Italian blackened deathcore band DROWN IN SULPHUR have released a video for ‘Lotus’, third single taken from the new album ‘Dark Secrets of the Soul’ to be released on January 12th via Scarlet Records.
Perfectly balanced between modern, razor-sharp deathcore brutality & bone-chilling 90s black metal atmospheres, the new Drown In Sulphur album is a collection of violent and melodic dark songs that introduces the listener to an esoteric experience, touching the deepest and most controversial aspects of the human soul.
Sharing the stage with genre’s titans like Whitechapel, Carnifex, Rings Of Saturn, Aversion Crown and I Declare War gave Drown In Sulphur the opportunity to become a well-oiled live unit and further develop their own stylistic approach at the same time.
‘Dark Secrets of the Soul’ is an introspective journey in search of man’s spiritual elevation, taking as reference the image of the “vampire communion”, alternating anger, despair and rebellion and moving on to more fragile moments until the very final redemption.
produced, mixed and mastered by Filippo Rambelli; recorded by Filippo Rambelli and Alex Pedrotti
cover & artwork by Alvaro Valverde/Av Art Ilustracion (Unanimated, Wythersake, Night Crowned)
aesthetically inspired by the 90’s most famous vampire-themed books and movies
for fans of Behemoth, Dimmu Borgir, Septicflesh, Lorna Shore, Thy Art Is Murder, Type O Negative
DROWN IN SULPHUR: Chris Lombardo “Christ” – vocals, guitar Emanuele Corso “Dimitryux” – guitar Daniele Posillipo “Blacklight” – guitar Domenico Francesco Tamilia “Darth” – drums, backing vocals
Album cover photo by Jason Bridges – Single illustration by Troy Redfern
Invocation is the name of the exhilarating and highly anticipated brand-new 11-track album from slide guitar virtuoso Troy Redfern. The album, released by RED7 Records on Friday 17th May 2024, will be available in limited edition coloured vinyl, black vinyl, plus two different CD artwork designs. All formats are available to pre-order fromwww.troyredfern.com.
The third single from the album “The Strange” is released Thursday 4 January 2024 and is available to stream HERE.
“It’s a hell of a ride and, if it doesn’t get the adrenaline flowing, you may want to check your pulse.” – Sonic Abuse
“Troy at his rockiest yet, the pace leaving you breathless, as the sheer energy blows you away.” – Metal Planet Music
“Redfern mixes the spirit of T. Rex’s Get It On with dirty, ZZ Top-esque blues rock – all of it nicely roughened, like something cooked up in a shack in rural Texas…” – Classic Rock
“With a classic rock vibe, Redfern owns this blues-infused rocker with gritty vocals. A rockstar in the making, he burns up the fretboard with fiery slide guitar chops.” – Rock and Blues Muse
Says Troy, “The Strange is about the realisation that a relationship is falling apart in slow motion. Despite how difficult it may seem to break away, it’s about the sense that life is slipping by is an ever-present feeling.”
“The Strange” explodes with bold, powerful guitars and a slide guitar melody that suggests we’re not in Kansas anymore. This is blues rock, but not as we know it. Troy is known for taking his disparate array of influences and throwing them into his fiery musical furnace to forge something that is both authentic and unique. “The Strange” is no exception! Sure, there are elements of blues, glam, and hard rock but the result is a sound that is unmistakeably his own. Everything recorded is organic. No drum samples or studio trickery, just pure, unadulterated rock ‘n’ roll.
Troy has proved time and time again that his cup of inspiration is not only full, but runneth over, writing and release albums at an unprecedented pace and judging by the strength of “The Strange” and the two previous singles “Getaway” and “The Fever,” the new album Invocation, promises to be his best yet.
Over the course of last two albums The Fire Cosmic (2021) and Wings of Salvation (2022) Troy found his true voice stylistically in terms of writing and playing, but with Invocation he created a collection of outstanding new songs that carves out his own identity as to who he really is an artist.
Troy head to the west Wales coast with his trusty 1929 National Triolian resonator guitar for a week of solitude in a remote Sheppard’s hut to sketch the initial song ideas for the new album.
“It was important for me to really clear my mind of all distractions so I could really focus on what I wanted to write on this album and the direction I wanted to take it in.” says Troy.
“I tried some unorthodox approaches to song writing that included meditation where I would imagine hearing a song in my mind, as complete as possible including visualising the performance live. Next, I would pick up the guitar and capture the idea on my phone. That way I wasn’t led by what I would usually do when I pick up the guitar. It was a very freeing, powerful experience, and a discipline that I’ll use again to write more songs in the future.
