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Posts By Asher

0 Quebec’s HOPELESS NATION Ends Decade-Long Hiatus with Explosive New Video “Silverspoon”

  • November 13, 2025
  • by Asher
  • · Hopeless Nation · Music News

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – November 13, 2025

Quebec’s HOPELESS NATION Ends Decade-Long Hiatus with Explosive New Video “Silverspoon”

L-R – Guy Provencher (Rhythm Guitar), Louis-Simon Bellerose (Lead Guitar), Frederic Marchand (Vocals), Karl Héroux Rella (Bass), Steve DC (Drums)

Photo Credit: Frederic Marchand

After nearly a decade of silence, Trois-Rivières, QC’s Hopeless Nation roars back into the spotlight with their new single “Silverspoon,” a blistering fusion of hardcore grit and modern metal precision. The track marks the band’s official return and is accompanied by a surreal, AI-generated music video that can be viewed below.
​
Formed in 1998, Hopeless Nation built its legacy on raw energy, socially charged lyrics, and sweat-soaked live shows. Their 2009 album “Built from Scratch” became a cornerstone of Quebec’s underground scene, backed by over 200 performances alongside acts like 100 Demons, Bane, Lofofora, and Despised Icon.
​
In summer 2024, the band reunited for a high-energy show that reignited their creative fire. Revisiting unrecorded material from 2014, they began a new cycle, grinding back up from the roots while staying true to their hardcore and metal ethos. That journey culminates in “Silverspoon,” a track that hits hard from the first note and refuses to let go.
​
​“Silverspoon” is immediate, layered, and aggressive, with clean vocal hooks that broaden its reach. Mixed and mastered by Francis Perron (Voïvod, Decayed Remains) at RadicArt, it’s built to dominate playlists and ignite live crowds. Lyrically, it critiques entitlement while celebrating earned effort, themes reflected in its cinematic music video.
​
The video, created entirely with AI technology, fuses 1960s suburban nostalgia with cosmic adventure. A young boy carrying a silver spoon becomes a cult leader, confronting human space invaders and his own inner darkness, symbolized by a red snake. It’s a bold artistic leap that blends innovation with authentic musical expression.
​
The single artwork mirrors this tension: a red serpent coiled around a silver spoon, rendered in a haunting, old painting style. It visually ties to the song’s themes and the surreal narrative of the video.
​
​Hopeless Nation’s return is more than a comeback; it’s a tribute. The new planned singles to be released in the coming months honour past members Jonathan Houle (bass/guitar, 2012–2014, 2024) and Maxime Dupont (rhythm guitar, 1998–2014), whose talent and spirit helped define the band’s sound. Their legacy echoes through every riff and lyric.
​
The band’s lineup remains deeply rooted in the Quebec scene, and Louis-Simon Bellerose leads punk hardcore legends Genetic Error. Steve DC and Guy Provencher represented Canada at Wacken Open Air 2023 with Strigampire, winners of the Wacken Metal Battle Canada.

Known for their no-backing-tracks, lamp-amp sound, and full crowd interaction, their live shows are legendary, often featuring headbanging, chair-throwing, and immersive visual projections that leave fans breathless.
​
​“Silverspoon” is just the beginning. Four more singles, “Disaster,” “My Curse,” “1000 Miles,” and “Predators,” will follow, leading to a full EP. Each track bridges the band’s hardcore roots with a modern metal sheen, offering pit-friendly intensity and emotional depth.
​
For fans of Gojira, Darkest Hour, At the Gates, Lamb of God, and Zao, Hopeless Nation delivers a sound that’s explosive, raw, and relentlessly honest.

​Watch the “Silverspoon” video now on Hardcore Worldwide at https://youtu.be/lszWRwyk6Ik

Add to your Spotify playlist – https://open.spotify.com/track/0XXWDbK2CcqkMpeOo80uIL

More info: https://www.instagram.com/hopelessnation_official | https://www.facebook.com/hopelessnation​

-30-

“I won’t lie to you and say I couldn’t wait to see the return of HOPELESS NATION. Their ten years of absence will have been far too long, having left their mark on the Trois-Rivières hardcore/metal scene from 1998 to 2014. Although many of their fans seemed absent (probably due to age), those from the first hours who were there as well as those who discovered the band for the first time were not disappointed. Fred, the singer, did not lose his enthusiasm at the time and his interaction with the public was impeccable. When we say that music is a story of passion, their performance was proof of that. HOPELESS NATION delivered a performance without artifice, rooted in a hardcore and metal heritage old school too often put aside these days.” – Chicks Rock Media – TROIS-RIVIÈRES METALFEST (2024)

