Category: EPKs

0 EPK – Juliet Ruin – Give Me The Crown (2023) (single)

March 31, 2023
by Asher
· EPKs · Juliet Ruin

EPK – Juliet Ruin – Give Me The Crown (2023) (single)

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

“Give Me The Crown is a seething, yet amusing track about enduring revilement while maintaining a great sense of humor. An upbeat, sanguine song that implores the listener to be apathetic to judgment from people they’d never take advice from.” – Juliet Ruin

For fans of Jinjer, Infected Rain, The Agonist, Butcher Babies, Once Human, Killswitch Engage

Single Title: Give Me The Crown
Release Date: March 31, 2023
Distribution: Distrokid

JulietRuin.com | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube

Spotify | Bandcamp | Apple Music | Amazon

https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/julietruin1/give-me-the-crown

“If you are a fan of the likes of JINJER, INFECTED RAIN, THE AGONIST and BUTCHER BABIES then the “Dark Water” E.P is one for you to check out. The E.P opens with the title track “Dark Water” as a ferocious riff creeps in as the rhythm section sounds away. From then the band are now in full swing as the very haunting sounding vocals coming in. The song leads to a sing along chorus with a cool lead line afterwards. When the breakdown hits the vocals add a sort of dreamy feel to it until the guitar solo sections kick in. Great way to start things off.” 8/10 – Metal Temple

““Dark Water” by JULIET RUIN is a great listen and one I really enjoyed. From listening the vocals have a lot of range as Jess goes from hauntingly clean to aggressive death growls. The band has a very modern sound that is filled with great riffing and killer grooves. The songs here are great and you can hear their influences at times too. This is a band that, from listening to this, sounds like they need to be experienced in a live setting and I would love to hear more from them in the future.” – Metal Temple

“As mentioned, Juliet Ruin is not a stranger to attention and praise and can expect a lot more with Dark Water. It is their most striking offering yet and with the new evolution in the band’s already potent sound, surely the first step to greater things.” – The RingMaster Review

“Bang your heads to the new EP by this amazing Canadian Modern Metal crew, reflecting a turn to darker sounds and grittier vocals while still preserving the spirit of what makes the band who they are.” – The Headbanging Moose

“Bloody love it! One of the best EPs I’ve heard this year so far. ” – Ever Metal

[Download Single Cover | Download Single Lyrics]

Single – Give Me The Crown – 3:29

Single Credits:
• Performed and written by: Juliet Ruin
• Produced by : Diego Fernandez and Juliet Ruin
• Mixed/Mastered : Diego Fernandez at Oracle Recording Studios
• Artwork by : Brandy Black
• SOCAN Member
• Canadian Content: MAPL

L-R – Kent Geislinger – Guitar and Vocals, Jess Ruin – Lead Vocals, Wesley Rands – Guitar, Jesse Bauman – Drums, Cody Reid – Bass and Backing Vocals

Photo Credit – Brandy Black

Juliet Ruin was formed in 2015 from the ashes of a previous project Fiction of Fate with the desire to fuse metal sound with clean technical vocal stylings in a way that is both beautiful and beastly.

Clean and spirited, Juliet Ruin is comprised of Jess Ruin (lead vocals), Kent Geislinger – (guitar/backing vocals), Wesley Rands (guitar), Cody Reid (bass/backing vocals) and Jesse Bauman (drums); creating an original sound chock full of catchy hooks that convey a fresh and emotive feel to their heavy music.

Juliet Ruin took the obligatory first step with their debut self-titled EP in 2017 and quickly made their way through the local scene, captivating audiences with high-energy interactions that evoke emotion, vulnerability and power over various local gigs and appearing at several festivals over their flourishing career.

The next exciting step for Juliet Ruin was the release of their first full-length album ‘Old Stardust, Love and Chaos’ in 2019 which showcased more technical and heavy instrumentation, including some dabbling in low-tuned 7-string guitars. The lead vocals also on that release increased in volume of screams and clean techniques with complimented pop-esque power vocals.

In 2020, the age of Covid, things were tough, no touring, no fans to perform in front of, but not seeing it as a lost cause, Juliet Ruin came together to do what they do best, uniting their love for the music and writing new bangers for current fans and new ones to come. Juliet Ruin was very excited to kick off 2021 with a new EP “Dark Water”.

Now the band returns with more music for 2023, with their first single of the year “Give Me The Crown”, a seething, yet amusing track about enduring revilement, while maintaining a great sense of humour. It’s an upbeat, sanguine song that implores the listener to be apathetic to judgment from people they’d never take advice from.

Discography:
2021 – Dark Water – EP
2019 – Old Stardust, Love, and Chaos – LP
2017 – Self-Titled – EP

Shared Stage with:
Jinjer, The Browning, Sumo Cyco, Royal Tusk, The Agonist, Wednesday 13, The Veer Union, Into Eternity, Sovereign Council, Ninjaspy, Shark Infested Daughters, Tessitura, Tides of Kharon, Black Friday, Solborn, Protosequence, Process, Bastian, WMD, New Jacobin Club, Forsaken Rite, Van Halst, Anarcheon, Kosm, The Myopia Condition, Tartar Control

Tour and Festivals:
2019 – Loud As Hell – Drumheller, AB
2018 – Days of the Dead – Red Deer, AB
2018 – Screamfest – Saskatoon, SK
2018 – Loud as Hell Festival – Drumheller, AB
2018 – Metalocalypstick Fest – Lone Butte, BC
2017 – Days of the Dead – Red Deer, AB
2017 – Metalocalypstick Fest – Lone Butte, BC
2017 – CEMR Fest – Calgary, AB
2016 – Metalocalypstick Fest – Valemount, BC

Awards:
2018 – Edmonton Music Awards – Nominated for Metal Recording of The Year – Ugly Side

Quick Facts:
EP – Old Stardust, Love, and Chaos debut #11 on the iTunes metal chart.
Bassist Cody Reid endorsed by Nordstrand Audio

Drummer Jesse Bauman endorsed by Attack Drum Heads and Los Cabos drumsticks.

Album and Live Line-Up:
Jess Fleming – Vocals
Kent Geislinger – Guitar
Wesley Rands – Guitar
Cody Reid – Bass
Jesse Bauman – Drums

0 EPK – Talia Hoit – Abandon (single) (2023)

March 30, 2023
by Asher
· EPKs · Talia

EPK – Talia Hoit – Abandon (single) (2023)

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

“When I wrote this song last year, it was not particularly intended to be something I would release, it was just a moment of vulnerability I had at my piano one day where this song unfolded into existence as I was going through something and had a moment of being emotionally overwhelmed and just started playing the keys and saying the words. It became a beautiful poem about letting go of something that had been really important to me but was dying in my life. I’m really grateful to all the amazing people who have helped me bring this music to life to be able to express my art both musically and visually, and to be able to share it with the world.” – Talia Hoit

For fans of Nightwish, Within Temptation, Evanescence, Delain, Thy Shade

Taliahoit.com | Facebook.com/taliahoitmusic | Twitter.com/taliahoit

Instagram.com/talia_hoit | YouTube.com/@taliahoit | Tiktok.com/@taliahoitofficial

Linktr.ee/taliahoit | Apple Music | Spotify

“Will especially appeal to you if you are a fan of female fronted metal in the vein of Epica, Sandra and early Within Temptation … This lady has a beautiful operatic voice …. As well as ability on keyboards and arranging skills…” – Rick Tilley, Metal Gods TV

“The soprano vocals are delicate and angelic and the vocal lines are catchy and easily to sing along to… would recommend for fans of: Nightwish, Within Temptation, Epica, After Forever, Unsun, Leaves’ Eyes, Sirenia, Ancient Bards, The Gentle Storm” – Sasha Bannister, Noizze UK

“Angelical voice” – Victor Augusto, Ever Metal

“From the start, Talia’s powerful vocals pull you in…I would recommend..to fans of early Tristania and Enter/TheDance-era Within Temptation … Talia is a phenomenal operatic vocalist that is probably more influenced by Simone Simons and less by Vibeke Stene” – Sonic Cathedral

“Haunting vocals” – John Bear, Westword

“são os vocais de Talia Hoit (também responsável pelas orquestrações) que brilham nas dez faixas de “Live to Tell the Story”, com destaque a “Forever Dream”, onde ela desfila todo o seu talento de forma quase mística.” – Marcelo Lopes Vieira, Metal Na Lata

“wondrous vocals from Talia that ooze feeling” – Black Phoenix Rising Metal Forum

Single Info:
Title: Abandon
Release Date: March 30, 2023
Label: Iberis Entertainment, LLC (self-released)
Distribution: Distrokid

Track Listing: Abandon (4:03) (single)

Credits:
Written by: Talia Hoit
Performed by: Talia Hoit (vocals, piano) and Mane Cabrales (all instruments, backing vocals)
Produced, mixed and mastered by Mane Cabrales
Artwork by Gogo Melone
Talia is a member of ASCAP

Discography
Solo:
Upcoming album, not yet announced (currently in production)
Abandon, single, 2023
Until It’s Forgotten, single, 2022
Angel, single, 2020 (was a soundcloud release only, will be officially released on all digital platforms in a few months)
With Beyond Forgiveness (vocals, orchestration, co-songwriter):
Cold As Winter’s Ice, Album (currently in production)
Live to Tell the Story, Album, 2019
The Great Wall, Album, 2017
The Ferryman’s Shore, EP, 2015

Solo:
A Little Longer, Album, 2012 (short run cd release only)
Fate’s Too Small, Album, 2007 (short run cd release only)
With AnaDies (keyboardist, co-songwriter):
Catalyst, EP, 2006
Formamentum, Album, 2004

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

Story Angles / Fun Facts:

1. This was a new song I had written last summer and was unplanned as far as a recording. I was looking for mix engineers for my band Beyond Forgiveness’s album, and I was talking to Diana Shade, who is the lead singer of the band Thy Shade, which is one of my favorite bands. I asked her who does their production because I love it so much, and she asked Mane to produce for me. And he is currently mixing my band’s album as well.

2. The video was produced by Digital Myle, which is a well-known videography company in the Denver area. Kyle and his crew have made hundreds of videos for bands, including several bands that I follow locally such as Purge the Heretics, Signs of Tranquility, and Sharone, among many others. In October, I reached out to him to do a video for my previous single, Until It’s Forgotten and loved working with them so much that I returned to them for the video for this single. The song is very metaphorical, and I have trouble sometimes with how to best convey the song visually. I feel like Kyle’s ideas and vision for both my videos have been brilliant for capturing the mood and concept of my music in a visual way.

3. The cover artwork is a piece created by the amazing digital artist Gogo Melone from Finland, who has done artwork for a large number of well-known bands over the years, including one of the fantastic singles from Xandria that were just released last year. I had originally planned something different for the cover art, however, when I saw this particular piece that she had created (which wasn’t specifically for my project but was available for sale from the artist), it really resonated with me, and my song and the imagery in my video, and is really beautiful artwork, so I happily selected this piece instead of what I had previously created.

4. This is only my second “official” single release as a solo artist, although I have released several albums with my band, and had done some of my music at a local level before. My first single is Until It’s Forgotten, which can be found on YouTube and all the sites. However, even though I’m just starting to release music, I have been writing for many years, just didn’t pursue the professional production of it until more recently, so there is much more music in the works, and hope to be released in the future!

5. In a few months, we are also planning to re-release officially the song, Angel, which was produced for me by Jarek Musil a few years ago but was never widely distributed. I am so happy that we will be able to make that song more publicly available.

Talia Hoit is an American singer-songwriter from Colorado. Classically trained, she begin playing the piano at the age of 5. Now she writes original songs, performs on vocals and keyboards, and composes orchestra scores for symphonic metal.

She was the keyboardist and a co-songwriter for the hard rock band Anadies for 5 years, releasing an album, Formamentum (2004), and an EP, Catalyst (2006), before branching out to write her own solo songs and sing classical music. She performed as a Soprano with the Colorado Springs Chorale for 10 years, and as the Chamber Singers of the Colorado Springs Chorale for 5 years. As a solo artist, she wrote and independently recorded two original albums of songs, Fate’s Too Small (2007) and A Little Longer (2012) which had a limited physical cd release only.

In 2014, she recorded ambient vocal backing tracks as a guest musician for a symphonic power metal band, Psycodrama. After this studio experience, she decided to pursue her passion for singing symphonic metal. That same year, she joined the band Beyond Forgiveness and is currently the lead singer, orchestral composer, co-lyricist, and co-songwriter for the band. They have released an EP: The Ferryman’s Shore (2015), two albums: The Great Wall (2017) and Live to Tell the Story (2019), and are currently in the studio working on their third full-length album, Cold as Winter’s Ice.

In the fall of 2020, she worked with producer Jarek Musil to record a single, Angel, for personal purposes, which had a soft release in early 2021 on Soundcloud only. Since the Covid pandemic, she has been working remotely with a talented group of producers and musicians to bring more of her most personal and intimate solo songs to life.

