VULVODYNIA Announce New Album 'Entabeni'; Drop Lyric Video For Title Track

South African slamming-deathcore powerhouse, Vulvodynia, are thrilled to announce the release of their highly anticipated album, 'Entabani', scheduled to drop on July 5th via Unique Leader Records. Celebrating this major milestone and the dawning of a brand new era, the band has also unveiled the official music video for the album’s title track, "Entabani". Stream the new track HERE and watch the music video Below

Describing their latest work, the band shares,

"‘Entabani’ is a very important album for us, it sees us at crossroads in our career. We've fully embraced the idea of writing as a collective, exploring every member's ideas, experiences and formed them all together to create what we think is our most ambitious album yet. We wanted to explore the concept of African folklore on this album and based a lot of the songs off of old stories found in poems, books and even through word of mouth from our vocalist Lwandile's older family members.”

The album’s title track is a deep dive into the rich tapestry of African culture. The band explain

“The word Entabeni means 'The Mountain' in the African language Isizulu. It explores the concept of initiation in the different tribes and cultures that practice it. We want this first single to really make a statement and believe this is the most confident we've ever sounded! We hope our fans can accept and embrace the changes we've undergone."

With the release of 'Entabeni', fans can look forward to a body of work that not only pays homage to the band’s roots but also pushes the boundaries of the deathcore and death metal genres. The album promises to be a landmark release for Vulvodynia, cementing their place at the forefront extreme metal worldwide.

Prepare to scale 'Entabani' with Vulvodynia when the album drops on July 5th and experience the pinnacle of what extreme metal can and should be in 2024

Cynic Release Audiotree Session

Putting your creative process into words is difficult, especially if you're as forward-thinking as CYNIC. But after 30+ years, weathering hurricanes, teenage angst, homophobia and the tragic loss of their legendary rhythm section has given Paul Masvidal sage-like insight into the band's celestial voyage.

Paul recently touched down at Audiotree Studios to talk about his journey. He and his interstellar bandmates also performed songs from Cynic's groundbreaking discography, including "Adam's Murmur" off the newly re-issued Traced in Air.

Watch CYNIC on Audiotree From Nothing Below.

Download and Stream: https://lnk.to/ATFN-Cynic

Order Traced in Air on black and colored vinyl: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/CynicShop

Traced in Air changed the game for Cynic, much like their landmark album Focus did years before. The band's precedent-setting fusion of progressive music and mind-bending spiritual lyrics took the listener on an entirely new journey, solidifying their place as boundary-pushing pioneers.

Traced in Air is now being reissued on vinyl by Season of Mist.

Available formats
12" Vinyl Gatefold (Black)
12" Colored Vinyl Gatefold (Pink, purple and white marbled)

Praise for Traced in Air

“On the basis of Traced in Air, more so than its 1993 predecessor Focus, Cynic should be understood not so much alongside any metal bands but along with the radical harmonic progressives in the last 45 years of pop and jazz: composers like Milton Nascimento, the Beach Boys or Pat Metheny." - The New York Times

"Where would we be without Cynic? Where would Cynic be without Traced In Air? I don’t want to imagine that world. 2008’s LP by the crown princes of progressive metal set the high watermark for progressive metal in the new millennium, one that has arguably still not been surpassed." - Everything is Noise

"The album is sonicaly heavier than Focus, but no less overt in its prominent jazz influence, with tracks like “Evolutionary Sleeper” showing they could defy time and be the band from the past and a band from the future at the same time." - Treble Zine, who listed Traced in Air among the 10 Essential Sci-Fi Metal Albums.

“As liberally and recklessly as the term "progressive" is regularly applied to any sort of rock music that breaks with conventional genre templates, there are certain bands and albums for which it still feels not only necessary, for lack of better definitions, but actually appropriate. Cynic and their 1993 watershed, Focus, are a perfect case in point. ... In short, those expecting a mere sequel to Focus will be mildly disappointed (but should have known better), and those worried about Traced in Air's altogether brief, 35-minute length should rest assured that it is easily offset by the sheer density of strange and beautiful musical nuances layered within, and the time required to absorb them all. And ultimately, the album does Cynic's legacy justice precisely because it challenges the listener to comprehend, by opening more doors than it closes and posing more questions than obvious answers -- and what could be more "progressive" than that?” - All Music

Get excited for Traced in Air all over again with this teaser video that the band filmed back in 2008, plus a live video from the 2010 Traced in Air tour. 

Order Traced in Air

Photos by Calla Flanagan

Audiotree is a Chicago-based music discovery platform producing high quality studio sessions and live performance recordings from artists all around the world. Discover your next favorite band at audiotree.tv.

Cynic’s continual state of development has met its share of challenges over the years, hurdles that threatened to dismantle the entity’s forward surge. Yet through hurricanes, breakups, and assorted acrimony both personal and existential, it remains inspired to create.

Their name is synonymous with what it means to be truly progressive in music. Cynic’s top-tier performance acumen and cerebral/spiritual/yogic themes finds them inhabiting a corner of the musical spectrum all their own. Their Venn diagram shows intersections with death metal, prog rock, thrash metal, experimental, new age, jazz fusion, and a myriad of other sonic expressions.

Debut album, Focus (1993), is a certified classic. Although that era ended with transformation into the short-lived Portal, and then a further splinter toward Aeon Spoke, Cynic’s reunion-era has found them embraced in a way that proves how ahead of the times they were in the ‘90s. Through monuments such as the Traced in Air (2008) and Kindly Bent to Free Us (2014) albums, the Carbon-Based Anatomy and Re-Traced EPs, and a surprising rebirth with the “Humanoid” single of 2018, the Cynic legacy remains untarnished. Yet early in the creation cycle for their fourth full-length album, they experienced horrible events that tested the entity’s resolve.

The year 2020 will go down in history as a tremendously difficult time for the global human population. For the Cynic family, the struggle was not restricted to a pandemic. It was two utterly senseless losses that threw the band’s immediate concerns into the background: the premature deaths of drummer Sean Reinert in January, at age 48, and bassist Sean Malone in December, at age 50, were shocking and unthinkable.

Reinert and Malone heard elements of what ended up on Cynic's fourth and latest album. Slowly, methodically, and with much careful deliberation, Masvidal completed an album titled Ascension Codes, to honor the memory of his fallen band mates. And while the album honors the lives and contributions of Reinert and Malone, it also pushes Cynic forward for its own sake and through its own will to live. The album, paradoxically, acts as both swan song and rebirth. It is, throughout its 49 minutes, a vivid and highly cosmic journey into the very core of every impulse this band has ever explored.

Audiotree Lineup:
Paul Masvidal – Vocals and Guitars
Max Phelps (Exist, Death to All) – Guitars and Vocals
Brandon Giffin (The Faceless, The Zenith Passage) – Bass
Matt Lynch (Nova Collective, Intronaut) – Drums & Percussion

Links:
https://www.facebook.com/CynicPaulMasvidal
https://www.instagram.com/cynic_official
https://cyniconline.bandcamp.com/
https://twitter.com/CynicOnline
https://www.youtube.com/user/cynicdocumentary
https://cynic.travelling-merchant.com
https://www.indiemerch.com/cynic/

Shop: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/Cynic

intervals Drop New Single "circuit bender" + Official Visualizer

Innovative instrumental metal powerhouse intervals have released their latest track "circuit bender" and the official visualizer. The song is taken from the band's forthcoming new album 'memory palace', out next Friday, May 17. Speaking about today's release, intervals ringleader Aaron Marshall shared:

“I’m so stoked to drop one last track from 'memory palace' before it all comes out next week! "circuit bender" is one of those rare tunes that just sort of wrote itself and I love that it showcases the heavier, and more production forward side of the record. Still plenty of different vibes to explore on the album, when it drops next week and I can’t wait for it to all be out in full. Another crazy visualizer for this one on our YouTube channel too for those who have been enjoying that side of things as well. Hope everyone digs!”

intervals have previously dropped "mnemonic", "neurogenesis" featuring acclaimed electronic duo KOAN Sound, and most recently, "nootropic" which altogether have amassed a staggering 1.2 million streams on Spotify alone and over 350,000 views on YouTube. Pre-order 'memory palace' here, stream "circuit bender" here, and watch the music video below.

See intervals heat up the stage on the Mammoth II Tour 2024 with Mammoth WVH going on now. For ticket information, please click here, and be sure to stay tuned for more intervals news coming soon.

Upcoming Tour Dates With Mammoth WVH:

May 10 - Cherokee, NC @ Harrah's Cherokee Resort Event Center

May 12 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Revolution Live

May 14 - Chattanooga, TN @ The Signal

May 16 - Nashville, TN @ Brooklyn Bowl

May 17 - Louisville, KY @ Mercury Ballroom

intervals exist as the unbound and unapologetic creative expression of Aaron Marshall. The progressive guitar rock faithful revere Marshall for his virtuoso chops and melodic prowess in equal measure. His distinctive character and musical personality shine throughout the heady, catchy, and transcendent instrumental compositions found across the ever-growing catalog of intervals albums. 

