Finnish metallers WISHING WELL have announced that they have parted ways with vocalist Rafael Castillo. Chilean singer started in Wishing Well in 2017 and recorded two albums with the band, “Rat Race” (2018) and “Do Or Die” (2020), both on Inverse Records.
“Rafa is a true professional and it was a great pleasure to work with him both in the studio and on stage. His voice was a big part of Wishing Well’s sound and he played a very important role in taking the band forward. We are forever grateful for his contributions and we wish him well.”, says Anssi Korkiakoski, the guitar player and mastermind of Wishing Well. ”There’s no big drama behind the decision, Rafa is a great musician and songwriter in his own right, who wants to do his own thing and we respect and support that all the way.”
Wishing Well will now continue with new vocalist Alex Alpua.
“Change is always a good chance to create something new and we all look forward to working with Alex, who has proved to be an excellent vocalist with impressive range and versatile sound. He gives us all a good kick in the ass with his fresh energy and positive attitude. Together with him we shall update our total sound a bit. We are now well underway in rehearsing new material for our fourth studio album that should come out some time in 2022”, says Anssi.
Wishing Well will play three shows this summer and more shows will be booked as soon as the pandemic restrictions are loosened in Finland.
Acclaimed documentary filmmaker David Hoffman has more than 150 national TV shows and 10 CLIO advertising awards to his credit. Hoffman’s work has received Emmy’s, CLIOs, Golden Globes, and an Academy Award. Hoffman’s most recent documentary is with DAN LORENZO, founding member of the bands Hades, Non-Fiction, Vessel Of Light and now Cassius King. Cassius King (featuring Jason McMaster on vocals) are set to release their debut Field Trip next month on California’s Nomad Eel Records.
Hoffman spoke with Lorenzo in May of 2021 and juxtaposes that with older footage of Lorenzo.
Watch the ‘Why This Heavy Metal Musician Stayed Sober & Clean’ documentary here:
MITOCHONDRIAL SUN is the ever-changing solo-project by Niklas Sundin, best known as a founding member and guitarist of Dark Tranquillity, the Grammy nominated Swedish metal band that for nearly three decades has helped carving out an entire subgenre and inspired musicians all around the globe. After 15 albums as a metal guitarist and his first public forays into different musical realms, Sundin doesn’t show any sign to slow down: Following his 2020- solo debut and the critically acclaimed Sju Pulsarer earlier this year, the multi-instrumentalist has just announced the release of a brand new EP entitled Bodies And Gold!
MITOCHONDRIAL SUN’s core of the music is an electronic and instrumental affair, that ranges from quiet meditations on space and time to relentless cosmic storms; from a sonic journey into fast, urgent and chaotic songs of the bleakest black metal sound, yet MITOCHONDRIAL SUN is full of emotionally charged melodies and atmospheric soundscapes lurking beneath the surface. After the release of both full-length records in within just one year, now Sundin has shared a first track taken from his upcoming, six- track EP! Falling somewhere in between the contemplative and moody debut album and the intense Sju Pulsarer successor, each song – from the cinematic and slow moving opener to the industrial full-throttle closing track – differs a lot from each other in style, but share the same vibe: Dystopian and cold, yet organic and occasionally hopeful.
Listen to haunting EP opening track, “Sic Transit Anima Mundi”, here:
The Bodies And Gold EP will be coming out on September 10, 2021 through Argonauta Records and as a part of the label’s new series titled Argonauta LTD100, limited to a one-time pressing of 100 hand numbered vinyl copies. These will solely be available directly from Argonauta Records and the MITOCHONDRIAL SUNBandcamp page, and not from any external distributors. The pre-sale has just started at THIS LOCATION!
