Jeff Rouse’s THE GEMINI AFFAIR Release New Single + Video ‘We Love The Night’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on March 17, 2023
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: , . Leave a comment

Jeff Rouse’s Dark, Post-Punk Project THE GEMINI AFFAIR drop their 3rd single, “We Love The Night” from their upcoming EP release “To….“

“We love the night was written and recorded before the world that I knew was shut down. To say that feels like old news. And to look back it feels like I was a different person. I have always been attracted to darkness of the night and had also been attracted to the darkness in people as well. There is something about feeling invisible and invincible that the darkness brings. What I now see is that living in the light doesn’t necessarily mean the darkness is who and how I have to live. Black will always be the color that I wear and that shade will always be prevalent when the songs appear. We Love The Night was born in the dark. But I think what comes through is that trying to find the light is worth the fight,” says Jeff Rouse

The Gemini Affair – “We Love The Night” Stream HERE

Described as “The Cult meet The Cure in a back alley Seattle street fight!,” The Gemini Affair have received strong praise from Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready, Guns N’ Roses’ Duff McKagan, Buckcherry’s Josh Todd and radio stations like KJR 950 AM and KISW 99.9 FM. The Gemini Affair have a new six-song EP “To…” cut, mixed and mastered for fans, and set for release from G4L Records. Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready debuted the EP’s first single, “You’re Perfect,” on his boutique vinyl record label Hockeytalkter, and on Sirius XM Radio Pearl Jam Channel. All songs and upcoming EP “To…” are being released digitally by G4L Records.

The Gemini Affair are a Seattle based band founded by Jeff Rouse. Members include:

Jeff Rouse: Vocals, Guitar (Member of Duff McKagan’s Loaded (Bass, Backup Vocals), Alien Crime Syndicate, Fozzy, Vendetta Red). He has also shared the stage with Steve Jones (Sex Pistols), Corey Taylor (Slipknot/ Stone Sour), Mike McCready (Pearl Jam), Mark Lanegan (Screaming Trees, QOTSA, Mad Season), Ann and Nancy Wilson (Heart) and many more at major festivals and shows worldwide.
Keith Ash: Bass (Star Anna, Guessing Game)
Donn Gunn: Drums (Death Cab for Cutie, Peter Frampton, Soundgarden, King Crimson)
Ryan Waters: Guitar (Sade, Heart, Liv Warfield)
Davey French: Guitar (Everclear)

KOITOS Release Third Single ‘Virtaa’ from Upcoming Debut Album

Posted by tarjavirmakari on March 17, 2023
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment
Photographer: Niko Suominen

Finnish metal newcomer KOITOS released a third single “Virtaa” (eng.”Flows“), from the upcoming debut album. Song has more dynamics and it includes crushing riffs but also a delicate clean singing with a mellow piano.

“The upcoming album deals with loneliness from many different angles. But in this song not in such a traditional way. The narrator of the song hides his mistakes under a hard shell, which emerges as crappy behavior towards others. In the end, people disappear around the narrator and he’s left to lick his wounds in solitude,” describes the theme of the song by vocalist Matti Hiitti.

Listen to the single on music services: https://push.fm/fl/koitos-virtaa

Koitos debut album will be released later in autumn. In addition to the composition and lyrics, the song was recorded and produced entirely by the band itself. The song was mixed and mastered by Rami Nykänen, who has previously worked with bands like One Morning Left and Balance Breach.

More information at
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/koitosofficial
Facebook: https://fi-fi.facebook.com/koitos

International MESMUR Premiere New Single ‘Petroglyph’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on March 17, 2023
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment

International death/funeral doom metal act MESMUR will be releasing their new album “Chthonic” on April 14th 2023 via Solitude Prod. (RUS) and Aesthetic Death (UK).

Today, the band premieres a brand new single, “Petroglyph“, at Grizzly Butts. Stream it HERE.

The album’s title is based on the Greek word for “underworld”, and where the band’s previous albums have explored themes of cosmic entropy and earthly apocalypse, “Chthonic” looks to the spirit world for its inspiration. Formed as a collection of paranormal horror tales, it speaks of fabled entities making contact through the veil of sleep, summoning prey to subterranean depths, or haunting a post apocalyptic landscape.

