Go Out… Go Mad, the new single from punk hardcore group The SCREAM, was written during the lockdown period due to COVID-19, when the band were confined to their homes, and the only reasons to go out were for work or groceries. It felt like being in a cage. No more fun nights out, no more hanging out with friends, no more live concerts and no more bars for an indefinite amount of time.
In Go Out… Go Mad, The SCREAM wanted to escape, at least in their thoughts, from that oppressive situation that seemed to be getting worse day by day, rather than improving. They wanted to express their desire to go out, party, stay out late at night, as we were used to doing before the entire world was put on hold indefinitely. They knew that all the measures were taken for the greater good, but the pandemic made things difficult from this perspective. Fortunately, it’s now just a bad memory. Now The SCREAM can do as the song’s title says: “Go OUT…Go MAD!”
American death metal purveyors SKELETAL REMAINS are now unveiling “Relentless Appetite,” the second explosive single from their upcoming new full-length, ‘Fragments of the Ageless,’ which is due via Century Media Records on March 8, 2024! The single is now available along with a pummeling and blood-soaked video, which was directed by Steven Grise of 197 Media, at THIS LOCATION.
“We feel it’s more brutal than the last one,” says Chris Monroy (guitars/vocals) about the new record. “We were pushing ourselves to be more extreme—vibing on that as much as possible.” Today doesn’t only mark official start of the preorder of the album, but also the release of ‘Relentless Appetite.'”
Pre-orders and additional album details for ‘Fragments of the Ageless’ are now live HERE.
The artwork for ‘Fragments of the Ageless’ was created by Dan Seagrave and can be found along with the tracklisting below!
Lyrically, SKELETAL REMAINS took the left-hand path. Rather than topics and themes inspiring the cover art, Dan Seagrave’s (Suffocation, Entombed, et al.) famously atramentous detail conversely informed the lyrics and album title. Monroy says they had working titles that they conveyed to Seagrave, but the final painting sparked the title, “Fragments of the Ageless”. Of course, the usual influx of sci-fi, historical, personal struggles, and fantastical also played a part.
“Seagrave completed the cover art before we had a title,” Monroy says. “That was kind of different, but it worked in our favor. The cover art directly inspired a few of the lyrics and musical themes, tying multiple pieces together, which is a first for us. We did show him different pieces of art—10 in all, I think—that we liked, so there was direction. We wanted a mixture of things, with the final idea being a creature being taken apart and its DNA extracted. Seagrave’s crazy brain made it all come to life.”
SKELETAL REMAINS recorded “Fragments of the Ageless” at various home and professional studios. Most of the guitars, bass, and solos were tracked DIY. The band wanted the drums to sound as imposing as possible, so they booked Trench Studios (Intronaut, Hirax) with John Haddad, while the vocals were cut at Birdcage Studios with Allen Falcon (Pestilent Death). Once the album’s core had been recorded, Monroy and the team sent their sick slab to Swedish studio ace Dan Swanö (Asphyx, Incantation) for mixing and mastering.
While SKELETAL REMAINS have had four full-lengths since forming in 2011, “Fragments of the Ageless” is the band in their highest grotesque gear yet.
Line-up: Chris Monroy – guitars/vocals Mike De La O – guitars Pierce Williams – drums Brian Rush – bass
TAURUS INFERNO‘s self-titled album “TAURUS INFERNO” was released yesterday, December 10th via Wanikiya Record, on all the best music stores worldwide, on label’s showcase in Japan and on Crashsound Distribution! A truly amazing album, where experience and desire to give it their all, by the band, pays off big time! An album that we recommend to all lovers of good old metal! So, maximum support to the band and listen to bombastic “Taurus Inferno”.
Taurus Inferno was born in 2016 from the collaboration of Camillo Venturi on guitar and vocals along with Stefano “Zven” Doretti on drums.
Later, Antonio Ghisu was added on bass, closing the lineup into a classic trio in “old school heavy metal” style.