The music is a window into the Toronto, Ontario, guitarist’s mind, body, and soul. Songs like “Libra”, “5-HTP”, “Belvedere”, “I’m Awake”, and “mnemonic” rank among the most popular in the genre. Metal Injection describes intervals as “catchy-as-hell shred.” Sonic Perspectives declared the band’s fourth album, 2020’s 'Circadian', “strikes the perfect balance between shred, songwriting, and melody.”

A trio of gifted touring and recording musicians surround Marshall as they collectively share intervals’ songs with the world: drummer Nathan Bulla, bassist Jacob Mansky, and guitarist Travis LeVrier. They consistently stun audiences, including on celebrated treks with Spiritbox, TesseracT, Animals As Leaders, Polyphia, Periphery, Protest The Hero, and Between The Buried And Me. 

The earliest intervals offerings, including two EPs and 2014’s full-length debut, A Voice Within (the sole album with lead vocals), were decidedly heavy and aggressive. Heralded by MetalSucks as “fantastic” and “lacking virtually nothing,” 2015’s The Shape of Colour ventured in a new direction. intervals' fourth album was appropriately titled The Way Forward. “Employing many of the same techniques as technical progressive metal but in a major-key, upbeat framework has been intervals’ calling card,” wrote Metal Hammer. “[The Way Forward] is a purer distillation of [Marshall’s] aim.”  

Circadian marked intervals’ first collaboration with Sam Guiana (Silverstein, Neck Deep, Holding Absence). memory palace brilliantly celebrates the best of intervals’ past, present, and future. The album is diverse, uplifting, and crushingly heavy. Also produced by Guaiana, memory palace includes collaborations with KOAN Sound (“neurogenesis”), J3PO (“galaxy brain”), and OBLVYN (“lacuna”). 

Fiercely independent and precision-focused but never lacking in uplifting vibe and fun, intervals continues to grow from Marshall’s strong roots in authenticity, instinct, and trusting one’s gut. - Ryan Downey

RELIQA - release video for new single 'Dying Light'

Fast-rising Australian metallers RELIQA have released a video for their new single, 'Dying Light,' the third cut to be taken from their upcoming debut album, Secrets Of The Future, which sees a 31st May release via Nuclear Blast Records for all territories outside of Australia, where it will be released via Greyscale Records.

Vocalist Monique Pym comments:

"Dying Light is your last taste of the album before we go full send on May 31st. This one is all about the attitude – it's got a level of sass and femininity that we haven't explored before, with a dirty, riffy groove to keep it grounded. I think this song really completes the picture alongside Terminal and Killstar for how many diverse kinds of sounds we've managed to pack into the record."

Watch the video for new single 'Dying Light' below.

Pre-order and pre-save Secrets Of The Future now at: https://nblast.de/Reliqa-SOTF

Manchester's THE SPEED OF SOUND releases landmark ‘A Cornucopia: Minerva’ album, plus animated video for ‘The Great Acceleration’

"Buzzing fuzz guitar lines emerge from a delicate acoustic introduction to intersect with the crashing chords and the ‘bulbous pulsing’ rhythm section" ~ Record Collector Magazine

"Raw and edgy sound with guiding and invigorating sense of melody" ~ The Spill Magazine

“Unmistakeable sound a winning formula” ~ The Big Takeover

“A triumph of industry, imagination and talent, coolly novel and damned addictive” ~ Louder Than War

‘Unique and other worldly” ~ Vive Le Rock

“A form of Art-Pop that is wry, incisive, yet a deeply listenable examination of post industrial culture” ~ Rock At Night

"A riotous maelstrom of musical mayhem” ~ The Manc Review

'A Cornucopia: Minerva' CD & vinyl order  https://bigstirrecords. bandcamp.com/album/a- cornucopia-minerva 
Spotify  https://open.spotify.com/track/5fgADipIGJylWUvTbAMdbg

Manchester indie rock psychonauts The Speed Of Sound has released their new album 'A Cornucopia: Minerva', marking their 35th anniversary as power-pop psychnauts. Issued via Big Stir Records, this is the first record of the three-album set 'A Cornucopia: Minerva, Victory, Bounty' 

Full of ambition, energy, and eccentric melodic brilliance, they also present the video for 'The Great Acceleration', following up the album's lead track 'West Wind'.

While these albums will see digital editions over the next year, the Vinyl and CD versions are 3-disc sets carrying the umbrella title 'A Cornucopia'. Released as deluxe editions, each set includes two full-length bonus albums 'Victory' and 'Bounty'. But it all begins with 'Minerva'.

With this triple offering of sonic goodness, The Speed Of Sound returns triumphant, defiant and redemptive, following up 2021's critically acclaimed album 'Museum Of Tomorrow'. Named for the goddess associated with wisdom, the arts and strategic warfare, this album explores themes of resistance to mainstream cultural dominance, championing individual identity and artistic creativity whilst being a vigorous musical celebration of subcultural existence in the face of predominantly bland pop culture.

The Speed of Sound is made up of father and son John Armstrong (guitars and vocals) and Henry Armstrong (keyboards), Ann-Marie Crowley (vocals and guitar), Kevin Roache (bass guitar) and John Broadhurst (drums).

'Minerva' presents 14 fresh and variegated tracks, each one a burst of differently-hued radio friendly sonic technicolor. These new pieces range from the recklessly fast Bo Diddley rhythm successfully merged with a Wagnerian horn section of lead single 'West Wind' to the haunting and spacious ballad critiquing Economic Theory that is 'Trickledown' to the stripped back mediaeval folk-tinged starkness of 'The Harvest' to the stratospheric vastness of 'The Great Acceleration'.

The album passes seamlessly through the acoustic guitar-driven groove of 'SS-100-X',the spacious iridescence of 'Eight Fourteen Monday', the lively ascendence of 'The Party Sniper', the glowing radioactivity metaphor of 'Half Life' to the bright uplifting dementia and identity-loss focused 'Mind Palace'. While the bouncing vibe of 'Bodysnatchers' reminds us to stay awake and not slip into the drabness of normalcy, the crunching melodic punch of 'Clickbait' zings into the typewriter introduction of 'Yet Another Tuesday', onwards to the punkifed rhythm and blues of 'So Faux' and the closing acoustic riot of 'Question Time'.

With their inbuilt eclectic and genre-defying style, The Speed Of Sound expand from their base-camp foundation of multiple 1960s, punk and new wave influences, encompassing wide dynamic and stylistic variation, crossing borders and pushing boundaries at every opportunity while retaining continuity. The music bursts with experimentation whilst retaining hooks and melodic sensibility, plus the sharp barbed wit, lyrical depth and all-pervading sense of joy that form the irrepressible, uplifting hallmarks of this band.

Throughout their 35-year history, The Speed Of Sound have continuously produced music laced with optimism and lyrical bite, tapping the DIY ethos of punk and the restless lust for experimentation of psychedelia. Formed in 1989 with a pre-history dating back to the day Andy Warhol died in 1987, their music has always been idiosyncratic, counter-intuitive and perpetually looking for something new.

'Minerva' is out now, available in both formats from Big Stir Records via Bandcamp. Even better - dive into the jam-packed triple LP and CD editions of 'A Cornucopia'.

Keep up with The Speed of Sound
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The Oklahoma Kid Share "No Sympathy" Video

THE OKLAHOMA KID are a modern metal experience. The genre-blending five-piece never shies away from pushing the boundaries or breaking down old conventions.

Today, they have shared the video for "No Sympathy." With lyrics that cut through the facade, the song confronts betrayal and personal empowerment. As the raw vocals declare, "I can see right through you," the band delves into the complexities of resilience and self-realization. "No Sympathy" challenges listeners to confront their emotions and take control of their own fate. With its powerful message and intense energy, this track is sure to leave a lasting impression. 

The song is about vocalist Tom growing up as a man and the struggles that came with it. As he got older, he knew where they came from. This is his take on toxic masculinity for himself and the ones, especially FLINTA, who suffer from it.

"You are heard, I will do my best for a change," Tomboys.

Watch the video for "No Sympathy" below.

The song is out worldwide on DSPs at midnight here.

Since its formation in 2012, the band has established a foundation in the German metal scene. After their successful debut album Solarray (2019) and struck by the global pandemic, THE OKLAHOMA KID set their focus on writing new music, with one simple goal in mind — to best themselves and give every fan something to crave for Tangerine Tragic. The Oklahoma Kid have toured with internationally renowned acts such as Stick to Your Guns, Carnifex, Evergreen Terrace, and Hatebreed. They have electrified crowds with their passionate performances. The band is no longer an insider tip. They are a force to be reckoned with. Whether live at a festival or on the record player in the living room — THE OKLAHOMA KID will change your perception of what metal is capable of.
  
