Midwest American Symphonic Metal band SHIELD OF WINGS emerge from their hiatus, and make their thrilling entry into the new year with their debut single, “Wetland”. The song is coupled with a captivating music video. “Wetland” is the first offering from their forthcoming debut full-length album, Unfinished, set to release February 11th. Sure to appeal to fans of symphonic metal giants NIGHTWISH and EPICA, as well as film score composers like HANS ZIMMER, JAMES HORNER, and HOWARD SHORE, their new album, Unfinished, will bring into view 10 bombastic compositions of poetic exploration.
Vocalist Lara Mordian comments on the “Wetland” filming process:
’Shooting Wetland, and wading through that cold, wet, filth, was a challenging albeit invigorating time for me. Prior to filming in late autumn, I was warned of the certain discomfort to come, but I was reassured by James that “pain is temporary, film is forever”, and I embraced it.”.
Each song from Unfinished explores themes of growth through self-examination, regret, sacrificial death and rebirth. From the “Crushing Hail” of the suffering which is inherent in life, the listener is carried through this journey, until the final track expounds upon the realization that we are all, in ways, “The Scarred Clay Reshaping.” With bold, vast orchestral compositions soaring over chugging guitars, SHIELD OF WINGS makes it abundantly clear that they are Unfinished, in more ways than one.
Dark Operative today presents a deluxe vinyl reissue of THEALL–AMERICANREJECTS’ MoveAlong LP.
MoveAlong is the second studio album from Stillwater, Oklahoma’s THE ALL-AMERICAN REJECTS. Featuring hits like the title track, “It Ends Tonight,” and “Dirty Little Secret,” this was the album that propelled the band into becoming a household name, achieving RIAA-certified double platinum status, and packing out arenas at the height of a three-year tour cycle that rarely took a break. The album was produced by Howard Benson, recorded by Mike Plotnikoff, mixed by Chris Lord-Alge.
Having had original plans to formally celebrate its 15th anniversary in 2020 with special live performances and premium vinyl reissues, it’s safe to say that nobody saw what was coming for the entirety of the planet’s population for the two years following. Needless to say, plans had to be put on hold.
To hopefully usher in a brighter omen for 2022, Dark Operative is formally issuing MoveAlong in a hyper-deluxe format featuring rainbow holographic foil, gatefold inserts, metallic inks, on White and Golden Nugget variants. This deluxe reissue is only available direct through Dark Operative, as the label’s distributor sold through all copies ahead of street date.
Find THE ALL-AMERICAN REJECTS’ MoveAlong hyper-deluxe reissue while supplies last and stream the album at THIS LOCATION.
Metaltronica project PLANEPACKED will release their new studio album Transactinides on April 8th, 2022. Transactinides is the first full-length release from the band since frontwoman Jessica Kagan’s gender transition and explores the experience of recreating oneself.
Jessica Comments:
“Transactinides is the 2nd full length album from PLANEPACKED, scheduled to release on April 8th, 2022. It further develops and expands on the metaltronica sound of my debut (Critical Mass). In particular, it includes songs with sung and harsh vocals for the first time in my career. Highly recommended for fans of extreme metal, IDM, prog, and old-school tracker/scenedemo music.”
Drawing musical influences from the likes of AUTECHRE, IGORRR, DEVIN TOWNSEND, and SUSUMU HIRASAWA, the first three tracks on Transactinides are also inspired in various ways by Jessica’s urban fantasy fiction series, Endian Project. PLANEPACKED opens the threshold to a universe of soundscapes, melodies and explorations of the human existence.
Credits: Jessica Kagan: All songwriting, programming, sung vocals Moss Girl: Harsh vocals Nu House Studios: Mastering, mixing, vocal recording, production Mario Teodosio: Visual artwork
Danish alternative metal quintet NORÐ is set to release their debut album Machine Blood on March 4th 2022 via Inverse Records. The album is mixed and mastered by the magnificent Jacob Hansen at Hansen Studios, Denmark (Volbeat, Amaranthe, Primal Fear, etc). The first single Fear Reigns is released today along with music video.
Fear Reigns (single 2022) Composer: NORÐ lyrics: Niels Thybæk-Hansen
The band comments:“Fear Reigns is a track that means a lot to us. First of all it’s a killer riff and the verse has harmonic vibrations that would remind you of the Twin Peakstheme. The chorus begins with another bad ass groovy riff followed by a more atmospheric part that will speak to anyone who ever liked Deftones. The bridge is an epic melodic part with tight riffin’ and melancholic soundscapes.
