IN APHELION (ft. Members of NECROPHOBIC, CRYPTOSIS, etc.) Signs with Century Media, Announces Sophomore Album, 'Reaperdawn'

Aphelion - the point of a planet, comet or any other body in the orbit that is most distant from the sun.

During the bleak and desolate year of 2020, a new creative entity was born within the darkness. Necrophobic guitar duo Sebastian Ramstedt and Johan Bergebäck teamed up with Dutch drummer Marco Prij of Cryptosis to forge brooding and precise sonic hostility under the moniker of IN APHELION.

After releasing a number of singles, the 'Luciferian Age' EP (2021), debut album 'Moribund' (2022), and welcoming bassist Tobias Cristiansson to the lineup, the formation took the natural next step and have now joined forces with Century Media Records, which is already home to NECROPHOBIC and CRYPTOSIS.

IN APHELION is now gearing up to release their sophomore full-length, 'Reaperdawn,' for which more details and new music will be revealed this summer!

Stay tuned...!

Photo by Leo Bergebaeck

Lineup:

Johan Bergebäck - guitars

Tobias Cristiansson - bass

Marco Prij - drums

Sebastian Ramstedt - vocals, guitars

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Smartpunk Records Announce "Smartpunk House" Showcase at SXSW 2024

SMARTPUNK RECORDS ANNOUNCE THEIR ANNUAL SHOWCASE DURING SXSW SMARTPUNK HOUSE ON MARCH 16-17

Free event, all ages, no SXSW badge is required. Doors at 12 PM both days. An option to RSVP is available here.

The free event, featuring over 60 artists ranging from punk to metal and everything in between, will be held at the Empire Garage and Control Room located at 606 E 7th Ave, Austin, TX.

The event will be held on Saturday, March 16th and Sunday, March 17th. 

"This is our 5th year of doing Smartpunk House, and I feel like every year it just gets better and better—closer to the idea that has been growing and building in my head. This showcase is everything I've loved about going to festivals like Plea for Peace or Warped Tour or RiotFest. Getting to partner with amazing companies like SIMS Foundation and MusiCares while listening to incredible artists, getting tattooed or watching someone rip it on a halfpipe? That’s what dreams are made of." - Matt Burns, Label Manager of Smartpunk Records

THE LINEUP (in alphabetical order): Aud Whitson, Big Girl, Bigfoot & The Gregs, Birthday Girl, Bob Nanna, (Braid), Breed, Broken Gold, Current Comfort, Dave Elkins (Mae), Day Aches, Day By Day, Dead Tooth, Debt Neglector, Desert Sharks, Die Spitz, dust, Ekko Astral, FEA, Flowers For Emily, Fugitive, Glare, Glixen, Hellfury, High Waisted, Housewife, Jess Cornelius, Jhariah, Jonah Matranga (Far), Kierston White, Light, Beams, Limbeck, LUNA AURA, Mark Rose (Spitalfield), Matt Pryor (The Get Up Kids), Mean Jeans, NewDad, NYGMA, O., Perennial, Portrayal of Guilt, Proper., Rain On Fridays, Remo Drive, Ritual, Smooth, Brain, Spitalfield, Suck Brick Kid, Sunspite, Sweet Spine, Tear Dungeon, The Belair Lip Bombs, The Brogues, The Color 8, The Dreaded Laramie, They Are Gutting A Body of Water, Tied Up. Trauma Ray. VIJI, Virginity, WAKE, Winona Fighter

ABOUT SMARTPUNK RECORDS:
Smartpunk has been a recognizable name in the scene for a long time (Remember that sponsored Warped Tour stage?!). After exchanging several hands and countless ideas of what it could and should be, they decided to start a record label in 2016 with the main idea of focusing solely on reissuing records that have been out of print or never on vinyl. After all, they're a label of vinyl dorks themselves! After releasing Set Your Goals' Mutiny and Gameface's Good, they started to venture into signing newer bands. They actively balance in between many worlds — putting out amazing music from friends and bands that rock, reissuing older titles, and partnering with other incredible labels in our scene and doing exclusive color variants of their releases.

"Since forming the record label, Smartpunk Records has released timeless albums such as Less Than Jake's Anthem, Nominee's Lowlife, RIVALS' Sad Looks Pretty on Me, Virginity's POPMORTEM, and melodic skate punkers The Swellers' My Everest.

ABBATH Announces North American Tour

The last time Abbath touched his horned-feet on American soil was all the way back in March 2020. No one needs to be reminded of what happened next. Because at long last, the charismatic black metal icon is returning to North America!

Having toured relentlessly across Europe in the glorious wake of his most recent album, the former Immortal frontman is flicking his forked-tongue in devilish anticipation at treating Americans and Canadians alike to songs off Dead Reaver for the very first time. Get ready to raise your horns amidst the charred and sizzling solo of "Dream Cull" and other riff-roaring hits from his legendary crypt. 

The tour starts with a handful of shows in Canada before going on an extended run of dates in the U.S. leading up to Abbath's performances at Dark Lord Day and Maryland Deathfest.  

Local pre-sales start today. Tickets go on sale to the general public tomorrow, Friday, March 1. 

The last time Abbath touched his horned-feet on American soil was all the way back in March 2020. No one needs to be reminded of what happened next. Because at long last, the charismatic black metal icon is returning to North America!

Having toured relentlessly across Europe in the glorious wake of his most recent album, the former Immortal frontman is flicking his forked-tongue in devilish anticipation at treating Americans and Canadians alike to songs off Dead Reaver for the very first time. Get ready to raise your horns amidst the charred and sizzling solo of "Dream Cull" and other riff-roaring hits from his legendary crypt. 

The tour starts with a handful of shows in Canada before going on an extended run of dates in the U.S. leading up to Abbath's performances at Dark Lord Day and Maryland Deathfest.  

Local pre-sales start today. Tickets go on sale to the general public tomorrow, Friday, March 1. 

Praise for Abbath and Dread Reaver
 

"Dread Reaver only further solidifies the fact that we're experiencing the work of the one the greatest songwriters in extreme metal history" - Metal Injection

"Edges the much-loved frontman ever closer to the sweet spot between Bathory, Motörhead, Manowar and Kiss" - Metal Hammer

"Abbath is still locked firmly into the heavy metal mainframe and making some of the most dynamic music of his career" - Blabbermouth

"Black Metal fans will be discussing and analyzing Dread Reaver for years to come" - Outburn

"A fitting reminder that black metal can be fun" - RollingStone

The ravens gaze ominously from above. The seas roar in anticipation. The mountains creak yet again. Abbath’s remarkable new album, Dread Reaver, is upon us all. Two years in the making, Abbath’s third full-length is the culmination of everything before it. A fusion of debut Abbath (2016) and follow-up Outstrider (2019), the aptly titled Dread Reaver extends its fantastical fangs outward and drives its cloven hooves onward. Indeed, there’s nothing like an Abbath record. This is the darkest metal for epic journeys and ancient battles. Comprised of eight riveting tracks and a red-hot cover of Metallica’s “Trapped Under Ice,” Dread Reaver shows Abbath triumphing over all trials and tribulations, riding hard into merciless glory as the one and only “Lemmy of black metal.”
 
Abbath was formed by Olve Eikemo (aka Abbath) in Bergen, Norway, in 2015. After splitting with vaunted extreme metallers Immortal, the beguiling frontman and storied songwriter only had one path: Abbath. Years before, he had proven that venturing out of the Immortal constellation was not only plausible but doable with the I project, a short-lived, one-album (Between Two Worlds) band featuring notable musicians from Immortal, Enslaved, and Gorgoroth. Indeed, once Eikemo was free of Immortal’s shackles, he was able to assemble a cadre of like-minded conspirators for his solo debut album, Abbath. So crucial was Abbath that the Norwegian Embassy in the UK ran a music/culture piece, while in Norway, the album was nominated for a Spellemannprisen (Norwegian Grammy). Metal Hammer Germany even gonged Abbath with its Best Debut award. Follow-up album, Outstrider, was equally lauded. Billboard’s coverage sent shockwaves through the rock/metal scenes, while Kerrang!labeled it “dominating and creative,” awarding it 4Ks. Decibel also heaped praise on Outstrider, giving it the Best New Noise trophy. New album Dread Reaver will yet again lionize Abbath as leader of the frost-bitten pack.

Powered by Abbath’s creative musical imagination, Dread Reaverruns riotously out of the gate. The album’s edifice affords tracks like “Acid Haze,” “Scarred Core,” “The Deep Unbound,” and the album’s closing title track ample room to champion the extremes of black metal, heavy metal, and hard rock. While there are nods to NWOBHM greats, thrash metal’s luminaries, and black metal icons, Dread Reaver is unmistakably Abbath. There is no other fingerprint. Paired with thought-provoking lyrics based on the historical figure of Othryades, Abbath’s new album not only shouts exultant but reads like an ancient pyrrhic tale steeped in violence, sorrow, and grit. The idea of a Dread Reaver—a fearless duelist—can also be read as a metaphor for life’s actions and subsequent struggles. Be warned: Dread Reaver is Abbath at his most menacing and accomplished.
 
Dread Reaver was produced by Endre Kirkesola, Abbath, and Dag Erik Nygaard at Dub Studio in Kristiansand and Bergen Lydstudio, respectively. Kirkesola and Nygaard also engineered. Mixing was performed by Abbath and Kirkesola, while the mastering was done by maestro Maor Appelbaum (Faith No More, Rob Halford) at Maor Appelbaum Mastering in Los Angeles. The goal was to field a storming production that sat firmly at the crossroads of Abbath’s heroes Kiss, Motörhead, Manowar, and Bathory. From the anthemic thrust of opener “Acid Haze” and the epic pound of “Dream Cull” to the rampaging “The Book of Breath” and the wicked cover of Metallica’s “Trapped Under Ice,” Dread Reaver sounds as massive as Norwegian mountain and as fiery as the depths of Hell. Truly, the recording lineup of Abbath (guitar, bass, vocals), Ukri Suvilehto (drums), Ole André Farstad (guitars), and Mia Wallace (bass) found their sonic muse.
 
Abbath and Season of Mist will release Dread Reaver on February 25th, 2022. The album features a Bjørn Stian Bjoarvik (Immortal) cover and will be supported by singles “Dream Cull”, “Dread Reaver” and “The Book of Breath.” Of course, it’ll all be powered by Abbath’s wry, larger-than-life persona. If “Ace of Spades” catapulted Motörhead to fame and notoriety, then Dread Reaver will find Abbath atop extreme metal’s gigantic heap, the spoils of icy blood, scorching sweat, and steely tears at his feet. As “Myrmidon” states, “Die with a smile, stare glassy-eyed up / At boiling skies! / Valkyries descend to gore-caked fen / Fallen warriors arise!” Lightning strikes thrice with Abbath’s incredible Dread Reaver!

