Scotty McCreery's Double-Platinum Certified "Five More Minutes" Inspires TikTok Trend

April 4, 2023

Triple Tigers recording artist Scotty McCreery has achieved numerous milestones with his critically-acclaimed and fan-favorite “Five More Minutes”: marking the first of five consecutive No. 1 singles; reaching RIAA Double Platinum certification; earning McCreery one of five BMI Awards for writing One of the Top 50 Country Songs of the Year; and inspiring two popular Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Network holiday movies with “Five More Minutes” and “Five More Minutes: Moments Like These.” Now, with its resurgence via TikTok, the track proves “it has the potential to endure as a classic,” as noted by Billboard.

The organic trend has creators showing loved ones, including family members, friends and pets with which they would like “five more minutes.” With 367 million views on the platform, the song reached No. 9 on TikTok’s all genre U.S. Top Tracks and has over 230K videos featuring it, resulting in a 40% increase in consumption in the last 28 days.

“I’m glad to see ‘Five More Minutes’ getting a new life,” said McCreery. “It’s my favorite song I’ve ever written, and probably always will be. It’s both personal and universal at the same time. I love seeing folks use it with their own videos to share their feelings on TikTok.”

McCreery wrote the song with Frank Rogers and Monty Criswell two weeks after the passing of his paternal grandfather, who serves as a major inspiration for the song. It takes listeners on a journey through both the joys and sorrows of life, ending with a plea for “five more minutes” with his grandfather. The North Carolina native first performed it publicly on the Grand Ole Opry, receiving a standing ovation and quickly becoming a fan favorite.

The fastest rising song of his career, McCreery’s current single “It Matters to Her” is top 12-and-climbing as he gears up to return to his Damn Strait Tour later this month in Scottsdale, Arizona before joining the Brooks & Dunn REBOOT Tour through the summer, with additional headlining shows sprinkled throughout. McCreery wrote the song with Rhett Akins and Lee Thomas Miller.

The new father recently joined comedian Sebastian Maniscalco and Dr. Scott Cohen on their podcast “Daddy Vs. Doctor,” which shares parenting tips in between comedy bits.

McCreery is also one of the artists featured in the new “American Currents: State of the Music” exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, on display through Feb. 4, 2024.

Remaining Damn Strait Tour dates are as follows:
April 21 Scottsdale, AZ Talking Stick Resort
April 22 Henderson, NV Sunset Station Hotel & Casino
April 27 Carteret, NJ Carteret Performing Arts & Events Center
April 28 Lancaster, PA American Music Theatre
April 29 Orillia, ON Casino Rama
April 30 Hagerstown, MD Maryland Theatre

Tour dates for the Brooks & Dunn REBOOT Tour 2023 in May and June, featuring Scotty McCreery and opening act Megan Moroney:
May 4 Kansas City, MO T-Mobile Center
May 5 Oklahoma City, OK Paycom Center
May 6 Fort Worth, TX Dickies Arena
May 11 Lexington, KY Rupp Arena
May 12 Pittsburgh, PA PPG Paints Arena
May 13 Buffalo, NY KeyBank Center
May 18 Birmingham, AL Legacy Arena
May 19 Biloxi, MS Mississippi Coast Coliseum
May 20 North Little Rock, AR Simmons Bank Arena
June 1 Omaha, NE CHI Health Center
June 2 Sioux Falls, SD Denny Sanford PREMIER Center-Arena
June 3 St. Paul, MN Xcel Energy Center
June 8 Duluth, GA Gas South Arena
June 10 Orlando, FL Amway Center
June 15 Mt. Pleasant, MI Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort
June 16 Columbus, OH Nationwide Arena
June 17 Greensboro, NC Greensboro Coliseum Complex

In-between the Brooks & Dunn REBOOT Tour 2023 dates, McCreery will also be performing these shows, with more to be announced soon:
May 21 Temecula, CA Temecula Valley Balloon & Wine Festival
May 28 Denham Springs, LA Cajun Country Jam
June 9 Myrtle Beach, SC Carolina Country Music Fest
July 13 Knoxville, IN Knox County Fair
July 21 Minden, NV Carson Valley Inn Casino - TJ's Corral
July 28 Caldwell, ID Canyon County Fair
Aug. 3 Prairie Du Chien, WI County Line Country Fest

Tickets for all Damn Strait Tour, Brooks & Dunn REBOOT Tour 2023 and additional dates above can be purchased at ScottyMcCreery.com.

About Scotty McCreery
Scotty McCreery’s Same Truck: The Deluxe Album is available now on vinyl, CD and digital formats, and contains two No. 1 RIAA Gold-certified hit songs “You Time” and “Damn Strait,” and his current single “It Matters to Her.” In total, McCreery has achieved 5 consecutive No. 1 hits in the last few years, including the two mentioned above as well as an additional three from his last album Seasons Change, the RIAA Gold-certified project which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Album chart: the RIAA Double Platinum-certified “Five More Minutes,” the RIAA Platinum-certified “This Is It,” which stayed at the top of the charts for two weeks, and RIAA Gold-certified “In Between.” McCreery co-wrote all 11 songs on Seasons Change, which Rolling Stone named as one of the “40 Best Country and Americana Albums of 2018.” Four of his albums have debuted at No. 1 on a Billboard Albums chart, with current combined sales surpassing 4 million copies. The North Carolina native has earned one Double Platinum, four Platinum and four Gold singles; one Platinum and two Gold albums; won the 10th season of “American Idol” in 2011; was named the ACM New Artist of the Year in 2011; won the CMT Music Award for Breakthrough Video of the Year (‘The Trouble with Girls’) in 2012; and BMI Awards for writing One of the Top 50 Country Songs of the Year five times (in 2015 for “See You Tonight,” in 2018 for “Five More Minutes,” in 2019 for “This is It,” in 2021 for “In Between,” and in 2022 for “You Time”). His song “Five More Minutes” inspired two popular holiday movies which aired on the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Network: “Five More Minutes” in 2021 and “Five More Minutes: Moments Like These” in 2022. McCreery launched his recording career by making history in 2011 as both the first country artist and the youngest male artist of any genre to debut his first studio album, the Platinum-certified Clear as Day, at No. 1 on the all-genre Billboard Top 200 Albums chart. For more information, visit ScottyMcCreery.com.

NYC's Gramercy Arms presents youthful reminiscence on 'Fucked Up and Beautiful' single. The 'Deleted Scenes' LP is out now

April 4, 2023

"Gentle and perfectly arranged, it is both calming and genuine, straightforward and talented, giving space and voice everywhere that the song and its story requires. A hidden Americana-indiepop gem, Gramercy Arms show that music truly is a journey"~ The Spill Magazine

"A slice of mature, soulful pop, gentle and refined, a swirl of gorgeous boy-girl harmonies, laced with elegant guitar lines and the perfect balance between a slightly nostalgic then and a now calling out for such astute, chart-friendly pop. A future classic" ~ Big Takeover Magazine

"Melancholic yet radiant, emotively shadowed but joyfully rousing" ~ Ringmaster Review

NYC indie rock outfit Gramercy Arms presents 'F*cked Up and Beautiful' (including the clean companion version: 'Messed Up and Beautiful'), the third single from their acclaimed third album 'Deleted Scenes', released by New Jersey-based Magic Door Record Label.

Opening with the couplet “Back in school she lived so decadently / She took literature and LSD”, this autobiographically-inspired song reflects on frontman Dave Derby's undergraduate love affair with a combination of humor, nostalgia, and wistfulness.

In addition to the core of Dave Derby (The Dambuilders, Lloyd Cole), Kevin March (Guided By Voices, Shudder To Think, Quiz Show) and Rainy Orteca (Joan As Police Woman), the song features gorgeous vocals by Verena Wiesendanger (Semi-Gloss) and lush pedal steel textures by John Leon (Royal Arctic Institute).

The accompanying video is a highly collaborative effort of band members recording themselves performing the song in remote locations. Featured here are Derby, Hilken Mancini (Fuzzy), Jessie Kilguss, Mike Errico, Doug Gillard (Guided by Voices), Chris Robertson (Elk City), Peter Hess (The Phillip Glass Ensemble), Gary Burton (Dovedale), Richard Alwyn Fisher (King Canutes), Phoebe Summersquash (Small Factory), as well as the Mack Family (Honey, Leila, and Theo).

“I guess you could say the basic video concept is what you might call a loose version of lo-tech sci-fi,” explains Derby. “The members of the band are supposed to be using a near-future technology sort of like the headsets in the 2013 film ‘Her’ that allows us all to sync up and perform the song virtually.”

A revolving collective, Gramercy Arms is inspired by the artistic heyday of ‘70-80s New York. Their addictive indie pop features exquisite hook-laden melodies that are lyrically driven and rich on vocal-harmony, interspersed with elements of 60s sunshine pop and folk-rock. 'Deleted Scenes' follows 'The Seasons of Love' (2012) and 'Gramercy Arms' (2008).

