Tag: bandcamp

0 Bravewords Premiere – Strap In For The Twists And Turns Of Traditional Heavy Metal With ODINFIST’s “Riffmaster” Off Upcoming Album “Remade In Steel” Out March 2023

January 11, 2023
by Asher
· Music News · Odinfist

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – January 11, 2023

Strap In For The Twists And Turns Of Traditional Heavy Metal With ODINFIST’s “Riffmaster”

New Album “Remade In Steel” Out March 2023

Odinfist is well known in the Canadian underground metal scene for wild antics, a long-running metal fest, and of course, tight riffs and groovy licks. They’ve put out several releases of fun, energetic, and seriously kick-ass metal since 2009, and now they have “Remade In Steel” coming out shortly. The first single to get the world hyped is “Riffmaster”; it’s guitar-driven, epic speed metal with Deep Purple vibes that tells about a bad-ass wizard dude who brings the true metal to the people of Earth and passes judgment on the enemies of metal. The band explains the track with exuberance:

“Justin wrote the main chorus riff years ago, and we could never fit it into a song until now! We jammed it and just kept throwing in riffs, and they all just worked. That’s where the idea for the title “Riffmaster” came from. It definitely took some reworking and rearranging to get it to sound like a song, and when it did, we knew we had come up with something special. The lyrics are very Judas Priest: Painkiller, Starbreaker, Exciter, etc. A cosmic being comes to earth and brings heavy metal to the people. The Riffmaster himself can be seen on the album cover, upon his metal steed, wielding his tome of riffs.”

Compared to their older stuff, Odinfist is sure fans will love the new album as it promises throwbacks to their original sounds but with a new creative direction that unfolds over six songs that are longer and more complex than their previous material. As the band says, each song on “Remade in Steel” offers a unique musical experience, where you don’t always know what’s going to come next in a song or a track. The end result is a complete album that has a little bit for everyone, and a sense of completion at the very end.

Saucy, melodic, and barbaric. Get ready to take a roller coaster ride through the twists and turns of traditional heavy metal. Odinfist is recommended for fans of Savatage, Riot City, and Eternal Champion.

Listen to “Riffmaster” via its premiere on Bravewords HERE.

“Remade In Steel” is due out March 10, 2023 and available for pre-order at https://odinfist.bandcamp.com/album/remade-in-steel

Track Listing:
1. Riffmaster – 6:28
2. Metalmancer – 4:36
3. Remade in Steel – 5:16
4. Allfather – 6:52
5. Deadline – 5:16
6. Masquerade – 8:34
Album Length: 37:02

Album Recording Credits:
• All songs performed by: Odinfist
• All songs written by: Odinfist
• Produced by: Shane Bouthillier
• Mixed by: Shane Bouthillier
• Mastered by: Shane Bouthillier
• Album Artwork by: Art of Grimmuza
• Canadian Content (MAPL)

Album and Live Band Line Up:
Tyler Anderson – Lead Vocals and Guitar
Bradley Caulien – Drums
Justin Ketterer – Guitar and Backing Vocals
Jesse Valstar – Bass

For more info: Facebook.com/Odinfist | Instagram.com/odinfist.official

About: Odinfist has been bringing heavy metal to the Okanagan Valley for sixteen years, and has participated in a variety of major shows and festivals across Western Canada. They have played with a variety of other bands such as Kataklysm, Thor, 3 Inches of Blood, etc. Members of Odinfist are also very involved with the Okanagan Metal scene. The band is all about fun, melodic heavy metal that you mosh, party, or just have a good time to, with a relentlessly energetic and entertaining live show.

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“…pure and hard Heavy Metal, from the old school, in the purest style of IRON MAIDEN, JUDAS PRIEST, and other bands of the well-known NWOBHM…” – Necromance Magazine

“Odinfist has a damn good grasp on the metal jugular without ruining the authenticity of the medium.” – Metalpsalter

“They capture the old school sound better than most of the competition, without a doubt” – Foul Feast Webzine

—
ASHER MEDIA RELATIONS
Jon Asher – Music Publicist
#.514.581.5780 | jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
Facebook @AsherMediaRelations | Instagram @AsherMedia | Tweet @AsherMedia
(Rockshots Records, Extreme Metal Music, Armstrong MF, Loud As Hell, Metalocalypstick, Decimate MF, Electric Highway Fest, Wacken Metal Battle Canada/USA, Hyperspace MF, Le FestEvil)

0 Progressive Power Metal Act MEDEVIL Announces New Album In Tribute To Fallen Member “Mirror in the Darkness” Out April 2023

January 11, 2023
by Asher
· Medevil · Music News

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – January 11, 2023

Progressive Power Metal Act MEDEVIL Announces New Album In Tribute To Fallen Member “Mirror in the Darkness” Out April 2023

L-R – Brett Gibbs (Guitar) | Eric Wesa (Bass) | Liam Collingwood (Vocals) | Chris Malcolmson (Drums) | Gary Cordsen (Guitar)

Photo Credit: Matthew Collingwood

Canada’s Medevil is gearing up to release their second album “Mirror in the Darkness” in April and the 2015 Wacken Battle Canada national finalist couldn’t be more pleased to show off their updated sound. This album is also bittersweet as it is dedicated to drummer Chris Malcolmson who, since recording, has passed away.

According to the band, this album is a big step up from their previous album, with a more progressive and ambitious direction than before. Overall, the songs have much more variety and a lot more to offer, which should accommodate a wider array of musical tastes from metal fans or fans of music in general. Confident that fans of the first album will enjoy this one, they share their excitement:

“We can’t believe we made it to the finish line, what felt like forever since our debut! “Mirror in the Darkness” for us has been a long time coming, honestly mostly due to our ambitions being much higher this time around. Our goal was to create something better on all fronts compared to the last album, and we really feel like we succeeded. There’s much more to offer here in terms of styles, musicality, and maturity. There are a couple songs here as well that we took a stab at creating something more accessible, which fans of us as well as fans of non-metal music could all enjoy. Despite that, the album as a whole is fittingly a lot darker than “Conductor of Storms” in both lyrics and soundscape.”

