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Category: EPKs

0 EPK – Nightwraith – The Candlelight (2025)

  • December 19, 2025
  • by Asher
  • · EPKs · Nightwraith

EPK – Nightwraith – The Candlelight (2025)

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

Band: Nightwraith
Single Title: The Candlelight
Release Date: December 19, 2025
Label/Distribution: Self-Release
Location: Denver, CO, USA
Genre: Blackened Progressive Death

“‘The Candlelight’ has a straightforward black n roll sound, and is extremely catchy. While it lives in a space closer to ‘classic heavy metal’ than ‘death metal’, we think our fans will appreciate the hooky songwriting and abundance of harmonized guitar riffs. We wanted this single to be something that is revisited multiple times, rather than something that is listened to once and moved on from. To accomplish this, we took great care in crafting a song that has somewhat of a pop-structure, but blackening it enough that it can be regarded as a great standalone heavy metal track.” – Nightwraith

For fans of Tribulation, Kvelertak, Mastodon, Enslaved, Judas Priest

Nightwraithband.com | Facebook.com/nightwraithband | Instagram.com/nightwraithband | Youtube.com/@nightwraithband5142 | Twitter.com/nightwraithband

Nightwraith.bandcamp.com | Spotify | Apple Music | Soundcloud.com/nightwraithband

Band: Nightwraith
Single Title: The Candlelight
Release Date: December 19, 2025
Label/Distribution: Self-Release
Location: Denver, CO, USA
Genre: Blackened Progressive Death

Single Recording Credits:
• All songs performed by NightWraith
• All songs written by Benjamin Pitts and NightWraith
• Produced/Engineered by: Jacob St. Amand
• Additional production by Van Labrakis at 210 Studios, San Francisco
• Mixed/Mastered by: Van Labrakis at 210 Studios, San Francisco
• Album Artwork by: Nate Burns
• Layout by: Rob Burelson

Band Line Up:
Benjamin Pitts: Vocals/Guitar
Isidro ‘Spy’ Soto: Drums
Igor Panasewicz: Guitar
Lauren Vieira: Keyboards/Synthesizer
Jacob St. Amand: Bass

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

About The Single Artwork:

The artwork was created by Nate Burns (@revoltingworship), a talented tattoo artist and illustrator based in Columbus, OH. For ‘The Candlelight’, he drew an other-worldly woman who is conjuring some Bacchanalian ‘party’ magic. The piece is done all in pen and looks incredible, especially in the details of the hands and dagger. Then our friend Rob Burelson put the finishing touches on the layout, making it really stand out as a dark and engaging piece of art.

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

“The Candlelight” showcases a different side of NightWraith. It’s lean and hook-forward, but still carries the ‘blackened’ sound that they’re known for. Lyrically, it’s a snapshot from a wild and carefree era in Ben’s life, when he lived in DIY punk houses. Instead of nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake, the song treats his memories like honest postcards, so the emotion still lands even if the listener doesn’t carry the same experiences.

Musically, it moves with a confident, mid-tempo swing. The drums are driving and heavy with lots of double bass, the guitars deliver ear-grabbing harmonies, and there’s a melodic theme you’ll find yourself humming for hours later. There’s some grit around the edges, too, namely in the vocal lines that cut through with some bite. The arrangement carries momentum with evolving keyboard melodies in the verses, a chorus that really sticks, and an ending that crescendoes into an instrumental 3-part harmony.

Born in Ben’s memories and sharpened in a room with the full band, “The Candlelight” stands on its own as a sing-along ripper, with a payoff that will call for multiple spins.

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

STORY ANGLES / FUN FACTS ABOUT THE BAND:

1: NightWraith has over 100 years of combined musical experience, because we’re all old, haha!

2: One time, someone tried to break into our van through the side window, but the joke was on them because the door was busted and did not open! Unfortunately, we had an out-of-town show a few days later, and the exhaust system clogged up on our way home. So we were moving at a max speed of 35 mph all the way home, with a broken window, at night, in the dead of winter. It was so cold that Igor and Caleb had to pull out the emergency blanket to stay warm, which was actually kind of adorable.

3: Ben and Spy used to play together in a legit Dethklok tribute band! And Joey (Wayfarer), who did the guitar solo on our song ‘Invocation’, was the ‘Swisgaar’ of the band and executed all of those leads note-for-note – super impressive!

4: Lauren has perfect pitch. It can be argued that this is a meaningless talent, but it is impressive nonetheless!

5: Igor runs several restaurants around Denver/Boulder named Quiero Aerepas, and serves authentic Venezuelan street food. Igor is also the only member who previously made a living as a professional musician – in South America!

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

L-R – Benjamin Pitts – Vocals/Guitar, Lauren Vieira – Keyboard/Synth, Jacob St. Amand – Bass, Igor Panasewicz – Guitar, Isidro “Spy” Soto – Drums

Photo Credit – Josh Massara – @permanent_ephemera_photo

NightWraith is a melodic death metal band from Denver, CO that explores the genre with an eclectic and intuitive approach. Their music encompasses poignant themes: seeking the sublime in nature, being genuine in a deceptive world, and living with the idea of death – concepts that unite us all as people. Using haunting melodies and triumphant anthems, NightWraith offers listeners a sonic pilgrimage into the heart of being human.

The band was formed in 2016 (Benjamin Pitts, Isidro Soto, and Igor Panasewicz) without any preconceived notion of genre, allowing them to develop their sound organically. The members of NightWraith had already been musical companions for over a decade in the Denver scene, but their lineup achieved its own unique approach to aggressive music – inspired by, but not limited to, the past. After releasing a self-titled album in 2019, Nightwraith gained notoriety but were still developing their sound and being called to a new musical frontier.

Pulling inspiration from a wide array of bands and genres, NightWraith refined their sound into something unique by adding a full-time keyboard player (Caleb Jose Tardio). “Writing new material with keys in mind made us want to sound like we were taking all the heavy parts from bands like Carcass and Enslaved, and combining it with the warmth of classic bands like Thin Lizzy and Blue Oyster Cult”, explains Ben. NightWraith released their sophomore album, Offering, in the spring of 2022, which received praise from critics and was supported by a number of live performances.

As NightWraith continued to evolve, the engineer for Offering (Jacob St. Amand) entered the band on bass, and they refined their sound even further. Fall of 2024 saw the release of their 3rd full-length studio album, ‘Divergence’. This new iteration of songs captured their vision more closely and cleverly used analog synthesizer tones to give the album a ‘film score’ type of quality. Ben explains: “Musically, the songs on Divergence are melodic and emotional. But the drums are fast with lots of big rock fills, double bass, and blast beats, so it has a driving pace and ‘classic’ metal tone. The keyboards and synths are the icing on the cake, though, and really color the album in a nostalgic, 80s type of way.”

With the addition of keyboard player Lauren Viera (Dreadnought) in 2025, NightWraith is excited to be releasing their new single “The Candlelight”, capturing a sound that is melodic black ‘n roll with a classic heavy metal nod. They are currently writing their 4th full-length album, which is being described as the most mature writing and darkest songs of their almost decade-long career.

Discography:
2025 – The Candlelight (single)
2024 – Divergence – LP
2022 – Offering – LP
2019 – Self-Titled – LP
2017 – Demo – cassette

Shared the stage with:
Allegeon, Khemmis, Venom Inc., Orbit Culture, Abigail Williams, Warbringer, Nite, Vale of Pnath, Bewitcher, Glacial Tomb, Xoth, Of Feather and Bone, Green Druid, Cyborg Octopus

What the press has said about Nightwraith:

“Striking a delicate balance between the baroque stylings of a band like Dimmu Borgir and the more grandiose melodies of Inexorum, Denver’s NightWraith brilliantly capture the majesty of black metal on new single Perpetual Night. Drawing lyrical inspiration from 1927 sci-fi movie Metropolis – clips of which pop up in the music video – the track is a showcase of bald ambition and songwriting craft, playing up to the underground’s most aspirational aspects, hinting at bigger things to come on new album Divergence, out September 13.” – Metal Hammer (Perpetual Night off album Divergence 2024)

“ Few American melodeath bands can hang their hats on a record that’s as creative, engaging, and just plain fucking fun as Nightwraith has done with Divergence. These guys are going places.”  – NoCleanSinging (Album Divergence 2024)

“As you’ll quickly discover, in its opening phase it (Whispers of Dragonflies) presents an unusual amalgam of futuristic swirling keyboards and full-throttle blackened ferocity replete with raking chords, hammering drums, and scalding vocals. But it does begin changing, like a musical chameleon. Those changes include a beautifully ringing guitar melody backed by shimmering synths, musing bass tones, and gripping drum fills, and fronted by somber and melancholy singing with a bit of grit in the gears. That phase is a sublime experience, made even more sublime by a guitar solo that sounds like a beguiling prog-rock throwback. The intensity builds again, but without sacrificing the music’s increasingly head-spinning beauty, and that paves the way for the afore-mentioned concert-flute solo, which is flat-out mesmerizing. As also mentioned, the song then loops back to its beginning — hammering, slashing, scalding, and swirling once more, fierce but also glorious. The song is presented with a beautifully filmed video of the band performing the music. Enjoy!” – NoCleanSinging (Whispers of Dragonflies off album Divergence 2024)

“One thing that has done better than nearly all of their musical peers was throwing convention out the window and running it over a few times with their truck. This album stands out as one of the most unusual I’ve ever heard. It masterfully blends the raw intensity of fierce Black Metal with the soothing presence of smooth keyboards and intricate guitar harmonies. The contrast between the harsh vocals and the melodic, atmospheric layers creates a unique listening experience that feels both powerful and unexpectedly harmonious, pushing the boundaries of what music can offer. 10/10″ – Metal Temple – Album – Divergence 2024)

“The tracks from the band’s upcoming album, Divergence, which What’s Left Records is releasing on September 13, are a mix of blackened death metal and prog. Caleb Jose Tardio’s (keyboards and synthesizer), Igor Panasewicz (guitar), Isidro “Spy” Soto (drums), Jacob St. Amand (bass) and Benjamin Pitts (vocals and guitar) have been at it since 2016 and call what they do “blackened dad rock.” But NightWraith isn’t your father’s metal.” – Denver’s Westword (Album – Divergence 2024)

“Denver’s Nightwraith seems to get labeled as a melodic death metal band everywhere, but the sounds you’ll find on their third album “Divergence” are so much more diverse and bountiful, with proggy dashes of synths alongside a healthy dose of black metal in a rather folky, airy Enslaved-style. Add to that some cool guest parts like the baritone sax in ‘One Flower’ or Dreadnought’s Kelly Schilling adding a mesmerizing touch to ‘Whispers of Dragonflies’ with her flute, and you’ve got a diverse and unique cocktail that’s inherently Nightwraith. Don’t miss out on the Bandcamp/CD only bonus track either – a very surprising rendition of Pink Floyd’s ‘Us and Them’. ” – The ProgSpace (Album – Divergence 2024)

“As far as melodic death metal goes, NightWraith have to be one of the nerdiest bands on the block. Granted, the subgenre is already the geeky nephew of the acne-ridden linebacker that is death metal, but Divergence takes it even further by embracing progressive rock and heavy metal. It gets to the point that songs like “Whispers of Dragonflies” and the title track edge closer to the melodic and emotive progressive rock of the ’70s, albeit with tighter runtimes and the looming promise that NightWraith can crank up the aggression at any moment. They adopt the mindset that jam sessions can happen whenever and build their tracks around that potential. Therefore, songs tend to begin slowly and unspectacularly, but then venture down the tri-forked path of harmonic noodling, death metal riffing, and big metal energy without a compass. Divergence is September’s most unassuming album, easily.” – Consequence Heavy (Album – Divergence 2024)

“An album to seek out if you are curious about a band that ebb and flow between extreme metal oriented passages and a variety of what might be described as atmospheric laden and highly melodic progressive rock.” – Progressor (Album – Divergence 2024)

“‘Divergence’ is a smorgasbord of musical influences that takes a core of black metal and shapes into something melodic and progressive. It’s great for sitting down and listening to in full, but if you don’t have the time (or the patience) for that, there’s still tracks that you can dip into without losing the magic that NightWraith have worked hard to create here. For me, I can see myself coming back to this for more listens in the future and ‘Perpetual Night’ in particular is likely to get played to death over the next few weeks for sure!” – Uber Rock (Album – Divergence 2024)

“Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, NightWraith cross Metal sub-genres with consummate ease. 8.5/10″ – Metal Noise (Album – Divergence 2024)

“Hailing from the Mile High City, Colorado natives Nightwraith have returned with their third death metal masterpiece Divergence. Even with the addition of more melodic elements and themes than their 2022 album Offering, Nightwraith have still kept to their simplistic yet brutal nature. When it comes to the genre, we know what to expect: heavy guitars, fast drums and a melting bass line. Nightwraith have managed to break these expectations very subtly such as having a saxophone solo in “One Flower,” or having a John Carpenter-style synth intro in “Whispers of Dragonflies.” The musical range in Divergence is vast enough to keep things fresh and interesting all while still keeping the classic elements of the genre. 4/5” – Heavy Music HQ (Album – Divergence 2024)

““Divergence” displays everything you’d want from a really pleasurable easy listening, Proggy rock album. Lovely rhythms, guitars that tell a story, harmonies, easy does it on the overdrive, and just generally satisfying music, in The Allman Brothers Band style… but with thundering drums, and Death Metal growls straight out of the “How To Sing Like David Vincent” handbook!” – Ever Metal (Album – Divergence 2024)

“Fruitless let us know immediately what this technically very knowledgeable band has to offer. Light experimental guitar work, nice soloing, well-thought-out rhythm parts, ugly screams, clean vocals and virile keyboard playing already culminate on this opening track. It strengthens my mind and it is also my firm belief that this band will still be recorded by a (groter) label. Listen to the opening measures of the very good Perpetual Night. It does something to me Borknagar in their heyday thinking. What a solitary work too, wonderful to see that blast in between. Great!’ – Zware Metalen (Album – Divergence 2024)

“When you think of melodeath and meloblack, you normally think of Scandinavia, right? You don’t normally think of…Denver? Well, the 3rd album from this Colorado outfit is some of the best I’ve heard in those genres in 2024. Featuring past and present members of In The Company of Serpents, Primitive Man, and Ashen Horde; the band takes their influences and creates an album unlike what you’ve heard before. I can hear the likes of Dissection, Insomnium, Novembers Doom, Nightingale, and much more throughout all while feeling like this was the album they wanted to create. It’s a journey of an album that you never know what direction it is going to take and those are always my favorite kinds of albums. This is one of those albums that could easily stand the test of time. Give it a shot now to make sure it will be remembered as it should, a groundbreaking masterpiece.” – Heavy Debriefings (Album – Divergence 2024)

“Please, do not take the shrill album cover as a one-to-one representation of NightWraith’s music. The painted satyr in an post-apocalyptic city speaks nothing of the expansive and precise metal on Divergence. Layered between blackened death metal passages are melodic, synth-heavy segues that form a mature offering from the Denver group.” – Invisible Oranges  (Album – Divergence 2024)

“The ringing guitar and keyboard instrumental that opens the song (Beguiler) is magically inviting, but only one feature of a richly tapestried piece that moves through many moods and musical variations. As the song ebbs and flows, twists and turns, it crosses through shade and sun, traversing the gloom of sorrow, seething with tension, and spinning the mind with extended guitar jams that dart and dance, slither and swirl, and become trippy, bluesy, and occult. While all that happens, the rhythm section are putting on their own show. The bass hums and pulses, meanders and invigorates, and the drumming ranges from neck-snapping back-beats to open-handed blasts, with plenty of electrifying fills in the spaces between. Variations mark the vocals as well, which veer from rasping blackened snarls to guttural growls.” – No Clean Singing (Nightwraith – Offering 2022)

“Nightwraith brings their own unique blackened heavy metal to the table with their new record Offering. It’s an extremely cool listened rife with throat-shredding vocals, classic rock organs, and of course dizzying stringwork.” – Metal Injection (Nightwraith – Offering 2022)

““Genesthai” opens with quiet echoey guitar picking and synth washes before gradually building in intensity and reaching full blast-beat fury. Throughout the six-minute track, NightWraith—vocalist/guitarist Benjamin Pitts, drummer Isidro Soto, guitarist Igor Panasewicz, keyboardist Caleb Jose Tardio and bassist Jerry Hilger—shift comfortably between more extreme death- and black metal-influenced passages and a more classic metal gallop, all while maintaining a strong melodic sensibility. It’s dynamic, intricate and, well, it flows.” – Decibel Magazine (Nightwraith – Offering 2022)

“The ‘Blackened Dad Rock’ of Denver’s NightWraith A new metal subgenre.” Westword (Denver) (Nightwraith – Offering 2022)

0 EPK – Thunderor – Pump Up The Volume (2025) (single)

  • December 9, 2025
  • by Asher
  • · EPKs · Thunderor

EPK – Thunderor – Pump Up The Volume (2025)

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

“This one is a lot of fun. Turn up the music, pump up your life, Pump Up The Volume! It’s also the opening number for the Musical, sets the mood nicely. Although the rest of the album ventures to many different places. Special thanks to Olivia Chow and the City of Toronto for her cameo in the promo clip, super cool.” – JJ Tartaglia – Thunderor

For fans of The Darkness, Skull Fist, Saxon, Night Flight Orchestra

Boonsdalerecords.com/thunderor | Facebook.com/ThunderorOfficial | Instagram.com/thunderor_official | Youtube.com/@BOONSDALE | Musicnovascotia.ca/artist/thunderor/

Thunderor.bandcamp.com | Spotify | Apple Music 

“Thunderor are back with a new fist pumping anthem, the single ‘Pump Up The Volume’ is here and it’s the first track from their forthcoming album “Bleed For It” coming in March. Speedy riffs with plenty of energy to match, ‘Pump Up The Volume’ also pulls in those classic metal vibes and you can almost smell the studded leather. Mix in a blistering 6-string solo and what more could you ask for? Catch it right here on your Home for the Best New Rock… W-J-O-EEEE” – WJOE – Findlay’s Home for Rock & Roll

“The spirit of the glorious 80’s is omnipresent on the debut, those who like authentic 80’s sound should definitely check out.” 8/10” – Rock It!

