With their latest internationally successful outputs, the high priests of heavy metal, POWERWOLF, have truly proven that metal is alive and they are at the top of the scene: While heavy metal’s finest are constantly working on Call Of The Wild, the successor to their globally acclaimed full-length, The Sacrament Of Sin,they are also offering a new, very special treasure to their fans.
Their 2015 albumBlessed & Possessed, which achieved Gold status for the first time in the Czech Republic and held fast at the top of the German charts for several weeks, will now be re-released in a vinyl edition on April 9, 2021 via Napalm Records.
Once again, POWERWOLF prove that they truly deserve their title as one of the most successful metal bands of today! Their latest Best Of album, Best Of The Blessed (which charted on #2 in the German album Charts), highlights their impressive career in glorious style – and the upcoming re-release is just the beginning of a very heavy 2021, including the release of the new studio album Call Of The Wild and the bombastic Wolfsnächte 2021 tour!
Tracklisting: 01. Blessed & Possessed 02. Dead Until Dark 03. Army Of The Night 04. Armata Strigoi 05. We Are The Wild 06. Higher Than Heaven 07. Christ & Combat 08. Sanctus Dominus 09. Sacramental Sister 10. All You Can Bleed 11. Let There Be Night
Become “Blessed & Possessed” with POWERWOLF right HERE
POWERWOLF Live 2021: Fans can not only expect brand new heavy metal anthems to be played and chanted along by thousands, but also the biggest and most epic production POWERWOLF has brought to the stage thus far, once again cementing their status as one of the most intense live bands.
Wolfsnächte 2021 01.10.21 DE – Stuttgart / Schleyerhalle 04.10.21 ES – Barcelona / Razzmatazz 05.10.21 ES – Madrid / Riviera 07.10.21 FR – Paris / Zenith 08.10.21 UK – London / Roundhouse 09.10.21 BE – Antwerp / Lotto Arena 10.10.21 NL – Amsterdam / Afas Live 12.10.21 IT – Milano / Alcatraz 13.10.21 DE – Frankfurt / Jahrhunderthalle 15.10.21 DE – Munich / Zenith 16.10.21 DE – Oberhausen / König Pilsener Arena 17.10.21 CZ – Prague / Tipsport Arena 18.10.21 PL – Katowice – MCK 20.10.21 HU – Budapest / Arena 21.10.21 AT – Vienna / Gasometer 22.10.21 DE – Berlin / UFO im Velodrom 23.10.21 DE – Hamburg / Sporthalle
Italian bass master and composer ALBERTO RIGONI (solo, BAD AS, NATURAL BORN MACHINE, Bassists Alliance Project, Vivaldi Metal Project, The Italians, Kim Bingham) has a pleasure to announce that yet another legendary bass player NATHAN EAST has joined his 10th solo album “For the Love of Bass” -line-up!
Alberto stated: “I’m thrilled to announce that…. Nathan East, the bass legend who doesn’t need any presentation, has joined my upcoming album “For the Love of Bass”!!! It’s a big big honor…. I have no words!!! If you would like the support the fundraising campaign that will end on February 15th click here http://www.albertorigoni.net/justbass. Thanks so much for your support and STAY GROOVY! “
Nathan East is an American jazz, R&B, and rock bass player and vocalist. With more than 2,000 recordings, East is considered one of the most recorded bass players in the history of music. He is a founding member of contemporary jazz quartet Fourplay and has recorded, performed, and co-written songs with performers such as Bobby Womack, Eric Clapton, Michael Jackson, Joe Satriani, Peter Gabriel, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Phil Collins, Stevie Wonder, Toto, Kenny Loggins, Daft Punk, Chick Corea, and Herbie Hancock.
Just previously, ALBERTO RIGONI announced other impressive bass players and legends joining his 10th solo album line-up: LELAND SKLAR, ADAM NITTI, CODY WRIGHT, DAVID PASTORIUS, DOUG WIMBISH, LARS LEHMANN, MICHAEL MANRING, MOHINI DEY, STUART HAMM and TONY FRANKLIN!
