Contrarian is recording a new album and guess who’s back? Confirmed by the band via Bandcamp, original members Jim Tasikas and George Kollias have joined forces once again to record Contrarian’s sixth studio album to be entitled Escaping Depravity.
The recording process has started in Athens, Greece and with sound engineer Doug White at Watchmen Studios as with previous albums. Contrarian’s last tour was in support of Suffocation and Atheist across North America. A touring line-up has also been established to support the upcoming album.
Escaping Depravity will be released through Willowtip Records.
Contrarian released its previous album, Sage of Shekhina, on Willowtip Records in 2023.
GRAVA will release their ominous sophomore album, “The Great White Nothing”, on September 27th 2024 via Aesthetic Death (CD), Vinyltroll Records (LP) and Evil Noise (MC).
The first single, “Decimate”, is now streaming HERE.
The Faroese/Danish trio’s debut album, “Weight of a God” (2022), showcased a violent yet atmospheric type of sludge metal that was simultaneously raw in its execution and disciplined in terms of songwriting. Its follow-up continues in the same vein while adding a touch of nuance and depth to the vicious soundscape. Like its predecessor, the album was produced by Troels Damgaard Holm and mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege.
Though not a concept album, the album kicks off with two tracks (“Erebus” and “White Thresher”) that revolve around the same event: the tragic Franklin Expedition, which in 1845 ventured to the northernmost Arctic to explore the Northwest Passage between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The expedition was a disaster; both ships (HMS Erebus and HMS Terror) were lost, and all 128 crew members perished in the great white nothing to which the title and cover refer.
Throughout the album, GRAVA expand their lyrical universe, and the bleak sludge metal is accompanied by tales of a heartbreaking execution of a Swedish nobleman in 1707 (“Breaker”), a tragic train accident in the outskirts of Copenhagen in 1897 (“Mangled”), and a soldier’s final chaotic moments in one of the countless muddy trenches of World War I (“Bayonet”).
Just like on their debut album, GRAVA do not attempt to tell stories from A to Z but instead attempt to capture moments of death as seen through the eyes of the dying. The effect is a musical and lyrical drama that appears fragmented and intense but also surprisingly disciplined in terms of songwriting. In a genre often characterized by long songs, GRAVA never lose grip on their compositions, and although “The Great White Nothing” is full of interesting musical ideas, the tracks rarely extend far beyond the three-minute mark.
Tracklist:
1. Erebus 2. White Thresher 3. Decimate 4. Breaker 5. The Fall 6. Mangled 7. Bayonet 8. Ceasefire 9. Hinterlands
Craft Recordings celebrates the 15th anniversary of Alice In Chains‘ seminal 2009 album, Black Gives Way to Blue, with a special vinyl reissue. The LP, out-of-print since its original release and a long-sought treasure for hard rock devotees, will arrive on September 27th and is available for pre-order today. In addition to the wide 2-LP release, fans can also pick up the album on three limited edition color pressings: “Black Widow” (available exclusively through the Alice In Chains store), “Black Smoke” (via the Craft Recordings store), and “Electric Smoke” (available at Revolver).
Black Gives Way to Blue is Alice In Chains’ fourth studio album, first released on September 29th, 2009. The project marks a significant moment in the band’s history, being their first record to feature William DuVall sharing vocal and guitar duties with founding member Jerry Cantrell, alongside bassist Mike Inez and drummer/founding member Sean Kinney.
Upon release, Black Gives Way to Blue was an instant smash hit, debuting at No.5 on the Billboard 200 and achieving Gold certification from the RIAA by May 2010. It includes singles “Your Decision,” “Lesson Learned,” “Check My Brain,” and “A Looking in View,” plus the poignant title track “Black Gives Way to Blue,” which features a guest performance from Elton John on piano. This song, a heartfelt tribute to late frontman Layne Staley, captures the band’s process in coming to terms with their loss while finding a path forward. Both “A Looking in View” and “Check My Brain” were GRAMMY Award nominated for Best Hard Rock Performance in 2010 and 2011, respectively. Additionally, Black Gives Way to Blue won Revolver‘s Golden Gods Award for Album of the Year in 2010.
