Flesh for the Insatiable”, the third longplayer by the Lower Saxon death band TERRIBLE SICKNESS, was released on 18 November. Since then the eleven, from 90s US death-inspired, tracks on the album have already found their way into many a CD player and playlist.
With “Winds Of Extinction”, the quintet has now put an decent video clip on the line that is well worth seeing, which was realised and produced in autumn by butterwillfly with the help of a whole bunch of comparsen in Hanover. Just check it out ! You can find the album on all the usual streaming platforms, at the band, at MDD, as well as in well-stocked shops and mail order.
Photography by Toni Ormsby Horncastle/Asher Photography – Logo and booklet design by Kevin Wright
MAD SYMPHONY flex ‘prog-sleaze’ muscles while expanding musical horizons with their sophomore release ‘Blood 2 Dust’. Early reviews are loving the new album…
10 out of 10, Mad Symphony also have a distinctly Progressive Rock edge that picks up exactly where the golden age of Rush from “2112” to “Moving Pictures” left off. – Ever-Metal.com
Slick, melodic rock with big choruses and bluesy beginnings. – MoM Towers
Purchase and stream Blood 2 Dust: https://madsymphony.hearnow.com/blood-2-dust
Hot on the heels of a debut CD released at the height of the pandemic to critical acclaim ‘Blood 2 Dust’ attempts to make sense of human frailty and mortality (Blood 2 Dust, Judgement Day), the horrors of dementia and memory loss (I Can’t Remember Your Name) while tackling the dark sides of social media and cancel culture (Reality Check, Truth in the Shadows). The title track kicks things off in style with a powerful groove capably anchored by drummer Wes Hallam and bassist Amrit Prasad. The twin guitar attack of Ted Tosoff and Dave Groves swirls seamlessly throughout the song while keyboardist Mike Russel adds color and musicality to the mix with orchestral blasts. Vocalist Kevin Wright howls forlornly “When it’s over and done maybe that’s all….from blood to dust” questioning promises of an afterlife free from earthly burdens while encouraging listeners to live each day as if it were their last.
The dark and moody shuffle that propels ‘I Can’t Remember Your Name’ takes us into the mind of an Alzheimers patient struggling to retain identity and sense of self in a confusing and rapidly shrinking world. The catchy chorus and uplifting keyboard lines juxtapose with the sad nature of the lyrical content. ‘I Can’t Remember Your Name’ is dedicated to family members whose minds have beenstolen by dementia and those who have had to deal with the aftermath .
Up-tempo rocker ‘Reality Check’ critically examines the pitfalls of social media with a warning to users to “Watch your step, it’s over in a minute until there’s nothing else that is left “. Guitar and keyboard lines intertwine harmoniously throughout, building to a hard-hitting chorus before falling to an atmospheric breakdown where vocalist Kevin Wright laments that the online world has become“A candy-coated nightmare, everybody has a blank stare”. Well said Kevin!
Living through a pandemic has highlighted just how much of daily life humanitytakes for granted. Lyricist Ted Tosoff was suddenly bereft of any gigs or income but found enough inspiration in the repetitive banality of self-isolation to write the song ‘Judgement Day’. “I was sitting in my room just staring into space while descending deeper into madness and the words just started to flow” claims Tosoff. ‘Tomorrow keeps on turning into the day that went before’ sings Kevin Wright summing up feelings of hopelessness before more optimistically declaring that he ‘Never, never know where I’m going I know there’s something more.’ A Zeppelin-esque and relentless power grind from Wes Hallam evokes memories of John Bonham while the retro riffing of Dave Groves and Ted Tosoff give the song aflavor of Jimmy Page. Spaghetti western saloon-style piano and keyboard work from Mike Russel completes the picture nicely.
Album closer ‘Truth in the Shadows’ comments on the difficulty of determining fact from fiction in the digital age. The bluesy vocal delivery from Kevin Wright would be at home on any Whitesnake record while the big harmonies of the chorus line ‘Truth in the shadows, lies upon the street’ sound at home on any modern rock station. The song takes a left turn in the middle section with some tasty Queen-inspired guitar work from Dave Groves before building back to a vocal crescendo of epic proportions from the band as a whole.
Epic and timely, modern and retro. Do yourself a favor and get Mad Symphonys’ Blood 2 Dust today.
