After a decade on the lam, Germany’s foremost psycho/punkabilly/rock’n’roll outfit MAD SIN are back with a band-new song! Check out “Are You Ready?” here:
The new album, “Unbreakable”, coming out September 11th via Century Media Records, finds founding member Köfte “The Big Chief” DeVille and St. Valle (Double Bass) returning to the fore, and they’re going all-in. Indeed, MAD SIN are embroiled in a new decade, and times have certainly changed, but the hard-bitten group remain solidly in the thick of things, their hard-won genre-blurring—punk to country, blues to hardcore, metal to ska and garage to pop—romp is as poignant as ever. DeVille returns inspired, more self-aware, and ready to honey bop to the darkest side of the moon together with the rest of the MAD SIN boys.
When it was all nailed down and as impressive as a properly coifed pompadour, MAD SIN holed up in Kápita Studio in Catalonia, Spain. There, they committed “Unbreakable” to eternity. Assisted by engineer and mixing gurus Albert Suzmosas and Alicia Marin Martinez, DeVille and his band put everything into their old ball and chain. For maximal results, MAD SIN brought in Sascha “Busy” Bühren (Seeed, Motörhead, Iced Earth, The BossHoss and many more) and TrueBusyness Studio in Berlin to master it. The overall production is bright and gritty yet crisp and street-wise. It’s psycho/punkabilly for a new era.
MAD SIN will hit the road and play live as soon as the clubs are open again. “We want our fans to be a part of ‘Unbreakable’,” DeVille says. “They’ve made it possible that we’re still alive. We owe them everything.”
In the beginning of June, Norwegian hard rock icons VREID streamed a unique live performance that took place against the backdrop of the mountains in their hometown of Sogndal, Norway. The stream was an immense success with over 130,000 people viewers across the globe! Now, the band has partnered with Ghost Cult Magazine to release the video clip for the song “Milorg”, which is the titled track from their WWII themed record of the same name. The video can be seen at THIS LOCATION.
In addition to the video, VREID will be reopening the concert scene in Oslo (NO) on August 15, 2020! The historic performance will take place at the legendary Rockefeller venue and will be the first metal show in the city since the Covid-19 closure. The show sold out immediately and due to the demand, a second show has been added.
On this night, VREID will also launch their very own signature beer, which has been crafted by the band’s guitarist Stian “Strom” Bakketeig and Balder Brewery.
Moreover, the band has finished material for the follow up to 2018’s ‘Lifehunger!’ The new record will be released via Season of Mist during the first half of 2021. The band will enter the studio in early autumn and reports that the spirit in the band is stronger and darker than ever before. The Nordic flame burns stronger year by year!
The band comments: “It’s strange and weird times for everyone. For Vreid, we have done as we always do, march onwards. I have been working hard on new material for the last months. Started working new stuff last year, but in the last few months things have fallen into place, and we will go into studio soon. I have such a great feeling for the new material, expect an early 2021 release and expect a dark and raw brew.
“Talking about brew, in August we launch our own Vreid Beer. It’s a cooperation with our local Balder Brewery, and its crafted by our own beer wizard Stian. We launch the beer when we do 2 shows at Rockefeller in Oslo on August 15. This will be the first metal show they do as part of their reopening, and we can’t wait to get back out that stage.
“But already this week things are happening as we release a video from the streaming session we did at my mountain farm. The response was completely overwhelming, so we decided to release a video for the track ‘Milorg’ for you. During autumn and winter we will have plenty of new and old (::wink::) news for you all. Fingers crossed that we can return to touring in 2021 as well. Stay strong, act reasonable and enjoy metal.”
Earlier this year, VREID announced their participation in the prestigious “Songs That Changed the World” project. The band were commissioned by the Nobel Peace Center and Inferno Metal Festival to interpret and cover a song about freedom of expression. The event was slated to take place at the Nobel Peace Center on April 7, 2020, but has been postponed due to the pandemic. The new date is TBD.
