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Category: EPKs

0 EPK – Disorientation – Survival Mode (2023)

  • November 1, 2023
  • by Asher
  • · Disorientation · EPKs

EPK – Disorientation – Survival Mode (2023)

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

EP Title: Survival Mode
Release Date: December 1st, 2023
Label: Self-Release

“This new EP has more of a harder edge compared to our 1st effort, this required a change of sound and we opted for the crisper approach provided by the mixing and mastering of Hugues Deslauriers. Those who already like the band will enjoy it. People new to the band will either like or hate it, or at the least, it will leave them confused. It aims to create tension in the listeners, putting them ill at ease and make them question and wonder what is going on.” – Disorientation

For fans of Fear of God, Crisis, Show of Bedlam, Liva, Celtic Frost

Facebook.com/disorientationmetal | Instagram.com/disorientationmetal | YouTube

Disorientationmetal.bandcamp.com | Spotify | Apple Music

“It sounds all over the place… a very avant-garde vibe to it … It almost feels improvised, it’s like slam poetry but with black metal oboe. This is definitely not going to be for everyone, but I love that weird, kind of obscure random stuff. This is all over the place, it feels improvised, I kind of like it like that, this is Disorientation, which is a perfect band name and title for this self-titled EP.” – Metal Trenches (2021 – Disorientation – EP)

“Canadian band Disorientation produces interesting music. Black/death metal ties with folk instruments and synths. The song Nature, in which the band decorated with plug-ins and acoustic passages and also used choir vocals, caught my attention. They released a three-track self-titled EP; It’s worth taking a look.” – Metal Perver (2021 – Disorientation – EP)

“… a little do-it-yourself project of dark low-fi symphonic metal with a little depressed folkloric side … it’s a pretty interesting little 3-piece EP … the album cover is also magnificent.” – Mtl Metal – CIBL 101.5 FM

[Download EP Cover | Download EP Lyrics]

EP Title: Survival Mode
Release Date: December 1st, 2023
Label: Self-Release

Track Listing:
1. Dissociation (7:43)
2. Jaded (5:56)
3. Dark Side (2:27)
EP Length: 16:06

EP Recording Credits:
• All songs performed by: Disorientation
• All songs written by: all music by Marie-Claude Fleury, except Jaded written by Marie-Claude Fleury and Daniel Daris; all lyrics by Marie-Claude Fleury
• Produced by: Disorientation
• Mixed by: Hugues Deslauriers
• Mastered by: Hugues Deslauriers
• EP by: Marie-Claude Fleury
• Canadian Content (MAPL)

EP Band Line Up:
Marie-Claude Fleury – Vocals, Oboe, English Horn, Drum Programming
Daniel Daris – Guitars, Bass

Guest Musicians
Maude Théberge and Pascal Germain-Berardi : Classical Choir on Dissociation

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

About The Album Artwork

It’s a metaphor for all you do, even if it’s considered unacceptable, to be able to deal with the hurt and to keep going in spite of it.

About the album as a whole (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY)

Survival Mode is more blunt and straightforward than our self-titled EP. It’s about tactics for psychological survival in unpleasant situations.

Track by Track (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY)

1 – Dissociation – This song starts with a fury. The oboes and voice can’t stay pretty when it’s time to express the detachment from yourself and your circumstances. The fast riff keeps the confrontation going, but keeping a hard stance to face the pain is a draining process. The ternary passage that follows shows that slow disintegration, which will lead you to a chamber oboe passage where the real frailty is exposed. A moment of doomy misery follows. The tempo picks up a bit, just like the process of getting back up slowly after a hard hit, and then the song goes back to the start, to shutting down and forcing yourself into amnesia. The forgetfulness can’t be permanent though, and the soft outro reminds you that pain remains.

2 – Jaded – A cyclical song with a slower tempo. Vocals start clean in technique but not in intent, followed by a dissonant oboe choral that will make you physically uncomfortable. The tempo picks up a bit. There are starts and stops, just like the process of building an insensitivity to feelings, and then the music goes back to the start, moody and changing, leading to a burst of craziness where the vocals and underlying music go in all directions. The song ends in resignation, the deadening of emotions is complete, with the voice dying down at the end.

3 – Dark Side – A soft English horn intro will make you believe that not all is entirely gloomy and hopeless. The contrasting fast and straightforward riff that follows and stays constant until the end will remind you otherwise. An in-your-face hardcore-style approach to vocals makes a harsh statement about those who worry about your well-being: why do they care? Honestly? Short and sweet, this one ends abruptly with a bang.

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

Fun Facts – Story Angles:

1. Dan’s 1st show ever was playing in a black/death metal band at a fast-food restaurant. There were 4 people in attendance, Marie-Claude was amongst them.

2. Our recordings are done in our own rehearsal space with no regard to whether or not the equipment we use is considered trendy. Our recording laptop is terribly outdated, we use one of the cheapest guitars, in a tiny practice amp. Same thing for the bass. All with entry-level mikes.

3. More fun facts to come as the band evolves and starts playing live… (I guess)

Daniel Daris – Guitars, Bass, Marie-Claude Fleury – Vocals, Oboe, English Horn, Drum Programming

Photo Credit : Marie-Claude Fleury

Disorientation is a DIY Dark Symphonic Metal band from Montreal, Canada, created by Marie-Claude Fleury and Daniel Daris. While other symphonic acts portray beauty, wonder, and grace, Disorientation takes you down a path of troubling disarray, crippling misery, and severe anguish you can’t escape from.

The idea of the band had been floating around for a few years, with song fragments written here and there but it’s at the beginning of 2020 that Marie-Claude and Dan really got serious and started establishing the foundation of their unpolished sound driven by oboe orchestral passages and vocals that are harsh, vulnerable and everything in between.

Disorientation strives to combine the abrasiveness of old death/thrash metal with the orchestral elements introduced by European bands in the late 90s/early 00s to create depressive music with simple riffs that go for emotion rather than technique. The band avoids predetermined chord progressions, verse-chorus-verse-chorus structures, and clean/distorted vocal dichotomies to create disconcerting, dissonant, and memorable songs.

On September 26th, 2021, Disorientation released their first 3-track EP. In spite of minimal promotion, Disorientation’s unique sound and approach were noticed. Metal Trenches called it “a perfect band name and title for this self-titled EP” while Turkey’s Metalperver wrote that it was “Interesting music, worth checking out.” The songs got airplay on Dark Metal Radio, Sewer Spewer, The Autopsy Report, No Name Radio, and Mtl Métal.

“Survival Mode” is the band’s second EP due out in December 2023. Those 3 new songs feature even more of the elements that set them apart: unorthodox vocal lines, odd structures, dissonant oboe arrangements, in-your-face discomfort, and distress. With this offering, Marie-Claude and Daniel intend to keep their momentum. They are currently assembling a lineup with the goal of playing Disorientation’s music live.

Discography:
2023 – Survival Mode – EP
2021 – Disorientation – EP

0 EPK – Burn The Evidence – Night Terror (single) (2023)

  • October 31, 2023
  • by Asher
  • · Burn The Evidence · EPKs

EPK – Burn The Evidence – Night Terror (single) (2023)

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

“We are very happy to present you Night Terror, inspectors are dealing with mastermind killers that are pushing them to their limit … the feeling of being followed, being watched every movement, every car ride always double checking if somebody is following you.., we put inspectors on the light but you can relate the lyrics and emotions in other circumstances. One of our favorite to play as well, Night Terror will bring you on a roller coaster of emotion. From peace .. to fear.. from joy to sadness… At the end, you gonna want more!” – Burn The Evidence

For fans Of Mice and Men, Ice Nine Kills, Bring Me the Horizon, I Prevail

Facebook | Instagram.com/Burntheevidence_music | TikTok.com@BTE_Band | Spotify

https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/burntheevidence2/night-terror-2

Band Name: Burn The Evidence
Single Title: Night Terror
Release Date: Oct 31, 2023
Label: Self Release

Track Listing :
Night Terror (single)

Single Credit:
Track performed by: Burn The Evidence
Written by: Burn The Evidence
Produced by: Eric Desormeaux (TinyRik Productions)
Mixed and mastered by: Eric Desormeaux (TinyRik Productions)
Video filmed, edited and coloured by: Sylvain Courchaine (Eigthyoaksphotography)
Album artwork by: Sylvain Courchaine (Eightyoaksphotography)
Music is Canadian content – MAPL

Album and band line up live
Vocal : Rémi Arsenault
Guitar/vocal/master tech: Eric Desormeaux
Guitar/backing vocal : Maxime Rondeau
Bass/backing vocal: Dominik Roy
Drums: Emmanuel Jean

L-R – Maxime Rondeau – Guitar, Dominik Roy – Bass, Rémi Arsenault – Vocals, Éric Desormeaux – Guitar , Emmanuel Jean – Drums

This Halloween, prepare yourself for a spooky metalcore release “Night Terror” from Ottawa, Canada’s Burn the Evidence. This single, off their upcoming album (release date TBD), is guaranteed to send shivers down your spine and leave you headbanging in your car, at home, at the gym, everywhere! They share their excitement for the release:

“We are very happy to present to you “Night Terror” where inspectors are dealing with mastermind killers that are pushing them to their limit. The feeling of being followed, being watched every movement, every car ride, always double checking if somebody is following you, we put inspectors in the spotlight but you can relate the lyrics and emotions in other circumstances.”

One of the band’s favourites, this will pull you along on a rollercoaster of emotions, from peace to fear, from joy to sadness, but in the end, you’re going to want more. Crank up the volume and immerse yourself in a distinct brand of metalcore.

