Ministry Has Something To Say About “B.D.E.” The Latest Track From HOPIUMFORTHEMASSES Out March 1; Industrial Giant’s Tour Kicks Off February 27

January 24, 2024

Toxic misogyny, violence against women, and incels are the latest target Al Jourgensen takes aim at in the song “B.D.E.” (aka “Big Dick Energy”) out today, including a spellbinding music video that draws the line on the poisonous behavior seen in both politics and everyday life in 2024.

See the music video for “B.D.E.” below.

The song’s whiplash riffs, barreling drums, punchy keys, and pummeling bass all come to a head in the thrash breakdown mid-song, putting the aggressive talents of Jourgensen and the full band — John Bechdel (keyboards), Monte Pittman and Cesar Soto (guitars), Roy Mayorga (drums) and Paul D’Amour (bass) — on full display.

Says Jourgensen of the track: “The incel subsect and general misogynistic tendencies in our society are dangerous yet seem to fly under the radar so we figured it’s time to shine a light on it. In true Ministry fashion we battle it with sarcasm”

“B.D.E.” hails from Ministry’s upcoming 16th studio album

HOPIUMFORTHEMASSES (out March 1, 2024 on Nuclear Blast Records) and follows the release of earlier singles “Just Stop Oil” and “Goddamn White Trash,” all of which give a preview of the state of mind of creator and band leader Jourgensen who is cantankerous as ever about a f***ed up world ripe for a boot up its ass. Like always, he's merely looking around at the same dumpster fire we all are, but he's got a microphone and uses it well to rage on about the state of the world.

Joined by Ministry’s current frontline of musicians, HOPIUMFORTHEMASSES also has a slew of special guest contributors including Gogol Bordello’s Eugene Hutz, long-time collaborator and Lard companion Jello Biafra and Corrosion of Conformity frontman Pepper Keenan.

HOPIUMFORTHEMASSES will be available in three vinyl variants, a CD jewelcase and digital/streaming platforms. The vinyl variants include: green with yellow splatter (in stores everywhere); blue with pink splatter (nuclear blast exclusive); red with white splatter (band/tour exclusive).

Pre-order HOPIUMFORTHEMASSES HERE

Find HOPIUMFORTHEMASSES exclusive merchandise and Red Splatter LP at: https://ministryofficial.store/

Ministry will play the new songs live on a Spring 2024 tour, kicking off February 27, supported by Gary Numan and Front Line Assembly.

VIP upgrades are available and include:

Meet and Greet with Al Jourgensen
Ministry Back Patch
VIP Silkscreen Poster
Souvenir VIP Laminate w Lanyard
Crowd Free Merch Shopping.

Find more information at: https://tix.soundrink.com/tours/ministry

MINISTRY SPRING 2024 NORTH AMERICAN TOUR

Joined By Gary Numan & Front Line Assembly

February 2024

27 San Francisco, CA @ The Warfield

29 Eugene, OR @ McDonald Theatre

March 2024

1 Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater

2 Seattle, WA @ Showbox SoDo

3 Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom

5 Calgary, AB @ Palace Theatre

6 Edmonton, AB @ Midway Music Hall

8 Winnipeg, MB @ Burton Cummings Theatre

9 Minneapolis, MN @ The Fillmore

10 Madison, WI @ The Sylvee

12 Columbus, OH @ Kemba Live

13 Detroit, MI @ Royal Oak Music Theater

14 Chicago, IL @ Aragon Ballroom

16 Toronto, ON @ History

17 Montreal, QC @ MTelus

18 Boston, MA @ Roadrunner

19 New York, NY @ Terminal 5

20 Bethlehem, PA @ Wind Creek Casino

22 Cherokee, NC @ Harrah’s Cherokee

23 Orlando, FL @ Hard Rock Live

24 Tampa, FL @ Jannus Landing

26 Birmingham, AL @ Avondale

27 Biloxi, MS @ Hard Rock Casino Biloxi***

29 Houston, TX @ House of Blues

30 Dallas, TX @ The Factory

31 Tulsa, OK @ Tulsa Theater

April 2024

2 Denver, CO @ Mission Ballroom

4 Las Vegas, NV @ The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas

5 Tucson, AZ @ Rialto Theatre

***Front Line Assembly is not appearing

For tickets and more information, visit www.ministryband.com/tour

ABOUT MINISTRY

Born in 1981 in Chicago, Ministry has been the lifetime passion project of founder Al Jourgensen, considered to be the pioneer of industrial music. In its early days, Ministry was identifiable by its heavy synth-pop material in line with the new sounds and technology that were being developed in the ‘80s. Ministry’s output began with four 12” singles on Wax Trax! Records in 1981 before the first LP With Sympathy in 1983 via Arista Records. As time progressed however, so did Ministry, quickly developing a harsher, and more stylized sound that the band soon became infamous for on seminal albums Twitch (1986), The Land of Rape and Honey (1988), and The Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Taste (1989). With the release of Psalm 69: The Way to Succeed and The Way to Suck Eggs (1992), Ministry hit an all-time high in the mainstream musical realm and received its first Grammy nomination. In total, Ministry has been nominated for a Grammy award six times. Eight more albums would follow before an indefinite break in 2013, only to be unearthed again in 2018 with AmeriKKKant, continuing to reflect Jourgensen’s views on the frightening state of society and politics. The 2021 album Moral Hygiene marked a new creative era of Jourgensen and the band. Ministry’s 16th studio album, HOPIUMFORTHEMASSES, will be released in early 2024 via Nuclear Blast Records.

Find Ministry Online

Website: www.ministryband.com

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/WeAreMinistry

Twitter: www.Twitter.com/WeAreMinistry

Instagram: www.Instagram.com/WeAreMinistry

Ministry Press Contact

Selena Fragassi

selena@fr-pr.net

SKELETAL REMAINS Unleashes Music Video for New Single, “To Conquer the Devout,” U.S. Album Release Shows Announced

January 24, 2024

PRE-ORDER // STREAM

American death metal purveyors SKELETAL REMAINS are now unleashing yet another brutal new single, "To Conquer the Devout," along with another mind-bending music video! The track is taken from the band's upcoming full-length, 'Fragments of the Ageless,' which is due via Century Media Records on March 8, 2024! The video, which was directed by Dillon Vaughn, can be found below.

The band comments: “It is a speed driven groove fest perfectly capturing the aggression of an archaic deity ridding the world of all who follow the incoherent word of their false religion through blasphemy inspired by the power of ignorance and blind faith which continues to poison the minds of millions throughout this fucked up planet.”

In addition, SKELETAL REMAINS will be embarking on a run of album release showsthroughout the U.S. West Coast this March! The trek will kick off on March 7 in Santa Rosa, CA and will conclude on March 10 in Las Vegas, NV. The full itinerary can be found below while tickets are available HERE.

Pre-orders and additional album details for 'Fragments of the Ageless' are live HERE and can be found in the following formats:

Ltd. CD Digipak

Ltd. Gatefold transp. magenta LP

Ltd. Gatefold lemon colored LP (300x) available at cmdistro.de and Evil Greed

Ltd. Gatefold transp. light blue LP (300x) available at cmdistro.de and various other retailers

Ltd. Gatefold Opaque Spring Green LP (US version)

Ltd. Gatefold Sunspot LP (500x) available from US Indie outlets and SKELETAL REMAINS

Digital album

GET TICKETS HERE

SKELETAL REMAINS (Record Release Shows):

03/07: Santa Rosa, CA @ Arlene Francis Center

03/08: Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom (+ Kommand & Apparition)

03/09: Santa Ana, CA @ La Santa (+ Upon Stone & Crematory Stench)

03/10: Las Vegas, NV @ The Usual Place

Skeletal Remains’s ultra-brutal new album, Fragments of the Ageless, is upon us! The Americans—featuring Mike De La O (guitars), Chris Monroy (guitars/vocals), Pierce Williams (drums), and newcomer Brian Rush (bass)—kept busy after their much-hailed The Entombment of Chaos landed into a chaotic world in 2020. Rather than sit idle, the re-energized quartet crafted their penultimate statement. Tracks like “Void of Despair,” which Monroy describes as “aggressive and spastic,” “To Conquer the Devout,” “Relentless Appetite,” and “Verminous Embodiment” are death metal manifested in sound fundamentals, killer musicianship, and the right attitude. While Skeletal Remains have had four full-lengths since forming in 2011, Fragments of the Ageless is the band in their highest grotesque gear yet.

“With every record, we try to push ourselves to make a better record,” Monroy says. “We don’t get into, ‘We need to sound more like this or that.’ What comes out of us is natural. Actually, that’s how it’s been since the first record [Beyond the Flesh]. As death metal fans, we write what we enjoy and want to listen to. Having Pierce and Brian join the band played a big part in the new album. They live in Portland, and the rest of the band is in Los Angeles, so there’s a bit of a gap, but we use technology a lot when we write. They gave us a fresh set of ears.”

The principal songwriting for Fragments of the Ageless started during the pandemic but picked up considerable steam once the band were back on the road in 2022, where they played countless shows and festivals in the U.S., Europe, South America, Central America, and Australia. With Pierce and Brian fully in the fold, Monroy and De La O found themselves, in a way, back to square one, namely the “entire band effort” that comprised their 2012 debut, Beyond the Flesh. The savage DNA of Skeletal Remains is intact, but it’s been altered—no, improved!—iteratively to attack more, devour absolutely, and technically inspire. Tracks like video singles “Void of Despair,” “To Conquer the Devout,” “Relentless Appetite,” as well as deeper album cuts “Forever in Sufferance,” “Verminous Embodiment,” and “Unmerciful” are ravenous.

“It’s more brutal than the last one,” says Monroy. “We were pushing ourselves to be more extreme—vibing on that as much as possible. Obviously, we’re not tech-death now, but I think we took inspiration from the techier side of things. We took things up a notch and dialed in on the technicality and ever-increasing intensity while maintaining catchiness. We still have songs like ‘Eternal Hatred’ [from The Entombment of Chaos]. There’s always room for super-simple mid-paced songs in Skeletal Remains. On one end, we’ve increased in density and brutality; on the other, we wrote a few songs with longer and more ‘epic’ structures. 'Fragments' is simply the next evolutionary step in our sound.”

Lyrically, Skeletal Remains took the left-hand path. Rather than topics and themes inspiring the cover art, Dan Seagrave’s (Suffocation, Entombed, et al.) famously atramentous detail conversely informed the lyrics and album title. Monroy says they had working titles that they conveyed to Seagrave, but the final painting sparked the title, Fragments of the Ageless. Of course, the usual influx of sci-fi, historical, personal struggles, and fantastical also played a part.

“Seagrave completed the cover art before we had a title,” Monroy says. “That was kind of weird, but it worked in our favor. The cover art directly inspired a few of the lyrics and musical themes, tying multiple pieces together, which is a first for us. We did show him different pieces of art—10 in all, I think—that we liked, so there was direction. We wanted a mixture of things, with the final idea being a creature being taken apart and its DNA extracted. Seagrave’s crazy brain made it all come to life.”

Skeletal Remains recorded Fragments of the Ageless at various home and professional studios. Most of the guitars, bass, and solos were tracked DIY. The band wanted the drums to sound as imposing as possible, so they booked Trench Studios (Intronaut, Hirax) with John Haddad, while the vocals were cut at Birdcage Studios with Allen Falcon (Pestilent Death). Once the album’s core had been recorded, Monroy and the team sent their sick slab to Swedish studio ace Dan Swanö (Asphyx, Incantation) for mixing and mastering. If the blistering leads of “Void of Despair” and “Verminous Embodiment” don’t impress, then check out the blasting drums of “Cybernetic Harvest” and “Relentless Appetite.”

