Here are some of my Metal thoughts for Monday, February 12th, 2024. Enjoy:
Fuck the Grammy Awards.
Fuck off Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Seriously.
Without bassist Bob Daisley, Ozzy Osbourne wouldn’t have his first 2 solo albums written.
Kudos to the great Kerry King for staying true to his brand of Metal with his forthcoming studio album ‘From Hell I Rise’. The naysayers can go listen to their ABBA 8-tracks.
I’m as excited for the next Mötley Crüe studio album as I am to watch my dog take a shit.
The KISS Avatars interest me as much as watching a slug eating a tomato plant.
Stay true to Metal. Thank you for reading my Metal thoughts for today. – Stone
Following previously-released, new tracks “Root Of All Evil” and “Boogeyman Boogie”, today, Sweden’s MISTER MISERY are presenting their latest single “Hand Of Death”!
“Hand Of Death talks about how hard it can be to just get through the day sometimes.” The band comments. “It’s a reflection of what many of us feel quite often in life and how bad your thoughts can get when you suffer inside without talking about it to anyone.”
MISTER MISERY is an innovative, modern and ground-breaking metal band from Sweden. Blending clean and gritty vocals along with high-voltage riffs and anthemic choruses, they have developed a unique sound and style, and one that captures the essence of all the sub-genres in modern heavy music.
Since forming back in 2018, MISTER MISERY have released two critically acclaimed studio albums (Unalive and A Brighter Side Of Death) and several highly praised and top-playlisted singles to date. Paired with an obscene and theatrical appearance, they create an experience that speaks to all senses.
MISTER MISERY has become a force that crushes stages on the biggest festival the scene has to offer, such as Wacken Open Air, Master of Rock, Full Metal Cruise, Hills Of Rock to name just a few. MISTER MISERY has played as support of some of the most prestigious bands in metal, such as Nightwish and Dream Theater in front of over 15.000 people. One thing is for certain: They will leave NO survivors!
The band is currently gearing up for an exciting, new chapter of their career, and has just recently joined forces with AFM Records, who will proudly release their forthcoming album in 2024!
MISTER MISERY: Harley Vendetta – Vocals/Guitar Alex Nine – Lead Guitar/Backup Vocals Rizzy – Drums/Backup Vocals Alex Alister – Bass/Backup Vocals
“Free Spirit Soar” Tracklist: 01 Behold A Pale Horse 02 The Rider 03 Conquerors 04 Worms Of The Earth 05 The Watchman (CD-exclusive track) 06 Free Spirit Soar 07 The Bell Tolls 08 Alarm 09 Twin (CD-exclusive track) 10 Revelation XIX
Line Up: Mark Zonder – Drums Philip Bynoe – Bass Eric Juris – Guitars Jimmy Waldo – Keyboards Giles Lavery – Vocals
Last year, our debut in America and Canada left us spellbound, facing sold-out venues and an incredible crowd. The energy was unreal, and we didn’t want to miss it again. So, we’re back for the North American Tour 2024 to celebrate the holy heavy metal mass with even more of you! It’s going to be sheer madness! From the kickoff in Los Angeles at The Hollywood Palladium on August 29 to the grand finale in Laval, QC, at Place Bell on September 15, let’s make history together! This tour marks the official live debut of songs from our upcoming album – don’t miss the excitement! Support on this tour will be Unleash The Archers!
GENERAL ON SALE: Friday February 9th @ 10:00 AM LOCAL
8/29 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Hollywood Palladium 8/31 – Denver, CO @ The Ogden Theatre 9/03 – Chicago, IL @ The Riviera Theatre 9/04 – Cleveland, OH @ The Agora Theatre 9/05 – Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore 9/07 – Tampa, FL @ Jannus Landing 9/08 – Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade 9/09 – Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore 9/12 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Fillmore 9/13 – Worcester, MA @ The Palladium 9/14 – New York City, NY @ Brooklyn Paramount 9/15 – Laval, QC @ Place Bell
34 years since their latest album “Violent By Nature”, released in 1990, Tucson, Arizona-based thrash metal titans ATROPHY return with a brand new album! “Asylum” will be unleashed on March 15, 2024 via Massacre Records, the pre-sale is now available at https://lnk.to/atrophyasylum
“Asylum” marks the next evolutionary step for ATROPHY. Keeping the speed of “Socialized Hate” and the grooves of “Violent By Nature”, this album adds a big dose of heaviness to the mix resulting in a satisfying aural kick in your face! Today, the iconic band has premiered a lyric video for their first single, the album opening track “Punishment For All”, watch the clip now streaming HERE.
““Punishment For All” was inspired by the attempted insurrection on January 6 (2021) with Covid-19 restrictions still in play. To sit in my living room and watch this unfold was almost too much to bear. Americans were at each other‘s throats, calling people traitors, or trying to undermine democracy and not believing in the results of the election, following the myriad conspiracy theories that were swirling around at the time.” Frontman Brian Zimmerman comments.
“I thought to myself what if they were successful? What are we, as a country divided, going to do then? Take down everything we have built together as a country? What are we putting in place? Are we just going to do whatever the loudest people tell us to do? The whole thing was just absolutely crazy.”
