Australian progressive metal band Ironstone is set to release their debut EP Prophecy on 29 May 2020. Today they are thrilled to present Downpour, a new single and video from Prophecy. The video was premiered at Metal.de yesterday. (Video below)

The band states:-

     "Downpour was written quite a while ago and has developed over time. We incorporated an eastern theme to create the atmosphere of a heavy, monsoonal storm. We loved the idea of filming a music video in pouring rain, which was actually a major incentive to write the song. The lyrics deal with missing the early signs of trouble and then suddenly finding yourself immersed in a bad situation. The song is really about the beauty of hindsight! “

Downpour is both aggressive and melodic, with a djent driven guitar riff that interweaves with a Japanese koto, giving the song a distinctly oriental feel. It features heavily down-tuned guitars, a brutal breakdown, ambient synth elements, an intricate guitar solo and a strong melody.

Music & Lyrics by  E.Warren
Mixed and Mastered by Chris Thelmeco (Monolith Studios)

The video for Downpour revolves around lots of water, slow motion and a very wet band. Even though Downpour is not about rain, the video represents the song with that very thing. Torrential rain.

Downpour was mixed and mastered by Chris Themelco of Monolith Studios, Melbourne.

Downpour is out now! - https://gyro.lnk.to/Downpour

Australian metal band Make Them Suffer have shared new song "Drown With Me." The song will appear on the quintet's forthcoming album How To Survive A Funeral, which arrives this summer via  Rise Records.

Listen to the song here

"'Drown With Me' is just a really fucked up love song," the band bluntly explains. "Love can be beautiful, but also dark and terrifying. The lyrics 'Take my hand, don't be scared, drown with me if you can' beckons the listener to take the plunge into the unknown."

Make Them Suffer previously shared video for the first single Erase Me watch and listen here.

Australian blackened death metal outfit Earth Rot are now streaming their entire upcoming opus 'Black Tides of Obscurity' in advance of the release date. The album drops tomorrow March 6, but can already be heard on the official Season of Mist YouTube channel HERE. The link may be freely spread throughout your channels. 

Earth Rot comments:-

     "Black Tides Of Obscurity is the sum total of all our efforts over the course of a year. We took an even greater hands on approach on this album to try and capture the sound in our heads and we're very pleased that we've found an even greater depth of savagery compared to anything we've released previously."

The album can be ordered in various formats HERE.

More info on the album and additional assets can be found HERE! For more Earth Rot updates, check their Facebook, Website or Instagram.

Line-up

Jared Bridgeman – Lead Vocals / Bass Guitar
Tom Waterhouse – Guitar / Backing Vocals
Colin Dickie – Guitar
Daniel Maloney – Drums

www.earthrotaus.bandcamp.com
www.facebook.com/earthrotband
www.instagram.com/earthrot
www.twitter.com/earthrotaus

ARIA-certified Australian metalcore trailblazers The Amity Affliction have just dropped the video for "Forever." Watch it here.

The song appears on the band's album Everyone Loves You… Once You Leave Them which is out today and is the band’s Pure Noise Records debut.

     "'Forever' is a song about the dueling internal narrative while in the depths of a depressive episode," says singer Joel Birch. "On the one hand, love and support, on the other hand, thoughts of suicide, while also grappling with the follow on effect it would have. I made a promise to myself to make it to my son’s eighteenth birthday when he was three, and I intend to keep it. Hopefully by then I will have figured out how to properly cope with what is likely a lifelong battle with bipolar II."

The Amity Affliction — Joel Birch [vocals], Ahren Stringer [vocals, bass], Dan Brown [lead guitar], and Jon Longobardi [drums] — previously released the video for  "Soak Me In Bleach." Watch it here. The band also premiered the new song "Catatonia" over at Loudwire. Listen here. Prior to that, the band roared out of the gates with "All My Friends Are Dead." 

     "This album is a result of our re-found love for heavy music," The Amity Affliction said upon announcing the record. "We wanted to make a heavier album to back up our most recent releases to let our fans know that we understand what the majority want to hear from us. We have experimented creatively over the years and are now able to apply what we’ve learnt to what we consider the perfect blend of Amity new and old."

