VIVALDI METAL PROJECT Reveal New Album ‘EpiClassica’ Track-List

Posted by tarjavirmakari on June 30, 2021
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All-Stars VIVALDI METAL PROJECT have revealed the track listing of their new album “EpiClassica“.

After three years of intense and continuous work, we are reaching the finish line and we can’t wait to let you hear the result of our new album “EpiClassica” which collects the immense talent of 170 musicians involved including soloists, orchestras, and choirs. A double-disc, 18 tracks for about 100 minutes of music.

Today we unveil the OFFICIAL TRACK-LIST!

There’s still little time left until the end (July 31st 2021) of the funding campaign for the new record. By heading to the following link you can PRE-ORDER the album along with EXCLUSIVE PRIZES that will only be available during this campaign: https://gogetfunding.com/vmp2

Record label and release date will be announced soon!

Pre-order the album HERE.

The new record features a larger cast of world-class musicians than ever before and, as on the previous album “The Four Seasons”, all songs will include vocalists, band, orchestra and choir, as well as a featured cast of internationally-recognized metal and classical artists, among them such sensations as Mike Portnoy, Rob Rock, Jeff Scott Soto, Mike Terrana, Mark Boals, Roy Z (B. Dickinson), Dirk Verbeuren (Megadeth), Anders Johansson (Manowar), Michele Guaitoli (Visions of Atlantis/Temperance), Rolf Pilve (Stratovarius), Steve Di Giorgio (Testament), Zaher Zorgati (Myrath), Emma Zoldan / Nils Courbaron (Sirenia), Coen Janssen (Epica), Jennifer Batten, Joe Stump (Alcatrazz), Nick Z Marino (Y. Malmsteen), Chris Caffery (Savatage), Mark Cross (ex-Firewind), Joel Hoekstra (Whitesnake), Andreas Kisser (Sepultura), Elina Siirala (Leaves’ Eyes), Zoe Marie Federoff / Gerit Lamm (Catalyst Crime), Alessandro Del Vecchio (Jorn, Revolution Saints), Aeva Maurelle (Xandria), Fabio D’Amore (Serenity), Melissa Ferlaak (Plague of Stars), Philip Bynoe (S. Vai), Kelly Simonz, Matt Bissonette (E. John/J. Satriani), Giacomo Voli / Roberto De Micheli (Rhapsody of Fire), Felipe Andreoli (Angra), Marco Sfogli (J. Labrie), Andreas Passmark (Royal Hunt), Marcelo Moreira (Z. Stevens), Bob Katsionis (Firewind), Henrik Klingenberg (Sonata Arctica), Milan Polak, and many more…

Follow Vivaldi Metal Project at https://linktr.ee/vivaldimetalproject

ARMORED SAINT Launch Video for “Lone Wolf”

Posted by tarjavirmakari on June 30, 2021
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Photo credit: Travis Shinn

Last October, ARMORED SAINT released their eighth full-length, Punching The Sky, via Metal Blade Records. Today, the band has launched a new video for the album track, “Lone Wolf”. Directed by Robert Graves // ashadowbeyond.com (who also produced the videos for Armored Saint‘s “End of the Attention Span” and “Missile to Gun”), “Lone Wolf” can be seen HERE:

Robert Graves comments: “With ‘Lone Wolf’, the band and I agreed right away that this was an opportunity to create a narrative driven video that would convey the song’s lyrical themes, while also creating an engaging visual experience. And so, a noir-styled heist in the heart of LA just seemed to fit the song perfectly. We decided to keep the story simple and allow the tone of the video to help convey the song’s significance. This gave us (the crew) the opportunity to create an aesthetic that intensified the song’s mood, while also getting some incredible action scenes to tell the story. Needless to say, Armored Saint fans are in for a ride. I think they’re gonna love it!”

Bassist Joey Vera adds: “Working again with director Robert Graves was incredible. Not only is this video great to watch, but underneath the storyline lies a layer of allegory, metaphor and symbolism. Kind of a first for us. John Bush’s great lyrics twist and turn into meanings not visible at first sight. It’s a view into a person’s journey through life and how they maneuver through it all and what they gain from that experience in the end. The neo-noir look Robert created in both the story and the band performances make this a great addition to the Armored Saint video catalogue.”