For the new album, Troy decided that he’d bring back the production team that worked on The Wings of Salvation. Dave Marks was brought back again for production duties, along with Jo Webb for mixing and mastering. Lee Russel’s Dulcitone Studios in Kettering was again the logical choice to record Paul Stewart’s (The Feeling) drum tracks as the converted chapel has the perfect ambience for huge sounding rock drums.
Due to the streamlined process that Troy and producer Dave Marks employed on the previous album, Invocation was written, recorded, and mixed in just under six weeks.
“It really was great to be able to realise and bring to fruition these songs as quickly as we did,” recalls Troy. “It kept the ideas fresh and stopped them from becoming overworked and tired.”
With ‘Invocation’ Troy explores fresh musical territory, from the heavy, bone crushing slide riffs and big sing along choruses on “Van Helsing” and “Getaway” to the evocative, wind-swept western landscapes of “The Native” and “Blind Me.” After three albums in three years Troy continues to expand his musical horizons and keep his creative fire burning.
ALBUM TRACK BY TRACK THE STRANGE The opening tune on the record explodes with a soaring slide motif that conjures up elements of 70’s glam, blues but with a unique melodic spin. I wanted to make a bold musical statement with this song. I condensed a lot of ideas that I had for this one down to simple, memorable lines to make it as strong as I could. This song really is a melting pot of a lot of my influences from the past forged into something new.
GETAWAY This song is straight up rock ‘n’ roll. I’d just bought a 60’s Teisco guitar, I restrung it, plugged it in and this was the first riff that came out of it.’ Continues Troy ‘It’s strange how different instruments almost have songs in them, there to be revealed when the time is right. Getaway deals with themes of starting over, being reborn after going through the trials of life.
VAN HELSING The deceptively quiet resonator intro soon gives way to one of the biggest guitar riffs on the record. Van Helsing is a powerhouse of a song, dark and brooding until the chorus breaks through to reveal one of the biggest choruses on the album. With Van Helsing I wanted to explore a heavier, darker aspect of my writing. I’ve always loved the vibe of heavy riffs, and this certainly is that. To me the chorus is one of the strongest choruses that I’ve written, I worked hard on the harmonies to nail the vibe I was looking for.
THE CALLING I’ve always wanted to write a slow motion, epic kind of a tune. The Calling was a song that was born out of that desire. This song is about escaping the technological net we all live in, and to get out into the wilderness to reset and get perspective on what’s important in life.
NATIVE This track fades into a western post-apocalyptic western audio landscape, with tribal drums and tremolo guitar setting the scene. This song was another that seem to just fall out. I plugged in the ’62 Silvertone Jupiter guitar and started playing and the idea formed completely organically in the moment. It feels very special when that happens, and now that it’s been road tested, I know that audiences are picking up on the vibe of this track.’
THE FEVER This is a slide guitar blues barn-buster with subtle nuances of rock, glam and psychedelia. Lyrically, itdeals with themes of emancipation and breaking out. It’s Troy Redfern full-circle blues rock and roll! The Fever is about pushing back and breaking through all the obstacles when you’re feeling held down. It’s about feeling as if it’s you against the world. ALL NIGHT LONG Coming out of the gates hard and fast like a Dodge Charger, All Night Long combines hard rock ‘n’ roll with slide guitar fury! When I wrote this song, I always imagined it a set opener. It’s got power and edge, but also a big sing along chorus’ states Troy. ‘For this track I decided to my trusty Fender Strat which has a different texture to my other guitars, it gave the song a unique sound.
BLIND ME Blind Me is a song about the dark side of love. It’s about finding out things aren’t what they seemed, and the brutal reality of finding out the truth. This is the first time that I’ve strayed into ‘country’ territory, I usually like to leave it well alone, but again this song came to me with its style locked in. Once I’d recorded the initial idea, I knew what this song was asking to be.
VOODOO PRIESTESS A voodoo hellraiser of a blues boogie coated in Tiki/psychobilly paraphernalia. Voodoo Priestess is a tale of coming under the spell of a temptress who uses otherworldly powers to ensnare her victim. Resistance is futile, because as we know, the female of the species is more deadly than the male.
TAKE ME HIGH This straight ahead, upbeat rocker celebrates the power of the endorphin rush of new love. Muscular slide riffs syncopate the verses adding to the intensity of the delivery but also contrasting the uplifting openness of the chorus. The verse on this song came first, initially as a nod to Bo Diddley, but soon morphed into its own thing. I’d had the chorus melody floating around for some time and it seemed just to snap into place with this one.
