Category: Music News

0 Canada’s Deformatory Release New Video For “Deciphering The Archetype” Off “Inversion of the Unseen Horizon”

September 15, 2021
by Asher
· Deformatory · Music News

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – September 15, 2021

Canada’s Deformatory Release New Video For “Deciphering The Archetype” Off “Inversion of the Unseen Horizon”

Deformatory originally started in 2009, but over time new members joined the ranks, and the original idea and songwriting evolved into what it is today helmed by Charlie Leduc (Guitars & Vocals) and Neil Grandy (Drums). This was the fertile soil to create a blend of death metal that was atypical and so it has continued to be. The new album, the band’s third full-length, “Inversion of the Unseen Horizon” explores the origins of an alien race The Ce’naxors.

This concept album is nine, blistering, brutal tracks that continue where Deformatory’s 2016 album “Malediction” left off. The band explains the album and the single “Deciphering The Archetype” in their own words:

“The album tells us of how the Ce’naxors began and the ominous landscape of their home planet, Cyru’xil, revealing their Arkitekt’s grand scheme for multiversal decimation and atomical Consumption. The Unseen Horizon is their planet, their beings and their plan. The Inversion intimates it coming into view, from an otherwise hidden perspective. Through the single, witness the first glimpses of Xuul ‘Ka as it breaches the atmosphere, causing a whirlwind of meteorological events. Through the portal, the clouds dissipate, and Cyru’xil comes into view, along with the Grand Arkitekt, and the Cenaxors.”

Fans that are itching for more after this full-length won’t have too long to wait. Deformatory says they are already four songs deep into the new album, so listeners can expect more brutality sooner than they would hope for.

The lyric video for “Deciphering The Archetype” can be viewed and heard on SlamWorldWide – https://youtu.be/lY0qvjL7Hkc

Recommended for fans of Hate Eternal, Cryptopsy, and Morbid Angel, “Inversion of the Unseen Horizon” was released on September 3rd and can be enjoyed on CD, Vinyl, Cassette and digital download at http://deformatory.bandcamp.com

Track Listing:
Chapter I – INCEPTION: THE CYRU’XILEAN NEXUS
1. Within The Astral Abscess (5:20)
2. Behold, The Apex of Decay (4:36)
3. Enginieering The Wvrmhorde (4:39)

Chapter II – INCURSION: THE PROTOTYPAL ESCHATON
4. Summoning The Cosmic Devourer (7:13)
5. Masticated By An Infinite Shadow (4:30)
6. In The Embervoid Where Dead Stars Reign (3:52)

Chapter III – INVERSION: THE HORIZONTAL REFLECTION
7. Deciphering The Archetype (3:53)
8. Impaled Upon The Carrionspire (5:01) (Classical guitar and solos by Jon Levasseur (ex-Cryptopsy))
9. Beyond The Abhorrence (4:13)
Album Length: 43:21

Album Band Line Up:
Charlie Leduc – Guitars & Vocals
Neil Grandy – Drums

For more info:
Deformatory.ca
Facebook.com/deformatory
Instagram.com/deformatory
EPK

About:
Deformatory is a death metal band from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Forming in 2010, they set out to create an extreme sound, fusing together classic influences (Cryptopsy, Morbid Angel, Suffocation, etc.) and their love for modern tech death. The result is a uniquely relentless blend of death metal that can only hail from the Northern hemisphere.

Deformatory independently released their full-length debut, “In The Wake of Pestilence”, in December of 2013. This pummeling 9-track debut has been exceptionally well-received by fans worldwide, and has been cited as being an “outstanding and monstrous debut album. Essential.” (Frank Rini – AllAboutTheRock, ex: Internal Bleeding), and “flawless in every way” (TheBloodShed).

Having shared the stage with bands like Cryptopsy, Napalm Death, Obscura, Beyond Creation, Gorod, Archspire, and Fuck The Facts, Deformatory is more than comfortable delivering their crushing brand of extreme metal to live, screaming, and sweaty audiences.

The band’s sophomore release, “Malediction”, was released worldwide via CDN Records in 2016, with additional singles “Once Upon the Cross” (Deicide cover), and “Myiasis” both in 2018. Since then, DEFORMATORY has been developing their 3rd full-length album entitled “Inversion of the Unseen Horizon”, which they plan to unveil in the Fall of 2021 as an independent release.

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“A maniacal riff-fest colliding with pulverizing drumming and grotesquely executed vocals, Impaled Upon The Carrionspire is a memorable journey into a modern death metal portal of chaos. This is beyond a brutal wall of sound; it’s an experience that hooks you in, and guides you through everything you can expect to hear on the new album.” – Metal Injection

“Let’s cut to the chase: Imagine filling a syringe with unadulterated adrenaline, sticking it straight into your carotid artery, and jamming the plunger down with as much force as you can muster. That’s the effect of listening to Deformatory’s “Beyond the Abhorrence“. Driven by the mad weaponry of drummer Neil Grandy‘s almost relentless double-kick barrage and the rabid monstrosity of Charlie Leduc‘s cavernous bellowing, the song is a non-stop attack of mind-mutilating, pulse-pumping savagery. Leduc unleashes a plethora of macabre riffs and mutated leads, creating a multitude of frightening yet electrifying sensations, none of which are connected to a sane mind.” – No Clean Singing

“”Summoning the Cosmic Devourer,” being almost seven minutes long and just jam-packed with insanity, feels like it devoured other, lesser songs to become a terrifying megalith of riff after riff after riff. Dashing from one tempo to another with no warning, the song’s askew progressions illustrate sneering triumph and cosmic indifference with punishingly clear double-bass work to keep the tempo firmly in the mortal plane. This vile ceremony of riffs is intense and immediate enough to warrant constant attention, but it also seems to ooze with discordant mystery—each jarring and jagged chord hints at a terror outside our understanding. ” – Invisible Oranges

