Metal Shock Finland (World Assault )

BURNING WITCHES Conjure New Spells with Upcoming Album “The Dark Tower”, Out May 5th

Posted by tarjavirmakari on February 23, 2023

Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: BURNING WITCHES. Leave a comment

[Photo Credit: Martin Rahn, Damier Eskic]

When BURNING WITCHES come together, the world is ablaze! With just a sip of their bewitched brew of heavy metal, the quintet whisks the listener back to the heyday of the hottest and cruelest era in rock history. Inspired by the trademarks of classic 80s heavy metal – like skyscraper guitar solos, bludgeoning, raspy vocals and screams, and fast paced drums – BURNING WITCHES unleash a searing attack once more with their fifth studio album and Napalm Records debut, The Dark Tower, out May 5, 2023. Fasten your broom’s seatbelt for this wild and fiery ride!

Behold! The cauldron bubbles and churns, as the BURNING WITCHES conjure up their spellbinding album, crowned by the title track “The Dark Tower“. Prepare to be entranced as commanding guitar riffs seize your senses, but it’s the potent vocals that truly captivate – especially the mesmerizing chorus that beckons you to join with the coven. Yet, this is but a mere glimpse into the magic that the witches have weaved. Many more freshly brewed incantations are primed and ready to be unleashed upon those brave enough to listen to The Dark Tower!

BURNING WITCHES on their single “The Dark Tower”:
“Wow that was quick, right? Album No5 is already done and we are back with the brand-new single ‘The Dark Tower’. The title track of the new record will fit perfectly into our set list with its relentless beat, the truly epic riffs and the striking but melodic vocals!

The theme of Elizabeth Bathory and her infamous ‘blood countess’ reputation was a fantastic inspiration for a breathtaking video clip. We all could relate to the story and its creepy saga and knew from the beginning, it would be a new highlight in the WITCHES history!

Last but not least, we want to thank the fans that supported us here and played the extras, in this very emotional and creepy little ride! Enjoy the clip!”

On fifteen energetic tracks, BURNING WITCHES ring the bells for a midnight mass in smoky-warm bars. Opening with “Unleash The Beast”, roaring, dueling guitars battle each other with top-notch, fast-paced performances while the energy of the song rises to its climax when the sharp voice of singer Laura Guldemond combines with powerful harmonies. “World On Fire” first gets the listener’s pulse pumping with the rising tension of flashy guitar work, before melodic six-string solos unite with unbeatable guitar onslaughts and sophisticated drum attacks – underlining conjuring vocal lines that call out for an evening zombie dance! Restless and intense, the fierce women of BURNING WITCHES shred their instruments on The Dark Tower like no other, but with the soft mid-tempo track “Tomorrow”, the witches settle down to gather their strength for just a moment. Bittersweet melodies float up to the sky like weightless feathers, carrying a message of five confident women. Ready again to gradually increase the tempo, “Heart Of Ice” and “Arrow Of Time” ensnare with extravagant guitar tapping and heroic vocals by Laura, while “The Lost Souls” merges devilish staccato and legato riffs, creating an ominous atmosphere amid the bewitching screams of the five Swiss enchantresses. With their new studio album, BURNING WITCHES not only bring back the glory days of heavy metal, but push it beyond – trapping the soul of each listener with energetic performances on The Dark Tower.

Pre-Order The Dark Tower HERE

The Dark Tower track listing:

Rise Of Darkness
Unleash The Beast
Renegade
Evil Witch
World On Fire
Tomorrow
House Of Blood
The Dark Tower
Heart Of Ice
Arrow Of Time
Doomed To Die
Into The Unknown
The Lost Souls

BURNING WITCHES Are:
Laura Guldemond – Vocals
Romana Kalkuhl – Guitars
Larissa Ernst – Guitars
Jeanine Grob – Bass
Lala Frischknecht – Drums

MARIANAS REST Share Music Video for New Single ‘Sirens’, Feat. MY DYING BRIDE Vocalist Aaron Stainthorpe

Posted by tarjavirmakari on February 22, 2023

Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: MARIANAS REST. Leave a comment

March 24, 2023 will see melodic death doom outfit MARIANAS REST release their fourth studio album, entitled Auer, through Napalm Records. Following the previously-shared, first album single ‘Diseased’, today, the Finnish six-piece has premiered a music video for haunting new track ‘Sirens’, featuring none other than MY DYING BRIDE’s frontman Aaron Stainthorpe on guest vocals!

