After several years of hard work as an independent band and two singles released in the past few weeks, REBELS UNDER RAIN are now ready to launch their debut album entitled “One King Forever”. The record is distributed by Volcano Records & Promotion and put together a wide range of different influences that go from alternative to metal to modern punk.
REBELS UNDER RAIN define themselves as a pure rock band and talking about the title of the album they said “it’s a tribute to our former member Stefano Cordì who passed away when he was only 30 years old. Like a glowing beam, Stefano showed us the path to follow, thus changing once and for all our approach to music, our style and our sound.”
“One King Forever” has been anticipated by the single ‘Stupid’ available now, below.
Photo by Gabrielle Holmberg – Single Cover photo by Erwan Lengliné
After hinting at the upcoming album with the super-catchy “I’ve Got A Feelin'”, Sweden’s groove rockers ELECTRIC BOYS are back with a real party starter, “Domestic Blitz”. This time, punk has kicked funk’s ass, with a hard driving beat and a loud, slap-them-in-the-face riff. It’s the perfect foundation for Conny’s message:
“You know the feeling, when you’re dying to get out of the house and pop some ice cold beers and listen to some loud rock’n’roll?”, singer Conny Bloom says.
“That’s what this song is!”
Today, ELECTRIC BOYS have teamed up with Metal Shock Finland to premiere “Domestic Blitz” for Finnish territory, enjoy it here:
Formed in Stockholm in 1988, Electric Boys is a band with roots in 70s groove rock and 60s pop and psychedelia. Their critically acclaimed debut album, “Funk-O-Metal Carpet Ride” was produced by Bob Rock (Metallica, Bon Jovi, The Cult, Mötley Crüe) and spawned the self-produced Billboard Top 20 single, “All Lips ‘N’ Hips” that got them heavy rotation on MTV.
After extensive touring, the band entered legendary studio Abbey Road to record the follow-up “Groovus Maximus”, which gave the band another Billboard Top 30 single with the song, “Mary In The Mystery World”. The third album “Freewheelin'” (also recorded in Abbey Road) peaked at #16 on the Official Swedish Album Chart before the band called it a day in 1994.
Guitarist and lead singer, Conny Bloom went solo until he, as well as bassist Andy Christell, joined the legendary Hanoi Rocks in 2005. In 2009 they began the process of reuniting the Electric Boys. They released the album “And Them Boys Done Swang” in 2011 and the critically acclaimed favorite “Starflight United” in 2014.
In 2018 the return to studio albums finally happened, with “The Ghost Ward Diaries”, a record that not only topped the charts in Sweden and Denmark but also brought back the distinctive sound of Electric Boys to their countless fans and new listeners. Roughly three years after, “Ups!de Down”, written already under lockdown, repeated the success but brought a broader array of songs.
Lineup: Conny Bloom – guitar, vocals Andy Christell – bass “Slim” Martin Thomander – guitar Jolle Atlagic – drums
Death metal icons CANNIBAL CORPSE will unleash their sixteenth studio album, Chaos Horrific, on September 22nd via Metal Blade Records, today revealing the record’s artwork, pulverizing first single, and pre-orders!
Since 1988, CANNIBAL CORPSE have been at the forefront of death metal, shaping and defining the genre. In 2021, they raised the stakes again with Violence Unimagined. And in 2023, the band’s thirty-fifth anniversary, they return with its successor, the equally monstrous Chaos Horrific, starting a new chapter in their storied legacy.
Written shortly after the conclusion of the Violence Unimagined sessions, echoes of that album exist in Chaos Horrific. “To me, this album feels sort of like a continuation of Violence Unimagined,” says bassist Alex Webster.
The band have always been noted for technicality and complex songwriting, but that doesn’t define where the writing process takes them. “I believe that our songwriting has progressed in a manner where every song paves its own path, whether it’s a straightforward or technical song,” notes guitarist Rob Barrett. “Sometimes it’s a mix of both, so there’s no preconceived idea that we want to be more technical. The music just sort of takes its own course.”
Webster concurs, “I don’t think there was any conscious effort to make things more technical, so if it wound up that way it would just be a natural result of us trying to write the heaviest songs we could.”
