The legendary Polish blackened death metal band Behemoth have just announced that their new album, the follow up to ‘I Loved You At Your Darkest’ will be entitled ‘Opvs Contra Natvram’. Here’s what their front-man Nergal had to say about it:
“The album title means ‘going against the current’. It’s the negative of the values and morals and ethics that I, Nergal, stand against. I’ve seriously been wrestling with destructive tendencies in pop culture – cancel culture, social media, and tools which I feel are very dangerous weapons in the hands of people who are not competent to judge others. That’s something which I find very destructive and disturbing – and extremely limiting coming from an artists’ perspective.
This album is my middle finger to that.“
Here’s the cover art and track-listing:
Post-God Nirvana
Malaria Vvlgata 3.The Deathless Sun
Ov My Herculean Exile
Neo-Spartacvs
Disinheritance
Off To War!
Once Upon A Pale Horse
Thy Becoming Eternal
Versvs Christvs
‘Opvs Contra Natvram’ will be out in digital and a variety of physical versions on 16th September 2022 via Nuclear Blast Records. Those who opt for the physical formats will have a choice of a white or black covers for the limited vinyls and the CD digibooks.
For now you can check out their video for the new single ‘Ov My Herculean Exile’:
The Behemoth frontman Nergal has recently formed a new side-project with rock musician John Porter. The project is called Me And That Man and it is completely different from Nergal’s main band.
There are no metal elements, instead Me And That Man is more akin to the works of Johnny Cash and Nick Cave. Dark folk is the best description that I can think of.
The duo are currently working on their debut album ‘Songs of Love and Death’, which is scheduled to hit the shops on 24th March 2017 via Cooking Vinyl.
In the meantime you can check out their first video here:
The Northern Irish rock band The Answer have recently release a new video for their latest single ‘Solas’. ‘Solas’ is the title track of their new album which is scheduled to hit the shops on 28th October 2016 via Napalm Records.
Here is the cover art:
The new album is inspired by the band’s Celtic background and sees them incorporating elements of Irish instrumentation, vocal style and Gaelic chanting into their music.
You can check out the new video here:
The Answer have also announced that they will be touring The U.K. next month with The Dead Daisies. So if you would like to hear some Irish rock n’rock then you can catch them live on the following dates:
NOVEMBER TOUR 2016 Sat 12th – The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen Sun 13th – The Classic Grand, Glasgow Mon 14th – Corporation, Sheffield Tues 15th – Riverside, Newcastle Upon Tyne Wed 16th – Picturedrome, Holmfirth Fri 18th – Diamond Live Lounge, Doncaster Sat 19th – Academy 2, Birmingham Sun 20th – Concorde 2, Brighton Tue 22nd – Waterfront, Norwich Wed 23rd – Electric Ballroom, London
It’s been a busy year for the London based British metal band Exist Immortal. They have just announced that their second album ‘Breathe’ will be released on 28th October 2016.
In addition to this they have just released a video for ‘Follow Alone’- the first single from the new album . Here is the video:
Exist Immortal have just finished their tour of The U.K. but European fans can still catch them live at Euroblast Festival in Cologne, Germany on 2nd October 2016.
Drawing its lyrical content from the horrific attack of school children on Utoya island, Norway, in 2011, this is the first glimpse we have of what will be Beholder’s third album, to be titled Reflections. Although musically un-mastered as of yet, it gives an indication of what seems to have been going on behind the scenes at the camp of Simon Hall and co; the familiar sound of The Order Of Chaos taken to a new extreme.
It’s certainly a statement of intent to make the introduction to this next release something which covers well known, yet lesser discussed events, which shook the public to the core, but got somewhat pushed aside by mainstream mass media in favour of other agendas. It would appear the plan is to go against the grain, and hard. So, who better to pull together a fitting visual representation than Very Metal Art, who have been providing fantastic, professional quality lyric videos for underground bands for a while now.
This has got the feathers all a-flutter in anticipation and excitement, and if the rest of the album matches this first peek, there are going to be Beholder shaped chunks knocked out of the musical landscape all over this year. For the time being, however, we’ll have to make do with this rather haunting and heavy offering. First week of 2016; well played!
