Gore House Productions Celebrates 15 Years with Free Label Compilation “Intestinal Purge” On Bandcamp
Extreme metal label Gore House Productions is celebrating 15 years of debauchery with its 13-track sampler “Intestinal Purge,” featuring various bands who have released unhinged grinding torment to earworm its way to fans.
Label founder Carlos Matt shares his sentiments about the early beginnings of GHP and the present.
“TLDR coming in:15 Years? Can you believe it? It’s been 15 years since the inception of Gore House Productions. I never imagined what life would look like in my 30s, let alone running an indie for this long. I was a 23-year-old who started booking shows with zero experience besides KNOWING how much extreme metal meant to me. I wanted to find a way to give back to a genre of music that was my scapegoat to reality. This was an itch I needed to scratch, and I had no idea this is how I would be doing so. I still recall messaging bands on MySpace to inquire about booking shows while contacting countless venues for possible booking dates.
What many don’t know is that I started buying/selling merch a year before. Back then, I was selling merch at swap meets on the weekends. This was before I officially launched an online store in 2012. I can go hours talking about those early days, but I’ll save it for another time.
I want to thank every band and fan for sticking around for this long. Besides the hurdles/delays, your patience and die-hard love for what we do mean more than words can describe. I also want to thank the many labels that continue to work with us as a source of distribution globally. Additionally, I want to thank my family who has continued to encourage me; my son who, reminds me to not give up; his mother, Violet, who many of you know also pushed me to keep grinding even when things got rough; lastly, @ashermedia who has taken over the PR role for GHP.I’m taking this time to announce the return of our label compilation, Intestinal Purge.
The album is available for free download via BC. A playlist is also available to stream via our Spotify account if you prefer that.
There’s also a 15% discount for all new orders placed online, until the end of the month, with code: Happy 15
Cheers to everyone once again!”
Intestinal Purge (2025) offers 13 tracks taken from GHP‘s recent releases. Featuring album art by Sidjimbe Art – www.facebook.com/SIDJIMBEARTSTUDIO
While GHP doesn’t ask you to pay for a download. They do, however, ask that you share your new musical discoveries with friends who are also unfamiliar with their bands, their releases, and the label. Sharing music with others is how bands continue to grow.
Out Now! Eclectic Doom AITTALA New Album ‘Machines”
Now available as of April 17th, 2025, from Exitus Strategem Records, eclectic doom metal powerhouse AITTALA is unleashing their new album “Machines“.
The songs on “Machines” were originally written and demoed between 1990 and 1997 on an analog 4-track cassette recorder. Now, Aittala has revived these tracks, preserving their raw essence while enhancing them with modern production techniques. The album offers a nostalgic yet powerful experience, blending early progressive metal influences with storytelling-driven lyrics. While showcasing a distinct style from their recent works, “Machines” stays true to Aittala’ssignature heavy, immersive sound.
Formed in 1991 in Holland, Aittala quickly gained recognition in the Dutch metal scene, opening for bands like THE GATHERING and SADIST. After a hiatus, frontman Eric Aittala resurrected the band in 2008, leading to six full-length albums: Bed of Thorns (2009), Haunt Your Flesh (2011), Effigy (2014), American Nightmare (2016), False Pretenses (2019), and Live to Regret (2022).
Now, with “Machines,” AITTALA boldly steps into the past, bringing long-lost tracks to life with a modern, crushing edge.
This dynamic duo of Eric Aittala (Guitars/Vocals) and Gary ‘Zeus’ Smith (Drums) (THE FIFTH, ex-MR BLACKWELL) continues to write, record, and tour, bringing their distinct brand of heavy, immersive metal to fans worldwide.
“Bookended by “Machines (Prologue)” and “Machines (Epilogue)”, the album’s structure feels like a full-circle journey. One that captures the essence of the band’s evolution. The blend of storytelling and heavy music makes it clear why these tracks were worth bringing back. With Machines, Aittala doesn’t just revisit the past. They make it hit harder than ever.” – Amplify The Noise
“Captivatingly versatile, genre-connecting with plenty of attitude. An intensely powerful and emotionally captivating Electric Doom/Heavy/Power HouseTrip that is excellent at combining expansive melodies and atmospheric melancholic heavy touch. 8/10” – FFM-Rock
“A pure blast of good tunes flying around for life. A retro llike cover artwork, it matches it all. The atmosphere and the old tunes still ringing after so many years like it was yesterday. A very good album to own with pleasure. Aittala is here to stay, get your dose of good tunes 100/100.” – The Metal Mag
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ASHER MEDIA RELATIONS
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Meshing styles like post-metal, gothic/doom, punk, post-hardcore/screamo, post-rock, shoegaze, black/death metal, and alternative rock, Italian experimental metal outfit SVNTH‘sfourth studio album, “Pink Noise Youth,” is ready for its coronation on April 18th, 2025, via These Hands Melt Records.