“those seeking the most brutal and battery ram-like extremity, Deformatory checks off all of the boxes that you’d like it to: strong musicianship and soloing, intense riffs and vocals, and just enough melody to keep it from going completely unhinged.” – Dead Rhetoric

“Inversion Of The Unseen Horizon consolidates Deformatory’s position as one of the finest acts in the Canadian metal scene.” – Heavy Music Headquarters

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0 Canada’s VARIUS Tease Upcoming Melodic Death Metal EP “Concordance” With Trailer, New EP “Concordance” Out November 5th

September 15, 2021
by Asher
· Music News · Varius

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – September 15, 2021

Canada’s VARIUS Tease Upcoming Melodic Death Metal EP “Concordance” With Trailer

New EP “Concordance” Out November 5th

L-R: Joel Tassillo (Bass) / Joey Scaringi (Vocals) / Vladimir Prokhorov (Drums) / Patrick Forlin (Guitar)
Photo Credit: Britney Goertz

Canada’s Varius are releasing a new EP “Concordance” later this year and the first glimpse into the mayhem within is the EP trailer, teasing at what is in store.

Watch the EP trailer at the following link: https://youtu.be/z8o8HaRX0Gg

Although melodic death metal and thrash elements are the “core” of their sound, they always want to emphasize that their influences are a lot more diverse than just those styles. They take an experimental approach to their music and often try to marry heavy metal elements together with elements from other genres.

The band says they are extremely proud of this release as they explain further:

“We think our excitement for it is going to translate to our fans. People who are already familiar with us will probably catch on to songs like “Concordance of the Legionfall” and “Gut Shoveler” right away, and new fans who are into the more extreme end of the metal spectrum will probably be attracted to those. We covered some new ground with songs like “Golden Crown” and “Lament of Dissonance”, so we think our fans will be turned on to a new (but just as heavy) aspect of our sound. With any luck, those songs might attract some new types of listeners as well.”

Varius covers several different lyrical themes through their music, so people who are into fantasy, science fiction, post-apocalyptic or psychological kinds of themes can find plenty of intriguing lyrics in those.

“Concordance” was engineered, mixed, and mastered by Eddie Lucciola of 414 Recordings. Eddie is a talented up-and-coming engineer and producer who also develops digital plugins with Kiive Audio. Eddie’s expertise in engineering contributed massively to putting “Concordance” together.

The diversity of the riffs and the lyrics will connect with all kinds of heavy metal fans making this well-rounded release suitable for all types, especially those who enjoy Dethklok, Death and Children of Bodom.

“Concordance” comes out on November 5, 2021

Track Listing:
1. Golden Crown (6:03)
2. Concordance of the Legionfall (4:59)
3. Lament of Dissonance (4:43)
4. Gut Shoveler (5:28)
Digital EP Length: 21:14
Note: Physical CD copies of Concordance will feature a bonus track (previously released digitally – 2019)
5. P.I.S.S. (3:22) (CD Bonus Track)
EP Length (CD version): 24:40

For more info:
Facebook.com/Varius.band
Instagram.com/varius.official
EPK

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0 Rockshots Records – HOLLOW Announce New Album “Tower” Out November 26th + Streaming Title Track

September 15, 2021
by Asher
· HOLLOW - ROCKSHOTS RECORDS · Music News

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – September 15, 2021

Rockshots Records – HOLLOW Announce New Album “Tower” + Streaming Title Track

New Album “Tower” Out November 26th

Rockshots Records is proud to announce they will once again be releasing the next recording from Swedish power prog band HOLLOW, lead by Andreas Stoltz (ex-Binary Creed). Entitled “Tower”, the fourth album follows 2019’s “Between Eternities of Darkness”, which marked the band’s return after a 20-year hiatus since unleashing the 1999 album “Architects of The Mind” via Nuclear Blast Records.

Featuring 10 tracks, “Tower” is a story album best listened to as a whole, which tells a tale of transformation with its blend of progressive metal/rock, power, melodic death and thrash elements. Andreas Stoltz is accompanied by drummer Stalder Zantos who also appeared on “Between Eternities of Darkness”.

“Working with Stalder Zantos has been a more continuous element in writing the material for Tower than on Between Eternities of Darkness and this has definitely influenced the outcome as has contributed more on this album than on the previous one,“ adds Stoltz.

On HOLLOW‘s “Architect of the Mind” artificial intelligence and creation was the topic, on “Between Eternities of Darkness” parenthood and tragedy and for “Tower” the concept of inner and outer freedom is explored. It’s also about belonging and transcendence and Stoltz hopes these are things that most people can relate to.

“The relating bit is important, since art – regardless of form – is a meeting of emotions and ideas. It needs to find something to resonate within the person who takes part in it. When asked, I find it hard to describe the music, but it’s metal. It has distorted guitars, double bass drums and harks back to bands like Judas Priest and Queensryche. But there is also quite a bit of contemporary metal on Tower. Since this is a concept album with the ambition of conveying a story, listening to it as a whole is encouraged. I hope you can find something that resonates with you on it. Hopefully, HOLLOW’s fans will be able to trace today’s music back to Modern Cathedral and Architect of the Mind. I’ve made an effort to keep it as straightforward and simple as possible. I think most fans will have no trouble recognizing it as HOLLOW.” comments Stoltz.

In preview to the “Tower” release on November 26th, HOLLOW is revealing the album’s title track as the first single. It’s a traditional metal song with some nice riffing and a catchy chorus. The song’s tale is about the protagonist who grows up in seclusion and their contact with the world outside the Tower is limited to their guardian/teacher.

Stoltz explains the title track in further detail:

“Tower (the title track of the album) was one of the first songs to be completed and it’s also a great representation of the album as well as HOLLOW’s music. I wanted to write a record that was a bit more uplifting than the previous one and it all fell into place when I realized that Tower (the album) was going to be a kind of fantasy story. But also about inner change. In a sense, we’re all trapped in our towers, ie our minds. This song started the writing process of the whole album.”

