“Feral Earth” is the brooding new album from CURSE ALL KINGS, officially out since yesterday, March 8th 2024 via Breath Sun Bone Blood and Cyclic Law.
The album is now premiering at Transmissions From The Dark. Stream it HERE.
Last week, Cvlt Nation hosted an exclusive premiere of the opening track “As the Spirits Watch Over Us, We Reciprocate” at THIS LOCATION.
“Feral Earth”, the third full length from Berlin’s CURSE ALL KINGS (and second shared with Cyclic Law) celebrates the expansion of the collective around B.S.s. (Common Eider King Eider) to include Fabian Van Beek (Kluizenaer, Lavvra, Hagiophobic), Bryan Bray (Gates, Sutekh Hexen collaborator) and Edie (La Haine, Common Eider King Eider collaborator). And with these extraordinary collaborators, each soaked in their own personal worlds of dark ambience and black metal, the third chapter of CURSE ALL KINGS unfolds with suffocating fury and wrath.
The arrangements move from almost inaudible ritualistic hums and murmurs, through patient and methodical ritual repetitions, into furious abstracted atmospheres of blackened noise and black metal.
What few finger holds the organic drones and compositions offer in the quieter arrangements of “Feral Earth” quickly burn away with searing guitar lines stretched, distorted and disfigured almost beyond recognition… Only hints, memories, and the echoes of shadows remain.
Pummelling doom drums and apocalyptic blast beats suggest movement and coherence, but that mask is quickly removed to show its true face of chaos and hopelessness.
When the sonic themes and vocal offerings on these arrangements are more present, they are heartbroken and crushed by the weight of the world… trampled and cast aside.
Yet within all of this insurmountable despair, there is a sense of beauty and hope. Like witnessing a hungry fox walk the filthy inner city streets at 4 AM.. It looks up at you, feral and defiant.
Tracklist:
01. As the Spirits Watch Over Us, We Reciprocate 02. Ünmaal 03. Wounds of Land and Body 04. Feral Spirits Rise! 05. As the Earth Holds You 06. The Veil Between the Forest and Glade
Finnish melancholic melodic death metal band Beyond The Hate released their anticipated debut album Darkest Times yesterday, March 8th 2024 via Inverse Records.
The band’s debut album contains even more atmospheric and melancholic songs compared to the band’s previous releases. More orchestral and choir elements, as well as acoustic guitars, were also added to the songs to create a more atmospheric feel. Album includes 12 tracks and has also feature guest vocalists Katri Hiovain-Asikainen of Numento on “Black Within” and Jaakko Mäntymaa of Marianas Rest on “In Memoriam”.
“The process of creating Darkest Times -album has been a long one, with the very first demos for the album being completed in 2018 and the compositions were finished in spring 2021, then moving on to the actual pre-production phase. So the material has been carefully thought out and refined over time. The album mainly deals with the darkness and death that we have encountered around us over the years. The album is dedicated to all those we have lost along the way. You will be missed.”
Beyond The Hate’s beginnings date back to the summer of 2016, when guitarist Kimmo Perälehto and bassist Mikko Monto started writing songs together. Second guitarist Jyrki Karhu joined in early autumn and singer Niko Kalinainen in late 2016. The band was officially founded in 2017, when Tommy Uhtio took over the drumming duties and the first practice sessions were held.
In the beginning, the band’s songs were more straightforward metal but in late 2018, the band started to find their musical direction in melodic death metalsuch, as an good example the single “This Cold Morning” was released in 2019. In 2018 and 2019, the band participated in the Emergenza Finland band competitions, reaching the finals at the both times.
The first taste of the new style came with the 2020 EP “Betrayal Of Time”, which received good reviews and created expectations for the band’s future. – Miika Manninen / Metalliluola 2020: “Beyond the Hate’s name is worth remembering for the future, because you can expect a lot from the next release.”. – The band also participated in the 2022 Tuska-Torstai competition, reaching the semi-finals.
After the songs on the EP, the band focused on writing even more atmospheric and melancholic songs. More orchestral and choir elements were added to the songs, as well as acoustic guitar playing to create a new melodic mood. From this creative process came the twelve-track debut album “Darkest Times”, which will be released in March 2024 via Inverse Records. The album will also feature guest vocalists Katri Hiovain-Asikainen from Numento on “Black Within” and Jaakko Mäntymaa from Marianas Rest on “In Memoriam”.
