Finland’s multi-Platinum cello-rockers APOCALYPTICA are thrilled to announce the second single from Apocalyptica Plays Metallica, Vol. 2 – the hotly-anticipated sequel to their legendary debut record. The Unforgiven II falls hot on the heels of first single The Four Horsemen, featuring Metallica’s very own bassist Rob Trujllo.
Apocalyptica Plays Metallica Vol. 2 will continue the journey that began in 1996 when cellists from Helsinki’s world-renowned Sibelius Academy played symphonic tribute to the biggest of the big four – heavy metal titans Metallica. For their ninth record the classically-minded dynamos are returning to their roots to bring a legendary story full circle. It also features a host of surprises beginning with a unique collaboration.
Second single The Unforgiven II, taken from Metallica’s 1997 album Reload is a stunning reimagining of a cast-iron classic, setting the scene for a compendium of deep cuts and brilliant highlights spanning Metallica’s staggering 40 year career, and there are more surprises to come.
“We wanted to balance what we were doing between old and new,” says lead cellist Perttu Kivilaakso. “The Unforgiven II has such beautiful melodies and the lyrics are great, too! I loved the fact that we’ve been able to bind this record and our first record together in this way.“
Apocalyptica Plays Metallica Vol. 2 was produced by longtime collaborator and studio supremo Joe Barresi (Queens of the Stone Age, Soundgarden, Nine Inch Nails, Tool) and will be released via new label Throwdown Entertainment on June 7th.
Tracklisting:
Ride the Lightning
St. Anger
The Unforgiven II
Blackened
The Call of Ktulu (in memory of Cliff Burton)
The Four Horsemen (ft. Rob Trujillo)
Holier Than Thou
To Live Is To Die
One
One (Instrumental)
Apocalyptica are: Eicca Toppinen Perttu Kivilaakso Paavo Lötjönen
Dutch artist and Nordic folk pioneer Kati Rán is pleased to reveal the next offering, ‘KÓLGA | 16’, which is taken from her new full-length SÁLA. The album will be released on 24th May, 2024 via Svart Records.
Special guests on ‘KÓLGA | 16’ are black metal legend ‘Gaahl’ Kristian Eivind Espedal, Sól Geirsdóttir & Varg Saastad and Jaani Peuhu / UMBRA Ensemble Iceland. The video comes in the form of an enchanting lyric video, created by Costin Chioreanu.
Kati Rán elaborates: ”’KÓLGA | 16′ is one of the coldest waves of the nine billowmaidens of Rán, one that can take your breathe away in a overpowering chokehold of ice water. What we deem the most ‘destructive of powerful forces of nature’ are aswell a necessary and powerful catalyst for change, or gain newfound clarity. ‘KÓLGA | 16’ aswell touches upon many female figures that in one way or the other made significant sacrifices in their lives, have been sacrificed, betrayed, persecuted or deliberately put in another light in history, in mythology and various folktales across time and culture.“
Kati Rán is known for her collaborative audio work for Netflix’s tv series ‘VIKINGS: VALHALLA‘, films and work for videogames, her stage appearances with Wardruna, Myrkur and Gaahls Wyrd to name a few, and her previous release ‘Blodbylgje’.
Special vinyl editions in gold, transparent smoke, and black as well as digipack CDs are available for pre-order HERE.
If the most profound treasures are often the most deeply buried, the journey to uncover them is a vital process of discovery. Five years after the 15-minute single ‘Blodbylgje’ signaled the birth of a new, more primordial, and immersive vision after the dissolution of her band L.E.A.F., Nordic dark folk artist Kati Rán has expanded on its oceanic theme for her long-awaited full-length album, SÁLA. Embarking on a far-reaching musical and personal travelogue, it’s a reawakening of both the feminine narratives submerged and fragmented within Norse mythology, and the enduring, healing powers held within.
Named after the Old Norse word for ‘soul’ and ‘sea’, SÁLA is an act of ‘soul retrieval’, the shamanic art of trauma recovery, be it illness, death, heartbreak or loss, and the reintegration of a splintered self. Across its 13, wide-ranging, elegantly unfolding tracks, the album is an embodiment of different feminine voices and perspectives – from the Norse nine daughters of the sea, or ‘billow maidens’, through various historical and fictional figures to the late-night voices we hear in our most liminal states – all with tales to tell, riddles to solve, challenges to be accepted and guidance to offer. It’s a multiplicity that, like the ocean itself, belongs to a vast, restless dynamic: a matrix of mysteries, unfathomable depths and ever-shifting currents, accumulating into an elemental, regenerative source of power.