Recording line-up: 
Abbath - Guitar, bass & vocals
Ukri Suvilehto - Drums
Ole André Farstad - Lead & acoustic guitars
Mia Wallace - Bass on Acid Haze, Scarred Core, The Deep Unbound & Dread Reaver
Simon Dancaster - Lyrics

Recording studio: Recorded in Dub Studio / Additional recordings: Bergen Lydstudio

Producer / sound engineer: Endre Kirkesola / Dag Erik Nygaard

Mixing studio and engineer: Abbath and Endre Kirkesola

Mastering studio / engineer: Maor Appelbaum at Maor Appelbaum Mastering - California - U.S.A

 
Biography: Chris Dick 

Cover art: Bjørn Stian Bjoarvik / Photos by Francisco Munoz

Links:
www.facebook.com/abbathband
www.abbath.net
www.instagram.com/abbath_official

Merch: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/AbbathDreadReaver

Available formats: Digital, CD digipak, CD digibox, vinyl black and coloured

ATTILA Drop New Single "Timebomb"; Massive Co-Headline Tour With Born Of Osiris Kicking Off Soon

anta's most notorious purveyors of party metalcore, ATTILA, have dropped hard-hitting, mosh-pit-ready new single, "Timebomb" today. Find the new track on streaming platforms HERE and watch the accompanying visualizer Below.

Speaking on the release of their new track, ATTILA frontman, Chris 'Fronz' Fronzak shares

“Time Bomb is about battling your mental demons. As humans, we sometimes feel like we're losing control and can be just one tick away from exploding like a Time Bomb. This is probably my absolute favorite Attila song, both musically and lyrically.“

Today's release of "Timebomb" continues to usher in a huge moment in the evolution of ATTILA songwriting. The new era began in April of 2023 with the release of “Bite Your Tongue” which shocked ATTILA fans around the world with the surprise addition of clean vocals from Fronz for the first time ever on one of the band's tracks. Two further stand-alone singles then followed - "Mia Goth" and "FU4EVR". Between them, the 3 new singles have racked up 8.3 million streams on Spotify alone and 671,000 YouTube views.

These new tracks showcase a new direction for ATTILA, maintaining the band’s signature blend of metalcore, nu metal and deathcore whilst also adding new layers of melodic finesse and instrumental technicality. Proving that even after 15 years, they are still one of the most innovative and prolific forces in the genre.

ATTILA will be hitting the road this year both across USA and Europe for their huge "Angels And Villains" Co-Headline tour with Born Of Osiris. The European leg will run from March 7th through March 31st and will feature special guests Aviana and Crown Magnetar. The US leg will run from April 12th to May 26th with special guests Traitors, Extortionist and Not Enough Space. Tickets for all dates are available here. Full routings below

BORN OF OSIRIS & ATTILA 

THE ANGELS & VILLAINS TOUR 2024

Special Guests:

Traitors, Extortionist and Not Enough Space

04.20.24 Reading, PA @ Reverb

04.21.24 Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom

04.23.24 Richmond, VA @ The Broadberry

04.24.24 Charlotte, NC @ The Underground @ The Fillmore

04.25.24 Nashville, TN @ Brooklyn Bowl

04.26.24 Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse

04.27.24 Tampa, FL @ The Ritz

04.29.24 Baton Rouge, LA @ Varsity Theater

05.01.24 Corpus Christi, TX @ House of Rock

05.03.24 Oklahoma City, OK @ 89th St. Collective

05.04.24 Austin, TX @ Come and Take It Live

05.05.24 San Antonio, TX @ Paper Tiger

05.07.24 Albuquerque, NM @ El Rey Theater

05.08.24 Mesa, AZ @ Nile Theater

05.09.24 San Diego, CA @ House of Blues

05.10.24 Pomona, CA @ The Glass House

05.11.24 Los Angeles, CA @ 1720

05.12.24 San Francisco, CA @ Regency Ballroom

05.14.24 Portland, OR @ Bossanova Ballroom

05.15.24 Seattle, WA @ The Showbox

05.17.24 Salt Lake City, UT @ The Depot

05.18.24 Englewood, CO @ Gothic Theatre

05.20.24 St. Louis, MO @ Red Flag

05.21.24 Lincoln, NE @ Bourbon Theatre

05.22.24 Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theater

05.23.24 Davenport, IA @ Capitol Theater

05.24.24 Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave II

05.25.24 Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge

05.26.24 Pontiac, MI @ The Crofoot Ballroom

Be ready for more from ATTILA coming soon!

ABOUT ATTILA

Chris Fronzak (vocals), Chris Linck (guitar), and Kalan Adam (bass) aka ATTILA have been churning out metalcore anthems for nearly two decades, shaping and defining the genre as they go.

Formed in Atlanta, Georgia in 2005, ATTILA has released eight studio albums, including their infamous 2013 smash hit, "About That Life" which debuted on the Billboard Top 200 at #22. The band are best known for their uniquely aggressive heaviness, their incendiary, high-energy live shows and their tongue-in-cheek, not-giving-a-fuck attitude. Their music has amassed over 270 million streams and they currently have 807k monthly listeners on Spotify alone.

ATTILA has continued to thrive and evolve over the years, cementing their status as one of the most influential bands in the modern metalcore genre. This new era is just another step in their evolution, with plenty more to come.

JUDAS PRIEST ANNOUNCE GLOBAL ALBUM LISTENING PARTY FOR LATEST METAL MASTERPIECE INVINCIBLE SHIELD

There will be a global album listening party for Judas Priest's latest metal masterpiece, Invincible Shield, on Thursday, March 7th at various metal bars in 30 cities around the world.  See list below - and check your local metal bar for exact time and details, many of which will also be offering giveaways and custom Judas Priest-themed cocktails for their event.
 
If you live near Daytona Beach, you will be able to experience a special Judas Priest pop-up shop on Saturday, March 9th from 3-5pm at Atlantic Sounds, which will be operating out of a custom Judas Priest military combat truck – “an invincible shield on wheels” – playing the album to the 500K+ attendees at Daytona Bike Week.  Harley Davidson will be leading a 100-biker brigade from Orlando to Daytona at 9AM ET.
 
Fans can also find the truck and brigade at the Daytona International Speedway for a special parade lap at 12PM ET before the Daytona 200.  Come celebrate the release of Invincible Shield with your fellow headbangers!

Invincible Shield listening parties happening at these fine metal bars:
AACHEN, GE - SCHLÜSSELLOCH
ATLANTA, GA - BOGGS SOCIAL
AUGSBURG, GE - SPECTRUM
AUSTIN, TX - THE LOST WELL
BANGOR, ME - GENO’S ROCK CLUB
BERLIN, GE – HALFORD
BROOKLYN, NY - ROCKA ROLLA
BUENOS AIRES, AR – STRUMMER BAR
CHICAGO, IL - LIAR’S CLUB
DENVER, CO – TRVE BREWING
HOUSTON, TX - BRASH BREWING
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - BLACK CIRCLE
LONDON, UK - THE BLACK HEART
LOS ANGELES, CA - RAINBOW BAR & GRILL
MAGDEBURG, GE - FLOWERPOWER
MEPEN, GE - ALTE WÄSCHEREI
MILAN, IT - HEADBANGER’S PUB
MONTREAL, CA - MUTOÏDE MICROBRASSERIE
NERSINGEN, GE - ROCKS
ORLANDO, FL - DIRTY LAUNDRY
PARIS, FR - DR. FEELGOOD’S
PROVIDENCE, RI - THE SCURVY DOG
RICHMOND, VA - COBRA CABANA
SAN ANTONIO, TX - BONDS 007
ST. LOUIS, MO - HEADLESS BAT
STOCKHOLM, SE - GARLIC & SHOTS
TORONTO, CA - BOVINE SEX CLUB
UETZE, GE (HANOVER) - FARMER’S INN
VIENNA, AT - U4 CLUB
WASHINGTON, DC - SLASH RUN

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Born of Osiris Release New Single + Visualizer "A Mind Short Circuiting" via Sumerian Records

Born of Osiris has today released their new single "A Mind Short Circuiting" and the official visualizer (via Sumerian Records). Speaking about the track, the band shared:

“'A Mind Short Circuiting' embodies the essence of our roots. The combination of ethereal melodies with down-tuned guitars has helped inspire lyrics that evoke darker emotions. We are sure that our OG fans will appreciate this one.”

Prior to today, the band dropped "Torchbearer", the first single and music video since the release of their smash-hit 2021 album 'Angel or Alien'. Stream "A Mind Short Circuiting" here, and watch the visualizer below.

North American fans have their chance to see the band's incredible live show on the upcoming Angels & Villains Tour, co-headlining with Attila and with Traitors, Extortionist, and Not Enough Space as support. For ticket information please click here, and be sure to stay tuned for more Born of Osiris news coming very soon.

The Angels & Villains Tour USA 2024:

4/12 - Louisville, KY @ Mercury Ballroom

4/13 - Fort Wayne, IN @ Piere’s Entertainment Center

4/14 - Columbus, OH @ King of Clubs

4/15 - Buffalo, NY @ Iron Works

4/16 - New Kensington, PA @ Preserving Underground

4/18 - Worcester, MA @ The Palladium (Upstairs)

4/19 - Brooklyn, NY @ The Brooklyn Monarch

4/20 - Reading, PA @ Reverb

4/21 - Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom

4/23 - Richmond, VA @ The Broadberry

4/24 - Charlotte, NC @ The Underground

4/25 - Nashville, TN @ Brooklyn Bowl

4/26 - Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse

4/27 - Tampa, FL @ The Ritz

4/29 - Baton Rouge, LA @ Varsity Theater

5/01 - Corpus Christi, TX @ House of Rock

5/03 - Oklahoma City, OK @ 89th St. Collective

5/04 - Austin, TX @ Come and Take It Live

5/05 - San Antonio, TX @ Paper Tiger

5/07 - Albuquerque, NM @ El Rey Theater

5/08 - Mesa, AZ @ Nile Theater

5/09 - San Diego, CA @ House of Blues

5/10 - Pomona, CA @ The Glass House

5/11 - Los Angeles, CA @ 1720

5/12 - San Francisco, CA @ Regency Ballroom

5/14 - Portland, OR @ Bossanova Ballroom

5/15 - Seattle, WA @ The Showbox

5/17 - Salt Lake City, UT @ The Depot

5/18 - Englewood, CO @ Gothic Theatre

5/20 - St. Lous, MO @ Red Flag

5/21 - Lincoln, NE @ Bourbon Theatre

5/22 - Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theater

5/23 - Davenport, IA @ Capitol Theater

5/24 - Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave II

5/25 - Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge

5/26 - Pontiac, MI @ Crofoot Ballroom

Necrowretch Release Ruthless New Video

Since their creation, Necrowretch have proudly carried the mark of the beast. A decade ago, these devil worshippers emerged alongside the old school death metal revival. But their new album casts the French band in a bigger, blacker and more Satanic mold.

"Any move toward what's considered true black metal is a good thing and Necrowretch stride with furious momentum in that particular direction", writes Black Metal Terror. "These are the fabled days of world end and I can think of no finer record to track the sound of it all than Swords of Dajjal". 

