\m/ Merci Metallian \m/
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Posts By Asher
0 \m/ Merci Metallian \m/ Omnivide, BackStabber, Drungi, Ivy Gardens, Chunked Gore House Productions, Opium Death, Thalia (France) Rockshots Records
0 MAY 2024 – DECIBEL MAG – CELL PRESS
0 Canada’s Mountain Mosh Pit ARMSTRONG METALFEST Announces 2024 Lineup w/ THE BROWNING, DECREPIT BIRTH, XUL, OPAL IN SKY, CYBORG OCTOPUS, ARKAIK and more!
NEWS RELEASE
Montreal, QC – May 17, 2024
Canada’s Mountain Mosh Pit ARMSTRONG METALFEST Announces 2024 Lineup
w/ THE BROWNING, DECREPIT BIRTH, XUL, OPAL IN SKY, CYBORG OCTOPUS, ARKAIK and more!
July 12-13 – Armstrong, BC, Canada
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Watch the official video recap of AMF 2019 here.
(video created by Mayne Brand Productions)
Armstrong MetalFest 2024 Spotify playlist Here.
Western Canada’s largest mountain mosh pit Armstrong MetalFest announces this year’s 2024 lineup being held on July 12th and 13th at the Hassen Arena in Armstrong, BC with the beautiful backdrop of the Okanagan Valley.
The 14th annual gathering of metalheads will once again witness a pilgrimage of extreme metal music fans for two days of unforgettable moshing, headbanging, and camping. From iconic headliners to promising newcomers, the 2024 lineup is set to showcase the best of diverse metal genres, ensuring an electrifying experience for all.
“It’s one of the premier festivals of its kind in Canada, showcasing the biggest names in local, national, and international heavy metal music.” – Vancouver Sun
This year’s lineup will be headlined by Californian Tech Death Giants DECREPIT BIRTH and Kansas City THE BROWNING who will be unleashing their unique eclectic blend of electronicore and deathcore. Also featured on this year’s two-day festival, is the return of Okanagan Black Metallers XUL (Vernon, BC) and Edmonton death metallers EYE OF HORUS along with first-time performances from Vancouver twin brother duo OPAL IN SKY, San Francisco’s outside-the-box prog metallers CYBORG OCTOPUS, plus the tech death fury of Riverside, CA’s ARKAIK among many more (full lineup listed below).
Festival weekend passes are on sale now at the following link: https://armstrongmetalfest.ca
(All tickets provide General Admission and grant access to the festival grounds, camping area, and arena from 9:00 AM on Friday, July 12, 2023, until 12:00 PM on Sunday, July 14, 2022. Free camping is included.)
AMF 2024 Lineup:
Decrepit Birth (Santa Cruz, CA)
The Browning (Kansas City, MO)
Xul (Vernon, BC)
Opal In Sky (Vancouver, BC)
Cyborg Octopus (San Francisco, CA)
Eye Of Horus (Edmonton, AB)
Arkaik (Riverside, CA)
Nott (Seattle, WA)
Dessiderium (Phoenix, AZ)
Odinfist (Armstrong, BC)
Misyrion (Vancouver, BC)
Death Machine (Kelowna, BC)
Satanic Tea Company (Calgary, AB)
Ravensun (Nanaimo, BC)
Crown Of Madness (Vancouver, BC)
Vaegon (Edmonton, AB)
Lynx (Calgary, AB)
Kelevra (Regina, SK)
Kings Rot (Calgary, AB)
Dendros (Kamloops, BC)
Thirteen Goats (Vancouver, Bc)
Anomalist (Prince George, BC
Burn It All (Kamloops, BC)
Augur (Kamloops, BC)
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The 2023 edition of Armstrong MetalFest broke attendance records again with its eclectic earth-shaking lineup that featured 28 bands performing on the two-day festival that included headliners LA thrashers WARBRINGER, San Francisco tech-death giants FALLUJAH, festival alumni Spokane, WA’s ENTERPRISE EARTH, and Los Angeles’ THE ZENITH PASSAGE, along with Denver’s H.P. Lovecraft extreme metallers VALE OF PNATH, and Edmonton’s Juno award-winning heavy metal champions STRIKER.
Since 2009 (minus pause years 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid pandemic), West Metal Entertainment and Armstrong Metalfest have not only fostered the talent of hundreds of local bands, but have imported well-known, international acts to the quiet, little Canadian town of Armstrong, British Columbia.
Each year hundreds of metalheads from Canada and the USA descend into the picturesque Okanagan Valley and under the blistering sun, they spend three days camping, taking in as much metal over two days, participating in wrestling events, scavenger hunts, and catching up with their metal family.
The festival has seen such renowned headliners as Kataklysm, Cattle Decapitation, Archspire, Nekrogoblikon, Origin, Rivers of Nihil, and Beyond Creation as well as emerging artists from across North America. At the end of the revelry, the festival disappears without a trace, leaving the landscape as pristine as it has always been.
West Metal Entertainment is a non-profit society that not only puts on the Armstrong Metal Festival every year in Armstrong, B.C., it gives bands opportunities to play at different venues throughout the region including all-ages shows, to encourage musical passion in kids as well as adults.
Partners:
WCMFA
AlumaPro Welding & Fabrication Ltd
Vox and Hops
Rancho Vignola
Creative BC
Province of BC
Shepherds Hardware
Askews Foods
ACE Containers
Asher Media Relations
Staggs Head
Sunbelt Rentals
Bravewords
Absolute Underground Mag
Broken Neck Radio
V13
Metal-Rules
Ghost Cult Magazine
This Day In Metal
Valstar Electric
Voets
For more info:
Armstrongmetalfest.ca
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Festival Press Materials HERE.
What the press is saying:
“Armstrong Metalfest brings aggressive music to the North Okanagan” – Global BC News
Kelowna Now: Armstrong Metal Festival Co-founder reflects on a decade of metal – Video Interview here.
CHBC – Global Okanagan: Metalheads celebrate a decade of gathering in Armstrong – Video Interview here.
Global Okanagan – Armstrong Metalfest brings aggressive music to the North Okanagan – Video here.