10 YEARS and Mascot Records have announced the global release of a new studio album titled VIOLENT ALLIESon September 18, 2020. Earlier this year, the band’s first new music in two and a half years was introduced gaining immediate traction at radio and streaming platforms across the globe. That song, “The Shift”has already exceeded a half a million streams on Spotify, and over a million overall.
Today the band unveiles a visualizer fFor “The Unknown”, watch below.
Growth transpires over a lifetime. The process never stops. Rather, it ramps up as time passes. 10 Years accelerate this cycle on their ninth full-length album, Violent Allies [Mascot Records / Mascot Label Group]. The gold-certified Knoxville, TN alternative hard rock trio—Jesse Hasek [vocals], Brian Vodinh [guitar (live) /drums, bass, backing vocals (recording), and Matt Wantland [guitar / synth programming]—progress as a unit once more. Embracing heightened vulnerability, elevated songcraft, and sonic adventurousness, they convert the push-and-pull of their collective creativity into a cohesive, clear, and cathartic body of work.
“We don’t ever try to recreate what we’ve done in the past,” explains Jesse. “We knew we had to challenge ourselves to see what we had in us. If it’s not stressful, you’re not challenging yourself to grow. From the beginning, music has always been therapy and an outlet. We let ourselves enjoy the process, be vulnerable, and talk about those emotions. We got back to why we love music with the maturity of where we’re at in our lives. We were able to harness that love of creating from a wiser and more developed perspective.”
“We were hard on ourselves,” admits Brian. “It was more intense than during records past, but it was worth it. The outcome was exactly what we wanted it to be.”
For nearly two decades, 10 Years have quietly pushed themselves and modern rock towards evolution. Building a formidable catalogue, the group’s gold-selling 2005 breakthrough The Autumn Effect yielded the hit “Wasteland,” which went gold, infiltrated the Billboard Hot 100, and clinched #1 at Active Rock Radio and #1 on the Billboard Alternative Songs Chart. They landed three Top 30 entries on the Billboard Top 200 with Division [2008], Feeding the Wolves [2010], and Minus the Machine [2012]. Most recently, 2017’s (How to Live) As Ghosts marked a reunion between Jesse, Brian, and Matt and achieved marked success. Not only did the album bow in the Top 5 of the US Top Hard Rock Albums Chart, but it also yielded the hit “Novacaine.” The single ascended to the Top 5 of the Billboard US Mainstream Rock Songs Chart and tallied 16 million Spotify streams, alongside 29 million streams across all dsp’s. The cumulative total for all track streams from repertoire on How To Live (As Ghosts) exceeds 51 million plays. Along the way, they sold out countless headline shows and toured with everyone from Korn, Deftones, and Stone Sour to Chris Cornell and Linkin Park. During 2019, these three musicians headed to Los Angeles, rented an Airbnb in Woodland Hills, and spent five weeks recording with GRAMMY® Award-winning producer and Feeding the Wolves collaborator Howard Benson [My Chemical Romance, Halestorm, Papa Roach, Three Days Grace].
When talking to the band members they share, “Time spent in the studio or simply collaborating on our vision was a catalyst in reaching creative clarity like we’ve never had before. It reminded all three of us that this bond created over the last two decades is best served when individual voices becomes collective vision. It was fun, because we were back to being brothers. No matter how frustrated we might get, once we looked out at it, the energy was unexplainable. Our mission was to really connect with the songs, break them down, and build them back up.” Brian adds, “The younger versions of us would’ve been going to Hollywood every night and partying. It was different. We actually came up with a lot of ideas, melody tweaks, and had really good brainstorming sessions in the car on the PCH. The whole vibe contributed to what the record is. All we cared about was writing and recording the best songs we possibly could. We felt like we had something to prove, especially to our A&R guy and the President of North America for Mascot Ron Burman.”
They prove it on cuts like the first single “The Shift.” Melodic guitars slide across a caustic beat before a rush of distortion ignites the refrain, “We are a violent virus, without a remedy.” “Lyrically, it’s about the polarization of society and the human impact on the earth itself,” states Brian. “We were thinking about how humans can be a virus to the Earth.”