Listen to “The Tower” at https://youtu.be/dlExXc_b0wc

Album Pre-save – https://bfan.link/the-tower
CD pre-order – https://bit.ly/hollow_cd

“Tower” is due out November 26th, 2021 via Rockshots Records.

Track Listing:
1. Birth (3:45)
2. The Tower (3:25)
3. Guardian (3:49)
4. The Waiting Is Over (3:26)
5. Destroyer of Worlds (3:38)
6. Every Drop of My Blood (3:58)
7. Sunrise (3:29)
8. A Home Forgotten (3:30)
9. Nation of Man (3:42)
10. Wander On (3:39)
Album Length: 36:24

For more info:
Roc kshots.eu
Facebook.com/hollowsweden
Instagram.com/hollowsweden
Twitter.com/hollowsweden

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0 Snakeblade Entices Extreme Metal Fans With Game of Thrones Inspired “The Red Mage’s Seduction”, Track Premiere via NoCleanSinging, New Album “The Curse” Out October 13, 2021

September 14, 2021
by Asher
· Music News · Snakeblade

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – September 14, 2021

Snakeblade Entices Extreme Metal Fans With Game of Thrones Inspired “The Red Mage’s Seduction”

Track Premiere via NoCleanSinging

New Album “The Curse” Out October 13, 2021

Snakeblade is a relatively new one-man solo project that was spawned out of pandemic isolation. Over the past year and a half, the ever intrepid Mike Redston has written, performed and recorded two albums, “The Kingdom” in 2020 and “The Curse” in 2021. The first single off the latter is “The Red Mage’s Seduction”, which, like the rest of the album, is themed around Game of Thrones.

Even though both albums were released in relatively quick succession, Redston cites that the difference between the two albums is very clear. While the first album started out as a ‘fun’ project bordering on power / black metal, he has since taken a deep dive into a darker blackened thrash sound and introduced new symphonic elements. The project is still young, he explains further:

“The music has grown immensely in complexity and scale. A session drummer was hired to handle blasting the kit. There are new orchestral elements of strings, pianos, and choirs. Atmospheric synth interludes. Holy hell, there’s even a sexy saxophone solo! Lyrically, “The Curse” is somewhat of a concept album revolving around Game of Thrones. I say “somewhat” because as I began writing, the initial inspiration from GOT started mixing with my own experiences. What came out is a melting pot of nerdy fantasy shit plus my own personal shit. GOT plotlines of The Red Woman, Stannis Baratheon, and the Lord of Light religion meet my own personal plot lines of betrayal, failure, and rage. Overall, these songs are both deeply emotional and deeply nerdy.”

The single “The Red Mage’s Seduction” is Redston’s favourite track off the album. It has the best of both worlds: a thrashy chaotic feel plus an atmospheric orchestral twist in the middle. Like the other songs on the album, it was written and performed by Redston with the exception of drums, which are performed by Dennis Kraakman. The album artwork was done by Elizabeth Holmes.

According to Redston, it has been a long, pain-staking process making this album and he looks forward to seeing how it is received by black, death and thrash metal fans. It is especially recommended for fans of Slayer, Dissection and Skeletonwitch.

“The Red Mage’s Seduction” can be heard via its premiere on NoCleanSinging HERE.

The album “The Curse” will be available on October 13, 2021.

Album pre-order – https://snakeblade.bandcamp.com/album/the-curse

Track Listing:
1. Destiny (Intro) (1:42)
2. Rotten Souls (6:48)
3. Harvester (3:35)
4. Dreams of Aida (1:53)
5. The Red Mage’s Seduction (6:01)
6. Foul Sorcery of Flame and Shadow (5:04)
7. Godswood (2:28)
8. Born Among Salt and Smoke (5:46)
9. Archways (3:05)
10. Exile, Outlaw… The Essence (6:34)
Album Length: 42:56

Album Credits:
• All songs performed by: Mike Redston
Drums performed by Dennis Kraakman
Artwork by Elizabeth Holmes
‘Dreams of Aida’ co-produced with Macca Grills
‘Godswood’ co-produced with Logan Macdonald
• All songs written by: Mike Redston
• Produced by: Mike Redston
• Album Artwork by: Elizabeth Holmes
• Member of SOCAN
• Music is Canadian Content (MAPL)

Album Band Line Up:
Mike Redston – Vocals, Guitar, Bass Guitar,
Dennis Kraakman – Drums

For more info:
Facebook.com/snakebladeofficial
Instagram.com/snakebladeofficial
EPK

About:
Amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, Snakeblade was formed by Mike Redston as an escapist project while the entire world was quarantined. What came out of this anxious time may surprise you though, as Snakeblade refuses to follow typical one-man black metal trends. Every song on their debut album The Kingdom explodes with energy and youthful rage, delivering a pummelling of riffs, blastbeats, and shrieking vocals. With lyrical topics of fantasy, medieval battles, lord of the rings, and video games, Snakeblade is a headbanging nerd’s wet dream. Now on their second effort, the one-man project delves into bold new territory adding orchestral and electro elements to the blackened thrashy chaos that is: The Curse.

Discography:
2020 – The Kingdom
2021 – The Curse

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“This one man black metal project from Canada, spearheaded by Mike Redston, wastes no time in pushing the pedal to the metal and letting it all go. No, seriously; the very first track on his new album, The Kingdom, has an insanely flamboyant and satisfying guitar solo, breakneck drums, and vocal shrieks aplenty.” – Heavy Blog Is Heavy

“Snakeblade Goes Beyond Black Metal Trappings on ‘The Kingdom'” – Exclaim!