Swords of Dajjal is out now. To celebrate the mass fanfare that has greeted their latest offering, today, Necrowretch are releasing a new video for one of the album's deeper cuts. 

Watch the raw and ruthless video for "Vae Victis" below.

Order: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/NecrowretchSwords

Stream: https://orcd.co/necrowretchswordsofdajjal

While forged with newfound mysticism, Swords of Dajjal was drawn from real life experience. Living in Turkey during the tail end of the last decade inspired Necrowretch's lead swordsmith Vlad to create their new album in the splitting image of the Antichrist. Each song warns of a harrowing prophecy brought down by Dajjal, who reigns fire over "Vae Victis".

"Woe to the vanquish!" snaps Vlad, brandishing his pale but bloodied fangs.   

Indeed, "Vae Victis" is pure savagery. The blast beats waste no time, galloping ahead like the horsemen of the apocalypse through a sandstorm. But Necrowretch can slice and dice from all angles. Walls of trembling, melodic distortion close in, only for the band to sneak up and crush you with a headbanging riff that swings with all the brute force of a scepter.     
 
"Malheur aux vaincus!" Vlad says in greetings of his band's new single. "History testifies that only the strongest survive and that prophetic wisdom still continues in the world we are living in. 'Vae Victis' is based on the story of the sack of Rome in 390 BC, where the Gauls defeated the Romans and imposed their conditions on the vanquished. In torment and disgrace, only the ruthless man, the survivor, can become a king. In chaos and torment, only the lawless man, the compeller, can become the bestower of Life and Death".

The video for "Vae Victis" was filmed in Paris. It was edited and directed by Mounir Chraibi. 

Photo by Léonor Ananké

Praise for Necrowretch and Swords of Dajjal

"At times darkly oppressive and threatening, at others brutally crushing, it is a great record" - Angry Metal Guy 4/5

"A rare union of conception and achievement" - No Clean Singing. 

"The vocals are both theatric and hard-hitting. The drumming is insane. A great mix between tremolo riffs and chugs". - Thralls of Metal (4.5 stars) 

"A banger of a release...expertly straddles along the lines of black and death metal" - The Metal Pit (9/10)

"Turns out they're not actually your regular blackened death band after all, but something even more sinister" - Metal Storm

"Dynamic blackened death metal...embraces melody and blends it with pure savagery" - Teeth of the Divine

"A raw, primitive and relentless sound with absolutely manical percussion and possessed singer Vlad's beastial screams" - Kerrang! 

"They charge blastbeats and hurl guitars and the kitchen sink at listeners, and that is almost always certain to attract fans of kvtl metal" - Echoes and Dust

"Speedy, razor-sharp display of blackened death metal mayhem that is as entertaining on a tenth listen as it is on the first" - Heavy Blog is Heavy 

"Filled with enough hate, putrefaction and sorrow to fill a deep inferno of black, deathly abyss" - V13

"They approach their ghoulish task with considerably more gusto (and know-how) than many of their peers" - Pitchfork

Now entering their fifteenth year as a band, France’s Necrowretchare about to open the most ambitious chapter of their career with Swords Of Dajjal, their three-years-in-the-making fifth album.

Initially the sole work of multi-instrument and vision leader Vlad, the band was - for better and for worse - lumped in the ‘old school deathmetal revival’ of the early 10’s. Yet while their debut Putrid Death Sorcery did indeed  bear all the usual suspects of said genre, it nevertheless already had that extra, raw-as-fuck and just plain vicious element that really set them apart from the rest of the pack. Conforming to the norm was never in question and instead of selling out or trying to slow things down, as true misfits as they are, they went the exact opposite direction, first with 2015’sWith Serpents Scourge, only to be vigorously confirmed by its furiousfollow-up, and their first for Season Of Mist, 2017’s Satanic Slavery. To the point where once the touring cycle was over for the latter, Vlad himself felt he had explored this direction as far as he could have and that changes were on the horizon.

“On Satanic Slavery we on purpose took things as far as we could, as our goal was to deliver the most bestial album possible. But once we achieved that goal, I knew we had to take a slightly different if still as uncompromised direction.” Incidentally, that’s when Wenceslas Carrieu from Cadaveric FUMES entered the picture, first as a momentary live session on bass. But when second stringer Kev Desecrator vowed to amicably part way with the band to focus on DESTRÖYER 666, he switched to six-strings and proved to be the valuable songwriting partner Vlad had been looking for since thedeparture of the band original bass player Amphycion in 2015. “Heimmediately came up with lots of ideas and thanks to him, we now have a whole new dynamic: a bit like Sepultura had back in the days in between Max Cavalera and Andreas Kisser, with me focusing now on my vocals and playing rhythm guitars while Wenceslas takes care of all the solos, the starting riffs and the off-the-map bits.

With their fourth album, and first with Wencelas, The Ones From Hell was only one month old when Necrowretch was about to tour Europe with both Kampfar and Taake for three weeks. A tour bus was booked, the set was well-rehearsed, everything was ready and then... disaster struck. “Six days before we were due to play our first show, the whole thing was cancelled. Then COVID hit us and the world was basically shut down. We were numbfor a couple of days but soon realized that the best way to bounce back was to move forward so we instantly started working on new songs.” The result is Swords Of Dajjal by far, their biggest, boldest and most ambitious production ever.

“We spent no less than three years working on the songs, demoeing them and fine-tuning the details and rehearsing them as a three-piece and six weeks in the studio with Francis Caste (Hangman's Chair, REGARDE LES HOMMES TOMBER, Svart Crown etc.). Prior to that, we used to be a pure product of the underground, with albums done in just a couple of days whom were never 100% satisfied with in the end as we had to rush everything. We’re still very underground, mind you. But this time around, we knew we had to give it all, no matter what. So we started by changing our gear, our sound and our tuning. And once we entered the studio, we forinstance spent a whole day just testing different amps just to get the right sound and crunch we were looking for. I even took some singing lessons to gain more depth and power. In a way, it almost feels like a whole new band.”

The whole record was written on purpose mostly on acoustic twelve-string guitars (“the idea was that if it sounds good and catchy that way, it’d be even better with distortion”) and as a three-piece, “something we hadn’t done in a long time” with their new drummer Nicolas Ferrero, not exactly a newcomer as he’s been playing on and off live with them since 2018. The result is, according to Vlad, “our most black metal record, with splashes of death metal here and there. Whereas on the previous album all tempos were pushed to the extreme, there’s far more variety here to be found. It also gave us free reins to reach a more mystical, Biblical if you will vibe” fed by his experience living in Turkey in the late 10’s. “We choose to focus onthe Dajjal character, basically the antichrist in the Muslim religion. The Coran says that he’ll appear as a false prophet only to bring doom to this world, with an army of demons coming from the east.” Represented on the cover of the album with his double edged sword and bathed in the same kind of reddish and orangey mesmerizing lights one can experience when the sun sets on wind-beaten deserts, all eight songs on the album are prophecies, past and future, where Dajjal plays the leading role.

Now completed on bass by R. Cadaver (former Cadaveric Fumes vocalist) who officially joined once the recording was done after playing as a live session member for the last two years, and armed with their biggest, most complex and intense album of their career, Necrowretch are about to yield their sword of destruction and exterminate everything in sight.

Lineup
Vlad - Vocals, Guitars
W. Cadaver - Lead Guitars
R. Cadaver (Live) - Bass
N. Destroyer - Drums

Recording Studio       
Studio Sainte Marthe, Paris

Sound, Mixing & Mastering Engineer
Francis Caste

Cover Art
Stefan Thanneur / Manifeste

Photography
Léonor Ananké

Biography
​​​​​Olivier Zoltar Badin

Stream: https://orcd.co/necrowretchswordsofdajjal

Order: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/NecrowretchSwords
Booking
necrowretch@gmail.com

Links:
Official Website: https://necrowretch.net/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Necrowretch
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/necrowretch
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/intl-fr/artist/0cIx910hgtpgvicBJv3ybq
Bandcamp: https://necrowretch.bandcamp.com/

Available Formats:
CD Digipak
CD Digipak + Exclusive Woven Patch w/ Red Merrow Border
Digital Download
12" Vinyl Gatefold - Black
12" Coloured Vinyl Gatefold - Transparent Yellow
12" Coloured Vinyl Gatefold - Crystal Clear, Yellow & Black Marbled

"Ones to Watch" + Complex Fave Hunter Oliveri Shares "Stranger" Video

Hunter Oliveri, the 18-year-old talent recently tipped by Ones to Watch and COMPLEX, has shared another new single.

Today, he drops the visually trippy video for the powerfully self-aware track "Stranger." Watch it below.

"'Stranger' is basically about being pulled from the closest people in your life without really realizing it," Oliveri says. "I thought I was in the happiest relationship of my life but slowly started to realize I was drifting away from friends and family and people who really cared about me. Friends became distant and it's almost a message to people who cared about me the most. It's like 'I've been a stranger' to those people."

Last year, Oliveri released "Dumb," his debut single for new label Spinefarm. He followed it with the video "Spiraling Out." Watch it here. 

ABOUT HUNTER OLIVERI:
So what else do you need to know about Hunter Oliveri, whose previous single "Kids" was tipped by Pigeons + Planes? Plenty!
 
His songs channel the alternative and grunge blueprint of his musical heroes — like Chris Cornell and Soundgarden, Billy Corgan and the Smashing Pumpkins — imbued with the playful opaqueness of Kurt Cobain's lyricism and the easy slacker hooks of Weezer.
 
Like all of Oliveri's music, it speaks to the messiness of growing up. It sounds exactly like that, too. He simply writes what he knows.
 
There are songs about partying too hard and songs about loving too much; songs about last night's headrush highs and the morning-after's anxious comedown. There are songs for when you seek the comfort of relatability, and there are songs for when you want to simply say "fuck it all."
 
They are the product of the humble authenticity of someone who's grown up in a place no different to a million others the world over. Most have never heard of Paso Robles, CA, and might never again. There's sunshine, strip malls, and vineyards that outnumber venues ten to one, where the nearby underground music scene of San Luis Obispo a few miles down the road is more accessible than anything resembling the bright lights of L.A. two hours to the south or San Francisco up north. "It's a boring city, but we make the most of it," Oliveri shrugs. "We'll go skating, or hang out and smoke. And anyway, it's fun to go moshing in someone's basement."
 
It's no surprise, then, that Oliveri is used to creating more interesting scenes than those that existed outside his window. As a kid, he would do so in the stories he dreamt up in his bedroom. "I like writing stories about worlds I'd want to live in," he says, "which made my own world seem so much bigger."
 
Such creativity inevitably morphed into songwriting in his early teenage years — though music had long since embedded itself within him. "I was probably four years old when I first heard 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' around my parents’ house," he recalls of music's omnipresence in his life. "I never knew the name of the song but every time I heard it, I'd be like, shit, it's that song. It would give me this majestic feeling." He laughs that his mom holds a video recording of her son gamely plucking through a rendition of a Metallica song (it was the epic "One") at his Kindergarten graduation performance. His dad — an avid fan of Korn and Tool — meanwhile tells him that his parents met at Woodstock; not the peace-and-love of Woodstock '69, but, more aptly, the confusion-and-chaos of Woodstock '99.

