ARTEFUCKT will release their new studio album “Ethik” on October 13th via Metalville Records.
“Ethics”…the recurring question:
What should I do? Omnipresent! Especially in this day and age, the constant question about the ethical principle is particularly present. What is right, what is wrong? Am I allowed to do this or not? Now or later?
“Ethics” can confidently be described as the most multi-faceted, modern and freshest ARTEFUCKT album to date. Honest, genuine and authentic, like every release so far by the band founded by André Donay in Rheinberg in 2015.
The pre-production for “Ethik” began at the beginning of this year. However, it was interrupted by the sudden death of drummer Ulrich Cichy, as it was emotionally impossible to think about continuing work for the time being.
After the funeral André wrote the song “Abendmahl” in memory of Uli, which helped to overcome the emotional bridge and to resume work on the new album.
“Ethics” was finally recorded in June of this year in the “Illuminiated Music Studio” of producer Jörg Wartmann and in the “Soundart Recording Studio” of Alexander Lysjakow. Among other things, the drums were recorded in the latter. This part was taken over by Martin Winde after Uli’s death.
Like all previous ARTEFUCKT albums, “Ethik” reflects a period of life, processes experiences, reflects, looks ahead, dreams, laughs, cries, loves, hates, shares, inserts, delights, mourns, encourages…is simply full of emotions and life.
TRACK LISTING
01 – Intro 02 – Der erste Schritt 03 – Lauf 04 – Lasst uns 05 – Kalifornien 06 – Alles was war 07 – Gegen den Rest 08 – Lasst uns Part II 09 – Abendmahl 10 – Zurück ins Glück 11 – Kosmos 12 – An deiner Seite 13 – Leck mich! 14 – Wir waren jung 15 – Himmelszelt
Bonus Track: 16 – Stop War
LINE UP André Donay – vocals / guitar Sven Goldschmidt – guitar Kevin Ricken – bass
British progressive melodic rock AOR band ATLAS are pleased to announce the release of their second single You’re Not Alonetaken from their highly anticipated third studio album Built To Last. The new single is released Friday 11 August and is available from Spotify, Apple Music, and Deezer HERE.
Watch the official music video for You’re Not Alone on YouTube HERE.
The new album, released by Metalapolis Records on Friday 20th October,is available to pre-order HERE.
“You’re Not Alone was one of the first songs written for the album,” says James Thorley, the founding member and keyboard player of ATLAS. “It’s about coming out of lockdown and overcoming difficulties, depression, and the general unknown that most of us felt during that time. It’s got a radio friendly approach, but we didn’t hold back with the big anthemic chorus.”
ATLAS is comprised of five musicians, Craig Wells (lead vocals), James Thorley (keyboards), Howie Little (lead guitars), Chris Redfearn (bass guitar), and Ryan Briggs (drums).
Keyboard player James Thorley founded the band in 2017 with the intention to create signature music that focused its roots around the 80s AOR, Prog, and melodic rock genre, whilst delving into other areas of modern hard rock, and metal.
To date, ATLAS have released two studio albums through the European label AOR Heaven. Their second album, Parallel Love, charted in Japan at #36 and debuted in the Top 10 Amazon Classic Rock Albums Chart on release week. They have toured the UK sharing the stage with The Quireboys, Eric Martin (Mr Big), FM, Vega, Big Country, and Praying Mantis.
Distributed by SPV, Built To Last is a continued evolution of the band’s unique Progressive AOR sound that builds on themes of survival, hope and overcoming hardships. It is the result of several years of refined songcraft, featuring polished arrangements, shredding guitar hooks, massive choruses, and soaring vocals.
ALBUM TRACK BY TRACK
All Or Nothing All or Nothing was written with an “album opener” in mind. We wanted to write a track that had a lot of energy, heavy but still having melodic elements, and with a huge hooky chorus. We wanted to represent elements of the whole album in one song, which was a challenge, but we always love to rise to a challenge!
You’re Not Alone This was one of the first songs written for the album. It’s about coming out of lockdown and overcoming difficulties, depression and the general unknown that most of us felt during that time. It’s got a radio friendly approach, but we didn’t hold back with the big anthemic chorus.
One More Night This song is built around a real proggy syncopated guitar riff with a classic AOR theme for the lyrics and chorus.
Another Heartbreak “High energy” was a feeling we wanted to tap into with this album, and this track certainly has that! It’s about not being able to shake the memory of a previous love no matter how hard you might try, backed up with stacks of harmonies!