“Invigorated by the arrival of new blood, Hopeless Nation channeled all this newfound energy into Built from Scratch, an album propelled by “the rage to start playing again”, to use the expression used by Maxime. Made with Francis Perron at Studio Radicart, the record marks a new stage in the journey of the group which, with 10 years of career behind its belt, is surely one of the deans of the Trois-Rivières metal scene. ” – Voir (2009)​
​
—
ASHER MEDIA RELATIONS
Jon Asher – Music Publicist
#.514.581.5780
jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
Facebook – Asher Media Relations
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0 Thank You Canadian MDs and DJs for the airplay love! For the Week Ending: Tuesday, November 11, 2025 CJLO – 1690AM – Montreal Loud – #8 Juliet Ruin, #9 – Fallstaf | CJSW Radio 00.9 FM – Calgary Loud – #10 Imperishable – Everlasting Spew Records | CHLY 101.7 FM – Nanaimo Top 30 – #13 Liminal Spirit | Smithers Community Radio CICK 93.9 – Smithers Top 30 – #16 – Z-Cocoon

  • November 12, 2025
  • by Asher
  • · Fallstaf · Imperishable · Juliet Ruin · Liminal Spirit · radio charts · Z-Cocoon

Thank You Canadian MDs and DJs for the airplay love!
For the Week Ending: Tuesday, November 11, 2025
CJLO – 1690AM – Montreal
Loud – #8 Juliet Ruin, #9 – Fallstaf 
https://earshot-online.com/charts/cjlo.cfm?intChartTypeID=6&dWeekOfID=2025-11-11
===========
CJSW Radio 90.9 FM – Calgary
Loud – #10 Imperishable – Everlasting Spew Records
https://earshot-online.com/charts/cjsw.cfm?intChartTypeID=6&dWeekOfID=2025-11-11
===========
CHLY 101.7 FM – Nanaimo
Top 30 – #13 Liminal Spirit
https://earshot-online.com/charts/chly.cfm?dWeekOfID=2025-11-11
===========
Smithers Community Radio CICK 93.9 – Smithers
Top 30 – #16 – Z-Cocoon
https://earshot-online.com/charts/cick.cfm?dWeekOfID=2025-11-11

0 !earshot – october 2025 – top 20 loud – #14 – Ivy Gardens

  • November 12, 2025
  • by Asher
  • · Ivy Gardens · radio charts

!earshot – october 2025 – top 20 loud

#14 – Ivy Gardens

https://earshot-online.com/charts/2025/October/loud.cfm

0 !earshot – september 2025 – top 20 loud – #4 – Ivy Gardens, #14 – Harvested, #19 – Eternal Drak

  • November 12, 2025
  • by Asher
  • · radio charts

!earshot – september 2025 – top 20 loud

#4 – Ivy Gardens, #14 – Harvested, #19 – Eternal Drak

https://earshot-online.com/charts/2025/September/loud.cfm

0 !earshot – august 2025 – top 20 loud – #5 – Doll, #18 Woodhawk

  • November 12, 2025
  • by Asher
  • · DOLL · radio charts · Woodhawk

!earshot – august 2025 – top 20 loud

#5 – Doll, #18 Woodhawk

https://earshot-online.com/charts/2025/August/loud.cfm

0 !earshot – october 2025 – top 200 #151 – Z-Coccoon 

  • November 12, 2025
  • by Asher
  • · radio charts · Z-Cocoon

!earshot – october 2025 – top 200

#151 – Z-Coccoon

https://earshot-online.com/charts/2025/October/top200.cfm

0 !earshot – august 2025 – top 200 – #55 – DOLL

  • November 12, 2025
  • by Asher
  • · DOLL · radio charts

!earshot – august 2025 – top 200

#55 – DOLL

https://earshot-online.com/charts/2025/July/top200.cfm

0 Streaming Now! THE RETICENT’s New Concept Album “please” Plunges Deep Into The Battles of Mental Illness

  • November 12, 2025
  • by Asher
  • · Music News · The Reticent

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – November 12, 2025

Streaming Now! THE RETICENT’s New Concept Album “please” Plunges Deep Into The Battles of Mental Illness

Fifth Studio Album “please” Out Nov 2025 via Generation Prog Records

L to R – James Nelson (Lead Guitar), Chris Hathcock (Vocals, Guitar, Drums), Paul McBride (Bass)

Photo Credit by Justin H. Reich

Progressive metal trio The Reticent returns with its most emotionally raw and artistically ambitious release to date: “please”, a concept album that plunges deep into the lived experience of mental illness. Being released via Generation Prog Records on November 13th, 2025, the album’s full stream can be heard via its premiere on TheProgSpace, offering listeners a front-row seat to one of the most personal and soul-baring musical journeys of the year.