“Dan really gets it,” says Monroy. “He’ll send us mixes, and he’ll automatically add stuff like effects and little details throughout the back and forth. He knows what we want before we can tell him. Dan understands what we’re going for. There’s mutual understanding and respect. Of course, he’s been mixing and mastering for a long time and has made a name for himself, but we’re really happy with the production on 'Fragments.' It jumps out at you.”

Monroy says the band’s goal with Fragments of the Ageless is to continue death metal’s lineage—to honor the past and present. The future, however, is lined with more touring and festivals. Having just come off a stateside run with Suffocation and Incantation late last year, Skeletal Remains are poised to ravage more of the world, with high-profile slots at Wacken (Germany) and Alcatraz (Belgium) festivals already secured.

Death… Is just the beginning with Skeletal Remains’s Fragments of the Ageless.

Line-up:

Chris Monroy - guitars/vocals

Mike De La O - guitars

Pierce Williams - drums

Brian Rush - bass

Album Art:

Dan Seagrave

Album Title Logo:

Kyle Bowen

Bio:

Chris Dick

Follow:

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

INSTAGRAM

FACEBOOK

STREAM // DOWNLOAD

BLACK SMOKE TRIGGER Unveil Heartfelt Single "PERFECT TORTURE"

January 24, 2024

In a touching nod to the recent natural turmoil in their homeland of New Zealand, rock powerhouse, Black Smoke Trigger, have dropped their latest single "Perfect Torture". The single comes with a striking music video that beautifully parallels the emotional turbulence of the song with the band's personal experience with Cyclone Gabrielle and the devastation it wreaked on their hometown of Hawke’s Bay. Stream the powerfully emotive track HERE and watch the music video below.

"Perfect Torture really developed in the studio, with producer Nick Raskulinecz we experimented a lot to get the vibe right and I think we nailed it. The raw acoustic intro really allows space to show off Baldrick's voice and the song really goes from 0 - 60 as it gets darker and reaches the first chorus where Baldrick completely unleashes. The song is about someone you love that just doesn't make it easy, but in the end, you know it's worth the fight to weather to storm, hence the line 'Your love is perfect torture'. We really wanted this song to be a journey when you listen to it, and take you through different emotions, from the most calming & loving, to the complete opposite," says guitarist and band leader Charlie Wallace.

Creating a visual representation for "Perfect Torture" became more than a music video production – it turned into a labor of love and a tribute. The song's thematic focus on emotional struggle is mirrored in the video's stormy imagery, paying tribute to the resilience shown by those affected. "Perfect Torture" stands as a powerful metaphor for the trials and tribulations that challenge us, both in love and life.

"After we had the concept and figured out how to pull it off, our director was having a hard time finding an art department who was going to create what we wanted, so we said, “screw it, let's be the art department!”. So the band and our crew created the surreal hill you see in the video. All of the leaves, trees and real grass actually came from my house, my Dad drove it all up in a van to the studio in Auckland that we filmed it. We had just had a cyclone (Cyclone Gabrielle) that really devastated our hometown in Hawke's Bay, so I drove down to the river to collect a bunch of stuff that had been washed up. This for us gave it a bigger meaning, as there were people who lost their homes, pets and even their lives in this cyclone. So having a music video showing a storm coming in and wreaking havoc, in a weird way, is a tribute to what people had to go through," Wallace reflects on the creative process.

Black Smoke Trigger continues to ride the high of their dynamic rock, anchored by the distinctive guitar work of Wallace and the commanding vocals of Baldrick combined with their pummelling rhythm section courtesy of bassist Dan Fulton, and drummer Josh Te Maro. Fast becoming known for not only churning out certified 10/10, arena ready rock bangers, Black Smoke Trigger are also quickly garnering a reputation for creating jaw dropping and often death defying music videos.

“Perfect Torture” follows the release of their previous single, “The Way Down”, the video for which saw the band perform atop the tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere whilst Wallace jumped off the edge, shredding a guitar solo whilst plummeting 630ft and has clocked up over 1 million views on YouTube. Prior to that, the band put out track “Caught In The Undertow”, the video for which was also a feat of extreme conditions. Filmed at Muriwai beach in Auckland, New Zealand and at a helicopter crash testing facility in a 3.6M deep pool, the whole band performed much of the song underwater creating a stunning visual that has clocked up 3.2 million Youtube views and highlighting the band’s dedication to creating unforgettable visual accompaniments for their hard-hitting rock anthems.

Black Smoke Trigger will be supporting Filter on the Australia and New Zealand leg of their Algorithm World Tour this April. For full dates and tickets head to www.blacksmoketrigger.com

With their debut, full length album set for release this May, the horizon shines bright for these Kiwi rock trailblazers. Stay tuned for much more to come.

ABOUT BLACK SMOKE TRIGGER

Black Smoke Trigger are led by Wallace (creator of the hugely successful Guitar Mastery Method) whose insane talent provides everything from delicate melodic motifs to face-melting shred solos and stadium-conquering riffs. They are fronted by incendiary vocalist Baldrick, whose impressive vocal abilities provide that indefinable, timeless rock n roll soul to the Black Smoke Trigger sound. Bassist Dan Fulton, and drummer Josh Te Maro round out the line-up, joining forces to create a powerhouse rhythmic backbone and one of the most bombastic and inventive rhythm sections of recent years.

With a rapidly growing fanbase, millions of streams, a reputation for raucous live shows and irrepressibly fearless approach to their craft, Black Smoke Trigger are poised to be the biggest and most thrilling entity to come from New Zealand since the Lord of The Rings movies. Just with more rock n roll and less hobbits.

NONEXISTER Share Video For "Where Does Your Mind Go"

January 24, 2024

DEBUT ALBUM DEMONS OUT MARCH 15

Zurich's NONEXISTER have released their new single "Where Does Your Mind Go." Watch the video below.

Since their first single "Your Pain Up My Veins," the band has consistently delivered captivating and cinematic videos and their latest output is no exception.

Singer Nik Leuthold says, "The video for ''Where Does Your Mind Go' is a radical, stunning piece of art by Elias Ressegatti, portraying the topic of the song perfectly: a woman underwater, literally running out of air. It was filmed in one take and is completely real. Since both her struggle to hold her breath and her suffering are real, we as spectators feel it ourselves almost physically, we're with her. Luckily, we knew the perfect actress for the role — Martina MoMo Kunz, who is also a free diver. It would have been impossible for someone without the right training to do the job."

Director Elias Ressegatti says of the video, "In this increasingly fast-paced world full of constant distractions, the video forces the viewer to experience the length of the song in an increasingly oppressive state — watching a young woman nearly drown herself during the four minutes of the song, almost in real time — without much to distract us visually."

He continues, "It's a distillation of the essence of 'Where Does Your Mind Go' a multi-layered, visual composition, always in service of the song's lyrics. A quiet piece to meditate on, to contemplate, to take in in an ever-expanding world, built of layers of noise."

Actress Martina Momo Kunz commented on the song, the video, and her demanding work, saying "When Nik asked me to do the breath-hold, I was both excited and scared at the same time. Holding your breath in front of the camera and an entire team is a big challenge, as you have to put yourself in a meditative state in order to counteract the fears that arise by calming down. 'Where Does Your Mind Go' somehow describes this process exactly; first the thoughts become calm, you drift into a dreamland, into a fantasy world, like the reverberating guitar riffs, and when the chorus comes, the fear rises and the battle between instinct and will begins. The battle with the edge, the lust for the edge, the lust for life and the lust for death."

NONEXISTER's latest release may not be as loud and heavy as the band's previous releases, but it's just as intense. In "Where Does Your Mind Go," the desert-like wideness of sound meets the isolation of introspection, and the sonic landscape mirrors the deepest depths of the soul.

On March 15, NONEXISTER's debut album, Demons, will be released digitally, on CD and as a 2xLP gatefold vinyl (180g) including a bonus track via the band's own label (Distribution: The Orchard). Pre-order as CD and white vinyl here.

NONEXISTER thrive on the interplay between the energy of electronic music and the catharsis of heavy music. As if they were soundtracking an after-hours club in the middle of nowhere, the Zurich-based band, consisting of Marco Neeser (electronics, songwriting, production), Nik Leuthold (vocals, songwriting, production), Reto "Fu" Gaffuri (bass), Siro Müller (drums, backing vocals), and Silvan Gerhard (guitar, backing vocals), swings like a pendulum between moments of industrial ecstasy and moshpit-ready outbursts.

About Demons, Nik says: "I'm over the moon that our debut album Demons is finally finished and will be released in March. It's been a long journey and I'm very proud of the result. Working with Marco has been a real stroke of luck, taking us both to places we wouldn't have reached on our own. So many great people have helped shape the final product, tweaking every detail so that this baby is a real beauty."

Demons is a journey through the depths of the human soul — dark, disturbing, dynamic, contradictory, and deeply emotional. The lyrics explore these depths and sonically, so does the album. While it's full of pummeling grooves, ready for the mosh pit, there are also eerie, strange moments that gnaw at the listener's brain. The album was recorded at Marco's home studio, New Sound Studio, with producer Tommy Vetterli, known as the mastermind behind Coroner and member of legendary thrashers Kreator, adding another dimension to the production. Vetterli also composed the backings and adlibs together with Nik.

London's SABATTA unveils fiery instrumental rockout 'Take You There' with new video

January 24, 2024

"An unholy amalgamation of sounds... Refusing to obey genre lines, they eventually realised that their misfit sound was what defined them – and they didn't want to fit in anyway" ~ Clash Magazine

"Charismatic and wild,... psychedelia, grunge punk and funk with some great shredding and even falsetto heights.... a blaze of fiery, magnetic vocals, funked-out bass and thrashing guitar" ~ The Spill Magazine

"The grit and the glory... a powerful calling card for the album... You can hear the London concrete embedded in their sound and it is brutalist and compelling" ~ Joyzine

"2024 may be young as far years go, but it may very well already have its best instrumental track... a riff heavy workout that’s full of bluesy bliss and pure hard rock groove... bona fide melodic muscle" ~ Stereo Embers Magazine

"Exhibiting a style that can be closely linked to punk legends Bad Brains and Dead Kennedys... uncompromising modern punk rock music" ~ Fortitude Magazine

To kick off 2024, London-based alternative-psychedelic rock artist Sabatta presents the single 'Take You There', a special rollout for rock lovers! Unashamed and unabashed, Yinka lets his guitar rip in a similar vein to Van Halen’s 'Eruption' with the soul-wrenched vibes of Hendrix. This powerhouse song packs more rock and roll integrity into just a few minutes than many offer in an entire album. Breathe it in! This song is lifted from his new album 'How To Get Even’ (out now via Blackfriars Entertainment).

Revolving around guitarist and songwriter Yinka Oyewole, who was raised in Essex and is of Nigerian lineage, Sabatta crafts a raw and individual sound with spiky guitar and an inimitable voice, like a mix of Hendrix, QOTSA and early Red Hot Chili Peppers, strained through the sieve of South London. It's no wonder with musical influences ranging from Curtis Mayfield, Prince, Tupac and Hendrix to Bad Brains, Thin Lizzy, Parliament / Funkadelic and Black Sabbath.

