BRODEQUIN Signs to Season of Mist

Season of Mist is proud to announce the signing of BRODEQUIN, the brutal death metal outfit from Knoxville, TN! The band will be releasing its fourth full length in 2023, making it the band's debut to the label!

In celebration of this new union, BRODEQUIN is now streaming their entire back catalogue, "Methods of Execution" (2004), "Festival of Death" (2001), and "Instruments of Torture" (2000) on all digital platforms!

BRODEQUIN comments on the signing:

"Brodequin is very pleased and honored to announce we are now part of the Season of Mist family!! The Season of Mist roster is familiar to many, and packed with substantial names of various genres including 1349, Abbath, Benighted, Wormed, Tsjuder, Severe Torture and many more!

"We feel this is an important step in the direction we have been moving towards for several years, and are certain our partnership with Season of Mist will further spread our version of brutality to many more individuals.

"In addition to Season of Mist’s excellent support on every level, we will now have the best distribution we’ve ever had in both the United States & Europe. This will not only alleviate the high shipping costs from the U.S. to our European friends, but extend our reach overall. Season of Mist is just as excited as we are to get the new album out, they also will be the source for our back catalog, digital and physical as well as the associated merchandise.

"We will be recording late this summer and looking forward to a 2023 release! More news such as the album title etc. will be coming soon."

Photo by Jacob Smith

The Brodequin was a French torture instrument used during the Middle Ages designed to destroy the legs of its victims. Enough ferocity was unleashed to not only shatter bone, but reduce the limbs to the point where the marrow would flow from the wounds.

Taking inspiration from this period in history three individuals from Knoxville, TN began composing music based off what was the most brutal of times. Brodequin chose and still uses period woodcuts and simple imagery from the era as a nod to its historical influence and as a way to demonstrate barbarity without the need for generic splatter illustrations that lack substance. This imagery would prove an important aspect of creating the bands unique brand among their peers and Brodequin’s version of brutal death metal. Brodequin is often cited as the band that pioneered the lyrical and visual themes of medieval punishment and torture used by many contemporary bands.

Brodequin’s first offering in 1998 “Instruments of Torture” made an immediate impact on the brutal death metal scene and was followed by another well received album entitled “Festival of Death”. For Brodequin’s third album “Methods of Execution” a new member (Jon Engman) was introduced and their first European appearances took place at Fuck the Commerce (Germany) and Obscene Extreme (Czech Republic). 

After a considerable hiatus Brodequin returned with a 2 song promo released in 2021 entitled “Perpetuation of Suffering”, featuring two of the three original members (Jamie & Mike Bailey) with a new drummer (Brennan Shackelford). With the lineup complete, Brodequin’s new material is among the best they have ever written. Plans are set for a 2023 release through Season of Mist Records.

“…It doesn’t get darker than that. It’s just like this giant mess of darkness. And I also feel that total commitment to what they’re doing.” - Ben Monder Guitarist on David Bowie’s Blackstar

Line up:
Jamie Bailey: Bass/Vocals
Mike Bailey: Guitar
Brennan Shackelford: Drums
Joaquin Chavez: (Live) Guitar

Links:
www.brodequinofficial.com
www.facebook.com/brodequinTN
www.brodequin.bandcamp.com
www.instagram.com/brodequintn

Stream/download:
https://orcd.co/brodequin-methods
https://orcd.co/brodequin-festival
https://orcd.co/brodequin-torture

SPITE Drop Official Music Video For Title Track From Upcoming Album, 'Dedication To Flesh'

California metal band, SPITE have dropped pummeling new track "Proper One" from their highly anticipated upcoming album 'Dedication To Flesh' - which is slated for release this Friday, August 19th, via Rise Records. Find the track on streaming platforms HERE and watch the accompanying music video below.

A masterclass in unbridled fury, 'Dedication To Flesh' will be the band's first album to be released on Rise Records and can be pre-ordered now HERE.

'Dedication To Flesh' is produced by Alex Tehrani and Matt Guglielmo. Prior to "Proper One", SPITE have released four singles - the album's ferociously aggressive title track "Dedication To Flesh ", "Caved In", "Made To Please" and "Hangman" which have clocked up 4.4. million cross-platform streams between them since release.

SPITE announced last week that they would be hitting the road with Carnifex this fall for their 'Dead In My Arms' 15 year anniversary tour. Full dates below. Tickets are available from www.spitecult.com.

9/23 - Fresno, CA @ Strummer's

9/24 - Santa Cruz, CA @ The Catalyst Club

9/25 - Berkeley, CA @ Cornerstone

9/26 - Reno, NV @ Cargo Concert Hall

9/28 - Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex

9/29 - Denver, CO @ Summit

9/30 - Colorado Springs, CO @ The Black Sheep

10/1 - Lincoln, NE @ The Royal Grove

10/2 - Iowa City, IA @ Wildwood Saloon

10/4 - Joliet, IL @ The Forge

10/5 - Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave

10/6 - Grand Rapids, MI @ The Intersection

10/7 - Fort Wayne, IN @ Pierre's

10/8 - Cleveland, OH @ The Beachland Ballroom

10/10 - Buffalo, NY @ Rec Room

10/11 - Syracuse, NY @ THE LOST HORIZON

10/12 - Manchester, NH @ Jewel Nightclub

10/13 - Worcester, MA @ Palladium (Upstairs)

10/14 - Atlantic City, NJ @ Anchor Rock Club

10/15 - Frenchtown, NJ @ Artie's

10/16 - Richmond, VA @ The National

10/18 - Greensboro, NC @ The Blind Tiger

10/19 - Knoxville, TN @ The Concourse

10/20 - Cincinnati, OH @ Riverfront Live

10/21 - Sauget, IL @ Pop's

10/22 - Oklahoma City, OK @ Whiskey Nights

10/23 - Wichita, KS @ TempleLive

10/25 - Dallas, TX @ Southside Music Hall

10/26 - Austin, TX @ Come and Take It Live

10/27 - El Paso, TX @ Rockhouse

10/28 - Tucson, AZ @ Encoretucson

10/29 - Pomona, CA @ The Glass House

ABOUT SPITE

Starting in 2016, SPITE have spent the last 5 years developing their sound and reputation through their live shows. After their largest, most successful tour to date in Spring 2020, they spent the better part of the following lockdown writing. Now for the first time, the band is releasing music on a new label, where they feel the record correctly represents the energy they bring to the stage. With 30 million Spotify streams, 188,000 monthly Spotify listeners and over 9 million YouTube views across their previous output including popular music videos for Kill Or Be Killed, The Offering and Judgement Day SPITE have established themselves as a lethally furious force to be reckoned with.

SPITE are

Darius Tehrani - Vocals

Lucas Garrigues - Guitar

Alex Tehrani - Guitar

Ben Bamford - Bass

Josh Miller - Drums

Find SPITE Online

SpiteCult.com

Melodic Death Metal Unit WOLFHEART Releases Second Single “The King” + Video

WOLFHEART forms a raging blizzard of heavy metal with the release of second single “The King”, cut from their upcoming full-length, King of the North, out September 16, 2022 via Napalm Records! King of the North picks up right where their last two releases – Wolves of Karelia (2020) and the Skull Soldiers EP (2021) – left off, taking every aspect of their trademark blend of colossal melodies, earth-shaking vocals, gripping lyricism and driving rhythms to searing new levels.

Scorching gutturals from frontman Tuomas Saukkonen break through the ice on the new single as he is accompanied by epic orchestration packed with strings and horns. Heavy guitar chugs and powerful pummeling drums march through the track as Tuomas tells the tale of the hunt of the mighty forest god. “The King” is the album’s most glorious epic that unleashes WOLFHEART’s exquisite balance of grandiose melodic atmosphere with crushing heavy guitars and pounding drums, premiering today alongside a new music video.

WOLFHEART’s Tuomas Saukkonen about “The King”:         

"'The King' is about a broken sacred rule that forbids the hunt of a bear in winter. Hunter was only allowed to face the king when it was in its full strength. Bear was carried out from the forest head first because bears spirit was believed to live forever and only dead were carried feet first. The skull was hung in a sacred tree facing east where the spirits were believed to travel. Bear was truly the ruler of the woodlands and especially the death of the king was full of rituals and beliefs. The song also introduces our guitarist Vageliss as a vocalist in a leading role and his magnificent execution brings Wolfheart trademark sound into a new level"         

Watch the music video for “The King” 

Discover distant realms of northern mythology with melodic death triumph King of the North!

Each song on King of the North is dedicated to a different story of Finnish mythology – underlined by WOLFHEART’s grand, crushing songwriting and production. “The King”, for instance, tells the tale of the forest god with horns and pianos accompanying heavy guitar riffs and solos, before raising the energy levels once more on the relentless “Cold Flame”featuring Karl Sanders of legendary extreme metal group Nile. King of the North is a true masterpiece of melodic death metal, crafted with loads of attention to detail and intricate mythology-driven storytelling – showcasing WOLFHEART at never-before-heard artistic levels!

WOLFHEART’s guitarist/vocalist Tuomas Saukkonen about “King of the North”:

"After Wolves of Karelia it made a lot of sense to continue writing thematic albums, but this time I wanted to travel a lot further in history than 2nd world war and went straight to the tales about creation of nordic world, ancient gods of north and the majestic nature. The colorful theme also inspired me to write the musically most diverse WOLFHEART album and also bring the biggest variation of vocals than ever before, putting Lauri and Vageliss in their well-earned spotlight."

Pre-Order King of the North NOW:

King of the North will be available in the following formats:

- LP Gatefold Vinyl Black

- LP Gatefold Vinyl Die-Hard Edition Marbled Crystal Clear/Black + Poster + Slipmat (limited to 300)

- LP Gatefold Vinyl Marbled Orange/Yellow

- CD 6-page Digisleeve

-  Digital album

[LP Gatefold Vinyl Die-Hard Edition Marbled Crystal Clear/Black + Poster + Slipmat (limited to 300)]

WOLFHEART are:

Tuomas Saukkonen - guitar, vocals

Joonas Kauppinen - drums

Lauri Silvonen - bass, vocals

Vagelis Karzis - guitar, vocals

LITTLE CAESAR IS SET TO RELEASE THE REMASTERED/REPACKAGED THIS TIME IT’S DIFFERENT ON AUGUST 26

LITTLE CAESAR IS SET TO RELEASE THE REMASTERED/REPACKAGED THIS TIME IT’S DIFFERENT ON AUGUST 26, THROUGH DIRTY DEEDS/DEKO ENTERTAINMENT. THEIR EUROPEAN TOUR KICKS OFF IN SEPTEMBER.

