Finnish PROGENY OF SUN released their second single ‘False Radiance‘ from the upcoming debut album ‘Throne of Desolation’. The album is set to be released on December 8th via Inverse Records.
The composer Hauta comments: “in rehearsals, our drummer always wants the guitars to be louder in the in-ear monitoring. That’s how I got the idea for a song where the drummer would have to play completely on his own and if he concentrates on the guitars, game over. The song didn’t raise great enthusiasm for the singer at first, but as soon as he got his own voice in, he started to like it. Bass was executed normally.”
From L to R: Jamie Lee Cussigh – Bass, André Mathieu – Guitar/Vocals, Tom Gabriel Warrior – Voice/Guitar, Tim Iso Wey – Drums
The impact of Swiss extreme metal forefathers HELLHAMMER is one that still resonates around the global metal scene today, such was their influence on the early extreme, death, and black metal genres. In the 40 years that have passed since their humble beginnings in Nurensdorf, Switzerland, in May 1982, they have gained a mythically iconic status despite existing for a mere two years. However the band left a highly influential body of work behind, including the three demos Death Fiend, Satanic Rites and Triumph Of Death (al re-released in 2008 as the Demon Entrails demo retrospective), the seminal Apocalyptic Raids EP, and two tracks from the legendary Death Metal compilation. In light of this legacy, it is almost inconceivable that Hellhammer never performed this music on stage.
Celtic Frost, the successor group formed by Hellhammer founding member Tom Gabriel Warrior and former Hellhammer bassist Martin Eric Ain, would sporadically play a Hellhammer song or two, and Warrior’s current band, Triptykon, have played the occasional Hellhammer song live, but the vast body of Hellhammer’s work remained unperformed, until the inception of TRIUMPH OF DEATH. In 2019 Tom Gabriel Warrior stated : Hellhammer will never return and will never be reformed. It is absolutely impossible to reform a band so closely linked to a very specific and unique period in time. But Hellhammer’s music exists, and it is an extremely important part of my life’s path. And I would like to play it onstage before my demise.
The resurrection of the music of Hellhammer had been an idea Tom Gabriel Warrior and Martin Eric Ain discussed for many years, sparked not least by their renewed collaboration in the reformed Celtic Frost in the 2000s. The first steps towards the realization of Triumph Of Death, named after Hellhammer’s most infamous song and intended to be a very respectful and authentic tribute to Hellhammer, were finally taken in 2014, and the band was officially founded in autumn of 2018. Triumph Of Death consists of individuals who not only love the music in question but truly understand it. The line-up emulates Hellhammer’s final incarnation of April/May 1984, when the group had added an additional guitarist. To date Triumph Of Death have performed numerous notable concerts globally and have brought the seminal music of Hellhammer to fans both old and new. Many of whom thought they may never see it live on stage.
Triumph Of Death’s debut live release Resurrection Of The Flesh is the culmination of three concerts. Recorded in the spring of 2023 at Hell’s Heroes Festival in Houston USA, Dark Easter Metal Meeting in Munich, Germany and SWR Barroselas Metal Fest in Portugal, the album was produced by Tom Gabriel Warrior and Triptykon’s V. Santura. The record captures the band at their primeval finest; raw, foreboding and heavy. The songs may date back four decades but here they are revealed to be still just as vital today as when they were written in the band’s infamous rehearsal bunker in the rural village of Birchwil, Switzerland in the early 1980s. From the thunderous opening chords of Third Of The Storms (Evoked Damnation) to the malevolent, morbid feedback of set closer Triumph Of Death, this album is a sixty minute document of the overwhelming power of the live performance of Triumph Of Death, and it captures the spirit and intensity of these historic songs that have transcended decades to become revered and timeless.
Warrior: This album is, most importantly, testament to the unique connection that exists between the audience and this band. Hellhammer’s music was an underground token in 1982 to 1984, often ridiculed and shunned, and we owe the fact that we are now able to perform it all across the globe entirely to grace, openness, and enthusiasm of those who make exactly these concerts possible. They give us as much as we given them, and my gratitude to them knows no limits.
