“Be There”, the fifth full-length album by the best Polish hard rock band – Kruk was released on May, 7th 2021. It includes 8 songs recorded with a guest vocalist – Wojtek Cugowski (known from the very successful Polish rock band Bracia), who also wrote all lyrics.
Third single “Dark Broken Souls” is available to stream here:
Kruk’s music certainly draws inspiration from classic hard rock from Deep Purple or Rainbow, but the band is not afraid of long complex compositions and is flirting with more progressive sounds. Wojtek Cugowski says straightforwardly: “The music on the album is strong and powerful, exactly as it should be on a top quality hard rock album.” The band’s new release should be interesting for fans of such big artists as Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and DIO.
After recently releasing their third full-length album, Inertia, via Napalm Records, Greek modern metal five-piece SCAR OF THE SUN now drops an intense lyric video for album closing song “Anastasis”, which in their native language means “resurrection”. Its heaviness, together with an emotional vocal performance from singer Terry Nikas, immediately indicates a deep, personal meaning that pierces the listener to the bone.
Terry Nikas on the song: “‘Anastasis’ is the closing song of our new album Inertia, definitely it is emotionally the heaviest song we have ever created. It’s an homage to a very close person of mine and I felt like doing something in order never to be forgotten. It’s something everyone can relate. Life is full of scars and I wanted to make this scar stand out of the rest.”
SCAR OF THE SUN has made a name for themselves with the very special ability to merge modern metal sound with atmospheric soundscapes and dynamic riffs. Inertia delivers a fresh take on melodic, atmospheric, often progressively-influenced metal while forging a unique path, and acts as a follow up to their self-titled demo (2005), debut full-lengthA Series Of Unfortunate Concurrencies(2011) and sophomore offeringIn Flood(2016).
Grab your copy of SCAR OF THE SUN’s new album Inertia NOW!
Four years after the release of The Immortal Wars (2017), Juno Award-nominated EX DEO returns with more massive, brutal soundscapes than ever on their highly anticipated upcoming full-length album, The Thirteen Years Of Nero, out August 27, 2021 via Napalm Records! The Canadian unit is led by founding frontman Maurizio Iacono (Kataklysm) and producer/guitarist Jean-François Dagenais (Kataklysm, Misery Index, Despised Icon), with the stylings of Stephane Barbe (Kataklysm) on lead guitar, Jeramie Kling (Venom Inc.) on drums, Dano Apekian (Ashes of Eden) on bass and Clemens Wijers (Carach Angren, Lindemann) manning the intense orchestral score.
On The Thirteen Years Of Nero, the Roman Empire inspired symphonic death metal band transports the listener back to Ancient Rome with 10 cinematic masterpieces that tell the emotional, conceptual story of the reign of Emperor Nero. Accented by sounds of ancient instruments like lyra and harp and detailing the harrowing stories of Nero’s surroundings, close allies and enemies, listeners will connect with intense psychological tones of political turmoil and paranoia!
Today, EX DEO has revealed a bludgeoning brand new track from The Thirteen Years Of Nero, entitled “Imperator”, alongside a brutal, cinematicmusic video. The track connects with a colossal, threatening introduction before slithering into its verses with low guitars, trudging drums and haunting, multi-layered vocal passages.
Frontman Maurizio Iacono says about “Imperator”: “We wanted to release a heavy hitting first single and there was no doubt that “Imperator” in all of its grandiose aura and power was the choice. On the album, the song introduces Nero as the new Emperor of Rome. For the video, we used acclaimed video director Scott Hansen and together we recreated a dinner party in true Nero style like you never seen before, you have been warned!”
Watch the brand new music video for “Imperator”HERE
The Thirteen Years Of Nero pierces through the silence with its first auditory spear, “The Fall Of Claudius”, immediately drawing the listener in with a savagely heavy, grooving riff, ground-shaking swells and warning strings and horns. Discordant harmonies collide as a mosh-worthy battle riff chugs and pinches through the center of the song, showcasing the ruthlessness to come. “The Head Of The Snake” and unforgivingly immense “Britannia: The 9th At Camulodonum” balance sinister, spectral-like channels with up-tempo elements, racing like a chariot of symphonic death metal influences that careen the listener back to a sonic dimension of time forgotten. Standout opus “Boudicca (Queen Of The Iceni)” features the deft vocal stylings of Unleash The Archers frontwoman Brittney Slayes, the album’s weightiest thunderous percussion work and a glistening guitar solo, while the embers of pulsing “The Fiddle & The Fire” spark as the track traverses methodically yet steadfastly, like an iron striking a blade. “Son Of The Deified” and “What Artist Dies In Me…” bestow some of the album’s most strikingly dynamic guitar work, as well as ominous instrumentals, orchestral and choral pathways, before closing with the superb epic “The Revolt of Galba”. The track ebbs and flows between grooving, eerie piano-laden riffs and crystal-clear flourishes bestrewn with soaring strings.