The American hard rock artist and film maker Rob Zombie has recently announced that his new album, the long awaited follow-up to Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor’ will be entitled ‘The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser’.
Yesterday, Sonic Syndicate launched a new video for “Diabolical Work Of Art”, a song that, and quoting the band:
“People pretend to be something they’re not. That’s what makes the world go ’round. I’m willing to bet every single person that reads this has had a person come into their lives who was either drop-dead beautiful, someone they looked up to, or someone that promised the world. Only to be revealed as an ugly deceiving cunt. The lyrics tackle this head-on. I know who I’m talking about, but to you it could be a relationship, a job, a best friend or whatever. The point being, I would rather people just wore their real skin rather than hiding behind a mask. However, with the video we wanted to show this in an abstract way. I’ve seen too many videos with cheesy effects and violence. We wanted to show pristine, sheer beauty. How immaculate on the outside doesn’t mean pure on the inside. How society and people, however well hidden, have a darkness inside that sooner or later finds its way out.”
It also served to introduce Michel “Miche” Bäzén (bass player at Degradead) as a permanent member of the band. Miche has been on tour with Sonic Syndicate for over a year now, replacing founding member Karin Axelsson, so most fans already saw him as a SoSy member and this doesn’t come as a big surprise (hence the “official” on the title of this article). Karin explains and asks of the fans the following:
“Dear friends,
As most of you know by now I haven’t been touring with my boys in SONIC for a while. SONIC SYNDICATE has been my family and my life for many years and I’ve met so many great people and experienced things I never thought I would. I’ve had the time of my life, so many of my dreams have come true in so many ways but sometimes you have to make hard choices in life and it’s time for me to move on because I am in a place where I need to focus on my family and private life, I hope you understand my decision. I would like to thank all you guys who came out to our shows, for your endless love and support, it has meant so much to me and the guys that we could never express in words how we feel. Before I officially go and start my new life I’d like to ask you one more thing. Please take care of the boys, my brothers, because I love them with all of my heart and although we’ll keep contact and see each other from time to time I will truly miss them and the music we’ve made together. So, with everything above said and done, I would like to officially introduce Michel to the SONIC SYNDICATE family. What I ask from you guys is to please open your hearts for this great guy who’s an awesome bass player and give him a warm welcome.
With all my love” – Karin”
Here’s the first promotional photo of the new line-up, taken by Daniel Djuric:
In anticipation to their third full-length “Antebellum”, Portuguese metalcore act Hills Have Eyes have just released a video for the song “The Bringer Of Rain”. The track is already known to some of the fans, as the band’s been playing it live for some time now, and it’s now available for purchase on iTunes (click here).
Regarding the upcoming album, which was financed by a crowdfunding campaign, HHE say:
“A brand new chapter is coming for Hills Have Eyes.
After a couple of years, we’re back with a new record that will be released in September. A record without the support of any radio or media, in a country where our music style is often ignored & forgotten – even if several times these bands have a lot more followers than the hipster bands that are cool to support and to be related with. But no worries, ’cause we got the most important support of all: YOU that listen to our music; YOU that come to our shows; YOU that buy our merch and YOU that keep pushing us forward. On the 26th July the first single for ‘Antebellum’, ‘The Bringer of Rain’, will be online and it’s all because of you. THANK YOU.”