Listen to “please” in full via TheProgspace HERE.​
​
Helmed by Grammy-nominated music educator Chris Hathcock, The Reticent has carved a distinct identity through emotionally charged, autobiographical concept albums that fuse progressive metal with raw, introspective storytelling. Their latest release, “please,” is Hathcock’s most personal and vulnerable work to date, a sonic outcry born from his own suffering and shaped into a plea for empathy, healing, and survival. The title itself, “please,” encapsulates a universal cry: for rest, for peace, for help, for escape. Far more than a catalog of pain, the album stands as a lifeline, crafted in the depths of anguish and offered to those who may be silently enduring the same.

Spanning ten deeply affecting tracks, “please” traverses the complex terrain of mental illness, with each song shedding light on a unique psychological struggle, from the disorientation of panic attacks and the torment of sleeplessness to the crushing weight of depression and the finality of suicidal ideation. Written while Hathcock was actively experiencing these states, every lyric and musical phrase resonates with lived truth, making “please” not just an album but a testament to survival.
​
Hidden throughout “please” are references to the work of clinical psychologist Kay Redfield Jamison, including nods to her books Night Falls Fast and An Unquiet Mind, and samples of her voice in “Discharge.”

The album was written in just six months. Drums were recorded in one day, all other instruments in two, but vocals took two weeks, leaving Hathcock with a vocal injury that required six weeks of silence. This is the first Reticent album, almost entirely engineered by Hathcock himself at Silent Muse Studio. Drums were tracked by Jamie King at The Basement Studios, who also mixed and mastered the album. All songs (except “The Bed of Wasps”) were recorded using 6-string guitars, the first time since 2016’s “On The Eve Of A Goodbye.”

​
The album artwork visualizes depression as a riptide, a tireless current pulling you away from shore. It’s a metaphor that runs through the album, both sonically and lyrically.
​
During the filming of the single “The Concealment” video, Hathcock broke two toes, sprained three others, and tore his rotator cuff. He performed at ProgStorm Festival in Montreal, QC, just six days later, in visible pain.
​
​The Reticent’s live shows are more than concerts, they’re emotional exorcisms. Described by Metal Injection as “one of the most heart-wrenching performances in ProgPower history,” the band delivers immersive, soul-crushing sets that leave audiences transformed. The band is slated to appear at the 2026 editions of ProgPower USA in September and ProgPower Europe in October, marking another major milestone for the band’s growing international presence.
​
Fans of Opeth, Cynic, The Contortionist, Wilderun, and Devin Townsend will find much to resonate with in “please,” which arrives November 13, 2025, via Generation Prog Records. A follow-up album is already underway, shaped by the profound loss of Chris Hathcock’s father during the creation of “please.”

CD pre-order (North America) – https://thereticent.net/please-pre-order​

CD pre-order (EU) – http://www.generation-prog.com/shop/​

Digital Album pre-save – https://show.co/MoPdl8W​

Music Video – “The Concealment (Those Who Don’t Want To Wake)” – https://youtu.be/1cIKQcJLKtc​

Lyric Video – “The Scorn (Those Who Don’t Understand)” – https://youtu.be/CR-6wCIpasI​

Track Listing:​
1. Intake – 1:45
2. The Concealment (Those Who Don’t Want To Wake) – 6:06
3. The Night River (Those Who Can’t Rest) – 6:55
4. Diagnosis 1 – 2:18
5. The Bed of Wasps (Those Consumed With Panic) – 5:47
6. The Scorn (Those Who Don’t Understand) – 8:12
7. Diagnosis 2 – 2:39
8. The Riptide (Those Without Hope) – 6:09
9. The Chance (Those Who Let Go) – 6:52
10. Discharge – 2:56
Album Length: 49:45