The song has been with us for a long time and it still feels fucking awesome to play every time. The crowd also always has a good response to this track.
The lyrics talk about the cracks in the foundation of societies around the world. The ideal of a democracy based on trust is increasingly threatened by more simple means to power such as fear and repression. As the globalization have brought us closer together it has also drawn new battle lines between ideologies. Societies based on ancient traditions and belief collide with capitalistic societies based on the free will of the individual. Cohesiveness is threatened and protectionism becomes stronger.
So some really uplifting themes in that song 🙂 But seriously, we love this song and hope everyone will enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoy playing it.”
Line-up: Vocals: Bjarne Matthiesen Guitar: Niels Thybæk-Hansen Guitar: Thomas Bøgh Jensen Bass: Peter Littau Drums: Rune Kolsbjerg Hansen
April 07, 2022 – Orlando, FL – The Haven April 08, 2022 – Tampa, FL – Orpheum April 09, 2022 – Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade April 11, 2022 – Dallas, TX – Amplified Live April 12, 2022 – San Antonio, TX – Rock Box April 14, 2022 – Mesa, AZ – Nile Theater April 15, 2022 – Anaheim, CA – The Parish April 16, 2022 – Santa Cruz, CA – The Atrium at Catalyst April 18, 2022 – Portland, OR – Hawthorn Theatre April 19, 2022 – Seattle, WA – Crocodile April 20, 2022 – Vancouver, BC – The Rickshaw April 22, 2022 – Calgary, AB – Dickens April 23, 2022 – Edmonton, AB – The Starlite Room April 25, 2022 – Salt Lake City, UT – Metro April 26, 2022 – Colorado Springs, CO – The Black Sheep April 27, 2022 – Lawrence, KS – Granada Theater April 29, 2022 – Minneapolis, MN – The Fine Line * April 30, 2022 – Joliet, IL – The Forge * May 01, 2022 – Cleveland – Ballroom * May 02, 2022 – Detroit, MI – El Club *
Symphonic gothic metal artist APOLINARA offers the haunting new single “Shadows and Signs”. Raised in Ukraine and now based in the USA, APOLINARA draws inspiration from her travels and delivers a powerful message about facing the endless fight with inner demons.
APOLINARA comments: “I feel nervous but happy to release a new single “Shadows and Signs”. It’s an important first step of taking a listener on a journey to my upcoming debut album that will be released under the same name Shadows and Signs”.
The new release delivers ethereal vocals soaring above heavy driving instrumentation, while intricate orchestral melodies weave among the distorted guitars elevating the sound. “Shadows and Signs” is a tantalising taste of what is to come from APOLINARA.
Australian psychedelic rock & roll occultists The Neptune Power Federation will release Le Demon De L’Amour February 18 via Cruz Del Sur Music.
The official video for first single “My Precious One” is available now at: youtu.be/NvhJWU4dVfI
The Neptune Power Federation brings back the love song and rocks as furiously as ever on their fifth studio album, Le Demon De L’Amour!
The Imperial Princess and her crew of Aussie rockers lord over eight love songs that prove few can push the boundaries of rock and metal like The Neptune Power Federation!
Heading into the creation of their fifth studio album, Le Demon De L’Amour, Australian psychedelic rock and roll brigade The Neptune Power Federation couldn’t let go of the fact that love songs had been commandeered, in their words, by “soft rockers, bedwetters and the introvert crowd.” Whereas rock had its glory period during the 1970s and 80s, the art of the love song is now lost within heavier music. Few bands are now willing to venture into such territory — metal and rock have settled comfortably into typical, predictable lyrical tropes that fail to pull at the heartstrings the way they used to. On Le Demon De L’Amour, The Neptune Power Federation reclaims the art of the love song as their own.
Off the heels of their acclaimed 2019 Memoirs of a Rat Queen studio album, the members of The Neptune Power Federation utilized the unexpected downtime afforded from the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic to craft an album that takes more chances than its predecessor. While the band’s trademark rock swagger and prog tendencies still come into play, Le Demonups the voltage and energy. True, there is a multitude of genre-blurring taking place, but the album’s infectious choruses and leaden riffs easily re-imagine metal and rock’s glory eras without blatant thievery.
