By Norse Music present an installment of the Nordic Night at Fire In The Mountains (FITM) 2025, held on the tribal lands of the Blackfeet Nation, Montana, US. Besides the already announced headliner Wardruna, the artists featured are Sámi icon Mari Boine, ambient project BardSpec and electronic pop duo Lindy-Fay Hella & Dei Farne.
Hosting a Nordic Night Showcase at FITM is rooted in the aim to create shared cultural experiences such as performances and workshops. Celebrating the variety of cultures present at the 2025 edition, strengthening internationalcommunity, reflecting on shared values and the connection to the natural world through these experiences, is a reminder that our cultures are one and the same, born out of the grounds we walk on. More information on the workshops will follow later.
Simon Fülleman, co-founder of By Norse states: “I vividly remember working on ‘On Wings over Utgard’ FITM curation alongside Ivar Bjørnson in 2022. I couldn’t attend but was honored to work with many dedicated people to bring unique bands to an even more unique location. Since then, we stayed in touch in different ways, like Wayfarer joining the Enslaved European Tour in 2023. Some bonds go deeper than you think, and they bring you back together to build upon what has been sown along time ago. Now, with FITM moving to the sacred Blackfeet Lands, things fell into place even more. The values, the nature, the scenery, the people, the cause, everything is aligned with what I am, and we are standing for. So having the opportunity to curate a part of the festival with friends again is nothing short of amazing. This time I will make it to the festival. So should you!”
Laetitia Abbenes, project leader for the Nordic Night Showcase adds: “Ever sincehearing about FITM, I’ve felt our shared love for music, the natural world, the similar mindset and the cause were something I would like to contribute to insome way or form. I’m glad we now get to do so by bringing a delegation of the By Norse family to the Blackfeet Nation during the festival and celebrate with this wonderful, cross-continent community. I can’t wait for these worlds to meet, learn from and inspire each other at Red Eagle Campground.”
Shane McCarthy, music curator at Fire In The Mountains concludes: “As our festival grows, the experience is only as strong as the people who apply their vision to it. It has been no small honour to forge a partnership with ByNorse Music, whose ideas and contributions have gone beyond simple collaboration with their artists. We are delighted to have them as guest curators – selecting artists from their roster to perform as a part of the inaugural event at Red Eagle.”
The showcase is an aspect of the earlier established partnership between the Blackfeet Nation, Fire In The Mountains, the non-profit TheFirekeeper Alliance, AISAmusic & By Norse Music, and Wardruna. These parties aim to have a positive impact on both the Blackfeet community and those who gather on the festival grounds next July.
Fire In The Mountains is set to take place in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, on July 25 – 27, 2025 in the Blackfeet Nation, Montana, US. Standing by the indigenous community hosting the festival,this will be an event without alcohol.
MANDOKI SOULMATES’ music video for their new single “I Am Because You Are” places bandleader Leslie Mandoki in a cinematic dreamscape where he’s taking a long, wistful look in the mirror, a melodic rumination and re-examination of life’s twists and turns.
This is the follow up single to the previous Mandoki Soulmates single release, The Wanderer both of which are part of a major expansion of the offerings associated with the Soulmates’ groundbreaking new album, A Memory Of Our Future, which now also includes a limited X-mas edition of the album on deluxe audiophile white vinyl.
What if music could give us the opportunity to rewrite the future?
Mandoki Soulmates puts this question at the heart of their latest acclaimed album, A Memory Of Our Future, which has attracted worldwide attention as a musical masterpiece, in Europe, and particularly in the USA and UK: Called “A modern-day Jazz Progressive Rock masterpiece” by Goldmine Magazine, and said by Forever Music “the album of the year,” fans and music press alike have hailed the album for carrying the flag for the future of Prog Rock through its timeless and socio-politically relevant musical messages conveyed in a super high-end audiophile format, in what band leader Leslie Mandoki calls, with a sly smile,“a revenge of the analog.”