“Asylum” was produced, mixed and mastered by Alex Parra at Second Sight Studio. The album tracklist will read as follows:
Punishment For All
High Anxiety
Seeds Of Sorrow
Distortion
Bleeding Out
American Dream
Close My Eyes
The Apostle
Five Minutes ‘Til Suicide
Album Lineup: Brian Zimmerman – Vocals Nathan Montalvo – Lead Guitar Mark Coglan – Rhythm Guitar Josh Gibbs – Bass Guitar Jonas Shütz – Drums
GUEST MUSICIANS: Kragen Lum – Lead Guitar on “American Dream” Justin Stear – Bass Guitar on “American Dream”, “Close My Eyes”, “Distortion”
MINISTRY’S ROY MAYORGA AND WE ARE THE ASTEROID’S GARY CHESTER CONTRIBUTE TO THE RECORD
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An album so magical, I helped create it without knowing it was happening. It’s definitely the weirdest album I’ve ever been a part of.” – Steven McDonald
Feb. 6, 2024, LOS ANGELES – The Melvins latest opus, Tarantula Heart (April 19, Ipecac Recordings), is quite possibly the band’s most unconventional, catchiest and imaginative work yet, continuing a legacy celebrated for its eccentric and extraordinary output.
A preview of the five-song, 39-minute collection arrives with the release of “Working The Ditch” (https://themelvins.lnk.to/wtd), and the accompanying Jesse Nieminen-created video. Nieminen previously directed the band’s short film, “A Walk With Love and Death.”
“The way we approached Tarantula Heart was different than any other Melvins’ album,” explains Buzz Osborne. “I had Dale and Roy Mayorga come in and play along with Steven and I to some riffs, then I took those sessions and figured out what parts would work and wrote new music to fit. This isn’t a studio approach we’ve ever taken. Usually we have the songs written BEFORE we start recording!”
“The majority of Tarantula Heart has dual drum parts,” adds long-time Melvins drummer Dale Crover. “Roy is an amazing drummer. We would discuss what we would do pattern wise, then we’d just go for it. Improvising riffs and trading off on drum fills.”
Tarantula Heart cover, artwork by Mackie Osborne
Tarantula Heart track list:
Pain Equals Funny
Working the Ditch
She’s Got Weird Arms
Allergic to Food
Smiler
In actuality nothing appeared out of thin air. Buzz spent hours and hours with the drum tracks by himself writing songs to what he was hearing drum wise. “When the rest of the band heard these songs I’d created from the sessions, they were blown away,” Buzz shares. “These were fully developed new songs that they’d never heard before that had seemingly appeared out of thin air. Presto!”
Recorded, mixed and co-produced by longtime Melvins’ collaborator Toshi Kasai, the album also features We Are The Asteroid guitar player Gary Chester. Gary and the Melvins’ history goes back to their days on Boner Records, with the guitar player formerly having been a part of the legendary band, Ed Hall.
Tarantula Heart pre-orders (https://themelvins.lnk.to/tarantula) are available now, with the album available on a trio of vinyl variants (black, indie exclusive Silver Streak and Ipecac Recordings’ 25th Anniversary Puke Green), featuring a 12-page booklet, as well as on CD and digitally.
Next month sees the Melvins head overseas, playing in Japan for the first time since 2019 following a stint where they join current labelmates, Mr. Bungle, for a trek across Australia and New Zealand. Buzz and Bungle bass player Trevor Dunn team up later this year for the “King Dunn Tour,” a 45-date excursion that sees the pair play songs from the King Buzzo releases: This Machine Kills Artists and Gift of Sacrifice. The full list of dates can be found via Ipecac.com/tours.
Melvins tour dates:
March 3 Auckland, NZ Auckland Town Hall March 6 Melbourne, AUS Festival Hall March 7 Adelaide, AUS Hindley Street Music Hall March 9 Sydney, AUS Hordern Pavilion March 10 Brisbane, AUS Fortitude Music Hall March 12 Perth, AUS Metro City March 17 Osaka, JP Music Club Janus March 19 Tokyo, JP Shibuya WWW X March 20 Tokyo, JP Shibuya WWW X
Danish thrash metal icons ARTILLERY are pleased to announce a North American headlining tour celebrating their 40th anniversary! The journey, initially scheduled to take place last Fall but postponed due to visa issues, begins March 27th in Austin, Texas, closes April 20th in Toronto, Ontario, and includes a performance at 2 Minutes To Tulsa Festival in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Support will be provided by Vapor and Potential Threat.
ARTILLERY guitarist Michael Stutzer comments, “We are really excited to get back to North America to celebrate 40 years of ARTILLERY‘s thrash metal. We had an amazing time on our last tour and can’t wait to meet our diehard fans again.”
Tickets are on sale now. See all confirmed dates below.
