Archive For
0 Last Rites – We Have The Power – The Top 30 Power Metal (And Power-Related) Albums Of 2021 – #2 Ravenous, #17 Signum Draconis Rockshots Records
0 November 2021 – Rock Hard Italy – Shumaun, Athemon
0 Quebec’s DECEREBRATION’s Brutality Comes Back To Life After 20 Year Absence On New Album “Follow The Scars”; Streaming Single “Infamous Duality”; “Follow The Scars” Due Out Dec 17th, 2021
NEWS RELEASE
Montreal, QC – December 3, 2021
Quebec’s DECEREBRATION’s Brutality Comes Back To Life After 20 Year Absence On New Album “Follow The Scars”
Streaming Single “Infamous Duality”
“Follow The Scars” Due Out Dec 17th, 2021
L to R – Nicolas Cantin – Guitar, Olivier Doyon – Drums, Clean vocals, Fudz Hubert – Vocals, Julien Souque – Guitar, Mathieu Faucher – Bass
Photo Credit – Anne-Frédérique Souque
Quebec City’s Decerebration has been offering up brutally slamming thrashy death metal since first forming in 1993. The band made their recording debut with the 1994 cassette LP “Pure Hatred”, which was soon followed by the 1995 EP “My Inner Impurity” and three years later with 1998’s self-titled full-length. During their 1990s assault on the Quebec death metal scene, they shared the stage with Dying Fetus, Cannibal Corpse, Suffocation, Cynic, Incantation, Malevolent Creation, Kataklysm among many more.
Now after a twenty-year hiatus, Decerebration returns with a new tyranny to punish the eardrums of death metal fans. Entitled “Follow The Scars”, the new album is seven tracks (plus an intro and outro) of ferocious riffs, melodic guitar harmonies, and beastly growls.
“We added clean, catchy choruses and vocals harmonies. We think it will be well received by metal fans, but we know that some purists won’t like the clean vocals. It is what it is. We love playing these songs and hopefully, fans will enjoy.” adds the band.
“Follow The Scars” is meant to show fans that Decerebration is back and that they have taken their sound to the next level. Fans can experience the band’s old school death metal roots and at the same time listen to their evolution as musicians and as a band, which can be heard on the record’s lead single “Infamous Duality”.
“‘Infamous Duality’ is the first song we wrote when we decided to write new music for this album. It is a tribute to our old-school death metal roots. We wanted our first song to sound as if we never stopped writing death metal songs, pick up where we left off. It has heaviness, melody and fast blast beats. All of which represent Decerebration very well. It is a very personal song as it was written during a difficult time for some of us. It is about having to choose between a comfortable, but unhappy life or making a very hard decision to leave it all.”
Listen to “Infamous Duality” at https://youtu.be/zRO_ybQXI2A
Decerebration is also looking forward to getting back to the stage, “Our greatest strength is our live performances, always has been. Our goal is to tear down the venues we play at. Subject the crowd to a relentless onslaught of death metal songs. We deliver fierce energy to the crowd and they give it back to us. Nothing like a circle pit, a mosh pit, seeing people jump up and down in front of you or stage diving.”
Decerebration is recommended for fans of Suffocation, Cannibal Corpse, Death, Dying Fetus, and Sepultura.
Album pre-order is available at https://decerebration.bandcamp.com/album/follow-the-scars
Track Listing:
1. Scorched Memories (1:47)
2. Infamous Duality (4:24)
3. A Ghost of Flesh and Blood (4:20)
4. Follow the Scars (4:34)
5. Break the Cycle (4:45)
6. The Factless Prophecy (4:21)
7. The Gift of Anger (4:48)
8. I Despise (5:36)
9. L.T.E.I (2:29)
Album Length: 37:09
For more info:
Facebook.com/Decerebration
Instagram.com/decerebrationband.official
EPK
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ASHER MEDIA RELATIONS
Jon Asher – Music Publicist
#.514.581.5780
jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
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0 No List Records & Learning Curve Records To Release RHINO BODY LOVER: A Tribute to Shallow North Dakota
NEWS RELEASE
Montreal, QC – December 3, 2021
RHINO BODY LOVER: A Tribute to Shallow North Dakota
Pre-Sale: December 3, 2021 – Release Date: January 14, 2022
Label: No List Records & Learning Curve Records
https://shallownorthdakota.bandcamp.com/album/rhino-body-lover-a-tribute-to-shallow-north-dakota
(all proceeds from this compilation will be going to the Jacome family)
There’s a predictable thing that happens when bands of a similar sound first get together. They talk about other bands. Specifically, what inspired them. What blew their minds. What got them believing that there was a place for a sound like theirs.
You go into those conversations expecting to hear certain names. The big ones. The canon. The touchstones. That’s all well and good. But what really hits home is the moment when you find out that a band that felt like your own private discovery is just as special in someone else’s heart as well. And hold on, that person knows about them, too. And that one …
For many of us in the noise/sludge/heavy music scene, that band is Shallow North Dakota. Despite a relatively slim recorded output through the 90s, capped by a self-released double LP swan song in 2004 that was barely promoted and never toured, this trio left behind a Velvet Underground-sized impression on those who heard them.
Part of that was their monolithic volume, a seismically registering force that dealt cannon blows to anything not welded in place. But more significant was their inversion of the classic power trio format. The axemen—guitarist Dan Dunham and bassist Michael ‘Biff’ Young—neither pounced nor preened. Instead, they faced inward, eyes trained deeply on the fulcrum of the group’s might and character. Drummer and vocalist Tony Jacome. With Jacome acting as the accelerant, the three men spat particles of ionized sound into their own core—a reactor sealed by focus, bearing the brunt of their own nuclear force. Sound bonding and breaking. Over and over.
Near the start of this year, it was announced that Jacome had pancreatic cancer. By the end of September, he was gone. In the months between, many musicians found themselves engaged in that conversation all over again, but this time with an added dimension. The true breadth of Shallow North Dakota’s influence seeped to the surface, rapidly and passionately. Still somewhat secret, but now known. And with all of this knowledge, came a sense of urgency to cement this shared experience.
