Thank You Canadian DJs and MDs! \m/\m/
#11 Derev on Top 20 Loud Chart – June 2025
Posts By Asher
0 Thank You Canadian DJs and MDs! \m/\m/ #11 Derev on Top 20 Loud Chart – June 2025
0 Rockshots Records – DYING AWKWARD ANGEL Announces New Album “The Missing Frame + Release New Single “9.99” – A Bleak Reflection On The Value of Life
NEWS RELEASE
Montreal, QC – July 1, 2025
DYING AWKWARD ANGEL Release New Single “9.99” – A Bleak Reflection On The Value of Life
New Album “The Missing Frame” Out August 22nd, 2025 via Rockshots Records
|
|
Italian melodic death metal act Dying Awkward Angel unveil their latest single “9.99” taken from their upcoming album “The Missing Frame” out next August 22nd, 2025, via Rockshots Records.
“9.99” is a fierce and unrelenting track that dives headfirst into the moral abyss of modern society, posing a disturbing question: how much is a human life worth? Combining razor-sharp riffing and ominous atmospheres with a crushing groove, the song channels the relentless energy of classic Swedish death metal while delivering a powerful commentary on the commodification of violence.
Influenced by genre-defining acts such as At The Gates, Carcass, and Dark Tranquillity, Dying Awkward Angel blends their old-school roots with a modern sensibility, crafting songs that are both brutal and deeply reflective. “9.99” adds another layer of depth to the band’s already diverse sonic arsenal, reinforcing their ability to balance aggression and melody with lyrical substance. Lyrically written by Davide Onida, the track explores themes of nihilism, despair, and systemic dehumanization in a world where life can be extinguished for the cost of the cheapest gun.
Following the acclaimed singles “The Magical World of the Dead” and “Music Kills”, “9.99” offers a third glimpse into “The Missing Frame“, an album that marks the band’s return with renewed ferocity and sharpened intent.
Recorded at Bottleneck Studios in Torino, mixed and mastered by Davide Onida and featuring cover art by Fabrizio Durigon and Federica Dall’Omo “Arièlika”, the new material captures the band’s vision in its most intense form to date.
LISTEN “9.99“ at the following links:
Digital (Spotify) – http://lnk.to/LhWHOn
YouTube – https://youtu.be/cAiEvJ3rpvE
PRE-ORDER Album “The Missing Frame” here:
https://rockshots.eu/TheMissingFrameCD
Previous single “Music Kills”:
Digital (Spotify) – http://lnk.to/qtFgi5
YouTube – https://youtu.be/1JtD-Fhte_w
|
|
Track Listing:
1. The Ecstasy of God (Instrumental)
2. Black Waves
3. The Fallen
4. Music Kills
5. 9.99
6. Raptus
7. YOU MUST DIE!
8. Blinded
9. Skin and Bones
10. The Inner Paradox
11. Out of Mind (R’lyeh)
12. A Promise
13. The Missing Frame (Instrumental)
Line-up:
Michele Spallieri: Vocals
Demuro Edoardo: Guitars,
Lorenzo Asselli: Guitars
Luca Pellegrino: Drums
Davide Onida: Bass Guitar
More info: https://www.rockshots.eu | http://www.dyingawkwardangel.com | https://www.instagram.com/dyingawkwardangel_official/
ABOUT:
Dying Awkward Angel is an Italian melodic death metal band formed in 1998 by guitarist Edoardo Demuro and drummer Ivan Longo. Influenced by the ferocity and melody of the ‘90s extreme metal scene—drawing from the Gothenburg sound as well as UK and US death and thrash metal—the band quickly developed a distinctive style that blends raw aggression, dark atmospheres, and introspective lyricism.
After two well-received demos (Dying Awkward Angel, 200,2, and Ghost at the Spine, 2004), the band released their first full-length “Waiting for Punishment” in 2013, followed by the EP “Madness Rising” (2015), showcasing a more mature and dynamic approach to songwriting. In 2018, Dying Awkward Angel released “Absence of Light” through Rockshots Records / Extreme Metal Music, gaining praise from international press and expanding their reach across Europe, the USA, and Japan.
Having shared the stage with acts like Decapitated, Impaled Nazarene, Necronomicon, Forgotten Tomb, Keno,s and Node, the band is known for delivering uncompromising live performances and intense musicality.
In 2024 and 2025, the singles “The Magical World of the Dead“, “Music Kills“, and “9.99” marked the band’s powerful return, leading up to the release of their new album “The Missing Frame“, due out on August 22nd, 2025, via Rockshots Records. This new chapter reflects a more focused and violent sonic identity—one that remains faithful to the Swedish melodeath tradition while embracing a darker, more deliberate production.
-30-
—
ASHER MEDIA RELATIONS
Jon Asher – Music Publicist
#.514.581.5780
jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
Facebook @AsherMediaRelations
Instagram @AsherMedia
Tweet @AsherMedia
0 EPK – Ancient Thrones – Melancholia (2025)
EPK – Ancient Thrones – Melancholia (2025)
Publicist – Jon Asher – jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
For fans of The Black Dahlia Murder, The Red Chord, Deafheaven, Revocation, Opeth
“I think this album is a turning point in the band, where we were able to take the atmosphere of our previous record, and kick the aggression up to a thousand. The last record was intended to be poetic and hopeful, but this record intends to crush any ounce of hope that is left. We just want as many people to move to our music as possible, whether it’s at home, at a show, or anywhere in between. Bang your head and feel something. Lyrically, I want to get under your skin with this album. With the last album, it was story-driven and at times dialogue-heavy. This time around, I left a lot to be interpreted by the listener, and kept things more grey and abstract. It was hard to choose singles to release, since the album as a whole flows so naturally and every song has something unique to offer. We could not possibly be more excited to welcome you to this new chapter of the band. It was a long but fulfilling 5 years to get to this point. We’re proud to share this album with our fans, old and new, and we hope this album moves you in unnatural ways. Enjoy the trip while it lasts”. – Sean Hickey – Ancient Thrones
Band: Ancient Thrones
Album Title: Melancholia
Release Date: September 19, 2025
Label: Self-Release
Facebook.com/Ancientthrones | Instagram.com/ancientthrones | Youtube.com/@ancientthrones234
Ancientthrones.bandcamp.com | Spotify | Apple Music
“Hailing from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Ancient Thrones’ second album, Melancholia not only cherry picks from a sturdy stable of metallic subgenres — from the melodic, blackened and textural to the technical, exploratory and unhinged — but is also ground zero for an interesting concept/story. The record’s nine songs tell the story of a colorblind individual who dives head first into psychedelic drug use as a last ditch attempt to experience life in color. The album chronicles everything they experience in the process as life goes on with their newly minted perceptual capabilities. Given that it’s an extreme metal album, we can only surmise that the story doesn’t end on a particularly happy note, but you can find out for yourself via the stream of Melancholia we’re running below, a single day before its release date.” – Decibel Magazine
“The music is indeed violent, and immediately so, exploding in a blast of turbulent riffing, heavily undulating bass tones, and furious beats. The guitars wildly writhe and rapidly spear off in crazed angles, kaleidoscopic in effect, and the words spit forth in caustic screams that are equally deranged. Dissonant and dismal tones intrude, along with guttural roars, blast-beat outbursts, and pulverizing blows, and the riffing also seems to swarm in agony, adding further dimensions of darkness to the song’s overarching manifestation of delirium. Backed by a pulse-pounding and highly headbangable groove, the song also introduces yet another dimension, an eerie guitar solo that slowly slithers, brightly swirls, and evolves into an entrancing harmony, very much like a beckoning and seductive presence that manifests within the mayhem.” – No Clean Singing (single – A Moon Fused Key – 2025)
“indeed a contentious and brutal slab of metal that will roll right over you and crush your skull into dust. Just when you think the band has reached their limit of intensity, they take it up a notch to impossible heights. If you dare, travel to their world of “Melancholia.”” – Metal Temple
“Who needs a compact disc when you have a vinyl? That’s what Canadian’s Ancient Thrones are saying as they approach the 19th September arrival of their new album “Melancholia“. Curiously enough with their guitar playthrough for new song “A Turning Point” the outfit trade Speed for Sludge, Groove and emotional weight as they continue to evolve their progressive and existential sound.” – Metal Noise
“Thrashy blackened death metal, pretty cool stuff.” – The Mosh Pit 89.9 FM (Madison, WI)
“Tracks like A Moon Fused Key and Vacant drive the narrative through blasts of speed, cinematic atmosphere, and suffocating heaviness, pulling from black, death, and tech death while pushing into surreal territory.” – IDIOTEQ
“The whole album, clocking in at 42 minutes, is a descent into what I can only call emotional extremity, not just brutality for brutality’s sake, but a narrative steeped in alienation, transformation, and the horror of seeing the world differently. Tracks like “Achromatopsia” (a 90-second tone poem of dissonance) and the doom-smeared closer “Vacant” frame a journey that’s as cerebral as it is crushing. Think Deafheaven’s atmosphere meets Archspire’s velocity, with a dash of The Red Chord’s structural madness. And the production? Impeccably violent. Every layer was obsessively sculpted: tones dialed, performances honed over a year just to play the damn thing. You can hear it. This isn’t noise; it’s architecture. A cathedral of dissonance with stained glass made of feedback.” – Papy Jeff Metal