Little Caesar is best remembered for its version of the soul music song "Chain of Fools,” a 1989 hit single from its self-titled debut album on DGC Records, a subsidiary of Geffen Records. John Kalodner did A&R work for the group, and Bob Rock (Metallica, Mötley Crüe, etc.) produced its debut self-titled album, which was released to positive reviews. On the strength of the singles "Chain of Fools" (a cover of the Aretha Franklin song) and "In Your Arms," Little Caesar hit number 139 on the US Billboard 200 in 1990.

The band recently reissued its 2009 release Redemption and 2012’s American Dream. Both had been remastered and repackaged for a limited deluxe edition featuring four accompanying live tracks. Due to the great response to those releases, they are now remastering and releasing 1998’s This Time It’s Different in its entirety. This album features the classic line up of Ron Young, Loren Molinare, Tom Morris, Fidel Paniagua, as well Earl Slick (David Bowie, John Lennon), and a guest appearance by Randy Bachman (The Guess Who, Bachman-Turner Overdrive). Ron Young had this to say, "We are excited to rerelease these oddball gems. It's sort of a behind the scenes look into our music and features some songs that had alternate lyrics, song demos, and tracks that the corporate ears passed on for a major release.”

This is the third in a series of reissues coming through the bands new imprint label Dirty Deeds Records/Deko Entertainment. The band will also be kicking off their European tour on September 8, in Belgium, making stops in France, Austria, Spain, and the Netherlands, before wrapping up in Germany on October 1.

There are limited edition bundles (while supplies last) for This Time It’s Different, which can be ordered via https://bit.ly/3mhppGJ.

Product Includes:
- (1) CD Album of Little Caesar – This Time It’s Different - Autographed
- (1) Little Caesar T-Shirt
- (1) Little Caesar Sticker

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT:
www.littlecaesar.net/
www.dekoentertainment.com

Deko Entertainment—Where Art Has Value

NYC artist Jessie Kilguss previews buoyant Americana-inspired folk-pop on 'Sleepwalking Heart' single

"Kilguss artfully pulls us into her wistful nostalgia with a bit of twang and a strummy, well arranged instrumental accompaniment" ~ Guitar World

“Stellar, pure, inspired and inspiring… her voice is as clear as her vision and every element of her music is perfectly placed. While performed with impeccable precision” ~ The Spill Magazine

"Finely-wrought, deep, dark valentine... well-crafted” ~ American Songwriter

“Artfully beautiful, full of radiant harmonics, stylish rhythms, and Jessie Kilguss’ enchantress-like tones. Imaginative and numinous" ~ Seattle Post-Intelligencer

"She uses her songs to probe possibilities that lie just below the surface, allowing them to resonate in ways that allow for greater interest and intrigue" ~ Goldmine Magazine

"Fluid and poised... Her flawless lyrical and melodic aesthetic relays uncompromising emotion in a light and flowing style" ~ The Aquarian

NYC-based song-savvy storyteller Jessie Kilguss presents her new single 'Sleepwalking Heart', a balanced uplifting dose of folk-pop with a video directed and produced by Alex Dar. On the tail of her 'Great White Shark' single, both songs beautifully foreshadow what's coming on her new album 'What Do Whales Dream About at Night?', released four years after her album 'The Fastness'.

"This song was inspired by Mira Jacobs’ book 'The Sleepwalker’s Guide to Dancing'. I wrote it in 2018 to perform in a show with the Bushwick Book Club, a performance series where songwriters all read the same book, write a song about it and perform the song at a public show. Although this song is about a specific book, I wanted it to be a bit broader and more mysterious," says Jessie Kilguss.

"We recorded it in LA in April 2021, just as it was kind of OK to be inside with people outside your bubble. I was so grateful to be making music with other people again. Because this hadn’t been allowed for a couple years, the whole recording experience was that much more meaningful and charged for me."

Working with the dream team of drummer Brian Griffin (Patti Smith, Brandi Carlisle, Lana Del Rey), bass guitarist Whynot Jansveld (The Wallflowers, Butch Walker, Sara Bareilles), and LA-based award-winning composer and producer Naren Rauch on guitar, they are joined by Nathan Schram (Bjork, David Crosby, David Byrne, The Attacca Quartet), with whom Kilguss runs the non-profit organization Musicambia.

Co-produced by Adam Lasus (Yo La Tengo, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Helium)along with Kilguss and her band members (Brian Griffin, Naren Rauch, Whynot Jansveld), Lasus engineered the recordings, which were mixed and mastered by Charlie Nieland (Debbie Harry, Rufus Wainwright, Blondie).

Kilguss is a former actress, whose acting highlights include the film adaptation of Arthur Miller’s 'The Crucible', starring Daniel Day Lewis and Winona Ryder, and the UK production of 'As You Like It', directed by Royal Shakespeare Company founder Sir Peter Hall.

She made the switch to songwriting after working with one of her musical heros Marianne Faithfull in the London and Sydney productions of 'The Black Rider', a musical written by Tom Waits and William Burroughs, which was directed by Robert Wilson and also featured Mary Margaret O'Hara.

In addition to writing and performing her own music, Kilguss also sings with Gramercy Arms, Jim Andralis and the Syntonics and Benjamin Cartel, having previously performed at the Sundance Film Festival and with Freddie Stevenson, supporting The Waterboys during their European tour.

On August 17, 'Sleepwalking Heart' will be released across digital platforms, including Spotify and Apple Music., where 'Great White Shark' is already available. The full album 'What Do Whales Dream About at Night?' is out on September 23. That same evening (starting at 8:30 pm), Kilguss celebrate her album with a release show at Rockwood 3 in New York.

CREDITS
All songs written by Jessie Kilguss
Jessie Kilguss - vocals and harmonium
Brian Griffin- drums, percussion, keys & backing vocals
Whynot Jansveld - bass, keys & backing vocals
Naren Rauch - guitar, piano & backing vocals
Nathan Schram - strings
Recorded at Studio Red in North Hollywood in April 2021
Produced by Brian Griffin, Whynot Jansveld, Naren Rauch, Jessie Kilguss & Adam Lasus.
Engineered by Adam Lasus at Studio Red in North Hollywood
Mixed & mastered by Charlie Nieland
Artist photography by Shervin Lainez

LIVE SHOWS
Aug. 23 - Pete’s Candy Store with Gary Burton and the Highland Shatners
Sept. 23 - Rockwood Music Hall, Stage 3 - Album release show


Keep up with Jessie Kilguss
Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram | Soundcloud | YouTube| Spotify | Apple Music

GAUPA Release Video For New Single "Diametrical Enchantress"

Unique Swedish rock band GAUPA are excited to unveil the second single from their forthcoming album, Myriad, which is to be released on November 18, 2022 via Nuclear Blast Records. The song is called 'Diametrical Enchantress' and will instantly catch you with its entrancing half-time groove and singer Emma Näslund's unique vocal delivery. As with previous single, 'RA', GAUPA have produced an inventive and trippy, visually stunning music video for the song, which you can watch below.

GAUPA's sophomore album Myriad features eight diverse and exquisitely crafted songs that keep strolling around between progressive rock, psychedelic & stoner rock, doom and folk. An eclectic and unpredictable, yet very mature record by a band that is destined to win over any open-minded music enthusiast from each branch the heavy rock spectrum has to offer.

DOWNLOAD OR STREAM 'DIAMETRICAL ENCHANTRESS':
https://gaupa.bfan.link/diametrical-enchantress.ema

WATCH 'DIAMETRICAL ENCHANTRESS (OFFICIAL VIDEO)':

Emma Näslund (Vocals) comments:
"When people hear that you play music, at first some think it’s really cool.
But when it comes down to it they condemn it.

The time you have to put in to your craft and rehearsals and meetings etc.
Some people think it’s just sliding around in VIP areas on a shrimp sandwich.
Others would argue that it’s time to give up your “hobby” up and do something “real”.

But some things you can’t stop doing.
Art needs be created.
Music needs to be created.
There is always room for more and it’s important to keep going.
I guess some people just needs to create music and art or they’ll implode.

Diametrical Enchantress was the last song we wrote for the album Myriad. It’s freeing because it just came out of us as certainly as mosquitoes in summer."

MORE FROM "MYRIAD":

GAUPA - RA (OFFICIAL VIDEO):
https://youtu.be/Of8KnGnKBiE

AVAILABLE FORMATS:

- DIGITAL ALBUM
- CD
- LP

PRE-ORDER / PRE-SAVE "MYRIAD" NOW:
https://gaupa.bfan.link/diametrical-enchantress.ema

ABOUT GAUPA:
With surreal lyrics, an energetic, very unique singer, and an addictive sound that combines progressive stoner rock with doom, folk and psychedelic rock influences, GAUPA released their self-titled debut EP in June 2018 and have since made a name for themselves in the international underground rock scene. The GAUPA EP was well received and led to the band playing one of their first live performances at Scandinavia’s biggest rock festival, Sweden Rock. GAUPA then got a chance to release the EP on vinyl via German label Kozmik Artifactz in October 2019 and went on to playing a solid number of shows and festivals. Critics were impressed, not only by the studio recordings and their diverse & complex arrangements, but also by the level of intensity the band displayed live.

In April 2020 GAUPA, which means "lynx" in Swedish dialect, followed up their debut EP by releasing their first full length album, Feberdröm, gaining even more attention from both, an international audience as well as the world's biggest metal label: NUCLEAR BLAST RECORDS.