That’s what Rhino Body Lover: A Tribute to Shallow North Dakota is. This 29-song tribute covers the majority of the band’s catalogue—an honouring of the fact that if the SND catalogue was a touch slim, that was only because it was fat free. Every tune had its advocate—and this advocacy came from far and wide. From Finland’s Throat to Vancouver’s Bison, Montreal’s The Great Sabatini to Minneapolis’ Asbestos Worker and Texas’ Grasshopper Lies Heavy, the assembled bands reflect the expansive respect the band still commands to this day.
As a show of that respect, all proceeds from this compilation will be going to the Jacome family—longtime soulmate Cheryl and their two young children.
Highlights:
– 2 CD set in a DVD package, 6 panel foldout with large format cover art. 29 tracks from 27 artists.
– SIANspheric – This Apparatus Must Be Earthed – Sonic Unyon Original band Bison – ‘Outside Dakota’ featuring Jahmeel Russell (Actors/ KITTENS) on Bass The Grasshopper Lies Heavy– ‘Odd’ – with TUNIC vocalist David Schellenberg THROAT – ‘cuz’ – Finnish noise rock
– Bleeding Out – War Wagon – Profound Lore Records
Track Listing by Artists:
adolyne – The Lubber
Anthesis – Perna Du Pau
Asbestos Worker – Skid Incinerator
Asbestos Worker – I’m The Boss/You’re The Boss
Bedtimemagic – Diga
Bison – Outside Dakota
BLEEDING OUT – War Wagon
Cancelled – With My Pitchfork
Cell Press – Target
CELLOS – Moustache Rock
Drug Sauna – Experiment (reprise)
Evil Age – Blown
Fashion Week – Speed King
Fiftywatthead – Cigar Box
Fuck The Facts – Open Minded
Intercourse – Blowhole
Naw – Experiment
Not Of – Untitled
Ogimaa – Six Foot Foam Skull
Power Takeoff – Replace the Herzog
Quiet Earth – Waking the Herd
Sianispheric – This Apparatus Must Be Earthed
Swarm of Spheres – Old Type Rider
Swine – Auto Body Crusher
The Grasshopper Lies Heavy – Odd
The Great Sabatini – The Deadman Has a Memo
The Swine – Salvo (instrumental)
Them Teeth – Greenhorn
Throat – Cuz
Work Party – Backbone
WORSE – The Milkman
For more info:
Lee Repko – No List Records – leerepko[@]gmail[.]com
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ASHER MEDIA RELATIONS
Jon Asher – Music Publicist
#.514.581.5780
jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
Facebook @AsherMediaRelations
Instagram @AsherMedia
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0 Rockshots Records – BERIEDIR Next Single “Stormbound” ft. Ivan Giannini (Vision Divine) Off Upcoming Album “AQVA” Out Jan 21st
NEWS RELEASE
Montreal, QC – December 3, 2021
Rockshots Records – BERIEDIR Next Single “Stormbound” ft. Ivan Giannini (Vision Divine) Off Upcoming Album “AQVA”
“AQVA” Out January 21, 2022
Rockshots Records will be releasing Beriedir‘s second full-length “AQVA” on January 21, 2022. The album features ten tracks of progressive, power, and melodic death metal that were mixed and mastered by Simone Mularoni (Domination Studio).
“AQVA”, despite not being a real concept album with a story articulating itself throughout the tracks, touches its various topics through the many forms in which water manifests, be it a river, a storm or tears. The album deals with rather introspective matters, trying to give a new perspective on situations that Biriedir thinks their listeners will find relatable and hoping that they will maybe take shelter in their audio experience, using them as their own voice when only music can speak for us.
“We think AQVA will positively surprise our older fans and lead new ones, this record is much more diverse and has definitely matured in songwriting. The main goal of AQVA as a whole is to figuratively “submerge” the listener with a spectrum of themes, both musical and lyrical, related to water and its shapes. Water is the element of flow, it’s the substance that conceals, preserves, and washes all away. The lulling nature of a silent shore or a rapping rain is juxtaposed to the fearsome imagery of the undertow, riptides, and tidal waves. We tried to convey these atavistic sensations differently from track to track. The singles were chosen to showcase the variety of approaches to this theme.” adds band founder Stefano Nüsperli.
In preview to the full-length, Beriedir is sharing their second single “Stormbound” ft. Ivan Giannini (Vision Divine). Undoubtedly the most epic-oriented track of the album, its lyrics are based around the legend of the Sarneghera, a local story of Lake Iseo about the origin of the tremendous storm carrying that name. As the story goes, a noble lady is saved from drowning by an angler and the two fall in love, but her father, not allowing their relationship, gets the angler thrown in the lake. The daughter jumps in the water after him, and it’s said that the storm is caused by the souls of the two lovers searching for each other at the bottom of the lake.
Lyric Video – https://youtu.be/MNy9uxdtGVc
Digital – https://bfan.link/stormbound
First single – “Departure Song” at the following links:
Visualizer: https://youtu.be/kN8ks9165Qo
Digital stream and download: https://bfan.link/departure-song
Beriedir (from the Sindarin word for “Guardians”) is a progressive melancholic power metal act based in Bergamo, Italy. The five-member band was founded by Stefano Nüsperli and began its live career in 2015 with the release of “The Line”, their first demo. Their first full-length album “The Path Beyond the Moon” was unveiled in 2018, which launched them to perform on multiple musical events such as Fosch Fest (Italy) along with sharing the stage with bands such as Korpiklaani and Pathfinder. After the 2020 release of the EP “Lullabies Beyond the Moon”, which contained three tracks from their debut album rearranged in an acoustic key, they are now ready to launch their new album “AQVA” in 2022.
