Heavy metal champions SOULS OF STEEL ignite a firestorm with the release of their lyric video for “Legends Reborn,” a sonic assault taken from their forthcoming album, “Songs of Steel”, due for release on August 16th, 2024 via Wormholedeath.
“Legends Reborn” is an anthem celebrating the metal community’s power, unity, and indomitable spirit, portraying them as warriors who find strength in their shared passion for music and their defiance against societal norms.
Founded in 2021 by Benjamin Lopez and Daniel Jiménez, Souls of Steel draws upon the foundational strength of metal while venturing into uncharted sonic territories. Inspired by the likes of Megadeth, Symphony X, and Metallica, the band has meticulously carved their niche, solidifying a lineup featuring Benjamin Lopez (bass, vocals), Daniel Jiménez (lead guitar), Oscar Trujillo (drums), and Sebastián Lorenzana (lead vocals). Their debut album, “Songs of Steel,” released in December 2023, potently declared their musical aspirations, showcasing their raw energy and unyielding spirit. With introspective lyrics that explore the spectrum of human experience, from the throes of societal woes to the triumphs of personal growth, Souls of Steel, now signed to Wormholedeath, eagerly awaits the opportunity to unleash their music upon the global audience.
Souls of Steel Band Members: Benjamín López (bass and second vocals) Daniel Jiménez (lead guitar) Óscar Trujillo (drums) Sebastián Lorenzana (lead vocals)
Saint Diablo is a brutal Latin Metalcore powerhouse known for their explosive blend of driving rhythms, aggressive riffs, and fervent vocals. Hailing from Virginia, USA, the band infuses their music with Latin influences, creating a unique sound that has set them apart in the metal scene since their inception in 2004. The band just premiered a new lyric video titled “Cosmic Inferno” taken from their EP album The Reckoning which was released on July 19, 2024 via Eclipse Records. The album was produced, mixed, and mastered by Chris Anger (III Nino, Wyclef Jean, Luny Tunes) at Sound Republic Studio; engineered by Brandon Dickey & Justin Adams at Revive Studios; and the cover art was created by Chris Anger. The lyric video for “Cosmic Inferno” was directed by Jackson Presley at PostIdol Media.
“To give fans the opportunity to become more intimately familiar with the song prior to the traditional video release, is why we chose to do a lyric video”, says lead vocalist Tito Quinones. “We wanted to highlight the idea of descending into madness as the monster you were created to be. Oftentimes, the specific lyrics and words intended to be received get lost with all of the visual seduction in the modern graphic music video. We had never done a lyric video so when we got the chance to do one with someone that really made a connection with our song (Jackson Presley) it just felt like it was the right time and the right song.” Guitarist Justin Adams adds, “We felt like (Cosmic Inferno) had a story that needed to be told on different levels. More than what a traditional music video would tell. Plus, we wanted our fans to have a little something different with this one! After just one conversation with Jackson, I was convinced that working with him on this particular project, was the way to go! After seeing the final product, he has a client/fan for life! His work speaks for itself.”
(Cover art Credit: Chris Anger)
Prepare to be immersed in the emotional depths of The Reckoning, the gripping new EP by Saint Diablo that navigates themes of loss, self-discovery, and resilience through its powerful tracks. Produced by Chris Anger at Sound Republic Studio, this EP promises a riveting auditory experience that will leave fans yearning for more. The journey begins with “Voice on the Phone,” a poignant reflection of loss and melancholy coupled with yearning for solace in the midst of despair. With heartfelt lyrics and emotive melodies, Saint Diablo captures the struggle to find footing in turbulent times, clinging to memories of strength and guidance from a departed loved one. Next, “Dame Todo” invites listeners into a passionate declaration of unity and empowerment. Through intimate lyrics that speak directly to fans and supporters, Saint Diablo channels the euphoria of shared purpose and camaraderie. “Cosmic Inferno” delves into darker territory, exploring themes of acceptance and defiance in the face of inner turmoil. The band confronts the notion of embracing one’s flaws and embracing the darkness within, finding strength in the realization that every aspect of their existence serves a purpose. Rounding out the EP is a dynamic live rendition of “Odio,” a fan-favorite anthem that captures the raw energy and intensity of Saint Diablo’s electrifying stage presence. With “The Reckoning,” Saint Diablo delivers a tour de force of emotion and intensity, exploring the complexities of the human experience with unflinching honesty and raw energy. The Reckoning was released on July 19, 2024 by Eclipse Records.