Album Recording Credits:​
All instruments and vocals performed by Chris Hathcock except
– Lead Guitar and Additional Acoustic Guitar by James Nelson
– Guest Vocals on “The Bed of Wasps” by Brian Kingsland
– Narration by Vienna Gloom
All songs written by Chris Hathcock
Produced by Chris Hathcock
Engineered by Chris Hathcock
Drums engineered by Jamie King
Mixed and Mastered by Jamie King
Album Artwork by Joscelyne Hauserman

Band Line Up:​
Chris Hathcock – Vocals, Guitar
James Nelson – Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals
Paul McBride – Bass, Backing Vocals

For more info: Thereticent.net | Facebook.com/thereticentmusic | Instagram.com/The.reticent.band​

– 30 –

“The Reticent knocked another emotional album out of the park. please is going to be way up my personal album of the year list and gets a very easy 10/10 for my rankings. I really connected with this album emotionally as I discussed, but musically it is absolutely brilliant as well. As always don’t forget to listen to this, stream it and buy it if you love it like I do.” – Technical Music Review​ (2025 – please)

“I truly believe that even though this is technically a prog metal record, there is enough variation in the styles here that this can and will speak to, and be enjoyed by, a wider audience than just prog metal lovers. In that stead, it is not only one of the best releases of the year for metal, but one of the best releases of the prog genre in general. It is a massive leap forward in the maturity and growth of ‘The Recicent’, and it is a “must own” release…. I would classify it as essential to the collection of any serious prog rock physical media collector.” – Progressive Voyages (2025 – please)

“A taut, compelling progressive metal opus.” – Angry Metal Guy (2020 – The Oubliette)

“A narrative masterpiece. 10/10” – Rock Magazine (2020 – The Oubliette)

“Something all fans of music will want to experience.” – Metal Temple (2020 – The Oubliette)

“Prog’s most emotionally gut-wrenching band returns!” – Metal Storm (2020 – The Oubliette)

“One fact is incontrovertible: songwriter Chris Hathcock is a genius.” – Legacy Magazine (2020 – The Oubliette)

“Undoubtedly one of this year’s best albums, if not THE best album.” – Scream Magazine (Norway) (2020 – The Oubliette)

“As beautiful as it is sorrowful, masterful instrumentals and intense sounds accompany the story of this concept album that explores the slow descent into oblivion that sufferers of Alzheimer’s disease experience. Fans of metal will come for the riffs, and stay for the depth of atmosphere and storytelling. You’ll be left pondering existence after one of the best albums of the year.” – Cave Dweller Music (2020 – The Oubliette)

The Oubliette was included on numerous “best of” lists and was called The Most Essential Progressive Metal Album of 2020” by RTMBA Magazine. More recently, The Oubliette was included on Metal Injection’s 10 Extremely Underrated Progressive Metal Albums list and their 10 Extremely Underrated Metal Albums of the 2020s list.​
—
ASHER MEDIA RELATIONS
Jon Asher – Music Publicist
#.514.581.5780
jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
Facebook – Asher Media Relations
Instagram – Asher Media
Tweet – AsherMedia

0 MOONSHADE Unleashes Epic Metal Rendition of STROMAE’s “Ma Meilleure Ennemie” Ahead of 2026 Cover EP “Angels, Blood And Enemies”

  • November 12, 2025
  • by Asher
  • · Moonshade · Music News

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – November 12, 2025

MOONSHADE Unleashes Epic Metal Rendition of STROMAE’s “Ma Meilleure Ennemie”

Cover EP “Angels, Blood And Enemies” Out Feb 2026

L-R – Bruno Martins (Bass), Daniel Rodrigues (Drums), Ricardo Pereira (Lead Vocals), Pedro Quelhas (Guitar), Luís Dias (Guitar)

Photographer: João Fitas (@joao.fitas)

​Portuguese melodic death metal force Moonshade has unveiled their latest single, a thunderous, emotionally charged cover of Stromae & Pomme’s “Ma Meilleure Ennemie.” Accompanied by a lyric video, the track will be featured on their upcoming three-song EP, “Angels, Blood And Enemies,” set for release in February 2026.
​
Inspired by an unforgettable scene from the Netflix series Arcane, Moonshade’s cover strips away the original’s trip-hop shell and rebuilds it with their signature blend of epic, brutal, and atmospheric metal. The band’s connection to Arcane and League of Legends runs deep, with members Pedro and Ricardo being longtime Stromae fans.

