The fifth full-length album, “Voices Beneath the Rubble,” by the Jersey-based Doom project DRIFT INTO BLACK is set for release on June 28th. This highly anticipated album follows the band’s latest release in 2022, “Earthtorn.”
After two years dedicated to writing and recording, the band is ready to unveil their eagerly awaited creation, “Voices Beneath the Rubble.” This monumental offering serves as a concept album, showcasing the band’s evolution as musicians and storytellers. With “Voices Beneath the Rubble,” Drift Into Black delivers a sonic journey that traverses a range of emotions.
Drawing inspiration from the likes of Candlemass, My Dying Bride, Paradise Lost, and Amorphis, Drift Into Black’s sound is a fusion of gothic doom, traditional heavy metal, and some progressive elements, all imbued with emotional depth. With “Voices Beneath the Rubble,” their upcoming release promises to be their most immersive album to date.
Track list
1.The Horns of Despair 2.In Turmoil 3.The Great Machine 4.Voices Beneath the Rubble 5.Last Hope 6.Forever King 7.Blood Storm 8.What’s Left In The Fire 9.Turning Of The Tide 10.December
Scottish progressive post-metal act DVNE will release their new full-length, Voidkind, on April 19th via Metal Blade Records.
Formed in Edinburgh in 2013 by Frenchman Victor Vicart and native Scot Dudley Tait, progressive post-metal/sludge artisans DVNE have been building a powerful head of steam since their second album, 2021’s kaleidoscopically mesmerizing Etemen Ænka. Their first release for the legendary Metal Blade Records label, the LP was a concerted hike up the greasy pole for this enigmatic outfit, enabling DVNE to embark on UK and European headline tours and win spots at such discerning festivals as Hellfest, ArcTanGent, Desertfest, Damnation, and Resurrection. A live EP of reimagined album tunes, 2022’s Cycles Of Asphodel, kept up their profile while satiating demand from a rapidly mushrooming fanbase, and now in 2024, stunning third album Voidkind looks set to propel this expanded five-piece line-up (welcoming Maxime Keller on keyboards) to the top of their game.
Voidkind succeeds in finding new modes of expression for DVNE. The songs are more pointed, direct, and memorable, but the soundscape still has a radiant, evolving, hypnotic flow, the effect achieved with fewer layers of sonic ornamentation, consciously urging closer to DVNE‘s incendiary live sound. And despite the addition of a full-time keyboardist, Vicart has no doubt about the album’s defining feature, “We wanted very distinct left and right guitars, and punchier drums and bass, which would transcribe better live. And the synths needed to be clearer; it’s very easy to put five guitars on each side, loads of different vocals and keys, but then you end up watching a band with an album you really like, and the songs sound nothing like the record. That’s what we wanted to avoid. As soon as the song starts, we want people to immediately recognise the riff.“
Conceptually, the lyrics continue the band’s overarching narrative – “following a religious group through the generation line from the beginning to its end” – while Voidkind‘s extraordinary sleeve art depicts the main theme of this chapter, namely, “a godlike entity seducing and luring followers through their dreams and these followers’ multigenerational journey to reach their god dimension.”
One book that has been particularly impactful on the band’s thought process: 1989 novel Hyperion by Dan Simmonds. Notes Vicart, “It’s a very dark Sci-Fi book with loads of interesting parts, so you can go really prog with it, but you can also go more violent and animalistic.” Further inspirational touchstones include FromSoftware video game Dark Souls, and the Japanese manga series that inspired it, Berserk, “It’s a very cool, violent, psychedelic, medieval dark fantasy,” explains Vicart. “We wanted to have these kinds of visuals and aesthetics on this album, in this mix-up of things. Even without the vocals we wanted to evoke something, different places and spaces, and take the listener on a journey.”
Vicart further elaborates on the themes driving “Plerõma,” the first single from Voidkind, and its accompanying video, which was directed by Vicart, “Plerõma is a concept that has appeared in Gnosticism, Greek Philosophy, and Judeo-Christian religions. In Gnosticism, it is the spiritual universe as the abode of God and of the totality of the divine powers and emanations. It is also the ultimate source of transformation. Plerõma is a key moment of the album narrative where religious followers are consuming the essence of their deity and reach a new sense of awakened existence. It is the first step in their transformation. Musically it also represents something similar to us, as it is a song that is bringing new elements that we didn’t explore musically until that point.“
Voidkind was recorded between September and November 2023 in Edinburgh at Craigiehall Temple and Byres Farm in Scotland and features the stunning artwork of Felix Abel Klae.