"'Take You There' is an "extraterrestrial blues riff fest, a 2-minute instrumental cosmic slop with furious guitar antics," says Yinka. "I wanted this album to be authentic from start to finish to the spirit of Sabatta. Anyone who’s seen Sabatta live knows there’ll be points in the show, sometimes at the start and elsewhere in the set where I just left to fly on the guitar - I improvise and basically let the spirit take me and let the guitar howl, growl and scream - outside of song. This single is kind of like henresing that energy for 2 mins. If you love this genre of music, you'll love this tune!

Earlier, Sabatta also released the groove-laden singles 'Get Over Yourself' and ''Get Your Shit Together'. From the opening drum rolls of the album’s first track 'Something' to the lilting final notes of album closer 'Small VIctories', 'How To Get Even' is a bit like sitting in a South London dive bar with singer/guitarist , setting the world to rights until the sun comes up. The chorus of the opener defiantly announces ‘I can’t be something you want that I know I’m not!’, a sentiment that runs throughout the album, explored against the backdrop of a raw, spiky guitar sound and inimitable voice.

He shares, "While songs like 'To Love Me Is To Know Me', 'Not Today' and the title track 'How To Get Even' show a defiant and indomitable spirit, 'Plugged In' and 'Here I Go Again' respectively celebrate the importance of living in the moment and finding new love. Back-to-back tracks 'Blood, Sweat and Tears'and 'Get Over Yourself' are almost like a yin and yang to each other, the former acknowledging struggle and the latter warning not to take it all too personal. 'Get Your Shit Together' is a mantra we all need to hear sometimes, while 'One Chance’ is a deeper, darker tale of survival."

Produced and mixed by Oyewole, this album was recorded by Alex Franklinos at Shrunken Heads Studio (King Krule, Ghostpoet, Songdog, Domino Records)and mastered at London's EC Mastering (Sony, Universal, BBC).

Yinka Oyewole began making noise with Sabatta's debut album 'Middle Of the Night' in 2015, their sound compared to Hendrix and QOTSA, but with an edge like Bad Brains and The Clash, the album’s lead single 'Politician' garnered national play on BBC 6 Music, setting the band off touring nationally.

The ‘How To Get Even' album is out now, available from all fine digital music platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp, with a CD release anticipated later this spring.

CREDITS
Music & lyrics by Yinka Oyewole
Recorded by Alex Franklinos at Shrunken Heads Studio, London
Produced & mixed by Yinka Oyewole for Blackfriars Entertainment
Mastered by Aaron McIntosh at EC Mastering, London
Yinka Oyewole - guitar, vocals, bass
Adam Frederick Jacques - drums
Cover artwork by Tilt Designs
Artist photography by Marisa Knight
'Get Over Yourself' video shot & directed by Rodney Victor Williams
Co-directed by Yinka Oyewole
Edited by Alan Schaaf for Otter Studios
Filmed on location in Borough, South-East London
Aaron Scars - bass (video)
Sebastian Fernandez - drums (video)
Location manager - Art Terry

Keep up with Sabatta
Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Soundcloud | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music | Booking contact | Press contact

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

Scotty McCreery Debuts Official Music Video for Chart Climbing Single "Cab in a Solo"

January 23, 2024

Triple Tigers recording artist Scotty McCreery follows the release of boisterous new track “Can’t Pass the Bar” with the official music video for his current radio single, “Cab in a Solo.” The video made its broadcast premiere on CMT earlier this morning and will be played on the Paramount billboard in New York City’s Times Square at 12 noon ET. It will premiere online later today at 5 pm ET / 4 pm CT on YouTube. McCreery will join for a special live chat during the video premiere. Tune in to the “Cab in a Solo” video premiere below.

The new video, directed by McCreery’s frequent collaborator, Austin, TX-based filmmaker Jeff Ray, gives fans a glimpse behind the scenes showing the country superstar in the studio with son Avery, who makes his music video debut, and co-producer Frank Rogers while recording “Cab in a Solo.” It also showcases McCreery performing in front of 92,003 fans at the University of Nebraska’s Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, NE last year following the Ladies Volleyball Team’s winning match against Omaha, which set a new women’s sporting event attendance world record.

“This video showcases both the quieter parts of my life like having my son Avery with me in the studio with Frank, as well as the wilder parts of my life such as performing in front of the biggest live audience of my career,” said McCreery. “I am looking forward to hearing what the fans think after they watch it premiere on CMT and YouTube.”

Written by McCreery, Rogers and Brent Anderson and produced by Rogers, Derek Wells, and Aaron Eshuis, “Cab in a Solo” is his fastest moving single ever, garnering the most first-week adds at country radio (120) of his career and continuing to move quickly up the charts, currently in the Top 20 on both Mediabase (#17) and Billboard (#20). Stream “Cab in a Solo” HERE.

Upon its release, Taste of Country declared “McCreery’s country roots shine.” With a hint of neotraditional country and dash of 90’s country nostalgia, the heartbreak track finds the happily married father in unfamiliar territory – lamenting a failed relationship.

The new video follows a blockbuster 2023 for the country crooner. He was inducted to the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame, joining previously inducted artists like Eric Church, Charlie Daniels, Andy Griffith, Ronnie Milsap, Thelonious Monk, Nina Simone, James Taylor, Randy Travis and more. And in December, one of his country music heroes, Garth Brooks, invited him to join the Grand Ole Opry, an honor that McCreery has dreamed about since he was a kid.

McCreery launches his 2024 headlining Cab in a Solo Tour this Friday with a sold out show at Hobart Arena in Troy, OH, where he will be joined by Anne Wilson as direct support as well as Greylan James and Noah Hicks on select dates. The tour, produced by Live Nation, will trek across the U.S. with stops in Atlanta, Boston, Chattanooga, Durham, Philadelphia, Syracuse and more.

Tickets for the Cab in a Solo Tour are on sale now at ScottyMcCreery.com.

Cab in a Solo Tour Dates:
1/26/2024 Troy OH Hobart Arena +^
1/27/2024 Shipshewana IN Blue Gate Performing Arts Center^
2/1/2024 Durham NC Durham Performing Arts Center +^
2/2/2024 Atlanta GA Coca-Cola Roxy+^
2/3/2024 Chattanooga TN Soldiers and Sailors Auditorium +^
2/8/2024 Brookings SD Dacotah Bank Center +^
2/9/2024 Des Moines IA Vibrant Music Hall+^
2/10/2024 Omaha NE Steelhouse +^
2/22/2024 Independence MO Cable Dahmer Arena +#
2/23/2024 Norman OK Riverwind Casino
2/29/2024 Philadelphia PA The Met +#
3/1/2024 Boston MA MGM Music Hall at Fenway +#
3/2/2024 Syracuse NY Landmark Theatre +#
3/14/2024 Johnstown PA 1st Summit Arena +#
3/15/2024 Wallingford CT Toyota Oakdale Theatre +#
3/16/2024 Schenectady NY Proctors Theatre +#

+ Anne Wilson
^Greylan James
#Noah Hicks

“Cab in a Solo” follows the recent success of his smash hit single “It Matters to Her.” The singer/songwriter has earned five consecutive No. 1 hits in the last few years including RIAA Platinum-certified No. 1 “Damn Strait” and RIAA Gold-certified No. 1 “You Time,” both found on his last solo album Same Truck: The Deluxe Album.

About Scotty McCreery:
Scotty McCreery has been a household name for nearly half his life, ever since making history in 2011 as both the first country artist and the youngest male artist of any genre to debut his first studio album, the Platinum-certified Clear as Day, at No. 1 on the all-genre Billboard Top 200 Albums chart. The 30-year-old has sold more than 4 million albums and achieved 5 consecutive No.1 hits: the RIAA Platinum-certified “Damn Strait,” the RIAA Gold certified “You Time,” the RIAA Gold certified “In Between,” the RIAA Platinum certified “This is It,” and the RIAA Triple Platinum certified ‘Five More Minutes.” His new single “Cab in a Solo,” which McCreery wrote with Frank Rogers and Brent Anderson, is from a forthcoming album due out in 2024. The North Carolina native has earned one Triple Platinum, five Platinum and four Gold singles; one Platinum and two Gold albums; won the 10th season of “American Idol” in 2011 at age 17; was named the ACM New Artist of the Year in 2011; won the CMT Music Award for Breakthrough Video of the Year (“The Trouble with Girls”) in 2012; and BMI Awards for writing One of the Top 50 Country Songs of the Year five times (in 2015 for “See You Tonight,” in 2018 for “Five More Minutes,” in 2019 for “This is It,” in 2021 for “In Between,” and in 2022 for “You Time”). He was awarded Pandora Billionaire status in 2021 in recognition of his music achieving more than one billion streams on Pandora. His song “Five More Minutes” inspired two popular holiday movies which aired on the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Network: “Five More Minutes” in 2021 and “Five More Minutes: Moments Like These” in 2022. He released his first book Go Big or Go Home: The Journey Toward the Dream in 2016. His most recent album is Same Truck: The Deluxe Album. This fall McCreery was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame and was most recently invited to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry by Garth Brooks. The singer/songwriter married his high school sweetheart Gabi in 2018, and the couple had their first son Avery in October 2022. For more information, visit ScottyMcCreery.com.

TEMIC Release Acoustic Version of "Falling Away"

January 23, 2024

TEMIC arrived on the scene fully formed. The Prog Report nominated their debut album for best song, video and album of 2023. Of course, the runaway success of Terror Management Theory wasn't too terribly surprising. After all, these guys joined forces after playing with Devin Townsend, Neal Morse and Mike Portnoy's Shattered Fortress.

Even when paired down, this band is still a super group. Watch Fredrik Klemp and Eric Gillette flex their tender muscles on this live acoustic version of "Falling Away".

Watch the video for "Falling Away (Live Acoustic)" below.

This video was directed and produced by TEMIC's drummer Simen Sandnes. It was recorded live at Stora Teatern in Gothenburg, Sweden. The theater is just a floor up from the studio where Sandnes recorded the drums on Terror Management Theory.

Stream: https://temic.fanlink.to/FallingAwayAcoustic

Terror Management Theory is riddled with power-prog anthems, though none soar higher than "Falling Away". The studio recording jumps out of your speakers with booming drum fills and chugging riffs. But while dialed down to little more than brittle, acoustic plucking, this live acoustic version is no less powerful. "I will give in to the eternal night", Klemp sings, as if preparing to float off and join the great gig in the sky. The way his falsetto lightly shatters against Gillette's gentle harmonies, it's like the two are orbiting one another, the way only true superstars can.

"'Falling Away' is one of our favorite tracks from our debut album" says TEMIC, "not only due to the musical elements present on the album version but because of its lyrics and vocal melodies. That is why Eric and Fredrik decided to grace us with this heartfelt, stripped-down acoustic version that focuses the spotlight on these core elements. Enjoy!"

Terror Management Theory is out now!

Order: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/Temic

TEMIC broke into the world of prog music with a bang last year. Terror Management Theory topped the charts in the Netherlands and reached #15 on iTunes Worldwide Metal chart.

Now, prog's new supergroup is rolling that breakout momentum under the bright lights of the Midwinter Prog Festival. Don't miss the chance to see them next Saturday, when they'll perform songs off their debut album for the very first time!

Tickets:https://www.tivolivredenburg.nl/agenda/midwinter-prog-festival-2024-03-02-2024/

Diego Tejeida and Eric Gillette first got the idea for TEMIC when they were touring members of Mike Portnoy's Shattered Fortress. Here are just some of the nice things that their fellow road dog had to say about Terror Management Theory.

"Musically, it falls somewhere between Leprous, Sleep Token, Haken, Dream Theater & Pain of Salvation...amazing stuff, insane playing, check it out if you haven't already!"

