Category: Music News

0 TheSludgeLord Video Premiere: Montreal’s Cell Press Announce “Desert Breath” Off Upcoming Debut Self-Titled EP

October 23, 2020
by Asher
· Cell Press · Music News

(contact info below)

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – October 23, 2020

For fans of KEN mode, Unsane, Mastodon, Keelhaul

Montreal’s Cell Press Announce “Desert Breath” Off Upcoming Debut Self-Titled EP

Video Premiere via TheSludgeLord

Out Nov 27th, Limited Edition Cassette from Ancient Temple Recordings and No Funeral Records

Lineup (L to R): Sean Arsenian (Guitar, Vox), Joey Cormier (Bass), Mark McGee (Drums), PQ (Vox)

A convergence of talent from well-seasoned musicians (The Great Sabatini, Biipiigwan, I Hate Sally, Architect) makes Montreal’s Cell Press a band to keep an ear out for. A melting pot of genres and talents boils over with this fresh band that is just getting started. To entice listeners, they are releasing their debut self-titled EP this year and introduce it with the single “Desert Breath”.

The raw complexity will be slightly familiar to those who are already acquainted with the member’s other projects, but it is, overall, a different animal. Cell Press has a mandate of zero compromises, played with conviction and honesty.

With the self-titled, Cell Press has no intention of trying to find “The Formula”, which they find boring, instead, they explore ideas with punishing aggression and compile five pieces that each stand on their own and don’t sound like each other. The band explains the single in their own words:

“This is sort of an inverted “Immigrant Song” type of riff, on steroids. The refrain at the end is hijacked from a Woody Guthrie song. It was the second tune we started working on but the first one that came together and really solidified with everyone.”

Lyrically, the song is about loneliness, and not having a place or relationship that feels truly like home. For fans of Unsane, Jesus Lizard, and Converge, Cell Press is a mix of early metalcore, sludge metal, noise rock, and grindcore.

The music video for the single “Desert Breath” can be watched and heard via its premiere on TheSludgeLord HERE.

The full EP is releasing on November 27th.
Digital pre-order from Cell Press here.
Limited edition cassette pre-order available from No Funeral Records here and Ancient Temple Recordings on Nov 27th.

Track Listing:
1. Piss Police (3:35)
2. Desert Breath (2:52)
3. Blacked Out In Verdun (2:37)
4. Dead At OACI (3:31)
5. My Son Will No The Truth 11:40
EP Length: 24:18

For more info:
Facebook.com/cellpressmtl
Instagram.com/celllpresss
EPK

About:

Cell Press are a Montreal-based band that formed in 2019. They play a sort of burly noise-rock that leans more on the hardcore and metal side of the swamp. They took their name from the 2001 Russian prison documentary “The Mark Of Cain”. The brutal humanity of that film is reflected in the music… on the surface, it’s raw and punishing but there are complexities and nuances revealed once the surface noise has been embraced. Members have played in a myriad of punk, metal, and hardcore bands such as The Great Sabatini, Biipiigwan, I Hate Sally, The Chariot, Animal Ethics, Architect, Swarm Of Spheres, and Angles. Their self-titled EP is the first offering of tunes. Recorded pre-quarantine in Hamilton at Boxcar Sound Recording (Sean Pearson), mixed in Oakland at Anti-sleep studios by Scott Evans with the pandemic in full swing… 2 local shows have been logged but any further plans to gig have been halted by Covid-19.

Discography:
2020 – Self Titled – EP

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Jon Asher – Music Publicist
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0 Sons Of Butcher’s Ricky Butcher Announces The Silliest Album Of The Year “Fuck: The Album”, New Music Video “Song of 1000 Fucks”

October 23, 2020
by Asher
· Music News · Ricky Butcher (from Sons of Butcher cartoon series)

(contact info below)

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – October 23, 2020

For fans of Sons of Butcher, Tenacious D, Steel Panther, Dethklok, Spinal Tap, Psychostick

Sons Of Butcher’s Ricky Butcher Announces The Silliest Album Of The Year “Fuck: The Album”

New Music Video “Song of 1000 Fucks”

Ricky Butcher – Photo Credit: Renee Trotier

Ricky Butcher of Sons of Butcher fame is stepping out on his own to release the crassest album of the year. With the help of his bandmates Doug Borski (bass), Sausage Ralph (drums), and Colin Van Hamsteak (lead guitar), the self-proclaimed “Rock God” Ricky Butcher leads the listener through a nineteen-minute listening experience filled with silly, cathartic, and self-aware fuck songs.

The introductory single to this album, “Song of 1000 Fucks” comes with a cheeky video and, you guessed it, 1000 ‘fucks’ over the course of the two-minute song.

Hamilton, Ontario’s Butcher is no stranger to writing “weird-ass” songs thanks to his time with Sons of Butcher who gained attention through a popular television show and the live band that followed. He had a philosophy in mind when he wrote this debut solo record:

“Fuck the production, fuck the mix, fuck the process, fuck the prudes, and especially fuck the album. Oh, and fuck 2020 too while we’re at it!”

His idea for “Fuck: The Album” was simple – write and record a hard-rockin’ comedy homage to the most popular and versatile curse word of our time while there was still government lockdown money to be handed out.

For those who want to enjoy the album in a less offensive way, there is an alternate censored mix of this release with every swear word bleeped, called ‘Bleep: The Album’. It will have a slightly different album cover and the release date is planned for later in the year.

Recommended for fans of Sons of Butcher, Tenacious D, Steel Panther, you can watch the video and count the profanities on YouTube HERE and stream on Spotify and download on Apple Music.

The full album “Fuck: The Album” is coming out on November 27, 2020, exclusively in digital formats.

Album pre-order Fuckthe2020.com.