“Mirror in the Darkness” is Medevil’s boldest step into different musical stylings than ever before. It is a very dark-sounding album mood-wise and can be described as ‘progressive power metal’ in most areas. It has a lot more inspiration pulled from progressive bands, a lot more focus, and the soundscapes have a lot more depth than they’ve had in the past.

Recommended for fans of Metallica, Mastodon, and Metal Church, “Mirror in the Darkness” comes out on April 7, 2023.

Album teaser – https://youtu.be/ljUlC7DPt40

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

Track Listing:
1. Dead Before Birth (6:18)
2. Among Thieves (5:00)
3. Pray for Me (6:35)
4. The Signal (7:22)
5. Smoke and Mirrors (1:48)
6. Weight of the Crown (4:18)
7. Mirror in the Darkness (8:31)
8. Gateways (2:41)
9. Veiled (3:56)
10. No Peace in Rest (9:23)
Album Length: 55:58

Album Recording Lineup:
Liam Collingwood – Vocals
Gary Cordsen – Lead Guitar
Brett Gibbs – Rhythm Guitar, Lead Guitar & Backup Vocals
Eric Wesa – Bass & Backup Vocals
Chris Malcolmson – Drums

Album Credits:
All songs performed by Medevil
All songs written by Medevil, except:
The Signal, Mirror in the Darkness & No Peace in Rest written by Medevil & Ken Schellenberg
Smoke and Mirrors written by Ken Schellenberg
Orchestra on Tracks 4, 5, 7 & 10 Arranged and Recorded by Ken Schellenberg
Produced & Mixed by Brett Gibbs & Eric Wesa
Mastered by Jeff Black (Blacknote Music)
http://www.jeffblackmusic.com
Guitars Engineered by Brett Gibbs & Jeff Black (Blacknote Music)
Drums Recorded and Engineered by Larry Anschell (Turtle Recording Studios)
http://www.turtlerecording.com
Vocals for Track 2 – 8 Recorded and Engineered by Brett Gibbs
Vocals for Track 1 & 10 Recorded and Engineered by Tim Neuhaus (Ear Art Music Studios)
http://www.earartmusicstudios.com
Album Cover Art by Ivona Vasileva
Members of SOCAN
Music is Canadian Content (MAPL)

For more info: Facebook.com/medevilband | Twitter.com/MedevilMusic | YouTube | Instagram.com/medevilofficial

About: Medevil is a highly energetic, fast-paced metal band known for its tight songwriting, intense stage presence, and roaring vocals. They are one of the few metal bands coming out of Chilliwack BC and hold that title proud as they have earned much praise and respect since their inception in 2014. As one of the 6 national finalists of the 2015 Wacken Metal Battle Canada, they are becoming more and more renowned throughout the country; their fame attaining them a following in their local town and across through to Vancouver.

Their music could be described as “power thrash” with half of their set being chorus-driven, and the other half focusing on blistering fast riffs. Influences for the band include Iron Maiden, Megadeth, and Metal Church. Their fast but catchy songs keep the crowd chanting throughout the set, and leave them wanting more. Liam Collingwood, the band’s singer, keeps the band image in theme with the songs while on stage and will wear thematic outfits when the mood demands it.

The band was founded on January 13, 2014, by Eric Wesa (bass), as well as brothers Liam (vocals) and Ross Collingwood (drums). It only took two months after the band’s inception before the boys found the ultimate guitar duo they were looking for, Gary Cordsen and Brett Gibbs. Once the lineup was solidified, they wasted no time performing shows and begin their musical journey. As a band, Medevil has two common goals; to explore their musical talents, and continue performing live for their fast-growing fanbase.

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“Perfectly situated to please fans of classic heavy metal, Conductor Of Storms is very strong debut from the young Medevil.” – The Monolith (2016)

“Rejoice metalheads! Chiliwackian power thrashers, Medevil, has created a top-notch debut full-length album entitled Conductor Of Storms”. – Bravewords (2016)

“Play it loud, play it fast as heavy metal world has found another new soldier to carry on the flag in the form of “Medevil”” – Planet Caravan (2016)

“Conductor of Storms is one of the most complete, fully-formed and damn near perfect debut albums I’ve ever heard from a young heavy metal band. Tracks like Escape – a blustering, no-holds-barred mashup of Metal Church, Megadeth and Overkill – are just so mature, so faultlessly executed and so, well, heavy metal, it beggars belief that they are not being delivered by a band that’s been in the game for thirty years.” – Sentinel Daily (2016)

“Riding out of the cold wastes of western Canada on warhorses of steel comes Medevil with their amazing, self-released debut album Conductor of Storms. Bruising Traditional Heavy Metal is what these guys play and they play it well. Monstrous riffs and pounding, organic drums underscore the powerful vocals and intricate solos. The band has a taste for things epic, so no love songs or cliché odes to the Metal lifestyle here.” – Metal Crypt (2016)

0 Enter The World of “Antimatter” From Vancouver Orchestral Metal Ensemble OPUS ARISE (ft. members of Svneatr, Thousand Arrows, Ysgaroth)

January 10, 2023
by Asher
· Music News · Opus Arise

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – January 10, 2023

Enter The World of “Antimatter” From Vancouver Orchestral Metal Ensemble OPUS ARISE (ft. members of Svneatr, Thousand Arrows, Ysgaroth)

New Album “The Network” Out Now!

L-R – Derek Ho – Cello (live only), Matthew Logan – Drums, Violin II, Ellen Smith – Viola, Michelle Gao – Violin I, Kyle Hagen, Shawn Hillman – Guitar, Cello, Matthew Hannah – Keyboards

Photo Credit Jade Weekes

Canadian orchestral metal ensemble Opus Arise (ft. members of Svneatr, Thousand Arrows, Ysgaroth) released their sophomore album “The Network” this past December. The concept record is a cyberpunk tale that brings together classical strings and metal rhythms to create luscious soundscapes to dissonant chaos.

Today, in support of the full-length, the band is sharing their next video for the third track “Antimatter”. The band explains the storyline behind the song:

“After numerous calculations, the protagonist approaches the substation and plays the Antimatter progression. They are immediately scanned and digitized. The moment the song drops into the metal section signifies their entry into the network. The rest of the song follows them individually as they lead their own paths through the network, discovering its capabilities. However, after a bunch of fun and games exploring, they both eventually become curious about their past lives in 2017 and 1976.”

