Pagan Metal Legends BORNHOLM Unveil Sinister New Single + Video “I Am War God” from New Album “Apotheosis”

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Unveil Sinister New Single + Video for “I Am War God”

Watch below.

With over 20 years of experience and five studio albums under their belts, Hungarian black/pagan metal outfit BORNHOLM are no longer strangers to the scene. Now, the band is ready to present their exciting Napalm Records debut and brand-new, fifth studio album, Apotheosis, out November 5, 2021.

Ever since bursting onto the scene in 2000, BORNHOLM has been an unstoppable force in the black and pagan metal realms, touring with household names like Ex Deo, Varg, Arkonaand many more. With their upcoming offering, Apotheosis, the unit is ready to take its career to another level and set the stage with sinister first single “I Am War God”. Mixing significant, ground-shaking black metal elements, ruthless growling and heroic pagan accents, the band absolutely showcases their variety and sonic progression.

BORNHOLM on “I Am War God”:

“The song is about the ancient instinct of war and destruction of human kind, like a chisel in the hand of the sculptor forming the world when the time comes from century to century. We live hard and historical times and it’s gonna be harder than we could ever imagine. The wheels are turning by giant and ancient powers and this is what the lyrics are about. The will is the only thing that really creates, that moves the events forward… the will against will.”

Watch the new music video for “I Am War God”

Sahsnot (Guitar/Vocals) comments:

“The video was shot among the majestic woods and century-old ruins of Sweden in two parts. At first the scenes with the band members, and after a couple of days, the actors and the storyline. This is our first video that was made by a professional director, Johan Bååth, who worked with Watain earlier for example.”

Hungarian metal outfit BORNHOLM merges atmospheric black and pagan metal into a sphere of obscurity!

Apotheosis not only showcases BORNHOLM’s tonal development, but also goes back to the origins of the band’s history and the heavy, often almost doomy influences mixed with indispensable atmospherically dark and raw flavor. Accompanied by sinister sacral sounds of historic proportions and a hypnotizing, incantatory chant, intro track "I Divine" heralds the dark ride to nowhere. It is precisely in the void between pagan and black metal that the sound finds its home, with tracks like “Spiritual Warfare” and “Black Shining Cloaks” - the latter of which featuring a magnificent guitar solo by Mike Wead (Mercyful Fate/King Diamond) - including its diabolic, atmospheric intro, “The Key to the Shaft of the Abyss”, representing the mellowness and extremes of the band. Along with the almost melodic borrowings and acoustic guitar inserts in combination with the pure rawness of “To the Fallen”, the record highlights the band’s variety and sonic progression. The title track “Apotheosis” is a slow, howling homage mixing aggressive, shrieking vocals and melodiously grim anecdotes. Album closer “Enthronement” closes the metaphorical and musical bracket and provides the 52-minute piece with a venerable, instrumental conclusion.

BORNHOLM add:

“So the day has come, the new album is coming! Its title is Apotheosis, which is a Greek originated word meaning deification, divinization and the glorification of a human to a divine level. It contains 11 tracks and drives deeper into our musical world and soul than ever before.

We had to deal with a lot of difficulties both in the studio and in our private life during the making, but somehow something was always guarding the birth of the record. Nothing stopped, not even for a single moment, no matter what happened. It was a great experience to go through this uprising while the world is going into another direction. We didn't lack anything; fate was with us - so the birth of the record was a sort of magical experience. Step by step, everything was in place in time and, without tolerating the outside world, we built another one for ourselves.”

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On Apotheosis, the band has built a flowing, epochal sound concept that combines explosive guitar/bass lines with thunder-fast drums, spiced with choral elements and leading into a heavy blend, which BORNHOLM present successfully in all kinds of variations from track 1 to 11.

Recording and mixing took place at SuperSize Recording Studio in Hungary with the contribution of Viktor Scheer, with mastering completed by Maor Appelbaum, who has worked with bands like Dream Theater, Annihilator, Mayhem, Abbath and many more.

Apotheosis will be available in the following formats:

CD Digipak

1LP Gatefold Black

Digital Album

[1LP Gatefold Black]

BORNHOLM are:

Sahsnot – Guitar/Vocals

Charun – Bass

D – Drums

Der Weg einer Freiheit Unveils New Song, "Morgen"

German black metal experimentalists Der Weg einer Freiheit will be releasing a brand new-full length, 'Noktvrn,' on November 19 via Season of Mist! The band is now unveiling the first song, "Morgen," along with a music video, which was created by Guilherme Henriques. The clip can be found below.

The band comments: "'Morgen' is the track we chose for premiering the first sonic and visual piece of our new album, 'Noktvrn.' Being the first actual DER WEG EINER FREIHEIT music video ever, it perfectly supports the suppressing atmosphere the song transports, picturing the world in between reality and dreams, day and night, anxiety and hope, having control and losing grip. It's a big pleasure and relief for us to finally reveal the first new song after more than four years since the release of 'Finisterre' and lets us smilingly look back on the whole creation process of 'Noktvrn' that soon is ready to see the light of day."

'Noktvrn' is available for pre-ordering in the Season of Mist shop on CD digipak, Deluxe CD + DVD box, Vinyl and Cassette HERE. Pre-save the album HERE.

Progressive, avant-garde black metal experimentalists DER WEG EINER FREIHEIT have never stopped smashing through the boundaries of the genre they’ve called home since forming in early 2009. And with 2021 welcoming the release of fifth album, Noktvrn, the Germans are looking to expand the minds and perspectives of their ever-increasing fanbase, similar to how they pushed themselves in every element of the new album’s creation. Ironically, supporters being able to pay witness to the leaps and bounds the band has made over the course of 12 years, five albums and one EP and live recordings should count themselves lucky for being able to do so.

DER WEG EINER FREIHEIT may have existed and thrived over the course of that time, but forging on beyond its self-titled debut wasn’t part of guitarist/vocalist/mastermind Nikita Kamprad’s original plan.

Formed out of the ashes of black metal quartet FROSTGRIM and good time-lovin’ melodic deathcore posse, FUCK YOUR SHADOW FROM BEHIND, Kamprad and original vocalist Tobias Jaschinsky founded DER WEG EINER FREIHEITas an expression of both their love of black metal and the search for liberation through art, as evidenced by taking the idea of their moniker — which translates to ‘The Way of Freedom’ — to heart.

“FROSTGRIM could be seen as the direct predecessor to DER WEG EINER FREIHEIT,” says Kamprad, from his studio in Würzburg, in the state of Bavaria, “because it was Tobias, our former singer, and I. We had this black metal band together when we also had FUCK YOUR SHADOW FROM BEHIND. We were a part of both bands and when they split up, there was nothing left. For me, black metal was always the most important musical genre where I could see myself doing music. So, I created songs for myself and basically they became the first DER WEG EINER FREIHEIT album. It is officially self-titled, but it actually doesn’t have a title. It’s just Der Weg einer Freiheit because initially after I wrote and released that first album, the band was supposed to be over. But the feedback from friends, fans and the press was so immense and so many people wanted to see the band live and to see it continue, in the end, I was like ‘why not?’ There was no reason why I couldn’t go on with new stuff.”

Originally self-released, the debut was picked up by Viva Hate Records who then issued follow-ups in the form of the Agonie EP and second full-length, Unstille which were supported via appearances at name festivals such as Summer Breeze Open Air and Wolfszeit Festival as well as on European tours opening for the likes of WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, NEAERA. 2014 had DER WEG EINER FREIHEIT joining forces with Season of Mist for third album, Stellar which was issued a few months later in March of 2015.

With the label and a groundswell of support behind them, the band’s star continued to rise in Stellar’s shadow with showings at Wacken Open Air, Hellfest and Roadburn, a tour in support of MOONSPELL and their first headlining runs. 2017 saw the release of album number four, Finisterre, which continued the steady growth of the band’s profile. In addition to drawing bigger crowds at festivals and on tours, they ventured overseas for the first time, playing in Japan and Iceland.

“I was doing music for six or seven years when I started DER WEG EINER FREIHEIT and I was always in bands that would meet up and write in a rehearsal space, but I always wanted to have my own band. I had the opportunity to do my own thing and that’s why this band is called DER WEG EINER FREIHEIT because it’s basically about my way of achieving my own freedom. For some people that way is through sport or cooking or writing; for me, it was about writing music and lyrics.”