After this summer’s simultaneous release of the new album and packed-house European concert successes with the full line-up of this “band of bandleaders” playing the album live, A Memory Of Our Future is receiving accolades for the compositional maturity of its songs, the virtuosity of the performances from Europe’s favorite supergroup of jazz-and prog-rock legends, as well as for the audiophile analog production with a deeply American feel, generating great enthusiasm from Stateside listeners.
The relevant music media unanimously emphasizes the musical world-class level and the stylistic, even epochal relevance of the work. International broadcasters such as Sinclair Broadcast Group as well as major rock music magazines such as The Classic Rock describe A Memory Of Our Future as “an instant progressive rock classic”. At the same time, the artistic excellence of the iconic band members and the analog production are highlighted as in The Final On Vinyl “Each song is a masterpiece, a testament to the band’s musical prowess and creativity” or American Songwriter “There are many heavy hitters who contributed to the album, which was recorded, appropriately enough, using analog production.”
After the successful launch of the album, Leslie Mandoki and his Soulmates have followed up with a burst of creative output, first with the movingly heartfelt video for the single The Wanderer, and now with the emotional, elegiac I Am Because You Are, which will be released on December 9.
This will be followed with the release of a full concert video experience, captured live during the summer tour with 16 cameras and high-end audio, the post production for which was just wrapped up by Leslie Mandoki.
On November 29, a strictly limited deluxe X-mas edition of the album A Memory Of Our Future has been released worldwide on White X-mas Vinyl for the highest sound quality. Produced completely in the analog domain, audiophiles have lauded the production quality of A Memory Of Our Future, and coming shortly, the album will also be available on ¼” studio master tape for the ultimate analog audiophile experience.
For bandleader Leslie Mandoki, this album is not just a collection of songs, but a musical manifesto for today’s world. “Every song has a special genesis,” he says, “because it’s not we composers and lyricists who write the songs, it’s life!” Some songs on A Memory Of Our Future clearly have autobiographical echoes.
The subject of the new video, I Am Because You Are is perhaps Mandoki’s most personal song yet—a melodic meditation of aging and changing over the years. In the video, love, loss, and struggle are contrasted with the perseverance to stay by each other’s side and the intertwined existence as a developing entity. The video’s swirling dreamscapes of flashbacks and flashforwards combine to show the complexity of a radical intensive love of life, and to ask us to think about how we have become who we now consider ourselves to be—separately and together down the line through sunny and dark days.
My life’s journey is a series of decisions, developments and learning processes, and I Am Because You Are is a chronicle of one aspect—deep and meaningful encounters and cross roads with all that goes with them. Along the way I have founded a family—being a father is the most magnificant role of my life and my greatest responsibility, the most beautiful commitment. I have always tried to give my children deep roots and strong wings so that when the time comes, they can realize themselves and live their own dreams. When they look back on their own lives, as I’ve done in I Am Because You Are, my fondest hope is that they’ll feel, as I do, that in spite of the vagaries of life, it’s been worth it.”
Musically, I Am Because You Are tells its story of self-reflection in singer-songwriter mode—something of a stylistic departure for the Soulmates, who are usually found more in the Prog and Jazz Rock world. Mandoki explains, “Such a personal, contemplative, and open-ended song like I Am Because You Are calls for more of a troubadour or wandering minstrel character—it’s a story told by a man of my time and my experience, and as the verses and choruses delve further into the pathos of reality, because this is my utopia for realists, the production also blossoms into almost a sing-along, chorale style, bringing the listener into the story even more intimately. And as a band, it felt natural and gave us a chance to show our musical range in new ways, which is something we’re always looking for.”
Ultimately, Mandoki reflects, “this, and all my songs, are grounded in my autobiographical reflection, in which a panorama of life, music and art has emerged from a tiny glimmer of hope—still to this day—all with the help of friends, family, colleagues and of course my Soulmates.”
