Posts By Asher

0 Vancouver’s HUNTING GIANTS’ New Video “Among Thieves” Is A Strong Message About Addiction’s Destructive Nature + New Album “Mythos” Out Now!

November 25, 2022
by Asher
· Hunting Giants · Music News

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – November 25, 2022

Vancouver’s HUNTING GIANTS’ New Video “Among Thieves” Is A Strong Message About Addiction’s Destructive Nature

New Album “Mythos” Out Now!

L-R – Corey Wharton (Bass), Bradley Trivett (Guitar), Daniel Beavington (Drums), Stephen Atkey (Vocals)
Photographer Credit – Bradley Trivett

Canada’s Hunting Giants are sharing their next lyric video for the track “Among Thieves” off their latest album “Mythos” released this past September. The song hits close to home as their hometown of Vancouver, BC has been a focal point of the opioid crisis in their country.

The band goes into further detail about the track:

“As you listen to ‘Among Thieves’, the slow sensual riff of the verse comments on the seductive nature of destructive things which, we can use to temporarily ease our emotional or psychological pain. We move on to see how they slowly alter you into someone you weren’t before. Under the racing gallops of the percussion, we explore how violence can seem to be the most effective and immediate solution to solve disagreements and needs. The guitar, bass, and percussion all ring out as the progressive rock elements of the song are featured in a vocal chant expressing fear, pain, and hope. As the drums drop into halftime, we encounter a gritty taste of the life of those who live in addiction. A swell of guitar and stringed instruments signals the moment of self-realization and the protagonist has taken ownership of who they have become. We are greeted warmly by a swirling choir of vocals, guitar, and strings, which are broken by the toll of bells as our hero embraces his faults and opens his heart to the world. ‘Among Thieves’ is the epic on our album, ‘Mythos’.”

Watch and listen to “Among Thieves” at https://youtu.be/QVU2UEzNmfI

“Mythos” is the crowning achievement of Hunting Giants‘ many years of musical work, writing, and recording while gigging and enduring quarantine as a band during the Covid pandemic. The members of Hunting Giants all came from, and are inspired by, progressive rock and metal bands where songs would often pass the ten-minute mark. However, they desired to keep their own music concise and to the point, intentionally lacking much of the excess material that so often padded run-times of songs in the progressive rock-metal genre. Simple and clean lines are given priority over complicated abstractions that only challenge the player in an athletic way, provided that it serves the music.

Hunting Giants is confident that new listeners, as well as those familiar with them through their previous release “Skyward Eyes”, will find an accomplished intensity and listenability in “Mythos”, which represents their musical growth and evolution. Each of the thirteen songs was specially picked for the album to contribute to the overarching story in a theatrical and energetic manner. With riffs that will inspire and lyrics that will mystify.

“This album is musically very diverse as it ranges from intense white-knuckled metal tracks, down to gentle instrumental tracks peppered with melodic piano and haunting cello, all the way to epic ballads tastefully complimented by choirs, strings, and bells. Mythos lyrically explores archetypes, both heroic and villainous, that affect the world around us, as well as the inevitable fates which arise when these values are heinously held and expressed.” adds the band.

Hunting Giants is recommended for those who enjoy a 90s vibe and progressive elements, especially fans of Alice In Chains, Soundgarden, Tool, and Audioslave.

“Mythos” is available on CD and digital at the following links:

CD order – https://huntinggiants.com/product-category/mythos-albums/

Digital – Huntinggiants.bandcamp.com, Apple Music, Spotify.

Previous music videos can be viewed on Hunting Giants‘ YouTube channel HERE.

Track Listing:
1. Mythos – 3:28
2. Ancient Text – 3:18
3. Too Big To Kill – 3:06
4. Rituals – 3:57
5. Among Thieves – 5:28
6. Whispers – 2:16
7. Vanguard – 2:54
8. Mantle – 3:19
9. Kindred – 4:05
10. Epitaph – 1:09
11. Into Stone – 4:55
12. Remnant – 4:00
13. King of Ashes – 2:52
Album Length: 44:49

Hunting Giants is:
Corey Wharton – Bass Guitar
Stephen Atkey – Vocals
Bradley Trivett – Guitar
Daniel Beavington – Drums

For more info:
HuntingGiants.com
Facebook.com/huntinggiantsband
Instagram.com/huntinggiantsband
Twitter.com/huntinggiants

About:
Hunting Giants is a four-piece heavy rock band from Vancouver, BC, Canada.

This unique group of musicians offers a spectacular visuals-driven live performance that exceeds both the precise ferocity of their recordings and the highest expectations of an energized audience looking for something recognizably different. Their music is both refreshing and familiar, serving well as the musical backdrop for one’s ongoing discovery of meaning in life and self.

Hunting Giants was started in 2017 with Bradley Trivett assembling the first musical themes and combining the percussive expertise of Daniel Beavington with the explosive rhythmic prowess of Corey J. Wharton into the foundation of a team set to discover and dominate the most enormous sounds and daunting massive ideas they could find. Led by the visionary passion and styling of frontman Stephen Atkey, Hunting Giants is poised to deliver an incredible auditory and visual experience.

“Hunting Giants stake their claim as a powerful new force in the Pacific Northwest metal scene…this band is absolutely one you’ll want to keep an eye on.” – Wail Magazine

Discography:
2022 – Mythos – LP
2018 – Skyward Eyes – EP

Shared Stage with:
Unleash the Archers, Wednesday 13, Ophelia Falling, Kayas, Vessel, Sick Logic, Dark Stone

– 30 –

“A glorious adventure is about to begin, starting right here today! Heavy metallers Hunting Giants are debuting their brand new music video for “Rituals,” the first single from their upcoming album Mythos. The song indicates the zeal and the ambition that the band is bringing towards this new record, due for release on September 30th. The “Rituals” video matches the flat-out intensity of the song, one that discusses necromancy and the harshness of hatred and shame.” – V13

“It’s not often that a band is described as ‘a blend of modern hard rock, progressive rock/metal and grunge influences,’ but that is indeed a fitting description of Vancouver’s Hunting Giants” – Bravewords

“Let me say this first, HUNTING GIANTS from Vancouver are REALLY freaking good. These guys are relatively new but they are tighter and more accomplished man many veteran bands.” – Rock You Show

“This is an album (Mythos) that you’ll want to wander through thanks to their technical proficiency and the production value.” – Metal Roos

“a solid listen, and a fairly unique combination of a few different styles. It’s mostly heavy enough for Metal fans, and mostly melodic enough for fans like myself who appreciate a good hook.” – Metal Temple

—
ASHER MEDIA RELATIONS
Jon Asher – Music Publicist
#.514.581.5780
jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
Facebook @AsherMediaRelations
Instagram @AsherMedia
Tweet @AsherMedia
(Rockshots Records, Extreme Metal Music, Armstrong MF, Loud As Hell, Metalocalypstick, Decimate MF, Electric Highway Fest, Wacken Metal Battle Canada/USA, Hyperspace MF, Le FestEvil)

0 High Fells Offer Release Through Angry Riffs and Blackened Howls In “Catharsis”

November 25, 2022
by Asher
· High Fells · Music News

NEWS RELEASE

November 25, 2022

High Fells Offer Release Through Angry Riffs and Blackened Howls In “Catharsis”

L-R – Chris Szymankiewicz – Guitar, Nick Smith – Vocals / Guitar, Jeremiah Maynard – Drums, Erik McEwen – Bass
Photo Credit – Vance Valenzuela

Texas’ High Fells goes against the grain in regards to live blackened metal performance, they are longtime listeners of all different walks of music, and together they are proudly releasing their debut album “Catharsis” with they claim to be a journey between pure agony and anger, with a dash of hopelessness. It’s an emotional journey with sick riffs in which the lyrical content and the overall feeling of this album hit on a ton of mental and emotional wellness topics and the lack thereof. The band continues to explain:

“We are incredibly excited to debut our album “Catharsis” – the first of many to come. We’re excited to share it for many reasons, but primarily because it’s been such fun to write and perform, experimenting with styles and genres we’ve never fully committed to in other bands. The journey you’ll be taking over the course of 40 minutes will be a thought-provoking, visceral experience that will shed some light on mental illness and depressive episodes, something still a stigma in our current society.”

High Fells hopes that listeners can find something to relate to, something that will inspire them or helps convey emotions into words. They aim to shroud their lyrics with punishing riffs and blast beats that will ideally charm the listener.

Initially, High Fells set out to be a melodic black metal band, but as time has passed on and as they have played with more bands they love, the direction steered back towards death metal with that blackened flavor. Across the nine tracks, they bring ass-beating riffs with high-quality recordings.

Melodic, depressing, and angry, “Catharsis” is recommended for fans of Hath, Decapitated, and Sorrow Plagues.

Listen to “Catharsis” in full via TheCirclePit at https://youtu.be/JJ83eInk6fU

Digital streaming and downloads are available on Highfells.bandcamp.com, Spotify.