Watch and listen to “Antimatter” via its premiere on MetalInsider HERE.

Vancouver’s Opus Arise‘s latest album, “The Network”, is a cyberpunk world filled with neon lights backed by progressive metal riffs and classical themes. The eight-track record was produced and mastered by Maor Appelbaum; mixed by Ryan Shepard, with the album artwork done by Daniel Reyes. The nine players on the record bring forth their skills on guitar, cello, bass, drums, violin, keyboards, viola, and contrabass in a sometimes collaborative effort, which is primarily composed and scored by Matthew Logan and Matthew Hannah. The drums were recorded in a mansion back in 2018 where the original rehearsal space was, and the same location was used to film the music videos for the singles “Reminiscence”, “Change” and “Inner Skepticism”.

“The Network” has a modern metal influence and different composers from their first album. It is best described as orchestral neo-classical instrumental progressive metal and is recommended for fans who enjoy Powerglove, Scale The Summit, and Animals As Leaders.

“The Network” is available at Opusarise.bandcamp.com, Spotify.

To watch previous music videos, please the band’s YouTube.

Track Listing:
1) Inner Skepticism – 5:50
2) Electric Jungle – 6:02
3) Antimatter – 3:22
4) Digital Soundscape – 4:38
5) Reminiscence – 5:21
6) Change – 5:23
7) Timeshift – 5:21
8) The Unanswered Question – 5:13
Album Length: 41:13

Album Band Lineup:
Shawn Hillman Guitar, Cello on “Digital Soundscape”
James Readman: Guitar
Daniel Carmago: Bass Guitar (Tracks 1-3, 5-7)
Matthew Logan: Drums, Violin II
Matthew Hannah: Keyboards
Michelle Gao: Violin I
Ellen Smith: Viola
Darrell Bennett: Cello
Kyle Hagen: Contrabass, Bass Guitar (Track 8)

For more info:
https://www.facebook.com/opusarise
https://www.instagram.com/opusarise
https://twitter.com/OpusArise

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“An instrumental journey with a lot of charisma… Anyone who likes to think outside the box from time to time and likes instrumental music should definitely give “The Network” a try.” – PowerMetal.de

“… this is great progressive music… the album is strongly recommended if you’re open minded and you like your music to sound like a detailed and complex story. Great stuff!” – Metal Rules

“Sometimes there comes a prog metal act with something new or at least different than most others. And Opus Arise surely fits this description! Their songs are instrumental to begin with. But that’s far from all.” – Melodicnet

“A magnificent album, original, inventive and of great musicality.” – Pierre Davidson – A Progressive Life – CFUZ 92.9 FM – Penticton, BC

““Inner Scepticism,” shimmers through the linement of time and brings about an intricate braid.” – The Median Man

—
ASHER MEDIA RELATIONS
Jon Asher – Music Publicist
#.514.581.5780 | jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
Facebook @AsherMediaRelations | Instagram @AsherMedia | Tweet @AsherMedia(Rockshots Records, Extreme Metal Music, Armstrong MF, Loud As Hell, Metalocalypstick, Decimate MF, Electric Highway Fest, Wacken Metal Battle Canada/USA, Hyperspace MF, Le FestEvil)

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0 Rockshots Records – France’s Manigance Release New Music Video For Title Track Off English Version of New Album “The Shadows Ball (Les Bal Des Ombres)” Out Feb 2023

January 6, 2023
by Asher
· Manigance (Rockshots Records) · Music News

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – January 6, 2022

Rockshots Records – France’s Manigance Release New Music Video For Title Track Off English Version of New Album “The Shadows Ball (Les Bal Des Ombres)” Out Feb 2023

Rockshots Records will be releasing the English version of France’s Manigance‘s latest album “The Shadows Ball (Les Bal Des Ombres)” on February 24th, 2023. The original francophone version was released on March 18, 2022.

Today, the band presents their first English music video for the album’s title track, which can be viewed at https://youtu.be/lWoGUusvcvY

The band adds about the track:

“In a baroque and burlesque atmosphere, I invite those who fight to stop fighting to get nothing, to come and build with me a better life and elsewhere, beyond life. A soul’s immortal.” – Carine Pinto (vocals/lyrics)

“A big riff with a simple structure to get to the essence of the singing melody. Carine’s vocals are particularly good with pop influences. A very nice solo from Lionel with twin guitars.” – François Merle (guitar)

What started out as a cover band to doing full fledge originals and being garnered “Best French Group of 2003” by Hard Rock Magazine and triumphing on the stage at Hellfest (Live video), “The Shadows Ball” is the band’s eighth studio album and first to be sung in English by new vocalist Carine Pinto who replaced Didier Delsaux in 2018. The band made the decision to to do English songs as they wanted to make their music more accessible to foreign audiences in preparation for their 2023 European tour with Rhapsody of Fire in March.

“This album contains different songs from the Manigance standards. We have shortened the songs and worked on the arrangements. We think we can play a lot of these songs in our shows. It’s a sign that the fans should enjoy these songs. They are adapted to be played live. We have evolved in our writing process. The songs are still very rich, but the structure is simpler. We also listen to the latest productions to offer a modern album with a current sound.” adds guitarist François Merle.

The new album features twelve tracks that are inspired by Pinto’s lyrics from personal and intimate emotions, but also can relate to most listeners, from the betrayal of a friend, the burning of Notre Dame Cathedral (Paris – France), climate change, violence against the LBGT community, confinement during COVID, and domestic violence.

“The Shadows Ball” is recommended for fans of heavy metal and bands like Battle Beast and Accept.