Line-up: Niko Kalinainen – vocals Kimmo Perälehto – guitars Jyrki Karhu – guitars Mikko Monto – bass Tommy Uhtio – drums
Billy Morrison announces the exciting “Vive Le Hollywood” Contest, powered by dCommunity, to celebrate the release of his latest single, “CRACK COCAINE,” with the extraordinary talents of Ozzy Osbourne and Steve Stevens. Get ready to immerse yourself in the electrifying essence of Hollywood, where creativity knows no bounds. Join us in this unparalleled celebration of music and artistry. Don’t miss the chance to be part of something extraordinary—Vive Le Hollywood!
“Dennis at TLG|ZOID and the guys at dCommunity have gone above and beyond with this contest! Not only are they flying winners into Los Angeles, but they have added a much needed charity component and somehow tied it all up with a point-driven bow – the more you do, the bigger the chances you have of winning. I cannot thank them enough for this kind of support and I fully support everything they are doing in this unique space,” says Morrison.
dCommunity, a web3 technology service provider, is proud to partner with The Label Group to bring the latest and best new engagement solutions to an industry that boasts the world’s greatest fans. With TLGs new management models and the dCommunity tech offerings, we are planning out a series of exciting rollouts both fans and sponsors will love. First up is The Morrison Project Charity Auction combining great music, fans, tech and charity in a fun promotion with a great cause. Early sign up is live. Stay tuned for details and follow our socials or join one of the early signup links.
Billy’s collaboration with Ozzy Osbourne & Steve Stevens “Crack Cocaine” will be released Thursday March 21st.
Billy Morrison unveiled his inaugural single, “Drowning,” a compelling preview of his upcoming solo album, ‘THE MORRISON PROJECT,’ scheduled for release on April 19, 2024, through TLG|ZOID / Virgin Music Group. The accompanying music video, skillfully directed by Devin Szell and produced by Blue Chair Productions, captures the essence of the song and was filmed in Los Angeles.
The single can be heard on SiriusXM’s Octane & Ozzy’s Bon eyard.
STREAM “Drowning” HERE – WATCH the Official Music VideoHERE
THE MORRISON PROJECT was produced by Billy Morrison, mixed by Barry Pointer, and mastered by Dave Donnelly. The songs on the album were recorded in Los Angeles at various studios and were written by Billy Morrison in collaboration with his guests.
The Label Group (TLG) has embarked on a significant partnership with TLG | ZOID, which is distributed by Virgin Music Group, to promote Billy Morrison’s upcoming solo album, “The Morrison Project.” This collaboration marks the establishment of TLG | ZOID as the new Rock arm within The Label Group’s family of labels. “The Morrison Project”is set to be released on April 19, 2024, and features a diverse range of guest artists, including Ozzy Osbourne, Billy Idol, DMC, Al Jourgensen, Steve Vai, Steve Stevens, Linda Perry, Tommy Clufetos, JOHN5, and more. The album aims to showcase Morrison’s songwriting prowess and creative vision, offering a multi-genre musical experience.
In addition to this musical endeavor, TLG has formed a strategic alliance with dCommunity to pioneer a fan-centric and artist-focused community within the metaverse, leveraging blockchain technology. This innovative approach aims to enhance fan engagement and interaction in the Web 3 community, positioning “The Morrison Project” as a showcase for these new technologies.
The British guitarist, singer, and songwriter is primarily known as Billy Idol’s rhythm guitar player for the past 15 years alongside lead guitarist Steve Stevens, has expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership with TLG, highlighting the importance of a record deal that respects the artist’s creative freedom and ensures widespread distribution across all platforms. This collaboration not only signifies a forward-thinking move in the music industry but also aligns with the evolving landscape of entertainment, where the integration of digital and virtual spaces is becoming increasingly prevalent.