Of course, all roads to The Neptune Power Federation run through lead vocalist Screamin’ Loz Sutch and her stage persona, “The Imperial Priestess.” Le Demon’s eight cuts find the indomitable frontwoman in top form, belting out tales of love from a female’s perspective, weaving in stories of cult worship, murder and hypnotism. The album’s artwork (created by guitarist Inverted CruciFox) also introduces her new nemesis — The Wizzard Princess.
Recorded at bass player JayTanic Ritual’s The Ped Food Factory in Marrickville, Sydney, with mixing duties provided by Clem Bennett, Le Demon De L’Amourleads The Neptune Power Federation into their tenth anniversary next year. Their journey has taken them from the sweaty clubs of Sydney to a global audience. Now armed with eight love songs sure to melt and captivate the most hardened metal hearts, The Neptune Power Federationboldly goes where few bands dare to go.
Swiss melodic metal / hard rock outfit CRYSTALBALL are going to release their new studio album “CRYSTERIA” on January 28, 2022 via Massacre Records!
Crystal Ball have released their brand new single “You Lit My Fire” and the accompanying official video that’s available on https://youtu.be/Vz5Rq8u7ii4
The band’s 11th album will be available as a CD Digipak with exclusive bonus tracks, a limited edition box set as well as in digital formats – you can already pre-order it here » https://lnk.to/crysteria
The “CRYSTERIA” box set will include the album’s CD Digipak, a flag, a patch as well as a hand-signed autograph card. A strictly limited vinyl LP edition is planned as well, the release date will be announced soon.
CRYSTAL BALL took its time during the pandemic-related break to write lots of new material, so they could choose from over 30 Songs for the “CRYSTERIA” album.
Ronnie Romero (Rainbow, MSG) joins the band as a guest vocalist on the song “Call Of The Wild”, and CRYSTAL BALL’s longtime friends and label mates JADEDHEART join them for a band duet on the song “Crystal Heart”.
CRYSTAL BALL’s new guitar player Peter Berger also contributed many songs and ideas to this album. He was a very refreshing and motivating input.
“CRYSTERIA” was produced, mixed and mastered by Stefan Kaufmann, who also contributed additional lead guitars to four songs on the album.
Coming this Saturday December 18, at 8pm ET is a very first for Stryper. It is the WORLD PREMIER of Stryper performing their iconic album Soldiers Under Command. Some of these songs have not been performed live in over 30 years. This is a multi-camera professionally recorded in-studio concert performing the album in its entirety. This is also the first event Oz Fox played after his first of two successful brain surgeries.
Stryper has NEVER performed Soldiers Under Command in its entirety until now.
The band will be live before the performance as well as after the performance with a Q&A. Also – during the performance the band will be in the chat room chatting with fans.
Can’t watch at that time? That’s okay – We have 2 options for you. 1) Purchase now before the show and re-watch it for 48 hours or 2) Upgrade and for just $8 more watch it as much as you want for as long as you want with our Lifetime Viewing option.
This is truly a rare event. Tickets are only $12. Get yours now.
Canadian hard rockers SHOTDOWNTWICE will release their upcoming self-titled EP on the 21st of January, 2021.
The new self-titled EP follows their debut Got Up Once.
“After many months of work, and after numerous highs and lows we are beyond thrilled to release our second EP, aptly named Shot Down Twice. We’ve dug real deep this time to create a hard rock EP that we are really proud of. We had a blast working on it and I think that’ll come through and you’ll be able to feel that when you listen to the music. It’s a full ride and we hope you enjoy it as much as we do. Cheers to all”
Alt-Rock Artist Encourages Listeners to Let Go of the Worries in Life
Nashville, TN – Alternative rocker, MiaMorris, has just released her fiery new single, “Fucket Bucket.” With retro guitars, loops, and powerful vocals, this single is an ode to letting go of the worries in life and chucking them in the “Fucket Bucket.” “Fucket Bucket” is available now on all streaming platforms worldwide.
Mia Morris’s “Fucket Bucket” is the edgy punk anthem that can resonate with everyone. Handling everyday stress while trying to live life to the fullest can put a strain on people, so Mia Morris made a carefree anthem to help let go of the stressors. “I want life to be fun, so I wrote a song about where to put everything else,” states Morris. The song begins with her declaring, “life’s too short to have regrets,” as a single guitar advances into an ensemble of classic rock sounds. She uses her ability to mold together aspects of alternative, rock, and punk sounds to create a track that reminds listeners that some things simply need to be thrown into the “Fucket Bucket.” The song was written entirely by Mia Morris, which showcases her writing dynamic perfectly. From emphatic chord progressions to her energetic vocals, “Fucket Bucket” pulls from her varied musical tastes and eclectic influences.