Produced, recorded and mixed by Ray Ketchem (Guided By Voices, Luna, Elk City) at Magic Door Recording in Montclair, NJ, this album was mastered by award-winning engineer Greg Calbi (John Lennon, David Bowie, Bruce Springsteen, Talking Heads, Patti Smith, Tom Petty, Todd Rundgren).

Earlier, Gramercy Arms teased the singles 'Yesterday's Girl' (plus an acoustic version), co-penned with music legend Lloyd Cole and performed as a duet with Derby and Renée Lo Bue (Elk City, Flowers of America), and 'Tricky Love Stuff', featuring violinist Claudia Chopek (Bright Eyes, The Little River Band), saxophonist Peter Hess (Phillip Glass Ensemble, Anti-Social Music, Slavic Soul Party).

'Deleted Scenes' is out now across online platforms, including Apple Music, Spotify and other online stores, as well as Bandcamp.

CREDITS
Produced, Recorded & Mixed by Ray Ketchem at Magic Door Recording
Mastered by Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound
Publishing Passive-Aggressive BMI / Warner-Chappell
Artist photos by Max Skaff and Debora Francis
Cover artwork by Debora Francis and Ray Ketchem

German Eurovision Representatives LORD OF THE LOST Release New Music Video for “Forever Lost”

April 4, 2023

Get Your Copy of the New Album, 'Blood & Glitter', HERE!

Performing Live at the Biggest Music Contest in the World, the ESC Finals in Liverpool,

Broadcast Worldwide on May 13, 2023!

Germany’s Eurovision Song Contest 2023 representatives, LORD OF THE LOST, have revealed a brand-new music video for “Forever Lost”, cut from their latest #1 charting album 'Blood & Glitter'! The captivating music video consists of shocking news content from around the world, reflecting on the current state of the planet and society, and impending doom.

After being announced as support for heavy metal legends Iron Maiden again on their upcoming European tour, and with their first-ever #1 debut on the Official German Album Charts, 2023 was already set to be a game-changing year in the history of LORD OF THE LOST. Then, in March, the Hamburg/St. Pauli based five-piece took part in the German Eurovision Song Contest preliminary rounds with their track “Blood & Glitter” - winning the most public votes by a long shot. Now, the band is prepared to bring its glamorous party combining glam rock and metal to the finals in Liverpool on May 13, 2023.

LORD OF THE LOST on “Forever Lost”:

“With all the hustle that's going on around the band and us as individuals in particular, it felt important to take a step back with the new video for 'Forever Lost'. The video we had planned originally was a completely different one - but we've changed our minds, to put the focus on the things that REALLY matter.”

Watch the Official Music Video for “Forever Lost”

LORD OF THE LOST say to their fans and everyone who took part in the show:

“BLOOD & GLITTER is ‘Our song for Liverpool’!

"THANK YOU for everything! We are not the best band in the world (they already exist), but we are the band with the best fans in the world: YOU!

"Thanks also to everyone who made this show possible. Since there are too many names, summarized: NDR, ARD, Bildergarten TV, everyone orbiting in the orbit of this event and our crew!

"And greatest respect, thanks and love to you: Anica Russo, René Miller, Will Church, Patty Gurdy, Trong, Frida Gold, Lonely Spring and Ikke Hüftgold. From day 1 of the rehearsals, we lived the spirit of the ESC: UNITED BY MUSIC. With each other – not against each other.”

Get Your Copy of 'Blood & Glitter' HERE

On the band’s eighth album, LORD OF THE LOST enter a new era of exciting 70s glam rock visuals, and add a blend of 80s new wave and pop influences as well as gothic and electronic elements to their own, relevant modern metal style, impressing both fans and critics.

LORD OF THE LOST live 2023:

After a full year of touring, including a support tour for Iron Maiden, a headline tour, an acoustic tour, several festival appearances and the band's own Lordfest, LORD OF THE LOST were once again invited by the legendary Iron Maiden to be direct support on their European tour in 2023, beyond major festival and club appearances.

LORD OF THE LOST are:

Chris Harms – Vocals, Guitar

Pi Stoffers – Guitar

Class Grenayde – Bass

Gared Dirge – Piano, Synths, Percussion, Guitar

Niklas Kahl – Drums

OBITUARY Announce the Barely-A-Live-Stream Happening April 22 & 23!

April 4, 2023

"OBITUARY once again show us how this death metal thing is done"

- Kerrang!

"Seethes with vital energy, possessing the spirit of a hungry new band and showcasing the skills of seasoned pros." - Revolver

"They're still one of the heaviest bands on the planet." - Blabbermouth

Florida Death Metal Legends OBITUARY announce the Barely-A-Live-Stream happening from the band’s RedNeckStudio on April 22 & 23!

The band will be performing fan favorites from their historic discography on April 22 and performing their new album 'Dying of Everything' in full on April 23!

'Dying of Everything' is out now on LP/CD/CS/Digital & available directly from Relapse.com HERE or from your favorite local retailer.

Additionally, OBITUARY begin their Spring North America Tour April 28 through late May. Support will be provided by Immolation, Blood Incantation & Ingrown. A full list of tour dates is available below & tickets are on sale now.

“BARELY-A-LIVE-STREAM”

- Back-to-Back Nights -

..from RedNeckStudio in

Tampa, Florida!

•Saturday April 22nd (5pm EST)

*The Hillbilly Bash:

Beer Drinkin’ - Hell Raising’

& Performing the FAN FAVORITE SONGS!

•Sunday April 23rd (5pm EST)

*'Dying Of Everything' - Full Album

STUDIO PERFORMANCE!!!!

TICKETS HERE

OBITUARY TOUR DATES:

North America 2023

w/ immolation, Blood Incantation & Ingrown

Apr 28 Charlotte, NC The Underground

Apr 29 Jacksonville, NC Hooligans Music Hall

Apr 30 Richmond, VA Canal Club

May 01 Baltimore, MD Baltimore Soundstage

May 02 Philadelphia, PA Brooklyn Bowl

May 04 New York, NY Irving Plaza

May 05 Boston, MA The Middle East

May 06 Montreal, QC Theatre Fairmount

May 07 Toronto, ON The Phoenix Concert Theatre

May 09 Chicago, IL Metro

May 10 Minneapolis, MN Fine Line

May 11 Omaha, NE The Waiting Room *

May 12 Englewood, CO Gothic Theatre *

May 13 Salt Lake City, UT The Complex

May 15 Seattle, WA El Corazon

May 16 Portland, OR Hawthorne Theatre

May 18 Berkeley, CA UC Theatre

May 19 Los Angeles, CA The Fonda Theatre

May 20 Mesa, AZ Nile Theater

May 22 Austin, TX Mohawk

May 23 Dallas, TX Granada Theatre

May 24 Houston, TX White Oak Music Hall

May 26 St. Louis, MO Red Flag

May 28 Louisville, KY The Mercury Ballroom

* No Immolation

“OBITUARY is a legendary band, and their latest record is one more reason why they deserve that legendary status.”

- Metal Injection

“'Dying of Everything' is as pure a death metal album as you’ll get in 2023 and that’s a good thing. Long live death and long live OBITUARY!”

- MetalSucks

“'Dying of Everything' wastes no time showing that OBITUARY are only working to further perfect their craft rather than change their formula.”

- Exclaim!

Like Moths to Flames Drop "Predestination Paradox" Video —WATCH

April 4, 2023

U.S. metalcore act Like Moths To Flames have dropped the video for the new single "Predestination Paradox." Watch it below.

It marks the first new music since the 2021-released EP, Pure Like Porcelain.

The song points to an age-old conundrum of human existence — the desire to connect, all the while knowing that a connection can expire without any notice. Despite that potential pain, we still give into the desire to connect.

Musically, the song erupts like volcano, oozing breakdowns and violent vocals.

"I think there are a lot of things that we all commit to, where we know how it will end," says LMTF's Chris Roetter. "This song is meant to portray the experience of learning that almost everything has an inevitable expiration date. We never know how much time we are offered or how much time is left, yet we still immerse ourselves in these deep relationships."

LMTF are currently in the studio working on new material with Carson Slovak and Grant McFarland.

The band is also touring with Currents this spring. All dates are below.