0 EPK – Sovereign Council – World On Fire (2023)

March 29, 2023
by Asher
· EPKs · Sovereign Council

EPK – Sovereign Council – World On Fire (2023)

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

“This is the first release for us since we decided to alter our lineup and adjust our musical trajectory. We feel that the sound we have created here is still at its core very “Sovereign Council” but has matured and developed into something greater. We are extremely proud of this new sound and cannot wait to see how people respond to it. We have another set of songs nearly completed as well; these new songs continue our new direction and add another new edge as well as a heavier feel. You’ll have to stick around for the next release to find out what that edge is.” – Sovereign Council

For fans of Delain, Within Temptation, Lacuna Coil, Evergrey, Evanescence

EP: World On Fire
Release Date: May 5, 2023
Label: Independent

Facebook.com/SovereignCouncilpage | Twitter.com/sovcouncil | Youtube.com/@SovereignCouncil | Instagram.com/sovereigncouncil

Sovereigncouncil.bandcamp.com | Spotify | Apple Music

“To me it’s shocking that most prominent labels into a powerful style of symphonic, progressive metal have not reached out to sign Sovereign Council. World on Fire contains all the ideal components in sound, songwriting, tones, and natural talent to be a great addition to any roster. 9/10” – Dead Rhetoric

““World On Fire” is simply an excellent EP all around. Every track has something unique to offer and it is easy to imagine any of the five songs becoming a favourite depending on the listener. The melodies are catchy, the production is clean and the talent is immense. In particular, I would recommend this release to fans of bands with a more modern take on symphonic metal, such as recent Within Temptation, Beyond The Black, Dark Horse | White Horse and Phantom Elite to name a few. I’m excited to see what comes next for SOVEREIGN COUNCIL. They have certainly made a fan out of me.” – Female Fronted Power

“you should definitely take a listen at the new album by Sovereign Council, a band that proudly carries the flag of heavy music wherever they go and that’s moving towards a very interesting direction with their new release.” – The Headbanging Moose

“World on Fire marks a welcome return for Sovereign Council, showing a band with a will to break genre boundaries” – Metal Observer

“Comeback has succeeded. Now Sovereign Council should follow up with a full-length album. 8/10” – Metalheads Forever Mag

“Female fronted metal, a little goth, a bit of a Lacuna Coil vibe” – The Mosh Pit – WORT FM 89.9 (Madison, WI)

“Dynamic solos and incredible vocal range come together in the impressive display of melodic metal that is “World On Fire” ” – Darkzen Dragon Metal Angles

“Sovereign Council can do it with atmosphere and especially with melodies… “World On Fire” is a very pleasant melodic metal record that feels honest. The EP is very good” – Metal Forever

“A new opus is born” – Soil Chronicles

“you should keep an eye on the band for the future, because the opener and the closing ‘Of The Ashes’ in particular clearly show that there is a lot of potential here” – PowerMetal.de

“Comeback succeeded. Now, however, Sovereign Council should follow up with a full-length album.” – Keep On Rocking

“Upon first listening to World On Fire, the title of this mini, one can appreciate affinity with world-class bands such as Delain. The mood is halfway in an ideal point of contact between power prog, gothic metal and symphonic manner. Heavy guitars, dreamy keyboards and sophisticated drumming. We note a more than discreet production and the voice of Lisa Thompson who stands out for her good technique and beautiful timbre” – MetalShock.it

“Here’s living proof that shows that Female-Fronted Symphonic Rock/Metal isn’t an exclusive domain and does reach beyond the boundaries of the Netherlands and mainland Europe…The Euro Symphonic Rock connection is strengthened with Delain’s Timo Somers pitching in with a trademark solo on the single ‘The Human Condition’, while the album also features Brazilian-based violinist Marina Andrade…An album with a title which offers up the suggestion that, like the galaxy it describes, is vast and with limitless boundaries, ‘Laniakea’ is a collection which is more epic and melodic rather than Symphonic and orchestral. It’s going to be a record which has fans of Nightwish and Delain pricking up their ears as this is something along the same lines yet a little bit different.” – Mike Ainscoe – Rocktopia (Laniakea – 2015)

“There are not many Symphonic Metal bands coming out of Canada at the moment, but Sovereign Council is certainly one band from that country to watch out for! This is a grower and well recommended..8.5/10” – Ravenheart Music (Laniakea – 2015)

“Here is another great work of this great band that will surely please the most demanding heavy metal fans as well as fans of good music in general.” – Cássio Pagliarini – Heavy Metal Brasil (Laniakea – 2015)

“Progressive Symphonic Metal (new Canadian symphonic metal band that has a strong orchestral sound with some wonderful violin and piano along with the beautiful, theatrical vocals of Lisa Thompson contrasted against very harsh male vocals.” – Prog Metal Zone – Prog Metal Zone (Laniakea – 2015)

“There is something hidden within Canada…I think this band will be hot in 2015.” – Odie – Rock Fanatic Rockcast (Laniakea – 2015)

“The CD is well-presented with a simple, but elegant album cover reminiscent of something House Of Lords might do, with a regal-looking logo that visually matches the image of the bands name. The back cover photo and layout messed up my brain. The band put a bit of time and energy into the 10-page booklet with nice photos, (the band look slightly gothic), lyrics and liner notes. It was self-produced and sounds quite good for a homemade recording…. This is a pretty impressive debut. The band has it together with good songwriting, production, performances and presentation. I could see a European label like Napalm or Massacre showing some interest in Sovereign Council, based on the strength of NEW REIGN.” – JP – Metal-Rules.com (New Reign 2013)

“You may not necessarily think of symphonic metal bands when you think of Canada, but that’s about to change… Sovereign Council that’s on a mission to bring their musical dream to the masses. Their debut album New Reign fuses together elements of rock, heavy metal and classical music while blending in a compelling mix of male and female vocals. All of these ingredients combine together to elevate what you think symphonic metal is supposed to sound like to a whole new level.” – Rock Revolt Magazine (New Reign 2013)

[Download EP Cover | Download EP Lyrics]

EP: World On Fire
Release Date: May 5, 2023
Label: Independent

Track Listing:
1. World On Fire – 4:43
2. The Wait – 4:24
3. Aberration – 4:00
4. Breathe You In – 3:34
5. Of The Ashes – 4:13
EP Length: 20:52

EP Recording Credits:
• All songs performed by: Sovereign Council
• All songs written by: Sovereign Council
• Produced by: Joe Moon
• Mixed by: Silver Wings Studios
• Mastered by: Silver Wings Studios
• EP Artwork by: Martin Trottier
• Canadian Content (MAPL)

EP and Live Band Lineup:
Lisa Thompson – Lead Vocalist
Joe Moon – Lead Guitarist & Backup vocalist
Chris Thompson – Rhythm Guitarist
Shaun Vanhooser – Bassist
Brandon Schneider – Drummer

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

The EP as a whole (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY)

“World On Fire” was written and composed from a place of love and vulnerability. We don’t want to tell people how to interpret the songs however, we would rather you listen and make your own judgments and derive your own meaning. The beauty of music is in its ability to mean so many different things to so many different people.

Track by Track (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY)
1. World On Fire: The lyrics are about making tough life-altering decisions and having to leave everything behind. Musically, it hits hard with heavy dynamics but is also very melodic.

2. The Wait: These lyrics are about recovering from heartbreak and waiting to be saved by a knight in shining armor.

Musically there are hints of power metal with driving guitars and drums.

3. Aberration: This is a song about dealing with inner demons and feeling as if you are lost in a dark world of your own. Musically it has dark synth throughout and heavy-hitting guitars and drums.

4. Breathe: This is a sexy song about being consumed by the longing for someone. Musically it is a slower-paced melodic song but still delivers heavy elements.

5. Of The Ashes: This song is a lyrical analogy for fighting for yourself, talking yourself through an internal war, and having the courage to fight for what you deserve. Musically it is one of our more technical songs. Utilizing double kick and down-picked guitars.

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

BAND STORY ANGLES / FUN FACTS:

1. Chris and Lisa are cousins. Chris invited Lisa to record some guest vocals on SC’s first album “New Reign” which she did from her home studio. The band then invited her to the album photoshoot and the rest is history. If we had told her in 2013 that she would be at the front of a metal band and absolutely in love with it in 2023, she would have laughed us out of the room.

2. In 2015 we went on our first tour through western Canada in a cramped 10 passenger van and no trailer. Sleeping in the van with 5 members and all our gear was a challenge so our drummer Brandon slept one night in a TD bank entrance, and another night on a parking lot sidewalk beside our van in a sleeping bag. He’s a trooper.

3. Lisa and Joe are spouses. While writing material for our “World On Fire” EP, they didn’t realize they were writing about each other in some of the songs. You can get a sense of their journey by listening to the lyrics.

4. Our band is so much more than a band. We are a family. We have been through so much together and always came out stronger and closer. When we get together we work of course, but we also spend personal time together. The laughter when we’re all in the same room is contagious and I think we all appreciate the value of our friendship.

5. We have some of the most supportive close friends and family who have followed this project and believed 100% in its success from day one. These people all know who they are. We thank each and every one of you from the bottom of our hearts. This project would not be the same without you.

L-R – Joe Moon – Lead Guitarist & Backup Vocals, Brandon Schneider – Drummer, Lisa Thompson – Lead Vocals, Shaun Vanhooser – Bassist, Chris Thompson – Rhythm Guitarist
Photo Credit: Dark Moon Productions

From headlining performances as well as supporting slots for some of the biggest bands in metal, Ottawa, Canada’s Sovereign Council have hit the ground running and haven’t stopped since they formed in 2012 originally in Kingston, ON. They have released two full-length albums to date “New Reign” (2013) and “Laniakea” (2015) and now they have a fresh new EP “World On Fire”. The majority of the EP comes from vocalist Lisa Thompson’s personal experiences and this five-song progressive, symphonic, and power metal-influenced record will take listeners through a range of emotions and imagery ranging from inspiring,

Sovereign Council is comprised of five members: Alexander MacWilliam (vocals), Lisa Thompson (vocals), Chris Thompson (guitar), Shaun Vanhooser (bass guitar), and Brandon Schneider (drums). This band lineup lends a noteworthy blend of male and female vocals, which is particularly unique to the metal scene.

The group’s blend of vocals has earned them comparisons to Lacuna Coil, Evanescence, Delain, Nightwish, and Kamelot. Like these bands, Sovereign Council embraces metal head-on, with all of its throttling guitar riffs, intense bass lines, driving drums, and fluctuating vocals that are at times guttural and at others more mellow and introspective.

Their new EP “World On Fire” is due out on May 5, 2023.

Sovereign Council is:
Lisa Thompson – Lead Vocalist
Joe Moon – Lead Guitarist & Backup vocalist
Chris Thompson – Rhythm Guitarist
Shaun Vanhooser – Bassist
Brandon Schneider – Drummer

Discography:
2023 – World On Fire EP
2015 – Laniakea LP
2013 – New Reign LP

Shared Stage with:
Powerglove, Immortal Guardian, Unleash The Archers, Stryker, Alestorm, Aephanemer, Amorphis, Anneke Van Giesbergen, The Agonist, Sevenspires, Red Handed Denial, Sonata Arctica, Primal Fear

Tours and Festivals:
2017 – The Exchange (Regina, SK)
2017 – Rendezvous Pub ( Edmonton, AB)
2017 – Distortion (Calgary, AB)
2017 – Metalocalypstic Fest (Lone Boote, BC)
2018 – Music Fest 4 Vets (Low, QC)

0 EPK – Vvon Dogma I – The Kvlt of Glitch (2023)

March 29, 2023
by Asher
· EPKs · Vvon Dogma I

EPK – Vvon Dogma I – The Kvlt of Glitch (2023)

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

“Musically I come from a world where you have to dare do something different so.. hopefully take the listener a bit out of his or her comfort zone. If it can reach and touch just one person I’ll be happy. Again coming from my former band Unexpect that reached tens of thousands of people worldwide, it’s quite humbling to start it all over on my own with Vvon Dgoma I, so I’ll just be happy to put it out there really.

As for the album itself, it’s basically me paying tribute to every period of different influences that I had in my life, from 90’s alternative and nu-metal to modern electronic and ambient music and everything in between. It’s very freeing in a way to be the main songwriter because you don’t really have to fight for your ideas, whatever goes so, it’s a glimpse of my psyche. Lyrically it’s very much fueled by dark feelings that have been following me my whole life. Very personal yet vague as fuck.” – ChaotH (Frederick F)

For fans of Deftones, Sleep Token, Unprocessed, Meshuggah, Igorrr

Album Title: The Kvlt of Glitch
Release Date: May 5, 2023
Label: Self-Release

Facebook.com/VvonDogmaI | Instagram.com/vvondogmai | Twitter.com/vvondogmai | Youtube.com/@vvondogmai8596

Vvondogmai.bandcamp.com

“The invigorating glitched out bliss they have on display here is as dense as it is rewarding, with nothing falling out of place, yet with everything shifting all the time. If “The Void” is any indication of what’s to come, I seriously cannot wait to hear the rest of The Kvlt of Glitch, when it lands on May 5th independently.” – Everything Is Noise

“Vvon Dogma I are an act I praised many, many moons ago and I’m stoked to do so again. The band lead by ex-uneXpect bassist Frédérick Filiatrault is mixing electronics, progressive metal, vocoder, grooves and more. This one is for prog nerds and bass geeks alike. Also, there’s a wild cover of Radiohead’s “2 + 2 =5″ and you won’t hear anything like it anywhere else.” – Metal Injection

“Vvon Dogma are back with a new video for their new record, The Kvlt of Glitch, in the form of the track “One Eye.” It features some seriously insane nine-string bass playing… Chaoth, their nine-string bassist, is a big driver behind their experimental sound and their popularity.” – Metal Sucks

“The album promises to push boundaries with its unconventional approach to music.” – Metal Insider

“The path has been challenging for this new Canadian juggernaut, but now awakened in their futuristic glory Vvon Dogma I has positioned themselves to emerge victorious in a way past efforts did not. Worship noise, don leather straps and desert goggles, turn down the lights—the Kvlt will consume you.” – Angry Metal Guy

“if you’re in the market for something a bit different and potentially challenging, then check this out. If you’re a fan of bands such as Scale the Summit, Synaptic Glitch, Cynic, Meshuggah, Animals as Leaders, Sleep Token, Unprocessed, and OU, then put this on your radar.” – Wonderbox Metal

“If you have a taste for more of a quirky and off kilter variety of djent-flavored contemporary progressive metal, this album is probably one that merits a check.” – Progressor

[Download Album Cover | Download Album Lyrics]

Album Title: The Kvlt of Glitch
Release Date: May 5, 2023
Label: Self-Release

Track Listing:
1. The Void – 4:45
2. Tabula Rasa – 4:25
3. Triangles and Crosses – 4:33
4. Day of The Dead – 4:36
5. One Eye – 4:34
6. Hivemind – 2:47
7. Lithium Blue – 4:51
8. 2 + 2 = 5 – 3:11
9. Hurt – 3:58
10. The Great Maze – 6:54
Album Length: 44:40

Album Recording Credits:
• All songs performed by: VVON DOGMA I
• All songs written by: CHAOTH and VVON DOGMA I (except 2+2=5 written by Radiohead)
• Produced by: Blaise Borboën-Léonard, Chris Donaldson, Dave Evangelista, Chaoth
• Mixed by: Max Lacroix at House of Gain studio
• Mastered by: Max Lacroix at House of Gain studio
• Album Artwork by: Patrick Filteau and MidJourney
• Canadian Content (MAPL) (for Canadian

Album and Live Band Lineup:
ChaotH (Frederick F) – 9 String bass
Kevin Alexander – Drums
Yoan MP – Guitar
Blaise Borboën – Synth, Strings, Production

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

The album as a whole (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY):

It’s basically me paying tribute to every period of different influences that I had in my life, from 90’s alternative and nu-metal to modern electronic and ambient music and everything in between. It’s very freeing in a way to be the main songwriter because you don’t really have to fight for your ideas, whatever goes so, it’s a glimpse of my psyche. Lyrically it’s very much fueled by dark feelings that have been following me my whole life. Very personal yet vague as fuck.

