Finnish modern melodic metal band Viimeinen Oodi Vapaudelle (VOV) has released their first single. “Rakkauden Alttari” shamelessly exposes the seemingly insurmountable challenges in a love-hate relationship between two individuals. The price paid for this impossible relationship is high, yet the parties are never willing to let go of each other. Clad in the guise of modern melodic metal, the band’s debut is catchy. The skilled mezzo-soprano Karoliina McLoud’s singing makes the song uniquely Finnish metal music.
“The debut single ‘Rakkauden Alttari’ by Viimeinen Oodi Vapaudelle is a raw depiction of a challenging love-hate relationship, where souls don’t survive without bullet holes. The key element in creating the song has been a solid dose of modern melodic metal.” – Says the band’s guitarist, Teemu Harjunen.
Listen to the single on music services (Spotify, Apple, Deezer, Tidal etc): https://push.fm/fl/vov-rakkaudenalttari – Composed and written by: Karoliina McLoud, Teemu Harjunen, Sami Halinen, Petteri Rosenbom
VOV, or Viimeinen Oodi Vapaudelle (Last Ode to Freedom), is a Finnish metal band founded in 2023. The band’s hometown is Nakkila. They delve into the darker aspects of the human psyche in their music, dressing stories in the dark attire of modern and melodic metal. The band’s frontwoman is the vocalist Karoliina McLoud, whose background in classical singing echoes in VOV’s music. The band’s drummer is none other than Petteri Rosenbom, a powerhouse known for his time in Dreamtale. The band’s bassist is the versatile Sami Halinen, who also takes the main responsibility for the band’s technical production. Last but not least, the guitarist Teemu Harjunen is the band’s unpredictable “demo animal.”
VOV: Karoliina McLoud – Vocals Teemu Harjunen – Guitar Sami Halinen – Bass ja keyboards Petteri Rosenbom – Drums
British four-piece rock band Collateral are pleased to release “Just One Of Those Days” the third single taken from their highly anticipated sophomore album Should’ve Known Better.
The single, accompanied with an official music video, is released by Big Shot Records on the same day as the album, Friday 24th May. The single is available on all streaming platforms from https://lnk.to/KnrsIE.
“Just One Of Those Days” is available with the new album on all streaming platforms HERE. The official music video is available to watch on YouTube HERE.
“Just One Of Those Days” and the new album Should’ve Known Better is produced by Dan Weller (Those Damn Crows, Elles Bailey, Enter Shikari, Monster Truck, Kris Barras).
To celebrate the release of the new album, Collateral will perform an Album Release Party Concert at The Underworld in London on Sunday May 26th. Tickets are available from SeeTickets.com.
Collateral will also embark on a Instore Signing Tour that will see them perform 30-minute acoustic performances at Some Nice Things in Margate at 2pm on Saturday May 25th, Raven in Camden Town, London at 1pm on Tuesday May 28th, Rough Trade in Bristol at 6.30pm on Wednesday May 29th, and Beyond Vinyl in Newcastle at 6pm on Thursday May 30th.
“I’d love nothing more than to be on an open road, top down, sun on skin and the wind in my hair whilst blaring this out,” says Collateral’s frontman, Angelo Tristan. “It was always intended to be the soundtrack of any route 66 trip. “What I really hope is for people to find happiness in this, I’m just trying to make what may seem like a bad day, turning out to be a good one. It’s perfect if you’re having Just One Of Those Days.”
Since the band released their eponymous debut album (Top 5 UK Rock Album Chart) at the start of 2020 Collateral have spent no time standing still. COVID came only weeks after the debut album was released and forced the band to cancel their highly successful tour with Phil X (Bon Jovi) halfway through. This made the band hungry to keep the momentum. With innovative ways to produce top quality live streams, the band became special guests supporting the likes of Skid Row, H.E.A.T and Reckless Love.
On October 21, 2022, Collateral independently released a re-mixed and re-mastered version of their debut album re-titled as Re-Wiredwhich featured Jeff Scott Soto, Phil X, Kee Marcello, Rudy Sarzo, Danny Vaughn, and Joel Hoekstra. The re-release saw the band in the Official UK Rock Charts at #12.
After the gruelling back-to-back tours with Skid Row, H.E.A.T and Reckless Love, the band ignited a spark and strengthened their already loyal fanbase leading them to win the opening slot at 2023s Stonedead Festival, leading the band to perform their biggest show.
Collateral’s hotly tipped sophomore album looks like it will take them to the next level. A lot of people don’t know what to expect from the new album, as the band have been tight-lipped about the new songs. Collateral have created a state-of-the-art rock album that will immerse listeners in their rock music universe, enabling fans to feel the blood, sweat and glory that went into the recording of every song.