Tears Tears is dynamic, bombastic, melodic, and powerful. It’s about always being there for someone no matter what, even when you know they don’t feel the same way anymore.
Unfamiliar Love A very Def Leppard inspired riff and chorus helped build the foundation to this song. Who says you can’t have a drum, keyboard, and guitar solo trade off?
Just Like That We wore our love for 80s AOR on our sleeves for this song. Huge catchy guitar/synth hook interplayed with a staccato chorus stacked full of harmonies, with an air guitar instrumental to top it all off!
Chasing Portraits I: Lonely Hearts We’ve flirted with progressive rock on our previous two albums, but for this album we set out from the beginning to write a longer progressive piece, that could be split into three sections. Lonely Hearts starts with the devastation of loss and confrontation of loneliness, finishing off with a Kansas inspired guitar/Hammond trade off.
Chasing Portraits II: Closer to the Picture Closer to the Picture deals with recovery and reflection and is one of the rarer synth driven tracks on the album.
Chasing Portraits III: Painted Memories An epic finale to that Suite. The song itself is about the memories of past relationships being somewhat clouded by the negatives that caused that bond to end. We basically create our own narrative of our past and move on with our lives, sometimes forgetting the good that may have come from our experiences.
Bury A Lie The heaviest track we’ve written to date. The song was built around a 7-string guitar riff and features an awesome proggy instrumental section.
Best is Yet to Come We wanted to end the album with a banger rather than an epic or a ballad! So, we saved the best until last, a Journey inspired melodic rock anthem with a huge sing-along ending.
“BUILT TO LAST” – TRACK LISTING 1. All Or Nothing (4:09) 2. You’re Not Alone (4:24) 3. One More Night (4:15) 4. Another Heartbreak (4:09) 5. Tears (5:31) 6. Unfamiliar Love (4:25) 7. Just Like That (4:19) 8. Chasing Portraits I: Lonely Hearts (6:53) 9. Chasing Portraits II: Closer To The Picture (3:13) 10. Chasing Portraits III: Painted Memories (5:38) 11. Bury A Lie (4:47) 12. Best Is Yet To Come (5:38)
PRODUCTION CREDITS All music recorded by ATLAS Recorded at InMotion Studios James Thorley – Producer, Engineer, Mixer Thomas Johansson – Mastering
BAND LINE-UP Craig Wells – Vocals Howie Little – Guitar James Thorley – Keys Chris Redfearn – Bass Ryan Briggs – Drums
ADDITIONAL MUSICIANS Sam Millar – Additional Backing Vocals
Renowned bassist LINUS KLAUSENITZER, has revealed the latest single, “Our Souls Set Sail,” from his forthcoming, debut solo album, “Tulpa,” that’s out October 6th from AOP Records. Watch the official music video below.
Commenting on the new single and video KLAUUSENITZER says:
“This song is about a ‘Blue Ghost,’ one of ten characters from the story of my upcoming album ‘Tulpa.’ It’s one of the most powerful creatures so people treat it like a clairvoyant and search for answers. They worship the ‘Blue Ghost’ as a godly entity holding profound wisdom.
In the music video I feature a brand new bass with a steel fretboard – it’s the first time Ibanez has build a bass like this!“
Each song on “Tulpa“ delves into one of these intriguing beings. From the cunning and political prowess of the ‘King’, to the divine messages delivered by the ‘Seraph’, and the evil presence of the ‘Red Ghost’, each character is brought to life through the sounds of melodic and progressive metal.
“Tulpa” showcases KLAUSENITZER’s versatility as a musician and composer, featuring a blend of technical playing and catchy hooks that will captivate listeners from start to finish. Mostly known for playing complex music, he aimed to make this album a collection of accessible and approachable songs. KLAUSENITZER’s signature 6-string fretless bass sound remains prominently featured, providing a strong foundation for each composition. The album takes the listener on a wild ride through complex musical landscapes, each track building upon the last.
With its powerful vocals, intricate arrangements, and thought-provoking lyrics, “Tulpa” is a must-listen for any fan of heavy music and anyone who loves to be transported to otherworldly realms.
