Rockland Road Releases "Mountains Up Ahead" Co-written by GRAMMY® Winner Marcus Hummon

Vocal group Rockland Road came across a song a few years ago that they instantly felt passionate about, though they could hardly have imagined how meaningful it would be coming out of a worldwide pandemic. “Mountains Up Ahead” not only speaks to the peaks and valleys we’ve all experienced in the last two years, but also carries a message of resiliency. The new single and video will be available today, Friday, Feb. 25, through all streaming platforms and digital retailers HERE. Watch the video below.

Co-written by Grammy Award–winning singer/songwriter Marcus Hummon (“One of These Days”/Tim McGraw, “Bless the Broken Road”/Rascal Flatts), “Mountains Up Ahead” doesn’t pull any punches—people everywhere have found themselves “too afraid to whisper” and “too angry to shout." But as the chorus explains, there is a path to putting our troubles behind us:

Keep the mountains up ahead

Keep close to the river

Turn where the river bends

Leave all your valleys in the rearview mirror

The dust will rise and they will disappear

March Martin’s soulful lead vocal is perfectly accompanied by the texture-rich harmonies provided by his dad, Paul, a Grammy Award-winning artist who has played with Marty Stuart and the Oak Ridge Boys and is the former lead singer of country/pop supergroup Exile; his mom, Jamie Allen Martin, daughter of Oak Ridge Boys’ lead singer Duane Allen and his wife, Opry singer Norah Lee; and siblings Kell, Texas and Tallant—all six are talented vocalists who play an incredible 23 different instruments.

“We immediately felt connected to this song and knew we had to record it, but had no idea just how relevant the message would become once the world seemed to change overnight,” Jamie says. “Now that it appears things are opening up again, we are thrilled to release this song and get back to playing live music!”

Rockland Road has performed everywhere from the Country Music Hall of Fame and Grand Ole Opry to the U.S. Library of Congress and the White House. The group already has several dates scheduled for this spring before hitting the summer fair festival trail.

For more information on Rockland Road, visit the band’s website and follow them on social media:

Spring Blake Tour to Stop at Ole Red Nashville on 3/14

SPRING BLAKE TOUR TO STOP AT OLE RED NASHVILLE

March 14 Show to Feature Artists from “The Voice”
During Month-Long Celebration at Shelton-Inspired Venue

Fan-favorite “Team Blake” artists will take the stage at Ole Red Nashville on March 14 for a free performance as part of the venue’s annual, month-long Spring Blake celebration. The Spring Blake Tour will be headlined by “The Voice” alums Emily Ann Roberts, Joy Reunion and Ian Flanigan and stop at Ole Red locations across the country.

All month long, guests of Ole Red Nashville can have fun celebrating Spring Blake with signature drinks and pop-up shows from previous contestants from “The Voice.” Country superstar Blake Shelton, whose hit song “Ol’ Red” inspired the brand of entertainment venues, will also take the stage for back-to-back shows at Ole Red Gatlinburg on March 11 and Ole Red Orlando on March 12.

“Giving young artists a platform to perform and grow is what Ole Red is all about, and every year Spring Blake is an important part of that commitment,” said Shelton. “I’m excited for Nashville to have a chance to see this group of incredible artists perform up close and personal.”

Along with three other locations in Tishomingo, Oklahoma; Orlando, Florida; and Gatlinburg, Tennessee, Ole Red Nashville brings the best of southern food, hospitality and concert-quality live country music to residents and visitors alike.

For the latest menu offerings and live music calendar, visit olered.com/Nashville and follow @olered on social media.

About Ole Red
Ole Red is a lifestyle and entertainment brand inspired by Blake Shelton’s clever, irreverent third-chart hit, “Ol’ Red.” Its bar, restaurant and live music venues showcase hand-selected country music talent alongside concert-quality production and a Shelton-inspired menu for a unique experience that is “served all day and night.” You can currently find Ole Red entertainment venues and products in four locations in the United States: Nashville, Tennessee, where the flagship, multi-story bar, restaurant and entertainment venue is located on famed Lower Broadway; Tishomingo, Oklahoma, Blake’s hometown; Gatlinburg, Tennessee, in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains; and Orlando, Florida, which opened in 2020 at Icon Park. The fifth and sixth locations are set to open in the Nashville International Airport in the first half of 2022 and in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2023 respectively. Ole Red is owned and operated by Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc. as part of its Opry Entertainment division. For additional information about Ole Red, visit us online at OleRed.com.

Teddy Robb Releases New EP: 'Get Away With It'

Charismatic country crooner Teddy Robb releases his highly-anticipated Get Away With It, on Monument Records, today.

From the revelatory “Whiskey Can’t” and smooth “Cigarettes’ll Kill Ya,” to a new take on a song about trucks, “1500,” Robb’s two brand-new songs “Middle of Nowhere” and “Get Away With It” round out the road-ready five track collection. Co-produced by Robb with Pete Good (Walker Hayes, Alex Hall), today’s release is Robb’s first new music since his self-titled 2020 release that included breakout “Lead Me On.”

“The last two years I really came to terms with how much time I was spending simply chasing. I was living in a concrete box in the sky, and many times not in the moment, posting what portrayed a picture-perfect image when reality as a working musician was pretty grim,” reveals the Akron, Ohio native. “These songs are my personal Polaroids, capturing sporadic moments in time that aren’t planned or perfect because life’s messy -- sometimes nothow you want to be remembered -- but those moments and images occupy the same real estate in our minds and deserve to be shared.”

Whether asking ‘How’d you get away it?’ after the bridge of the title track, or taking on the all too familiar notion of having ‘one of those nights to forget somebody,’ in “Middle of Nowhere,” Robb’s relatability reaches beyond the surface the tracks titles initially imply.

Born and raised in rural Ohio just 40 miles from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the rock-infused musician, songwriter, and singer’s move to Music City was inspired by greats Johnny Cash, Glen Campbell, George Strait and Waylon Jennings, a sentiment Billboard recognizes as “a gritty sense of resignation pouring from a shattered heart.”

On Get Away With It, Robb delivers county music rooted in the imperfect, storytelling with heart, from a small town boy chasing his dreams. In the title track, penned by Robb, alongside Pete Good, Brandon Ratcliff, and Dave Turnbull, Robb sings:

I got your goodbye note,
Just like the ones I wrote,
When somebody got too close,
And I had to cut ‘em loose.
Damn look how things have changed,
Now you’re the one on that old two lane,
Beating me at my own game.

And in “Middle of Nowhere” Robb takes us all back to standing in a crowded bar, yet feeling so alone, explaining “Maybe it’s the isolation of the last few years, but I started paying attention to the feeling of standing still in both places – alone in the city and alone on the edge of a dock in the middle of nowhere…they can both feel completely isolating or completely freeing and for very different reasons. It’s what ‘one of those nights to meet somebody’ versus ‘one of those nights to forgot somebody’ encompasses.”

Listen to Get Away With It below.

About Teddy Robb
With over100 million worldwide streams to date, Teddy Robb’s laid-back vocals and authentic songs bring a distinctive country and midwestern style to the genre. After being named to Apple Music’s Next Up Now Program, playing to a national audience on the TODAY Show, and being written about in Billboard, Rolling Stone and Cowboys & Indians, Robb released his debut EP, with American Songwriter declaring, “there is a distinctiveness to not only his vocal approach, but his style.” Since then, he has continued releasing songs that look at traditional country stories, from a new perspective. His clever wordplay, smooth vocal, and rock n roll influence are on full display in recent releases “Whiskey Can’t” and “Cigarettes’ll Kill Ya.” Robb just announced his upcoming EP Get Away With It, out February 25.

CULTED Premieres Video for Song "Dirt Black Chalice"

Blackened industrial doom collective CULTED is now sharing the official music video for the song "Dirt Black Chalice," which is taken from their 2019 mini-album, 'Vespertina Synaxis - A Prayer For Union and Emptiness.' The band is celebrating the one year anniversary of the release of their full-length 'Nous,' which dropped on February 26, 2021. The video can be seen below.

CULTED comment: "To commemorate the one year anniversary of 'Nous,' we chose to shoot a video for 'Dirt Black Chalice' from our previously released EP, 'Vespertina Synaxis - A Prayer for Union and Emptiness.' This is our interpretation through sound of a banquet for the damned... Is this a quest for meaning through drugs and arcane ritual, or through abstinence and asceticism? Or both? Culted is all and nothing. This is everything... Celebrate with us."

Stream, download, or purchase 'Nous' HERE.

From the icy expanse of the Canadian prairies to the Nordic coast of Sweden, industrial blackened doom collective CULTED have long been innovators of creating music remotely, transcending both literal and metaphorical boundaries for over a decade. Michael Klassen and Matthew Friesen were first approached by Daniel Jansson to collaborate on an international project and come 2008, these ideas began to coalesce, with fellow Canadian Kevin Stevenson joining the cult. The band soon recorded and unveiled their first LP, Below the Thunders of the Upper Deep (2009), as well as the EP Of Death and Ritual(2010.)

In 2013, sophomore full-length Oblique to All Paths was released upon being written, recorded, and produced in various closets, basements, dens, and domiciles. After forming a union with Season of Mist, CULTED continued their down-tempo exploration of blackened and industrial soundscapes with 2019’s mini-album, Vespertina Synaxis; A Prayer for Union and Emptiness, which was inspired by the isolation, alienation, and damnation that dominates the rime-encrusted lands CULTED inhabit. Now, the band is ready to unleash their most devastating and personal opus yet, Nous.

Nous was born in turmoil after members of the band endured a period of extreme personal experiences, both psychological and physical. The creation process was informed by disease, death, and the resulting existential crises. Instead of predetermining the direction CULTED would take with their third full-length, the band allowed the music to speak for itself as it came together organically. Nous was a result of its creators attempting to destroy or ignore the egoic (that chatter and everything outside of pure consciousness that attempts to sabotage you of peace and rob you of the moment) and instead, opening themselves up to the unidentifiable and nameless muse of sound.

CULTED further explores their relationship with doom, black metal, and industrial on yet another experimental effort in which the band’s collective agony is translated into something both nihilistic and tangible through dissonant soundscapes. Each song is a nightmare in the abyss, dragging the listener through caverns of inexplicable darkness and suffering.

Exemplifying the themes, meditations, and diatribes of the human condition, Nous, which roughly translates to “common sense” or “practical intelligence,” explores both the religious and conspiratorial processes of the mind within the framework of critical thought. According to biblical scripture, Satan convinced Eve that the most powerful of conspirators - the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - were secretly trying to keep the first humans shrouded in a veil of ignorance, preventing them from becoming “like God” and “knowing good and evil.” Eve became the first in a long line, from Gnostics to flat-earthers, to believe powerful forces were withholding secret information. Nous attempts to know God or the inner essence or principles of created things by means of direct perception. Nous must be carefully distinguished from reason as it does not formulate abstract concepts or argue them using deductive reasoning, but rather, it understands divine truth by means of immediate experience. Thelema of the gods.