Track Listing:
01. Blood 2 Dust 02. I Can’t Remember Your Name 03. Reality Check 04. Judgement Day 05. Truth In The Shadows
Recorded by Ted Tosoff at the Dungeon Studios Produced by Ted Tosoff and Mad Symphony All songs written by Mad Symphony Mastered by Greg Reely Mixed – Delwyn Brooks Additional editing, arranging, production – Delwyn BrooksReverbNation.Com/DelwynBrooks
Mad Symphony is: Kevin Wright – Lead Vocals, Percussion Dave Groves – Lead Guitar, BG Vocals Ted Tosoff – Rhythm Guitar, BG Vocals Mike Russell – Keyboards, BG Vocals Amrit Prasad – Bass Wes Hallam – Drums
Photo: Nuit Photography – Coverart by Lucas Ruggieri
Atmospheric black metal project WOODS OF DESOLATION will be releasing its new full-length, ‘The Falling Tide,’ this Friday, December 9, via Season of Mist, making its debut to the label! The record can now be heard in its entirety ahead of Friday’s release via Black Metal Promotion! Listen at THIS LOCATION.
WOODS OF DESOLATION comments, “It is finally time to release the new album in full, as the journey that was ‘The Falling Tide’ finds completion to begin anew.”
‘The Falling Tide’ is now available for pre-order HERE. Pre-save on your favorite streaming service HERE.
Tracklisting: 01. Far From Here (07:02) [WATCH] 02. Beneath a Sea of Stars (07:23) 03. Illumination (05:01) [LISTEN] 04. The Falling Tide (06:32) [LISTEN] 05. The Passing… (03:45) 06. Anew (06:39) Total Duration (36:22)
Lineup: D. – Guitars, Bass, Vocals Vlad – Drums, Keyboards
Recording Studio: Cold Ways Studios (Australia) & ViTeR Music (Ukraine) Producer & Sound Engineer: D. & ViTeR Music Mixing + Mastering: ViTeR Music
DOCKER’S GUILD unleash the last wave of singles and videos. These five lyrics videos are all part of the “Into the Dahr Cages” suite, which closes the album. This is where the saga takes a very dark and sinister turn. “The King in Purple” is episode 2.14 and features the speech by mad religious leader Cardinal Berengar Yersinia.
MUSICIANS: Douglas R. Docker (soundscape, keyboards, Gregorian vocals, spoken voice), Anna Petracca and Serena Moine (Gregorian vocals)
DRAMATIS PERSONAE: Douglas R. Docker (Cardinal Berengar Yersinia), Valentina Procopio (Lucy Higgs), Monic Re (Cassilda), Anna Petracca (Camilla).
After six years of silence, XANDRIA are finally back on February 3, 2023, introducing their new lineup with the brand new studio album, The Wonders Still Awaiting! Today, the pioneers of German symphonic metal release the album’s title track, alongside a captivating official video. The new single combines the impressive vocal range of new singer Ambre Vourvahis and a real choir and orchestra with grandiose, bombastic orchestrations by Lukas Knöbl – known for his work with Hollywood greats like Roland Emmerich. On the new single, the band around mastermind and songwriter Marco Heubaum focus on their strengths and deliver a song perfect for the pre-holiday season.
XANDRIA on the new single: “As one more foretaste of our upcoming album The Wonders Still Awaiting (out February 3rd, 2023) we proudly present you the title song of it. We think that together with the songs you´ve heard so far, it gives you a hint of what to expect, and that it will be musically about a lot of powerful and magical atmosphere. But every song on this album will be its own little universe to explore, its own story and altogether it will be quite a journey of wonders and surprises… “
The Wonders Still Awaiting marks the first record presenting new vocalist Ambre Vourvahis, Robert Klawonn (guitars), Tim Schwarz (bass) and Dimitrios Gatsios (drums). Presenting 13 songs in total, XANDRIA‘s sound emerges harder, darker and more epic than ever before, but holds an intimate setting and range of emotions at the same time. Rich in different styles and genres, the massive album resembles that of a blockbuster movie score at each and every turn – sending its listener on an exciting journey to experience a world of sound never heard before in the universe of XANDRIA. This is further brought to life by a 40-piece classical choir, authentic Celtic instruments performed by renowned musicians, and delicate violin and cello contributions from SUBWAY TO SALLY‘s Ally Storch. The new record is topped by the Bulgarian National Radio Children’s Choir, which marks the first collaboration of this kind in the band’s history, while none other than Lukas Knöbl is responsible for the orchestrations – known for working with Hollywood greats like Roland Emmerich, for example. Each song’s colossal soundscapes and cinematic nature create a story that rapidly unfolds in the listener’s imagination.