Tom Gabriel Warrior – voice/guitar André Mathieu – guitar/vocals Jamie Lee Cussigh – bass Tim Iso Wey – drums
Resurrection Of The Flesh will be available as:
Deluxe CD mediabook
Double gatefold LP w/booklet and posters on black vinyl and B&W swirl (indie store exclusive)
Super deluxe double red vinyl LP bookpack with bonus 7” single plus posters
Tracklisting 1. The Third Of The Storms (Evoked Damnation) 2. Massacra 3. Maniac 4. Blood Insanity 5. Decapitator 6. Crucifixion 7. Reaper 8. Horus/Aggressor 9. Revelations Of Doom 10. Messiah 11. Visions Of Mortality 12. Triumph Of Death Bonus 7” song (Super deluxe edition only) 13. Decapitator (Live In Houston)
Israel-based thrash / death metal force NAIL WITHIN has announced its long-awaited comeback and inked a worldwide deal with Massacre Records! The label will proudly release the band’s forthcoming, new studio album Sound Of Demise on November 17, 2023, the pre-sale has just started atTHIS LOCATION!
Frontman Yishai Sweartz states:
“We are proud to announce the signing of Nail Within for 2 albums by the German record label Massacre Records, being a part of the scene for more than 35 years personally I grew up with the label’s classic releases as the 90’s King Diamond albums, Atrocity, Fates Warning, early Crematory, Skyclad, and of course the classic stuff as Pretty Maids, Wargasm, Baphomet and Solitude Aeturnus.
I still remember 1994 when I sent a demotape of my first band Betrayer to various labels in Europe and Thomas from Massacre was the first person who sent me a letter back and replied, so we are glad to make a circle complete after 30 years and start a journey together which I’m sure will be successful!”
A music video for NAIL WITHIN‘s first single, the blistering album opening track “Bleeding Society” (feat. Tom Angelripper!), is now premiering below.
Says the band about their first single release:
“It tells the story we all know of a world turnin’ more and more primitive while technology is getting better. On one hand Israel is a top cyber force, a high tech “nation” with tons of start-ups and the highest technology, on the other hand people here are getting used to violence on an almost daily base, and this violence is a result of blind primitive beliefs – can you imagine that in 2023 people throw rockets from one side to another, or people go out to stab someone with a knife just because he is not a part of what they believe in? The higher we go with technology, the more primitive we go in our behaviors. People have lost the ability to talk, to listen, to pay attention to others. They send icons via WhatsApp instead of talking, are screaming without listening, and cancel those who are different or the ones they can’t understand. I think that in the 90’s, society was more open in general. Here we are in 2023 and we still talk about things like the abortion issue in the U.S, or ISIS in the Middle East, or the high level of ignorance and violence in our country. We can send people to the moon but still people decline the different, bleeding society indeed.
We invited Tom Angelripper from Sodom to sing with us. Sodom’s lyrics started to deal with society and the barbarism of mankind around 1989 with “Agent Orange” and later on with “Better Off Dead”, and they still write about these things as sadly it’s still relevant today.”
Sound Of Demise track listing:
Bleeding Society
Eyes Of Evile
Sound Of Demise
Regression… And The Price We Pay
Duplicate Our Lives
Years Of Madness
Everything We Know
Words As Weapons
Manipulated And Doomed
Severe Suffering
Isolate
NAIL WITHIN was formed in 2001 by singer Yishai Swearts, guitarist Alex Shuster, bassist “Evil” Haim, and drummer Barak Miko Zait, rising from the ashes of two longtime collectives in Israel’s underground music scene (Betrayer and Azazel), and featuring guitarist Matan Cohen and drummer Nir Nakav.