CANNIBAL CORPSE had no master plan, approaching each track with an open mind. “I never go into a record thinking about anything, I just let the writing flow freely with no limitations,” says guitarist/producer Erik Rutan. “But this time, I knew I wanted to push the envelope a bit in a different direction than Violence Unimagined; expand the dynamics, explore new territory without departing from what CANNIBAL CORPSE is and always shall be.”
Rutan has now produced six CANNIBAL CORPSE albums, starting with 2006’s Kill, and this is Rutan’s second release as a full-fledged member, since officially joining in 2020. Tracking at Rutan’s Mana Studio in Florida, the band’s home state, was comfortable for all involved, who were at the top of their game and ready to give it their all. Things went smoother than ever, particularly on the guitar front thanks to Barrett and Rutan having “custom guitars built with longer scale necks to hold the proper intonation necessary for lower tunings,” says Barrett.
Drummer Paul Mazurkiewicz named the record and his cohorts felt it was a great representation of the band. Subjects covered include fighting off hordes of zombies (“Chaos Horrific“), the selection of a random individual to be dismembered and sacrificed (“Summoned For Sacrifice“), and the violent revenge of victims of human trafficking (“Vengeful Invasion“). The album artwork by longtime collaborator Vince Locke is also suitably CANNIBAL CORPSE-esque, featuring a chaotic tangle of the living and the undead, evoking the lyrics of the title track.
In advance of the record’s release, today the band unleashes their first single and accompanying video for “Blood Blind.” Elaborates Mazurkiewicz, “‘Blood Blind’ is about mass mutilations to reset the human race in a genocide that was embraced by the masses.“
Watch CANNIBAL CORPSE‘s “Blood Blind” video, directed by David Brodsky of My Good Eye, below.
Adds Rutan, “‘Blood Blind’ was the first song musically that I wrote for Chaos Horrific. It all started with that funeral march of a first riff floating around in my head and it took off from there. Heavy and disturbing, it worked its way into an aggressive smorgasbord of depth and swirling darkness! I thought it would be great to collaborate so I had Paul add his lyrical stamp to it…“
Chaos Horrific will be available on digipak CD, deluxe box set (Dried Blood Marbled vinyl, 24p 12″ booklet, puzzle, pin, poster and art print – limited to 1500 copies), cassette (limited to 500 copies), digitally, and on vinyl in the various formats.
Chaos Horrific track listing: 1. Overlords Of Violence 2. Frenzied Feeding 3. Summoned For Sacrifice 4. Blood Blind 5. Vengeful Invasion 6. Chaos Horrific 7. Fracture And Refracture 8. Pitchfork Impalement 9. Pestilential Rictus 10. Drain You Empty
Coinciding with the release of Chaos Horrific, CANNIBAL CORPSE will embark on a month-long North American co-headlining tour with Mayhem. The journey begins September 22nd in Nashville, Tennessee and runs through October 21st in Louisville, Kentucky. Support will be provided by special guests, Gorguts and Blood Incantation! Tickets go on sale this Friday, June 23rd at 10:00 am local time. See all confirmed dates below.