“We felt that our debut album was lacking the production,” reflects Collateral’s frontman, Angelo Tristan. “For the sophomore album, I wanted to make sure that this time we left no room for error and so got one of the hottest producers in the music industry, Dan Weller, to help lift these songs into a new dimension. With Dan’s pioneering studio expertise, this album has massive production quality that enables you to get lost in each character-filled track. Dan really brought out the emotions we were trying to portray and has achieved it with his own unique style.”
“We wanted this album to express where we were in our own lives since the release of our first. So much has happened since then, I mean the world shut down for what felt like a lifetime! And it was obvious that people were going to need some sort of optimism. I hope ‘Glass Sky’ is one of those songs that gives people the belief to find themselves again.”
“Whereas, the feel-good ‘Just One Of Those Days’ is trying to find the good side of a bad day. Me being me, couldn’t help but to write a big power ballad, ‘The Long Road’, that I wrote from a very hard and deep place, in hope that it could maybe bring some peace and comfort to people who need it. I think there’s all aspects of life running though this album and what it means to us will remain in our hearts forever.”
“Should’ve Known Better” is an album that goes beyond specific music genres,” says Angelo. “It’s almost like a soundtrack to a beating heart. It’s an album that will remain timeless in years to come.”
ALBUM TRACK LISTING
1. GLASS SKY (3.53) 2. ORIGINAL CRIMINAL (3.58) 3. JUST ONE OF THOSE DAYS (3.19) 4. TEENAGE DREAMS (4.34) 5. ELYSIUM (4.02) 6. ON THE LONG ROAD (4.47) 7. NO PLACE FOR LOVE (3.35) 8. GAME CHANGER (3.54) 9. FINAL STAND (3.49)
PRODUCTION CREDITS PRODUCED BY DAN WELLER RECORDED AT MARSHALL STUDIOS, MILTON KEYNES ENGINERED AND MIXED BY DAN WELLER MASTERED BY RYAN SMITH @ STERLING SOUND
ALBUM TRACK BY TRACK
Collateral’s frontman, Angelo Tristan, breaks down the songs on the new album track by track.
GLASS SKY This is the flag ship of the album. Louis came into the rehearsal studio one day with the opening riff and I literally stopped what I was doing. I turned around to him and said, “That’s it… That’s the hit”. The lyrics were like water off a duck’s back. It felt easy to write something empowering. It was crying out for a Shanty style gang vocal that I could imagine a rallying arena scream along to. I felt this song had to bring people together. We’re all searching for that breakthrough, for that love, for that thing that will make us feel complete. This is that song.
ORIGINAL CRIMINAL This song is a nod to the Bonnie and Clyde style lifestyle. A mysterious character that has a dangerously attractive persona doing what he likes when he likes. The best part of this song is that you never know if he’s a good or bad guy. I guess he’s what all men would want to be. An “Original Criminal.”
JUST ONE OF THOSE DAYS Showing my country influence, I wanted to create a song with a happy and upbeat vibe that would make people forget about a bad day. We all have them, we all have ‘One of those days’ where nothing quite goes to plan and that was the perfect inspiration for this song. We decided to have a key change chorus to really uplift the optimism, Bryan Adams style, and I think the song as a whole really captures the important things in life and at the same time lets you let go of the stupid everyday stresses, we all go through.”
TEENAGE DREAMS I find myself writing a lot about nostalgia, I find magic in it, “Teenage Dreams” is that nostalgia. Going back to a simpler time. A time where the only worries in life were making sure you didn’t get caught sneaking out with your friends until the early hours of the morning. This song puts you back in your teenage self, a self where you miss school, a self where you slept in past midday, a self when you were invincible. The best time of our lives.
ELYSIUM “Elysium” is what we all crave for at the end of a hard week at work. That need to shake off the rigidness of the office and to be intertwined in the hot and sweaty atmosphere of the nightclub. It’s a song that does what is says on the tin, there’s no hidden meanings or messages. Just a message of letting your hair down and having a good time.
ON THE LONG ROAD There was so much loss during Covid. My partner lost her mum without warning and seeing the heart break was devastating. This was written for her. A song, I hope, people can seek solace in when they need a shoulder to cry on. This is my favourite track on the album, but also the hardest to perform live due to the emotions that run through me.
NO PLACE FOR LOVE A story of two people who, despite being in a world which is designed to kick love into the gutter, give everything to make it work. When there’s no place for love, if they are in each other’s hearts, then nothing can break them. It’s a story of hope but also a story of struggle. Instead of going down the Hollywood happy ending, I wanted to add a more real-life aspect to it, the aspect that love can also hurt.
