Eclipse Records is elated to announce the signing of Valkyrie’s Fire to an exclusive worldwide deal. Based in Nashville, Tennessee (USA), the symphonic power metal band is born of true emotional passion that ignites our hearts and unlocks the deepest mysteries of the soul. The band are anxiously preparing to release their debut studio EP album Ascension via Eclipse Records on November 8, 2024. The album was recorded and mixed by Joey Grimaldi, and mastered by Jack Kosto (Firewind, Seven Spires).
“I first heard about Eclipse Records through our bassist Dave” says vocalist Bettie Floyd,“It’s funny, because I didn’t realize they had been the record company for Mushroomhead, which was one of my favorite bands way back in the day! I am so excited for the next steps in our adventure with Eclipse Records and I have been so humbled by their response to our music so far – saying that our music sounds like a cross between Nightwish and Iron Maiden. Those are two very big names to live up to, so I will take that as a huge compliment!” Vocalist Adam Sanders adds “I am beyond excited for Valkyrie’s Fire to be in a partnership with Eclipse Records. We’ve been working hard to prepare our first EP, and it’s amazing to have the label believe in us enough to help us promote and release it in an official capacity. I look forward to seeing what the future holds for us!”
The band’s debut studio EP album Ascension, is a magnificent and unique blend of soaring vocals, blazing guitar licks, and a signature low-end bass attack in the rhythm section, and it is scheduled for release on November 8, 2024. This band has been hailed as the symphonic metal powerhouse of the American south, and the key word here is “power!” First, the band offers us a dual power vocalist approach, male and female, often in harmony, other times in unison, switching solos and trading octaves so effortlessly that they seem to be a unified, magical being. As for the power-guitar, the verse-tracks have enough chock-n-gravel “chunk” to satisfy the heaviest of head bangers, and the lead solos are simply red hot and blistering. Last but certainly not least, the power-bass and power-drums are just as complex and upbeat as they are lush and heavy and deep, dark and daring.
Aerial view on the Bruce Dickinson show at ROCKHARZ 2024. Credit: Veruga GmbH
The festival tickets for ROCKHARZ 2025 in Ballenstedt are sold out! This is what the organizers announce after just one week of advance sales. The 2024 festival ended last week.
Not only were all 25,000 tickets sold within this record time. It is also the first time that this has been achieved completely within the so-called early booking phase – which normally lasts 14 days. Last year, it took just under 6 weeks, until the organizers were able to announce that there were no more tickets available.
It is also worth mentioning that, according to the organizers, 90% of the tickets were sold to regular festival customers. The organizers had granted this particular group of people exclusive one-week access to their online store.
The organizers from VERUGA GmbH are overjoyed: “This is unbelievable! That our guests have given us such a vote of confidence is a great honor!”
The ROCKHARZ Festival in Ballenstedt celebrated its 30th anniversary last year. With almost 60 bands regularly playing over four festival days and up to 25,000 visitors, it is one of the three biggest metal festivals in Germany.
Among others, POWERWOLF, HEAVEN SHALL BURN, VERSENGOLD, and SODOM have already been confirmed for the upcoming year, with many more to come.
‘A RISING FORCE’ returns with their 3rd Album titled “Truth” due August 9th, 2024 On Darkstar/Sony/Universal. PRE-ORDER HERE
A RISING FORCE is an all-original Minnesota rock act that signed their initial record deal with the HighVolMusic Label in December of 2020 in the middle of the covid pandemic. Their debut CD ‘Undertow’ was originally released in May of 2021, and spawned 3 singles including ‘Love and War’, “Crushed” and “Yesterdaze Hell”.
Both “Crushed” and “Yesterdaze Hell” charted in rock radio at #2 and #5 for the entire month of August on internet radio 97 Underground. Unfortunately, the untimely death of their Record Company President and Vice President Bill and Lori Chavis to Covid 19 put the release of their next single and video for the title track “Undertow” on hold, forcing the band to navigate through the legal challenges of retaining full ownership of their assets and rights to their music back.