“We annoyed the rest of the band to exhaustion to make this cover happen. But they’re always tolerant of our eccentricities, and now we have a metal version of this brilliant Belgian trip-hop artist. We wanted to highlight the song’s emotional intensity using our own sonic palette. We’ve never done covers before, and there’s probably not much overlap between our fanbase and Stromae’s. But we had fun, we’re proud of it, and that’s what matters. Moonshade’s fans are open-minded and adventurous, traits that make this cover EP a natural fit,” says vocalist Ricardo Pereira, who also performs clean vocals alongside drummer Daniel, adding layers to the song’s theme of love-hate duality.

If you love Insomnium, Heaven Shall Burn, In Flames, Dark Tranquillity, or Omnium Gatherum, Moonshade’s sound will feel like home.
​
With “Angels, Blood And Enemies,” Moonshade invites fans into a new chapter, one of fearless reinterpretation, emotional depth, and genre-defying creativity.

The single’s artwork, designed by Rui Carneiro (Lorna Shore, Polaris, Chelsea Grin), draws from Guido Reni’s Archangel Michael Defeating Satan, visually anchoring the EP’s title, “Angels, Blood And Enemies.” Carneiro also created the remaining two artworks for the EP, whose tracklist remains a mystery for now.

Watch the lyric video for “Ma Meilleure Ennemie” created by Jöel Martins from Titanforged Productions (Wolfheart, Analepsy, Dark Oath).

Lyric video at https://youtu.be/bl-lIFqcYoQ

​Add to your Spotify playlist – https://mme-out-now.sbmt.to/

​

More Info: https://moonshadeofficial.com/​

Formed in 2010 by guitarist Pedro Quelhas and former drummer Cristiano, Moonshade emerged from the ashes of a previous project, seeking a heavier, more melodic-death-oriented sound. Influenced by the Gothenburg scene and bands like Amorphis and Insomnium, they’ve since evolved into a genre-blending powerhouse, infusing elements of metalcore, black metal, progressive, and symphonic metal. Ricardo’s lyrics reflect on the human condition and global crises, from climate change to capitalist exploitation. Even in covers, the band chooses songs that resonate lyrically. Fans will notice thematic echoes of tracks like “The Antagonist” and the storyline of their debut album Sun Dethroned.

From 2014’s Dream | Oblivion EP to 2022’s As We Set The Skies Ablaze, Moonshade has carved a path of sonic reinvention. Their music has graced stages alongside Amorphis, Within Temptation, and Heaven Shall Burn, and their international tours and pandemic-era online performances have only strengthened their global reach.

-30-

‘The band takes the style to the 2020s’ – Decibel Magazine

‘A very solid and commendable slab of melodic death metal.’ – Man Of Much Metal

‘Completely devoid of fillers’ – Hardline Magazin

‘A work for all lovers of melodeath’ – The Dark Melody

‘The Portuguese upsets have a bright future ahead of them’ – Angry Metal Guy

‘Melodic Death Metal of the first order’ – Metalutopia

‘An excellent melodic metal record’ – LOUD!

‘Full of addictive melodies’ – Metal Release

‘Candidate for album of the year’ -Sounds From Apocalypse

‘A Dark/Melodic Death Metal masterpiece that truly convinces’ – Metalunderground

‘More than mastering Melodic Death, the band makes it their own’ – Acta Infernalis

‘Its only flaw is that it ends too soon’ – World of Metal

‘If you like melodeath, you will like this album’ – The Green Man

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

0 EPK – Moonshade – Ma Meilleure Ennemie (Stromae & Pomme Cover) (2025)

  • November 12, 2025
  • by Asher
  • · EPKs · Moonshade

EPK – Moonshade – Ma Meilleure Ennemie (Stromae & Pomme Cover) (2025)

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

“We all share a ton of respect and admiration for Stromae’s work and are huge fans of Arcane. Understandably, we were quite captivated by the emotional weight and cultural resonance of the show, particularly by the scene featuring Ekko and Powder dancing to Ma Meilleure Ennemie. We decided to make more than a simple tribute, and really try to push the song’s boundaries, by partially stripping away the trip-hop shell and rebuilding what’s left in our unique brand of heavy metal. The original is epic, and we like to think we made it sound larger-than-life – because to us, there’s no other way.” – Moonshade