Voidkind Track Listing: 01. Summa Blasphemia 02. Eleonora 03. Reaching for Telos 04. Reliquary 05. Path of Dust 06. Sarmatæ 07. Path of Ether 08. Abode of the Perfect Soul 09. Plērōma 10. Cobalt Sun Necropolis
Following the release of Voidkind, DVNE will embark on a European Spring tour which includes shows with Sleemo, Conjurer, and My Diligence on select dates. See all confirmed dates below.
DVNE Live: 4/23/2024 The Cluny – Newcastle, UK w/ Sleemo 4/24/2024 Brudenell — Leeds, UK w/ Sleemo 4/25/2024 Voodoo Daddies – Norwich, UK w/ Sleemo 4/26/2024 Green Door Store – Brighton, UK w/ Sleemo 4/27/2024 The Exchange – Bristol, UK w/ Sleemo 4/28/2024 Devils Dog – Birmingham, UK w/ Sleemo 5/04/2024 Headbangers – Ball Izegem, BE w/ Conjurer 5/05/2024 P8 – Karlsruhe, DE w/ Conjurer 5/07/2024 Casseopia – Berlin, DE w/ Conjurer 5/08/2024 Rosenkeller – Jena, DE w/ Conjurer 5/09/2024 Schon Schön – Mainz, DE w/ Conjurer 5/10/2024 Dunk Festival – Ghent, BE 5/11/2024 Hall Of Fame – Tilburg, NL w/ Conjurer 5/16/2024 La Belle Angele – Edinburgh, UK 5/19/2024 Desertfest, – London, UK 5/22/2024 Le Ferrailleur – Nantes, FR w/ My Diligence 5/23/2024 Le Confort Moderne – Poitiers, FR w/ My Diligence 5/24/2024 Le Rex – Toulouse, FR w/ My Diligence 5/26/2024 L’Antirouille – Montpellier, FR w/ My Diligence 5/28/2024 Les Caves du Manoir – Martigny, CH w/ My Diligence 5/29/2024 Amperage – Grenoble, FR w/ My Diligence 5/30/2024 La Laiterie – Strasbourg, FR w/ My Diligence 5/31/2024 Black Lab – Lille, FR w/ My Diligence 6/01/2024 Le Petit Bain – Paris, FR w/ My Diligence 6/02/2024 Club Zentral – Stuttgart, DE 6/04/2024 Rockhouse – Salzburg, AT 6/05/2024 Dürer Kert – Budapest, HU 6/06/2024 Escape – Vienna, AT 6/08/2024 Mystic Festival – Gdansk, PL 6/09/2024 Into The Grave Festival – Leeuwarden, NL 6/11/2024 Le Botanique – Brussels, BE w/ My Diligence 6/19/2024 Copenhell – Copenhagen, DK
DVNE Album Lineup: Allan Paterson – guitars, bass Daniel Barter – vocals Dudley Tait – drums Maxime Keller – keys, vocals Victor Vicart – guitars, keys, vocals
DVNE Live Lineup: Allan Paterson – bass Daniel Barter – guitar, vocals Dudley Tait – drums Maxime Keller – keys, vocals Victor Vicart – guitar, vocals Occasional Live Member: Alexandros Keros – bass
German stadium rockers KISSIN’ DYNAMITE announce their aptly titled new studio album Back With A Bang! The band’s eighth studio album, successor to the #2 charting Not The End Of The Road (2022, Official German Album Charts) will be released on July 5, 2024 via Napalm Records. KISSIN’ DYNAMITE have hit #1 on the Rock Radio Airplay Charts several times, and today the explosive force unveils the first new single “Raise Your Glass”, together with an official music video full of nostalgia and band history.
Known for their wild shows and busy live schedule, KISSIN’ DYNAMITE have performed at several major festivals internationally. Tickets for the band’s European autumn tour are already on sale. Make sure to order your copy of Back With A Bang, and check out the new music video below!
KISSIN DYNAMITE on “Raise Your Glass”: “’Raise Your Glass’ is a hymn-like tribute to the more than seventeen years spent side by side as friends! And sure, there have been also setbacks, but in the end our glasses where always half-full and never half-empty! So join us on our wild rollercoaster-ride and ‘Raise Your Glass’!”
KISSIN DYNAMITE on the new Album: “We’re back – ‘Back With a Bang’! As we are not a band of overly intellectual concepts we much rather cut through the shit. Our mission? Bring Back Stadium Rock! Our fans are rewarded with Kissin’ Dynamite in it’s purest form: matured, straight and intense.”
