YE BANISHED PRIVATEERS Release Scraggly Christmas Classic Cover ‘Carol of Bellows’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on December 3, 2021
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment
[photo credit: Samuel Pettersson]

Yarrr-tide greetings! Following the release of first holiday single “Sulphur Ahoy”, boisterous pack YE BANISHED PRIVATEERS continue to stir up this Christmas with the next single off their upcoming album. The new single from the pirate shanty folk outfit, entitled “Carol of Bellows”, offers another taste of their upcoming Christmas album, A Pirate Stole My Christmas, gliding their shipmates through the dreary winter in trademark pirate fashion!
 
On “Carol of Bellows”, the notorious bunch show that they are able to sail on tranquil waters, still giving the Christmas classic a scraggly pirate-folk tone, riddled with pirate madness.
 
YE BANISHED PRIVATEERS on “Carol of Bellows”:
“’Carol Of Bellows’ is our take on the epic traditional masterpiece ‘Carol of the Bells’. Through a mix of chorals, bawdy Swedish traditional folk tunes and a Ukrainian nursery rhyme, we tell the tale of Bellows triumphant return from the grave. So, as the resurrected Bellows himself says between his incoherent ramblings – Yule is the time to rejoice, to drink rum and get too drunk, now go and fetch that rum!”

´Tis the jolliest of seasons! Swedish sea dogs YE BANISHED PRIVATEERS have come a’rowing through rough seas and salty winds to steal Christmas in the most swashbuckling of ways. Wrapped in the swag of pirate folk rock, the newly interpreted, grim covers of beloved Christmas classics on A Pirate Stole My Christmas draw the listener into a dark underworld of blood and bones! YE BANISHED PRIVATEERS put their shanty and pirate folk-infused spin on Christmas tunes like “Twelve Days Of Christmas” and the captivating album opener “Ring The Bells”. The well-known classic “Oh Christmas Tree” gets a new coat of paint when YE BANISHED PRIVATEERS re-word it to “O Cannonball” – most definitely making Christmas Eve a special occasion for the most beautiful time of the year.
 
YE BANISHED PRIVATEERS add:
“If given enough time, every artist will eventually lose their last ounce of self-respect, and release a Christmas album. YE BANISHED PRIVATEERS are no strangers to self-loathing commercial stunts, and with our new album, A Pirate Stole My Christmas, we aim to officially join the ranks of Christmas legends such as Maria Carey and Bing Crosby. Our album is compiled of 11 classic carols defiled into an unrecognizable pulp of rum-drenched atonal pirate madness. If you didn’t hate Christmas before, this is certain to change your mind!”

Get your copy NOW!

A Pirate Stole My Christmas track listing:
1. Ring the Bells
2. It Came to Bloody Pass
3. Deck and Hull
4. 12 Days of Christmas
5. Sulphur Ahoy
6. Little Rummer Boy
7. O Cannonball
8. Festival Days
9. Drawn and Quartered
10. Carol of Bellows
11. Away in the Gutter

VOIVOD Announce New Studio Album “Synchro Anarchy”

Posted by tarjavirmakari on December 3, 2021
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment

Canadian progressive sci-fi metal innovators VOIVOD are delighted to announce their new studio album “Synchro Anarchy”, scheduled for worldwide release on February 11th, 2022 via Century Media Records.

VOIVOD drummer Michel “Away” Langevin checked in with the following comment about the upcoming release: “We are eager to present our latest work, a real collaborative effort. The new album represents countless hours of writing, demoing, recording, mixing and so on. The band and Francis Perron at RadicArt Studio gave their very best to make it happen under unusual circumstances, which led us to call it “Synchro Anarchy”. We feel that the sound and music are 100% Voïvod, and we hope everyone will enjoy it as much as we had fun making it. We certainly can’t wait to play it live!”

Closing in on 40 eventful years of existence, VOIVOD now return with their 15th (!) studio album, reaffirming to be one of the most fervently creative bands in the Universe. “Synchro Anarchy” follows 2018’s highly praised and Juno Award winning “The Wake” album as well as 2020’s stellar “Lost Machine – Live” release. The new album was again produced with Francis Perron at RadicArt Studio, features cover artwork (to be seen above!) once more created by VOIVOD’s Michel “Away” Langevin and includes the following track-listing:

VOIVOD – “Synchro Anarchy”

  1. Paranormalium
  2. Synchro Anarchy
  3. Planet Eaters
  4. Mind Clock
  5. Sleeves Off
  6. Holographic Thinking
  7. The World Today
  8. Quest For Nothing
  9. Memory Failure

Further details about the album’s release formats, a first single and video as well as the start of the pre-order campaign are coming up on Friday, December 10th, 2021. Mark your calendars.

