MOTORPSYCHO Celebrate Album Release with Brand New Video ‘W.C.A.’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on June 20, 2023
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment
[photo: Terje Visnes_Espen Haslene]

Norwegian prog-psych-jazz-rock fusionists Motorpsycho are celebrating the release of their 31st studio album Yay!, that is out now on Stickman Records and in Scandinavia & UK through Motorpsycho‘s own label Det Nordenfjeldske Grammofonselskab.

Keeping things unpredictable and weird since 1989, and after a series of epic, sprawling and headphones-friendly albums, Motorpsycho return with a short, reasonably pop-formatted and intimate album of mainly acoustically based songs. Motorpsycho have always been about the balance between hard and soft, electric and acoustic, big and small, light and shade … and now the time was right for a lighter touch to balance the scales. Yang to the Yin of earlier, more epic works (N.O.X., The Crucible, and Chariot Of The Gods), this is also an album that is relatively easy on the ears, and that actually works really well with a cup of tea at noon.

For once playing the game instead of trying to reinvent it, Yay! is clearly a reaction in some way to too much architecture and too many grand visions, and dials the music down to more comprehensive and digestible sizes than have been the band’s métier lately.


In support of today’s record release, Motorpsycho have shared a music video for the song “W.C.A.”! The clip is now streaming here:

Yay! is a report from the darkest days of Covid (read a full and in-depth statement by the band about the making of Yay! HERE), the album’s melancholy combines Motorpsycho‘s trademarked dense guitar walls with naked lyrics sung with unusually great tenderness by someone who’s been there and understands the words. The fantastic retro-futuristic neo-psychedelic production by Reine Fiske and Lars Fredrik Swahn (Dungen, Melody’s Echo Chamber, The Amazing et al) brings a sweet Swedish psych edge to the album, giving it a lysergic tinge and charging what could easily have been a bit too ‘’backporchy” with an electric vibe that lifts it out of the often staid singer/songwriter genre, but still keeping the intimacy intact.

While as ever clearly drawing on inspiration from late 60s/early 70s heroes, Yay! is as indebted to earlier iterations of Motorpsycho as anything else, and will be recognizable to fans of vintage Motorpsychodelia as well as a breath of fresh air to newer Psychonauts that only ever heard the heavy progressive side of the band. Yay! is out now and available as CD, as well as red and black LP vinyl edition at THIS LOCATION

Yay! track listing:

  1. Cold & Bored
  2. Sentinels
  3. Patterns
  4. Dank State
  5. W.C.A.
  6. Real Again (Norway shrugs and stays at home)
  7. Loch Meaninglessness & the Mull of Dull
  8. Hotel Daedalus
  9. Scaredcrow
  10. The Rapture

For More Info Visit:
http://www.motorpsycho.no
http://www.facebook.com/motorpsycho.official
http://www.instagram.com/motorpsychoband
http://www.stickman-records.com

Inferno Metal Festival Norway Reveals First Wave of Bands for 2024 Edition

Posted by tarjavirmakari on June 20, 2023
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment

Inferno Metal Festival is now revealing the first wave of bands for its 2024 edition, taking place from March 28-31, 2024 across several venues in Oslo (NO). So far, the iconic festival is revealing a mixture of classic bands as well as some vital and exciting new-comers! The current lineup is as follows:

Borknagar
Sólstafir
Finntroll
Keep of Kalessin
Misþyrming
Saor
Konvent
Khold
Crypta
Extermination Dismemberment
Orm
Tilintetgjor
Imbalance
Nakkeknaekker
Horrifier

Single day tickets and passes are now available HERE.

Can’t wait to attend next year? Fret not – Inferno Metal Festival will be hosting a very special, free event this Friday, June 16 in Sofia (BG)!

For the first time in Sofia at Club Live&Loud, fans will have the opportunity to meet the core organizing team of Inferno Metal Festival Norway!

Inferno’s co-owner and managing director Jan-Martin Jensen, volunteer department and accreditation coordinator Monica Ferreira Ask, and project coordinator Åsmund Prytz will present an exciting discussion on the history of the festival, booking profile, use of international and national volunteers, and international projects including “greening” festivals and events! This will be followed by a Q&A related to the scene and music industries in Bulgaria and Norway.

