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SELF DECEPTION Release New Single + Video ‘The Wedding’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on March 5, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: SELF DECEPTION. Leave a comment
[Photo Credit: Evelina Szczesik]

Sweden’s modern metal frontrunners SELF DECEPTION unveil the new single “THE WEDDING”, ahead of the upcoming Napalm Records debut album One Of Us, out on May 15, 2026! This energetic modern rock anthem features a particularly dark and twisted storyline, delivered through the powerful mix of clean vocals and aggressive screams, accompanied by the heavy combination of dynamic, groovy beats and crushing riffs. The band continues to raise the bar for contemporary rock with their seventh studio album!
 
“THE WEDDING” came into life while the band spent two weeks in Spain for writing sessions, and in the middle of it, drummer Erik Ingels Graham got married. “All of our families came along, and it turned into this beautiful mix of celebration and creativity. On the very night of the wedding, we ended up writing ‘THE WEDDING’ — but instead of capturing that fantastic day, we twisted it into a dark, dystopian story about a couple who secretly want to kill each other”, comments SELF DECEPTION’s vocalist Andreas Clark.

Known for their fiery fusion of anthemic modern metal and powerful melodic rock, SELF DECEPTION have shared stages with the likes of Electric Callboy, Danko Jones, and Adept since their 2009 debut, while racking up millions of streams and video views – including their viral 2022 hit, “Fight Fire With Gasoline”, with tens of millions of streams. Written on the road during the heaviest touring of SELF DECEPTION’s career so far, One Of Us is a cohesive album full of character, made for the stage – and the pit!
 
SELF DECEPTION about One Of Us:
“One Of Us is our new album, inspired by life on the road and the energy of the live stage. Touring so much has put us in a kind of ‘live bubble’, and that feeling runs through the songwriting. The album revolves around outsidership and the desire to belong. On tour, we meet many lost and lonely people, all seeking a few hours of escape where they can disappear into a rock show. With One Of Us, we want everyone to feel part of something bigger, to feel like one of us.”

Get your copy of One Of Us NOW

From massive pit churners to creative storylines and choruses full of hit potential, the energy on One Of Us is unmatched. The band has a busy festival summer following the album’s release, so fans will get the first chance to experience these new tracks live at several major European rock and metal festivals. With One Of Us, SELF DECEPTION is ready to push contemporary rock to the next level! The album will be available digitally and in several physical formats, with cover artwork created by Alex Tillbrook, who is well known for his work on the hit Netflix series “Stranger Things”, as well as for collaborations with artists such as Metallica, Blink-182, and Sleep Token.
 
Bone-crushing album-opener and title track “ONE OF US” takes no prisoners, unleashing the heavy modern metal side of the Swedish powerhouse: fusing relentless hardcore energy, in-your-face lyrics, and high-voltage attitude, the track hits with unstoppable force. Following track “TIME’S UP” features an absolute hit chorus, fresh hooks and high-energy instrumentals, while emotional “DON’T B E L O N G” addresses the difficult themes of addiction and mental health battles – the combination of hauntingly beautiful melodies, multifaceted vocal performance and heavy rhythm section carry this sentimental track. Further highlights on SELF DECEPTION’s new 11-track offering include “THE WEDDING” and “BREAK!”, with its heavy-hitting drums, electronic influences and yet another irresistible sing-along chorus. “ENTERTAINED” delivers one of the heaviest breakdowns on the album, before “GODDAMN ME” brings the record to a powerful close.

One Of Ustracklisting:

  1. ONE OF US
  2. TIME’S UP
  3. WAKE UP
  4. DON’T B E L O N G
  5. DEATH OF ME
  6. BREAK!
  7. THE WEDDING
  8. KETAMINE COWBOY
  9. BLAME
  10. ENTERTAINED
  11. GODDAMN ME

SELF DECEPTION Live 2026
 
02.05.26 NO – Kopervik / Karmøygeddon Metal Festival
04.06.26 SE – Sölvesborg / Sweden Rock Festival
12.06.26 NL – Leeuwarden / Into the Grave Festival
13.06.26 UK – Castle Donington / Download Festival
01.07.26 ES – Viveiro / Resurrection Fest
17.07.26 AT – Leoben / Area 53 Festival
18.07.26 CZ – Vizovice / Masters of Rock
15.08.26 NL – Eindhoven / Dynamo Metal Fest

