LORD’s “Blood Red Skies” Hits Number 1 in Australian Music Charts

Posted by tarjavirmakari on January 17, 2022
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The Australian Independent Record Label Association “AIR” has announced that Australian metal band LORD‘s 2022 EP release entitled “Blood Red Skies” has debuted at number 1 on the Australian Independent Album chart. The release has also reached number 2 on the Australian Independent Label Album chart, just behind Australian pop royalty, Kylie Minogue.

“Blood Red Skies”, highlighted by LORD’s cover of the Judas Priest classic, is available via Bandcamp with a limited edition CD release and exclusive merchandise still available. Limited tracks are available on Spotify and Apple Music.

AIR is a non profit, non government association dedicated to supporting the growth and development of Australia’s independent recording sector. Established in 1996, AIR represents Australian owned record labels and independent artists based in Australia.

The full EP, exclusive to Bandcamp, is highlighted by the Judas Priest cover of the same name and also includes the IRON MAIDEN cover of Stratego which was previously a YouTube only release in September of 2021. Additional track Wilder Than the Wind (Dicks Out Mix) being a bonus track from the 2019 studio album Fallen Idols is featured and rounding out the release is a half hour podcast chat between band members Andy and LT. 

Previous band statement:

Australian metal band LORD have kicked off 2022 with a bang, releasing their “Blood Red Skies” EP, featuring a cover of the JUDAS PRIEST classic of the same name, as well as a recent cover of IRON MAIDEN‘s “Stratego“

Commented bass player Andy Dowling: “2021 was a big year for cover songs with the release of Undercovers Vol.1 and while we did originally vow to not do any more cover songs for the foreseeable future, here we are! This was a bit of a last minute release and some fun to celebrate what was a big year for LORD. We also think its a great way also kick off 2022 with a quick little tribute to two of the metal kings in Judas Priest and Iron Maiden. We hope this will keep our friends entertained while we continue to work on new LORD music for later this year.”

The full EP, exclusive to Bandcamp, comes with the IRON MAIDEN cover of Stratego which was previously a YouTube only release, Wilder Than the Wind (Dicks Out Mix) being a bonus track from the 2019 studio album Fallen Idols, as well as a half hour podcast chat between Andy and LT, talking about the release, 2021 in review and plans for new music.

You can listen to Blood Red Skies and Stratego on Spotify and Apple Music. The full EP with limited edition CD and exclusive merchandise can be found on the bands Bandcamp store.

Blood Red Skies can be originally found on the Judas Priest 1988 release Ram it Down. Stratego can be originally found on the Iron Maiden 2021 release Senjutsu.

LORD is essentially a continuation of DUNGEON, one of Australia’s longest-running heavy metal bands, with over a dozen releases so far. LORD’s 2021 release “Undercovers Vol.1” debuted at #7 on the Australian ARIA charts and #1 on the Australian Independent Records chart. This eclipsed the band’s 2019 full length album “Fallen Idols” that debuted at #20 and #2 respectfully.

To learn more about LORD, visit the main website, follow on social media and pick up all music and merch from the official Bandcamp store.

Chilean OCULTUM Stream “Residue” LP in Its Entirety

Posted by tarjavirmakari on January 17, 2022
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Chilean stoner/ doom act OCULTUM kick off the vinyl release of their blistering “Residue” LP and stream it in its entirety via Decibel Magazine. 

The album can be heard here.

Ocultum adds:
“To put it simply, I think RESIDUE is the slab in the grave of hippie doom in South America. Somehow we realized that we sounded different from what everyone was doing, there were precedents of heaviness in the area, but it was always the same: Either very monotonously heavy or very psychedelic stoned. In addition, in terms of sound and recording, Residue came to demonstrate that a sound similar to that grown in Europe or the USA is possible in South America, with the same means as any studio.

RESIDUE has stood the test of time, being released on Tape and Vinyl (on sale and fresh out of the oven) by Interstellar Smoke Records from Poland, on Tape here in Chile by Manifectation Productions, and some time ago on CD by Black Bow England Records, owned by Conan’s Jon Davis. All this speaks of an album that, while not being extremely well known, has become an underground gem for those looking for difficult to digest sounds and far from the marketing lights.

We are the heaviest sludge band in South America, and any who have a problem with that, must see us playing live, we take your sound of flowers and psychedelic rainbows, we immerse them in the mud of the raw reality that lives in our streets, in the alleys of junkies crawling for another fix. RESIDUE is a first-rate chronicle on all of this, and here is our heavy weight.

