Avant-pop stalwarts Modesty Blaise present 'Come Lie Beside Me' ahead of new LP

“A sublime sugar lump of a single; a song that captures what is great about charming English pop. Part C86 part 67 psych pop, a beautifully written slice of nostalgia" ~ Monolith Cocktail

"This will lure you in, the same way that Roger Moore's The Saint and Emma Peel and John Steed's The Avengers did... This is the new Pulp - but with steller retro flair that, both sound and fashion-wise, runs deeper than Jarvis Cocker's own wardrobe" ~ Amplify Music Magazine

"Modesty Blaise makes for cheeky pop perfection... Fantabulous dance-pop, Modesty Blaise will remind you that Brits are the king of wit and groovy retro-laced musical wanderings, not far from the mark set by Pulp back in the 90s" ~ Big Takeover Magazine

Bristol-based avant indiepop outfit Modesty Blaise has present their new single 'Come Lie Beside Me' ahead of releasing their long-awaited album ‘The Modesty Blaise’ via German label From Lo-Fi to Disco! A baroque pop collection, 'The Modesty Blaise' is the band's third studio album and their first LP in 20 years since releasing their head-turning 'Melancholia' LP (2001), featuring hit single 'Carol Mountain'.

Frontman Jonny Collins explains, “Come Lie Beside Me came from a conversation on tour in Germany about whether it was possible to get certain words into songs, in this case “ramshackle”. Well frankly, that’s easy. It turned into a rather tender song because of Gregory’s Pale Blue Eyes guitar pointing to the reason why the third Modesty Blaise album is called The Modesty Blaise ( the third Velvet Underground album is The Velvet Underground). Ally that to vocals redolent of The Beatles “Because” and you have Come Lie Beside Me, track 3 on The Modesty Blaise where all ballads should be. With it’s video referencing Warhol’s Factory it should last for 24 hours. But it’s just a perfect 2:44.”

Earlier, the band previewed a few tracks including lead single 'Girls Just Wanna Dance', a perfect orchestral pop song and live favourite singalong that is more Music Hall than Dance Hall, 'Sad Songs', 'I Love You' and 'Natalie Vendredi' with its endearing nouvelle vague video.

Modesty Blaise have been around for a few decades in various guises. After forming in late 1993, the band quickly recorded their debut single 'Christina Terrace' with the esteemed Edwyn Collins at the helm, garnering them immediate success with a live appearance on ITV and inclusion among many many end-of-year top music rankings. This acclaim however was not enough to quell the kind of internecine warfare that Modesty Blaise have become famous for.

After 'Melancholia', the band faced one delay after another with line-up changes and deteriorating personal circumstances. An all-too-familiar spiral, the years went by slowly but, no matter how bad it got, Jonny still had his guitars in his mum’s attic.

"When everyone else was in their bedrooms working on guitar solos and dreaming of being a rock god, I was reading biographies of Cole Porter and listening to Gershwin and Jerome Kern and Irving Berlin. I try to write concise things, with deliberate moves away from that where necessary," says frontman and songwriter Jonny Collins.

"Melody, arrangement and counter melodies... The 3 minute pop single is, I’d contest, the summit of great art. It is timeless, and we consistently get it wrong confusing art with commerce. If your art (or your pop record) sounds like today, it may sound like yesterday pretty soon. Pop iconoclasm".

Oher Modesty Blaise career highlights include supporting Robbie Williams at London's O2 Arena, inclusion in a Rough Trade compilation, an ITV company documentary on Jonny Collins, and a BBC Radio session involving seventeen people.

As of March 26, 'The Modesty Blaise' LP will be available digitally everywhere, including Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon. In the UK, it can be ordered from Rough Trade in the UK, hhv in Germany, Disk Union in Japan and via the label itself.

THE PLAYERS
Jonny Collins – vocals
David W Brown – bass
Gregory Jones – guitars
Mark Bradley – drums
Alastair Jenkins – guitars
Roger MacDuff – violins
Jörn Elling Wuttke - mixing at Klangfabrik Frankfurt


Keep up with Modesty Blaise
Website | Bandcamp | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Soundcloud | YouTube | Spotify | Amazon | Apple Music | Press contact

Keep up with From Lo-Fi to Disco!
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ALTARAGE Shares New Single, "Forja"

Enigmatic Spanish metal extremists ALTARAGE have just dropped "Forja," the annihilating new single from their upcoming full-length, 'Succumb.' Listen to the new song.

ALTARAGE comment on the track: "Life’s a bitch. Get high. Succumb. Die."

'Succumb' is due on April 23 and is available for pre-orders now at THIS LOCATION.

ALTARAGE deliver exactly what the underground buzz around them promised. Their fourth full-length, ‘Succumb’ is bristling with black and dissonant death metal fury that immediately evokes a plethora of sinister images in the brain. Its origin lies in the destructiveness of nostalgia, among other things……

Little is known about this secretive death metal collective, except their origin from Bilbao, the largest city in the Basque country of Spain. In 2015, ALTARAGE unleashed a demo simply entitled after its year of release, ‘MMXV’ generated massive interest in the extreme metal scene around the globe. This was soon followed by the debut album ‘NIHL’ in 2016 and their second full length ‘Endinghent’ in 2017 which received high praise from critics and fans alike. In 2019, Their relentless soul-crushing sound was sending the scared mind on overdrive once again with their third album ‘The Approaching Roar’.

ALTARAGE now return to mercilessly drag you into an abyss of nightmares and twisted meanings. ‘Succumb’, in their own words, calls the doom inhabitants to reach a whole nothing. Welcome to this new dimension of sonic darkness.

Style: Extreme Metal

Producer/Sound engineer: Altarage
Mixing & Mastering: Altarage

Cover art: David Jorquera

Pre-sales:

Available formats:
CD Digipak
LP in various colours
Digital

For more on ALTARAGE, visit the band's official WEBSITE, FACEBOOK, and BANDCAMP

Irish indie legend Cathal Coughlan (The Fatima Mansions, Microdisney) presents 'The Knockout Artist' single

"Song Of Co-Aklan definitively affirms Coughlan's place amid Ireland's poetic pantheon” ~ MOJO (4 stars)

"Song Of Co-Aklan is a more than welcome return from a puckish master of social observation and surreal manifesto” ~ The Wire

“…shows off a rich, Scott Walker-ish voice that’s aging superbly…a welcome return” ~ Uncut

"The most underrated lyricist in pop today" ~ The Guardian

"[I could] listen to Cathal Coughlan sing the phone book" ~ John Peel

“A wry and frequently abrasive commentator on society and politics for 40 years now. Now he’s back with Song of Co-Aklan, an album that sees him doing what he does best... Both strange and touching in roughly equal measure” ~ Essentially Pop


Irish indie music legend Cathal Coughlan presents 'The Knockout Artist', the third offering from his forthcoming album 'Song of Co-Aklan', with a video created by Emmy award-winning director George Seminara. His first new music in ten years, this long-player is to be released via London label Dimple Discs.

Best known as co-founder and vocalist for seminal 80s/90s bands Microdisney and The Fatima Mansions, who toured internationally with U2, the Cork native has been described as "the most underrated lyricist in pop today" by The Guardian newspaper. DJ John Peel was also such a fan that he stated he could "listen to Cathal Coughlan sing the phone book".

The song features a storming rhythm track from Microdisney/High Llamas bassist Jonathan Fell and Grand Necropolitan's drum powerhouse Nick Allum (The Fatima Mansions, The Apartments), reunited on record for the first time since the Fatima Mansions 'Against Nature' LP in 1989. Choral background vocals and slide guitar are contributed by Microdisney/ High Llamas alumnus John Bennett, as Sean O'Hagan (Microdisney, High Llamas, Stereolab) weighs in decisively on synth at the song's climax.

"This song reflects on the predicament of the damaged man who owes his great material success to the grotesque displays he makes out of his state of damage, by literally punching himself unconscious in the ring. A prisoner of success, he cannot escape his seamy working environment, or improve upon his condition as a human. And still the queasy seaside masses show up, and keep him and his family in chintzy opulent style," says Cathal Coughlan.

Director George Seminara, who created the video for title track ‘Song of Co-Aklan', returns to the fray to explore the plight of the subsistence-level carnival grotesque. This performer's last-gasp pleas to camera are taken on a tour of scenes from his past life - the seaside attractions where he earned his despised fortune, the simple chapel where he was schooled in virtue prior to becoming addicted to losing at games of chance, and the various quiet pools of garish idolatry which lay on the path of sensual equivocation in between those two. Does he react? In a way - see those final frames.

