Following the release of their debut album, Enveloping Absurdity, earlier this month PHOBOPHILIC have today shared a new music video for Cathedrals of Blood (Twilight of the Idols). The Fargo, North Dakota death metal band’s latest video release shows the group performing in-studio for the album highlight track.
Speaking on the music video release, the band comments: “Cathedrals of Blood has some real stand out moments from each member so naturally when deciding what song to do an in-studio video for, it was the first one to come to mind. Lyrically the song is a slight departure in theme from the rest of the album, it focuses on the damage that religion has done to society and the hypocritical ways people choose to act on their beliefs.”
Formed in 2016, PHOBOPHLIC have steadily accumulated early releases in the shape of two demos, 2019’s Undimensioned Identities EP and a split release with Canada’s Sedimentum, all the while honing their craft out across the North American touring circuit – featuring live stints with Gatecreeper and Mutilatred respectively, as well as appearances at LDB Fest and Philadelphia Death Nexus – positioning themselves among US death metals most intriguing young acts.
Following their early productivity both in studio and on the road, PHOBOPHILIC pulled together to shape Enveloping Absurdity’s eight songs into existence. Shunning the fantastical in favour of lived human reality, the band opted to center their gaze on what it is to exist. Drawing from French writers Albert Camus and Jean-Paul Sartre as well as Germany’s Fredrich Nietzche’s strains of philosophical thought, Enveloping Absurdity is a meticulous vivisection of the philosophical self and purpose, as it asks fundamental questions of life’s true meaning.
PHOBOPHILIC’s formative promise is fully captured with a stellar production job that retains their to-the-bone intensity, but allows room for the underlying grandiosity of their compositions, thanks to Adam Tucker at Signaturetone Recording in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The artwork was then licensed from Finnish illustrator Joonas Räsänen at EvM Art, as the band sought to marry Enveloping Absurdity’s overarching thematic ponderance with aesthetic totality.
On their debut long player PHOBOPHILIC rebel against notions of defeat and pessimism, in spite of the struggles that come with an overabundance of consciousness, to a profound embrace of that which ails as well as thrills. At the beating heart of Enveloping Absurdity’s sonic extremity is a victory of the self, not content with simply surviving, but choosing to live.
Enveloping Absurdity tracklist: 1. Enantiodromia 2. Those Which Stare Back 3. Nauseating Despair 4. Cathedrals of Blood (Twilight of the Idols) 5. Individuation 6. The Illusion of Self 7. Survive in Obscurity 8. Enveloping Absurdity
JOE LYNN TURNER has presented the lyric video for the second song ‘Black Sun’ from his upcoming studio album “Belly Of The Beast”, set to be released on October 28th via Music Theories Recordings / Mascot Label Group.
Turner has once again collaborated with Wayne Joyner, who created the accompanying visual for the lead reveal “Belly Of The Beast” (https://youtu.be/VTW37kr67kM). He states, “Confucius shared, ‘Signs and symbols rule The World, not words nor laws.’ The Black Sun is an esoteric, occult symbol used by the secret Elite Brotherhood called the Illuminati. It is a symbol of power, energy, and dominance. Those of us who are familiar with the concept can better understand how the Beast System operates. The agenda is to create a system of global government imposed on the world population known as the New World Order or recently named The Great Reset. The agenda is once again activated to complete this imposed ideology. The Black Sun is on the rise…”
Preview “Black Sun” Here:
When asked about his collaboration with Joyner, Turner offers, “Our collaboration on the ‘Belly of the Beast’ lyric video was an indelible experience. Wayne completely understands what the vision and purpose of such a medium must communicate to the audience. His professionalism is of the highest caliber and his easy-going personality makes it a pleasure to share ideas. He then sets these ideas into a form creating a visual experience for the musical identity of the song that otherwise would have been lost in audio format only. Wayne makes you hear it, see it and connect to it on a multitude of levels.” Similar sentiments are shared when asked about Russian photographer Agata Nigrovskaya, who captured the portraits presenting his natural likeness timed to the reveal about his life-long condition of alopecia. He states, “Agatha is a very intuitive spirit. She connects with the artist on a deep emotional level and achieves an almost transcendent outcome in her photography. The communication between her and I was unspoken, but understood. Through her sophisticated, raw and fearless approach, she is able to bring the deeper emotions and potential out of her subject. I am so appreciative to have these two creative forces collaborating with me in supporting the upcoming Belly Of The Beast album release.”
The painting that graces the cover of the forthcoming Mascot Label Group debut is the work of Aliaksandr Akutsionak. As Turner shares, “Art should shake you, disturb you, inspire you, and make you feel emotions that penetrate the soul. When Aliaksandr presented me with this painting, I was absolutely moved by it, and knew at once it had to be the cover art for Belly Of The Beast. It is a perfect visualization of the message and meaning I am trying to portray. He is a gifted young edgy painter, and tattoo artist. His visions and interpretations of his inner self are unique and original. His work transfers his spirit to canvas, and stimulates the imagination of the viewer.”