Band: Moonshade
Single title: Ma Meilleure Ennemie
Song info: This is a cover song of the worldwide trip hop anthem by Stromae and Pomme, featured in the Netflix hit show Arcane.
Release date: November 12th, 2025

For fans of Heaven Shall Burn, Arch Enemy, Insomnium, Dark Tranquillity, Omnium Gatherum

Moonshadeofficial.com | Facebook.com/moonshadeofficial | Instagram.com/moonshade_official | X.com/moonshadeband 

Tiktok.com/@moonshadeofficial | Youtube.com/moonshadeband

Spotify | Apple Music

‘The band takes the style to the 2020s’ – Decibel Magazine

‘A very solid and commendable slab of melodic death metal.’ – Man Of Much Metal

‘Completely devoid of fillers’ – Hardline Magazin

‘A work for all lovers of melodeath’ – The Dark Melody

‘The Portuguese upsets have a bright future ahead of them’ – Angry Metal Guy

‘Melodic Death Metal of the first order’ – Metalutopia

‘An excellent melodic metal record’ – LOUD!

‘Full of addictive melodies’ – Metal Release

‘Candidate for album of the year’ -Sounds From Apocalypse

‘A Dark/Melodic Death Metal masterpiece that truly convinces’ – Metalunderground

‘More than mastering Melodic Death, the band makes it their own’ – Acta Infernalis

‘Its only flaw is that it ends too soon’ – World of Metal

‘If you like melodeath, you will like this album’ – The Green Man

Band: Moonshade
Single title: Ma Meilleure Ennemie
Song info: This is a cover song of the worldwide trip hop anthem by Stromae and Pomme, featured in the Netflix hit show Arcane.
Release date: November 12th, 2025
• Originally written by: Stromae, Pomme, Alexander Seaver, et Luc Van Haver
• Single Artwork by: Rui Carneiro

This single was produced, mixed and mastered by Afonso Aguiar from Titanforged Productions (Analepsy, Dark Oath), and is part of a 3-song EP titled Angels, Blood And Enemies, to be released on February 18th, 2026. The single cover artwork was done by Rui Carneiro (Lorna Shore, Polaris, Chelsea Grin).

Band Lineup:
Bruno Martins (Bass)
Daniel Rodrigues (Drums)
Ricardo Pereira (Lead Vocals)
Pedro Quelhas (Guitar)
Luís Dias (Guitar)

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

About The Single Artwork:

This piece was based on the classical painting  “Archangel Michael Defeating Satan” by Guido Reni. We felt like it represents the title of the EP from which this cover is a part of, namely: Angels, Blood And Enemies, piecing together the three cover songs it will contain – you are welcome to try and guess the remaining two. It was made by the amazing Rui Carneiro, who previously worked with Lorna Shore, Polaris, Chelsea Grin, etc, as well as in the remaining two artworks associated with Angels, Blood And Enemies.

About the album as a whole (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY):

This single belongs to 3 3-song EP made up of cover songs reimagined in Moonshade’s style, titled Angels, Blood And Enemies.

About the cover single:
We all share a ton of respect and admiration for Stromae’s work and are huge fans of Arcane. Understandably, we were quite captivated by the emotional weight and cultural resonance of the show, particularly by the scene featuring Ekko and Powder dancing to Ma Meilleure Ennemie. We decided to make more than a simple tribute, and really try to push the song’s boundaries, by partially stripping away the trip-hop shell and rebuilding what’s left in our unique brand of heavy metal. The original is epic, and we like to think we made it sound larger-than-life – because to us, there’s no other way.

===========================================
Fun Facts – Story Angles:

1. Why this song?
The entirety of the band either plays League of Legends or has played at some point, and this initially made them connect with Arcane. They quickly found out that the show was way more than fan service, being an amazing piece of art that inspired them greatly in many ways, one of which was the brilliant soundtrack between many artists outside of metal that different bandmembers love, Stromae’s Ma Meilleure Ennemie stood out, particularly due to the scene featuring Ekko and Powder. We happen to have two huge Stromae fans in Moonshade – Pedro and Ricardo. We were also thinking about doing a metal version of a song for a while, and we never seemed to agree on one, until this one came along – it was a natural fit!

2. Environmental Call to Arms
Songs such as the single Epitaph stands out as an anthem inspired by urgent environmental advocacy. The band’s singer, Ricardo, does more than just talk, though – he’s actually a researcher at the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA), and has published papers concerning the effects of climate change on marine life.

