British dark techno ambient unit HIVEMIND is pleased to announce their upcoming new album “The Edict of the Elohim”, due out November 18th 2022 via Aesthetic Death.
Dark Electronic Music – demise of the mankind filth
HIVEMIND is the culmination of a five year collaboration between Gordon Bicknell (LYSERGENE, ex-ESOTERIC – all music) and Stuart Harris (SECT 37 – all spoken word).
Imagine a dark techno ambient hybrid of Orbital and Skinny Puppy, teaming up with English punk poet John Cooper Clarke, to set about re-imagining “War of the Worlds”.
Harris, in delivering his lengthy spoken word allegory, visualises the decimation of mankind by the Watchers, the Guardians of Gaia. Having witnessed the pillage of Earth over millennia, thus setting about redressing the balance. It is a story of great craft and hope – for Gaia will no longer suffer under the strain of 8 billion needy grasping hands.
Bicknell expertly crafts a dark ambient techno soundtrack around the words of Harris – the music not only captivates but simultaneously paints the picture given by the tone of the poem.
This is not ebm to hit a groove – neither is it ambient to meditate and drift – a musical collage that gives sound pictures to a story. It is not a collection of tracks, must be listened as a whole album to gain the full perspective.
Never has such an apocalyptic tale of human demise sounded so beautiful and desirable.
For fans of: Skinny Puppy, Lustmord, Current 93, Tangerine Dream, Vangelis
Swedish symphonic death metal outfit SOULDRAINER is gearing up for the release of the band’s highly anticipated new album “Departure”, which will be coming out on November 25 via Black Lion Records. After the release of the first two singles “Where Angels Come To Die” and “Rats Of The International Race”, the band follows up today with the release of the track “Council of Five”.
Souldrainer comments: “We are very excited to present to you the third single Council Of Five of our coming album Departure.While this is our fastest song on the album, it still has heavy parts that we are known for. Buckle up and get ready for a ride through your dark future as a feeble human being!“
It is safe to say that Souldrainer have created their heaviest and most well-crafted album to date. Surely fans of the genre will not be disappointed. With thickly layered rhythm guitars, atmospheric angel choirs, string ensembles, and ripping vocals, Souldrainer create a distinct harmonic aggression that hits you harder than a brick wall in your face.
“Departure” will be coming out on November 25 and is available for pre-order HERE
CONQUER DIVIDE — the international five-piece band hailing from the U.S., U.K., and Canada who have generated accolades from Revolver, Alternative Press, Modern Drummer, Loudwire, and more — have just shared their new single “Paralyzed.” Check out the video below.
This track will hit particularly close to home for anyone who listens to it, as it addresses something we’ve all dealt with yet in a very unique way.
Guitarist Kristen Sturgis shares, “This song is about battling with mental illness and depression —especially during the pandemic — and feeling like you are too mentally paralyzed to move forward.”
She continues, revealing her deeply personal experience working as a nurse during COVID, saying, “I was in a dark place because, as some people may or may not know, I am a critical care nurse when I am not touring. I was traveling around the country to all these hot spots to help-out with COVID, and I saw dozens of people lose their lives. And I still really have not fully processed it.”
Sturgis further explains, “But if you do not disconnect, you can’t do your job effectively. So, it is the kind of depression where you don’t feel anything at all, and you turn your emotions off. There was a point where they had psychologists visiting us on the unit to talk about our feelings. But it was like, ‘I don’t have time for this right now. I need to hang the next bag of x/y/z medication and keep this person alive. Get back to me in a year after this is all over.’ I think a lot of health care workers are also going to have PTSD or depression from what we went through. I hit a bit of writer’s block as a result of my mental state, and this song was a bit cathartic for me.”
As for Conquer Divide’s future plans, Sturgis offers this exciting update: “We’ve all grown so much since our first record. We did a lot of introspection and soul-searching about which creative direction to take the band in next, and we can’t wait to share what we’ve been working on. There will be something for everyone on our sophomore album.”