“With this song and Aaron as a perfect ally, we shall present the complex and fragile balance between light and darkness. My Dying Bride is one of the biggest influences for all the members of Marianas Rest, so this is clearly a big deal for having such a legend collaborating with us on this closing track of our new album.” Singer Jaakko Mäntymaa reveals: “Sirens is the last request for one more try to change things when the end is closing in. It’s about accepting the fact that even though you try your best, things can still go to hell. When that happens, at least you’ll go down with pride.”

Bassist Niko Lindman adds: “Sirens plays an essential role as a closure of the album. Musically and lyrically it creates a mood similar to the ending credits of a movie. It leaves you to listen to the last echoes of a sad story. We are also beyond words to have the stellar Aaron Stainthorpe as the narrator to end it all.”

Hailing from the coastal town of Kotka, MARIANAS REST embodies the Finnish melancholy and sadness of a cold, harsh winter landscape with absolute perfection. Formed in 2013, the band around Jaakko Mäntymaa on vocals and Omnium Gatherum’s Aapo Koivisto (keys), took the heavy music scene by storm with the release of their impressive 2016-debut, Horror Vacui. Now, just in time to celebrate their 10th band anniversary, MARIANAS REST unleashes their fourth studio epos, that couldn’t be more multifaceted.

MARIANAS REST prove that death metal does not always need fast-paced riffage and thunderous blast beats – they spice up their dark mood with a heavy dose of doom and a significant black metal touch, to deliver a colossal sound and new piece of pure art: Auer is epic, heavy, sad and bleak; its overall melancholic yet brutal riffs, mesmerizing auditory colors and immersive vocals will hit you deep in your core. It’s a heavy ride through a disturbing yet beautiful sound landscape that only a Finnish band like MARIANAS REST can create, while always keeping you warm and welcome yet haunted and hopeless.

As Niko Lindman recently said: “We broke traditional song structures and seasoned the atmosphere slightly with clean vocal parts. The very core has still not essentially changed much as the album continues the “there is still light at the end of the tunnel, maybe” atmosphere familiar from the previous albums.”

Auer was recorded and mixed by Teemu Aalto at Teemu Aalto Music Productions, and was mastered by Svante Forsbäck at Chartmakers. Without question, the band’s forthcoming offering will establish the name of MARIANAS REST as one of the most enthralling, remarkable and exceptional melodic death and blackened doom metal bands of modern times!

Pre-Order Auer HERE!

Auer track listing:

Auer
Diseased
Light Reveals Our Wounds
White Cradle
The Ground Still Burns
Fear Travels Fast
The Hanging Blade
Sirens (feat. Aaron Stainthorpe)

MARIANAS REST is:
Jaakko Mäntymaa – Vocals
Harri Sunila – Guitar
Nico Mänttäri – Guitar
Nico Heininen – Drums
Niko Lindman – Bass / backing vocals
Aapo Koivisto – Keyboards

DOWNFALL OF GAIA Unleash ‘Existence of Awe’ Single

Posted by tarjavirmakari on February 22, 2023

Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: Downfall Of Gaia. Leave a comment

DOWNFALL OF GAIA today unleash their latest single, “Existence Of Awe.” The pummeling new psalm comes by way of the band’s sixth studio album, Silhouettes Of Disgust, scheduled to drop on March 17th via Metal Blade Records.

Progressing in part by looking backwards and returning to familiar territory, DOWNFALL OF GAIA‘s Silhouettes Of Disgust delivers a dynamic and textured blend of crust punk and post-black metal doused in atmospheric elements, taking everything that ever made the band compelling and pushing it in new and gripping directions. The record includes the return of guitarist Peter Wolff, who left the band in 2015 to focus on family and other pursuits. They’ve also expanded their sonic palette with the addition of synths for the first time, and female vocals courtesy of Lulu Black, who collaborates with drummer Michael Kadnar in industrial/gothic project This Is Oblivion.

