Finnish black metal band CURSE UPON A PRAYER is set to release their fourth studio album The Worship: Orthoprax Satanism later in July 26th 2024. CD version is released by The Cursed Order, Vinyl version comes via Folter Records and MC via Korpituli Productions.
The band released a last single A Heav’n Of Hell and it’s available on Youtube and Bandcamp. Single cover by Ari XIII.
The band comments: “‘A Heav’n Of Hell’ offers a glimpse of the very core of CURSE UPON A PRAYER; The unconquerable will & the beauty of the perfect Hell. True strength & might through true torment & suffering – In Spirit & in Flesh! Hail the True Darkness!”
Listen previous single ‘Black Venus Erotica’ on Youtube and Bandcamp.
The Worship: Orthoprax Satanism Track list:
Ortopraxia
Cunt God
Sulfurserpent
Blood Poetry
A Heav’n Of Hell
I Enthrone You
Black Venus Erotica
He That Eateth My Flesh
The Worship I: Patior
The Worship II: Ignis
Album cover by Ari XIII
The Cursed Order, mostly known in the musical realm as ‘CURSE UPON A PRAYER’, was born in 2010 in Tornio, Northern Finland. Since then the band has gained a stable position in the Finnish Black Metal scene and has gained the reputation as one of the more notorious acts, which has been evident through their flagrant live appearances that have striked fear, hate and love into the hearts of those who have dared to witness.
With the religiously anticipated fourth full-length album – C.U.A.P. now presents the absolute crown jewel of this black crown of Infidelity. For it dives into the heart of the Holy Hell and boldly presents the very foundation and the secrets behind the themes that have inflicted chaos and controversy
throughout the 14-year long history: the unconquerable will, immortal hate and love, and the courage never to submit or yield!
The Spirit is null & void without the Act & the Will – Flesh & Spirit must be one! Ya Shaitan!
Black Tusk came roaring out of the Savannah swamplands nearly twenty years ago, but they aren’t looking back anytime soon. The sludge metal veterans just released their seventh album of heavy, no-frills riffs behind the strength of their new-yet-familiar lineup. Now, they’re blazing ahead with a tour of North America to support The Way Forward.
“This record represents our steadfast resolve to keep making music together as a band and evolve our sound”, says Andrew Fidler, Black Tusk’s longtime guitarist and co-vocalist.
Catch Fidler, Black Tusk’s steadfast drummer James May and the band’s newest members Derek Lynch (bass, vocals) and Chris “Scary” Adams (guitar, vocals) as they tour across the American South, Midwest and West Coast. Along the way, they’ll make a pit stop north of the border to perform “Brushfire”, “Dance on Your Grave” and other songs from The Way Forward for their fans in Canada.
Joining for the ride are Brooklyn sludge metal band Somnuri and West Virginia stoners Horseburner.
Black Tusk The Way Forward 2024 Tour
July 13 – Athens, GA @ The World Famous* [TICKETS] July 14 – Asheville, NC @ Eulogy* [TICKETS] August 23 – Chattanooga, TN @ JJ’s Bohemia [TICKETS] August 24 – Nashville, TN @ The End [TICKETS] August 25 – Memphis, TN @ Growlers [TICKETS] August 27 – Austin, TX @ The Lost Well [TICKETS] August 28 – El Paso, TX @ Rockhouse [TICKETS] August 29 – Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad [TICKETS] August 30 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Rebel Lounge [TICKETS] August 31 – Palmdale, CA @ Transplants Brewing [TICKETS] September 1 – San Diego, CA @ Brick By Brick [TICKETS] September 3 – Long Beach, CA @ Supply & Demand [TICKETS] September 4 – Fresno, CA @ Strummer’s [TICKETS] September 5 – San Francisco, CA @ DNA Lounge [TICKETS] September 6 – Bend, OR @ Volcanic Theater Pub [TICKETS] September 7 – Portland, OR @ The High Water Mark [TICKETS] September 8 – Vancouver, BC @ The Cobalt [TICKETS] September 10 – Seattle, WA @ Belltown Yacht Club [TICKETS] September 11 – Spokane, WA @ The Big Dipper [TICKETS] September 12 – Richland, WA @ Ray’s Golden Lion [TICKETS] September 13 – Boise, ID @ The Shredder [TICKETS] September 14 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Crucial Fest [TICKETS] September 15 – Denver, CO @ Hi-Dive [TICKETS] September 16 – Wichita, KS @ Wave [TICKETS] September 17 – Tulsa, OK @ Whittier Bar [TICKETS] September 18 – Dallas, TX @ Double Wide [TICKETS] September 19 – New Orleans, LA @ The Goat [TICKETS] September 20 – Jackson, MS @ Hal’s and Mal’s [TICKETS] September 21 – Pensacola, FL @ The Handlebar [TICKETS] *Black Tusk only
Tracklist 1. Out Of Grasp – 2:47 2. Brushfire – 2:22 [LISTEN] 3. Harness (The Alchemist) – 2:35 4. Lessons Through Deception – 2:14 5. Breath Of Life – 5:12 [WATCH] 6. Dance On Your Grave – 2:54 [WATCH] 7. Against The Undertow – 3:06 8. Lift Yourself – 3:31 9. Ocean Of Obsidian – 2:50 10. Flee From Dawn – 3:38 11. The Way Forward – 4:40 Total runtime: 35:54
“The big theme of this record is putting your life back together.” That’s Black Tusk guitarist/vocalist Andrew Fidler talking about the band’s new album, The Way Forward. “When everything seems like it’s against you, put your head down and push through. Take those bad things that are happening and use them to help create.”