CANNIBAL CORPSE Tour w/ Mayhem, Gorguts, Blood Incantation 9/22/2023 Marathon Music Hall – Nashville, TN 9/23/2023 The Fillmore – Charlotte, NC 9/24/2023 The Mill & Mine – Knoxville, TN 9/26/2023 Stage AE – Pittsburgh, PA 9/27/2023 Rebel – Toronto, ON 9/28/2023 L’Olympia – Montreal, QC 9/29/2023 The Palladium – Worcester, MA 9/30/2023 Brooklyn Steel – Brooklyn, NY 10/02/2023 The Royal Oak – Detroit, MI 10/03/2023 Hard Rock Live – Gary, IN 10/04/2023 The Fillmore – Minneapolis, MN 10/06/2023 Mission Ballroom – Denver, CO 10/07/2023 The Depot – Lake City, UT 10/09/2023 Temple Theatre – Tacoma, WA 10/10/2023 Knitting Factory – Spokane, WA 10/11/2023 Knitting Factory – Boise, ID 10/13/2023 The Warfield – San Francisco, CA 10/14/2023 SOMA – San Diego, CA 10/17/2023 The Aztec Theatre – San Antonio, TX 10/18/2023 The Factory – Dallas, TX 10/20/2023 The Eastern – Atlanta, GA 10/21/2023 Paristown Hall – Louisville, KY
CANNIBAL CORPSE: George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher – vocals Erik Rutan – guitar Rob Barrett – guitar Alex Webster – bass Paul Mazurkiewicz – drums
In the wake of society’s continued unrest, German hardcore outfit NASTY are giving folks a “Reality Check”. “Rage and frustration… the pain of betrayal runs deep. This song deals with it”, says the band about “Reality Check”, the latest song taken from their upcoming album, Heartbreak Criminals that is due for a release September 8th. Check out the video that is showing the insanity of a NASTY live show here:
The quartet follow-up 2020’s “Menace” (2020) even more pissed off and with even more love in their hearts. Tracks like “Resurrection” and “Don’t Play with Fire” already illustrated NASTY’s growth as artists while continuing to hold the flag of “f*cked-up music for a f*cked-up world” high. Indeed, re-recording old-school, fan-favourite tracks “Declaring War” and “Chaos,” both off 2006’s “Declaring War”, connects NASTY’s brow-beaten dots from the beginning to who the group are today. Heartbreak Criminals is a sonic life lesson of fist-fights lost and battles hard won. NASTY are perseverance. Heartbreak Criminals will be up for preorder on July 28th.
After already playing the 2021 edition NASTY will be headlining all EU mainland dates of the Impericon Never Say Die! Tour 2023 that is also featuring King 810, Ten56, Chamber, Fox Lake and Reduction.
Avocado Booking presents: Impericon Never Say Die! Tour 2023 Nasty (headlining mainland) / King 810 (headlining UK) Ten56, Chamber, Fox Lake, Reduction Presented by FUZE in GSA 03.11.23 (DE) Köln – Essigfabrik 04.11.23 (DE) Lindau – Club Vaudeville 05.11.23 (CH) Solothurn – Kofmehl 06.11.23 (DE) München – Backstage 07.11.23 (AT) Wien – Arena 08.11.23 (DE) Nürnberg – Hirsch 10.11.23 (CZ) Prague – Storm 11.11.23 (PL) Wroclaw – Zaklęte Rewiry 12.11.23 (DE) Leipzig – Felsenkeller 13.11.23 (DE) Berlin – C-Theater 14.11.23 (DE) Wiesbaden – Schlachthof 16.11.23 (DE) Hamburg – Gruenspan 17.11.23 (NL) Eindhoven – Effenaar 18.11.23 (BE) Ghent – Chinastraat 19.11.23 (FR) Paris – La Bellevilloise (no Ten56) 21.11.23 (UK) Birmingham – Asylum 22.11.23 (UK) Manchester – Club Academy 23.11.23 (UK) Bristol – SWX 24.11.23 (UK) London – O2 Academy Islington http://www.neversaydietour.com http://www.facebook.com/NeverSayDieTour
NASTY on European summer festivals: 30.06.-01.07.23 (FR) Rennes – Superbowl Of Hardcore 08.07.23 (BE) Ieper – Ieper Fest 28.-29.07.23 (DE) Hartenbergsee – Afdreiht Un Buten 16.-19.08.23 (DE) Dinkelsbühl – Summer Breeze 19.08.23 (DE) Hamburg, Elbriot
WORMHOLE play by their own rules. When they’re not schooling fools at Nintendo or throwing on the odd Saturday morning cartoon, the band are out scrambling brains with a homemade combo slam of brutal, technical death metal. Or, as they call it, tech slam. For the past eight years, they’ve been fine-tuning their signature moves both in and outside of Baltimore. Now, with ‘Almost Human’, they’re ready to erupt from the underground.
