Official music video for A Glimpse Into The Void Below by Cryptic Confinement and is the second track from the album Tempestuous Demise released on February 27th, 2024 via Sliptrick Records. Along with Zak, A Glimpse Into The Void Below features the extraordinary talents of Rich Gray and Fabio Alessandrini from Annihilator!
The track was written and Performed by Zakk Weathersby, Rich Gray and Fabio Alessandrini.
Cryptic Confinement – Tempestuous Demise Tempestuous Demise is the third installment from instrumental metal project, Cryptic Confinement. Following a similar writing formula as the previous two releases, the album will be characterised by intricate layers of guitars, relentless blast beats, carefully timed tempo changes and an adept focus on song arrangement …read more
Photographer: Juha Aho-Pynttäri (photo taken in 1981)
COBRA 1981 have released their debut album “VOL. 1”! Today is also the release date for thousands of other albums by other artists and bands. So what makes this one special? Maybe the fact that the Cobra 1981 band members have been waiting for this event since 1981 – more than forty years!
The band was formed at the dawn of the eighties when the members were still young men. The world was very different then, but heavy rock had already taken a firm place in the cassette players and record shelves of young people. The compositions and stories that the guys wrote then, following their British role models, are so timeless that they still work in 2024. Their musical style in is influenced by NWOBHM, with guitar harmonies, fast tempos and story-like lyrics. Of course sung strongly across the full range of the singer’s vocal range. However, the album also features ballads and heavy riffing to spice up the decades-old brew.
The band members have long careers behind them, and some are already grandfathers. All have celebrated their fifties or more. Playing while working is a way to relax and get away from it all. It’s also a way to maintain friendships and build social capital. Playing together and performing at local summer festivals was reason enough to keep the band alive, but after an insider music producer heard the high standard of the songs and their performances, it was decided to see if they would lend themselves to a record.
The album was recorded as a studio live in a former barn building, which was converted into a rehearsal and recording studio. In addition to experience and confidence, the playing and singing is still tinged with the enthusiasm of youth – a journey back to the room in singer Asko’s home where his playing once began. After finding suitable partners, the songs were ready to be published and they have found their way onto the playlists of major streaming services. To band members’ surprise, radio play has been received from all over the globe. In 1981, none of the band members would have guessed that their latest work, chopped up in the rehearsal room, would end up on the radio in Mexico or Australia in 2024.
Photographer: Roosa Sippola
Now the time is right for the release of a full length album, solemnly entitled “Vol.1”. The band still has unfulfilled ambitions, and with the enthusiastic and positive feedback from the singles, the next steps are already being planned. In forty years, more than one album has been added to the desk and Cobra1981’s touring form is stronger than ever!
Fulfilling their dreams and rocking – hard – doesn’t matter the age, time or place. When the fire is there, things are worth doing. The Vol.1 album and this five-piece are a rock hard example of that.
Born of the pandemic shutdown and mobilized by the world’s societal ills, Plutocracy Planet is an experimental sociopolitical super-collective led by former Alarm Magazine editor and musical vagrant Scott Morrow.
Fusing post-hardcore sensibilities with electronics, polyrhythms, atypical time signatures, and a far-reaching instrumental palette—including strings, saxophone, piano, harp, marimba, acoustic guitar, and more—the ambitious collaborative project utilizes the talents of more than two dozen venerable vocalists and instrumentalists across hardcore, hip hop, emo, avant-garde composition, pop, and more.
Greed, inequality, and the endless influence of money in politics serve as the project’s thematic focal points. But between a broad-minded approach and a coalition of lyrical voices, the collective’s forthcoming debut LP also touches on the cult of personality, fear-mongering media, police brutality, toxic masculinity, religious zealotry, factory farming, the billionaire space race, discourse in the internet era, and the singularity.
Following the project’s debut single, “This Very Severity,” featuring emo legend Bob Nanna (Braid, Hey Mercedes), BrooklynVegan has premiered the video for “But You Said,” a melodic, moody, and ultimately heavy aural diptych that builds to a cathartic crescendo with featured artist onelinedrawing, the solo moniker of singer-songwriter Jonah Matranga (Far, Gratitude, New End Original). The song is now streaming on digital platforms.
