AS I LAY DYING Announce European Summer Tour Dates

Posted by tarjavirmakari on May 21, 2022
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment
(Photo Credit: Ivonne Davies-Kreye)

American west coast metal giant AS I LAY DYING announces the “2022 Summer Europe Tour” which includes twelve stops all around Europe. In addition to a few festival appearances, the band will also play selected shows in Germany, Switzerland and Ireland. During the only European shows in 2022, AS I LAY DYING will be supported by LORNA SHORE, DARKEST HOUR, TENSIDE and TEN56 each on selected days.

AS I LAY DYING comments on the European summer dates:
“It feels good to finally make our way back and play some of the finest heavy music festivals Europe has to offer. We look forward to catching up with old friends and celebrating the return of these large musical gatherings that we’re grateful to be a part of. Due to scheduling conflicts, we’ve condensed all rescheduled “Two Decades of Destruction” EU dates to a handful of headlining shows in between festival appearances, including our very first appearance in Ireland. This will be a great finish to our 2022 touring before we finalize writing and enter the studio for our next album. We’ll see you soon!”

Tickets are on sale now.

Below you can find all the European dates for summer 2022:

04.08. AT Feldkirch – poolbar-Festival 
06.08. DE Wacken – Wacken Open Air 
09.08. UK Dublin – Academy 
11.08. CZ Fortress Josefov – Brutal Assault 
12.08. DE Frankfurt – Batschkapp 
13.08. BE Kortrijk – Alcatraz  
14.08. DE Köln – Essigfabrik 
15.08. DE München – Backstage 
16.08. CH Lyss – Kulturfabrik 
17.08. IT Padova – Dissonance Festival 
19.08. DE Sulingen – Reload Festival 
20.08. DE Trier – Summer Blast 

The band’s latest album, Shaped By Fire, was produced by AS I LAY DYING and was mixed by Joseph McQueen at Sparrow Sound in Los Angeles, CA while mastering was completed by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound in Nashville, TN. The only exception was for the track “My Own Grave” which was produced by AS I LAY DYING, co-produced by Drew Fulk and mixed by Adam “Nolly” Getgood. The artwork was created by Corey Meyers.

Order your copy of Shaped By Fire in the format of your choice here: nuclearblast.com/asilaydying-shapedbyfire
Listen and download Shaped By Fire at: http://geni.us/AILDShapedByFire

INTERLOPER Release Music Video for New Single ‘My Flame Deadened’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on May 21, 2022
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment

Progressive heavy metal vehicle, INTERLOPER is keeping busy in 2022 with the releases of their album “Search Party” and completing a very successful 7-week tour across North America with label mates OBSCURA. To keep the momentum going, the band releases a music video for their new single, ‘My Flame Deadened’. Watch the video that features footage taken by Sterling Stetar from the band’s recent tour, here:

Miles Baker comments, “We are very happy to release this one. This song was created and written about a tragedy in one of our lives. The focus of this one was to embrace a minimalist approach and force ourselves to be creative with dynamics without losing focus of the song. We hope you love it and look forward to playing it on an upcoming tour this fall!”

Listen to the ‘My Flame Deadened’ single on all streaming platforms: https://bfan.link/Interloper-MyFlameDeadened

For ‘My Flame Deadened’, the band returned to the studio with Joey Virrueta who help them with the production as well as handling the mixing of the album. The artwork for the single was created by Adrian Loeb.

Earlier this year, ​INTERLOPER presented their debut, full-length album “Search Party” which was released via Nuclear Blast Records.

The deep cohesiveness of INTERLOPER’s writing process for “Search Party” allowed for a creative project with no real boundaries or restrictions. The album was produced by the band and Joey Virrueta. Drums were recorded at Big Bad Sound LA by Jack Ruley and Zach Fisher, with the mixing and mastering completed once more by Andrew’s brother Joey Virrueta. The album artwork was created by Caelan Stokkermans.