Track by Track (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY):

1. The Void needed to be the first track of the record as it is the oldest material by far. Most of that song was written over a decade ago and I really love the sound design and glitchy introduction that gives a feel of what you’re walking into musically. I think a lot of people can relate to that feeling of emptiness inside, or maybe I’m just hopeless bluesy melancholic. I actually wrote the first half of that song thinking it could be for my former band Unexpect’s material back in the day so, that tells you how old some of these parts are.

2. Tabula Rasa would then be the 2nd oldest song.. Not that I placed them chronologically or anything but it was fitting to have that epic ass intro somewhere at the beginning of the record. Tabula Rasa which really means ‘Starting from scratch’ was a working title forever and it just ended up staying like that. Very melodic and influenced by all the early 00’s melodic hardcore waves.

3. Triangles and crosses is one of my favorite tracks I think… I guess that changes with time. It was fun to experiment with polyrhythms on the bass and build a song from these patterns. This a good example of how the music can affect the lyrics actually. I love easter eggs in music… I stole some of Radiohead’s conceptual way of writing there I guess… Pyramid song has some cool secrets…

4. Day of the Dead is in the same vein but is definitely electronic-heavy. Crazy tapping and riffing in there. This song too had its name as a working title forever simply because I found that main tapping riff on November 1st, which in certain cultures is the Dia the Muertos (day of the dead). Then it turns into a tale of lust and suicide… I think.

5. One Eye is the first single even though it doesn’t necessarily represent the whole album. Sometimes you have to go with something different. It sounds more playful and not as serious than the rest of this dark-ass album. I got to collaborate with my old friend Pierre-Olivier Forest for the video… Really just an excuse to reconnect with an old friend.

6. Hivemind is basically a horror soundscape. In the last decade or so I think Ambient is the genre of music that I listened to the most. Artists like Ben Frost, Tim Hecker, William Basinski, Lorn, and others have had a big impact and I wanted to incorporate some of that to give the album a breather.. as horrifying as that breather is…

7. I just love that track, Lithium Blue. It was on the Communion EP but I felt like it needed a better production so I gave it a second chance and brought it to the studio and I love the result. From intricate high tapping patterns to the most caveman djenty riff.. so satisfying.

8. 2+2=5 is an unlikely Radiohead cover. I love when artists really revamp a song and make it something different so I twisted this one in my own way. I guess Hail to the Thief is somewhat of a lesser-known Radiohead record but the first few songs on this are just pure bliss so I had to do it.

9. Hurt is what would happen if Mars Volta and Dillinger Escape Plan had a baby with Horse the band I guess… weird thoughts like that.

10. The Great Maze is the epic of the record. Weird to say but I was influenced by my previous band Unexpect’s record format for this album I guess with the ‘interlude’ song and the epic long finale. Definitely a crazier song in riffing and structure. It needed a grand finale so, there.

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

“Most music featuring extended range instruments is all about technique. I wanted to bring the 9 string bass forward, but focus on songwriting more than fretboard theatrics.” says Frederick Filiatrault aka ChaotH.

Inspired by artists as diverse as Radiohead, Meshuggah, Deftones, James Blake, Jean Baudin, Die Antwoord, Clint Mansell, Igorrr, Arvo Part and Hans Zimmer, VVON DOGMA I was created by lynchpin Frederick Filiatrault aka ChaotH whom was driven to form the group when his previous band Unexpect parted ways.

Discography:
2023 – The Kvlt of Glitch (LP)
2017 – Communion (EP)

0 EPK – Fall of Earth – From The Ashes (2023)

March 20, 2023
by Asher
· EPKs · Fall of Earth

EPK – Fall of Earth – From The Ashes (2023)

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

“The album is a consistent ride full of ups and downs, with no breaks. We’ve taken our heavy sections and made them heavier, and taken our softer sections and made them more impactful. We have carefully calculated all the dynamics and structures of each song so each second of every track serves a purpose. This record has pieces of us personally etched into the music, so we could share who we are and what our minds look like on an audio basis. As far as the listening experience goes, with all this being said, we hope for our fans to feel the love and importance that music has had on our lives, and pass that on to them through our own interpretation.

Both of our singles, “Shore of War” and “Block out The sun” deliver experiences from opposite sides of our sonic spectrum. Shore of War capitalizes on our heavy, dark side, while exploring intricate grooves and neck-breaking sequences. On the other hand, Block out The Sun brings heartwarming, uplifting energy which gives the listener a more emotional experience, and is an accessible track for newcomers of this genre.” – Fall of Earth

For fans of Trivium, Gojira, Dream Theater, Periphery, Mastadon

Album Title – From The Ashes
Release Date: April 21, 2023
Label: Self-Release

Fallofearthband.com | Facebook.com/FallOfEarthBand | Twitter.com/FallofEarthBand | Instagram.com/fallofearthband | Youtube.com/@FallofEarth

Apple Music | Spotify

“Fresh Tracks: Fall of Earth offers a smorgasboard of metal on From the Ashes… What if a band took numerous metal genres and combined them to form a monstrous kaiju ? This is the modus operandi of Edmonton’s Fall of Earth. Known more succinctly as “hybrid metal,” Fall of Earth’s sound encompasses death, thrash, progressive, metalcore; you name it, they have it cranked to 11” – Edmonton Journal

“From the Ashes is an impressive album that showcases Fall of Earth’s growth as musicians and their ability to create powerful, impactful music. The band’s unique sound and technical skill are on full display, and Rye’s vocals are a standout feature throughout the album. From the Ashes is a must-listen for any Metal fan, and Fall of Earth is a band to keep an eye on in the future. Look for them on tour in Canada and many other places.” – Metal Express Radio

“A young and rising Canadian Progressive Death Metal and Metalcore act will attack your senses mercilessly with their incendiary and very personal sophomore album.” – The Headbanging Moose

“A young and rising band from Edmonton kicked some ass armed with their Progressive Death Metal and Metalcore where rock will never die in Toronto last night…. if they’re playing in your city anytime soon don’t miss the chance to watch one of the most promising names from the Canadian Prairies.” – Headbanging Moose (Live Review – June 18, 2023 – Toronto – The Rockpile)

“I had the opportunity to see Fall of Earth for the first time recently during Indie Night In Canada and their live set blew me away, these are four guys that are so passionate about what they do that it’s almost impossible not to feel it coming off the stage. There’s a lot of metal bands out there who sound great live or sound great on recording, and when I watched From The Ashes I was excited to learn this band brings the best of both worlds. Whether you see them on stage on the screen, Fall of Earth is truly a force of nature and if you’re looking for one of Canada’s next big metal bands right before they blow up, look no further!” – Dropout Ent. (Live Review – Toronto – June 2023)

“It is an extreme variety of the form we get here, and one that at the core level is defined by seamless transitions between extreme metal, thrash metal and power metal. But in between we also get quirkier parts more aligned with progressive metal, and more interestingly from a progressive point of view we also get a liberal array of acoustic and semi-acoustic passages and interludes with a more delicate and atmospheric laden style, form and orientation. The vocals come with the same amount of versatility, with harsh and melodic lead vocals being the main forms used. A production to seek out by those with an interest in a powerful and vibrant variety of extreme progressive metal expanded with a liberal array of delicate and atmospheric laden interludes.” – Progressor

“Progressive metal, with a bit of a tech death thing going on. clean and harsh vox. cool stuff” – WORT 89.9 FM (Madison, WI)

“The nine songs present some real diversity in the genre by embracing several different approaches” – Metal Temple

““Medusa,” hits hard and powerful a song that immediately grabs the listener by the throat and never lets go.” – The Median Man

“Fall of Earth are gradually gaining more and more of the city spotlight” – E-Know

“Fall of Earth, is bolting through the scene with their magnificent stage presence and performance. High energy and a sure crowd-pleaser that will leave you wanting more. I’ll admit, these guys blew my mind! I’m a big fan now for sure! Some awesome individuals as well that genuinely show a passion for their craft and a desire to deliver a live show you won’t forget!” – Heavy Metal A Way of Life

“What can I say in one or two sentences? Imagine a jackhammer with social issues assaulting your skull, or maybe a freight train screaming through a jungle and cutting down every tree it hits. When you go see this band, you can decide which one makes more sense. They are a highly organized machine of madness as they hit you with almost every genre of Heavy Metal out there. They can go from serious hard rocking into genres like, Thrash, Death, Progressive. Who knew such a well-oiled machine came from Edmonton, Alberta?… If you love metal, this is a great Canadian band flying the flag high, so go out and support them!” – Blast Toronto

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

Track By Track:

1. Medusa
Medusa breaks down the greek lore. Viewing the multiple perspectives of a heartless and jealous Athena, a wicked Poseidon, the oppressors of Medusa, and Medusa herself. To bestow an unjust punishment, and face the consequences of another’s actions. Enough to turn even the purest of hearts.

Our second longest song, and a pounding heavy track, Medusa explores some highly technical musical sections that sound both evil and chaotic while having some melody that wraps it all together. This track has an ambient intro and a beautiful acoustic section later on that keeps the listener on their toes.

2. The Dead And The Soon To Be
Some live life to the fullest, while some live life just to die. The clocks always ticking. How wisely do most use that finite time? Is it fulfilling? Did you do something meaningful? The walking dead roam the earth. Wasting your time means you might as well be dead already.

The instruments for this track are definitely centered around the chorus riff, which is a very simple yet powerful progression. Everything else bloomed from that part to cover many other angles and directions that were made possible. This song utilizes a soft verse and epic bridge which serves as the pinnacle of the track.

3. Block Out The Sun
Block out the sun was written during a seasonal depression with Covid 19. Sick and isolated, Alex did what he does best in a sour mood- Writing music. It started off sad, but slowly his core belief took over, and soon it transformed into an uplifting reminder that when you’re down you can always lean on others to rise up and shine together.

Block out the Sun is both the shortest and most accessible track off this record. It captures a positive uplifting mood, while still having some grit and intensity mixed in. The lyrics and vocal melody were written first, so all the instruments were written to emulate the message of the song, and deliver a similar emotion

4. Path to Self Destruction
This is definitely a dark and personal track, written about somebody very close to me who continues to suffer from a serious and crippling drug addiction. This song expresses how I felt watching somebody I love throw their life away and turn into somebody I couldn’t even recognize anymore. Drug addiction is a very serious disease, and I hope this song could speak volumes to people who are going through a similar situation. This song could also be seen from an inward perspective of someone’s own addiction

The opening section of this song was written for drums first, so the other instruments naturally orbited around it. This song contains constant key changes and mood shifts and harnesses anger and intensity while being eerie and fast-paced. Specifically inspired by Death with the motifs and style of riffs we use in this track.

5. Cross Roads
The events in our lives come with many decisions. Each is an intersection of many multiple roads, and there’s no going back. A leap of faith is all that’s needed, to take control of one’s own life, or succumb to its weight. Cross Roads are at every little decision, every commitment, and every resolution

This is our longest, most progressive track yet. Clocking in at nearly 10 minutes, we designed this song to be an entire experience. This song does ride the idea of being uplifting and positive, but unlike Block out the Sun, it holds a more serious and urgent connotation. This is the first track we have ever faded out, we decided on this ending because we found a closing section that was too epic to stop suddenly, so the song fades away with those feelings it gives you.

6. From the Ashes
From the ashes speaks about levels of childhood abuse, reclamation, and metamorphosis. Rising from the ashes like a Phoenix, All people are capable of rehabilitation and recovering from trauma. Neglected and beaten as a child and into early adulthood, the character of this song resists their oppressive parent and chooses to rise above the smoke (uncertainty) and evil of their past.

This track is practically death metal and is incredibly fast and heavy. It jumps into the evil riffs right off the bat without warning. You can’t put the brakes on this song, it just rips all the way through and also contains our first-ever breakdown to finish it off.

7. Shore of War
War is hell. Shore of War speaks on the historic events of D-Day during world war 2. None of us could imagine the trauma of fighting in a war and watching our brothers and comrades die before our own eyes. We do our best efforts to detail the experience of such a nightmarish circumstance, both from a soldier’s perspective, and a societal perspective.

Starting and ending with the use of chromatic music theory, and percussive riffs across all instruments, we feel as if this adds an element of chaos and uncertainty. The underlying tone of the music itself is to emulate impending doom and sheer panic. Yet there is an eb and flow of unique grooves that somewhat makes this feel cohesive.

8. Purgatory
A recently passed man observes how quickly he is forgotten in the world of the living. With his memory fading from existence and the ones he thought loved him continuing their lives effortlessly, he must wander in a state of limbo. Not being able to accept the harsh truth, the man is left to explore purgatory for eternity without passing on to a heavenly afterlife.

We start off this track with a melancholy bass intro, in a strange time signature of 13/8. The song builds off of this section piece by piece, becoming more full up until the verse where it takes off and comes together. There is an interesting mix of despair and realization within this composition, highlighted by the contrast between sections. I personally think the pinnacle of this song is the first bridge section, where we lay down a heart-pounding, groovy “Gojira” style riff, and eventually bring it back to an alternate chorus to tie all these dynamics together.

9. Into the Woods
Into the woods is album 2’s “Fall of Earth”. Touching again on topics of climate change, rising sea levels, increased natural disasters, and extreme weather. The signs of our dying mother. While we are hopeful that as a species we will pull together and fix the wrongs we’ve done on our precious and only home, This doesn’t mean we are in the clear. Although we have made great progress and humanity seems to be on a path where we will survive- Many issues need to be addressed. Actions need to be taken. We must move faster to protect mother earth and its children. “Through the trees, a wind of whispers lost connection to our ears.” We must reconnect to our bond with nature

With this track being the official ballad off of our sophomore record, we did take an entirely different approach to its song structure. With the exclusion of the intro and outro of this song, we laid out a few solid sections including a definitive chorus and repeated it a second time to reinforce these moments. There is a melodic, tasteful solo in the middle that acts as a clear separator. This is the same formula that Death would use in most of their discography. As far as the beginning and end of the song gooes, the intro embraces a soft, mysterious foreshadowing of the epic sequences to follow, using clean ambient guitars, acoustic guitars, and bass accents. The outro is very similar to the intro, but recaptures the section on a lonesome acoustic guitar instead. This ending alone is what made us decide on closing our album with this track.