Jens Prueter, Head Of A&R at Nuclear Blast Records Europe stated: "“While most newcomer bands struggled during the Corona pandemic, GAUPA managed to grow in quality. Their unique sound hasn’t remained unnoticed and word of mouth spread fast. Once we had seen their live stream show and had some video conferences, we knew they would sit well in an artist roster that contains some of their favourite bands, even if GAUPA isn’t very metal at all. But it’s that attitude to tear down boundaries between genres – just for the sake of art. We are proud to welcome them in good company.”

In 2021, GAUPA re-entered the studio to record their second full-length album Myriad, which will be released on November 18, 2022. GAUPA have currently been focussing on the Swedish festival Summer of 2022, but they are already working with great excitement on tours that will bring them to new stages all over the world.

GAUPA are:
Jimmy Hurtig – Drums
Daniel Nygren – Guitars
Erik Sävström – Bass
Emma Näslund – Vocals
David Rosberg – Guitars

GAUPA Online:
https://linktr.ee/GAUPAband

Wade Bowen Celebrates Album Release at Pop-Up Show; Debuts "A Guitar, A Singer and A Song" Music Video

“I hope you hear a very energetic, revived, renewed, loving music more than I’ve ever loved music in my entire life record.”

Bowen Debuts Official Music Video for Album’s Vince Gill Duet
“A Guitar, A Singer and A Song”
Watch HERE

“12 songs that draw on his deep love of country-style songwriting, his stronger-than-ever voice, and a renewed excitement for creating and performing” – Forbes

“Wade Bowen just released one of the best country albums of 2022” – Outsider

Renowned singer-songwriter Wade Bowen brought the music to Music City on Monday night, Aug. 15, with a special pop-up show to celebrate the release of his latest studio album, Somewhere Between The Secret And The Truth, as the project available HERE continues to earn praise from fans and critics alike.

“I’ve got some stories to tell about why I wrote certain songs, but this one here has no story at all,” he shared to laughter from the enthusiastic Analog at Hutton Hotel audience, kicking off the evening with feel-good opener “Honky Tonk Roll.” “Some nights you just want to let go; let loose; let your drunk alter ego come out and have some fun – here we go!”

Bowen performed the full track list throughout the night, sharing anecdotes from the creative process along the way and remarking on the special opportunity to get to perform a full album live in its entirety.

“With this record the last couple years, I found a newfound energy but along with that I dove into ‘80s and ‘90s country, which I’ve always been such a fan of,” Bowen reflected when introducing “The Secret To This Town” midway through his set. “I started writing more along those lines and I think that’s where the production and everything came from on this record.”

Singer/songwriter Ray Fulcher then joined Bowen on stage for their cowrite “If You Don’t Miss Me,” while Clint Ingersoll also made an appearance during their cowrite “Knowing Me Like I Do,” both receiving excited applause from the engrossed audience.

“This is one of those moments in my career that I believe, when I look back, it might be one of my favorite things that I’ll ever do,” Bowen remarked while introducing his critically acclaimed Vince Gill duet off the album, “A Guitar, A Singer and A Song.” “I tried really hard with this song to show the good and the bad of what we do, and why we do it… At the end of the day, when I lay my head down, it’s just me, my guitar, the songs I write and the songs I sing. That’s really all it comes down to and no matter how long or short your career is, that’s what you’re gonna end up with. I thought to myself, ‘man, I hope that I do enough in my career, however long it may be – I hope I do enough where people don’t forget me.”

Today, Aug. 17, Bowen also debuted the official video for the musical homage to a life of song, recently praised by Billboard as “a stunning ode to the creative tug at the heart of singer-songwriters,” offering a striking tribute to the musical friends and heroes who, like Gill, inspire him to keep relentlessly pursuing the dream of music. Watch HERE.

As Monday’s full-album performance then came to a close with its thematic anchor of a title track, the show was only getting started. Bowen launched into a rapid-fire succession of fan-favorites – taking requests along the way – as he thrilled the crowd with a career spanning selection of songs, including medleys from his 2021 EP Where Phones Don’t Work to the grand finale of hits “Sun Shines on a Dreamer” and “Saturday Night.”

The show capped off a celebratory album release weekend for Bowen, who also appeared at the Country Music Hall of Fame for a songwriting session on Saturday before making his sixth appearance on the Grand Ole Opry stage that night. Bowen will continue to bring the new music to fans as his tour dates span the U.S. through the remainder of the year.

For more information and to purchase tickets to upcoming tour dates, visit WadeBowen.com and follow on Facebook @TheWadeBowen and Twitter / Instagram @WadeBowen.

About Wade Bowen
Twenty years and some 4,000 shows into his career, the name Wade Bowen has become synonymous with authentic Country music – and for good reason. An artistic descendant of American icons like Guy Clark, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Robert Earl Keen and more, Bowen is a contemporary link in a Texan chain of roots-rock poets stretching back more than 50 years – yet his ambition never ended at the state line.

Seen as one of the genre’s finest and most genuine modern voices, Bowen’s approach stays rooted in tradition, but also stands on the creative cutting edge. His focus remains on writing unique songs with a literary quality and shifting his sonic territory to match his life, as evidenced by uplifting lead single “Everything Has Your Memory” and new release “A Guitar, A Singer and A Song” (featuring Vince Gill) off his latest album, Somewhere Between The Secret And The Truth, available now via Thirty Tigers.

Wielding a knack for direct, poetic songwriting that never panders, Bowen matches his gravel-road growl to an organic sound spanning the whole of Texas and beyond, tapping both country and rock influences. A dozen albums have shown his sonic diversity – including six studio sets, two live collections, a gospel album and an ongoing series of buddy-country hits with fellow Texan Randy Rogers. Along the way, he’s scored hits and accolades based on quality, not quantity, and continues to perform around 200 nationwide shows each year – including multiple appearances on the venerated Grand Ole Opry stage.

6TH CROWD 'Mamenika' single revives Ukrainian folk song to explore displaced persons and stolen childhood

"Some fun fine dynamic electro pop" – Big Takeover Magazine

"Combines grooves from dance floors... melodic electro-pop.... obviously needed musical escapade" – White Light / White Heat

"Blends a more clubland groove and euphoric rave sonics with the depth of alt-rock and the melodics of pop" – Dancing About Architecture

"Captivation woven by Maksymova... a light of pride and echo of the spirit we have all seen in the Ukrainian people; a defiant stand in a time of atrocity" ~ Ringmaster Review

Ukrainian electronic producer 6TH CROWD (a.k.a. Dari Maksymova) presents her new single 'Mamenika', which is derived from an old Ukrainian folk song, but arranged differently by the artist. The accompanying video resulted from an artistic collaboration between Ukrainians who met each other thousands of miles from their home.

This song touches on the lives of refugees fleeing Russian aggression. According to UNICEF, about two-thirds of Ukraine's children have been uprooted by the war, essentially suspending their childhood. They nevertheless eagerly await their chance to return. Despite the dark situation and the heavy feeling that provoked this video, this video offers a seed of hope and the enormous faith Ukrainians hold onto as a nation.

"This song 'Mamenika' is based on an old folk song from Eastern Ukraine, the part of the country that is native for me. I learned this song from a recording of a vocal performance by elderly ladies from Zaporizhia Oblast, where the frontline currently is. “Prybyrajsia, mamienika” was a wedding song that young women would sing to a bride while preparing for her wedding. With faith and hope, they praised the bright future awaiting the bride," says Dari Maksymova.

"Hope and faith are the very threads creating a life jacket for the average Ukrainian now. The hope and faith of those long-gone Ukrainian ladies reached me here in the modern world, where Ukrainians are forced to wait for a bright future with nothing but hope and faith to guide them there. My hope is that by connecting these folk melodies and sounds to modern arrangements, I could connect the hope of our predecessors to their descendants and remind us about the brighter future hopefully awaiting us all."

Last year, 6TH CROWD released the single 'Sokolonko', inspired by an old Ukrainian harvest song, preceded by her 2020 debut 'Avoid The Void' EP. In 2021, she released the 'What Happened' EP via French label 50 Degrees North Recordings, following 2020 singles '1312' and 'Не вивожу (Ne Vyvozhu)'.

The DIY video for 'Mamenika' was a collaboration of Ukrainian refugees currently living in the small town of Cahersiveen in County Kerry, Ireland, where Maksymova runs an online English-language club for Ukrainians, which she started upon realizing how many people left the country with little-to-no exposure to English.

"Besides, I needed a way to connect with other Ukrainians here in Ireland. I needed my tribe. We are a small group, primarily of Ukrainian women who fled the country to protect their children. The more I got to know them, the more their eyes reflected the same thing that tortures me - the bitter shadow of war that you can't shake off, no matter how safe you are now and how cheerful the world around you may be. Seeking to articulate this feeling in a video, I spoke to one of my students – Alla Binieieva, a Ukrainian actress and writer, who fled Kyiv in February with her two children," says Maksymova.

"The idea resonated with her - she wrote the scenario, found actors and also played a role herself. Alla is the only professional actress here; everyone else, including the dog, are Ukrainian refugees we met here. My partner filmed this, while I served as director, producer and editor. Later on, my friend from Kyiv joined efforts, adding some post-production magic to this footage in between air-raid sirens."

As the music plays on, soldiers and volunteers are fighting with Russian occupiers to protect Ukraine's independence. Please consider supporting Ukraine any way you can. Donate to humanitarian missions and trusted charity foundations, spread awareness about this war, and listen to Ukrainian music.

All proceeds from Bandcamp sales will support humanitarian efforts via Vostok SOS, a grassroots organization that coordinates and provides humanitarian aid and psychological support to Ukrainians, helps people evacuate. Ukraine's 'Hospitallers' Medical Batallion and the Come Back Alive Foundation are two other recommended organizations very worthy of your support.

As of August 19, 'Mamenika' will be available everywhere online, including Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer and Bandcamp.