Before it officially unleashes digitally and physically (CD / Vinyl), SVNTH has teamed up with Decibel Magazine for the album’s full-stream premiere, which can be heard HERE.
The band comments on the release of “Pink Noise Youth”:
“If the previous record Spring in Blue was about facing life’s struggles from a childhood perspective, Pink Noise Youth is based on exploring awareness as an adult in late youth, trying to give a voice to a generation emotionally unstable and chaotic as pink noise. It is the second part of the band’s own “trilogy of colors”. Musically, we intended to stay outside of genres and labels where elements of hardcore, metal, shoegaze, post-rock, and unconventional instrumentation such as electric indian sitar, classical, and 12-string guitars are blended in the same pot. People will surely welcome it with curiosity.”
Vocalist and bassist Rodolfo Ciuffo adds:
“Lyrically, most of the inspiration comes from personal life events, relationships, and conversations with people and reflections about existential topics; in several cases, it also comes from movies and books.”
Following SVNTH‘s 2020 “Spring in Blue”, “Pink Noise Youth” demonstrates the band’s continued evolution, deliberately transcending genre boundaries. The album promises to take listeners on a cohesive journey through its carefully crafted track sequence, maintaining the band’s tradition of creating conceptually unified works. The music from SVNTH has always aimed to give the listener emotional vibes. This record, in particular, is conceptually based on exploring late youth emotions, and the music created reflects such instability.
Recommended for fans of Deafheaven, Alcest, and Agalloch, “Pink Noise Youth” is due out on April 18, 2025, on Vinyl, CD, and Digital via These Hands Melt Records and is available for pre-order / pre-save at https://lnk.to/SVNTH
The musical versatility of SVNTH’s sound can be witnessed live in April and May with tour dates in Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, the UK, and Switzerland (dates listed below).
SVNTH – Pink Noise Youth EU Tour:
April 17 – Bologna, Italy – Alchemica
April 18 – Milan, Italy – Legend Club
April 19 – Rome, Italy – Traffic Live
May 7 – Pfaffenhofen am der lim, Germany – Stockerhof
May 8 – Bamberg, Germany – UpYours
May 9 – Cologne, Germany – Valhalla
May 10 – Delft, Netherlands – OJV de Koornbeurs
May 11 – Ypres, Belgium – Art Vort’n Vis
May 12 – London, UK – Moor Beer Co
May 14 – Zurich, Switzerland – Ebrietas
Album Cover – Pink Noise Youth – Artwork by Tryfar
With a various background of musical influences and artistic inspirations, SVNTH (written all caps and pronounced “Seventh”, formerly “Seventh Genocide”) from Rome, Italy has been shaping a unique equilibrium of sounds through the years moving across a huge variety of directions on the palette of contemporary alternative music to create a distinctive soundtrack for inner emotions, life scenarios, and existentialist questioning. Expanding the energy of black and post-metal over the mellow and contemplative boundaries of shoegaze, art pop, and cinematic post-rock.
From the vivid early black gaze melodies of the debut “Breeze of Memories” (2015) to the long song structures with acoustic overtures and Godspeed You! Black Emperor inspired sections of the monumental “Toward Akina” (2017); SVNTH confirms this more complex approach on the double LP “Spring in Blue” (2020), the childhood chapter of a trilogy of colors based on emotions in different phases of life.
The upcoming “Pink Noise Youth” (2025) gets back to a more traditional song format, introducing a unique use of Indian sitar, and an array of acoustic instruments and singing expressions, which develops SVNTH to a one-of-a-kind sound and personality.
As of today, the band has done several tours and single shows all over Europe and in the USA touching even non-frequently toured countries such as Albania and Turkey and performing at notable festivals like Rockstadt and Frantic Fest, bringing a defining cathartic live energy.