The LP also features Luke Haines (The Auteurs, Black Box Recorder)on bass and baritone guitar, Grand Necropolitan Quartet alumnus James Woodrow on guitar, Rhodri Marsden (Scritti Politti) on bass, and cello by Audrey Riley (notable collaborator of Lush, The Sundays, The Smiths, Nick Cave, The Cure, The Go-Betweens, Smashing Pumpkins, Catherine Wheel, Moloko and Coldplay).

The eye-catching cover art for the 'Song of Co-Aklan’ LP is by outsider artist Cristabel Christo and originated by Bruce Brand, award winning designer for The Darkness and Whites Stripes.

Cathal Coughlan is one of Ireland’s most revered singer-songwriters, beloved by fans of caustic literate lyricism and erudite songcraft. Since Fatima Mansions' demise in the mid-90s, he has released five acclaimed solo albums, taken part in an array of collaborations and made many guest appearances. Along with Microdisney bandmates, he was the first recipient in 2019 of Ireland’s National Concert Hall Trailblazer Award, celebrating culturally important albums by iconic Irish musicians, songwriters and composers (for 1985’s 'The Clock Comes Down The Stairs').

As of March 12, 'The Knockout Artist' is available across online platforms, such as Apple Music and Spotify. The full album, set for release on March 26, can be pre-ordered at https://ffm.to/songofcoaklanalbum.

KORN ANNOUNCE GLOBAL STREAMING EVENT KORN: MONUMENTAL

GROUNDBREAKING IMMERSIVE PERFORMANCE TO BROADCAST WORLDWIDE FROM

STRANGER THINGS: THE DRIVE-INTO EXPERIENCE

ON APRIL 24TH AT 1:00PM PDT / 4:00PM EDT / 9:00PM BST / 10:00PM CEST

TICKETS & LIMITED-EDITION PACKAGES INCLUDING VIRTUAL MEET & GREETS ON SALE TODAY AT WWW.KORNLIVE.COM

Image 3-13-21 at 5.32 PM.JPG

Continuing a legacy of groundbreaking achievements and radical innovation, GRAMMY® Award-winning, multi-platinum band KORN have announced details of their global streaming event, KORN: MONUMENTAL.

Scheduled for Saturday, April 24th at 1:00PM PDT / 4:00PM EDT / 9:00PM BST / 10:00PM CEST, the ticketed immersive concert experience will broadcast worldwide from the set of the breath-taking Stranger Things: The Drive-Into Experience. Produced by Danny Wimmer Presents, the performance promises to be an unforgettable set from the iconic band, highlighted by rare and sought-after deep cuts and classics from their legendary catalog. Since KORN’s latest critically acclaimed album, THE NOTHING, never received a proper tour due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, KORN: MONUMENTAL will mark the live debut of select tracks from the new record for fans around the globe.

Tickets for this landmark global streaming event are on sale at www.KornLive.com at an early bird discount through Saturday, March 27th. Fans can also purchase bundles and V.I.P. experiences, including exclusive merchandise, limited-edition autographed posters, and a virtual meet & greet with the entire band, which will be available as a digital download. KORN: MONUMENTAL will be available to stream for 72 hours through April 27th at 11:59 PM EDT. Please note, this is a fully virtual event, there will be no in-person attendance permitted.

KORN vocalist Jonathan Davis remarked “We hope you take part in this experience with us. And though it is not the same as performing live with you here, we still want to bring you some great music and a fun show.”

Watch the official trailer for KORN: MONUMENTAL HERE.

Danny Wimmer, founder of Danny Wimmer Presents commented KORN’s global streaming event, “It’s always exciting to break new ground with a band like KORN that has been with us for so many of our biggest festival moments over the years. The scale of the vision for this global stream event is even more than we’ve come to expect out of a KORN show and will be one of the biggest livestream events from a rock band we’ve seen yet. If you’ve ever wanted to know what a massive rock concert coming to life in your living room might look like, this is it. So turn out the lights, turn up the volume and get ready to rock.”

Shocking rock music back to life like only KORN could, the band ascended to a new creative, commercial, and critical peak with their 2019 album, THE NOTHING. It marked their 14th Top 10 entry on the ‘Billboard 200’ and lifted them into rarified air giving them the fifth-most Top 10 debuts on the chart of any rock band. Lead by singles “You’ll Never Find Me,” “Can You Hear Me,” and “Cold,” REVOLVER crowned THE NOTHING “KORN’s best album in over 10 years,” while Metal Hammer affirmed the album “recaptures the genuine darkness of their earlier works” in a glowing 4.5-out-of-5 star review. “It continues KORN’s mission of probing the hidden corners and harsh realities of life within a shroud discordant darkness,” declared Noisey with The FADER adding, “KORN have never shied away from innovation... the icons have always looked forward.” Los Angeles Times applauded the “…deep and potent performances from the band, evoking their ever-present rage but also feelings of loss and isolation,” while NME affirmed, “This urgent and important record will ensure the veterans don’t get lost in the shuffle.” Once again, KORN redefine, revitalize, and reimagine the scope of rock music as perennial outliers and enduring iconoclasts.

ABOUT KORN:

The GRAMMY® Award-winning rock icons created a culture with their landmark self-titled full-length debut. Generations of fans turned the band into a household name with two GRAMMY® Awards, sales of 40 million albums worldwide, hundreds of sold out shows, and over 1 billion streams - unprecedented achievements for a band of any era. Vocalist Jonathan Davis, guitarists James “Munky” Shaffer and Brian “Head” Welch, bassist Reginald “Fieldy” Arvizu, and drummer Ray Luzier, have continued to push the limits of the rock, alternative and metal genres, while remaining a pillar of influence for legions of fans and generations of artists around the globe. Dubbed “the soundtrack for a generation's arrival" by The FADER, the level of KORN’s reach transcends accolades and platinum certifications. They are “a genuine movement in a way bands cannot be now,” attests The Ringer. They represent a new archetype and radical innovation. Their ability to transcend genre makes barriers seem irrelevant as they endure as a raw and real force. Bringing everything full circle, the band’s 2019 album THE NOTHING remains a testament to their sustained impact. After all of these accolades, broken records, and changed lives, KORN are still and forever here to stay.

Connect with KORN:

www.KornOfficial.com

Twitter.com/Korn

Facebook.com/Korn

Instagram.com/Korn_Official

KORN Publicity Contact:

Ross Anderson / Elektra Music Group, rossanderson@elektra.com

ABOUT DANNY WIMMER PRESENTS:

Since 1993, music industry veteran Danny Wimmer has been producing concerts and festivals, both large and small. In 2011, he formed Danny Wimmer Presents, which now produces several of the largest rock and alternative festivals in the U.S. By combining A-list talent with local cuisine and culture, DWP has become recognized within the industry for delivering the highest-quality entertainment experiences to fans, artists, sponsors, partners and host cities. DWP creates memorable and all-encompassing festival experiences, leaving both consumers and partners with lasting and meaningful impressions. DWP will continue to add new music festivals to its already stellar portfolio, which currently includes Aftershock, Bourbon & Beyond, Epicenter, Hometown Rising, Louder Than Life, Sonic Temple Art + Music Festival, and Welcome To Rockville. Previous DWP festivals include Rock On The Range, Carolina Rebellion, Northern Invasion and more. In 2020, DWP launched the popular digital series Offstage with DWP and Beyond the Barrel, and ventured into the digital content curation space, promoting pay-per-view live streams.

Lisa Gerrard and Jules Maxwell (Dead Can Dance) release ‘Noyalain’ single, first taster of their much-anticipated 'Burn' LP

Lisa Gerrard and Jules Maxwell, best known for their work as part of the legendary band Dead Can Dance, present ‘Noyalain (Burn’, the first single from their forthcoming studio album 'Burn'. Produced by James Chapman (MAPS), the long-play will be released on May 7 via Atlantic Curve, a London-based label that is part of the Schubert Music Europe.

“Noyalain is a song of welcome. An invitation to walk in peace, unlock the passive passion within, engage in the diversity of life and celebrate,” says Lisa Gerrard.

“It is with great pleasure that I share this collaboration with Jules Maxwell. Jules and I began our creative journey with Dead Can Dance. We realised that we could connect through improvisation and that musical exploration continues to evolve with this present work.”
Under this new guise, Gerrard and Maxwell have created an album that presents a wonderfully diverse mix of electronica, alternative, cinematic soundscape and world music with hints of early Vangelis.