Order your copy of “Search Party” in the format of your choice here: www.nuclearblast.com/interloper-searchparty

RUDY SARZO Discusses Why He Considers Himself & Frankie Banali Original Members of QUIET RIOT

Posted by tarjavirmakari on May 21, 2022
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: , , . Leave a comment

Jimmy Kay and Alan Dixon from The Metal Voice spoke to legendary bassist Rudy Sarzo about his longstanding history and return to Quiet Riot. Watch the interview below.

Rudy told The Metal Voice about his return back into the band, ” The main reason why I am back in the band is because Frankie Banali invited me. Frankie asked me before he passed away to return to the band. My best friend asked me to do something, so I needed to honour Frankie. I needed to be that guy on stage who honored the legacy and the memory of the band members who have passed. This is the first time that I actually leave the house to go on the road every weekend.  We are booked solid through the rest of the year every single week. But now I leave with a mission. I’m not going out there just to play a bunch of songs and  whatever financial gains. Now I have a mission. My mission is  to celebrate the legacy and memory of my band mates,”

When asked about if he  considered himself an almost original member after replacing bassist Keli Garni on QR 1 and 2 (albums only released in Japan) he said, “When you say almost original member? That would be like saying Frankie Banali is not an original member of Quiet Riot. Let me give you my perception because everybody has a perception, this is the way I look at it. There were two albums that were released only in Japan. It was basically kind of like releasing an independent EP. Forty five years ago when those records were released, the Randy Rhoads version of Quiet Riot, Billboard magazine, they didn’t even have a chart for that. Nothing for imports or music that was released in Japan. If you don’t have a record deal in the USA you got nothing, you are not a recording artist. Today it’s a whole different scenario because Japan has their own domestic heavy metal bands with world class musicians. It is not the same scenario as it was 40 years ago. So technically the clock starts with Metal Health because that’s when a band under the name Quiet Riot got signed to Pasha/Columbia Records. I got a contract that I signed along with Carlos and Kevin and Frankie, that disputes the fact that I am not an original member. Then again that is my perception.”

GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT Announce Live Studio Album “The Beginning Of The End” + Release Music Video for First Single

Posted by tarjavirmakari on May 21, 2022
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment
[photo credit: Brian Meade]

In 2022, with 20 years and a strong collection of masterful, acclaimed albums to their name, Irish post-rock maestros GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT come full circle with a live studio output, The Beginning Of The End, due out on July 15, 2022 via Napalm Records. Recorded at Windmill Lane Recording Studio in Dublin, Ireland on October 3, 2021, the album features modern transformations of all of the songs from their debut album, 2002’s The End Of The Beginning, encompassing each track’s evolutionary changes throughout the band’s years of live performances while allowing the original melodies and songwriting to shine through.

Stage classics such as “From Dust to the Beyond” and “Route 666″ can be heard in a new light, with clear, transformative variations originally heard during the band’s captivating live performances now incorporated. Plus, in addition to these live expansions, technical advances have been applied to each track. Originally limited to just a keyboard sequencer and an Akai S3000 sampler on The End Of The Beginning, 20 years later on The Beginning Of The End, the band seizes the opportunity to breathe new life into these live versions, allowing them to bring more feeling, experience, equipment and expression to the music and songs.

“When we recorded the “The End of the Beginning” we only had limited equipment,; we couldn’t even record full live performances,“ bassist Niels Kinsella reveals. “The Beginning of the End gave us the opportunity to perform the whole album live and allowed us to bring more feeling and expression to the music and songs. We’re very excited to share this with everyone.”

Today, GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT have premiered a brand new music video for the otherworldly, re-recorded single “From Dust to the Beyond”; a song that has even been aired on MTV and now perfectly balances the band’s melancholic post-rock manner and a menacing yet dreamy atmosphere.

