KATAAN Sign To Prosthetic Records + Announce Self-Titled EP, New Single Unleashed

Posted by tarjavirmakari on March 15, 2021
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photo credit: MeiLing Boland

Prosthetic Records are thrilled to unveil the signing of KATAAN, a modern death metal duo preparing to release their self titled EP on May 7. Small in number, but vast in scope, KATAAN is comprised of Nicholas Thornbury (formerly of Vattnet Viskar) on guitar and vocals, and Brett Boland (Astronoid) on drums and bass. Alongside the signing announcement the band has today released the EP’s lead single, Processor, with an accompanying music video.

Listen to Processor via Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp.

Pre-order Kataan EP here.

WATCH THE MUSIC VIDEO FOR PROCESSOR BELOW.

Speaking on the signing, Nicholas Thornbury (guitars / vocals) comments: “We are very happy to be a part of the Prosthetic roster, and feel they are the perfect label to release this music out into the world. As big fans of their past and current roster, we felt it was a natural fit.”

On the new single, Processor, Nicholas adds: “Processor is a song about pushing this world and ourselves too far, and coming to terms with the simultaneous beauty and disgust, the triumph and failure that comes along with that.  It’s easy to get lost in the marvel of progress, but deep down we all know that there will always be a cost.”

Dystopian death metal is the foundation for KATAAN’s explorations through existential missives and depressive imagery. The pair have created a thick, hypnotic level of atmosphere with layers of pounding drums and pummeling riffs that fill up the furthest ends of the musical spectrum. Shot through with melody, the four track EP is as uplifting as it is melancholic – invoking cinematic landscapes and post-apocalyptic darkness.

Recorded by Brett in summer 2019, before being mastered by Magnus Lindberg, KATAAN have crafted a statement of intent with these four tracks and paved the way for their debut full-length.

Kataan EP will be released via Prosthetic Records on May 7.

Kataan track listing:
1. Erase
2. Abyss
3. Processor
4. Vessel

ILLUSORY Share New Single ‘Crimson Wreath’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on March 15, 2021
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Set to release their third full-length “Crimson Wreath” on May 21st, 2021 via Rockshots Records, Greece’s prog power ILLUSORY are sharing the record’s next single and title track.

“The eponymous title of the album is a very complex song. It starts with some clean guitars and a beautiful piano theme and by the end of it, everything changes! There is a strong bridge in the middle, with some really big-sounding guitars and a tribal drumming part, which leads into a twin-guitar melody followed by keyboards and a great vocal bridge! “Crimson Wreath” is about a land invasion nowadays and it describes the emotions of the people who woke up under attack.” adds the band.

“Crimson Wreath” can be heard at the following links:
YouTube – https://youtu.be/vjESuD9tNfc
Spotify – http://spoti.fi/3l5wMz0

Having opened for such legendary acts Blue Oyster Cult, Warrel Dane, Geoff Tate, and Gus G, Illusory‘s new album “Crimson Wreath” is the next step in their widely praised evolution to follow 2016’s Polysllabic (7hard/7us) and 2013’s “The Ivory Tower” (The Leaders Records).

Melodic, riffy, cerebral, and complex “Crimson Wreath” is a very emotional and melodic release, yet heavy and strong at the same time. Both new fans and ones who have been listening to the band for years will indulge themselves in this latest offering of classic, progressive, epic, and thrashy performances. Lyrical themes found on “Crimson Wreath” are mostly anti-war, but the full length also includes a thematic unit consisting of three songs that deal with human loss.

For fans of Iron Maiden, Queensryche, Savatage, Jag Panzer, Illusory’s “Crimson Wreath” is available for pre-order at the following link: http://bit.ly/CrimsonWreathCD 

Watch the Album Trailer below.

Sydney’s TO THE GRAVE Release New Video ‘Terrorist’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on March 15, 2021
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Sydney, AUS deathcore quintet TO THE GRAVE have released powerful new single/video ‘Terrorist Threat’, taken from their upcoming album, Epilogue, out 16th April via Unique Leader Records.