The wildest times call for the freest of voices. After selling millions of records, playing to countless fans, and fronting some of the most influential rock bands in history, award-winning songwriter and vocal dynamo Joe Lynn Turner speaks his mind as loudly as possible on his eleventh full-length offering and Mascot Label Group debut, BELLY OF THE BEAST. Joining forces with iconic producer Peter Tägtgren [Hypocrisy, PAIN, Lindemann], the New Jersey-born powerhouse conjures up the kind of heavy metal that not only makes you throw your fist in the air, but also makes you think.
In 2017, he initially met Peter after performing at his brother’s private birthday party. Soon later, Joe and Peter collaborated on their first track “Don’t Fear the Dark,” cementing their creative partnership and assembling what would become Belly Of The Beast.
“It happened completely by accident, but some of the best things happen by accident,” Joe notes. “I was not very familiar with Peter’s bands Pain and Hypocrisy, but when we met, I loved his personality, and I felt like we had a chemistry together. On the writing side, you have to change and grow to mature. I had this in me. As far as pushing into a heavy vein, Peter said, ‘Joe adapted his voice,’ which is the truth. It’s still me though. I kept it dirty, gritty, and metal.”
This chapter saw him make a crucial personal decision too. Diagnosed with alopecia at three-years-old, he began to wear a wig at 14-years-old, dealing with “emotional and psychological damage from cruel bullying in school.” So, he wore the hairpiece throughout his career until finally deciding to go without it. “In a way, it’s a blessing and a curse,” he admits. “I have nothing to prove, and I can wear a wig—or not. I am free to do what I want. I’m a grown man, and I’m getting to be an older man. Many men in this business eventually come to the decision to continue to ‘’wear hair’’ or shave their head which is very fashionable today. Either way, it takes a lot of personal courage. Assholes in high school trying to kick me around made me stronger and gave me the necessary motivation and strength to rise above the rest. Anger and pain are a great tool. If applied correctly, it could develop you to become the best version of yourself. Instead of running away, I was ‘’hiding in plain sight”.
In the end, Joe has something to say at the pit of Belly Of The Beast. “Rock‘n’Roll is about entertainment of course, but I hope you hear the message as well,” he leaves off. “It seems like everyone has sold their souls to major corporations. Once people are rich and popular, they become a part of the establishment. Where are the rebels? Who’s going to say, ‘Fuck you! We aren’t going to take this shit?’ I am.”
Track list Belly Of The Beast Black Sun Tortured Soul Rise Up Dark Night Of The Soul Tears Of Blood Desire Don’t Fear The Dark Fallen World Living The Dream Requiem
U.S. Thrash pioneers AFTERMATH have released today a lyric video for their latest single ‘No Time To Waste’, the title track of their upcoming third album.
Watch the lyric video below.
🎬 ⚙️ Directed by Calvin West
The band shared: “No Time To Waste – words that everyone should live by in their daily lives. But the song is not about that. Rather it’s about all of us together having no time to waste as a free species. Everyone you talk to today says something isn’t right in the world and most can’t point out what it is that makes them feel that way. Their gut tells them something isn’t right. This song is about what we feel isn’t right with the world today and we urge people to wake up before it’s too late. It isn’t about being woke, but being awake. The song is at its core about unity and coming together to defeat our mutual enemy. Every great story has a hero and a villain. We the people are the hero in this song.”
Texan black metal battalion NECROFIER are hitting the road in support of BATUSHKA today, September 30, in their hometown of Houston, TX. The band will join the tour throughout Texas, which sees dates in Austin and Dallas as well. The full run of dates can be found below!
In addition, the band has just completed work on their sophomore full-length! The record was recorded at legendary Studio G in Brooklyn, NY by 6xGrammy nominated and 1xLatin Grammy nominated engineer, producer, and musician Joel Hamilton (UNSANE, IGGY POP, TOM WAITS). The album will follow up the band’s debut record, ‘Prophecies of Eternal Darkness,’ which was released in October of 2021. Stay tuned!
‘Prophecies of Eternal Darkness’ can be streamed/ordered/downloaded HERE.
NECROFIER (supporting BATUSHKA): 09/30: Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall [TICKETS] 10/01: Austin, TX @ Come and Take it Live [TICKETS] 10/02: Dallas, TX @ Amplified Live [TICKETS]
Electrifying quartet of IRON KINGDOM has a hot new album “The Blood Of Creation” coming out in the winter and in order to get fans as excited about it as they are, are releasing a drum playthrough of their first single “In The Grip of Nightmares” so folks at home can watch Max Friesen bring the thunder. Along with this they also released a mini-documentary about the making of the album on social media last week.
