Quebec-based melodic symphonic metallers TROLLWAR have just released “Bane of the Underworld”, the first single from their upcoming EP “Tales from the Frozen Wastes”.
The EP is the sixth studio record from the band, and the first in six years. It boasts increased technicality and a new direction with the sound. The band shares their thoughts on the release:
“This is a song that we worked on pretty recently. We previously had a skeleton for this song, but it went into a major facelift. We introduced progressive metal breakdowns with guitar-tapping melodies, and even a catchy piano melody to create a very enjoyable, yet technical layer on the song’s melodic breakdown. All of that mixed with a solid chorus.”
As if it was not enough, some brutal old-school death metal-sounding riffs were introduced, and mixed with some heavy symphonic elements, creating an intricate-sounding end to the song. “Bane of the Underworld” is a song about warriors sending their foes to their end. Thus being sent to the underworld.
The single offers listeners a taste of the darker, more complex soundscape the band has crafted for their new EP. It’s a journey into the realm of the dead, where epic melodies clash with intense rhythms, creating a sonic experience that will resonate with their fans and new listeners alike. It is recommended for fans of Ensiferum, Amon Amarth, and Kalmah.
Listen to “Bane of the Underworld” being premiered exclusively on NoCleanSinging, HERE.
Photo by Flarescape – Cover artwork, logo and layout by Mattias Norén
Rockshots Records and Lay Of The Autumn are excited to announce the release of their next single, “Lost In Your Eyes” from their highly anticipated album “Of Love And Sorrow” due out on October 25th, 2024.
This powerful and energetic track blends orchestral and electronic elements, capturing the moment when you look into someone’s eyes and get lost in a universe of stars.
Lay Of The Autumn is a new Symphonic Power Metal band led by Davide Scuteri (Ravenword, Choirs Of Veritas) featuring Iryna Boyarkina (ERIA, Mysterya), Michele Olmi (Chronosfear, Embrace Of Souls), Cesare Ferrari and Davide Lovecchio. Their debut album, featuring 10 emotionally charged tracks, merges the intensity of Power Metal with the grandeur of Symphonic Metal creating a deeply evocative listening experience.
Each track on the album has been meticulously crafted to deliver an epic and melodic experience reminiscent of the golden era of bands like Sonata Arctica, Stratovarius, and Nightwish. With influences spanning Power Metal, Symphonic Metal, Melodic Death Metal, and cinematic Soundtracks, the album offers a rich and diverse sonic landscape, highlighted by fast keyboard and guitar solos, catchy choruses, and stunning melodies.
The album, mixed and mastered by Ettore Rigotti (Disarmonia Mundi) at The Metal House Studios, ensures a flawless sound that captures the melancholic and powerful essence of the band. Lay Of The Autumn offers a fresh yet familiar energy for fans of Symphonic and Power Metal, making this album a must-listen for anyone who values music that resonates deeply with the soul and stirs profound emotions. The band invites all fans and metal enthusiasts to join them on this musical journey through the seasons of life, where they explore and celebrate both the light and the darkness.
“Of Love And Sorrow” album will be available as a Digipak CD / Digital Release from October 25th!
Track Listing: 1 – When It Rains – 2:27 2 – Flowing Tears – 5:52 3 – Lost In Your Eyes – 5:51 4 – After All This Time? Always – 5:44 5 – Thrown Away – 5:53 6 – Undergo Deconstruction – 5:55 7 – Love You To Death – 6:20 8 – Si Sta Come D’Autunno Sugli Alberi Le Foglie – 5:02 9 – Of Love And Sorrow – 5:59 10 – Who Is To Blame – 5:39 Album Credits (music, cover/art, production) Lay Of The Autumn are: Iryna ERIA Boyarkina – Vocals Davide Scuteri – Keyboards / Composer Cesare Ferrari – Bass Guitar Davide Lovecchio – Guitars Michele Olmi: Drums
Additional musicians Andrea Gambaro – Growl Vocals in “Thrown Away” and “Of Love And Sorrow” Album recorded at Davide Scuteri Music Studios All music and lyrics by Davide Scuteri All arrangements by Davide Scuteri and Lay Of The Autumn Voice and back volcals recorded by Iryna ERIA Boyarkina at Ivan Boyarkin studios Growl voice recorded by Andrea Gambaro at Andrea Gambaro Studios The album has been mixed and mastered by Ettore Rigotti at Ettore Rigotti Studios Instrumental track “Si Sta Come D’Autunno Sugli Alberi Le Foglie” mixed and mastered by Simone Mularoni at Domination Studios
Polish black metal icons PATRIARKH (formerly Batushka) return with a clear and fresh vision as they unveil their new concept album, ПРОРОК ИЛИЯ (Lat. PROROK ILJA), out on January 3, 2025. The Napalm Records debut unveils eight new compositions and immerses the listener in the true story of Eliasz Klimowicz, the titular Prophet Ilja, set in the 1930s and 40s. Following the success of their critically acclaimed album, Hospodi (2019), and relentless touring around the globe, the new band looks towards a bright future! Firmly grounded in Eastern Orthodox traditions and music, PATRIARKH blends black and doom metal with haunting, dark religious concepts.