Says Torsten Kinsella: “From Dust to the Beyond was written in 2002, inspired by the futile wars of the past and how we are doomed to repeat our mistakes and ironically we are now seeing the same unfold once again!“

The release of The Beginning Of The End could not be more relevant than in these current dark times. War themes are strikingly evident on songs such as the aforementioned “From Dust to the Beyond”, as well as album title track “The End of the Beginning” – named after a quote credited to Prime Minister Winston Churchill during the WWII era. Influenced by the chaos and futility of war, these themes are also reflected on the album’s cover, created by the band in collaboration with returning artist David Rooney. Featuring a war-torn concert hall and a piano, the art is a defiant message reflecting that the power of music transcends war and time.

GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT’s upcoming release provides a sonic snapshot of the evolution of the Irish post-rock band over two decades. Made enthralling and memorable with live momentum, The Beginning Of The End belongs in every well-curated post-rock record collection!

Pre-Order The Beginning Of The End HERE

The Beginning Of The End track listing:

  1. The End of the Beginning
  2. From Dust to the Beyond
  3. Ascend to Oblivion
  4. Coda
  5. Remembrance
  6. Point Pleasant
  7. Fall from the Stars
  8. Twilight
  9. Coma
  10. Route 666
  11. Lost Symphony

GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT Live: Find all dates & tickets HERE!

THE ANSWER Announce Comeback Performance & New Album Coming in 2023

Posted by tarjavirmakari on May 21, 2022
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment

After a seven-year hiatus, Irish rockers THE ANSWER are set to make their long awaited and highly anticipated return with an exclusive and sole 2022 comeback performance at this year’s Planet Rockstock festival, Dec 3.

Not only that but they are thrilled to announce a new album has been recorded and is due for release in 2023, produced by rising British rock producer Dan Weller (Enter Shikari, Bury Tomorrow) at the helm. The first single from the new record will precede their Rockstock performance and will give fans their first taster of the sheer dynamism imbued in the new music.

A fortuitous ‘how do you feel about writing again’ call from management in early Covid-stricken 2020 planted a seed that slowly gathered real pace as the band started sharing new ideas that felt exiting, fresh and relevant. The now triumphantly completed collection of work displays all of the band’s trademark raw attitude and lack of compromise. In their own words “It felt like we were back at the beginning again, a total reset’ says singer Cormac Neeson.

“We’ve been through a lot as a band, we’ve toured the world, made six great records we’re all proud of, given our live shows everything always and done our best to make honest and timeless music that connects with rock fans and music fans in general. After six albums and a lot of road miles we felt we needed to step back from it all and reset. Whilst that wasn’t an easy decision, with retrospect it possibly he best decision we’ve ever made because the end result is the album we’ve been waiting to make our whole lives…full of good time rock n roll and positive energy created by four brothers who quite frankly just really missed each other. We’re back and we’re ready to bring our best album ever to you!!”

The Answer are back! Video teaser HERE

Undeniably, The Answer – completed by perennially charismatic front man Cormac Neeson, iconic guitarist Paul Mahon and the powerhouse rhythm section of bassist Micky Waters and drummer James Heatley – have achieved a great deal in their career to be proud of.
 
Emerging into the rock world spotlight in 2005, their debut single Keep Believin’ became the subject of critical acclaim and led The Answer to the ‘Best New Band’ award at that year’s Classic Rock Awards. The following year, the young band consolidated that early promise with ‘Rise’, a debut album that received universally great reviews and backed up their burgeoning reputation with fistfuls of gloriously anthemic songs like Under The Sky, Into The Gutter and Come Follow Me that delighted everyone from cantankerous classic rock fans to bright-eyed teenagers with a penchant for balls-out rock ‘n’ roll. ‘Rise’ went on to sell over 125,000 copies worldwide on the independent Albert Productions rock label, a startling debut achievement that ensured when the band released their second album, the mighty ‘Everyday Demons’, three years later, the world was more than ready to embrace The Answer on an even greater scale.
 
The ensuing years saw the band cement their fearsome reputation, both as an astonishing live band and as rock’s brightest hopes, securing high profile support slots with The Rolling Stones, Aerosmith and a two-year stint on AC/DC’s 2008 Black Ice tour, which took them around the world and into some of the biggest venues on the planet.