Saint Diablo tour dates (tickets & info) Aug 10 – Winchester, VA @ Blue Fox Billiards Aug 15 – Thornville, OH @ Gathering of the Juggalos XXIV Aug 18 – Asheville, NC @ The Grey Eagle (Day of Rock Festival) Sept 13 – Wise, VA @ Blueridge Massacre Oct 12 – Baltimore, MD @ Zen West
Saint Diablo lineup Tito Quinones (vocals), Justin Adams (guitar), Anthony San Pietro (drums), Zach San Pietro (bass), Awesome Ray Ray (percussion/auxiliary drums)
[photo by Jakob Wurschi / edited by Svartir Andar Graphix]
August 16, 2024 sees the Thuringian masters of the macabre, EISREGEN, return with their brand new studio album “Abart” via Massacre Records, continuing to follow their very own path. The band’s 17th album offering will be available as a 2-CD Mediabook, Ltd. Box Set, Ltd. Vinyl 2-LP and Digital formats. The Box Set contents the 2-CD Mediabook, a flag (with uncensored cover motif), key fob, and a signed 2-sided postcard. Pre-order your favorite album edition here: https://lnk.to/abart
Following the previously-released, first album appetizer “Schmutzliebe”, today, EISREGEN are premiering a music video for their latest single, the album opening track “Am Abgrund”! The song makes M.Roth‘s perspective on things clear, as he says: “Humanity is only one step away from extinction, there’s no looking back, no escape…”
The band’s forthcoming album “Abart” picks up where “Grenzgänger” left off at the beginning of 2023, and presents the Thuringian legends in absolute top form: A diverse songwriting that incorporates almost all facets of various metal styles – ranging from death to black, gothic, dark and doom – is brought to life by mastermind M.Roth’s distinctive vocals and in combination, creates frightening, monstrous soundscapes that only EISREGEN can bring to life.
On “Abart”, M.Roth and Yantit once again have an uncanny knack for melodies that stick to and will haunt the listener – the new album tracks have enormous hit potential, far from the beaten track. And: One of the Thuringians’ biggest hits has received a sequel – get ready for “Die Rückkehr der Elektro Hexe”, which is accompanied by “Elektro Baba Yaga”, and with “1000 tote Nutten 2024”, they give another band classic a modern twist.
Polarizing and one-of-a-kind – even in 2024, death remains a master from Thuringia!
“Abart” Tracklist:
CD 1
Am Abgrund
Ich und mein Bolzenschussgerät
Im blutroten Raum
Lebendköder
Dem Menschsein so fern
Schöner sterben
Hinterland
Rasierfleisch
Abart
Schmutzliebe
Totkörperkunst
CD 2
Die Rückkehr der Elektro Hexe
Electro Baba Yaga
1000 tote Nutten 2024
Album Line-Up: M.Roth – Vocals Markus Stock – Bass Yantit – Guitars, Drums, Additional Instruments
Guest Musicians: Frau N. Feind – Violin Gemser – Piano on “Totkörperkunst”
Producer: Yantit / HcN-Studios Mixing / Mastering: Markus Stock / Klangschmeide Studio E Cover Artwork Design: Svartir Andar Graphix
EISREGEN Live: 16.08.2024 DE Hannover – Subkultur (Record Release Show) 17.08.2024 DE Leipzig – Hellraiser (Record Release Show) 11.10.2024 DE Nürnberg – Cult * 12.10.2024 DE Rüsselsheim – Das Rind * 18.10.2024 DE Gera – Comma * 19.10.2024 DE München – Backstage * 26.10.2024 DE Hamburg – Kronensaal * 02.11.2024 DE Karlsruhe – Stadtmitte * 22.11.2024 DE Bochum – Matrix * 23.11.2024 DE Osnabrück – Bastard Club * 30.11.2024 DE Passau – Zauberberg * 13.12.2024 DE Erfurt – Club From Hell *
Denver, CO self-described sludge corrupted death metal band GLACIAL TOMB has today announced their signing to Prosthetic Records. GLACIAL TOMB will release their forthcoming sophomore album, Lightless Expanse, via the Los Angeles label on September 20. Alongside the signing and album announcement, the band are currently premiering the lead single, Abyssal Host, and its accompanying lyric video via Decibel.