AUDIO CREDITS
Lyrics by the Ukrainian people
Recorded in Ireland
Music, production and mixing by 6TH CROWD
Mastered by Taras Bril (Clasps)

VIDEO CREDITS
Daria Maksymova – Director, Producer, Editor
Alla Binieieva – Writer
Phil McCarty – Camera
Mykhailo Yefimenko– Post-production
ACTORS: Oleksandra Buhai, Alla Binieieva, Evhenii Ledashchev, Andrii Hordubei, Liliya Orevchuk & Lucas


Keep up with 6TH CROWD
Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram | Twitter | Soundcloud | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music | Deezer

Country Music Legends to Guest-Star on First Season of FOX's Upcoming Drama Series, 'Monarch'

COUNTRY SUPERSTARS SHANIA TWAIN, MARTINA McBRIDE,
LITTLE BIG TOWN AND TANYA TUCKER
TO MAKE SPECIAL APPEARANCES THROUGHOUT THE PREMIERE SEASON

All-New Country Music-Themed Family Drama to Debut with Two-Night Event
Beginning Sunday, Sept. 11, Immediately Following the FOX NFL Doubleheader
Then Continues with Its Time Period Premiere Tuesday, Sept. 20 on FOX

MONARCH Stars Anna Friel, Trace Adkins, Joshua Sasse, Beth Ditto and Susan Sarandon

MONARCH, the upcoming Texas-sized, multi-generational musical drama about America’s leading family of country music, starring Academy Award winner Susan Sarandon (“Feud,” “Thelma & Louise”), multi-Platinum country music star and three-time Academy of Country Music (ACM) Award winner Trace Adkins (“Old Henry”) and Golden Globe nominee Anna Friel (“Pushing Daisies”) also will include special appearances by some of the most legendary names in country music today. Grammy Award winner Shania Twain, multi-Grammy Award nominee Martina McBride, Grammy Award winners Little Big Town and Grammy Award winner Tanya Tucker are set to guest-star throughout the season.

Watch/Share the all-new trailer for MONARCH, featuring a first look at these country superstars’ guest appearances: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNaImsJ3Khk

MONARCH debuts with a special two-night event, beginning Sunday, Sept. 11, immediately following the FOX NFL doubleheader (8:00-9:00 PM ET, and simultaneously to all time zones). It then makes its time period premiere Tuesday, Sept. 20 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), following the Season Six debut of THE RESIDENT (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT).

In MONARCH, the Roman family is headed by the insanely talented, but tough-as-nails Queen of Country Music DOTTIE CANTRELL ROMAN (Sarandon) and her beloved husband, “Texas Truthteller” ALBIE ROMAN (Adkins). Dottie and Albie have created a country music dynasty. But even though the Roman name is synonymous with authenticity, the very foundation of their success is a lie. And when their reign as country royalty is put in jeopardy, heir to the crown NICOLETTE "NICKY" ROMAN (Friel) will stop at nothing to protect her family's legacy, while ensuring her own quest for stardom.

Middle child LUKE ROMAN (Joshua Sasse, “Galavant”) is the CEO of the family's business, Monarch Entertainment. Luke is the apple of his mother's eye, but he has a troubled relationship with his father, whose approval he can never get, no matter how hard he tries. Youngest daughter GIGI TUCKER-ROMAN (singer/songwriter Beth Ditto, “On Becoming a God in Central Florida”) is very close to her older brother and sister, but in a family of superstars, Gigi has always felt like a bit of an outcast, in spite of her incredible singing voice. Gigi is married to KAYLA ROMAN-TUCKER (Meagan Holder, “Dave,” “Pitch”), a successful music manager who keeps turning down Luke’s offers to join forces with the family company. Outside business, Kayla’s relationships with the Romans reflect a complicated history, and a secret she is keeping could destroy her marriage to Gigi. ACE GRAYSON (Hollywood newcomer and Filipino recording artist Inigo Pascual) also is part of the family. He is a talented and sensitive 18-year-old who was adopted from an orphanage by Nicky and her husband, struggling British actor CLIVE GRAYSON (guest star Adam Croasdell, “Preacher,” “Reign”). Ace is a phenomenal singer with real swagger on stage, and dreams of being a country star like his Grandpa Albie. And just when the Romans’ world couldn’t get more chaotic, enter CATT PHOENIX (Martha Higareda, “Into The Dark: Culture Shock”), the stunning and unpredictable mother of 17-year-old ANA PHOENIX (Emma Milani, “Solve”), a talented, wide-eyed young singer who is trying to get signed to the Roman family’s record label.

MONARCH is 100% owned and produced by FOX Entertainment. Screenwriter Melissa London Hilfers serves as creator, writer and executive producer. Jon Harmon Feldman (“Designated Survivor”) serves as executive producer and showrunner. Gail Berman and Hend Baghdady (The Jackal Group), Michael Rauch (“Instinct,” “Royal Pains”) and top music manager Jason Owen (Sandbox Entertainment) also serve as executive producers. Jason Ensler (“The Passage”) directed the series premiere, on which he also served as an executive producer. The series will feature original music and covers.

International superstar Shania Twain is a five-time Grammy winner and one of music’s most renowned trailblazers. With five albums released and more than 100 million albums sold worldwide, Twain remains the top-selling female country pop artist of all time. Her hits include “Any Man of Mine,” “That Don’t Impress Me Much,” “You’re Still the One” and “Man! I Feel Like A Woman!.” Twain was the first artist in history to release three consecutive Diamond-certified albums. Twain’s first album in 15 years, NOW, was released in September 2017 and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 albums, making it the first female country release in more than three years to top the all-genre chart. Additionally, the album landed at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country album charts and went to No. 1 in Canada, Australia and the U.K. The release was followed by a year-long sold-out NOW World Tour. Twain is currently performing at her second residency in Las Vegas, called “Let’s Go!.” The residency at the Zappos Theater in Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino kicked off with a sold-out run and continues through 2022. On July 26, Netflix released “Shania Twain: Not Just a Girl,” a brand-new, career-spanning documentary on Twain’s life and career with an accompanying highlights album. Twain, the Queen of Country Pop, will return with new music this year.

Multiple-Grammy nominee Martina McBride sold more than 23 million albums to date, which includes 20 Top 10 singles and six #1 hits. McBride has earned more than 15 major music awards, including four wins for Female Vocalist of the Year from the Country Music Association, and three wins for Top Female Vocalist from the Academy of Country Music. McBride has been awarded 14 Gold Records, nine Platinum honors, three Double Platinum Records, and two Triple Platinum Awards. McBride was awarded the Covenant House Beacon of Hope Award and Music Business Association’s prestigious 2015 Harry Chapin Memorial Humanitarian Award for her philanthropic efforts on behalf of domestic violence. In 2019, McBride was honored with the x-apple-data-detectors://2 Icon Award at the ACM Honors, for her impactful contributions to country music. She has released two cookbooks – the first, “Around the Table,” a full-color illustrated collection of her favorite recipes, hosting tips, practical menu planning advice and themed décor inspiration, and her second book, “Martina’s Kitchen Mix: My Recipe Playlist for Real Life,” in October 2018. In 2021, McBride unveiled her first exhibit in the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. The exhibit, titled “The Power of Her Voice,” was recently extended for an additonal year and will run through August 2023. In July of 2021, McBride released “Martina McBride – Greatest Hits: The RCA Years,” a double-LP vinyl package, with a color variant exclusively at Walmart. This fall, McBride will join Wynonna Judd on “The Judds: The Final Tour.” When McBride isn’t in the studio, she focuses her time on charitable causes dear to her heart through her Team Music Is Love charity initiative. McBride resides in Nashville with her husband, John, and their three daughters.

Grammy, ACM, CMA, AMA and Emmy Award-winning group Little Big Town – consisting of members Karen Fairchild, Phillip Sweet, Kimberly Schlapman and Jimi Westbrook – first entered the music scene over 20 years ago with hit songs “Boondocks,” “Bring It On Home,” “Good As Gone” and the Grammy-nominated “Little White Church.” The band’s breakthrough albums Tornado and Pain Killer, produced multiple #1 singles, including “Pontoon,” “Tornado” and “Day Drinking,” as well as the history-making, best-selling country single of 2015, “Girl Crush.” 2017’s The Breaker debuted at #1 on the Billboard Country Charts and Top 10 (No. 4) on the Billboard 200 to critical acclaim. The album features their Grammy-winning, multi-week #1 single, “Better Man,” as well as the 2019 Grammy-nominated “When Someone Stops Loving You.” The band’s self-produced ninth studio album, Nightfall, was released January 2020 and hit the top of the Billboard Country Charts. The record included critically acclaimed and Grammy-nominated “The Daughters,” “Over Drinking” and “Wine, Beer, Whiskey” - the latter of which has reached more than 362 million global streams. In April 2022, they released their new single, “Hell Yeah,” which has amassed more than 30 million global streams to date. Little Big Town has earned more than 45 award show nominations and has taken home nearly 20 awards, including multiple Grammy, AMA, People’s Choice, CMA and ACM Awards, in addition to an Emmy Award. Their highly anticipated 10th studio album, Mr. Sun, will arrive on September 16, 2022.

Edgy. Classic. Country. A defining voice of music and a modern-day legend, two-time 2020 Grammy winner Tanya Tucker continues to inspire artists today. Born in Seminole, TX, Tucker had her first country hit, the classic “Delta Dawn,” at the age of 13 in 1972. Since that auspicious beginning, she has become one of the most admired and influential artists in country music history, amassing 23 Top 40 albums and a stellar string of 56 Top 40 singles, ten of which reached the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Country charts. Tucker’s indelible songs include some of country music’s biggest hits, such as the aforementioned “Delta Dawn,” “Soon,” “Two Sparrows in a Hurricane,” “It’s a Little Too Late,” “Trouble,” “Texas (When I Die),” “If It Don’t Come Easy” and “Strong Enough To Bend.” Tucker is also the recipient of numerous awards, including two CMAs, two ACMs and three CMT Awards. In 2020, Tucker received two Grammy Awards -- for Best Country Album: While I’m Livin’; and Best Country Song: “Bring My Flowers Now.” In the fall of 2020, Fantasy Records released Tanya Tucker – Live From The Troubadour on October 16, the one-year anniversary of Tucker’s historic, standing-room only set from which it originates. Tucker was in the midst of resurgent visibility and acclaim, generated by her Brandi Carlile- and Shooter Jennings-produced While I’m Livin’ album, released two months earlier – so the brief stand in front of the West Hollywood tastemaker crowd took on a palpable air of significance. As someone who’s been center stage for more than 50 years, Tucker is donating a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the album directly to The Troubadour. The country icon’s signature tequila, Tanya Tucker’s Cosa Salvaje Tequila, is now available in 14 U.S. states and Canada, with additional stores carrying the spirit every day.

