Wanikiya Record is pleased to announce the addition to the roster of the legendary SLUGCHOP! Furthermore the band’s brand new album “Face Yourself” is set to be released on May 23rd in physical and digital format, on all the best music stores worldwide, on the official store of Wanikiya, and label’s store in Japan as well as on Crash Sound Distribution!
More on “Face Yourself” album: The theme of the album is the relationship with oneself and between oneself and society, declined through the stages of knowledge and acceptance of what one is. Rhetorical figures and streams of consciousness describe the states of mind that characterize a path that goes from the awareness of what one is to get to the acceptance of what we are, for better or for worse. An invitation to leave our comfort zone to throw ourselves into the unknown of the deepest part of ourselves, a necessary action for a full realization of the Self. This message is well represented by the cover of the album, which depicts a pyramid of shapeless bodies from which rises a man, a kind of Uberberber, who is not a man but a kind of Nietzschean Ubermensch that in the image moves away from the light zone to dive into the darkness above him.
SLUGCHOP is a metal band whose sub-genre is difficult to define, the sound is contaminated by the heterogeneous music of its six components that led the group to have different influences, from Alternative Metal to Nu Metal, from Heavy Metal to Progressive Metal up to Industrial and Deathcore, all mixed to create a continuous evolution.
The meaning of the band name, is as ambiguous as the genre of the band; SLUG, or snail, is a slimy animal, soft, extremely fragile in antithesis with the other meaning of the word, or the bullet, solid and lethal, thus describing the dichotomy that characterizes the human being; The snail is also the animal that symbolizes the slowness par excellence, able to get where it needs to go but in its own time, an invitation to take your time in contrast to the frenzy forced by the society in which we live. Next to this name there is the term CHOP which means to cut, blow, slash, something sharp, fast and violent as the sound of the band.
The big day is coming: after a long wait due to the pandemic, on May 14, Rockin’1000 returns to France with a great concert at the Stade de France in Paris (gates open at 7 p.m. – concert starts at 9 p.m.). Currently, 45,000 tickets have been sold, and it is going to be almost sold out!
“We’re picking up where we left off 3 years ago. The enthusiasm is high, even if the war we are experiencing brings in a note of sadness and anger – declares Fabio Zaffagnini, CEO and artistic director of Rockin’1000. He continues: We had much time to perfect a musical project that was already at the limits of reality, to take care of the smallest details, to polish everything, to create more dynamics. So, what we’re going to do is not “just” a concert where a lot of people play, but a show full of surprises, where empty and full will alternate, where we’ll be moved, and then we’ll jump like crazy singing at the top of our lungs. The Stade de France will turn into a spaceship full of colors that will make us travel through the history of Rock music. It will be unforgettable.”
Rockin’1000 is a unique show featuring more than 1000 musicians (1088 to be precise) from all over the world, who play live, simultaneously, a rock repertoire of two hours: 359 guitarists, 166 bassists, 238 singers, 216 drummers, and for the first time in France, 109 keyboardists, will bring on the turf of the Stade de France the greatest standards of Rock music.
The musicians playing in Paris come from 25 countries belonging to 4 continents: Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, and South America. 846 musicians come from France alone, 160 from Italy, followed by Germany, Belgium, Austria, United States, Monaco, Poland, Switzerland, UK, Greece, Ireland, Holland, Spain, Tunisia, Algeria, Brazil, India, Indonesia, Latvia, Luxembourg, Philippines, Portugal, Sweden, and Ukraine.
There are 745 hometowns! The musician from the farthest away is a guitarist from the Philippines, while the oldest musician is a 70-year-old German singer, and the youngest is a 16-year-old French drummer. The musician who impressed the organization the most for her geographical origin is a young guitarist from Ukraine. Pink quotas are finally growing: Rockin’1000 has always tried to encourage female musicians: for the first time, with 309 females and 779 males, almost 30% of the candidates are women.
This second French edition reconfirmed the master of ceremonies and godfather of the concert: Philippe Manœuvre, an absolute landmark in Rock’n’roll and a true rock icon in France.