“I’m totally excited to have started a label series meant to support new bands, side projects, reissues or even EPs of our current roster too.” Label owner Gero Lucisano recently said. “Easily just named ‘Argonauta LTD100’, as each release will briefly benefit of the usual label treatment. Not been a sudden decision, I’m personally working on this after the first six months of 2020, when Covid hit hard here in Italy (and then worldwide) and I experienced a dramatic change in the music industry (and obviously in all other works too). Everything already affected by the well-known worldwide crisis became even more slow, difficult, close to be dormant and in an indefinite state of hold. So once located the issue, I’ve worked out a new strategy that can be of big help to each level of label connections: a direct to customer series of releases, limited to 100 copies, vinyl only and eshop exclusive. This will makes everything smoother and give us the opportunity to support the artists we love even in a new different way, by giving this to our customers, always very active and eager when speaking of new things to listen and to own (exactly like me).“
Bodies and Gold EP Tracklist: 1. Sic Transit Anima Mundi2. Bodies and Gold 3. Ghost of Tradition 4. Beams of Light through Glass 5. Rigel Illuminated 6. Velocities
London based metallers JASON PAYNE & THE BLACK LEATHER RIDERS have revealed the fourth teaser for their upcoming single and video ‘The Dark’, available on all major platforms on June 4th.
Watch the teaser video #4, here:
Jason Payne reveals more details on the video: “We finally can say that we’re just one week away from releasing our single – The Dark! This song will feature as a special guest, our dear friend – Daisy Pepper. Such a talented young musician and it was a priceless to work with her on this track. Can’t wait to show you all the final result!”
Earlier Jason revealed: “Writing this song was an absolute challenge and I’m very proud and happy with its outcome. I’m super excited to show all my fans what we managed to accomplish. I believe this is the best work we’ve done so far, and our mentality is to be better every time at everything we set our minds to. We worked for a long time on this track and on the EP and now it’s the right time to release our music.”
Just recently the band revealed first details of their upcoming 6-tracks EP, entitled “The Abyss”, coming out soon.
Read what Jason has to say: “The Dark is a song that sums up the theme of this EP, “The Abyss”. It’s about death, obscurity and the “nothing”. It talks of things like trying to reach to the void, feeling confused and betrayed, and about a person that’s losing his essence. Without a consciousness, and with no purpose in our lives, we’re just a bunch of roamers taking a road to the abyss, and that leads us to the dark and lashes us to insignificant beings floating in “the nothing”. When I was writing this EP, I got affected by the outside world. It’s a dark period that we’re living. I caught the essence and the feelings that this time put me through and made a whole EP about existentialism and nihilism. This period made me question who am I, what’s my purpose, what have I done with my life and what if this all ends now? Would it matter? Do we matter? Does life matters? Of course, it does! In my opinion, there’s no point of doing anything or living if this doesn’t matter. However, when I wrote this EP, I don’t give you the bright side of the story. That’s for the fans to find out. My whole point with this work is to make people question their lives and feel these emotions. This record means so much to me, since it’s about everything I felt and still feel. I’m a person who never stops asking questions. I always want to know more. Specially, when it comes to existentialism, I’m always in internal conflict, since I question everything. This is my message, this is my music and it’s about how I feel, and hopefully, people will relate to it.”
Stay tuned for more details.
JASON PAYNE & THE BLACK LEATHER RIDERS will play the all-day hard-hitting show at Camden Rocks on July 10th, alongside Reverted, Rival Karma, Janus Stark, Bleeding Antlers, Star Circus, Thousand Thoughts, Season of Ghosts, The Blood Republic, Tales of Perdition and Red Light Acid Test at The Black Heart! Tickets – http://camdenrocks.seetickets.com. Facebook Event page.
Jason stated: “It has been too long since I’ve played a show. We’re so excited to be back on stage! I know it’s gonna be a great moment for us and for the fans!”
With a history boasting over 300,000 streams, 50 live shows and a modest lifetime of musical creation with past acts, London based metal artist Jason Payne has taken 2020 to embark on a new journey; JASON PAYNE & THE BLACK LEATHER RIDERS. A culmination and reincarnation of his strongest rock compositions, with numerous releases ready and waiting taking influence from the likes of Slash, Avenged Sevenfold, Linkin Park, Korn, and many other legendary over the years. Think big riffs, impactful grit-laden vocals, and an energy just screaming to be invited to the live stage.
TYGERS OF PAN TANG have released worldwide their album “Majors & Minors” which continues the band’s legacy with a fine selection of songs that were written and recorded over the last 13 years. Not just a “Best of” compilation because the band wanted to offer something special to both loyal fans, collectors and those who have missed our latest records. “It’s like your best Tygers tracks, but all in one place!“- Robb Weir. And once again the stunning artwork will make the products and merchandise associated with the album things of beauty to behold.