The band then signed a new 2 Plus album deal with Dark Star Records/SONY/Universal and re-released the first Album, “Undertow” after the first of the year along with the video that has a memorial to their late record company President and friend Bill Chavis. In May 2022, the band released their follow up Album, “Eclipse” and toured briefly in support of Warrant, Kix, Tesla & Firehouse. The song “Believe” spent 8 weeks on the Billboard rock charts.
After a successful run in 2022, the band was thrown a curve ball by their singer, & parted ways with David Reed Watson over “musical differences and direction”. Original bass player Brian Lorenson retired from performing live, and guitarist Billy Schlump joined forces with Legacy of the Loud. Their 2nd drummer Petar Pouki returned to his Led Zeppelin tribute band.
After a few months off, Leni DiMancari Was approached by his good friend Steve Philbrook from Platinum Overdose, to start writing and recording a new album together, with Matt Jacobs on Bass and Michael Scott on drums. On the advice of the label, the band exercised their option album, and decided to call it “A Rising Force” instead of doing it as a solo effort between DiMancari & Philbrook.
The music on this album is incredibly well written and a hard driving effort, that has a very positive message to it. Stand out tracks include the first single, “Thrill of a Lifetime,” as well as “Come Alive,” and “Winters Calling.“
Over the last 4 years, the band has performed for thousands of fans, capacity crowds and they sold out of the first pressings of the album Undertow and Eclipse, to become one of Darkstar Records best-selling artists. Guitarist Leni DiMancari is part of the ESP artist roster.
The music is guitar-driven commercial hard rock combined with 4-part harmonies, and all fronted by an arena rock lead vocalist.
Members Steve Philbrook- Lead Vocals/Guitars/Keys Matt Jacobs- Bass/Vocals Michael Scott- Drums/Vocals Leni DiMancari- Lead Guitars/Vocals
UK queercore duo DEATH GOALS have today shared a new single and accompanying music video, Knife Bouquet. Knife Bouquet is the first glimpse of new material from DEATH GOALS following their 2023 sophomore album, A Garden of Dead Flowers, and features a guest vocal appearance from Matt Reynolds (Haggard Cat, Heck). DEATH GOALS will be performing Knife Bouquet on their forthcoming UK tour in support of Tunic this September – with full details below.
Speaking on the single release, DEATH GOALS comment: “Knife Bouquet is a track of necessary catharsis; wanting to move on from years-old heartbreak but unsure of how to do so. Lyrically collected from old journal entries and sonically rooted in the sound we have developed over the last two records, Knife Bouquet is a statement of intent for us as a band and one of the first tracks that came out of post-Garden writing sessions. We wrote the song with our good friend Matt (Reynolds – Haggard Cat, Heck) in mind for the final section, and we’re so glad he agreed to jump on. We’re super proud of this track and can’t wait to start playing it live.”
Upcoming DEATH GOALS tour dates: July 27 – Washed Out Festival – Brighton, UK September 16 – New Cross Inn – London, UK* September 17 – Night Owl – Birmingham, UK* September 18 – Edge of the Wedge – Southsea, UK* September 19 – The Exchange – Bristol, UK* September 20 – The Moon – Cardiff, UK* September 21 – EBGBS – Liverpool, UK* September 22 – Love Day Festival – Manchester, UK* (Performing A Garden of Dead Flowers in full) September 28 – Misery Loves Company Festival – Bristol, UK
With the resounding chants of Christopher Juul, Maria Franz, and Kai Uwe Faust, HEILUNG does not merely perform; they invoke. Their rituals, veiled in the essences of forgotten landscapes, pull you into a realm where the primordial and the modern collide. Their sonic enchantments, crafted with ancestral breath and iron’s cold kiss, transcend the mere act of listening, pulling you into a communal trance born of earth and stars.
Prepare, kindred spirits, as the Nordic collective declares their upcoming voyage, Albion, Eiru ok Erop Ferdhast, an odyssey through the mists of history and the echoes of old.
HEILUNG’s rituals are not bound by the constraints of traditional performances; their ceremonies cultivate an atmosphere where time shifts and bends. Steeped in throat singing, rhythmic sacraments of bone and hide, and the flickering dance of firelight, their evocations at places like the legendary Red Rocks have already etched unforgettable marks on the threads of time.
