Reading, Pennsylvania-based progressive death metallers RIVERS OF NIHIL will embark on a full European tour in February. Support comes from Prog legends CYNIC as well as BEYOND CREATION and labelmates DÅÅTH! Full dates below.
Comments RIVERS OF NIHIL: “We can’t wait to return to Europe on The Aggressive Progressive Tour this February. We are honored to have Cynic, Beyond Creation, and Dååth along with us for the ride. This lineup truly embodies both the ‘aggressive’ and ‘progressive’ nature of what this tour is all about.
We can’t wait to see all of you, and who knows? Maybe even bring some new music along for the trip.”
THE AGGRESSIVE PROGRESSIVE EU/UK TOUR 2025 RIVERS OF NIHIL w/ CYNIC, BEYOND CREATION, DÅÅTH 28.02.25 Germany Köln Essigfabrik 01.03.25 Belgium Antwerp Zappa 02.03.25 France Paris La Machine 04.03.25 UK Glasgow Slay 05.03.25 Ireland Dublin Academy 06.03.25 UK Bristol The Fleece 07.03.25 UK Southampton Engine Rooms 08.03.25 UK Manchester Club Academy 09.03.25 UK London Electric Ballroom 10.03.25 UK Birmingham XOYO 12.03.25 Netherlands Haarlem Patronaat 13.03.25 Germany Hamburg Gruenspan 14.03.25 Sweden Stockholm Fryshuset Klubben 16.03.25 Finland Helsinki Tavastia 18.03.25 Norway Oslo John Dee 19.03.25 Denmark Copenhagen Pumpehuset 21.03.25 Poland Warsaw Proxima 22.03.25 Germany Berlin Columbia Theater 23.03.25 Germany Nürnberg Z-Bau 24.03.25 Austria Wien Flex 25.03.25 Hungary Budapest Dürer Kert 26.03.25 Germany München Backstage 27.03.25 Italy Milan Slaughter Club 28.03.25 Switzerland Aarau Kiff 29.03.25 Germany Karlsruhe Substage
Ticketing details and further information can be found at: lnk.to/RON-EUROPE2025 – ticket sale starts October 25th at 11am CET.
RIVERS OF NIHIL will reissue their debut EP, Hierarchy, on November 8th via Metal Blade Records. Initially released independently in 2010, the updated edition of Hierarchy has been remixed and remastered by original producer Carson Slovak at Atrium Audio.
Hierarchy Track Listing: 01. Chambers of Civility 02. Human Adaptation 03. Ultimate Sentience 04. Post-Mortem Prostitution
RIVERS OF NIHIL have never fit neatly into a box, but with 2018’s Where Owls Know My Name, they transcended all labels applied to them. Returning in 2021 with The Work, they forged further into new territory, once again upending any expectations fans had placed on them. And now, with a new series of singles recorded in 2023 and released as singles since then – eventually appearing together on a new album – the band has once again shattered the ceiling of how far they are willing to go in search of new sonic terrain.
The band spent 2021 and 2022 burning the candle at both ends with a frenzied tour schedule including headlining runs of the US and Europe, a jaunt on the European festival circuit, and two runs in support of The Black Dahlia Murder and The Contortionist in North America. But once the latter tour wrapped up, they were short a band member.
For personal reasons, founding vocalist Jake Dieffenbach and the band went their separate ways. The split took place just three days after the recording of a live video and audio session for Audiotree‘s From Nothing series, which was released on April 20th, 2023. And while the band initially wasn’t sure how to approach the release with the departure of a founding member and lead singer – or whether to release it at all – they decided to move forward with it to honor Dieffenbach’s contributions to the group over the years and mark the beginning of a new chapter.
In March 2023, RIVERS OF NIHIL wrapped up a recording session that saw the now four-piece band birth a considerable amount of new music featuring their previous bassist/backup vocalist Adam Biggs as the new lead vocalist/bassist. This recording session also marked the first appearance of new guitarist Andy Thomas (ex-Black Crown Initiate), whose vocals also play prominently in the music, as a member of RIVERS OF NIHIL. These new singles are the first to showcase the band’s new lineup in full-on collaboration, and demonstrate that while this is a new, brave sound with tons of potential, it also carries the band’s classic energy.