Their vision for TEMIC wasn't exactly simple: synthesize their love for high-energy electronica and flashy riffs into a killer prog-metal hybrid. But after recruiting former soccer prodigy-turned-Zildjian-endorsed drummer Simen Sandnes (SHINING, Arkentype) to go along with the high-powered falsetto of Fredrik Klemp (Maraton), together, the supergroup managed to connect all those puzzle pieces on their very first album.

Terror Management Theory is perfect for busting out the air guitar. But now fans can also hit all the album’s high notes by d ownloading the song stems on Bandcamp. With these stems, budding musicians can learn the guitar, bass, drum and keyboard parts for all 10 songs. They can also be used by producers to remix prog anthems like “Count Your Losses” into thumping club bangers or a stripped-down yet soaring ballad.

More praise for TEMIC and Terror Management Theory:

"As the progressive metal scene witnesses a surge of new talent, this [album] places TEMIC in the discussion of the top new band releases of 2023", - The Prog Report.

"Bursting with ideas and extraordinary individual performances, it sounds like the work of a living, breathing band" - Blabbermouth

"...technical without being suffocating...For anyone already invested in the genre, there is nothing here to not like" - Sonic Perspectives

"...a lavish progressive metal debut that stands out sharply in the crowd" - Distorted Sound

Stream: https://orcd.co/tmtpresave
Download stems: https://temic.bandcamp.com/album/tmt-stems

TEMIC came together from across the globe, but they also share a wide variety of influences.

Check out the playlist that the prog supergroup update each month on Spotify. The latest edition features Meshuggah, Daft Punk, Car Bomb and the Rockysoundtrack.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/11T7gAoZ7ljFxTGRaLjP4a?si=bbb3d00ba1404a8e

Introducing TEMIC—prog’s newest, most ambitious, and most adrenaline-fueled act. TEMIC melds the creative minds of keyboardist and sound designer Diego Tejeida (Devin Townsend, Mike Portnoy’s Shattered Fortress, ex-Haken), guitarist Eric Gillette (The Neal Morse Band, Mike Portnoy’s Shattered Fortress), drummer Simen Sandnes (SHINING, Arkentype), and vocalist Fredrik Klemp (Maraton, 22).

The origins of TEMIC date back to 2017, when Tejeida and Gillette toured the world as band members of Mike Portnoy’s Shattered Fortress. From the very first chords they exchanged, their musical chemistry both on and off stage was undeniable, leading them to discuss the prospect of starting a new band together. Unfortunately, conflicting tour and recording commitments forced them to turn their attention elsewhere for years—that is, until the world came to a standstill in 2020, and Tejeida called Gillette to ask a fateful question:
“Remember how we said we should make music together? Well, how about now?”

Thus, the first demos for what would later become TEMIC’s 2023 debut album, Terror Management Theory, began to emerge. Within a few weeks after that initial phone call, the musical vision of TEMIC had become clear: Let’s create progressive music that is heavily influenced by high-energy electronic music, but arranged and orchestrated for a 5-piece modern prog rock/metal band—where, at last, the pulse can be the focus, and the vocal melody can be king.

Eager to join forces with the very best bandmates, Tejeida and Gillette first summoned the rhythmic power of their friend and drummer Sandnes. With characteristic enthusiasm, Sandnes seized the opportunity, prepared to contribute his percussive prowess as the heartbeat of TEMIC. When it came time to find the singer that would carry TEMIC’s melodies to new heights, Sandnes recommended vocal powerhouse Klemp, whose emotive delivery and unmatched intensity left no doubt that he was destined to be the voice of TEMIC. Finally, to round out the rhythm section of Terror Management Theory, dynamic bassist Jacob Umansky (Intervals) was invited on board as a guest player, gracing the album with an unrivaled groove and a signature low-end sound.

Together, this mammoth lineup is TEMIC, a high-energy, electronic-inspired, modern melodic prog metal band for the next generation.

Line-up:
Fredrik Klemp (Maraton, 22) – Vocals
Eric Gillette (The Neal Morse Band, Mike Portnoy’s Shattered Fortress) – Guitars and Backing Vocals
Simen Sandnes (Shining, Arkentype) – Drums and Percussion
Diego Tejeida (Devin Townsend, Mike Portnoy’s Shattered Fortress, ex-Haken) - Keyboards and Sound Design

Recording Studio: Drums and vocals recorded at Top Floor Studios (Gothenburg, Sweden)
Producer: Produced by TEMIC. Drums and vocals engineered by Jakob Herrmann Gothenburg, Sweden)
Mix/Mastering: Mixed and mastered by Rich Mouser at The Mouse House (Los Angeles, USA)

Guest musicians:
Jacob Umansky (USA) – Bass guitar on the whole album
Mosaic Gospel Choir (Norway) – Mothallah
Garden State Threshold Choir (USA) – Mothallah

Cover artwork: Hicham Hamzi

Order: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/Temic
Stream: https://orcd.co/tmtpresave

Formats:
Digital Download
CD Digipak
2x12" Colored Vinyl Gatefold - White
2x12" Colored Vinyl Gatefold - Crystal Clear
2x12" Colored Vinyl Gatefold - Gold & Black Marbled
2x12" Colored Vinyl Gatefold - White & Black Marbled
Merchandise

Follow Temic
https://temicband.com
www.facebook.com/TEMICBAND
www.instagram.com/temicband
https://temic.bandcamp.com/album/terror-management-theory
https://twitter.com/temicband
https://open.spotify.com/artist/21vxrbfeqrr6xrot1y5t7i
https://www.youtube.com/channel/ucaslvfvcvrv4cdarmdiqkgg
https://music.apple.com/artist/temic/1695936703

LEON FREAR releases 'A Town Called Chapel', a mixed emotion ode to his hometown, ahead of debut album

January 23, 2024

"Frear has a voice which somewhat recalls Marty Willson-Piper of The Church fame and his side project Nocturum... This is something for fans of Nick Cave and related"~ Side-Line Magazine

"Track of the Day. The way he tells the story makes it seem like he and the listener are commiserating together... a song with a great story" ~ Chasing Destino

"With a unmistakeable voice deserving of becoming a regular fixture in the mind-memory of music lovers everywhere... catchy and contemplative, showcasing clever lyrics channeled through his smooth and deep timbre. fabulous from start to end and is obviously confessional while also being an invested labor of love" ~ Rock n Roll Biz

"The combination of evocative lyrics and a dynamic musical backdrop creates an immersive experience, inviting listeners to delve into the complexities of love, longing, and self-discovery" ~ Skylight Webzine

Indie musician and songwriter Leon Frear presents 'A Town Called Chapel', the second offering from his debut album 'Wild Rice', which introduces the listener to a man still affected years later by the frisson and fallout of a clandestine love affair.

A seasoned musician, this album represents a new start for him under this moniker. Now based in Chicago, Frear describes this single as “a poison pen love letter to an historically musical time and place, to big blown-up plans and irreplaceable, lost relationships. No matter what else I say, It's a letter I sign with love.”

“The song ‘A Town Called Chapel,’ is the opening track on my album because it paints the landscape and provides background on the insular, dissolute college town / former-small-town music mecca that this whole experience sprang from," says Leon Frear.

"It's a song about knowing that you need to leave a situation that is grimy, bad for you and a little hedonistic. But you're so used to it - the feeling is so warm and comfy that you just can't bear to leave. I might sound hypercritical of the place and maybe that makes me a hypocrite. But I’m also from there and a fair target for these less flattering descriptions myself. Love, lust, and naïveté. All that stuff. It's part of me. It's my home."

'A Town Called Chapel' https://soundcloud.com/ leonfrear/a-town-called- chapel/s-VCNCkxe9f2j
Bandcamp https://leonfrear.bandcamp.com/track/a-town-called-chapel-2
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/track/68Y8SNjt59ezItWDuTMiyM

This follows the artist's debut single 'Secret Second Moon' with its fantastic animated video, created by French artist Ronald Grandpey. It's a powerful introduction to a collection of songs that reflects a dramatic period in which Frear experienced a life-altering love affair, its implosion and aftermath, followed by a decade of reflection and changes.

Informed by his own personal experience, Frear's music speaks of love, lust, broken promises, broken phones, and multiple incinerated bridges. This 10-track collection was produced by Frear in his home studio in Chicago, playing every instrument and capturing every breath to tape during a recording process that took years in isolation to complete.

About the forthcoming album, Leon Frear says, "'Wild Rice' is the story of those times, but told in reflection. The songs came from a place of true grief, regret and a little bit of anger. But through all of those things, I gained wisdom and became a better person. And while the details may be different, I think every human on this planet shares in the experience of feelings of grief. Ultimately, I think it is an album about empathy."

"Sonically, I was inspired to make Wild Rice while listening to old Leonard Cohen albums, Harvest by Neil Young, Stories from the City by PJ Harvey and lots of old ballads by Nick Cave. Those albums and artists sound weary and world worn and I did my best to capture a similar feeling."

Laced with hints of sadness and regret, anger and remorse, somehow the lyrics are tempered with a sardonic wit that leaves the listener wondering if Frear doesn’t secretly savor feeling bad, just for laughs. If there’s an opportunity to mock an uncaring universe, this is an opportunity Frear doesn’t let go to waste.

Dubbing his brand of post-alternative music “vocabulary rock”, Frear aims to shift the emphasis away from the man and towards the music and lyrics, while inviting the listener to commiserate together through this exploration of grief, depression and sadness.

'A Town Called Chapel' is out now, available from fine music platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp. The 'Wild Rice' album will be released (on vinyl and digitally) on March 1.

CREDITS
Music and lyrics written by Leon Frear
Recorded by Leon Frear in his Chicago home studio
Mastering by Adam Boose at Cauliflower Studios
Vocals and instruments performed by Leon, except
Faye Whitt - backup vocals on 'Murder of Crows'
Front cover collage by Faye Whitt
Ronald Grandpey - Director / animator for 'Secret Second Moon' video
Artist photos by Jeremy Glickstein

College radio-inspired indie rock trio Onceweresixty presents 'Don’t Get Stuck', previewing sophomore album

January 23, 2024

"A glorious slice of jingle jangle indie pop that has an atmospheric build like a slow burning fuse... With clear genetic links to US college indie rock, a touch of Dinosaur Jnr or Galaxie 500 mixed in with David Berman/The Silver Jews, and REM, ‘Don’t Get Stuck’ shimmers like a star in the firmament with its gentle reflective delivery and melodic refrain" ~ Backseat Mafia

Italy-based indie rock outfit Onceweresixty present their new single 'Don't Get Stuck', the first taste of their forthcoming album 'Loco Sunset Boulevard / Ghetto Blast Noise Machine'. This 8-track offering in two parts, structured as a double EP, released on CD and vinyl by Uglydog Records, together with Beautiful Losersand PrettyOK Records.

Onceweresixty was founded by Marco Lorenzoni (guitars, vocals and keyboards) and Luca Sella (drums, guitar and vocals), who began collaborating in 2001 via their old band MR60. The band is rounded out by Enrico Grando (keyboards and saxophone), who joined the band shortly after their 2021 release 'The Flood', a concept album about the consciousness of the insignificance of humans against the force of nature, and a society bent on self-destruction.

Over the past three years, this double EP took form at Villa Albrizzi Marini, a magical place in the Venice countryside hills en route to the Alps. Onceweresixty set up their studio on this 1400-villa property, owned by the Armenian Church. Marco Lorenzoni explains, "The Villa - an ongoing project of urban regeneration via art activism - is absolutely inspiring and amazing, and we’re glad to be part of it. Onceweresixty and our own label Uglydog Records have always been at the forefront of promoting the arts, supporting artists and creating social connections. This is our little Warhol Factory in the countryside."

