Wanikiya Record is pleased to present the first Lyric video of WALLS OF BABYLON, taken from their forthcoming album “Fallen” set to be released on 27 September via Wanikiya Record/promotion.
This is ‘Too late for regrets’, the epilogue to the concept behind the album. “We chose this track because it expresses the atmosphere without spoiling the plot of the story, so, unusually, we start at the end.”
‘Too Late for Regrets’ Lyric video credits:
created by Stefano Mastronicola.
Produced and Mixed by Francesco Pellegrini
Mastering by Manuele Pesaresi at Dyne engine studio (Castelfidardo-Italy)
Extreme Metal pioneers VENOM INC. are proud to unleash “Don’t Feed Me Your Lies” – the 2nd single from their upcoming album “There’s Only Black,” which will be released on September 23rd, 2022 via NUCLEAR BLAST RECORDS.
Almost 40 years after their inception, the revitalized 1989 – 1992 Venom line-up of guitarist Jeff “Mantas” Dunn and vocalist/bassist Tony “Demolition Man” Dolan and the new addition of drummer Jeramie ‘Warmachine’ Kling have returned with one hell of a follow-up to their acclaimed debut, “Avé,” and show no signs of slowing down.
VENOM INC. – There’s Only Black Release Date: 23 September 2022
01 How Many Can Die (03:21) 02 Infinitum (03:47) 03 Come To Me (03:46) 04 There’s Only Black (04:49) 05 Tyrant (05:25) 06 Don’t Feed Me Your Lies (05:51) 07 Man As God (03:23) 08 Burn Liar Burn (05:32) 09 Nine (03:34) 10 Rampant (04:06) 11 The Dance (04:54) 12 Inferno (05:19)
ABOUT VENOM INC.
As 2015 swept in it brought with it a solid revival of traditional Metal bands. A chance encounter and request brought and offer to Tony Dolan (Vocalist and Bassist) to reform the line up of VENOM that had recorded the classic “Prime Evil” album and solid follow up albums that kept the band very much alive during the onslaught of Grunge and Brit pop that destroyed all but the most hardy in the early 1990’s Metal had suffered at the hands of the new trend but VENOM (with this lineup) refused to alter or die and so continued the legacy that had begun when Jeff Dunn (aka Mantas – Guitar) formed the original band in 1979 and brought the world extreme Metal in the form of the “Welcome To Hell” and “Black Metal” albums.
The albums penned mostly by Dunn, exposed the world to a new way of music taken to the extremes and with a pinch of darkness and controversial odour they raised their heads from the grave as if they had always been lying in wait and brought chaos to a neatly formed music industry.
Topped off with the voice of Clive ‘Jesus Christ’ Archer and later by Cronos and The Demolition Man the band was and still is a force of nature. While others attempt to take credit for all things VENOM the truth is not a hidden mystery but rather written on tablets like the ten commandments but unlike religion you do not need faith to follow VENOM or their ideas and music but simply ears to hear.
‘Somewhere In Time, We Were Born ..’ they sing and it has become their mantra. Today’s scenes are full of examples taken from this classic band. Images and themes and even a whole genre taking it’s name from the seminal “Black Metal” album. The characters were and still are larger than life to fans but it is the music that carries the flame. The true inspiration for all is the dark heavy vibes tinged with a Black and Roll touch.
VENOM INC. began again in 2015 by accident almost and the name was not a choice but given by fans, agents, promoters etc .On reflection it is just matter and fact that this band is true and real and carries the true spirit which began in 1979 and will end their days being that spirit that was lost somewhere over the years. Perhaps it is inevitable for a band to change or grow away from it’s original intent but every single Legionnaire from the VENOM’s Legions know..their own moment that made them a life long fan and so it is to this end that VENOM INC will continue to grow and perform the classics from the legacy with heart and soul and true meaning and will write with this same intent in mind so that new fans too may realise that a real band playing with all they have to give still exists and are still very important in this growing age of digital separation from reality.
