Portuguese goth overlords MOONSPELL have announced to team up with the prestigious orchestra Sinfonietta de Lisboa for their first-ever symphonic show headlining the biggest live arena in Portugal, the Altice Arena in Lisbon, Portugal’s capitol city.
Fernando Ribeiro, vocalist, comments: “We had to wait long and hard, but the time is now, that we get our songs the true symphonic makeover with 45 musicians on stage, rocking to our legacy! It’s going to be as epic as it gets!”
The band will revisit their classics and their bombastic album 1755, bringing together the power of Heavy Metal and Classical music in a one-off, exclusive show, no MOONSPELL fan, anywhere in the world, can afford to lose!
MOONSPELL invites their fans to support them on their biggest adventure so far: This is a great chance to visit beautiful Portugal and witness MOONSPELL reaching their peak after more than 30 years together as a band.
Save the date: October 26, 2024. All ways lead to Lisbon!
THE RODS are a storied heavy metal band that rocked their way through the ‘80s with a powerful, raw energy that had fans and critics alike calling them “The American Motörhead.” Once the go-to opening act for some of the biggest metal bands in the world, THE RODS toured throughout the ‘80s with the likes of Judas Priest, Ozzy Osbourne, and Iron Maiden, among others. Along with contemporaries like Anvil and Raven, THE RODS are an integral part of what is commonly recognized today as Heavy Metal’s “golden age,” and emerged during the New Wave of British Heavy Metal.
Following their latest, much acclaimed 2019-album Brotherhood of Metal, now, THE RODS have announced their signing with Massacre Records,and are currently gearing up for the release of their forthcoming studio offering, entitled “Rattle The Cage”! The album will be available as CD Digipak, Ltd. Vinyl LP and Digital formats on January 12, 2024, the pre-sale has just started at: https://therods.bfan.link/rattlethecage
Drummer Carl Canedy comments: “THE RODS are thrilled to have signed with Massacre Records! The staff and the label’s commitment to Metal is second to none. We feel our new album, “Rattle The Cage”, is one of our best ever. We’re looking forward to working with everyone at Massacre to help make this album as successful as it deserves to be. The Rods have always been about bringing their music to the fans. We will be doing just that in 2024! “
To share a first appetizer, today, THE RODS are presenting their upcoming album title track! “Rattle The Cage” is now available on all digital streaming services at THIS LOCATION, a music video is now premiering here:
In preparation for this new album, I received a message from Carl stating that he had an idea for a new song,“ vocalist and guitarist, David “Rock” Feinstein, reveals.“He sent me the title, and some lyric ideas, and of course I thought the title and concept he formed was great. He then left it to me and my imagination to add more lyric ideas, and complete the musical work. The song is about the everyday person who feels trapped at what they might be doing in their life. No matter what the job may be, the need for relief was in need. It’s also about freedom, and about standing up for what you feel is right, and not being taken advantage of. Rattle the cage, and be heard. Let your feelings be known, and stand up for your rights. It really applies to everyone’s life.“
Heavy, dark, deep, insightful, and maybe even a bit more inciteful than ever before: “Rattle The Cage” is THE RODS at their incendiary best! Lyrically, they’ve taken a cue from David “Rock” Feinstein’s cousin, Ronnie James Dio, providing the listener with a similar sense of hope and resiliency in the face of an ever-changing world. Musically, the band is tighter than ever! Founding members David “Rock” Feinstein and Carl Canedy are joined by new bassist Freddy Villano (Quiet Riot, Widowmaker), and the results are simply sublime: The songs are rhythmically tighter, yet more musically unbound, the grooves heavier, and the melodies more dynamic.
Mixed and mastered by Chris Collier, “Rattle The Cage” benefits from his masterful, modern touch, with the kind of sound that will simultaneously appeal to core fans as well as new generations of listeners! THE RODS epitomize the term power-trio, and the word “power” has never been more evident in their music than it is now. 2024 will mark THE RODS’ 45th anniversary, in support, they will be playing many special dates and performances to commemorate 45 years together. With such an impressive history firmly notched in their collective belt, THE RODS are still firing on all cylinders, and as eager as ever to crank it up, louder than loud!
“Rattle The Cage” track listing:
Now And Forever
Wolves At The Door
Cry Out Loud
Rattle The Cage
Can’t Slow Down
Metal Highways
Hell Or High Water
Play It Loud
Shockwave
Hearts Of Steel
THE RODS Live:
06.03.2024 AU Hindmarsh (Adelaide) – The Gov (*)
07.03.2024 AU Brisbane – The Zoo, Brisbane (*)
08.03.2024 AU Sydney – Manning Bar (*)
09.03.2024 AU Melbourne – Northcote Theatre (*)
(*) Metal Forces w/ Ross The Boss, Anvil & Butterfly
THE RODS are: David “Rock” Feinstein – Vocals, Guitars Freddy Villano – Bass Carl Canedy – Drums
After some months stirring the cauldron in the underground, Italy’s FERAL FORMS emerge from the depths with their first ferocious EP, “Premalignant”.
