the same period, after having studied the Romantics (and Chopin’s rubato), he was captivated by impressionist music and became fascinated by the French movement ‘Les Six’. But ultimately, he considers ‘Gaspard de la Nuit’ by Maurice Ravel to be one of the most beautiful piano works.

While retaining his initial desire for improvisation, he threw himself into minimalist and repetitive music, freeing himself from judgement and taking an interest in sonic resonances, frequencies and vibrations of the piano as proof of the passage of time.

In 2019, he released his first EP ‘Jours’, a collection of older improvised recordings, and chose to regularly release tracks resulting from his process of creation with the French label, Bruit Blanc.

‘Variations’, his new 11-track album, will be released on 28th June 2024. The recording of this album was no exception, with Matt once again focusing on resonances. ‘Variations’ is built in the same way, with changing melodies, harmonies and rhythms.

However, this time the piano is not alone, with strings, strings layers, ensemble, and analog bass frequencies as accompaniment.

This album is built like an original movie soundtrack. Images flash by as you close your eyes and listen to it.

Matt is already working on a new solo piano double album, with another version which is its cello and piano reflection… but that’s another story for another time.

Photo credit : Clemence Chabaud

UK industrial post-punk mavericks HISTORY OF GUNS releases 'Half Light' album, darkness with an underbelly of hope

“Invisible hooks that will sink further in” ~  Auxiliary Magazine

 “By far, the most inventive UK band to have got their hands caught in the Industrial threshing machine” ~ Mick Mercer

"Hertfordshire's History of Guns is something of a musical chameleon. Like Killing Joke and Nine Inch Nails, they’ve taken on new forms whilst remaining easily identifiable in their journey from goth rock to post-punk and darkwave to EDM and wider electro-goth hybrid territory. The tension of opposites that characterises much of their work propels it forth to an electronic beat, the vocals uncoiling, snake-like, atop a steady electronic catchment" ~ Amplify Music Magazine

“Polished, dramatic, full of poise and binding sentiment, and one of awesome sound and feeling” ~ Liverpool Sound and Vision

The 1990s underground music scene was a fascinating era in the UK, giving rise to many notable bands, including industrial legends History Of Guns. Fast forward many years later - they are still crafting their unique meta-modernist Industrial sound, now releasing their eighth album, 'Half Light' via the Liquid Len Recording Company, previewed by the singles 'No Longer Earthbound' and 'When You Don't Matter'.

Formed in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire in 1996, History of Guns became frontrunners of the UK's Wasp Factory / FuturePunk scene of the early 2000s and their 2004 single 'Your Obedient Servant' was ultimately championed by The Quietus and Mick Mercer as one of the “thirty best goth singles of all time”. The band went on hiatus in 2012, returning with the album 'Forever Dying In Your Eyes' in 2022.  They then set about finishing an electronic project they’d begun in 2008.

On this album, founding members Del Alien (vocals) and Max Rael (keyboards, programming) are joined by guitarist Caden Clarkson (the newest member of History Of Guns) in exploring the human condition through various musical genres.

Produced by Max Rael, 'Half Light' was mixed by Max Rael and Caden Clarkson, and mastered by Pete Maher (U2, Pixies, Nick Cave, Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails).

Robert Anton Wilson once wrote, “The future is up for grabs. It belongs to any and all who will take the risk and accept the responsibility of consciously creating the future they want.” This was the starting point for 'Half Light - The Journey to Arcadia'. And whilst it isn’t a concept album, a rock opera or a conventional narrative story, elements of a story currently being written as a novel by Max Rael are contained in these ten songs, which explore inner and outer space.

As always, History Of Guns aims to create a strange alternative world where people can feel safe, particularly at night when the world feels bleak. And the world feels like that a lot of the time these days. This doesn’t mean the album is all joy. It has a lot of darkness in it, like life itself. History Of Guns embrace the dark as well as the light, bleakness and hope, as openly and unironically honestly as possible. Here you'll find songs about mental health, society, addiction, abandonment, different levels of reality and how hard it can feel to keep going sometimes. Yet through this darkness, there remains underneath, a core of hope.

This is an album in three acts. The first four tracks make up Act One (opening a door), then 'Flashes of Light Pt. 5' walks through that door. Act Two closes with the most joyous point in the album - 'Arcadia', followed by four tracks in the final act.

"When we came back from hiatus in 2022, we wanted a completely fresh start so we wrote the industrial rock / metal album 'Forever Dying in Your Eyes' from scratch. We had half of 'Half Light' at least sketched out as an electronic album back in 2008/2009," explains Max Rael.

"Fortunately, people seem much more comfortable with us being genre-fluid these days and it’s less cause for criticism. Back in the day, certain camps seemed to have a definite need for bands to fit neatly into particular genres and not stray too far outside of it, which meant some of our early stuff was maybe a bit misunderstood because people didn’t know where to put it. We’ve been genuinely amazed by the reaction to the first two singles and are in nervous anticipation for what people will make of the album”.

Del Alien - an original punk turned goth - is an anti-authority seeker of truth and the questions behind the questions. Max Rael is in love with the idea of using music to create a separate universe for creating stories and escaping into, was an autistic, music-obsessed child, absorbing a dozen genres before diving into trance after Britpop ruined the alternative scene.

Influenced by Killing Joke, PWEI, Bauhaus, Coil, Joy Division, Sisters of Mercy and Nine Inch Nails and Swans, History of Guns was a big part of the UK underground industrial scene of the 00s, playing Whitby Gothic Weekend, as well as Futurepunk and Back to the Futurepunk events.

The 'Half Light' album is out now, available from fine music platforms, such as SpotifyApple Music and Bandcamp.

ALBUM CREDITS
Produced by Max Rael
Mixed by Max Rael and Caden Clarkson
Recorded at Apollo Audio (Hertford), Soul Studios (Bishops Stortford)
Mastered by Pete Maher
Del Alien - vocals
Max Rael - keyboards, programming, guitars
Caden Clarkson - guitar
Andy Webster & Marnie from SPUCKTUTE  - vocals on 'Never Give it Up'
Amon Ásentir & Mark Eris from Xykogen - vocals on 'Arcadia'
Arcadia Choir (Emma Mills, Priyanka O’Neill, Sohm O’Neill and Ninotschka G.) - vocals on 'Arcadia'
Nykky Spectre - vocals on 'An Invitation'
Cover artwork by Amara O'Neill
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR

Electronic-industrial pioneer MARK PISTEL (Consolidated, Meat Beat Manifesto) takes OCTAVIAN WINTERS for a wild spin of 'Velveteen'

"A dark and lush tapestry of near-classic post-punk, oscillating between shadow and shimmer. Reflecting the troubled times that we live in, sublime dark sonic delight" ~ The Spill Magazine

"Feels like it was recorded in a studio deep beneath the earth, drawing power from subterranean caves and bubbling magma... tectonic thunder... Such power, strong and true, a voice that scales the wall of sound beneath her with ease" ~ Joyzine

"A dark musical weave forged of post-punk and gothic strands. A sonic web of pulsing bass grooves and shaded ethereality, dark and delicious guitar slashes and haunting sound washes" ~ The Big Takeover

"Seriously compelling incitement, which Aursjoen’s tones and the electronically atmospheric mists around her only escalate"
~ Ringmaster Review


American electronic - EDM trailblazer Mark Pistel (Consolidated, Meat Beat Manifesto) recently joined San Francisco post-punk outfit Octavian Winters on their new release 'Nebula / Velveteen (Mark Pistel Remix)' (out now via Stratis Capta Records). Now they share the video for Pistel's remix of 'Velveteen', created by filmmaker David Kruschke,  

A producer, engineer, programmer, remixer and songwriter active since the 80s, Mark Pistel founded the band Consolidated and has been with Meat Beat Manifesto since 1997. From his Room 5 studio, he has worked with The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy, Grace Jones, Therapy?, MC 900 Foot Jesus, Machines of Loving Grace, Hector Zazou, Mark Stewart, Lee Scratch Perry, Cabaret Voltaire's Stephen Mallinder and Fishbone's Angelo Moore.

Formed in 2022, Octavian Winters is guitarist Stephan Salit (Thrill of The Pull), drummer Randy Gzebb (Thrill of The PullLove Club), bassist Jay Denton and Ria (Amenti) Aursjoen on vocals and keyboards. Together, they weave their visceral and ethereal sound into a texture all its own – of stories once told but half-remembered, under a dusk of shadows and stars, in an abandoned city under the winter moon.