“The good mood album of the season comes from Canada. Crisp, consistently catchy songs with excellent guitar work, sometimes enhanced with appropriate keyboard sounds.” 8,5/10” – Deaf Forever

“There must be room somewhere between Steel Panther, The Darkness and The Night Flight Orchestra!” – Metal Hammer

“Thunderor the Musical is infectious, hard-rocking comic book fun that blows the roof off the place – I smiled my way through the whole show – I bet you will, too.” – Sesaya Arts Magazine

“Thunderor the Musical is raucous fun with shredding guitars and driving drums… filled with catchy anthems, flawlessly performed by powerhouse musicians.” – Grind Mag

“I’m always impressed when a drummer handles lead vocals, especially in metal, where the physical demands of drumming are intense. JJ Tartaglia nailed it, delivering flawless vocals without missing a drum beat.” – Allfather Metal

 

[Download Single Cover | Download Single Lyrics]

Band: Thunderor
Single Title: Pump Up The Volume (3:43)
Release Date: December 9, 2025
Label: Boonsdale Records
Genre: Heavy Metal
Location: Toronto, ON, Canada

Single Recording Credits:
• Song performed by: JJ Tartaglia, Jonny Nesta, Brycen Gunn
• Song written by: JJ Tartaglia / Jonny Nesta
• Produced by: JJ Tartaglia
• Mixed by: Chris Snow
• Mastered by: Kristian Montano
• Single Artwork by: Photo by JJ Tartaglia
• Member of SOCAN
• Canadian Content (MAPL)

Band Line Up:
JJ Tartaglia – Vocals, Drums, Keys
Jonny Nesta – Guitar
Brycen Gunn – Bass

Thunderor L-R: Jonny Nesta (Guitar) | JJ Tartaglia (Vocals, Drums) | Brycen Gunn (Bass)

Photo Credit – Rae Chatten

Formed in 2020 by multi-JUNO-nominated musicians JJ Tartaglia and Jonny Nesta (also known for their work in Skull Fist), THUNDEROR delivers hook-driven anthems to the caliber set by their arena-rock predecessors, infused with elements of heavy metal, hair metal, and rock opera.

Their debut album, FIRE IT UP (2022), charted at #1 on Earshot’s National Loud Chart in Canada, quickly establishing the band as a rising force in the global metal scene. Extensive tours across Europe, Canada, Mexico, and South America followed, with Thunderor sharing stages alongside major acts such as Airbourne, U.D.O., Enforcer, and Night Demon.

In May 2024, the single “Get ‘Em Counted” amassed over 230K views on YouTube, further fueling anticipation for the band’s next chapter. In the summer of 2025, Thunderor unveiled Thunderor the Musical at the Toronto Fringe Festival—a bold rock opera production featuring a full cast and unreleased material that now forms the backbone of their forthcoming sophomore album.

Set for release in March 2026, the new album will feature the high-energy single “Pump Up The Volume”, a track that embodies the band’s uplifting spirit and theatrical flair. With improved vocals, bigger anthem choruses, and a concept-driven narrative, the record promises to be both a soundtrack to the musical and a standalone heavy metal experience.

If you’ve ever felt a longing for escape, a thirst for adventure, wrapped in romance and danger, allow THUNDEROR to be your soundtrack!

Artitst Endorsements: Pearl Drums, Ahead Drumsticks

Shared Stage with: Airbourne, Enforcer, Night Demon

Festival Performances:
July 3-12, 2025 – Toronto Fringe Festival
May 4, 2024 – Gladbeck Metal Bash, DE
Jun 9, 2023 – NADA Fest, PT
July 31, 2022 – Loud As Hell, CA
June 5, 2022 – Muskelrock, SE
May 27, 2022 – Metalheadz Open Air, DEEurope Tour 2024 w/ Tytus
01.05.24 Putzer Bikerfest – Natz-Schabs, IT
02.05.24 Schwarzer Keiler – Stuttgart, DE
03.05.24 South of Heaven – Bilzen, BE
04.05.24 Gladbeck Metal Bash Open Air, DE
05.05.24 Sound Dog – Breda, NL
06.05.24 Logo – Hamburg, DE
07.05.24 Reset Club – Berlin, DE
08.05.24 Black Label – Leipzig, DE
09.05.24 Paunchy Cats – Lichtenfels, DE
10.05.24 Escape – Vienna, AT
11.05.24 Gustaf Pekarna- Maribor, SI
12.05.24 Meskio Bar – Caneva, ITEurope Tour 2023 w/ Kryptos
04.06.23 Fredagsmangel – Stockholm, SE
05.06.23 HM Army Rockclub – Sandviken, SE
06.06.23 Oceanen – Gothenburg, SE
07.06.23 Bastard Club – Osnabrück, DE
08.06.23 Bambi Galore – Hamburg, DE
09.06.23 NADA Fest – Beja, PT
10.06.23 Sala Silikona – Madrid, ES
11.06.23 Razzmatazz 3 – Barcelona, ESCanada Tour 2022 w/ Night Demon
20.09.22 – Montreal, QC @ Piranha Bar
21.09.22 – Ottawa , ON @ Brass Monkey
22.09.22 – Toronto, ON @ Rockpile
23.09.22 – St. John’s, NL @ Columbus HallEurope Tour 2022 w/ Traveler
27.05.22 – Metalheadz Open Air [DE]
28.05.22 – MKNZ – Ilirska Bistrica [SI]
05.06.22 – Muskelrock Festival [SE]
07.06.22 – Copenhagen – Stengade [DK]
08.06.22 – Weimar – Kasseturm [DE]
09.06.22 – Kassel – Goldgrube [DE]
10.06.22 – Oberhausen – Emscherdamm [DE]
11.06.22 – De Verlichte Geest – Roeselare [BE]
12.06.22 – Hamburg – Bambi Galore [DE]
13.06.22 – Pisek – Divadlo Pod Carou [CZ]
14.06.22 – Vienna – Escape [AT]
15.06.22 – Selb – Rockclub Nordbayern [DE]

0 EPK – Silas Fernandes – Carbon Purge Acceleration (2025)

  • December 6, 2025
  • by Asher
  • · EPKs · Silas Fernandes

EPK – Silas Fernandes – Carbon Purge Acceleration (2025)

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

“Even without lyrics, each track carries a narrative that mixes the future, technology, and chaos. It is an invitation to reflect, while intense riffs and solos draw highly unconventional soundscapes. Musically, I do not follow ready-made formulas. The album blends fusion, modern prog metal, and eighties references in a sound that reinvents itself with every track. Instead of compartmentalized styles, the result is a true creative cauldron. The great thing about the work is precisely not being constrained by labels. Everything is mixed all the time.” – Silas Fernandes

For fans of Steve Vai, Fear Factory, Meshuggah, Devin Townsend, Periphery

All streaming platforms – https://silasfernandes.hearnow.com/ 

Silascf.com.br | YouTube (English) Youtube.com/channel/UCGOXHIKEuMZ-Rodj21Z3CgA | YouTube (Portuguese) Youtube.com/@silascf 

Facebook.com/silas.fernandes.165 | Instagram.com/silasfernandesguitar

Silasfernandes.bandcamp.com | Online Store – https://www.silascf.com.br/en/services-5

Album Title: Carbon Purge Acceleration
Release Date: Sept 21, 2025
Label: SelfRelease
Genre: Instrumental Metal
Location of Band: Charlottesville, VA

Album Title: Carbon Purge Acceleration
Release Date: Sept 21, 2025
Label: SelfRelease
Genre: Instrumental Metal
Location of Band: Charlottesville, VA

Track Listing:
1. Earth Was Boring – 4:21
2. Escape the Reality Room – 3:47
3. Heavy Droids – 4:09
4. Flight Of The Navigator – 3:39
5. John Hughes Didn’t Direct My Life – 5:19
6. The Death of Synthetic Curation – 5:05
Album Length: 26:20

Album Recording Credits:
• All songs performed by: Silas Fernandes
• All songs written by: Silas Fernandes
• Produced by: Silas Fernandes
• Mixed by: Silas Fernandes
• Mastered by: Adair Daufembach
• Album Artwork by: Jukka Nieminen from Grandio design.

Album Band Line Up:
Silas Fernandes: Guitars, bass, programming of drums, Production, Mix

 

Live Band Line Up:
Silas Fernandes – Guitars
Raphael Arruda – Drums
Nikolai Ck – Bass

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

About The Album Artwork:

It’s a digital/ divine being worshiped by people who didn’t realize this creature is destroying everyone.

About the album as a whole:

Musically, the album is a palette of aggressive to sweet and pensive music.

Track by Track:

1. Earth was Boring: Heavy and aggressive song that mixes modern metal with some metalcore vibes, ending with a melodic shred solo.

2. Escape the Reality Room: Alternate thrashy modern metal riffs with calm and melodic moments a la Joe Satriani.

3. John Hughes Didn’t Direct my Life: This one is super 80s vibe, with lots of melodic ideas, like a mixture of Steve Vai and Joe Satriani.

4. Flight of the Navigator: It’s an intense and fast prog metal with harmonically fusion ideas mixed with aggressive and melodic solos and ending with weird tempo signatures.

5. Heavy Droids: It is a 7/4 prog metal with melodic slow tempo moments.

6. The Death of Synthetic Curation: This is an ethereal song played just with one guitar, interacting beautifully with some special ambient effects.

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

BAND STORY ANGLES / FUN FACTS:

1. Before social media, I released an instructional video about licks and riffs on VHS. In the video, I told the audience that I have a broken pinky finger on my left hand. After that, “fake news” was spread that I didn’t have the pinky finger on my left hand.

2. At the beginning of the song “The demon called algorithm”, from the album “Improve”, there is a choir of Buddhist monks vocalizing on a very low tone, which matches the tonality of the song.

3. The voice of the robot on “Heavy Droids” and “Earth was Boring” was sampled from “Fulgor”, a character from the game “Killer Instinct”, and reversed to produce a distinct tone.

4. My first album, “Silas Fernandes” from 1995, was recorded at a studio that belongs to a corny Christian record label. The owner, who was my dad’s friend, allowed me to use the studio for free in the middle of the night. I just had to pay for the sound engineer.

5. In addition to being a guitarist, a music producer, content creator, I am the owner of Electric Eye Audio, a company that makes guitar pedals and digital files for metal guitar.

Photo Credit – Marisa Terra Fernandes

Silas Fernandes began in music as a teenager, playing in the heavy metal band of the legendary “metal” scene in the ABC region in São Paulo (Brazil) in a band named Esfinge, along with Andreas Kisser, who would later become the guitarist for Sepultura.

During his 35-year career, Silas had the opportunity to develop his skills through various opportunities, which included positions as a guitar instructor at IG&T (Guitar Institute of Technology Brazil), producer, business consultant, and finally, as a guitarist who has worked with many names on the Brazilian Music business, including your solo career with more than 5 releases already.

He began his solo career, releasing instructional videos and teaching, in addition to playing with several different bands and artists as a  hired gun

As a producer, Silas always kept up to date concerning the styles of bands and tricks involving music production by working as a “guitar tech” for renowned artists in Brazil as well he writing The Book “Set Up” and later becoming a course in EM&T (School of music and technology).

He kept his solo career in workshops and clinics throughout Brazil, parallel to his work as a music producer and guitar instructor.

In 2014,  he started his own YouTube channel, which shows another characteristic of Silas Fernandes: a humorous, relaxed, and most importantly, an expert in technological content related to electric guitar equipment and music production tips.

In 2015, Silas moved to Virginia in the US, where he delivers his own successful YouTube show called Rig on Fire every Thursday.

In 2020 started an English version of his Rig on Fire Show on a new channel on Youtube.

Now sponsored by  EMG pickups, Solar guitars, Black Smith strings, and Electric Eye Audio.

In July of 2024 Solar guitars team up with him to release his first Signature Model the A1.6 Silas Canibalismo!

​He just released, his new solo album, it was released in September 2025  CARBON PURGE ACCELERATION!

Released Albums:
2025 – Carbon Purge Acceleration – EP
2018 – Improve – EP
2013 – Must Be the Wrong Year – LP
2011 – Live for Real – DVD
1999 – No Apologies – LP
1995 – Silas Fernandes – LP

0 EPK – Insect Inside – Reborn in Blight – Gore House Productions

  • December 3, 2025
  • by Asher
  • · EPKs · Insect Inside (Gore House Productions)

EPK – Insect Inside – Reborn in Blight – Gore House Productions

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

“We’re excited to bring our music fans a new album packed with groove and rich atmosphere. It evokes a dark, moody vibe with an intense, aggressive energy, perfect for hitting the gym or getting into fight mode.” – Insect Inside

For fans of Relics Of Humanity, Internal Bleeding, Stabbing, Devourment, Disfigurement Of Flesh

Band: Insect Inside
Album Title: Reborn In Blight
Release Date: March 6, 2026
Label: Gore Hose Productions

https://gorehouseproductions.com | https://www.facebook.com/insectinsideslam | https://www.instagram.com/insect_inside | https://vk.com/insectinside | https://www.youtube.com/@InsectInsideBrutality

Digital / Physical Album – https://orcd.co/reborn-in-blight

“If you like your death metal rough, tough and inspirational enough to make you want to go out and punch cops, and you’re a fan of Devourment, Internal Bleeding, Cryptopsy, Stabbing and Defeated Sanity (whose Josh Welshman makes a guest appearance) why not take the below stream of the album for a whirl? ” – Decibel Magazine (Album Stream Premiere)

“If you want something that’s just as bludgeoning and over-the-top brutal as the next death metal band, but keeps it more memorable while doing so, Insect Inside are quite worthy of your time. Reborn in Blight delivers all the hallmarks you seek, while giving you just a bit more in return – be it melody, technicality, or sheer darkness.” – Dead Rhetoric

“bangers like ‘Parasite Messiah’, ‘Abhorrent Landscape’ or ‘Putrid Lament’ are packed with sick riffs and sledgehammer breaks, and the head will uncontrollably crash against the wall until it turns to bloody pulp. A must-have for fans of slam and brutal death metal with barbs and a few sharp edges removed!” – Musika

“Without expecting poetry or any kind of delicacy, I must admit that I was really expecting better! Although showing rather obvious technical skill, this Insect Inside album cruelly lacks rhythmic hooks and truly committed slam parts. With songs rarely exceeding three minutes, bringing a bit of ‘groove’ is a challenge, I am fully aware of that, but moving away from the repetition of clichéd and overused patterns remains a minimum.” – Metallian

“The new track, “Fragments,” arrives as the band’s most concise and chaotic offering yet, an explosive preview of the raw, atmospheric brutality that defines the album.” – Acta Infernalis

“Insect Inside knows a lot about violence, and the group came back to show us on Reborn in Blight, a fairly complex album to understand between Brutal Death and Prog touches, but which has its devastating moments as we like them.” – Acta Infernalis

