Epic, emotional, eloquent… Newly formed UK doom metal quintet WOLVES IN WINTER have hit the ground running. Forming between lockdowns in 2020, Wolves In Winter have worked tirelessly to forge a crushing fusion of traditional and contemporary doom metal. The band is comprised of seasoned veterans from the UK heavy music underground, including former and present members of Solstice, Lazarus Blackstar, Monolith Cult, Slammer and more, effortlessly building on a wealth of experience and carving a fully realised sound and vision. Today, the heavy doom collective has announced their worldwide signing with Argonauta Records, who are proud to release the band‘s upcoming, first full-length album during 2022!
“We’re really excited about our collaboration with Argonauta – they’re a great label, who are easy to work with and they have some really cool, quality bands on the roster,“ the band comments. This is a great opportunity to bring ourselves to a wider audience, with the help from an established and respected record company and we’re looking forward to our journey with them.“
Wolves In Winter have written and recorded their forthcoming debut album with Chris Fielding (Conan) at Foel Studios. Working with Fielding has allowed them to capture enormous tones and crushing riffs. The quintet seamlessly honour doom metal traditionalists such as Cathedral and Candlemass, yet go toe to toe with contemporary favourites including Pallbearer and Windhand. Wolves In Winter land on both sides of the coin, building dynamic, weighty and nuanced lengthy tracks that are as heavy sonically as they are emotionally. With riffs and chord progressions that are contemplative and melancholic, a subtle yet driving rhythm section, and a powerhouse lead vocal performance which brims with emotive and passionate gravelly harmonies akin to Alice In Chains, Wolves In Winter have already crafted a versatile, engrossing and powerful sound.
Wolves In Winter are currently working hard behind closed doors and have already attracted a buzz from metal publications and record companies. Watch out for many more updates and album details to follow, as with their recent signing with powerhouse label Argonauta Records, Wolves In Winter will undoubtedly make a huge impression in the metal scene holding onto an album that will turn heads!
DRAGGED UNDER and Mascot Records / Mascot Label Group have presented “Suffer” from the band’s upcoming new studio album titled UPRIGHT ANIMALS which will be released globally on June 10. Singer Tony Cappocchi shares, “’Suffer’ is about the nature of compromise, especially with people you love. Whether or not we acknowledge it, sometimes we make the people we care about suffer because of our actions. Touring as a musician is a perfect example. I leave my fiancé at home to manage our bills, keep up the house, take care of family things all while maintaining her own life. It can be isolating and I’m sure it’s not always fun, but sometimes suffering so that your partner can chase their dreams is necessary, but it has to be reciprocal.” The release will be available on CD, an orange transparent LP, and digitally.
Recently, the band and MLG presented the official music video for “Crooked Halos,” which can be screened here: https://youtu.be/Ch11ukbOOy8. Prior, the first reveal was the song and accompanying video for “All Of Us,” which can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/uIBGie-JCbQ.
In 2021, Dragged Under collaborated with Underoath’s Spencer Chamberlain presenting “Brainwash Broadcast,” which can be seen here: https://youtu.be/ve1Zr688E_Q. At the time of release, the band shared, “’Brainwash Broadcast’ isn’t a hyper nuanced allegory, it’s a journal entry on the media sensationalism that we endure every day. You can hear the same story from 2 different outlets with competing ideologies, and think two completely different things. It can be hard to decipher satire from real life news some days because of how inundated we are with subjective opinion pieces and click bait headlines. We have a problem with division and fear, and our media and ‘journalists’ are at the center of it.” Still as relevant in 2022 as it ever has been.
This past August, the band released WE’LL DO IT LIVE via Mascot Records / Mascot Label Group. Timed to that title, Dragged Under presented “Hypochondria,” which can be heard and screened here: https://youtu.be/B3Ap8cw3XFE. Additionally, the band and label released a deluxe version of the band’s debut album titled The World Is In Your Way, with two bonus tracks added titled “Just Like Me” and “Feel It.’”
When you strip everything else away, we rely on our animal instincts to survive. In the face of danger, we either flee or fight without hesitation. No matter how many perceived differences exist between us, we breathe the same air, drink the same water, and eat the same way to subsist. Dragged Under naturally harness this primal power in their hard-hitting hybrid of punk, rock, metal, and hardcore. Choosing to progress, the Seattle quintet—Tony Cappocchi [vocals], Ryan Bruce [guitar], Sean Rosario [guitar], Hans Hessburg [bass], and Kalen Anderson [drums]—sharpen their claws, teeth, and style on their second full-length album, Upright Animals [Mascot Records / Mascot Label Group].