After the conference, attendees will have the opportunity to hear one of Bulgaria’s leading metal bands – DIMHOLT. Their performance will be followed by a thematic black metal afterparty with a playlist specially prepared by Gormoth.

More info can be found HERE.

Official festival hotel – Clarion Hotel® The Hub:

In addition, Inferno Metal Festival is now revealing that the Clarion Hotel The Hub is once again the official hotel partner!

The audience, artists, media, and music industry personnel will gather at Clarion The Hub for happenings, partying and a good night sleep.

Moreover, The Inferno Music Conference will take place at the hotel prior to the festival doors opening on Thursday and Friday, for which more info will be revealed soon! Hotel guests will also be treated to an epic and inclusive breakfast buffet that runs until 11:00 A.M. (it’s worth waking up early for!) as well as free access to the swimming pool and sauna.

The Hub boasts Oslo’s best location, right in the city centre, next to Oslo Central Station and the Airport Express Train. It’s also only about a five-minute walk from the iconic rock bars and venues in which Inferno Festival will be hosting bands and special events: Rockefeller & John Dee, Salt, Kniven, Vaterland, Brewgata and Rock In, allowing guest to travel freely without the expense of taxis or transit.

The special Inferno discount price is valid from March 24 to April 1, 2024. Extend your stay and experience Oslo!

These prices will increase starting on February 28, 2024.

For more information can be found via the official Inferno Festival Website or directly via the hotel’s website. The ”Inferno” booking code is enabled to get the discounted prices.

Be sure to stay tuned for more bands, special events and excursions, and more information on the Inferno Music Conference!

The iconic Inferno Metal Festival started in 2001 and is the longest running metal festival in Norway and one of the most important extreme metal festivals in the world. We are very proud of this position and we will continue fronting Norwegian metal and bringing bands from all over the world to Norway. Inferno Metal Festival is being held four days at Rockefeller Music Halls’ two stages Rockefeller and John Dee as well as many smaller clubs around Oslo. The festival takes place during Easter in Norway when not a lot of other stuff is happening in Oslo. The festival are usually sold out and more than fifty percent of the audience are from outside of Norway. The ticket sales are from all over the world including China, Australia, Chile, Japan, Taiwan, Canada, USA, Columbia, Argentina and many more.

More information at: Official Inferno Fest Website – Facebook – Instagram – Twitter – Tickets

British GODTHRYMM Announce New Album “Distortions” + Share First Single

Posted by tarjavirmakari on June 19, 2023
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment

Following the band’s critically acclaimed latest album “Reflections”, August 18th will see the release of “Distortions”, the sophomore full-length record by British epic doom metallers GODTHRYMM, which will be coming out on Profound Lore Records. 

Featuring members once involved in such luminaries as My Dying Bride, Anathema, Vallenfyre, and Solstice, the band’s upcoming album shows the Halifax-based quartet of Hamish Glencross (guitars/vocals), Catherine Glencross (keyboards/vocals), “Sasquatch” Bob Crolla (bass), and Shaun “Winter” Taylor-Steels (drums) elegantly expanding upon their sound and vision. 

“Distortions” is the second part of Glencross’ Visions trilogy and throughout its seven-track, hour-long expanse, Godthrymm’s sophomore effort delves deeper into the despondent march of the band’s post-pandemic singles “Chasm” and “In Perpetuum”, the latter released exclusively on Decibel Magazine’s Decibel Flexi Series in 2022. 

“I absolutely wanted to create a much more layered and complex arrangement in the sound,” says Godthrymm’s Hamish Glencross. “Totally amping up the contrasts to the extreme – the light shines brighter, and the darker depths are vast trenches. There is a lot more harmony and melancholy for much of it, but also some slab-heavy riffing, too. We wanted a total progression in the production and more class and clarity in the sound, as opposed to Reflections, which could get quite dense in tone.”

