SKELETAL REMAINS Shares Instrumental Play-Through for "Verminous Embodiment," New Album 'Fragments of the Ageless' Out NOW

March 9, 2024

American death metal purveyors SKELETAL REMAINS are now celebrating the release of their latest opus, 'Fragments of the Ageless,' with a searing instrumental play-through for the single, "Verminous Embodiment." The clip can be found below.

The band explains that instrumental version is going back to the original idea of the song, “With ‘Verminous Embodiment,’ we originally wanted to do something a little more chaotic and over the top with the original intentions for the song to be an instrumental. But, as the writing process continued, we kept hearing a vocal pattern being sung over the groovy verse riff, so the inspiration for lyrics soon followed after. Heavily inspired by an episode of 'The X-Files' entitled ‘Home.'"

"Verminous Embodiment" is taken from the band's latest opus, 'Fragments of the Ageless,' which has just arrived today, March 8, via Century Media Records! The album is now available HERE.

In addition, SKELETAL REMAINS is currently on the road in the states for a special West Coast run of album release shows! The trek arrive in Los Angeles, CA tonight for a very a special homecoming celebration! The trek will then conclude on March 10 in Las Vegas, NV. The full itinerary can be found below while tickets are available HERE.

"'Fragments Of The Ageless' is a gargantuan effort that is bound to spur gatekeeping purists to uncross their arms and start banging their heads like it's 1993." - Blabbermouth

"The record is sonically incredible, and I don’t believe that there’s a weak track in the bunch." - Decibel Magazine

"...dragging their collective caskets through the underworld, before barnburners of a guitar solo bring the songs to epic climaxes, returning to their flesh-ripping sonic assault without taking a breath." - Heavy Music HQ

"...this is some maximalist ass-kick metal born from the tropes of a genre older than I am and yet Skeletal Remains is proof positive of what’s still possible after these four-ish decades, after refining and polishing, cutting to form and sharpening to a honed edge." - Lambgoat

"With plenty of dense blasting, killer solos, and just the right amount of melodic leads, Skeletal Remains has a little bit of everything for the death metal fan." - Metal Trenches

Skeletal Remains’s ultra-brutal new album, Fragments of the Ageless, is upon us! The Americans—featuring Mike De La O (guitars), Chris Monroy (guitars/vocals), Pierce Williams (drums), and newcomer Brian Rush (bass)—kept busy after their much-hailed The Entombment of Chaos landed into a chaotic world in 2020. Rather than sit idle, the re-energized quartet crafted their penultimate statement. Tracks like “Void of Despair,” which Monroy describes as “aggressive and spastic,” “To Conquer the Devout,” “Relentless Appetite,” and “Verminous Embodiment” are death metal manifested in sound fundamentals, killer musicianship, and the right attitude. While Skeletal Remains have had four full-lengths since forming in 2011, Fragments of the Ageless is the band in their highest grotesque gear yet.

“With every record, we try to push ourselves to make a better record,” Monroy says. “We don’t get into, ‘We need to sound more like this or that.’ What comes out of us is natural. Actually, that’s how it’s been since the first record [Beyond the Flesh]. As death metal fans, we write what we enjoy and want to listen to. Having Pierce and Brian join the band played a big part in the new album. They live in Portland, and the rest of the band is in Los Angeles, so there’s a bit of a gap, but we use technology a lot when we write. They gave us a fresh set of ears.”

The principal songwriting for Fragments of the Ageless started during the pandemic but picked up considerable steam once the band were back on the road in 2022, where they played countless shows and festivals in the U.S., Europe, South America, Central America, and Australia. With Pierce and Brian fully in the fold, Monroy and De La O found themselves, in a way, back to square one, namely the “entire band effort” that comprised their 2012 debut, Beyond the Flesh. The savage DNA of Skeletal Remains is intact, but it’s been altered—no, improved!—iteratively to attack more, devour absolutely, and technically inspire. Tracks like video singles “Void of Despair,” “To Conquer the Devout,” “Relentless Appetite,” as well as deeper album cuts “Forever in Sufferance,” “Verminous Embodiment,” and “Unmerciful” are ravenous.

“It’s more brutal than the last one,” says Monroy. “We were pushing ourselves to be more extreme—vibing on that as much as possible. Obviously, we’re not tech-death now, but I think we took inspiration from the techier side of things. We took things up a notch and dialed in on the technicality and ever-increasing intensity while maintaining catchiness. We still have songs like ‘Eternal Hatred’ [from The Entombment of Chaos]. There’s always room for super-simple mid-paced songs in Skeletal Remains. On one end, we’ve increased in density and brutality; on the other, we wrote a few songs with longer and more ‘epic’ structures. 'Fragments' is simply the next evolutionary step in our sound.”

Lyrically, Skeletal Remains took the left-hand path. Rather than topics and themes inspiring the cover art, Dan Seagrave’s (Suffocation, Entombed, et al.) famously atramentous detail conversely informed the lyrics and album title. Monroy says they had working titles that they conveyed to Seagrave, but the final painting sparked the title, Fragments of the Ageless. Of course, the usual influx of sci-fi, historical, personal struggles, and fantastical also played a part.

“Seagrave completed the cover art before we had a title,” Monroy says. “That was kind of weird, but it worked in our favor. The cover art directly inspired a few of the lyrics and musical themes, tying multiple pieces together, which is a first for us. We did show him different pieces of art—10 in all, I think—that we liked, so there was direction. We wanted a mixture of things, with the final idea being a creature being taken apart and its DNA extracted. Seagrave’s crazy brain made it all come to life.”

