HUMANKIND have premiered a video for their third single ‘Shadows’. The track is taken from the band’s upcoming album “An End, Once and for All” that will be released on November 24, 2023 as Digipack CD, Transparent Orange vinyl limited to 300 copies worldwide and digital streaming/download format.
HumanKind comment on the song: “Shadows deals with faith. It’s about hope; about something or someone that always watches over you. Someone who knows how hard life can be and how much pain you have to endure, being human. A shadow that will always follow you and that will always be there for you when you need someone to lean on. We are not alone in our struggles! Darkness and light; only together they form the conjunction that is life.”
“Lead the way, lead the way; I’ll be the shadow that will forever stay…”
“Born this way, fallen from grace…”
“I will be the warm wind that will make you break away; the ray of hope that turns the night into another day…”
HumanKind: Samuel Scholz – Vocals Maria Kimberly Huehn – Guitars Tobias Künzl – Guitars Dominik Stotzem – Bass Marco Seelig – Drums
US dystopian black metal band ABHORIA has today announced their sophomore album, Depths, set for release via Prosthetic Records on January 19. Alongside Depths‘ announcement the band has shared the lead single and accompanying music video, The Well, directed by Kyle Lamar. ABHORIA‘s return marks the group’s first release with a newly expanded four-piece line-up, as well as the inclusion of Ben Pitts (In the Company of Serpents) on vocals.
Speaking on the album announcement, Trevor Portz (guitar) comments: “Depths leans fully into the dystopian themes loosely explored on the first album. This album explores different extreme scenarios in which the inhabitants of the dystopian world are trying to survive. In each case, the true depths of human suffering are full display, hence the album title. It’s a look at how humans find a way to carry on despite being thrust into the most adverse circumstances… though, how much they retain their humanity is definitely not consistent. As Brutal Truth taught us, extreme conditions demand extreme responses.”
Of The Well‘s music video Portz adds: “We were extremely fortunate to work with Kyle Lamar/Digital Myle on a concept video for “The Well.” Having seen his epic work with countless bands, I knew he’d capture the images I had in my head. I gave Kyle a rundown of the story, and could just see the wheels spinning as he was sorting out the visuals. It was so cool to see the story I imagined when writing the song come to life.
“We shot it in the mountains outside Denver in December. It was about 20 degrees, and snowed intermittently. I’m thankful we weren’t actually playing live, because I lost feeling in my fingers about 10 minutes in. Maybe not the ideal weather for an all-day shoot, but it sure provided the perfect setting for the song.
“Besides the crew, the true heroes of the day were our actors. Their level of commitment was insane. Not only did they tough it out in the cold all day, but they climbed, ran, fell and truly embodied the agony of the characters they portrayed. At one point toward the end of the video, when they find the water source, I expected them to mime everything. But no—they full on broke the ice and scooped up handfuls of brutally cold water. Talk about getting into the role… infinite hails to the cast!”
While the groundwork for the lyrical content on Depths was laid in the dystopian-inspired songs of its predecessor, founder Trevor Portz’s vision is more fully realized on their second full-length. Whilst not quite a concept album, there is a thread that runs between each track; each unveils a different extreme scenario or revelatory terror for the surviving inhabitants in a hellish world. The nightmarish anthology details different Orwellian scenarios where the human condition is laid bare with all its ugly possibilities offered up for examination. How do they react when confronted with nearly inconceivable adverse events? How do extreme conditions shape their view of the world and of themselves?
The band was inspired by many real life locations and situations, allowing their imaginations to embellish further fictional details to bring their bleak visions to life. The ominous, fantastical realm where ABHORIA’s storytelling exists is brought to life further still by the magnificent cover art by iconic artist, Dan Seagrave.
Standout track, The Well, tells the tale of a group of refugees escaping a compromised city in the aftermath of a war. Exhausted, dehydrated and losing hope, they come across a natural water source. Relieved, their thirst is slaked… but the relief is temporary, as they soon discover the water is tainted. Only one among their number doesn’t drink from the poisoned “well,” thus forced to watch helplessly as their friends perish agonizingly. The story was inspired by Montezuma Well in Arizona, where there is a high level of arsenic in the water, rendering it a tantalizingly dangerous prospect for many generations of people.
