It had to happen. But who could ever have imagined that it would sound like this?
Taylor Swift has been deserving of a tribute album for almost as long as she’s been a superstar. But A Strange Tribute to Taylor Swift doesn’t simply live up to its title, it does so with a passion and a power that even your wildest dreams (or freakiest nightmares… you choose) would struggle to match.
You wanna hear Runaways legend Cherie Currie leading Cleveland’s finest Dead Boys through “I Can See You?” It’s the latest single from the album, and you can stream and download it now at https://orcd.co/cheriecurriedeadboys_icanseeyou.
Rockabilly queen Linda Gail Lewis pounding her way across “Love Story”?
Garage rock Goliaths The Fabulous Courettes stripping “Shake It Off” back to the sixties?
Southern rock legends Black Oak Arkansas contemplating “Blank Space”?
Platinum pop singers Tiffany and Samantha Cole, enigmatic Curved Air vocalist Sonja Kristina, Missing Persons, the Dollyrots and more, much more, all await within A Strange Tribute to Taylor Swift – an album that will haunt your days, dance through your nights, and ensure that some of the greatest country pop songs of our generation are country pop no longer.
This weekend, between July 26 – 28, 2024, Cottbus, Germany, will be on fire again with the new edition of the much-acclaimed BLUE MOON FESTIVAL!
Featuring an eclectic line-up of both international scene heavy weights of such as WOLFMOTHER, BRANT BJORK TRIO (ex-KYUSS / QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE), ORANGE GOBLIN, WEEDEATER, AHAB or ROTOR, as well as the underground’s finest acts such as GODSLEEP, SOLAR TRIP, PRAISE THE PLAGUE, DAEVAR, HIPPIE DEATH CULT and many more, BLUE MOON FESTIVAL 2024 promises an ultimate experience for all lovers of stoner, doom, metal and psychedelic rock.
The festival will be taking place at Strombad in Cottbus (camping possible), and in addition to an excellent line-up, among a chill area there will also be other activities such as archery, beer yoga, jam sessions, the “Funkelfix” short film Cinema, and much more!
Finnish melancholic metal outfit, ENDLESS CHAIN, is preparing for the highly-anticipated launch of their second full-length album, entitled “Agony”, scheduled for release on August 23rd. Following the initial single release of “We Are We”, the band is now unveiling their latest track “Beyond What You Believe”.
Accompanying the song is a freshly minted music video, produced by Winter Notes Production (known for their work with acts like Wolfheart, Before The Dawn, Ensiferum and more). Check out the video here:
“Beyond What You Believe – perhaps a slightly alternative metal-influenced track that progresses with full-intent verses leading to tremendous choruses“, the band comments. “The lyrics talk about fake news that looks real. These false stories use eye-catching headlines, fake sources, and convincing language to seem legitimate and quickly spread among unsuspecting people.”
With a magnificently dark and Nordic essence, ENDLESS CHAIN burst into the music scene in 2017, paving their way with a series of impactful single releases blending Finnish melancholy with powerful storytelling. Their debut album, “Forthcoming Past”, served as a solid foundation propelling the band into the realms of Finnish metal greatness. Collaborating with renowned figures in the Finnish metal scene like Mikko Heikkilä (Kaunis Kuolematon, Dawn Of Solace), Ville Hovi (Blackstar Halo), Sami Yli-Sirniö (Kreator), and Samuli Mikkonen (Korpiklaani), the band’s evolution shaped a musical journey rich in depth and emotion.
As 2021 drew to a close, ENDLESS CHAIN returned to the studio, driven by the creative genius of Timo Mölsä, to conceive their second opus. The result, “Agony”, will be released on August 23 2024 and was recorded and mixed by Aleksanteri Kuosa (Before The Dawn, Wolfheart, Waltari) and mastered by Svante Forsbäck (Rammstein, Volbeat, Hypocrisy, Ville Valo). Teaming up with some of the best engineers in the industry, ENDLESS CHAIN is geared up to deliver one of the strongest releases of 2024, in the style of Insomnium, Swallow The Sun and Amorphis.
Thematically encapsulating the delicate balance between dream and reality, escapism, light and shadow, and the intrinsic emotions of loneliness and isolation, “Agony” dives deep into ten soul- stirring compositions. Musically, a darker direction unfolds, merging atmospheric melodies with heavy & aggressive riffs to craft a captivating and unique sound. With a profound focus on the interplay of dark beauty, “Agony” promises to captivate listeners with its depth and intensity.
After exploring various options for releasing the album, the band ultimately decided to take matters into their own hands and self-publish the album. Guiding them through this process is the esteemed Tuomas Saukkonen(Wolfheart, Before the Dawn), whose expertise and support have proven to be invaluable in bringing their vision to life. The cover art for“Agony” was skillfully crafted by Finnish artist Kalle Pyyhtinen, resonating with the album’s essence and vision.
Finnish blackened death/thrashing quintet BURYFICATION has released a lyrical video single ‘The Plague’ from upcoming album “Gallows Rise”.
“This video gives a straightforward image of what we are and what we have created.” – says the band.
“Gallows Rise” will be released via Kvlt Und Kaos Productions on August 23rd, 2024.
Finnish quintet BURYFICATION delivers relentless blackened death/thrash intensity at its peak. The foundation of the band was laid in 2021, but all members have roots in the underground metal scene, having played in various bands, whether still active or long buried (Proscription, Cemetery Winds, Necrobiosis, The Lifted Veil, etc.).
“Gallows Rise” is the first full-length release from Buryfication. It features eight tracks in less than 30 minutes, following a thematic route from steady and thrashy riffing to manic blackened brutality where death is always present. A foretaste has already been given with singles released in 2023.
