FROZEN SOUL – Dallas, TEX most promising Death-Metal-Export – have released their new merciless track “Encased In Ice”. Accompanied by a brutal & gory video clip the US quintet once more delivers rock hard and old-school Death Metal par excellence.
The band comments:
“Encased in Ice represents all the terror, pain and anguish in the world sealed away to forever rot alone. We had an icy blast filming the video for Encased in Ice, it was an experience to die for!”
“Crypt Of Ice” will be available in various formats and can be pre – ordered HERE!
ALTER BRIDGE releases a lyric video for their original song “Last Rites” from the upcoming EP Walk The Sky 2.0. The video uses a dark and mystical aesthetic utilizing a fortune teller making a prediction based on the song’s lyrics. The song was born from an idea that bandmembers Myles Kennedy, Mark Tremonti, Brian Marshall and Scott Phillips began sharing after the cancellation of their entire 2020 touring schedule and written, recorded and completed entirely during the Covid-19 lockdown. “Last Rites” is available on all streaming partners and the lyric video can be seen below.
The new Walk The Sky 2.0EP – available November 6 via Napalm Records – is comprised of “Last Rites”, along with live versions of “Wouldn’t You Rather,” “Pay No Mind,” “Native Son,” “Godspeed,” “In the Deep” and “Dying Light” all recorded during the band’s US tour at the beginning of the year. The new EP is available for pre-order in various configurations including a Jewelcase CD (available worldwide), Jewelcase CD + T-Shirt (Napalm Records exclusive worldwide except North America), and CREAM-colored Vinyl Gatefold LP (available worldwide). The album will also be available in a digital bundle with the original Walk The Sky and Walk The Sky 2.0 together as well as a limited edition 2-CD Earbook with both versions included (Napalm Records Mailorder only).
Pre-order Walk The Sky 2.0 via Napalm Records HERE
The tracklisting for Walk The Sky 2.0 is:
Last Rites
Wouldn’t You Rather (Live)
Pay No Mind (Live)
Native Son (Live)
Godspeed (Live)
In The Deep (Live)
Dying Light (Live)
In other news, ALTER BRIDGE’slatest single “Native Son,” which has racked up over five million worldwide streams to date, has broken in to the US Top 40 at Active Rock radio. The band released a video for the single – an animated short created completely using stop-animation techniques and incorporating origami to create a unique visual effect. The video for “Native Son” was created by Stefano Bertelli and can be seen HERE.
LEROI XIII have recruited members of the Metal Community to come together to record benefit cover of DIO classic “Stand Up And Shout”.
The list of metal classics that the late/great Ronnie James Dio was responsible for penning or co-penning is endless– “Man on the Silver Mountain,” “Heaven and Hell,” “Holy Diver,” “Rainbow in the Dark,” “The Last in Line,” etc.
And now, in honor of the man (who passed away in 2010 at the age of 67, from stomach cancer), several renowned names of the metal world have united to record a cover of “Stand Up and Shout” – which was originally the lead-off track from Dio’s classic solo debut from 1983, ‘Holy Diver.’
Produced by David Bendeth (who has previous worked with Of Mice And Men, Breaking Benjamin, and I Prevail, among countless others), the track features contributions from the newly-formed LeRoi XIII (Thirteen), which is comprised singer Terry LeRoi (Granny 4 Barrel), guitarists Troy McLawhorn (Evanescence) and Sammy Boller, bassist Aaron Pauley (Of Mice and Men), and drummer Will Hunt (Evanescence). The single will be released on Friday, October 30th, 2020, with 100% of the proceeds/profits from this song go to the Stand Up and ShoutCancer Fund (for the mission of support, research, and education that furthers early detection, prevention, and treatment of prostate, colon, and stomach cancers).