Finnish atmospheric metallers The Man-Eating Tree have released a lyric video for a song called ‘Plaguewielder’. Check it out here:
The track is taken from their new album ‘In The Abscence of Light’ which is out now on Ranka Kustannus records. Want to hear more? Well, here is a short album teaser:
In promotion of the reissue (or deluxe edition, if you prefer) of “Restoring Force”, now “Restoring Force: Full Circle”, Of Mice & Men will embark on an European headlining tour in March:
March 11 – Machine Moulin Rouge/Paris, FR March 12 – Live Music Hall/Cologne, DE March 13 – Melkweg/Amsterdam, NL March 14 – Gruenspan/Hamburg, DE March 16 – Tyrol/Stockholme, SE March 17 – Tradgarn/Gothenburg, SE March 19 – C Club/Berlin, DE March 20 – Backstage Halle/Munich, DE March 21 – Kofmehl/Solothurn, CH March 23 – Substage/Karlsruhe, DE March 24 – AB/Brussels, BE March 26 – O2 Guildhall/Southampton, UK March 27 – O2 Academy/Bristol, UK March 28 – O2 Brixton Academy/London, UK March 30 – Barrowlands/Glasgow, UK March 31 – O2 Academy/Newcastle, UK April 2 – Rock City/Nottingham, UK April 3 – O2 Academy/Birmingham, UK April 4 – Academy/Manchester, UK
The 2015 version of the album will hit the stores next Monday (23rd February) and includes three new songs and an acoustic version of “Feels Like Forever”, the full tracklist as follows:
01. Public Service Announcement
02. Feels Like Forever
03. Bones Exposed
04. Would You Still Be There
05. Glass Hearts
06. Another You
07. Break Free
08. You Make Me Sick
09. Identity Disorder
10. You’re Not Alone
11. Space Enough to Grow 12. Broken Generation 13. Something To Hide 14. Never Giving Up 15. Feels Like Forever(Acoustic Version)
Under the direction of Max Moore, the Orange County band has also filmed a video for one of the new songs, “Broken Generation”:
Californian thrashers Hirax will hit Europe next month, still promoting the latest album “Immortal Legacy”, which has been released one year ago:
13.03. UK-Gwynedd – Hammerfest Festival 14.03. UK-Glasgow – Ivory Blacks 15.03. UK-Birmingham – Asylum 2 16.03. UK-Manchester – Sound Control 17.03. UK-Winchester – Railway Inn 18.03. UK-London – Black Heart Camden 19.03. B-Deinze – Elpee 20.03. NL-Tilburg – Little Devil 21.03. NL-Katwijk – Scum 24.03. E-Zaragoza – Sala Utopia 26.03. E-Madrid – Sala Lemon 27.03. E-Palencia – At Mosh Phera Zero 28.03. E-Granada – La Petite 30.03. F-Toulouse – Les Pavillions Sauvages 03.04. I-Milan – Blue Rose Saloon 04.04. SVK-Bratislava – Randal Club 05.04. D-Hamburg – Bambi Galore
09.07. CZ-Trutnov – Obscene Extreme Festival 10.07. PL-Zori – Ozi Pub 11.07. PL-Gdynia – Atlantic Club 12.07. PL-Szczecin – Slowianin Club 13.07. PL-Warsaw – Progressja 14.07. D-Berlin – SO36 16.07. SVK-Kosice – Colliseum Club 17.07. CZ-Pohori – Agressive Fest 18.07. D-Balingen – Bang Your Head Festival 19.07. D-Egelsee – Schwarzer Adler 20.07. CH-Olton – Coq d`Or 21.07. SLO-Tolmin – Metal Days Festival 22.07. A-Dornbirn – Conrad Sohm 23.07. D-Kassel – K19 24.07. D-Brande/Hörnerkirchen – Headbangers Open Air 25.07. NL-Steenwijk – Stonehenge Festival 26.07. B-Ostend – JH Ohk
The band has recently filmed a new video for the track “Hellion Rising”, for which singer Katon W. De Pena said the following: “The new HIRAX video ‘Hellion Rising’ is a visual thrash metal experience. We filmed on location in the historic Battery Bunkers built in 1942 hidden in the hills of San Pedro, California. This is our second video directed and produced by Donovan Vim Crony. The scenery is the perfect backdrop for HIRAX‘s brand of intense thrash metal. No green scenes, fake production or props were used in the making of this high definition video / film. The release will coincide with the announcement of our upcoming European tour / concert dates 2015. We are very excited to hit the road again and play our music for all the die hard, European, thrash metal maniacs!”
