An intimate and up-close video of HANGING GARDEN performing five songs to a small crowd at Paja & Bureau design company in Finland has made its way on-line in advance of “Citylight Sessions” EP, which drops in digital format on April 19th via Agonia Records. Watch the full concert, here:
On “Citylight Sessions”, the Finnish ensemble unveils a journey into the urban and the ethereal. The distinctive release showcases a series of alternative renditions of five tracks from their critically acclaimed album, 2023’s “The Garden”; bringing a fresh, atmospheric perspective to their signature sound.
In an unprecedented move, HANGING GARDEN transforms its sonic landscape by stripping away the familiar cloak of gothic doom metal. Instead, the band embraces a lush symphony of synths, ethereal guitar soundscapes, and drum machines, creating an intimate and hauntingly beautiful experience.
“Citylight Sessions” was recorded during an intimate live performance at the contemporary gallery space of the design company Paja & Bureau. The juxtaposition of HANGING GARDEN‘s haunting melodies against the backdrop of Paja & Bureau‘s innovative design space creates an experience that is delightfully distinct from conventional music venues.
The mixing, mastering and cover artwork were done by Toni Hatakka.
Tracklisting: 1. The Journey (Live Remake) 2. The Four Winds (Live Remake) 3. The Garden (Live Remake) 4. The Fireside (Live Remake) 5. The Construct (Live Remake)
Line-up: Toni Hatakka – vocals Riikka Hatakka – vocals Jussi Hämäläinen – guitars, vocals Mikko Kolari – guitars Kimmo Tukiainen – guitars Nino Hynninen – keyboards Jussi Kirves – bass Antti Ruokola – drums
SYK emerge from the shadows, where relentless rage fuels creativity. With a resounding roar, the Italian progressive death metal band present “I am the beast”, the opening song off their ground-shaking new album, eartHFlesh.
Brutal despair might rule the world, but syk rise above all. Over the past ten years, they’ve grown from an underground whisper to a defiant scream heard from far beyond their native Italy.
On “I am the beast”, Stefano Ferrian, Federico De Bernardi di Valserra and their new band of revolutionaries issue another savage refusal to surrender to the darkness. Harrowing riffs, piercing screams and a stampede of blast beats awaken the beast within us all.
Tracklist 1. I am the beast (6:02) [LISTEN] 2. Where I Am Going There Is No Light (5:54) 3. I’ll Haunt You In Your Dreams (6:08) 4. eartHFlesh (5:42) [WATCH] 5. The Sermon (5:06) 6. the Cross (3:50) [WATCH] 7. For To Themselves I Left Them (4:20) 8. The Passing (8:14) Total runtime: 45:17
SYK is a metal band that came into existence in 2013 when Stefano Ferrian and Federico De Bernardi di Valserra decided to embark on a new musical venture following the disbandment of their previous project, .psychofagist. They were soon joined by the immensely talented vocalist Dalila Kayros, whose vocal skills left a deep impression on the band during live performances.
In May 2014, syk released their debut album titled Atoma through L’Inphantile Collective. The album caught the attention of Philip H Anselmo from Housecore Records, who not only expressed his appreciation for the band’s work but also offered them a deal for their second album. This second album, titled I-Optikon, was released on December 2, 2016, and was produced by Philip H Anselmo himself. The album was notable for its technical compositions that offered a unique and unparalleled listening experience, as Metal Trenches aptly described it.
Following the release of their second album, the band welcomed their long-time friend Marcello Cravini as a permanent member, taking on the role of the second guitarist. syk subsequently embarked on extensive tours across Europe in 2017 and 2018 and had the honour of being the official support act for GODFLESH during their Italian/Slovenian run in May 2018. Additionally, they also participated in the prestigious Roadburn Festival in the same year, further cementing their reputation as a promising metal act.
In 2019, Federico made the difficult decision to leave the band due to personal reasons, and shortly after, the global pandemic hit, disrupting the band’s search for a new drummer. However, towards the end of 2020, Mauro Maraldo joined syk as their new drummer, and with their lineup complete, they wasted no time in entering the studio to record their third album. This album, titled Pyramiden, was released on March 11th, 2022, through Housecore Records/Nuclear Blast. The album’s distinct and powerful character earned syk high praise, with MetalheadCommunity recognizing them as one of the most promising metal acts of the time.