VENOM INC. has been touring without pause since the first appearance at KEEP IT TRUE festival in Germany in 2015 and have taken their brand of energy and performance across the globe on many European tours, Asia, US, all over South and Central America , Hellfest, Bloodstock, Alcatrazz, Wacken are among the countless festivals shows, a special invitation to tour with Glenn Danzig and special appearance at the Original Misfits show at Chicago’s ‘All State Arena’ , as well as Special invited guests by The Metal Allegiance in New York City amongst list of other things, live is where the band truly live but now it is time for a new album and the writing has not stopped 2021 we shall see the new album and new shows taking the world into it’s arms once again and embracing it and it’s dark heavy soul.
Just recently, Metalheads Forever interviewed Finnish violinist, composer, ethnomusicologist TUOMAS ROUNAKARI, talking about Bear Awakener production and concept, Khanty and Mansi Tribe, and how was his journey to find the ancient tribes and mans relationship towards nature!
Watch the video interview here:
Metalheads Forever wrote: “Tuomas is a one-man-band blending violin, vocals and stomping with ankle-bells. In his performance he enters various trance-states. He is inspired by different forms of dialogue; man and nature, the seen and the unseen world, ancient and future. His first solo album Shamanviolin was a result of ethnomusicological studies of the earliest 20th century wax-cylinder recordings from Siberia. These studies have also led to many collaborations with indigenous artists. He is one of the few artists who have actually returned their art to native communities for evaluation and development.”
On April 14th, TUOMAS ROUNAKARI released his new album “Bear Awakener”, available now at https://rounakari.bandcamp.com! The release party was held on May 8th at Uusi Paviljonki, Kauniainen – Finland. All the contributions were donated for the benefit of Ukrainian Mothers 🇺🇦
While Tuomas was playing, happened something what is considered impossible…
Tuomas shared: “This moment from the record release show keeps amazing me. I’ve never even heard of a bow breaking like this! It should not be possible to break’em by simply playing. Anyways.. very grateful for this evening! Playing Bear Awakener live for the very first time. Just once in a lifetime! Ending on standing ovations✨”
Awakening the Bear is a symbol of succumbing to the greater forces of existence. Awakening a new energy while being more connected to the ancient. And first and foremost – opening to a dialogue with mythical entities and re-creating harmonious and long lasting relationships with our surroundings, including human and non-human beings, seen and unseen worlds.
The songs in this album are formed by Khanty, Mansi, Carelian and Finnish ancestors. They carry a resonance of those before us who were better equipped to collaborate with nature in a sustainable and self-sufficient way. Such songs have always been Tuomas’ best teachers.
“This is music that gods are listening to” said Pekko Käppi after having listened through the freshly finished mastered tracks.
The album coverart was created by Karolina Pärnänen.
“Bear Awakener” tracklisting:
First Morning
In the Land of the Bear
Man with a Bear’s Snout
Second Morning
Song of a Small Goose
Origin of the Bear
Third Morning
Bear Clan Girl
Man-observing-the-world
Roopeska’s Bear Hunt
Last Morning – Departure Running Time: 42,10 min.
“Bear Awakener” was recorded, mixed and mastered at the Verde Studio with the gear-wizard Mika Rintala. None of his modular synthesizers were used. All of the equipment used in recording was built by Mika – microphones, pre-amps, EQ and even the mixing console and electrostatic monitors.
TUOMAS ROUNAKARI is an internationally acclaimed violinist, composer and ethnomusicologist from Finland. He is a one-man-band blending violin, vocals and stomping with ankle-bells. In his performance he enters various trance-states. In this album he will also be playing a traditional Khanty instrument called Ning-juh.
Tuomas is inspired by different forms of dialogue; man and nature, the seen and the unseen world, ancient and future. His first solo album Shamanviolin was a result of ethnomusicological studies of the earliest 20th century wax-cylinder recordings from Siberia. These studies have also led to many collaborations with indigenous artists. He is one of the few artists who have actually returned their art to native communities for evaluation and development.
Enjoy online concert from Kaustinen Folk Music Festival 2020. Shamanviolin at Pauanne is a full-length online concert produced by the Kaustinen Folk Music Festival 2020. The concert was filmed at the magical Pauanne where a community of folk musicians and folk healers used to live in the 1980’s. All buildings are fully hand made with many mythological decorations. This Shamanviolin concert ends with lament melodies in a burnt down sauna. The magic and unique beauty of this place is still strong. A perfect environment for my music.