Today, PATRIARKH unveils their first single, “ВЕРШАЛИН III” (Lat. WIERSZALIN III), accompanied by a visually striking official music video, capturing an Orthodox mass. “ВЕРШАЛИН III” showcases the band’s signature blend of Orthodox sacredness with melodic folk instruments, infused with towering doom metal elements in which harsh vocals unite with rising choirs (featuring A. Strug & M. Maleńczuk). This crushing, colossal-sounding blend creates an instantly distinctive sonic experience.
PATRIARKH on the new single “ВЕРШАЛИН III”: “‘WIERSZALIN III’ is the first single that announces our new release PROROK ILJA (Lat.) and it probably best reflects the diversity and musical multidimensionality of this album. Just as the titular Prophet Ilja built New Jerusalem in Podlasie, we are building our new identity and showing our new musical face. Listen and share your impressions…“
ПРОРОК ИЛИЯ details a true story that happened in the band’s home area of Podlasie, in the village of Grzybowszczyzna, in the 1930s and 40s. The album takes the listener into the world of Eliasz Klimowicz, the titular Prophet Ilja, an illiterate peasant who was the leader of the Orthodox Grzybowska Sect, active until the 1960s, cultivating and transmitting the history of the self-proclaimed prophet. PATRIARKH spread their gospel by using an arsenal of folk instruments, such as tagelharpa, mandolin, mandocello, hurdy gurdy and stringed dulcimer, and worked with a symphony orchestra and choirs to give their new creations the most organic and vivid feeling possible. As is trademark with PATRIARKH’s music, Orthodox sacredness is mixed with black and doom metal, now largely enriched with folk music, neo dark folk, and even film music. The band utilizes the entire palette of Orthodox music, venturing into the areas of Byzantine monody, liturgical chant and Russian polyphony, neatly adapting folk and liturgical melodies to their own style.
PATRIARKH on the new album: “With this new release, we are starting a new chapter in our history – not only is our name changing, but our music is also undergoing a natural evolution. The story on the album encouraged us to get out of our comfort zone, we reached for means that we had not used before in our music. Many of you will wonder if this is still black metal? Or is it even metal? Radio play, audiobook, theater, film soundtrack, folk music, performance… All these terms will fit here. Some will hate, others will love…”
The lyrical side of ПРОРОК ИЛИЯ is an interesting mix of theater and pastoralism. PATRIARKH uses fragments of texts from the theater play “Prorok Ilja” and draws from the messages contained in the works of Włodzimierz Pawluczuk, combining it with folk and liturgical texts. On ПРОРОК ИЛИЯ, listeners can hear various languages – and Polish for the first time ever! The album was recorded in January and May 2024 at Tall Pine Records (Behemoth, Zalewski, Afromental), Heinrich House (Behemoth, Vesania, Hate), Wem Studio (Kasa Chorych, Lukasyno, Cira) and Radio Białystok studio. Mixing and mastering was handled by Wojciech Wiesławski at Hertz Studio (Vader, Behemoth, Decapitated), and production was helmed by band mastermind and leading vocalist Bartłomiej “Варфоломей” Krysiuk. “ПРОРОК ИЛИЯis an album full of emotions, sentimentalism and folklore. It’s pastoral, lyrical, epic, multidimensional and multicolored, just like my Podlasie is multicolored,” says Варфоломей. Dive into the deepest of all shadows with this black metal masterpiece and join PATRIARKH on this intriguing ride!