Tracklisting Back With A Bang: 1 Back With A Bang 2 My Monster 3 Raise Your Glass 4 Queen Of The Night 5 The Devil Is A Woman 6 The Best Is Yet To Come 7 I Do It My Way 8 More Is More 9 Iconic 10 Learn To Fly 11 When The Lights Go Out 12 Not A Wise Man
German stadium rockers KISSIN’ DYNAMITE return with their eighth full-length, the aptly entitled Back With A Bang, out July 5, 2024 via Napalm Records! Founded as a teenage school band in 2007 and equipped with an authentic 80s stadium rock attitude, KISSIN’ DYNAMITE have performed at countless major festivals internationally, opened for acts such as L.A. rockstars Mötley Crüe and played massive sold-out headline tours.
KISSIN’ DYNAMITE’s booming career has seen several high chart entries, with the latest studio album and Napalm Records debut Not The End Of The Road (2022) impressively climbing to #2 on the Official German Album Charts. Moreover, the rock formation’s catchy hits have made it to #1 on the Rock Radio Airplay Charts several times, and the multi-million-times streamed band has gained over a million views on each of their most popular music videos. Now, KISSIN’ DYNAMITE release their promising new offering Back With A Bang, once again recorded and produced by singer Hannes Braun (Südland Music). The album was mastered by Grammy-nominated mastering engineer Robin Schmidt (24-96 Mastering).
KISSIN‘ DYNAMITE Live 2024: 21.06.24 DE – Fulda / Museumshof 20.06.24 DE – Ulm / Ulmer Zelt 04.10.24 DE – Munich / TonHalle 05.10.24 DE – Cologne / E-Werk 06.10.24 DE – Wiesbaden / Schlachthof 08.10.24 HU – Budapest / Barba Negra Blue Stage 09.10.24 AT – Vienna / Szene Wien 11.10.24 DE – Leipzig / Haus Auensee 12.10.24 CZ – Brno / Sono Centrum 13.10.24 DE – Berlin / Kulturbrauerei Kesselhaus 25.10.24 CH – Pratteln / Z7 Konzertfabrik 26.10.24 DE – Geiselwind / Music Hall 27.10.24 NL – Enschede / Metropol, HJ Zaal 29.10.24 FR – Paris / Trabendo 30.10.24 FR – Villeurbanne / La Rayonne 01.11.24 BE – Antwerp / Trix 02.11.24 DE – Hamburg / Große Freiheit 36 28.12.24 DE – Balingen / Volksbank Messe
Festivals: 05.07.24 DE – Ballenstedt / Rock Harz Festival 07.07.24 DE – Tuttlingen / Honberg Sommer 28.07.24 DE – Bremen / Seebühne rockt 23.08.24 DE – Haddeby / Baltic Open Air 25.08.24 PT – Milgare Metaleiro Festival Pindelo Dos Milagres
KISSIN’ DYNAMITE are: Hannes Braun – vocals Ande Braun – guitar Jim Müller – guitar Steffen Haile – bass Sebastian Berg – drums
Rising symphonic metal force ELVELLON is set to release their second album, Ascending in Synergy, on May 17, 2024! Today, the band has revealed the beautiful first single, “A Vagabond’s Heart”, featuring an exciting intro and one of the catchiest choruses on the album. The fresh ten track offering marks the outfit’s Napalm Records debut, and is the successor to their highly acclaimed 2018 album, Until Dawn, and 2015 EP, Spellbound. The official music video for the track “Born From Hope” from Until Dawn has reached 1.3M views on YouTube, and the EP version of the song has more than 2.5M Spotify streams.
Dubbed as “heroes of tomorrow” by Metal Hammer Germany, ELVELLON has performed at several festival stages both in their home country of Germany and abroad, such as RockHarz Festival, M’era Luna and Rock Fest Barcelona to name a few, and has shared the stage with significant bands in the scene such as VISIONS OF ATLANTIS. Check out the captivating music video for “A Vagabond’s Heart” below for a taste of what’s to come, and pre-order your copy of the upcoming album!
ELVELLON state: “’A Vagabond’s Heart’ is based on a very old idea that goes way back to the early days of ELVELLON. We finally got back to the material during the songwriting for Ascending in Synergy because we knew we had a little treasure there. Early on, even before the lyrics were written, many people around us saw it as a potential first single. Now, with the final lyrics and the song’s theme of ‘finding yourself’ being so important to the whole album and the album title, we’ve wholeheartedly agreed.”