17-year-old Mia Morris is a rock singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. She first made a name for herself online at the age of 12 when videos of her drumming reached over five million views on YouTube. Since moving to Nashville to pursue a music career, Morris has backed up over 150 artists on various instruments across the country. Morris has released over 40 songs as she continues to grow her career, with most being written, recorded, produced, and mixed by herself. Taking influences from artists such as No Doubt, Avril Lavigne, and Fountains of Wayne, her ever-growing style is uniquely hers, making her stand out in the rock genre.
Deemed a “drum protege” by other professional musicians, her musical resume puts her amongst some of the music industry’s most seasoned veterans. Learning from some of the best, she was able to study with rock legend Kenny Aronoff, drummer for many notable artists such as Alanis Morissette, among other famous and accomplished drummers. Her many talents and accomplishments have gained her a large following on social media; with over 34K TikTok followers, nearly 24.8K Instagram followers, and 51.8K YouTube subscribers alongside 9+ million views on her videos, Mia Morris is a name to remember.
Mia Morris reminds listeners that life is too short to have regrets, so take some time, put some things away in the bucket, and don’t worry about it. Stream “Fucket Bucket” on all streaming platforms and follow along with more of Mia’s journey on her Instagram @MiaMorrisMusic.
Los Angeles, CA –HighStreet has just released their highly anticipated EP, Revival. The EP acts as a beacon of invigorating sound in the hard rock genre. Each song takes listeners on a journey of triumph, pain, love, and self-reflection while treating them to a unique combination of vocals and instrumentation that form a sonic odyssey. Revival’s release closes out the band’s tour of the same name with an epic show at Los Angeles’ historic venue, Molly Malone’s. Revival is now available to download and stream across all platforms.
This EP wastes no time launching listeners into a flurry of emotion and hard-hitting rock that captivates the spirit and entices the ears. Revival consists of the singles, “Swallow Your Pride,” “Bad Blood,” and “Light of Hope” along with a new track, “Rock Bottom Blues.” High Street describes the latter as “an angry breakup song with a touch of optimism in the bridge.” The song doubles as a conduit for vocalist, Noxigen, and guitarist, Erik Findling to demonstrate the breadth of their musicality and undeniable chemistry. Combined with Nic Metaxas’s fluid bass and Brandon Nikales’ adrenaline-fueled drums, the ensemble operates like a well-oiled harmonious rock machine.
With each track on Revival, High Street has showcased their ability to turn vulnerability into strength: “Swallow Your Pride,” dives into the nuances of ego and overcoming troubled times, “Bad Blood,” discusses ending a toxic relationship on a positive note, while “Light of Hope,” serves as a sweet grunge-inspired ballad that offers solace to those who are battling inner demons and striving for peace within. The band continues to grow and develop both as artists and people willing to be open and honest about their trials and triumphs.
The many personalities that form High Street can be felt in every note of their music, and it’s evident that they’re making an impact on listeners everywhere. Their transcendental hard rock has garnered praise from publications like Phoenix Magazine, HEAVY Mag, Jammerzine, V13, Metalheads Forever Magazine, DIVINE,and more. The latter of which called the band a “…tour-de-force in the genre.”
HighStreet got its roots in lead guitarist Erik Findling’s Chicago attic. The young middle-schooler at the time – who first picked up a guitar at the age of four – enlisted his brother, Kurt, to assemble a group with some of their musically-inclined classmates. Their attic rehearsal space looked out onto the corner of High Street, inspiring the band’s name. While still in junior high, High Street’s musical prowess surpassed some of the city’s most seasoned music veterans and allowed them to play at renowned Chicago venues such as The Double Door, Hard Rock Café, Subterranean, among others.
As the band garnered more success, Findling began to compose original music for the group, and soon after, the band collaborated and recorded albums with acclaimed producer Sean O’Keefe, who is best known for his work with Fall Out Boy. Upon moving to Los Angeles, Findling felt inspired to start the band back up again after a hiatus during their college years. The band’s rebirth now includes the sensational vocals of Noxigen, Nic Metaxas on bass, and Brandon Nikales on drums.
