British WEAK13 have released a provocative stance towards the acronym ‘BBC’ with their latest single On The BBC. WEAK13 frontman and guitarist revealed “This is a song for every musician, band or songwriter out there that feels deliberately ignored by modern mainstream media”.
When asked “What does On the BBC stand for?” the WEAK13 singer and guitarist Nick J Townsend added “It could arguably be ‘Bureaucratic Boundary Controllers’, ‘Big Black Chicken’ or perhaps ‘Bigot Box Calculator’ but lyrics are subjective so it can mean anything that the listener prefers, we’re diverse writers. There is a broadcasting company in Britain that shares the same initials but that’s likely mere coincidence”.
The song heavily strays away from the signature brand of metal punk rock normally produced by WEAK13 yet still bashes the listener over the head with, what could be described as, pure sarcastic commercialism. It’s potentially the most radio-friendly song ever recorded by the band; there’s even a short tap dancing solo by guest musician Laura Stanyer from the band Naked Sunday.
On The BBC features a wide range of channeled musical inspirations according to WEAK13 who acknowledge Kenny Everett, Morecambe & Wise, Les Dawson, Norman wisdom, The Humdrum Express, Pixies, Korn, Elvis, William Shatner and Frank Sinatra as major influences.
WEAK13 are: Nick J Townsend – Vocals/Guitars | Wesley Smith – Bass | Neel Parmar – Drums
Earlier this year, THE ABBEY marked their presence in the musical realm with the release of their debut album ‘Word of Sin’ on Season of Mist.
Today, the progressive doom metal band are unveiling a visually enthralling and intricately bound video from the album’s climactic closing track, “Old Ones”. This 12-minute atmospheric epic takes the listener on a mesmerizing journey through a sonic landscape filled with unexpected twists and turns, reflecting on the band’s penchant for crafting immersive musical narratives.
Directed by the creative prowess of Jesse Heikkinen and brought to life through the innovative use of kaiber.ai, the visualizer for “Old Ones” serves as a compelling visual companion to the band’s musical odyssey. It adds a layer of depth and complexity, further enchanting the experience of this expansive album closer.
The Abbey are joining Sólstafir on their ongoing tour across the European hinterlands. The label mates will play 12 shows together starting this Sunday. Don’t miss this chance to witness the majesty of ‘Word of Sin’ brought to life on stage.
Tour Dates 19 November: Hamburg, DE @ Uebel & Gefährlich [TICKETS] 21 November: Aarkhus, DK @ Train [TICKETS] 22 November: Stavanger, NO @ Folken [TICKETS] 23 November: Bergen, NO @ Hulen [TICKETS] 24 November: Oslo, NO @ John Dee [TICKETS] 25 November: Gothenburg, SE @ Brewhouse [TICKETS] 26 November: Stockholm, SE @ Debaser Strand [TICKETS] 28 November: Jyväskylä, FI @ Lutakko [TICKETS] 29 November: Tampere, FI @ Tavara-asema [TICKETS] 30 November: Helsinki, FI @ Tavastia [TICKETS] 1 December: Riga, LV @ Melna Piektdiena [TICKETS] 2 December: Vilnius, LT @ Loftas [TICKETS]
Aleister Crowley’s Abbey of Thelema was located in Sicily, Italy, and functioned as ground zero for many of the occultist’s most complex and groundbreaking hedonistic pursuits. Here, Crowley codified his ritual practices and took his concept of “Magick” to new, unforeseen levels. He rebranded the temple as “Collegium ad Spiritum Sanctum,” translating to “A college towards the Holy Spirit.” But the Abbey of Thelema was not without its controversy: A young disciple died in 1922 after contracting typhoid fever from the drinking water. And a year later, Crowley was evicted by Italian dictator Benito Mussolini’s regime, yet the mystery and intrigue behind the Abbey of Thelema remain.