Recommended for fans of Vision Divine, Dream Theater, Dark Tranquillity, Pain of Salvation and Katatonia, “AQVA” is due out on January 21, 2022 and is available for pre-order at the following link: https://bit.ly/AQVA_DIGICD
Track Listing:
1. At Candle Light (4:38)
2. Departure Song (6:05)
3. The Dove and the Serpent (6:46)
4. The Angel in the Lighthouse (6:10)
5. The Drowned (5:33)
6. Stormbound (4:19)
7. Arkangelos (6:58)
8. Of Dew and Frost (4:57)
9. Rain (6:46)
10. Moonlight Requiem (5:12)
Album Length: 57:29
Album Credits:
All music by Beriedir
Artwork by Ludovico Cioffi
Recorded by Stefano Nüsperli
Mixed and mastered by Simone Mularoni at Domination Studio
Lyrics by Stefano Nüsperli
For more info:
Rockshots.eu
Facebook.com/BeriedirOfficial
Instagram.com/beriedirofficial
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ASHER MEDIA RELATIONS
Jon Asher – Music Publicist
#.514.581.5780
jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
Facebook @AsherMediaRelations
Instagram @AsherMedia
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0 EPK – Circa Arcana – Bridget Viginti (2022)
EPK – Circa Arcana – Bridget Viginti (2022)
Publicist – Jon Asher – jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
“Musically the EP takes you through a journey. We decided to start it off with 10 of Swords, which we felt was a great opener of a song for our listeners. It gives off the best impression of the sound that is Circa Arcana. As the listener goes through the record you can hear all the nuances that you heard in the opening song.” As a whole, musically I can say the record is a fast-paced rollercoaster to the face kind of experience. We are really excited for everyone to hear it!
This EP also touches on a lot of deep concepts. I have always been a believer that a song should be interpreted by the listener and in one’s personal interpretation one can find their meaning to the song. We do touch on dark themes some personal stuff and some dark conceptual stuff. But honestly, if you want to figure out meanings to the songs, you’re gonna have to dig a little deeper to figure those out! We incorporate a lot of symbolism on our social accounts, our videos, photos, etc. All I can say is if you enjoyed “ESOTERIC” and “THE TOWER” then you are definitely going to enjoy this EP!” – Johny Serna – Guitar
For fans of Underoath, Blessthefall, Wage War, Like Moths To Flames, We Came As Romans
EP Title: Bridget Viginti
Release Date: February 18, 2022
Label: Self-Release
Distribution: Distrokid
Facebook.com/circa.arcana | Instagram.com/circa.arcana | YouTube
Spotify | Apple Music | Amazon
“Do you like melodic metalcore? If you do, there’s a good chance you’ll enjoy what Texas metalcore band Circa Arcana are doing with their newest single, “Esoteric”. Formed last year during the COVID-19 pandemic, you might not think it a good time for a new band to form, but art often flourishes during the darkest times. It’s no different for Circa Arcana – the band is currently finishing their first EP entitled Bridget Viginti, slated for later release in 2022. A decent comparison might be mid-period Killswitch Engage, It Dies Today, or even the underrated Diecast album Internal Revolution, as the band’s combination of bright melodies and aggression will fit right at home to fans of that style.” – New Fury Media
“Circa Arcana may have gotten started last year, but some of the members have been around in the El Paso for a WHILE. Their sound has compared to It Dies Today, I See Stars, Blessthefall & Howard Jones-era Killswitch Engage.” – Daniel Paulus – KLAQ 95.5 FM – El Paso, TX
“Right off the bat, this EP swept me up in a wave of nostalgic feelings with its mixture of heavy guitar riffs, melodic choruses, crushing vocals, and the occasional somber and more emotional moments. The tracks on this EP showcase everything that got me into this style of music back in early high school. Circa Arcana’s forthcoming EP, Bridget Viginti, brings with it something for every fan to enjoy, whether it be the heavier aspects or the more melodic moments. There is a nice line drawn in the sand between the more technical moments and those that pull on the emotions of the listener.” – Metal Epidemic
“a nice melding of the emo and hardcore styles. The 5 song EP shows Circa Arcana performing at the top of their abilities. Bridget Viginti is a nice showcase of some hardcore influenced tracks that are given an injection of melody… There are sing-along moments to be found here and they blend in nicely. There is catchiness and it leads to memorability.” – Heavy Music Headquarters
“A short and sweet explosion of American Metalcore, ranging from personal struggles with addiction and personal demons to stories of occult legends and disassociated dreams.” – The Headbanging Moose
“Drawing very much on the spirit of metalcore pioneers such as Killswitch and 36 Crazyfists, while also strongly referencing latter day proponents such as BMTH and We Came As Romans, Circa Arcana could well prove to be one of those bands that make you re-evaluate your assessment of what you believed to be a dying sub-genre by bringing a whole new level of excitement and re-invigoration to it. Fuck, they even throw anthemic power punk into the eclectic recipe, with obtuse sidebar of ‘Luna’.” – Uber Rock
[Download EP Cover | Download EP Lyrics]
EP Title: Bridget Viginti
Release Date: February 18, 2022
Label: Self-Release
Distribution: Distrokid
Track Listing:
1. Ten of Swords (5:42)
2. The Tower (4:31)
3. The Chariot (3:00)
4. Luna (4:28)
5. Esoteric (4:40)
EP Length: 22:19
EP Recording Credits:
• All songs performed by: CIRCA ARCANA
• All songs written by: CIRCA ARCANA
• Produced by: CIRCA ARCANA / JTS STUDIO PRODUCTIONS
• Mixed by: CHRIS HARD / RESARTUS PRODUCTIONS
• Mastered by: CHRIS HARD / RESARTUS PRODUCTIONS
• EP by: Kavan the Kid
EP Recording & Live Band Line Up:
Kevin Cangas – Vocals
Johny Serna – Guitar
Felipe Jasso – Guitar
Frank Loya – Drums
Ben Reyes – Bass
==========================================
The EP as a whole explained by the band.