Vocalist John Bush adds: “Working with Robert is awesome. The guy is truly amazing. He’s gonna be a star.
This time we pushed the dialogue. It was challenging for me, but I had fun with it. For motivation, I tried to channel some of the great actors who come into the casting studio that my wife and I run.
‘Wolf’ tackles the view of people who spend a lot of time on their own. Something I spent years doing. The solitary individuals that always keep us guessing. This video is dedicated to them.”

Armored Saint also have new merchandise – including a flannel long sleeve, ashtray, flask, lighter, license plate holder, and more! – available at: indiemerch.com/armoredsaint

Leaders and stalwarts of the American heavy metal scene since the early 80s, Armored Saint‘s latest release, Punching The Sky (2020), sees them returning hard. A diverse, attitude-drenched collection, it’s everything the band’s faithful have come to expect from them while pushing their signature sound forward. With Vera acting as producer, he recruited the same engineering team that worked on Win Hands Down (2015) with drums recorded by Josh Newell at El Dorado Studios in Burbank, CA, guitars tracked by Bill Metoyer at Skullseven studios in North Hollywood, CA, and vocals, bass and additional recordings by the bassist at his studio. Mixed by Jay Ruston (Anthrax, Amon Amarth, Stonesour), the record also features a few guest musicians further expanding its sonic palette, the whole thing kicking off with the sound of Uilleann Pipes, Vera finding player Patrick D’Arcy in LA and recruiting him to the cause. Guns ‘N’ Roses keyboardist Dizzy Reed also contributes, Vera giving both him and D’Arcy some general directions and letting them loose, both of them delivering strong performances. The band’s own Gonzo Sandoval plays an American Indian flute on “Never You Fret” – a first for Armored Saint and their drummer. Also Jacob Ayala, the son of a childhood friend who is a drum major in high school, added some marching snare on one of the tracks, which really stands out.

Purchase and stream Punching The Sky now at: metalblade.com/armoredsaint

SWALLOW THE SUN Release First Live Track And Video for “Don’t Fall Asleep (Horror, Pt. II) [Live in Helsinki]”

Posted by tarjavirmakari on June 29, 2021
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Finnish death doom metal masters SWALLOW THE SUN release their first live track and video for “Don’t Fall Asleep (Horror, Pt. II) [Live in Helsinki]” today via Century Media Records. The song is taken off the bands upcoming live album entitled “20 Years of Gloom, Beauty and Despair – Live in Helsinki”, which will be released on the 30th of July 2021. Watch the live video for “Don’t Fall Asleep (Horror, Pt. II) [Live in Helsinki]”, HERE:

“We were supposed to play anniversary shows in Europe and North America,” vocalist Mikko Kotamäki recalls. “We started our European tour in Finland in February 2020 and played 10 gigs. Everything got canceled two weeks after that. Luckily, we filmed and recorded our gig in Helsinki. Now, everyone can see it. At the time, we didn’t know the footage or recordings would be used for this purpose.”

About the song the band comments, “This is the first single from our upcoming live album. ‘Don’t Fall Asleep’ is an old classic from 2007, which was also released as a single from our “Hope” album backthen. We played a special fan voted setlist that night in Helsinki. 

So expect nothing but hits and classics. Enjoy!“

“20 Years Of Gloom, Beauty And Despair – Live in Helsinki“ will be available as Ltd. 2CD+DVD Digipak, Gatefold 3LP+DVD and as digital album. All physical formats can be pre-ordered HERE as of now: https://swallowthesun.lnk.to/20YearsOfGloomBeautyAndDespair-LiveInHelsinki

“Don’t Fall Asleep (Horror, Pt. II) [Live in Helsinki]” Tracklisting:

Set one

  1. The Womb Of Winter
  2. The Heart Of A Cold White Land
  3. Away
  4. Pray For The Winds To Come
  5. Songs From The North
  6. 66°50′N, 28°40′E
  7. Autumn Fire
  8. Before the Summer Dies