LIKE MOTHS TO FLAMES ON TOUR:
WITH CURRENTS:
5/11 — Worcester, MA — The Palladium
5/12 — New York, NY — Gramercy Theater
5/13 — Toronto, ON — Velvet Underground
5/14 — Detroit, MI — The Shelter
5/16 — Pittsburgh, PA — Enclave
5/17 — Chicago. IL —Bottom Lounge
5/19 — Lawrence, KS — The Bottleneck
5/20 — Denver, CO — Marquis Theater
5/21 — Salt Lake City, UT — Soundwell
5/23 — Sacramento, CA — Goldfields
5/24 — Pomona, CA — Glass House
5/25 — San Diego, CA — Brick By Brick
5/26 — Phoenix, AZ — The Nile Theater
5/27 — Albuquerque, NM — Launchpad
5/28 — Dallas, TX — South Side Music Hall
5/30 — San Antonio, TX — The Rock Box
5/31 — Houston, TX — Warehouse Live
6/2 — Tampa, FL — The Orpheum
6/3 — Atlanta, GA — The Masquerade (Hell)
6/4 — Madison, TN — Eastside Bowl
6/6 — Richmond, VA — The Canal Club
6/7 — Baltimore, MD — Baltimore Soundstage
6/8 — Asbury Park, NJ — Asbury Lanes
6/9 — Philadelphia, PA — The Foundry

VICIOUS RAIN SIGN WITH ARISING EMPIRE

April 4, 2023

Swiss band Vicious Rain — David Häusermann, guitarist and vocalist Mauro Gugerli, guitarist Tristan Meier, bassist Loris De Notaristefano, and drummer Michael Teufelberger — have released their crushing debut single "The Devil & Lovers."

Watch the video

Formed in late 2022, Vicious Rain are an alternative metalcore band hailing from Baden, Switzerland, bringing several years of professional recording and live show experience. They combine influences as intertwined singing/screaming vocals — with a pinch of hope-infused singalongs, screaming melodic leads topped with crushing breakdowns — embracing everything from the heavy side of the genre all the way to the more intimate melodic side. The band's spirit is marked by their shared belief in the importance of solidarity and the role of the individual accomplishment of a common vision. Lyrically, the band expresses their stance on recent and recurring personal matters without mincing their words, believing that self-reflection is the key in order to grow.

The song was co-produced, recorded, mixed and mastered in by Manuel Renner (Senna, Consvmer). "It's a special song for us as it was the first one we wrote together. We immediately found a natural rhythm and flow, and the writing process felt effortless. Our co-producer, Manuel, was an invaluable collaborator, helping us refine the track and bring it to the next level. While Mirko Witzki's stunning visual representation further enhances the song's message and emotion. Overall, creating this song was a fun and enjoyable journey, and we're excited to share it with everyone," says Gugerli.

"'The Devil & Lovers' is a heartfelt song that explores the bittersweet story of two people that share a deep passion and connection, but whose circumstances or timing keep them apart," says David Häusermann. "The song captures the intense emotions of love and longing, while symbolizing the obstacles that can prevent two people from being together. It's a testament to the universal human experience of unfulfilled desire and the struggles we face in pursuing our heart's desires."

For their first release via Arising Empire, the band states "This is an important step in the right direction and it feels good to do it in cooperation with the Arising Empire family. Much excitement and anticipation for our first collaboration!"

New Video + Music From Heart Of A Coward

April 4, 2023

British heavyweights Heart Of A Coward are back with the self-reflective, aggressive track "This Place Only Brings Death," which explores the harsh realities of modern society. The song is out now via Arising Empire!

Watch the video

The band's music combines elements of metalcore, deathcore, and djent. They also draft a balance between heaviness and melody.

Heart Of A Coward released their debut album, Hope and Hindrance, in 2012, which received critical acclaim and helped establish the band's sound and style. They have since released several other albums, including Severance (2013), Deliverance (2015), and The Disconnect (2019).

HEART OF A COWARD ARE:
Kaan Tasan — Vocals
Carl Ayers — Guitar + Vocals
Dan Thornton — Guitar
Vishal "V" Khetia — Bass
Christopher "Noddy" Mansbridge — Drums

New Video + Music From Defocus

April 4, 2023

"mastery of the essentials 7/10" — Metal Hammer

"Modern Metalcore, which qualitatively ranks directly at the top. At the latest, when an ARCHITECTS commemorative 'Blegh' is hurled at you in the first song, it's clear that DEFOCUS are taking their lead from the grandees" — FUZE

DEFOCUS have dropped the new single titled "Let The Bond Be My Grave," which tells the story about how we are all fighting inner demons — and for most of the time, we are fighting them on our own.

Watch the video

Founded by Simon Müller, Jeffrey Uhlmann, Jonas Mahler, and Marcel "Bambam" Heberling, the Aalen quartet spent time making music together before stepping into the light in early 2019. They dropped their debut In The Eye Of Death We Are All The Same.

AFTER THE BURIAL Drop First New Music In 4 Years With Double Single 'Embrace The Infinity'

April 4, 2023

Progressive metal quartet, After The Burial, have released their first new music in 4 years today with the drop of double single 'Embrace The Infinity' which consists of two new tracks - "Nothing Gold" and "Death Keeps Us From Living". Watch the official music video for "Nothing Gold" below and stream both tracks HERE.

Reflecting on the harrowing new single which details the band’s unique experience with the COVID-19 lockdowns, vocalist Anthony Notarmaso reveals

"These songs were written during a hard time in my life. I went to a place that some of us have been before, and some have never come back from. They move on the impermanence of life, that nothing lasts forever and giving in to the loss of control we no longer have when something dear to us ends. But they also remind us that fear, and the past can’t keep us from living.

“After the world turned upside down, like a lot of people, we found ourselves searching for inspiration. Exploring different avenues to express our creativity seemed to leave us lost. Instead, we found solace in going back to our roots and writing what we know and love. These songs are undeniably After The Burial, but with a modern twist. We hope you enjoy this next journey with us."

The new tracks follow 2019’s monolithic effort 'Evergreen', and tackles the familiar themes of isolation, loss, and hopelessness that arise in such uncertain times. However, in true After The Burial fashion, they are brought to life with a healthy dose of resilience and perseverance that is palpable in every sense. The result is a triumphant step forward into the band’s future, set to the backdrop of evocative vocals, intricate guitar riffs, and inventive rhythms that further push the sonic boundaries of their core sound.

Even in crisis, After The Burial managed to craft compelling new music to not only keep the show rolling but provide solace and healing for themselves more than anything else. Today, they are happy to reveal that they have grown exponentially and gained a valuable new perspective.

Perhaps the more vulnerable song of the pair is “Death Keeps Us From Living,” which touches on the painful loss of several loved ones and, in many ways, Notarmaso’s intimate and personal ruminations on his mortality. “Fear will keep you from living your life and going after your dreams,” Notarmaso states. “This song is about healing and moving on. I think that’s why After The Burial is still a band. We’re resilient and all we can do is keep moving forward. If my pain can help even one person, I will make that sacrifice for the rest of my life.”

After The Burial are putting the finishing touches on their yet-to-be-announced seventh studio album, and will soon embark on a massive North American tour with Spiritbox and Intervals. The band will also be appearing at Milwaukee Metal Fest in May. Full routing below. For tickets and more info go to aftertheburial.co

Eternal Blue US Tour

Spritibox, After The Burial and Intervals

4/10 - Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom

4/11 - Seattle, WA @ Neptune Theatre

4/12 - Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater

4/14 - Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades

4/15 - San Diego, CA @ Observatory North Park

4/16 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern

4/17 - Phoenix, AZ @ The Van Buren

4/19 - Denver, CO @ Summit Music Hall

4/21 - Dallas, TX @ Echo Music Hall

4/22 - Austin, TX @ Emo’s

4/23 - Houston, TX @ House of Blues

4/25 - Atlanta, GA @ Buckhead Theatre

4/26 - Orlando, FL @ House of Blues

4/28 - Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore

4/29 - Boston, MA @ House of Blues

4/30 - New York, NY @ Irving Plaza

5/02 - Philadelphia, PA @ TLA

5/04 - Toronto, ON @ The Danforth Music Hall

5/05 - Detroit, MI @ Saint Andrew’s Hall

5/06 - Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues

5/08 - Chicago, IL @ House of Blues

5/10 - Minneapolis, MN @ The Fillmore

Milwaukee Metal Fest

5/26-5/28 - Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave / Eagles Club

The Devil's Trade Reveals New Live Video Collab with John Cxnnor

April 4, 2023

Dark singer-songwriter THE DEVIL'S TRADE has teamed up with industrial noise artist JOHN CXNNOR for the recording of a brand new live album, 'John Cxnnor X The Devil’s Trade - Live at Roadburn!' The album was recorded during the artists' performance at the 2022 edition of Roadburn and will be released on April 21, 2023 via Season of Mist (digital) and Pelagic Records (physical). The new live video for "Three Orphans" can be found below.

Pre-orders are now available via Season of Mist HERE and via Pelagic Records HERE.

For over two decades, Roadburn Festival has been a driving force in the international music scene. The organization, led by artistic director Walter Hoejimakers, commissions special pieces and collaborations under the motto of "Redefining Heaviness" in order to stimulate innovation and creativity in the underground music scene. The convergence of Danish electro-industrial duo John Cxnnor with Hungarian doom-folk artist The Devil’s Trade is one prime example of how powerful these collaborations can be, and those who were present at this already legendary show in Tilburg can attest to that.