Albion, Eiru ok Erop Ferdhast – EU 2025 Spring Tour: 7 March: Helsinki, FI @ Ice Hall 9 March: Stockholm, SE @ Hovet 12 March: Oslo, NO @ Spektrum 14 March: Aarhus, DK @ ACC 16 March: Copenhagen, DK @ Black Box 19 March: Oberhausen, DE @ Turbinehalle 21 March: Zurich, CH @ Hallenstadion 23 March: Esch-sur-Alzette, LU @ Rockhal 15 April: London, UK @ O2 Brixton Academy 17 April: Dublin, IR @ 3Arena 19 April: Edinburgh, UK @ O2 Academy 21 April: Manchester, UK @ O2 Apollo 23 April: Lille, FR @ Zenith 25 April: Lyon, FR @ Halle Tony Garnier 27 April: Milan, IT @ Teatro Arcimboldi
HEILUNG don’t play shows. They perform a ritual. Every performance begins with Kai Uwe Faust leading Christopher Juul, Maria Franz and the rest of the Nordic collective in an ancient prayer. Soon after, the audience is swept into rapture, swayed by incense and throat singing, primordial rhythms, subtle electronic textures, a mesmerizing light show, an army of warriors and bursts of fire.
Since they began in 2015, Heilung have been paving melodic paths to the past with their unique and mystifying sound. Evading all conventional genre tags and the confines of any specific labels, the group aptly self-describes their sound as “amplified history,” emphasizing their ability to connect modern society with the rudiments of humanity’s beginnings through music.
“Our ancestral Nordic civilizations did not just pop up, exist and disappear in isolation”, says Faust, a throat singer and one of Heilung’s three composers. “With singing these primordial songs we want to give tribute to these cultures, reconnect to the beginnings and remember that we all, from East to West, from past to present, are connected through the exchange of ideas and inspiring each other”.
While Heilung features authentic and archaic instrumentation that ranges from rattles and ritual bells to human bones and throat singing, their captivating brand of music is far from primitive. Producer and founding member Christopher Juul implements subtle electronic elements that elevates the musical atmosphere and provides a more in-depth and layered soundscape.
Indeed, Heilung’s success has been unprecedented, achieving milestones in its few short years of existence that many do not see in a lifetime. The collective already had rapidly been growing a buzz upon the self-release of their first full-length Ofnir in 2015, but their dizzying upward trajectory really took off from the moment they set foot on the stage at Castlefest in 2017 for the now-legendary debut of their live ritual. Luckily for those who were not fortunate enough to bare witness to this magical event, the full ceremony was captured on film, having since been viewed by tens of millions of fans across the globe.
As Heilung trekked across Europe and brought their mystifying experience to new audiences, talk of this new band and their stunning ceremony made way to Season of Mist label owner Michael Berberian, who quickly offered the band a record contract after seeing their undeniable musical impact for himself.
By 2019, Heilung launched their second full-length record, Futha, which contrasted the masculine and battle-heavy themes of their debut with a feminine counterpart that celebrated fertility and female energy. Upon the first week of the record’s release, it graced the Billboard charts with coveted numbers, debuting at #3 on the Heatseekers Charts and #4 on the Billboard World Music Chart, placing on a total of seven Billboard charts while meeting critical-acclaim from the press on a global scale.
Their music has even appeared in places that extend far beyond typical concert venues. From hit television series like Game of Thrones and Vikings to video game giants like Conqueror’s Blade VII: “Wolves of Ragnarök and Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II to the blockbuster Robert Eggers film The Northman, Heilung’s music has risen far above the underground and has transcended into a greater world. Even a global pandemic couldn’t slow down Heilung’s success; it only strengthened them and gave them the gift of time to complete work on their third album. In English, Drif translates as “Gathering”. The music embodies this philosophy by tying together the beginning of civilization with today’s modern society.
Heilung now perform their rituals all over the world. They sold out their first North American tour in 72 hours. Upon returning to the United States in 2021, they were greeted by another sold-out crowd, this time at the historic Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado. This performance will be released on vinyl, CD and Blu-Ray in 2024, along with another performance at the Apollo Theatre in Hammersmith, London.