Recorded in a barn in Húsafell, Iceland – home to glacier ice caves and a rare lava stone marimba rediscovered for the track ‘Stone Pillars’ – as well as Finland, Norway and at home in Kati’s native Netherlands, SÁLA is as much chronicle of Kati’s own perspective-shifting recording process as it as a pilgrimage through different viewpoints and internal states. That itinerant urge is also reflected in the use of different languages, ranging across Norwegian, Old Norse, Icelandic, and, for the first time, English, her combination of ancient texts, historical reimagining’s and unguarded personal reflection backed up by deep research into the most resonant recesses of Nordic lore.
Spun throughout every thread of SÁLA is a sense of communion – with the power of stories to offer moral guidance and the thrill of the unknown; with the element of water, recreated across the album both in field recordings and the agelessly organic nature of the music itself; with the archetypes whose qualities we are called upon to embody at our most critical moments; and with the internal hidden realms forever whispering at us from the far edges of our consciousness.
Appropriately, it’s a collaborative venture too. As well as working closely together with Finnish producer Jaani Peuhu, there are contributions from across the musical spectrum, including extreme metal vocalist extraordinaire Gaahl, the Icelandic female choir Umbra Ensemble, renowned Norwegian jazz musician Karl Seglem, Björk and Brian Eno contrabassist Borgar Magnason, members of pagan folk acts Völuspá, Gealdýr, Heilung and Theodor Bastard and even Napalm Death’s Mitch Harris on vocals.
For all the many sources SÁLA draws from, the result is a singular, intimately transformative rite of passage, and a returning of the heart to the reverent continuity of the sacred. It will take you from the opening title track’s chest-pounding rhythmic pulse emerging from a traditional Norwegian bukkehorn (recorded by Karl Seglem), a galloping horse-rider and Kati’s glacial, velveteen chant, through “Kólga’s” recounting of female persecution through the ages borne on the most gossamer-light yet unbreakable of timbres and “Stone Pillar’s” gently percolating, deep wells of abandonment and incantations to recovery. SÁLA closes with the track ‘Sátta’ – Old Norse for ‘peace’ and ‘reconciliation’ – ending the album as it began with the bukkehorn, as it weaves rich drones and experience-stamped poems and prayers, Kati’s vocals the most sensitively tuned of emotional barometers. An album made in dedication, and in thrall to, its own sense of destiny, SÁLA is, as all quests must ultimately be, a homecoming.
For Fans Of:Heilung, Wardruna, Ianai, Gaahls WYRD, Nytt Land
Lineup: Kati Rán
Special Guests: Gaahl (Gaahl, Wyrd, Wardruna) Mitch Harris (Napalm Death) Jaani Peuhu (Swallow the Sun, IANAI, Lord of the Lost, Hallatar) Karl Seglem (Norwegian jazz and folk legend) Borgar Magnason (Björk, Sígur Rós, Brian Eno) Florian Ravn (Skáld) Gealdýr Emilie Lorentzen (Heilung) Nicholas Schipper (Heilung) Yana Veva (Theodor Basterd) Umbra (Icelandic female choir) Sól Geirsdóttir, Varg Saastad (Völuspá band) Marianne Heikkinen, Salla Marja (Saruru) Páll Guðmunsson (Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson, Steindór Anderssen, Sígur Rós)
Production: Jaani Peuhu, Kati Rán, Christopher Juul Mastering: Jaime Gomez Arrelano
Cover Art: Photographer Arne Beck, Illustrator Halfdan Skrifa, Graphic design Jari Laurén, Charlotte Boer, Deluxe Box Edition with cover painting by Marzena Ablewska-Lech
Hard rock metal powerhouse Beautiful Skeletons has inked a monumental deal with Wormholedeath for their highly anticipated EP “Temperance.”Set to unleash its sonic fury on May 10th, 2024, this EP promises an electrifying blend of darkness, melody, grit, and intensity.
Formed in 2018 in the Pacific Northwest, Beautiful Skeletons emerged from a casual jam session between Einar Einarsson and Tina Firefly. Despite COVID setbacks, they inked a management deal with Paul Crosby Management (PCM) in 2022 and stormed through the Oregon and Washington scenes.
With Tina on vocals, Einar on guitar, Jason on bass, and Huwy on drums, they’ve shared stages with notable acts like Saliva and Yngwie Malmsteen. Their EP “Vegvisir” and music videos gained traction, leading to a deal with WormHoleDeath Records in 2024. The project returned to the studio in anticipation of the signing and recorded another five-song EP – “Temperance” showcasing the next evolution of dynamics in their musical style, hedging into a more experimental progressive style of metal.