“Lyrically, ‘BUT YOU SAID’ is basically about the beyond-frustrating feeling of trying to talk sense these days, especially on the internet,” Matranga says. “It’s digging into why communication is such a mess in the age of communication. I’m sad about the lack of thoughtful thinking in our culture and the ways that’s engineered, manipulated, and perpetuated by so-called social networks.
“Nonsensical clickbait hot takes have become the law of the land. I’ve been addicted to my upset around all that in the past. Now I’m in recovery from that compulsive behavior, and this song helps me take a breath and pause when I want to all-caps tantrum about whatever algorithm-elevated stupidity I might see floating through the timeline.
“As for the sound of the track, it was just a blast to play with Scott’s wild, weird, dynamic piece of music and see what my voice could do to express these overwhelming feelings. It’s an actual epic slow-burn track. Like a building with a lot of stories, as it were. The way my weird high note twists in the air as Scott’s guitar stabs and everything else empties out at 2:35 is one of my favorite moments in anything I’ve been a part of making. When everything crashes back in around 2:53, then gets to an even more manic gear at 3:03, that’s serious fun too. The whole collaborative album worked out real well, and I’m grateful to be part of it.“
Releasing July 12 on vinyl and digital, Plutocracy Planet’s full-length debut, produced by singer-songwriter Mark Rose of Spitalfield, will feature:
Bob Nanna (Braid, Hey Mercedes, Lifted Bells) Jonah Matranga (Far, Gratitude, onelinedrawing) Matt Pryor (The Get-Up Kids, The New Amsterdams, Radar State) Mike Kinsella (American Football, Owen, Cap’n Jazz) Liam Wilson (The Dillinger Escape Plan, Azusa) Rody Walker (Protest the Hero) Carson Pace (The Callous Daoboys) Emily Jane White Mark Rose (Spitalfield) Swamburger (Solillaquists of Sound) Blueprint (Soul Position, Greenhouse) Jørgen Munkeby (Shining) Carla Kihlstedt (Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, Tin Hat Trio, Rabbit Rabbit Radio) Nils Frykdahl (Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, Faun Fables, Idiot Flesh) Aaron Spectre (Drumcorps) Bruce Lamont (Yakuza, Masonic Wave) Angela Mullenhour (Sybris, Touched by Ghoul, Pink Frost) Anton Patzner (Emily Jane White, Foxtails Brigade, Judgement Day) Jonathan Hischke (The Sound of Animals Fighting, Le Butcherettes, Hella, Anywhere) Jason Schimmel (Secret Chiefs 3, Estradasphere, Red Fiction) Adam Stacey (Igorrr, Secret Chiefs 3, Estradasphere) Jason Zdora (HeWhoCorrupts) Leyla I. Royale (Chicago Street Strings)
Plutocracy Planet Tracklisting:
Prologue
This Very Severity (f. Bob Nanna)
But You Said (f. onelinedrawing)
A Simple Refrain (f. Matt Pryor & Swamburger)
Commence Mutation (f. Carson Pace)
Slaughterhouse Soliloquy (f. Swamburger & Drumcorps)
War? (f. Rody Walker)
True Crime (f. Angela Mullenhour)
Hours and Hours (Work Harder, Not Smarter) (f. Mark Rose)
Dance of the Downtrodden (f. Carla Kihlstedt, Nils Frykdahl & Jørgen Munkeby)
Remain Silent (f. Emily Jane White, Blueprint & Bruce Lamont)
Epilogue
About Plutocracy Planet: Long an appreciator of stylistic diversity, Scott Morrow spent his years at Alarm Magazine championing fiercely creative and risk-taking independent artists of all stripes. When covid-19 shut down the planet, he found himself, like many others, wondering how to get the most out of “The Big Pause.” Rather than use his free time writing about other musicians, he opted to write music of his own—something he hadn’t done in over a decade. Between having many talented musician friends and connections from years of covering music, Morrow quickly amassed a small army of all-star contributors, patching together a network of like-minded experimentalists who resonated with the project’s theme.
