Canadian tech death masters ARCHSPIRE recently released the explosive and gory music video for their latest single, “Drone Corpse Aviator.” The band has teamed up with Metal Injection to share a hilarious video of their mothers’ reaction to the clip. Watch at THIS LOCATION.
“Drone Corpse Aviator” is taken from the band’s upcoming opus, ‘Bleed the Future,’ which is due on October 29! The original video can be seen HERE while a behind-the-scenes look at the clip’s creation is available HERE.
ARCHSPIRE will be playing an album release show in their hometown of Vancouver, B.C. at the Rickshaw Theatre on October 30! The event is now SOLD OUT!
“Drone Corpse Aviator” is taken from ARCHSPIRE‘s new full-length album, ‘Bleed the Future,’ on October 29, 2021 via Season of Mist! ‘Bleed the Future’ is available now for pre-orders at THIS LOCATION.
The album artwork was created by Eliran Kantor.
Tracklist: 01. Drone Corpse Aviator [WATCH] 02. Golden Mouth of Ruin [WATCH] 03. Abandon the Linear 04. Bleed the Future [LISTEN] 05. Drain of Incarnation 06. Acrid Canon 07. Reverie on the Onyx 08. A.U.M. Total Running Time: 31:34
ARCHSPIRE also previously announced new European tour dates for November/December 2021. The band will be blasting through 12 cities at 350 bpm and a full list of confirmed shows can be viewed below. Tickets are on sale HERE.
ARCHSPIRE Album Release Show: 10/30/2021: Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw Theatre [TICKETS // EVENT LINK]
LA alternative metal band GEMINI SYNDROME just released their highly anticipated new studio album “3rd Degree – The Raising”. Special album configurations along with special merchandise are available via the band’s official website: www.GeminiSyndrome.com
In celebration of the album’s release, a brand new video and single “Absolution” were released. Click here for “Absolution”:
The album release also comes mere weeks before the band heads out on their “Initiation” US Tour.
“3rd Degree – The Raising” is the long awaited, mind bending final chapter of GEMINI SYNDROME’s debut trilogy of albums; the first being 2013’s “Lux”, and the second being 2016’s “Memento Mori” (which hit #1 on US Billboard Heatseakers Album Chart and spawned five singles). Wherein “Lux”, meaning “Light”, was concerned with birth; and “Memento Mori”, meaning “Remember That We Must Die”, dealt with the finite nature of life, “3rd Degree – The Raising” celebrates the extreme rituals of rebirth.
Produced by Matt Good (Asking Alexandria, Memphis May Fire, Hollywood Undead) and featuring the singles “Die With Me”, “IDK”, “Abandoned”, “Broken Reflection”, “Absolution”, and “Reintegration”; “3rd Degree – The Raising” is undeniably the heaviest, and darkest album of the band’s career.
“The album is about death and rebirth. Finding your true self and fostering its growth so as to help build the world better than we inherited it.” says GEMINI SYNDROME vocalist Aaron Nordstrom. “In the process of this record I made some major life choices. Mainly to stop killing myself slowly with alcohol. Two years without a drink, and a couple near death experiences later, I think I have ample experience to talk about a subject as elusive as death.”
Drummer Brian Steele Medina adds, “The twist to the 3rd and “final” degree, is that it’s not the end at all. Rather, it’s a rebirth contingent upon our growth and lessons learned from the suffering of our past mistakes. A spiritual growth that can only be attained through baptism by fire. A metaphorical, yet very real resurrection — THE RAISING.”
Nordstrom continues, “Our hope is that through sharing our experiences, lessons learned, and battles overcome, that we can help others to examine their own consciousness. Their role in the world in its almost infinite capacity, and to help remind each other that we are ALL in this together. We are a family, and when we are United in our commonality, we can achieve things worthy of the attention of the GODS. If you want to change the world, quietly go to work on yourself.”