Conducting the orchestra, as in 2019, will be Maestro Alex Deschamps, composer, author, arranger, and multi-instrumentalist
WHAT IS NEW COMPARED TO 2019
A special guest will join the adventure: Matthieu Chedid, also known by the pseudonym -M-, French singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, with several albums to his credit that have consecrated him at a national and international level, leading him to collaborate with artists such as Sean Lennon, Johnny Hallyday, Vanessa Paradis, Billy Ze Kick, and many others. Among the guests, there is also Richard Kolinka, drummer of Téléphone, participating with exclusive content: he will play in the drummer’s section the legendary song “Un autre monde.” The DJ set signed by ÉmilieMazoyer, radio host and producer specialized in rock music, will open the show.
Between special entrances, music composed ad hoc, a new light design, an audio setup that balances the sound of the thousand and the solos of the special guests, and the addition of another stage, those who attended the 2019 show will discover many new features introduced in this second, renewed edition.
A focused creative team enriches Fabio Zaffagnini’s artistic direction: Marco Boarino – Show Director, with his consolidated international experience in directing and creative multidisciplinary direction, Andrea Celi – Concept Creator & Author, Jordan Babev and Davide Pedrotti – Light designers. Their objective is to create a unique immersive experience, creating dynamism in the sound of a thousand musicians, enhancing the use of lights, and boosting the rhythm of the stage action.
The repertoire
The official setlist will not be revealed before the concert. At the moment, 21 tracks have been confirmed for a two-hour repertoire that promises to be an injection of pure adrenaline: ranging from some of the most iconic songs in the History of Rock such as Born to Be Wild (Steppenwolf), Sympathy for the Devil (Rolling Stones), Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2) (Pink Floyd), Killing in the Name (Rage Against The Machine) and Paradise City (Guns’n’Roses) to unforgettable tracks, beloved across multiple generations such as Don’t Look Back in Anger (Oasis), Space Oddity (DavidBowie), Under Pressure (Queen/Bowie), Won’t Get Fooled Again (The Who), Gold on the Ceiling (The Black Keys), Lithium (Nirvana), Hells Bells (AC/DC), Seven Nation Army (The White Stripes).
As in 2019, this edition celebrates the musical culture of the host country: the repertoire contains a selection of much-loved pieces that have left their mark on French rock culture and beyond, such as Un autre monde (Téléphone), C’est comme ça (Les Rita Mitsouko) and Antisocial (Trust) and a block of the show entirely dedicated to the special guest Matthieu Chedid, known as -M-, who will bring Mojo, Je dis aime, a Medley and Machistador.
There will also be a performance of My Hero (Foo Fighters) during the show, a special tribute to Taylor Hawkins, Foo Fighters’ drummer, who recently passed away.
UNDERTOW have revealed the cover artwork and track listing of their new album “BIPOLAR” which will be released on July 8th, 2022 via El Puerto Records. Artwork is again by Björn Gooßes | Killustrations.
“BIPOLAR”: Nine new songs on their ninth album in their twenty-ninth year. Ascribing Undertow a penchant for number games or arithmetic is at least arguable. On the other hand, it is undisputed that the band works very specifically with moods on “BIPOLAR” – from extremely heavy to total melancholy. These contrasting mood swings have always been trademarks of this special band.
Tracklist: 01 – When Tears Became Scars 02 – On Fire 03 – Life Kills 04 – Call Of The Sin 05 – Shadows 06 – The Longest Breath 07 – Unstoppable 08 – Undertow 09 – I Remain
MOTHER OF MILLIONS releases the title track video, from the new EP “Orbit”. It´s an epic track that without a doubt is one of the bands strongest work to date!
Orbit is the band’s first release after the loss of keybordist Makis Tsamkosoglou, during a show in June 2019. It is a soul-searching, introspective and affecting record, that attempts to share all emotions that followed this tragic event. Recording it, was described by the band as a necessary healing experience for its restart process.
Orbit is set for release on May 6th on 12″ vinyl and digital.
Mother of Millions is a prog-metal quartet based in Athens, Greece.
