Tag: vancouver

0 Canada’s MEDEVIL Announces New Vocalist To Lineup; New Album Out “Mirror in the Darkness”

April 27, 2023
by Asher
· Medevil · Music News

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – April 27, 2023

Canada’s MEDEVIL Announces New Vocalist To Lineup

New Album Out “Mirror in the Darkness” In Tribute To Drummer’s Passing

Photo Credit – IDFK Design & Photography

Earlier this April, Medevil took the stage at a sold-out Hyperspace MetalFest in Vancouver, BC with the support of vocalist Eric Willmott (Apprentice, ex-Meridius) to fill in for the band’s main singer Liam Collingwood. Taking the stage and fans by storm during that event, today, the band announces they will continue future performances will Wilmott.

“Liam Collingwood is still a part of Medevil and will be continuing to work with us both creatively and in various singing roles on the upcoming album(s). Eric Willmott will be singing for us at all live performances, and is expected to sing as the lead vocalist on the upcoming studio albums as well.” adds the band.

Medevil recently released their new album “Mirror in the Darkness” on April 7th. The record is a big step up from their debut full-length “Conductor of Storms”, with a more progressive and ambitious direction than before. The album is also a tribute to drummer Chris Malcolmson who passed away after its recording. The songs on this new album have much more variety, and a lot more to offer, which should accommodate a wider array of music tastes from metal fans or fans of music in general. The band is very confident that fans of the first record will enjoy this one and they explain further:

“‘Mirror in the Darkness’ is our 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. Each song throughout sounds completely unique from the other, bringing out a new metal flavour unheard from the previous tracks. We also experimented with Drop-C tuning here on a couple songs, adding to the dark sound. While it is not a concept album, the lyrics throughout have consistent themes about heavy personal issues such as depression and negativity you feel in life.”

Their style on “Conductor of Storms” was heavily inspired by the classic ‘80s heavy metal bands, but for “Mirror in the Darkness” they started looking at other heavy metal influences within the progressive metal sphere such as Opeth, Porcupine Tree, and Mastodon. You can hear this influence on tracks like ‘No Peace in Rest’, ‘Dead Before Birth’ and ‘Veiled’ where they make use of longer arrangement structures, odd time signatures, and atmospheric soundscapes.

Intended to be listened to in a single sitting from front to back, Medevil spent a lot of time considering the flow of the album, from fast and energetic to dark and brooding, so there is a lot of variety that will come from a fully engaged listen. Dedicated to late drummer Chris Malcolmson, it is recommended for fans of Metal Church, Accept, and Baroness.

Listen to “Mirror in the Darkness” at Medevil.bandcamp.com, Spotify

Lyric Video – Among Thieves – https://youtu.be/sC55M5Cy-3M

Upcoming Events:
June 9 – The Wise – Vancouver, BC w/ Iron Kingdom

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

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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“At fifty six minutes in length, some listeners may be daunted by the sheer amount of Medevil they are being asked to absorb, but I can quite honestly say that there is not one second wasted here as the band deliver one of the most compelling, absorbing albums I’ve heard in quite some while. Congratulations to all involved.” – Sentinel Daily

“Medevil – Pray For Me – Six great new prog tracks you really must listen to!” – Prog Mag (March 6, 2023)

“a heavy onslaught of aggressive and menacing metal with moments of progressive diversion and musical exploration.” – Metal Roos

“The band has expanded their approach from their debut, writing songs that are more complex and progressive. Tracks like “Dead Before Birth” are intense and bombastic, while songs such as “Pray For Me” are mellower and more expansive. There are a few shorter numbers, but Medevil prefer extended compositions, with several tracks in the 6 to 9 minute range. The Udo Dirkschneider-esque vocals may be polarizing, but the songs are engaging and the musicianship impressive.” – Heavy Music Headquarters

“There are more twists that catch you off guard here (Dead Before Birth), and is the perfect way to kick off “Mirror in the Darkness”. It’s probably their most complicated song rhythmically, and while they didn’t originally write this thinking it should be complex, it seemed to happen naturally with the riffs they were coming up with at the time. Somehow despite that complexity, it’s also extremely catchy.” – First Angel Media