A reinvigorated line up has instilled a newfound confidence in the core members of ABHORIA. The result is an album rooted in the aggressive black metal core of its predecessor, but with new flourishes that push the boundaries of the band. Whilst recording took place in various locations, the resulting nine tracks are a cohesive, dynamic collection masterfully mixed by Zack Ohren. A fine balance of melody and intensity makes the album a compelling listen; for fans who were taken with the desolate black metal of their debut, there’s even more to embrace on Depths.
Depths tracklist: 1. Emergence 2. The Inexorable Earth 3. The Well 4. Within Our Dominion 5. They Hunt at Night 6. Devour 7. The Foundling 8. Ghost in the Smoke 9. Winter’s Embrace
ABHORIA is: Trevor Portz – Guitar Ben Pitts – Vocals Theo Romeo – Guitar Igor Panasewicz – Bass JS – Drums
While we released a limited Record Store Day pressing of SHADOWS FALL’s popular ‘The War Within’ last April, demand continues and many fans were left struggling to find a copy. Next year, January 12th to be exact, we’re pleased to present a 20th Anniversary limited variant vinyl version (this time on red/grey swirl) that will be available to all retailers as well as through Bandcamp and our label site’s webstore where pre-orders are going on now (www.m-theoryaudio.com/store). You won’t want to miss this second opportunity to pick up a copy of the classic and well-regarded album, especially as it’s limited to just 500 copies with no plans for a future represses.
The reissue came out really nice featuring expanded packaging, designed by original A+R guy Tom Bejgrowicz (Misfits, Beastie Boys, Bad Brains), including an 8-page LP sized insert featuring liner notes, extra photos and interviews with every band member.
“Still blows my mind that we are celebrating two decades since the release of ‘The War Within.’ This record changed everything for us as a band and to me was a major step towards creating the music we had always wanted to hear. It showcases everything we do well as a band and balances all of the influences we had at the time,” states singer Brian Fair. “As an obsessive collector of vinyl myself, I am very excited about a new color variant of the vinyl reissue! This will be dropping January 12th, 2024 so pre-order now or plan on grabbing one at your favorite local record store. There is nothing more metal than literally carving the music into the surface of an object with a blade so grab a copy of ‘The War Within’ on vinyl and crank it as metal was meant to be listened to!”
To celebrate the anniversary SHADOWS FALL have a special headliner anniversary March 16th at The Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, NJ. Additionally, the band have already been announced for next year’s Welcome to Rockville festival in Daytona Beach, FL performing May 12th a day which also includes performances by Slipknot, Evanescence, Black Veil Brides, Sum 41, Atreyu, Fear Factory and more.
SHADOWS FALL are the famed originators of the New Wave of American Heavy Metal alongside Lamb of God and Killswitch Engage. Upon its original release ‘The War Within’ entered the Billboard charts at #20 and has sold well over 400,000 units. The band were nominated for a Grammy for Best Metal Performance and featured on Guitar Hero 2. Four music videos were released from the album, including “Enlighted by the Cold,” “What Drives the Weak,” “The Power of I and I,” and “Inspiration on Demand.” Touring for the album included OzzFest, tours with Slipknot and Lamb Of God and headliners with support from DamagePlan, The Haunted, Candiria, All That Remains, and As I Lay Dying.
Praised by Metal Hammer for “mixing metalcore sensibilities with classic metal motifs,” SHADOWS FALL was founded 25 years ago by guitarists Jon Donais (currently the lead guitarist of thrash legends Anthrax) and Matt Bachand (Act of Defiance, Living Wreckage). Soon after the group released their debut album – which featured future All That Remains vocalist Phil Labonte – in 1997, Brian Fair (ex-Overcast) was recruited to be the group’s new front man. After a year’s worth of live shows together, the band entered Massachusetts’ Planet Z Studios with producer Zeuss (Hatebreed, Madball) to record what would become a seminal album in the burgeoning New Wave of American Heavy Metal movement.
