Recently re-emerged technical death metal outfit ABIOTIC are back with their third full-length, Ikigai. Set for release on Friday, February 12th, 2021 via The Artisan Era.
While going on hiatus does not necessarily mean a group’s best days are behind them, often this rings true, yet Abiotic eagerly buck that trend with their finest effort yet on Ikigai. Ikigai is strongly recommended for fans of The Faceless, Gojira, The Black Dahlia Murder, Job For a Cowboy, and Rivers of Nihil. Abiotic states, “We also leaned on some classical and eastern style instrumentation, along with some progressive and jazzy elements.”
Ikigai also boasts numerous killer guest spots from musicians such as Trevor Strnad (The Black Dahlia Murder), Chaney Crabb (Entheos), Brandon Ellis (The Black Dahlia Murder), Scott Carstairs (Fallujah), Jared Smith (Archspire), and Jonathan Carpenter (ex-The Contortionist). Abiotic have dug deep and hit a new apex and the end result of their evolution is astounding on Ikigai.
The band partnered with Metal Injection to premiere “Souvenir of Skin”. Pre-orders for Ikigai are now live and linked to below.
Metal Injection comments on the launch of “Souvenir of Skin” “On the surface, “Souvenir of Skin” is a super aggressive track that sets a high bar for the new album. That said, there’s a whole other level to this track.
While vocalist Travis Bartosek can command these songs easily, it’s the inclusion of Trevor Strnad (The Black Dahlia Murder) that pushes the track one step further. Given Strnad’s generally higher scream style and Bartosek’s overall lower growl, putting these two side by side is the perfect mix by pure contrast.”
Having recently signed to Golden Robot Records, WILDSTREET has now released the official video for their new single Still Love You. Trading in their usual hard rock guitars for acoustic instruments, the song optimistically reflects on lost love and heartache. The Prince inspired ending guitar solo by the band’s singer, Eric Jayk, reminds the listener that love songs still rock!
Still Love You has been released as part of WILDSTREET’s highly anticipated full-length album Wildstreet III, which will be out on Golden Robot Records in 2021. WILDSTREET was featured in Billboard magazine in July. With festival dates booked in the UK, Mexico, Colombia, Europe and USA WILDSTREET will resume their planned ‘Kings Of World Tour’ next year.
“Armed with big choruses, blazing guitar solos, and powerful melodies, WILDSTREET is a sex-fuelled rock n roll explosion beckoning the glory days of 80s arena rock.” – Twelv Magazine
WILDSTREET began in 2006 and released their self-titled debut album on Retrospect Records in 2009. The band spent the next 4 years touring nonstop & performing at US festivals including: Rocklahoma (5 consecutive years), SXSW & M3 Rock Festival.
WILDSTREET rocked alongside Black Veil Brides, Vains of Jenna, The Bouncing Souls, The Last Vegas, Twisted Sister, Michael Monroe, Crashdiet, Diemonds, Kix, LA Guns and more. The band won the Best Buy/Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands for Rockstar Energy’s Uproar Festival, and opened for Avenged Sevenfold, Sevendust and Three Days Grace in Camden, NJ.
In 2011, the band released Wildstreet II..Faster..Louder! to widespread critical acclaim. They made an appearance on The Jimmy Fallon show and their songs were licensed to TV shows on E!, MTV, VH1, Oxygen, TBS & in a THQ Video game. Later that year, the band released the official music video for Poison Kiss, which included a cameo by Don Jameson of The Metal Show.
WILDSTREET now had the attention of rock fans worldwide. In 2012, the band released the single Easy Does It, and it’s official music video. The video went viral on YouTube. (Wildstreet has well-over 5 million views and nearly 8,000 subscribers on that platform).
After taking a 2 1/2 year break off & dodging rumors of a band breakup, WILDSTREET exploded back onto the NYC scene in 2016, headlining Gramercy Theatre with new line-up. In early 2017, the band rocked NYC with Faster Pussycat and Biters and headed to Rocklahoma for the 6th time.