“Tulpa” Tracklisting:
King Of Hearts
Axiom Architect
Our Soul Sets Sail
Sehraff Streaming
Sword Swallower
Sister In Black
The Devil’s Tongue
Queen Of Hearts
Dig Deeper
Lunar Assailant
“Tulpa” Album Credits:
Linus Klausenitzer: Fretless Bass, Fretted Bass, Synths, All Music & Lyrics
Guests: Javi Perera (Obsidious): Vocals Ian Waye (Soreption): Lead & Rhythm Guitars (All Songs) Aaron Homma (Annihilator, Killitorous): Lead & Rhythm Guitars (“King Of Hearts”), Acoustic Guitars (All Songs) Vanesa Jalife: Piano (All Songs) Hannes Grossmann (Alkaloid, Triptykon, Ex-Obscura, Ex-Necrophagist): Drums (All Songs)
Guitar Solos: Roland Grapow (Masterplan, Ex-Helloween) – “King Of Hearts” Phil Tougas (First Fragment, Chthe’ilist) – “Axiom Architect” Ian Waye (Soreption) – “Our Soul Sets Sail” / “Sehraff Streaming” / “The Devil’s Tongue” / “Queen Of Hearts” V. Santura (Triptykon) – “Sword Swallower” Dee Dammers (U.D.O., Dirkschneider) – “Sister In Black” Chris Hermsdörfer (Beyond The Black, Serenity) – “Dig Deeper” Nicolas Alberny (Gorod) – “Lunar Assailant”
German power metal frontrunners, IRON SAVIOR, have announced the release of their new studio album, titled Firestar, for October 6, 2023 via AFM Records. The pre-sale is available at THIS LOCATION!
Following previously-released songs, “Through the Fires of Hell” and the blistering, fast-paced album title track, today, IRON SAVIOR are premiering a music video for their new single “In the Realm of Heavy Metal”! The new clip is now streaming here:
IRON SAVIOR‘s upcoming album will feature a wide range of influences from hard rock to pop, all calibrated to heavy metal trademark the band is known and loved for. But sometimes pure coincidence or seemingly inconspicuous little details can turn a very good album into an outstanding release. In the case of Firestar, it has come as a real surprise even for Sielck that the new songs surpass the material of the impressive 2020-album Skycrest. In fact, the cornerstones of the current offering were already set and pointed to a successful production within the tried and tested framework, when all of a sudden everything turned out rather differently: “Just before the recordings were finalised, I was inspired by the muse, totally of the blue. I wrote two more songs out of nowhere and changed a third one on the spur of the moment. And suddenly, ‘Firestar’ turned into an even better record,” says Sielck happily, admitting that this unexpected creative surge “triggered great emotions” in him. “In the Realm of Heavy Metal” was one of these tracks.
IRON SAVIOR have again come up with an exceptional studio album in Firestar, enhanced by Felipe Machado Franco’s impressive cover artwork presenting the band’s mighty spaceship that has been around since 2011. The cherry on the cake is the powerful production courtesy of Hamburg’s Powerhouse Studio, including intelligently positioned keyboard parts and the anthemic background choirs, supported by Sielck’s 17-year-old daughter Frida and her boyfriend. Without any doubt, Firestar promises to be a bonfire in many respects!
Firestar track listing:
The Titan
Curse of the Machinery
In the Realm of Heavy Metal
Demise of the Tyrant
Firestar
Through the Fires of Hell
Mask, Cloak and Sword
Across the Wastelands
Rising from Ashes
Nothing Is Forever
Together as One
IRON SAVIOR is: Piet Sielck (vocals, guitars) Joachim “Piesel” Küstner (guitars) Jan S. Eckert (bass) Patrick Klose (drums)
An unapologetic celebration of everything DOKKEN do best, yet now through a wiser and richer lens, Heaven Comes Down, the 13th studio album from the legendary American rockers, will be released on October 27, 2023 (Silver Lining Music).
Heaven Comes Down will be released on CD Digipak, 12” Vinyl Album in Black and colour variants, digital formats and special D2C products and bundles. Available now to pre-order at this location.
“The long anticipated new Dokken album, ‘Heaven Comes Down’, is finally done and the first single is titled ‘Fugitive’!” declares Don Dokken. “The inspiration for the lyrics came from what seems to me to be an uncertain world these days. It’s an up-tempo Rokker as are many on the album. I don’t know what the future holds for our world, so I decided to take a step back and watch it all unfold… Yes, I guess I’ve become like many these days a fugitive from life. Hence the title! The song rocks and the lyrics are self-explanatory,” continues Don, “like many songs I’ve written, it came to me late at night. Inspiration and pure stream of consciousness have always been the best formula for me when composing. It has that classic Dokken sound… A great song to blast when driving down the highway.”
Video directed by Chris Eyre (Dark Winds, Smoke Signals) at Meow Wolf in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Video by Tom Strickfaden.