THE LAST STAND The closing tracking track on the album was originally written to a drum loop to create a hypnotic groove which is re-enforced by the repeating guitar line played on the ’64 Teisco guitar. The song deals in themes of revenge and vengeance and plays out like an old western movie. There’s a slightly mysterious vibe on this track, a sense of uneasiness which is echoed in the eastern style slide solo.
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Produced by Dave Marks at Two Wolves Studios Mixed and mastered by Jo Webb at XXX Studios Drums recorded at Dulcitone Studios by Lee Russel
Troy Redfern – Vocals/Guitars Dave Marks – Bass, Keys, Percussion Paul Stewart – Drums
Nova Scotian rock band DALI VAN GOGH pays heartfelt homage to the legendary Myles Goodwyn with a heartfelt rendition of the timeless April Wine classic, “Roller.” The band’s musical tribute stands as a testament to Goodwyn’s enduring legacy and the profound influence he had on the Canadian music landscape.
In a gesture of shared compassion, Dali Van Gogh invites friends, fans, and the wider community to join them in supporting a cause that holds personal significance to Goodwyn family—Juvenile Diabetes Research. Encouraging donations to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), the band hopes to amplify awareness for juvenile diabetes and contribute to ongoing efforts to find a cure.
To contribute to this cause or for more information, please visit the JDRF website – www.jdrf.ca.
The video, which includes biographical information about the late Goodwyn, is available below:
Extreme metallists SECOND SHOOTER are readying the release of their latest effort – a brutal full-length debut entitled Fury Made Flesh, which arrives on January 19, 2024 via Into Records. The culmination of five years of work for the band – vocalist Melanie Johnson, guitarists Travis Hildreth and Wynn McElwee, bassist Jeff Clark, and drummer Jim Wilinski – was inspired by the craziness going on around the world and in their own lives during recent times.
With all the band members contributing to the writing of the music and lyrics for the album (which arrives in the wake of two earlier EP’s, Second Shooter and What Was Left Behind), the tracks were recorded by the band in their studio – with Jim acting as engineer during tracking, and Jeff then mixing and mastering the album.
The album title Fury Made Flesh is taken from the lyrics of the song “Bringer of Death” about the Hindu goddess Kali, who was also the inspiration for the cover art (created by illustrator David Paul Seymour). Tracks like “Diana the Huntress”, “Protect and Serve”, “Caged”, “Gold Plated Pervert”, and “For All the Parasites” are topical songs, while “Bleeding Ear”, “Set Adrift”, and “Suffocate Eternal” delve into personal trauma. “Palm Reader” and the aforementioned “Bringer of Death” veer into the supernatural to round out the album.
The end result is an album that the band is excited about and that shows who they are today as a band and as musicians. “Much of the previous material we released was partly written by past members of the band,” explains the band. “But Fury Made Flesh is the five of us working together to challenge ourselves as artists as we connect with an ever-growing audience. We pull together influences from groove metal, hardcore, death metal, thrash, progressive metal, and even a pinch of doom to make something that is uniquely us.”
“As dedicated metal fans ourselves, our goal has always been to perform music that makes people want to move. Second Shooter gives live performances our all, feeding our audiences our energy while feeding off theirs in return. Our overarching ethos is ‘No gimmicks, no bullshit, just metal.”
FURY MADE FLESH TRACKLIST:
1. Protect and Serve 2. Diana the Huntress 3. Palm Reader 4. Bringer of Death 5. Suffocate Eternal 6. Gold Plated Pervert 7. Bleeding Ear 8. Set Adrift 9. Caged 10. For All the Parasites
And on the same date as the album’s release, the band will be hitting the road in support of Fury Made Flesh, as they will be touring with Go Ahead and Die on the Unhealthy Mechanisms Tour alongside Body Box – beginning on the 19th in Tucson, and wrapping up on the 28th in Houston.
TOUR DATES:
1/19/24 Tucson, AZ @ The Rock 1/20/24 El Paso, TX @ RockHouse Bar & Grill 1/21/24 Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad 1/23/24 Lubbock, TX @ Jake’s 1/24/24 Oklahoma City, OK @ 89th Street 1/25/24 Dallas, TX. @Trees 1/26/24 Austin, TX @ Come And Take It Live! 1/27/24 Corpus Christi, TX @ House of Rock 1/28/24 Houston, TX @ Scout Bar
Tonight, some lucky earthlings will be able to see the Quadrantid meteor shower. Against a blackened sky, this shower can produce more than 100 meteors, if only for a brief moment.
To commemorate this cosmic occurrence, DARKSPACE have reissued their entire catalogue through Season of Mist. Hear how the mysterious Swiss band have pioneered cosmic, ambient, black metal over the course of their six releases.