The band recently wrapped up the recording and mastering of their fifth full-length album slated for release in 2025. The record will feature two previously released songs – “The Sub-Orbital Blues” (2023) and “Criminals” (2024) – plus eight new tracks. Stay tuned for a new single to be unveiled in 2025.
South London metalcore heavyweights AFTER SMOKE CLEARS have shared the third taste of what’s to come on their hotly anticipated sophomore LP, Intentions, with “Serenity“, featuring Asleep At The Helm‘s Jimmy Dahmer. The single comes alongside an official music video, directed by bassist Aaron Dohnt.
Notably standing as their most melodic song to date, “Serenity” explores topics of fatherhood and the ever-growing stresses that come with fast-paced city life. Whilst the band are certainly no strangers to potent emotion and wearing their hearts of their sleeves, “Serenity” sees AFTER SMOKE CLEARS at their most emotionally vulnerable yet, casting aside their traditional charged fury in favour of sensitivity.
“Serenity” serves as the third single from Intentions, the band’s brand new full length LP, which was recorded and mixed by Meyrick De La Fuente (VEXED, Eschalon, Shush) of Floodgate Audio, and is due out November 19th via self-release.
The new single comes following the release of barnburner teaser tracks “Unintelligent” and “Animal“, the latter of which featured Confessionsof a Traitor‘s Stephen MacConville. Demonstrating a keen grasp on their identity, Intentions shows the band at their most strong and self-assured yet, featuring their most diverse range of tracks thus far.
Whilst valiantly holding that sentiment, Intentions boldly follows the release of 2023’s The Fear, which received an 8/10 from Metal Hammer, with the publication declaring that “After Smoke Clears have redefined the genre with their new EP.” With further acclaim coming from the likes of Distorted Sound, describing The Fear as “nothing less than a victory,” there is an expectation set by After Smoke Clears‘ prior work, that has not only been met by Intentions, but confidently surpassed.
Alongside touring plans for late 2024 and early 2025 in place, to celebrate the album’s launch, the band will be hosting a headline album launch show 229 in London on November 23rd, with support from Iridium, Swarmed and Apathy. Tickets are available here, and you can find the poster for the event below.
M-Theory Audio is pleased to announce a vinyl reissue from one the most underrated albums by a collection of notable artists – TENET with their lone album, 2009’s ‘Sovereign.’ To celebrate its 15th Anniversary M-Theory Audio has officially licensed the title from Century Media Records and Nov. 22nd will make it available as a 300 limited-edition pressing on Crystal Clear Vinyl. This reissue will include an expanded 4-panel booklet insert with personal liner notes from guitarist Jed Simon, in addition to more pictures and the usual lyrics and credits. Additionally, we’ve added a couple bonus tracks to it from the original Japanese CD pressing and provided a digital download code for 10 more demo/pre-production tracks. Pre-Order now at https://lnk.to/tenet_sovereign
TENET is the group assembled by Jed Simon (Armoros, Strapping Young Lad, Zimmers Hole, Scar The Martyr). Jed worked on and off writing songs beginning in 1996 but busy with other groups, including touring with Front Line Assembly, it wasn’t until the height of SYL’s success in 2003 that Century Media committed to Jed to realize and release a TENET album. Then in 2006 as Strapping… was put to rest when Jed have the ability to focus on and develop his dream did he assemble the perfect lineup for the next part of his intended career. Recruiting his Caustic Thought, Strapping Young Lad, Front Line Assembly and Zimmers Hole bandmate bassist Byron Stroud (also later of Fear Factory, 3 Inches of Blood fame) was the obvious choice. Then came guitarist Glen Alvelais (Forbidden, Testament) who recommended Steve ‘Zetro’ Souza, who was in between stints with Exodus to join on vocals. Gene Hoglan (Dark Angel, Death, SYL, Dethklok) joined on drums finalizing the group (after intended At The Gates, The Haunted, Cradle of Filth, Paradise Lost drummer Adrian Erlandsson was unable to fully commit to the schedule especially living overseas). Armed with such an intense caliber of artists TENET began recording their debut album ‘Sovereign,’ produced by Vincent Wojno (Machine Head, Trouble, Kreator) and Jed Simon and mastered by Andy Sneap (Arch Enemy, Amon Amarth, Carcass).