“Let us commence this week’s proceedings with a bit of Melancholia, seeing as I’m in that kind of mood. The video for this song, the title track from the Nova Scotia-based blackened death metal marauders’ second full-length album, is set in a birthday party for the band’s drummer who doesn’t seem entirely keen to be celebrating the event. This is certainly apt! I love the sense of macabre gleefulness throughout the whole affair. The album is due to be made available on September 19th and, needless to say, it’s heavy as all Hell, with some virtuoso musicianship on display from these crazy Canadians!” – Metal Lair
“Ancient Thrones offer up their latest full length for your enjoyment, and I’ll say it now, I’ve no idea how these guys are unsigned. They feel that they have jettisoned all that was extraneous from their sound and amp up that aggression. I think you can say that its job done. I heartedly recommend having a decent pair of headphones for this or play it at insane volumes in order to let it swamp over you. Ancient Thrones drop you straight in the middle of this as A Moon Fused Key opens up their account with an incredibly well polished song that brings all that is good about heavy metal into one space. ” – Musipeda of Metal
“There’s A LOT going on in each of the nine tracks on Melancolia. Vocalist/Drummer Sean Hickey, has a quintessential late 2000’s/early 2010’s melodeath high/low vocal combo (think The Black Dahlia Murder or, The Juliet Massacre, if you will) that pair oh, so well with Nick Leslie and Dylan Wallace’s frantic melodic riffs and Sean’s brutal blast beats that pepper the nuked soundscape from track to relentless track. (Apologies to Matt “No Not THAT Matt LeBlanc” LeBlanc as I wasn’t able to make out much in the way of bass work, but I can’t tell if that’s my headphones going to shit or if it was something that happened during production.) This album has me convinced that these guys would have made a great touring/festival accompaniment to Alterbeast or The Kennedy Veil. Highlights: Album opener “Moon Fused Key” screamed out of my speakers like a warning shot from a Kratos heavy assault tank while my favorite track, “Blight” attempts to break your neck with its sudden plunge into The Red Chord-esque deathgrind.” – The Posers Graveyard
“A psychedelic trip turns sideways on Ancient Thrones’ second album, Melancholia. A concept inspired by vocalist/drummer Sean Hickey’s own experience on hallucinatory drugs, chilling fright is given through blackened death metal. Their songwriting trims the excess from their debut The Veil, while never losing sight of the overarching story of a person’s inner turmoil. A few songs use piano for cinematic effect, including the calming interlude “Achromatopsia” and rumbling stance of “Vacant.” The latter is the group at their slowest, slinking along as each word is coughed out with disdain. A cavalcade of drum fills perks the tune up before an extended bout of noise finishes Melancholia on a hopeless note for our suffering main character.” – Heavy Music HQ
What the press has said about 2020’s “The Veil”:
“A full-throttle attack, the song (The Sight of Oblivion) delivers bludgeoning rhythms, vicious darting and slashing guitar-work, scorching blackened shrieks, and cold-hearted roars. There’s a brazen, borderline-unhinged quality to the barrage, generated by screaming, rapidly whirling leads, magma-like bass notes, and fast-changing, bone-cracking drums. But within the assault there are also fluid, sinuous melodic leads whose mellifluous, reverberating tones give the music a mysterious, mesmerizing, and mournful quality. And near the end one of those leads morphs into a fret-burning dual-guitar extravaganza that really gets the blood rushing.” – No Clean Singing (2020 – The Veil)
“Nearly an hour in length, The Veil earns that run-time with crisply-written compositions and an arsenal of sky-ripping riffs. The acoustic reprieve of “Sentient” and melodic grief of “Permanent” reveal the album’s heavy heart. But the album conjures strength from those pensive moments. Rife with nimble axe-work from Dylan Wallace and Nick Leslie, The Veil never succumbs to the solemnity of its subject. The Veil remains an impactful listen down to its final dying note.” – Decibel Magazine (2020 – The Veil)
“Trailer Park Boys and Hobo With a Shotgun aren’t the only pieces of media that have emerged from Nova Scotia that you should get excited over.” – MetalSucks
“From the massive tremolo sections and bludgeoning riffs to the surprisingly melodic harmonies between guitarists Dylan Wallace and Nick Leslie, Ancient Thrones have definitely honed in on something special with this track.” – GearGods
“From earth crushing riffs and face-melting guitar solos to the overarching theme of grief and devastation that the record encompasses, this single really ramps up the intensity” – Bravewords
“From the icy lands of Halifax, Nova Scotia lies one of Canada’s best-kept secrets: Ancient Thrones! …Fusing the intensity of traditional black metal with the modern stylings and production of death metal and tech death, “Divided/Dissolve” has a little bit of something for everyone. From the massive tremolo sections and bludgeoning riffs to the surprisingly melodic harmonies between guitarists Dylan Wallace and Nick Leslie, Ancient Thrones have definitely honed in on something special with this track.” – GearGods (2020 – The Veil)
“Canadian band Ancient Thrones perform a combination of black, death and thrash metal with some progressive tendencies on The Veil. They have similarities to Skeletonwitch, but have an even more dynamic sound. The songs are both aggressive and intelligent in equal measure and run through a variety of different emotional tangents. There is a vile and harsh aspect to the band, but there is also a forward thinking one. It all results in a creative and dynamic listen.” – Heavy Music Headquarters (2020 – The Veil)
“The prize for most ambitious album of 2020 already has the name of Ancient Thrones carved in marble. Who among you fancies a 56-minute blackened death metal saga with an epic meditation on one man’s descent into the afterlife? No band thought it conceivable to write the metal version of Ingmar Bergman’s The Seventh Seal, but this Nova Scotia quartet are not just any band. This is a remarkable journey for the contemplative mind.” – Scream Blast Repeat (2020 – The Veil)
“a 57-minute descent into purgatory….” – Permafrost Today (2020 – The Veil)
“The Sight of Oblivion and The Millionth Grave are steeped in ferociousness and savagery as only a band well versed in blackened death metal are capable of producing.8.5/10” – Games, Brrraaains & A Head-Banging Life (2020 – The Veil)
“With this new incarnation, Ancient Thrones has moved into strict Black/Death territory, producing an album filled with pummeling riffs, intricate song structures, and technical musicianship that’s leavened by atmospheric segments and epic, sometimes audacious melodies that border on Cascadian. The production matches this style perfectly, being heavy and abrasive while allowing the songs enough room to stretch out… fans of more epic and melodic Black/Death will want to give The Veil a listen. 4/5” – The Metal Crypt (2020 – The Veil)
“It is fast, thrashing extreme metal with shrieked/growled vocals, and a headbanging attitude. They have elements of thrash, black and death but their method of delivery won’t confuse anyone. It is metal to make the fans move. It is pretty thrashy, pretty brutal but also melodic, and the guitar work has plenty to offer both in the riffs and the melodies.” – Metal Bulletin (2020 – The Veil)
“one of the most promising young bands in the region (Atlantic Canada) right now […] I already can’t wait for the next one. 4/5 stars” – Mettalworx Music Group (2020 – The Veil)
[Download Album Cover | Download Album Lyrics]
Band: Ancient Thrones
Album Title: Melancholia
Release Date: September 19, 2025
Label: Self-Release
Track Listing:
1. A Moon Fused Key (5:12)
2. Achromatopsia (1:19)
3. Melancholia (6:17)
4. A Turning Point (5:46)
5. A Pellucid Prism (4:26)
6. Sacred Swollen Glass (6:16)
7. Blight (2:18)
8. A Pale Palace (4:55)
9. Vacant (5:31)
Album Length: 42:00
Album Credits:
All songs performed by Ancient Thrones
Piano by Dan Richards on tracks 1, 2, 3, and 9
Additional vocals by Dylan Wallace on track 7
All songs written by Ancient Thrones
All lyrics by Sean Hickey
Produced by Ancient Thrones
Mixed and Mastered by Dylan Wallace
Drum editing by Nick Leslie
Album Artwork by Carter Doody
Content is 100% MAPL
Band Lineup:
Dylan Wallace – Guitar
Nick Leslie – Guitar
Matt LeBlanc – Bass
Sean Hickey – Drums & Vocals
==============================================
About The Album Artwork:
The album cover is symbolic of the character in the story. The character is treading a path to destruction while on a hallucinogenic journey to some sort of peace. I wanted the colours to feel like colours you recognize in nature, but to feel like there’s something off with them, something not right. The bloody red birds fleeing the castle are meant to symbolize the blood leaving the body. The castle is made of glass, symbolizing its jagged, dangerous nature, but also the fragility of life, and it stands tall and menacing, but still somehow beautiful and intriguing. We worked with an artist named Carter Doody from our home province in New Brunswick, and we gave him tons of details about the album’s story to incorporate into the cover. There are references to glass, birds, sirens, and storming water all throughout the album, and it is on full display on the cover. Imaginative realism is the best description I can think of, something that could possibly exist, but most certainly should not.
About the album as a whole (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY):
The album is about a person who is seemingly colourblind, who takes psychedelic drugs as a last-ditch effort to see colour. As the trip unfolds, he begins to live his ideal life, seeing colour for the first time. In reality, something else is happening. The writing is on the wall from the beginning of the record to the bitter end.