ARTILLERY w/ Vapor, Potential Threat: 3/27/2024 Come And Take It Live – Austin, TX 3/28/2024 The Compound – Houston, TX 3/29/2024 2 Minutes To Tulsa Festival @ Vanguard – Tulsa, OK 3/30/2024 Feed N Seed – Lafayette, LA 3/31/2024 Midcity Ballroom – Baton Rouge, LA 4/01/2024 Siberia – New Orleans, LA 4/02/2023 Conduit – Winter Park, FL 4/03/2024 Brass Mug – Tampa, FL 4/04/2024 Boggs Social – Atlanta, GA 4/05/2024 Ridgeville Roadhouse – Ridgeville, SC 4/06/2024 Ground Zero – Spartanburg, SC 4/07/2024 Another Round – Richmond, VA 4/08/2024 Preserving Underground – New Kensington, PA 4/09/2024 Cactus Club – Milwaukee, WI 4/10/2024 Sanctuary – Detroit, MI 4/11/2024 Sherman Showcase – Stroudsburg, PA 4/12/2024 Sammy’s Patio – Boston, MA 4/13/2024 Meadows – Brooklyn, NY 4/14/2024 Alchemy – Providence, RI 4/15/2024 Timeless Babez (The Pit) – Buffalo, NY 4/16/2024 L’Anti Bar And Spectacles – Quebec City, QC 4/18/2024 Piranha Bar – Montreal, QC 4/19/2024 Dominion Tavern – Ottawa, ON 4/20/2024 Hard Luck – Toronto, ON
In the mid-1980s, Denmark’s ARTILLERY established themselves as being at the cutting edge of the thrash movement. Four decades later, they continue to destroy. The band’s most recent studio offering – the aptly titled, ‘X’ — was released in 2021 via Metal Blade Records. ‘X’ was tracked in Medley Studio in Copenhagen, Denmark with producer Søren Andersen, who the band have worked with on every record since 2009’s ‘When Death Comes’.
Indomitable Australian rockers The Neptune Power Federation have released the official video for “Lock & Key,” the second single from their forthcoming sixth album, Goodnight My Children.
This new album is a collection of feverish nighttime stories set to uproarious pure rock with a pop twist! Cruz Del Sur Music will release the album in the United States and Canada on April 5 (European release date is March 8).
Pure Australian rock glory meets the Sunset Strip on Goodnight My Children!
Love songs were on the mind of Australian psychedelic rock and roll brigade The Neptune Power Federation for their 2021 full-length, Le Demon De L’Amour. The album was the raucous re-imagination of a bygone era filtered through the lens of a band unafraid to blur genres. Fast-forward three years and children’s stories are on the brain for The Neptune Power Federation; with a decidedly early 1980s American sound on Goodnight My Children.
This new album finds The Neptune Power Federation leaning into the poppier side of their sound (think the Sunset Strip merging with late 1970s radio rock). The album’s eight cuts bang and mash with pure rock fervor, complete with roaring guitar solos and the always-memorable, convincing, enticing and mesmerizing “The Imperial Priestess,” otherwise known as Screamin’ Loz Sutch, on lead vocals.
Indeed, Goodnight My Children may be Sutch’s finest vocal performance to date. The recording process (which took place at bass player JayTanic Ritual’s The Pet Food Factory in Marrickville, Sydney, with mixing duties handled by Mo Mayhem), involved Sutch doing huge banks of layered backing vocals that followed her peculiar and idiosyncratic sensibilities. The sessions were organic and intuitive, allowing Sutch to expand upon the classic pop structures of the eight songs.
Sutch’s spellbinding vocal performance lent perfectly to the theme of Goodnight My Children, which symbolizes a collection of nighttime stories that, no matter how horrifying, leave the listener in the caring embrace of Sutch, the Imperial Priestess. And, as an added bonus, fans will be treated to an illustrated book of fairy tales that will accompany the release.
2024 will find The Neptune Power Federation making its long-awaited return to European shores for a round of tour dates. With the band approaching 15 years as a unit, milestones like a sixth studio album and international acclaim are not taken lightly by the band. While its origins as a casual studio project were simple, the emergence of Sutch and the notoriety for their sweaty, bombastic live shows has turned The Neptune Power Federation into a rock and roll cult that is impossible to ignore.
Today, Creepsylvania’s beloved masked mutants, GHOUL, unleash their Noxious Concoctions upon planet earth. Boasting five delightful hymns, the EP serves as the first new studio output from the splatterthrashers since 2016’s critically hailed Dungeon Bastards full-length.
All tracks on Noxious Concoctions were digested, dissected, fermented, and cremated by the members of GHOUL, except “1-900-DTH-LINE,” originally composed by Funerot. The EP was recorded by Scott Evans at Antisleep Audio and Sharkbite Studios, mastered by Dan Randall at Mammoth Sound Mastering, and includes gang vocals by The Moron Cavern-Shackled Choir and “swamp hag” vocals by Laurie Sue Shanaman.
Noxious Concoctions is available on CD and digital formats as well as limited 12” vinyl in the following three color variants:
Die Hard – Swamp Green concoction vinyl includes Noxious Concoctions cocktail book and GHOULunatics swizzle stick.
Wacky Splatter – A Tankcrimes mailorder exclusive; Black And Bone mix w/ Swamp Green Splatter
Orange Crush – Retail edition
Find vinyl orders HERE, CD orders HERE, and digital orders HERE where the record can be streamed.
GHOUL’s Noxious Concoctions comes just two weeks before they kick off the inaugural Brainsqueeze Tour! The North American live assault will find GHOUL sacking stages as direct support to MunicipalWaste. Additional support will be provided by labelmates Necrot and Dead Heat. The tour runs from February 15th in Washington, DC through March 16th in Richmond, Virginia. Tickets are on sale now at THIS LOCATION.