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“Do you dig blackgaze, in the vein of Deafheaven and Alcest? What about post-hardcore? What about a mixture of the two?! Well my dears, you’re in a bit of luck, because the Italian experimental band Svnth just released their new single “Cinnamon Moon.” Give it a lil listen” – Metal Sucks
“This is not music that settles into one feeling; it is an album that lives in the tension between them, where grief fuels rebellion, where pain and resilience are inseparable, and where every song feels like a battle between destruction and redemption. In the end, it does not leave the listener broken, but neither does it offer false comfort. It does not promise that everything will be okay, but it does promise that the struggle is worth something. It is an album that carries both the weight of sorrow and the fire of defiance, the burden of grief and the light of something that refuses to die. 9/10″ – Metal-Temple (2025 – Pink Noise Youth)
“SVNTH‘s penchant for stylistic amalgamation and intra-song change is revealed again in “Narrow, Narrow“. In its opening phase a lilting guitar gently and mysteriously rings, gilded in reverb, eventually paired with a gritty and growling bass chewing gravel way down below. It’s an entrancing but still somewhat menacing overture, but you can begin to feel the intensity and turmoil build as that phase evolves and the music in the upper reaches begins to swarm and sear and the drums start hammering. And then, with the briefest pause, the band shift, and charge. As the rhythm section surges, the guitars still brilliantly ring but pulsate like hot blood in the veins, and the vocals are even more scorching. The bassist seizes attention here, but so do the vocals as they change to mid-ranging singing with a gloomy cast. Yet the fiery race resumes, fierce but also stricken, and then accelerates even more. The guitars writhe and wail; the somber but soulful singing returns; the bass fervently throbs; the screams join in; keyboards ring as if yearning; and the music builds to a distressing finale. Considered in the context of the new album’s conceptual theme, it channels (at least to this writer) senses of wistfulness and remembrance, but also of loss and grief, and a kind of rage over the unfairness of losing something or someone that can’t be recovered, and can’t be explained as anything that makes sense.” – No Clean Singing
“This is arguably SVNTH’s defining effort to date, and will hopefully see them gain a foothold within the scene at large…” – Distorted Sound Magazine (2020 – Spring in Blue)
“SVNTH sets out in hopes of bridging the rift of a jealous god, welding genres into music that can appeal to all sensibilities, without sacrificing integrity (or intensity)” – Toilet ov Hell (2020 – Spring in Blue)
“”Distortions, speed and sinister atmosphere as the tradition black imposes but also delicate chiselations from which a light filters that suggests possible trajectories capable of questioning the dictatorship of matter, Spring in Blue is an album that is not afraid to face the recognized columns of Ercole gender and to push it far beyond 8.5/10” – Grind On The Road
“an interesting take on black metal, delving deeper into psychedelia and post-rock influences on new EP SVNTH. Though the tremolo-picked guitar playing and blast beats accompanied by howled screams still remain, they are met with shimmering melodies, ambient stretches and Pink Floyd-esque guitars.” – Decibel Magazine (2018 – EP SVNTH)
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ASHER MEDIA RELATIONS
Jon Asher – Music Publicist
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Black Metal Storytellers MARGANTHA Unveils Title Track Off Debut EP “Blood Moon Sacrifice” Out June 2025
Rockshots Records proudly presents MARGANTHA, a black metal band born from a shared artistic vision rooted in darkness, atmosphere, and storytelling. Conceived by experienced musicians from the extreme music scene, the project was founded on the idea of anonymity, removing names, past projects, and expectations to let the music speak for itself.
Their debut EP, Blood Moon Sacrifice, will be released on June 27, 2025. It is a concept work based on a legend passed down orally through generations. The tale, told to the vocalist as a child by his grandmother, tells of a werewolf haunting a hunter’s village at the foot of a remote mountain range. This myth gave birth to a collection of songs designed not simply to be listened to but to be experienced in full immersion.
The EP was mixed and mastered at Sonic Train Studio by legendary guitarist and producer Andy LaRocque (King Diamond), adding an extra layer of depth and sonic intensity to the work.
The band comments:
“We always begin with the concept. The music follows naturally, often starting with a guitar riff or arpeggio, and evolving through a collaborative process. We’re not interested in technical exhibitionism. Every choice serves the narrative. The resulting material is raw, evocative, and direct—true to the spirit of black metal, but enriched with depth and atmosphere.”
MARGANTHA’s sound draws inspiration from the evocative power of Mgła, the intensity of Uada and Gaerea, and the epic darkness of Naglfar and Behemoth, while also channeling the spirit of legendary pioneers like Celtic Frost, Venom, and King Diamond. The songs are structured to be memorable, immediate, and fully aligned with the conceptual vision of the record.
While the band is just beginning its journey, their identity is already clear—both musically and visually. Their approach to live shows reflects the same energy: tight, relentless, and impactful. Inspired by iconic performances where the music speaks louder than words, Margantha aims to deliver live sets that are immersive from start to finish, with minimal breaks and maximum emotional charge.
The first single and title track from Blood Moon Sacrifice is out now.
BIOGRAPHY:
Margantha is an Italian-Finnish band formed by three musicians united by a passion for black metal and horror aesthetics. The project aims to create a powerful, evocative, and dramatic sound inspired by bands like Mgła, Ensiferum, Behemoth, and 1349, while incorporating atmospheric and melodic elements into their approach.