Album pre-save – https://bfan.link/theshadowsball

CD pre-order – https://bit.ly/theshadowsballCD

Music Videos from French Version of “The Shadows Ball (Les Bal Des Ombres)”

– Haute Trahison (High Treason) – https://youtu.be/hzF0KwzkpnQ

– Huis Clos (End of Lock Up) – https://youtu.be/4B-gb_6fo9M

– Le Bal des Ombres (The Shadows Ball) – https://youtu.be/6p3CzFIbTSM

Track Listing:
1. Odyssey – 1:23
2. Cold Blood – 4:24
3. All Your Excesses – 4:28
4. End of Lock Up – 4:26
5. The Shadows Ball – 5:14
6. Death Warrant – 4:01
7. High Treason – 4:48
8. Eternity – 4:36
9. At Gates of Memory – 4:42
10. In Spite of Everything – 4:42
11. Dawn of The New Fight – 4:49
12. Forgotten Survivor – 4:34
Album Length: 52:12

For more info:
https://www.rockshots.eu
https://www.facebook.com/MANIGANCE.Official
https://www.instagram.com/manigance.official
https://twitter.com/Manigance64

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0 Saudi One Man Prog DUSK Shares First Single “Lethal Perspectives” ft. Aaron Harris (Solemn Vision) Off First Full-Length “Spectrums” Out February 2023

January 6, 2023
by Asher
· DUSK · Music News

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – January 6, 2022

Saudi One Man Prog DUSK Shares First Single “Lethal Perspectives” ft. Aaron Harris (Solemn Vision)

New Album “Spectrums” Out February 2023

Saudi Arabia’s one-man prog metal unit DUSK (from the mind of Meshari Sangora) is unveiling the first single “Lethal Perspectives” ft. Aaron Harris (Solemn Vision) from the upcoming full-length entitled “Spectrums”. The album follows two previously unleashed EPs “To Where I Belong” (2021) and “Ascension” (2020) along with multiple stand-alone singles that were used to introduce the project’s music to the world in 2020.

The album’s first single talks about someone who suffers from Megalomania and is a message to remind them that they are not a god. DUSK goes into further detail about how the track came to be.

“I got to know Aaron Harris, the vocalist for Solemn Vision from my friend Gigi Arabia of Heavy Arabia. She pitched Aaron to me when we were looking for a vocalist for Lethal Perspective, and as soon as I heard Aaron’s vocals I knew he was a perfect fit for the album. He’s got a raw scream that can really get you hyped! and with what I had in mind for songs on the album, I knew that he be the right fit and he sure did deliver vocally and lyrically 100 percent!”

The single can be heard at https://youtu.be/rcOw6G0VgKE

Digital (Spotify, Bandcamp, Apple Music) – https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/dusk14/lethal-perspectives-feat-aron-harris

For “Spectrums”, DUSK recruited various many guests such as Saudi musicians Khalid C (Entropia) and Abdulrahman Elghazali (who was a featured guest on EP ‘To Where I Belong”) along with international artists such as Aaron Harris of the New York death metal based band Solemn Vision and the great Jaani Peuhu, previously known as a member of Swallow The Sun and his current band Ianai. The album features 12 tracks and is a multi-lingual expression with various songs sung by its contributors in English, German, Finnish, and Arabic.

DUSK comments on the forthcoming album:

“As a musician and one of the pioneers in the local Saudi Scene, I wanted to bring more creativity to the game and make this project an inspiration standpoint to the new upcoming bands and musicians who look up to me both locally and internationally, so right then and there, I decided to make this album into two different themes, something that will speak to every music lover out there, from the heavy and raw guitar tones to the Synth-ish spacy sounds that ease the listener to a very dynamic and emotional ride.”

Once a college DJ in UAE, that time in his life lead to his rediscovery of all forms of metal and was just the beginning of creating his own music as a self-taught musician and producer. DUSK created the new album to be listened to as Side A and Side B. The first half of the album (Side A) is aggressively sounding, and more guitar-focused and has a build-up of more hostility to each track while the listener moves forward. The second half (Side B) aims for a new sound from DUSK infusing more of the electric/EDM-ish sound where it’s more focused and digitized sounding and widely more appealing to the non-metal listener, all while keeping the same aggression level building up with each track.

“I wanted to bring more to the table and make this album a possible gateway to new audiences and perhaps fans from both sides, the metal heads & the non-metal listeners. I think all people who enjoy music will be interested in it, with all that has been added and all the different genres mixed in. What I’m trying to do with this record is to make everyone experience their own feelings and their own journey, the topics for this project are big and very stretched, some of the topics deal with real issues like betrayal and disposition, Love, Hate, and Hope.” adds DUSK

Recommended for fans of Currents, Born of Osiris, Novelists, and Deftones, along with everything under the vein of progressive metal, metalcore, and djent, “Spectrums” will be released on all digital platforms including vinyl on February 17th, 2023.

The album was fully written & recorded at Dusk’s studio with the mixing and mastering done by Tom Haberland of Crushing Waves Studio. Album artwork created by Giannis Nakos from Remedy Studios.

Album pre-order – https://dusk94.bandcamp.com/

Track Listing:
1. The World We Used To Know ft. Abzy & Khalid C – 5:42
2. Digging Deeper ft. Alex Hamilton – 4:05
3. Breath In, Breath Out ft. Adnan – 4:20
4. Hatred ft. Alex Hamilton – 3:12
5. Lethal Perspectives ft. Aron Harris – 3:02
6. Agnes Of Rome ft. Abzy – 5:00
7. Burning In My Mind ft. Moe Steiger – 3:31
8. Karma Will Find You ft. Moe Steiger – 4:19
9. Someone To Trust ft. Jon Thomas – 3:38
10. Only You ft. Jaani Peuhu – 5:39
11. Celestials ft. Iman Ahmed & Abudlrahman Elghazali – 4:37
12. Absence Of Full (Album Outro) – 2:18
Album Length: 50:00

For more info:
Facebook.com/Officialdusk94
Instagram.com/official__dusk
Twitter.com/Official__Dusk

About Album Guests: Abzy, Khalid C, Alex Hamilton, Adnan, Aaron Harris, Moe Steiger, Jon Thomas, Jaani Peuhu, Iman Ahmed, Abdulrahman Elghazali

1- ABZY is a Self-taught singer-songwriter who started in 2007 Located In Kuwait city. Band (WAZIN), SOLO Project (SARAI)

2 – Khalid C is an electric guitar player located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and is one of the founders of the band Entropia along with his new rock solo project Astrofrog.

3 – Adnan Mryhi is a singer and a Twitch streamer located In Dubai, UAE, Adnan also helped and still helping to build the Metal Scene in the UAE since 2006. Solo Project (Unmuted)

4- Alex Hamilton is a Canadian musician who operates Nova Nine Productions and offers session musician services, mixing/ mastering, and recording. His band is Wazmo.