Pyramiden received further acclaim when it was included in the ProgSpace Awards 2022 under the category of ‘Album of the Year 2022/Extreme Prog Category’, alongside esteemed acts like Fallujah, Allegaeon, Cult of Luna, and Conjurer. Unfortunately, soon after the album’s release, both Mauro and Dalila had to depart from the band due to personal reasons.
However, syk, known for their sonic evolution, decided to press on. Founding members Stefano and Marcello continued working on their fourth album while actively searching for new members. Alan La Roca joined the band as the bass player, solidifying the lineup, but the search for a drummer remained a challenge. It wasn’t until Federico Leone answered their call that the band found their new drummer. With the lineup in place consisting of Stefano Ferrian as the new frontman, guitarist, and main songwriter, Marcello Cravini on guitars, Alan La Roca on bass, and Federico Leone on drums, syk took on a new form.
In early 2023, syk caught the attention of Season Of Mist, who signed them for the release of their fourth album, eartHFlesh. This album not only marks the band’s latest offering but also signifies their first decade as a band. With a reinvigorated sound and an intensified sonic progression, syk continues to captivate listeners and solidify their place in the metal scene.
Recording Line-up Stefano Ferrian – Guitars, Vocals Marcello Cravini – Guitars, Ambient FX Alan La Roca – Bass Federico Leone – Drums
Guest Musicians Dalila Kayros – Guest Vocals (On ‘I Am The Beast’, ‘I’ll Haunt You In Your Dreams’, For To Themselves I Left Them’ & ‘The Passing’)
Recording Studio Fiery Water Recording Studio (Alessandria, Italy)
Producer, Sound, Mixing & Mastering Engineer Fabrizio GesuatoCover Art Nihil & Leoncio Harmr
Video Production Directed and Edited by Stefano Ferrian. Filmed by Ancellotti Silvano & Vittorio Bottini at MF Old School Production. Performer: StellaDiPlastica. “Black Angel Wing” & “Demon’s Face” artistic installations by Paola Monfrinotti.
Here it is: the first DEZPERADOZ single + video from their upcoming album “Moonshiner”, which will be released on June 21, 2024.
“Straight Between The Eyes” is not only the title of the song, it also symbolizes the whole album! Full broadside – no prisoners! As a little surprise, SODOM’s Tom Angelripper, an old friend of the band, has also taken on a guest role again!
DEZPERADOZ always manage to incorporate a piece of history into their own musical style to create an overall picture. The lyric video was created by Ben Mumm. The single itself is available on YouTube and all common music platforms.
This also marks the start of pre-sales for the album, which will be released physically as a CD and in a limited wooden collector’s box:
For over 20 years, DEZPERADOZ have been thrilling audiences with their distinctive sound and stories about the heroes of the Wild West like Wyatt Earp or Biilly The Kid. This led them to various European and world tours (among others with Krokus, Thin Lizzy, Doro, U.D.O. and Volbeat) as well as to Wacken, the With Full Force and the Summer Breeze. The new album “Moonshiner” is the 6th in the band’s history.
Tracklist: 01 – Evil Wayz 02 – Runnin’ shine 03 – Straight between the Eyes 04 – Moonshine 05 – Mexican Border 06 – Man of constant Sorrow 07 – River 08 – Lawless 09 – My lucky Graveyardboots 10 – Angels’ Share 11 – A Gunmans Trail 12 – Never Stop to Start again
Line-Up: Alex Kraft – Vocals,Guitars Andi Kiesel – Guitars Manuel Mandrysch – Bass Lars Nippa – Drums
Italian rockers HANGARVAIN have just released on all online platforms, ‘Mother’s Blues’ Live Single at Soundinside Basement Records’ accompanied by the video of the performance available on their label Volcano Records & Promotion’s YouTube channel.
The track is taken from the 2023 album, ‘Soul Desire’, the band’s fifth studio effort produced in Los Angeles by Fabrizio Grossi (Alice Cooper, Steve Lukather, Billy Gibbons). However, the just-released version of ‘Mother’s Blues’ marks numerous and radical innovations.
