 The Greek lovechild of Botch and The Dillinger Escape Plan, the raucously brilliant Blame Kandinsky have announced their forthcoming album Eclectic Ruiner, to be released 2nd December via Venerate Industries. Blame Kandinsky have also revealed their first glimpse of the album via the strikingly beautiful and viscerally funny video for 'Ruined'.
Guitarist Marios Samaris comments: “The concept behind the album is one’s lifelong struggle. In a world that’s asphyxiating with indecency, racism, inequality and greed, we try to stay empathic and honest. Eclectic Ruiner shares the thought that pain is not an illusion, it is a part of us with a million faces that we observe and it observes us back.“ Of 'Ruined' itself, Marios says: “‘Ruined’ talks about those periods when you lay really low and you go through a battle with yourself trying either to accept you’re drowning, or to fight back and stand up again. There is no other person involved, it’s just you talking to your past self. The tricky part is that while this is coming over and over again, dredging up the past feels like two sides of the same coin, sometimes it makes you stronger and other times it shuts you down.“ A highly regarded group from Athens, Blame Kandinsky in their time have played alongside Cavalera Conspiracy, and toured multiple times across Europe. The band released their debut album Spotting Elegance In Chaos in 2017, recorded 100% live, capturing the very essence of a group steeped in the creative tradition of the best mathcore and melodic hardcore.
Due to COVID activity hiatus, Blame Kandinsky used the years to focus entirely on the compositional honing of Eclectic Ruiner. The group’s second album is a broad concept record about everyday struggle – it describes the idea that pain is not an illusion, and empathy is essential in order to survive. In a world asphyxiated by indecency, racism, inequality, and greed, the brutal honesty of Eclectic Ruiner shines though. Elements of Fall of Troy, The Chariot, Every Time I Die, and even Converge also blossom on a record that overflows with fury, melody, and passion. A true gem from the East. Blame Kandinsky are:
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 Swedish alternative metal act Aviana have released a video for their single 'Illuminate', taken from new album Corporation, out now via Arising Empire.
Corporation is a collection of perfectly crafted heavy bangers, which includes previous singles 'Paradox', 'Anomaly', 'Obsession', 'Transcendent', 'Rage', 'Oblivion', 'Overcome' and 'Retaliation'. 'Illuminate' is the last song released in this chapter and completes the new full-length. Vocalist Joel Holqvist comments: "This song 'Illuminate' is the last out of our collection of singles, which we have assembled into an album entitled Corporation. You will understand more about the Aviana Corporation as time goes on. But without giving away too much, this release symbolises a collective name of two big plots in the new world of the storyline that we have been creating and are building up in the new era of the band."
Aviana made a big impact on the global metalcore scene with their return in February 2021. Led solely by vocalist Joel Holmqvist as a consequence of past members leaving the band, Holmqvist has exceed all expectations and taken the band further down the path for greatness. Speaking on the album, Holmqvist concludes: "There is an album coming in September, finally. But I never wanted to have people sit around and wait for new Aviana music. Instead I’ve been working continuously to try and get new stuff out there for the fans. You should consider this album more of an ‘Collection of Singles’ rather than something else. There will be new songs on the album which haven’t been released yet, but also songs that we’ve already put out since 2021 will be on the album.” Aviana are:
 Promo picture by João Dourado Portuguese gothic metal band Black Widows released their third single and music video 'Schizo' from their upcoming second studio album Among the Brave Ones which is set to be released on October 21st 2022 via Finnish Inverse Records.
Vocalist / guitarist Rute Fevereiro comments: "Schizo was chosen to be our third single. It's a more complex song that honestly represents well the darkest side of our album. This song is all about hypocrisy, the need of showing positive thinking and smiles regardless of what you're going through, to the extend of worsening our mental health. This song is specially focused on someone I used to know who is described in these lyrics. The music is the perfect marriage with the words professed. There are lots of clowns in the real world, showing smiley faces and yet they feel miserable. I'm sure you all know someone like this."
Among The Brave Ones -album pre-sales has started and can be pre-ordered here: https://blackwidowsportugal.bandcamp.com Listen / Buy Schizo single: https://push.fm/fl/black-widows-schizo
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 Nazghor’s seventh album - Seventh Secular Crusade - will be released 25th of November 2022. Seventh Secular Crusade is the band’s best production this far. The album is mixed and mastered by Pentagram Studios (Rotting Christ, Acherontas, Lucifer's Child). Nazghor comments: " “Seventh Secular Crusade” is a massive experience of darkness and light. This is our best record to date, and we could not be more ready to share the result with you. It has everything that people expect from Nazghor, excellent melodies, dark atmosphere and raw power. We have raised the bar in both song writing and production. We believe in this album, and we want to make sure that no one miss the opportunity to witness our greatest opus."