GHOUL w/ Municipal Waste, Necrot, Dead Heat: 2/15/2024 Black Cat – Washington, DC 2/16/2024 Union Transfer – Philadelphia, PA 2/17/2024 Brooklyn Monarch – Brooklyn, NY 2/18/2024 The Paradise – Boston, MA 2/19/2024 House Of Music – Portland, ME * GHOUL + Necrot only 2/20/2024 Foufounes Electriques – Montreal, QC 2/21/2024 London Music Hall – London, ON 2/22/2024 Rec Room – Buffalo, NY 2/23/2024 Magic Stick – Detroit, MI 2/24/2024 Turner Hall – Milwaukee, WI 2/26/2024 Fine Line – Minneapolis, MN 2/27/2024 Waiting Room – Omaha, NE 3/01/2024 Summit Music Hall – Denver, CO 3/02/2024 Mesa Theatre – Grand Junction, CO 3/03/2024 Aces High Saloon – Salt Lake City, UT * GHOUL + Necrot only 3/04/2024 UC Theatre – Berkeley, CA 3/05/2024 The Bellwether – Los Angeles, CA 3/06/2024 Encore – Tucson, AZ 3/08/2024 Paper Tiger – San Antonio, TX 3/09/2024 Trees – Dallas, TX 3/10/2024 House Of Blues – New Orleans, LA 3/12/2024 Culture Room – Ft. Lauderdale, F 3/13/2024 The Abbey – Orlando, FL 3/14/2024 40 Watt – Athens, GA 3/15/2024 The Senate Theatre – Columbia, SC 3/16/2024 The National – Richmond, VA
Metalcore titans UNEARTH proudly present their latest video for “Eradicator,” a standout track from their formidable album, The Wretched; The Ruinous. The video, showcasing the band’s relentless energy and unique artistry, is now available for viewing HERE.
Following the success of The Wretched; The Ruinous, UNEARTH continues to push boundaries, both musically and thematically. The album, lauded for its incisive commentary on global issues, stands as a testament to the band’s ability to blend aggressive sounds with thought-provoking lyrics.
Reflecting on the new video, vocalist Trevor Phipps says, “Since our new album The Wretched; The Ruinous was released ‘Eradicator’ has been posted and reposted more than any other track on the record by you all. Because of this we hit up our good friend Daniel Vandal from Kreact to shoot another live themed video (Incinerate) for us across the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario. The footage captures the high energy, and mayhem (Barrie), our Canadian friends always bring to our shows north of the border. Check out ‘Eradicator’ now and see you on the road.”
The album The Wretched; The Ruinous delves into pressing global concerns, as Phipps explains: “The Wretched; The Ruinous is about the eight billion people on this planet. We’ve created a man-made mass extinction event and have been too slow to correct our faults. Extreme weather, drought, famine, disease, erosion of land, culture wars, civil wars, wars for natural resources, and the displacement of billions of people, is all a current reality. This isn’t a future problem; it is a now problem and I take this record to talk about it.”
UNEARTH‘s new video for “Eradicator” is more than just a musical statement; it’s a visual journey into the heart of what makes them one of metal’s most enduring and relevant acts.
The Wretched, The Ruinous – Track List:
The Wretched; The Ruinous Cremation of the Living Eradicator Mother Betrayal Invictus Call of Existence Dawn of the Militant Aniara Into the Abyss Broken Arrow Theaters of War
You can catch UNEARTH live at these festivals:
July 5 – RockHarz – Ballenstedt, Germany August 16 – Summer Breeze Open Air – Dinkelsbühl, Germany August 23 – NOAF (Neuborn Open Air Festival) – Wörrstadt, Germany October 4 – Furnace Fest – Birmingham, Alabama
ALLEGAEON is set to enter the studio next week alongside original vocalist Ezra Haynes to record their seventh full-length album with longtime producer Dave Otero (Flatline Audio).
Guitarist Greg Burgess comments, “We are really excited to get back in the studio with Dave and get to work. The album is shaping up to be a strong amalgamation of songs across the discography. Some songs sound like they would be at home on Formshifter and some sound like they are straight off of DAMNUM. It’s a very exciting time to be in ALLEGAEON and we can’t wait for everyone to hear this record.”
Adds Haynes, “It has been a decade since I’ve had the pleasure of creating a full-length album with the boys. The chemistry of this lineup is nothing I’ve experienced before and there’s a lot to unpack with this new album. A decade’s worth of experiences, and I’m finally ready to share it with the fine folk of the metal community. 2024 is really shaping up and I couldn’t be more excited. Here’s to lucky #7!”
This April/May, ALLEGAEON will be hitting the road with Decapitated, Septicflesh, and Kataklysm for the Cancer Culture Over North America Tour 2024. The tour runs from April 16th through May 19th. Tickets are on sale now. See all confirmed dates below.