“On Reborn In Blight (March 6th), the Eastern European collective Insect Inside delivers a parasitic takeover of the senses. Moving away from the polished production of their earlier work, the band settles into a rawer and more visceral sound that mirrors their lyrical obsession with an insectoid uprising. It is a record that functions as a dark symbiosis by balancing the physical weight of slam with the cold and suffocating atmosphere of brutal death metal… Reborn In Blight is a record that starts in the soil and ends with the complete and grotesque domination of the swarm.” – Amplify The Noise

“In a world of –ments, –itys, and –ectomys, Insect Inside have taken the bold step of using words known outside medical journals for both band name and album title; you may feel this bodes ill for the quality of slams to come, but don’t hurt yourself rubbing those 2 neurons together, honey the preview tracks from Reborn in Blight will quickly burrow in and hollow out all doubt. From the protuberant basslines of “Fragments” to the heartworming duet between Ivan Tyulkin and guest vocalist Josh Welshman (Defeated Sanity) in “Hiveborn Abomination,” the band has a knack for creating standout moments within a genre not typically known for memorability. Make sure to check out the rest on Friday for some good, blight-hearted fun! -Roldy” – Toilet Ov Hell

“We liked it and turned the volume knob, even before we heard the first note, al flink upwards. Opener ‘Echoes Of The Swallowed Sinners’ was an immediate hit. It’s a nicely constructed, brutal death metal song that doesn’t immediately pull everything out of the box, but tries to avoid the well-trodden paths and attempts to embark on an adventurous journey. Our attention was sharp. Even the subsequent mid-tempo ‘Abhorrent Landscape’ manages to knead mixed tempos into an interesting piece. That’s where the oft-hooked drumwork and vocalist Ivan Tyulkin’s super-brutal grunt really stand out. The volume knob is still high. For the first time, ‘Fragments’ pulls open all the registers and shows what these Russians have in place technically. However, they choose not to let that technique get in the way of the compositions and that is strong. For example, ‘Obscuration Worship’ is a lovely and atypical intermezzo that transitions smoothly into the grooving riff of ‘Carnal Ruins’. The ‘slam’ in brute death metal finally proves to be the primary element on the second album of this inventive quartet. After the extinction of the last note of the title number-but we notice that the volume is still set unreduced and we must come to the conclusion that this record with strong compositions within this otherwise close genre knows how to hold our attention all the time. 8/10” – Rock Tribune

“No tracks on this release get old, or overstay their welcome, many of the songs are reasonably short and honestly, before you know it the album is finished. This is a testament to the quality of the song writing; Insect Inside establishes an atmosphere and pulverizes your skull, but the album as a whole develops and changes track-to-track enough to fully capture the listener’s attention. This is really showcased in the final track which closes out with the most moody and melodic section of the whole release which, to me, is reminiscent of brutal death metal heavy hitters Pathology.

Each track off Reborn in Blight offers crushing groovy riffs, which are so essential to creating a memorable brutal death release. The mix of the album as a whole exhibits each instrument clearly while keeping a modern brutal sound. I want to especially mention the bass which is placed clearly audible in the mix and often shines through in passages, purposefully capturing the listeners attention. The effect of this is what I have tried to explain above: that this release captures the diverse sounds of brutal music and maintains a listener’s interest throughout.

From the opening of the album to the final faded-out note, this album felt like a complete story. I highly recommend this upcoming release and will be digging back through their previous work myself. Off for now to praise the insectoid overlords, Metal Cult 666″ – Heavy Magazine”

“A visceral and raw album that keeps punching has just been released by Insect Inside. It’s intense and might be exactly what you are looking for. The first track has this slow almost menacing build but from then you keep getting hit by the heavy and aggressive tone that persists through out the rest of the album. Now sure, this might not be everyone’s cup of tea, lets be honest here this kind of music can be a bit too much, but I love this stuff. I won’t lie I did have to look at the lyrics to know what was being said but the vocal tone is nuts. Setup you speakers well and put this on full volume, because this is expertly well done but on the bands side and the production as well, it is crisp. Now I know I say this a lot, but this one really should be given a go, because everyone in this band is very and I mean very talented. Its a certified Max recommendation. 8.5/10” – Overtone Magazine

“Insect Inside release REBORN IN BLIGHT on 26 March. This is ‘Carnal Ruins,’ a dark, bleak and discordant piece of slam where the guitars grind low and menacing, the drums bring relentless, driving beats and the vocals have crawled from the festering bowls of some kind of hellspawn. Nice!” – Loud Enough Magazine

“If the downfall of humaity and rise of insect kind comes to pass, you can bet the oppressive, suffocating swarm will sound like this record. It isn’t often you find a brutal death metal record, laden with slam, that has such an atmospheric strength to it, but ‘Reborn in Blight’ hits the mark just right and really makes it stand out amongst its peers. Insect Inside are doing the great work, giving a sometimes stale and repetitive genre new life and evolution, and I love it. ‘Reborn in Blight’ is a record that you’ve got to seek out if you are in the mood for something disgustingly heavy.” The Killchain Blog

“The production on Reborn in Blight has this raw, visceral grit that feels like it’s physically eroding your eardrums. I was actually just settling in for the evening when “Fragments” came on, and within twenty seconds, I’d forgotten all about my plans. The chaotic, atmospheric intensity of that track is so thick you could practically cut it with a rusted blade… If you’re a fan of Disentomb, Devourment, or the raw precision of Internal Bleeding, this is a mandatory listen for 2026. The insectoid domination hasn’t just begun; it’s already winning. No joke.” – Papy Jeff Metal

“This Brutal Death Metal brigade will crush you with their sophomore album, continuing their apocalyptic storytelling, chronicling humanity’s downfall and the rise of the insectoid race.” The Headbanging Moose

“Another good album from the band. While the Dying Fetus element is still there, I’d almost say this has more in common with Broken Hope’s first album, done with modern production of course, and just a touch of modern Gorguts. I feel the vocals have gone even deeper than before, and mix wise we have a really powerful sound, with more treble this time without sacrificing the big bass. Nice step up. Best song is ‘Flesh Catherdal’, it has a nice groovy opening riff with some nice mid-fast double bass. Good solid album!” – Soul Killer Webzine

“The band’s chemistry is undeniable. This is not refinement for accessibility’s sake — it’s refinement for maximum impact.” – Metal Rager 6666

“Insect Inside relies on unpredictability to elevate beyond the brutal stereotype. Shifting tempos, groovy rhythms, technical leads, pinch harmonics, and flashes of dissonance keep its grinding slams and beatdown sections from growing too stagnant… Insect Inside’s The First Shining of New Genus offers concussive slam that will get you buzzing.” – Angry Metal Guy

“A surprisingly level of hookiness invades Insect Inside, while they still deliver on all of the body-crippling violence you would expect from such an act. The First Shining of New Genus is a release that you can groove along with in addition to getting your daily dose of utter brutality.” – Dead Rhetoric

Band: Insect Inside
Album Title: Reborn In Blight
Release Date: March 6, 2026
Label: Gore Hose Productions

Track Listing:
1. Echoes Of The Swallowed Sinners – 3:31
2. Abhorrent Landscape (feat. Cephalotripsy) – 2:54
3. Fragments – 2:18
4. Putrid Lament – 3:35
5. Hiveborn Abomination (feat. Defeated Sanity) – 2:51
6. Flesh Cathedral – 3:00
7. Obscuration Worship – 1:20
8. Carnal Ruins – 2:45
9. Parasite Messiah (feat. Pestilectomy) – 3:29
10. Reborn In Blight – 5:22
Album Length:

Album Credits:
• All songs performed by: Insect Inside
• All songs written by: Insect Inside
• Produced by: Insect Inside
• Mixed by: TsunTsun Productions
• Mastered by: TsunTsun Productions
• Album Artwork by: John Zig

Album and Live Band Line Up:
Daniel Sementsov – Drums
Bogdan Pisavnin – Bass
Pavel Pleshkov – Guitar
Ivan Tyulkin – Vocals

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About The Album Artwork:

Gloomy and disgusting

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

In this album, we managed to create a symbiosis of groove-based slamming and dark brutal death metal. The lyrics are about the domination of the insectoid race

Track by Track (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY):

1. Echoes of the swallowed sinners
Most darkest song on the album. Lyrically, it is a look into the abyss of the human world’s disfigured souls.

2. Abhorrent Landscape
One of the upcoming singles from this LP and one of the best songs. Guttural maestro Mr. Ochoa from Cephalotripsy added slam weight to this track.

3. Fragments
Short song, but it’s for the better. Here we organically fit everything we like in death metal, chaos, groove, and sinister atmosphere.

4. Putrid Lament
Nothing extra, but really god damn slam song

5. Hiveborn Abomination
The most striking songs from the album. Killing part of Mr. Welshman makes this track even more valuable and unique.

6. Flesh Cathedral
One of the slowed songs on this album, more slam grooves, less blastbeats

7. Obscuration Worship
The first track we wrote for this album. It set the mood of overwhelming darkness and heaviness for the entire next release

8. Carnal Ruins
The main brawler of this album, hardcore groove, blastbeats, and nothing extra

9. Parasite Messiah
The single we released two years ago has been slightly revised and elevated to an absolute.

10. Reborn In Blight
Final song on this monolith. There we are, trying to play with groovy classic, speed, and guitar solo for the first time, by the way. In this track, you will find everything you love in death metal.

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Emerging from the depths of the Eastern European death metal underground, Insect Inside was born out of a shared obsession with slamming brutality and the raw energy of the local scene. What began as casual jam sessions and cover experiments quickly evolved into a full-fledged sonic assault. Fueled by a desire to carve their own path in the brutal death metal realm, the band forged their identity with a sound that’s unapologetically tight and aggressive.

Their upcoming second full-length album, Reborn in Blight, drops January 2026 via Gore House Productions, marking their return with a vengeance. This release is a grotesque symbiosis of groove-heavy slam and dark, atmospheric brutality. From the guttural depths of “Abhorrent Landscape” featuring Mr. Ochoa of Cephalotripsy, to the chaotic precision of “Fragments,” the album delivers a listening experience drenched in gloom and aggression, perfect for gym warriors or those ready to throw down in the pit.

Lyrically, Insect Inside crafts short, apocalyptic tales of humanity’s demise and the rise of the insectoid race. The band’s writing process is a collaborative ritual: members live in different cities, composing riffs and ideas remotely before refining them together. Daniel leads the songwriting charge, with Ivan and Daniel penning most of the lyrics, often shaped by the mood and atmosphere of the music itself.

The lineup boasts a roster of seasoned scene veterans:

  • Bogdan (bass) – Cold Blooded Murder, Traumatomy
  • Pavel (guitar) – Ocean In My Bath
  • Daniel (vocals) – Nauseating, Morphogenetic Malformation, светлеет
  • Ivan (drums) – Nauseating

Live, Insect Inside is a force of nature. Expect relentless mosh pits, slams, and headbanging, sometimes even fans in dinosaur costumes. Their shows are as chaotic and primal as their music.

Influenced by titans like Ulcerate, Relics Of Humanity, Cryptopsy, Defeated Sanity, and Vulvectomy, Insect Inside draws from brutal death metal and black metal to craft their evolving sound. Over time, they’ve shifted from a polished, “plastic” production to a rawer, more visceral tone that better reflects their lyrical themes and sonic violence.

The album artwork for Reborn in Blight is as grotesque as the music itself, gloomy, disgusting, and perfectly suited to the band’s apocalyptic vision. With tracks like “Echoes of the Swallowed Sinners,” “Hiveborn Abomination,” and the title track “Reborn in Blight,” fans can expect a relentless barrage of slam, blastbeats, and suffocating atmosphere.

And this is just the beginning. With more material already brewing, Insect Inside promises to keep the brutality coming in the years ahead.

 

Discography:
2017 – Intracranial Infection – Single (RUMF Productions)
2019 – For The Glory Of Swarm – Promo (Disfigured Productions)
2021 – The First Shining Of New Genus – LP (Gore House Productions)
2022 – Into Impending Apotheosis – EP (Gore House Productions)
2023 – Parasite Messiah – Single
2026 – Reborn in Blight – LP (Gore House Productions)

Shared Stage with: Traumatomy, Cephalic Impurity, Nauseating, Cold Blooded Murder, 7.H.Target, Ocean In My Bath

0 EPK – Gravewitch – Self-Titled (2025) (Rock Sun Records)

  • December 2, 2025
  • by Asher
  • · EPKs · Gravewitch

EPK – Gravewitch – Self-Titled (2025) (Rock Sun Records)

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

“I believe our fans will really enjoy this album. It is our first professional recordings where you are able to really hear the sound we are trying to convey to the listeners. Every song is a little different than the last and we feel it showcases our sound very well.” (Chris Fleming, Guitar/Vocals)

For fans of Kreator, Dark Funeral, Amon Amarth, Uada, Skeletonwitch

Band: Gravewitch
Album Title: Gravewitch
Release Date: June 18, 2025
Label: Rock Sun Records
Distribution: Virgin Music Group’s Distribution
Genre: Extreme Metal (Thrash/Black/Death/Melodic Death Metal)
Location: Bend, Oregon, USA

Facebook.com/gravewitch | Instagram.com/gravewitchofficial | Youtube.com/@Gravewitch | Concerts & Live Tour Dates – Bandsintown

Gravewitchofficial.bandcamp.com | Spotify | Apple Music

“Turn the ignition on this song (Mistress of Hate) and it will rev up your engine into the red zone damned fast, with drums and bass pumping like high-octane pistons, the guitars going fiery and wild, and the vocals gnashing at your throat.” – No Clean Singing 

“Speed and savagery are Gravewitch’s calling cards, with a plethora of sawing guitars and unholy rasping vocals. The combo of thrash riffing and tremolo picking works well and the haunted singing completes the atmosphere of a hellish mosh pit… it will still leave you bruised and battered.” – The Metal Crypt

“Gravewitch have been active for over a decade, and this self-titled second album follows the strong debut The Summoning (2020). The good news is that the Oregon band no longer limits itself to a blackened thrash frenzy, but has enriched its sound with punchy melodies, voracious vocals, and tight percussion, all in a style akin to that of Skeletonwitch. While maintaining a marked raw edge, especially in guitarist Chris Fleming’s sharp growls, the album still showcases a modern sheen; the band does not hide its influences from Aura Noir, Nekromantheon, and Witchery, but deliberately eschews their more primal fury. The grim opening track Damnable Evil outlines a sort of polished blackened thrash that never reaches berserk mode, instead evoking a smooth and groovy sound, neatly sharpened by impeccable production. The songs are well-constructed, concise, and catchy: diabolical riffs slide harmoniously into sharper breakdowns, capable of piercing flesh without breaking bones. In any case, this is not harmless music: there’s plenty of bite in the wicked and mocking Mistress Of Hate, as well as in the death-tinged nuances of the album’s standout track White City Devil, which sounds decidedly sinister, just like the entire work. 8/10″ – Rock Hard Italy

“GRAVEWITCH can deliver some strong metal tunes. I liked the thrash influenced straightforward attack of “Ritual Reanimation” and “Systematic Fallout”, both of which really rage. “Atmospheric Alterations” has a cool kind of black metal melodicism that sticks in the head, a characteristic amplified on “Woodland Trance”. ” – Wormwood Chronicles

“Gravewitch do deliver on every song. Andrew and Chris are master musicians that know to create something special. Thumbs up from me. Do check out the duo and take a listen to the album.” – Project Metal Music

“There’s a lot to savour here as Gravewitch inserts flecks of death and thrash into their already potent formula. I’ve given this album quite a few spins now and I recommend you do too.” – Neil Arnold / Metal Forces Magazine

“A blood-soaked gore-fest, of intense proportions; ‘Gravewitch’ does just as expected; fulfilling its purpose. Brilliant technical precision’s where this is at, though structurally and tonally, it’s not that different to most others in the same genre. So mainly, it just needs to introduce some variation and original signature touches, to add to the already highly skilled craftsmanship. Melodically, there’s room for growth, but all in all, an effective album, with a lot of well showcased musicianship. 9/10” – Rock Queen Reviews

Band: Gravewitch
Album Title: Gravewitch
Release Date: June 18, 2025
Label: Rock Sun Records
Distribution: Virgin Music Group’s Distribution
Genre: Extreme Metal (Thrash/Black/Death/Melodic Death Metal)
Location: Bend, Oregon, USA

Track Listing:
1. Damnable Evil (4:24)
2. Phantasm (4:21)
3. Mistress of Hate (4:13)
4. Ritual Reanimation (4:35)
5. Atmospheric Alterations (4:31)
6. White City Devil (4:00)
7. Woodland Trance (5:09)
8. Systematic Fallout (4:21)
9. Operation Overlord (5:27)
10. The Once Sacred Gift of Life (3:32)
Album Length: 44:38

Album Credits:
All songs performed by: Chris Fleming & Andrew Ingraham
All songs written by: Chris Fleming & Andrew Ingraham
Produced by: Johnny Davis
Mixed by: Johnny Davis
Mastered by: Jay Maas
Artwork by: Agustinsane Iryanto

Band Lineup:
Chris Fleming: Guitar/Vocals/Bass
Andrew Ingraham: Drums

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About The Album Artwork (explained by Chris Fleming, Guitar/Vocals):

We decided to make this a self-titled album. We did this because each of the 10 tracks represents something completely different then each other. We thought it made sense to make this our self-titled album, showcasing how our sound is evolving for future works. With that being said, we decided to go with a witch on the front album cover to go along with the band’s name. As well as a representation of our first album’s (The Summoning) front cover artwork. (Chris Fleming, Guitar/Vocals)

About The Album as a Whole (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY) (explained by Chris Fleming, Guitar/Vocals):

Despite being written in E Standard, this album is very heavy. The heaviness of this album hits you differently than the traditional Black/Thrash Metal album. It particularly shows the listener how we fuse together different sub-genres of Extreme Metal in each song differently throughout the album. The lyrical themes are all different from each other. I feel that this release shows we are diverse songwriters, and we feel that it shows that we are diverse in what we write our music about. (Chris Fleming, Guitar/Vocals)

Track By Track (explained by Chris Fleming, Guitar/Vocals):

1. Damnable Evil:
Lyrically, this song is about old insane asylums that used to operate in the early 1900s. This song describes what it might have been like inside one of these institutions as a person who was admitted. It describes the different ways people were treated and how they were so-called “cured” for their ailments. Musically, this song is a little different. It still has the elements of Thrash Metal and Black Metal, but it also has a little more groove than most of the songs on the album. I feel the instrumentation captures what the lyrics are explaining very well.