The band began work on their single Raise Hell after Rocklahoma. Released in December 2017, it ushered in a new period for the band. They headlined Irving Plaza for the single’s release party and was handpicked by Dorothy to open for her New York City tour date at The Bowery Ballroom. In February 2018, the band released a lyric/concert video for Raise Hell.
WILDSTREET spent the remainder of 2018 in the studio recording, Wildstreet III. They performed regional tour dates/festival dates. Highlights include: opening for Sebastian Bach & Escape The Fate. In March, the band sold out The Knitting Factory Brooklyn and then headed out on their first tour in Europe, playing 10 shows in Belgium, The Netherlands and Germany, including Sleaze Fest 2019 in Bochum, Germany.
Upon returning to NYC, WILDSTREET filmed the official music video for Tennessee Cocaine. In July, they headlined a sold out NYC show at Saint Vitus and headed out for a short west coast tour which included stops at The Whisky-a gogo & Great American Music Hall.
The band toured the US in February before the pandemic outbreak. Their last three singles, Tennessee Cocaine, Three Way Ride & Born To Be all have over 200k Spotify streams & their last two music videos have over 100k YouTube views.
WILDSTREET’s most recent single, Born To Be was added to Spotify’s ‘Hard Rock’ editorial playlist.
Sweaty circle pits. Screaming every lyric until your throat is raw. Jumping off a stage into a sea of strangers with whom you share such a strong, unspoken bond with that you know they’ve got your back. Remember live shows? IN FLAMES is bringing us back to life before Covid in their new video for “Stay With Me”, the closing track on their 2019 album I, The Mask to remind us all that we must come together to support those behind the scenes in order to return to the pit. Teaming up with Save Our Stages (US), Let The Music Play (UK), Save Live Events Now (US), Stagehand (UK), Red Alert (DE) and more, the video brings you back to the energy a live show brings and the community each one creates. In a call to action to save live events, In Flames believes that United We Will Mosh.
Ahead of the premiere of “Stay With Me” via Revolver Magazine, fans could tune into a live Zoom with none other than SiriusXM Octane and Liquid Metal host, Jose “Metal Ambassador” Mangin reminiscing on their favorite tour memories, select questions from fans and more.
Fans can also directly support In Flames crew members by purchasing a limited #UnitedWeWillMosh t-shirt, which proceeds will go to the long time roadies, accompanied by new winter items available today @ www.InFlames.com/shop
Fans can find donation links supported by the #UnitedWeWillMosh Campaign in multiple territories here:
MOONSPELL is approaching their 30th anniversary as a band more ambitiously and stronger than ever, as the Portuguese dark metal pioneers have finally revealed the hotly anticipated details for their upcoming, 13th studio album! Hermitage will be released on February 26, 2021 via Napalm Records.
While the world is struggling in the dark, MOONSPELL’s forthcoming album was recorded, mixed and mastered by Jaime Gomez Arellano (Paradise Lost, Primordial, Ghost, Sólstafir & many more) at the Orgone Studios in the UK. Building upon the sensitive facets of Hermitage, one can expect an entertaining and revolutionary, yet epic journey through the darkest days of human existence. Beautifully crafted songs such as “The Greater Good“ show us the modernity of the wolves in 2021, while other tracks embrace the MOONSPELL tradition of writing a dark, gothic metal record like no other band can. The ethereal and melodic sounds of MOONSPELL, while not straying away from their metal roots — influenced by underground metal bands such as Bathory — make Hermitage most likely one of the deepest, surprising and most epic albums MOONSPELL has ever written.
Today, the band is sharing the first song taken from Hermitage, the album opening track “The Greater Good”. Lead singer Fernando Ribeiro reveals:
“The Greater Good is a sociological concept implying the benefit of the public, of more people than oneself. To do which is better and more correct. Unfortunately, a lot of wrong- doing and pure evil actions were taken on behalf of this principle both by world leaders, and citizens. With a “screenplay” designed by myself, and put together by director Guilherme Henriques (Gaerea, Crippled Black Phoenix, Schammasch) The Greater Good strikes at the deep contrast of our priorities as human beings. The plot evidenciate the daily clash between the problems we could never or never wanted to solve; and our “first world preoccupations”. The cult of the body versus the African famine; the killing of the innocent versus the second amendment; the beauty of monuments against the ugliness of violence.