“So, here we are in 2024. I still feel very strongly about this album, and I suppose some of you do too! Scott Coonan from Back From The Dead Merch asked about the status of Tenet, and that he was interested, along with his label, run by Marco Barbieri, who I give both sincere thanks to, in re-releasing ‘Sovereign,’” states Jed. “Enjoy the updated version of ‘Sovereign,’ and my gratitude is eternal for all of those involved, and for the fans support through the years. Thank you!”
While ‘Sovereign’ is a barnstormer of an album for unfortunate reasons its release in 2009 fell under the radar and the group never took flight as was intended instead falling apart between members active schedules leaving us with this sole milestone to be remembered by and to enjoy the untapped potential contained within. M-Theory Audio reissues ‘Sovereign’ for metal fans to (re)discover this gem and add the expanded and deluxe sets to their collection. Check out the new lyric video, created by Rafael Ortega of Ecliptic Visions, for the song “Hail Hail” to give you an idea of the group’s music – watch now, below, and for reissued TENET merch check out https://backfromthedeadmerch.com/collections/tenet
Finnish hard rock band RYLOS has released the second single, “Marathon,” from their upcoming fifth album, Signs of Life. “Marathon” can be interpreted as both a true marathon run and a lifelong restless journey, reflecting a compulsive need to tackle various challenges. The music video for “Marathon” was filmed in Karhula, Kotka, with the script written by Rylos’ bass player, Riina Suikkanen, and filming directed by Suvi Laaninen.
Since 2013, Rylos has been delivering energetic and melodic rock music. The band, known for its carrot mascot, has released four albums, seven singles, one video game, and has actively performed at clubs and festivals across Finland and Europe.
Composers: Mikko Heino, Riina Suikkanen, Jussi Uutela, Niko Partanen, Juha-Pekka Pusa, Jaani Peuhu
Lyrics: Mikko Heino & Arto Porvari
SIGNS OF LIVE 2024 -TOUR upcoming shows: 02.11 Vanha Viiala, Myllykoski – FIN 09.11 Hotelli Zilton, Loviisa – FIN 14.11 Cart & Horses, London – UK 16.11 Varjobaari, Tampere – FIN 14.12 Hard Rock House, Helsinki – FIN
Finnish melodic death metal band Dimman is set to release their second studio album ‘Consciousness’ on February 28th 2025 via Inverse Records. The second single ‘The First Daylight’ is released today and a stunning video is available below.
“The second single, ‘The First Daylight,’ represents the heaviest offering on the album, flirting with both black metal and metalcore tones. The track’s tight riffs and aggressive drumming provide a good workout for the neck muscles for just over three minutes. The lyrics are inspired by times when good periods turn worse and difficulties try to take over the mind. However, sometimes it’s good to dwell on the dark side a bit, and the composition is a great example of how negative experiences can be channeled into music, as cliché as it may sound, haha!” says, Jaakko Yli-Sorvari, guitars
Dimman is a Finnish metal band whose story began in 2014, with their first official single, ‘Shattered’, released in 2016. Over the years, Dimman has released several singles, two EPs, and their debut album, ‘Songs and Tales of Grievance’, in 2021, gaining worldwide attention.
Dimman is now ready to unleash their second full-length album, ‘Consciousness’, which marks a significant milestone in their career, providing nine tracks of versatile compositions and remarkable musicianship.