ALLEGAEON w/ Decapitated, Septicflesh, Kataklysm: 4/16/2024 The Observatory – Santa Ana, CA 4/17/2024 Nile Theater – Mesa, AZ 4/18/2024 Sunshine Theater – Albuquerque, NM 4/19/2024 Granada Theater – Dallas, TX 4/20/2024 White Oak Music Hall – Houston, TX 4/21/2024 Come and Take it Live – Austin, TX 4/23/2024 The Orpheum – Tampa, FL 4/24/2024 The Masquerade (Hell) – Atlanta, GA 4/25/2024 Hangar 1819 – Greensboro, NC 4/26/2024 The Queen – Wilmington, DE 4/27/2024 The Webster – Hartford, CT 4/28/2024 Warsaw – Brooklyn, NY 4/29/2024 Brighton Music Hall – Boston, MA 5/01/2024 Imperial Bell – Quebec City, QC 5/02/2024 Beanfield Theater – Montreal, QC 5/03/2024 The Phoenix – Toronto, ON 5/04/2024 Preserving Underground – Pittsburgh, PA 5/05/2024 Piere’s Entertainment Center – Fort Wayne, IN 5/06/2024 St. Andrews Hall – Detroit, MI 5/07/2024 Headliners Music Hall – Louisville, KY 5/08/2024 The Forge – Joliet, IL 5/10/2024 Green Room – Minneapolis, MN 5/11/2024 Park Theater – Winnipeg, MB 5/12/2024 Louis (USSU) – Saskatoon, SK 5/13/2024 The Starlite Room – Edmonton, AB 5/14/2024 The Back Alley – Calgary, AB 5/16/2024 Rickshaw Theater – Vancouver, BC 5/17/2024 Hawthorne Theater – Portland, OR 5/18/2024 DNA Lounge – San Francisco, CA 5/19/2024 1720 – Los Angeles, CA
German power metal titans MASTERPLAN, who will not only embark on an extensive European tour with FIREWIND kicking off this February, return with a brand new song, entitled Rise Again! An official lyric video is now premiering below.
Following the band’s colossal anniversary edition, a reissue of their memorable debut re-released in 2023 via AFM Records, today, MASTERPLAN are sharing their new single Rise Again – an epic, powerful and hopefully first harbinger of a new album to follow in the not so distant future!
Founding member and guitarist, Roland Grapow, reveals:
“After almost 10-11 years of silence, we are ready to burst onto the heavy metal scene again. We missed the audience and new emotions. This song is about how we felt during the last period. Everything in the world changes so quickly that sometimes it is very difficult to understand where you belong. And it seems that you are talented and worthy of success, but you begin to doubt yourself. And this is a big mistake.
As usual and in the Masterplan style, we try to be positive and this is the main goal of our creativity. We want to inspire our fans to find the strength to overcome life’s challenges. Rise Again is the song about hope, life and better things to come, it’s like a phoenix rising from the ashes.“
Hatebreed has announced “The March Metal Matinee” a special 30th Anniversary Event happening at The Toyota Oakdale Theatre in Wallingford, CT on March 17th 2024!
Tickets go on sale this Friday (January 26) at 7am EST. The show will start at 12 noon and features Massachusetts’ Metal Greats SHADOWS FALL in their first Connecticut show in YEARS + local stand outs Shadow Of Intent, CTHC masters 100 Demons & WithHonor & many more!
LISTEN TO NEW SONG: “THE POST-ATOMIC HORROR” – U.S./CANADIAN TOUR ANNOUNCED
Jan. 23, 2024 – Zombi, the electro-prog duo featuring Steve Moore and AE Paterra that Pitchfork described as evoking “the murky synth ambience of the 1970s while also infusing their music with a decidedly modern aura,” and Decibel dubbed “exceptional,” return with their eagerly-awaited new album, Direct Inject (March 22, Relapse Records).
A preview of the nine-song collection is available now, with the track “The Post-Atomic Horror” (https://orcd.co/zombi-directinject) streaming now. “’The Post-Atomic Horror’ is a very fun song for us to play,” says Paterra. “No trappings from our machines, just bass and drums, as stripped down as we can be. Definitely one for us to lean into on stage – a few minutes of riffs and wide open drums.”
Direct Inject, which was self-produced by Moore and Paterra, also features guest percussionist Jeff Gretz (Zao/From Autumn To Ashes), and guitar player Phil Manley (Trans Am).
Photo credit: Shawn Brackbill
“In 2022, after our tour with The Sword, we posted up in our friend’s studio in Clearfield, PA for a week of diner breakfasts and gas station BBQ,” shares Moore. “We would record every day and improvise until we found ideas we liked. We then took these ideas back home to Albany and Chicago to give them structure. A few months later, after our tour with Om, AEP went back to Clearfield to record final drum tracks. Everything else was recorded at my home studio. The only exceptions are ‘Sessuale I’ and “Sessuale II,” which were both written in the early ‘00s but never officially released.”
Zombi has simultaneously announced their first tour dates in support of Direct Inject, with a U.S./Canadian trek coming this April. Tickets are on-sale this Friday at 10 am local time. Overcalc opens on all dates.
Zombi – tour dates:
April 4 Louisville, KY Whirling Tiger April 5 Chicago, IL Schubas Tavern April 6 Detroit, MI Sanctuary Detroit April 7 Toronto, ON The Velvet Underground April 8 Montreal, QC La Sotterenea April 9 Boston, MA The Middle East Upstairs April 10 Brooklyn, NY Saint Vitus April 11 Philadelphia, PA Underground Arts April 12 Baltimore, MD Metro Gallery April 13 Pittsburgh, PA Certain Death II
Zombi is Steve Moore (synth/bass/guitar) and AE Paterra (drums/percussion/electronics). Formed in 2001, the Pittsburgh-founded, instrumental duo have released seven full-length albums.
Italian melodic death-doom force Shores of Null is set to bring their beauty to the Caribbean sea as they announce they will be performing at this year’s 70000TONS OF METAL,the world’s biggest heavy metal cruise, which will also mark the band’s very first appearance outside of Europe. It will be intimate, powerful, and cathartic.