Indeed, this is the style that the Tuscan trio tries to pursue. Pieces that hark back to classic English and European heavy bands of the 1980s such as Black Sabbath, Venom, Mercyful Fate, just to name three.
Even the way of playing and recording the pieces have well-defined lines that avoid the use of modern instrumentation and current sounds, preferring live recordings and minimal use of effects for both guitar and bass. Lots of amplifier “gain” and a hint of chorus when needed, everything else is superfluous to ensure a direct and deliberately “dirty” sound to refer precisely to sounds of yesteryear.
English lyrics and rather obscure riffs create an atmosphere that at times harks back to early Celtic Frost, at other times to early Venom, always, however, with a fairly defined melodic line because in any case the songs must always be “catchy” .
The production of the first album containing eight tracks was rather quick, taking into account that the songs were all written and recorded in 2021, in fact although the lineup has been around since 2016, the three had suffered a four-year setback due to extra music commitments.
The debut album “Taurus Inferno” was recorded at the Orange Studio of Stefano Doretti in the province of Pistoia, the band’s drummer and sound engineer.
Dundee Metal artists, Catalysis have revealed their latest single, ‘Kingmaker’, taken from their forthcoming new studio album ‘Betrayer’, which is set for release on December 15th.
The new album ‘Betrayer’ features ten blistering tracks, two previously released singles ‘Gallows’, ’Gone‘ and ‘Mea Culpa’ and now, the final single before the official release day, ‘Kingmaker‘, is upon us.
Speaking of the new single, the band says; ‘Kingmaker’ is the opening track to our sophomore album, Betrayer and the 4th and final single to be released from the record. As soon as the track was written, we knew it would become the opener for the next release – the track embodies everything we love about metal drawing huge influence from the worlds of thrash and melodic death metal, the song showcases pure aggression and speed, paired with huge, infectious melodies. This is Catalysis at our most visceral, ‘Kingmaker’ is sure to be a live favourite.”
With a busy year ahead, the Dundee five-piece are booked for a number of live shows in the UK, including their debut in Ireland.
Confrimed dates are as follows: 5/12/23 – Edinburgh Legends 16/12/23 – Dundee Metal Fest Winter Edition 12/01/24 – Glasgow, Ivory Blacks 10/02/24 – Dunfermline, PJ Molloys 23/02/24 – Aberdeen, Krakatoa 02/03/24 – Glasgow, Ivory Blacks 29/03/24 – Ireland – Dublin Fibbers 30/03/24 – Ireland – Belfast Voodoo 31/03/24 – Ireland TBA 27/04/24 – Glasgow, The Flying Duck – Long Arm Fest 04/05/24 – Bolton, Alma Inn. Support for Damnations Hammer. 17/08/24 – Gateshead – Get Heavy Festival 31/08/24 – Swindon – Deprivation Festival
Catalysis are: Col MacGregor – Vocals Drew Cochrane – Lead Guitar / Vocals Sean Ramson. Rhythm Guitar / Vocals Paul Edwards – Bass Calum Rennie – Drums
Pioneers of Norwegian progressive extreme metal, IN VAIN, are poised to captivate fans once again with the release of their upcoming album, “Solemn”. Offering an exciting preview of the musical odyssey that lies ahead, the band presents the first single, “Season of Unrest”.
Songwriter Johnar shares his insights on the upcoming single: ” A tune that’s got it all – a harmonic and groovy verse blending seamlessly with a catchy, sing-along-worthy chorus. ” Meanwhile, bassist Alexander adds: “This song is packed with emotion and meaning. It’s got a progressive edge, yet its catchy components make it effortlessly singable. The vocals truly steal the show.”
Lead vocalist Sindre delves into the personal resonance of the single, stating: “With all the songs we ́ve done through the years, this is the one that holds the most meaning to me. It contains extremely personal lyrics wriAen at a low point of my life. The lyrics combined with fantasDc riffs and top Der songwriDng makes this piece really special.”
