OAKLAND, CA – Bay Area Thrash Metallers FROLIC have released “FROLIC: Live At the Great American Music Hall” a live album and full-set video from their performance at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco, CA in support of Death Angel’s 2023 Christmas celebration and Forbidden’s first performance in 11 years.
Lead Singer and Guitarist Edgar Sanchez shares: “One of the most epic times of our lives, careers, and for the band itself. That performance is now forever cemented for all to witness. We are excited to share this live album with everyone.”
Drummer Elijah Post adds: “We’re very thankful to Death Angel and Forbidden for giving us the opportunity to show the world that Bay Area Thrash lives on in today’s underground. For 2025, we have plans to record a second studio album and go on tour. We’re just getting started.”
Formed in 2014, FROLIC has enjoyed a substantial rise in popularity in recent years–sharing the stage with Suicidal Tendancies, Death Angel, Possessed, Forbidden, Biohazard, Eyehategod, Warbringer, Goatwhore, Hatriot, Bewitcher, Mordred, Blind Illusion, Hellfire, and many more.
Band Members: Edgar Sanchez (Lead Vocals, Guitar) Lenny “Real Steel” Ramirez (Guitar, Backing Vocals) Zak Kufeld (Bass, Backing Vocals) Elijah Post (Drums)
Tracklisting
Upon What’s Left of Me
Destroy the Throne
Nebula Force Field
A Lesson in Violence (Exodus Cover)
Fusion of Spirits
Production Details “FROLIC: Live At the Great American Music Hall” was produced using high-fidelity multi-channel audio captured directly from the soundboard by front-of-house engineer Ivan Garcia and mixed and mastered by Andrew Peacock.
Coming off a banner year in terms of taking their live performances to the maximum of limits, rock greats Sweet still possess exceptional chemistry, which recently brought the house down throughout venues across North America. At the same time, the band released a new song/video, “Little Miracle,” which was received with rave reviews. Today, Darkstar Records is releasing the bands next single release “INSANE,” which can be heard below.
Last year while cutting “Little Miracle,” the group jammed in the studio which exemplified a fresh new approach which utilized instant spontaneity in creating and producing this hard rock masterpiece “INSANE.” Bassist/producer Stevie Stewart commented, “’Insane’ is a song that we are very proud of! We all poured our hearts into the creation of it. Everyone brought their ‘A’ game to ‘Insane’!”
Drummer/composer Richie Onori also added, “As we started to blast into the high-power groove, singer Patrick Alan Stone directed the band with his hands flailing about, you could see he heard in his head which eventually took shape in the final heavy metal rendition The comic strip lyric video really illustrates the well-crafted storyline that Stone created. Guitarist Jimmy Burkard blistering solo section rivals hands down the who’s who of guitar heroes of yesteryear. Stevie Stewart’s incredible vocal arrangements and overall production in my own opinion.”
“I wanted to write a rocker that hits you in many ways,” added Burkard. “It’s tough, it makes you tap your feet, it makes you sing along. Aggressive but with catchy harmony vocals, killer guitar and swinging drums. It felt good to be in a rehearsal room and write organically as a band.”
“’Insane’ flew into my head like a bat out of hell,” said Stone. “I went into the shower without it, came out and in my head it was done. I sent Jimmy a voice memo humming the song and he sent back the sick riff on guitar the way we hear it in the recording. We shared it with the band while recording ‘Little Miracle’ and got so into it, Richie hammered the drums down on the spot. Working the track with Stevie in post really brought that ‘sweet sound”’ that only working with Steve Priest for almost two decades can bring. The lyric ‘Insane’ popped out during that recording session, as well. The hook was there. After watching the movies ‘X’ and ‘Maxxxine,’ a character in my head came to life and I wrote the lyrics to this half imaginary, half true love, heroine. ‘Insane’ really takes Sweet back to its roots of dirty rock n’ roll, crazy chord changes and larger than life harmonies. This is The Sweet we’ve been waiting for and this band is proving that the integrity of Brian, Mick, Andy and Stevie lives on in us.”
Merging the “Sweet” recognizable sound into what the legendary group always stood for: exploration into all genres without losing the integrity by stitching together the groups special formula, “Insane” does all of the above. The rhythm section of Stewart and Onori lay it down as this rock n’ roll work of art glides along fast and furious towards a wild roller coaster ride into a cascade of vocal and guitar harmonies.
The group is now tracking a song that has been in the group archives which Steve Priest wrote and played bass and sang, “Sweet Dream.” Sweet’s reformation started in 2007, and ‘Sweet Dream’ was something he was proud of.
This new song demonstrates the same driving force and unpredictable musical quality that has always been the hallmark and essence of The Sweet’s iconic sound. And will always be.