“The sequel doesn’t disappoint in any way. The listening pleasure increases with every single track. Nothing is veiled (“Veiled”) here, the bandwidth of musical ability is lived out openly. Who or what to emphasize here is up to you. I recommend “Pray for Me”, “Weight of the Crown” and “Veiled” as check out tips. With the mirror of darkness you can see the direction: it’s going forward!! My rating is a full 10 Hellfire points.” – Hellfire Magazin

“Medevil has put their thinking caps on for this because there are some really interesting songs on this. There’s something for everyone on this so it will appeal universally to metalheads everywhere. Something is happening in Canada because this is about the tenth release I’ve reviewed, and they are all of high quality and pretty diverse. The question is – what will Medevil do next? They’re going to have to go some to top this. Score: 9/10” – My Global Mind

“Medevil’s overall sound is often interesting, like a weird mash-up of Metal Church and 90s prog-metal acts like Wicked Maraya. Cool ideas populate nearly every song and there are a collection of killer moments that hook the ear ” – Angry Metal Guy

“Overall, a heavy onslaught of aggressive and menacing metal with moments of progressive diversion and musical exploration.” – Metal Gods Tv

—
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, Toledo DeathFest)

0 Canada’s PHAETON’s Now Streaming Instrumental Prog Space Adventure “Between Two Worlds”

April 20, 2023
by Asher
· Music News · Phaeton

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – April 20, 2023

Canada’s PHAETON’s Now Streaming Instrumental Prog Space Adventure “Between Two Worlds”

L-R – Colin Righton – Drums & Percussion, Daniel Airth – Lead & Rhythm Guitars, Kevin Thiessen – Lead & Rhythm Guitars, Keyboards, Ferdy Belland – Electric & Fretless Bass
Photo by Julian Bueckert

Get ready to soar through the cosmos with Canada’s Phaeton and their second expansive album “Between Two Worlds”. They anticipate taking their listeners through space and time and feel a complete visceral release that can only be found through progressive metal. They consider this full-length to be a major step up for them and have focused on being sharp and clever to grab people’s ears with melody lines of the twin guitars instead of vocals. They continue to share their excitement for the release:

“We pushed ourselves as musicians, we pushed ourselves as instrumentalists, and we pushed ourselves as a unit to create something that had to at least be on par with the first album – and we surpassed all our expectations. We’re hoping that fans of prog-metal find something enjoyable in these tunes and will urge them into repeat listening, and we hope all the twists and turns and corners and swerves we’ve woven together will surprise and delight. And with us re-energized for live performance, we aim to convince the world that you can say so much…without saying a word.”

There is certainly no ‘sophomore slump’ happening with “Between Two Worlds”, which will accompany listeners on an emotional journey – the classic goal of all instrumental progressive metal. This release is just a taste of what’s to come from Phaeton, who has more material being written.

Phaeton emerged virtually fully formed from the start. As soon as they realized they were onto something explosive and exciting, they followed the blazing comet to the final impact, splitting the hardened crust of progressive metal complacency and bursting forth the white-hot magma of fresh reinvention. “Between Two Worlds” is recommended for fans of Opeth, Gojira, and Meshuggah.

“Between Two Worlds” can be heard in full via its full-stream album premiere on TheProgSpace HERE.

“Between Two Worlds” is due out April 21st, 2023, and available for pre-order at Phaetonband.bandcamp.com

Band playthrough – “Monsoon” – https://youtu.be/-sRzrejyHuA

Track Listing:
1. Predestination – 4:57
2. Oceans of Time – 6:44
3. Terra Australis – 4:42
4. Monsoon – 6:06
5. Refraction – 4:48
6. Geomorphic – 4:51
7. Magma Chamber – 6:09
8. Between Two Worlds – 9:21
Album Length: 47:40

For more info: Facebook.com/Phaetonband | Instagram.com/phaetonband | Twitter.com/phaetonband

About: PHAETON was formed in Kimberley, BC in March 2017 by Kevin Thiessen (lead & rhythm guitar), Daniel Airth (lead & rhythm guitar), Colin Righton (drums & percussion), and Ferdy Belland (electric & fretless bass). Combining technically ferocious compositions of modern metal with the ambitious song-arrangement mindset of classic prog-rock, PHAETON (named for the theoretical proto-planet which collided with Ancient Earth during the Primordial Era) stands alone in the wilderness of British Columbia with their unique approach to instrumental prog-metal.