Pistel explains, "Randy Gzebb called me about remixing one of the tracks off 'The Line or the Curve' EP. I was excited to do so, as we'd recorded some of these vocals at my Room 5 Studio in San Francisco. I chose to do 'Velveteen' as I already loved the track with its fantastic vocal melody and Stephan's unstoppable guitar hook! I  took on the track with pulsing analog synths and a slamming dance floor beat for the clubs."

The A-side to this 2-track release, called 'Nebula', underscores the inevitable impermanence of all that is seen and unseen, known and unknown.

"Nebula began as an experiment... I kept envisioning a sort of “last day at the end of the world” — what would the sky look like? Would we know and understand what was happening? There is this broadly Gnostic idea of the universe as unfolding and unfolding through what are called Aeons, essentially levels of manifestation, until we get this world we live in here. I imagined this world reaching the fullness of its life, that whole cycle ending — and then everything reversing, refolding back to the start to make way for the next universe," says Ria Aursjoen

This is not the first time Octavian Winters has worked with Pistel. Their debut EP 'The Line or Curve' (released in late 2023) was mostly recorded at his Room 5 Recording before being mixed and mastered it at 13 Studio in Chicago, and co-produced by the band and William Faith (The Bellwether Syndicate, Faith & the Muse, Christian Death).

But Octavian Winters' members have a rich history of collaborating and touring with notable artists, including Nine Inch Nails, Killing Joke, Lords of the New Church, Savage Republic, Christian Death, The Frozen Autumn, Everything Goes Cold and Black Tape for a Blue Girl.

The 'Nebula / Velveteen (Mark Pistel Remix)' single is available everywhere, including Apple MusicSpotify and Bandcamp. The band's next headlining concert is on Friday, July 26 at San Francisco's DNA Lounge with support from Halou and Sword Tongue.

CREDITS 
Ria Aursjoen - Vocals / Keyboards
Stephan Salit - Guitars
Randy Gzebb - Drums
Jay Denton - Bass
'Velveteen' remix by Mark Pistel
'Nebula' written by Ria Aursjoen
'Velveteen' written by Octavian Winters
Recorded at OW studios San Francisco
Vocals recorded by Mark Pistel, Room 5 Recording, San Francisco
'Nebula' mixed & mastered by William Faith at 13 Studio, Chicago
'Nebula' produced by Octavian Winters and William Faith
Cover art Ria Aursjoen
Design by Eric Olson 
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR
Video by David Kruschke


Keep up with Octavian Winters
Website | Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Tiktok | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music | Press contact

Keep up with Shameless Promotion PR
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Soundcloud | LinkedIn | Email

ANCIIENTS Announce Record Release Shows

JUNO Award winners return with the heavy and heartfelt Beyond the Reach of the Sun

"Big, melodic and fun" - New Noise
"A blend of soothing acoustic rock melodies and crushing heavy metal" - Guitar World

"It's exciting stuff, really - often complicated without seeming excessive, skillful but soulful, approachable but not pedestrian" - Pitchfork

"Heady stuff...arch-synthesists, cleverly appropriating a number of familiar, inter-related genres to fuse into a seamless ethos" - Metal Injection

"Proggy, sludgy and downright rocking" - Angry Metal Guy

"When the riffs rumble out of the speakers, you're moving" - No Clean Singing

"Combining powerful drumming with Thin Lizzy inspired riffs, while sounding like the musical equivalent of Game of Thrones" - Echoes and Dust      

"Parts progressive finesse, classic rock grandstanding and grass-roots bludgeon" - PopMatters 

After eight years of soul-searching deep within the Canadian wilderness, Anciients are back and ascending toward their rightful place as guiding lights for progressive metal. The JUNO Award winners recently announced their highly-anticipated third album

To celebrate the coming of Beyond the Reach of the Sun, this fall, Kenny Cook, Mike Hannay and the band's new axe men Brock MacInnes and Rory O'Brien will play three record release shows in their native British Columbia. This special run includes one night at The Rickshaw Theatre in the band's hometown of Vancouver.

"We are beyond excited to play our new album in a live setting for the very first time," Cook says about the band's upcoming shows. "It's going to be epic! More show announcements are coming soon".

Anciients will be supported by five fellow Canadian bands: metal-punks Fearbirds, progressive metalheads Black Thunder, metal stoners Waingro, thrashy death metal trio Bloodrhine and post-metal doomsayers Empress.   

Photo by Shimon

Anciients Beyond the Reach of the Sun Record Release Shows

September 20 - Victoria, BC @ Lucky Bar with Fearbirds and Black Thunder [TICKETS]
September 21 - Nanaimo, BC @ The Queens with Fearbirds and Black Thunder [TICKETS]
September 27 - Vancouver, BC @ The Rickshaw Theatre with Waingro, Bloodrhine and Empress [TICKETS]

Beyond the Reach of the Sun comes out August 30, 2024 on Season of Mist. 

Watch the mind-bending guitar playthrough for lead single "Melt the Crown".


https://youtu.be/ZIQBTQnU8DY

Pre-order & Stream

https://orcd.co/anciientsbeyondthereachofthesun

It’s been a rough handful of years for British Columbia-based extremity-laced progressive rockers, Anciients. When the quartet unleashed their Voice of the Void album in 2016, the world appeared to be their oyster and things seemed ripe for the picking. They were coming off the success of their Heart of Oak debut from 2013, its ascendancy due in large part to a collective uptick in interest for involved, forward-thinking music. The public had moved beyond toe-dipping and tire-kicking, and were instead doing headfirst dives into exploring the likes of Opeth, Mastodon, Baroness, The Ocean, Intronaut and others who originally hailed from the extreme music underground, but had since grown, matured and scrubbed behind their ears to include heaping and healthy chunks from the outskirts of their record collections and influence pools.  

The Band That Auto-Correct Loves to Fuck With™ shared stages with everyone from High on Fire and Goatwhore to Boris and Lamb of God, were in the midst of a European tour when they discovered they were JUNO Award (Canadian Grammy equivalent) winners in the heavy metal/hard rock category. The world was ready to accept Anciients into its welcoming arms. Anciients was gearing up to employ takeover methods, specifically their brand of thunderous rhythms and labyrinthine riffing bolstered by a road warrior mentality. And then, the momentum petered out and the band seemingly fell off the face of the earth.  

Today, Anciients are ready and poised to resume their spirited quest for heavy metal paramountcy. There’s no doubt the band is back and with a stunning and beautiful collection of ten songs on offer in the form of new and third album, Beyond the Reach of the Sun, they are positioning to reestablish themselves as a dominant force for those who love windmilling their tresses around thoughtful tempo changes, complex harmonic layers and driving power chord shifting. But what the hell happened and where did they disappear to?

“Basically,” explains guitarist/vocalist Kenny Cook, “right before Voice of the Void was recorded, my wife had our first kid. She ended up having heart complications and almost passed away from it. We recorded the last record and once it came out, I was kind of just focusing on her, dealing with her health issues and keeping that in check. I wasn’t at the stage where I could be gone for half a year, especially with a new kid. Long story short, she’s happy and healthy now, but dealing with family issues was the main priority. It was a bit of a road.”

Adding to that bit of Anciients camp turmoil, guitarist/co-vocalist/co-founding member, Chris Dyck and the band parted ways in January of 2017. This left a gaping lineup hole at an inopportune juncture in the band’s timeline. Not only did Cook have to deal with the absence of his long-term song and lyric writing partner, but Dyck was also someone he had been splitting vocal duties with since the pair formed the band in 2009. And then, while helping his wife with her recovery, raising their new born and “because we wanted to raise our son in a small town environment,” the Cook family uprooted to Columbia-Shuswap four hours east of the Vancouver area, where drummer Mike Hannay, Brock MacInnes (Dyck’s replacement) and brand spanking new bassist Rory O’Brien still reside.

“We knew Brock from other bands he’d been in and we knew he’d be a great fit,” explains Cook. “He actually filled in for Chris on a tour we did back in 2015. As far as the vocals, I just found myself picking up the slack on both ends. It felt somewhat natural, it was definitely different. Doing the lyrics myself for the first time was somewhat daunting, but it was also something done out of necessity. But even when Chris was in the band I handled 80-90% of the vocals anyway, so it didn’t change all that much.”  

