Belgian death metal crushers CARNATION are back with a new full length album “Cursed Mortality”! This album will be released upon this earth on the 3rd of November 2023 via Season of Mist.
The band is revealing the artwork, album title and tracklist, but there is more… Frontman Simon is unveiling a brand new countenance. A full set of photos can be found HERE.
“Carnation fans will undoubtedly find what they have come to love and expect on ‘Cursed Mortality’, says vocalist Simon Duson. “However, they should also expect the unexpected’.
Today, the band are drawing back the curtain on ‘Cursed Mortality’ with an amazing music video for the title track. Watch it HERE
Frontman Simon Duson comments: “This song captures the essence of our musical evolution,” says Duson. “It’s an epic journey that explores a wide range of musical landscapes all while looking back at life’s pivotal moments. Am I happy and satisfied with how I’ve lived my life? Where did it go wrong or right?”
The album can be pre-saved HERE. Pre-sales for the album will start at a later moment.
The surreal cover art for “Cursed Mortality” was created by the late, great Mariusz Lewandowski, whose dark and surreal vision perfectly captures the feel of this album.
Lord of the Logos’ Christophe Szpajdel created a brand new logo and symbol to reflect this new era of CARNATION.
Tracklist: 1.Herald of Demise (04:03) feat. Andy LaRocque) 2.Maruta (04:07) 3.Metropolis (03:24) 4.Replicant (03:49) 5.Dutroux (03:48) 6.Submerged in Deafening Silence (04:26) 7.Cycle of Suffering (04:05) 8.Cursed Mortality (07:30) [WATCH HERE]
Recording studio: Project Zero Studio Producer / Mixing engineer: Yarne Heylen Mastering studio and engineer: Joel Wanasek
Line-up:
Simon Duson: Vocals Jonathan Verstrepen: Lead Guitar Bert Vervoort: Rhythm Guitar Yarne Heylen: Bass Guitar Vincent Verstrepen: Drums
DEGREES OF TRUTH have released a video for ‘Alchemists’, third single and title-track, taken from the eponymous new album to be released on June 23rd via Scarlet Records.
‘Alchemists’ is the most eclectic album by Degrees of Truth: it combines innovative arrangements and influences from pop and electronic music, while leaning towards a modern and very elegant progressive metal side.
The album features catchy melodies, symphonic orchestrations but also compelling guitar riffs and versatile vocals that range from rock-style melodies to delicate chants and even operatic digressions, carried out by the new extraordinary singer Claudia Beltrame.
The variegated songwriting reflects the multiple lyrical themes, which include mini-concepts about the meaning of life, freedom and artistic creation.
enginereed, produced and mixed by Gianluca Parnisari; mastered by Giovanni Versari at La Maestà Mastering Studio
artwork by Martin Perzul; graphic concept by 21O4
guest appearances by Richard Henshall (Haken) on ‘Bound to Rise’ and Khaled Abbas on ‘Over the Tide’
As the band approaches its 20th anniversary of their first release, As the Last Light Drains (Victory Records, 2003), FREYA have returned to their roots with a pulverizing new full-length album, entitled Fight As One, which will be released on September 22nd on Upstate Records.
Today the band has shared “Sense Of Doom” where they are joined by HATEBREED frontman Jamey Jasta. “We are all living through increasingly tumultuous and uncertain times,” says vocalist Karl Buechner about the track. “‘Sense of Doom’ is about weathering those storms by staying unified with friends and family. The message is about never surrendering to negativity and holding true to core values.”
FREYA are joined by three legendary hardcore front-men on their newest album; Freddie Cricien (MADBALL) delivers a crushing performance on the title track, Jamey Jasta (HATEBREED) seethes on “Sense of Doom” and Scott Vogel (TERROR) drops the hammer on “Thousand Yard Stare”.
About FREYA: Hailing from Syracuse, NY, FREYA was formed in 2001 by three members of EARTH CRISIS’ bassist Ian Edwards, lead guitarist Eric Edwards and vocalist Karl Buechner. When EARTH CRISIS temporarily concluded, members split into three separate bands; FREYA, percussionist and guitarist Dennis Merrick and Scott Crouse, respectively, formed SLAVE ONE and all five EARTH CRISIS members continued on with their reactivated project band, PATH OF RESISTANCE.
