Photo by Robert Hellström and Grafikbyrån/RAWdjuret media
When the re-issue of “For the Greater Good” was greenlighted SAFFIRE decided to do a re-mix on the album, something they’ve talked about for a while. Not that the original mix/production was of low quality but, more due to the fact that the original release felt sonically different to what they should have really sounded like, in their opinion. With this re-mix, the band could make it sound more like themselves again and also take the opportunity to do add some new, subtle production ingredients that they believe should have had been in the album from the very beginning. In short, they comment: “We gave the album the facelift it deserved!”
“For the Greater Good (Redux)” will be released on February 23, 2024 as Digipack CD, Curacao Transparent Vinyl limited to 300 copies worldwide and digital streaming/download format.
TRACK LIST: 1. The Great Escape 2. Casters of the First Stone 3. For the Greater Good 4. Heartless 5. Dandelion’s Shame 6. Shadowland 7. Wake Up the World 8. As Promises Burn 9. Blame It on The Rain 10. Ghost Town 11. This Is Not the End
Line-up on “For the Greater Good (Redux)”: Victor Olsson – Guitars Dino Zuzic – Keyboards Tobias Jansson – Vocals Magnus Carlsson – Bass Anton Roos – Drums & Percussion
Fall can be a lot. The days grow shorter and the nights longer, always in seemingly perfect pace with a drop in energy and the increase of to-dos.
But we’re finally in November, the month which has once again lowered its icy blanket and steadied the pace somewhat.
And Schtøgg is here to further release some of your built-up tension, it is a sassy little delight, an anthem for all the passive-aggressive souls out there.
Sonically, this is a somewhat unusual Blomst-track, but in familiar Blomst style, Schtøgg is indeed filled to the brim with attitude.
Schtøgg is a temperamental little track with fierce lyrics, driving rhythm and a sing-along chorus where the whole band sings along with you.
Their previous single Økernsenteret received wide coverage on both streaming services and radio.
Blomst is still all about fuzz, good melodies and catchy choruses, a recipe that works for the band has seen a steady growth of fans of all age groups in recent years.
Like Blomst’s previous single Økernsenteret, Schtøgg was also recorded with Morten Øby in Taakeheimen lydrike and with Preben Sælid Andersen as producer. This is a further collaboration with Preben, who is producer for the entire new Blomst album.
FFO: Viagra Boys, Amyl & Sniffers, Jokke & Valentinerne, Oslo Ess, Brenn., Dum Dum Boys
BLOMST: Blomst (Eng.: Flower) are an uplifting, energetic and playful punk rock band straight from the garage! With Norwegian lyrics that speak an unfiltered truth they have been praised for their kick-ass front-woman and catchy songs. Blomst have quickly grown to be one of the finest exemplars of their genre in Norway.
Ida Dorthea Horpestad – Vocals, Guitar Lasse Karlsen – Guitar Stian Fjeld Engen – Bass Teodor Andersen – Drums
Exploding onto the metal scene in 2019, Finnish power metal band Metal De Facto made their debut with “Imperium Romanum”, a full-length with a theme-driven collection of songs about Ancient Rome that was bombastically nostalgic old-school power metal. These fresh but familiar songs quickly caught the attention of metal listeners worldwide, notably with the first single ‘¨The Conqueror’ amassing over 200,000 video views and over 600,000 streams on various streaming platforms.
In early 2020, the band held their first headlining show in Helsinki, which attracted fans from all over the world to attend the show in a packed On the Rocks club. This success quickly led the band to continue performing live, opening for prime moving metal bands Ensiferum and Beast in Black.
Consisting of guitarists Esa Orjatsalo (ex Dreamtale) and Mikko Salovaara (Kiuas), bassist Sami Hinkka (Ensiferum, ssSHhh), keyboardist Benji Klint-Connelly (Everfrost) and drummer Atte Marttinen (ex Kivimetsän Druidi). It was announced however in 2022 that former vocalist Mikael Salo (ex Thy Row, ex Dyecrest) would no longer be the band’s singer. On the same day, the band’s new vocalist Aitor Arrastia hailing from Spain was announced along with the announcement of the band’s upcoming second full-length album, Land of the Rising Sun Part 1. The album will be the first of two parts, themed after Japanese culture.