In the meantime, check out a few clips from VOIVOD’s latest live album “Lost Machine – Live” here:

“The Lost Machine (Lost Machine – Live)”: https://youtu.be/zG8QfDEsPC0
“Iconspiracy (Lost Machine – Live)”: https://youtu.be/Znf1JaT07nc
“Overreaction (Lost Machine – Live)”: https://youtu.be/TGBp3Yi1UOs

“Lost Machine – Live” is still available as limited CD with O-Card packaging (in its first European pressing), as Digital Album and as Gatefold 2LP on 180g vinyl (in several variations and limitations), which can be purchased here: https://voivodband.lnk.to/LostMachineLive/

Metal Shock Finland’s Exclusive Premiere for Finland: SVARTSOT – Official Video ‘Liden Kirsten’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on December 3, 2021
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: , . Leave a comment
Photo by Neil Poulsen

Danish folk metal purveyors SVARTSOT have teamed up with Metal Shock Finland to premiere, for Finnish territory, their new official video ‘Liden Kirsten’, the first song to be known from the band’s upcoming album “Kumbl”. Order the single at https://svartsot.lnk.to/kirsten

Watch ‘Liden Kirsten’ here:

Fresh from being signed to Mighty Music, Danish folk metal purveyors SVARTSOT have released the first digital single and official video of the album, today on December 3rd. And, what a way to start showing music from “Kumbl”. “Liden Kirsten” is a catchy traditional anthem which the nordic six-piece re-worked to make their own.

“One of the lesser-known old folk ballads from Denmark, this song is about a king who decides that he wants to get married and have children without telling the lucky lady of his intensions first”, the band reveals. “Only after Little Kirsten has given birth to two boys does he tell her that he is the father, and that she may be his queen”.

Although it is now quite a while since Svartsot has released new material, the band is still very much alive and kicking. In the interim since 2015’s Vældet, the beer-soaked folk metallers have been active on the live scene in Denmark and abroad, including appearances at various major festivals as well as at the prestigious 70000 Tons Of Metal cruise in 2019. After a change of bassist and the decision to shelve an album’s worth of material in 2017/18, the idea of releasing a collection of traditional folk songs that have inspired the band, reworked in Svartsot’s characteristic style, was spawned.

The original idea was to release this fifth album, entitled “Kumbl” (an old Danish word meaning ‘monument’ or ‘memorial’), in 2020 to coincide with Svartsot’s 15th anniversary. However, due to various practicalities, the album was first recorded — by none other than the band’s drummer and up-and-coming producer, Frederik Uglebjerg (www.uglebjerg.com) — during the pandemic.

In support of the album, Svartsot have been booked for a series of concerts across Denmark. Whilst only a few European shows are booked or planned at the moment, more will hopefully follow, if travel regulations permit.

“Kumbl” will be re-released in CD, LP and digital formats via Mighty Music on February 25th, 2022.

Line-up:
Simon Buje: bass
Frederik Uglebjerg: drums
Michael Alm: rhythm guitars
Cris J.S. Frederiksen: lead guitars, acoustic guitars (studio), mandolin (studio)
Hans-Jørgen Martinus Vork Rosenwein: tin whistles, electric bagpipe, mandolin (live)
Thor Bager: vocals, mandolin (studio)

More information at
https://www.svartsot.dk
https://www.facebook.com/svartsot

AT THE GATES Launch New Video for “Cosmic Pessimism”; “The Nightmare Of Being” Track-By-Track Clip Series; New Live-Dates

Posted by tarjavirmakari on December 2, 2021
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment

Swedish melodic death metal pioneers AT THE GATES continue to promote their much acclaimed latest studio album “The Nightmare Of Being” (Released worldwide via Century Media Records) by launching a new video clip for the track “Cosmic Pessimism” today.

Check out the video directed by Costin Chioreanu / Twilight 13 Media here:

AT THE GATES vocalist Tomas Lindberg Redant comments about the outstanding “Cosmic Pessimism” song as follows: “’Cosmic Pessimism’ is one of the central tracks of the new record. Not only drawing the title from the Eugene Thacker book of the same name, the lyrics actually are written by Eugene himself. This is something I am very proud of, the collaboration with one of the central figures when it comes to modern day pessimism and the idea of how it correlates to cosmic horror. It is a suffocatingly strict and repetitive song, and it displays the mood of the lyrics brilliantly, in my opinion. AT THE GATES have always been fans of anything eclectic and extreme, and we are finally at a moment in our career where we feel comfortable lifting in some of these, more avantgarde influences within the at the gates trademark sound. Minimalistic neo classical influences here clash with the deutsche rock/”kraut” and no wave sounds that we love so much. The video is once again shot by Costin, our longtime collaborator, and, once again, he managed to add extra depth and texture to the music and lyrics.”