STONED JESUS Shares New Song, "CON"

Ukrainian sludge rock trio STONED JESUS is now releasing a brand new song, "CON!" The song and visualizer, which was created by the band, can be found below.

The single release is in conjunction with the band's massive upcoming performance in support of DIE TOTEN HOSEN, which will take place on August 20, 2022 at Airport Tempelhof in Berlin (DE). The 60,000 capacity venue is currently sold out!

Lead vocalist and guitarist Igor Sydorenko comments on the track: "'CON' is a pure experiment, a crossroad of many 'what if's' - what if we play a Motorik-type beat in some weird time signatures, what if every word in the lyrics starts with 'con-,' what if the song is constantly evolving despite its short runtime, etc. I'm really happy that trying all these things led to this absolutely brilliant result! Also the guys in the band not only embraced my ideas but also helped on other levels, too: Dmytro (drums) recorded and mixed the whole thing, and Sergii (bass) did the video. Enjoy!"

"CON" can be pre-saved HERE.

"CON" is taken from STONED JESUS' forthcoming psychedelic rock album, 'Fatherlight,' which will be released in 2023. The band previously released the first single, "Porcelain," which can be streamed HERE. Stay tuned for more details!

For frequent updates on the recordings and the band in general, check out STONED JESUS' Facebook or Instagram! 

Formed by Igor Sydorenko in Kyiv in 2009, STONED JESUS quickly progressed beyond their tongue-in-cheek moniker. The Ukrainian trio's second full length "Seven Thunders Road" converged doom, prog and grunge in their own recognizable way and the album's centrepiece, 13-min long "I'm the Mountain", boasts 15 million plays on YouTube.

STONED JESUS's next LP "The Harvest" sounded like a blend of MASTODON, PORCUPINE TREE and SOUNDGARDEN, and their charismatic live shows and relentless touring schedule helped to double and then triple their fanbase in mere months.

While being integral to the European psychedelic rock scene STONED JESUShelped popularize, creatively STONED JESUS never stopped pushing the envelope, taking influences for their newer material from such diverse acts like SWANS, THE CURE, KING CRIMSON and DEFTONES.

Line-up:
Lead-Vocals and Guitar: Igor Sydorenko
Bass and backing vocals: Sergii Sliusar
Drums and backing vocals: Dmytro Zinchenko

Links:
instagram.com/stonedjesusband
http://facebook.com/stonedjesusband
twitter.com/stonedjesusband
youtube.com/c/StonedJesus
stonedjesus.bandcamp.com

Pre-save: https://orcd.co/stonedjesus-porcelain

Photocredit: Daria Mangubi

Booking:
Sound Of Liberation
facebook.com/soundofliberation
instagram.com/soundofliberation

Pennies By The Pound present invigorating 'Burning Wish' single, channeling fab British prog rock

"Big and extravagant classic psychedelic rock.... this is brilliant music for here and now, wherever that may be" ~ Big Takeover Magazine

"A trippy ride that recalls the familiar vibes and sounds of none other than Bob Mould, The Church / Marty Willson-Piper, Marillion and Jethro Tull. Yes, all of them. Loads of flair and professionalism from the band" ~ Amplify Music Magazine

"Indeed a wonderful affair... Pennies By the Pound should be on everyone’s radar as a must-have album of 2021 and a band to watch in future" ~ The Record Stache

Finnish prog rock outfit Pennies By The Pound are back with their new single 'Burning Wish', an invigorating sonic offering and beautiful expression of optimism and adventure, channelled through the prism of fantastic British progressive rock. It will be released on June 8 via the Lilith label. This is the first taste of their sophomore album, expected later this year.

Once again, the band worked with Ride frontman Mark Gardener, who mastered the track at his OX4Sound Studio in Oxford, and top national producer Rauli 'Rake' Eskolin. With over a dozen No.1 records in Finland to his name in the past 20 years, he also produced, recorded and mixed their 2021 record 'Heat Death of the Universe'. Both the album and its singles - 'Indigo Screams' and 'The Waters'- were critically acclaimed.

Hailing from Helsinki, Pennies by the Pound was formed in 2016 by Johannes Susitaival as a solo project, but quickly expanded, involving musicians from his past bands. Their unique sound blends '80s prog rock and '90s-early '00s alternative rock. Heavily guitar-driven with a touch of keyboards, they love big choruses, guitar and keyboard solos, bridges and grandiose arrangements.

While still in a punk rock band, Johannes began exploring quite different musical avenues, which led to Pennies By The Pound's self-produced 'Bloodshed and the Blinding Sunlight' EP in 2018. Having found their ideal producer, they recorded demos in 2019, but only recorded their debut album in late 2020.

"Sometime last year, as it seemed that the pandemic would not be over anytime soon and it was apparent we wouldn't be able to focus on playing live shows for a while, we decided just to keep recording more music. Luckily, I had quite a lot of inspiration for new material and we started putting songs together in late summer, with Alexander Meaney joining in as an additional guitarist. Although it doesn't necessarily show in this particular song, I'd been immersing myself heavily in Genesis (both Gabriel and Collins eras), and that influenced the up and coming album - called 'Nothingside' - a lot," says Johannes Susitaival.

"This is a concept album through and through (both lyrically and musically), containing an abstract story and all that. Thus, it was really hard to decide on any one song to represent the whole, but 'Burning Wish' probably hits closest to the mark. It has got bits and pieces of both the lyrical and the musical theme of the album. It's also definitely a track that sounds a lot like what people probably would expect from us!"

As of June 8, 'Burning Wish' will be released across digital stores and streaming platforms, including Apple Music, Spotify and Bandcamp, where you can also obtain the 'Heat Death of the Universe' LP directly from the artists themselves.

CREDITS
Music and lyrics by Johannes Susitaival
Arrangement by Pennies by the Pound & Rauli Eskolin
Johannes Susitaival - vocals, drums, rhythm guitar, keyboards
Vesa Ranta - lead guitar
Alexander Meaney - rhythm and lead guitar
Tomi Laaksonen - bass
Rauli Eskolin - background vocals, keyboards
Produced, recorded and mixed by Rauli Eskolin
Mastered by Mark Gardener
record label Lilith


Keep up with Pennies By The Pound
Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram | Twitter | Soundcloud | YouTube | Apple Music| Spotify | Booking contact | Press contact

Keep up with Mark Gardener / OX4 Sound
Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Soundcloud | OX4Sound Twitter | Mark Gardener Twitter | Instagram | YouTube |

Manchester indie rock outfit WEIMAR present 'I Smashed The Looking Glass' from debut album 'Dancing On A Volcano'

"Endearing... With their mixed bag of genres, well-digested set of influences and unique eclectic sound, Weimar is one of the most intriguing bands to come from England’s northern capital as of late" ~ The Spill Magazine

“Emphatic execution of highly observant songs informed by life’s surreal and unnerving experiences... Guitars jangle, jolt and drive emotion in equal measure” – Louder Than War

"Awesome... a side order of alternative artifice, artistry and Avant Garde with your pop-rock" ~ Big Takeover Magazine

“An eclectic smorgasbord of elements weaved together in an un-assimilative refreshing feat of ingenuity” – AnR Factory

“Perhaps the most important band to come out of Manchester since Magazine” – Aural Delights

"Highly intriguing... riveting nostalgic air but equally an instant surge of fresh endeavour and tempting" ~ Ringmaster Review

Manchester art-rock quartet Weimar present the single 'I Smashed The Looking Glass', a surreal upbeat rock number enhanced by psychedelic effects, exploring such themes of identity crisis and the interrelationship between the artist's true self and their public persona.

This is the latest taster from the band's debut album 'Dancing On a Volcano' - 12 tracks that were three years in the making, which take the listener on an unpredictable excursion through the socio-political and personal challenges of our modern age.

Weimar (pronounced Vy-marr) is a four-piece made up of vocalist/ guitarist / songwriter Aidan Cross (The Bacillus, Black Light Mutants), bassist John Armstrong (The Speed Of Sound), drummer Anthony ‘Eddy’ Edwards (The Deceased) and guitarist Stephen Sarsen (Frank Is Dead, Playground).

"Thematically, this song is a response to Kraftwerk's classic 'The Hall Of Mirrors', which explored how an artist's true self is distorted and eventually lost in the creation of an ideal persona. 'I Smashed The Looking Glass' is it's spiritual sequel, exploring the artist's escape from the trappings of such a persona, a significant challenge in an age of cult icons and social media performity," says frontman Aidan Cross.

Cynical and sardonic, but also optimistic and hopeful, this song features a special guest appearance from the legendary Loop-Aznavour of Adventures of Salvador(Weimar's German Shepherd Records labelmates) on theremin, enhancing the psychedelic effects that soundtrack the narrator's identity crisis and subsequent triumph over adversity.

Weimar recentluy previewed lead single 'Soho Rain' featuring Leeds artist Finola, dedicated to London's old seedy Soho district, its dying culture and the many artistic and cultural movements that emerged there. Other themes explored on this album include gentrification and cultural erosion, unsavoury characters masquerading as respectable public figures, the grit beneath the glamour, the contrast between polished façades and the decadence within.

Through a maelstrom of musical styles and influences, this album paints a brutal and honest picture of human nature and culture in the 2020s. Earlier this year, Weimar also released the 2-track single 'The Girls of LA' with B-side 'Transatlantic Confusion'.

Embracing post-punk to no wave, cabaret, psychedelia, alternative folk and gothic rock, all blended in a distinctive fusion, this album was produced by Adam Crossleyand Chris Guest of Vibratone Sound Studio. The cover art was created by acclaimed artist and writer Brian Gorman.