5- Aaron Harris also known as AceSirBell is the vocalist for the band Solemn Vision and the band telochvovin666 and the founder of Visionary Booking, a booking company focused on helping out-of-town bands break into NYC, and build lasting connections through different scenes.

6- Jaani Peuhu is a Finnish musician, producer and songwriter. Jaani has worked with artists like Before the Dawn, Swallow The Sun, To/Die/For, Thunderstone, Wiidakko and Anna Eriksson. More info – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaani_Peuhu

7-Iman Ahmed is an Arab/British singer and bass player who is the founder of Unicorn Squad – a global music community for unsigned artists and bands within the rock/ metal/alternative scene.

8-Abdulrahman Elghazali is an electric guitar player located in Riyadh, Suadi Arabia, previously featured on the “To Where I Belong EP” and a guitar player for the local thrash metal band Dune.

9-Moe Steiger is a session vocalist located in Germany. Editing and mixing engineer.

10- Jon Thomas is a singer, songwriter, guitarist, and session musician based in Canada.

11. Jonathan Hammond has solo projects Dark Horse and Thrifted Souls.

– 30 –

0 Rockshots Records – HIGHWAY QUEEN Shares Music Video “Get On Your Knees” Off New Album “Bitter Soul” Out Dec 2022

November 15, 2022
by Asher
· Highway Queen (Rockshots Records) · Music News

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – November 15, 2022

Rockshots Records – HIGHWAY QUEEN Shares Music Video “Get On Your Knees” Off New Album “Bitter Soul” Out Dec 2022

New Album “Bitter Soul” Out December 16th

Rockshots Records will be releasing Finnish rockers Highway Queen‘s debut full-length “Bitter Soul” this coming December. The album is a collection of rock and metal songs with beautiful melodies, and strong riffs with heavy drums and bass. Each song shows the listener the stylistic versatility of the band.

Today, the band presents their second single “Getting On Your Knees” accompanied by a music video. The track is classic heavy metal to tell a story about revenge against someone who has betrayed you badly.

Watch the video at https://youtu.be/kgUQfj493n4

Digital – https://bfan.link/get-on-your-knees

Songs on Highway Queen‘s new album “Bitter Soul” are all about scenarios in one’s life. The lyrics tell stories about gnawing the burden of shame, anger, and bitterness. They also talk about the burden that carries through generations. They are about people’s weaknesses too. The stories are also about overcoming these challenges.

“From our first self-releases and singles with Inverse Records to this album, our sound is definitely going from a lighter to heavier direction. Every song has its own mood so feeling vary throughout the album. There are parts in the album with bluesy vibes to parts that have strong doom or even thrash vibes. It all blends together with a touch of 80’s style. Every song on the record has its own mood.” adds the band.

Highway Queen is a band that plays melodic hard rock with some metal influences. The band was founded at the end of 2019 by vocalist Virpi Kääriäinen, guitarist Teemu, Kääriäinen and drummer Henri Backman. All members have played in cover band projects in the past and decided it was time to start making their own creations.

In 2020, the band self-released four singles on digital platforms. Also in 2020, the band acquired bassist Petri Orava and they recorded more songs to be released. In 2021, the band signed with Finnish record label Inverse Records for releasing three singles and a music video. The songs had a great reception, and the band continued moving forward to start working on their first album. All Highway Queen songs are recorded with Aleksanteri Kuosa, so he was a natural choice to be the producer for the full-length. He has also worked with bands like Waltari and Before The Dawn.

Highway Queen is recommended for fans of melodic hard rock, heavy rock, and NWOTHM.

“Bitter Soul” is due out on December 16th and available for pre-order at https://bit.ly/BitterSoulCD

Music Video – Bitter Soul – https://youtu.be/g1Xe-jmiMSQ

Track Listing:
1. Hey!
2. Get On Your Knees
3. I Lean On You
4. Here I Am
5. I Dim The Lights
6. Bitter Soul
7. In Vain
8. Own Will

Album Credits:
All songs written by
– Virpi Kääriänen, Teemu Kääriäinen & Henri Backman
– Vocals: Virpi Kääriäinen
– Guitars: Teemu Kääriäinen
– Drums: Henri Backman
– Bass tracks played for the album by Jykke Tikka
– Produced, engineered & mixed by Aleksanteri Kuosa
– Cover and photos: Henri Backman
– Mastered by Jukka Yliaho/Masterlab
– Recorded at Inka Studio

For more info:
www.rockshots.eu
www.highwayqueenband.com
www facebook.com/highwayqueenband
www.instagram.com/highwayqueenband

– 30 –

0 Canadian Power Metal RAVENOUS Want You To Know “The Claw Is The Law” w/ Mortal Kombat Video Game Music Video

November 9, 2022
by Asher
· Music News · Ravenous

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – November 9, 2022

Canadian Power Metal RAVENOUS Want You To Know “The Claw Is The Law” w/ Mortal Kombat Video Game Music Video

L-R: Ravenous Current Line Up
Skyler Mills (Guitar) | Dave Crnkovic (Drums) | R. A. Voltaire (Vocals) | Chris Valax (Bass) | Jake Wright (Guitar)
Photo Credit – Monika Deviat

Canadian power metal Ravenous is celebrating the one-year anniversary of their highly praised 2021 album “Hubris” with a new music video for their track “Claw is the Law” that features guest vocals, accordion, and mandolin from members of The Dread Crew of Oddwood.

The video idea came from Wolfbeard O’Brady (Reece Miller – The Dread Crew of Oddwood, Frontman) and was fully edited/animated by him in celebration of the 1 year anniversary of Ravenous’ sophomore album “Hubris” and the 30-year anniversary of the Mortal Kombat video game.

“I’ve always wanted to do a fighting game music video, and I felt like this collaboration was a perfect opportunity to rep the over-the-top everything that is ‘Claw is the Law’”. comments The Dread Crew of Oddwood’s Wolfbeard O’Brady.