When asked about the process of initiation, and how it relates to GEMINI SYNDROME’s music, band drummer Medina reveals: “There’s something deeper under the surface of our music, and it’ s designed to allow the listener to resonate and wake up to their potential. See, when an initiation is done properly, who the person was before, and who they are after the initiation, are two different people. Essentially being Raised to a higher degree of consciousness. So when you listen and actually attend to our music, and understand the intention, the same principle applies. Who the listener was before they hear the album, and who they are after, are different. They become a changed person. They’ve transmuted to a new state of being, and the lyrics that they carry with them after the fact become a mantra, which allows them to sustain that new state of being. Looking back, I recognize that music has always sustained me. It’ s been a constant and transformative alchemical force, and it continues to save my life, even today.”
Vocalist Nordstrom explains how the incorporation of symbols further illuminate an additional layer of insight: “I see the use of symbolism as a way to make people think in ways they are not accustomed to or even aware of. Symbols communicate to our subconscious and collective unconscious minds, and can invoke changes in our thoughts not only in a conscious fashion, but also on a subtler, deeper level. This album is more than a collection of songs, it’ s a representation of our final initiation. First, birth by the Waters of the One Current; next, life by the Breath of Our Collective Soul; and finally, resurrection through Baptism by Fire. This trilogy is a testimony and a first hand account of the twists and turns of Chapel Perilous, thus it’s proof that it’s possible to find our way Home — no matter how lost we might find ourselves.”
GEMINI SYNDROME spent the better part of 2018-2019 writing “3rd Degree – The Raising”, the final installment of their long planned three album trilogy. They retreated to drummer Brian Steele Medina’s Las Vegas home studio, where they meticulously crafted song after song, relentlessly reworking and rearranging the musical arrangements until they were fully satisfied. After an exhaustive writing process, GEMINI SYNDROME relocated to Good Sounds Studio in Tempe AZ, where producer Matt Good would help realize the collection of songs. Medina recalls, “We absolutely loved working with Matt and he completely understood where we wanted to take this album creatively and what it was going to take to bring the third chapter of this trilogy to light. Our actual collective blood, sweat and tears went into its creation.”
“It was a long, treacherous road to get here.” continues Nordstrom. “First working out an insane amount of songs before arriving in Arizona to record with Matt Good, and then writing a slew more while in the actual recording process, we approached this album with high intentions to evolve musically and internally as people. But then, once we had finally finished everything, and were ready to start releasing new music… everything was put on hold due to the global pandemic.”
Medina adds, “These past few years have definitely been an exercise in patience and acceptance. We had everything mixed and mastered and ready to go in early 2020 before everything shut down. We’re just stoked to FINALLY put this album out and get this post plague show on the road.”
3rd Degree – The Raising is the first album to feature guitarist “Meegs” Rascón (formerly of Coal Chamber).
On the brand new single “Absolution”, Nordstrom says, “Absolution is the formal release from punishment, obligation, or guilt. This song is a reminder that the present moment matters more than all others because it is shaped by what we have done and shapes what will be because of the decisions and actions we make now. On a cosmic level, we’re saying, “Act right. Otherwise there won’t be another opportunity to act at all.”
To date, six singles have been released from “3rd Degree – The Raising”: “Abandoned”, “Reintegration”, “IDK”, “Broken Reflection”, “Absolution” and the Active Rock Radio hit “Die With Me”” Currently five of the six singles – including the newly released “Absolution” feature visually stunning videos created by director Brian Cox (Bring Me The Horizon, The Struts, Starset).