“In the past, metalheads had to travel to Germany to experience the rush of a big festival, such as Wacken Open Air. But local headbangers decided to bring that feeling home with Armstrong Metalfest.” – Vernon Morning Star
“Go Big or Stay at Home: Armstrong has that welcoming feeling for a rock show.” – The Valley Voice
“To witness such a gathering of talent is an absolute privilege, and for that fact alone, I will certainly be returning to Armstrong Metal Fest.” – Beatroute BC
“This festival is now going to be my yearly must-go-to event and if you’re a metal head that hasn’t attended or a curious metal voyeur, do yourself a favour and check it out, you will not regret it.” – Abort Mag
“The Armstrong Metalfest is one such event and has grown from its initial, humble beginnings seven years ago to be a regular mainstay, with its south-central BC location making for a popular summertime destination for fans and bands alike.” – Decibel Mag
Named one of the out-of-town music festivals worth the trip by The Vancouver Sun
“For metalheads, this is a great vacation where groups of all sizes can enjoy their favourite musical genre in a fun, energized environment. Not to mention, the camping!” – The Permanent Rain Press
“From farm to stadium: Armstrong Metal Fest’s humble beginnings” – Info News
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0 ETERNAL DRAK Presents Thrash Fury In “Soul Of Hate” Off Upcoming “Imprisoned Souls” Out July 2024
NEWS RELEASE
Montreal, QC – May 17, 2024
ETERNAL DRAK Presents Thrash Fury In “Soul Of Hate” Off Upcoming “Imprisoned Souls” Out July 2024
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Left, Andres Martinez “Drakar” (Vocal/Guitar) – Right, Francisco Avella “Xenx” (Drums)
Photo Credit: Pamela Insuasty
Eternal Drak has long been a cornerstone of metal in Canada, releasing six albums thus far with their seventh “Imprisoned Souls” slated for release on July 17, 2024. The first single off this long-awaited album is “Soul Of Hate”, which draws together three decades of musical mastery from the Quebec metal band and proves to fans that they are only getting better. Punctuated by fast thrash drums and guitars, the band comments on the single:
“‘Soul Of Hate’ is the first song to be released and is also the first track on the album. We really liked it from the beginning, and we selected it as the first single because it contains a structure that roughly represents most of what is on the album. The recording of this song was not easy since, not being satisfied, we shared it with the band’s closest fans to obtain their opinions and suggestions. Several times we had to adapt it in the studio to reach this result, something that represents and opens the album of the imprisoned souls.”
Much like their other albums, “Imprisoned Souls” is a concept album and on this one, most of the lyrics revolve around experiences lived in an old farm located in Colombia where there was an improvised hospital during a great battle of the War of Independence. Other lyrics are interpretations of what Eternal Drak believes is behind these horror or paranormal stories.
Inspired by haunting experiences from their Colombian roots, the album weaves a chilling narrative, inviting listeners to delve into the depths of fear, anger, and pain. It is recommended for fans of Watain, Kreator, and Motorhead.
Listen to “Soul Of Hate” at https://youtu.be/VnnjmW5b6uw
Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/track/00zgf5LrgPKokqscq0y3UN?si=09e2901c18984598
“Imprisoned Souls” album pre-order at https://eternaldrak.bandcamp.com
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Track Listing:
1. Soul Of Hate – 4:00
2. Circle Of Black Flames – 4:20
3. She Is A Magnet – 4:17
4. Haunting Place – 4:43
5. Oda A La Luna (Re Recorded) – 4:20
6. Take No Prisoners – 5:49
7. The Woman In Sandals – 4:04
8. The Mist – 3:26
9. Feasting The Anguish – 3:40
10. Bound By Ambition – 4:10
Album Length: 42:49
More info: http://www.eternaldrak.com | https://www.facebook.com/EternalDrak | https://www.instagram.com/eternaldrak
-30-
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ASHER MEDIA RELATIONS
Jon Asher – Music Publicist
#.514.581.5780
jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
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0 EPK – Eternal Drak – Imprisoned Souls (2024)
EPK – Eternal Drak – Imprisoned Souls (2024)
Publicist – Jon Asher – jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
“Expectations are always high with each release, and we hope this album reflects a new stage that allows us to reach a new, more demanding audience. “Imprisoned Souls” is a whole story concept, a horror story accompanied by music according to each story, we want the listener to feel a little of the fear, anger and pain that is in the album.” – Eternal Drak
Band: Eternal Drak
Title: Imprisoned Souls
Release Date: July 17th, 2024
Label: FirstWave Canada
For fans of Watain – Kreator – Motorhead
Eternaldrak.com | Facebook.com/EternalDrak | Instagram.com/eternaldrak | Spotify | Youtube.com/@eternaldrak1684
“”Drak Metal” is an excellent album, a deserving addition to any metalhead’s collection. With a few specific focuses here and there, the combination of Black and Thrash and Groove metals is done with near perfect balance, so there should be a wide appeal. ” – Metal Temple
“the album comes with a sharp and grim expression set to an appropriately dark mood and mode, and in terms of mood and atmosphere this album did remind me ever so slightly of Celtic Frost, even if the music itself is rather different. That being said, I would imagine that quite a few thrash metal fans that also enjoy a little bit extreme metal as well as a band like aforementioned Celtic Frost would feel right at home with the landscapes explored on this production.” – The Viking in the Wilderness
[Download Album Cover | Download Album Lyrics]
Band: Eternal Drak
Title: Imprisoned Souls
Release Date: July 17th, 2024
Label: FirstWave Canada
Track Listing:
1. Soul Of Hate – 4:00
2. Circle Of Black Flames – 4:20
3. She Is A Magnet – 4:17
4. Haunting Place – 4:43
5. Oda A La Luna (Re Recorded) – 4:20
6. Take No Prisoners – 5:49
7. The Woman In Sandals – 4:04
8. The Mist – 3:26
9. Feasting The Anguish – 3:40
10. Bound By Ambition – 4:10
Album Length: 42:49
Album Recording Credits:
• All songs performed by: Eternal Drak
• All songs written by: Andres Martinez
• Produced by: Andres Martinez
• Mixed by: Andres Martinez
• Mastered by: Andres Martinez
• Album Artwork by: Disturbing Grace Design
• SOCAN member
• Canadian Content (MAPL)
Album and Live Band Line Up:
Eternal Drak Line Up 2024
Andres Martinez (Drakar) – Vocals, Guitar
Francisco Avella (XenX) – Drums
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About The Album Artwork
The central scene is taken by a 19th century Latin American style country house and on top of it is the dragon. The house is the place where all the paranormal stories and activities occurred and the dragon that witnesses and bears witness to all these stories. In art there are little things that represent each of the songs, things like a woman in sandals, the Bolivar sword, the fallen soldiers in the battle for independence.
About the album as a whole (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY)
The album describes a horror story between thrash, black and death, from how the spirits were trapped, through several of the anecdotes that the residents of this enchanted place experienced but also possible points of view of the spirits that are trapped.
Track by Track (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY)
1. Soul Of Hate
Theme that marks the beginning of the album with some fast thrash drums and guitars. The song describes a type of souls that are condemned for being full of anger towards whatever it is, this anger does not allow them to leave this plane.
2. Circle Of Black Flames
black theme with touches of doom that talks about that transition that souls have when they are condemned, they do not see an intense light but a black ring of flames that transports them through their condemnation
3. She Is A Magnet
A song that mostly belongs to the old and classic metal of the Venom style, but its rhythmic beats and the shape of the voice make it fall into Motor Head-style hard rock. The song tells the story of a woman who all her life has attracted condemned souls to her and how the souls perceive her as a light among the darkness.
4. Haunting Place
Catchy track with very Groovy drums and a touch of thrash. The song describes the place where the vast majority of the anecdotes occur, a 19th century house where many beings were trapped and the living are tormented.
5. Oda A La Luna (Re Recorded)
This song is a re-recording of a song originally recorded in 2000 and that belongs to the band’s first EP “La Resurreccion De La Orden Guerrera”. This song belongs to the black metal of the 90s and is an ode to the moon and to some ancestral beings who, after their battle with God, were banished to our world and transmitted a large part of their knowledge to us.
