Unstoppable Ukrainian metalcore unit SPACE OF VARIATIONS drifts off into distant universes with their second single “vein.mp3”, taken from their upcoming full-length, IMAGO (out March 18 via Napalm Records). Like a bestial alien, “vein.mp3” goes wild with shattering drums, thudding bass, heavily distorted guitars and evil screams. Following first single “SOMEONE ELSE”, “vein.mp3” provides another varied taste of what’s to come on IMAGO, and the band’s live attack, as witnessed during their previous performances with modern metal giants JINJER across Europe. Beware of this musical demon named SPACE OF VARIATIONS!
SPACE OF VARIATIONS Singer Dima on “vein.mp3”: “We are a by-product of our systems and concepts. Slaves of micro worlds. Fragile eyewitnesses of our own strength and weakness. We find each other and lose ourselves in someone, watching how beautiful becomes disgusting. From the dense darkness we reach for the light. This is how we feel about this song. This is probably what you feel sometimes.”
Furiously crashing opener “SOMEONE ELSE” sets free the uncompromising spirit of SPACE OF VARIATIONS – instantly breaking down genres and placing a forceful exclamation mark at the start with smashing instrumentation and a feverish vocal and lyrical assault by Dmytro Kozhukhar and Olexii Zatserkovnyi. Devastatingly heavy “1M followers” takes no prisoners from the first second and features a hefty appearance from former Asking Alexandria vocalist Denis Stoff, resulting in a fearless, addictive metalcore banger. Tracks like eponymous “IMAGO” and intense mid-tempo “Serial Killer” emphasize the multifaceted nature of SPACE OF VARIATIONS with sporadically scaled-back instrumentation and emotion turned to 10. On the contrary, previously released penultimate post-hardcore dystopia “Ultrabeat” delivers bone-crushing beats and is by far no stranger to the band’s devotees. Closing with an insane verse from Ukrainian rap sensation ALYONA ALYONA, the track undeniably marks a milestone in the unit’s soon-to-be revered history while representing the seething desire to expand all limits of songwriting and creativity. This mindset embodies SPACE OF VARIATIONS and their sonically boggling ode to the future, IMAGO.
SPACE OF VARIATIONSon IMAGO: “The main symbolism of the album is hidden in its title – IMAGO. In entomology, imago is the last stage an insect attains during its metamorphosis. In psychology, it’s one of the fundamental concepts, an unconscious mental image a person has of himself, other objects of reality and his blood ties through the prism of his perception. As an insect breaks through the shell of a chrysalis to free itself from the protective cocoon surrounding it, you, too, through inner transformation can really become the new being, which, in fact, you were always meant to be. Imago = new stage, Imago = maturation.
Only in retrospect can one see the imago, which was previously hidden in the shadows. The future is being prepared in the bosom of the past and the present. Imago is the most complete convergence with yourself that can only happen. With this album, SPACE OF VARIATIONS are definitely moving to a new round of self-development as a creative organism.”
Things must to get back to normal at some point, or so it was said last year: Swedish Power Metal force BLOODBOUND announced their upcoming tour for March 2022. The trek would see the band play 13 shows in Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, France and Belgium. The tour is now being rescheduled to March 2023.
The band released their 9th studio album Creatures Of The Dark Realm in May 2021 via AFM Records. To still celebrate their latest record, the Swedes are moving their “Tour Of The Dark Realm” to next year. The package remains unchanged as support comes from their label colleagues ARION, plus newcomers METALITE and VENOITY!
“We were looking forward to this tour for months! We were full of hope for things to change for better until the last minute” says the band. “We have been looking at the situation carefully during the last few weeks of course, though. We have been in contact with the promoters all the time. And we reached a point a week ago or so where we had to accept that the venues in some countries we’re going to play are still looking at some restrictions. We’ve had to make the super hard decision to postpone the tour. To say this is a downer would be the understatement of the year! The good news is, we’re happy to share that we have managed to keep the package what it is, and we are even more looking forward to hitting the road with our friends ARION, METALITE and VEONITY. Stay safe and we will see you in March 2023!”
All venues remain unchanged except for the dates in Switzerland and Belgium. The Swiss and the Belgian shows move to another town and venue each. Tickets already purchased remain valid for all shows except for the show in Switzerland.
BLOODBOUND have been an integral part of the charts since their last three albums. With their current release, they also made it to number 24 in Germany. The band has long since become a permanent fixture in the scene and represents the new generation of power metal.