The haunting anticipation begins with “Night Terror” and the band will be following it up with an album next year. They are committed to delivering a unique and exhilarating listening experience that’s unlike any metalcore you’ve ever heard before. they’re all about emotions – the key that unlocks the door to their musical world. Each track on the upcoming album tells its own story, unraveling thrilling investigations, and pummeling you with turbulent feelings.

This single “Night Terror” is the perfect spooky soundtrack for your Halloween party or to accompany your eerie night-time adventures. It is especially recommended for fans of Bring Me The Horizon, Ice Nine Kills, and Falling In Reverse.

Watch and listen to the music video for “Night Terror” via its premiere on TheCirclePit YouTube channel at ​https://youtu.be/e1Mx544f0K0​

Digital – ​https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/burntheevidence2/night-terror-2

Band Lineup:
Vocals: Rémi Arsenault
Guitar : Eric Desormeaux
Guitar : Maxime Rondeau
Bass: Dominik Roy
Drums: Emmanuel Jean

0 EPK – Eshtadur – Fire Above Mountain Below (single) (2023) (Blood Blast Distribution)

  • October 31, 2023
  • by Asher
  • · EPKs · Eshtadur

EPK – Eshtadur – Fire Above Mountain Below (single) (2023) (Blood Blast Distribution)

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

“Combining ancestral elements from folk and adding a full symphonic orchestra, this 6/8 song brings what Eshtadur likes the most, catchy melodies and deep mourning riffs all around. As we share this musical journey, we invite you to explore the echoes of the past and the spirits that continue to whisper in the mountains. Let this track be your guide into a world where the mysteries of nature and humanity converge. Discover the magic of our music today, and join us in paying homage to the eight great spirits.” – Jorg August – Eshtadur

Hypocrisy, Septicflesh, Behemoth, Dimmu Borgir, At The Gates, Arch Enemy

Single Title: Fire Above Mountain Below
Release Date: October 31, 2023
Distribution: Blood Blast Distribution

Eshtadur.com | Facebook.com/EshtadurOfficial | Instagram.com/eshtadur | Twitter.com/eshtadur | YouTube.com

Eshtadur.bandcamp.com | Spotify

All Links: https://linktr.ee/Eshtadur

Digital Single – https://bfan.link/fire-above-mountain-below

“Eshtadur Brings Their Brand of Death Metal Deep Into the Shadows with “Umbra”… the track is dark and dense, almost like its namesake — an umbra is the fully shaded and darkest part of a shadow, commonly realized during an eclipse. To match that level of darkness, the band recruited the Caldas Symphony Orchestra to add its cellos, violins, and horns to the band’s sound. Additionally, they used a Colombian folk instrument known as the tiple, along with speakers of “an ancient native language known as “Purhepecha” originating from Michoacán (precolombine ancient America C.1200).” According to the band’s mastermind Jorg August, “Umbra” stands out among the rest of the project’s discography as a particularly haunting track.” – Metal Sucks (2023 Umbra – single)

“Eshtadur have been one of my favorite melodic death metal bands for a while now. They’ve always had a unique sound, powerful vision and a driving death metal energy that has kept their sound exciting for years now. Their new single, “Cornered At The Earth,” is a perfect representation of what these Colombian death metallers have been concocting for years now. With stints touring with bands like Cradle Of Filth, Vader, and Abaddon, these guys clearly aren’t fucking around. Their upcoming record, Mother Gray, due out in May, is an absolute motherfucker of a release. In a world where metal seems to be increasingly intellectual and dorky, it’s somehow reassuring to have a song like this one that makes no aspersions about its At The Gates and Soilwork worship, blasting out of the gate and forcing us to choke on the bitter medicine that Eshtadur provide.” – Metal Injection (2017 – Mother Gray – Album)

Previous Single – Umbra

Single Title: Fire Above Mountain Below
Release Date: October 31, 2023
Distribution: Blood Blast Distribution

Single Length: Fire Above Mountain Below (4:55)

Single Credits:
– Song performed by Eshtadur
– Written by Jorg August
– Produced by Jorg August
– Mixed & mastered by Chris Clancy
– Artwork by Andkill

Single Lineup:
– Guitars, bass, orchestral arrangement, tiple & vocals by Jorg August
– With Caldas Symphonyc Orchestra
– Drums by Michal lysejko
– Guitar Solo by Hubert Wiecek

Live Band Lineup:
– Jorg August (Guitars & Vocals)
– Andres Gonzalez (Bass)
– Johnatan Valderrama (Lead Guitars)
– David Lopez (Drums)

L-R Eshtadur Line Up: David Lopez (Drums), Johnatan Valderrama (Guitars), Jorg August (Guitars & Vocals), Andres Gonzalez (Bass)

Photo Credit by Jorge Muñoz

ESHTADUR was founded in the fall of 2005 by Jorg August releasing the ‘Timo Be Timo’ Demo with a sound in the vein of At The Gates, Dimmu Borgir, and Septicflesh. Since then, they have released a pair of EPs and a strong four albums. ESHTADUR, meaning the rebellion of angels, can be most closely likened to bands such as Septic Flesh, Behemoth, Fleshgod Apocalypse, Carach Angren, and the like. Like their scene counterparts, the band embodies a deathly melodic atmosphere that reaches into realms of darkness and despair through the decay of humanity. It seeks to rebel, in its darkened way, embracing the abject reality.

Their rich touring history includes performances across Colombia, Peru, Mexico, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia. They have shared the stage and toured with Cradle of Filth, Vader, Graveworm, Sepultura, Aborted, and Decapitated in Rock Al Parque 2016.

Their 2017 release, via Bleeding Music Records, “Mother Gray” is an expression of planetary death and putrefaction. The scathing release saw the band touring 8 countries in Europe through 2018, and then visiting the United States for the first time for the “Gray America Tour” including Mexico. Now the band has signed the latest album “From The Abyss” with Blood Blast Distribution (by Nuclear Blast) and distributed physically by Hateworks (LA).

In 2022, the band toured supporting Batushka and Diabolical, this time visiting Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, Austria, Slovenia, Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, and Switzerland.

In 2023, Eshtadur played at the 70000tons of Metal being the only band from Colombia. Eshtadur is gathering mist forces to fill your soul on their next visit with darkened despair as they set to release their new singles “Umbra’ in September 2023 and “Fire Above Mountain Below” in October 2023 via Blood Blast Distribution.

Discography:
2023 – Fire Above Mountain Below – Single
2023 – Umbra – Single
2021 – From The Abyss – Album
2017 – Mother Gray – Album
2016 – Oblivion – EP
2014 – Burning Heart – Single
2013 – Stay Away From Evil – Album
2011 – Dominated by Dummies – Album
2007 – Rebellion of Angels – EP

Shared Stage with: Summernor’s Circle, Graveworm, Cradle of Filth, Vader, Batushka, Diabolical, Bleeding Utopia, Sepultura, Anvil

Tour and Festivals
2023 – US Tour w/ Summoner’s Circle
2023 – 70,000 Tons of Metal Cruise
2022 – European Tour with Batushka 17 shows 10 countries
2019 – Gray America tour headlining USA and Mexico
2018 – European tour headlining 13 shows 8 countries
2016 – Rock al parque Colombia

0 Canada’s BLACK DAGGERS Will Have You Hearing “Voices” In New Video Off Debut Concept Record “Phantasmagoria” Out Oct 31st

  • October 24, 2023
  • by Asher
  • · Black Daggers · EPKs · Music News

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – October 24, 2023

Canada’s BLACK DAGGERS Will Have You Hearing “Voices” In New Video

Debut Concept Record “Phantasmagoria” Out Oct 31st

L-R: Spencer McLeod (Drums), Stanley Sullivan (Rhythm Guitar), Mike Szeles (Bass Guitar), Valentine Vandal (Lead Vox, Lead Guitar)

Photo Credit – Mark Manlapaz (@snapshot_hott on IG)

Red Deer, AB, Canada’s BLACK DAGGERS are making their debut this coming October 31st with the release of their first concept record “Phantasmagoria”, an album that is about a Faustian Bargain gone awry.

Vocalist Valentine Vandal goes into further detail:

“On this record, our protagonist is really no one and everyone. The character makes a deal with the Devil and it quickly goes wrong when he sees his life unraveling. The album is as much about struggling with vices as it is dealing with depression and addiction. I wanted to really dig into the idea of drug-induced psychosis and explore where that might lead to paranoia and further self-destruction. I think in some ways the character will be relatable to people who’ve dealt with mental health issues or lived with addictions. The inner demons people battle that scratch the surface.”

To capture, the visual elements portrayed in their music, BLACK DAGGERS plans to release a series of videos for each track off the full-length. So far they have shared with fans videos for “Surfin’ A Vibe”, and “I’m Here” along with their latest ready to be revealed for the track “Voices”.

“Visually, I really wanted to capture that same element through the use of diffusion videos with the help of artificial intelligence. I self-produced all the visuals on this record and they are releasing alongside the singles,” adds Vandal.

The band’s next single “Voices” was a song that the band found stood out from the others and fits well with the themes of the record as it’s about being paranoid.

“It follows on the record so this is the place in the story where we see the cracks appearing in the facade and our protagonist starts to hear voices that are influencing his life. We actually added 3D spatial audio whispers to the track so it moves around you when you listen on headphones or a good stereo,” says Vandal.

Watch and listen to “Voices” at https://youtu.be/9fFPEY1dAmM

​

Spotify – https://spoti.fi/40gqFML​

Along with previous videos listed below.