Twelve years on, Kamprad is taking advantage of the freedoms afforded to him as he strives to personify the band’s titular expression. Being joined by drummer Tobias Schuler, bassist Nicolas Ziska and guitarist Nicolas Rausch has made DER WEG EINER FREIHEIT more a unit than ever and allowed Kamprad to feel comfortable relinquishing his steely grip on the band’s creative reins during the writing process which began in late 2019 and was completed by September of 2020. This has allowed for vast differences in Noktvrn’s creation that have expanded the album’s overall breadth beyond black metal and extreme music to incorporate the influence and inspiration of classical composer Frédéric Chopin’s Nocturnes, his series of 21 so-called “night pieces.” This, in turn, birthed the album’s artistic mandate requiring that material only be created during the wee hours.

“I always wanted to do an album about the night and dreams and I’m really, really big fan of Chopin and his night pieces in general. For me, it made sense that this album should have a title that connects with this theme. To the left of me right now is a piano and some of Chopin’s sheet music for the Nocturnes. One day I probably looked at it and wanted to pay tribute to this great composer. That’s why we chose to write the title a little bit differently with the ‘k’ instead of a ‘c’ and a ‘v’ instead of a ‘u’ to make it more special. We also chose the ‘v’ in particular because it’s our fifth album and that’s the Roman numeral for five. It’s just something special we did with the name, even though we weren’t sure at first about the lettering because it can be seen as generic, especially in black metal. We have reasons that are deeper than what you see on the surface; not because we want to be ‘true’ — or ‘trve’ — or something,” he explains with a laugh.

The Chopin and classical music influences on Noktvrn are much more than surface cosmetics. Lilting acoustic guitar piece ‘Finisterre II’ opens the album. Jericho-like horns are the bleating accent to the proggy black metal of ‘Monument.’ Baroque arpeggiation familiar to the tuxedo-and-coat tails crowd are spiralled around Oslo’s Helvete shop in ‘Morgen.’ There are also tendrils of folk, shoegaze and indie rock that make brief and appropriate appearances, but it’s the night-time theme that runs deep as Kamprad discovered early on in the writing process.

“‘Immortal’ was one of the first songs I wrote for the album and it was really, really weird because I wrote the song when it was very, very late when I fell into a night-time rhythm that was not my usual rhythm. Here, I felt I was having different kinds of dreams and thoughts. Sometimes I’d be half-awake, half-asleep and not really aware of what my real state of mind was. That was an experience that made me think about giving the entire album the nocturnal or night theme. I’m a very passionate sleeper; I love sleeping and dreaming and dreams are important to me because there’s a freedom in them. In this night rhythm, my head was in a different state and I wanted to create in this state because it was something different for me.”

Lyrically, Noktvrn has Kamprad taking enormous steps outside what has become his regular modus operandi since he took over the mic following Jaschinsky’s departure in 2012. The new album has him expanding his reach beyond not only his usual collection of personal thoughts and mother tongue, but also the style and texture with which he would previously deliver his meanings, ideas, and recollections.

“Usually, the lyrics have mainly been about myself, but on this album there were two events in the last two or three years connected to anxiety attacks. I haven’t experienced them myself, but a couple people who are very close to me have. The lyrics for the song ‘Am Rande der Dunkelheit’ are based around these people’s experiences and them telling me how they felt in a situation where they think they can’t breathe, that they think they’re dying and their life is coming to an end. I tried to imagine through the lyrics how they might have felt. I was trying to find my own words to describe the experience while trying to describe it if I had lived it myself.

“Another completely new thing on this album are the songs ‘Immortal’ and ‘Haven’ which are in English, which we’ve never done before. I always wanted to sing in English ever since I took over the vocals. Singing is the most direct musical expression I feel. Playing guitar is cool, but singing is even more my thing and I always want to push the boundaries so I implemented clean singing as well but, for me, doing clean vocals is very uncomfortable and difficult in German. I think singing clean vocals in English sounds nicer because German is a hard language which fits the harsh vocals perfectly. I wanted to try it out to see how it felt, and surprise, surprise, it felt great! I really like it and imagine there will be more English lyrics in the future.”

Barring a pair of live albums, all previous DER WEG EINER FREIHEITreleases were created almost entirely from the ground up by Kamprad. He would write the songs on his own and do the bass, guitar and vocal tracks himself with Schuler playing drums while engineering, producing and mixing along the way. Kamprad may still be the songwriter-in-chief who produced and mixed Noktvrn (with assistance from Jan Kerscher), but this album makes a significant developmental step as it not only welcomes song writing contributions from the other members, but has the band ably demonstrating their ability by recording live off the floor.

“The new album is the most natural sounding DER WEG EINER FREIHEITalbum,” he says excitedly, “not only the sound, but the riffing and because we recorded the songs live. Music today, especially metal, can be too difficult and technical for bands to even play and record their own songs from start to finish. For me it was very important during the song writing to focus on playing the songs all the way through without stopping. That created a very natural flow through the songs and throughout the whole album. Also, it was a new thing that the whole band was involved in the whole recording process and the last stages of the song writing. Writing and recording mainly by myself was a very exhausting and streamlined process that I liked at some points, but after Finisterre I couldn’t do that anymore and had to change something.

“I still wrote the songs here in my studio then showed them to the others,” he explains. “Then, we met up for rehearsal and pre-production and played through the songs, recorded them and really analysed all the small details, the iteration of parts, the transitions, the guitar sound, the drum beats and everything, even the cymbal hits! What came out were still my songs, but with all kinds of input from the guys. They’re the same songs, but going over all the details brings them to another level. When we entered the studio all we had to do was focus on playing and nothing else because everything was settled already. That was a new and very good experience for us as a band.”

All of the above makes Noktvrn a beacon of musical forward thought, drastic jumps and transformative risks. In his soft-spoken humble manner, Kamprad laughs at the idea that DER WEG EINER FREIHEIT is little more than a personal expression vehicle; instead, he refers to the band as “a very professional hobby,” while downplaying what makes these black metal mavericks entirely special.

“Maybe what is the special thing about us is that we never stopped. Since the beginning, we haven’t taken a break and we’ve always tried to be present with tours and shows and festivals, so there was never a break.”

Line-up
Nikita Kamprad: guitars, vocals
Tobias Schuler: drums
Nico Rausch: guitars
Nico Ziska: bass

Style: Black Metal

Guest musicians: Dávid György Makó – The Devil’s Trade - on “Immortal”

Recording studio: Ghost City Recordings, Germany

Producer / sound engineer: Nikita Kamprad (producer engineer), Jan Kerscher (engineer)

Mixing studio / engineer: Nikita Kamprad / own studio

Mastering studio / engineer: Philipp Welsing, Original Mastering

Cover art: Max Löffler

Press-kit: https://presskit.season-of-mist.com/Der_Weg_einer_Freiheit
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Password: presskitofmist

Links:
http://derwegeinerfreiheit.de/
https://www.facebook.com/derwegeinerfreiheit
http://instagram.com/derwegeinerfreiheit
http://derwegeinerfreiheit.bandcamp.com/
https://www.youtube.com/user/derwegeinerfreiheit
http://www.twitter.com/dwef_official

Available formats: CD digipak, clamshell box, vinyl black and coloured

BOKASSA Reveals New Single + Video “Hereticules”

New Album, Molotov Rocktail, out this Friday via Napalm Records

Pre-Order NOW

Norway’s hottest upstarts BOKASSA will finally release their long-awaited new album, Molotov Rocktail, this Friday, September 3 via Napalm Records! Their eclectic and catchy mix of stoner, sludge, metal and catchy punk rock has earned them die-hard fans all over the world, as well as hundreds of thousands of streams across all platforms.

BOKASSA are fully charged up and ready to set everything ablaze on their upcoming new album, revealing the new single and video for “Hereticules” today - a final taste of what’s to come on Molotov Rocktail! “Hereticules” balances melodic choruses and punishing guitar riffs, BOKASSA’s crisp, dense production and a punishing breakdown that’ll leave listener’s necks sore for days!