“Haunted, Enslaved, Devoured” is a two-track digital single available on all major streaming services. It consists of two video singles released during 2023. Both video singles offer a glimpse into the various venues and dungeons Buryfication explored in 2023.
Throughout its relatively short existence, Buryfication has been performing on stage and sharpening its live presence to the utmost. The numerous shows in such a short period have shown that Buryfication is steadily gaining more and more foothold and awareness in the metal underground.
Before their onstage visibility, when the pandemic was at its peak in 2022, Buryfication recorded “Leviathan.” This project was entirely done by the band itself and reflects the frustration, anger, dissatisfaction, and incompleteness of that time. During and after these very first sessions, the band learned important lessons on how to craft the production as sharply as possible while still holding to the values of the underground, which is embodied in “Gallows Rise.”
Dutch Black/Death Metal powerhouse MISANTHROPIA has inked a deal with WormHoleDeath Recordsto unleash their earth-shattering fifth album, ‘ENVY THE DEAD’, on 6th September 2024. This monstrous offering promises to be a return to form, drawing inspiration from the darkest corners of history and channeling pure sonic savagery.
MISANTHROPIA is no stranger to sonic devastation. For over 20 years, they’ve carved a path through the metal scene with their unique blend of Blackened fury and Death Metal aggression. Their longstanding partnership with legendary producer/engineer MIKE WEAD (Mercyful Fate, King Diamond) continues on ‘ENVY THE DEAD’, ensuring a potent and punishing listening experience.
“Life back in the day was harsh and ugly, and they bring forth this immense atmosphere that was roaming the streets back then: Jack The Ripper, Lizzie Borden, organ trafficking, necromancy.” says the band “It’s a concept album, but each song stands on its own. Drastically reducing the symphonic and orchestral violence on earlier releases, and going for a more progressive Death / Thrash vibe, influences from Dimmu Borgir and Cradle of Filth can still be heard alongside Necrophobic, Mayhem, and Death.”
MISANTHROPIA toured and played the last years intensively, domestically and abroad, under the banner of Eternal Rock Music Agency, and still plans to continue doing so.
Tracklist:
Envy The Dead (intro)
Malediction And Laughter
Organs, For A Fair Price
Prosperity By Cocaïne
Maze Of Madness
River Dumplings
Coughing In The Coffin House
Fade Into The Abyss
A Deadly Embrace, A Sinister Grace
Check out “Envy The Dead” Teaser:
Line up: Bram Koller-Rythm Guitars and Vocals Dennis Schoenmaker-Rythm And Lead Guitars Pepijn Heilbron-Bass Hugo de Waal-Drums
Krilloan have released a video for “Atlantean Sword”, first single taken from the new album “Return Of The Heralds” to be released on September 20th by Scarlet Records.
Straight outta the golden days of sword & sorcery, there’s no man more famed than the one and only Conan the Cimmerian: “Atlantean Sword” is a tribute to not only the character of Conan, but also the remarkable impact that the movie “Conan The Barbarian” has had on generations of people. In this attempt to answer the riddle of steel, Krilloan brings soaring vocals, wailing guitars, shredding bass lines and blasting drums to match the man born on a battlefield!
video by Dyvim Tvar
sophomore record for the 2022 Swedish classic metal revelation;
hammering power-speed metal with a flair for storytelling and big melodic lines to get you pumping;
cover & artwork by Alvaro Valverde/AV Art Ilustracion (Elvenking, Unanimated, Verikalpa);
guest appearances by Johan Haraldsson & Johan Karlsson (Evermore), Jack Reynolds & Tom O’Dell (Battle Born) and Magnus Holmström (Swedish folk master and HammerFall live guest);
for fans of Judas Priest, Blind Guardian, HammerFall, Helloween, Lost Horizon, Evertale
“Return Of The Heralds” will be released in the following formats: -digipack CD -vinyl LP (limited 300 marbled red copies) -digital
artwork by Alvaro Valverde/AV Art Ilustracion
“Return Of The Heralds” tracklist: 1 Atlantean Sword 2 Kings Of The Iron Hill (featuring Battle Born’s Jack Reynolds & Tom O´Dell) 3 Blood & Fire (Born On A Battlefield) 4 Hammer Of Wrath 5 Avenging Son 6 The Oathpact 7 Return Of The Heralds (featuring Evermore’s Johan Haraldsson & Johan Karlsson) 8 The Kingkillers Tale (featuring Magnus Holmström, Swedish folk master and HammerFall live guest) 9 We Burn 10 Beyond The Gates
Following the success of the blazing debut album “Emperor Rising”, “Return Of The Heralds” delivers yet more fast melodic tunes living and prospering in the realm of traditional power-speed metal.
The new Krilloan record is once again a heartfelt homage to the “good ol’ times” of classic heavy metal and sword & sorcery entertainment that shaped them. Epic and fierce battle hymns about Conan the Barbarian, Elric of Melniboné, “Warhammer 40.000” and those never-ending days spent in a world beyond our own: this is the conceptual foundation of the Swedish band led by guitarist Klas Holmgren, with a clear focus on a well-crafted and always well-balanced songwriting as well.
One thing is for certain: you will never be bored listening to a Krilloan album!
Krilloan: Alex VanTrue – vocals Klas Holmgren – guitar Steve Brockmann – guitar Marco Toba – bass Christoph Brandes – drums
THE ROCK ALCHEMIST – Italian Rock Band from Turin with a strong sonic identity that blends modern rock with progressive, hard, alternative, and pop elements!
Kimmo Kuusniemi’s SARCOFAGUS return with a Historic 2010 Concert Video Premiere on YouTube! Click image to watch the video