2. Phantasm:
Lyrically, this song describes what it would be like to have sleep paralysis or a sleep demon. This song comes from actual first-hand experience I have had in the past. It describes what it is like to be stuck and not be able to wake yourself, even though you know you’re dreaming or having a nightmare. Musically, this song has many different riffs and parts that flow together very well, but can also almost feel chaotic. This is because I wanted the listener to have a feeling of dread and darkness when listening to this song, and how it correlates with the lyrics.

3. Mistress of Hate:
Lyrically, this song is about a witch being hunted and what happens to them after they have been indicted for their crimes. It describes many ways witches would be sentenced to death, such as hanging or burning at the stake. Musically, this song encapsulates the way that we mix many metal subgenres together. It starts off fast and thrashy, then turns melodic and into our own form of black metal, all while giving the listener a good listening experience despite the genre changes mid-song.

4. Ritual Reanimation:
Lyrically, this song is about the art of Necromancy. It is about raising an undead army to destroy the human race. Musically, this song is a little more simplistic, sticking to a more Melodic Thrash Metal style. With a few changes and the intro, we felt this one could be more simplistic and a straightforward moshing song.

5. Atmospheric Alterations:
Lyrically, this song describes how the seasons change on Earth from winter to spring to summer to fall. It has more of a natural and atmospheric perspective compared to the other songs on the album. Musically, this song is pretty different. Starting with a very heavy melodic intro, it turns into a droning Cascadian black metal piece that takes you on a journey of the seasons changing on earth.

6. White City Devil:
Lyrically, this song is about the infamous serial killer H.H. Holmes and his murder castle located in Chicago, (White City), Illinois. This song is from the perspective of someone who has been lured to the infamous hotel and trapped by the sadistic Holmes. The song’s lyrics go through to describe some of the things and ways Holmes would keep his victims trapped in the hotel and how he would go about murdering them. Musically, this song is still very melodic, but I also feel it has a little more death metal elements than some of the other songs on the album. I feel like the song structure sums up the lyrical context very well. (Chris Fleming, Guitar/Vocals)

7. Woodland Trance:
Lyrically, this song is about the many different supernatural and haunted forests all around the world. It takes the listener on an adventure of grief and darkness just like how these locations would make you feel if you were actually there. These forests would give people very negative thoughts, and many turned to suicide because of how heavy the presence of darkness is. Musically, this song takes on a more Cascadian Black metal sound but is still very melodic. The song starts with a clean intro that captivates the listener and then takes them on a journey, or on a Woodland Trance. It then breaks up with a faster melodic/thrashy bridge. After the bridge, the song revisits the clean guitar intro, followed by the main riff & then the outro. (Chris Fleming, Guitar/Vocals)

8. Systematic Fallout:
Lyrically, this song is about what could or would happen during a nuclear war. It describes some of the things you might hear or feel during such a trying time. Musically, with this song, we decided to keep it straight thrash metal just for the sake of what the song is about. It also features the very first guitar solo ever recorded for a Gravewitch song. (Chris Fleming, Guitar/Vocals)

9. Operation Overlord:
Lyrically, this song is about war, specifically World War II and Operation D-Day. The song describes what it would be like, in my own words and thoughts, to be a part of such a massive battle. It is from the perspective of a soldier who had left the U-boats to go and fight on foot on the shore. The name Operation Overlord comes from the secret name of the mission for D-Day. Musically, this song is very fast and intense. It is written to make you feel like you are on the battlefield and are experiencing what these soldiers felt while being a part of this historic battle. This track is melodic, as well as heavy, and has a clean intro that, after listening to it, will make you want to hear the rest of the song. (Chris Fleming, Guitar/Vocals)

10. The Once Sacred Gift of Life:
Lyrically, this song is about human life and how suddenly it can disappear. Focusing on grief from losing someone and suicide, it has a very ominous, dark feeling. Musically, this song is more on the melodic black metal side. This is the very first song Andrew and I ever wrote as Gravewitch. It has appeared in many live performances and was on one of the very first demos we ever recorded. This is the song that sparked what we are as Gravewitch today.

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Stories/Fun Facts:

1. Our self-titled album’s producer, Johnny Davis, owns one of Bend, Oregon’s best live music bars called “The Volcanic Theatre And Pub”, & he owns his own recording studio. (1988 Recording Studio)

2. Our drummer Andrew’s father, Jeff Ingraham, played drums for Country Music legends: Merle Haggard, Kris Kristofferson, & Marty Stewart. His father, Jeff, currently records drums & tours with Merle Haggard’s son Benny Haggard.

3. Andrew & Chris first met at La Pine, Oregon’s elementary school when they were in 2nd grade. They’ve been best friends ever since, & they’ve been playing music together since they were in 6th grade. They formed Gravewitch when they were 16 & 17 years old, when they were Sophomores in high school. They’ve been going on with the same band, same name, ever since then. Andrew & Chris are now 28 & 29 years old.

4. Chris got his start in music from his grandparents in Ohio, who were Bluegrass musicians. His grandpa, Ron Lay, played the fiddle & his grandma, Donna Lay, played the upright bass. His grandma had the opportunity to open for Alison Krause back in the day & his grandpa ran sound & lights for the entire tour package. Chris is completely self-taught at guitar & Extreme Metal vocals. Never received a lesson in his entire life for guitar or Metal vocals. Andrew & Chris were in a choir class in Middle School, but they didn’t teach them anything about Extreme Metal vocals. Chris learned guitar by listening to his favourite bands and learning how to read & play guitar tabs online. YouTube videos were key for him.

5. Andrew got his start very early in life at 5 years old from his father, Jeff Ingraham. He was never pressured to learn from his father; he naturally developed an interest & love to play on his own terms. His father only introduced him to drumming & only taught him the basic rock beat & a couple of other key drum elements/rudiments. Other than that, Andrew is a completely self-taught drummer. He learned by continuously listening to his favorite bands and mimicking the drummer’s playing. Once Andrew fell in a deep love with drumming, his father gifted him his Renown Maple Golden Gretsch drum kit, along with buying Andrew his first double kick pedal set.

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Bend, Oregon — 2013. Chris Fleming and Andrew Ingraham first raised the banners of Gravewitch in the heart of Oregon’s shadowed high desert; the world of blackened thrash metal wasn’t exactly waiting for them, but it should’ve been. Their unholy alliance would go on to carve a jagged path through a decade of turmoil, triumph, and relentless performance, delivering a brutal fusion of thrash, black, death, and melodic metal that strikes with the fury of an avalanche and the cold precision of a blade through bone.

From the very beginning, Gravewitch, born as a two-piece with Fleming on guitar/vocals and Ingraham on drums, laid the foundation for something far darker than their humble beginnings suggested. Their sound, a storm of buzzing riffs, blast beats, and unyielding growls, evolved with each release and performance, folding in elements from legends like Kreator, Testament, Amon Amarth, Emperor, and Vader. The chemistry between the founding duo is undeniable.

The music, like the band itself, is unrelenting, a blend of old-school thrash’s speed and aggression, black metal’s cold, atmospheric darkness, and the weight of death metal’s hammer. Fleming’s lyrics are just as aggressive, each track an exploration of battle, rebellion, and darkness, all delivered with a razor-sharp edge. “Circle of Power,” their anthemic fan favorite, serves as a testament to their unyielding spirit, always present in their setlists, a grim declaration of their musical fire.

A Decade of Relentless Grind

Gravewitch’s rise through the ranks of the Pacific Northwest’s underground metal scene has been marked by a slew of impressive performances and accomplishments. Local press documented the band’s early days, and by 2015, they were carving their name into the region’s live music circuit, sharing stages with heavyweights like Lord Dying, Castle, Inanimate Existence, and Nervosa.

But their story doesn’t stop there. Gravewitch has long been a fixture on the road, expanding its reach with every tour. In 2017, they booked their own West Coast tour, hitting California, Arizona, & circling back through Southern California, through Northern California, & into Oregon. Later in 2017, they embarked on a much larger tour supporting Voltumna, a blackened death metal band from Italy, on the “Itinere Inferi West Coast Tour.” Their unrelenting performances took them across a wide swath of the U.S, carving a permanent mark in the underground metal scene.

On the Rise

Gravewitch’s first EP, Soul Reaper, released in 2015, was the spark that set it all off, laying the foundation for their towering presence in the scene. Their debut full-length, The Summoning (2020), marked a defining moment in their sound, blending the harsh precision of black metal with the thundering force of thrash. Tracks like “Circle of Power” became staples of their live shows, songs that encapsulate the very soul of Gravewitch: fast, dark, melodic, and utterly crushing.

Through the years, they’ve stood tall alongside legendary acts, opening for the likes of Warbringer, Flotsam and Jetsam, and Goatwhore. Their performances are nothing short of ferocious, a raw assault on the senses that leaves crowds battered, bruised, and begging for more. Whether playing in packed venues like The Domino Room or under the stars at The Capitol in Bend, they know no other way but to play with the intensity of a band determined to rise above.

Unyielding and Uncompromising

Even so, the band’s journey has always been defined by their refusal to conform. Never signing with a major label, Gravewitch has remained fiercely independent, upholding complete creative control over their music. From the start, they’ve chosen the DIY path, with Chris Fleming handling the bulk of the instrumentation on their releases, ensuring that every riff, every growl, and every pounding drumbeat aligns with their unrelenting vision. This independence has been the bedrock of their identity, allowing them to remain true to their sound and uncompromising in their approach.

Their self-titled second full-length album, Gravewitch (released June 18, 2025), is the band’s most ambitious record yet, one that will no doubt expand on their unique fusion of blackened thrash with all the melodic and guttural elements fans have come to expect. 

Gravewitch—A Legacy Carved in Steel

 Gravewitch’s story is far from over, and their legacy continues to grow with every show, every album, and every fan that sings their dark hymns. For a band that began in the isolation of Bend, Oregon, their music has spread far and wide, building a cult following that grows with each passing year. Gravewitch is the unrelenting storm, the shadow that haunts the edges of the Pacific Northwest, and a band that demands to be heard—whether you want to or not.

The circle of power is just beginning to take shape.

Influences:

Kreator, Testament, Children of Bodom, Amon Amarth, Dark Funeral, Skeletonwitch, Wolves in the Throne Room, Uada, Emperor, Vader, Cannibal Corpse, Iron Maiden, Toxic Holocaust, Goatwhore, Sodom, Destruction, Slayer

Discography:

  • Soul Reaper EP (2015)
  • Forgotten Demo (2018)
  • The Summoning (2020)
  • Gravewitch (2025)

Notable Performances:

  • 2014 With: Lord Dying and Castle
  • 2015 With: Skull Fist, Inanimate Existence, Arsis, Chelsea Grin, From Hell, and Battlecross
  • 2016 With: Nervosa, Act of Defiance, Skinned, Castle, Beyond Creation, Rivers of Nihil, The Zenith Passage, and Inanimate Existence
  • 2017 With: Condemned, Inanimate Existence, Voltumna, Archspire, Narcotic Wasteland, Reaping Asmodeia, Warbringer, and Exmortus
  • 2018 With: Putrid Pile, Arsis, Inanimate Existence, Uada, Wormwitch, Exhumed, Pyrexia, and Internal Bleeding
  • 2019 With: Aenimus, Interloper, Wolfheart, and Exmortus
  • 2023 With: Uada, Hemlock, and Green Jelly
  • 2024 With: Crypta, Narcotic Wasteland, Flotsam & Jetsam, Goatwhore, and Vitriol

With Gravewitch, the infernal fire is never extinguished—only growing hotter with each passing year. The music, the spirit, and the devotion remain the same: thrash hard, blacken the sky, and never look back.

Shared Stage with:

● 2014 With: Lord Dying and Castle
● 2015 With: Skull Fist, Inanimate Existence, Arsis, Chelsea Grin, From Hell, and Battlecross
● 2016 With: Nervosa, Act of Defiance, Skinned, Castle, Beyond Creation, Rivers of Nihil, The Zenith Passage, and Inanimate Existence
● 2017 With: Condemned, Inanimate Existence, Voltumna, Archspire, Narcotic Wasteland, Reaping Asmodeia, Warbringer, and Exmortus
● 2018 With: Putrid Pile, Arsis, Inanimate Existence, Uada, Wormwitch, Exhumed, Pyrexia, and Internal Bleeding
● 2019 With: Aenimus, Interloper, Wolfheart, and Exmortus
● 2023 With: Uada, Hemlock, and Green Jelly
● 2024 With: Crypta, Narcotic Wasteland, Flotsam & Jetsam, Goatwhore, and Vitriol

Tours:
(Solo, most successful tour we’ve ever done so far.) The Circle of Ashes Tour 2025:
9/4/25 With: Vesseles, Bezalial, & Tehmodhjin @ Toot’s Tavern, Crockett, CA.
9/6/25 With: Shadow of the Elk, Gorefetish, & Plague of Malice @ Maker Radio, Chico, CA.
9/7/25 With: Rival Cults, & Berk And the Jerx @ Savage Henry Comedy Club, Eureka, CA.
9/8/25 With: HEMLOCK, Crown of Thorns, & Pitch Black Mass @ The Rosebud Theatre, Roseburg, OR.
9/9/25 With: Achromic & Neon Chrome @ Rockafairy, Medford, OR.
9/10/25 With: HEMLOCK & Damage Overdose @ Silver Moon Brewing, Bend, OR.
9/11/25 With: Pitch Black Mass @ Radness Ensues, Keizer, OR.
9/12/25 With: Paralicyst & Cryptic Divination @ John Henry’s, Eugene, OR.
9/13/25 With: Maggot Sorcerer, Atomic Terror, & Deathnut @ The Hawthorne Hideaway, Portland, OR.
9/14/25 With: Gouged, & City of Reign @ Wild Child, Olympia, WA.
(With support from Salt Lake City, Utah Thrashers Alghoul.) Spring West Coast

Tour 2023:
5/17/23 With: Alghoul, Thy Farewell, When The Broken Burn, In Your Grave, Darkmysticwoods, & Neon Chrome @ Johnny B’s, Medford, OR.
5/18/23 With: Alghoul, Thy Farewell,  Darkmysticwoods, Tarantula Trust Fund @ Local 31 Pub, Ashland, OR.
5/19/23 With: Alghoul, Perfect Nightmare, Called To Wake, Suffer The Paradox, & Pretty Kitty @ On The Y, Sacramaneto, CA.
5/20/23 With: Phantom Witch, Alghoul, Frightmare, & Thrash Compactor @ Toot’s Tavern, Crockett, CA.
5/21/23 With: Alghoul, Ostracized, & In Your Grave  @ Alturas Bar, Reno, NV.
5/23/23 With: Alghoul, Briar Rose, & The Kingdom @ SIXES, Pocatello, ID.
5/24/23 With: Alghoul, Necrowolf, & Seeking Tragedy @ Kilby Court, Salt Lake City, UT.
5/26/23 With: XSavageX Corvus, & Foes @ The Capitol, Bend, OR.
(Supporting Black/Death quartet Voltumna from Italy.)