Music Video – Where They Call My Name – https://youtu.be/iWoznIVS4aY

Track Listing:
1. Lingering – 3:56
2. Strangled – 4:04
3. Apparition of Fear – 3:38
4. Hypoxian – 4:08
5. A Summon – 3:22
6. Hiraeth – 6:52
7. Fall With the Sun – 3:01
8. Reaping Discontent – 4:31
9. Where They Call My Name – 5:45
Album Length: 39:14

Album Credits:
• All songs performed by: High Fells
• All songs written by: High Fells
• Produced by: Nathan Wackett / Clay Schroeder / Nick Smith / Michael Briggs
• Mixed and Mastered by: Nathan Wackett
• Album Artwork by: Dawid Figielek

Album and Live Band Lineup:
Nick Smith – Guitar / Vocals
Chris Szymankiewicz – Guitar
Jeremiah Maynard – Drums
Erik McEwen – Bass / Backing Vocals

For more info: Highfells.com | Facebook.com/highfellstx | Twitter.com/highfellstx | Instagram.com/highfells

About:

Birthed during a particularly cold winter, High Fells grew to something more than a jam session over the first year of our COVID nightmare. The uncertainty and tumultuous nature of these times allowed fears and pains to fester. Expressing and letting go of our greatest sufferings through music is all we seek – a catharsis in audible form.

Having shared the stage with multiple international acts, High Fells goes against the grain in regards to live blackened metal performance – whether it be colorful guitars or an emphasis on having FUN, expect to have a good time among the shrieks, riffs, and blast beats.

– 30 –

“There’s warmth and beauty to be found beyond the expected genre conventions if you know where to look.” – Eric Grubbs, CentralTrack magazine

“The song… “Where They Call My Name” proves that High Fells are worth taking very seriously indeed (even if the band clearly don’t take themselves too seriously)… The passion that floods through the searing screams and ravaging roars adds to the song’s wrenching severity.” – NOCLEANSINGING

“I have seen their name pop up a lot recently due to them being on a good number of local shows as well as being opening acts for national tours. These dudes play some killer blackened death that got the crowd into right from the first note… “Even for a newer band, these guys were tight and on point.” – VOX AND HOPS

—
ASHER MEDIA RELATIONS
Jon Asher – Music Publicist
#.514.581.5780 | jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
Facebook @AsherMediaRelations | Instagram @AsherMedia | Tweet @AsherMedia
(Rockshots Records, Extreme Metal Music, Armstrong MF, Loud As Hell, Metalocalypstick, Decimate MF, Electric Highway Fest, Wacken Metal Battle Canada/USA, Hyperspace MF, Le FestEvil)

0 EPK – High Fells – Catharsis (2022)

November 25, 2022
by Asher
· EPKs · High Fells

EPK – High Fells – Catharsis (2022)

Publicist – Jon Asher – jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com

For fans of Hath, Decapitated, Sorrow Plagues, Harakiri for the Sky, Enshine

Band: High Fells
Album Title: Catharsis
Release Date: Nov 25, 2022

Highfells.com | Facebook.com/highfellstx | Twitter.com/highfellstx | Instagram.com/highfells | YouTube

Highfells.bandcamp.com | Spotify | Apple Music

L-R – Chris Szymankiewicz – Guitar, Nick Smith – Vocals / Guitar, Jeremiah Maynard – Drums, Erik McEwen – Bass
Photo Credit – Vance Valenzuela

Texas’ High Fells goes against the grain in regards to live blackened metal performance, they are longtime listeners of all different walks of music, and together they are proudly releasing their debut album “Catharsis” with they claim to be a journey between pure agony and anger, with a dash of hopelessness. It’s an emotional journey with sick riffs in which the lyrical content and the overall feeling of this album hit on a ton of mental and emotional wellness topics and the lack thereof. The band continues to explain:

High Fells hopes that listeners can find something to relate to, something that will inspire them or helps convey emotions into words. They aim to shroud their lyrics with punishing riffs and blast beats that will ideally charm the listener.

Initially, High Fells set out to be a melodic black metal band, but as time has passed on and as they have played with more bands they love, the direction steered back towards death metal with that blackened flavor. Across the nine tracks, they bring ass-beating riffs with high-quality recordings.

Melodic, depressing, and angry, “Catharsis” is recommended for fans of Hath, Decapitated, and Sorrow Plagues.

Discography:
2021 – Apparition of Fear (Singles)
2022 – A Summon (Single)
2022 – Where They Call My Name (SIngle)
2022 – Catharsis

SHARED STAGE WITH:
Rivers of Nihil, Alluvial, Warforged, Fallujah, Revocation, Krisiun, Inoculation, Cognitive, Summoning the Lich, My Missing Half

TOUR AND FESTIVALS:
2021 – Cognitive / Summoning the Lich / My Missing Half – Fort Worth
2022 – Rivers of Nihil / Fallujah / Alluvial / Warforged – Dallas
2022 – Revocation / Krisiun / Inoculation / Alluvial – Dallas

Artist Endorsements:
DropStrap guitar strap adjusters – Nick Smith

=============================================

BAND STORY ANGLES / FUN FACTS:

1. High Fells played exclusively headless instruments for a while… there was a meme between band members about that Vine video where the guy is like… “So no head?” and throws his phone at the ground. We wanted to make a shirt to honor it but figured it’d probably be a little obscure. Shortly after, we played with Revocation and Chris convinced me (Nick) to get a Jackson. Now we’re team pointy obnoxious guitars till we die.

2. Half the band is HEAVY into anime and our guitars have obnoxious waifu stickers on the backs.

3. Our favorite warmup songs on guitar are either Ram Ranch by Grant McDonald, a VERY intentionally poor rendition of Sweet Child O’Mine, or some random Shania Twain lick. It goes over either really well or radio silence but we love it.

4. The art for our singles are photos taken by Nick at a nearby nature trail. I get incredibly terrifying vibes from there after sundown and have seen evidence of rituals performed in the clearings (even though I don’t believe in all that, it’s still spooky!)

5. Jeremiah has a concrete barn on his dad’s property with no light, heat, or air conditioning that he uses to practice when the rehearsal space is unavailable. When it’s 30 degrees out, when it’s 100+, when it’s raining, etc. Sometimes it rains enough that water comes in DURING PRACTICE.

[Download Album Cover | Download Album Lyrics]

Track Listing:
1. Lingering – 3:56
2. Strangled – 4:04
3. Apparition of Fear – 3:38
4. Hypoxian – 4:08
5. A Summon – 3:22
6. Hiraeth – 6:52
7. Fall With the Sun – 3:01
8. Reaping Discontent – 4:31
9. Where They Call My Name – 5:45
Album Length: 39:14

Album Credits:
• All songs performed by: High Fells
• All songs written by: High Fells
• Produced by: Nathan Wackett / Clay Schroeder / Nick Smith / Michael Briggs
• Mixed and Mastered by: Nathan Wackett
• Album Artwork by: Dawid Figielek

Album and Live Band Lineup:
Nick Smith – Guitar / Vocals
Chris Szymankiewicz – Guitar
Jeremiah Maynard – Drums
Erik McEwen – Bass / Backing Vocals

===========================================

The album as a whole (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY):

Catharsis is a journey between pure agony and anger, with a dash of hopelessness. You’ll know which is which.

Track by Track (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY)

1. Lingering
Lyrically… this was one of the first ones I wrote lyrics for and it focuses around the idea of personifying a sense of dread. It functions as a foreword for what’s to come – dread, anxiety, depression, thoughts of hopelessness.

2. Strangled
Pure anxiety – the feeling of not being able to escape it.

3. Apparition of Fear
I (Nick) have recurring dreams of returning to the worst times in my life like I never moved past them. I’ll wake up sweating and unable to determine if they were real or not – AoF conveys this well.

4. Hypoxian
Our issues with turning inward and suffering silently in place of reaching for help. Locking oneself away and losing any sense of self.

5. A Summon
A story I read not long ago about a character who was summoned from their world into another, to serve as the host for a cosmic entity. The thought of being thrown into another world, away from all you knew, and your body is no longer yours. Horrifying!

6. Hiraeth
Chris – It’s the struggle of finding what home is, whatever that is whether it’s a person or a place. The anxiety of not feeling like you belong and everything thing feels off. It’s a struggle I think everyone can relate to at one point or another.

7. Fall With the Sun
As the album progresses, the overarching depressive lyrical content begins to culminate and manifest as the sun goes down, both literally and figuratively. The sadness amplifies at night, and we view our lives as being sunsetted by being unable to control these thoughts.

8. Reaping Discontent
Another nightmare from my past that has haunted me – this time I’ve accepted that I am to blame and I deserve this all.

9. Where They Call My Name
The eventuality of a lifetime of negative thoughts – we all use nature and forest walks as an escape from our daily problems, and I paralleled this with going the wrong direction and committing suicide in a place of healing.

