Following their 2021’s Blood In The Water, Veteran Arizona thrashers FLOTSAM AND JETSAM have shared a first single taken off their forthcoming and 15th studio album entitled I Am The Weapon, that is slated for a 2024-release via AFM Records! A lyric video for the album title track is now premiering below.
More album details and pre-order options will be revealed on May 24, 2024. At the same time, a repress of the band’s 2016-album, Flotsam And Jetsam, will be issued as a strictly limited, Gatefold Clear 2-Vinyl!
The band comments:“We’re very excited about this new album, “I Am The Weapon.” We put a great amount of effort and thought into the music, and we can’t wait to start unleashing this metal assault on the music community…”
2024 will see FLOTSAM AND JETSAM return with their thunderous and new studio album I Am The Weapon. Watch out for more news and details to follow in the weeks ahead!
Canadian metal legends ANVIL have announced their new studio album, ‘One And Only’, for a release on June 28, 2024 via powerhouse label AFM Records! A first video single, “Feed Your Fantasy” has just been premiered and is now streaming below.
When it comes to the most influential bands in the history of heavy metal, authorities on the subject regularly vote ANVIL among the top positions. The group from Toronto, Canada, with its two masterminds, Steve ‘Lips’ Kudlow and Robb Reiner, with bassist Chris Robertson, not only looks back at an impressive career with countless highlights – as well as a number of well-documented difficulties – but has also had a lasting influence on lots of internationally renowned musicians, from Metallica to Slayer and beyond.
One And Only sees the band provide first-rate ANVIL entertainment: While Guitarist/vocalist Lips is considered to be one of the most creative and interesting storytellers of the metal genre, Chris Robertson and Robb Reiner keep the up the pace with their usual confidence, providing the perfect rhythm section for Lips. Although they have experienced the tough and frequently merciless side of the music industry on a number of occasions, ANVIL never lost their idealism, motivation and energy, which is immediately evident on One AndOnly.
Like its four predecessors,One And Only was produced by Martin ‘Mattes’ Pfeiffer (U.D.O., among others) and Jörg Uken at his Soundlodge studio. As far as Lips is concerned, Pfeiffer and Uken are “… our one and only choice. As usual, Mattes and Jörg did a great job in choosing our best playing and making sure it has top notch sound. Great guys who understand the band and know what suits us best.”
Pre-Order One And Only – due out on June 28, 2024 via AFM Records, HERE!
One And Only – tracklisting: 01 – One And Only 02 – Feed Your Fantasy 03 – Fight For Your Rights 04 – Heartbroken 05 – Gold And Diamonds 06 – Dead Man Shoes 07 – Truth Is Dying 08 – Rocking The World 09 – Run Away 10 – World Of Fools 11 – Condemned Liberty 12 – Blind Rage
ANVIL live: 02.05.2024 (CA) Ajax / The Edge 25.05.2024 (DE) Schönenberg-Kübelberg / Iron Fest Open Air 29.06.2024 (FR) Clisson, Hellfest 22.11.2024 (DE) Weissenhäuser Strand / Metal Hammer Paradise
NECROT will return to the stage this June on a massive North American headlining tour! The Lifeless Birth Tour 2024 commences on June 5th in Berkeley, California and winds its way through nearly three dozen cities, concluding on July 13th in Portland, Oregon. Support will be provided by Street Tombs as well as BAT and Phobophilic on select dates. The trek follows the band’s recent run supporting Municipal Waste on the inaugural Brainsqueeze Tour.
Comments bassist/vocalist Luca Indrio, “You already know it. The Lifeless Birth album release tour is going to be a savagely brutal one! I’m sure our loyal fans are going to be there to rage and destroy every fucking night. These shows are going to be pure madness; you are not going to regret being there, but you might regret not showing up. If you feel like you need a night of good metal you better be there early. The support bands are insanely good. BAT has a new album out for the tour just like us, Street Tombs is representing for [drummer] Chad [Gailey]’s label, Carbonized plus Phobophilic is joining us late in the tour, all such sick bands. Epic as fuck. See you all at the shows!”
Tickets go on sale this Friday, March 29th at 12:00pm ET at necrot.com! See all confirmed dates below.
NECROT w/ BAT, Street Tombs: 6/05/2024 The Cornerstone – Berkeley, CA 6/06/2024 Constellation Room – Santa Ana, CA 6/07/2024 First St. Billiards – Los Angeles, CA 6/08/2024 Brick By Brick – San Diego, CA 6/09/2024 Nile Underground – Phoenix, AZ 6/10/2024 The Launchpad – Albuquerque, NM 6/12/2024 Parish – Austin, TX 6/13/2024 Three Links – Dallas TX 6/14/2024 Vibes Underground – San Antonio TX 6/15/2024 TBA – Houston, TX 6/16/2024 TBA – New Orleans, LA 6/18/2024 Orpheum – Tampa, FL 6/19/2024 Will’s Pub – Orlando, FL 6/20/2024 Boggs Social – Atlanta, GA 6/21/2024 New Brookland Tavern – Columbia SC 6/22/2024 Chapel Of Bones – Raleigh, NC 6/23/2024 Cattivo – Pittsburgh, PA 6/24/2024 Metro Gallery – Baltimore, MD 6/25/2024 Broken Goblet – Bensalem, PA 6/26/2024 The Meadows – Brooklyn, NY 6/27/2024 Sonia – Boston, MA w/ Phobophilic, Street Tombs: 6/28/2024 Le Source – Quebec City, QC 6/29/2024 Piranha Bar – Montreal, QC 6/30/2024 Dominion Tavern – Ottawa ON 7/01/2024 Hard Luck Bar – Toronto, ON 7/02/2024 Sanctuary – Detroit, MI 7/03/2024 Reggies – Chicago, IL 7/05/2024 The Swamp – Lincoln, NE 7/06/2024 Oriental Theatre – Denver, CO 7/07/2024 Aces High Saloon – Salt Lake City, UT 7/09/2024 The Shredder – Boise, ID 7/10/2024 Ray’s Golden Lion – Richland, WA 7/11/2024 The Cobalt – Vancouver, BC 7/12/2024 Clock Out Lounge – Seattle WA 7/13/2024 The Star Theatre – Portland, OR
NECROT will be touring in support of their Lifeless Birth full-length, set to drop on April 12th via Tankcrimes.
