GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT Release New Video “Barren Trees”

Posted by tarjavirmakari on May 22, 2021
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment
[photo credit: Brian Meade]

More than three months after the release of the release of GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT’s critical acclaimed tenth studio album Ghost Tapes #10, the Irish four-piece presents a new official video for “Barren Trees”. The song is the most emotive and haunting song on the album and it’s also the only song that includes lyrics and vocals mixed as an instrument, so they blend in with the overall sound of the song. The additional guitar parts by Jimmy Scanlan complete the special sound design crafted on “Barren Trees”.
 
Inspired by the poem “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” by Robert Frost, “Barren Trees” reflects the overall feeling of the band in November 2019, when this piece of art was written.

“Fade to darkness, frozen ground
Leaves fallen, barren trees
Snowy twilight, cold moon rising
Creaking branches, moving shadows
Where the spectres of winter are rising.“
– (Lyrics)-

Watch the official music video for “Barren Trees” HERE:

Reigning as one of the most well-known and highly critically acclaimed experimental instrumental groups out there with a respected musical legacy spanning nearly 20 years, Irish four-piece GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT just reached a career benchmark with the release of their critical acclaimed 10th studio album, Ghost Tapes #10, about three months ago.

As most vinyl formats are completely sold out, Ghost Tapes #10 will be available as a special and strictly limited Glow In The Dark format on June 25.

Pre-Order the Glow In The Dark vinyl NOW!

Ghost Tapes #10 is certainly the most ferocious GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT full-length to date – it still retains all the rich musical and emotive elements the band is known for by wheeling around luminance, but offers harsh and deep reminiscences as well. Works of art like “Burial”, “In Flux” and “Barren Trees”, with additional guitars by Jimmy Scanlan, amongst others, are proof of these creations of sound. The album’s closer, the atmospheric “Luminous Waves”, captivates in a trance-like mindset – putting one deeply in touch with their inner self, drifting away to stirring tunes of guest cello virtuoso Jo Quail.

Get your copy of Ghost Tapes #10 NOW!

The artwork was illustrated by David Rooney, who has worked with the band in the past, and plays into the sense of the foreboding and uncertain times we live in. Ghost Tapes #10 is available as a four-page digipack as well as in multiple limited LP options. 

Tracklisting:
1. Adrift
2. Burial
3. In Flux
4. Spectres
5. Fade
6. Barren Trees
7. Luminous Waves

KAT Release Official Lyric Video ‘Flying Fire 2020’ Feat. Tim Ripper Owens

Posted by tarjavirmakari on May 22, 2021
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Photo by Krzysztof Krzeminski

Polish metal legend and trash pioneers KAT have released the lyric video for “Flying Fire 2020” featuring Tim Ripper Owens as special guest on vocals. The song is taken from the album “The Last Convoy”, which was released on 25 September 2020 on CD and 30 October 2020 on Vinyl, in a limited edition of 300 copies, via Pure Steel Records. The track, already contained in the album “Without Looking Back” (2019), is featured as one of the soundtracks to the film “SQUADRON 303” (Polish title: “Dywizjon 303. Historia prawdziwa”)

Piotr Luczyk statement:
“Tim could sing as he wanted. He chose the piece himself. I must admit that he sang brilliantly. He changed time signatures and added voices as he did in Judas Priest. He added more aggression, but when needed he sang calmly and romantically. His voice is predatory where necessary and warm at other times. Tim is a real vocalist who can sing in any style and take the song to the highest level.”

Led by guitarist Piotr Luczyk, KAT have always been the most genuine representation of heavy metal moving from speed, into heavy metal, black metal and thrash metal. “The Last Convoy” marks the 40th anniversary of the band.

KAT Lineup:
Qbek Weigel – Vocals
Piotr Luczyk – Guitars
Adam Harris – Bass
Mariusz Prętkiewicz – Drums

Special Guest: Tim Ripper Owens – Vocals

More information at:
Website: http://kat-band.com
Facebook Official Profile: http://facebook.com/KATofficialprofile

Also check out
The Last Convoy – https://youtu.be/SE1lQNYEHa4
Without Looking Back – https://youtu.be/2s8zXbGIwHU
Without Looking Back – https://orcd.co/
Publisher – Pure Steel Records – https://tiny.pl/719b4

KAT Photo credit Krzysztof Krzeminski

INTERLOPER Release Music Video For Third Single ‘Idle Years’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on May 22, 2021
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Progressive heavy metal vehicle, ​INTERLOPER has returned to present their debut, full-length album “Search Party”which will be released on June 11th via Nuclear Blast Records. Today, the band releases the music video for the third single, “Idle Years” which was directed by Zack Perez Of Astral Media. Watch the video here:

The deep cohesiveness of INTERLOPER’s writing process for “Search Party” allowed for a creative project with no real boundaries or restrictions. The album was produced by the band and Joey Virrueta. Drums were recorded at Big Bad Sound LA by Jack Ruley and Zach Fisher, with the mixing and mastering completed once more by Andrew’s brother Joey Virrueta. The album artwork was created by Caelan Stokkermans.