Since emerging in 2008 on the debut Severed Ties, The Amity Affliction have served up two ARIA gold-certified albums, Youngbloods [2010] and Chasing Ghosts [2012], and earned a platinum certification from ARIA for the seminal Let the Ocean Take Me [2014]. This Could Be Heartbreak [2016] marked the band's second consecutive Top 30 debut on the Billboard Top 200, while Misery [2018] elevated them to new critical heights with praise from Medium, Alternative Press, The Noise, and more. To date, the group's total stream tally has surpassed 200 million and counting. Meanwhile, The Amity Affliction sold out countless headline shows and toured alongside many genre heavyweights. During 2019, the musicians returned to Beltsville, MD to record their Pure Noise Records debut, Everyone Loves You… Once You Leave Them, alongside Misery producer Matt Squire. 

Australian Thrash / Death metal band Thrash Bandicoot have just released their debut EP Milwaukee Cannibal on January 6. The title song is a display of "spine-wrenching thrash metal exploring the mentality of Jeffery Dahmer, the Milwaukee Cannibal", states the band. Milwaukee Cannibal has been produced, engineered, mixed & mastered by Matt Clarke (Daemon Foetal Harvest, Bastardizer, Darker Half). Thrash Bandicoot's debut EP Milwaukee Cannibal is now available for download on their Bandcamp page.

Thrash Bandicoot are:

Jack Insley-Flowers - Bass
Daniel Lever - Vocals & Guitar
Matt Perkins - Lead Guitar
Tim Worley - Drums

Thrash Bandicoot are a 4 piece Thrash / Death metal band hailing from Wollongong, Australia. The band is drawing influences from the likes of Pantera, Testament and Slayer. Forming in 2016, the guys have played up and down the East Coast of Australia, sharing the stage with Australian acts such as Bastardizer, Mason, Hidden Intent, and US thrash titans Lich King.

Produced,engineered, mixed & mastered by Matt Clarke
Drums recorded at Main Street Studios, Fairy Meadow
Album artwork by Eko Gruffyanto

Australia's premier extreme metal export, Thy Art Is Murder are proud to announce the addition of drummer Jesse Beahler. In celebration, the band have released a drum play-through for 'Human Target' which can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICiFp1-zwYQ

Jesse comments:-

     "I’ve been long time friends with Thy Art Is Murder, from touring beside them on their first American tour in 2013, to becoming a contributing member of the band during ‘The Depression Sessions’, and eventually evolving into a full-fledged member during the writing and recording process of our latest album, ‘Human Target’. I’m very grateful to be working alongside great friends and musicians, and feel like Thy Art is a band I was always meant to be a part of. 

     I am incredibly proud of the performances we tracked on our newest album ‘Human Target’, and it sounds so good in part because of the great gear we selected. Thanks to Zildjian, Tama, Remo, Vic Firth, Czarcie Kopyto, and Foot Blaster Triggers for creating exceptional tools that help me deliver the best possible performance every time I sit behind the kit."

'Human Target' was produced, engineered, mixed and mastered by Will Putney at Graphic Nature Audio in Belleville, NJ. The artwork was once again painted by Eliran Kantor (HATEBREED, TESTAMENT, ICED EARTH, SODOM).

Order 'Human Target' in various digital and physical formats from www.thyartismurder.net

THY ART IS MURDER is:

C.J. McMahon | Vocals
Sean Delander | Rhythm Guitar
Kevin Butler | Bass Guitar
Jesse Beahler | Drums
Andy Marsh | Lead Guitar

www.thyartismurder.net
www.facebook.com/thyartismurder
www.nuclearblast.de/thyartismurder

Australian thrash metallers Warrior Within released their second EP In Light Act II on 8 February 2020. The EP follows their first act EP In Darkness Act I. The EP can be ordered via Bandcamp.

The Australian East Coast tour kicked off in their hometown in Brisbane on Saturday 8 February. It was a special show, not only because of the EP launch. It was also the first Metal Battle Australia in Brisbane. After Brisbane, Warrior Within will tour Newcastle, Sydney and Melbourne. In Melbourne Warrior Within join Metal United Down Under and then head back to Brisbane for Brewfest. The tour will end on June 20 at Bangers and Thrash in Sydney. So, stay in the Darkness to catch the show In Light!