The record began its journey more than seven years ago, when Lisa met Irish theatre composer Jules Maxwell before working together for the first time. Things really took root when Gerrard and Maxwell began writing songs for their earlier collaboration 'The Mystery Of The Bulgarian Voices (Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares)'. They were later introduced to Chapman and asked him to produce this album, which represents a stunning departure for all three of them.

With Chapman joining the duo as producer, ideas began to be generated freely and over time a distinct sound for their work began to emerge. Their focus was to create a sound that was both euphoric and compelling, more inventive than what they had worked on separately in the past. From gentle beginnings, each track builds and intensifies, creating a hypnotic experience to listen to from start to finish.

“Noyalain is the first song we created which began to play images in my mind’s eye. Widescreen images of far horizons and great landscapes. Of the living world at it’s most devastatingly beautiful,” says Jules Maxwell.

With Lisa remaining in Australia, Jules adding his keys and percussion from France, and James bringing new light to the sound from England, the three were literally worlds apart, but those worlds fused in this music.

7 specially commissioned films have been completed to coincide with the release of the album. Polish director Jacob Chelkowski’s video, which accompanies this title track 'Noyalain (Burn)' proves more than a little provocative in these days of Covid, as it portrays the simple, traumatic act of touching.

As of March 12, 'Noyalain' is available digitally across online platforms and can be ordered at https://orcd.co/noyalain The full ‘Burn’ album, set for release on May 7, can be pre-ordered on vinyl, CD and digitally at https://orcd.co/lisajulesburn


Keep up with Lisa Gerrard
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music | Press contact

Keep up with Jules Maxwell
Website | Facebook | Soundcloud | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music | Press contact

Keep up with Atlantic Curve
Facebook | Instagram

Caveman Battle Doom Masters CONAN Release New Video “Battle In The Swamp”

New Live Album, Live At Freak Valley, out Today!

Order NOW

Hail Supreme Doom! Live At Freak Valley!

CONAN are not only releasing their third live album, Live At Freak Valley, today – they’ve also unleashed the fierce sludge crusher “Battle In The Swamp”! This live version pushes violently on the brake pedal – you can literally hear your feet stuck in the marsh. This relentlessly heavy, constantly charging amalgamation of intensity rages from the first to the last second. HAIL CONAN!

CONAN states:

“‘Battle In The Swamp’ is one of our earliest songs, appearing on the first demo tape we recorded back in 2007. It is simple and to the point, and always starts a pit. Enjoy.”

Three years after the release of the ferocious caveman battle doom masterpiece Existential Void Guardian, CONAN waves the flag of Pain again and releases Live At Freak Valley on March 12, 2021 via Napalm Records. Following their 2013 live album, recorded at Roadburn festival, and the self-released Live At Bannermans, their third live album could not have been recorded at a better place than Freak Valley Festival.

Heavily distorted and down-tuned sounds turn the legendary fields of the German Freak Valley Festival into madness. The undisputed masters of fantastical, otherworldly, sludgy doom, CONAN, will cast a spell on the listener and propel them straight into the crowd, captured in dust. HAIL CONAN!

Get your copy of Live At Freak Valley NOW!

Live At Freak Valley is available in the following formats:

- 2 LP Gatefold Vinyl White / Black Marble (Napalm Records mailorder only) - strictly limited to 200

- 2 LP Gatefold Vinyl Grey

- 1 CD Jewelcase

- Digital album

[2 LP Gatefold Vinyl White / Black Marble (Napalm Records mailorder only) - strictly limited to 200]

Line up:

Jon Davis - vocals, guitar (2006-present)

Chris Fielding - bass (2013–present)

Johnny King - drums (2017–present)

SILVERTOMB Share New Single "So True" Debut Album 'Edge Of Existence' Out Now

New York metal outfit SILVERTOMB has dropped their next single, titled "So True", along with a new music video. The track is the fourth single taken from the band's debut album, 'Edge Of Existence', which is available now via Long Branch Records / SPV.

Kenny Hickey comments on "So True":

“This song was written in desperation and from the gut at a time when I was at one of the lowest points in my alcohol abuse. It’s a basic purging of every trauma, insecurity, and anxiety that led up to that point in my life. So for the 'So True' video, we tried to capture how a negative self-image and a lust for power can be turned outward and onto society to become a destructive force."

Silvertomb's debut album, 'Edge of Existence', explores Kenny Hickey’s personal struggles with addiction, love, suicide, and the death of his singer and frontman Peter Steele in 2010 and subsequent disbandment of Type O Negative.

'Edge Of Existence' is available here: http://lbr-shop.com/category/silvertomb

Formed in the wake of Type O Negative and Seventh Void, SILVERTOMB is the latest musical endeavor of Kenny Hickey (Type O Negative, Seventh Void), Johnny Kelly(Type O Negative, Danzig), and Hank Hell (Seventh Void, Inhuman). This time teaming up with New York Hardcore Veteran Joseph James (Agnostic Front, Inhuman) and Aaron Joos (Awaken The Shadow, Empyreon), combining musical styles such as Pink Floyd and Black Sabbath into a bone-crushing, mind-blowing, sonic journey into the underbelly of human emotion.

Line Up:

Kenny Hickey - Guitar, Vocals

Joseph James - Guitar

Johnny Kelly - Drums

Hank Hell - Bass

Aaron Joos - Keyboards, Guitar, Backing Vocals

For More Info Visit:

https://www.facebook.com/silvertombmusic/

https://www.instagram.com/silvertombmusic

https://twitter.com/Silvertombband

SUZI QUATRO Releases New Single "I Sold My Soul Today"


"I Sold My Soul Today"

Upcoming Studio Album 'The Devil In Me'

Out March 26 via SPV/Steamhammer

The Queen of Rock n' Roll, SUZI QUATRO has released a new single and music video for the song "I Sold My Soul Today". The track is taken from her upcoming studio album, 'The Devil In Me', which will see a March 26th, 2021 release via Steamhammer/SPV. Watch the video for "I Sold My Soul Today" here: https://youtu.be/jaTMX2fb2mM

Suzi Quatro's new album, 'The Devil In Me', will be released on March 26th, 2021 as a CD DigiPak (incl. fold-out poster), 2LP gatefold version (incl. 2 bonus tracks), and download + streaming. Pre-order now at https://SuziQuatro.lnk.to/TheDevilInMe

HORRENDOUS Announces Concert Stream via Saint Vitus Bar

Forward-thinking death metal entity HORRENDOUS has teamed up with Brooklyn's iconic Saint Vitus Bar to deliver a concert stream on March 19! The event will take place at 7:00 P.M. EDT and will be available to watch for 48 hours. Instructions will be sent to folks who purchase stream access regarding how and where to watch. The band will also be selling merch, including an exclusive event tee. Tickets are $10 and can be found HERE while more info and FAQs can be found HERE.

HORRENDOUS will be supporting 2018's 'Idol,' which was named one of the best albums of 2018 by Pop Matters (#4), Invisible Oranges (#5), Metal Injection (#9), Revolver Magazine (#24), Decibel Magazine (#28), and Pitchfork.

'Idol' also found itself scoring several placings across the U.S Billboard charts, peaking at #16 Current Hard Music Albums, #25 on the Heatseekers chart, #55 on the Record Label/Independent Current Albums chart, and more.

'Idol' can be ordered, streamed, and downloaded HERE.

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Drawing inspiration from both personal and national crises, 'Idol's' music is a methodical and unapologetic take on dynamic, progressive death metal. The album sees HORRENDOUS at the highest echelon of their musical creativity to date. Thematically, the ambitious new album is an exploration of defeat, of the gods we build in our minds to escape the responsibility of action and change as we relinquish our agency. The music in 'Idol' mimics this act of deity building, with sprawling compositions that are imposing in scope and mirror the great turmoil of our times. Tracks such as "Soothsayer," "Golgothan Tongues," and the monumental "Obolus" position the band in a league of their own, as one of the death metal's leading new entities.


HORRENDOUS formed in 2009. The band's three founding members (Damian Herring - guitar, vocals, Matt Knox - guitar, vocals, Jamie Knox - drums), driven by a desire to capture and rekindle the mystique of a bygone era in the history of metal, fused elements from progressive metal, old school death metal, and more, into a cohesive sonic landscape. These initial compositions resulted in the of release their debut full-length 'The Chills' in 2012. The album received critically acclaim upon release, and was cited as "a preposterously flawless debut album. The old school just got schooled." (Metal Injection).