With The Thirteen Years Of Nero, EX DEO have released their finest work yet while telling a timeless story of political intrigue, suspicion, evil and tyranny!
Maurizio Iacono says about The Thirteen Years Of Nero: “When it comes to Ancient Rome, the content is long, rich and extensive, the personalities reflect every society imaginable from just, fair and generous to greed, evil and merciless. The world we live in today was shaped by Rome – it doesn’t take much see it all around you in the simplest things. For this record, it was the proper time to fallow the timeline of one Rome’s most controversial figures, Nero. On this album, we follow him through his thirteen-year journey as emperor of Rome and unveil the true face of one of the world’s most worshiped villains.”
The Thirteen Years Of Nero tracklisting: 1. The Fall of Claudius 2. Imperator 3. The Head of the Snake 4. Boudicca (Queen of the Iceni) Feat. Brittney Slayes 5. Britannia: The 9th at Camulodonum 6. Trial of the Gods (Intermezzo) 7. The Fiddle & the Fire 8. Son of the Deified 9. What Artist Dies in Me… 10. The Revolt of Galba
GENTLE SAVAGE will release their debut album “Midnight Waylay“, on June 17th via Bandcamp at this location. Today the band announces the release party in collaboration with Bravewords‘ Streaming For Vengeance, set to take place on June 18th, at 9pm CET. Facebook event page, HERE.
Lead vocalist Tornado stated: “We are honored to stream our ‘MIDNIGHT WAYLAY’ album release party in collaboration with the mighty Brave Words! This is like a dream come true for us. We couldn’t be more excited to get back on stage roaring our new songs to the world! We’ll take you to the abyss and back…”
The band adds: “We invite 50 persons to the show as a live audience! Streamed on HD resolution the party is also available on our YouTube channel and our official website. We will perform all our new songs accompanied by something from the Introduction EP. We’d love to have you with us on this very special night!! We’re gonna take you to the abyss and back…”
Earlier Tornado unveiled about the album: “Midnight Waylay depicts a ‘taking it easy in the daytime, turning into a beast at night’ kind of lifestyle. Just like a hunter strikes from the shadows, ruthless and silent, these songs can without warning rock your world. As a concept the album Midnight Waylay is best appreciated when served whole, but each song has its own character and works well independently. Find your own adventure, let yourself loose!”
“Midnight Waylay” Track List:
Karelian Magic 4.15
Personal Hades 3.58
YNAMW (You Never ask Me Why) 3.56
Into The Abyss. 5.18
Honey Bunny. 3.10
After All. 4.25
Run Run Poor Boy 4.53
Livin’ It Up. 4.42
Carry The Fire. 4.33
Just recently was unveiled the stunning front cover art, on which Lead vocalist Tornado stated:
“TWO SIDES TO EVERY STORY Isn’t it strange that when you get something really big done you are at the same time relieved and a bit confused?! That’s how it feels like right now. Our debut album is ready for release, coming out on June 17th via our Bandcamp page, and now we are proud to reveal the MIDNIGHT WAYLAY album cover to the world. The cover art was created by our friend, graphic art wizard Vin Valentino. Vin and vocalist Tornado created the Midnight Waylay world based on Tornado’s visions of a Rock Band descending down to earth using a ‘stairway to heaven’. That’s Tornado’s way of showing his gratitude to the old great ones who showed the Rock’n Roll way for latter generations to roll. “
“It is all about the songs. And their internal message. That’s the basic philosophy behind Gentle Savage.”
GENTLE SAVAGE are: Tornado Bearstone, songwriter, vocals and guitar Jay B, drums and backing vocals Vance Bead, bass and backing vocals Tim O`Shore, guitar and backing vocals Theo van Boom, keyboards and backing vocals
’Treat yourself and let our magic in. We’ll take care of the rest’.