6. Take No Prisoners
Theme with a lot of more modern black metal style with some forays into thrash. The song tells the story of a battle for independence in the 19th century where an ambush created too many losses and deaths that were taken to the house where the paranormal acts currently occur.
7. The Woman In Sandals
Black metal song a little doom and a little rock & roll. It is a story of a woman who, after the battle, dedicated herself to taking the very wounded officers inside the house to give them care. This woman, after she died, continued repeating this action, trapped by her desire to help.
8. The Mist
Theme with a great presence of Thrash metal that tells how on the nights when the fog descends from the mountains, the living beings that live in that house group together to be able to better cope with the events that they know will occur.
9. Feasting The Anguish
Classic thrash black metal theme. The theme describes an evil entity in charge of keeping condemned souls in their state of desperation and constant search for communication with the living.
10. Bound By Ambition
Black metal theme that tells the story of some officers who at the time of death only thought about preserving their material assets and that ambition condemns them to remain trapped in that desire and ambition.
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STORY ANGLES / FUN FACTS ABOUT THE BAND
1. “Oda A La Luna” is the only song in Spanish on the album because it comes from the band’s first EP in 2002.
2. “She Is A Magnet” is a song based on one of the relatives of Drakar the composer, she was actually the focus of several paranormal experiences because somehow you attract them.
3. Live performances are in a waiting period because the band’s guitarist/vocalist has been adapting to his visually impaired condition. We hope that presentations can now be made with this new album.
4. The multiple changes and modifications requested by the band’s followers when listening to the song “Soul Of Hate” generated strong conflicts between its two members, reaching an agreement took time and efforts to understand the recommendations.
5. The sound of the guitars was recorded like a wall, 6 tracks of each guitar panned using the legendary and hated/loved Metal Zone as a base in 2 of them. The other 4 tracks used the Boss Gt-100, an excellent and very versatile pedalboard.
Eternal Drak current line up – Left, Francisco Avella “Xenx” (Drum) – Right, Andres Martinez “Drakar”(Vocal/Guitar). Photo credit: Sebastien Mira
In 1997, the Martínez brothers, Drakar and Warhammer, aged 17 and 15 respectively, began the foundations of “Eternal Drak”.
In 1998, rhythm guitarist Oscar Layton (Reijav) joins the band.
At the beginning of the 21st century “Eternal Drak” won the City TV network award for best Metal video, with the song Eternal Drak,
In 2002, “Eternal Drak” published its first album (EP) “La Resurreccion De La Orden Guerrera”
In 2005, they recorded their second album in the “Cero Decibeles” studio of their leader Drakar, but its official release was in 2018, an album mastered in a studio in Québec, Canada and published by the Living Metal label in Bogotá.
In 2007, “Eternal Drak” disbanded.
In 2020, the band moved to Quebec Canada and Drakar, Warmessiah and Reijav came together to create the album “The Past is Gone, A New One is Coming”. In memory of his brother and friend, co-founder and eternal drummer of “Eternal Drak”, Eduardo Martínez, Warhammer.
That second album was recorded, mixed, produced and mastered by the band’s leader, Drakar, at the Firstwave Studio facilities in Quebec, Canada.
In 2021 the band’s third Long Play is released, “Drak Metal”, an album with 12 unreleased songs and 1 Cover.
That same year, the band’s line-up was reorganized with the addition of Juan Francisco Avella on drums and a contract was signed with the Italian label Wormhole Death to physically release the album Drak Metal.
In 2022, the 4th studio album, “Shadow Storm”, is released, and along with it the video clip HIDE YOUR MADNESS recorded on the Orleans Island in Quebec Canada.
Currently Eternal Drak is still more alive than ever and is determined to live up to its name to continue distorting its strings, hitting its drums, strumming its voice, with more Metal, melody and harmony than ever.
The perspectives predict that its vibrations starting from North America, crossing the entire American continent, with a resonance so strong that the waves of the Pacific and the Atlantic will make them travel to the other continents.
Discography
2023 – Interdimensional War Of Satan – Ep
2022 – Shadow Storm – Lp
2021 – Drak Metal – Lp
2021 – My God Is The Sun – Single
2020 – Lets Get Rude – Single
2020 – The True Meaning Of Life – Single
2020 – The Past Is Gone, A New One Is Coming – Lp
2012 – Eternal Drak – Lp
2002 – La Resurreccion De La Orden Guerrera – Ep
2023 – Interdimensional War Of Satan – Ep
2022 – Shadow Storm – Lp
2021 – Drak Metal – Lp
2021 – My God Is The Sun – Single
2020 – Lets Get Rude – Single
2020 – The True Meaning Of Life – Single
2020 – The Past Is Gone, A New One Is Coming – Lp
2012 – Eternal Drak – Lp
2002 – La Resurreccion De La Orden Guerrera – Ep
0 Rockshots Records – DENDERA Unveil New Single “Fading” Off Forthcoming Album “Mask Of Lies” Out June 2024
NEWS RELEASE
Montreal, QC – May 17, 2024
DENDERA Unveil New Single “Fading” Off Forthcoming Album “Mask Of Lies” Out June 2024
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Following the overwhelming success of their previous single “Mask Of Lies” from the upcoming eponymous album, British metalcore powerhouse Dendera is thrilled to announce the release of their latest single called “Fading”.
“Fading” is a progressive, modern, and melodic song with heavy-hitting, bouncing riffs that move from light to dark throughout. The story of the song begins by referring to the thoughts and feelings of someone suffering from deep depression. As the song travels through three different scenes, the story changes to how it feels to overcome these challenges, culminating in an epic, uplifting ending where the darkness finally lifts. Music and vocals come together in this piece to take the listener on a truly emotional journey.
But the surprises don’t end here. In addition to the release of the single, Dendera has also unveiled a captivating music video that takes viewers on an exciting and evocative visual journey. The video is available for viewing at the following link:
VIDEO – https://youtu.be/03t97Wu_d-Y
LISTEN – https://lnk.to/wmVH4T
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Recommended for fans of Trivium, Parkway Drive, and Dream Theater, “Mask of Lies” is due out on June 14, 2024, and is available for album pre-order at https://bit.ly/Dendera-MaskOfLies.