Following the release of 'The Chills', HORRENDOUS began to expand upon their traditional death metal leanings, conjuring a bolder, more sophisticated musical approach from a wide-cast net of elements beyond the limitations of any genre. This lead to the back-to-back releases of 'Ecdysis' (2014) and (after relocating to Philadelphia,) 'Anareta' (2015). Both albums were incredibly well-received by both the heavy metal underground and critics alike. Each successive record marked a new step in the sonic evolution of the band and carried them further on their adventurous journey of musical awakenings.

Upon the release of 'Anareta', HORRENDOUS saw significant acclaim from mainstream music journalism, as the record was championed as "stunning" by Pitchfork, "A momentous and unconventionally poignant achievement... Anareta is death metal painted not with just reds and grays, but with the palette of human experience." (SPIN), and saw the band "fearlessly reaching skyward, peeling off guitar leads that climb like clock towers or church steeples: intricate constructions resulting in monuments that are breathtaking to behold from afar, and almost impossible to believe when examined up close." (Stereogum)

'Anareta' went on to top many best-of lists in 2015, making appearances in Stereogum, Consequence of Sound, SPIN, Decibel Magazine, Apple Music, Yahoo Music, and countless other publications, blogs, and websites.


For more on HORRENDOUS, visit their official FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, and BANDCAMP pages.

DEFECTO Release Music Video for "The Uninvited"

DEFECTO is following up the release of their third studio album, 'Duality', with a brand new music video for the track "The Uninvited"; a progressive heavy metal anthem taken from last fall's full-length effort.

The band comments:

"'The Uninvited' is one of the most uncompromising tracks on 'Duality'. We wanted to combine the beast of prog metal with uplifting melodic passages. This is a fun track to play live, which we very much hope to do soon!

Danish metal act DEFECTO's dive into the metal scene has been both successful and hectic. Just a year after the release of their debut, they were offered supporting slots for both Metallica and Rammstein. Defecto played numerous sold-out shows, both domestic as well as around Europe. In addition, they also played some of Europe's biggest rock festivals. This gave the band a reputation of being a solid live act. The millions of streams that Defecto has reached in their career so far also show that there is something deeper and more meaningful in their music that the fans love about Defecto.

Last fall the release of the bands' third album, "Duality". saw the light of day. It's a combination of both light and dark, and the culmination of what Defecto stands for.

Defecto has in their native country, Denmark, been nominated by Gaffa Magazine for the prestigious Gaffa award not once but twice; best Danish band and best hard rock/metal album release of 2020 for the album Duality. The album just re-entered the Swedish hardrock/metal album charts at position 20 in good company with bands like AC/DC, Metallica, Rammstein and Volbeat.

Buy + Stream 'Duality' Here

PURGATORY DEBUT NEW SINGLE & MUSIC VIDEO “LOYALTY DENIED”

SOPHOMORE ALBUM LAWLESS TO GRAVE
OUT APRIL 9th VIA UNBEATEN RECORDS

PREORDER: Lawless To Grave

“If you're feeling like maybe you wanna punch a hole through the Earth today, then Purgatory is your soundtrack.”
- Metal Injection

“Every riff and breakdown feels designed to maximize violence, which is exactly where Purgatory succeed.”
- Decibel Magazine

“Midwestern rabble-rousers” - Revolver Magazine

“Purgatory push and push, laying down hard-ass tracks with nuanced guitar work” - New Noise Magazine

“Unrelenting stone-cold slab of metallic hardcore fury” - Cvlt Nation

“Bone-crushing” - BrooklynVegan

Midwest hardcore band, Purgatory, debuted the second single “Loyalty Denied” today, taken from their upcoming sophomore album Lawless To Grave that is due out April 9th via Unbeaten Records. The new track, about personal betrayal, captures the band's expert ability at creating something that sounds like it's from a classic era of metal and hardcore all while putting their own spin on it. Mixing hard as nails riffing with gruff melodic tendencies, Purgatory is on track to top their widely lauded debut, Cold Side of Reality, with a steady release of new singles including the album opener “Stack ‘Em Up” and “No One Gets Out Alive”. Their latest, “Loyalty Denied” is available to stream here and Lawless To Grave is available for pre-order here.

Speaking on the track, vocalist Matt Anderson says:
"You have people who you think love you but they just use your personal struggles for their amusement and gain as well as belittling everyone else around them when at the end of the day they’re the weakest people on the planet."

Formed in the cold and desolate midwest in 2011, Purgatory, slings unflinching metallic hardcore with an emphasis on the metal sown into their sound, or as they’ve been dubbed, “Midwest Street Metal”. Pulling from influences foundational to their gritty world of hardcore such as Biohazard, Cold As Life, Stigmata, and Merauder, the band is just as influenced by their love of metal such as Dying Fetus, Cannibal Corpse, and Deicide. Regardless of what end of the heavy spectrum they fall, the band’s overflowing supply of raw and untethered anger comes through in full-force in Purgatory’s latest effort.

In the spring of 2021, Purgatory returns with their sophomore full-length and most confrontational release yet titled Lawless To Grave. Due out April 9th, via Unbeaten Records, the band spent the better part of a year fleshing out new ideas in a collaborative manner that hadn’t been done with previous lineups, and it pays off. Across the eleven tracks, Purgatory, composed of Matt Anderson (vocals), Josh Mata (guitar), Brian Pilla (guitar), Tito Richmond (bass), and Collin St. Mary (drums), flex their best songwriting to date and most interesting moments of heaviness and honesty.

Recorded in only four days at Landmine Studios with Len Carmichael, Purgatory took the collective memories of their members, and the universal struggles the population faces into account while writing Lawless To Grave, offering the listener an unfiltered look into the darkness and futility of life in middle-American. Personal betrayal, encounters with the justice system, a country run by racist, corrupt politicians, and experiences with abusive, religious, and addicted family members all lead Anderson and the band to the conclusions found on Lawless To Grave. While all these factors and vengeful reactions to them can shape a calloused life, the only factor one can control is who you choose to be at your core, guided by the set of personal rules you follow. Purgatory takes a deep dive into the constant war of everyday life, the compounding stressors that bring people to a knife’s edge, and capture the anxiety and grit of simply getting by in their crushing swing at the world, Lawless To Grave.

Over the past several years Purgatory has become a rising force in both the hardcore and metal scenes, leading the charge out of the grim Midwest with their debut LP, Cold Side of Reality. As a potent live force, the band has shared stages with such notables as Power Trip, Harm’s Way, Twitching Tongues, Ringworm, Terror, Merauder, and more. In 2021, Purgatory unleash their urgent and cathartic full-length Lawless To Grave into a world of chaos.

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HEILUNG Reveals Collaboration with Video Game "Conqueror's Blade"

Enigmatic Nordic collective HEILUNG is now proudly announcing their collaboration with MY.GAMES and Booming Tech for the new season of the 'Conquerer's Blade' video game, 'VII: "Wolves of Ragnarok." The newly launched trailer for the game, featuring the track "Galgaldr,"

With lyrics recorded in Old Norse and inspired by Völuspá – a prophecy of Ragnarok from the Poetic Edda - HEILUNG’s atmospheric sound will immerse players in a dark new era for 'Conqueror’s Blade.' HEILUNG will also see their name being eternalized in one of the new combat map locations, which is now officially called ‘Heilung Fjord,’ and serves as a place for healing.

More info on the game can be found HERE.

Following an extremely successful first ever tour of North America, in which every venue sold out, HEILUNG are returning to the states for one spectacular evening! The Danish formation will be bringing their mesmerizing ritual to the historic, century-old Red Rocks Amphitheater in Denver, CO on October 5, 2021. Tickets for the 2020 show will be honored at the new date. For every ticket sold, One Tree Planted will plant a tree in Colorado. You can purchase tickets HERE.

Last year, HEILUNG shared their first ever music video for the Independent Music Award-winning song "Norupo," which is taken from 2019's critically-acclaimed release, 'Futha!' The video was shot at the Neolithic standing stones at Les Menhirs de Monteneuf in France. You can watch the stunning video at THIS LOCATION.

"Norupo" is composed around the ancient runic poem with the name ”The Norwegian Rune Poem”. The poem was preserved in a 17th-century copy of a now lost 13th-century manuscript and gives a complete description of all sixteen runes of the younger Futhark.