Musically, the album is tailored to the lyrics, and ebbs and flows as the character makes challenging decisions, and experiences pain, joy, and perhaps most prominently existential exhaustion. The album is fast, jagged, and unapologetic in its aggression, as we lead this character to his final tripped-out day in a fantastical place.
Track by Track (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY):
1. A Moon Fused Key- Kicks off the record, setting the stage for the violent nature about to unfold both musically and lyrically. This is the point of the record where the character severs every piece of life from his body. At the end of the song, he sees the hand of god pulling him to heaven, and he severs it. This song is fast, filled with crushing riffs, and sets the stage for what’s to come.
2. Achromatopsia- This is the point where we go back in the story, an interlude of sorts, fading in between the worlds of A Moon Fused Key, and eventually leading us down the path to Melancholia.
3. Melancholia- This is the introduction to the character and his condition. He describes how he feels out of place. At 260 beats per minute, we encapsulate every ounce of self-loathing rage the character has in this song. There is a foreshadowing at the halfway point of the record, a premonition of things to come.
4. A Turning Point- The point where the character notices his surroundings have changed, the woods are speaking to him, and something, or someone, is calling to him. We were inspired by bands like Gojira to focus on a more groove-oriented passage for this song; it’s also one of the few times we felt the need to feature a burning guitar solo. I was inspired by the image of Herbet James Draper with Ulysses being tied to the mast to avoid the sirens, which we reference on the back part of the album. The character is being drawn into this eerie place.
5. A Pellucid Prism- From here, we cross the bridge and enter the castle. He sees new colours, feels new feelings, as he’s exploring the rotting structure. This song is one with more post-black metal sensibilities, with droning guitars and blast beats. This is also the only time on the record where we incorporate a breakdown, with the opening track melody played slower and more sinisterly hinting at the connection.
6. Sacred Swollen Glass- This is when things lyrically begin to turn for the worse. We continue through the post-black metal landscape, connecting these two songs seamlessly and expanding upon the blasting forward verses.
7. Blight- The decision, “which void will I feed?”, live life in misery or end it all succumbing to the void, as the brain turns on it’s itself. There was never an option. In a linear timeline of the narrative, this song would play before A Moon Fused Key. This song also features backup vocals from Dylan in the first verse.
8. A Pale Palace- The character, while dying, imagines what could have been. The mirage is falling apart before him. We were really inspired to write something totally out of our comfort zone for this particular track. This song was semi-inspired by post-rock bands like Russian Circles, as well as more straight-ahead Black & Roll. The riff at the end took us about 5 months alone before we could play it all as a band.
9. Vacant- The end of everything he once knew, as a new castle is forming beside him. Nick Leslie wrote the main riff for this song, and we all thought it just killed. I’m trying to do my best Jamie Saint-Merat (Ulcerate) impression here, with just a barrage of drum fills as the world of our character is being swallowed by the sands of time. I wanted this song to sort of speak the message that if you let it, time will replace you.
===================================================
FUN FACTS – STORY ANGLES
1. Sean was inspired to write the concept of this album after a traumatic experience using psychedelics. He’s been sober ever since.
2. One of the main inspirations given to the album artist, Carter Doody, was from the imaginative realism artist Michael Whelan.
3. Aside from the drums, the album was recorded, mixed, and mastered entirely by the band themselves. During the pandemic, every band member upgraded their home studios in order to record demos, practice ideas, and eventually leading to remotely track their respective parts on the final album.
4. Guitarist Nick Leslie became so fed up with the inaccuracy of Sean’s cheap drum triggers that he designed, engineered, and 3D printed the drum triggers used to record this album, and currently being used today. The triggers are purple, which is Sean’s favourite colour, and a dominant colour of the album cover.
5. Sean found the lyrical components of the album so depressing that he opted to write and direct a cartoonishly violent music video about a bad birthday, instead of directly adapting the harsh and unsettling tone of the album. There are still several components from the album in the video, such as a bad drug trip taking place. The idea for the video also came from the desire to show the dichotomy between the lyrics and the visuals, which is a prominent theme throughout the album.
6. Filmmaker Gaspar Noé was a large influence on the band, with “Enter the Void” being used as a sample in the album, and the opening sounds of the film being sampled to open the live show.
Ancient Thrones Current Line Up
Top L-R: Dylan Wallace (Guitar) | Nick Leslie (Guitar)
Bottom L-R: Matt LeBlanc (Bass) | Sean Hickey (Drums & Vocals)
Photo Credit – Matt Leblanc
Ancient Thrones, formerly “Abysseral Throne”, is an Atlantic Canada-acclaimed blackened metal outfit that rebranded to suit major changes in line-up and songwriting.
Formed in 2011 in New Brunswick and now residing in Halifax, NS, they quickly went to work to establish themselves among their scene and gained local notoriety, eventually allowing them the opportunities to open for renowned metal acts from across the globe.
Sean Hickey (drums/vocals) is the sole original founder of Abysseral remaining. Matt LeBlanc joined in 2015 on bass and improved and refined the sound and operation drastically. Once they lost their original singer and guitar player, Jonny Rains, Dylan Wallace joined and took over main songwriting duties. Hickey took over completely on vocals with a black/death metal vocal style, and Nick Leslie joined shortly after on the second guitar. Work began on writing a new album, which took about 3 months to write the music for. The new material sparked the name change to Ancient Thrones as an homage to one of Hickey’s favorite bands and inspirations, Wolves in the Throne Room.
In 2013, the band released its debut record and its subsequent follow-up in 2016, “Storming The Black Gate”, which was nominated for an East Coast Music Award. Ancient Thrones have toured throughout Canada and played at several festivals, sharing the stages with bands such as The Agonist, Black Crown Initiate, Skull Fist, Beyond Creation, Wormwitch, The Faceless, Rings of Saturn, Within Ruins, Vital Remains, Omnivide, and more.
2020 saw the release of the concept album “The Veil,” showcasing the band’s desire for storytelling and pushing them to new heights musically. That album explored the journey of a man faced with tragedy, his mortality, and ultimately the permanence of our actions, told through technical soundscapes and haunting atmosphere. It was highly praised by metal media and fans globally.
Now, in 2025, the band returns with their next epic, “Melancholia”, an album about a person who is seemingly colourblind, who takes psychedelic drugs as a last-ditch effort to see colour. As the trip unfolds, he begins to live his ideal life, seeing colour for the first time. In reality, something else is happening. The writing is on the wall from the beginning of the record to the bitter end. Musically, the album is tailored to the lyrics, and ebbs and flows as the character makes challenging decisions, and experiences pain, joy, and perhaps most prominently existential exhaustion. The album is fast, jagged, and unapologetic in its aggression, as it leads this character to his final tripped-out day in a fantastical place.
“This is the sound of existential exhaustion. Melancholia is truly an unapologetic extreme metal concept album, from the opening drum fill in “A Moon Fused Key” to the washed-out doomy fallout of “Vacant”. This is 42 minutes of pure aggression, where the band is a translucent body, and you can’t look away from the jagged insides that lie beneath the skin. The musicianship, intensity, and speed are on full display in this sophomore release, while still retaining the cinematic narrative that coincided with the music from their previous work. The lyrics follow a fully colour blind person taking hallucinogens in order to see colour, with many twists and turns throughout, that’s sure to please any dread-laden listener brave enough to venture into this surreal landscape, like a bad trip that you can’t escape. It’s an album that emphasizes the dangers of idealism, while giving the listener a brutal experience of emotional blackened death metal unlike anything you’ve heard before.” – Sean Hickey (Drums, Vocals)
“Melancholia” is due out September 19, 2025.
Discography:
2025 – Melancholia – LP
2020 – The Veil – LP
Shared Stage with: Beyond Creation, Wormwitch, Black Crown Initiate, The Faceless, Rings of Saturn, Within Ruins, Vital Remains, The Carrion Veil, Omnivide, Aepoch
0 Rockshots Records – Out Now! Black Metal Storytellers MARGANTHA Debut EP “Blood Moon Sacrifice” + New Music Video “Miriam And The Endless Night (ft. Andy LaRoque)”
NEWS RELEASE
Montreal, QC – June 27, 2025
Out Now! Black Metal Storytellers MARGANTHA Debut EP “Blood Moon Sacrifice”
+ New Music Video “Miriam And The Endless Night (ft. Andy LaRoque)”
|
|
Rockshots Records proudly announces the official release of “Blood Moon Sacrifice”, the debut EP from Finnish-Italian black metal act MARGANTHA, available today on all digital platforms.
Rooted in myth, fear, and ritual, “Blood Moon Sacrifice” is more than just a collection of songs—it’s a narrative journey steeped in dark folklore and haunting atmosphere. The EP unfolds around the legend of a werewolf that terrorizes a secluded hunters’ village beneath a remote mountain range, channeling the emotional tension, primal fear, and descent into hysteria that defines the story.
Each track serves as a chapter in this tale:
- “Blood Moon Sacrifice” opens the story with a dark waltz-like cadence, evoking the atmosphere of an ancient forest. During a solitary hunt, the protagonist is bitten, sealing the origin of the curse. Two instrumental interludes—bass and drums—heighten the track’s unsettling tone, making it feel like the soundtrack to a twisted fairy tale.
- “Wolves at the Door” marks the creature’s approach to the village. This is no pack—but a lone, primordial predator whose thirst rivals that of many. Opening with a dark yet exotic riff and evolving through a melodic death metal core, the track balances blackened aggression, speed, and melody in a cinematic, dynamic form.
