Oxford’s leading sludge metal force DESERT STORM premiere a brand new song “Pain, Grief and Suffering” taken from fifth full-length ‘Omens’, due out this May 1st on APF Records.
After their nearly prophetic “Black Bile” video and bleak second single “The Machine“, DESERT STORM unveil a brand new song called “Pain, Grief and Suffering”. Instantly gripping the listener’s guts with its dantean grooves and frontal riff onslaught, it also shows a whole new aspect of the band’s songwriting, with its piano bridge taking you to emotional peaks… only to crush all hope during its grand and fearsome solo-driven finale.
Stream new single “Pain, Grief and Suffering” here
Frontman Matt Ryan tells us more about this new song: “‘Pain, Grief, and Suffering’ is that place where you are numbed to everything and so disassociated with life that you crave hurt just to feel alive. When you are completely lost, only the hardest emotions can make you feel again.” DESERT STORM recently announced the cancellation of their spring European tour — who included a few festivals appearances including Desertfest London. The band is working on rescheduling all dates, stay tuned for more info.
DESERT STORM New album ‘Omens’, Out on May 1st via APF Records – PREORDER
Australian heavy rockers WICKED SMILE have announced ‘Delirium’ as the title of their forthcoming debut EP which is set for release on July 1st.
The band is fronted by charismatic powerhouse lead vocalist Danny Cecati (ex Pegazus & Eyefear) with Stevie Janevski (ex Black Majesty & Cyclone Tracy) on guitars. The four song ep is produced by Paul Laine (The Defiants) who also plays bass and sings backing vocals on the EP.
Guitarist Stevie Janevski goes on to say, “our two released songs have received such a fantastic response worldwide that people wanted to hear more right away. This was particularly pleasing to both Danny and I. We were both overwhelmed by the positive response, whether it be via personal messages, YouTube comments or via our Facebook and Instagram accounts. It was also fantastic to have so much support from Internet Radio who got behind us by playing our song, with some stations putting us on heavy rotation”.
Fans of Judas Priest, Dio, Skid Row, etc. should feel at home, with the band drawing major influence from seventies and eighties heavy rock and heavy metal. Another talking point is the track ‘Stronger’ which was written by guitarist Stevie to highlight the issue of ‘bullying’ in schools and in society as a whole.
Track List for ‘Delirium’
1. We Fall
2. Stronger
3. Love’s Got A Hold On You
4. Daze Of Delirium
The Wicked Smile Delirium debut EP (jewel case CD) can be pre ordered now directly via the band here. *all pre orders will be signed by Danny & Stevie*
PALACE OF THE KING have released their killer new single ‘Tell It Like It Is’, out now on Devils Music Records.
The new single was written and recorded before the shit hit the fan during the antipodean summer, however Henwood’s lyric seems almost prophetic. It’s a finger to the forehead stomper that demands attention and every bit as fabulous as you’d expect from this superb band!
Check out the new video here:
Produced by POTK singer/guitarist Tim Henwood, it’s obvious he has the great Mike Chapman (Suzi Quatro, Blondie, The Sweet) to thank for his production style here.
Mixing duties have been masterfully performed by Jonathan Burnside (Clutch, Fu Manchu, Nirvana, Grinspoon, Living End) taking the energy of the track to the next level and bringing it kicking and screaming into the modern era. In these crazy times, music just might help you get through. Even if it’s just for 3:27.
Let me ‘tell you like it is’. If POTK are anything to go by, rock and roll is still here in the middle of this shit fight, and it’ll still be here when it’s all over.
Athens based Symphonic Metallers FALLEN ARISE will release their new album “Enigma” on April 10th, via Rock Of Angels Records (ROAR). Today the band releases the second single and official lyric video for the title song “Enigma”, watch it here:
The band on the new single: “Talking about Enigma and trying to give a musical illustration of its direction, we are definitely talking about a song created with the central idea being the coexistence of the known sound of Fallen Arise and the new heavy aesthetics that the band wants to add into its music. This new “mix” is easily perceived by listening to the airy and mellow sounds of the impressive heavy riffs and breakdowns, a musical motive presented first to “Adeline” album and now fully matured and fully integrated into the band’s style. The use of the orchestra, shows allegiance in the original roots, independent the innovations it tries. Something not clear also in the two previous albums, is the feeling of the “battle” between keys and guitar in “Enigma”.”
Available on Jewel Case CD, Orange / Red Marbled Vinyl (LTD. 250 copies) & Digital streaming/download format.