[Johny] – “Musically the album takes you through a journey. We decided to start it off with 10 of Swords which we felt was a great opener of a song for our listeners. It gives off the best impression of the sound that is Circa Arcana. As the listener goes through the record you can hear all the nuances that you heard in the opening song.” As a whole musically I can say the record is a fast-paced, Rollercoaster to the face album. We are really excited for everyone to hear it!”
Track by Track explained by the band.
[Johny] – “10 of Swords is the opening track to the record. It really shows the diversity of the sound to Circa Arcana. The song ties in clean ambient hooks with a melodic chorus, a plethora of synth and string production, and finishes with a death punch of a breakdown. This song really shows off the multitude of influences based within our music and captures a little of everything for the listener to enjoy!”
[Johny] – “The Chariot. This song is our reckless powerhouse on the album. 3 minutes of non-stop in-your-face aggression. When we wrote this song we wanted it to be a call to action, make you get up on your feet type of song. It incorporates groove-ish moving riffs, a killer breakdown, and even a Viking chant. Definitely, one of our favorites to perform live!”
[Johny] – “The Tower. This is our “arena metal” song as well as our second single. If you listen to the lyrics carefully it’s one hell of a story. The song started off with the opening lead. Originally all I had written was probably the first 30 seconds to the track and after I showed the rest of the guys we quickly figured out a pattern for it and knocked it out. Frankie actually came up with that breakdown for it, still one of my favorites. The entire song is a headbanger from start to finish. Personally, my favorite thing about this song is when we play it live people can easily catch on to the chorus and sing along.”
[Johny] – “Luna. Luna was actually originally written by Frank. Frank is a badass songwriter and one day when we were just kicking it after rehearsal he showed it to me. If I remember correctly it was a song he had written over a year or two ago and had recently found the file on his laptop. I loved the idea immediately and we decided to re-write it from scratch. It’s the lightest song on the record, hardly any screams but a beautiful song!”
[Johny] – “Esoteric. Esoteric was the first single we released as a band. We started writing the song off of the chorus riff. That riff was something I had written about 4 years ago when I played with Frank in another local band but we never did anything with it. When we first formed Circa and were trying to start writing some songs he remembered that riff. I had to find an old phone recording to remember what he was talking about. We built the song up pretty quickly from there. It’s definitely an eerie song, lyrically touching on the topic of addiction and overcoming it.”
Texas 5-piece metalcore act Circa Arcana from El Paso Texas bring forth a mixture of melodic ferocious vocals, bouncy breakdowns, and hard-hitting riffs. Founded by Johny Serna (guitar), Frankie Loya (drums), Felipe Jasso (guitar), Ben Reyes (bass), and Kevin Cangas (vocals) the 5-piece released their first single “Esoteric” on January 2021. Touching on the struggles of overcoming one’s personal demons, “Esoteric” led the way to the band’s second single which enfolded a darker theme within the band. “The Tower” released in June of 2021 bridges the gap between sanity and madness. The band encompasses a blend of modern metal concepts with a nostalgic yet new approach. Circa Arcana dive into the realms of Metalcore, Post-Hardcore, and Emocore genres. The band finished recording their first EP titled “Bridget Vīgintī” and has set its release for February 18th, 2022. The title derives from the name of the first “witch” burned in Salem, Massachusetts, and the symbolic number “20”, for the 20 witches burned during the Salem Witch Trials.
EP Recording & Live Band Line Up:
Kevin Cangas – Vocals
Johny Serna – Guitar
Felipe Jasso – Guitar
Frank Loya – Drums
Ben Reyes – Bass
Discography:
2022 – Bridget Vīginti (EP)
2021(June) – The Tower (single)
2021 (January) – Esoteric (single)
Shared Stage with:
The Crowned, Semper Acerbus, Pyrotechnica, A Liar Like You, Darken the Day, Fatherwolf, Iperion, Anathemia
0 The Design Abstract Align Sci-Fi Elements w/ Melodic Death Metal In Music Video “Aberration Omega”; Video Premiere via NewFuryMedia; Out Now! New Album “Metemtechnosis” via Abstrakted Records
NEWS RELEASE
Montreal, QC – December 2, 2021
The Design Abstract Align Sci-Fi Elements w/ Melodic Death Metal In Music Video “Aberration Omega”
Video Premiere via NewFuryMedia
Out Now! New Album “Metemtechnosis” via Abstrakted Records
L-R – Matt Ngo (Guitar) | Voiicide (Vocals, Bass, Synth) | Logan Mayhem (Guitar, Synth)
Photo Credit: Tami Martin
Canada’s The Design Abstract has released a new music video for “Aberration Omega” off the newly released “Metemtechnosis”. For those who haven’t heard the band previously, it’s tough to explain the sound, past the succinct description of “science fiction based symphonic melodic death metal”. Standing alone among their contemporaries with a very distinct and unique sound, Voiicide (vocals/bass/programming) who originally started the band as a solo project, shares his thoughts on the track:
“I can’t describe this track without using the term “absolute banger” so we’ll just get that out of the way now. “Aberration Omega” is a display of everything the band is capable of in a neat 3.5-minute capsule. Epic orchestra, electro-industrial elements, soaring clean vocals, brutal lows, and of course truly impressive guitar work, all set to express the anthemic sound of rebellion. It tells of the formation of the rebel group that forms to rise up against the tyrannical reign of their oppressors.”
According to Voiicide, this album is a big improvement from the last, “Technotheism”, the first in the trilogy of albums. On this album, they took a gamble with the mixing and brought the guitar into the forefront and buried some of the scorings. Thus, in a way, this album more deeply explores the sound of TDA as a guitar-based compositional entity, instead of being so reliant on orchestral and electronic elements. Lyrical themes throughout the band’s discography take inspiration from Dan Simmon’s Hyperion Cantos, Cixin Liu’s Three-Body Problem trilogy, as well as classics like Gibson’s Neuromancer, and of course The Matrix.