Previous music video – “Mask of Lies” – https://youtu.be/lTsEE4S-ZwM
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Track Listing:
1 – Face to Face
2 – Mask of Lies
3 – Scream in Silence
4 – Fading
5 – Guiding Light
6 – The Fall
7 – Drift Away
8 – Inside My Head
9 – Stare Into The End
10 – Drag Me Below
More info: Rockshots.eu | Dendera.co.uk | Facebook.com/DenderaUK | Instagram.com/denderaband
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“The release is a must for all classic and heavy metal fans, but such is the new adventure and variety the band has woven into their songwriting and sound, there is much for all metallers’ including, us among them, those without an instinctive taste for old school roars. In fact, it very likely will, as here, emerge as a favourite of the year for fans and newcomers alike.” – Ringmaster Reviews
“Pillars Of Creation” is an excellent album and a strong follow-up to “The Killing Floor”. It is an album that urges you to hit repeat after every listen. With this album DENDERA have been successful in further developing their own sound and identity, and are improving with each release. The band already have an ever-growing fan base. With this release and their continuous bouts of touring, hopefully this will propel them further ahead of their peers within the Heavy Metal scene.” – Metal Gods TV
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ASHER MEDIA RELATIONS
Jon Asher – Music Publicist
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0 Rockshots Records – Brazil’s AURO CONTROL Unleash New Video “Not Alone feat. Jeff Scott Soto (Art Of Anarchy, SOTO, Sons Of Apollo)
NEWS RELEASE
Montreal, QC – May 16, 2024
Brazil’s AURO CONTROL Unleash New Video “Not Alone feat. Jeff Scott Soto (Art Of Anarchy, SOTO, Sons Of Apollo)
New Album “The Harp” Out May 31st via Rockshots Records
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Rockshots Records is proud to present Auro Control, a new Brazilian band dedicated to excellent Prog/Power Metal. With its fast, precise, melodic, virtuous, and energetic sound, Auro Control delivers an amazing auditory experience that leaves a lasting impression. “The Harp” is an ambitious album, uniting the greatness of Power Metal with the depth of Prog Metal and the richness of percussion from Bahia-Brazil, resulting in a unique and surprising sound. The album produced by Thiago Bianchi, will feature the participation of Bianchi himself (Noturnall, ex-Shaman), Aquiles Priester (W.A.S.P., ex-Angra), Felipe Andreoli (Angra), and Jeff Scott Soto. Can’t miss the new single and video “Not Alone” featuring Jeff Scott Soto!
VIDEO – https://bit.ly/NotAloneYouTube
LISTEN – https://lnk.to/6P7HaxVO
ALBUM PRE ORDER – https://bit.ly/4aDZjol
FFO: Angra, Stratovarius, Helloween, Symphony X & Dream Theater
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Track Listing:
1 – Aurum Regium
2 – Feel The Fire
3 – Not Alone (feat. Jeff Scott Soto)
4 – Rise of the Phoenix (feat. Aquiles Priester)
5 – The Harp (feat. Aiace & Felipe Andreoli)
6 – Afterglow
7 – Head Up High
8 – Conception
9 – Runner
10 – Breaking Silence (feat. Thiago Bianchi)
Auro Control is:
Lucas de Ouro – Vocals
Lucas Barnery – Guitars
Diego Pires – Guitars
Thiago Baumgarten – Bass
Davi Britto – Drums
For more info:
Rockshots.eu | https://www.facebook.com/aurocontrol | https://www.instagram.com/aurocontrol/
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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 Streaming Now! APE VERMIN’s “Andromedas Colossus” Is A Sludgy Progressive Prelude To Planetary Destruction + USA Tour Dates
NEWS RELEASE
Montreal, QC – May 16, 2024
APE VERMIN’s “Andromedas Colossus” Is A Sludgy Progressive Prelude To Planetary Destruction + USA Tour Dates
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Ape Vermin is an American 3-piece metal act delivering a hellish avalanche of sludge with progressive and thrash tendencies. Hailing from Valdese, North Carolina, the trio is composed of guitarist/vocalist Brett Lee, drummer Seth Lynn and bassist Jared Edge. They vow to continue pushing the boundaries of the genre with “Andromedas Colossus” a thrilling, space-themed concept album that is out on May 17th. Lee speaks on the record and its potential reception:
“This record is going to be well received by most of the ‘Metal’ Community. We are a Sludge metal band pushing the boundaries with progressive and thrash metal as well. Fans can most definitely expect more crushing material from us, we have a lot of stuff on the line for the next LP as well.”
Across ten tracks, listeners will encounter an atmospheric and tribal acoustic intro that gives way to crushing metal with a machine gun-like double bass. Evil instrumentals and guitar leads reminiscent of Dimebag Darrell and Kerry King in their prime and enough low-end to destroy planets.
Inspired by outer space phenomenon, extra-terrestrials, prehistoric tales, murder, psychedelics, and sci-fi horror games, “Andromedas Colossus” will take listeners on an expansive voyage into the unknown. This album is extremely dynamic, melodic, visceral, and brutal and the lyrics are extremely dark. It is recommended for fans of Mastodon, Yob, and Conan.
Due out May 17th, 2024, “Andromedas Colossus” can be heard via its full stream premiere on DoomedandStoned HERE.
Album pre-order – https://apevermin.bandcamp.com/
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Track Listing:
1. Obliteration Imminent – 5:12
2. Colony – 7:00
3. Solaruss – 5:30
4. Pulse Driver – 3:47
5. Mining The Colossus – 8:06
6. Signal Transmissions – 2:45
7. Motherlode – 8:32
8. Awakened – 3:17
9. Unearthing the Artifact – 7:43
10. Return to Andromeda – 7:57
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APE VERMIN – Riders of the Damned Tour Dates:
5/17 Spartanburg, S.C – Ground Zero
5/18 Jacksonville, FL – Jack Rabbits
5/19 Tampa, FL – Brass Mug
5/21 New Orleans, LA – The Goat
5/22 Houston, TX – Black Magic Social Club
5/23 Fort Worth, TX – Haltom Theatre
5/24 San Antonio, TX – Bonds Rock Bar
5/25 Laredo, TX – Cold Brew Rock Bar
5/26 Austin, TX – Valhalla
5/28 El Paso, TX – Rockhouse Bar & Grill
5/29 Tucson, AZ – The Rock
5/30 Phoenix, AZ – Blooze Bar
6/1 Richmond, CA – Baltic Kiss
6/2 Reno, NV – Alturus Bar
6/4 Salt Lake City, UT – International Bar
6/5 Casper, WY – The Gaslight Social
6/7 Ridgeway, CO – The Sherbino
6/8 Denver, CO – Hermans Hideaway
6/12 Asheville, N.C – The Odditorium
More info: Facebook.com/ProgressiveDoom | Instagram.com/ape_vermin_official
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“Lovers of slow, massive riffs, rejoice! Ape Vermin is here for your daily dose of gnarly Sludge and Doom Metal music!” – Ghost Cult Magazine
“These axe-generated discharges alone were the stuff of Tony Iommi’s nightmares, but then the bass-made ferociously fuzz-rich, rhythmic rumbles and intensely explosive drumming sealed the deal. All combined and then topped off with Lee’s caveman-like gutturalized grunting vocals, it was a recipe that could’ve resulted in APE VERMIN being culpable for assault & battery charges.” – Riff Relevant
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ASHER MEDIA RELATIONS
Jon Asher – Music Publicist
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0 Canada’s Tech Death Pioneers DERELICT Debut Title Track From “Versus Entropy” And Reveal Album Art
NEWS RELEASE
Montreal, QC – May 16, 2024
Canada’s Tech Death Pioneers DERELICT Debut Title Track From “Versus Entropy” And Reveal Album Art
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L-R – Eric Burnet – Vocals, Guitar, Max Lussier – Guitar, Vocals, Sébastien Pittet – Bass, Tommy McKinnon – Drums
After a twelve-year hiatus since their last full-length release, Montréal, Canada’s Derelict, pioneers of brutal melodic technical death metal, are back with a vengeance. Eric Burnet (vocals/guitar), Max Lussier (guitar/vocals), and Sébastien Pittet (bass) are joined by new drummer Tommy McKinnon, known for his many releases with Neuraxis, Akurion, Conflux, and more. Derelict is announcing their album “Versus Entropy”, which comes out on June 21st. In preparation, they are debuting the title track, which combines technical and progressive elements over a catchy and brutal death metal core. They share their thoughts on the single:
“If someone had never heard Derelict before and wanted to get an impression in one song, this would be the one. It’s melodic tech death with some brutal riff breaks, dueling solos, a lovely clean break, and an epic crescendo. The lyrics are about the human struggle to stave off decay and decline, which of course is impossible, and the toll that it takes.”