“We were thrown to the wolves a lot of nights on the road with AC/DC and all we had to fall back on was the four of us playing together,” recalls mercurial guitar hero Paul Mahon. “We had to make it work and dig in really hard. It was a super time”.
 
In 2019, long time uber fan and international independent hard rock label Golden Robot founder, Mark Alexander-Erber, fulfilled a life-long ambition by signing The Answer to his Golden Robot Records to secure a brand new 7th studio album, due for release in 2023; a record which, in the words of Alexander-Erber will be The Answer’s “greatest balls out straight ahead rock album ever’, eclipsing the debut of Rise for power, songs and sheer attitude. To say I am excited is an understatement, for me it’s a life-long ambition and  privilege to work with these guys”
 
With over 300,000 catalogue album sales under their belt and considered one of the forebearers of what is now colloquially known as the New Wave Of Classic Rock, The Answer are now set to return in 2023 with a triumphant 7th album which they believe is without doubt their best yet.

INGO Release New Single & Music Video ‘Evolution 2.0’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on May 21, 2022
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment
photo by: Christina Hiemeyer

Aggressively addictive INGO have released a true vibrant rock banger with their new single “Evolution 2.0”.

INGO is a young and extremely potent rock band out of Oslo, Norway, with a vocalist from Iceland. 

Through captivating, emotive, and aggressively addictive songs INGO seeks to captivate and mesmerize the listener. Their incredible live energy and the bands technical capability, paired with Armann’s unique and raw vocals, makes their live performances unforgettable, and their songs exceptionally catchy. 

May 19th INGO released their first new single Evolution 2.0, The track is pure vibrant rock. Both catchy and powerful with an incredible punch and ridiculously persuasive vocals. 

Listen to it here: https://orcd.co/ingoevolution

INGO describe it as a “high-tempo wake up call, that pulls you through highs and lows and seeks to surprise the listener at every turn”.  And they are right! Evolution 2.0 mixes the best of popular rock with something fresh and unexpected, triggering all the emotions and feelings you remember from the very first sonic experience of discovering rock music.

Or take the word of Erlend Gjerde, Managing Director at Indie Recordings, “INGO took me right back the beginning and reminded me why the hell we do this job.”

Editor-in-Chief of Metal Hammer Norway, Espen Nørvåg Slapgård is also impressed by INGO;
“INGO delivers the perfect combination between powerful catchy songs and an insane punch, dressed in a sound that manages to sound both classic without being retro and “new” without belonging to any annoying wave! When they also manage to deliver songs that hits you right in the face from the very first moment and still holds the interest of the listener after a double-digit number of plays, I am completely sold!”

What more is there to be said?

INGO has arrived to bring rock back in focus and pave the way for a new generation of conscious rock lovers.

INGO is a product of the musical melting-pot that is Oslo, and their live energy has been a major hit with the mainstream pop-rock audience in the Norwegian capital. Since 2019 they have been an active live band in the Oslo rock scene and has quickly become known for their exhilarating and raw concerts. They have paved their way through Oslo’s various venues and stages, with the extraordinary habit of always getting booked to do a new show after each gig. 

Their musical landscape is heavily influenced by Stadium Rock giants such as Queen, Radiohead, Queens of The Stone Age and Biffy Clyro.

And rock isn’t just something you listen to; it is something you experience. Through music INGO seek to create something meaningful and deep for the greater audience. 

Values such as justice and tolerance, are important concepts for INGO, and one of their main goals is to create music that engages and inspires a new generation of music fans to make active choices in the lives they live.

INGO states:  

“Ultimately, we want people to connect with what’s real in life. We want the audience to access their deepest emotions and release their inner rebel through our music, and that’s what we strive for.”

Band Members:
Armann Ingthorsson – Vocals
Lars Stray – Bass
Torje Antonsen – Drums
Martin Selen – Guitar