Track Listing:
1. Big Fuckin’ Welcome (0:37)
2. Play Fuck The Shit (0:41)
3. Fuck The Shit 2020 (1:09)
4. Fuck The Album (0:56)
5. Wake Up and Smell The Fuck (0:09)
6. Song of 1000 Fucks (1:59)
7. Holy Fucking Fuck (1:25)
8. One, Two, Fuck You (0:07)
9. Fuck Your Mom (1:10)
10. Bitch, Are You Fuckin’ fo’ Real? (0:07)
11. Doug’s Got A Fuck Song (0:18)
12. Fuck The Dollarstore (0:33)
13. Fuckjective (1:14)
14. Home Fuckin’ Stretch (0:11)
15. Sweet Fuckin’ Solo (0:46)
16. Calm The Fuck Down (1:27)
17. Fuck You (0:41)
18. Trying To Fuck Off (3:49)
19. Fuck Off (1:20)
20. The Fuckin’ End (0:04)
Album Length: 18:52

Album and Live Band Line Up:
Ricky Butcher – Vocals, Guitar
Doug Borski – Vocals, Bass
Sausage Ralph – Drums
Colin Van Ham Steak – Guitar

Album Credits:
• All songs performed by: Ricky Butcher
• All songs written by: Ricky Butcher
• Produced by: Ricky Butcher
• Mixed by: Bill Hendersen
• Mastered by: Bill Hendersen
• Album Artwork credit: Brian Hoang
• Member of SOCAN
• Canadian Content (MAPL)

For more info:
Fuckthe2020.com
Facebook.com/ricky.butcher.526
Twitter @rickencebutcher
Instagram @rickybutcher2020
EPK

About:
Ricky Butcher is best known as the lead vocalist/guitarist for Sons Of Butcher, a rock-band-turned-cartoon-series that debuted on Canadian national television in 2005. As the Legend goes, music was starting to suck and the chicks were drying up when a thunderous clap of lightning struck the Earth. Just then Ricky Butcher appeared, naked and cold, with a guitar in one hand and a boob in the other. He immediately wrote the Sons Of Butcher hit song “Fuck The Shit”, garnering airplay on The Howard Stern Show and winning an award for “Comedy Song Of The Year” from The Red Peters Comedy Music Hour. Now that he’s had two animated seasons, a live action tour special and six studio albums under his belt with Sons Of Butcher, Ricky has decided to stretch his Gibson Firebird wings and take to the skies for his very first solo album.

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ASHER MEDIA RELATIONS

Jon Asher – Music Publicist
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0 InvisibleOranges Premiere: Canadian Grindcore Fuck The Facts Reveal Single “Ailleurs” Off New Album “Pleine Noirceur” Out Nov 20th

October 23, 2020
by Asher
· Fuck The Facts · Music News

(contact info below)

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – October 23, 2020

For fans of Brutal Truth, Napalm Death, Converge, Cephalic Carnage, The Dillinger Escape Plan

Canadian Grindcore Fuck The Facts Reveal Single “Ailleurs” Off New Album “Pleine Noirceur” Out Nov 20th

Track Premiere via InvisibleOranges

L – R: Melanie Mongeon, Mathieu Vilandre, Topon Das
Photo by Anndy Negative

It’s been half a decade since Fuck The Facts’ last release, Juno nominated “Desire Will Rot”, but the band continues right where they left off, offering up another slab of their patented “bastardized” grindcore full of all the twists and turns that fans have come to expect. Their new album, “Pleine Noirceur”, set for release on November 20th via the band’s very own Noise Salvation label.

Leading up to the release of the new record, the grind trio introduces their next single “Ailleurs” via its premiere along with an exclusive interview on InvisibleOranges HERE.

The band comments on the track:

“It’s a 0-1-3-4 feel. We needed a short grindcore song for all the back-up goalies out there.”

Fuck The Facts has amassed a respectable discography over the years, and this new offering joins the 7 LPs and 6 EPs released to date. The considerable amount of time the band has been working together shows in the natural chemistry that courses through each of the 12 tracks. Fuck The Facts comments on the album:

“We took a long break before working on this album, I feel like it’s a collection of bits and pieces; old and new, short and long. It’s us working back into the groove, just in time for a pandemic. This album also could have easily been 3 EPs, you really have to listen to the whole thing in order to fully enjoy it. It opens the door for what is next.”

What started as a basement recording project in the late 90s has blossomed into one of the most prolific bands in the Canadian extreme underground scene. Fuck The Facts have always been more about making albums than just writing songs, using what’s left over for a separate EP, but this time around they decided to put the extra songs as bonus tracks on the different physical copies of the release, so the vinyl, CD and cassette versions will each have a different bonus track that’s not available on the digital release.

The unapologetic, experimental album probably needs a few listens in order to fully enjoy. Put on some noise-canceling headphones, choose your drug of choice, close your eyes, and enjoy.

Recommended for fans of Cephalic Carnage, Exhumed, and Morbid Angel, “Pleine Noirceur” will be available in several different formats on November 20, 2020.

Album Pre-order HERE.