ПРОРОК ИЛИЯ tracklisting: 1. WIERSZALIN I (Lat.) – ВЕРШАЛИН I (Cyrillic) 2. WIERSZALIN II (Lat.) – ВЕРШАЛИН II (Cyrillic) 3. WIERSZALIN III (Lat.) – ВЕРШАЛИН III (Cyrillic) 4. WIERSZALIN IV (Lat.) – ВЕРШАЛИН IV (Cyrillic) 5. WIERSZALIN V (Lat.) – ВЕРШАЛИН V (Cyrillic) 6. WIERSZALIN VI (Lat.) – ВЕРШАЛИН VI (Cyrillic) 7. WIERSZALIN VII (Lat.) – ВЕРШАЛИН VII (Cyrillic) 8. WIERSZALIN VIII (Lat.) – ВЕРШАЛИН VIII (Cyrillic)
PATRIARKH are currently on their Epic Prophecy For Europe tour, so don’t miss the chance to attend and experience the spirit of true patriarchs and dark Orthodox sacredness live!
PATRIARKH Live 2024 Epic Prophecy For Europe 2024 w/ Vltimas & God Dethroned 17.10.24 UK – Glasgow / Slay 18.10.24 UK – Sheffield / Corporation 19.10.24 UK – Birmingham / Castle And Falcon 20.10.24 UK – London / Underworld 21.10.24 UK – Milton Keynes / Craufurd Arms 22.10.24 NL – Eindhoven / Dynamo 23.10.24 NL – Zwolle / Hedon 24.10.24 DE – Herford / Kulturwerk 25.10.24 NL – Ulft / Dru 26.10.24 DE – Bochum / Turock Fest
Asia & Australia Prophecy 2024 29.11.24 TH – Bangkok / Mr.Fox Livehouse 01.12.24 HK – Hong Kong / MOM Livehouse 03.12.24 CN – Shanghai / MAO Livehouse 04.12.24 CN – Beijing / Omnispace 06.12.24 KOR – Seoul / West Bright Hall 07.12.24 TW – Taipei / Jack Studio 09.12.24 JP – Tokyo / Shibuya Club Asia 12.12.24 NZ – Auckland / Tuning Fork 13.12.24 AUS – Melbourne / Max Watts
NOWY WIERSZALIN Poland 2025 03.01.25 PL – Łódź / Wytwórnia – SINFONIA ORTHODOXIA w/symphonic orchestra and male choir 22.02.25 PL – Krosno / Rock Klub Iron 07.03.25 PL – Wrocław / Transformator 08.03.25 PL – Zabrze / CK Wiatrak 09.03.25 PL – Kraków / HYPE PARK 14.03.25 PL – Lublin / Fabryka Kultury Zgrzyt 15.03.25 PL – Olsztyn / Scena Zgrzyt 16.03.25 PL – Warszawa / Klub Proxima 17.03.25 PL – Białystok / Zmiana Klimatu 21.03.25 PL – Gdynia / Podwórko.art 22.03.25 PL – Szczecin / Kosmos 23.03.25 PL – Poznań / 2progi
Italian power metal force FROZEN CROWN have released their guitar-driven new single,“I Am The Wind”, taken from their upcoming studio album and Napalm Records debut, War Hearts, out this Friday! Dominated by the dynamic vocal duo of frontwoman Jade and guitarist Federico, bold guitar riffs and flawless drumming once again underscore their passion for modern power metal together with a gripping official music video.
Founded in 2017, FROZEN CROWN has released four critically acclaimed albums, garnering significant media attention and cultivating a dedicated fanbase with their dynamic live performances. Currently on tour with Kamelot across Europe and the UK, the band is thrilled to showcase songs from their upcoming album, War Hearts, live, as this offering elevates their sound to new heights, marking their debut as a six-piece band and delivering a vibrant mix of powerful riffs, unforgettable melodies, and raw energy.
FROZEN CROWN on the new single “I Am The Wind“: “‘I Am The Wind’ marks the return of “the Tyrant” and serves as a spiritual successor to our popular song, with Federico once again sharing lead vocalist duties with our frontwoman Jade. Running at a slower speed than the other songs on the album, this track depicts the inexorable march of a threatening army and the relentless fury of elements.”