To further solidify these introspective concepts, the cover art is an interpretation of the Temptation of St. Anthony who was one of the first monks to retire to the desert to devote himself to fasting and prayer, which is an often-repeated subject in the history of art and literature, especially concerning the supernatural temptation reportedly faced by Saint Anthony during his sojourn in the Egyptian desert. The art encapsulates both the music and lyrical concept, visually.

CULTED is now inviting you to open your mind, abandon your religion, and to join the cult on this existential and devastating journey.

Lineup:
Matthew Friesen – guitar, bass, keyboards, noise and percussion
Michael Klassen – guitar, bass keyboards, noise and percussion
Kevin Stevenson – drums and percussion
Daniel Jansson – Vocals and noise

Recording:
Vocals and sound recorded at Culted home studios in Gothenburg, Sweden and Winnipeg, Canada. Drums were recorded at Bedside Studios in Winnipeg, Canada.

Producer / sound engineer:
Vocals and sound produced and recorded by Culted
Drums recorded by Len Milne

Mixing studio and engineer:
Culted via home studio

Mastering studio and engineer:
John Golden at Golden Mastering in California, USA (Neurosis, Melvins, Sonic Youth)

Guest Musicians:
Jay Gambit (Crowhurst): Additional sound treatment on “Crush My Soul”

Cover Art: Ettore Aldo Del Vigo

Pre-Sales: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/CultedShop

Available formats
CD/Digital/LP/Merch

For more on CULTED, visit the band's official FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, TWITTER, and BANDCAMP.

Rain City Drive Releases New Single + Music Video "Dreams" via Thriller Records

Hailing from Palm Coast, FL, post-hardcore outfit Rain City Drive has today released their latest single and music video "Dreams", directed by Katharine White (PVRIS, Tilian, Lovely The Band) via Thriller Records. Prior to today, the band released their track and music video, "Cutting It Close" which has 500+ plays on SiriusXM. Watch the music video for "Dreams" below, and be sure to watch this space for more Rain City Drive news coming soon.

ABOUT RAIN CITY DRIVE

Rain City Drive (formerly Slaves) are embracing their next chapter with a powerful combination of authenticity and fervor, true to themselves, their fans, and the legacy they now want to create for the next generation of the band. Their new album (title TBA) is their second with frontman Matt McAndrew (NBC’s The Voice Season 7, coached by Adam Levine), bringing a refreshing pop-melodic swagger to the heavy riffs and songsmanship that has helped them amass a staggering 278 million streams equivalent to 263K album sales across their catalog. With their latest single “Dreams”, the band kicks off a new era ahead of their new album release in spring 2022, providing a breath of fresh air in a genre ready for a shakeup.

Rain City Drive Are:

Matt McAndrew - Lead Vocals

Colin Vieira - Bass

Weston Richmond - Guitar

Felipe Sanchez - Guitar

Zachary Baker - Drums

Find Rain City Drive Online

raincitydrive.com

TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TIKTOK

Manchester synthwave artist Richard Evans releases debut 'Sentinel' LP and shares 'Made of Stars' video

"A beautiful performance" ~ The Guardian

"While new wave has been around for quite some time, Richard Evans cleverly summons all the best elements of the genre, tastefully packaging them with thoughtful lyrics in a way that is completely fresh and forever young" ~ The Spill Magazine

"Commendable, not only for its allure and catchiness (with elements of Rational Youth, Pet Shop Boys and Jean-Michel Jarre), but also for taking on such topical subject matter as technogenic disaster, environmental devastation and our skewed outlook on our dire prospects as Earth's inhabitants" ~ Ampify Music Magazine

"A standout musical event" ~ The State of the Arts

Manchester-based electronic artist Richard Evans presents his debut album 'Sentinel' via Cold Star Media, an eight-track collection that tells the story of humanity at a tipping point and a world trapped in a climate crisis.

"Sentinel is an electro-pop concept album. It’s important that art has something to say about the world we live in and there is no bigger issue than climate change. The album is my take on the different facets of the subject - from the impact of micro-plastics to the paranoia of COVID; from the origins of life to global climate protests, all in a pop package," says Richard Evans.

A British-Irish electronic musician, writer and digital media artist, Richard Evans' draws inspiration from real-world science, exploring biotechnology, machine intelligence and the environment. For this album, existing songs were refined and new material was written, combining the warmth of classic synths with pared-down lyrics that explore real-world subject matter. Recorded at Evan's home studio, this album was mixed by Hervé Girardin.

Formerly keyboardist in UK cult band James, with whom he also co-wrote and recorded material, he was also a guitarist and songwriter for St. Vitus Dancers prior to that. Since cutting his teeth on the UK music scene from the early 1980s to early 1990s, his independent creative projects have received nine awards from Arts Council England and a Business Development Award from Creative England, as well as being commissioned for various projects by the University of Manchester and the Manchester Science Festival.

Evans also revealed the video for synthwave track 'Made Of Stars', a song that stems from the theory that the building blocks of life on Earth come from space - ultimately, we are made of stars. The lyrics are deliberately simple - words for "life" spoken in different languages - as vocoder vocals and sequenced synths, representing the different ways that life evolves. This song opens the album which is bookended by the final track 'Constellation' as its closing piece in keeping its celestial theme.

"This video for Made Of Stars, filmed by Jason Lock, is based on the live show where I perform inside a cube as video projections run on the screens. We wanted to capture the live experience which uses the cube as a centrepiece so that the music and visuals are the focus for a creative exploration of the impacts of climate change. For this song, the video content includes data visualisations of temperature rises over the last century and a beautiful melting sun animation, created specially for this project by award-winning artist Valentina D’Efilippo," says Richard Evans.

Earlier, Evans released the Hiroshima/Nagasaki-inspired lead track 'Black Rain', the accompanying video for which surrounds the same themes, was filmed at the University of Salford / MediaCityUK by Ashley Tidball, Timur Atilgan and Will Wood.

On 'Sentinel', analogue synths and sequences are mixed with melodic vocal hooks and drum machine rhythms. Recorded during the COVID lockdowns, the album's concept was spawned several years ago during an acclaimed multimedia live show that explores climate change in sound and light, featuring electronic music, video and data visualisation content. Originally commissioned by Manchester Science Festival with additional support from Arts Council England and Creative England, it has since been performed at festivals across the country.

Richard Evans' output extends well beyond the musical realm. He wrote, directed and produced 'AEON', a science fiction drama encompassing a smartphone app, web series and live events. A published author of many short stories, he also published the novel 'KOSMONAUT ZERO' (via Dead Ink), researched at Star City Cosmonaut Training Centre near Moscow. In 2011, Richard devised and directed the 'Gagarin 50' exhibition, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first human spaceflight by Yuri Gagarin.

As of February 25, 'Sentinel is out digitally through online stores and streaming platforms and obtained directly from the artist on Bandcamp. 180-gram vinyl is available exclusively through Diggers Factory. Limited to 300 copies, vinyl orders ship on April 22, depending on the number of orders required. To mark the album's release, Richard Evans will be performing Sentinel live at Oxford's Old Fire Station on March 11.

CREDITS
Music, lyrics, vocals, programming by Richard Evans
Mixed by Hervé Girardin
Co-produced by Hervé Girardin & Richard Evans
Graphic design by Lee Baxter
Mastered by Digitalflesh Audio Mastering
With thanks to Arts Council England, Creative England, Manchester Science Festival, Waterside Arts and the University of Salford


Keep up with Richard Evans
Website | Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram | Soundcloud | YouTube | Vimeo

A Flock of Seagulls' Ali Score back with Jenn Vix collaboration on 'You Are A Star' single

"She who laughs last laughs loudest and proudest. If you too have maladious affairs of the heart, Jenn’ll Vix it for you... disparate influences feeding in and bleeding through" ~ Music-News.com

"Vix sounds perpetually enraptured. And the Rhode Island multi-instrumentalist has reason to be. Her music--clear, simple melodies awash in echo-- from inside its swirl, her voice wafts up" ~ Rolling Stone (3.5 Stars)

"Powerful and purposeful.. kick-ass with gripping vocals" ~ Skylight Webzine

"What do you get when you take powerful vocals, a stunning stage presence, an iconic image and excellence in the songwriting department and run them through a thread connecting not one, but two, members of The Cure and a whole series of other artists from other iconic bands, including Psychedelic Furs? You get Jenn Vix" ~ The Spill Magazine

Iconic alternative pop artist Jenn Vix is back with a new retrowave single 'You Are A Star', a collaborative track featuring Ali Score, original drummer of legendary Grammy-winning new wave - synthpop band A Flock Of Seagulls. The accompanying video was created by JFIVENINE Media with assistance from Ali's own wife Linda Score.

This release sees the legendary drummer return to music after a lengthy hiatus, putting to work the technique that helped A Flock of Seagulls become one of the most influential bands of their era, blazing the way for new wave and synthpop, becoming a Top-40 band with numerous hit songs and a Grammy to their credit, not to mention their enigmatic presence and awe-inspiring sound, which many artists continue to emulate even today.

"Well, 'You Are a Star' is a love song. It's a tribute to someone who worked as an astronomer, and an astrophysicist. The music happened very late at night, as I was sitting in front of the keyboard, practicing, and then the lyrics drifted into my mind shortly after I wrote the music.... We're all made of stardust," says Jenn Vix.

As with her latest single 'PTSD', which offers a glimpse into her personal experience with the diagnosis and life with this disorder, Vix worked with Grammy-nominated mastering engineer Chris Gehringer (Dua Lipa, Lizzo, Lady Gaga, Twenty One Pilots, St. Vincent).

Jenn Vix explains how this collaboration came to be: "When I was a kid, I moved to NYC from Miami. One of the most wonderful things about NYC at the time, was the record shops located around the city. I would spend my weekends crate digging, and finding new music. One of my friends at a shop downtown played me a single titled "Talking" by A Flock of Seagulls, that he got from the UK. I couldn't even buy it at the time because there was only one copy in the shop. I was amazed, because I'd never heard anything like it! A little while later, I saw the video for 'I Ran' on MTV and, at that moment, I knew what I wanted to do with my life. I also wanted to one day play music with the drummer of A Flock of Seagulls, and here I am now, working with him! It's a dream come true!"

"I got the conversation going with Ali through a mutual friend, who works on the band's sites and social media pages, and we took it from there. I was one of the first fans of the band here in the states! Ali is not only a brilliant and highly skilled drummer, but he's an incredibly kind and caring person. I consider him not only a collaborator, but a dear friend."

Over the years, Jenn Vix has collaborated with Reeves Gabrels (The Cure, David Bowie, Tin Machine), John Ashton (Psychedelic Furs), Andy Anderson (The Cure, Iggy Pop, Hawkwind), Danny Chavis (The Veldt), Marco Pirroni (Adam Ant, Rema Rema, The Models, Sinead O’Connor), Dirk Ivens (Absolute Body Control, The Klinik and Dive), and Rodney Anonymous (The Dead Milkmen).