Phaeton is:
Kevin Thiessen – Lead & Rhythm Guitars, Keyboards
Daniel Airth – Lead & Rhythm Guitars
Ferdy Belland – Electric & Fretless Bass
Colin Righton – Drums & Percussion

Discography
2018 – Self Titled – LP
2023 – Between Two Worlds – LP

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“Top-tier instrumental prog-metal-math music from the East Kootenay region performed by a quartet of veteran musicians.” – Stuart Derdeyn (The Vancouver Sun)

“The sound on all seven tracks is huge and if there was a “best sounding hammer-ons” award then March of the Synthetics could be a contender.” – Stuart Derdeyn (The Vancouver Sun)

“An epic Progressive Metal listening experience.” – Trevor Hatter (BeatRoute Magazine)

“This badass band makes a devastating impact with their high velocity musical assault.” – Time Lord (Progarchy)

“A sparkling, sizzling debut from PHAETON, taking us on a futuristic musical journey, with deep roots in the ancient past.” – Stephen Conrad (Progressive Rock Fanatics)

—
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 Bravewords Presents Medevil’s “Among Thieves” Off Upcoming “Mirror In The Darkness” Out April 2023

January 25, 2023
by Asher
· Medevil · Music News

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – January 25, 2023

Bravewords Presents Medevil’s “Among Thieves” Off Upcoming “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

Medevil is a highly energetic, fast-paced metal band known for its tight songwriting, intense stage presence, and roaring vocals. Back in 2016, they released their debut album “Conductor of Storms” and this year they are following it up with “Mirror In The Darkness”, which is dedicated to their late drummer Chris Malcolmson whose drums are recorded on the album. Their first single is “Among Thieves”, a straight-shooting thrashy metal song – with some interesting twists – that bridges the gap sonically between the two albums. Fans of the first album should appreciate this song. A triplet feels with unrelenting riffs, and catchy bass lines, that are brought to life through Liam Collingwood’s vocals and lyrical themes relating to greed, and stealing time (whether your own or someone else’s). The band comments:

“We are extremely excited to put this one out as the first taste of the new album. This song is definitely the thrashiest, which should connect a lot with people who enjoyed “Conductor of Storms”. It has probably the toughest riffs on the album, with all the riffs and layout here written by Gary, and keeps the energy high throughout. We feel like it’ll be a fan favourite live since there are some sections that are easy to chant, and the time changeup keeps it feeling interesting near the end. The lyrics talk about the greed living around us all, from any era, whether is financial greed or stealing someone’s time away from them.”

“Mirror In The Darkness” definitely has its singles that can be pulled out and enjoyed individually, but Medevil suggests that the best way to get the intended listening experience is to play it front to back in a sitting. They spent a lot of time considering the flow of the album, from fast and energetic to dark and brooding, so there is a lot of variety that will come from a fully engaged listen.

Progressive and powerful, Medevil is recommended for fans of Mastodon, Metal Church, and Accept.

Listen to “Among Thieves” via its premiere on Bravewords HERE.

“Mirror in the Darkness” comes out on April 7, 2023.

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

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

Upcoming Events:
March 24 – Chilliwack, BC – Flashback Brewing Co. (Album Listening Party)
April 13 – Vancouver, BC – Fox Cabaret – Hyperspace Metal Fest – info

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

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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 WACKEN METAL BATTLE CANADA Announces Battle Rounds – One Unsigned Canadian Band To Play Wacken Open Air 2023

January 17, 2023
by Asher
· Music News · Wacken Metal Battle Canada

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – January 17, 2023

WACKEN METAL BATTLE CANADA Announces Battle Rounds

– One Unsigned Canadian Band To Play Wacken Open Air 2023 –

Wacken Metal Battle Canada is proud to announce its 2023 battle rounds being held from coast to coast for one unsigned Canadian band to perform on one of the world’s most prestigious stages and largest metal festival Wacken Open Air, with over 80,000 people in attendance, held in Wacken, Germany for now over 30 years. (dates listed below)

WMBC has been on pause since 2019, due to the Covid pandemic, and has hosted battles across Canada from 2013 until 2019, with one skip year in 2017.

Previous winners have been The Slyde (Toronto, ON – 2019), Centuries of Decay (Toronto, ON – 2018), Profaner (Hamilton, ON – 2016), Vesperia (Toronto, ON – 2015), Mutank (Montreal, QC – 2014), Crimson Shadows (Toronto, ON – 2013).