70000TONS OF METAL is part of the Shores of Null’s tour plans for 2024, which also features performances at the most renowned metal festivals in Europe including Hellfest (France), Rock Imperium (Spain), and more to be announced. The band will be promoting their latest acclaimed fourth record “The Loss of Beauty” (Spikerot Records) mentioned among the best metal records of 2023 by fans and media outlets all across the world (Metal Hammer, Angry Metal Guy among others).
In addition, Shores Of Null will take the opportunity to perform at 70000TONS OF METAL their iconic 38-minute long track “Beyond The Shores (On Death And Dying)” in its entirety: a blend of funeral doom, gothic atmospheres and emotional lyricism, which perfectly summarizes the skills of the Italian quintet.
“We can’t wait to embark on such a unique festival experience and be in so close contact with all the fans and the festival attendees. For us, it’s a dream come true to bring our music to the States, and we will do our best to please the audience with our two different sets”, adds bassist Matteo Capozucca.
NEWLY ANNOUNCED DATES INCLUDE MULTIPLE CITIES THE BAND HASN’T PLAYED SINCE 2000
Jan. 23, 2024, Eureka, Calif. – Mr. Bungle continue to extend their 2024 world tour, adding headlining dates to cities the band has not visited since the turn of the millennium, with newly announced performances now also slated for the Southeastern and Midwestern U.S.:
May 6 Dallas, TX House of Blues May 7 Austin, TX Emo’s May 8 Houston, TX House of Blues May 11 Atlanta, GA Tabernacle May 12 Raleigh, NC The Ritz May 14 Nashville, TN Brooklyn Bowl May 15 Indianapolis, IN Egyptian Room May 19 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
Tickets are on-sale this Friday, Jan. 26 at 10 am local time. Ipecac alum, Otto Von Schirach opens on all headlining dates. Ticketing links are available at Ipecac.com/tours.
Full List of Mr. Bungle Tour Dates:
February 28 Tokyo, JP Toyosu Pit February 29 Osaka, JP Namba Hatch March 3 Auckland, NZ Auckland Town Hall + March 6 Melbourne, AUS Festival Hall + March 7 Adelaide, AUS Hindley Street Music Hall + March 9 Sydney, AUS Hordern Pavilion + March 10 Brisbane, AUS Fortitude Music Hall + March 12 Perth, AUS Metro City +
May 6 Dallas, TX House of Blues # May 7 Austin, TX Emo’s # May 8 Houston, TX House of Blues # May 10 Daytona Beach, FL Welcome to Rockville May 11 Atlanta, GA Tabernacle # May 12 Raleigh, NC The Ritz # May 14 Nashville, TN Brooklyn Bowl # May 15 Indianapolis, IN Egyptian Room # May 17 Columbus, OH Sonic Temple May 18 Milwaukee, WI Milwaukee Metal Fest May 19 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue #
June 16 Zurich, CH X-Tra % June 17 Milan, IT Magnolia % June 19 Berlin, DE Huxley’s % June 20 Copenhagen, DK Copenhell June 23 Luxembourg Atelier % June 24 Tilburg, NL 013 Poppodium % June 27 Oslo, NO Tons of Rock June 29 Clisson, FR Hellfest
+ with Melvins
% with Oxbow & Spotlights
# with Otto Von Schirach
Photo credit: Buzz Osborne
About Mr. Bungle
Mr. Bungle was formed in an impoverished lumber and fishing town by a trio of curious, volatile teenagers. Trey Spruance, Mike Patton and Trevor Dunn beget the amorphous “band” in 1985 up in Humboldt County, Calif., sifting through a variety of members until 1988 when drummer Danny Heifetz and saxophonist Bär McKinnon joined the group. In 1989, Mr. Bungle signed to Warner Bros. Records. No one really knows how this happened and it remains a complete mystery that even the algorithms of the internet can’t decode.
Up until 2000 they released three albums (Mr. Bungle in 1991, Disco Volante in 1995 and California in 1999), toured a good portion of the Western hemisphere and avoided any sort of critical acclaim. Some argue that the band subsequently broke up but there is also no proof of this. What is true is that they took 20 years off from performing under said moniker while they pursued various other musics that, in contrast, paid the rent.
In 2020, a different iteration of Mr. Bungle emerged, pairing the original trio of Dunn, Patton and Spruance with Anthrax’s Scott Ian and former Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo for a proper release of the Eureka-bred band’s unreleased demo, The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny and the new live album, The Night They Came Home.
NEWLY ANNOUNCED, ACOUSTIC “KING DUNN TOUR” IS THE LEGENDARY MELVINS’ FRONTMAN’S SECOND EVER SOLO TOUR AND COMES 10 YEARS AFTER HIS LAST ROUND OF LIVE PERFORMANCES
J.D. PINKUS (BUTTHOLE SURFERS/MELVINS) OPENS
January 22, 2024, LOS ANGELES – King Buzzo, the iconic founder and lead vocalist/guitar player for the Melvins, and Mr. Bungle bass player Trevor Dunn, join forces this Summer, teaming up for the “King Dunn Tour,” which kicks off on Aug. 1 at Pappy + Harriet’s in Pioneertown, Calif.
“I’ve been waiting a LONG time to do an acoustic tour with Trevor,” Buzz Osborne shares. “He’s a fantastic player, and has the ability to make his bass sound like an oil tanker crashing into a coral reef.”