Since forming in 2016, Louder Than War named Weimar amongst its 50 Bands To Watch for 2019, the year they debuted the single 'John Doe / Curse the Songs', followed by 'Marvel To The State / Undesirable Master'. Having worked with legendary post-punk producer Simon ‘Ding’ Archer, they've also played with Tom Hingley (Inspiral Carpets) and goth legends Skeletal Family.

'Dancing On A Volcano' LP is out now, available everywhere digitally via German Shepherd Records, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp. It was also released on CD and can be ordered directly from the artist.

ALBUM CREDITS
Written by John Armstrong, Aidan Cross, Anthony Edwards, Stephen Sarsen, Johann Kloos
Produced, mixed & mastered by Adam Crossley and Chris Guest
Recorded at Vibratone Sound Studio, Manchester
Cover Art by Brian Gorman
John Armstrong - Bass
Aidan Cross - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Anthony 'Eddy' Edwards - Drums
Johann Kloos - Lead Guitar
Bob Dinn - Trumpet and flugelhorn ('The Sociopath')
Finola - Saxophone ('Soho Rain', 'Polished Decay', 'Hunter’s Moon')
Chris Guest - Keyboards ('Soho Rain', 'Faded Queen Of The Night')
Loop-Aznavour - Theremin ('I Smashed The Looking Glass')
Susan O’Shea - Keyboards ('The Hangers-On')

Keep up with Weimar
Website | Store | Facebook | Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram | Soundcloud| YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music | Press contact

Keep up with German Shepherd Records
Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram | Twitter

Blake Shelton Releasing New Single and Video “No Body” This Friday, 8/19

Blake Shelton moved to Nashville in the 1990s to follow his country music dreams. With the release this week of his new single, “No Body,” Shelton once again feels like a teenager. “I get excited and feel like a kid every time we release new music,” said Shelton. “But this song in particular takes me back to the ‘90s when I was in high school and first moved to Nashville, because it feels like what the music sounded like at that time.”

Written by Rodney Clawson, Chris Tompkins and Josh Kear, “No Body” tells the story of a guy who doesn’t want to be with “No Body” but the person he’s with. “The hook confused me the first time I heard it – I’m hoping it’s the same way for everyone else so they have to listen to it a bunch of times to figure it out!” laughed Shelton.”

Both the song and the official music video will be available on Friday, Aug. 19. Filmed in a country bar in the Los Angeles area, the video harkens back to that ‘90s era when country establishments were filled with patrons line dancing. The video is authentic to the time and finds Shelton wearing a cowboy hat on top of his infamous mullet.

In addition to the new music, Shelton, who is celebrating his 12th year as a Grand Ole Opry member, will return to the Opry stage in Nashville on Saturday, Sept. 10 for performances in both the early and late shows. Shelton will no doubt perform his new single as well as several of his 28 No. 1 singles.

About Blake Shelton
Blake Shelton continues to add to his impressive resume of music with the release of his latest single “No Body.” The song comes on the heels of his most recent album Body Language Deluxe which features his Platinum-selling 28th country radio chart-topper, “Happy Anywhere” (featuring Gwen Stefani). Prior to “Happy Anywhere,” Shelton and Stefani celebrated a 2x Platinum, multi-week No. 1 with “Nobody But You,” which is now approaching 500 million global streams. The single made its TV debut on the 62nd GRAMMY Awards, where Shelton was also nominated for Best Country Solo Performance for his hit “God’s Country.” The 4x Platinum smash earned the 2019 CMA Award and 2020 ACM Award for Single of the Year. As his award wins approach the hundreds, Shelton remains a force in the industry with ACM (5), AMA (3), CMA (10), CMT (11) and People’s Choice Awards (7), among many others.

As a coach for the Emmy Award-winning television show The Voice, Shelton is an eight-time champion, most recently with his contestant Cam Anthony. He and Carson Daly recently revealed that they would be teaming up to executive produce and star in a new celebrity game show, Barmageddon, to air on USA Network. The Grand Ole Opry member also remains focused on his Ole Red partnership with Ryman Hospitality, with locations currently in Tishomingo, Nashville, Gatlinburg and Orlando. A noted humanitarian, Shelton has helped raise millions of dollars for children’s hospitals, disaster relief organizations, food banks and more in his home state of Oklahoma and throughout the entire country.

For more information, please visit www.BlakeShelton.com and follow @BlakeShelton.

isilmé Releases Official Music Video for Ethereal New Single, "In the Dark"!

Baltimore, MD based, Indie / Alternative duo isilmé has unveiled the visually stunning, official music video for their ethereal new single, "In the Dark." Directed by David Gregory and produced by Cineoteric Films, "In the Dark" was filmed in Isle of Skye, Scotland, featuring a breathtaking backdrop to the already emotionally striking musical composition.

“The music video was shot in one day at four different locations in Isle of Skye, Scotland. The mist seen over the Loch in the opening and final shots of the video is actually not mist at all, but smoke. Neither isilmé nor the crew knew that controlled burning was scheduled on the island for that day - upping the drama of those shots.” - isilmé

“Inspired by the Greek myth of moon goddess Selene and shepherd Endymion (along with our own relationship), ‘In The Dark’ is about two lovers’ separation and longing. Though daylight and consciousness may separate them, they will always have the night.”

isilmé is indie / alternative husband-and-wife duo Eric McCullough and Jayne McCullough. Based in Baltimore, MD the project was founded in 2020 - the same year that the couple found each other. The duo combines ethereal and emotive vocals with intricate instrumental layers to create a sound that is uniquely their own. Thematically, isilmé is autobiographical, transparent, and introspective - taking on their collective and individual triumphs, struggles, and evolution.

"...original, folksy, melodious and meaningful" - U N Indie Folk Music

“a very emotive indie sound. . .beautiful melody and sincere vocals” Alfitude

" ... The whole affair had us drifting in a vat of melancholy. And this act do it very well, by means of being true to that romantic sadness - for each second is soaked in tears of loss and heartbreak ... This is introspection on a grand scale ... Mp3hugger

AMARANTHE - Release Cinematic Version Of "Strong" As New Single!

BUY / LISTEN TO 'STRONG (CINEMATIC VERSION)'

Swedish metal heroes AMARANTHE continue to showcase their versatility and eclectic musical taste. After having released a beautiful orchestral version of their power ballad "Crystalline" and a flamenco-tinged acoustic rendition of their banger "Adrenaline" they are now following up with a "cinematic" version of their hit single "Strong" on which - again - the heavy guitars make way for atmospheric synth layers and orchestral arrangements, giving the song a more laid-back and at the same time very enchanting theatrical feel. You can check out this new interpretation below.

BUY / LISTEN TO AMARANTHE - "STRONG (CINEMATIC VERSION)":
https://amaranthe.bfan.link/strong-cinematic

AMARANTHE comment:
"One of the true high points of the MANIFEST sessions was creating the bonus tracks - after being incredibly happy with the final mix of the main album, we still had an influx of creative energy left in us. The cinematic version of 'Strong' was born from just such a momentum, as we wanted to display a totally different side of the song, as well are our own musical output. We truly hope that you will enjoy this different and very epic side of AMARANTHE!"

MORE FROM AMARANTHE:Stream the single "Adrenalina (Acoustic Version)" here: https://bfan.link/amarantheadrenalina
Watch the official video for "PvP" here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiX1Rc6dTJQ

Watch the official video for "Archangel" here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fExpycwIrU

Watch the official video for "Fearless" here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzPUBTR4L_4

AMARANTHE have spent the last decade establishing themselves as a formidable, positive, and fervently melodic force for metallic good. From their explosive self-titled debut in 2011 to the more sophisticated, streamlined likes of 2014’s Massive Addictive and its immaculate follow-up Maximalism (2016), AMARANTHE has masterfully blurred the lines between melodic metal, crushing brutality, cinematic sweep, and futuristic sparkle. Led by the endlessly ingenious songwriting of guitarist Olof Mörck and powerhouse vocalist Elize Ryd, their rise to prominence has been a joy to behold.

Widely acclaimed as a dazzling live act, the Swedes reached a new peak of creativity on 2018’s hugely successful Helix: an album that pushed the band’s vision to new heights, breadths, and depths, while showcasing the brilliance of Elize and her co-vocalist, recent recruit Nils Molin.

Not just a glorious return but a wholesale upgrade for their exuberant sound, Manifest is simply the most daring, dynamic and unforgettable album that AMARANTHE have released to date. The perfect antidote to the nagging anxieties plaguing us all in these troubled times, it’s a Technicolor celebration of metal’s ageless power, blazing with all of life’s colors and chaos, but delivered with utmost artistry and skill.

AMARANTHE is:
Elize Ryd | vocals
Olof Mörck | guitars, keyboards
Johan Andreassen | bass
Morten Løwe Sørensen | drums
Nils Molin | vocals

CLUTCH debut new single & video 'Slaughter Beach'

Acclaimed US groove rockers Clutch today share spirited new single, "Slaughter Beach". Chockfull of bluesy rock swagger, the brand new track is available from all streaming services now.

Discussing the track, frontman Neil Fallon confides,

"The lyrics for Slaughter Beach were inspired by a late night walk along the southern Delaware Bay. Odd things happen there.”

The official video for the track was directed by My Good Eye's David Brodsky and embraces the band's trademark story-telling skill. Watch it below.

The track is included on Clutch's upcoming thirteenth studio album - Sunrise On Slaughter Beach - a slamming summary of everything that makes the band great and another giant leap forward into career longevity. Set for worldwide release on September 16th via Weathermaker, fans can pre-order now here.

New bangers like “Red Alert (Boss Metal Zone),” “Nosferatu Madre,” “Skeletons On Mars,” “Jackhammer Our Names,” and “Mercy Brown” take their rightful place alongside Clutch classics. Sunrise On Slaughter Beach is the natural culmination of what Clutch began as teenagers in the early ‘90s.

Recorded at the The Magpie Cage Recording Studio, Baltimore, MD, the album was produced and mixed by Grammy nominated Tom Dalgety (Ghost, Royal Blood, Pixies) with additional engineering by J Robbins (Jawbreaker, Against Me!, The Sword).