0 Israel’s Twisted Mind Presents A Fiery New Brand of Happy Metal With New EP “From Slave To Prophet”

November 25, 2022
by Asher
· Music News · Twisted Mind

NEWS RELEASE

November 25, 2022

Israel’s Twisted Mind Presents A Fiery New Brand of Happy Metal With New EP “From Slave To Prophet”

L- R – Lahav Zitiyat – Guitar, Oud, David Darash – Drums, Yanir Chmiel – Lead Vocals, Or Levy – Bass, Dan Saliman – Guitar, Bouzuki

Twisted Mind is an eclectic metal band influenced by a kaleidoscope of musicians that have inspired guitarist Dan Saliman, an Israeli musician of Yemenite and Moroccan-based heritage who grew up in a home where oriental music was frequently played. He formed the band in 2017 and in December, will have their debut album “From Slave To Prophet” ready to delight open-minded listeners around the world. The first single “Walked Through Hell”, captures the true essence of the band who shot the video in one night. They share their thoughts on the record and how they came up with the concept name:

“This EP is all about our timeline from where we started back then at the beginning of the pandemic and through the war of getting rock and roll less stigmatic. We strive to be the ones who will break the glass ceiling of musical genres. We didn’t come from great money and wealth. We are warriors, fighting hard and aiming to become something bigger, something which will bring a “word”. And while we are on our way, we try to inspire people to fight for their beliefs, unite for a cause, open their minds to other points of view and create amazing things together which will maybe make the world a better place.”

Every member of Twisted Mind is a great believer in the power of music and its ability to bring different worlds and traditions together. They hope and aspire that the new mix of cultures and sounds in their music will break the invisible wall and crush the stigmas between the genres and their rigid rules. Overall, “From Slave To Prophet” is something, fresh, and different.

This modern Israeli and self-dubbed ‘Happy Metal’ band is recommended for anyone looking for something intriguing, and also for fans of Metallica, Muse, and Dhafer Youssef. The official video for “Walked Through Hell” is out now and the EP comes out on December 9, 2022.

Music Video – “Walked Through Hell” – https://youtu.be/Gghbn99tmUA

EP pre-save link – https://orcd.co/twistedepre

Track Listing:
1. Long Live Rock & Roll – 03:59
2. Burning Grounds – 04:49
3. Walked Through Hell – 03:52
4. Back Home – 06:25
5. From Slave to Prophet – 05:00
EP Length: 24:07

EP Recording Credits:
• All songs performed by: Twisted Mind
• All songs written by: Twisted Mind
• Produced by: Omer Lempert
• Mixed by: Omer Lempert
• Mastered by: Maor Appelbaum
• EP Artwork by: Inbar Kassavi

EP Recording Line Up:
Lahav Zityat – Guitar +Oud
Assaf Tirosh – Bass
David Darash – Drums
Yanir Chmiel – Lead Vocals
Dan Saliman – Guitar + Bouzouki

Live Line Up:
Lahav Zityat – Guitar +Oud
Or Levy – Bass
David Darash – Drums
Yanir Chmiel – Lead Vocals
Dan Saliman – Guitar + Bouzouki

For more info: Facebook.com/twistedmindmusic | Instagram.com/twistedmind.bandil | Spotify | Apple Music

About: The AOR rock/metal group Twisted Mind was founded in 2017 by Dan Saliman, an Israeli musician of a Yemenite & Moroccan-based heritage. Dan grew up in a home where oriental music was a Major part of his musical background

After a long process of creating a musical concept, Dan was joined by the other members, achieving this final line-up. The four joining members helped mold the sound, bringing their own styles, influences, and cultural heritage to Twisted Mind, thus creating a powerful combination of music that fuses the power and aggression of heavy metal, throughout the liberating energy of modern rock & roll.

And all this while using ethnical Middle Eastern music – emerging from their homeland and from the band members’ heritage and their own family ‘DNA’.Starting in San’aa –Yemen, through Istanbul – Turkey, passing through the deserts of Libya and traveling the long roads to a garage in Los Angeles.

– 30 –

“The first band to open the mosh pit in this festival were Twisted Mind, a great achievement for the new band in our local scene ”- Metalist Magazine

“This band sounds like a super tight and professional rhythm turbo unit, creating happy shredding rock with a middle eastern touch” – Yosmusic.com

0 EPK – Twisted Mind – From Slave to Prophet (2022)

November 25, 2022
by Asher
· EPKs · Twisted Mind

EPK – Twisted Mind – From Slave to Prophet (2022)

Publicist – Jon Asher – jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com

“This EP is all about our timeline from where we started back then at the beginning of the pandemic and through the war of getting rock & roll less stigmatic. We strive to be the ones who will break the glass ceiling of musical genres. We didn’t come from great money and wealth. We are warriors, fighting hard and aiming to become something bigger, something that will bring “a word”. And while we are on our way, we try to inspire people to fight for their beliefs, unite for a cause, open their minds to other points of view and create amazing things together which will maybe make the world a better place. That’s why we choose “From Slave to Prophet” as the concept name for our EP.” – Twisted Mind

For fans of Metallica, Muse, Dhafer Youssef, Linkin Park, Orphaned Land

EP Title: From Slave to Prophet
Release Date: December 9th, 2022
Label: Rad Star Management
Distribution: The Orchard

Facebook.com/twistedmindmusic | Instagram.com/twistedmind.bandil | Youtube.com/c/TwistedMindband

Spotify | Apple Music

“An excellent EP made by talented and motivated musicians.” – Pierre Davidson – A Progressive Life – CFUZ 92.9 FM – Penticton, BC

“Good old just “metal” nice edge, catchy good stuff.” – The Mosh Pit 89.9 FM – Madison, WI

“it’s a cracking tune (Long Live Rock & Roll) that varies in pace, style and has a groove that is catchy as hell. It’s got a spirit and vibrancy that demands your attention, the interplay is excellent and Yanir Chmiel’s vocals are superb.” – Ever Metal

“Twisted Mind hits such a peculiar part of my brain, with a classic heavy metal understanding of vocal melodies melding with modern radio rock production and a sprinkle of folk in the mix. This new EP is bound to attract both boomer and zoomer metalheads alike considering the versatility and widespread catchiness that From Slave to Prophet holds. While the band has the Middle Eastern flair akin to Orphaned Land or Myrath, they also possess a accessible, progressive characteristic that allow them to comfortably share the stage with Trivium or Dream Theater. All in all, I keep returning to this stylistic enigma and love it every time.” – Album of the Month December 2022 – Metal Has No Borders

““Long Live Rock and Roll,” hits hard and heavy. A song that combines the best of rock and roll, turning through the growth… “Walked Through Hell,” shimmers and shifts, twisting the pathways of time forward and bringing the cascading elements…. “From Slave To Prophet,” turns the direction and hits the hammer hard. A burning passion.” – The Median Man

“With 5 songs, the main song is the great “Burning Grounds”, which serves as a perfect picture of what the listener will hear in the 24 minutes of the work. With lyrics that protest against politicians and governments that try to use moments of a real state of emergency to control and silence the population, the song delivers a very well-made mix of elements from Hard Rock and Melodic Metal, which generates a heavy song. , technique, but which does not give up musicality and melodies.” – Roadie Metal

“five pieces which have an enormous artistic value. Rarely has EP touched me so much, and the work done by Dan Saliman and his associates is enormous and of stunning quality. Impossible not to replay these songs which are as human as they are technically impeccable, and we often have the feeling of finding ourselves on the side of the Orient, between marvels and painful history, poverty and richness of the soul. A wonderful discovery, which is reminiscent of the magical THE KORDZ and their sublime Beauty & The East… TWISTED MIND, a band for open-minded freaks and free-spirited music lovers.” – MetalNews.fr

““From Slave To Prophet” is something fresh and different.” – Metal Universe

“TWISTED MIND: Present a fiery new kind of happy metal with the new EP “From Slave To Prophet”!” – Metal Only

“The first band to open the mosh pit in this festival were Twisted Mind,a great achievement for the new band in our local scene ”- Metalist Magazine

“This band sounds like a super tight and professional rhythm turbo unit, creating happy shredding rock with a middle eastern touch” – Yosmusic.com

[Download EP Cover | Download EP Lyrics]

EP Title: From Slave to Prophet
Release Date: December 9th, 2022
Label: Rad Star Management
Distribution: The Orchard

Track Listing:
1. Long Live Rock & Roll – 03:59
2. Burning Grounds – 04:49
3. Walked Through Hell – 03:52
4. Back Home – 06:25
5. From Slave to Prophet – 05:00
EP Length: 24:07

EP Recording Credits:
• All songs performed by: Twisted Mind
• All songs written by: Twisted Mind
• Produced by: Omer Lempert
• Mixed by: Omer Lempert
• Mastered by: Maor Appelbaum
• EP Artwork by: Inbar Kassavi

EP Recording Line Up:
Lahav Zityat – Guitar +Oud
Assaf Tirosh – Bass
David Darash – Drums
Yanir Chmiel – Lead Vocals
Dan Saliman – Guitar + Bouzouki

Live Line Up:
Lahav Zityat – Guitar +Oud
Or Levy – Bass
David Darash – Drums
Yanir Chmiel – Lead Vocals
Dan Saliman – Guitar + Bouzouki

=================================================

The EP as a whole (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY)

This EP is all about our timeline from where we started back then at the beginning of the pandemic and through the war of getting rock & roll less stigmatic. We strive to be the ones who will break the glass ceiling of musical genres. We didn’t come from great money and wealth.

