Finland’s violent-pop crew Blind Channel have announced their highly anticipated new album "Lifestyles Of The Sick & Dangerous". The band's fourth studio album including their current singles ‘Dark Side’, ‘Balboa’ and ‘We Are No Saints’ will be released on July 8th via Century Media Records. The record will be available on CD, different vinyl versions as well as on all digital platforms. The presale has officially started here. Regarding the album the band say:- “This album is a memento of the toughest, yet the best couple of years in our lives. We captured the ups and downs, ranging from the point of breaking down to finally blowing up. We wouldn’t change a note. Come witness the Lifestyles Of The Sick & Dangerous.” The album will be released in the following formats; some being Finland-exclusives available through LEVYKAUPPA:-
UK HEADLINE TOUR DATES
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Formed in 2014, Once Human have steadily established themselves as one of the most distinctive and destructive metal bands of the modern era. Founded by guitarist Logan Mader (ex-Machine Head) and vocalist Lauren Hart, the LA-based quintet have had noses to the grindstone throughout their existence, exhibiting a tireless dedication to live performance and a meticulous approach to capturing their crushing anthems for posterity. Over the course of two full-length albums – 2015’s widely hailed debut The Life I Remember, and 2017’s conceptual tour-de-force Evolution – Once Human have pursued a militantly individual path, eschewing contemporary cliché in favour of a versatile and sinewy new strain of brutal but accessible metal, with Lauren’s coruscating vocals providing an endlessly emotive and humane focal point. Four years on from their last album, Once Human are primed and ready to launch a fresh assault on hearts and ears. With a line-up completed by long-time bassist Damien Rainaud, drummer Dillon Trollope and second guitarist (and now chief riff-writer) Max Karon, the band have mutated into an even more devastating beast, as demonstrated with face-ripping aplomb on new album Scar Weaver. Logan Mader comments:- “It was not an easy path to reach this point, I’ll tell you that. The original masterplan for the band was really passion-project driven. The first two albums, we were still finding our way. Where we’re at now is with a really strong posture and by far the best album we’ve done. Over the years we’ve done a lot of groundwork and some smaller tours, just grinding things out, sometimes even in a DIY fashion. But now we have legit team around us, the band is firing on all cylinders and everything seems to be lining up this time.” Pieced together over the last two years, Scar Weaver represents a massive step forward for Once Human. Blessed (or perhaps cursed) with plenty of additional time during the last year’s lockdown situation, the band have been able to refine and redefine their sound, inspired by a sudden creative surge from latest recruit, Max Karon. The result is an gloriously idiosyncratic modern metal record, with Lauren Hart’s career-best vocal performance 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. Logan adds that:- “I always had a tremendous amount of belief in Lauren’s ability to be a legit frontwoman, but when this began she was new, and so there was a lot of development to happen over time. She’s really blossomed. She’s grown a lot as a vocalist, a performer and a lyricist through all of this.” Lauren comments:- “Vocally, I’ve changed a lot since the last record. My screams got lower and the cleans became stronger. I’ve become much more comfortable with clean singing through touring with (US power metal legends) Kamelot, because they really pushed me to do that. I’ve learned a lot about my voice since then. But a lot of this starts with Max’s melodies, and sometimes I felt like it would be cheating to just growl over these amazing pieces of music, and it’d be so much better to do something that complements it. So sometimes the growls have melody too!” As its title suggests, Scar Weaver is an album that brims and bulges with notions of pain, trauma and darkness. Lauren has once again penned a stunning collection of emotionally raw diatribes, but in contrast to Evolution’s overriding concept, the new record takes a more scattershot approach, reflecting the chaos of the modern world along the way. From visceral opener "Eidolon" to the corrosive claustrophobia of the closing "Only In Death," all human life is alive and screaming on Scar Weaver. Lauren admits that:- “The songs are all really individual. One of them is about blood diamonds. 'Deadlock' is about the politics of everything that’s going on. A lot of them toy with my philosophy of death and all of that. But in comparison to Evolution, because of the energy of the world, these lyrics have a much more dire tone. Evolution was more triumphant, because I wanted people to feel uplifted. I really tried with this album to be positive, but then I’d look at what I’d written and it was a downer! I guess the energy of the world right now helped me to write those lyrics.” One instant highlight of the new Once Human record is preview single "Deadlock," featuring a typically imperious vocal cameo from Machine Head’s Robb Flynn. Logan Mader’s history with Machine Head is well documented, not least in recent times when he toured the globe with Robb for the Bay Area band’s Burn My Eyes 25th Anniversary Tour. As a result, this new collaboration needs no explanation, but Lauren remains thrilled by the whole experience. “It was absolutely amazing, are you kidding?” she grins. “I didn’t believe it was happening until he sent something back and I heard his voice on our song. I was like, ‘Holy crap! This is real!’ He came back with a new chorus and it was so much better than mine, so my chorus was gone! [Laughs] But then performing with him in the video, that was insane. The energy he brings on stage, he brings in person too. It was a great experience and his energy is so powerful. The video came out amazing!” As the world begins to open back up, Once Human, fresh off Cradle of Filth's Lustmord and Tourgasm tour, are in the strongest position of their careers so far. Scar Weaver is a manifestly superior piece of work, with countless unforgettable hooks, riffs and moments of warped savagery (if the riff at the end of "Deserted" doesn’t make you want to run through a brick wall, check your pulse!) colliding to create a record of true originality and rare intensity. “We’ve gotten through so many things along the way, we’re in a really strong place,” Logan avows. “Nothing can fuck us up now. That’s an important factor in this band – that internal energy.” The perfect, invigorating antidote to the state of stasis that we’ve all endured over the last two years, Scar Weaver is the sound of a great band becoming greater, hitting their stride and discovering new levels of power, passion and punch in the process. As the world begins to open its doors once more, Once Human are fully equipped to launch their biggest and most life-affirming assault on the world’s senses. “We have an amazing record, we’re ready to crush it, we have a really good chemistry between all of us,” says Logan. “We’re really good friends, and that’s really important. I think you can feel that when you see us onstage, like, ‘These guys are actually happy to be here and they like each other!’ That’s a bonus. It doesn’t have to be like that. But luckily we have a really cool, strong bond. It’s so important for us to get out there and connect with people in a real life environment.” Members:
ONCE HUMAN online:
The Algorithm blends his signature glitched out electronics and strong percussion with haunting synths and heavy guitars in his newest single "Cryptographic Memory", which is available now from the independent multi-genre label FiXT.
The Algorithm's previous album Brute Force, released in 2016 by FiXT, received prominent sales and streaming success. Apparently, I have to write something here so people have an idea of who I am. Well. My name's Rémi Gallego, I'm French, I'm 26 years old, I live in Köln (Germany) and I'm mostly known for my award-winning electronic producer name 'The Algorithm'. So, what happened? It aaaall started during a rainy night on the first full moon of the month, a cold breeze ran into my neck as I was drinking a fine Bordeaux in front of a fireplace. Well, yeah, ok, not exactly like that. I was born in Perpignan in 1989, I had a happy, normal, childhood listening to Daft Punk and Iron Maiden while studying science and guitar. I played in a few metal bands (Sons Of Chaos, Dying Breath, Floating Wood) but quit them all as I chose to focus on my study in networks and computer science. I shortly missed playing music and this is when I began to cultivate my interest about music sequencing and computer music in general. I started the project The Algorithm in 2009 on Myspace, and my inspirations at the time were mostly driven by a need for controlled chaos and randomness. 2 years and 2 demos later, I played my first live show at Euroblast Festival using a single midi controller APC40 and I initiated a label contract with Basick Records, which led to the release of the debut album Polymorphic Code in November 2012. I met Mike Malyan, drummer from Monuments, at the same period and we played our first live show together in February 2013 at the Camden Barfly. While progressively playing more shows more often in Europe, Australia (Big Day Out), Japan, Nepal, Israel, and many other countries. I also wrote music for the world's biggest sports TV channel ESPN, video games like Super Mutant Alien Assault or Hacknet, produced a lot of remixes of bands like Born of Osiris, Igorrr or Daft Punk, and helped shape the production value of musician and bands all around the world. After the release of the second full album Octopus4 in June 2014, Jean Ferry from Uneven Structure replaced Mike Malyan on drums, I got endorsed by Keith McMillen, Line 6 and I picked up an Aristides guitar, all of this with a general goal to bring more musicianship and humanity to the mechanism of the computer music of the future. In 2016 I joined Celldweller's label FiXT and released my third full length album Brute Force in April. This was followed by tours in Europe, Canada, and China as well as Festival shows at Graspop Metal Meeting, Brutal Assault, and many others. End of 2016 and early 2017 Brute Force got two DLC expansions with the titles Brute Force: Overclock and Brute Force: Source Code. These DLC are a journey through the dark and warm corners of the Brute Force concept. Writing an album with a consistent atmosphere sometimes means some ideas