The band’s sound is a haunting and captivating tribute to black metal, enriched with lyrics inspired by horror and Gothic atmospheres reminiscent of the 19th century. Their music evokes a journey into the darkest and most mysterious corners of the soul, characterized by somber tones and lyrics that delve into the macabre and the supernatural.
Margantha draws inspiration from art in all its forms: from the literature of Bram Stoker, Mary Shelley, and Stevenson, to the paintings of Caravaggio, Bosch, and Turner. The band’s visual identity also reflects this artistic inclination, with carefully crafted photos designed to mimic the style of classical paintings, aligning with the dark and ominous atmospheres central to the project.
Born from the union of two distinct cultures, Italian and Finnish, Margantha blends the musical and artistic traditions of both countries to create a unique sonic experience.
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ASHER MEDIA RELATIONS
Jon Asher – Music Publicist
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New York Thrash QUEMASANTOS Releases ‘Under The Moonlight’ Lyric Video
L-R – Ignacio Orellana (Bass/Guitars/Drums) | Nelson Diaz (Vocals)
Thrash metal duo Quemasantos has released the lyric video for their new track, “Under The Moonlight”. As always, Quemasantos has meticulously crafted every aspect of the track. Nelson Diaz designed the lyrics and concepts, while Ignacio Orellana, at the renowned Oily Sound Studios, handled the music production, recording, mixing, and mastering. This track showcases the band’s remarkable dynamic range and exceptional musicianship. Blistering guitar riffs, thunderous drums, and powerful, gritty vocals create an intense and captivating soundscape.
Nelson Diaz comments:
“Under the moonlight, it’s a reflection of a feeling of horror and despair, feeling like you could transform into a wild animal, losing your mind and endangering those you love. It’s similar to moments of uncontrolled anger that cause some people to make mistakes they’ll pay for the rest of their lives.”
“We are thrilled to share ‘Under The Moonlight’ with our fans,” expressed [Ignacio Orellana]. “This track embodies the raw intensity and passion that drives our music, and we can’t wait for everyone to experience it. It’s a true honor to have Sebastian Osorio back on board, as he played a pivotal role in our early days in 2012, contributing to the solo of ‘Somos Legion. ’ His presence here, working with us once again, is a pure privilege.”
Quemasantos has been a formidable force since its formation in [2012], consistently pushing the boundaries with their aggressive sound. The band continues to build on its legacy with this latest release, promising an unforgettable auditory experience.
This release marks a pivotal moment in Quemasantos’ musical journey, signifying a bold new chapter in their artistic evolution. The track skillfully merges their signature thrash metal style with innovative musical elements, showcasing the band’s remarkable growth as artists. Notably, we had the privilege of collaborating with our esteemed friend Sebastian Osorio (Reigning) to contribute to the solo sections of the song.
Edited by Promusicvideo, you can watch and listen to the lyric video for “Under The Moonlight” featuring a guest solo from Sebastian Osorio (Reigning) at https://youtu.be/7k3SmztVOrw?si=L0KcqWo4MRYMr9NK
Rockshots Records is proud to announce the release of “Power To The People”, the brand-new single from Italian hard rock band Nastyville, available on all digital platforms starting today, April 15th, 2025. The track is the first taste of the band’s highly anticipated fourth studio album, “Rebirth,” set for release on June 6th, 2025.
The album was recorded at Ivorytears Music Works Recording Studio (Somma Lombardo, VA), produced by the band, and mixed and engineered by Alessandro Del Vecchio (Hardline, Vanden Plas, Revolution Saints). “Rebirth” marks a new beginning for Nastyville, a powerful and deeply personal record shaped by real-life stories and the band’s evolution both musically and personally.
“Power To The People” is a hard-hitting anthem built on gritty riffs, thunderous grooves, and a rallying cry for unity and rebellion. With its energetic hooks and no-frills attitude, the song delivers the raw power of a band that’s back in full force.
Formed in 2012, Nastyville has made its mark in the rock scene with a style rooted in street and glam rock, infused with a modern edge. Through the years, they’ve shared stages with Skid Row, Crashdïet, Enuff Z’Nuff, Steel Panther, The Dead Daisies, and more. After lineup changes and three previous albums, the band is now ready to unleash a bold new chapter!
For fans of: Skid Row, Crashdïet, Hardcore Superstar, Steel Panther, The Dead Daisies.