Thank you DECIBEL MAGAZINE, I have always been a fan of your magazine and we hope to talk with you more extensively in a next opportunity, DOOM ON !!”

RESIDUE was performed, recorded and abused by:
Ricardo Robles – Drums
Pablo Kataldo – Bass
Sebastián Bruna – Guitars and vocals
Recording, mixing and mastering by Juan Pablo Canoles at Plexstudios.
Cover artwork by Exequiel Bruna (www.facebook.com/carbuncloolcnubrac)
Band Photo by Sepulcésar Maureira.
Layout by Sebastian Bruna.
Ocultum Logo by Anastasia Karelia.

SECONDHAND DEPRESSION Stream New Video For ‘Failures’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on January 17, 2022
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SECONDHAND DEPRESSION stream their brand new video for their track “Failures” via The Razors Edge and can be viewed here.

Secondhand Depression adds: “This was one of those tracks that just came together really quickly. We didn’t really second guess anything we had put down the first time around. We wanted to do a visualizer that was a bit different than what bands usually do, we wanted to create almost a mood board in motion for the song.” 

The band has also released it on their own YouTube channel here:

Secondhand Depression announces a limited edition physical re-release of their 2020 self-titled EP. The prog/goth rock recording collective, composed of Lucas Di Mascio (Malacoda) and Michael Farina (Wolf Saga, ex-Farewell to Freeway) have put out some information on the re-release including a never before released cover of Tiamat’s “Cain” and a supplementary drum sample library for recording enthusiasts. 

The initial announcement video detailing the re-release can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/T0tA2KxYtCg

Releasing January 28, 2022

The drum sample library is already up for sale and there is also a free snare sample set available from recent recording sessions. 

The super limited EP package will be available on Jan. 28 with a pre-order launching soon. The songs are available on all streaming services and on Bandcamp. 

EP Re-Release Details:

  • limited jewel case with artwork by Stefan Skjoedt & Yeganeh Ghasemi
  • All four original tracks from the 2020 digital release and lyrics sheet
  • Free download of Tiamat “Cain” cover before release on global streaming services
  • Free download of drum samples

There is currently no price for the package, but the drum sample library is priced at $20 CAD.

Secondhand Depression Tracklisting:
Victims of a Victimless Crime
The Long Road Home
Failures
The New Weird

Danish HELGE Unleash First Details from Upcoming Debut Album

Posted by tarjavirmakari on January 17, 2022
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March 4th will see the release of Neuroplasticity, the debut album by Danish Black Metal act HELGE. Coming your way through the hands of Vendetta Records and featuring ten tracks, HELGE have created a bleak and sorrowful universe, taking the listener on an emotional journey through the dark abysses of the human inner. Founded by Helge Nørbygaard, who is also the main songwriter of the band, Neuroplasticity is a true testament to his inner demons. 

Helge Nørbygaard‘s musical road is paved with a long time need to go deep inside himself. Going through tough times like addiction, depression and stress, he made music his teacher and therapist, and from the day he heard Black Metal for the first time, back in 1995, he knew that someday he would write music just like that. Neuroplasticity is a journey, facing his demons and conquering them, getting closer to the core of what he truly is. Together with well experienced musicians from acts like Autumn Leaves, Inbreeding Rednecks, Funeral Chasm & CorVacante, HELGE are by far no strangers to the scene and with Neuroplasticity the band delivers an unforgetable debut, which is sure to obliterate fans of blackened sounds everywhere.

Tracklist reads as follows:

  1. Disavow
  2. Dying To Become…
  3. Cordyceps
  4. Thrall
  5. The Calling: Wakan Tanka
  6. Depressive Waters
  7. With The Attention Of A Million
  8. Lack Of Serotonin
  9. Venomous Breath
  10. Satori

To shorten your wait for HELGE’s first full-length, the band has recently released a first and enthralling album single, one that will most likely leave you with a hunger for more! Listen to “Disavow”, the album’s openig track, streaming here:

In addition, HELGE have just announced the official release show for the new album, which will take place on March 5 in Aarhus, Denmark together with Arkæon. You can find more info about the event HERE

HERIOT Announce Debut EP, Stream New Single ‘Coalescence’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on January 17, 2022
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UK metal quartet HERIOT have announced their debut EP, Profound Morality, due 29th April via Church Road Records. In recognition of the news the quartet have released their scorching new single ‘Coalescence’.