BOKASSA adds:

“”Hereticules” is one of our favourite songs on the record. From the hardcore punk intro, the sludgy lead riff, the big bombastic horn and choir filled rock chorus to the punishing metal breakdown outro it’s quite a ride for the listener. Such a wacky genre fused song deserves a wacky video with choreographed dance moves. So that’s what it got!”

Watch the music video for “Hereticules”

Hailing from Trondheim, Norway, hard rock trio BOKASSA have recently made a name for themselves with their brand of hard-hitting, melodic, catchy punk and stoner rock, right from the first full length, Divide & Conquer (2017). During the Worldwired tour with METALLICA, the band released the critically acclaimed Crimson Riders (2019). On top of this, the Norwegians were nominated for the prestigious Spellemann-Award as Breakthrough of the Year in 2020. Now, BOKASSA are ready to enter the next explosive chapter with their exciting new album, Molotov Rocktail!

Pre-Order Molotov Rocktail NOW:

Vocalist and guitarist Jørn Kaarstad’s unmistakably raspy voice and crushing guitar riffs hit satisfyingly hard with the snappy drumming and fat bass tone of drummer Olav Dowkes and bassist Bård Linga. Songs like “Herticules” effortlessly pull off the transition between melodic choruses and punishing breakdowns, while the title track “Molotov Rocktail” is two minutes of pure stoner punk paradise with its dense songwriting and dynamic production. The album closer’s intro riff (“Immortal Space Pirate 3 Too Old For This Sith”), meanwhile, could be lifted straight off a classic BEHEMOTH album. On Molotov Rocktail, BOKASSA’s daring but cohesive tightrope act of singalongs and neck breaking grooves is highly contagious – mixed and mastered by Machine (CLUTCH, THE BRONX, EVERY TIME I DIE) the powerhouse from Trondheim misses no chance to entrance the listener with every second of runtime!

Molotov Rocktail will be available in North America in the following formats:

CD Digipak

Digital Album

1LP Gatefold Black

1LP Gatefold Pink [300x]

BOKASSA are:

Jørn Kaarstad - Lead Vocals,Guitar

Bård Linga - Bass, Vocals

Olav Dowkes - Drums, Vocals

FANS OF THE DARK ANNOUNCE DEBUT ALBUM; SELF-TITLED RELEASE DUE NOVEMBER 5, 2021

NEW SINGLE & VIDEO, 'LIFE KILLS' OUT NOW

'ESCAPE FROM HELL' SINGLE ALSO AVAILABLE NOW

After the release of their debut single, 'Escape From Hell' featuring Ryan Roxie (Alice Cooper) last month, Sweden's Fans Of The Dark have now announced the upcoming release of their self-titled debut album on November 5, 2021 via Frontiers Music Srl. The band have also released a new single and music video, 'Life Kills'.

Watch the video below.

Pre-order/save "Fans Of The Dark" HERE: https://orcd.co/fansofthedark

Hear the previously released single 'Escape From Hell' HERE: https://youtu.be/6X8wEengetg

"'Life Kills' was written during one of the worst years in recent human history, 2020. A year of suffering and loss for many people around the world, it inspired us to view life as the gift it is....something you should truly enjoy and live to the fullest, even if it means you have to remind yourself that someday it ends to be able to push yourself forward. The song needed an insanely driven guitar riff to make such a statement work and I think we got it, together with Alex's [Falk] brilliantly inspiring take on the vocals," says drummer Freddie Allen of the new single.

Fans Of The Dark is an exciting new band formed in the summer of 2020 by Freddie Allen, drummer and main songwriter, and lead vocalist Alex Falk. The pair went to high school together in Stockholm and after a few years reconnected recently with a vision to create a band which would mix the melodies and approach of classic and melodic rock with elements of the great metal music of the '80s. The final result is one of the most exciting things you'll hear emerging from the fruitful melodic rock in Sweden, showcasing a tight, inventive musical approach with outstanding vocals.

"I had written an album basically on my own during the pandemic," continues Freddie. ”But I had Alex in mind all the time and I knew that he wanted to do this. His voice is just an absolute monster and I thought it would be interesting to hear that voice singing on top of some really great songs driven by guitars, bass, and drums. That was the start of it."

The last two pieces of the puzzle to complete the band’s lineup were Robert Majd (Captain Black Beard, Metalite, Nighthawk) who came in on bass and Oscar Bromvall (Palace, Code Red) on guitar. Mixing and mastering was handled by Mike Palace (Palace, Kent Hilli).

"Now, all we want to do is record more albums and in the future play these songs in front of a live audience and really put on a show," says Freddie. "I have confidence in the material, and in our abilities as songwriters and performers. 2020 was the worst year in recent human history, 2021 has already been a lot more hopeful, and I know that 2022 is going to be even better. So, bring it on!”

Get ready for a fantastic ride!

LINE-UP:

Alex Falk - Vocals

Oscar Bromvall - Guitar

Robert Majd - Bass

Freddie Allen - Drums

BLACK TUSK Kicks Off Fall U.S. Tour

Savannah, GA swamp rockers BLACK TUSK are kicking off their fall U.S. tour this Thursday, September 2! The trek will start in Asheville, NC and will conclude on September 18 in Orlando, FL. The full run of dates can be found below and tickets are on sale NOW!

BLACK TUSK Tour Dates w/ Savage Master
9/2: Asheville, NC @ Odditorium [TICKETS // EVENT LINK] **
9/3: Cookeville, TN @ Muddy Roots **
9/4: Charlottesville, VA @ Champion Brewing [EVENT LINK] **
9/5: Youngstown, OH @ Westside Bowl [TICKETS // EVENT LINK]
9/6: Louisville, KY @ Diamond Pub Concert Hall
9/7: Detroit, MI @ Sanctuary
9/8: Indianapolis, IN @ Black Circle Brewing Co. [TICKETS // EVENT LINK]
9/9: Chicago, IL @ Reggies [TICKETS // EVENT LINK]
9/10: Cave-In-Rock, IL @ Full Terror Assault
9/11: Rock Island, IL @ WAKE Brewing [TICKETS // EVENT LINK]
9/12: Wichita, KS @ Elbow Room
9/13: Dallas, TX @ Trees [TICKETS // EVENT LINK]
9/14: Austin, TX @ The Lost Well [TICKETS // EVENT LINK]
9/15: Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live [TICKETS // EVENT LINK]
9/16: New Orleans, LA @ Santos [TICKETS // EVENT LINK]
9/17: Atlanta, GA @ Boggs [TICKETS // EVENT LINK]
9/18: Orlando, FL @ Will's Pub [TICKETS // EVENT LINK]
** = no Savage Master

ABOUT BLACK TUSK:
There was blood, maybe a few tears too, but more than anything, it was sweat that marks this brand new release of BLACK TUSK, 'TCBT.'

Their previous full-length, 'Pillars of Ash,' sadly had to appear posthumously for one member as the band had tragically lost their charismatic bass-player, Jonathan Athon, through a motorcycle accident. With a heavy heart, BLACK TUSK decided to honor Athon's memory by carrying on and recruiting veteran musician and already long-time friend Corey Barhorst (EX-KYLESA) to take over his duties on the low end.
 
Now with the sixth studio album, 'TCBT,' BLACK TUSK show the world they lived through the kind of hardship and heartbreak that would cripple a lesser band. It’s their dedication, gumption, and pure bullheaded stubbornness that took care of business, keeps taking care of business, and Taking Care of Black Tusk.
 For more on BLACK TUSK, visit their official WEBSITE, FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, and TWITTER pages.

BLACK WATER RISING Release New Single + Lyric Video for "Paralyzed"

New York-based stoner rock titans BLACK WATER RISING are back and stronger than ever! The group has released a new single + lyric video for the track "Paralyzed". The new offering is the first single from BWR's forthcoming album, set to be released early next year.

"Paralyzed" is also the first track to feature original member John Fattoruso on guitar since the band's debut album. John rejoined the band in late 2019, but then all hell would break loose, forcing an unexpected hiatus. The band's new material promises to be more melodic while remaining just as riff-heavy as BWR’s previous albums, riddled with hooks and catchy choruses to pull you in, all while retaining a musical identity of its own. Watch the video below.