Set two

  1. Lost & Catatonic
  2. Empires of Loneliness
  3. Falling World
  4. Cathedral Walls
  5. Plague of Butterflies, Pt. II
  6. Don’t Fall Asleep (Horror, Pt. II)
  7. Stone Wings
  8. The Giant
  9. Swallow (Horror, Pt. I)
  10. Here on the Black Earth

SWALLOW THE SUN are:

Juha Raivio – guitars
Matti Honkonen – bass
Mikko Kotamäki – vocals
Juuso Raatikainen – drums
Juho Räihä – guitars
Jaani Peuhu – keyboards/backing vocals

RISEUP Unite with ‘Space Raiders In Space’ for New “Prophecy” Music Video And Single

Posted by tarjavirmakari on June 29, 2021
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Polish groove metallers RISEUP have revealed a new music video for the single “Prophecy” which features in-game footage from the Space Raiders In Space video game made by 2 Stupid Devs and Destructive Creations. The video was directed by Marcin Szaraniec from Bridge To Horizon. Watch it right now at this location.

“Prophecy” is the second single from the band’s debut full-length album Destructive Machine’s Chilling Time 3:27 which was produced by Arkadiusz Dzierżawa (Sandbreaker, Mors, Carura) at Lighthouse Audio. The album is scheduled for a worldwide release on August 6, 2021 via Eclipse Records. Pre-order or pre-save the album here.

“We made the video using assets from a game called Space Raiders in Space which tells a story as old as civilization itself” says vocalist Stanek. “When something new and unknown is discovered, it raises many different feelings in society however, among all of those feelings the most powerful one is fear. There is a small step from fear to hatred and (as we have seen throughout history), society is often swayed towards fear by those who seek power through manipulation of society.” Vocalist Ratajksi continues, “The lyrics of the song are inspired by how humanity’s dark side hasn’t changed much despite the academic study of history by humanity. Despite the lessons we learned from World War II, atrocities continue all over the world. Even now, many governments are centralized and dictatorial in nature, so the message of the song is a prediction or a prophecy about what could be in store for us if we don’t change our ways. Will we ever learn?”

Destructive Machine’s Chilling Time 3:27 by RiseuP is an album that rocks the listener straight to the core. The first single “Jim B” offers the hooky chorus “Drink, drink, drink!” however, it also tells us that alcohol makes false heroes who overrate their own abilities. The second single “Prophecy” with its addictive crunch and pleasing guitar tremolo, alludes to scripture and our misinterpretation of both testaments, leading us to hypocrisy and fear as opposed to peace and enlightenment. “Rise” is the third single, and it features mechanistic super-drumming under an intricate triple-vocal that is masterfully delivered in different ranges of growl and traditional singing. The song suggests that the darkest moments we encounter in life can make us stronger by teaching us to be proud of the scars (physical or emotional) they cause.

Parody Metallers NANOWAR OF STEEL Reveal New Song + Appetizing Video for “La Polenta Taragnarock”

Posted by tarjavirmakari on June 29, 2021
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NANOWAR OF STEEL are back with their beloved brand of comedy infused heavy metal on their new album, Italian Folk Metal, to be released this Friday via Napalm Records!

On their brand new offering, the five-piece takes its fans on a journey through the roots of their beautiful homeland. Starting with the first single “Der Fluch des Käptn Iglo”, an homage to the all beloved fried dish fishsticks by Captain Findus, followed by hilarious power metal anthem “Gabonzo Robot”, Parody metallers NANOWAR OF STEEL express their love for polenta on the new single “La Polenta Taragnarok”!
 
NANOWAR OF STEEL on the song:
“La Polenta Taragnarock is more than a song. It is also more than just food. It is an anthem which we wrote one year ago on a direct livestream with our fans, and merges our two souls – Italian food lovers and metal addicted vikings – into a single product. Moreover, we managed to get our hero and master of stainless steel Giorgio Mastrota to sing and act with us in the video. It’s a dream embodied in 500gr of golden, tasty corn flour.”

