Bay Area metal titans MACHINE HEAD have released a 3-track digital single titled “Arrows In Words From The Sky” today. The release features 3 new songs, “Rotten,” “Arrows In Words From The Sky” and the single “Become The Firestorm.”
Written against the backdrop of a once-in-a-century pandemic, and the long and painful death of frontman / guitarist Robb Flynn’s mother, these 3 songs represent one of the darkest chapters in MACHINE HEAD history.
And while songs like blistering opening track “Become The Firestorm” seethe with an apocalyptic anger, the 3-track single closes with one of the most transcending songs in the MH arsenal in title track “Arrows In Words From The Sky“
Flynn states: “The lyrics to these songs took to me places inside I didn’t want to go, from the bile and negativity on “Rotten,” to nothing-will-beat-me-down fury of “Become The Firestorm,” to the title track “Arrows” being one of the saddest songs I’ve ever written, yet somehow has the power to lift me up out of what was a very dark time in my life. My hope is that by sharing these dark experiences with the Head Cases of the world, it can save someone else out of that same dark place.”
“Arrows In Words From The Sky” follows a string of tracks MACHINE HEAD has released since 2018’s “Catharsis,” including the recent single “My Hands Are Empty.”
Norway’s progressive metal legends ENSLAVED have travelled a long way since their origins in the extreme black metal scene of the early 1990s. This week sees them premiere a new live video performance of ‘Sacred Horse‘, taken from their forthcoming package of live releases, Cinematic Tour 2020, out June 25th. For Enslaved, this performance represents a cherished career zenith, unapologetically translating their extreme metal roots into grandiose psychedelia.
‘Sacred Horse’ (live) is taken from their upcoming Cinematic Tour 2020 recording: The Rise of Ymir (Verftet Online Festival 2020). Despite being locked down in space, Enslaved take us on a tour through time, with classic tracks and fan favourites resurrected and revitalised by a formidable and accomplished live performance.
Many great bands struggle to walk the hard road between artistic evolution and staying true to themselves, but on ‘Sacred Horse‘ and The Rise of Ymir, Enslaved show how inspired composition and musicianship can bring an audience along with them, from the most abrasive depths to the most absorbing heights extreme metal has to offer.
Enslaved’s Grutle Kjellson commented, “Sacred Horse is probably one of our proudest moments in our now three-decade long career, and that song pretty much sums up what Enslaved is all about; energy. A very aggressive song, yet also dynamic and mellow. Besides, it’s always a delightful experience to perform it on stage and to see how our audience absorbs it and enjoys it. We’ve even seen people crying at the front row while playing this song, and of course beholding our fans unleashing such emotions, really lifts the whole experience to a pretty much divine level! Obviously, performing it without an audience at an online show wasn’t an easy task, but the memories of our previous endeavours playing it alongside our fans, got us through. Thanks for watching!”
Live Albums/DVDs Enslaved will be releasing four new live albums/DVDs on June 25th, with audio and visuals taken from their highly revered digital performances in 2020.
The Rise of Ymir (Verftet Online Festival 2020)
Chronicles of the Northbound (Cinematic Tour 2020)
Below The Lights (Cinematic Tour 2020)
Utgard – The Journey Within (Cinematic Tour 2020)
The releases will be available via the following formats:
Splatter Vinyl (ltd. edition 300 copies)
4 x CD/DVD boxset (ltd. edition 1000 copies)
4 x DVD (ltd. edition 1000 copies)
Digital albums
For more information on physical formats head to the By Norse Store
The Rise of Ymir chronicles Enslaved‘s debut digital show, which took place on April 1st 2020 at USF, Bergen, as part of the Verftet Online Music Festival. Chronicles of the Northbound, Below The Lights and Utgard – The Journey Within detail their Cinematic Summer Tour digital shows which took place last summer. The events were collaborations with respected European festivals Roadburn, Beyond The Gates and Summer Breeze.