With Lifeless Birth, NECROT continues their ascent to the forefront of American aural extremity, pushing the boundaries of style and continuing to recast metal in their image. Founded by bassist/vocalist Luca Indrio and drummer Chad Gailey in 2011 with guitarist Sonny Reinhardt joining the following year, the Oakland, California trio offers Lifeless Birth as a culmination of their to-date efforts to encapsulate and push forward the deathly stylings of 2020’s Mortal and their 2017 debut, Blood Offerings.
Lifeless Birth, which features cover art again by Marald Van Haasteren, will be released on CD, cassette, and digital formats as well as an LP in several different and exciting vinyl variants all housed in a golden foil stamped gatefold jacket. Recorded with Grammy-winning producer Greg Wilkinson who has helmed all three NECROT albums and mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege.
In honor of Lifeless Birth, NECROT will appear on the May 2024 cover of Decibel Magazine, marking their second appearance on the cover of the esteemed publication.
Don’t miss it! Order your copy today at THIS LOCATION.
Find LP preorders HERE, CD preorders HERE, cassette preorders HERE, and digital preorders HERE where the band’s previously released singles, “Cut The Cord,” and “Drill The Skull” can be streamed.
After having their Mortal tour plans scuttled owing to the COVID pandemic, family health issues that led Indrio, who became a US citizen in 2016 and currently lives in Mexico, to return to Italy for a time canceled what would have been their first tour post-plague. Still, despite this and Gailey suffering a broken back, requiring multiple surgeries and intense physical therapy to be able to drum again, period, Indrio being struck with Bell’s Palsy the night before he was originally due to fly to the studio to record, and Reinhardt requiring multiple surgeries on his hands in the months since they finished, NECROT charges forward with material distinguished in its real-world point of view and willingness to look beyond extreme metal tropes in lyrics, the melodies of its guitar solos, and unbridled audience engagement.
Australian Hard Rockers Tarot have released “Leshy’sWarning,” the second single from forthcoming album, Glimpse of the Dawn. Check it out on the Cruz Del Sur Music YouTube Channel: youtu.be/2D-n14FZQAU
Glimpse of the Dawn, the band’s first album for Cruz Del Sur Music, will be released April 12 on CD, vinyl, and digital formats! The long-awaited sophomore album re-imagines heavy, Hammond B3 organ hard rock for a new generation!
Eight years have passed since Tarot’s first full-length, Reflections, to their new long-player, Glimpse of the Dawn. It was like a lifetime for the 1970s-rock-tinged Australians. The band embarked on its first-ever live shows after Reflections, essentially coming together as a unit while on stage.
Live activity then opened the door for increased collaboration between all members of the band. Now operating as a cohesive, free-flowing outfit, Tarot amassed a lively, spacious album in the form of Glimpse of the Dawn that earnestly pays tribute to their core influences of Uriah Heep, Rainbow and Deep Purple while blazing an identity of its own.
Glimpse of the Dawn was recorded across several studios in the band’s native Tasmania, starting with drum tracking by Joe Haley at Crawlspace Productions. From there, the band retreated to its own Heavy Chains Studio and Riff Cabin to complete tracking, yet it was the face-to-face sessions with Haley that gave the album its live and natural feel.
This approach, once an industry standard and now becoming a rarity, found Tarot simply cracking open a few beers, letting the tape roll and letting the results happen as they may. To that end, Tarot purposely left open spaces to allow for improvisation.
Photo Credit: Saint Bradshaw
Many of the album’s lead guitar sections were written on the fly in the studio and were subsequently kept, allowing forTarot to “catch lightning in a bottle.” This approach is perhaps best exemplified on the title track, which kicks off the album in grand fashion with rollicking Hammond keyboards and vocal trade-offs between founding member WillSpectre, guitarist FelixRussell and keyboardist Dave Harrington-George.
In fact, collaboration defines Glimpse of the Dawn. Whereas Spectre previously shouldered the songwriting load, the album features contributions from all members of Tarot. This communal, open vibe is yet another throwback to the bands Tarot has taken inspiration from.
The closeness of all five members allowed for a free exchange of ideas, thus sharpening every facet of the album. It helped further expand Tarot’s sound, which is often driven by the classic Hammond B3 organ, mellotron string and choir and various analog synths. The members of Tarotput an immense amount of thought into the interplay between Harrington-George’sparts and its guitar lines, ultimately producing an album with equal breadth and depth.
Glimpse of the Dawn is tailor-made for the live arena. Tarot already has plans to hit its Australian homeland and Europe throughout 2024, bringing its hard-rocking, anthemic songs to audiences deserving of a band that perfectly embodies the spirit of 1970s rock.
Dark Descent Records is set to unleash ArmageddonPatronage, the second album from Copenhagen’s purveyors of ‘accursed death’ STRYCHNOS.
The follow-up to 2022’s breakout debut A Mother’s Curse delivers the expected onslaught of uncompromising black/death metal. Armageddon Patronage features a guest appearance by Michael Poulsen (Volbeat, Dominus).
The band has shared the first track off Armageddon Patronage, “Winds Warning the Final Storm.” Stream it now at youtu.be/M09KXx6gmpw
Armageddon Patronage embodies the immense drive of a band operating at full throttle, refining their distinct blend of extreme metal bound to no god, master, or genre. Following a string of intense and blood-stained festival performances STRYCHNOS is now the name on the underground’s lips. Propelled by this vast momentum, the band toiled tirelessly to record and release Armageddon Patronage less than two years after their debut.
“This release will showcase a natural continuation of what A Mother’s Curse began,” reflects bassist/vocalist Martin Leth Andersen. “The band seeks to refine and push further key elements from the debut – in ways of both aggressiveness and the more atmospheric parts. This follow-up also showcases an array of new details like alternative instrumentation, vocal variations, intros, outros, and a couple of noticeable guest appearances.”
Rare is the band within these realms that improves so exponentially with each new release. Do not miss the flight of STRYCHNOS… for one may never know how long the underground can contain them.
Armageddon Patronage will be out May 17 on CD, cassette, vinyl, and digital formats. Pre-order at:
Armageddon Patronage tracklist: 1) Winds Warning the Final Storm 2) Armageddon Patronage 3) Choking Salvation 4) Endless Void Dimension (featuring Michael Poulson) 5) Pale Black Birds 6) Stanken Af Dyd 7) Sweeping Storm of Suicide 8) Nattevandrerinden
Armageddon Patronage was recorded and mixed by Lasse Ballade at Copenhagen’s Ballade Studios, and mastered by none other than Necromorbus’ infamous Tore Stjerna.