Warrior Within are purveyors of good wholesome thrash metal. They do not stick to one topic lyrically but cover social, political and esoteric themes. Guitarist Tass states: "We have persevered through all adversity to release our music. To us Heavy Metal is not just entertainment, its a vehicle to explore a better reality."

Warrior Within are:

Scott Macintyre - Vocals
Tass Hadoulis - Rhythm / Lead Guitar
Apostolis Hadoulis - Bass
Dan Stixx - Drums

Warrior Within are a thrash and speed metal band hailing from the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia. Having been together in one form or another since 1992, the band have since cemented their line up in 2017, and are working hard to unleash their pummelling and vicious brand of metal upon Australia, and the world at large. Comprised of Scott Macintyre on vocals, Dan Stixx on drums and the brother duo of Tass Hadoulis on guitars and Toli Hadoulis on bass, Warrior Within have been brutalising crowds with their energetic live shows all over Queensland, but now have their sites firmly set on conquering Australia, and then the world.

Pre-order your copy of the digital album at Bandcamp here.

Rockshots Records is proud to announce their signing of Australia's Victoria K for the release of her debut album "Essentia" coming April 2020. The full length was produced by Lee Bradshaw and features special guest Michalina Malisz (Eluveitie).

The Melbourne singer/songwriter has made her mark on the rock and metal scene with the release of her debut single 'Monster' in 2016, featuring guitar work by Brett Garsed (John Farnham Band) along with her 2019 follow up track 'Lacuna' distributed in Australia and New Zealand by Warner Music Group (Australia) and is the lead single off the upcoming album.

The single garnered a lot of media praise and created an opportunity for Victoria K to support Swiss folk metal giants Eluveitie for their May 2019 tour date in Melbourne, a performance that had the crowd chanting for an encore.

Although the album was originally a solo project, it has now developed into the current band structure with each member bringing their own energy and experience to the collective.  The band is looking forward to collaborating on future releases and is now heavily focused on the release of this debut full length in April 2020.

Victoria K adds:

     "'Essentia' is Latin for Essence. Essence is the indispensable quality of something that determines its very nature or character. So I guess the album as a whole tries to tackle and define the very nature of humanity. In a way, I’m trying to unravel the complexity of human essence and emotion. It all hopefully leads to being struck by a moment of Sonder - therefore the realization that everyone, including strangers, has a life as complex as our own, despite our lack of awareness of it."


Victoria K's talented songwriting and compositional influences include Evanescence, Within Temptation, Nightwish and Kamelot amongst other current bands in the European metal scene and her music have been likened to be a blend of these influences. Victoria K has racked up hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube with her own original creations and through featured videos alongside a number of talented musicians covering a plethora of songs. Victoria K's covers include Iron Maiden's "The Trooper", Nightwish's "Last Ride of the Day", Metallica's "Nothing Else Matters" and Kamelot's "Insomnia", the latter of which received attention from the band themselves on Twitter and led to a meeting of talents when the American power metal band found themselves in Melbourne during their 2018 'The Shadow Theory' Australian tour.

Singles:

'Lacuna' - https://youtu.be/vHqZ7tMu0xw 
'Monster' - https://youtu.be/Sylw2fAeNDw 

Track Listing:

1. Freedom Uncharted (feat. Sheri Vengeance)
2. Surreal
3. Forsaken (feat. Sheri Vengeance)
4. Matrix (feat. Sheri Vengeance)
5. Shroud of Solitude (feat. Michalina Malisz – Eluveitie)
6. The Haunting
7. Freaks
8. Mist Filled Sky
9. Humanity
10. Lacuna

Band Line-Up:

Victoria K - Vocals
Sheri Vengeance - Extreme Vocals (Black Like Vengeance, ex. Ne Obliviscaris)
Julia Mammone – Guitar (Enlight)
Martin Kawaler – Bass (Black Like Vengeance, ex. Ten Thousand)
James Davies - Drums

Album Credits:

Produced by Lee Bradshaw for Bradshaw Music Productions
Arrangements by Victoria K and Lee Bradshaw
Orchestra composed and arranged by Lee Bradshaw
 