“I’m Here” – https://youtu.be/JSPzkfTo5BM

​

“Surfin’ A Vibe” – https://youtu.be/GKgS4ZMMLHs

​

Black Daggers are set to take the hard rock and metal scenes by storm with their electrifying, pulse-pounding sound. Composed of four talented musicians, each bringing their own flair and expertise to the table. With dual guitars that weave intricate, powerful riffs and solos, a thundering bass that lays down the groove, and a drummer who effortlessly keeps the pulse of the band’s heart pounding, the musical talent on display is undeniable. Fronted by a lead vocalist whose voice soars and roars with equal ferocity, Black Daggers is the full package. Drawing inspiration from legendary acts such as Between the Buried and Me, Alice In Chains, Soundgarden, Queens of the Stone Age, Big Wreck, and Mastodon, Black Daggers fuse the raw energy of metal with the melodic sensibilities of hard rock to create a unique, unforgettable sound that transcends genres.

The band’s debut album “Phantasmagoria” is just the beginning as it is part of their planned four-album anthology diving into different themes and sounds. This record is just the jumping-off platform for much more that they’re working on.

“We’re excited for people to listen to Phantasmagoria and to see everyone’s reactions to the story we’ve put together. This album was a labor of love with many hours of work put into it trying to make it the best we possibly could. Thanks to everyone who’s given us such positive feedback on our singles so far, we’re excited for you to hear the album as a whole as we intended from start to finish!” adds the band.

“Phantasmagoria” is due out on October 31, 2023, and will be available on all digital platforms at https://linktr.ee/blackdaggersmusic​

Track Listing:​
1. Best I’ve Got – (4:00)
2. These Broken Bones – (3:46)
3. Surfin’ A Vibe – (4:04)
4. Voices – (4:21)
5. I’m Here – (4:15)
6. Wasted – (3:23)
7. City Limits – (3:07)
8. Carpe Diem – (4:22)
Album Length: 31:22

More info: Blackdaggersmusic.com | Facebook.com/blackdaggersofficial | Instagram.com/blackdaggersmusic | Tiktok.com/@blackdaggersmusic​

-30-

​
“Solid. God knows we need more music like this, especially in Canada. If you’re into anything from Alice in Chains and Soundgarden to Mastodon and Big Wreck, this is for you.” – Alan Cross – Undiscovered Gem of the Week – Corus Media
​
“‘Surfin’ a Vibe’ really conjures a dark, horror-laced image. The raw vocals perfectly capture the feeling of impactful shock rock. I like the bold confidence and furious brutality. It’s well-structured but raucous.” — What CRB thought of ‘Surfin’ a Vibe’
​
“I really like what they did with the solo coming in a bar early. Really interesting stuff. Song of the night!” – @the_ghosthouse (Twitch)

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

0 EPK – Black Daggers – Phantasmagoria (2023)

  • October 21, 2023
  • by Asher
  • · Black Daggers · EPKs

EPK – Black Daggers – Phantasmagoria (2023)

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

“This record is really an album that’s a concept record. It follows our protagonist who’s really no one and everyone. The character makes a deal with the Devil and it quickly goes awry while he sees his life unraveling. The album is as much about struggling with vices as it is about dealing with depression and addiction. I wanted to really dig into the idea of drug-induced psychosis and explore where that might lead to paranoia and further self-destruction. I think in some ways the character will be relatable to people who’ve dealt with mental health issues or lived with addictions. The inner demons people battle that scratch the surface. Visually, I really wanted to capture that same element through the use of diffusion videos with the help of artificial intelligence. I self-produced all the visuals on this record and they are releasing alongside the singles.” – Valentine Vandal – Black Daggers

For fans of The Hives, QOTSA, Foo Fighters, Alice In Chains, Seether

Band: Black Daggers
Album: Phantasmagoria
Release Date: October 31, 2023
Label: Papercuts on Purpose

Blackdaggersmusic.com | Facebook.com/blackdaggersofficial | Instagram.com/blackdaggersmusic | Tiktok.com/@blackdaggersmusic

Twitter.com/BlackDaggersCAD | YouTube | YouTube.com/@PapercutsOnPurpose

Linktr.ee/blackdaggersmusic | Blackdaggersmusic.bandcamp.com | Apple Music | Spotify

“The ideas, the story, the connection to the characters are there as if one is reading a book or watching a movie. Phantasmagoria is cohesive in its songs, music, and mood and that cohesiveness of Phantasmagoria is what makes the debut album from Black Daggers brilliant.” Amplify The Noise

“Don’t get it twisted, this band be jammin’ – Facts” – Timbaland

“Solid. God knows we need more music like this, especially in Canada. If you’re into anything from Alice in Chains and Soundgarden to Mastodon and Big Wreck, this is for you.” – Alan Cross – Undiscovered Gem of the Week – Corus Media

“‘Surfin’ a Vibe’ really conjures a dark, horror-laced image. The raw vocals perfectly capture the feeling of impactful shock rock. I like the bold confidence and furious brutality. It’s well-structured but raucous.” — What CRB thought of ‘Surfin’ a Vibe’

“I really like what they did with the solo coming in a bar early. Really interesting stuff. Song of the night!” – @the_ghosthouse (Twitch)

[Download Album Cover | Download Album Lyrics]

Band: Black Daggers
Album: Phantasmagoria
Release Date: October 31, 2023
Label: Papercuts on Purpose

Track Listing:
1. Best I’ve Got – (4:00)
2. These Broken Bones – (3:46)
3. Surfin’ A Vibe – (4:04)
4. Voices – (4:21)
5. I’m Here – (4:15)
6. Wasted – (3:23)
7. City Limits – (3:07)
8. Carpe Diem – (4:22)
Album Length: 31:22

Album Credits:
All Songs Performed by: Black Daggers
All Songs Written by: Cody Vidito, Spencer Mcleod, Stanley Sullivan, Mike Szeles
Produced by: Black Daggers
Mixed by: Martin Merenyi
Mastered by: Martin Merenyi
Mastered by: Harry Hess – 1. Best I’ve Got – (4:00)*, 5. I’m Here – (4:15)*, 7. City Limits – (3:07)*, 8. Carpe Diem – (4:22)*
Album Artwork by: Nat Birch
Socan Member
Canadian Content – MAPL

Album Band Line Up:
Valentine Vandal – Vocal/Lead Guitar
Stanley Sullivan- Rhythm Guitar
Mike Szeles – Bass Guitar
Spencer Mcleod – Drums

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

About The Album Artwork:

It was shot at the abandoned Riverview Hospital (Matrix, Supernatural, The X Files, Butterfly Effect, Deadpool 2, Final Destination 2)

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

The album is about a Faustian Bargain gone awry. Musically it is a mix of genres that borrow from many familiar sounds but sounds like nothing before it.

Track by Track (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY)

1. Best I’ve Got
The song is about feeling like you’ve given everything you can, and nothing is ever good enough. It was really a cathartic song to write, and I feel like many people could relate to that.

2. These Broken Bones
These Broken Bones starts off with our character at a low point in his life. He is feeling very desperate and alone and decides to bargain with the Devil. Midway through the song, it switches to the Devil’s perspective, where he outlines the deal that has been made.

3. Surfin’ A Vibe
This songs lyrics can really be interpreted in a number of different ways. When I was writing it the idea behind it was the character was feeling “high” with a feeling of euphoria, following his deal with the Devil. I think it could also be loosely interpreted as a struggle with addiction and it was really meant to paint the picture of the character being very manic, and making poor life choices.

4. Voices
With Voices I really tried to create the feeling of someone who is losing touch with reality and made a conscious effort to change up the vocal delivery, and I used two different styles of singing to capture the different voices in his head. This song is also a nod vocally to the late Mark Lanegan.

5. I’m Here
This song picks up with our character after he has fully gone off the deep end. We find him locked away in a mental institution, plotting his escape. At this point, he doesn’t believe there is anything wrong with himself but after escaping, he realizes how insane he truly is.

6. Wasted
This song is from the point of view of speaking to your inner demons, and this song freely switches from one to the other. It’s not meant to be clear who is the one speaking at any given point, but it’s a conversation in the mirror. I think this is a relatable concept for people who struggle with their own inner demons.

7. City Limits
We reach the final chapter for our character where he decides he made a mistake by making the deal with the Devil and tries to run away and escape from his fate. Unfortunately, by this point, it is already too late and the Devil comes calling. This song is kind of a warning about addiction and the path it can lead you down, and the destruction it can inevitably cause.

8. Carpe Diem
This is our hero character’s swan song. At this point, he is already dead, and he is reflecting on the time he wasted and the things he didn’t get to say, or do. This song is one I collaborated on with Marek Forysinski (Engineer, Rated R – Queens Of The Stone Age).

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

L-R: Spencer McLeod (Drums), Stanley Sullivan (Rhythm Guitar), Mike Szeles (Bass Guitar), Valentine Vandal (Lead Vox, Lead Guitar)

Photo Credit – Mark Manlapaz (@snapshot_hott on IG)

Hailing from the heart of Red Deer, Alberta, Black Daggers is set to take the hard rock and metal scenes by storm with their electrifying, pulse-pounding sound. As a 4-piece powerhouse featuring two guitarists, bass, drums, and soaring lead vocals, this band is primed to leave an indelible mark on the music world.

Drawing inspiration from legendary acts such as Between the Buried and Me, Alice In Chains, Soundgarden, Queens of the Stone Age, Big Wreck, and Mastodon, Black Daggers fuse the raw energy of metal with the melodic sensibilities of hard rock to create a unique, unforgettable sound that is all their own.