TRACK LISTING:
1. The Journey Of Rebirth
2. Power To The People
3. Run Wild, Rev High!
4. Rocking Through The Night
5. Unstoppable (Sia Cover)
6. We Give It All
7. Miss You
8. Yellow Schoolbus
9. Stay Out, Stay Out
10. Sex O’ Clock
11. Rock’n’Roll Experience
NASTYVILLE Line Up:
Marco Luraschi (Mark Lee): Vocals
David Visin (Dave Wild): Guitars
Christian De Gaudenzi (Dega): Guitars
Carlo Giordano (The Horv): Bass
Christian Tabita (Chris Tabeat): Drums
CREDITS: Produced by NASTYVILLE
Recorded at IVORYTEARS MUSIC WORKS RECORDING STUDIO, SOMMA LOMBARDO (VA)
Mixed and Engineered by Alessandro Del Vecchio
ABOUT:
Nastyville is an Italian hard rock band formed in 2012 by drummer Danny Boy and guitarist David “Dave Wild,” with the aim of refreshing the rock genre. The first studio album, “Viva Hell-A” (released in 2015), features old-fashioned guitar riffs and the flavor of the best street/glam rock with Lex on vocals, Kruska on bass guitar, and Manuel on guitar. After Lex and Kruska left, the band continued its journey with Marco “Mark Lee” on vocals and Fabian Anderchen on bass guitar, releasing in 2017 their second studio album, “Glam Caramel”. This album, marked by heavier sounds, gave the band the opportunity to open the Italian tour dates for Skid Row, Crashdïet, Enuff Z’Nuff, Adam Bomb, John Corabi, Simon Wright, and many others. “Songs of Threesome”, released in 2022, was their third studio album and featured a new lineup with Christian “Dega” on guitar and Paul “Cannibal” (ex-Thee S.T.P.) on bass guitar.
In 2023, founding member and drummer Danny Boy and bassist Paul left the band and were soon replaced by Christian “Chris Tabeat” on drums and Carlo “The Horv” on bass guitar. After the release of the two singles “Red Black…Or Green?” and “Livin’ in A Mess”, the band with its new lineup consisting of Marco “Mark Lee” on vocals, David “Dave Wild” on guitar, Christian “Dega” on guitar, Christian “Chris Tabeat” on drums and Carlo “The Horv” on bass guitar, worked tirelessly on new studio material. The year 2024 was a very good year when the band played many dates across Italy and abroad. The opening act for Steel Panther in Milan (Alcatraz) deserves special mention. The band spent the last months of the year working on a brand-new album, entering the studio in December to start recording their fourth studio album under the supervision of producer, singer, and songwriter Alessandro Del Vecchio.
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HELLFOX Unveils First Single/ Video “Seaweed Braids”
New Album “The Spectrum of Human Gravity” Out June 2025 via Rockshots Records
Rockshots Records proudly announces the first single and official video from HELLFOX, an all-female band that blends melodic death and alternative metal with a sharp emotional edge. Titled “Seaweed Braids“, the song anticipates their upcoming album “The Spectrum of Human Gravity”, a bold and emotional journey set for release next June. 6th 2025.
Merging the power of melodic death metal with the versatility of alternative metal, HELLFOX stands out as a rare all-female force in the extreme metal scene. Drawing inspiration from bands like Amorphis, In Flames, and Dark Tranquillity, the band deliberately steers away from symphonic tropes, instead crafting a sound based on heavy riffs, acid and distorted synths, and dual female vocals — one melodic, one growled — to shape a modern and visceral sonic identity.
“Seaweed Braids“ is a melancholic and introspective track that opens the emotional arc of the new album. As the band explains, the song evokes the image of a fragile creature submerged in deep waters — a metaphor for a soul lost in pain and memory. Lyrically, the track reflects on the irreversible moment when we realize what we’ve lost and can only sing a lullaby to the waves.
The upcoming album, “The Spectrum of Human Gravity,” explores human emotions without judgment or analysis, focusing instead on acceptance and the weight each feeling carries depending on personal wounds and life experience. The lyrics touch on heavy yet universal themes — from loneliness and suicide to mental health and identity — always through metaphor and imagery, allowing each listener to find personal meaning in the music.
The band’s name reflects their dual nature: introspective yet fierce, fluid yet grounded. Each member brings a distinct musical background, united by the desire to break boundaries and tell stories that resonate with the rawest corners of the human experience.
LISTEN: http://lnk.to/VWMn1P
VIDEO: https://youtu.be/IVGYAixzUOU
Due out June 6th, 2025, album pre-orders are now available at the following link: https://bit.ly/3EsNGWd
To celebrate the release of “The Spectrum of Human Gravity”, HELLFOX will hit the stage with a series of live shows. The first two dates have already been announced, with many more on the way. Stay tuned for a full tour schedule soon to be revealed!