Nazghor emerged on a dark winter night in November 2012 from the unholy city of Uppsala. Since then, Nazghor has released six albums bringing a pure, and still melodic, black metal of death. The band has toured and played at several festivals across Europe as well as acting as support band for Batushka and Uada. Follow Nazghor: Facebook | Instagram | Spotify | Apple Music | Youtube  [photo credit: Timo Ehlert] After signing with international rock and metal empire Napalm Records and the successful subsequent release of their breakout first single, “Wolf or Lamb”, Germany's hottest upstarts League Of Distortion are thrilled to announce the upcoming release of their hard-hitting self-titled debut album, set for release on November 25, 2022! Featuring powerhouse members Anna “Ace” Brunner (Exit Eden) and Jim “Arro” Müller (Kissin’ Dynamite), the unit reveals their explosive potential without ever holding back! Now, they unleash their relentless second single, “My Revenge”, consisting of modern melodic rhythms and technical prowess topped with vocal dynamics poised to drop jaws. Having mercilessly flipped the metal scene upside down, their explosive second single shows exactly that: a defying sound with dashing drums and heavy, prominent guitar riffs crowned by Anna’s unique, war cry vocals. League Of Distortion on “My Revenge”: “This 2nd song goes out to everyone who can relate to the first lines. We’ve taken too much, but we are not passive anymore. Don’t drown in darkness, be as bright and as different as you can be and set fire to the sun!” A new force, League Of Distortion unite to defeat the shadows cast upon the music scene with their fresh sound and style! Back in 2017, Anna Brunner celebrated remarkable international success with her symphonic metal band Exit Eden, and now, has teamed up with notorious guitarist Jim Müller of renowned heavy metal band Kissin’ Dynamite. Together, they’ve formed one of the hottest new modern metal bands of the year, combining their signature sounds to create a powerful soundscape. Now, they are ready to fight the darkness yet again with their 2022 full-length, self-titled debut album, League of Distortion. Lifting the dark veil of stagnation caused by the pandemic, League Of Distortion introduce a new sound that resonates with the uncertainty of this period. “Wolf or Lamb” - the addictive first stand-alone single that introduced the band as a force to be reckoned with - ignites the fire of the full album. “Rebel By Choice” and “The Bitter End” show the band’s burning passion and dedication to the genre, while “My Revenge” convinces with a catchy hook and bashing guitar riffs. The elemental force of Anna “Ace” Brunner’s distorted, powerful voice merged with chunky riffs played by Jim “Arro” Müller, steady and strong beats delivered by Tino “Aeon” Calmbach and edgy bass by Felix “Ax” Rehmann unifies them, forming a strong blast of an album that cannot be missed! League Of Distortion showcase the individual musical expertise of its members without ever becoming stagnant or pretentious - unabashedly distorting the order and launching a new age of metal. Songs like “I’m A Bitch” and “It Hurts So Good” abandon all rules, while catchy hooks like in “L.O.D.” mark anthems to claim their new reign. With songs like “Solitary Confinement” and “Sin”, the band shows their lyrical depth by turning their sadness into a powerful war cry, providing expressive pieces and hymns for the lost.
League Of Distortion convince with classic pieces featuring strong instrumentals, on-the-nose lyrics and energetic vocals, proving their penchant to stand out from the pack. They’ve transformed their frustration into a musical statement beyond comparison. With “Do You Really Think I Fucking Care”, the band lands the final punch of the album to make the message clear: League Of Distortion are here to set the scene ablaze! The band on their debut album: "With this debut album, we lay the cornerstone of League Of Distortion. Processing the cruel and capricious reality, with straight-forward, provocative and very personal topics, we are distorting perspective and creating tremendously powerful music. League Of Distortion is here to stay and we welcome you to be a part of this from the very beginning." League of Distortion will be available in the following formats:
 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and Grammy®-winning singer and songwriter Ozzy Osbourne has topped his previous chart entries with record-breaking numbers around the world for his critically acclaimed new album Patient Number 9. Released September 9 and marking Ozzy’s 13th solo studio album, it triumphantly sets new career highs for Ozzy. In the U.S., the album debuted at #1 on multiple charts: Top Album Sales (Ozzy’s first #1 ever on this chart), Top Current Album Sales (another first), Top Rock & Alternative Albums, Top Rock Albums, Top Hard Rock Albums, Top Vinyl Albums and Tastemaker Albums charts; and at #3 on the Billboard Top 200 albums chart. Globally, the album charted at #1 in Canada (Ozzy’s first-ever #1 there); career high #2 entries in the UK, Australia, Finland and Italy; #6 in the Netherlands and New Zealand; #8 in Belgium; and #14 France. Other highlights include #2 Austria, Germany and Sweden; #3 in Switzerland; and #4 in Norway. Working with producer Andrew Watt for the second time, Ozzy welcomed a dynamic A-list featured guests on the album. For the first time ever, Black Sabbath co-founder, guitarist, and riff-master Tony Iommi appears on an Ozzy solo album. The record also boasts guitarists Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Mike McCready of Pearl Jam, and longstanding righthand man and six-string beast Zakk Wylde who plays on the majority of the tracks. For the bulk of the album, Chad Smith of Red Hot Chili Peppers held down drums, while the late Taylor Hawkins of Foo Fighters appears on three songs. Old friend and one-time Ozzy band member Robert Trujillo of Metallica plays bass on most of the album’s tracks, with Duff McKagan of Guns N’ Roses and Chris Chaney supplying bass on a few songs. Website Spotify  Poland's provocative black / thrash outfit Witchmaster announces "Kaźń" as the title of its new studio album, set for release on November 25th via Agonia Records. Read on for cover artwork, track listing and other details.