Musically, the album continues the trajectory that MESMUR have established through previous works. Featuring viola and cello performances from Brianne Vieira and guest organ from Kostas Panagiotou of UK funeral doom act Pantheist (for whom Jeremy and John of Mesmur recently contributed guitars and drums on their 2021 record “Closer to God”), “Chthonic” strikes a careful balance between melody and dissonance as it displays its haunted imagery. Crushing doom riffs are overlain with ethereal synths and cavernous vocals to build a dark and vivid atmosphere, and the intricate compositions utilize a narrative approach influenced as much by 70’s progressive rock as by extreme doom metal. Like the band’s previous two releases, the album features beautifully eerie and vibrant cover art from Ukrainian painter Vladislav Cadaversky.

Working in collaboration with Solitude Prod. (RUS) and Aesthetic Death (UK), “Chthonic” will be released initially on digi CD on 14th April 2023, with plans for a vinyl release to follow later.

Tracklist:

01. Chthonic (Prelude)
02. Refraction
03. Petroglyph
04. Passage
05. Chthonic (Coda)

Initially started in 2013 as a side project of Jeremy Lewis and John Devos (of progressive black metal act Dalla Nebbia), MESMUR is an international collection of musicians with a shared artistic goal to create immersive and unpredictable death/funeral doom metal. Dense, with vivid atmosphere that carries a constant sense of foreboding and unease, and with riffs and melodies that straddle the line between accessibility and obscurity, MESMUR‘s music draws inspiration from a diverse set of influences ranging from Esoteric and Ea to King Crimson and Univers Zero.

More information at

ELYSION Celebrate Album Release with Brand New “Eternity” Lyric Video

Posted by tarjavirmakari on March 17, 2023
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment

Today, dark metal outfit ELYSION is celebrating the release of their brand new studio album, entitled “Bring Out Your Dead”, via Massacre Records. The band’s new offering is available as CD Digipak, a limited LP Vinyl edition and Digital formats at THIS LOCATION!

In support of today’s record release, ELYSION has just premiered a new lyric video for the song “Eternity”!

The band comments: “Perhaps one of the deepest ELYSION songs so far. We like to use simple language and vocabulary when serious messages lie underneath, this becomes more obvious in the middle atmospheric part of “Eternity”. The futility of human existence, how fragile we really are, and flaws of our nature have always been matters of concern that our lyrics deal with. It is by far the darkest song on “Bring Out Your Dead” and, as far as compositions are concerned, one that brings new things to the table for us.”

Overwhelmed with emotions and melodies to share, the unexpected pandemic adds a veil of darkness to everyone’s view of the world today. This could not leave ELYSION untouched either, as it influenced their new album when it comes to symbolism and atmosphere used on the record. Taking a few steps back and contemplating everything, it becomes clear that we are miserably failing as humanity.

Despite not being considered a concept album, “Bring Out Your Dead” indicates a crossover from darkness towards light; with “light being our better version, our pure nature, one that hasn’t been poisoned by the corruption of mankind“. The ten new album tracks consist of a lot of different compositions, thus letting many different shades of their musical character show. Apart from ELYSION’s distinctive own identity being prominent throughout the songs, it gave them great excitement to experiment with heavier sounds, a more alternative atmosphere and dynamics that led to an evolved sound compared to their previous releases.

Album track listing:
1. Blink Of An Eye
2. Crossing Over
3. Far Away
4. Buried Alive
5. As The Flower Withers
6. Raid The Universe
7. This Time
8. Brand New Me
9. Blue Seasons
10. Eternity

ELYSION is:
Christianna – Vocals
Johnny Zero – Guitar
Nid – Guitar
FXF – Bass
Ilias Laitsas – Drums

For More Info Visit:

Icelandic RING OF GYGES Release New Video/Single ‘Parasite’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on March 17, 2023
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment

Icelandic RING OF GYGES present the first single and video, “Parasite”, from their forthcoming album “Metamorphosis” (which will be released via ViciSolum Productions on May 19). An amazingly vivid and beautifully thought-provoking piece of art, which will make fans of bands like Leprous, Port Noir and Haken thrilled.