SELF DECEPTION are:          
Erik Ingels Graham – Drums
Andreas Clark – Vocals
Ronny Westphal – Guitar
Patrik Carlberg Hallgren – Bass
 
SELF DECEPTION online:            
INSTAGRAM
FACEBOOK
TIKTOK
WEBSITE
NAPALM RECORDS

FRAYLE Reveal Music Video for ‘Souvenirs Of Your Betrayal’ + Announce USA Tour with Dogma

Posted by tarjavirmakari on March 5, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: FRAYLE. Leave a comment
[Photo courtesy of FRAYLE]

Cleveland based gothic doom unit FRAYLE released their latest album, Heretics & Lullabies, last fall via Napalm Records to noted acclaim, and are about to kick off their upcoming tour supporting Dogma in the USA! In anticipation of the tour, the band has revealed a brand new music video for album track “Souvenirs Of Your Betrayal”, which can be witnessed today.
 
Catch more of FRAYLE‘s seductively dark sound on tour this month, and see below for all confirmed tour dates.
 
FRAYLE says about “Souvenirs Of Your Betrayal”:
“We wrote ‘Souvenirs of Your Betrayal’ from a very real place of hurt and clarity. It’s about facing deception head on and turning that experience into something honest, heavy and powerful.”

FRAYLE Supporting Dogma’s Time to Rise Part I USA Tour 2026
03/15/26: Seattle, WA @ Substation
03/17/26: San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
03/18/26: Los Angeles, CA @ 1720
03/19/26: Reno, NV @ The Alpine
03/20/26: Anaheim, CA @ House of Blues
03/21/26: San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
03/24/26: San Antonio, TX @ Vibes Studio
03/25/26: Dallas, TX @ Trees
03/27/26: Madison, WI @ The Annex at The Red Zone
03/28/26: Joliet, IL @ The Forge
03/29/26: Chesterfield, MI @ Diesel Concert Lounge
03/31/26: New York, NY @ The Gramercy Theater
04/01/26: Washington, DC @ Black Cat
04/02/26: Bethlehem, PA @ Fowler Blast Furnace Room
04/03/26: Philadelphia, PA @ Kung Fu Necktie

FRAYLE has been lauded as one of the fastest-rising, most haunting currently active modern doom metal outfits of late, infusing their sound with eclectic elements and now reinventing their trademark spectral sonic profile. Merging the heaviness of occult-driven doom and blackgaze with frontwoman Gwyn Strang’s distinctively eerie vocal stylings and the crushing guitars of Sean Bilovecky, the band has fully realized their “lullabies of chaos” musical vision with Heretics & Lullabies. Recorded by FRAYLE and produced, mixed and mastered by Aaron Chaparian at Iron Audio (Bleeding Through, Harms Way), Heretics & Lullabies is a must-listen for any fan of doom, post-metal or atmosphere-heavy alt-rock, but also a pristinely phantomic journey for any heavy music fan as it maintains its accessible edge throughout.

Get your copy of Heretics & Lullabies HERE

Heretics & Lullabies track listing:
1. Walking Wounded
2. Summertime Sadness
3. Boo
4. Demons
5. Souvenirs Of Your Betrayal
6. Glass Blown Heart
7. Hymn For The Living
8. Run
9. Heretic
10. Only Just Once

FRAYLE is:
Gwyn Strang: Vocals
Sean Bilovecky: Guitar
 
FRAYLE online:
WEBSITE
FACEBOOK
INSTAGRAM
NAPALM RECORDS

EVERGREY Drop First Single + Animation Video ‘Architects Of The New Weave’ from Upcoming Album

Posted by tarjavirmakari on March 5, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: Evergrey. Leave a comment
[Photo Credit: Patric Ullaeus]

Shortly after announcing their fifteenth (!!!) studio album, Architects Of A New Weave, set for release on June 5, 2026 via Napalm Records, EVERGREY unveil their new single and manifest of beautiful darkness, “Architects Of The New Weave”, alongside a visually-striking animated video. Once again, Gothenburg’s finest export proves its unmatched ability to craft timeless melodies, powerful riffs, and gripping lyrics,  while continuing to surprise their devoted fans with an innovative approach, even after more than 30 years of existence.