Influenced in equal parts by classic Bay Area thrash, Scandinavian melodic death and New England hardcore, ‘Of One Blood’ ushered in a new era for metal that emphasized heaviness, hooks and taut musicianship. AllMusic.com applauded the record for its “unique blend of thrash backbone, progressive metal precision and classic metal influences.” To support the album, the group toured extensively alongside the likes of Hatebreed, In Flames, Converge, Lamb of God and Unearth, in addition to sharing festival stages with Pantera and Slayer.
‘Of One Blood’ set the stage for the band to achieve additional success on their subsequent release, 2002’s ‘The Art of Balance,’ which saw the group join Ozzy Osbourne’s Ozzfest tour en route to selling more than 250,000 copies. From there, the band cracked the Billboard Top 20 with 2004’s ‘The War Within’ – which sold more than 400,000 copies and earned the band its first Grammy nomination – before signing with Atlantic Records for the release of 2007’s ‘Threads of Life,’ which saw the band receive a second Grammy nomination. Two more acclaimed albums followed before Donais was invited to join Anthrax in 2013, a move which would eventually cause SHADOWS FALL to go on indefinite hiatus.
Until a 20th Anniversary reissue of ‘Of One Blood’ brought back memories and offers presented themself to the group, who have since held special performances at Furnace Fest, Blue Ridge Rock Festival, New England Metal and Hardcore Festival, Milwaukee Metal Fest, and the inaugural Headbangers Boat cruise.
Dynamic alt-metallers EMIL BULLS have announced the release of their much-anticipated new album, Love Will Fix It, on 12th January 2024 via Arising Empire.
This album marks a bold step forward in their musical journey, blending their established sound with innovative elements that promise to captivate both long-time followers and new listeners. Their commitment to evolving their music keeps their style fresh and engaging, ensuring a strong connection with their audience.
The band’s vibrant energy and trailblazing performances highlight their readiness for a groundbreaking future. Love Will Fix It is not just an album, it’s a manifesto of healing and unity, echoing the transformative power of love and music. The album’s themes resonate with hope and reconciliation, mirroring the title’s promise of mending and unity through melodious anthems and powerful lyrics.
Witness the electrifying ascent of Emil Bulls as they redefine alternative metal, leaving a lasting impression in the music world. The band invite fans to experience this transformative power firsthand on their headlining tour.
Join in celebrating Emil Bulls‘ limitless potential, where their music goes beyond mere entertainment to become a source of inspiration and emotional connection. Love Will Fix It is more than an album, it’s a musical journey into the heart of what unites us all.
Love Will FixIt track list:
01. Backstabbers 02. The Devil Made Me Do It 03. Happy Birthday You Are Dead To Me 04. Levitate 05. Whirlwind Of Doom 06. The Ghosts That You Have Called 07. Love Will Fix It 08. Sick 09. She Ain’t Coming Home No More 10. Dreams And Debris 11. Oceans Of Grief 12. Together
Kicking off with the Love Will Fix It Tour EU 23/24, starting 2nd December 2023, Emil Bulls are set to embark on a journey of musical exploration and audience connection. The tour serves as a prelude to the album release and is poised to showcase a revolutionary evolution in their sound. This new album will unleash a whirlwind of emotions, blending the raw energy of metalcore with lyrical depth that speaks of repairing, hope, and the power of love.
Italian blackened death trio VOLTUMNA will release their new EP “For Death Is Fate” on January 19th 2024.
Today the band also unveils the official video for the first single “Black Science”.
VOLTUMNA’s mastermind Haruspex (Michele Valentini) comments: “The first single ‘Black Science’ best encapsulates what is described, it marks the change and evolution achieved by Voltumna but at the same time seals the trademark with which the band seeks to distinguish itself. ‘For Death Is Fate’ is the first step that takes Voltumna along a new path that encompasses all the potential expressed in the previous Albums. A new form, a new principle that releases our deepest feelings and sensations always poised between a glorious ancestral past and a bleak modern end. Also at the compositional level the right amalgam achieved between a primitive Black Metal and a Death Metal with more modern veins constitutes the perfect soundtrack of this new journey that will not end with this Ep but already presupposes a continuous…”.
Singer Phersu (Emiliano Natali) explains the meaning of “For Death Is Fate”: “Life of plenty, of knowledge and wealth, we strive for more, but the truth lies within our health.
