Metal Music News

Italian melodic death metallers Steel Cage sign with Sliptrick Records

1/5/2022

Joining the ranks at Sliptrick Records is the Italian melodic death metal band Steel Cage.

The southern Italian lands of 1996, saw the creation, growth and establishment of the melodic death metal act Steel Cage. The group was spawned by an idea of guitarists / brothers Gianluca and Giuseppe Rungetti with drummer Genny Eneghes. That same year they produced the demo-tape Abyss Of Steel. In 1997, the band saw changes in their line up, but nothing could stop the trio from keep working on new ideas for future productions, concentrating on mixing death, gothic and some progressive elements with their primary roots based on thrash metal. They infused this with their anger and the pain of living in a sick society.

Over the next years, the group released two EP’s, Visions Of Dark Millennium (1999) and Red Blood Planet (2002) and in 2011, their hard work culminated with the album Obsidian which was the first time Steel Cage featured a female singer. After further changes, Steel Cage finally returned with a new permanent female singer in the form of Silvia Nardoni and the return of former bassist Marco Campassi. Now the band is ready with their latest album Syndrome, which will be released via Sliptrick Records later in the year.

Steel Cage are:

Silvia Nardoni – Vocals
Gianluca Rungetti – Lead Guitar
Giuseppe Rungetti – Rhythm Guitar
Marco Campassi – Bass
Gennaro Eneghes – Drums

Band links: Official Website | Facebook | Youtube | Instagram | On Sliptrick

Korn shares video for "Worst Is On Its Way" and global tour dates

23/4/2022

Photo credit: Tim Saccenti

Following the release of their highly anticipated studio album Requiem via Loma Vista Recordings in February, Korn shares a new video for the next single "Worst Is on Its Way". The Craig Bernard and Culley Bunker-directed visual shows the band's high energy performance of the song in greyscale as individual members of the band are decomposed into animated particles with a series of visual effects. The 9-track album features the hit single "Start the Healing," which peaked at #1 on the Active Rock chart, in addition to the previously released tracks "Forgotten," which Rolling Stone described as "explosive" and "Lost In The Grandeur," which dropped as a final taste of Requiem just a few days before the record's release.

Recently described by GQ as "bold and iconoclastic" and released to high acclaim including recent features on the covers of Revolver and King Kong magazines, Requiem is produced by Korn and Chris Collier. Energized by a new creative process free of time constraints, the band was able to do things with Requiem that the past two decades haven't always afforded them, such as taking additional time to experiment together or diligently recording to analogue tape - processes which unearthed newfound sonic dimension and texture in their music.

Additionally, Korn is slated to take their live show across a worldwide run of headline festival and amphitheater tour dates kicking off this summer and running into the fall. The extensive tour begins with a headline performance at Daytona Beach's Welcome To Rockville festival before kicking off EU/UK dates in Amsterdam on May 25th. The tour will see stops in Berlin, London, Stockholm, Budapest and more before returning stateside for dates in Denver, Charlotte, Dallas, Boise and others. Tickets are currently available for purchase HERE.

Watch "Worst Is On Its Way" and listen to Requiem above, see full tour routing, album details and information on the band below and stay tuned for more Korn coming soon.

Upcoming Live Dates

EU/UK

5/25 - Amsterdam, Netherlands @ AFAS Live
5/27 - Prague, Czechia @ Tipsport Arena
5/28 - Bratislava, Slovakia @ Aegon Arena
5/31 - Warszawa, Poland @ Arena Cos Torwar
6/1 - Berlin, Germany @ Verti Music Hall

6/3 - 5 - Nürnberg, Germany @ Rock IM Park 2022
6/3 - 5 - Nürnberg, Germany @ Rock AM Ring 2022
6/7 - Milano, Italy @ Ippodromo Del Galoppo Di San Siro
6/9 - Interlaken, Switzerland @ Greenfield festival 2022
6/10 - Nickelsdorf, Austria @ Nova Rock 2022