EVERGREY’s new full-length, Architects Of A New Weave, will be released just days before the band takes the stage as special guest to the undisputed kings of heavy metal, Iron Maiden, for two shows on their “Run For Your Lives” World Tour. This is the wake-up call you didn’t know you needed: A plunge into thinning air, burning worlds, and lingering guilt—only to break free with fierce momentum. The album refuses to wallow. It ascends—fast, heavy, and cinematic. But it refuses to hide in the dark. It rises: Quick, fierce, and utterly transformative.

Tom Englund about the new single “Architects Of The New Weave”:
“‘Architects Of The New Weave’ – It’s a blistering first single from our 15th studio album, Architects Of A New Weave, (or the second ferocious strike if you’re counting our standalone powerhouse ‘OXYGEN!’ as its own beast)! I am not afraid to claim this is a no-brainer, sing-along friendly, straight-up great metal song! It came ignited from Rikard Zander’s killer keyboard riff, which we hammered into a short, but massive headbanger! When crafting that chorus keyboard line, ‘Rainbow In The Dark’ was blasting in my head – pure epic inspiration, giving it that timeless, fist-pumping edge. There are dual guitar solos, trading fire in classic old-school style, melodic and memorable. We can’t wait to let this rip live! I’m torn on music videos sometimes – I adore them as an art form, but too often the visuals steal focus from the music itself.”

Tom Englund about the animation video:
“We went bold: a stunning, immersive introduction to Mattias Norén’s absolute magnum opus of album artwork. Every tiny, intricate detail comes alive on screen, with the track thundering as the perfect dark soundtrack.
– It’s hypnotic, lets the art breathe, and pulls you deeper into our world –
We could’ve chosen any track from the album as the lead, but this one’s the perfect explosive opener to our new era of beautiful darkness. I’ve never been more fired up. Crank it loud, join the weave, and let’s build something unstoppable together.”

Pre-Order Architects Of A New Weave HERE

Dive into Architects Of A New Weave’s standout tracks like “The World is on Fire”, “Leaving The Emptiness”, “Heaven”, and “The Prophecy”, and the breathtaking title anthem “Architects Of The New Weave”. Their choruses break through like sunlight piercing storm clouds: enormous, cinematic melodies that pull you upward, riffs with genuine weight and bite, and vocals dripping with raw, unflinching truth. In one breath, you’re shouldering buried longing; in the next, you’re weightless, fearless, endless. Scars transform into badges of survival, fractures fuel reinvention. In the second half of the album, fellow Gothenburg icon Mikael Stanne (Dark Tranquillity, The Halo Effect, Grand Cadaver, Cemetery Skyline) joins Tom S. Englund in vocal duties for “A Burning Flame”, the voices of the two scene legends intertwined compellingly. Architects Of A New Weave was produced by Tom S. Englund and Vikram Shankar, with a stellar mix by Adam “Nolly” Getgood.

Among other exclusive formats, Architects Of A New Weave comes with a bonus album, containing bonus tracks “Heights” and “One Heart”, as well as an album mix of the previously released standalone single “OXYGEN!” (2025). Additionally, it features a demo version of “Longing”, instrumental tracks of “Leaving The Emptiness”, both new songs, as well as a live version of “Falling From The Sun”, the hit single off the previous record, Theories of Emptiness (2024) and continuation of “Ominous” off of A Heartless Portrait (The Orphean Testament) (2022).