STRYCHNOS: Andreas Lynge – Guitars/Backing vocals Martin Leth Andersen – Bass/Lead vocals Nis Rode Larsen – Drums
Cerebral Rot is dead. From its maggot-infested corpse an entity even more repulsively loathsome has emerged, CORPUS OFFAL. Cerebral Rot’s lead guitarist/vocalist Ian Schwab and guitarist Clyle Lindstrom have reconstituted in this ghastly operating theater, now with the new rhythm section (de)composed of Jesse Shreibman (Bell Witch, Autophagy) on drums and Jason Sachs (ex-Demoncy) on bass.
With the Cerebral Rot songwriting core intact, CORPUS OFFAL reeks of similarly foul decrepitude and bludgeoning subterranean weight. Additionally, a sickly goregrind presence hovers over the murk like a horrid miasma, engulfing the tunes with a cadaverous redolence.
The two demo tracks here, “Ripened Psychosis” and “Gorging Gastric Decedent,” will both appear on the band’s eventual debut LP (in re-recorded form) to be recorded by Billy Anderson straight to tape later this year and released in 2025. For now, inhale the first rotted whiff of CORPUS OFFAL in demo form to sate your lust for excretion.
The tracks on Demo 2024 were mixed by Michael Foster and the band members, mastered by Dan Lowndes at Resonance Sound (Krieg, Drawn & Quartered, Witch Vomit), with art by Ian Schwab and layout by Dan Fried. If the works of Fetid, Cenotaph, Goatlord, Undergang, Cianide, and of course Cerebral Rot frequent your gravedigging playlist, CORPUS OFFAL should be on your list.
CORPUS OFFAL’s Demo 2024 is out today on cassette and digital via 20 Buck Spin; Find it at the label webshop HEREand stream it at YouTube HERE, and Bandcamp HERE.
Demo 2024 Track Listing:
Ripened Psychosis
Gorging Gastric Decedent
CORPUS OFFAL: Ian Schwab – guitar/vocals Clyle Lindstrom – guitar Jason Sachs – bass Jesse Shreibman – drums
Philadelphia’s MALPHAS return with the second single/video off their sophomore full-length. Listen to “Leviathan’s Moonlit Sanctum” at all streaming/download platforms now. In addition, the band has also premiered a new music video HERE .
“Leviathan’ marks the point in the story where Malphas returns to the real world. He and his demons murder the power elite figures on the island, but then travel to a nearby village and subjugate the people there,” explains singer/guitarist Paul DeSanctis. “The main character has a vision where he sees a demonic totalitarian government on the other side of the portal; he realizes he’s left the door wide open for them to take over.”
Both songs continue the tale and concept revolving around the demon Malphas and his encounters with people in life and death that the melodic death/black metal band began telling on their debut ‘The 39th Spirit’ released on Poland’s Via Nocturna in 2018.
’Portal’ takes place chronologically two hundred years prior to the events of ‘The 39th Spirit,’ explains Paul. “The album explores new themes like politics, economics, and historical events in fleshing out how the dystopian world in ‘The 39th Spirit’ comes to be.
‘Portal’ was recorded, mixed and mastered by Chris Kelly (Ice Nine Kills, Baby Metal, Galactic Empire). The new album, ‘Portal,’ will be released on CD and digital platforms March 29th and is available for preorder now HERE.
About MALPHAS: Founded by Paul DeSanctis and drummer Eric Dunleavy in 2012, guitarist Damian DiFrancesco and bassist Joshua DeJesus joined the lineup in 2014 and 2019 respectively. Appealing to fans of CHILDREN OF BODOM, WINTERSUN, DIMMU BORGIR, SEPTIC FLESH, and IMMORTAL, MALPHAS produce a sound comprised of symphonic melodic death and black metal.
The band debuted with their EP The ‘Conjuring’ in 2015 followed by their first full-length, ‘The 39th Spirit’ in 2018. MALPHAS have toured Europe supporting Norway’s Keep of Kalessin and Finland’s Shade Empire, with US runs opening for Tengger Cavalry, Felix Martin, and Helsott.
Upcoming Record Release shows:
3/29 – Our Wicked Lady – Brooklyn, NY
3/30 – Record Release Show – The Nail – Ardmore, PA
SIX FEET UNDER will unleash their pulverizing fourteenth studio album, Killing For Revenge, on May 10th through Metal Blade Records.
From the opening moments of first single, “Know-Nothing Ingrate,” which kicks off the record, it’s immediately clear that SIX FEET UNDER focused their energies into something that’s as brutal, lyrically visceral, and musically dazzling as one would hope for from the ground-breaking Tampa-bred death metal. Killing For Revenge, a gnarly beast of a record that’s not for the faint-hearted, dishes up nightmare-inducing imagery courtesy of frontman Chris Barnes via the vocalist’s trademark guttural vocals. Both the album title and darkly detailed red-hued album cover by artist Vince Locke are perfect containers for the brutality within.
“I chose the title Killing For Revenge after we completed writing and noticed that all the lyrics and storylines had a common theme of revenge. Revenge by human or revenge by nature,” Barnes says. “The album title describes the flow of the stories within the lyrics perfectly.”
Watch a lyric video for SIX FEET UNDER’s “Know-Nothing Ingrate” at THIS LOCATION.
Killing For Revenge marks the second album that Barnes and guitarist Jack Owen (ex-Cannibal Corpse) have created together since reuniting for 2020’s Nightmares Of The Decomposed. Owen also produced Killing For Revenge. “We worked well together in Cannibal Corpse,” recalls Barnes. “I loved him to death as a friend and a musician, so I’m really comfortable giving him the reins because I just have such great respect for him as an artist.”
The songs on Killing For Revenge dive headfirst into subjects that are as gleefully vile, graphic, and downright grotesque as you might dream of from a Barnes/Owen project. After all, the two men were vital cogs in the Cannibal Corpse band that released such delightfully offensive death metal classics as Butchered At Birth and Tomb Of The Mutilated. SIX FEET UNDER also recorded a cover of Nazareth’s “Hair Of The Dog,” which appears on all formats of Killing For Revenge with the exception of vinyl.