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

Story Angles – Fun Facts:

1. How we found our bass player was in the most unexpected way. We encountered the wild Aaron in his natural habitat: the gym. After spending some time getting to know him as a good friend, he decided to join us in one of our band practices. With it being his first time ever holding a bass guitar, I showed him our song “Prison” on bass and he picked it up instantly. He technically joined the band before he even learned the instrument!

2. In our beginning stages of making music together, Brody was late for practice one day because he was at the gym for longer than expected. Alex and Brendan jokingly “kicked him out” of the band, but he took it seriously. He took his guitar outside and smashed it on the pavement. After realizing this was only a joke, Brody was very embarrassed and went to go by a new guitar shortly after. Ever since then, Brody has been on time for almost every practice.

3. In our early days as a basement band, we used to host our practice space in the house some of us were renting at the time. During one of our practices, Brendan’s drumstick went flying out of his hand which isn’t an unusual event. But after looking around trying to find it, we found it lodged straight into the TV. Which was our roommate’s Dad’s TV. Long story short, Brendan replaced that TV and gave our roommate’s Dad a big apology.

4. In September of 2021, we were set to headline a Festival out in the middle of nowhere. It was promised that there would be crazy high-end production and over a thousand people. Well… it was nothing like that. Maybe 50 people were there, plus the bands that also performed. We were still ready to tear up the stage anyways, so we went up and started our set. Halfway through our third song, our sound got completely cut off and one of the festival workers came up to let us know that somebody filed a noise complaint and the RCMP were on their way. Although the RCMP never came, they had to shut the festival down regardless. We made sure to reimburse all of our friends that came out to watch us by giving them free tickets to the next show we had the weekend after.

5. At one of our shows last year, Aaron’s arm unexpectedly started seizing up and he wasn’t able to move his fingers anymore. We still had a few songs left in our set, and we didn’t want to give up right away. Luckily, a good friend who had filled in for us before was in the crowd and still remembered how to play a few songs on bass. So we pulled him on stage and he absolutely killed it during “The Dead and the Soon to Be”. We still had to use up some stage time, and it was by total coincidence that the other band that played with us, “Misplaced Intentions”, learned one of the same covers we knew. So we called up their bassist Landon, and frontman Matt, and crushed out “Them Bones” by Alice in Chains. Even though we had a huge curveball thrown at us that night, we handled the situation the best we could and made sure that the show could go on.

[Download Album Cover | Download Album Lyrics]

Album Title – From The Ashes
Release Date: April 21, 2023
Label: Self-Release

Track Listing:
1. Medusa (8:25)
2. The Dead And Soon To Be (5:54)
3. Block Out The Sun (4:24)
4. Path To Self Destruction (6:40)
5. Crossroads (9:35)
6. From The Ashes (5:14)
7. Shores Of War (5:49)
8. Purgatory (6:00)
9. Into The Woods (6:33)
Album Length: 58:39

Album Recording Credits
• All songs performed by: Fall Of Earth
• All songs written by: Fall Of Earth
• Produced by: Diego Fernandez, Oracle Recording Studios
• Mixed by: Diego Fernandez
• Mastered by: Diego Fernandez
• Album Artwork by: Band
• Member of SOCAN
• Canadian Content (MAPL)

Album Band Lineup:
Alex Rye- Lead Vocals
Brodie Bauer- Guitar, Vocals
Brendan Meilleur- Drums, Vocals
Aaron Winklmeier- Bass, Vocals

Discography:
2022 – From The Ashes – LP
2020 – Fall Of Earth – LP

L-R – Brody Bauer – Lead Guitar, Vocals, Myles Packer – Bass, Vocals, Alex Rye – Lead Vocals, Brendan Meilleur – Drums, Vocals, Matthew Lindholm – Rhythm Guitar, Vocals

Photo Credit: Darla Woodley, Red Socks Photography

Fall of Earth, based in Edmonton, Alberta, is a Hybrid Metal band. They are led by the growls, screams, and soaring clean vocals of Inuit frontman Alex Rye, who captivates every audience member with his energy and showmanship. The flying fingers of axe slinger Brody Bauer produce a dizzying array of sounds that regularly elicit screams of rapture from the audience. The progressive and primal low end is provided by bass wielder Myles Packer and Brendan Meilleur brings the elite combination of high-energy drum fills and expressive grooves, all while contributing vocal harmonies. Fall of Earth has recently added Rhythm guitar player, Matt Lindholm, who adds skill and dynamic to the band. Collectively, the members of Fall Of Earth possess the highest levels of musicianship while never forgetting to put on the exceptional live show the band has become known for delivering. It’s more than a rock show, it’s an experience!

Fall Of Earth is a play on words that reflects their core belief that the world is experiencing a multitude of issues including climate change, war, and mass extinctions that are leading us all to a darker place as a society. The band hopes to use the power of music to help the world recover.

2023 has been a busy year so far with both a Western and Eastern Canada tour, the release of their sophomore album titled “From The Ashes” featuring 9 tracks that definitely hook the listeners, the release of their single “Block Out The Sun” to radio, supported by a lyric video, Lyric Video release for “Different Breed” and Full Video Release for “From The Ashes”. With a few festivals during the summer and back on the road for a 3-month Cross-Canada Tour in September, Fall of Earth is building its momentum and fans everywhere.

Album Lineup:
Alex Rye – Lead Vocals
Brodie Bauer – Guitar, Vocals
Brendan Meilleur – Drums, Vocals
Aaron Winklmeier – Bass, Vocals

Fall of Earth is:
Live Lineup
Alex Rye – Lead Vocals
Brendan Meilleur – Drums, Vocals
Brody Bauer – Lead Guitar, Vocals
Matthew Lindholm – Rhythm Guitar, Vocals
Myles Packer – Bass, Vocals

Tours / Festivals:
2022- Alternative Waves Music Festival, Medicine Hat, AB
2023- Serenade Metal Fest, Edmonton, AB
2023- Loud As Hell – Drumheller, AB

0 EPK – Sunbeam Overdrive – Diama (2023) (Tentacles Industries / Season of Mist)

March 15, 2023
by Asher
· EPKs · Sunbeam Overdrive (Tentacles Industries/Season of Mist)

EPK – Sunbeam Overdrive – Diama (2023) (Tentacles Industries / Season of Mist)

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

“An adventure, solitary, a life journey, its trials and tribulations translated in the form of a wide sound surrounding the listener to try to confront them with themselves, their own experiences, their own emotions …. make them start their own journey.

This record is about elevation, travel, adventure, and energy. It’s meant to lift you up yet make you endure the storm both inside and outside of yourself. Although not designed as a concept album, Diama nevertheless turns out to be crossed implicitly by a coherent line, which appeared to us once the album was finished. This line is that of the crests of the summits, more precisely a notion of ascent, elevation, exterior as interior. It translates into the quasi-cinematic succession of pieces forming an initiatory journey throughout its 10 songs.” – Sunbeam Overdrive

For fans of Periphery, Architects, The Human Abstract, Born of Osiris, Cynic

Band Name: Sunbeam Overdrive
Album / Single Title: Diama
Release Date: May 12, 2023
Label: Tentacles Industries
Distribution: Season of Mist

Sunbeamoverdrive.bandzoogle.com/home | Facebook.com/Sunbeamoverdrive | Youtube | Instagram.com/sunbeamoverdrive

Sunbeamoverdrive.bandcamp.com | Spotify

Tentaclesindustries.bigcartel.com | Facebook.com/tentaclesindustries | Instagram.com/tentaclesindustries

Twitter.com/tentaclesindus | Youtube.com/@tentaclesindustries | Tentaclesindustries.bandcamp.com

“Out Of Plato’s Cave – One of Six cool new prog tracks you need to hear this week (March 16, 2023)” – Prog Mag

“Bang this album into your vehicle’s sound system or blast it through your headphones, as you rock out to ‘Diama’ by Sunbeam Overdrive. It is THE soundtrack for your journey of solitary existence!” – Metal-Rules

“SUNBEAM OVERDRIVE gives us a very high-end album, talented musicians, in the service of an intelligent music which does not forget to arouse emotions, the perfect balance in my opinion, too often I find the proguous eager for technicality getting lost and forgetting to play with his heart, these guys have not taken this wrong. I should have gone to the Zenith.” – Profil Prog

“As a first work, Diama has been a great success and shows Sunbeam Overdrive as a playful and highly energetic newcomer who can definitely set accents in the scene. 9/10” – Sound Magnet Magazin

“DIAMA impressed me on first listen and continued to impress me with each subsequent listen; there’s something genuine and infectious and even somewhat joyous about it. Maybe it’s because hard rock doesn’t grip me much these days, but Sunbeam Overdrive have managed to. This is a surprisingly self-assured debut and a very satisfying listen from a young group with a bright future ahead of them. Recommended tracks: Slave to the Void, Diamond Shape, Shen” – The Progressive Subway

“This one is interesting, a bit prog, some groove metal, thrash stuff. clean and harsh vox. Cool!” – The Mosh Pit – WORT 89.9FM (Madison, WI)

“Whether you want to call it prog or not, Sunbeam Overdrive does their best to let Diama speak with riffs. At their catchiest Sunbeam Overdrive carves punchy numbers from djent-ish groove and Alice in Chains vocal harmonies that could have been easy targets to record from radio to flip phone ringtone (“Slave to the Void,” “Shen”). Taking cues from fellow Frenchmen Klone whose moody tunes similarly rest in a land of slippery assignment, a tilted sense of melancholy pervades other flowing numbers that feature slithering hooks and arena-sized refrains (“Diama,” “Diamond Shapes”). But in the face of the mild solemnity that accompanies that element of Diama, Sunbeam Overdrive make sure to pop in a bit of fun with mid-album shaker “Crimson Stains” featuring the bounce (but not the rap) of KROQ Weenie Roast2 artifact 311—tastefully nu if not dangerously inventive.” – Angry Metal Guy

“As far as the songs go, I love the whole album, but ‘Diama’ was amazing. ‘Slave To The Void’, ‘Crimson Stains’, ‘Deaf And Blind’, and ‘Out Of Plato’s Cave’ were all great. There’s a cover of ‘Hard Sun’ from Canadian singer/songwriter Gordon Peterson as well. They’re doing a version closer to the Pearl Jam version, but either way they do a great job with it. Overall, I have to give this one a 9 out of 10 “Flaming Fists” due to its creativity, musicianship, production and overall song-writing. It’s one of the most diverse and heavy albums I’ve heard lately, it deserves a much bigger audience.” – Rock You Radio

“SUNBEAM OVERDRIVE is nevertheless the unexpected little discovery of the moment.” – Score A/V

“Following a promising EP released in 2019, this first album by Sunbeam Overdrive immediately shows the full potential of an inventive group, without giving into gratuitous one-upmanship. Admittedly, their progressive metal is technically well above average and most of the titles damn convoluted, some sometimes flirting with djent, but the Marseille quartet masters their subject perfectly and knows how to write real songs, even allowing themselves to slip in a few discreet nods to Alice In Chains/Soundgarden grunge. A rich and dense first album for thrill seekers.” – Guitar Part.fr

“Soon, on •• Tentacles Industries •• , the release of the new album by French quartet Sunbeam Overdrive. It’s called Diama and Crimson Stains is the new single to entice you for the rest of the album soon to come. Scream, djent, progressive, alternative metal and all sorts of core elements come at you from all sides. Circling around you like a riff tornado, this single is but one of the many tracks that hurl you through space and time, and the storm both inside and out of you. It fits perfectly with the concept that seems to be surrounding the album…” – Stoner Hive

“Standing out from the progressive metal pack with their interesting touches of 90’s alt-rock, Sunbeam Overdrive tickle the senses with their wandering intro of Ascending and the choppy, raw, and animated title track. Before they really lean into the 90’s alt-rock soundscape with Slave to the Void. Where sections of heavy groove come crashing down on the head. Followed then by the anthemic and manic energy of Crimson Stains, one of the album’s more intense moments as Sunbeam Overdrive go quite hard and heavy here…. Though if you’re after something with a more serrated edge, Out of Plato’s Cave will cause some damage. Sunbeam sounding both furiously heavy and grandiose in equal measures. Another highlight of the record simply because of the hectic pacing.” – Games, Brrraaains & Head-Banging Life

“Welcoming us in an oriental atmosphere (which can also evoke the last Hypno5e for once), Diama really starts with the title track, pulsed and muscular, it takes us without hesitation into the rich universe of the Marseilles managing to stall us unstoppable Devin Townsend- inspired vocal melodies .” – Eklektik-Rock

“A production to seek out by those who enjoy vibrant and melodic heavy metal explored with a little bit of a progressive metal attitude and spirit.” – Progressor

“Sunbeam Overdrive nous délivre un premier album vraiment convaincant. Du grant art !” – United Rock Nations

“There are plenty of tracks that I love on this album but it is perhaps ‘Shen’ which is my favorite. The big sound is put in parentheses, favoring the alternative form to metal, the guitars play subtlety with beautiful djent figures and the vocals are almost an accompaniment to the rhythm section. D I A M A is a very nice discovery.” – NeoProg

““Diama” is a very good moment of powerful and racy metal, combining softness and emotion on this disc as icy as it is burning. Some will regret the obvious or smooth and unsurprising appearance, but it doesn’t matter because the intoxication is there. To discover urgently, because even if it is not a dazzling diamond, its qualities make it a precious stone which will reveal its shimmering colors over multiple listenings. 4/5” – Music Waves

““Diama” est un très bon moment de metal puissant et racé, alliant douceur et émotion sur ce disque aussi glacé que brûlant. Certains regretteront l’aspect évident ou lisse et sans surprise, mais peu importe car l’ivresse est au rendez-vous. A découvrir d’urgence, car même s’il n’est pas un diamant éblouissant, ses qualités en font une pierre précieuse qui révélera ses couleurs chatoyantes au fil de multiples écoutes. 4/5” – Music Waves

Band Name: Sunbeam Overdrive
Album / Single Title: Diama
Release Date: May 12, 2023
Label: Tentacles Industries
Distribution: Season of Mist