Architects Of A New Weave tracklist:
1             Welcome To The Pattern
2             The Shadow Self
3             Architects Of The New Weave
4             The World Is On Fire
5             Heaven
6             The Script
7             Leaving The Emptiness
8             Longing
9             A Burning Flame
10          Call Off Your Lions
11          Chains Of Shame
12          The Prophecy

Chaos doesn’t claim victory—you do. You step forward as the weaver, rethreading belief, identity, connection, and the very shape of tomorrow into something stronger, brighter, unbreakable. This is melodic, progressive, dark metal at its most massive and intimate: heavy enough to shift mountains, anthemic enough to make you raise your fist and truly believe it. It carries one unshakable truth straight to your core: Nothing—not pain, not darkness, not any storm—gets to label you broken. You’re the power that gathers the fragments and forges real beauty from them. Dream weavers rising. Architects are stepping up to claim what comes next. If you’ve ever felt that inner tug—quiet or roaring—to rewrite your story on your own terms, with zero apologies and complete ownership, this is the soundtrack that turns the urge into certainty. Your battle cry. Your hymn for renewal, creation, and finally stepping into the person you’re destined to be. Whether it launches EVERGREY’s boldest era yet, stands as a fierce standalone declaration, or serves as the pivotal bridge chapter that redefines their path, Architects Of A New Weave is pure cinematic motivation—ready to charge your playlist and propel your momentum forward. It’s as though EVERGREY don’t merely survive adversity—they rise and expand because of it. Every challenge, every setback, every wound seems to become the very oxygen that fuels their music. The darker the storm that once threatened to break them, the more powerfully each note draws breath from that same pain, transforming what hurt them yesterday into the soaring, living heart of their songs today. Architects Of A New Weave seals it: we are no longer victims of the night, but creators of new skies, new beliefs, and entirely new heavens. Grab it now. Let it arm you. This isn’t just an album – it’s the sound of you seizing control and building what’s next.

EVERGREY LIVE 2026

Australian Tour
28.04.26 AU – Perth / The Rosemount
30.04.26 AU – Canberra / The Baso
01.05.26 AU – Sydney / Crowbar
02.05.26 AU – Melbourne / The Corner
03.05.26 AU – Brisbane / Crowbar

Festivals
25.–26.04.26 BR – São Paulo / Bangers Open Air
08.05.26 AE – Dubai / P7 Arena, Media One Hotel
03.–06.06.26 SE – Norje / Sweden Rock Festival
04.–07.06.26 PL – Gdańsk / Mystic Festival
27.06.26 RO – Chimbay / Rockstadt Extreme Fest
11.09.26 US – Atlanta, GA / Progpower USA  – Headline show

10.06.26 NL – Amsterdam (with Iron Maiden)
12.06.26 NL – Uden / De Pul
13.06.26 NL – Zoetermeer / Boerderij
22.06.26 FR – Paris (with Iron Maiden)

Freedom World Crusade
As Special Guest for HammerFall
13.09.26 US – Leesburg, VA
15.09.26 US – New York, NY
16.09.26 US – Worcester, MA
18.09.26 US – Derry, NH
19.09.26 CA – Ottawa, ON
20.09.26 CA – Montreal, QC
22.09.26 CA – Toronto, ON
23.09.26 US – Lakewood, OH
24.09.26 US – Columbus, OH
25.09.26 US – St. Charles, IL
26.09.26 US – Hobart, IN
27.09.26 US – Green Bay, WI
29.09.26 US – Denver, CO
01.10.26 US – Pomona, CA
02.10.26 US – Los Angeles, CA
03.10.26 US – San Juan Capistrano, CA
06.10.26 US – Portland, OR
07.10.26 CA – Vancouver, BC
08.10.26 US – Seattle, WA

more dates to be announced soon

EVERGREY online:
WEBSITE
INSTAGRAM
FACEBOOK
NAPALM RECORDS

GYPSY PISTOLEROS to Release New Album “Dark Faerie Tales” on April 17th

Posted by tarjavirmakari on March 5, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: GYPSY PISTOLEROS. Leave a comment

GYPSY PISTOLEROS will release their new album ‘Dark Faerie Tales’ on 17th April via The New Church Records.

In 2026, while much of rock music plays it safe, Gypsy Pistoleros are burning the rulebook.
The world’s only Glam Punk Goth ’n’ Roll outlaws return with their most dangerous, theatrical, and uncompromising record yet — Dark Faerie Tales: A Fairytale for the Damned, released 17th March 2026 on The New Church Records Label

Check out ‘I’m The Prince Of The Damned‘ video here:

This is not nostalgia. This is not cosplay. This is feral, glitter-streaked, gothic punk rock with teeth.
 