“Versus Entropy” marks a significant milestone for Derelict, showcasing their evolution and maturity while staying true to their familiar sound. Existing fans will be surprised and happy to hear new music from them that adds new layers of diversity.
Across nine tracks, “Versus Entropy” delves into themes of existential struggle, societal injustice, and personal introspection, offering a glimpse into the multifaceted nature of the human experience. From the relentless energy of “Infinite Dread” to the introspective depths of “The Escapist”, each track is a sonic journey that resonates with raw emotion and unbridled passion. The album and the single are recommended for fans of Revocation, Allegaeon, and Decapitated.
Listen to the single and album title track “Versus Entropy” via its premiere on Decibel Magazine HERE.
Due out on June 21st, 2024, the album “Versus Entropy” is available for pre-order – http://derelictmetal.bandcamp.com/
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(Album Artwork by Care Francis)
Track Listing:
1. Versus Entropy – (4:32)
2. Infinite Dread – (4:23)
3. Terminal – (4:02)
4. Workhorse – (3:00)
5. Attunement – (5:05)
6. Dans les Dents – (2:23)
7. Spectrum – (3:59)
8. Derelict – (4:11)
9. The Escapist – (4:15)
Album Length 35:50
More info: Facebook.com/DerelictMetal | Instagram.com/derelictmetal | Spotify
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“the band signals their return with the launch of “Clear Cut”. Mixing lightning-quick technical death metal with progressive death metal, impressive audible bass playing, numerous heavy nasty groove excursions, and thrashy gallop-centric sounding riffs all of which coalesce together smoothly into a concise song often bordering on damn near catchy. It’s a bit hard for me to compare the band’s sound to anyone else specifically but suffice to say Derelict has always had a diverse take on technical death metal. In particular, I’m still a huge fan of their second album, Unspoken Words from 2009 as well as their third album, Perpetuation which dropped in 2012.” – Metal Injection – 2022 single Clear Cut
“Perpetuation is the band’s third full-length, and it shows Derelict with an impressive degree of confidence, their LAMB OF GOD-meets-technical-death-metal sound coming through loud and clear, the production bashing and crashing and bringing all the sounds home just right.” – Bravewords – 2012 – Perpetuation
‘Words like “blistering” and “unstoppable” get banded about in press releases for albums all the time, but for Derelict they actually apply, as these twelve tracks are relentless in their dedication to being aggressively heavy at breakneck speeds.’ – Metal Underground, reviewing Perpetuation (2012)
‘In their newest work, DERELICT proves their capabilities as musical masters while maintaining the sheer brutality that is the epitome of all things Death Metal.’ – Metal Temple, reviewing Perpetuation (2012)
‘Perpetuation is a damn solid release and this band is showing they are only getting better.’ – Sea of Tranquility, reviewing Perpetuation (2012)
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0 EPK – Thirteen Goats – Capricorn Rising (Exitus Stratagem Records) (2024)
EPK – Thirteen Goats – Capricorn Rising (Exitus Stratagem Records) (2024)
Publicist – Jon Asher – jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
Band: Thirteen Goats
Album Title: Capricorn Rising
Release Date: July 12th, 2024
Label: Exitus Stratagem Records (ExSR)
“I think fans are going to get everything they loved about our first record, only more of it—and more focused. We’re exploring the same themes on this album, but we’ve connected them by weaving a cohesive story throughout these nine tracks that lends context to the musical and tonal shifts so that they feel more seamless. And just like on the last record, we haven’t been afraid to break the rules. You’ll find some curveballs, and I think that’s going to make this a really unique listen for old and new audiences alike.” – Graham Miles – Thirteen Goats
For fans of Carcass, Lamb of God, System of a Down, Megadeth, Cannibal Corpse
Exsrmusic.com | Facebook.com/ExSRecords | Instagram.com/exsrmusic | Twitter.com/exsrm | Youtube.com/@Exitusstratagemrecords9577
ThirteenGoats.com | Facebook.com/THIRTEEN.GOATS | Twitter.com/THIRTEENGOATS | Youtube.com/@thirteengoats3405 | Instagram.com/thirteen.goats
Thirteengoats.bandcamp.com | Spotify | Apple Music
“It’s really strong. GREAT musicians, great production, as well as a very progressive aspect without losing the darkness.” – Kelly Shaefer from Atheist
“take a spin around the room with Thirteen Goats’ “high-concept narrative” and take on modern metal stylized by everything from Mastodon and Carcass to Cannibal Corpse and Lamb of God.” – Decibel Magazine
“Tinnitist Album of The Week! Thirteen Goats ‘Capricorn Rising’ – Exitus Stratagem Records – https://tinnitist.com/2024/07/11/albums-of-the-week-thirteen-goats-capricorn-rising/
“All in all, on “Capricorn Rising” the gentlemen from the West Coast combine the universal power of North American thrash metal into a versatile, interesting and, above all, powerful record.8/10″ – Power-Metal.de
“What makes this turbocharged song (Sign of The Goat) so damned much diabolical fun is the band’s melding of viscerally compulsive grooves, head-spinning instrumental pyrotechnics, and rapid-fire vocal assaults — and doing so in a way that makes the track highly infectious too. The song vividly intersects with the tech-death sphere through flurries of quickly darting, swirling, and swarming riffage, deliriously cavorting arpeggios, and a multitude of percussive fusillades. As displayed in the video, fingers and limbs fly like the wind, and the guttural barks and hair-raising screams in the vocal department rhythmically eject the violent words just as fast and just as furiously. But, as forecast, the song is also a viscerally groovesome beast. It’s almost relentlessly hard-slugging, but what really stands out are brutish, muscle-galvanizing jackhammer-bursts, the first of which comes only 25 seconds into the track. Another one of those episodes sets itself up as the backdrop for crazed guitar soloing that sounds like the ecstasies of fiends. And we did warn you — this thing is also immediately catchy and enduringly addictive. It comes recommended for fans of Bolt Thrower, Archspire, and Lamb of God.” – NoCleanSinging