As a first preview of the record, today the band unveils “Know-Nothing Ingrate.” Notes Owen, “This music was written early in the writing process. Wanting to keep the aggression of a prior SIX FEET UNDER song like ‘Amputator,’ I wrote music in the style of early Dark Angel or Kreator, who always had cool driving drumbeats. I had all the riffs in my head as I wrote the drums in a couple hours. Lyrically, I kicked around a phrase that fit the stop parts throughout the song. After coming up with ‘Know-Nothing Ingrate,’ the lyrics wrote themselves. It’s basically about online trolls who voice their uneducated and unnecessarily spiteful review of any artist’s output. You’re entitled to your opinion, and I’m entitled to mine.”
SIX FEET UNDER was initially formed as a side project for Barnes during his final years with the band that he co-founded, Cannibal Corpse. It became the frontman’s sole focus in 1995, coinciding with the release of their debut, Haunted. Only Barnes remains from SIX FEET UNDER’s original incarnation, but the quality has remained remarkably consistent. The current lineup of Barnes, guitarists Owen and Ray Suhy, bassist Jeff Hughell, and drummer Marco Pitruzzella make for a devastating unit.
Killing For Revenge, which features a guest appearance by guitarist Jason Suecof on “Neanderthal,” was mixed and mastered by Chaz Najjar at Badlands Recording in Denver, Colorado. The record will be released on CD and digital formats as well as vinyl in the following color variants:
180g Black (US) Clear w/ Red Bloodshot (US) 180g Black (EU) Crusted Blood Marbled (EU) Khaki Brown Marbled (EU – Ltd. 300) Blood Red Splatter (EU – Ltd. 300) Gold “Black Dust” (EU – Ltd. 200)
A SPELLBINDING CHRONICLE OF SEDUCTIVE FROZEN ATMOSPHERES AND FEARLESS INNOVATION
Pioneers of a sound that changed the world. Lifelong disciples of suspense and mystery. An enigmatic duo like no other, hell-bent on haunting souls through the eternities. There are many things Darkthrone have been called since forming in 1986 and these are but a few, having drawn from a creative well so potent and powerful it turned them into one of Norway’s biggest musical exports. Following from their debut album Soulside Journey, the next three full-lengths, often referred to as ‘the unholy three’, set the benchmark for black metal in the early 90s, though in truth they’ve never been the kind to rest on such laurels – distilling elements of vintage punk, doom, thrash and death into their own sonic fingerprint and continuing to test that equation throughout the years. It’s been quite the journey, having won cryptic pair Nocturno and Fenriz legions of loyal fans around the world. This tradition will only continue with latest masterpiece It Beckons Us All.
Set for release on Peaceville on 26th April 2024, the new music is an intense observation of the world around them – exciting and challenging the listener in equal measure, in the way only they can. Some of the riffs howl across a gallery of ice and snow while others crackle like a volcano awakening from its timeless slumber, Nocturno’s demonic barks ricocheting across the intoxicating structures almost like it’s beaming from a long-distant galaxy. As Darkthrone have shown us so many times in the past, their music is as visual as it gets – evoking tangible imagery through the medium of sound. Whether the ideas are sombre, reflective or incensed, they exist as emotional concepts you can see and feel as much as you hear.
“I am having difficulties putting into words my personal feelings around the existential title It Beckons Us All, I can only hope others out there can feel the darkness that encompasses it,” muses Fenriz.
Fenriz
Never afraid to venture beyond the confines of the extreme metal template they were paramount in creating, there are moments on It Beckons Us All that will dazzle and surprise, as well as satisfy fans of old.
Nocturno comments: “We recorded in the manner we always do, live, meaning drums and guitar, with another guitar added later. We found a new twist during this process that surely benefited this album. Fenriz did stellar clean vocals on several songs, and his way of thinking creatively made it so good. We also shared the bass work this time around. We added a lot of extra layers like solo guitars… it was just a cauldron of ideas. Instead of finding a plug-in or choir synth patch, we both recorded four vocal tracks each. Darkthrone is an ever-evolving band, as many should know by now, and this album is touching a bit into the heavy genre. I have no idea what genre we are, and have really not cared much about it, but I know for sure it’s metal.”
Nocturno Culto photo courtesy of Peer Olav Kittilsen
In that sense,It Beckons Us Allis very much demonstrative of two visionaries at their world-commanding best. They know what works but more importantly they choose to grow, throwing every ounce of their hearts and souls into evolving the jaw-dropping whirlpool of noise that could only ever have come from their collective minds. There are clean guitars, clean vocals and less typical instruments thrown into the mix, but the approach, intent and ethos at the heart of their fearless artistry remains very much the same. This is music for dreamers who find themselves paralysed by the contrasting beauty and ugliness in the world surrounding them. Never ones to appease the faint-hearted, Darkthrone are as real and human as it gets.
Limited Edition Deluxe boxed edition: includes It Beckons Us All on CD, an exclusive corona vinyl LP & cassette and art prints all housed in a heavy duty lift off lid box
Limited edition ‘Fenriz’ edition LP on blue marble coloured vinyl– exclusively available through the Peaceville stores
Limited edition ‘Nocturno Culto’ edition LP on grey marble coloured vinyl–available through the Peaceville stores
CD
LP
Digital
Plus other limited edition coloured vinyl LPs are available in stores across the world – cream white, crystal clear, petrol and .. a collectors dream .. if you can find them!
UK sludge trio IRON MONKEY today shares new song “Off Switch” from their forthcoming new full-length, Spleen & Goad, set for release on April 5th through Relapse Records!
On Spleen & Goad, the legendary band is as uncompromising as ever, churning out some of the grittiest sounding sludge doom in their twenty-five-plus year history. Dubbed a “doom sludge vanguard” by The Sludgelord, IRON MONKEY lives up to their legacy, absolutely pummeling through each of the nine tracks on their new album.
From the two-ton, heavier-than-anything-else riff opening “Concrete Shock,” IRONMONKEY shows no signs of easing up; fuzzed out guitars crash against pulse-pounding drums, set against vicious, misanthropic snarls and barks. Elsewhere, tracks like the aptly titled “Rat Flag” kicks the band into high gear with palpable fury and malaise.
Check out IRON MONKEY‘s “Off Switch” on YouTube HERE or listen on all streaming services HERE.