Wanting to keep things short, simple, and a bit more confrontational, the record does not feature the eight- to ten-minute epics of the band’s more recent releases and is indeed punchier, with a lot of classic d-beat drumming driving the action, as on the surging “Unredeemable” and opener/latest single, “Existence Of Awe.”

Elaborates vocalist/guitarist Dominik Goncalves dos Reis, “ ‘Existence Of Awe’ is a song about those inner demons and ghostly companions that many in this day and age are at the mercy of and have to fight against in whatever form. A condition that one often carries around unnoticed on the outside, which is not immediately visible to many, and that one must somehow learn to live with…“

View DOWNFALL OF GAIA‘s visualizer for “Existence Of Awe” here:

View the band’s previously released video for “Bodies As Driftwood” at THIS LOCATION as well as a companion drum playthrough for the track at THIS LOCATION.

Silhouettes Of Disgust will be released on CD, LP, and digitally. Find pre-orders at: metalblade.com/downfallofgaia

The title Silhouettes Of Disgust is derived from the narratives driving the songs, focusing on the stories of eight different people, as residents of a fictional metropolis, each with their own worries and struggles. “Loneliness, addiction, the fear of tomorrow, pressure from society/work and others, things that many of us probably know all too well,” explains Goncalves dos Reis. “You have to play along somehow, or you fall through the cracks, and once you’re down, it’s hard to get back up. It looks at selfishness and ignorance, the general way of dealing with each other – you’re one, surrounded by millions, surrounded by all these silhouettes of disgust, surrounded by the things you want to avoid and hate. The last few years have impressively proven what you can expect from humanity, and honestly, it’s not much.“

Silhouettes Of Disgust was initially slated to be recorded with producer Timo Höcke at Die Wellenschmiede studio in Hamburg, however a few days before recording was due to commence, Höcke unfortunately contracted Covid. “Due to schedules, family matters and private life, the planned time frame was the only chance to record the album without losing several months, so with drums tracked in New Jersey at Backroom Studios together with Kevin Antreassian, we ended up recording the rest of the album alone in Peter [Wolff]’s studio in Hamburg. After recording guitars, bass, and vocals we went to Die Wellenschmiede for one day — as it was actually planned — and re-amped our own recordings, with Timo handling the mix and Jonas Romann (Chaos Compressor Club) mastering the record.” The record comes adorned in the cover art of Wolff and Goncalves dos Reis.

DOWNFALL OF GAIA will return to the stage this April on a short run of European live dates celebrating the release of Silhouettes Of Disgust. The tour kicks off on April 11th in Munich Germany and runs through April 23rd in Berlin, Germany. The band will be joined by Implore and Deathrite on select shows. See all confirmed dates below.

DOWNFALL OF GAIA w/ Implore:
4/11/2023 Backstage – Munich, DE
4/12/2023 Jugendhaus – West Stuttgart, DE
4/13/2023 Bandhaus – Leipzig, DE
4/14/2023 Underdogs – Prague, CZ
4/15/2023 TBA
w/ Deathrite:
4/19/2023 Pul – Uden, NL
4/20/2023 Rockpalast – Bochum, DE
4/21/2023 TBA – Osnabrück, DE
4/22/2023 Headcrash – Hamburg, DE
4/23/2023 Cassiopeia – Berlin, DE

DOWNFALL OF GAIA:
Dominik Goncalves dos Reis – vocals, guitars
Peter Wolff – guitars, vocals
Anton Lisovoj – bass, vocals
Michael Kadnar – drums

DÅÅTH Sign with Metal Blade Records, Release First New Single in 12 Years

Posted by tarjavirmakari on February 22, 2023

Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: DÅÅTH. Leave a comment

Metal Blade Records is pleased to announce the signing of Atlanta, Georgia’s highly experimental, progressive death metal band, DÅÅTH.