Black Daggers is composed of four talented musicians, each bringing their own flair and expertise to the table. With dual guitars that weave intricate, powerful riffs and solos, a thundering bass that lays down the groove, and a drummer who effortlessly keeps the pulse of the band’s heart pounding, the musical talent on display is undeniable. Fronted by a lead vocalist whose voice soars and roars with equal ferocity, Black Daggers is the full package.

Endorsements: Dubby Energy Drink

0 EPK – Degenerator – The Abyssal Throne (2023)

  • October 17, 2023
  • by Asher
  • · Degenerator · EPKs

EPK – Degenerator – The Abyssal Throne (2023)

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

“Degenerator is a sonic experiment that I conducted to unleash the noise that was haunting my mind. I wanted to capture the essence of the old Smashing Pumpkins, with their distorted and fuzzy guitars, but also add a touch of gothic darkness that I find appealing. This album is a radical departure from anything I have produced before. It’s more somber, but not as heavy, as All Else Fails, slower, but also more profound than the Misfires, and though it has more order than my other project The Secret Places of the Earth, it still keeps some of the mystery. I hope my following fans and unfamiliar ones can discover a new facet of my creativity and a new bond with the art that I make.” – Barrett Klesko – Degenerator

For fans of Baroness, Type O Negative, Alice in Chains, The Smashing Pumpkins, Soundgarden

Band: Degenerator
Album: The Abyssal Throne
Release Date: November 24, 2023
Label: Self-Release
Distribution: CD Baby

Degeneratormusic.bandcamp.com | Spotify

““Eternalism,” hits the thunder with a brutality that is of yet unmatched in its synchronicity.” – The Median Man

“What I enjoy about The Abyssal Throne is the blending of not only genres, but influences. Listen closely and one could pick up echoes of bands like Nine In Nails, Tool, Marilyn Manson, Smashing Pumpkins, Bush, Alice in Chains and more. The Abyssal Throne is a wonderful blend of melodies and atmospheres, and is an authentic aural journey that’s fuelled by raw creative talent.” – Amplify The Noise

“There is a feeling of sorrow that pervades the record, but this is tempered by big drumming (“The Spiral”), compelling rhythms (“Hiraeth”), winding snake-like riffs (“Eternalism”), rumbling crescendos (“Heart Like a Hole”), and consoling vocals (“For Every Truth”). The guitar play is outstanding throughout, with plenty of thoughtful touches (“Neurotonic”) and effective emotional moments (“A Way Out”) reminiscent of Jerry Cantrell. There is great musical inventiveness on display here, with a deft blend of influences. An ideal vibe for this foggy, cloud-covered Thanksgiving Day. Degenerator’s new spin The Abyssal Throne is an emotionally moving album, worthy of being on a playlist with the likes of Chevelle, Young Hunter, Ancient VVisdom, Foot, and Mars Red Sky. Look for it this Friday, November 24th, and take it out for a long drive on a gloomy morning.” – Doomed and Stoned

“The cut “Neurotonic” culled from the first half of The Abyssal Throne is likewise atmospheric and catchy. In some of its harder moments, there’s a sense of Degenerator The Abyssal Thronemetallic emotionalism that reminds of Katatonia, but by and large Degenerator — that’s vocalist, guitarist and bassist Barrett Klesko and drummer Jonathan Webster — keep the vibe geared toward a heavy alternative rock, not quite stoner or even prog-stoner, but certainly aware of and wiling to be led by its riff, and the melody of the vocals in hook digs into pop hookmaking without sounding ridiculous, and that’s something of a triumph itself. In combination with the sharper-edged “Eternalism,” the album-opener and prior single, it portrays the band as experienced songwriters at the relative outset of developing an already-broad sound.” – The Obelisk

“The Abyssal Throne is remarkable work. Consistent but varied, old-school but without exaggerating the homage, clear of production, and powerful of transmission. Like a Billy Corgan working in concert with the late Chris Cornell on behalf of a subsidiary of 4AD, DEGENERATOR opens its mind, and lets wander some symptomatic psychedelic diversions of the parentage between Black SABBATH and the Seattle wave, sometimes citing MILK, BARONESS, and other witnesses of an era of crossbreeding pushed to its extremes.” Metalnews.fr 
​
“With The Abyssal Throne, Degenerator show that this new project is clearly designed to make an impression! There’s a clear desire to offer a wide range of music that retains a strong overall identity and invites the soul to travel. We encourage you to jump on it as soon as it’s released, and to join us in hoping that the Canadian duo decide to cross the ocean for a European tour. It’s a great success that we’ll be playing over and over again to take in all its subtleties.” – Sounding Shivers

Band: Degenerator
Album: The Abyssal Throne
Release Date: November 24, 2023
Label: Self-Release
Distribution: CD Baby

Track Listing:
1. Eternalism – 3:42
2. Finality – 4:06
3. The Day That Never Comes – 4:39
4. Darkness Prevails – 3:58
5. Neurotonic – 4:46
6. The Children of the Night – 3:59
7. Hiraeth – 4:06
8. The Spiral – 4:13
9. Heart Like a Hole – 4:15
10. For Every Truth – 5:38
11. A Way Out – 3:52
Album Length: 47:14

Album Credits:
– Produced by Barrett Klesko
– Mixed and Mastered by Jonathan Webster
– Album Artwork: Barrett Klesko
– Member of SOCAN
– Canadian Content – MAPL

Recording Lineup:
Barrett Klesko: Vocals, Guitar, Bass
Jonathan Webster: Drums

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

About The Album Artwork:

I have been really fascinated with recent trends in AI artwork and how it can be used as a tool for artists to create new ideas, I basically ran prompts until I found something that reflected the way this music makes me feel, and then refined it using traditional methods until I began to perceive a level of depth that reflected the music. It reminds me of the old days when I used to experiment with different media and techniques and try to capture the essence of my emotions in a visual form.

About The Album (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY):

Degenerator is a sonic experiment that I conducted to unleash the noise that was haunting my mind. I wanted to capture the essence of retro The Smashing Pumpkins, with their saturated fuzzy guitars, but also add a touch of gothic darkness that I find deeply appealing. Interestingly, we started with the drums and then built everything else on top of them. The result is a contrast to anything I have done before. It’s darker, but not as heavy, as All Else Fails, slower, but more existentially profound than the Misfires, and though it has more Structure than The Secret Places of the Earth, it retains some of the mystery.

The Abyssal Throne is a lyrical journey of how I fit in the cosmic scheme. It touches on themes of time, madness, despair, and contrasting dark and light. The music, which came first, was shaped to match these themes.

Track By Track Explanation (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY):

The Abyssal Thorone in Haikus

1. Eternalism:
Time slips away fast
Aggression and melody
Balance the darkness

2. Finality:
A crow seeks the end
The last human soul to guide
To the afterlife

3. The Day that Never Comes:
We postpone our lives
For a tomorrow unknown
But we miss today

4. Darkness Prevails:
We chase empty dreams
Money and happiness bought
But all for nothing

5. Neurotonic:
Loss haunts our hearts
We must cherish our loved ones
Before they are gone

6. The Children of the Night:
They resist tyranny
Sacrificing their own lives
We owe them our all

7. Hiraeth:
A place in my heart
That I can never return
Hiraeth calls me

8. The Spiral:
A mind in anguish
Resists the modern culture
Seeks a different path

9. Hearth Like a Hole:
Alone in the world
Searching for a purpose
Meaning is a lie

10. For Every Truth:
We tell ourselves lies
We believe them to be true
But truth always wins

11. A Way Out:
Eat the rich eat the
Rich eat the rich eat the rich
Eat the rich eat them

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

Story Angles – Fun Facts About The Band:

1. This album started with the drums, more specifically the scratch tracks for Pass of Era’s new album for whom Jono also drums. They have been re-written since, but you can definitely hear the seeds of the grooves in their recent album “A Pagentry of Inner Violence”

2. A Common theme of this album is existentialism, which Barrett pulls a lot from in his writing, stemming from his severe struggles with mental illness over the years.

3. The guitar sounds on this album started as a personal experiment to collect and re-create classic gear to simulate the tones that Billy Corgan crafted on The Smashing Pumkpins’ album Siamese Dream. It was tweaked to modernize it a bit, but still retains a lot of the characteristics.

4. This album is fully DIY; Barrett and Jono Recorded their parts in their personal studios and Jono mixed and mastered it.

5. The last time Barrett and Jono shared the stage musically was in Guwahati, India in 2019.

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

L-R – Jonathan Webster – Drums, Barrett Klesko – Vocals, Guitar, Bass

Degenerator, Edmonton’s aggressive sonic titans, unleash a captivating blend of stoner, sludge, grunge, and goth rock.

 Degenerator, the relentless musical force hailing from the underground scene in the city of Edmonton, Alberta, emerges from the depths to deliver a spellbinding sound that resonates with fans of Baroness, Type O Negative, The Smashing Pumpkins, Nirvana and Alice in Chains. With their captivating blend of stoner, sludge, grunge, and a touch of doom, Degenerator sets the stage for an immersive journey through explosive moods, progressive time signatures, and hauntingly unusual vocal melodies.

Driven by a collective passion for pushing the boundaries of music, Degenerator boasts an exceptional lineup featuring members from renowned bands such as Striker, All Else Fails, The Order of Chaos, Tyler Dory Trio, and The Secret Places of the Earth. Their combined expertise and unwavering dedication forge a distinct sonic tapestry that both embraces and reinvents the spirit of goth and grunge from the ’90s and ’00s.