ENSLAVED – UTGARD EUROPEAN TOUR 2022 w/ Intronaut, Obsidian Kingdom, Crown 13/02 – DE Berlin, Hole44 14/02 – NL Utrecht, De Helling 16/02 – UK Birmingham, 02 Institute 17/02 – UK Glasgow, Classic Grand 18/02 – UK Leeds, Brudenell Social Club 19/02 – UK London, 229 21/02 – FR Paris, La Machine 22/02 – FR Toulouse, Le Metronum *new city 23/02 – ES Madrid, Caracol 24/02 – ES Barcelona, Boveda 25/02 – FR Lyon, CCO Villeurbanne 26/02 – CH, Aarau, KiFF 28/02 – DE Munich, Backstage Halle 01/03 – DE Stuttgart, Wizemann 02/03 – DE Cologne, Luxor 03/03 – DE Frankfurt, Das Bett 04/03 – DE Hamburg, Uebel & Gefährlich 05/03 – DE Leipzig, Hellraiser
Tickets for Enslaved’s upcoming 2022 tour dates are on sale now from: http://enslaved.no/
Never faltering, Norway’s iconic Enslaved continue to exist as one of the most original and dependable components in our scene’s indestructible backbone. Possessing the reputation as one of the most riveting live acts around, they never fail to offer us talent of the highest calibre, always doing justice to their signature black/progressive sound. Enslaved was formed in 1991 by Ivar Bjørnson and Grutle Kjellson releasing their first demo Yggdrasillin the summer of 1992, their legendary mini-albumHordanes Land coming out in 1993 with debut full lengthVikingligr Veldiarriving in the spring of 1994.
Enslaved in 2021 is a band in stellar form, a band at its most existentialist and self-conscious, proud Bergeners bearing the torch of their hometown’s extraordinary musical history. Latest album Utgardhas shown them at a stage where simply everything they touch turns to gold. Icy black metal anthems walk hand in hand with refined prog rock gems and primordial, dark folk sorcery. It’s Enslaved to the bone. And yet again a band that cast off its old skin, delivering some of their shortest songs in years while still packing them with glimmering detail.It is a journey into and through scary Utgard, showing Enslaved both unleashed and thought-through – a lethal combination unfurling a potential that’s easily rekindling the furor of their early works while dancing gracefully through their most ambitious, most haunting and most musical tunes yet. A contradiction? Life itself is a contradiction. And yet we all live to prove it wrong.
GENTLE SAVAGE have revealed the tracklisting + back coverart of their debut album “Midnight Waylay“, set to be released next week, on June 17th via Bandcamp at https://gentlesavage1.bandcamp.com.
“Midnight Waylay” Track List:
Karelian Magic 4.15
Personal Hades 3.58
YNAMW (You Never ask Me Why) 3.56
Into The Abyss. 5.18
Honey Bunny. 3.10
After All. 4.25
Run Run Poor Boy 4.53
Livin’ It Up. 4.42
Carry The Fire. 4.33
Furthermore, the band announces the album release party, on June 18th at Maxim Theatre, Kuopio! Facebook event page, here. More details TBA.
The band adds: “We invite 50 persons to the show as a live audience, entrance by commenting on this post! Streamed on HD resolution the party is also available on our YouTube channel and our official website. We will perform all our new songs accompanied by something from the Introduction EP. We’d love to have you with us on this very special night!! We’re gonna take you to the abyss and back…”
Just recently was unveiled the stunning front cover art, on which Lead vocalist Tornado stated:
“TWO SIDES TO EVERY STORY Isn’t it strange that when you get something really big done you are at the same time relieved and a bit confused?! That’s how it feels like right now. Our debut album is ready for release, coming out on June 17th via our Bandcamp page, and now we are proud to reveal the MIDNIGHT WAYLAY album cover to the world. The cover art was created by our friend, graphic art wizard Vin Valentino. Vin and vocalist Tornado created the Midnight Waylay world based on Tornado’s visions of a Rock Band descending down to earth using a ‘stairway to heaven’. That’s Tornado’s way of showing his gratitude to the old great ones who showed the Rock’n Roll way for latter generations to roll. “
Earlier Tornado has unveiled about the album: “Midnight Waylay depicts a ‘taking it easy in the daytime, turning into a beast at night’ kind of lifestyle. Just like a hunter strikes from the shadows, ruthless and silent, these songs can without warning rock your world. As a concept the album Midnight Waylay is best appreciated when served whole, but each song has its own character and works well independently. Find your own adventure, let yourself loose!”