The music video for “Claw is the Law” can be seen and heard at https://youtu.be/3P3E6CoF7FY

In additional news, Ravenous has also launched a Patreon campaign for exclusive content for fans from the band, such as instrumentals, shirts, tabs, discord access, and to support the Speed Metal army. For more info, please visit the following links:

Video – https://youtu.be/uOR3tVK2GCw

https://www.patreon.com/RavenousEternalHunger

Taking their performance, writing, and musicianship seriously, but allowing tongue-in-cheek humour and pop culture references to resonate through the songs, Ravenous is bringing fans anthemic tunes from a time when metal was hungry.

Their latest studio album “Hubris” was released on October 22nd and was produced by the band with mixing and mastering done by Fredrik Nordström (In Flames, Opeth, Firewind). The full-length features guests Vincent ‘Jake’ Jones of Aether Realm, Heinrich Yoshio of Aether Realm, Mathias Blad of Falconer, Nina Osegueda of A Sound of Thunder, and The Dread Crew of Oddwood (Full Band).

Bringing a full lineup of experienced musicians together, ones that have toured extensively and are fully dedicated to providing a high-energy, high-intensity live experience. Ravenous seek to inspire others to find that inner triumph and glory that drove them to form this project – whether that means starting their own band, or just finding the strength to make a change in their lives – they seek to empower their followers through every step of their journey.

Recommended for fans of Blind Guardian, Falconer, Sabaton, and Unleash the Archers.

“Hubris” was released on October 22, 2021, via Feast Beast Records for North America and Europe along with a Japanese release via Spiritual Beast Records, which included two exclusive tracks.

Album digital stream and download are available on Spotify, Ravenouseternalhunger.bandcamp.com, and Apple Music.

Previously released videos:

Animated music videos for “Die 1000 Deaths” ft. Heinrich Yoshio of Aether Realm.
English Version – https://youtu.be/uvVkYDINa-0
Japanese Version – https://youtu.be/Tz6-pmChuJ0
Lyric Video – “Astral Elixir” – https://youtu.be/iVvbuTw2veA

Track Listing:
1. Carnage in Carthage (4:37)
2. Astral Elixir (5:16)
3. Son of Storms (4:33)
4. Die 1000 Deaths (5:24) (3rd Guitar Solo by Heinrich Yoshio of Aether Realm)
5. Bridgeburner (6:10)
6. The Alder Queen (3:17) (ft. Lead Vocals by Nina Osegueda of A Sound of Thunder)
7. March of Hunger (4:47)
8. Claw is the Law (5:24) (ft. Lead Vocals, Accordion, Mandolin, and Gang Vocals by The Dread Crew of Oddwood)
9. Onwards & Upwards (4:09) (ft. Lead Vocals by Mathias Blad of Falconer)
10. …Of Beasts and Faust (10:21) (ft. Lead Vocals by Vincent Jones of Aether Realm)
Total Length 53:57
Japanese Version Exclusives
11. Cakaw Te Partiro (Bonus) – 3:13
12. 一瞬千撃 (Bonus) – 5:25
Total Length 62:34

For more info:
Ravenouseternalhunger.com
Facebook.com/RavenousE.H
Twitter.com/Ravenous_EH
Instagram.com/ravenouseternalhunger
EPK

– 30 –

“#2 on Top 30 Power Metal Albums of 2021”- Last Rites

“one to watch in the power metal scene” – Bravewords

“Calgary’s Ravenous have fused their flamboyant cross-breeding of European power metal and early ‘80s US speed metal, using it like a sharp ’n’ shiny scythe to forge their way through the crowded underground. Past accomplishments have included tours and gigs with Delain, Alestorm, Hammerfall, Striker and Powerglove with festival appearances and headliners interspersed in between. Considering all of the above, it shouldn’t come as a surprise a large part of this quintet’s musical vocabulary involved loving it speedy, epic, melodically grandiose while having a sword waving good time in the process.” – Decibel Magazine

“Ravenous aren’t afraid to put it all out there; symphonic assaults blend with all-out thrash metal, underpinned by some of the most enthusiastic power metal of the year. From start to finish Hubris is chock full of anthemic and contagious fist-pumping, head-banging songs featuring dramatic vocals and shredding solos. Power metal fans rejoice: Hubris is a worthy addition to your collection.” – Heavy Music Headquarters

“A great album of Power Metal, and even more. 9.5/10” – Metal Express Radio

“a sparkling speed metal fuelled power metal rampage, raising fists high, banging heads hard, and causing fans everywhere to roar out loud with delight. 5/5” – Metal-Roos

“a sparkling speed metal fuelled power metal rampage, raising fists high, banging heads hard, and causing fans everywhere to roar out loud with delight.10/10” – Metal Gods TV

“Hubris reminds me of early Dragonforce (the faster numbers) and Orden Ogan (the mid-paced material) though the songwriting is a notch or two below those bands currently. This is a solid second album from Ravenous, who display significant upside, and fans of the aforementioned bands will want to give it spin. 3.75/5” – The Metal Crypt

“Ignoring Ravenous E.H. would be as foolish as turning your back on Arya Stark” – Tinnitist

“Ravenous is not your squeaky clean, hyper-active, frilly shirts with puffy sleeves, keyboard-driven, ballerina, musical-box type of Power Metal, but more your mud and blood and grime with style” – Metal Rules

“A power metal album with enough to the longstanding traditions that makes the style fun and exciting for those who crave melodies and hooks” – Metal Observer
—

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0 Rockshots Records – Tolkien-Inspired Power Metallers RuinThrone Unveil Their Dark Lord Single “The Past Is Yet To Come”; New Album “The Unconscious Mind Of Arda” Out Jan 2023

November 3, 2022
by Asher
· Music News · RuinThrone

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – November 3, 2022

Rockshots Records – Tolkien-Inspired Power Metallers RuinThrone Unveil Their Dark Lord Single “The Past Is Yet To Come”

New Album “The Unconscious Mind Of Arda” Out Jan 2023

Italian fantasy power metallers RuinThrone will be releasing their new J.R.R. Tolkien-inspired album “The Unconscious Mind Of Arda” due out January 13th, 2023 via Rockshots Records to follow their debut album “Urban Ubris” and EP “Leaden Field”.

The album itself has been composed of stories inspired by Tolkien’s poems, his “Legendarium”. The band hopes the concepts they wrote can be “messengers” of reflection for their listeners, turning in a better awareness of their daily life.