ARION have already left an impressive stamp in the current heavy music scene. The Finns, who were founded in 2011, could gather lots of attention with their debut EP and album “Last Of Us” in 2014. Their current studio album “Vultures Die Alone” was released in April 2021 and entered the Finnish charts at number 17. ARION were the special guest on BATTLE BEAST‘s latest tour in Europe. The band won over the crowds night after night, city after city. “It doesn’t take long for ARION to have the last person present in their pockets,” powermetal.de said at the time, and the colleagues from metal.de were no less excited: “With their stage presence – singer Lassi Vääränen clearly is one step ahead – ARION will quickly win over the audience!”
Founded in Stockholm in 2015, METALITE impresses with their new singer Erica Ohlson and the band’s melodic-modern metal sound full of character. Up- and- coming VEONITY have stood for energetic Power Metal in the vein of the late 90’s German/Swedish sound since 2013, and will perfectly round up this high class tour package! Make sure to catch the “Tour Of The Dark Realm” live at the following dates:
Jimmy Kay and Alan Dixon from Canada’s The Metal Voice Spoke to Judas Priest’s guitarist Richie Faulkner. Faulkner spoke about the bands upcoming North American tour with Queensryche, gave a new album update, talked about the fan backlash touring as a four piece and a lot more.
Excerpt from interview
When asked about an update for the next Judas Priest album “Since the Firepower tour we went our separate ways like we do and we always got ideas coming up, me Rob and Glenn start putting ideas down. We got together in early 2020, me Rob and Glenn, Andy Sneap was there as well and we pulled all our ideas together and started the first writing sessions. We got together a batch of songs, by no means finished but they were developed enough we could call them songs, so we could give them working titles. They were demos. So we had a batch of demos and since then we have been trying to find an opportunity where we can all get together and develop them further and record them. Obviously with the restrictions at the time, lockdowns and the pandemic, we wanted to be together as a band to iron out those creases, it becomes evident when you play together what songs need. We have started recording some and getting it put together with those restrictions it has obviously been taking longer than we would like. We are working on it but obviously we are nowhere near a release date.”
When asked about the musical direction of the new music, will it be Firepower part 2 or another era of Priest? “Whenever you start a record you never know how it’s going to turn out, so you might start with an idea of what it’s going to be and as it kind of rolls on it comes out something different, so you don’t quite know. It is also kind of hard to sum up your own music I find. But I think this one stands on it’s own, it is not Firepower two, it is it’s own animal. If anything I would say it is a bit more progressive in places and in places it’s got a bit more of that Killing Machine swagger. I think it is a little more progressive than Firepower and like I said it has a little bit of that Killing Machine angry swagger attitude going on. But like I said it can turnout completely differently. “
Swedish Thrash Metallers DEFIATORY have announced their brand new full-length album, entitled “Apokalyps“, which will be coming out on June 3rd 2022 via Black Lion Records!
The third installment by the band from Umeå evolves from their previous two releases, adding a more sinister atmosphere, harsh melodies and ruthless tempo, as they explore the coming of the ultimate end of the world. So brace yourselves as the Swedish quartet takes you on a journey through an ever changing landscape of war, destruction and invasion from beyond the veil.
Tracklist reads as follows:
Apocalypse
Only War
Belligerent and Hostile
Into the Unknown
No Place to Hide
Knives
Let Them Burn
Assassinate
Counting Bones
he album was produced and recorded by DEFIATORY, mixed by Patrik Wall and mastered by Erik Lindberg at Ekens Ljudkross. “Apokalyps” will be released on CD//Digital, with vinyl and tape to follow sometime in late fall and early winter.
Stay tuned for more news and tunes to follow in the weeks ahead! The APOKALYPS is coming!
Featuring guitarist Jairo “Tormentor” Guedz – former member of SEPULTURA’s original lineup playing author and co-author to classic records such as Bestial Devastation and Morbid Visions – alongside bassist/vocalist Alex Kafer (Enterro, Explicit Hate, ex-Necromancer), drummer Alexandre Oliveira (Southern Blacklist, Raising Conviction), and guitarist Marcelo Vasco (Patria, Mysteriis, and acclaimed graphic artist for the likes of Slayer, Kreator, Machine Head, Soulfly, and Hatebreed), the Brazilian death metal super-group THE TROOPS OF DOOM has signed a deal with Alma Mater Records, the Portuguese powerhouse label run by MOONSPELL’s Fernando Ribeiro!