HEILUNG will be supporting their 2019 release, 'Futha,' which debuted at #3 on the Billboard Heatseeker charts and #4 on the Billboard World Music Charts, placing on a total of seven Billboard charts within the first week of its release.

During 2020's Game Awards, HEILUNG announced that they will be working with U.K.-based gaming company Ninja Theory on the soundtrack for their upcoming game, 'Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II.' The announcement trailer for the new game features HEILUNG's song 'In Maidjan,' which is taken from their debut album, 'Ofnir.' Watch the trailer HERE.

The band's music was featured in a trailer for the final season of HBO's 'Game of Thrones' series. It can be viewed HERE.

This was not the first time HEILUNG's music has been featured in a commercial, as “Krigsgaldr” was featured in a 2018 commercial for the Adidas x Alexander Wang collaboration. Watch the commercial HERE!

'Futha' was released on June 28 and can be streamed HERE and ordered HERE.

Speaking about 'Futha,' BILLBOARD wrote, "Tracks like 'Norupo,' which is led by female vocals, is beautiful and melodic, and the choir and tribal percussive background of 'Othan' is trance-like." You can read the full feature, which includes an interview with HEILUNG's Kai Uwe Faust, HERE.

Upon its release, 'Futha' has been met with international critical acclaim. Here is what the press is saying:

"There’s an earthy aura surrounding the record, not just from the sounds of nature but the primal energy it evokes, trying to wake something long lost to the ravages of time... the power and conviction of these chanted tales connect on a deeper level than mere riffs. You just have to let it in." - Kerrang

"'Futha' is consequently more a gentle, comforting blessing than it is an album: an escape from contemporary concerns and a reminder that there is still magic in this world." - Pure Grain Audio

"'Futha' leaves no stone unturned in its quest to experiment and bring its own true experience to the table. That said, it is easy to fall into a trance and with eyes closed to be transported to the past world that Heilung brings back to life. That is why Cryptic Rock gives Futha 4 out of 5 stars." - Cryptic Rock

"Indeed, I have no better word for the music than 'spellbinding.' The combination of the hide-drum and electronic rhythms, the contrasting vocals of Faust and Franz, the mystical keyboard layers, and the dark and ethereal melodies is wonderful." - No Clean Singing

"Heilung have just the ticket with their new record, 'Futha' (Season of Mist), which layers ancient Germanic chants six feet deep for total disembodied bliss." - Free Williamsburg

"Hypnotic and evocative, this preview of Heilung's upcoming album 'Futha' hints that another tradition-steeped masterpiece from the fascinating collective is to come." - Revolver Magazine

Line-up
Kai Uwe Faust
Christopher Juul
Maria Franz

For more on HEILUNG, visit their FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, and YOUTUBEpages.

NEW VIDEO ALERT! Electric Mob "Higher Than Your Heels"

Debut Album “Discharge” Out Now on Frontiers Music Srl

Our Brazilian pals Electric Mob released their awesome debut album, "Discharge" in June 2020 amidst some strange times in the world. Their energetic hard rock was something all of us rock fans needed at the time and still do right now! If you haven't familiarized yourselves with the these dudes yet, then check out their brand new music video for "Higher Than Your Heels", a smokin' track from said album.

Watch the video for "Higher Than Your Heels”: https://youtu.be/kCIaztrx7dA

Buy or Stream: https://orcd.co/electricmob

Watch the video for 'Devil You Know': https://youtu.be/wAdCDhi-qQM

Watch the video for 'Upside Down': https://youtu.be/6V3leWmDecQ

Watch the video for “Far Off”: https://youtu.be/_do8mXSqK5k

AUTARKH Streams Entire New Album

Dutch extreme metal outfit AUTARKH have partnered with the illustrious Roadburn festival to stream their brand new album, 'Form in Motion,' ahead of tomorrow's release! You can listen to 'Form in Motion' in its entirety

Founder Michel Nienhuis comments: "Tomorrow we release our debut album; today we present to you the full album stream in collaboration with Roadburn. We are currently busy rehearsing the live set for our album premiere at Roadburn Redux. We have received quite a number of great responses on the album so far and it feels good to reconnect to people through music. It seems ‘Form In Motion’ is a fitting release considering the current times - the process of growth and transformation that the album deals with might as well be part of a transformation we are experiencing in this crisis. We are proud to finally present you the full scope of ‘Form In Motion’ and invite you to dive right in."

Moreover, AUTARKH will be airing a two-hour special via Gimme Radio's Gimme Metal platform on March 15 @ 11:00 A.M. EST // 17:00 CET! The specially curated set will be hosted by band mastermind Michel Nienhuis (former DODECAHEDRON), who will also be present for a live Q&A! The band will be celebrating the upcoming release of their debut opus, 'Form in Motion,' which will drop this Friday, March 12! You can sign up for free and listen HERE.


To misquote Allen Ginsburg "the circle DODECAHEDRON is broken. But with death comes rebirth."  AUTARKH takes a radical approach to their musical assault, consuming the listener with dizzying maelstroms of chaos. ‘Form In Motion’ embodies the word “extreme,” putting forth an intrusive battery of blistering guitars, pummeling drums, spastic math metal salvos and cacophonous electronics that culminates in one of the most robust and daring debut records metal has seen yet.

'Form in Motion' is due on March 12. Pre-orders are now live HERE.

From the fertile grounds of Tilburg (NL) rises new contemporary metal outfit AUTARKH, a group of musical extremists dedicated to pushing the boundaries of the auditory senses. Autarkh is the brainchild of Michel Nienhuis, founding member and composer/guitarist of DODECAHEDRON. Dodecahedron released 2 albums on the French record label Season Of Mist in 2012 and 2017 and has played at Inferno festival (NO), Reykjavík Metalfest (IS) Brutal Assault (CZ), Roadburn Festival (NL) and Eurosonic (NL) amongst others.

Death and illness was closing in on Dodecahedron, triggering a conceptual transformation that was necessary to effectuate Nienhuis’ artistic development. In the fall of 2019 Nienhuis teamed up with producer Joris Bonis (Dodecahedron, Ulsect), guitarist David Luiten and electronic composer / producer Tijnn Verbruggen, a set of musicians with backgrounds ranging from metal to techno. Autarkh’s first full length album ‘Form In Motion’ will be released the 12th of March 2021 through Season of Mist records.

AUTARKH takes a unique position in the world of extreme metal. Synthetic, IDM-style beats and glitch effects - reminiscent of those produced by artists such as Aphex Twin and Autechre - are perfectly balanced with overwhelming riffs and vocals that range from dark growls and exasperating screams to semi-clean harmonies. Together with fluttering blast beats, dense bass lines and eerie soundscapes these elements produce an intense and crystal clear tunnel of sound where the energy of contrasting emotions is constantly felt.

‘Form In Motion’ feels like an evolution in both sound and lyrical content from the two albums Nienhuis released with Dodecahedron. Musically, because of the radical approach the band takes with their rhythm section; lyrically because the album is more about a personal experience of human nature and the nature of the universe. The album takes us from unraveling storms and destructive chaos to transformation, liberation and fundamental shifts in understanding in order to align with the divine. That progression is also present in a linear sense – the intrusive uneasiness the album starts with gives way to a sense of epic victory towards the end.

Give yourself the opportunity to dive into this radical exploration of sonic and spiritual ideas and allow yourself to get inspired by what AUTARKH has to offer.

Genre: Contemporary Extreme Metal

Recording line-up:
Michel Nienhuis: vocals, guitars, bass, programming
David Luiten: vocals, guitars
Tijnn Verbruggen: synthesis, beat design
Joris Bonis: synthesis, sound design

Music and lyrics: Michel Nienhuis
Production: Joris Bonis & Michel Nienhuis

Mix:
Turbulence, Cyclic Terror, Introspectrum, Lost To Sight, Clouded Aura and Alignment: David Luiten
Impasse: Tijnn Verbruggen
Primitive Constructs, Metacognition and Zeit ist nur eine Illusion: Michel Nienhuis

Master: Joris Bonis

Artwork: Manuel Tinnemans / Comaworx
Design & Layout: Arno Frericks & Reinier Bonis

www.autarkh.com
www.facebook.com/autarkh
www.instagram.com/autarkhband

Pre-orders: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/AutarkhShop

Formats:
CD Digipak
LP in various colours
Digital

For more information on AUTARKH, please visit the band's official WEBSITE, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM.