Each member of the four-piece outfit brings a fresh new take on the hard rock genre. Using his background in Indian classical music, Noxigen delivers awe-inspiring vocals that fuse perfectly with Nikales’s energetic drumming and Findling’s chill-inducing guitar, and Metaxas’s rhythmic bass.
The first full-length biography of Eddie Van Halen—a searching, affectionate, and in-depth look at the remarkable life of a genuine musical virtuoso who changed the course of rock ’n’ roll.
“The game changing guitar legend gets the biography he deserves…. Diligently researched, perceptive and well-written.” —Classic Rock
Arriving in California as a young boy in the early 1960s, Edward Van Halen and his brother Alex were ripe for the coming musical revolution. The sons of a Dutch, saxophone-playing father, the brothers discovered the Beatles, Cream, and other icons as they bound together as musical partners, forming identities for themselves in their adopted home along the way.
“Affectionate and unflinching portrait of heavy metal’s Mount Everest…. Paul Brannigan goes deep here, his detailed…biography probing Van Halen’s psyche as well as his music.” —MOJO
From the moment their hugely influential 1978 debut landed, Van Halen set a high bar for the rock ’n’ roll lifestyle, creating an entirely new style of post-’60s hard rock and becoming the quintessential rock band of the 1980s. But the high-flying success was fraught with difficulty, as Eddie struggled with alcohol and drug addiction while simultaneously battling David Lee Roth over the musical direction of the band, eventually taking the band in an entirely new direction with Sammy Hagar and scaling new heights, before that iteration of Van Halen disintegrated.
Acclaimed biographer Paul Brannigan tackles the dramatic story with respect and affection for one of rock’s greatest musicians, pairing original interviews with meticulous research to bring the story of Eddie Van Halen completely up-to-date. Unchained: The Eddie Van Halen Story is a remarkable account of determination, genius, and single-minded commitment to the music.
AUTHOR BIO:
Paul Brannigan is a former editor of Kerrang! and Planet Rock magazine, and a current contributor to MOJO, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer, Kerrang! and Louder. He has previous written books on Dave Grohl, Metallica and much-missed Motorhead legend Lemmy. Born and raised in Ireland’s Six Counties, Brannigan lives in North London.
A video for “Maybe Tomorrow”, the first single from former TROUBLE singer Eric Wagner’s posthumous solo album, In The Lonely Light Of Mourning, is available at youtu.be/TDxWg92ikSs.
The album will be released March 22 on Cruz Del Sur Music. Pre-orders available at:
Recorded at Alpha Sound Services and Aardvark Recording, In The Lonely Light Of Mourning was completed and delivered to Cruz Del Sur Music a month before Eric’s untimely passing. Initially scheduled for a November 2021 release, Cruz Del Sur Music — in cooperation with Eric’s manager, Mike Smith — agreed to move the release date to March 2022 to give it the attention it deserves.
The solo endeavor — a longtime goal of Eric’s — serves as a fitting testament to one of doom metal’s most respected voices. Eric tapped former TROUBLE/current BLACKFINGER drummer David Snyder to help him assemble the album’s eight cuts. Along the way, Eric brought in some of his favorite musicians as guests — including past and present members of TROUBLE, BLACKFINGER, THE SKULL, LID, PENTAGRAM, DEATH ROW and PLACE OF SKULLS.
According to Snyder, the origins for “Maybe Tomorrow” had been kicking around for quite some time.
“The pre-chorus part was definitely influenced by Chuck Robinson’s old band, THIS TORTURED SOUL which at that time, I had the pleasure of playing second guitar for a few shows,” he says. “That influenced things for sure. The verses and descending single note parts were Eric’s suggestions and the main riff was originally just single notes. And, just before recording, Eric wanted it heavier, so I added the low droning open note and asked what he thought and in true Eric form, he calmly said, ‘That’s it. It’s a jam.’
“On the first rough mixes you can hear him say it when the song started while he did the vocals, which definitely brought a smile every time I heard it,” Snyder continues. “The songs’ style ended up being a cool full-circle thing with Chuck and I and being fans of Eric’s music, who greatly influenced our own styles. Add in Lothar Keller’s stunning solo and Ron Holzner’s badass bass and it rounded the whole track out rather well, I have to say.”