Wacken Metal Battle Canada Trailer – https://youtu.be/b55Fh5Vo64k

Battles will be hosted in the following cities: Vancouver, BC, Edmonton, AB, Calgary, AB, Toronto, ON, Hamilton, ON, Ottawa, ON, Montreal, QC, and Quebec City, QC.

All bands will be performing in front of experienced music industry professionals who will be making judgments at each qualifying round based on various categories of professionalism and musicianship.

Here’s the full list of dates below, event links for each battle can be found on https://www.facebook.com/MetalBattleCanada.Official/events

Battle Rounds

Vancouver – Preliminary Round
Thurs, Feb 23 – The Cobalt w/ Ape War, Hunting Giants, Hyperia, Pharm, QUASICOSM

Calgary – Preliminary Rounds
Tue, January 17 – Dickens w/ Grim Prognosis, Lÿnx, Tyrants of Chaos
Wed, February 1 – Dickens
Wed, February 15 – Dickens
Wed, March 1 – Dickens

Edmonton – Preliminary Rounds
Thurs, Jan 19 – Starlite Room w/ Fall of Earth, Withered Days, Enosis
Thurs, Feb 2 – Starlite Room w/ Arcane Tyrant, Repugnant Scum, Malicious Intent
Sun, Feb 5 – Starlite Room w/ Pre Breaker, Sparrow Blue, The Judge The Juror
Thurs, Feb 16 – Starlite Room w/ Rising Sun, The Usual Suspects, Hollow Point & Buried Beneath

Hamilton – Preliminary Rounds
Fri, Jan 27 – Mainstage Studios w/ Sarcophilous, Aquila, Eaten by Sharks, Hollow Core, Death Perception

Toronto – Preliminary Rounds
Sat, Jan 28 – Hard Luck w/ Ammo, AxMinister, Devil Witch, Xephyr
Sat, Feb 4 – Hard Luck w/ Phantom, Burdizzo, Bloody Monroe, CNTRL
Fri, Feb 24 – Bovine Sex Club w/ Superchucker, I See Aura, Active Arson, Hellrager

Ottawa – Preliminary Round
Fri, March 24 – Mavericks

Quebec City – Preliminary Round
Fri, Feb 24 – Quebec City – La Source de la Martiniere

Montreal – Preliminary Rounds
Fri, Feb 17 – Piranha Bar
Fri, March 3 – Piranha Bar
Sat, March 11 – Piranha Bar

Montreal – Eastern Final (Ottawa vs Montreal vs Quebec City)
Fri, March 31 – Piranha Bar

Toronto – Ontario Final:
TBA

Calgary Final:
Fri, March 10 – Dickens

Calgary – Western Final (BC, AB)
Sat, April 1 – Dickens

Toronto – National Final:
Sat, May 13 – Lee’s Palace

About: Wacken Metal Battle Canada is part of an international competition that sees bands from across the country battle each other for the chance of winning their spot among 29 other countries’ champions, and represent Canada in an international battle of the bands at the world’s largest outdoor metal festival: Wacken Open Air. The battles have been hosted at the festival for over a decade giving independent bands the opportunity to showcase their talents to an international audience along with the chance to win multiple prizes.

How it works:
Participating cities will host qualifying rounds plus a city final organized by a local city concert promoter where one band will move forward to the Canadian national final (date and city to be determined). The winner of the national final will move on to perform at the Wacken Open Air 2023 and compete against the winners of 29 other countries in a final global battle. All bands will be judged during battle rounds by respected local music industry representatives.

Rules for participation: https://metalbattle.ca/rules.html

Links:
Metal-Battle.com
MetalBattle.ca
Facebook.com/MetalBattleCanada.Official
Twitter.com/MetalBattleCan
Instagram.com/MetalBattleCanada.Official

– 30 –

Media Partners:
Bravewords
Metal-Rules
Absolute Underground
BrokenNeckRadio
V13
Metal Devastation Radio
Rich Embury (internationally syndicated DJ)

Promoter Partners:
Boonsdale Records
Dungeonworks Productions
The Invisible Orange
Big Nate Productions
ConcertWorks

Unsubscribe | Update your profile | Montreal, QC

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

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

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0 Vancouver’s HUNTING GIANTS Cast Away The Pain of The Past w/ Video “Kindred” Off New Album “Mythos” Out Now!