“While in the studio last fall, we were looking at the state of the world as we wrote ‘The Shift’,” Jesse reveals. “As a society, we’re so distracted that we’re not united. When the pandemic happened, it became so important to finally see the positivity of humanity. We’ve realized we’re all in this together. You can pick a side, but we’re sitting in the same realm.” Airy keys echo through “The Unknown.” It builds towards a sweeping celestial chorus. “We’re in a wide-open world we’ve created, but we have to step back and look at where we are and adapt,” continues Jesse. “We’re all in the unknown right now.”
A clean riff snakes past the verses of “Without You” before a hypnotic hook unfurls. The instrumental “Planets” interludes thread the album together with soft piano and acoustic as a counterpoint to the explosive energy of “Cut The Cord” and “Start Again.” There is a broad, dynamic range of repertoire on the new album as exhibited by the lead single “The Unknown”’ and its opening with ominous yet hopeful piano notes alongside Jesse’s lamenting uncertain times in the vocals, to the heavy drums and distorted guitars on “Déjà vu.” Everything culminates on “Say Goodbye.” The conclusion’s cinematic soundscape and poignant lyrics bid farewell to Jesse’s late grandfather and emphasize “the band at our most vulnerable,” according to the frontman.
Meanwhile, the title speaks to an overarching theme. “We came back to this quote, ‘There’s a strange power in the joining of unlike things’,”remembers Brian. “There is something incredibly special about how we create. Violent Allies is the perfect way to summarize it. We go through hell facing all challenges head-on, but the final product is worth it. Simultaneously, it reflects the state of divisiveness in The World. Everything is so political. Everyone is angry at each other. We’re better when we come together though.”
In the end, 10 Years keep growing as Violent Allies. “This record wasn’t just another record,” Brian leaves off. “It’s the result of working hard to improve on all levels. There’s a lot to dig into. It’s a graduated state for the band.”
“After all of this time, 10 Years is a brotherhood,” Jesse concludes. “I’ve spent the better half of my life accomplishing what I never thought was possible with these guys. It’s been an unexplainable, crazy, and awesome journey since Brian first asked me to join the band on his 19th birthday. We’ve beat the odds and continue to live life. It bothers me when people don’t try to push themselves to enjoy what life has to offer. Life is beautiful, if you really go for it and try. It can show you beauty—and that’s what this band has shown me.”
Tracklist
The Shift
The Unknown
Waiting
Déjà Vu
Without You
Cut The Cord
Planets III
Sleep In The Fire
I Wish
Start Again
Planets IV
Say Goodbye
Right after celebrating Canada Day with their tremendously funny, very unique version of O Canada, symphonic metal quintet OSYRON, who took us on a journey through Canadian and their personal history with the releases of Ignite and The Ones Below since the first announcement of their eagerly anticipated first release after the critically acclaimed Kingsbane back in 2017, are ready to celebrate a special milestone in their band history: Foundations is out now and brings us five highly immersive, epic songs that carry a tremendous amount of musical heritage.
Just in time for the release, the band has prepared a special surprise for everyone out there: a personal and very detailed Behind the Scenes documentary video that grants insights into the process of birthing Foundations. The band talks about their sound experiences of creating and thereby covers the steps of making an album, all the way from the first ideas and motivations through writing, recording, mixing and mastering:
And if that’s not enough for making it a perfect release week, guitarists Bobby and Krzysztof proudly announce that they are now officially endorsed SOLAR GUITARS artists. The brand, founded by THE HAUNTED guitarist and YouTube guitar Icon Ola Englund, offers high-quality instruments for everyone from amateurs to studio pros and touring musicians – showing strong focus on innovation and fair pricing while sticking to the highest possible standards. SOLAR GUITARS works with artists such as Marcus Siepen (BLIND GUARDIAN), Jonas Wolf (ELUVEITIE) or Johan Bergebäck (NECROPHOBIC), only to name a few.
“Dying On The Moon” is a beautiful ballad, perfectly performed by Chris Harms and Joy Frost, who’s voices complement each other perfectly in a bittersweet duet. Underlined by the classical The Lord Of The Lost Ensemble, the German Dark Metal maestros deliver a soulful and slightly desperate track that goes straight into the listeners heartstrings – an ode to trusting one’s soul’s decision and believing in yourself. The freshly released song is accompanied by a music video, inspired by technical achievements of the 60s and the moon landing, kept in black and white.