THE DEVIL'S TRADE latest release 'The Call of the Iron Peak' can be streamed to in full HERE. The stunning cover artwork, which is created by 'Grindesign,' and other album details can be found below.

The Iron Peak; a mystical place where one once found his long lost peace total silence and home. Where he would return when his time to come to pass away. A place that has became a materialization of everlasting freedom cut from society and all earthly struggles. As ancient beliefs says heaven is a place where we found peace with our loved ones in life the Iron Peak is some kind of heaven.

Listen to the call of the Iron Peak as it is calling for you to find your true self in a world you want to be isolated from. It is calling for you to make peace with yourself, with the inevitable end. It is calling for Hungarian singer-songwriter Dávid Makó, who redefined himself as THE DEVIL'S TRADE a few years ago, embarking on a long journey with his deeply personal and dark, sometimes doom infused folk songs.

Be it the folk of the Appalachians, the tales of Hungarian and Transylvanian traditionals, THE DEVIL'S TRADE fuses his past of metal and his roots laying deep in the folk songs of his immediate surroundings.

Very much like how the Iron Peak, a mountaintop both metaphorical and literal is calling for Makó, he is calling for you to share his rituals of loves and hopes lost and found along the pilgrimage of his. It is after all, the journey itself that matters the most, and how you adapt. From basements in his hometown of Budapest, to all corners of Europe, stages small and big, THE DEVIL'S TRADEhas been relentlessly walking on his path finding his voice and calling, and that is to let listeners to glimpse into himself through his heart wrenching songs.

His new album, and his debut for Season of Mist, titled 'The Call of the Iron Peak' will be released on August 28th 2020, preceded by a tour in April 2021 alongside UK singer-songwriter Darkher and Swedish neofolk/ambient artist Forndom.

www.facebook.com/TheDevilsTrade
www.thedevilstrade.bandcamp.com
www.youtube.com/user/mdgytdt
www.instagram.com/thedevilstrade

Line-up:
Dávid Makó - vocals, guitars, banjo

Studio: Templom Studio (HU)
Mix/Master: Márton Szabó
Producer: Dávid Makó

Guest musicians:
Márton Szabó, Péter Szabó on drums,
Adam Vincze on spoons and jug in ‘The Call Of The Iron Peak’

Rita Szabó, Kornél Szabó on triangulum in Dead Sister

Cover artwork: Robert Borbas aka Grindesing

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

Available formats:
Digipak
LP in various colours
Digital

THE DEFIANTS Announce New Album, 'Drive', Set for Release on June 9th

April 3, 2023

The Defiants have announced their return with a new album, their third overall, 'Drive' on June 9, 2023 via Frontiers Music Srl.

Formed by Paul Laine, Bruno Ravel, and Rob Marcello, who are all current or former members of beloved rockers Danger Danger, The Defiants' latest opus is yet another impeccable slice of melodic hard rock.

The first single from the album, "Hey Life", is out today!

Watch a Lyric Video for "Hey Life"

Best known for being the D2 vocalist on four studio albums over the course of 12 years, Paul Laine came back to work with his former bandmates Bruno Ravel and Rob Marcello, who are the other two pillars of THE DEFIANTS, for the band’s self-titled debut in 2015.

The guys reunited at the suggestion of Frontiers' President & Head of A&R, Serafino Perugino, who really wanted these current and former Danger Danger members to offer fans of that band some new music. The resulting album was pleasing not only to the D2fans, but also to ALL the fans out there who are into the classic sound of the era from which D2 emerged.

THE DEFIANTS' debut album was greeted with a great acclaim as a glorious return to the “in your face” melodic hard rock that enraptured millions of fans back in the '80s and '90s and is currently enjoying a renaissance here in the 21st century. Within the first two weeks of its release, the album entered Billboard's Heatseekers Chart in the Top 50. Also that same year, the album claimed the #1 position on Classic Rock Magazine’s ranking of best AOR albums of the year.

Their follow up album, 'Zokusho' was released to critical acclaim in 2019 and needless to say, it had all the ingredients to continue to thrill THE DEFIANTS' fans. A BIG melodic rock album with huge choruses, hooks, and soaring guitars and vocals.

Now, after another four year wait between albums, THE DEFIANTS return with 'Drive', perhaps their greatest musical achievement...so far.

Pre-Order / Save 'Drive' HERE

THE DEFIANTS are:

Paul Laine: Vocals

Rob Marcello: Guitar

Bruno Ravel: Bass

Van Romaine: Drums

Written by Paul Laine and Bruno Ravel

Produced by: Bruno Ravel

SHADOW OF INTENT Return To Their Roots Whilst Breaking Some Rules With New Single; "THE MIGRANT"

April 3, 2023

SHADOW OF INTENT, one of the most innovative and revered bands to emerge from the metal world in recent years, have released brand new stand alone single, "The Migrant", today. Stream the new track HERE and watch the stunning accompanying music video below.

Commenting on the bands latest creative output, vocalist Ben Duerr shares

"Shadow Of Intent has always been about experimenting and expressing creativity freely, and making sure to have fun with it. With this song we've continued to do just that, reaching back to our roots and breaking some rules along the way, we made something we think you will definitely enjoy. To our oldest fans, and of course the new, The Migrant."

The new single follows the release of Shadow Of Intent's 2022's full length album, the critically acclaimed 'Elegy' which spawned singles "Of Fury", "Intensified Genocide", "Where Millions Have Come to Die", "From Ruin... We Rise", "Blood In The Sands Of Time" and killer live video for "Saurian King". Metal Injection raved in their 9/10 album review "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" with New Transcendence claiming, in their 9/10 review, that the album sees "Shadow of Intent continuing their growth, maturation and expansion into new territories of heavy music and the alchemy that comes with blending them."

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 100 million streams, 42 million YouTube Views and have 229k monthly listeners on Spotify.

SHADOW OF INTENT kick off a huge run of US touring today with Lorna Shore, Brand of Sacrifice, Bodysnatcher, and Boundaries. Full routing is below. Tickets available from shadowofintent.com

Shadow of Intent W/ Lorna Shore, Brand Of Sacrifice, Bodysnatcher and Boundaries

4/03 Charlotte, SC @ Music Farm

4/05 St. Petersburg, FL @ Jannus Live

4/06 Destin, FL @ Club LA

4/07 New Orleans, LA @ House of Blues

4/08 Little Rock, AR @ The Hall

4/10 Grand Rapids, MI @ The Intersection

4/11 Evansville, IN @ Evansville Coliseum

4/12 Cedar Rapids, IA @ Club 5

4/14 Billings, MT @ Pub Station

4/15 Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory

4/16 Seattle, WA @ Showbox

4/17 Portland, OR @ Peter's Room*

4/19 Denver, CO @ Marquis Theatre*

4/20 Colorado Springs, CO @ The Black Sheep*

4/22 Omaha, NE @ The Waiting Room*

4/23 Joliet, IL @ The Forge*

4/24 Indianapolis, IN @ HI-FI*

4/25 Cleveland, OH @ The Foundry*

4/26 Millvale, PA @ Mr. Smalls*

* = No Lorna Shore

ABOUT SHADOW OF INTENT

Shadow of Intent is an American metal band based in New England originally formed by Ben Duerr and Chris Wiseman in 2014. The band has released four albums independently since inception, including Primordial (2016), Reclaimer (2017), Melancholy (2019) and most recently their latest work Elegy (2022), which charted on Billboard at #4 Top New Artist Albums, #6 Current Hard Music Albums, and #16 on Current Rock Albums and Current Digital Albums.

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, focusing on the many evils in the world, whether myth or real-life events. Different genres of metal including death metal, black metal, symphonic metal, progressive metal, and metalcore are blended masterfully to create the unique sound that is Shadow of Intent.

Since their first live show at the end of 2017, Shadow of Intent have embarked on several US tours with bands such as Cannibal Corpse, The Black Dahlia Murder, Whitechapel, Carnifex, Fleshgod Apocalypse, Born of Osiris, Despised Icon, and more. The band's lineup today consists of Ben Duerr (Vocals), Chris Wiseman (Guitar, Vocals, Keyboards), Bryce Butler (Drums) and Andrew Monias (Bass).