January 6, 2023
by Asher
· Hunting Giants · Music News

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – January 6, 2023

Vancouver’s HUNTING GIANTS Cast Away The Pain of The Past w/ Video “Kindred”

New Album “Mythos” Out Now!

L-R – Corey Wharton (Bass), Bradley Trivett (Guitar), Daniel Beavington (Drums), Stephen Atkey (Vocals)
Photographer Credit – Bradley Trivett

Canadian progressive grunge rockers Hunting Giants are sharing their next video for the track “Kindred” off their latest album “Mythos” released this past November. “Mythos” is the new crowning achievement from Hunting Giants who have put in many years of musical work, writing, and recording while gigging and enduring quarantine as a band during the Covid pandemic. The album’s goal is to grab listeners and amaze them with intricate woven stories, energetic riffs, and distinctive vocals. The album is meant to be an adventure, with each track having its own flavour and setting; the songs are worlds unto themselves. All of the music on the release contribute to a listening experience that is much more than the sum of its parts. The material is an addictive encounter that will keep you coming back.

The band explains in further detail about “Kindred”:

“Opening up with the flight of guitars as they soar over a pounding bass riff, this song is about casting away the pain and trauma of the past and coming together as allies with those whom we once saw as enemies. The open chords of the chorus leave room for the bass and percussion to accent the coming riff as the vocal sing about the power of unification. The bridge drops into a monologue where our protagonist is faced with one final challenge. This gives way to a last verse where we as the listener are given the choice to decide what happens in our futures. The triumphant outro hints of Queens of the Stone Age as the vocal harmonies ease into a final harmonized note.”

Listen to “Kindred” at https://youtu.be/I-VaQeZiBbI

Hunting Giants is recommended for those who enjoy 90s grunge, heavy rock, and prog, especially fans of Alice In Chains, I Mother Earth, Soundgarden, Tool, and Audioslave.

“Mythos” is available on CD and digital at the following links:

CD order – https://huntinggiants.com/product-category/mythos-albums/

Digital – Huntinggiants.bandcamp.com, Apple Music, Spotify.

Previous music videos can be viewed on Hunting Giants‘ YouTube channel HERE.

Track Listing:
1. Mythos – 3:28
2. Ancient Text – 3:18
3. Too Big To Kill – 3:06
4. Rituals – 3:57
5. Among Thieves – 5:28
6. Whispers – 2:16
7. Vanguard – 2:54
8. Mantle – 3:19
9. Kindred – 4:05
10. Epitaph – 1:09
11. Into Stone – 4:55
12. Remnant – 4:00
13. King of Ashes – 2:52
Album Length: 44:49

Hunting Giants is:
Corey Wharton – Bass Guitar
Stephen Atkey – Vocals
Bradley Trivett – Guitar
Daniel Beavington – Drums

For more info:
HuntingGiants.com
Facebook.com/huntinggiantsband
Instagram.com/huntinggiantsband
Twitter.com/huntinggiants

About:
Hunting Giants is a four-piece heavy rock band from Vancouver, BC, Canada. This unique group of musicians offers a spectacular visuals-driven live performance that exceeds both the precise ferocity of their recordings and the highest expectations of an energized audience looking for something recognizably different. Their music is both refreshing and familiar, serving well as the musical backdrop for one’s ongoing discovery of meaning in life and self.

Hunting Giants was started in 2017 with Bradley Trivett assembling the first musical themes and combining the percussive expertise of Daniel Beavington with the explosive rhythmic prowess of Corey J. Wharton into the foundation of a team set to discover and dominate the most enormous sounds and daunting massive ideas they could find. Led by the visionary passion and styling of frontman Stephen Atkey, Hunting Giants is poised to deliver an incredible auditory and visual experience.

Discography:
2022 – Mythos – LP
2018 – Skyward Eyes – EP

– 30 –

“A glorious adventure is about to begin, starting right here today! Heavy metallers Hunting Giants are debuting their brand new music video for “Rituals,” the first single from their upcoming album Mythos. The song indicates the zeal and the ambition that the band is bringing towards this new record, due for release on September 30th. The “Rituals” video matches the flat-out intensity of the song, one that discusses necromancy and the harshness of hatred and shame.” – V13

“It’s not often that a band is described as ‘a blend of modern hard rock, progressive rock/metal and grunge influences,’ but that is indeed a fitting description of Vancouver’s Hunting Giants” – Bravewords