A chance meeting at age 14 with a local producer's father while in a coffee shop with his grandpa was the first domino to fall in Oliveri's music story. The rest is a history still to be written. "I've been so incredibly lucky, but I've manifested this, too," he says. "I've always known writing music would be my life. I just had to make it happen. It was hard to find kids around my city that played instruments and wanted to be in a band, but I've been writing songs every day in my bedroom since I was maybe 13 years old. It takes me to a different place."
 
Those songs are anthems for those disassociated with the world on their doorstep, the soundtrack to growing up marooned inside a digital world that Oliveri speaks of with disdain as "rotting people’s brains."
 
"I want to bring people into my world through my music," he adds. "I want people to feel something when they listen to my music, and to relate to me, and for me to be a friend and an outlet for them."
 
And as for everything else?
 
Well, he'll figure it out as he goes.

FOLLOW HUNTER OLIVERI ON TIK TOK

ABOUT SPINEFARM:
Spinefarm represents some of the biggest and most important rock acts in the world. Founded in Finland in 1990, the label established itself as an independent powerhouse for successful European metal acts from Nightwish to Children Of Bodom. Acquired by UMG in 2002, Spinefarm Music Group is now home to a host of artists that reach millions of fans across the globe and showcases the very best in rock, punk and metal. From massive metal names such as Bullet For My Valentine (with over 3 billion streams to their name) to alt-rock legends Killing Joke and genre-benders Sleep Token, Spinefarm's artists are — and always have been —true leaders in their chosen field. The roster also includes renowned names like Atreyu, Airbourne, Saint Asonia, and While She Sleeps, as well as fast-rising young artists like Dayseeker, Dead Poet Society, Kid Kapichi, BRKN LOVE, and Creeper. Spinefarm, now flanked by associated SMG labels Candlelight (Emperor, Ihsahn, Urne) and Snakefarm (Marty Stuart, Austin Meade, The White Buffalo), has grown from its independent origins into a true global rock powerhouse.

Thornhill Share "Obsession" Video

Oozing with sultry melodics and sweltering riffs, the brand new single "Obsession" from Melbourne rockers Thornhill, out today via UNFD, is a sharpened delight.

Welding the rugged sensuality of Deftones together with Thornhill's trademark beaming charisma, "Obsession" transcends into decadent waters, with vocalist Jacob Charlton unleashing on narcissistic desires against a primal sonic backdrop.

Watch the video Below.

"'Obsession' focuses on a narcissistic inner monologue, insistent on having what they want," the band shares. "Oozing lies and pleas at the distress of an old lover, they project their desires at the cost of their own 'life.'"

Eternal purveyors of artful and engaging heavy creations, Thornhill have always possessed a flair for nuanced rock beyond their influences. Via their ARIA Award-nominated 2022 album Heroine, Thornhill solidified an undeniable reputation as one of the most innovative and immersive heavy acts in the Australian scene. Debuting at #3 on the ARIA Album chart, Heroine also debuted at #1 on the Australian Album chart, and has since had more than 8.5 million streams to date.

Ticking off a huge year in 2023, including a mammoth North American run supporting The Plot In You, touring Europe alongside Holding Absence and a performance in the UK for Radar Fest alongside Sleep Token, Monuments, and many more, Thornhill have also amassed a heaving array of accolades over the years, including triple j's Feature Album and additions to countless "Best Of" year-end listings for their 2019 release The Dark Pool, with the 2019 full-length now in command of over 50 million streams.

Armed with new music in 2024, Thornhill kicked off the year supporting Silent Planet on extensive North American run, and will join fellow Aussie heavies Polaris on tour in the UK and Europe starting next month. And fans can catch even more Thornhill action this week, with the group's 2017 single "Limbo" officially featuring on the latest episode of the American ABC police procedural drama The Rookie, airing this week in the U.S.

The Damned Announce May + June USA Tour With The Return Of Rat Scabies!

THE DAMNED ANNOUNCE USA TOUR WITH THE RETURN OF RAT SCABIES FOR MAY + JUNE 2024

TICKETS GO ON SALE FRIDAY MARCH 1

Today, music pioneers The Damned announce a 10-date, USA tour for May and June 2024, bringing their '80s line-up back together with the return of Rat Scabies for the first time in America in 35 years!

David Vanian, Captain Sensible, Rat Scabies, and Paul Gray will play shows across the USA, the first time this line-up has played together since 1989. The band will open in Toronto and finish up at Portland. Tickets go on general sale on Friday, March 1.

This tour welcomes Rat Scabies back to the stage, who has rejoined the band for tours, festivals, and more in 2024. One of the original founding members, The Damned drummer Scabies puts it simply — ‘"Be careful what you wish for.’"

Revisiting the music from their '80s line-up, audiences can expect songs from Machine Gun Etiquette, The Black Album, and Strawberries, as well as The Damned fan-favorite tracks like "Neat Neat Neat," "‘New Rose," and more.

47 years after releasing their groundbreaking debut, Damned Damned Damned, The Damned released their twelfth studio album Darkadelic earlier this year, reaching the Top 10 in the UK Albums Chart.

ABOUT THE DAMNED:
Following their formation in 1976, The Damned became the first UK punk band to officially release a single, "New Rose," and an album Damned Damned Damned. With 12 studio albums and several UK chart singles, the band is a pioneer who emerged from the London punk scene, earning an ever-expanding fan base fuelled by legendary live shows. Their dark lyrics and Dave Vanian's rich baritone vocals also catapulted The Damned to the forefront of the Goth-Rock Genre. The Damned of today defy any categorisation and the ease of which songs from all phases of their career fit together in this ground-breaking spectacle is absolute proof.

THE DAMNED ARE:
Dave Vanian — Vocals
Captain Sensible — Guitar
Rat Scabies — Drums
Paul Gray — Bass
Monty Oxymoron — Keyboards

SYK Release First Single Off New Album

syk defy convention. Since 2013, the Italian band have transcended mere labels by forging a progressive and blackened bent on death metal. Their new album, eartHFlesh, puts them on the frontier of extreme metal by challenging any and all conventions.

Watch the eerie yet pummeling video for the album's title track below.

eartHFlesh comes out May 10 on Season of Mist.

Pre-order: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/sykeartHFlesh
Pre-save: https://orcd.co/sykearthfleshpresave

"eartHFlesh" emerges as a raw rebuke. 7-string riffs ring out like a broken fire alarm before Stefano Ferrian digs into a dark and ominous death growl. "Nothing but lies, the theater goes on and on", he screams over a blast beats that whirl with the controlled rage of an inferno.

"'eartHFlesh' is about all of us and how decadence permeates our world, often manifested through brutal violence", Stefano says. "We’re in a time of transition, where evil is mostly manifested through power. The same power that's promoting ignorance degrades our planet, killing the importance of being an individual instead of a passive citizen.

Even when the song breaks from its djenty chug with eerie melodic dissonance, syk are still relentless in their scorn.

"Things will never change if we don't feel the urgency of our responsibility as humans of what we’re creating around us."

syk is a metal band that came into existence in 2013 when Stefano Ferrian and Federico De Bernardi di Valserra decided to embark on a new musical venture following the disbandment of their previous project, .psychofagist. They were soon joined by the immensely talented vocalist Dalila Kayros, whose vocal skills left a deep impression on the band during live performances.

In May 2014, syk released their debut album titled Atoma through L'Inphantile Collective. The album caught the attention of Philip H Anselmo from Housecore Records, who not only expressed his appreciation for the band's work but also offered them a deal for their second album. This second album, titled I-Optikon, was released on December 2, 2016, and was produced by Philip H Anselmo himself. The album was notable for its technical compositions that offered a unique and unparalleled listening experience, as Metal Trenches aptly described it.

Following the release of their second album, the band welcomed their long-time friend Marcello Cravini as a permanent member, taking on the role of the second guitarist. syk subsequently embarked on extensive tours across Europe in 2017 and 2018 and had the honour of being the official support act for GODFLESH during their Italian/Slovenian run in May 2018. Additionally, they also participated in the prestigious Roadburn Festival in the same year, further cementing their reputation as a promising metal act.

In 2019, Federico made the difficult decision to leave the band due to personal reasons, and shortly after, the global pandemic hit, disrupting the band's search for a new drummer. However, towards the end of 2020, Mauro Maraldo joined syk as their new drummer, and with their lineup complete, they wasted no time in entering the studio to record their third album. This album, titled Pyramiden, was released on March 11th, 2022, through Housecore Records/Nuclear Blast. The album's distinct and powerful character earned syk high praise, with MetalheadCommunity recognizing them as one of the most promising metal acts of the time.
 
Pyramiden received further acclaim when it was included in the ProgSpace Awards 2022 under the category of 'Album of the Year 2022/Extreme Prog Category', alongside esteemed acts like Fallujah, Allegaeon, Cult of Luna, and Conjurer. Unfortunately, soon after the album's release, both Mauro and Dalila had to depart from the band due to personal reasons.

However, syk, known for their sonic evolution, decided to press on. Founding members Stefano and Marcello continued working on their fourth album while actively searching for new members. Alan La Roca joined the band as the bass player, solidifying the lineup, but the search for a drummer remained a challenge. It wasn't until Federico Leone answered their call that the band found their new drummer. With the lineup in place consisting of Stefano Ferrian as the new frontman, guitarist, and main songwriter, Marcello Cravini on guitars, Alan La Roca on bass, and Federico Leone on drums, syk took on a new form.

In early 2023, syk caught the attention of Season Of Mist, who signed them for the release of their fourth album, eartHFlesh. This album not only marks the band's latest offering but also signifies their first decade as a band. With a reinvigorated sound and an intensified sonic progression, syk continues to captivate listeners and solidify their place in the metal scene.

Recording Line-up
Stefano Ferrian - Guitars, Vocals
Marcello Cravini - Guitars, Ambient FX
Alan La Roca - Bass
Federico Leone - Drums

Guest Musicians
Dalila Kayros - Guest Vocals (On 'I Am The Beast', 'I'll Haunt You In Your Dreams', For To Themselves I Left Them' & 'The Passing')

Recording Studio
Fiery Water Recording Studio (Alessandria, Italy)

Producer, Sound, Mixing & Mastering Engineer
Fabrizio Gesuato

Cover Art
Nihil & Leoncio Harmr

Video Production
Directed and Edited by Stefano Ferrian.
Filmed by Ancellotti Silvano & Vittorio Bottini at MF Old School Production.
Performer: StellaDiPlastica.
"Black Angel Wing" & "Demon's Face" artistic installations by Paola Monfrinotti.