The band remains hard at work with 2x Grammy-nominated producer Tyler Smyth (Falling in Reverse, I Prevail) and 4x RIAA-certified Gold record producer Joey Sturgis (Asking Alexandria, The Devil Wears Prada, Of Mice & Men).
Conquer Divide also recently collaborated with Electric Callboy on the single “Fckboi.” Watch the video here. The song is already at over 10m streams worldwide, while their standalone track “Atonement” is at 2.5m streams worldwide.
Pushing progressive death metal in ever more imaginative directions, ENTHEOS – vocalist Chaney Crabb and multi-instrumentalist Navene Koperweis – continue to stand apart from the pack. Incorporating elements drawn from myriad genres – including death metal, groove, grunge, electronica, slam, gothic rock, jazz, prog and more – they have evolved with every release. Having stripped down to a two-piece in 2020, this decision streamlined the band and allows the core members to make the music they want -with no compromise, which is clearly to their betterment.
Today, Entheos share the video for “Absolute Zero.” It marks the band’s first release under new label Metal Blade Records. The song also features Evan Brewer, who has played on all of the band’s previous material, on bass.
“To us, ‘Absolute Zero’ has always felt like an obvious choice to release as a single,” the band says. “It’s a raw, aggressive song that represents the descent into darkness that we often times must face in order to progress and appreciate our lives. The video was shot by the incredible David Brodsky and Allison Woest, who were able to capture the emotion of the song perfectly.“
There will be more to come from Entheos very soon…
Meritorious masters of melancholic metal KATATONIA carry on their legacy of rearranging the order of the heavy music universe, proudly presenting their hauntingly beautiful next studio album, Sky Void of Stars, out January 20, 2023 via Napalm Records.
Founded in 1991, KATATONIA have continually embraced the dark and the light alike and, living through genre evolutions beyond compare, ripened their own particular form of expression. From doom and death metal to soul-gripping post rock, they’ve explored endless spheres of the genre, accumulating only the very best aspects. After signing with Napalm Records, the entity around founding members Jonas Renkse and Anders Nyström is ready to showcase its brilliance and illuminate the void in the scene once more with Sky Void of Stars.
With the first single, “Atrium”, KATATONIA hit with highly energetic atmosphere, holding a gloomy ambience with epic sounds and poetic lyrics to get lost in. The heartfelt piece of sound goes in line with a gripping music video, underlining the exceptional atmosphere the five-piece is creating with every single note. “Atrium” is now available via all digital service providers worldwide.
KATATONIA on the new album, Sky Void of Stars: “Our 12th album, Sky Void of Stars is a dynamic journey through vibrant darkness. Born out of yearning for what was lost and not found, the very peripheries of the unreachable, but composed and condensed into human form and presented as sounds and words true to the KATATONIA signum. No stars here, just violent rain.”
Emerging from the gloom, KATATONIA is a beacon of light – breathing their unique, never stagnant, atmospheric sound through this new 11-track offering, all written and composed by vocalist Jonas Renkse. Album opener “Austerity” provides a courting introduction to the album. Crashing through the dark, it convinces with memorable, mind-bending rhythms as it shifts with elaborate guitar riffs that perfectly showcase the musical expertise and experience of the band. Topped off by the dark, conjuring voice of Renkse and mesmerizing lyricism, the gloomy mood for the album is set. Songs like down- tempo “Opaline” and moody “Drab Moon” fully embrace their melancholic sound while fragile “Impermanence” is accented by the original doom metal roots of KATATONIA. Like a dark star, these pieces relume the dreariness, creating an ambient auditory experience with memorable hooks while still inducing the crashing sounds of hard guitar riffs and pounding drums. The experimental mastery of the quintet and their atmospheric approach is purely vivid, making this album a thrilling sensation. With “Birds”, the artists show off their explosive potential with a quick and energetic sound, proving their genre-defying style.