Witchmaster ends its seven-year slumber to bring more chaos and clamour through the art of blackened thrash metal. Since 1996, the band descends deeper and deeper into an absurd theatre of cruelty, pursuing the cold embrace of aural depravity and darkness. "Sipping blood from skulls and gnawing the bones of old gods, we hope to let you down once again," comments the band perversely. Witchmaster comprises of bassist and vocalist Reyash (Azarath (live), ex-Vader, Supremer Lord), guitarist and vocalist Kali (Five the Hierophant, ex-Profanum), drummer and guitarist Inferno (Azarath, Behemoth) and vocalist Bastis (ex-Profanum). "Kaźń" was recorded at Satanic Audio (Blaze of Perdition, Behemoth) by Harald Grunberg and mixed and mastered at the same studio by Harald Grunberg and Inferno. Cover artwork by Durda. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WitchmasterBand/ Website: https://agoniarecords.com Webshop: https://agoniarecords.com/store Facebook: https://facebook.com/agoniarecords Twitter: https://twitter.com/agoniarecords SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/agoniarecords Bandcamp: https://agoniarecords.bandcamp.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/agoniarecordsofficial YouTube: https://youtube.com/AgoniaRec  Ride the "Last Tide" of progressive avant-garde metal from Italy's MindAheaD with their second single off their forthcoming second album "6119 Part 1" being released via Rockshots Records at the end of October. The latest track to be previewed off their upcoming full-length record, "Last Tide" is an emotional ballad that tells the next chapter of the concept album's character "6119". The band explains in further detail: "Lost in a kind of frame, like an endless instant, 'Last Tide' describes where "6119" finds himself on the seashore, watching the waves and the sunset. He reflects on the natural change of things that, just like the waves of the sea, never stop changing, and thinks back with nostalgia and hope to the female figure seen in the desert. But this sudden and almost unique carefree situation is the result of an error, a power surge in the Machine's connections that allow "6119" to have an independent vision of the program, an autonomous thought, you can say. Soon (in fact, it is the shortest track on the album), as soon as the sun went down, the Machine re-establishes itself and again takes control of "6119's" consciousness." MindAhead's next full-length offering "6119 Part 1" follows their 2017 debut "Reflections" released on Roman label Revalve Records. Just like its predecessor, the band's new offering is once again a concept album with a complex, personal and unusual sound to test the limits of their song writing. "6119 Part 1" is a continuation of the previous work on "Reflections", which will tell us the story of 6119, the main character, through a surreal, oneiric journey, always poised between physical space and the realm of the mind. Trapped in this dreamlike kaleidoscope, he proceeds heedless of the consequences, hoping to find at the end of the journey (the "Part II," currently in production) the reason why all this is happening to him. Merging different aspects, sometimes opposite, of human feeling, bringing them together in a colorful and personal musical proposal, which has its roots in influences ranging from prog 70s to death metal, the band explains the new album in further detail: "This album is a concept realized with the aim of telling a story that straddles the line between dystopian science fiction and the psychological investigation of the human mind, so the music and lyrics were created in order to reach these goals. We would like the listening experience to be completely immersive. We would like the listener to be able to take a break from the real world and step into another dimension, one that is distant but at the same time well known, not alien, but almost familiar. The listener should passionately follow the events of '6119' in its inner and outer search for reality, in a story that began in the previous album 'Reflections' and will end in the band's next release, so as to complete a narrative trilogy."
Having shared sharing the stage with bands such as Jinjer, Vision Divine, Deathless Legacy, Domine, Pino Scotto, MindAhead is recommended for fans of Opeth, Ayreon, Haken, Katatonia and Pink Floyd. "6119 Part 1" is due out October 28th, 2022 via Rockshots Records.