- “Miriam and the Endless Night” (feat. Andy LaRocque) shifts perspective. Told through the eyes of a woman trapped in an endless night of terror, the song moves from eerie, unorthodox harmonies into a vortex of riffs and violence. Andy LaRocque (King Diamond) adds his signature touch where bloodlust and survival collide.
- “Curse of the Full Moon” concludes the cycle with a hypnotic 6/8 ballad that depicts the protagonist’s full transformation. With elongated tempos, obsessive rhythms, and oppressive harmonies, the track channels the ritualistic core of classic black metal—slow, relentless, and introspective.
Driven by evocative riffs, atmospheric layering, and a primordial vocal delivery, MARGANTHA’s music balances black metal’s raw essence with moments of melody, tension, and dynamic pacing. As the band explains:
“We start from the story. Every riff, every rhythm is designed to serve the narrative. We’re not interested in technical excess—our focus is atmosphere, cohesion, and emotion.”
The entire EP was mixed and mastered by Andy LaRocque (King Diamond) at Sonic Train Studio, giving the record a powerful and precise sound while preserving its shadowy intensity.
Influenced by the cinematic dread of Mgła, the emotional fire of Uada and Gaerea, and the timeless aggression of Venom, Behemoth, and Celtic Frost, MARGANTHA builds a sound that is immersive, urgent, and steeped in meaning.
With “Blood Moon Sacrifice”, MARGANTHA mark their official debut—a work that merges ancient horror with the raw force of contemporary black metal. For fans of narrative-driven metal, hypnotic atmospheres, and unrelenting darkness, this is a first chapter worth embracing.
Digital EP – https://lnk.to/V1c7Fn
CD ORDER the EP “Blood Moon Sacrifice”: https://bit.ly/3Yz60nn
Music Video – Miriam and the Endless Night (ft. Andy LaRoque) – https://youtu.be/IoKy4Yq01tE
|
|
Track Listing:
1. Blood Moon Sacrifice
2. Wolves at the Door
3. Miriam and the Endless Night (ft. Andy LaRoque)
4. Curse of the Full Moon
Band Members:
• Nocturnus I – Vocals and Bass (FIN)
• Nocturnus II – Guitars (ITA)
• Nocturnus III – Drums (FIN)
More info: https://www.rockshots.eu | https://www.instagram.com/margantha_the_band/
BIOGRAPHY:
Margantha is an Italian-Finnish band formed by three musicians united by a passion for black metal and horror aesthetics. The project aims to create a powerful, evocative, and dramatic sound inspired by bands like Mgła, Ensiferum, Behemoth, and 1349, while incorporating atmospheric and melodic elements into their approach.
The band’s sound is a haunting and captivating tribute to black metal, enriched with lyrics inspired by horror and Gothic atmospheres reminiscent of the 19th century. Their music evokes a journey into the darkest and most mysterious corners of the soul, characterized by somber tones and lyrics that delve into the macabre and the supernatural.
Margantha draws inspiration from art in all its forms: from the literature of Bram Stoker, Mary Shelley, and Stevenson, to the paintings of Caravaggio, Bosch, and Turner. The band’s visual identity also reflects this artistic inclination, with carefully crafted photos designed to mimic the style of classical paintings, aligning with the dark and ominous atmospheres central to the project.
Born from the union of two distinct cultures, Italian and Finnish, Margantha blends the musical and artistic traditions of both countries to create a unique sonic experience.
-30-
“Dense, atmospheric, professional: MARGANTHA deliver a narratively strong debut for fans of melodic black metal. 4/5” – MetalUnderground.at
“The EP is focused, direct, and built around a clear vision. Blood Moon Sacrifice is a strong debut, highly recommended and a welcome new addition to the black metal scene.” – Decibel Warfare
“The Blood Moon Sacrifice EP is a promising first release. ” – MetalTalk
“With Blood Moon Sacrifice, Margantha carves out their space in black metal’s ever-twisting labyrinth. They’re theatrical, shadow-soaked, and conceptually unshakable. The beast may be myth, but the impact is real.” – Amplify The Noise
“Soaked in the blood of Scandinavian Black Metal purveyors from the past “Blood Moon Sacrifice” combines atmospheric synths with fierce vocals in brutally majestic story telling.” – Metal Noise
“Margantha: ‘Blood Moon Sacrifice’ Marks Bold Entry into Black Metal’s Narrative Form” – Atmosfear-Entertainment
“This is a solid debut EP for Margantha” – Heavy Music HQ
“Margantha are a very great sounding atmospheric black metal band and if you are a fan of this musical genre, you should check out this ep. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE “Blood Moon Sacrifice” and “Wolves At The Door”. 8 out of 10.” – Occult Black Metal Zine
—
ASHER MEDIA RELATIONS
Jon Asher – Music Publicist
#.514.581.5780
jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
Facebook @AsherMediaRelations
Instagram @AsherMedia
Tweet @AsherMedia
0 FAMOUS STRANGERS’ New Video “L.S.C.” Explores Beauty and Danger, Intimacy and Destruction + Festival Dates (Armstrong MetalFest, Loud As Hell Open Air)
NEWS RELEASE
Montreal, QC – June 26, 2025
Canada’s FAMOUS STRANGERS’ New Video “L.S.C.” Explores Beauty and Danger, Intimacy and Destruction
+ Festival Dates – Armstrong MetalFest (July 11- 12), Loud As Hell Open Air (Aug 1-3)
|
|
L-R – Jeff Kittlitz (Guitar, Vocals) | Braden Sustrik (Bass) | Brian “Beej” Jolly (Drums) | Amanda Keirnan (Lead Vocals, Lyrics)
Edmonton, Canada’s Famous Strangers, unravels their new music video for their latest single “L.S.C.” as they gear up for perfmances at this year’s festival appearances at Armstrong Metal Fest (Armstrong, BC – July 11-12) and Loud As Hell Open Air (Drumheller, AB – Aug 1-3) along with upcoming tour dates to be announced.
As one of the first songs that all four of them in Famous Strangers wrote together from start to finish, the track is raw and intense. It represents exactly where they are as a band right now: fearless in their songwriting and unafraid to blend melody with brutality.
“L.S.C. is meant to take you on a ride. It starts soft, like it is letting you in slowly, and then it flips the switch. The heaviness hits out of nowhere. It grabs you, shakes you, and then drags you through the rest of the track without letting go. It eases you in, then completely takes over, and by the time it is done, it feels like it has drained the life out of you in the best way,” adds guitarist Jeff Kittilitz.
Lyrically, the song is told from the perspective of a female figure who is part human and part spider. It is inspired by the mating behavior of black widows, where attraction, intimacy, and destruction all collide. At its core, it is about obsession, power, and survival. It speaks to the emotional weight of wanting something that was never meant to be yours, and the strength it takes to pull yourself back from that edge.
“What we hope is that this song opens people up a little, even if it’s not what they usually listen to. There’s so much music out there that people miss out on because they’re stuck in one genre or one mindset. We’re trying to break through that and just write what feels real, no matter what it sounds like. We are about being fearless in our songwriting. Put everything on the table, be yourself, and don’t hold back. That’s the energy they’re trying to give people when they press play,” says Kittilitz.
Famous Strangers has had a healthy and steady evolution. Since their earlier singles in 2024, Famous Strangers have started to lock in with each other creatively and naturally found a sound that they can all stand behind. It flows and feels more cohesive, and everyone in the band feeds off each other in a way that keeps pushing the songs to a new level.
Watch and listen to the music video for “L.S.C.” via its premiere on Decibel Magazine HERE.
Spotify – https://spoti.fi/4kNbe7F
|
|
Previous Singles:
Music Video – I’ll See You In The Stars” – https://youtu.be/OtdfaMp4Hec
George – https://youtu.be/fz85ChqELO4
Deepstar – https://youtu.be/00jujvck9sM
More info:
Facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559110131774
Instagram.com/famousstrangersband
Tiktok.com/@famousstrangersband
About: Since their formation in 2023, Famous Strangers‘ signature blend of haunting melodies, powerful vocals, and immersive soundscapes has captivated listeners. The band brings together accomplished musicians whose past experiences in various musical projects have shaped their collective sound. Their diverse influences converge in a unique sonic experience characterized by atmospheric instrumentals and a dynamic vocal approach that seamlessly shifts between melodic and aggressive. They are recommended for fans of Halestorm, Judas Priest, Dio, and Arch Enemy.
