HARD EXCESS Release ‘Church Is A Dollhouse’ Music Video

Posted by tarjavirmakari on January 23, 2024
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment

Austrian Hard Rock/Heavy Metal band Hard Excess, have released a new music video for ‘Church Is A Dollhouse‘, the song is taken from their full length debut album ‘The Nations Dust‘, which was released on November 11th, 2023.

The album can be ordered here: https://www.hardexcess.com/merch

Produced & engineered by Fabian Rauter (Oakpath Audio).
Mixed, mastered, produced & engineered by Mattias Girstmair (Echopolis Productions).
Additional production & additional engineering by Hard Excess.
Cover artwork by Gina Holzer.

Hard Excess have recently released a single and music video for the song ‘Mad Desire‘. The YouTube video can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/lRvNqnPZBaY

Tracklist:

  1. Church Is A Dollhouse
  2. The East Rock States
  3. Reckless Disease
  4. Revenge
  5. Mad Desire
  6. The Riders Of The Apocalypse
  7. Ramses III.
  8. Night Lady
  9. The Insurrection (Instrumental)
  10. The Nations Dust

The album “The Nations Dust” is the result of years of work, and a strong vision to keep the true spirit of the music. All basic Tracks were recorded live and no compromises have been made in creative decisions. Some of the Songs already existed for some time, others were finished shortly before the recording session. The song selection therefore reflects the journey of the four friends so far. This is a real album from a real living band!

Two brothers and their buddy, who grew up in the same village discovered the world of heavy music through 70ies and 80ies bands. Ever since they studied the genre – so much that one could say that they even absorbed it into their DNA. That is, roughly put, the genesis of the band “Hard Excess”. These lads were influenced by “handmade” rock music – experimental 69 movement including hook studdled hits from AC/DC, Chicago blues, grunge and even poetry by Jim Morrison. But most dominantly the band has been influenced by heavy metal music. Back in 2012 they played its first gig with a repertoire of cover songs from their role models: Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and AC/DC, to only name a few. Followed by a new assembly the band released its first CD in 2016 – “You Burn EP”. Hard Excess see themselves as heirs of a music genre that seems to be critically endangered – classic hard rock mixed with heavy metal. Music that not only originates deep in their hearts, but also resonates in their own music – a high energy level without frills, bare hard rock. Aside from successful gigs and concerts throughout Austria, for example at the “Local Heroes”, Hard Excess was fortunate to furthermore play in Italy and Germany. The band even had the chance to gain work experience with the produced Mike Wolff, guitarist of the band “Kontrast”, which whom they produced two songs, released in 2019 and 2020. After the pandemic, the focus is on playing live gigs again. The fellows are passionate about displaying their hard work to a live audience, this is when the essence of the band really comes to the fore.

Hard Excess is:
Kaspar Zanon – Vocals, Guitar
Patrick Ingruber – Guitar
Edi Ingruber – Drums, Additional Vocals
Patrick Monitzer – Bass

https://www.hardexcess.com
http://facebook.com/hardexcess
https://www.instagram.com/hard_excess_
https://www.youtube.com/@hardexcess
https://hardexcess.bandcamp.com/releases

ROTTING CHRIST Announce Northwest US + Canadian Tour with Uada + Abigail Williams

Posted by tarjavirmakari on January 23, 2024
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment
Photo by Chantik Photography

Back in 1987, Sakis Tolis and his brother Themis started climbing through the dark catacombs of Greece’s metal scene as a grindcore act. Now, 35 years later, Rotting Christ tour the world as one of the biggest bands in black metal.  

Rotting Christ just announced their 14th album. ΠΡΟ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΥ (Pro Xristoy) is bound to hold a revered place in the band’s heretical history. Always true to their name, with Pro Xristoy (“Before Christ”), the band pay tribute to the last of the Pagan kings who resisted the spread of Christianity.     

Pro Xristoy comes out May 24. But lucky fans will get a sneak peek at the new album come March when Rotting Christ tours North America. The band will hit two dates on the West Coast of the United States before playing a string of five shows across Canada. Joining them for this run are Uada and Abigail Williams.   

Rotting Christ 2024 Northwest US and Canadian Tour

March 25 – Portland, OR @ Bossanova Ballroom [TICKETS]
March 26 – Seattle, WA @ El Corazon [TICKETS]
March 27 – Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw Theater [TICKETS]
March 29 – Calgary, AB @ Dickens [TICKETS]
March 30 – Edmonton, AB @ Starlite Room [TICKETS]
March 31 – Regina, SK @ The Exchange [TICKETS]
April 1 – Winnipeg, MB @ Park Theater [TICKETS]

Before touching down in North America, Rotting Christ are heading off on a tour of Latin America. Fans from Mexico to Argentina will have the pleasure of banging their heads to an unholy litany of the band’s greatest hits. They’ll also be treated to new songs off Pro Xristoy that are bound to become setlist staples.