After teaming up on multiple songwriting and composing collaborations with LORD OF THE LOST in the past on tracks such as “Voodoo Doll” or “Ribcages”, for the first time ever, the voice of US American Singer / Songwriter Joy Frost appears on a song by the band. “Dying On The Moon” is the third single taken off the new classical ensemble album Swan Songs III, to be released on August 7th.
Chris Harms on the collaboration with Joy Frost on ”Dying On The Moon”: „After so many years of knowing each other and writing songs together, it was time to bring Joy in the spot light of the LOTL cosmos. I love her voice so much, I could listen to her all day. Whatever she sings, it sounds good. Anything.“
Joy Frost adds: “Chris and I have known each other since 2015. The summer when we first met, I was in the front row of his classroom as one of his audio engineering students. I remember dreaming about becoming a songwriter for his band during class, but at the time it was just a fantasy. Five years later, we’ve not only written several songs together but now he’s asked me to step out onto the stage with him as his duet partner. I feel sincerely thankful to have earned his trust in both music and friendship.“
Watch the new official video for “Dying On The Moon”HERE!
“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss it you will land among the stars.” – Les Brown
LORD OF THE LOST returns with the newest offering in their classic ensemble album series: Swan Songs III, the long-awaited successor to Swan Songs II, to be released via Napalm Records on August 7, 2020.
The standard version of Swan Songs III consists of new songs, all recorded with The Lord Of The Lost-Ensemble, and brand new versions of a hand-picked selection of LORD OF THE LOST classics, including the standout 18-minute-long song “Letters To Home”.
For all visual and audiophile Dark Metal connoisseurs, Swan Songs III comes with a high class Earbook, including demo versions of eight of the new songs, framed in 48 pages full of high quality LORD OF THE LOST illustrations, on three CDs!
Swan Songs III will be available in multiple formats, including a box set, a high-class Earbook, and a 2LP Gatefold Vinyl. The album is a gift to all music fans and marks the next highlight in LORD OF THE LOST‘s musical career.
LORD OF THE LOST on the album: “The Swan Songs project started as a musical infidelity, continued in a beloved carry-on and became like a second musical DNA. Meanwhile, we feel at home in our second musical facet, as well as in our classifying LORD OF THE LOST sound / shell. Swan Songs III has a musical depth that even surprises ourselves with a certain distance to its finishing. It is by no means the last part of a trilogy, but so far our personal highlight of LORD OF THE LOST’s classical-career.”
Tracklist Swan Songs III CD1:
1. A Splintered Mind
2. A One Ton Heart
3. Dying On The Moon (feat. Joy Frost)
4. Zunya
5. Unfeel
6. Deathless
7. Agape
8. Hurt Again
9. Amber
10. We Were Young (feat. HEAVEN CAN WAIT Choir)
11. 4’33”
12. Dying On The Moon (Joyless Version)
13. We Were Young (feat. HEAVEN CAN WAIT Choir – ZDF Version)
Tracklist Swan Songs III CD2:
1. Loreley (Swan Songs III Version)
2. Morgana (Swan Songs III Version)
3. Black Halo (Swan Songs III Version)
4. Cut Me Out (Swan Songs III Version)
5. In Silence (Swan Songs III Version)
6. Seven Days of Anavrin (Swan Songs III Version)
7. My Heart Is Black (Swan Songs III Version)
8. Letters To Home (Swan Songs III Version)
Tracklist Swan Symphonies III CD1:
1. A Splintered Mind (Swan Symphonies III Version)
2. A One Ton Heart (Swan Symphonies III Version)
3. Dying On The Moon (Swan Symphonies III Version)