Describing their own music as "weird psych folk pop", Onceweresixty draws their roots back to an ancient tale about the ghost of a beatnik biker living in a broken toy keyboard. "Sometimes he takes control of our minds and makes us play strange weird songs," says Lorenzoni, who continues to tell the tale of the band's origin.

“Immediately upon entering Texas from Las Vegas, drunk on tequila, we lost our way, the desert all around us and not a drop of water. Desperate, we recited a few passages from the Bible by heart, inventing what we didn't remember. It was at that moment that MR60 came to our rescue. He hosted us on his ranch, quenched our thirst and gave us bags of top quality tobacco. There we found everything we needed: out of tune guitars, out of tune tuners, Paleolithic barrel organs, a Stradivarius and a buffalo skull... We never left…

"Well actually, we did leave," Lorenzoni admits. "somehow adult life took us one by one into everyday office routines and familiar responsibilities with bills to pay and so on."

Relaunched as Onceweresixty in 2018 after a 10-year hiatus, the band began conquering new musical territory, while still paying homage the sonic ghosts of such artists as Belle & Sebastian, Pavement, Morphine, Low, Herman Dune, Silver Jews and The Velvet Underground,.

Their indie dream of the early 2000s ultimately gave way to colder and leaner sounds, better reflecting the current times. Luca Sella explains, "If MR60 used to compare the north-eastern Italy cultural desert to the Texan desert landscapes, today that desert is a post-apocalyptic land populated by brain-eating zombies. Anger and ignorance are everywhere. Everything is lost. Or maybe not”

As of January 23, 'Don't Get Stuck' will be available everywhere digitally, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp. The double EP 'Loco Sunset Boulevard / Ghetto Blast Noise Machine' will be released on March 22, is available for pre-order directly from the artist via Bandcamp.

CREDITS
Music written by M.Lorenzoni, L. Sella, E. Grando
Lyrics written by M. Lorenzoni
Marco Lorenzoni - guitars, vocals & keyboards
Luca Sella - drums, guitar & vocals
Enrico Grando - keyboards, vocals & saxophone
Recorded and produced by Onceweresixty at VAMpires! Room
Mixed by Mauro Martinuz at Bottega Sonora
Mastered by Federico Pelle at Basement Studio
Cover artwork by Freddy Mason
Studio photos of Onceweresixty by Ilaria Baggio
Live photos of Onceweresixty by Veronica Bassani and Freddy Mason
This record is dedicated to Loco, who was known to be a good dog, and Enrico Pese, who was known to be a good guy

Northlane Announce "Mirror's Edge" EP + Share Video for "Miasma"

January 23, 2024

Australian heavy vanguards Northlane have announced their new EP, Mirror's Edge, out April 12 (Independent). Alongside the news comes the colossal new single "Miasma," featuring Winston McCall from Parkway Drive.

Pre-order the EP here.

Watch the video below.

"Miasma" is a throwback to Northlane's early heavy canon with its scathing and complex guitars, dynamic drumming, and commanding vocals. A tense song born out of frustration that has reached its tipping point, "Miasma" features a crushing performance from Parkway Drive frontman Winston McCall. McCall's guest appearance is a significant one for Northlane because, as guitarist Josh Smith explains, Parkway Drive set the blueprint for all heavy bands in Australia.

"Parkway Drive were always our number one inspiration as a band," Smith says. "When we first started, their DVD created a roadmap to success, which we did our best to follow. At a time where every band was ripping their sound off, we chose to take our own path but instead emulate their work ethic, and for us it paid dividends. Over time, that respect has flowed both ways. With this track being so heavy, we could'’t think of a more perfect guest than Winston. He flew down from Byron just after we toured together in North America and we tracked his parts in Jon's home studio. His brute voice just tore the track to pieces and we were stunned with the result."

Mirror's Edge was recorded with their old friend and revered producer Will Putney in August this year. Described by Jon Deiley (songwriter/guitarist) as "the greatest hits of Northlane sounds," the EP is a nostalgic journey through all the colors on their sonic palette, with bonus shades from special guests Winston McCall (Parkway Drive) and Ian Kenny (Karnivool/Birds of Tokyo) — two of the most influential artists in Northlane's history. Their former bass player, Brendon Padjasek, also stopped by the studio to lend his scream to one of the tracks.

Penned just over a year after the release of their #1 award-winning album, Obsidian, the road to Mirror's Edge was a bumpy one. Instead of riding high from the success of the album, the simmering tension and communication breakdown between band members threatened to engulf Northlane at any moment. Northlane tackled their issues head-on at a writing retreat in Victoria's Yarra Valley, where they worked through their problems and unlocked new channels of creativity in the process that reflects through the EP. From the expansive prog of "Afterimage" to their signature bottom-heavy groove and viscous breakdown of "Kraft" and compulsive beat and electronic focus of "Dante," Mirror's Edge is full of Northlane's most vivid colours and textures.

Thematically, the EP is about looking at yourself and reflecting on the past one final time before leaving it all behind to find hope in what lies beyond the mirror's edge. With the recurring theme of acceptance binding these songs together, frontman Marcus Bridge is hopeful that Mirror's Edge will be the coda on this part of his personal life, so much of which he has shared in the last couple of Northlane releases.

"It's like looking at your reflection, looking at the past and everything I've been thinking about, or caught up within the last little while," Bridge says. "There's not much positivity in these songs, but it is about acceptance. Hopefully, by putting these songs out, I can leave that stuff behind and I can kind of find a new direction and something to be positive about on the other side of this mirror's edge."

ABOUT NORTHLANE:
Northlane are a chart topping, award-winning metal band from Sydney, Australia. Through fearless evolution and unmatched innovation, Northlane have become vanguards of heavy music across the globe, entirely on their own terms. The band have released six acclaimed albums, including ARIA Chart #1 records Obsidian (2022) and Node (2015), alongside Singularity (2013), Mesmer (2017), and Alien (2019) which all debuted at #3. Northlane have also won three consecutive ARIA Awards for Best Hard Rock or Heavy Metal Album, as well as two AIR Awards for Best Independent Heavy Album.

Dark alt-rock duo Lovelorn Dolls releases 'Beautiful Chaos' EP and haunting video

January 22, 2024

Female-fronted dark gothic synth-rock duo Lovelorn Dolls presents 'Beautiful Chaos', the second tale unleashed from their fourth album 'Deadtime Stories', in which the band break free from the dreamy realms of goth pop offered on their latest single 'Dream World'.

An ode to love stories gone wrong, here they inject some beautiful chaos into our lives. With the disclaimer "Any resemblance to real people is purely coincidental", the accompanying video thrusts their tiny girl protagonist into a descent towards a darker world, trapping her in an padded asylum room haunted by beautifully chaotic characters.

Hailing from Brussels, Belgium, Lovelorn Dolls is made up of Kristell Lowagie (lyrics, vocals, arrangements) and Bernard Daubresse (music, programming, guitars, production). Purveyors of synth-laced gothic rock, their sound resembles a mix of Theatre of Tragedy, Lacuna Coil and The Birthday Massacre.

Just as childhood can be drawn into a fantasy world, Lovelorn Dolls leads us into an extraordinary, dark yet romantic universe where Tim Burton's visuals collide with the glam touch of The Birthday Massacre and freaky extravaganza of Marilyn Manson - a landscape where creepy cute meets gothic rock music.

'Beautiful Chaos' reveals a grittier and darker side of the band, featuring intense guitar riffs, twisted synth melodies and haunting female vocals. This sonic journey is rounded out with five bonus remixes, each delving into diverse sound universes - from minimal EBM to industrial goth and ethereal wave - thanks to contributors The Breath of Life, Absynthe of Faith, Audiopyre, Restriction 9 and Antidote for Annie.

Produced, mixed and mastered by Italian producer Maxx Maryan, known for his work with cult electro-goth metal duo Helalyn Flowers and IMJUDAS, the 'Deadtime Stories' album will be released in late summer via Alfa Matrix / SPLEEN+, a Belgian label whose catalogue includes such artists as Front 242, Ayria, Recoil, Leather Strip and Alien Vampires.

"Locked in the Room of Despair: Step inside the eerie confines of an asylum, where our characters find themselves trapped in a room of despair. This video explores psychological struggles, haunting visions, and intense emotions that manifest within these walls. As the music unfolds, so too does the unraveling mystery of each character's story," frontwoman Kristell Lowagie speaks of the new chaotic tale.

"As the music unfolds, so too does the unraveling mystery of each character's story. The idea behind this song is to talk about divorce or separation in the broad sense, especially when a relationship is toxic. In general, the problems do not stop there, especially when there are children who become an issue or a means of pressure. Sometimes it gets even more chaotic. As for the title of the song 'Beautiful Chaos', it is of course to be taken ironically.".

'Beautiful Chaos' is out now, available from fine digital platforms, including Apple Music, Spotify and Bandcamp, where the band's full catalogue can also be found.

CREDITS
Lyrics & vocals by Kristell Lowagie
Music by Bernard Daubresse
Kristell Lowagie - vocals
Bernard Daubresse – guitars & synths
Additional arrangements, programming and synths by Maxx Maryan Recorded in Brussels and Rome
Produced, mixed and mastered by Maxx Maryan
Released via Alfa Matrix
All artwork, design & illustrations by Kristell Lowagie
Artist photos by Kristell In Wonderland
Video filmed, edited and color graded by Lovelorn Dolls
Video actors: Gabriel Depasse, Jacqueline Crabbe, Magali Rousseau, Jean-Michel Hauseux, Mathis "The Wolf"

Keep up with Lovelorn Dolls
Website | Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Soundcloud | TikTok | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music | Press contact

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

Sylvaine Announces New EP

January 22, 2024

SYLVAINE has grown into a guiding light for ambient post-metal and atmospheric black metal. But today, she's tracing back to her roots on Eg Er Framand.

Growing up in Norway, amidst the contrasts between nature and urbanity, Kathrine Shepard often performed in the Kampen Church in Oslo. This 19th century relic is where she recorded the entirety of her ethereal new EP.

Lead single "Dagsens Augo Sloknar" comes from mysterious origins. The lyrics were written in 1891 by Elias Blix, a professor-turned-politician, who also wrote hymns. Staying true to the original's delicate, reverent melody, Sylvaine sings in a breathy, elongated whisper that's both haunting and soothing.

The music video for "Dagsens Augo Sloknar Ut" was directed and produced by William Lacalmontie. Kathrine dances and enchants across a magnificent tapestry of poetic landscapes, striking the beautiful balance that's at the heart of Eg Er Framand.

Watch the video below.

Eg Er Framand is out March 22 on Season of Mist.

Pre-order: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/SylvaineEgErFramand
Pre-save: https://orcd.co/egerframand

With "Dagsens Augo Sloknar Ut", Sylvaine opens the book on an intricate, transformative fairy tale.

"A beating heart so pure
Who wished to feel once more
As her eyes slowly opened to the world

She lifted her head
And at once beheld
A light in front of her

A path to take
The choice to make
To lead her on her way

A story about to begin
Of a soul ignited again
On a road to turn loose dismay?"

Kathrine Shepard, the visionary artist behind the evocative musical project SYLVAINE, weaves an intricate tapestry of emotions through the language of music. A transcendental bridge between worlds, a mesmerizing duality that encapsulates the beautiful and the harsh, light and darkness, serenity and chaos, and the delicate balance between the external world and the inner sanctum of the soul. It is a symphony that harmonizes the human experience with its spiritual origins – a resonance of something beyond the tangible.