THE OKLAHOMA KID ARE:
Tomm Brümmer | Vocals
Fred Stölzel | Guitar
Andreas Reinhard | Guitar
Robert Elfenbein | Bass
David J. Burtscher | Drums

PHOTO CREDIT: Prissilya Junewin

KING 810 To Drop New Project This Summer, Share New Song, + Announce Tour

Indie occult film under the black rainbow by Flint Michigan's own KING 810 is due out summer 2024.  

KING 810 have announced their next project under the black rainbow, an episodic film series accompanied by a soundtrack of the same name. It's available for pre-order here.

The follow up to 2023's follow my tears is said the be the group's most uniquely ambitious piece of work yet.

David Gunn, Eugene Gill, and familiar cohorts independently funded, wrote, directed, produced, filmed, acted, edited, and distributed under the black rainbow. The band has once again teamed up with producer Josh Schroeder for the writing and recording of the musical portion of the film.

The story unfolds when KING 810 encounter an enchanted instrument belonging to the angelic priest King Melchizedek... 

The first episode is live.

KING 810 are also heading on tour this summer. Dates for the "under the black rainbow" tour are below and tickets go on sale on Friday, May 10 at 10am local time. The Last Ten Seconds of Life and Extortionist will support.

KING 810 ON TOUR:
WITH THE LAST TEN SECONDS OF LIFE + EXTORTIONIST:
8/1 — Rochester, NY  —  Montage Music Hall
8/2 — Albany, NY  —  Empire Underground
8/3 — Burlington, VT  —  Higher Ground
8/4 — Cambridge, MA  —  Sonia
8/6 — Manchester, NH  —  Jewel
8/7 — Hartford, CT  —  Webster Underground
8/8 — New York, NY  —  The Meadows
8/9 — Clifton. NJ  —  Dingbats
8/10 — Frederickton, MD  —  Cafe 611
8/11 — Mechanicsburg, PA  —  Lovedraft's Brewing Co.
8/13 — Richmond, VA  —  Another Round Bar & Grill
8/14 — Virginia Beach, VA  —  Scandals Live
8/15 — Greensboro, NC  —  Hangar 1819
8/16 — Jacksonville, NC  —  Hooligans
8/17 — Spartanburg, SC  —  Ground Zero
8/18 — Tampa, FL  —  Orpheum
8/20 — Sanford, FL  —  West End
8/21 — Pensacola, FL  —  The Handlebar
8/22 — New Orleans, LA  —  Southport Hall
8/23 — Tyler, TX  —  Bricks
8/24 — Oklahoma, OK  —  89 Street
8/25 — St. Louis, MO  —  Red Flag
8/28 — Madison, WI  —  The Annex
8/29 — Minneapolis, MN  —  Turf Club
8/30 — Sioux Falls, SD  —  Remedy 611
8/31— Des Moines, IA  —  Wooly's
9/1 — Indianapolis, IN  —  Black Circle

ABOUT KING 810:
Forget all the shit you’ve heard about KING 810, everything you think you know about them, and especially anything you've read on the internet. The band—David Gunn, Eugene Gill, and various partners-in-crime—gestated in one of America's most forsaken and forgotten cities: Flint, MI. Like a soundtrack to urban apocalypse, their 2014 full-length debut, Memoirs Of A Murderer, introduced a sound equally steeped in bullet-riddled rap, groove-laden nineties metal, sexually charged industrial, and midnight-at-the-crossroads acoustic voodoo. In its wake, they emerged as the rare enigma equally comfortable on a mixtape alongside Freddie Gibbs and DJ Drama or on tour with Slipknot and Korn. They managed to leave stages in flames everywhere from The Gathering of the Juggalos to Sonic Temple. They got Vice, Revolver, PornHub, and many more talking as they quietly amassed over 100 million streams  and counting across La Petite Mort or a Conversation with God [2016], Suicide King [2019], AK Concerto No. 47, 11th Movement in G Major[2020], and Follow My Tears EP [2023]. Like a séance in abandoned housing projects, they're both repulsively familiar and alluringly otherworldly. In 2024, Gunn, Gill, and Co. continue in their pursuit of uncompromising art on their first-ever indie occult film under the black rainbow and its accompanying album and soundtrack of the same name. Listen to it and make your own opinion. Allow it to infect you and invigorate you. Welcome to KING 810 2024.

KITTIE Announce Long-Awaited Album 'FIRE'; Drop New Single "Vultures"

The original Queens of Metal, Kittie have finally announced their highly-anticipated and long-awaited new studio album, 'Fire' today. The upcoming release is the band's first full-length in over 13 years and is set for release on Friday, June 21st via Sumerian Records. Heralding the exciting news is the release of brand new single "Vultures" and its accompanying music video featuring live footage of the band's main stage performance at this year's Sick New World festival in Las Vegas on April 27th. Pre-orders for the album are available now HERE. Stream "Vultures" HERE and watch the music video HERE below.

Speaking on today's album announcement and their latest single, Kittie vocalist/guitarist, Morgan Lander shares

"10 years ago, if someone would have told us that we would be releasing new Kittie music in 2024, we’d have dismissed them right away. It feels like something deeper than fate that’s brought us together again, allowing us to create something fearless and magical for you. We’ve worked incredibly hard over the past year, and surrounded ourselves with the ultimate dream team to make this album a reality. We cannot wait for you to lose yourselves in the passion and strength of ‘Fire’."

"Vultures is a bold musical declaration, signalling our new beginnings as a band. Vultures is a warning to those with hidden agendas, who thrive on deception. It’s a proclamation of breaking free of the chains of exploitation and a reckoning for those who pick at the bones of those who suffer in silence."

The new album, 'Fire', is available to pre-order now with a variety of merch bundles including exclusive vinyl colorways, t-shirts, a cassette tape, a sticker pack, guitar pick pack, laminate and two metal lunch box designs. Available bundles are as follows (each comes with a digital download of the album):

Fire CD Pack - T-Shirt & CD

Fire Vinyl Pack - T-Shirt & Vinyl

Fire Collector's Pack - T-Shirt, Lunchbox, CD, Cassette, Sticker Pack, Laminate

Fire Ultimate Pack - T-Shirt, Lunchbox, Cassette, Guitar Pick Pack, Laminate, Sticker Pack, Vinyl.

Pre-orders are available now from SumerianMerch.com

Kittie sent the internet ablaze earlier this year when they announced their return with brand new music, in the form of blistering single, "Eyes Wide Open". They followed up with a second new single, "We Are Shadows" and the announcement of a very special run of exclusive headline shows across the US and Canada last month, topped off with an incendiary live performance at Sick New World festival in Las Vegas.

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

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

KITTIE

FIRE 2024

EXCLUSIVE HEADLINE SHOWS

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

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

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

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

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



UPCOMING FESTIVAL PERFORMANCES

May 10th - Daytona Beach, FL - Welcome To Rockville

May 18th - Columbus, OH - Sonic Temple

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

August 24th - Jackson, MI - Havoc Festival

ABOUT KITTIE

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

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

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

Kittie are

Morgan Lander (vox/guitar)

Mercedes Lander (drums/backing vox)

Tara McLeod (guitar)

Ivy Vujic (bass)

DE'WAYNE Drops Video for New Single "lightweight"

DE'WAYNE, who earlier this year announced his signing to Fearless Records, has just dropped the new banger "lightweight." The song is about fighting the good fight and never giving up or giving in.

Watch the video below.

About the new song, the rock artist says, "This song is about the UNDERDOG, the lightweight in the fight…I wanted to explore the concept of combining boxing and love in the same song. The idea of not giving up in a fight is equivalent to not throwing in the towel in a relationship or a goal you really want to achieve in life. So I just took that and ran with it on lightweight."

He continues, "'lightweight' is one of those songs where I took some of my real life experiences (what happened that morning) into the studio. It means a lot because it has such a beautiful message to me. The bridge goes, 'If i take two steps in and you do the same, we might just be alright we might we might.' I stand firm on that line. That’s the main thing I would want anyone to hear and REALLY feel."

DE'WAYNE is an alternative rock singer from Houston, Texas, who is redefining how it's done by showcasing a raw and tasteful blend of genres. He breaks the rules. His music combines elements of rock, pop, and soul, with a mission to show people we shouldn't live in boxes — and neither should our music.

Throughout his nascent career, he has constantly reinvented himself, leaving fans both guessing and thrilled, all the while picking up new ones along the way. TheNME called out his ability to be "equally at home belting out throaty howl or indulging in his velvety soulfulness" and praised, "the sense of fun and experimentation that’s crucial to good mainstream-minded rock music is very much alive" that defines DE'WAYNE's music.

Previously, he shared the video for "synthesizer." Watch it here.

PageSix praised the track for its sultry guitars in an exclusive chat with the artist. Read it here.

Banks Arcade Announce New EP "A Muse" + Share Visualizer For New Single "Heartstop"

An enticing continuation of their earlier works, Banks Arcade return with the announcement of a brand new EP, A Muse, due out on June 28 via UNFD.