Launching her musical career in Rhode Island, she cut her teeth in NYC in her teens, crossing paths with the likes of Iggy Pop, her first experience as a vocalist being with 1980s one-off band Disco Donut (with Adam Horovitz of The Beastie Boys and singer-songwriter Nicole Willis). A decade later, Vix broke out on the national scene, her self-released LP received a glowing 3.5-star review in Rolling Stone, who wrote, “Vix sounds perpetually enraptured. And the Rhode Island multi-instrumentalist has reason to be. Her music--clear, simple melodies awash in echo--is all dreaminess and shuddering, and from inside its swirl, her voice wafts up”.

As an indication of her ever-evolving approach to her craft, in recent years, Vix has been performing both as a solo artist and also as vocalist-drummer (on an electronic drum kit) in Boston-based post-punk / electronic rock duo Feeney Vix.
As of February 25, 'You Are A Star' will be available online everywhere, including Apple Music, Spotify, Tidal and Amazon. You can also find Jenn Vix on TikTok.

CREDITS
Written, arranged and produced by Jenn Vix
Music, lyrics, synths, guitar and vocals by Jenn Vix
Drums by Ali Score
Recorded in Newport, RI and Ocala FL by Jenn Vix and Big Andy
Mastered by Chris Gehringer at Sterling Sound
Video by JFIVENINE Media, assisted by Linda Score
ISRC Code: USCGH2283750


Keep up with Jenn Vix
Website | Store | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Soundcloud | Bandcamp | YouTube | TikTok | Spotify | Apple Music | Tidal | Amazon

THY ART IS MURDER Announce Co-Headlining Tour With AFTER THE BURIAL!

SPECIAL GUESTS CURRENTS & BRAND OF SACRIFICE

One of Australia's top-heavy exports, THY ART IS MURDER, is proud to announce they are heading back to the states for their "Back From The Gulag Tour" with co-headliners AFTER THE BURIAL. On May 10th the tour will kick off in Sacramento and will make stops in Atlanta, Toronto, and Chicago prior to concluding in Portland, Oregon on June 18th. Joining the bands for the 32-date trek are CURRENTS and BRAND OF SACRIFICE.

THY ART IS MURDER will be touring in support of their earth-scorching fifth record, Human Target. The album was produced, engineered, mixed, and mastered by Will Putney at Graphic Nature Audio in Belleville, NJ.

General admission tickets are now on sale!

Confirmed dates for THY ART IS MURDER's co-headlining tour with AFTER THE BURIAL and special guests CURRENTS and BRAND OF SACRIFICE are:
5/10/2022 Ace Of Spades - Sacramento, CA
5/11/2022 The Catalyst - Santa Cruz, CA
5/13/2022 The Belasco - Los Angeles, CA
5/14/2022 The Observatory - Santa Ana, CA
5/15/2022 Nile Theater - Mesa, AZ
5/17/2022 Amplified Live - Dallas, TX
5/18/2022 Empire Garage - Austin, TX
5/20/2022 Orpheum - Tampa, FL
5/21/2022 Underbelly - Jacksonville, FL
5/22/2022 Masquerade - Atlanta, GA
5/24/2022 Arizona Pete's - Greensboro, NC
5/25/2022 Soundstage - Baltimore, MD
5/26/2022 TLA - Philadelphia, PA
5/27/2022 Anthology - Rochester, NY
5/28/2022 The Palladium - Worchester, Ma
5/29/2022 Irving Plaza - New York, NY
5/31/2022 Club Soda - Montreal, QC CANADA
6/01/2022 The Opera House Toronto, ON CANADA
6/02/2022 London Music Hall - London, ON CANADA
6/03/2022 St. Andrew's Hall - Detroit, MI
6/04/2022 House Of Blues - Cleveland, OH
6/05/2022 Roxian Theater - Pittsburgh, PA
6/07/2022 Elevation - Grand Rapids, MI
6/08/2022 Piere's - FT. Wayne, IN
6/09/2022 The King Of Clubs - Columbus, OH
6/10/2022 House Of Blues - Chicago, IL
6/11/2022 Skyway Theater - Minneapolis, MN
6/12/2022 Pop's - Sauget, IL
6/14/2022 Summit Music Hall - Denver, CO
6/15/2022 The Complex - Salt Lake City, UT
6/17/2022 The Crocodile - Seattle, WA
6/18/2022 Bossanova Ballroom - Portland, OR

THY ART IS MURDER is:
C.J. McMahon | Vocals
Sean Delander | Rhythm Guitar
Kevin Butler | Bass Guitar
Jesse Beahler | Drums
Andy Marsh | Lead Guitar

CAULBEARERS release funk-rock delight 'Twisted Cord', plus indiepop world-beat B-side 'Synching (Bubbling Spring Remix)'

"Impressive... stellar, believable and inspiring.... vocals and lyrics that are heartfelt, hopeful and genuine" ~ Big Takeover Magazine

"Music worthy of top-dog soundtracks.. Caulbearers struts in with a sonic funkadelic swagger and groovy bassline that recalls early works by the likes of RHCP and No Doubt" ~ Spill Magazine

“Funky and original... All music should be this progressive” ~ Jammerzine

"Exploring the spiritual ties that bind us as communities" ~ God is in the TV

'Texturally rich and gorgeously cinematic... It may rest on the creative shoulders of musical giants, but it has its eyes set firmly on the future" ~ The Swindonian

Manchester-based Caulbearers present their new upbeat 2-track single, comprised of 'Twisted Cord', an infectious funk-rock offering, and inspiring indiepop B-side 'Synching (Bubbling Spring Remix)'. The first sees Caulbearers back with their signature dark funk grooves and bittersweet, multi-layered laments, while the second is a vivacious and sanguine offering.

Mixed by Seadna Mcphail (Badly Drawn Boy, Jah Wobble, Everything Everything, I Am Kloot, Happy Mondays) and mastered by Jim Spencer (New Order, Johnny Marr, Charlatans, Factory Floor), this follows the slower, more spacious and meditative sound of their 2021 single 'Burst Through The Borders'with B-side 'Solid Supposed'.

With pulsating guitar hooks and distorted drum breaks, the song explores different tonalities usually associated with Flamenco, Arabic music and Indian ragas, enhanced by renowned violinist Olivia Moore (Jason Singh, Stuart McCallum, Suns of Arqa), whose own work fuses jazz with Indian classical music. This track also features such acclaimed Manchester musicians as pianist John Ellis (The Cinematic Orchestra, Stone Roses' John Squire, Corinne Bailey Rae, Tom Jones, Lily Allen) and bassist Alex Berry (The Earlies, King Creosote, Daniel Johnston, Thea Gilmore, Micah P Hinson).

Fronted by Damien Mahoney, core members included guitarist Anton Hunter(Beats and Pieces Big Band, Article XI), cellist Stefan Skrimshire and drummer Phil Bennett. Somerset-based ethereal folk artist Ruth Blake also contributes vocals in her ongoing collaboration with the band.

The lyrics for 'Twisted Cord' explore how intense events in our lives can act like initiations by shaking up, radically changing and enriching our perspectives. Sometimes we need to break down or be broken apart, in order to come back together stronger and with greater understanding. The healing of our wounds over time can transform into wisdom, bringing more colour, depth and detail to the tapestry of our lives.

The song also celebrates the concept of Animism - the belief that objects, places, and creatures all possess a distinct spiritual essence - a foundational thread for the varied belief systems of many indigenous peoples, who deeply understand the importance of ritual, ceremony, initiation and connection to nature that the majority of us in the west have forgotten.

‘The songs are rarely stories specifically, but more like moods, deep emotional states or parallel worlds that we enter into, where scenarios, perspectives and protagonists can shift and morph with a dream-like quality,” says Damien Mahoney.

Working with a different artist for each single, 'Twisted Cord' showcases original artwork by Ben Taylor, a painter and sculptor who often combines natural materials and up-cycled gems to create incredible, large-scale pieces of work. These reflect Ben’s reverence for nature, plants & magic, depicting some of the profound experiences of ancient spiritual traditions he has been initiated into.

As of February 25, 'Twisted Cord' is available across digital platforms, including Apple Music and Spotify. It can also be ordered directly from the artist via Bandcamp.

CREDITS
Written, recorded, produced & edited by Damien Mahoney at Padded Cell Studio (except piano & keys recorded by John Ellis at Limefield Studio)
Mixed by Seadna Mcphail at Airtight Studios
Mastered by Jim Spencer at Eve Mastering
Single cover artwork by Ben Taylor


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

Keep up with Ruth Blake
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HARMLESS HABIT Releases New Single, "Lights Out"!

Columbus, OH based, Heavy Rock band HARMLESS HABIT has released their new single, "Lights Out". Recorded at Mixwave with Grammy-nominated producer Taylor Larson, "Lights Out" is the band's 5th single released since their 2018 sophomore EP, Fronterror.

"‘Lights Out’ details the story of a girl trapped in the throes of promiscuity. Destroyed by the emotional damage it causes, yet healed and empowered by it at the same time." - HARMLESS HABIT

Harmless Habit made their debut in 2017 as a high energy rock band, carrying a unique sense of groove and melody to create their progressive sound. They seek to create a diverse community of fans and listeners through their exhilarating performances and dynamic tunes. Taking influence from classic rock bands, alternative punk bands, and today’s biggest pop stars, Harmless Habit’s mission is to create powerful and uplifting rock music that pushes the boundaries and modern conceptions of popular rock.

Irish electronic duo Telefis (Cathal Coughlan & Jacknife Lee) preview 'Ballytransnational' ahead of releasing debut 'a hAon' LP.

Two of Ireland’s most celebrated musicians take a conceptual electro-funk joyride through the past into the future.

Following the release of the 'Falun Gong Dancer EP' with legendary post-punk bass maestro Jah Wobble (Public Image Limited, Invaders Of The Heart), electronic duo Telefís are gearing up for their debut album 'a hAon' (Number One), a highly unique collection of 13 tracks that will be released by Dimple Discs on March 4. Ahead of this, they present the track 'Ballytransnational'.

Telefís (the Irish Gaelic word for Television, pronounced Tele-feesh) is a collaboration between two acclaimed ex-pat Irish iconoclasts, in-demand composer/mixer/producer Garret "Jacknife" Lee (U2, R.E.M., Modest Mouse, The Killers, Snow Patrol, Crystal Castles, Editors) and singer-lyricist-composer Cathal Coughlan (Microdisney, Fatima Mansions and many acclaimed solo works). Having known each other vaguely in Ireland's early 80s post-punk scene, Jacknife is now based in L.A. and Cathal, a native of Cork, lives in London. A timely re-introduction by a mutual friend led to the two spending 2020 trading ideas and musical files during lockdown, hatching plans for a satirical, mischievous examination of Irish history and the pop culture of their lifetimes, which the two have labelled .."a corrosive nostalgia".

Cathal Coughlan comments on 'Ballytransnational': "A gaunt wooden rollercoaster overlooks the flatlands leading to a land border which, for many years until now, used to count for nothing. It used to be the topic of rueful recollections from decades past, but the received wisdom was that the bad old days were over, and seamless moving of fluid identities and capital now ruled the day. Public health concerns and political ferment have now given way to protectionism of many kinds. As the generation who understood the damage caused by that border passes away, the border's time has come again. And it says: you're never going back.'