Osborne and Dunn have collaborated several times over the years, including Dunn’s participation in King Buzzo’s 2020 album, Gift of Sacrifice, as well as both being members of Fantômas, and Dunn’s work as a part of Melvins Lite. On the “King Dunn Tour,” Dunn will will play a stand-up concert bass, while Osborne will sing and play acoustic guitar.
Tickets are on-sale this Friday, Jan. 26, at 10 am local time. J.D. Pinkus (Butthole Surfers/Melvins) opens on all dates. For additional information, and ticketing links, visit Ipecac.com/tours.
“King Dunn Tour” dates:
August 1 Pioneertown, CA Pappy + Harriet’s August 2 San Diego, CA Casbah August 3 Long Beach, CA Alex’s Bar August 5 Los Angeles, CA Lodge Room August 6 San Francisco, CA The Chapel August 7 Sacramento, CA Harlow’s August 9 Portland, OR Mississippi Studios August 10 Seattle, WA Neumos August 11 Spokane, WA Knitting Factory Spokane August 12 Bozeman, MT The ELM August 14 Salt Lake CITY, UT Urban Lounge August 16 Fort Collins, CO Aggie Theatre August 17 Denver, CO Bluebird Theater August 19 Omaha, NE Slowdown August 20 Saint Paul, MN Turf Club August 21 Madison, WI High Noon Saloon August 22 Chicago, IL Subterranean August 23 St. Louis, MO Old Rock House August 24 Louisville, KY Headliners Music Hall August 26 Grand Rapids, MI The Pyramid Scheme August 27 Detroit, MI The Shelter August 28 Cleveland Heights, OH Grog Shop August 29 Columbus, OH The Basement August 30 Bethlehem, PA Musikfest Café at the ArtsQuest Center August 31 Pittsburgh, PA Thunderbird Music Hall September 1 Jersey City, NJ White Eagle Hall September 3 Cambridge, MA The Sinclair September 4 Brooklyn, NY Music Hall of Williamsburg September 5 Hamden, CT Space Ballroom September 6 Baltimore, MD Ottobar September 7 Philadelphia, PA Underground Arts September 9 Charlottesville, VA The Southern Café & Music Hall September 10 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle – Back Room September 11 Charlotte, NC Visulite Theatre September 12 Athens, GA 40 Watt Club September 13 Atlanta, GA The Masquerade – Hell Stage September 14 Nashville, TN Exit In September 16 Birmingham, AL Saturn September 17 New Orleans, LA Siberia September 18 Baton Rouge, LA Varsity Theatre September 20 Houston, TX House of Blues – Bronze Peacock September 21 Austin, TX Antone’s September 22 Dallas, TX House of Blues – Cambridge Room September 25 Tucson, AZ 191 Toole September 26 Phoenix, AZ The Rebel Lounge
Photo credit: Mackie Osborne
King Buzzo, a.k.a. Buzz Osborne, is the singer, guitar player and founder of the enormously influential band, the Melvins. His innovative approach to songwriting, and guitar playing, has influenced countless musicians, and turned leagues of music lovers into ardent fans. Renowned for his pioneering use of down-tuned strings, Buzzo masterfully blended his punk and metal influences, and in turn, he created a groundbreaking new sound in heavy music. Over Osborne’s extensive career, which originated in the small hamlet of Montesano, Wash. in 1983, he has released over 30 albums under the Melvins’ moniker, two solo albums [Gift of Sacrifice (2020) and This Machine Kills Artists (2014)], as well as a number of collaborative projects including Fantômas and Crystal Fairy.
Trevor Dunn might be most widely known for his work with Mr. Bungle, the eclectic and unpredictable Northern California band he co-founded in 1985, but his career outside of Mr. Bungle has been just as notable. Also a member of Fantômas, Trevor Dunn’s Trio-Convulsant, Tomahawk and Melvins Lite, Dunn has also written music for various ensembles, performed extensively with John Zorn, and recently formed Riverworm Records, a label home for “discarded, forgotten, and misunderstood music.”
Formed in 2017, DEVASTATOR is a four-piece Black Thrash band from the county of Derbyshire in the United Kingdom . They released their debut album ‘Baptised in Blasphemy’ in 2019 on UK label Clobber records. The album was reissued remixed and remastered with 8 bonus tracks in November 2023 on Listenable. DEVASTATOR will release their brand new album ‘Conjurers of Cruelty’ on the 1st of March, 2024.
Expanding on the raucous Black ‘n’ Roll attitude of the band’s debut and turning up the Black Metal to cacophonous levels, DEVASTATOR‘s sophomore release ‘Conjurers of Cruelty’ differs in many aspects without losing the spirit and power of the band’s debut, harnessing other avenues in Extreme Metal and presenting a multilayered and expansive record which explores both Black Metal and Death Metal, whilst still delivering the furious Thrash Metal assault and NWOBHM drenched force that the band has become known for.
Ritual Abuse (Evil Never Dies) – Official Lyric Video watch HERE
The band comments on the new single : ‘Ritual Abuse (Evil Never Dies)’:
“We are proud to present the first offering from our long awaited new album ‘Conjurers of Cruelty’, when writing the material for this record we wanted to not only expand on the formula of our previous effort but also implement a stronger contemporary Black Metal approach which the first album only merely touched upon. This quickly became very natural to us and added to the new album’s overall themes of ritual sacrifice and ceremonial conjurations. ‘Ritual Abuse (Evil Never Dies)’ is a perfect example of our influences in complete and total display, from straight forward-no nonsense-Teutonic-styled Thrash, to pure Celtic Frost worship, topped off with a grim Black Metal outro”.