Drawing openly from the bloodlines of The Damned, Hanoi Rocks, Killing Joke, The Cult, and the modern defiance of YUNGBLUD, Gypsy Pistoleros don’t imitate — they mutate. The result is an album that feels lived-in, earned, and gloriously unhinged.
 
Produced and co-written by long-time sonic conspirator Dave Draper (Michael Monroe, Ginger Wildheart, The Wildhearts, Therapy?, Elvana), Dark Faerie Tales fuses glam-soaked punk energy with gothic grandeur, raw fire, and apocalyptic swagger — a record for outsiders, believers, romantics, and beautiful misfits.

As Overdrive declares:
“A love letter to the beautiful and broken, a twisted hymn for the strange of heart, and proof that rock ’n’ roll still has room for danger, drama and glitter in the dark.”

Available worldwide & instore on three-colour vinyl, digipak CD, and digital:
Neon Purple & Black Splatter Vinyl
Neon Green & Black Splatter Vinyl
Deluxe 4-panel Digisleeve CD

Following the success of Church of the Pistoleros — hailed as one of 2025’s most fearless and eclectic rock albums — the Pistoleros have conjured something even bolder: a dark fairytale for the damned, a love letter to the beautiful and broken, and a twisted hymn for the strange of heart.
 
Born from the fires of their own mythology, ‘Dark Faerie Tales’ drifts through haunted woods and neon dreams — where sleaze-drenched punk anthems meet gothic grandeur, and glam swagger burns with outlaw soul. Produced and co-written once again by sonic alchemist Dave Draper (Michael Monroe, Ginger Wildheart, The Wildhearts, Ryan Hamilton, Elvana, Therapy, etc), it’s a record that breathes rebellion and myth.

Track Listing:
Dark Faerie Tales
My One Desire, Burn It Up
King of Almost Everything
She’s Getting Stranger
Take My Hand to Nightmare Land
Behind The Mask
Prince of the Damned
Rattling
I Whisper Goodbye
The Ghost of Baby Strange

To support the release, Gypsy Pistoleros will embark on the Dark Faerie Tales U.K. Tour, with additional festival and European dates to be announced.

2026
11 April – St Austell, The Band Club
16 April – London, The Underworld (SLADY, Continental Lovers, Bai Bang)
17 April – Worcester, The Marrs Bar
18 April – Pontypool, The Dragonffli
22 April – Newcastle, The Cluny
24 April – Dunfermline, The Monarch
25 April – Edinburgh, Bannermans
1–2 May – Beltane Gathering Festival, Wales
9 May –   No Sleep Till Blackpool Festival @ The Waterloo
10 May – Stoke-on-Trent, Eleven (Matinee Show)
15 May – Nottingham, The Old Cold Store
16 May – Stockport, The Holy Diver
23 May – Breaking Bands Festival, Droitwich
Special Guests: James Kennedy & The Underdogs to support throughout Tour
6–9 August – Rebellion Punk Festival, Blackpool Winter Gardens
Many more dates TBA

Tickets: https://gypsypistoleros.com/shows 

Gypsy Pistoleros’ live shows are gothic theatre, glam-punk ritual, and unmissable rock spectacle. From Rebellion to Planet Rockstock, they’re ready for their biggest UK headline run yet.

Expect:
Sleaze-drenched punk anthems & gothic theatrics
For fans of Alice Cooper, YUNGBLUD, GHOST, The Cult, The Damned, Hanoi Rocks, Killing Joke
A wild, theatrical experience — part gothic carnival, part rock ’n’ roll ritual
 
‘Dark Faerie Tales’ – From Myth to Magic
Once upon a twisted dusk, in a desert where gods had lost their names, stood the Church of the Pistoleros — built from shattered guitars, broken hearts, and outlaw fire. It burned… but from the ashes rose a new cult, born of chaos and dreaming in half-remembered hymns. Now, Gypsy Pistoleros sing under starlight in tangled woods where belief is rhythm, glitter, and spell work — legends in apocalyptic fur, crowned in scars, howling at the dark.