“It is all about the songs. And their internal message. That’s the basic philosophy behind Gentle Savage.”
GENTLE SAVAGE are: Tornado Bearstone, songwriter, vocals and guitar Jay B, drums and backing vocals Vance Bead, bass and backing vocals Tim O`Shore, guitar and backing vocals Theo van Boom, keyboards and backing vocals
’Treat yourself and let our magic in. We’ll take care of the rest’.
Band promo photo by Timo Soasepp Coverarts by Vin Valentino
VELVET INSANE deliver their second single and music video “Sound of Sirens” from their upcoming album “Rock ‘n’ Roll Glitter Suit”. A 60’s pop gem made for the modern day. The track is written by the legendary Sulo Karlsson of the Diamond Dogs who also has produced and wrote the tracks together with the band on the upcoming album “Rock ‘n’ Roll Glitter Suit”.
The band comments: “We feel very proud about this catchy singalong pop gem and that it shows a slightly different side of Velvet Insane. Strongly influenced by The Beatles and 60’s pop music it gives you shivers and shows our passion and love for all kinds of music. A song we really looking forward to playing live and feel the energy from the audience in the future. With the video, we want to celebrate where we come from: the 70’s. Kiss, ABBA, Slade and glam rock/pop in general have meant so much to us in our musical upbringing. 1970’s influences in pictures and music but with the sound of today.”
Watch the music video:
The eleven-track long album manifests Velvet Insane as a rock act to count on for years to come. “Rock ’n’ Roll Glitter Suit” is released via Wild Kingdom on July 16.
THERION‘s seventeenth Studio album, “Leviathan,” was released on January 22nd, 2021, and proved to be another big success for the symphonic metal pioneers. It has entered world-wide album sales charts peaking at #8 (Rock & Metal) in the UK, at #11 in Germany and #14 (physical) in Sweden, only to name a few. Today, THERION are proud to release another music video for a track taken off of “Leviathan” called “Eye Of Algol“. It refers to the ‘demon star’ Algol (“al-ġūl” means “the demon” in Arabic), a multiple star consisting of 3 separate stars that has an ominous connotation in astrology and is also referenced in the works of H.P. Lovecraft. The video features performances by both the female and the male lead singers whose voices can be heard in the song, Rosalía Sairem & Thomas Vikström, as well as mythical creatures, blood, fire & swordfights, picking up where its predecessors, “Tuonela” and “Die Wellen der Zeit,” left off.
On July 16th, your lords and masters GWAR will release vinyl re-issues of their classic albums, Lust In Space (2009) and Bloody Pit of Horror (2010), via Metal Blade Records. Pre-order your copies now at: indiemerch.com – where the records are available in the following versions:
GWAR – Lust in Space vinyl versions – silver vinyl – clear w/ magenta and purple splatter vinyl
GWAR – Bloody Pit of Horror vinyl versions – black inside red vinyl – orange / red melt vinyl
Drummer Jizmak Da Gusha shares his memories of the classic albums, “We had any great battles in those years. Good kills. Even lost a few or our own. Hail Flattus! Hail Oderus!“
Stay tuned for more GWAR news, including a tour announcement next week!
Kimmo Kuusniemi’s ASA unveil the long-overdue release of "Collective Failure" + first music video for title-track! Check it out and stay tuned for more news! Click image to watch the video
Kimmo Kuusniemi’s SARCOFAGUS return with a Historic 2010 Concert Video Premiere on YouTube! Click image to watch the video
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Visionary artist KIMMO KUUSNIEMI's ANCIENT STREAMING ASSEMBLY (ASA) have released “Aurora Nuclearis”, a powerful 12-minute audiovisual experience, dedicated to the Late Keyboardist Esa Kotilainen. - Click image to watch the video
Click image to watch the video
Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 