“It’s safe to say that Snakeblade’s musical genius will quickly outgrow Redston’s one-man credo, for other musicians will surely seek out his vision. That he has crafted such venomous metal that is still wildly entertaining during this pandemic is a huge accomplishment, and The Kingdom will appeal to fans of this black metal style, particularly followers of Mayhem, Borknagar and classic Slayer.” – Exclaim!

“This is absolutely my jam, and The Kingdom is one of my favorite albums of the year so far.” – Toilet ov Hell

“I am compelled to say that SNAKEBLADE most definitely delivered an utmost maddening, but enjoyably entertaining discovery that made me replay this …pretty much all day long. “The Kingdom” is an addicting spin that will blow brains & shatter windows with explosive clarity. Full of density, technical prowess & engaging captivation. This is an incredibly amazing debut album, and I will most look forward to their upcoming projects. And for a singular writing attempt, bravo! I couldn’t help but score this as a masterful piece of other-worldly malevolence which most certainly deserves a slot in your collection for sure. Check it out!” – Metal Temple

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0 The Design Abstract Continue Their Melodeath SciFi Saga With “Born of Machines” Off “Metemtechnosis” Out Oct 29th

September 14, 2021
by Asher
· Music News · The Design Abstract

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – September 14, 2021

The Design Abstract Continue Their Melodeath SciFi Saga With “Born of Machines” Off “Metemtechnosis”

New Album “Metemtechnosis” Out October 29th via Abstrakted Records

L-R – Matt Ngo (Guitar) | Voiicide (Vocals, Bass, Synth) | Logan Mayhem (Guitar, Synth)
Photo Credit: Tami Martin

Canada’s The Design Abstract have a new album coming out that will continue their sci-fi narrative that is accompanied by a flurry of growls, epic riffs and harsh blastbeats. The single “Born of Machines” is heavily influenced by Gothenburg Melodeath, as it features a fairly traditional song structure, and sports several catchy riffs and solos. The lyrics tell of a great technological rebirth taking place. The band explains the track further:

“It is the first track fully written and recorded by Matt on guitar! We thought it was a fitting welcome to the band to make sure the first thing to come out after Technotheism had him prominently featured. Born of Machines is a catchy track in the style of (our take on the) old Gothenburg Melodeath, meaning in many ways it’s what you’d expect: mixed vocals, awesome riffs, some flashy solos, and a general feeling of anticipation and excitement. In that way, it’s a perfect first single for the album, even if it’s not entirely indicative of the sound of the album.”

The album “Metemtechnosis” is a sci-fi melodic death metal album that uses orchestral and electronic elements to tell the story of humanity being reborn as a creation of hyper-intelligent technology. Themes that deconstruct the ideas of technology, humanity, and utopia are explored to the sound of huge, riffy, and comprehensive songs. It is the fifth release from The Design Abstract and according to them, a massive improvement on the last one “Technotheism” in writing, recording and production. The concept album spans nine tracks that are intended to be listened to in order to fully experience the story.

The Design Abstract formed with the singular goal of making symphonic death metal that was forward-thinking and played heavily on Sci-Fi tropes. The thesis of the project has always been to blend orchestra, death metal, electronic/industrial, as well as traces of post or prog metal.

The science-fiction infused melodic death metal is suitable for fans of Scar Symmetry, Fleshgod Apocalypse and Soilwork.

“Born of Machines” can be heard via TheCirclePit – https://youtu.be/1LgkZKwNFT4

The album “Metemtechnosis” drops on October 29, 2021 via Abstrakted Records.

Album pre-order – https://design.bandcamp.com

Track Listing:
1. Digital Dawn (8:03)
2. Born of Machines (4:35)
3. The Hybrid Awakening (7:07)
4. Organic Data Fusion (5:45)
5. Metropolis II (4:42)
6. Aberration Omega (3:33)
7. Upheaval (Instrumental) (2:00)
8. Sentinels (3:10)
9. Decryptor (6:32)
Album Length: 45:31

Album Band Line Up:
Voiicide – Vocals, Bass, Scoring/Sampling/Programming
Logan Mayhem – Guitars, Modular synthesis
Matt Ngo – Guitars

For more info:
Facebook.com/thedesignabstract
Instagram.com/thedesignabstract
EPK

About:
The Design Abstract is a 3-piece Symphonic Melodic Death Metal band from Kitchener-Waterloo, ON, Canada. The band focuses heavily on storytelling and worldbuilding with a futuristic and sci-fi narrative to each album they create. The Design Abstract formed in 2011 as a solo project under the name Design, and after many lineup changes, grew into a musical entity that presents a bold, epic, and even monolithic fusion of orchestra, synth, and melodic death metal. Sweeping symphonic passages, harsh industrial elements, highly proficient and memorable guitar work, and brutal guttural vocals mixed with soaring cleans are all blended in many ways to put forth a truly unique and powerful musical experience.

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“Incorporating old school sci-fi visual elements with choppy electronics, catchy guitar parts and perfectly timed kick drums, this track (Parallel Projection) is a synth metal blast!” – Metal Injection

“A symphonic technical death metal masterpiece with an amazing concept to keep you engaged from start to finish \m/” – Heavy New York

“Now for some nerd shit. Technotheism is a concept record about the future that at it’s core is a melodic death metal record, but the band dabbles with electronic elements, technicality, and grand orchestrations throughout. Fans of Last Chance To Reason and really any band Mike Semesky (Ordinance, Raunchy, etc) has been a part of will probably dig this.” – Metal Injection

“This is a grandiose affair, full of musicality, technicality, and narrative. Thirteen tracks of symphonic melodic death metal that tells a cyberpunk story of a group of rebels fighting to regain control of Earth. It ranges from technical guitar work to atmospheric electronic passages, and just about everything in between.” – The Prog Space

“I love hearing something ambitious and genre-bending when a band can follow through on their vision. The Design Abstract is one such band, one that had an idea and put it together almost flawlessly… This album is every bit as diverse, colorful, and epic as I had hoped, and there are jaw-dropping moments galore. I absolutely love this record.” – The Prog Mind