A series of remarkable singles and remixes, starting with the electro-funk monster 'We Need' EP in mid-2021 and followed by 'Mister Imperator', see Coughlan and Lee de-construct the Ireland of their youth through the prism of politics, technology and religion. Complemented by arcane imagery and 60s/70s video footage that are both playfully ironic and endearingly melancholic, these singles have set the table for one of year’s most intriguing and adventurous debut albums.

"Collaborating in this way, with a dynamic and consummate artist, who has access to a wide range of skills which I don't have, but with whom I share many common interests and cultural/historical reference points, has been one of the highlights of my creative life. It's made me so glad that I've been able to remain active for long enough to see something like this happen. Easily as spontaneous and full of surprises as any in-person collaboration, it’s shaken loose many weird and hopefully wonderful things in my verbal workshop. And nobody has heard me use my voice in some of these ways before now, either,” says Cathal Coughlan.

Jacknife Lee adds: "I'd just finished mangling a Luke Haines and Peter Buck record. Luke knows Cathal and re-introduced us. On the first or second correspondence we thought we should make some music together. Music is probably the only way I can properly communicate with someone. I sent Cathal the backing track that would become "We Need" and he sent me back the vocal and we went back and forth from there. Lockdowns and travel restrictions forced us to work remotely, and I think helped us get to where we got so quickly. Cathal is without doubt one of the finest lyricists of our time and writes like no one else. Some of the vocals he sent over made me burst out laughing with giddiness and delight at the novelty of them. Mischievous, dark, arcane, crispy fresh, and always unexpected. Every song with a backstory that could be a novel. This is easily the most enjoyable and rewarding music that I've been involved with.”

Part celebration, part satire, Telefís is an exploration of nostalgia as experienced in the present day, by natives of what was formerly a culturally sealed-off small country on the very fringes of Europe. It also points a critical finger at today’s global hierarchies, an inspiration for the strange characters and caricatures that spring from Coughlan's fertile imagination. Stark forms of imagery, bizarre to the modern eye and ear but treated as routine in the pre-globalization world, are pushed at the listener and viewer. On the musical side, Jacknife Lee uses his extensive sonic palette to create an irresistible mix of cinematic instrumentals and electro-funk backdrops full of melodic, squelchy synths and thunderous bass-lines, often with a cheeky nod to electro-pop history.

On March 4, the 'a hAon' album will be released on CD and Vinyl, both
with two-sided lyric sheet insert, as well as across digital platforms. Physical orders are available at https://ffm.to/telefisahaon and the digital album can be pre-ordered at https://orcd.co/telefisahaon. U.S. orders can be placed at http://ffm.to/telefisusa.

SELECT PRESS FEEDBACK
"There’s something about the meeting of Jacknife Lee’s carefully constructed musical arrangements with Cathal Coughlan’s sonorous vocals that makes for one of the most potent listens my ears have heard for some time” - Electronic Sound

"Dense, acerbically observed lyrics are delivered in Coughlan’s distinctive baritone over Lee’s backdrops, from sparsely atmospheric synths to bass-driven electro-funk" - The Irish Times

“…an enthralling, entertaining union of skillful retro-electro and cuttingly cynical, mischievous surreal declarations” - MOJO

“Telefís blend cultural celebration, satire, the splintered identity of the Irish diaspora, and historical introspection to – what else? Electronic dance music!” - Post-Punk

"As stunning as the best of Talking Heads and LCD Soundsystem... big sound and vision" ~ The Spill Magazine


Keep up with Telefís
Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music | Press contact

Keep up with Dimple Discs
Bandcamp | Facebook | Twitter | Discogs | Proper Music

ACM Lifting Lives® Adds Performers to March 6 Topgolf Tee-Off & Rock On: Erin Kinsey, Ian Munsick, Chase Rice, Elvie Shane Join Luke Bryan & Friends

ACM LIFTING LIVES® ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL TALENT FOR MARCH 6 TOPGOLF TEE-OFF & ROCK ON PRESENTED BY CANTEEN SPIRITS

Erin Kinsey, Ian Munsick, Chase Rice and Elvie Shane Join Previously Announced Headliner Luke Bryan, Plus Jordan Davis and Lainey Wilson

Limited Individual Tickets and Fan Golf Bays Remain Available for Purchase via Ticketmaster with All Proceeds Benefitting ACM Lifting Lives®

ACM Lifting Lives®, the charitable arm of the Academy of Country Music®, today announced additional performers set to join the Topgolf Tee-Off & Rock On Presented by Canteen Spirits on Sunday, March 6 at Topgolf Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Joining previously announced headliner Luke Bryan as well as Jordan Davis and Lainey Wilson are rising star Erin Kinsey, Spotify “Hot Country Artist to Watch” Ian Munsick, multi-Platinum singer and songwriter Chase Rice and ACM New Male Artist of the Year nominee Elvie Shane.

In addition to the live entertainment on the Aristocrat Gaming Stage, the event kicking off at 11 a.m. will also feature a reimagined golf tournament experience bringing together artists, industry members and fans in support of ACM Lifting Lives.

Limited individual tickets starting at $60pp and fan golf bays starting at $125pp are available for purchase HERE.

The ACM Lifting Lives Topgolf Tee-Off & Rock On precedes the 57th ACM Awards, hosted by Dolly Parton together with Jimmie Allen & Gabby Barrett and airing live and without commercial interruption from Allegiant Stadium on Monday, March 7 at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT/5 p.m. PT, exclusively on Prime Video.

In addition to Canteen Spirits and Aristocrat Gaming, the ACM Lifting Lives Topgolf Tee-Off & Rock On event is also supported by official partner 1000 Stories Wine.

For more information, visit ACMLiftingLives.com. For general Academy of Country Music information, visit ACMcountry.com and follow the Academy on social media @ACMcountry.

About ACM Lifting Lives®
ACM Lifting Lives® is the philanthropic arm of the Academy of Country Music dedicated to improving lives through the power of music. Through partnerships with artists and strong ties in the music industry, ACM Lifting Lives® funds music health programs while also serving members of the music community who face unexpected hardships through its Diane Holcomb Emergency Relief Fund. With generous donations and the support of artists and fans, ACM Lifting Lives has funded national music therapy programs serving various mental and physical health organizations. Some of the recipients have included patients at children’s hospitals and other healthcare facilities, recovering veterans, people with Williams syndrome and individuals with mental illness. The ACM Lifting Lives COVID-19 Response Fund was created in April 2020 in response to the global pandemic. To date over $3.8 million has been distributed to assist individuals working in the industry who suffered financial crisis and hardship as a result of the pandemic. For more information, please visit ACMLiftingLives.org.

About Erin Kinsey
Texas native Erin Kinsey may be a country music newcomer, but she’s been hard at work since she was 11 years old. Now 21, she is the epitome of a 10-year overnight success who has established herself as a Nashville singer-songwriter with a bright future ahead of her. Having moved from Texas to Tennessee the morning after her high school graduation, Kinsey quickly immersed herself in country music, and in return she was embraced by music insiders who have helped her reach her larger-than-life goals. And so far, so good. She consistently receives close to 10 million views when she posts an original song on TikTok, and her debut single, “Just Drive,” is impacting country radio now. The song has been featured on SiriusXM’s The Highway “On The Horizon” and has over 22 million views/streams to date and counting. Kinsey is signed to RECORDS Nashville, a joint venture with Sony Music, and her debut EP, 40 East, releases on March 25. Where she goes from here is just about everywhere. Connect with Erin at ErinKinsey.com, on Instagram / Twitter / TikTok: @ErinKinseyTx and Facebook: @ErinKinseyOffiical.

About Ian Munsick
Breathing fresh Rocky Mountain air into the Nashville music scene, Ian Munsick is pioneering a new brand of country. The Wyoming-born singer / songwriter’s upbringing was a mix of working the ranch and working crowds. Under the tutelage of their fiddle-playing father, Munsick and his two older brothers grew up playing everything from bluegrass to The Beatles. Incorporating elements across genres, he has now begun to establish himself as a progressive artist with an old soul. Captivated by traditional lyrical truth and the modern soundscape, Munsick followed his ear to Music City. In 2017 he released a self-titled EP, winning iHeartRadio’s Rocky Mountain Song of the Year for the rootsy “Horses Are Faster.” Since then, Munsick has signed a major label record deal with Warner Music Nashville, earned more than 150 million global streams and picked up another Song of the Year Award for his imagery-soaked ode to the west, “Long Haul.” His debut album Coyote Cry features his mile-high tenor underscoring self-penned songs that conjure equal parts epic adventure and down-to-earth wisdom. The record marks the dawn of western pop-laced country, pulling a thread straight from Chris LeDoux through Post Malone. Munsick, who was named to Spotify’s inaugural Hot Country Artists to Watch class, is starting 2022 as a MusicRow Next Big Thing artist. In addition to his own headlining dates, he is currently on the road alongside label mate and duet partner Cody Johnson. Fans are finding that with Ian Munsick, western country is reborn. For more information, visit IanMunsick.com.

About Chase Rice
With more than 2.2 million albums sold and over 2.1 billion total streams, plus a legion of passionate fans at his high-energy concerts across the globe, Chase Rice has established himself as a powerful force in Nashville and beyond – yet he genuinely sees current single “If I Were Rock & Roll,” available everywhere now, as the launching pad for music that says what he wants to say, how he wants to say it. The song serves as a follow up to his three-part project, The Album, featuring his latest No. 1 hit, “Drinkin’ Beer. Talkin’ God. Amen. (feat. Florida Georgia Line)” and Platinum-certified Top 10 hit “Lonely If You Are.” This is the same gravelly-voiced Chase Rice fans first fell in love with years ago – but better. Freer. Unbeholden and uninhibited, somehow capable of evoking Chris LeDoux and The Chronic, campfire singalongs and stadium anthems, all at once. The new music builds upon the success of his sophomore album, Lambs & Lions, which featured the Double-Platinum, two-week chart topper “Eyes On You” – Rice’s first No. 1 as an artist and the most-streamed song of his career. Lambs & Lions followed Ignite the Night, which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums and No. 3 on the all-genre chart, producing a pair of Top 5 hits; “Ready Set Roll” and “Gonna Wanna Tonight.” In addition to selling out arenas with Kane Brown and stadiums with Kenny Chesney, Rice also opened for Garth Brooks to 70K+ at Detroit’s Ford Field in early 2020 and has consistently sold out 3,000+ seat venues on his own headlining tours. For more information, visit ChaseRice.com and follow Rice on Facebook, Twitter and TikTok @ChaseRiceMusic and on Instagram@ChaseRice.