THE MORRISON PROJECT – BILLY MORRISON
DROWNING (Billy Morrison, Erik Eldenius, Jeordie White) Produced by Billy Morrison – Mixed by Barry Pointer
CRACK COCAINE (Featuring Ozzy Osbourne and Steve Stevens) (Billy Morrison, Ozzy Osbourne, Steve Stevens) Produced by Billy Morrison and Steve Stevens – Mixed by Barry Pointer
IT’S COME TO THIS (Billy Morrison, Erik Eldenius) Produced by Billy Morrison and Erik Eldenius – Mixed by Barry Pointer
THE AYES HAVE IT (Featuring Al Jourgensen and John 5) (Billy Morrison) Produced by Billy Morrison – Mixed by Barry Pointer
DYSTOPIA (Billy Morrison, Erik Eldenius, Jeordie White) Produced by Billy Morrison – Mixed by Barry Pointer
INCITE THE WATCH (Featuring Corey Taylor and Steve Vai) (Billy Morrison, Erik Eldenius, Jeordie White, Corey Taylor) Produced by Billy Morrison and Erik Eldenius – Mixed by Barry Pointer
PUPPETS ON A STRING (Billy Morrison, Erik Eldenius, Jeordie White) Produced by Billy Morrison – Mixed by Barry Pointer
JUST LIKE A MOVIE (Featuring D.M.C. and Persia Numan) (Billy Morrison, Erik Eldenius, Jeordie White, Darryl McDaniels, Persia Numan) Produced by Billy Morrison – Mixed by Barry Pointer
THE SOUND OF FREEDOM (Billy Morrison, Erik Eldenius, Jeordie White) Produced by Billy Morrison – Mixed by Barry Pointer
MR. DREAM (Featuring Billy Idol and Steve Stevens) (Billy Morrison, Erik Eldenius, Jeordie White, Steve Stevens, Billy Idol) Produced by Billy Morrison and Steve Stevens – Mixed by Barry Pointer
WE ARE THE DEAD (Billy Morrison, Erik Eldenius, Jeordie White) Produced by Billy Morrison – Mixed by Barry Pointer
CHASING SHADOWS (Featuring Linda Perry) (Billy Morrison) Produced by Billy Morrison – Mixed by Barry Pointer
After the success of their debut release ‘Future In The Sky’ reaching #8 in the official U.K singles chart, the SAHAJi boys are back with something a little more edgy, new single ‘Tell Me All Your Feelings’. You can still expect the big anthemic choruses, but the verses are a lot more direct. ‘we are about to open a new door’…indeed.
The song starts with their trademark melodic guitar licks and after a brief verse it’s straight into the catchy chorus, something that SAHAJi do so effortlessly. Written in December 2020 after a fight between the SAHAJi brothers a year before, the personal message of ‘Tell Me All Your Feelings’ got the boys back together as a band and they have been flying ever since.
Lead singer Shotaro says ‘I was going through a time when I had to make a big decision in my personal life, and my heart was shaken. This song expresses my desire to break through such a state of mind and dive into a new world. It became a song that encouraged me’.
The video for Tell Me All Your Feelings was recorded on location amidst the bright lights of Soho. The fast-paced video captures the brothers happily back playing music together.
Tell Me All Your Feelings is now available to stream on all digital and is available now as a physical release on the Future In The Sky E.P.
Firebrand Swedish rockers BLUES PILLS return with a long-awaited kick-ass new album ‘BIRTHDAY’ to be released August 2nd, 2024 on Throwdown Entertainment / BMG.
The title track ‘Birthday’ is out today as a single on streaming platforms. The single will also be released as a limited edition 12” vinyl for Record Store Day this 20th April 2024.
The song ‘Birthday’ tells the tale of an incident that took place on tour in Mexico on singer Elin Larsson’s birthday. She invited the whole band and crew out to celebrate her birthday and things turned sour when a waiter decided to ruin her birthday. Elin recalls: “I don’t know what the f**k this guy was thinking or doing, but he took liberties and crossed personal boundaries acting in a very disrespectful way.”
When the band got home, they wrote the new single ‘Birthday’. “It has some humour to it”, states Elin “The first verse of the song is written from the perspective of the aggressor, but this is not a song to feel like a victim to, this is a shit-kicker of a tune with a f**k you attitude to get wild to.”
About the new album – also named “Birthday” – Blues Pills say this: “With this album we truly let ourselves be free, leaving all the boundaries and expectations behind to write music we love. We wanted to capture the raw and authentic feeling from when we play live on an album yet pushing ourselves to create and write the best work we’ve ever done. Elin was pregnant during the recordings, and what isn’t more rock’n’roll than that? To create human life and music.”
Elin found out she was pregnant while writing this album, recording the songs often feeling like she was gifted more energy and a new sense of freedom by her growing son inside her, as she laid the vocal tracks down. Furthermore, it strengthened Blues Pills as a whole in their conception of being a feminist band, firmly grounded in mutual respect and standing up for themselves and each other.
As Elin puts it: “I need to do this for myself and for other mothers, so they don’t abandon their own passions after becoming mums. It’s going to take time to combine the two worlds I love, but I can only think it will do my son Loui good to experience other cultures, countries and music. I really think it’s important that I can do this. To empower other women, and to meet this new state proudly and enjoy.”
The band’s feminist stance has also been a natural progression, drawing on the lived experience of the band online and while touring. Adds Elin: “A lot of the years I’ve been taking shit for being a woman in rock’n’roll.Zack sees it all first hand and it gives a new perspective. For everyone in the band it’s a constant driver.” And Zack stresses: “We support each other. It’s always been, since the beginning 12 years ago Zack & Elin. We’ve seen it all.”