“If you’re tired of reading about the same old bands over and over again look no further. Its time to get excited about music again! Hunting Giants is a breath of fresh air! They are keeping the metal alive with their euphonious new sound. They hail from Canada where a lot hot new bands are burgeoning onto the music scene. Every song off their new album, Mythos is incendiary and their new album is a must have in your music collection.” – Metal Lair

“There are some fine songs on here like ‘Ancient Text’, ‘Too Big Too Kill’ and ‘Vanguard’… Guitarist Bradley Trivett has a neat line in big crunchy riffs and singer Stephen Atkey has a great voice. This will appeal to those who like Muse or Alice in Chains…” – Powerplay Mag UK

“Let me say this first, HUNTING GIANTS from Vancouver are REALLY freaking good. These guys are relatively new but they are tighter and more accomplished man many veteran bands.” – Rock You Show

“This is an album (Mythos) that you’ll want to wander through thanks to their technical proficiency and the production value.” – Metal Roos

“a solid listen, and a fairly unique combination of a few different styles. It’s mostly heavy enough for Metal fans, and mostly melodic enough for fans like myself who appreciate a good hook.” – Metal Temple

“Mythos’ features a very 1990s vibe, offering elements of nostalgia as well as a contemporary feel. They can go hard or ease back, adding theatre and energy in a single song (‘Vanguard’), and then draw deep on emotions (‘Mantle’). It’s a heady mix that runs alongside the overall story line in the album. ‘Mythos’ isn’t an album that will appeal to all. Certainly, those whose tastes veer towards the heavier end of the metal spectrum may baulk at it. It should however, appeal to a wide range of fans, who will be able to appreciate the textured and layered songs and the ambition of a band who have delivered a fine release.” – The Razor’s Edge

“a sonically pleasing experience that had a few unusual stylistic fusions. Most of the time, it’s strong enough for Metal enthusiasts as well as being melodic enough for people like myself who adore theatricality. Additionally, they demonstrated some excellent playing.” – Ever Metal UK

“Hunting Giants: Will grab listeners and amaze them.” – Permafrost Today

“There is a lot to discover here. The sound of the varied album is also well controlled and the rhythm section really bangs.” – Saitenkult

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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 Streaming Now! Vancouver Orchestral Metal Ensemble OPUS ARISE’s Instrumental Cyberpunk Epic “The Network”

December 1, 2022
by Asher
· Music News · Opus Arise

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – December 1, 2022

Streaming Now! Vancouver Orchestral Metal Ensemble OPUS ARISE’s Instrumental Cyberpunk Epic “The Network”

New Album “The Network” Out December 2nd

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

Vancouver, Canada’s Opus Arise is an orchestral metal ensemble that brings together classical strings and metal rhythms to create luscious soundscapes to dissonant chaos. Their newest album, “The Network” teleports listeners into a cyberpunk world filled with neon lights, and punctuated with progressive riffs. This cyberpunk-inspired world has an intricate plot surrounding research involving chord progressions that manipulate space and time. The band comments on the album:

“After many years that seemed like forever, we’re extremely excited to release our follow-up “The Network”. Thanks to the experience and wisdom of Maor Appelbaum, we’re very stoked that we brought the album to what it needed to be after much trial and error. We hope everyone will enjoy this journey through this Cyberpunk-inspired world!”

The eight-track album is just over forty minutes in length, it was produced and mastered by Maor Appelbaum; mixed by Ryan Shepard, and the album artwork was done by Daniel Reyes. The nine players on the album 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 writing and the recording have been in the works for some time, 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. Fans who enjoy Powerglove, Scale The Summit, and Animals As Leaders should be the first to dive into a futuristic world where one’s existence is questioned.

Due out on December 2nd, 2022, “The Network” can be heard in full via its premiere on TheProgSpace HERE.