Then, that whole COVID-19 thing you probably heard about once or twice hit in 2020 and put another restraining bolt on Anciients' activity, especially touring as the Canadians found themselves dealing with stricter travel restrictions and mandates than many other countries; most notably, not being able to cross the border for almost two years. Once the dust settled, Cook had to adjust to being the lone vocalist and how that impacted the material he was writing while navigating being creative with distance between Anciients’ members for the first time. Not a biggie, as in-person writing sessions are more of a rarity these days, but because of the time elapsed since Voices of the Void, things/interests/influences changed and the band ended up scrapping half of an album’s worth of material and starting fresh. When they put their heads down at the end of 2021 with the focus being Beyond the Reach of the Sun, what was revealed a year later was more streamlined and slithery, more chest-thumpingly direct, more epic and triumphant sounding. Riffs come in explosive layered packets. Leads, harmonies and melodies are more on par with wind-tussled mountain tops instead of sweaty bar shows and the band moves with finely honed, martial accuracy as conducted by Hannay’s rocket-in-the-pocket staccato swing and accents.  

Songs like “The Torch” blaze with the shirtless glisten of ‘70s stadium rock power. “Cloak of the Vast and Black” swirls and whirls with a combination of hardcore intensity, grunge groove and expansive six-string parries. “In the Absence of Wisdom” is a hurricane-sized maelstrom of classic and prog rock elevated to grandiosity by a return to their growling sludge/death early years as the song/album concludes. The album’s first single, “Melt the Crown” mixes cues from legendary fellow hosers Rush and Harlequin, turn-of-the-millennium post-metal and the most psychedelic corners of the Rise Above Records roster.

“The new record has a lot more of our rock side,” Cook offers, “and leans towards those elements of our sound and personalities, whereas Voice of the Void was pretty crushing all the way through. With the new material we’ve tried to add more dynamics to the music and give the songs more room to breathe."  

Album opener “Forbidden Sanctuary” is the soundtrack to exploration, of new worlds and sonic arrangement as sine-wave guitars pull from vintage Mercyful Fate covens and Krautrock communes with synths opening up novel textural avenues, as they do on the ethereal wispiness and space rock/sci-fi soundscapes of the instrumental “Candescence.” Beyond the Reach of the Sun sees synths and keyboards making their first appearance on an Anciients record and were played by producer/mixer Jesse Gander and Justin Hagberg at the former’s Rain City Recorders studio. In addition to augmenting the album with his skill on the black and whites, Hagberg — a member of the recently reunited 3 Inches of Blood —  also helped Anciients navigate a significant last-minute hurdle, one that threatened to pull the reins back on their comeback roar.

“We lost our bass player literally a month before we were going in to record and were kind of up shit’s creek. Justin also plays in a band called Ritual Dictates with Rory and is the one who brought his name up.”

O’Brien, a former member of Vancouver’s Bushwhacker, was absolutely interested when approached by Anciients.  

“We got lucky and he saved our asses at the last minute.”  

Cook stepped up to the challenge of being the sole lyricist to drape Beyond the Reach of the Sun in deeply personal expressions of the inner turmoil, fear and isolation he’d experienced in himself and saw in others over the past few years. There were moments where he didn’t know whether loved ones were going to pull through and what life was going to look like were tragedy come to pass. Mental health and people living life without being able to see any light at the end of the tunnel became a very prevalent theme to tracks like “Despoiled” and “Beyond Our Minds.” And while the line that became the album’s title is taken from a David Attenborough-narrated Planet Earth documentary, it speaks more to the coming and going of despondency when one doesn’t know how dark the darkness is going to get, as in “Is It Your God,” which pulls from the manifestation of grief and how it can shatter belief systems.  

“That one is a little more personal to me and my situation,” Cook says somberly. "I had a good friend of mine from when I was younger pass away from cancer. His mother was super-religious and there were ideas taken from her questioning how could something like that happen to her when she had such a strong faith.”  

The title and themes of stripped away hope and piled on anguish and tumult were parlayed into the album’s spectacular cover art. Created by Adam Burke (Nightjar Illustrations), the drawing is part-pulp novel cover, part-Franzetta landscape, part-sci-fi movie poster and all a vast illustration one can easily lose themselves in while the record spins in the background.

“We gave him the concept and basic outline of how we wanted the cover to look and he took it to a whole new dimension. It turned out pretty wild!”

With all being said and done, Anciients have returned! They stand ready to ascend the prog metal ladder and get back to doing what they do best with a weighty and dense, but wholly accessible, album. It’s a collection of ten songs that possesses the ability to have those furiously banging heads also tapping into their power of self-reflection and contemplation to ponder the finality of existence, the value of life and their place in the universe.  

“Totally! We’re going to take as many of the opportunities that come to us. The hiatus is over and I think with the new members and everyone being on the same page we’re ready to get out there as soon as possible. We missed out on a huge block after the last record, so we’ve got to make up for lost time. Now that everyone is happy and healthy, we plan to hit it hard.”


Lineup
Kenny Cook (vocals, guitar)
Mike Hannay (drums) 
Brock MacInnes (rhythm guitar)
Rory O'Brien (bass)

Guest musicians
Justin Hagberg plays keyboard on "Forbidden Sanctuary", "Is It Your God", "Melt the Crown", "Candescence", "In the Absence of Wisdom".

Jess Gander plays synths on "Candescence" and "Cloak of the Vast and Black".

Recording studio
Rain City Recorders

Producer / sound engineer
Jesse Gander
Assisted by Szymon Wojciech

Mastering studio and engineer
Stu McKillop @ Rain City Mastering

Mixing studio and engineer
Jesse Gander Rain City Recorders

Cover artwork artist 
Adam Burke @ Nightjar Illustrations

Bio
Kevin Stewart-Panko

Pre-order & Stream: https://orcd.co/anciientsbeyondthereachofthesun

Follow Anciients
https://www.facebook.com/ANCIIENTSRIFFS
https://www.instagram.com/anciients/
https://twitter.com/ANCIIENTS
https://www.youtube.com/user/ANCIIENTS
https://music.apple.com/us/artist/anciients/603538280
https://open.spotify.com/artist/3YQOcYukzO6U1MjFcavDUE?si=4QWahfZxQjOmAI7nYrav6g&nd=1&dlsi=0142e5e62ae54105

Canadian indie folk trio Wild Remedy presents debut EP 'Songs From Home' and grounding video for 'Wild Remedy'

"Channelling hope, their heartfelt delivery fosters a sense of connection with the artist rooted in the human condition and shared experience... Lingering long after the last note fades, their music is a heartfelt invitation to join them in their grassroots hope-filled journey of personal growth, expression and inner reflection" ~ The Spill Magazine

"Wild Remedy's inevitable success will rest entirely on their undeniable raw talent... utterly captivating. The band creates music that feels eternally relevant, their voices blending seamlessly to ground us emotionally before launching us into a world of soaring melodies" ~ Amplify Music Magazine


Canadian indie folk trio Wild Remedy presents their debut 'Songs From Home' EP, and the video for 'Wild Remedy', created and animated by: Jordan Van Der Linden.

The EP is an honest collection about the realities of growing up and becoming, all set to dance-worthy rhythms and unforgettable melodies. Making music that radiates like a beacon of hope, this all-female trio of Ottawa-born musicians' music is rooted in a love for chilling harmonies and all things folk. 

In these five tracks, Wild Remedy breathes fresh life into the Canadian folk genre by taking listeners on a journey of self-discovery to an inspiring soundtrack that will leave a lasting echo in the listener's heart. 'Songs From Home' is Wild Remedy's invitation to be part of something truly inspiring, invigorating and soul-nourishing. Their endearing brand of storytelling is also a vulnerable reflection of the trio’s heart and a place where listeners can find solace and contentment in their music.

Wild Remedy is made up of Amy Russett, Colleen Roberston and Shay Mahoney,who now has one foot in Ottawa and one in Montreal. Influenced by everything from alternative pop to folk-rock, gospel to disco, the band has been an emerging force in the Canadian folk scene since 2022, entertaining audiences with their catchy originals, new takes on folk classics, and haunting harmonies.

With strong harmonies and upbeat folk acoustics as strong points, Wild Remedy's songs range from a classic stomp-and-holler sound that makes you want to dance, to thought-provoking indie vibes that leave the listener feeling uplifted. Wild Remedy spins a beautiful sonic web between singer-songwriter offerings, indie pop and Canadian folk - perhaps what it might sound like if Joni Mitchell and Boygenius had a not-so-secret folk band.

“The release of this EP is monumental not only in our musical career as a band, but also our journey as artists and musicians, ourselves. Each song is a glimpse into fractions of our life stories, and to be sharing it with the world is a privilege. These songs have been written as a result of some of the hardest moments we’ve lived through over the last two years, but to take those challenges and make them into music is such a beautiful resolution to those stories. We’re eternally grateful to be on this journey together and with each person who listens,” says Shay Mahoney.