Watch IRON MONKEY’s previously released video for first single, “Misanthropizer,” HERE.
Preorder Spleen & Goad on LP, CD, and digital formats via Relapse.comHERE.
Recorded in their native Nottingham, Spleen & Goad was mastered stateside by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege.
IRON MONKEY was formed in the year 1994AD in the city of Nottingham, England. The original members were J.P. Morrow, J. Rushby, D. Dalziel, S. Watson, and J. Greaves. IRON MONKEY released six tracks of raw sludge-core via the label Union Mill that were later re-released on Earache Records. During this period S. Watson was replaced by D. Berry.
1998 saw the release of the album Our Problem, widely regarded as a masterpiece of negative rock. This was succeeded by a split EP on Man’s Ruin Records with Church Of Misery from Japan.
IRON MONKEY destroyed itself sometime in 1999. Vocalist J. Morrow died from heart failure in June 2002. Rest In Noise…
The band reformed in the winter of 2016 with original members J. Rushby and S. Watson with the addition of the then Chaos UK drummer Brigga. As of 2023, IRON MONKEY are back with a new lineup featuring founding member J. Rushby and D. Berry from the Our Problem sessions and ex-Widows drummer Z. Big.
One of the early bastions of true U.S. metal, New Jersey’s Attacker is back to celebrate their 40th anniversary on The GodParticle, a triumphant, eight song classic metal offering! The new album will be released on CD, vinyl and digital formats through Cruz Del Sur Music on April 12.
A lyric video for the first single, “The Mighty Have Fallen” is available at: youtu.be/cVpamPWzZg8.
New Jersey heavy metal legends Attacker are celebrating their 40th anniversary in 2024. A milestone marked by their influential 1985 Battle at Helm’s Deep debut and 1988 The Second Coming sophomore effort, as well as post-2001 reformation full-lengths like 2004’s Soul Taker and 2006’s The Unknown that served as reminders of Attacker’s staying power.
While it hasn’t always been easy for Attacker, founding member and drummer Mike Sabatini attributes the band’s longevity to their love of heavy metal music. That red thread and never-ending appreciation for what Attacker means to them and so many across the globe helps define the band’s newest studio foray, The God Particle.
The follow-up to 2016’s Sins of the World LP and 2018’s Armor of the Gods EP was recorded at Sabatini’s Bandmother Recording Studio in Jersey City, New Jersey, from November 2023 to January 2024. The album was mixed by Sabatini alongside C.J. Scioscia, with mastering by Joe Lambert.
The God Particle is a tried-and-true dose of pure, unbridled heavy metal with ample broadsides of aggression and melody; both permanent elements of Attacker’s sound. The band rounded out by vocalist Bobby Lucas, the guitar tandem of Mike Benetatos and Jon Hasselbrink and bassist Brian Smith, have gelled into a formidable writing unit, offering what is perhaps Attacker’s most varied batch of songs.
The album’s gestation period was longer than normal (see: Covid). The extended time writing afforded Attacker the opportunity to craft new songs that are primed and ready for European festival sing-along participation. Lucas is responsible for the album’s soaring choruses and its concept, which is based on the Large Hadron Collider Particle Accelerator in Cern, Switzerland, that is used to create energetic collisions of particles like protons, breaking them into subatomic components that are detected and studied. Adding to the intrigue: supposedly a satanic ritual was performed at the Collider site to call in evil from another dimension. Whether that actually happened or not, it serves as the perfect tie-in to Marc Sasso’s cover art (DIO, HALFORD, Marvel Comics).
Sabatini has been on record that he was reluctant to reform the band during its 1990s dormancy. Only the passing of original guitarist Jim Mooney and vocalist John Leone (who performed on The Second Coming) reignited the Attacker fire. The band now exists to honor its storied legacy and to create new, compelling music to satisfy a worldwide fanbase that remains hungry for Attacker music. Consider the job complete on The God Particle.
Detroit (MI) – Melodic Power Thrashers AMONG THESE ASHES have released “Restless Gypsy,” a cover of the W.A.S.P. classic on all major streaming platforms, including the following:
Guitarist/Backing Vocalist Richard Clark released the following statement on the decision to cover the song:
“W.A.S.P. embodies so much of what I love about metal, and at that band’s core has always been masterful, memorable songwriting. Restless Gypsy has long resonated with me as a great song, and JP [Abboud] and I have been discussing covering this track since we started this band in 2020. We’ve slightly reconfigured a few of the riffs to put our stamp on the song while prioritizing staying true to the original recording. Matt Ries from Traveler gave us an awesome guest solo on it. Also, Matt Roach gave us an excellent mix and master that perfectly captures the atmospheric elements of the 1980s recording. We intentionally dropped this cover so that we could make a content release prior to the release of our second album. The new album is completely tracked, and we expect to drop it in summer 2024.”
Photo Credit: Aaron Lumsden of Akuro Productions
Line-Up:
JP Abboud: Vocals Richard Clark: Guitars and backing vocals Dylan Hamann: Guitars Kane Bochatyn: Bass Kyle Wagner: Drums
BIO: Among These Ashes is a melodic power/thrash metal band hailing from Detroit, MI. The central focus of this band is creating stellar, highly-memorable metal songs. The band’s sound is crushingly heavy and punctuated by cerebral arrangements, thought-provoking lyrics, and dynamic shifts in tempo and aggression. The band’s debut musical offering, Dominion Enthroned, is a conceptual tour de force inspired by modern societal parallels and struggles. In April 2023, the band released the single “The Enemy In I” with a b-side cover of Savatage’s “Sirens.”
Credits:
Guest guitar solo: Matt Ries (Traveler).
Recorded by Among These Ashes. Mixed and Mastered by Matt Roach.
From the heart of the Chicago underground metal scene arises epic traditional/doom metal collective ÇÖKÜŞ, today unveiling an earthmoving new single, “Wolf Moon.”
Chicago-based ÇÖKÜŞ is the product of ten years of mostly virtual collaboration between former Earthen Grave bandmates, vocalist Mark Weiner, drummer Chris Wozniak (Vanishment, Lair Of The Minotaur), and guitarist Jason Muxlow (Witchcryer, The Living Fields).