Ascending in Synergy proves that this promising German unit is on top of their game and skillfully manages to balance the tightrope act between diving into the early beginnings of symphonic metal, yet splicing all songs with a contemporary vibe. Opening track “Unbound” impresses with skillful orchestral arrangements and vocalist Nele Messerschmidt’s extraordinary voice. Dramatic, dark soundscapes and heavy riffs on songs like “Ocean Of Treason” and “The Aftermath Of Life” keep the listener in a tight grip. ELVELLON’s dreamlike, cinematic side shines especially bright on tracks like “Last Of Our Kind” and “The Aeon Tree”. Massive album finale “Epiphany Of Mine” closes Ascending in Synergy impactfully, leaving the listener wanting for more.
Magical Ascending in Synergy proves that ELVELLON is one of the most promising current bands in the German symphonic metal scene. Join ELVELLON on an exciting journey between childlike wonders and hard-hearted bitterness!
ELVELLON about Ascending in Synergy: “We are incredibly excited to see how our fans will receive Ascending In Synergy. A lot has happened since our debut album and the songwriting process has changed a lot. It still feels like 100% ELVELLON to us, but the dynamics have expanded. It has become more orchestral and more metal at the same time. Also, lyrically we no longer stick to a single concept, but the songs are held together by a common thread.”
Tracklist Ascending in Synergy: 1. Unbound 2. A Vagabond’s Heart 3. My Forever Endeavour 4. Ocean of Treason 5. The Aftermath of Life 6. Last of our Kind 7. Into the Vortex 8. A Legacy Divine 9. The Aeon Tree 10. Epiphany of Mine
THE TROOPS OF DOOM was formed in 2020, during the pandemic, by the original SEPULTURA guitarist Jairo “Tormentor” Guedz. He recorded the albums “Bestial Devastation” (1985) and “Morbid Visions” (1986). Jairo left the band in 1987, making way for Andreas Kisser, who continues with the band to this day. THE TROOPS OF DOOM’s lineup also includes other significant figures from the Brazilian metal scene, such as guitarist Marcelo Vasco (Patria, Mysteriis), a globally renowned graphic artist known for his work with bands like Slayer, Dee Snider, Kreator, Machine Head, Soulfly, and many others. The vocalist and bassist Alex Kafer, former live guitarist for Matanza, and drummer Alexandre Oliveira, a former member of the band Tianastácia, complete the lineup.
Acclaimed by specialized media as a supergroup, THE TROOPS OF DOOM emerged to revive the classic Death Metal of the 80s, inspired by Sepultura’s early era with Jairo and other influential bands such as Slayer, Celtic Frost, Kreator, and Possessed. It serves as a time machine for those nostalgic for the golden age of Death Metal. In just two years since its formation, the band has released three EPs: “The Rise of Heresy” (2020), “The Absence of Light” (2021), and “Prelude to Blasphemy” (2023), along with their debut album, “Antichrist Reborn”, that was released in 2022 on CD, LP, and Cassette by Alma Mater Records and lauded by both fans and music press alike.
Now, the band is gearing up for the release of their highly anticipated second album, “A Mass To The Grotesque”, produced by André Moraes, a multi-talented musician known for his work on Sepultura’s “Dante XXI” and the soundtrack of the film “Lisbela e o Prisioneiro,” at Audio Porto studio in Porto Alegre/RS. The mixing and mastering of the album were done by Jim Morris at the legendary Morrisound Recording in Tampa, Florida, known for producing some of the greatest Death Metal classics of the 80s and 90s.
“The entire production and recording of the album were done in Brazil, while the mixing and mastering were handled by the great Jim Morris at the legendary Morrisound Recording in Florida. It’s a production that completely diverges from today’s standard productions. We are very proud of it.“Jairo Guedz comments.
“Every aspect of this album was chosen meticulously,“ Marcelo Vasco adds. “What could be more intense than having the record mixed in the studio where the greatest death metal classics of the ’80s and ’90s were mixed? Our idea was to take the production of this album to another level. The sound breaths, it’s organic and lo-fi, oldschool as hell. It’s an experience!”
The cover art was painted by the acclaimed artist Dan Seagrave, responsible for numerous classic Death Metal album covers. Guedz reveals:“The title ‘A Mass To The Grotesque’ carries the symbolism of a true ode to the ugly, the evil, the feared. It encompasses everything and everyone that doesn’t fit into the molds of a so-called ‘evolved’ society, choosing to live in the shadows. A dark liturgy to the rejected and their followers, who find shelter and comfort in the absence of light and in the supposed dictatorship of the divine word, whatever it may be. The grotesque is resistance, where nothing is sacred!”