The band recently released the effervescent near-title track 'Home Song', about which Mahoney notes, "I was thinking about how life might be different if I had chosen a different career path, lived in a different city, or maybe just stayed home in Ottawa after high school. But as I thought about it, I discovered that more things make up ‘home’ than we realize. And ‘Home Song’ was born from this discovery: I could wander ‘round the globe, and home would still be found in the places where – and in the people with whom – I know I belong.”

The EP also includes 'What I Did Find', 'Wild Remedy' and two folk offerings that stir the heart and echo the bright sound and iconic harmonies the band has become known for.  Paying homage to their folk roots, their music offers the simplicity found in many Americana-Country songs, while drawing from the dynamic storytelling key of indie-folk.

Having bonded over their mutual love of music and songwriting, the trio met in 2020 and finally and made their local debut in 2022, performing at farmers markets around the Ottawa area. With Amy’s powerhouse vocals and guitar, Colleen’s smooth alto tones, and Shay’s ability to sing and play anything (including guitar, mandolin, cajon and harmonica), folks started to take notice. In 2023, the band released their first two original single songs, involving producer Nate Hardy, which were met with loads of love and grew them a grassroots fanbase.

'Home Song' is out now everywhere digitally, including SpotifyApple Music and Bandcamp. The full 'Songs From Home' EP will be released on June 14. Wild Remedy's EP release party takes place in Ottawa on June 21, followed by 'The Wild Tour' with fellow Canadian indie folk trio Wild Bloom, and a handful of shows in July and August. 

CREDITS
All songs written by Amy Russett, Colleen Robertson, Shay Mahoney
Lyrics by Amy Russett (Tracks 1 & 3, Shay Mahoney (Track 2), Colleen Robertson (Tracks 4 & 5)
Shay Mahoney - acoustic guitar, mandolin, percussion, harmonica, vocals
Amy Russett - acoustic guitar, vocals
Colleen Robertson - vocals
Nate Hardy - electric guitar, bass, keys / organ / synth, percussion
Crispin Newmarch - percussion on Track 5
Recorded in Ottawa, Ontario
Produced by Nate Hardy
'Home song' mixed & mastered by Peter Wang
All other songs mixed & mastered by Nate Hardy
Single & album artwork by Shay Mahoney
'Wild Remedy' video by Jordan Van Der Linden 
Artist photos by Charlotte Baker
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR

Keep up with Wild Remedy
Website | Bandcamp | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | TikTok | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music | Press contact

Keep up with Shameless Promotion PR
Website Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud | Instagram | Spotify | LinkedIn | Email

UK artist NICK HUDSON explores an oligarch's dark fate on 'Sky Burial While Alive'. New album 'Kanda Teenage Honey' out now

“Beautifully written, recorded, produced and arranged... all complimented by vocal that lives up to the same standard. No cheating, no fronting, just honest crafted musicality”  ~ Billy Gould (Faith No More)

"Kanda Teenage Honey is shockingly emotional, thoughtfully orchestrated and wonderfully curious lyrically. It is a record for true music lovers" ~ Jamie Stewart (Xiu Xiu)

"A profound, clever and vividly confessional Avant-pop composer, Hudson is always pushing the envelope in his works, his unique musical output forged via musical territory that is hardly explored" ~ The Spill Magazine

"There isn’t really anyone making music like Nick Hudson“ ~ The Quietus

“A unique talent. His song writing and performances are breathtaking.  He is long overdue being heard by a wider audience. This solo album is a peak in an already stellar career” ~ Stuart Braithwaite (Mogwai)

"Scott Walker channeling Coil” ~ MOJO Magazine

"Genius” - BBC Radio (BBC Introducing)

Brighton experimental artist Nick Hudson presents 'Sky Burial While Alive'the latest audio-visual offering from his new album 'Kanda Teenage Honey', an expansive 16-track collection recorded in a former Soviet movie studio in Georgia in the build-up to the country's current unrest, which was recently covered in Billboard.

The song features a prologue text on dictators, spoken by Alfreda Benge - collaborator and wife of legendary British composer Robert Wyatt. The video was filmed at the Bologna villa that was used in Pasolini’s 'Salo' (1975) - itself a notorious and damning critique of fascism - and in a Tbilisi art space with a cast of international performers/artists.

“'Sky Burial While Alive' takes its imagery from a scene in my novel 'Inheritance', whereby an oligarch, upon finding his power challenged and his assets diminished, retreats to a Swiss bank vault only to have 7 griffon vultures perform a sky burial upon him, depositing his remains in Lake Geneva. It’s a commentary on the imbalance of power and the thin-skinned nature of those who fetishize and seek to consolidate it at all odds - unfortunately all too pertinent right now in Georgia and other countries in whom Russia has its tendrils," says Nick Hudson.

Having earlier previewed the singles 'For My Silence' and 'Khevsureti', this album was born of geographical explorations amidst musical territory that is hardly touched on. Mixed by and featuring Toby Driver of Kayo Dot, this album involves such luminaries as Mogwai's Stuart Braithwaite, Stuart Dahlquist (Asva, Burning Witch, Sunn O))), Lizzy Carey (Bat For Lashes), Robert Wyatt collaborator Alfreda Benge, Christopher Nell (legendary German performer and collaborator of US theatre visionary Robert Wilson), and soprano prodigy Poppy Efemey.  

Recorded with Ilya Lukashev at Leno Studio and Sano Studio in Tbilisi, this album was mastered to analogue tape by Paul Pascoe (Barry Adamson, Beat Hotel, Sleaford Mods) at Church Road Studios in Hove, Hudson collaborates with some incredible Georgian musicians and his friend Seva, a Russian dissident who fled the FSB, having worked for Navalny. Hudson explains, "He contributes a poem narrating his thoughts on exile, through which I've layered field recordings of the recent Tbilisi and Paris protests, where many of us got tear-gassed."

"Russia attempted to invade Georgia most recently in 2008 and we've seen a vast influx of Russians fleeing the conflict and resettling in Tbilisi (which endures and suffers a pro-Russian government ideologically in conflict with most of its citizens). This geopolitical tension has inevitably made its way into the lyrical and musical texture of the record via the songs 'Hollow Man' and 'Sky Burial While Alive'. It also contains oligarch-hexing magic realism and a tribute to that vastly-neglected demographic – the old-school homosexual. Musically it encompasses art rock, black metal, ambient music, agitprop folk, charred goth rock, symphonic vastness and piano ballads -all infused with the energies and landscape of Georgia," says Nick Hudson.

In 2021, Hudson released his 'Font Of Human Fractures' album and the 'K69996ROMA:EP', following his band The Academy of Sun's opus album 'The Quiet Earth' in 2020. He has collaborated with such legends as Wayne Hussey (The Mission), Matthew Seligman (David Bowie, Tori Amos, Morrissey), Massive Attack's Shara Nelson, plus David Tibet (Current 93) and queercore icon GB Jones. His vast output also encompasses painting, film and a novel.

"As an album, 'Kanda Teenage Honey' explores ideas of preserving the sacred from the corrosively kleptocratic institutions of church and state: spiritual and material kleptocracy.  The title itself refers to a very real preservation of innocence derived from a story I heard of a local villager whose teenage son was shot and killed: the father had his son's body preserved in honey. As such, there are secular hymns for peace and lucid stillness, tales of saints de-martyring themselves and falling in love free of judgement from anachronistic scrutiny - a thinly veiled parable of queer love.  Two very close friends died within six months of each other during my first year in Georgia – there are requiems in the songs 'Archipelago' and 'Bardo', plus an acappella tribute to the Siberian husky that helped me grieve them during a retreat to the sublime mountainous region of 'Khevsureti' by the Chechen border, where despite being an ostensibly Orthodox country, pagan traditions are still passionately observed.  I dreamed eighty-percent of 'Bardo' in the energised serenity of this beautiful region while mourning my friend Jesse. Patrick, honoured in 'Archipelago', was one of my earliest mentors and a dynamically brilliant pianist.  They are much missed," explains Nick Hudson.

"'Ortolan' references the summer of 2021, when I fled to the same Isle Of Wight monastery at which Scott Walker had sought refuge in the sixties, as my mental and physical health hit a nadir and I was forced to leave the city I'd called home for twenty years. 'This Heat' refers to a return journey from a plague necropolis at the Chechen border, where giddily drunken park rangers piloting a 4X4 hurtled us passengers down a treacherous mountain pass and I briefly thought it might be the last song I'd ever write.  Since then, I've come to learn that Georgians are some of the virtuosic drivers in the world, even drunk, and I need not have feared."