07/07/2025 with Broken By The Scream at the Legend Club, Milan, Italy
18/07/2025 with Genus Ordinis Dei at Have A Drink On Me Day 5 Fest, Brembate di Sopra (Bg) Italy
TRACK LISTING:
1. Nautilus – Seaweed Braids
2. Empty
3. Water On The Ceiling
4. Pareidolia
5. Atlas
6. Six Times Lighter
7. The Centipede
8. The Warrior, The Child, The Healer
9. Voices
Hellfox Line Up:
Greta Hammonia Antico: vocals
Priscilla Poe Foresti: bass and vocals
Gloria Naflekt Kaps: guitars
Federica Fedi Piscopo: drums
CREDITS:
Recorded at Eden Studio by Alessio Lucatti
Mixed and Mastered by Domination Studio by Simone Mularoni.
Cover art by Eva Marabotti.
ABOUT:
HELLFOX is an ALL FEMALE alternative metal (alt-metal) band with melodic death tendencies. Despite the four completely different musical backgrounds, we share a common inspiration to Amorphis, In Flames, Dark Tranquillity as far as composition is concerned, while for the choice of sounds it was our intention to move away from the Symphonic, recognizably feminine scenario to include acid and distorted synths so that we could create modern atmospheres that more closely met our tastes and better married the pop timbre of the melodic vocals. The dualism of HELLFOX is not meant to be understood on a conflicting level, it is instead the result of different voices within the human soul, different faces if you will, that mingle and generate the person itself, in its entirety, that although they seem to struggle, they coexist and create harmony and balance. We don’t use masks to conform to a mass, nor do we want to stand out at all costs, we just want to be ourselves in a society where normality is only a surface, the abyss instead is made up of so many facets of personality, both for the group and especially for the individual human being. Ours is a message within everyone’s reach, in which one can recognize oneself: that little voice in the head that either draws you in or drives you away… Because for us, nothing is normal, nothing is different.
DYING AWKWARD ANGEL Release New Single “Music Kills”
Italian melodic death metal act Dying Awkward Angel unleash their brand-new single “Music Kills”, a powerful mid-tempo composition that highlights the band’s continued evolution while remaining firmly rooted in the legacy of Scandinavian death metal.
Characterized by a raw and uncompromising sound, “Music Kills” draws inspiration from the early ‘90s Swedish scene—specifically, bands such as Dismember and Entombed—and channels the iconic HM-2 guitar tone into a modern, groove-driven framework. The result is a track that is both punishing and memorable, blending brutal riffs, visceral vocals, and an ominous atmosphere.
Lyrically, the song delves into the ambivalent nature of music itself, exploring its potential to both uplift and consume. This thematic depth adds an introspective dimension to the band’s sonic aggression, further establishing their unique voice within the international melodic death metal landscape.
Following their critically praised 2018 full-length “Absence of Light”, “Music Kills” marks a significant step forward for Dying Awkward Angel. While known for their fast-paced and relentless songwriting, the band now embraces a darker, more deliberate approach—one that prioritizes atmosphere and weight without sacrificing intensity.
The release of “Music Kills” also marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter. In the coming weeks, the band will unveil further details surrounding their upcoming full-length album, which promises to expand on the themes and sonic direction explored in this latest track.
For fans of Dismember, Entombed, At The Gates, and all those drawn to the raw edge of melodic death metal, “Music Kills” stands as a compelling statement of intent.
Formed in 1998, Dying Awkward Angel draws inspiration from the ’90s extreme metal scene of Gothenburg, the UK, and the USA, with influences from bands like In Flames, At the Gates, Carcass, Slayer, Death, Pantera, and Metallica. The band’s early releases, “Dying Awkward Angel” and “Ghost at the Spine,” received excellent critical acclaim. After some line-up changes, the band stabilized in 2013 and recorded the full-length album “Waiting for Punishment”.
In 2015, the EP “Madness Rising” showcased a more mature and modern songwriting mixing old-school brutality with melodic incursions. In 2017, with the addition of Michele Spallieri (Kenos) as the vocalist, the band released the album “Absence Of Light” in 2018 (Extreme Metal Music / Rockshots Records), distributed across Europe, the USA, and Japan. Over the years, the band has shared the stage with renowned names such as Impaled Nazarene, **enos, Decapitated, Necronomicon, Forgotten Tomb, and many others.