Also check out the first official single and music video for the song ‘Reborn’:
On this new offering, the band wanted their music to sound as contemporary as possible, but at the same time to remain faithful to their melodic/symphonic roots. The main part of the overall arrangement and recordings took place in Athens, at Soundflakes Recording Studios with John Mcris being a close associate of the band and the sound engineer for the main body of this new work. Part of the recordings took place at the Rock Factory Studios in Siena, Italy by Nikos Zannis and Davide Fatemi as sound engineers. The mixing process took place at Hell’s Kitchen Recording Studio with John Mcris as mixing engineer. For the mastering process, FALLEN ARISE collaborated with Fascination Street Studios and Tony Lindgren as mastering engineer. The album artwork is created by Paul Culley and the layout by Miron Theodoridis. The band’s photo session took place at rEvolver Studios (Sweden) with the mighty Patric Ullaeus behind the camera.
“Enigma” tracklisting:
1. In Adentu Deorum
2. Enigma
3. Reborn
4. Forskaken
5. Embers
6. Without DIsguise
7. Released
8. Forever Winter
9. Horizon
10. The Storm Inside
———————
FALLEN ARISE were formed in 2009, combining a theatrical atmosphere with a progressive approach and a heavy-metal-alike heaviness. So far, the band have shared the stage with NIGHTWISH, PARADISE LOST, MOONSPELL, LEAVES’ EYES, OUTLOUD, just to name a few.
Also watch ”The Heart of the Damned” – video footage including show, people and backstage – joining NIGHTWISH on August 17th 2018 at RomExpo in Bucharest: https://youtu.be/Q_2fJ_PeUgg
Italian thrash metal combo ITALICUS CARNIFEX will release their debut album “Incide Your Mind” on April 10th, via Volcano Records/Dark Hammer Legion.
ITALICUS CARNIFEX, Italian Thrash Metal Band with Hardcore influences. The band was formed in Monghidoro (Bologna). After several changes in the line up, the band participate in various local festivals and concerts in Bologna and several other Italian cities. After a concert in Belgium, was born the idea of recording the first album. So the band entered in the recording studio and gave birth to their first CD: INCIDE YOUR MIND.
“Incide Your Mind” tracklist:
1. Bone Grinder
2. Throatless
3. Sonraper
4. N.O.R.J.U.T.S.S.
5. Incide Your Mind
6. Ebolution Z
7. La Stiamo Ancora Stuprando
8. No Boundaries
9. Frycum Death
10. No Boundaries (remastered)
Running Time: 42’17”
DEVIN TOWNSEND is pleased to announce the release of ‘Empath – The Ultimate Edition’ on 5th June 2020. This comprehensive version of 2019’s acclaimed album contains the original record and bonus disc across 2 CD’s, plus 2 Blu-Ray discs. The first blu-ray contains the 5.1 Surround Sound mix by Devin, with visuals for the full record, plus a stereo visualiser. The second blu-ray contains a raft of bonus material, including ‘Acoustically Inclined – Live in Leeds’, a recording from his April 2019 acoustic tour where he performed tracks including ‘Love?’, ‘Deadhead’, ‘Thing Beyond Things’ & more.
It also features the full Empath Documentary, a ‘Genesis 5.1 Mixing Lesson’, a full album commentary & more. The four discs sit inside a beautiful art-book that contains new liner notes and images from the making of the album.
Devin comments of the new 5.1 surround sound mix:
“On a technical level, I guess I have always been dissatisfied with the basic ‘stereo’ format in which the type of music I make gets presented in. Whether its headphones, computer speakers, stereos (or basically anything currently), I have had to figure out ways to get the work to function through TWO speakers. I hear things in a particularly orchestrated way, and with the amount of information that typically gets recorded per song, the result has been the dubious ‘wall of sound’ that I keep ending up with. But my intention has never been to make an oppressive experience, but rather something that is immersive and vast.
Making it work in two speakers just simply doesn’t quite work for the vision. Although I’ve managed to get the point across, (to varying degrees), things always have to compromise to make it all fit. Making the drums speak at the same time as orchestra, cymbals, guitars, choirs, synths etc.…all with my voice on top, ends up with every conceivable frequency fighting for breathing space between those two speakers.
Therefore, I asked the powers that be in my business world, to tolerate one more ‘kick at the can’ when it came to Empath. I wanted to attempt a surround mix and follow the original vision of it being an immersive, multimedia experience for people in the ways I could best achieve at this stage. And although it’s still pretty ‘dense’, with four more sources for the sound to come from, I feel its significantly closer to the original vision here.”