Order Gypsy Pistoleros albums here: https://www.plastichead.com/artist/gypsy-pistoleros

Gypsy Lee Pistolero – Vocals
Kerry Pistolero White – Bass & B.Vox
Shane Pistolero Sparkz – Guitar & B.Vox
Chris Pistolero Hopton – Drums

http://www.gypsypistoleros.com/
https://www.facebook.com/GPistoleros 
SPOTIFY
https://twitter.com/GPistoleros 
https://www.instagram.com/gypsypistoleros/
https://www.youtube.com/@GypsyLeePistolero
https://soundcloud.com/gypsy-lee-pistolero

The National GUITAR Museum Announces Presentation of “Lifetime Achievement” Award to Ritchie Blackmore

Posted by tarjavirmakari on March 5, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: Lifetime Achievement Award, RITCHIE BLACKMORE, The National Guitar Museum. Leave a comment

The National GUITAR Museum announced that Ritchie Blackmore, the esteemed guitar legend whose vast career spans more than 60 years, has received its annual “Lifetime Achievement” Award. Blackmore is the sixteenth recipient of the award.
 
Ritchie Blackmore joins previous award winners including Honeyboy Edwards, Jeff Beck, Bonnie Raitt, Liona Boyd, Jose Feliciano, and B.B. King. Recipients are recognized for a lifetime of contributing to the legacy of the guitar and having a singular historical importance to the development and historical appreciation of the instrument.

Lifetime Achievement Award (photo courtesy of The National GUITAR Museum)

According to HP Newquist, NGM executive director “Most people know Ritchie from being the driving creative force behind two of the defining hard rock bands of all time—Deep Purple and Rainbow. But before starting those bands, he had a long career as a London session musician, performing on records by numerous artists, including The Outlaws. And then—after helping to define hard rock guitar in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s—he formed Blackmore’s Night, incorporating medieval and Renaissance acoustic music into his immense repertoire.”

Said Blackmore, “I’m rather thrown by the magnitude of this honorable award. I am grateful to accept this award and this recognition.”

Blackmore’s guitar playing has inspired countless numbers of musicians to follow in his wake, and very few guitarists can match his lifetime of achievements. His influence is pervasive amongst players in a wide variety of genres, from blues-rock and heavy metal on to neoclassical and pop rock. It is conceivable that every electric guitarist on the planet has learned how to play the riff Blackmore came up with for “Smoke On The Water.”
 
Added Newquist, “It’s difficult to find any modern guitarist who has incorporated so many diverse styles into their playing—and then fused them all into something recognizably their own over their entire career. Ritchie was one of the first electric guitarists to add classical melodicism to his playing, along with classical speed and finesse. I think that most of the early ’80s guitarists who played lightning fast riffs and claimed to be learning from Bach and Mozart were, in fact, borrowing from Ritchie.”

Ritchie Blackmore joins previous Lifetime Achievement Award recipients:

2010: David Honeyboy Edwards
2011: Roger McGuinn
2012: B.B. King
2013: Vic Flick
2014: Buddy Guy
2015: Tony Iommi
2016: Glen Campbell
2017: Bonnie Raitt
2018: Liona Boyd
2019: Jose Feliciano
2020: Eddie Van Halen (in memoriam)
2021: Al Di Meola
2022: Jeff Beck
2023: Tommy Emmanuel
2024: Alex Lifeson
2025: Ritchie Blackmore

More on Ritchie Blackmore: https://www.blackmoresnight.com/

About The National GUITAR Museum
 
The National GUITAR Museum is the only museum in the world dedicated to the history, evolution, and cultural impact of the guitar. Its touring exhibitions have been featured in more than 60 museums worldwide. 
 
In the coming year, those exhibitions will become the basis of The National GUITAR Museum and its permanent home.