Evolving from the darker sides explored on their recent DEATH 2 EP, released in February, A Muse finds the New Zealand-hailing, Melbourne-based quartet shedding the expected and instead flourishing between moments of searing rock, towering hooks, dance beats, and fresh explorations into heavy surrounds.

A deeply personal extension of the chaos and sonic metamorphosis of DEATH 2, today's announcement of A Muse is also accompanied by the brand new single "Heartstop" — a swaggering, guitar-driven breakup anthem balanced with audacious grit and potent gloss, with the track premiering on New Zealand's #1 rock station The Rock.

Watch the visualizer for "Heartstop" below.

"'Heartstop' is a sassy breakup rock anthem," the band shares. "It’s got a bit of 'f**k you' to it, but really it's just a fun song that was made to make people dance and forget about that asshole that broke their heart."

Offering a memorable companion to their recent new single "Self Help," also taken from the forthcoming A Muse EP, Heartstop readily wears its heart on its sleeve with infectious abandon, with vocalist Joshua O'Donnell powerfully declaring, "I like the way that I move / When I'm not hung up on you," alongside a sauntering chorus backdrop. And it's this very notion of strength in vulnerability that carries throughout A Muse, from the vehement urgency of opening track "Alive" through to the moody ferocity of "No Future" and beyond.

"A Muse follows on from DEATH 2 in a much more vulnerable way," the band says. "It covers a lot of personal issues from relationships to internal struggles and in each song I tried to speak with my own voice as much as possible as opposed to the more abstract stuff on DEATH 2."    

Via DEATH 2, Banks Arcade didn't merely build on their previously-established trademark sound; rather, it catapulted their heady blend of hard rock, electronic, and metal into an entirely new sonic stratosphere, while also expressing the darkest and heaviest side of the quartet to date.

 Banks Arcade bring passion and potent execution to their myriad of influences and creative ideas. Formed over a shared love of music with a razor-sharp avant-garde aesthetic, Banks Arcade have always teetered on modernity; a fact displayed firmly on their 2018 debut EP Endnote, its 2020 follow up Fever Dreams, and the group's head-turning singles Roses and Drown, both of which have gone on to amass well over 2 million individual streams.

Releasing their full-length Future Lovers in 2022, Banks Arcade cemented their future-facing trademark style while also turning heads courtesy of their emphatic soundscapes, searing metal and hip hop additions.

Fresh off the back of releasing DEATH 2 in February, Banks Arcade also supported metalcore titans Northlane nationally alongside ERRA and Landmvrks that same month. And after two years of non-stop touring, Banks Arcade will also hit the road in New Zealand and Australia with a brand new live show this May, with the Death 2 A Muse Tour set to compile the band's best work to date.

For Banks Arcade in 2024, DEATH 2 was only the beginning.

'Opening / Closing' the latest single from US art rock collective THE PULL OF AUTUMN - featuring Kraig Jordan.

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

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

"Better to travel well than to arrive... this band is not about merely travelling, this is exploration down the unbeaten paths of the glorious unknown" ~ The Swindonian
Bandcamp  https://thepullofautumn.bandcamp.com/track/opening-closing
Bandcamp  https://thepullofautumn.bandcamp.com/track/i-was-just-dreaming
Spotify  https://open.spotify.com/artist/3ZHn08pIrnDqlDUSqHikHV
Album order  https://thepullofautumn.bandcamp.com/album/memory-tree
'Beautiful Broken World' album (2022)  https://thepullofautumn.bandcamp.com/album/beautiful-broken-world

Art-rock indie-pop collective The Pull of Autumn presents their new single 'Opening / Closing' featuring Kraig Jordan. Born from the reflective period as the world began to emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic. Crafted by the songwriting duo of Kraig Jordan and Guy Benoit, and recorded at Plan of a Boy studio in Providence, Rhode Island, this track is a poignant exploration of reentry into a transformed society.

The second taste of their fifth album 'Memory Tree', this single follows 'I Was Just Dreaming', which features Boston artist Bruce MacLeod on vocals. 

"Opening/Closing" harnesses the raw emotions and experiences of its creators during a time of global uncertainty and change. It features a rich blend of acoustic and electric guitars, layered with a diverse array of percussion, capturing the essence of renewal and the complex emotions tied to reengaging with the outside world," says Kraig Jordan. 

"When I sent Daniel Darrow the stems to work on he expressed he wanted this add an electronic element to the song via electronics and synthesis, the results are an exciting take on electro - acoustic music"    

Daniel Darrow adds “I first heard Kraig’s music through a friend, who worked with him on a electronic project called Nerve Pill. Noting that Kraig’s tastes in music were similar to mine, I began exploring his music to find he is a great songwriter and artist. I’m excited to have contributed to this track, which touches upon so many styles of composition and shared memories of a strange and often lonely time."

The 'Memory Tree' album, described as "a melancholy remembrance of moments in time and life", will be released via Boston imprint RBM Records on CD and digitally, two years after The Pull of Autumn's 'Beautiful Broken World' album, which involved several music luminaries, including The Pop Group's Mark Stewart, Living Colour's Doug Wimbish and producer Adrian Sherwood.

The Pull of Autumn is a revolving-door collective lead by Rhode Island artist Daniel Darrow of 80s post-punk group Johanna’s House of Glamour and core members Bruce MacLeod, Matthew Darrow and Luke Skyscraper James (I.R.S. recording artist Fashion). Each release involves a revolving door of notable and emerging artists, both from the local music scene and further abroad. The band's debut 2018 eponymous album was followed by 'Afterglow' in 2019, 'Small Colors' in 2020 and 'Beautiful Broken World' in 2022.

'Memory Tree' features contributions by such artists as Philip Parfitt (The Perfect Disaster), Ricky Humphrey (This Twisted Wreckage), San Francisco-based artists Leigh Gregory and Julius Manning, Berkeley singer-songwriter Sophia Campbell, and two local music legends - Rhode Island Rock’n Roll Hall of Fame inductee Paul Everett and producer, songwriter and artist Kraig Jordan. 

'Opening / Closing' is available exclusively via Bandcamp, where the 'Memory Tree' album can be pre-ordered. On May 31, this record goes live across all digital music platforms, including Apple Music and Spotify.

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

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

Keep Up With The Pull of Autumn / RBM Records
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Brooklyn-based electronic artist Pas Musique presents ‘Come Follow Me’ single, title track from forthcoming album

“A glitchy and eerie trip... an adventurous sonic thread, the electronic maestros we know as Pas Musique weave an instrumental path inspired by pioneers such as Zoviet France and NEU!" ~ The Spill Magazine

"Fans of 1980s electronic music will recognise the influences: early monophonic synths that spit out jarring sawtooth and creamy muted wave forms in equal proportion, as well as the one-note crunchy handclaps, tinny electronic hi-hats and thudding beat repetition to infinity" ~ Joyzine

"Pas Musique recall an industrial that once was, such cacophonous and ominously bustling sounds from the likes of Throbbing Gristle, Zoviet France, or more modern wreckers of civilization like the Belgian duo Silk Saw" ~ PopMatters

"Constantly pushing the boundaries of electronic music... Like neurons firing impulses on all cylinders contrasted by lightly biting buzzsaw nicks, much electro-knob-twiddling and a menacing sonic undercurrent" ~ Big Takeover Magazine

"An appealing if appropriately bizarre flow to everything... effective sound art" ~ Scene Point Blank

Album pre-order https://alrealonmusique.bandcamp.com/album/come-follow-me
Spotify  https://open.spotify.com/artist/6H6sOxEpbNr7EvtUknZY6I
Apple Music  https://open.spotify.com/artist/6H6sOxEpbNr7EvtUknZY6I
Get tickets  https://www.pasmusique.net/tourpast-shows.html

Brooklyn experimental electronic artist Pas Musique will release the new full-length album 'Come Follow Me' this summer via NYC-based label Alrealon Musique. With seven new experimental electronic, experimental krautrock-influenced tracks, this record is previewed by the title track.

Influenced by such artists as Faust, Coil, Zoviet France and NEU, Pas Musique was launched in 1995 Brooklyn as a solo abstract-sound project of founder Robert L. Pepper, having since evolved through different lineups and variations of experimental electronic iterations.

'Come Follow Me' is a tribute to the late Frank Tovey a.k.a. Fad Gadget, who was one of Robert L. Pepper's top musical influences growing up. The sounds and beats are 80's synthpop-inspired compositions with a touch of modern noise, while the song's lyrics are inspired by metaphysical and philosophical themes, interlaced with abstract vocalizations.

The accompanying music video was crowdsourced by friends and fans, building on a concept revolving around community and how we can create projects across the globe and find our own circles of mutual interest and support.