Track Listing:
1. Doubt, Fear Neglect (6:47)
2. Ailleurs (1:17)
3. Pleine Noirceur (5:42)
4. Aube (1:24)
5. Sans Lumiere (4:23)
6. Sans Racines (0:38)
7. Everything I Love Is Ending (4:14)
8. A Dying Light (3:41)
9. Dropping Like Flies (4:04)
10. L’abandon (2:07)
11. An Ending (3:27)
12. _cide (3:59)
Album Length: 41:46

For more info:
Fuckthefacts.com
Facebook.com/FuckTheFacts
Twitter.com/fuckthefacts
Instagram.com/fckthefacts
EPK

About:
Started as a recording project in the late ’90s, it wasn’t until 2001 that the work ethic that produced a slew of underground releases drove Fuck The Facts towards full band status and into the live arena. Since then, the Ottawa-based unit has barely stopped for a breath of reconsideration, associating themselves with some of the biggest labels in underground extreme music, as well as continuing a steady output of DIY releases. Having toured hundreds of thousands of kilometers throughout North America and Europe, guitarist/founder Topon Das, vocalist Mel Mongeon and drummer Mathieu Vilandré have performed as some of the biggest festivals and sweated it out in some of the smallest basements. From 2006-2011 Fuck the Facts released three albums via underground powerhouse label, Relapse Records. Upon the completion of their contract, the quintet decided it was time to put the finishing touches on the proverbial full-circle, returning to the world of fierce independence and creative control. Their most recent releases were produced entirely at their own studio, self-released, and shows Fuck The Facts efforts as an entity continuing to grow musically and personally while developing a deeper understanding of what significance their art holds to them. As one of the longest-running and most recognizable names in Canadian Grindcore, FUCK THE FACTS continue to deliver their brand of “Bastardized Grindcore” with no end in sight.

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“Fuck the Facts is one of the most prolific grind-based bands in Canada’s big, weird extreme music scene.” – Noisey

“avant-garde grindcore road warriors…boundless chaotic energy and unrestrained sense of experimentation. – Exclaim

“Their formidable discography is speckled with blips and bursts of every shade of extreme metal, hardcore, punk, and noise imaginable, spearheaded by vocalist Mel Mongeon’s razor-edged larynx and mastermind Topon Das’ mad fretboard genius.” – Pitchfork

“FUCK THE FACTS brings a strong collection of extreme metal tunes, often technical and scathing, sometimes grindy and with just enough melody to digest without heartburn.” – Blabbermouth

“explosive and ferocious” – Metal Sucks

“Fuck The Facts aren’t your average grindcore band.” – No Clean Singing

“Canadian grindcore hurricane” – CVLT Nation

“It’s impossible to deny that the grindcore-meets-death-metal hybrid sound they’ve created” – Lambgoat

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0 Bravewords Video Premiere: Ottawa’s Rockin’ Engine Is Inciting Fury With “Let It Burn” Off “The Wretched And The Damned” Out Oct 31st

October 23, 2020
by Asher
· Music News · Ottawa’s Rockin’ Engine Is Inciting Fury With “Let It Burn” Off “The Wretched And The Damned” Out Oct 31st · Rockin' Engine

(contact info below)

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – October 23, 2020

Ottawa’s Rockin’ Engine Is Inciting Fury With “Let It Burn” Off “The Wretched And The Damned” Out Oct 31st

Video Premiere via Bravewords

L-R – Joel Bilodeau (Drums), Steve O Leff (Vocals, Guitar), Ste Vy Leff (Guitar), JP Buzzard (Bass)
Photo Credit – Dark Moon Productions

A punch in the face is coming right at ya’ in the form of Rockin’ Engine’s new album “The Wretched And The Damned”. This is a follow up to their 2019 album “Midnight Road Rage”.

The lyrics and music of this new full length were inspired by the physical and social destruction evolving in this world in the past few years. The listeners will be able to relate these stories with personal experiences, creating a deeper emotional connection with the songs. The tracks all have a different story but they all revolve around the same concept. The band explains the album in their own words:

“This album truly reflects the evolution in our musical genre and the hard work we all put into this. We decided to follow our roots and do what we love most, pure metal! The concept of this record is to bring the listeners into an emotional roller coaster and connect with our music. The lyrics were written in a storytelling fashion, in a post-apocalyptic metaphor, which places everyone in a chaotic world of injustice and control. The message is for people to unite as one and fight oppression, put aside our differences, and strive for a better life.”

The video for the single “Let It Burn” is literally a verbal attack on everyone responsible for the problems in the world we live in. They are basically saying, with the devil’s perspective, to just let everything burn because at this point, there’s just no coming back to a peaceful world. It is the band’s opening song and the infectious heavy rock will satisfy even the most particular of headbangers.

Watch “Let It Burn” via its premiere on Bravewords HERE.

Great chemistry and contagious energy can be found in Rockin’ Engine, they are explosive in their playing and always go full throttle. They are recommended for fans of Pantera, Megadeth, and Slayer.

The single is available on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon HERE.

The full album will be available on Halloween, October 31st, 2020. Pre-order on Bandcamp.

Track Listing:
1. Let It Burn (4:27)
2. Mass Hysteria (3:41)
3. Broken Angel (6:44)
4. I Sold My Soul To The Devil (3:53)
5. The Wretched And The Damned (5:25)
Album Length: 24:12

For more info:
Facebook.com/rockinengineofficial
Instagram.com/rockinengine

About:

Based in the Ottawa region, Rockin’ Engine was founded in 2015 by two of their frontmen and lifetime friends, Steve O Leff on vocals and guitars, and Ste Vy Leff on lead guitars. The duo started out as your typical basement players but soon developed to be something way bigger than they anticipated. Later on, the talented Joel Bilodeau was added to the team on drums, showing some amazing skills and imagination with his wicked hard rock background. In 2016, an amazing bassist by the name of Fred Beaulieu joined the group and helped shape the hard hitting sound Rockin’ Engine is known for today.

Playing a wide variety of covers from Motley Crüe to Ozzy Osbourne, Pantera, Iron Maiden and so many more, the band wanted their first show together to be something big. Greatly involved in their community, they then decided to organize a fundraising show to support breast cancer research, and that’s when everything started to expand. Sponsors and several locals decided to join forces with the band to later become great allies for future fundraising activities and several events.