About BLACK WATER RISING:

Black Water Rising is a collection of soul-baring, angst-ridden, riff-heavy material that is proudly anchored in the foundations of traditional hard rock songwriting. Giant guitar-driven monster riffs served up on a bed of crushing grooves with soaring melodic vocals and big hooks. Basically, NO FRILLS RIFF ROCK! Lyrically the message is socially and politically driven by the dark times we live in. With darkness seemingly growing by the day, BLACK WATER RISING is a name that fits this band like a glove. The philosophy of BWR is simple, they are not looking to reinvent the wheel, they just want to give it a much needed alignment in these musically stale times.

The band's discography includes the self-titled Black Water Rising (2010), an album that achieved the number one slot on Amazon's Hard rock chart upon release, Pissed and Driven (2013), an honest, barebones rock album that climbed rock/metal charts, and their third full album, Electrified (2017), with its first single charting on Billboard's Indicator Chart.

BLACK WATER RISING Is:

Rob Traynor - Vocals/Guitar

Mike Meselsohn - Drums

Oddie McLaughlin - Bass

John Fattoruso - Guitar

BLACK WATER RISING Online

Facebook: www.facebook.com/blackwaterrising

Instagram: www.instagram.com/blackwaterrising

Twitter: www.twitter.com/blackwaterrisin

BEYOND CREATION Guitarist Covers 'Narcos' Theme Song

BEYOND CREATION frontman Simon Girard is now sharing his cover of the song "Tuyo" by Rodrigo Amarante, which is known as the theme song for the TV show, 'Narcos!' In the clip, Girard handles all instrumental duties, including singing! You can watch it below.

Moreover, the band released a signature beer earlier this year! In collaboration with Vox&Hops' Brewtal North America, BEYOND CREATION's "ENTRE STOUT ET MIRAGE" brew was released on June 22 via Quebec-based microbrewery Overhop Canada. The beer and a special bundle, which includes an engraved BEYOND CREATION beer stein, is available HERE.

BEYOND CREATION's 'Algorythm' can be streamed, downloaded, and ordered HERE.

Feel the onrush of sweeping arpeggios, crushing waves of fretless bass, complex rhythmical patterns and erupting scales peppered with jazzy feeling and masterful execution under the mark of 'Algorythm', which names the third full-length of BEYOND CREATION.

The French part of Canada is home to a vibrant culture of technical Death Metal fostered by outstanding acts such as GORGUTS, CRYPTOPSY, MARTYR, and NEURAXIS. This illustrious family tree has produced many sprouts in the past, yet none of them are as brilliant as Quebec's amazing scion: BEYOND CREATION!

BEYOND CREATION saw the light of day in 2005 in Montreal, Canada but it wasn’t until 2010 that the band was ready to hit the stage with their original line-up consisting of Simon Girard, Kevin Chatré, Guyot Bégin-Benoît and Dominic 'Forest' Lapointe. A year later, the band self-released their debut full-length album 'The Aura' (2011), which quickly became a highlight in the genre. Since then, BEYOND CREATION has been known as the progressive, innovative and exciting new metal sound of their homeland, Quebec.

In late 2012, the band had Philippe Boucher (Ex-FIRST FRAGMENT, INCADESCENSE, CHTHE'ILIST, DÉCOMBRES) take Guyot's place on drums and things started moving at a faster pace in 2013, when they joined Season of Mist, re-releasing 'The Aura' and touring North America and Japan. In 2014, BEYOND CREATION released their second masterpiece 'Earthborn Evolution'.

After the addition of Hugo Doyon-Karout (BROUGHT BY PAIN, EQUIPOISE, CONFLUX) on bass, the band focused on touring as much as possible on the 'Earthborn Evolution' album cycle compiling 3 North American tours, 3 European tours, countless shows in Canada, appearances in Mexico, Colombia and Dubaï, sharing the stage with heavy weights like ARCH ENEMY, HATE ETERNAL, MISERY INDEX, DYING FETUS, PSYCROPTIC and OBSCURA. They also took part in multiple large-scale music festivals such as Hellfest (FR), 70 000 Tons of Metal (US), UK Tech-Fest, Montebello Rockfest (CA), Heavy MTL (CA) and Damnation Fest (UK).

In 2018, BEYOND CREATION recorded their highly-anticipated third album 'Algorythm' at The Grid Studio in home land Canada, which is set for release on October 12th, 2018. With the new album, BEYOND CREATION delivers a ferocious blend of technicality, melody, and brutality aided by fang-filled growls, which is interwoven with beautiful progressive interludes. Prepare for the lightning evolution of the progressive technical death metal revolution!

Current line-up
Simon Girard: Vocals & Guitars
Kevin Chartré: Guitars & Back Vocals
Hugo Doyon-Karout: Bass
Philippe Boucher: Drums

For more on BEYOND CREATION, visit their official WEBSITE, FACEBOOK, TWITTER, and INSTAGRAM.

ALAN PARSONS ANNOUNCES NEW LIVE ALBUM + VIDEO "THE NEVERENDING SHOW - LIVE IN THE NETHERLANDS" ARRIVES NO

INCLUDES BRAND NEW STUDIO TRACK

NEW STUDIO ALBUM PLANNED FOR 2022

Legendary artist and studio maestro Alan Parsons has announced the release of a new live album entitled “The NeverEnding Show: Live in the Netherlands” on November 5, 2021. The release showcases the performance that the Alan Parsons Live Project held at the Tivoli in Utrecht, Netherlands on May 5, 2019. The band was, as usual, in fine form and fed extra energy by an enthusiastic audience. An amazing performance by quite possibly the definitive band line-up of exemplary musicians that Alan has toured with.

Watch a performance of 'Games People Play' below.

Pre-order/save “The NeverEnding Show: Live in the Netherlands” HERE: https://orcd.co/parsonslive ;

Available in the following formats:

2CD + DVD

BLU-RAY

3xLP, Black

3xLP, Crystal

3xLP, Blue Transparent (Frontiers Webstores Exclusive)

As an added treat, the album includes a brand new studio song, “The NeverEnding Show” and on Blu-ray and DVD formats a dazzling music video which offers a hint of the new studio album that Alan is currently working on for release in 2022.

Lineup:

Alan Parsons: Lead Vocals, Backup Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Keyboards

P.J. Olsson: Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Percussion

Todd Cooper: Vocals, Sax, Recorder, Acoustic Guitar, Percussion

Jeff Kollman: Guitars, Vocals

Tom Brooks: Keyboards, Vocals

Dan Tracey: Guitars, Vocals

Guy Erez: Bass, Vocals

Danny Thompson: Drums, Vocals

Jordan Asher Huffman: Guest Vocals

Frontiers Music Srl released Alan's latest studio album, "The Secret" on April 26, 2019. See music videos and hear songs from the album below. Listen to or purchase the album here: http://radi.al/AlanParsonsTheSecret ;

“As Lights Fall” (music video) https://youtu.be/qImCjQ4K988

“I Can’t Get There From Here” (music video) https://youtu.be/ciptb2f8Awo ;

“Miracle” feat. Jason Mraz (audio) https://youtu.be/pjMaIiSaNWM ;

“Sometimes” feat. Lou Gramm (audio) https://youtu.be/ijw2Zd0DrM0 ;

FEUERSCHWANZ to Release New Album Memento Mori on December 31, 2021!

Pre-Order your copy HERE!

Shortly following their live BluRay/DVD Die Letzte Schlacht debuting on the German album charts at #4, FEUERSCHWANZ are announcing their new studio album, Memento Mori. The new album will be released on December 31, 2021 via Napalm Records and will continue the success story of the medieval rockers from Germany / Franconia!Memento Mori, the follow-up to the successful album Das Elfte Gebot (#3 German charts), sings about great adventures, past battles and outstanding heroic deeds in typicalFEUERSCHWANZ fashion. FEUERSCHWANZ manage to stay true to their trademarks, and at the same time, venture musically into new realms.