We are warriors, fighting hard and aiming to become something bigger, something that will bring “a word”. And while we are on our way, we try to inspire people to fight for their beliefs, unite for a cause, open their minds to other points of view and create amazing things together which will maybe make the world a better place. That’s why we choose “From Slave to Prophet” as the concept name for our EP.

Track by track (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY)

1. Born To Rock & Roll: A song that empowers rock & roll music and says rock and roll will never die.

2. Burning Grounds: this is a protest song we wrote about the world as we see it today. Corruption in governments, violence, and problems of the world as we perceive them.

3. Walked Through Hell: a song about a failed and toxic love story in which a woman took a man and dragged him through hell.

4. Back Home: a song that was written about a toxic relationship.

5. From Slave to Prophet: a song describing the biblical story of Josef who started as a slave in Egypt after his brothers sold him for slavery, and eventually became a prophet who could predict the future with his dreams.

============================================

STORY ANGLES / FUN FACTS ABOUT THE BAND

1. Dan Saliman (our guitar and bouzouki player) and Or Levi (bass player) are cousins.

2. A year After Yanir (our lead singer) joined the band they all remembered Dan saw him at a night out one day and asked him if he would maybe like to collaborate on a song with his band. They did not try this collaboration and a year passed and Yanir became the lead singer without anybody remembering that night out.

3. Yanir actually came from being a pop/RnB singer to being a rock/metal singer and at the start, he had to learn and practice his screaming techniques, let’s just say his neighbors didn’t really like that.

4. We got a big record deal before we even released our first single to the world but we decided not to sign it because we felt that we weren’t ready yet.

5. One show we had was the blackest show we could ever imagine where one of us smashed his forehead running into a glass door, Yanir broke the mic stand and got the mic itself wet, nearly electrifying himself, Dan fell with his guitar on stage, hitting his eye and Lahav broke his guitar stand which ended with 3 of his guitars hitting the floor hard. So yes, we finished that show, but it was truly one hell of a show.

6. A bonus story: Lahav broke his back crowd surfing at an Avenged Sevenfold performance at Grasspop festival, causing a bus full of touring fans to wait for him to get medical assistance and almost missing their flight back home.

===============================================

L- R – Lahav Zitiyat – Guitar +Oud, David Darash – Drums, Yanir Chmiel – Lead Vocals, Or Levy – Bass, Dan Saliman – Guitar + Bouzuki

The AOR rock/metal group Twisted Mind was founded in 2017 by Dan Saliman, an Israeli musician of a Yemenite & Moroccan-based heritage. Dan grew up in a home where oriental music was a Major part of his musical background

Twisted Mind EP Recording Line Up:
Lahav Zityat – Guitar +Oud
Assaf Tirosh – Bass
David Darash – Drums
Yanir Chmiel – Lead Vocals
Dan Saliman – Guitar + Bouzouki

Twisted Mind Live Line Up:
Lahav Zityat – Guitar +Oud
Or Levy – Bass
David Darash – Drums
Yanir Chmiel – Lead Vocals
Dan Saliman – Guitar + Bouzouki

SHARED STAGE WITH:
Unleash the pain, Desert, Scardust, Lehavoth, Hotbox, Sinnery, Artland, Subterranean Masquerade, Walkways, Stormbound, Revision The Dream, Bzaat, Dukatalon, DPS, Delicate Disorder, Anti Rabbit, Prey For Nothing
The Great Machine, Ortega, Monsters of Rock, Boten Matok Bakirkas

TOUR AND FESTIVALS:
2022 – Festifiler – Tel-Aviv, IL (Upcoming)
2022 – Sheikh Abreik – Tiv’on, IL
2021 – The Israeli metalfest – Tel-Aviv, IL
2021 – Motorfest – The Golan Heights, IL

0 Canada’s Alienatör Are Now Streaming Politically Charged Album “Regrets”

November 24, 2022
by Asher
· Alienator · Music News

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – November 24, 2022

Canada’s Alienatör Are Now Streaming Politically Charged Album “Regrets”

New Album “Regrets” Out Nov 25th

(L to R) Sean Skillen – Bass/Back-up Vocals, Brad King – Guitar/Vocals, Simon Paquette – Drums
Photo Credit – Peter David Wragg

Alienatör is a sludge metal band from Thunder Bay, Canada that combine punk, hardcore, and noise rock elements into a stripped-down package, full of razor-sharp riffs and memorable hooks. They are now streaming their second album “Regrets”, which promises to be darker, more focused, and more intense than their first.

Composed during the claustrophobia of the 2020 election and the global pandemic, “Regrets” channels rage while the lyrics express alienation, grief, pain, and disgust at the state of the modern world. The band comments on the album:

“Regrets is a grim postcard from the depths of the human psyche. Our darkest release yet, it is a reaction to years of deep political turmoil, the erosion of truth, as well as personal politics of grief, loss, and struggle. It’s an album that touches on personal and social themes. Flourishes of melody drenched in a caustic sludge, painted in shades of black. We still have some blistering fast punk-influenced tunes but we’re branching out and showing our songwriting depth.”

Within “Regrets” are eleven heavy-hitting songs with enough variety to keep even the most discerning metalheads interested. From the odd time signatures in the off-kilter “Revisionist History” that speaks of the erosion of truth in our public discourse and the dangerous narcissists who create their own reality to the bleak history being told in “Irreconcilable” that is equal in both horrific subject matter and dynamic riffs, there is something for everyone on this record.

The record was produced and mixed by bassist/vocalist Sean Skillen, mastered by Brad Boatright and the album artwork was done by Peter David Wragg. Aggressive and emotional, it is recommended for fans of Neurosis, Botch, and Jesus Lizard.

“Regrets” drops officially on Friday, November 25th, and can be heard in full via its album stream premiere on Doomed & Stoned HERE.

Album pre-order – https://alienator.bandcamp.com

Music Video – The Priest – https://youtu.be/TJxF6Qs3Bws

Track Listing:
1. Revisionist History – 2:10
2. Loss Leader – 4:03
3. Blood Red Blood – 3:08
4. Regrets – 3:44
5. The Priest – 5:30
6. The Less Dead – 1:56
7. Flat Earth Society – 2:51
8. Irreconcilable – 2:59
9. Your Funeral – 3:20
10. Wounded Birds – 4:10
11. Dark Matters – 4:09
Album Length: 38:04

Album Recording Credits:
– All songs performed by: Alienator
– Music by Alienator
– Lyrics by Brad King
– Produced by: Sean Skillen
– Mixed by: Sean Skillen
– Mastered by: Brad Boatright
– Album Artwork by: Peter David Wragg
– Member of SOCAN
– Canadian Content (MAPL)

Album and Live Line Up:
Brad King – Vocals, Guitar
Sean Skillen – Bass, Vocals
Simon Paquette – Drums

For more info:
Exitmusicstudio.ca/alienator
Facebook.com/alienatorband
Instagram.com/alienatorband

About: Hailing from Thunder Bay, ON, Canada, Alienatör is a sludge metal band that combines punk, hardcore, and noise rock elements into a stripped-down package, full of razor-sharp riffs and memorable hooks.

Their debut album, “Pariahs,” released in 2109 moves from fast and aggressive to slow and swampy with touches of experimental weirdness. Many of the lyrics are about how we numb ourselves to the pain and disappointment of everyday life.

Fast forward to 2022, and the band is ready to unleash their follow-up, entitled “Regrets,” which introduces new drummer Simon Paquette to the fold. The album is bleak and abrasive, with moments of calm, melody, and beauty to juxtapose against the ugliness. Raw, uncompromising, and dark, it is emotionally heavy music that reflects a chaotic time in history.

– 30 –

“Noisy post-hardcore sludge, full of energy and rage… a genuine ass-kicker of a record.” – Decibel

“This band is burly, grimy, and the sonic manifestation of discontent. If it’s motivational music you seek, back away slowly. Alienatör ply their trade in the margins of metal, with elements of sludge, noise rock, hardcore, heavy metal, and crust punk. Listeners of Pariahs, the band’s debut full-length, will hear shades of Unsane, Red Fang, Cursed, Kvelertak, Acid Bath, and Cancer Bats, among other guitar-heavy acts by whom sophistication and polish are eschewed.” – Lambgoat

“Pariahs shows Alienatör firing all of their creative cylinders and marks a multifaceted, all-consuming sludge opera delivered with convincing force and accents.” – Idioteq

“Gritty, high-octane sludge…” – Metal Trenches

“From beginning to end Alienatör offers up a truly murky, chunky yet noise filled sound that tears at your ear drums, but in the best possible way. Each track is a madhouse of artery stopping, head banging sludge and noise rock that you cannot simply turn away from.” – Cadaver Garden

“Alienator are miserable and they’d like you to join them.” – Lambgoat

—
ASHER MEDIA RELATIONS
Jon Asher – Music Publicist
#.514.581.5780
jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
Facebook @AsherMediaRelations
Instagram @AsherMedia
Tweet @AsherMedia

0 Canada’s IRON KINGDOM’s New Video “Sheathe The Sword” Is A Shreddy Tale of A Warrior’s Last Chance At Victory

November 23, 2022
by Asher
· Iron Kingdom · Music News

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – November 23, 2022

Canada’s IRON KINGDOM’s New Video “Sheathe The Sword” Is A Shreddy Tale of A Warrior’s Last Chance At Victory

New Album “The Blood Of Creation” Out Now!