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

Nordic prog-rockers Pennies by the Pound to release 'Nothingside' album with support from Mark Gardener & Rauli 'Rake' Eskolin

April 3, 2023

"One of Finland’s best kept secrets... quite chameleonic. Best known for their British prog-rock stylings, the quartet try a new size on in this current single – synthpop... truly of the 80s, only with a vocal timbre and passion of Marillion" ~ The Spill Magazine

"Big and extravagant.... this is brilliant music for here and now, wherever that may be" ~ Big Takeover Magazine

"A trippy ride... Loads of flair and professionalism from the band" ~ Amplify Music Magazine

"Indeed a wonderful affair... Pennies By the Pound should be on everyone’s radar as a band to watch in future" ~ The Record Stache

Finnish prog rock outfit Pennies By The Pound release their new 'Nothingside' album on April 7 via the Lilith label. A collection of 10 tracks primarily in prog rock territory, 'Nothingside' is a concept album that takes the band's music to a fantastic new realm beyond anything they've released before.

The Helsinki-based band worked with RIDE frontman Mark Gardener, who mastered this record at his OX4 Sound Studio in Oxford, and top national producer Rauli 'Rake' Eskolin, who boasts over a dozen No.1 records in Finland to his name.

Most recently, they shared 'Whispers Under The Willow Tree', a song about longing for the past and regret, which was preceded by the invigorating lead track 'Burning Wish' and 80s-inspired synth-laden single 'The End Times', a song about love gone astray and the consequences thereof, which saw the band depart from their trademark British-style progressive rock output for a one-off synth-pop adventure.

"This album is an abstract story about politics, failed love and the irredeemable bad choices one tends to make in life. I'm not too keen to open it up any further. I'm hoping that keeping it quite open-ended more people can try to fit what's inside their heads into the framework of the story. But, there's three people involved in it, who interact with each other at different times but at the same place - the village, which is the birthplace of all three. And due to circumstances and things happening in the outside world, the village isn't doing that great at the moment," says frontman Johannes Susitaival.

Formed in 2017 by Johannes Susitaival and Vesa Ranta, Pennies by the Pound later expanded with the addition of Tomi Laaksonen and Alexander Meaney. Having written for various bands, Johannes' exploration and passion for alternative and progressive rock led to Pennies' self-produced 'Bloodshed and the Blinding Sunlight' EP in 2018, followed by their critically-acclaimed debut album 'Heat Death of the Universe' in 2020.

As of April 7, the 'Nothingside' LP will be released everywhere digitally, including Apple Music, Spotify and Bandcamp, where the lead singles are already available.

CREDITS
Music & lyrics by Johannes Susitaival
Arranged by Pennies By The Pound and Rauli Eskolin
Johannes Susitaival - vocals, rhythm guitar, drums, keyboards
Vesa Ranta - lead guitar
Alexander Meaney - rhythm guitar
Tomi Laaksonen - bass guitar
Rauli Eskolin - additional keyboards
Produced, recorded and mixed by Rauli Eskolin
Mastered by Mark Gardener at OX4 Sound

Kingsmen Release Their New Album 'Bones Don't Lie' via SharpTone Records + Drop Visualizer For Album Title Track

April 3, 2023

Providence, RI hard rock quartet Kingsmen have today released their new album 'Bones Don't Lie'(via SharpTone Records). The full-length is the band's follow-up to their 2020 LP 'Revenge. Forgiveness. Recovery'. In celebration of today's drop, the band has also unleashed a visualizer for the album's titular track, "Bones Don't Lie". Speaking about the album, vocalist Tanner Guimond commented:

“'Bones Don’t Lie' is an adventure into the human mind and soul. A story of discovery about the inner truth of humanity. The good. The evil. The give and take between the two. With metal and industrial influences highlighting the sonic production of this record; we deliver this to you as a heavy, melodic, and destructive message.“

Leading up to today, Kingsmen have released visual accompaniments for tracks "Trial By Fire", "Bitter Half", "Dead Letter", and "Diamondize". Stream 'Bones Don't Lie' here and watch the visualizer at the thumbnail below.

Kingsmen are currently on the road on the Bones Don't Lie Tour with special guests Rise Among Rivals and Zonezero. For ticket information, please click here.

Bones Don't Lie Tour

April 4 - Toledo, OH @ The Ottawa Tavern

April 5 - Chicago, IL @ Cobra Lounge

April 6 - Indianapolis, IN @ Black Circle

April 7 - Columbus, OH @ Ace Of Cups

April 8 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Black Forge Coffee

ABOUT KINGSMEN:

Like carbon atoms crystallized into precious stone, radiant transformation was clearly an important aspect for vocalist Tanner Guimond, bassist Adam Bakelman, drummer Michael Perrotta, and guitarists Tim Lucier and Nick Gilbert as they set out to craft their forthcoming ten-track offering, Bones Don't Lie. Yet, just as diamonds aren’t formed without a little heat, the metal outfit welcomed a good challenge in the name of personal growth.

Embracing their most experimental outlook to date, the tight-knit group wasted no time stepping outside their comfort zone and even across the country in search of inspiration. Recorded primarily in Los Angeles, California, with a short stop in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Kingsmen took a substantial risk, discarding around twenty-five already mapped-out tracks and arriving at the studio with an almost completely clean slate. Combined with a willingness to soak in their new environment, the band developed the chorus of "Bitter Half" while on a thoughtful drive through Santa Monica, transformed a moving visit to Gettysburg into the poignant theme of comradery in “Trial By Fire”, and along with the guidance of new collaborators Zach Jones (Chelsea Grin, Fever 333, Silent Planet), Josh Strock (Bad Wolves, Pop Evil), and Ricky Armellino (Ice Nine Kills, This or the Apocalypse), effectively hit their stride.

A distinct difference in approach from previous album Revenge. Forgiveness. Recovery, in which the majority of the music was written prior to entering the studio, Bones Don’t Lie stemmed from the back-and-forth teamwork of real-time feedback. For Kingsmen, bouncing ideas around in a room full of friends was an ideal scenario as opposed to “ripping our hair out trying to figure out how to add to an already completed picture.” And, according to Gilbert, it was this “push-and-pull dynamic that kept us creative.”

Setting their sights on achieving what they’ve dubbed a “big metal sound that fills up your whole brain when listening to it between the headphones,” the group had fun bashing steel pipes, hammers, and pickaxes together for a striking industrial feel ("Bones Don’t Lie") and incorporating components such as the glass slide ("No Road Home") for an eerie unsettling atmosphere. Reflecting on his classical training, Guimond even found himself rediscovering a singing voice he felt he had left in the past long ago but was destined to revisit.

The most important unwavering factor, however, was the fighting Kingsmen spirit. Connecting with listeners through universal themes and lyrical stories ranging from championing positivity to coming together in the face of adversity, shining light, and hope into all they do is something the band has no intention of changing.

“To be a kingsman is to be someone that has the courage to endure the worst, but still reflect the best parts of humanity,” Guimond expressed. “So, with all of our songs, that’s what we try and showcase. There’s no way that anyone will go through life without experiencing some terrible things. But to grow from that… to become a better person after the fact is, we believe, one of the true purposes of life. Maybe someday we’ll do something wild like a concept album with ogres and elves. But we really believe that when you’re conveying your emotions through music, it comes across when you’re being honest. So as often as we can, and as many different ways possible, there’s no doubt that you’ll see a lot more of that kind of attitude through our music in the future.”

Kingsmen Are:

Tanner Guimond - Vocals

Tim Lucier - Guitar

Nick Gilbert - Guitar

Adam Bakelman - Bass

Mike Perrotta - Drums

Tanith Share "Olympus By Dawn" Video — WATCH

April 3, 2023

NEW ALBUM VOYAGE OUT APRIL 21 VIA METAL BLADE

New York City's Tanith — Russ Tippins (guitars, vocals), Cindy Maynard(bass, vocals), and Keith Robinson (drums) — previously announced their new album Voyage, out April 21 via Metal Blade. Pre-order it here.

The album was recorded and mastered on 24-track analog tape and has never been digitized from recording to pressing. Also, fans will recognize Tippins from NWOBHM legend Satan.

Today, the band has shared the video for "Olympus By Dawn." Watch it below.

"On 'Olympus,' we were looking for a different dynamic with a clean guitar riff woven around heavy bass and drums," the band says. "The lyric relates the feeling of performing while sleep-deprived, something we experienced on our last tour. With the video, we were trying to reinforce the feeling of the song with a dream-like vibe. We are thrilled with how both the song and video turned out!"

ABOUT TANITH:
There is perhaps no band keeping the spirit and sound of '70s hard rock and heavy metal alive more so than Tanith.

Formed in 2017, the band embraced that era wholeheartedly, resulting in 2019's aptly titled In Another Time, which instantly earned cult status and put them on the map. Now, they return with Voyage, picking up where they left off and once again demonstrating their mastery when it comes to this niche. "I wanted more of the same but different in some marginal way," explains vocalist/guitarist Russ Tippins (also of Satan). "Voyage is the sound of the universe speaking to mankind through the medium of Tanith. Or, if you like, twin-guitar heavy rock with dual singers which, if you grew up in the 1970s, will make you want to bounce over to the nearest record store. On a space hopper."