“After 12 years on hiatus, we agreed that if we’re bringing DÅÅTH back, we’re doing it right. That’s why we’re so excited to announce that we’ve signed to our dream label, Metal Blade! From day one, they understood and backed our vision for the future, have an inextinguishable passion for the genre, an incredible staff, and are one of the reasons Metal is on the map and thriving. We’re excited to add to the growing metal history Slagel & Co have forged with unstoppable determination. DÅÅTH signing to Metal Blade couldn’t be a better pairing – we’re taking this to its full potential, letting nothing and nobody stand in our way. If you’re not going all out, what’s the point?” – Dååth

Check out the single No Rest No End HERE and go to metalblade.com/daath to see where you can stream or purchase the track.

The band began their journey in 1999 and stayed busy for just over a decade before taking a hiatus in 2011. In that time, Dååth released 4 studio albums (Futility – self-released 2004, The Hinderers – Roadrunner Records 2007, The Concealers – Century Media 2009, Dååth – Century Media 2010) and toured throughout the world with band’s like Dark Funeral, Naglfar, Zyklon, Dragonforce, Goatwhore, Chimaira, Throwdown, Dying Fetus, and Devildriver making a lasting impression with the metal community and its many subgenres. Dååth also landed a coveted spot on Ozzfest playing before tens of thousands of fans in outdoor amphitheaters across the US in addition to the infamous and long-running metal tour, Summer Slaughter.

In their time, Dååth managed to create an extensive fanbase worldwide with their unique brand of experimental death metal, which makes it no surprise that the metal community lit up once rumors of the band’s return began to surface online. The metal community only continued to buzz with support as members began making posts teasing new material. The metal world made it clear they were ready for the return of one of the strongest progressive death metal bands of the first part of the 00’s.

Dååth is now back with an updated lineup and stronger than ever, which can be heard in the group’s new single “No Rest No End” that will see digital release by Metal Blade Records on February 22, 2023. The track features guest solos by Rafael Trujillo (Obsidious, ex-Obscura, instagram.com/rafaeltrujillo_official) and Spiro Dussias (instagram.com/spirodussias) and was mixed by Jens Bogren (Sepultura, At The Gates, Kreator, Dimmu Borgir), Mastered by Tony Lindgren (Enslaved, Katatonia, Leprous, Wardruna), with Vocal Production by Andrew Wade (A Day To Remember, Motionless In White, Wage War), and Engineering by John Douglass (Megadeth, Alluvial, The Contortionist). Fans can expect to hear the next stage in evolution of Dååth‘s brand of melodic and progressive death metal.

“‘No Rest No End’ is the reason DÅÅTH is back.” comments guitarist Eyal Levi. “When the writing began, I was looking for proof that we still had it. The last thing I want to do is put out music that sounds like a bad cover of our back catalog. When this song came together, it was clear that we needed to see this through. ‘No Rest No End’ is the pinnacle of everything I’ve wanted to do with this band and features our full lineup firing on all cylinders: crushing riffs, orchestrated to the max, an infectious chorus, insane solos, my favorite metal drummer, baroque insanity, signature clean guitars, and an incredible mix. It’s the most ambitious song we’ve ever written or recorded and we’re just getting started. Enjoy!“

Vocalist Sean Z adds, “The first time I heard ‘No Rest No End’ in demo form, I was blown away! I immediately knew exactly what I wanted to do vocally. The words practically flew off the page. During every step of the creation process, the song was an obvious masterpiece. It’s meant to be heard, and it’s meant to be played loud!“

Jesse Zuretti who handles orchestration, synth, and guitar says that “‘No Rest No End’ is what happens when everyone involved pushes themselves to their extremes. In metal, we often pride ourselves on how difficult something is to master – and this song is the pinnacle to that thought. We all showed up at our very best to make ‘No Rest No End’ our masterpiece. From the orchestration standpoint, we took this to cinematic & baroque levels in one song. The guitars were also deeply challenging and equally fulfilling to track. Not to mention the Michelin rated guest solos.” While the band’s new drummer Krimh calls it “a furious ride with the perfect title, ‘No Rest No End.’ At least that’s how I feel while playing this song. From a drumming perspective – you better get your running shoes on because this track makes you work hard! It has fast double bass, blast beats and a ton of groovy parts. It is definitely one of our strongest songs and with its many layers you will find new things each time you listen to it.“