But the shutdown wasn’t all productive for Morrow—far from it. In June of 2021, he was hit in the back by a stray bullet in his hometown of Chicago as he walked to meet a friend. Losing multiple organs during an emergency surgery, Morrow nearly died in the immediate aftermath as well as during the subsequent healing process due to an abscess of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The grueling eight-month recovery was yet another “big pause” in his life, but once he resumed life “as usual,” he was even more resolved to finish his project’s debut full-length album.
“The hell that I went through I wouldn’t wish on anyone,” Morrow says. “But I’m unbelievably lucky and grateful to be here today. I could not have had a better and more wonderful support system, and enduring something like that makes you realize how very loved and fortunate you are. Plus, I couldn’t just go dying after all of these gracious, wonderfully talented folks contributed to this unknown pipe-dream project.”
Northern Irish hard rock legends The Answer have announced the release of a brand new stomping rocker track titled ‘Put Your Money On Me’, out on 22nd March, ahead of a set of European dates and a very special one-off London show at London Dingwalls.
A fuzzed-up rocker with a filthy groove, ‘Put Your Money On Me’ is a standalone track not included on the band’s last album ‘Sundowners’, and continues to uphold the band’s unqiue sound, picking up from where ‘Sundowners’ and last non-album single ‘Wild Heart’ left off – soulful, ballsy blues rock underpinned by an outstanding vocal performance from lead vocalist, Cormac Neeson.
Neeson says of the new track, produced by Dan Weller (Enter Shikari, Bury Tomorrow); “This song is a dirty, groovy, feel-good slice of rock n’ soul straight from heart of The Answer. Can’t wait to play this one on the road across Europe this spring. Let’s do this.”
The April European dates will see The Answer perform in Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands, Poland, Czech Republic and France. A following set of shows in May will take them through Spain, before they return to the UK to play a very special one-off at Dingwalls in Camden on 20th June, their only UK domestic show scheduled so far this year.
The latest album ‘Sundowners’ was released in 2023 and achieved Top 40 National Album Chart positions in UK, Germany and Switzerland, including # 1 in the UK National Rock Album Chart. Produced by rising British producer Dan Weller, the album received rave reviews across the board.
“A serious challenger for album of the year” (Get Ready To Rock) *****
“Don’t accept imitations, The Answer are truly showing everybody how this s**t is done. The kind of album truly great bands make” (Blabbermouth) ****
“This album is the sound of a band with nothing to prove to themselves or anyone else. They slot so neatly alongside the blues-rock giants that came before them.” (Classic Rock Magazine UK) ****
Tour Dates: 4th April, Kavka, Antwerp, BE 5th April, Turock, Essen, DE 6th April, De Pul, Uden, NL 7th April, Knust, Hamburg, DE 9th April, 2Progi, Poznan, PL 10th April, Storm, Prague, CZ 11th April, Hirsch, Nurnberg, DE 12th April, Roxy, Ulm, DE 13th April, Colos-Saal, Aschaffenburg, DE 14th April, Betit Bain, Paris, FR 9th May, Razzmatazz 2, Barcelona, ES 10th May, Mon, Madrid, ES 11th May, Stage Live, Bilbao, ES
20th June, Dingwalls, London, support from These Wicked Rivers Get tickets HERE
Symphonic metal vikings LEAVES’ EYES, who are currently on tour with METALITE and CATALYST CRIME (find all remaining dates listed below!), have unleashed a breathtaking video clip in support of their much-acclaimed, new studio album “Myths Of Fate“, that is out today on AFM Records! Order your copy of the band’s new magnum opus now at https://leaveseyes.bfan.link/Myths-of-Fate.
With “Myths Of Fate”, the band set sails for new winds that definitely blow from the harsh shallows of the symphonic metal genre. The fantastic world of legends from Norse and Eastern European mythology is the setting for monumental entertainment: LEAVES’ EYES open up a world of magical places, spellbound weapons or supernatural creatures.
The band produced a total of five music videos with Mastersound Entertainment. Filmed on impressive locations in Iceland, Germany and Poland, they bring the myths captivatingly to the screen. Magic creatures, great battles and enchanting warrior queens come to live. Their latest, spectacular clip for the powerful anthem “Hammer of the Gods” is now premiering here:
LEAVES’ EYES have always played in a league of their own. The international group has toured all populated continents, playing concerts in more than 50 countries, frequently reach top positions in the album charts and with every output they deliver a multimedia masterpiece when it comes to video clips and artwork.