More on Alberto Rigoni:
He is an Italian bass player and composer, internationally known for his career as a solo artist and as a member of the metal band BAD AS, The Italians, Lady & THE BASS, co-producer of the Vivaldi Metal Project and ex member progressive rock band TwinSpirits (no more active). His solo albums, released worldwide between 2008 and 2020): Something Different, Rebirth, Three Wise Monkeys, Overloaded, Bassorama, Duality and EvoRevolution, Prog Injection, Odd Times, floating between progressive rock metal and fusion, also featured by legendary musicians such as Kevin Moore (ex Dream Theater), Gavin Harrison (Porcupine Tree, King Crimson), Göran Edman (ex Yngwie Malmsteen), Michael Manring, Marco Minnemann (The Aristocrats, Paul Gilbert) and many others.
Alberto has also recorded for several international artists such as Italian pop singer Alexia and is now playing bass for Canadian rock singer and songwriter Kim Bingham (Nelly Furtado) and The Italians, sharing stages with artists such as Alan Parsons, Suzanne Vega, Jørn Lande, Paul Gilbert and others.
Virginia-based crossover maniacs ENFORCED open their Century Media account with their blistering new album, “Kill Grid”. Informed by an incredible cross-section of extremes—from thrash and punk to death metal and hardcore—the emergent outfit drop a nine-song cluster-bomb of thrashing death on apathetic times. After already releasing “Hemorrhage” and “Malignance” the band is presenting a visualizer video for another banger, “Curtain Fire”:
“Also known as ‘the creeping barrage,’ curtain fire is an artillery tactic used in tandem with advancing ground troops”, singer Knox Colby explains. “It’s meant to soften up defenses or wipe them out completely. The lyrical narrative is on the defending end of curtain fire; ruminations on the death of soldiers, their grieving families, and how they’ll eventually be forgotten through time (a folded flag in a garage). The last few lines flip to the perspective of the attacker. With a very apathetic and unsympathetic attitude towards all the damage created, paving a parking lot over the conflict.” Guitarist Will Wagstaff on the music: “This song came together from the supernova of many other riffs/versions of the song. It was originally an up-tempo fast metal beat type of song. We kind of scraped that when we came up with the intro and realized it could be a really catchy song. Knox’s lyrics work perfectly with this song and make it extremely catchy along with the head bashing and solos.”
First preorders are already up for you “Kill Grid” which is scheduled for a release on March 12th, 2021: https://enforced.lnk.to/KillGridID
“Kill Grid” came together over a two-year period while ENFORCED were marauding halls and dive bars across the East Coast and Canada. Indeed, inspiration came from different directions, but playing live with bands like Sacred Reich, Red Death, Iron Reagan, All Out War, and Integrity shaped what was to come out of the Richmonders. While it was the previous output that attracted the attention of Century Media, it’s “Kill Grid”, that’s going to put ENFORCED on top-lists of circle pit lunatics around the globe. To track their sophomore full-length, ENFORCED enlisted long-time friend and studio maven Bob Quirk (Iron Reagan) to engineer, as well as Philadelphia-based studio whiz Arthur Rizk (Power Trip, Cavalera Conspiracy, Pissed Jeans, Eternal Champion, Ghostemane, Code Orange) to mix and master.
Formed in Richmond in 2017 out of shreds of disbanded hardcore and punk bands, ENFORCED quickly found their calling between the undying support of regional punk/hardcore scenes and their respective record collections. Whether it’s Sacred Reich and Integrity or Bolt Thrower and Amebix, “Pure Crossover Death,” as ENFORCED call their devastating din, devastatingly speared its way through two demos (“Demo 2017” and “Retaliation”) and their no-holds-barred debut, “At the Walls”.
