Spanish Symphonic Power Metal band Phoenix Rising have signed a licensing deal with Wormholedeath for the album "Acta Est Fabula", due for digital release on 23 07 2021. More info about the physical CD coming soon! “Acta Est Fabula” is the 4th release from Phoenix Rising and it features songs that are a balanced combination of aggressive drums, shredding guitars, epic orchestrations, powerful vocals and catchy chorus. Phoenix Rising have stepped up their game even more on this new album and the level of detail in the production, mixing and composition. “Acta Est Fabula” is a concept album and the band have even written a short novel around the CD for a more complete and immersive experience. Influences for the Album: Rhapsody of Fire, Orden Ogan, Kamelot, Helloween, Brothers of Metal, Two Steps from Hell, Opera Magna, Amaranthe, Arion. Phoenix Rising was formed in 2007 under the name “Quinta Enmienda” but it was not until 2010 that the band released its debut album “Ne Bis In Idem”. The band toured intensively during the next couple of years and gained good reputation both from public and media. Their convincing performance in front of 5000 metalheads at Sonisphere festival finally got them signed to German label “Sonic Attack” and the band decided to change its name to “Phoenix Rising”. The second album, “MMXII”, was recorded both in English and Spanish language and it finally dropped in March, 2012. The album was distributed worldwide by “SPV” as a double CD and marvelous critics comparing them with world-class bands such as “Rhapsody” or “Sonata Arctica” don’t last to show up. As a result, later that year the band signed another deal with Japanese label Hydrant Music to release an exclusive version of the album containing several bonus tracks in Japan. In late 2013 Phoenix Rising entered the studio to record its third album, “Versus”, which was finally self-published in 2014.While musically speaking, the band kept the same formula acclaimed by the fans and media, lyrically speaking, the band focused more on life-struggle and life-death duality. The tour that followed “Versus” took the band to many new places, not only within Spain but to different cities in France and Belgium during the summer of 2016. After that, the band decided to take a long break from touring to focus in the writings for the upcoming album, “Acta Est Fabula” which aims to become the most ambitious of its career, combining epic orchestrations and choral sections with Phoenix Rising’s trademark of epic vocals and shredding guitars. The album was recorded at New Life Studios between 2018 and 2020 and was funded through a Verkami campaign. “Acta Est Fabula” was officially launched on March 26th, 2021. Band Line-up:
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Rockshots Records is proud to announce their latest signing of Aexylium for their new album "The Fifth Season" due out October 2021. Mixing traditional folk instruments (Flute, Violin, Bouzouki) with the modern symphonic metal, Aexylium's sophomore full length follows 2018's "Tales From This Land" (Underground Symphony Records) and their 2016 self-produced EP “The Blind Crow“. "Tales From This Land" has had over 110k streams on Spotify along with its powerful single "Revive the Village’ placing on the top 200 metal song charts in Germany on Apple Music. Aexylium has also released fan-praised covers of Game of Thrones and Vikings main themes with reinterpreted folk metal sounds. Since their inception in 2014, the Varese, Italy band has performed at renowned festivals in Europe such as Dumeltica International Music Festival, Montelago Celtic Festival, Malpaga Folk & Metal, Rock Inn Somma, Druidia and Strigarium along with sharing the stage with Elvenking, Wind Rose, Nervosa, Furor Gallico, Temperance and more. In August 2020, despite Covid restrictions, Aexylium was chosen by the city of Milan to perform at the historical Castello Sforzesco. Their new album "The Fifth Season" is a concrete step towards growth and musical maturity with its offering of festive ballads, tighter riffs, advanced orchestrations and heavier dark songs that are all inspired by Norse Mythology. The record also features guest vocals from Samuele Faulisi (Atlas Pain), Arianna Bellinaso and the members of Coro Facoltà di Musicologia Vocal Ensemble. The album was recorded at Twilight Studio by Davide Tavecchia with the artwork done by Yan Yrlund of Darkgrove Design (Manowar, Testament, Korpiklaani). The band adds: "We are very excited to start this collaboration with Rockshots Records. We think fans will be thrilled with this album; there are elaborate orchestrations, riffs and fun folk metal. Plus the addition of vocals from Arianna Bellinaso (Coro Facoltà di Musicologia Vocal Ensemble) and Samuele Faulisi add so much more! We definitely wanted to compose songs without setting limits in terms of composition, so each song will sound unique and different from one another." Album Details and first single to be revealed on July 20. Stay Tuned! Band Line Up:
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Italian symphonic metallers Eternal Silence will be releasing their new album "Timegate Anathema" on October 8, 2021 via Rockhots Records. Today, the band reveals the first single "Ancient Spirit", a heavy track that puts together new influences and sounds. Eternal Silence explains the song's concept in further detail:- "Born out of the mind of guitarist Enzo Criscuolo, this song is heavy in contents and atmosphere along with feeling spiritual with lyrics written by our bassist Alessio Sessa. The lake in the pantheistic form that assumes in the song, reveals its mystery and charm as if it was a sleeping God. Beneath the layer of forgetfulness where it lays, hidden like a gem and silent, is an ideal companion, present in every day of our lives and keeps secrets and deep thrusts in its depths, where few dare to look." Listen to "Ancient Spirit":