4. Zunya (Swan Symphonies III Version)
5. Unfeel (Swan Symphonies III Version)
6. Deathless (Swan Symphonies III Version)
7. Agape (Swan Symphonies III Version)
8. Hurt Again (Swan Symphonies III Version)
9. Amber (Swan Symphonies III Version)
10. We Were Young (Swan Symphonies III Version)
Tracklist Swan Symphonies III CD2:
1. Loreley (Swan Symphonies III Version)
2. Morgana (Swan Symphonies III Version)
3. Black Halo (Swan Symphonies III Version)
4. Cut Me Out (Swan Symphonies III Version)
5. In Silence (Swan Symphonies III Version)
6. Seven Days of Anavrin (Swan Symphonies III Version)
7. My Heart Is Black (Swan Symphonies III Version)
8. Letters To Home (Swan Symphonies III Version)
Tracklist Swan Songs Demos:
1. A Splintered Mind (Demo)
2. A One Ton Heart (Demo)
3. Dying On The Moon (Demo)
4. Zunya (Demo)
5. Unfeel (Demo)
6. Hurt Again (Demo)
7. Amber (Demo)
8. We Were Young (Demo)
Tracklist Opus X CD1:
1. Lament For The Condemned (Live In Hamburg 2019)
2. Morgana (Live In Hamburg 2019)
3. Prison (Live In Hamburg 2019)
4. Sex On Legs (Live In Hamburg 2019)
5. I.D.G.A.F. (Live In Hamburg 2019)
6. Die Tomorrow (Live In Hamburg 2019)
7. Black Lolita (Live In Hamburg 2019)
8. Dry The Rain (Live In Hamburg 2019)
9. One Day Everything Will Be Okay (Live In Hamburg 2019)
10. Credo (Live In Hamburg 2019)
Tracklist Opus X CD2:
1. Raining Stars (Live In Hamburg 2019)
2. Full Metal Whore (Live In Hamburg 2019)
3. Loreley (Live In Hamburg 2019)
4. Voodoo Doll (Live In Hamburg 2019)
5. Forevermore (Live In Hamburg 2019)
6. Blood For Blood (Live In Hamburg 2019)
7. Six Feet Underground (Live In Hamburg 2019)
8. La Bomba (Live In Hamburg 2019)
9. Trisma (Live In Hamburg 2019)
10. Drag Me To Hell (Live In Hamburg 2019)
LORD OF THE LOST will play an exclusive release concert as a live stream on August 8th, performing songs of the freshly released album and Swan Songs classics. Tickets can be bought HERE:
Catch LORD OF THE LOST live on stage on their Ensemble Tour 2021: w/ Rain Diary
07.04.21 DE – Hamburg / Friedrich-Ebert-Halle
08.04.21 DE – Mainz / Kurfürstliches Schloss
09.04.21 DE – Wuppertal / Historische Stadthalle
10.04.21 DE – Munich / Alte Kongresshalle
11.04.21 DE – Berlin / Huxleys
Raw and powerful yet musical and groovy – Swedish Black ‘n’ Rollers THE VICE are about to release their hotly anticipated sophomore full length record on August 7th via Germany’s up and coming Metal institution Noble Demon. Being well aware of how to turn the knobs and to invade the darker side of your musical soul, “White Teeth Rebellion” is a dark, meanasfuck Rock / Metal album with the band members hearts on its sleeves.
After already premiering the music video for the album’s title track “White Teeth Rebellion”, the band from Stockholm, Sweden now unleashed a brand new and gloomy lyric video for the track “To Each His Own”, streaming here:
“Come together …or not. Once you’ve caught the rabbit at the bottom of the hole, you will find there’s no one else there. Time to face the music, step out of the comfort zone, get your shit together and sharpen your blades. To each his God damned own.” THE VICE comments.
“White Teeth Rebellion” will be coming out on August 7th and on the official landing – page you can already NOW give permission to have a release saved to your library or added to your playlist as soon as it is out. So no need to embark your calender anymore! You will also find videos streaming and links to physical retailers at THIS LOCATION
Tracklist:
1. Tremors
2. A Barren State
3. White Teeth Rebellion
4. Empty Halls
5. Run To Seed
6. Cradle And To Ease
7. To Each His Own
8. Antizeit
9. Deluge
