As the days count down to All Hallows Eve, we begin to celebrate all that is grim, ghastly and gruesome. We honor all the creepy crawlies in a myriad of ways: binging on horror movies, creating mockup crime scenes in the front yard, or checking in on your favorite parody musical outfit composed of sock puppets.
The atrocities that can trigger deep seated primal reactions of pure unadulterated terror are the reason of the season— spiders, ghosts, demons, thinking you left the stove on. And if you’re a sock, that may be enduring the reckless abandon of being… lost.
Good news! Sock Puppet Parody has just released a Halloween special to highlight this highly specific nightmare situation, and we’re sure you will find it all so relatable. This latest rendition transforms popular Danny Elfman’s Oingo Boingo into a mismatched bunch of socks.
In the video, the sock puppet band plays the familiar tune, “Dead Man’s Party” but with revisited lyrics that speak to this sock world. The caricatures bemoan the prison they’re subjected to… which apparently is a cardboard crypt with the writing “Lost and Found” on it.
It’s easy to empathize, with a mini Elfman wailing “I’m stuffed in this box, feeling all alone” and “don’t forget to remember me” in front of a cobweb backdrop while strumming a tiny replica guitar.
Sock Puppet Parody takes iconic bands and glorifies their undergarments by making high quality music videos featuring socks. For the past few years, they have been treating us with some Halloween spirit, and this is a new holiday special to add to the collection.
Female Fronted Metal Sensation BELLE MORTE Ft. Rúben Monteiro is ready to enchant listeners with their new single and music video titled “September,” out via Wormholedeath worldwide.
“September,” the freshest banger from Belle Morte is infused with an enchanting Middle Eastern flair. This track marks another milestone in the band’s ongoing international collaborative series, now extending to a total of six captivating songs featuring guest musicians. In this release, Belle Morte joined forces with the talented Portuguese multi-instrumentalist, Ruben Monteiro, and Ada Rusinkiewicz (Hethet) who recorded backing vocals for the track. Ruben’s masterful oud and saz performances add an authentic touch, weaving intricate melodies into the tapestry of our music. Get ready to embark on a musical journey that bridges cultures and transcends boundaries.
Rúben Monteiro is a multi-instrumentalist, producer, and composer who places himself within an uncommonly wide range of musical genres. His current projects swing from progressive rock to Mediterranean music, including also in this sonic path medieval and modal music, as well as fusion.
Belle Morte is a musical project from Belarus, Minsk, playing dark symphonic metal with a gothic/progressive flavor and melancholic vibe. Debut band’s EP “Game On” was released in 2018. In 2021 the band signed a deal with Italian label Wormholedeath to release their full-length conceptual album “Crime of Passion” inspired by John Fowles’s “The Collector”. The album tells a coherent story that started as an unhealthy obsession and stalking and resulted in murder, both from the side of the murderer and his victim.
Currently, the band is working on a series of songs in collaboration with musicians from different parts of the world. Released singles include “Fallen Idol’ with Finnish tagelharpa parts by Tero Kalliomäki, “Krew” with Ukrainian bandura by Yaroslav Dzhus, “Exorcism” with Mongolian morin khuur and throat singing performed by Ulziisaihan Horoldamba, “Blame me‘ with Armenian duduk by Lernik Khachatrian, “Black waters” with Indonesian suling and gamelan by Maulana Malik Ibrahim and “September” with Middle Eastern saz and oud by Ruben Monteiro.
At the core of Belle Morte’s art is the exploration of contrasts and dualities. The band invites their listeners to see the beauty in disturbing things and the darkness in seemingly beautiful things. Through their music, lyrics, and visual imagery, Belle Morte challenges their audience to look beyond the surface and find the beauty in the unexpected.
Line up Belle Morte – vocalist, lyric/music author Sergey Butovsky – bass guitar, arrangements, sound producing Maria Shumanskaya – keyboards Ilya Rogovoy – guitars Ilya Petrashkevich – guitars Rostislav Golubnichiy – drums
Operatic black metal rising stars FOLTERKAMMER are proud to announce that they have signed a deal with Century Media Records! To celebrate this new union, the band is now sharing a BDSM inspired new single, “Das Peitschengedicht,” which celebrates the female empowerment of whip-wielding Femdoms. The powerful new song can be found along with a lyric video, which was created by Folterkammer drummer and video director Brendan McGowan, at THIS LOCATION.
The single is taken from the band’s forthcoming album, which serves as a counterpart to their 2020 debut, ‘Die Lederpredigt.’ The new record is another searing blend of modern black metal and classical music elements, lending to its Avant Garde sound. The music itself is elevated by frontwoman and vocalist Andromeda Anarchia’s dynamic vocal work as she juxtaposes her classical training as an opera singer with her hellfire screams, summoning a maelstrom of ethereal chaos. More information will be revealed soon – stay tuned!