WOODHAWK Reveals First Single “Strangers Ever After” From New Album “Love Finds A Way” Out June 2025
L to R: Kevin Nelson (Drums), Turner Midzain (Vocals/ Guitar), Mike Badmington (Bass/ Vocals)
Portrait by Mark Kowalchuk
Canadian stoner rock powerhouse Woodhawk returns with the announcement of their highly anticipated third studio album, “Love Finds A Way,” set for release on June 6, 2025, via Grand Hand Records. The Calgary trio of Turner Midzain (guitar/vocals), Mike Badmington (bass), and Kevin Nelson (drums) are also dropping the record’s first single, “Strangers Ever After,” toda,y giving fans their first taste of new Woodhawk material since 2019’s acclaimed “Violent Nature”. The band comments on the new single:
“This was the first song we wrote for this album. And I think we reworked it more than any song. It started out with a completely different feel and timing than what we ended up with. It was way darker. But we kept coming back to it and really loved the result. Strangers Ever After is a kind of demise of a relationship. The farewell to someone that maybe…you were better off never knowing. This is dark and honest.”
“Love Finds A Way” marks an evolution in the band’s creative journey. Their earlier work was very much influenced by bands like The Sword and Black Sabbath, with lyrics about wizards and goblins, but they’ve worked hard on bringing more emotion to their writing. The nine-track album promises to deliver the dynamic range fans have come to expect from Woodhawk, featuring what Midzain describes as ‘some really riff-rocking songs, but also a lot of hardship and honesty’.
“Strangers Ever After” showcases the band’s signature blend of classic hard rock sensibilities and modern stoner metal influences, delivering the infectious grooves and memorable hooks that have earned Woodhawk a devoted following since their formation in 2014. They are recommended for fans of The Sword, Red Fang, and Thin Lizzy.
Track Listing
1. Grave Shaker – 4:41
2. Strangers Ever After – 4:24
3. Truth Be Told – 7:21
4. White Crosses – 6:10
5. The Unholy Hand – 5:21
6. No Place For Hate – 5:18
7. Love Finds a Way – 6:16
8. Relapser – 4:52
9. Killing Time – 8:37
Woodhawk is:
Turner Midzain – Guitar & Vocals
Mike Badmington – Bass & Vocals
Kevin Nelson – Drums
“Their brand of this style sounds far more refreshing and has a modern rock ‘n roll kind of aura to go along, slightly ringing in signs of alternative influence. The end result is as if Black Sabbath and Thin Lizzy had a child born in the age of Chevelle. With that said, this is immaculate. ” – Indy Metal Vault (Violent Nature – 2019)
“this is really the kind of rock that fans of classic U.K. metal in the ’70s will be instantly taken with. Sounds really good turned-up really loud, which is always a good test.” – Vancouver Sun (Violent Nature – 2019)
“Violent Nature kicks off with the slithering riffs of “Snake in the Grass,” which comes crawling up slowly before striking with a venomous fuzz-riffy attack, and a soaring, fist-raising chorus. “Weightless Light” gets my head nodding right away with a solid stoner rock riff, while giving off a pretty decent Monster Truck vibe in the chorus – I can see why they made it the pre-release single.” – Hellbound (Violent Nature – 2019)
“This is what music is about. When you put yourself out there, you connect with others on a deeper level and that’s always a win.” – The Music Below (Violent Nature – 2019)
“Violent Nature surpasses their debut and then some; the Rocky Mountain trio have harnessed the best of the past, given it a fresh coat of paint, made me smile and just enjoy rock and roll in its purest form…” – The Sleeping Shaman (Violent Nature – 2019)
“going by the lead single “Weightless Light” it seems like whatever they’re making the songs about, Woodhawk still bring the same sense of songcraft to their material, which is always good to know.” – The Obelisk (Violent Nature – 2019)
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Rimouski, Quebec’s Vortex, has their highly anticipated concept EP, “Alien Realms,” being unleashed on April 11th, and before it officially drops, they have teamed up with Decibel Magazine for its full stream premiereHERE.
“Alien Realms” is a four-track journey through cosmic horror and discovery that showcases the band at their most refined, combining massive orchestral elements with soaring epic melodies and relentless, aggressive riffing. Keeping with the style present in the previous two records, this orchestral blackened death tells a wicked tale of humanity venturing into space in search of intelligent life. The band comments on the record:
“This is a Blackened Death EP that blends massive orchestral elements, soaring epic melodies, and relentless, aggressive riffing. On this new EP, we doubled down on what worked best in our previous album, ‘The Future Remains in Oblivion.’ If you’re into massive orchestras and melodies blended with aggressive riffs and Blackened Death vocals, then ‘Alien Realms’ is for you.”
The EP features a carefully crafted sequence of tracks: “When Humans Defy the Void”, “Haunting the Abyss”, “Ripping The Threads Of Reality”, and “Where Wonders Dwell”. Each song serves as a chapter in the band’s exploration of humanity’s search for intelligent life among the stars.