Track Listing:
1. Ascending (1:47)
2. Diama (6:14)
3. Slave To The Void (5:14)
4. Crimson Stains (4:49)
5. Diamond Shape (7:10)
6. Junction : Buhl’s Eye (1:20)
7. Deaf And Blind (4:47)
8. Shen (5:45)
9. Out Of Plato’s Cave (5:05)
10. Hard Sun (5:49)
11. Fainted Core (Bonus Track – Live Acoustic) (6:08)
Album Length: 54:08

Album Recording Credits:
• All songs performed by: Sunbeam Overdrive
• All songs written by: Tom Abrigan (except lyrics for Diama, Slave To The Void, Crimson Stains and Out Of Plato’s Cave by Karim Arnaout, and Hard Sun by Indio’s Gordon Peterson, covered by Eddie Vedder)
• Produced by: Tom Abrigan
• Mixed by: Tom Abrigan
• Mastered by: Brett Caldas-Lima (Tower Studio: Devin Townsend, Cynic, Pain of Salvatio)
• Album Artwork by: Christophe Dessaigne (Midnight Digital)

Album and Live Band Line Up:
Tom Abrigan – Guitars & Vocals
Karim Arnaout – Vocals
Laurent Duclouet – Drums
Bruno Morgana – Bass

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

The album as a whole (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY):

“The Ascent… (1. Ascending) of an immense mountain, a power monster: You… Me… Us, the Nanga Parbat.
Doing it via a glacier that no one has yet crossed… (2. Diama)
Doing it without being a slave to anyone or anything, facing the void in front of you just like within yourself (3. Slave To The Void)
Ignoring having been treated like a puppet from whom you could take whatever you wanted then leave it in a corner. (4. Crimson Stains)
Seeing that diamond shape again, over there, through the mist. (5. Diamond Shape)
Reaching the junction, seeing the eye of the Bull. (6. Junction: Buhl’s Eye)
And continuing, even deaf and blind… (7. Deaf And Blind)
Invoking what is most ancestral in us. Without ever going astray. (8. Shen)
Coming out of our own Plato’s cave. (9. Out Of Plato’s Cave)
And reaching for the sun… The hard, high sun. (10. Hard Sun)
There, then… We’ll know a little bit who we are…” – SUNBEAM OVERDRIVE –

Track by track (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY):

1. Ascending: An instrumental intro that places the listener at the beginning of their ascent of a Himalayan Mountain (Nanga Parbat). It’s airy, bewitching, and foreshadows significant events…

2. Diama: The first real track on the record, powerful, aggressive, and catchy but also airy and progressive. Lyrics were inspired by an extremely intense, burning, sudden, ephemeral, and ultimately volcanic adventure. Volcanism is the metaphor spun throughout the text, because it evokes fusion, lava flows, eruption, and therefore, in the background, carnal, erotic union; heat that burns, but that fertilizes afterward (there’s nothing like a volcanic rock for a fertile soil). And in the context of the whole album Diama, which turns out to be an initiatory journey in the form of the ascent of a mountain, with all that this represents in terms of trials, doubts, determination, dizziness, and vertigo, the figure of the volcano is inscribed in the field of heights, of mountains.

3. Slave To The Void: The band’s desire to lay the foundations for a more alternative, urban, and raw sound. It ends with a pronounced airy side that is redundant but pays homage to more alternative influences such as grunge or 90s metal. The lyrics evoke the paralyzing power of the void, whether an actual void like a precipice or an abyss, or inside ourselves, and the strength it takes to lift yourself from the entropy and apathy that life can bury you in. It’s an invitation to keep your head up and become the sign you are vainly waiting for to start living.

4. Crimson Stains: The band starts with a faster song, with a more punk spirit, reminiscent of early Soundgarden or Pearl Jam albums, but with more metal/progressive riffing. The lyrics are about the mental load and burden, and sometimes physical aggressions that women are faced with; based on the testimonies of many and only just trying to imagine how it feels like to live with such a disadvantage in a patriarchal world…

5. Diamond Shape: An autobiographical track, slow, and airy but heavy and sad. Reminiscent of Black Sabbath, Tool, and a sad period in the life of one of the musicians who take stock of what his life has been like in the form of various images, especially memories of a mountain in the Alps, which looks like a gigantic diamond from a distance, and how it feels when everything you have built for years collapses.

6. Junction: Buhl’s Eye: To talk about ascents again, and in particular that of Nanga Parbat (Diama being a glacier adjoining the mountain), the junction of 2 routes on one of the sides of this mountain owes its name to Hermann Buhl. This piece is an aerial instrumental featuring a guitar solo to define a milestone that is being crossed. Altitude, lack of oxygen, a brain on the verge of asphyxiation, mirages…

7. Deaf And Blind: This piece is intended to be heavy, dramatic, and catchy to translate the anger of a people against the elites, the system in which they are trapped, and the questioning of their existences.

8. Shen: A very ethereal piece whose text confronts today’s China with its spiritual ancestral past.

9. Out Of Plato’s Cave: A very energetic piece with djent and progressive accents to mention Plato’s allegory of the Cave, describing how difficult it is to look away from the illusions that easily feed our minds, to stand your ground when everyone around you thinks you’re a fool, to look for the light, for elevation, for the truth, and have the strength to keep your eyes and soul open when it hits you.

10. Hard Sun: Into The Wild was a milestone in our lives, and we felt that Eddie Vedder’s interpretation along with all the images, emotions, and impressions the film triggers, deserved a cover with the Sunbeam Overdrive sound. It goes well with the entire record topic, and makes for an amazing solar ending, after ascending, looking into the abyss, sadness, oppression, and memories, after finding the courage to escape from Plato’s cave: it’s a big hard sun that frees us all.

11. Fainted Core (bonus track): We wanted to pay tribute to the 90s MTV unplugged concerts, so we actually did half a dozen takes of that song recording sound and image, and picked the best version for a very simple yet aesthetically pleasant video already available on YouTube.

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

Hailing from Marseille, southern France, SUNBEAM OVERDRIVE is mixing progressive metal and ’90s alternative rock founded in 2019.

Hard at work since day one, the band quickly released its first 3-track EP and performed their very first show at famous German Euroblast Festival in October 2019.

Sunbeam Overdrive was about to hit the stages when the Covid-19 pandemic started… In turn, and after a few line-up movements, they started producing their first full length album “Diama”, to be released worldwide in 2023.

Sunbeam Overdrive:
Tom Abrigan – Guitars & Vocals
Karim Arnaout – Vocals
Laurent Duclouet – Drums
Bruno Morgana – Bass

Discography:
2023 – Diama – LP (Tentacles Industries / Season of Mist)
2019 – Sunbeam Overdrive – EP

Shared Stage with: Psykup, Ten56, Ze Gran Zeft, Kvark

Tours and Festivals:
2019 – Euroblast – Köln, DE

Sponsors / Artist Endorsements: Vola Guitar, SP Custom, Skull Strings, Hyraw, RocknFreeLife, Carl Thompson

0 EPK – Whythre – Impregnate My Hate (2023)

March 14, 2023
by Asher
· EPKs · Whythre

EPK – Whythre – Impregnate My Hate (2022)

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

“Whether it’s writing with wailing solos, slithering with sinuous synth lines, or awash with waves of riptide riffs, Whythre’s latest is without remorse. They came to lay waste and write solid album titles — and they’re all out of album titles. Consequently, Impregnate My Hate opens with the single Scorchbreath, an onslaught of solos, slamming breakdowns, subtle orchestration, and a sing-along chorus that embodies Whythre’s deft formulation of melodic death metal singed with a blackened edge. Having been fixtures in the Seattle metal scene since 2016, band members Shon Petrey, Adam Chambers, Eric Close, and Steve Fournier know their way around both riff craft and laying down a tight performance. But Whythre’s latest expulsion of fury seethes like a band that’s only getting started, from the first violent lick to the final double-bass kick. Follow along to standout tracks like Immanence, which thunders along with the certainty of slow death and offers little in the way of forgiveness, or to Scorpions of Sinai, which has a groove guaranteed to move any circle pit. The fury of Whythre’s writing is real, but fury is rarely this much fun: expect to get your ass kicked, and to enjoy it.” – Whythre

For fans Hypocrisy, Children of Bodom, Havok, The Black Dahlia Murder

Album Title: Impregnate My Hate
Release Date: May 26, 2023
Label: High Point Records
Distribution: CD Baby

Whythre.com | Facebook.com/Whythre | Instagram.com/whythreofficial | YouTube

Whythre.bandcamp.com | Spotify

Linktree – https://linktr.ee/whythreofficial

“for this new song (Scorpions of Sinai) itself, it is indeed a speed demon. Driven hard by piston-pumping drums and hurtling bass lines, it includes fretwork that pulsates and darts even more maniacally and screams of unchained derangement. But it doesn’t take long for synths to soar and sweep, creating an overlay of supernatural fear. There are elements of magical seduction in the song as well, thanks to the spice of frantically swirling melodies, but the music also inflicts a bone-hammering beating, and the riffs will give a headbanger plenty of opportunities to get neck trauma. The album as a whole is a hell of a twisting and turning trip, which might appeal especially to fans of Hypocrisy and Children of Bodom. You’ll get another taste of the album in its first single, “Scorchbreath“, which features backing vocals by Gabe Tachell (Whythre‘s first vocalist) and Carolina Chambers, and it also arrived with an excellent video.” – No Clean Singing

““Scorchbreath” wastes no time getting the album going. With some growing key support, that deathy lick pushes so hard on your prostate that it vaporizes. And the vocals on this song—and the album as a whole—fit the tone and aggression of the music far better than the debut. “Scorpions of Sinai” is another beast of a track with heavy lows that make the chorus villainous. This song also shows the true musicianship of the band as the guitars and keys tear through blisteringly-fast passages that would make Alexi Laiho smile.” – Angry Metal Guy

“Impregnate My Hate is a surprisingly good album… there are surprises around every corner… I might not have been a fan of the band before, but Impregnate My Hate has convinced me otherwise.” – Angry Metal Guy

All in all, “Impregnate My Hate” is still a huge leap, making WHYTHRE a melodic death newcomer to watch out for in the future… And if you miss the classic COB sound after Alexi Laiho passed away much too early, you should definitely lend an ear to the Americans now.” – PowerMetal.de

“Heavier thrash, but with a proggy technical thing going on in parts too. Cool stuff!” – The Moshpit – WORT 89.9 FM (Madison, WI)

“a sharp, smart melodic death metal ripper with some unhinged almost Van Halen-style soloing” – Best underground metal releases of May 2023 – Consequence of Sound – Heavy

“There is no mistaking that with this new album Whythe sound rejuvenated, the new rhythm section as precise and destructive as a laser guided missile. As a listener, opening cut “Scorchbreath” is exactly what you want. Punchy and aggressive, crossing sub-genre territories with death defying leaps with an onslaught of Thrash infused riffage, short and violent bursts of Black Metal inspired blast beats, gang chant moments in the chorus and the odd ethereal touch a real demonstration of prowess. That’s before we’ve mentioned the twin axe attack of the extended solo which will melt your face off… before the kick in the guts that is the title track “Impregnate My Hate“.” – Metal Noise

“The drums snap and boom; the nimble, pulsing bass work amplifies the song’s surging, head-moving rhythms; the guitarists deliver jabs and jolts, fiery soloing, and fluid melody; and Tachell’s vocals [previous vocalist] are scalding in their intensity. You put all that together, and you get music that sends the blood rushing and proves to be highly addictive as well” – NO CLEAN SINGING ‘Savage’single review

“The songs on this EP turn out to be damned addictive. It’s very easy, at the end, to just go back to the beginning and ride this lightning again… and again” StillBorn World EP Review – NO CLEAN SINGING

Album Title: Impregnate My Hate
Release Date: May 26, 2023
Label: High Point Records
Distribution: CD Baby

Track Listing:
1. Scorchbreath (3:54)
2. Impregnate My Hate (3:11)
3. Can’t Escape This (4:55)
4. Scorpions of Sinai (3:29)
5. C Section S1urpee (2:48)
6. Death Frontier (3:09)
7. Tantric Aspects of the Cross (2:32)
8. Immanence (4:02)
9. Run it Red (3:50)
Album Length: 31:54

Album Recording Credits:
• All songs performed by: Adam, Shon, Steve, Eric
• All songs written by: Adam, Shon, Steve, Eric
• Produced by: Shon Petrey
Drum engineer: Don Gunn
Vocals engineer: Adam Chambers
Backing vocals on Scorchbreath by Gabe Tachell & Carolina Chambers
Backing vocals on Impregnate My Hate & Run It Red by Carolina Chambers
• Mixed by: Shon Petrey
• Mastered by: Levi Seitz , Black Belt Recordings
• Album Artwork by: Andrzej Masianis
• Album Band Line Up:
Adam Chambers – Vox, Guitar, Synths
Shon Petrey – Guitar, Synths
Eric Close- Bass
Steve Fournier- Drums

Live Band Line Up:
Adam Chambers – Vox, Guitar,
Shon Petrey – Guitar
Eric Close – Bass
Steve Fournier – Drums, Backtracks Synths

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

The album as a whole (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY):

[Adam] – ‘Impregnate My Hate’, as a phrase really sums it up….Modern times… Most folks are jumping down each other’s throats, willing vessels to the online projection of what modern entertainment and communication should be. Society is fragmenting into niche groups & how each individual deals with this is literally making or breaking their existence.

Shon and I talk at great lengths about exploring the shattered and celebrating the depravity used to nurture ourselves at the moment. It all comes with consequences…Personally, it’s fun to creatively dive into how this all plays out for each individual on an extended timeline.

[Shon] – Musically we wanted to explore writing ranging from aggressive mindlessness to slow and somber moments…with some catchy hooks!

Track by Track (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY):

SCORCHBREATH

[Adam] – Lyrically I wrote this in an airport terminal after a trip to Bogota (Colombia) and Chicago. It’s about having a rad time…but specifically, it’s referencing when Carolina (my wife), Shon and I went to Movement and hit up some afterparties…Just wall-to-wall sweat, people tripping balls, a codeword at the bar to order alcohol past 2 am…it was everything we hoped it would be. We went with friends we made that very day at Movement…a beautiful experience with lovely people and I’m smiling right now just thinking about it.

[Shon] – Musically this song has some punchy/ thrashy verses with a big carnival vibe of a chorus. All while incorporating some fun shred moments. This song is our single because it kinda displays all the elements of the album in a very condensed way. This is the song that kicked off the inspiration to start this album. We felt like we found something here that was worth exploring.