"This is the first album where I added vocals and not solely vocalizations. It's a balance of the commercial and the strange. It is a tribute to the pop-industrial project Fad Gadget so I tried to keep my experimental edge and add in some pop elements. I never thought I would be trying something like this. But if you know Pas Musique's history, we change periodically with different styles. I like to keep the sound fresh and challenge the project sonically," says Robert L. Pepper.

"It started with a concept of "Could I make an album with vocals, while dipping into a pop edge?" So I wrote sequences that use some 80's sounding synth sounds in the style of Fad Gadget. Then the vocals just came to me. 'Come Follow Me' was the first track that materialized and then the workflow began. Tracks just evolve naturally."

The forthcoming album follows up 2023's 'Shaman' album and 2021's 'Amateur Radio', when Pas Musique was a four-piece consisting of Jon V Worthley, Michael Durek, Jesse Fairbairn and Robert L. Pepper. While still involved with live performances (and other recordings currently in the works, it is solely Pepper involved in the new album. He is also working with Robin Storey of Rapoon on other completely avant, experimental, improvisational compositions.

Since emerging on the music scene 29 years ago, Pas Musique has pursued musical elements of electronic and experimental music with krautrock undertones. Pas Musique has collaborated with many great musicians, including Faust, Rapoon, ZEV, Philippe Petit, HATI, Chester Hawkins, Jim Tuite, and many more. Pas Musique has performed in 18 countries and throughout the United States.

As of May 8, the 'Come Follow Me' single will be released everywhere digitally, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp. The full album by the same name is out on July 12 via Alrealon Musique. Available on CD and digitally, it is already available for pre-order via Bandcamp.
Pas Musique performs next on May 10 at Rhizome in Silver Springs, Maryland. 

CREDITS
Written and performed by Robert L. Pepper
Recorded, mixed, mastered & produced by Pas Musique
Cover artwork and photography by Pas Musique
Released by Alrealon Musique
Catalog Number: ALRN145
Video created by Pas Musique
Film footage by Anrrea Dune, Anthony Donovan, Audrey Dégez, Black Saturn, Brandstifter, Cristobal Eme, Damien Olsen, Dan Gitlin, Daniel McKleinfeld, El Santo del Rock, Jim Tuite, Jon Worthley, Katrin Rätte, Ken Beckford, Kensaku Nishizato, Kurt Schamann, Lazaro LaVista, Linda Ganus, Marc Edwards, Meeky, Rute Ventura, Shaun Sandor, Susannah Gilley Nishizato, Thomas Boettner (Straight Panic) & William Kurtis Chang (張光偉)

Keep up with Pas Musique
Website | Bandcamp | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Soundcloud | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music | Press contact
 
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Jamey Jasta & Company Unleash JASTA Music Video for New Song, "Suicidality," ft. Phil Demmel

Hatebreed frontman Jamey Jasta & company are back with a brand new JASTA music video for the song "Suicidality,” which features special guest Phil Demmel (Vio-lence). The song is taken from the upcoming 'AND JASTA FOR ALL' album, which will arrive digitally on May 17! The clip, which was shot by Alex Zaranak, can be found below.

The video was filmed at The Rave / Eagles Club during Milwaukee Metal Fest in 2023. The album is "ALL RIPPER NO SKIPPERS" and features guest appearances from Scott Ian (Anthrax), Chuck Billy (Testament), Zetro (Exodus), Joey Concepcion (Arch Enemy) & Phil Demmel (Vio-lence).

Jamey Jasta comments on the story behind JASTA, "Fan funded, four years in the making, got to work with my thrash heroes and couldn’t be happier with this album, it’s ALL RIPPERS, NO SKIPPERS! Play loud it!"

'AND JASTA FOR ALL' guitarist Charlie Bellmore (Toxic Holocaust, Dee Snider, Many Eyes) adds, "Jamey asked me to write “a few thrash songs” quite a while ago and over the years they slowly grew into a remarkable love letter to thrash metal. Jamey, Nicky and myself busted our butts to make a serious ripper of an album, and Jamey delivered some of his best vocal performances of his career on this. I can’t wait for everyone to crank this up!!!"

Pre-order 'AND JASTA FOR ALL' HERE. Use code AJFA. 

JASTA Album Release Shows:

05/16: Milwaukee, WI @ Milwaukee Metal Festival Pre-Party

05/31: Lititz, PA @ Mickey's Black Bx (w/ Overkill)

06/01: Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom (w/ Overkill)

JASTA will be performing a series of album release shows for 'AND JASTA FOR ALL,' which will kick off at the official Milwaukee Metal Fest Pre-Party on May 16 at The Rave/Eagles Club and will feature special guests Bobby Blitz (Overkill), Steve "Zetro Souza" (Exodus), Bobby Hambel (Biohazard), Hoya Roc (Smoke AD, ex-Madball), and more surprises! Milwaukee Metal Festival pass holders will be given access to the pre-party in addition to all three days, while single tickets are available for those who are not attending the full festival. Tickets can be found HERE.

JASTA band is 

Jamey Jasta - Vocals

Charlie Bellmore - Guitars

Chris Beaudette - Bass

Nick Bellmore - Drums

Joey Dibiase - Drummer in the video

'AND JASTA FOR ALL' was produced by Nick Bellmore (Toxic Holocaust, Dee Snider, Many Eyes)

Label: Perseverance Media Group

FRANK RAY’S “UH-HUH (AJÁ)” IMPACTS RADIO TODAY

One of country music's most promising emerging artists, Frank Ray impacts country radio today with his new single “Uh-huh (Ajá)” via Stoney Creek Records and is bringing some sizzling Latin heat to the country format this summer. Earning a coveted spot among the top three most-added tracks at country radio this week, “Uh-huh (Ajá)” is available HERE.

Recently named “One of the most influential Latinos'' by TIME Magazine, Frank Ray’s intoxicating “Uh-huh (Ajá)” will have you so infatuated with your partner that you’ll join as he dances between English & Spanish lyrics in this smash penned by Shay Mooney (Dan+Shay) & Pedro Capó (2 billion+ streaming artist) alongside Jesse Frasure and Vibarco. Produced by GRAMMY® nominated Dave Pittenger, Ray’s heritage shines reminding listeners why Good Morning America lauded him among “Latino country artists that are expanding the genre while honoring their roots.”

“Music is the best representation of who I am,” says Ray. “Shay and Pedro perfectly captured the essence of Latin music, with constant changes, vibrant horns and rhythmic percussive elements. The second I heard the demo I immediately knew I needed to put this song out as my next single because it encompasses everything I'm known for, whether it's traditional country music, family tunes, party anthems, R&B rhythms, pop, soul or Latin flavor - there's something in this song for everyone.”

Ray has been equally busy off the stage as on, continuing to work hard raising attention on the subject of mental health awareness for our first responders through his organization, FRAY.  Ray was recently named Chief Ambassador of the National Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington, D.C. and this weekend will have a major presence at this year’s Police Week.  Frank will be presenting an award at the Annual Top Cops Award Gala and will also be performing The National Anthem and other songs at the Police Week Vigil on The National Mall directly in front of the United States Capitol which will include more than 50,000 police officers and survivors of those officers who were killed in the line of duty. Additionally, in the last twelve months Ray has visited fifty-nine police and fire departments across the United States and Canada to speak to our heroes about the importance of speaking up when you are not feeling okay, and that it is okay to say “I am not okay.” 

"Sticking to my roots, who I am and how I was raised and releasing a Country Latin single is very noteworthy because the Latin culture can be represented in a way that has not been done in the mainstream music genre for decades. I have the opportunity to bring the Latin flavor to country music fans, but also to bring country music to a whole new audience," said Frank Ray about the significance of "Uh-huh (Ajá)."

About Frank Ray:

Texas chart-topper, bilingual recording artist and former police officer - Frank Ray is busting open doors in the country genre, adding his signature Latin flavor to the scene. Growing up just three miles from the border in New Mexico, Frank, born Francisco Gomez, was immersed in the best of both worlds - enriched by his Mexican culture and surrounded by Texas Country music. Praised as “easygoing contemporary Country with Pop-Soul hooks and a dash of Southwestern spice” (Rolling Stone), Frank’s “catalog is representative of his fun personality and flair” (Country Now), expertly blending ‘90s Texas Country, Latin, R&B and Pop. As an entertainer, Frank delivers electrifying, high-energy performances that have something for everyone. With immense cross-cultural appeal and a panorama of influences, “One of the most influential Latinos'' (Time Magazine), Ray “is looking to stretch Country music’s cultural boundaries” (Los Angeles Times).  

In the three short years since embarking on his musical journey full-time, he has racked up two No. 1 singles and three Top 10 singles on Texas Country Radio, become a staff songwriter, signed a record deal with BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville and much more. Along with being named an “Artist to Watch” by Rolling Stone and Amazon Music USA as well as a “Listen Up Artist” by CMT, Ray has appeared on USA Network’s Real Country, been profiled in the Los Angeles Times and on NBC's TODAY.  