L-R: Chris Osterman (Lead Vocals / Lead Guitar), Leighton Holmes (Bass Guitar), Megan Merrick (Lead Guitar), Max Friesen (Drums)
Photo Credit – Caitlin Delaplace

Canada’s Iron Kingdom presents its new lyric video for its latest single “Sheathe The Sword”,which draws inspiration from the fantasy series “Wheel of Time”. For years now, Iron Kingdom has been gracing the world with its traditional heavy metal, weaving grand stories and teleporting listeners to far-off lands. This latest single refers to a sword move in which you willingly accept your opponent’s sword into your body in order to inflict a killing blow. The band comments on the single:

“We were looking to do something pretty fast and driving, and once we had the ideas for the first couple of riffs we knew it had to be about Lan Mandoragon – the uncrowned king of a lost and scattered kingdom and is highly respected by neighbouring kingdoms who recognize him as the battle lord of the borderlands. Musically this song is a speedy, driving power metal tune in the vein of early Hammerfall. “Sheathe The Sword” is a warrior’s last chance at victory, but that victory comes with a heavy cost.”

Watch and listen to “Sheathe The Sword” at https://youtu.be/gGI3PDyblUs

(the video features clips from the band’s sold-out album launch show held in Vancouver on November 4th at Wise Hall)

Iron Kingdom recently unveiled their album “The Blood Of Creation” at the beginning of this November. Their fifth full-length contains eight impressive tracks running over three-quarters of an hour of classic heavy metal, windswept solos, memorable riffs, and piercing vocals conveying powerful stories. This new album saw a lot more musical content coming from lead guitarist Megan Merrick, and having Max Friesen on drums saw lots more ideas from yet another angle. Iron Kingdom continues to rework and evolve its sound and layers of professionalism can be heard throughout. This album is quite dark topically, the lyrics speak of war, fear, sacrifice, and pain, and the music although very classical and explorative also has some very evil moments throughout. The band, like so many others, was in a dark place due to the pandemic and the music reflects some of those emotions.

“The Blood Of Creation” was completely self-produced, written, and recorded. The album was sent out for mixing (Andy Boldt) and mastering (Greg Reely), but they handled everything else. vocalist/guitarist Chris Osterman engineered the record with some help from the band and some friends (Dan Yakimow, Jeff Black).

In the beginning, Iron Kingdom set out to create a sound paying homage to how things used to be in the 70s and 80s. They put on a big and energetic show, a show that brings you back to 1984, but in all the best ways. They are recommended for fans of Helloween, Judas Priest, and Queensrÿche.

The album “The Blood Of Creation” is available at the following links:

Iron-kingdom.com/shop/ (CD, Vinyl, Cassette), Iron-kingdom.bandcamp.com, Apple Music, Spotify

Album Stream – https://youtu.be/4pk7QzM4gBo

Music Video – Queen of The Crystal Throne – https://youtu.be/YyhEutgL9gI

Fun Fact: ‘Queen Of The Crystal Throne’ played on City TV for Hockey Night In Canada (Montreal Vs Dallas) – Sat Oct 22, 2022.

The Making of “The Blood Of Creation” – Pt 1. [Mini Documentary] – https://youtu.be/TSrv44SXQ-A

Track Listing:
1. Tides Of Desolation – 1:13
2. Sheathe The Sword – 5:25
3. Queen Of The Crystal Throne – 4:58
4. Hunter And Prey – 5:25
5. Witching Hour – 5:44
6. In The Grip Of Nightmares – 5:23
7. Primordial – 1:40
8. The Blood Of Creation – 13:38
Total Running Length: 43:29

For more info:
https://www.iron-kingdom.com
https://www.facebook.com/ironkingdom
https://www.instagram.com/iron_kingdom
https://twitter.com/iron_kingdom

– 30 –

“Loads of riffs and melodies some excellent lead breaks and pounding rhythms. This is bonafide, foot on the monitor, fist pumping, horn throwing real metal. I have never heard Iron Kingdom before but on the strength of this I will be obtaining the back catalogue very soon.” – My Global Mind (The Blood of Creation)

“With The Blood Of Creation, Iron Kingdom have forged a masterpiece that brings tears of joy to the eyes of every traditional metalhead. There is only high-quality material and everyone is encouraged to include this album in their choice of this year’s Top10. ” – Soundmagnet

“Iron Kingdom brings another solid heavy metal album with the fifth album ‘The Blood of Creation’. Slightly progressive, but especially heavy… Give the band a listen, you will be surprised!” – Metal Experience

“This is a solid album of heavy metal delivered in the style that is true to the cause and therefore, what the listener gets here with ‘The Blood of Creation’, is an album which mounts its steeds and charges forward in a cavalry strike as galloping riffage and rhythms never give the listener the chance to let up with tracks such as ‘Queen of the Crystal Throne’, ‘In the Grip of Nightmares’ and ‘Witching Hour’ having some very impressive twin guitar lines. This would impress any fan of Iron Maiden, Riot V and Iced Earth, but also sticks within the remit of trad metal with bands such as Katana, Skelator and Toledo Steel.” – Metal Digest

“Anyone who likes beautiful and playful melodies, extensive guitar solos, detailed arrangements and double lead guitars will be well served with “The Blood Of Creation”.” – PowerMetal.de

“Iron Kingdom created an iron-bound, battle-hardened piece of traditional Heavy Metal that truly made me want to turn the clock back to those long-gone days of glory. Times when metal was just that, the pure joy of a style that was still new, exciting, and powerful. Or to let the band speak in their own words, they “…decided to play metal the way it used to be played in the 70s and 80s.” Well, mission fucking accomplished. Well done, guys.” – Rock Music Raider

—
ASHER MEDIA RELATIONS
Jon Asher – Music Publicist
#.514.581.5780 | jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
Facebook @AsherMediaRelations | Instagram @AsherMedia | Tweet @AsherMedia
(Rockshots Records, Extreme Metal Music, Armstrong MF, Loud As Hell, Metalocalypstick, Decimate MF, Electric Highway Fest, Wacken Metal Battle Canada/USA, Hyperspace MF, Le FestEvil)

0 EPK – They Grieve – To Which I Bore Witness (2022) (Silent Pendulum Records)

November 22, 2022
by Asher
· EPKs · They Grieve

EPK – They Grieve – To Which I Bore Witness (2022) (Silent Pendulum Records)

Two-piece drone and gloom from Ottawa, Canada

Publicist – Jon Asher – jon[@ashermediarelations[.]com

“We are very proud of how far we’ve come as a band since our last release. Although it’s been a painstaking process, having scrapped and then re-written most of it, we feel that the end result is a very clear step in the right direction for us. We took our time trying to get the details right, getting more comfortable and adept at filling sonic space as a two-piece. Specifically, we put a lot of work into blending our disparate drone and post-metal influences in a way that feels more natural and seamless than our previous efforts. Recording with Topon Das was a great experience, and certainly helped us bring the album to life. His engineering expertise allowed us to capture the intensity of our live performances without sacrificing the atmosphere. Additionally, Mike at Silent Pendulum records has provided us with a wonderful home for this album—he is at the forefront of new metal, and we’re excited to be a part of it.” – They Grieve

For fans of The Body, Cult of Luna, Bell Witch, Thou, Year of No Light

Album Title: To Which I Bore Witness
Release Date: February 24, 2022
Label: Silent Pendulum Records
Distribution: DistroKid

“In the song (To Which I Bore Witness) itself, the music lumbers like a wounded leviathan, staggering ahead with terrific heaviness through corrosive chords and pounding drums — and unexpectedly, it also gets significantly louder, all the better to crush the listener into submission. Enhancing the daunting atmosphere of the music, the vocals scar the senses with harsh howls of ruinous torment, and a guitar wails in bitter grief. Suddenly, just as the video’s protagonist lands on a barren beach (to meet her other self), the music dramatically changes. A slow piano melody ethereally rings in moody but mesmerizing fashion above a humming bass and steady beats. That interlude only seems to magnify the bruising impact of what follows it. The piano still rings, but the rough reverberations that surround it abrade like heavy-grit sandpaper, and the screams reach new heights of harrowing intensity. The drums boom, the chords scrape and moan, the feeling of immense desolation becomes staggering. The protagonist buries the box she removed from within forest roots and wanders away, alone.” – No Clean Singing

“As you can probably imagine from the song titles, They Grieve are not a happy band. The duo infuse a lifetime’s worth of depression and darkness into their music, drawing inspiration from acts like Grieve, Amarok and Burning Witch.” – Decibel Magazine (All That a Body Can Suffer off I Made My Sacrifice Accordingly)

“[…] a surprisingly nuanced take on sludge metal.” – Dreams of Consciousness

“Previously I had compared the music to an introspective journey. This feels more like sinking into quicksand.” – Metal Trenches (I Made My Sacrifice Accordingly)