The band comment: “‘Terrorist Threat’ is the accumulation of frustration shared amongst those standing up for animal rights, pursuing undercover investigations/rescues and advocating for liberation. With the Australian government labelling activists as “Domestic Terrorists”, punishing whistleblowers and doing whatever they can to divert attention away from the what goes on behind closed doors in farms and slaughterhouses, the public is kept in the dark from these industries and cruel practices continue in secrecy. Those perpetuating, defending and keeping a tight lid on cruelty to animals continues to show us who the real monsters are.”

TO THE GRAVE‘s objective has always been to create sonically and thematically heavy music, charged with a grim, confronting message. Featuring their entire self-released debut album Global Warning, plus seven new songs, Epilogue is a huge 19 tracks of intense brutality.

After releasing the No Lives Matter extended play and touring Australia relentlessly with the likes of Alpha Wolf, Justice For The Damned and Gravemind, TO THE GRAVE put themselves firmly on the global metal map in 2019 with Global Warning. Closing 2019 as main support for Vulvodynia on their Australian run and opening a show for Cattle Decapitation elevated them further, earning them sold out headline shows in Melbourne and Sydney.

Pre-order Epilogue here: https://orcd.co/epilogue

Track-listing:

01 Holocaustralia : Global Warning
02 Ecocide
03 Pest Control
04 Hell Hole
05 Slaughter Forever
06 Gristle Blower
07 The Devil in Sheepskin
08 Wastage
09 Skin Like Pigs
10 Lips & Assholes
11 Seven Billion Reasons Why
12 Hear Evil, See Evil (The Haunting of 2624 Dog Trap Rd)
13 Miserable Summer
14 [•REC]
15 Terrorist Threat
16 Kill Shelter
17 Deat By A Thousand Cuts
18 Recoil in Horror (活き締め)

COUSIN BETTY To Release ‘Left’ EP On March 26th

Posted by tarjavirmakari on March 15, 2021
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After releasing 2 highly regarded singles ‘Drone’ and ‘Tape Hiss’, COUSIN BETTY are set to release their debut EP LEFT via Golden Robot Records on 26th March. COUSIN BETTY’s sound is a mesh of distorted and psychedelic influenced indie desert rock with some grungy garage infused overtones.  

Watch the official video for Drone HERE

Cousin Betty is the brainchild of Australia’s Damien Stofka a guitarist/songwriter, who has created riffs and written songs for Molten Universe, Death Mattel, LITTER and various other projects for the last 15 years. 

Watch Tape Hiss HERE

About LEFT
 During the strictest period of the pandemic lockdown, Damien began communicating with other artists and was inspired to try and make something more consistent of his vision. A friend from Canada; equally bored and in want of inspiration, asked Damien for some of the files from his old sessions to re-mix and produce. The tones and richness of these efforts were the motivation Damien needed. As the restriction lifted on local travel, he took some recording equipment to Frontman Matt Downey’s house. There, while their 6-year-olds entertained themselves on computer games, Matt, his partner Katie Jane and Damien finished ‘Lizard Queen’ and 4 other songs in mere hours. Gone now was the restrictive concept of theming and it meant that songs could tackle any topic. While that meant a slight direction change for his initial vision, Damien still felt a great attachment to the journey of his Cousin Betty –a Matriarchal Maverick who’ll live on in memory only. These new songs form the LEFT E.P, Cousin Betty’s debut.

Pre-order/pre-save Left HERE

SIRENIA Guitarist Nils Courbaron Covers JOURNEY Classic With Members Of ELVENKING And SILENT WINTER

Posted by tarjavirmakari on March 14, 2021
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Acclaimed guitarist Nils Courbaron (Sirenia, Think Of A New Kind) has released a metalized cover of the JOURNEY classic, “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)”. Joining him on this Nils Courbaron Project interpretation are vocalist Mike Livas from Silent Winter and guitarist Mattia “Headmatt” Carli from Elvenking. 