We are all responsible for the things we see here. For the greater good, for the greatest evil. It’s not a question of race, gender, class or education. It’s a question of conscience. It’s vital we renew our communities’ ties, our humanly behavior. Only we can save us from ourselves.”
Watch the haunting lyric video for “The Greater Good”, in a worldwide premiere here:
Like this first appetizer showcases, with HermitageMOONSPELL created a wonderfully intuitive and epic journey, but also a testament to what they’ve always loved the most: Honest, emotional metal that binds us even in the darkest times.
As Fernando tells us more about the upcoming MOONSPELL album: “We know that we are entering the final years of our career as musicians: the winter of our lifetime. We don’t care about people saying we’re still young at heart, or “leading” wolves in a pack. We are not! But we do care about how those around us feel about us, and this album is all about how we feel, our answers to your questions. Under these circumstances, we feel our musical stakes are higher than ever. For us, it’s not about likes or algorithms, reach, or opportunity of growth. We only care about the music. Music does come first on this album you will hold in your hands soon enough.”
He continues: “The record is about turning our backs to the conventions of modernity. We are currently convincing ourselves that it’s all about us, that we (humanity) are everything. That the world revolves around us. However, ipsi facto, we are nothing and nothing revolves around us. Moonspell’s goal, on these last turns around the Sun, are to write the best music we possibly can. To tell you a few stories with our lyrics, to be close to you in these times of distancing. We wish not to tease you or to influence you or to sell you our fish. We want to sit down with you at your table and feast together upon our notes and words. Like if we were close friends, like back in the time where music matters the most. In your bedroom listening to music, without having to post our smart remarks about it, inviting the hate in.
Hermitage is an open-hearted invitation to simplicity. To be humble. To be thankful. To serve you solace. Provide you comfort, entertainment. We sincerely hope this call reaches you. That you kindly accept what we offer. That you take our music with you to the place you must feel as yours. To your secret place, to your hermitage. Blessed be.“
[ Artwork by Arthur Berzinsh ]
Hermitage is slated for a release on February 26, 2021 via Napalm Records, and will be available in several highly limited and collectable Deluxe Editions, Mediabook, Cassette, all of them including the Candlemass Cover “Darkness in Paradise”, but also as Jewelcase and Digital formats. The Deluxe Box will also include an etched 7’’ Vinyl with another special bonus track, “The Great Leap Forward”, as well as much more exciting additional collectable items! The album pre-sale has just started at THIS LOCATION
The Hermitage tracklist will read as follows:
01. The Greater Good 02. Common Prayers 03. All or Nothing 04. Hermitage 05. Entitlement 06. Solitarian 07. The Hermit Saints 08. Apophthegmata 09. Without Rule 10. City Quitter (Outro)
Bonus Tracks:
Darkness in Paradise (Candlemass Cover – available on LP, Deluxe Box, MC + Mediabook)
The Great Leap Forward (7″ Vinyl – available in Deluxe Box)
Just recently, MOONSPELL played and streamed a special Halloween live show at the historic theatre, Pax Julia, in Beja – Portugal. By public demand, the band now made the show available again to stream it worldwide! Available until December 16th, grab your digital ticket and watch MOONSPELL’s breathtaking, high-voltage concert at THIS LOCATION!
Discover the extraordinary story of legendary bluesman Joe Bonamassa in the inspirational documentary GUITAR MAN, arriving on Video-On-Demand and for Digital purchase December 8, 2020 from Paramount Home Entertainment.
From average Joe by day to guitar hero at night, GUITAR MAN tells the incredible rise of blues-rocker Joe Bonamassa, whose hard work and determination have made him one of today’s top-selling blues artists. With more #1 Blues albums than anyone else in history, Bonamassa pulls back the curtain on his incredible career, allowing us to see his remarkable musical achievements and pioneering style. Featuring behind the scenes interviews and live concert footage showcasing some of the biggest names in music, kick back and enjoy the exhilarating soundtrack of his phenomenal life.