It was only appropriate, then, that Jesse Heikkinen, a veteran of the Finnish music scene and a solo artist under the Iterum Nata banner, branded his newest musical pursuit as The Abbey. Drawing lyrical inspiration from esoteric organizations, their beliefs and his own practices, Heikkinen and co-lead vocalist Natalie Koskinen (Shape of Despair) weaved ritualistic tales from the darkest corners of themselves to pair with music that is a provocative, alluring kaleidoscope of dark, heavy rock. The result is the mystical Word of Sin, The Abbey’s nine-song debut long-player.
The Abbey tale began when Heikkinen generated the sudden urge to try his hand at singing in a doom metal band after laying down guest vocals for fellow countrymen Fuzzifer. His idea was to form a doom metal band with “big vocals” — a project for fun’s sake that would thrive off writing from the heart and improvisation. Those plans involved former Sentenced and The Man-Eating Tree drummer Vesa Ranta — the first name that came to Heikkinen’s mind for the project.
Ranta, now a professional photographer and filmmaker, provided the steady backbone behind Sentenced’s groundbreaking career that was brought to its conclusion in 2005. According to Heikkinen, Ranta plays “like a battalion of marching giants,” a not-so-subtle nod to the drummer’s mastery of the quarter-note. Ranta quickly took to Heikkinen’s early demos and suggested they add a female singer. Enter Koskinen. Koskinen knew Ranta from a video shoot where she was serving as a makeup artist. Reluctant to try a new band considering her Shape of Despair and career obligations, Koskinen listened to Heikkinen’s first demo and decided to give the project a go. Janne Markus (guitar, also of The Man-Eating Tree) and Henri Arvola (bass) were soon tapped to complete the band’s lineup.
Word of Sin was recorded between April and November 2021 in several locations across Finland. Drums, bass and Markus’s guitars were tracked at Kratio Studio in Oulu by Kyösti Rautio. Rautio also served as co-producer and mixed the album, becoming the unofficial sixth member of The Abbey. Heikkinen, who recorded most of his vocals and guitars in his stepdaughter’s room, surrounded by My Little Ponies, Disney figurines and a pile of esoteric literature, is careful to point out that The Abbey fails to drop into any neat, little subgenre.
“The album was made purely for self-expressive reasons,” he says. “My music is the channel where I can be as true and authentic as possible. It is also a somewhat safe way to explore and express the dark side of myself and the collective consciousness. Word of Sin may seem like a tremendously dark piece as a rock album, but it’s pretty lightweight for a doom metal album! The material proved so strong that it was obvious that it wasn’t going to be another side project. I think using the means of improvisation made the music sound more like its creator instead of it being forced to be this or that — and that seemed to work really well for us!”
Regardless of where Word of Sin falls between the vast channels of doom and heavy rock, the vocal interplay between Heikkinen and Koskinen is undeniable. Each has songs where they take the lead, but their harmonies and trade-offs carry songs like “Rat King” and “Desert Temple” to the fore, creating a restless, captivating atmosphere resembling vintage rock from the 1970s. And, for his first go at singing lead in a band, Heikkinen proves to be quite the capable vocalist, carrying a smooth, almost airy delivery on “Crystallion” and “Widow’s Will.”
“I didn’t think of it that much — my vocals all came naturally,” he says. “I still think I’m more of a guitarist than a vocalist, really. During the writing and recording, I listened to King Crimson’s Red quite a lot, so I’m sure I got some influences from John Wetton’s singing on that album. The vocal harmonies were heavily inspired by bands like E.L.O, Queen and Yes.”
Heikkinen and Koskinen didn’t know each other before the formation of The Abbey. Heikkinen met Koskinen for the first time when she tracked vocals at his home studio, but their partnership generated immediate results. “Nowadays, I usually record my vocals at home, but in this case, as I had yet to meet Jesse in person, I wanted to record my parts at his place,” says Koskinen. “It’s very important to see what kind of energy is between the musicians I’m going to work with in the long run. It turns out that we are a perfect match musically. Later on, I traveled to Oulu to meet the rest of the guys [Janne and Henri] and I must say that we had a very strong bond from the beginning. Sometimes things just happen even when you don’t plan them.”