Even though Muxlow and Wozniak had moved thousands of miles away after the abrupt conclusion of Earthen Grave in 2013, the three stayed in touch, trading riffs, beats, and lyrics from their respective corners of the United States. The material that emerged saw influences from the usual suspects — Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Trouble, Dio — as well as old favorites like Soundgarden, Alice In Chains, and Kyuss.
Shortly before the pandemic, the group started meeting periodically in Chicago to write and record. Embracing a shorter, more polished format than their previous engagement, they privately released a demo under the moniker WMW in 2020, which generated a lot of buzz and positive feedback among those who had access to the recording.
Watch ÇÖKÜŞ’ “Wolf Moon” visualizer HERE and stream the song HERE.
In 2021, the group re-branded as ÇÖKÜŞ (pronounced cho-koosh; Turkish for “decline” or “collapse”) and recruited bassist and longtime friend Patrick Green to complete the lineup and the material which will become the band’s debut album. Soon after, they were joined by another old friend, Steve Ligeza (Torg, Makahiya), on second guitar, and ÇÖKÜŞ began playing live.
ÇÖKÜŞ’ first album, An Hour Of Lies, was captured in three states – Illinois, Washington, and Texas – the drums and vocals recorded by John E. Bohmher, Jr. at Berwyn Recording, the bass recorded by Patrick Green, and the guitars recorded by Jason Muxlow, the finished recordings were mixed by Chris Wozniak and mastered by Chris Hanzsek (Melvins, Soundgarden, Helms Alee).
The visual elements including the logo, album and single art, and video content was handled by Tom Denney (Soilent Green, Weedeater, Rwake)
While An Hour Of Lies will be released late this Summer, ÇÖKÜŞ presents a harbinger of the record with the new single, “Wolf Moon,” with it writing, “‘Wolf Moon’ is one of the last — and longer — songs written for the album, but quickly became a favorite, so we decided to release this one first. It’s a lot of fun to play, too. Musically, it features some odd scales and feels, which complement the lyrical themes well. It pairs well with Halloween and haunted walks through the woods.”
The full details on An Hour Of Lies will be issued in the months ahead and will be released by QumranRecords late this Summer.
ÇÖKÜŞ: Mark Weiner – vocals Jason Muxlow – guitar Steve Ligeza – guitar Patrick Green – bass Chris Wozniak – drums
Following ‘Kreel’s Magic Staff’, a first single and album harbinger released in 2023, Rhapsody Of Fire have revealed full details about their brand new studio offering, entitled ‘Challenge The Wind’, due out this May! In support, the band has announced a busy touring schedule, with many more shows to follow soon. Find all upcoming Rhapsody Of Fire dates listed below!
Their upcoming studio album, ‘Challenge The Wind’, is slated for a release on May 31, 2024 via AFM Records, the pre-sale has started today at:
For more than thirty years, fans of symphonic melodic metal act Rhapsody Of Fire have been able to rely on one thing: there’s nothing half-hearted about this band. The Italian masters of their craft can look back at an impressive catalogue of 14 studio albums, three EPs and two live recordings to date, all marked by lots of heart and soul, passion and a virtually inexhaustible wealth of ideas. Since 1993, mastermind and founder Alex Staropoli has been hailed as the creator of the film score metal genre and his band as one of the most charismatic acts worldwide. In addition, Staropoli has enlisted a highly creative first-rate guitarist in Roby De Micheli, who joined the fold in 2011, contributing lots of gritty metal riffs and virtuoso solos to contrast the band’s symphonic orchestral style.
The song is out now on all digital streaming services via:
Rhapsody Of Fire: Giacomo Voli (vocals) Alex Staropoli (keyboards) Roby De Micheli (guitars) Alessandro Sala (bass) Paolo Marchesich (drums)
The album will mark Rhapsody Of Fire‘s most fast-paced rager to date. “Compared to all previous Rhapsody Of Fire releases, the current album consists exclusively of up-tempo numbers, not a single ballad in sight,”reveals composer and keyboardistAlexStaropoli. None of our other records have featured as much pure, unadulterated metal as ‘Challenge The Wind’!” Give ear, today, Rhapsody Of Fire are premiering a music video for their new single, the album title track!
Staropoli adds: “The new Rhapsody Of Fire single “Challenge The Wind” is another strong musical statement from the band. Speed, energy, orchestrations, shredding guitars, amazing vocals and choirs; truly epic and divine music. Expect to be blown away, the entire album will shake you to your core!”
Challenge The Wind’ was produced by Alex Staropoli and mixed by Seeb Levermann (Orden Ogan), who is responsible for the homogeneous sound of the ten songs’ elaborate arrangements. As the first single releases prove, one can be sure: Rhapsody Of Fire’s fast-paced adventure is set to continue with undiminished intensity!
‘Challenge The Wind’ tracklist:
Challenge the Wind
Whispers of Doom
The Bloody Pariah
Vanquished by Shadows
Kreel’s Magic Staff
Diamond Claws
Black Wizard
A Brave New Hope
Holy Downfall
Mastered by the Dark
Rhapsody Of Fire Live: 05.05.2024 (MX) EL CONDE, Foro 360 07.05.2024 (CO) BOGOTA, Astor Plaza 09.05.2024 (BR) SAO PAULO, Caricoa Club 10.05.2024 (CL) SANTIAGO, Blondie 11.05.2024 (AR) COMUNA 1, El Teatrito 18.05.2024 (IT) TREZZO SULL’ ADDA MI, Live Club 29.06.2024 (FR) CLISSON, Hellfest 13.07.2024 (BG) MOGILOVO, Midalidare Rock in the Wine Valley 2024 19.07.2024 (FI) PERUNKA, John Smith Rock Festival 07.11.2024 (SE) MALMOE, Plan B 08.11.2024 (SE) GOTHENBURG, Surr Arena 09.11.2024 (SE) STOCKHOLM, Fryshuset Klubben 10.11.2024 (SE) GAVLE, Centralteatern
International melodic death metal project ACT OF DENIAL has dropped the lyric video for their latest single ‘Unbury The Hatchet’, which bring you back to 90 and early 2000 with some old school Gothenburg vibe. The single has a new guest on drums, Eugene Ryabchenko (best known as drummer of FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE).
“We are extremely happy that we have a new song out after almost 3 years together with a new lyric video. Once again video is done by our buddy Wanderley Perna who did also our 1st lyric video for ‘Your Dark Desires’ from our debut album and he did an amazing job as always. Thx bro!!