[Download Album Cover | Download Album Lyrics]

Album Title: To Which I Bore Witness
Release Date: February 24, 2022
Label: Silent Pendulum Records
Distribution: DistroKid

Track Listing:
1. Wither (7:12)
2. Under the Weight (7:23)
3. If Light Should Appear (7:00)
4. To Which I Bore Witness (6:43)
5. Guided (3:18)
6. Weakness (8:01)
Album Length: 39:40

Album Recording Credits:
• All songs performed by: Deniz Guvenc & Gary Thibert
• All songs written by: Deniz Guvenc & Gary Thibert
• Produced by: Topon Das at Apartment 2 Studios
• Mixed by: Topon Das at Apartment 2 Studios
• Mastered by: Dave Williams at Eight Floors Above
• Album Artwork by: Pascale Arpin
• Additional tracks recorded by Alex Jakimczuk at Uppercut Studios

Album and Live Band Lineup:
Gary Thibert: Guitars, Bass, Vocals
Deniz Güvenç: Drums, Synthesizers, Piano, Vocals

==================================================

The album as a whole (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY)

“This album, both lyrically and musically, tries to capture the uncomfortable juxtaposition between weakness and weight. We are constantly trying to express the ways in which the ugliness and decay we see in the world sets itself down and plants its roots inside of us—how the weight of the world transforms into our own weakness once it has done so. We try to capture this feeling of juxtaposition and tension within the music itself by oscillating between ambient, textural drones and heavy, doom-laden riffs.” – Deniz

Track by track (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY)

1. Wither
This song, the album opener, was written twice. The decision to scrap the original version in its entirety was anxiety-inducing at first, but clearly feels like the right decision now that everything is said and done. We spent a lot of time fine-tuning the last half of the song, and the ending was one of our favourite parts to write—in fact, it is still one of our favourite parts to play live. Writing this song really forced us to get more comfortable with not only using samples in a live context, but also with blending and balancing tones and dynamics at the same time to ensure everything hits in the right place. Without our electronics, we would need 5 or 6 guitarists to pull this off on stage.”

2. Under the Weight
“This was the first song we wrote for this album, but it was completely re-written from start to finish. The process began while we were on a brief hiatus in 2017 during which time Gary was living and working across the country. We tried to write on our own and send demo recordings back and forth, but we quickly realized that this process simply doesn’t work for us. Nothing we came up with during that period sounded quite right. The distance really showed us how important improvisation and playing off of each other is for our writing process.”

3. If Light Should Appear
“Although this was one of the last tracks we wrote for the album, we feel that it is probably the most stylistically similar to our previous work. Especially the ending, where we lean more into the denser, dissonant wall-of-noise drones we wrote for our first EP. It is also one of the more aggressive and rhythmically diverse tracks on the album. The title of the song was inspired by a short line Anne Carson wrote in her introduction to If Not, Winter, her translation of Sappho’s collected fragments.”

4. To Which I Bore Witness
“Although this is the title track of our new album, it was one of the last songs we wrote. We had spent well over two years writing and re-writing nearly every other song on the album. At that point, we felt like we really started understanding what makes us sound like ‘us’, so this song came together seamlessly. Lyrically, we have always written one single piece to be split up and used for the entire album. To Which I Bore Witness is no different. The lyrics come directly from conversations we have as friends—more than a band, They Grieve is a space where we both can be vulnerable and open with each other about our experiences of grief, loss, and weakness in ways we simply can’t with other people. During the years we spent writing this album, we had many conversations about succumbing to depression—about how the ugliness and trauma we see in the world sets itself to work inside of us as individuals, plants its roots in us, and decays from without to within.”

5. Guided
“We’ve always been vocal about our love of classical minimalism and contemporary groups like A Winged Victory for the Sullen working within that realm. We do not see this track (which features only piano and one guitar) as an interlude or transition, but as something complete in-itself that expresses the same ideas as the other tracks on the record. Deniz’s piano part was recorded with Alex Jakimczuk at Uppercut Studios, and it was the only thing we recorded outside of Apartment Two with Topon Das. We love how Alex was able to bring out the natural harmonics and overtones of the piano and how Topon was able to blend the guitar layer into it.”

6. Weakness
“This track was yet another that we re-wrote in its entirety after performing it live. We spent quite a lot of time discussing the dynamic “narrative” of the song—how the slower, quieter introduction would crescendo into doom, how the dissonance of that doomy guitar riff would eventually evolve into harmony, how we would handle the sharp contrast between the much faster, intense ending and the swirling ambience preceding it. Of all the songs on the record, this one forced us to confront our limitations as songwriters the most.”

==============================================

BAND STORY ANGLES / FUN FACTS:

1. We’ve always loved collaborating with friends and family. Gary’s brother Cory filmed and produced both of our music videos, while Cory’s partner Linnea choreographed and performed in both. In the early days of They Grieve, we did a skill-swap with our good friend Pascale Arpin and her band Ultra Love: Gary recorded their first EP, and Pascale did the artwork for our album.

2. Although we’re a two-piece, we run the same amount of gear as a four or five piece band live.

3. We have been close friends for over a decade and have never considered adding other members to the band.

4. We chose our band name in a huge rush because our friends in Greber wanted us to play a show with them long before we were ready. We only had two songs written, and we messed them both up at the show.

Photo Credit – Ev Osmanovic

They Grieve is a two-piece doom, drone, and post-metal band based in Ottawa, Canada. Drawing influence from both minimalist ambient music and down-tempo metal, they blend warm synthesizers, electronics, and lofty guitar drones into mournful hymns and monolithic dirges with urgency, tension, and weight.

Members Gary Thibert and Deniz Güvenç formed They Grieve in 2015 with the intent to experiment with new forms and processes for songwriting, collaboration, and improvisation. Their first EP, I Made My Sacrifice. Accordingly, was self-recorded and self-released in late 2016. In 2018, it was re-released with an added bonus track and accompanying music video through Transcending Records.

They Grieve are set to release their first full-length album entitled To Which I Bore Witness. Recorded at Apartment 2 with Topon Das of Fuck the Facts, this album presents a marked change in the band’s sound. Moving away from the harsh-noise influence on their first album, To Which I Bore Witness unveils a much more refined approach to texture and atmosphere while simultaneously shifting to a slower, heavier pace.

Employing a nuanced sense of harmony, the result is an emotional, dynamic, and doom-laden take on post-metal.

Album and Live Band Lineup:
Gary Thibert: Guitars, Bass, Vocals
Deniz Güvenç: Drums, Synthesizers, Piano, Vocals

Discography:
2022 – To Which I Bore Witness (12” Vinyl) – Silent Pendulum Records
(2018) – I Made My Sacrifice Accordingly (CD re-release w/ bonus track) – Transcending Records
(2016) – I Made My Sacrifice Accordingly (cassette, digital) – Dwyer Records

Shared Stage with:
Eyehategod, Come to Grief, Vile Creature, Author & Punisher, thisquietarmy, Set and Setting, Autarch, Greber, The Great Sabatini, Black Ships, Hammerhands, Botfly, Loviatar,Tours and Festivals:
2019 – Side by Side Weekend – Ottawa, ON
2019 – Apriliis Fest – Montreal, QC
2018 – Meltdown Fest – Saint-Catherines, ON
2018 – Gloomfest – Sherbrooke, QC

0 Montreal’s ETERNAL CLOSURE Posts Making of Video For Album “At the Center of It All – Chapter I” Produced With Chris Donaldson (Cryptopsy)

November 22, 2022
by Asher
· Eternal Closure · Music News

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – November 22, 2022

Montreal’s ETERNAL CLOSURE Posts Making of Video For Album “At the Center of It All – Chapter I” Produced With Chris Donaldson (Cryptopsy)

Photo Credit – Sébastien-Charles Boitel
L-R : Marine Lacarrière (guitar), Phil Lemelin (guitar), Olivier Boitel (guitar, back vocals), Katrine Castonguay (main vocals), Philippe Boitel (drums), Jonathan Lauzon (bass, back vocals)

This past September, Montreal’s Eternal Closure unleashed the new album “At the Center of It All – Chapter I”. It is a diverse, heavier, and more technical record than anything they have done before. Demonstrating their songwriting abilities being taken to a new level along with incorporating elements of prog, and djent with their solid core base. The band is sharing with fans a behind the scene glimpse into the making of the record in the studio with producer Chris Donaldson, which can be viewed at https://youtu.be/hEo-aNRtWcc

“The album tracking was such a fun time and we thought it would be interesting to share this experience with our audience.” adds the band.

Composed of six tracks, “At the Center of It All – Chapter I” is the first of two parts that will have 13 in total. The band split their material like this to allow for maximum breathing time for each release. The second part can be expected next year.

Like their previous records, the album was produced, mixed, and mastered by Christian Donaldson (Cryptopsy), who has become an integral part of the band’s sound. The album artwork was done by Pascal Marcoux and Jonathan Lauzon.