Biography
Sébastien Gamez

Photo by © Filippo De Dionigi

Pre-order: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/sykeartHFlesh

Links:
Bandcamp: https://syk-official.bandcamp.com/album/earthflesh
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/syk_officialband/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4mAhDco0hekGonexJ7ZdNG
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwGCWRkavCbr7DanM6W7wvw
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/syk.official
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/artist/syk/1589837870
Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/album/290956952

Available Formats:
Digital Download
CD Digipak
12" Vinyl Jacket - Black
12" Coloured Vinyl Jacket - Silver
12" Coloured Vinyl Jacket - Crystal Clear & Red Marbled

WHITE METAL TRAILBLAZERS WHITECROSS RETURN WITH “FEAR NO EVIL”

One of the first-ever Christian hard rock/metal bands is the Illinois-based, Whitecross. The band started in the early ‘80s, touring steadily from 1988 to 1994 and averaging 150 performances per year. The Dove Awards recognized Whitecross three times: twice for Metal Album of the Year, and once for Hard Music Recorded Song of the Year. In the process, Whitecross helped forge the style now widely known as “white metal.”

 Now the band – singer Dave Roberts, guitarist Rex Carroll, bassist Benny Ramos, and drummer Michael Feighan – is back with a brand new album. Produced by Rex Carroll, “Fear No Evil” arrives on March 22nd via Dark Star Records and can be pre-ordered here: https://www.integralmerchservices.com/whitecrosspre-order
 
“‘Fear No Evil’ is the first studio album that Rex has had total artistic control of from beginning to end, including the writing, recording, mixing, mastering, and release,” explains the album's Executive Producer, Susan Smith. “Every previous album has at least one song that Rex would have done differently. Rex never relinquished the right to include a guitar solo and finds it a personal challenge to match the success of ‘Nagasake.’ This album has grown with the influence of Dave Roberts, and while keeping the original heavy rock and roll heart and soul of the first release, adds a nuanced nod to classic bands of the ‘60s and ‘70s.”

Concerning standout tunes from the album, all four members have their particular selections but seem to agree on the beautifully orchestrated power ballad “Wishing Well,” which invokes The Beatles and The Moody Blues. The acoustic ballad entitled “Blind Man” has a “Led Zeppelin feel,” according to Feighan, and of course, there are the expected rockin' tunes in the Whitecross tradition. One of these is the album's first video – the title track – debuted on a three-song demo of Rex and Dave getting a feel for the project. Feighan also adds a disclaimer: “This album is very diverse with songs that have a modern rock touch but still that Whitecross sound that fans know and love.”
 
And with the band about to hit the road in support of the album, Carroll never forgets how important the band's fans are in the grand scheme of things. “I am continuously reminded every day that it's not about me or the band – it's all about the fans. Many of you have become my good friends via social media, and I'm continuously grateful for your support. You bought the albums and the T-shirts and came to the shows, and I'm grateful for that. Thanks again…follow Jesus!”
 
As far as how Whitecross's brand of metal fits in with modern-day acts, the guitarist also shared his thoughts. “I follow the muse in my own head. I hear new sounds on the radio, but the songs are still the same as they always were. And by that, I mean new bands pop up on the radio - the sounds are fresh, but it’s the same three chords and it’s the same boy-meets-girl lyrics. Modern sounds and modern production techniques are great, and we have taken full advantage of them on our new album. From a technical standpoint, I believe ‘Fear No Evil’ is the BEST album I’ve ever been involved with. Love the songs, still pushing myself on the guitar, love the sonic blast from Anthony Focx, love the fans, love my band, love all of it.”
 
And lastly, what are the band's future plans? “Continue to love God, love people, love the band, love the gigs, love to shred until they lay me in the ground in a guitar-shaped casket.”

CONFIRMED TOUR DATES:

Friday, March 22nd, 2024
Whitecross
FEAR NO EVIL - ALBUM RELEASE EVENT
6pm 
FREEDOM CHURCH
905 McKnight Rd,
Indiana, PA 15701

Saturday, March 23, 2024
Whitecross with Petra’s Best for Last Tour
6pm
Grace Baptist Church
3480 Laurel Rd
Brunswick, OH 44212

Saturday, July 13, 2024
Whitecross
Crown of Thorns Festival 2024
4:30pm
Pioneer Park
301 Parkhill Dr
Billings, MT 59101


Friday, August 16, 2024
Whitecross
SoulFest 2024
7:30pm
Franklin County Fairgrounds
89 Wisdom Way
Greenfield, MA 01301

Friday, August 30, 2024
Whitecross
IMMORTAL FEST 2024 - PART II
5:30pm
BMI Event Center
791 E Main St
Versailles, OH 45380

*As dates are confirmed they will be detailed at https://www.bandsintown.com/a/54253-whitecross 

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT:
Website
LinkTree
Facebook
YouTube
Instagram
Spotify
BandsInTown
TikTok

ARCHSPIRE Announce North American Tour

Does checking apps on your phone feel like you're opening and closing an empty fridge 100 times a day?
 
Do the terms “Wellness” and “Self-Care” make you feel so sick that you just wanna barf all over yourself?
 
Are you drowning in booze every night just to forget about the grim reality of your own fleeting existence?
 
Well, guess what? Archspire have absolutely no remedy for any of that. But this summer, the fastest, sharpest and craziest tech-death band on planet Earth are distracting North America from just how much everything totally f#*!ng sucks.   

Joining forces with Archspire on this rescue mission are Belgium death metal vets Aborted, Canadian deathcore hotshots Carcosa and Atlanta's grim and gloomy Alluvial. 

"We're joining forces with these three elite squads to strategically infiltrate major North American cities", Archspire says. "We're on a mission to provide you with a brain-numbing, eardrum-puncturing, nuclear strike that is guaranteed to melt away all those incessant pestering thoughts for at least one night of your dwindling life so that you can completely forget that everything's f#*!@D and TRULY. F#!@NG. PARTY".

The pre-sale for this tour begins tomorrow, February 29 at 10 a.m. Eastern Time. Use the password: STAYTECH

Tickets will go on sale to the general public this Friday, March 1 at 10 a.m. local time. 

Get tickets: www.archspiretickets.com

The Everything's F#*!@D Tour
May 31st - Edmonton, AB @ Midway Music Hall
June 1st - Calgary, AB @ The Palace Theatre
June 2nd - Saskatoon, SK @ Coors Event Centre
June 3rd - Winnipeg, MB @ Park Theatre
June 5th - Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theater
June 6th - Chicago, IL @ Metro
June 7th - Detroit, MI @ The Majestic Theatre
June 8th - Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Concert Theatre
June 9th - Montreal, QC @ Club Soda
June 10th - Quebec City, QC @ Théâtre Capitole
June 11th - Boston, MA @ Royale
June 12th - Brooklyn, NY @ Warsaw
June 13th - Baltimore, MD @ Baltimore Soundstage
June 14th - Charlotte, NC @ Neighborhood Theatre
June 15th - Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade - Heaven
June 16th - Tampa, FL @ The Orpheum
June 17th - Fort Lauderdale, FL @ Revolution Live
June 18th - Orlando, FL @ The Abbey
June 20th - Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall
June 21st - Dallas, TX @ Studio at The Factory
June 22nd - Austin, TX @ Come and Take It Live
June 24th - Phoenix, AZ @ The Nile Theater
June 25th - Santa Ana, CA @ The Observatory
June 26th - Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades
June 28th - Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theatre
June 29th - Seattle, WA @ El Corazon
June 30th - Vancouver, BC @ The Vogue Theatre

Archspire will be playing songs off their latest album, Bleed the Future, which is available now.

Order: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/ArchspireBleed
Stream: https://archspire.bandcamp.com/album/bleed-the-future

Archspire are hella famous now. You can find them in the club, popping bottles and showing off their JUNO award.

In true rock star fashion, instead of paying off their massive gambling debts, the Canadian band decided to take everyone's Kickstarter money and record the most disgusting, uproarious, and out-of-this world expensive music video in the history of technical death metal. 

Watch the video for "Bleed the Future": https://youtu.be/_VOUyfPjxOk

Get your official "Bleed the Future" t-shirt: https://www.indiemerch.com/archspire/item/138025

Archspire’s 2017 Relentless Mutation was a cavalcade of speed and extremity — blasting, accelerating and, in partial reference to its title, “mutating” as each song unfolded, all the while rapid-fire, shotgun vocals blurred the lines between a man’s throat and additional instrument. It was, unquestionably, an innovation of sound and technique — Archspire had broken the speed barrier while creating songs memorable as they were unabashedly extreme for extreme metal. Thus, the pressure was already there to top Relentless Mutation when the band started to compile new songs in 2018. The global pandemic heightened the situation (read: no touring, expanded free time) and caused Archspire to turn inward and apply additional rigor to their songwriting process, albeit painstakingly so. But by the end of the fraught calendar year that was 2020, the band emerged with their fourth studio album, Bleed the Future.

According to the members of Archspire — vocalist Oli Aleron, guitarists Dean Lamb and Tobi Morelli, bassist Jared Smith and drummer Spencer Prewett — they originally went into the making of Bleed the Future under the idea they would finish the album in between the various tours scheduled for 2020. Of course, none of that happened, prompting the band to do more pre-production than at any time in their career. Archspire then subjected the album’s eight songs to near-constant critiquing that ensured they came away with a product, that in their estimation, is their best to date.

“The benefit we had was that Relentless came out in 2017,” says Lamb. “Since then, we toured more than we ever did before. We had the viewpoint of ‘What do crowds like? What parts should we write more of? What parts do people give us good feedback on?’ We wanted to expand and write those parts more consistently — there are more hooks and when we do have hooks, we wanted to repeat those parts so people will know that this is the catchy part of the song.”

“The most important thing was that we had clever songwriting,” adds Prewett. “We wanted the album to be more accessible to more people but still keep it extreme, fast and technical. So, we changed our process this time. We recorded rehearsal every day and listened to what we did afterward. We’d then come back to the jam spot and change riffs and ideas based on what everyone was thinking about during the week. It resulted in an album that everyone was happier with.”

Archspire also had the stated goal for Bleed the Future that they wanted to get faster. While such a feat may defy reason given their previous output, the band wrote their fastest song to date — the album-closing “AUM,” a cut that opens up with an audio recording of a German friend of Prewett’s who, according to the drummer, enjoys ragging on Archspire. Comedic clips aside, “AUM,” caps off an album that pushes the boundaries of speed but also is textured — Smith’s ethereal basslines often serve as mid-song interludes, while Lamb and Morelli weave melodic, spiraling guitar lines that annihilate the fretboard during “Abandon the Linear,” “Bleed the Future” and “Acrid Canon.” Accordingly, the members of Archspire were keenly aware of the expectations placed upon them after the success of Relentless Mutation. The online comments regarding whether they could top Relentless Mutation was also occasionally on their minds when composing Bleed the Future and prompted the band to ensure that all five members were happy with everything — down to the last riff, vocal line, bass run and drum pattern. “Audience expectation is really important,” says Lamb. “If we leave the jam spot and everyone is stoked on a song, it’s pretty likely that the audience will be stoked. We have the expectation of the audience, but we also have to be pumped on the music. I feel the proudest of the music. We spent more time on the songs and got better at writing. I feel it’s better music.”