“The Design Abstract goes for a big symphonic style in extreme metal, with a few twists and surprises along the way. Fans of the dystopian and/or futuristic sounds may find the album especially interesting. The Design Abstract is the symphony that remains after the alien zombies have taken over and this is the music that they want the world to hear to remind everyone that the zombies are horrible beings that enjoy tormenting the population with grandiose cacophony. When can the party begin, right?” – Metal Bulletin Zine

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0 Rockshots Records – Signum Draconis Shares Video “Gate of Hell (Arrival of Charon)”, Out Nov 12th – The Divine Comedy: Inferno

September 14, 2021
by Asher
· Music News · Signum Draconis (Rockshots Records)

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – September 14, 2021

Rockshots Records – Signum Draconis Shares Video “Gate of Hell (Arrival of Charon)”

Out Nov 12th – The Divine Comedy: Inferno

Rockshots Records announces they will be releasing on November 12th, 2021, Signum Draconis‘ heavy metal opera of Inferno, from The Divine Comedy written by Dante Alighieri.

Featuring 17 songs by the band all sung in English, the double CD album is the first in a triptych of the complete work of Dante’s magnum opus with Purgatory and Paradise to follow, and will also feature duets with selected special guest vocalists, narrations of selected chants, and an orchestral accompaniment by the Bratislava Symphony Orchestra and Choir.

In preview to the upcoming album, the band is sharing the lyric video for the first single “Gate of Hell (Arrival of Charon)”, which can be viewed at https://youtu.be/KmMkvFwr1QQ

“Chant III of Inferno, one of the best-known chants in the entire Divine Comedy, reflects the moment in which Dante and Virgilio arrive at the gate of Hell and read those famous words as a warning written on the door. These verses were treated with special interest, the weight falling and leaving the absolute prominence to the classical orchestra. As a curiosity, the inspiration for the creation of the melody for the intro, I have to say that it caught me by surprise in my free time and since it seemed perfect I was forced to write it on a napkin. During the song we will be able to listen to another duet, this time carried out by our singer Max Morelli in the character of ‘Dante’ and Mr. Mark Boals as ‘Virgil’. At the end of the song, ‘Charon’ the ferryman enters the scene, played by our guest star Mr. Ben Jackson, who everyone will surely remember as the guitarist of the mythical band Crimson Glory.” adds guitarist Oscar Grace.

Single stream links:
Spotify – https://spoti.fi/3nIvJZh

Album Teaser – https://youtu.be/8Pm1JxewMNs

Album pre-order – https://bit.ly/SignumDraconis_CD

Signum Draconis takes their name from the medieval knights’ Order of the Dragon, and has opted for a classic 80s-influenced metal sound in homage to the rock and metal icons that inspired them to be musicians, and aim to produce a truly musical, timeless and epic recording that will absorb and reward from repeated and dedicated listening.

Guitarist and composer Oscar Grace reflects on the history of the project:

“The story of Signum Draconis can be said to begin in 2010, after two years crossing what felt like a personal hell, I was sitting in my car gazing at the sky when a message came to me as it were, a vision clear as day: ‘Put The Divine Comedy to music!’ At that moment Signum Draconis was born. I returned home immediately and hunted out an old copy of Dante’s masterpiece I had owned for years and began furiously reading. Two full years of study and research followed, reading and re-reading all three books many times and even traveling to Florence to visit the 13th Century poet’s own house, trying to envisage what it would have been like to be him and the world in which he lived his story.”

It took two years to extract the parts that would form the material for the songs, and a further year working with my good friend Frederick Pollock to compose the lyrics, bringing to each song its own meaning whilst maintaining the thread that binds all the songs together, at all times remaining faithful to the source and paying the utmost respect to the poet Dante with regards to the correct register with perfect meter and rhyme in English.

I believe Dante’s Inferno perfectly suits the musical style of Heavy Metal, but given the epic scale and cultural importance of Dante’s books, I wanted to bring something else to the music, something that lent grandeur and elegance, and to that end, I began to write parts for a symphony orchestra, in an old-fashioned way, with a fountain pen and sheet music and no new technology to guide my hand.”

Overall, this project took four years to compose the music for the band as well as the orchestra and along the way Oscar Grace searched for the companions who would join him on this voyage of grand musical ambitions. The first was Francesco Micieli, the drummer with whom he had already worked on other projects, then Max Morelli to be the voice of the band, and later on, after an arduous search, Oscar Grace found Filippo Martignano for keyboards and Stefano Antonelli on bass.

Once all the compositions were finished the band set about recording in the Domination Studio of San Marino, taking advantage of the experience and professionalism of Simone Mularoni as a sound technician. For the recording of the orchestral parts, Signum Draconis chose to work with the Bratislava Symphony Orchestra, having spoken with the director, David Hernando Rico, who helped them enormously and who showed such enthusiasm for the music and the project overall.

Track Listing:
CD 1:
1. In the Midway of Life’s Journey (5:14)
2. The Mission of Virgil (3:44)
3. Gate of Hell (Arrival of Charon) (5:58)
4. The Borderland (4:48)
5. Whirlwind of Lovers (5:11)
6. Under Eternal Rain (4:50)
7. To the Edge of Stygian Lagoon (4:45)
8. Regnum Dite (2:36)
9. Burning Graves (5:50)
10. Phlegethon (The Bloody River) (6:00)
11. Forest of Suicides (5:48)
12. Firestorm (6:11)

CD 2:
13. On Geryon’s Back (1:10)
14. Ten Moats of Damnation (Interlude: The Ulysses’ Chant) (11:31)
15. In Hands of Titans (5:28)
16. Cocytus (The Ice Terror) (8:28)
17. Lucifer (7:46)