The Way Forward might be the Savannah swamp metal crew’s seventh album, but it marks many firsts for Black Tusk. It’s their first with their new lineup, which sees guitarist Chris “Scary” Adams and bassist Derek Lynch joining Fidler and drummer James May. Which also makes it Black Tusk’s first record with a two-guitar lineup. “We were able to add leads and harmonies and all kinds of stuff on the new record that we haven’t done in the past,” Fidler says. “As far as our records go, this one has the most guitar work.”
You can hear it in the squealing solo of “Dance on Your Grave,” the killer harmonies on ripper “Harness (The Alchemist),” and the glorious dual guitar interplay of the powerful title track.
“‘The Way Forward’ is my favorite song on the record,” Fidler says. “It’s based on a personal experience that everyone can probably relate to. I got divorced in 2020, and I kinda felt like my entire world was collapsing when that happened. But I pulled myself out of it. I realized that this one thing ending in my life isn’t the end of everything. I’m gonna find a way forward. I’m gonna figure out how to live my life and create and be happy and make new relationships. Which is what I’ve done.”
In true Black Tusk fashion, the new lineup has expanded their triple-vocal approach to quadruple. “Everyone is doing vocals,” Fidler says. “That’s always been a thing in Black Tusk. Derek said he’d never done heavy vocals before, so I was like, ‘Well, here’s the mic. Here’s some words. Yell at it and see if you like it.’ I was blown away the first time he did it. It sounded good as fuck.”
That’s Lynch on lead single “Brushfire,” a song for which he wrote the main riffs and lyrical concept. “That was my first real contribution to the band,” the bassist says. “Thematically, I wanted the aggressiveness of the lyrics to keep with the idea of pushing forward even when the world is trying to drag you down. The mood of the lyrics needed to match the pulverizing tempo of the song.”
The lyrics for second single “Dance on Your Grave” were written by May, who moved from Savannah to Athens, GA, in the time since Black Tusk’s last album. “It’s about his struggles through Covid and what this lifestyle can do to people,” Fidler says. “It’s about getting past the party lifestyle and continuing to do things that are creative.”
Meanwhile, “Breath of Life” distills Black Tusk’s lyrical philosophy into a righteous five-minute pummeling. “Scary came up with the main riff of this song, and it’s one of my favorite riffs on the record,” Fidler says. “I wrote the lyrics, and it’s just about darkness crushing everything. The world is a fucked-up place that we have to navigate through. That’s what a lot of Black Tusk songs are about.”
Black Tusk recorded The Way Forward at Adams’ own Hidden Audio studio just outside of Savannah. Adams engineered the album and the whole band produced. “I actually helped him build the studio in the detached garage next to his house,” Fidler explains. “Me and my carpentry company went out there to do it, and Scary helped.”
“We had about 90% of the riffs and song structures going into the studio, while still experimenting with ideas and inspirations,” Adams explains. “Sometimes we completely reworked parts, which made all the difference. For example, early versions of ‘Breath of Life’ and ‘The Way Forward’ are quite different than the record, and I love where they ended up. Though we did use a few effects and synths here and there for texture and space, to me this record still feels raw and powerful. It captures the feeling of being at a Black Tusk show.”
