 [photo credit: Victoria Wonka] Moldovan progressive modern metal unit Infected Rain have become one of the most exciting new acts in the heavy music world, with charismatic, multi-talented frontwoman Lena Scissorhands emerging as one of the fastest-rising leading ladies of the genre. Now, the band arises from the dark depths once again – freshly off their very first tour of the USA with Butcher Babies and Stitched Up Heart – to reveal the next chapter of their metamorphosis. The band will release their otherworldly fifth album, Ecdysis, on January 7, 2022 via Napalm Records! Infected Rain redefine themselves with the follow up to 2019’s Endorphin. Ecdysis electrifies with resonating riffs, cosmic electronics, Lena’s treasure trove of vocal abilities and intense lyrical themes ranging from depression and abandonment to embracing reality – showcasing the band’s advancement while blending extreme, progressive groove with dark, haunting melody. Now, fans can get a first taste of Ecdysis by witnessing the brand new single, “Postmortem Pt. 1”, and its cerebral music video. The potent track dispenses the band’s patented formula instantly, with eerie synth-laden soundscapes seamlessly cascading into countless layers of cosmic atmosphere backed by thick, grooving riffs, barrelling drums and skyscraper growls. Vocalist Lena Scissorhands says about “Postmortem Pt. 1”: “Postmortem is about the constant search. The never happy, never content… Blind to the real treasures of life, we constantly want more and more…” Watch the official music video for “Postmortem Pt. 1” HERE: Produced once again by Valentin Voluta, Ecdysis successfully demonstrates ultramodern brutality without sacrificing emotion and melody – showcasing a new layer of Infected Rain that long time followers and new fans alike will embrace. Vocalist Lena Scissorhands adds about Ecdysis: "While the whole world was in a deep depression, Ecdysis was slowly but surely maturing. The time in isolation away from all our plans and goals, away from loved ones and the stage, brought out something so new and different in us. A new chapter starts with this album, a chapter of raw emotions and complete commitment." Tracks like “Fighter” bring out the ruthlessness of the band in full force with hardcore levels of aggression, inciting a tornado of rhythms and provoking lyricism beckoning the listener to stay focused in the here-and-now and fight! Featuring tough-as-nails Butcher Babies vocalist Heidi Shepherd, sonically slaughtering single “The Realm Of Chaos” pummels and bends as it decimates with a mosh-attack unlike any other on Ecdysis. Noteworthy standouts like “Longing” and “These Walls” ransack with instant angst while showcasing some of the most varying guitar work on Ecdysis – fluxing between churning grooves, towering leads, technical effects and ominous chords – while selections such as “Everlasting Lethargy”, “November” and “Never The Same” boast some of Lena Scissorhands’ most eclectic vocal performances amid ripping pit-worthy metalcore and dazzling electronic passages. Examples of stunning, dynamic song writing manifest with honest offerings like the impressive “Goodbye”, haunting “Showers” and threatening album closer “Postmortem Pt. 2” (shortly advanced by sneaking electro-interlude “Nine, Ten”). The finisher encapsulates the album’s ethereal, immense quality while connecting back to its start like a sonic ouroboros. Pre-Order Ecdysis HERE
Ecdysis will be available in the following formats:
INFECTED RAIN is:
INFECTED RAIN online:
0 Comments
 Venezuelan atmospheric death / doom metallers Stratuz have signed with Sliptrick Records. Stratuz formed in 1984, released their first demo in 1993 and their debut album "In Nomine…" in 1995, helping them to quickly become the most recognized metal band in Venezuela and cementing their place as one of the pioneer bands of extreme metal. In 1999, Stratuz finished recording the album "The Last Angel" upon their return from a European tour. That same year, they signed with the Belgian label LSP-Company for a new album entitled "Spirit Seduction". The group decided to disband in 2006, but in 2019 the group reformed and began to record a new album, entitled Osculum Pacis, which will be released worldwide via Sliptrick Records in the coming months. Stratuz are:
Band links:  Recently reformed Jordanian thrash metal band Esodic has revealed a guitar playthrough for one of the band’s new tracks, “Undoing.” Watch guitarist Michael Nolasco’s playthrough today via Ultimate Guitar at https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/upcoming_releases/ug_exclusive_premiere_jordanian_metal_band_esodic_shares_guitar_playthrough_of_undoing.html. “Undoing” was mixed and mastered by Damien Rainaud (Dragon Force, Once Human, Fear Factory) and produced by Nolasco with bassist Kevin McCombs. The song features a guest appearance by Jeff Potts (Vocana, Mantic Ritual, Warbringer) on lead guitar in addition to Nolasco. "‘Undoing’ is about the experience of shedding old skin and ridding old versions of oneself, and how those versions will come back to haunt you,” says drummer Zed Amarin. Born and bred in the underbelly of Amman, Jordan, nearly 20 years ago, Esodic’s sound was inspired by legendary