About Elvie Shane
As a native of small-town Kentucky, early touchstones like Dwight Yoakam, Steve Earle and John Fogerty joined Wheelhouse Records’ Elvie Shane’s Gospel roots to form the bedrock of his taste – along with R&B classics like The Temptations and modern superstars like Eminem. Shane’s new single “County Roads” is officially available at country radio now, and was one of the most added songs at country radio upon release. Shane just celebrated multiple milestones with his hit single “My Boy” topping the charts at country radio and being certified Gold by the RIAA. “My Boy” is taken from Shane’s just-released debut full length album Backslider. Shane co-wrote the set that embodies the crunchy hooks of classic rock, the nostalgia of country music as well as the emotional electricity of Gospel and R&B. Critics have already been quick to praise the cohesive set with the album landing on 2021 “Best Of” lists including Billboard, Rolling Stone and Nashville Scene. “If you listen to just one major-label debut by a dude this year, consider Elvie Shane’s” declared Rolling Stone, while Stereogum noted the record “forces you to rethink anything you think you know, or assume, about the genre’s Music Row bros.” Billboard also determined Shane is “making the case for a new mainstay in country music.” The singer/songwriter recently announced his first-ever headlining run, with his My Kinda Trouble Tour now underway. The multi-city stint will see Shane play major cities including Chicago, Ill., Nashville, Tenn. and more, and will mark some of Shane’s first live performances of Backslider. Shane has opened for Jason Aldean, Toby Keith, Brothers Osborne, Brett Young and Lady A, to name a few. Shane also just wrapped a stint on the road opening for Brooks & Dunn on their 2021 Reboot Tour. For more information, visit ElvieShane.com.

BRUJERIA - ANNOUNCE THEIR "RAZA ODIADA WEST AMERICA TOUR 2022" WITH GOATWHORE & UNIDAD TRAUMA!

Extreme metallers BRUJERIA are proud to announce their "Raza Odiada West America Tour 2022". The 18-date Southwest trek will kick off on April 26th in Mesa, Arizona, and make stops in Albuquerque, Dallas, and Tucson before concluding in Palmdale, CA on May 15th. Joining the band on the tour are GOATWHORE and UNIDAD TRAUMA.

Brujo comments, "Regresando desmadre Post-Covid! Esto es Brujeria!"

General admission tickets for the tour are now on sale. Purchase here: https://www.brujeria.com/tour

Confirmed dates for BRUJERIA's "Raza Odiada West America Tour 2022" with GOATWHORE and UNIDAD TRAUMA are:
4/26/2022 Nile Theater - Mesa, AZ
4/27/2022 Launchpad - Albuquerque, NM
4/28/2022 Jake's - Lubbock, TX
4/29/2022 Scout Bar - Houston, TX
4/30/2022 Come And Take It Live - Austin, TX
5/01/2022 Trees - Dallas, TX
5/02/2022 The Rock Box - San Antonio, TX
5/04/2022 Rockhouse - El Paso, TX
5/05/2022 The Rock - Tucson, AZ
5/06/2022 Alex's Bar - Long Beach, CA
5/07/2022 Alex's Bar - Long Beach, CA
5/08/2022 1720 - Los Angeles, CA
5/10/2022 DNA Lounge - San Francisco, CA
5/11/2022 Goldfield Trading Post - Roseville, CA
5/12/2022 Strummer's - Fresno, CA
5/13/2022 Virginia Street Brewhouse - Reno, NV
5/14/2022 Oxnard PAC - Oxnard, CA
5/15/2022 Transplants Brewing - Palmdale, CA

The band released their COVID-666 digital single via Nuclear Blast Records. Watch the quarantine themed music video for their title track "COVID-666" which was directed by Juan Brujo,here: https://youtu.be/F3am_oJPqo0

The band comments,
"The Coronavirus is the Devil’s plague sent to purge humanity of all kinds! Leaving survivors to suffer from no jobs, no money, and forcing a social media lifestyle on the entire world! On the bright side of it all... now I can go out shopping without scaring everyone to death! Jajajaja."

The production and mixing for the single, including the artwork was handled by Juan Brujo.

Below is COVID-666 digital single tracklist:
1. COVID-666
2. Cocaina

Download and Stream COVID-666 digital single here: nuclearblast.com/brujeria-covid-666

BRUJERIA's most recent studio album, Pocho Aztlan, is the band's first release since Brujerizmo was released in 2000 via Roadrunner. It was recorded over the course of many years and at several studios around the globe. The end result was mixed by Russ Russell (NAPALM DEATH, THE EXPLOITED).

BRUJERIA's legend has proliferated for nearly three decades. When the band first emerged from the sunbaked hellscape of Los Angeles in 1989, the city was on the brink of chaos. Daryl Gates ruled the LAPD with an iron fist, overseeing a legion of blue-suited stormtroopers who cracked brown and black skulls at every opportunity. Rodney King, the ’92 riots, and CA governor Pete “Pito” Wilson’s anti-immigrant Prop 187 were all on the bleak horizon. The Mexican-American agitators of BRUJERIA captured the mood of the city’s minorities with the band’s infamous and widely banned 1993 debut, Matando Güeros(“Killing White People”), quickly becoming the Spanish-language counterparts to early grindcore masters TERRORIZER and NAPALM DEATH. Led by lyricist and mastermind Juan Brujo, BRUJERIA were alternately rumored to be satanic drug lords and members of well-established metal bands. The truth, as always, lay somewhere in between.

Fast forward to right about now: Pocho Aztlan is BRUJERIA’s first new album in 16 years. The title translates to “Wasted Promised Land,” a combination of Aztlán, the fabled ancestral home of the Aztecs, and the term pocho, which native Mexicans use to refer—not always kindly—to their counterparts born in the States. Brujo himself is pocho, a man caught between two worlds. Many pochos are not exactly accepted with open arms in Mexico. Meanwhile, they’re too often regarded as second-class citizens in their adopted US home. Brujo has transcended both scenarios through the power of BRUJERIA’s uncompromising grindcore and death metal. His all-Spanish lyrics are as vivid as they are effective: Bona fide tales from the frontlines of the drug war, the racial divide, and the battle for the border. “A lot of BRUJERIA songs are true stories,” Brujo says. “And if they haven’t happened yet, they will happen.”

More on BRUJERIA:
"Plota O Plomo" music video https://youtu.be/mWDZayTVScU
"No Aceptan Imitaciones" lyric video https://youtu.be/J1oUCeg67IQ
"Bruja-" track video https://youtu.be/zf0NoHg1ueI
"Viva Presidente Trump!" visualizer https://youtu.be/dliVvMbWB4o

Visit BRUJERIA online:
https://www.facebook.com/Brujeria/

Shadow Of Intent Drop Claymation Music Video For "Blood In The Sands Of Time"

SHADOW OF INTENT, one of the most exciting and revered bands to emerge from the metal world in recent years, have dropped a claymation music video for their epic track "Blood In The Sands of Time" today. Taken from the band's new album, Elegy, that was released last month and met with high acclaim from both critics and fans alike. Watch the video for "Blood In The Sands Of Time" below and find the album on streaming platforms here.

Speaking on the band's new release, guitarist Chris Wiseman shares

“We are beyond excited to share this new claymation video for Blood in the Sands of Time. This is the band’s collective favorite song of the album and we can’t thank Shayne Minott enough for bringing this vision to life with his unique style.”

"Blood In The Sands Of Time" follows previous singles taken from 'Elegy' - "Of Fury", "Where Millions Have Come To Die" feat. Phil Bozeman of Whitechapel and first taste of the new album, "From Ruin...We Rise". The album announcement was preceded by the release of stand-alone tracks "Intensified Genocide" and SHADOW OF INTENT's twist on the Lamb of God classic "Laid To Rest". To date, the album has clocked up 7.9 million streams and 1.7 million YouTube views.

Since their formation in 2014, SHADOW OF INTENT have garnered a reputation for crafting mind-blowingly technical, prog tinged symphonic deathcore. Widely acknowledged as one of the forerunners of the current deathcore renaissance, the band's debut album 'Primordial' was named as one of Revolver Magazine's '15 Essential Deathcore Albums', with Metal Sucksgiving their 2019 album 'Melancholy' a perfect 5/5 review, stating "you can expect Shadow of Intent to send echoes across metal for as long as they feel like making music". To date, they have clocked up 69 million streams, 26.5 million YouTube Views and have 262k monthly listeners on Spotify.

What The Press Are Saying About Elegy

"Shadow Of Intent has kicked off 2022 with one of the most over-the-top symphonic deathcore albums of all time. Elegy is essential listening if you were one of those kids that spent high school rotating between Dimmu Borgir and Whitechapel. With flawless production and a masterful balancing of the two styles, it's a way to great start the new year" - Metal Injection (9/10)

"This new wave of deathcore is upon us, and Shadow of Intent are leading the pack." - Wall Of Sound (8/10)

"Elegy takes the Deathcore-tinted death metal that has served as the band’s mainstay since their inception and even further beefs up the symphonic, blackened and technical elements to make it Shadow of Intent’s most ambitious—and successful—album to date" - New Transcendence (9/10)

"Elegy is exactly the kind of album Shadow Of Intent needed to make to cement their growing reputation" - Metal Storm (8.5/10)

"Every album has been exceptional and in my opinion, “Elegy” is their best yet. With the album, it’s safe to say that Shadow of Intent has established itself as the icon of American deathcore." - Brutal Planet

SHADOW OF INTENT kicked off a US tour last week with Cannibal Corpse, Whitechapel and Revocation. Tickets available from shadowofintent.com

Shadow Of Intent W/ Cannibal Corpse | Tour Dates

2/18/2022 Center Stage - Atlanta, GA

2/19/2022 The Ramkat - Winston-Salem, NC

2/20/2022 Baltimore Soundstage - Baltimore, MD

2/21/2022 Reverb - Reading, PA

2/22/2022 The Roxian - Pittsburgh, PA

2/24/2022 Brooklyn Steel - Brooklyn, NY

2/25/2022 The Palladium - Worcester, MA

2/26/2022 Anthology - Rochester, NY

2/28/2022 The Majestic - Detroit, MI

3/01/2022 The Vic - Chicago, IL

3/02/2022 Skyway Theater - Minneapolis, MN

3/04/2022 The Gothic - Denver, CO

3/05/2022 Metro Music Hall - Salt Lake City, UT

3/07/2022 Showbox - Seattle, WA

3/08/2022 Hawthorne - Portland, OR

3/10/2022 Ace Of Spades - Sacramento, CA

3/11/2022 The UC Theatre - Berkeley, CA

3/12/2022 The Observatory - Santa Ana, CA

3/13/2022 The Belasco - Los Angeles, CA

3/14/2022 The Van Buren - Phoenix, AZ

3/15/2022 Sunshine Theater - Albuquerque, NM

3/17/2022 Vibes Event Center - San Antonio, TX

3/18/2022 White Oak Music Hall - Houston, TX

3/19/2022 Amplified Live - Dallas, TX

3/21/2022 Red Flag - St. Louis, MO

3/22/2022 Mercury Ballroom - Louisville, KY

3/23/2022 Iron City - Birmingham, AL

3/25/2022 Jannus Live - St. Petersburg, FL

3/26/2022 Revolution - Ft. Lauderdale, FL

ABOUT SHADOW OF INTENT

SHADOW OF INTENT is an American metal band based in New England originally formed by Ben Duerr and Chris Wisemanin 2014. The band continues to release their music independently including their first album Primordial (2016), second album Reclaimer (2017) and very recently their latest work Melancholy (2019).