The project, born over ten years ago from the creative encounter between singer Sergio Toledo Mosca and guitarist-producer Alessandro Liccardo, has seen a constant evolution from its beginnings in southern rock and alternative, to include influences more oriented towards black music, from rhythm and blues to soul, always maintaining a solid rock root. But after last year’s Italian promotional tour for ‘Soul Desire’, the band’s leaders decided to take a deep change of pace, completely renewing the band’s lineup, which now sees alongside Toledo and Liccardo, the talented drummer Simone Pannozzo, Enrico Asquitti on keyboards, and the return to the group of Antonio Castaldo (already seen in some Hangarvain shows in 2018 and temporarily replaced in ‘Mother’s Blues’ by Francesco Girardi).
The new ‘Mother’s Blues’ has been completely rearranged in an even more bluesy tone than the original, and performed with a live studio performance immortalized in the launch video, to be the precursor of the band’s upcoming new album.
Ten years after Hangarvain’s debut album release and after hundreds of concerts throughout Europe, the Neapolitan group is preparing to celebrate its first decade of career with an album, a documentary, and a promotional tour.
In the meantime, listen to and watch Hangarvain’s live performance on the notes of ‘Mother’s Blues Live at Soundinside Basement Records’:
For the second single and official video of their upcoming album “Exit Plan”, WITHERING SURFACE present one of the fastest, yet melodic, tracks in the record: “Finish What You Started”. From the killer guitar lead in the pre-chorus to the emotional-charged refrain, this song is all that the Danes represent in 2024: a mature band with an endless soft spot for melodic death metal in its classical form.
Join the premiering below.
“Exit Plan” is the 6th studio album from Withering Surface following the success of the 2020-comeback album “Meet You Maker”. The process of the “Exit Plan” album was long and challenging with various recording session, line-up changes, producers and on top of that all the obstacles with Covid and post-Covid. The fact that the band’s engagements with Copenhell and various other festivals in 2020 were postponed two years to 2022 could easily have killed Withering Surface that was making a comeback after 15 years in slumber. Instead, all efforts were put into the making of “Exit Plan”. An album where both songwriting and lyrical concept appear stronger than ever for the band. Topping this is the production by Soren Andersen (Medley Studio), mainly known in rock and hard rock circles for his work with artists like Thundermother, Tygers Of Pan Tang and Glenn Hughes. Soren Andersen was not the obvious choice of producer for a melodic death metal band but ended up being the perfect match for Withering Surface anno 2024 delivering a huge over-the-top sound.
Allan Tvedebrink says “Right after we dropped “Meet Your Maker” all our gigs and plans were scrapped because of the pandemic and it obviously created a huge void for us. I’m very proud of that album, but when it was finished, I felt that we could do better and, because of the wide open schedule, I immediately started working on “Exit Plan”. The new material is focused on a much more direct and intense approach and it is by far the strongest compilation of songs we have ever done to represent an album. In the process of creating “Exit Plan” we had lots of set backs. Deciding to let our new drummer go after we recorded the drums, having a new guitarist on board and losing our keyboard player took some extra time, but also made us re-visit the material and get everything right. The challenges and the decisions made in the process definitely made the album way better”.
Soren Andersen: “I was initially hired as the mixing engineer but I have ended up becoming a superfan. This is how I feel about Withering Surface and their forthcoming album “Exit Plan”. They are by far the most extreme band I have ever worked with. Musically I have no other bands to compare them with besides Faith No More and Soilwork. After a few mixes I totally fell in love with the sound of the band, and never before have I challenged myself as much as I have working upon this album. Combining brutal riffs, a powerhouse rhythm section, screaming vocals, melodic solos and imaginative songwriting, this is all I could ever ask for in a metal band”.
Singer Michael Hvolgaard Andersen adds: “Vocal wise I wanted to go back to the roots of Withering Surface. Capturing some of the spirit from the frustrated 19-year old me. Songs on the new album like “Where Dreamers Die” and “You Hurt This Child” show that. I was not sure I still had that throat capacity and aggression in me but proved myself wrong. I always had the desire to make catchy sing-a-long choruses. In the past they were on songs like “Dancing With Faries” and “Joyless Journey”. On “Exit Plan” this desire is brought to life on “Denial Denial Denial”, “Finish What You Started” and “I Finally Lost (All Faith In Humanity)”. Since the formation of Withering Surface, Allan’s songwriting felt natural for me to make vocal lines and melodies on and on “Exit Plan” I truly believe he delivered his strongest material to date which by the end of the day is the reason that made my voice sound strong and have me deliver that little extra”.