Drawing inspiration from the genre’s most revered figures, Degenerator fearlessly invites listeners into an enigmatic soundscape where raw emotions intertwine with thought-provoking lyrics. Their music reflects the complexities of the human experience, delving into the depths of despair while simultaneously igniting a raging fire within the soul.

 From the very first notes, Degenerator launches audiences into a realm where aggression surges and anticipation fills the air. With their unyielding commitment to innovation, they flawlessly navigate intricate and progressive time signatures, resulting in a sonic assault that defies convention. Each song becomes an adrenaline-fueled journey, enticing listeners to surrender to the primal depths of their own emotions.

 As they traverse the sonic landscape, Degenerator masterfully balances thunderous, distorted riffs with intricate melodies that seamlessly intertwine. Their music evokes a wide range of emotions, from seething rage to cathartic release, leaving no listener untouched by its commanding power. Fans of ’90s and ’00s goth and industrial rock will find solace in the band’s fusion of familiar elements while being propelled by their fresh and unrelenting approach.

 Degenerator’s journey to musical excellence is further underscored by their remarkable accolades. The band’s members have been recipients of prestigious awards, including a JUNO Award for Best Metal Album, a Canadian Music Award for Metal Recording of the Year, Edmonton Music awards, and numerous other industry honors. Their track record of success serves as a testament to their unwavering dedication and artistic brilliance.

 Degenerator’s forthcoming release promises to be a revelation for music enthusiasts craving an aggressive and captivating sonic experience. With their untamed creativity, unmatched musicianship, and a proven history of award-winning success, Degenerator is poised to leave an indelible mark on the world of alternative rock.

Artist Endorsements: Evertune, Spector

0 EPK – Mindrazer – A Thing of Nightmares (2023) (Misanthropic Records)

  • October 11, 2023
  • by Asher
  • · EPKs · Mindrazer (Misanthropic Records)

EPK – Mindrazer – A Thing of Nightmares (2023)

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

“The fans are gonna love it. It’s bold, brutal, and diverse. The pits have already been opening for these songs at the live show, even though nobody knew them. Now that people can go home and get to know these songs for real… no mind is safe from the Mindrazer. Every song offers something different. We took the inverse of the AC/DC approach. We grew up in the playlist era, albums can’t be the same anymore. Every song has to keep the listener on edge and bring something new to the table to keep people from going to something else.” – Nick DeFuria – Lead Vocals and Guitar – Mindrazer

For fans of Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Blind Guardian, Power Trip, Trivium

Band: Mindrazer
Album Title: “A Thing of Nightmares”
Release Date: October 13, 2023
Label: Misanthropic Records
Distribution: Distrokid

Mindrazerband.wixsite.com/home | Instagram.com/mindrazerofficial | Facebook.com/mindrazerofficial | YouTube | Spotify | Officialmindrazer.bandcamp.com

“The Bruce worship is strong but pulled off very well! I like the contrast between the powerful clean vocals and ultra thrash instrumental portion. The bass pops very well and the drums are frantic but on point.” – Cutting Edge Metal (USA)

“Entombed in Time stands out for its old school thrash metal concept accompanied by the fantastic and live sounding performances of Mindrazer.” -Metalhead Community Magazine (Switzerland)

“Good songs, really good guitar, even better vocalist; they’ll go far!” -Mark Wasserman, 3 and 1 Grab Productions, Live Sound: Nick Cannon’s “Wild n’ Out”, Barclay Center, Madison Square Garden, Staples Center, Arco Arena etc.

“It was an insane show! At one point the lead singer who was also playing guitar, steps out in front, puts his arm up, points a finger down and starts moving it in a circle like he’s indicating to the crowd “I want you to make a circle pit now” and you felt the entire mood of the room just change. Everyone got ready and they played this really heavy song. It was so good!” -WRCU-FM Radio Into the Pit

Band: Mindrazer
Album Title: “A Thing of Nightmares”
Release Date: October 13, 2023
Label: Misanthropic Records
Distribution: Distrokid

Track Listing:
1. Entombed In Time (5:36)
2. Suffer in Silence (4:05)
3. Left to Rot (6:09)
4. In the Corner of Your Eye (6:06)
5. Knightfall (5:35)
6. The Misanthropist (6:11)
7. Extractor (4:51)
8. Better Dead (4:07)
9. Crusader (6:25)
10. Mercy (1:12)
Album Length: 50:22

Album Credits:
Tracks 1 & 3 by Nick DeFuria and Mo Uddin
Track 2 by Zack Larmer, Nick DeFuria, Vin Verducci and Brian Weissman
Track 4 by Nick DeFuria, Zack Larmer and Patrick Wentz
Tracks 6 and 9 by Nick DeFuria and Zack Larmer
Tracks 5, 7, 8 and 10 by Nick DeFuria
Production:
Produced by Kevin Antreassian (of The Dillinger Escape Plan)
Mixed by Simon Ficken
Mastered by Josh Gannet
Artwork by Amber Leute

Album Recording Lineup:
Nick DeFuria – Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar, Classical Guitar, Additional Percussion
Vin “Hawky” Verducci – Bass Guitar
Brian Weissman – Drums, Percussion, Harsh Vocals
Zack Larmer – Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals
Featuring guest guitar solo from Mo Uddin on track 7

Live Band Lineup
Nick DeFuria – Lead Vocals and Guitar
Vin “Hawky” Verducci – Bass Guitar
Brian Weissman – Drums, Harsh Vocals
Patrick Wentz – Guitar and Harsh Vocals

================================================
About The Album Artwork:

Khowyrd, the Mindrazer extracting the brain of his unsuspecting victim in front of an interdimensional portal.

About The Album (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY):

Mindrazer’s debut full-length outing A Thing of Nightmares is a showcase of range. The New Jersey thrashers demonstrate immediately that they aren’t afraid to push the boundaries of the genre, whether it is crushing breakdowns, modern-tinged leads or even borrowing tropes from power metal. It is technical, epic, brutal but most of all fun. Borrowing stories from history, literature, and cinema, the album touches on themes of horror, shame, anger, oppression, and mania by way of story, metaphor, and allegory. They aren’t reinventing the genre or breaking significant new ground but they are bucking modern thrash trends of coalescing around the hardcore-laden neo-thrash and never straying from it and are doing so without regrets.

Track by Track (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY):

1. Entombed in Time: A contemplative thrasher with lots of twists and turns, rhythmic riffs, and grandiose melodic passages that tell of overcoming regret and shame

2. Suffer in Silence: A bipolar anthem that has uplifting highs and brutal chugging lows. This one is about the toxic culture surrounding internet discourse.

3. Left to Rot: a technical and manic 6/8 thrasher that is full of old-school riffs and wild guitar solos. The lyrics alternate from metaphor to on the nose about the failures of the American social safety net

4. In the Corner of Your Eye: a Metallica-esque power ballad with soaring vocals and a twist-and-turns-laden structure, it tells the story of a man who was killed by a demon and all of his loved ones forgot he ever existed. He watches over his family as a ghost but quickly realizes that they forgot him and he is driven mad and begins to haunt them.

5. Knightfall: Our power metal anthem, with some tasty D minor riffage, harmonies, and an infectious chorus. This song is about Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy.

6. The Misanthropist: Another moody thrasher borrowing techniques from second-wave black metal. The lyrics tell of the life and times of Jon Nodveidt

7. Extractor: This song is about our namesake monster the Mindrazer as he seduces his victim into a sense of serenity and then extracts and consumes their brain. A hypnotic thunderbolt of a song at breakneck speed with atypical chromatic riffing, dissonant alien leads, and bone-crushing breakdowns.

8. Better Dead: An angsty politically charged riff machine. It is our take on the classic 0, 3, 6 song. This one is a fresh take on that tried and true classic with a heaping dose of thoughtful anti-authority energy for good measure.

9. Crusader: A frenetic epic with an infectious riff, and constant twists and turns that really paints the picture of riding into battle to fight on a blood-covered, snowy battlefield in medieval Finland.

10. Mercy: A simple melancholy serenade on classical guitar, a solemn and contemplative end to bring the listener down from the metal fire that precedes it.

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

Fun Facts – Story Angles

1. Nick and Brian recorded an actual sword fight live in the studio for Crusader. They brought in some swords they got at a Renaissance fair and spent an hour screaming and bashing swords together to make layers and layers of a battle sound effect.

2. The band’s mascot Khowyrd (pronounced ‘Howard’) is a Mindrazer, an aberrant, otherworldly being from another dimension. It uses its neurotoxin-tipped facial tentacles to engulf its victim’s head and then bore its proboscis into the skull and consume the knowledge from its victim’s mind, leaving behind a mindless husk that bends to its every whim. Khowyrd is a frequent fixture of Mindrazer shows and regularly shows up on stage during performances to tantalize and seduce an unsuspecting audience

3. The producer for this record, Kevin Antreassian, played guitar in The Dillinger Escape Plan

Combining the anthemic melodies of Traditional and Power Metal, the precise, aggressive attack of Thrash, and twists of dark intensity borrowed from Second-Wave Black Metal, Mindrazer plays a style as familiar as it is fresh. Since 2017, the New Jersey quartet has straddled the boundaries between the different sides of Metal music. Despite their relative newness to the scene, the band has already taken on everything from punkish romps to soaring, conceptual epics, from metallic ballads to the upper limits of extremity within the clean-vocal Thrash format, all while retaining a distinct and coherent sound.