Iron Kingdom wanted to create music in a style of metal that seemed to have been forgotten when they were kids. Since no one else seemed to be doing it, they decided to play metal the way it used to be played in the 70s and 80s. They combine this classic sound with dark lyrics surrounding a variety of topics including myths, historical events, and fantasy books. The single “In the Grip Of Nightmares” spins off a character in Michael Moorcock’s “Elric of Melnibonè” book series. The band explains further: “We started writing this song during the ‘On The Hunt’ sessions back in 2019, however, the song had a different energy than the rest of the album so we decided it would be best to come back to it at a later date. In late 2020, during the Covid-19 lockdown, we took a second look at what was to become ‘In The Grip Of Nightmares’. We rewrote the tune to be what it is today. It tells the tale of the legendary sentient sword ‘Stormbringer’ and its relationship to Elric. The two are bound together by fate. A fate that twists Chaos and Law, and leaves Elric in the grip of nightmares. Musically, this song is relatively progressive, I’d say it has some Helloween and Fates Warning like feelings. It is quite fast and driving, but also quite melodic with lots of leads and solos.”
Drummer Max Friesen also adds about the track: “This song was one of the first we worked on as a group. It was one where I tried to make a good first impression haha. The kicks go for quite the gallop at a middle tempo so It’s a bit of an endurance run with full leg motion. I tried to feature both rides in this track and took influence from a cymbal riff by Amanda Osterman from the song “At The Gates” off of the 2013 album ‘Gates of Eternity’.”
“The Blood Of Creation” is the fifth album from the Vancouver-based band and over the years they have moved from being a hard rock band, then taking a progressive metal dive, going fully classic metal, and ultimately bringing all of those together in the latest. They lean into dark themes, dark topics, dark vibes, and a dark cover, and at the end is just a wall of music. Iron Kingdom is recommended for fans of Iron Maiden, Helloween, and Judas Priest.
Legendary classic doom icons CANDLEMASS recently announced the release of their new album, Sweet Evil Sun, out November 18, 2022 via Napalm Records. With this top-notch offering, recorded at NOX studio in Stockholm, the Swedish force centered around Leif Edling continue their unmatched legacy, following the inimitable The Door to Doom (2019) and proving once more that they reign as one of the heaviest metal bands on earth, bringing epic doom to the world of metal.
After releasing the hammering first single, “Scandinavian Gods”, CANDLEMASS have now unveiled the title track from their upcoming album, carrying the torch of heavy doom to the next level and showcasing that, after almost 40 years of existence, their creativity sees no bounds! “Sweet Evil Sun” kicks in with warning guitar feedback before sludging a heavy-as-hell riff as Johan Langquist deftly warbles through melancholic, beckoning passages and a hooky chorus. His imposing vocals fit each riff and tone perfectly, emerging as an instrument in itself. A brand new official music video underlines this massive wall of sound the appropriate way, heating up the anticipation for everything that is about to come!
Leif Edling on “Sweet Evil Sun”: “It took me only an hour or so to write, but it turned out to be not only the title track of Sweet Evil Sun, but also one of the best songs on it!Nice riff, great chorus and one heck of a guitar solo from Lars! Immediate, epic, heavy, catchy! It kicks ass!!”
After working on this massive piece of art for 18 months in total, with Sweet Evil Sun, CANDLEMASS brings back all the grandness of their early years, exploring themes of ambition and strife, hope and failure. It comes as no surprise that, alongside the band, renowned producer Marcus Jidell captured the band’s massive, smoky guitar tones, powerful drums and larger-than-life vocals, offering a truly unique, high quality sonic experience.
Through the power of wall-shaking riffs, incredible vocal performances and the blood and spirit of classic heavy metal, Sweet Evil Sun shines as a masterpiece of impending legend that truly honors the epic doom metal cult of CANDLEMASS.
The artwork for Sweet Evil Sun was illustrated by the skilled hand of Erik Rovanperä, the architect behind CANDLEMASS’ visual style since Psalms for the Dead (2012)
Leif Edling on the new album: “Sweet Evil Sun is about hope, striving, adoration and failure. It’s about all the personal battles that you have, but also the never-ending decay of humanity.
The record took over a year to make and there’s not a bad track on it! We had a fantastic time recording it and are really looking forward to the release. It’s Doom, It’s Metal! It is the essence of CANDLEMASS put into one album!”
Opening track “Wizard Of The Vortex” instantly casts a spell with a riff so powerful, the listener is immediately ensnared. Jennie-Ann Smith (Avatarium) lends her beautiful voice to the theatrical, grim “When Death Sighs”, creating a shimmering, intermingled chorus duet eventually backed by rising organs and a marching rhythm. The haunting atmosphere is highlighted by an amazing guitar solo that reads like a story as it bends and descends, marking the sign of death on the listener’s door. First single “Scandinavian Gods” kicks things off with a hammer blow. The song stomps in with a dark, Nordic metal chant driven by slow and heavy drums, droning guitars and majestic vocals that convey mysterious tales of Scandinavian mythology to the next generation!
Sweet Evil Sun Tracklist:
Wizard Of The Vortex
Sweet Evil Sun
Angel Battle
Black Butterfly
When Death Sighs
Scandinavian Gods
Devil Voodoo
Crucified
Goddess
A Cup Of Coffin (Outro)
Experience CANDLEMASS live in 2022: 22.10.22 SE – Sundsvall / Nordfest 30.10.22 BE – Gent / Desertfest Ghent 19.11.22 DE – Würzburg, Hammer of Doom
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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
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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