GAME CHANGER “Game Changer” is all about wanting that person that you can’t have. In this case I wanted to write a song that oozed cheekiness to take it away from the common love song. It’s fast, hard and straight to the point. I wanted people to take this song and make it their own, I want the listener to believe that they are the ‘Game Changer’. Just like the running theme throughout the album it’s the optimism and the light at the end of the tunnel that makes this song so exciting.
FINAL STAND Unlike the other songs, “Final Stand” delivers a darker message of battling your inner demons. Those days where you look at yourself in the mirror and the person looking back at you is telling you to give up. Musically it shows our heavier side and lyrically shows a darker side to us. This song brings the balance on the album.
For Canada’s The Metal Voice, Neil Turbin spoke to Richie Kotzen, Julia Lage (Vixen) and solo artist Audry Lagiou at this year’s Rock for Ronnie charity May 19 ,2024.
In the chat Kotzen and Lage reveal a new Smith/ Kotzen album in the works.
“I play bass on Smith/Kotzen which has an amazing project. So if you want to talk about new stuff they also wrote an album and I don’t know when they’re going to be releasing (it) but there’s something coming probably in the future”-Julia Lage
“Julia played some songs with Adrian. I think we’re still in the infantile stages of figuring it out but it looks like there will be some stuff coming in the foreseeable future so I’m excited about that” Richie Kotzen
In the pantheon of heavy music, few names resonate as profoundly as ROTTING CHRIST. Behind a legacy that has both defined and defied the realms of black metal, the Greek legends carve out a fresh set of dark, melodic scriptures on their new album. Pro Xristou is a grandiose narrative born of fire, rebellion and an unbreakable spirit.
Pro Xristou is released today, Friday May 24th, on Season of Mist. Listen to all 10 epic songs by listening to the full album stream on our YouTube channel.
From the labyrinthine depths of Hades to the celestial might of Zeus, Pro Xristou embarks on an odyssey through the history of mythology and paganism. The album is a monument, etched with the profound lyrics of Sakis Tolis, that explores themes of defiance and enlightenment, set against the historical background of paganism’s last stand against monotheism. The title track sets the tone, opening the album with a battle cry that unites the chthonic with the divine, solidifying Rotting Christ’s journey from the underworld to the pantheon of metal gods.
Early praise for Pro Xristou
“Pro Xristou has all of the Rotting Christ hallmarks…this is the most arena-worthy Rotting Christ have been in some time” – No Clean Singing
“With Pro Xristou, Rotting Christ have summoned every diabolical riff and slaying beast that their career has produced and culminated it into a pummeling, brilliant, Gothic Black Metal attack on the senses” – Teeth of the Divine
“Pro Xristou demonstrated once again that Rotting Christ are dark melodic metal craftsmen and, still, amongst the best in their field” – Ghostcult (8/10)
“Their brand of blackened metal has changed a lot over years, mostly to being melodic, a little Gothic, and even having a tribal feel to some of their songs. “Pro Xristou” embraces these same components but presents them in a much more catchy way…” – Metal Temple (9/10)
“Pro Xristou” is not an album that will surprise us; on the contrary, it will seem familiar. Yet, the album is poised to be a memorable entry in Rotting Christ’s distinguished career.” – Metal War (9/10)
“One thing is for sure after all this: ROTTING CHRIST will never let us down!” – The Gallery (8/10)
Artwork by Thomas Cole – Digital Processing by Adrien Bousson
Track-list
1. Pro Xristou (Προ Χριστού) (1:29) 2. The Apostate (5:01) [WATCH] 3. Like Father, Like Son (4:35) [WATCH] 4. The Sixth Day (3:56) 5. La Lettera Del Diavolo (4:01) 6. The Farewell (6:15) 7. Pix Lax Dax (4:33) 8. Pretty World, Pretty Dies (4:51) 9. Yggdrasil (5:04) 10. Saoirse (6:17) [WATCH] 11. Primal Resurrection (Bonus Track) (5:32) – Only Deluxe Editions! 12. All For One (Bonus Track) (3:37) – Only Deluxe Editions! Total runtime: 55:17
In the dimly lit catacombs of extreme metal, one name stands as a monolith: ROTTING CHRIST. Sakis Tholis and his brother Themis started this band together back in 1987. In the three decades since, these Greek titans have left their blackened imprint all over the metal world. They’ve released 13 studio albums and played more than 1,300 concerts around the globe. Underneath all this hard work, Rotting Christ have but one vision – an urge to not only push the boundaries of extreme metal, but to keep reinventing themselves along the way.
Rotting Christ’s evolution has unfolded across several distinct chapters. After starting out closer to the barely controlled chaos of grindcore, they went on to establish the iconic sound of Hellenic black metal. Their albums often embrace refined gothic soundscapes, only to plunge back into the depths of blasphemous fervour. Each chapter marked another, further exploration, and an unwavering commitment to push boundaries.