The band name and lyrics were originally derived from lore from the Halo franchise and since then the band’s subject matter has become more dark and personal, while maintaining an element of fantasy and wonder. The band’s music is heavily built off of various different genres of metal including death metal, black metal, symphonic metal, progressive metal, and metalcore. SHADOW OF INTENT played their first live show at the end of 2017, which then lead to them embarking on several US tours with bands such as The Black Dahlia Murder, Whitechapel, Carnifex, Fleshgod Apocalypse, Despised Icon, and more.

With the release of most recent album, Elegy, the band further evolves their subject matter, touching on the atrocities of mankind throughout history brought about by warmongering, hatred, and greed. The signature SHADOW OF INTENT sound continues to evolve with a larger-than-life cinematic soundscape accompanying each track, bringing a sonic experience hitherto unheard.

Shadow Of Intent Are

Ben Duerr - Vocals

Chris Wiseman - Guitar, Vocals, Keyboards

Bryce Butler - Drums

Andrew Monias - Bass

Find Shadow of Intent Online

www.shadowofintent.com

MESSER Official Music Video for Single “Hope In This World”

Stream MESSER Everywhere!

https://messer.ffm.to/messer

"Hope In This World"

https://messer.ffm.to/hope

Join the MESSER Fan Club

https://messer.fan.direct/web/subscriptions

The MESSER Machine is fired up once again with another positive energy-driven song, “Hope In This World.”

“Hope In This World” is the newest creation from this modern rock power house known for their catchy hooks and high energy live performances. With 3 top 25 active rock singles, MESSER is poised to raise the bar even higher. Re-energized and focused, MESSER is ready to deliver an experience that goes beyond the music.

"Our new single was born out of the pandemic. We couldn’t just sit here and do nothing. We have a platform and we are compelled to use it for good" says the band.

They continue, "One of the most powerful things you can give someone is hope. We live in a world more divided than ever, making it hard to see a way for us to find a place of peace and harmony.'Hope In This World' is a song about bridging the gap between us that seems to be growing every day. The core message of this song is helping people find hope despite the negativity. It's easy to get trapped in boxes of belief and confusion. This song is about the lifeline we cling to for change, the light at the end of the tunnel."

Be a part of the Machine and help us find some Hope In This World.

Messer continued their momentum from their breakout year with the release of "Simple Man", the 3rd single and video from their self-titled debut album, which bowed at #3 on the Soundscan New Artist chart and was named "New and Noteworthy" at iTunes and Amazon Music. The Dallas, Texas based band had a banner year in 2018 with first single “Make This Life” reaching #25 on the Active Rock radio charts, and second single "Save Myself" also made it into the Top 30 - the only truly independent act to do so.

"Simple Man" peaked at #23 on the Active Rock charts, and is the highest charting single for the band to date. It garnered attention throughout the rock world with spots on key Hard Rock playlists @ Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Pandora Radio, Google Play Music, Youtube and Slacker Radio. The band has received accolades @ Loudwire, AXS, Alternative Press, Revolver, New Noise, Pure Grain Audio, and more.

The band was relentless touring hard in 2019, opening for Pop Evil, Scott Stapp, and headlining their own tour. Messer played more than 250 shows in 2019, including a 40-city sold out tour with RED and Lacey Sturm. The band was personally invited by Kevin Lyman to play the Texas leg of the final Vans Warped Tour.

The band's cutting-edge modern rock sound was born through serendipitous connections in the thriving Deep Ellum music scene of Dallas, an area that has given rise to iconic Hard Rock and Metal bands like Pantera, Drowning Pool, Hell Yeah, and King's X. The band grew their fan base locally, and began to branch out regionally and nationally, opening for notable bands such as Sick Puppies, Candlebox, Hinder, Vince Neil, Black Stone Cherry, Drowning Pool, Metallica, Scott Stapp Of Creed, and Avenged Sevenfold, among others. It was on one of these tours that the band caught the attention of Los Angeles based writer/producer, Chad Gendason. The band felt an immediate camaraderie with Chad and a lasting bond was made. Messer started writing with Chad, and their first collaboration became "Simple Man". Fan favorite "Whiskey" soon followed and the songs started to flow into what would become their self-titled debut album "Messer". The album was mixed by Ben Grosse (Marilyn Manson, Breaking Benjamin, Disturbed) and mastered by Tom Baker (Papa Roach, David Bowie, Motley Crue).

Messer is:

Dereak Messer, Lead Vocals

Jonathan Simmons, Guitar/Vocals

Kenn Youngar, Drums/Vocals

Maddox Messer, Bass/ Vocals

Messer Show Dates:

Wednesday March 2nd @ Galaxy Theater for music video premier / acoustic performance

Saturday May 7th in Ft. Smith, Arkansas @ 7 Steel Horse Ralley

Saturday Jul 30th in Jackpot, Nevada @ Edgefest

For More Information Please Visit:

Official Website

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

YouTube

Spotify

Thrash Metal Legends DESTRUCTION Reveal Raging New Single “No Faith In Humanity”

Watch New DESTRUCTION Studio Session Footage An In-Depth Look into the Making of Diabolical HERE

Diabolical out April 8, 2022 via Napalm Records

Pre-Order HERE

German thrash metal icons DESTRUCTION celebrate their 40th anniversary with their hard-hitting new full-length, Diabolical, out April 8, 2022 via Napalm Records! Today, the relentless legends reveal their new single, "No Faith In Humanity", raging uncompromisingly with non-stop headbanging action! As one of the most legendary existing German thrash metal bands, DESTRUCTION grace the wall of fame with greats like Kreator,Sodom and Tankard - still going strong after four decades of Thrash Metal! Prepare for neck breaking energy!

"Furious, vicious, aggressive - a real thrash firework!"

- Metal Hammer

On their 15th studio record, DESTRUCTION brings out heavy artillery full of honest and uncompromising thrash metal, catapulting you straight into the seventh heaven of metallic bliss and causing a massacre of razor-sharp sound no fan of the genre should miss!

DESTRUCTION singer/bassist SCHMIER about the new video:

“This back-to-the-roots dystopic crusher drops an in-your-face message: only solidarity is the key for the survival of our kind!”

“The sonic performance delivers extreme riffs, pounding drums and a shredding solo-part that shows that DESTRUCTION, more than ever, stands for brutal guitars, vociferous vocals, quick as lightning drums and acoustical mayhem! We hope you enjoy it!”\

Watch the new music video for “No Faith In Humanity”

SCHMIER states about the recording:

“This was the most fun we had working on a record in a very long time and you can hear that. Yes. it was theoretically a difficult album but we did not think this way while we recorded it. We just followed our emotions, jammed and rocked out with a strong gut feeling! This recording was like a therapy to me, we all know how difficult times are at the moment. So I’m super happy how everything turned out!"

Guitar shredder DAMIR adds:

“It was a real honor for me to record this album. The studio work for Diabolical was very spontaneous and we had a lot of fun creating these dynamic, multifaceted and brutal but diverse songs. I loved every second of working on this record!”

Delivering the most brutal thrash metal for over 40 years!

After the charging start of opener "Under The Spell", DESTRUCTION shows no mercy on title track "Diabolical", with raging drums, bloodthirsty riffs and hellish vocals that sink deep down into your bones. "No Faith In Humanity" relentlessly rages on with non-stop headbanging action, while DESTRUCTION continues to smash eardrums on "Hope Dies Last" - providing unbeatable brutality with unstoppable speed, destructive verses and screeching voices. "Tormented Soul", on the other hand, is loaded with proper heavy metal and explosive drums. The grand finale of the 47-minute parade of devastation is provided by cover track "City Baby Attacked By Rats", originally by GBH, guaranteeing whiplash by combining rough hardcore punk with brute thrash metal.

DESTRUCTION riffkiller FURIA about the new record:

“Diabolical is an album of extremes, everything is more brutal and more technical but at the same time more melodic and to the point. It's a pure and devastating DESTRUCTION album with no gimmicks, full of power and adrenaline. I'm excited for what the future is bringing and can't wait to play the new songs live!”

Diabolical will be available in various formats in different territories, including a digital album and CD (bundled with a t-shirt + an exclusive “Mad Butcher”-bust), 1LP gatefold editions in black, crystal clear, marbled yellow/red!

Pre-Order Diabolical HERE:

After the charging start of album opener "Under The Spell", DESTRUCTION shows no mercy on title track "Diabolical", with raging drums, bloodthirsty riffs and hellish vocals that sink deep down into your bones. "No Faith In Humanity" relentlessly rages on with non-stop headbanging action, while DESTRUCTION continues to smash eardrums on "Hope Dies Last" - providing unbeatable brutality with unstoppable speed, destructive verses and screeching voices. "Tormented Soul", on the other hand, is loaded with proper heavy metal and explosive drums. The grand finale of the 47-minute parade of devastation is provided by cover track "City Baby Attacked By Rats", originally by GBH, guaranteeing whiplash by combining rough hardcore punk with brute thrash metal.

DESTRUCTION are:

Schmier - Bass, Vocals

Martin Furia – Guitars

Randy Black – Drums

Damir Eskić – Guitars

Eli Young Band Surprised with Pandora Billionaire Plaque During Grand Ole Opry Performance

Multi-Platinum Band Surpasses Streaming Milestone as “Love Talking” Impacts Country Radio

Photo Credit: Chris Hollo, Grand Ole Opry

Multi-Platinum hitmakers Eli Young Band were surprised with a Pandora Billionaire Plaque following their Grand Ole Opry performance last night, Feb. 22. The moment commemorates over 2 billion streams on the platform, and the band has been added to Pandora’s Country Billionaires Radio in celebration of the honor.

“Sometimes these moments sneak up on you and refill the gas tank,” reflected lead singer Mike Eli in response to the surprise presentation. “We love to play music and when something like this comes along and reminds you that people are listening, it just feels so good. The first and last time someone will call us billionaires!”

Last week, the musical band of brothers delivered new single “Love Talking” to Country radio, earning early praise from American Songwriter for its “silky smooth” delivery showcasing “the fruits of the band’s recent creative explosion.” All Access concurred, “In this two minute and 50 second smash, lead singer Mike Eli’s voice embraces listeners like a warm hug,” with MusicRow remarking that “the echo gives the sound some extra juice, and the band is as proficient as ever.” Billboard also named the song among the best of the week upon its release, noting that “this ultra-romantic new release from the group swirls with an irresistible melody and propulsive rhythm.”

“Love Talking” is the lead single off the band’s forthcoming sixth studio album, planned for release later this year via The Valory Music Co.

Fans will have a chance to see the new single performed live, along with the band’s multi-decade catalog of chart-topping hits, as EYB returns to the road for their 51-city Love Talking Tour. Tickets are available at EliYoungBand.com.

For more information and to see all upcoming tour dates, visit www.eliyoungband.com and follow on social media @EliYoungBand.