Line-up: Valtteri Halkola – Vocals, Guitars Jaakko Yli-Sorvari – Guitars Elias Halkola – Bass Arto Pieksämäki – Drums
Ever since their maniacal mastermind picked up his first pair of sticks at the tender age of six, Defeated Sanity have found newly inventive ways to spin death metal on its deformed head. This band of technical headbangers have broken onto the Billboard charts with jazz-infused chaos and even recorded a proggy split with…themselves?
But on their upcoming seventh album, Defeated Sanity are returning to the brutal slamming that cemented their legacy. The latest single off Chronicles of Lunacy is still plenty twisted, but “Accelerating the Rot” now stands as one of the fastest songs in the band’s history.
The video for “Accelerating the Rot” was created by Obscenery Films.
Chronicles of Lunacycomes out November 22 on Season of Mist.
Over the past 30-odd years, many esteemed vocalists have cycled in and out of Defeated Sanity. However, after a satisfyingly gruesome performance on their last album, Josh Welshman is back for Chronicles of Lunacy. His foul emanations bring a refreshing air of continuity. “Each song on the album delves into a different form of mental corruption”, Welshman says.
The album’s lead single stunk of religious fanaticism, but “Accelerating the Rot” races like the mind of a vigilante whose idea of justice is more than a little warped. “One by one, I decimate the miasmic masses“, Welshman roars above a bass line that scrambles all over the fretboard like a blood-hungry tick.
When it comes to death metal, Defeated Sanity understand that there’s more than one way to deliver a brutal beating. After all, the band’s mastermind is one of the world’s sickest drummers. Since his father’s passing in 2010, Lille Gruber has composed the bulk of their imposing discography.
“We love experimenting”, Gruber explains. Even though “Accelerating the Rot” is just a few scraggly chin beard hairs over three minutes long, he never stops switching between different blistering tempos. And yet – whether he’s blasting, pinging or flaying his snare, the song never loses its oddball bounce.
“Lille’s drumming is just ridiculous”, says bassist Jacob Schmidt. “He’s still the face of the franchise, so we’re never going to abandon those head-scratching moments that have always set Defeated Sanity apart”.
The band’s previous single crept and crawled into the album’s most slam-heavy breakdown. Thanks to its lurching groove, the breakdown on the latest single from Chronicles of Lunacy will still scrunch plenty of noses, but “Accelerating the Rot” punches the gas and heads straight for the loony bin. Their maniacal timekeeper is still working the controls, but the blinding pace is set by new guitarist Vaughn Stoffey, who chews through chunky shredding and squeals of dissonance with fresh fingers.
“Accelerating the Rot is one of the fastest songs in Defeated Sanity’s history”, Stoffey says. “It gets back to the sheer brutality that fans love about Psalms of the Moribund and Chapters of Repugnance“.
Tracklist 1. Amputationsdrang (2:30) 2. The Odour Of Sanctity (3:36) [WATCH] 3. Accelerating The Rot (3:22) [WATCH] 4. Temporal Disintegration (5:52) [WATCH] 5. Extrinsically Enraged (4:09) 6. A Patriarchy Perverse (4:16) 7. Condemned to Vascular Famine (6:00) 8. Heredity Violated (3:48) Total runtime: 33:35
he underground lost their collective mind when Defeated Sanity announced Chronicles of Lunacy. Metalheads couldn’t wait to bang heads over the first pressing of their new album. Several of the color variants are already sold out, but anyone who missed out isn’t condemned to suffer in silence.
The second pressing of Chronicles of Lunacy is now available for pre-order. This pressing includes a transparent lime variant that’s exclusive to the Season of Mist webstore. Don’t wait! This variant is limited to 150 copies.
Can’t wait for your pre-order? RSVP for Defeated Sanity’s upcoming Bandcamp Listening Party. Chat with the band and listen to all of Chronicles of Lunacy two weeks before the album comes out.