(“Birthday” – Single Cover)
The unassuming Swedes may seem softly spoken, laid back even nerdy at home, curating their vinyl collection or walking in rural Sweden’s snowy landscapes with their dogs. But on stage the band erupt into modern rock magma. Increasingly known for the strength of their powerful live show guitarist Zack Anderson notes: “There’s been a natural progression with us levelling up our stage presence, Elin is fearless now, jumping around, powerstances, crowdsurfing, full of fire.”
Sometimes Brody Dalle other times more Janis Joplin, Elin Larsson delivers raw, effortless charisma with stellar rich vocals throughout the new record. Accompanied by Zack Anderson on guitar, André Kvarnström on drums and Kristoffer Schander on bass supplying infectious grooves that just won’t quit. The band let the melody and Elin’s vocals shine, while encouraging the jumbo-sized hooks to thread through the eleven tracks, mainly produced by Grammy-nominated Freddy Alexander, creating a career defining record full of beauty, fire and swagger.
BIRTHDAY – Tracklist: 1. Birthday 2. Don’t You Love it 3. Bad Choices 4. Top Of The Sky 5. Like A Drug 6. Piggyback Ride 7. Holding Me Back 8. Somebody Better 9. Shadows 10. I Don’t Wanna Get Back On That Horse Again 11. What Has This Life Done To You
Morten Veland (SIRENIA, MORTEMIA and founder of TRISTANIA) released the seventh Mortemia song from ‘The Covid Aftermath Sessions’ today. The track is entitled ‘Samurai’ and features Marina La Torraca from the bands Exit Eden & Phantom Elite on guest vocals. The song is a cover version by the artist, producer and songwriter Michael Cretu. It’s available on all digital platforms as of today, the 8thof March 2024.
“I’m proud and honoured to welcome Marina La Torraca from Exit Eden and Phantom Elite as my special guest for ‘The Covid Aftermath Sessions’. The song that we have done together is a cover version of one of my favourite producers outside the metal genre; Michael Cretu. The song we have chosen is called ‘Samurai’, and this is also the first time I release a song in the German language. Marina did an amazing performance on our version of Samurai, and I found it awesome that we could do this song in German. There is an English version of the song as well, but Marina and I both preferred to do the German version for our collaboration. I feel truly privileged and thankful to have Marina on board this project, the song is now available on all digital platforms.”
Marina La Torraca:
„When Morten reached out to me about it, I was stoked. Many of my talented colleagues have collaborated with him on his super cool project called Mortemia, and I know he means business! But the choice of song is what caught me right away: Morten wanted to cover the German version of “Samurai”, which I found super unusual – and I looove unusual! He also had no idea that despite of being Brazilian, He also had no idea that I actually live in Germany. So that was a pretty funny coincidence! A couple of months later, here we are: we both put quite some workinto this track, so I hope everyone enjoys this metalized tribute to this 80’s masterpiece.“
After 11 years of silence Norwegian multi-instrumentalist, producer and artist Morten Veland activated his solo project Mortemia during the early stages of the Covid 19 pandemic, this time with a brand new concept consisting of collaborations with multiple guest singers. ‘The Pandemic Pandemonium Sessions’ was a series of singles released on a monthly basis, each song featuring a well known and highly profiled guest singer from the metal scene. Now he is ready to endeavor on the next project entitled ‘The Covid Aftermath Sessions’, once more the project will feature multiple amazing guest singers.
So far the following singers has contributed for his collaborations:
Madeleine Liljestam (Eleine) Marcela Bovio (Stream of Passion, Ayreon, MaYaN, Dark Horse White Horse) Alessia Scolletti (Temperance, ERA) Liv Kristine (Liv Kristine, ex-Theatre of Tragedy, ex-Leaves Eyes) Melissa Bonny (Ad Infinitum, The Dark Side of the Moon) Brittney Slayes (Unleash the Archers) Maja Shining (Forever Still) Erica Ohlsson (Metalite) Heidi Parviainen (Dark Sarah, ex Amberian Dawn) Zora Cock (Blackbriar) Linda Toni Grahn (Anima Veil, ex Follow the Cipher) Caterina Nix (Chaos Magic) Federica Lanna (Volturian) Ulli Perhonen (ex-Snow White Blood) Ambre Vourvahis (Xandria) Fabienne Erni (Eluveitie, Illumishade) Lindy-Fay Hella (Wardruna) Margarita Monet (Edge of Paradise) Marina La Torraca (Exit Eden, Phantom Elite)
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