Make sure to check out the raw and positive energy of an ENFORCED live show by viewing the video clip for “Malignance”: https://youtu.be/qRbJSmKjgww
Watch the striking artwork from Joe Petagno (Motörhead, Vitriol) of “Kill Grid” come to life in the visualizer video for “Hemorrhage”: https://youtu.be/cLh5Cyy-KAY
Death Metal heavyweights NO RAZA have unleashed a brand new and killer video clip for the track “Atrición”.
Formed in 1997 in Colombia, South America, now based in Florida, US, NO RAZA‘s latest, critically acclaimed album, “Transcending Material Sins”, was released on March 20th 2020 through German powerhouse label Noble Demon. 11 powerfull and merciless Death Metal anthems, following in the footsteps of Grave, Asphyx and Obituary!
Get your ears and eyes on it and watch the music video for “Atrición” right here:
Vocalist Juan Guillermo Cano about the song: “Atrición (Attrition) is repentance through the eternal punishment and suffering of sin that is experienced by having harmed both living beings and our main goddess called Mother Earth, an offense that must be paid through tribulation and eternal martyrdom. This is a very special video because it was made during these difficult times for humanity, it is the result of everything that our kind has destroyed and damaged throughout his path in this planet, now it is only the beginning of an era of fury and condemnation from the sacred nature.”
Tracklist:
On the Verge of Dying Out
Ancient Wars
Reborn
Fratricide
Sail In Rot
Alteración Mental
Decontamination
Scorn
Atrición
En Carne y Hueso
Transcending Material Sins
“Transcending Material Sins” is out now and available to purchase at THIS LOCATION
Black Lion Records are pleased to welcome Italian Doom Death group GHOSTHEART NEBULA to Black Lion Records, formed in 2017 by Nick Magister, Maurizio Caverzan and Bolthorn in the last months of 2017.
The bands debut EP, “Reveries”, was released in 2018 and the process was split between Norway and Italy and was recorded and mixed by Aron Corti at StreetRecstudio in Albese con Cassano (Como), mastered by Øystein G. Brun (Borknagar) at Crosound Studio in Bergen (Norway). Artwork by Gogo Melone (Aeonian Sorrow, Clouds).
“Reveries” the ep was well received from webzines and reviewers and it was chosen as independent production of the month by the italian magazine Rock Hard. 3 years later the band is now ready to take things further with their debut album Ascension spinning at 8 tracks of melancholic sorrowful Epic Doom Death in the vain of Bands such as Doom :VS, Swallow The Sun, Draconian, Saturnus.
The band will be releasing their debut in Autumn of 2021.
Ghostheart Nebula comments: “We are deeply pleased to announce that Swedish label Black Lion Records will be handling the release of “Ascension”, our new full-length album, scheduled for October 2021. We have taken some time to find the right collaboration with a label and, when we started talking about this possibility with Black Lion, it has been really easy for us to accept. “Ascension” represents an important milestone for us, both as it’ s our first full length album and as it was born as a whole band, with everyone of us giving all his heart in it. The new songs come as an explosion of all the stylistic and emotive nuances breathing yet in “Reveries” and “Apathetic Lacrymae” and we simply can’ t wait to share them with everyone. Looking forward to start this new path together!”
Black Lion Records Ceo Oliver Dahlbäck comments: “When I first received the promo from Ghostheart Nebula I was instantly impressed by the bands professional style and well made press kit, upon hearing the first tracks I was convinced that this was indeed the sound that had been truly missed the last years and so it felt very right to bring that back, Ghostheart delivers well made and slow but heavy Melodic Death Doom in the vain of the traditional style, no side ways or mixed styles. from first to last note their new album will surely please just about any fan of Draconian,Swallow The Sun.”
Canadian alt-metal crossover stars SUMO CYCO are about to transcend into an explosive new era with their upcoming full-length, Initiation, scheduled for release on May 7, 2021 via Napalm Records! Interlaced with infectious heavy metal grooves, pop-perfected hooks, electronic undertones and a dose of punk flavor, Initiation breaks all the rules while delivering a cohesive yet purely unbridled sonic adventure.