IMPREGNATE MY HATE

[Adam] – Lyrically – Modern times! Most folks are jumping down each other’s throats, willing vessels to the online projection of what modern entertainment and communication should be. My friends showed me an old TV series called ‘V’ that deals with subtle mind control and mass hypnosis…while I watched the series after writing the lyrics, I was like ‘yeah! This is it! This is what I’ve been trying to say’

[Shon] – This is our most thrashy song…it’s not really the most melodic tune at all. When writing the song an old-school vibe kinda just appeared here and we ran with it.

CAN’T ESCAPE THIS

[Adam] – Lyrically – It’s about the choices people make at ill hours of the night while celebrating after months of hard work. Then those celebrations happen after weeks of work…then days of work…then after no work at all. Fuck.

[Adam] – Musically, Shon’s ending solo on this song is my favorite on the album. It’s ALL feel dude. And he almost went with something more shreddy! The outro on this song serves two purposes…It’s a moment of mellow reflection and also makes a great contrast for ‘Scorpions of Sinai’ to hit that much harder.

[Shon] – This is a mid-tempo, slow, very melodic piece. It’s a bit of a different approach to songwriting, with a two-part song structure. There’s no revolving arrangement…it just keeps building.

SCORPIONS OF SINAI

[Adam] – Lyrics – Go read Roald Dahl’s ‘My Uncle Oswald’ and then read the lyrics to Scorpions. I can’t say much more without spoiling that experience. It’s a quick read, just go do it.

[Shon & Adam] This is our fastest song by far and always leaves Steve sweatin’! There’s a lot of underlying repetition in this song, which was a first for us. Each instrument here has its own texture, there are lots of synths…honestly, the track is heavily inspired by underground techno vibes.

C SECTION S1URPEE

[Adam] – Lyrics – Always wanted a tongue-in-cheek metal song title a la Metalocapyse. Here it is. “A Mindless libation from you I now tear!” Cherry slushies for all!

[Shon] Definitely a death metal element to this one here. That middle section drum/riff thing is probably the heaviest part of the album.

DEATH FRONTIER

[Adam] – Lyrics – This tune was originally called ‘Annihilate the Proper.’ It’s about being yourself and celebrating the filth you live in even if it means being alone.

[Shon] – The triplet song! Has a waltzy feel with black metal elements and time signature surprises in the middle. You know a time signature change is gonna be fun when it just flows and doesn’t call too much attention to itself.

TANTRIC ASPECTS OF THE CROSS

[Adam] – Lyrics – Originally called ‘Malicious Compliance’- parts of this were written while I worked 12-hour shifts 7 days a week at a shipyard. Paying off student loans is no fun. I fucking hated that job.

[Adam & Shon] – Another thrashy song with an old-school vibe. We built out the middle section of this song the weekend after we opened for Hypocrisy & Fleshgod Apocalypse.

[Adam] Technically, the transitional soundscape at the end of this tune was really fun to design. It was made on an outboard synth with 3 oscillators and a couple of morphing LFO’s/filter sweeps…the intention was to create a sound that changed from TAOTC ending pitch to the starting pitch of Immanence. Besides the pitch shift, we also had to imply a tempo change. The soundscape was recorded in real-time with some knob turning / dialed in LFO’s that come in at the end to imply the new tempo and sync up with the intro to Immanence.

Immanence is a bit of a slower, psychedelic-influenced tune and we wanted to differentiate the lead-in with something a little different compared to the rest of the album.

IMMANENCE

[Adam] – Lyrics – This sums up the collective experience of a group of friends that went to a music event called unter x second nature. This one is for all the friends and interactions that happened that night. There are references for you all. Thank you. I love you.

[Shon & Adam] This is the oldest song on the album, by far! It was originally called ‘Black Forest Rain Dance’ and was re-written a couple times and nearly left for dead. We wrote maybe 4-5 choruses for this song and they all sucked…then when we wrapped up all the other tunes we gave it one last go.

[Shon] There’s a lot of Hans Zimmer influence on this one. It took time to explore this vibe and I’m more proud of this song than any other on the album.

[Adam] Shon and I really dove into designing the sounds on this one. This is where I started feeling confident playing around with outboard synths.

RUN IT RED

[Adam] – Lyrics – More underground techno shoutouts here. This was from going to a Kremfest after-hours in 2019. Woke up at 8 am and met a bunch of friends on the dancefloor. After that ended, went to Shon’s spot and recorded guitars for C Section S1urpee. Spent the afternoon trying to nail the rhythm guitar sixteenth notes while my entire body was like ‘yeah, nope’. Thank God Shon has a sense of humor and we just joked about what a terrible player I am the entire session. Eventually, it got tight

My favorite memory of that afternoon was taking naps every 20 minutes and playing Sasha’s track ‘Xpander’ while I dosed off. Shon was like ‘what song is that?’ And when I replied all he heard was “Sausage Expander”. We still bump some Sausage Expander every now and then…I think that’s now the name of the USB stick we use to pass ideas back and forth.

[Shon] It’s a minimal/ dance/ industrial influenced tune that was written/ demo’d in one night. Very straightforward song, but is a different sonic arena for us to explore. It makes for a fun end to the album. There’s more focus on vibe than instrumental prowess.

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

BAND STORY ANGLES / FUN FACTS:

1. Eric (bass) and Steve (drums) are veterans of the Seattle metal scene, having played together in a number of bands including In Memorium, Aggression Core, and Castdown, and have known each other for over 20 years.

[Adam] It’s insane working with these two. They ‘just know’ what each other are doing and have an insane drum/bass vibe. I can’t begin to explain how much this dynamic elevates the songs. 20 years of playing music together and they just keep evolving. Unreal.

2. How Adam & Shon met

[Adam] I moved to Seattle in 2014 and knew I wanted to dive into the music scene. Seattle is the kind of city where you just have to meet people in the moment or through a social circle. There’s a bit of a freeze and just going to shows isn’t necessarily a social experience for those new in town.

I busked on a corner in Capitol Hill outside of Neumos for a few months. I figured I’d do that until I met the right people/music situation. I met a lot of musicians but nothing really clicked.

For a few months, I was playing with a bucket drummer named Joe Buckets. We weren’t just tipped in cash…Sometimes little plastic baggies with unmarked pills and capsules ended up in my guitar case. Someone once tipped us a Crown Royal satchel full of weed.

While busking during Pride 2015, Joe was taking a break and I started playing metal riffs…While playing ‘Bodom Beach Terror’ there was a guy and girl that posted up within earshot. It was Shon and a friend. He introduced himself, and we all shared a smoke and traded contact info. Shon had just released a full-length (Hel’s Hallows) with his project called Whythre. I remember getting home that night and making myself some mac n cheese at 4 am and listening to the album. I sent Shon a message that I would join the project right then.

3. Adam’s foray into vocals

[Adam] When Gabe [previous singer] and his wife started a family, he said he could record with us but could not commit to playing live. Shon and I decided it would be best to have the singer on the album also be the one playing live…

I’m not a singer by trade, but out of desperation, I tracked a few vocal demos of Whythre songs. It was rough…really not very good. Despite this, I felt that learning how to sing would be less painful than dealing with recruiting a new singer. The pandemic had just hit, so I knew I had some time to learn.

While tracking Steve’s drums in the studio, I asked Don [engineer] and Steve if they had any recommendations for vocal coaches. They set me up with Susan Carr. She’s worked with Alice In Chains, Mastodon, Macklemore, Drowning Pool, and a long list of others.

Over the past two years, I’ve been attending vocal/opera lessons with Sue and she’s 100% responsible for my vocals not sucking as much as they used to.

4. [Shon] – [We had a studio engineer record the drum tracks. Shon mixed all tracks/the entire album. Here are Shon’s comments on mixing the album]

I’ve always had a vision of how I wanted a song to sound. At the roots, I would deconstruct my favorite tunes (probably a Metallica tune). I’d learn all the instruments, and observe how they fit in as a whole.

After a couple of attempts using other mixing engineers to dial up a tune, I was never happy with it. I’d just be left there wondering why the engineer didn’t try “this” or “that”, and wishing I had the power to control “this” or “That”. Two knobs and chords later, here I wander the vast world of the audiophile.

To sum it up, if I knew how long it would take me to achieve the sounds and balance I am getting now, I would have probably stopped. It was a combination of being stoked at making sounds and being ignorant of how badly it sounded that kept me motivated to dig deeper into the eternal rabbit hole.

5. Despite being an excellent cook, Shon can (and will) live entirely off gas station burritos and 7-11 fare. C-Section S1urpee is equal parts a dig & celebration of this talent. He’s going to outlive us all.

6. [Adam] I met the graphic designer that incorporated the album name/ band logo in the album cover at an underground rave that DVS1 played in Seattle. Ryan was dancing on a speaker stack and while walking by I shouted ‘fuck yeah!’… We ran into each other months later and laughed about that. Eventually, I found out about Ryan’s graphic design page https://www.ryanricketts.com/ and asked if he could help with the cover design. He’s literally the best.

L-R – Steve Fournier – Drums, Adam Chambers – Vocals, Guitars, Synths, Eric Close – Bass, Shon Petrey – Guitars, Synths
(Photographer Credit – Carolina Chambers)

Whythre is a melodic death metal band from Seattle, blending hints of black metal and thrash into their hook-driven songwriting. The band was started in 2015 with the release of their debut full-length ‘Hel’s Hollows’ followed by their 2019 EP ‘Stillborn World’. The lineup has undergone numerous changes and now consists of Shon Petrey (Guitars, Synths), Adam Chambers (Vocals, Guitars, Synths), Eric Close (Bass), and Steve Fournier (Drums).

The new album “Impregnate My Hate”, due out in 2023, is a move toward a wide variety of moods on each track. It is packed with heavy grooves, blistering riffs, and huge symphonic waves.

Their live shows have spanned the northwest including two appearances at Washington Deathfest and opening for acts like Obscura, Pain, Archspire, Orphaned Land, Beyond Creation, Ghost Bath, Astronoid, and the upcoming Hypocrisy/Fleshgod tour. On stage, they put on a raw thrashy show with face-melting leads and fist-pumping riffs. Whythre is a growing force with a distinctive sound that is not to be missed!

Discography:
2023 – Impregnate My Hate (LP)
2019 – Stillborn World (EP)
2015 – Hel’s Hallows (LP)

Shared Stage With:
Fleshgod Apocalypse, Hypocrisy, Pain, Orphaned Land, Archspire, Obscura, Inferi, Beyond Creation, Exist, Ghost Bath, Astronoid, Wastewalker, Aenimus, Embryonic Devourment, The Convalescence, Otep

Tours and Festivals:
2018 – Washington Death Fest III – Kelso, WA
2017 – Washington Death Fest II – Bremerton, WA

0 EPK – Kilmore – From the Inside (2023)

March 14, 2023
by Asher
· EPKs · Kilmore

EPK – Kilmore – From the Inside (2023)

Publicist – jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com

“‘From the Inside’ has exposed a maturity in our sound from our last album and EP. Working with producer, Jon Landry, helped us craft the best version of the songs. It was written during a time when we all felt uncertain about our futures not just in music but in life. It has themes of rebirth, admiration, confusion, frustration, and hate. The songs all have a mixture of emotions, but the EP will carry you through journeys of escapism. This EP, in our opinion, is our best work to date and we are thrilled to release it to the world.” – Heather Harris – Vocal/Guitar – Kilmore

For fans of Soundgarden, Tool, PJ Harvey, The Pretenders, Windhand, Alice in Chains

EP Title: From the Inside
Release Date: March 31, 2023
Label: Independent
Distribution: CD Baby

Kilmore.ca | Facebook.com/kilmoreband | Instagram.com/kilmoremusic | YouTube | Tiktok.com/@kilmoremusic

Spotify | Kilmore.bandcamp.com

#12 on Top 20 – Canadian National Top 20 – Loud Charts – August 2023 (Earshot)

#49 on Top 50 – Canadian National Top 50 – College Radio – For the Week Ending: Tuesday, August 1, 2023 (Earshot)

“While Halifax band Kilmore’s latest album isn’t technically out until March’s end, we couldn’t sleep on having it in this list: A follow-up to the band’s ECMA Loud Recording of the Year-winning album Call The Void, the upcoming From The Inside is stoner groove music with a heavy hit of metal mixed in. The lead single “Firestone” is all the proof you need that this one’s gonna slap.” – The Coast Halifax

“Kilmore is by far the best Canadian stoner/groove/psych band I’ve heard in forever, I have a feeling their rise to the big stage will happen sooner than later. For fans of this musical genre, From the Inside is an absolute MUST! ” – Spill Magazine

“This is one of those records you feel from the opening chords. From the first few seconds of “Tempest”, I was drawn in. Halifax band Kilmore have released their latest project, an EP called From the Inside. I would describe this EP as ‘stoner rock with bits of metal sprinkled in,’ but over the six songs we get bits of grunge, hard rock, and Kilmore’s own unique melodic vibes, as heard on “Omitted”. 8/10” – CKDU 88.1 FM – Halifax – Ra’keem – Music Director

“Escaping from toxic influences and exploring new shores simultaneously, Kilmore sound more earthed and confident than ever before. From the Inside is solid, melancholic and full of motivational sounds.” – Mangowave Magazine

“The amazing vocals by Heather Harris are the one constant factor as the six tracks shift color and dive into whatever aspect the band felt was right for the song.” – Stoner Hive

“From the Inside is a true inner journey, at once chaotic, melancholy and filled with hope. Heather expresses with great determination, all her feelings about love, hate, frustration, understanding, renewal and the search for truth. From the Inside opens with the explosive Tempest. The exalted song increases in power accompanied by an instrumental tornado with massive fuzz. Presented last December, this first single was the infallible detonator for a hard-hitting and irresistible hook that only makes you want to know what happens next.” – Rock Metal Mag

“”From the Inside” is blessed with grandiose melodies, grooving mid-tempo numbers or triumphant anthems. A great album by great musicians.” – Metal Division Magazine

“Tempest, for example, has this groove that seduces immediately. The title speaks of the strength that can be found in oneself and distributes a positive energy that makes you want to move forward.” – Shoot Me Again

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

Earshot Top 200 – Kilmore – Call The Void – #118 – July 2018 (Earshot)

“INFECTIOUS MELODIES WITH VOCALS TONED TO PERFECTION, INCREDIBLE MUSICIANSHIP WITH HIGH PRODUCTION VALUE, CATCHY HOOKS, METALLIC EDGE, AND INSATIABLE GROOVE.” – THE RIPPLE EFFECT

“Call of the Void, the riffs are relentless as the band channels gloom through minor chords…The spirit of darkness breathes through the lyrics as Kilmore reminds us rock is alive and well.” – The Coast

“the heavy and bluesy sounds really drive home those themes of reckless behaviour and dark feelings… The band effectively portray their intended emotions and messages to the listener through their music while providing them with something to bang their head—or groove—to.” – The East Magazine

“The opening title cut begins City Lights with brawny, distorted guitar licks, steadily pounding drums and wailing vocals akin to classic rock radio. This sets the tone for the four-piece’s muscular sound, as tracks like “Rising Sun” and “Weight of the World” are similarly stuffed with meaty riffage, while “Peace of Mind” is slightly more restrained and slow-burning. The curveball is “Younger Years,” which ventures into a folk rock direction with its acoustic strums.” – Exclaim!