Miles Dimitri Baker comments, “I am so stoked to have ‘Idle Years’ out into the world. This is one of my favorite tracks off the record and I not only love the song musically but lyrically as well. It has a really special meaning to me and I feel it represents a lot of things that I have gone through in my life. I hope the listeners can relate to it the way I do and I hope they enjoy it as much as I do.”

Andrew Virruelta states, “This one gives me a feeling of solitude and nostalgia. I really enjoy this song because of that. Puts me in a specific place in my mind. Hope you love it!”

“To me, ‘Idle Years’ rounds out our three singles,” comments Aaron Stechauner. “In so many words, ‘Drift’ is our heavy hitter, ‘Search Party’ showcases our melodic nature, and ‘Idle Years’ represents the dreary, driving, and reflective aspect of the album. These songs give our listeners a sense of what to anticipate from the record itself… not without a few left turns of course.”

Pre-order your copy of “Search Party” in the format of your choice here: www.nuclearblast.com/interloper-searchparty
Pre-save the album to Spotify, Apple Music, and Deezer here: nblast.de/InterloperSearchParty

The deep cohesiveness of INTERLOPER’s writing process for SEARCH PARTY allowed for a creative project with no real boundaries or restrictions. The album was produced by the band and Joey Virrueta. Drums were recorded at Big Bad Sound LA by Jack Ruley and Zach Fisher, with the mixing and mastering completed once more by Andrew’s brother Joey Virrueta. The album artwork was created by Caelan Stokkermans.

Below is the Search Party track list:
1. Pathkeeper
2. Bound to Fall
3. Moonlight
4. Dreamlands
5. Drift
6. Search Party
7. The Wishing Well
8. Idle Years
9. Thank Cheshire
10. Baring Teeth
11. Rio (Duran Duran Cover)

ICYMI:
‘Drift’ OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO: https://youtu.be/h7Iha5-R1VE
WATCH: “Silence” Drum Playthrough
WATCH: “Silence” Video Visualizer
WATCH: “Glasshouse” Drum Play Through
WATCH: ‘Search Party’ Animated Music Video

XAEL (Ft. Members of Nile, The Reticent, Rapheumets Well) Release New Music Video ‘Resurrects Demons’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on May 22, 2021
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XAEL (ft. members of Nile, The Reticent, Rapheumets Well) are conjuring the resurrection of “Srai – The Demon of Erring” with their new music video in support of their latest album sci-fi escapade “Bloodtide Rising” released this past February via Pavement Entertainment. 

The video is the next visual exploration into the fictional sci-fi world created by band founder and drummer Joshua “Nassaru” Ward and can be viewed via its premiere on Decibel Magazine HERE. 

Ward explains the album in further detail:

“In Xael, we are trying to not only create some brutal and primal metal, but cultivate the fusion of storytelling and epic adventures. We are building a multiverse with diverse planets and odd-powerful creatures, taking listeners on a journey. This specific album follows the ‘watchers’ as we are assimilated into the vile and mysterious world of Vuul Athmar. It is a tragic love story turned horror. Musically, we incorporate tribal elements, Asian and traditional folk instruments, and an array of vocals to capture the variety of emotions. Though there was a global pandemic, we worked hard to bring this musical odyssey alive and we are excited to finally share it.” 

Hailing from the American Carolinas, XAEL brings forth with them epic symphonic death metal like no other. Their new album entitled “Bloodtide Rising” is a concept record rooted in a science fiction universe that XAEL revolves all their music around. The extreme symphonic release chronicles the journey of a character named Darmak, an immortal who is trying to find purpose in a chaotic and complex multiverse. 

XAEL was initially meant to be a personal project by drummer Joshua “Nassaru” Ward, however, when other musicians showed interest it evolved into a full-fledged project with each member contributing equally towards this current full length and the band’s first album “The Last Arbiter” (2018).

Fans of progressive and brutal metal along with sci-fi enthusiasts will take interest in what XAEL is doing. It’s different, and listeners can get lost in the complex multiverse that they have conceived. Epic and extreme, it is recommended for fans of Septicflesh, Fleshgod Apocalypse, and Nile.