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

Music Video – Inner Skepticism – https://youtu.be/MGW5MWi_F5g

Music Video – Reminiscence – https://youtu.be/9RCg0TOf9Bo

Music Video – Change – https://youtu.be/trkqH_Ye-3M

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

EPK – https://wp.me/pciNW-iFB

– 30 –

—
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 Orchestral Metal Ensemble OPUS ARISE (ft. members of Svneatr, Thousand Arrows, Ysgaroth) Offer A Glimpse Into A Detailed Electronic World In “Reminiscence” Off “The Network” Out Dec 2022

November 11, 2022
by Asher
· Music News · Opus Arise

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – November 11, 2022

Orchestral Metal Ensemble OPUS ARISE Offer A Glimpse Into A Detailed Electronic World In “Reminiscence”

New Album “The Network” Out December 2nd

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

Vancouver, Canada’s Opus Arise (ft. members of Svneatr, Thousand Arrows, Ysgaroth) is an orchestral metal ensemble that brings together classical strings and metal rhythms to create luscious soundscapes to dissonant chaos. They are about to drop their second album this winter, entitled “The Network”, which will send listeners headfirst into a cyberpunk world where frequencies and chord progressions are believed to be catalysts for time travel. Although there are no lyrics, the theme is easy to pick up on, as the tension, the relief, and the drama of the story are within. The second single to be bestowed upon listeners is “Reminiscence”, where the album departs from the chaotic nature of the cyberpunk city into nature. It starts with a chamber-esque intro that leads to progressive grooves and ultimately back to the dark nature of the album. The band comments on the album:

Compared to their previous album “Revelation” (2016), their compositions have become less metal driven and they have grown the string section from a trio to a quintet and are planning to incorporate more orchestral instruments. The nine members play guitar, cello, drums, keyboards, violin, viola, bass, and contrabass on eight tracks that clock in at just over forty minutes. They plunge the listener into a wild and intricate world that is easy to interpret and get lost in.

Opus Arise’s instrumental music is inspired by life experiences, classical symphonies, and movie and video game soundtracks. It is recommended for fans of The Black Mages, Liquid Tension Experiment, and Powerglove.

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

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

Music Video – Inner Skepticism – https://youtu.be/MGW5MWi_F5g

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

EPK – https://wp.me/pciNW-iFB

– 30 –

—
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 Canada’s Iron Kingdom Now Streaming “The Blood Of Creation”

November 4, 2022
by Asher
· Iron Kingdom · Music News

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – November 4, 2022

Canada’s Iron Kingdom Now Streaming “The Blood Of Creation”

New Album “The Blood Of Creation” Out November 4th

L-R: Chris Osterman (Lead Vocals / Lead Guitar), Leighton Holmes (Bass Guitar), Megan Merrick (Lead Guitar), Max Friesen (Drums)
Photo Credit – Caitlin Delaplace

The electrifying quartet of Canada’s Iron Kingdom have a hot new album “The Blood Of Creation” ready for release and can be heard in full at https://youtu.be/4pk7QzM4gBo

“The Blood Of Creation”, the band’s fifth, is not a concept album, but it does have a trilogy about the creation myth from the ancient Mesopotamians. It tells the tale of Tiamat and Marduk and the creation of the heavens, the earth, and mankind. This story is known as being one of the oldest, if not the oldest known story from mankind. The band comments on the album:

“Our music is best described as if Iron Maiden and Judas Priest had a child and raised it on Hammerfall, Helloween, Rush, and, Blind Guardian. With this album, we feel like we’ve merged the more straightforward approach of our last record ‘On the Hunt’ with the storytelling and epic quality of our earlier releases. We took advantage of the forced hiatus from shows and spent the longest on writing that we have for any of our previous efforts and feel like it’s really paid off. The pandemic also brought us a new drummer to solidify what we feel is our strongest lineup yet and his influence is felt on this record. This album shows the level of maturity we have reached as songwriters as well as musicians while maintaining what makes an Iron Kingdom release.”

According to the band, they expect that this new offering will be very exciting for fans old and new. They have caught the essence of all the previous albums into one killer new package, there are fast songs, mid-tempo bangers, and even an epic. They’ve put the time into getting this album just right and it shows.

“The Blood Of Creation” was completely self-produced, written, and recorded. The album was sent out for mixing (Andy Boldt) and mastering (Greg Reely), but they handled everything else. vocalist/guitarist Chris Osterman engineered the record with some help from the band and some friends (Dan Yakimow, Jeff Black).

With “The Blood Of Creation” listeners can expect the usual mix of fantasy and history-inspired songs that aim to entertain and at least lightly educate about past events and beliefs. They are recommended for fans of Queensrÿche, Riot, and Iron Maiden.

The band will also be hosting a now sold-out release party for their release day on Nov 4th at Wise Hall in Vancouver. For more info, please visit the following link here.

The album “The Blood Of Creation” is available as of November 4, 2022.