America rockers HELD HOSTAGE have teamed up with Metal Shock Finland, to premiere worldwide their new video ‘The Master’, taken from the band’s new album “Great American Rock”, featuring Tim “Ripper” Owens on vocals. The album was released digitally and on compact disc on May 6th 2022 via FireRock Music Group.
Join the video premiering here:
Furthermore, Metal Shock Finland’s Tarja Virmakari had a pleasure to interview the band’s lead guitarist and vocalist Tom Collier, read their chat below.
Hello Held Hostage, and welcome to Metal Shock Finland! Today we’ve a pleasure to premiere your new video ‘The Master’, taken from your new album “Great American Rock”, featuring Tim “Ripper” Owens on vocals. Please tell me about the song and the story behind it.
Tom Collier: First of all. Thank you, Metal Shock Finland for premiering our new video for our song The Master. The story behind the song is kind of different. When I was writing the music to the master, I wanted to create what I called an iconic guitar riff that as soon as you heard it you went wow what a great riff. I called Scott Gregg (rhythm guitarist) at like 6 am in the morning and said ‘hey get over to my house, I got this great riff I am turned into a song’. He came over and was like yeah I love it. Then I finished all the music to the song. I had a theme of addiction but had not named the song. At rehearsal Scott came up with the name ‘The Master’. All the music was done, then I wrote the first verse and got stuck (which never happens with me) and I asked Scott to come over and we wrote the second and 3rd verses together. Everyone has some sort of addiction whether it is, alcohol, drugs, music, sex, food, coffee. The meaning of the song is, you have to try and beat your master (addiction). when you do it’s a new world for you to see.
As mentioned, Tim “Ripper” Owens features in ten tracks on your new album as singer. How was it to collaborate with him?
Tom Collier: This was our second collaboration with Ripper Owens. He sang our last album ‘Epic’ all 12 tracks. I have to say Ripper is one of the hardest working guys in the business. When he does a project, he does it 110%. He sent me 10-12 vocal tracks for each song he sang, including harmony backups. Not only did he sing but Ripper helped produce the vocal tracks. He would send me ideas and suggestions I would send them back to him and it worked fantastic. He is a true professional in every sense of the word. Very easy to work with and extremely helpful. He goes above and beyond what you asked for and he does the same when he is special guest singer with Held Hostage live performances. I have to say Ripper took the vocals on this album to a new level.
Besides Tim Ripper, the acoustic song ‘Show Me The Way Back’ of the album guests also Joe Lynn Turner, Mike Lepond and Ron Keck, what can you tell us about these collaborations?
Tom Collier: Working with Joe was a great experience also. He is a rock legend (Rainbow, Deep Purple) and I was happy to have him on this record. We had done a different more processed version of this song. And wanted to strip it done back to its roots. It was always meant to be an acoustic song and that is what I did. I needed bass player so my friend Mike Lepond (Symphony X , Ross The Boss Band) was getting ready to leave for Europe in a few hours and he cut the bass lines in his home studio, sent them to me and hopped a plane to Europe. Ron Keck is a friend of mine and owner of Subcat Studios and Subcat Records. Ron jumped on the drum set and did a great job. The song has been a hit for us.
Talking about the album “Great American Rock” itself, please tell us about the songwriting process of the songs and their topics.