For an album centered lyrically on grief, loss, regret, resolve, love, and determination, it’s hard to imagine something inexplicably heavy yet remarkably beautiful. Producer Andy Hawkins (Hark, Grave Lines) was the perfect man for the job, as Glencross reveals:

“I wanted the production to match the care and attention put into the writing of the music, I think we’ve achieved that with Andy. The guitar tones are more amp driven than pedal-driven. It simultaneously sounds huge, but there’s space in there too. Nothing is fighting for space, which I think happened somewhat with the last album, which got a bit too dense. This album has clarity as well as weight. I was incredibly amazed by everyone’s dedication and hard work in turning in such wonderful performances. I am incredibly lucky to be working with such wonderful people.“

“Distortions” track listing:

  1. As Titans
  2. Devils
  3. Echoes
  4. Obsess and Regress
  5. Unseen, Unheard (feat. Scoot Gladok)
  6. Follow Me (feat. Aaron Stainthorpe)
  7. Pictures Remain

For a band that formed in 2017, Godthrymm are on an impressive run. Not only have they proven to be a formidable live act – invites to Bloodstock Open Air, In Flammen Open Air, and Tomorrow’s Ghost Festival are but the beginning – but the group’s prolific output of three EPs, two singles, and two full-length albums have also repositioned England as the epicenter of high-quality, epic-sounding doom metal. 

“I hope we continue to evolve and progress,” Glencross says. “The sound is decidedly more complete [on Distortions] than the previous incarnations, which are quite primitive. I hope people connect with the passion and love we have put in. The themes are universal and eternal. I’m very grateful and touched any time anyone appreciates our work.”

Get the song on all digital platforms HERE

“Distortions” was recorded between The Nave Music Studio, Sasquatch Music Studio, and The Glencross Residence at various points in 2022. Mixed by Andy Hawkins (Hark, Grave Lines). Produced by Andy Hawkins and Hamish Glencross. The album was mastered by Mark Midgley (Doom, Hellkrusher) at Northern Mastering Company. Artwork by Andy Green (My Dying Bride). 

“Distortions” will be coming out August 18th on Profound Lore Records and is now available for pre-order at THIS LOCATION

GODTHRYMM are:
Hamish Glencross – Guitars/vocals
Catherine Glencross – Keyboards/vocals
“Sasquatch” Bob Crolla – Bass
Shaun “Winter” Taylor-Steels – Drums
Al Kotwal – Live guitar

For more info visit:

MYSTICAL PORN HEROES Announce Self-Titled Debut EP, Out July 7th

Posted by tarjavirmakari on June 19, 2023
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment

Italy’s very own MYSTICAL PORN HEROES, the new musical project of drummer Max Ear (OJM, Ananda Mida, Go Down Records) and guitarist/songwriter Andrea Ghion (Scontro Frontale, Rocker’s Guitar), have announced their s/t debut EP, which will be released digitally on July 7 via Go Down Records.

‘Mystical Porn Heroes’ is a fictional work inspired by the current obsessive and disturbing cult of appearance, featuring three “musical tales” set in a crazed, dystopian, and obscene world.

Tracklist:

  1. Tura
  2. Carnal
  3. Titana

Their self-titled debut EP was conceived at Altroquando, Zero Branco, Italy, and later arranged and recorded by Tommaso Mantelli at his Lesder Studio. Stay tuned for more news and tunes to follow in the days ahead!

Mystical Porn Heroes are:
Rocker – guitar, vocals
Max Ear – drums
Tommaso Mantelli – bass

For more info visit:
https://www.facebook.com/Mystical.Porn.Heroes
https://www.instagram.com/mystical_p_heroes/
https://www.facebook.com/GoDownRecords

New Zealand’s SHEPHERDS REIGN Release New Single ‘Finally’, New Album ‘Ala Mai’ Out August 25th

Posted by tarjavirmakari on June 19, 2023
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment

New Zealand’s SHEPHERDS REIGN return with a change of heart, “Finally” – their latest single released on June 16th via Golden Robot Records.

Order ‘Finally’ HERE

Hailing from the vibrant region of South Auckland, New Zealand, Shepherds Reign embodies the essence of their Polynesian heritage through their music. Led by the dynamic Filiva’a James on vocals and keytar, the band consists of Gideon Voon on guitar, Oliver Leupolu on guitar and production, Shaymen Rameka on drums, and Joseph Oti-George on bass. They are not just a band; they are a collective of individuals who pour their hearts and souls into each and every song they create.