Founded in 2017, the relentless band has performed at several festivals like Sabaton Open Air, Metal Fest Plzen and Rock Imperium Festival, headlined two Japanese tours and followed extensive European touring with significant bands such as DragonForce and Nanowar Of Steel – topped by an upcoming tour with Kamelot this fall! Joined by their newest member, 18-year-old guitar prodigy Alessia Lanzone, the band’s characteristic sound has been expanded by her skills, adding depth and complexity to their performances.
Featuring all members on the recording for the first time, War Hearts symbolizes a fresh start and pays homage to the legendary Children Of Bodom with its album title, a band that inspired FROZEN CROWN‘s youthful, raw and passionate approach to metal. Addressing themes of self-improvement, awareness, personal growth and inner struggles, album opener and title track “War Hearts” is about fighting for your dreams in the darkest of nights and creates a powerful and uplifting message of always staying strong, making it through the storm as war angels. Carrying on this powerful message, the fast-paced “Steel And Gold” creates an uplifting atmosphere with energetic harmonies. To wrap up the album, tracks like “Edge of Reality”, inspired by the ’86 Highlander movie, and “Bloodlines”, referencing the Vampire: The Masquerade series of board and video games, showcase the band’s colorful storytelling.
FROZEN CROWN constantly define and refine their sound, pushing their trademark elements to new levels of complexity without forgetting the characteristic catchy hooks. War Hearts exceeds their previous successes and solidifies their place in the global metal scene!
FROZEN CROWN on their new album: “War Hearts is our fifth album, but it’s also the first one as a 6-piece band and the first one on Napalm Records. It’s also the first album where all members actually make their appearance on the recording. For these reasons, War Hearts represents a new beginning, a fresh start, and it may be considered the first episode of Frozen Crown “reboot”. We wrote and arranged this album acting like we had no history at all, never afraid to repeat some of our trademark stylistic features. On the contrary, we highlighted and gave more value to them, to make our new songs sound 100% like us. We worked hard on the material to cut away all the useless parts and make the songs as catchy and straightforward they could be, and to make them sound like quintessential FROZEN CROWN.”
War Hearts tracklisting:
War Hearts
Steel And Gold
To Live To Die
Night Of The Wolf
On Silver Wings
Edge Of Reality
Bloodlines
I Am The Wind
King Of The Sky
Ice Dragon
FROZEN CROWN Live 2024
Awaken The World Tour 2024 FROZEN CROWN as special guest for Kamelot w/ Ad Infinitum & Blackbriar 12.10.24 NL – Utrecht / Tivoli Vredenburg 13.10.24 DE – München / Backstage Werk 15.10.24 DE – Berlin / Kesselhaus 17.10.24 SK – Bratislava / Majestic Music Club 18.10.24 CZ – Zlin / Rock Cafe 19.10.24 SI – Ljubljana / Kino Siska 20.10.24 IT – Milan / Live Club 22.10.24 ES – Bilbao / Santana 27 23.10.24 ES – Madrid / La Riviera 25.10.24 FR – Lyon / La Rayonne 26.10.24 CH – Pratteln / Z7 Konzertfabrik 27.10.24 DE – Oberhausen / Turbinhalle 29.10.24 DE – Hamburg / Markthalle 30.10.24 BE – Antwerp / Trix 01.11.24 UK – Wolverhamption / KK’s 02.11.24 UK – London / Kentlish 03.11.24 UK – Manchester / Ritz
Danish death metal/metallic hardcore behemoths LIFESICK today unveil their animated video for “Loved By None.” The punishing new hymn comes by way of the band’s Loved By None, Hated By All full-length, set for release on November 1st through Metal Blade Records.
LIFESICK manifests brutal and brutally honest songs with lyrics inspired by the turbulent nature of life. Musically influenced by Swedish death metal, the band’s authentic and explosive mixture of crushing tones and modern breakdowns create an uncompromising sound and vision.
Elaborates the band on their latest single, “Loved By None,” “The feeling of being loved by none and hated by all, despite trying your best to be a good person, can be overwhelming. It often feels like the world is trying to bring you down and keep you there. This song is the fastest and most aggressive track on the album, and also one of the shortest. It’s straightforward, bone-crushing hardcore, featuring a mix of blast beats and a groovy breakdown at the end.”