“To get some idea of Thirteen Goats’ approach to heavy music, consider that the Straight’s own Mike Usinger once asked readers to imagine “Vulgar Display of Power-era Pantera in a cage match with Cannibal Corpse and Ministry.” That’s a great start, but it doesn’t account for tracks like “Beheading Zoo”, which tops neck-snapping thrash with enough throat-shredding black-metal screams to please even the most discerning Mayhem fan. Or “Murder Lives in the Heart”, which throws a soaring refrain of heaven-sent clean vocals (courtesy of Carly Ellen Jones) into the mix… Capricorn Rising is that rarest of things in today’s world: a true album, with a set of songs designed to be listened to in sequence. Those songs tell the tale of Shepherd, a man so distraught over the state of the world—endless wars, environmental devastation, and other human-made disasters—that he sells his soul for the power to communicate with non-human creatures… Capricorn Rising is a saga replete with scorched-earth mayhem and mass slaughter—something you can bang your head to while pondering your own complicity in the global capitalist exploitation of ecosystems and peoples alike. In other words, it’s basically the perfect LP for our profoundly fucked-up epoch.” – Georgia Straight (Vancouver Weekly)
“they turn on the thrusters for “Beheading Zoo” and “Permission To Die,” closer “Animal Kingdom” is a quasi-ballad with a ferocious second half. ” – Heavy Music Headquarters
“their music gets the blood pumping. Sounding something like Archspire mixed with Blackening-era Machine Head, the tracks on Capricorn Rising are direct and violent. ” – Metal Utopia
“I’d say this is melodic death, some brutal death stuff, melodic music, black metal vox, growns and clean vox too.” – 89.9 WORT FM – The Moshpit (Madison, WI)
“Canadian band Thirteen Goats are out with the album “Capricorn Rising”, and metal is the style explored on this production. It is a striking variety of extreme metal we get in this case, where it appears that a speciality of the band is to seamlessly switch between as well as blend different aspects of thrash metal and extreme metal into a uniform whole and totality. We get chugging riff cascades as well as impact style riff and rhythm effects in both forms, and while groove patterns are mainly established when thrashing out we get more challenging escapades of a technical nature too in both moods and modes of the band here. With a little bit of a side step into a power metal inspired galloping mode of execution now and then to boot. A probably even more defining feature of this particular album are the vocals however, with a handful or so of different distorted and clean vocals used throughout, which does expand the boundaries of the landscapes explored quite a bit. That we also get some very occasional gentler and atmospheric laden moments also document a band that can be more expressive when they feel the need to be so. If you generally enjoy bands that switch back and forth between thrash metal and extreme metal as well as combining these two traditions, then this is an album that merits a check.” – The Viking in the Wilderness
“Next up we have 13 goats with Capricorn Rising and this BC band basically
created a death metal rock opera not unlike something that you might hear from something like Dethklok but done in their own particular style. You’ll hear death, thrash, heavy metal, hard rock, progressive, alternative, and some other moments that go hand in and with this kind of stuff, it is a very out-there album if you’re not already initiated to it. But if this sounds like something that could be for you, it very well could be. We don’t get enough death metal rock operas, so why not give this one a shot.” – Heavy Debriefings
created a death metal rock opera not unlike something that you might hear from something like Dethklok but done in their own particular style. You’ll hear death, thrash, heavy metal, hard rock, progressive, alternative, and some other moments that go hand in and with this kind of stuff, it is a very out-there album if you’re not already initiated to it. But if this sounds like something that could be for you, it very well could be. We don’t get enough death metal rock operas, so why not give this one a shot.” – Heavy Debriefings
“Musically, the Canadians offer pleasing death metal that is sometimes more technical and sometimes more thrashy. The quartet from Vancouver occasionally surprises with unexpected song structures (“A Wolf in Shepherd’s Clothing”) ARCHSPIRE-moderate pressure and vocals (“Sign of the Goat”)…. the album is definitely exciting, so to speak. Probably also because it always has a lot of grooves and knows how to present fine riffs, like at “Beheading Zoo” or in terms of speed dynamics (“Beating the Disease”). – Vampster Magazin
“unsurprisingly, this is another awesome release! It’s packed full of awesome, heavy riffs, and some incredible clean and harsh vocals, all of which have pretty catch, melodic moments to shine through. ‘Sign of the Goat’ is an incredibly strong album opener, but honestly there isn’t a bad track on the album, with plenty of other highlights, including ‘A Wolf in Shepherd’s Clothing’ and ‘Permission to Die’. They also have a pretty cool image and theme, leaning fully into the pagan/satanic stereotypes of the genre. It’s 42-minutes of a brutal, heavy assault, and is massively enjoyable. It’s not going to be for everyone, but for those into the heavy end, I’d certainly recommend checking it out! And, while I would say it is better than their debut, it’s also a testament to how heavy this site has made me, that I love this now! 8/10, great stuff!” – Overtone Magazine
What the press said about 2022 album “Servants of the Outer Dark”:
#14 on Top 20 – Loud – Canadain College Radio – August 2022 (Earshot)
“An alchemical style reminiscent of Cannibal Corpse, Misery Index, classic Megadeth, melodic Swe-death, and all eras of Death and Carcass.” – Decibel
“Rips, we’re here for it.” – MetalSucks
“Perfectly marries old school death metal, blackened tendencies, and heavy metal choruses.” – Metal Injection
“THIRTEEN GOATS unapologetically raise the deathcore flag for the new decade and absolutely don’t care what people think.” – Exclaim!