Watch the appetizing video for “La Polenta Taragnarock” HERE:

With joyful, melodic melodies and an epic chorus, NANOWAR OF STEEL once again prove themselves to be not only aficionados of comedy, but also undeniably skilled musicians that can pull off amazing guitar solos! With several millions of cross-platform streams and views racking up from all over the world, NANOWAR OF STEEL are on the frontlines of comedic and parody-infused metal!

Pre-Order Italian Folk Metal HERE

Filled with references to Italian folklore, NANOWAR OF STEEL puts its own comedic metal twist on the various traditional sounds of their beautiful country. Each song on Italian Folk Metal is performed in a distinct style of Italian folk music: Napoli-based sounds of musica neomelodica clash with melodic guitar sweeps on “Scugnizzi of the Land of Fires” and speedy accordions (prominently known from northern Italy‘s mazurka) are layered with dizzying guitar solos on “La Mazurka del Vecchio che Guarda i Cantieri”. Mixed with the band’s eclectic, comprehensive brand of catchy, comedy-infused metal, Italian Folk Metal is a truly multi-faceted listening experience and a deep dive into the roots of Italy’s folklore!
 
In the process of recording the new album in Rome and Milan during the summer of 2020, NANOWAR OF STEEL took the Italian-focused theme as an opportunity to gather Italy’s crème de la creme of musicianship: the album features Francesco Paoli from FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE on “L’assedio di Porto Cervo”, Alessandro Conti of LUCA TURILLI’S RHAPSODY and TRICK OR TREAT fame on “La Mazurka del Vecchio che guarda i Cantieri” and FROZEN CROWN’s Jade on “Rosario”, among others. Italian Folk Metal showcases NANOWAR OF STEEL’s musical versatility at its best!

Italian Fok Metal tracklist:
1. Requiem per Gigi Sabani in Re minore
2. L’Assedio di Porto Cervo
3. La Maledizione di Capitan Findus
4. La Marcia su Piazza Grande
5. La Mazurka del Vecchio che Guarda i Cantieri
6. La Polenta Taragnarock
7. Scugnizzi of the Land of Fires
8. Rosario
9. Il Signore degli Anelli dello Stadio
10. Gabonzo Robot
11. Sulle Aliquote Della Libertà
12. Der Fluch des Kapt’n Iglo
13. El Baile del Viejo que Mira las obras

DAGOBA Sign with Napalm Records + Unveil New 7” Single “The Hunt”

Posted by tarjavirmakari on June 29, 2021
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment
[photo credit: Morgane Khouni]

French modern metallers DAGOBA are back and have signed a worldwide contract with premier Austrian rock and metal label Napalm Records to bring their career to the next level. The signing is crowned with the announcement of their new 7” single “The Hunt” (out July 20), strictly limited to a rare selection of copies at Napalm Records mailorder.

The exciting new piece of art is stirring up the anticipation even more, as DAGOBA are currently working on their new, eighth full-length album. More to be announced soon!

Singer Shawter on the signing:
“We are thrilled to announce that we are now part of the Napalm Records family. We thank the label team for the warm welcome and are so excited to work with such a dedicated and professional record company!

We spent the last year working on our 8th album, which is for sure the most amazing record we have written and produced so far. You better get prepared for something you have never heard from us before. Something new is coming! We thank our great fans for their trust and endless support and look forward to the cooperation with Napalm Records. Stronger together!”

Pre Order your copy of “The Hunt” NOW!

After putting their stamp on the metal scene with their unique blend of metal and neckbreaking grooves, relentlessly touring and sharing the stage with legendary acts like Metallica, Machine Head, and In Flames, DAGOBA’s new single “The Hunt” features their most ambitious material yet. Punishing vocals, groove and modern metal infused guitars and hard-hitting production make this song feel like DAGOBA are on top of their game, pushing their boundaries and incorporating electronic elements seamlessly into their groove metal formula!
 
“The Hunt” will be available as a standalone single, as well as a strictly limited 7” Vinyl that features an exclusive remix of the track, showcasing how far DAGOBA can take their electronic influences on their upcoming material – a must-have for true fans of modern metal!