Now availableon CD and vinylwith new artwork Dark Space -I Dark Space I Dark Space II Dark Space III Dark Space III I
The next Darkspace transmission, Dark Space -II, comes out February 16th, 2024.
Hear a sneak peek of “Dark -2.-2”:
DARKSPACE was founded by Wroth, Zorgh and Zhaaral in 1999 in Berne (Switzerland).
In two decades, four albums and an EP were released: Dark Space -I to Dark Space III I. The band rarely appeared live.
In 2019 Zorgh quit while the band was awarded the Music Prize of the Canton of Berne for the creation of their soundscapes and their atmospheric performances.
In 2022 Yhs joined Wroth and Zhaaral to complete the three again.
Iranian metal band initially known as Demonic Ritual came into existence in 2013 when vocalist Mani Kewmars founded the group. After navigating numerous lineup changes and releasing two demo tapes, Nima Kewmars, the vocalist’s younger brother, joined as the lead guitarist and primary songwriter.
The entry of the Mottaghi brothers—Farhad on rhythm guitar and Faramarz on drums—prompted a renaming of the band to WAR ANGEL.
In 2017, they marked their presence with the debut album Symphony of War.
Their second album, Tales of the Damned, released in 2020, showcased a shift in musical style and lyrical content compared to their debut work.
The album’s lead single, “Tomb of the Pharaoh,” caught the attention of notable artists like Gary Holt, leading to his support of the band by sharing the song’s music video on social media. This was a monumental moment as the band had long idolized Exodus and Generation Kill since childhood. Subsequently, the band established contact with Rob Youells and Rob Dukes.
“Getting to know Mani and War Angel has reminded me what this music can mean to people. Having so much creative fire in their gut, its amazing what they have accomplished with such limited resources. It’s like those organisms that not only survive, but thrive in boiling temperatures near volcanic vents in the ocean. They formed their band in a most inhospitable environment, but in spite of that, these songs and this video have come into existence. It’s all very impressive and inspiring. The bridge between worlds having Dukes in the mix is crazy cool,” says Rob Youells, drummer for Generation Kill.
In a heartwarming display of solidarity, War Angel collaborated with Rob Dukes on “Armageddon,” both a song and a music video that embodies a powerful message: “We’re Standing Side by Side, Brotherhood of Man!”
“‘Armageddon’ was a dream come true for me. As a child I grew up with heavy metal music because my father was a metalhead. We were always cast away and ridiculed for that in this country, but no matter what we endured. Bands like Iron maiden, Exodus, Slayer, Metallica and mercyful fate shaped who I am and, later on, Generation Kill in my teenage years had a great influence on me because I really liked Mr Dukes’ albums with exodus in both lyrical and musical themes the most. So, when I first talked with Rob Youells it was like a dream. leading to a conversation about Rob Dukes’ alleged dislike for the Middle East. Youells dispelled the misconception, highlighting the Dukes’ compassionate nature while expressing his aversion to politics and war crimes. In a beautiful gesture of peace, Mr Dukes agreed to do guest vocals on a War Angel song, and we immediately began writing the song and lyrics. The song is about the importance of mankind being united against the common problems like pollution, social media addiction, war, poverty and being controlled by the governments through the media. The song was recorded, and Mr Dukes delivered the vocals, which were on fire! Then we recorded the music video and Mr Dukes provided us with footages of himself singing. An indescribable feeling! Now the song is out, and we just want people to hear it, because we worked really hard for it, and it’s our only dream and goal right now. We made this song in the most harsh environment and in the most horrible time, with so many obstacles and difficulties that will bring everyone down, we endured and pushed through to make it happen. It’s everything we are now. Everything we ever had. Everything we wanted to be,” Says the band’s vocalist Mani Kewmars.
Rob Dukes adds, “It was an honor to work with War Angel from Iran on the song ‘Armageddon’. They are a great band playing metal in one of the most oppressive environments on Earth, yet they keep moving forward, regardless of the continual prospect of prison, or worse. They come from a dire situation and it’s inspiring. I only hope one day, somehow, I can join them onstage somewhere and play it live with them. They are what metal music stands for – giving the finger to the establishment of oppressors!”
War Angel’s musical style encompasses various subgenres of metal, blending high-pitched epic vocals of heavy metal with the relentless riffs of thrash metal and the impactful breakdowns of metalcore.
Facing challenging circumstances in a country where metal is prohibited, and where authorities persecute metalheads, the band exhibited resilience. Despite the risks—including potential danger to their lives—stemming from a government with strict religious beliefs, the band persists in their passion for metal music, driven by their sole desire to be heard.
Operating with minimal to no budget, the band self-recorded and produced all their songs and music videos, showcasing their dedication amidst adversity.
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
Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 