6/12 - Derby, United kingdom @ Download Festival 2022
6/13 - London, United Kingdom @ An Evening With Korn
6/15 - Stockholm, Sweden @ Grona Lund
6/16 - København, Denmark @ Copenhell 2022
6/18 - Dessel, Belgium @ Graspop Metal Meeting 2022

6/19 - Clisson, France @ Hellfest 2022
6/21 - Budapest, Hungary @ Budapest Arena
6/24 - Oslo, Norway @ Tons Of Rock 2022
6/26 - Goteborg, Sweden @ Gothenburg Studios
6/27 - Aarhus, Denmark @ Aarhus Congress Center

6/30 - Seinajoki, Finland @ Provinssi Festival 2022
7/1 - Helsinki, Finland @ Tuska Festival 2022
7/3 - Viveiro, Spain @ Resurrection Fest 2022

United States

5/20 - 22 - Daytona Beach, FL @ Welcome To Rockville 2022
7/15 - 17 - Mansfield, OH @ Inkcarceration Festival 2022
8/16 - Denver, CO @ Ball Arena
8/18 - Maryland Heights, MO @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
8/20 - Tinley Park, IL @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre

8/21 - Clarkston, MI @ Pine Knob Music Theatre
8/23 - Cuyahoga Falls, OH @ Blossom Music Center
8/24 - Noblesville, IN @ Ruoff Music Center
8/26 - Mansfield, MA @ Xfinity Center
8/27 - Camden, NJ @ Waterfront Music Pavilion

8/28 - Wantagh, NY @ Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater
8/31 - Charlotte, NC @ PNC Music Pavilion
9/1 - Pelham, AL @ Oak Mountain Amphitheatre
9/4 - The Woodlands, TX @ The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
9/6 - Dallas, TX @ Dos Equis Pavilion

9/9 - West Valley City, UT @ Usana Amphitheatre
9/10 - Boise, ID @ Ford Idaho Amphitheatre
9/13 - Spokane, WA @ Spokane Arena
9/15 - Auburn, WA @ White River
9/16 - Ridgefield, WA @ RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater

Connect with Korn:

Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Website

Italian alt metallers Violet Blend perform Verdi's "La Donna Mobile" with Maestra Gianna Fratta

6/4/2022

Alt-metal band Violet Blend campaign against gender discrimination with Maestra Gianna Fratta by performing Giuseppe Verdi's "La Donna Mobile". Watch the new "La Donna Mobile" music video via YouTube, and stream the song on Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, Amazon Music, Tidal, Deezer and more.

New full-length album Demons is out now! Produced by Alessandro Del Vecchio (Quiet Riot, LA Guns, Nanowar of Steel). Download / Stream at this location

Eclipse Records: Italian alternative metal band Violet Blend just dropped their new full-length album Demons and revealed a new music video for the song "La Donna Mobile", taken from Giuseppe Verdi's Rigoletto opera. In the video, Violet Blend are conducted by world-famous Maestra Gianna Fratta at the historic Teatro Verdi in Firenze, Italy.

"La Donna Mobile" is the fourth music video from the band's new full-length album Demons, which was just released worldwide on April 1, 2022 via Eclipse Records. Aside from being a timeless classic originally written by Giuseppe Verdi, the song has been adopted as the theme of "La Donna Mobile - Campaign against gender discrimination and violence”, a non-profit project to promote equality, empowerment, education, and information, focused on the role of women in the world of work. The campaign is promoted by Violet Blend, with the patronage of Municipality of Florence, the Department of Equal Opportunities of Florence, the sponsorship of Teatro Verdi of Florence, Biblioteca Riccardiana of Florence and Viper Theatre of Florence, in support of AIDOS - Italian Association of Women for Development, that since 1981 has worked throughout the Italian territory for the rights, dignity and freedom of choices of women and girls in the world. Learn more about the campaign at this location.