Speaking on the album announcement, GLACIAL TOMB vocalist / guitarist Ben Hutcherson comments: “Three and a half years. From the day that Dave (Small, bass) shared the riffs that eventually became Worldsflesh to the evening we approved the final mixes of Lightless Expanse with Arthur Rizik last fall, three and a half years passed. In that time, our connection to–and appreciation of–this music grew stronger as the world around us continued to collapse. Despite the inescapable reminders of our proximity to the apocalypse, we also experienced moments of absolute joy in those years. Those moments of light proved to be just as essential to creating this record as the feelings of dread and anger, though the influence of the latter is certainly more immediate.
“I began writing the lyrics without a clear sense of the lyrical heart of these songs; I only knew that I wanted to reflect on the nature of suffering–the suffering guaranteed to each of us from the moment we draw our first breath. As the music became more complex and as the myriad emotions we sought to invoke became more visceral, I pushed myself to write a story–or, to be more precise, a story of and about stories–that was not simply a lamentation of the horrors of consciousness. I wanted the lyrics to reflect the journey that the three of us have been on, both individually and collectively, as we have grown to better understand the shape of this world and our place(s) in it. I wanted to see the world through the eyes of someone or something that would see this planet for what it is. I knew that it wouldn’t be enough to just be bitter about the pain of existence; I needed to articulate just how futile humanity’s aspirations for salvation truly are and, hopefully, to find some sort of serenity in that understanding.”
Of Abyssal Host, Hutcherson adds: “Abyssal Host is a d-beat rager about cosmic forces beyond humankind’s comprehension. One of the central themes of the record is that we, as a species, are continually undone by our hubris yet we seem unwilling and/or unable to acknowledge the futility of control in all its forms. There is serenity in surrender, yet our species seemingly cannot help but fetishize martyrdom. What would happen if a person who doesn’t want any part of this world became host to something so grand, so divine, that they became an unwitting martyr?”
Invigorated by new bass player David Small’s presence, the group meticulously crafted Lightless Expanse throughout 2021 and 2022. Founding members Ben Hutcherson and Michael Salazar (drums) embraced the new dynamic and fresh musical perspective Small brought to the band, with Hutcherson and Small’s work together in Khemmis no doubt fueling their creative alchemy.
The resulting album is an unflinching examination of the horrors of existence, captured with authenticity and meticulous attention to detail. The songs were produced and engineered by Hutcherson, with drums recorded at The Band Cave in Denver and everything else tracked at his home studio. In an era of hyper-quantized, soulless extreme music that prioritises perfection above all else, the trio rehearsed relentlessly throughout 2022 before they began tracking in Spring 2023. They enlisted the renowned mixing and mastering skills of Arthur Rizk to realise their collective vision for this record.
The narrative arc that runs through the nine blistering tracks juxtaposes everyday suffering with nigh-ineffable cosmic horror; mental illness, grief, social isolation, and a longing for meaning all take the form of celestial beings and deific machinations. Hutcherson’s lyrics are inspired by writers such as Thomas Ligotti, Philipp Mainländer, Peter Wessel Zapffe, and Alan Watts.