Stream ‘Coalescence’: https://linktr.ee/heriotmetal

Pre-order Profound Morality here: https://bfan.link/coalescence

HERIOT will be supporting Rolo Tomassi on their February UK tour, alongside Pupil Slicer. Dates as follows:

16.02.2022 – Southampton, The Loft 
17.02.2022 – Birmingham, Mama Roux’s 
18.02.2022 – Sheffield, Network 3
19.02.2022 – Glasgow, Cathouse
21.02.2022 – Nottingham, Rescue Rooms
22.02.2022 – Manchester, Club Academy 
23.02.2022 – Bristol, Fleece
24.02.2022 – London, Oval Space

HERIOT are a blistering, vicious, visceral new group, having made their mark with their titanic singles ‘Dispirit‘, ‘Recreant‘, ‘Cleansed Existence‘, ‘Near Vision/Enter the Flesh’ as well as their monstrous cover of Machine Head‘s ‘Ten Ton Hammer‘ over the course of 2021.

The band’s output across the last year has led to heads being turned across the metal world, all blown away by HERIOT’s unrelenting take on the new heavy. Fully-focused and with a razor-sharp edge, the awe-inspiring double-vocal attack of Jake Packer and Debbie Gough on vocals is all-conquering; the titanic support of Erhan Alman (guitar) and Julian Gage (drums) rock-solid. 

HERIOT have deservedly been grabbing attention with all four pairs of hands, weaponising metallic sludge and hardcore, unholy levels of distortion, speed and gut-punching talent. Elements of Nails, Knocked Loose, Code Orange, and Vein combine and collide to exhilarating new effect, to create a new sound that is truly groundbreaking, fully worthy of the notice the band are achieving.

In their short recent history HERIOT have caught the attention of Metal Hammer, Rock Sound, Brooklyn Vegan, Kerrang!, Revolver, and Knotfest, among many others. Acclaimed as “one of the most promising young bands in modern metalcore”, HERIOT have recently supported Svalbard on their UK tour and will be performing at both 2000trees and Bloodstock festivals in 2022.

NIGHTRAGE Release New Brutal Music Video ‘Falsifying Life’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on January 17, 2022
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Photo Credits: Fotis Benardo, Photo Edit: Dimitris Tzortzis

In 2021, the Greek/Swedish melodic death metal stars NIGHTRAGE returned with the final part in their trilogy of albums (‘The Venomous‘, ‘Wolf to Man‘) and now complete with their upcoming album ‘Abyss Rising‘. An album that is the band’s vision of mankind living in its own hell – a hell it has created through the destruction of the planet. Inspired in part by Dante’s ‘inferno’, the album explores man’s continual destruction of the world we live in until the abyss opens up to consume all before it. The abyss has risen from the depths, and hell has now turned outside in to be able to rise to earth to claim us. The album captures Nightrage in a spectacular form; incisive, brutal, uncompromising, and unforgettable. Musically the band have embraced a harder, faster, and brutal approach, still rich in melodic intent but characteristically heavy and aggressive. Mixed and mastered by Fredrik Nordstrom at Studio Fredman (Architects, In Flames, Opeth, etc.) ‘Abyss Rising‘ is a formidable sonic masterpiece. The album will be released 18th of February, 2022. 

Stream via optional major platforms: https://despotz.ffm.to/falsifyinglife

‘Falsifying Life‘ is a mid-tempo song and the meaning behind the lyrics is about how people deny themselves to live a really true life. We are all connected to social media and what happens there more than to our own lives. 

Marios and Magnus about the ‘Falsifying Life’;
‘Falsifying Life’ is our second single from the upcoming album and once again a collaboration musically of me and Magnus, it’s a mid-tempo song with lots of groove and Nightrage signature melodies. We like to have these kinds of songs as well and we feel we don’t need to go super-fast all the time, but keep the melodicism and heaviness anyway that characterizes the band’s sound. This time Ronnies lyrical theme is all about us humans denying ourselves living a real true life. Instead, we sit behind our walls of social media and living a life in lie. Portraying our lives as we think others would like to see them, and how we fool ourselves that we want to live. And not how we really would like to live or to be. And we all know it’s all a lie! But instead of breaking free from the lie we buy it all the way and keep pushing it harder until it becomes the only “true life” we really know in the sad end. // Marios Iliopoulos

The funniest thing about writing songs for Nightrage is the mix between heavy metal and thrash/death. From one moment a mean riff to the other moment a memorable melody. On Falsifying life, I think you can hear my and Marios love of heavy metal shine through with all these guitar melodies everywhere. We actually had to remove some melodies in the mix to not overdo it. Maybe we did anyway haha! 
// Magnus Söderman