 PHOTO CREDIT: Juha Mustonen Finnish Love Metal pioneer Ville Valo (VV) of HIM will release his debut solo album, Neon Noir, on January 13 via Heartagram Records, distributed by UMG/ Spinefarm. Pre-order it here. "Neon Noir is a sonic step-by-step guide on how to survive, and perhaps even enjoy, the realm of VV with its abundance of things that go bump in the night," says Valo. "It's a teary mascara marathon between Robert Smith and Ozzy, with a dash of hope."
In the annals of 21st century alternative rock history, there are few artists who cast a longer or more peculiar shadow than Finnish Love Metal pioneer Ville Valo. After all, his band HIM was easily among the most iconic and idiosyncratic groups of the millennium. Zealously revered, gleefully reviled but impossible to ignore, their music left an indelible mark on a worldwide legion of fans. The scarlet letters stood for "His Infernal Majesty." Their founder stood for something delightedly out of step with the status quo. "We only hoped to temporarily redirect hard rock's blood flow from the nether regions towards the heart," reminisces Valo, the singer, songwriter, and primus motor of HIM. Judging by the monolithic presence of the Heartagram in any account of music this side of the millennium, it's apparent that he succeeded. Inspired by everyone from Poe to Bukowski and tinged by a penchant for perfumed Sabbathian gloom, Valo's creative lovechild would produce eight era-defining studio releases and over 10 million record sales, not forgetting a Grammy nomination, countless magazine covers, critical acclaim, and the veneration of a generation. Thus, it came as no surprise that the news of a farewell tour in 2017 was greeted with shock and disbelief among devotees and endless speculation as to what or who was to take up the velvet mantle. “As fun as the funeral rites for HIM were, it took me more than a few moons to lick my wounds in the shadow of the Heartagram and come up with an excuse to strum and hum again. Eventually, I decided put a leash on my beloved black dog and we started howling together instead of barking at each other. That's how VV was born."  Photo Credit: Elisabeth Bünger Svart Records unleash a heady brew of nocturnal post-punk atmosphere and avant-garde metal from Swedish band Shaam Larein. The goth-tinged doom rockers share new single 'Murderer', taken from their upcoming album "Sticka En Kniv I Världen" due 9th December. The album's title, Sticka En Kniv I Världen, literally means to “stick a knife into the world”, and is a ravishing, cut-throat statement of Shaam Larein's heavy intent that casts a new shadow of stunning darkness. Formed in 2018, Shaam Larein released their debut album Sculpture in 2020 to raptured underground praise, earning them an instant booking to the prestigious Roskilde Festival and planting them on the radar of cult artists such as Chelsea Wolfe.  Now signed to Finland’s Svart Records, Shaam Larein is soon to be hot on the tongues of the cult grapevine. Named after their auteur-like visionary singer Shaam Lerein, who was brought up on Russian classical art and the cinema of Tarkovsky, composes and visualises their dark materials, cementing Sticka En Kniv I Världen as an utterly unique take on bat-winged heavy rock. Shaam's background in the theatrical arts and her Syrian roots shine through in the dramatic structures and middle eastern scales her melodies incorporate, all driven by a powerful female voice that commands and charms in deadly measure. Conducting her band of Swedish vamps like a montage of Siouxsie Sioux and Lisa Gerard meeting in a Murnau horror, Shaam Larein casts a spell both occult and hypnotic. Carrying a haulage of blackened heavy metal doom in it’s gothic post-punk drive, Sticka En Kniv I Världen does what it says on the tin, providing a stab of something unearthly but also hyper-real with songs like 'I Have No Face' as a stark eye-meeting stare of emotion. With a devout appreciation of the mystic powers inherent in heavy music, Shaam Larein will ignite memories of Swedish metal artists such as In Solitude, who swayed towards the eclectic and gothic atmospheres Shaam's music touches on in their later days. With artist friends from back home in Uppsala, Pelle Åhman making the album cover and his brother Gottfrid Åhman, both of In Solitude fame, making four videos for Shaam Larein, the links weave closer, but it is to artists like Chelsea Wolfe, Ruth Rundle and Marissa Nadler that you can imagine fans drawing parallels and opening their heart to the enigmatic sound of Sticka En Kniv I Världen. Shaam describes her music as “a touch of aggression mixed with passion”, and Sticka En Kniv I Världen for her is about finding the light through a sea of darkness, “accepting the melancholy and seeing the beauty of what lies underneath our mysterious sound”. For a world of heavy rock hungry for a new wave of something dark and mysterious, Shaam Larein has it all in unparalleled dosage, just waiting to be discovered. Band Members: Shaam Larein Facebook || Instagram |
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Global Metal Apocalypse Archives
September 2022
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