Like the rest of The Design Abstract’s songs, “Aberration Omega” is layers of cinematic scoring, heavy riffs and a wide array of vocals from harsh gutturals to soaring cleans. The sci-fi laden symphonic melodeath is recommended for fans of SepticFlesh, Divine Disorder and Scar Symmetry.
The video for “Aberration Omega” can be viewed via its premiere on NewFuryMedia HERE.
All songs on “Metemtechnosis” were written and performed by Voiicide (vocals/bass/programming), Logan Mayhem (guitars/modular synthesis), and Matt Ngo (guitars). It was produced, mixed, and mastered by Voiicide at Abstrakted Records and the album artwork was done by Yuta Shimpo.
“Metemtechnosis” is available via Abstrakted Records on Design.bandcamp.com, Spotify, Apple Music.
Lyric Video – Born of Machines – https://youtu.be/1LgkZKwNFT4
Track Listing:
1. Digital Dawn (8:03)
2. Born of Machines (4:35)
3. The Hybrid Awakening (7:07)
4. Organic Data Fusion (5:45)
5. Metropolis II (4:42)
6. Aberration Omega (3:33)
7. Upheaval (Instrumental) (2:00)
8. Sentinels (3:10)
9. Decryptor (6:32)
Album Length: 45:31
Album Band Line Up:
Voiicide – Vocals, Bass, Scoring/Sampling/Programming
Logan Mayhem – Guitars, Modular synthesis
Matt Ngo – Guitars
For more info:
Facebook.com/thedesignabstract
Instagram.com/thedesignabstract
EPK
About:
The Design Abstract is a 3-piece Symphonic Melodic Death Metal band from Kitchener-Waterloo, ON, Canada. The band focuses heavily on storytelling and worldbuilding with a futuristic and sci-fi narrative to each album they create. The Design Abstract formed in 2011 as a solo project under the name Design, and after many lineup changes, grew into a musical entity that presents a bold, epic, and even monolithic fusion of orchestra, synth, and melodic death metal. Sweeping symphonic passages, harsh industrial elements, highly proficient and memorable guitar work, and brutal guttural vocals mixed with soaring cleans are all blended in many ways to put forth a truly unique and powerful musical experience.
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“Incorporating old school sci-fi visual elements with choppy electronics, catchy guitar parts and perfectly timed kick drums, this track (Parallel Projection) is a synth metal blast!” – Metal Injection
“A symphonic technical death metal masterpiece with an amazing concept to keep you engaged from start to finish \m/” – Heavy New York
“Now for some nerd shit. Technotheism is a concept record about the future that at it’s core is a melodic death metal record, but the band dabbles with electronic elements, technicality, and grand orchestrations throughout. Fans of Last Chance To Reason and really any band Mike Semesky (Ordinance, Raunchy, etc) has been a part of will probably dig this.” – Metal Injection
“This is a grandiose affair, full of musicality, technicality, and narrative. Thirteen tracks of symphonic melodic death metal that tells a cyberpunk story of a group of rebels fighting to regain control of Earth. It ranges from technical guitar work to atmospheric electronic passages, and just about everything in between.” – The Prog Space
“I love hearing something ambitious and genre-bending when a band can follow through on their vision. The Design Abstract is one such band, one that had an idea and put it together almost flawlessly… This album is every bit as diverse, colorful, and epic as I had hoped, and there are jaw-dropping moments galore. I absolutely love this record.” – The Prog Mind
“The Design Abstract goes for a big symphonic style in extreme metal, with a few twists and surprises along the way. Fans of the dystopian and/or futuristic sounds may find the album especially interesting. The Design Abstract is the symphony that remains after the alien zombies have taken over and this is the music that they want the world to hear to remind everyone that the zombies are horrible beings that enjoy tormenting the population with grandiose cacophony. When can the party begin, right?” – Metal Bulletin Zine
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ASHER MEDIA RELATIONS
Jon Asher – Music Publicist
#.514.581.5780
jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
Facebook @AsherMediaRelations
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0 Rockshots Records Signs Symphonic Pirate Metal CRUSADE of BARDS For New Album “Tales of the Seven Seas” Out Feb 2022; Streaming First Single “The Red Charade”
NEWS RELEASE
Montreal, QC – December 2, 2021
Rockshots Records Signs Symphonic Pirate Metal CRUSADE of BARDS For New Album “Tales of the Seven Seas”
Streaming First Single “The Red Charade”
“Tales of the Seven Seas” Out Feb 18, 2022
Rockshots Records announce their signing of symphonic pirate metal act CRUSADE of BARDS for their sophomore album “Tales of The Seven Seas” due out February 18, 2022. The album follows their 2019 debut record “Tales of Bards & Beasts” that was released via Pride & Joy Records.
With an emotional and energetic live-action production for all kinds of audiences from power to folk, from gothic to pagan, the band has been making a name for themselves with touring and festival performances in Germany, Switzerland, France, and their home country of Spain.
Crusade of Bards was formed in 2016 by Paolo Andreotti (keyboards & vocals) and Eleanor Tenebre (vocals) to create music that could mix all their favorite styles and concepts. Initially just a studio project, it soon grew into a full live production that the band describes as witnessing the “Wien-Orchestra directed by Davy Jones”.
“The live-action is definitely one of our biggest assets. Don’t expect the classical symphonic metal act filled with solemnity, blue strobes, and thick smoke. Our piracy side, our Mediterranean background, it all comes out into an energetic, vibrant, and dynamic set. Don’t get me wrong, we are not the typical Hollywoodian stereotyped pirates, and we do get serious when it is necessary…just don’t expect a liturgy.” adds the band.
On this second album, Crusade of Bards has a mix of history-inspired songs and social themes. Paolo Andreotti (keyboards & vocals) is the lyricist and he loves history and geography so the whole concept of the record revolves around the 7 seas, 2 songs for every sea, and each of them about stories that took place or refer to the area washed by them. As you dig deeper into the lyrics, the structure chosen tends to use the same rhetorical figures of romanticism and neo-realism with a strong connection between the sound of a certain word and its meaning. This leads to inner references that may be appreciated by just reading the lyrics, even without the music.