Through the end of 2024 and in the first months of 2025, Mandoki Soulmates will be releasing more videos for songs from their current album, A Memory Of Our Future. Regular postings on the band’s YouTube channel during the fall/holiday season will include videos for new singles as well as new concert videos.
A Memory Of Our Future is characterized not only by its music, but also by its profound philosophical and socio-political poetry. The album is a beacon of quality and artistic integrity that touches people worldwide. Fans and music critics praise the band’s commitment to exploring new avenues of expression while maintaining musical sophistication and richness of thought.
Leslie Mandoki states, “The wonderful thing about A Memory Of Our Future and this way of making music is that we can overcome the melancholy of current trying times together. Music also opens our eyes to the future, and encourages positive thinking and optimism. That gives us strength and drives us forward, even in this challenging time of great divides we have to build the bridges and hold the torch in the dark.”
Thus, even after more than three decades, the Soulmates never tire of raising their voices: Says Mandoki, “We must not retreat, we must not bury our heads in the sand, otherwise we are heading for a future of dystopias. We need more courage to leave our comfort zones and stand up for what we believe is right and rebel against what we know is wrong—to fight against division, fake news, hatred and hate speech and to stand up for truthfulness, intergenerational justice and humanity!
Courage is calling for people like us! Stay Loud for a future in freedom and peace!
Music has always been humanity’s greatest unifier, and now more than ever we need it to unite us.
Together, across generations—for a common future in a better world.”
Before the festive season starts, Sweden’s blackened thrash metal band SARCATOR offers an early present for its fans with their newest single “Where the Void Begins.” The third track from the band’s upcoming album delivers a haunting exploration of despair and existential reflection. With vivid imagery, the lyrics delve into themes of isolation, loss, and the allure of the unknown. Dark and poetic, the song paints a picture of surrender to the infinite unknown – terrifying but liberating. “Where the Void Begins” will be the last single before Sarcator’s third full length album, ‘Swarming Angels & Flies,’ will be fully unleashed January 17th, 2025, via Century Media Records.
The band comments, “‘Where the Void Begins’ is the brother song of ‘The Long Lost,’ off our 2022 album ‘Alkahest’ – not in an obvious way but it felt like continuing on a story that wasn’t complete. It’s the heavy one on this album and ends up in a total rock n roll frenzy.
Additionally, it is the first one we wrote that ended up on this album, so it still carries the spirit of the previous album in a way.”
Sarcator’s “Swarming Angels & Flies” sets the bar high for the upcoming album in terms of speed, heaviness and pure desire to see the song unfold live. Starting off like an explosion, the song delivers a sonic blast hurling the audience straight into a fire pit with raw, untamed energy. The album is now available for pre-order in various formats HERE.
Torture (cover – originally by Sadus)* *Bonus track on Ltd. CD Jewelcase in O-Card only
At a juvenile age of 14-20, Sarcator released their first demo tape, “Visions of Purgatory”, via the American label Redefining Darkness Records in 2019. Just two years later the quadrumvirate got nominated for best rock/metal album for the Swedish music award P3 Guld with their 2020’s self-titled debut release for the same label. After releasing their 2nd album, “Alkahest”, via Black Lion Records in 2022, Sarcator finally got a proper chance to play live, captivating crowds with their intense, blackened live shows.
With their current line-up fully committed to the band despite their young age (all members are between 19 and 25) it was time for them to record their third album, which still features previous guitarist Emil Eriksson. Shortly after signing a new worldwide deal with Century Media Records and heading out on a debut European tour supporting Hellripper and Cloak, Sarcator will be releasing ‘Swarming Angels & Flies’ on January 17, 2025.
This album marks the most intense, brutal and rawest creation yet for the band. It is a remarkably mature and sophisticated piece of work, from mercurial musicians who are only in their early 20’s, and still at the beginning of their creative journey. Across eight, grotesque and utterly venomous tracks, Sarcator have deftly blended the wide-eyed extremity of their debut album with the inspirational musicality of their second record “Alkahest”, while playing everything with more intensity than ever before. Both deliriously melodic and mercilessly brutal: “Swarming Angels & Flies” is the most dangerously potent record the Swedens have made to date.