FEUERSCHWANZ on the new album:

“You take nothing with you to your grave, except your coffin... Memento Mori is the direct successor to Die Letzte Schlacht! The world of Hauptmann Feuerschwanz is in flames, overrun by the living dead and scourged by religious zealots... All of this sounds frighteningly real, even in Anno Domini 2021, so it's time to defy the storm once again and celebrate life. Let's live here, let's live now - until death sharpens his knife!”

Pre-Order Memento Mori NOW!

As a special highlight, some versions of Memento Mori will feature a bonus CD with seven cover songs by Manowar, Amon Amarth, but also O-Zone, among others.

Memento Mori will be available in the following formats:

2-CD Mediabook + 40 pages booklet

1-CD Jewel Case + 20 pages booklet

Digital Album

Digital Deluxe Album

A few days after album release, FEUERSCHWANZ will go on an extended tour through Germany, Austria and Switzerland. They will be accompanied by fearless heavy metal kings WARKINGS

FEUERSCHWANZ are:

Hauptmann Feuerschwanz - vocals, guitar

Johanna von der Vögelweide - violin, hurdy-gurdy

Rollo - drums

Jarne Hodinsson - bass

Prinz Hodenherz - flutes, bagpipe, vocals, guitar

Hans der Aufrechte – guitar

NYC avant-pop duo STAR ROVER presents 'Ghosts of New York State' single

"Star Rover lives up to its name with vast expanses of polyrhythms and waves of sound that engulf the listener in a blazing covenant of inescapable tunefulness that crumbles sonic boundaries" ~ PopMatters

"Impeccable and moving music that is this intricate, deep, shifting and tastefully orchestrated... flawless" ~ The Record Stache

"As Star Rover, they create golden era post-rock mixed with sophisticated avant-pop" ~ Impose Magazine

"Ephemeral and immediate, existential yet grounded; a sort of alternative electronic folk, it by and large defies any traditional concept of genre... full of color and emotion, it resonates with the glow of an experiment gone right" ~ Atwood Magazine

NYC collective Star Rover has announced they will release their self-titled album 'Star Rover' this autumn, a coalescence of the ideas they had been investigating over the years into a cohesive yet eclectic statement. Here they meld the improvisational energy of their live sets with the depth and fidelity of the studio to create something dynamic, aggressive, nostalgic and beautiful all at once.

Ahead of the album, the duo presents the lead track 'Ghosts of New York State', teasing this series of lyrically whimsical tales - half dreamscape, half reality. The clever animated video was directed by Clara Trevisan.

With the unforeseen break in performances caused by the pandemic, Star Rover had the opportunity to work on their music without time constraints. They called on frequent collaborator and Grammy award-winning songwriter Jesse Harris to help them produce a new record at his Long Island studio, a fruitful exercise of telepathic communication in spirited live takes, using those as springboards for sonic experimentation.

"The seed of 'Ghosts of New York State' began with the fingerpicked riff, which alternates between 6/4 and 7/4 meters throughout. We wanted this song to communicate the numb and dislocated feeling of the words while maintaining a propulsive groove and nervous energy. The burst of color in the middle represents a kind of blinding epiphany. This song is about family and the weight we carry, sometimes unknowingly and unconsciously. The end mantra is " The ghost, the host. The ghost, my host," says Will Graefe.

Working with engineer Vira Byramji, they let the environmental sounds inspire the material. In several songs, one can hear the buzz of insects and crashing waves in the distance, in addition to two musicians playing in a woody beach house room. No headphones, just the room.

When Will Graefe and Jeremy Gustin began playing music together at Gustin's Bushwick loft in 2011, little did they know that they would form a bond during those early sessions over their shared love of John Fahey, as well as the spiky post rock of Deerhoof and Lightning Bolt. Later that year, they recorded their first record 'Western Winds Bitter Christians', a short lo-fi collection of grungy Fahey covers and distorted originals. Besides touring throughout the United States, Europe and Japan, they have both become in demand session and touring artists, working with the likes of David Byrne, Kimbra, Bill Frissel, Okkervil River, Sam Amidon, Marc Ribot, Delicate Steve and Nels Cline, among others.

At times in between touring and recording work with other artists, their collaborative writing began to develop into a sort of futuristic post rock that was always connected to the directness of folk melodies. This new direction led to their 2018 sophomore album 'I May Be Lost But I'm Laughing', a more produced effort featuring contributions from artists such as Sam Evian, Shahzad Ismailly, Rob Moose (yMusic), Daniel Rossen (Grizzly Bear), and Sarah K Pedinotti.

The next year, Star Rover collaborated with Brazilian musician (and frequent Caetano Veloso collaborator) Ricardo Dias Gomes. They wrote and recorded 'This Whole Emptiness' album in Lisbon at the studio of Marcelo Camelo.

As of August 31, 'Ghosts of New York State' will be available across digital platforms, including Spotify and Apple Music. The 'Star Rover' LP will released on October 15 and can already be pre-ordered via Bandcamp.

CREDITS
Written by Jeremy Gustin (Peppermintolive Publishing) and Will Graefe (Gravymusic Publishing)
Will Graefe - Guitars, vocals, bass, programming, Casio
Jeremy Gustin - Drums, percussion, vocals, programming, Op-1
Jesse Harris - Bass, Casio
Shahzad Ismaily - Bass, Moog
Produced by Star Rover and Jesse Harris
Recorded at Secret Sun East
Engineered by Vira Byramji
Mixed by ze’ Nando Pimenta
Mastered by Michal Kupicz
Video created / directed by Clara Trevisan

Keep up with Star Rover
Website | Bandcamp | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Soundcloud | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music |

NEW VIDEO ALERT! ECLIPSE "TWILIGHT"

NEW STUDIO ALBUM "WIRED"

TO BE RELEASED OCTOBER 8, 2021

Ready for some R-O-C-K? Sweden's Eclipse have released another killer single from their upcoming album "Wired”!

Check out the music video for the infectious 'Twilight' below

Pre-order/save "Wired" HERE: https://orcd.co/eclipsewired

The album will be available in the following formats:

- CD

- Crystal Vinyl (available worldwide)

- Red Vinyl (exclusive to Frontiers' US & EU webstores and Nordic retailers - Limited to 500 copies WORLDWIDE)

- Cassette (exclusive to Frontiers' US & EU webstores and Nordic retailers - Limited to 200 copies WORLDWIDE)

- Digital

The CD and Digital versions will include the exclusive bonus track 'Dead Inside'.

The LP version will include the exclusive bonus track 'Ain't No Fun'. The LP version of the album will also have a different running order for the tracklisting from the other versions.

LINE-UP:

Erik Mårtensson – Vocals

Magnus Henriksson – Guitars

Philip Crusner – Drums

Victor Crusner – Bass

COLD To Begin US Headlining Tour In Two Weeks!

Alt-rock trailblazers COLD are just a couple of weeks away from their upcoming headlining tour in the states! Joining the band as direct support on this run are New Dilemma, with Divide The Fall and Waiting For The Enemy splitting up opener duties on select dates. The two-month trek kicks off in Albany, NY on September 15th, and will conclude on November 22nd in Niagara Falls, NY.

Speaking about their fast-approaching shows, COLD frontman Scooter Ward shares, "We're looking forward to reuniting with our family of fans this fall on tour. We’ve incorporated some of the songs that we rarely played live, along with all of the fan favorites. Stay safe and we will see you all soon!”