With animalistic energy, Dragged Under charged out of the gate in 2020 on their debut The World Is In Your Way. The album generated streams in the tens of millions and earned widespread critical acclaim. Beyond plugs from Loudwire, New Noise Magazine, and more, KERRANG! hailed it as “nine tracks of the edgiest, most in-your-face punk in recent memory – loaded with underdog appetite and energy,” and Alternative Press named it one of the “20 Debut Albums That Took Metalcore to the Next Level in 2020.” Along the way, they toured alongside everyone from The Used to Beartooth. During 2021, they recorded what would become Upright Animals with frequent collaborator Hiram Hernandez [Jared Dines, Craig Owens] in Los Angeles and Matt Good [Hollywood Undead, Asking Alexandria] in Phoenix.
“There was an element of thematic development,” Tony reflects. “The last record was a bunch of different phases of my life. I had 21 years to write it. I only had a year-and-a-half to write this one. It’s about a time, a place, events, and what I was a feeling in this window.”
In the end, Dragged Under evolve by eliciting emotion from the purest place possible. The complete track listing of Upright Animals features, “Upright Animals,” “All Of Us,” “Never Enough,” “Crooked Halos,” “Long Live The King,” “Suffer,” “See You Alive,” “Weather,” “No Place Like Home,” “Words For Hire,” “Brainwash Broadcast feat. Spencer Chamberlain,” and “This Is The End.”
“When you listen to this, I hope you experience moments of tension, anxiety, sadness, and happiness,” he leaves off. “At the same time, it’s nostalgic for us. We want it to remind you of being young and discovering the bands that changed your life. If you think, ‘This reminds me of what I grew up on,’ I’d be very satisfied. We spent a lot of time and energy on this. I’m excited about the future.”
Upright Animals Track list
Upright Animals
All Of Us
Never Enough
Crooked Halos
Long Live The King
Suffer
See You Alive
Weather
No Place Like Home
Words For Hire
Brainwash Broadcast feat. Spencer Chamberlain
This Is The End
The UK & Europe are also set to host Dragged Under this summer for a set of shows and festivals: Tickets available from: https://www.draggedunder.com/dates
10 June 2022 – The Craufurd Arms, Milton Keynes, UK 11 June 2022 – Download Fest, Donnington, UK 13 June 2022 – King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, Glasgow, UK 14 June 2022 – Key Club, Leeds, UK 15 June 2022 – Asylum2, Birmingham, UK 16 June 2022 – The Star And Garter, Manchester, UK 17 June 2022 – The Camden Assembly, London, UK 18 June 2022 – O2 Academy Brixton, London, UK (supporting The Ghost Inside) 21 June 2022 – Hall Of Fame, Tilburg, NL 22 June 2022 – Backstage BTM, Paris, FR 23 June 2022 – Hellfest, Clisson, FR 25 June 2022 – Vainstream Festival, Munster, DE 26 June 2022 – Full Force Festival, Ferropolis, DE 28 June 2022 – Schlachthof/Kesselhaus, Wiesbaden, DE 29 June 2022 – Hafenklang, Hamburg, DE 30 June 2022 – Gebäude 9, Cologne, DE
American west coast metal giant AS I LAY DYING announces the “2022 Summer Europe Tour” which includes twelve stops all around Europe. In addition to a few festival appearances, the band will also play selected shows in Germany, Switzerland and Ireland. During the only European shows in 2022, AS I LAY DYING will be supported by LORNA SHORE, DARKEST HOUR, TENSIDE and TEN56 each on selected days.
AS I LAY DYING comments on the European summer dates: “It feels good to finally make our way back and play some of the finest heavy music festivals Europe has to offer. We look forward to catching up with old friends and celebrating the return of these large musical gatherings that we’re grateful to be a part of. Due to scheduling conflicts, we’ve condensed all rescheduled “Two Decades of Destruction” EU dates to a handful of headlining shows in between festival appearances, including our very first appearance in Ireland. This will be a great finish to our 2022 touring before we finalize writing and enter the studio for our next album. We’ll see you soon!”
Tickets are on sale now.