These bleak themes are wrapped up in a bruising package of dissonant death metal intensity, shot through with a flourish of black metal grandiosity. Whilst the aforementioned dedication to arranging things ‘just so’ gives a technical and cerebral edge to their sound, the choruses are laden with soaring melodic hooks, satisfying the most riff-hungry amongst us. GLACIAL TOMB refuses to fit neatly within the parameters of any one genre, and their sound is all the richer for it. Lightless Expanse is a multi-layered exploration of heavy metal in all its complex and cathartic glory.
Lightless Expanse Tracklist: 1. Stygian Abattoir 2. Voidwomb 3. Enshrined in Concrete 4. Abyssal Host 5. Sanctuary 6. Seraphic Mutilation 7. Worldsflesh 8. Wound of Existence 9. The Lightless Expanse
GLACIAL TOMB is: Ben Hutcherson – Guitar/Vocals Mike Salazar – Drums David Small – Bass
Theigns and Thralls, known for their distinctive blend of folk-metal and classic rock, are excited to announce the release of their new music video for “The Grape And The Grain”. This track is part of their latest album called “The Keep & The Spire” which showcases the band’s evolution with a heavier and darker tone, devoid of acoustic tracks.
Theigns & Thralls is the brainchild of Skyclad vocalist and songwriter Kevin Ridley, featuring Cruachan and Waylander, band members.
Theigns and Thralls continue to push the boundaries of their sound, cementing their position in the global music scene. The new album not only reflects their artistic growth but also offers fans a deeper and more immersive experience.
“The Grape And The Grain” holds a special place in the album, inspired by a memorable night with the band Celtibeerian. Kevin Ridley, the band’s primary songwriter, drew from a personal anecdote involving his mother’s cautionary saying about mixing grape and grain. After a celebratory night involving Jack Daniels and beers, this saying resonated with Ridley, sparking the creation of the song. This personal touch adds a reflective and thematic depth to the album.
The new video brings “The Grape And The Grain” to life, capturing the spirit and narrative of the song. Fans can expect a visually engaging experience that complements the song’s story and musical intensity.
The new album “The Keep And The Spire” will be released on next 20th September 2024 on Rockshots Records. Save the date!
Track Listing:
01. Overture 02. A Single Beam 03. Fight And Lay Your Bones 04. The Battle of Maldon 05. Aftermath 06. Pagan Song 07. The Harrowing 08. The Seeker 09. Now My Life Is Done 10. The Grape And The Grain 11. Interrogativa Cantilena 12. The Mermaid Tavern
Theigns & Thralls is the brainchild of Skyclad’s vocalist and songwriter Kevin Ridley. Originally, it was intended to be an ‘occasional band’ to perform songs from the writers back catalogue (Skyclad songs, solo album songs, covers etc) working around Skyclad’s touring plans.
However, due to the pandemic, the project became a collaborative recording project building on a few demo ideas. Friends and players from across Europe were asked to contribute and the response was overwhelmingly positive. In the end, twenty-five musicians from bands such as Korpiklaani, Ensiferum, Cruachan, Waylander, Celtibeerian and Metal De Facto, as well as solo musicians, contributed everything from drums, bass, guitar, violin, whistles, bagpipes to hurdy gurdy and vocals.
The name Theigns & Thralls (which basically means master and servant) was settled on and it was also decided to make an eponymous album, so that Theigns & Thralls was the band’s name, the name of the album and the name of the opening song. This also helped clarify the band’s ’mission’. Theigns & Thralls is where an appreciation of history, literature and humanism come together for fans of Celtic Speed-Punk, Folk-Metal and Classic Rock.
Finally, as well as putting out the album and videos, a ‘touring band’ was put together, to perform the songs live. The band have, subsequently played gigs and festivals across Europe, often with guest artist appearances.
Theigns & Thralls is:
Kevin Ridley: Vocals, guitar, mandolin, mandola, bouzouki, synths Dave Briggs: Guitar, whistles, backing vocals, bodhran John Ryan: Violin, cello, backing vocals Arjon Valk: Bass guitar, backing vocals Mike Verhof: Drums, percussion, backing vocals
On their new album, Black Lava summon another perfect storm. The Savage Winds to Wisdom swirls together eerie blackened countermelodies and hexing prog with a heavy load of old-school headbanging. The riffs on “Dark Legacy” loom large, casting a fiery shadow over the kingdom of metal that warns of the band’s growing legend.