In 2017, Fred Beaulieu parted with the band for family reasons, leaving the other members to wonder what’s next for them. That’s when Nico Rioux came along. This young Ottawa University Law student decided to fill the missing bassist spot for Rockin’ Engine and later became a great asset to the band with his amazing progressive rock vocabulary and creativity like no other. At that moment, the four members commonly decided to create their own music with the sound of so many influences in the metal, hard rock and progressive genres.

After presenting a few of their unreleased compositions in several big events including The Canadian Army Run’s main stage two years in a row, the public’s reaction was so overwhelming that the band decided to release some material on social media to expand their horizons while recording their first full album to be released later this year, Midnight Road Rage. Nico later had to leave the band for professional reasons and was replaced by none other than the beast, JP Buzzard!

To this day, Rockin’ Engine states that the true inspiration for their music remains the love, support and authenticity of their fans, friends and families. The four members take pride in firing up the audience with their charismatic energy and entertaining scenes, convincing everyone that hard rock and heavy metal will never die!

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0 Awoken From Their Long Slumber, Montreal’s Synastry Emerge With “Dead To Me” Off “Civilization’s Coma”, Track Premiere via NoCleanSinging

October 22, 2020
by Asher
· Music News · Synastry

(contact info below)

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – October 22, 2020

Interview request at asher[@]ashermediarelations[.]com

For fans of Veil of Maya, Born of Osiris, Within The Ruins, Fear Factory, Slipknot

Awoken From Their Long Slumber, Montreal’s Synastry Emerge With “Dead To Me” Off “Civilization’s Coma”

Track Premiere via NoCleanSinging

L-R – Kay Kessler (Drums), Gary Vee (Bass), Paul Iverson (Guitar), James Aniston (Vocals)
Photo Credit – Chris Alexis

After close to a decade of silence, Montreal’s Synstary have left the shadows to bring fans a new EP “Civilization’s Coma” on Nov 27th. The first single will be “Dead To Me” and it is a ruthless and suitable reintroduction to a Montreal favourite.

A full-on assault, the band is pleased to be working together again and getting listeners stoked on their brand of metal. Synstary explains their return in their own words:

“We reformed because we wanted to create and release more music, and decided that since we are still so close, to continue as Synastry. We think that people will enjoy the new album, it is very much of the times, and we are confident that fans in 2020 will groove on Synastry.”

The single “Dead To Me” is just over two minutes of intensity. Straightforward and easy to digest while still being multi-faceted. It’s a fast, short song that gives you three gut punches and finishes with an uppercut. The lyrics allude to toxic/two-faced relationships the band has dealt with from others in ‘the scene’.

This EP welcomes back listeners to Synastry’s trademark aggressive beatdown. It will get listeners moving and headbanging with its in your face attitude, music, and vocals. Lyrically, the band is exploring the world through a lens that reflects back its own shortcomings.

Heavy and punishing, Synastry is recommended for fans of Veil of Maya, Born of Osiris, and Within the Ruins. The EP will be released on November 27th.

The single “Dead To Me” can be heard via its premiere on NoCleanSinging HERE.

EP pre-order HERE.

Spotify pre-save HERE.

Track Listing:
1. Civilization’s Coma (3:49)
2. Dead to me (2:17)
3. Narcomancy (4:41)
EP Length: 10:48

EP Band Line Up:
Paul Iverson – Guitar
Gary Vee – Bass
Kay Kessler – Drums
James Aniston – Vocals

More info:
Instagram.com/synastry_mtl
Twitter.com/SYNASTRYMTL
EPK

About:

It takes courage for a band to integrate such distinct thrash, death, and industrial influences into a catchy yet multilayered approach as do Montreal’s Synastry.

Each metal listener desires something different and thus a band exists for every taste. Inspired to a certain point by melodic, futuristic death thrash, Synastry binds to these influences a threatening mid-paced groove, atmospheric textures, and the unmistakable gruff and mature vocals of James Aniston. Flanked by guitarist Paul Iverson and bassist Gary Vee, and backed up by the thunderous Kay Kessler, Synastry is a crushing wall of well thought out and meticulously written metal. Lyrics come from Aniston’s impression of the world and his experiences in it which are layered with the collaborative music that all band members contribute to.

Started originally in the early 00s, the Montreal band took the underground scene by storm, they climbed the Myspace ranks, toured the regions, and released “Pallets Of My New World” (2006) (EP) and Blind Eyes Bleed (2008) (LP). In 2012, the band went dormant, where they remained until 2020.

The socially conscious band awoke amidst the widespread uncertainty that swept the globe, with a mission to explore humanity, the singularity, and morality. Forged in the hotbed of metal that is Montreal, they are here to raise the temperature once again with the release of their new EP “Civilization’s Coma” on November 27th.

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“Synastry deliver their brand of classic death metal with an industrial twist. The result is a Thrashy head-long experiment into the brutal and somewhat futuristic. Musically tight and heavy with mean riffs, Synastry try to head into a new direction for Metal.” – Sea of Tranquility

“Montreal-based metal maulers Synastry play a brutal yet groovy style of death metal with fringes of industrial that recall bands such as Fear Factory and Killing Joke with the savagery of acts like Kataklysm.” – Gears of Rock

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0 NewFuryMedia Video Premiere: Calgary Instrumental Prog Metal Illuminated Minerva New Music Video “Wilder (Mother Goddess)”

October 22, 2020
by Asher
· Illuminated Minerva · Music News

(contact info below)

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – October 22, 2020

Interview Request at asher[@]ashermediarelations[.]com

For fans of Tool, Scale The Summit, Intronaut, Mastodon, Sikth

Calgary Instrumental Prog Metal Illuminated Minerva New Music Video “Wilder (Mother Goddess)”

Video Premiere via NewFuryMedia

New Album “Enigma Adamantine” Out Now!