The band is a fun one to watch live, they don’t take themselves too seriously, and the rare sight of three guitarists adds an extra dimension to their music that you never knew you were missing out on. “At the Center of It All – Chapter I” is an incredible-sounding record that will blow people’s minds. It is recommended for fans of Periphery, Killswitch Engage, and As I Lay Dying.

“At The Centre Of It All – Chapter I” was released on September 23, 2022 and can be heard on Eternalclosure.bandcamp.com, Spotify.

Music Video – “Practice What You Preach” – https://youtu.be/8EWWNvWy4aE

Vocal Playthrough – “Exiled” – https://youtu.be/PbN8cDDK_r8

Lyric Video – “Dimensions” – https://youtu.be/leB3U8pFhu8

Track Listing:
1. Conflict I (4:48)
2. Practice What You Preach (5:34)
3. Exiled (3:54)
4. Dimensions Apart (3:55)
5. From One Side to Another (4:43)
6. Moonrider (4:32)
Album Length: 27:28

Album and Live Band Line Up:
Katrine Castonguay – Vocals
Olivier Boitel – Guitar, Back Vocals
Jonathan Lauzon – Bass, Back vocals
Philippe Boitel – Drums
Marine Lacarrière – Guitar
Phil Lemelin – Guitar

Discography:
2022 – At the Center of It All – Chapter I
2020: Color of our Fears Rediscovered – Deluxe Edition
2019: Color of our Fears – LP
2016: Screaming in Silence -LP
2014: Ad Primum – EP

For more info:
https://www.eternalclosure.com
https://www.facebook.com/EternalClosure
https://www.instagram.com/eternalclosure

About:

Eternal Closure is a six-piece, female-fronted metal band from Montreal, Quebec. They stand out from the heavy local scene with their unique blend of aggressive riffs, versatile vocals, and epic melodies. They draw inspiration from various sub-genres such as metalcore, progressive metal, and djent. Their hard work and dedication is only matched by their excessive love for cats.

The group formed by guitarist and singer Olivier Boitel, bassist Jonathan Lauzon, and drummer Philippe Boitel, was recently joined by vocalist Katrine Castonguay as well as guitarists Marine Lacarrière and Phil Lemelin, to evolve into its ultimate form.

The band has created their most ambitious record to date, “At the Center of It All”. The album will be split into two chapters, the first of which will be released in the fall of 2022. The song “Practice What You Preach” will be released as a single a few months prior.

The album was recorded, mixed, and mastered by Cryptopsy’s guitarist and sound engineer Christian Donaldson (Shadow of Intent, Beyond Creation, Despised Icon, The Agonist).

Over the past decade, the band explored what makes them unique. Their songs “I Won’t Fall” and “Defying Gravity” have become a staple in Montreal’s metal scene. They have opened for renowned bands like The Agonist, Ice Nine Kills, Beyond Creation, Obey the Brave, and Red Handed Denial.

Eternal Closure is ready to make its breakthrough in the global metal community and is eager to work relentlessly to reach as many cat-loving metalheads out there as possible!

– 30 –

“There is really only one way to listen to At the Centre of It all – Chapter 1 by Eternal Closure, and that is very loud indeed! So, turn your music listening device up to maximum volume and prepare your ears for the sweet and sour sound of modern metal at its very best. At the Centre of It All – Chapter 1 has elements of Death Metal, Melodic Metal and Nu Metal in a full-on metal cocktail that just works so well it will leave you crying out for more!” – Metal Epidemic

“Okay, color us pretty impressed by this one. If you’re unfamiliar with Eternal Closure, you won’t be for long. They’re pretty clearly a metal band that should have a lot of fans across the world, and it seems more are taking notice of their fairly unique sound. With influences ranging across the spectrums of death metal, thrash metal, metalcore, and even progressive leanings, the band’s new song “Dimensions Apart” is a good way to get acquainted.” – The New Fury

“their metalcore has been bulked up by a new vocalist and a revamped lineup that now features three guitarists and male/female vocal interplay. They take advantage of their bolstered abilities with songs that let them stand out, like the dueling harmonies from the singers on “Exiled” and a vast-sounding conclusion to “Moonrider.” … the six tracks reach across metalcore to thrash, progressive, and ambient avenues. It’s clear with this release that the behind-the-scenes shifts over the last two to three years have worked to Eternal Closure’s benefit.” – Heavy Music HQ

“ETERNAL CLOSURE deliver a modern, powerful album. The djent-driven rhythmic pushes the songs forward, so do the three guitars with their mighty sound. As they’re alternating with more peaceful and melodious moments, the music comes along with a good variety. The mixed vocals add a wide emotional palette fitting to the personal lyrics. The decision to split “At The Center Of It All” into two chapters is welcomed here, as 30 minutes is a good, short-whiled playing time, and makes me looking forward to Part 2.” – Mostly Metal

0 EPK – Malice Divine – Everlasting Ascendancy (2023)

November 21, 2022
by Asher
· EPKs · Malice Divine

EPK – Malice Divine – Everlasting Ascendancy (2023)

Publicist – Jon Asher – jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com

“I am incredibly excited to finally have the sophomore Malice Divine album “Everlasting Ascendancy” released out into the world! With this album, I am aiming to have the listener feel empowered and inspired to go after what they want in life and not settle for less. The message of Malice Divine is one of empowerment and that message can be found throughout all 8 tracks on Everlasting Ascendancy in some shape or form. I poured my heart and soul into this album, which will be apparent both musically and lyrically. Despite the music obviously being extreme metal, that doesn’t stop me from writing about very personal matters. A lot of the songs on this album have complex song structures, but there is also a lot of catchiness and melody to make this album a very memorable listen, nonetheless. All in all, I am incredibly proud of this album, and I can’t wait for everyone to hear it!” – Ric Galvez – Malice Divine

For fans of Dissection, Immortal, Watain, Thulcandra, Skeletonwitch

Album Title: Everlasting Ascendancy
Release Date: January 27th, 2023
Label: Self-Release

Facebook.com/malicedivineband | Youtube.com/malicedivine | Instagram.com/malicedivineofficial

Malicedivine.bandcamp.com | Spotify | Apple Music

Pre-Save the album here: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/malicedivine/everlasting-ascendancy-2

Pre-Save the single Silenced Judgement, to be released December 16th, 2022: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/malicedivine/silenced-judgement-2

Pre-Save the single / title track Everlasting Ascendancy, to be released January 6th, 2023: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/malicedivine/everlasting-ascendancy

“Malice Divine hop back and forth between coming off like a death metal band doing covers of stuff they’ve recorded as a black metal band and coming off like a black metal band doing covers of stuff they’re recorded as a death metal band.”- Decibel Magazine

“Whether you’re into death metal, progressive metal, or epic metal, this album ticks all of those boxes effortlessly.” – Powerplay Magazine

“What exactly does Malice Divine bring to the table? Judging from “In Time” alone, the project brings a great cornucopia of gripping riffs, virtuosic soloing, constantly dynamic rhythms, harrowing vocals, and a talent for interweaving variant melodies that turn out to be memorable, as well as an ability to make such kaleidoscopic music both cohesive and catchy. The opening sequence of riffs begins to establish the pattern, shifting from sensations that are slow, dismal, and perilous to spidery and feverish, and then to cold and cruelly deranged. But that’s just the start of this dark but exhilarating piece.” – No Clean Singing

“My time with Malice Divine has shown me that Ric Galvez is a talented vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter, and fans of blackened and/or melodic death metal are highly encouraged to check it out. Malice Divine has planted their flag squarely on my radar, and I’m excited to see what Galvez comes up with on the next go-around.” – Angry Metal Guy

“Black Metal, Thrash Metal, Death Metal thrown into an insane blender of savage brutality\m/ \m/” – Heavy New York

“his self-titled debut is a very guitar-centric slab of Black/Death that sounds like a mixture of Dissection’s melodic sensibility with Skeletonwitch’s relentless energy. The playing is as sharp and precise as you’d expect it to be, and some of the leads are really superior…” – The Metal Crypt

“While “Triumphant Return” is one of the more upbeat tracks on the album, it’s still packed with deliciously heavy riffs, blast beats, and demonic vocals, all from the mind of Ric.” – Gear Gods

“Throughout, it is sufficiently complex and convoluted to keep your attention with no shortage of impressive leadwork bursts.There are several standout tracks for me, the insanely driving but majestic ‘Quantum Manifestation’, the dark and intense ‘Malicious Divinity’, the darkly melodic ‘Triumphant Return’ and the dark driving ‘In Time’ with its soaring leads. ‘Malice Divine’ should appeal to fans of Dissection, Immortal and Wintersun. With stunning cover artwork that reflects the colour and mood of that previously mentioned album, Dissection’s Storm of the Light’s Bane, hinting as to what to expect from the contents… This is yet another inspiring example of time during the COVID-19 pandemic being put to good use by a skilled and dedicated Metal musician.” – Metal Talk

“It’s a very impressive album and has to do a lot to catch my attention who isn’t into a ton of black metal. The songs are bigger, packed with more atmosphere and instrumentation (like the classical guitar interludes on this track) and are obviously heavy songs. This track (“Into Subconscious Depths”) is no different and takes no prisoners encompassing on a wild journey that will take you to places you never expected to.” – Technical Music Review