“With this album, we think we reached our own identity. Back in the early years, we started with a classic German power metal style, but year by year we changed and matured musically. This is why we use 7-string guitars with 1/2 step-down tuning, extreme vocals, etc. For this new record, we also focused on an alternative point of view of some stories written by Tolkien. We thought it would have been interesting to explore not only some interesting characters and heroes but also the mind of the main villains.” adds guitarist Nicolò de Maria.

Today, Ruinthrone reveal the second single “The Past Is Yet To Come” accompanied by a lyric video.

“If I think about that time when I wrote these lyrics suddenly the enthusiasm and the writing ease come to my mind. Long story short the song tells about the fear of death. I imagined that even a king at some point has to confront himself with this thought: “my life will come to an end, my consciousness will fade away, and nothing will mean anything cause I won’t be anymore.”. The power of writing can change this feeling. All of a sudden fate is tamed if you sign a contract with the Dark Lord. In exchange for immortality, the king agrees to turn into a Nazgûl and make a Mephistophelian agreement. My vision of the circle of life and death is similar to Nietzsche’s one of the Eternal Recurrence. The weight of immortality turns into ages and events happening over and over in the same way. The main character begins to understand why death is a gift of Iluvatar, not a curse.” says vocalist Haedus.

Watch and listen to “The Past Is Yet To Come” – https://youtu.be/rjemjwlMLZ8

Digital – https://bfan.link/the-past-is-yet-to-come

“The Unconscious Mind Of Arda” is mixed and mastered by Giuseppe Orlando (sound tech for Rhapsody of Fire) at the Outer Sound Studios.

The album is due out on January 13th, 2023, and is available for pre-order at the following link – https://bit.ly/RuinThrone_CD

First single:

Music Video – “Earendil” – https://youtu.be/Wr9PXgAgm64

Digital – https://bfan.link/earendil

Track Listing:
1 – Prologue – 2:19
2 – The Dreamweaver – 5:14
3 – I Am The Night – 4:50
4 – Earendil – 4:49
5 – The Past Is Yet To Come – 8:00
6 – Where Wise Men Stop – 1:17
7 – In Penumbra – 6:38
8 – The Eldest – 5:24
9 – Blessed By Loneliness – 4:23
10 – For Those Who Remain 9:54
11 – Where You Belong – 2:34
Alum Length: 55:26

RuinThrone are:
Vocals: Haedus
Drums: Francesco Comerci
Guitar: Nicolò de Maria
Guitar: Luca Grossi
Bass: Alessandro Finocchiaro
Keyboard: Giorgio Mannucci

For more info:
https://www.rockhots.eu
http://ruinthrone.altervista.org
https://www.facebook.com/RuinThrone
https://www.instagram.com/ruinthrone.official

About:

RuinThrone was founded in 2009 in Rome, Italy by Adriano Strinati, Haedus and Alessandri Finocchiaro. Soon after, Giorgio Mannucci (keyboards), Nicolò De Maria (guitars), and Francesco Comerci (drums) joined the band. The sound of RuinThrone is inspired by German and American metal bands like Blind Guardian, Helloween, Iced Earth, and Nevermore, but they have their own distinguishable dark and modern character.

– 30 –

0 Streaming Now! Violin Prog Metal Montreal’s CYDEMIND Explore Instrumental Creativity With The “The Descent”

November 2, 2022
by Asher
· Cydemind · Music News

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – October 11, 2022

Streaming Now! Violin Prog Metal Montreal’s CYDEMIND Explore Instrumental Creativity With The “The Descent”

Sophomore Album “The Descent” Out Nov 4th

L-R – Camille Delage (piano and keyboards), Kevin Paquet (guitars), Olivier Allard (Violin), Nico Damoulianos (Bass), Alexandre Dagenais (Drummer)

Montreal, Canada’s Cydemind is a progressive metal band backed with a violin instead of vocals and they are now ready to offer up their sophomore album “The Descent” due out on Friday, November 4th, 2022 to follow their highly praised 2017 debut album “Erosion”, which was produced by Christian Donaldson (Cryptospy).

“With Erosion, we were young and were still trying to define our own sound, which is why we previously chose producer Chris Donaldson (Cryptopsy, The Agonist, Beyond Creation), who had considerable experience under his belt. This time around, the band has made a decision to lean toward self-production. Although we’ve encountered obstacles along the way, as well as significant delays, we couldn’t be prouder of the final product.” says drummer Alexander Dagenais.

Today, before “The Descent” officially releases, the band has teamed up with MetalInsider for the album’s full stream premiere, which can be heard at the following link HERE.

“The Descent” is seven new songs created for a listening experience that’s just under 60 minutes and meant to be heard from beginning to end. Cydemind presents the album to be heard on multiple listens to capture the recurrent themes, sometimes hidden, sometimes obvious, but in the end, the band really wants to reward prog fans to dive into the concept of the record ranging from obsessions and the abysses into which the human mind can plunge itself into.

Kevin Paquet explains further:

“Structurally, the album really represents a descent into hell. The first track, Obsessions, acts as an opening. There are rhythmic and melodic motifs from each track on the album. The opening melody acts a bit like the leitmotif of the obsession (whichever it is) and comes up several times throughout the album. Subsequently, the album continues with Hoax, which incorporates several elements of funk. As the name suggests, you should not expect the album to respect that tone; on the contrary, the music gradually turns into something much darker and complex.”

Commented by such outlets as TheProgSpace “Cydemind “Breach” The Walls of Normality With Next Violin Prog Metal Single” and Everything IS Noise “There Isn’t Any “Hoax” in the Quality of the Latest Cydemind Single”, Cydemind‘s new album definitely brings the band to another level in terms of writing and playing, and they’re pretty confident their fans, new and old will think the same. Compared to their first full-length “Erosion”, which was mainly focused around metal. The Descent explores new colors within the metal genre as well as integrates new styles and sounds.

The main songwriters for “The Descent” were Kevin Paquet (guitars) and Olivier Allard (Violin), but as a unit, all members still discussed with each other, making sure everyone’s input was satisfied. When the songs were done, drummer Dage (Alexandre Dagenais) creates his parts on top of everything.