Chronicles of Lunacy Bandcamp Listening Party Thursday, November 7 @ 9 pm Eastern Time RSVP
To celebrate Chronicles of Lunacy, Defeated Sanity are embarking on their first headlining tour of Europe since 2018. They’ll be performing songs off their brutal new album alongside Wisconsin’s Putrid Pile and To Violently Vomit Forth, a tribute to Disgorge that features current and former members of the legendary BDM band.
Iniquitous Savagery, Strangle Wire, Asylum and Embryonic Devourment round out the two legs of this stacked bill.
Defeated Sanity Chronicles of Lunacy 2025 European Tour 23 January – Wolfburg, DE @ Jugendhaus OST* 24 January – Hambourg, DE @ Bambi Galore* 25 January – Copenhagen, DE @ Temple of Doom* 26 January – Dyestad, SE @ Dyestads Bygata* 27 January – Stockholm, SE @ Kollektivet Livet* 28 January – Aalborg, DK @ Studenterhuset* 29 January – Tilburg, NL @ Hall of Fame* 30 January – Lille, FR @ The Black Lab* 31 January – Paris, FR @ Glazart* 1 February – Basel, CH @ Kaschemme Basel* 2 February – Milan, IT @ Slaughter Club* 3 February- Graz, AT @ Explosiv* 4 February – Vienna, AT @ Escape^ 5 February – Zagreb, HR @ Klub Močvara^ 6 February – Budapest, HU @ Dürer Kert^ 7 February – Belgrade, RS @ Dorcol Platz^ 8 February – Sofia, BG @ Oldskulls Club^ 9 February – Varna,BG @ Club Smile^ 10 February – Bucharest, RO @ Quantic^ 11 February – Cluj-Napoca, RO @ Flying Circus^ 12 February – Košice, SK @ Collosseum Club^ 13 February – Prague, CZ @ Modrá Vopice^ 14 February – Bielsko-Biala, PL @ Rudeboy Club^ 15 February – Berlin, DE @ Orwohaus^ * with Iniquitous Savagery, Strangle Wire ^ with Asylum, Embryonic Devourment
DEFEATED SANITY is unequivocally one of the most unique, boundary-pushing and crucial bands in the history of extreme death metal. Their music is as technically coherent as it is mind-bending and memorable. Endlessly replay-able and full of discovery, their maze of riffs and musical passages is inspired by infamous classic bands in the extreme metal genre, while also heavily steeped in jazz and progressive classical elements.
The band consists of four members. They’re led by drummer Lille Gruber, who’s the son of deceased co-founding member Wolfgang Teske. Gruber is joined by bandmates Jacob Schmidt (bass), Josh Welshman (vocals) and Vaughn Stoffey (guitar).
As well as being the drummer of Defeated Sanity, Gruber is the multi- instrumental, songwriting mastermind behind the band’s deep and compelling catalogue of songs and compositions. He possesses a bag of tricks seen nowhere else in the genre, and a musical prowess which is on full display throughout their new album Chronicles of Lunacy.
“We love experimenting”, explains drummer and founding member Lille Gruber. “But we realized that some of our oldest fans might have gotten lost after our last couple of albums. With the new one, we wanted to focus more on neck-snapping brutality”.
Chronicles of Lunacy punches you right in the face. Press play and “Amputationsdrang” already has you pinned to the mat beneath its non-stop blasts. Get comfortable, too, because Defeated Sanity don’t let the album up for air until the very end of Track 4. But turns out, acting like knuckle-dragging cavemen isn’t so easy for a band that has a Mensa-level maestro like Gruber at the controls.
At the tender age of six, Lille Gruber picked up heavy guitar and drums. Inspired by killer American BDM bands like Disgorge, Monstrosity and Brodequin, the German wunderkind recorded the band’s first demo alongside his father, Wolfgang Teske. Since Wolfgang’s passing in 2010, Gruber has taken on the bulk of the composing for Defeated Sanity. Whether he’s hammering his snare, pinging between cymbals or riding a colossal groove, The Chronicles of Lunacy flows like a never-ending stream of filth.