The Itinere Inferi West Coast Tour 2017:
6/30/17 With: VOLTUMNA ( Killerpool Records ) @ Bricks Sports Bar, Maywood, CA.
7/01/17 With: VOLTUMNA ( Killerpool Records ) @ The Hub, Colton, CA.
7/03/17 With: VOLTUMNA, ( Killerpool Records ) Desecrated Humanity, Fallen Prophets, & Moscovium @ The Armory,  Albuquerque, NM.
7/05/17 With: VOLTUMNA, ( Killerpool Records ) & Ekelhaft  @ BAR BAR, Denver, CO.
7/06/17 With: VOLTUMNA, ( Killerpool Records ) Horde of Draugar, & Tierkrieger @ Surfside 7, Fort Collins, CO.
7/08/17 With: VOLTUMNA ( Killerpool Records ) @ Silver Dollar Club, Elko, NV.
7/09/17 With: VOLTUMNA ( Killerpool Records ) @ The Shredder, Boise, ID.
7/11/17 With: VOLTUMNA, ( Killerpool Records ) Xoth, & Noceur @ Highline Bar, Seattle, WA.
7/12/17 With: VOLTUMNA, ( Killerpool Records ) Grim Ritual, & Extinction Threshold @ Rock Hard PDX, Portland, OR.
7/13/17 With: VOLTUMNA, ( Killerpool Records ) Extinction Threshold, & Unto the Plague @ Third Street Pub, Bend, OR.
7/14/17 With: VOLTUMNA, ( Killerpool Records ) & Toxic witch @ Black Forest Bar, Eugene, OR.
7/15/17 With: VOLTUMNA, ( Killerpool Records ) Vicious Wishes, War Troll, & Lychdom  @ Red Hat Bar, Concord, CA.
7/16/17 With: VOLTUMNA, ( Killerpool Records ) & Shadows of Apollyon  @ The Tavern, Ventura, CA.

(Solo, first tour ever.) Reaping Souls of the West Coast Tour 2017:
3/16/17 With: Systematic Failure, & Chains of Belmont @ The Music Hall, Yreka, CA.
3/18/17 With: Brain Dead, & Misanthropic God @ 4019 Fairmount St, Los Angeles, CA.
3/20/17 With: Brain Dead, & Anti-Hero @ Blacklight District Lounge, Long Beach, CA.
3/21/17 With: Alumni, Violent Revolution, Egregious Act, & Plaguespreader @ The Rogue Bar, Scottsdale, AZ
3/23/17 With: Saul of Tarsus, Apollo On Fire, & We The Fallen @ Characters. Pomona, CA
3/24/17 With: Sculpins @ The Void, San Bernardino, CA
3/25/17 With: CONDEMNED, ( Unique Leader Records ) SPLATTERED, ( Amputated Vein Records ) EUPHORIC, DEFILEMENT ( Unique Leader Records ) Syrebris, HOMOPHOBIC FECALPHELIAC, ( Rotten Music ) Bow Before None, & Asylum of Ashes @ The Hub, Colton, CA.
3/27/17 With: HOLLOW EARTH, ( Good Fight Music ) & Aberrance @ The Fortress of Dude-itude, Paradise, CA.
3/29/17 With: Insanity’s Reign, & Phake, @ The Bamboo Room at King Wah’s, Medford, OR.
3/30/17 With: OMNIHILITY, ( Unique Leader Records ) & Sidewalk Slam @ The Boreal, Eugene, OR.
3/31/17 With: Spawn, Trojan Swamp Monster, & Truculence  @ Rock Hard PDX, Portland, OR.
4/03/17 With: SIGNS OF THE SWARM, ( Unique Leader Records ) Existential Depression, & Separating The Seas @ Third Street Pub, Bend, OR.

Festivals:
6/19/25 RIVERAFEST 2K25 “Gravewitch” Album Release Show With: BOUNDLESS JOY, (Featuring original WHITE ZOMBIE drummer: Ivan De Prume) Suckerpunch, Atomic Terror, Chasing Wind, Neon Chrome, & Bullet Train in Myrtle Creek, OR.
9/27/24 Oregon Deathfest Meets Washington Deathfest 2.0 With:Thy Farewell, Back From Death, Dead Nexus, & Within Caskets @ Erebus, Kelso, WA.
7/20/24 Screaming Brain 2024 @ Roosevelt Park, Troy, MT.
1/19/24 Winterfest 2K24 With: Primal Concrete Sledge, (Pantera Tribute) Proven, Innocents Torn, Stoned Phoenix @ The Regent / Original Woodshed, Longview, WA.
10/28/23 Carnival of Slaughter Halloween Fest Tour Edition II With: Mazaroth, Dead Nexus, Chronic Illness, Kryptoxik Mortality, & Primordial Atrocity @ The Hawthorne Hideaway, Portland, OR.
10/27/23 Southern Oregon Hallowfest With: Neon Chrome, The Hollowbodys, Phenom, Disincorporated, Live Evil, The Mandala Effect, & Mirror Fear @ Johnny B’s, Medford, OR.
4/15/23 Medford Metalfest 3 With: STEAKSAUCE MUSTACHE, (Silent Pendulum Records) Saltwound, Lucrecia, Mazaroth, Koningsor, Suckerpunch, Villains In Vain, Oddities, Neon Chrome, & Screaming Apparatus @ Johnny B’s, Medford, OR.
7/16/22 Riverafest 11 With: Dead Animal Assembly Plant, Pitch Black Mass, Othrys, Slobber Knocker, Apophis Theory, Sleeping Faceless, Scumdog Legion, In Your Grave, Hellametal, Iron Circus, Drawn By Knives, & Sweater For An Astronaut @ Dustin Rivera’s Abode, Myrtle Creek, OR.
7/09/22 Idaho Deathfest 3 With: Mutate, Mummy, Mortal Ashes, Atheras, Texas Ketamine, Aterrima, Old Year, & Crimson Divide @ The Shredder, Boise, ID.
6/18/22 Metal In the Mountains 7 With: Pitch Black Mass, Hellametal, Beyond Doubts Shadow, Blasphemous Creation, Thy Farewell, Phake, Phenom, Visidian, & Shrednex @ Dunsmuir Botanical Gardens, Dunsmuir, CA
7/31/21 First Kvlt Mead Fest With: Plague Bearer, Drakul, Kömmand, & Necrowitch @ Kvlt Mead, Tacoma, WA.
8/31/19 Metal In the Mountains 6 With: Ontogeny, Chains of Belmont, Disymbolic, Hellametal, From The Ruins, Aitherios, Unto The Plague, Thy Farewell, Insanity’s Reign, Vomittface, & The Alpha Structure @ Dunsmuir Botanical Gardens, Dunsmuir, CA
7/27/19 The 3rd Annual Death In the Dunes With: Embryonic Devourment, Sadistic Hallucinations, Locust Furnace, Incredulous, Scythe, Nihilist Nation, Infex, Bavmorda, Decayed Existence, Downcypher, Muppet Hunter, & EveryDayFreak @ Manila Community Center, Manila, CA.
5/25/19 The 7th Annual Central Oregon Metalfest With: EXMORTUS, ( Prosthetic Records ) SILVER TALON, ( M-Theory Audio ) OXYGEN DESTROYER, ( Redefining Darkness + Headsplit Records ) Nihilist Nation, Damage Overdose, Abiosis, Blood And Thunder, Morbid Fascination, Toxic Witch, Somewhere Between, Disymbolic, Chains of Belmont, Corvus, Insanity’s Reign, Phytophthora, Trojan Swamp Monster, Teratogen, Dead Thrall, Renascentia, & Life Upon Liars @ Third Street Pub, Bend, OR
2/16/19 The 4th Annual Keep Metal Alive Festival With: Nocturnal Mayhem, Witch Ripper, & Abiosis @ The Charleston, Bremerton, WA.

11/10/18 Bloodletting North America With: ARSIS, ( Nuclear Blast Records ) INTERNAL BLEEDING, ( Unique Leader Records ) PYREXIA, ( Century Media Records, Unique Leader Records ) WITHIN DESTRUCTION, ( Unique Leader Records ) POUND, ( Silent Pendulum ) NECK OF THE WOODS, ( Basick Records ) Foes, Corvus, & Downbound @ Third Street Pub, Bend, OR.

7/28/18 The 1st Annual Death In the Dunes With: Muppet Hunter, EveryDayFreak, Bullet Lobotomy, Lingering Torment, Nothing But Loosers, Blood And Thunder, Nihilist Nation, Burning Hash, Wurm Flesh, Cursed, Decayed Existence, Locust Furnace, & Sadistic Hallucinations @ Manila Community Center, Manila, CA.

5/19/18 The 6th Annual Central Oregon Metalfest With: Mortal Ashes, Violent Hallucinations, Nocturnal Slaughter, Damage Overdose, Spawn, Abiosis, Cruciation, Morbid Fascination, Thonis, Death Illuminate, Insanity’s Reign, Ygnatus, Dead Thrall, Trojan Swamp Monster, & Kastingstone @ Third Street Pub, Bend, OR.

9/30/17 Bend Roots Festival 2017 @ El Sancho Stage, Bend, OR.

9/08/17 Sickness In September 8 With: THE MENTORS, ( Metal Blade Records ) MEAT SHITS, Truculence, Chemical Annihilation, Devour, Mortal Ashes, Nihilist Nation, Abiosis, War Machine, & Taco Ninjas @ Rock Hard PDX, Portland, OR.

8/26/17 Iron Mountain Metal Massacre 2 With: Decayed Existence, Waves of Leviathan, Troposfear, Draild, Civil Outrage, Mad Chemist, & Heed  @ Anderson River Park Amphitheatre, Anderson, CA.

8/25/17 Southern Oregon PitFest  With: Insanity’s reign, Vial Experiment, & Source of All Sorrows @ Meadowood RV Park, Glendale, OR.

7/29/17 The 5th Annual Metal In the Mountains With: DEATH I AM, Disymbolic,  Systematic Failure, Mistaken Existence, Voyeur, Aberrance, Shadow of Crows, God Van Damme, As Death Comes Calling, & The 7th Crow @ Dunsmuir Botanical Park, Dunsmuir, CA.

5/20/17 The 5th Annual Central Oregon Metal Fest With: Disymbolic, Strychnine, Aseitas, Burial Grounds, Nihilist Nation, Cruciation, Arachnid, Abiosis, Chemical Annihilation, Ninth Circle, Damage Overdose, Violent Hallucinations, & Truculence @ Third Street Pub, Bend, OR.

9/24/16 Bend Roots Festival 2016 @ The Four Peaks Stage, Bend, OR

8/06/16  The 4th Annual Metal In the Mountains Festival With: Enslave The Creation, Chains of Belmont, The Kentucky Scarecrow Experiment, Systematic Failure, The Dead Horizon, Decayed Existence, Novus Orsa, Waves of Leviathan, God Van Damme, Mistaken Existence, Visidian, Ashes of Death, Aberrance, The Deprived, & Beyond Doubts Shadow @ Dunsmuir Botanical Gardens, Dunsmuir, CA.

6/27/15: The Third Annual Central Oregon Metalfest  With: DRAWN AND QUARTERED ( Nuclear Winter Records ) & more @ Third Street Pub, Bend, OR.

6/13/14 Mompfest 2014 @ Sisters, OR woods. (Random campout generator Fest.)

0 EPK – Candor Zealot (2026)

  • November 30, 2025
  • by Asher
  • · Candor Zealot · EPKs

EPK – Candor Zealot (2026)

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

“Since we are a new act, we are rolling out a total of 6 singles over the next few months. We hope to generate some buzz by releasing a song one at a time. No one is asking for a full-length album from an unknown band, and no one has the attention span these days to even sit down and listen to a collection of songs that we used to call “albums”. I think this will be an exciting time for progressive rock and metal fans who want something melodic and catchy.” – Nate Silva – Candor Zealot

For fans of Rush, Billy Talent, Megadeth, Dream Theater, Coheed & Cambria

Band: Candor Zealot
Single #1 Title: Lie For Country
Length: 3:30
Release Date: January 20, 2026
Label: Slyde Productions
Distribution: DistroKid (digital)
Genre: Prog Metal
Location: Ottawa, ON, Canada

Candorzealot.com | Facebook.com/profile.php?id=61582854735079 | X.com/candorzealot | Youtube.com/@candorzealot | Instagram.com/candorzealot | Tiktok.com/@candorzealot

Spotify – https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/candorzealot/lie-for-country-2

““Lie For Country” is our debut single, and we wanted to introduce ourselves with breakneck speed, musical intensity, and a poignant political message. There are influences of Megadeth, Killswitch Engage, Billy Talent, and even System of a Down in this track, and it’s a song about being manipulated and politically indoctrinated without thinking critically. We are proud of this track, and we are pumped to release it!” – Nate Silva – Candor Zealot

“In nearly 20 years of working in Rock Radio & Covering Music, I have never heard a band burst onto the scene with such an electric debut track. Candor Zealot is one of Canada’s next great bands” – Patrick Walford – idobi Howl Curator, host of Rock The Walls

“Ladies and Gentlemen, allow me to introduce you to Candor Zealot. This new band has just dropped their debut single ‘Lie For Country’ and it’s a monster. Fast and furious progressive metal with deep hooks and a familiar voice with NATE SILVA on lead vocals, ‘Lie For Country’ is a hell of a beginning as the band states plans to release six singles in 2026. Well, bring ’em on fellas cause we’re all about it. Catch Candor Zealot on your Home for the Best New Rock… W-J-O-EEEE – WJOE – Findlay’s Home for Rock & Roll

Band: Candor Zealot
Single #1 Title: Lie For Country
Length: 3:30
Release Date: January 20, 2026
Label: Slyde Productions
Distribution: DistroKid (digital)
Genre: Prog Metal
Location: Ottawa /Toronto, ON, Canada

Singles Credits:
All songs performed by: Candor Zealot
All songs written by: Nate Silva with Candor Zealot
Produced by: Nate Silva
Co-Produced by: Dino Soares, Alberto Campuzano, Chris Gagnon & Chris Ferris
Mixed by: Chris Ferris
Mastered by: Chris Ferris
Album Artwork by: Casey Shea
SOCAN member

Album & Band band line up:
Nate Silva – Lead Vocals, Guitar
Dino Soares – Drums
Alberto Campuzano – Bass Guitar, Vocals
Chris Gagnon – Guitar, Vocals

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About the track:

Lie For Country

Another politically charged song that sounds like a mix of Killswitch Engage, Billy Talent, and even a bit of Slayer. It’s a song about political indoctrination and brainwashing.

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Fun Facts – Story Angles:

1. The band name “Candor Zealot” was chosen because we wanted to convey the general intentions of our storytelling within the band name: “to be uncompromising in the pursuit of honesty and openness.”

2. Frontman Nate Silva and drummer Dino Soares have been playing music together since they were 14 years old.

3. Nate Silva, Dino Soares, and Alberto Campuzano were former members of the Toronto-based prog metal band THE SLYDE, who won the 2019 Wacken Metal Battle Canada competition and performed at Wacken Open Air in Germany.

4. Guitarist Chris Gagnon currently plays in 8 tribute bands.

5. Nate Silva wrote a thesis paper for his Master’s degree on chiptune artists who incorporate guitar playing into their music.

L-R – Chris Gagnon (Guitar, Vocals) | Nate Silva (Lead Vocals, Guitar) | Dino Soares (Drums) | Alberto Campuzano (Bass Guitar, Vocals)

Photo Credit: Ryan Stacey

For fans of RUSH, BILLY TALENT, and MEGADETH, Canadian newcomers CANDOR ZEALOT is a collective of seasoned rocker stalwarts determined to create a nostalgic take on modern progressive rock and heavy metal. Uncompromising in the pursuit of honesty and openness through their music and message, Candor Zealot does not shy away from tackling sensitive and thought-provoking topics, both political and personal. 

Be on the lookout for their debut single, “LIE FOR COUNTRY,” in early 2026.

SHARED STAGE WITH:
New group, so no previous shows under the name Candor Zealot. Though individually, we have all shared the stage with notable acts. Alberto played in Annihilator for 5 years; The Slyde (which Candor Zealot is a spiritual successor of, consisting of 3 out of the 4 members of The Slyde) opened for bands like Angra and Pain of Salvation, etc.

TOUR AND FESTIVALS:
New group, so no previous tours or festivals under the name Candor Zealot. Though The Slyde performed at Wacken Open Air Festival in 2019, and did several DIY tours in Ontario and Eastern Canada.