Recommended for fans of prog bands and artists like Dream Theater, Symphony X, Haken, Tigran Hamasyan, and Avishai Cohen, Cydemind’s new album “The Descent” will be out on November 4th, 2022.

The album was mixed by Simon L’Espérance (Karcius) and mastered by Tony Lindgren (Fascination Street Studios). The cover art for the album was created by Alexander Dagenais.

Album Order – https://cydemind.bandcamp.com

Singles:

Hoax – Music Video – https://youtu.be/WVZO2-gig6w
Breach – Music Video – https://youtu.be/M72GMAKHoF8

Show Dates:

November 18 – Montreal, QC – Theatre Plaza – Info (Album Launch Show w/ Karcius)

Track Listing:
1. Obsessions – 8:56
2. Hoax – 6:11
3. Breach – 5:00
4. Call Of The Void – 8:25
5. Hemlock -13:44
6. Slumber – 4:30
7. The Last Stone – 12:17
Album Length: 59:06

Cydemind is:
Olivier Allard (Violins)
Alexandre Dagenais (Drums)
Camille Delage (Keyboards/Piano)
Nico Damoulianos (Bass)
Kevin Paquet (Guitars)

For more info:
http://www.cydemind.com
http://www.facebook.com/cydemind
http://www.instagram.com/cydemind

– 30 –

“Violin metal shredders, Cydemind, has just released a beautiful new video for their “Winter” single, using the gorgeous backdrop of Quebec, Canada. The neo-classical prog track showcases the amazing abilities of this young band on the rise, with captivating hooks that’ll leave you awestruck and hitting up their Bandcamp page for more!” – Metal Injection

“The instrumental band puts the violin front and center, which is strange (if not unheard of) in and of itself. They’ve also released a sweet cover of Vivaldi’s “L’inverno” (“Winter”), from The Four Seasons, which is definitely the first time in the 12+ years of MetalSucks that we’ve had to type that sentence… and they’ve done so when we’re just about a week away from the first day of spring, which was a ballsy decision. And on top of all of that, they made a really, really beautiful video for the track out on the frozen tundras of Québec. Do they have tundras in Québec? Whatever. The video looks really cool. Also, cold. I got mild frostbite just watching it.” – Metal Sucks

“presented what will easily be among the top prog metal albums of the year…” – Metal Underground

“An epic album in every sense of the word” – Games, Brrraaains & A Head-Banging Life

“Cydemind have shown me two things on this debut album: they’re damn good musicians, and they have the ability to write compelling music that sticks with you. ” – Angry Metal Guy

0 Scattered Storm Embark On A Journey With Title Track Off Upcoming “In this Dying Sun”

October 27, 2022
by Asher
· Music News · Scattered Storm

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – October 27, 2022

Scattered Storm Embark On A Journey With Title Track Off Upcoming “In this Dying Sun”

New EP “In this Dying Sun” Out Nov 11th via Bloodblast Distribution (powered by Nuclear Blast and Believe Digital)

L- R – Jay Arriaga – Drums, Keyboards, Samples, Andre Accosta – Vocals, Kevin Armstrong – Guitar, Brian Fausnaugh – Bass

The progressively dark quartet Scattered Storm hailing from El Paso, Texas, is releasing their second EP “In this Dying Sun” set for November 11th. The EP pivots from its overall sound carving out a much darker, and more progressive tone. Drummer Jay Arriaga and guitarist Kevin Armstrong have been much of the driving force for the songwriting drawing inspiration from bands like Psycroptic and Cephalic Carnage, whom they have also performed live with. The band explains the premise of the single:

“This pretty much talks about our dying planet. Or even a dying galaxy. Which resonates deeply with what we have been doing to our planet for so long and the consequences of that. Death, decay, nothing good coming out of it really. In the absence of light, there is only darkness. The song is fast and precise almost Fear Factoryish-like, but it simulates a fast and imploding galaxy.”

According to the band, they have never lost track of the bigness, especially with Tue Madsen mixing this record. In their talks with him, it was really emphasized that even though songs are faster, they still want them to sound huge. In turn, Madsen delivered a monster of an album, a melodic wall of sound with plenty of intriguing layers to keep listeners on their toes. Madsen also featured “In This Dying Sun” for his drum sample pack through Drum Forge because he really dug the song.

“In This Dying Sun” takes off from where last year’s “Oblivion” left off, bringing in darker melodies and proggy riffs. It still has the hooks but the vocals have evolved more and the synths took a back step for more guitar work. Some of the songs are faster-paced as well giving it a more driving force.

Scattered Storm takes a good blend of the sludge from Meshuggah, the ambiance of Tesseract, and the epicness of Devin Townsend, but is also influenced by bands like Fear Factory and Mnemic.

The music video for the single “In This Dying Sun” can be seen and heard below.

The EP “In This Dying Sun” comes out on November 11, 2022, via Bloodblast Distribution (powered by Nuclear Blast and Believe Digital).

Digital – https://bfan.link/bloody-love

Track Listing:
1. Bloody Love – 4:44
2. The Process – 3:49
3. Hollow – 4:16
4. In this Dying Sun – 3:42
5. Seen – 4:49
EP Length: 21:12

Recording and Live Band Lineup:
Jay Arriaga – Drums, Keyboards, Samples
Kevin Armstrong – Guitar
Brian Fausnaugh – Bass
Andre Accosta – Vocals

For more info:
https://linktr.ee/scatteredstorm
https://www.facebook.com/scatteredstormband
https://www.instagram.com/scatt_storm

About:
Scattered Storm is an El Paso, Texas-based metal band which formed three years ago with the collaboration between Jay Arriaga (drums) from No Life on Earth, Years of Cold, and Kevin Armstrong (guitar) from Mondoshawan, Section 6. From there Andre Acosta from Pissing Razors, Hereafter the Wave and current No Life on Earth frontman joined the ranks on vocals. Having recorded a couple of songs on Bass for both Oblivion and In This Dying Sun, Brian Fausnaugh (Random Allusion, Limerance) finally joined the ranks full time replacing Eddie Garcia on bass. Scattered Storm recorded In This Dying Sun in 2021 at Javier’s Studio Empty Paradise Studios for its release on November 11th, 2022 via Blood Blast Distribution to follow their 2021 debut EP “Oblivion”.

– 30 –

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