The lyrical concept “Exit Plan” is about breaking boundaries and norms that have been set for one. To put a mental period and start over. To get complete clarity about where you are and are going and want to end = “Exit Plan”. Song titles include “Where Dreamers Die”, “Mindreader”, “You Hurt This Child” and “I Finally Lost (All Faith In Humanity)” and are all with a lyrical foundation in the aforementioned outlook on life, sex, shame, religion and a fading view of humanity.
“Exit Plan” is a lyrical extension of its predecessor “Meet Your Maker”, where a religious meeting with the higher powers made the protagonist realize that there is no help to be had from anyone but the person himself. That you stand alone. That the only one who can help you is yourself. Cold cynicism and power do not go hand in hand with charity. Forget the norm and anything that doesn’t work for you. No excuse, no blame. You are not a social experiment. The thanks you get when you’re gone are worthless and remember one of man’s greatest qualities is to repress.
“Exit Plan” will be released on LP (black vinyl), CD and digital formats on June 7th, 2024 via Mighty Music.
Lineup: Allan Tvedebrink – guitars Michael H. Andersen – vocals Jesper Kvist – bass Troels Lund-Sørensen – drums Marco Angioni – guitars
All drums on “Exit Plan” performed by Jakob Gundel
[Photo credit: Linda Florin / Graphic: Carlos Holmberg]
Napalm Records is thrilled to announce the signing of acclaimed Swedish rock force THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA! Formed in 2007 by members of notable rock and metal bands such as Soilwork, Arch Enemy and Mean Streak, THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA have gone on to release six studio albums and land two Swedish Grammis nominations. From vibrant anthems to nostalgic ballads, the band’s versatile offerings pay tribute to the 80s with influences ranging from hard rock and disco to pop and prog.
Adding to the countless live shows they have performed to ecstatic audiences throughout their history, THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA is heading on a Latin American tour this week, followed by a summer of headline and festival shows across Europe, including festivals such Alcatraz Open Air in Belgium and Bloodstock Open Air in the UK. Time to prepare for take-off – stay tuned for news on THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA’s Napalm Records debut, coming soon!
THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA states: “We are really looking forward to taking this airborne orchestra to the next dimension together with Napalm Records! We have a new album in the works and cannot wait to launch a massive campaign together! Up, up and away!”
Sebastian Muench, Napalm Records Senior A&R, adds: “THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA manage to ingeniously interpret profound and innovative hard rock like an entertaining musical and deliver incredibly exciting concerts. Their six studio albums so far are all extremely exciting and we are very happy to help TNFO become even more successful in the future. I am very much looking forward to this great collaboration.”
THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA live 2024: 21.04.24 MX – Mexico City / Circo Volador 22.04.24 CO – Bogota / Ace Of Spades Club 25.04.24 CL – Santiago / Teatro Cariola 27.04.24 BR – São Paulo / Summer Breeze Open Air 28.04.24 AR – Buenos Aires / El Teatrito 16.05.24 FI – Tampere / Olympia Kortteli 17.05.24 FI – Helsinki / Tavastia 18.05.24 SE – Stockholm / Downtown Riot 27.06.24 SK – Snina / Rock Pod Kamenom 11.07.24 DE – Neukirchen-Vluyn / Dong Open Air 09.04.24 SE – Falköping / Nestorfest 10.08.24 BE – Kortrijk / Alcatraz Open Air 11.08.24 UK – Walton-on-Trent / Bloodstock Open Air
THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA is: Björn Strid – Vocals Sharlee D’Angelo – Bass Jonas Källsbäck – Drums Sebastian Forslund – Guitar, Percussions John Lönnmyr – Keys Rasmus Ehrnborn – Guitar Anna Brygard – Backing Vocals Åsa Lundman – Backing Vocals
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 ) 