BLIND GUARDIAN Release New Single ‘Violent Shadows’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on July 29, 2022
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Credits: Dirk Behlau

With today’s single release, German metal giants BLIND GUARDIAN throw ‘Violent Shadows’ on these hot summer days. In this pulsing track, the band delivers another epic track foreshadowing the release of their new album The God Machine – out on September 2nd via Nuclear Blast Records.  ‘Violent Shadows’ is an onslaught of thrashy riffs and relentless drumming, presenting itself as one of the most straight forward bangers of the album.

The song is supported by a performance video impressively capturing the band’s live charisma. Serving as a perfect appetizer for BLIND GUARDIAN‘s live shows this summer and autumn, check out the video here:

Singer Hansi Kürsch states:
“Since our WWW Virtual Wacken Performance, Violent Shadows threw a massive, already overpowering shade on the expectations of ‘The God Machine’. We were pretty aware of the effects that the number would develop. The message is quite clear in my opinion: We’re able to go straight forward! With the single release you get a very concise impression of the album’s precision and intensity. Just one more thing: Everybody who thinks that the wait for the remaining five songs isn’t worth it, is completely wrong! Every single song is a firework and shines even brighter in context. Remember my words, enjoy ‘Violent Shadows’ and pre-order The God Machine. Today, September 2nd’s already yesterday.” 

The God Machine marks another pinnacle in BLIND GUARDIAN’s impressive discography by not attempting to pretend it is still the nineties yet instead successfully relying on the muscle memory of this period. It is a gripping, addictive and brilliantly arranged album in the tradition of records with which BLIND GUARDIAN reached for the stars in the 90’s; yet, by no means, is it a throwback. The God Machine represents the heart and soul of BLIND GUARDIAN’s timeless metal in the here and now, unifying the bards’ past, present and future secrets in one consistent, well thought out masterpiece.

Pre-order the album here: http://nblast.de/BG-TheGodMachine

BLIND GUARDIAN live:

31.07. UK Durham – Dominion Festival
05.08. ES Villena (Alicante) – Leyendas del Rock XV
07.08. RO Râșnov – Rockstadt Extreme Fest
19.08. DE Giessen – Giessener Kultursommer
20.08. DE Dinkelsbühl – Summer Breeze Festival
02.09. DE Saarbrücken – Garage
03.09. DE Memmingen – Kaminwerk
04.09. CH Pratteln – Z7
05.09. DE Frankfurt am Main – Batschkapp
06.09. DE Stuttgart – KA
08.09. DE München – Backstage
09.09. DE Dresden – Alter Schlachthof
10.09. DE Neuruppin – Kulturhaus
11.09. DE Berlin – Huxleys Neue Welt
13.09. DE Oberhausen – Turbinenhalle
14.09. DE Köln – E-Werk
16.09. DE Osnabrück – Hyde Park
17.09. DE Osnabrück – Hyde Park
10.-17.10. ES Barca Trencada – Full Metal Holiday @ Iberostar Club Cala Barca
12.10. NL Sittard – Poppodium Volt
13.10. DE Hamburg – edel-optics.de-Arena

BELPHEGOR’s New Album “The Devils” Out Now

Posted by tarjavirmakari on July 29, 2022
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Today, diabolical black/death metal squadron BELPHEGOR have finally unleashed their new studio album called The Devils in its entirety. Their twelfth full-length proves to be one of the strongest and most elaborate records in the group’s career. Mixed & mastered at renowned Fascination Street Studios by Jens Bogren, The Devils sounds absolutely crushing and dynamic, sonically pushing the immense variety of the eight tracks to new heights.

Rounded off by impressive artwork created by Seth Siro Anton, The Devils marks the band’s fourth collaboration with one of metal’s most talented and prolific artworkers. Ultimately, The Devils is an album that musically builds upon BELPHEGOR’s trademark sound, in essence a combination of traditional death and black metal deeply rooted in the 90’s, yet boasts with intricate compositions and detailed arrangements underlining their outstanding position within the international extreme metal circuit.