Over the past 20 years, FREYA have blazed a path through both the worldwide hardcore and metal scenes. Prominently featured on MTV’s Room Raiders, Road Rules and the iconic Headbangers Ball as well as the Showtime series, Shameless, the FREYA vault runs deep with their soon to be seventh release, Fight As One, since their inception. FREYA’s discography has been featured in Kerrang!, Decibel, Amp and Metal Hammer for their unique sound, a well-crafted amalgamation of darkened New York style hardcore with a generous dose of thrash metal stirred into the mix.
“FREYA is the perfect vehicle for us to cross over sonicly into uncharted regions, to combine styles and retell the timeless stories of the heroes and villains from both the history and folklore of Europe, the Middle East and Africa. It’s an endless well to draw from”. (Erick Edwards, Final Word Fanzine).
With countless concerts, festival dates and highly successful worldwide tours behind them, FREYA have earned their place in the pantheon. Over the years, FREYA has toured with WALLS OF JERICHO, ALL SHALL PERISH, BORN FROM PAIN and SWORN ENEMY as well as sharing the stage with ANDREW WK NAPALM DEATH, DRI, BEHEMOTH, CROWBAR and HATEBREED.
Fight As One Credits: Lyrics: Karl Buechner Composition: Karl Buechner, Erick Edwards, Thom Turner, Ian Edwards, Ethan D Henry Produced and Mixed By: Ethan D Henry Mastered by: Jocko (Moresound) Photo By: Jim Wertman
Italian chaotic hardcore unit MIND/KNOT have announced the upcoming release of their new album, “Esigenza”, on September 1st, 2023 via Time To Kill Records. The first video from the album, “My Queen”, is out today. Watch it HERE.
“Esigenza” tracklist:
1- Astray 0.50 2- Broken Light 1.06 3- Stop The Blood 1.02 4- Nightmare 1.06 5- My Queen 2.33 6- Mostro 1.23 7- Witches 1.18 8- Keep Me Alive 1.29 9- Rise Up 1.31 10- Parasite 0.57 11- … Perpetual Black 0.52 12- Killed By Faith 2.10 13- Wrath 1.04 14- Eren 0.58 15- Obey 1.26 16- Warcrimes 2.44
At once prudently traditional and brazenly unorthodox, MIND/KNOT’s iteration of hardcore simmers and shimmers, flooding the senses in a fever dream of passion, violence and spectral mysticism.
Rome-based MIND/KNOT formed in 2018 and originally united Yari Caramore (bass), Simone Perna (drums) and Marco Burrascano (singer). In 2019 the band released a 7-track EP, while their first album “Eat the Leaf!” came out in 2021. Both records were very clearly inspired by the original hardcore of the 80’s, drawing influences from legendary acts such as Black Flag, Minor Threat, Bad Brains and Circle Jerks. After some time, the band started to get tired of the linearity of that original sound: moved by the desire to express something else besides anger and violence and willing to externalize the discomfort from which such emotions arise, the project therefore began to change musical direction, incorporating darker sounds and unsettling tempos and metrics. This is also thanks to the then new guitarist Roberto Cadau, who joined the band in 2021 bringing in a new range of influences and several mathcore, chaotic hardcore and noise punk elements.
On their upcoming album, MIND/KNOT embrace all the beloved history of hardcore to create something that is more personal, equally pummeling and heavy as soaring, both beautiful and cruel in different moments.
GLORYHAMMER just released their highly anticipated album, “Return to the Kingdom of Fife”, on June 2, 2023! Packed with captivating storytelling, relentless energy and catchy melodies, this album is a true testament to their musical prowess. It marks a new chapter in their illustrious career and is already garnering rave reviews from fans and critics alike.
Now, they are ready to share some even more exciting news. The metal music scene is about to witness an unforgettable spectacle as two powerhouses of the genre, GLORYHAMMER and Beast in Black, announce their long-awaited co-headline tour for 2024. Aptly named Glory and the Beast, this tour promises to be a monumental experience for metal enthusiasts worldwide. The tour will be further supported by the remarkable Brothers of Metal.