Artist Endorsements: Nate has artist deals and endorsements with Fender, Ernie Ball, Fryette Amps, and Corrigan Pickups

0 EPK – HighWay – Last Call For Rock n’ Roll (2026)

  • November 30, 2025
  • by Asher
  • · EPKs · HighWay

EPK – HighWay – Last Call For Rock n’ Roll (2026)

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

“We think they will be blown away by this new record. After an unplugged album in 2022 (The Journey) where we experimented with lots of new stuff and atmosphere, we’re back to a true rock sound, 100% electric! Pure high voltage! But always with our own sense of melody, a lot of vocals and surprises!  We loved to write and record these new songs. More personal and emotional than ever. We worked hard on pre-production with our producer, Brett Caldas-Lima, in the old-fashioned way. We worked on each detail of these songs to deliver their essential core. To deliver the best songs we could write. It was a passionate process. We’re feeling more mature, wise and effective as songwriters. The lyrics are more personal, intimate, reflecting life and stuff that we had to endure, and we wanted to share them in our new songs. We hope it will connect and resonate with a lot of people. We’re really proud of this record at each level: songwriting, sound and production.” – HighWay

For fans of AC/DC, Aerosmith, Extreme, Guns n’ Roses, Queen

Band: HighWay
Album Title: LAST CALL FOR ROCK’N’ROLL
Release Date: April 24, 2026
Label: Rock City Music
Distribution: Physical: FTF-Music / Digital: Virgin Music
Genre: Hard-Rock
Location of Band: Montpellier, France

Linktr.ee/highway_the_band | Highwayrocks.com | Facebook.com/highway.fr | Instagram.com/highway_the_band

Twitter.com/onlyhighway | Youtube.com/onlyhighway | Tiktok.com/@highwaytheband

Highwayshop.sumupstore.com | Spotify | Amazon | Deezer | Apple Music | Soundcloud.com/thebandhighway

“This track (Bang Bang) fires with brash confidence while questioning the cost of excess. Beneath the swagger sits a sharp self-interrogation about fame, wealth, image, and the anxiety of choosing one path over another. Repetition becomes pressure, mirroring a mind spiralling under desire and doubt. It lands as both celebration and warning, pairing arena-sized hooks with a knowing sense of consequence that gives the noise purpose rather than empty bravado and lasting emotional weight beyond the chorus. To close, this single and forthcoming album won’t gather dust in any collection, and will keep feet tapping and heads bouncing from sofa to stage. So why not clear a space, and give Highway a try for 2026. Star Rating 9/10” – Stargazer Music Magazine

“THANK YOU TO HIGHWAY WHO SUPPORTED US ON OUR MISSION EUROPEAN TOUR. A GREAT BAND WHO RECEIVED A SUPERB REACTION FROM OUR FANS.” – Michael Schenker

“IT WAS A PLEASURE HAVING YOU GUYS! YOU TRULY LIVE THE ESSENCE OF ROCK N ROLL” – Jeff Scott Soto

“The Journey” proves to be an album of great richness confirming HighWay’s talent.” – Music Waves (2022 – The Journey)

“We let ourselves be lulled by the ever-present groove. The American spirit allows this album, as exemplified by ” Motel in Alabama,” on which Benjamin Folch  excels, accompanied by discreet backing vocalists. Here, we navigate through emotion, skill, and warmth. Surprises abound, some truly astonishing. We’re swept away to a Spanish-infused fiesta with ” In the Circus of Madness ,” a genuine gem of exquisite delicacy. Musically, we find club-like and sometimes intimate atmospheres, with light touches of violin and piano (” Have A Beer “), and captivating choirs ( “Freedom “). The finale, “The Journey,” is practically a rock opera. There’s no need to list them all here, as the title “The Journey” says it all. HIGHWAY has what it takes to hold their own against many internationally established bands, and I hope they receive the recognition they deserve. Well done!” Among The Living (2022 – The Journey)

“What 80’s lover will resist this totally festive spirit, which mixes ambition (Become Someone), love of music(I Like It, United States Of Rock’N’Roll), or sex (Mr King Size, Highway O Love) ? All the clichés of the unstoppable album are there, proud to resurrect a past that we thought had disappeared but which was in reality only asleep. Despite some sometimes approximate choruses (Breath of life), HIGHWAY manages to carry me in his luggage every time he listens. That’s why I’m getting carried away… HIGHWAY joins the exclusive club of teams capable of breaking down borders in order to explode abroad. On two conditions: tirelessly travel the roads of France and Navarre in order to convince the public and force themselves to publish a new album within the next eighteen months. Do everything, in short, so that we talk about HIGHWAY. Will promotion, distribution, financial and media resources be there ??? To be continued very, very closely…” – Metal-Integral (2022 – The Journey)

“From start to finish Ben Chambert is literally the driving force behind this album. Exploring melodies influenced by southern Blues Rock, with a heavy taste of early Guns N’ Roses, it immediately grips your attention. And the solos, though short, are very decent. Another interesting feature about Highway that really stands out is the outstanding vocals chorus done in a very Queen-like fashion, without taking the spotlight away from the lead singer Benjamin Folch. Naturally, his voice is very pure Rock oriented, with a taste of whisky to it. Harsh, yet melodic, and capable of diverse vocal arrangements, and a brilliant English fluency. This is brilliantly demonstrated in “Separate Ways”, as well as a Ronnie James Dio reminiscence in “Damned Me”. Jeff Scott Soto, longtime friend as roadrunner of the band, made a strong contribution in «Wake Up». In conclusion, “IV” is a great return from Highway and it won’t disappoint Rock fans, especially those who are already familiar with the band’s work and sonic identity. 8/10″ – The Black Planet (IV – 2017)

“So yes, this latest one has been a long time coming, but the result is up to par, high-end hard rock, don’t miss it from this pancake, don’t hesitate to buy, and it more than deserves to support this group! And fingers crossed that the baby will be followed by lots of little brothers and sisters !” – Rock Meeting (2017 – The Chronicle)

“From the 1st note with the assertive blaster ‘Become Someone’ that’s followed up with the old school crackly effect mono blues starting ‘I Like It’ and later the bluesy ballad ‘Freedom’. There is also the amazing acoustic ‘Highway O’ Love’ and the AC/DC Johnson-era guitar sounding ‘On My Knees’ to get excited over. Complete proof that France has some killer bands on offer in the way of Rock!” – Metalville Zine (2011 – United States of Rock n Roll)

“In the end, another beautiful representative of the quality of hard rock in France, delivered by a happy group of friends, and led by a damn good guitarist. To listen but above all to see on stage because the energy and good humor they exude cannot leave you indifferent.” – Aux Portes du Metal (2011 – United States of Rock n Roll)

Band: HighWay
Album Title: LAST CALL FOR ROCK’N’ROLL
Release Date: April 24, 2026
Label: Rock City Music
Distribution: Physical: FTF-Music / Digital: Virgin Music
Genre: Hard-Rock
Location of Band: Montpellier, France

Track Listing:
1. LAST CALL (FOR ROCK N’ ROLL) – 5:13
2. HI-WAY – 4:40
3. ¡ BANG BANG! – 3:47
4. NINETIES ACTION MOVIE – 5:16
5. PEACE OUT – 5:44
6. MAYDAY – 4:25
7. GO! GO! GO! – 5:48
8. LET ME – 4:54
9. D.K/D.C – 3:16
10. RAT RACE – 6:00
11. ACTION – 4:32
12. (DON’T) LOOK BACK – 5:09
Album Length: 58:48

Album Recording Credits:
• All songs performed by: HighWay
• All songs written by: Ben Chambert, except NINETIES ACTION MOVIE, RAT RACE & ACTION written by Ben Chambert & Sam Marshal
• Produced by: Brett Caldas-Lima & HighWay
• Mixed by: Brett Caldas-Lima
• Mastered by: Brett Caldas-Lima
• Album Artwork by: Djo Art
• Member of SACEM (France)

Album Band Line Up:
Ben Chambert: Lead guitar, Backing vocals
Benjamin Folch: Vocals
Sam Marshal: Bass Guitar, Backing vocals
Romain Chambert: Drums

Live Band Line Up:
Ben Chambert: Lead guitar, Backing vocals
Florian Arnaud: Rhythm guitar, Backing vocals
Benjamin Folch: Vocals
Cerise Pouillart: Bass Guitar, Backing vocals
Romain Chambert: Drums

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

About The Album Artwork:
The artwork was designed by Djo Art, a great artist living in Sete, the city where we were born in the south of France.

We always love his work, and we offer him to design his artwork for our new record. A kind of return to where it all began.

This cover embodies the power and atmosphere of the album: dark but with a light inside chaos… a scream… a unifying general call… because yes, Rock’n’Roll will save the world!

We love this artwork!

About the album as a whole (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY):
HighWay is Back!

After the acoustic break of The Journey (2022), the French hard rock band HighWay returns louder, bolder, and more electric than ever with their sixth studio album, Last Call for Rock’N’Roll!

A true rallying cry for a drifting world, Last Call for Rock’N’Roll delivers twelve brand-new tracks that blend power, melody, and emotion in a pure, timeless hard rock spirit.

Produced and mixed by Brett Caldas-Lima (Ayreon, Devin Townsend, Megadeth, Adagio, Hypno5e…), the album was carefully refined at Tower Studio over four months to achieve a rich, organic, powerful, and dynamic sound.

From high-energy anthems to introspective moments, HighWay explores the full spectrum of human experience—the highs and lows, love and hate, joy and sorrow—turning each song into a journey through life’s contrasts.

With Last Call for Rock’N’Roll, HighWay reaffirms its unique identity: vibrant, generous, borderless, and unifying. This is hard rock music at its finest—crafted with passion, precision, and authenticity.

Don’t miss the Last Call!

Track by Track (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY):

1. LAST CALL (FOR ROCK N’ ROLL):
A fast and catchy track with a great hook and melody. There’s an unexpected bridge turning into a crazy rock’n’roll guitar solo and an anthemic melody that the crowd can sing. It’s a play on words with “Last Call for alcohol,” which bartenders say at the end of their shift before closing time. I’ve always wanted to write a song with this title. We’d already used these words for a tour name in the past. Kind of like AC/DC with their “If You Want Blood.” First the name, then the song. The lyrics draw a parallel between the love of music and the love of a woman. The same attraction, the same power over us, and the same risks ^^!

It’s the first song we wrote for the album. We tested it live before recording, and the reaction was huge! Fans loved it! So it was obvious that it would be the opener of the album.

2. HI-WAY
The first single, Hi-Way, sets the tone perfectly: a high-octane anthem that’s both a return to their roots and the culmination of years of musical evolution. Expect unstoppable guitar riffs and solos, a captivating hook, groovy vocals and rhythm section, and those incredibly powerful backing vocals that have become the band’s unmistakable trademark.

“Hi-Way” is more than just a song; it’s an invitation to hit the road and never look back. It’s an anthem for audacious souls, where love fuels the journey without a destination and routine gets left in the dust. A call to live a sincere, free, and authentic life to the fullest… on your own Hi-Way.

3. ¡BANG BANG!
Fueled by groove, attitude, and 100% good-vibe energy, the track keeps the fire burning in the vein of our previous hit “Like a Rockstar” (2022).

Mixing infectious riffs, raw emotion, and tongue-in-cheek lyrics, ¡ BANG BANG! captures the essence of the band’s signature sound: bold, dynamic, and irresistibly catchy.

If you’re into Aerosmith, Def Leppard, or that timeless 80s arena rock spirit, you’re going to absolutely love this new tune.

Lyrically, BANG BANG! It humorously and cynically explores the inner conflict between living a fantasy-filled, superficial life or choosing a simpler path shaped by fear, judgment, and moral consequence. The result? A relatable rock anthem that mirrors life’s contradictions: pressure, desire, frustration; all wrapped in a sound that makes you want to crank up the volume and bang your head against the wall.

4. NINETIES ACTION MOVIE
A high-speed boogie inspired by Van Halen, ZZ Top, Status Quo or even Extreme.

The lyrics are a tribute and a celebration of the action movies we grew up with in the 90s, where everything was simpler, more naive, lighter, and easier! And that’s sorely lacking these days! Think about Arnold, Sylvester or Bruce Willis! Our heroes!

5. PEACE OUT
A rock anthem with a great guitar riff, a catchy melody and an unforgettable chorus between Aerosmith and Bon Jovi.

Lyrically, it’s a song about the end of a long relationship, and how hard it is to let it go for different reasons. Autobiographic and intimate track.  A musical conversation.

6. MAYDAY
The ballad. A melancholic duet voice/guitar reminiscent of Simon & Garfunkel. A poignant song relating to the death of a loved one. Not another power ballad. Just an authentic scream of pain filled with love and sadness. A difficult and unavoidable passage in one’s life.

7. GO! GO! GO!
A fast rocking track filled with fun and good vibes! One listen, and you just want to join us singing “GO!!!”

This song is a motivational one which puts everyone to go forward and fulfil their dreams. Law of attraction in one song!

8. LET ME
The Heavy Metal track of this record. Fast, groovy with a catchy chorus and an unexpected epic final!

Lyrically, it’s the follow-up to Go Go Go! And it’s about unleashing its anger and following its path to live its own life.

9. D.K/D.C
For “Don’t Know / Don’t Care”. As you can see, the name of the song is a nod to AC/DC as the guitar intro is picking. It’s followed by a nervous and unifying chorus. Concerning the lyrics, it’s the end of this trilogy with Go Go Go & Let Me about: f.ck the haters, f.ck the others, f.ck the lesson givers! Live your dream on your own! One goal, happiness!

10. RAT RACE
Music was written by Sam Marshal (bass player), a great classic rock song, that wants to make your head bang and your face smile! Old-fashioned way, but always surprising!

Lyrics co-written by Sam & Ben talk about the world in which we live, a look at people livin’ like rats in their wheels running for nothing and for an unachievable quest of what?

11. ACTION
This song is pure speed heavy rock’n’roll written by Sam during the COVID era, when the world was shut down.

It’s all about the desire to get out, plug his amps and play rock music loud again! Take Action and headbang!

A bit of Motorhead inside!

12. (DON’T) LOOK BACK
An unclassifiable and epic song that closes this album.

One of the most mature, intense and diverse of the band.

It’s thoughts of mid-life and how to deal with shit that happens, and how to see the light, which is always there to guide us toward happiness. One key…Don’t Look Back…A musical journey that closes the album with an outstanding epic guitar solo.

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

STORY ANGLES / FUN FACTS ABOUT THE BAND:

1. We initially had two guitar players in the band from 99 to 2007. Then we didn’t find the good one, so we kept on working as a quartet for more than 15 years! Now in 2025, we finally find the chosen one with Florian and twin guitars in live are back!

2. The new song “Peace Out” has brought a new greeting sign between us and those around us: now we say hello and goodbye with the V sign made with our fingers. We even say it when we go to pee (peece out haha!)

3. During a concert in Paris on the IV tour, the owner of a venue came to jam with us on a blues-rock classic, “Sweet Home Chicago,” at the end of our set. He was a crazy old rocker. At one point, he got down on his knee to sing in front of me, so I imitated him, except I squashed his balls with my knee, and he started screaming while singing—it was so rockin’, haha! I couldn’t get up because the stage was so small! He was in a lot of pain, but it’s a funny memory on tour, haha!

4. I met our new bass player, Cerise, 15 years ago in the queue of an AC/DC show. We talked about how many fans we were. She didn’t live in our city, Montpellier, but in the north of France. I told her about my band HighWay, then she became a fan! She moved later to Montpellier and started his career with the “Ladies Ballbreaker” and had a lot of success in France. She also made a video for us in 2011, the video clip of the song “I LIKE IT”, shot while we opened for Gotthard. Then she was often are our shows around or took photos. In early 2025, the Ladies Ballbreaker stopped, and at the same time, Sam decided to leave de band, so planets were aligned. We asked Cerise if she was interested in joining the band, and she jumped immediately into the car on our HighWay! It comes full circle!

5. Florian, our new guitar player, is Cerise’s boyfriend! And we didn’t know it first, haha! Florian made Sam’s bass replacement during the past two years when Sam wasn’t available for some shows, and we loved him at each level. Then we learned he was Cerise’s BF, so we took the package haha! It rocks more than ever! A band filled with love and the power of music!

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

From left to right: Ben Chambert: Lead guitar, Backing vocals, Florian Arnaud: Rhythm guitar, Backing vocals, Benjamin Folch: Lead Vocals, Cerise Pouillart: Bass Guitar, Backing vocals, Romain Chambert: Drums

Photo Credit – Mr. Cana Photography

“HighWay”: Authentic, passionate, heartfelt Hard-Rock that unites and transcends borders.