Rotting Christ 35 Years of Evil Existence Tour

February 6 – Monterrey, MX 
February 7 – Torreon, MX
February 9 – Chihuahua, MX
February 10 – Ciudad Juarez, MX
February 11 –  Guadalajara, MX
February 13 – Leon, MX 
February 14 – San Luis Potosi, MX
February 16 – Queretaro, MX 
February 17 – Mexico City, MX 
February 18 – Toluca, MX 
February 21 – Bogota, Colombia  
February 23 – Santiago, Chile  
February 24 – Buenos Aires, Argentina  
February 27 – La Paz, Bolivia  
February 29 – Sao Paulo, Brazil  
March 2 – Brasilia, Brazil  
March 3 – Belo Horizonte, Brazil   

Artwork by Thomas Cole – Digital Processing by Adrien Bousson

Track-list

1. Pro Xristoy (Προ Χριστού) (1:29)
2. The Apostate (5:01)
3. Like Father, Like Son (4:35)
4. The Sixth Day (3:56)
5. La Lettera Del Diavolo (4:01)
6. The Farewell (6:15)
7. Pix Lax Dax (4:33)
8. Pretty World, Pretty Dies (4:51)
9. Yggdrasil (5:04)
10. Saoirse (6:17)
11. Primal Resurrection (Bonus Track) (5:32)
12. All For One (Bonus Track) (3:37)
Total runtime: 55:17

In the dimly lit catacombs of extreme metal, one name stands as a monolith: ROTTING CHRIST. Sakis Tholis and his brother Themis started this band together back in 1987. In the three decades since, these Greek titans have left their blackened imprint all over the metal world. They’ve released 13 studio albums and played more than 1,3000 concerts around the globe.  Underneath all this hard work, Rotting Christ have but one vision – an urge to not only push the boundaries of extreme metal, but to keep reinventing themselves along the way.

Rotting Christ’s evolution has unfolded across several distinct chapters. After starting out closer to the barely controlled chaos of grindcore, they went on to establish the iconic sound of Hellenic black metal. Their albums often embraces refined gothic soundscapes, only to plunge back into the depths of blasphemous fervour. Each chapter marked another, further exploration, and an unwavering commitment to bush boundaries.

But the real turning point came in 2007, when Rotting Christ signed a pact with Season of Mist. They unleashed a series of albums for the French label that defied any  and  all expectations. From the piercing Theogonia and the symphonic grandeur of Aelo to the ritualistic intensity of Κατά Τον Δαίμονα Εαυτού, the cinematic experiences created by Rotting Christ became a spectacle of bombastic atmospheres, mesmerizing choirs, and neo-classical arrangements. The unexpected is their modus operandi, with the use of various languages (Latin, Arabic, Greek,  English) as well as the extensive use of famous poetry woven into their music, like Edgar Allan Poe’s ‘The Raven’ on The Heretics.

In 2019, Rotting Christ’s epic journey continued with The Apocryphal Spell compilation, which offers fans an intimate glimpse into unreleased and rare material. This allowed them to gather strength, preparing for the release of their next, highly anticipated, 14th full-length studio album: Pro Xristoy.

Pro Xristoy (‘Before Christ’ in Greek), serves as a fervent tribute to the last Pagan kings who resisted the onslaught of Christianity, guarding their ancient values and knowledge. In this thematic odyssey, intricately woven through tracks such as ‘The Apostate’ and ‘Ygdrassil’, Rotting Christ delves into the legacies of historical figures such as Flavius Claudius Julianus and Nordic mythological kings, embodying the might of Pagan wisdom in the face of Christian adversity. The album encapsulates the essence of Rotting Christ’s signature style – melodic, yet harsh at times – reinventing themselves yet again, while remaining rooted in their 35-year legacy.