“Fans of death, thrash and black metal will find enough to feast on, with the likes of ‘Quantum Manifestation’ and ‘Malicious Divinity’ serving up a white-hot cornucopia of fast riffing and fretboard mania. The severity of Galvez’s harsh vocal delivery deserves mention here as an unexpected delight. His throat abrasions take the head voice of black metal and the rasp of a death metal guttural and always sound urgent and expressive… There’s no doubt Ric Galvez passes with flying colours as a multi-instrumentalist on his debut album.” – Scream Blast Repeat

“Whether it is in the form of a sharp, icy riff or expressive and flamboyant lead solo, Galvez knows what he is doing and delivers some juicy material in the process. I also love the inclusion of some classical guitar sections, albeit sparingly used to ensure maximum impact… In summary, ‘Malice Divine’ is an incredibly solid and charming record that I have liked getting to know in some detail. Ric Galvez is not the finished article by any means but the music on this debut solo effort demonstrates that he has the skill and talent to take this project even further and garner plenty more fans in the process. I have a soft spot for melodic blackened death metal and this is one of those records that firmly reminds me just why that’s the case.” – Man of Much Metal

“Malice Divine still has a solid mission statement of a debut album, with a composure to its songwriting and ear-catching nature to the riffs that should be a welcome addition to the collections of those who worship at the altar of old-school melodic black metal.” – Metal Bite

“The eponymous album is a mesh of black and death metals with a lot of impressive guitar work, including a guitar tone as crisp and clean as the rural winter air that invaded my Sanctuary of Sweat.” – Brutaltopia

“a shreddy melodic form of polished, surgical, blackened, technical death metal that’s in line with the likes of Inferi and such.” – Teeth of The Divine

“There’s just so much to enjoy in this one (In Time). Guitar solos? Check. Awesome death metal riffs? Check. Classical guitars? Also check. This is a really well-crafted track that will keep you engaged throughout it’s 8 minute runtime.” – Abrasive Noise

“Thrillingly speedy, highly emotional acoustic or melancholically indulgent – with MALICE DIVINE every note is in the right place and despite the overlong songs, there is never the slightest bit of boredom, because captivating, brilliantly presented Black/Thrash/Death with an experimental or slightly progressive flavor reigns here. This first (fire)work comes as a surprise and heralds the year 2021 with a bang!” – Nocturnal Hall

“MALICE DIVINE lays a playful elegance on the scales that suggests great things.” – My Revelations

[Download Album Cover | Download Album Lyrics]

Album Title: Everlasting Ascendancy
Release Date: January 27th, 2023
Label: Self-Release

Track Listing:
1. Silenced Judgement (4:10)
2. Apparitions Of Conquest (8:22)
3. Usurping The Paragon (6:07)
4. At One With Infinity (6:06)
5. Parasitic Demons (5:39)
6. Reclaimed Strength (5:31)
7. Illusions Of Fragmentation (8:39)
8. Everlasting Ascendancy (8:10)
Album Length: 52:44

Album Recording Credits:
• All songs performed by: Malice Divine
• All songs written by: Ric Galvez
• Produced by: Tyler Williams
• Mixed by: Tyler Williams
• Mastered by: Jamie King
• Album Artwork by: Eka Saputra (Psychopart)
• Canadian Content (MAPL)

Album Band Lineup:
Ric Galvez – Vocals/Guitars/Bass
Dylan Gowan – Drums (Session)

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The album as a whole (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY):

The album is a dynamic experience while also being an overall more aggressive album than the first one, especially in the vocal delivery. There is still plenty of melody and classical guitar sections, which is a major part of Malice Divine’s sound. The solos on this album are even more virtuosic than before as well. Lyrically the album explores themes such as the paranormal, revenge, determination, spirituality, and reclamation. Two of the eight songs on this album are quite old, even older than most of the music on the self-titled debut album. The music for Silenced Judgement and Illusions Of Fragmentation was written in 2014 and 2015 respectively.

Track by track (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY)

1. Silenced Judgement: The shortest song on the album, as well as the oldest. I originally wrote the music (except for the guitar solo) back in early 2014. The lyrics and the guitar solo I wrote in 2021. It’s a very straightforward and energetic song and kicks off right away, which is exactly how I wanted to start this album.

2. Apparitions of Conquest: The darkest song on the album, as well as the album’s second longest song. Lyrically this song is about the paranormal phenomena of apparitions but from their perspective. After around 5 and a half minutes of unrelenting metal, there is a . where it remains until the end. There is a total of 4 guitar solos in this song.

3. Usurping The Paragon: The fastest song on the album, as well as the fastest Malice Divine song yet. At 218 BPM, this one will incite some insane mosh pits when performed live. This is also the most aggressive Malice Divine song yet as well. It has 3 guitar solos, the first of which was improvised in the studio. Lyrically the song is about becoming the best at what you do.

4. At One With Infinity: The most mid-tempo song on the album. It offers a nice change of pace from the album’s first 3 songs which are all fast-paced ragers. This one is also most likely the grooviest song on the album as well. After the second chorus the songs into some adventurous territory by heading to multiple different riffs that don’t repeat themselves. The guitar solo section is also exceptionally epic as well. Lyrically the song is about the immense potential that we have within us to accomplish whatever we want to accomplish, and not letting any limiting beliefs whether from other people or ourselves hold us back.

5. Parasitic Demons: A very energetic and fast song at 210 BPM. After the second chorus/first guitar solo, the song deviates into more adventurous territory with a succession of riffs that do not repeat after they have come to pass. Eventually, the song returns to familiar territory again with the 3rd verse riff at the 4:20 mark. The last chorus of the song is slightly different than the first two. It’s based on the same notes as the first two choruses, but this time its tremolo picked in the lower register of the guitar.

6. Reclaimed Strength: This song is entirely in the key of G Minor, which is something that Malice Divine hasn’t done prior to this song. It’s the lightest and least extreme song of the entire album, but it still has a good energy to it. The song opens with a classical guitar piece, which around the 0:20 second mark has a very melodic guitar solo soar over the top of it. Lyrically, the song talks about taking your power back after unnecessarily giving it away for far too long.

7. Illusions Of Fragmentation: The longest song on the album, as well as the second oldest song too. I originally wrote the music (minus the guitar solos) back in 2015. I had this song shelved for a long time, and when I was writing for this new album, I decided to bring this one out of my vaults. I wrote the guitar solos and lyrics in 2021. This song also has the most classical guitar sections, with it appearing 3 times throughout the duration of the song. Lyrically this song is about coming to the realization that the things you desired for and believed that you needed to make you happy, and content aren’t all that you made them out to be. It was just an illusion. The power to be content was inside you the entire time.

8. Everlasting Ascendancy: The title track of the album. This song summarizes everything that Malice Divine is about. It has uplifting lyrics, fast tremolo-picked sections, groovy and heavy riffs, epic melodies and solos, and a classical guitar piece that concludes the song. As I was deciding on the track list for the album, I knew immediately that this one would be the perfect album closer. It just has that type of vibe that calls to be an album closer. I can definitely see this being one of Malice Divine’s most loved songs.

BAND STORY ANGLES / FUN FACTS:

1. Ric has a music degree from York University
2. Ric was on Banger TVs “Shredders Of Metal”
3. The music for two of the songs from “Everlasting Ascendancy” were written well before most of the material on Malice Divine’s self-titled debut album. Those two songs are “Silenced Judgement” and “Illusions Of Fragmentation”.
4. A lot of the lyrics for Malice Divine were inspired by Ric’s personal experiences.
5. Malice Divine will finally start to perform live in 2023!

Toronto, Canada’s Malice Divine is a solo project conceived by Ric Galvez, who had always had the dream of being the leader of his own project. He wanted to expand beyond being known as just a lead guitarist, into also being known as a songwriter, vocalist, and frontman. Ric has played in local bands previously and was a contestant on Banger TV’s Shredders of Metal Seasons 1 & 2.

Ric has a major in music from York University, and through Malice Divine he shows off his vocal, guitar, and bass prowess. His lyrics are inspired by psychology, spirituality, as well as personal experiences that involve the overcoming of obstacles and hardships, using the resulting verses as a form of empowerment.

The second offering from Malice Divine, entitled “Everlasting Ascendancy”, will be released in early 2023. Once again it features Ric Galvez on Vocals, Guitars, & Bass, as well as Dylan Gowan (Vesperia, Banger TV) playing session drums. Malice Divine is also currently transitioning from being a solo project into being a band effort, and is set to start performing live in 2023. What people can expect from seeing Malice Divine live is highly aggressive black and death metal-inspired music, with shreddy and virtuosic guitar solos that add a melodic layer that isn’t common in the genre.

Malice Divine’s sophomore album “Everlasting Ascendancy” is set to be released January 27th, 2023.

Album Band Lineup:
Ric Galvez – Vocals/Guitars/Bass
Dylan Gowan – Drums (Session)

Discography:
2023 – Everlasting Ascendancy – LP
2021 – Self-Titled – LP

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