9/15 Albany, NY – Empire Underground

9/16 Laconia, NH – Granite State Music Hall

9/17 Chicopee, MA – Geraldine’s

9/18 Norwalk, CT – Wall Street Theater

9/19 Providence, RI – Fete Ballroom

9/22 Teaneck, NJ – Debonair Music Hall

9/23 Hopewell, VA – Beacon Theatre

9/24 Spartanburg, SC – Ground Zero

9/25 Jacksonville, FL – Underbelly

9/26 Cape Coral, FL – Dixie Live

9/28 Destin, FL – Club LA

9/29 Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade

9/30 Charleston, WV – Rock City Cake Company

10/01 Louisville, KY – Diamond Pub Concert Hall

10/02 Harrison, OH – Blue Note Harrison

10/03 Harrisburg, PA – Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center

10/06 Lakewood, OH – Winchester Music Tavern

10/07 Lombard, IL – Brauer House

10/08 Iowa City, IA – Wildwood Saloon

10/09 St. Paul, MN – Turf Club

10/10 Milwaukee, WI – Shank Hall

10/13 Des Moines, IA – Lefty’s

10/14 Lincoln, NE – The Royal Grove

10/15 Denver, CO – Herman’s Hideaway

10/16 Colorado Springs, CO – Sunshine Studios Live

10/19 Scottsdale, AZ – Pub Rock

10/21 Austin, TX – Come And Take It Live

10/22 Houston, TX – Scout Bar

10/23 San Antonio, TX – The Rock Box

10/24 Dallas, TX – Trees

10/27 St. Louis, MO – Red Flag

10/28 Bloomington, IL – The Castle Theatre

10/29 Flint, MI – The Machine Shop

10/30 Fort Wayne, IN – Piere’s Entertainment Center

10/31 Pittsburgh, PA – The Crafthouse

11/03 Virginia Beach, VA – Elevation 27

11/04 Baltimore, MD – Baltimore Soundstage

11/06 Jacksonville, NC – Hooligan’s

11/07 Greensboro, NC – Blind Tiger

11/10 Jefferson, LA – Southport Hall

11/11 Memphis, TN – Growlers

11/12 Shreveport, LA – The Lot

11/13 Monroe, LA – The Hub Music Hall

11/14 Tyler, TX – Country River Club

11/17 Indianapolis, IN – The Hi-Fi

11/19 Columbus, OH – The King of Clubs

11/20 Northampton, PA – The Gin Mill

11/21 State College, PA – Stage West

11/22 Niagara Falls, NY – Rapids Theatre

About COLD Discography:

At the turn of the century, COLD unveiled the seminal 13 Ways To Bleed On Stage, which went Gold and yielded hits such as “Just Got Wicked”, “No One”, and “End of the World”. Their 2003 follow-up, Year of the Spider, marked their highest chart position, bowing at #3 on the Billboard Top 200, receiving a Gold certification, and spawning the smash “Stupid Girl” accompanied by Rivers Cuomo of Weezer. 2005’s A Different Kind of Pain illuminated melodic strides to the tune of 37,000-plus copies sold first-week and a Top 30 debut. Meanwhile, 2011’s Superfiction continued this streak, crashing the Top 10 of the Top Rock Albums Chart upon arrival and extending a growing legacy.

The past few years have been transcendent for COLD – peaking with the successful 2019 release of The Things We Can’t Stop, subsequent singles “Shine”, “Without You”, “The Devil We Know”, “Run” and “Quiet Now", and a North American comeback tour boasting several sold-out shows. Billboard said it best: “Cold is heating up for a new era..."

COLD Online:

https://coldarmy.com

https://www.facebook.com/Cold

https://www.instagram.com/ColdMusic

https://youtube.com/Cold

NEW VIDEO ALERT! LORDS OF BLACK "WHAT"S BECOME OF US"

NEW ALBUM "ALCHEMY OF SOULS, PART II" TO BE RELEASED OCTOBER 15, 2021

Ready for more new music from Lords Of Black? The band has just released a new single & video 'What's Become Of Us' from their upcoming album "Alchemy Of Souls, Part II" (October 15).

Watch the video below

Pre-order/save "Skywards" HERE: https://orcd.co/souls

Prog/Power metal masters Lords Of Black are set to return in 2021 with a new album, the follow-up to 2020's incredibly well received "Alchemy Of Souls, Part I". The new album, “Alchemy Of Souls, Part II” is a continuation of the themes started on the previous album. With the downtime created by the global pandemic, Lords Of Black worked incredibly hard to create music that pushed past the boundaries of anything the band had done in the past showing a newfound musical maturity from the band, incorporating new musical elements into their style. Vocalist Ronnie Romero (Rainbow, Sunstorm, The Ferrymen) delivers another vocal performance yet to be matched, guitarist Tony Hernando delivers some of the best melodic metal he has ever written, while bassist Dani Ciado and drummer Jo Nunez prove to be a powerful rhythm section so powerful who play with absolute finesse.

Like its predecessor, “Alchemy Of Souls, Part II” is setting a new gold standard for melodic metal in the new decade.

Line-Up:

Ronnie Romero - vocals

Tony Hernando - guitars

Dani Criado - bass

Jo Nunez - drums

TO KILL A MONSTER Release Official Lyric Video for "Barely Breathing

Columbus, OH based Alternative Rock band TO KILL A MONSTER has released the official lyric video for their new single, "Barely Breathing." Created by Mike Colletti of MC Lyric Videos with single art by Dan Smotz of Goulash Media, "Barely Breathing" layers a heavy, rolling rock beat and crunchy guitar with soaring vocals by front-man and lone founding member Joey Lawson.

"'Barely Breathing' is a story about the loss of a loved one when they're all you have left. Either in love or life or anything the listener might be going through." - TO KILL A MONSTER

To Kill A Monster, formed in 2005, is an upbeat punk/rock/alternative band from Columbus, Ohio. This band has aged like a fine wine across the last 16 years. As a high energy, hard hitting band with melodic verses and catchy choruses, TKAM is never afraid to throw in a breakdown or dance beat just for fun. Along with a few stops on the Vans Warped Tour in 2013 and 2015, To Kill A Monster has had the privilege of sharing the stage with acts such as Asking Alexandria, 21 Pilots, Starset, The Devil Wears Prada, Switchfoot and many more. After a short hiatus, the band re-emerged better than ever with a whole new lineup. Joining original singer Joey Lawson is Corey Melton (drums), Josh Spence (bass), James Barron (guitar), and Scott Borealis (guitar). New music is on the way and To Kill A Monster couldn’t be more proud of what’s coming.

Black/Epic Metal Pioneers DARKWOODS MY BETROTHED Return With New Album, “Angel of Carnage Unleashed”

After 23 years of silence, Finnish cult black metallers and pioneers of the scene DARKWOODS MY BETROTHED are making their long-awaited comeback with a new full-length album, Angel of Carnage Unleashed, to be unveiled on November 12, 2021 via Napalm Records. The album sets free a unique blend of brutal, fast-driven black metal and epic anthems, in which eerie screams merge with heroic clean vocals, monumental choirs and majestic keyboards along with gory stories of famine, war, plague and the inescapable brutality of Finland’s nature in the era of the Great Northern War (1700-1721). It features the old horde from the original 1993 line-up, now augmented by Tuomas Holopainen as a full member of the band and Kai Hahto (both Nightwish) as session drummer.

Guitarist Jouni Mikkonen on Tuomas Holopainen now being a full member of the band:

“‘Tuomas was featured as a session keyboardist on all previous albums. This time he was fully on board from the moment we decided to make this album and hence it was natural for him to become a full band member. He also made a substantial contribution to the creative process.”

Today marks an historic anniversary, as 300 years ago, on August 30, 1721, the Treaty of Uusikaupunki ended the Great Northern War and put the Angel of Carnage to rest. 300 years later, she will be unleashed again by DARKWOODS MY BETROTHED with the first evil-spitting single, "In Evil, Sickness and in Grief”, along with a vicious lyric video. Expect some of the fastest and most brutal black metal accompanied by epic melodies, choirs and majestic keyboards in trademark DARKWOODS MY BETROTHED style!

Watch the new lyric video for "In Evil, Sickness and in Grief”

DARKWOODS MY BETROTHED on the first single:

“In Evil, Sickness and in Grief” is our first new release since 1998. For the comeback after 23 years of silence, we chose a song that showcases everything that the band is about: murderous blastbeats, catchy riffs spiced with haunting melodies, vicious screams contrasted by clean vocals and choirs, majestic keyboards and eerily beautiful female vocals layers. These ingredients provide the musical canvas for a lyric that features a dialogue between a peasant soldier forcibly drafted to the Swedish army and the Slaughter’s Holy Angel of War, who demands such horrific deeds from the soldier that he ends up with a shredded soul.”

Pre-order your copy of Angel of Carnage Unleashed NOW!

The new full-length contains eight songs written by the three musicians who founded the band in 1993: Pasi Kankkunen, Jouni Mikkonen and Teemu Kautonen (with substantial creative inputs from the fourth member Tuomas Holopainen). The lyrics are based on the human history of the Great Northern War of 1700-1721: how Finns experienced the many manifestations of the Angel of Carnage, sent by God to punish them for their sins.