Special guests include:
RENATO CARROZZO as Storyteller
CHIARA MANESE as Beatrice
MARK BOALS as Virgil
BEN JACKSON as Charon
KSENIA GLONTY as Francesca
LUCA PAOLINI as Pluto
ANDREA RANFA as Brunetto Latini
FREDERICK POLLOCK as Ulysses
SIMONE MULARONI as Nimrod ‘The Titan’
OLEG SMIRNOFF as Count Ugolino

Band line up:
Max Morelli (Vocals)
Oscar Grace (Guitars)
Filippo Martignano (Keyboards)
Stefano Antonelli (Bass)
Francesco Micieli (Drums)

More info:
Rockshots.eu
https://www.facebook.com/signumdraconis
https://www.instagram.com/signumdraconis

– 30 –

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ASHER MEDIA RELATIONS

Jon Asher – Music Publicist
#.514.581.5780
asher[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
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0 Groove Metal Band WoR Shares Next Live Video “Caged” From The Asheville Sessions ft. New Drummer; September 11th Performing at Blue Ridge Rock Festival (Danville, Virginia) + Tour Support For Select October Shows w/ Battlecross, The Convalescence, The Breathing Process

September 10, 2021
by Asher
· Music News · WoR (Bungalo Records)

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – September 10, 2021

For fans of Pantera, Lamb of God, Machine Head, Sepultura, Gojira

Groove Metal Band WoR Shares Next Live Video “Caged” From The Asheville Sessions ft. New Drummer

Out Now! Debut Album “Prisoners” (Bungalo Records/Universal)

September 11th Performing at Blue Ridge Rock Festival (Danville, Virginia)
+
Tour Support For Select October Shows w/ Battlecross, The Convalescence, The Breathing Process

L-R – Phillip Funderburk – Bass, Bobby Demoss – Vocals, David Nisoff – Guitar, Dylan Jenkins – Drums, Ben Kaiser – Guitar

North Carolina, USA groove metal warriors WoR are sharing their next video from rehearsals with new drummer Dylan Jenkins.

With upcoming performances at Blue Ridge Rock Festival on September 11th in Danville, Virginia plus tour dates in October with Battlecross and The Convalescence, the band entered a hunting cabin in the middle of the Appalachian Mountains in Asheville, NC to rehearse their set with Jenkins who has put his own spin on some of the older material and injected it with new life.

The band comments:

“During the pandemic, we spent a lot of time behind closed doors working on refining our craft. We worked on old music and wrote a bunch of new music. We decided to film one of these sessions, isolated in a hunting cabin in the Appalachian Mountains, away from the chaos of everyday life. Just the 5 of us jamming”.

Perfectly titled “The Asheville Sessions”, WoR‘s second video showcases the refreshed shredding ripper “Caged”, which can be viewed at https://youtu.be/qECYHN5ve0Q

“Caged was one of our stronger singles from the album “Prisoners” and in the Asheville sessions we revamped it even more. Always a powerful track live, it was a cool experience to perform in it such a unique musical setting.” adds the band.

Their first video “Hiraeth” from a series of more to be revealed can also be viewed at https://youtu.be/J-NRDd81lqo

Throwing in elements of thrash, metalcore, and even hardcore punk, everyone in WoR has taken a different musical path and the variety of influences shows through in the unique and original sound on their debut release “Prisoners”, which is an extremely energetic journey from start to finish. Groovy, raw, and old school, WoR is suitable for all fans of metal especially those with an interest in Machine Head, Sepultura, and Gojira.

“Prisoners” (released Aug 7, 2020) is available on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, Google Play.

Music Videos:
VI Kings – YouTube
Predator – YouTube
Caged – YouTube
Come and Out Play (The Offspring Cover) YouTube

Upcoming Show Dates:
https://www.worband.com/tour
Sept 11 – Blue Ridge Rock Festival – Danville, Virginia
Oct 29 – Rockstar Lounge – Fort Wayne, IN *
Oct 30 – Toledo’s Main Street Bar & Grill – Toledo, OH *
Oct 31 – Diesel Concert Lounge – Chesterfield, MI *
* = w/ Battlecross, The Convalescence, The Breathing Process, Gnarcotix

For more info:
WoRband.com
Facebook.com/WoRBandOfficial
Instagram.com/w.o.r.official
Twitter.com/WoRbandofficial
EPK

– 30 –

—

ASHER MEDIA RELATIONS

Jon Asher – Music Publicist
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jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
Facebook @AsherMediaRelations
Instagram @AsherMedia
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0 Finland’s AS I MAY New Music Video “Charged”, New Album “Karu” Coming 2022 via Uprising! Records

September 10, 2021
by Asher
· As I May · Music News

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – September 10, 2021

For fans of In Flames, Amorphis, Avenged Sevenfold

Finland’s AS I MAY New Music Video “Charged”

New Album “Karu” Coming 2022 via Uprising! Records

The Finnish melodic tradition runs hot in the veins of AS I MAY as they release the second single from their forthcoming album “Karu” due out in 2022 via Uprising! Records.

“Charged” is a song as heavy and energetic in the verses as melodic and addictive in the chorus. A combination that already proved to be a winner for the Finnish four-piece.

“The whole idea for the song came from the Netflix “Making A Murderer” series”, vocalist & guitarist Lasse Hiltunen says. “The song is based on fiction and we don’t have any opinions on that case, but what a story! The actual song has really hard-hitting guitar riffs with an, almost, pop hit vocal melody in the chorus, with metal guitars. For the music video, we tried to get more of that story-vibe with colours of flame and charcoal. Sad, tragic story from all points of view“, he concludes.

The video can be viewed at https://youtu.be/dNIY0jDGX04

Stream on Spotify – https://spoti.fi/3nlScLw

Previous Single / Music Video:
“Breaking Myself Away” – https://youtu.be/GlDFjcJ_vmQ

As I May is a four-piece modern melodic metal band from Mikkeli, Finland – formed in 2016. The band combines modern elements, yet keeps focus on the heavier side of the music, and they sound like a modern-day US mixture of In Flames and Amorphis, so almost any metal fan would get a treat from listening to the music of these Finns! It’s a mature band, displaying a truly professional attitude towards the modern sound of heavy metal. The soul of the music lies within the catchy melodies and the big choruses.