3. We’ll Always Have Valencia
In one of the band’s first shows outside their own country, the promoter failed to mention that the Valencian leg of the Spanish tour would get zero publicity, to the point that even some of the regulars at Pub Sedavi did not know there was going to be a show.

These same amazing people, including the club management and the opening band, started calling everyone they knew, and the night was saved – it ended up being the most memorable night of the whole tour.

4. One Man Show
The band’s founder, Pedro Quelhas, does more than just play the guitar – while having written most of Moonshade’s music, he is the recording engineer for all of Moonshade’s records, and produced the band’s first demo and their debut EP.

5. Return Of The King // Prog Influx
Moonshade’s original bass player, Bruno Martins, left the band in 2013, having returned 10 years later as their current bass player, after going through other famous Portuguese acts such as Kandia. Given that our guitarist Luís also plays in Phase Transition and our drummer Daniel is the founder of Onysus, the band has a lot more progressive influences nowadays, which is actually shaping the original songs they are now writing, to be released in 2026-2027.

Moonshade are (left to right): Bruno Martins (Bass) Daniel Rodrigues (Drums) Ricardo Pereira (Lead Vocals) Pedro Quelhas (Guitar) Luís Dias (Guitar)

Photographer: João Fitas (@joao.fitas)

Whether they are forging brave new worlds for the sake of parable, directly tackling controversial topics such as the anthropogenic nature of Earth’s demise or the evils of political and religious fanaticism, the Portuguese extreme metal act Moonshade remain the echoes of a lost generation.

2014 saw the birth of the ‘Dream | Oblivion‘ EP, followed by their critically acclaimed debut album ‘Sun Dethroned‘ in 2018. These releases were taken to many club and festival shows across Portugal, some featuring the likes of Amorphis, Within Temptation and Heaven Shall Burn. In 2019, they embarked on their first ever international tour across the Iberian Peninsula. When COVID-19 came for their throats, they rabidly fought back by writing new music and performing in online events such as Metal Injection’s ‘Slay At Home’.

2022 oversaw the unleashing of the band’s sophomore album and current magnum opus As We Set The Skies Ablaze. This ambitious, independently released project swep across the globe the globe, including major publications such as Metal Injection, Revolver Magazine and Metal Hammer. Currently, the band is setting national and international stages ablaze with their new work.

The rest is history in the making.

Discography:
2011– The Path Of Redemption – Demo
2015 – Dream | Oblivion – EP
2018 – Sun Dethroned – Album
2021 – The Eventide Sessions – Live Session EP
2022 – As We Set The Skies Ablaze – Album
2024 – Path To Oblivion – Digital Remasters EP
2026 – Angels, Blood & Enemies – Digital EP

Shared Stage With: Within Temptation, Amorphis, Heaven Shall Burn, Omnium Gatherum, Decapitated, Orphaned Land, Rotting Christ, TYR, Wolfheart, Dark Oath

Tours and Festivals:
2025 – Milagre Metaleiro – Viseu, PT
2025 – Insanu Metal Fest – Paços de Ferreira, PT
2024 – Halloween IV – Guimarães, PT
2024 – Shores Of Death – Coimbra, PT
2023 – Ghallaecia Metal Fest – Vigo, SP
2023 – Mosher Fest – Coimbra, PT
2021 – Um Metaleiro Também Chora – Mealhada, PT
2021 – Laurus Nobilis Music Fest – Famalicão, PT
2021 – Milagre Metaleiro – Viseu, PT
2019 – River Stone Fest – Porto, PT
2019 – Moita Metal Fest – Lisbon, PT
2016 – Milagre Metaleiro – Viseu, PT
2016 – Zona Metal Fest – Vila Real, PT
2016 – Morbid Spring Fest – Lisbon, PT
2015 – Pax Julia Metal Fest – Beja, PT
2015 – Hell Sweet Hell – Lordelo Metalfest III – Lordelo, PT
2015 – Vagos Open Air – Aveiro, PT
2015 – Headbang Solidário – Porto, PT
2014 – Warfest – 12th Kill – Figueira da Foz, PT
2013 – Infernal Path III – Porto, PT
2012 – Full Metal Injection – Porto, PT
2012 – Infernal Path – S. M. da Feira, PT
2011 – 16th Modern Music Festival – Gondomar, PT

Endorsements: Solar Guitars

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