Most recently, AT THE GATES have also launched a four-part lyrical talk as “Track-By-Track” video series with Decibel Magazine, where Tomas Lindberg Redant expands upon the literature and philosophy that underpin “The Nightmare of Being”. Watch it here:

Episode 1/4: https://youtu.be/zz-EXLfmxSo
Episode 2/4: https://youtu.be/lpgfRnKv2Xw
Episode 3/4: https://youtu.be/2e_zCen2lvU
Episode 4/4: https://youtu.be/e5sa_FUm0aQ

In other news, AT THE GATES will finally be hitting stages again to promote “The Nightmare Of Being”, starting out with tour of Scandinavia today. Here is an overview of all currently announced, upcoming tourdates:

AT THE GATES – Live 2021 / 2022:

02.12.2021 Uppsala (Sweden) – Katalin
03.12.2021 Norrköping (Sweden) – Dynamo
04.12.2021 Karlstad (Sweden) – Nöjesfabriken
07.12.2021 Göteborg (Sweden) – Trägårn
08.12.2021 Oslo (Norway) – John Dee
09.12.2021 Stockholm (Sweden) – Slaktkyrkan
10.12.2021 Huskvarna (Sweden) – Folkets Park
11.12.2021 Gävle (Sweden) – Gefle Metal Winter fest

03.02.2022 Kalmar (Sweden) – Kalmarsalen
04.02.2022 Malmö (Sweden) – KB
05.02.2022 Fredericia (Denmark) – Metal Magic Winter Festival
14.06.2022 Erica (The Netherlands) – Pit Fest
17.06.2022 Clisson (France) – Hellfest
23.06.2022 Nummijärvi (Finland) – Nummirock Festival
25.06.2022 Cartagena / Murcia (Spain) – Rock Imperium Festival
06.-09.07.2022 Ballenstedt (Germany) – RockHarz Festival
15.07.2022 Gävle (Sweden) – Gefle Metal Festival
16.07.2022 Anyksciai (Lithuania) – Devilstone Festival
21.-23.07.2022 Vila Nova de Famalicão (Portugal) – Laurus Nobilis Music Fest
09.-13.08.2022 Jaromer (Czech Republic) – Brutal Assault Open Air

AT THE GATES‘ “The Nightmare Of Being” scored impressing chart entries worldwide upon initial release in July as follows: Germany: # 8, Austria: # 18, Switzerland: # 12, Sweden: # 20, Sweden (Physical): # 1, Sweden (Vinyl): # 1, Sweden (Hardrock/Metal): # 2, The Netherlands: # 77, Belgium: # 84, Finland: # 21, Finland (Physical): # 5, UK (Rock): # 3, USA (Current Hard Music Albums): #1, USA (Current Rock Albums): #4, USA (Current Album Sales): #14. USA (Album Sales): #28.

Check out the AT THE GATES videos/singles previously released for “The Nightmare Of Being” here:

“Spectre of Extinction”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNKxMkHavAw
“The Paradox“: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZPvry4H9N0
“The Fall Into Time”: https://youtu.be/E8QHPfRFo2Y
“The Nightmare Of Being”: https://youtu.be/_piYcbufqrw

Or stream “The Nightmare Of Being” in its entirety in a visualizer clip showing the album’s artwork – which was developed by artist Eva Nahon – here: https://youtu.be/1W3avpbtmM0

While main parts for “The Nightmare Of Being” were recorded in Sweden at several different studios – Drums at Studio Gröndal with Jens Bogren, guitars and bass with Andy La Rocque at Sonic Train Studio and vocals at Welfare Sounds with Per Stålberg -, the album was mixed and mastered at Fascination Street Studios (Amon Amarth, Opeth, Kreator, etc.) by Jens Bogren, who has previously worked with AT THE GATES on their “At War With Reality” album from 2014.