“Temperance” EP is generating significant local buzz and promises to blow the crotch right out of your pants. This will be a busy year for the band with opportunities to play various festivals and potentially abroad in Europe.
Tracklisting
Letter to a Narcissist
Only Zuul
Victim Loop
Butterfly Pinned Under Glass
Upside Down Song
Get a taste of the EP through the official teaser:
Beautiful Skeletons are: Tina Firefly: Vocals Einar Einarsson: Guitar Jason Johnson: Bass Huwy Williams: Drums
German trio Future Palace have released a video for their brand new single ‘Uncontrolled’, out now via Arising Empire. The track is the band’s first new music in almost a year.
Our entire existence demands control – it seems all the more shocking when the feeling of self-control suddenly seems to disappear. In their new single, Future Palace set exactly this almost unbearable state of a slipping self to music and rely on some of the most powerful sonic contrasts that they have ever unleashed in their entire discography.
“‘Uncontrolled’ was created in 2022 and was written almost at the same time as the song ‘Malphas’, which not only has a similarly heavy musical tone as the new single, but also lyrically speaks of a struggle with oneself.” The words with which singer Maria Lessing describes the experiences that gave rise to ‘Uncontrolled’ also sound correspondingly agitated. “The loss of control in the title primarily relates to one’s own mental health and one’s own decision-making ability”, she says. “You can no longer manage to get up in the morning and have to constantly regain your strength. You can no longer manage to meet deadlines or function at all. ‘Uncontrolled’ represents what it feels like when everything falls apart and seems hopeless.”
‘Uncontrolled’ is driven by remarkably riff-focused instrumentals that would do even Slipknot credit. In their most epoch-making moments, the band glides into arrangements with immensely great vocal gestures, only to plunge into perhaps the dirtiest screams that singer Maria Lessing has ever uttered in the very next moment. The band is continuing a development that already began on their second album Run and with their last single ‘Malphas’. Musically, Future Palace have now come shockingly close to the unpredictability and brutality of the dramatic themes that have always occupied them.
Last fall, the band played in several cities across Europe on their biggest headline tour to date, many of the shows were sold out. The music video for the new song, which was shot in Riga, Latvia, was again shot by Pavel Trebukhin, with whom the band has been working for a long time and who has already produced clips for big names such as Landmvrks, Imminence and Trivium.
Future Palace are: Maria | Vocals Manuel | Guitar Johannes | Drums
Single cover: Picture by Tuukka Koski | Design by Øivind Myksvoll
Amidst Wardruna´s song-writing hibernation, the group resurfaces to offer a taste of their next album with the single release and music video for the song Hertan. The song is available on all digital streaming platforms now.
Einar Selvik comments on the new song: ““Hertan” is the proto-Scandinavian word for “heart” and that is exactly what we explore in this song and film. The duality of the heart with the rhythm, flow and pulse we can see, hear, and feel in nature and in all forms of life – and the more abstract idea of the heart, The rudder on the ship of emotions, our decisions, and our true desires.”
Once again, Wardruna teamed up with Finnish director and photographer Tuukka Koski for the video production of Hertan. Koski has previously directed Wardruna´s videos for Raido, Voluspá, and Grá. This time, the production mainly took place during some freezing nights in northern Finland at the island of Hailouto.
Einar about the video shooting process: “It is always a true pleasure to create art with Tuukka and his colleagues at Breakfast Helsinki! His experience and eye for detail as well as the ability to always conjure up next-level material, is very inspiring to be part of. Three days, three locations, no sleep but a lot of heart. This is how it went down. Hope you will enjoy the result!”
ABOUT WARDRUNA
Hertan, the proto-Scandinvian word for heart, is steeped in Wardruna tradition. With this new song, Wardruna announce the beginning of a vibrant new cycle, pulsating with life. The song explores the rhythm of pulse, a flow visible in all forms of life and in nature, and the heart as the rider of decisions.
Making room for something new to come into being, the Norwegian group ends the Kvitravn touring cycle in a remarkable way. During the autumn equinox on September 21, 2023, Wardruna performed at the world heritage site Odeon of Herodes Atticus, Acropolis, Athens. The event sold out quickly, with fans from all over the world attending.
The concert at the Acropolis is the culmination of an intense period of touring, with successful shows in the United States, Norway, Iceland and the United Kingdom. In 2022, Wardruna headlined the festivals Wacken Open Air in Germany and Hellfest Open Air in France and saw the group perform at historic sites, such as Ancient Theater in Plovdiv and Castle Devin, Bratislava during the Nordic Night Tour. In 2023, the second leg of the Kvitravn touring cycle took place throughout the summer with Wardruna playing (festival) shows in Germany, France, The Netherlands and a concert at Borgholm Castle in Sweden.