“Tales of the Seven Seas” is the band’s second album inside the “Tales” saga, a broader concept that started with their first album “Tales of Bards & Beasts”. It revolves around the figure of the “Bard” and the different tales, songs, and myths that the storyteller would present to the public of the different towns and villages visited. While the first album “Tales of Bards & Beasts” was more about myths and legends, “Tales of the Seven Seas” is mainly based on true historical events that have happened in each of them. The concept can be also found in the musical aspects where traditional instruments, scales, or sounds coming from the cultures that live or lived on the shores of the seven mentioned seas are blended into the songs to create the perfect environment for the listener.
The band explains further:
“With this album, we want to make a statement, we want the fans to really understand who Crusade of Bards is both musically and visually. We want them to open their minds, join us on our journeys through space and time, discover new stories and understand that we, as human beings, have changed very little. Our sins, our mistakes, our victories, and our feelings are not new or undiscovered. They are just there, floating on the ocean, waiting for us to collect them”.
Today, in preview to the album’s release, Crusade of Bards is sharing their first single “The Red Charade”, an allegoric critique of the imperialism and colonialism that began in the XVII century and slowly evolved in the superiority complex of the Western world towards all other people. The lyrics draw clear parallelism between the modern capitalist corruption and the old aristocratic addiction to privilege at all costs.
The band adds:
“This song was one of the last ones to come up in the pre-production of the album but immediately stuck in our heads and we knew it would become a single. Its baroque-like riff, upbeat tempo, and the pauses almost gave the song a heartbeat of its own. Keyboardist Paolo Andreotti states: “The lyrics were also the more genuine to come up, without much preparation, without the historical research of the others. It felt almost like they were already buried in the song and I was just digging them up”. We all love different cultures and folklore and we think that the globalization that started with colonialism and imperialism has made it harder to appreciate all the different aspects of them. The Red Charade is this travesty that oligarchs disguise as a victory while their hands are full of the blood of innocent people.”
Listen to “The Red Charade” at the following links:
Spotify – https://spoti.fi/3rssXsM
Lyric Video – https://youtu.be/P-VeWDbPy2U
Digital streaming platforms – https://bfan.link/the-red-charade
Crusade of Bards “Tales of The Seven Seas” is due out on February 18, 2022 and is recommended for fans of Epica, Eluveitie, Alestorm.
Album pre-order – https://bit.ly/tales7seasCD
Track Listing:
1. Anuri (1:57)
2. The Northwest Passage (5:53)
3. An Ocean Between Us – Part III – A New World (5:56)
4. Dunkirk Privateers (3:48)
5. Vento Aureo (5:14)
6. Naupaktos (4:56)
7. Manti (interlude) (0:24)
8. The Red Charade (5:28)
9. Hasard (3:06)
10. Samudr Ka Mandir (4:38)
11. Lies & Ashes (5:23)
12. Leap Of Faith (5:16)
13. The White Witch (4:46)
14. As above, so below (outro) (1:28)
Album Length: 58:18
Crusade of Bards are:
Eleanor Tenebre – Vocals
Eduardo Guilló – Vocals
Paolo Andreotti – Keyboards & Vocals
Adrian Carrero – Lead & Rhythm Guitars
Marc Brode – Bass Guitars
Jorge “You” Homobono – Drums
Orchestral Arrangements by Dani G at Estudios Dynamita.
Acoustic Guitars recorded by Pablo Coello at California Studios.
Bagpipes recorded by Andrea Joglar at Estudios Dynamita.
Guest Vocals on Track 2 by Lady Ani.
Guest Vocals on Track 11 by Fabio Lione.
Pre-Production by Victor Saiz at California Studios in Madrid, Spain.
Produced by Dani G & Crusade of Bards.
Recorded at Estudios Dynamita in Viella, Asturies, Spain between September & December 2020.
Arrangements by Dani G & Adrian Carrero.
Engineered by Dani G.
Mixed & Mastered by Dani G at Estudios Dynamita between March & May 2021.
Front cover art & booklet by Daniel Alonso (www.danielalonso.es)
Photoshoot by Nat Enemede.
Make-Up & Hair by Natalia Barrios.
All music & lyrics by Crusade of Bards.
For more info:
Rockshots.eu
Facebook.com/CrusadeBards
Instagram.com/crusadeofbards_
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ASHER MEDIA RELATIONS
Jon Asher – Music Publicist
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0 EPK – Dead Velvet – Dogs (2022) (single)
EPK – Dead Velvet – Dogs (2022) (single)
Publicist – Jon Asher – jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
“The Dogs is the first song that we decided to share with the world and we chose this one because we find it well represents the general sound and musical aesthetic that we’re going for. It’s a blistering tale of lost love and trying to push past all the pain in a relationship to make it work when, really, it would probably make more sense to just leave. It’s about empty promises and broken dreams, and I think that’s something that many people have been through and a message that almost all of us can connect with on some level.” – Jesse – Vocals
“We can’t wait to show the world what we’ve been cooking. We worked on this track (and many others) for a long time and slowly moulded it into exactly what it was meant to be. We think it represents us very well musically and lyrically and is a great precursor to the music we’re going to be releasing in the future.” – Stretch – Guitar
For fans of Deftones, Stray From The Path, Korn, Limp Bizkit, Emmure
Single Title: The Dogs
Release Date: January 21, 2022
Label: Self-Release
Distribution: Distrokid
Facebook.com/deadvelvetmtl | Instagram.com/deadvelvetmtl | YouTube
Digital Streaming Platforms – https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/deadvelvet1/the-dogs
L-R – Jesse (Vocals), Corey (Bass), Stretch (Guitar), Tylor (Drums)
Based out of Montreal, Quebec, Dead Velvet is a metal band formed in 2021. Striving to serve up their own poetic blend of atmospheric chaos, dirty grooves and emotional turmoil, they are set out to provide provocative, intense, no bullshit performances. Pulling in influences from multiple genres including nu-metal, hardcore, hip-hop and everything in between, they are sure to make you move your feet. Their first single “The Dogs”, recorded with Maxime Lacroix of House Of Gain studios, will be out in early 2022. With a multitude of other bone-crushing tunes in the works, Dead Velvet are making their way to a stage near you.