Apocalyptica have released a lyric video for the second song from the upcoming album ‘Shadowmaker’. The track is entitled ‘Cold Blood’ and features Franky Perez on vocals. Check it out here:
The tracklist for the new album will be as follows:
1. “I-III-V-Seed of Chaos”
2. “Cold Blood”
3. “Shadowmaker”
4. “Slowburn”
5. “Reign of Fear” (bonus track)
6. “Hole in My Soul”
7. “House of Chains”
8. “Riot Lights”
9. “Come Back Down” (bonus track)
10. “Sea Song (You Waded Out)”
11. “Till Death Do Us Part”
12. “Dead Man’s Eyes”
‘Shadowmaker’ will be out April 21st 2015 through the band’s label with Eleven Seven Music imprint, Better Noise.
Progressive post-rockers Code will release their 4th album on the 27th February in Europe and 10th March in North America, via Agonia Records. Recorded in the Brighton Electric Studios with producer Paul ‘Win’ Winstanley, the follow-up to “Augur Nox” is called “Mut” and presents itself with the following artwork and tracklist:
1. on blinding larks 2. undertone 3. dialogue 4. affliction 5. contours 6. inland sea 7. cocoon 8. numb, an author 9. the bloom in the blast
“The new album really sees us free ourselves from any self imposed restriction for the first time and for us is the most honest and rewarding album we have released. Although this isn’t a metal album by any stretch of the imagination, it is the most confrontational move we could have made and we hope that it’s honesty and freshness will appeal to those who like sounds out of the norm”, says the band.
They have recently released a video for “Affliction”, which they claim to be “the most foreboding track on the album”:
Evylyde, the latest wonder in female-fronted bands from London, will release their self-titled debut album on Monday, 19th January. For this whole week that precedes it, the band has made the whole album available for free streaming on their Soundcloud account:
The first video off this album, “Chastity”, was posted yesterday on YouTube. Using the band’s own words: “Inspired by the world of exotic dancing, the video features a number of sensual dance scenes more akin to a Mötley Crüe video”. Check it out:
Finnish symphonic metallers Apocalyptica have just released a new video for the track ‘Shadowmaker’. Check out here:
The video was made using clips from the silent movies Genuine (1920) by Robert Wiene and Svengali (1931) by Archie Mayo. The song features Franky Perez on vocals and is available now as a digital single via Sony Music Entertainment. ‘Shadowmaker’ is the title track from the upcoming album which will out on April 15th 2015.
In Solitude will embark on a headlining European tour in October, for which they’re much enthusiastic about: » We’re very glad to announce this headlining tour, and we can’t wait to steer and spill death’s lights in Europe again. And in such splendid company. We’re sure this will be something particularly steep and special for all of us! «
Dates are as follows, with 5 dates in the UK and Ireland:
02/10/14 SE – Malmö – Babel 03/10/14 SE – Gothenburg – Truckstop Alaska 04/10/14 SE – Stockholm – Kägelbanan 05/10/14 DK – Copenhagen – Pumpehuset 06/10/14 DE – Hamburg – Hafenklang 07/10/14 PL – Wroclaw – Firlej 08/10/14 DE – Berlin – Cassiopeia 09/10/14 DE – Leipzig- Hellraiser 10/10/14 AT – Wien – Arena 11/10/14 FR – Colmar – Grillen 12/10/14 FR – Marseille – Portrail Coucou 13/10/14 FR – Nantes – Ferralieur 14/10/14 FR – Paris – Glazart 15/10/14 UK – London – Underworld 16/10/14 UK – Glasgow – Underworld 17/10/14 IE – Dublin – Voodoo Lounge 18/10/14 UK – Manchester – Sound Control 19/10/14 UK – Bristol – Exchange 20/10/14 DE – Köln – MTC 21/10/14 DE – München – Feierwerk 22/10/14 AT – Innsbruck – Weekender Club 23/10/14 DE – Trier – Exhaus 24/10/14 DE – Essen – Turock 25/10/14 BE – Antwerpen – Kavka 26/10/14 NL – Arnhem – Willemeen
Beastmilk and Obnoxious Youth will be the supporting acts, so we take the chance to share the former’s latest video, “The Wind Blows Through Their Skulls”:
In support of their new album “Severance” (released in Europe on 13th June via Cruz Del Sur Music), Celtic masters Darkest Era will play the following shows across the UK:
25/09/2014 – Birmingham, Scruffy Murphy’s 26/09/2014 – Manchester, Sound Control 27/09/2014 – Glasgow, Classic Grand 28/09/2014 – Leeds, Library 29/09/2014 – Sheffield, South Sea Live 30/09/2014 – Bristol, Exchange 01/10/2014 – London, The Garage
“We toured the UK twice around the last album and had a great time. We made loads of new friends and we can’t wait to hit some of the same cities and see some familiar faces. We’re really looking forward to seeing how the new stuff goes down live and we’ll be working hard between now and September to make sure each show is completely killer”, says guitarist Ade Mulgrew.
