Tolkien Inspired AINUR Release New Single ‘Forging of the Rings’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on January 3, 2023
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment

Rockshots Records and prog rock orchestra AINUR have joined forces again to release today, on Tolkien‘s birthday, the brand new single and video “Forging of the Rings“.

Ainur started thinking about this song after Amazon’s “The Rings of Power” announcement. They were excited that the series would take us back to Middle-Earth again, but at the same time they realized that they had never produced a song about “The Lord of the Rings“.

For that reason Luca Catalano, one of the founders and main composers of the band, started to write about the music, and in only two hours the entire song was made. 

“This is a big evolution in Ainur history” comments Catalano, “since it’s the first time in almost 17 years that we talk about “The Lord of the Rings” topics. In fact we always dealt with The Silmarillion subjects and only one time with The Hobbit ones”.

Ainur keep carrying on their music inspired by Tolkien’s works with this new single released by Rockshots Records, and they are already working on a new album that will be closely following the way that they started with “War of the Jewels (Wars of Beleriand – Part 1)”.

SPOTIFY – https://bfan.link/forging-of-the-rings

The single was mixed by Massimiliano Flak at Evolution Studios and mastered by Brett-Caldas Lima at Tower Studios. 

Ainur is:
Luca Catalano – Composer, Guitars, Vocals
Marco Catalano – Composer, Drums, Vocals
Alex Armuschio – Composer, Keys, Lead Vocals
Max Clara – Lead Vocals
Roberta Malerba – Lead Vocals
Elena Richetta – Lead Vocals
Giuseppe Ferrante – Bass, Contrabass
Luca Marangoni – Violin
Carlo Perillo – Viola
Daniela Lorusso – Cello
Cristiano Blasi – Flutes
Chiara Marangoni – Horns
Wilma Collo – Lyrics

SKINNER Release New Single & Lyric Video ‘In Silence’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on January 3, 2023
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: , . Leave a comment

SKINNER featuring “The Metal Chameleon” Norman Skinner have released a new song “In Silence” from the upcoming album “The Dark Design” which is to be released later this year. The single is accompanied by a fantastic lyric video created by Ignite Design.

Norman comments:

“This new album has been a work in progress for the last 7 or 8 years. Fortunately for me I had been busy all that time releasing albums with Niviane, Hellscream, Imagika and Dire Peil. So my own new Skinner release always seemed to have to be placed on hold. Finally, it is completed, and fans now get a 1st taste of what is to come starting with the single “In Silence”. This album has definitely been a labor of love and in my opinion one of the best releases I have been a part of to date. I am honored to have worked with such fantastic talent on these tracks and believe my fans will absolutely love this new album.”

In 2021, Skinner recorded and shared the song “Seven Angels” which was the 1st new music to be released under the Skinner moniker since the full length album “Sleepwalkers” in 2014.

“In Silence” features performances by:

Vocals: Norman Skinner
Guitars: Abel III
Bass: Jim Pegram
Drums: Noe Luna
Keys: Aaron Robitsch

Mixed & Mastered by Zack Ohren (Castle Ultimate Productions)

CHRIS BOLTENDAHL’S STEELHAMMER Sign with ROAR! Rock Of Angels Records

Posted by tarjavirmakari on January 2, 2023
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment
Photo Credit: Jens Howorka

ROAR! is proud to announce the signing with legendary German Heavy Metal figurehead and unmistakable voice of Grave Digger, Chris Boltendahl, to release – after more than four decades in the Metal business – his first ever solo album under the CHRIS BOLTENDAHL’S STEELHAMMER flag in 2023. 

With Tobias Kersting (Guitars, ex-Orden Ogan), Lars Schneider (Bass, ex-Orden Ogan) and Patrick Klose (Drums, Iron Savior), Chris has brought an illustrious guild of outstanding musicians on board who will actively support him in his endeavor to act as a real band. What can be expected? A glowing Classic Heavy/Power Metal mixture, best described as “Grave Digger meets Metal Church” with banging steamers, speedy hymns, grooving monsters, filigree riffings and world-class solos … everything a real metalhead’s heart and ear desires!