The album “Bloodtide Rising” is out now on the following platforms: Apple Music, Amazon, Deezer, Tidal HERE. Spotify

Music Video – “Bloodtide Rising” – https://youtu.be/gciPXZb8dvc
Music Video – “The Waste of Dreadrift” –  https://youtu.be/rZg7z8ek0PE

In additional news, the band will also be hitting the road in 2022 to support Sweden’s Bloodbath‘s North American tour dates:

May 22 – Brooklyn, NY – Warsaw
May 23 – Boston, MA – Paradise Rock Club
May 24 – Montreal, QC – L’Astral
May 25 – Toronto, ON – Opera House

Tickets on sale at www.bloodbath.biz

Track Listing:
1. Suun Rai Aru (Passion Begets Ruin) (3:04)
2. As Decreed: The Law of Vuul Athmar (4:25)      
3. The Waste of Dreadrift (5:19)
4. Srai – The Demon of Erring (6:24)
5. Dark World Mirrors (4:42)
6. Bloodtide Rising (ft. Mathieu Marcotte of Augury) (3:48)
7. The Red Odyssey (2:07)
8. The Red Odyssey Part 2: The Temple of the Sky Eater (4:57)
9. The Odium and the Contrition (4:12)
Album Length: 39:02

Album Band Line Up:
Joshua Niemeyer – Vocals
Daniel Presnell – Guitar
Chris Hathcock – Guitar, Clean vocals
Brad Parris – Bass vocals
Joshua “Nassaru” Ward – Drums, Keys, Vocals

Dark Essence Records To Release CD Version Of TAAKE Tracks From Recent 10″ Split Series

Posted by tarjavirmakari on May 22, 2021
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Over the past months, Norwegian Black Metal icons TAAKE have released a series of 10″ splits with three different bands (WHOREDOM RIFE, DEATHCULT and HELHEIM), on three different labels, and, as always happens in the case of vinyl releases, fans have been asking for a CD version. 

And Dark Essence Records are happy, as always, to oblige. So, on the 2nd July, they will be releasing a limited edition Digipak CD, along with a Digital version, of the six TAAKE tracks from the series, which will include a very special acoustic version of “Nattestid ser Porten vid I”, acknowledged by Black Metal fans the world-over as not only a classic TAAKE track, but a classic of the whole genre itself.

The release is titled “Avvik”, which translated means “anomaly” or “deviation”, which makes it a very appropriate title given that the tracks from the splits would never really fit into any of TAAKE’s own releases.   You could, of course,  also argue that TAAKE mastermind Hoest has always ploughed a very  individual  furrow with his Helnorsk Svartmetall sound, standing outside the mainstream of Black Metal, and therefore making the choice of title doubly apt. 

All the tracks of “Avvik” have been recorded and re-mixed by VULTURE INDUSTRIES’ Bjørnar E. Nilsen, and re-mastered for digital release by Herbrand Larsen at their Conclave & Earshot Studio in Bergen. Some  of the re-mixes have some very surprising guests, who do not appear on the originals and are exclusive to this release. These include Dr Mikannibal of SIGH who did TAAKE the honour of adding her saxophone to a slightly longer version of the Sisters of Mercy cover “Heartland”.  Whilst TAAKE’s live guitarist (and banjo legend) Gjermund created the acoustic version “Nattestid ser Porten vid I”.

Track listing for “Avvik” is as follows:

1. Ubeseiret
2. Heartland
3. Nattestid ser Porten vid I
4. Slagmark
5. Ravnajuv
6. Brotne Bein og Mannefall
7. Ein Baat i Foss

“Avvik” is now available to pre-order at the following:

Webshop: https://darkessencerecords.no/shop
Bandcamp: https://taake.bandcamp.com
US Webshop: https://darkessence.aisamerch.com/

TAAKE will hit the road in January of 2022 with KAMPFAR for the long-awaited tour which was previously cancelled due to the pandemic.

More information about TAAKE can be found on Facebook at  https://www.facebook.com/taakeofficial

The official video for the track “Umenneske ” from the TAAKE’s 20018 self-titled  album  can be seen below.

REINFORCER Release Lyric Video ‘Prince of the Tribes’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on May 22, 2021
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German metal warriors REINFORCER have released a lyric-video for the song ‘Prince of the Tribes’, the titletrack of their upcoming debut album.

This is how the band commented: “Every kid in Westphalia knows the lore of Arminius, the story of the great liberator and prince of the ancient Teutonic tribes. His monument in the Teutoburg Forest symbolizes liberty and pride: a message we felt was an obligation and honor for us to share in a song, to let it shine a light and tell his tale for all the world to hear.”

Reinforcer combines classic heavy metal with an epic power metal approach and takes the listeners on a journey full of dual lead guitars and heroic melodies.

Recorded at Room 89 Media and Kohlekeller Studio (Powerwolf, Aborted), and mixed and mastered by Kai Stahlenberg at Kohlekeller Studio, this first full-length album comes after the successful EP ‘The Wanderer’ (2018) and will make you feel battle ready, no matter where you are. The magnificent artwork by Hendrick Noack depicts the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest (AD 9) between the Romans and the Germanic tribes.