While their debut came together easily, this time around there were hurdles to overcome, first and foremost the COVID-19 lockdown, which geographically split up the band, Tippins living in the UK while vocalist/bassist Cindy Maynard and drummer Keith Robinson dwelt in Brooklyn. Once life finally returned to "normal" and they were ready to record, they were hit by another bombshell with guitarist Charlie Newton abruptly bowing out of the band the day before tracking began.

"Speaking as one part of a two-guitar band, it felt like trying to fly with one wing," says Tippins. "It happened so suddenly we were dumbstruck. I guess we sat around for a few days thinking he was sure to walk through the door at any moment. But soon enough we realized we'd have to try to find a way to make this record without Charlie and I’m not just talking about laying down his lines. It’s about the shared dream we had with him. The conviction he brought to that dream. The four-way belief now reduced to three."

Returning to Brooklyn's Excello Recording and engineer Hugh Pool — the same combination used for tracking In Another Time — the band produced the album themselves, with Pool mixing. The sessions were a fun time for Tanith, again recording to tape rather than digital and utilizing vintage amps and speakers to find the best possible sounds for the instruments. "Just having the time every day all day to be in the music was a big deal and all of our energy went into this project even after leaving the studio," says Maynard. "We were thinking and breathing the music, constantly working on parts and ideas. We came in well prepared overall, and that gave us time to try out different sounds for different parts to get just the thing we were looking for." Given that they established themselves as a twin-guitar band on their debut they also brought in an extra player, Andee Blacksugar, best known for touring with Peter Murphy and as a member of KMFDM, now also a member of Blondie, who Robinson had played with before.

With the record fully realized, the band are eager for people to hear it, and they are confident that it is worth taking the time to listen to it — and experience it — in all its old school glory. Tippins says, "I can think of only two other rock bands in the entire world right now that records onto 24-track analog tape. If all you've ever known is digitally produced music you really need to listen to Voyage on vinyl and experience the difference. And I'm not talking about vinyl pressed from masters recorded on Pro Tools. At no point from tracking to pressing has any of the music on Voyage been digitized. It will open your eyes."

VENOM INC. - Announce "Better To Reign In Hell" Tour!

April 3, 2023

Extreme Metal pioneers VENOM INC. are proud to announce their return to the U.S. this summer for their "Better To Reign In Hell" tour. The trek will kick off on June 22nd in Dallas Texas and make its way up the west coast performing in Phoenix, San Diego, and Seattle before concluding in Denver on July 9th. Joining the band on the summer run are EXHUMED (6/22-7/2), ACID WITCH, ENFORCED, and WORMWITCH (7/3-7/8).

VENOM INC comments: "Legions of Hell!! Finally rescheduled after our red tape fiasco (Thank you immigration!) now we are ready and on fire!! Standby for intense and all our brutal furious assault!!!! With our amazing support card, there’s no escape now… come join us and lose your mind and remember THERE’S ONLY BLACK!!!!!!!

SEE YOU VERY SOON for PART I"

VENOM INC will be touring in support of their latest offering, There’s Only Black. Their sophomore album is a no-holds-barred assault on bigoted hypocrisy and conformism in today's society, as well as a demonstration of musical superiority delivered by some of the genre's true originators. Watch the video for "There's Only Black" here: https://youtu.be/nB9Rk18Bnfo

Tickets are now on sale for the tour at www.venom-inc.co.uk/events/.

Confirmed dates for VENOM INC's "Better To Reign In Hell" tour with EXHUMED, ACID WITCH, ENFORCED, and WORMWITCH are:
6/22/2023 Trees - Dallas, TX *
6/23/2023 The Rock Box - San Antonio, TX *
6/24/2023 Scout Bar - Houston, TX *
6/25/2023 Jakes Backroom - Lubbock, TX *
6/26/2023 Rock House - El Paso, TX *
6/27/2023 191 Toole - Tucson, AZ *
6/28/2023 Nile - Phoenix, AZ *
6/29/2023 House of Blues - San Diego, CA *
6/30/2023 Whisky - Los Angeles, CA *
7/01/2023 Full Circle Brewing - Fresno, CA *
7/02/2023 DNA Lounge - San Francisco, CA *
7/03/2023 Bossanova Ballroom - Portland, OR **
7/05/2023 El Corazon - Seattle, WA **
7/07/2023 Metro Music Hall - Salt Lake City, UT**
7/08/2023 The Lincoln - Cheyanne, WY **
7/09/2023 Oriental Theater - Denver, CO **
* - EXHUMED
** - WORMWITCH

BUY / LISTEN TO "THERE'S ONLY BLACK" HERE!

ABOUT VENOM INC.

As 2015 swept in it brought with it a solid revival of traditional Metal bands. A chance encounter and request brought and offer to Tony Dolan (Vocalist and Bassist) to reform the lineup of VENOM that had recorded the classic "Prime Evil" album and solid follow-up albums that kept the band very much alive during the onslaught of Grunge and Brit-pop that destroyed all but the most hardy in the early 1990's Metal had suffered at the hands of the new trend but VENOM (with this lineup) refused to alter or die and so continued the legacy that had begun when Jeff Dunn (aka Mantas - Guitar) formed the original band in 1979 and brought the world extreme Metal in the form of the "Welcome To Hell" and "Black Metal" albums.

The albums penned mostly by Dunn, exposed the world to a new way of music taken to the extremes, and with a pinch of darkness and the controversial odor they raised their heads from the grave as if they had always been lying in wait and brought chaos to a neatly formed music industry.

Topped off with the voice of Clive 'Jesus Christ' Archer and later by Cronos and The Demolition Man the band was and still is a force of nature. While others attempt to take credit for all things VENOM the truth is not a hidden mystery but rather written on tablets like the ten commandments but unlike religion, you do not need faith to follow VENOM or their ideas and music but simply ears to hear.

'Somewhere In Time, We Were Born ..' they sing and it has become their mantra. Today's scenes are full of examples taken from this classic band. Images and themes and even a whole genre taking its name from the seminal Black Metal album. The characters were and still are larger than life to fans but it is the music that carries the flame. The true inspiration for all is the dark heavy vibes tinged with a Black and Roll touch.

VENOM INC. began again in 2015 by accident almost and the name was not a choice but given by fans, agents, promoters, etc. On reflection, it is just a matter and fact that this band is true and real and carries the true spirit which began in 1979 and will end their days being that spirit that was lost somewhere over the years. Perhaps it is inevitable for a band to change or grow away from its original intent but every single Legionnaire from the VENOM's Legions knows..their own moment that made them a lifelong fan and so it is to this end that VENOM INC will continue to grow and perform the classics from the legacy with heart and soul and true meaning and will write with this same intent in mind so that new fans too may realize that a real band playing with all they have to give still exists and are still very important in this growing age of digital separation from reality.

VENOM INC. has been touring without pause since its first appearance at KEEP IT TRUE festival in Germany in 2015 and have taken its brand of energy and performance across the globe on many European tours, Asia, the US, all over South and Central America, Hellfest, Bloodstock, Alcatrazz, Wacken are among the countless festivals shows, a special invitation to tour with Glenn Danzig and a special appearance at the Original Misfits show at Chicago’s ‘All State Arena’, as well as Special invited guests by The Metal Allegiance in New York City amongst the list of other things, live is where the band truly live but now it is time for a new album and the writing has not stopped 2021 we shall see the new album and new shows taking the world into its arms once again and embracing it and it's dark heavy soul

BURNING WITCHES Reveals Second New Single, “Unleash The Beast” + Official Music Video!

April 3, 2023

BURNING WITCHES

Reveals Second Single, “Unleash The Beast”

+ Official Music Video | Watch Below!

New Album, 'The Dark Tower',

Out May 5, 2023 via Napalm Records

Pre-Order Your Copy HERE

Your favorite heavy metal force, BURNING WITCHES, have unleashed their newest ounce of mischief with the brand new single “Unleash The Beast”. On this track, roaring, dueling guitars battle each other with top-notch, fast-paced performances while the energy of the song rises to its climax when the sharp voice of singer Laura Guldemondcombines with powerful harmonies. With the song’s bloodthirsty guitars and raspy voices, the head-bopping melodies push fans against walls.

“Unleash The Beast” is the second single off of their upcoming fifth studio album, 'The Dark Tower', out May 5, 2023 via Napalm Records! Throughout their seven-year existence, the chart-cracking five-piece has had an exemplary career - topped by their most famous song, “Hexenhammer” (2 million clicks on YouTube), and strong appearances at Germany's most important metal festivals, like Wacken Open Air and Summer Breeze.

BURNING WITCHES on their single, “Unleash The Beast”:

“We are ecstatic to present you our new single ‘Unleash The Beast’ featuring the skillful Courtney Cox on lead guitar! The frantic track and video got visualized by DREAMFILM FACTORY, who already did an excellent job on our last video. Thanks for the wonderful teamwork and the awesome realization!