#8 on This Week’s Top 11 Playlist: 08 April 2016 – A Journal of Musical Things – Alan Cross (Kilmore, City Lights, City Lights EP)

[Download EP Cover | Download EP Lyrics]

EP Title: From the Inside
Release Date: March 31, 2023
Label: Independent
Distribution: CD Baby

Track Listing:
1. Tempest (3:43)
2. Omitted (4:29)
3. The Destroyer (3:04)
4. Firestone (3:59)
5. Underneath (4:13)
6. Rapture (4:22)
EP Length: 23:50

EP Recording Credits:
• All songs performed by: Kilmore
• All songs written by: Kilmore
• Lyrics by: Heather Harris
• Produced by: Jon Landry
• Mixed by: Darren van Niekerk at Iron Tulip Audio
• Mastered by: Noah Mintz at Lacquer Channel Mastering
• EP Artwork by: Stephen MacDonald (Task at Hand Illustration & Design)
• Member of SOCAN
• Canadian Content (MAPL)

EP and Live Band Lineup:
Heather Harris – Vocals and Guitar
Dan Doran – Guitars
Neil Spence – Bass Guitar
Jon MacIsaac – Drums

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

EP as a whole:

The EP is a form of groovy, stoner rock with metal elements. Lyrically it was written at a time when there was a real struggle around the world and an internal bittersweet struggle. Becoming a new mother and trying to find your place in a new reality really speaks loudly in the emotions on the album. Some themes are of destruction while others of hope, each song has its own theme/feel. Working with producer Jon Landry was a pleasantly different experience in recording this album. We recorded it in our basement studio and took the time needed to craft the songs and tried to bring life to the recordings. Musically some songs came out easier than others, and some needed more time to capture the essence we were looking for.

Track by Track:

1. Tempest
Tempest is about someone coming into your life like a hurricane. The song speaks about a mighty force finding its place in your life. Tempest was one of the hardest songs we wrote for this album, it took a while to get the groove, but when we did the lyrics came through easily. Dan’s main guitar riff really drives the song along and gives the vocals a good pocket to fall into. We felt it was the best song to introduce the EP with its groovy progressive feeling.

2. Omitted
Omitted is about forgotten heroes and the internal struggles they face. Today we tend to forget about real heroes and idolize fame and fortune over everyday people who work their whole lives to help. This song was written with them in mind and turned out to be a unique, lower-key song on the EP. Neil (bass) shows a lot of elements to his bass playing in this song and Jon (drummer) really locks into the song, which brings out the best qualities of the guitar and vocals.

3. The Destroyer
The creation of something evil can take a lifetime to develop. People destroying things for personal gain is not a rarity in this world. This song is about feeling an emptiness in someone and seeing them destroy everything in their path. Jon Landry (producer) helped steer us in a different direction with this song bringing out the intensity of the chorus.

4. Firestone
Firestone is about feeling broken and alone and looking for the light through the darkness. This was an old song we rehashed when Jon (drummer) joined the band. The song locked in the right direction lyrically with the new groove and we felt like we had created a fierce and intense song. The video was filmed after a snowstorm and showcased a magnificent Canadian winter.

5. Underneath
Underneath is about feeling isolated and heavy-hearted. These feelings touched a lot of people over the past 3 years as the pandemic brought more isolation to everyone. The guitars were tuned down in this song to give it a sludgy sound. We had a lot of fun exploring different tunings on this EP and how it can change the feel of a song.

6. Rapture
Rapture is a bit crazy and unhinged. We wanted this song to come off as the ramblings of someone insane with some wacky elements. Recording the vocals for this song was fun as I could be erratic with the lyrics and vocals. Jon (producer) really encouraged us to think outside the box with this one. During the breakdown, at the end of the song, we really got creative on the sounds and brought in elements from other songs on the EP to fill the insanity at the end.

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

BAND STORY ANGLES / FUN FACTS:

1. Kilmore’s Dan Doran and Heather Harris are brother and sister born in Newry, Northern Ireland but located in Canada at a young age. They moved from Vancouver to Halifax at the age of 11-13 making Halifax their home.

2. Kilmore’s concepts are molded around their life experiences and tend to lean more toward the darker feelings of life.

3. With many bands, there are stories about the road. Some are forgotten but many are solidified in our memories that are hard to forget. The members of Kilmore are no exception to tour stories, with countless nights sleeping on couches and hours on the road there is much reflection to be had. I would say the funniest time we had were stay at the old Plan B Lounge in Moncton, NB, they always had a good vibe, a bed to sleep in, and good people to talk to and rock out with. Those were late nights!

L-R: Kilmore’s Current Line Up | Neil Spence (Bass) | Heather Harris (Vocals/Guitar) | Jon MacIsaac (Drums) | Dan Doran (Guitar)
Photo Credit – Kayla Macaulay Photography

For Nova Scotia-based band Kilmore, music serves as a yearning for expression and escapism; a musical endeavor that sees them unearthing the realities of life through sounds and wanting to create something new. Their brand of music resides at the convergence of stoner and hard rock, featuring magnetically emotive passages contrasted against assaults of groove-forward aggression. themes surrounding rebirth, love, hate, frustration, understanding, and the search for truth permeate their darker-edged sonic palette, one that navigates the nether regions of the human psyche.

Kilmore was founded by Heather Harris (vocals, guitars) and Dan Doran (guitars), two siblings of Irish descent who moved to Canada when they were still young. They moved to Halifax in the 90s, growing up on a musical diet of grunge, an influence that still permeates their current sound today. The band formed in 2013, adding Neil Spence (bass) and Lor Sangster (drums) to the original lineup. Jon MacIsaac (drums) later replaced Lor, completing the current lineup.

Neil grew up in Nova Scotia, surrounded by music throughout his life. He has been playing music for 20+ years and has been a member since the beginning of Kilmore. Jon joined the band in 2019, another nova scotia native who grew up in a very musical family. He was brought up on influences largely consisting of artists like Bill Ward and Danny Carey and has conveyed a new impulse to the band.

The award-winning rock group has had its fair share of accolades. their debut ep, ‘city lights’ came out in 2015, propelling them into the limelight as they were nominated for a music nova scotia award, and an east coast music award (ECMA). Their sophomore full-length LP, ‘Call of the Void’ was nominated for 3 music nova scotia awards along with another ECMA, and they took home two ‘Loud Recording of the Year’ awards.

Today, Kilmore are setting the wheels in motion for their next release entitled ‘From the Inside’, the project is scheduled to release in March 2023.

Recording and Live Band Lineup:
Heather Harris – Vocal/Guitar
Dan Doran – Guitar
Neil Spence – Bass
Jon MacIsaac – Drums

Discography:
2015 – City Lights – EP
2018 – Call of the Void – LP
2022 – Tempest (single)
2023 – From the Inside – EP

Shared Stage with:
The Stanfields, The Motorleague, Mountain Dust, Alert the Medic, Carmen Townsend

Tours and Festivals:
2019 – East Coast Music Awards
2018 – Nova Scotia Music Week
2018 – Blacktop Ball Festival
2018 – New Glasgow Riverfront Jubilee Festival
2018 – Mud City Meltdown Festival
2017 – Nova Scotia Music Week
2017 – East Coast Music Awards
2016 – Nova Scotia Music Week
2016 – Parlee Beach Music Festival
2016 – NXNE Festival
2016 – East Coast Music Awards
2014 – City Lights Tour
2014 – Nova Scotia Music Week

0 EPK – Phaeton – Between Two Worlds (2023) (INB Music)

March 13, 2023
by Asher
· EPKs · Phaeton

EPK – Phaeton – Between Two Worlds (2023) (INB Music)

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

For Fans Rush, Dream Theater, King Crimson, Opeth, Gojira, Meshuggah, Mastodon, Between the
Buried and Me, Animals as Leaders

Band: Phaeton
Album Title: Between Two Worlds
Release Date: April 21, 2023
Label: INB Music
Distribution: INB Music

Facebook.com/Phaetonband | Instagram.com/phaetonband | Twitter.com/phaetonband | Youtube.com/@phaeton-officialyoutubecha9571

Phaetonband.bandcamp.com | Apple Music | Amazon | CDBaby | Spotify

“An instrumental quartet from Kimberley, British Columbia, Phaeton are skillfully blurring the boundaries between old- and new-school prog metal. Their second album, Between Two Worlds, covers a vast amount of ground, from intricate post-djent riffing, to indulgent prog pomp, and no single outstays its welcome. The nine-minute title track is a particularly impressive display of showboating and smart songwriting.” – Prog Mag – Dom Lawson

It’s Prog Mag’s brand new Tracks Of The Week! (April 21, 2023) – “Hailing from Columbia, Canada’s Phaeton are an interplanetary instrumental heavy prog metal quartet and as their name suggests, they are fascinated with astronomy, and the idea of life itself, in all its beauty and wonder and majesty, emerging from an instant of catastrophic cosmic violence. The epic Between Two Worlds is the title track of the band’s latest album.”

“Phaeton are relatively unknown, especially compared to the above mentioned bands (scale The Summit, Animals as Leaders), but they definitely hold their own on Between Two Worlds. All members absolutely kill it on their instruments, the songs are wonderfully arranged and produced, and there’s plenty of variety here to hold our attention. Instrumental prog might be a little talked about genre, but Phaeton belong in the conversation.” – Heavy Music Headquarters

““Between Two Worlds,’ the song, is the magnum opus of Phaeton: a progressive instrumental metal rollercoaster, almost second to none. This impressive track is filled with power chords galore, outstanding melodies, neck breaking riffs, almost inimitable solos and lots of tempo changes and variety; in other words, you never get bored here, even as the song clocks in over the nine minutes mark!” – Rock United

“…a killer album indeed, wonderfully arranged and produced; a superb prog metal opus where the music almost makes you dizzy, but most of all longing for more indeed. “Between Two Worlds” to me is one of the absolute highlights of this year, a unique twist and rollercoaster of progressive, instrumental metal, highly recommended indeed: especially suitable for fans of Rush, Dream Theater and Liquid Tension Experiment. Play it LOUD and you will be hooked, listening tip: “Monsoon.”” – Rock United

“All metal influences flow into the respective songs and riffs and power chords are widely spread. The sound of the opener “Predestination” is very reminiscent of GHOST.” – Hellfire Magazin

“”Between Two World” was very competently arranged and recorded by PHAETON. Prog fans, who like sounds and virtuosity above all, will be well served with the disc.” – PowerMetal.de

“PHAETON releases an instrumental album in which the voice is not lacking; a nervous, boosted opus where the frank and limpid musicality makes you dizzy, where the notes invite you to travel in space to another dimension, where harmony is combined with controlled djent power; innovative music, on modern math metal-prog.” – Profil Prog

“If you’re open minded in your choice of Metal genres, you should feel free to let this instrumental work slip through your ears. It takes a little getting used to, so completely without singing. But if you get involved and listen carefully, one or the other will surely like something. The whole thing should appeal to fans of RUSH or DREAM THEATER.” – Hellfire Magazine

“Top-tier instrumental prog-metal-math music from the East Kootenay region performed by a quartet of veteran musicians.” – Stuart Derdeyn (The Vancouver Sun)

“The sound on all seven tracks is huge and if there was a “best sounding hammer-ons” award then March of the Synthetics could be a contender.” – Stuart Derdeyn (The Vancouver Sun)

“An epic Progressive Metal listening experience.” – Trevor Hatter (BeatRoute Magazine)

“This badass band makes a devastating impact with their high velocity musical assault.” – Time Lord (Progarchy)

“A sparkling, sizzling debut from PHAETON, taking us on a futuristic musical journey, with deep roots in the ancient past.” – Stephen Conrad (Progressive Rock Fanatics)

Band: Phaeton
Album Title: Between Two Worlds
Release Date: April 21, 2023
Label: INB Music
Distribution: INB Music

Track Listing:
1. Predestination – 4:57
2. Oceans of Time – 6:44
3. Terra Australis – 4:42
4. Monsoon – 6:06
5. Refraction – 4:48
6. Geomorphic – 4:51
7. Magma Chamber – 6:09
8. Between Two Worlds – 9:21
Album Length: 47:40

Album Credits:
– All songs performed by: Phaeton
– All songs written by: Phaeton
– Produced by: Phaeton
– Mixed by: Kevin Thiessen
– Mastered by: Jamie Sitar
– Album Artwork by: Dark Days Design
– Performing Rights Affiliation: SOCAN

Album Band Line Up:
Kevin Thiessen – Lead & Rhythm Guitars, Keyboards
Daniel Airth – Lead & Rhythm Guitars
Ferdy Belland – Electric & Fretless Bass
Colin Righton – Drums & Percussion

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

The album as a whole:

“Between Two Worlds” was a major step up for us in Phaeton, which is a big thing to say, as we were already extremely proud of what we accomplished on our debut album. As a prog-metal band that’s strictly instrumental, we need to be sharp and clever to grab people’s ears when there’s nobody singing, and the melody lines of the twin guitars are what draw the listener’s focus and take them on an emotional journey – which is the classic goal of all instrumental rock. And there’s certainly no ‘sophomore slump’ happening here! We pushed ourselves as musicians, we pushed ourselves as instrumentalists, and we pushed ourselves as a unit to create something that had to at least be on par with the first album – and we surpassed all our expectations. We’re hoping that fans of prog-metal find something enjoyable in these tunes, and will urge them into repeating listening, and we hope all the twists and turns and corners and swerves we’ve woven together will surprise and delight. And with us re-energized for live performance, we aim to convince the world that you can say so much…without saying a word.