"As a classical musicologist, I've always had to study and deal with music written by men, where women were always secondary characters with little to think or say," says lead vocalist & composer Giada Celeste Chelli. "La Donna è Mobile is one of the most famous arias of 19th century Italian opera, but I realized that very few people really knew its meaning. It is misogynist and discriminatory, and even if it was written during the 19th century, I find it terribly current. We wanted to underline the importance and relevance of a reflection on the role of women, focusing on the world of work, where still today there is a dangerous and frightening gender gap. With this project, we wanted to gather and show the public the testimonies of these wonderful women that work and succeed in professions that are socially still linked only to men. We asked women to help us spread a message of gender equality and the women responded!"

Demons contains thirteen hard-rocking tracks that personify discontent, passion, beauty, and rage. The lyrical subject matter of the album explores the human soul by investigating its contradictions and ambitions. The album was produced by Alessandro Del Vecchio (Quiet Riot, LA Guns, Nanowar of Steel). Demons will be released worldwide via Eclipse Records on April 1, 2022. Singles from the album include the powerful debut “Rock DJ” which describes the primordial sense of joy and freedom that music transmits. The second single entitled “Among All These Fools”, is about asking the music to guide you through some wicked people that try to surround you and prevent you from reaching your goals.

The third single “Need” is about a situation of great uncertainty, where you must decide if you should abandon the old life for a new one. The last single "La Donna Mobile" is part of a prominent social campaign to raise awareness against discrimination and gender-based violence, featuring AIDOS (Italian Association of Women for Development) and the Municipality of Florence, Italy. Altogether, Demons is an exciting record with something for everyone, from the superlative vocal to the rhythm-chops which seem to echo the true pulse of the world. Get ready to rock!

For more information about Maestra Gianna Fratta, check out her official website.

Violet Blend line-up

Giada Celeste Chelli (vocals, piano)
Daniele Cristellon (guitar)
Ferruccio Baroni (bass)
Michel Agostini (drums)

For more information on Violet Blend, please visit them on:-

Follow them on:-

Italian heavy metallers Genghis Khan unveil new single “Possessed By The Wolf”; new album “Possessed By The Moon” out May 27th

30/3/2022

Italian old school heavy metallers Gengis Khan have just signed a deal with the American label Stormspell Records which will release the band’s third full-length album “Possessed By The Moon” on May 27th 2022.

Genghis Khan have just unveiled the first single taken from the upcoming record. The song titled “Possessed By The Wolf” is a catchy and epic track where horror vibes and speed perfectly match.

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XO17rFWoODA
LISTEN HERE: https://gengiskhan1.bandcamp.com/track/possessed-by-the-wolf

“This single introduces the change of our sound. Songs like ‘Possessed By The Wolf’, ‘The Wall Of Death’ and the ballad, ‘Eternal Flame’, will surprise our listeners. There will be more melody and the keyboards sound huge!”, explains the band’s mastermind Frank Leone.

1. Possessed By The Wolf
2. In The Name Of Glory
3. Extreme Power
4. Eternal Flame
5. Possessed By The Moon
6. Sandman
7. The Wall Of Death
8. Long Live The Rebels
9. Gengis Khan - Bonus track

The album was born in the band’s home studio, while the keyboards, drums and solo guitars were recorded by Simone Mularoni (DGM, Elvenking, Labyrinth, Ancient Bards, and many more) at Domination Studio in San Marino. The album artwork is by Alan Lathwell.

“Possessed By The Moon” will be released as CD digipak and digital.

Pre-order HERE: https://gengiskhan1.bandcamp.com/ | http://www.stormspell.com/

Gengis Khan are:

Frank Leone - Vocals, Bass
Mike Petrone - Lead Guitars
Neil Grotti - Guitars
Gianni Lorenzini - Drums
Lee Under - Keyboards

https://www.facebook.com/Gengiskhanmetal
https://www.instagram.com/gengiskhanmetal/
https://gengiskhan1.bandcamp.com/

Italian musician Becko announces anime-inspired trap metal album "You Are (Not) Alone", out April 1st via FiXT

17/2/2022

Trap metal artist Becko announces his latest album "You Are (Not) Alone" is now available for pre-order with the instant grat "Cryblood" (feat. Gizmo) dropping now. Written during the second Italian quarantine the trap metal album pays homage to his inspiration and love of anime and manga, with appearances from Prymus, Gizmo, IN6N, Stefan, Rhen, and Marry Me! Bellamy.

"You Are (Not) Alone" features a range of singles including the fiery single "Otaku Pride" which landed two official Spotify playlists upon release, "Lonewolf" an homage to Becko's former band, Hopes Die Last, which landed three official Spotify playlists when released, and the ultra-catchy alt-electronic-rock anime-inspired "Boku No Universe," placed in the Oculus VR music rhythm game Smash Drums.

The album also features "Darkest Days" a poignant creation with heartfelt vocal melodies overlaid with intense screams and hard-hitting beats, produced by Linkin Park frontman Mike Shinoda himself.

On the production of "Darkest Days," Mike Shinoda said:-

“I’ve had a lot of fun producing so many new, upcoming artists on Twitch, and Becko was definitely a standout. I’m excited for the song’s release and to see what he does in the coming years.”

On the upcoming album, Becko said:-

"I've written "You Are (Not) Alone" all in one shot during the second Italian quarantine. I was feeling in a cage as all we were and I've started to compare this feeling to the hikikomori way of life.

The album is a way to react to all the bad things that can happen in our lives. It's the path of the kid that becomes mature taking life in his hands fighting against his demons. It's the path of the new generation that fights against the old generation with this new technology as a weapon. It's my path through music knowing myself more and more."

You Are (Not) Alone is available now for pre-order and drops April 1st from the independent multi-genre label FiXT.

Italian prog death metallers Sadist unveil details of their new album "Firescorched"

24/1/2022

Photo credit: Maridelsole; edited by Svetlana Fomina

Italian progressive death metal legends Sadist (ft. Obscura's Jeroen Paul Thesseling and ex-Necrophagist's Romain Goulon) reveal a bunch of fresh details surrounding the upcoming new album "Firescorched," including cover artwork, track-listing and release date.

"Firescorched" will be released via the band's new label home Agonia Records on May 20th, 2022. A new digital single titled "Finger Food" is planned to be revealed on February 18th, alongside a list of available album formats. Pre-orders are scheduled to be open at the same time.

Cover artwork by Paolo Puppo

1. Accabadora
2. Fleshbound
3. Finger Food
4. Burial of a Clown
5. Loa
6. Aggression/Regression
7. Three Mothers and the Old Devil Father
8. Trauma (Impaired Mind Functionality)
9. Firescorched
10. Rerek *
11. Accabadora (Atitai)*

*Box CD bonus tracks

"Firescorched" is the fastest, highly experimental and most extreme album of Sadist's career. The songs are fresh, embrace blast beats and give away a horror vibe, in combination with gloomy and anguished lyrics. The band's adventurous style, featuring jazz and Middle-Eastern influences, pierces through a veil of progressive death metal that cloaks nine new compositions (eleven, if counting two bonus songs). The album was recorded, mixed and mastered by Tommy Talamanca at Nadir Music Studios in Genoa (Italy) with artwork design by Paolo Puppo.

Talamanca comments on the album:-

"Firescorched can be described as Sadist 2.0. It's not a real concept album in the classical meaning of the word, despite the fact that most of the lyrics are somehow connected. Some of them are real horror stories, and the whole album sounds really creepy. We all love the cover artwork, which adds to that feeling."

Sadist started out in the early nineties, having emerged from Genoa in Italy. The band went ahead of its time, with an adventurous take on the then-developing progressive death metal subgenre. Its presence was firmly established through an unmistakable style, detectable since the debut instalment "Above The Light" from 1993, as well as following albums: "Tribe" (1995) and "Crust" (1997).

After the release of "Lego" (2000), which brought about a temporary shift towards the avant-garde / core spectrum of the genre, Sadist went on a hiatus. The band returned to its proven sonic formula in 2005, having put out four studio albums since, and continues to maintain its epic take on death metal, featuring jazz and Middle-Eastern elements.