Comprised of current and former members from Grime, The Secret, Claustrum and Fierce, the 4-piece conjures the unholy Gods of Death Metal and pushes their sound to a new level of tonal corruption, with tension-inducing stop/start angularity and a devouring thrust that would almost sound punk if it wasn’t so molten and creepy. Telluric drums and barbaric riffing collide, resulting in a putrid destructive mass of volcanic low end that incinerates everything in its path.
Tracklist:
01. Hunter of Chaos 02. Premalignant 03. Voice from the Altar
Night Terrors Records and Filth Junkies will issue “Premalignant” on MC and digital formats on December 15th. The EP was mixed and mastered by Gabriele Gramaglia (Cosmic Putrefaction). Find preorders and the first single, the title-track, at THIS LOCATION.
Stand by for additional updates from the FERAL FORMS sect as the release of the EP draws near.
For fans of: Angelcorpse, Teitanblood, Diocletian, Black Curse
Line-up:
Federico – Vocals Ciro – Guitar Paolo – Bass Christian – Drums
The time has come! New SCANNER full-length album after almost a decade! “The Cosmic Race” will be released on January 12, 2024 via ROAR! Rock of Angels Records, and as the band’s highly decorated discography dictates, this one is a concept album: Survival on earth has become more and more difficult, natural disasters are piling up and military conflicts have reached their highest level, large parts of the continents are nuclear contaminated. Life is concentrated in a few big cities, and the narrowness and heat in them has become almost unbearable. The SCANNER, (a hybrid of human and android, our leading figure who is resident on planet GALACTOS) picks up a chosen part of human beings from Earth with huge spaceships in order to transform them into a habitable planet, called Terrion, in another Galaxy.
SCANNER’s army, the Space Battalion guarantees for the safety of the precious cargo (the chosen ones which have to remain in hyper sleep for decades) on the long flight through various wormholes. The long journey ends successfully. But, even in the new world, people have to defend themselves against monsters, aliens and planetary invaders (troops from other civilized planets) and start all over again right from scratch. Most are again farmers or craftsmen. The new world is not just a mere accumulation of the products of sophisticated technologies, but a profane art of survival that begins with sowing seeds in the fields. But they also celebrate festivals and commemorate their ancestors and everyone who was once close to them and who they have left behind on earth.
The new settlers defend everything newly gained with absolute passion and to their last drop of blood against their enemies. They want to take their second chance and do better than they did on Earth against all odds. However, since there are also some doubters and renegades among them who oppose the new community and endanger the “Second Chance” -project, the SCANNER has developed a system that can identify those renegades during their dream phases at night and kidnaps them before dawn. They find themselves paralyzed in a Twilight Zone. They are lashed finally to giant totem poles in a trance where dreams and reality fight each other until they are purified.
Released as LTD. Mediabook CD Inc. Patch, two limited splatter vinyl versions, one super-limited picture disc version and digital streaming / download format.
“The Cosmic Race” was recorded and mixed 2022/23 at s1s-Studio Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Recorded, mixed and produced by Axel Julius (aka Nigel Boston) / Mastered by Max Morton. / All songs and lyrics by Axel Julius
All artwork by Henar Sherif /Layout by ArtWeRK-Mediadesign
TRACK LIST:
The Earth Song
Face the Fight
Warriors of the Light
Dance of the Dead
Scanner’s Law
A New Horizon
Farewell to the Sun
Space Battalion
The Last and First in Line
Line-up: Efthimions Ioannidis – Vocals Axel Julius – All Guitars Jörn Bettenrup – Bass Boris Frenkel – Drums
Pretoria based rock band ALL THIS FOR NOTHING are celebrating 25 years as an ever-evolving riff machine and to celebrate, are hitting all the major cities in South Africa this November and December.
Having largely drawn on progressive, metal and punk rock influences throughout their career, ATFN have crafted a sound proudly their own and will be flying the banner for local label Mongrel Records, who represent the very best in South African metal, alternative, punk and rock bands.
This nationwide tour which kicks off on the 17th November promises an unforgettable experience for fans of the punk rock genre, as ATFN takes the stage at some of South Africa’s coolest music venues including Sognage (JHB), JARR Bar (PTA), Daisy Jones Bar (CPT), Armchair Theatre (CPT). Striped Horse (CPT) and Robson’s Real Beer (KZN).
Joining ATFN on this exhilarating journey are some of the best bands that the local scene has to offer, including FUZIGISH, Nomadic Orchestra, West Coast Wolves and Hawema. Each of these powerhouse acts brings their unique flair to the stage, promising a diverse and thrilling lineup that will leave fans begging for more.
ATFN’s guitarist, Paul Gioia, expressed the band’s excitement about the upcoming tour, stating, “It’s been ages since we’ve played outside of Gauteng and it’s the first time since the pandemic that we’ve been able to get to The Western Cape and KZN. We are so stoked and I think it will be a little surreal. We’re especially excited to get to Durban because we’ve noticed such an awesome DIY scene thriving there again and for us, KZN has always been super close to our hearts. Our first real “tour” show was back in ’99 with Crossing Point and Still Thinking at the Bat Centre and for years after that, places like Burn, The Winnie and the Willowvale were like second homes to us. We learned so much from the Durban bands and have made some genuine life-long friends along the way. DSW for life.”