Following their critically-acclaimed, self-titled debut album in early 2003 through Listenable Records, the band went on hiatus just a year later. Matan Cohen signed his other band Betzefer to Roadrunner Records and started a successful career touring with acts as Sepultura, Lamb Of God, Fear Factory and others, Alex Shuster moved to California and joined the legendary sludge band “-(16)-” (Relapse Records), Evil Haim toured the world with Israeli punk icons Useless ID, played in multiple local bands and opened a DIY punk record label (Taklitin Holim) while Yishai Sweartz became predominant metal promoter in Israel and formed Tomorrows Rain (A.O.P Records) where he joined forces with Nir Nakav (who continued to play in Salem).
Through the years, all the band members kept in touch and in 2022 Shuster and Sweartz started to talk about “hey this year it’s 20 years to the debut..” kind of talk, a week later a couple of new songs were written and the band decided to continue their creative momentum. As a result a full album was written and recorded in Israel/U.S.A with 11 new songs. Picking up from where the band left with their debut 20 years ago but introducing new dimensions that make it more relevant for this day and age, Sound Of Demise sees NAIL WITHIN return angry, dynamic and full of intensity!
Produced by Alex Shuster and mastered by Maor Appelbaum, the album also features guest appearances from Tom Angleripper (Sodom), Eric Peterson (Testament) and Bobby Ferry -(16)-. Slated for a release on November 17, 2023 via Massacre Records, pre-order your album copy now at THIS LOCATION!
DOMKRAFT are kicking off today, the first string of live shows in Europe following hot on the heels of the release of the Swedish psychedelic doom masters’ acclaimed newalbum “Sonic Moons”, which hit stores worldwide on September 8, 2023 via Magnetic Eye Records.
DOMKRAFT comment: “We always strive to make music that is close to our hearts without repeating ourselves”, singer and bass player Martin Wegeland writes. “As we see it, if you want to hear something that sounds like our debut ‘The End of Electricity’ that album is already there to be listened to. We try to keep things fresh by taking different routes, inviting new elements into the toolbox that we start from, and it has been a pure joy to see how well received ‘Sonic Moons’ has been. Almost overwhelming, to be honest. Now we want nothing more than to go out and play these songs live. We’e starting with a select run of shows this autumn, and will cover much more ground on the live front in 2024.”
“Sonic Moons” is streaming in full at this location.
Press voices “…the Swedes have outclassed all competition through the sheer quality of their riffs and, more importantly, the impossibly thunderous levels of overdriven noise…”Blabbermouth (US) 9/10
“…a lesson in stoner-doom songwriting…their emotional intensity makes them not just a thing for the Black Sabbath fans, but also for fans of the Church of Ra’s power…”Visions (DE) 9/12
“Properly fuzz-driven, psychedelic-tinged doom, which oscillates between minimalistic, hypnotic and powerful whiplash intensity…”Rock Hard (DE) 8/10 “Doom, Sludge Metal, Psychedelic and so on, the Swedes offer us a melting pot of it all. It’s skillfully measured and totally accomplished.”Desert-Rock.com8.5/10
“Dizzying and exhausting, but above all impressively good…”Sweden Rock Magazine (SE) 8/10
DOMKRAFT Live 21 SEP 2023 Oslo (NO) Vaterland 22 SEP 2023 Linköping (SE) The Crypt 23 SEP Malmö (SE) Plan B 21 OCT 2023 København (DK) Loppen +Conan +Slomatics 17 NOV 2023 Halle (DE) Deep Sound City Fest V 19 NOV 2023 Liege (BE) Kultura
On their fourth album, “Sonic Moons”, Sweden’s DOMKRAFT set forth on a voyage into the inner cosmos, riding their fuzz-driven, psychedelic riff-doom through the galactic psyche and into alternate metaphysical realities, all in search of escape, respite, and release.
DOMKRAFT generally stay true to their musical course on the new effort, but the Nordic trio has audibly matured and sharpened their writing as well. The trademark towering doom anthems remain, but with an ever so slight shift toward heavy rock through small tweaks and nuances.