The band chose songs on the album which they believed to be classics and to represent the Renaissance of the Tygers boosted by having a Florentine on vocals! Partially written on the road, the tracks not only have killer riffs, balls and power pushing performances to the limit, but express the band’s creativity and musical chemistry for songwriting. Not afraid to even add Spanish Guitars and castanets if a track demands it this band are never boring! Party songs, heavy songs, rock anthems, groovy rock’n’rollers, catchy songs cleverly constructed with accessible melodies, the band has packed all of this in to this meaty package. The contribution of Chris Tsangarides able to pull the best out of the band was instrumental. The band feel that this “new” period of the band which has in fact lasted longer than the original line up has produced songs which are indispensable to the history of the band. “It’s been a lot of fun putting this together, so get yourself comfy, press play and let the Tygers do the rockin.” -Robb Weir
The CD version of the compilation includes “Plug Me In”, never released on CD, a new orchestral version of “Spoils of War”, “What You Say” never released in an album format before. Furthermore, a live version of “Keeping Me Alive”, recorded in 2018, graces the vinyl format of “Majors & Minors”.
“Majors & Minors” is out today in digital, LP and CD formats via Mighty Music. “Tygers music is full of big notes and little notes, so let’s start with a Major one and finish with on a Minor!” – Robb Weir
Vinyl tracklist: Side A: Only The Brave White Lines Destiny Damn You! Keeping We Alive
Side B: Hot Blooded What You Say Plug Me In Spoils Of War (Orchestral mix) Keeping Me Alive (Live in Fismes 2016) – exclusive for vinyl
CD tracklist: 1. Only The Brave 2. Destiny 3. She – exclusive for CD 4. Never Give In – exclusive for CD 5. Worlds Apart – exclusive for CD 6. Glad Rags – exclusive for CD 7. Let It Burn – exclusive for CD 8. White Lines 9. The Devil You Know – exclusive for CD 10. Keeping Me Alive 11. Hot Blooded 12. Damn You! 13. Spoils Of War (Orchestral mix) 14. What You Say 15. Plug Me In
Known for their incendiary hit version of “Love Potion no. 9” from “The Cage” album in 1982 which sold over 200,000 copies and gave the band two top 50 songs in the UK, Tygers remain a much loved hard rock band with their NWOBHM legacy and many loyal fans.
“When I joined the Tygers back in 2004, I didn’t know what to expect. I was so over the moon to have joined one of my favorite bands from NWOBHM, that I had no further expectations. Now in 2021, I’m going to celebrate my 17 years in the band with this compilation that covers the four albums I have recorded with them. I’m the long-lasting singer of Tygers. I’ve recorded an album with Chris Tsangarides and another one with Fred Purser, I’ve played so many gigs and traveled all round the world, enjoyed every minute on stage and backstage with so many talented musicians, playing the music I love since I was a kid. It seems a lot for a guy who had no expectations, don’t you think?” – Jack Meille
The band has a tour planned in for early 2022 and is hoping to widen and include more dates worldwide as circumstances permit.
STERBHAUS have released the crowd-pleaser “Absolutely Do Not Die! (LIve)”! The first single track from the band’s upcoming album “Necrostabbing at Göta Källare – Live in Stockholm”, set for release via Black Lodge Records on the ninth of July 2021.
The urban myth of French soldiers throwing their wooden shoes (named “sabot”) into the machinery at the time of the industrial revolution – hence giving rise to the word “Sabotage” may be fiction, but it’s an interesting allegory to when fate, reality and the industry threw their wooden shoes in the machinery of one Stockholm based act in the most untimely of moments. What is so surprising is how amazingly well-oiled and blisteringly convincing the machinery of Sterbhaus remains with all those wooden shoes rattling around in there. The new live album “Necrostabbing at Gota Kallare – Live in Stockholm”, which is so timely released now in the midst of the Covid pandemic shows Sterbhaus at their very best… and that has always been live. It’s a hungry and energetic live show from a band eager to exact revenge from having been stranded locally when all booked tours after the new album release was cancelled. The whole affair was actually also filmed and will be available on social media together with this live album.
Sterbhaus is the home of Marcus Hammarström (also in Shining), Erik Röjås (also in Ondskapt), Jimmy Ahovalli and at this time also Simon Olovsson (now in Avslut).
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 ) 