“System Erase” is the first song on ‘Almost Human’ and it zips the whole tech-slam experience into one tightly clenched polygon fist. Brothers Sanil and Sanjay Kumar shoot off lazer beams of glitchy guitar dissonance. Drummer Matt Tillett, along with bassist Basil Chiasson, pilot through two or three different time shifts before the breakdown comes and swallows you up with the slow, crushing force of a black hole. At the center of this vortex are the disgusting, bottomless grunts of Julian Kersey, who joined Wormhole around the same time that the band signed to Season of Mist last year. Every one of Wormhole’s superpowers come together on “System Erase”, surging into one great big ball of pissed-off energy, like Samus charging up her arm cannon. There’s no ceiling they can’t slam through.
Here’s what Wormhole have to say about the single: “”System Erase” explores man’s need for idol worship”, says Wormhole. “In this story, man’s admiration for power and beauty has led him to spend his existence worshiping an entity he saw, only for an instant, eons ago. What of the entity? Did it even notice him? Does it care for man as man cares for it?
‘Almost Human’ will be released on 22 September, 2023 by Season of Mist. Pre-save the album HERE. Pre-order it HERE.
Artwork: Adam Burke at Nightjar Illustration
Tracklist: 1. System Erase (3:31) 2. Elysiism (3:06) 3. Spine Shatter High-Velocity Impact (3:47) 4. Data Fortress Orbital Stationary (3:08) 5. Delta Labs (3:12) 6. Almost Human (3:15) 7. Bleeding Teeth Fungus (2:44) 8. The Grand Oscillation (3:14) Total run-time: 00:25:57
Recording studio: Guitars and vocals were recorded at Wormhole HQ. Drums were recorded at AJ Viana Productions.
Producer & engineering: ‘Almost Human’ was produced and engineered by Wormhole and AJ Viana. Bass parts were produced and engineered by Alex Weber.
Mixing: AJ Viana at AJ Viana Productions
Mastering: Alan Douches
When you invent your own genre, you can make the rules, and in space, no one can correct your math. If Wormhole’s excellent The Weakest Among Us was 50% tech death and 50% slamming brutal death metal, their Season of Mist debut is a veritable leveling up of the Baltimore-based act’s trademark “tech slam.” It’s the kind of record that can scramble your brain and give your neck a nice chiropractic workout; Almost Human feels like the future of extreme metal, dropped down from either outer space or delivered by Nintendo cartridge (more on that later).
So, what the hell exactly is “tech slam?” Well, the gleefully amorphous and unholy term comes from an ethos that guitarists Sanil “Noni” Kumar and Sanjay Kumar discovered and perfected over (probably) thousands of hours of Metroid and Doom games, as well as, you know, actual musical mastery. Almost Human, out September 22, 2023, is more powerful, more agile, and more confounding for pie-chart-enthusiasts than anything else that came before it. The sequel is always bigger, darker, and in this case, covered in much more pixelated space horror viscera. My Wormholio calculator puts their sound at 91% tech and 89% slam, with an increase in awesome stats somewhere in the 420% range. There’s also a clear emphasis on amplifying their dissonant death influence, the kind of eerie melodies that feel like being stomped on by Samus.
There’s a clear balance to everything on Almost Human: the songs are more adventurous while also being instantly memorable. No two songs sound alike, and that diversity in songcraft (level design?) sees Wormhole pushing and pulling along their tech and slam dials to figure out what’s best for the song; spoiler, it’s always riffs. What also becomes evident after repeated listens is how carefully the Kumar brothers understand a sense of place, humor, and a consistent vibe. This is still the same band that’s known for throwing on Saturday morning cartoons, and Almost Human continues to hammer home that Wormhole the musical entity is deadly serious, but the guys that make tech slam are not stoic creatures. There’s a warmth and sense of joy when chatting with them that only gets brighter when you ask their favorite Metroid game (that’s a question for a live show). So, what is this vibe they are chasing? Sanjay shares:
“The tech slam imagery is based on Metroid lore, Doom lore, and we haven’t written a song about it yet, but Alien as well. Those three things are brutal sci-fi universes, so we’re trying to embody that sound. The slam riffs, you can connect the brutal killing of stuff with the brutal chunky riffs; that’s been a match that’s existed since the nineties. So that’s the slam part, and then the tech part was harder to fit that vibe, so we kind of do it differently. I lean into very dissonance-vibe stuff, like Artificial Brain and Dysrhythmia. I think disso-death and heavy, they aren’t usually paired together, even though they should be.”