The cover art for The Way Forward was done by Brian Mercer, who also created the sleeve for Black Tusk’s 2018 album, T.C.B.T. “T.C.B.T. had a dark cover because it was a dark time for the band,” Fidler says, referring to the period immediately after the passing of their longtime friend and bassist Jonathan Athon. “This time, it’s full blown, full-color Black Tusk. Brian Mercer and James collaborated on the concept, and Brian really knocked it out of the park.”
“The title is kind of a double play,” Fidler says. “It’s the first record with the new lineup, and this is the direction we’re taking the band in. We’ve been doing Black Tusk for 19 years now, and we still love it. That’s why we called it The Way Forward.”
Line-up:
Andrew Fidler: guitar, vocals James May: drums, vocals Derek Lynch: bass, vocals Chris “Scary” Adams: guitar, vocals
Recording Studio Hidden Audio
Producer/sound engineer Chris “Scary” Adams
Mixing studio and engineer Chris “Scary” Adams
Mastering studio and engineer Brad Boatright at Audiosiege
DAMAGED & Co. have released the official music video ‘Carpe Diem’. The track taken from the band’s upcoming album “Life’s Grand Delusion” is due for release on July 19th, 2024 via Wormholedeath.
“Life’s Grand Delusion” is the debut album by the Malta-based alternative/melodic metal outfit DAMAGED & CO. The full-length is composed of eleven tracks (including one instrumental), written in four years, showcasing different influences from metalcore, dark/symphonic, and alternative metal. What makes “Life’s Grand Delusion” so brilliant and unique is the band’s ability to make every song a gem, with a clear identity, and a straight message.
Defying was formed in 2008. Within 15 years of existing they released two records: “Nexus Artificial” (2014, LP) and “The Splinter of Light We Misread” (2016, EP) which include Joy Division “New Dawn Fades” cover. They combine a variety of genres in their music: post- and progressive metal with sludge, black metal and elements or ambient.
Earlier this year, February 23, 2024, Defying released brand new studio album titled “Wadera” which was released by Italian label These Hands Melt (buy CD). Music was self-recorded by Tomasz Semeniuk, and later mixed & mastered by Filip Hałucha at Heinrich House Studio (Azarath, Behemoth, Entropia, Obscure Sphinx). Cover artwork was done by Paweł Siemaszko.
“Wadera” is a concept album inspired by the Polish horror film “The Wolf” (1983) and the short story “Wadera” (1977) by Jerzy Gierałtowski. The album is a musical story about revenge from beyond the grave, told in the spirit of dark romanticism.
After well-received album “Wadera“, Olsztyn post-metal band Defying published a live session where they perform selected songs from the previous-mentioned album.
Tomasz comments: “Just like our music, the form of the recording itself is unusual. Filmed in one continuous take, without cuts or corrections. The authors of the picture are the duo Ćmy i Paprocie: Natalia Semeniuk behind the camera and I, responsible for the lights and post-production of the shots. Szymon Stadniczenko, the band’s guitarist, supervised the sound. The recording may be a foretaste of what the band performs live, and soon you will be able to hear us, among others: at the Summer Dying Loud festival in Aleksandrów Łódzki [PL].“
Loud buzzing is music to the ear of most metalheads. But Megadeth drummer Dirk Verbeuren and guitarist Sylvain Demercastel are so enraged by the sound of chainsaws destroying Costa Rica’s ecosystem that they’ve started Savage Lands, a musician-run 501 (c) 3 non-profit.
Savage Landshaveprotected 60,000 square feet of Costa Rican rainforest using royalties from their music. Next week, they’re planting their ecological flag at Hellfest with a little help from some of their famous friends.
Savage Lands Live at Hellfest (Main Stage 02) Friday, June 28 @ 5:35 – 6:30 pm CEST
Featuring special guests:
– Andreas Kisser (Sepultura) – Shane Embury (Napalm Death) – Vincent Dennis (Body Count) – Daniel de Jongh (Textures) – Silje Wergeland (The Gathering) – Jesper Liveröd (Nasum) – Alejandro Londono Montoya (Cultura tres) – Chloe Trujilo
During their hour-long set at Hellfest, Savage Lands will perform classic metal covers along with other songs off their upcoming album, including new single “No Remedy”, which features Heilung’s Maria Franz.
Watch the chilling video for “No Remedy” on the Season of Mist YouTube channel.