Blending German, Latin and English lyrics, lead single ‘Totentanz – Dance Macabre’ is as ferocious as it gets with its insane barrage of blast beats, spiteful lyrics, and sinister guitar melodies. ‘Glorifizierung des Teufels‘ (‘Glorification of the Devil’) and ‘Virtus Asinaria  –Prayer‘ offer epic, mid-paced grandeur, chanted vocals and choirs adding new shades of black to their stylistic palette. The title-track or ‘Damnation – Höllensturz‘ prove to be more complex pieces, shifting moods and tempos with ease and expanding BELPHEGOR’s blasphemous onslaught with fascinating twists and turns.

A Music Video For The Album’s Title Track Will be Released On Tuesday, August 2nd. Stay Tuned!

BUY OR LISTEN TO THE ALBUM “THE DEVILS”: https://belphegor.bfan.link/the-devils

HELMUTH comments:
„Hail! I think the greatest strength of this twelfth BELPHEGOR album are the many new elements incorporated into our unrelenting soundwall, which illuminates the offering shine with an evil ritualistic light. We tried to push the boundaries as musicians and as a band to bring the eight soundcollages to a new level of “Diabolical Black Death Metal” extremity. An intense atmosphere was our goal. 
 
“THE DEVILS” is the perfect demonstration of how we wanted to sound in the year 2022, every aspect expressing what we seek within BELPHEGOR! In Musick, Helmuth”

THE DEVILS tracklist

  1. The Devils
  2. Totentanz – Dance Macabre
  3. Glorifizierung des Teufels
  4. Damnation – Höllensturz
  5. Virtus Asinaria – Prayer
  6. Kingdom Of Cold Flesh
  7. Ritus Incendium Diabolus
  8. Creature Of Fire
  9. Blackest Sabbath 1997 *

*re-recorded medley of ‘Blackest Ecstasy’ and ‘Blutsabbath’ from 1997’s “Blutsabbath” album

BELPHEGOR LIVE:
04.08. – GER – Wacken Open Air
14.08. – UK – Derbyshire, Bloodstock Festival
20.08. – FRA – St-Nolff, Motocultor Festival
26.08. – GER – Crispendorf – Wolfszeit Festival
27.08. – AUT – Gloggnitz, Metal Escalation Festival
23.09. – MEX – Monterrey, Mexico Metal Fest
22.10. – AUT – Linz, Wildstyle & Tattoo Messe
13.11. – FRA – Oignies, Tyrant Fest

MANTAR: “Pain Is Forever and This Is The End” Hits Official German Album Charts at #2, ‘Of Frost And Decay’ Playthrough Video Revealed

Posted by tarjavirmakari on July 29, 2022
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Pain Is Forever And This Is The End, the latest full-length from German metal duo MANTAR out now on Metal Blade Records, reached the #2 spot on the Official German Album Charts! The record charted in Switzerland, Austria, and the US as well.

#2 Germany
#45 Switzerland
#60 US (Current Hard Music Albums)
#69 Austria
#84 US (Top New Artists)

Additionally, the band has just unveiled a playthrough for the track “Of Frost And Decay.” Check it out HERE.

Founded in 2012, MANTAR stands among the leading forces in extreme metal within the last ten years. The band’s most diverse and multifaceted album to date, Pain Is Forever And This Is The End sees the band taking things to an entirely new level, the songs boasting more melody and an array of guitar tones, influenced in no small part by the artists the pair covered on 2020’s Grungetown Hooligans II collection which featured MANTAR interpretations of songs from the likes of L7, Mudhoney, Sonic Youth, and The Jesus Lizard, formative bands from their respective youths Lyrically, the songs delve deep, pondering a variety of uncomfortable questions about mortality, spirituality, and the illusion of “belonging” in a world that’s unraveling and growing more fragmented by the day.

Watch MANTAR‘s previously released videos for “Grim Reaping” HERE, “Odysseus” HERE, and “Hang ‘Em Low (So The Rats Can Get ‘Em)” HERE.

Pain Is Forever And This Is The End is available on CD, LP, and digital formats. Preview and purchase the record at: metalblade.com/mantar

LYBICA – Featuring Killswitch Engage Drummer Justin Foley on Guitar – Announce Self-Titled Debut Album

Posted by tarjavirmakari on July 29, 2022
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PHOTO CREDIT: @whoisjazel @blackcardfilms

LYBICA, a dynamic and instrumental band from South Florida that seamlessly blends flavorful guitar melody with powerful metallic crunch and which features Killswitch Engage drummer Justin Foley on guitar, have announced their self-titled debut. It arrives September 16 via Metal Blade Records. Pre-order at: metalblade.com/lybica

The band has dropped the video for the new single “Manifest.” Watch it HERE.