Line-up
Sakis Tolis: Guitar/Vocals
Themis Tolis: Drums
Kostas “Spades” Heliotis: Bass
Kostis Fouk: Guitar

Guest Musicians
Amdroniki Skoula – Vocals (on ‘La Letra Del Diavolo’)
Nikos Kerkiras – Keyboard
Christina Alexiou – Choir
Maria Tsironi – Choir
Alexandros Loyziotis – Choir
Vasilis Karatzas – Choir

Andrew Liles – Narration (on ‘The Apostate’, ‘Pretty World, Pretty Dies’)
Kim Diaz Holm – Narration (on ‘Ygdrassil’)

Recording Studio – Deva Sounds Studios (Athens, Greece)
Producer – Sakis Tolis
Sound Engineer – Fotis Bernando, Aggelos Karatzas
Mixing – Jens Borgen at Fascination Street Studios (Örebro, Sweden)
Mastering – Tony Lidgren at Fascination Street Studios (Örebro, Sweden)

Biography – Sebastien Gamez

Official Website: https://www.rotting-christ.com/en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rottingchristofficial/
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/rottingchristofficial/
Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/athanatoieste
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/RottingChristOfficia
Bandcamp: https://rottingchristofficial.bandcamp.com/
Apple Music: http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/rotting-christ/id28441629
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7FhkwcO8Jd7BRWdllBpXBJ

DEATH RATTLE Sign Worldwide Deal with EMG

Posted by tarjavirmakari on January 23, 2024
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment

Extreme Management Group (EMG), home to bands like Suffocation, Atheist, Rings of Saturn, and more, has announced their partnership with New England metal band DEATH RATTLE.

New England has a long history of producing some of the most influential metal acts in modern metal.  It has become a hotbed for bands hoping to follow in the footsteps of those that came before them, only to find themselves lost in a sea of other groups that have difficulty differentiating themselves from their talented local brethren.  This is not the case for Death Rattle, who followed up the release of their seminal album “Volition” with multiple tours overseas in combination with a busy US touring schedule.  Supported by strong streaming numbers on all of their digital platforms, the band received critical acclaim from many different sources.  Katarina McGinn of ‘Dead Rhetoric’ wrote, “Death Rattle seize the moment with pure adrenaline from start to finish on Volition, even if it does occasionally lean somewhat heavily on familiar acts. If energy and groove is what you want, Death Rattle has it covered in a way that’s entertaining and punishing.”

Reconstituted in 2016, founding members Ryan Vanderwolk (guitar) and Chris Morin (drums) alongside longtime bassist Kevin Adams brought Trey Holton (vocalist) into the fold.  Death Rattle marries elements of groove metal and melodic passages to produce something aggressive and unique.  There is an undercurrent of the corrupting nature of power that flavors the lyrical storytelling as the band pairs the violent nature of humanity with the tension and catharsis created by their music.  They have proven themselves to be a group of artists that can craft something that resonates with metal fans worldwide and deliver a live show to captivate any audience.

The elements that make Death Rattle such a special band, their passionate delivery, technical performance, and intensity, are apparent all throughout the record.  They are also showcased brilliantly in the live show where Death Rattle truly sets themselves apart, connecting with every audience in every city in a way that is almost unmatched.  Critics agree, as Metal Temple wrote of the album, “The inferno of intense riffs of “Love and War” (that shows very good tempos), the massive outburst of energy that comes from “Sentenced to Hell”, the catchy tempos of “Snake in the Grass”, the raw fury shown on the musical arrangements of “Adrenalize”, the shrapnel of riffs shown on “Order Within Chaos”, and the excellent work from bass guitar and drums on “Doomsday” are the best moments of the album. But I believe that the listeners will love all of the songs. “Volition” is a very good work, indeed.”

Following Adams’ departure to pursue other music endeavors, Holton, Vanderwolk, and Morin persevered through the COVID-19 pandemic that plagued the music industry for a two-year span.  They emerged on the other side with a new vision.  Working with session bassist Rod Lopez, the three set to work on pre-production for “The Moral Chokehold”, their follow up LP.  They used the impact and power of “Volition” and injected all of the raw emotion and isolation they felt during the pandemic to fuel the message behind the new songs.  Trey said of the new album, “I think with ‘Volition’ we felt like we found a direction and with ‘Chokehold’ we really found our voice as a band.  The songwriting involved everyone, from the musicians to the engineers and producers, and we toiled over every second of each tune to make them all individual works of art.”

Armed with the songs for the new LP, the trio enlisted the help of Kevin Billingslea (Halo Studios) to engineer and Jens Bogren (Fascination Street Studios) to complete their vision.  The album promises to build on the heavy foundation the group has already put down with “Volition” with more blistering riffs and inspirational melodies.  The lyrics and vocal delivery perfectly merge both beauty and malevolence as only Death Rattle can do.