“Think Vulgar Display of Power-era Pantera in a cage match with Cannibal Corpse and Ministry.” – The Georgia Straight
“A gut-punching and head-hooking offering of death metal that borrows liberally from many of the genre’s subsets, as well as bringing in elements of thrash, black metal, and grindcore.” – No Clean Singing
“With a name like THIRTEEN GOATS, it’s gonna be evil. It’s cool, thrashy, blackened groove metal, a little like a Lamb of God sound with a bit more heavy brutality going on and a dash of black metal evilness. Great stuff!” – The Mosh Pit on WORT 89.9 FM (Madison, WI)
“THIRTEEN GOATS make seriously good music and sound like they have a lot of fun doing it. They write great upbeat thrash songs with strong melodies that appropriately sway from sinister to camp and pull it off tremendously. For some classic charcuterie of extreme metal mixed with a bit of tongue in cheek, you’re well looked after here.” – Heavy Mag
“THIRTEEN GOATS is a new strength in the extreme scene.” – Metal Temple
“The starting point of Thirteen Goats and their debut album Servants Of The Outer Dark is death metal, but it doesn’t remain tied to it. They explore all types, including tech death and melodic death metal, and even genres outside of that like thrash, groove, and doom metal. Each song brings out a unique side to the band, whether it’s the politically charged ‘Prisoner’s Anthem’ or the body horror of ‘Sub-Being.’” – Heavy Music Headquarters
“Canada’s THIRTEEN GOATS are incredibly fun to listen to and at multiple points subtly humorous—and, as such, make themselves easily a breath of fresh air within the technical scene. That sense of fun is backed up with very proficient playing and dizzying creativity, far beyond what you would expect from a debuting act’s first full length… Servants of the Outer Dark is an excellent debut full-length from these guys and I can’t wait to hear more!” [9/10] – Metal Observer
“All you need is love? No. All you need is THIRTEEN GOATS. Their debut album has everything your heart could desire in a Metal record, it’s a metaphorical pizza with all the toppings and a better thrill ride of a first crack we defy you to find!” [8.5/10] – Metal Noise
“These guys have the ability and the chops to succeed, whilst channeling bands like Lamb Of God into their output.” – Man of Much Metal
“This is so good.” – Stephen Quinn, The Early Edition (CBC Radio One)
[Download Album Cover | Download Album Lyrics]
Band: Thirteen Goats
Album Title: Capricorn Rising
Release Date: July 12th, 2024
Label: Exitus Stratagem Records (ExSR)
Track Listing:
1. Sign of the Goat (4:53)
2. Murder Lives in the Heart (5:30)
3. A Wolf in Shepherd’s Clothing (4:10)
4. Global Fuckup (3:57)
5. Beheading Zoo (3:44)
6. Permission to Die (3:48)
7. Beating the Disease (4:24)
8. Goats of War (5:25)
9. Animal Kingdom (6:19)
Album Credits:
• All songs performed by: Thirteen Goats
• All songs written by:
Lyrics and vocal arrangements for all songs written by Graham K. Miles except for Goats of War (lyrics by Graham K. Miles & Leonid Verman)
Music written by:
Sign of the Goat – Rob Fitz-Gerald
Murder Lives in the Heart – Graham K. Miles
A Wolf in Shepherd’s Clothing – Rob Fitz-Gerald
Global Fuckup – Leonid Verman
Beheading Zoo – Graham K. Miles
Permission to Die – Rob Fitz-Gerald
Beating the Disease – Graham K. Miles
Goats of War – Leonid Verman
Animal Kingdom – Leonid Verman
• Produced by: Thirteen Goats & Matt Roach
• Mixed by: Diego Fernandez-Trujilo
• Mastered by: Diego Fernandez-Trujilo
• Album Artwork by: Tom Davis (Dark Transmissions)
• Member of SOCAN
• Canadian Content (MAPL)
Album Band Line Up:
Graham K. Miles – Lead Vocals, Lead & Rhythm Guitars
Rob Fitz-Gerald – Lead & Rhythm Guitars, Backing Vocals
Cody Lewichew – Bass, Gang Vocals
Leonid Verman – Drums, Gang Vocals
ADDITIONAL MUSICIANS:
Carly Ellen Jones – Guest Vocals on Track #2 (Murder Lives in the Heart) and Track #9 (Animal Kingdom”)
Live Band Line Up:
Graham K. Miles – Lead Vocals, Lead & Rhythm Guitars
Rob Fitz-Gerald – Lead & Rhythm Guitars, Backing Vocals
Cody Lewichew – Bass, Backing Vocals
Leonid Verman – Drums
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About The Album Artwork:
The cover for the record is being designed by Tom Davis. It features Shepherd and the 12 demon goats charging headlong towards a city on the front, and then on the back you see the city in ruins. Tom has an incredibly unique style, so the image has a pretty simple idea behind it but the way he’s doing it is going to be absolutely iconic.
About the album as a whole (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY):
Death metal brutality and frenzied fretwork abruptly give way to huge, unexpected hooks and theatrical choruses. The vocals jump between ragged gutturals and powerful cleans without warning.
Track by Track (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY):
1. Sign of the Goat
Lyrics:
This song is kind of a prelude to the album as a whole—a summary of the overall story and themes. It’s written from the PoV of Shepherd and the 12 demon goats as they conquer the earth, while urging the survivors to give up their humanity and join them or perish.
Music:
This is kind of a blend between big, fat grooves and rapid-fire tech death passages. Think Bolt Thrower with just a hint of Archspire.
2. Murder Lives in the Heart
Lyrics:
This is the start of Shepherd’s journey—where he decides to sell his soul and renounce humanity so that he can become The Antichrist. We also hear him blame humanity for the pain they’ve caused him and vow to show them the error of their ways:
“So let me open up your eyes / come see this hell you made on earth / it’s far too late to run and hide / it’s time to get what you deserve”
At the end, you can hear a female voice echoing his sentiments—is it a lost love, the voice of his conscience, the voice of Mother Earth, or something else?
Music:
We start off in a kind of waltz after a short intro, with some eerie trem picking slightly behind each verse—then break out into a short passage of clean vocals and guitars before the chorus slams in with the album’s biggest vocal hook. After that, there’s a major tonal shift where the time signature changes to 4/4 and the band just goes full tilt all the way to the final chorus, where the female vocals and an ambient guitar are layered in to create a crescendo leading into the next song.
3. A Wolf in Shepherd’s Clothing
Lyrics:
This is the song where Shepherd begins appealing to the other animals of Earth to join his army and rise up against humanity. It’s a recruitment anthem aimed at anyone who’s ever felt mistreated or abused, and a call to arms. It’s also a reminder that the people we overlook are often the most dangerous:
“Sacrifice of blood and bone / to satisfy my loathing / not the dog they thought I was / but a wolf in shepherd’s clothing”
Music:
This is an all-out thrasher with some rhythmic curveballs and Lamb-of-God-like grooves in the verses. It also features a short clean vocal hook in the choruses, followed immediately by contrasting gutturals. Leo tops it all off with some of his most frenetic drumming on the whole album. We hadn’t originally planned for this one to be a single, but we changed our minds once we heard the finished version. We actually made it the lead single from the record, because we think it encapsulates a lot of different elements of our sound in a very cohesive way. We also think it’s a bonafide banger.
4. Global Fuckup
Lyrics:
This is the song where Shepherd and his animal army make themselves known to humanity and issue their ultimatum—leave your way of life behind and join us, or die. It also has what I think are some of the funniest lyrics on the record, like:
“Lab rats revolt / gnaw out their throats / death at the zoo / children get chewed”
Music:
This is one of the most musically aggressive tracks on the album. The guitars pummel in 5/4 time throughout most of it, but there’s also a huge breakaway section in the middle where the lead guitar goes off on this crazy Robert-Fripp-meets-Primus kind of solo. Everyone hated this idea at first—it felt insane until we had finished recording it, and then I think we all realized it actually gave the song exactly what it had been missing. Everyone we’ve shown it to since says it’s a standout moment on the record.
5. Beheading Zoo
Lyrics:
The lyrics in this one are about Shepherd’s army meeting humanity on the battlefield for the first time and the bloodbath that ensues. It’s extremely straightforward:
“We’re coming / hell’s legions / it’s time to meet your demons”
“Prepare for bloodletting / this zoo is not for petting”
Music:
Thrash with hints of melodic death metal here. Think High on Fire meets Children of Bodom (but without the keyboards).
6. Permission to Die
Lyrics:
In this song, Shepherd expresses his disgust with humanity and declares that their complacency has doomed them:
“Die for masters / or save yourselves / should be easy / but servitude still sells”
“But if you cannot live without a boot upon your neck / then you must meet the end beneath a cloven hoof instead”
If you go beyond the story of the album, this song is also about the frustration we feel with humanity’s collective inaction in the face of imminent disaster. It’s about the choice between standing up for ourselves or laying down and dying for our overlords, and how we always seem to do the latter when we should be doing the former.
Music:
This song features the absolute gnarliest and most kinetic riffs Rob has ever written. It’s actually a real pain in the ass to play, but it’s 100% worth it because it goes hard as hell. A real wrecking ball.