We are also satisfied that we are recording again since it is very difficult for us at this point. People we are working with, are very busy already with their own bands and it is hard to find any time for some side projects. 1st album was made during Covid time when everyone was stuck at home, so they had time, now is completely different situation but somehow we’re still managing.
Also thanks every AOD fans and supporters for making this happen. What everyone is wondering and asking us lately, will there be a new album from AOD soon? Unfortunately I can’t confirm anything about that topic, as already said, some of the guys already started their tours or they will start it soon, but I can give a hint about a new song that is in the works with some cool guests, and not only 1 but a few, but we will leave that aside for now.
We will be updating all on our socials when time comes. Stay tuned, healthy and beautiful. As always Rock on!!”
Unbury The Hatchet’ line-up: Voi Cox – Lead guitar, programming Luger – Rhythm guitar Bjorn Speed Strid – Vocals, backing vocals Steve Di Giorgio – Fretless bass Eugene Ryabchenko – Drums John Lönnmyr – Keyboards
Chilean Thrashers Critical Defiance are set to release new album The Search Won’t Fall… March 22 on CD via UnspeakableAxeRecords and vinyl LP via Dying VictimsProductions. The album will also be available digitally on the usual platforms.
Critical Defiance has released a lyric video for “44 Minds” and an official video for the title track, both of which are available below:
The Chilean metal force known as Critical Defiance has something for every thrash fan out there. Not in the sense of being homogenized and generic, but in their alchemical and nearly magical melding of blitzkrieg tempos, dizzying technicality, aggressive shouts and gang vocals, and rarest of all for a post-1990 thrash act – a healthy dose of actual, memorable melody. They have added a new element to the mix: just a taste of the eerie melancholy and harsh melodrama of black metal.
Their release schedule has been nearly as fast as their music, with the debut (Misconception) coming in 2019, and its follow-up (No Life Forms) in 2022. They have let even less time elapse from then until this new platter’s arrival, taking line-up changes in stride and pushing forward relentlessly regardless.
The addition of Mauricio Toledo on guitar (just prior to their previous album) has pushed their music in new directions. That black metal aspect, some tremelo riffing, some blastbeats, bits of a distinctly new melodic sensibility–lends the album an updated feeling that sets it apart from its predecessors, while by no means abandoning the thrash foundation that has served them so well.
All of this ambition is well-served by a terrific production job that balances just the right amount of rawness and polish. Three albums in, Critical Defiance are poised to deliver their most ferocious work yet. Angry yet uplifting, full of the spirit of true metal both old and new, it’s a record that only these guys could make.
Today marks a monumental moment in the metal music scene as DEATH SCYTHE releases their latest single, “Ek Balam,” an epic blend of melodic death metal and ancient Mayan lore. This release promises to captivate listeners with its intense musical journey into the heart of Mayan civilization.
“The band elaborates on the legends that inspired the single: “‘Ek Balam,’ a musical tribute to the Mayan deity, unveils the mystical aura of a cosmic jaguar. Amidst the celestial canvas, Ek Balam emerges as the guardian of the night, the keeper of time, and the protector of the skies. With fiery eyes and a cosmic essence, Ek Balam symbolizes the seamless connection between the earthly and celestial realms. The lyrics narrate the legend of this divine jaguar, a powerful and enigmatic entity gracefully dancing among the stars, resonating with an ethereal melody in the expansive tapestry of the night.”
Recorded with precision and passion, “Ek Balam” stands as a testament to DEATH SCYTHE‘s musical evolution and their commitment to exploring the connections between history and heavy metal. The artwork accompanying the single draws heavily on Mayan iconography, featuring symbols and deities that evoke the ancient world’s complexity and mystique.
Death Scythe:
Gerardo Mendoza (Vocals) Roberto Cervera (Guitars) Rafael Barreiro (Guitars) David Montero (Bass) Ricardo Cruz (Drums)
More about Death Scythe:
DEATH SCYTHE is a Melodic Death Metal Band from Mérida, Yucatán, México. Formed in 2003 by Roberto Cervera and Gerardo Mendoza with the only goal of play pure melodic death metal. In 2006 they release their first self produced demo called Hollow Darkness.
After years in the underground scene of Yucatan the band release in October of 2008 their debut album Killing for Pleasure with 15 songs.
The album included “Hollow Darkness” song that made them gain popularity in the local scene. The “Killing for Pleasure Tour” included cities like Mérida, México City, Cancun and Cd. del Carmen.
After a nine years of silence, DEATH SCYTHE made their return as an active band in June of 2018 with a live concert and started to work in new songs.
In 2020, 12 years since their debut album, DEATH SCYTHE released their album Descending Into Xibalba in February of 2020.
Death Scythe has participated in several online festivals alongside bands such as JINGER, SHOKRAN and ARISE IN STABILITY.
If there is one band that combines a classic approach with fresh ideas and an expansive joy of playing to honor their ancestors from the likes of early Exodus, Metallica, or Slayer, then it is the German heavy metal hellions, VULTURE. On their fourth album Sentinels, set for release on April 12th via Metal Blade Records, they prove once again that tradition and further development are not mutually exclusive, but on the contrary can lead to something extraordinary that leaves no headbanger untouched.
“In direct comparison to the last album, Dealin’ Death, we’ve picked up the pace again noticeably,” elaborates guitarist Stefan Castevet. “We’re bolder and a bit wilder again. It was important to us to be catchy and to include choruses that stick. Of course, we’ve basically retained our style, but we’ve defined the framework of the songs more clearly.”
“In order to create such a monster as Sentinels, some changes were necessary. “It started with the songwriting, where we took more time than usual. We recorded a total of three demos with numerous songs, which we also produced to the best of our ability. This gave us the chance to let our songs sink in as relatively final versions so that we could then choose the best pieces and – at least in part – rework them again.”
VULTURE again recorded with Marco Brinkmann in his Hellforge Studio where there were also some innovations. “We had a clearly structured daily routine, a normal working day with set goals in which we could focus purely on recording the songs. Our previous recordings were a bit less organized which resulted in working overtime for everyone involved at the end. This is one of the reasons why Sentinels is the best sounding VULTURE record to date!”