THE TROOPS OF DOOM revisit the essence of ‘80s-style death metal, exploring a more primitive sound that takes its listeners back to that era, while remaining fresh, genuine, and ferociously heavy. Following their critically acclaimed EPs The Rise Of Heresy (2020) and The Absence of Light (2021), which has been lauded by both the international music press and fans alike, the band is finally gearing up for the release of their first full-length, entitled Antichrist Reborn. With a Vinyl release to follow, Antichrist Reborn will be available as CD Digipack and Cassette on April 15, 2022 via Alma Mater, and digitally released by Blood Blast Distribution. Says guitarist Jairo Guedz:
“We are very happy that we are finally about to release our debut full-length album. We already have it composed basically since 2020 but due to the pandemic we ended up deciding to postpone its release. Now with most people vaccinated and restrictions easing, we expect 2022 to be a good year for the return of shows and touring. Fingers crossed! We’re confident about it and can’t wait to hit the road. The suggestive title of the album “Antichrist Reborn” has a strong connection with the song “Antichrist”, from my time at Sepultura back in the days, and of course, because our sound, that’s a rescue of that Death Metal aura from the 80s. By the way, the release date will be the Holy Friday, April 15th!“
MOONSPELL’s frontman and Alma Mater Records owner Fernando Ribeiro states:“I have been a fan of Brazilian extreme music, namely Death Metal since the late eighties. It shaped me as a musician and as a metalhead as much or maybe even more than the the classic extreme Metal bands from Europe and the US. Antichrist Reborn holds the key to open the gates and unleash those demons upon us in 2022! It’s just the brilliant missing link between that past and the glorious Troops of Doom future. My head is in the clouds and I am totally psyched to have this top of the chain band in my label. You won’t believe how hellishly strong is this record, Troops of Doom will claim the title of best Death Metal album of there year!”
Check out a first album teaser for Antichrist Reborn HERE:
Drummer Alexandre Oliveira adds:
“We are very excited to have signed with Alma Mater Records for the physical editions (CD, Vinyl and Cassette), leaving Digital distribution to our partner since the beginning, Blood Blast, Nuclear Blast’s digital subsidiary. For those who don’t know, Alma Mater Records has as a partner our friend and enthusiast of the Brazilian music scene, Fernando Ribeiro, from the great Moonspell, alongside Pedro Videirinho from Rastilho Records, who are committed to work with The Troops of Doom with full force. They’re really great guys, giving us an outstanding support and it couldn’t be better.”
The album was mixed by Swedish producer Peter Tägtgren at the iconic The Abyss Studio and mastered by Jonas Kjellgren at Blacklounge Studio, Sweden. Featuring very special guest musicians such as João Gordo (Ratos de Porão) and Alex Camargo & Moyses Kolesne (Krisiun), THE TROOPS OF DOOM unleash true oldschool death metal in its purest form; dirty, primitive, and brutally powerful as it should be! The cover art was painted by Sergio “AlJarrinha” Oliveira, the artist behind Sepultura’s Bestial Devastation original artwork.
Watch out for many more news and album details to be revealed soon, and make sure to follow the band at THIS LOCATION!
Critically celebrated Mongolian rock band THE HU is set to head out on tour this spring. Today, they announced their “Black Thunder Tour” with a series of headlining dates, beginning in San Diego, CA on April 16 and ending in Mexico City, MX on May 31. The tour, which the band talks about in a new Q&A below, will continue the live music celebrations that the band is set to kick off during their Coachella sets on Friday, April 15 for the first weekend of the musical festival and on Friday, April 22 for the second. Fans will be able to purchase tickets for the tour starting tomorrow, Wednesday February 16, for the fan presale, Thursday, February 17, for the local presale, and Friday, February 18 for the general on sale. All ticket sale times begin at 10AM local time. For more information on “The Black Thunder Tour,” visit https://www.thehuofficial.com/tour-1.
The tour will continue to tease new music from THE HU’s highly anticipated sophomore album, due later this year from Better Noise Music. The album was recorded in their homeland of Mongolia over the last several months, during which, the group gave an update from the studio to fans via their YouTube channel HERE. Fans can also expect special previews of the project with live performances of new songs that the group originally premiered on their North American 2021 tour. See a new Q&A with THE HU discussing the album and touring below.
This past fall, THE HU headlined a tour through North America after joining Halestorm’s headlining tour, where they reunited with frontwoman Lzzy Hale, their special guest on “Song of Women” from their #1-charting debut album THE GEREG. In addition to those tours, THE HU also performed a slew of high-profile festival dates including Austin City Limits, Outside Lands, Rocklahoma, Inkcarceration and more, with the Austin-American Statesman giving a rave review for their ACL set, writing, “File this one under noise you didn’t think you needed. The eight-piece Mongolian band the Hu plays its guitars with bows and man buns, with backing “whoa” chants and punishing drums…It’s music built on tradition with an eye on the past.”
Those dates coincided with THE HU’s appearance on Metallica’s Special 30th Anniversary ‘Black Album’ Reissue Covers Project, for which they covered the legendary band’s “Through the Never.” They appeared on the track listing alongside some of the biggest names in music – Elton John, Miley Cyrus, Yo-Yo Ma, St. Vincent, Phoebe Bridgers, J Balvin with the Neptunes, Weezer, and many more – who offered their own renditions of Metallica’s songs that originally appeared on the iconic LP.