"We hope this powerful new track gets everybody even more excited about the release of album no. 5 on the 5th of May!”

BURNING WITCHES set the world ablaze, ushering in a new wave of heavy metal!

On fifteen energetic tracks, BURNING WITCHES ring the bells for a midnight mass in smoky-warm bars. “World On Fire” first gets the listener’s pulse pumping due to the rising tension of flashy guitar work, before melodic six-string solos unite with unbeatable guitar onslaughts and sophisticated drum attacks - underlining conjuring vocal lines that call out for an evening zombie dance! Restless and intense, the fierce women of BURNING WITCHES shred their instruments on 'The Dark Tower' like no other, but with the soft mid-tempo track “Tomorrow”, the witches settle down to gather their strength for just a moment. Bittersweet melodies float up to the sky like weightless feathers, carrying a message of five confident women. Ready again to gradually increase the tempo, “Heart Of Ice” and “Arrow Of Time” ensnare with extravagant guitar tapping and heroic vocals by Laura, while “The Lost Souls” merges devilish staccato and legato riffs, creating an ominous atmosphere amid the bewitching screams of the five Swiss enchantresses.

With their new studio album, BURNING WITCHES not only bring back the glory days of heavy metal, but push it beyond - trapping the soul of each listener with energetic performances on 'The Dark Tower'.

Pre-Order 'The Dark Tower' HERE

The Dark Tower' will be available in the following formats:

=> Wooden Box Edition: Digisleeve, Bonus CD Cardboard Sleeve, Bonus 7" Vinyl in Black & Logo Beanie

=> 2 LP Gatefold Edition in White Red Blue Splatter with Logo Patch & Cover Art Slipmat (strictly limited to 500 copies worldwide)

=> 2 LP Gatefold Edition in Marbled Blue Black – D-Side Logo Etching (strictly limited to 300 copies worldwide)

=> 2 LP Gatefold Edition in Transparent Red – D-Side Logo Etching (strictly limited to 300 copies worldwide)

=> 2 LP Gatefold Edition in Crystal Clear – D-Side Logo Etching (strictly limited to 300 copies worldwide)

=> 2 LP Gatefold Edition in Picture – D-Side Logo Etching (strictly limited to 100 copies worldwide)

=> 2 LP Gatefold Edition in Black – D-Side Logo Etching

=> 6 Page Digisleeve Patch & Signed Booklet (GSA exclusive, strictly limited to 300 copies)

=> 6 Page Digisleeve & Shirt

=> 6 Page Digisleeve

=> Tape Edition - Red with white print

=> Full Digital Album

BURNING WITCHES are:

Laura Guldemond - Vocals

Romana Kalkuhl - Guitars

Larissa Ernst - Guitars

Jeanine Grob - Bass

Lala Frischknecht - Drums

JOHNNY THE BOY Announces New Album, Reveals New Song + Music Video

April 3, 2023

Emerging black 'n' roll trio JOHNNY THE BOY will be debuting its first full length, 'You,' via Season of Mist on June 9, 2023! The band is now sharing its first ever single, "Crossings," along with an eerie music video, which can be viewed on the Season of Mist channel HERE.

Although the band contains members of CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX, the music of JOHNNY THE BOY is not what you'd expect. It's creepy, heavy, dark and full of diabolical black metal screams from none other than Belinda Kordic.
Together with Justin Greaves and Matt Crawford, the band created an album with Bathory style elements, a touch of 'Satyricon BlacknRoll' and a bit of fast Motörhead.

JOHNNY THE BOY comments: “'Crossings.' The act of dying, the final curtain call, sometimes dying alone, the surreal and the nightmares."

Pre-save "You" HERE and pre-order "You" HERE.

JOHNNY THE BOY has done it again.

Sometimes the best ideas come from spontaneity. Sometimes they come from gut instinct. When both happen simultaneously, anything is possible, unimaginable horrors included.

Born from a simple idea, and eventually coalescing over the last couple of years into a fully-formed entity, JOHNNY THE BOY make music that fucking hurts. Armed with a scabrous but sculpted blend of ice-cold black metal, excoriating sludge and sinewy, white-knuckle rock’n’roll, the trio’s musical identity has arrived, perfectly imperfect and ready to eviscerate. Formed around a creative core of vocalist Belinda Kordic, guitarist Justin Greaves (both members of Crippled Black Phoenix) and bassist Matt Crawford (CBP alumnus and live bassist), JOHNNY THE BOY began life as an instinctive grab for something darker and nastier.

“It began at a rehearsal with CBP many, many years ago,” says Greaves. “We were rehearsing down at Arthur’s, where CBP used to practice, and it was during one of those rehearsals that I just got on the guitar, someone else got on the drums and we were just fart-arsing about, with Belinda doing her necro vocals! Then we posted a little clip online and people starting asking, ‘Oh, is this legit?’ Like always, it took fucking years to even think about doing anything, but it was always going to happen.”

“In the background, there’s the fact that in the first band I was ever in, I sang that way,” adds Kordic. “I really missed doing that. We both missed that whole Iron Monkey, Varukers, aggressive side of music. That’s the first way of singing that I loved, and I’ve missed doing it. So we always wanted to do this.”

Brought together by a love of dark, twisted and extreme music and energised by an opportunity to return to the full-bore hostilities of their earlier creative years, JOHNNY THE BOY‘s debut album You is the final proof that the best ideas cannot be stopped. A collaborative effort that brought the evil best out of everyone involved, it’s an album that has been stewed in real blood, sweat and tears. But mainly sweat.

“Justin starting working for me at a venue in our hometown, and there was a mention of doing something called World War,” says Crawford. “We went to our rehearsal room for two days. It was the hottest, most uncomfortable sweatiest room ever, and we were trying to write the coldest, bleakest music you could imagine! So it was horrific, but I think we got five tracks out of those two days. Me and Justin were together in Scunthorpe, and Belinda was working remotely in Sweden, and that was before it was cool!”

One of the songs from that initial batch of JOHNNY THE BOY material was No Regrets: a caustic blast of blackened fury that was mischievously planted at the very end of Crippled Black Phoenix’s acclaimed 2022 full-length Banefyre, almost as a clandestine warning of the darkness to come.

“That was Justin’s idea. When we recorded Banefyre, he said, ‘Why not sneak in and record a JOHNNY THE BOY track?’,” says Kordic. “We did that and No Regrets went on the album, and then Michael at Season Of Mist said he wanted a whole album from us.”

“Yeah, No Regrets played two roles at the same time,” says Greaves. “It was something pretty outlandish at the end of a CBP album, to give everyone a a kick in the bollocks, but it was also our way of saying, ‘We do this other thing, by the way!’”

Not just another “thing”, but an entirely box-fresh (but intrinsically rotten) means of expression, JOHNNY THE BOY conjure a claustrophobic cyclone of serrated-edge riffs and bilious crescendos. Like the outer reaches of the Melvins’ back catalogue pumped backwards through a frosty, Bathory-fuelled prism, with marauding D-beats and moments of oppressive melancholy hurled in for extra impact, You offers a mesmerising blend of the familiar and the unknowable. From the imperious, doomy mantras of Endlessly Senseless to the all-out blitzkrieg of Wired, JOHNNY THE BOY’s warped vision is heavy in every sense.

Meanwhile, bursting out from the abrasive, treacly maelstrom of riffs at all manner of bone-snapping angles, Belinda Kordic’s extraordinary screams and howls elevate every song to a higher level of primitive intensity.
“I truly think that Belinda’s vocals are some of the most more visceral, vicious and spiteful I’ve ever heard,” says Greaves. “I love the opening song, Die Already, it’s just a horrible song. I just love when Belinda’s singing ‘You prick!’ or whatever it is. She’s just spitting venom.”

“It’s all Belinda too,” adds Crawford. “It’s all natural. There’s no studio trickery!”

“When I was recording the vocals in Sweden, at the same studio where we recorded most of the vocals for Banefyre, the engineer asked me ‘Why do you sing like that?’” Kordic recalls. “I just said, ‘It’s instead of crying!’ That’s what I do. I let it out that way.”

In keeping with the rapacious, hateful noise that JOHNNY THE BOY whip up, Kordic’s lyrics are also notable for their direct and destructive rhetoric. A collection of incensed diatribes, everything from the demagogue-baiting Die Already to the poetic grief of closer Without You resounds with gruelling emotional clarity. Eschewing the usual underground metal cliches in favour of harrowing, real world concerns, JOHNNY THE BOY are lunging straight for humanity’s jugular (with a little feline representation thrown in for balance).

“The songs all have different meanings,” Kordic explains. “Die Already is about dictators. Crossings is about how no one should have to die alone. The last song (Without You) is about Tigger, our cat. Wired is about being really neurotic. Druh is about Witold Pilecki who was in the Polish resistance in the Second World War. He got caught on purpose, so that he could get into the concentration camp, so see how the prisoners were being treated. There he discovered what was going on with the Jews, the gypsies, the disabled, and he tried to tell the world. He was a real fucking hero.”