L-R: Pat Lawtey (Guitar) | Matt Petti (Bass) | Nathan Bourgeault (Guitar) | Jordon Bourgeault (Drums)
Photo Credit – Chris Aune

Calgary, Canada’s Illuminated Minerva released their emotional, turbulent full-length “Enigma Adamantine” on September 25th. The album is a showcase of the band’s amalgamation of heavy riffs, groovy bass, and psychedelic melodies, and in lieu of vocals, archived audio clips resulting in oratory artistic storytelling. The concept album is five long songs and is an instrumental progressive metal record based around conspiracy, UFOs, and abductions. An album experience as unique as the stories within. Fans of the band’s 2014 debut EP “The Immaculate Deception” will notice a divergence from the ambient and electronic focus towards heavier and more technical songwriting.

Today, as the album blazes through speakers of fans, the band is sharing their new music video for the track “Wilder (Mother Goddess)”. The song is an onslaught of technical brutality set to a narrative of biology, reptilian beings, and ritual. Slithering guitar, ancient rhythms, and ripping bass cut deep in the track.

Teaming up with NewFuryMedia, the music video can be viewed and heard via its premiere HERE.

“Enigma Adamantine” is available on Bandcamp, Apple Music, Spotify and is for fans of Tool, Mastodon, and Sikth.

Music Video “Sightings” HERE.

Track Listing:
1. Heart Beat of Creation (9:48)
2. Sightings (5:08)
3. Abductions (7:05)
4. Wilder (Mother Goddess) (8:37)
5. Illuminatus Majoris (13:03)
Album Length: 43:44

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

About:

Illuminated Minerva is a technical, progressive metal band, from Calgary, Canada. Brothers Nathan Bourgeault (guitar) and Jordon Bourgeault (drums) were both musicians growing up and eventually started their first project Sequoia, the beginning of their musical collaboration. Eventually, they moved on to form Illuminated Minerva, with a goal to push the musical boundaries further.

Rounding the lineup out is local scene veteran Matt Petti (bass) who played with drummer Jordon Bourgeault in Verbal Deception; and Pat Lawtey (guitar) who played with the international act Kobra and the Lotus.

The bond between brothers and former bandmates results in a very natural writing process for the progressive metal quartet. Knowing what works and what doesn’t comes easily and allows the band to intertwine astral riffs, and technical harmonies highlighted by the absence of vocals. Combined with archived audio clips the result is oratory artistic storytelling taking the listener through space and time, exploring conspiracies and unanswered questions.

With a captivating and visceral live show, the seasoned musicians of Illuminated Minerva have played with a host of bands locally including Tesseract, Intronaut, and Cloudkicker. In 2014, the band released their debut EP “The Immaculate Deception” and are following it up in 2020 with a full length “Enigma Adamantine” due out Sept 25th.

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“Canadian Prog-Metallers ILLUMINATED MINERVA Question the Existence of Extraterrestrial Life In New Single “Sightings”” – Sonic Perspectives

” Enigma Adamantine is amazingly good and entertaining. Tech Metal fans should definitely listen.” – Sound Magnet

“give this beast a listen” – The Circle Pit

“The drums provide an off-kilter atomic clock, complete with jazzy accents and jackhammer snare, the guitars shred and squeal. It’s thought provoking, musically captivating, and will inspire the curious among you to do some research.” – Beatroute

“There is an almost feral quality to their work, and when they all hit it hard, it is intense.” – The Western Front

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Jon Asher – Music Publicist
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0 Metal-Rules Premiere: Canada’s Ysgaroth Unveil New Single “Forward Unto Death” From Upcoming Debut Album “Storm Over a Black Sea” Out Nov 13th

October 22, 2020
by Asher
· Music News · Ysgaroth

(contact info below)

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – October 22, 2020

For fans of Skeletonwitch, Enslaved, Wolves in the Throne Room, Death, Morbid Angel

Canada’s Ysgaroth Unveil New Single “Forward Unto Death” From Upcoming “Storm Over a Black Sea”

Track Premiere via Metal-Rules

Debut Album Due Out Nov 13th

L-R: Shawn Hillman (Bass) | Steve Cuddington (Drums) | Kurt Steigleder (Guitar, Vocals) – Photo Credit: Jade Weekes

With their debut album “Storm Over a Black Sea” coming up soon, Vancouver extreme metal band Ysgaroth allure metal fans around the world with a new single, “Forward Unto Death”.

One of the shorter songs on the album, it was the last song written, and it is Ysgaroth stripped down to its core elements: harmonies, black metal atmosphere, and at least one riff born of caveman brutality. Lyrically this song is about everything mankind is doing to the Earth, and the true cost of climate change: everything. We’re not just destroying the Earth in some abstract sense, we’re slowly killing ourselves, and very quickly driving every animal we can extinct.

Probably the most stylistically varied song on the album, the verses evoke 90’s black metal, with the pre-chorus drawing influence from power metal and the chorus being pure 2000’s melodeath. The outro channels the muscular death metal of Deicide and Cannibal Corpse, and the solo is Steigler’s best Trey Azagthoth impression. The band comments about the guests on the song:

“We had already reached out to our friends Jessie Grace and Erik Leonhard of KOSM about having them on the album, and we wanted to do something a little bit different with ‘Forward Unto Death’ by having Jessie sing the chorus. The lyrics on this one are about as straightforward as we can get: we’re killing the Earth more every second of every day, and we only ourselves to blame for the extinction of thousands of species, the absolute shattering of the world, but at least the stock market went up.”

Influences ranging from old school death metal, progressive metal, black metal, and sludge are evident and fans of Enslaved, Wolves in the Throne Room, and Death will be particularly interested.

The single “Forward Unto Death” is available via its premiere on Metal-Rules HERE.