The video was directed by Maria Jazel of Black Card Films, who also directed the video for the previously released track “Palatial.”

“I’m thrilled to announce that our debut record will be out September 16 on freaking Metal Blade,” says Foley. “It’s fitting to share ‘Manifest’ today, as well, since it was the first song Doug [French, bass], Joey [Johnson, guitar], and I played together a few years back. Now that [drummer] Chris [Lane] has completed the band, it’s time for some shows.“

Foley continues, “Fellow Floridians can see us at Respectable Street in West Palm on August 5, and also at Fest (!!) in Gainesville, with about 200 of your favorite bands. I also suckered the KsE guys into letting us play with them in Albany on September 22, just a week after Lybica’s record comes out. We can’t wait to see where this band takes us, and we’re excited to get things started!“

LYBICA TRACK LISTING:
01. Ascend
02. Resonance
03. Palatial
04. Oktavist
05. Ferment
06. Manifest
07. Linnaeus
08. Voltaic
09. Charyou

LYBICA LIVE:
08/05 – West Palm Beach, FL – Respectable Street
9/22 – Albany, NY – Empire Live (Supporting Killswitch Engage)
10/28-10/30 – Gainesville, FL – The Fest

GWAR: “The Blood of Gods”, “Carnival of Chaos”, “Ragnarök” + “This Toilet Earth” LP Re-Issues Now Available

Posted by tarjavirmakari on July 29, 2022
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GWAR have released LP re-issues of the classic albums “Carnival of Chaos“, “Ragnarök” and “This Toilet Earth” in additional to 2017’s “The Blood of Gods” via Metal Blade Records. These exclusive editions can be purchased now at: indiemerch.com/metalbladerecords

The Blood of Gods
(Clear w/ White & Blue Smokey Swirl Vinyl)
SIDE A
01. Swarm
02. War on GWAR
03. I’ll Be Your Monster
SIDE B
04. Viking Death Machine
05. El Presidente
06. Auroch
SIDE C
07. The Sordid Soliloquy of Sawborg Destructo
08. Death to Dickie Duncan
09. Crushed by the Cross
SIDE D
10. Fuck This Place
11. Phantom Limb
12. If You Want Blood (You Got It)

Carnival of Chaos
(Brown Vinyl)
SIDE A
01. Penguin Attack
02. Let’s Blame the Lightman
03. First Rule Is
04. Sammy
SIDE B
05. Endless Apocalypse
06. Billy Bad Ass
07. Hate Love Songs
08. Letter from the Scallop Boat
09. Pre-Skool Prostitute
SIDE C
10. If I Could Be That
11. In Her Fear
12. Back to Iraq
13. I Suck on My Thumb
14. The Private Pain of Techno Destructo
15. Gonna Kill U
SIDE D
16. Sex Cow
17. Antarctican Drinking Song
18. Don’t Need a Man

Ragnarök
(Grey / White Marbled Vinyl)
SIDE A
01. Meat Sandwich
02. The New Plague
03. Whargoul
04. Ragnarok
05. Dirty, Filthy
06. Stalin’s Organs
07. Knife in Yer Guts
SIDE B
08. Think You Outta Know This
09. Martyr Dumb
10. Nudged
11. Fire in the Loins
12. Surf of Syn
13. Crush Kill Destroy
14. None but the Brave

This Toilet Earth
(Red / Black Split Vinyl)
SIDE A
01. Saddam a Go-Go
02. Penis I See
03. Eat Steel
04. Jack the World
05. Sonderkommando
06. Bad Bad Men
07. Pepperoni
SIDE B
08. The Innsiduous Soliloquy of Skulhedface
09. Fight
10. The Issue of Tissue (Spacecake)
11. Pocket Pool
12. Slap U Around
13. Krak Down
14. Filthy Flow
15. The Obliteration of Flab Quarv 7

LAMB OF GOD Release Single + Music Video for Title Track ‘Omens’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on July 29, 2022
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Photo: Travis Shinn

Watch and listen to ´Omens,´ the title track from LAMB OF GOD’s forthcoming 9th album. The new single from the GRAMMY-nominated metal colossus is available everywhere for download and streaming.