Tom Collier: All the songs that I write, or the band writes are usually true to life experiences or about life experiences. The title cut ‘We Rock Hard’ is about staying focused on the road and not losing your way. It is easy to do when you are touring, getting caught up in the party lifestyle. We all try to avoid that and make it about the music always. ‘Now We Ride (Bikers Life)’ is about the feeling you get riding and the freedom you feel. ‘Hold On’ is about meeting someone being like wow she is too nice for this kind of life. ‘Your Eyes’ is about how both political parties lie and spin everything in their own favor. We are not stupid we know what is going on. ‘The Master’ we touched on about addiction. ‘You Rock Our Way’ is about being in the crowd watching bands hoping they notice you then one day that is you on stage they are all watching. Dreams do come true. ‘Take Me Away’ is about everyday life. You can never give up. You always move forward. ‘Rise’ is a very heartfelt song it is about the epidemic of Suicide of all ages. We had a few former members commit suicide so when I was writing this song it is a song of hope and inspiration. This is a song that Ripper really brings his melodic side. Many people do not realize this, but Ripper Owens is one of the most melodic singers out there. This song show a side of Ripper the world has never seen. If this song helps one person not commit suicide, then to me it has accomplished its purpose and in my mind it is a platinum hit. ‘Be A Man’ it is about taking responsibility for your own actions. We have all at one time or another started down the wrong path, but you can turn it around if you truly want too. ‘Chaos’ is just what it is meant be, our first instrumental just having fun rocking out it was recorded live and is unedited just added some sound effects to it. ‘Fallen Brothers’ is a remake from our 2nd album (2016) it started out to be about the guys in the band that passed (5 total) but turned into a anthem for all men and women who have fallen around the world. ‘Show Me The Way Back Home’ was a tribute to all the Veterans of the American Armed forces telling them we thank you and we will not forget your sacrifices.
If you’d need to choose the Top 3 of this album, what would it be?
Tom Collier: This is a tough question. Can I say all twelve songs on the record (laughing) I would have to say the top 3 song choices would be 1. You Rock Our way 2. The Master 3. We Rock Hard. This is one of my favorite albums we have done to date.
You have toured with many great bands, what are your highlights and greatest memories, so far?
Tom Collier: Another hard question because we toured and been direct support for so many great bands, it is hard to choose. I would say going to California and playing The Namm Show a few years ago at The House of Blues in Anaheim as direct support for Metal Allegiance is a great memory. We were sitting in our dressing room and in walks Dave Ellefson (Megadeath) he sits down and just starts talking to me and he was such a nice down to earth guy. It was a sold out show over 3000 people that never heard Held Hostage on the West Coast before. 2 other bands opening the show with not much response from the crowd. Then we take the stage, as we walk on the stage, the crowd starts yelling and coming alive. We go into our set and the crowd starts to roar. I look over side stage and I see Dave Ellefson and some of the guys from Metal Allegiance standing side stage watching us. By the end of our set all of Metal Allegiance is side stage and cheering us on. We walked off stage to high fives and hugs from everyone, as I was going into the dressing room the manager for Metal Allegiance stops me and says, ‘I don’t say this very often, but I would pay to see Held Hostage. You guys are that good.’ I guess another quick great memory is playing a live concert of all Held Hostage music with Tim Ripper Owens singing and my friend/brother Ross The Boss (Manowar, Ross The Boss Band) on guitar. At the end of the night Ross and I went into dueling guitars, trading guitar riffs back and forth, mimicking each other for what seemed like forever (ten minutes). The crowd was blown away and when we ended they went into a frenzy of screams and cheers. There are many more but I think those two stand out to me the most.
And what will happen next in the Held Hostage -camp?
Tom Collier: We have a lot of things in the works. We were heading on a USA tour this summer but have delayed it do a tragedy that happened to one of the band members family member. We are band of brothers and if something happens to one of us it affects us all. We all stand together, family first. We have some shows in Upstate New York scheduled in August and September, Then we will be hitting USA tour this fall and already starting working on the follow up Album to ‘Great American Rock’. The songs are already written but as always that is subject to change..
Now the word is yours, what is your message to your fans and our Metal Shock Finland readers?
Tom Collier: I would like to say to our fans “THANK YOU” for all your loyalty to this band. We have, bar none, the greatest fans in the world They are there for us and we are there for them. Keep the Faith the Best is Yet to come. As for Metal Shock readers, We hope you will take the time to listen to our music and see and feel what we feel. We record live with click tracks so it gives our music that feeling of power and true to life subjects in our music. We play with passion and true love for our music. Thank you Metal Shock for interviewing Held Hostage.