KATATONIA is one of a kind in a state of perpetual evolution. Significantly shaping the genre while still staying true to their own musical values, they orbit the musical universe – leaving their imprints on the scene. Projecting their sound to the endless realms, Sky Void of Stars shines bright in metal and beyond!
Sky Void of Stars track listing:
Austerity
Colossal Shade
Opaline
Birds
Drab Moon
Author
Impermanence (feat. Joel Ekelöf)
Sclera
Atrium
No Beacon To Illuminate Our Fall
Absconder (Bonus Track)
KATATONIA Live 2022/23
2022 North American Tour w/ The Ocean Collective and Cellar Darling 09.11.22 – Washington, DC / Black Cat 10.11.22 – Worcester, MA / Palladium 11.11.22 – New York, NY / Sony Hall 12.11.22 – Philadelphia, PA / Underground Arts 13.11.22 – Harrisburg, PA / Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center 15.11.22 – Quebec City, QC / Impérial Bell 16.11.22 – Montreal, QC / Le Studio TD 18.11.22 – Toronto, ON / Opera House 19.11.22 – Pittsburgh, PA / Thunderbird Music Hall 20.11.22 – Chicago, IL / Metro 22.11.22 – Denver, CO / Oriental Theater 23.11.22 – Salt Lake City, UT / Soundwell 25.11.22 – Portland, OR / Hawthorne Theatre 26.11.22 – Vancouver, BC / Rickshaw Theatre 27.11.22 – Seattle, WA / The Crocodile 29.11.22 – Roseville, CA / Goldfield Trading Post 30.11.22 – San Francisco, CA / Great American Music Hall 02.12.22 – Los Angeles, CA / 1720 03.12.22 – San Diego, CA / Brick by Brick 04.12.22 – Mesa, AZ / Nile Theater 06.12.22 – Austin, TX / Come and Take It Live (+Soen as direct support) 07.12.22 – Dallas, TX / Amplified Live (+Soen as direct support) 09.12.22 – Atlanta, GA / Hell at The Masquerade 10.12.22 – Tampa, FL / The Orpheum
2023 UK & Europe Tour w/ Sólstafir and SOM 20.01.23 FI – Tampere / Tampereen Tullikamari (Pakkahuone & Klubi) 21.01.23 FI – Helsinki / Kulttuurital 22.01.23 EE – Tallinn / Helitehas 24.01.23 PL – Warsaw / Klub Stodoła 25.01.23 DE – Berlin / Huxleys Neue Welt 26.01.23 DE – Cologne / Essigfabrik 27.01.23 DE – Stuttgart / LKA Longhorn 28.01.23 CZ – Prague / ROXY Prague 29.01.23 AT – Vienna / Arena Wien 31.01.23 HU – Budapest / Akvárium Klub 01.02.23 DE – Munich / Backstage Werk 02.02.23 CH – Zurich / Komplex 457 03.02.23 IT – Milan / Live Club 04.02.23 FR – Lyon / Ninkasi GERLAND 06.02.23 ES – Madrid / Kapital 07.02.23 ES – Barcelona / La Salamandra 08.02.23 FR – Toulouse / Le Metronum 10.02.23 GB – London / O2 Forum Kentish Town 11.02.23 GB – Manchester / O2 Ritz Manchester 12.02.23 GB – Bristol / Marble Factory 13.02.23 GB – Glasgow / The Garage 14.02.23 GB – Wolverhampton / KK’s Steel Mill 16.02.23 DE – Frankfurt Am Main / Batschkapp 17.02.23 NL – Haarlem / Patronaat 19.02.23 FR – Paris / Le Trianon 20.02.23 LU – Luxemburg / Rockhal 21.02.23 BE – Antwerp / Muziekcentrum Trix 22.02.23 DE – Hamburg / Gruenspan 23.02.23 DK – Copenhagen / Amager Bio 24.02.23 NO – Oslo / Rockefeller Music Hall 25.02.23 SE – Stockholm / Fryshuset Arenan
2023 Latin American Tour 17.03.23 MX – Guadalajara / C3 Stage 18.03.23 MX – Monterrey / Cafe Iguana 19.03.23 MX – Mexico City / Cafe Auditorio 22.03.23 CH – Santiago / Club Chocolate 24.03.23 AR – Buenos Aires / El Teatrito 25.03.23 BR – Sao Paulo / Carioca Club
Symphonic black metal formation …AND OCEANS is now unleashing the official music video for the brand new single, “The Collector and His Construct!” The song is taken from the band’s upcoming full-length album, ‘As in Gardens, so in Tombs,’ which will be released on January 27, 2023 via Season of Mist. The video can be found at THIS LOCATION.