The story of Mindrazer begins years before their official formation when a high school marching band’s rendition of Tool served as the catalyst for the meeting of Nick DeFuria (Rhythm Guitar/Lead Vocals) and Brian Weissman (Drums/Percussion).  Though the two experimented with different ideas for a metal band, things truly got off the ground in their college years, when they met Vin “Hawky” Verducci (Bass) and formed a Thrash trio that would become Mindrazer.

Though the trio had potential, and could finally begin to gig, it would take some time to iron out the kinks of their sound and transform from amateur imitators of metal giants to instant classics in their own right. Over the course of their college years, they would tighten their chops, expand their songwriting palette, refine their showmanship, experiment with a couple different lead guitarists, and develop a new image, with a new name to boot.  By the point of their graduation, The band took the name Mindrazer, titled after a monster inspired by the works of H. P. Lovecraft and tabletop RPGs, but with unique lore developed by the band.  Khøwyrd, the band’s abominable yet whimsical mascot, perfectly encapsulates the spirit the band has cultivated.  Frontman Nick’s soaring, operatic vocals tackle the horrors of history, society, and the human imagination – at once in all seriousness, and all in good fun, as only a great metal band can.

With their most recent addition, that of the infinitely charismatic shredder, Mo Uddin, Mindrazer has reached a new level of mastery, grounded in traditional thrash but never bound to it; stretching its limits with graceful yet fierce dual-tremolo, crushing breakdowns, and prog-inspired, sweeping leads. His arrival came just in time to refine the band’s upcoming debut “A Thing of Nightmares” to the level of a mad science. With their sound sharpened and polished to all the cold, hard, vicious elegance of a steel razor to the brain, Mindrazer is back with a vengeance, and no mind is safe.

Shared Stage with:
Venom Inc, Warbringer, Lich King, Enforcer, Satan, Hatriot, Ringworm, Tim Ripper Ownes, Bumblefoot, Unlocking the Truth, Stonecutters, Metal Mike Chlasiak, AnakaMusic Festivals and Tours:
2023 – PhthaloPhest – Queens, NY
2022 – Multiple Mayhems Festival – Endicott, NY
2021 – Free the World Virtual Fest – Hatboro, PA
2019 – Don Jamieson’s 4th of July BBQ – Long Branch, NJ

0 EPK – Dirty Audio Machine – Only Fury Remains (EP) (2023)

  • October 10, 2023
  • by Asher
  • · Dirty Audio Machine · EPKs

EPK – Dirty Audio Machine – Only Fury Remains (EP) (2023)

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

“We are beyond excited to have any friction on our music. The industry is tough and we know we have to do 200% to get any momentum.  We love what we do and it can only go up.  We will never surrender, we will fight in the air….  We will…  ohh never mind. Let’s just kick ass and play good METAL!!!!!!” – Stev Ricardo – Dirty Audio Machine

For fans of Pantera, Static X, Anthrax, Lamb of God

Band: Dirty Audio Machine
EP Title: Only Fury Remains
Release Date: July 11, 2023
Label: Self-Release

Facebook.com/dirtyaudiomachineband | Instagram.com/dirty_audio_machine | Tiktok.com/@dirtyaudiomachine | YouTube

Spotify | Dirtyaudiomachine.bandcamp.com

Band: Dirty Audio Machine
EP Title: Only Fury Remains
Release Date: July 11, 2023
Label: Self-Release

Track Listing:
1. Damage Done – 4:07
2. System of Revolution – 4:30
3. Weaker Born – 3:52
4. Are You Alive – 4:04
5. Nothing Left To Burn – 7:22
EP Length: 23:54

Album Credits
– All songs performed by Dirty Audio Machine
– All songs written by Dirty Audio Machine
– Produced by Steve Ricardo
– Mixed by Steve Ricardo
– Art Work by LOKI
– Member of SOCAN
– MAPL – All Canadian content

Recording Lineup:
Marshall Korn – Vocals
Cory Gilmore – Bass
Steve Ricardo – Guitar
Session Drummer

LIVE Lineup:
Glenn Regnier – Drums
Marshall Korn – Vocals
Cory Gilmore – Bass
Steve Ricardo – Guitar

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

About The Album Artwork:

End of mankind, the struggle, the anger. We as humans have no more sympathy, no more soft skills. Just anger.

About The Album (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY):

Life’s challenges and making it one day at a time.  The Struggle is real!!

Track by Track (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY):

1. Damage Done is a song dealing with anger at the state of the world: Wars, government overreach, and the hypocrisy of people in general. It’s fairly bleak, venting a lot of rage at the oppression of the masses by the monied elite.

2. System Of Revolution is, obviously, a call for revolution. It stems from a desire for people to take the fight to the powers that be and take the world back from those who would destroy it. Weaker Born is a much more personal song, dealing with betrayal by someone that was once trusted. It’s a bit of a revenge fantasy, as well as an attempt to move forward after said betrayal.

3. Are You Alive is another call to arms, expressing a desire for people to wake up and fight back against their oppressors, and general dismay at how unaware and/or apathetic a lot of people are about what is going on. The people have the power.

4. Nothing Left To Burn has a fair amount of double entendre. On the surface it’s a bit post-apocalyptic, dealing with the destruction of the environment and society’s collapse. But a lot of the lines have a double meaning, also referencing burning bridges in personal relationships and the sadness of leaving a previous life behind.

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

Fun Facts – Story Angles

1 – fun fact…  Steve Ricardo played with Bif Naked and Green Jello…   Has amazing road stories with Green Jello.  From L.A. to Vegas….   Crazier shit from Mexico.

2 – The majority of Steve’s song ideas come at 2AM!!!!  He will get up, and head down to his home studio and use his cell phone to record these riff ideas.  THEN!!!!  Send them to the band.  Keep in mind this is a video recording of him playing the riffs.  WITH NO CLOTHING ON!!!!

3 – Our guitarist is a DO ALL GUY!!!  He films us, makes videos, has a cookbook, a car DIY YouTube channel, Jesus…..  ask him he will build it, ask him he will shoot it, skin it and serve a 3 course 5 star meal.

Groove metal enthusiasts, get ready to headbang with Vancouver, Canada’s Dirty Audio Machine. They released their second album “Only Fury Remains” in July 2023.

With a heavier and more finely-tuned sound compared to their previous work, this EP showcases the band’s dedication to crafting the perfect groove metal experience. The relentless riffs, pounding drums, and captivating hooks will take listeners on a thrilling musical journey.

The creation of “Dirty Audio Machine began with Steve Ricardo, a seasoned musician known for his work with Green Jello and Bif Naked. Ricardo laid the foundation by writing the riffs and structuring the songs, which were then brought to life by the band. This collaborative effort has resulted in a release that combines the best elements of groove, hooks, and intensity.

The EP offers churning bass lines, razor-sharp guitar riffs, and the dynamic interplay between gritty gutturals and groovy cleans, it is sure to leave a lasting impression on fans of Pantera, Static X, and Anthrax.​

Dirty Audio Machine’s latest EP “Only Fury Remains” was released on July 11, 2023, and is available on https://dirtyaudiomachine.bandcamp.com and Spotify.

Discography:
2022 – “KING OF DISAPPOINTMENT” – EP
2023 – “ONLY FURY REMAINS” – EP

Endorsements: In-tune Guitar Picks, Prestige Guitars, S.I.T. guitar Strings, Marshall Amps, Fernandes Guitars, Coffin Cases Happy Cable Company

Shared Stage with:
Fall Of Earth, Lucid Karma, Blood of Phoenix, Dead Rights, Vessel, Storm the Empire, Our Last Crusade

Music Fests:
ENIGMATIC MUSIC FEST April 2023
ENIGMATIC ISLAND TAKE OVER Sept 2023
UNDERGROUND WASTELAND MUSIC FEST Oct 2023

0 EPK – Trick Casket – Filth (single) (2023)

  • September 29, 2023
  • by Asher
  • · EPKs · Trick Casket

EPK – Trick Casket – Filth (single) (2023)

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

“The song is about a betrayal. Seeing just who someone truly is underneath. But am I talking about someone who did me wrong? Or is it all self-reflection realising you aren’t who you thought you were? You choose. At the heart of Trick Casket’s music lies a compelling narrative, delving into the struggles of depression, anxiety, anger, and frustration. Their lyrics serve as a cathartic release, resonating with listeners who find solace and strength in their powerful melodies.” – Connor Grant – Trick Casket

For fans of Nine Inch Nails, Skinny Puppy, 3TEETH, Korn, Ministry

Band: Trick Casket
Single Title: FILTH
Release Date: September 6th, 2023
Label: Self-Release
Distribution: Distrokid

Facebook.com/trickcasket | Instagram.com/trickcasket | YouTube.com/@trickcasket

Trickcasket.bandcamp.com | Spotify | Apple Music | Amazon

“Trick Casket throws himself into each of his performances and the opportunity to open a night for such beloved and respected acts was the perfect opportunity to pull out his best work yet.” – SPILL MAGAZINE

Band: Trick Casket
Single Title: FILTH
Release Date: September 6th, 2023
Label: Self-Release
Distribution: Distrokid

Track Listing:
FILTH – (3:33)

Single Credits:
• All songs performed by: Connor Grant with guitars from Evan Holly
• All songs written by: Connor Grant
• Produced, MIxed and Mastered by: Brett Carruthers
• Single Artwork by: Connor Grant
• Member of SOCAN
• Canadian Content (MAPL)

Recording Band line up:
All instrumentation is performed and recorded by Connor Grant – with additional guitars by Evan Holly

Live Line up:
Connor Grant – Vocals
Evan Holly – Guitar
Joey Proulx – Drums & sampling
Brendan McGee – Bass

Discography:
2023 – FILTH (single)
2021 – HARM (LP)
2020 – Anhedonia (EP)
2020 – Operating Tracks (Front 242 cover) (single)
2020 – Your Failure (single)
2019 – Misery (LP)
2018 – Break You Down (single)
2018 – Let You Die (single)
2017 – Voices (single)

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

About The Single Artwork
For whatever reason, I love juxtaposition, or abstract images that can really tell any story you want. FILTH is this brutal, slamming industrial metal banger, but the artwork is a woman’s hand clasping vines. I loved the unsettling beauty in that. Her hand is filthy, and I think that can be explored. We all have to get our hands dirty, and the things we hold close that we think are beautiful might just be dead vines in the end.