“Great American Rock” album can be ordered now at: https://lnk.to/GreatAmericanRock and look for the CD in retailers such as Target, Walmart, Barnes & Nobles and your local record stores.
FireRock Music Groups, Scott Braun,Creative Director/A & R, Says. “This is a band rich in rock n roll history and they bring with them, a great fan base and they feature some rock legends, on their new record. When I first heard the new record Great American Rock, we knew we had to sign them.”
Tom Collier founding member/ lead guitarist/lead singer, “I wanted to get back to the roots of American Rock n Roll. Being able to bring Tim “Ripper” Owens back for a second album with us was such a thrill. I produced the album but I have to say, giving Ripper free reign on his vocals and taking suggestions from him, made this record exactly what we call it, Great American Rock. We also take on the issue of suicide of all ages, with our song Rise. This is a side of Ripper the world has never seen.”
Held Hostage is: Tom Collier – lead guitar/lead vocals Scott Gregg – rhythm guitarist/backup vocals Jeff Murray – drums Dave Carrol – bass /backup vocals
Track Listing: We Rock Hard, featuring Tim “Ripper” Owens Now We Ride (Bikers Life), featuring Tim “Ripper” Owens Your Eyes, featuring Tim “Ripper” Owens The Master, featuring Tim “Ripper” Owens Hold On, featuring Tim “Ripper” Owens You Rock Our Way, featuring Tim “Ripper” Owens Take Me Away, featuring Tim “Ripper” Owens Be A Man, featuring Tim “Ripper” Owens Chaos (Live) Rise (Stop Suicide All Ages), featuring Tim “Ripper” Owens Fallen Brothers, featuring Tim “Ripper” Owens Show Me The Way Back (Acoustic), featuring Joe Lynn Turner
Production Credits: Producer Tom Collier Engineer Ron Keck Recorded at Subcat Studios Syracuse NY Photo Credits Scott Braun, Dave Koegel Special Guest Vocalist Tim “Ripper” Owens 10 tracks Special Guest Vocalist Joe Lynn Turner, Special guest Bassist Mike Lepond (Symphony X, Ross The Boss), Drummer Ron Keck all on Show Me The Way Back Home
About Held Hostage: Held Hostage has toured as and been direct support act with many great bands including Metal Allegiance, Quiet Riot, Molly Hatchet, The Rods, Uli Jon Roth, Eddie Money, Benny Mardones, Manowar, Ross The Boss Band etc. Held Hostage is currently endorsed by many great products including SIT Strings, Rev Amps, Prestige Guitars, Barefoot Buttons, Clayton Custom Picks, Kick Lidz Drums, ProPlayer Art, Intune Guitar Picks, Guitar Gifts 4u, Big Bends, Best Tronics, Mental Case, Neat Audio, WBGear. The bands unique blend of screaming guitars, thundering kick ass drums, raging bass and uninhibited vocals will stay true to form. Held Hostage is ready and able to take their place in Rock and Roll history.
OTHERWISE and Mascot Records / Mascot Label Group present the first track ‘Full Disclosure’ from the band’s upcoming new studio album.
The Las Vegas quartet—Adrian Patrick [vocals], Ryan Patrick [guitar], Nick Bedrosian [bass], and Joe Conner [drums]—have weathered personal tragedy and trauma, withstood the tides of the industry, and still stand tall. If anything, the boys are stronger than ever with a one-two punch of airtight guitars, stadium-shaking grooves, and hypnotic hard-hitting hooks. Over the past decade, they’ve clawed their way through the rock ‘n’ roll ranks and emerged as an unbreakable force. Their catalog spans fan favorites such as True Love Never Dies [2012], Peace At All Costs [2014], and Sleeping Lions [2017]. Signature anthem “Soldiers” has amassed over 66 million Spotify streams and counting. Meanwhile, 2019’s Defy kickstarted another chapter. “Crossfire” eclipsed 5.1 million Spotify streams followed by “Lifted” with 3.7 million Spotify streams. Loudwire hailed the latter as “a stomp-clap rocker.” On this trip, they’ve also ignited the stages of Welcome To Rockville, Rocklahoma, and Shiprocked! as well as supporting Stone Sour, Papa Roach, and more.