Band Line-up:
Patrick Stone – Lead Vocals Jimmy Burkard – Guitars Vocals Stevie Stewart – Bass Vocals Richie Onori – Drums Percussion Dave Schulz – Keyboards Vocals
Tour Dates:
Feb 14 Medina Ballroom – Medina MN Feb 15 Arcada Theater – St. Charles IL Feb 28 River Cree Casino Event Center – Enoch AB Canada Mar 14 Golden Nugget Casino Showroom Las Vegas NV Jul 25 TBA – Taber AB Canada Jul 31. Jergel’s – Warrendale, PA Aug 2 The Rose Music Center – Huber Heights, OH Aug 10 TBA – Cranbrook BC Aug 15 TBA – Halifax Nova Scotia Canada
Swedish dark metal act THE VICE has announced the release of the band’s upcoming five track EP “A Great Unrest”, set to be released on March 7 via Noble Demon.
Following the success of their latest full-length album, “Dead Canary Run” (2024, Noble Demon), THE VICE embarked on an exciting journey to create a series of EPs. The addition of Joel Öhman, a long-time collaborator, has transformed the band into a finely-tuned quartet, enriching their sound with fresh perspectives and innovative approaches.
The first offering from this new chapter, “A Great Unrest”, has this growth on full display, amplifying every inch of the foundation made of blackened metal, ambient pop and unbridled rocknroll.
The five tracks – three new ones, a cover of “1 Sun” by Miley Cyrus and a rearranged version of “Welcome The Storm” from the latest album – were recorded in the fall of 2024 at Studio Underjord (Skraeckoedlan, Magna Carta Cartel, Haystack among others) in rural Sweden.
Fresh off of writing and recording a full album, this EP was the perfect way to musically break the “limitations” that can come when working to create a really unified piece of art. And while it wasn’t exactly Fantomas-levels of diverse tracks, sound engineer and owner of the studio, Joona Hassinen really pulled his ‘A’ game giving it a coherent sound. “A Great Unrest” sounds a bit lighter, yet more harsh than “Dead Canary Run” with an electrified, distorted tension running throughout.
In support of the upcoming release, THE VICE have unleashed the first single and title track of the EP. The song is accompanied by a new & gloomy music video, which you can watch here:
Guitarist Rickard about the track: “To me, ‘A Great Unrest’ is everything that The Vice is all about, boiled down to its purest form. One sinister fucking riff, a couple of choruses trembling with fierceness, passion and rebellion, and a final act to release all that built up tension in a beautiful, yet most ominous way. All in under three and a half minute, really think we obliterated every head of every nail with this one.“
Regarding the EP’s themes, the band adds: “Thematically there wasn’t any other ideas, thoughts, than usual when entering the studio. The Vice is, has always been, and will forever be about unrest, rebellion, those mixed feelings of unease and ecstacy when balancing on the last inches of the edge, about to plunge into the void. Some songs here and there have more specific themes, but in general it’s reflections and ideas about this existence from a quite calm, gathered perspective though always prepared, anticipating the moment when the tension breaks and the unknown madness begins. Somewhere along the way the visual representations like the cover art, music video, title etc all started to lean towards some kind of cold war aesthetics. This was absolutely not intentional, never discussed and nothing we’d naturally turn to. Sure some things led to the other, but at least some of it feels like the music just had an inherent vibe of that, cold, metallic, bleak, post-war vibe.“
Tracklist:
A Great Unrest
From The Barricades
Tropic Of Coal
1 Sun
Welcome The Storm feat Linn (Z Edit)
“A Great Unrest ” will be coming out on March 7 via Noble Demon and is now available for pre-order at THIS LOCATION
The Vice are: Rickard – Vocals & Guitars Charlie – Bass Petter – Drums Joel Öhman – Guitar
Modern metal band TELMA has unveiled their third and final single, “Crystal Clear”, before the release of their highly anticipated album “Awakening”, set for release on February 28. The track is accompanied by a brand new music video featuring footage from the band’s recent 2023 Balkan/European tour.
Following the release of their previous singles, “Seventeen” and “Belly of the Beast”, “Crystal Clear” offers another glimpse into TELMA‘s dynamic sound and thought-provoking lyrics. The band shares the inspiration behind the song: “The more we approach Death, the more we understand what’s important in life, the more we dedicate our lives to it. Life is nothing without those things that make us feel alive. As we live for them, Death is absent. It’s Crystal Clear to us now.“
Building upon the success of their 2021 debut, “Eternal”, which delved into the inner struggles of humanity, TELMA‘s upcoming offering “Awakening” takes a broader, more socially conscious approach. The album addresses pressing global issues such as the abuse of power, societal injustice, and gender-based violence.
“Awakening” was produced by George Margaritopoulos and recorded at M.S.M. Studios & Devasoundz Studios. The album was mixed by Fotis Benardo (Devasoundz Studios) and mastered by Tony Lindgren at Fascination Street Studios. Stunning artwork and design by Artaxas Design.