“Lille’s drumming is just ridiculous”, Jacob Schmidt says. Schmidt – who toured with Obscura behind Cosmogenesis – joined as the other half of Defeated Sanity’s chaotic rhythm section for the band’s beloved second album. His nimble, belching bass give the new album’s lead single “The Odour of Sanctity” a dizzying bounce. “He’s the face of the franchise, so we’re never going to abandon those head-scratching moments that set Defeated Sanity apart”.
Indeed, Chronicles of Lunacy isn’t Defeated Sanity for dummies. Heck, the lyrics are wrapped up in the twisted ways that delusions can rot the human psyche. This heady concept was made flesh by none other than Jon Zig. Drawn in painstaking detail by his wicked right hand, the album’s cover shows that the birth of some ideas look an awful lot like a gory and sex-crazed nativity scene.
“Each song on Chronicles deals with a different form of mental corruption”, Josh Welshman says”. “Odor” stinks of religious fanaticism. “A Patriarchy Perverse” cracks open the mind of co-ed killer Ed Kemper, while “Extrinsically Enraged” practically foams at the mouth with squealing hammer-ons. “That one’s more literal”, says Welshman with a hearty laugh. “It’s about contracting rabies”. If it weren’t for Disposal of the Dead / Dharmata, then Defeated Sanity would’ve chewed through as many vocalists as they have albums, but after a brutal showing on their last one, Welshman is back with more guttural vengeance. His growls ooze from the pit of his gut on “Temporal Disintegration”, stomped out like the innards of a cockroach by the gravity-defying slams.
While it still hits from every odd angle, Chronicles of Lunacy does draw a jagged red line back to Defeated Sanity’s brutal origins. After all, the band now share a label with their namesake. In true, DS fashion, the first song written for this album was “Heredity Violated”, a headbanging grand finale that never stops chugging. “This album isn’t as tough on the brain as the last two”, says new guitarist Vaughn Stoffey, whose chunky riffs whip “Accelerating the Rot” into the fastest song in the band’s canon. “It’s rawer and more straightforward, which gets back to what fans love about Psalms of the Moribund“.
To dig up the sheer brutality that long-time fans have come to crave, Defeated Sanity returned to Thousand Cave Studios. New York City’s most vile underground hotspot also served as the excavation site for the Billboard-charting The Sanguinary Impetus, which shoveled a fresh layer of dirt over the “polished” production of Passages into Deformity. But the band encouraged producer Colin Marston to get down and dirty with Chronicles of Lunacy. “We still wanted some of the high fidelity that you hear on modern death metal records”, Schmidt says, “but this album has the same crushing low-end as Psalms or Chapters of Repugnance“.
The band execute this two-headed approach to monstrous effect on “Condemned to Vascular Famine”. At just under six minutes, the song delivers the longest ass beating on Chronicles of Lunacy. At times, all four members sound like they’re climbing up the walls in separate asylums, but after slipping in a brief nod to Bram Stoker’s Dracula, the band come slamming down into the album’s ugliest breakdown.
“That’s one of our favorites”, the band says. “It lands at a crossroad of the DS sound that we ended up with on Chronicles of Lunacy. Even though it gets pretty fucking weird at times, there’s still an emphasis on heavy, straight-up slamming”
None of their albums are ever going to follow a straight line, but on Chronicles of Lunacy, Defeated Sanity return to sheer brutality.
Lineup Josh Welshman – Vocals Vaughn Stoffey – Guitars Jacob Schmidt – Bass Lille Gruber – Drums
Guest musicians Danny Nelson and Paolo Paguntalan provide backup vocals on “Amputationsdrang” and “Accelerating the Rot”
Recording Studio Thousand Caves Studio in January 2024.
Production Recorded, mixed and mastered by Colin Marston. Produced by Colin Marston and Defeated Sanity.
Cover Art Artwork by Jon Zig Title lettering by Liz Schmidt Layout by Alex Eckman-Lawn
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
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