“I am so pleased with this cover of ‘Stand Up and Shout,’ and I know Ronnie would be so honored.” – Wendy Dio
“This was an amazing and unforgettable experience working with these incredibly talented artists and legendary producer David Bendeth! It’s truly an honor to pay tribute to Ronnie James Dio and to have this opportunity to support Wendy and the Dio Cancer Fund.” -Terry LeRoi
“Working with this great crew of people, and paying homage to Ronnie James Dio, one of the greatest rock singers that ever lived, was an amazing experience…When you hear it, just stand up and shout! FUCK CANCER!” -David Bendeth
“I’ve been a fan of Dio for as long as I can remember. To play on this cover with such amazing musicians was a real honor.” -Sammy Boller
“‘Stand Up and Shout’ is such a timeless and more meaningful than ever classic metal masterpiece. We had a great time making this and knowing that it’s to support the Dio Cancer Fund made this whole experience even better” -Will Hunt
“When I was asked to join these great musicians to record a tribute to Dio with ‘Stand Up and Shout,’ I was honored and excited. When I found out the proceeds would go to this great cause, I was 100% in.” -Troy McLawhorn
When David Bendeth gives me a call to work together, I’m onboard. When that opportunity involves working with incredibly talented musicians like Terry, Troy, Will, and Sammy to recreate a metal classic—with all proceeds from the track going to the Dio Cancer Fund—it doesn’t get much better than that!” -Aaron Pauley
The band had a chance to connect with radio/TV personality Matt Pinfield here:
As fans will soon hear for themselves, new energy and passion has been infused into this song 30 years later, and Stand Up and Shout Board unanimously approved the song. Keeping true to the honor and memory of Ronnie James Dio, this song was recorded in the month of May 2020 – which was the month of his passing 10 years ago. And due to COVID-19, all of the events that were planned for the 10th year anniversary of Ronnie’s passing were unfortunately canceled. But through the determination and creativity of these musicians and producer of this song, it was still able to be recorded…despite the virus.
And one can’t overlook the timely nature of the song, and how thematically, it’s more relevant than ever – encouraging empowerment, finding inner strength, using your voice and having the courage to take charge of your destiny. Help keep Ronnie’s legacy, music, and memory alive – and support a great cause – by purchasing, streaming the “Stand Up and Shout” single by LeRoi XIII.
Metal mainstays, recording artists BUTCHER BABIES have released their first new single in three years called “Bottom Of A Bottle” with celebratory new wine to accompany the release called Butcher Babies branded ‘blood red’ wine. Both commemorate their 10-year anniversary as a tour de force band.
The new song premiered on Loudwire and in lauding the song said, “‘Bottom of a Bottle’ showcases a more melodic side of the Butcher Babies, and is sure to attract both rock and metal fans alike.”
“Bottom Of A Bottle” marks a musical evolution for this seasoned band. The new sound is a bit of a departure from the band’s extreme metal history, taking their signature sound and building on it to create something entirely new for listeners.
Distorted guitars and driving drums still back the powerful vocal duo of Heidi Shepherd and Carla Harvey, but the band has moved to a catchier and more melodic sound.
In talking about the new song, Carla tells Loudwire, “Haven’t we all been at the bottom of the bottle at some point? Name a better way to commiserate about it than by writing an anthem that turns the heartache into a celebration. We are pumped to finally release some new tunes that showcase a different side of who we are, yet remain uniquely Butcher Babies.”
Heidi continues, “This song is a product of the environment it was created in. At that moment, I was the guy at the end of the bar telling stories from yester-year. I’ve been there a time or two so the lyrics just flowed. This song holds a special place in my heart because of that exact moment. We’ve been sitting on this song for a long time so I can not wait for our fanbase to take the trip with us!”
In addition to the new song, Butcher Babies are celebrating 10 years as a band by releasing their own signature wine called “Butcher Burgundy”. Heidi says, “We are stoked and feel like pairing an AZ wine with a song we wrote in AZ fits perfectly with a song called “Bottom of a Bottle”. Now we can all enjoy a Bottle together!” The new wine will be available for purchase on the Butcher Babies website.
The new single marks the first release from Butcher Babies forthcoming EP, which is set for release in mid-2021.
Melbourne-based alternate hard rockers CICADASTONE have today released their new single Out of Sight via Golden Robot Records.
Out of Sight is the follow up to the recently release singles Dying In Sunshineand Box Of Anger. All three tracks are taken from their upcoming 2021 album Cold Chamber.
“Out of sight is a song about self-discovery and challenging yourself to know who you really are. To admit your faults and be ok with it. We are who we are even if we wanna be something else. Look within yourself and ask that question. Are you happy with who you are? You should be, but It’s easy to lose sight of a vision and hard to stay focused on your goal. We’re always cascading out of sight….’’– Cicadastone
With unique instrumentation and biting vocal intensity characterising the latest offering from Cicadastone, Out Of Sight, will go a long way towards establishing them as one of Australia’s hottest new rock acts.
Watch the official video for Dying In SunshineHERE
Melbourne-based four piece Cicadastone deliver music that packs a punch. With an old school 90’s influences and a slick modern edge, Cicadastone have found their own space in the grunge rock genre. Formed in 2013 by founding members and brothers Mat and Mark Robins, they have spent the last few years honing their sound and live show, as well as constantly writing and releasing quality music.