GEMINI SYNDROME “Initiation“ USA Fall 2021 tour dates Tickets, and VIP Packages are available at: http://www.GeminiSyndrome.com
10/28 – Chippewa Falls, WI – Joel’s 4Corners * 10/29 – Green Bay, WI – EPIC Event Center * 10/30 – Racine, WI – Rt 20 (WIIL Rock Halloween Bash) * 10/31 – Battle Creek, MI – The Music Factory * 11/02 – Lakewood, OH – The Winchester Music Tavern * 11/04 – Flint, MI – The Machine Shop * 11/05 – Buffalo, NY – Buffalo Iron Works * 11/06 – Liverpool, NY – Sharkey’s * 11/07 – Poughkeepsie, NY – The Chance * 11/08 – New York City, NY – Mercury Lounge **** 11/09 – Albany, NY – Empire Underground * 11/10 – Reading, PA – Reverb * 11/12 – Johnson City, TN – Capones * 11/13 – Greensboro, NC – The Blind Tiger * 11/14 – Huntsville, AL – Sidetracks *** 11/16 – San Antonio, TX – The Rock Box ** 11/17 – Dallas, TX – Gas Monkey ** 11/18 – Baton Rouge – Basin Music Hall ** 11/20 – Houston, TX – Scout Bar ** 11/22 – El Paso, TX – Rockhouse ** 11/23 – Scottsdale, AZ – Pub Rock ** 11/24 – West Hollywood, CA – Whiskey a Go Go ** 11/26 – Las Vegas, NV – Backstage Bar ** 11/27 – Reno, NV – Reno Brewhouse ** *Direct support is Ovtlier **Direct support is Oh! The Horror ***Show with Smile Empty Soul, Ovtlier, Sunflower Dead, Pushing V, Tommy Gibbons ****GEMINI SYNDROME and Ovtlier only
Promo pic by Heidi Tuulia Photography (ig: @portraitsbyheidituulia)
Finnish Helsinki-based stoner rock band ALKEMIA released their first single Unida which also includes B-side named Kääntöpuoli. The single is released in cooperation with Inverse Records on October 19th 2021.
“Unida is one of the first songs that we worked on as a group. The feeling of the song is quite hazy and raw with a straightforward in your face attitude. Song draws inspiration from the ups and downs of addictions, relationships and life in general. Can’t have light without the shadow. Erno Kangasluoma, band’s singer/guitarist and lyricist sums up.”
Norwegian progressive rock icons GREEN CARNATION will be releasing a remastered, 15th anniversary edition of their acoustic 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 also the first time that ‘The Acoustic Verses’ is released on vinyl.
In celebration of this release, the band has also released a lyric video for the song “My Greater Cause,” (Part I of “9-29-045”), which can be viewed at the official Season of Mist Youtube Channel HERE.
Vocalist Kjetil Nordhus comments: “This is something that both we and our fans have been waiting for a long time! ‘The Acoustic Verses’ is a stand out album in our catalogue, and we hope people will enjoy the vinyl, with its extra songs, new and beautiful cover art, the upgraded sound and not least, the vinyl!”
‘The Acoustic Verses (remastered)’ will be out on December 3, via Season of Mist. Pre-orders are live in the shop HERE.
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
By early 2006, Norway’s GREEN CARNATION had released four studio albums and an EP in five years — including their breakout masterwork, 2001’s Light of Day, Day of Darkness. Albums of such magnitude generally foretell some type of creative cliff is around the bend, but the Norwegians wisely kept updating their sound with more atmospheric and progressive rock elements on the ensuing A Blessing in Disguise (2003) and The Quiet Offspring (2005). This creative direction ensured Light of Day, Day of Darkness would forever stand alone and that GREEN CARNATION was not a band bound to convention.
This brings us to 2006’s TheAcoustic Verses, an album — as the title suggests — of completely acoustic originals. Buoyed by the previous year’s The Burden is Mine…Alone EP and the eponymous song bearing its name, TheAcoustic Verses found GREEN CARNATION near the peak of their creative powers during their 2000s iteration. Now 15 years removed from its release, TheAcoustic Verses is getting the vinyl reissue treatment from Season of Mist, including new artwork from Polish graphic artist Lukasz Jaszak, an updated tracklisting and three bonus cuts.
According to vocalist Kjetil Nordhus, TheAcoustic Verses was born from the band’s never-ending pursuit of something new. Even with regular pleas from fans to recreate the hallowed sounds of Light of Day, Day of Darkness, GREEN CARNATION was more interested in the “next step.” Come 2006, that next step was stripped-down music played on acoustic instruments.