“Storm Over a Black Sea” will be available on November 13, 2020.

Music Video “Sacred” – YouTube. Spotify.

Track Listing:
1. Rain (1:54)
2. Nam Gloria Satanas (feat. Jessie Grace of KOSM) (7:06)
3. Sacred (5:31)
4. Altar of Scars 11:48)
5. Forward Unto Death (feat. Jessie Grace of KOSM) (5:19)
6. Deluge (feat. Erik Leonhard of KOSM) 17:24
Album Length: 49:05

For more info:
Facebook.com/Ysgaroth
Twitter.com/Ysgaroth
Instagram.com/Ysgarothofficial
EPK

About:

Ysgaroth is a progressive extreme metal band conjured in Vancouver, Canada that seamlessly blends elements of various metal subgenres into a vicious hybrid.

Initially, Ysgaroth started as Kurt Steigler’s black metal studio project, a non-serious musical outlet, but over time he grew attached to the songs and wanted to take them live.

With the desire to hit the stage, Steigler (guitar/vocals) was joined by Steve Cuddington (drums) and Shawn Hillman (bass) With these additions, the songs got more structurally ambitious, a sludge influence began to creep into the band. Cuddington brings an absolutely crushing, hardcore-influenced drumming style that gave the songs a new vitality, and Hillman’s exceptionally musical bass playing served as the perfect bridge between the crushing drums and razor-sharp guitars. Ultimately, the sound of the band became a mix of its black metal roots, classic 80’s death metal, 90’s thrash, and sludge with the long compositions of post-metal and the shifting, churning time signatures of progressive metal. Steigler is the main songwriter, but overall the process is hugely democratic.

The debut album from the band “Storm Over a Black Sea” will be unearthed on November 13th, 2020, and considering the growing amount of music they have been writing – fans can expect a lot more from Ysgaroth.

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ASHER MEDIA RELATIONS

Jon Asher – Music Publicist
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0 SonicPerspectives VIDEO PREMIERE: ARCANA Reveals Another Single “Tailwind” From Space Rock Opera “Letters From A Lost Soul | Act I: The World One Forms”

October 22, 2020
by Asher
· Arcana · Music News

(contact info below)

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – October 22, 2020

For fans Rush, Caligula’s Horse, Leprous, Coheed and Cambria, Porcupine Tree

Arcana Reveals Another Single “Tailwind” From Space Rock Opera “Letters From A Lost Soul | Act I: The World One Forms”

Premiere Music Video “Tailwind” via SonicPerspectives

Debut EP Out November 6th

Rogan McAndrews (Composer, Co-producer, Guitar, Bass, Vocals) | Photo Credit: Rogan McAndrews

Calgary, Canada’s Arcana are releasing their debut EP this year, the fantastic space rock opera “Letters From A Lost Soul | Act I: The World One Forms”. They are releasing a second single and first music video “Tailwind” from this debut, which takes progressive metal and rich storytelling to a new level.

“Tailwind” is the love song on the EP that features the heartfelt exchange between protagonist Damian and his wife Hope who long to see each other again and conveys a true sense of always being there for each other but constantly out of reach. Hope is like the sun to Damian; his guiding light to find his way home.

With lyrics that truly focus on storytelling, they take a look at the effects of tragedy and what drives human action and emotion. There is a lot of inspiration for the story from sci-fi concepts and mythology. As explained by the band in their own words:

“Tailwind is a very stripped-down track. I wanted it to feel like your standard 4 or 5 piece rock band (singer, guitarist, bassist, drums, keys) in contrast to the other tracks on this album which can get up into the 20 individual instrument range. I have been trying to write one more contemporary/pop-like track per album and I believe this encompasses that wish extremely well. It’s upbeat, quick, and it feels like you can dance to it. It is still rhythmically technical but it hides it in the 4/4 time and the drive that pushes the sound forward throughout.”

Arcana springs forth from the mind of Rogan McAndrews who developed the concept for the band and the story it was made to tell. He gathered a number of highly trained musicians from different backgrounds from jazz and rock to contemporary and classical and several vocalists to play the parts of the characters.

Recommended for fans of Caligula’s Horse, Leprous, and Coheed and Cambria, “Letters From A Lost Soul | Act I: The World One Forms” is a thoughtful and ambitious prog metal journey.

The music video for “Tailwind” can be seen and heard via its premiere on SonicPerspectives HERE.

Spotify

The first chapter in the saga “Letters From A Lost Soul | Act I: The World One Forms” comes out on November 6, 2020. EP pre-order will be available at Arcanacollective.bandcamp.com.

First single:
“Wings” – YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music

Track Listing:
1. Letters From A Lost Soul (0:53)
2. Wings (7:11)
3. Tailwind (3:55)
4. Octosun/Wings (Reprised) (9:54)
EP Length: 21:55

EP Credits:
• All songs performed by: Rogan McAndrews (guitar, bass, vocals), Deyson Thiara (drums), & Anna Draper (vocals)
• All songs written by: Rogan McAndrews
• Produced by: Rogan McAndrews & Deyson Thiara
• Mixed by: Deyson Thiara
• Mastered by: Deyson Thiara
• Album Artwork by: Kate Depatie, Rogan McAndrews
• Member of SOCAN
• Canadian Content (MAPL)

EP Band Line Up:
Rogan McAndrews – Guitar, Bass, Vocals (Damian), Synths.
Anna Draper – Vocals (Hope)
Deyson Thiara – Drums

For more info:
Thearcanacollective.com
Instagram.com/arcanaband_official
Facebook.com/arcanabandofficial
YouTube
EPK

About:

Arcana brings you a myriad of sounds from battering prog rock to delicate pop hooks, delivering you experiences that always inspire. With a narrative spanning across multiple albums, Arcana blends sci-fi, mythology, and a study of human action in the face of adversity.