Named to the Country Radio Seminar (CRS) New Faces Class of 2023, Ray has shared stages with Luke Combs, Kane Brown, Brett Eldredge, Luke Bryan, Kip Moore, LANCO, Hunter Hayes and more. Recently on tour with Old Dominion and performing at major music festivals across the U.S, Frank visits first responders through his mental-health initiative FRAY (First Responders Mental Clarity), at each tour stop providing first responders with the tools, resources and training to promote their mental wellbeing, as well as that of their families and communities. 

The latest from Frank Ray is the intoxicating "Uh-huh (Ajá)" that will have you so infatuated with your partner that you’ll join as he dances between English & Spanish lyrics in this smash penned by Shay Mooney (Dan+Shay) & Pedro Capó (2 billion+ streaming artist). Produced by GRAMMY® nominated Dave Pittenger, Ray’s heritage shines, reminding listeners why Good Morning America lauded him among “Latino country artists that are expanding the genre while honoring their roots.”

KEEP UP WITH FRANK RAY

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

SIMONE SIMONS - Announces Debut Solo Album Vermillion + Releases First Single 'Aeterna'

SIMONE SIMONS has been a pioneering force within the world of metal for over two decades as part of EPICA. Now, alongside her musical partner and longtime collaborator, ARJEN LUCASSEN (AYREON), she embarks on the journey of her debut solo record, Vermillion.

ARJEN is no stranger to SIMONE's soaring operatic voice, one that can stir even a gargoyle’s stone heart to tears. Together they have crafted a sonic universe that befits the influential figure she is. Vermillion emerges as a gargantuan goose-bump generator, a universally touching, stellar tour de force. Vermillion will be released on the 23rd of August via Nuclear Blast Records.

Alongside the announcement of her debut solo record, SIMONE has released a video for the album's first single, 'Aeterna'. You can watch the video for 'Aeterna' below.

SIMONE and ARJEN state:
"Aeterna is the big, epic opener of the album and it comes with this amazing video too, directed by Patric Ullaeus. It definitely sounds the closest to  Epica and Ayreon, blending powerful Latin lyrics with a touch of an oriental feel. We’ve tried to strike a balance between the mighty, bombastic sounds and the more atmospheric parts. Since it’s the first track people will hear from this album, it’s super important to us and we’re really excited for people to hear it!

Aeterna takes the point of view of a star about to go supernova to explore how everything in the universe is interconnected, like a cosmic web made from stardust. It deals with our deep emotions, consciousness, and other mysteries of life that science still can’t fully explain. Essentially it’s a reflection on our place in the vast universe and the connections that bind us together, as we’re all, to quote Carl Sagan, “made of starstuff."

Pre-order and pre-save Vermillion now at: https://simonesimons.bfan.link/vermillion

About SIMONE SIMONS:

For more than 20 years, ever since she was a teenager, SIMONE SIMONS has been carving her own path as a woman within the world of metal. As a lead singer, icon, and role model for a whole generation of female metalheads, the Epica lead singer remains one of the most prominent key figures in all things metal. After eight albums and countless global tours with her band, SIMONE SIMONS finally found the time to release her first solo album – a moment 15 years in the making! Her breathtaking debut Vermillion is a stunning feat chronicling her storied past as well as her rise to fame, and showcasing her many different influences ranging from prog rock to film scores to metal to electronic elements.

Of the timing for her eagerly awaited foray into the realms of a solo career, the Dutch singer says with a disarming grin: Epica has my priority and I always have the liberty to do other musical projects besides my career in Epica. Yet, I never had the time to dive into a project to this extent.
Some endeavors require patience and time, and rightly so. Simone chose not to rush her solo project, opting instead to thoughtfully consider how she wanted to present herself. Enter stage right Arjen Lucassen (AYREON). Her musical partner and longtime collaborator is no stranger to her soaring operatic voice. Together they have crafted a sonic universe that befits the influential figure she is. And while many would use their solo effort as a radical, even provocative departure from everything they stood for, SIMONE remains true to her love for epic melodies, huge choruses and monumental, intelligent music.

Severe Torture Inflict Peak Punishment on New Single

Severe Torture unleash another brutal beating on Torn from the Jaws of Death, their upcoming sixth album. Today, the veteran Dutch band are releasing its third single, which grinds and twists into a raw pinnacle of death metal.

Listen to "The Pinnacle of Suffering" Below.

Torn From The Jaws of Death comes out June 7 on Season of Mist.

Pre-order: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/SevereTortureTorn
Pre-save:  https://orcd.co/tornfromthejawsofdeathpresave

With all the sublety of a warhammer, Severe Torture hit upon the purest, most ferocious strain of brutal death metal. Torn from the Jaws of Death emerges from the grim embrace of Torture Compound Studios, where it was sharpened to diabolic perfection under the fiendish expertise of Mendel bij de Leij.

On "The Pinnacle of Suffering", Severe Torture wields the macabre like a rusty chain. Marching to a blistering beat of drums, these death masters drag you into a shadow world where no one can hear you scream. 

For over 25 years, SEVERE TORTURE has embodied the ethos of Brutal. Death. Metal. A genre-defining titan, they’ve held a commanding presence in the metal universe since 1997, blending intense performances with a relentless commitment to their visceral, raw sound.

Born from the bowels of the Dutch underground, the band emerged onto the world stage with their debut album Feasting On Blood, hailed as an epic watershed in the nascent wave of brutal death metal in 2001. Their hard-hitting, merciless sound has since rippled across North and South America, Europe, and Mexico; their trail marked by five ground-breaking releases over the past quarter-century.

Remaining relevant in the ever-evolving realm of metal is no small feat, a task Severe Torture met by continuously levelling up. In pursuit of rejuvenation and to capture the aggression and energy befitting of a new era, they amicably parted ways with original drummer Seth in 2018, bringing Damiën Kerpentier into the fold. The move signified a new chapter for the seasoned ensemble, marking a seismic shift that breathed fresh air into their creative process, leading to some of their darkest, most profound work yet.

This invigorated spirit came to life in 2022 with the release of the EP Fisting The Sockets – the band's first release in an astounding 12 years. The record served as a triumphant herald for their resurgence, re-signing with Season of Mist and rekindling the flame of their brutal origins amidst a pandemic-stricken world.

Now, in 2024, Severe Torture is set to escalate to new heights of sonic savagery with their sixth full-length album, Torn from the Jaws of Death. Recorded at the infamous Torture Compound Studios, the album stands as a testament to the raw energy, blood, sweat, and relentless brutality that the band represents.

From the aggressive whirlwind of riffs in The Death of Everything, to the haunting black metal nuances of the title track Torn from the Jaws of Death, the album is a death metal cogitation on murder, torture, and the madness of organized religions. Crafted with an unwavering commitment to the genre, Torn from the Jaws of Death is a grim reflection of the world, drenched in the band’s signature brutal death metal sound.

As the anticipation mounts for the release of Torn from the Jaws of Death, you can be sure Severe Torture remains alive and thriving in the heart of brutal death metal, pushing boundaries, and refusing to bow to conventions. A quarter-century in, these stalwarts of the scene are just getting started. Stay tuned to witness their relentless progression as they continue their incessant march through the annals of metal history.

Lineup
Dennis Scheurs – Vocals
Patrick Boleij – Bass
Damiën Kerpentier – Drums
Marvin Vriesde – Guitars Right & Leads
Thijs van Laarhoven – Guitars Left

Recording Studio
Torture Compound Studios

Production Credits
Damiën Kerpentier - Engineer
Mendel bij de Leij - Mixing & Mastering Engineer

Photography
Thijs van Laarhoven

Cover Art
Pär Olofsson

Pre-save:  https://orcd.co/tornfromthejawsofdeathpresave
Pre-order: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/SevereTortureTorn

Follow Severe Torture:
Official Website: www.severetorture.com 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/severetorture
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/severetorture_official/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/SevereTorture
Bandcamp: http://severetorture.bandcamp.com/
Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/us/artist/5606
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2LkGWKBS0nNlEtqx4khGf1
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/severe-torture/258831121
Tidal: https://tidal.com/browse/artist/3619737
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/music/player/artists/B000WWD62K/severe-torture

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Beartooth Announce Leg 2 of "The Surface" Tour For Summer 2024 + New Single "I Was Alive" Lands at No. 1 At Radio

Hot on the heels of the fully sold out, 2024 North American leg of "The Surface Tour," which sold a career-record 78,000 tickets across 40+ shows, Gold-selling and billion-streaming Columbus rock band Beartooth — Caleb Shomo, vocals; Zach Huston, guitars; Will Deely, guitars; Oshie Bichar, bass; andConnor Denis, drums — will be hitting the road again this summer.

The next leg kicks off on July 5 in Las Vegas and runs through August 3 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Currents, Boundaries, and Nevertel will serve as support. All dates are below, and tickets go on sale Friday, May 10, with various pre-sales happening now. Get tickets here.
 