Sylvaine’s compositions are a visceral journey through the vast spectrum of emotions that the complexities of the human experience have to offer. They encapsulate the inherent struggle of being an entity in this world, yet not entirely of it. Katherine’s music serves as a conduit for her innermost feelings, a cathartic expression of the eternal longing that resides within the very core of her melodies.

Akin to a fairytale spun from the threads of Norwegian folklore, a narrative that resonates with the spirits of ancient woods and the whispers of long forgotten creatures. With every ethereal note and haunting melody, she conjures images of untamed forests, of misty clearings inhabited by mystical beings. In this artistry, there is an undeniable sense of transcendence, where listeners are transported beyond the confines of the ordinary into a dreamscape where reality and fantasy converge. A profound sense of wonder and allure creates a unique musical alchemy – with a touch of enchantment that lingers long after the music has ceased.

With four albums and one split-EP released to date, Sylvaine’s ethereal soundscapes have been taken to stages across Europe, North America and South America, leaving audiences mesmerized by the transcendent power of the band’s live performances. Two of these albums have been nominated for the Norwegian Grammy Awards Spellemannprisen in the category of metal. The ability to transport listeners to otherworldly realm through her music is a manifestation of the artistry & profound impact the band can bring.

As Sylvaine prepares to unveil her upcoming EP, Eg Er Framand, she embarks on a deeply introspective and serene journey through the rich tapestry of Norwegian heritage and tradition. Folk tales of old are brought to life in this new chapter of her musical odyssey, offering a glimpse into the depths of her creative spirit and an exploration of the roots that anchor her artistry. A reflection of myths is embraced through exquisite sonic realms.

Line-up
Sylvaine - Vocals, Church Organ, Guitars, Synthesizers & Percussion

Recording Studio
Kampen Kirke

Sound Engineer
Sylvaine

Mixing Engineer
Magnus Lindberg (Magnus Lindberg Productions/VRTKL Audio/Redmount Studio)

Mastering Engineer
Karl Daniel Lidén

Biography:Sébastien Gamez

Cover art & Photography:Helena Aguilar Mayans

Layout & Graphic Design: Dehn Sora

Pre-save:
https://orcd.co/egerframand

Pre-order:
https://shop.season-of-mist.com/list/sylvaine-eg-er-framand

Links:
Official Website: https://www.sylvainemusic.com/
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/sylvaine/455094955
Bandcamp: https://sylvainemusic.bandcamp.com/music
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sylvainemusic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sylvainemusic/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5C9ocrDvsfSz8qcxG70QEe
Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/SylvaineMusic
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYoMxOgKpnqGrj-impj1wDQ
Last.FM: https://www.last.fm/music/Sylvaine

Booking Contact:
Alexander Obert - alexander@doomstarbookings.com

Available Formats:
Digital Download
CD Digipak
12" Vinyl Gatefold - Black
12" Coloured Vinyl Gatefold - Coke Bottle Green

NECROPHOBIC Shares Lyric Video for Melodic New Song, “As Stars Collide”

January 21, 2024

Swedish blackened death metal masters NECROPHOBIC are now unveiling their melodic new single, "As Stars Collide." The track can be found along with a cosmic lyric video, which was created by Brendan McGowan, below..

"As Stars Collide" is taken from NECROPHOBIC's upcoming tenth studio album, 'In the Twilight Grey,' which is due on March 15, 2023 via Century Media Records!

Lead guitarist Sebastian Ramstedt says that "As Stars Collide" is “The most important song on the album for me personally. It starts off with the main melody, that was actually something my mother sang to me as a kid in the early 70’s. It is almost like a chant, or a dark lullaby. I wanted to honor her melody, but put it in my own context. I used one of the oldest stories ever told and drew inspiration from 'Innana’s Descent' - the tale where the morning and evening star meet in the underworld to decide whether good or evil should reign. I wanted to create something that stretched beyond the metal barriers.”

'In the Twilight Grey' is now available for pre-orders HERE and can be found in the following formats:

Ltd. Deluxe Gatefold combat green 2LP & LP-Booklet & Poster incl. 2 bonus tracks (1.000x)

Gatefold black LP

Gatefold dark green LP (300x)

Ltd. CD Mediabook (comes with a special, extended booklet and 2 bonus tracks)

Standard CD Jewelcase

Digital album

Enigmatically titled 'In the Twilight Grey,' NECROPHOBIC’s tenth studio album immediately asserts its separation from everything that has gone before. Colder and more biting than recent efforts, the album is full of brutish metal songs, hewn from unnamed obsidian horrors.

NECROPHOBIC has always been a dynamic and daring band. 'In the Twilight Grey' hammers the Swedish blackened death metal masters' boldness home via some of the most hard-hitting and direct songs they have ever recorded. Equally, the new album is home to several songs that push NECROPHOBIC’s music down strange, new avenues. Fueled by the dark side, lead guitarist Sebastian Ramstedt understands the importance of retaining the essence of the band’s early days, even as the means of expression continues to evolve.

Yet again 'In the Twilight Grey' was produced, mixed and mastered by Fredrik Folkare (of death metal icons Unleashed) at Chrome Studios, Stockholm and engineered in close collaboration by Folkare and the band themselves. For the artwork they teamed up with Jens Rydén, another likeminded and highly regarded institution from the Swedish metal scene.

With over thirty years of active, nefarious service under their spikes and bulletbelts, NECROPHOBIC are undisputed legends of the death and black metal scene. Formed in 1989 by drummer Joakim Sterner, the Stockholm blackhearts propagated a singular and fearless vision from the very start.

Eschewing the self-conscious amateurism and primitive sonics that many of their peers held dear, NECROPHOBIC established a bold and vivid identity of their own, conjuring a densely melodic, but endlessly wicked take on macabre extreme metal that countless lesser bands have since emulated.

You can take a deep dive into their history via the rereleases of their entire back catalogue that Century Media Records made available in 2022 HERE.

Line-Up:

Johan Bergebäck - Rhythm guitar

Joakim Sterner - Drums

Sebastian Ramstedt - Lead guitar

Anders Strokirk - Vocals

Tobias Cristiansson - Bass

Cover Artist + Photos: Jens Rydén

Production, Mixing, Mastering: Fredrik Folkare @ Chrome Studios

Engineering: Fredrik Folkare + Necrophobic

Links:

VLTIMAS Bring Righteous Scorn on New Single

January 21, 2024

VLTIMAS are legends of the underworld. Any good Satanist knows to bow down and worship at the horned feet of David Vincent (ex-Morbid Angel), Rune Eriksen (ex-Mayhem) and Flo Mounier (Cryptopsy). Their debut was greeted with a rapturous procession of devil horns. But with their new album, these gods of dark, extreme metal have ascended to truly epic heights.

Today, VLTIMAS are releasing "Scorcher", the album's hellacious second single.

Watch the visualizer below.

EPIC comes out March 15, 2024.

Pre-order: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/VLTIMASEPIC

Pre-save: https://orcd.co/vltimasepic

Some metal songs prefer to slowly unfold before blowing out your ear drums. But rest assured, "Scorcher" is not a slow burn. Sure, the guitars lure you in with a smoky seance. Once Rune tightens those chords into icy black tremolo picking though, VLTIMAS take off like a bat out of hell. The amps crank up; Flo fires off blast beats that are hot enough to singe an angel's wings, while David Vincent unleashes a miles-long battle cry.

"Satan laughs as worlds collide!"

His growl is so massive, so heartless, you'd better believe that he's talking about himself.

"'Scorcher' brings to life a fantastic story of the great purge that's coming our way", says Vincent. "Humanity has been sleepwalking toward this reckoning for centuries. There will be no refuge, nor mercy granted".

Visualizer made by Aimed & Framed.

VLTIMAS have been making grand declarations of war for more than 30 years, but the lead single off EPIC isn't just another offering at the altar of madness.

"I spread my misery, biblically evolved", David Vincent sings on "Miserere" in a baritone that's so monstrous it could summon an army of the dead.

The drums speed ahead mercilessly, mowing down all onlookers under a barrage of surgical blast beats, as riffs hail from all directions with enough firepower to shatter bulletproof glass.

Watch the blistering music video: https://youtu.be/AR8LhYBaRfw

Extreme metal powerhouse VLTIMAS (pronounced 'uhl-tuh-mas') assault metaldom once more with their highly-anticipated sophomore album, EPIC, through Season of Mist. Featuring Norwegian guitarist Rune "Blasphemer" Eriksen (ex-Mayhem, RUÏM), American vocalist David Vincent (ex-Morbid Angel), and Canadian drummer Flo Mounier (Cryptopsy), the multinational quintet, rounded out by Dutch bassist Ype TVS (ex-Dodecahedron) and Portuguese guitarist João Duarte (Corpus Christii), continue to venture down their path. Moored by strength and integrity, VLTIMAS fortified their signature with wicked invention, as applauded by Decibel Magazine, BangerTV, Louder, and many others, on their debut, Something Wicked Marches In (2019). Singles "Miserere," "Scorcher," and "Invictus" showcase a band of musicians at the top of their game, united in their pursuit of oneness.

"We wrote every bit of EPIC together at my ranch in Dime Box, Texas," offers Vincent. "The writing sessions were as organic as they could be. There were times when, at the end of the night, Rune would take his guitar and play something ridiculous. Flo would play something even more ridiculous on top of it. I'd say to the guys, 'I need to capture this.' So, the magic [of VLTIMAS] is being in the same room together, discussing, playing, and recording music and everything else we're doing together. We have unbelievable camaraderie."

While the members of VLTIMAS are not atavists, their preferred creative methods are time-tested and battle-hardened. Technology has its place, but the group thrive when they're together, not separated by the world. Eriksen, renowned as a riff innovator, is more effective when he's got a highly capable sideman like Vincent or Mounier, whose drumming in Cryptopsy and his celebrated instructional Extreme Metal Drumming 101 DVD has proven to be a no-limits player, by his side. Whether it's the moody, angular attack of "Miserere," the wicked groove of "Mephisto Manifesto," or the dark fury of "Nature's Fangs," the chemistry and enterprise of VLTIMAS is undeniable.

"The main goal [of VLTIMAS] is to be real," Eriksen reveals. "To channel the very moment, to let true inspiration out. I don't believe I ever set myself a goal on what an album should or needs to sound like before I or we write it because that means I have to compromise during the process. For EPIC, we focused on more direct songs, trimming the fat, as opposed to Something Wicked Marches In, which had a progressive and 'playful' flair."

VLTIMAS was a profane concept—a constellation of riffs against a modest frame—when formed by Eriksen in 2015. After departing Mayhem in 2008 and putting his gothic doom outfit Ava Inferi to rest in 2013, the Norwegian's fingers still itched with infernal fury. VLTIMAS was his vent, and when Mounier and Vincent joined, he finally had the cadre of professionals to make it a reality. Together, they devised complementary schemes and themes rooted in rightness. In a world gone mad, VLTIMAS had a vision. On Something Wicked Marches In, they commanded attention with metaphors about the apocalypse, the ancient goddess Lilith, and truth. Lyrically, EPIC spears into the very nucleus of strength through Vincent's brio of double entendre and clever wordsmithing. The songs are designed to be heard, read, and interpreted—there are no shortcuts.