“Love Talking” Lyrics & Credits Available HERE

Love Talking Tour Dates:
March 4 College Station, Texas | Hurricane Harry’s
March 5 Kyle, Texas | Down South Railhouse
March 8 Modesto, Calif. | Gallo Center for the Arts
March 9 San Diego, Calif. | Moonshine Beach
March 10 Tucson, Ariz. | Rialto Theatre
March 11 Chandler, Ariz. | Wild Horse Pass – Motor Sports Park
March 24 Athens, Ga. | Georgia Theatre
March 25 Richmond, Va. | The National
March 26 Rocky Mountain, Va. | Harvester Performance Center
March 28 Nashville, Tenn. | Assembly Food Hall
April 1 Katy, Texas | Wildcatter Saloon
April 2 Oklahoma City, Okla. | Beer City Music Hall
April 7 Green Bay, Wis. | EPIC Event Center
April 8 Clear Lake, Iowa | Surf Ballroom
April 9 Fargo, N.D. | Sanctuary Event Center
April 13 Cincinnati, Ohio | Bogart’s
April 14 Columbus, Ohio | The Bluestone
April 15 Bloomington, Ind. | Bluebird Nightclub
April 21 Gulf Shores, Ala. | The Hangout
April 22 Tampa, Fla. | Dallas Bull
April 23 Fort Myers, Fla. | The Ranch
April 28 Hampton Beach, N.H. | Wally’s Pub
April 29 Manchester, N.H. | The Pub
April 30 Portland, Maine | Aura
May 6 Providence, R.I. | Fete Music Lounge
May 13 Fayetteville, Ark. | George’s Majestic
May 20 Helotes, Texas | Floore’s Country Store
May 21 Amarillo, Texas | Big Texan Starlight Ranch
June 2 Dewey Beach, Del. | Bottle & Cork
June 3 Washington, D.C. | The Bullpen
June 10 Kamas, Utah | DeJoria Center
June 11 Burley, Idaho | King Fine Arts Center
June 17 New Braunfels, Texas | Whitewater Amphitheater
June 18 El Campo, Texas | Greek Brothers
June 22 Aspen, Colo. | Belly Up
June 25 Santa Fe, N.M. | Hilton Santa Fe Buffalo Thunder
June 29 Lincoln, Neb. | Bourbon Theatre
July 14 Little Rock, Ark. | The Hall
July 16 Beaufort, S.C. | Beaufort Waterfront Park
July 19 Washington, Pa. | Wild Things Park
July 21 Brooklyn, N.Y. | Brooklyn Bowl
July 22 Huntington, N.Y. | The Paramount
July 23 Philadelphia, Pa. | Brooklyn Bowl
August 5 Minneapolis, Minn. | Fine Line Music Cafe
August 7 Wisconsin Dells, Wis. | Crystal Grand Music Theatre
August 11 Petaluma, Calif. | McNear’s Mystic Theatre
August 13 Fontana, Calif. | Tailgate Fest
August 26 Denver, Colo. | Grizzly Rose

About Eli Young Band
The musical band of brothers – Mike Eli, James Young, Jon Jones and Chris Thompson – play their own instruments, write their own songs and cling fast to their Texas roots. The trailblazing group has come a long way since their formation in 2000 at the University of North Texas, with the multi-Platinum hitmakers’ dynamic career thus far producing four chart-topping singles; 3x Platinum “Crazy Girl,” 2x Platinum “Even If It Breaks Your Heart” and Platinum “Love Ain’t” and “Drunk Last Night.” “Crazy Girl” also landed as Billboard's No. 1 Country Song of the Year and won the ACM Award for Song of the Year, with EYB also earning multiple GRAMMY, CMA, CMT, ACA and Teen Choice Award nominations. They have performed on national television shows such as TODAY, Conan, Late Show with David Letterman, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel Live! and FOX & Friends. While selling out venues from coast-to-coast as strong headliners, EYB has also shared the stage with Kenny Chesney, Rascal Flatts, Tim McGraw, Jason Aldean, Toby Keith, Chris Young, Darius Rucker and Dave Matthews Band. EYB offers the first glimpse at a forthcoming project later this year via The Valory Music Co. with lead single “Love Talking” and a headline tour of the same name. For more information and to see all upcoming tour dates, visit eliyoungband.comand follow on social media @EliYoungBand.

About Pandora
Pandora, a subsidiary of SiriusXM, is the largest ad-supported audio entertainment streaming service in the U.S. Pandora provides consumers a uniquely-personalized music and podcast listening experience with its proprietary Music Genome Project® and Podcast Genome Project® technology. Pandora is also the leading digital audio advertising platform in the U.S. Through its own Pandora service, its AdsWizz platform and third party services, such as SoundCloud, the Company connects brands to the largest ad-supported streaming audio marketplace in the country. Pandora is available through its mobile app, the web and integrations with more than 2,000 connected products.

Metal Visionaries EVERGREY Announce New Album, “A Heartless Portrait (The Orphean Testament)”

A Heartless Portrait (The Orphean Testament), out May 20, 2022 via Napalm Records

Pre-Order Starts NOW

Soaring First Single “Save Us” + Official Music Video Out Now

A new era of EVERGREY: A Heartless Portrait (The Orphean Testament) is dark melodic metal

mastery!

Gothenburg’s finest export of darkness, EVERGREY, enters an bewildering new chapter in the band’s history with their thirteenth studio album and Napalm Records debut, A Heartless Portrait (The Orphean Testament), to be released on May 20, 2022 via Napalm Records. This overwhelming journey through progressive heaviness and searing emotionality reaches new heights and is preceded by the arrival of the soaring first single “Save Us”, in which heavy prog and melancholic beauty climax in a soulful chorus that proves EVERGREY to be top songwriters in their genre!

The pounding album opener reflects everything the new full-length stands for, as it kicks in immediately with stunning guitar work and unveils a chorus sure to top the annals of EVERGREY history. Listen carefully and you will hear the voices of hundreds of fans who were invited by EVERGREY to send recordings of their voices to later provide group vocals for the track – making their everlasting mark on EVERGREY history.

For the astonishing music video, the five-piece teamed up with longtime companion Patric Ullaeus to create a bewitching visual experience that exemplifies EVERGREY.

Watch the official music video for “Save Us” below.

Celebrating over 25 years of metal mastery, EVERGREY, led by founder, singer and guitarist Tom S. Englund, are known for wandering the realms of progressive and heavy melodic metal and painting sonic renderings with their twelve studio records released as of today. A Heartless Portrait (The Orphean Testament), the follow-up to the unit’s highly successful 2021 full-length, Escape of the Phoenix (which landed at numerous chart positions worldwide), reveals a 10 track mélange of which every note, every riff and every word seeps pure poetry – creating a ceaseless intensity that mesmerizes from the very first second.

The new album was recorded at Top Floor Studios Gothenburg, engineered by Jakob Herrman and produced by Tom S. Englund and Jonas Ekdahl, with mixing and mastering by Jacob Hansen at Hansen Studios (Volbeat, Destruction, Epica and many more), whereas the hauntingly beautiful album artwork was conjured by Giannis Nakos at Remedy Art Design. Nakos is known for creating artworks for acts like Oceans Of Slumber, Amaranthe, The Agonist and The Crown as well as merchandise for Morbid Angel, Suffocation or Cryptopsy – just to name a few.

EVERGREY on the new album:

“Here it is! A new album! Yet again! This is what we love about music, it never ends! Our mission is to write music so here you are! 10 new songs! 10 new EVERGREY songs that we hope you will have by your side as your life continues to shift and grow. 10 songs that we wish will be part of the soundtrack when you're creating new memories and new possibilities in your life. 10 songs that we feel privileged to have you listen to. 10 songs that have risen through the ashes of two years where our creativity has had more time than ever to flourish.

10 songs we really hope you will enjoy as much as we did writing them. As usual we have given it our best and we can't wait to hear what you have to say! A new year, a new album, a new record label = new possibilities. All this can only be positive, right?

Enjoy!

Tom, Jonas, Rikard, Johan & Henrik”

Get your copy of A Heartless Portrait (The Orphean Testament) NOW!

A Heartless Portrait (The Orphean Testament) impresses with flawless, meticulous production that deftly depicts both heartfelt honesty and scorching metallic intensity, while its instrumental force of furious, technically driven riffs, skyrocketing solos and dramatic synths merges with the expert, brooding vocal performance of Englund – one of the most distinctive vocalists in metal. He skillfully balances harsh and heavy tones with an inarguably soulful approach, all topped by melancholic, thought-provoking lyricism that digs deeper with every spin, leaving a long-lasting impact. Songs like “Midwinter Calls”, which also contains fan participation with atmospheric audience recordings from the band’s latest tour through Sweden, and “The Great Unwashed”, draw the listener in with grooving, glistering instrumentation, flowing between boisterous dynamics and a next level vocal performance, while emotive “Wildfires” turns the volume down as a goosebump-worthy ballad that hurts and heals all at once. “Call Out The Dark” begins atmospherically with accented keys, suddenly evolving into an intense opus of symphonic and power metal attributes in the blink of an eye, whereas the record’s longest track, “The Orphean Testament”, impresses by revealing its heaviest facet. A sensitive introduction lures the listener into “Heartless”, and offers one of the album’s most engaging verses, followed by a hauntingly beautiful chorus and variety in pace to create a magnificent listening experience.

A Heartless Portrait (The Orphean Testament) will be available in the following formats:

•2LP Gatefold “Die Hard” Marbled Red/Black (incl. Slipmat + 7inch (black) w/ 2 exclusive Bonus Tracks) – limited to 500 copies worldwide

•2LP Gatefold Glow in the Dark – limited to 500 copies worldwide

•2LP Gatefold Gold – Band exclusive, limited to 300 copies worldwide

•Deluxe Box (incl. Canvas, Pendant, Liner Notes on Pergament Paper) – limited to 500 copies worldwide

•CD Digisleeve

•Digital Album

A Heartless Portrait (The Orphean Testament) is a striking testament to the fact that while the Swedish five-piece doesn’t need to prove anything to anyone at this phase, they still impressively showcase that, after over 25 years of existence, their creativity sees no bounds – dropping yet another sensation within their impressive catalog!

EVERGREY are:

Tom S. Englund - vocals, guitars

Henrik Danhage - guitars

Rikard Zander - keys

Jonas Ekdahl - drums

Johan Niemann - bass

SHAPE OF DESPAIR Streams Full Album Ahead of Release

Finnish funeral doom icons SHAPE OF DESPAIR are now streaming their entire new album, 'Return to the Void,' ahead of tomorrow's release! The album can be heard in its entirety at THIS LOCATION.

'Return to the Void' is available for pre-orders HERE. Pre-save the album across your favorite streaming platform HERE.

Finnish funeral doom icons SHAPE OF DESPAIR return from the wintry Nordic gloom on their new album, Return to the Void. Between the success of the majestically downtrodden Monotony Fields (2015) and today, the members of SHAPE OF DESPAIR have been composing (glacially) and otherwise ensconced writing/performing with their other projects like FINNTROLL, IMPALED NAZARENE, THROES OF DAWN, and COUNTING HOURS. The Finns have never been or found the need to be prolific, however. The race into the cold darkness is a contemplatively unhurried task. Return to the Void is musically and thematically that same journey, one of perpetual solitude and aching hopelessness, driven straight into the heart of frigid twilight. As ever, this is cheerless music for sunless days.

“Not long after Monotony Fields, I started composing for Return to the Void,” says guitarist/founding member Jarno Salomaa. “At first, the title song sounded too primitive. I thought I would make a solo album out of it, but after a while, the song reminded me of older RAVEN material. Naturally and eventually, it started to feel like a SHAPE OF DESPAIR song."