The song can be streamed on Nils’ official Spotify page: https://tinyurl.com/2mrnu35n

Nils’ band Sirenia recently released their latest album, “Riddles, Ruins & Revelations”, while Mike’s band Silent Winter will be releasing their new album, “Empire Of Sins”, later this month.

The lineup of Nils, Mike & Mattia had earlier collaborated on a cover of Ghost’s “Kiss the Go-Goat”, which can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/0q6nEQusxgI

And here is Nils’ take on the Iron Maiden classic, “Wicker Man”: https://youtu.be/HDAu3WvadHc

DARWIN Releases New Collection Of Orchestral And Unplugged Tracks “DarWin 3: Unplugged” On April 16th

Posted by tarjavirmakari on March 14, 2021
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DarWin first grabbed attention with the epic 17 track double album “Origin of Species” in 2019. It won over fans and critics alike with its mix of virtuoso playing, heavy guitars, and symphonic rock, co-produced by Simon Phillips. The punchy follow up album “DarWin 2 : A Frozen War” took the concept a stage further, adding musicians Billy Sheehan, Guthrie Govan, Greg Howe and Derek Sherinian to the mix.

Now comes “DarWin 3 : Unplugged,” a collection of orchestral and stripped back versions of tracks from the first two albums.

Highlights range from the sweeping instrumental takes of “Escape The Maze” and “The Last Chance” recorded at Abbey Road Studios, ”Nightmare of My Dreams” recorded in Iceland, to a poignant acapella version of “Another Year.”

The album, once again produced by Simon Phillips (Toto, The Who, Santana), features DarWin (guitars), Matt Bissonette (Elton John, Jeff Beck) on bass and vocals, The Chamber Orchestra of London, and The Reykjavik Quartet across its eight tracks. Phillips also adds his signature percussion and effects to the album.

The songs first appeared as a bonus addition to the limited edition “DarWin 2 : A Frozen War” double vinyl LP, and are now being given a stand-alone release in “DarWin 3” on April 16th 2021.

DarWin says, “Upon completing our first and second albums, we quickly realized that completely different interpretations of the songs were possible by isolating the strings or acoustic instruments as much as possible. Indeed, they sounded like completely different songs, although the fundamental concepts and spirit of the songs remained intact. Simon went to work on doing new mixes with the exact same instruments and tracks from the recordings in the earlier albums to create these ‘unplugged’ versions of the songs. Matt Bissonette also recorded two new solo versions of ‘Slowly Melting’ and ‘One Horizon,’ with just his voice and bass.  Simple and pure. ‘Slowly Melting’ was recorded on a live take with the voice and bass parts simultaneously. Many of these songs were deeply emotional journeys, and that character tends to shine through in these unplugged versions.”

DarWin’s critically acclaimed debut “Origin Of Species” was the first instalment in an epic saga that addresses the challenges of mankind in our coming era. It depicts the role of a changing planet, and the potential, as well as limitations, of technology to help solve mankind’s greatest challenges. A complex project that eschews the hollow immediacy of much contemporary art. A story that demands attention and imagination. With music sweeping in scope, at times evoking hard rock virtuoso shredding, alongside grand orchestral compositions, warm harmonies and soaring choruses. A project that is even more relevant in the strange times we live in. Classic Rock praised it on release “At the end of it all, DarWin has saved the concept album as well as the planet.” Prog Magazine compared it to “Dream Theater at their most melodic meeting a harder-edged Toto.”

“DarWin 3 : Unplugged” Track list:
1 Escape the Maze (Orchestral)
2 Nightmare of My Dreams (Orchestral)
3 Slowly Melting (Unplugged)
4 Forever (Orchestral):
5 One Horizon (Unplugged)
6 Rise (Orchestral)
7 Last Chance (Orchestral)
8 Another Year (Acapella)

To pre-order:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/DARWIN-3-UNPLUGGED/dp/B08VR8M1YC/ref=sr_1_1
https://darwin.tmstor.es/