The band has released 3 albums, “Human” (Bungalo 2014), “Sigma” (ViciSolum Productions 2017), Artifacts (ViciSolum Productions 2019), getting the most positive reviews from the audience and the global music press. A new EP is soon to be released, while Mother of Millions are working on a new album.
The band performed sold-out headline shows in Athens, shows with Textures on their last European tour, support shows with Ruud Jolie’s For All We Know in the Netherlands, while the band has shared the stage with artists such as Pain of Salvation, Devin Townsend, Leprous, Oceans of Slumber, Septic Flesh etc.
In June 2019 during a show promoting Artifacts, Mother of Millions’ keyboardist and beloved friend Makis Tsamkosoglou passed away. Following this tragic incident, the band decided to keep going as a quartet.
Mother of Millions sounds equally massive as cinematic. Intense soundscapes involving elaborate rhythms, folk aesthetics and progressive rock tunes.
Following their acclaimed debut album “Fane”, UK black metallers ANTE-INFERNO will release their sophomore album “Antediluvian Dreamscapes” on May 13 via Vendetta Records. Featuring seven brand new tracks, with “Antediluvian Dreamscapes” Ante-Inferno have created a dark and mournful, harsh and desolate universe, taking the listener on an emotional journey through the spheres of atmospheric black metal. After releasing the music video for “Celestial Mirage”, the band today released the second single “Beyond the Immemorial Veil”.
Ante-Inferno comments:
The only track on the album to have been entirely improvised in the moment, “Beyond the Immemorial Veil”, with its free-form composition and delirium-inducing sonic explorations, serves as a fitting realisation of its lyrical themes. Bodiless, half-lost in a nightmarish realm that flitters between the distant future and the dark past, we find ourselves vomited forth into an ancient and unrecognisable world. From that vantage point, we witness the birth of a modern age that can offer us nothing but enslavement and horror. Forever lost beyond the veil of time and immortality, all we can do is watch, and await the coming of the eschaton and the end of all life on earth.
“Antediluvian Dreamscapes” will be coming out May 13th on Vendetta Records and is available for pre-order HERE
Earlier this year, on January 14th, Czech psy-core metal unit DYMYTRY released their much acclaimed, sixth studio album, entitled Revolt, via AFM Records. Following five successful records to date and a platinum award for their latest release Revolter, Dymytry have surprised their fanbase with some special premieres: Revolt, originally recorded exclusively in Czech, is the first international Dymytry album in English language ever, and the debut of new, additional singer Alen “A.L.” Ljubic!
Revolt practically bursts with a high-voltage energy, strong melodies and powerful rhythms driven by mercilessly modern metal. Featuring its three main songwriters Mikhaylov, Jiri “Dymo” Urban and Jan “Gorgy” Görgel (both guitar) as well as with exciting guest appearances by Joakim Lindbäck Eriksson of Brothers Of Metal and Victor Smolski, the band will continue to work with longtime vocalist Protheus in the Czech Republic and with Alen on the international market.
In support of their Revolt, now Dymytry have shared a brand new video clip for the powerful track “Rise And Shine”! Watch the new clip right here:
Says Alen: “Couple weeks after our album „Revolt” was released, I received a lot of messages from fans. Many of them told me that „Rise and Shine“ is their favorite song and that it resonates with them. It makes me happy to know that. Rise and Shine is also one of my favorites on the album. An emotional power ballad, motivating and haunting, a reminder to be who you are and stick to your path to greater things in life, without being distracted by what anyone thinks about you.“
Revoltwas produced by Kristian “Kohle” Kohlmannslehner & Hans Koch at the Kohlekeller / Babylon Studios, and is available as CD Digipak and an exclusive Boxset via AFM Records. Purchase your album copy at THIS LOCATION!
Tracklisting: 01. Revolt 02. Stronger 03. 300 (Feat. Joakim Lindbäck Eriksson – Brothers Of Metal) 04. Never Gonna Die 05. Rise And Shine 06. Awaking The Monster 07. Until The World Knows Why 08. Touchdown 09. Tick Tock 10. Hope 11. Somebody’s Watching Me (Feat. Victor Smolski / ex-Rage, Almanac) 12. Chernobyl 2.0
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 ) 