DEVASTATOR ’s new album ‘ Conjurers of Cruelty’ was recorded at Godhand Studios in Derbyshire with producer Ben ‘Audiomage’ Gaines who also remixed and remastered ‘Baptised in Blasphemy’.
DEVASTATOR – Conjurers of Cruelty’ Album track-listing: 1) Beyond the Gate. 1:06 2) Conjurers of Cruelty 5:01 3) Black Witchery. 5:02 4) Ritual Abuse (Evil Never Dies) 4:51 5) Walpurgisnacht 4:17 6) Necromantic Lust 3:13 7) Deathspell Defloration 5:58 8) Bestial Rites. 2:46 9) Sharpen the Blade. 4:10 10) Rabid Morbid Death 7:50 11) Liar in Wait 3:52 * 12) Death Forever 3:14 * (*CD bonus tracks )
DEVASTATOR: T. Nachtghul – Bass Guitar & Lead Vocals R. Amun – Lead Guitar C. W. Wolfgang – Rhythm Guitar J. Scarlett – Drums
Century Media Records is proud to announce the signing of Sweden’s modern metal standard bearers, ORBIT CULTURE. Hailing from the small town of Eksjö, Sweden (located between the revered metal cities of Gothenburg and Stockholm), the quartet (guitarist and vocalist Niklas Karlsson, guitarist Richard Hansson, bassist Fredrik Lennartsson and drummer Christopher Wallerstedt) have grown into a global force, melding together, riffs that are equal parts thrash, death metal and industrial with arresting hooks and a layered atmosphere that invites comparison to GOJIRA, METALLICA and STATIC-X while carving out something that is uniquely their own.
ORBIT CULTURE’s 2023 album, Descent and its subsequent EP release, The Forgotten topped many recent year-end lists including Metal Hammer who described the album as: “a formidable entwining of modern metal’s most effective and exciting strands into an impressive milestone.” Exhaustive worldwide touring and a steady stream of crowd-pummeling festival slots across the globe, have set the stage for something much larger.
SaysORBIT CULTURE: “Century Media is home to some of today’s biggest metal bands out there and we couldn’t be any happier to be part of their roster. We look forward to bringing you new music in the future and working closely together with Century Media’s world class team!”
“Watching ORBIT CULTURE’s rise to becoming one of the greatest new metal bands in the world and now working with them is inspiring,” states Philipp Schulte, Century Media Vice President and Global Head. “I’ve personally been a fan since the beginning. They are part of both metal and Century Media’s future in a very exciting way.”
Before initiating work on their next LP and Century Media debut, ORBIT CULTURE will tour North America with legendary metal acts, MACHINE HEAD and FEAR FACTORY as well as newcomers GATES TO HELL on the “Slaughter The Martout” tour. The US and Canadian run will continue the Swedish band’s exhaustive work in the territory which has included tours with IN FLAMES and AVATAR and won ORBIT CULTURE a rabid fan-base and high placement on Sirius XM’s Liquid Metal “Devil’s Dozen” year-end chart. At the time of this announcement, the band is #1 on Sirius XM’s Liquid Metal Following the U.S. tour, ORBIT CULTURE will then embark on an extensive tour of Europe, fittingly titled, the “Descending Into Madness” tour.
“We are beyond excited to be working with ORBIT CULTURE and their team at 5B (Management),” adds Mike Gitter, Century Media Vice President of A&R, North America. “They’ve carved an indelible mark on the worldwide metal scene through vision, determination, and hard work. They’re not merely a band leading the charge for extreme music right now – they’re a band that will lead that charge for many years to come.”
Today marks the official unveiling of Clandestine Transcendence, the latest full-length studio offering from Portland, Oregon-based progressive sludge metal conjurors, LORD DYING.
The second installment of a planned trilogy, Clandestine Transcendence picks up where 2019’s critically adored Mysterium Tremendum left off. Mysterium Tremendum began a narrative centered on a central character the band calls The Dreamer, an immortal being who wants to die. On Clandestine Transcendence, he gets that wish and explores what happens beyond death.
Woven throughout the songs, that story and its rich thematic material inform a wholly immersive listen where tension, drama, and atmosphere abound. The massive scope and melodic vocals found across the record expand upon the band’s already singular sound while sharpened songwriting, emphasizing hooks, helps push both extremes of the band beyond prior limits. Simply put, the softer side is even dreamier; the heavy side is twice as brutal.
On Clandestine Transcendence, LORDDYING co-founders Erik Olson (guitar, vocals) and Chris Evans (guitar) are joined by Alyssa Maucere (former bassist for Eight Bells) and Kevin Swartz (current drummer of Tithe). Produced by Converge guitarist Kurt Ballou (High On Fire, Code Orange, Kvelertak) at his God City Studios, the twelve-track offering steps even further into the great unknown, filled with riffs and vibes.
Clandestine Transcendence is available on CD, LP, and digital formats through MNRK Heavy. Find ordering options at THIS LOCATION.
Watch the band’s previously released videos for “I AM NOTHING, I AM EVERYTHING,”“The Endless Road Home,” and “The Universe Is Weeping”HERE.
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