-30-
“Haunting, Stirring and Impactful…those words just keep going through our mind as we take in the new single “I’ll See You In The Stars” from Famous Strangers. This one is quite unique with a powerful intensity that is full of rhythm and achieves the rare feat of fury as a pure form of beauty. We really dig this one and you can catch it on your Home for the Best New Rock…” – WJOE – Findlay’s Home for Rock & Roll
—
ASHER MEDIA RELATIONS
Jon Asher – Music Publicist
#.514.581.5780
jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
Facebook @AsherMediaRelations
Instagram @AsherMedia
Tweet @AsherMedia
0 Canadian Death Metal HARVESTED Unveils “The Infestation” Lyric Video, Diving Deep into Mental Health Themes; New Album “Dysthymia” Out Aug 1st
NEWS RELEASE
Montreal, QC – June 26, 2025
Canadian Death Metal HARVESTED Unveils “The Infestation” Lyric Video, Diving Deep into Mental Health Themes
New Album “Dysthymia” Out August 1st, 2025
|
|
Album Line-up: (L-R) – Jacob Collins – Drums, Vitto Oh – Guitars, Mitchi Dimitriadis – Guitars, Adam Semler – Vocals, Eric Forget – Bass
Photographer Credit: Kristen Semler
Canadian death metal powerhouse Harvested continues to build anticipation for their upcoming album, “Dysthymia,” with the release of a new lyric video for “The Infestiation.” This new track exemplifies the band’s thematic shift toward exploring mental illness through a psychological lens, moving beyond their previous gore-focused approach to tackle the brutal realities of mental health struggles. The band shares about the song:
“The final track of the album, we saved one of our best for last. It has been influenced by bands such as Cannibal Corpse and Deicide, among others. It’s also the longest track length in this release. The song describes mental illness on a more political scale and has an influence globally. Which direction is our world heading when being governed by psychopaths? It all pertains to mental illness at the end of the day, which is the recurring theme of this band’s lyrical approach.”
Vocalist Adam Semler goes on to explain that all of the lyrics on this release are about mental illness, and are heavily inspired by horror and thriller movies/shows, and things that he’s unfortunately watched a few close friends go through. The music is dark and has an impact on driving the lyrical content and direction.
“The Infestation” showcases the band’s evolved sound, a seamless integration of technical death metal prowess with brutal and slam elements. The track demonstrates why early comparisons to influences like Dying Fetus, Deicide, and Suffocation continue to resonate, while highlighting the band’s unique identity within the Canadian death metal scene.
“Dysthymia” will be released August 1st, 2025, marking a new chapter for the Canadian death metallers who are positioning themselves as a formidable force in the international extreme metal scene.
Watch and listen to the lyric video for “The Infestation” via its premiere on The Circle Pit – https://youtu.be/XwQ1bs7NdZw
Spotify Album pre-save – https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/harvested1/dysthymia
Album pre-order (out August 1st) – https://harvested.bandcamp.com
Music Video “Harvested” – https://youtu.be/geF_C-Qn_7s
|
|
Track Listing:
1. Harvested (3:28)
2. Repressed Neurosis (3:32)
3. Unending Madness (3:21)
4. Synaptic Confusion (3:30)
5. Designed Dilemma (3:18)
6. Gathered and Deluded (3:00)
7. Voices of the Void (3:16)
8. Unanchored (3:51)
9. The Infestation (4:36)
Album Length: 31:55
Album Credits:
Artwork by: CJ Bertram
All songs written and produced by: Harvested
Mixed and Mastered by: (Joe Lyko) Darkmoon Productions
Album Band Lineup:
Adam Semler – Vocals
Mitchi Dimitriadis – Guitars
Vitto Oh – Guitars
Eric Forget – Bass
Jacob Collins – Drums
Live Band Lineup:
Adam Semler – Vocals
Mitchi Dimitriadis – Guitars
Vitto Oh – Guitars
Eric Forget – Bass
Nick Rodgers – Drums
More info: Facebook.com/harvested666 | Instagram.com/harvestedband
– 30 –
“Canadian death metal band Harvested announce their new album Dysthymia, out August 1. The record will be their first release since their 2022 demo and blends technical, brutal and old-school death metal into a sound all their own.” – Decibel Magazine
Press from 2022 Self-Titled EP:
MetalSucks – 10 Modern Canadian Death Metal Bands – “Ottawa’s Harvested present mental illness and the sometimes-deplorable actions resulting from it with their debut EP, Harvested. Harvested describe themselves as a modern death metal band with ‘90s and early ‘2000s influences, though what you’ll notice when listening is that Harvested are, probably due to the members’ prior history in the scene, skilled songwriters who don’t sacrifice catchiness for brutality. Songs like “Bludgeoned” skip the pleasantries and grab you by the nuts from the first second, though the torturous massage that follows is one you’ll be coming back to.” – MetalSucks
#11 – Harvested – Top 20 – August 2022 Loud Charts (Earshot)
#13 – Harvested – Top 20 – June 2022 Loud Charts (Earshot)
“From the first notes of first track ‘Apathetic’ you realize that these men are a serious bet to get a place in the death metal scene, with solid riffs and powerful rhythmic base, also melodic but not soft solo… I like this EP very much, it has all parts you need to listen to death metal: brutality, technical, good execution, guttural, screams, and growls, blast beats, double bass drums parts, virtuous parts and most important, good songs, it’s a sample of how to make everything fit correctly.” 4.5/5 – Brutalism
“There are very few things that are more exciting within the world of music than a good debut. A solid start for a band is something that should get every fan of the style of music the group plays jacked for what could hopefully be a long and fruitful career. Proficient debuts give you something to jam out to in the present but also hope for the future. Take my word for it, the self-titled debut EP from Ottawa-based Harvested (out May 7) is just that type of invigorating release.” – Metal Plague
“Thrashing guitars, blasting drums, and intense, chesty vocals start and end each track. Recording quality and production is good, allowing each of the instruments to cut through the mix… there is a tremendous amount of potential in this band, and I’d absolutely love to hear more from them. I certainly hope that in the coming years, the pace doesn’t slow or abate, as this EP ought to be on any tech-death fan’s radar for mid-2022.” – Metal Epidemic
“Each one of these cuts is something of a short, sharp shock at around the 210 second mark, while other bands could trim some fat and loose a chorus and verse, Harvested go straight for the jugular live and direct, leaving you wanting that extra chorus and verse which is testament to how good their debut really is. A clean and crisp high quality recording, if we were wine drinkers we would say it goes down like a glass of Chenin Blanc but chances are that if you had a glass in your hand, it would be smashed on the floor in your rush to get to the pit for this. ” – Metal Noise
“From the way closer ‘Bereavement’ comes to a thunderous close, you can just FEEL the energy of what is still to come. ‘Harvested’ is a good start, but I know this band have more in them and I look forward to what comes next. But if you need your head caved in for sixteen and a half minutes, Harvested can sort you right out.” – The Killchain Blog
“For a record that’s only fifteen minutes, the tracks on Harvested’s self-titled waste no time in establishing their barbarous quality. Among the style of tech, groove and dissonance, Harvested definitely went for the grooves! The members definitely know their roots and aren’t afraid to pay homage to them. The production quality has an old-school touch to it, which adds a raw vicious quality to the overall soundscape the band has painted. The abominable monstrosity that takes birth, mixed in with serious topics of Mental Illness accounts for a remorseless experience. While this might just be the starting point for Harvested, their self-titled EP establishes their grounds in the extreme realm of metal – all we can do now is wait and watch for what Harvested has to offer next! ” – Metal Genesis
“Five tracks in all with not a single entry which disappoints those who wish for their audio to incite movement. With quality like this on offer scouts should be scrambling over themselves in hopes to represent. I’m expecting future releases to propel the act to the lips of an excitable many.” – Cult Metal Flix
“Non-stop heaviness from start to finish. Every song has a different experience yet they all have memorable and catchy riffs that engage the listener” – Eric Morotti (Drummer of Suffocation)
—
ASHER MEDIA RELATIONS
Jon Asher – Music Publicist
#.514.581.5780
jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
Facebook @AsherMediaRelations
Instagram @AsherMedia
Tweet @AsherMedia
0 Exitus Stratagem Records – Out Now! JAWFANE’s Debut EP “Me And All My Demons” Is A Testament To DIY Spirit And Emotional Honesty
NEWS RELEASE
Montreal, QC – June 25, 2025
Out Now! JAWFANE’s Debut EP “Me And All My Demons” Is A Testament To DIY Spirit And Emotional Honesty
|
|
L-R – Cory Pack (guitar), Jesse Marquez (keyboard), Austin Heipp (vocals), AJ Chacon (drums), Chase Shumann (bass)
Photo Credit – Megan Rose // Instagram @mrosedesigner
After years of dedication to their craft, USA’s metalcore outfit Jawfane has officially released their debut EP “Me and All My Demons” via Exitus Stratagem Records. The six-track collection represents the culmination of the band’s journey from DIY beginnings to a refined musical force that defies easy categorization. The band shares their excitement for the release:
“We are absolutely beyond words for how excited we are to bring our first collection of songs into the world with and through Exitus Stratagem Records. It has been an absolute privilege working with Gordon, Jason, and the team to bring “Me And All My Demons” to life. This record is a personal journey for Jawfane. Sonically, we brought the hammer, lyrically we brought a bigger hammer, and we intend to beat out a place in the world for us and our brand of Metal-core.”
“Me and All My Demons” is a deeply personal record, drawing from the lived experiences of each band member. They anticipate that it will be received with an open mind to metal and what it can be when you are angry, but also determined to find the beautiful things in this life.
The EP showcases Jawfane‘s unique collaborative process, where traditional roles are often subverted: guitarists writing bass parts, bassists writing guitar parts, instrumental sections evolving into vocal melodies. This fluid approach to composition results in music that feels both technically impressive and emotionally authentic.
Though the band acknowledges their sound has elements of post-hardcore, metal-core, and even mathcore, they prefer to let the music speak for itself, promising that they will continue to evolve and change as they grow and no matter what genre they end up in, they’d like to think it will always sound like them.