“It’s very interesting hearing this tune now that Eric has gone to the other side,” adds Keller. “Call it premonition or whatever someone’s take on it is — you can hear it in his voice and it will definitely hit you. I am honored to have been a part of Eric’s last album and his legacy will continue to live on in the hearts of many!”
The aforementioned Robinson played a vital role on The Lonely Light Of Mourning. Robinson wrote “Isolation” and “Wish You Well” and co-wrote “Rest In Peace” with Snyder. He also played rhythm guitars on every song except “If He Lost It All” and played bass on “Wish You Well”.
“The groove and vibe on ‘Maybe Tomorrow’ is insane!” says Robinson. “It’s just a killer riff with great drive. Dave is such a great remember. I remember Eric was very adamant how he wanted the feel to be. Eric’s lyrics were so personal to him. He was a master with words, hidden meanings and messages. Only he knew for sure…”
Midwestern US industrial metal outfit BLACK MAGNET has completed work on its second album, Body Prophecy, which is being finalized for release in 2022 via 20 Buck Spin.
While details on Body Prophecy – the follow-up to the band’s well-received 2020-released debut LP, Hallucination Scene – are still shrouded in mystery, the band has issued a warning shot from the crushing album, through an intense official video for the track “Violent Mechanix.” The punishing visual work was directed and edited by Joe Casey, filmed by Beau Sparks, with visual effects by Will Acuña.
BLACK MAGNET architect James Hammontree reveals, “’Violent Mechanix’ was the first new song written after the release of the last album Hallucination Scene. It was an attempt to forge some new ideas for the music and use a beat I had never tried. Lyrically, the song is about the ailments of the body physically responding to the current state of the world, a theme that repeats throughout the album in different contexts. For the video, we built a machine to be fueled by human workers whose mouth-to-mouth contact gives the machine energy until it’s final implosion. This is one of many videos to come to accompany the singles from the upcoming album, Body Prophecy.”
Explore the biomechanical psychosis of BLACK MAGNET’s “Violent Mechanix” video now at THIS LOCATION.
Watch for full details on the Body Prophecy LP to be issued via 20 Buck Spin in the months ahead.
BLACK MAGNET has issued the video in conjunction with a run of Eastern US tour dates which begin this week. The trek runs from December 11th through 20th with shows in Tulsa, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Chicago, and Indianapolis, with support from Trace Amount on the second half of the itinerary. Watch for additional tour dates to be announced alongside the new LP’s details and onward throughout 2022.
BLACK MAGNET Tour Dates: 12/11/2021 Whittier Bar – Tulsa, OK 12/12/2021 The Sinkhole – St. Louis, MO 12/14/2021 Preserving Underground – Pittsburgh, PA 12/15/2021 Saint Vitus Bar – Brooklyn, NY w/ Trace Amount 12/17/2021 Kung Fu Necktie – Philadelphia, PA w/ Trace Amount 12/18/2021 The Foundry – Cleveland, OH w/ Trace Amount 12/19/2021 Reggies – Chicago, IL w/ Trace Amount 12/20/2021 Black Circle – Indianapolis, IN w/ Trace Amount
Finnish heavy metal band Midnight Bullet is set to release their fourth studio album Hostile Resistance on March 4th 2022 via Inverse Records. Rain on Me is a first track from the upcoming album and sets the pace right from the first hits! The song represents exactly the straightforward energy that band wanted to bring back to the new record as well.
Tuomas Lahti, vocals & rhythm guitar: “So awesome to put out new song for our friends out there! This song is about social media and how people are desperately trying to reach attention. Sometimes this kind of acting isn’t healthy and this can detach you from reality. Social media can be very useful tool for marketing and reaching out fans or friends, but unfortunately sometimes it’s very easy to see how people are posting pictures only because they want to have some attention. People sometimes use social media just because they want to pose or beg attention.”
Track List: 1. Rain on Me 2. Hostile Resistance 3. Paranoia Obsession 4. Wait and See 5. Rise and Fall 6. Dead Redemption 7. Take Me Away 8. Enemy Number One 9. Last Escape 10. Angel of Babylon
Albumi cover by Karoliina Muukka
Line-up:
Tuomas Lahti – vocals, guitar Mikko Nokelainen – drums Lauri Ikonen – lead guitar Mirko Miettinen – bass
Juno nominated singer/songwriter LINDSAYSCHOOLCRAFT has been revealed as the guest lead vocalist for the upcoming album by COLDBOUND.