“I think [founding member/guitarist] Tchort thought we didn’t know where to go next,” says Nordhus. “We had time to discover all the areas within our creative scope except for the acoustic landscapes. Especially Light of Day, Day of Darkness, which is a ‘more is more’ album. It sounds strange, but it was a natural step for us because it was an area we hadn’t gone into before as a band. We had different band members that were more or less acquainted with the acoustic ideas. But for the band as a whole, it was a new challenge. It was fresh for us. For some strange reason, but I can understand, I think many people found a lot of atmospheres from Light of Day, Day of Darkness in TheAcoustic Verses, even though it’s the most different sounding album when you listen to it at first. TheAcoustic Verses is like a stripped-down essence of what GREEN CARNATION is or was at that time.”
At seven songs, TheAcoustic Verses features songwriting contributions from nearly every member of GREEN CARNATION. Tchort provided “Sweet Leaf” and “Alone,” while Nordhus chipped in with “Maybe?” Bassist Stein Roger Sordal penned not only “The Burden is Mine…Alone” but also the 15-minute epic “9-29-045.” “Child’s Play Part 3” (a continuation of the “Child’s Play” story from The Quiet Offspring) was written by guest cellist Bernt Andrè Moen, and album closer “High Tide Waves” was a joint effort between guitarist Michael S. Krumins (music) and drummer Tommy Jackson (lyrics).
The wealth and disparity of songwriting ideas proved to be a double-edged sword GREEN CARNATION. While it made TheAcoustic Verses an album of remarkable depth and progression, it put the band at a creative crossroads. Then, the following year, Tchort dissolved GREEN CARNATION after a difficult North American tour. It also put his plans for the sequel to Light of Day, Day of Darkness, The Rise and Fall of Mankind (which was the intended second part of his The Chronicles of Doom trilogy) on the backburner.
“It was a challenge for us to fit the new, acoustic sound into what we were doing,” says Nordhus. “I can’t remember too many albums that have nearly all band members as songwriters and lyricists, which made it very much a band concept. But, after TheAcoustic Verses, we certainly didn’t know what to do. There wasn’t a natural step for us to take at that point. There’s a lot of reasons why we decided to split up — that was one of them.”
GREEN CARNATION reformed in 2014 and proceeded to rejoin the European and American festival circuit for special appearances, including a full airing of Light of Day, Day of Darkness at the 2016 ProgPower USA festival. In 2020, they released the highly anticipated follow-up to TheAcoustic Verses, Leaves of Yesteryear, an album that drew immediate praise from fans and critics.
“We knew that people wanted us to come back,” says Nordhus. “That wasn’t something new. But the emotions of it all, during that first concert when we came back, we saw several people crying in the audience, we could see how much it meant to people and we were all a bit surprised. There’s a lot of love for the band out there. We needed to be entirely sure that after so many years that we released an extremely good album. It wouldn’t make sense to do something halfway. We took quite a lot of time, wrote a lot of material and set a high bar for our ideas. We tried to gather all the best things we did previously but adding 15 years of life and musical experience.”
Nordhus hints at some “significantly adventurous” plans for GREEN CARNATION in addition to continuing the promotional push for Leaves of Yesteryear. However, assembling the The Acoustic Verses reissue provided a moment of pause and reflection when GREEN CARNATION was writing, recording and touring at a breakneck pace. A decade-and-a-half after the release of TheAcoustic Verses, Nordhus says the band is in a significantly better frame of mind and appreciates what they have in each other.
“Those were some hectic years. It was such a short period of time. You look at what we did and it’s like, ‘Oh, wow!’ We did concert DVDs, singles, full lengths…everything. Because of the experience we all have, it feels much more comfortable to play together. We’re more true to what we want to do. We don’t necessarily have the aim of headlining the Wacken festival. We’re happy with our situation in that we have people all over the world who are interested in what we’re doing, and we mean something to them. Not everyone can say that. We want to do stuff that gives us energy and want to continue playing. Economy and money are not our driving force — it never was in the first place. We’re extremely ambitious when it comes to making music together and our live shows are better than ever. I don’t think we talked about those things 15 years ago.”