SUMO CYCO has cemented their name by garnering an impressive legion of fans with their hardworking attitude and storybuilding prowess. With Initiation, SUMO CYCO takes it to a whole new level – demonstrated by their new single, “Bystander”! Crowned by expert, airtight vocal domination from Juno-nominated pop star-turned-rock frontwoman Skye “Sever” Sweetnam, the track features an aggressive, fast-paced attack of low, grooving metal riffage, relentless drums and slinking electronic accents. Its accompanying music video reflects the track’s energetic, chaotic vibe with sharp, vivid visuals. Don’t just be a bystander, check it out now!
Frontwoman Skye “Sever” Sweetnam says about “Bystander” and its video: “‘Bystander’ was inspired by the frustration of our lives turning upside down in this pandemic. I felt like instead of living my life, I was now a slave to a screen, watching the world fall apart right before my eyes, totally helpless. The music video depicts my character trapped in a floating house watching news events taking place on TV, and at the same time, right outside my window. This entire video was produced, filmed and edited by Matt and I in our home studio!”
Watch the brand new music video for “Bystander”HERE
Initiation invites a mass of new followers into their warped, dystopian-like world of “Cyco City”! As with its predecessors Lost In Cyco City (2014), Opus Mar (2017) and countless singles, Initiation is based in the imaginative conceptual location of “Cyco City”. But unlike most concept albums, the lyrical content is inspired by the band’s real-time environment – featuring timely, personal themes of love, sacrifice, anxiety, empowerment and more that all listeners can relate to.
Sweetnam adds about the album: The album’s title, Initiation, stems from wanting to invite the audience to be “initiated” into our world. There are usually two congruent themes to each of our albums – one is real-world inspiration, and the other is “Cyco City”, a comic book-esque alternate universe where all our music videos take place. With Initiation, we introduce four gangs or clubs. Our music videos for Initiation all include a theme of these clubs – whether it’s gang vs. gang, a forbidden love between opposing sides, or the idea of having to choose where you belong.
Outside of the story, the lyrics relate to the polarization of the world we live in now. We all have a longing to belong, but what makes one feel accepted or ostracized from a group? To be INITIATED, would you be willing to try to understand another point of view? I have always written lyrics about internal struggle, the war within oneself. Throughout the album, we bounce back and forth between struggle and overcoming. It reflects the times, and there are moments that seem a bit dark.”
At the album’s start, SUMO CYCO lights a spark with the seductively hooked track “Love You Wrong”, connecting like a punch and setting the stage for the vigor to come. The blitz continues with standouts like lethal room-mover “Bystander” and electronic-infused, in-your-face rock anthem “Vertigo” – the latter standing tall with its airtight, gritty pop sensibility and featuring the production mastery of Juno Award-winning producer Kane Churko (Ozzy Osbourne, In This Moment, Papa Roach). Swiftly followed by erratic, addictive nod-to-the-times “Bad News” and heavy, creeping success “No Surrender”, Initiation proves not even halfway through that the band’s songwriting ability and the commanding performance prowess frontwoman Skye “Sever” Sweetnam, guitarist Matt “MD13” Drake, bassist Oscar Anesetti and drummer Matt “Trozzi” blend a recipe for greatness. The album continues winding through a mastery of heavy-meets-pop execution before ending with the full-throttle, sugar n’ salt packed album closer “This Dance Is Doomed” (while various editions cap off with sultry, confident “Awakened”).
By the end of Initiation, listeners will wonder just what exactly SUMO CYCO can’t do, proving them as a band on the rise, and that unconventionality always stands out from the pack.
Initiation tracklisting:* 1) Love You Wrong 2) Bystander 3) Vertigo 4) Bad News 5) No Surrender 6) M.I.A. 7) Cyclone 8) Run with the Giants 9) Overdrive 10) Power & Control 11) This Dance Is Doomed 12) Awakened (not available on standard digital version)
*Various new tracks, such as “New Jive” and “We Are The Nation” are available in different groupings on various formats of Initiation (i.e. Die Hard Limited Edition).
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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
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Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 