'Kanda Teenage Honey' is out now everywhere digitally, including Spotify, Apple Musicand Bandcamp and is also available as a 4-panel CD digipak with an 8-page full colour booklet featuring artwork by Nick Hudson and Berdia Arabuli and photography by Carl Solomon, Jack Hubbell Rosene and Kenneth Anger.

Hudson also recently published his book 'The Land Exists So The Seas Don't Argue', showcasing a decade of lyrical output in five albums plus ephemera with a foreword by renowned Scottish author Chris Kelso.

CREDITS
Composed, arranged and produced by Nick Hudson
Engineered by Ilya Lukashev & Nick Hudson at Leno Studio and Sano Studio, Tbilisi
Steinway recorded by Ilya Lukashev & George Gvarjaladze at Leno Studios, Tbilisi
Mixed by Toby Driver
Mastered to analogue tape by Paul Pascoe, Church Road Studios, Hove
Nick Hudson - piano. acoustic guitar on 2, Faemi 1M, programming, vocals, foley, protest field recordings
Beqa Minadze - electric guitars
Gigi Koberidze - drums
Greg Massi - guitar on 4
Lizzy Carey - all strings
Toby Driver - hammered dulcimer on 10
Poppy Efemey - soprano on 10
Stuart Dahlquist - bass on 13
Samuel Gottlebe - classical guitar on 10, 12 and 15
Kianna Blue - Issa G Thang on 13
Alfreda Benge - cosmological rhetoric on 3
Oliver Hill - guitar on 8
Christopher Nell - duet vocal on 12
Stuart Braithwaite - black metal Ivor Cutler on 8
Vsevolod Osupov - poem and recitation on 11
Oli Spleen, Kianna Blue and Jon Griffin - choir on 9
Ana-STASI-a - thelemic seduction on 14
Wolfgang Dubieniec - mood on 3
'For My Silence' artwork by Kenneth Anger
'Khevsureti' cover painting by Berdia Arabuli
Album artwork by Nick Hudson and Gary Mallard
Artist photography by @_Carl_Solomon_
Rings featured in photos by @Fauda.Silver
Videos directed, produced and edited by Nick Hudson

Keep up with Nick Hudson / The Academy of Sun
Facebook | Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music | Booking | Press contact

Keep up with Shameless Promotion PR
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud | Instagram | LinkedIn | Email

EIVØR Releases Fiercly Feminine New Single

On her new album, Eivør leans heavier into electronic beats and cosmic orchestration. But ENN only deepens the connection to her Nordic roots. The title, which in English means "Still", grounds her latest artistic leap in the comforts of home. With "UPP ÚR ØSKUNI / RISE FROM THE ASHES", Eivør pays a loving tribute to all the strong women in her life while exploring the dark new depths of her music.

Watch the video for "UPP ÚR ØSKUNI / RISE FROM THE ASHES" Below.

ENN comes out June 14 on Season of Mist. 

Pre-order & Stream

https://orcd.co/eivoruppuroskani

Merch

https://eivor.travelling-merchant.com/merchandising

The four-on-the-floor thump of previous single “HUGSI BERT UM TEG / STILL JUST YOU” quietly declared that Eivør can shine as brightly as any pop star. But "UPP ÚR ØSKUNI / RISE FROM THE ASHES" is certainly her most metal moment. The song doesn't begin with synthetic shimmers but a drum toll that echoes with the ominous force of an ancient spirit waking from deep inside cave. "Sing to the darkness", she growls from the pit of her throat, conjuring a devilishly anthemic guitar riff that's bound to enchant the hordes at this year's Hellfest.

"When I was writing 'UPP ÚR ØSKUNI / RISE FROM THE ASHES', I imagined a coven of witches, past and present, chanting to each other across the chasms of time", Eivør says. That mental image will forever be seared into our cultural memory by the song's positively bewitching video, which was created by a wickedly talented team of women.

"This video felt like a homecoming in many ways", she continues. "I had a strong urge that to capture the spirit of 'UPP ÚR ØSKUNI / RISE FROM THE ASHES', we needed to film in the Faroe Islands. Katrin Joensen Næss was the perfect choice for director, as the two of us shared the same aesthetic vision. We were joined by an amazing team of Faroese female artists whom I also admire. Art Director Jenný Kragesteen, Costume Designer Maibritt Marjunardóttir and the rest of these wonderful women all delivered their special magic to this video. In the spirit of the song, we all felt that we rose from the ashes together creating this visual world. I couldn't be more proud or more grateful for this collaboration".   

ENN is Eivør's first offering for the international metal label Season of Mist. But "UPP ÚR ØSKUNI / RISE FROM THE ASHES" was the last song that she wrote for the album. "I wanted to complement the earthy vibes of ENN with something raw, that was coursing with untamed feminine energy", she says. Where lead single "JARÐARTRÁ/DUST TO DUST"beckoned us back into the blue embrace of Mother Earth, "UPP ÚR ØSKUNI / RISE FROM THE ASHES" cries out in celebration of all the mothers, sisters and other strong women in her life.

Eivør comes from one of the smallest places on the planet. She grew up in a village of 400 people, tucked away among the Faroe Islands. That she now performs on the world's biggest stages - from the UEFA Champions League to The Game Awards and Red Rocks - is nothing short of extraordinary. But she hasn't forgotten all of the women who have supported her along the way. With its heaving bass line, "UPP ÚR ØSKUNI / RISE FROM THE ASHES" certainly possesses dark undertones, but her falsetto soars above the song's heavenly bridge. "We glide on powerful wings / Stride into our certainty", she sings, followed by her own echo, as if the voices of women past and present are lifting her to even greater heights. 

"I've never written a girl power song" Eivør says. "I guess it was about time".

Pre-order & Stream

Additional video credits

DOP - Rúni Friis Kjær

Editor - Jarivan Ahman

Production Manager - Thurid Samró

Art Director - Jenný Kragesteen

Costume Designer - Maibritt Marjunardóttir

Hair & Make-up - Døgg Nónsgjógv

Colorist - Mamoun Abufarha

Gaffers - Jákup S. Thøgersen, Rógvi Rasmussen

Production Manager - Thurid Samró

1st AD - Gunnvá Gaard

Props - Bjarni Richardt-Mortensen

Post Facilities - BeoPost

Extras - Lisa Helmsdal, Stina Av Kák Kollsker, Oddvør Dahl Wærnskjold, Angela Fagranes, Rannvá Jónsdóttir, Sophilia Wraae Mukisa, Kollbrún í Haraldsstovu, Ria

To celebrate the release of her star-turning new album, this fall, Eivør will shoot across Europe on a headlining tour with label mate Sylvaine in tow before linking up with Heilung in Australia and New Zealand. Don't miss the chance to hear her perform "JARÐARTRÁ/DUST TO DUST", "HUGSI BERT UM TEG / STILL JUST YOU", "UPP ÚR ØSKUNI / RISE FROM THE ASHES" and other mesmerizing songs off ENN for the first time. Tickets are going fast!

Get tickets at eivor.com

"My band and I can't wait to start this new chapter with you and perform later this year", says Eivør. "These tours will bring ENN all over the world - from the United States to Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, UK, Ireland, France, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, New Zealand and Australia".
 

In preparation for their tour together, Eivør and Sylvaine put together a playlist of their favorite songs. Get in the mood with some of the choice cuts off Nova and the soundtracks to The Last Kingdom and God of War Ragnarök. 


Stream: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7k4ImSEttiL9O6gOQ1tmrn

Photo by Sigga Ella

AMERICAN IDOL BREAKOUT HUNTERGIRL RELEASES LABEL-DEBUT EP, TENNESSEE GIRL

Already hailed as one of Country’s most exciting new talents, emerging 19 Recordings/BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville artist HunterGirl shows the sharp instincts of a perceptive powerhouse on her label-debut EP, Tennessee Girl.

Arriving today (6/7), the six-song EP serves to introduce a natural-born singer-songwriter and national TV favorite, who views her life like an open-book. Taking to socials to express her gratitude for her fans and this project, watch the vulnerable thank you here

A native of Winchester, Tennessee named one of CMT’s 2024 Next Women of Country, her mix of modern Country power ballads and deep-feeling diary entries feature strong take-me-as-I-come values and a soaring Southern vocal to match.

“I have been dreaming of getting a record deal since I was singing songs in my Nanna’s living room as a child. I remember watching artists I looked up to chase after their dreams and praying one day I would have that chance. The songs on this record are pieces of my heart and my story, and I cannot wait to share it with the world and during CMA Fest. So much has gone into creating this debut project, and it reflects not only me as an artist but me as a person,” says HunterGirl.