“The right lines for each were found really easily,” adds Heikkinen. “There already were dozens of vocal tracks in some of my demos, but every time Natalie found her place in the song, she added something new into it.”
The creative process behind Word of Sin proved so fruitful that the members of The Abbey are already thinking about a follow-up. It’s a testament to the material’s inherent strength and the immediate bond between all five musicians.
“The Abbey will most definitely be an active and serious project for me – I do hope it will turn out fun as well,” wraps Heikkinen. And closes Koskinen: “I do have a feeling this band will make a long trip together.”
Lineup Henri Arvola – Bass Jesse Heikkinen – Guitar, keyboard, percussions, vocals Natalie Koskinen – Vocals Janne Markus – Guitar Vesa Ranta – Drums
Following the recent announcement of the debut album “Infernotes”, today Italy’s extreme metal entity TWEEDLEDEAD drops the third single from the record in the shape of “Kingdom Collapse”. Stream it HERE.
Intertwining elements from a vast swath of extreme music genres, from death metal, grindcore to black metal, and everything in between, the project masterfully crafts an eclectic sound that breaks down many generic barriers or borders.
TWEEDLEDEAD‘s debut album, “Infernotes”, will be released on November 22nd 2023 via Lethal Scissor Records.
With a musical background dating back to the 90’s and with musical experiences in both death and black metal bands (Sepolcral, Misos), TWEEDLEDEAD is a very conceptual project and which exists within its own universe. TWEEDLEADED expresses himself in a multi-faceted manner, but above all close to his lyrical and conceptual ideas. It is a story, a vision with an analytical eye towards the current social drift and the decline of modern civilisation, which has roots in ancient times. The dynamic sound, a striking as well as glowing amalgam of everything extreme, is explored in very contrasting and distinct ways. The music is both a study of the intricacies of extreme metal as well as an exploration in how far certain typical elements can be stretched and pushed in new directions.
For fans of: Misery Index, Lock Up, Cattle Decapitation, Dyscarnate
On Halloween, WRATH OF LOGARIUS gave metalheads a taste of Formless Black Metal. Today, the skeletal Northern California trio are releasing the second single off their upcoming EP. And while just as fiery as the first, “Soul Ascension” starts out as more of a slow burn before bursting into flames.
‘Necrotic Assimilation” will be available as a digital download starting December 8.
Wrath of Logarius writhe between different gradients of metal, from black and brutal to melodic post-metal. “Soul Ascension” shudders awake with an eerie guitar melody that drips like candles around a coffin. But the pace quickens under the clip of Lord Marco’s hi-hat as Noctifier prepares to meet his maker. “Surrounded by darkness, for you are death” he screams, engulfed by blast beats that rage with all the horrifying speed of a forest fire.
“For us, Soul Ascension is cold, dark and vicious”, says Wrath of Logarius. “It’s more or less about becoming aware of the complete annihilation transpiring around you. Realizing you cannot avoid the inevitable as you are slowly consumed by the bestial darkness. Ultimately, we want the listener to come up with their own interpretation. It will have a different meaning to each listener, and thats what we want”
Cover art: Sant V. Schreiber – Logo: Tri Waluya
Tracklist 1. At the Nighted Throne (1:47) 2. Swarm (3:37) 3. The Burning One (4:04) [WATCH] 4. I, The Void Dweller (1:19) 5. Soul Ascension (4:13) [LISTEN] 6. Beyond the Last Gate (4:26) Total runtime: 19:44
Formed in 2021 amidst the mist-shrouded forests of Northern California, Wrath of Logarius emerged as a formidable force in the world of extreme music. This black metal trio, consisting of Noctifer, Urath, and Vastator, set out to forge a new path with their unique genre known as Formless Black Metal.