Today marks the highly anticipated release of Shepherds Reign‘s newest single, “Finally” from their upcoming album, ‘Ala Mai‘ While it may be labeled as a love song, don’t expect the traditional balladry associated with the genre. “Finally” showcases the band’s distinctive style, characterized by Filiva’a‘s powerful guttural vocals, the relentless zig-zag riffing that permeates the verses, and the anthemic choruses that soar to captivating heights. The track also boasts a mind-melting lead guitar break, adding an extra layer of intensity to the composition.

“Finally” delves into the emotional journey of losing hope in ever finding true love, only to discover that one person who completes you. It’s a love worth waiting for, the kind that renews your faith in the power of connection. As the song unfolds, it becomes a celebration of the transformative effect that one special individual can have on your perspective and overall happiness.

Embrace the sonic prowess of Shepherds Reign‘s “Finally” which is now available as a single release on Golden Robot Records, with their full album, ‘Ala Mai‘ set to unleash on August 25th. Prepare to be captivated by their unique blend of passion, energy, and Polynesian heritage, as they continue to redefine what it means to be a metal band from the lands of Aotearoa.

https://twitter.com/shepherdsreign
https://www.instagram.com/shepherdsreign/
https://www.facebook.com/shepherdsreign/
https://shepherdsreign.com/
https://goldenrobotrecords.com/golden-robot-records/shepherds-reign/

SPIRIT ADRIFT Release Single + Music Video ‘Barn Burner’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on June 19, 2023
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment

SPIRIT ADRIFT will release their career-defining LP Ghost At The Gallows on August 18th.  Today, the album’s fiery third single “ Barn Burner ” premieres with a companion music video.  Inspired by Michael Flanagan’s Midnight Mass, the “Barn Burner” video illustrates the song’s themes— anger, identity politics, and blind persecution— coupled with an explosive live performance from Spirit Adrift.  Though intense and bombastic, the underlying message is “a plea for unity, empathy, and love,” says bandleader Nate Garrett.

Watch / share the “Barn Burner” music video on YouTube.

Spirit Adrift  With Ghost At The Gallows, incoming August 18 from Century Media (pre-order here), Garrett has delivered Spirit Adrift ’s most fully realized work to date; a record that confidently stands at the crossroads of heavy metal at its most epic and elemental and hard rock at its most honest and heartfelt.

The road lead to the album was nothing short of massive undertaking. Garrett has been weaving the sonic tapestry of Spirit Adrift since 2015, marking his own personal growth from doom metal and his much-documented sobriety to today’s sonic triumph with Ghost At The Gallows. The album intricately pulls together every element of Garrett’s riff-mongering musical mastery to arrive at a conclusion and start a new chapter for Spirit Adrift.

From the start, it didn’t take long for Spirit Adrift to strike a very loud, resounding chord with worshippers of the riff.  By the time they released 2017’s Curse of Conception and 2019’s  Divided by Darkness (both on 20 Buck Spin) what began as Garrett’s solo project had taken on a life of its own, placing high on year-end polls and filling clubs as Nate and an ad-hoc amalgamation of friends and bandmates brought his songs to volume-dealing life. The influence of “Hendrix, Black Sabbath, Metallica, Slayer and also growing up in the South, really loving old sincere country music, bluegrass and stuff like that” is the sonic soul of  according to Nate. 

2020 saw the release of Spirit Adrift’s Century Media debut, Enlightened In Eternity (a split release with 20-Buck Spin in North America); Garrett set to work forging a more permanent line-up for the spirited, energized release. Spirit Adrift  began to hit the road as a band with a solidified and freshly empowered line-up – bassist Sonny DeCarlo, drummer Mike Arellano and ex-Carcass guitarist Tom Draper. 

With Sanford Parker at Chicago’s Electrical Audio and Jeff Henson at Texas’s Red Nova Ranch engineering and co-producing alongside Garrett, and legendary Zeuss (Queensryche, Hatebreed) handling mixing and mastering duties, Ghost At The Gallows takes chances few of Spirit Adrift’s riff-obsessed brethren could possibly approach.

Revisit Ghost At the Gallows’ first single “Death Won’t Stop Me” on YouTube and all other DSP’s.