Vocals - Victoria K
Guitars - Brett Garsed
Drums - Gerry Pantazis
Bass - Rich Panaia*
*except “Lacuna” - Chris Rourke
Keys, Piano, Synth and Sound Design - Lee Bradshaw
Hurdy Gurdy on “Shroud of Solitude” - Michalina Malisz from Eluveitie
Feature Vocal on “Freedom Unchartered”, “Forsaken” and “Matrix” - Sheri Vengeance

Orchestra - Budapest Scoring Orchestra, conducted by Zoltán Pad
Orchestra engineered by Dénes Rédly
Orchestral contractor - Bálint Sapszon

For more info:

Rockshots.eu 
Victoriakmusicofficial.com 

ARIA-certified Australian metalcore trailblazers The Amity Affliction have released new song 'Catatonia.' The song is taken of their new album Everyone Loves You… Once You Leave Them. The album arrives 21st February and will be the band’s Pure Noise Records debut. It's available for pre-order here.
 
Listen to 'Catatonia' here.

Bassist Ahren Stringer says that:-

     "If you listen carefully, you’ll hear this is a sister track to 'All My Friends Are Dead; we wrote it to bookend the album and keep it heavy fuckin' metal. Lyrically, I think it ties the whole theme of the album together and wraps up what Joel [Birch] is trying to get across. Even though everything might seem perfect from the outside, sometimes being broken on the inside can never truly be fixed."

The Amity Affliction — Joel Birch [vocals], Ahren Stringer [vocals, bass], Dan Brown [lead guitar], and Jon Longobardi [drums] — previously released the video for  "Soak Me In Bleach." Watch it here.  
Prior to that, the band dropped "All My Friends Are Dead." 

Both tracks represent some of the heaviest, most memorable material and the most relatable lyrics of the band's deeply personal catalog. As always, The Amity Affliction hold nothing back, allowing fans to get closer than ever on Everyone Loves You… Once You Leave Them.

     "This album is a result of our re-found love for heavy music," The Amity Affliction says. "We wanted to make a heavier album to back up our most recent releases to let our fans know that we understand what the majority want to hear from us. We have experimented creatively over the years and are now able to apply what we’ve learnt to what we consider the perfect blend of Amity new and old."

https://www.facebook.com/theamityafflictionofficial

Australian Thrash metallers Alkira self released their latest EP The Pulse on the 29th of November 2019. This release follows up their highly acclaimed album Klotho (2016). Alkira state that The Pulse is "5 tracks of raw and relentless thrash and groove metal, which will light a fire upon the souls who stumble across it."

After a small break from the scene the boys from Adelaide are back. Alkira have supported these releases through consistent Australian touring, as well as around South-East Asia as the main support act for US thrashers Havok and a headlining tour of New Zealand in 2015. Alkira have also been awarded support slots for Lamb of God, Fear Factory, Tankard, Toxic Holocaust, Grave, Municipal Waste, Warbringer, King Parrot and Psycroptic. 

Alkira is an Adelaide 4 piece thrash/groove metal band, with a sound which is inspired by, and blends together influences of bands such as Sepultura, Metallica, Carcass, Testament, Black Breath and Death. The band started in 2010 and has since had success with two full length albums and two EPs and extensively tour national and international circuits. These international tours have included New Zealand, and a Southeast Asian tour with American thrashers Havok.

This run also saw the band sign to Truth inc Records, who re–released their first album Juggernaut while also releasing and managing the distribution of the sophomore album Klotho. Alkira has achieved numerous supporting slots which include a slew of international acts, such as Lamb of God, Fear Factory, Flesh God Apocalypse, Warbringer, Toxic Holocaust, Goatwhore, King Parrot, Lord and Municipal Waste. These shows were met with regular success and helped build the band a healthy fan base. Supporting a new release, The Pulse, Alkira are looking to hit the touring circuit again. Their aim is to bring new levels to their high energy, intense, charismatic live performance with huge crushing riffs so the name “Alkira” on tip of people’s tongues.

Alkira are:

Gregory Challis - Guitar & Vocals
Joel Parkinson - Guitars
Tyson Mahoney - Bass
Ryan Quarrington - Drums

The Pulse is available on their Bandcamp page.