Sadist played before huge crowds as a support act and opener for such iconic bands as Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Slayer or Motorhead, guesting at Olympic stadiums and gaining exposure at high-profile metal festivals as Wacken Open Air (1998), Gods Of Metal (2006 & 2010) or Hellfest (2010). The most recent trek took place in 2019, when the band toured Europe with I Am Morbid, Vital Remains and Atrocity.

Line-up:

Trevor Sadist - vocals
Tommy Talamanca - guitar, keyboards
Jeroen Paul Thesseling - bass (Obscura, ex-Pestilence).
Romain Goulon - drums (ex-Necrophagist, ex-Benighted)

SADIST on-line:

Website: http://www.sadist.it
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sadstofficial/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/sadist_progdeathmetalband
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/Sadistribe
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3dmVTaRcdhzAJR0FOvKCDt

Agonia Records:

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: http://youtube.com/AgoniaRec

Global Metal Apocalypse (GMA) Awards 2021 - Metal Release Of The Year (by country / territory)

8/1/2022

So we now know who the winners of the GMA Awards 2021 were, but to wrap up the event in it's entirety and bid farewell to 2021 and usher in 2022, we must turn to the last bunch of awards - 'Metal Release By Country / Area'.

Usually these would include the flag of the band's nation, but given the events in Afghanistan this year among other political turmoil, I felt it would be prudent to forgo any flags and just list the winners.... so without further ado here are the....

'METAL RELEASE OF THE YEAR'
BY COUNTRY / AREA

AFGHANISTAN

Almach
"Dream Elegy"

ALBANIA

Bloody Skies
"2021 Demo"

ALGERIA

Jugulator
"Under The Verdict"

ANDORRA

Dilaghran
"The Search For
The Dark Star"

ANGOLA

Dor Fantasma
"Ovimbundu"

ARGENTINA

Cernunnos
"Capricornvs"

ARMENIA

Ildaruni
"Beyond Unseen Gateways"

AUSTRALIA

ENDVS
"Cessation"

AUSTRIA

Nemoreus
"Arnea"

AZERBAIJAN

Hoar Demigod
"Drѐma"

BANGLADESH

Kaal Akuma
"In The Mouth Of Madness"

BELARUS

Massen
"Contraesthetic"

BELGIUM

Kerbeross
"Servants"

BELIZE

Black Serpent Ritual
"Bestial Incantations"

BOLIVIA

Indignacion
"Amuyta Lakharu"

BOSNIA - HERZEGOVINA

Necrophilisma
"Underground Celebration"

BRAZIL

Cerberus Attack
"Abyss Of Lost Souls"

BULGARIA

Metalwings
"A Whole New Land"

CHINA

Twilight Blooming
"暮色绽放 Twilight Blooming"

CROATIA

Act Of Denial
"Negative"

CZECHIA

Cycles Of Revocation
"Predestination"

ECUADOR

Genoxida
"Capítulo 1: Repugnante Negocio Del Terror"

ENGLAND

Ghosts Of Atlantis
"3/6/2/4"

FALKLAND ISLANDS

Bloodrust
"A Legacy Of Vengeance"

GEORGIA

Warsarius
"Lullabies Of Mountain Beasts"

GREECE

Silent Winter
"Empire Of Sins"

HONDURAS

Abaddon
"Regnum"

ICELAND

Mannveira
"Vítahringur"

IRAN

Thy Dispraise
"Lost Era"

ISLE OF MAN

Aeons
"Consequences"

JAPAN

Serenity In Murder
"Reborn"

KYRGYZSTAN

Icewind
"Midnight Bloody Dances"

LIECHTENSTEIN

Flashtrack
"Deluson"

MADAGASCAR

Ortho'doxs
"Te Ho Ngeza"

MALDIVES

Fini
"Cold In Our Hearts"

MOLDOVA

Cerebral Attack
"Sub Cultura Urii"

MOROCCO

All
"Mørk Voix"

NEW ZEALAND

Scorn Of Creation
"Annihilation Cult"