“In advance of the record’s release, today the band unleashes first single, “Unhallowed & Forgotten,” which serves as a blueprint for the VULTURE style: wild riffs, lots of breaks, and tone changes, furious solos, exploding toms, and a huge chorus! “Lyrically, we also stay true to ourselves,” notes Castevet. “The song is about the Blind Dead film series, whose thirst for blood, like ours, is difficult to quench.”
Watch VULTURE’s “Unhallowed & Forgotten” video, directed by Robert Piel, HERE.
Crystal Clear w/ Black Smoke (US) 180g Black (EU) Blood Red & White Splattered (EU – Ltd. 200) Bright Red White Marbled (EU – Ltd. 700) Special Edition Bundle w/ 12″ (Midnight Blue Marbled), 7″, Patch, Signed Photo, Poster (EU – Ltd. 500)
VULTURE: L. Steeler – vocals S. Castevet – guitars M. Outlaw – guitars A. Axetinctör – bass G. Deceiver – drums
Sentinels Track Listing:
Screams From The Abattoir
Unhallowed & Forgotten
Transylvania
Realm Of The Impaler
Draw Your Blades
Where There’s A Whip (There Is A Way)
Der Tod Trägt Schwarzes Leder
Death Row
Gargoyles
Oathbreaker
Sentinels (Heavier Than Time)
VULTURE Live: 3/14-17/2024 Underground Resistance Festival – Göteborg, SE 4/11/2024 Don’t Panic – Essen, DE * Record Release Show 4/12/2024 Bambi Galore – Hamburg, DE * Record Release Show 4/13/2024 Hühnermanhattan – Halle, DE * Record Release Show 4/26/2024 SWR Festival – Barroselas, PT 5/10/2024 Huginns Awakening Fest – Ostende, BE 5/30 – 6/1/2024 Muskelrock Festival – Alvesta, SE
Exhumed guitarist/vocalist MATT HARVEY has unveiled an ambient new full-length entitled Toward The Cold Light. The perfect soundtrack for cold, misty Winter mornings, the melodies found across the record’s five tracks ebb and flow through orchestrated soundscapes that are often bleak and lonely, at times warm and nostalgic, but always compelling.
Elaborates HARVEY, “This EP is something I’ve had rattling around for a while, melodies and compositions inspired by walking my dogs through the fog on chilly Winter mornings. It’s more contemplative than anything I’ve done before; more reflective of both the natural world and the internal world that we experience alone with our thoughts in quiet moments. It’s been a rewarding journey working on music as a composer and engineer, rather than a guitar player or vocalist, and I hope coming along that journey with me through these tunes is also meaningful to anyone who listens.”
All music on Toward The Cold Light was composed, produced, and engineered by MATT HARVEY and mastered by Leon del Muerte at Beastman Audio. Artwork comes courtesy of Jacob Speis.
Stream/download MATT HARVEY’s Toward The Cold Light at Bandcamp at THIS LOCATION. The record is also streaming at YouTube HERE.
Toward The Cold Light Track Listing:
Toward The Cold Light
Silence At The Edge Of Memory
Lights In The Mist
Parted Hearts
Vanishing Point
MATT HARVEY is best known for his work in death grind outfit Exhumed, as well as his other projects like the thrashtastic Dekapitator and Scarecrow, Death-deifying homage act Gruesome, and his traditional metal outfit Pounder, as well as playing with extreme metal legacy groups like Death-revival act LeftTo Die and Repulsion.
In recent years, he’s turned his attention towards composing outside of the metal realm, first with 2021’s synth-y sci-fi instrumental album Last Son Of Krypton, inspired by his lifetime love of comic books. Toward The Cold Light shows his continued journey as a composer and engineer and takes its inspiration instead from the natural world and quiet introspection.
First Single “Silent Winter” Out Now + Music Video — Watch HERE
2024 launches with a bang thanks to the announcement of ‘The Quantum Phase’, the highly anticipated new record from supergroup THE END MACHINE. The announcement signals a notable change in personnel as well. Singer Robert Mason has officially parted ways with the group, paving the way for GirishPradhan, the rising superstar vocalist known for his work under the moniker Girish And The Chronicles and, more recently, with Joel Hoekstra’s 13.
The addition of Girish Pradhan to the band is a testament to the keen discernment of SerafinoPerugino, president, and founder of Frontiers Records. Perugino, who serves as the executive producer for THE END MACHINE, recognized the incredible talent and potential in Pradhan and brought him to the attention of the band.
To herald this fantastic change and new album, THE END MACHINE shares their first single off of ‘The Quantum Phase,’ entitled “Silent Winter.” The track is accompanied by a new music video.
Jeff Pilson comments on the new track: “‘Silent Winter’ is a song about the bleak prospects for humanity if we keep on our current trajectory. ‘Quantum Phase’ – the album – deals with what we must do to change course.”
Check Out the Music Video for “Silent Winter” HERE.
Established in 2018, THE END MACHINE released their eponymous debut album, ‘The End Machine,’ in 2019 bringing early acclaim for not only contemporary production and a modern attitude, but also their perfectly crafted songs, paying homage to their roots and the music that they love. This attitude and talent was equally on display with their 2021 sophomore album, ‘Phase2’.
In delivering 2024’s ‘The Quantum Phase,’ THE END MACHINE has not only surpassed expectations but has penned the record of their lives! With each note and lyric, they have exceeded their own artistic aspirations, collectively crafting the album they always wished they had written. This monumental work stands as a testament to THE END MACHINE’s evolution, showcasing not only their musical prowess but also their unwavering dedication to pushing the boundaries of their creative expression.
Band Members: George Lynch Girish Pradhan Steve Brown Jeff Pilson
Track-list:
1) Black Hole Extinction 2) Silent Winter 3) Killer of the Night 4) Hell or High Water 5) Stand Up 6) Burning Man 7) Shattered Glass Heart 8) Time 9) Hunted 10) Stranger in the Mirror 11) Into the Blazing Sun
Produced By: Jeff Pilson for Pilsound Music Inc Studio: Pilsound Studios, Santa Clarita CA Recorded By: Jeff Pilson and Girish Pradhan, additional engineering: Olivia Pilson Mixed By: Alessandro Del Vecchio Mastered By: Alessandro Del Vecchio
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Metal Odyssey's Rock, Hard Rock and Heavy Metal Hall of Fame! These Are The Rock And METAL Legends Wrongfully Ignored By "The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame"
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