"We've all been working harder than ever to create the best show we've ever put on and will stop at nothing to make sure it's worth every penny and then some," says Shomo. "We can't wait to get back out and rock with all of you!"

Beartooth's fifth studio album, The Surface, released in October on Red Bull Records. With 160 million streams to date, it debuted at #1 on Billboard Hard Rock Albums, Luminate Alternative Albums, and Luminate Record Label Independent Current Albums, as well as #5 on Billboard's Top Album Sales. The band has so far earned nominations at this year's Libera Awards for "Best Heavy Record" and the Heavy Music Awards for "Best International Artist." Stream, download, and purchase it along with merchandise, here. 

BEARTOOTH ON TOUR
WITH CURRENTS, BOUNDARIES, + NEVERTEL:
7/5 — Las Vegas, NV — The Theater at Virgin Hotels
7/6 — Fresno, CA — Tioga-Seqoia Brewery 
7/7 — Reno, NV — Virginia Street Brewhouse 
7/9 — Billings, MT — Pub Station Ballroom
7/11 — Wichita, KS — Cotillion Ballroom 
7/13 — Hammond, IN — Horseshoe Hammond
7/14 — Council Bluffs, IA — Harrah's Stir Cove
7/16 — Kansas City, MO — The Midland 
7/18 —  Dubuque, IA — Back Waters Stage
7/19 — Cadott, WI — Rock Fest 
7/20 — Grand Rapids, MI — Upheaval Festival 
7/22 — Buffalo, NY — Town Ballroom 
7/23 — Buffalo, NY — Town Ballroom 
7/24 — Albany, NY — Empire Live
7/26 — Worcester, MA — Palladium Outdoors 
7/27 — Grantville, PA — Hollywood Casino at Penns National 
7/29 — Lexington, KY — Manchester Music Hall
7/30 — Columbia, SC — The Senate 
8/1 — Chattanooga, TN — The Signal 
8/2 — Little Rock, AR — The Hall
8/3 — Fayetteville, AR — JJ's Live

In other Beartooth news, their latest single "I Was Alive" landed at No. 1 on both the Billboard Mainstream Airplay Chart and the US Mediabase Active Rock radio chart — it landed on the latter chart for the week of April 27 and has stayed there for two weeks. The single marks the band's second No. 1 in six months, following their previous single, "Might Love Myself," which was the band's first-ever No. 1 at the format. Beartooth achieving back-to-back, chart-topping singles at radio is a testament to their decade of growth and the power of The Surface.

ABOUT BEARTOOTH:
Caleb Shomo first turned the pain of his struggle with mental health and self-image into music in 2013. 

Beartooth began as a living document, a diary, a journal of repressed rage and depression. Alone in his basement studio, screaming and singing, playing all the instruments, and self-producing a batch of furious but melodic songs filled with reflection and confession, the Ohio native stared into the abyss, initially with no intention of returning to the heavy music world that burned him as a teen. A decade later, the different pieces of his body of work connect in title, sound, and spirit. As the frontman hits 30, Beartooth's 2023-released fifth album, The Surface, completes this era. It kicked off a new chapter filled with surprising optimism and just as honest. Depression is a sick, disgusting, aggressive disease below the surface. Shomo stands ready to bask in the light.
 
Like Nine Inch Nails, Beartooth remains a one-person band in the studio. On the heels of the introductory Sick EP (2013), Disgusting (2014) produced the band's first Gold single, "In Between." Aggressive (2016) and Disease (2018) expanded on the desperation and pain, each a step closer to a balance between the blood and tears of classic recordings and the shimmer of modernity.  
 
Rolling Stone heralded Beartooth as one of 10 Artists You Need to Know. The rabid response to Shomo's music demonstrated how many people related to his struggle for self-acceptance. Below (2021) topped the Rock and Alternative charts and several Best Rock/Metal Albums of the Year lists. As of 2024, the Beartooth catalog boasts more than one billion streams across all platforms. 
 
Beartooth began as both bomb and balm, an outright refusal to suffer in silence, weaponizing radio-ready bombast, delivering raw emotion mixed with noise-rock chaos. Other bands play the "devastating riffs and catchy hooks" game, but this music is the difference between life and death, and now, a sort of life after death while still here. The band Forbes sees "inching towards a tipping point of becoming the latest arena headliner" is now one step closer. 

Falling In Reverse Announce "Popular Monster" Album Out 7/26 + Share "Ronald" Video + Announce Tour❗

FALLING IN REVERSE make anthems that provoke and inspire. Unnervingly ahead of the pack and yet always decisively right on time, their mix of bombastic declarations and intimate confessions connect with diverse crowds worldwide. The rule-breaking, genre-busting, hellraising band delivers raw emotion with double and triple entendre like Molotov cocktails thrown at pop culture.

Since 2017, the band has continued to explode by leaps and bounds. The catalog has clocked billions of streams, several gold and platinum certifications, recognition from top tier press such as Pitchfork, Billboard, The New York Times, and Forbes, and several No. 1 radio singles.

Today, the band has announced its new album (and first since 2017's Coming Home) Popular Monster.

It arrives on July 26 via Epitaph Records. Pre-order the album here.

Additionally, the band has shared the video for the new single "RONALD (Feat. Tech N9ne and Alex Terrible)." Watch it Below.

The 2x platinum smash "Popular Monster" and the album of the same name couldn't have come from anyone else but Ronnie Radke, who produced the album alongside Tyler Smith. Both Kerrang! and Revolver Magazine counted the charismatic Las Vegas-born frontman and bandleader among "the greatest living rockstars." The album arrives with several RIAA certified singles, which have been released over time since 2018. "Popular Monster" is certified 2x Platinum. while "Zombified," "Voices In My Head," and "Watching the World Burn" are all certified Gold.

Falling In Reverse's catalog has accrued 5 billion streams, with 1.7 billion across all the album singles released to date. The catalog streaming remains robust at 35 million per week. Over on TikTok, the band has a stronghold, with 5.7 billion video views, with 4 million creations and a 1.5 billion creator reach.

 The numbers don't lie — Falling In Reverse are the rock scene's biggest sensation. 

The band has also announced its Summer 2024 headline tour plans, produced by Live Nation. The band will play 7,000-12,000 capacity venues with support coming from Black Veil Brides, Dance Gavin Dance, and Tech N9Ne. Jeris Johnson and Nathan James appear on select dates. Full routing can be found below.

Tickets will be available starting with Citi and artist presales beginning today. Additional pre-sales will run throughout the week ahead of the general on-sale beginning Friday, May 10 at 10 AM local time here. Citi is the official card of The Popular MonsTOUR II: World Domination. Citi cardmembers will have access to presale tickets beginning today at 12 PM local time until Thursday, May 9 at 10 PM local time through the Citi Entertainment program. For complete pre-sale details, visit here. 

This is the first announced leg of a planned world tour. Additional dates and cities around the world, and their support acts, will be announced soon.

FALLING IN REVERSE ON TOUR:
WITH BLACK VEIL BRIDES, DANCE GAVIN DANCE, + TECH N9NE:
8/18 — Nampa, ID — Ford Idaho Amphitheater*
8/21 — Airway Heights, WA — BECU Live at Northern Quest*
8/22 — Auburn, WA — White River Amphitheatre*
8/23  — Ridgefield, WA — RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater*
8/25 — Salt Lake City, UT — Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre*
8/27 — Albuquerque, NM — Isleta Amphitheater*
8/29 — Irving, TX — The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory^
8/30 — Houston, TX — The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion presented by Huntsman^
9/1 — Alpharetta, GA — Ameris Bank Amphitheatre^
9/2 — Charlotte, NC — Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre^
9/4 — Raleigh, NC — Red Hat Amphitheater^
9/6 — Bristow, VA — Jiffy Lube Live^
9/7 — Scranton, PA — The Pavilion at Montage Mountain^
9/9 — Boston, MA — Leader Bank Pavilion^
9/10 — Buffalo, NY — Darien Lake Amphitheater^
9/12 — Burgettstown, PA — The Pavilion at Star Lake^
9/13 — Holmdel, NJ — PNC Bank Arts Center^
9/15 — Sterling Heights, MI — Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre^
9/16 — Indianapolis, IN — Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park^
9/17 — Chicago, IL — Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island^
9/20 — Franklin, TN — FirstBank Amphitheater^
9/21 — St Louis, MO — Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre^
9/23 — Denver, CO — The JunkYard^
9/25 — Phoenix, AZ — Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre^
9/26 — Los Angeles, CA — Kia Forum^ 
*With Nathan James
^With Jeris Johnson

ABOUT FALLING IN REVERSE + POPULAR MONSTER:
FALLING IN REVERSE return with 2024's Popular Monster, the postmodern trailblazer's first full-length in seven years. The album arrives armed with no less than three RIAA-certified gold singles ("ZOMBIFIED," "Voices in My Head," "Watch the World Burn"), the double-platinum title track, a reimagined nü-metal classic, and six brand new anthems of furious metal, melody, and hip-hop. 
 