The day before the European release, the Northern-Irish band posted a new video for the track “Beyond The Grey Veil”:
Check out also the lyric video for “Sorrow’s Boundless Realm”:
Buffalo-based hardcore act Every Time I Die will release their 7th studio album on 30th June, via Epitaph Records. The title “From Parts Unknown” was inspired by a term used by wrestlers to increase their mystique but it ended up as a reference to the more hopeful mood in the lyrics. “I didn’t even realize I had that more positive outlook in me”, says singer Keith Buckley. The music itself is different from before, as Buckley admits that it would be “boring and baseless” to keep doing the same thing over and over again. “Instead of making something that the kids can all sing along to, we wanted to make music that scares them”, he adds.
Producer Kurt Ballou challenged the band to create heavy but catchy tracks and the result is “an album of depth from a band that has more than earned their hardcore chops”.
Watch the video for “Thirst”, which is the first half in a short series:
Track list:
01. The Great Secret
02. Pelican Of The Desert
03. Decayin’ With The Boys
04. Overstayer
05. If There Is Room To Move, Things Move
06. Moor
07. Exometrium
08. Thirst
09. Old Light
10. All Structures Are Unstable
11. El Dorado
12. Idiot
Australian “mosh machine” Confession will release their 4th album “Life And Death” on the 18th July, through Lifeforce Records. This is a very personal album for singer Michael Crafter, the lyrical theme dealing with issues that come with births, deaths, illnesses, friendships and love. The first single, “Fuck Cancer”, is a clear proof of that: “The day I went in to record I found out my father has cancer.. My mum already has it too. So I kinda deleted all my lyrics and wrote everything on the spot”, says Crafter. The song is now also available in video format:
“Life And Death” track list:
1. Life
2. Still Breathing
3. Holy War (feat. Ahren Stringer)
4. Hollow
5. Fuck Cancer
6. March 23
7. Old Blood (feat. Adrian Fitipaldes)
8. 51-73 (feat. Joel Birch)
9. Fear (feat. Karl Schubach)
10. The Forgotten
11. Death
Whitechapel‘s fifth studio album “Our Endless War” saw the light of day on April 29th and made a quite successful way to several charts. Here are the numbers:
Billboard Top 200 Chart: #10 Billboard Top Independent Albums Chart: #2 Billboard Hard Music Albums Chart: #1 Billboard Rock Albums Chart: #2 iTunes (Release Day) Top 200 Current Chart: Peaked at #13 iTunes (Release Day) Rock: #1 iTunes (Release Day) Metal: #1 Canadian Top 200: #23 Canadian Hard Music Chart: #4 Canadian Top Digital Album Chart: #21 Canadian iTunes (Release Day) Top 200 Current Chart: #11 Canadian iTunes (Release Day) Rock: #1 Canadian iTunes (Release Day) Metal: #1 German Media Control Charts: #50(First Time on the German Top 100)
“Thank you to everyone who supports us and has supported the release of Our Endless War. Without you, this record would have not been possible. We’ve worked so hard to get where we are and it’s crazy to say that Our Endless War is our 5th studio album. Thank you for paving this road for us and continuing on the journey that lies ahead!“, were the heartfelt words of singer Phil Bozeman, to which guitarist Alex Wade added: “We could not be more excited to announce that Our Endless War has been our most successful charting release of our career. We are unbelievable grateful to our fans who pre-ordered and bought the album first week, without their support we would be nothing. This will be a special album in the Whitechapel catalog, and we cannot wait to see where it will take us in the future!”
Also, after the lyric video for the title-track, Whitechapel have now released a live-footage video for it:
Valkyrian Music 