STREAM OR DOWNLOAD HUNTERGIRL’S TENNESSEE GIRL HERE

Built on an edgy mix of next-gen modern Country, Top 40 energy and Pop-Punk distortion, Tennessee Girl was produced by hit songwriter/producer Lindsay Rimes (Nate Smith’s “Whiskey on You”) with each song either written or co-written by HunterGirl herself. 

A striking lyrical journey through young love and romantic temptation, tattooed train wrecks and missed chances, tunes full of up-all-night energy like “Bad Decisions” pulse with youthful vigor, while “Clockworks” cleverly pines for a romantic impossibility, and “Bad Boy” matches raw attraction with a velvet smooth vocal. 

On Thursday (6/6), the wild-child music video for “Bad Boy” premiered across all CMT channels and social accounts, playing throughout the day and even debuting on Paramount’s world famous Times Square billboard at 1515 Broadway in New York City. Co-directed by West Webb and Luke Lowder the fun loving, rough-and-tumble clip captures the devil-may-care spirit of “Bad Boy,” written by HunterGirl with Rimes and Greg Bates.

“I remember watching CMT as a little girl and hoping I would have a music video on their channel one day. I couldn’t help but cry when they told me ‘Bad Boy’ will premiere in New York City,” HunterGirl shares. “I am so thankful to CMT for believing in me, and fulfilling a dream I’ve had since I was young. Growing up in Winchester, Tennessee, I never dreamed that my face was going to be on a billboard in Times Square!”

Meanwhile, Billboard spotlighted HunterGirl as its Rookie of the Month for June, calling her “a clear-eyed purveyor of emotional depth” – and Tennessee Girl offers plenty of proof. Read the full article here. 

Tunes like the moody “Weather in Tennessee” capture the unpredictable atmosphere of an on-again-off-again relationship. And while the deeply empathic “Ain’t About You” made history as the first debut radio single in over 30 years to be completely written by a female Country artist herself, HunterGirl’s next focus track amplifies her creative vision.

Deconstructing beauty standards for a girl-power anthem with a casual, dressed-down spirit, “Pretty Much” is all about learning to love yourself in a demanding, unforgiving world. Co-written by HunterGirl with David FanningJosh Kear, and Andy Sheridan, the track features understated, self-confident vocals, as HunterGirl matches a soft-touch rebelliousness with the delicate sway of steel guitar and processed beats.

Inspired by female powerhouses from Dolly Parton and Reba McEntire to Kelly Clarkson and P!NK, HunterGirl has been writing and performing since she was a child, and burst on to the national stage as the runner-up on the 20th season of American Idol in 2022. Embracing her Tennessee roots and the innate skills of a Country tunesmith, her first batch of music has taken Nashville and beyond by storm. 

On top of her CMT Next Women of Country accolade, HunterGirl has been praised by People for her “incredible voice,” while also being proclaimed an “Artist to Watch” by Country Now and “a major, major new talent” by MusicRow. She’s topped the iTunes All Genre and Country charts with her wistful “Red Bird” and making her Grand Ole Opry debut this spring. 

Following up her historic “Ain’t About You” single, HunterGirl also took part in the Grand Ole Opry’s Salute to the Troops show on May 21 – a cause she has long championed – and after performing today (6/7) at Nashville’s world-famous CMA Fest 2024, she’ll be joining her biggest Idol believer Luke Bryan on the road for select shows this summer.

Photo Credit: Kristin Barlowe

About HunterGirl

America’s sweetheart, vocal powerhouse, and esteemed songwriter HunterGirl has been performing since she was three years old and writing songs since she was nine. In her teens, she honed her craft by performing at venues across the United States and working with veteran non-profits such as Operation Song, Freedom Sings and A Soldier’s Child, using music therapy to help numerous vets transform their stories into songs. After high school, she moved to Nashville and immediately started playing gigs at Lower Broadway’s most famous venues including Tootsie’s, Rippy’s, Jason Aldean’s Bar, The Listening Room, and HonkyTonk Central, winning songwriting contests such as “Nash Next” and the prestigious “Nashville Songwriter Association International” in her spare time. Recently, she competed and placed second on the star-making competition series American Idol, where she delivered standout performances and won the hearts of millions across the country including Idol judge and Country superstar Luke Bryan who proclaimed her the “new age Miranda Lambert” and his “favorite female Country voice.” After topping the iTunes All Genre and Country charts with her wistful “Red Bird,” HunterGirl has been a guest on Good Morning America, Live with Kelly & Ryan and The Kelly Clarkson Show as well as shared the stage with Country superstars Old Dominion, Florida Georgia Line, Kane Brown, Alan Jackson, Lainey Wilson, Trace Adkins, Charlie Daniels, Sara Evans and more. Named to CMT’s esteemed 2024 Next Women of Country, HunterGirl’s “Ain’t About You” made her the first female Country artist in over 30 years to write her debut radio single by herself. Now, after making her Grand Ole Opry debut that earned her a lively standing ovation, she just released the anthemic “Bad Boy" along with her label-debut EP, Tennessee Girl, out now. Praised by People for her “incredible voice” and CMT for her “soaring vocals and superstar potential,” HunterGirl will hit the road with Luke Bryan and Kimberly Perry this summer. Chronicling “her current moment of transcending from talented aspiring artist to make her first steps toward the big leagues” (Billboard), HunterGirl - “a major, major new talent” (MusicRow) - is poised to become Country’s next big female artist.


KEEP UP WITH HUNTERGIRL

WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | FACEBOOK | X | YOUTUBE

POLYCHUCK ANNOUNCES NEW SINGLE, "THE CYCLONE” AND MUSICAL COLLABORATION WITH DEREK SHERINIAN AND SIMON PHILLIPS OUT Now

The musically eclectic composer and guitarist, Thomas Polychuck – who is best known as simply Polychuck – will be returning Friday, June 7th with his latest offering, a single entitled "The Cyclone.” 

This progressive rock track, infused with a fusion rock flavor, features legendary drummer Simon Phillips and acclaimed keyboardist Derek Sherinian. 

The song is now available on all major streaming platforms here: https://earache.lnk.to/TheCyclone

"The Cyclone" showcases Polychuck's exceptional guitar work, dynamic rhythms, and powerful melodies. The collaboration with Phillips (known for his work with Toto and Jeff Beck) and Sherinian (former Dream Theater keyboardist) adds an extraordinary dimension to the track. 
 
"I am incredibly excited to share 'The Cyclone' with the world," said Polychuck. "Working with Simon and Derek has been an absolute honor. Their contributions have brought a new level of energy and passion to the song." 
 
Thomas Polychuck featuring Simon Phillips & Derek Sherinian - The Cyclone video Below.

A great guitar shredder since the age of only 13, Polychuck is now an innovative and ever-maturing singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer and high profile guitar coach who's ready to take the rock world by storm. And "The Cyclone" showcases Polychuck's talents even further. 

Americana-Southern Rocker JC Miller shares hearty new single 'Before Nightfall'

"Candid and catchy, this riveting and memorable music takes us to another time and place. With its frank lyrics, infectious melody, and pure Southern rock grit, this is a must-listen, packing an emotional punch and showcasing impressive musical talent... has many of the elements that allowed such artists as Wilco and Ryan Adams to transcend legendary status in the underground music community" ~ Amplify Music Magazine


Americana / southern rock stalwart JC Miller presents his new single 'Before Nightfall', released via American indie imprint Tilt Records. The Detroit-born guitarist and songwriter, now based in Southern California, has always been a searcher, long driven and inspired by vintage Americana. On this new offering, he explores the atmosphere and mood of history in a tremendously catchy track.

Evoking a grounded sense of place through his music, Miller's music has a Southern-fried edge and a transportive authenticity. He makes songs that feel at home in neon-lit diners, long highway drives, desert expanses, and sun-soaked small towns.

A prolific artist, his output is a product of his partnership and friendship with iconic musician-producer Marty Rifkin, known for his work with Tom Petty, Glen Campbell and Jewel, and also as a member of Bruce Springsteen's The Sessions Band on pedal steel guitar.

"The lyrics for 'Before Nightfall' are rooted in The Santa Fe Trails Diaries. I do a lot of deep-dive research for the themes in the songs, mostly in the history department. I try to make the songs land “vintage on arrival -- inevitable rather than arbitrary” – couched in real history, even though I may have to imagine and guess," explains JC Miller.