In 2016 Cicadastone released their debut album Chance Collide. A bold statement and an impressive first release. Songs like Drown My Hopes, Forgotten Fears, Oh Satellite and Headlights On showcased Cicadastone’s song writing maturity and diversity. Sonically the album holds its own on an international level. 2019 saw Cicadastone sign with Golden Robot Records to release their highly anticipated second album titled Cold Chamber. It’s an album that continues to push the grunge rock boundaries and a natural progression forward for the band. They’ve developed their own unique sound while staying truly authentic to the genre, a difficult task in a time when it’s all been done before.
Cold Chamber is currently slated for release in late 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic crisis.
As the fortieth anniversary of DIAMOND HEAD‘s Lightning To The Nations loomed, the album’s resonance and importance have long been established. A celebration was in order. Thus in 2019, drummer Karl Wilcox devised an idea and pitched it to Adam Parsons (Siren Management): to re-record the whole album with the band’s current lineup and bring the songs into the twenty-first century. The result — Lightning To The Nations 2020 — is quite simply, a scintillating shot of fresh metal vigor, with DIAMOND HEAD utilizing all their skill, experience, and revitalized energy and breathing so much new life into these freshly recorded takes, it feels like experiencing the earth shaking all over again. Lightning To The Nations 2020 is set for release via Silver Lining Music on November 27th.
“Am I Evil?” is the second single to be released from the album. Founding member Brian Tatler reminisces: “‘Am I Evil?’ is one of the songs that Metallica covered. I got a call from Lars Ulrich on September 20th,1986 to say that Metallica were playing that evening as part of the Master Of Puppets tour, at the Birmingham Odeon which was the best venue in the Midlands to see bands. Lars invited me along, so I caught the number nine bus, picked up my backstage pass, and was shown into Metallica’s dressing room. I was then introduced to James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett, and Cliff Burton. Lars suggested that I get up and play ‘Am I Evil?’ on stage with them in the encore. I, of course, agreed and, after watching their amazing set for an hour, I went backstage again where the guitar techs strapped James’ white Flying V onto me. Then Lars ran to the center-vocal mic and introduced me as, ‘the guy who wrote this next song!’ The five of us played ‘Am I Evil?’ up to the fast section then Metallica went into ‘Damage, Inc.’ and I scarpered off stage. It was a brilliant experience!”
Tatler continues, “It’s been a really great experience to revisit and re-record ‘Am I Evil?’ and theLightning To The Nations album for 2020. It’s also about time that DIAMOND HEAD‘s biggest song finally has a video. Thank you to Andy Pilkington [Very Metal Art] for this mini epic.”
View DIAMOND HEAD’s “Am I Evil?” video at THIS LOCATION.
View recently released first single“It’s Electric” HERE.
Lightning To The Nations 2020 will be released via Silver Lining Music in CD digipak, double gatefold vinyl, and digital formats as well as special D2C bundles. For preorders, go to THIS LOCATION.
Recorded over several sessions between various locations from France to band member home studios, Lightning To The Nations 2020‘s central hub was vocalist and producer Rasmus Bom Andersen’s Raw Sound Studios in London. It’s where Tatler and Andrew “Abbz” Abberley did the guitars in February and March of this year. With the COVID-19 chaos striking, Andersen worked on the album between April and July, with Tatler’s watchful ear inspecting final mixes and tweaks in early August before sending off to mastering at Metropolis Studios. It is, however, fair to say that the crunch, scream, and crackle of the production is yet another feather in Andersen’s producer hat.
“How I hear music when I produce is that I look for a certain density and weight, because that’s what I want;” says Andersen. “I want it to be like a brick house that literally lands on your face when you listen to it. And there are techniques and methods to do that. To me, that’s a lot of layers. It’s about emphasizing certain parts and making a dynamic shift. In 1980 you had very different recording capabilities.”
Lightning To The Nations 2020 will unite fans worldwide with a genuine genesis point for modern heavy metal music, and DIAMOND HEAD is delighted to have the chance to celebrate in such a powerful, potent, and present way. As if these carefully shaped recordings weren’t enough, there are four supreme cover versions rounding out the release. This edition sees DIAMOND HEAD spreading their wings and creating the heaviest of homages to Led Zeppelin, Judas Priest, Deep Purple, and… Metallica. With DIAMOND HEAD having featured so heavily in Metallica’s early career, the cover of “No Remorse” seems especially appropriate.
Lightning To The Nations 2020 Track Listing: 1. Lightning To The Nations 2. The Prince 3. Sucking My Love 4. Am I Evil? 5. Sweet And Innocent 6. It’s Electric 7. Helpless 8. No Remorse 9. Immigrant Song 10. Sinner 11. Rat Bat Blue
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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
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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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