Popular Monster is a defiant statement and triumphant victory for singer, songwriter, bandleader, and provocateur Ronnie Radke, who invented Falling In Reverse inside a prison cell. 
 
Radke fills the fifth full-length from Falling In Reverse with invincible and irresistible songs that resonate across generations and genres. Co-produced with longtime collaborator Tyler Smyth (I Prevail, Lights), Popular Monster is full of confessional angst, bravado, and clever wordplay. 
 
Ronnie formed a series of pop-punk bands in Las Vegas as a teenager, culminating in the creation of Escape The Fate. The metalcore group's meteoric rise coincided with the singer’s spiral into addiction. By the time he was sentenced to two years in prison, the band he started had moved on without him. Some fans, critics, and industry types figured his story would end there. 
 
They were very wrong. 
 
The gold-certified debut album from Falling In Reverse, The Drug In Me Is You (2011), arrived less than two years after Ronnie's release. Thanks to his formative fascinations with metal, punk, and hip-hop, he almost single-handedly revived rap rock with the ambitious Fashionably Late (2013). Just Like You (2015), debuted in the Top 5 on the US Rock chart. The grungy and atmospheric Coming Home (2017) demonstrated yet another adventurous side of Radke's self-expression. 
 
"Losing My Mind" and "Losing My Life" surprised the so-called "scene" all over again in 2018 when he became the first of his peers to swerve from the album format to standalone singles. "Drugs" explored the American substance abuse epidemic and channeled Ronnie's own heartbreak.
 
The massive "Popular Monster" became Ronnie's first No. 1 song on the radio and his first platinum single less than two years after its release. It was also the first No. 1 song on Billboard's inaugural Hot Hard Rock Songs chart, which considers airplay, streaming, and downloads. "Popular Monster" eventually went double-platinum in the US and 3x platinum in Australia. "ZOMBIFIED" and "Voices In My Head" went to No. 1 back-to-back. "Voices In My Head" was also the No. 1 Song of 2022 at SiriusXM's Octane. The unconventional, caustic, and super heavy "Watch the World Burn" dominated rock radio in 2023 and improbably became his first Billboard Hot 100 song. 

As with the top-notch producers and directors Ronnie has hired to help execute his vision, he'd regularly surrounded himself with incredible live players, resulting in unforgettable performances with various lineups over the years. Radke owns the stage, whether taking the Warped Tour mantle held by My Chemical Romance, Avenged Sevenfold, and Fall Out Boy in the tour's final years, performing in prominent spots on every major rock festival, or on massive headlining treks.  
 
Popular Monster, the album, marks another chapter in the ongoing story of an artist who continually beats the odds, surmounting obstacles (and adversaries) both within and without. 
 
"Radke stands as one of this generation's most revered rock frontmen," wrote the esteemed Forbes Magazine in a 2020 profile. "And maybe even one of the scene's last true rockstars."

Fred Abong (Throwing Muses, Belly) releases eighth full-length album 'Blindness' via Moochin' About Records

“Purity and honesty in his approach that gets more and more intense with each track... like you’re riding a wave of energy” ~ Higher Plain Music

“Beautifully raw, uncluttered and quite cinematic... Melodically infectious and lyrically mysterious" ~ Newport Naked

“Abong’s vocal delivery is a testament to his storytelling prowess. His voice carries the weight of experience, each phrase brimming with authenticity and emotion... connecting on a profound level with the emotions that make us human”  ~ Skylight Webzine

“So unique that there is no possible way this music could be mistaken as being performed by anyone else" ~ Amplify Music Magazine

“An almost painful intimacy to his words despite the oblique phrasing and imagery he conjures” ~ Isolation Records

'Blindness' album
https://moochinaboutltd.bandcamp.com/album/blindness
Spotify  https://open.spotify.com/artist/1qHuRR8HuuAkPb1VTPSExd
LinkTree  https://linktr.ee/fredabong

Alternative crooner-philosopher Fred Abong presents his new 'Blindness' album, released via Moochin' About Records. Previewed by the lead track 'Heaven', these ten tracks comprise his eighth long-player to date. At the same time, he's shared a new video for the album's title track.

Now based in New Orleans, Abong is no stranger to the US music scene, having got his musical start in the 1980’s on the Rhode Island hardcore punk scene. In the early 1990s, he played bass for Throwing Muses and then Belly.

Putting music on hold for academic pursuits, he then earned a PhD in Humanities and taught at various universities for eight years before returning to music. Now back as a solo artist, Abong also plays bass in the Kristin Hersh Electric Trio. He has also been a practicing Vedic astrologer for the past 20 plus years.

"This album is a first for me. Composed entirely on keyboard/piano, I wanted to challenge my songwriting, to not rely on guitar to guide or limit what showed up. The first and biggest problem with this is that I don’t play piano. So I really had to have faith that the gods of music would show mercy on me … would be there for me if I was earnestly there for them. As always, I’ll let the listener decide whether or not my instrumental humility was divinely rewarded, but I personally feel that the Blindness album, if nothing else, reflects a willingness to follow artistic intuition wherever it may lead. This is something of a credo for me. In love as in music, I follow my heart," says Fred Abong.

A Filipino-American singer-songwriter, Abong's music has a raw and unpolished production aesthetic with an overall direct, though deceptively imaginative and oblique, presentation. Taking a detour from the musical road most traveled, Abong wrote the material for this album on the piano rather than bass or guitar, effectively opening up a new compositional and emotional space for him.

“Love is blind. Is this a truism or just true? I suppose it depends on where you are on the romantic journey. If the romance is fresh, then infatuation and sexual desire are usually foregrounded. You are ‘blinded by love’ and can see nothing else. Anyone who’s ever fallen in love is familiar with this. It’s dizzying," says Abong.

"As things progress, or in order for things to progress, another type of blindness must develop. Being blinded by love, in this case, means accepting or even loving difference - being blind to competing or incompatible attitudes. It means placing the other’s happiness on an equal footing to one’s own. It’s not dizzying; it’s grounding. True love, then, combines both forms of blindness. It’s ‘blind in both eyes’, you could say. I think Blindness, both the song and the album, reflects (among other things) a pursuit of this total love blindness - it’s hopeful and aspirational in that sense.”

Between the bookends of the new 'Blindness' album and 'Homeless', the first set of songs as a solo artist, originally self-released in 2018, Abong has released several critically acclaimed records, including his self-recorded 2023 'Fear Pageant' and earlier albums 'Yellowthroat', 'Pulsing' and 'Our Mother of Perpetual Help'.

On May 9, the 'Blindness' album will be released on CD, along with his 'Homeless' album, both of which can be pre-ordered via the label's Bandcamp. It will also be available everywhere digitally, including Apple Music, Spotify and Bandcamp.

CREDITS
Music and lyrics by Fred Abong
Recorded, mixed, and mastered by Fred Abong
All instruments performed by Fred Abong
Videos by Fred Abong
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR
Album reeleased by Moochin' About Records

Keep up with Fred Abong
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Brighton's NICK HUDSON releases 'Kanda Teenage Honey' album on CD - introspection, intrigue and adventurous soundscaping

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

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

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

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

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

"Scott Walker channeling Coil” ~ MOJO Magazine

"Genius” - BBC Radio (BBC Introducing)

'Kanda Teenage Honey' album order 
https://nickhudsonindustries.bandcamp.com/album/kanda-teenage-honey
Spotify  https://open.spotify.com/album/4WKJCeF2uXCudjxME03nye

Brighton avant-pop artist Nick Hudson announces the release of his new album 'Kanda Teenage Honey' on CD.  Complementing an expansive 16-track collection, this 4-panel CD digipak comes with an 8-page full colour booklet containing artwork by Nick Hudson and Berdia Arabuli and photography by Carl Solomon, Jack Hubbell Rosene and Kenneth Anger.

With recent coverage in Billboard, this album was recorded largely in a huge former Soviet movie studio in Georgia under the shadow of the Ukraine war. Born of geographical explorations amidst musical territory that is hardly touched on, this record was previewed by the singles 'For My Silence' and 'Khevsureti'.

Mixed by and featuring Toby Driver of Kayo Dot, this album involves numerous talented guests, including Mogwai's Stuart Braithwaite, Stuart Dahlquist (Asva, Burning Witch, Sunn O))), Lizzy Carey (Bat For Lashes), Robert Wyatt collaborator Alfreda Benge, Christopher Nell (legendary German performer and collaborator of US theatre visionary Robert Wilson), and soprano prodigy Poppy Efemey.  

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

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

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

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

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

'Kanda Teenage Honey' is out now, available everywhere digitally, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp, along with his new book 'The Land Exists So The Seas Don't Argue', showcasing a decade of lyrical output in five albums plus ephemera with a foreword by renowned Scottish author Chris Kelso.

Keep up with Nick Hudson / The Academy of Sun
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