“Me and All My Demons” aims to create a genuine connection with listeners. It is recommended for fans of King 810, Wage War, and The Ghost Inside.
Listen to the EP on all digital platforms – https://hypeddit.com/jawfane/meandallmydemons
Music Video – “Time Hunts Us All” – https://youtu.be/yZMBwY7eRfo
Music Video – “Cataclysm (Nightmare)” – https://youtu.be/HNBtGIHT7f0
|
|
Track Listing:
1. Damaged Goods – 3:48
2. Cataclysm (Nightmare) – 2:42
3. Me and All My Demons – 3:46
4. Friends and Enemies – 3:20
5. Time Hunts Us All – 4:01
EP Length: 17:39
More info:
Exsrmusic.com | Facebook.com/ExSRecords | Instagram.com/exsrmusic | X.com/exsrmusic
Facebook.com/Jawfane | Instagram.com/jawfane
-30-
“What a privilege to listen to an EP that is flawless and filled with brilliance. Jawfane is the real deal. See them live and experience the captivating performance of the songs.” – Project Metal Music
“If you like what you hear from rising Metalcore act Jawfane with their new single “Time Hunts Us All” then we can warn you that their debut EP “Me and All My Demons” is pencilled in for a 26th June via Exitus Stratagem Records grand unveiling. A five track affair that fulfils a mission statement to create music that offers “a boisterous, chaotic and clarifying genuine catharsis“, the band claim it was built on the foundation of crafting through an organic and democratic process.” – Metal Noise
“Raw, cathartic expressions” – Flight of Pegasus
“It is that raw and cathartic expression that really does make this EP stand out as Jawfane pour so much passion into delivering a heavy sound that combines the best of hardcore’s stomp and metalcore’s anthemic ways. Yet, if that wasn’t enough to make this a notable EP, Jawfane add in some cinematic vibes. The end result is an EP genuinely worth shouting about…. Jawfane have arrived and with this EP, left one hell of an impression.” – Games, Brrrains & A Head-Banging Life
—
ASHER MEDIA RELATIONS
Jon Asher – Music Publicist
#.514.581.5780
jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
Facebook @AsherMediaRelations
Instagram @AsherMedia
Tweet @AsherMedia
0 EPK – Matt Miller – Fiber Tormentum (2025) (Exitus Stratagem Records)
EPK – Matt Miller – Fiber Tormentum (2025) (Exitus Stratagem Records)
Publicist – Jon Asher – exsr[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
Management – Mark Kloeppel (EMG) – emg.markkloeppel[@]gmail[.]com
For fans of Necrophagist, Symphony X, Wintersun, The Faceless, Death
“I think fans will be pleasantly surprised. Especially being the first release as a full band and having vocals. I heard from many fans that they really like the instrumental music but they would also really like to hear the tracks with vocals and see the live shows with a full band. Which I completely agree with. This album features so many new elements including the heaviest, melodic, and most technical music in my catalog that has been released so far. It’s got a lot to offer for the instrumental fans as well as new fans who want to hear the music with vocals and the unique things each of these musicians is bringing to the table. I think listening to music sets the scene to tell a story. In this case I think that listeners are going to hear a lot of nuance and a wide range of emotions. Overwhelming is how I would describe it. We make music that is catchy but relentless.” – Matt Miller
Official Website Shreded1.com | Facebook.com/matt.miller.96995238 | Instagram.com/mattmiller630 | Youtube.com/@mattmillerguitar
Mattmiller2.bandcamp.com | Spotify | Apple Music | Amazon Music
Exsrmusic.com | Facebook.com/ExSRecords | Instagram.com/exsrmusic | X.com/exsrmusic
“All in all, it’s a fascinating song (Effectively Neutralized) — head-spinning and heart-palpitating but also a heavy-hitter and a conjurer of strange, sinister, and haunting visions. In other words, in the space of just five minutes it pulls off a lot of impressive feats. And the well-filmed and well-edited video for it is a perfect complement, in that it shows us how all these talented performers executed all the impressive accomplishments.” – NoCleanSinging
“I am super excited. I already know this is gonna destroy. Matt Miller just absolutely destroys it on all facets. He has so many guitar techniques that he has absolutely mastered and he can literally play it all.” – Omar Rodriguez – The Metal Mixtape – YouTube Channel
“Hell yeah. Holy moly canoli. Fiverr to Fiber Momentum, and that was the album. This song is Descent into Violence. Holy moly canoli, dude. Go support, Matt Miller. That was absolutely badass. Total shredding. Jordan, also a homie of mine, your drums are incredible. The new singer, Bo, I love the harsh vocals in the clean. Total is it almost the cleans almost reminded me of Queensryche meets Cannibal Corpse. It’s pretty freaking sweet. And of course, Justice always lays down the heavy bass with the beautiful bass faces. But an absolutely incredible album….Matt Miller, you could find him everywhere. He’s an incredible guitar player, one of the best guitar players of our generation. Remember, this is Fiber Tormentum courtesy of Exitus Stratagem Records. So, a huge shout-out to them as well. Matt Miller has so many more songs. If you guys like this song (Descent into Violence), believe me, this guy is an absolute shred master. Not only does he do like a ton of his own originals, he does a ton of covers, and also he’s just a shred master of all sorts. Just exactly how they say, melodic, technical, and death. But I will definitely say the big thing that stands apart about this whole song is great structure, absolutely shredding on all levels, and the vocals are just 100% one-of-a-kind. And I totally enjoyed it. Guys, I love you guys from the bottom of my heart. This has been Matt Miller with his new song, Descent into Violence. Pick up the new album on September 12, Fiber Tormentum.” – Omar Rodriguez – The Metal Mixtape – YouTube Channel
“Soaring, crushing, ferocious, emotive, and relentless, are words that strongly describe Decrepit Shed. The album has a lot to offer from various metal sub-genres and encompasses the best elements of technical guitar playing while still having well-written songs”. – Brave Words
“Monument of Velocity” initially had a different title and was not going to be a Matt Miller release and some of the songs were written with vocals in mind and were not going to be instrumental, however, it turned out to be the sixth of seven powerful albums in his discography. contains eight tracks full of technical and progressive metal eliciting feelings of suspense, and tension while being fun, melodic and brutally heavy. Miller’s melodic and relentless music has a wide range of influences and is recommended for fans of Jeff Loomis, Necrophagist, and Obscura.” – Rock’n’ Load
“Even though Miller’s music is instrumental, he likes to think of the guitar as a voice. Which in turn makes him ask what is the guitar saying? He is able to easily convey emotion, tone, and a story even without the use of vocals. Throughout his releases, his music has developed a more modern sound in both the music and the production. Musically the songs are more well written and a lot of the ideas he writes are being accurately represented. He is always trying to push himself as a musician and this is reflected in his discography. Influenced primarily by technical and progressive death metal with a dash of power metal and symphonic metal as well, Matt Miller’s music is recommended for fans of Obscura, Dragon Force, and Racer X” – Metal Sucks
“Mr. Miller can shred like his fingers are on fire” – Ever-Metal.com
“Matt shreds all over this album with guitar solos galore”. – Transcending the Mundane
“Soaring, crushing, ferocious, and emotive, Miller conveys a wide range of tones throughout his instrumental music. It is recommended for fans of Dragon Force, Racer X, and Jeff Loomis” – Metal-Rules
“For guitar enthusiasts, I guess it is a feast for the eyes and ears.” – Antichrist Magazine
Band: Matt Miller
Album Title: Fiber Tormentum
Release Date: September 12, 2025
Label: Exitus Stratagem Records
Track Listing:
1. Descent into Violence (5:04)
2. Summoned (3:33)
3. Effectively Neutralized (4:53)
4. Blight and Disfigurement (3:23)
5. Maimed Paralyzed Dead (3:12)
6. Horror Beyond Comprehension (3:15)
7. Fiber Tormentum (Instrumental) (3:31)
8. Abiotic Origin (3:14)
Album Length: 30:08
Album Credits:
Matt Miller (Guitars, Synth)
Jordan Kelso (Drums, Synth)
Justice Robinett (Bass)
Biko Wright (Vocals)
Songs written by Matt Miller
Produced by Matt Miller and Jordan Kelso
Mixed and Mastered by Jordan Kelso
Artwork by Joshua Nassaru Ward
Jordan Kelso (ASCAP)
Live Band Lineup:
Matt Miller (Guitars, Synth)
Jordan Kelso (Drums, Synth)
Justice Robinett (Bass)
Biko Wright (Vocals)
====================================================
About The Album Artwork:
The album cover was made by a dear friend, Joshua Nassaru Ward. I remember talking with Josh about the overall concept of the album when I was playing guitar for a tour with his band Voraath. I had told him the loose concept of the lyrics and about human DNA being manipulated and programmed by travelers of time and space. So the face is crying out in torment as the fibers of their DNA are changed. The name for Fiber Tormentum came from a history documentary about the Roman Empire. Fiber Tormentum is the sound a Ballista makes when the ropes are tightened to launch the projectile. When I heard that, I immediately grabbed my phone and wrote it down.
About the album as a whole (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY):
The album musically is a relentless assault. Even the clean singing parts help to up the intensity and push the soundscape to even more epic heights. The lyrics match the music in their intensity and weave a story of an advanced civilization using subtlety to control humanity.