Glory and the Beast – Double Headline Tour 2024 will kick off in January/February 2024, igniting stages across Europe with its unstoppable force. This is an opportunity for metal enthusiasts to witness two of the most exciting bands in the genre coming together for an unmissable spectacle.
Ticket sales for the Glory and the Beast – Double Headline Tour 2024 will commence on the 9th of June at 4 pm. Fans are advised to secure their tickets early to avoid disappointment, as demand is expected to be extremely high.
GLORY AND THE BEAST – DOUBLE HEADLINE TOUR 2024 SPECIAL GUEST: BROTHERS OF METAL
10.01.24 SE-Stockholm, Arenan Fryshuset 11.01.24 NO-Oslo, Sentrum Scene 12.01.24 DK-Roskilde, Epic Fest 13.01.24 DE-Hamburg, Edel Optics Arena 14.01.24 NL-Tilburg, 013 Poppodium 16.01.24 CH-Zurich, Volkshaus 17.01.24 IT-Milan, Alcatraz 19.01.24 DE-Munich, TonHalle 20.01.24 HU-Budapest, Barba Negra Red Stage 21.01.24 CZ-Zlin, Sports Hall Datart 23.01.24 AT-Vienna, Gasometer 24.01.24 PL-Krakow, Studio 26.01.24 DE-Leipzig, Haus Auensee 27.01.24 DE-Oberhausen, Turbinenhalle 28.01.24 DE-Wiesbaden, Schlachthof 30.01.24 FR-Paris, Olympia 01.02.24 BE-Brussels, Ancienne Belgique 02.02.04 DE-Geiselwind, Eventhalle 03.02.04 DE-Stuttgart, Wagenhallen 04.02.04 DE-Saarbrücken, Garage 06.02.04 UK-London, O2 Forum Kentish Town
Watch below the music video for GLORYHAMMER’s latest single, “Wasteland Warrior Hoots Patrol”.
In the not-so-distant Kingdom of Fife, there lies a band like no other. GLORYHAMMER embodies the very essence of power metal and epic fantasy, with a sound so majestic and grandiose that it could only be the work of the gods themselves. Led by the manifestation of extreme trumpet-chaos in battle-mode, GLORYHAMMER has been waging a never-ending fight against the forces of Zargothrax since their formation in 2010.
With their soaring hyper-melodies, multitudinous orchestra-explosions and thunderous nano-guitar riffs, they have become the undisputed champions of the power metal scene, drawing in legions of fans from across the galaxy with their epic tales of intergalactic warfare, cosmic sorcery, and heroic deeds. It has been four years since the band’s last release, but the wait is finally over for another massive onslaught of power metal greatness. This is an album for the ages – power metal shines brighter than ever on the thrilling and action-packed Return to the Kingdom of Fife!
GLORYHAMMER on the album: “Hoots! We are proud to teleport you all to as-of-yet unknown mountaintops of extreme-trumpet-confoundry with this new opus! Several orchestras were maimed during the production process, which we think reflects adequately in the hyper-sonic nano-recordings we have inscribed on disc for you to peruse. Many battles await!”
Maleficus Geminus (Colossus Matrix 38B – Ultimate Invocation of the Binary Thaumaturge)
Make sure to catch GLORYHAMMER live in 2023! Festival Dates: 10.06.23 ES – Z! Live Rock Fest / Zamora 13.08.23 BE – Alcatraz / Kortrijk 15.08.23 AT – Dornbirn / Conrad Sohm 16.08.23 DE – Burglenfeld / VAZ 17.08.23 CZ – Rock Castle / Moravsky Kumlov 18.08.23 DE – Koblenz / Festung Ehrenbreitstein 19.08.23 NL – Dynamo Metalfest / Eindhoven 20.08.23 CH – Rock The Lakes / Lake Morat 15.09.23 Baltic Sea – Full Metal Cruise / Kiel
GLORYHAMMER is: Sozos Michael (Angus McFife) – Vocals Paul Templing (Ser Proletius) – Guitars James Cartwright (The Hootsman) – Bass Michael Barber (Zargothrax) – Keyboards Ben Turk (Ralathor) – Drums
After announcing his new project PERRACIDE and his debut album “Underdog”, Perra Karlsson is now back with his friends and a brand new song. The track will also be released as a promotional video. “Silence The World” has that commanding, authoritative riffing that is the footprint of the Swedish underground scene, plus a few extras. One of them is the fact that Perra himself takes the lead vocalist role in it – the only track in the album where this happens. The second one is Hempa Brynolsson (guitar player in Darkened, AngelBlast, and Ordo Infernus, ex-Excruciate) handling some non-usual (on this album) keys and piano to add an extra layer to the song. The third one is Simon Wizén (bassist in Nominon and guitarist/vocalist in Valkyrja and Die Hard, ex-Ondskapt) handling bass, guitars, and backing vocals and given free rein in the compositional department, alongside Perra himself.