That the Swedes returned to Welfare Sounds Studio on the outskirts of Gothenburg to work once more with studio heads Kalle Lilja and Per Stålberg has probably contributed as much to DOMKRAFT keeping their unique sonic identity as letting Karl Daniel Lidén (GREENLEAF, KATATONIA, LOWRIDER) again apply his mixing wizardry on “Sonic Moons”. DOMKRAFT formed when singer and bassist Martin Wegeland, guitarist Martin Widholm, and drummer Anders Dahlgren bonded over a mutual love of bands such as SPACEMEN 3, MONSTER MAGNET, SLEEP, and HAWKWIND. Drawing from the heaviest of their combined influences, they crafted a sound that blends towering dirges, mind-bending psychedelia, and hypnotic minimalism, as embodied by DOMKRAFT’s monolithic 2016 debut album “The End of Electricity,” crushing 2018 follow-up “Flood”, and their acclaimed and massively amplified third full-length “Seeds” (2021).
DOMKRAFT have long established a reputation as a major live force and have performed at prestigious festivals such as the Desertfests (BE and DE), Psycho Las Vegas (US), Blow Up (FI), Sonic Whip (NL), Hostsabbat (NO) and many others.
With “Sonic Moons”, DOMKRAFT blast through the escape hatch to the emotionally charged inner spaces of the mind, soaring through fantastic new solar systems toward unexplored musical planets. Now is the perfect time to embark on the intergalactic journey with them!
Line-up Martin Wegeland – vocals, bass Martin Widholm – guitars Anders Dahlgren – drums
Sacramento Emocore/Nu-Metal pioneers SIMON SAYS have reunited with their original lineup – Vocalist Matt Franks, Guitarist Zac Diebels, Bassist Mike Arrieta, and drummer Mike Johnston, for the first time in over 20 years, and have announced they have signed to THC: Music (Taproot, Eve To Adam). The reactivated band are working on material for a new studio album to be released in 2024 via THC: Music/Amplified Distribution, and booking select live dates to support it. Additionally, THC will release remastered versions of the band’s out of print independent LPs Little Boy and Perfect Example, which will hit digital outlets in December.
Additionally, the band’s 2 major label releases Jump Start and Shut Your Breath have both been made available on all digital and streaming platforms for the first time.
The band have released the following video talking about the reformation:
Simon Says formed in the buzzing Sacramento scene of the early 90s, among the ranks of contemporaries like Far, Papa Roach, Will Haven etc, and released their first demo EP in 1994, followed by two independent LPS, the cassette only Little Boy, and the follow-up Perfect Example, which would sell more than 5000 copies, and define the sound that would see the band signed to Hollywood Records a short time later. In 1999 Simon Says released their major label debut Jump Start, which yielded the hit modern rock singles “Life Jacket”, and “Slider”, which both charted in the Top 40 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock charts.
The band would go on to release their darker and heavier fan favorite sophomore LP Shut Your Breath in 2001, which spawned the single “Blister (Nothing)”, which again found its way onto the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart, and saw the band touring Worldwide performing alongside Creed, Staind, Filter, Limp Bizkit, Foo Fighters, Blink 182, Deftones, Monster Magnet, Rollins Band, Kid Rock, Type O Negative, and many more, before disbanding in 2001.
Franks, Diebels, and Arrieta, with drummer Dave Marich, formed the short-lived Key To Arson, which released the independent LP Light ‘Em Up, before disbanding in 2004.
Despite the 20+-year hiatus, the members of Simon Says have stayed active, not veering far from their musical roots, with guitarist Zac Diebels producing music in his Sacramento studio, and dabbling in his project Automatic Static with Simon Says vocalist Franks, who also plays bass in progressive Sacramento band SAGES, with Far drummer Chris Robyn. Bassist Mike Arrieta had a brief stint in Cleanse, while drummer Mike Johnston found a niche as one of the top internet drum instructors with mikeslessons.com, spawning the celebrated Youtube drum instruction page “mikeslessons” with over 230k followers.