Bassist Teemu Kautonen on the album:

“The lyrics are based on the work of the renowned Finnish historian Teemu Keskisarja. His research inspired us both to carefully embed all lyrics in the appropriate historical context and to bring forth the human dimension by focusing on stories of individual people and how they experienced this perhaps darkest period of Finnish history.”

Vocalist/guitarist Pasi Kankkunen adds:

“’It was very important for us to have the original line-up on the comeback album. We also agreed right at the beginning of the process to share the songwriting in equal proportions just as we did on the 1996 classic album, Autumn Roars Thunder.”

The album opener “Name the Dead'' sets off with atmospheric organ tunes but leaves no scope for weakness, as only a few seconds later storming drums, aggressive riffs and raging growls set the stage for everything that is about to come: brutal soundscapes spliced with epic accents! The second track, "In Evil, Sickness and in Grief'', pierces through the core with a poisoning vocal attack and contrasting operatic female background layers. “Murktide and Midnight Sun” marks folk and Viking reminiscence with its clean and catchy vocal presentation, grand choirs and mystic atmosphere, followed by the heavily stomping “You Bitter Source of Sorrow” and “Where We Dwell” with its haunting, all-consuming keyboard passages. “In Thrall to Ironskull's Heart” showcases the multifaceted character of DARKWOODS MY BETROTHED with an almost balladic start, which evolves into an uptempo, epic journey into the Battle of Napue (1714). The title of the penultimate track “Massacre” conveys the track’s musical direction with precision: expect in-your-face blastbeats and gory lyrics. The final song “Black Fog and Poison Wind” unleashes a sonic monster once more, combining aggression, haunting soundscapes and evil melodies, before Angel of Carnage Unleashed ends with the tunes of a soundtrack-like outro.

Angel of Carnage Unleashed will be available in the following formats:

12P Digipak

2LP Gatefold BLACK (Etching Side D)

2LP Gatefold Crystal Clear (Etching Side D) - limited to 300 copies worldwide

Digital Album

[2LP Gatefold Crystal Clear (Etching Side D) - limited to 300 copies worldwide (Napalm Mailorder ONLY)]

DARKWOODS MY BETROTHED are:

Pasi Kankkunen - vocals, guitar

Jouni Mikkonen - guitar

Teemu Kautonen - bass, backing vocals

Tuomas Holopainen - keyboards

Kai Hahto - drums (session)

IVORY BLUE Releases Official Music Video for "Family Tables

"Family Tables" Out 9/7/2021!

Debut LP, Compound Love, Coming Soon!

Kansas City, MO singer / songwriter IVORY BLUE has released the official music video for their newest single, "Family Tables." Directed by Mikal Shapiro, "Family Tables" showcases the enigmatice chansonnier's inimitable vocal style and lyrical strength alongside minimal but moving visuals, thus invoking a deeply emotional as well as an addictively repeatable listening experience.

“What is it like if people give you the chance to shine? Sometimes we are underestimated and treated unfairly, but the people that give us the chance, will have the opportunity to see how far we can really fly!” - IVORY BLUE

IVORY BLUE lived a nomadic existence until settling in Kansas City MO and becoming part of the local musical community. After winning a nationwide talent contest in 2017 Ivory Blue started having success with some national and international radio play which continues today.

As a multi-instrumentalist, Ivory began refining their performance style, using digital looping pedals to stack harmonies and guitar parts live on stage, giving their solo shows the feel of a full band. In 2011, Ivory settled in Kansas City, MO and quickly began attracting an intense regional following for their strong vocals and incisive, deeply personal lyrics.

By 2013, IVORY BLUE was playing regularly in and around Kansas City and the first EP 'Ready Get Set' was released. in 2015. While the EP helped spread the word and got much attention from regional radio and TV stations, a big break would come in 2017.

Ivory entered NeXt2Rock, a nationwide talent search with over 1800 artists/bands who applied to find fresh and promising rock artists.

The top 5 national bands battled it off for the win in Los Angeles CA at the legendary Viper Room, with judges Scott Borchetta (BMLG), John Varvatos (fashion designer), Steve Jones (Sex Pistols Guitarist and Host of “Jonesy’s Jukebox”), Desmond Child (Musician, producer), Chris Lord-Alge (producer), Ivory Blue won over the judges and became the grand prize winner! Ivory

Ivory won the contest and a one-year record deal with BMLG who re-released the song Ready Get Set from the 2015 EP. Ivory’s 2018 re-release of 'Ready Get Set' undauntedly received National and International airplay within weeks.

In February 2020 and after studying the craft of recording and self-producing, this amazing singer-songwriter with soaring vocals, passionate love for everyone struggling through life, released ‘Elite Dreamland’. There are no words to describe the incredible artistry behind this song. a single that hits your heart about understanding how it feels to be misunderstood in a world of people that seem to know what they are doing.

IVORY BLUE produces all the tracks with the exception of Drums and Bass. Ivory is currently working with Lester Estelle (Drummer for Kelly Clarkson), Craig Kew (Bass) KC, Kurt Festge (Mastering | Citizen Kane & Vilent Femmes) NC. and Nick Poortman (LA based Los Angeles based Producer, Engineer, Mixer, and Songwriter) Nick has worked alongside producers including Justin Gray, Gil Norton, Big Tank, and Greg Haver on sessions throughout the USA, UK, Europe, and New Zealand.

On August 18th 2021 Ivory Blue signed a publishing deal with Sound Ballistics Music & Publishing out of Atlanta GA.

Ivory Blue released their music video for “FAMILY TABLES’ on August 21st, 2021 and will release the single on Sept 7th. They are currently finishing the first full length CD/Album Compound Love to be released in 2021 as well as the Red Light EP for 2022.

Who knows what is next for IVORY BLUE, but so far every step has been accounted for to reach that vision that continues to push them to success.

Velvet Chains Releases "Strangelove" and Leads a New Generation of American Hard Rock

Full Album Release on September 24th 2021

Pre order Now!
https://linktr.ee/velvetchains

From Las Vegas to the world. Velvet Chains was formed in the well-known American city in 2018 by experienced musicians from the American circuit.

The musical proposal bets on contagious rock sounds, a solid rhythmic section, and catchy guitar and voice melodies, the kind that stick in your head.

The music of the quartet is a mixture of musical styles and personalities through the cultural exchange: both Jerry Quinlan (voice and guitar) and Noelle Schertzer (drums) are American, Laurent Cassiano (guitar) is Brazilian and bassist Nils Goldschmidt, leader of the project, is Chilean.

Guided by what was best done in the grunge and hard rock of the 90s and 00s, the music of Velvet Chains has as reference groups such as Guns N 'Roses, Alice in Chains, and Pearl Jam, among many others from different Styles, whose elements are condensed to create a unique and characteristic sound.

The mix of styles and nationalities have always had an excellent record in the history of global music; as in The Strokes, Ill Niño, or even Slayer, who, including two Latinos in their initial line-up, managed to leave a mark in metal history.

All the artistic wealth of this mix of origins and influences will be condensed and presented to the public on September 24, when the group releases their debut album, Icarus.

To celebrate this important milestone in her career, Velvet Chains will feature guest artist contributions to some of her songs. For example, guitarist Richard Fortus (Guns N 'Roses) recorded the guitars on the single "Tattooed."

Listen to it on all digital platforms https://tinyurl.com/VC-Tattooed

The lyrical content along with the musical quality is another important factor for Velvet Chains: "Our goal was to write songs with important lyrics while covering different genres within Rock from the 90s to the 00s. You will find a bit of heavy rock, a bit of grunge, a bit of alternative rock, and much more on this album ”, explains Nils, founder of the band.

The first single "Tattooed" was released on July 30th. “He talks about how to deal with extremes in relationships and mask the pain that comes from that,” they explain. The song is accompanied by an impressive music video, produced and directed by renowned music video director Dean Karr (Marylin Manson, Iron Maiden, Velvet Revolver, etc.), who conceived the entire narrative of the video, which brings together very intense scenes, which are mixed with the impressive sound of Velvet Chains.