NORTH MACEDONIA

Drioma
"Plethora"

PAKISTAN

Blackhour
"Woh Jahan"

PERU

Indoraza
"Todas Las Sangres"

PORTUGAL

Inhuman Architects
"Paradoxus"

RUSSIA

In Vision
"In Vision"

SERBIA

Claymorean
"Eulogy For The Gods"

SLOVENIA

Dethrone The Corrupted
"The Amygdaloid Decay"

SPAIN

Violblast
"Lazarus Abandoned"

SWEDEN

Orecus
"The Obliterationist"

TAIWAN

Dharma
"Bhaisajyaguru"

TUNISIA

Nawather
"Kenz Illusion"

UGANDA

Mehul Kanani
"Legacy"

UNITED STATES

Seraph In Travail
"A Black Death Incense"

CANADA

Concrete Funeral
"Covered in Concrete"

COLOMBIA

Snowblind
"Breakin' Out"

CUBA

From The Abyss
"Chaos Supremacy"

DENMARK

Nothing Noble
"Modern Dismay"

EGYPT

Crescent
"Carving The Fires Of Akhet"

ESTONIA

Kõdu
"Unusta Kõik"

FINLAND

Korpiklaani
"Jylhä"

GERMANY

Daily Insanity
"Chronicles Of War"

GUATEMALA

Deipnosophist
"The Utopian"

HONG KONG

CharmCharmChu (慘慘豬)
"Last Breath"

INDIA

Bloodkill
"Throne Of Control"

IRAQ

Rabeen
"Ereshkigal"

ISRAEL

Her Last Sight
"Mirrors"

JORDAN

Bouq
"Monument Of Reclamation"

LATVIA

Varang Nord
"Pārķiuņa Uomurs"

LITHUANIA

Magyla
"Tebūnie Tamsa"

MALAWI

Blessings Chisama
"Universe"

MALTA

Carnivorous Horde
"Slaughtered Uprising"

MONGOLIA

Karmantic
"Lethality"

NETHERLANDS

Epica
"Omega"

NICARAGUA

Vomitosis
"Necrosadismo"

NORWAY

Nordjevel
"Fenriir"

PANAMA

Myria
"Mankind / Obsolete"

PHILIPPINES

Cerebral Depravity
"Decades Of Suffering"

PUERTO RICO

Kranio
"Revolutionary Sacrifices"

SAN MARINO

Hybrid Practice
"Realignment"

SINGAPORE

Krusnix
"The Constitutional Sacrifice"

SOUTH AFRICA

The Iridium Experiment
"Hero.Villain.Victim"

SRI LANKA

Luciferianometh
"The Order Of Satan's Rage"

SWITZERLAND

Excoriated
"Violent Reality"

TAJIKISTAN

Deep Inside Us
"Untitled 2021 Demo"

TURKEY

Sabhankra
"Death To Traitors"

UKRAINE

Brilliant Coldness
"The Ultimate Dream. Plan B: Disposal Of Humanity"

URUGUAY

Kreeper
"Belong To Hell"

CHILE

In Asymmetry
"Ashes Of Dead Worlds"

COSTA RICA

Coveted
"Annihilation Of Mankind"

CYPRUS

Dragonbreath
"The Awakening"

DOMINICAN
REPUBLIC

Batu
"Vol. 4: Toxicolandia"

EL SALVADOR

Apes Of God
"En El Recinto De La Tempestad"

ETHIOPIA

Nishaiar
"Nahaxar"

FRANCE

Sol Draconi Septem
"Hyperion"

GIBRALTAR

Angelwings
"Primordium"

GUERNSEY

From Darkness
"From Darkness"

HUNGARY

Beneath The Void
"...into Oblivion"

INDONESIA

Orbital Element
"Celestials Damage"

IRELAND

Hashmaker
"Attack Of The 50ft Lobsters"

ITALY

Winterage
"The Inheritance Of Beauty"

KAZAKHSTAN

Nuclear Angels
"Gurus Of Destruction"

LEBANON

Turbulence
"Frontal"