Skeletal Remains recorded Fragments of the Ageless at various home and professional studios. Most of the guitars, bass, and solos were tracked DIY. The band wanted the drums to sound as imposing as possible, so they booked Trench Studios (Intronaut, Hirax) with John Haddad, while the vocals were cut at Birdcage Studios with Allen Falcon (Pestilent Death). Once the album’s core had been recorded, Monroy and the team sent their sick slab to Swedish studio ace Dan Swanö (Asphyx, Incantation) for mixing and mastering. If the blistering leads of “Void of Despair” and “Verminous Embodiment” don’t impress, then check out the blasting drums of “Cybernetic Harvest” and “Relentless Appetite.”

“Dan really gets it,” says Monroy. “He’ll send us mixes, and he’ll automatically add stuff like effects and little details throughout the back and forth. He knows what we want before we can tell him. Dan understands what we’re going for. There’s mutual understanding and respect. Of course, he’s been mixing and mastering for a long time and has made a name for himself, but we’re really happy with the production on 'Fragments.' It jumps out at you.”

Monroy says the band’s goal with Fragments of the Ageless is to continue death metal’s lineage—to honor the past and present. The future, however, is lined with more touring and festivals. Having just come off a stateside run with Suffocation and Incantation late last year, Skeletal Remains are poised to ravage more of the world, with high-profile slots at Wacken (Germany) and Alcatraz (Belgium) festivals already secured.

Death… Is just the beginning with Skeletal Remains’s Fragments of the Ageless.

Line-up:

Chris Monroy - guitars/vocals

Mike De La O - guitars

Pierce Williams - drums

Brian Rush - bass

Album Art:

Dan Seagrave

Album Title Logo:

Kyle Bowen

Bio:

Chris Dick

'Fragments of the Ageless' Formats:

Ltd. CD Digipak

Ltd. Gatefold transp. magenta LP

Ltd. Gatefold lemon colored LP (300x) available at cmdistro.de and Evil Greed

Ltd. Gatefold transp. light blue LP (300x) available at cmdistro.de and various other retailers

Ltd. Gatefold Opaque Spring Green LP (US version)

Ltd. Gatefold Sunspot LP (500x) available from US Indie outlets and SKELETAL REMAINS

Digital album

Follow:

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

INSTAGRAM

FACEBOOK

STREAM // DOWNLOAD

VITRIOL Reveals Play-Through Video for Furious New Song, "Shame and Its Afterbirth"

January 4, 2024

PRE-ORDER

Death metal battalion VITRIOL is now unleashing its third new single, "Shame and Its Afterbirth," along with a dual guitar and bass play-through clip! The track is taken from the band's upcoming sophomore full-length, 'Suffer & Become,' which is due on January 26, 2024 via Century Media Records! The furious new song and video can be found below.

VITRIOL guitarist and vocalist Kyle Rasmussen comments, "'Shame' begins the story of 'Suffer & Become' with a celebration of our nature. It speaks to how modernity estranges one from the voiceless voice within them, and on the consequences of ignoring the call of their instincts. It also happens to be my favorite song (musically) that I've ever written. I set out to carve deep valleys and build tall mountains when writing this album, and I believe this song to be the best example of that achievement."

Pre-orders are now live for 'Suffer & Become' HERE. The album will be available digitally as well as in Standard CD Jewelcase, Ltd. Deep Blood Red LP (All ex-US Retail), Orange Crush LP (All US Retail), and Red / Yellow / Black Transp. Splatter LP (Band Exclusive).

For Portland, Oregon's VITRIOL, nothing comes easy. Nothing. The title of their second Century Media album, 'Suffer & Become,' says it all. "The title really sums it up," says guitarist and vocalist Kyle Rasmussen. "I pushed things to a point while making this album where it almost became untenable. Things that were supposed to be done in weeks took months. It wasn't easy, but I think it was suffering well spent."

At the core of 'Suffer & Become' lies a profound sense of extremity and unease. This very essence defines Vitriol as the vanguard in death metal's evolutionary path—a sonic landscape characterized by its profound darkness, density, and the infusion of nanotechnological precision interwoven with intense, seething emotions. Not easy listening in the slightest. Since forming in 2013, Rasmussen and longtime co-conspirator, bassist, and co-vocalist Adam Roethlisberger have worked with a single-minded vision: to push the genre to its breaking point and invent a new uncompromising paradigm in the process. VITRIOL is a masterclass in pain – and that's just their jumping-off point.

Recounting VITRIOL's initial journey into the outer fringes of extremity, Rasmussen is characteristically thoughtful. "I was starving for something that didn't pull any punches," says Kyle of VITRIOL's caustic mission statement, which detonated into the realm of extreme metal with 2013's 'Antichrist' demo. "Death metal was important to me because it speaks to an aggression, a frustration that I had when I was younger. It wasn't just a sonic connection but an emotional connection, which made music almost a means to an end. What I saw happening in extreme metal at the time was almost a removal of emotion in favor of musicality, that fire, that piss and vinegar spirit. Basically, I wanted something that wanted me dead."

With 2017's 'Pain Will Define Their Death' EP, VITRIOL took its spot as one of the underground's most uncompromising exponents, leading them to join forces with Century Media. The resultant album, 2019's "To Bathe from the Throat of Cowardice," was nothing short of a crucial next step for the band and the genre itself. Decibel Magazine said, "Vitriol leave no doubt they are one of the best the genre has to offer, with shades of Nile, Hate Eternal, and Anaal Nathrakh frequently peeking through." Hitting the road that year, at first in Europe with Nile and then in the US with Cattle Decapitation and Atheist, and then Vader before the onset of Covid, VITRIOL was quick to establish themselves as much of an uncompromising force onstage as they are on record.

"Doing 'Black Seeds of Vengeance' alongside Karl Sanders [of Nile] onstage in Europe on our very first tour was nothing short of a 'pinch me' moment," Kyle recounts from VITRIOL's early touring days. "More recently, we were touring with Morbid Angel, and Steve Tucker, who is my favorite Morbid Angel vocalist, came out of his dressing room in a VITRIOL t-shirt and exclaimed that we were one of his favorite new bands! That blew my mind as a fan, first and foremost – a total 'Holy Fuck!' moment."

'Suffer & Become' is nothing short of a benchmark for VITRIOL (rounded out by guitarist Daniel Martinez and Matt Kilner). It's as dense and blackened as anything to erupt from Rasmussen's vision of sonic disorder. From the onset of the opening track, "Shame and Its Afterbirth," there's a new sense of openness, grandeur, and occasional beauty in VITRIOL's aural arsenal. "I wanted to have an album that had a stark duality to it," says Kyle. "Very high highs and very low lows. We're very familiar with the lows but not so much with the triumphant highs. I wanted the album to have more of a sense of optimism to it, both lyrically and musically. I wanted the album to convey a sense of optimism that probably gets lost in the black maelstrom that is the first album."

Produced by Rasmussen and mixed by Dave Otero (Archspire, Cattle Decapitation), 'Suffer &

Become' isn't merely the sound of VITRIOL upping the ante in death metal's musical arms race; it is also the sound of salvation for its driving force. "Living in the world of that first album was very difficult for me," says Rasmussen. "It's not a nice place. It was very intentionally imbalanced in the same way a horror film is imbalanced. I wanted a healthier world for me to live in, and I believe I achieved that."

Not that the writing and recording of 'Suffer & Become' was anything short of soul-rending. Rasmussen labored over the creation of the album in the studio, on tour in hotel rooms, to the point of painstaking obsessiveness. Kyle is straightforward about the grueling record-making process and its personal impact. "The record feels a bit like a Jungian Dante's Inferno," he states. "Plumbing the circles of my personal, psychological, and spiritual hell and then purposely refocusing it so it's not the unhinged, dark catharsis of the first album. This record is a lot more vulnerable."

Songs like "Weaponized Loss" or "The Flowers of Sadism" are what Kyle describes as a "dark baptism" in comparison to the absolute darkness of "To Bathe…". The sound of VITRIOL remains as joyless and dark as ever, but with a glimmer of hope. VITRIOL has taken its trauma-put-to-sound approach to the next level and discovered a new sense of beauty in the blackness. 'Suffer & Become' is death metal with a bloody, beating heart.

Line-Up:

Kyle Rasmussen - Guitars and Vocals

Adam Roethlisberger - Bass and Vocals

Matt Kilner - Drums

Daniel Martinez - Guitars

Producer // Mixing // Mastering:

Dave Otero

Album artwork:

Dylan Humphries

Photo Credit:

Peter Beste

Bio:

Mike Gitter

Physical Formats:

Standard CD Jewelcase

Ltd. Deep Blood Red LP (All ex-US Retail)

Orange Crush LP (All US Retail)

Red / Yellow / Black Transp. Splatter LP (Band Exclusive)

Drummer KEVIN PARADIS Joins NE OBLIVISCARIS for Upcoming Tours, Shares Drum Play-Through for 'Equus'

May 10, 2023

Progressive metal outfit NE OBLIVISCARIS is now revealing that drummer Kevin Paradis (BENIGHTED, MITHRIDATIC, etc.) will be performing drums during the band's upcoming headlining tours! To celebrate this union, Paradis has shared a drum play-through for the song "Equus," which is taken from NE OBLIVISCARIS' new album, 'Exul,' which is out now! Watch the video below.

NE OBLIVISCARIS comments, "We are tremendously excited to announce that Kevin Paradis will be joining us on our 'EXUL' world tour that kicks off in Europe next week! This incredible French drummer, known for his work in Benighted amongst many other acts, was actually the very first person we reached out to after discussing amongst ourselves who we could potentially invite to audition for the band. We were all blown away by his playing and how quickly he connected with the material once he started learning our songs and are thrilled to have him joining us on the road."

Kevin Paradis adds, "When Ne Obliviscaris reached out to me, I considered this a great opportunity to play meaningful and spirited music that blends different atmospheres into great songs and I am honored to be trusted by the band for their upcoming 'EXUL' tours. Learning and rehearsing the songs has already been a huge pleasure and a great challenge. But now I can't wait to experience this music live with them and to use my drumming skills to serve Ne Obliviscaris' beautiful music."

NE OBLIVISCARIS' European/UK tour kicks off next week on May 5! For all upcoming live dates and tickets, visit the band's website HERE.

'Exul' is out now! The band's stunning video for the new song "Graal" can be found HERE.

Order 'Exul' HERE or stream/download HERE.

NE OBLIVISCARIS + BEYOND CREATION (w/ PERSEFONE):

10/05: Baltimore, MD @ Soundstage [TICKETS]

10/06: Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts [TICKETS]

10/07: Richmond, VA @ The Broadberry [TICKETS]

10/08: Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade [TICKETS]

10/10: Tampa, FL @ The Orpheum [TICKETS]

10/11: Orlando, FL @ The Haven [TICKETS]

10/13: Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live [TICKETS]

10/14: Dallas, TX @ The Echo Lounge [TICKETS]

10/15: San Antonio, TX @ Vibes Event Center [TICKETS]

10/17: Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theater [TICKETS]

10/18: Phoenix, AZ @ The Nile Theater [TICKETS]

10/20: San Diego, CA @ House Of Blues [TICKETS]

10/21: Los Angeles, CA @ The Belasco Theater [TICKETS]

10/22: San Francisco, CA @ DNA Lounge [TICKETS]

10/24: Salt Lake City, UT @ Metro Music Hall [TICKETS]

10/25: Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory [TICKETS]

10/26: Reno, NV @ Virginia Street Brewhouse [TICKETS]

10/27: Portland, OR @ BossaNova Ballroom [TICKETS]

10/28: Seattle, WA @ El Corazon [TICKETS]

10/29: Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw Theater [TICKETS]

10/31: Edmonton, AB @ The Starlite Room [TICKETS]

11/01: Calgary, AB @ The Palace Theatre [TICKETS]

11/03: Denver, CO @ Gothic Theatre [TICKETS]

11/04: Lincoln, NE @ Royal Grove [TICKETS]

11/05: Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line [TICKETS]

11/07: Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge [TICKETS]
11/08: Pontiac, MI @ Crofoot Ballroom [TICKETS]

11/09: Toronto, ON @ Opera House [TICKETS]

11/10: Montreal, QC @ Club Soda [TICKETS]

11/11: Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall [TICKETS]

11/13: New York, NY @ Gramercy Theater [TICKETS]

Drum tracking for Exul, the fourth long-player from Australian extreme progressive metallers NE OBLIVISCARIS, started in March 2020. There is an ominous tone to that date: March 2020. The pandemic demarcation line. That month, Daniel Presland laid down his drums in Nashville, Tennessee, with American producer Mark Lewis. As flight cancellations increased and borders shuttered, Presland made it home literally hours before Australia closed theirs. Lewis, guitarist Benjamin Baret and bassist Martino Garattoni weren’t as lucky. They were due to land in Australia in the days that followed to continue tracking, but were forced to remain overeseas indefinitely. With recording studios shuttered throughout Melbourne, a slow, tedious, life-altering two-year grind to complete Exul ensued for NE OBLIVISCARIS.

What should have been the continued upward swing after 2017’s critically acclaimed Urn turned into the most fraught moment of NE OBLIVISCARIS’s career. Clean vocalist and violinist Tim Charles says the period “came close to breaking us completely.” It was a time filled with death, relationships breaking down, despair and financial loss. Presland, NE OBLIVISCARIS’s drummer since 2005, amicably parted ways in early 2022, throwing yet another wrench into the band’s plans.

There are, however, happy accidents scattered throughout the creation of Exul. The extra, unexpected downtime allowed the band to fine-tune and even re-write parts previously set in stone before the pandemic. Charles’s violin solo at the end of “Graal” is a prime example: His original idea wasn’t fully realized until he revisited the song in early 2021 and promptly came up with a new part. It was a classic “a-ha” moment that improved the song.

“Getting an opportunity to have a song mostly done for a year or so and then go back to it, find what you loved about it the first time and maybe even improve it in some ways was a nice silver lining from all the delays,” says Charles. “I think because we had so many delays that were out of our control, we were even more determined to take our time to make sure when the time came to record and to mix, that we ensured it was the absolute best it could be in every way.”

Seven additional studios and three more countries later, Exul was finally mixed and mastered in July 2022.

The album personifies NE OBLIVISCARIS’s distinctive, boundary-pushing ethos. The band’s trademark blend of emotion and beauty is as towering as ever, if not even more compelling, particularly how Charles’s violin lines carefully weave their way around Baret and fellow guitarist Matt Klavins’ riffing. The duality of Charles’s clean vocals and Xenoyr’s growls remains the narrative anchor, elevating songs that emanate sophistication and are a masterclass in composition.

“Our approach is always the same,” says Charles, “which is essentially to just write and see what comes out. Exul definitely had its challenges during the songwriting process. Part of the beauty of how our music comes together is that we are quite different individuals bringing an array of ideas together. From there, we work out how to combine them into something that is seamless and beautiful to us. We were determined to make this our best and most complete album yet, which definitely resulted in it taking longer. But we are so proud of this album and it’s exciting to finally share it with the world.”

The album’s centerpiece is the two-part “Misericorde I – As the Flesh Fails” and “Misericorde – Anatomy of Quiescence.” (A NE OBLIVISCARIS album is not complete without a multi-part epic!) According to Charles, Part II began by taking a song they thought was finished (Pt I) and asking, “What if after that…?” The band then wrote a section that took the piece in a new direction and what was a 7 minute song, became an almost 17 minute 2 part epic.

“The bulk of Part I was written more so by Benji and Martino,” notes Charles. “You can hear the very guitar-driven approach present throughout that track. Part II, by contrast, was written more so by myself in collaboration with others and the emphasis changes more towards expansive solos and slow-developing sections that build towards the epic finale. These two tracks are a great example of how it’s the combination of our different strengths as songwriters spread across an album that results in the sound that is 'NE OBLIVISCARIS'.”

Charles’s violin parts, whether on “Misericorde II,” “Equus” or “Suspyre,” exude confidence. The instrument has always been central to the band’s sound. On Exul, Charles’s violin playing is taken to another level. “I think that over the years, in regards to how my violin interacts within NeO’s music, I’ve simply continued to add more strings to my bow, so to speak,” he says. “With ‘Exul,’ I definitely explored even further the use of layers of violin and viola parts to create a more textured feel compared to other albums. ‘Mesericorde II’ was definitely a bit of a breakthrough song for me, where I felt I could utilize the strings in a way that hadn’t been done in NeO’s music before. In the end, whatever serves the song best is always the aim and having more ways of creating music makes it easier to serve the song.”

The Exul album title came to Xen when he was summing up the album’s feeling musically and lyrically. Coincidentally, it matched the experience of most people during the pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. “I think everyone at some point has felt at odds with the world around them, felt alone, cast out, or misunderstood,” says Xen. “Exul felt right to use in a broader sense and as a lone word, for we each have our own history and a story of exile.

“Overall, there’s a darker core to this album, perhaps more ominous than previous releases,” he continues. “However abstract the lyrics are, they involve some form of unwanted departure — all journeys into torment, passion, longing and even despair. They touch on the process of physical and psychological destruction that comes from that sense or reality of being exiled, whether forced from one’s land, ostracised from a community, shunned by a religion, or even simply being treated differently for being who they are.”

Touring will factor heavily into NE OBLIVISCARIS’s 2023 plans. The band will embark on headlining tours worldwide that will hit new territories. As luck would have it, the return to live show activity will coincide with the release of Exul and the band’s 20th anniversary. As one of Australia’s leading extreme metal exports, there is a distinct sense of gratitude from Charles and his bandmates. They’re looking forward to sharing it with fans when they resume touring.

“Simply getting the opportunity to perform music that we’ve written on stages around the world to people that genuinely love and connect with it,” finishes Charles when talking about NE OBLIVISCARIS’s 20-year journey. “There is something incredibly special about the energy that exists between an artist and audience at a concert and it’s an honor to get the opportunity to spend 2023 connecting with people in that way once more.”

Style: Progressive Extreme Metal

Recording Info:
•   Exul was produced, mixed & mastered by Mark Lewis, Nashville, USA
•   Co-produced by Ne Obliviscaris
•   Drums Performed by Dan Presland & Engineered by Mark Lewis at Addiction Studios, Nashville, USA
•   Additional Drum Engineering by John Douglass
•   Bass recorded at Domination Studio, Italy by Simone Bertozzi and Simone Mularoni
•   Acoustic Guitars recorded at Bud Studios, Merignac, France by Mathieu Pascal
•   Harsh Vocals recorded at Audio Ninja Studios, Melbourne, Australia by Troy McCosker
•   Violin and Viola on all tracks and Clean Vocals on tracks 5 & 6 recorded and engineered by Troy McCosker at Pony Music, Melbourne.
•   Clean Vocals on Tracks 1, 2, 3 & 4 recorded at Studio TC, Melbourne, Australia
•   Additional Clean vocal engineering by Anthony Iorio
•   Benjamin & Matt’s rhythm guitars were recorded in their home studios in France and Australia and re-amped by Mark Lewis in Nashville.

Recording line-up:
Xen- Harsh Vocals
Tim Charles – Clean Vocals, Violin, Viola & Keyboards
Benjamin Baret- Lead Guitars
Matthew Klavins- Guitar
Martino Garattoni - Bass
Dan Presland- Drums

Current line-up:
Xen- Harsh Vocals
Tim Charles – Clean Vocals, Violin, Viola & Keyboard
Benjamin Baret- Lead & Acoustic Guitar
Matthew Klavins- Guitar
Martino Garattoni – Bass

Guest musicians:
Additional Violin on tracks 1, 2 & 3 performed by Emma Charles
Additional vocals on Track 1 performed by Alana K Vocal
Cello on Tracks 1 & 4 performed by Dalai Theofilopoulou
Cover artwork: Xen

Links:
www.facebook.com/NeObliviscarisBand
www.instagram.com/neobliviscarisofficial
www.twitter.com/neobliviscaris3
www.youtube.com/NeObliviscaris
www.neobliviscarissom.bandcamp.com
www.patreon.com/neobliviscaris
https://www.neobliviscaris.com.au/

Pre-sales: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/NeO-exul
Download/Stream: https://orcd.co/neoexul

Formats:
Digital
Digipak
Digibox
Vinyl in various colours
Cassette

NE OBLIVISCARIS Shares Guitar/Bass Play-Through for "Graal"

February 14, 2023

PRE-ORDER

Guitarist Benjamin Baret and bassist Martino Garattoni of progressive metal outfit NE OBLIVISCARIS are now showcasing a brand dual guitar and bass play-through for the song "Graal!" The clip can be found below.

"Graal" is taken from the band's upcoming new album, 'Exul,' due March 24, 2023! The band's stunning video for the song, which was released in January 2023, can be found HERE.

Pre-orders for 'Exul' can be found HERE while the album can be pre-saved on streaming services HERE.

NE OBLIVISCARIS also recently announced a European/UK tour, which will take place from May 5-June 3, 2023! For all upcoming live dates and tickets, visit the band's website HERE.

NE OBLIVISCARIS + BEYOND CREATION (w/ PERSEFONE):

10/05: Baltimore, MD @ Soundstage [TICKETS]

10/06: Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts [TICKETS]

10/07: Richmond, VA @ The Broadberry [TICKETS]

10/08: Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade [TICKETS]

10/10: Tampa, FL @ The Orpheum [TICKETS]

10/11: Orlando, FL @ The Haven [TICKETS]

10/13: Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live [TICKETS]

10/14: Dallas, TX @ The Echo Lounge [TICKETS]

10/15: San Antonio, TX @ Vibes Event Center [TICKETS]

10/17: Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theater [TICKETS]

10/18: Phoenix, AZ @ The Nile Theater [TICKETS]

10/20: San Diego, CA @ House Of Blues [TICKETS]

10/21: Los Angeles, CA @ The Belasco Theater [TICKETS]

10/22: San Francisco, CA @ DNA Lounge [TICKETS]

10/24: Salt Lake City, UT @ Metro Music Hall [TICKETS]

10/25: Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory [TICKETS]

10/26: Reno, NV @ Virginia Street Brewhouse [TICKETS]

10/27: Portland, OR @ BossaNova Ballroom [TICKETS]

10/28: Seattle, WA @ El Corazon [TICKETS]

10/29: Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw Theater [TICKETS]

10/31: Edmonton, AB @ The Starlite Room [TICKETS]

11/01: Calgary, AB @ The Palace Theatre [TICKETS]

11/03: Denver, CO @ Gothic Theatre [TICKETS]

11/04: Lincoln, NE @ Royal Grove [TICKETS]

11/05: Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line [TICKETS]

11/07: Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge [TICKETS]
11/08: Pontiac, MI @ Crofoot Ballroom [TICKETS]

11/09: Toronto, ON @ Opera House [TICKETS]

11/10: Montreal, QC @ Club Soda [TICKETS]

11/11: Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall [TICKETS]

11/13: New York, NY @ Gramercy Theater [TICKETS]

VOYAGER Premieres Guitar Play Through for "Dreamer," Announces Signature Beer and Meet & Greet Contest

February 14, 2022

Guitar duo Simone Dow & Scott Kay of Perth's premier electro power prog sensation VOYAGER are now sharing a joint guitar play-through for the band's new song, "Dreamer!" The single has been selected to compete in prestigious song contest, Eurovision - Australia Decides! Watch the play-through, which was filmed by Mike Dann at Hopping Mouse Studios, at THIS LOCATION.

In addition, VOYAGER is now announcing their very own signature beer along with a very special contest! ‘𝘿𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙧 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙠𝙮' is a juicy IPA brewed by Bright Tank Brewery and will go on sale on February 23 at THIS LOCATION! The band and brewery have also partnered with Lumber Punk Axe Throwing for a very special contest. With every purchase of ‘𝘿𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙧 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙠𝙮,' fans can grab a chance to join the band for an axe-throwing session courtesy of Lumber Punks Axe Throwing, and then on to Bright Tank to drink beer and do a meet and greet with all members of Voyager! More info can be found HERE.

VOYAGER has also recently premiered the official music video for "Dreamer," which can be seen THIS LOCATION.

For several years, VOYAGER has been petitioning to be selected as one of Australia's musical representatives in Eurovision - Australia Decides. After being shortlisted in the previous year's competition, the band has finally been tapped to represent Western Australia, making it the first time that the region has hope of winning the Eurovision title! The band will soon reveal the song that has been selected in the contest!

"Dreamer" can be streamed HERE.

"Integrating new-romantic 80s vocals against intricate textures of flashy synth, technical Opeth-esque riffs and ambient soundscapes, Voyager are a genre-defying cosmic melting pot of prog metal, djent and power pop." - Metal Hammer

In 2020, VOYAGER's music video for "Runaway" was exclusively premiered via 'Eurovision - Australia Decides!' Following an application via the Song Portal, the band finally received recognition for submitting a track and were paid tribute on the live television broadcast that aired on Saturday, February 8 on the Gold Coast. The can be seen at THIS LOCATION.

The song was taken from VOYAGER's 2019 release 'Colours in the Sun,' which received a wealth of international accolades. Recently, the single "Brightstar" was the first place winner in the Rock / Alternative category of the USA songwriting contest! Last year, 'Colours in the Sun' was the winner of The Independent Music Award in the Rock/Hard Rock Album category. The record was released in November of 2019 and landed a coveted #1 placement on the Australian Independent Albums chart! 'Colours in the Sun' also debuted at #7 on Independent Label Albums as well as #27 on Official iTunes Australia.

'Colours in the Sun' can be downloaded and streamed HERE.

Since their 1999 formation, whatever genre norms, boundaries and regulations thrust upon Perth, Australia’s Voyager have been smashed. They embrace, if not brandish pop; employ a keytar on stage, and, bring forward a positive, if not uplifting feeling to their music, running head-first into the endless parade of heavy bands who see the world in a different light. It’s perhaps why the title of their seventh full-length and first for Season of Mist, Colours in the Sun, is apropos: Voyager simply prefers to see the bright side of things.

“Observations of the malaises of the modern world and the baffling obsession with purity and difference all make me think,” says frontman and founding member Danny Estrin. “We’ve never had it better and we’ve never had it more colorful. To me that’s progress, it’s adaptation, it’s evolution and it’s astounding.”

The follow-up to 2017’s Ghost Mile, Colours in the Sun finds Voyager enmeshed in rich, melodic, song-first tapestries, led by Estrin’s smooth, capable clean vocal delivery. Estrin is self-aware of his vocals, calling them “unique and ‘80s.” But whatever tag Estrin affixes to his voice, they are the propellent throughout Colours in the Sun, serving up a steady diet of soaring, emotive choruses, where melody is paramount and along the way, even getting some help from another distinctive belter, Leprous’s Einar Solberg on “Entropy.”

“Einar and I became good friends on our tours through Europe and Australia,” notes Estrin. “I couldn’t help but ask him to guest on the album. He is a fantastic musician and vocalist. I sent him a reference track which he swiftly ignored and laid his own tracks down. The result is stunning!”

The kaleidoscope of sounds that comprise the album’s ten cuts is the result of Voyager’s far-reaching influences, many of which go beyond the traditional realms of metal and rock. Estrin calls it “catchy at the top, proggy at the bottom, as if Dream Theater and Depeche Mode had a baby.” It’s almost as if the term “progressive” is too limiting for Voyager, particularly when the guitar tandem of Simone Dow and Scott Kay merge for complex rhythms while doing battle against Estrin’s vaudeville-like keyboards (!) on “Reconnected.”

The “proggy at the bottom” notice is served by way of the rhythm section of bassist Alex Canion and drummer Ashley Doodkorte, who stretch their musical tentacles across busy, active cuts such as “Saccharine Dream” and the syncopated “Water Over the Bridge.” “I think we found our ‘voice’ on V (2014) and have been building on that ever since,” says Estrin. “The synthwave prog sound is really something that has naturally developed and has been refined even more on the new album. Every record is progress — that’s what progressive music is all about!”

According to Estrin, the Colours in the Sun album title encompasses a “vibrant multitude of people coming together under the hot Australian sun to create a beautiful and colorful soundscape.” It’s capped off by artwork courtesy of Doodkorte, who made the piece out of photographs near his house in Perth. A closer inspection reveals there are seven suns on the cover, one for each Voyager album, topped off by an updated version of the band’s logo comprised of five strokes, one for each member. No doubt a fitting visual summation of a band whose progress can be the described in the most literal and figurative of terms.

“It’s been a slow steady growth over the years,” concludes Estrin. “Other bands come and go after a year of fame. I really feel like we’ve built up an incredible fanbase, especially over the last decade, and the deal with Season of Mist seemed the logical step to take it to the next level together.”

Style: Electro Progressive Metal

Line-up
Danny Estrin - Vocals
Simone Dow - Guitars
Alex Canion - Bass
Scott Kay - Guitars
Ash Doodkorte - Drums

Recording studio:
Sumo Studios - Drums
Templeman Audio - Guitars and Bass

Producer / sound engineer:
Aidan Barton - Vocal Producer

Mixing studio and engineer:
Matthew Templeman
Fraser Cringle (assistant engineer)

Mastering studio and engineer:
Simon Struthers

Guest musicians:
Einar Solberg from LEPROUS on ‘Entropy’.

Cover artwork artist:
Ashley Doodkorte

Bio:
David E. Gehlke

Shop: https://smarturl.it/Voyagerinthesun
Download/stream 'Colours in the Sun': https://som.lnk.to/Voyagerinthesun
Download/stream "Dreamer": https://orcd.co/voyagerdreamer

Available formats:
CD Digipak
LP in various colours

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

Lee McKinney (Born of Osiris) Announces New Upcoming Solo Album 'In The Light of Knowledge' (via Sumerian Records) Out 1/14/2

November 28, 2021

Lee McKinney

Announces New Upcoming Solo Album

'In The Light of Knowledge'

Out January 14, 2022

via Sumerian Records

Pre-Order Here

Releases New Playthrough

"Stormrage"

Catch Lee On Tour This Fall With Born Of Osiris

More Info Here

Melodic Death Metal Unit WOLFHEART Reveals Colossal New Single "Hereditary"

March 2, 2021

Listen & Watch the New Band Playthrough Video

New EP, Skull Soldiers, out March 5, 2021

Pre-Order HERE

Finnish melodic death metal mainstays WOLFHEART recently announced the upcoming release of their brand new EP, Skull Soldiers, scheduled for release on March 5, 2021 via Napalm Records! With Skull Soldiers, WOLFHEART continues the heroic battle forged on their highly-acclaimed 2020 full-length, Wolves of Karelia, with two new, frostbitten Winter War-inspired singles and two special rarities.

Today, following the recent release of the EP's searing title track, “Skull Soldiers” (featuring guest vocals from Petro Solovey of Ukranian band Wolfanger), WOLFHEART have revealed another unrelenting new track, entitled "Hereditary", alongside a new band playthrough video. Conjuring a frigid blackened metal landscape, the track explores soaring symphonics and low rhythm guitars backed by massive vocals, while telling the brave tale of Winter War warriors fighting some of the most epic battles in Finnish history.

WOLFHEART frontman Tuomas Saukkonen says about “Hereditary”:

"Musically, 'Hereditary' is a clear contrast to our previous single 'Skull Soldiers', which was our most death metal oriented song ever written. It's a melodic and almost heroically forward driven song that still carries the dark theme of the war with the timeless fact: When pushed far enough, everybody becomes a killer, and that wrath is buried in each one of us."

Pre-Order the Skull Soldiers EP HERE!

The Skull Soldiers EP’s unrelentingly heavy offerings bring to life a sonic aura of freezing winter temperatures and the crushing weight of the Finnish army that was never willing to surrender. In addition to two new studio tracks, “Skull Soldiers” and “Hereditary”, the EP is also accented by two rarities: the first – an eerie new acoustic version of the Shadow World (2015) track, “Aeon of Cold”, featuring the airy, chilling clean vocals of bassist Lauri Silvonen, and the second – a flawless live version of the Wolves of Karelia single “Reaper”, recorded during the band’s virtual concert stream performance that aired in 2020. Skull Soldiers is a must-have for diehard and new WOLFHEART fans alike, staving off cravings until the band’s next offering!

Saukkonen says about the EP’s concept:

"I did a lot of research about the Winter War for the Wolves of Karelia album, but after the album was out, a few reporters gave me some additional details during the interview cycle and it turns out I managed to miss some really cool hidden gems. One of them was a small "elite group", or "Winter War special unit", who called themselves Skull Soldiers – ninja level soldiers who painted skulls and skeletons on their helmets. I really felt that I had to write some kind of a sequel for Wolves of Karelia, and since lockdown brought a lot of free time, we decided to make an EP while waiting for the world to open up again for touring.”

He adds about the EP’s rarity tracks:

“The acoustic version of ‘Aeon Of Cold’ is something we have been thinking for a while now. Our bass player, Lauri, has an awesome clean voice and we would like to play a full unplugged gig at some point, and based on that idea we have already been arranging some of the songs with acoustic guitars. Since there are no gigs at the moment, we wanted to try out the idea in studio. Same goes with live version of ‘Reaper’. We did a multitrack recording when we did our first streaming gig last April and since we are unable to play live to our fans, this is the second-best thing we could offer."

The Skull Soldiers EP will be available in the following formats:

- 12 inch Vinyl EP in Silver + Patch (Napalm Mailorder - strictly limited)

- 12 inch Vinyl EP in Silver + Patch + Shirt (Napalm Mailorder - strictly limited)

- Digital EP

12 inch Vinyl EP in Silver + Patch + Shirt (Napalm Mailorder - strictly limited)

WOLFHEART is:

Tuomas Saukkonen: guitar, vocals

Joonas Kauppinen: drums

Lauri Silvonen: bass, backing vocals

Vagelis Karzis: lead guitar, backing vocals

WORMED Releases Play-Through for "Bionic Relic"

January 5, 2021

Track: Bionic RelicAlbum: MetaportalRecorded between Sep and Oct 2020 in different locations.Line up: Phlegeton - VocalsMigueloud - GuitarsGuillemoth - BassV...

Spanish technical death metal masters WORMED are now streaming a brand new play-through video for the song "Bionic Relic," which is taken from 2019's sci-fi EP, 'Metaportal.'

WORMED comment: "We're not fans of play-throughs, but since this world is changing and we haven't played anywhere for a year (!!!) we thought you would like to enjoy a display of a 'Metaportal' track, 'Bionic Relic' with the full band. This was recorded on different planets. We live light years from each other and it's quite hard to be all together for recording any footage. Become a 'Bionic Relic' with us!"

'Metaportal' was released on July 19, 2019 and can be streamed, downloaded, and ordered HERE.

'Bionic Relic' is taken from the bands lates EP 'Metaportal', which can be listened to in full HERE.

Space – the final frontier. Yet, when WORMED reach out into the void, the results sounds far more like a dark space opera inhabited by bizarre aliens, genetically and technically evolved meta-humans struggling for power and survival in galactic empires. Now, the nano-technological war has been unleashed in the void to defeat the last sower of human life, Krighsu!

Odd-time signatures, avalanches of breaks and complex rhythmical as well as melodic patterns will excite every aficionado of extreme technicality, while growls down-tuned strings and double-bass assaults will more than satisfy extreme metal connoisseurs. While being outstandingly skilled musicians WORMED are avoiding any self-indulgent show of prowess for its own sake. Instead the five-piece from Madrid clearly lays its emphasis on creating atmospheric songs, which develop and grow along the underlying story.

Originating from Spain's capital Madrid in 1998, WORMED immediately made an impact in the death metal scene with the release of their 'Floating Cadaver in the Monochrome' MCD (1999). Following a promo CD under the title 'Voxel Mitosis' (2001), the first studio album 'Planisphaerium' received high acclaim by critics and fans alike in 2003. In the wake of their debut full-length, the Spanish received invitations to international festival shows and touring around the globe. WORMED performed in Japan alongside GORATORY and VOMIT REMNANTS and afterwards hit Europe with MALIGNANCY and DESPONDENCY.

A creative hiatus, partly due to line-up changes and filled with re-issues of their previous released as well as the single 'Quasineutrality' (2010) finally ended, when their sophomore album 'Exodromos' came out in 2013. On their third full-length 'Krighsu' (2016), the fast-rising Spanish Sci-Fi tech death prodigies are telling a dystopian cosmic story with lyrics and music joined into an overarching concept. Its intense brutality, dissonant dynamic riffing, and tremendous heaviness combined with an amazing futuristic concept, which introduced the character Krighsu – last human in the cosmos, harvested top reviews and saw WORMED headlining in the US and co-headlining in Europe.

Now WORMED are ready to explore the cosmos even further by entering the 'Metaportal', while climbing to even more mind-blowing musical heights. Prepare to experience the universe in the light and sound of a new aeon dawning!

Style: Sci-fi Tech Death

Line-up
Phlegeton: vocals
Migueloud: guitars
Guillemoth: bass
V-Kazar: drums

Cover artwork
Phlegeton Art Studio

Shop:
https://smarturl.it/WormedMetaportal
https://som.lnk.to/WormedMetaportal
http://www.wormed.bandcamp.com

For more on WORMED, visit their official WEBSITE, FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, YOUTUBE, BANDCAMP, and TWITTER.