…AND OCEANS comment on the track: “The Collector comes in many forms and faces. Some are whispers in the wind and water, some come with threats of eternal fire, others just have a craving for remains as a propellant for rebirth and some even claim that it will split you up one picture frame at the time.
This album also has many faces. Our second single from the upcoming album is a bit more in the style of our last album. Straight forward and in your face without too many twists and turns. Fits just about right for the pre-sales to start etc. before we can dive deeper into weirder stuff again in the material to follow.“
The album can be pre-ordered HERE and pre-saved HERE.
…AND OCEANS are furthermore revealing the cover artwork, which is created by Adrien Bousson, and can now be viewed below, together with the track list and further album details.
Tracklist: 1. As in Gardens, so in Tombs (4:17) 2. The Collector and His Construct (4:36) [WATCH] 3. Within Fire and Crystal (5:52) 4. Carried on Lead Wings (5:14) 5. Likt Törnen Genom Kött (5:10) 6. Cloud Heads (4:19) [WATCH] 7. Wine into Water (3:57) 8. Inverse Magnification Matrix (4:50) 9. The Earth Canvas (4:11) 10. Ambivalent God (7:44) Bonus: 11. Samlarens Valv (3:49) 12. Third Eye Catalyst (4:28) Total: 58:27
Cover artwork: Adrien Bousson
It’s rare for a band to commandingly return with their best effort to date, but Finland’s …And Oceans are here to prove that 2020’s Cosmic World Mother was the sound of creative floodgates bursting through into a new body of water, an ocean if you will. Well, that was their pinnacle up until their new album, As In Gardens, So In Tombs, is let out into the world. Everything that …And Oceans’ first full-length in 18 years did well – blistering symphonic black metal, heady themes that dealt with the connection between philosophy and psychics, and …And Oceans’ trademark adventurous songwriting – As In Gardens, So In Tombs manages to eclipse and recontextualize. It’s the sound of a band seizing every ounce of momentum and upping the ante in every way. While …And Oceans has never written the same album twice, in many ways, their latest sounds like an opportunity for the Finnish group to pick up and improve upon what they started. Symphonic black metal is never this fun, free, and fantastic.
Lead single “Cloud Heads” is a great introduction into the magic and serves as a statement of intent. Swirling melodies, blastbeats that sound like the rumbles after The Big Bang, and ethereal symphonic touches result in a song that’s equally fierce and pleasant to take in. A kinder, gentler (but not gentle) version of …And Oceans.
“’Cloud Heads’ is certainly one of my favorites!” vocalist Mathias Lillmåns shares. “It was sort of an icebreaker song. It was one of the first songs we wrote straight after Cosmic World Mother was finished, and the first lyrics I wrote for the album. It was the song that paved way (or broke the ice) for the rest of the album.”