Speaking on the empowering themes of the new single and forthcoming record, Andromeda Anarchia eloquently explains, “This song is our kinky ode to the whip as a torture instrument, and a celebratory hymn to the practices of BDSM, particularly, Femdom. The whip, a symbol of domination, pain and humiliation, is described here not only as playful and kinky, but as a poetic enactment of pain through the depiction of female ferocity on a submissive man, whose back the Domme uses like a canvas.
“It is about this sensual overdrive of stimulation and literally describes the lustful use of a whip as a kind of ‘calligraphy brush’ to write a poem. The dominatrix verbally humiliates her subject while blood runs down his spine; his blood is the ink with which she paints and signs her artwork of pain and ecstasy.
“The song bridges both musically and thematically the old album (regarding a vicious, violent, and abusive ‘Bad Domme’ goddess) and the new one (featuring a badass, erotic ‘Good Domme’). This opens a new chapter with a change defined not only by the expanded instrumentation and new songwriting styles, but also by the way the described dominant female protagonist treats her subordinates and has refined her skills in humiliation games. It’s no longer about being a vicious, exploitative deity, but about being a sensual, naughty, self-confident, kinky lady who knows exactly what she wants, who celebrates female power, who sometimes flirts and cleverly provokes with historical and mythological anecdotes, and even more with her charm and sass.
“This bridging of the debut album and the new album is also reflected in the aesthetics of the video. In the words of our drummer and music video director Brendan McGowan: ‘The ‘Das Peitschengedicht’ video sets the dominating lyrics to footage from the 1922 classic ‘Haxan’ – whose famous images of devils and demons often overshadow the wicked women within it and their blasphemous behavior.'”
Century Media VP of A&R Mike Gitter says of the signing, “From their first utterance, Folterkammer has been an absolute divisive intersection of art, sexuality and musical violence. They deal in themes that push comfortable bounds and arrive at something that’s delicious and destructive.”
“Das Peitschengedicht” is now available on all streaming services and can be heard HERE.
Album Credits: Producer: Zachary Ezrin Recording: Kevin Antreassian at Backroom Studios in NJ Additional Recording: Laurent David and Antoine Delecroix Mixing: Colin Marston at Menegroth, The Thousand Caves, in NY Mastering: Fred Kevorkian
Cover Art: Eliran Kantor Album Layout: Brendan McGowan Photography: Alex Krauss Logo Design: Mister Kams
Victory” is the fourth single and the last song of Coventhrall‘s upcoming space opera album Legacy of Morfuidra. The song is almost six minutes long epic and versatile opus which is divided into two parts. The mood is melancholic in the first half of the song when the lead vocalist Sami Ilvonen expresses the wistful atmosphere after the battle. The latter half gives the song and the whole album the finish line it deserves when it’s time to celebrate the victory achieved.
The creator of the story and the vocalist Sami “Texas” Ilvonen describes the feelings of the song:
“The battle has been won and the Scavens have been evicted back into space, but the losses are considerable and many good friends have fallen. The feelings are contradictory like always in wars and battles. On the other hand, we are happy about the victory and the freedom of Morfuidra, but the memory of the fallen will be mourned for a long time.”
There are a several featuring artists in the song like Tuomas Nieminen, Tanja Kemppainen and Aleksi Parviainen along with keyboard solo by Risto Kupiainen. The song and the whole album ends with an impressive choir part by Petteri Lehikoinen, Juhani Muhonen, Mikko P. Mustonen, Leeni-Maria Hovila and Johanna Lesonen.
“The basics of the song had been composed sometime in the late nineties, but was archived deep into the desk drawer just waiting for the right use. One can hear the influence of King Diamond and Judas Priest in vocal melodies and harmonies. The idea of the last choir part came out in the studio when we discussed the solution how we would get the sound of Morfuidra’s people to be heard in the praise to the Avatar, the Emperor and the other warriors.”
This single and upcoming album Legacy Of Morfuidra is released through Inverse Records.
COVENTHRALL: Sami Ilvonen: vocals Toni Bite: guitars Jukka Hoffrén: bass, keyboards, guitars Kimmo Korhonen: guitars Janne Ojala: drums
KILLSORROW was created in 2008 in Krakow by guitarist Michał Sokół. The band’s roster changed multiple times before finally stabilizing in 2015. Each member of the band is an experienced musician who has played hundreds of concerts and supported world-class bands such as Vader, Decapitated, Electric Light Orchestra, Focus, Paradise Lost, Hate, Hunter, Kat, Acid Drinkers, TSA.