Sunrise On Slaughter Beach introduces some “firsts” into the Clutch canon: vibraphone (from Gaster), theremin (J. Robbins), and female backup vocals from singers Deborah Bond and Frenchie Davis. The album’s nine songs are a diverse ride, destined to please long-time fans and intrigue newcomers alike. It’s a new chapter in an ever-unfolding story which means as much to the fans as it does to the band.

Clutch have extensive tour plans to support the new album, including a set of US headline dates this Autumn. Joining them on that 26-date run will be Helmet and Quicksand who will be rotating the main support slot nightly and special guest JD Pinkus. Ticket for the tour are on sale now from ClutchOnTour.com.

Sep 13 - Toronto, ON @ Rebel 

Sep 15 - Boston, MA @ House of Blues

Sep 16 - New York, NY @ Palladium Times Square

Sep 17 - Baltimore, MD @ Hammerjacks

Sep 18 - Raleigh, NC @ The Ritz

Sep 20 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE

Sep 21 - Philadelphia, PA @ Franklin Music Hall 

Sep 23 - Louisville, KY @ Louder than Life*

Sep 24 - Nashville, TN @ Marathon Music Works

Sep 25 - Atlanta, GA @ The Eastern 

Sep 27 - Lake Buena Vista, FL @ House of Blues 

Sep 29 - Houston TX @ Warehouse Live

Sep 30 - Dallas, TX @ The Factory in Deep Ellum

Oct 01 - Oklahoma City, OK @ Diamond Ballroom

Oct 02 - Austin, TX @ Emo's 

Oct 04 - Phoenix, AZ @ Van Buren

Oct 05 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Regent

Oct 07 - Sacramento, CA @ Aftershock*

Oct 08 - Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory Concert House

Oct 09 - Portland, OR @ Roseland Theatre

Oct 10 - Seattle, WA @ Showbox SODO 

Oct 12 - Salt Lake City, UT @ the Depot

Oct 13 - Denver, CO @ Fillmore Auditorium 

Oct 14 - Kansas City, MO @ Uptown Theater

Oct 15 - West Des Moines, IA @ Val Air Ballroom

Oct 16 - Chicago, IL @ Concord Music Hall

*Clutch only

ABOUT CLUTCH

Clutch shares more in common with The Grateful Dead, Rush, and the Allman Brothers than their heavy riffs and heady twists-of-phrase might suggest. Because like those bands, the supporters who adore Clutch are there for the experience, community, and authentic connection. To love Clutch is to feel a sense of ownership, membership, and belonging.

Seneca Valley High School classmates Neil Fallon (vocals), Tim Sult (guitar), Dan Maines (bass), and Jean-Paul Gaster(drums) share an unshakeable musical and personal bond now three decades strong. Shaped by the same region which birthed Bad Brains, Minor Threat, and Rites Of Spring, Clutch crafts hyper-literate and libertine jams informed by hardcore fury and fuzzy, athletic, stoner rock.

“There’s no question that Clutch etched themselves a name in the pantheon of great rock bands,” Lambgoat wrote in 2004. Classic Rock counted 2013’s Earth Rocker and 2015’s Psychic Warfare among the 50 Best Rock Albums of the 2010s. Rolling Stone described 2018’s Book of Bad Decisions as “bathed in the grit and liberal fuzz tone that have made their live shows legendary.” The global accolades across their acclaimed catalogue are numerous.

Live shows over the years include tours with Slayer and System Of A Down and more recent co-headlining treks with Dropkick Murphys, Killswitch Engage, and Mastodon. Like Slayer or Iron Maiden, Clutch outlasted rock bands anchored to “hit songs” and the pressure of replicating them. The foursome from Germantown, Maryland, isn’t bound by trends. Across thirteen studio albums and assorted releases since 1991, they’ve earned a reputation as one of the best around.

Neil Fallon - Vocals

Tim Sult - Guitar

Dan Maines - Bass

Jean-Paul Gaster - Drums

Find Clutch Online

www.pro-rock.com

Apple Music / Spotify

St. Louis Black Metal Unit STORMRULER Announce New Album, "Sacred Rites & Black Magick"

St. Louis Black Metal Frontrunners STORMRULER Announce New Album, Sacred Rites & Black Magick, out October 14, 2022

Pre-Order HERE

Hear Scorching First Single & Title Track "Sacred Rites & Black Magick"

St. Louis, MO black metal duo STORMRULER broke out in 2021 with the avid subterranean support of their debut full-length, Under A Burning Eclipse – subsequently garnering scores of acclaim upon its wide re-release via Napalm Records. The album, which Decibel Magazine called, “one of the best black metal albums of the year”, introduced STORMRULER’s beyond-their-years execution of raw, atmospheric black metal doused in extravagant lyricism.

On October 14, 2022, the band consisting of midwestern scene stalwarts Jason Asberry (vocals/guitars/bass) and Jesse Schobel (drums/vocals) return with the aptly-entitled Sacred Rites & Black Magick – this time blistering with more unrelenting intensity while maintaining a haunting, visceral aura more ancient and foreboding than ever. Produced, mixed and mastered by Gabe Usery at Encapsulated Studios and featuring stunning artwork by Giannis Nakos of Remedy Art Design, Sacred Rites & Black Magick weaves epic tales of war, history, black magick and sorcery beyond the standard confines of black metal, birthing an unforgettable conceptual journey of legend that any metal fan would be remiss to ignore.

Today, fans can get a first taste of the album with its sharp debut single, title track "Sacred Rites & Black Magick". The track sets the supreme lyrical and musical mood of the album itself, depicting just how deftly STORMRULER conjures lucid black metal as they inject energetic, unforgettable grooves and riffs into their scorching delivery. Today's track release also arrives alongside its grim official music video.

STORMRULER says about "Sacred Rites & Black Magick":

"We chose Sacred Rites as our first offering for many reasons. We feel as if from the strike of the very first chord it gives off an apparent energy that can be felt throughout the entire album. Lyrically it encompasses the feeling of this record rather well with lyrics ripe of black magick rituals and ancient orders."

Watch the official video for "Sacred Rites & Black Magick" 

As on Under A Burning Eclipse, between each song on Sacred Rites & Black Magick is an intricately positioned interlude building the ambiance and steering the thematic intensity of the album.

Beginning with echoing, clean dual acoustic guitars, introductory interlude “Hymns Of The Slumbering Race” begins the procession of grand ascension and hair raising riffage to come. “Internal Fulmination Of The Grand Deceivers” flashes STORMRULER’s brand of Imperial Black Metal Warfare, shining with heavy bass and blastbeats before cascading into icy atmosphere topped by smoke-cloaked vocals. Entrancing guitars match an ebb and flow of carefully paced interludes and merciless, speeding fury, showcasing standout leads and a blazing solo. Similar epic songwriting, lush lyricism and skillful dynamics can be witnessed on tracks such as the brooding “Entranced Within The Moon Presence”, intricate “In The Shaded Vlasian Forest” and introspective, glistening “Along The Appian Way”. “To Bear The Twin Faces Of The Dragon” stages some of the most menacing sonic escapades and memorable leads of the 20-track offering, combining chants of sorcery with searing screams and waves of crushing melody, while tracks such as “Upon Frozen Shores” weave a sonic tale of occult doom atop triumphant soundscapes, breakneck rhythms and ghostly melodic passages. Closing battle opus “A Malice Dead & Cold” wraps the album with some of its most threatening riffs and heroic leads, fittingly drawing the curtain on the band’s sophomore excursion.

STORMRULER says about Sacred Rites & Black Magick:

"This album is on another level in comparison to our previous offering. It falls in the same vein of the melodic second wave black metal worship of Under The Burning Eclipse, but with a more intense and darker touch. It's got the high speed buzzsaw attack we love, crushing grooves, solid leads, ambience within the interludes and acoustic passages, as well as lyrics that tell a story."

Pre-Order Sacred Rites & Black Magick HERE:

Sacred Rites & Black Magick is available for pre-order in the following formats:

-4 page CD Digipak

-2LP Gatefold Black

-2LP Gatefold Marbled White/Black/Blue - Napalm Mailorder only, limited to 300 worldwide

-Digipak & Shirt Bundle - Napalm RoW Mailorder only

-Full Digital Album

[2LP Gatefold Marbled White/Black/Blue - Napalm Mailorder only, limited to 300 worldwide]

STORMRULER is:

Jason Asberry - Vocals, Guitars and Bass

Jesse Schobel - Drums & Vocals

Oceano Drops Crushing New Single + Music Video "Mass Produced" (via Sumerian Records)

American deathcore mainstays Oceano have released their new crushing track "Mass Produced", mixed and mastered by Joey Sturgis (out via Sumerian Records). Speaking on today's news, vocalist Adam Warren commented:

"As we unleash "MASS PRODUCED" it signifies a new chapter for Oceano. I'm very excited for Oceano fans everywhere to enjoy this song and video. To all the die-hards who connect with this band, thank you for your excitement. We have so much more to share with you on this journey. I'm fired up! Check our tour dates now! I'd love to see you while we're on tour soon I hope!"

Watch the music video for "Mass Produced" below, stream the track here, and stay tuned for more Oceano news coming soon.

Fans also have the chance to see Oceano at Kentucky Irate Festival next weekend as well as on the Dead In My Arms 15-Year Anniversary Tour with Carnifex, Spite, Left to Suffer, and Crown Magnetar starting in September. For ticket info, please click here.