Track by Track (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY)
1. Descent into Violence – Lyrically, desperation and struggle against all odds. The music is intense and emotive.
2. Summoned – The travel and detailed plans of the invaders. Using astonishing acts. The music is something like a computer algorithm or an alien language.
3. Effectively Neutralized – This is the enactment of the plan and its immediate effect on humanity. Musically, this song has a lot of twists and turn,s just like a good plot.
4. Blight and Disfigurement – The devastation of our environment. Musically it has a march kind of feel and the break is super epic. Something that could be in a nature documentary about spring after a long harsh winter but in this case things are even worse.
5. Maimed Paralyzed Dead – This is about the effects on the human body and what the changes to DNA have on people. Musically it’s something out of a monster movie. Like a zombie crawling on the floor or lumbering towards its victim.
6. Horror Beyond Comprehension – Lyrically, it’s about humanity’s plea to the invaders to show mercy on them. Humanity has capitulated. Musically, it’s the sound of being completely overwhelmed.
7. Fiber Tormentum (Instrumental) – Musically it’s a snapshot of the entire album. Each section of the song is a scene from every track. From the highest highs to the lowest lows and all epic moments in between.
8. Abiotic Origin – Lyrically is the realization that humanity had brought this on themselves through their ignorance, inviting other beings to our planet without thinking they could be malevolent. However, hope is not lost just yet. Musically, it’s an epic track that has some really powerful sections, including the outro.
==========================================================
Fun Facts – StoryAngles:
1: Everytime vocals were done in one take Biko channeled his inner Murderface for a resounding quote “One take Willy” It’s hidden in one song if you listen closely.
2: Vocal tracking was done between Biko’s filming of the Discovery Channel show Expedition Bigfoot.
3: We ate Subway every day after tracking and they gave us our own table in the dining room as we became regular customers on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8 pm.
4: This is a concept album with influence from the negative effects that COVID-19 had on society.
5: We tried to record samples and track them with high-end pianos and a harp using a portable recording rig. We were asked to leave and banned from multiple stores. On one occasion, they knew us before we had a chance to set up the mics.
==========================================================
L-R – Justice Robinett (Bass), Jordan Kelso (Drums, Synth), Matt Miller (Guitars, Synth), Biko Wright (Vocals)
Photo Credit – Lilly May Everett
Akademia-Award-winning producer, engineer, and songwriter MATT MILLER side-steps these industry achievements to embark on something deeply introspective and personal; a transcendent, reactionary, and vile personage embodying soaring progressive melodies and captivating crushing rhythms that engulf the listener in black clouds of desperation and shimmering hope.
Drawing upon the gut-wrenching timed-precision of European death metal stalwarts NECROPHAGIST and SPAWN OF POSSESSION, MATT MILLER progressively blends this approach with deep synthetic and symphonic atmospheres like that of DEVIN TOWNSEND, often arriving at surprisingly emotive and heart-clenching metallic passages like that of RIVERS OF NIHIL.
Calling upon other single-member death metal projects such as PUTRID PILE or INSIDIOUS DECREPANCY, the live performance can best be described as a reclaiming and repainting of the earth by a relentlessly sweeping and deranged berzerker appealing to the vast minions of extreme music. The combination of elements within MATT MILLER distills the traditions of the international metal realm, the progressive atmospheres of modernity, and reactions to a vile world into a single unrelenting persona of despair and vengeance.
MATT MILLER’s first self-produced instrumental EP came in 2017, drawing on influences from classic metal bands such as MEGADETH and IRON MAIDEN to shredders like YNGWIE MALMSTEEN and PAUL GILBERT, while combining a technical death metal approach to create maximum-intensity music with a frenetic and frantic feel and ferocious atmosphere. Since then, and a few releases into this brief career, MATT MILLER boasts 12,000 consistent monthly listeners on Spotify before hitting the international touring circuit. This was garnered from his 2017 EP, the 2021 self-released ‘Decrepit Shed’ LP, the ‘Reekomposer/Decomposer’ covers double LP, as well as the ‘8E’s’ 1980’s themed covers LP.
In 2022 Matt released the formidable original instrumental LP Monument of Velocity on Blood Blast Distribution. Matt also toured supporting Rings of Saturn on the CYBER SHRED TOUR 2022. 29 shows encompassing the continental United States. Matt has released the cover LP Only What the Light Allows through Blood Blast Distribution.
In 2023, Matt assembled a full band consisting of drummer Jordan Kelso and bassist Justice Robinett, both of whom are world-class musicians. Soon after, Matt headed to Europe in support of death metal pioneers Possessed on their Oblivion Over Europe Tour. In 2024, Matt began writing a new instrumental LP. After completing the demos, it became abundantly clear that the new record required vocals. Thus vocalist Biko Wright entered the fray, and the end result became the new LP Fiber Tormentum. Fiber Tormentum is a step forward and makes the bold statement that nothing will stop Matt from his campaign of musical devastation.
Matt Miller hails from the rain soaked northern Oregon Coast; influenced by the natural foreboding environment. Moving into the present, MATT MILLER has joined up with Extreme Management Group to spread a singularly relentless auditory mind-bend.
Band Lineup:
Matt Miller (Guitars, Synth)
Jordan Kelso (Drums, Synth)
Justice Robinett (Bass)
Biko Wright (Vocals)
Discography:
2025 – Fiber Tormentum LP
2023 – Decrepit Shed Remaster LP
2023 – MMXVII Retrack EP
2022 – Only What the Light Allows LP
2022 – Monument of Velocity LP
2022 – Reekompose LP
2021 – 8E’s EP
2021 – Decrepit Shed LP
2021 – Decomposer LP
Artist Endorsements: Siggi Braun Zenrok Guitars, GHS Strings, EMG Pickups, Rok Lok Strap Locks, Music Nomad, Kahler USA, Tsunami Cables, Arachnid Cabs
Shared Stage: Rings of Saturn, Possessed, Vapor, Stoic Suffering, Distinguisher, Voraath, Extortionist, Last of Lucy, Cyborg Octopus, No Living Witness, Vintersea, Cobra the Impaler, Voices of Ruin, Greyhawk
Tours and Festivals:
Hallowfest Medford OR 2024
Nor Cal Death Fest 2024 Redway CA
Summer Immolation Tour 2024 Portland OR
Pacific Shred Invasion Tour 2024 CA All Dates
Possessed Oblivion Over EU Tour 2023 All Dates
Rings of Saturn Cyber Shred Tour 2022 All Dates
Western Desolation Tour Salem OR 2022
0 Thank You Canadian MDS and DJs for the airplay love! \m/\m/ For the Week Ending: Tuesday, June 24, 2025 !earshot – The National Loud Chart #6 Derev, #9 Crüzer | 92.5 FM CFBX “the X” – Kamloops – Loud #1 Derev | CFRU 93.3 FM – Guelph – Loud #1 Crüzer | CIVL Radio 101.7 FM – Abbotsford – Loud #5 Infrared, #7 MUTANK Boonsdale Records, #8 phear, #10 Derev | CJSW Radio 90.9 FM – Calgary – Loud #6 Vortex | CFRU 93.3 FM – Guelph – Top 30 #4 Crüzer | Smithers Community Radio CICK 93.9 – Top 30 #16 Tumbleweed Dealer
Thank You Canadian MDS and DJs for the airplay love! \m/\m/
For the Week Ending: Tuesday, June 24, 2025
!earshot – The National Loud Chart
#6 Derev, #9 Crüzer
https://earshot-online.com/charts/index.cfm?intChartTypeID=106&dWeekOfID=2025-06-24
========================
92.5 FM CFBX “the X” – Kamloops – Loud
#1 Derev
https://earshot-online.com/charts/cfbx.cfm?intChartTypeID=6&dWeekOfID=2025-06-24
========================
CFRU 93.3 FM – Guelph – Loud
#1 Crüzer
https://earshot-online.com/charts/cfru.cfm?intChartTypeID=6&dWeekOfID=2025-06-24
========================
CIVL Radio 101.7 FM – Abbotsford – Loud
#5 Infrared, #7 MUTANK Boonsdale Records, #8 phear, #10 Derev
https://earshot-online.com/charts/civl.cfm?intChartTypeID=6&dWeekOfID=2025-06-24
========================
CJSW Radio 90.9 FM – Calgary – Loud
#6 Vortex
https://earshot-online.com/charts/cjsw.cfm?intChartTypeID=6&dWeekOfID=2025-06-24
========================
CFRU 93.3 FM – Guelph – Top 30
#4 Crüzer
https://earshot-online.com/charts/cfru.cfm?dWeekOfID=2025-06-24
========================
Smithers Community Radio CICK 93.9 – Top 30
#16 Tumbleweed Dealer
https://earshot-online.com/charts/cick.cfm?dWeekOfID=2025-06-24
0 Salt Lake City’s GRILLFEST Resurrects w/ 2025 Lineup – Judicator, Silver Talon, Advent Horizon, Michael Barrow & The Tourists, Seizure, Celestial Wizard, Arsenic Addiction, and more!
NEWS RELEASE
Montreal, QC – June 25, 2025
Festival Assets – Download HERE (Festival Info, Band Info, Links, Photos)
Salt Lake City’s GRILLFEST Resurrects w/ 2025 Lineup – Judicator, Silver Talon, Advent Horizon, Michael Barrow & The Tourists, Seizure, Celestial Wizard, Arsenic Addiction, and more!