“We sharpened our tools with this album”, Black Lava says. “We went a little more brutal and that sets the tone for where we’ll head in the future”.
Black Lava erupted out of Australia’s metal scene during the first trying year of the pandemic. But the band came together with all the ease of a natural stream. All four members have crossed paths around the various corners of the Melbourne underground. Guitarist Ben Boyle also shreds alongside bassist Nick Rackham in Hadal Maw and A Million Dead Birds Laughing.
Their potent alchemy is the skeleton key that unlocks “Dark Legacy”. With the tap of his fingers, Boyle casts a menacing spell from gloomy minor chord dissonance and technical wizardry. Though it’s Rackham’s monstrous bass groove that hits like a spear straight through the heart.
“We took greater care with compositions on The Savage Winds to Wisdom”, Boyle says. “There’s more depth and layering to the riffs and melodies. By calling on a broader list of inspirations and tones, the album has a real sense of balance, a certain quality that will lend itself to repeat listens and attention to detail, while still staying true to what we set out to do with Black Lava; create heavy, energetic and catchy tunes that emanate a sense of atmosphere and power for the listener.”
The guitar playthrough of “Dark Legacy” was shot at Bushido Studios. It was filmed, edited and coloured by Black Lava’s drummer Dan Presland.
More praise for Black Lava
“Familiar yet undeniably creative, heavy and a clear statement in the darkness of music” – Metal Roos
“A fantastic album…wrapped up in a package that is so tight, you couldn’t squeeze in between the layers if you were as thin as paper.” – Metal Temple
“Black Lava scrachtes a particular itch when you need music that is heavy, groovy and gritty” – Metal Epidemic
“Riff after riff, chug after chug, these songs bleed with strength and perseverance” – Monuments in Ruin
Cover Art: Paolo Girardi
Track list 1. Colour of Death (6:44) 2. Dark Legacy (4:08) [LISTEN] 3. Wrapped in Filth (4:03) 4. Unsheathing Nightmares (4:45) [WATCH] 5. Summoning Shadows (6:03) 6. Ironclad Sarcophagus (4:08) [WATCH] 7. Pagan Dust (4:46) 8. Sanguis Lupus (5:21) 9. The Savage Winds to Wisdom (7:07) Total runtime: 47:12
Like any good sorcerer, Black Lava cast a wicked array of spells. Dan Presland, Ben Boyle and Rob Watkins treated Outburn magazine to a list of the band’s potent influences and most punishing songs.
Not even the most stifling period in recent history could contain Black Lava. Despite being kept under strict lockdown during the pandemic, these Aussies were just stewing together, waiting to erupt. Now, only two years removed from their smoldering debut, the band are roaring back with even more mythical firepower on The Savage Winds to Wisdom.
“Our second album is a step up from the first in all aspects”, drummer Dan Presland says. “We took more time on the songwriting. The Savage Winds to Wisdom shows exactly where we want to take our music”.
Though possessed by an ancient and mysterious alchemy, Black Lava formed with the ease of a natural spring. Over the past decade, all four members have crossed paths around the various corners of Melbourne’s metal underground. On top of their progressive all-instrumental vision quests in Vipassi, Presland also drums alongside Hadal Maw guitarist Ben Boyle in the grinding, tech-death, underground curiosity A Million Dead Birds Laughing. But when the two got together to blow off steam amidst quarantine at Presland’s newly minted home studio, they were pleasantly surprised by the darkness that swept over these jam sessions.
“Both of us were dealing with a lot of pent-up frustrations”, Presland remembers. A few weeks before, his flight home from America (where he was supposed to track the drums for Ne Obliviscaris’ fourth album Exul) touched down hours before Australia closed its borders. “But that anger, coupled with our need to keep creating, led us in a different direction”.
