In the middle of the pandemic, in September 2021, the album “Danger To Ourselves” by the Hessian thrash’n rollers STAGEWAR, produced by Aljoscha Sieg, was released. Since the possibilities to celebrate the album live were limited at that time, the guys worked on some video clips in the following. After “R.U.N.”, “Box Of Dirt” and “Follow Me”, the quartet now releases “Danger To Ourselves”, the title track of the album, which is still available as DigiPak and vinyl. Enjoy!
Japanese alternative act XANVALA released a new digital single on July 26, 2023. In contrast to their vibrant rock songs, “Ashita, mushi ni natte mo” is one of their heaviest works so far.
XANVALA has flipped the coin again to present their fierce dark side with “Ashita, mushi ni natte mo”. The Kafkaesque title is translated into English as ‘Even if you turn into a bug tomorrow’. The song explores the anguish of an infectious love that feels like a curse.
This new digital single is a killer banger that falls into the alt-metal sound infused with djent elements, down-tuned guitar riffs, hard-hitting drums, and a combination of screams and clean vocals.
“The song itself is heavy, and so are the lyrics. Staying true to the theme, the song turned into a heavy love song.” — Vocalist Tatsumi
“We shouldn’t be satisfied with how things just are. That’s why we should make changes to not leave things as they are now.” — Guitarist Yuhma
“This song showcases a new facet of XANVALA and it will have a significant impact on the atmosphere at concerts. Fun fact, we found woodlice at the location where we filmed the music video.” — Guitarist Souma
“This is our most aggressive song ever. However, I hope you can perceive the emotions beyond that.” — Bassist 70.
“This work… is not the cure for cancer, but it’s so good that it eventually will.” — Drummer Tomoya
Since their formation in 2020, XANVALA stills building momentum and making waves with exciting music. After the release of their sophisticated second album “NIX”in March, XANVALA has continued touring all the way from North to South of Japan. Furthermore, the five-piece band recently put out the song “strange?” on digital platforms and released a second press of their sold-out 2022’s album “Tsuki to Taiyou”.
About XANVALA XANVALA is one of the most exciting emerging acts of the actual Japanese alt-rock / visual kei scene. XANVALA’s music is a burst of energy characterized by a heavy yet melodic sound, in conjunction with a catchy rhythm, dynamic guitar riffs, electronic backings, and striking vocal lines. XANVALA brings a combination of elements from different influences, without attaching to just one particular genre, creating an adrenaline-fueled experience. Under the concept of “messy things are beautiful” and the name XANVALA (pronounced as “zanbala”) carrying the meaning of “disheveled hair”, it goes without saying that headbanging is a must at concerts. The band’s intense rock has garnered an enthusiastic response, propelling them towards soaring new heights and challenges.
Progressive death metal rising stars KALLIAS will be digitally releasing its brand new album ‘First Ascent’ on August 25, 2023 via AISA Distribution! In celebration, the band has partnered with Knotfest to premiere the first single from the record, “Lungta II: Everlasting,” along with a haunting music video. The clip can be found at THIS LOCATION.
Kallias guitarist and vocalist Nicole Papastavrou comments, “We’re thrilled to showcase our more progressive elements in this new single, such as the use of Chris’ upright bass and a very special throat singing section by Alex Novick. Overall, ‘Lungta II: Everlasting’ is not only a departure from ‘First Ascent,’ but takes a direction we hope to accomplish with the next record.
“The music video resembles the physical and mental journey of climbing in the Himalayas. ‘Lungta,’ meaning ‘Wind Horse,’ resemble the prayer flags that bring goodwill, with red specifically resembling fire. We best used our imagination to bring to life the inward battle one must face when taking such journeys. We hope you enjoy the visuals and look forward to the release of ‘First Ascent’ to follow.”
In addition, Kallias will be embarking on a run of West Coast tour dates this August in support of Cyborg Octopus! The trek will kick off on August 25 in Fullerton, CA and will conclude on August 30 in Fresno, CA. The full itinerary can be found below!
Kallias U.S. Tour Dates: 08/25: Fullerton, CA @ Programme 08/26: San Diego, CA @ Til Two Club 08/27: Cupertino, CA @ XBar 08/29: Las Vegas, NV @ The Griffin 08/30: Fresno, CA @ Destructive Warehouse
‘First Ascent’ can be pre-saved on all streaming services HERE.
The 3D cover artwork of ‘First Ascent’ was created by Francesco Artusato (Light The Torch, ex- All Shall Perish) and can be found below along with the tracklist.