Ring of Gyges about the video:
“We spent a very cold couple of days out in the breathtaking landscapes and adorable little villages of South-Western Iceland with our fantastic director Gaui and a fantastic cast of actors, creating the video for our latest single Parasite. Fun fact: one of the scenes is filmed inside the home of the local sheriff in Guðjóns hometown. We hope you enjoy it at least half as much as we enjoyed making it, although Gísli has insisted on a warmer location for the next shoot”.

WALK WITH TITANS Release New Video ‘Seven Against Thebes’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on March 17, 2023
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment
Photo Credit – Dani Rod – Above the Sky Studios

Rockshots Records is proud to announce their signing of WALK WITH TITANS for the release of their debut album “Olympian Dystopia” on May 26th, 2023. Based in Montreal, Canada, the band’s goal is to bring all the epic elements you’d expect from a power metal band with a twist of Greek Mythology. On “Olympian Dystopia” the quintet showcases their writing and technical skills.

Efficient, epic, well executed, heavy, and mythical, this is what power metal fans will discover during 50 minutes of “Olympian Dystopia” brought forth by Nikko Cyr (drums), Nick Maugy (rhythm guitar), Louis Jacques (lead guitar) (ex-Blackguard), Lydz Grondin (bass), and Jonathan Vézina (vocals & orchestrations).

”We wanted to make a straightforward power metal album without compromising the epic side. I think listeners will realize that and enjoy it. We made this album during the pandemic and it kept us sane, we hope fans will find the same joy in listening to it as we had to make it! We bring some ancient Greek Myths to the forefront like Eurydice and Herakles, while others are more subtle like ‘Edge of Time’, which is Khronos representing time eating us all. Other tracks on the record we made as an analogy for societal issues.” adds guitarist Louis Jacques.

Today, the band presents their first story and single accompanied by a music video. Entitled “Seven Against Thebes“, the track tells the tale of the seven champions in Greek mythology who made war on Thebes, Adrastus, Amphiaraus, Capaneus, Hippomedon, Polynices, Tydeus, and Parthenopaeus. They were chosen by Adrastus, the king of Argos, to be the captains of an Argive army whose purpose was to restore Oedipus’ son Polynices to the Theban throne.

”This song is very ”in your face”. We wanted to make a fast song with a very epic catchy chorus, I think we succeeded here. This song is about the myth of the two Oedipus’ sons who fought to the death over the city of Thebes. The bridge solo section is very fast and intense, as a battle could be. We unleash everything on the stage when we play this one.” says guitarist Louis Jacques

Digital – https://bfan.link/seven-against-thebes

Album pre-order – https://bit.ly/WalkWithTitansCD

Track Listing:​
1. Herakles (4:08)
2. Edge of Time (4:34)
3. Gods of the Pantheon (5:53)
4. As Titans Fall (4:36)
5. Lost Ways (4:28)
6. Final Dawn (5:31)
7. Gift of Fire feat. Renato Osório (5:38) – Guest guitar solo by Renato Osório (Atomic Elephant, ex-Hibria)
8. Lost Paradise (5:17)
9. Seven Against Thebes (4:16)
10. Eurydice (5:46)
Album Length: 50:22

Album Credits:​
Album Artwork: Jean-Michel Lima
Logo and album cover layout: Jivago Raymond
Booklet Layout: Simon Bertrand
Recordings: Nick Maugy and Louis Jacques, and vocals were at Silverwings Studio by Jonathan Lefrançois
Mix and Mastering: Francis Gagné from Progressive Acoustics
Drums on the Album: Martin Plante (session drummer)
Music by Walk With Titans
Guest solo on ”Gift of Fire” by Renato Osório (ex-Hibria)
Lyrics: Jonathan Vézina, Louis Jacques, and David Zinay (lost paradise, final dawn)

Walk With Titans is:
Drums : Nikko Cyr
Rythm Guitar : Nick Maugy
Lead Guitar : Louis Jacques
Bass Guitar : Lydz Grondin
Vocals & Orchestrations : Jonathan Vézina