Watch the Official Music Video For “Full Disclosure” Here:
“Honestly, we have lived every single note and each fucking lyric we’ve written,” Adrian declares. “We don’t have costumes or a gimmick. We’re just dudes on stage singing about what we’ve gone through.”
On “Full Disclosure,” clean guitar snaps into a rip-roaring refrain uplifted by a bold declaration, “I ain’t like them other motherfuckers I’m a warrior.” “We’ve met people who are different from their stage persona,” observes Ryan. “It’s genuine frustration with people who aren’t what they seem. This is who we are.” “To sum it up as a former business law major-slash-minor, ‘Full Disclosure’ is a legal term, and it means what you see is what you fucking get,” grins Adrian.
OTHERWISE inspire change in the world at large. Ryan and Adrian lead the 501c3 Life By Music, which supplies music programs with instruments. The guys visit schools, initiated a partnership with Gibson Guitars, and even have created the Guitar Magic coloring book. “Hopefully, we’re creating an empowering environment where kids get the spark like I remember when music affected my soul,” Ryan goes on. “There’s nothing like seeing that. It’s cooler than anything we’ve done. It brings back the purity.”
With 20 years and a strong collection of masterful, acclaimed albums to their name, Irish post-rock maestros GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT come full circle with a live studio epos, The Beginning Of The End, due out July 15, 2022 via Napalm Records. Recorded at Windmill Lane Recording Studio in Dublin, Ireland on October 3, 2021, the anniversary album features modern transformations of all of the songs from their debut album, 2002’s The End Of The Beginning, encompassing each track’s evolutionary changes throughout the band’s years of live performances while allowing the original melodies and songwriting to shine through.
Following previously released first single “From Dust to the Beyond”, today GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT have shared a brand new music video for “Coda”. To this day, the song is lauded as one of the highlights on GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT’s 2002 debut album. Featuring one of the best choruses the Irish space rock band has ever created, its compelling drums and soaring, spacey mood represent their songwriting qualities throughout.
Bassist Niels Kinsella reveals:
“Coda was written late in December 2002, the first draft of “The End of the Beginning” had already been released. In 2003 we added “Point Pleasant” (inspired by the Mothman Prophecies) and Coda (inspired by the beauty of the cosmos) to the album.”
“We had some challenges to overcome to perform “Coda” live – the original version was primarily programmed and had large parts that were reversed which was a challenge to recreate in a live performance. We also took the opportunity to expand on the song writing with more variation in the melody.”
GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT’s upcoming release provides a sonic snapshot of the evolution of the Irish post-rock band over two decades. Stage classics such as “From Dust to the Beyond”, “Coda or “Route 666″ can be heard in a new light, with clear, transformative variations originally heard during the band’s captivating live performances now incorporated. Plus, in addition to these live expansions, technical advances have been applied to each track. Originally limited to just a keyboard sequencer and an Akai S3000 sampler on The End Of The Beginning, 20 years later on The Beginning Of The End, the band seizes the opportunity to breathe new life into these live versions, allowing them to bring more feeling, experience, equipment and expression to the music and songs.
Niels comments: “When we recorded the “The End of the Beginning” we only had limited equipment; we couldn’t even record full live performances. The Beginning of the End gave us the opportunity to perform the whole album live and allowed us to bring more feeling and expression to the music and songs. We’re very excited to share this with everyone.”
The release of The Beginning Of The End could not be more relevant than in these current dark times. War themes are strikingly evident on songs such as the aforementioned “From Dust to the Beyond”, as well as album title track “The End of the Beginning” – named after a quote credited to Prime Minister Winston Churchill during the WWII era. Influenced by the chaos and futility of war, these themes are also reflected on the album’s cover, created by the band in collaboration with returning artist David Rooney. Featuring a war-torn concert hall and a piano, the art is a defiant message reflecting that the power of music transcends war and time.
Torsten Kinsella adds: “From Dust to the Beyond was written in 2002, inspired by the futile wars of the past and how we are doomed to repeat our mistakes and ironically we are now seeing the same unfold once again.”
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
Click image to watch the video
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