During the lead-up to the new LIFAs, Heilung will embark on headlining tours of Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Along the way, they will cast their spell over more of the world’s biggest stages, including Roskilde Festival, Download Festival and Glastonbury. But no matter where they are, Heilung always begin their performance with a humbling reminder of where we all come from.
“Remember, we are all brothers. All people, beasts, tree and stone and wind, we all descend from the one great being that was always there, before people lived and named it, before the first seed sprouted.”
Line-up: Kai Uwe Faust Christopher Juul Maria Franz
Necrodeist is the tenth full length studio recorded release by Declared Dead (appropriately marking a decade anniversary for the band!). The majority of Necrodeist was recorded at the beginning of 2023 and was continued from the summer months to November of 2023 (after a five to six month delay starting in February). Mixing and mastering occurred in December of 2023.
The concept/title of Necrodeist was seemingly “given” to band leader Anders Milovovich, “through the aether”, and was fully developed with the rest of the band – thereafter. Like Declared Dead itself, “Necrodeist” is difficult to define succinctly. A simple phrase such as, “Through death, life is known.” could be the beginning catalyst to understanding – but “true definition” would be ephemeral…evanescent.
After contemplation – it was recognized that Necrodeist has a kinship with Friedrich Nietzsche’s “Will to Power” (“A living being seeks above all else to discharge its strength. Life itself is a will to power. Nothing else matters.”). In the view of Anders Milovovich, Necrodeist has within its realm the idea that, “Frustrations that stem from and of ‘dying’ (ironically called ‘living’) causes shades and expulsions of emotive behavior to occur – which can be recognized as ‘creativity’…’artistry’ in certain situations. Consciousness expressing beyond the limits of flesh, utilizing the confinement within gross materiality as a tool of elevation. Duality in symbiosis leads to enlightenment.”
In that respect, the previous Declared Dead album, Integument of Golden Luster and Necrodeist compliment each other (almost with no beginning or end between the two – cycling like the ouroboros) in terms of the former having a more “sun-like” quality while the latter is steeped in a darker “moon-like” moodiness. Though, it can be pondered – posits Anders (in a pseudo-lofty tone), “By night the day arrives – what is ‘moonlight’? Is it not the sun peeking behind the curtain? Does not the creator reveal itself so much it disappears?”
Occult knowledge and exploration plays a role in Necrodeist as well. The lyrics within the album deal with elements of: “chaos magic”, “extra-dimensional entities”, “parapsychology”, “quantum phenomenon”, and “spiritual malaise”.
The music of Necrodeist has a “carnavale” feeling to it at times, which upon investigation seems apropos, since the word derives from “carne levare/carne vale” or “remove meat/farewell to meat/farewell to flesh”. The act of “dying” is just this! While the world dances, their feet are rooted in the underworld. Another aspect of the album’s music is the more “brooding element” – again, representing the polarity of existence. The individual instruments and song structures convey both eccentricities, as well. The vocals, drums, and rhythm guitars have a stronger deliberate foundation like that of “intrinsic exoteric being”, while the bass, keyboards, and solo guitars have a more spontaneous “devil may care” esoteric element, most of the time. With both combined – there’s a balance that is simultaneously “interesting” and “invigorating”.
Necrodeist could be described as “Atmospheric Progressive Blackened Death-Thrash” and might appeal to fans of: Annihilator, Morbid Angel, Impaled Nazarene, Nocturnus, and many more (those type of bands that have a unique approach involving numerous influences and inspirations that places an ineffable aura within and of their creations).
Tracklist: 01. Sanguinary Libations | 02. Manifest The Present | 03. A Crowning Bereavement | 04. Ziggurat Of Eschaton | 05. Circling The Drain | 06. As The Mystery Unfolds | 07. Liquidation Of Anachronisms | 08. A God Amongst Ruins | 09. The Soul Grifter | 10. Gateway To The Cosmic Garden
Necrodeist | Released July 16th, 2024 via Sliptrick Records
Declared Dead are: Anders Milovovich – Vocals/Guitars | Deiter Cox – Bass | Dimitri Nagel III – Guitars/Vocals | Mikhel Van Zaal – Drums/Percussion/Keys
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
Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 