“What we tried to do with ‘The Moral Chokehold’ was to capture everything that the world was dealing with in isolation.  The vast loneliness, the fear, the despair, and sometimes, the hope.  We crafted each song as a snapshot of a visceral moment of the past three years and we poured it out in the audio.  It means a great deal to all of us and we hope it will be an emotional outlet for all Death Rattle fans, old and new, when it comes out.  We really love what we have created,” Holton said.  With their fans anxiously awaiting its release, Death Rattle is poised to take the metal world by storm in the coming years, one live show at a time.

Now the band has signed with Extreme Management Group, and had the following to say about the partnering, “We are just in the beginning stages, and already so many things are in the works with Extreme Management group. We’re proud to work with this team and have the utmost respect for them. We can’t wait to share what we’ve been working on.” EMG said, “Death Rattle is a killer live act. The band has really been hard at work since the covid pandemic took over the world. They’ve done a ton of work getting themselves to this point, and are ready to make big waves relaunching DEATH RATTLE.” Anticipate big things to come from the partnership.

..and now, DEATH RATTLE is hinting at something??? check it out here.

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6md0CFaov2KJECy2XrqE2Q
LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/deathrattle_official
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeathRattleBand
Website: https://deathrattleband.com/

FRONT ROW WARRIORS Release Lyric Video ‘Dystopian Time’, Ft. Todd Michael Hall

Posted by tarjavirmakari on January 23, 2024
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment
📸 Front Row Warriors

FRONT ROW WARRIORS have released their new big banger – the Power Metal influenced song “Dystopian Time” with a warning message, influenced by the myths of Indian cultures.

The lyrics couldn’t be more haunting and stirring, with a terrific vocal performance by Todd Michael Hall (Riot V) and Elkie Gee in a soulful duet.

Enjoy their new masterpiece and check out their album “Wheel Of Fortune“, which was released on June 9, 2023 by ROAR! Rock of Angels Records as vinyl and CD/Digipak which received excellent reviews in music magazines and was awarded the BEST HARD ROCK ALBUM for 2023 by Deutscher Rock & Pop Musikerverband e.V and the Deutsche Popstiftung! (Source: ROAR! Rock of Angels Records)

🎬 ⚙️ Produced by Jim Evgenidis at Iconfilmworx Studios

Formed in 2019 in Stuttgart by Jay-G, drums (Shining, Sharon), Elkie Gee, vocals (Ampyre, Antares) and Sorin Badin, a well-known Romanian guitarist (Cardinal, Samsara, Crystal Maze) under the name FRONT ROW WARRIORS.

They completed the formation in 2020 with Richie Seibel, keyboards, (Lanfear, Ivanhoe, Them) and Timo Michels, bass, (5th Season, Pump).

In the summer of 2022, guitarist Stef Binnig-Gollub (Septagon) joined the multiple capable MELODIC METAL band. [ learn more here ]

LINE-UP:
Elkie Gee • Vocals
Sorin Badin • Lead Guitar
Stef Binnig-Gollub • Guitar
Timo Michels • Bass
Richie Seibel • Keyboard
Jay-G • Drums

RICK WAKEMAN Announces Final Solo Tour, Ft. Highlights from His Career with YES + Solo Work, Incl. Premiere of “Yessonata”

Posted by tarjavirmakari on January 23, 2024
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment
Photo by Lee Wilkinson

The ultimate keyboard wizard, Rick Wakeman CBE, will be embarking on a tour of the US with a series of solo piano concerts for the last time in 2024. Rick, who has become almost as well-known for his intimate piano shows as his prog rock extravaganzas, has decided that after a career spanning over 50 years, he is calling a halt to lengthy American one-man show tours, in order to concentrate on composing, recording and collaborating with other musicians.

As an exclusive gift for fans, on these shows Rick will be premiering a brand new piece of music: Yessonata, a 30- minute instrumental work featuring YES themes and melodies, woven into sonata form.

Rick first started establishing a reputation as one of rock’s most original and proficient keyboard players in the late Sixties, when he worked with the likes of David Bowie, Cat Stevens, Marc Bolan, Lou Reed, Al Stewart, Elton John and other artists too numerous to mention, as a much-in-demand session player. He stepped out of the recording studio and into the limelight when he first joined the Strawbs and then YES, helping to make the latter the most successful progressive rock band in the world by contributing to seminal albums such as Fragile and Close To The Edge.

But outside of YES, Rick was really able to unleash his creativity with a series of groundbreaking concept albums: The Six Wives of Henry VIII, Journey to the Centre of the Earth, and The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, which have been performed in large-scale shows featuring bands, orchestras and choirs.