The tracklisting of “The Nightmare Of Being” (45:44 min.) is as follows:

  1. Spectre of Extinction (4:49)
  2. The Paradox (4:43)
  3. The Nightmare of Being (3:49)
  4. Garden of Cyrus (4:25)
  5. Touched by the White Hands of Death (4:07)
  6. The Fall into Time (6:45)
  7. Cult of Salvation (4:24)
  8. The Abstract Enthroned (4:26)
  9. Cosmic Pessimism (4:31)
  10. Eternal Winter of Reason (3:38)

You can still order the various album formats here: https://atthegates.lnk.to/TheNightmareOfBeingID

GREEN CARNATION Stream ‘The Acoustic Verses Remastered’ in Full

Posted by tarjavirmakari on December 2, 2021
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment

Norwegian progressive metal band GREEN CARNATION are now streaming the remastered, 15th anniversary edition of their 2006 album, ‘The Acoustic Verses!’ This anniversary edition, remastered by Maor Appelbaum,  contains three bonus tracks and has brand new cover artwork by Lukasz Jaszak. This is the first time that ‘The Acoustic Verses’ is released on vinyl.

Listen to the full album HERE.

Vocalist Kjetil Nordhus comments: “This is a big day for GREEN CARNATION. Having wanted this album to be released on vinyl for years, we are very proud to be able to share it with new and old fans today. We put a lot of effort into making this tasteful both visually and sound wise, and hope people will appreciate that and enjoy the whole package.”

‘The Acoustic Verses (remastered)’ will be out on December 3, via Season of Mist. Pre-orders are still available in the shop HERE. Pre-save the album HERE.

GREEN CARNATION previously announced several special acoustic shows in 2022, to celebrate the release of ‘The Acoustic Verses Remastered’. Find a full list of shows below. 

29 Jan 22 Vennesla (NO) Kulturhuset
01 Feb 22 Hamburg (DE) Knust
02 Feb 22 Copenhagen (DK) Hotel Cecil
03 Feb 22 Stockholm (SE) Södra Teatern
04 Feb 22 Helsinki (Fi) Ääniwalli
05 Feb 22 Hurum (NO) WLR
18 Mar 22 Kristiansand (NO) Kilden teater og konserthus

The artwork for ‘The Acoustic Verses (remastered)’ was created by Lukasz Jaszak.

Tracklist:
1. Sweet Leaf (04:39)
2. The Burden is Mine… Alone (03:15)
3. Maybe? (05:03)
4. Child`s Play, part 3 (03:31)
5. Alone (03:44)
6. 9-29-045 (15:30)
7. Six Ribbons (03:12)
8. Transparent Me (05:03)
9. High Tide Waves (07:49)
10. Child`s Play, part 3 (live version) (03:59)
Total: 0:55:45

SUBWAY TO SALLY Reveal New Version + Video of Classic Track ‘So Rot’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on December 2, 2021
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment
[photo credit: Alexander Schlesier]

Co-founders of the German medieval rock movement SUBWAY TO SALLY celebrate the 20th anniversary of their hit album, Herzblut, which has reached more than 6.3 million streams on Spotify alone, with an epic reissue of their song “So Rot” alongside an atmospheric music video! Throughout their nearly 30-year career, the formation from Potsdam has recorded 13 studio albums, performed at over 1600 concerts worldwide and toured numerous times at the biggest metal & rock festivals such as Rock am Ring, Greenfield, Nova Rock and Wacken Open Air, where they stood on stage as proud record-keepers more times than any other band in the world!

With the high-quality production on the new version, SUBWAY TO SALLY shows a new facet of their classic fan favorite “So Rot”. The introduction is provided by crackling backdrops and frontman Eric’s narrative vocals, accompanied by warm guitars and ambient percussion. However, the atmospheric soundscape gains more and more strength as it progresses and promises a multi-faceted performance alternating between gripping electric guitars, clashing cymbals and rousing kickdowns that always go hand in hand with medieval background music. New and old fans are guaranteed to be thrilled!

SUBWAY TO SALLY on “So Rot XXMMI”:
“If you go by sales figures, HERZBLUT is one of our most successful albums to date. But not only that, the record is also very popular with our fans. No wonder, since numerous SUBWAY TO SALLY classics can be found on it. The track “So Rot” is one of the secret favorites of both us and our fans. It was a heartful wish for us to transport this song into the year 2021 on its anniversary. We think we have succeeded well with the new edition and are sure that our fans are happy about this little present.”

A few months ago, SUBWAY TO SALLY released their traditional Eisheilge Nacht for the first time as a virtual concert experience, including top-class guests. The result has become a strong DVD/BluRay/CD.

Get your copy of Eisheilige Nacht – Back to Lindenpark NOW!

Since their foundation in the early ‘90s, SUBWAY TO SALLY have established themselves at the top of the scene. Having released thirteen studio records so far, the seven-piece featuring the remarkable Eric Fish on vocal duties never fails in surprising their devotees with an ingenious symbiosis of folk, heavy metal and rock.