Born from the mind of Calgary-based musician Rogan McAndrews, Arcana follows the story of a character named Damian as he attempts to mend his life and relationship with his wife Hope and daughter Cassidy in the wake of tragedy.

Beginning with the upcoming debut EP “Letters From A Lost Soul – Act I: The World One Forms”, is a concept record that explores a love story expressed through letters from Damian to his wife and child, but also give a glimpse into his anxieties and nightmares.

Damian and Nightmare are played by Rogan McAndrews.
Hope is played by Anna Draper.
News Anchors Dave and Alice are played by Chelsea Finnigan and Griffin.

“Letters From A Lost Soul – Act I: The World One Forms” is due out November 6th, 2020.

– 30 –

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ASHER MEDIA RELATIONS

Jon Asher – Music Publicist
#.514.581.5780
asher[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
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Instagram @AsherMedia
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0 Canada’s Without Mercy Have A New Music Video “Uprooted” Coming Out From Album “Seismic”, Music Video Premiere via MetalInjection

October 21, 2020
by Asher
· Music News · Without Mercy

(contact info below)

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – October 21, 2020

For fans of Cattle Decapitation, Meshuggah, Whitechapel, Pantera, Decapitated

Canada’s Without Mercy Have A New Music Video “Uprooted” Coming Out From Album “Seismic”

Music Video Premiere via MetalInjection

New Album “Seismic” Due Out November 20th
Featuring guests Jeff Loomis (Arch Enemy, ex-Nevermore), Chris Broderick (Act of Defiance, ex-Megadeth, ex-Jag Panzer)

L-R – Ryan Loewen (Bass) DJ Temple (Guitars) Alex Friis (Vocals) Matt Helie (Drums)
Photo Credit: Shimon Karmel

Without Mercy has been described as, “A cacophony of extreme metal vocal styles accompany some fairly interesting soloing” and honestly, Bloodblast knows what’s up in all of these fields. The band sets out to once again prove the critics right, this time with the album “Seismic”.

The third single being released from the upcoming LP is “Uprooted”, the final track out of nine, holds the crown as the oldest on the list. This song has gone through more than a dozen changes and is more than 6 years old. Without Mercy cites:

“Easily the song that faced the most changes and evolution throughout the course of this writing. Uprooted is a song that we carried with us through tours and live performances never really satisfied with its end result until now. We shelved it, and then brought it down and dusted it off. We gave it an overhaul and in the end, it’s become something absolutely crushing to us.”

The tracks on this album are the product of touring and rewriting each piece until the band is satisfied. There were lengthy discussions amongst all of them as they decided which tunes to keep and which to cast aside for this release. The evolution of the lyrical content from previous material also brought them more information as to what should be kept and what should be discarded.

The music video for the single “Uprooted” can be watched and heard via its premiere on MetalInjection HERE.

Spotify playlist add HERE.

Suitable for every groove-loving metalhead out there, but especially fans of Whitechapel, Pantera, and Decapitated, “Seismic” comes out on November 20, 2020, via Bloodblast Distribution.

Album Pre-Save HERE. Physical Pre-Order at Withoutmercyband.com.

Track Listing:
1. Thunderbird (ft. Jeff Loomis) (4:53)
2. Abysmal (5:42)
3. Left Alone (4:00)
4. Wiindigo (4:55)
5. Disinfect The Soul (ft. Chris Broderick) (7:18)
6. The Disaster (3:52)
7. Possessed (4:04)
8. I Break The Chain (4:44)
9. Uprooted (4:58)
Album Length: 44:29

For more info:
Withoutmercyband.com
Facebook.com/withoutmercyband
Instagram.com/withoutmercyband
EPK

– 30 –

“The thrash-stomp modes on “Worthless” ring like a head-on collision between DECAPITATED and BIOHAZARD with a dash of power metal thrown into the solo section. Alex Friis wrings his throat to huge extremes, hopefully leaving tissue intact as he hits agonizing squeals while throwing indictments against former band members — guess on your own who that might entail. DJ Temple’s guitar work on “Worthless” is terrific..” (Mouchido EP 2016) – Blabbermouth

“Vancouver’s Without Mercy is a prime example of how putting in a little bit of elbow grease can result in advantageous outcomes. The quartet play their brand of melodic, groove-laden death metal independently, but refuse to remain held back by a lack in the promotional and money machine backing departments. Over the course of a decade or so, the band has experienced the same highs and lows as most others, but their successes – which include a small handful of recordings, a bigger handful of tours, and appearances in video games – have been felt at a deeper clip because they’ve essentially managed everything themselves.” (Mouchido EP 2016) – Decibel Magazine

“In a word, the music rips. And it also thunders, and punches so fast and hard that it’s like a jackhammer-sized nail gun ramming bolts into concrete at high speed while the operator howls and shrieks for all he’s worth, segmented by a start-stop breakdown that will give your skull a good rattling and lit up by swarming guitar flurries that are as fiery as the torches in the video (Burn).” (Mouchido EP 2016) – No Clean Singing

” the band live up to their name with each song on this 4 track EP going for straight for the throat; merciless aural violence and tight, technical proficiency melded with some serious might!” (Mouchido EP 2016) – Worship Metal

“Mouichido might only be a brief four songs and nineteen minutes long but, by the end of it, the Canadian death metal wrecking machine have left you in no doubt as to what they’re about.” (Mouchido EP 2016) – PureGrainAudio

“Right from the beginning you feel the weight and the immensity of Mouichido and one listen just doesn’t do it justice. This is a re-release of previously recorded material with a new vocalist and even so, Without Mercy comes out swinging again and knocks it clear out of the park.” (Mouchido EP 2016) – Cadaver Garden