For more information, contact The National GUITAR Museum at director@nationalguitarmuseum.com

WITCH RIPPER Premiere New Single ‘The Clock Queen’ from Forthcoming Album

Posted by tarjavirmakari on March 5, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: WITCH RIPPER. Leave a comment

WITCH RIPPER enter epic storytelling mode with a track that’s got it all: ‘The Clock Queen‘ is groovy, heavy and proggy, and serves as the next advance single from their forthcoming third album “Through the Hourglass“, which is scheduled for release on April 10, 2026, via Magnetic Eye Records. 

Pre-order the album here: https://spkr.store/collections/witch-ripper 

WITCH RIPPER comment: “‘The Clock Queen‘ is the best representation of Witch Ripper in its purest form: Heavy. Melodic. Progressive“, vocalist and guitarist Curtis Parker writes. “In our story, it represents the big reveal of who our antagonist meets in this world they’ve found themselves in. Throughout the album, we peppered in what we call “the clock queen’s theme,” a melody that sneaks its way into almost every song at some point. This song is the culmination of that tension and it’s when we finally meet the driving force of the album: The Clock Queen herself.“

Tracklist:
1. Odyssey in Retrograde
2. The Portal
3. Symmetry of the Hourglass
4. Echoes and Dust
5. The Clock Queen
6. Proxima Centuari
7. The Spiral Eye

On their third full-length, “Through the Hourglass”, WITCH RIPPER unleash the full potential of their stunning ability to deliver captivating melodies, catchy riffs, and merciless hooks in sheer droves.

The US metal band perfectly combines melodic heaviness with pinches of progressive, sludge, and other styles with seeming ease. WITCH RIPPER can be generally located within the wider sonic realm that is inhabited by MASTODON, BARONESS, and HIGH ON FIRE, yet they also continue to channel the rock bombast of QUEEN and DAVID BOWIE as well as the modern prog of COHEED AND CAMBRIA and MUSE.

While WITCH RIPPER‘s songwriting has climbed to a new peak, they continue with their loving pastiche of the legendary pulp science fiction stories of old. “Through the Hourglass” extends the story that began on their sophomore full-length, “The Flight after the Fall” (2023), in which the central character’s search for peace in death by flying into a black hole proved futile. As “Through the Hourglass” begins, he awakens to a world without time and a familiar dark presence from his past… 

Conceived in 2012 in the city of grey skies, lush vegetation and loud rock, Seattle, Washington’s WITCH RIPPER garnered critical acclaim and a strong buzz in the underground scene with their sludgy self-titled EP (2012) and debut full-length “Homestead” (2018). The second album, “The Flight after the Fall”, made the band’s name on a global scale, as the band dramatically expanded the range of their sound in ways both catchy and progressive.

On stage, WITCH RIPPER have performed alongside heavy rock outfits such as MONOLORD, CONAN, and CASTLE RAT as well as modern metal acts including SLIPKNOT, GOJIRA, and KHEMMIS among many others.

WITCH RIPPER are already at work planning for tour across the United States once more and hope for a first voyage to Europe in support of releasing “Through the Hourglass”. Metal is anything but dead, and this album is living proof of its vibrant present.

P.S.: Music aficionados will find a revelation hiding in the key of each song.

Line-up
Chad Fox – guitar, vocals
Brian Kim – bass, vocals
Curtis Parker – guitar, vocals
Joe Eck – drums

Guest musician
Irene Barber – vocals on ‘The Spiral Eye’

Recording by Matt Bayles at Studio Litho & EXES Audio, Seattle, WA (US)
Mix by Matt Bayles at Studio Litho, Seattle, WA (US)
Mastering by Brad Boatright at Audio Siege Studios, Portland, OR (US)

Cover art by Chris Panatier
Layout by Łukasz Jaszak

Links:
https://www.facebook.com/witchripper
https://www.instagram.com/witch_ripper
https://www.facebook.com/MagneticEyeRecords/
https://www.instagram.com/magneticeyerecords/

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  • 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.
Kimmo shared: "Esa Kotilainen and I worked on this song some years ago, but it was left unfinished. Now it is completed as a tribute to our 40 years of musical madness together. ‘Aurora Nuclearis,’ featuring and in memory of keyboard player Esa Kotilainen, who is now playing on the cosmic plane." - Click image to watch the video
    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
  • Metal Shock Finland

    Metal Shock Finland
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