LUXEMBOURG

Scarred
"Scarred"

MALAYSIA

Thrashit
"Chaos Of Fear"

MEXICO

Becoming The Entity
"Beyond Cygnus"

MONTENEGRO

Violent Drunks
"Alkobot"

NEW CALEDONIA

Pascal Allaigre
"On Fire"

NORTHERN IRELAND

Ravenlight
"Intermission"

ORKNEY ISLANDS

Electric Mother
"II"

PARAGUAY

Lucifer's Children
"Signs Of Saturn"

POLAND

Moanaa
"Embers"

ROMANIA

Flaming Skies
"Empire Of Glass"

SCOTLAND

Robot Death Monkey
"Druid Odyssey"

SLOVAKIA

Machina Baphometa
"Shame Of The Proud Angel"

SOUTH KOREA

Epicsode
"A Common Theories"

SURINAME

Brutal Black
"Prelude To The Apocalypse"

SYRIA

Maysaloon
"A Lip To Earth, A Lip To Heaven & A Tongue To The Stars"

THAILAND

Black 'Ciety
"Punishment In The World To Come"

TURKMENISTAN

Duvel
"..."

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Tabernacle
"Terror in Thrace"

UZBEKISTAN

The Only Survivor
"The Birth Of Anger"

VENEZUELA

Living Decomposition
"Internal Defragmentation"

WALES

Kong Lives
"Thy Kingdom Kong"

VIETNAM

God Father
"Lột Xác"

ZIMBABWE

Nuclear Winter
"Greystone"

Global Metal Apocalypse (GMA) Awards 2021 - The Results

8/1/2022

The votes are in, have been counted, vetted and verified.
So without further ado, we present the winners of the
2021 Global Metal Apocalypse (GMA) awards.

All categories except "Release Of The Year"
came with an 'other' option.

See you in December 2022

Release Of The Year

IRON MAIDEN - SENJUTSU

Global Metal Release Of The Year

SOULMASTER (NICARAGUA)
WARRIOR OF LIGHT

Breakthrough African Band

CATHARSIS (EGYPT)

Breakthrough Asian Band

OVERLORD (BANGLADESH)

Breakthrough European Band

GHOSTS OF ATLANTIS (ENGLAND)

Breakthrough North & Central American Band

FLESHTORTURE (NICARAGUA)

Breakthrough Oceanian Band

ABYSMIA (HAWAII)

Breakthrough South American Band

ALTARS OF REBELLION (COLOMBIA)

Breakthrough UK Band

BEYOND EXTINCTION (ESSEX)
&
GHOSTS OF ATLANTIS (ESSEX / SUFFOLK)

Breakthrough International Band

BLIND CHANNEL (FINLAND)

Music Video Of The Year

Cradle Of Filth - Necromantic Fantasies

Italian cosmic power metal Vanderlust rockets first single into outer space

15/12/2021

Rockshots Records is proud to announce their signing of cosmic metallers Vanderlust (ft. members of S91, Dreal) for the release of their self-titled debut. Birthed to travel the cosmos, Italy's Vanderlust is a power-heavy metal band with prog-thrash influences that tells tales of space travels, astronomy, space engineering, and sci-fi adventures.

The band comments:-

"We tried to mix a prog-thrashy riffing in the roots of Megadeth, Vektor and Tool with epic vocal parts like Iron Maiden, Helloween, Angra, and Lione’s Rhapsody. We also put sci-fi elements in our songs, so you can hear also something from Voivod."

This debut recording is like a stellar system with 12 different planets. The star at the centre of the system represents the heavy-power metal around all the songs revolving. Despite all the tracks being irradiated by the same light, they are all different from each other. Vanderlust has fast thrash, slow and doom, shiny and brilliant to grunge, and darker songs. Like planets, which appear like simple small bright spots, but in reality, are all big worlds, Vanderlust's songs are more complex than they sound at first listen.