“possibly the most savage song to ascend from the depths of the west in a good long while.” – Canadian Beats

—

ASHER MEDIA RELATIONS

Jon Asher – Music Publicist
#.514.581.5780
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0 TheObelisk Premiere: Progressive Doom Duo Uncle Woe Streaming Second Album “Phantomescence”

October 21, 2020
by Asher
· Music News · Uncle Woe

(contact info below)

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – October 21, 2020

Interview request at asher[@]ashermediarelations[.]com

For fans of Yob, Chrome Ghost, Deftones, Slomatics, Tool

Progressive Doom Duo Uncle Woe Is Now Streaming Their Second Album “Phantomescence”

Album Stream Premiere via TheObelisk

“Phantomescence” Due Out October 23rd

Hailing from the oft frozen hills of rural Canada, Uncle Woe is a phantom limb, shown here wielding some bludgeoning tool against mostly true tales of bittersweet sorrow, revenge, and regret.

The album “Phantomescence” is comprised of four abstract ghost stories, as each track features various dead and ‘phantomescent’ characters. With hopes that listeners find it immersive, the lyrical content is a solid mix of poetry and prose and should be rewarding for people who are interested in the thematic element of an album as well as the sonic side. It’s a fairly warm and intriguing album, composed of a lot of lush passages that unfold over time.

Showing more maturity and contemplation that the first, 100% solo effort, “Phantomescence” was created under less than ideal circumstances during COVID-19. The band shares their thoughts on the album:

“We are more than thrilled with the results, and can’t wait to let it into the light. The growth between the first record, which was essentially a glorified solo-project, and this album, has been highly rewarding, and I think we’ve really honed and solidified the Uncle Woe sound on this release. I know we’ve both poured a lot of ourselves into this album, and it has proven to be a fruitful endeavour!”

Lyrically, the content is more outwardly focused than on the previous record, with some science fiction and several abstract ghost stories seeping into the subject matter. There is a lot of contrast between sparse sections and full walls of sound, beefy doom passages, which grow after multiple listens and the underlying, subtle progressive tendencies really start to come through.

Suitable for anyone fond of doom and progressive metal, Uncle Woe will be especially interesting for fans of Chrome Ghost, Deftones, and Slomatics.

The album “Phantomescence” is due out October 23rd via Packard Black Productions and before it’s officially out, the full stream is available on TheObelisk HERE.

Digital, CD, and vinyl pre-order HERE.

Music Video “Become The Ghost” – YouTube.

Track Listing:
1. Become The Ghost (6:29)
2. On Laden Shores (13:30)
3. Lucid Degrees of Autoscopic Ruin (6:45)
4. A Map of Dead Stars (13:14)
Album Length: 40:00

Album Credits:
• All songs performed by: Rain Fice/Nicholas Wowk
• All songs written by: Rain Fice *Become the Ghost by Fice/Wowk
• Produced by: Rain Fice/Nicholas Wowk
• Mixed by: Rain Fice
• Mastered by: Rain Fice
• Album Artwork by: Rain Fice
• Canadian Content (MAPL)

Album Recording Band Line Up:
Rain Fice – Guitar, Vocals, Bass, Keyboards
Nicholas Wowk – Drums/Percussion

More info:
Facebook.com/unclewoe
Instagram.com/unclewoedoom
EPK

About:

Hailing from the oft frozen hills of rural Canada, Uncle Woe is a phantom limb, wielding a bludgeoning tool against mostly true tales of bittersweet sorrow, revenge, and regret.

The bleak desolation of Bancroft, Ontario spawned Uncle Woe in 2019 when Rain Fice grew weary of floundering in non-committed projects and instead dove into songwriting mode with a rough idea of his ideal sound and started carving out what would become the first Uncle Woe LP “Our Unworn Limbs”.

After the album was released in 2019 and started to pick up some buzz, a full band began to form. However, the pandemic was not far off and the band whittled down to a 2 piece. Before lockdown began, Uncle Woe managed to lock down the rough elements of what would become the second album “Phantomescence”, Fice expanded on them, and after being fed to drummer Nicholas Wowk, and recording remotely, the album was complete: a meandering exploration of death and dreams. Many chugging, bludgeoning passages are offset by expansive and contemplative, subdued, almost post-rock soundscapes.

As Uncle Woe begins to hit their stride, fans can look forward to the band putting out music pretty much indefinitely, plans are in motion for a third album already.

The band’s second album “Phantomescence” will be available digitally, CD, and on vinyl on October 23rd via Packard Black Productions.

– 30 –

“The lone member (although it does seem as if drummer Nicholas Wowk has been added to the band) Rain Fice has created a truly wondrous journey through pure doom lands into that astral, transcendental other place doom of the aforementioned Yob that gives you goosebumps with its completely distressing doom metal. Fice’s clean echo-drenched vocals are also of very high quality, while not actually sounding like Mike Scheidt, Fice does exude a similar aura of supreme enlightenment and complete mastery of his art.” – Verbal Aggression

“Never be afraid to take a chance on a new name. This one comes to us from Ontario and was released earlier in the month, though I’m just now getting around to hearing it. I was pretty damned impressed and count UNCLE WOE in the same company as Domkraft, Spaceslug, Chrome Ghost, and Slomatics. Some damned good doom with crunchy low end and transcendent vocals. Count it among the #HeavyBest19” – Doomed & Stoned

“Chugging, sprawling, and most of all reaching, the late-2019 debut LP, Our Unworn Limbs, from Ontario as-yet-solo-outfit Uncle Woe — composed, performed, and recorded by Rain Fice — is one of marked promise, taking elements of modern progressive and cosmic doom from the likes of YOB’s subtly angular riffing style and unfolding them across an emotionally resonant but still manageable 43-minute span.” – The Obelisk

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