"Everything we're doing and messaging is about strength and honor," says Vincent. "These are the fundamentals that I incorporate into my life, which I believe in. I want to share with others, hoping they'll incorporate strength and honor into their lives. I wouldn't say I like spelling lyrics out. I use a lot of double meanings on purpose because I want to inspire the listener to think. I'm not a short attention span guy, and I don't appreciate it. EPIC is holistic and meant to be experienced that way."

EPIC was recorded by producer Jaime Gomez Arellano (Paradise Lost, Grave Miasma) with engineer Jonathan Mazzeo (First Fragment, Sickening) at Arda Recorders in Porto, Portugal. VLTIMAS tracked the album throughout May 2023. Arellano also handled the mix and master. Like everything the band does, the main goal was to be honest. The maxim of no sample replacement or re-amping—EPIC was captured on outboard gear—was adhered to and enjoyed by the team. The result is a sonic expression that sounds like nothing else. From the crushing title track to the epic musicality of closer "Spoils of War," EPIC is an absolute beast.

"Stress, long walks, too much alcohol, yet very focused once in the recording mode," Eriksen says of the sessions. "We booked a month, but somehow, that flew by instantly. We worked up until the very end. I even added a few solos at my local Soundscape Studio in Almada, Portugal. Art unfolds, and once you think you are done, there's always another idea popping up."

VLTIMAS brought Italian artist Daniele Valeriani (Mayhem, Unanimated) to visualize EPIC. The aesthetic, as illuminated by music and message, was iconic boldness. The three-eagle head crest with three different crowns, accompanied by transfigured symbols of the Passion and the "impossible triangle," projects effortlessly. In EPIC, the group will dominate. There's no escape from "Miserere," "Mephisto Manifesto," "Scorcher," and "Invictus." Together, they thrust, by resolve and inventiveness, VLTIMAS into the uppermost echelons of extreme metal.

"[EPIC is] old meets contemporary, a symbiosis of all the great things we love about extreme metal," offers Eriksen. "All combined into one album."

"I want to be as emotional and honest [with VLTIMAS]," Vincent adds. "I want to tell stories; I want to have the themes that appeal to me; I want to have some messaging that someone can take away, in this case, strength. EPIC is strength."

Lineup
David Vincent - Vocals
Rune Blasphemer Eriksen - Guitars
Flo Mounier - Drums
Ype TVS - Bass
João Duarte - Guitars

Recording studio
ARDA Recorders

Producer
Jamie Gomez Arellano

Sound engineer
Jonathan Mazzeo

Mixing and mastering engineer
Jaime Gomez Arellano

Mixing and mastering studio
Arda Recorders, Orgone Studio

Cover art
Daniele Valeriani

Additional artwork and layout
Adrien Bousson

Biography
Chris Dick

Pre-save: https://orcd.co/vltimasepic

Pre-order: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/VLTIMASEPIC

Links:
Apple Music:https://music.apple.com/us/artist/vltimas/1445457453
Bandcamp:https://vltimas.bandcamp.com/
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/vltimas/
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/vltimas/
Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/artist/0kz64zyv2xtkdhboztpdwa
Twitter:https://www.twitter.com/vltimas?lang=en

Available Formats:
Digital Download
CD Digipak
12" Vinyl Gatefold - Black
12" Coloured Vinyl Gatefold - Skull Gold
12" Coloured Vinyl Gatefold - Dracula
12" Picture Vinyl

Iconic Scottish songsmith John Douglas shares 'Lost (Live Session)' and beatitude over Trashcan Sinatras' developments.

January 21, 2024

One of Scotland’s finest songwriters - John Douglas of Trashcan Sinatras fame - presents a live version of 'Lost', originally filmed for The Scotsman Sessions. This is the opening track of his eponymous debut album, released via Scotland's Reveal Records, presenting an intimate snapshot of the talent, charisma and depth of this celebrated Scottish indie songsmith.

This is the start of a new chapter in Douglas' creative life as he looks back at a lifetime of musical adventures and accolades while moving forwards. Recorded live at Kyoti Studio in Glasgow (with no overdubs), Douglas worked with producer Mark Freegard (New Model Army, Lush, The Breeders, Del Amitri, Marillion), who also mixed and mastered it.

This record features original material, along with new recordings of some of John's favourite Trashcan Sinatras' material and his own rendition of the Prefab Sprout classic ‘We Let The Stars Go’. Apart from the album version of 'Lost', Douglas also recently shared live videos for 'I'm Not The Fella' and 'Always', plus Trashcan Sinatras' classics 'Oranges & Apples', 'Leave Me Alone'and 'Weightlifting'.

John Douglas is a founding member of Trashcan Sinatras, who recently re-released their debut record 'Cake' via Last Night From Glasgow, finally seeing UK Top-40 success 33 years later since its original release (it only reached 74 in the charts back in the day).

‘I’m really enjoying having my record out in the world. It seems to have found a place in people’s hearts. Maybe it’s the simplicity of approach -there’s not much of that around these days. I don’t know really. I try not to dwell on it. I’m happy to show up and sing the songs with my guitar as partner, keep it intimate and let the songs come to life," says John Douglas.

"The recent interest in the Trashcans' records has been a wonderful coincidence…it’s long overdue and well deserved.. for it to arrive as I put my own record out feels mysterious and miraculous.. whoever’s organising this runs a pretty slick operation."

As of late, John has been playing gigs across the UK and Ireland, both as a solo artist and as part of his partner Eddi Reader’s band. He has also put on shows with musical friends, such as Norman Blake (Teenage Fanclub), Jill Jackson, Withered Hand and James Grant (Love & Money). John was also invited to perform with Martin McAloon (Prefab Sprout), the two having first met in 1990 when the Trashcan Sinatras' were touring with Prefab Sprout for ‘Jordan - The Comeback' LP.

The 'John Douglas' album is out now and available from fine online platforms and also on Bandcamp - both on CD and digitally.

CREDITS
Written by John Douglas (1, 2, 4, 6, 11), Trashcan Sinatras (3, 5, 7, 8), Trashcan Sinatras / Dine (9) and Paddy McAloon (10)
All songs published by MCPS/PPL, except Track 10 (published by Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC)
Recorded, mixed & mastered in Glasgow by Mark Freegard
Photographs taken on the Old Largs Road by Susie Lowe
Cover photo by Janette Ayachi at The Strand Club, Glasgow
Design by Martin Rowsell Simply Marvellous: Music
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR

NECROWRETCH Blaze Through the Desert on New Single

January 21, 2024

Necrowretch might have emerged alongside the revival of old school death metal, but these deadly sorcerers have always carried a Satanic streak. After all, their new album, Swords of Dajjal, is named after the Islamic Antichrist.

Today, the blackened French band are summoning the gods of barbarity with "Dii Mauri", the album's smoldering third single.

Watch the treacherous video below.

Swords of Dajjal comes out February 2, 2024.

Pre-order: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/NecrowretchSwords

Pre-save: https://orcd.co/necrowretchswordsofdajjal

"Dii Mauri" begins with a blessing and a curse. "Ave Ingirozoglezim!" Vlad spews, conjuring the fully eruptive force of his band. Drum fills reign down like boulders, while the riffs churn and whip with the blinding fury of a sandstorm. Even in the midst of a lone, piercing guitar that drifts through the air like a mirage, one thing is clear. In their wake, Necrowretch leave nothing but devastation.

"This song pays tribute to the ancient Moorish Gods in Dii Mauri", says Necrowretch. "Unlike the other Gods that the Roman Empire was integrating into their pantheon after each conquest, the Dii Mauri were considered too barbaric to be ever integrated.

So shall it be... to scribe thy names
So shall it be... to cast thy flames..."

The video for "Dii Mauri" was filmed on location in Spain and Kyrgyzstan. It was directed, filmed and edited by Mounir Chraibi.

Horse training was provided by Carolina Lindenau from Spain's Rancho Bonanza.

Now entering their fifteenth year as a band, France’s Necrowretch are about to open the most ambitious chapter of their career with Swords Of Dajjal, their three-years-in-the-making fifth album.

Initially the sole work of multi-instrument and vision leader Vlad, the band was originally for better and for worse lumped in the ‘old school death metal revival’ of the early 10’s. Yet while their debut Putrid Death Sorcery did bear indeed all the usual suspects of said genre, it nevertheless already had that extra, raw-as-fuck and just plain vicious element that really set them apart from the rest of the pack. Conforming to the norm was never in question and instead of selling out or trying to slow things down, as true misfits as they are, the went the exact opposite direction, first with 2015’s With Serpents Scourge, only to be vigorously confirmed by its furious follow-up, and first for Season Of Mist, 2017’s Satanic Slavery. To the point where once the touring cycle was over for the latter, Vlad himself felt he had explored this direction as far as he could have and that changes were on the horizon.

“On Satanic Slavery we on purpose took things as far as we could as our goal was to deliver the most bestial album possible. But once we achieved that goal, I knew we had to take a slightly different if still as uncompromised direction.” Incidentally, that’s when Wenceslas Carrieu from Cadaveric FUMES entered the picture, first as a momentary live session on bass. But when second stringer Kev Desecrator vowed to amicably part way with the band to focus on DESTRÖYER 666, he switched to six-strings and proved to be the valuable songwriting partner Vlad had been looking for since the departure of the band original bass player Amphycion in 2015. “Heimmediately came up with lots of ideas and thanks to him, we now have a whole new dynamic: a bit like Sepultura had back in the days in between Max Cavalera and Andreas Kisser, with me focusing now on my vocals and playing rhythm guitars while Wenceslas takes care of all the solos, the starting riffs and the off-the-map bits.

With their fourth album, and first with Wencelas, The Ones From Hell was only one month old, Necrowretch was about to tour Europe with both Kampfar and Taake for three weeks. A tour bus was booked, the set was well-rehearsed, everything was ready and then... disaster struck. “Six days before we were due to play our first show, the whole thing was cancelled. Then COVID hit us and the world was basically shut down. We were numb for a couple of days but soon realized that the best way to bounce back was to move forward so we instantly started working on new songs.” The result is Swords Of Dajjal by far, their biggest, boldest and most ambitiousproduction ever.

“We spent no less than three years working on the songs, demoeing them and finetuning the details and rehearsing them as a three-piece and six weeks in the studio with Francis Caste (Hangman's Chair, REGARDE LES HOMMES TOMBER, Svart Crown etc.). Prior to that, we used to be a pure product of the underground, with albums done in just a couple of days whom were never 100% satisfied with in the end as we had to rush everything. We’re still very underground, mind you. But this time around, we knew we had to give it all, no matter what. So we started by changing our gear, our sound and our tuning. And once we entered the studio, we forinstance spent a whole day just testing different amps just to get the right sound and crunch we were looking for. I even took some singing lessons to gain more depth and power. In a way, it almost feels like a whole new band.”

The whole record was written on purpose mostly on acoustic twelve-string guitars (“the idea was that if it sounds good and catchy that way, it’d be even better with distortion”) and as a three-piece, “something we hadn’t done in a long time” with their new drummer Nicolas Ferrero, not exactly a newcomer as he’s been playing on and off live with them since 2018. The result is, according to Vlad, “our most black metal record, with splashes of death metal here and there. Whereas on the previous album all tempos were pushed to the extreme, there’s far more variety here to be found. Italso gave us free reins to reach a more mystical, Biblical if you will vibe” fed by his experience living in Turkey in the late 10’s. “We choose to focus on the Dajjal character, basically the antichrist in the Muslim religion. The Coran says that he’ll appear as a false prophet only to bring doom to this world, with an army of demons coming from the east.” Represented on the cover of the album with his double edged sword and bathed in the same kind of reddish and orangey mesmerizing lights one can experience when the sun sets on wind-beaten deserts, all eight songs on the album are prophecies, past and future, where Dajjal plays the leading role.