XANDRIA on The Wonders Still Awaiting: ”The Wonders Still Awaiting is very diverse and includes many different influences. We had a lot of things – little musical dreams – in our minds and hearts that we wanted to realize, and along with what you already heard in the first two new songs this is just one of them. There will be quite some more surprises coming…”
The impressive vocal wealth of Ambre Vourvahis – ranging from rock grit, operatic highs and even death metal growls – opens the unit’s sound to a wider palette of colors. Songs like the opening epic “Two Worlds”, “The Wonders Still Awaiting” and “Ghosts” manifest the thematic mood of the album while constructing incredible soundscapes of pure symphonic metal. “Two Worlds” also sets the record’s lyrical concept, dealing with questions of what kind of world we are living in; one in which people deal sensibly with each other and treat it respectfully, or a dystopia dominated by autocrats and controlling technology? “Paradise” showcases some of the album’s strongest hooks, captivating with great metallic pop melodies. The veil of various influences is lifted once more in “Illusion Is Their Name”, dashing all deception with heavy power metal vibes. Tracks like “Your Stories I’ll Remember” and “Scars” show the intimate side of XANDRIA on one hand, while combining rhythmic heaviness on the other. The latter is reminiscent of a James Bond theme, dressed in a heavy musical soundscape. The epic nine minute album closer “Astéria”, featuring Greek lyrics written by Ambre Vourvahis, lands as the album’s exclamation point, proving with a grand finish that the five-piece has fearlessly started a revolution in the symphonic metal genre – commencing an impressive new era of XANDRIA with The Wonders Still Awaiting.
The Wonders Still Awaiting Track Listing: 1. Two Worlds 2. Reborn 3. You Will Never Be Our God (feat. Ralf Scheepers) 4. The Wonders Still Awaiting 5. Ghosts 6. Your Stories I’ll Remember 7. My Curse Is My Redemption 8. Illusion Is Their Name 9. Paradise 10. Mirror Of Time 11. Scars 12. The Maiden And The Child 13. Astèria
XANDRIA live 2023: The Wonders Still Awaiting Tour 2023 presented by: EMP, Metal.de, Musix, Rock It!, Sonic Seducer 02.02.23 DE – Essen / Turock 03.02.23 DE – Leipzig / Hellraiser 04.02.23 DE – München / Backstage
XANDRIA are: Ambre Vourvahis – Vocals Marco Heubaum – Guitar Robert Klawonn – Guitar Tim Schwarz – Bass Dimitrios Gatsios – Drums
From the depths of southwestern Germany’s Black Forest, IMPERIUM DEKADENZ gathered their strengths from the dark to create their remarkable atmospheric black metal sounds. Into Sorrow Evermore, the new album from this sinister unit, will be unleashed on January 20, 2023 via Napalm Records! Keeping up with the sorrowful reality of existence, the duo addresses themes of depression, death and desperation. With eight new tracks, IMPERIUM DEKADENZ stick to their haunting roots and conquer the upper echelons of the black metal world.
Like the current dreary season, the band captures gloomy feelings in the second single, “November Monument”. Along with an official music video, it is the picture-perfect illustration for their relentlessly honest words. Steady drums and emotionally charged guitar lines merge with omniscient whispers and angry growls. Since breaking the scene with their critically acclaimed debut, …und die Welt ward kalt und leer in 2006, the band has developed their own ambient sound with a strong emphasis on melodic structuring and raw tunes that are influenced by the second wave of Norwegian black metal without losing its unique trademarks.
IMPERIUM DEKADENZ on “November Monument”: “November is a monument to death and darkness and yet it also represents the beginning of a new cycle. Travel with us into the dark wings of melancholy and through this season, full of reflection and relinquishment.”
On their new album, IMPERIUMDEKADENZ continue their unique journey with dark, ambient sounds, luring the listener into suffocating spheres of black metal. Opener and title track “Into Sorrow Evermore” starts off with classic tremolo-picked black metal guitars and hard-hitting drums, building a gloomy atmosphere with the thrilling sound of vocalist Horaz spurring the album’s immersion. “Truth under Stars” lures with pummeling blast beats accompanied by tragic guitar melodies as deep growls complement them to envelop the signature grim mood of the band. “Aurora” showcases melancholic pianos, accompanied by trudging drums as icy guitars swoon with a distorted but lush melody, building up to a serene guitar solo that cries its sorrows to the sky. The influence of various metal genres can be witnessed in songs like “Elysian Fields” and “Awakened beyond Dreams”, while in between, “Forest in Gale” ensures characteristic style devices in mid-tempo speed, inducing a shift before delivering drama and dynamics. IMPERIUM DEKADENZ closes the album with “Memories … a Raging River”, rightly encompassing all vicious vibes of the album into one final song. The album’s flow mimics life itself, beginning with high energy that slowly fades into melancholy as it lives on.
IMPERIUM DEKADENZ state: “In the dark and cold season, in a world that threatens to sink into its rising shadows, our new album ‘Into Sorrow Evermore’ rises from the fog of uncertainty. Melancholic, powerful, poignant, a reflection of the isolation and upheaval of recent years, but also a shadowy dream of what may come. Once again, we are happy to share our world and fill hearts. Into the darkness we strive, guided by our dreams, driven by the relentless time!”
Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 