Band promo photo by Timo Soasepp Coverarts by Vin Valentino
Saudi Arabia’s ANA.N7N is a melodic progressive rock/metal quintet that is passionate about three things: writing stories, making music, and creating visual art. They are only one of a few bands from their country doing heavy music in Arabic vocals.
“There isn’t a lot of music in our genre that converses with the listener using vernacular language and we truly wanted to showcase this in our stories, music, and visuals.” adds the band.
Today, the band presents their fourth single “Sonnaa Al Dayaa” (translated to English ‘Those Who Corrupt’), to follow their three previously released tracks “Youm Bedon Shams”, “Al-Awwal” and “Esh Sawet”.
All will be featured on the band’s yet to be titled debut album to be released later this year from Saudi Arabian based label Wall of Sound Records.
“We genuinely think it’ll be received positively by most local listeners and worldwide, be it they’re into the type of music we make or not. This album is unique in the way it is presented and we feel like it could set a standard for other acts to follow.”
Listen to “Sonnaa Al Dayaa” at the following links:
The planned debut full length will be a concept record that will tell one story about how social media affect us along with the people around us. Each track will be a chapter / themes covering topics such as the double life of a social media influencer, the effects of social media on self-esteem, cyber-bullying, etc. The band is aiming to take the listener through an engaging journey of ups and downs. They want people to be keener to the experience of listening to one coherent narrative of music, and they hope they manage to achieve that with this album.
“The themes of the songs affect the sound textures we choose, this is best exemplified in songs like Youm Bedon Shams (Galactic and dark), Al Awwal (anxious and competitive), and the yet-to-be-released Al Rakhees (dirty and deceiving).”
All the songs on the full length are meant to be viewed with accompanying artwork on Instagram and YouTube for the full audio and visual experience. It will also be sung entirely in Arabic and be an album that is percussive, heavy on the bass, with synth providing a melodic and dark background to it, along with Middle Eastern melodies.
Post-Covid, Aana.n7n is very much looking forward to hitting the stage and incorporating their visual art with their live performances.
Next February/March, IGORRR will embark on a North American headlining tour, featuring Melt-Banana and Vowws as support. Dubbed “Spirituality and Distortion North American Tour 2022”, this will be the first stateside trek in support of Igorrr‘s critically acclaimed album, Spirituality And Distortion, released in March 2020.
Igorrr‘s Gautier Serre comments: “This period of Covid has drove us totally insane, but we are excited to finally play this US tour! New show, new music and new people on stage – can’t wait to finally play ‘Spirituality and Distortion’ on stage! This will be a historic time for us.”
Igorrr “Spirituality and Distortion North American Tour 2022” dates w/ Melt-Banana, Vowws Feb. 17, 22 – Brick by Brick – San Diego, CA Feb. 18, 22 – Nile Theater – Mesa, AZ Feb. 19, 22 – Sunshine Theatre – Albuquerque, NM Feb. 21, 22 – Come And Take It Live! – Austin, TX Feb. 22, 22 – Trees – Dallas, TX Feb. 23, 22 – Warehouse Live Studio – Houtson, TX Feb. 25, 22 – The Orpheum – Tampa, FL Feb. 26, 22 – Hell @ The Masquerade – Atlanta, GA Feb. 27, 22 – Cat’s Cradle – Carrboro, NC Feb. 28, 22 – Baltimore Soundstage – Baltimore, MD Mar. 2, 22 – Gramercy Theatre – New York, NY Mar. 3, 22 – Brighton Music Hall – Boston, MA Mar. 4, 22 – Club Soda – Montreal, QC Mar. 5, 22 – Lee’s Palace – Toronto, ON Mar. 6, 22 – WC Social Club – West Chicago, IL Mar. 8, 22 – Gothic Theatre – Denver, CO Mar. 10, 22 – The Crocodile Showroom – Seattle, WA Mar. 11, 22 – The Rickshaw Theatre – Vancouver, BC Mar. 12, 22 – Bossanova Ballroom – Portland, OR Mar. 14, 22 – Great American Music Hall – San Francisco, CA Mar. 15, 22 – The Regent Theater – Los Angeles, CA
With 2017’s Savage Sinusoid, Igorrr more than proved to be a truly unique musical force – and 2020’s Spirituality And Distortion cements that well-earned reputation. Slamming together disparate musical styles ranging from death and black metal to breakcore, Balkan, baroque and classical music in a manner that is as unconventional and unpredictable as it is thrilling, Igorrr are unlike any other act, and Spirituality And Distortion displays just as broad a range of emotions as sounds.