"In The Santa Fe Diaries, there is a section described in detail with a looming storm in the distance – it was so visceral and immediate, I was enraptured. Felt like I was there even though it was centuries ago. The writing allowed me to travel through time. The starkness of the diary entries brought real lost events to contemporary life".

Creating music for wanderers, Miller pays homage to his guitar and songwriting heroes, inspired by timeless artists like Neil Young, Leon Russell and The Band as much as the unfussy yet powerful prose of writers like Larry McMurtry, Ernest Hemingway and Cormac McCarthy.

“I’m not trying to hide my sources. I’m trying to add footnotes, carry on the southern and western, southwestern frame of mind," says JC Miller.

Under his solo moniker, making music is a labor of love for JC Miller, having earlier spent most of his career as a sideman and composer in the advertising world for clients like Coca-Cola, Nike and Levi’s. His songs are exercises in the journey to self-discovery, created with real instruments and authentic sounds with a unique contemporary twist.

Creating music that values timelessness over virtuosity, JC Miller traverses his own histories and the roots of Americana, often revealing truths about the history of his own family and country as a whole. Music became about rediscovering his family’s history by exploring America and, in turn, becoming a source of unearthing insight about himself.

With these songs, JC Miller is carrying on a tradition of American songwriting and creating guitar literature that is never ephemeral, evoking a classic sense of place and historical context. He admits, “I feel like I am representing another generation of storytellers. I’m trying to paint a picture through music, where the lens is focused on the deeply personal, but it can also be universal.”

As of June 7, 'Before Nightfall' will be available everywhere online, including SpotifyApple Music and elsewhere.

EXODUS - Release Live Album 'British Disaster: The Battle of '89 (Live At The Astoria)!

Today, American thrash metal masters EXODUS release their live album 
British Disaster: The Battle of '89 (Live At The Astoria)!
35 years of being locked away in the band's vault, the album now sees the light of day. The energy and heaviness that EXODUS radiate on these live recordings give every metal fan a reason to add it to their personal collection. A MUST for every metalhead!

To commemorate this massive release, the band have released a great visualizer video for their new live single 'Piranha (Live At The Astoria)'.

Gary Holt comments on the live album:
"I, as well as all the band, former members and current, are super excited for the release of the new(old!) live record, British Disaster: The Battle of '89 (Live At The Astoria)! When we first discovered these long hidden master reels, we were intrigued. When we listened, we were crushed! Can’t wait for everyone else to hear this record! A band on fire."

Purchase British Disaster: The Battle of '89 (Live At The Astoria) here: 
https://exodus.bfan.link/british-disaster-the-battle-of-89

Watch the new visualizer video for 'Piranha (Live At The Astoria)' Below.

Recorded on the 8th of March in 1989 at The Astoria in London, fans witnessed a night that went down in history and became legendary among EXODUS and thrash metal fans worldwide. The band had just released their third studio album Fabulous Disaster and started a five month run to promote the album which brought the Americans also to Europe for a month of live shows. During this European run EXODUS decided to record the show in London, but never released it. This recording remained unheard of in the EXODUS vaults. Until now! 
Be prepared for a much more aggressive and rawer sound than on the studio albums. British Disaster: The Battle of '89 (Live At The Astoria) is the ultimate live album presenting the sheer energy of what made EXODUS famous and notorious for during the 80s and what made them a legendary thrash metal band. A best of setlist compiled from the band's first three classic albums. The live album, mixed and mastered by Zeuss and the artwork done by Mark DeVito, will be available as CD, 2LP vinyl and digital.

EXODUS is:
Steve ‚Zetro‘ Souza  - vocals
Gary Holt – guitars
Rick Hunolt – guitars
Rob McKillop – bass
Tom Hunting – drums

VRSTY Share "World on Fire" Cover — LISTEN

Genre-blending and bending New York City-based collective VRSTY (pronounced "Varsity")  have shared their cover of Nate Smith's 200 million-streaming smash "World On Fire." Listen Below.

 "The first time I heard this song, I was absolutely stuck," says singerJoey Varela. "I haven't heard a song that's hit me this hard in a long time. Everything from the lyrics to the way that it's composed is just absolutely amazing to me. I think I knew instantly that I was going to cover it. My only fear was not being able to do the song justice.. but I think I did okay."

VRSTY dropped its most recent album Levitate last fall via Spinefarm. Get it here

VRSTY are on tour through the summer. All dates are below.

VRSTY ON TOUR:
6/1 — Mechanicsburg, PA — 10 Years Birthday Bash 
6/15 — Pawtucket, RI — The Met (With Wind Walkers)
6/16 — Hartford, CT — The Webster (With Wind Walkers)
6/17 — Vienna, VA — Jammin Java Vienna, VA (With Wind Walkers)
6/18 — Greensboro, NC — Hangar 1819 (With DRUGS, Wind Walkers, Savage Hands)
6/19 — Columbia, SC — New Brookland Tavern
6/20 — Orlando, FL — Will's Pub (With Wind Walkers)
6/21 — Atlanta, GA — Purgatory at Masquerade (With Wind Walkers)
6/22 — Jacksonville, NC — Hooligans (With Wind Walkers)
6/23 — Richmond, VA — Canal Club (With Wind Walkers)
8/17 — Brooklyn, NY — The Meadows (With A Skylit Drive)
8/18 — Rochester, NY — Montage Music Hall (With A Skylit Drive)
8/20 — Lakewood, OH — The Foundry (With A Skylit Drive)
8/21 — New Kensington, PA — Preserving Underground (With A Skylit Drive)
8/22 — Baltimore, MD — Ottobar (With A Skylit Drive)
8/23 — Mechanicsburg, PA — Lovedraftz (With A Skylit Drive)
8/24 — Clifton, NJ — Dingbatz (With A Skylit Drive)

ABOUT VRSTY:
VRSTY (pronounced "Varsity") make music as energetic and richly diverse as the city that spawned them. Assembled by band leader Joey Tyler, a Puerto Rican singer from New York City raised on R&B, pop, and Spanish music and equally inspired by metallic post-hardcore, VRSTY blends genres with fearless ambition and visceral enthusiasm. A handful of EPs preceded 2020's debut album, Welcome Home, itself followed by a three-part series of sequel EPs solidifying the band's reputation.  
 
The band (comprised of guitarist Paul Gregory, bassist Javier Dorrejo, drummer Chris Cody, and Tyler) specializes in what Kerrang! described as "endless grooves and danceable parts, punctuated by breakdowns and completed with dark atmosphere." Meanwhile, "Massive,”"from 2020's Cloud City EP, remained the Most Played on SiriusXM's Octane for two consecutive weeks. In a 9/10 review, Outburn described Welcome Home as "effortless, fun, and above all genuine." Blabbermouth raved: "While other bands may have introduced the concept of genre-bending, VRSTY have refined it."
 
Genuine authenticity and uncompromising passion are crucial to everything about VRSTY. Levitate, the band's stunning sophomore set, is powered by spirited conviction and a commitment to follow their muse wherever it leads. It's an album of rich melodic hooks and headbang-inducing grooves. 
 
Tyler co-produced Levitate with Justin Deblieck (Ice Nine Kills, Motionless In White, Lorna Shore, Fit For A King). George Lever (Sleep Token, Holding Absence, Loathe) handled mixing duties. 
 
VRSTY commands the crowd anytime they perform, connecting with anyone who struggles with feelings of low self-worth, bad relationships, or generally feels like an outsider. It’s a feeling of shared community evident on the band's tours with the likes of 10 Years, Nonpoint, Secrets, and For The Fallen Dreams, among others. Ultimately, VRSTY aims to encourage, provoke, and inspire listeners. 

Invent Animate Announce 'Heavener (Definitive)' Out Now via UNFD

Invent Animate fans, rejoice! The atmospheric metalcore trailblazers have announced the release of 'Heavener (Definitive)' , and dropped their new track "How We Used To Say Goodbye" (via UNFD). Before today, Invent Animate shared "Sleepless Deathbed" which has amassed nearly 1.5 million streams on Spotify alone and 216k views and counting on YouTube. When asked about 'Heavener (Definitive)', guitarist Keaton Goldwire shared:

Finishing out 'Heavener' was a really special moment for us. There was such deep self-reflection and proudness that formed into an intense motivation. I don’t think was ever a time where I could say I was inspired by my own band, but this one really sparked something. So we kept writing. The songs we came up with are a true extension of Heavener and give us closure to an era. A new, definitive ending.