Fuelled by decades of devotion to the infernal musical arts, JOHNNY THE BOYbring something unique and undeniable to the table. You screams its defiance and vitality from first to last, while a sense that Greaves, Kordic and Crawford are sharing an act of profound catharsis with the world is unmistakable. Soon, the band will expand into a full live unit, in order to inflict You’s brutal conflagration on the masses and in the flesh. Most importantly, You burns with a ferocity that simply can’t be faked. Equal parts magick, malice and metal therapy JOHNNY THE BOY ignores the rules and burns the fucking house down.

“This is totally new and it’s exciting,” concludes Greaves. “Everything’s an experiment at this point. But we’re doing it because we needed to rediscover the reason why we all make music in the first place. After a long time in the industry, we’re all very jaded and cynical, but now I can’t wait for the first gigs and seeing all the metalheads’ faces when Belinda comes out and starts screaming. This is going to be fucking great.”

Recording Line-up:
Belinda - Vokillz
Justin Greaves - Guiterrorist & Drumbs
Matt Crawford - Bass Avalanche

Links:
https://www.instagram.com/johnny_the_boy
https://www.facebook.com/JTB444UVO

Recording Studio: Chapel Studios, Lincolnshire UK, Kapsylen Studio, Stockholm Sweden
Mixing: Kurt Ballou @ GodCity Studio, Salem MA. USA.
Mastering: Magnus Lindberg - Magnus Lindberg Productions, Stockholm, Sweden.

Artwork: JOHNNY THE BOY

Biography: Dom Lawson

Photos: Chantik Photography – www.chantik.nl

Shop: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/JTB-You
Pre-save: https://orcd.co/jtbyoupresave

FALSE MEMORIES Announce New Studio Album 'Hybrid Ego System' Set For Release on June 9

April 3, 2023

'Hybrid Ego System' follows the band's last release, 'The Last Night Of Fall', which was composed by guitarist/producer Francesco Savino (Demons Down, T3NORS) and vocalist Rossella Moscatello. The duo also oversaw the creation of the new album, with drummer Emanuele Cossu, guitarist Moreno Palmisano, and new bassist Davide Tavecchia rounding out the line-up.

'Hybrid Ego System' sees FALSE MEMORIES continuing to explore the farthest reaches of dark metal while still exploring their fondness for progressive metal. And as a special treat, legendary vocalist Anette Olzon (The Dark Element, ex-Nightwish) joins the band for a duet with Rossella on the track, "The Storm Inside".

Beginning in 2021, FALSE MEMORIES have enjoyed a burst of creativity and activity that has heightened their profile. First, they released their well received album, 'The Last Night Of Fall', before closing out 2021 with a covers EP, 'Echoes Of A Reflection', where they paid tribute to Lacuna Coil, Paradise Lost, Katatonia, The Gathering, and All About Eve.

2022 would see the band release a special live EP, 'Live Until The Twilight' on all digital music platforms (footage of the band's full performance can be seen on YouTube HERE) and embarking on a European tour with labelmates Semblant. Additionally, vocalist Rossella Moscatello and Francesco Savino contributed their songwriting talents to tracks for their labelmates Revolution Saints' album 'Eagle Flight'. Of course, in 2022 the band also worked on their new album, 'Hybrid Ego System'.

Pre-Order / Save 'False Memories' HERE

FALSE MEMORIES was originally formed in 2015 by guitarist Francesco Savino, who soon started working on original material. In 2016, the band released a self-titled EP which included four original tracks and one cover.

As time progressed, the band’s soundscapes got more mature and headed towards a more goth rock/metal sound. Invigorated by their new sound, the band started to work on its first full-length release, 'Chimerical'. Originally released independently in January 2018, the album featured eight previously unreleased tracks and three of the original songs from the debut EP, for a total of 11 original songs.

In October 2018, singer Rossella Moscatello joined the band and the band eventually released a new edition of the 'Chimerical' album, including three bonus tracks sung by Rossella. The band would then go on to sign with Frontiers Records and release their debut for the label, 'The Last Night Of Fall', in 2021.

FALSE MEMORIES are:

Rossella Moscatello - Vocals

Francesco Savino - Guitars

Moreno Palmisano - Guitars

Davide Tavecchia - Bass

Emanuele Cossu - Drums

Produced by Francesco Savino

Chicago’s THE BELLWETHER SYNDICATE release ‘Golden Age’, the final single from much-anticipated ‘Vigil & Vestige' album (out April 28)

April 3, 2023

"Goth Rock Tornado... hair-raising speed, riff-racing insanity and badass drum/bass force... William Faith‘s edged Goth-infused vocals rumble all over this super-duper sucker-punch steamroller" ~ Turn Up The Volume

"Anything but conventional... the band is one of the most unique dissonant sounds in the scene" ~ Outburn Magazine

“Words so relevant to the time we are living in... Superb... The Bellwether Syndicate is full of brilliant surprises” ~ The Spill Magazine

“The time seems right for a new wave of post-punk to be ushered in... The Bellwether Syndicate is leading the charge” ~ Big Takeover Magazine

"A glittery piece of glamorous darkness...with William Faith’s crooning vocals and Sarah Rose smoothly cascading guitars” ~ Post-Punk.com

Alternative post-punk outfit The Bellwether Syndicate introduce 'Golden Age', the final single from their 'Vestige & Vigil' album, out on April 28 via Sett Records in North America and elsewhere via Nexilis Records / Schubert Music Europe.

With its ethereal atmosphere and haunted vocals, 'Golden Age' warns of getting lost in nostalgia at the cost of the time that remains, yielding an unforgettable shimmering chorus that stays with you. Directed by William Faith, the accompanying video was created by Sarah Rose Faith, Kristen Chiacchia, Hani von Gehenna and William Faith with still images by Bobby Talamine, Kristen Chiacchia and James Currie.

Based in Chicago, The Bellwether Syndicate is William Faith (vox, guitars), Sarah Rose Faith (vox, guitars), Philly Peroxide (keyboards, percussion), Stevyn Grey (drums) and Corey Gorey (guitars). Formerly of seminal goth acts Christian Death, Mephisto Walz and Shadow Project and co-founder of Faith & The Muse, William Faith moved from his native LA to Chicago in 2010, forming The Bellwether Syndicate with Sarah Rose Faith a.k.a. Scary Lady Sarah, one of the scene’s most eminent DJs and club promoters and host of Nocturna, the longest-running goth event in North America.

Six years in the making, the 'Vestige & Vigil' LP was produced by William Faith, whose credits include Jarboe, Clan of Xymox, Bootblacks and Autumn, and Chad Blinman (Face To Face, Faith and The Muse, Jarboe). Recorded by William Faith at 13 Studio in Chicago, it was mixed by Blinman at The Eye Socket. This album comes 9 years after debuting with 'The Night Watch' EP and four years since their latest single, 'Republik'.

"Golden Age' is a rare gift in that I received nearly the entire song in a dream… The beat, the guitar and bass melody, and the chorus lyric were all just there in my head when I woke up and, without saying a word to Sarah, I ran down to the studio to capture it before I lost it," explains William Faith.

"It has a haunting quality which felt very nostalgic to me, so the lyric is really about the danger of getting lost in nostalgia and losing the present as a result. This is a conversation we have a lot, as so many people seem to stop looking ahead, content to rummage through the past. I’ve always said that tomorrow is way more interesting to me than yesterday, so this song warns about getting stuck there. As for the chorus, it’s anyone’s guess what it means, as it’s all a dream!"

This single follows singles 'We All Rise' (a tale of hope and struggle, of inner-courage and rage for what could be), 'Beacons' (its ‘set adrift’ narrative supported by liquid, chorused guitars and distress-signal bass and synth) and the glam-noir lead track 'Dystopian Mirror'.

As of March 31, 'Golden Age' is will be available from all fine digital outlets, including Apple Music, Spotify and Bandcamp, where the other singles can also be found. The full 'Vestige & Vigil' album will be released on April 28.

CREDITS
Written and performed by The Bellwether Syndicate
Produced by William Faith & Chad Blinman
Recorded by William Faith at 13 Studio in Chicago
Mixed by Chad Blinman at The Eye Socket
Additional programming and treatments by Chad Blinman
Mastered by Josh Sebek
William Faith - Vox and guitars
Sarah Rose Faith - Vox and guitars
Corey Gorey - Guitars (live)
Philly Peroxide - Keyboards and percussion (live)
Stevyn Grey - Drums (live)
'Dystopian Mirror' video filmed by William Faith & David Staudacher
'Beacons' video filmed by William Faith & Sarah Rose Faith
'We All Rise' video filmed by Sidney Strong
All videos directed by William Faith

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