Sarcator explains about the record and its creation process, “We wanted to highlight the most aggressive and extreme parts of us, but we still wanted to work with dynamics, so you still have elements of classic rock and post-punk, which we started experimenting with on the last record. There is no question that it’s our most intense, brutal, and rawest creation yet – It’s not really a genre album and we like to keep it that way.”
With plenty of live activity in support of the upcoming album, Sarcator are already at the forefront of an emergent, highly determined new generation of Scandinavian extreme metal bands and ready to take the rest of the world by storm soon too.
Lineup: Mateo Tervonen – Vocals, Guitar Felix Lindkvist – Bass Leo Buchalle – Guitar Jesper Rosén – Drums
MOB RULES continues with their flagship German power metal, they’ve been known for in the scene! Founded in 1994, since their legendary debut album “Savage Land” (1999) and its glorious successor “Temple Of Two Suns”, they have been delivering anthemic and highly melodic power metal that has taken on symphonic and progressive traits over the years. Their discography, which now comprises nine studio albums, contains highlights throughout, above all the hit-packed “Among The Gods”, the epic “Radical Peace” with the long track “The Oswald File” and their chart-breaker “Beast Reborn”, which pushed MOB RULES to #37 in the German album charts. Most recently, the band around frontman Klaus Dirks thrilled with the best-of compilation “Celebration Day – 30 Years Of Mob Rules” including some new recordings and cover versions of IRON MAIDEN, GHOST, DIO and others.
MOB RULES are currently back in the recording studio, working under the direction of Markus Teske (Symphony X, Vanden Plas, U.D.O. and others) on their tenth, as yet untitled studio album, which is scheduled for release in late summer 2025. However, they would like to release a first forerunner at the beginning of next year. “All the songs have been written and large parts of them have already been recorded,” reveals the frontman and goes into even more detail: ”You can look forward to an album that is special in many respects, with which we have managed to build a bridge between yesterday and today. In other words, our own band history partly served as inspiration. The material is multi-layered and conceptually structured.
This much can already be revealed: In addition to the CD and vinyl, there will be an additional physical product of the album, in which we have brought in all our creativity and spared no expense or effort to offer the fans the ultimate experience of the new record. More will be revealed in due course, but we can already tell you that the first single will be called “Back To Savage Land”.”
MOB RULES are also expecting a breath of fresh air from their new label partner ROAR (Grave Digger, Mystic Prophecy, Sacred Steel and others). “We were very pleased about the great interest and the resulting signing of MOB RULES with the newly established label ROAR,” comments singer Klaus Dirks and adds: ”As a band, we find everything we could wish for there, both structurally and in terms of know-how and the human component. We have a long-standing relationship of trust with some of the employees there. Among them is Markus Wosgien, who has followed MOB RULES with great interest for a long time and whose perseverance and creative input have convinced us. We are looking forward to working together, but would also like to take this opportunity to thank the SPV/Steamhammer crew once again for their trusting cooperation over the last 10 years.”
The record company is just as happy. “Mob Rules have been with me for 25 years now. In the nineties, as a power metal fan you could blindly buy anything with the “Limb Music” seal of approval. I remember the first pre-release tapes of brand-new acts like Angra, Rhapsody, Eldritch, Abraxas and Mob Rules! Limb Schnoor had a special knack in this area and since then Mob Rules have been a musical companion that has surprised and inspired me time and time again. Now it has finally worked out and we can forge new plans together, which include the upcoming studio albums as well as numerous reissues and surprises of some back-catalog titles,” states ROAR A&R Markus Wosgien.