Simon Says will release a 3-song digital EP in early 2024 featuring a brand-new studio track, plus re-recorded and updated versions of an as-yet undisclosed track from Jump Start, and a re-recorded version of “Dyslexic Smile”, a Shut Your Breath B-Side the band was pressured by Disney CEO Michael Eisner and their Disney owned label Hollywood Records, to remove from the record.
The band will follow up with an as-yet untitled full-length LP, tentatively slated to be released in May 2024.
Says vocalist Matt Franks, “It really happened by accident. We got back together and got in a room to even discuss this stuff, because of the huge amount of fan interest in the first two records, which, at the time, were not even available digitally. So, we got together to discuss that, and try to figure out how to reconnect with our former label, Hollywood, and find a path to release for those records, which really sparked a renewed interest and friendship for all of us, after getting in the same room after so long.”
He adds, “As so much time had passed, you realize hurt feelings from 20 years ago don’t really matter anymore, and I think we all have kind of a renewed appreciation and respect for each other, and the ability for us to even be able to play music together. We’re just thankful there are so many fans still pulling for us, and looking forward to whatever new experiences this next chapter will bring, for us, and the fans.”
Swedish symphonic metal legends THERION have unveiled the first single, “Twilight of the Gods”, off of their upcoming album, Leviathan III, out December 15, 2023 via Napalm Records! With the new album, THERION return to deliver another masterpiece – fulfilling the Leviathan trilogy. With more than 35 years under their belts, the band around mastermind Christofer Johnsson is considered one of the most style-defining acts of symphonic metal. Down to the present day, Johnsson claims Swiss Celtic Frost and their way to combine opera vocals and orchestral instruments in the late 80s as one of his main influences back in the days, leading to THERION’s Symphony Masses (1993) and Lepaca Kliffoth (1995) to set the stages for the genre in the early 90s, followed by symphonic metal milestone Theli in 1996.
“Twilight of the Gods” delivers the finest of epic and symphonic metal, finding a harmonious and balanced blend between guitars, choirs and orchestra. Join THERION on their versatile and style-melding musical journey, and watch the brand-new official music video for “Twilight of the Gods” below!
The album sets off with the powerful “Ninkigal”, catapulting the listener directly into the dramatic universe of THERION with skillfully crafted compositions and operatic female vocals by Lori Lewis, alternating with grim growling and pleasing melodies. It’s followed by “Ruler of Tamag”, enchanting with a gentle acoustic guitar intro and lingering female vocals that open up to a fairytale-like scenario of old times. This then bursts into a heavy track with gloomy parts, building up to a fascinating score-like symphony. THERION once more draw charm from the courage to mix styles ranging from gothic parts to melodic death metal and neo-classical elements to power metal in a complex and versatile way, thus challenging their listeners. The songs are quickly engaging and skillfully employ catchy melodies, as witnessed on uplifting tracks like “An Unsung Lament” and “Baccanale”. Advancing melodies are combined with rock elements, captivating lyrics and choir parts, while lively “Maleficium” is structured around a duet between Thomas Vikström and Lori Lewis. Stomping “Ayahuasca” is a true musical journey featuring a male choir and psychedelic elements, while speedy “Nummo” offers splendid hard guitar explosions and the finest classic vocals and choirs.
Overall, the compositions lean towards the magnificent and theatrical, offering a high variety of musical styles while deftly blurring the boundaries of metal and classical music. With their newest opus, Leviathan III, mastermind Christofer Johnsson proves his incredible talent once more, and that THERION have perfected their very own combination of versatile styles – resulting in the creation of a symphonic league of their own.
Leviathan III tracklisting: 1 Ninkigal 2 Ruler Of Tamag 3 An Unsung Lament 4 Maleficium 5 Ayahuasca 6 Baccanale 7 Midsommarblot 8 What Was Lost Shall Be Lost No More 9 Duende 10 Nummo 11 Twilight Of The Gods
THERION are: Christofer Johnsson – guitars and keyboards Sami Karppinen – drums Nalle “Grizzly” Påhlsson – bass Thomas Vikström – lead vocals Christian Vidal – guitar Lori Lewis – vocals
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