Known for their unique, innovative, and catchy compositions that merge elements from various genres, the band continues to uphold their commitment to solid songwriting with cleverness and an original edge. The album is perfected by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios, and promises a sonic experience that is both powerful and nuanced.
In Vain is: Johnar Håland – Guitar Kjetil D. Pedersen – Guitar Sindre Nedland – Vocals Andreas Frigstad – Vocals Alexander Bøe – Bass Tobias Øymo Solbakk – Drums
About In Vain: Hailing from Kristiansand, Norway, In Vain has been a pioneering force in Norwegian progressive extreme metal since 2003. Founded by guitarist Johnar Haaland and vocalist Andreas Frigstad, the band’s melodic extreme metal sound, set them apart early on.
In 2007, In Vain released their first full-length album, “The Laaer Rain”, a collaborative effort with nearly 20 guest musicians, showcasing their prowess in diverse, progressive arrangements. Subsequent albums like “Mantra” (2010) and “Ænigma” (2013) continued to push musical boundaries.
“Currents”, a double-edition masterpiece exploring contemporary societal shihs was then released in 2018. Declared “Album of the Year” and garnered perfect scores from various publications worldwide, including 10/10 ratings from Metal Temple (UK), Metal Only (GER), and Heavy-Metal.de (GER) to name a few.
With a rich history of live performances, including European tours with Solefald, Borknagar, Vreid and Keep of Kalessin. In Vain remains a powerhouse in extreme metal, captivating audiences with their dynamic compositions, and their reputation as a force in progressive extreme metal is firmly established. The band’s ability to seamlessly blend progressive drive, playfulness, touching vocals, and metallic hardness sets them apart, as aaested by reviews such as “In Vain proves once again that they are masters of their art…” – Cultur Addict (FR)
In Vain stands as a testament to the enduring innovation within progressive metal, shaping the future of the genre. Their upcoming album “Solemn” is set to release in 2024.
The Seventh Seal is the first single from CLEARxCUT’s Lifeforce Records debut and now available on all digital platforms.New album coming in April 2024.
See CLEARxCUT live on the following tour dates
13.12. DE LEIPZIG, MANFRED 14.12. DE MUNICH, HOUSE SHOW 15.12. DE DORTMUND, REKORDER 16.12. CZ PRAGUE, ETERNIA 17.12. CZ BRNO, KABINET MÚZ 18.12. DE BERLIN, CAFE KÖPENICK
CLEARxCUT is out there to spread the message of total liberation. (Former) Members of HEAVEN SHALL BURN, IMPLORE, and KING APATHY/THRÄNENKIND started this collective, because they are dedicated to the vegan straight edge (XVX) and want to confront listeners with inconvenient thruths and todays harsh reality. The German band addresses their songs and convictions to all people who are prepared to stand up for a better, fairer future – but especially to all anarchists, anti-fascists, feminists, primitivists and indigenous peoples of the world. Or to put it brief: to all defenders of our earth. The stylistic choice of means falls on metallic hardcore, which is rooted in a strong DIY ethic.
Having released their first two albums “For The Wild At Heart Kept In Cages” (2019) and “Songs of Desire Armed” (2022) for Catalyst X Records (Gather, Nueva Ethica, Abnegation, Birthright, Maroon, Point Of No Return, Forward To Eden), the yet untitled new album now marks CLEARxCUTs debut for LIFEFORCE RECORDS. Started in the mid-1990ies as label with mainly vegan and straight edge bands, the German Label has an impressive history with XVX bands such as ARKANGEL, DAY OF SUFFERING, RANCOR, UNCONQUERED, UNBORN, FAULT, or DEADLOCK. Being a collective that is outspoken in its message and keeps the vegan straight edge banner high, CLEARxCUT continue this tradition.
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 ) 