“No Remedy” follows the same approach, though to different results than Savage Land’s firsttwo singles. Sylvain still comes speeding out the gate with another burning riff that will ignite the crowd at Hellfest, but this is the most melodic song they’ve ever written. When the band hit the chorus, the guitars don’t crunch but crest into warm, washed-out power chords.
“That’s one of the beautiful things about Savage Lands”, Sylvain says. “As a band, we’re not limited to just one genre. We can adapt to boost the strengths of whomever is joining us”.
“Supporting what Savage Lands is doing on the ground in Costa Rica was an easy decision” Maria says. After all, Heilung have a tradition of donating to tree planting initiatives. “But when Sylvain sent me ‘No Remedy’, there was a sense of melancholy to the song that really resonated with me”.
Protecting the environment is the heartbeat of every Savage Lands song. “No Remedy” can be seen as a reflection on destroying the planet. The video was shot in an abandoned, run-down building that was once owned by Napoleon. But the song speaks to other human concerns. “I am locked in my head / And I lost the key”, Poun bemoans, his quiet desperation only answered by Maria’s haunting echo (“Never, never now”).
“We are all helpless to stop the passing of time”, Sylvain says. At the end of the video, the band members disappear from the screen, one by one, using an old-school film technique. “Each of us is left with only our memories”.
Still, “No Remedy” does find a silver lining. “What do we need to live together?” Poun and Maria sing, their voices climbing, almost circling each other, before locking into perfect harmony. They might look mad as hell while yelling at each other across the kitchen table, but the whole video crew was in stitches after the sixth take of Maria throwing water on poor Poun. “Whether we’re talking about the environment or our friendships, it’s vital that we appreciate what we have during our time on this earth”, Sylvain says.
Just listening to “No Remedy” helps support Savage Lands. 100% of the song’s royalties fund the musician-run non-profit’s preservation efforts in Costa Rica.
Stop by the Savage Lands booth at Hellfest to learn more about the green zones, nature sanctuaries and other preservation projects that they’re building in Costa Rica. Make a donation and receive the chance to win a one-of-a-kind guitar.
Tracks 1. “The Last Howl” (5:48) [WATCH] 2. “Black Rock Heart” (4:54) [WATCH] 3. “No Remedy” (4:24) [WATCH]
Artists occasionally support causes through donations to organizations. With SAVAGE LANDS, Megadeth drummer Dirk Verbeuren teamed up with his guitar-wielding friend Sylvain Demercastel to create their own US 501(c)3 non-profit.
Savage Lands raises money for reforestation and the creation of sanctuaries free of human destruction in Costa Rica. Using their own royalties, donations and other fundraising efforts, the organization builds nature sanctuaries, establishes green zones and other land preservation projects. They partner with other non-profits, scientists and forest engineers, as well as Decibel Magazine and Season of Mist.
“If you want to make a difference, take action! Our greatest hope with Savage Lands is that it will inspire you to join us, and if you can, to start your own initiative to help preserve animals, forests, and our planet”, says Dirk.
The Anix raw emotional depths in his latest rock single “PANIC“. “PANIC” is the next single off his upcoming album VOLTAGE, due in late 2024 from FiXT.
“PANIC” embodies a rich mix of synth, drums, guitar, and bass to create a sound that is at once expansive and deeply introspective. The track offers listeners a gateway into the artist’s private experiences with sudden anxiety and panic attacks, particularly around performances and public speaking. This release is not just a song but a story of vulnerability and the human condition, revealing the often unseen struggles individuals face while seemingly riding a wave of success.
Detailing the inspiration of “PANIC,” The Anix explains, “‘PANIC’ is written as an internal dialog with myself during unexpected issues I started having with anxiety/panic attacks before a performance or speech. This started happening out of nowhere, with no warning, where I would just lose the ability to manage my breathing, which makes it impossible to speak. All it takes is for this to happen to you once, then the fear of it happening again can trigger it to happen, which creates a downward spiral of events and paranoia.”
The Anix is the alternative / electronic-rock project of Los Angeles artist/producer Brandon Smith. Known for pushing creative boundaries with his genre-blending mix of alternative rock with dark melancholic undertones drenched in an array of synthesizers, The Anix’s music has captured the attention of global editorial curators with prominent features across official playlists from Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Yandex Music, and more. The Anix has received press support from outlets like Revolver, Substream, and Outburn magazines as well as features in TV and video game franchises including Call of Duty, Destiny, Mass Effect, and WWE.
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