“Awakening” will be self-released by TELMA on February 28th, 2025. The album is available for pre-order at THIS LOCATION
Tracklist:
Crystal Clear
Belly of the Beast
Stray Dogs
Seventeen
Awakening
Journey of Dust
Got No Rythm
The Price of Freedom
TELMA are: Mark Kotoulas – Guitars Kostas Koutsomarkos – Guitars Anthony Kyritsis – Vocals Mike Tziastoudis – Drums Filip Kotoulas – Bass
In the more than three decades of their existence, CREMATORY have seen trends come and go, while always staying true to their trademarks, they belong to one of Germany’s most distinctive gothic metal pioneers to date. Following their latest studio offering, “Inglorious Darkness” (2022), now, CREMATORY returns with a brand new single entitled “Destination”, the title track of the band’s forthcoming album that is slated for a release on May 2nd via ROAR!
“It’s a really tough song, but at the same time it has a catchy chorus that drills itself straight into the ear canal and won’t let go,“the band comments. “This song will also be the opener on the tour in May for the “Destination” album. A big punch in the face with a great chorus!”
With their 17th studio album, CREMATORY promises to reach new and even higher levels than ever before! Literally combining all the strengths and phases of the gothic metal pioneers, going back to their melodic death metal roots in places, diving deep into the gothic realm again but also surprising listeners, “Destination” will mark a triumphant return to the past combined with the strengths of the present.
“The new studio album ‘Destination’ is an ingenious mix of the 90s gothic metal times like ‘Illusions’, combined with hard melodic death metal hymns like ‘Act Seven’ and modern electronic songs with German lyrics in the style of ‘Revolution’. More is not possible“, drummer Markus Jüllich recently said and added: ”With ‘Destination’ the new standard of the modern melodic gothic metal era is determined! The previous album “Inglorious Darkness” was the start of Felix singing all the songs on his own again and now we’ve managed a perfect precision landing with “Destination”!”
With many more album details to be unveiled in the weeks ahead, one thing is already clear: CREMATORY are highly motivated, are upping the ante and definitely still have a lot to say even after 34 years of a successful band history!
CREMATORY Live: May 1, 2025 – DE – Kaiserslautern May 2, 2025 – DE – Leipzig May 3, 2025 – DE – Stuttgart May 4, 2025 – DE – Mannheim May 9, 2025 – DE – Regensburg May 11, 2025 – DE – Munich May 16, 2025 – DE – Erfurt May 17, 2025 – DE – Zwickau May 29, 2025 – DE – Oberhausen May 30, 2025 – DE – Potsdam May 31, 2025 – DE – Coesfeld
CREMATORY are: Felix Stass – Vocals Rolf Munkes – Gitarre Oliver Revilo – Bass Katrin Jüllich – Keyboards, Samples Markus Jüllich – Drums, Programming
“Gods And Creators” is released, the second album by the Swiss thrashers KLAW. The brand new work, produced by V.O. Pulver and the band themselves in the Little Creek Studios, is being released via El Puerto Records. And that’s not all. Today, KLAW also present their new video for the song “Swell”, which was produced by Sarrowar Seam. The band will present the album LIVE for the first time on February 15, 2025 in District 28 in Siebnen.
Chasper on the music for “Swell”: With “Swell” I tried to break new ground rhythmically and harmonically. Sometimes very dark, with dense harmonic carpets, and alternating dragging and rolling riffs.
Jonas about the text: A trip into the head of an overthinker…conversations in the head that never took place and never will take place…What would have happened if? What would have happened if? Questions that can only be answered with further questions and lead to nothing but sleepless nights.
“Gods And Creators” tracklist: 1. Intro 2. Press Start 3. Gods And Creators 4. Carousel Of Flames 5. Swell 6. Pictures Of My Past 7. Senseless 8. Walk The Line 9. Fearbreeder 10. Curse Of The Blessed 11. Stay Sit Roll Fetch 12. Alcoholic
The band says about the new album: “Gods And Creators” is the result of many years of collaboration between the new line-up of KLAW. With the line-up changes on vocals and guitar, 11 songs have materialized in a forge of various influences from the five members… a new chapter in the history of KLAW: “Gods and Creators!”
Bay Area meets Alpenland – The Swiss KLAW have sharpened their claws and deliver a whole dozen timeless hymns on their second album, which were forged in the Little Creek Studio and which have what it takes to absolutely enrich the new generation of thrash metal albums.
Hellfire Magazine: For me, “KLAW” have managed to move the Bay Area to Switzerland with “Gods and Creators” 9.5 / 10 points Crossfire: For fans of hard thrash metal, there’s a real treat here 9/10 Metal Undergrounded: Conclusion: “Gods And Creators” by KLAW is a must for fans of technical thrash metal. 4.5 / 10
KLAW is a metal machine from Switzerland that plays modern thrash at a high level. Technically sophisticated, melodic, with groove, tempo, fat riffs and aggressive vocals. The band consists of five experienced and first-class musicians who show the world a new dimension of thrash metal! Aggressive, complex and yet catchy, dark and profound and at the same time full of adrenaline – KLAW inspires with energetic live performances and gets the mosh pit boiling and everyone headbanging!
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