August 22nd and 23rd at The Pearl on Main in Midvale, Utah
|
|
GrillFest’25 – Festival Spotify Playlist – https://bit.ly/4knzlcR
GrillFest has been resurrected since making a name for itself on the local scene in Midvale and Salt Lake City, Utah, in the early 2010s, with the last one being held in 2013. Founded by John Yelland of Judicator as a backyard festival that was organized by his first band, Disforia, GrillFest is being revitalized. Supported by Judicator and the City of Midvale, and the Midvale Main Business Alliance. This year’s 2025 event will shut down Main Street and transform it into a full-scale festival. Local businesses will host pop-ups, and they’re curating a lineup of vendors offering savory food, desserts, and more. And of course, the music will remain diverse, dynamic, and electrifying as GrillFest’s 2025 lineup features Judicator, Advent Horizon, Silver Talon, Michael Barrow & The Tourists, Seizure, Celestial Wizard, Arsenic Addiction, Viperwitch, Storm Haven, DiseNgaged, Hisingen, and Moon Wizard.
Being hosted on August 22nd and 23rd at The Pearl on Main in Midvale, Utah, Grillfest ’25 is more than just an event—it’s a rekindling of something special. It’s a gathering for artists and fans who crave authenticity, connection, and experiences to cherish for the rest of their lives.
“Grillfest isn’t just another music festival—it’s a community movement built by fans—for fans. We’re bringing together some of the best underground metal acts from across the West, pairing them with real smokehouse BBQ and a no-frills, all-heart atmosphere. Our goal is to grow something truly special here in Utah: a boutique-style festival that stays loud, stays local, and gives both rising bands and dedicated fans a place to call home,” adds John Yelland, Founder of Grillfest and Vocalist of Judicator.
GrillFest ’25 Promo Video – https://youtu.be/wrCe8kK_Rb0
Two-day and single-day passes are available at https://linktr.ee/grillfestutah
Facebook Event – https://www.facebook.com/events/1264606655378437/
Grillfest ’25 Lineup:
Friday, August 22nd
Hisingen
Moon Wizard
Michael Barrow & The Tourists
Advent Horizon
Saturday, August 23rd
DiseNgaged
Viperwitch
Storm Haven
Celestial Wizard
Arsenic Addiction
Seizure
Silver Talon
Judicator
About The Headliners:
Judicator isn’t just a power metal band — it’s a reckoning with history and mortality, plumbing the depths of the human condition one album at a time.
Since their serendipitous formation in 2012, when singer John Yelland and guitarist Alicia Cordisco (ex-Judicator, Transgressive) crossed paths at a Blind Guardian concert, the band has been on a relentless journey to craft concept albums that confront existential anxiety in its many forms. From character studies of historical figures like Napoleon Bonaparte and Frederick the Great, to the deeply personal At the Expense of Humanity, which recounts Yelland’s experience losing his brother to cancer, Judicator brings history and humanity into sharp focus.
Rooted in Salt Lake City, Judicator has produced six albums over the course of a decade, with their latest opus, Concord, set to release in early 2025. The band’s blend of thought-provoking lyrics, memorable riffs, and charismatic energy has earned them a loyal following and some surreal milestones, like featuring Hansi Kürsch as a guest vocalist on 2018’s The Last Emperor and opening for Blind Guardian in Salt Lake City during the God Machine North American tour in 2024.
While co-founding member Alicia Cordisco departed in 2020, her legacy remains an integral part of Judicator’s DNA. Today, the band continues to push boundaries as a five-piece power metal powerhouse, weaving tales that are as epic as they are intimate.
Judicator’s music seeks to hold a mirror up to life’s greatest struggles and triumphs, whether great or small, whether grand historical sagas or intimate struggles with mortality. Judicator invites you to grapple with the inevitable, together, one song at a time.
Music Video – Concord – https://youtu.be/j-cmFyXuEBI
Info – https://linktr.ee/judicatormetal
=========================
USA-based prog rockers Advent Horizon are making waves in the progressive music world and beyond after the release of their new album “A Cell To Call Home.”
Featuring guest performances from Jordan Rudess (Dream Theater), Dave Meros (Spock’s Beard), Randy McStine (Porcupine Tree), and Jared Hill (Snow Child), plus album and single artwork by Travis Smith (Opeth, Devin Townsend), “A Cell To Call Home” has received high praise internationally from fans and reviewers alike. ProgRadio named “A Cell To Call Home” their 2023 “Album of the year”, while ProgReport and Sonic Perspectives ranked it at #5 and #4 respectively on their “Best of 2023” lists.
Much of 2024 was spent on the road, with performances across the USA. At Progstock in October 2024, “A Cell To Call Home” was performed live in its entirety and was met with overwhelming enthusiasm from festival attendees and multiple press outlets, with one reviewer writing, “something about this act really felt unusually magical.”
Following the success of their 2024 live appearances, Advent Horizon has returned to the studio, and is currently recording their 4th full-length studio album, which features a side-long 20-minute epic track, and 5 other heavy-hitting progressive rock/metal songs.
Music Video – Water – https://youtu.be/zsrQpq9eMWU
Info – https://www.adventhorizonmusic.com/
=========================
Silver Talon emerged from the remnants of the Portland heavy metal group Spellcaster after their disbandment in 2017. Seeking a sonic identity that was heavier and more aggressive, guitarist Bryce VanHoosen spearheaded the project and enlisted vocalist Wyatt Howell. Howell’s addition refined Silver Talon’s identity, setting the band distinctly apart from its predecessor. By late 2018, the band released their acclaimed debut EP, ‘Becoming A Demon.’
This release encapsulated the band’s uncompromising, raw-edged sound across five original tracks. Notably, it featured a collaboration with Jeff Loomis (Arch Enemy / Nevermore), who delivered a scorching guitar solo for a cover of Sanctuary’s cult classic, ‘Battle Angels.’ Despite a few lineup changes, the band navigated a tumultuous 2019, ultimately solidifying their lineup with guitarist Devon Miller and bassist Walter Hartzell, enhancing their power and versatility.
Throughout the 2020 pandemic, Silver Talon remained focused and productive, culminating in the release of ‘Deceiver, I Am,’ the lead single off their debut album ‘Decadence and Decay,’ in early December. This marked a new phase for the band, showcasing deeper arrangements, an expansive sound, and intricate musical layering.
In May of 2021, the full debut album ‘Decadence and Decay’ dropped, earning rave reviews and securing spots on both Decibel Magazine and Bandcamp’s top metal albums of the year lists. No Clean Singing praised the band’s songwriting and technical prowess, stating, “it’s the band’s songwriting (coupled with their obvious artistic abilities and technical talents) which really makes this record stand out from the crowd.” The album even boasted a collaboration with King Diamond’s main axeman, Andy La Rocque, on the track ‘Resistance 2029.’
The post-pandemic era brought touring opportunities in support of ‘Decadence and Decay,’ including appearances at Hell’s Heroes and Legions of Metal festivals, alongside shows across the United States with metal legends such as Cynic, Atheist, and Exmortus.
As 2023 unfolds, the band is diligently crafting their sophomore album, scheduled for release on M-Theory Audio.
Silver Talon’s music blends a brooding and dark approach to heavy metal with classic influences, paying homage to revered acts like King Diamond, Nevermore, Savatage, Judas Priest, and Alice in Chains, among others.
Music Video – Deceiver, I Am – https://youtu.be/34P2TiMSa_M
Info – https://silvertalon.us/
=========================
Please note: Main Street in front of the festival will be cordoned off, however, and so there will be a level of foot traffic—attendees who are only interested in the local business pop-ups, food trucks, and so on, but not the performances, which take place inside the venue.
About GrillFest:
GrillFest began humbly in the early 2010s as a backyard festival organized by John Yelland’s first band, Disforia. Held at their bassist’s house, it was a laid-back, community-driven celebration of local music, friendship, and grilling. They invited fellow bands of all styles—metal, punk, acoustic, death metal—and played from noon until noise curfew! There were no genre boundaries, no egos—just artists, fans, and neighbors coming together in an atmosphere that felt more like a family reunion than a festival.
As the years passed and life took them in different directions, Disforia disbanded, and the original Grillfest faded into memory. But its spirit never left John. That sense of connection, creativity, and grassroots joy is something he carried with him, and now, he is thrilled to bring it back in 2025.
About The Organizers:
John Yelland is the powerhouse frontman of Salt Lake City’s acclaimed power metal band Judicator, known for his soaring vocals and emotionally rich storytelling across seven studio albums. He’s also the voice of the epic doom project Behölder, and formerly of sci-fi power metal act Dire Peril. With collaborations ranging from Blind Guardian’s Hansi Kürsch to his genre-bending concept albums, Yelland is one of the most distinctive voices in modern metal. This year, he brings that fire home to Grillfest, joining a lineup built by and for foodies who love chill vibes and good music.
More info:
https://www.facebook.com/grillfestutah
https://www.instagram.com/grillfest.utah/
-30-
—
ASHER MEDIA RELATIONS
Jon Asher – Music Publicist
#.514.581.5780
jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
Facebook @AsherMediaRelations
Instagram @AsherMedia
Tweet @AsherMedia
ashermediarelations.com 