“It’s an extremely tedious writing process,” adds Smith. “If anyone isn’t feeling a riff, we scrap it and have to find something we’re all happy with. It can be super-frustrating in the moment, but in the end, we have something better. We want everything we write to be a step up and I think we achieved that with Bleed the Future.”

The album is accompanied by a concept developed by Aleron that begs the question: What happens when humans start giving birth to non-humans? Born from a weird dream the vocalist had, Bleed the Future’s concept does not have finality or a conclusion. It does, however, posit a few ethical dilemmas to ties into Archspire’s long-running science fiction themes.

“I thought about what if those things they were giving birth to could actually benefit them in the future so they wouldn’t want to reject them,” says Aleron. “What would happen to the humans that weren’t born? Would they go to a different dimension? I played with that whole idea because I hadn’t seen a horror movie where that was the theme. It worked for all the songs. The only social commentary is that people don’t know what they’re giving birth to — if you put someone on this planet, you don’t know whether they’re going to be good or evil.”

Bleed the Future was recorded in October and November 2020 at Flatline Audio in Colorado with producer/engineer Dave Otero. This was the second consecutive album the band worked with Otero. According to Morelli, the recording process was seamless. “Dave was already familiar with what we each can do individually,” he says. “This time, he was more prepared to tackle those elements. How he tracks was more focused on what we were capable of and I think it really shows here.”

As live show activity for 2021 hangs in the balance (Archspire currently has dates lined up for November), the pandemic has prompted many bands to re-think their new album release dates as well as how to stay visible in a world currently without touring. But, with a fanbase that has embraced the band’s online presence that includes playthroughs, tutorials and now, cooking shows (!), Archspire heads into the Bleed the Future album cycle the benefactors of their commitment to touring and, most of all, position as one of death metal’s most forward-thinking bands.

“We have a lot of awesome fans, so I think they’ll be there to support us and pick up the album because they like the music,” says Lamb. “We’re a self-managed band; we’ve been working with the same label for ten years and I think the outcome will be good. Would it had been better if we had been on a full North American tour starting a week before the album release? Sure, but I think people will come out and support us through other means. As soon as we’re ready to go back on tour and everybody is safe to do so, we’ll be out there.”
 
Lineup:
Oliver Rae Aleron: vocals
Spencer Prewett: drums
Dean Lamb: guitars
Tobi Morelli: guitars
Jared Smith: bass
 
Recording Studio: Flatline Audio (Denver, CO, USA)
Producer/mixing/mastering/engineer: Dave Otero
 
Cover art: Eliran Kantor
Bio: David E. Gehlke

Order: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/ArchspireBleed
Stream: https://archspire.bandcamp.com/album/bleed-the-future

Links:
www.archspire.bandcamp.com
www.facebook.com/Archspireband
www.twitter.com/Archspireband
www.instagram.com/archspireofficial
www.youtube.com/user/Archspiremetal

SLAUGHTER TO PREVAIL Drop Thrashingly Heavy New Single "Conflict"

Russian deathcore destroyers, SLAUGHTER TO PREVAIL have dropped their latest display of unbridled, unapologetic and unrelenting brutality in the shape of thrash-tinged new single, "Conflict" today. Out now on Sumerian Records, the track can be streamed HERE and the official music video can be viewed below.

About Slaughter To Prevail

Slaughter To Prevail released their debut EP, 'Chapters Of Misery' in 2016 and followed with their debut full-length album, 'Misery Sermon' in 2017. They released stand alone singles "Agony" and "Demolisher" in 2019 and 2020 respectively, followed by their second full-length, Kostolom, released in 2021 to huge critical acclaim with Revolver describing the album as "one bloody deathcore barrage after another" when including it on their 25 Best Albums Of 2021 list and Metal Injection stating that "Kostolom proves that Slaughter to Prevail can get hooky without getting wimpy". Kostolom spawned massive hit singles "Baba Yaga" and "Zavali Ebalo".

They released anti-war anthem '1984' in August of 2022 to oppose Russia's war on Ukraine. The video for which has racked up 3.1 million views and over 13 million Spotify streams. They followed this with the release of track "Viking" in 2023 which was debuted on their US headline tour to much excitement and acclaim from fans. The video for the track currently has 5.8 milllion views and 10 million Spotify streams.

The band are one of the most popular and heavily featured bands within the YouTube 'reacts' community, on account of vocalist Alex Terrible's insane vocal abilities and his own YouTube channel which has over 1.16 million subscribers.

To date, the band have clocked up an impressive 971.1 million cross-platform streams.

Expect more from Slaughter To Prevail soon.

Slaughter To Prevail Are

Alex Terrible - Vocals

Jack Simmons - Guitar

Mikhail Petrov - Bass

Dmitry Mamedov - Guitar

Evgeny Novikov - Drums

Find Slaughter To Prevail Online:

SlaughterToPrevail.com

CABAL - Release If I Hang, Let Me Swing (JOHN CXNNOR Rework)

Having just returned from the European leg of their Magno Interitus headline tour, there's no rest for the wicked for Danish deathcore maniacs CABAL. They’ve released a new rework of their song ''If I Hang, Let Me Swing', which saw the band partner with Danish industrial-techno collective JOHN CXNNOR. The result of this energetic collaboration sees the light of the day today. Listen to the song below.

SingerAndreas Bjulver states:
"John Cxnnor are one of our favorite acts on the Danish scene, the way they manage to bridge the gap between electronic music and metal is truly impressive and since we've already collaborated with them on a bunch of tracks, having them do a complete rework of one seemed like a no brainer to us. We couldn't be happier with the result, this is electronic music at it's hardest and grittiest."

'If I Hang, Let Me Swing (John Cxnnor Rework)' was taken from the band's latest album Magno Interitus that was released on October 21st via Nuclear Blast. The album is available as Digipack [limited edition], Black Single LP, Crystal Clear with Gold + Black Splatter Single LP [limited to 500 units, Mailorder + Wholesale exclusive], Crystal Clear with Red + Black Splatter Single LP [limited to 500 units, USA exclusive], Gold + Black Marble Single LP [limited to 300 units, bandshop exclusives] and on all streaming platforms.

Order Magno Interitus here:
https://cabal.bfan.link/magno-interitus.ema
 

CABAL is one of the most brutal and promising heavy acts hailing from Copenhagen, Denmark. The band aims to create a visceral and doom-laden atmosphere throughout both their music and visual expression. The production is crystal clear, whilst the songwriting draws inspiration from everything from black and death metal to djent and hardcore.

Since the release of their debut album "Mark of Rot" in 2018, the young band has managed to make a name for themselves in both Denmark and the rest of the world by playing renowned festivals like Copenhell, Roskilde Festival, Euroblast Festival and Complexity Fest as well as touring in Europe, Japan and North America.
CABAL released the sophomore album "Drag Me Down" in April 2020 - a dark descent into a personal hell brought to life by crushing instrumentals, an oppressive atmosphere and dark personal lyrics delivered with relentless intensity, while still leaving room for experimentation and expansion of CABAL’s signature sound. Add to this guest appearances from metal titans TRIVIUM's Matt Heafy, rising metalcore stars POLARIS’ Jamie Hails and Denmark’s Blackgaze darlings MØL’s Kim Song Sternkopf and there is no doubt that CABAL is a band with friends in every corner of the metal scene.

Credits: Christoffer Rosenfeldt 

About Magno Interitus

In the early winter of 2022, CABAL marked a new era with the release of Magno Interitus. Singer Andreas Bjulver Paarup says: “The main theme on the album is the great decay happening all around us. It seems that everything just falls apart in these days. This applies to politics, society in general as well as some personal things. We tried to translate the feelings that we have about the state of the world into music.”

CABAL are not only charting new territory with their visceral and doom-laden sound but are also moving out of the comforts of their dark, black and white signature aesthetic into bright colours inspired from Ari Asters latest masterpiece, ‘Midsommar’. Flowers, vines and eerie cultist May Queens are amongst the new visual elements that define the aesthetic of Magno Interitus.

Andreas, who is the art director and lyricist in the band, is excited about the new direction of the album: “We have a kind of base sound, our safe home. From there, we can experiment and try something new. On Magno Interitus we really left our comfort zone and went deeper into the details and extremes than ever before. You can hear it on the title track, as well as on the opener “If I Hang, Let Me Swing” or on “Exsanguination”. These are my personal three favourites on the album at the moment.”

Once more, CABAL brought in some extraordinary features on the album such as Joe ‘Bad’ Badolato of Fit For An Autopsy on Magno Interitus, as well as Simon Olsen from the Danish band BÆST on the track “Insidious”. This time around, CABAL also experimented with a completely different format by inviting the dark, industrial duo ‘John Cxnnor’ to co-create the very unique track “Blod af Mit”. 

CABAL is:
Andreas Bjulver Paarup – Vocals
Christian Hammer Mattesen - Guitars
Chris Kreutzfeldt - Guitars
Lui Broch Larsen - Guitars
Dennis Hursid - Bass
Nikolaj Kaae Kirk - Drums

CABAL online
https://www.instagram.com/cabalcph/
www.facebook.com/cabalcph
www.cabalcult.com
www.patreon.com/cabalcult
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHWujbw3iYHcXq9ExfRiA4Q
https://www.tiktok.com/@cblde4th

Miranda Lambert's MuttNation Foundation Opens Spay & Neuter Grants to Texas on World Spay Day

In celebration of World Spay Day today, Feb. 27, country music superstar Miranda Lambert’s MuttNation Foundation has announced that the It Takes Balls campaign will focus specifically on East Texas, North Texas and the Texas Panhandle this year with plans to open the program to the rest of Lambert’s home state in 2025. The initiative, which kicked off in 2023, raises awareness for the importance of spay & neuter and offers grants to qualifying low-cost programs.

“We were able to help 50 Tennessee clinics with their spay & neuter programs when we launched the program last year. This year, we want to take it to my home state and start in East Texas, where I was raised,” shares Lambert, adding “I think everyone agrees that spay & neuter is the best way to keep pets out of overcrowded shelters and reduce pet homelessness. And, as I’ve said before, sometimes it literally takes balls to do the right thing. Please spay or neuter your pets.” 

Every day, 70,000 puppies and kittens are born in the U.S. and, while beloved for their cuteness, there is nothing cute at all about seeing them in overcrowded shelters. Over 3.5 million dogs and cats are euthanized every year in animal shelters across the country, often due to lack of space. 

MuttNation is inviting low cost spay & neuter programs in East Texas, North Texas and the Texas Panhandle to complete and submit a grant application to help combat this ongoing issue. The application can be found HERE.