“I think a lot of the messes human beings find ourselves in could be very easily prevented simply by paying attention to obvious repeating patterns, both in our personal lives and in a broader sociohistorical context,” says LAMB OF GOD frontman D. Randall Blythe. “What some call ‘omens’ are really just manifestations of the fact that there is nothing new under the sun. It’s foolish to ignore this, but we all do it.”  

Listen to the single on all platforms:  https://lambofgod.bfan.link/omens-single

The gargantuan ´Omens´follows the album’s first single, ´Nevermore,´ which collected more than 1 million views on YouTube and over 1 million streams on Spotify shortly after its release just last month. 

The hard rock and metal press described ´Nevermore´ as “crushing” (Metal Injection), “like a nail bomb” (Revolver), and “a thundering taste of what’s to come” from the band’s new album (Kerrang!). 

The Omensalbum arrives on October 7th, 2022, on Nuclear Blast Records. 

Omens follows 2020’s self-titled No. 1 Hard Rock Album, saluted by the likes of Rolling Stone and NME. Omens is perhaps their angriest album yet. Produced by longtime collaborator Josh Wilbur (Korn, Megadeth), Omens is a vicious new testament for the Richmond, Virginia-based band, a furious entry in their beloved catalog. “The world is crazy and keeps changing. Omens is a reaction to the state of the world,” Blythe explains. “It’s a very pissed-off record.” He pauses for emphasis. “It is extremely pissed-off.”  

The New Wave Of American Heavy Metal architects tracked Omens at Henson Recording Studios in Los Angeles, California, a location that birthed classics from The Doors, The Ramones, and Soundgarden, among others. “The inner workings of the band have never been better,” explains guitarist Mark Morton. “You can hear it in Omens. You can see it in our performances, and if you’re around us for five minutes, you can feel it.”

The Omens album pre-order is live now at Lamb-Of-God.com, boasting special bundles and several exclusive items, including colored vinyl, shirts, hoodies, box sets, and CDs with an alternate color cover.

Pre-order link: https://lambofgod.bfan.link/omens

Omens tracklisting:
Nevermore
Vanishing
To The Grave
Ditch
Omens
Gomorrah
Ill Designs
Grayscale
Denial Mechanism
September Song

LAMB OF GOD European Festival Shows 2022
05.08. RO Rasnov – Rockstadt Extreme Fest 
07.08. BE Lokeren – Lokerse Festival
09.08. SK Ljubljana – Cvetličarna
10.08. HU Budapest – Barba Negra Track
12.08. FI Turku – Knotfest 
14.08. UK Walton-on-Trent – Bloodstock Open Air 
18.08. DE Nürnberg – Z-Bau   ***single show
19.08. DE Köln – Live Music Hall   ***single show
20.08. DE Sulingen – Reload Festival
21.08. NL Eindhoven – Dynamo Metalfest

STATE OF UNREST TOUR 2022
LAMB OF GOD | KREATOR
w/ special guests: Thy Art Is Murder & Gatecreeper

18.11. DK Copenhagen – Forum Black Box
19.11. SE Stockholm – Fryshuset Arenan
21.11. FI Oulu – Teatria
22.11. FI Helsinki – Ice Hall Black Box
24.11. PL Warsaw – Stodola
26.11. DE München – Zenith
27.11. DE Berlin – Columbiahalle
29.11. NL Tilburg – O13
30.11. BE Brussels – AB
02.12. DE Ludwigsburg – MHP Arena
03.12. DE Essen – Grugahalle
04.12. DE Saarbrücken – Saarlandhalle
06.12. ES Madrid – Riviera
07.12. ES Barcelona – Razzmatazz
09.12. DE Wiesbaden – Schlachthof
10.12. DE Hamburg – Edel Optics Arena
11.12. DE Leipzig – Haus Auensee
13.12. UK London – O2 Academy Brixton
14.12. UK Glasgow – O2 Academy
15.12. UK Birmingham – O2 Academy
16.12. UK Bristol – O2 Academy
18.12. UK Manchester – Manchester Academy
20.12. FR Paris – L’Olympia
21.12. CH Zurich – Samsung Hall