Exchange the urban heat of the Sunset Strip for the warm wilderness of New Mexico, as Dokken bring their timeless convertible Ferrari rock’n’roll power to the table with some key modifications along the creative path. Working with engineer Bill Palmer over the course of a year at his studio in Santa Fe, the Dokken flavours remain as potent as ever, yet they’re also sprinkled with some desert seasoning which gives Heaven Comes Down a richness hitherto unseen on a Dokken album.
You want to rock? Sink your teeth into ‘Fugitive’, which rides some shimmering guitar work courtesy of 20+ year member Jon Levin, and if you want ballads, head on over to ‘I’ll Never Give Up’, hanging on that Coliseum chorus, Levin laying down a landmark solo. The pattern of Heaven Comes Down never falters in delivering the goods on both sides of the fence. ‘Just Like A Rose’ brings the Pacific Coast Highway to desert plains with its smooth, effortlessly-driven gears, and ‘Saving Grace’ carries a mystical malevolence. But ‘Santa Fe’ is perhaps the most revealing with Don Dokken opening up with what amounts to a ‘life-moment biography’: a spartan acoustic arrangement allowing the rich yet road-driven vocals to frame what might well prove to be the defining moment of Dokken’s career.
Don Dokken makes one thing abundantly clear: he is excited about his new record and the future, and wholly uninterested in revisiting a Dokken past which has centered too much on the off-stage and out-of-studio swirl.
“I’m so tired of hearing about the fighting and the ‘this’ and ‘that’… this is about a new record,” he declares, “a new record with my new band. It’s been a long process, but at the end of the day, I think we have lightning in a bottle.” – Don Dokken
Mixed by Kevin Shirley (Aerosmith, Iron Maiden, Joe Bonamassa) and produced by Bill Palmer and Don Dokken, fans will love it, neutrals will be wonderfully surprised by some of the ingredients within Heaven Comes Down.
TRACK‐LISTING: 01 – Fugitive 02 – Gypsy 03 – Is It Me Or You? 04 – Just Like A Rose 05 – I’ll Never Give Up 06 – Saving Grace 07 – Over The Mountain 08 – I Remember 09 – Lost In You 10 – Santa Fe
Produced by Bill Palmer & Don Dokken Bill Palmer: acoustic guitar on ‘Santa Fe’ Mark Boals: special guest (background vocals)
Dokken Upcoming Dates:
Saturday 19 August – Shoshone Bannock Casino Hotel – Chubbuck, ID Wednesday 20 September – The Big E – West Springfield, MA Saturday 14 October – RCU Theatre – Eau Claire, WI Saturday 21 October – The Piazza – Aurora, IL Saturday 11 November – Piere’s – Fort Wayne IN, Friday 17 November – Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino – Las Vegas, NV Saturday 18 November -Whisky A Go Go – West Hollywood, CA
DON DOKKEN – Vocals JON LEVIN – Guitar CHRIS McCARVILL – Bass BJ ZAMPA – Drums
For almost three decades, the US/French Canadian-based melodic death metal syndicate KATAKLYSM has delivered unapologetic waves of powerful sound across the entire globe. The band’s fifteenth full-length studio album, Goliath, is now available for the masses via Nuclear Blast Records.
In celebration of the album release, KATAKLYSM offers fans the music video for ‘Dark Wings Of Deception’ directed by David Brodsky for My Good Eye: Music Visuals (www.mgenyc.com).
KATAKLYSM live: 08.11. CZ Jaroměř – Brutal Assault 08.12. DE Obermehler – Party San Open Air 08.13. BE Kortrijk – Alcatraz 2023 08.14. DE Essen – Turock 08.15. DE Cham – L.A. Live Style Cafe 08.16. DE Dinkelsbühl – Summer Breeze Open Air 2023 08.17. DE Munich – Backstage Halle
Goliath was recorded at JFD Studios in Dallas, TX and Studio City, CA as well as The Cabin in Orlando, FL by J-F Dagenais, who also produced and engineered the album. For the mixing and mastering, the band returned to Chris Clancy with assistance from Colin Richardson. The cover artwork required an image that captured the iconic battle of David versus Goliath theme that is echoed throughout the album while matching the power of the music. The band enlisted renowned Berlin metal illustrator Eliran Kantor (TESTAMENT, FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE) to create the artwork which took the KATAKLYSM look and gave it a macabre filter that compliments the brooding sense of uneasiness that was felt during the writing and recording of the album.
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 ) 