Tickets for the tour are now available for purchase online at www.quicket.co.za
AUTARKH already sounded like the future on their debut. But the Dutch contemporary metal band have pushed their distended view of the digital age to further extremes on their new album.
“It is even safe to say that the Autarkh that exists on Emergent is not the same Autarkh that existed on Form in Motion“, writes No Clean Singing. “…right when you’re able to put a pin in why you’re enjoying a particular segment of Emergent, Autarkh propel themselves off in a completely different direction with joyous abandon”.
Emergent comes out tomorrow Friday, November 10. But you can now stream the whole album on our YouTube channel.
Autarkh are known for hard-wiring extreme metal with glitchy electronics. Emergent still bristles with melodic dissonance and programmed beats. Lead single “Strife opens with drum pads that pound quietly, only to escalate into a towering chorus that’s spiked by a thousand megawatts of industrial-sized riffs.
But Emergent reveals a new and improved Autarkh. This album is bigger and brighter. “Open Focus” courses with hammering riffs, pixelated drum breaks and even an unfettered bass groove. After headbanging through another avalanche of a chorus, “Refocus” breaks into a crystal-clean vocal that’s backed by radiant harmonies.
There is a darker side to Emergent. “Duhkha” seethes with ominous sound effects that could’ve been ripped out of a slasher flick. “Clouded gaze, clouded aura / Left behind with my past self”, Nienhuis screams with vein-popping intensity, paying homage to former Dodecahedron band mate Michiel Eikenaar, who passed away in 2019. But through this battle with their inner demons, Autarkh find inner peace. Over a chugging beat and sky rocketing power chords, the band lift their voices to glistening new heights: “Remember all ye that existence is pure joy. Into the light”.
Autarkh might be from the future. But they’re still human after all.
“We are really happy that our new album Emergent is finally about to be officially released!”, says Autarkh. “We feel this is a next step in our artistic development – Emergent has a more open, diverse and radiant imprint and offers increased versatility compared to our debut Form In Motion. We sincerely hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we did making it!”
Autarkh are metal’s version of a perpetual motion machine. They’re constantly evolving, always tinkering, turning old spare parts into shiny new songs. Heck, they’ve even created their own alter ego as Autarkh III, which reimagines their cutting-edge contemporary metal as ambient drones.
Watch the band explain how they turned material from Dodecahedrom into their new album’s emphatic send-off and see the bigger picture for this process in Autarkh’s circular art model: https://www.ffca.nl/cam
Dutch contemporary metal adventurers Autarkh are back with their sophomore full-length album Emergent. Michel Nienhuis, founder of Autarkh and Dodecahedrom, teamed up again with guitarist/producer David Luiten (Inferum), bassist Desmond Kuijk (Dear Mother) and electronics wizard Tijnn Verbruggen to create the follow-up to their highly acclaimed debut album ‘Form In Motion’, released by Season Of Mist on 12 March 2021. Monica Kendrick (Chicago Reader, US) on the relevance of the group’s debut:
“And I’ll call it now: given the time to flourish and sink into the ears of an audience, Autarkh will become highly influential on the next generation of extreme metal.”
‘Emergent’ is another testament to Autarkh’s imagination and creativity. It delivers increased versatility and contrast, and sees the band expand towards more uplifting and consonant territories. Form In Motion explored the boundaries of sonic extremes; on ‘Emergent’, Autarkh broadens its horizon and shows diversity and nuance while preserving its intense and razor-sharp edge.
With nine tracks, ‘Emergent’ is a sonic exploration of the inner universe where all things light and dark can be encountered. The listener is lured into an “Open Focus” (a meditative state of mind) in preparation for an inward journey along the physical energy centers. From the thumping synth basses of “Strife” and the menacing sludgy melancholy of “Duhkha”, we move into the bewildering blasts of “Trek”, where stellar harmonies will eventually burst through the oppressive atmosphere. The trip continues with the crushing downtempo groove that enforces “Refocus”, as well as the mind-bending a capella interlude “Aperture” and the frivolous “Eye Of Horus” and “Countless Kaleidoscopes”, to finally deliver all-encompassing enlightenment with Ka.
Composers Nienhuis’s and Luiten’s statements and states of mind capture the same capriciousness and unease of ‘Form In Motion’, this time leaving a more open, diverse and radiant imprint. With exciting vocal harmonies, bold contrasts and a vivid imagination, Autarkh sheds a bright light on the inner self and exposes it to the world with intensity and conviction. That makes Emergent an evocative release with a multilayered yet crystal-clear production that promises a bright future for Autarkh.
Line-up: Michel Nienhuis: vocals & guitars David Luiten: vocals & guitars Desmond Kuijk: bass Tijnn Verbruggen: synths & beats
Recording Studio: David Luiten Studio, Monodisc Studio, Moonbear Music & Engineering Mix/Master: David Luiten
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