In fact, you can easily sing along to some of the choruses even if there are complex riffs in the background. Vanderlust is particularly proud of the participation of opera singer Letizia Cappellini who does vocals on select tracks and helps the band further expand the vocal register of their compositions. The band also adds the presence of synths and electronic elements to the compositions to set the sci-fi mood of the lyrics.

The band says that...

"The main goal was to start a metal band that could be an inspiration for young people, a band that could tell them stories from the future when mankind will have overcome its limits and the solar system will be an entire human colony. This idea came to mind to founding members Francesco and Santo when they began their search for other members that could fit. Drummer Giacomo Mezzetti joined the space odyssey right before the covid-19 outbreak. Vocalist Riccardo Morello joined the band during the first lockdown in Italy, so the first song was entirely composed online, using videocalls and file sharing."

Now, the band unveils their first single "Scavengers of Kuiper Belt", which they explain its story in further detail:

"In the Vanderlust Universe, The Scavengers are the employees of a large corporation that operates on many planets and colonies throughout the solar system. Their story begins in the 21st century when their main task was to capture all the space debris in Earth's orbit. Due to the particular business organization and the bizarre recruiting rules, the company turned into a sort of tribe during the centuries. The importance of the Scavengers got bigger and bigger and, at the time of our story, they perform several important tasks, including fathoming the Kuiper belt in search of Ices (large orbiting frozen objects from which extract energy and precious materials).

The main characters of our story are two scavengers during a typical working day. To alleviate the boredom of the day they decide to start a competition to find the most profitable Ice in the shortest time. But suddenly, here's something they've never seen... A really strange object, a very precious object... very precious... can I see it? Today it's my birthday... maybe you should give it to me...

Do you feel like you've heard this story before? Yup! It's the story of Smeagol and Deagol ... transposed into space!"

"Scavengers Of Kuiper Belt" is a speed-power metal song in the vein of Blind Guardian style, fast and powerful. It has some technical sections (especially in the midsection). The singing is heavier and mighty, along with some thrashy riffs, a soft-fusion bridge, and a prog-thrash ending.

Listen to "Scavengers of Kuiper Belt" at the following links:

YouTube: https://youtu.be/d4jsI-cqOkI
Digital - https://bfan.link/scavengers-of-kuiper-belt

For their live aspect, Vanderlust is currently working hard to create a thrilling spectacle, giving all their energy to the fans and letting them join them on the space journey. Vanderlust is recommended for fans of Iron Maiden, Angra, Tool, Helloween, and Vektor.

Italian glam / hair metallers Reckless sign with Sneakout Records

14/12/2021

Sneakout Records & Burning Minds Music Group are glad to announce the signing of Italian hair metallers, Reckless, for the release of their new album "T.M.T.T.80".

Reckless were born in Vicenza in 2005 with the aim of being a tribute to the most famous glam / sleaze acts of the 80's, playing covers of Cinderella, Mötley Crüe, W.A.S.P., Britny Fox and Poison. Thanks to a great stage presence, the help of two female dancers and some spectacular scenic effects, the band immediately gains popularity in the local circuit.

A.T. Rooster, engaged in the double role of singer and bassist, is part of this first incarnation of the band. At this time, Reckless record a demo with some covers, and continue the live activity by sharing the stage with artists such as Steeve Jaimz (Tigertailz), Vains Of Jenna, BlackRain, L.A. Guns, Sister and FrenchKiss. In 2010 guitarist Dany Rockett and drummer Mikki Mixx officially join the group. The first self-titled album, featuring 7 original songs, sees the light of the day in the same year.

Despite several line-up changes, in May 2015 the new work "Too Glam To Die" is released, giving the band the opportunity to receive positive feedback from specialized press and fans. In 2017 guitarist Alex Jawbone and bassist Jack Chevy are officially on board: this move allows A.T. Rooster to focus exclusively on the vocals. After several years spent playing on different stages and composing new songs, in 2021 Reckless has a stable and well-established line-up, a brand new record and a contract signed with Sneakout Records / Burning Minds Music Group.

More info about "T.M.T.T.80" official release date, final track list and cover artwork will be revealed in the forthcoming weeks.