About The Single (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY):
The song is about a betrayal. Seeing just who someone truly is underneath. But am I talking about someone who did me wrong? Or is it all self-reflection realizing you aren’t who you thought you were? You choose.

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

BAND STORY ANGLES / FUN FACTS – Answered by Connor Grant

1. The band name was actually a funny response to going to a “Haunted house event’ called Legends of Horror at Casa Loma, in Toronto. Myself and some close friends were walking through the theme park and this prop casket suddenly flipped open and a dummy zombie on an extending arm shot out at us, and it scared the s%&@ out of us. We laughed it off, and my friend said “man, that was a trick casket”. A few months later when I was developing the idea for a band, for whatever reason, that stuck with me.

2. For a period of time, my social anxiety would be so bad, that before every show, I had to run to the washroom and I would throw up, due to nerves. I don’t do that anymore, but yeah, I wouldn’t be amping myself up, hanging out with folks, networking, or anything like that, no I’d be puking. Sometimes ON my stage clothes.

3. Our first show back after the pandemic, was this hole in the wall in the northwest part of Toronto. I don’t think they had a lot of experience with bands, cause we didn’t even get a line check, let alone a full sound check.

4. Back in March 2023, we had the opportunity to open for Solar Fake and Suicide Commando. Before the show, all 3 bands, along with the tour manager and promoter went up to the top of the CN Tower for dinner. That was such a highlight for me, and both of those bands were comprised of the nicest folks. That day will forever be a great memory.

5. “FILTH”, our newest single, was produced by Brett Carruthers, of A Primitive Evolution and The Birthday Massacre. The whole process was the most fun time I’ve ever had making music. Most of the time we’d just gang up on Joey for fun.

L – R: Evan Holly (Guitar), Connor Lex Grant (Vocals, synths), Joey (Drums)

Formed in 2017 by vocalist Connor Grant, Trick Casket found its birth in the depths of Toronto’s industrial-metal scene during an arduous journey of emotional turmoil and darkness. Channeling his inner demons into music, Connor embarked on a two-year journey to create a hauntingly visceral album, “Misery”, that would ultimately become the cornerstone of Trick Casket’s evolution.

In the crucible of mid-2019, Trick Casket’s line-up solidified with the addition of drummer, Ryan Parker, and guitarist, Nick Cassidy. In 2022, the band’s dynamic shifted once more, as the percussive reins were handed over to Joey Proulx, while Evan J Holly joined the ranks on guitar, adding a new layer of ferocity to their sonic arsenal.

A thunderous storm of industrial metal, Trick Casket’s sound channels the spirit of legendary acts like Ministry and 3Teeth while paying homage to their key influences, including Nine Inch Nails, Skinny Puppy, Korn, and Suicide Commando. With this formidable musical arsenal, they have carved a unique niche in the genre.

Trick Casket’s journey is marked by notable accomplishments, including performances at the 3rd Canadian Independent Music Video Awards and sharing stages with industrial icons Tim Skold and Suicide Commando. They’ve also embarked on a new chapter with the release of their video for the anger-fueled single “FILTH.”

At the heart of Trick Casket’s music lies a compelling narrative, delving into the struggles of depression, anxiety, anger, and frustration. Their lyrics serve as a cathartic release, resonating with listeners who find solace and strength in their powerful melodies. Their sound channels the spirit of legendary acts like Ministry and 3Teeth while paying homage to their key influences, including Nine Inch Nails, Skinny Puppy, Korn, and Suicide Commando. 

In February 2019, the band unveiled “Misery,” an album that encapsulates Connor’s emotional battles, followed by their EP “Anhedonia,” in 2020, and their second album “HARM” in 2021. Most recently, in 2023, the band unleashed their new single, “Filth,” produced by Brett Carruthers (The Birthday Massacre, A Primitive Evolution) with more scheduled for the year.

Onstage, Trick Casket was often joined by their long-time friend, Care Failure of Die Mannequin, creating an electrifying synergy that left audiences spellbound. Their journey has also seen them sharing the limelight with legendary acts like Skold, Stoneburner, Echo Black, Solar Fake, Suicide Commando, and Empathy Test.

Trick Casket stands as a testament to the transformative power of music, offering both solace and rebellion in equal measure as well as a beacon of resilience in the face of adversity.

Shared Stage with:
Skold, Stoneburner, Echo Black, Komrads, Solar Fake, Suicide Commando, Dirty Wizards, Empathy Test

Tours and Festivals
2023 – Suicide Commando: Goddestrukt Tour – Toronto, ON
2021 – Canadian Independent Music Video Awards – Toronto, ON
2019 – Skold: Forever is Now tour – Toronto, ON

0 EPK – Orbital Extrema – Apsis (2023)

  • September 29, 2023
  • by Asher
  • · EPKs · Orbital Extrema

EPK – Orbital Extrema – Apsis (2023)

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

For fans Conquering Dystopia, Blotted Science, Dark Matter Secret, Obscura, Beyond Creation

Band: Orbital Extrema
Album Title: Apsis
Release Date: September 29, 2023
Label: Self-Release

“‘Apsis’ has been a labor of love for us in Orbital Extrema. We are so incredibly excited to share it with the world. Originally the album was only going to be 4 songs long and released as an EP, but we decided to make it a full-length release after several personal major life events happened (for each of the 4 band members at that time) and the pandemic provided the perfect environment to focus on writing more music, especially through the lockdown portions of 2020-2021. 

‘Apsis’ is our best attempt as a band to write a captivating and intense instrumental tech death album. The band was spawned in part by the 2014 Conquering Dystopia self-titled album release, which is a major influence for the album and band as a whole. I think one of the most appropriate ways to enjoy ‘Apsis’ is while driving or during a workout in the gym. 

Concept albums have always been very inspiring for us and ‘Apsis’ is thematically consistent with a story in mind, despite there being no vocals/lyrics on the record. We wanted to provide music that was thematically consistent with the instrumentation and song titles, as well as order the songs in a way that not only ebbed and flowed appropriately but also made a cohesive story-telling experience through the variety of musical sections present in the album.” – Guitarist – Sean Dempsey – Orbital Extrema

Linktr.ee/orbitalextrema | Facebook.com/orbitalextrema | Twitter.com/OrbitalExtrema | YouTube.com | Instagram.com/orbitalextrema | Tiktok.com/@orbitalextrema

Orbitalextrema.bandcamp.com | Apple Music | Spotify

Band: Orbital Extrema
Album Title: Apsis
Release Date: September 29, 2023
Label: Self-Release

Track Listing:​
1. Apoapsis (0:52)
2. Aphelion (3:15)
3. Impending Armageddon (2:51)
4. Blitzar (3:57)
5. Event Horizon (3:07)
6. Polymetric Substantiation (3:42)
7. Exoplanetary Devastation (2:55)
8. Galactic Magnetar (3:01)
9. Hypernova (3:37)
10. Plerion (3:31)
11. Interstellar Collision (3:46)
12. Singularity (3:08)
13. Escape Velocity (2:03)
14. Hyperbolic Trajectory (3:06)
15. Fractals (3:33)
16. Celestial Genesis (6:29)
Album Length: 53:00

Album Credits:​
Nick Nodurft (Rusty Sun Audio) – Mixing Engineer, Mastering Engineer, Producer
Davie Brown (Empirius) – Apsis Album Art
Echo Graphic – Band Logo
Sean Dempsey – Songwriting, Guitar Composition, Guitar Performance
Sean Ryan – Bass Composition, Bass Performance
Robin Stone – Drum Composition, Drum Performance
Matias Quiroz – Guest guitar solo for Event Horizon
Dennis Franco – Guest guitar solo for Impending Armageddon
Carey West – Guitar Composition for Aphelion, Polymetric Substantiation, Exoplanetary Devastation, Galactic Magnetar, Escape Velocity and Celestial Genesis
Will Vinson – Guitar Composition for Blitzar
Austin Rolla – Songwriting for Fractals
Joseph Howard – Songwriting for Fractals
​
Album Band Line Up:
Sean Dempsey – Guitar
Sean Ryan – Bass
Robin Stone – Drums

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

The album as a whole (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY):

Apsis is our attempt to combine the intensity and technicality of technical death metal with the adventurous nature of progressive metal to create an instrumental metal album that doesn’t rely on the traditional instrumental tropes and song formula (i.e. melodic lead guitar emulating singing over simple backing parts and riffs). The theme of the album is regarding space exploration and the wonders of space. Apsis delivers intensity with purpose, intent, and deliberate choices of harmonies, time signatures, syncopation, and polyphony. Instrumental tech death is a pretty niche genre, but also one that is fairly untapped and unexplored in our opinions. We hope to bring more attention to the genre with our unique take on technical death metal, progressive metal, and instrumental music as a whole.