Listen to a first inviting sound snippet from here:

CHRIS BOLTENDAHL’S STEELHAMMER are:
Chris Boltendahl (Vocals)
Tobias Kersting (Guitars)
Lars Schneider (Bass)
Patrick Klose (Drums)

More information at
Facebook: ⫸ https://www.facebook.com/ChrisBoltendahlsSteelhammer
Instagram: ⫸ https://www.instagram.com/chrisboltendahlssteelhammer/

VENOM Release “To Hell and Back” Tape Box

Posted by tarjavirmakari on January 2, 2023
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment

Official 8-tape box with the first full length albums and many other recordings from the period 1979-1986 from the godfathers of Black Metal: VENOM. Housed in a heavy luxurious black leather case-wrapped box with silver hot stamped printing.

This box is strictly limited to 1,000 handnumbered copies and includes:

Tape 1: Welcome to Hell
Tape 2: Black Metal
Tape 3: At War with Satan
Tape 4: Possessed
Tape 5: Eine kleine Nachtmusik
Tape 6: Sons of Satan: Rare and Unreleased
Tape 7: Black, Metal & Beyond I (Singles and EP’s)
Tape 8: Black, Metal & Beyond II (Singles and EP’s)

Next to the 8 tapes, the box includes:

  • massive hardcover-book with many unseen pictures and tons of new liner notes and interviews (an exclusive long interview with Cronos was specially conducted for this box): 
  • pendant with chain
  • 4 regular patches
  • shaped backpatch
  • flag
  • 6 posters
  • numbered certificate

All tapes in the REGULAR box (223-1000) are black.
The DIE HARD version (first 222 boxes) will also include an exclusive longsleeve (Gildan Ultra Cotton) which is only available with this box-set and only in the DSR shop, a numbered and signed (by Cronos himself) certificate and coloured tapes.

Orders can be done via Darkness Shall Rise Produstions webstore at https://darknessshallrise.de

GODIVA Release Official Music Video for ‘Media God’ from Upcoming Debut Album

Posted by tarjavirmakari on January 2, 2023
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment

Portuguese long-running Symphonic Death Metal band GODIVA set February 3rd, 2023 as international release date for their highly anticipated debut full-length album Hubris!

Official music video for “Media God” can be watched on band’s official Youtube channel, here – https://youtu.be/MiE5FqHX5e8

Album tracklisting and cover art are as follows:
01 – Black Mirrors
02 – Dawn
03 – Death Of Icarus
04 – Empty Coil
05 – Faceless
06 – Godspell
07 – Hubris
08 – Media God
09 – The All Seeing Eye
10 – The Meaning of Life

Godiva is one of the established bands of the Portuguese Symphonic Death Metal scene.

The quintet formed, in 1999 Famalicão, released their first recording as a promotional CD entitled Tales to be Untold (2000). Followed by the EP Traces of Irony (2002) recorded at Rec n’Roll Studios and produced by Rui Danim and Luís Barros (Tarântula). This EP was a significant mark in the band’s affirmation on the scene. In 2007, Spiral emerges recorded at Ultrasound Studios and produced by Daniel Cardoso (Anathema) and, like its predecessor, played an important role in the band’s consolidation in the Portuguese metal scene, gathering excellent reviews, national and international.

After an interregnum of 11 years, Godiva returns to the stage, debuting their new line-up and sound with a memorable concert at Vagos Metal Fest, accompanied by an orchestra of about 50 musicians and a sold out concert at Hard Rock Café Porto.

This year we were lucky, even with COVID-19 restrictions, enough to give two concerts this summer, both sold out: one in Lisbon, at RCA Club in a special edition of Laurus Nobilis Music Fest and recently on the latest edition of Riverstone Fest.