With six albums and over 500 European shows under their belt, “HighWay” has sold their souls to the demons of Rock to make you headbang, stomp your feet, and feel the raw, living spirit of true Rock ‘N’ Roll: alive and organic!

With influences drawn from legends AC/DC, Whitesnake, Queen, KISS, Guns ‘N’ Roses, and Aerosmith, HighWay has developed his own style, a clever blend of the best of the 80s and 90s, while blending authenticity and sincerity that resonates deeply with its fans.

After sharing some of the greatest European stages, supporting international acts such as Michael Schenker Group, Gotthard, Jeff Scott Soto, Kissin’ Dynamite, Nashville Pussy, Electric Mary, and Enuff Z’ Nuff, HighWay is now recognised as a part of the “new wave of European Classic Hard-Rock”!

With “Last Call for Rock ‘N’ Roll,” the band delivers their 6th album, passionately crafted under the leadership of producer Brett Caldas-Lima (known for his work with Ayreon, Devin Townsend, Megadeth, Adagio, Hypno5e…). The opus features 12 brand new tracks, intense, powerful, melodic and irresistibly catchy, delivering a breath of fresh air with their classy, melodic, free-spirited Hard Rock’N’Roll, a secret that only “HighWay” holds.

Let yourself be carried away into their world and see you on tour!

Don’t miss “the Last Call For Rock’N’Roll”!

Discography:
2026 – LAST CALL FOR ROCK’N’ROLL
2022 – THE JOURNEY
2017 – IV
2011 – UNITED STATES OF ROCK’N’ROLL
2005 – GOODBYE MONEY
2002 – HAVE A BEER! (E.P)

Shared Stage with:
MSG (Michael Schenker Group) – Tour support in Europe
JEFF SCOTT SOTO – Tour support in Europe
ENUFF Z’ NUFF – Tour support in Europe
GOTTHARD
KISSIN DYNAMITE
ELECTRIC MARY
MYRATH
NASHVILLE PUSSY
French famous acts: NIGHTMARE, SATAN JOKERS, ADX, BLACK RAIN…

TOURS AND FESTIVALS:
w/ ENUFF Z’ NUFF – Tour support in Europe 2022
w/ MSG (Michael Schenker Group) – Tour support in Spain 2017
w/ Michael Schenker Temple of Rock – Tour support in Europe 2015
w/ JEFF SCOTT SOTO – Tour support in Europe 2014

0 EPK – Siege Perilous – Becoming The Dragon (2026)

  • November 23, 2025
  • by Asher
  • · EPKs · Siege Perilous

EPK – Siege Perilous – Becoming The Dragon (2026)

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

“One of the big goals was to create a narrative concept album experience while also allowing each individual track to stand on its own, and while that was challenging, I think we accomplished that, so whether you are listening to the entire album or just revisiting a favorite track, audiences will find both experiences to be rich and fulfilling. This was a really cool and interesting writing experience, as we had contributions from every band member in the writing process.  We started off in early 2024 by writing the larger story and determining what the different story beats for each track would be, and then people kind of chose which story beats they wanted to tackle.  Each song had a kind of originator who put the basics of the track together on some level, and then we worked together to edit, revise, and flesh out the arrangements until we got something that really gelled and really told the story in interesting and dynamic ways.” – Siege Perilous – Shaughnessy McDaniel – Vocals

Band: Siege Perilous
Album Title: Becoming The Dragon
Release Date: March 27, 2026
Label: Crunchtronic Records

For fans of Wind Rose, Hammerfall, Sabaton, Blind Guardian, Iron Maiden

Siegemetal.com | Facebook.com/siegeband | Youtube.com/@siegeperilousmetal | Instagram.com/siegeperilousmetal | Tiktok.com/@siegemetal

Apple Music | Spotify | Online Store – https://siegemetal.com/store

“It gives me great pleasure to tell you that Creation’s Call is a blast. Siege Perilous has succeeded in creating what I would call Epic Power Metal for the Working Man. They don’t waste your time with overlong symphonic interludes between tracks, melodramatic narration, or overproduction that tests the limits of your sanity. The band gets right to the point and pulls you into their epic tales of heroic daring immediately. This is a nice breath of fresh air and if this EP is anything to go by, Siege Perilous has a great future ahead of them. Yes, this could be considered power metal but the no-nonsense approach and urgency to the songwriting makes this release absolutely worth checking out for those of us in the NWOTHM scene. Plus, it’s really just a lot of fun. This one is highly recommended. THENWOTHM SCORE: 9/10” – The NWOTHM (2024 – Creation’s Call – EP)

“‘Creation’s Call’ never gets boring, even on Heavy Rotation. Five gifted musicians have succeeded in creating a varied EP. The twin guitar solos are convincing the whole time. It’s just a shame that it ends after twenty-one minutes. It makes you wish for a full-length album. And, of course, a thrilling live performance. 9.3/10” – Metalheads Forever Magazine  (2024 – Creation’s Call – EP)

“solid power metal style that should satiate any LARP-attendees or Dungeons and Dragons mavens. Keep an eye on this quintet – wield thy sword as they lead the battle charge for more quality power metal from the states. 8/10” – Dead Rhetoric

“If you’re a fan of traditional power metal with a modern twist, Siege Perilous is a band you need to discover. Their self-released EP is a promising glimpse into what they’re capable of, and it’s clear that they have the potential to become major players in the genre. 8/10” – My Global Mind  (2024 – Creation’s Call – EP)

“Denver metal mob reckon that their goal on “Creation’s Call” was to build a world and tell a story in “three to five minutes.” It’s a world of fantasy, as “Oathsworn” proves, where metal rules and swords are held high. “Across The Rubicon,” however, is delivered with such skill that you can’t resist getting sucked in with them. Shaughnessy McDaniel has a brilliant “metal” voice, roaring on “Sons Of The Verdant,” and guitar duo Scott Hancock and Cody Martinez can knock out a NWOBHM riff like it’s 1982, as the title song underlines. “Brothers Of Five” brings the epic one last time, galloping in proper fashion, and it’ll be interesting to see how Siege Perilous develops. This is one hell of an opening statement, mind you. 8.5/10” – Maximum Volume Music  (2024 – Creation’s Call – EP)

“Creation’s Call not only highlights Siege Perilous’ dedication to epic storytelling but also emphasises their versatility within the power metal genre. With influences ranging from historical events to high fantasy, this EP offers a rich and varied auditory experience that will captivate fans. Prepare to embark on a grand journey through myth and history as Siege Perilous delivers their latest saga.” – Amplify The Noise  (2024 – Creation’s Call – EP)

“Creation’s Call it is a cohesive and well-crafted work, where the combination of rich letters in history and fantasy, with a meticulous musical execution, it makes mandatory, regardless of its short duration. [82%]” – Via Nocturna  (2024 – Creation’s Call – EP)

“Creation’s Call doesn’t get boring even in heavy rotation. Five gifted musicians have created a varied EP. The solos of the twin guitars are convincing across the board. It’s just a shame that it’s over after twenty-one minutes. You want a full-length album. And of course a sweaty live performance. 9.4/10” – Keep On Rocking  (2024 – Creation’s Call – EP)

“Colorfully mixed NWOTHM/Epic Heavy/Power Metal elixir that appeals to a broad range of fans between ALESTORM, BATTLEROAR, ETERNAL CHAMPION, GATEKEEPER, IRON MAIDEN, RUNNING WILD and WRATHBLADE. Awakens a huge appetite for a full long-play album. On this EP you can clearly see that the band has enormous potential and has already given a great taste of their skills. Conclusion: Strong-looking genretobak that falls out of the usual range! 8,5/10” – FFM-Rock  (2024 – Creation’s Call – EP)
 
““Oathsworn,” hits the guns from the get go, slamming through the turnstiles of time and building the great beyond.” – The Median Man  (2024 – Creation’s Call – EP)

“America’s Siege Perilous release new EP CREATION’S CALL – 5 slabs of hard and heavy metal with a twist of power metal.” – Loud Enough Magazine  (2024 – Creation’s Call – EP)

““Oathsworn” simply explodes out of the gate. The band ratchets every possible dial up to 11 and charges into battle with an epic statement of intent.” – Nine Circles  (2024 – Creation’s Call – EP)

““Brothers Of The Five” offers classic power metal as you would appreciate it. The strain on the neck muscles is correspondingly high and in some places the number cannot deny a slight Maiden stable smell.” – Hellfire Magazin  (2024 – Creation’s Call – EP)

“This is traditional/power metal awesomeness. It gives off big Iron Maiden meets Hammerfall vibes, and I am all for it! Much like the previous EP, it had me hooked from the excellent opener, through the awesome ‘Creations Call’ and to the epic closer.” – Overtone Magazine  (2024 – Creation’s Call – EP)

“if you dig keep it true, epic, and fast and heavy metal with fantasy and historical themes, you will enjoy Siege Perilous and their latest EP, Creation’s Call. Recommended.” – Dangerdog Music Reviews  (2024 – Creation’s Call – EP)

“a thunderous gallop of heavy come power metal, immensely infectious with a sky high level of head bang ability.” – Frenzy Fire Metal & Rock Reviews  (2024 – Creation’s Call – EP)

Track Listing:
1. Overture (Instrumental) – (2:37)
2. Ancient Rite – (4:37)
3. As the Dragon Falls (feat. Fabio Lione) – (4:33)
4. Child of Prophecy – (4:05)
5. Shattered Mirage – (4:07)
6. Chieftain – (4:03)
7. Cut Down – (3:01)
8. Echoes of Home (feat. Kristin Starkey) – (4:48)
9. Becoming the Dragon – (5:09)
10. Eschaton – (7:50)
Album Length: 44:54

Album Recording Credits:
• All songs performed by:
Shaughnessy McDaniel – Vocals
Scott Hancock – Guitar
Cody Martinez – Guitar
Ryan Flanagan – Guitar
Eric Fischer – Bass and Violin
Mark Girard – Drums
• All songs written by:
Shaughnessy McDaniel
Scott Hancock
Cody Martinez
Ryan Flanagan
Eric Fischer
Mark Girard
• Produced by: Alex Carrillo
• Mixed by: Alex Carrillo
• Mastered by: Alex Carrillo
• Album Artwork by: Leighton Buxman
• Member of ASCAP

Album Band Line Up:
Shaughnessy McDaniel – Vocals
Scott Hancock – Guitar
Cody Martinez – Guitar
Ryan Flanagan – Guitar
Eric Fischer – Bass and Violin
Mark Girard – Drums

Live Band Line Up:
Shaughnessy McDaniel – Vocals
Scott Hancock – Guitar
Ryan Flanagan – Guitar
Eric Fischer – Bass and Violin
Mark Girard – Drums

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About The Album Artwork:

The album artwork, done by the amazingly talented Leighton Buxman, depicts the climax of the story where our titular hero finally becomes the dragon and seizes his destiny.  We wanted a vibe that had a combination of dark and high fantasy, and Leighton did an amazing job capturing that vibe through this magical ritual where our hero is transformed.  She also did a great job of incorporating small elements and nods for the other songs, like the banner of the “Chieftain” and the shards of the Crystalline dunes mentioned in “Shattered Mirage”.  It’s such a tremendous encapsulation of the story we are telling and the vibe we are trying to cultivate on this new album.

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

“Becoming the Dragon” is a cinematic journey following the Child of Prophecy as he follows his path, then denies his destiny, and then slowly comes to realize that only by embracing it can he truly overcome it.  This story takes twists and turns from the mysterious to the tragic, and we really wanted to reflect that musically with a wide variety of tones, emotions, and musical approaches.  Each song is its own unique entity, but together they form something that we believe audiences will really find magical.

Track by Track (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY)

Overture – We wanted to welcome people into the story and album with an overture that featured interestingly arranged snippets from the other songs.  Since Ryan joined after the bulk of the core songwriting process, we wanted him to arrange this piece, and he did an amazing job. It really throws in a lot of flavors from the rest of the album while also keeping a unique identity, and it is a great way to ease audiences into the immersive world of “Becoming the Dragon”.

Ancient Rite – This song starts with a somber and mildly ominous intro as we take the audience into the world of the prophecy that engulfs our protagonist.  It’s airy in a lot of parts with a strong driving verse, which helps to set the stage for the rest of the story.

As the Dragon Falls (feat. Fabio Lione) – This song is a dream come true for long-time Rhapsody and Fabio fan Shaughnessy.  Musically, this song also attempts to combine Siege’s unique style with the power metal sound of classic Rhapsody.  Fabio plays the dragon that the protagonist is sworn to slay and while this starts off as a classic fantasy tale, it takes a dark twist as Fabio’s dragon warns Shaughnessy’s knight that slaying him won’t free our protagonist but rather will keep him a prisoner of his own destiny.  Starts off as an optimistic heroic tale that turns quite dark by the end.

Child of Prophecy – A very Iron Maiden-esque melody and guitar combination tells the story of the protagonist questioning whether his destiny will ever free him or anyone else, or if it’s simply a cage.  A philosophical track about fate, freedom, and prophecy.

Shattered Mirage – Delving into a dark and heavy sound, this track shows our hero leaving the world he has known behind.  His caravan is ambushed in a desert where the sands are constantly being struck by lightning, forming dunes of glass and encapsulating the bodies of the slain.  Does the hero see his future? His past? Or simply the inevitability of death?  Musically, this song features some interesting use of double-layered vocals that give off echoes of Hansi Kursch while still retaining Shaughnessy’s unique vocal quality.

Chieftain – Having survived the Crystalline dunes, our hero finds his way to the Infinite Steppe, a vast wasteland where warring tribes vie for control.  There, he follows a mighty Chieftain to victory.  When the Chieftain perishes, our hero seizes control and cuts a bloody swath through his enemies.  This song’s fast driving rhythm, complex arrangement, and chanty chorus give it a unique spirit and one that we hope will get the audience’s blood pumping.

Cut Down – This is one of the most old-school and traditional heavy metal-sounding songs we may have ever done.  Combining vibes from Judas Priest, Dio, and a hefty dose of Manowar, Cut Down is a high-octane track that finds our hero continuing his bloody campaign of conquest.  Eventually, he realizes that all he’s become is a villain who can’t contribute anything to the world other than blood and death, and gives up his title of Chieftain to return home.

Echoes of Home (feat. Kristin Starkey) – This song musically is a nod to Jim Steinman/Meatloaf and also to Tobias Sammet and his work in Avantasia.  This has some great 70s and 80s power ballad vibes, driven by piano and strong orchestration supporting killer vocals from Starkey and soaring leads from the guitar. This power ballad forms the “all is lost” moment of the album, where the protagonist returns home to find that his enemies have found it and put it to the torch and its people to the sword. Here, he encounters the Mystic (Twilight Force and Temperance vocalist Kristin Starkey), who reprimands our hero for leaving, but together they decide on a plan for our hero to seize his destiny, become the dragon, and fight the cosmic forces of destiny.

Becoming the Dragon – Having chosen to embrace his destiny to fight the one who made it, our hero summons magical forces to transform himself into the titular dragon.  This song features thunderous drums, shredding solos, and a really killer bass interlude that builds the song towards its high-impact climax.

Eschaton – This sweeping narrative features a lot of different musical movements within as the hero battles the forces of destiny, shattering the universe in order to rebuild it as one free of fate.  Inspired by songs like “And Then There Was Silence” by Blind Guardian, “The Scarecrow” by Avantasia, and “Fear of the Dark” by Iron Maiden, this song is an epic with a lot of pieces that flow seamlessly between each other, telling the story of the end of one cosmos and the dawn of a better one.

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

BAND STORY ANGLES / FUN FACTS:

The Collaboration with Fabio:  Shaughnessy has been a Rhapsody fan since he was 16, and so this collaboration is a dream 20 years in the making.  When he wrote “As the Dragon Falls,” he had a long list of different vocalists he wanted to collaborate with, but Fabio was at the top of the list, and he didn’t even have to ask his second choice.  He really appreciated Fabio’s warm and friendly attitude towards collaboration and thinks the results speak for themselves.

Kristin Starkey, from teacher to collaborator:  Shortly after Shaughnessy saw Kristin filling in for Alesandro Conti during their tour with Gloryhammer in early 2024, he signed up for vocal lessons.  He really appreciated the advice not just on singing, but on writing, marketing, and the business, and he really appreciates the friendship and rapport the two have built over the last two years. And she’s been a great support that he said has really helped him grow and feel confident in his vocal abilities far beyond what he could have imagined.