Progressive metal was still a clear undercurrent, but the songs that came spewing out were unusually heavy. Death and black metal held more sway, though sludgy rock n’ roll also found its way into the mix. Such a peculiar range of influences required a vocalist with a very particular set of pipes. Fortunately, Rob Watkins jumped at the opportunity to reunite with Presland, who was the drummer in their thrash band Metalstorm. With Watkins’ Blackhelm bassist Tim Anderson added to the fold, Black Lava burst onto the scene in 2022 with their smoldering debut.
“Soul Furnace more than lives up to those lofty expectations”, Distorted Sound hailed, “proving to not only be a late contender for album of the year, but also one of the more impressive debut albums of recent years”.
Black Lava wasted no time in keeping the juices flowing. The band was already hard at work on their second album while the first one was hot on the shelves. The Savage Winds to Wisdom stirs from the same cauldron of influences. Lead single “Ironclad Sarcophagus” echoes from the crypt with eerie countermelodies and a rhythm section that’s more bewitching than a spell book.
“I pictured this ancient wizard sending out evil vibes into the world in hopes of tricking someone into opening his coffin”, Watkins says. “When writing lyrics, I try and stay true to the spirit of metal. But really, I’m just channeling how the music makes me feel”.
If Soul Furnace was like stumbling upon the entrance to an ancient cave, then The Savage Winds to Wisdom is a fiery, full-blown descent into the belly of the beast. “Dark Legacy” rings through the long black night with one sustained roar of a guitar roar, like an angry, one-eyed ogre. But while the songs came quickly, with Presland and Boyle carving out monstrous riffs and scaly grooves for Watkins to splatter his medieval fantasies, Black Lava took their time with this album. It’s not until nearly three minutes into the opening number, after “Colour of Death” has boiled to a full headbang, that the first of its many horns-up roars is unleashed.
“There was greater care taken with compositions on The Savage Winds to Wisdom”, Boyle says. “There’s more depth and layering to the riffs and melodies. Calling on a more broad list of inspirations and tones, the album has a real sense of balance, a certain quality that will lend itself to repeat listens and attention to detail, while still staying true to what Black Lava set out to do; create heavy, yet energetic and catchy anthemic tunes that tell a story and emanate a sense of atmosphere and power for the listener.”
True to its name, The Savage Winds to Wisdom swirls within a deeper and darker sense of atmosphere. Whereas before their bang-bang approach to songwriting resembled something closer to a punk rock band, this time around, Black Lava concentrated more on atmosphere. “Unsheathing Nightmares” reveals its root source of terror in careful layers, mutating from raw black metal and razor-sharp tech-death into a rainy, ambient hellscape. “That’s one of the songs that really excited me”, says Watkins, who calls upon a coven of witches by digging into the slimier depths of his baritone.
The title track is big enough to stand alone as its own self-contained world. Winding over the course of seven eventful minutes, it’s the longest and perhaps most ambitious song in Black Lava’s musical geology. Blast beats pound like hail beneath waves of distortion that crash with the force of a monsoon. “The silents of fate” Watkins reckons, like a sea captain stranded among the wreckage. “The thousand winds swirl the soul”. Swept up by a screeching solo from special guest Ben Baret (Ne Obliviscaris), the song whirls into an unstoppable force, a torrential finale that brings this album to a truly epic conclusion.
“We sharpened our tools with this album”, the band says. “We went a little more brutal and that sets the tone for where we’ll head in the future.
On The Savage Winds to Wisdom, Black Lava conduct a perfect storm.
Recording line-up Dan Presland (drums) Ben Boyle (guitar) Ben Boyle (bass) Rob Watkins (vocals)
Guest musician Benjamin Baret (Ne Obliviscaris, Vipassi) plays the guitar solo on “The Savage Winds to Wisdom”.
Live line-up Dan Preslans (drums Ben Boyle (guitar) Nick Rackham (bass) Rob Watkins (vocals)
Recording studio Bushido Studios in Melbourne, Australia
Producer and sound engineer Troy Mccosker
Mastering, mixing and engineering Studio Fredman and Fredrick Nordstrom
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
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