South African-born, UK-based blues rock musician Ross Harding has just released a deluxe version of his critically acclaimed single, A Thousand Snakes via Mongrel Records. Known for his rich, versatile vocal abilities and expert guitar knowledge, Harding has once again pushed the boundaries of his artistry, delivering a rendition that is both a tribute to the old delta blues and a powerful expression of his unique hard rock and grunge influences.
This deluxe version of A Thousand Snakes showcases his evolution as a songwriter and performer. The track, inspired by the raw emotion and authenticity of delta blues, is enriched by Harding’s stylistic embellishments, giving the song a dark and melancholic feel. Harding’s use of slide guitar, resonators, and bare, unembellished instruments in this recording marks a significant departure from his usual hard rock blues style, offering fans a deeper, more intimate look into his artistic journey.
“The Deluxe Version of A Thousand Snakes was inspired by the old delta blues, with my own stylistic embellishments that draw from hard rock and grunge, which give the song a dark and melancholic feel. This recording came out the way I intended the song to sound originally,” said Harding. “I’ve been obsessed with the blues for many years, and this song was a more direct ode to the blues genre, possibly than I’ve done before. I didn’t hold back on anything in this rendition. In a way, recording my heavier, hard rock blues style has become a safe approach to my art, because I’ve become proficient in that. So using slide guitar, resonators, and instruments that are more ‘bare’ took more of me, artistically, and forced me to understand a different side of the music.”
With the release of the deluxe version of A Thousand Snakes, Ross Harding continues to solidify his place in the music industry as a formidable force in the blues rock genre. The single is now available on all major streaming platforms.
Just in time for the 25th anniversary of the band, the melodic deathers BATTLESWORD present themselves and their followers with a new album! “(XX)V – Of Tales And Tragedies” already alludes to the festive occasion in the album title as well as to the fact that this is their fifth longplayer.
Musically, Battlesword continue unperturbed where they fortunately never left off: There is the typical Battlesword sound, which has been expanded with new elements from time to time. From almost doomy parts to merciless blasts, the stylistic variety is not overused on the one hand, but is still multi-layered enough to never get bored with the 11 songs over the entire running time. So be prepared, first tunes will be available soon! On the occasion of the combination of anniversary and album release, the band is also organizing a two-day special record release event at RKW Viersen on October 4th and 5th. You should definitely mark the date in your calendar, more information will be available soon on the band’s social media channels!
The band comments: “The second single from the upcoming “Bored Machine” album “No More Air” is about leaders who want power and admiration at any cost. Completely blinded by power and oblivious to the suffering of others, these human monsters continue their atrocities from their ivory towers. In a good case, however, these great “leaders” do not have happy endings. No Sir! They are shot at dawn and their bodies are desecrated in the streets.
As a composition, the song is Rückwater’s heaviest and slowest section, with influences from the metal side as well. Jesse Jukuri, who was in charge of the recording and mixing, has conjured up a skull-crushing and doomy ass atmosphere for this song together with the band.”
LORDS OF THE TRIDENT are back with the third single off of their upcoming EP, V.G.E.P. out October 1st, with Valerie, a cover of the Steve Winwood classic. The single is accompanied by a music video, paying homage to the original.
Frontman Fang VonWrathenstein explains:
“When I was a kid, the local mall arcade – ‘Aladdin’s Castle’ – was a short bike ride from my house, so I basically grew up there. I remember parking my bike, entering the mall out of the hot summer air, and listening to the canned mall music being played over the tiny, ceiling-mounted speakers as I walked toward the arcade. More often than not, Valerie by Steve Winwood would be playing as I reached the doors of Aladdin’s Castle, where the busy noises of the arcade machines would overtake the sound of Mr. Winwood belting out the name of his lost lover. That’s why, for whatever reason, I associate Valerie with the childhood thrill of exchanging my quarters for tokens and challenging the latest video game. We wanted to pay homage to the original hand-painted video by attempting to recreate the look and feel (and aspect ratio!) of Steve Winwood’s legendary music video. How’d we do? Let us know in the comments of the video!”