Track by Track:

1. PREDESTINATION: This was the perfect song to open the album with, as it contains all the elements that Phaeton prides itself on: Colin Righton’s jazzy flutterings on the drums before he kicks into double-bass abandon and blast-beat fury; Kevin Thiessen’s ever-fascinating rhythm guitar, spelling out jazz-fusion chords with metal attack; Daniel Airth’s searing leads, and Ferdy Belland’s aggressive counter-melodic hyperdrive attack on bass. Stops and starts and seeming chaos and then the killer riffs and the impressive harmony leads fall on everybody’s head. Triumphant beauty and growling anger through amplified wires and wood. Crazy time signatures that almost topple off the cliff, but the catchy killer grooves make all the sense in the world. And on it goes.

2. OCEANS OF TIME: This kicks off as a banger and bangs away just long enough to catch you off-guard when Kevin’s spider-groove riff kicks back into half-time. And just when you’ve gotten used to this new theme – BOOM! Another new theme! And another! Is this just one song, or four songs welded together? Nope. Just one. And hey! Another new theme, is where Kevin and Daniel shine with harmonic interplay and trading lines. And WHOA! You thought the song was over? Think again! As with everything else we write, this tune isn’t designed for an ignorable background drone. You really gotta follow the bouncing ball on this one – or at least the bouncing riffs.

3. TERRA AUSTRALIS: The intro to this one always kills me, what with Kevin’s weird jazz chords trading off against the crunch chords and the tapping, and then the groove sets in the lead guitar get to work. When the complicated melodies really get revving up, you can almost hear the tortured squeak of our helpless tendons as we desperately crawl our fretting fingers across the fretboard in pretzel patterns. There’s a slight reprieve where we bring it down and present you with another hummable melody, and then things just start getting ridiculous again and it’s Phull On Phaeton.

4. MONSOON: Daniel brought this one into the band and proves that he’s the Canadian King of the Killer Riff. After the kickoff crunch riffs set the mood, here comes a spooky halftime riff with a spookier guitar lead on it, and then another Killer Riff in quasi-swung time stabs out of the speakers. If Kevin is Phaeton’s version of a traditional Classical Composer (mind you, one with a 7-string Ibanez), then Daniel is our Classic Metalhead (one with a 7-string Schechter). Whereas Kevin’s songwriting style usually threads a string of different interlocking themes, Daniel knows how to capture the ears of even non-prog listeners by repeating the familiar themes, albeit with slightly different punctuations which are, to use formal musical terminology – Hella Cool.

5. REFRACTION: This tune opens with what may at first lick seem to be a happy day at the beach, but the volleyball game ends soon enough when Colin’s drums pick it up and then the major-9th power chords and the modal guitar leads start crazying up the works. Thought you could follow it easily enough? WRONG! More standout grooves and snappy riffs. The reggae-ish breakdown in the middle comes across almost like (Herakles help us) the Police, but then the djenty guitars envelop the proceedings and we’re back into Symphony X again. Confused yet? Don’t be. Listen to it again. See? It’s all awesome.

6. GEOMORPH: Another of Daniel’s works. The moody intro is cool enough, and then the World’s Greatest string-skipping Kissoff Riff rattles across the Schechter and gets immediately followed up by another crunchasaurus riff and then it’s Melodic Breakdown time, which gives a nod back to the intro, but then what’s this? The scene is now set for a dramatic build-up and then – hey, is that a synthesizer? No, it’s Kevin doing his thing, and then GADZOOKS! It’s yet another crushing riff (Dan’s got thousands of them, truly), and then here’s the World’s Greatest string-skipping Kissoff Riff! Could the song be ending? Not a chance; keep listening – what? Another killer riff? What else did you expect?

7. MAGMA CHAMBER: Colin really shines on this one. He honestly is one of the best-kept drumming secrets in all of Canadian Metal, and no, you can’t have him. Kevin’s ricocheting all over the bloody place on his guitar, whether it’s the hey-mom-look-what-I-can-do tapping frenzy or the cultured djent of his rhythm riffs. And no, we didn’t deliberately rip off Yes with the breakdown riff. And no, we didn’t deliberately rip off Rush when we moved out of the breakdown riff. But then we leave all that controversy behind with a spooky underwater-bass breakdown before Kevin and Daniel boot open the hatches on another djenty-noodly detour. The halftime groove doesn’t last long as Daniel and Kevin really start pulling out all the stops.

8. BETWEEN TWO WORLDS: Our title-track Magnus Opus, all nine and a half minutes of it. The solar wind is the first thing you hear before the drops of notes patter you like coastal rain, and then it’s power-chord time and we’re off. This is where we stretch our limits of chordal density versus open space, spelling off with each other and working hard to make every riff mean something, and every overlying or underlying melody sing. “Ahh,” you say. “Here’s the breakdown! This must be the middle of the song!” We laugh good-naturedly at your presumptions; buckle up, my friends! Themes from earlier minutes return in louder, more insistent, more dolled-up manner, and we claw our way to the dynamic heights and then we plunge our way into the dynamic depths. And we bookend the closure with the solar wind again. This one was a workout to compose, it was a workout to record it, and yes, it is a killer to play, but it’s all smiles and sweat from us. As it should be for you.

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

FUN FACTS:

1. Ferdy Belland is a journeyman carpenter with Red Seal certification. All his musician friends were either jerking coffee at Starbucks or tending bars or bussing tables, and he always liked drinking in pubs better than he liked working in them. He needed a good-paying day job so he could afford good musical equipment, and he needed a job where he could either get a leave of absence to tour…or, if he had to quit in order to tour, he could easily find another job afterward. Ferdy likes residential construction and likes being creative with his hands. He’s proud that he successfully finished a trade apprenticeship and got his ticket, sure – but there’s a much smaller risk of losing a finger playing bass than there is handling a Skilsaw. He prefers playing bass.

2. Colin Righton’s endearing nickname is the “Octopus Tornado,” and he cooks in the kitchen just as amazing as he attacks his drums. He is an excellent chef in the Anthony Bourdain / Jamie Oliver / Gordon Ramsay manner, so he’s awesome to be around when we get baked out of our skulls in the studio and get ravenous munchies.

3. Kevin Thiessen is into the Back to the Future trilogy the way Godzilla is into stomping Tokyo. And because he’s such a devoted fan of Genesis, he’s also a fan of Phil Collins’ solo pop material, but the rest of his bandmates try very, very hard not to hold that against him.
4. Daniel Airth’s amazing solo releases are well worth tracking down on YouTube. And if he ever forms a solo project that tours, Kevin and Colin, and Ferdy will all be his backing band.

5. Ferdy Belland has enjoyed a long parallel career as a music journalist, having been published in the Georgia Straight, the Nerve Magazine, Terminal City Weekly, and Black Press.

L-R – Colin Righton – Drums & Percussion, Daniel Airth – Lead & Rhythm Guitars, Kevin Thiessen – Lead & Rhythm Guitars, Keyboards, Ferdy Belland – Electric & Fretless Bass
Photo by Julian Bueckert Photo

PHAETON was formed in Kimberley, BC in March 2017 by Kevin Thiessen (lead & rhythm guitar), Daniel Airth (lead & rhythm guitar), Colin Righton (drums & percussion), and Ferdy Belland (electric & fretless bass). Combining technically ferocious compositions of modern metal with the ambitious song-arrangement mindset of classic prog-rock, PHAETON (named for the theoretical proto-planet which collided with Ancient Earth during the Primordial Era) stands alone in the wilderness of British Columbia with their unique approach to instrumental prog-metal.

Live Band Line Up:
Kevin Thiessen – Lead & Rhythm Guitars, Keyboards
Daniel Airth – Lead & Rhythm Guitars
Ferdy Belland – Electric & Fretless Bass
Colin Righton – Drums & Percussion

Discography
2018 – Self Titled – LP
2023 – Between Two Worlds – LP

List of bands we’ve shared the stage with:
FALSE FLAG, SOLBORN, ATAVISTIA, SYRYN, ELK HUNT, LEATHER APRON REVIVAL, CROOKED LINE, ZERO PEOPLE

Tours and Festivals:
2018 – July Fest – Kimberley, B.C.

0 EPK – Sanguine Glacialis – Welcome (single) (2023)

March 10, 2023
by Asher
· EPKs · Sanguine Glacialis

EPK – Sanguine Glacialis – Welcome (single) (2023)

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

“Welcome is the first single from this new album. It has many different surprises and invited artists and it’s super catchy. It sets the world in which the album takes place, so that’s why we chose to represent it with a lyric video and the album cover. It’s the best presentation we could give after all these years of working on the album!” – Sanguine Glacialis

For fans of Fleshgod Apocalypse, Diablo Swing Orchestra, The Agonist, Jinjer

Single Title: Welcome (4:16)
Off Album Title: Maladaptive Daydreaming
Release Date: March 10th, 2023
Label: Self-Release
Distribution: Self-Release

Facebook.com/SanguineGlacialis | Twitter.com/sglacialis | Youtube.com/SanguineGlacialis | Instagram.com/sanguineglacialis/

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

“The first thing that drew me to this release was the stunning artwork, and I’m glad it did because Hadopelagic is a rather kickass listen. It’s rather difficult to slot Sanguine Glacialis into one specific style because they utilise a good amount of approaches and genres into their music, such as death metal and symphonic metal, as well as more unusual styles such as classical and jazz. They have a very interesting sound as a result and it definitely helps them to stand out from the crowd – indeed, the jazzier moments are some of my favourite elements of the album!” – Soundscape Magazine

“Sanguine Glacialis threw me a bit of a curve ball as I was expecting a similar showing stylistically, primarily because I could hear the singer warming up her falsetto backstage. To my delight, the group launched into a more groove filled progressive black metal vibe that was thoroughly entertaining. Singer Maude Théberge navigated her tiny frame through the cramped stage to play the role of both soprano and banshee while providing intermittent piano sections. The band’s performance, energy, and crowd interaction won the crowd and me over, and I’m excited to hear their new album in the fall.” – Bucketlist Music Reviews

“Hadopelagic offers a little over one hour of amazing metal music that takes full advantage of the manifold vocal talents of Maude Théberge. She has so many different voices that you will feel in awe. Her piano sound could do with a little more variation though. Her band is top-notch and we can only hope that they will stay with her. The guitars are adding progressive textures, whereas the drummer gives the music that necessary punch that shows you that despite being in the presence of an artful piece of work, Sanguine Glacialis are still a through and through metal band. Hadopelagic is a must-have for fans of playful metal that offers brains and brawn alike.” – Disagreement.net

Single Title: Welcome (4:16)
Album Title: Maladaptive Daydreaming
Release Date: March 10th, 2023
Label: Self-Release
Distribution: Self-Release

Album track listing: TBD

Single Recording Credits:
Song performed by: Sanguine Glacialis, featuring Remi LeGresley (guitar solo) and Mia-Lin Gromko (Saxophone)
Song written by: Maude Théberge
Produced, Mixed and Mastered by: Christian Donaldson
Album Artwork by: Alex O’Dowd
Member of SOCAN: Yes (Maude Théberge)
All music is 100% Canadian – MAPL

Album Band Line-up (Same as live line-up)
Maude Théberge (Vocals, Keyboard & Violin)
Jonathan Fontaine (Guitar & Backvocals)
Alexandre Lépine (Guitar & Backvocals)
Marc Gervais (Bass & Backvocals)
Jérémy Racine (Drums & Backvocals)

L-R – Jonathan Fontaine (Guitar & Back Vocals), Jérémy Racine (Drums & Back Vocals), Maude Théberge (Vocals, Keyboard & Violin), Marc Gervais (Bass & Back Vocals), Alexandre Lépine (Guitar & Back Vocals)

Photographer Credit: Philippe Quinn

Hailing from Montreal, Quebec, Sanguine Glacialis have shared the stage with Dark Tranquility, Omnium Gatherum, Delain, Hammerfall, Unexpect, Necronomicon and many more. The dark heart of Sanguine Glacialis is vocalist/keyboardist Maude, the sole original member left in the band. She describes their sound as ‘unique, original, intense and dark’

Maude is enthusiastic about their new songs. “We took a huge step forward with this album and fans will appreciate it much more than the previous one. Everything is better in this one in my opinion. We want to show the new direction of the band. We want to show how much we’ve grown and how much the band has changed between the two albums.”

“This album is a very dark part of my life, and it’s something that everybody lives in their own way, and I hope this album will help fans go through their own difficulties.” Lyrically, Maude avoids the usual metal clichés. “Most of the songs are personal experiences that I wrote in the form of stories and legends.”

The band released the official video for the song “Monsters”, taken from the upcoming album “Hadopelagic”.

Maude promises that Sanguine Glacialis offer a very different live experience. “What really makes this band special is the vast variety of influences we have. It goes from technical death metal to classical, through nu metal, rock, jazz, pop, rap, world music, and so much more. On stage, we bring our own theatrical style as well as a dark atmosphere that fits our songs. We have our own dynamic, and I play keyboards and sing at the same time during the show, which is also a change from the typical front-woman!”

Discography:
Maladaptive Daydreaming (2023 – To be released)
Hadopelagic (2018)
Pitch Black Sight EP (2016)
Dancing with a Hanged Man (2012)

Shared Stage with:
Dark Tranquility, Insomnium, Omnium Gatherum, Beyond Creation, Delain, Carach Angren, Wolfheart, Mors Principium Est, Hammerfall, Oceans of Slumber, Unexpect, Necronomicon, Anonymus, etc.

Tours and Festivals:
2020 – Ride of the Valkyries – Montreal
2020 – FestEvil – Quebec City
2019 – FarmFest – Vankleek Hill
2019 – Gaspesian Metal Fest – Matane
2019 – Seven Spires – Montreal
2018 – Gothfest – Montreal
2018 – Carach Angren, Mors Principium Est & Wolfheart – Quebec City
2018 – Insomnium and Oceans of Slumber – Montreal
2017 – Delain and Hammerfall – Montreal
2015 – Delain – Montreal
2014 – Saguenay Viking Fest – Jonquière
2014 – Dark Tranquility, Omnium Gatherum & Mors Principium Est – Montreal
2012 – Hellfest Lanaudière – Mandeville

Page 30 of 73

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