GUITAR MAN showcases Bonamassa’s astounding talent from his childhood as a “wunderkind” discovered and mentored by Blues legend B.B. King. At the age of only 43, Bonamassa has an illustrious career spanning over three decades. Through highs and lows, Joe persevered, taking his musical journey into his own hands to overcome challenges and reach his goals. In 2009, Bonamassa fulfilled a lifelong dream of playing at the prestigious Royal Albert Hall and was joined on stage by Eric Clapton, marking a pivotal moment that elevated his music to the next level.
Filled with an abundance of music, live concert footage, and interviews with music industry legends, GUITAR MAN chronicles a musician growing in his craft, traveling the globe, collaborating with top artists from across the world of music, and ascending to the heights of inevitable success.
In addition to having this exciting film release, Joe just landed his 24th #1 with his latest studio album Royal Tea which was recorded at the legendary Abbey Road Studios and shows off Joe’s fiery guitar playing and incredible songwriting in a whole new way. It is also worth mentioning that Bonamassa has done a lot for artists during COVID-19 through his Non-Profit’s Fueling Musicians program, raising $375K thus far and giving it to 225+ touring musicians whose livelihoods have been halted.
The genre-welding Danish-Swedish quartet VOLA return with their brand-new song, the incredible‘Head Mounted Sideways.’
Watch the video below.
‘Head Mounted Sideways’ is their first new music in two years following 2018s album, ‘Applause of aDistant Crowd.’ The song elegantly flows in and out of crushing riffs and hauntingly beautiful melodies all with the musical complexity that has become the hallmark of a VOLA song.
“The ‘head-mounted sideways’ is a metaphor for ‘looking the other way,’” says Asger Mygind. “I did not have any plan with the lyrics, but once I knew that they should convey anger, It was intuitive to talk about the decline of civilizations and not taking responsibility for the obvious decline. It doesn’t necessarily speak about Earth in 2020. What I felt was important to get across was the image of a world built on flawed morals, and how this world eventually crumbles and falls due to the cracks in the foundation.”
Songs for the new album were written shortly after they returned from their 2019 headline tour across Europe, with a string of sold-out shows along the way. This capped off an incredible 2 years, which had seen them also tour with the likes of Dream Theater, Anathema, Katatonia, Haken, Monuments as well as show-stealing performances at Euroblast, Ramblin’ Man Fair, Radar Festival, Bloodstock, Damnation Fest, Tech Fest and more.
Previous album ‘Applause of a Distant Crowd,’ tackled society’s distractions from thoughtfulness and examined the way human relationships have evolved, also touching upon fear and anxiety, whereas their debut ‘Inmazes’ dealt with the struggle that came with being trapped in mental mazes. They lyrically entwine the exploration of behaviour and human nature with a deep character narrative.
“I think Steven Wilson was a big inspiration in pushing me in the direction of writing songs about “the person next door” rather than philosophy, mythology etc.,” Asger continues. “I like when lyrics contain characters and situations that are easy to relate to, with a frequent use of everyday nouns. I think this is a nice way of “grounding” the lyrics, while the music itself might be very intangible, seeking an otherworldly vibe.
An obliterating war like heaviness opens the song, which then makes way for the lyrics; “We should let the mudconsume this thing we built / 80 years of drooling turned to streams of filth / Wounds appearing underneath theskin we killed / Head mounted sideways to shun the guilt” culminating in a delicately haunting finale.
“We like contrasts, as it doesn’t just make it easier to create mood swings in the songs, but also the ability to change the point of view of the character that’s singing or being sung about,” he says. “In ‘Head Mounted Sideways’ the point of view changes to one of the victims of the decline in the 2nd verse.”
There is always an underlining cinematic aesthetic to VOLA that explodes in front of you upon listening to them. But it then entices you deeper within the rabbit hole, following the story further down into its veins.
VOLA are Asger Mygind (vocals/guitar), Martin Werner (keys), Nicolai Mogensen (bass) and Adam Janzi (drums) and their new album will be coming in 2021.
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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
Click image to watch the video
Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 