The band released their debut album “Speak No Evil” in 2017, and got the attention of lots of fans and from the record label Rockshots Records, who decided to sign As I May for the 2019 release of their 2nd album “My Own Creations”. In Asia, the album was released through the label Spiritual Beast.

As I May played a wide array of local Finnish shows and were booked for a European tour, as support for the Brazilian powerhouse-metal act Semblant… and then Covid-19 reared its ugly face, postponing everything for everyone.

The tour is postponed until the spring of 2022 and in the lock-down period, As I May have spent the time, composing and recording their brand-new opus “Karu”, a venture into more modern and direct in-your-face songs. The full length will be released worldwide by Uprising! Records in 2022.

Line-up:
Tipi Nokelainen – Vocals, Bass
Lasse Hiltunen – Vocals, Guitars
Jani Valhola – Guitars, Vocals
Leevi Räsänen – Drums

Tour Dates:
09.02.2022: Rock Fabrik, Ubach Palenberg, Germany
10.02.2022: Z-7, Pratteln, Switzerland
11.02.2022: Rock Palast, Bochum, Germany
12.02.2022: Baroeg, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
13.02.2022: Belvedere, Namur, Belgium
14.02.2022: The Dome, London, UK
15.02.2022: La Boule Noire, Paris, France
16.02.2022: Rock and Eat, Lyon, France
18.02.2022: Hard Club, Porto, Portugal
19.02.2022: RCA Club, Lisboa, Portugal
20.02.2022: X Club, Seville, Spain
21.02.2022: Caracol, Madrid, Spain
22.02.2022: Bóvedo, Barcelona, Spain
24.02.2022: tba, Milano, Italy
25.02.2022: Backstage, München, Germany
26.02.2022: Café Central, Weinheim, Germany
27.02.2022: Randal Club, Bratislava, Slovakia
28.02.2022: tba, Berlin, Germany

For more info:
https://asimay.com
https://www.facebook.com/asimay.official
https://www.instagram.com/asimay_official

– 30 –

—

ASHER MEDIA RELATIONS

Jon Asher – Music Publicist
#.514.581.5780
jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
Facebook @AsherMediaRelations
Instagram @AsherMedia
Tweet @AsherMedia

0 Rockshots Records: Italian Symphonic Folk Metal AEXYLIUM Release Video For Title Track Off Upcoming Album “The Fifth Season” Out Oct 29th

September 10, 2021
by Asher
· Aexylium (Rockshots Records) · Music News

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – September 10, 2021

For fans of Eluveitie, Korpiklaani, Alestorm

Rockshots Records: Italian Symphonic Folk Metal AEXYLIUM Release Video For Title Track Off Upcoming Album “The Fifth Season”

New Album “The Fifth Season” Out October 29th

Italian symphonic folk metallers Aexylium have unleashed their latest video for the title track from their forthcoming album “The Fifth Season” due out October 29th, 2021 via Rockshots Records.

The title track tells through the lyrics and the music an initial restlessness, which leads to a feeling of hope and rebirth towards the end. The song also expresses doubts about the future, also considering the human impact on the planet.

Watch the video featuring Arianna Bellinaso as a special guest on vocals at https://youtu.be/uL0YN1JIyVc

Digital stream – https://spoti.fi/3A5znzK

Mixing traditional folk instruments (Flute, Violin, Bouzouki) with the modern symphonic metal, Aexylium‘s sophomore full length follows 2018’s “Tales From This Land” (Underground Symphony Records) and their 2016 self-produced EP “The Blind Crow“. “Tales From This Land” has had over 110k streams on Spotify along with its powerful single “Revive the Village’ placing on the top 200 metal song charts in Germany on Apple Music. Aexylium has also released fan-praised covers of Game of Thrones and Vikings main themes with reinterpreted folk metal sounds.

Since their inception in 2014, the Italian band has performed at renowned festivals in Europe such as Dumeltica International Music Festival, Montelago Celtic Festival, Malpaga Folk & Metal, Rock Inn Somma, Druidia and Strigarium along with sharing the stage with Elvenking, Wind Rose, Nervosa, Furor Gallico, Temperance and more. In August 2020, despite Covid restrictions, Aexylium was chosen by the city of Milan to perform at the historical Castello Sforzesco.

Their new album “The Fifth Season” is a concrete step towards growth and musical maturity with its offering of festive ballads, tighter riffs, advanced orchestrations and heavier dark songs that are all inspired by Norse Mythology. The record also features guest vocals from Samuele Faulisi (Atlas Pain), Arianna Bellinaso and the members of Coro Facoltà di Musicologia Vocal Ensemble. The album was recorded at Twilight Studio by Davide Tavecchia with the artwork done by Jan Yrlund of Darkgrove Design (Manowar, Testament, Korpiklaani.