Claustrofobia channels its heavy metal energy with a solid career in Brazil, South America, Europe and the United States. Currently living in the United States, where they affectionately call Las Vegas “Home”, the band toured with Sepultura, opening shows on their farewell tour, “Celebrating Life Through Death”, alongside Obituary and Agnostic Front.
During the tour, Claustrofobia collected several images, and today they release the video clip of the performance of the track “Unleeched”, the title track of the band’s latest album. The videos were recorded by Raphael Pinotti and edited by Caio D’Angelo.
Claustrofobia recently signed with the American label M-Theory Audio, releasing a new version of their latest album ‘Unleeched’.
CLAUSTROFOBIA’s latest album, ‘Unleeched’, CD hits store racks, while digital streaming/download options are online and a special limited 100 cassette pressing is available exclusively from the band and the label HERE
‘Unleeched’ was produced, mixed and mastered by Adair Daufembach (Angra, Cadaver, Tony MacAlpine) with cover artwork by Alcides Burn. The album which has been released in Brazil, as well as digitally, is now being made available domestically (and for the first-time on cassette).
Claustrofobia continues promoting its latest album, ‘Unleeched’. In this project, the Brazilian heavy metal group brings back its classic aggressive sound, and also expands its sound over 9 brand new tracks. Produced by Adair Daufembach and Claustrofobia, and recorded, mixed and mastered by Adair Daufembach in August 2020 at Northwood Sound Studio in Los Angeles, ‘Unleeched’ is available on all digital platforms and in physical format, released by the ForMusic label.
Now based in Las Vegas, Nevada, Brazilian death/thrash metal trio Claustrofobia, formed in 1994 by brothers Marcus and Caio D’Angelo, has a career spanning nearly three decades, a discography comprising six full-length albums and a release in DVD, a multitude of international tours, high-performance live performances sharing stages with the likes of Iron Maiden, Slayer and Anthrax, as well as countless fans across the world.
Artwork: Alcides Burn
“Building a cult os one of those things that’s easy in theory but tough in practice. Or it is, anyway, if you’re not Claustrofobia — a Brazilian death metal-tinged trad-thrash ultra-power trio that will have you head banging“ – Shawn Macomber, Decibel Magazine
‘Unleeched’ track listing: 1. Stronger than Faith (4:10) 2. The Encrypted (3:56) 3. Neuro Massacre (2:56) 4. Psychosapiens (3:12) 5. Corrupted Self – feat. Marc Rizzo (ex-Soulfly / Cavalera Conspiracy) (3:36) 6. Unleeched (3:36) 7. Snake Head (4:20) 8. Crawling back to yourself (3:30) 9. 2020 (March to Glory) (4:20)
Produced by Adair Daufembach and Claustrofobia
Recorded, mixed and mastered by Adair Daufembach in August 2020 at Northwood Sound Studio in Los Angeles / CA.
Claustrofobia is: Marcus D’Angelo – Vocalist and Guitarist Caio D’Angelo – Drums and Effects Rafael Yamada – Bass and backing vocals
Southern German hard ‘n’ heavy powerhouse BRAINSTORM is finally breaking their musical silence. Their upcoming album, “Plague Of Rats,” is set to drop on February 28, 2024, through their new label partner, RPM. Today, they’ve given fans a taste of what’s to come with the release of the album’s first single. Rest assured, the band haven’t taken a detour into fairy-tale territory with this India-inspired record. Instead, they deliver a pure heavy metal anthem with the track ‘Garuda (Eater Of Snakes).’
The single tells the tale of Garuda, the mythological half-human, half-eagle creature known for slaying snakes and serving as the messenger of the gods. With its powerful riffs and Far Eastern melodies, ‘Garuda (Eater Of Snakes)’ bursts forth as a dynamic and fitting introduction to “Plague Of Rats.” This track doesn’t just live up to its name – it’s a striking first glimpse into the album’s sonic landscape. The accompanying music video, crafted by Mirko Witzki, delves deeper into the rich tapestry of Indian mythology and legends, immersing fans in this mystical world.