old school - albeit culturally forbidden - thrash and death metal bands like Slayer, Testament and Kreator. Fuelled by an insatiable obsession with metal music and anger and frustration resulting from the significant socio-political strife in their country, the band became a regular fixture in the underground music scene of Amman. Esodic quickly stood out from other local bands, distinguished by their own style of fast-paced, loud thrash metal. Not long after forming in 2003, they began booking gigs and forming a solid loyal following throughout Jordan. Unfortunately, gaining attention for any countercultural activity was no small matter in Jordan and was met with great repercussions. Members of the band were regularly harassed, detained and arrested, and underground shows were often cancelled or raided. In 2005, Esodic entered an international music competition, The Global Battle of the Bands, marking the first time the group was able to play publicly to a wide audience. Esodic destroyed with their performance, receiving massive praise and positive feedback for their unique sound and onstage presence. In addition to making their way to the finals, Esodic also received the highest number of fan votes in the competition. In the end, the thrashers came in second, but the experience proved Esodic to be a force to be reckoned with worldwide. Esodic continued to play local shows until 2008 when the Jordanian Intelligence Department raided a show, sentencing the organizers to jail time. Following this incident, the Jordanian underground scene was shut down, as it remains to this day. By 2010, due to a combination of life circumstances and political unrest including the Arab Spring, all the members disbanded to different parts of the world. But just before disbanding, Esodic released a split record with Tampa-based death metal band Generichrist on Deathstar Records. In 2015, drummer Amarin relocated to Los Angeles and began gathering all of Esodic’s recorded material for mixing and mastering in preparation for their first EP, Mirrors of Disgrace. Though the members had disbanded, they had all agreed that this album was an important snapshot that needed to be released. Mirrors of Disgrace was self-released in February 2018. Two years later, Amarin made the decision to revive Esodic and continue the legacy. “Undoing” is the first musical output from the reinvigorated trio. “Our new line up has a strong multiple disciplinary foundation, ensuring the beginning of a new era for Esodic” Amarin says. “Undoing” is available today at https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/esodic/undoing-2. Stay tuned for more new music from Esodic. ESODIC is:
ESODIC online: www.esodic.com www.facebook.com/esodic/ www.instagram.com/esodicofficial/  Polish death / thrash metallers Frightful formed in December 2016 in Gdansk, since then the band has released several EPs and demos. Extensive touring has made the band stronger and stronger, and even COVID-19 couldn't stop the band from moving forward, and in the isolated state of 2020, the band created a new, more technical, and better material, and that is the debut full-length album, Spectral Creator! The album will be released on October 31st via Awakening Records.
GET YOUR COPY NOW!
Frightful is:
 Once Human has released “Only in Death,” the second single from their upcoming new studio album "Scar Weaver", which hits streets on February 11 via EAR Music. Watch “Scar Weaver” now at https://youtu.be/F1VbPOHMFFY. Download / stream the single at https://oncehuman.lnk.to/OnlyInDeath. Following the first single “Deadlock,” “Only in Death” is yet another killer track from their heaviest album yet and underlines Once Human’s presence as the hottest up and coming band in the modern brutal metal world. Lauren Hart shares her thoughts on the single:- "This is my most personal song on the new album. It meant so much to me that I really needed to get my hands dirty with the visuals. Logan and I filmed everything to keep the song’s raw meaning. Musically, it’s very emotional and dire, and the outro is probably my favourite piece of music on the album!” Pieced together over the last two years, Once Human’s "Scar Weaver" represents a massive step forward for the band. Blessed (or perhaps cursed) with plenty of additional time during the last year’s lockdown situation, the band has been able to refine and redefine their sound, inspired by a sudden creative surge from latest recruit Max Karon. The result is a gloriously idiosyncratic modern metal record, with Hart’s career-best vocal performance as just one of its dazzling revelations. With Once Human’s most intense and explosive music to work with, the singer has pushed herself to new heights, showcasing a vastly expanded vocal range in the process. Scar Weaver will be available on limited edition coloured and black vinyl, Digipak-CD and digitally. Pre-order / pre-save Scar Weaver at https://oncehuman.lnk.to/scarweaver. ONCE HUMAN online:  German modern metal / metalcore band Slaves of Kali are preparing the release their debut album "Uncharted Trails" on October 22nd. The band about the album: "The album marks an important moment in our band history. Although there is already a recorded EP ("Dawn“), the songs that can be heard on it all come from a phase of the band in which we had not yet found ourselves in our current formation and our musical direction. Each of the songs on "Uncharted Trails" were created with influences from every member of the band. This is what you get today when you ask for "Slaves Of Kali". In the songs, we simply process the topics that occupy or burden us daily. Usually, it's not about the personal problems of our band members. There are far more important things than our personal struggles. The songs deliver our, mostly dystopian, view on topics like technology, the destruction of our environment and social inequalities. Don't get us wrong. First and foremost, our music is meant to entertain. However, we also think that heavy music can handle heavy content. Even if the topics are different, in many lyrics you can feel a longing for an escape from these circumstances. This brought us to the album title "Uncharted Trails". Also, the title is an expression of how nature attracts us, as a way to escape these problems, at least for a while. As with almost all DIY productions, the process, from the recording in the studio to the finished record, took quite a long time. It is not easy to decide when the time has come to consider the record finished. Except for the mastering and the execution of our artwork idea, everything about the album is 100% "Slaves Of Kali“."
Slaves of Kali is a modern metal / metalcore band from Berlin. Following the aim to “just play really good metal” and not being confined by any boundaries the band is combining influences of classical metal with modern metal genres. Ranging from classic metal to so-called nu metal, hardcore, and metalcore the band combines the old and the new school of heavy guitar music to create a new representation of their all time favourite kind of music. The songs don't follow a set roadmap. There are no restrictions. As long as the band members manage to combine their different preferences in one song, they don't give a shit if the song ends up thrashy, corey or nu or anything else. In terms of content, the songs are usually not about the beautiful things of this world. Often it's about how people, by and large, are quite a bunch of idiots taking good things and ideas and always manage to get only the bad out of them. We as humans have so much but feel poor. We are globally connected, yet often feel alone. In short, Slaves of Kalis music tells of the problems of our accelerated time, large and small. However, if people come to a Slaves of Kali show, the band will not wait with an admonishingly raised forefinger. When the band plays live, it is primarily about creating some lightness in everyday struggle, it’s about having a good time and bringing people together again instead of separating even more. Few types of music are as well suited for this as Metal. Line-Up:
 Canadian epic symphonic metal band, Operus has a new music video for their single "Lost" off their latest album "Score of Nightmares" released through German label Pride & Joy Music during June 2020. The vision behind the new video is that of a journey through an inner self-created metaphoric world of being lost along with the feeling of self-doubt and the inevitable anxiety of running out of time. The video's purpose is to demonstrate that we all need guidance and that although our time here isn’t infinite, what we do with our "sands of time" is the most important. The visually stunning music video was filmed by Joe Lyko of Dark Moon Productions and features Bunny Noire in the role of the "Lost Girl", which can be viewed at the following link: https://youtu.be/vaQ_8iub-dw Operus' latest album "Score of Nightmares" follows their 2017 album "Cenotaph" (Darkstar Records) and 2015 debut EP "Opus I" (Boonsdale Records). Recommended for fans of Nightwish, Opeth, Wintersun, Kamelot, Epica, Symphony X, and Helloween, "Score of Nightmares" can be heard at the following links: Spanish extreme metallers Thirteen Bled Promises to release new EP 'Foundation' on October 22nd26/9/2021  Spanish blackened technical death metal horde Thirteen Bled Promises will release "Foundation" on October 22nd via Lacerated Enemy Records. The EP's first single, "A Humanless War," is available now at youtu.be/BMFDeoTly08. Visit this location for single availability on other digital platforms. Lacerated Enemy share their thoughts:- “We are very pleased to announce that Thirteen Bled Promises has joined Lacerated Enemy family. Hailing from Madrid, Spain. Thirteen Bled Promises formed in 2006 creating their brand of technical brutal death metal. After releasing two successful albums, "Heliopause Fleets" (2012) and "The Black Legend" (2015), the band established a strong fan base in Europe and received great reviews for both." While supporting numerous well known acts since the creation of the band, Thirteen Bled Promises was ready to enter the studio again to record another masterpiece of blackened technical death metal. The record brings its influences from progressive and technical song writing, while still accompanied by a blackened atmospheric quality that keeps the listener intrigued about what will come next. Pre-order:
Line-up:
 [photo credit: Jens Rydén] Three years after the release of The Hunt for White Christ (2018), iconic Swedish death metal legends Unleashed return with their new studio album, No Sign of Life, out November 12, 2021 via Napalm Records – once again setting the ultimate standard of death metal! The Swedish crew is led by founding frontman Johnny Hedlund, and features drummer Anders Schultz and two guitarists Tomas Måsgard and Fredrik Folkare – delivering and defining supreme death metal for over 32 years. On No Sign of Life, the band formed of Viking descendants transports the listener straight into an outraging battle with 11 forceful tracks that revive the essentials of death metal, facing the sheer brutality of war. Unleashed are back to defend their throne, forging another uncompromising musical weapon that continues the marvellous legacy of Vikings. To satisfy the bloodthirst, Unleashed just released their staggering brand new track from No Sign of Life, entitled “The King Lost His Crown”, alongside a sharp lyric music video. The track dives right in without mercy, dominated by destructive guitars, blasting drums and the well-known chunky and brutal screams of genre-carving vocalist Johnny Hedlund. Johnny on the first single: “In the aftermath of the battle of Jorsala, where the Midgard Warriors stood victorious, White Christ is now being hunted from the once so holy city. The enemy flees towards the desert, and his armies are about to lose faith in their leader. It seems that the king lost his crown”. Watch the new lyric video for "The King Lost His Crown” HERE:
The silence gets crushed right within the first notes of the album opener “The King Lost His Crown” and invents a paving rage that leaves no time to catch your breath during its entire playing time. The album unfolds with “Where Can You Flee” as an unstoppable war battalion and builds upon Unleashed’s well established trademark sound and strong lyrics. Bare boned screams are accompanied by epic shouts praising Odin and heavy guitar riffs as the journey of clashes continues in “The Highest Ideal”, until the album reaches its glorious peak with “Here at the End of the World” as a fading hymn for the victorious march that leaves the battlefield behind in ashes. The chief Vikings of Swedish death metal leave no doubt that they are still true to their roots after 32 years of existence. Unleashed proves that they indeed are and will stay the unchallenged leaders of Sweden’s death metal forefathers!
UNLEASHED on the album: “It is our hope that our warriors all over the world will enjoy the new album just like they have our previous ones. We have, as always, tried to stick to our roots while testing our steel to develop the genre of Viking Death Metal even further. Hail Odin!" No Sign of Life will be available in the following formats:
UNLEASHED are:
UNLEASHED online: Czech brutal death metallers Cutterred Flesh return with brand new album on Transcending Obscurity18/9/2021  There are many brutal death metal bands around and it's hard to find ones that have their own sound or are attempting to do their own thing. After a point it does get quite repetitive if not redundant and there's little that stays with you long after the onslaught is over. Cutterred Flesh here however are unlike any of those bands. Their approach is not only markedly different but refreshing. The songs often start deceptively and you're wondering how is this brutal death metal but then the music kicks in and you know it's all over. It's time to call the closest funeral home. Two songs are streaming on Bandcamp and our YouTube channel and even they may not be enough to give you a complete idea of the music on this outstanding album.
Defying all expectations, Czech brutal death metal band Cutterred Flesh give birth to an album that can be regarded as an anomaly in the style, an aberration for a band sounding this heavy and brutal. Their constant variations, shocking mood changes, and tempo fluctuations belie the impossibly wide girth and ponderous gait of this band. And yet, they’re nimble and inventive, deceptively fast and catchy, emotive and thoughtful, and will invariably pound your skull into the ground and mercilessly at that. The strange juxtaposition of the slower, plaintive tunes with the bone-shattering blasting parts is as fascinating as it is lethal - it will catch you off guard and won’t play nice. It’s akin to a deranged psychopath killer showing overwhelming tendencies of remorse for his victims, but then killing them all anyway. It just has to be done. Cutterred Flesh aren’t fucking around; they mean business but the way they do it is revolutionary and extremely effective. This album is loaded with all the death metal riffs you need, all the diversity to not only set the songs apart but also keep things interesting, and that warm, comforting, bludgeoning heaviness that will put you to sleep, perhaps permanently. And you won’t see it coming. This is as good as a brutal death metal album can get being progressive without betraying its core sound and values. Line up -
|
If you enjoy reading this content, please consider a donation Donate© 2011-2021
Global Metal Apocalypse Archives
August 2021
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed