VOYAGER Teases Special Virtual Concert, "A Voyage Through Time"

Electro Prog Sensation VOYAGER will transmit to the universe a special edition online show direct from Perth, Western Australia this September. Following the success of their debut online show that served fans during the first lockdown, Voyager have now expanded their horizons and announced a unique once in a lifetime performance that spans the band's extensive career. The band is now sharing an exciting trailer for the massive event, which can be seen below.

'A Voyage Through Time' sees Perth's premiere Progressive Metal outfit Voyager present a one of a kind visual and aural performance that outlines the progression of their musical career. An online live experience with full production, a journey across two decades and seven albums with a fan-voted set list, seeks to explore a new and enhanced approach to the band's live show serving to grab the attention of both their Australian and international fan base, and as a tribute to the songs that have stayed with fans over time.

The show will air on Sunday, September 5, a date which celebrates the Voyager 1 Spacecraft that was launched by NASA.

This is a Voyage that won't be forgotten. Save the date.

BUY TICKETS NOW - VOYAGER.VEEPS.COM

More details and set list to be announced in due course.

Frontman Danny Estrin previously commented on the event: "Voyager will return to the world stage in full force this September for a cosmic show that spans the entirety of our career. Inspired by a fan curated set list, and songs that we haven't performed in years, we're plotting an insane live production that displays the progression of our music over the course of two decades and seven albums. We're here to deliver a show that is truly A Voyage Through Time. Expect Voyager live like you have never seen us before."

VOYAGER's 2019 release 'Colours in the Sun' can be downloaded and streamed HERE.

'Colours in the Sun' was recently 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.

Moreover, the band has reissued 2017's 'Ghost Mile' as a digipak version, which contains three bonus tracks which were recorded during the VOYAGER show at ProgPower in 2017. It can be ordered HERE.

ICYMI: Earlier this year, 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 video is now available worldwide and can be seen at THIS LOCATION.

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: https://som.lnk.to/Voyagerinthesun

Available formats:
CD Digipak
LP in various colours

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

International Metal Stars ALIEN WEAPONRY Announce Upcoming Performances with New Zealand Symphony Orchestra

Two Night Event Taking Place in Kirikiriroa Hamilton and Ōtautahi Christchurch this May

Tickets Available Now HERE

[Photo Credit: Piotr Kwasnik]

Metal stars ALIEN WEAPONRY are embraced by fans and critics internationally as one of the current generation’s biggest names in heavy music, especially in their home country of New Zealand, where the band has achieved nearly household name status. This May 2021, the band plans to uplift their local fans in a completely new way by performing in unity with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra at two special performances, taking place in Kirikiriroa Hamilton and Ōtautahi Christchurch.

The performance events, billed as Stronger Together, will be a unique musical experience for audiences, the NZSO and ALIEN WEAPONRY. The concerts are ALIEN WEAPONRY’s first with an orchestra and NZSO’s first collaboration with a metal band in their 75-year history.

The Kirikiriroa Hamilton performance will take place at the Claudelands Arena on Saturday, May 22 at 7:30 PM, and the Ōtautahi Christchurch performance will happen at Town Hall on Saturday, May 29 at 7:30 PM. Tickets are available now via www.ticketek.co.nz.

As made evident with their breakout 2018 Napalm Records release Tū, ALIEN WEAPONRYdelivers emotionally and politically charged stories of conflict and grief with a warrior-like attitude, with many of the songs sung in the indigenous language of te reo Māori. Some, including the high-octane “Kai Tangata”, incorporate taonga puoro (traditional instruments of the Māori people of New Zealand). These standout blended elements of band’s music are poised to make Stronger Together an exceptional evening for all in attendance.

Lead vocalist and guitarist Lewis de Jong, drummer Henry de Jong (Ngāti Pikiāo and Ngāti Raukawa) and bass player Tūranga Morgan-Edmonds (Ngāti Rarua, Ngāti Wai and Ngāti Hine) can’t wait to play with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, led by renowned New Zealand conductor Holly Mathieson.

Lead vocalist and guitarist Lewis de Jong says:

“I've always loved the idea of incorporating orchestral music with contemporary music, and when I heard that the NZSO wanted to collaborate with us I was really excited. I think there is going to be a very interesting mix of people who come to the show, mixing the metalheads with the classical music fans. One thing for sure, the mosh pits will be insane.”

Bassist Tūranga Morgan-Edmonds adds:

"Being trained as a classical pianist when I was a child, I've always wanted to play in the true orchestra experience. And now to be able to be a part of something involving the talented team of the NZSO, I am super excited, and I’m so glad I get to join it with our passion for heavy metal too!”

NZSO Chief Executive Peter Biggs says audiences will be blown away:

“Classical and metal share much of the same DNA. Many of metal and hard rock’s biggest names, including Eddie Van Halen, loved and took inspiration from classical composers and performers. Metallica’s live album S&M with the San Francisco Symphony sold in the millions.

While we’ve collaborated with some of Aotearoa New Zealand’s best-known bands and artists, for us to finally play with a metal band of ALIEN WEAPONRY’s calibre will be one of the highlights of 2021.”

For information on the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and this event, visit www.nzso.co.nz.

New Zealand Symphony Orchestra PR contact:

Tom Cardy

tom.cardy@nzso.co.nz

ALIEN WEAPONRY have made headlines across the world with their unique fusion of thrash metal and their native language, te reo Maori. The band occupied the #1 slot for 13 weeks on the Devil’s Dozen countdown on SiriusXM Liquid Metal, their debut album Tū was voted album of the decade by Finnish metal magazine Tuonela, and American metal magazine Revolver named ALIEN WEAPONRY one of the bands most likely to break out in 2021. In Denmark, they were welcomed to the Copenhell Festival by a crowd of 10,000 doing a haka in their honor, and opened up for Slayer in Stuttgart, Germany on their final European show last year.

While the world has been in lockdown, the band has been in New Zealand, writing and recording their second album, anticipated for release soon. Stay tuned for more news!

Order ALIEN WEAPONRY's latest full-length album Tū HERE

ERDVE Announces Virtual Performance Filmed in Lukiškės Prison

ERDVE is proud to announce the live stream of a very special live performance that took placve at Lukiškės Prison in Vilnius, Lithuania in September 2020. The stream will launch on February 27, 2021 12:00 P.M. EST. Tickets are available HERE

ERDVE comments on the stream: "Our goal was to enhance the eerie atmosphere of the prison architecture with our musical performance, yet you could still feel the smell and the surrounding energy from the recent prison life. We are happy to be able to share this documented footage shot by NO BRAKE productions, providing an intimate look from multiple points of view. Having such an event during a calmer period of the pandemic was a challenge that could've left us with nothing, but we have managed to do this before any harsh restrictions were reinstated. Since this show had a very limited capacity due to the Covid regulations, we made sure to capture this experience in a professional manner and provide an opportunity to those who didn't have a chance to attend the event or would like to revisit it at home."

About the event:
This show is probably the last chance for anyone to see the inside of the prison and how it looked like since it was built in 1905. Lukiškės Prison is inactive since 2019 and is now closed for renovation. The stage is set up in a round 4-level hall which is a main part of a 1st prison block that used to serve as a death row for prisoners a while ago. After the death penalty became prohibited in 1998, the 1st prison block was only for prisoners serving a life-sentence right until 2019 relocation of inmates to another prison.

ERDVE's are playing in support of their debut album 'Vaitojimas,' which is streaming in full HERE. ERDVE will be releasing a brand new album in the Summer of 2021. More info about the new offering will soon be available.

Heavy insanity drips atmospherically out of every crack and crevice of 'Vaitojimas', which translates as "gibberish moaning". The album revolves around a concept of an emotional void filled without any moral barriers to self-satisfy the inner degenerate ranging from the ordinary to the criminally insane. This idea is turned into melodies, rhythm, and sound by ERDVE.

When ERDVE formed in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius in 2016, the band had a clear aesthetic vision of creating a unique heavy sound that experimented with elements from hardcore, sludge, and black metal – yet was not bound by any unwritten "rules" surrounding those genres.

ERDVE's members had already been active in their local scene and performed in various acts such as NYKSTA, SRAIGĖS EFEKTAS, and SPIRALE. A self-made tape version of their debut made its rounds in underground circles and the Lithuanians received the rare honour of being picked straight out of the dreaded demo pile by virtue of their musical strength and compelling quality.

The core ideas behind ERDVE are translated into lyrics, visuals, and sound by in-depth reflection on concepts such as domestic violence, utmost disgusting behaviour, crimes against humanity, and extremism.

With 'Vaitojimas', ERDVE are planting a fresh Baltic landmark, a largely unexplored region, into the international metal scene so far. Begin your journey into the new Lithuanian darkness!

www.facebook.com/erdvelt

Line-up
Vaidotas Darulis: guitar, vocals
Kristijonas Nenartavičius: guitar, soundscapes
Karolis Urbanavičius: bass
Valdas Voveraitis: drums

Guest musician
Laimis Juzeliūnas: Samples on "Išnara"

Style: Experimental Hardcore Sludge

Recording: Self-recorded by ERDVE

Sound engineering, mix & mastering: Vaidotas Darulis

Cover art: Vaidotas Darulis

Shop: http://smarturl.it/ErdveShop

Available formats
Digipak CD
Vinyl album in various colours

GAEREA Announces First Ever Virtual Concert via Gimme TV

Cathartic black metal outfit GAEREA has partnered with Gimme TV to air their first ever virtual concert on Saturday, February 13 @ 3:00 P.M. EST // 20:00 CET! In addition to performing their sophomore record 'Limbo' in full for the first time ever, the band will also be selling exclusive merch and will be present for a live Q&A in the chat. Tickets for the event are $10.00 and are available now via the official Gimme App at THIS LOCATION.

Launched early last fall, GIMME METAL TV combines the power of MTV-like linear broadcasting with livestreaming, and offers music videos, short form artist-created content, long form music documentaries, movies, and so much more.

Issues GIMME CEO Tyler Lenane of the channel’s inaugural virtual event, "GIMME is going to do for ticketed live events what it did for metal music streaming: reinvent the experience by focusing on building community around the music. Doing our first ticketed event with Season Of Mist is super exciting. They are a total force when it comes to discovering new and unique talent in metal. I think Gaerea is a great example of that. Season Of Mist have been amazing partners to GIMME since we started, and it only makes sense that we should be working together on this new service."

How to purchase tickets for a GIMME livestream:
Download the GIMME METAL app and sign up for an account or update to the latest version of the app to access. Navigate to the Channel Selector screen by clicking the square in the top left corner of your screen. Click on “Garea Special Event” in the channel selector. Follow the directions to purchase a ticket.

How to view the livestream:
To view the livestream, log-in using the email and password you created when purchasing your tickets in the app. The stream takes place inside the app. Once logged in, registered users will be able to view the stream in the channel selector. Select “Garea Special Event” from the channel selector to view the stream. If you have purchased a ticket, you will receive a mobile notification approximately fifteen minutes before showtime that the event is about to begin. Simply click on the notification and you will open the stream to the event. For any questions, email: tickets@gimmeradio.com. More info HERE. 

About GIMME METAL:
Founded by digital music veterans from Apple Music, Google Play, Beats Music, and Napster, parent company GIMME Radio builds highly engaged communities for the passionate fan on a genre-by-genre basis. The company launched its first community in June of 2017: the world’s first 24/7 metal-focused service. Fans tune in to hear world class DJs playing metal they can’t hear anywhere else – for free. The GIMME METAL app and streaming radio service allows the fans and the DJs/artists to communicate directly with one another in a live feed, in real-time, while they listen. Its roster of 70-plus DJs includes Dave Mustaine of Megadeth, Jessica Pimentel, star of Orange Is The New Black, Brian Posehn, and Randy Blythe of Lamb Of God, among many others.

In addition, GAEREA will be hosting their very own two-hour live radio special ahead of the event on Monday, February 1 @ 3:00 P.M. EST // 20:00 CET via Gimme Metal. The band has curated a very special playlist and will also be present during this event to interact with fans. In the meantime, fans can submit questions to the band in which they will answer LIVE ON AIR during the show. Submit questions via the band's Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter in the meantime! You can sign up and tune in for FREE HERE.

'Limbo' is out NOW and can be streamed, downloaded, and orderedHERE.
Something rises in the bleak and blackened skies of society as we know it. Vortex community GAEREA are about to bestow their Undying Sigil to the masses, with their brand-new full length ‘Limbo’!

GAEREA is a black metal quintet from Portugal. Emerging in the beginning of 2016, the band released their first (self-titled) EP on November 11, 2016 through Everlasting Spew Records. The EP received many praises from the worldwide press, and it was not long before the first full length "Unsettling Whispers" (2018) was presented.

With that, GAEREA had the pleasure to perform and tour festivals in Europe and China, including performances with Jupiterian in April 2019 and a headlining Chinese tour in May 2019. The band already performed at festivals like SWR Barroselas Metalfest (PT), De Mortem et Diabolum (DE), Throne Fest (BE), Frantic Fest (IT), Eresia Metal Fest (IT), Amplifest (PT) and many more. During the fall of 2019, the band did an extensive tour with label mates NUMENOREAN under the Doomstar Bookings wing throughout Europe.

Are you finally ready for the tale of the Fallen Society and the journey to the vast Void, the only good in Life? Let us begin then. In the first hopeless circle, on too great and Undeniable Nothingness. WE ARE GAEREA.

Line-up: unknown

Studio/recording: Demigod Recordings (PT)
Mix/Master: Miguel Tereso

Sales: redirect.season-of-mist.com/GaereaShop


Available formats:
Digipak
LP in various colours
Digital

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

For more on GIMME METAL, visit their official WEBSITE, FACEBOOK, TWITTER, and INSTAGRAM.

TOMBS Announces Virtual Performance via Bandcamp!

New York/New Jersey metal formation TOMBS will be performing their very first virtual concert on February 5 @ 3:00 P.M. EST via Bandcamp, making the band the first metal artist to premiere a live stream through the platform. The band will be present for a live meet and greet and will be selling some exlcusive merchandise items! Tickets and the performance will be made available HERE. Stay tuned for additional information!

TOMBS is currently supporting their latest full-length, 'Under Sullen Skies,' which was released in November of 2020. The record has been named one of the best metal releases of 2020 by Metal Insider, Decibel Magazine, The Pit, Riff Magazine, Chicago Music Guide's Global Music Podcast, and others while drummer Justin Spaeth has been dubbed one of the best drummers of 2020 by Sick Drummer Magazine.

In addition, TOMBS previously premiered the official music video for their new song, "The Hunger," which pays homage to cinema's most infamous vampires! The song and video, which was created by Jaclyn Sheer, can be found at THIS LOCATION.

'Under Sullen Skies' can be streamed, downloaded, and ordered HERE.

There’s a line from Mike Hill’s audiobook/tour diary of ANODYNE’s 2004 European tour in which the gravel-throated frontman affirms, “I will always outwork you.” In that case, Hill was referring to an incident in Germany early on during a six-week long overseas jaunt with his previous band. In actuality, however, he could have been talking about any instance between when he first picked up a guitar as a teen and the present. Whether it’s his history dating back to previous bands OTIS, ANODYNE, KING GENERATOR or VERSOMA, his ongoing solo work in VASILEK, the more recent SCORPION THRONE project or his thirteen year reign as the driving force and nerve center of post-black metal institution TOMBS, hard work is second nature and nothing will keep the guitarist/vocalist from creative endeavor and expression. And it’s not just music in which his propulsive work ethic has gleaned results: Hill also is the CEO and roast master at Savage Gold Coffee (a labelling nod to TOMBS’ 2014 album of the same name), the host/producer/creator of the Everything Went Black podcast, host and producer of Gimme Radio’s Metal Matters flagship podcast, the creator and co-host of horror podcast Necromaniacs as well as a stalwart in the print and online journalism world covering music and MMA fighting. His is, has been and always will be a life steeped in dedication and with unassailable drive in the cross hairs. And despite the world being put on pause, Hill refuses to curtail his innate determination and ongoing tenacity with the result being TOMBS emerging with the next chapter in its impressive catalog and growing legacy: the band’s fifth full-length, 'Under Sullen Skies'.

“The week VERSOMA broke up in 2007, I started TOMBS,” he says, recalling how, characteristically, the band started before any dust was permitted to settle. “The initial rehearsals ended up being the bulk of material that showed up on the first [self-titled] EP. The intent from the beginning was to get back to playing music I wanted to hear and to not be so concerned with genre or satisfying anyone else’s desires. It was to do music on a personal level and be a reflection of the darkness I’ve felt throughout my life.”

Formed in the gritty corners of pre-gentrified Brooklyn, NY, TOMBS’ early mandate was steeped in the harshness and atonality of black metal but dosed with trace amounts of the varied influences and inspirations ingrained in Hill’s musical muscle memory by previous bands. “The canon of music TOMBS has created has spanned several different genres, but I’ve always had it my intent for there to always be a certain amount of violence and hardness lurking the background.”
Those early years delivered splits and singles, the highly revered 'Winter Hours' debut in 2009 and Decibel’s 2011 Album of the Year, 'Path of Totality'. Never one to sit still, 'Path of Totality' was followed by appreciable and impressive amounts of touring in accordance with the lauding afforded by critics and fans and the braying of foes, which only served as fuel for Hill’s perseverance. Savage Gold came three years later after which a restless Hill began nudging TOMBS’ black metal base into territories populated by gothic and death rock artists like FIELDS OF THE NEPHILIM and SISTERS OF MERCY as well as avant-garde purveyors Caspar Brotzmann and Live Skull while never forgetting – or being able to – scrape the grime of NYC from under his fingernails. The addition of a second guitar and live keyboards/samples brought a fuller sound and allowed noise sequences and soundscapes to be brought to the live show. It was around the time of 2016 'All Empires Fall' EP that TOMBS punctuated its iconoclastic spirit and thought process. Despite then-being part of the Relapse Records family, the band struck out with the intent of self-releasing the EP in order to retain as much independence as contractual obligations would allow – retaining the digital and publishing rights while eventually licensing the record back to Relapse. A one album stint in 2017 under the Metal Blade banner birthed 'The Grand Annihilation' into the world where TOMBS took broader and more daring steps into buffering black metal with morose melody, sullen death rock and classic METALLICA chugging. Following a parting from Metal Blade, the band – now completed by drummer Justin Spaeth, guitarist Matt Medeiros and bassist Drew Murphy, who are also 3/4ths of New Jersey death metal crew KALOPSIA - quickly found a home on Season of Mist and issued the 'Monarchy of Shadows' EP literally a week before the world went into Coronavirus lockdown.

“The original strategy assumed we would be on the road for most of 2020,” says Hill with a lamenting laugh. “We had a sick tour with Napalm Death planned right after the EP’s release. We were going to record the new full-length before the tour and have it come out in the fall. There was all kinds of tour talk and plans and 2020 would have been a tour-de-force of TOMBSactivity in the United States and Europe. Obviously, none of that is happening, but we’re still going ahead with the record.”

Of course they are. Throw a hurdle in front of Mike Hill and he’ll never shy at rolling up his sleeves and taking on the challenge. Even with the world in shutdown mode, Hill is still brimming with enthusiasm about the input and work ethic of the current TOMBS lineup and how Spaeth, Mederios and Murphy stepped up to the plate in the creation of 'Under Sullen Skies'.
“Everyone contributes on this record and the door has always been open for others to do so. There has always been this misconception that I’m some sort of tyrant always telling people what to do and play. The fact of the matter is that most of the time I outwork people; that’s just the way I am. No one is ever going to outwork me on any level in any area of my life and I was always coming up with material. Now, I have these maniacs in the band who are equally motivated and there’s a whole new life injected into TOMBS. That’s awesome and I love it. These days we’ll try anything and we actually write stuff and throw it out because it’s not perfect. It’s more like a writing committee, which I really appreciate. It’s not just me writing everything. It’s a big difference from 'The Grand Annihilation' which was basically a solo record.”

'Under Sullen Skies' is this lineup’s second kick at twisting black metal’s DNA around dank emotional corners, psychological turmoil and the urban underbelly all of which is unavoidably coloured and touched by the present-day status of life on this here Earth.

“The album’s title came during all this and the sort of post-apocalyptic world we’re living in,” Hill explains. “It encapsulates an overall feeling of gloom and depression which is pretty much how we’ve been living for most of this year. The title was the last piece to fall into place. I remember standing on the roof of the building I was living in at the time on a grey day and it was raining – actually, it wasn’t even raining; it was a half-assed attempt at rain! – and depressing and I just thought, ‘What a sullen sky’ and it just stuck with me.”

The album starts with “Bone Collector,” a furious blast of melodic black metal that shifts gears towards an anthemic fist-pumping slog through the goth rock-thrash metal VENN DIAGRAM. “Void Constellation” takes as many cues from Peaceville Three gloom and doom as it does the death metal stomp of OBITUARY and INCANTATION. “Descensum” mines the various well-worn parts of Ride the Lightning for influence before blasting the doors open with some startlingly spacious chromatic single-note atonality. As the album progresses, further textures and moods are employed via acoustic instrumentation and keyboards as well as sampled soundscapes all butting heads with furious second wave black metal and sly to nods to death rock heroes SISTERS OF MERCY and FIELDS OF THE NEPHILIM, all of the band’s motivations and interests being dropped into the chameleonic pair of tracks closing the album, “Sombre Ruin” and the appropriately titled “Plague Years.”

“‘Barren’ stands out as the song that’s most collaborative,” notes Hill. “Justin wrote the bulk of the riffs on that one, that sort of NWOBHM/SCORPIONS ending part is something I came up with, Matt added a bunch of guitar harmonies over it and Drew’s bass is laid thick underneath. That one is one of the biggest group efforts and one of the strongest songs on the record.

“I explore a lot of the archetypes that are used in folklore on this record, like werewolves and vampires which I’ve always been interested in, and on a song like ‘Secrets of the Black Sun’ I talk about the finite nature of our time on this planet, that nothing is really permanent and being aware of that whether as an individual or as a civilization, which I guess fits in with the pandemic and the changes that are going on. There are all kinds of other people, civilizations and creatures that have come and gone long before us and if you think about it over a long enough time span, everyone’s life expectancy goes down to zero.”

The new album not only sees Hill expanding his creative and collaborative comfort zone by wholly embracing the offerings of his band mates, but he’s also let down the drawbridge to allow folks from beyond the immediate TOMBSfamily to include what he describes as “mad guest spots.”

“There’s Cat Cabral, who does the spoken word piece on ‘Angel of Darkness.’ She’s not a musician per se; she’s more from the occult and witchcraft world. I’ve been friends with her for a really long time and she’s a great resource for esoteric knowledge. She’s also an actress who has done plays and commercials and been in films, so I figured she’d be the perfect person to deliver dialogue in an emotionally deep way, and be good at taking direction. Ray Suhy from SIX FEET UNDER rips the guitar solo in ‘Barren’ and that solo is its own masterpiece, in my opinion. BLACK CROWN INITIATE and former TOMBS live guitarist Andy Thomas contributed a guitar solo in ‘Void Constellation.’ Todd Stern from PSYCROPTIC plays the solo in ‘Mortem.’ Sera Timms from IDES OF GEMINI and BLACK MATH HORSEMAN does guest vocals on ‘Secrets of the Black Sun.’ We’ve got INTEGRITY’s Dwid Hellion singing the chorus on ‘The Hunger’ and BLACK ANVIL’s Paul Delaney also doing a couple of verses on ‘Angel of Darkness.’ So, yeah, there are a bunch of people on there and it’s like a community effort which I enjoy. I like involving people I respect and having them be a part of the whole thing.”

After spending his entire adult life navigating the pitfalls and pratfalls of the industry for expressive and creative opportunity, Hill has amassed an impressive legacy, one that 'Under Sullen Skies' contributes to admirably and irreverently. Like most, the extreme music underground lifer and veteran is probably justified in approaching the future with very muted optimism, but while the world works at screwing its head back on straight, Hill is going to do what he wants to do as well as he possibly can. Uncertainty may reign at the moment, but Hill and TOMBS are still going to do their thing and will be content to please themselves in the process. If anyone else happens to be along for the ride, then welcome aboard.
“'Under Sullen Skies' is a dark and introspective album,” he asserts. “It’s not a happy record that anyone is going to use to get pumped up on a Friday night. We wanted to pull out the stops, go full-on and make a nice body of work. I could care less if anyone likes the band or not because I’ve been through so many ups and downs with this thing that I don’t give a fuck if people enjoy the music. I know I like it, I know the guys in the band like it and we’re just rocking and rolling. This record and the EP came out about as close as I could imagine to what I have in my brain about how this band should sound. The whole trajectory of the band has had each record never quite hitting, but 'Monarchy of Shadows' and 'Under Sullen Skies' have both really come out how I envisioned the songs to be.”

Line-up:
Mike Hill – guitars, vocals, electronics, synth
Matt Medeiros – guitars
Drew Murphy – bass, vocals
Justin Spaeth – drums, guitars, electronics, synth

Guest Musicians:
Cat Cabral – Spoken Word Dialog on “Angel of Darkness”
Paul Delaney (BLACK ANVIL) – additional vocals on “Angel of Darkness”
Dwid Hellion (INTEGRITY) – additional vocals on “The Hunger”
Todd Stern (PSYCROPTIC) – guitar solo on “Mordum”
Ray Suhy (SIX FEET UNDER) – guitar solo on “Barren”
Andy Thomas (BLACK CROWN INITIATE) – guitar solo on “Void Constellation”
Sera Timms (IDES OF GEMINI, BLACK MATH HORSEMAN) – additional vocals on “Secrets of the Black Sun”

Recording and Mixing: Fright Box Studios, Clifton, NJ, USA

Mastering/Producer/Sound Engineer: Bobby Torres

Cover Art: Valnoir

Bio: Kevin Stewart-Panko

Links
https://www.facebook.com/TombsBklyn/
https://www.instagram.com/tombscult/
https://twitter.com/TOMBS666
https://tombscult.bandcamp.com/
EverythingWentBlack.podbean.com

Shop: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/tombs-skies

For more on TOMBS, visit their official FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, and BANDCAMP.

COLD WAVES Chicago’s Long-Running Industrial Music Festival Announces Virtual Weekend Of Activities September 18-20

To Be Streamed Via Twitch HERE

The Event is FREE To Attend, With Opportunities For Donations

Full Programming Details To Be Announced September 10

Exclusive COLD WAVES “Lost Weekend” Compilation Album Will Feature 

A Cover Of The Cure’s “Burn” By Stabbing Westward & 

Contributions From Other Festival Alums

Proceeds Will Benefit Metro Chicago Staff And 

Darkest Before Dawn, Supporting The Nightlife Industry

In-Person Festival Event Rescheduled To September 24-26, 2021

The long-running and much-loved industrial music festival COLD WAVES will live on this year in the form of a weekend-long virtual celebration, announced today. “The Lost Weekend Virtual Experience” is planned for September 18-20 and will be streamed FREE via Twitch HERE. 

The 3-day event will feature several hours of programming nightly starting at 7:00 pm CT and will include new exclusive content, rare and unseen video performances, artist-driven auction items, special guest appearances and DJ sets. Some of the bands scheduled to participate include Meat Beat Manifesto, The Young Gods, Chris Connelly, Ash Code, Severed Heads and many more. The event is FREE to attend, with opportunities for fan donations. Full details will be revealed September 10.

This year’s annual in-person edition (COLD WAVES IX) had originally been scheduled to take place at the legendary Metro Chicago this month with headlining sets from Front 242, Stabbing Westward and My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult, but had to be postponed due to ongoing health concerns, venue capacities and international travel issues as a result of COVID-19. It has since been rescheduled for September 24-26, 2021 with a to be announced lineup.

Founder Jason Novak wanted to resurrect the fan favorite weekend in this virtual model and says, “Regardless of the current struggles our industry family and friends are enduring, we realize how much COLD WAVES means to so many people every September, since Jamie Duffy’s passing in 2012 that inspired it all. We felt the need to do something, anything, to try and connect this passionate fan base during our ‘lost weekend,’ and we are grateful to the artists who contributed in such a dark time. Hopefully there is enough goodwill and gas in the tank left to generate some fundraising revenue for the Metro staff and Darkest Before Dawn, as we all continue to fight to save our industry.”

The virtual weekend activities will be organized as follows:

Friday, September 18: Kick-Off Party

Saturday, September 19: The Main Event 

Sunday, September 20: Closing Ceremonies 

Final programming details, along with more information, will be revealed on the “Car Con Carne” show with James VanOsdol on Thursday, September 10. Tune in HERE.

In addition to special auctions and rare band merchandise for sale throughout the weekend, COLD WAVES will release an exclusive limited-edition compilation album with 15 tracks and remixes from festival alumni, including a cover of The Cure’s hit “Burn” (from The Crow soundtrack) done by Stabbing Westward. The album will have a limited CD pressing and will be available on the COLD WAVES website and the Cracknation Records Bandcamp page.

Proceeds from all sales will be donated to a GoFundMe set up for the staff of Metro Chicago as well as the Darkest Before Dawn charity, providing support to the nightlife communities. A donation button will also be available throughout the streaming activities for those that wish to donate further. 

About COLD WAVES

COLD WAVES is a celebration of Chicago’s relationship with industrial music, the memory of a fallen brother, and a fundraiser for suicide prevention charities. In the summer of 2012, Chicago lost one of its most loved and respected sound engineers and musicians, Jamie Duffy. His work ethic and ingenuity in the local music scene was a gift to many musicians. His abrupt passing had a profound effect on the electronic and metal music families he meant so much to.

In need of healing and hope, COLD WAVES brought 14 bands together for one magical night that year to raise money for Jamie’s family and say goodbye. But in the end, it was more of an awakening... a rebirth... a breaking wave. The success of the show pushed the team to build it into an annual event, stretching over a weekend and moving it to Chicago's iconic Metro.

COLD WAVES aims to shake the pillars of heaven by collecting the bands, styles, sounds and attitudes that Jamie held dear, and cement the sound of a Chicago institution alive and well. From Wax Trax! and Medusas to Uncle Al and Chicago Trax, this is our history and our future, the melding of man, woman and machine, the sound of melody, muscle and hate, basking in the glow of attack ships on fire down the shores of Pluto.

http://www.coldwaves.net/

https://www.facebook.com/coldwavesfestival

ICYMI: BARISHI Shares Live Footage from Virtual Concert Stream

Earlier this year, progressive sludge metal outfit BARISHI live streamed a pummeling performance from the Stone Church in their hometown of Brattleboro, VT. ICYMI.

The band is supporting their sophomore effort, 'Old Smoke,' which is out now and can be ordered in various formats HERE.

'Old Smoke' can be streamed HERE.

Chronologically speaking, while Graham Brooks falls into the generational social construct known as “the millennial,” in actuality the Barishi guitarist/vocalist is an old soul, wise and talented beyond his years. Sure, he’s got an all-in-one cellular device in his pocket like just about everyone else on the planet, but you’ll rarely find him obsessively staring into it unless necessary. He was scouring used book and record stores for classics long before it was deemed cool by the hipsters of his cohort and when it comes time to actually listening to his vinyl finds – instead of mounting them for show or posting “Look at what I bought” online missives – he prefers lengthy, involved and protracted pieces of music in direct opposition to the quick fixes required to sate the miniscule attention spans of kids these days.
 
Furthermore, when Brooks’ name comes up in conversation, a soon-to-be classic yarn quickly follows: last year, he was asked to provide a guest spot solo record on Cable’s Take the Stairs to Hell album. Instead of utilizing modern and available technology and facelessly recording and emailing in his contribution, the worryingly tall gentle giant drove five hours non-stop from his home in central Vermont to a Boston recording studio, laid down his solo in a matter of minutes then almost immediately got back in his car and drove the five hours home. Without a hint of self-consciousness or ironic arrogance, he’ll divulge, “I definitely have an interest in old stuff. I guess people would call me an atavist. I like to read about archeology and history and old empires and stuff like that. I remember hearing someone talk about the fleeting nature of smoke and its age throughout time and that seemed interesting to me.”

This is the launch pad for Barishi’s newest album, Old Smoke. The Green Mountain State metallic shape-shifters’ third album roils along with feet in both the distant past and foreseeable future. The record is a fulcrum for the conglomeration and combination of metal from black, progressive, doom and sludge subgenres aligned with a variety of rock musics, including classic, roots, Americana and indie. For Barishi, there are no sonic barriers, no musical borders, everything is welcome and the result of throwing all available ingredients into a melting pot to create a powerful sum of parts. It’s a notion that grizzled urbanites and dichotomous us-against-them thinkers might view as achingly naive or treacherously liberal, but in the alchemical context of novel robustness emerging from the distillation of the best of disparate parts, Old Smoke exists as a beacon of light and strength. This is something Brooks attributes not only to the experience the band has gained since forming in 2010, but also the isolation of growing up as hopeful metalheads in rural Vermont.

As a pre-teen, Brooks’ family moved him to the tiny village of West Dover in order to live and eventually work on the family farm, where he lives and works to this day. While precociously and proudly sporting an Iron Maiden shirt at the grocery store one day, he was spotted by, and became friends with, Dylan Blake and the two joined forces when they ended up at the same high school in town.

“Dylan was known around as a drum wizard, I played guitar and [bassist] John [Kelley] got into metal a little later, but we were always friends so we just started rocking out together and have just stuck with it.

“Early on, we didn’t know anybody or how to get shows until this guy in Burlington started running this thing called Metal Mondays at a club called Nectars, which is the place Phish got their start at,” he says about the band’s primordial age. “That was where we were able to become a little more professional, figure out what we were doing and what we wanted to do. But Vermont’s cool because it’s so isolated and because there’s not a lot to do people come out to metal shows. Some old hippie will come out and have a great time just because that’s what’s happening in town. It’s small enough that there are no scene politics with this genre of kids versus that genre of kids; if there’s a show, people go to it. I think that attitude has allowed us to do our own thing while playing to everybody. Once in a while I’ll talk to somebody from a big city and they’ll mention the woes of trying to play to fans of a certain subgenre and how it never goes over. We don’t really have that in Vermont.”

Originally an instrumental band called Atlatl, the band joined forces with vocalist Sascha Simms and switched to the Barishi moniker in 2012. The then-quartet recorded and self-released a self-titled album in 2013 which caught the eye and ear of the likes of Decibel, Metal Hammer, New Noise, and, most importantly, Season of Mist. Being offered a recording contract slathered the Barishi camp in surprise (“We had done a fair bit of DIY touring, but it wasn’t like we were the big local band or had any buzz at all”) and sparked a growing ambition which begat the band’s 2016 album, Blood from the Lion’s Mouth. Shortly after the debut’s release though, Simms and the band parted ways which put Barishi in a holding pattern for a few months until they decided to stop looking for a replacement and fill the position internally.

“We tried a few other singers until I ended up grabbing the vocal reins. There weren’t hordes of disappointed fans or protesting crowds of Sascha loyalists,” Brooks says with a self-deprecating laugh, “so it made it easier to make the sort of identity change that most bands would worry about. Plus, it was hard to find people willing to give up as much as you have to and put in the work to be in a band.”

Once they traversed the hurdle of Simms’ departure, the now-trio discovered a new side of the band. Now that they didn’t have to concern themselves with what to do with a vocalist during lengthy instrumental parts, the songs got longer, more exploratory, grandiose and epic. Add on to that the fact that Old Smoke was gestated over a three year period and it becomes clear why this album brims with a monumental magnanimity.

“Not having a vocalist meant we could do our thing a little more. This was also the first time we demo-ed things extensively and through that process I was able to get a better perspective on the songs and shape them a little bit more towards something we’d want to listen to. I remember having a conversation with a friend about our shared love of Iron Maiden and one of us said something about Maiden being one of those bands that, when you put on a song, you instantly feel like you’re going on a quest. I thought that was bad ass and really wanted to write songs that could be considered ‘quest-worthy.’ I’d say that was a big thing when we were writing these songs: writing longer songs that went somewhere without making them seem cumbersome.”

Despite the excellence of Old Smoke, Barishi is humble and fully cognizant of their position as low rung on the ladder at Season of Mist, in particular, and in the metal scene, in general. Brooks reveals without hesitation that “I’m still surprised we weren’t dropped after losing a charismatic frontman like Sascha,” and that “We’re still new to and nervous about playing big markets like NYC” despite recent tours with Weedeater and Tombs. But with tracks like the lassoed meandering of awesome album opener “The Silent Circle,” the sinister black metal/noise rock slashing of “The Longhunter” and the sky-opening prog-metal enormity of the title track leading the charge, Old Smoke is set to make an indelible mark on the metal scene; one dripping with passion for the art of progressive song writing, honest creative expression and the hunt for one’s individual voice while paying homage to the well-worn parts of record collections.

“A big goal we have is having the band catch up to our tastes in music. Sometimes people have good taste in music, but what they create doesn’t always reflect the quality of that taste. I like to think I have good taste in music and I think we’re starting to reflect that in the music we make. There are bands we really respect that can write super-long, beautiful songs you can listen to and it sucks if you get interrupted because you want to listen to the whole thing in one shot. We want to have songs like that, songs you look forward to listening to. We also want to have an enjoyable creative process in creating something that sits well with us; to make something that survives the long term and is a fair representation of the stuff we’re into.”

Old Smoke it is, then! 

Recording Line-up:
Graham Brooks – Guitar/Vocals 
Jonathan Kelley – Bass Guitar 
Dylan Blake – Drums/Percussion

Current Live Lineup: 
Graham Brooks – Guitar/Vocals 
Jonathan Kelley – Bass Guitar 
Dylan Blake – Drums 
Joe Nickerson (Lich King) – Guitar  

Guest Musicians: Mikey Allred played Keyboards/ Synth on all tracks except "The Longhunter"

Recording studio: Dark Art Audio, Nashville, TN, USA

Producer, mixing, mastering, and sound engineer:  Mikey Allred 

For more on BARISHI, visit their official FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, and BANDCAMP.

SLAY AT HOME Virtual Metal & Art Fest Announces First Wave Of Bands, More Each Day

Frank Godla of Metal Injection presents the Slay At Home Festival: A Virtual Metal & Art experience with never before seen performances right from the homes ...

Frank Godla of music media outlet Metal Injection, is proud to announce Slay At Home, the first of its kind metal music and art festival, in support of MusiCares and Global Giving. Taking inspiration from some of Godla’s favorite European festivals, Slay At Home will be an artfully curated two-day livestream event with exclusive never-before-seen performances from over 30 bands, a dozen cover song collaborations, commissioned music from artists that will debut at the fest, special guest appearances, art installations and much more.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has affected nearly everyone on the planet, and sadly some of the last people to get their lives back will be the ones we depend on to get us through these times,” says Godla. “I wanted to create a platform that aids artists, their crew, and global healthcare efforts alike. The experience of a live concert is irreplaceable, but my aim with Slay At Home is to provide every person in the world an experience they haven’t seen yet, right from their own devices. I’ve never been more proud to be part of the metal community and have so many great friends willing to join the fun, as we support two great organizations.”

The Slay At Home virtual livestream is set to air on May 29th & 30th at the Metal Injection YouTube page for free, in an effort to raise funds for the MusiCares Covid-19 Relief Fund helping artists, crew and industry workers during financial crisis, as well as the Global Giving Coronavirus Relief Fund, an organization helping front line workers in need during the crisis. You can more information about the fest, and donate at the festival website www.slayathomefest.com

Slay At Home has announced the first wave of bands, with more each day through May 22nd. 

The initial initial release include never before seen performances from the homes of:

Tesseract

Darkest Hour

Twelve Foot Ninja

O'Brother

Der Weg einer Freiheit

Silvertomb

Astronoid

Contracult Collective

Myrone

A.A. Williams

There will also be commissioned music created by curated groups, set to debut at the festival. The first group announced includes: 

Luc Lemay (Gorguts)

Dave Davidson (Revocation / Gargoyl)

Liam Wilson (Azusa, The Dillinger Escape Plan)

Elliot Hoffman (Carbomb) 

There will be a dozen brand new cover collaborations, with over 40 musicians. The first names released are: 

Pustulus Maximus (GWAR) 

Tiziano Volante (Zeal & Ardor)

Trevor Strnad (The Black Dahlia Murder)

Sacha Dunable (Intronaut)

Johnny Kelly (Silvertomb / Type O Negative)

Ash Pearson (Revocation)

Brody Uttely (Rivers Of Nihil)

The initial announcement also includes special guest appearances from

Jessica Pimentel (Orange Is The New Black), Gost, Charlie Benante (Anthrax) Along with art installations from Vincent Castiglia, Trine Grimm, Jodi Cachia. 

There will be new bands, musicians, artists and special guests announced every day at the Slay At Home Facebook and Instagram pages, as well as thee festival website www.slayathomefest.com

ABYSMAL DAWN Announces Virtual 'Phylogenesis' Listening Party

Los Angeles' death metal masters ABYSMAL DAWN will be hosting a worldwide virtual listening party for their new album, 'Phylogenesis,' which will take place tomorrow, April 14, @ 11:00 A.M. PDT // 2:00 P.M. // 20:00 CEST. All four members of the band will be present for a live Q&A during the stream. You can tune in at THIS LOCATION.

ABYSMAL DAWN comments: "Unfortunately, our listening parties in NYC and Los Angeles had to be cancelled for obvious and understandable reasons. To try and make up for it, we’ll be hosting a live stream of our new album and virtual Q&A with the band on Tuesday. So if you’re going a little stir crazy, let’s listen to some metal and have a bit of fun."

ICYMI: ABYSMAL DAWN has scored the cover of Issue #52 of New Noise Magazine! Along with an in-depth interview with mainman Charles Elliott, the issue will also feature an exclusive flexi disc of the band's never-before-heard cover of CANDLEMASS' "Bewitched," which will be made available digitally at a later date. The cover is designed by Par Olofsson.

Speaking about the upcoming issue and the choice to cover CANDLEMASS, Elliott comments:

"We're incredibly honored to be on the over of New Noise Magazine. In all my years doing this, I think this is the first time we've been given the prime cover slot of any publication. I'm really happy to see all the excitement around the release of Phylogenesis and all the positive feedback we've been getting so far. It makes me proud after all the hard work that was put into this record.

"So, as an added bonus, New Noise is putting out our cover version of the doom metal classic, "Bewitched" by Candlemass. We had some free time in the studio while putting together Phylogenesis and decided to do something totally out of the box for us. I don't think many of our fans would think Candlemass are an influence of ours but they are. It's nowhere near the realm of tech-death or brutal death metal but Nightfall is one of my favorite albums and it's an amazing record! 

"Now the biggest shocker here is that I laid down some melodic vocals for this one. I don't pretend to be Messiah Marcolin but I gave it my best. I tried to maintain my own voice while paying tribute to the overall vibe of the original. I wasn't sure I could do it at first, but after showing the track to some friends and having the rest of the band excited about it, we decided we weren't making total asses of ourselves. It's a fun track and I think Vito killed it on the lead as well. Enjoy!" 

Subscribe to New Noise or pre-order Issue #52 HERE.

ABYSMAL DAWN previously released "The Path of the Totalitarian," the second single from their forthcoming fifth studio album, 'Phylogenesis.' The song is available along with an accompanying 360°  visualizer at THIS LOCATION.

'Phylogenesis' is the first new music from ABYSMAL DAWN in six years! The record is out on April 17 via Season of Mist, making it the band's debut to the label. Pre-order it HERE.

American death metal masters Abysmal Dawn are back! After a six-year gap, the Los Angeles-based outfit and Season of Mist hereby present Phylogenesis. Not that Abysmal Dawn have laid low since the release of 2014’s lauded Obsolescence full-length. Far from it. They toured North America four times and hit Europe and South America for the first time. Meanwhile, founding member Charles Elliott opened his studio, Tastemaker Audio, to accelerate Abysmal Dawn's own recording needs, as well to act as a bridge to other bands in need of a knowledgeable and relatable audio technician. But the road to Phylogenesis wasn’t an easy one. Besides work-horsing it throughout the U.S., Canada, Sweden, Germany, the UK, Brazil, Chile, and beyond in support of Obsolescence, Elliott and crew managed through some of the lowest points in Abysmal Dawn’s career. Internal strife, administrative burdens, musical differences, and motivation all had their various ways with the Californians. Yet, from the darkest depths, they prevailed, heralding a new chapter in the group’s storied history. Indeed, Phylogenesis is Abysmal Dawn’s rebirth!

“There was a brief period after doing two months of touring back-to-back in the U.S. and Europe in 2015 that I almost felt like calling it quits,” Abysmal Dawn’s Charles Elliott says. "It was our first time in Europe and I just had a hard time enjoying it. The band had grown, and I was a bit tired of having to handle most of the managerial aspects of what we do. The joy had been ripped from things and people weren't getting along, and some people acted like they didn't want to be there. But we went our separate ways with some of the members and all of a sudden, the band was fun again. They went on to other things and we're probably all happier in the end. Sometimes, I feel it's a miracle this album or band even still exists. I've avoided swearing on our records in the past, but the album's opening line is actually, 'Fuck you all!' Maybe it's primitive by our past lyrical standards but it's genuine and it's the most heartfelt, ‘Fuck you, we’re still here’ I could put on a record. I’m glad we stuck it out because I think this is our proudest moment so far.”

To say Phylogenesis is an extension or continuation of Obsolescence isn’t exactly as straightforward as it should be. On one hand, all the Abysmal Dawn trademarks—technicality, brutality, and melody—remain ingrained in the songwriting fabric. On the other, the band’s fifth full-length is more cohesive, rhythmically sophisticated, and far more adventurous. Elliott calls it “a major evolution.” Certainly, the six years of constant refinement, edge smoothing, and transition adjustments have paid off. What started as jam sessions between Elliott, bassist Eliseo Garcia, and drummer James Coppolino in 2016 eventually turned into one-offs. That there was no time limit to put Phylogenesis together ended up both a blessing and a curse. Total creative freedom at very little expense is a dream scenario, something a band of Abysmal Dawn’s stature took advantage of for their magnum opus. But without a ticking clock and dollars burning, the pressure to focus was far less severe, resulting in delays and feature creep.

“It was basically James, Eliseo and me meeting up at my place, jamming on ideas, seeing what worked and tweaking them from there,” says Elliott. “With the exception of ‘Hedonistic,’ James wrote all his drum parts. Obsolescence was demoed with me programming all the drums since our drummer at the time had moved up north. It was what it was, but it was pretty frustrating at the time. Having someone to bounce ideas off of in real-time, helped in maintaining the joy and momentum of making this album. Once it was time to record bass and leads, Eliseo and Vito [Petroni; guitars] would trickle in when they had ideas. We had no real deadline and seemingly infinite time to do things. Admittedly, I think it was hard for me to focus on the lyrics, not only because of things in my personal life but because I was focused on getting the guys in to complete their parts so I could focus.”

Finish Phylogenesis they did, in fact. Under significant duress, Abysmal Dawn had overcome their roadblocks. The results of the group’s undulating professional and personal schedules aren’t to be trifled with, however. Opening track “Mundane Existence” is a firestorm of labyrinthine yet savage riffs, enraged vocals, and machine-gun drumming. It’s death metal personified, enlightened, and perfected. Elsewhere, tracks such as “The Path of the Totalitarian,” “A Speck in the Fabric of Eternity,” and “Soul-Sick Nation” (feat. Fredrik Folkare of Unleashed, Firespawn, et al.) pose real threats to the status quo. In all three, Elliott’s passion for and dominance of death metal’s tenets are tangible. But there’s more to Abysmal Dawn on Phylogenesis than customary ritual. From the ruthless groove of “Hedonistic” and the staccato stabs of “Coerced Evolution” to the late album gem “The Lament Configuration” and the blistering cover of Death classic “Flattening of Emotion,” the songs are designed to slay in ways we’re just beginning to understand.

“We’re a pretty brutal death metal band, but what I feel like sets us apart is that no matter what we do there’s always some underlying sense of melody and hooks,” Elliott says. “There are lots of bands that are ridiculously brutal. There are lots of bands that are over-the-top technically or are blatantly melodic. We combine all that but we try to write something that sticks with you over time; that you'll keep coming back to, and that works well in the live environment. We love all types of music, whether it's fusion or industrial music, and it shines through here and there. But in the end, though, we're a pure death metal band at heart trying to retain that old-school feel with an updated take for a new generation.”

Conceptually, Phylogenesis deals with the breakdown of social constructs humans have built over time. The album title is defined by the evolution of (or diversification) a species. So, Phylogenesis is an ironic take on Elliott’s observations, particularly how social media has accelerated and exacerbated the de-evolution of humanity’s interactive abilities. The cover art, again by Swedish artist Pär Olofsson, isn’t directly correlated to the lyrical narrative, but it does continue where Obsolescence left off. The Olofsson cover art has envisioned what it’s like on the inside of the Obsolescence tower, and that it’s humans that are being fed back to humans. The cover art continuity is akin to Richard Fleischer’s famed Soylent Greenfilm but ripped through Elliott’s demented death metal lens.

“I think the lyrics deal a lot with things we encounter in our modern society and the effect it has on the individual,” says Elliott. “The dehumanization effect and divisiveness caused by bickering on social media (‘The Path of the Totalitarian’), the decay of legitimate journalism (‘True to the Blind’), struggling to find purpose in the pursuit of happiness (‘Hedonistic’), wishing something was greater than yourself (‘Mundane Existence’), the mental illness epidemic (‘Soul-Sick Nation’), embracing pain over numbness to feel alive (‘The Lament Configuration’), having our consciousnesses uploaded to a grid in order to make life sustainable on Earth (‘Coerced Evolution’), and the common theme throughout the band of wishing life on Earth would just start over (‘A Speck in the Fabric of Eternity’). I had started off wanting it to be a concept record but later scrapped that idea because I didn't like how it was going. In the end though, it just naturally all tied together in some way. Even the Death cover seemed to fit lyrically in hindsight. ‘Coerced Evolution’ is really the only song that in the sci-fi vein this time around. As for Pär, yes, he did the cover art once again. We love working with him and we’ve been creating great covers with him since 2006.”

Abysmal Dawn recorded Phylogenesis over a multi-year timeframe. In fact, Coppolino’s drums were tracked as far back as 2017 with long-time collaborator John Haddad at Trench Studios. The rhythm guitars and vocals, as produced by Mike Bear and Elliott, were also done at Tastemaker Audio the same year. So, some of Phylogenesis goes back, but the parts are no less lethal. Slowly but surely, the group’s newest and greatest materialized, with Elliott finishing the lead guitars, bass, additional vocals, re-amping, and mixing sessions in 2019, again at Tastemaker Audio. Abysmal Dawn then packaged up their fifth for mastering ace Tony Lindgren (Rotting Christ) to handle at Fascination Street Studios in Sweden. Contemporary yet absolutely remorseless, Abysmal Dawn’s Phylogenesis is death metal for a new age.

“We took our time and went to few studios this time around, so it’s a bit of a laundry list,” Elliott says. “John Haddad engineered the drums at Trench Studios. John has been involved with all our records in some form since From Ashes. Mike Bear helped track and produce the vast majority of my vocals and rhythm guitars out of my studio. Mike produced both Leveling the Plane of Existence (2010) and Obsolescence. I tracked and produced all the leads, bass parts, and other odds and ends and mixed the album as well. Tony Lindgren at Fascination Street Studios mastered the record in the end.”

As for Abysmal Dawn’s next steps, the quartet await the release of Phylogenesis. With past support coming from the Village Voice, Decibel, PopMatters, and Pandora, as well as the group's rabidly-devoted fanbase, the future of death metal is in good hands.

Lineup:
Charles Elliott: guitars, vocals
Eliseo Garcia: bass, additional vocals
James Coppolino: drums
Vito Petroni: guitars