Consequence praised Black Gives Way To Blue as “11 songs that will remind listeners of why Alice was and is so vital to the hard rock scene,” while Blabbermouth described the album as achieving “a newfound level of clarity and humanity that only comes from putting everything [in] the past where it belongs; this could mark the beginning of a new era of stellar music from the band that broke through the grunge barrier and redefined modern rock.”
Despite the near unanimous acclaim, the band felt apprehension in pursuing new music after the tragic death of founding frontman Layne Staley. In a 2009 interview with Billboard, the band discussed the delicate balance between honoring their beloved band member and continuing to evolve the group’s sound in new directions. “It took a lot to get through this process and to even take the chance, and stand-up and risk,” Jerry Cantrell said.
DuVall added: “I think initially people came [with] arms crossed, sort of hoping against hope. I hear that a lot. I’m not trying to do a Layne. One of the things I loved about him was how individual he was. He was just being himself, so that’s what I do.”
Cantrell also reflected on that era in a 2024 interview with Metal Hammer, sharing details about the recording process, which took place at Studio 606 in LA, owned by the band’s friend Dave Grohl. Cantrell explained that the new chapter of Alice In Chains was a pure artistic pursuit of creating excellent music: “There was no master plan, despite what people think,” he continues. “This felt right, so we did the next thing, and then the next thing… It’s more than just making music and it always has been. We’ve been friends a long time. We’re not doing this to please anybody. It had to be OK from here,” he says, pointing to his chest.
Now, 15 years on, the band still feels deeply connected to Black Gives Way to Blue, which signaled a significant turning point in their legendary career. All these years later, the album remains an important touchstone for the group and their millions of devoted fans. Blending heavy grunge with pummeling, unrelenting hard rock, the album was both a tribute to Staley’s impact on the band and a map for moving forward.
Over the course of their remarkable career, seminal rock band Alice In Chains (vocalist/guitarist Jerry Cantrell, drummer Sean Kinney, bassist Mike Inez and vocalist/guitarist William DuVall) have garnered multiple GRAMMY nominations, sold more than 30 million albums worldwide, and amassed a diehard international fanbase whose members number in the millions. Their discography features some of the biggest and most important albums in rock history, including 1990’s triple-platinum certified Facelift, 1992’s quadruple-platinum-certified Dirt, 1994’s triple-platinum-certified EP Jar of Flies, which was the first EP in music history to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200, and 1995’s self-titled double-platinum-certified Alice In Chains, which also entered the Billboard Top 200 at No. 1. They returned in grand style in 2009 with the critically acclaimed Black Gives Way to Blue, which hit No. 1 across the rock and alternative charts, was certified Gold, and was hailed by Vice as “a record that’s as powerful as anything the band has done.” Alice In Chains remains one of the most successful and influential American rock bands of all time.
SILVERA concludes their album run with the electrifying single and official video, “Show Me How to Live”. This track embodies one of Silvera’s trademarks: a catchy chorus that stays with you long after the song ends. The powerful vocal arrangements add depth and intensity, showcasing the band’s remarkable synergy and musical craftsmanship.
“Show Me How to Live” is poised to be a hit, with its radio-friendly appeal and widespread resonance among fans. It’s a definitive track that not only captures the essence of Silvera’s sound but also has the potential to reach an even broader audience, solidifying their mark in the music industry.
Enjoy the video premiering here:
Coming from the same country that offered Volbeat and D-A-D to the world, Silvera stands for hard rock with a modern twist and timeless melodies. More than taking the legacy of Denmarks’s rock and metal music, the nordic four-piece started building their own history in 2020 with “Edge Of The World”, the debut album that put them on the map of all modern hard rock lovers. Songs such as “Generation Z” and “Light In Life” immediately took off in streaming services, gathering more than one million hits each and starting the anticipation for Silvera’s sophomore album right there.