BAND STORY ANGLES / FUN FACTS:
1. Originally, the band was called Gorilla Finger. I was playing the game Would You Rather on someone’s phone and the question was “Would you rather finger a gorilla or have a gorilla finger you?”, and I found the words “gorilla” and “finger” so phonetically pleasing together. It sounded really funky but after asking several people what they preferred between the two names, we eventually decided to go with Dead Velvet. I didn’t want to let the name Gorilla Finger go but Dead Velvet really grew on me. – Stretch – Guitar
2. In 2016 our drummer Tylor and bassist Corey were starting a band called “ Act On Impulse” and they actually hit me up to be their vocalist, I was definitely interested in the project and wanted to jam with them but I was already in two projects at the time, one being Junkowl in the early stages of its creation and because of my schedule I didn’t have the time. Fast forward 5 years and I saw Dead Velvet forming and saw a couple Instagram stories of them playing and honestly thought to myself “Damn I wish I was a part of this project” and then not long after Tylor sent me a message saying they were looking for a vocalist, they sent me two tracks at like midnight and I was so stoked and inspired by the music that I wrote the lyrics for both of them that night and recorded vocals the next day in my kitchen. We jammed a couple days after that and it’s been nothing but good times ever since. – Jesse – Vocals
3. I came up with my own tuning that we use for all our songs. Different tunings inspire different riffs and I wanted to have a new approach when writing for this band. I also had to figure out a way to make all the weird guitar parts more playable. – Stretch – Guitar
[Download Single Cover | Download Single Lyrics]
Single Title: The Dogs
Release Date: January 21, 2022
Label: Self-Release
Distribution: Distrokid
Track Listing:
1. The Dogs (3:57)
Single Recording Credits:
• All songs performed by: Dead Velvet
• All songs written by: Dead Velvet
• Produced by: Dead Velvet
• Mixed by: Maxime Lacroix
• Mastered by: Maxime Lacroix
• Single Artwork by: Dead Velvet
• Member of SOCAN
• Canadian Content (MAPL)
0 EPK – Messora – Forever as I Beg (single) (2021)
EPK – Messora – Forever as I Beg (single) (2021)
Publicist – Jon Asher – jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
“Forever as I Beg is about being trapped in a self-destructive and self-abusive cycle where your vices control you. The song begins lyrically in the valley of the cycle, where the character is in-between self-destructive bouts and is just dealing with the aftermath of their behavior. As the song progresses the lyrics turn darker and read as if there are two characters, an abuser and a victim, even though there is only the one individual. The music darkens to reflect this. Towards the end of the song the lyrics are entirely from the point of view of the “abuser” as the music reaches its dynamic climax.” – Zach Dean – Messora
For fans of Opeth, Gojira, King Crimson, Porcupine Tree, Rivers of Nihil
Single Title: Forever as I Beg
Release Date: December 17, 2021
Label: Hatred and Lust
Distribution: Hatred and Lust
Facebook | Instagram | Bandcamp | Spotify
Digital Pre-Save – https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/messora/forever-as-i-beg-single
Montreal, Canada’s Messora started as a solo recording project with no clear goal back in 2016 and since then, has evolved into a full-fledged live band that is releasing a new single “Forever as I Beg”, a follow up to the 2019 album “The Door”. Listeners familiar with the album will be pleasantly surprised by this new, very long, single, which goes through the whole “album” kind of arc and progression within the single piece of music. You are meant to get the album experience condensed in a nine-minute progressive death metal song. Zach Dean explains the track further:
“It is about being trapped in a self-destructive and self-abusive cycle where your vices control you. The song begins lyrically in the valley of the cycle, where the character is in-between self-destructive bouts and is just dealing with the aftermath of their behavior. As the song progresses the lyrics turn darker and read as if there are two characters, an abuser and a victim, even though there is only one individual. The music darkens to reflect this. Towards the end of the song the lyrics are entirely from the point of view of the “abuser” as the music reaches its dynamic climax.”
Dean continues to explain that “Forever as I Beg” is the fully matured version of the sound Messora was exploring and developing on “The Door” and now that Messora has taken its “progressive death metal” sound to its peak, the band will be exploring different styles in the future. As a very aesthetically driven band, they put a lot of care into creating a unique aesthetic and atmosphere for their live show. It’s all about cool outfits and red lights.
Dark, experimental, and unpredictable, Messora is recommended for fans of Opeth, Gojira, and King Crimson.