Below you can find all the European dates for summer 2022:
04.08. AT Feldkirch – poolbar-Festival 06.08. DE Wacken – Wacken Open Air 09.08. UK Dublin – Academy 11.08. CZ Fortress Josefov – Brutal Assault 12.08. DE Frankfurt – Batschkapp 13.08. BE Kortrijk – Alcatraz 14.08. DE Köln – Essigfabrik 15.08. DE München – Backstage 16.08. CH Lyss – Kulturfabrik 17.08. IT Padova – Dissonance Festival 19.08. DE Sulingen – Reload Festival 20.08. DE Trier – Summer Blast
The band’s latest album, Shaped By Fire, was produced by AS I LAY DYING and was mixed by Joseph McQueen at Sparrow Sound in Los Angeles, CA while mastering was completed by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound in Nashville, TN. The only exception was for the track “My Own Grave” which was produced by AS I LAY DYING, co-produced by Drew Fulk and mixed by Adam “Nolly” Getgood. The artwork was created by Corey Meyers.
Progressive heavy metal vehicle, INTERLOPER is keeping busy in 2022 with the releases of their album “Search Party” and completing a very successful 7-week tour across North America with label mates OBSCURA. To keep the momentum going, the band releases a music video for their new single, ‘My Flame Deadened’. Watch the video that features footage taken by Sterling Stetar from the band’s recent tour, here:
Miles Baker comments, “We are very happy to release this one. This song was created and written about a tragedy in one of our lives. The focus of this one was to embrace a minimalist approach and force ourselves to be creative with dynamics without losing focus of the song. We hope you love it and look forward to playing it on an upcoming tour this fall!”
For ‘My Flame Deadened’, the band returned to the studio with Joey Virrueta who help them with the production as well as handling the mixing of the album. The artwork for the single was created by Adrian Loeb.
Earlier this year, INTERLOPER presented their debut, full-length album “Search Party” which was released via Nuclear Blast Records.
The deep cohesiveness of INTERLOPER’s writing process for “Search Party” allowed for a creative project with no real boundaries or restrictions. The album was produced by the band and Joey Virrueta. Drums were recorded at Big Bad Sound LA by Jack Ruley and Zach Fisher, with the mixing and mastering completed once more by Andrew’s brother Joey Virrueta. The album artwork was created by Caelan Stokkermans.
Jimmy Kay and Alan Dixon from The Metal Voice spoke to legendary bassist Rudy Sarzo about his longstanding history and return to Quiet Riot. Watch the interview below.
Rudy told The Metal Voice about his return back into the band, ” The main reason why I am back in the band is because Frankie Banali invited me. Frankie asked me before he passed away to return to the band. My best friend asked me to do something, so I needed to honour Frankie. I needed to be that guy on stage who honored the legacy and the memory of the band members who have passed. This is the first time that I actually leave the house to go on the road every weekend. We are booked solid through the rest of the year every single week. But now I leave with a mission. I’m not going out there just to play a bunch of songs and whatever financial gains. Now I have a mission. My mission is to celebrate the legacy and memory of my band mates,”
When asked about if he considered himself an almost original member after replacing bassist Keli Garni on QR 1 and 2 (albums only released in Japan) he said, “When you say almost original member? That would be like saying Frankie Banali is not an original member of Quiet Riot. Let me give you my perception because everybody has a perception, this is the way I look at it. There were two albums that were released only in Japan. It was basically kind of like releasing an independent EP. Forty five years ago when those records were released, the Randy Rhoads version of Quiet Riot, Billboard magazine, they didn’t even have a chart for that. Nothing for imports or music that was released in Japan. If you don’t have a record deal in the USA you got nothing, you are not a recording artist. Today it’s a whole different scenario because Japan has their own domestic heavy metal bands with world class musicians. It is not the same scenario as it was 40 years ago. So technically the clock starts with Metal Health because that’s when a band under the name Quiet Riot got signed to Pasha/Columbia Records. I got a contract that I signed along with Carlos and Kevin and Frankie, that disputes the fact that I am not an original member. Then again that is my perception.”
In 2022, 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 output, The Beginning Of The End, due out on July 15, 2022 via Napalm Records. Recorded at Windmill Lane Recording Studio in Dublin, Ireland on October 3, 2021, the 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.
Stage classics such as “From Dust to the Beyond” and “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.
“When we recorded the “The End of the Beginning” we only had limited equipment,; we couldn’t even record full live performances,“ bassist Niels Kinsella reveals. “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.”
Today, GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT have premiered a brand new music video for the otherworldly, re-recorded single “From Dust to the Beyond”; a song that has even been aired on MTV and now perfectly balances the band’s melancholic post-rock manner and a menacing yet dreamy atmosphere.
Says Torsten Kinsella:“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!“
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.
GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT’s upcoming release provides a sonic snapshot of the evolution of the Irish post-rock band over two decades. Made enthralling and memorable with live momentum, The Beginning Of The End belongs in every well-curated post-rock record collection!
GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT Live: Find all dates & tickets HERE!
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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