‘First Ascent’ Tracklisting:
The Approach (00:46)
Irrational Fear Ft. Jeff Loomis (04:57)
Disembodied Existence (04:26)
Matter Eater Ft. Colin Cook (05:27)
The Dark Machine (04:43)
21 Grams Ft. Rafael Trujillo (05:52)
Nine In Time Ft. Greg Burgess (02:55)
Lungta I: The Path (01:13)
Lungta II: Everlasting (06:51) [WATCH] Full album running time: 37:00
Kallias is comprised of players who are masters of their craft. Nicole Papastavrou’s solid history of songwriting and tight rhythms paired with Colin Cook’s jazzy and technical leads are the perfect compliment. JP Andrade’s undeniably precise percussion serves the music on every level, from jazz-influenced melodic sections to satisfyingly odd rhythms for the eager prog-loving ear. Beautifully woven bass lines by Chris Marrone provide an indomitable structure and embrace for each instrument — never overpowering, yet always highlighting.
For modern day prog and metal fans, Kallias can be compared to bands such as Opeth, Meshuggah, and Decapitated. The quartet holds a musical chemistry that is few and far between and that will keep you in the foreground from the beginning with bone-chilling introductions. This is by no means background music. Kallias creates their own genre for a panoramic audio experience that demands the listener’s undivided attention to focus and feel.
Kallias Lineup: Nicole Papastavrou – Guitars + Vocals Chris Marrone – Bass + Vocals Colin Cook – Guitars John Paul “JP” Andrade – Drums
‘First Ascent’ Recording Lineup: Nicole Papastavrou: Guitar, Vocals Chris Marrone: Bass, Vocals John Paul “JP” Andrade: Drums Zaki Ali: Guitar
Special Guests: Jeff Loomis (Nevermore, Arch Enemy) on “Irrational Fear” Rafael Trujillo (ex-Obscura, Obsidious) on “21 Grams” Greg Burgess (Allegaeon, Nuclear Power Trio) on “Nine in Time” Colin Cook (Stanley Clarke Band) on “Matter Eater”
Album credits: Written by Kallias; Nicole Papastavrou, Chris Marrone, John Paul Andrade, Zaki Ali Produced by Zaki Ali Recorded at Redshift Recording and Cinderella Man Studios by Zaki Ali Mixed and mastered by Zack Ohren
In 2020, Guitar-shredding virtuoso GEORGE LYNCH reteamed with former Dokken bandmate JEFF PILSON for a set of new studio recordings that turned pop music classics into powerful metal anthems. Dubbed Heavy Hitters, the album was well-received by rock and metal devotees across the board. Now, this dynamic duo have once again converged for the highly anticipated follow-up album, Heavy Hitters II, which brings forth a fresh new set of reimagined cover versions representing classics of soul, modern alt-rock, new wave, blues and more!
Ever wondered what Pilson, one of the most widely respected bass players in all of hard rock and metal, could do with Sly & The Family Stone’s ultra funky bass line in “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)”? Or questioned whether Mr. Scary could transform Howlin’ Wolf’s oft-covered “Smokestack Lightning” into a smokin’ hot, floor-stompin’ slab of bluesy rock (with a special guest vocal by the great Corey Glove of Living Colour)? Well, Heavy Hitters II has your answers. Those delights and a whole lot more wait in store – just check out the album’s brand new single, a completely revamped version of Imagine Dragons’ “Radioactive.” In the hands of Lynch and Pilson, this tune gets a thorough re-working with a supercharged galloping rhythmic guitar riff you’ll have to hear to believe.
Whereas the previous volume of Heavy Hitters featured a mix of various guest vocalists, this time around Lynch and Pilson brought in one of the most diverse and powerful vocalists in the business, longtime Rolling Stones backing vocalist, Bernard Fowler! Fowler, along with acclaimed drummer Brian Tichy, fill out each of the album’s tracks with their masterful performances.
Reflecting on the project, Lynch declares “Jeff and I have always cherished any opportunities to work together over the 40 something years we’ve been playing together. Writing original records, (in Dokken, LP, T&N, The End Machine, etc.) is wonderful but doing an album of covers is a different and refreshing experience for us. I’d say it’s a little less ‘grindy’ work and a lot more fun because we’re interpreting previously written songs rather than building compositions from the ground up. It’s very liberating and affords more time to experiment and have fun with tracks. Plus getting to do a record with Bernard who is a legend was very motivating! It’s almost like we’re a few degrees removed from being in The Rolling Stones!”
Pilson likewise enthuses, “George and I have so much fun with these Heavy Hitters records. Reinterpreting classic pop songs as rock anthems is an amazingly fun challenge. And with Bernard and Brian we have a band that I’d put up against anyone out there! Plus as writers George and I love studying what makes these songs such classics and we take that into our own writing to constantly improve. And we’ve always wanted to write and record a Christmas song- which we did with ‘It’s A Wonderful Life.’ So Merry Christmas from Heavy Hitters – and have a great summer!”
Watch for the full release of Heavy Hitters II arriving on CD, vinyl and digital on August 11!
With the summer heat intensifying, powerful melodic Finnish metallers DYECREST (ft. members Metal de Facto, Thy Row, Everfrost, Kiowan Dynamo) have their single “Colder” to cool ya off and enjoy the season fun. The single is from their forthcoming album “Once I Had A Heart” due out September 2023 via Rockshots Records.