So far, band released two albums “Little Something For You To Choke” and self-titled album “Killsorrow” (2019). Later band shared with fans digital single “Atom Heart” (2021). The band has performed tens live shows in major Polish cities in prestigious venues. In 2022, the band began working on their third longplay.
Polish post-apocalyptic metal band KILLSORROW has set the international release date for their highly anticipated third full-length album, entitled “Wasteland Chronicles“. The songs were recorded at Heinrich House Studio and Studio Centrum. All was mixed and mastered by Fredrik Nordström at Fredman Studio (In Flames, Arch Enemy, Sabaton, Dimmu Borgir, Septicflesh) in Goteborg. Cover artwork was done by duo Zbigniew Józefczyk and Michał “Xaay” Loranc (Evangelist, Kamelot, Konkhra).
November 3, 2023 band will release video to the first of the three promotional songs. The same day Killsorrow will also release full album on CD and play release show in Cracow (PL). “Wasteland Chronicles” will be released digitally in the first quarter of 2024. On the new album the band presents a new musical face, they play mixture melody and aggressive of Trivium and In Flames with catchy Iron Maiden riffs and progression of Evergrey and Kamelot.
The first real rock bang of the year is called Nordic Noise. And now, 12 years after the festival first took place back in 2013, we welcome you again – this time on a direct journey back to the 80s.
On the 10th and 11th of May 2024, Nordic Noise 2024 puts on its helmet again and, as is tradition, moves into a new venue.
In 2024, Nordic Noise will take place in the Copenhagen suburb, Hvidovre – at the venue Kometen. Here, Nordic Noise has been given the framework to frolic and put its very own stamp on the festival. In addition to a great line-up with cool hard rock, sleazerock and heavy rock bands from the USA, Sweden, Germany and Denmark, the festival welcomes Copenhagen’s coolest rock bar Zeppelin Rock Bar from Vesterbro to the venue Kometen on 10 and 11 May. Zeppelin Rock Bar will be responsible for a wide selection of drinks and beers. Besides that, there will be metal market/merch/stands, caferteria and pre and after party with rock DJs. In short, Nordic Noise 2024 will be a themed blast of a party for those who love the hard, melodic rock genre from the 80s.
Performing bands include: Crashdïet (SE) Bullet (SE) Kickin Valentina (US) Grumpynators (DK) Violet (DE) JD Miller (SE) Street Fighter + special guests (DK) Michael Catton (DK) Lady (DK) Beat The Plane (DK) Animalize (DK) & more…
This year’s festival is characterized by a focus on the rock genre from the 80s. Headliners include the sleaze rockers Crashdïet from Sweden, the moped hard rock band Bullet, also from Sweden and a dear “welcome back” to the favorites from Atlanta, USA, Kickin Valentina, who have a very special history compared to Kometen and Hvidovre.
In 2019, the band was supposed to perform at a Copenhagen venue, which went bankrupt and closed with one day’s notice. When the band was in Copenhagen without a concert, their record company managed to squeeze in a short spontaneous concert at exactly Kometen, together with Grumpynators. The same Grympynators will also perform at Nordic Noise 2024, even with new material in the bag and their first concert at the festival since 2015. From Germany comes Violet, a band faithful to keyboard-oriented 80s rock. Best described as a mix between Nena and Heart! From Sweden also comes JD Miller who plays high to the ceiling melodic AOR hard rock not unlike the compatriots from Eclipse and from the Danish hard rock scene we find Michael Catton, who is current with his debut album, produced and written in collaboration with the ubiquitous Soren Andersen. The festival also presents Street Fighter – who also has an album up to date with pure Dio heavy metal rock and it is rumored that several prominent guests will be on stage with main man Marco Angioni and his orchestra. From the Danish growth layer, we offer the stylish sleazerockers Animalize as well as Lady and Beat The Plane, both relatively new bands that are distinguished by having women in the front. An unprecedented thing within the Danish hard rock scene.
Festival organizer Michael Hvolgaard Andersen says, “It has been important for us this year to make a 100% stylish festival. I love the 80s and look forward to welcoming bands that interpret hard rock, sleazerock and heavy metal rock from this decade. Another focal point has been the growth team, so this year we have several completely fresh, young bands on the program who have something to prove. I am especially pleased to see my German favorites Violet, and Danish Lady and Beat The Plane on the bill. The fact that all three bands are also fronted by women does not make it less interesting. On the contrary. There is a need for new blood in the genre that Nordic Noise represents, and a need for more girls on stage. After all that has been said, the ultimate highlight will probably be revisited with Crashdïet, who visit Denmark for the first time in over 10 years”.
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