Watch LIFESICK‘s previously released video for “Legacy Of Misery” at THIS LOCATION.
LIFESICK was forged in Fredericia, Denmark in 2015. After three full-lengths of increasing weight and intensity, 2023’s Life And Other Lies EP brought the band’s sobering death/metallic hardcore to Metal Blade Records, where they have come of age with the kaleidoscopic fury and ironclad gloom of Loved By None, Hated By All.
As with previous platters, the LP was recorded by Jacob Bredahl at his Dead Rat facility. This time Bredahl’s role expanded beyond engineering, helping to shape and revise new material before twiddling a single knob. “He came down to our rehearsal room where we played all the songs for him live, so he could add his touch to each song or edit stuff that we might have been a little blind to from playing the songs too much. This was the first time we did this, and it was very effective.”
Mixing was farmed out to Taylor Young at The Pit, “to give it a different touch or nuance from our previous releases,” while the tracks were handed to noise collective John Cxnnor, “to enhance the album with sound design and samples throughout every song, to better unify the album. We provided them with all the songs, along with keywords about the lyrical themes and the album artwork. With this information, they created unique dark industrial samples that perfectly fit the songs and our vision for the album.”
The results ring loud and clear from this tumultuous masterwork of bleak aggro beauty. Loved By None, Hated By All is unquestionably the band’s finest recording to date which is no easy feat considering the compulsive force of previous releases — there is some special spark of magic at work here.
LIFESICK has tours across Denmark and Southeast Asia booked through the new year with more shows to be announced in the weeks to come. See all confirmed dates below.
LIFESICK Live: 10/17/2024 Studenterhuset – Aalborg, DK 10/25/2024 Posten – Odense, DK 10/26/2024 Platform K – Horsens, DK 11/08/2024 Copenhagen Distillery – Copenhagen, DK *Record Release Show 12/06/2024 Blueprint Livehouse – Bangkok, TH 12/08/2024 Atlantis Bar – Siem Reap, KH 12/09/2024 Cloud Bar – Penh, KH 12/10/2024 Saigon Kick World Music Bar – Ho Chi Min, VN 12/13/2024 The Rockin Jamz Hall – Johor Bahru, MY 12/14/2024 88Fryer – Timoq, PH 12/15/2024 Unknown 13 Pub – Quezon City, PH 12/18/2024 Tops Commercial Complex – Bacolod, PH 12/19/2024 South Republic Live House – Davao, PH 12/20/2024 BGC, Bottle Grounds Cafe – Baguio, PH 12/21/2024 Frontway Music Restaurant – Tarlag, PH 1/10/2025 Baltoppen – Ballerup, DK 1/17/2025 Sonderborghus – Sonderborg, DK 1/18/2025 Tojhuset – Fredericia, DK 2/07/2025 Headquarters – Aarhus, DK
Ann Arbor’s hard rock powerhouse, Black Note Graffiti, is back with their highly anticipated album ‘Resist the Divide’, set to release on October 25. The record dives deep into the raw emotions and struggles of the human experience, blending heavy vocals, driving guitars, and pounding drums to deliver a message of personal transformation, addiction, and inner conflict.
The album kicks off with ‘Place You Lie,’ a gritty exploration of the lingering challenges after overcoming mental health battles. Tracks like ‘The Source’ and ‘Eulogy’ delve into the devastating cycles of addiction and the eerie sensation of saying farewell to past selves. ‘Undertones’ questions societal blindness to real issues, while ‘Drown,’ inspired by a haunting dream, grapples with the struggle of reconnecting with a lost self.
The powerful ‘Alive’ and ‘Elusive’ examine the paradoxes of addiction, balancing the highs of euphoria against the fear of losing control. ‘Black Roses’ and ‘Shade’ explore grief, guilt, and the complex dynamics of love-hate relationships, while ‘Paradox’ paints a vivid picture of the push and pull within these emotional connections. Finally, ‘Sigh to Sight’ serves as a moving conclusion, offering a poignant reflection on grief, loss, and acceptance.
Resist the Divide promises to be a hard-hitting, emotionally charged journey, showcasing Black Note Graffiti’s signature blend of intensity and introspection.
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
Ads
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
Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 