Now completed on bass by R. Cadaver (former Cadaveric Fumes vocalist) who officially joined once the recording was done after playing as a live session member for the last two years, and armed with their biggest, most complex and intense album of their career, Necrowretch are about to yield their sword of destruction and exterminate everything in sight.

Lineup
Vlad - Vocals, Guitars
W. Cadaver - Lead Guitars
R. Cadaver (Live) - Bass
N. Destroyer - Drums

Recording Studio
Studio Sainte Marthe, Paris

Sound, Mixing & Mastering Engineer
Francis Caste

Cover Art
Stefan Thanneur / Manifeste

Photography
Léonor Ananké

Biography
Olivier Zoltar Badin

Pre-save: https://orcd.co/necrowretchswordsofdajjal

Pre-order: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/NecrowretchSwords

Booking
necrowretch@gmail.com

Links:
Official Website: https://necrowretch.net/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Necrowretch
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/necrowretch
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/intl-fr/artist/0cIx910hgtpgvicBJv3ybq
Bandcamp: https://necrowretch.bandcamp.com/

Available Formats:
CD Digipak
CD Digipak + Exclusive Woven Patch w/ Red Merrow Border
Digital Download
12" Vinyl Gatefold - Black
12" Coloured Vinyl Gatefold - Transparent Yellow
12" Coloured Vinyl Gatefold - Crystal Clear, Yellow & Black Marbled

Invent Animate Release New Single "Sleepless Deathbed" + Visualizer via UNFD

January 21, 2024

Atmospheric metalcore trailblazers Invent Animate are kicking off 2024 by releasing their new single "Sleepless Deathbed" and the accompanying visualizer (via UNFD). Prior to today, the band released the titular album title track "Heavener" and the official music video from their phenomenal latest album. When asked about the inspiration behind today's release, the band shared:

"The song is about hallucinating a state of your own death and being stuck in that lifeless plane of constant and repeating discomfort. Where all your bad memories, big and small, are falling down on you in the form of rain and making you feel it all again, physically all at once. At a point, you start to think this might be death and that it might be like this forever. It weighs you down so much that your ground melts and you fall down through a static space through your own memories. The fall becomes the sleepless deathbed, where you’ve come to serve until the end of time. This is one of those songs that was written naturally, we knew we wanted something fast and heavy and we knew lyrics needed to represent physical panic."

Stream "Sleepless Deathbed" here and watch the visualizer below.

Invent Animate's North American fans have the opportunity to see the band's phenomenal live show now alongside Beartooth, The Plot In You, and Sleep Theory. Tickets are going fast with many dates already sold out, so be sure to get yours at the link here and watch this space for more Invent Animate news coming soon.

North American Tour 2024 Dates:

Jan 19: Toronto, ON @ History (Sold Out)

Jan 20: Montreal, QB @ M Telus (Sold Out)

Jan 21: Boston, MA @ House of Blues (Sold Out)

Jan 23: Philadelphia, PA @ Franklin Music Hall (Sold Out)

Jan 24: Pittsburgh, PA @ Roxian (Sold Out)

Jan 26: New York, NY @ Palladium Times Square (Sold Out)

Jan 27: Baltimore, MD @ Rams Head (Sold Out)

Jan 28: Norfolk, VA @ The NorVA (Sold Out)

Jan 30: Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle (Sold Out)

Jan 31: Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore (Sold Out)

Feb 2: Charleston, SC @ Charleston Music Hall (Sold Out)

Feb 3: Orlando, FL @ House of Blues (Sold Out)

Feb 11: Tampa, FL @ Jannus (Sold Out)

Feb 13: Huntsville, AL @ Mars Music Hall (Sold Out)

Feb 14: New Orleans, LA @ House of Blues (Sold Out)

Feb 15: Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall (Sold Out)

Feb 17: San Antonio, TX @ Boeing Center at Tech Port - Low Tickets

Feb 18: Dallas, TX @ House of Blues (Sold Out)

Feb 20: Phoenix, AZ @ Van Buren (Sold Out)

Feb 21: San Diego, CA @ Soma

Feb 22: Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern - Low Tickets

Feb 24: Sacramento, CA @ Hard Rock Hotel & Casino(Sold Out)

Feb 25: Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom (Sold Out)

Feb 27: Seattle, WA @ Showbox SoDo (Sold Out)

Feb 28: Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory (Sold Out)

Mar 1: Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory (Sold Out)

Mar 2: Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex - Low Tickets

Mar 3: Denver, CO @ The Fillmore - Low Tickets

Mar 5: Fargo, ND @ Sanctuary Events Center (Sold Out)

Mar 6: St. Paul, MN @ Myth Live

Mar 8: Chicago, IL @ Riviera - Low Tickets

Mar 9: Madison, WI @ The Sylvee (Sold Out)

Mar 10: Sauget, IL @ Pop's - Low Tickets

Mar 12: Indianapolis, IN @ Egyptian Room - Low Tickets

Mar 13: Nashville, TN @ Marathon Music Works (Sold Out)

Mar 14: Fort Wayne, IN @ The Clyde Theater

Half Me Share "Quitter Talk" Video

January 21, 2024

Half Me made a striking entry into the heavy music world with their debut album SOMA — which blended metal, hardcore, and experimental styles. The powerful riffs and reflective lyrics turned heads and caught ears.

They are back and more heated than ever, following up on the previous single "Concrete Ceiling" with "Quitter Talk."

Losing a battle, fighting a war. On their new single "Quitter Talk," Half Me deal with inner turmoil manifesting in addiction — loud and without compromise.

Watch the video below.

Stream the song here.

"Half Me have unveiled a monstrous statement of intent" — 8/10 Metal Hammer

"SOMA is how you get attention. Soma is how you make people notice you" — GBHBL

"Extremely well-written, well-produced, and well-performed on every front" — The Soundboard Reviews

Stream, order SOMA now as CD, limited colored vinyl and exclusive merch options at the Arising Empire Shop.

HALF ME ARE:
Christopher Zühlke — Vocals
Christopher Hesse — Guitar
Julius Jansen — Guitar
Tobias Max Sajons — Bass
Maximilian Eisersdorff — Drums

Yours Truly is back!

January 21, 2024

Dalton Dover Releases Heartfelt Cover of "Take Me Home, Country Roads"

January 20, 2024

MusicRow-dubbed “master country talent” Dalton Dover is kicking off 2024 with a return to his roots as he debuts a heartfelt cover of John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” released via UMG Nashville/Mercury Records.

“Growing up, this one was a fun singalong, but now I like to play when I’m feeling a little homesick while I’m touring,” shares Dover. “It’s a little reminder that soon enough, I’ll be on those roads that lead me back home.”

After honing his live show with festival dates and supporting acts such as Luke Combs, Tyler Hubbard, Sam Hunt, Parker McCollum, Justin Moore and Chase Rice, Dover is gearing up to embark on his first headlining club tour with his Never Giving Up On That Tour, kicking off Feb. 23 among dates on Larry Fleet’s The Earned It Tour. Tickets are on sale now at DaltonDoverOfficial.com.

Named a Tidal Artist to Watch 2024, Pandora 2023 Artist to Watch, an Amazon Music 2023 Breakthrough Artist to Watch: Country Class and a member of CMT’s LISTEN UP 2023 Class, Dover recently released an eight-song collection with Never Giving Up On That, featuring his most-added radio debut “Giving Up On That.” The official music video for premiered with CMT, CMT Music, CMT.com and Paramount’s Times Square Billboard. Directed by Tristan Cusick, the video was filmed near Dover’s hometown in Rome, Georgia.Watch it HERE.

Dover is signed with United Talent Agency for worldwide booking representation in all areas, along with Sony Music Publishing Nashville in partnership with Droptine Music Publishing. For more information, visit DaltonDoverOfficial.com or follow along on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and Facebook.

Dalton Dover Tour Dates

Jan. 19                         KFRG Riverside 34th Birthday Bash Cabazon, CA
Jan. 29-Feb. 1             Boots on the Beach                                         Punta Canta, Dominican Republic
Feb. 13                        Grand Ole Opry                                              Nashville, TN
Feb. 15                        ETSU Martin Center for the Arts* Johnson City, TN
Feb. 16                        The Ritz* Raleigh, NC
Feb. 17                        Tabernacle* Atlanta, GA
Feb. 23                        Proud Larry’s                                                  Oxford, MS
Feb. 24                        Hub City Brewing Jackson, TN
Feb. 29                        Iron City Bham* Birmingham, AL
March 1                       The Fillmore Charlotte* Charlotte, NC
March 2                       The National* Richmond, VA
March 14                     Jannus Live* St. Petersburg, FL
March 15                     The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon* Fort Myers, FL
March 16                     Clewiston Sugar Festival                                Clewiston, FL
April 5                         House of Blues – Bronze Peacock Houston, TX
April 6                         The Lot                                                           Mansfield, TX
April 11                       40 Watt Club                                                   Athens, GA
April 12                       The Barrelhouse Ballroom                             Chattanooga, TN
April 13                       The Open Chord                                             Knoxville, TN
April 20                       Coast City Country Vancouver, Canada
April 26                       Terminal South                                               Tifton, GA
April 28                       Capitol Theatre                                               Macon, GA
June 20-22                  Country Jam Mack, CO
June 28                        Country Fest 2024                                          Cadott, WI
July 4                          I-105 Country Freedom Fest Quarryville, PA

*Supporting Larry Fleet

About Dalton Dover
Lauded by MusicRow as a “master country talent,” Dalton Dover’s debut radio single “Giving Up On That” via UMG Nashville/Mercury Records was the most-added track at Country Radio upon its debut with 60 first week adds, and it can be found on his latest EP Never Giving Up On That, featuring eight tracks including “Night To Go,” “Baby I Am,” “Hear About A Girl,” and more. Named a Tidal Artist to Watch 2024, Pandora 2023 Artist to Watch, an Amazon Music 2023 Breakthrough Artist to Watch: Country Class and a member of CMT’s LISTEN UP 2023 Class, he will embark on his headlining Never Giving Up On That Tour in early 2024. Dover made his Grand Ole Opry debut in December 2022, followed by his international debut in 2023 at C2C: Country to Country Festival’s CMA Songwriters Series before joining Chase Rice on the Way Down Yonder Tour. This summer, Dover performed across four stages at CMA Fest, including the Nissan Stadium Platform stage and played Luke Combs’ Whiskey Jam Bootleggers Tailgate Party at Gillette Stadium in July. By the age of 16, Dover had picked up a guitar and started teaching himself to play, yet it was his grandfather who turned him on to country music and artists such as Keith Whitley, Rhett Akins, Joe Diffie and Steve Wariner. Performances at local bars soon followed along with sharing covers of some of his favorite songs on TikTok. It was there he caught the ear of producer Matt McV and A&R veteran and founder of Droptine, Jim Catino, who quickly signed Dover. His debut track “You Got a Small Town,” produced by McV, quickly garnered critical acclaim from Billboard, MusicRow, Country Now and Wide Open Country. With his debut and his follow-up “Baby I Am” earning notable playlisting, Dover was named a Spotify Hot Country 2022 Artist to Watch along with a spotlight as Billboard’s February Country Rookie of the Month and a nod for MusicRow’s 2022 Discovery Artist of the Year. For more information, visit DaltonDoverOfficial.com or follow along on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and Facebook.