At the heart of Wardruna lies the vision of sowing new seeds and strengthening old roots, a concept that main composer Einar Selvik, Lindy-Fay Hella and former member Gaahl bought to life in 2009. The first three albums formed the Runaljod trilogy and featured musical renditions based on the Nordic runes. Each of the three releases focused around eight of the twenty-four Proto-Norse runes, more commonly known as the Elder Futhark. The trilogy consists of Runaljod – gap var Ginnunga (2009), Runaljod – Yggdrasil (2013), Runaljod – Ragnarok (2016).
After years of acoustic concerts and lectures, performing Wardruna songs and creations made for the TV-show Vikings, Einar Selvik recorded Skald (2018). The album was recorded live with the intention of capturing the raw and uncompromising energy of the live performance. It set out to give a voice to the ancient craft that once lay at the foundation of the Norse oral traditions, presented as it takes shape in the hands of a humble contemporary skald today.
Wardruna’s fifth full-length Kvitravn (White-Raven) was released in January 2021. The album musically continues where the Runaljod trilogy left off, yet it marks a distinct evolution in the group’s sound. Throughout eleven songs, Kvitravn discusses Northern sorcery, spirit-animals, shadows, nature and animism, the wisdom and meanings of certain myths, various Norse spiritual concepts, and the relation between sage and songs. The record charted in 13 countries, including #1 in Canada and Austria, and #2 in Germany. A year later, the band presented a virtual live experience in the form of First Flight of the White Raven, also landing in the official German Album Charts.
The period between First Flight of the White Raven and Hertan, is not without creative output. A new rendition of Voluspá (live with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra) came out in June 2023. Einar Selvik also performed on national Norwegian television with electronic dance music DJ Matoma and joined Faroese singer-songwriter Eivør and the Danish National Symphony Orchestra for a symphonic concert series. One of the duets, Voluspá (live with Eivør) shall be released physically on Record Store Day in April 2024, in the United States, Canada and Germany. Now a new cycle begins with Hertan and Wardruna soon announce new live dates in support of this new release.
As a live band Wardruna operates in various constellations of personnel but the standard configuration the last years has been as follows:
Iron Jinn, a captivating Dutch dark, ethereal psychedelic rock band, release their new double album, “Live at Roadburn,” today on 180g vinyl via Lay Bare Recordings. The album captures the magic of their performance at the prestigious festival. The band, consisting of seasoned musicians Oeds Beydals (The Devil’s Blood, Death Alley), Wout Kemkens (Shaking Godspeed, De Niemanders), Bob Hogenelst (Birth of Joy),Gerben Bielderman (Pauw) and Jarno Van Es, delivers a mesmerizing experience, blending intricate guitar work, powerful drumming, and ethereal atmospheres.
Iron Jinn was conceived by guitarists and songwriters Oeds Beydals and Wout Kemkens, who shared a history in bands like Death Alley and Shaking Godspeed. Their collaboration led to the creation of the Last Night On Earth festival, setting the stage for their musical exploration. Iron Jinn’s live debut at Roadburn 2018 marked the beginning of a creative journey that led to the recording of their debut album in the spring of 2021, with the addition of drummer Bob Hogenelst and later, bassist Gerben Bielderman.
To enhance the live experience, Iron Jinn invited Jarno Van Es to join them on keys, marking the fifth live appearance of the band and the first with his unique contributions. The live show embraced a new creative process, infusing spontaneous improvisation and fresh energy into the studio versions of their songs. This resulted in a dynamic and vibrant performance that captures the essence of Iron Jinn at an early stage in their musical journey.
“The Iron Jinn 2023 Roadburn performance was the perfect opportunity for us to present our debut album in the flesh. Roadburn’s Walter Hoeijmakers made it possible for us to expand the band’s line-up for this release show so we could recreate the layered density the album has to offer. We were playing to an energetic and receptive audience at 013’s Green Room around midnight. To most of the people present, it was probably the first introduction to the material and the group, and still the band and the crowd moved as a unit. Although we hope to keep evolving, this show is a moment in time that we are thankful to have captured.” – Oeds Beydals
THE ROCK ALCHEMIST – Italian Rock Band from Turin with a strong sonic identity that blends modern rock with progressive, hard, alternative, and pop elements!
Kimmo Kuusniemi’s SARCOFAGUS return with a Historic 2010 Concert Video Premiere on YouTube! Click image to watch the video
Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 