Anyone who pledges $5 or more to the LORDS OF THE TRIDENT Patreon gets immediate access to download the full EP and the band’s last four albums, 25+ live albums, 10+ singles, and more!
Born from a volcano containing metal and steel, Fang VonWrathenstein’s immortal quest was to assemble a band of the most metal warriors imaginable. After thousands of years and multiple bandmates captured or killed by the shadowy multinational group known as SPIDR, the LORDS OF THE TRIDENT are currently in their strongest lineup yet: Fang – whose voice will randomly set microphones ablaze – on lead vocals. The wrongfully disgraced aristocrat-turned-sellsword Baron Taurean Helleshaar on lead guitar. The shadowy master of samurai subterfuge Akira Metal on lead guitar. The high priest of death, Pontifex Mortis, on lead bass. And the animal-loving, percussively proficient Master Hercule “Herc” Schlagzeuger on the lead drums. Together, these warriors roam the lands in search of ever greater battles, more lustrous loot, and the strongest of heavy metal fans to join their metal army!
Prime Video has released the official key art and trailer for the upcoming four-part docuseries The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal, an intimate and unvarnished look at the extraordinary 40-year journey of Canada’s most beloved rock band. Directed by Mike Downie, the four-part series chronicles the triumphs, trials and deep bonds of brotherhood that defined The Tragically Hip’s rise from basement shows to arena rock legends. The docuseries will have its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) before screening at film festivals nationwide. The Prime Video launch date will be shared at a later date.
“We’re thrilled to premiere the incredible story of The Tragically Hip at this year’s TIFF. It will be a powerful and memorable event,” said Mike Downie. “This project is a labour of love, with personal and unseen footage from the band’s 40-year history. We set out to understand what held the band together, what pushed them apart and how they captured the hearts and minds of so many fans both in Canada and around the world.”
“The Tragically Hip’s music continues to be the soundtrack for generations of Canadians,” said Shaun Alperin, head of content, Prime Video, Canada. “This docuseries offers fans an unprecedented window into the band’s iconic career and the deep kinship they forged with an entire nation through their poetic lyrics and electrifying performances — from director Mike Downie who was there for every moment.”
The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal is a love story between a band and the country they call home. With never before seen personal and archival footage, the Canadian rock ‘n roll legends share the story of their unique, complicated and wildly successful musical brotherhood. Forty years of hits and misses, friendship and frustration, triumph and tragedy, the docuseries features unseen performances, unreleased music and unprecedented access to The Hip.
From their hometown of Kingston, ON, Rob Baker, Gord Downie, Johnny Fay, Paul Langlois and Gord Sinclair skyrocketed to fame as The Tragically Hip with their signature blend of rock anthems and poetic lyricism. Over their storied career, the band released 14 studio albums, 9 of which hit #1 in Canada, won 17 Juno Awards, and were inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and received a star on Canada’s Walk Of Fame. Their 2016 cross-Canada tour, undertaken after Downie’s terminal cancer diagnosis, was a cultural phenomenon watched by millions.
The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal is produced by Courage Films with support from Ontario Creates and the Government of Canada. The docuseries is directed and produced by Mike Downie and executive produced by Jake Gold.
The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal joins the slate of Canadian Amazon Original series and films including TIFF 2023 People’s Choice Documentary Award and Canadian Screen Award-winner Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe, Luxe Listings: Toronto, LOL: Qui rira le dernier?, Pour un Soir Seulement, Nuit Blanche, L’ultime gala, Three Pines, Chosen One: Alexandre Daigle, Saving Sakic, All or Nothing: Toronto Maple Leafs, The Kids in the Hall, The Lake, LOL: Last One Laughing Canada, The Unsolved Murder of Beverly Lynn Smith and the upcoming series The Sticky and Elisabeth Rioux: sans filtre.