Echoes of Home: Shaughnessy wrote Echoes of Home during a pretty hard time for him personally.  Shortly after his son was born, he lost a great deal of weight and had to be admitted to the NICU.  The room was small, and there was only a couch for sleeping, so at night, Shaughnessy would go home while his wife stayed with their son.  It was during these nights when everything seemed grim that he started writing “Echoes”.  It really fuelled the sadness and sense of loss that became the core of “Echoes of Home”. Not to worry, though, his son is happy, healthy, and celebrates his second birthday in February of 2026.

Child of Prophecy:  This song has an interesting history because the first draft was written long before any of the other tracks of the album, and was at least in a small way the inspiration for the main overarching story.  However, when we recorded the version we had written in pre-production, something about the track was not clicking, and the song felt off.  The problem was that we had already completed drum tracking, and going back to do more would have cost a lot of money and potentially thrown off our entire budget.  In came Ryan, who, within just a day or two, had re-arranged the entire track with the stipulation that the original drums needed to stay intact.  The result is a tighter and more on-point version of the song than had ever existed before, and it is a track we are incredibly proud of and excited to share with everyone.

Writing Process:  Quite a few people outside of the band commented that our full-band collaborative writing process sounded crazy to them.  And while some people originated certain key ideas or skeleton frames of the songs, ultimately, all of us had a hand in shaping each track.  It had challenges and required people to really work on communicating, compromising, and collaborating, but in the end, the result is an album that has a lot of each member in its DNA, and that’s something really special.

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

Left to Right: Mark Girard (Drums) |  Eric Fischer (Bass) |  Shaughnessy McDaniel (Vocals) |  Ryan Flanagan (Guitar) |  Scott Hancock (Guitar)

Photographer Credit – Gii Astorga

Forged in the fires of fantasy and history, Siege Perilous is a Colorado-based power metal band dedicated to telling stories as grand as the battles and legends that inspire them. Born from the camaraderie of live-action roleplay and a shared love of cooperative storytelling, the band was founded by Shaughnessy McDaniel (vocals), Scott Hancock (guitar), and Mark Girard (drums) after witnessing the electrifying performance of Unleash the Archers in Denver in 2021. Inspired to create their own epic soundscape, they soon recruited longtime collaborator Eric Fischer (bass), known for his work in Celtic folk band The Stubby Shillelaghs. In late 2024, the lineup expanded with the addition of Ryan Flanagan, solidifying the band’s roster as they embarked on their most ambitious project yet.

Siege Perilous crafts music that is epic, melodic, powerful, cinematic, and story-driven. Their songs draw from both history and myth—whether chronicling the devastation of the Black Plague, the crossing of the Rubicon, or the slaying of dragons in tabletop and live-action roleplay adventures. Every track is designed as a chapter in a larger saga, blending thunderous riffs, soaring solos, and commanding vocals into immersive narratives that transport listeners into worlds of valor and imagination.

After releasing two EPs and various singles, in 2025, Siege Perilous began recording their debut full-length album, Becoming the Dragon, for release in 2026. A sweeping concept record that weaves a ten-part story across its tracks. The album balances the grandeur of a narrative arc with the individuality of standalone songs, offering fans both a cinematic journey and powerful single experiences. With contributions from every member, the writing process was deeply collaborative, each musician shaping different story beats before uniting them into a cohesive whole. Guest performances from artists like Fabio and Kristin Starkey further elevate the album’s scope and emotional resonance.

On stage, Siege Perilous delivers more than a concert; they create an immersive theatrical experience. Their live shows invite audiences into the worlds they sing about, combining high-energy performance with storytelling flair. Fans can expect not just music, but an adventure that blurs the line between stage and saga.

The band’s influences span the pantheon of heavy and power metal: Manowar, Battle Beast, Iron Maiden, Hammerfall, and Sabaton, alongside the symphonic grandeur of Blind Guardian, Rhapsody, Helloween, and Avantasia. Siege Perilous channels these inspirations into a sound uniquely their own, rooted in classic heavy metal traditions but expanded with modern symphonic arrangements, dynamic vocal range, and cinematic scope.

With their evolving sound, collaborative spirit, and passion for storytelling, Siege Perilous stands ready to carve their place in the halls of power metal. Each song is a quest, each album a legend, and each performance an invitation to join the adventure.

Discography:
2022 – Betrayal of the Dracolich (EP)
2023 – Black Death (Single)
2023 – Blood Hallows (Single)
2023 – Ride the Leyline (Single)
2024 – Creation’s Call (EP)
2026 – Becoming The Dragon (LP)

Shared Stage with:
Seven Spires, Aether Realm, Judicator, Celestial Wizard, After Time Seizure, Starwraith, Oak, Ash, and Thorn, Signs of Tranquility, Fell Harvest

Festivals:
2024 – Mile High Power Fest

0 EPK – Pythonic – Decomposition (2025)

  • November 21, 2025
  • by Asher
  • · EPKs · Pythonic

EPK – Pythonic – Decomposition (2025)

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

“We think fans are going to love this EP. We are trying to give them a taste of our new vocalist with our classic tracks reimagined, or as we refer to it, “Decomposed”. The music is the same, but the vocal delivery from Morgan Warriner is a huge game-changer. We have had so many positive reviews with live shows that it’s easy to assume they are going to love these tracks. Not to mention the bass playing from Max Hiske on this EP is so groovin’, it really adds so much more depth to the tracks.” – Pythonic

For fans of Lamb of God, Morbid Angel, Devildriver, Black Dahlia Murder

Band: Pythonic
EP Title: Decomposition
Release Date: December 19, 2025
Label: Self-Release
Distribution: Distrokid

    Pythonicband.com | Facebook.com/pythonicband | Instagram.com/pythonicband | Youtube.com/@pythonicband

Pythonic.bandcamp.com | Spotify | Apple Music

““EP 1” is a testament to Pythonic‘s dedication to their craft and their refusal to be confined by sub-genre limitations. Each song is a blend of technical prowess and raw emotion, offering listeners a chance to experience the full spectrum of the band’s capabilities. It is recommended for fans of Machine Head, Trivium and Pantera.” – Metal-Rules (EP01 – 2024)

“Pythonic comes from Canada with ‘Epica’, a track that features fast-paced guitar riffs, heavy drums and an engaging, torn vocal that delivers to listeners the essence of metal and subverts such as alternative, thrash and even melodic, being perfect to the circle and not to leave anyone standing still.” – Os Garot Os Deliverpool (EP01 – 2024)

“Pythonic has an EP for you. Blending Thrash with Old School Swedish Death Metal, the band manages to sound like Entombed but without losing its unique style… So if you have a few minutes of anger to drain, these guys are going to cover you!” – Metal Eclipse Reviews (EP01 – 2024)

“Overall I’m a pretty big fan of this record. If you want something that sounds
maybe like an Anthrax or a Slayer record then you really want to check this out.
The most dynamic and unique part of this EP, in particular is the vocals
are double-tracked and they’re very high in the mix which is something that is somewhat different than a lot of the other metal releases this year which I greatly appreciate. If you want something that has a lot of the thrash guitar element then you’re really going to want to check this out. The guitar and drum parts are fantastic, they really keep the songs very tight even though the vocals are very in your face and they’re usually the the first thing that you would notice with this kind of record but overall this is very strong.” – Brutally Delicious (EP01 – 2024)

Band: Pythonic
EP Title: Decomposition
Release Date: December 19, 2025
Label: Self-Release
Distribution: Distrokid

Track Listing:
1. Guiltfeeder (4:23)
2. Conceit (4:00)
3. Pills (3:09)
4. Liturgy (3:42)
5. Collateral (3:38)
EP Length: 18:54

EP Recording Credits:
All songs performed by Pythonic
All songs written by Pythonic with Alex Conley
Produced by Pythonic
Mixed by Reid Paraszczynec / Lucid Distortion Audio
Mastered by Reid Paraszczynec / Lucid Distortion Audio
EP Artwork by Danya Lawton

EP and Live Line-Up
Morgan Warriner – Lead Vocals
Ryan Hunter –  Lead Guitar
Vincent Kohut – Rhythm Guitar and Backing Vocals
Max Hiske – Bass
Jayden Warriner – Drums

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

About the EP Artwork:

The album artwork was done by the same artist as EP01, Danya Lawton. We got her again for the simple fact that we wanted to take the existing artwork from EP01 and “decay” it. Danya did research on the kind of mushrooms that grow on trees to give a more authentic look to a decaying tree. There is also the added eye in the center of the tree to give it a bit of a possessed feeling. We also did the art in this fashion because a lot of the songs have been shortened from their original counterparts. So, as most musicians compose music, in this case, we “Decomposed” the songs, hence the name Decomposition. The theme of decomposition in the art also helps to drive a more death metal approach that had been taken with the songs.

About The EP:

Lyrically, this EP, within the songs, is a lot more cohesive; the song themes stay on topic the whole time, unlike the past release we have done. I think the short amount of time that a lot of the lyrics were written definitely helped to make them stay on topic. The lyrics are a lot heavier, and that also comes with the delivery. The lyrics are also a lot more raw because they come from a more true-to-person source. The lyrics are truly lived when they are personal, and the non-personal ones just unfold vivid imagery as they are in “Liturgy”.

Musically, the EP came out way more aggressively than last time. Jayden really cooked on the drum parts for the EP. The beats just get a person moving, then when you add Max’s thundering bass to connect it with the riffs, you’ve got magic. I call it a sonic onslaught because there are so many pieces moving together, but they all join up to get this big sound that grooves.

Track By Track:

Guiltfeeder – Lyrically, this song is about ex-friends stabbing you in the back. It talks about how some people will be so nice to your face, but behind closed doors, with others, they will spread rumors and lies about you to try to make you look bad so they can look better. After the dealings with our original Singer, these sentiments couldn’t ring more true. The ending with the backing vocals really drives the full message of the track before Ryan serenades with a face-melting solo. This is one of the tracks that stayed a lot more musically the same from the past track, “Positive Deconstruction,” but we did speed it up to shave a minute off the play time. This was a fun one to rerecord. Speeding the song up gave it a lot more life, plus it’s now way better live.

Conceit – Conceit is a very special track lyrically on the EP. The lyrics were written by Alex Conley, who played bass for us for the first two shows of the year. The lyrics follow a narcissist and the effect their behaviours have on friends and family. It also addresses the anger from the receiving end of narcissistic abuse, how a person wants them to just see how shitty they are, but they are so absorbed in themselves that they never had any chance to see it any other way. Musically, this track did not differ much from the original “Love H8”; nothing was sped up, and no riffs changed. The drums definitely help to drive the thrash sound the band was going for when the song was originally written. The recording was definitely tighter on this one than the original, especially on the bass and the guitar solo at the end.

Pills – The theme that this song was originally supposed to be about is captured so much better by Morgan than it was with Dustin. Reading through the lyrics, he really captures the “beauty” of substance abuse issues. He really gets the inside view portrayed well while also having powerful visual descriptors to really drive home the whole picture of drug addiction. Cracked skin and the itch to get your next fix are really vivid; it almost makes you feel the bugs crawling on your skin. Musically, Pills is the same as the original, and this song is also the only one to share the original name, as the subject matter didn’t change. This song feels a lot tighter than the original version.

Liturgy – This has to be the band’s favourite after recording the songs. The lyrics are about summoning a demon with a sacrifice during a blood moon. As they summon the demon, the flesh of the sacrifice is consumed. This song has such vivid, deep red imagery of a cult giving the demon the land to ravage until the next blood moon. The spoken word at the beginning really sets the tone for the rest of the song. It sounds as if a cult is reading from a text to begin the ritual with an eerie whisper trailing the last word of every line. The trem riffs with the lyrics really intermingle to create a fire spreading across the land type of vibe. The rewritten new chorus riff really chunks up the song. The ending, where Morgan is hitting the highs and Vincent is hitting the lows, just really ties the track together well for a perfect resolution.

Collateral – This song doesn’t stray too far from the themes of its predecessor, “Epica”; however, the name is much better. The song is about joining forces and reclaiming the rights to yourself and the world that’s being controlled for us. It is a very triumphant song with a catchy “MARCH” chant that people can’t help but join in on. This song had a lot of the intro and outro shaved off to cut down the time. The riff is awesome, but it did not need to be repeated that many times. The bass in the intro and outro absolutely slaps. It really helps drive the song in a more marching tone and makes it beefy.

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

Fun Facts:

1. We got a sick show with Into Eternity on the 21st of November. Tristan, ex- Pythonic drums, was setting up a show for his birthday, and he pulled some mad strings and got Into Eternity on the bill along with the band he plays in Ravenwitch. As soon as he asked about the show, I was just like done. I’ll ask the band later. We want to be on this show.

2. A good chunk of the lyrics was written in the first two months of the year, and Morgan had to get the show ready with those lyrics in the same amount of time. We had applied to Serenade Metal Fest before we kicked out our old singer, so Morgan had to really expedite the process. We also had to practise a bunch of mornings to get show-ready because that’s the only extra time we could find when at least drums and one guitar could accompany the vocals.

3. We got to open for the band 200 Stab Wounds in July at the Black Cat Tavern. The show was so packed for a Monday. We came with an absolute onslaught of a set to start the night out right. The guys in 200 were so awesome too, their bass player was talking with everyone in the band. That was an exhilarating show and so crazy for a Monday.

4. The week after the 200 Stab Wounds show, we headed down to Regina to open for YEGG on a Monday night. That was also a wild show in more ways than one. First, every other band thought a different band was bringing drums. Luckily enough, it was at The Exchange, which is directly beside Long and McQuade, so we were able to rent a kit and have the promoter return it later. Then the opening band was not on time, and everyone was stressing about whether we should just start the show. The crowd turnout out though, was insane for a Monday night with 0 local openers. After the show, YEGG was on tour, and they had a band drop off their Edmonton show, and they asked if we wanted to hop on the bill. If people could have gotten the day off, we would have been there.

5. We also have a sick show in Edmonton called Slaughter Fest at the Starlite Room main stage. We are so pumped to play the main stage there. We played the temple stage back in 2019, at least Ryan and Vincent have, and that was sweet, but the size difference is something else. Plus, we get to end our year of shows in the same place we started them. This has been a crazy year of growth for the band and our sound. Fitting to end where it all started.

Pythonic – Back Row – L to R: Max Hiske (Bass) | Morgan Warriner (Lead Vocals) | Vincent Kohut (Rhythm Guitar & Backing Vocals) 

Front Row – L to R: Jayden Warriner (Drums) | Ryan Hunter (Lead Guitar )

Photo Credit – Carsen Warriner

Pythonic is a Canadian death-groove metal band hailing from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Drawing inspiration from groove and death metal giants such as Lamb of God, The Black Dahlia Murder, Morbid Angel, and Devildriver, the band combines crushing riffs with unrelenting energy. Striving for the tightest live sound possible while delivering an electrifying stage presence, Pythonic is truly a sonic force to be reckoned with. Over the years, the band has seen many lineup changes, but two core members have remained constant. Lead guitarist Ryan Hunter, the resident guitar prodigy, shreds some of the grooviest riffs and most blistering solos. Rhythm guitarist Vincent Kohut brings a machine-like precision, combining thick low-end riffing with razor-sharp tremolo picking.

The 2025 and beyond lineup is the tightest and most prolific in Pythonic’s history:

Jayden Warriner – skin slapping powerhouse on drums

Morgan Warriner – a vocalist with a beastly range that will leave your head spinning

Max Hiske – the latest addition, locking down the low end and slappin’ da bass with fury

Together, this lineup delivers the full-throttle sonic assault that defines Pythonic.

Discography
2025 – Decomposition – EP
2024 – EP01 – EP
2020 – Negative Thoughts – Single

Shared the stage with
200 Stab Wounds, Beguiler, Art of Attrition, Insurrection, YEGG, Untimely Demise, Ravenwitch, Hatchet, Hazzerd, Kelevra, Augurium, Widows Peak, Protosequence, Agony Spawn, Wasted Heretics, deadsunday, Alien to the Ignorant, Ripcordz, Into Eternity, Display of Decay, Brain Stem, Age of Ashes, A Modern Prometheus, Cell (MB)Fests
2025 – Slaughterfest – Edmonton, AB
2025 – Serenade Metal fest – Edmonton, AB
2019 – Shockerfest 26 – Edmonton, AB

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Spotify | Apple Music

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

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

‘Completely devoid of fillers’ – Hardline Magazin

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

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

‘Melodic Death Metal of the first order’ – Metalutopia

‘An excellent melodic metal record’ – LOUD!

‘Full of addictive melodies’ – Metal Release

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About The Single Artwork:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photographer: João Fitas (@joao.fitas)

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

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

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

The rest is history in the making.

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

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

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

Endorsements: Solar Guitars

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