The second single released today on all digital platforms is called “Strangelove”, written from a collaboration between Nils and Drew: “It's about a unique attraction/love that would never work because it borders on obsession. It will probably have a very positive radio reception, as it has a super catchy beat, and it has even become one of our favorite songs to play live,” concludes Nils.

Listen now: https://hypeddit.com/link/f3myax

Icarus
Velvet Chains' debut album Icarus was co-written with multiplatinum songwriter Drew Lawrence. Recordings took place in early 2021 at different studios: drums were recorded at The Hideout and bass was recorded at The Tone Factory, both in Las Vegas, while guitars and vocals were recorded at The Killroom in Seattle. Sound engineering work was carried out by Greg Williamson, while Tristan Hardin did the mixing and mastering.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

https://linktr.ee/velvetchains

https://www.facebook.com/velvetchains

https://www.instagram.com/velvetchainsband/

BEAST IN BLACK RELEASE NEW SINGLE "MOONLIGHT RENDEZVOUS"

The countdown has started! With a big bang, Metal heroes BEAST IN BLACK start the preorder for their´cyberpunk time travel "Dark Connection" that will see the light of the day on October 29th.

Preorder the album here: https://bfan.link/dark-connection

Together with this announcement, the band releases their first appetizer of "Dark Connection". Close your eyes, get a little cosier and let BEAST IN BLACK invite you to a "Moonlight Rendezvous".

Watch the video below

Guitarist Anton Kabanen states, ”Moonlight Rendezvous is a massive dark cyberpunk love story that marks a brave new turn in Beast In Black’s journey. It felt like a mission impossible to capsulize a story worth a full length feature film into six minutes without making it feel like a trailer, and still make total sense when you put all the pieces together. But as always, the bigger the challenge the more it feeds our ambition and excitement, hence we knew we must do this! That’s the way of the Beast. And we all can easily agree that no one was as driven as our multi-talented director Katri Ilona Koppanen, who didn’t only make an extraordinary video for Beast In Black which we couldn’t be more proud of, but also her brilliant debut as a director.”

"Dark Connection" will be available as digital album, CD, Black Vinyl, Clear/Sky Blue Marbled Vinyl [limited to 300 pieces], Blue Transparent Vinyl [UK exclusive, limited to 300 pieces], Red/Ocean Blue Splattered Vinyl [Bravado Exclusive, limited to 300 pieces], White/Red Inkspot Vinyl [EMP exclusive, limited to 300 pieces] and Purple/Silver Inkspot Vinyl [US exclusive, limited to 300 pieces].

BEAST IN BLACK is:
Yannis Papadopoulos | vocals
Mate Molnar | bass
Atte Palokangas | drums
Kasperi Heikkinen | guitars
Anton Kabanen | guitars, vocals

More info:
www.beastinblack.com
www.facebook.com/beastinblackofficial
www.instagram.com/bib_band
www.twitter.com/bib_band
www.youtube.com/beastinblack
www.nuclearblast.de/beastinblack

AURI - Release New Single & Visualizer "Kiss The Mountain"

Embrace the atmospheric auditory imagery of fantastical valleys of other fairytale dimensions and soon gone fireside bards.

Dwell for just a moment in treasuries of dreamlands and ponderings that see mundane things turning into otherworldly miracles.

Feel welcomed to embark on endless adventures on long roads untrodden and ships never sailed.

As if frozen in time, you’ll be captivated by heart-burstingly elating fare-thee-wells for those dearly departed.

Today the album II-Those We Don´t Speak Of is finally released, and treats us along with a third single and visualizer: “Kiss The Mountain”.

The song lives and breathes from the beautiful, multiple-layered vocals.

Sparsely but effective underlining instrumentation makes it a true candidate for a movie soundtrack.

Vocalist Johanna Kurkela muses over the song as follows:
"There’s a place at the edge of an ocean, where wind speaks through lungs of steel. A mountain awaiting a traveler. A dream awaiting a dreamer. You’ve come this far, do you dare to go all the way? Doubt may come and visit, but it’s just another friend along the journey. A gentle reminder of that perfect Kiss Of Life upon arrival. Imagine you’re already there. Find your smile, light a beacon, and let us hear you Roar!"

Watch the visualizer below
 

Hear the soft words that empower those feeling inadequate and reassurance to others fearing death.

AURI’s are the keys to a dimension of awe no one else sees. Only theirs to offer are the mystical, soundscapes and ethereal vocals.

Theirs to hold are the magical powers that can melt the steeliest of hearts and make grown men cry.

AURI invites the listener along for journeys no other band can provide.

Come, my love – now it‘s calm enough to go.

Order and listen to the new album here: https://auri.bfan.link/ii-those-we-dont-speak-of 

II - Those We Don't Speak Ofwill be available in the following formats that you can now pre-order:

• CD digipak

• Earbook including CD and 36 booklet art pages

• LP

  • redgold

  • red marbled (NB mailorder exclusive, limited to 300)

  • transparent + green marbled (Levykauppa exclusive, limited to 300)

  • white + red marbled (UK exclusive, limited to 300)

  • silver (bandshop exclusive, limited to 300)

  • blue marbled (US exclusive, limited to 300)

Originally born in 2011 from the special connection of Johanna Kurkela, Tuomas Holopainen and Troy Donockley, AURIwas first introduced to the world as late as 2018. Now complemented by the dynamic percussive talents of Kai Hahto, the threesome carves fantastical worlds entirely their own.
The cover artwork comes once again from Janne "ToxicAngel" Pitkänen and bestows in its simplicity and depth.
Line up:
Johanna Kurkela | voices, violin, viola, keys
Tuomas Holopainen | keys & backing voices
Troy Donockley | guitars, bouzouki, mandola, ulleann pipes, low whistles, aerophone, bodhran, voices, keys

Pre-order or pre-save the new album here: https://auri.bfan.link/ii-those-we-dont-speak-of

GHOST BATH Release Visualizer For Second Single "Hide From The Sun" Featuring CJ McMahon of THY ART IS MURDER!

Atmospheric black metallers GHOST BATH announced their fourth full-length album, Self Loather will be released on October 29th via Nuclear Blast Records. With this album, the band closes out their trilogy—tragedy, ecstasy, and dread/hatred—and hosts their most devastating and dark music to date. Today, the band releases the visualizer for the track "Hide From The Sun" featuring CJ McMahon of THY ART IS MURDER. Watch the video created by Randy Edwards Photos, here: https://youtu.be/6GTGSaZndPg

Dennis Mikula comments, "'Hide from the Sun' is the most DSBM track on the record. We've managed to achieve a devastating sound while keeping the track catchy and groovy. We worked with our friend CJ from THY ART IS MURDER who killed it on vocals and gave the tune a unique twist. It incorporates our new sound while staying true to GHOST BATH style."

Pre-order your copy of Self Loather, here: www.nuclearblast.com/ghostbath-selfloather
Pre-save the album, here: https://bfan.link/ghostbath-selfloather

Self Loather will be available in the following formats:

• CD Jewel

• CD Digipak

• Vinyl

  • Grey | White Swirl With Black Splatter

  • Clear With Red Splatter

  • Black | Grey Swirl

  • Purple With Black Swirl

• Cassette

  • White

  • Black

• CD Jewel + T-Shirt

GHOST BATH’s fourth full-length sets the mood meter to desolation/antipathy—and never quite let's go. Produced by the band with Xander Moser engineering at Tree Speak Recording Studio in Minneapolis and mixed by Jack Shirley (DEAFHEAVEN, BOSSE-DE-NAGE) at The Atomic Garden Recording Studios in Oakland, Self Loather is a sonic exercise in shadow, nuance, and, most of all, power. The band enlisted Zdzisław Beksiński to create the cover artwork which was licensed through the Muzeum Historyczne w Sanoku.

GHOST BATH is:
Dennis Mikula | Vocals, Guitar, Piano, Synths, Lyrics
Tim Church | Guitar
John Olivier | Guitar
Josh Jaye | Bass
Jason Hirt | Drums

Pre-order your copy of Self Loather, here: www.nuclearblast.com/ghostbath-selfloather