SHAPE OF DESPAIR was formed out of the ashes of RAVEN in Helsinki in 1998. Actually, the transformation into the present-day moniker wasn’t as violent as it sounds. A simple name change—initiated by Salomaa—coincided with the Finns' developing predilection for protracted if icy metal. SHAPE OF DESPAIR’s grand debut, Shades of… (2000), was proof that the fledgling sextet's stately doom was already ascendant. From there, the Helsinkians morphed in membership but continued their funereal march into legend with Angels of Distress (2001) and Illusion’s Play (2004) before hibernating for almost a decade. While Return to the Void is the natural follow-up to Monotony Fields and represents over six years of songwriting development, the main narrative (and indeed the timely return of drummer Samu Ruotsalainen) is rooted in the past.

“Return to the Void isn’t the follow-up to Monotony Fields in the traditional sense,” Salomaa says. “As stated, the songwriting goes way back to the first music we put together for RAVEN. I will say my approach has changed after all these years of making music. I found new and different ways to shape the arrangements and my compositions. What matters most, I think, is that it still has the SHAPE OF DESPAIR atmosphere.”

Return to the Void is no doubt SHAPE OF DESPAIR. From the void-gaze of “Dissolution” and gelid beauty of “Reflection in Slow Time” to the collapsing cathedral in “Forfeit” and the void-fall that is the stunning title track, the Finns have outdone themselves, overcoming the heights of previous lighthouse tracks “Woundheir,” “Angels of Distress," and "Sleep Mirrored" with surprising ease. Funeral doom is often narrow in scope, but Return to the Void defiantly opposes that with its massively scaled and forlornly inspired valleys and angelic (powered by Natalie Koskinen’s empyrean vocals) peaks. Coupled with Henri Koivula’s caliginous lyrics, SHAPE OF DESPAIR provides a masterclass display of a genre expansive and filmic.

“Return to the Void is a title we thought would best describe the album,” says Koivula. “It is a return for us in many ways. We were heading [musically] towards early SHAPE OF DESPAIR. Plus, Samu’s back in the band. Overall, my lyrics have a red line through them—a sense of solitude and depression. The state where you find that everything has lost its meaning. There is no past or future, only this one moment drifting near the firmament.”

The Return to the Void project started in 2020 and continued through May 2021. Production duties were wrested from the previous producer Max Kostermaa and in-sourced to the band directly. Ruotsalainen, Salomaa, Koivula, and Miika Niemelä engineered, respectively, at Beat Domination Studios, D-Studios, and Doom Cave Studios. The group also looked inside their ranks for mixing, handing the job off to [drummer] Ruotsalainen (FINNTROLL, METSATÖLL). The mastering was given to award-winning ace Svante Forsbäck (VOLBEAT, RAMMSTEIN) at Chartmakers West in Espoo. If the previous SHAPE OF DESPAIR productions were huge, Return to the Void is unfathomably massive. One listen to “Solitary Downfall” and the album’s crushing egress "The Inner Desolation," and it’s readily apparent that SHAPE OF DESPAIRhave crafted a temple of sound to ruminate the cruelty of existence.

“We recorded the album on our own, which allowed us the freedom to record whenever and however long we wanted,” says Salomaa. ”Everything was done in late winter, with the mixing taking place between February and March of 2021. We had a couple of weekends to mix with Samu, but most of it was done without us. The mastering was then finalized in May 2021. [The sound is] mainly raw but still heavy. The main focus was to keep our sound world intact. I think this album sounds the most accurate we’ve ever wanted our albums to sound.”

SHAPE OF DESPAIR’s next steps are to release Return to the Void via Season of Mist. The striking cover art via long-time design partner and silent member Mariusz Krystew (David Galas, Thor’s Hammer) is yet again a reminder that the Finns are as visually engaging as they are compositionally and lyrically. That they mixed old and new for Return to the Void is proof that there’s purpose and meaning to Salomaa’s ill-lit aesthetic. Once the album is released and protocols pending, Shape of Despair hope to hit the road where they’ll pontificate their wintry despondency from the stage to audiences near and far.

Style:Funeral Doom Metal

Links:
https://www.facebook.com/shapeofdespairofficial
https://www.instagram.com/shape_of_despair
https://twitter.com/shapeofdespair
https://shapeofdespair.bandcamp.com/

Recording line-up:
Henri Koivula - vocals
Natalie Koskinen - vocals
Jarno Salomaa - guitars and keyboards
Tomi Ullgrén - guitars
Sami Uusitalo - bass
Samu Ruotsalainen - drums

Recording studio:Beat Domination Studio, D-Studio and Doom Cave

Producer / sound engineer:Produced by Shape of Despair

Engineered by Samu Ruotsalainen, Miika Niemelä, Jarno Salomaa and Henri Koivula

Mixing studio and engineer: Beat Domination Studio / Samu Ruotsalainen

Mastering studio / engineer:Chartmakers West / Svante Forsbäck

Biography:Chris Dick

Cover art:Mariusz Krystew

Pre-sales:https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/sod-void

Available formats:CD digipak, vinyl black and coloured

SUMO CYCO to Support Buckcherry on US Tour + Announces North American Headline Dates!

Beginning April 29 in Des Plaines, IL!

Order SUMO CYCO's Latest Album, Initiation, via Napalm Records HERE

After setting the music world ablaze last year with the release of their mind-bending latest full-length album, Initiation, fans have been chanting for SUMO CYCO to return to the road. Now, their calls have been answered with the announcement of a slew of US and Canadian tour dates, beginning April 29! The first half of the tour sees SUMO CYCO supporting rock icons Buckcherry and special guests Blacktop Mojo, while the second half will feature SUMO CYCO headlining all dates with support from Black Satellite.

Tickets for all dates are on sale Friday, February 25 at 10:00 AM EST. See below for all confirmed shows - several of which see SUMO CYCO returning for their first headliners in cities they appeared in with Jinjer in 2019.

Frontwoman Skye “Sever” Sweetnam says about the upcoming tour:

“We are beyond excited to get back out on the road after two years! We feel like it’s about time we reconnect with all of you in person and start the party again! We have the privilege of joining Buckcherry for some dates as well as taking the reins for our first headline shows in many cities. We’re as hungry as the fans are for live music to thrive again. So watch out, we’ll be blaring our Cyco sounds to a city near you!”

SUMO CYCO 2022 Tour Dates:

* = w/ Buckcherry, Blacktop Mojo

4/29/22 - Des Plaines, IL @ Des Plaines Theatre *

4/30/22 – Kansasville, WI @ 1175 *

5/1/22 – Bloomington, IL @ Castle Theatre *

5/3/22 – Indianapolis, IN @ Hi Fi (The Annex) *

5/4/22 – Lexington, KY @ Manchester Music Hall *

5/6/22 - St Charles, IL @ Arcada Theatre *

5/7/22 – Flint, MI @ Machine Shop *

5/8/22 – Horseheads, NY @ The L Live *

5/10/22 – Hermon, ME @ Morgan Hill Event Center *

5/11/22 – Portland, ME @ Aura *

5/13/22 – Rochester, NY @ Montage Music Hall *

5/14/22 – Leesburg, VA @ Tally Ho *

5/16/22 - Murrells Inlet, SC @ Suck Bang Blow *

5/17/22 - Black Mountain, NC @ Silverados *

5/18/22 – Athens, GA @ Georgia Theatre *

5/19/22 – Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade

5/20/22 – Birmingham, AL @ Iron City *

5/21/22 - Greenville, SC @ Radio Room

5/22/22 - Greensboro, NC @ The Blind Tiger

5/24/22 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Hard Rock Cafe

5/25/22 - Harrisburg, PA @ HMAC

5/26/22 - Baltimore, MD @ Metro Gallery

5/27/22 - Clifton, NJ @ Dingbatz

5/29/22 - Hampton Beach, NH @ Wallys

5/31/22 - New Bedford, MA @ The Vault

6/1/22 - Montreal, QC @ Turbohaus

6/2/22 - Quebec City, QC @ L'Anti Bar & Spectacles

6/3/22 - Ottawa, ON @ Brass Monkey - REBEL 101.7 FREE SHOW

6/4/22 - Toronto, ON @ Hard Luck

6/6/22 - Buffalo, NY @ Iron Works

6/7/22 - Cleveland, OH @ The Winchester

6/9/22 - Westland, MI @ The Token

6/10/22 - Battle Creek, MI @ Music Factory

6/11/22 - Chicago, IL @ Reggies

About SUMO CYCO and Initiation:

Over the course of the past several years, Ontario, Canada’s SUMO CYCO – featuring teen pop-superstar/songwriter turned rock goddess Skye “Sever” Sweetnam as well as producer/guitarist Matt “MD13” Drake and bassist Oscar Anesetti – have proven themselves as one of the hardest working DIY-to-overnight sensation stories in heavy music, boasting an undeniable following of fans with their impressive mixture of metal, pop and everything in between. Even after garnering early viral acclaim and signing to Napalm Records in 2020, the band's seasoned DIY attitude and self-starting viral savvy continues to propel their creativity at every step, converting audiences all around to their infectious world of sound!

Prior to signing with Napalm Records, SUMO CYCO won awards such as "Best Female-Fronted" band at the Toronto Independent Music Awards, top finalist in the John Lennon Songwriting Competition, Indie Week Canada “Best of the Fest” (prize included a trip to play Indie Week Ireland), as well as Best Hard/Loud Recording at the Hamilton Music Awards 2015. The band has shared stages with The Offspring, Coal Chamber, Our Lady Peace, Life of Agony, Hollywood Undead, Jinjer, The Birthday Massacre, Nonpoint, Butcher Babies, and FOZZY to name a few.

After launching their most recent, breakout album Initiation (2021) with the hooky hit "Bystander" (which recently hit the 1 million views mark on YouTube) it was immediately clear that SUMO CYCO is lightning in a bottle. Garnering hundreds of thousands of cross-platform streams and nearly instantaneous, rabid response to their self-produced music videos, the band turned the heads of fans and critics alike! Alternative Press dubbed SUMO CYCO a “New Artist You Need To Hear" and Kerrang called the album "a breathless blur of energy and action”. Revolver praised the band's first single as “...ridiculously catchy..." and SiriusXM's Jose "Metal Ambassador" Mangin, who said "...the chorus will stick in your head for days to come...", went on to feature it on Octane and Liquid Metal. Upon release, the album landed at #1 on both the Canadian and UK iTunes Metal Charts, and within the top 5 in the United States.

Initiation invites a mass of new followers into SUMO CYCO's warped, dystopian-like world of “Cyco City”! As with their prior full-length albums Lost In Cyco City (2014) and Opus Mar (2017), and countless singles, Initiation is based in the imaginative conceptual location of the same name. Last fall, SUMO CYCO took the album a step further and dropped the official Digital Deluxe Edition of Initiation, featuring peppy new single "Sun Eater", plus additional limited edition tracks "New Jive", "We Are The Nation" and "Awakened".

Order Initiation & the Initiation Digital Deluxe Edition HERE