7. Beating the Disease
Lyrics:
Now on the cusp of victory, Shepherd appeals to the forces of hell one last time to turn the earth against the remaining humans and grant him their most powerful black magic:
“I travel down the ley lines / speaking to the spirits / grant me unholy force / and let this world hear it”
This spell requires him to drink lava from an active volcano, then allow the animals of his army to drink the blood from his veins:
“Volcanoes vomit bile from the guts of hell / Satanic ichor the elixir for my spell / my veins the medium to mix this vile brew / as it has altered me, so must it alter you”
“Take my communion / let it lift you off your knees / rise up and raise your fists / we’re beating the disease”
He also characterizes humanity as a disease that must be cleansed from the earth, and his army as the cure. In a broader sense, this song is also about the extreme lengths people will go to for power, and how doing so can turn them into complete zealots.
Music:
We kick off with the guitars doing a little call-and-response before locking into a fairly unconventional thrash riff, and then descending into a groove on the verses. Then there’s a kind of Cryptopsy-inspired pre-chorus riff, followed by a sort of mini-breakdown in the chorus. The middle of the song gets kind of spacy, with the guitars doing another call-and-response sequence under some mild phaser—then harmonizing for a little while before suddenly exploding into what is probably the fastest and most challenging solo on the album.
8. Goats of War
Lyrics:
Leo started the first draft of these lyrics, then turned them over to me so I could finish them and make them consistent with the rest of the record. This is the part of the story where Shepherd and the Goats wipe out the last few stragglers and knock down all of humanity’s remaining monuments. It’s about the perverse thrill of dancing on the graves of your enemies.
“We are the goats of war / braying the hymns of death / pastoral scenes restored / by mankind’s dying breath”
“Old world once more supplanting the new / how does it feel when the livestock is you?”
Music:
A mid-tempo march with some unsettling time signature changes and probably the most “black metal” feel of anything on the record. It feels a little in line with the kind of thing VLTIMAS might do—there’s even a hint of a David Vincent-style vocal delivery near the end.
9. Animal Kingdom
Lyrics:
The final moments of the record find Shepherd singing to the surviving animals of Earth, including the humans who have joined him, and congratulating himself for their victory. But over the chorus of the song, he becomes haunted by the realization that he has become the thing he once despised—a dictator and a tyrant who has made the planet an uninhabitable husk.
He also confronts his fear that perhaps the one part of being human we can never completely renounce is our tendency to seek power and destroy in the name of ideology:
“And as I stare into my soul / I see what I can never purge / this thirst for power and control / the same disgusting human urge”
As he’s coming to this realization, we hear the female voice from the start of the record return and utter the same lines as before—but now they seem to be mocking him:
“So let me open up your eyes / come see this hell you made on earth / it’s far too late to run and hide” it’s time to get what you deserve”
Now on the brink of insanity, Shepherd and the 12 goats decide to abandon the planet and travel through the cosmos looking for another world to conquer. The cycle repeats itself—and evil never truly dies.
Music:
We close the record with both the longest song and the biggest musical risk on the whole album. It starts off almost like a ballad, before a chorus of eerie clean vocals join in for the verses over a wall of cascading guitar melodies. Then the chorus breaks in with harsh screaming over a wall of distortion—before the clean picking returns underneath an ambient and otherworldly solo. After a buildup, the song falls into an ominous groove that carries it forward until the climax—where dissonant open chords ring behind tortured howls and an angular riff that terminates in a single bass note like an atomic bomb going off. A fitting conclusion to the record—and a sign of how the band’s sound will likely continue to evolve on future releases.
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STORY ANGLES – FUN FACTS:
1. The new record is a concept album and a “death metal rock opera”. It’s about a disillusioned everyman who sells his soul for demonic powers so he can raise an army of animals to take back the earth from humanity.
2. I finished writing the lyrics for the album while I was traveling in New Zealand. I was hiking the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, which was the location for Mordor and Mount Doom in the Lord of the Rings movies, and I was literally standing on the edge of an active volcano—looking right down into the crater. The clay had been dyed blood red from previous volcanic activity, and it just hit me all at once how beautiful and powerful nature was. We act like we’re the masters of this planet, but we’re not. That’s where the line “Volcanoes vomit bile from the guts of hell/Satanic ichor the elixir for my spell” comes from in Beating the Disease—it’s about Shepherd channeling the awesome power of nature to cleanse the earth.
3. Rob had to go to the ER while we were recording the album, for what turned out to be a stomach ulcer, I think. The weird thing about that is that we’ve had a member of the band end up in the hospital on every record we’ve made so far (I had a motorcycle accident while we were recording album #1). Granted, that’s only two for two at this point—so we’re not saying it’s a curse or anything. But it is kind of strange that it happened twice.
4. All members of Thirteen Goats have roots in the former Soviet Union. Leonid is from Russia, Cody’s got Russian heritage, Rob’s family is Armenian, and I’m Ukrainian. We didn’t write explicitly about that on this record, but it definitely informs the themes we’re exploring on the album—humanity’s capacity for violence, how power corrupts, how noble ideas can become twisted and evil, etc. A lot of those things show up in the history of that part of the world, and they’ve definitely had a ripple effect that’s touched all of our lives to varying degrees.
5. Kelly Schaefer from Atheist watched our whole set when we opened for them, and invited us to hang out with him afterwards on their tour bus. We had a great conversation about how metal music has just as much power as any other genre to tell meaningful stories and elicit genuine emotions, and he gave us some advice that really helped with the way we approached songwriting on this record. We owe him a debt of gratitude, and really hope our paths cross again on the road someday—thank you, Kelly!
L-R: Thirteen Goats Current Lineup | Rob Fitz-Gerald (Lead & Rhythm Guitars, Backing Vocals) | Graham K. Miles (Lead Vocals, Lead & Rhythm Guitars) | Cody Lewichew (Bass, Gang Vocals) | Leonid Verman (Drums, Gang Vocals) – Photo Credit: Kevyn Lilith Hoskin
Is it thrash? Death? Groove? THIRTEEN GOATS don’t care, and neither should you. This Vancouver four-piece tramples all over subgenre conventions to create an alchemical style of infernal riffs, huge hooks, and uniquely theatrical songwriting. The band’s new album, Capricorn Rising, is a death metal rock opera that tells the story of their mascot, Shepherd: a goat-skull wearing Antichrist accompanied by 12 demon goats who help him raise an army of animals to liberate the earth from humanity’s wars and greed. It’s a tongue-in-cheek tale of the anger we all feel at the world we live in, and the dangers of letting it turn you into a monster—delivered as a fitting soundtrack for the apocalypse.
Discography:
2024 – Capricorn Rising (LP)
2022 – Servants of the Outer Dark (LP)
2021 – Servant of the Outer Dark (Single)
Shared Stage with:
Cynic, Atheist, Expain, MVLGRAVE, Liminal Shroud, SVNEATER, Paramnesia
Blackwater Burial, Tribunal, Hyperia, Iron Kingdom, Detherous, Hem, Netjer, Shattered Throne, Futile Mutations, Nameless King, Thousand Arrows
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