Hard Rock Crossover Favorites SUMO CYCO Reveal Striking New Anthem "No Surrender"

Unstoppable New Album, Initiation, out May 7, 2021 via Napalm Records

Pre-Order HERE

Canadian alt-metal/hard rock crossover stars SUMO CYCO recently announced the highly anticipated release of their upcoming full-length album, Initiation, out May 7, 2021 via Napalm Records. Interlaced with infectious heavy metal grooves, pop-perfected hooks, electronic undertones and a dose of punk flavor, Initiation breaks all the rules while delivering a cohesive yet purely unbridled sonic adventure.

SUMO CYCO's explosive first single/video, "Bystander", burst with attention upon its release in mid-February, garnering over 100,000 YouTube views in just four days! Now, the multi-faceted musical powerhouse has returned with another single - the chaotic, sauntering "No Surrender". Packing a punch with pop star-turned-rock frontwoman Skye “Sever” Sweetnam's dynamic vocal delivery and an impassioned, riffy chorus, the track coincides with an introspective music video.

Skye “Sever” Sweetnam says about “No Surrender” and its video:

“'No Surrender' is about the struggle to be your authentic self, living your truth and battling inner demons. The music video depicts four characterized versions of myself representing different sides of my personality and how I see myself. They’re lurking in the darkness over my shoulder, always questioning each other’s decisions.

The song is written from the perspective of the voice or voices in my head. Telling me to run one moment and another to hold my ground and another to fight back. In between some epic rocking out with the band, I wanted the viewers to visualize the colorful juxtaposition that goes on in my mind.”

Watch the intense new music video for “No Surrender”

SUMO CYCO's Initiation invites a mass of new followers into their warped, dystopian-like world of “Cyco City”! As with its predecessors Lost In Cyco City (2014), Opus Mar (2017) and countless singles, Initiation is based in the imaginative conceptual location of “Cyco City”. But unlike most concept albums, the lyrical content is inspired by the band’s real-time environment – featuring timely, personal themes of love, sacrifice, anxiety, empowerment and more that all listeners can relate to.

Sweetnam adds about the album:

The album’s title, Initiation, stems from wanting to invite the audience to be “initiated” into our world. There are usually two congruent themes to each of our albums – one is real-world inspiration, and the other is “Cyco City”, a comic book-esque alternate universe where all our music videos take place. With Initiation, we introduce four gangs or clubs. Our music videos for Initiation all include a theme of these clubs – whether it’s gang vs. gang, a forbidden love between opposing sides, or the idea of having to choose where you belong.

Outside of the story, the lyrics relate to the polarization of the world we live in now. We all have a longing to belong, but what makes one feel accepted or ostracized from a group? To be INITIATED, would you be willing to try to understand another point of view? I have always written lyrics about internal struggle, the war within oneself. Throughout the album, we bounce back and forth between struggle and overcoming. It reflects the times, and there are moments that seem a bit dark.”

Pre-order Initiation HERE

At the album’s start, SUMO CYCO lights a spark with the seductively hooked track “Love You Wrong”, connecting like a punch and setting the stage for the vigor to come. The blitz continues with standouts like lethal room-mover “Bystander” and electronic-infused, in-your-face rock anthem “Vertigo” – the latter standing tall with its airtight, gritty pop sensibility and featuring the production mastery of Juno Award-winning producer Kane Churko (Ozzy Osbourne, In This Moment, Papa Roach). Swiftly followed by erratic, addictive nod-to-the-times “Bad News” and heavy, creeping success “No Surrender”, Initiation proves not even halfway through that the band’s songwriting ability and the commanding performance prowess frontwoman Skye “Sever” Sweetnam, guitarist Matt “MD13” Drake, bassist Oscar Anesetti and drummer Matt "Trozzi" blend a recipe for greatness. The album continues winding through a mastery of heavy-meets-pop execution before ending with the full-throttle, sugar n’ salt packed album closer “This Dance Is Doomed” (while various editions cap off with sultry, confident “Awakened”).

By the end of Initiation, listeners will wonder just what exactly SUMO CYCO can’t do, proving them as a band on the rise, and that unconventionality always stands out from the pack.

Initiation will be available in North America in the following formats:

- Digital Album

- CD Digipak

- LP Gatefold Orange Vinyl

- Die Hard Limited Edition: LP Gatefold Purple/Yellow/Pink Inkspot Vinyl + 7” Orange Transparent Vinyl Single w/ Two Bonus Tracks + Signed Photo (Napalm Mailorder only – limited to 300 worldwide)

Die Hard Limited Edition: LP Gatefold Purple/Yellow/Pink Inkspot Vinyl + 7” Orange Transparent Vinyl Single w/ Two Bonus Tracks + Signed Photo (Napalm Mailorder only – limited to 300 worldwide)

SUMO CYCO is:

Skye “Sever” Sweetnam – vocals

Matt “MD13” Drake – lead guitar

Matt "Trozzi" – drums

Oscar Anesetti – bass

Modern Metal Unit SCAR OF THE SUN Announces Energetic Third Album, Inertia

Out May 14, 2021 via Napalm Records

Pre-Order NOW

Experience the Explosive New Single + Music Video, “I Am The Circle

Greece’s SCAR OF THE SUN lends a voice to social injustice, merging scientific lyricism

with energetic modern metal!

Greek modern metal five-piece SCAR OF THE SUN is poised to reach the next level with the release of their otherworldly third full-length, Inertia, out May 14, 2021 via Napalm Records. The album delivers a fresh take on melodic, atmospheric, often progressively-influenced metal while forging a unique path, and acts as a follow up to their self-titled demo (2005), debut full-length A Series Of Unfortunate Concurrencies (2011) and sophomore offering In Flood (2016).

After sharing the stage with outstanding acts such as Dark Tranquillity and Insomnium, as well as compatriots Rotting Christ, SCAR OF THE SUN has made a name for themselves with the very special ability to merge modern metal sound with atmospheric soundscapes and dynamic riffs. Inertia's first offering, “I Am The Circle”, along with a captivating, dynamic official music video, serves as an exciting taste of lies ahead: Razor-sharp riffs kick off this energetic modern metal smasher, altering between fast-paced and atmospheric moments as frontman Terry Nikas presents his full vocal ability, from aggressive growls to clear singing.

Vocalist Terry Nikas on the first single:

“New, heavier and groovier SCAR OF THE SUN, but always catchy! Years of fighting compressed our anger in a few minutes shape!”

SCAR OF THE SUN on the video for “I Am The Circle”:

"’I Am The Circle’ is the first video from our upcoming album Inertia. It acts as a dynamic and direct introduction to our sound and band presence. The video was directed by Achilleas Gatsopoulos who has been responsible for the overall visual aesthetic of the band since the beginning. The look is a solid combination of raw performance and our distinct graphic design approach. We will explore the world of Inertia even deeper with the release of the next videos in the following months, leading to the release of the album in May.”


Pre-Order SCAR OF THE SUN's new album Inertia NOW!

On Inertia, SCAR OF THE SUN utilizes scientific terminology to transmit their impassioned messages of difficult trials and social awareness lyrically, conveying an overarching theme that reflects one of society’s heaviest burdens – that financial gain has flourished at the expense of humanity and the livelihoods of everyday people.

Terry Nikas about the album:

“Third strike, this album is our punch to the world disarray! The most aggressive album we’ve done so far indicates our current intentions! The main concept of Inertia deals with how financial interests act against the lives of everyday normal people, no matter where you come from, since profit knows no ethics and nationalities. We become lab rats and we struggle in our everyday life while at the same time that extreme minority that runs the financial interests see people like numbers and value our lives like ants. These are matters that concern and annoy me and I had to get them out of my chest.”
Instrumental intro “Hydrogen” stirs things up before kicking in with hard-hitting title track “Inertia”, evoking a truly thunderous verse and, propelled by blasting drums, leads into an undeniably catchy chorus, while the “Quantum Leap Zero”-trilogy conveys very intense and dramatic events that occured in Greece in 2015: Suppression, rise/revolution and huge defeat in the end. Beginning with “Quantum Leap Zero I: Torque Control”, SCAR OF THE SUN unveils a whole new instrumental facet of the record, splicing their soundscapes with distinctively desolate vibes. “Quantum Leap Zero II: Transition To Turbulence”, on the other hand, calls for an untamed storm to annihilate everything, followed by atmospheric “Oxygen”, smashing “The Fallible Experiment” and poignant trilogy-closer “Quantum Leap Zero III: Thrust”. Inertia ends with “Anastasis” (Greek for “resurrection”), an intense track about the terrible pain of losing someone you love. With this closer, SCAR OF THE SUN manages to put agony into words and turn this palpable despair into emotive music.