Original recording line-up: Tchort – Guitars (acoustic) Stein Roger Sordal – Bass, Vocals (backing), E-bow, Vocals (lead) Kjetil Nordhus – Vocals (lead), Vocals (backing) Michael S. Krumins – Guitars (acoustic), Theremin Tommy Jackson – Drums, Percussion Kenneth Silden – Piano, Mellotron Bjørn Harstad – Guitars
Original recording Studio: Engineered and mixed at Brown Sound Studios, except track 4, mixed at Jailhouse Studios. Violins, viola and cello recorded at Jailhouse Studios. Drums recorded at Dub Studios. Mastered at Lynor.
Brazilian guitar-hero KIKO SHRED has been announced as the new guitarist of the Spanish DEATH KEEPERS, which now has members from three different countries.
The band was formed at the end of 2011, by the fusion of experience and talent of musicians who met in Barcelona, and strived to bring together the best of Heavy Metal in their style.
The band has three studio records:
On the sacred way 2014
Rock this world (EP)
Rock This World (Full-Lenght) 2018
In 2018 American vocalist Michael Vescera (ex Malmsteen, ex Loudness, ex Dr.Sin) joined the band.
After some member changes, the band Death Keepers announced the entry of Brazilian guitarist Kiko Shred, who had already played with Mike Vescera on two tours, in Brazil in 2016 and Mexico in 2018.
With a worldwide recognition that increases every year, Kiko now has one more opportunity to show his talent, experience and technique, and he will certainly add a lot to the very strong line-up of Death Keepers.
About Kiko Shred’s entry, the band spoke as follows:
“It’s an honor to announce that Brazilian virtuoso Kiko Shred is the new guitarist for Death Keepers. Kiko is one of the best Heavy Metal guitarists in the world and has played with legends such as UDO (ex-ACCEPT) Tim Ripper Owens (ex-Judas Priest ), Blaze Bayley (ex-Iron Maiden), Doogie White (ex-Rainbow, ex-Yngwie Malmsteen, Michael Schenker, Alcatrazz Official), Michael Vescera (Death Keepers, ex-Loudness, ex-Yngwie Malmsteen), Andre Matos (Angra , Avantasia … ) and Leather Leone among others.
In addition to being a talented stage musician, Kiko also has extensive studio experience, having released 4 albums. The most recent ‘Kiko Shred’s Rebellion’ was released worldwide by the German label ‘Pure Steel Records’ and in Brazil by ‘Heavy Metal Rock Records’.
Kiko Shred joins forces again alongside Mike Vescera. The band is very happy to be able to work with one of the best. Welcome aboard Death Keepers Kiko!”
Michael Vescera’s words: “Kiko is a great guy and a great guitarist, it will be amazing to have him as part of this.”
Kiko on joining the band: “The invitation came from guitarist Eddy, who contacted me and asked if I would like to join the band, he told me that Michael Vescera had recommended me, spoke highly of me. There are plans for a tour. Europe in 2022 and shortly thereafter we will record a new album.”
The current line up of Death Keepers is: 🇺🇸 Mike Vescera – vocals 🇧🇷 Kiko Shred – guitar 🇪🇸 Eddy Gary – guitar 🇮🇹 Ivory Gentilini – Bass 🇪🇸 Abel Sequera – Battery
Keepers follow the Heavy Metal style, but with modern weight and sound, that sound and energy par excellence that so many fans fell in love with in the 80’s, find the technological developments of our era, thus bringing to life a sound, a show, an experience of epic proportions.
With this new line-up, expectations about Keepers grow, which has great potential to be shown to the world.
After 3 full-length albums, Italian Alternative Rockers HOT SUNDAY BLOOD have now released their new single + video ‘Here and Now’, feat. Trevor from SADIST. Watch the official video below.
Hot Sunday Blood is an Italian band, formed in Turin in 2013. The sounds are inspired by alternative rock music, with heavy rock influences. Each band member affects the sound in a unique way, coming from different backgrounds, such as metal, stoner, grunge, black metal, prog and new wave. One hundred concerts in action, in July 2018 they are called to open Doyle for the Turin date of his European tour. In May 2019 they organized a mini promotional tour in Romania, Croatia and Slovenia.
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 ) 