[Download Single Cover | Download Single Lyrics]
Single Title: Forever as I Beg
Release Date: December 17, 2021
Label: Hatred and Lust
Distribution: Hatred and Lust
Forever as I Beg (8:49)
(bonus download track via Bandcamp) Closer (Nine Inch Nails cover) “b side” (3:43)
Recording Credits:
– All songs performed by Messora
– Forever as I Beg written by Zach Dean
– Closer written by Trent Reznor
– Produced by Zach Dean and Jonathan Leduc
– Mixed and Mastered by Jonathan Leduc
– Album Artwork by Maya Charest
– Member of SOCAN
– Forever as I Beg – music is Canadian content
– Messora is Sam Neumann, Ben Bertrand and Zach Dean
==========================================
“Overall, this was indeed a hard album to categorize, genre wise. When the album is at its fiercest, I get a distinct GOJIRA vibe…those hard as ice riffs, sterile vocals, and punishing sound. But when they harmonize and explore some melody, and the two more ambient tracks, it lets me know that they are not afraid to experiment a bit. That is a strong quality to any good band, not afraid to take some risks for the sake of overly formulated music. I think that they are just beginning to hit their stride, and can’t wait to hear their next release.” 8/10 – Metal Temple
“Messora constantly find new directions, evolving their music from one side to the other and back. The fact they can do it flawlessly is a joy [8/10] ” – Metal Noise
“The music is technical, brutal, thoughtful, and emotional; taking the listener on a singular journey to the recesses of your mind… This is music for your ears and soul, so purchase and stream the album at the links below.” – Ghost Cult Mag
“If you are a progressive music fan or a fan of metal in general, you need to give ‘The Door’ a chance. It’s challenging, haunting and complex. I don’t have a single complaint about the album and it’s very hard to believe that this is their first LP. Bands normally chase this perfection for years before achieving it. If they continue on this path there is nothing stopping Messora from joining the greats.” – Diary of a Music Addict
“The Door is a guitarist’s album, as central member and founder Zach Dean performs guitar and vocals, and does so with intense gusto. Influences range from Gojira, Tool, Lamb of God, Psycroptic, and Children of Bodom, which sounds neither interesting nor unique, but Messora makes it work, creating a hella tight sound that incorporates it all into one potent wallop… In the end, Messora offers a ridiculously fun guitar album of ear candy.” – Angry Metal Guy
“The Door is one record you certainly check out if you want nothing but solid tracks all the way through. This record will certainly put Messora on the metal map.” – Metal Utopia
“I am starting to sound like a broken record when I talk about all the bands who have released great debut records this year. Well, add another to the list, because Messora is here with their debut, The Door. Messora have created a melting pot of a debut record with how many styles they try to fit into The Door. Having not heard of this band prior to this, I was pleasantly surprised and satisfied with what I heard, especially considering it started as a solo project and bloomed into something much more, and I am beyond excited to see what they do on future records because they’re only going to get better.” – Metal Utopia
“one dynamic and briliant listening experience.” – Noob Heavy
“The Door, their debut album, is more like a kaleidoscope of metal – a blending of various subgenres in the metal sphere. As you listen closely to each song you embark on a very unconventional and artistic journey that dips you in bits of black metal, thrash, power, doom and death metal. For me to say I loved the entire album is huge…Messora truly an exceptionally talented musicianship that is simply a heavy work of art.” – Boston Rock Radio
“It’s bone splintering stuff, with pulverising segments of speed and also crushing heaviness which put the band in the doom camp at times. Certainly one I would recommend exploring. 8/10” – Musipedia Of Metal
“Promising career start for the Canadian quartet” – Broken Tomb Magazine
“Combining a variety of genres, the group made good impressions on those who shows up early with their tight musicianship and ability to change pace on a moment’s notice” – Apt 613
“… Messora was a whirlwind on stage. It was hard to believe that a half hour had passed when they began to play their final song, as each song had layered onto each other leaving viewers with a feeling that the experience was almost surreal.”- Splice Media Group
“…and these guys have not only kicked down the door, they have torn it apart and blown it straight off its hinges…. Their range and versatility know no bounds, and if this standard of work is carried on, they could mould and develop into anything and become colossal world leading metallers, and then those of you who took the time to have a listen now can say that you heard their debut album before they got to next level giants and it was that fucking good.” – The Metal Wanderlust
Photo Credit: Vladim Vilain
Formed as a solo recording project in 2016, Messora has become a band that obscures and challenges genre. To the band, the music comes as what feels best in the moment. To the fans, it is a kaleidoscope of sound that appears different at every glance and to every eye. Messora has been described as Death Metal, Black Metal, Progressive Metal, Melodic Metal, and Doom Metal, and Experimental music by fans and showgoers. The elements that make up the music may seem familiar to some, yet the whole remains a challenge to define.
The band knows how to set themselves apart from others musically as well as aesthetically, with showmanship and presentation second only to musical performance during their live show. They demand attention with their presentation, but keep it with the strength of their performance and musicianship. Messora always delivers, visually, aesthetically and musically.
Messora has headlined shows in Kingston, Ottawa, Montréal and Mont-Laurier, and has opened for popular international bands such as Replacire, Arsonists Get All The Girls, Wolfheart, Mors Principium Est, Carach Angren and Inanimate Existence.
Messora released their debut album “The Door” on October 4th, 2019 to widespread acclaim from fans and critics, establishing the act as an important part of the Montréal metal scene.
Now in 2021, they return with their single “Forever as I Beg”, an almost album experience condensed in a nine-minute progressive death metal song.
Messora’s Zach Dean explains the track further:
“It is about being trapped in a self-destructive and self-abusive cycle where your vices control you. The song begins lyrically in the valley of the cycle, where the character is in between self-destructive bouts and is just dealing with the aftermath of their behavior. As the song progresses the lyrics turn darker and read as if there are two characters, an abuser and a victim, even though there is only one individual. The music darkens to reflect this. Towards the end of the song the lyrics are entirely from the point of view of the “abuser” as the music reaches its dynamic climax.”
Dean continues to explain that “Forever as I Beg” is the fully matured version of the sound Messora was exploring and developing on “The Door” and now that Messora has taken its “progressive death metal” sound to its peak, the band will be exploring different styles in the future. As a very aesthetically driven band, they put a lot of care into creating a unique aesthetic and atmosphere for their live show. It’s all about cool outfits and red lights.
Dark, experimental, and unpredictable, Messora is recommended for fans of Opeth, Gojira, King Crimson, Porcupine Tree, Rivers of Nihil.
Messora is now, Sam Neumann, Ben Bertrand and Zach Dean
Discography:
2021 – Forever as I Beg (single)
2019 – The Door
Shared the stage with:
Carach Angren, Mors Principium Est, Wolfheart, Replacire, Arsonists Get all the Girls, Inanimate Existence, Eye of Horus
Festivals:
Vankleek Hill Farmfest 2019
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