Enter “World Behind Doors”. On their second album, Silvera endeavored to maintain the core elements of their own sound while also expanding their horizons. This led the four-piece to experiment with new techniques, such as incorporating harsh vocals into one of the songs and composing three new tracks in the studio. This departure from their previous approach, where the foundational elements of songs were typically established prior to entering the studio, allowed for a fresh creative process. The result: an even fresher set of songs, taking the best elements of metal rock and everything in between and putting them together to create songs that really stand out.
Once again, all the music was meticulously recorded at Hansen Studios, with Jacob Hansen (Anette Olzon, Arch Enemy, Delain, Epica) playing a pivotal role in preserving the essence of the Silvera sound. His guidance in discerning which elements of the songs to emphasize proved invaluable, and his dedication truly shone through in the final product. Additionally, the vocals were expertly recorded at Martin Buus’ studio, where Martin’s skillful production not only enhanced Michael Krogh’s vocal range but also fostered a seamless collaboration between them. The synergy between Martin and Michael exceeded any expectations, resulting in an album that surpassed the band’s initial vision.
On this album, akin to their first release, Silvera are thrilled to feature collaborations, this time with Dreamshade and Guarnica Mancini from The Gems / Thundermother, all of whom delivered exceptional performances. Their deep understanding of the band’s vision for the songs resulted in interpretations that, once again here, surpassed any expectations.
“World Behind Doors,” has all it takes to propel Silvera toward new heights and make them step into the next level. If there is any justice left in the music business these days, that’s exactly what will happen.
“World Behind Doors” will be released on LP (yellow vinyl, limited to 100 copies), digipack CD and digital formats on August 23rd, 2024 via Mighty Music.
Lineup: Michael Krogh – guitar & vocals Simon Krabbesmark – guitar & backing vocals Rasmus Lindegård Hovde – bass & backing vocals Martin Nielsen – drums
Danish hard rockers Black Oak County are ramping up for the release of their anticipated third album “III”, with their highly energetic new single and video “Boom Boom Baby”, featuring Nicklas Sonne (Defecto, Aries Descendant, Danish Eurovision preliminaries).
““Boom Boom Baby” is kind of a silly party song based on an experience a friend of ours had in our teenage years. It’s a comedic and cheeky song with plenty of balls (literally!), a bad-ass riff, one of the catchiest choruses of the album. We had such a fun time writing and recording this tune with Nicklas, and felt this was the perfect song for him to join in on!” says the band, currently gearing up for another run of shows in Denmark and Germany later this summer.
With its intense, groovy and dead-simple riff and its massive chorus, hook and melody, “Boom Boom Baby” marks a venture into new musical territory for the Danish quartet – who decided to take a step further in a new direction, by having their very first feature artist on a track.
“With the theme of the lyric and the hookline, we felt like this song could be even better by having a sort of “antagonist” join in for the third verse – and Nicklas’ vocals just fit our sound perfectly. He blends amazingly with both René and Niels in the final chorus, and in some cases felt like a third voice in the band like he’d always been there. His gritty vocal performance perfectly summarizes the climax of the song, and not only that – he plays a kickass guitar solo on “Boom Boom Baby” as well! We couldn’t be happier with how this collaboration turned out!”.
“III” was written in collaboration with Sonne, who co-produced, engineered, mixed and mastered the album, which is set to release on October 25th, 2024 through Mighty Music. Catch Black Oak County on tour, as they head out into Europe for a series of dates in Denmark and Germany, with the year culminating in a nationwide tour of Denmark with Danish guitar legends Electric Guitars. For more information, head to http://www.blackoakcounty.com
Join the premiering here:
The Danish hard rock quartet BLACK OAK COUNTY release their third album, taking them to new musical horizons, with a wide mix of thundering breakdowns, catchier choruses than ever before, a massive wall of pounding guitar riffs, and a heartfelt piano ballad.
“III” is co-written and produced with Danish metal heavyweight Nicklas Sonne (Defecto, Aries Descendant, Danish Eurovision preliminaries), which proved to be a fruitful creative relationship between the two parties.
“We came to Nicklas and worked on [the singles] “Save Your Breath” and “Fire Inside” together back in 2023, and we absolutely loved the process”, the band says. “It was amazing for us to have someone as competent as Nicklas giving us feedback on our songs, their structures, compositions and riffs – just to have someone impartial to work with, who wanted nothing but the best for the songs was awesome. We knew right away that we wanted to do a full album together, and hadn’t left the studio before we started working on songs for “III” together”.