Upcoming Oceano Dates:

8/27 - Louisville, KY @ MG Prime Entertainment Complex

9/18 - Overland Park, KS @ Vivo's

9/19 - Abilene, TX @ The Zone

9/20 - Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad

9/21 - Phoenix, AZ @ Nile Underground

9/22 - Las Vegas, NV @ Fremont Country Club 

Dead In My Arms 15-Year Anniversary Tour Dates:

9/23 - Fresno, CA @ Strummer's

9/24 - Santa Cruz, CA @ The Catalyst Club

9/25 - Berkeley, CA @ Cornerstone

9/26 - Reno, NV @ Cargo Concert Hall

9/28 - Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex

9/29 - Denver, CO @ Summit

9/30 - Colorado Springs, CO @ The Black Sheep

10/1 - Lincoln, NE @ The Royal Grove

10/2 - Iowa City, IA @ Wildwood Saloon

10/4 - Joliet, IL @ The Forge

10/5 - Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave

10/6 - Grand Rapids, MI @ The Intersection

10/7 - Fort Wayne, IN @ Pierre's

10/8 - Cleveland, OH @ The Beachland Ballroom

10/10 - Buffalo, NY @ Rec Room

10/11 - Syracuse, NY @ THE LOST HORIZON

10/12 - Manchester, NH @ Jewel Nightclub

10/13 - Worcester, MA @ Palladium (Upstairs)

10/14 - Atlantic City, NJ @ Anchor Rock Club

10/15 - Frenchtown, NJ @ Artie's

10/16 - Richmond, VA @ The National

10/18 - Greensboro, NC @ The Blind Tiger

10/19 - Knoxville, TN @ The Concourse

10/20 - Cincinnati, OH @ Riverfront Live

10/21 - Sauget, IL @ Pop's

10/22 - Oklahoma City, OK @ Whiskey Nights

10/23 - Wichita, KS @ TempleLive

10/24 - Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall**

10/25 - Dallas, TX @ Southside Music Hall

10/26 - Austin, TX @ Come and Take It Live

10/27 - El Paso, TX @ Rockhouse

10/28 - Tucson, AZ @ Encoretucson

10/29 - Pomona, CA @ The Glass House

**:Oceano + Alpha Virus only

Oceano’s ability to encode such transmission within the framework of tight, taught, and technical heavy music remains a key to their success since 2006. Over the years, the group has ignited a diehard fan base. Picking up where critically acclaimed 2015’s 'Ascendants' and 2017’s 'Revelation' left off, the band expands their patented deathcore punch with brutal heaviness and moments of unrelenting technicality and precision in their newest single, “Mass Produced”. Oceano utilizes thought-provoking lyricism that continues to elevate them within the landscape of heavy music, a key to their success over the past decade.

'HootieFest: The Big Splash' Returns to Mexico January 25-28, 2023

Following an incredible and memorable inaugural event in January of this year, Hootie & the Blowfish is pleased to announce the return of their destination concert vacation - HootieFest: The Big Splash. Hosted January 25 - 28, 2023 on a picturesque stretch of white sand beach at Moon Palace Cancún, the four-day celebration of all things rock will feature three headlining performances on the beach by the GRAMMY Award-winning band, as well as appearances by Gin Blossoms, Collective Soul, Everclear and Edwin McCain. Additional artists, as well as pool party performances and off-site adventures, will be announced in the coming months.

HootieFest packages go on sale to the public on Tuesday, August 23 at 1 p.m. ET and include all-inclusive resort accommodations, concert access, roundtrip airport transportation and more. A special 24-hour pre-sale for HootieFest Alumni will begin Monday, August 22 at 1 p.m. ET. To browse package options and details, visit www.hootiefest.com.

“Enjoying music together on the beach in Mexico was a great way to kick off 2022,” notes Hootie & the Blowfish front man Darius Rucker. “I’m not sure who had more fun - us or the fans! We love that this event brought together some of our best friends in concert, too, so we knew we had to make this a new annual tradition.”

In addition to daytime entertainment, curated activities and nightly concerts, guests are encouraged to explore Mexico’s natural beauty and rich ancient culture during their HootieFest trip via various off-site adventures. Excursion opportunities include diving in underground cenotes, visiting the lost capital of Chichen Itza, discovering the hidden gems of nearby Isla Mujeres, sailing on luxury catamarans and more.

HootieFest: The Big Splash’s ongoing commitment to a comprehensive greening program continues in partnership with Moon Palace, which has been designated as a low carbon tourism provider. In addition to a single-use plastic-free concert area, all waste discarded throughout the resort will be sorted during the event and diverted from landfill. These efforts result in more responsible and sustainable event production while directly contributing to the fight against climate change.

HootieFest: The Big Splash will continue to closely monitor relevant recommendations and guidelines from the CDC, the WHO and local authorities in order to prioritize the health and safety of all guests, artists and staff.

For more information about HootieFest 2023, including how to book all-inclusive packages and payment plan details, please visit: www.hootiefest.com.

About Hootie & the Blowfish
With the rich, bluesy vocals of Darius Rucker and gleeful harmonies of guitarist Mark Bryan, bassist Dean Felber and drummer Jim “Soni” Sonefeld, Hootie & the Blowfish have sold over 25 million records worldwide to date after their infectious melodies hit the airwaves in 1994 with hits such as “Hold My Hand,” “Let Her Cry” and “Only Wanna Be With You.” The quartet met at the University of South Carolina where endless gigs at frat houses and local bars built a major local buzz. Their blend of pop, folk, blues, soul and rock made them hard to pigeonhole, but easily accessible to anyone who loved good music.

Atlantic Records, impressed by their regional draw, signed them and released Cracked Rear View in 1994. The album had been out for six months before the band played on the “Late Show with David Letterman” which sent sales skyrocketing, eventually landing at No. 1 on the Billboard chart the following spring. Cracked Rear View and the band went on to win two GRAMMY Awards, an MTV Video Music Award, a Billboard Music Award and multiple People's Choice Awards. Cracked Rear View also earned the band Billboard's Band of the Year Award in 1996 and the RIAA's Diamond Award for sales in excess of 10 million units. At 21x Platinum, Cracked Rear View remains among the Top 10 best-selling studio albums in music business history.

The band remained a top draw nationwide following their debut and released five more albums for Atlantic: Fairweather Johnson, Musical Chairs, Scattered, Smothered & Covered, Hootie & the Blowfish and The Best of Hootie & the Blowfish, as well as Looking For Lucky on their own Sneaky Long Records and LIVE in Charleston, The Homegrown Concert Event DVD and CD. The band took a break from full-time touring in 2007, reuniting annually for a variety of philanthropic events while also pursuing solo projects. 2019 marked the band's first full-time touring year in over a decade as they embarked on the sold-out Group Therapy Tour in support of Imperfect Circle, released in late 2019 under a new record deal with Universal Music Group’s Capitol Nashville.

About Palace Resorts
With ten oceanfront resorts overlooking sparkling turquoise waters, Palace Resorts sets the highest standards for five-star all-inclusive vacations in Mexico and Jamaica. Offering luxurious and spacious accommodations accentuated by signature in-room double whirlpool tubs, nightly entertainment, the Caribbean & Mexico’s most extravagant spas, a premier Jack Nicklaus signature golf course, Palace Resorts sets the stage for a truly exceptional experience for travelers. The unparalleled level of service and comfort found at each property makes Palace Resorts a leading provider of world-class resort vacations. For more information, visit www.palaceresorts.com.

Karamelien release debut single 'Ascension Heights', inspired by and featuring Yardbirds legend Top Topham

''One of the best singles so far in 2022, this is a true work of beauty and professionalism, taking you to your very own ascension heights" ~ Amplify Music Magazine

UK-based soulful indie pop duo Karamelien present their debut single 'Ascension Heights', a laid-back and groovy summer tune inspired by and featuring Top Topham's track of the same name. While technically a new project, this soaring perfect pop offering actually has a rich and touching backstory.

Based in East Grinstead, Karamelien is made up of singer-songwriter Léanie Kaleido and guitarist Mark Foster - two long-time friends. The breezy heartened video, created by Eveshka Ghost, perfectly captures the elevated spirit of this song and its creators.

'Ascension Heights' samples the track of the same name by Léanie's father Top Topham, the original founding guitarist of The Yardbirds before Eric Claptonassumed his place. After all, while he may have been ahead of his years musically, he was actually just 15 and his parents wanted him to finish his Art studies. Topham would eventually sign to Mike Vernon's Blue Horizon record label as a solo artist. Much later, he also re-joined The Yardbirds for part of their 50th anniversary tour, which took place several years ago.

Produced by RIDE frontman Mark Gardener at OX4 Sound near Oxford, this song features an appearance by a special guest bassist - Mo Pleasure, formerly of Earth, Wind & Fire, whose CV also includes performances with Ray Charles, Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson, among others.

"I met Mark Foster in my twenties through a mutual friend, when he started to play my songs live with me. My first album's title 'Karamelien' was made up as an anagram of both of our names’. I also like it as an artist name, so decided to go with it as Mark and I are now back playing together again," says Léanie Kaleido.

"We took my quirky but melodic songwriting style and introduced a more bass and beats-driven sound á la Morcheeba, Portishead, Massive Attack, etc. I'm just focusing on having fun with my songs now and drawing on my influences from both indie and hip hop, but always influenced by classic songwriters. such as Elton John and Joan Armatrading,"

Indeed, this project brings Léanie Kaleido's music into new exciting territory. More firmly in singer-songwriter territory was her 2021 critically acclaimed album 'How To Weigh A Whale Without A Scale', also produced by Mark Gardener at OX4 Sound.

"Ascension Heights' is "a really moving Father / Daughter work of beauty. A total pleasure and honour to work on... A hot tune for the hot summer for sure," says Mark Gardener.

With guidance from Paul Statham (Dido, Simple Minds, Kylie Minogue, Geri Halliwell, Emma Bunton, Sophie Ellis Bextor, Rachel Stevens, Natalie Imbruglia) in sampling her father's track, Kaleido performed the pre-production work on this song from home, saying this "was a great feeling and allowed me more room to experiment with hip-hop beats".

'Ascension Heights' is out now, available everywhere online, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp.

CREDITS
Written by Léanie Kaleido
Léanie Kaleido - vocals, piano, keys, programming, arrangements
Guitar and intro sample (with permission from Blue Horizon Records) from Top Topham's 'Ascension Heights'
Mark Foster - guitars
Mo Pleasure - bass
Produced by Mark Gardener at OX4 Sound
Additional production by Joolz Dunkley
Mastered by Turan Audio
Top Topham sample permitted by Blue Horizon Records.
Video and artist photography by Eveshka Ghost


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