The band approached this EP with a clear vision; the music and lyrics work together to build intensity and emotion as the story unfolds. It represents the next evolution in Vortex‘s sound, building upon the foundation laid by their previous releases while pushing into new territorial extremes. The EP seamlessly blends the band’s technical death metal roots with expanded orchestral elements and black metal influences, creating their most ambitious and fully realized work to date. It is recommended for fans of Fleshgod Apocalypse, Dimmu Borgir, and Cradle of Filth.
Fans in Eastern Canada will also have a chance to see Vortex live. They will be touring with France’s XAON in April (dates listed below) and then Europe in the fall.
Track Listing:
1. When Humans Defy the Void – 5:03
2. Haunting the Abyss – 5:26
3. Ripping the threads of Reality – 4:10
4. Where Wonders Dwell – 3:00
EP Length: 17:40
Symphony For The Dead Tour – Vortex + XAON (QC, ON, NB)
April 15 – Montreal, QC – Le Petit Campus ***
April 16 – Edmundston, NB – Ateepic *
April 17 – Saint John, NB – Haven Music Hall and Cafe *
April 18 – Moncton, NB – Xeroz *
April 19 – Rimouski, QC – Coop Le Paradis *
April 22 – Ottawa, ON – The Rainbow
April 23 – Drummondville, QC – La Ste-Paix ****
April 24 – Quebec City, QC – L’Anti ****
April 25 – Saguenay, QC – Microbrasserie Port-Alfred
April 26 – Trois-Rivieres, QC – L’Entite **
* Omnivide
** Strigampire
*** Ulfhednar
**** Burning Attic
Vortex is:
Simon Desjardins (Bass)
Mathieu Duguay (Guitars, Orchestrations)
Alexandre Labrie (Vocals)
Dany Lévesque (Guitars)
Olivier Harrisson (Drums)
For more info (Official Website, Socials, Videos, Bandcamp, Spotify, Apple Music): https://linktr.ee/vortexband
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“There is not one weak song on the EP. The songs are well crafted and mastered by hugely talented musicians. For me the perfect 10. Can’t wait to see the songs performed live.” – Project Metal Music
“When Humans Defy The Void is, like its creators Vortex, unique, and unlike anything else you have ever heard. It is everything you think it would be, but cranked up to eleven and with more twists and turns than a Raymond Chandler novel, and if this is just a taster of what Alien Realms has to offer, then I can’t wait to be abducted on April 11th.” – Black Metal Archive
“No need to fuck around with this one folks; I loved Alien Realms from the first intense beats of “When Humans Defy the Void” to the fading notes of the haunting “Where Wonders Dwell”. Vortex’sAlien Realms pulls you in with its unpredictable symphonic blackened melodic death metal that blends elements of bands like Mechina, Fleshgod Apocalypse and Behemoth with the likes of Dimmu Borgir, Graveworm and Hermh. Needless to say, this is a DENSE little EP full of some unique metal.” – The Poser’s Graveyard
Canadian College Radio Charts – August 2023 – top 20 loud – #14 Vortex (earshot)
“#8 on Top 10 Quebec Band 2023 Albums – The Future Remains In Oblivion delivers a solid punch with their intense and well-felt symphonic death metal and, with a quality product like this, they have nothing to envy of the big names in the genre.” – Thorium Mag
“The Future Remains in Oblivion is the collision zone between powdered wig classical and battle jacketed death metal that should hold appeal for fans of Fleshgod Apocalypse, Septicflesh and those who like their Suffocation mixed with Dimmu Borgir.” – Decibel Magazine
“The song’s (The Walls) multi-faceted nature is further revealed in harrowing and haughty growls, jolting chords, and fiery sunbursts of sound, as well as through a swirling melodic guitar solo that spectacularly sends the song into the stratosphere. The song’s finale is itself a full-power spectacle that really gets the adrenaline surging.” – No Clean Singing
“If there’s anything that Vortex nails, it’s drama. Album highlight and banger track “First Blood” is simply massive” – Angry Metal Guy
“For some music is pure escapism but does that still hold true when bands like Canadian Melodic Death Metal monster Vortex whisk the would be listener into a bleak world that is recovering from a devastating cataclysm? Scenes of war and survival are punctuated with harrowing strings, technical riffs, and guttural and Black Metal inspired vocals as the band weave cinematic stories and orchestral touches into their third concept album “The Future Remains In Oblivion”” – Metal Noise
“the title-track The Future Remains In Oblivion, a song that will blow your mind with its insane wall of sounds, background orchestrations, epic passages, striking riffs and solos, and visceral yet intricate drums, resulting in one of the most breathtaking moments of the entire album.” – The Headbanging Moose
“An excellent group that you must discover because of the intensity they are able to show” – Ondes Chocs
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ASHER MEDIA RELATIONS
Jon Asher – Music Publicist
#.514.581.5780
jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
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