Lindsay comments:
“Thank you for welcoming me to the realm of Coldbound. I’ve so far had a wonderful experience being the guest lead vocalist on this double album. I very much look forward to its release in the future!
Many of you in the metal world know me from my 7 years with Cradle of Filth. I am also the main composer for Chamber Black Metal band Antiqva and have lent out my voice and playing to many songs and albums over the years. Mainly for voice, harp, and piano.
This will be my first guest feature where I am the lead singer on a full album. Pauli and Meiju approached me after they heard my Juno Nominated album “Martyr” and felt I would be a good fit for crafting melodies and lyrics.
I’m honoured to be part of this project with such a talented line up and list of guest musicians and singers. I can not wait to see how it all comes together. It’s really forming into something special.”
Band founder Pauli Souka further stated:
“To work with someone like Lindsay is a true blessing, as she shows immense professionalism and a superb attitude. I am definitely excited to share with all of you the results of this -one of a kind collaborative experience.”
Finnish melodic metal icons SONATAARCTICA should be closing their Acoustic Adventures European tour this week. Unfortunately, it had to be postponed to late 2022 due to obvious reasons. But fans need not worry as the band are bringing some cozy living room concert atmosphere to their homes in the form of the first part of their two-piece Acoustic Adventures album, due out on January 21st, 2022 via Atomic Fire.
Containing acoustic adaptions of twelve tracks leading through SONATA ARCTICA’s discography, AcousticAdventures – VolumeOne was recorded and produced by Mikko Tegelman and the band at Studio57 in Finland. Tegelman was also responsible for the album’s mix and mastering alongside bass player Pasi Kauppinen. The artwork by the quintet’s longtime collaborator and fellow countryman, Janne Pitkänen (Nightwish, Auri) rounds out the experience charmingly.
The first single from AcousticAdventures – VolumeOne, “The Rest Of The Sun Belongs To Me” is available as a lyric video viewable at THIS LOCATION.
States keyboardist Henrik “Henkka” Klingenberg: “The Rest Of The Sun Belongs To Me was a song that first appeared as a bonus track for Japan back in 2003, just around the time I joined the band. When we started to arrange songs for the second Acoustic Adventures tour in 2019, this song somehow kept popping up and we decided to give it a go. Our dear friend Masi Hukari who joined us on stage for the tour did a lot of the work on this particular arrangement and I think that his input was really important in how this song turned out. For this record, we used the live arrangement as a starting point and I don’t think the song changed that much, so what you hear is a slightly refined version of the 2019 tour arrangement. We decided to use this song as the first single since it’s really different from the original studio version and as always, we prefer to offer something new and interesting for our fans and for ourselves as well.”
(Cover art by Janne Pitkänen)
Preorder Acoustic Adventures – Volume Onephysically – on digipak CD or vinyl in various color variants – and presave/preorder it digitally to receive “The Rest Of The Sun Belongs To Me” instantly now through the Atomic Fire webshop at THIS LOCATION.
AcousticAdventures – VolumeOne Track Listing:
The Rest Of The Sun Belongs To Me
For The Sake Of Revenge
A Little Less Understanding
Alone In Heaven
Tallulah
Don’t Say A Word
As If The World Wasn’t Ending
Paid In Full
Tonight I Dance Alone
The Wolves Die Young
Wolf & Raven
On The Faultline
Catch SONATA ARCTICA live on the Acoustic Adventures MMXXII trek across Finland in February, the 25th Anniversary Tour across South America in April, at a variety of festival and special performances throughout the Summer, in the Ukraine and Russia in September, on another leg of the Acoustic Adventures MMXXII across Europe beginning in October and more. Stay up to date on all live dates and ticket info at the band’s official tour page HERE.
SONATA ARCTICA: Tony Kakk – vocals, keyboards Elias Viljanen – guitars Pasi Kauppinen – bass Henrik “Henkka” Klingenberg – keyboards Tommy Portimo – drums
Above photo: L to R: Matt Bachand (bass) & Chris Broderick (guitar)
Hey everybody, Stone here! I went to see Act Of Defiance at Oddbody’s in Dayton Ohio, back on June 16th of 2016. Accompanying me was Robert (Rob) Nickell; an old friend of mine and professional photographer. All of these fabulous concert photos featured in this post are credited to Rob.
Not appearing in a photo here is the legendary drummer Shawn Drover. Trust me, Shawn was creating plenty of thunder behind his drum kit on that night! Shawn is also an ex-member of MEGADETH.