“There wouldn’t be a more perfect artist to paint the album cover than the master Dan Seagrave, whose distinctive style is deeply rooted in the genre and has created numerous album covers for Death Metal that have become iconic and, of course, a great inspiration in The Troops of Doom’s music. We are huge fans of his work,“Vasco admits, “and it is a giant honor to have him as the cover artist of this new album. It’s a dream come true.”
Tracklist:
Solve Et Coagula – Introduction
Chapels Of The Unholy
Dawn of Mephisto
Denied Divinity
The Impostor King
Faithless Requiem
Psalm 78 – God of Bizarre
Terror Inheritance
The Grotesque
Blood Upon The Throne
Venomous Creed
THE TROOPS OF DOOM Live 2024: 28.04. Summer Breeze Brazil 02.08 Cottbus (D) Muggefug 03.08 Nuremberg (D) Straßenfest 04.08 Berlin (D) Maschine Haus 05.08 Bamberg (D) Live Club 06.08 Halle (D) Reil 74 07.08 The Hague (NL) Musicon 09.08 Doetinchen () Engelenbak 10.08 Wermelskirchen (D) AJZ 11.08 Hamburg (D) Indra 12.08 Charleroi (B) MCP Apache 14.08 Kassel (D) Goldgrube 15.08 Sosnowiec (PL) M. Doctrine 23.08 Almeria (ES) The Time Club 24.08 Madrid (ES) Revi Live 25.08 Milagres (P) Milagro Metal
THE TROOPS OF DOOM are: ALEX KAFER (vocals and bass) JAIRO “TORMENTOR” GUEDZ (guitar) MARCELO VASCO (guitar) ALEXANDRE OLIVEIRA (drums)
German black metallers NAXEN have announced the band’s eagerly anticipated sophomore full-length album, entitled “Descending Into A Deeper Darkness”, which has been slated for release on May 3 through Vendetta Records.
Since their inception in 2018, NAXEN has become one of the most promising and prolific bands in the contemporary underground black metal scene. Following the acclaimed previous releases “Towards the Tomb Of Times” (2020) and “The Perilous Path Of Pain” (2021, EP), on “Descending Into A Deeper Darkness” NAXEN further develops their violent and unrelenting approach to depressive black metal.
The band’s upcoming record is not a concept album in the common sense, but for each of the four songs, LN (songwriter, guitarist, and lyricist of NAXEN) has developed and conceptualised separate ideas. Every song takes up elements of each other and thus presenting an intricate and interwoven work of concepts. These embody the beliefs that all hope is lost, dread encapsulates existence, life is the trauma of birth and, finally, the irrefutable futility of all flesh. The album dives headfirst into these concepts imbued with triumphant darkness and the inescapability of sadness and pain.
In sonic terms, NAXEN is a blend of traditional black metal with contemporary influences that result in their own interpretation of depressive black metal. The above mentioned songs are auditory renditions of pain, existential dread and despair through atmospheric structures, melancholic melodies, elaborated drums and bleak lyricism.
LN, NAXEN’s singer and guitarist, shares insight on “Descending Into A Deeper Darkness”: “To me this album is a contemporary representation of this band and its growth in terms of aesthetics and capabilities. Black Metal is my beloved means to relive and release my own trauma and emotional dysregulation. As such ‘DIADD‘ presents a new approach to depressive black metal in terms of darkness, pain, sadness and despair without falling into well-known tropes and self-loathing platitudes. This band to me was always meant to represent the sound of weakness, but not to be weak in presentation. I wanted an album ending in triumph and strength to fully embrace darkness and despair.“
Tracklist:
Our Souls Shall Fall Forever
To Writhe In The Womb Of Night
A Shadow In The Fire – Pt. III (A Life Led By Loss)
Triumphant Tongue Of A Thousand Swords
“Descending Into A Deeper Darkness” showcases NAXEN‘s evolution as songwriters as well as highlighting their growth and maturity as a band. With this upcoming release, NAXEN solidifies their position as one of the most exciting and innovative acts in the underground black metal scene, promising a captivating and immersive journey into the depths of darkness.
The album has been produced and mixed by Fabian Schulz at SunsetterStudio and was mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege. “Descending Into A Deeper Darkness” will be coming out on May 3 on Vendetta Records.
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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Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 