These series will join Prime Monday Night Hockey, which will stream all national regular season Monday night NHL games in English for the 2024/25 and 2025/26 NHL seasons, and the thousands of TV shows and movies from Hollywood and around the world in the Prime Video catalogue, including award-winning and critically acclaimed Amazon Originals The Boys, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, Fallout, Reacher, and I Am: Celine Dion. Prime members in Canada enjoy savings, convenience, and entertainment, all in a single membership, for just $9.99/month or the best value of $99.99/year.
Watch the official trailer:
40 Years Of The Tragically Hip: The Tragically Hip has been at the heart of the Canadian musical zeitgeist, evoking a strong emotional connection between their music and their fans that remains unrivalled. A five-piece group of friends including Rob Baker (guitar), Gord Downie (vocals, guitar), Johnny Fay (drums), Paul Langlois (guitar) and Gord Sinclair (bass), who grew up in Kingston, Ontario, The Tragically Hip have achieved both mass popularity with more than 12 million albums in Canada and over 2 million sold in the U.S, as well as peer recognition through 17 Juno Awards – picking up the distinguished Humanitarian Award in 2021 at the 50th annual JUNO Awards, which recognizes Canadian artists or industry leaders whose humanitarian contributions have positively enhanced the social fabric of Canada and beyond. In 2022, they were inducted into Canada’s Walk Of Fame for Humanitarianism in pursuit of social and environmental justice. They had previously received a star on the Walk Of Fame in 2002 for Arts & Entertainment. Most recently, the band along with their manager, Jake Gold, received the War Child Canada Founder’s Award celebrating over 20 years of support for the global humanitarian organization. The Tragically Hip’s tireless activism and philanthropic pursuits have raised millions of dollars for multiple social and environmental causes, such as Camp Trillium, the Canadian Cancer Society, the Sunnybrook Foundation, WAR Child, the Special Olympics, and the Unison Benevolent Fund. Their studio catalogue includes their self-titled debut album The Tragically Hip (1987), Up To Here (1989), Road Apples (1991), Fully Completely (1992), Day For Night (1994), Trouble At The Henhouse (1996), Phantom Power (1998), Music @ Work (2000), In Violet Light (2002), In Between Evolution (2004), World Container (2006), We Are The Same (2009), Now For Plan A (2012), Man Machine Poem (2016) and Saskadelphia (2021). A National Celebration was the final show of The Tragically Hip’s Man Machine Poem Tour recorded on August 20th, 2016, at the K-Rock Centre in their hometown of Kingston, Ontario, and is their last performance as a five-piece band. Through their career the band became a cultural touchstone in Canada, who despite their accolades and numerous recognitions, will always be proudest of the humanitarian work they have done over the years through numerous charitable organizations and causes. The legacy of the band’s frontman, the late Gord Downie, continues with The Gord Downie and Chanie Wenjack Fund, which aims to build cultural understanding and create a path toward reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.
Finnish rock band MOFFAT releases their debut album later this year. Now they present the second single from the album. ‘Home’ is a unique song that blends prog rock, heavy metal, and hard rock. It addresses the theme of people’s detachment from their ‘roots’. The song criticizes the lack of community and the individualism associated with the Western lifestyle.
MOFFAT is a rock band founded in Jyväskylä, Finland in 2020. Their music is mostly inspired by 1990s grunge, hard rock and progrock. The lyrics of the songs often deal with social themes.
Kimmo Kuusniemi’s ASA unveil the long-overdue release of "Collective Failure" + first music video for title-track! Check it out and stay tuned for more news! Click image to watch the video
Kimmo Kuusniemi’s SARCOFAGUS return with a Historic 2010 Concert Video Premiere on YouTube! Click image to watch the video
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Visionary artist KIMMO KUUSNIEMI's ANCIENT STREAMING ASSEMBLY (ASA) have released “Aurora Nuclearis”, a powerful 12-minute audiovisual experience, dedicated to the Late Keyboardist Esa Kotilainen. - Click image to watch the video
Click image to watch the video
Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 