Today Metal Shock Finland has a pleasure to premiere ‘Silence The World’ official video for Finland, enjoy it below:
All this makes “Silence The World” one of the most interesting tracks on “Underdog” – one that adds extra dramatic feeling and darkness to the record and which sets Perracide as one of the most interesting things to happen to extreme metal this year.
“Lyrically “Silence the world” is about telling all the people I hate to go fuck themselves, at least that’s the short version”, Perra Karlsson comments about the song. “If you dare to dig deeper, the lyrics are extremely personal to me as an individual. It actually took me half a century to reach this spot, and it has been a wild and almost inhuman ride, with tons of health issues and “You will never make it!” along the way”.
“Thanks to all my brothers and sisters of Metal around the globe that I have recorded and performed music with the last couple of decades; You know who you are, and you all kick ass the whole lot of ya’s – And yes, you better believe it; WE ARE PACK!”
“You have all been so damn supportive and sometimes pushed me (almost too hard) through the rough times, but hey, no one ever said brotherhood is easy. To give up wasn’t really an option, so to speak. Now I can actually say that it felt good to grow a pair and tell the rest of the world, who wasn’t supporting me, to FUCK OFF! Even though it often led to conflicts and watching the enemies lining up ready to punch the shit out of me at times. Fight fire with fire. Don’t fear the ones who think they’re better than you, spit in their faces and make them envy you. There’s no surrender when you’re aiming for the top, right?”, he concludes.
Anyone that’s kept half an ear to the extreme metal underground during the past three decades should be familiar with drumming phantom lord Perra Karlsson. From his humble beginnings in Wortox/Altar via early standout bands like Suffer and Nasum to showcasing his unique drumming in legendary acts like Nominon, In Aeternum, Benediction and Deströyer 666 and also lending his blasting skills to newer acts like Kvaen, Devil’s Force and AngelBlast the list of his contributions to metal seems almost endless.
After a lifetime spent in the underground with a never fading dedication to the craft of metal his name has become synonymous with hard work and a true love for all things metal. Frustrated over the lack of activity in his current regular bands at the time, Perra used his discontent to fuel the fire of creativity and as a result “Underdog” was born.
To realise this monster of an album the drum-lord extraordinaire issued a call to arms that was answered by a squadron of legends from the metal underground seldom gathered on one record. With stand-out performances from the likes of Marc Grewe (Morgoth, Insidious Disease), Hellbutcher (Nifelheim), John Zwetsloot (Dissection, Cardinal Sin), Anders Jacobsson (Nasum, Necrony, Axis of Despair), Dave Hunt (Benediction, Anaal Nathrakh), Jörgen Sandström (Grave, Entombed, Torture Division), Simon Wizén (Valkyrja, Die Hard), K.K. Warslut (Deströyer 666, Bestial Warlust) and Gord Olson (Darkened) this beast will not be denied nor disappoint.
The album consists of fourteen slabs of undeniable metal magic. Five of the tracks being new and original songs showcasing the versatility and extremity of Perra and his chosen brothers in arms. Perra initially wrote and demoed the songs on drums only, so that the involved musicians could write guitar riffs and add leads and finally the guests vocalists and bassists could complete them with their parts. The remaining tracks are fresh renditions of Perra’s favorite tracks from the myriad of legendary acts he’s been a part of that really drives the point home. This is 45 minutes of crushing metal that nobody should miss out on!
Brace yourselves and prepare to suffer the Perracide!
“Underdog” will be released on CD, LP (180gr black vinyl, limited to 300) and digital formats via Emanzipation Productions on June 23rd, 2023.
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