We think ourselves powerful, to trample and oppress, but death awaits us, our fate we can’t repress.
For no matter how hard we try to break free, we cannot escape the call of death that awaits thee.
In this world of selfishness and greed, forget the good, our bad deeds proceed.
As the truth stands in-between the lies, we are part of something bigger, no matter how we try.
As life and death dance together as one, for death is fate, our dreams undone”.
VOLTUMNA were born in 2009 by the hands of the only original member Haruspex (guitars, vocals), now flanked by Augur Veii (drums) and the main composer Phersu (vocals, bass, programming, production). The current power trio line-up follows a path of esoteric knowledge and traditional heritage, which fascinates the whole band and spreads a savage and ferocious creativity. Fueled by an ancestral binding with their Etruscan roots, the music and concept of VOLTUMNA aren’t related to any contemporary ideological, cultural and religious movement, focusing instead on a historical and anthropological reinterpretation of the Ancient Wars. The genre proposed by VOLTUMNA flows into the stream of Polish blackened death metal. A style which partly reflects the sound of Behemoth at their best, but enriched over time by a lot of diverse influences, from Swedish death metal (At The Gates, Dismember) to melodic/symphonic black metal (Dissection, Satyricon, Dimmu Borgir). Outside music in the strict sense, VOLTUMNA draw inspiration from apocryphal transcripts emerging from the dawn of time. Tales from forgotten civilizations or imaginary legends, handed down through oral tradition and native folklore, but whose symbolic and spiritual significance is more modern than ever. The band is currently working on their 5th studio album.
“Over The Lies” is a brand new video clip from WEEKEND CIGARETTES, taken from their latest masterpiece “The Chosen One”.
The Band says “The lyrics of the last album were written two years ago, inspired by other circumstances no less serious than the current ones. We are witnessing mass punishment banned by international law that has nothing humane. The only hope is for this massacre to end. The best way is to bite the bullet and show humanity, beyond polarization, beyond lies.”
Written and Directed by Lorenzo Morandi Produced by YourStory Sound engineer Biagio Totaro Animations and Graphics by Lele Gastini Song written by Weekend Cigarettes
The band was born from an idea of Daniele (Deep Throat) and Alessandro (Married with children – Oasis Tribute) to restore the California punk rock current of the 1990s. From Nofx to Bad Religion and from No use for a name to Sweden’s Millencolin.
The band, formed in March 2015 with the arrival of Francesco Santo (Nevermind – Nirvana Tribute), was initially composed of three elements, but with the arrival of Matteo Zecchin (Deep Throat) in December 2015, the group takes on an increasingly sharper and more compact image, resulting in Weekend Cigarettes. In December 2016, their first EP “Eureka” was released. 5 tracks of pure punk rock.
Thanks to “Eureka!”, an album particularly critical of today’s society, allowed the to organize gigs and get interviews on regional radio stations such as “Radio Alba” and “Radio” and “Radio Gold”. Throughout 2018 the band locked themselves in la sala to bring their first LP to life. Between December 2018 and January 2019 they turned again to Music Ink in Arona (NO) to record their first album, and thanks to Federico Pennazzato they managed to give rigidity and fluidity to the pieces.
Unfortunately, the band, given the complexity of playing in the province and region, had a moment of ups and downs and after the exit of guitarist Matteo Zecchin in June 2019, here comes Giacomo Dito, a young and promising guitarist from Alessandria immediately nicknamed “Dito” by the band. The first LP, How Do You Feel, released in November 2019, contains all the emotions and feelings of our childhood until today. The images fade away but the thought always remains intact in the mind.
Although the covido interrupted the show for the whole of 2020, the band still managed not to extinguish the fire that had been released. In September they participated in Sanremo Rock, where they performed for the first time at the Ariston, and in late October they shared an evening with Australian group The Rumjacks.
The year 2021 was mainly a year of music composition; a new album was released in March 2023. The title “The Chosen One.” All songs were produced by Biagio Totaro, singer and guitarist of Last Day Before Holiday and Black Hole Dream, while level distribution is handled by RocketMan Records (Punk Rock label from Milan).
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 ) 