Wrath of Logarius’ creative spark ignited as they embarked on their journey to create something different in black metal. Drawing inspiration from brutal blackened death and melodic post-black metal, the skeletal trio emerged with a new subgenre. ‘Necrotic Assimilation’ introduces pure Formless Black Metal, where the styles change within each song.
Recording lineup Noctifer (Vocals) Urath (Lead Guitars) Vastator (Guitars) Lord Marco (Drums) Andrew Hernandez (Bass)
Special guests Kakophonix plays cello on “At the nighted throne”
Necroeucharist Productions is a Swiss underground label which released among others Anaal Nathrakh, Inferno, K.F.R, Avsky, Aeon Winds on tape & vinyl format.
Ten years since its release in 2013, Czech bIack metal band INFERNO comes with their transcendent album “Omniabsence Filled by His Greatness” on 12″ picture vinyl with gatefold sleeve. This release is strictly limited to 300 copies and there won’t be any repress!
By unifying elements that make black metal special, Inferno set out on a tumultuous journey towards their own massive sounding. The band took a leap forward over their previous release, “Black Devotion”. Dissonant passages go now hand in hand with a delicate use of psychedelia, the compositions became more demanding. While straightforward black metal and melodic riffs are still present, “Omniabsence Filled By His Greatness” gained in terms of quality, atmosphere and song-writing.
The Czech Grammy Awards have nominated the abum in the best hard & heavy music category in 2014.
Side A 1. Pervasion… 2. The Firstborn from Murk 3. The Funeral of Existence Side B 4. Revelations Through the Void 5. The Vertical Fissure of the Most Distant End 6. Metastasis of Realistic Visions
Italian bass master and composer ALBERTO RIGONI (solo, BAD AS, NATURAL BORN MACHINE, Bassists Alliance Project, Vivaldi Metal Project etc.) has announced his new project coming up + new solo albums of lullabies, Part 1 – sweet Part 2 – Metal!
Alberto shared: “Hello headbangers and pop lovers! I have a couple of news… firstly, a New Project, I tell only only the name of first song… META FUNK!. Secondly, anew solo album…. of lullabyes … Part 1 – sweet Part 2 – Metal, which will be a mix of cover and original songs. I will play only one bass, belonged to one of my favorite bass player, Randy Coven (ARK, Steve Vai), I’ve been so lucky to find it, which I’ve been searching for years!!! It was used for recording Burn the Sun, the top album ever!!!!!! That’s all for now! More coming soon or probably later! Ciao! Al”
Stay tuned for more details TBA!
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Earlier this year ALBERTO RIGONI released his first stand-alone single, entitled ‘Lonely World’ feat. the legendary Jeff Scott Soto (ex Official Yngwie Malmsteenen, Sons Of Apollo, Journey and tons of others)!
Alberto Rigoni (soloist, BAD AS, Natural Born Machine, Bassists Alliance Project, Vivaldi Metal Project, The Italians, Kim Bingham)
Born in 1981, Alberto Rigoni is an Italian bass player, composer and producer, internationally known for his career as a solo artist and as a member of the metal band BAD As, The Italians, Natural Born Machines Lady & THE BASS, co-producer of the Vivaldi Metal Project and member of progressive rock band TwinSpirits (no more active).
Between 2008 and 2022 Alberto has released worldwide 11 solo album (Something Different, Rebirth, Three Wise Monkeys, Overloaded, BASSORAMA, Duality, EvoRevolution, Prog Injection, Odd Times, For the Love of Bass, Songs for Souls, Grains of Sands ), spanning from progressive rock metal to fusion. His albums also featured legendary musicians such as Jeff Scott Soto (Journey, Sons of Apollo, etc.), Jordan Rudess (Dream Theater) Kevin Moore (ex Dream Theater), Gavin Harrison (Porcupine Tree, King Crimson), Marco Minnemann (the Aristocrats), Göran Edman (ex Yngwie Malmsteen), Michael Manring, Nathan East, Leland Sklar and many others.