The theme of the release is regarding space. Most of the song titles are related to topics about space like black holes, exploding stars, etc. I think the music videos help with conceptualizing the theme. Its songs were named in a way that describes the progression of a spacecraft through various events like encountering black holes and exploding stars, experiencing turbulation and what is perceived as Armageddon.

Track by Track (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY):

Apoapsis and Aphelion describe the beginning of the journey for the spacecraft, starting at the furthest point of the orbit of a planet orbiting a star (like the earth orbits the sun). Impending Armageddon is titled as such because it is foreshadowing the many disasters and dangerous events that the spacecraft will encounter on its journey. The spacecraft encounters a blitzar, which is a type of neutron star that can rapidly collapse into a black hole if its rotation slows down. An event horizon is the edge of the black hole from which nothing inside the event horizon can escape the gravitational force of the black hole. The spacecraft sees the event horizon form for the collapsing blitzar as it transitions into a black hole. An exoplanet is a planet that orbits other stars, and in this story the song Exoplanetary Devastation details the destruction of this exoplanet that is orbiting the Blitzar as it collapses into a black hole, completely crushing the exoplanet from the immense gravitational force. The spacecraft then encounters a magnetar* and watches it explode, resulting in a hypernova (which is like a supernova but more intense). What remained of this hypernova explosion is called a plerion (or pulsar wind nebula). Interstellar collision details two stars colliding against one another and then subsequently creating a black hole. The spacecraft encounters this black hole (hence the title singularity**) and escapes the black hole’s gravitational pull, yielding a hyperbolic trajectory. The speed of this spacecraft at this point is called the escape velocity, as it has escaped the influence of the gravitational force of the black hole. The final track title is almost ironic in nature as celestial genesis literally means the beginning of space, stars, planets, etc. and the track comes at the end of a 16-song album thematically based on space exploration.

*A magnetar is a type of neutron star with an immensely strong magnetic field (it’s like a super magnet). If a person were to get within 1000km of one, they would literally evaporate from the effect of the magnetar.

** a singularity is the center of a black hole where matter is compressed to an infinitely tiny point and all concepts of time and space break down and no longer make sense – it’s mostly a theoretical concept.

Apoapsis
An introduction song meant to build excitement toward the beginning of the musical rollercoaster that is ‘Apsis’. It was written to naturally flow directly into “Aphelion”. It is essentially one riff idea done in many variations to emphasize the flowing nature of ‘Apsis’.

Aphelion
The first song that we wrote. It is also a good representation of Orbital Extrema’s style, hitting the listener with technical riffs and blast beats alongside changing time signatures. The song doesn’t technically repeat but many of the sections are variations of ideas presented previously in the song to provide better continuity while exploring more musical ground.

Impending Armageddon
The most traditional tech death song on the album. “Impending Armageddon” is an onslaught of technicality and blast beats, or as Robin Stone likes to call them “Blast Bonks”. The song is unrelenting and never lets off the gas. Dennis Franco makes an appearance via a killer guest guitar solo.

Blitzar
Blitzar has a very bouncy feel but maintains technicality and is quite driving in the riffs and song arrangement. It’s a tech death song with an extremely fast-paced groove. It never really fully lets off the gas but allows just enough room for dynamics to shine through.

Event Horizon
A riff focused, driving, heavy song with bouts of technicality sprinkled throughout. It contains an insanely awesome guest guitar solo from Matias Quiroz of Bleak Flesh.

Polymetric Substantiation
A constantly evolving song exploring the boundaries of technicality in multiple ways. It features one of the only traditional-styled guitar solos on the album and is also one of the only songs on the album with synth featured in multiple parts.

Exoplanetary Devastation
The majority of the song features a very flowing, sliding riff but halfway through the band does its best impression of Star Wars meets tech death. A very fun, adventurous song with variations throughout.

Galactic Magnetar
One of the more dissonant tech death-styled songs on Apsis. Right off the cuff the song starts with blazing guitar riffs and transitions and settles into some headbanging-worthy riffs. It also implements more chromaticism than is typical for Orbital Extrema, but in a tasteful way. One of the more technical songs on the album.

Hypernova
The most intense song of the album. It starts and ends with an ambient style clean tapping section and otherwise is primarily blast beats galore.

Plerion
The guitar parts are very Vektor-inspired in style (technical thrash metal) utilizing sliding pinch harmonics and lots of notes. The drums glue the song together using grooves in a really cool way, especially with the non-linear arrangement over some of the guitar parts. The song also features fast and heavy parts alongside the technicality and groove.

Interstellar Collision
This song is based on guitar parts that slide a lot and repeat with frequent but smooth variations. The second half of the song has a really nice combination of groove, tech death, and black metal all interspersed with each other. I think the drums really bring this song to life and bring cohesion to the arrangement.

Singularity
Debatable is the most straightforward song on the album. Sean Dempsey affectionately refers to the riffs as his best “caveman” riffs. The song has a ton of groove thanks to Robin Stone and Sean Ryan meshing so well.

Escape Velocity
The shortest song on the album excluding the intro song “Apoapsis”. This was the 2nd song Orbital Extrema wrote together and features some interesting sections with unique guitar arrangements in parts.

Hyperbolic Trajectory
This song is quite fast and driving. There are a lot of harmonies and variations of the main themes throughout. It features one of the fastest guitar leads/solos on the album and blast beats are present (as appropriate) throughout the song.  

Fractals
Because of the topic of the song, it is fitting that the riffs are written and structured in a way where they flesh out multiple times and repeat in different intervals. There are parts where a riff will repeat in 3/4 and then 4/4 and then 5/4 all in succession (for example). The song is simple at its heart with a lot of intricacies and variations sprinkled throughout. It is one of the most fun songs to perform off Apsis. It also contains one of the fastest and most difficult guitar solos on the album. It is the only song to originate from a jam session for the album. The jam session comprised of Sean Dempsey, Austin Rolla, and Joseph Howard.

Celestial Genesis
The longest song on the album is also through-composed, boasting many time signature and tempo changes. “Celestial Genesis” boasts the extremes of everything musically that Orbital Extrema does: ambiance, changing tempos, changing time signatures, various groove styles, blast beats, harmonies, and more. “Celestial Genesis” is unabashedly Orbital Extrema.

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

STORY ANGLES / FUN FACTS ABOUT THE BAND

1. Guitars were recorded with Nick Nodurft (Rusty Sun Audio) in Parker, Colorado. Bass was recorded in Sean Ryan’s personal studio in Firestone, Colorado. Drums were recorded in Robin Stone’s personal studio in Australia. Every song on ‘Apsis’ is played on 7 or 8 string guitars. In total, there were five (5) different guitar tunings used on ‘Apsis’.

2. ‘Apsis’ is an album that is thematically consistent, focusing on space. The song titles for ‘Apsis’ are titled in a particular order to better represent the story of the album: the progression of a spacecraft through various events like encountering black holes and exploding stars, experiencing turbulation and what is perceived as Armageddon.

3. Orbital Extrema first started writing music back in 2014, when Carey West and Sean Dempsey met up initially and began writing “Aphelion”.

4. In the album art for ‘Apsis’ there is a hidden image of Carey West’s pug ‘Apollo’.

5. Apsis is defined as the farthest or closest points in orbit of a planetary body and its primary body (like a star). In math, extrema are defined as the maximum or minimum. So Orbital Extrema literally means Apsis. That’s why we named the album ‘Apsis’ and the band Orbital Extrema.

L-R: Orbital Extrema Current Line Up | Robin Stone (Drums) | Sean Dempsey (Guitar) | Sean Ryan (Bass)

Tacoma, USA’s Orbital Extrema aren’t ones to play by the rules, and their sixteen-track debut album “Apsis”, is a flawless example of how they are doing things differently. The galactic instrumental technical death metal album boasts complex arrangements, relentless blast beats, and melodic riffs that will send listeners into space. The band shares their thoughts:

“I think one of the most appropriate ways to enjoy ‘Apsis’ is while driving or during a workout in the gym. Concept albums have always been very inspiring for us and ‘Apsis’ is thematically consistent with a story in mind, despite there being no vocals/lyrics on the record. We wanted to provide music that was thematically consistent with the instrumentation and song titles, as well as order the songs in a way that not only ebbed and flowed appropriately but also made a cohesive story-telling experience through the variety of musical sections present in the album.”

Originally conceived as a 4-song EP, “Apsis” evolved into a full-length album following significant personal events for each band member and the unique creative environment fostered by the pandemic during the lockdown portions of 2020-2021. The album is a labor of love, representing Orbital Extrema’s commitment to crafting a captivating and intense instrumental tech death experience.

The name “Orbital Extrema” itself is a nod to celestial orbits and mathematical extrema, reflecting the band’s deep-rooted fascination with science, particularly space. “Apsis” defies conventional instrumental metal norms by blending the intensity and technicality of technical death metal with the adventurous spirit of progressive metal. The album delves into the wonders of space, with song titles referencing black holes, exploding stars, and other celestial phenomena. Delivering intensity with purpose, intent, and deliberate choices of harmonies, time signatures, syncopation, and polyphony, it is recommended for fans of Dark Matter Secret, Obscura, and Beyond Creation.

“Apsis” is out as of September 29, 2023, and available on Orbitalextrema.bandcamp.com, and Spotify.

Album Band Line Up:
Sean Dempsey – Guitar
Sean Ryan – Bass
Robin Stone – Drums

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