The band is excited to share more news on new music and further touring in the coming weeks on their social media channels and encourage everyone to give them a follow so they don’t miss out on anything: Website, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, TikTok
The HU Headlining Tour Dates: April 15 – Indio, CA – Coachella April 16 – San Diego, CA – Humphreys by the Bay April 17 – Las Vegas, NV – Brooklyn Bowl April 19 – Tucson, AZ – Rialto Theatre April 21 – Phoenix, AZ – The Van Buren April 22 – Indio, CA – Coachella April 23 – Monterey, CA – Golden State Theatre April 25 – Portland, OR – Roseland Theater April 26 – Bend, OR – Midtown Ballroom April 28 – Spokane, WA – Knitting Factory April 29 – Missoula, MT – The Wilma April 30 – Bozeman, MT – The ELM May 02 – Fargo, ND – Sanctuary Events Center May 03 – Lincoln, NE – Bourbon Theatre May 04 – Kansas City, MO – The Truman May 06 – Detroit, MI – St. Andrews Hall May 07 – Bloomington, IL – Castle Theatre May 08 – Columbus, OH – Newport Music Hall May 09 – Nashville, TN – Cannery Ballroom May 11 – Louisville, KY – Mercury Ballroom May 13 – Portland, ME – State Theatre May 14 – Albany, NY – Empire Live May 16 – Washington, DC – Warner Theatre May 17 – Norfolk, VA – The NorVa May 19 – Charlotte, NC – The Fillmore May 20 – Raleigh, NC – The Ritz May 21 – Charleston, SC – Music Farm May 22 – Daytona Beach, FL – Welcome to Rockville May 25 – Birmingham, AL – Iron City May 26 – Little Rock, AR – Little Rock Music Hall May 27 – Oklahoma City, OK – Tower Theatre May 28 – The Woodlands, TX – The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion (Buzzfest) May 29 – Dallas, TX – Dos Equis Pavilion (BFD 22) May 31 – Mexico City, MEX – Lunario
–Can you tell us which songs from the upcoming album will be performed on the “Black Thunder” tour, why you’re excited to play them and how they represent a new chapter for THE HU?
THE HU: For the “Black Thunder” tour, we’re excited to be performing songs from our new album including “Mother Nature,” “Tatar Warrior” and “ShihiHutu.” We have been working hard on our second album and hope to have it ready soon. It will be focused on showing the unique qualities of the Hunnu Rock genre and consists of many new songs that reinforce the different aspects of it. So far we’ve been getting positive response from our fans and we can’t wait to perform all of our new songs for them.
–What inspired you to call the tour “Black Thunder”?
THE HU: We originated in Mongolia and through our music we try to make our fans feel the freedom and energy of the spirit of our vast land and high mountains. Likewise, the “Black Thunder” name is inspired by the unique scenery that can only be seen in Mongolia in which the thunder rumbles right before the rain in the high mountains, the number of clouds in the sky and the force of the lightning are heard, and seen many, many miles away We tried to communicate the energy and feeling you would get experiencing that and hence we named the tour “Black Thunder.”
–A Coachella performance is a prestigious booking since the festival has always stood for musical integrity. Can you discuss what it feels like to be performing at Coachella for the first time in your career? Are there any other artists you’re excited to see performing on the day you play?
THE HU: It is such an honor to be part of Coachella. We’re more than thrilled to be included and it has always been our dream to be performing on that stage representing Mongolia for the first time. We feel that it’s a great opportunity to meet with many of our loyal fans and artists that we love. There are so many talented great artists playing on the day we perform and for the rest of the festival, and if we get a chance, we would love to see all of them.
–You’ve performed in many cities in North America. Can you tell us what it’s like to play for audiences here and how they might be different from ones in Europe?
THE HU: We’ve toured many cities and several continents and met with so many awesome people. Every place has its own characteristics that can be felt through their greetings, hand gestures and chants before, during and after the concerts. In that regard, we would say the biggest differences that we can recall would be the amount of people who would sing along and who’ve memorized the lyrics. Each continent has different accents on singing in Mongolian and we love all of our audiences and their uniqueness.
–What is your favorite part about touring North America? Do you guys ever have the time to explore cities on days off (restaurants, museums, etc.) and if so, what has that been like?
THE HU: Our favorite thing about touring in North America is visiting different places and meeting people. Not only do the restaurants and establishments differ, but each one of them has a unique style. On our days off, we’ve had a chance to taste the most amazing barbecue in Texas, Asian fusion mixed with Mexican spices and sushiritto, etc and explore around everywhere we go. Like their cuisine, Americans are always willing to go the extra mile to make people feel welcome and accepted–we’ve had many people guide us through their cities and towns.
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