have to be left off or just cannot be exploited to their fullest. More than a collection of tracks that didn't make it on the album, these EPs are an extension, another perspective on the Brute Force story. The story continues... Finnish modern 'violent pop' metallers Blind Channel release new single 'We Are No Saints'13/11/2021 Finland´s hottest rock / metal act Blind Channel have released their new single ‘We Are No Saints’. The track is another instalment of the band’s very own brand of ‘Violent-Pop’, with explosive guitars and furious beatdowns alongside huge anthemic choruses emphasising the songs theme of identity. It comes with a stunning music video produced by No-Office films, which went live yesterday at 6PM UK / 7PM CET / 1PM ET HERE. The band comments:- “After our recent breakthrough, we faced a lot of demands from the music industry, the people around us and even from the government. All eyes on us, and not everybody’s happy with us shaking cages - musically or otherwise. Some people want us to be something we’re not in order to fit the concept of role models - national heroes. This song is our answer to those demands. We are a lot of things, but we are no saints.” The new single follows the release of ‘Balboa’, and the powerful Eurovision predecessor ’Dark Side’, which now has more than 42 million streams to date The band have also confirmed they are going to share the stage with German metalcore band Eskimo Callboy and join their 2022 European Hypa Hypa tour, which includes a UK show at London’s Electric Ballroom on 19th January. You can find all tour dates here. Blind Channel were formed in 2013 in the city of Oulu, way up in the North of Finland, by a group of five talented, determined and ambitious friends – vocalists Joel Hokka and Niko Vilheim, drummer Tommi Lalli, guitarist Joonas Porko and bass player Olli Matela. This five some has stuck together to this day, in the spirit of the 2018 sophomore album Blood Brothers, each of them collectively responsible for the song writing. Last year saw the addition of a new member, as long time friend Alex Mattson joined to play keyboard, samples and percussion and completes the current line up. Following the release of their 2020 album Violent Pop, ‘We Are No Saints’ is the band’s latest taste of music from an upcoming album due for release next year, which sees them working with renowned UK producer Dan Lancaster (Blink 182, Bring Me The Horizon, Don Broco). https://www.blindchannelofficial.com/ https://www.instagram.com/blindchannel/ https://www.tiktok.com/@blindchannel https://www.facebook.com/BlindChannelBand Australian modern prog metallers Ironstone unveil music video for new single "Mr.Struggle"30/10/2021 Ironstone have released their new single ‘Mr. Struggle’, the first since releasing their debut EP ‘Prophecy’ last year. The video had its world premiere yesterday at metal.de. Navigating through difficult emotions, ‘Mr. Struggle’ is the story of a man who cannot cope with a manipulative relationship. Unequipped to deal with the psychological abuse, he pleads for relief before eventually coming unravelled. The lyrics touch upon the idea that when it comes to emotional games, it’s not always a level playing field. This paints the picture of someone who struggles with more intense emotions and especially needs a degree of allowance and understanding. Mr. Struggle is definitely a step in a more progressive direction for the band. With ambient sections and melodic vocals through to breakdowns, heavy percussive guitars, technical drumming and extreme vocals, the band uses everything at their disposal to evoke drama and tell a compelling story of pain and vulnerability. The release is accompanied by a music video, shot over a long period in between COVID lockdowns. It shows Mr. Struggle desperately trying to hide the situation in front of friends, versus the reality of what’s going on behind closed doors. In the end he breaks, and the story takes a very dark turn. "It’s definitely our most ambitious video project yet, and the first time we’ve ventured away from just performance footage. We really wanted to tell a story with this video" says the band. Mr. Struggle was mixed by Chris Themelco and mastered by Acle Kahney (TesseracT) Ironstone are:
Ironstone is a progressive metal band from Bendigo, Australia. Influenced by a range of modern metal genres, their music features a blend of clean and distorted vocals, djent-driven riffs and breakdowns, atmospheric layers, and technical rhythm. The result is a contemporary metal sound that is sophisticated, melodic, and hard-hitting. https://www.facebook.com/ironstone.official Austrian metallers Teardown have set January 2022 as the international release date for their debut EP! Now the band has released their second single / lyric video for "Haunting Circle", which is available on all major streaming platforms (e.g. Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube) and can be found here: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/teardown/haunting-circle "Haunting Circle" is a faster paced and shorter track of the upcoming EP. "The song is about a person who is overwhelmed by life itself and has difficulty dealing with daily challenges, while being at the lowest point they can mentally be. Just like being in a circle where you cant get out. But just as there is an absolute low, there are also highs, and those highs have to be enough to get through all of it, even if it seems hopeless and impossible at first, sometimes it's the only chance to get through. These lyrics should show that we never know how even the smallest thing can affect a person. Not everyone deals with certain problems in the same way and certainly not everyone is strong enough to overcome these situations on their own." They say that the best way to create space for the new is to dismantle the old. This sentiment rings true for Austrian metal band Teardown, who collectively use music as a pressure release valve to escape from the social constructs of what passes as "acceptable". Consisting of founding members Dominik Windisch and Nikolaus Rothmund (guitarists), they have now been joined by Barbaros Teker (vocalist) and Markus Winkler (bassist). After the recordings of the EP drummer Mathias Unterberger had to leave the band due to a lack of time because of personal changes. Having all grown up in Vorarlberg, a region where metal remains a largely underground endeavour, the band offers a place of complete escapism for each member and is reflected in the passion they portray throughout their music. Influenced by the likes of Metallica, Iron Maiden, Trivium, Linkin Park, and Gojira, Teardown's eclectic approach to metal has resulted in diverse and distinguishable pieces of music that offer moments of familiarity as well as splashes of surprise. Energetic, aggressive, and high-octane verses effortlessly are contrasted with supporting choruses and rugged instrumental segments, all of which glue together to form an undeniable sense of groove. Lyrically, Teardown's songs deal with both social and personal topics, always leaving room for interpretation from a listening perspective. With live music adding an element that guarantees a further intensification of the band's emotion, Teardown are now intent on sharing their latest material with the world. 2021 is shaping up to be a big year for Teardown, with the release of their Debut Single and the following 'Teardown EP' release in Q1 of 2022, which will also feature a collaboration with local rap artist Jherip. www.teardown.band facebook.com/BandTeardown twitter.com/BandTeardown https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCut8pAAX_HLbIL6XnwbmVxw https://www.instagram.com/teardownband https://teardown.bandcamp.com 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: 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:
It's finally here, and transgresses borders of all imagination! Ukrainian modern metal giants Jinjer have only just released one of the most anticipated metal albums of the year on August 27, entitled Wallflowers, and are already breaking the charts worldwide with the game-changing fourth offering. Wallflowers, the successor of their critically acclaimed third album Macro, is currently ranked at #7 on the German charts – marking their highest position in Germany so far – in addition to entering at #5 on the official UK Rock & Metal Album Charts. Plus, the band entered both the US Billboard Top New Artist Albums chart and Canada’s Hard Music Albums chart at #1, in addition to landing at #2 on the US Current Hard Music Albums chart and scoring several other top positions. Wallflowers has also gone on to gather numerous top spots in several other international territories. See all chart entries of this modern metal manifestation below. Eugene on the new album: “Growing creatively has always been a major goal for us. The day JINJER stops reaching for new musical horizons will be our last day as a band. We could have churned out what our peers expected us to do, or produce ‘Pisces’ clones without end, but we’ve never done that and we never will. Instead, we wrote an album whose level of emotions range from the fiercest aggression we’ve ever had, to the most intricate melodies and melancholic vibes you could ever get from our music. We decided to rip apart all possible stylistic boundaries without regard to financial success or competing with our previous albums. Wallflowers is a different kind of album musically and visually. It’s about our identity as a band, as individuals and a clear statement that we are different from most artists… and that it is OK to do your own thing.” Get your copy of Wallflowers NOW JINJER is:
Spanish modern melodic death metal outfit SynlakrosS have just released a new music video in the live session format, with the song 'Okami', included in their new album “0K4M1” which was released internationally last April through Blood Blast Distribution (Nuclear Blast). Check it out here:- https://youtu.be/EWO0nOe0U1w Being a thematic album, each song tells us a moment in the life of the half-human, half-alien creature called 0K4M1. This song, 'Okami', tells us the story that takes place when 0K4M1 reaches maturity and they begin to worship him as a god. The god of death. They start calling it Okami, which means wolf in Japanese, due to its fierceness and ability to kill. The video was produced and recorded by Guillem Sampedro at Novo Estudios, the same place where the band recorded this album; recorded and produced by Facundo Novo. Soon they'll release a new live session, with the song 'Stardust', included in the new album “0K4M1”
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