Dååth line-up:
Eyal Levi – Guitar – instagram.com/eyalleviurmaudio
Sean Z – Vocals – instagram.com/seanzscreams
Krimh – Drums – instagram.com/_krimh_
Jesse Zuretti – Orchestration, synth, guitar – instagram.com/jessezuretti

Dave Marvuglio – Session bass – instagram.com/davidmarvuglio

DOM MARTIN Announces “Buried In The Hail” Autumn 2023 Album Tour

Posted by tarjavirmakari on February 22, 2023

Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: Dom Martin. Leave a comment

Multi award winning Belfast guitarist and singer songwriter Dom Martin starts his “Buried In The Hail” Autumn 2023 Album Tour on October 8th at the Carlisle Blues Festival. The tour will take him the length and breadth of the UK and Ireland until mid-November 2023.

Dom’s new studio album “Buried In The Hail,” due for release in September 2023, is steeped in the roots, Americana, and blues genres.

Tickets are on sale 9am on Friday 24th February from www.bandsintown.com/dommartin

One of the most talked about Irish artists in a generation and likened by many to the legendary Irish guitarist Rory Gallagher, Belfast-raised Dom Martin brings his full-band electric show to his fast-growing UK fanbase.

Dom has been nominated for three awards at this year’s UK Blues Awards including “Blues Vocalist of the Year”, “Blues Artist of the Year”, and “Blues Instrumentalist of the Year”.

The 32-year-old musician was brought up in the community driven streets of Northern Ireland and makes no secret of his early struggles with drugs and alcohol, frequently referencing this during his very personal and intimate solo shows.

With five European and UK Blues Awards under his belt since 2019, he has attracted attention from Joe Bonamassa, featuring regularly on his Spotify playlists and gaining a coveted invitation to play as a band on the 3rd annual Keeping the Blues Alive III Mediterranean Cruise from 17-22 August 2023 alongside Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Blackberry Smoke and Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, and many more blues artists.

The UK Blues Awards 2022 winner of the “Blues Acoustic Artist Of The Year” award and “Best Instrumentalist of the Year” award says, “I can’t wait to see my UK fans again with my solo show, I can never quite believe how quiet they are when I’m playing, it really helps me get right into the moment, it’s an awesome feeling for both me and the audience.”

DOM MARTIN “BURIED IN THE HAIL” AUTUMN 2023 ALBUM TOUR

BECKO Releases Cover of Guano Apes’ ‘Open Your Eyes’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on February 22, 2023

Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: BECKO. Leave a comment

Featuring BECKO’s signature screaming vocals intertwine with aggressive guitars to fuel an angst-ridden soundscape. Becko’s cover of “OPEN YOUR EYES” implores you to see the reality of what’s going on around you. The single keeps the abrasive spirit of the original while furthering the story Becko has spun in the previously released tracks for Present Day // Present Time. The single’s energetic and fierce soundscape is a clarion call to his listeners. Open your eyes.

“This is a cover from Guano Apes. When I was a kid I heard this song and it was stuck inside my head till now,” explains Becko. “The song fits so much with this new sound I’m doing inspired from 90’s and early 2000 rock and nu metal music.”

Purchase/Stream: https://link.fixtmusic.com/Open

Marco Calanca of post-hardcore band Hopes Die Last, created Becko as a solo project, uniting influences of EDM, Hip-Hop, Industrial, and Emo-Rock.
With previous releases under his belt with labels ranging from Warner Italy and Universal Italy, to Monstercat, Lowly Palace, and Smash the House since 2014, Becko found a new home in early 2020, signing a multi-album deal with the independent, artist-owned/operated USA-based electronic-rock label FiXT, founded by genre-pioneering artist & producer Klayton (Celldweller, Circle of Dust).

In 2020, Becko released the full-length album INNER SELF, as a triumphant fusion of trap & metal. In 2021 Becko released a flurry of singles including “Darkest Days” which was produced by Mike Shinoda all on the path leading up to the release of his second full-length trap-metal album with FiXT, You Are (Not) Alone, which dropped in early 2022. Becko introduced his latest 90s-inspired concept album Present Day // Present Time with the release of “Home” and continues to build towards the full album release in 2023.