To preview their sophomore record “Land Of The Rising Sun Part. 1,” Metal De Facto is unveiling the first single “Code of The Samurai”, a triumphant anthem, a testament to their signature power metal sound. Epic and resounding, the single exhibits the band’s unparalleled musical craftsmanship revealing at the same time its new partnership with new vocalist Aitor Arrastia. It captures the essence of their celebrated style, fueling anticipation for their forthcoming concept album.
“‘Code of the Samurai’ was one of the first songs we composed for the new album so it felt like a good choice as the first single. We already played the song live and seeing people raise their fists in the chorus, promises that this will become a great song for the future gigs.And if you think about it, what could be a better start to a two-album journey into the glorious history and culture of Japan, than a ride into battle with the heroic and noble samurai? adds bass player Sami Hinkka.
“Code of The Samurai” promises an immersive, powerful journey, upholding the band’s legacy and captivating listeners with its compelling narrative and epic prowess with timeless power metal essence. Let’s make Power Metal Great Again!
Track Listing: 1. Rise Amaterasu 2. Code of the Samurai 3. Heavier Than a Mountain 4. Slave to the Power 5. Divine Wind 6. Tame the Steel 7. Superstars 8. 47 Ronin
To celebrate this momentous occasion Metal De Facto will play shows on the release weekend with Dreamtale and Everfrost (Everfrost only in Helsinki) in Finland!
Show Dates: Feb 9, 2024 – Yo-talo, Tampere, FIN (with Dreamtale) – Ticket info here. Feb 10, 2024 – On the Rocks, Helsinki, FIN (with Dreamtale and Everfrost) – Ticket Info here.
Malta -based melodic metallers WEEPING SILENCE have released their brand new single “The Collector”. This captivating track sets the stage for their highly anticipated album, “Isles of Lore”, is released today, November 24 on ViciSolum Productions. The track is accompanied by a music video, which you can watch here:
Drawing inspiration by the Maltese Folklore character “Ċensa l-Mewt”, a female entity who collects souls at the end of one’s life, Weeping Silence skillfully intertwines the weighty theme with their signature musical prowess. This personification of mortality takes the form of a deaf and blind, old lady wearing an “għonnella” (a Maltese, traditional, women’s head dress) and is only visible to those close to dying. The name “Ċensa” is derived from the noun “ċens” (meaning ground rent) – implying a collection of debt due.
Although the song is one of the more accessible and catchy tracks from the album “Isles of Lore”, it actually explores the weighty theme of existential dread and the paradoxical fear of death. In the chorus, Ċensa l-Mewt muses about how, despite all the complaining, humanity still latches onto life and attempts to postpone death at all costs.
The music video was directed, conceptualised and storyboarded by the band’s drummer Julian ‘Julinu’ Mallia who is also an established visual artist. Using the music as a point of departure, Julian joined forces with seasoned video creator Cedric Vella who handled the filming, editing and vfx in this laborious collaborative project. The music video also features veteran Maltese actors Mikhail Basmadjian as the male protagonist as well as Sandra Davis as Death (Ċensa l-Mewt) – who, together with a small yet dedicated team, were instrumental in bringing the narrative to life.
“Isle of Lore” is the band’s first new studio album since 2015 ́s “Opus IV Oblivion” and musically it ́s everything you can wish for in a progressive metal album – It ́s dark, raw, beautiful and epic and will keep you on your toes from the beginning to the end. Since 2018, Weeping Silence has merged its earlier atmospheric Gothic Doom roots with the more eclectic, dynamic and conceptual approach that characterises the current musical direction. For the past four years the band has been working on a body of work that revolves around Maltese mythical characters that have recently been making their way back into popular culture. The rich stories surrounding these characters are unique to the island of Malta and have been passed on from generation to generation to impart wisdom and cautionary tales. The dark thread running through these timeless stories inspired the band to create a body of work that features one character in every track.
“Isles of Lore” will be coming out on November 24 and is available for purchase at THIS LOCATION
“Isle of Lore” track listing:
The Watcher on the Walls
Serpentine
The Collector
The Beast and the Harrow
Interlude
Engulfer
Where Giants Roamed
A Silent Curse
The Legend of Matteo Falzon
Weeping Silence are: Dario Pace Taliana – Vocals Mario Ellul – Guitar Glenn Paul Pace – Guitar Manuel Spiteri – Bass Alison Ellul – Keyboards Julian Mallia – Drums
Over the course of 20 years, singer and guitarist Thomas Gurrath has created a whole band universe consisting of Debauchery, Blood God and Balgeroth, and he recently united this Trinity of Blood Gods under the name BLUTGOTT. Covering different musical genres, there is pounding death metal, classic heavy metal and groovy hard rock, sometimes with screeching vocals, sometimes with the distinctive monster voice, sometimes clean, and everything in between. A new music video for the Debauchery version of“Devourer Of Worlds” is now streaming at:
BLUTGOTT‘s lyrics – sometimes in German, sometimes in English – are about Gurrath’s own dark fantasy universe, the World of Blood Gods, named after the Blood Gods, which are bio-mechanical vampire dragons with demonic abilities.