“And then as far as chasing the vibe,” Noni adds, “I kind of go about it two ways. With the Metroid soundtrack or universe, that vibe, there’s some dark and gloomy atmosphere, but there’s a lot of pretty imagery as well. We wanted to find a way to match that very pretty, kind of out-there sound cohesively in songs with a very aggressive and guttural approach.”
Like another famous sci-fi horror masterpiece of a different media, Wormhole’s shifting, amorphous style is perfectly suited to blend in and amaze just about any fan of heavy music. That’s The Thing: they can pull off whatever they want, but it’s always boiled down to that tech slam vibe. Do you like tech, melody, breakdowns, atmosphere, or dissonance? Tech slam can fill whatever void you seek.
If previous albums were early generation, lower-resolution visions of tech slam, Almost Human is the 4K reboot, where you can see every pixel of terror and awe. Wormhole are absolutely ready for their closeup. Prepare your worms and your holes, tech slam is here to stay.
Boundary-pushing melanated punk band OXYMORRONS are thrilled to announce their highly anticipated album, Melanin Punk, will release October 20th via Mascot Records. Accompanying the announcement comes the project’s electrifying third single, “Graveyard Words,” which boasts more of the band’s diverse influences and innovative musicality.
“Graveyard Words” merges the captivating sounds of drum and bass with nods to the unique vibe of Turnstile meshed in with a little bit of Kid Cudi. In an audacious exploration of their musical inspirations, Oxymorrons have again dared to create something entirely fresh and crafted a track that breaks free from conventions.
When asked about the inspiration behind “Graveyard Words”, Oxymorrons collectively explained, “It’s about speaking with intentions. Words carry weight and you can manifest positivity but also negativity with the things you say – on the extreme side of the spectrum it could cost you your life. It’s about the laws of attraction through words. The chorus sounds like a threat coming from an individual – like ‘yo watch yer mouth or I’ll f*ck you up’ – but it was really written from the perspective of the universe/karma warning us humans. A small example is we try not to use the word ‘hate’ in our vocabulary when describing something we don’t like. We’re not always successful, but just trying to remove that word so that we don’t attract hatred into our life and leave that portal open for hate to come through. You attract what you project, and we project positivity.”
“Graveyard Words” follows the success of the album’s previous singles, “Enemy“ and “Last Call,” which have garnered widespread acclaim and solidified Oxymorrons’ place as one of the most exciting and radical acts in music. Each release from Melanin Punk showcases the band’s exploration of new sonic territories while staying true to their rebellious spirit and unapologetic authenticity.
The band’s upcoming album derives its name from the concept of melanin as a unifying force transcending mere skin tone. Oxymorrons define melanin punk as an emblem of culture, a rebellious ethos, and a celebration of the shared human experience. The band sees themselves as representatives of the people, embracing the diversity that exists within humanity and using their music as a catalyst for unity. They share, “It’s about community, not division. Oxymorrons is for us, but the project represents the people and what brings us together. Our whole human existence is about connection. It’s everyone in the band’s uniqueness that makes us the crazy melting of sound and that’s a great analogy to how we feel about the world as a whole.”
Oxymorrons describe their Melanin Punk album as “a cinematic experience” and “the most unique mixed baby you have ever seen” that builds upon the foundation laid by their EP, Mohawks and Durags. While the EP introduced listeners to an array of energies and vibes, the album takes fans on an immersive journey within each individual song. Melanin Punk symbolizes the culmination of the band members’ diverse backgrounds, eccentricities, and flawless imperfections, resulting in an extraordinary artistic creation.
As they gear up for the album release, Oxymorrons will be smashing stages across the US on Corey Taylor’s solo tour. They excitedly shared, “Being co-signed by a legend and getting to rock out with him is insane. It’s the universe working its magic. Corey Taylor first heard us on ShipRocked at the top of 2022 on a beach. Now we get to do it on land!”
Fans should keep their ears to the ground for more music, merch drops, tour dates, and exciting partnerships to come. They can keep up with the band via their website: https://www.oxymorrons.com
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 ) 