About MuttNation Foundation
Founded by Miranda and her mom, Bev Lambert, in 2009, MuttNation is a donation-supported 501c(3) nonprofit organization that has raised over $9 million to date in support of its mission to promote the adoption of shelter pets, advance spay & neuter and educate the public about the benefits of these actions. MuttNation provides financial support and works with transport partners to assist and relocate animals during times of natural disaster. MuttNation Fueled by Miranda Lambert, a pet line of toys and supplies that benefits the Foundation, is available exclusively at Tractor Supply Company stores throughout the US. To learn more, visit www.muttnation.com. 

About Miranda Lambert
Already a decorated songwriter, Academy of Country Music Entertainer of the Year, passionate shelter animal advocate, restaurateur and business woman, superstar Miranda Lambert added New York Times best-selling author to her impressive list of titles with the arrival of her debut book, “Y’all Eat Yet?,” available everywhere now.

Palomino, her eighth solo album, arrived in 2022 as the largest female Country album debut of the year and earned a GRAMMY nomination for Best Country Album. Named among the best of the year by the New York Times, TIME, Rolling Stone, Billboard, Stereogum, People and many more, it marks the latest installment in a storied career that has spanned seven previous No. 1 solo albums, 11 No. 1 hit radio singles, more than 70 prestigious awards and countless sales certifications, earning the most-awarded artist in ACM history praise from NPR as “the most riveting country star of her generation.”

With her headlining Velvet Rodeo Las Vegas residency extended into 2024 at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino’s Bakkt Theater, the top streaming female Country artist of 2022 was also named to the TIME100 list honoring the world’s most influential people, with Pitchfork declaring that she “manages the hat-trick of both timelessness and timely activism.” Whether challenging conventional gender notions in her recent Top 10 hit “If I Was A Cowboy” or using her voice to write and record the inclusive “Y’All Means All” anthem for Netflix’s “Queer Eye,” the Texas native continues to expand the tent of the Country genre via her music, including with her latest releases, the cross-genre collaborations “If You Were Mine” with Leon Bridges and “Space in My Heart” with Enrique Iglesias.

Idyllwind, her clothing and cowboy boot collection, is an exclusive brand sold at all Boot Barn stores nationwide, while her home goods collection, Wanda June Home, is available exclusively at Walmart. She is also the first female artist to have her own venue on Broadway in Nashville with her Casa Rosa Tex-Mex cantina. An avid animal lover, Lambert’s MuttNation pet product line is available exclusively at Tractor Supply Co. with proceeds benefiting her MuttNation Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit that has raised over $9 million since its inception in 2009. The Foundation’s mission is to promote the adoption of rescue pets, support animal shelters across the country, advance spay & neuter and assist with the transport of animals during times of natural disaster.
 
MirandaLambert.com | Facebook | Twitter/X | Instagram | TikTok | YouTube

Annie Bosko Partners with Ariat International

Growing up as a farmer’s daughter, Stone Country Records artist Annie Bosko has had a lifelong connection with Ariat International, dating back to when her mother gifted her a pair of Ariat boots during her childhood. Today, the California native proudly announces her partnership with the renowned brand.
 
“Ariat has been a part of my journey since the very beginning and being sponsored by them is a full circle moment as they were my first pair of riding boots,” shares Bosko. “They have always been my go-to for every occasion, and I feel most confident onstage when I’m wearing my Ariat boots. My boots have seen me through so many celebratory milestones, and this is yet another dream come true.”
 
“Annie is a longtime fan of Ariat, and we couldn’t be more proud to partner with her,” shares Susan Alcala, VP Partnership Marketing at Ariat. “She is incredibly talented, and we are equally big fans of hers.”
 
In addition to their partnership, Bosko will perform at the opening of the new Ariat brand shop in Las Vegas, Nev. this Thursday, Feb. 29 as an official Ariat Artist. For more information, visit Ariat.com or follow on Instagram @AriatLasVegas.

Bosko is prepping more new music following the release of her self-titled EP, which found her making her late night debut on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” with her third most-added single “Neon Baby,” as Billboard lauds, “Bosko’s vocal is energetic…with a set of songs seemingly tailor-made for rousing live shows.”
 
“Annie Bosko embraces her femininity and generates an unapologetic delivery of ’90s-inspired country songs,” Country Now praises of the singer/songwriter, calling the project “further proof that Bosko is a force to be reckoned with in this industry,” while Entertainment Focus observes the EP “promises a nostalgic journey anchored in the organic twang of the ’90s golden era.”

About Annie Bosko
With a voice that beams like a ray of California sunshine, Stone Country Records/Brown Sellers Brown Management singer-songwriter Annie Bosko pairs a sound anchored deep in the organic twang of ‘90s country with simple songs told from the heart, preaching equal parts healing and honky-tonk hope. A student of legendary crooners like Patsy Cline with added inspiration from Shania Twain, George Strait, Dwight Yoakam, The Beatles and more, the Golden State native broke out in 2014 with the SiriusXM/CMT hit “Crooked Halo,” bucking the bro-country trend for a traditionally flavored anthem that has now amassed more than 3 million streams. She went on to write songs recorded by Willie Nelson and Jessica Simpson, tour alongside Tim McGraw, Dierks Bentley and Blake Shelton, sell out the famed Troubadour and perform on the Grand Ole Opry and at Ryman Auditorium – the fabled Mother Church of Country Music – while also becoming an in-demand studio vocalist and earning the title Artist to Watch from Rolling Stone Country. After a series of standout collaborations with country icons Vince Gill, Dwight Yoakam and Raul Malo, she is now embracing her true nature for a creative rejuvenation. Working with producers Derek George and Mickey Jack Cones, a new batch of music pairs unapologetic twang, clever wordplay, and deep compassion with her long standing downhome-diva vocal, capturing the full range of a timeless American art in its purest form. In 2023, Bosko released the powerful-yet-tender ballad “Dandelions” in memory of the victims of Nashville’s Covenant School shooting – a track written alongside Danny Myrick which has now become a beacon of community remembrance and faith. Lost in grief and capturing the reverberating shock of that day’s unfathomable loss, the track has been embraced by the Covenant School families themselves, with all proceeds from being donated for their benefit through ACM Lifting Lives. Her five-song EP Annie Bosko is available now, featuring sharp-yet-simple, pure-country songs written or co-written with hit makers like Jeffrey Steele, Bridgette Tatum and more, all aimed at uplifting, inspiring or just singing along with women and country-music lovers everywhere.
 
About Ariat
Founded in 1993 as “The New Breed of Boot,” Ariat was the first to integrate athletic footwear technology into boots for equestrian athletes. Today, Ariat develops innovative and award-winning performance footwear and apparel for all types of demanding outdoor and work environments. The company takes its name from Secretariat, the greatest racehorse of all time.

Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, John Mellencamp, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss & More at the 2024 'Outlaw Music Festival Tour'

Willie Nelson, Mark Rothbaum, Keith Wortman, Blackbird Presents and Live Nation are thrilled to announce the 2024 Outlaw Music Festival Tour featuring an unprecedented lineup including headliners Willie Nelson & Family, Bob Dylan, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss and John Mellencamp with Brittney Spencer, Celisse and Southern Avenue. Billy Strings will also join the tour for one special show outside Seattle, Washington at The Gorge. Please refer to the market lineups for artists performing in various cities.
 
Tickets go on sale to the general public this Friday, March 1, at 10 a.m. local time via http://OutlawMusicFestival.com. VIP packages will be available, including great seats and exclusive festival merchandise. Citi is the official card of the Outlaw Music Festival Tour. Citi cardmembers can access presale tickets from Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024, at 10 a.m. local time until Thursday, Feb. 29, at 10 p.m. local time through the Citi Entertainment program. For complete presale details, visit www.citientertainment.com.
 
"This year's Outlaw Music Festival Tour promises to be the biggest and best yet with this lineup of legendary artists. I am thrilled to get back on the road again with my family and friends playing the music we love for the fans we love," says Willie Nelson.
 
The inaugural Outlaw Music Festival made its debut in 2016 in Scranton, Pa. The sold-out show was so well received that Blackbird, Rothbaum and Nelson have developed it into one of North America’s biggest annual touring franchises. Musicians such as Chris Stapleton, Neil Young, Luke Combs, Van Morrison, ZZ Top, Eric Church, Bonnie Raitt, Sheryl Crow, Tyler Childers, Sturgill Simpson, The Avett Brothers and many more have been a part of the Outlaw Tour, sharing unforgettable music memories and unique vendor villages with local food, drinks and shopping in Live Nation amphitheaters across the country.  

024 OUTLAW MUSIC FESTIVAL TOUR DATES & LINEUPS:
 
Friday, June 21, 2024
Ameris Bank Amphitheatre, Alpharetta, GA
Willie Nelson & Family
Bob Dylan
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
Celisse
 
Saturday, June 22, 2024
PNC Music Pavilion, Charlotte, NC
Willie Nelson & Family
Bob Dylan
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
Celisse
 
Sunday, June 23, 2024
Coastal Credit Union Music Park, Raleigh, NC
Willie Nelson & Family
Bob Dylan
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
Celisse
 
Wednesday, June 26, 2024
Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach, Virginia Beach, VA
Willie Nelson & Family
Bob Dylan
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
Celisse

Friday, June 28, 2024
Empower Federal Credit Union Amphitheater at Lakeview, Syracuse, NY
Willie Nelson & Family
Bob Dylan
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
Celisse
 
Saturday, June 29, 2024
Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater, Wantagh, NY
Willie Nelson & Family
Bob Dylan
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
Celisse
 
Sunday, June 30, 2024
PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel, NJ
Willie Nelson & Family
Bob Dylan
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
Celisse
 
Tuesday, July 2, 2024
Xfinity Center, Mansfield, MA
Willie Nelson & Family
Bob Dylan
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
Celisse
 
Saturday, July 6, 2024
Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, Bethel, NY
Willie Nelson & Family
Bob Dylan
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
Celisse
 
Sunday, July 7, 2024
Hersheypark Stadium, Hershey, PA
Willie Nelson & Family
Bob Dylan
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
Celisse
 
Monday, July 29, 2024
North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre, Chula Vista, CA
Willie Nelson & Family
Bob Dylan
John Mellencamp
Brittney Spencer

Wednesday, July 31, 2024
Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles, CA
Willie Nelson & Family
Bob Dylan
John Mellencamp
Brittney Spencer
 
Saturday, August 3, 2024
Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, CA
Willie Nelson & Family
Bob Dylan
John Mellencamp
Brittney Spencer
 
Sunday, August 4, 2024
Toyota Amphitheatre, Wheatland, CA
Willie Nelson & Family
Bob Dylan
John Mellencamp
Brittney Spencer
 
Wednesday, August 7, 2024
Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater, Boise, ID
Willie Nelson & Family
Bob Dylan
John Mellencamp
Brittney Spencer
 
Friday, August 9, 2024
ONE Spokane Stadium, Spokane, WA
Willie Nelson & Family
Bob Dylan
John Mellencamp
Brittney Spencer
 
Saturday, August 10, 2024
Gorge Amphitheatre, George, WA
Willie Nelson & Family
Bob Dylan
John Mellencamp
Billy Strings
Brittney Spencer
 