But the real turning point came in 2007, when Rotting Christ signed a pact with Season of Mist. They unleashed a series of albums for the French label that defied any and all expectations. From the piercing Theogonia and the symphonic grandeur of Aelo to the ritualistic intensity of Κατά Τον Δαίμονα Εαυτού, the cinematic experiences created by Rotting Christ became a spectacle of bombastic atmospheres, mesmerizing choirs, and neo-classical arrangements. The unexpected is their modus operandi, with the use of various languages (Latin, Arabic, Greek, English) as well as the extensive use of famous poetry woven into their music, like Edgar Allan Poe’s ‘The Raven’ on The Heretics.
In 2019, Rotting Christ’s epic journey continued with The Apocryphal Spell compilation, which offers fans an intimate glimpse into unreleased and rare material. This allowed them to gather strength, preparing for the release of their next, highly anticipated, 14th full-length studio album: Pro Xristou. Pro Xristou (‘Before Christ’ in Greek), serves as a fervent tribute to the last Pagan kings who resisted the onslaught of Christianity, guarding their ancient values and knowledge. In this thematic odyssey, intricately woven through tracks such as ‘The Apostate’ and ‘Ygdrassil’, Rotting Christ delves into the legacies of historical figures such as Flavius Claudius Julianus and Nordic mythological kings, embodying the might of Pagan wisdom in the face of Christian adversity. The album encapsulates the essence of Rotting Christ’s signature style – melodic, yet harsh at times – reinventing themselves yet again, while remaining rooted in their 35-year legacy.
Dark alternative metal act CRIMSON VEIL may still be a mystery to some parts of the metal world, but that is to finally be changed as the UK based four-piece showcase their signature sound with debut single ‘Flinch’ today. The track is also part of the band’s first offering titled “Hex,” which is set to mesmerize the worldwide audience from September 20, 2024 (Reigning Phoenix Music) and can be pre-ordered (jewel-case CD, black & red opaque vinyl in gatefold, digital) and pre-saved now, here: https://crimsonveil.rpm.link/hexPR
Vocal aesthete Mishkin Fitzgerald comments, “‘Flinch’ is about the end of the world. As humanity, we are careening into a mass extinction due to our own choices and a lot of the time it feels like there is nothing that will stop it.”
‘Flinch’ is something different for thinking listeners: it’s a dualistic song that transitions effortlessly between aggression and euphoria. It opens with a classical string quartet arranged by Hana Piranha, drawing the listener in before exploding into atonal guitar riffs, accompanied by deep guttural death growls. At the complete opposite end of the genre spectrum, the song breaks away into trippy, dream-like soundscapes and eventually climaxes into a glorious guitar solo from Garry Mitchell. Tasteful and driving drums from Anna Mylee flawlessly carry the audience through this musical maze, while Fitzgerald flips between ethereal soft vocals into deep growls.
Don’t forget to subscribe to Reigning Phoenix Music on YouTube to stay updated & to listen to ‘Flinch’ as well as other new tracks in the “RPM New Releases” playlist on Spotify: https://rpm.link/spotifynewreleasesPR
About CRIMSON VEIL
Creating unique, sinister soundscapes, the UK based outfit ingeniously combines elements of rock, metal and cinematic music while lyrically covering esoteric topics, accompanied by dark visual aesthetics. The four talented multi-instrumentalists originally come from different band projects and bring an impressive touring history across the UK, the US and Mexico. They have worked with music industry greats such as Paul Reeve (MUSE etc.) and John Fryer (DEPECHE MODE, NINE INCH NAILS) in the past.
CRIMSON VEIL are: Mishkin Fitzgerald | vocals Garry Mitchell | guitars (Strandberg) Hana Piranha | electric cello Anna Mylee | drums
German melodic death metal maniacs, IMPACT APPROVED, unleash a face-melting lyric video for “Pigslaughter,” a brutal banger off their upcoming album, Way of the Warrior (dropping June 14th, 2024 via Wormholedeath).
“Pigslaughter” is an anthem for the disenfranchised, a sonic rebellion urging listeners to shed the shackles of conformity and embrace authenticity. Soaring melodies intertwine with a pummeling rhythm section.
Born in 2019, Impact Approved quickly carved their niche in the melodic death metal scene. Philipp (vocals) and Uwe (guitars, drums) laid the groundwork, joined by Maurice (bass) in 2020 and Armin (guitar) shortly after. After the critically acclaimed release of “Into the Fray” in 2021, the band toured alongside heavyweights like Heaven Shall Burn in 2022. With the departure of Armin, Matthias “Matze” Büsing steps in to complete the live lineup, ready to unleash the fury of Way of the Warrior on audiences worldwide.
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
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Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 