Alberto has been featured on the cover of magazine such as Bass Magazine (Japan), Bass Musician Magazine (USA), Bajos Y Bajistas (Spain), Basistas (Poland), TOP BASS (Poland). Moreover, on March 2015 the prestigious Bass Guitar Magazine (UK) released Alberto’s CD anthology called “Into THE BASS”.
In 2016 founded a new metal band called BADASS (now called BAD As) with which released three albums (More Pain More Gain, Midnight Curse and Crucified Society, fourth album to be released in fall 2023 (TBA). In 2019 founded a new AOR band called “Natural Born Machine” featuring famous Pink Cream 69 singer David Readman. Their debut album “Human” has been released on February 19th 2021 by Pride and Joy Music.
Alberto has also recorded for several international artists such as Italian pop singer Alexia and producers such as Hiro Furuya (Elton John, Eric Clapton, etc.) and he is also playing bass for Canadian rock singer and songwriter Kim Bingham (ex-Nelly Furtado) and The Italians.
Alberto played live with his bands or as soloist in Europe sharing stages with artists such as Alan Parson, Suzanne Vega, Jørn Lande, Paul Gilbert, Vinnie Moore and others.
Discography 2022 – Alberto Rigoni & Michael Manring – Grains of Sand 2022 – Alberto Rigoni – Songs for Souls (AR Productions) 2021 – Alberto Rigoni – Metal Addicted (AR Production) 2021 – Alberto Rigoni – For The Love of Bass (AR Productions) 2021 – Natural Born Machine, featuring singer David Readman of Pink Cream ’69 (Pride and Joy Music) 2020 – Alberto Rigoni – Odd times feat. Marco Minnemann and Alexandra Zerner (Marquee/Belle Antique/Sliptrick Records) 2020 – BAD As – “Crucified Society” (SlipTrick Records) 2019 – Alberto Rigoni – Prog Injection feat. Thomas Lang (Total Metal) 2018 – BAD As – Midnight Curse (RockShot Records) 2018 – Alberto Rigoni – EvoRevolution feat. Marco Minnemann (Total Metal) 2017 – Bassists Alliance Project – Crush (Self Produced) 2017 – Alberto Rigoni – Duality (Self produced) 2016 – BADASS (now BAD As) – More Pain, More Gain (Lion Music / Cargo Records UK) 2016 – Vivaldi Metal Project (Pride & Joy Music / King Records Japan) 2016 – The Italians – Live at Teatro delle Voci] (Self produced) 2016 – Alberto Rigoni – BASSORAMA (Pride & Joy Music / Edel Music / Come Back Media) 2015 – Alberto Rigoni – Into THE BASS (Bass Guitar Magazine) 2014 – Alberto Rigoni – Overloaded (Any and All Records / PowerProg) 2014 – John Jeff Touch (special guest) – Warnings (Web Art Records) 2013 – Alexia (special guest) – iCanzonissime (Universal Music) 2012 – Alberto Rigoni – Three Wise Monkeys (Any and All Records / PowerProg) 2012 – Lady & THE BASS – Groovy (AR Music Production) 2011 – the BASStards – Obsession (single) (Black Cavia Record) 2011 – Alberto Rigoni – Rebirth – (Nightmare Records/Sony/RED) 2011 – TwinSpirits – Legacy (Lion Music) 2010 – Gianni Rojatti (special guest) – Dolcetti Metal Beat (Heart of Steel Records) 2010 – Mistheria – Dragon Fire (Lion Music) 2010 – Lady & the BASS – Quirky Girl single (Emmeciesse Music Publishing) 2009 – Tommy Ermolli (special guest )- A Step Ahead (Lion Music) 2009 – The Forbidden City (Lion Music) 2008 – Alberto Rigoni – Something Different (Lion Music) 2007 – TwinSpirits – The Music That Will Heal The world (Lion Music)
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 ) 