“The Fifth Season” is due out October 29, 2021 via Rockshots Records and is available for pre-order at the following links:
CD – https://bit.ly/TheFifthSeason_CD
Digital – https://bfan.link/the-bridge

Previous Single:
Lyric Video “The Bridge” – https://youtu.be/jyssCoDi9jo

Track Listing:
1. The Bridge (4:47)
2. Mountains (4:16)
3. Immortal Blood (5:54)
4. Battle of Tettenhall (5:59)
5. Skål (4:54)
6. An Damhsa Mór (2:39)
7. Yggdrasil (4:47)
8. Vinland (4:09)
9. The Fifth Season (5:20)
10. Spirit of the North (5:40)
11. On the Cliff’s Edge (2:40)
Album Length: 51:10

Band Line Up:
Steven Merani – Vocals
Fabio Buzzago – Guitar / Backing Vocals
Andrea Prencisvalle – Guitar
Gabriele Cacocciola – Bass
Matteo Morisi – Drums
Stefano Colombo – Keyboards / Accordion / Backing Vocals
Federico Bonoldi – Violin
Leandro Pessina -Flutes / Bouzouki / Mandolin

Album Credits:
Special Guests:
Arianna Bellinaso – Vocals (‘Mountains’ / ‘The Fifth Season’)
Samuele Faulisi – Vocals (‘The Bridge’) – Backing Vocals
Coro Facoltà di Musicologia Vocal Ensemble – Choirs
Produced by: Aexylium, Davide Tavecchia
Music and Arrangements: Aexylium
Orchestral Parts: Stefano Colombo, Buzzago Fabio
Lyrics: Fabio Buzzago, Steven Merani, Gabriele Cacocciola
Recording, Mixing and Mastering: Davide Tavecchia (Twilight Studio)
Cover Art and Booklet: Jan Yrlund – Darkgrove.net
Band Photo: Sasha Martinelli – Salazart

For more info:
Roc kshots.eu
Aexylium.it
Facebook.com/aexylium
Instagram.com/aexylium_official

– 30 –

“The experience of hearing ‘Tales from this Land’ is a wonderful voyage through time and music at the same time” – Metal Temple (9/10)

“They just need to keep honing the direction, it’s on the right track for sure! I’m not even a big fan of folk metal, but I just became a fan of Aexylium!” – BucketList (9/10)

“A significantly well done, fun and excellent debut album if you love this genre of music” – Metalwave (80/100)

“‘Tales from this Land’ is not afraid of foreign competition and shows, together with a handful of CDs released in recent months, great talent” – Mister Folk (8/10)

“The first song of their concert is unmistakable for those who have followed this TV series, I’m obviously talking about ‘Game of Thrones’ and is welcomed by an ovation from the crowd, that is getting bigger under the stage … They are eight on the stage and the energy they spread is perceived and celebrated several times by the horn sounds among the crowd” – Malpaga 2016 live report by Metalpit

“Aexylium from Varese, a band that I personally had never listened live and that turned out to be a pleasant discovery … The crowd is jumping, and even though their show is at the hottest time of the day, the audience for them is consistent, and it is undeniable that they appreciate the exhibition” – Malpaga 2016 by Suoni Distorti Magazine

—

ASHER MEDIA RELATIONS

Jon Asher – Music Publicist
#.514.581.5780
jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
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0 Decibel Mag Now Streaming Deformatory’s “Inversion of the Unseen Horizon”

September 9, 2021
by Asher
· Deformatory · Music News

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – September 9, 2021

Decibel Mag Now Streaming Deformatory’s “Inversion of the Unseen Horizon”

Ottawa’s Deformatory has a new album and it is now streaming in full over on Decibel Magazine HERE.

“Inversion of the Unseen Horizon” is the fifth release from Deformatory, adding to previous works, ”A Prelude Of…” (2011); “In The Wake of Pestilence” (2013); “Malediction” (2016); and “Bilateral Carnage” (Split with Blood of Christ, 2018).

The concept album follows the story of a malevolent interdimensional entities that seek to enslave and consume all light from the universe. Lyrically and musically, Deformatory has gone to great lengths to ensure a brutal, captivating and cohesive work of art. The band shares their take on the overall experience they are trying to convey:

“For us, the artwork and concept of the album were just as important as the music and songwriting. Our hope is that every audio and visual release that is connected to this album helps the listener dive deeper into the totality of our creation.”

Deformatory shares their hopes for the album’s reception:

“We hope it gets received the way we receive it when playing it. We have tons of fun jamming the songs and it automatically causes our heads to bang. It’s a heavy and jam-packed album that has a little bit of everything wrapped in brutal death metal packaging. Our hope is that fans of all extreme metal spectrums will find at least one thing in it to enjoy.”

Deformatory has a high level of chemistry when it comes to writing, on this album, there are some songs that were written in just an hour or two because we were in the pocket and everything flowed the way it should. According to the band, they don’t put a lot of thought into the writing, nor do they concern themselves with the theory behind it. If it sounds good to them and makes them want to demolish the room, then it’s a keeper.

Recommended for fans of Hate Eternal, Cryptopsy, and Morbid Angel, “Inversion of the Unseen Horizon” can be enjoyed on
physical CD and digital download at http://deformatory.bandcamp.com

Previous Videos:
In The Embervoid Where Dead Stars Reign – https://youtu.be/7M5DSSNg3fY
Beyond The Abhorrence – https://youtu.be/Hj9B4QPJ-YI
Impaled Upon The Carrionspire ft. Jon Levasseur (ex-Cryptopsy) – https://youtu.be/03VlbpSDNmU
Summoning The Cosmic Devourer – https://youtu.be/FIdlOiOR1Zs

Track Listing:
Chapter I – INCEPTION: THE CYRU’XILEAN NEXUS
1. Within The Astral Abscess (5:20)
2. Behold, The Apex of Decay (4:36)
3. Enginieering The Wvrmhorde (4:39)

Chapter II – INCURSION: THE PROTOTYPAL ESCHATON
4. Summoning The Cosmic Devourer (7:13)
5. Masticated By An Infinite Shadow (4:30)
6. In The Embervoid Where Dead Stars Reign (3:52)

Album Band Line Up:
Charlie Leduc – Guitars & Vocals
Neil Grandy – Drums

For more info:
http://www.deformatory.ca
http://www.facebook.com/deformatory
http://www.instagram.com/deformatory
EPK

– 30 –

—

ASHER MEDIA RELATIONS

Jon Asher – Music Publicist
#.514.581.5780
jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
Facebook @AsherMediaRelations
Instagram @AsherMedia
Tweet @AsherMedia

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