Music Video – Queen of The Crystal Throne – https://youtu.be/YyhEutgL9gI

Fun Fact: ‘Queen Of The Crystal Throne’ played on City TV for Hockey Night In Canada (Montreal Vs Dallas) – Sat Oct 22, 2022.

The Making of “The Blood Of Creation” – Pt 1. [Mini Documentary] – https://youtu.be/TSrv44SXQ-A

Album order and stream available at the following links:
http://www.iron-kingdom.com/shop/
https://iron-kingdom.bandcamp.com

Apple Music, Spotify

Track Listing:
1. Tides Of Desolation – 1:13
2. Sheathe The Sword – 5:25
3. Queen Of The Crystal Throne – 4:58
4. Hunter And Prey – 5:25
5. Witching Hour – 5:44
6. In The Grip Of Nightmares – 5:23
7. Primordial – 1:40
8. The Blood Of Creation – 13:38
Total Running Length: 43:29

For more info:
https://www.iron-kingdom.com
https://www.facebook.com/ironkingdom
https://www.instagram.com/iron_kingdom
https://twitter.com/iron_kingdom

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“Loads of riffs and melodies some excellent lead breaks and pounding rhythms. This is bonafide, foot on the monitor, fist pumping, horn throwing real metal. I have never heard Iron Kingdom before but on the strength of this I will be obtaining the back catalogue very soon.” – My Global Mind (The Blood of Creation)

“Iron Kingdom brings another solid heavy metal album with the fifth album ‘The Blood of Creation’. Slightly progressive, but especially heavy… Give the band a listen, you will be surprised!” – Metal Experience

“the hype is real: “The Blood of Creation” is an overdose of classic power metal, a homage to the late 80’s – 90’s power metal heroes: HELLOWEEN, GAMMA RAY, HEAVEN’S GATE, SCANNER, early CHINCHILA (remember those guys?), EDGUY with a touch of American stuff like RΙΟΤ.” – Forgotten Scroll

“They are aiming at the classic sound from the 70s and 80s, so if you want something modern then you have nothing to pick up here. The lyrics speak of war, fear, sacrifice and pain. Luckily the music is not that dark though, but rather very uplifting and pleasant, as it’s a more melodic kind of heavy metal that we get from this band, even though there’s some more powerful tracks too…. I like what I hear.” – Hard Rock Info

0 Dive Into A Futuristic World And Question Your Existence With “Inner Skepticism” Off Opus Arise’s “The Network”

November 3, 2022
by Asher
· Music News · Opus Arise

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – November 3, 2022

Dive Into A Futuristic World And Question Your Existence With “Inner Skepticism” Off Opus Arise’s “The Network”

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

Vancouver, Canada’s Opus Arise is an orchestral metal ensemble that brings together classical strings and metal rhythms to create luscious soundscapes to dissonant chaos.

Their newest album, “The Network” teleports listeners into a cyberpunk world filled with neon lights, and punctuated with progressive riffs. The last album “Revelation” was released in 2016, and since then, they have taken a more orchestral direction using a string quintet and planning to incorporate more orchestral instruments. Within the cyberpunk world, research is conducted to find the correlation between chord progressions and the manipulation of space and time. The band explains further and details the first single “Inner Skepticism”:

“The combination of frequencies opens a wormhole into a future setting that blindsides the character. In this place, people have unseen technology and seem indifferent to his presence. This is the album opener that brings the listener into the world of “The Network”, an atmospheric opening into a bombastic tour de force. Tons of progressive riffing and virtuosic musicianship in this piece.”

The instrumental album is eight tracks long for a total running time of just over forty minutes. It is the result of many influences, especially prog, metal, classical, orchestral, electronic, and video game music combined into one strange form by nine members who met through orchestras and university. The vision and compositions by Drummer/Violinist Matthew Logan with the assistance of founding member Shawn Hillman are now being finally brought to life.

Taking their inspiration from classical symphonies, movies, and video game soundtracks as well as neo-classical even extreme genres like black and death, Opus Arise creates music that will challenge the listener. They are recommended for fans of Animals As Leaders, Liquid Tension Experiment, Planet X, and Scale The Summit.

The video for “Inner Skepticism” is available via its premiere on SpaceUntravel – https://youtu.be/rZxGd-0tumE

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

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

EPK – https://wp.me/pciNW-iFB

– 30 –

—
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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