With “Dragongods”, Gurrath is now celebrating the band universe’s 20th anniversary. Each of the 10 songs is included on individual CDs for the first time in the German Balgeroth version, in the Blood God Heavy Metal version and in an alternative Debauchery version, making it a collection of Gurrath’s personal favorites in a different version.
“Dragongods” will be released on February 9, 2024 as a 3-CD Digipak, Ltd. Vinyl LP and Digital formats via Massacre Records. The pre-sale has just started at: https://lnk.to/dragongods
3-CD Digipak track listing:
CD 1 – Dragongods (Feat. Debauchery)
Devourer Of Worlds
Dragongods
Horrors Of War
Torture Pit
Butcherman
King Of The Killing Zone
Blutgott Warmachine
Wargrinder
Armies Of Immortals
The Horror Of The Forest
All songs from CD 1 will also be available on vinyl!
CD 2 – Drachenkult (Feat. Balgeroth)
Drachen in der Todeszone
Drachenstahl und Feuer
Bal-Geroth
Der Schrecken der Schlacht
Blutgott Kriegsmaschine
Der Schrecken des Waldes
Heilige Drachen
Legionen des Drachengottes
Manatar
Ausgeschlachtet
CD 3 – The Horror Of The Forest (Feat. Blood God)
Dragongods
The Horror Of The Forest
Wargrinder
King Of The Killing Zone
Blood God Warmachine
Armies Of Immortals
Horrors Of War
Torture Pit
Butcherman
Devourer Of Worlds
Album Line-Up: Bal-Gurrath – Monster Voices & Sonic Blasters Hellrazor Bloodbeast – Blastmaster Bass Draconic Gorezilla – Drums Of Doom
BLUTGOTT Live: 01.12.2023 DE Nürnberg – Der Cult 02.12.2023 DE Hannover – Café Glocksee 16.12.2023 DE Kirchheim unter Teck – Mehrgenerationenhaus Linde 09.02.2024 DE Erfurt – Club From Hell 10.02.2024 DE Berlin – Slaughterhouse 20.-22.06.2024 DE Leutkirch – Aaargh Festival 29.06.2024 DE Furtwangen – Heavy Michel Days
WORMHOLE emerged from the underground this year with Almost Human, their first album for Season of Mist.
“Straight up, ‘Almost Human’ is a contender for Album of the Year for me”, wrote Michael Centrone for New Noise.
The Baltimore space invaders are taking their signature tech-slam combo out on the road next year with Gorod, the French gods of tech-death. They’ll be writhing their way down the East Coast, with an early pit stop in their hometown nesting chamber, before sliming all across the American Southwest. Joining the party are New Jersey’s blackened death metal progressives Hath, as well as the all-seeing Exist, who will be playing their first shows since 2020.
“We are humbled and excited to be joining Gorod on tour this January”, says Wormhole. “Their influence on us and death metal is profound and we cannot wait to play with and watch them every night”.
2024 US Tour Dates January 12 – Philadelphia, PA @ Milkboy [TICKETS] January 13 – Baltimore, MD @ The Crown [TICKETS] January 14 – Charlotte, NC @ The Milestone [TICKETS] January 15 – Knoxville, TN @ Brickyard January 16 – Nashville, TN @ The End [TICKETS] January 18 – Dallas, TX @ Haltom Theater [TICKETS] January 20 – Phoenix, AZ @ Pub Rock Live [TICKETS] January 21 – San Diego, CA @ Brick By Brick [TICKETS] January 22 – Los Angeles, CA @ 1720 [TICKETS] January 23 – Las Vegas, LV @ The Usual Place [TICKETS] January 25 – Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad [TICKETS] January 26 – El Paso, TX @ Rockhouse [TICKETS] January 27 – San Antonio, TX @ Vibe’s Underground [TICKETS] January 28 – Houston, TX @ White Oak [TICKETS]
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