Inertia was recorded and mixed by singer and songwriting mastermind Terry Nikas at Zero Gravity Studios in Athens, Greece and mastered by the legendary Jens Bogren (Opeth, Katatonia, Dimmu Borgir) at Fascination Street Studios, Sweden.

Inertia will be available in the following formats:

-1LP Gatefold TRANSPARENT GREEN + BLACK Marbled

-1LP Gatefold BLACK

-Shirt & Digpack Bundle

-CD Digipack

-Full Digital Album

[1LP Gatefold TRANSPARENT GREEN + BLACK Marbled – Napalm Mailorder Only]


SCAR OF THE SUN is:

Terry Nikas - vocals

Alexi Charalampous - guitars

Greg Eleftheriou- guitars

Panagiotis Gatsopoulos - bass

Thanos Pappas - drums

TOMMY'S ROCKTRIP ANNOUNCES DEBUT ALBUM

"BEAT UP BY ROCK 'N ROLL" DUE MAY 7, 2021

FIRST SINGLE + VIDEO, 'GOT TO PLAY SOME ROCK 'N ROLL' OUT NOW

Tommy's RockTrip is drummer Tommy Clufetos' (Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath) new hard rock outfit, where he offers his take on the rock 'n roll influences that made him one of the most sought after drummers in the current hard rock scene. “Beat Up By Rock 'N' Roll”, the debut album, is an in-your-face, honest, kick ass hard rock album. Eric Dover, known for singing and playing guitar with Jellyfish, Slash's Snakepit, and Alice Cooper, handles lead vocals on the album (though Tommy grabs the mic for three tracks). Eliot Lorengo (bass), Hank Schneekluth (guitar), and Nao Nakashima (guitar) round out the supporting cast.

Get your first taste of the album today with the first single and video, 'Got To Play Some Rock 'N Roll'. Watch the video

Pre-order/save "Beat Up By Rock 'N Roll" HERE: https://orcd.co/beatupbyrnr

"I wanted to make an album that I would enjoy listening to, while injecting some of the characteristics that I love about my favorite Rock n’ Roll. Hopefully when you listen to it in your car, you realize you are driving way over the speed limit," say Clufetos.

"The lyrics of this song are pretty obvious if you are in the game of music....if you’re a spectator....not so much. Just as a great band once said....”it’s a long way to the top if you wanna rock n’roll”. This business is a bitch, BUT you ride through it all with a smile cause...you “Got To Play Some Rock 'N Roll”!!!" adds Clufetos of first single 'Got To Play Some Rock 'N Roll'.

Clufetos is already known to legions of rock and metal fans around the world for his incredible drumming skills. Having already played with the likes of Alice Cooper, Ted Nugent, and Rob Zombie among others, Clufetos then joined Ozzy Osbourne's solo band and subsequently followed that with his undeniable performances with Black Sabbath on their final tours. In other words, quite the resume! Now, Clufetos continues his rock 'n roll odyssey with his new outfit Tommy's RockTrip,

We hope you enjoy the TRIP!

Line-up:

Tommy Clufetos - Drums, Lead Vocals on Tracks 4, 8 and 11

Eric Dover - Lead Vocals

Eliot Lorengo - Bass Guitar

Hank Schneekluth - Lead Guitar

Nao Nakashima - Rhythm Guitar

Tommy C - Saxophone on “Power Of Three”

John Schreffler - Guitar Solo on “Beat Up By Rock 'N’ Roll"

Doug Organ - Hammond B3

Ruth Blake 'I Am' from 'Brave Ships' single

“Destined for greater things in the future… Somerset based Ruth Blake … proved the pick of the bunch, channeling the spirit of Joni Mitchell” ~ Drowned in Sound

“With its delicate harmonies, Ruth Blake’s music seems to emanate from a waking dream... made of shades of love, sweetness and strength” ~ David Mboussou, Film Director

“Some of the most beautiful music I have heard in a long time” ~ John Lime, Glastonbury FM

"An extremely talented artist with an uplifting spirit, contagious positive energy, beautiful voice and timbre, meaningful message with impressive depth" ~ The Record Stache

“Visionary works that defy categorisation or label” ~ Jennifer Leach, Outrider Anthems

“A true wonder. Her voice bathes over me as if I have soaked myself in a healing sound-shower” ~ Steve Lee, Gfm

Singer-songwriter and guitarist Ruth Blake presents her new single 'Brave Ships', inspired by the warm, rich tones and strong rhythmic grooves of the 1970s. The accompanying video was filmed by Paul Blakemore on Sand Bay.

The b-side for this release is titled 'I Am'. A reflection of her soul, these compositions are deep and spacious. Richly bittersweet, this is overflowing with love, creativity and reverance. Both tracks were mastered by Shawn Joseph (Portishead, Jonny Greenwood, PJ Harvey, Bat for Lashes, Peter Green).

Originally from the Midlands, Blake now resides in the mists and vales of Somerset, where she creates multi-faceted folk music that stirs the soul, rich with symbol and storytelling. 'Using 'music as medicine’, this is poignant, lyrical, poetic and even sacred.

'Brave Ships' was birthed in the autumn of 2019 at the home of Ashley Jenkins, a severely disabled swimmer and radio host who regularly inspires his fans to ‘never give up on their dreams’. "He’s a beloved friend and I’m sure it is no coincidence that Brave Ships entered the world through the portal of his home," says Ruth Blake.

"It was just after the peak of Extinction Rebellion activity, a few months before the Covid pandemic struck. I felt deep love of the earth and a desire to see a paradigm shift in the way we relate to the natural world and indeed the world in general. I was riding difficult inner conflicts, asking myself what I felt was being asked of me as we head into the stormy waters of this unique time in human history. It was then that I re-read an exquisite piece of writing entitled 'Letter to a Young Activist During Troubled Times' by one of my all-time favourite authors - Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes, who noted that a "soul on deck shines like gold in dark times". The letter struck me anew, rich with symbolic beacons of hopes set amongst the paradoxes of life, reassuring us heartily that we are seaworthy vessels no matter how ragged our flags have become."

While also self-taught, Blake received an unusual musical education from the eccentric and pioneering Young Steinway Artist, composer, pianist and multi-instrumentalist, Edward Chilvers, who persistently encouraged her to believe in herself and develop her gift for music. "Each song is a bit like untangling a complicated knot – the process is utterly obsessive, and somehow inevitable,” says Blake.

In 2015, Blake crowdfunded and released her own debut album of subtle yet poignant folk music - 'Lullabies for Grown-Ups', followed by her colourful second studio album 'Creation' in 2018. Lyrically profound and musically sophisticated, Ruth’s music is born out of her own passion for self-knowledge and the deeper truths of existence.

A member of the Music as Medicine collective and Brightsky Community, she has performed at various festivals. She has recorded at Real World Studios with the enigmatic James Frost, and has been collaborating with Manchester dark-funk 8-piece ensemble Caulbearers, including for their 2020 single 'Over Comes a Cloud'.

A natural progression, Blake collaborated with Damien Mahoney, the driving force behind Caulbearers, who produced and engineered it at his attic studio in Old Trafford. With a creative output ranging from funk, soul and reggae to acid house and Balearic dub, he has collaborated with John Ellis (Cinematic Orchestra, The Breath), Rob Turner (GoGo Penguin), Julie Gordon (Happy Mondays) and producer Seadna Mcphail (Badly Drawn Boy, Doves, Jah Wobble, Everything Everything). He has also remixed RnB artist Faith Evans for EMI.

'Brave Ships' will be released on January 27 and will be available for digital download via Apple Music, as well as streaming platforms such as Spotify. it can already be pre-ordered via Bandcamp.