Part of the reason the band even needed to “break the ice” with this record is the pace at which their last was written, as guitarist Timo Kontio acknowledges:
“Well for me starting to do Cosmic World Mother was more nerve wrecking and even in doubt whether we should make new music or not. In the end it was quite an easy project to do, to our relief. So when we started to make this album, it was more relaxed and more or less go with the flow mentality. We had the first ‘difficult comeback album’ done, and everything came quite easily! It was really refreshing to make this kind of music after so long.”
“I was only supposed to produce guitars for Cosmic World Mother,” Lillmåns adds, “but a month before the recordings were supposed to start, my phone suddenly rang. I could sense that this phone call was going to be important when I saw it was Timo calling. I was asked to join the band and also to write lyrics for the whole thing. Immediately when I saw the first version of the [album] cover, I got this vision of what the concept of the album would be, and I wrote most of the album in sort of a frenzy with the next few weeks.”
“It’s strange with the new album,” he continues, “because I have always been forced to use tight deadlines for myself when writing music or lyrics. It seems I need the pressure to create something I’m happy with. Also, for some reason I get most done when traveling, I used to take trains to nowhere just write sometimes back in the day! This time there were no pressure, no traveling, and I was not on the edge of a burn out, and it went smoother than ever before! The lyrics just kept on coming, not as fast and not in such a trancelike frenzy as the last album, but good stuff on a steady basis.”
So while Cosmic World Mother was the sort of ravishing fever dream of an album that poured out of …And Oceans in fits and starts, As In Gardens, So In Tombs was the result of the band taking the time to sweat the small stuff. The result can be found everywhere – melodies are brighter, the orchestral elements feel more essential, and Lillmåns’ vocals have swallowed a mushroom (in a garden or tomb?) as done a Mario-like levelling up. Even in the way the album sounds, As In Gardens, So In Tombs sounds warmer, the kind of record meant to be played while walking alone in nature. That sense of measured purpose was very intentional as Lillmåns notes:
“[The record] definitely feels grander and more melodic. I think stepping up the production also was something that helped in this sense! Having Juho Räihä at SoundSpiral Audio taking a bigger role in the recording and having it sent over to Tore Stjerna at NBS Production definitely made it sound more massive and took a load off our shoulders to focus on the music itself!”
Who could’ve guessed that leaving the musicians to focus on the music would have good results?
As noted earlier, musically and thematically, everything about Cosmic World Mother was rapidly birthed from its creators. The themes of that record weighed heavily on the band and carried over into this record. Cosmic World Mother was about how energy is eternal and how only changes form. This record doubles down on that notion by focusing on how humanity’s energies toward enlightenment are often the same path, even if we have different languages, religions, customs, etc. I have this vision of us all playing different levels of a video game but ending up at the same ending. Energy is the most efficient recycler in the universe. So where and how did Lillmåns find inspiration to write the lyrics for this album? Did he end up walking gardens and pacing graveyards?
“I went back to gardens, moved away from the city into the nature. I always felt like I needed to be in a dark place to create lyrics that came from the heart, ‘when the body suffers, the mind flowers,’ kind of state. This time I was at ease, and it was surprisingly efficient. I usually don’t want to spoil too much and having people to think for themselves, but yes, I had the time to sit down and read during the pandemic and came to some conclusions (as in nature, so in books). I think it’s a very calming thought, that whatever happens, whenever it happens, makes no difference. We have always and always will be a part of the circle of eternal energy; we have always existed and will always exist in some form. A notion that became ever so clear when reading up on different religions, worldviews, customs, and philosophies.”
Bio: Nick Senior
Recording Studio: Drums & Bass at D-studio Guitars & Vocals at SoundSpiral Audio Keyboards & electronics at Ryijy’s cave.
Producer/Sound engineer: Juho Räihä Mix/Master: Necromorbus Studio / Tore Stjerna
Line-up: Timo Kontio – Guitar Mathias Lillmåns – Vocals Teemu Saari – Guitar Pyry Hanski – Bass Kauko Kuusisalo – Drums Antti Simonen – Keyboards
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
Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 