“The wait is over and we couldn’t be more happy to finally release new music to our fans – and ‘Garuda’ is the perfect introduction to our upcoming album “Plague Of Rats”: it’s heavy and powerful and you feel connected to the music, the beat, the riffs and the melodies immediately!” comments guitarist Torsten “Todde” Ihlenfeld.
“Plague Of Rats” can now be pre-ordered in your preferred physical format [earbook, digipak-cd, coloured vinyl, ticket bundle], pre-saved on your favourite digital service provider (DSP) or pre-ordered digitally (incl. instant-grat track ‘Garuda (Eater Of Snakes)’):https://brainstorm.rpm.link/plagueofratsPR
Once caught by ‘Garuda (Eater Of Snakes),’ which might probably find its way to the band’s future set list, European metalheads should make sure to attend BRAINSTORM‘s 8-date release tour alongside ARION and STRANGER VISION, kicking off on the night before the official “Plague Of Rats” release date in Aschaffenburg, Germany. Dates and ticket info can be found below!
Artwork by Gyula Havancsák
Though BRAINSTORM have a long history — much like the ancient Indus civilization, the main force behind “Plague Of Rats” — they’re still in tune with the times. Their latest opus combines signature elements with a fresh, modern edge that’s clearly left its mark on the album. Plus, the band’s ‘attack mode’ approach shines through with a line-up of powerful tracks – no slow songs, no ballads, just pure, high-energy metal. Created alongside their trusted team — Sebastian “Seeb” Levermann for mixing and mastering at Greenman Studios, Gyula Havancsák on artwork, and Alex Kühr on photography — this album delivers ten epic new tracks that will transport fans to the captivating world of India and beyond.
“Plague Of Rats” – Track Listing:
01. Beyond Enemy Lines 02. Garuda (Eater Of Snakes) 03. Fale Memories 04. The Shepherd Girl (Gitavoginda) 05. Your Soul That Lingers In Me [feat. Elina Siirala] 06. Masquerade Conspiracy 07. From Hell [feat. Alex Krull] 08. The Dark Of Night 09. Crawling 10. Celebrate Youth [RICK SPRINGFIELD Cover; excl. digipak/earbook bonus track] 11. Curtains Fall
BRAINSTORM live:
“The Plague That Burns The Sky” BRAINSTORM + ARION Co-Headline Tour 2025 w/ STRANGER VISION Presented by Rock Hard, musix, metal.de, powermetal.de, Decibel-Touring & RPM 27.02.2025 DE Aschaffenburg – Colos-Saal 28.02.2025 CH Solothurn – Kulturfabrik Kofmehl 01.03.2025 DE Essen – Turock 02.03.2025 DE Mannheim – 7er Club 03.03.2025 DE Munich – Backstage (Halle) 04.03.2025 DE Hamburg – Bahnhof Pauli 05.03.2025 DE Hanover – MusikZentrum 06.03.2025 DE Stuttgart – Im Wizemann
08.03.2025 NL Harderwijk – Estrado 09.03.2025 NL Gouda – StudioGonz 05. – 08.06.2025 DE Oettingen i. Bay. – Camping Battleground Festival 24.08.2025 PL Pindelo dos Milagres – Milagre Metaleiro Open Air
About BRAINSTORM
BRAINSTORM look back on an unparalleled career: since their 1997 debut “Hungry,” the band have continued to develop and to consolidate their position in the international metal scene with albums like “Metus Mortis” [2001], “Soul Temptation” [2003], “Liquid Monster” [2005], and most recently “Midnight Ghost” [2018] and “Wall Of Skulls” [2021]. They have toured worldwide and achieved impressive chart positions in recent years, but instead of resting on their laurels, they are more determined than ever to set new milestones.
BRAINSTORM are: Andy B. Franck | vocals Torsten Ihlenfeld | guitars Milan Loncaric | guitars Jim Ramses | bass Dieter Bernert | drums
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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