CREDITS
Written by Ruth Blake
Recorded, Produced & Mixed by Damien Mahoney in his attic studio ‘Padded Cell’ in Old Trafford, Manchester
Mastered by Shawn Joseph (Portishead, Jonny Greenwood, PJ Harvey, Bat for Lashes, Peter Green)
All Vocals and acoustic guitar - Ruth Blake
Drums - Rob Turner (Gogo Penguin)
Fretless bass - Dave Tompkins (Johnny Dangerously, Mike Hope's Jazzmahoot, Mojito)
Cello, viola, violin - Alan Keary (Shunya)
Guitar, Harmonium and piano - Pete Barrett (Colourfield, John Cooper Clark & Pauline Murray)


Keep up with Ruth Blake
Website | Bandcamp | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Soundcloud | Apple Music | Spotify

Léanie Kaleido releases Mark Gardener-produced 'How To Weigh a Whale Without A Scale' LP

"Great music with stellar delivery... Sheer light and positivity radiates through the confessional storytelling woven through her piano-based offering, leaving you eager for the next chapter" ~ Amplify Music Magazine

“Gets under your skin and you just end up playing it constantly... with echoes of the more ethereal parts of the British folk movement in the early seventies, Leanie Kaleido has that curiously English charm” ~ Bluesbunny Music Reviews

"There is a tenderness and pureness here framed in the braveness of revealing one’s soul to a beautifully raw and grounding melody" ~ Big Takeover Magazine

"Piano and Léanie's clear, strong voice are the primary instruments... nicely understated throughout, but you can hear just a little dreampop drift in, via heavenly harmonies and the occasional lush synth part" ~ Brooklyn Vegan

On March 12, UK singer-songwriter Léanie Kaleido will release her new album 'How To Weigh A Whale Without A Scale', produced at OX4 Sound Studio near Oxford by Ride frontman Mark Gardener, who also contributes guitar on one track. Ahead of this, she previews the lead track 'All The Things I'm Made Of'.

No stranger to music, Kaleido grew up in a musical household. Her father Top Topham was the original lead guitarist in The Yardbirds and was signed to Mike Vernon's Blue Horizon record label as a solo artist.

"This album was recorded during very strange times but in fact, those in-between lockdown studio sessions turned out to be a godsend. Working with Mark Gardener, who understood exactly what my tracks needed, gave me the confidence to focus on my vocals and lyrics, and not to throw the kitchen sink at every song. He’s an amazing producer and his attention to capturing the ambient sound in the room as well as the instruments is something that sets him apart from anyone else I’ve worked with," says Léanie Kaleido.

On this long-play, Kaleido plays lyrically astute, laid-back pop, piano-based ballads with the odd quirky guitar ditty thrown in, showcasing Léanie’s eccentric look at life. This new release will thrill Léanie’s existing fans, giving them lashings of melancholia, but peppered with that ever-present tongue-in-cheek commentary that tells you she never has and never will take herself – or anyone else - seriously.

But this third album also cements her as a consistently accomplished songwriter, unbound by the notion of what is ‘cool’ as she sits back and enjoys the thrill of writing unabashedly from the soul.

Léanie, who grew up "snogging posters of Ride and wanting to be PJ Harvey", has, over time, settled into the acceptance that her songs just come out the way they do. “Not especially cool", she says, “but I’m really proud of some of my lyrics. Getting ‘salient verities’ into a song gave me a lot of satisfaction! Now Mark is a really good mate who knows what works best for my songs. And he has the best selection of green tea. I’m now a loose leaf connoisseur, thanks to him!”

Kaleido's 50th year went off with a bang thanks to Gardener's open-armed invitation to record at his Oxford studio. After four or five sessions throughout the less locked-down parts of 2020, and ten songs later, an album was born.

"The songs on this album represent the highs and lows I’ve encountered over the past few years, how I’ve dealt with them and what I’ve learnt through the process. It’s a mixture of love, regret, philosophies, humour and hope. I’ve always been a late developer, and so this to me feels like a coming-of-age album," says Léanie Kaleido.

As of March 12, the 'How To Weigh A Whale Without A Scale' LP will be released everywhere digitally, including Apple Music and Spotify. It may also be obtained directly from the artist via Bandcamp.

CREDITS
Léanie Kaleido - Vocals, piano, ukulele, strings, drum programming, synth bass
Mark Gardener – Producer, guitar, bass
Jono Harrison – Guitar, drum programming, synth bass (Codeine, Kite String Mantra)
Chris Gussman – Guitar and engineer on ‘Hat Thief’, engineer on ‘Mr Dragonfly’
All songs written by Léanie Kaleido. Copyright @2021
Cover photo by Jono Harrison
Cover created by Sara Truckel


Keep with Leanie Kaleido
Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Twitter | Soundcloud | YouTube | Instagram | Apple Music | Spotify |

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

International Metal Stars ALIEN WEAPONRY Announce Upcoming Performances with New Zealand Symphony Orchestra

Two Night Event Taking Place in Kirikiriroa Hamilton and Ōtautahi Christchurch this May

Tickets Available Now HERE

Image 3-11-21 at 7.59 PM.JPG

[Photo Credit: Piotr Kwasnik]

Metal stars ALIEN WEAPONRY are embraced by fans and critics internationally as one of the current generation’s biggest names in heavy music, especially in their home country of New Zealand, where the band has achieved nearly household name status. This May 2021, the band plans to uplift their local fans in a completely new way by performing in unity with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra at two special performances, taking place in Kirikiriroa Hamilton and Ōtautahi Christchurch.

The performance events, billed as Stronger Together, will be a unique musical experience for audiences, the NZSO and ALIEN WEAPONRY. The concerts are ALIEN WEAPONRY’s first with an orchestra and NZSO’s first collaboration with a metal band in their 75-year history.

The Kirikiriroa Hamilton performance will take place at the Claudelands Arena on Saturday, May 22 at 7:30 PM, and the Ōtautahi Christchurch performance will happen at Town Hall on Saturday, May 29 at 7:30 PM. Tickets are available now via www.ticketek.co.nz.

As made evident with their breakout 2018 Napalm Records release Tū, ALIEN WEAPONRYdelivers emotionally and politically charged stories of conflict and grief with a warrior-like attitude, with many of the songs sung in the indigenous language of te reo Māori. Some, including the high-octane “Kai Tangata”, incorporate taonga puoro (traditional instruments of the Māori people of New Zealand). These standout blended elements of band’s music are poised to make Stronger Together an exceptional evening for all in attendance.

Lead vocalist and guitarist Lewis de Jong, drummer Henry de Jong (Ngāti Pikiāo and Ngāti Raukawa) and bass player Tūranga Morgan-Edmonds (Ngāti Rarua, Ngāti Wai and Ngāti Hine) can’t wait to play with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, led by renowned New Zealand conductor Holly Mathieson.

Lead vocalist and guitarist Lewis de Jong says:

“I've always loved the idea of incorporating orchestral music with contemporary music, and when I heard that the NZSO wanted to collaborate with us I was really excited. I think there is going to be a very interesting mix of people who come to the show, mixing the metalheads with the classical music fans. One thing for sure, the mosh pits will be insane.”

Bassist Tūranga Morgan-Edmonds adds:

"Being trained as a classical pianist when I was a child, I've always wanted to play in the true orchestra experience. And now to be able to be a part of something involving the talented team of the NZSO, I am super excited, and I’m so glad I get to join it with our passion for heavy metal too!”

NZSO Chief Executive Peter Biggs says audiences will be blown away:

“Classical and metal share much of the same DNA. Many of metal and hard rock’s biggest names, including Eddie Van Halen, loved and took inspiration from classical composers and performers. Metallica’s live album S&M with the San Francisco Symphony sold in the millions.

While we’ve collaborated with some of Aotearoa New Zealand’s best-known bands and artists, for us to finally play with a metal band of ALIEN WEAPONRY’s calibre will be one of the highlights of 2021.”


For information on the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and this event, visit www.nzso.co.nz.


New Zealand Symphony Orchestra PR contact:

Tom Cardy

tom.cardy@nzso.co.nz


ALIEN WEAPONRY have made headlines across the world with their unique fusion of thrash metal and their native language, te reo Maori. The band occupied the #1 slot for 13 weeks on the Devil’s Dozen countdown on SiriusXM Liquid Metal, their debut album Tū was voted album of the decade by Finnish metal magazine Tuonela, and American metal magazine Revolver named ALIEN WEAPONRY one of the bands most likely to break out in 2021. In Denmark, they were welcomed to the Copenhell Festival by a crowd of 10,000 doing a haka in their honor, and opened up for Slayer in Stuttgart, Germany on their final European show last year.

While the world has been in lockdown, the band has been in New Zealand, writing and recording their second album, anticipated for release soon. Stay tuned for more news!

Order ALIEN WEAPONRY's latest full-length album Tū HERE