The album marks a return-to-form for the band, reuniting with guitarist/singer Niels Beier on 2022’s singles “Back For Blood” and “It’s On You”, produced by former grammy nominee Jacob Hansen (Volbeat, Asinhell) and co-written with Soren Andersen (Glenn Hughes, Mike Tramp). Now with both Beier and singer/bassist René Kristensen doing vocal duties in the band, new musical doors have opened for the Esbjerg-based rockers.
“We realized we had two great singers and hadn’t utilized it before”, Kristensen confirms. “We took advantage of that on “Back For Blood”, but have worked out the songs for the album with this in mind. There’s a lot of back-and-forth between us on this album, swapping verses and choruses, doing harmonies for each other’s parts, etc., and we sound better than ever on this album!”.
Black Oak County have dug deep into their pile of musical ideas, in order to come up with a wider range of songs than ever, incorporating brand new ideas with older material from the early days of their career. “III” is an energetic record, with the band’s well-known mixture of high-intensity low-tuned riffs paying homage to their metal and hard rock heroes, mixed with modern mixing techniques, synthesizers and a fresh take on the band’s familiar sound.
“III” will be released on digipack CD, LP (black and green vinyl versions available, each limited to 200 copies) and digital on October 25th, 2024 via Mighty Music.
Photo credit: Robert Hilli – Editing: Jenny Pettersson
After teasing fans for the past few days, Swedish hard rock/metal quintet DAYS OF JUPITER are thrilled to announce that a new album is finally in the making, the first to be released through Reigning Phoenix Music (RPM). To bridge the gap until their upcoming fifth studio album, tentatively set for release in early 2025, DAYS OF JUPITER give fans an early taste with their new single ‘Original Sin’ today.
“‘Original Sin’ is hard hitting and intense with great melodies. It’s a killer song with great energy and has quickly become one of our favourites, and we hope it will become one of yours. Are we all destined to be sinners?” the band add.
DAYS OF JUPITER create an intense, yet empathetic and thoughtful style of metal with a contemporary touch, making them a standout addition to the label’s roster. They join a roster which includes many promising acts as well as some of the heavyweights of the scene.
“We are back! Yes, it has been a minute, but now we are back and we are very excited to announce that DAYS OF JUPITER have signed a worldwide multi-album deal with RPM. We are highly confident that RPM will be able to take us to another level and to spread our music all over the world. We think this is a fantastic combo!” the band admit.
RPM label strategist Nils Wasko adds, “We are delighted to welcome DAYS OF JUPITER at RPM! The band, with their exceptional singer Janne Hilli, have a truly talent on the microphone who, together with his band members, offers a load of melodic hard rock and alternative metal songs that will amaze fans all over the world. RPM will actively support DAYS OF JUPITER on this path and advance their career on a national and international level.”
About DAYS OF JUPITER
Gaining more than 20 million Spotify streams as well as countless great critiques over the curse of four studio albums, DAYS OF JUPITER‘s roots date back to Örnsköldsvik, Sweden in 2010. With “Secrets Brought To Life” [2012], they left their mark on the global map and hit the stage of prestigeous Sweden Rock Festival. “Only Ashes Remain” and “New Awakening” saw the group refining their sound further but they especially paved the way to way more live shows, even outside of their home country, before DAYS OF JUPITER ended up performing alongside DISTURBED in Estonia in front of 10,000 fans supporting their fourth offering titled “Panoptical” [2018]. Now, six years later and after finding a fitting new collaborator in Reigning Phoenix Music (RPM), DAYS OF JUPITER are set to make the very best out of their forthcoming fifth studio album which represents them stronger than ever, bold and convincing – in order to please their waiting fan base and to conquer the ears of many more metalheads around the globe!
DAYS OF JUPITER are: Janne Hilli | vocals Marcus Lindman | guitars Johnny Grenwald | guitars Janne Karlsson | bass Magnus Larsson | drums
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 ) 