“The song is a bit older and was written by the late Kimmo Blom, who was at that point our singer. We kinda decided that “Now we’ll make a song, let’s do it!”. And I think it was only a couple of hours later when we had the song together. With the lyrics and the irresistible melodies that the song has! “
When we were thinking about what would be the best choice to be the first single, we ended up with Colder, ‘cause it’s catchy (without being cheesy! ;)) and a powerful song with a strong story!” says drummer Niko Takala.
Dyecrest’s new album “Once I Had A Heart” features nine melodic melancholic tracks to follow their 2019 EP “The Stage Is Set” and 2018 album “Are You Not Entertained?”. Seven of the nine songs are brand new songs and two are a bit older but weren’t properly recorded at any point. This new record has some new “twists” in the songs, but still, the trademarks that Dyecrest is known for with their pounding and powerful anthems and strong vocal melodies with big choirs, accompanied by flashing guitar solos.
“The album overall is a tighter package than any previous Dyecrest album, and it lifts the band to a whole new level, for sure! On the album, there are some songs which have been written already some years ago (for example “Read My Mind” and “Man Made God”) as well as brand new songs, such as the title track “Once I Had a Heart”, the crushing opener “Sacred Sleep”, the bouncing and heavy “Oathkeeper” and the majestic and powerful half-ballad “Fire From Your World”, which also ends the album with it’s the heartbreaking atmosphere.” adds Niko Takala.
Guitarist Matti Pasanen also adds:
“This is the album, which in my opinion is reflecting the sound of Dyecrest in the best way so far. Heavy, yet atmospheric and also a bit progressive musical elements are combined with meaningful lyrics and intriguing melodies!
On this album we were able to build up layers, which aren’t “chewed ready for you”, but which you have to find out by listening to the songs over and over again. And those layers can be found both in compositions as well in lyrics. “Once I Had a Heart” is truly the album out of which I can honestly say that “Hey, check this out, THIS IS DYECREST!”
This time the Dyecrest-way of songwriting (meaning that we are writing the songs as they were meant purely and just for ourselves) has created the heaviest, catchiest, and also the most beautiful Dyecrest songs so far.”
The whole band continues:
“We want to dedicate this album in the loving memory of the band’s former singer, friend, and brother forever, Kimmo Blom. Kimmo sadly passed away in the fall of 2022. We feel privileged that there are three songs on the album which we have written with Kimmo, and that we had the chance of having him as one of the backing vocalists on the album. “One day we’ll meet and rock together again – there, Where the Light Was Born!”
1. Sacred Sleep – 5:23 2. Man Made God – 4:00 3. Once I Had a Heart – 5:29 4. Oathkeeper – 4:33 5. Face the Light – 5:07 6. Read My Mind – 4:18 7. Colder – 3:39 8. The Final Act – 4:15 9. Fire From Your World – 7:10 Album Length: 43:58
EVER DOUBT proudly presents the latest single and music video, “My Betrayal.” With its intense emotions and captivating melodies, this rock anthem explores the aftermath of a breakup from the perspective of the one who initiated it.
“My Betrayal” delves into the overwhelming guilt and sadness one experiences when making the difficult decision to end a relationship, fully aware that it will cause pain to the other person. Through its heavy sounds and monumental chorus, this song serves as an empathetic connection for those navigating tough situations and placing blame on themselves. Ever Doubt’s passionate goal is to offer solace and support to listeners dealing with similar challenges.
Mixed, mastered, and recorded in Machine Shop Studios, “My Betrayal” showcases Ever Doubt’s commitment to delivering a sound that resonates deeply with metalheads and rock enthusiasts alike. The band’s distinctive blend of influences, including the profound impact of Scandinavian metal and the nostalgic allure of 00s classics, creates a unique sonic experience that captivates from the first note.
“My Betrayal” is now available on all major digital platforms, allowing fans worldwide to immerse themselves in Ever Doubt’s electrifying music.
Experience the breathtaking animated music video for “My Betrayal” on YouTube:
The video amplifies the song’s raw emotions and brings the story to life, providing a visual representation of the turmoil experienced during a heart-wrenching breakup using.
Ever Doubt is an ambitious rock project founded by Moscow-raised vocalist and guitarist David Garibov. Influenced by the allure of Scandinavian metal, as well as the rhythmic power of 00’s classics, David embarked on a journey to create music that reflects his passion and cultural background. After a trip to the United States in 2019, where he felt a renewed sense of freedom, David returned to Russia and established a home studio to begin working on the Ever Doubt project. Since then, he has been dedicated to crafting music that resonates with audiences around the world.
In 2022, David relocated to the United States, setting the stage for a new chapter in his musical career. Ever Doubt’s second single was mixed, mastered, and recorded at the prestigious Machine Shop Studios in Austin, Texas, renowned for its work with acclaimed acts such as Clutch and Lamb Of God.
Connect with Ever Doubt: For more information on Ever Doubt, their music, and upcoming projects, visit the official website atwww.everdoubt.com. Follow them on Instagram atwww.instagram.com/everdoubt
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 ) 