In their multifaceted discography, LEAVES’ EYES naturally integrate various genres such as folk metal, Viking metal or symphonic metal into their unique sound creations. Legendary releases like “Vinland Saga” (2005) or “Njord” (2009) made them pioneers in their own league, a position they successfully confirmed with chart-breakers like “King Of Kings” (2015) or “Sign Of The Dragonhead” (2018). Their compositions are complex, though, always well balanced between heaviness and melodic atmosphere. Each of their mind-broadening lyrical concepts based on mediaeval mythology are thoroughly researched, offering their audience journeys to the past times of Vikings, myths and sagas.
Their live shows are spectacular events with breathtaking stage scenery, including a Viking ship or even the “Swords In Rock” monument from Norway. LEAVES’ EYES have been setting world history to music and undeniably, by doing so, have raced to the top of the symphonic metal tree.
Now, Alexander Krull once again exceeded his own standards in the producer’s chair. For the fine and complex compositions you will find on “Myths Of Fate”, he created an extraordinary and crystal-clear sound sphere with an undeniable live feeling. The band sounds raw and feisty, but still leaves space for affective atmospheres. The US soundtrack-multi-talent Jonah Weingarten contributes the impressive orchestral score that was created hand in hand with the metal arrangements. Moreover, Lea-Sophie Fischer (Eluveitie) on the fiddle and Thomas Roth’s play of the mediaeval Nyckelharpa add on mystical sounds to “Myths Of Fate”.
LEAVES’ EYES have created an entire universe of their own imagination that showcases their talent as storytellers and music perfectionists. No doubt, the band will leave an everlasting footprint in their own genre with this album. “Myths Of Fate” provides a dynamic soundtrack for a vivid escape into a magical world of mythology! Four years after bringing “The Last Viking” to Valhalla with their previous opus, LEAVES’ EYES resurrect with “Myths Of Fate” to celebrate their 20th year of existence. With their ninth studio album, the band consolidates their leading position in the symphonic metal universe. Powerful, epic and impressive – LEAVES’ EYES once again merge traditional metal genres by fusing elements of folk, gothic, and classical music into a captivating sonic masterpiece!
LEAVES’ EYES TOUR DATES with special guests METALITE on selected dates + CATALYST CRIME:
23.03.2024 DE Osnabrück / Bastard Club 24.03.2024 DE Leipzig / Hellraiser 26.03.2024 DE Darmstadt / Centralstation 27.03.2024 DE München / Backstage 29.03.2024 ES Madrid / Moby Dick 30.03.2024 PT Porto / Hard Club 01.04.2024 ES Barcelona / La Nau 02.04.2024 IT Milano / Legend Club 03.04.2024 AT Vienna / Szene 04.04.2024 HU Budapest / Analog Music Club 05.04.2024 BG Sofia / Joy Station Club 06.04.2024 RO Bucharest / Fabrica 07.04.2024 RO Cluj Napoca / Form Space 08.04.2024 PL Krakau / Kamienna 12 09.04.2024 PL Warsaw / Hydrozagadka 10.04.2024 PL Gdansk / Drizzly Grizzly 11.04.2024 DE Hamburg / Headcrash 13.04.2024 DE Berlin / Orwohaus
LEAVES’ EYES is: Elina Siirala – Vocals Alexander Krull – Vocals Micki Richter – Guitar Luc Gebhardt – Guitar Joris Nijenhuis – Drums
Swedish garage rock trio Liar Thief Bandit is back! Since the release of their acclaimed 2022 mini-album “Diamonds,” the band has toured extensively and has shared stages with notable Swedish rock acts like Graveyard and The Hellacopters. In the summer of 2023, they performed on Sweden’s largest music festival, Sweden Rock Festival.
Now the band is set to release their fourth studio album, “ICON” later this spring on The Sign Records. Truly living up to its name, the album is a staple and instant classic on the rock scene, blending everything you would ever wish for in a melodic rock record.
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 ) 