'Heavener (Definitive)' includes the original album in its entirety, plus “How We Used To Say Goodbye”, recent singles “Sleepless Deathbed” and “Heavener”, and a re-imagined version of “Without a Whisper.” The band will also be offering a premium version of the album on vinyl with a limited-edition D-Side etching, and an embossed jacket with spot gloss and foil stamping. Truly the definitive version of the critically acclaimed album – 'Heavener'.

Pre-save 'Heavener' (Definitive) and purchase vinyl variants here, stream "How We Used To Say Goodbye" here, and watch the visualizer below.

After wrapping up an entirely sold-out run with Bad Omens, Invent Animate will next be hitting the road on the Mirror's Edge North American Tour 2024 as direct support to Northlane, with Thornhill and Windwalker opening. For ticket information, please click here.

Mirror's Edge North American Tour 2024 Dates:

June 21 - Seattle, WA @ Neptune

June 22 - Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater

June 23 - Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory

June 24 - Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom

June 26 - Edmonton, AB @ Union Hall

June 27 - Calgary, AB @ Palace Theatre

June 30 - Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theater

July 1 - Chicago, IL @ House Of Blues

July 2- Lakewood, OH @ Roxy

July 4 - London, ON @ London Music Hall

July 5 - Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall

July 6 - Ottawa, ON @ Bronson Centre

July 7 - Montreal, QC @ Beanfield Theatre

July 9 - New York, NY @ Irving Plaza

July 10 - Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club

July 11 - Philadelphia, PA @ TLA

July 12 - Baltimore, MD @ Baltimore Soundstage

July 13 - Charlotte, NC @ The Underground

July 14 - Nashville, TN @ Brooklyn Bowl

July 16 - Tampa, FL @ The Orpheum

July 17 - Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade (Heaven)

July 19 - San Antonio, TX @ Vibes Event Center

July 20 - Dallas, TX @ South Side Music Hall

July 21 - Lawrence, KS @ Granada Theater

July 23 - Denver, CO @ Summit Music Hall

July 24 - Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex

July 26 - Anaheim, CA @ House Of Blues

July 27 - Sacramento, CA @ Ace Of Spades

GRAIN OF PAIN Celebrates Album Release with "Beneath" Music Video; New Album Out Now on Noble Demon!

Finnish doom/death metal act GRAIN OF PAIN has released its debut full-length album The Moon Lights The Way through Noble Demon. In celebration of the album launch, GRAIN OF PAIN has just premiered a new music video for their latest single "Beneath".The band teamed up with Vesa Ranta, known for his work with renowned bands like Solstafir, Swallow the Sun, Amorphis, and Insomnium, as well as his role as drummer for Cemetery Skyline, The Abbey, and Sentenced.

Watch the video Below:

"The grim riff in the beginning of Beneath opens the album", mastermind Timo Solonen comments. "It begins the journey down to the abyss in which I seemed to be while making this song, it came quite naturally. Not that it’s hard for me to find the right mood while writing songs most of the time. Even the lyrics came easily without much hassle which is just inexplicable. Lars’ performance was so damn good and it was amazing to watch his work in the studio."

Led by Timo Solonen, the band's music is a potent fusion of dark, emotional melodies and powerful, guttural vocals. GRAIN OF PAIN's lineup features a stellar cast of musicians, with Timo Solonen at the helm, showcasing his skills not only as a composer but also contributing growls and guitars. Joining him are Juho Räihä on guitars, Lars Eikind on bass and clean vocals, Juuso Raatikainen on drums, and Sini Pajunenlending her captivating vocals to the mix. Taka Eliel adds backing growls to enrich the band’s gloomy sound.

GRAIN OF PAIN's sound is characterized by its intense emotional depth and draws inspiration from a variety of influences to create a unique blend of dark atmospheres and powerful melodies. The band's commitment to their craft has already attracted attention: Lars Eikind won the prestigious Spellemannsprisen in Norway and both Juho Räihäand Juuso Raatikainen were nominated for a Finnish Grammy with Swallow the Sun.

The Moon Lights The Way is now available digitally via Noble Demon.
Get the album at THIS LOCATION

THE PULL OF AUTUMN releases 'Memory Tree' album, a vibrant and reflective tapestry of poignant indie folk

"A gem... A genuine and welcome earworm" ~ Big Takeover Magazine

"Beautiful... Pure and simple. Lyrically emotional and thought-provoking. It has perfect instrumentation and musicality" ~ Spill Magazine

"Better to travel well than to arrive... this band is not about merely travelling, this is exploration down the unbeaten paths of the glorious unknown" ~ The Swindonian


Art-rock indie-pop collective The Pull of Autumn presents their fifth album 'Memory Tree'. Described as "a melancholy remembrance of moments in time and life", released by Boston imprint RBM Records on CD and digitally. 

Earlier, the band shared the lead track 'I Was Just Dreaming', featuring Boston artist Bruce MacLeod on vocals, and 'Opening / Closing' featuring Rhode Island producer, songwriter and artist Kraig Jordan, who appeared on Tanya Donnelly’s three-album set and also opened for Belly at their recent home show in Rhode Island.

Led by Rhode Island native Daniel Darrow of 80s post-punk group Johanna’s House of Glamour, The Pull of Autumn is a collective with core members Bruce MacLeod, Matthew Darrow, Luke Skyscraper James (I.R.S. recording artist Fashion), plus a revolving door of collaborators. Each release involves notable and emerging artists, drawn from the local scene and further abroad.

'Memory Tree' features contributions by numerous outstanding artists, including Philip Parfitt (The Perfect Disaster), Ricky Humphrey (This Twisted Wreckage), San Francisco-based artists Leigh Gregory and Julius Manning, Berkeley singer-songwriter Sophia Campbell, and Rhode Island Rock’n Roll Hall of Fame inductee Paul Everett.

"Instead of the free-genre bending of what came before, this new album is focused on a continuous motion of sound that creates an overall effect of electro/acoustic music and ambient sounds. Hours were spent on the order of the track selection to create a continuous sound that tells a story reflected on the cover of the album," explains Daniel Darrow

"The tree pointing downward represents the future as well as holding onto the past. This album is a melancholy remembrance of moments in time and life. I am very excited to feature many RI artists whose music I have come to love and respect over many years. Many veterans from around the world also contribute to the album. I feel this album is a concise picture of this moment in time. Every song reflects beauty, future loves and lost loves. I am excited to bring this album and great artists to the light and to have there music heard."

The Pull of Autumn released their debut eponymous album in 2018, followed by 'Afterglow' in 2019, 'Small Colors' in 2020 and 'Beautiful Broken World' in 2022.

'Memory Tree' arrives two years after The Pull of Autumn's 'Beautiful Broken World' album, which involved several music luminaries, including The Pop Group's Mark Stewart, Living Colour's Doug Wimbish and producer Adrian Sherwood.

As of May 31, 'Memory Tree' will be available from fine digital music platforms, including Apple Music, Spotify and  Bandcamp.

CREDITS
Produced & Mixed by Daniel Darrow                          
Mastered by Bruce Macleod                            
Cover painting by Paul Everett
01. Memory Tree - Daniel Darrow (synths), Matthew Darrow (drums)    

02. Walter Benjamin - Leigh Gregory (guitars, vocals), Daniel Darrow (synths), Aaron Carr (cello)                              
03. Freedom is a Thief - Sophia Campbell (vocals, bass), Daniel Darrow (synths), Kevin Carnes (drums), Dan Laks (guitar)    
04. Lovely Fellow - Luke Skyscraper James (vocals), Daniel Darrow (synths)
05. Dolphins - Paul Everett vocals, Daniel Darrow (synths), Kevin Zahm (bass), Bob Kendall (guitar)                                  
06. Awakening - Leigh Gregory (guitar), Daniel Darrow (synths)                      
07. I Was Just Dreaming - Bruce MacLeod (guitar, bass, vocals), Daniel Darrow (synths)
08. Lines Written - Philip Parfitt (guitar, spoken word), Daniel Darrow (piano)
09. A Shrine to Past Memories - Matthew Darrow (synths)
10. Lost Time - Julius Manning (guitars, vocals), Daniel Darrow (synths)    
11. Flow Motion - Ricky Humphrey (bass, drums), Daniel Darrow (synths, trumpet, electronics)                                
12. Opening / Closing - Kraig Jordan (guitar, bass, vocals), Daniel Darrow (synths) - written by Kraig Jordan & Guy Benoit. 

         
       
Keep Up With The Pull of Autumn / RBM Records
Bandcamp | Facebook | Soundcloud | Twitter YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music |RBM Records | Press contact
 
Keep up with Shameless Promotion PR
Website Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud | Instagram | LinkedIn | Email