Yes, 2016. How or why it took me over 5 years to finally publish these photos of such an amazing Metal supergroup? Regardless, I’ve rediscovered them in the Metal Odyssey archives and they’re to be enjoyed now and forever! Thank you Act Of Defiance for killing it on that night! Thank you, Robert Nickell for the camera talent!
Above photo: Chris Broderick / guitarist
I remember this concert being high octane! Chris Broderick shredded on guitar and played to the crowd with his constant smiles of appreciation. A true thrill it was for me, to see such a legendary Metal guitarist so close up! Yes, I was psyched outta my mind that night!
Above: Chris Broderick gives back the horns to his fans. Chris also is an ex-member of world-class Metal bands: Jag Panzer, Nevermore and MEGADETH.
On this tour, Act Of Defiance were out supporting their debut studio album: BirthAndTheBurial. This album was released back in August of 2015, via Metal Blade Records. I highly recommend both studio albums that Act Of Defiance created! Their second album was released back in 2017, titled: OldScars, NewWounds (Metal Blade Records).
Above: Henry Derek (vocalist). Henry is also an ex-member of Thrown Into Exile and Scar The Martyr.
Vocalist Henry Derek was outstanding! He was a thrill to see and hear live! Henry is an underrated Metal vocalist and that’s my Metal fact for the day.
Above: Matt Bachand (bassist) – Matt is also a founding member, rhythm guitarist and clean vocalist for the mighty Shadows Fall.L to R: yours truly aka Stone & bass player Matt Bachand
VANILLA FUDGE throws out another re-worked Led Zepclassic, this time it’s ‘Ramble On’ to go with the recently released ‘Immigrant Song’ and ‘Rock and Roll’. All 3 tracks come from the soon to be released album Vanilla Zeppelin.
This is Led Zeppelin done ‘’Fudge’’ style. This remastered version of ‘Ramble On’ will be released digitally via Golden Robot Records on 30th November.
A great ode to one of the most respectable and best bands of all time, by one of the most respectable and best bands of all time. VANILLA FUDGE add their own slant to Led Zeppelin’s‘Ramble On’, including some amazing organ interludes. This version definitely has a life and identity of its own.
Listen to ‘Ramble On’ HERE Listen to ‘Immigrant Song’ HERE Listen/ Buy ‘Ramble On’HERE
ABOUT VANILLA FUDGE:
Vanilla Fudge was one of the first American groups to infuse psychedelia into heavy rock sound to create “psychedelic symphonic rock” an eclectic genre which would, among its many off shoots, eventually morph into heavy metal.
Although, at first, the band did not record original material, they were best known for their dramatic heavy, slowed-down arrangements of contemporary pop songs which they developed into works of epic proportion.
Originally, Vanilla Fudge was a blue-eyed soul cover band called The Pigeons, formed in New Jersey in 1965 with organist, Mark Stein, bassist, Tim Bogert, drummer, Joey Brennan, and guitarist, vocalist and US Navy veteran, Vince Martell. They built a following by gigging extensively up and down the East Coast and earned extra money by providing free lance in-concert backing for hit-record girl groups. In early 1966, the group recorded a set of eight demos that were released several years later as “While the World Was Eating Vanilla Fudge”.
The East Coast, in particular, New York, and New Jersey, created a sound all its own. Inspired by groups such as The Rascals and The Vagrants (fronted by guitarist, Leslie West of “Mountain” fame).The Pigeons reworked many of their own existing arrangements of covers to reflect their unique interpretation of this “East Coast Sound”.
In late 1966, drummer, Joey Brennan, moved out to the West Coast; The Pigeons immediately drafted drummer and vocalist, Carmine Appice, a disciple of the renowned Joe Morello (Dave Brubeck Band) and a seasoned veteran of the club scene. In early 1967, The Pigeons manager, Phil Basile, convinced producer, George “Shadow” Morton (producer for The Shangri-Las and Janis Ian), to catch their live act. Impressed by their heavy-rocking, trippy and psychedelic version of The Supremes’ ‘You Keep Me Hangin’ On’, Morton offered to record the song as a single. This resulted in a deal with the atlantic subsidiary Atco, which requested a name change.
The band settled on Vanilla Fudge. Vanilla Fudge celebrated their 50-Year Anniversary in 2017 and is still rocking the world as hard as ever.
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