Friday, September 6, 2024
Somerset Amphitheater, Somerset, WI
Willie Nelson & Family
Bob Dylan
John Mellencamp
Southern Avenue

Saturday, September 7, 2024
Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre, Tinley Park, IL
Willie Nelson & Family
Bob Dylan
John Mellencamp
Southern Avenue
 
Sunday, September 8, 2024
Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, St. Louis, MO
Willie Nelson & Family
Bob Dylan
John Mellencamp
Southern Avenue
 
Wednesday, September 11, 2024
Riverbend Music Center, Cincinnati, OH
Willie Nelson & Family
Bob Dylan
John Mellencamp
Southern Avenue
 
Thursday, September 12, 2024
Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, OH
Willie Nelson & Family
Bob Dylan
John Mellencamp
Southern Avenue
 
Saturday, September 14, 2024
The Pavilion at Star Lake, Burgettstown, PA
Willie Nelson & Family
Bob Dylan
John Mellencamp
Southern Avenue
 
Sunday, September 15, 2024
Pine Knob Music Theatre, Clarkston, MI
Willie Nelson & Family
Bob Dylan
John Mellencamp
Southern Avenue
 
Tuesday, September 17, 2024
Darien Lake Amphitheater, Buffalo, NY
Willie Nelson & Family
Bob Dylan
John Mellencamp
Southern Avenue

For complete tour details, please visit:
http://outlawmusicfestival.com
#outlawmusicfestival
 
About Blackbird Presents
Blackbird Presents is the premier independent creator and producer of large scale concerts, tours, festivals and premium music-driven filmed entertainment. Blackbird’s projects feature the biggest music stars in the world produced for a portfolio of world-class studio, network, streaming, and promoter partners. 
http://blackbirdpresents.com
 
About Live Nation Entertainment:
Live Nation Entertainment (NYSE: LYV) is the world’s leading live entertainment company comprised of global market leaders: Ticketmaster, Live Nation Concerts, and Live Nation Sponsorship. For additional information, visit www.livenationentertainment.com

The Shadow Majlis presents debut album 'The Departure' featuring guests from Bauhaus, The Mission, DakhaBrakha & more

A powerful achievement... I believe that there are certain tracks and moments that act as portals into another dimension - I'm not being fanciful here!" ~ David J (Bauhaus, Love and Rockets)

"With Ali Jafri at the helm on vocals, guitars, bass, electric sitar, synths, programming, this debut offering from The Shadow Majlis is diverse and stunning, involving a dream-team – not only in terms of production, but also collaborators, ranging from true music legends of our generation and top-notch artists from around the world" ~ The Spill Magazine


Toronto-based artist The Shadow Majlis presents their debut album 'The Departure', 10 tracks that showcase genre-fluid excellence and a wealth of raw emotional experience, fusing elements of Eastern modes with post-punk and immerses listeners in an alternative neo-global style that transcends borders. Just as the album's title suggests, this is a departure from the norm, a journey into something other, where there are no limits. 

Revolving around Ali Jafri, whose reputation as a formidable and versatile multi-instrumentalist has led to involvement in various projects over the years. Whether as a member of David J's live band, playing rock-sitar for Pigface (or through his other projects ARIEL, The Gotham City Drugstore, Saintfield or his solo work), Ali Jafri has cultivated a multi-cultural artistic and musical vision. Now, he's bringing that vision further to fruition via The Shadow Majlis.

Produced and mixed by three-time Grammy Award winning producer David Bottrill (Peter Gabriel, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Tool, David Sylvian, Mastodon, Smashing Pumpkins, Muse, Real World Studios), with Darren McGillengineering the album. Mastered by Noah Mintz, the cover art was created by Stephen Seto (Splintercage).

With Ali Jafri at the helm on vocals, guitars, bass, electric sitar, synths, programming, the debut album features the legendary David J (Bauhaus, Love & Rockets) on bass and drummer-percussionist Rakesh Tewari (Jaffa Road, The Special Interest Group). Adding colour and depth are various guest performers, including vocalist Olena Tsybulska (DakhaBrakha), guitarist Mark Gemini Thwaite (The Mission, Peter Murphy, MGT, Tricky, Gary Numan), cellist Anne Bourne (Loreena McKennitt, Jane Siberry), Tuvan throat singer Soriah, Ravi Naimpally (Niyaz, Constantinople) on tabla, Pankaj Mishra on sarangi, Selmanpak Ayduz on ney, Kerem Koktas on kemanche, and Sasha Singer-Wilson on backing vocals.

Blending alternative music with the rich, diverse instrumentation and rhythms of world music, The Shadow Majlis leaves a distinct imprint on the ever-evolving soundscape. Recorded in Toronto, LA, Portland, Istanbul, Kyiv and Iceland, this is truly an international affair, with languages such as Urdu, Farsi, Arabic, Icelandic and Ukrainian woven with English throughout this album.

The most poignant and powerful artistic output stems from tragedy, and The Shadow Majlis is no exception. Amid a deluge of personal upheaval, this album has been Jafri's means to address his grief over losing his seven-year-old son Oisín, who passed away in September 2022 after a nine-month battle with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (a highly aggressive form of brain cancer), the dissolution of his conjugal relationship, and a year-long state of temporary homelessness. Recovering from such devastation is no simple task, but The Shadow Majlis has offered Jafri medicine for his soul, while presenting us an alternative sonic reality in which we can all find solace and relief.

"With the inspiration of his son's passing, he told me he wanted to create something to honor Oisín as well as cathartically express his experience. It was not to be traditional but experimental, incorporating his industrial sensibility, but also with an international flavor... The emotion was all Ali, and with his raw lyrics and strong melodies over the top of dark and beautifully gut-wrenching tracks, we hope we have created something both passionate and heartfelt that can reach others either suffering loss or grief, or conversely experiencing elation or euphoria as we believe it can touch either," says David Bottrill.

Calling the album a powerful achievement, David J adds, "I believe that there are certain tracks and moments that act as portals into another dimension - I'm not being fanciful here!"

As of February 27, 'The Departure' album will be available exclusively from the artist via Bandcamp. That evening, Ali Jafri will be holding an album listening and viewing party at Ground Control in Toronto. The album will be released on other platforms in early March and then in physical format this spring.

Album order  https://theshadowmajlis.com
Bandcamp  https://theshadowmajlis. bandcamp.com/album/the- departure

ALBUM CREDITS
Ali Jafri - vocals, guitars, bass VI, electric sitar, percussion, programming, synthesizers, electronics, solfeggio pipes
David Bottrill - backing vocals, electronics, synthesizers
David J (Bauhaus, Love and Rockets) - bass
Rakesh Tewari (Jaffa Road, The Special Interest Group) - drums, percussion
Olena Tsybulska (DakhaBrakha) - vocals
Mark Gemini Thwaite (Peter Murphy, Tricky, The Mission) - guitars
Anne Bourne (Loreena McKennit, Jane Siberry) - cello
Sasha Singer-Wilson - backing vocals
Soriah - Tuvan Throat Singing, Flute
Ravi Naimpally (Niyaz, Constantinople) - tabla
Pankaj Mishra - sarangi
Selmanpak Ayduz - ney
Kerem Koktas - kemancheh
Oisin Adams-Jafri - vocals, percussion, solfeggio pipes
Zayn Jafri - piano
Oscar Adams-Jafri - solfeggio pipes

All songs written by Ali Jafri and David Bottrill, except 'Elliðakot' (written by Ali Jafri) and 'The Departure (Kolyskova)' (written by Ali Jafri, David Bottrill and Olena Tsybulska)
Produced & Mixed by David Bottrill
Engineering by Darren McGill at Union Sound Company & David Bottrill at at Mainstatiion Music and Imagine Sound
Mastered by Noah Mintz at Lacquer Channel
Graphic Design & Illustration by Stephen Seto
Photography by Justin Minister @secondhand_daylight
For Oisín...

Keep up with The Shadow Majlis
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AS I LAY DYING - Announce U.S. Summer 2024 Tour With CHELSEA GRIN & ENTHEOS

San Diego quintet AS I LAY DYING has announced their U.S. Summer 2024 Tour. The 26-date trek will embark on the west coast July 9th with major market performances in Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles before concluding at a hometown show on August 10th at The Observatory Northpark. Joining the band are CHELSEA GRIN and ENTHEOS.

Local pre-sale tickets for the tour go on sale Thursday, February 29th @ 10:00 AM EST. *Use Presale code AILD2024

General admission tickets go on sale to the public on Friday, March 1st @ 10:00 AM local time.

Visit asilaydying.com for all show + ticket info.

Confirmed dates for AS I LAY DYING's U.S. Summer 2024 tour with CHELSEA GRIN &ENTHEOS are:
07/09/24 Santa Cruz, CA @ The Catalyst 
07/10/24 Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades
07/12/24 Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater
07/13/24 Tacoma, WA @ Temple Theatre
07/14/24 Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory 
07/15/24 Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex
07/16/24 Denver, CO @ Summit 
07/17/24 Kansas City, MO @ The Truman
07/19/24 Grand Rapids, MI @ Upheaval Festival 
07/20/24 Mansfield, OH @ INKcarceration
07/21/24 Chicago, IL @ House Of Blues 
07/23/24 Albany, NY @ Empire Live
07/24/24 New York, NY @ Irving Plaza 
07/25/24 Philadelphia, PA @ Theater of The Living Arts
07/26/24 Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore
07/27/24 Norfolk, VA @ The NorVa
07/29/24 Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore 
07/30/24 Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade 
07/31/24 St. Petersburg, FL @ Jannus Landing 
08/02/24 Houston, TX @ House Of Blues 
08/03/24 Dallas, TX @ The Factory in Deep Ellum 
08/04/24 San Antonio, TX @ Vibes Event Center
08/06/24 Albuquerque, NM @ El Rey Theater 
08/07/24 Phoenix, AZ @ The Van Buren 
08/08/24 Los Angeles, CA @ The Belasco 
08/10/24 San Diego, CA @ The Observatory Northpark

The band's latest album, Shaped By Fire, was produced by AS I LAY DYING and was mixed by Joseph McQueen at Sparrow Sound in Los Angeles, CA while mastering was completed by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound in Nashville, TN. The only exception was for the track 'My Own Grave' which was produced by AS I LAY DYING, co-produced by Drew Fulk and mixed by Adam “Nolly” Getgood. The artwork was created by Corey Meyers.

Listen and download Shaped By Fire at:
https://asilaydying.bfan.link/shaped-by-fire-dlx

AS I LAY DYING is:
Tim Lambesis- Vocals
Phil Sgrosso- Guitar
Ryan Neff- Bass|Vocals
Ken Susi - Guitar
Nick Pierce- Drums

More information:
https://www.asilaydying.com/
https://www.facebook.com/asilaydying
https://www.instagram.com/asilaydying
https://twitter.com/asilaydyingband
https://www.youtube.com/@asilaydying
https://www.tiktok.com/@asilaydyingofficial