However, he is equally at home as a solo artist in up close environment of concert halls, performing music on a piano – both his own and tunes that have a special resonance for him – and recounting wickedly funny stories taken from the length of his career. In recent years, he has added a rack of electric keyboards to ring the changes and enable him to enlarge his live solo repertoire.

Now, for the last time in 2024, Rick will be taking to the road in the US with an all-new solo piano and keyboard show, featuring the premiere of a stunning new work. Don’t miss this final opportunity to enjoy an evening of great music and hilarious stories, delivered by one of the truly legendary figures of rock music.

A STATEMENT FROM RICK:

“I always planned to stop touring by my 77th birthday – for those of you who wish to send me a card, it’s May 18th! – but there is so much to fit in before then that I’m having to make plans now and so my final one-man shows will have to cease by that date.

I have thoroughly enjoyed performing the various one-man shows, but it’s time to call it a day. I intend to throw in the best of what I have done in the past, plus a few new surprises on the way, and possibly even the odd guest joining me on the odd occasion.

The plan is not to perform at the same venue twice throughout this period, so whatever venue you are hopefully thinking of coming to, it will be the last performance there – and I am taking this opportunity of thanking everyone and anyone who has supported me over the last 53 years!”

After this initial string of dates, Rick will be taking the tour to South America in April, but will return to North America for the second leg later in the year.

2024 US Tour (First Leg)

  • 3.19 Ridgefield Playhouse (Ridgefield, CT): On Sale Now
  • 3.20 Wellmont Theatre (Montclair, NJ): On Sale Fri 1.26
  • 3.22 Paramount Theater (Huntington, NY): On Sale Fri 1.26
  • 3.23 Scottish Rite Auditorium (Collingswood, NJ): On Sale Now
  • 3.24 Tupelo Music Hall (Derry, NH): On Sale Now
  • 3.26 The Vogel @ Count Basie Center for the Arts (Red Bank, NJ): On Sale Fri 1.26 10am
  • 3.27 & 3.28 The Barns (Vienna, VA): On Sale Now
  • 3.29 Egg – Hart Theatre (Albany, NY): On Sale Fri 1.26

For tickets and more information, visit: RWCC.com

Rick Wakeman YouTube page can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/@RickWakemanOfficial

FRAYLE Sign Worldwide Deal with Napalm Records, New Studio Album Coming

Posted by tarjavirmakari on January 22, 2024
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment
[Photo: Damian Eduardos]

Fast-rising American doom outfit FRAYLE have officially joined forces with Napalm Records, signing a worldwide contract with the premier Austrian rock and metal empire.

Cleveland, Ohio’s FRAYLE crept onto the scene after forming in 2018, helmed by original members Sean Bilovecky (guitars) and Gwyn Strang (vocals). Since then, the band has been lauded by fans and media critics alike, merging the heaviness of occult-driven doom and blackgaze with Strang’s distinctively eerie vocal stylings. FRAYLE has since expanded into a four piece, welcoming drummer Jon Vinson and bassist Jason Knotek to the fold, allowing the band to fully realize their “lullabies over chaos” musical vision. Noted first by Revolver Magazine as a band to watch in 2023, and then again by Knotfest for the coming year, the band continues to invigorate their already buzzing sway on the scene. Following gloomy performances in Europe and the United States at festivals such as Damnation, Desertfest, Soul Crusher, Gloomnar, Post Fest and Inkcarceration, FRAYLE vows to enrapture audiences with new music in 2024.

FRAYLE says about the signing:
“We are thrilled to be joining the incredible team at Napalm Records. Napalm has always been the label that artists strive to be a part of and we are honored to bring our unique blend of heavy witch gloom to their impressive roster.

We’d also like to take this opportunity to say we are extremely fortunate to be part of the Oracle Management family, and are grateful for them helping us realize our goal of signing to Napalm Records. It was Oracle’s existing relationship with Napalm that helped to seal the deal. We can’t wait to see what the future holds.”

Sebastian Muench, Senior A&R at Napalm Records, adds:
“FRAYLE have been enchanting their fans with their unique way of interpreting doom metal since 2017. Their artistic vision and past live performances have fascinated us and enticed us to work together as partners on the next step in the band’s career. I can guarantee that the new studio album will be simply amazing!”

Stay tuned for more FRAYLE news coming soon!

FRAYLE is:
Gwyn Strang: Vocals
Sean Bilovecky: Guitar
Jason Knotek: Bass
Jon Vinson: Drums

FRAYLE online:
WEBSITE
FACEBOOK
INSTAGRAM