Recorded at The Groove Factory (Udine, Italy) and Line/Out Studio (Milano, Italy) with mixing and mastering by Michele Guaitoli (Visions of Atlantis, Temperance, Kaledon), "Timegate Anathema" will feature ten tracks of symphonic and power prog metal plus will see the band introduce new elements and experimentation into their sound. The album goes from power metal songs like "The Way Of Time" and "My Soul Sad Until Death" to heavy and dark ones like "Rain and Red Death Masquerade", passing through the catchy melodies of tracks like "Glide In The Air" and acoustic moments on "Lonely and Firefly". The main theme that inspired the album is the concept of Time. Formed in Varese, Italy in 2008, Eternal Silence combines powerful guitar riffs, a thunderous rhythmic section, catchy melodies, and bombastic orchestral tracks with the support of two vocalists, Marika Vanni and guitarist Alberto Cassina sharing the front stage. The band's current line-up is completed by Alessio Sessa (bass), Andrea Zannin (drums) and Enzo Criscuolo (guitarist). Since their formation, the band has unleashed three albums and two EPs. 2020's "Renegades" (EP), 2018's "Metamorphosis" (EP), and 2017's "Mastermind Tyranny" were released on Sliptrick Records, and their earlier full-lengths “Raw Poetry” (2013) and “Chasing Chimera” (2015) were released on Underground Symphony Records. Over the years, the band has been a consistent touring presence in Europe, performing in Germany, Switzerland, France, Czech Republic, Austria, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Italy, and Hungary along with being support for bands such as Temperance, Therion, Haggard, Sound Storm, Timo Kotipelto (Stratovarius) and Jani Liimatainen (Insomnium) Blackoustic. Eternal Silence is:
More info: Rockshots Records is proud to announce their latest signing of Italian symphonic metallers Eternal Silence for the release of their next album "Timegate Anathema" due out in October 2021. The band comments:- "We hope fans will be excited as we are for this new record. It is the most complete and refined album we made so far, and we think that the introduction of new elements and musical inspirations will attract new ones. We plan for it to be a heavy and romantic experience." Recorded at The Groove Factory (Udine, Italy) and Line/Out Studio (Milano, Italy) with mixing and mastering by Michele Guaitoli (Visions of Atlantis, Temperance, Kaledon), "Timegate Anathema" will feature ten tracks of symphonic and power progressive metal plus will see the band introduce new elements and experimentation into their sound. The album goes from power metal songs like "The Way Of Time" and "My Soul Sad Until Death" to heavy and dark ones like "Rain and Red Death Masquerade", passing through the catchy melodies of tracks like "Glide In The Air" and acoustic moments on "Lonely and Firefly". The main theme that inspired the album is the concept of Time. Bassist Alessio Sessa adds: "Time as the pace of life, time that gives a rhythm to the music, time as the nerve of existence, the ticking of a clock that brings back distant memories. The future developing through uncertainty and hope that flies on the wings of time. Time giving life to seasons, during which we struggle to give a sense to our hurry. The album's image is of time represented by the two-faces god Janus, the divinity that looks backward and forward, guardian of thresholds, passages, chances, and who holds the keys of the flow of events. Musically the album puts together a solid metal rhythmic section with real strings orchestra and a choir, which accompany the melodies by the duo vocalists." Formed in Varese, Italy in 2008, Eternal Silence combines powerful guitar riffs, a thunderous rhythmic section, catchy melodies, and bombastic orchestral tracks with the support of two vocalists, Marika Vanni and guitarist Alberto Cassina sharing the front stage. The band's current line-up is completed by Alessio Sessa (bass), Andrea Zannin (drums) and Enzo Criscuolo (guitarist). Since their formation, the band has unleashed three albums and two EPs. 2020's "Renegades" (EP), 2018's "Metamorphosis" (EP), and 2017's "Mastermind Tyranny" were released on Sliptrick Records, and their earlier full-lengths “Raw Poetry” (2013) and “Chasing Chimera” (2015) were released on Underground Symphony Records. Over the years, the band has been a consistent touring presence in Europe, performing in Germany, Switzerland, France, Czech Republic, Austria, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Italy, and Hungary along with being support for bands such as Temperance, Therion, Haggard, Sound Storm, Timo Kotipelto (Stratovarius) and Jani Liimatainen (Insomnium) Blackoustic. Eternal Silence is:
More info: Chthonic has revealed a second clip, “Oceanquake,” from symphonic extreme metal masters’ upcoming live album and video, Chthonic Megaport 2021, scheduled for release on May 19. Watch “Oceanquake” today, exclusively via Consequence of Sound at https://consequence.net/2021/05/heavy-culture-chthonic-freddy-lim-oceanquake-video-premiere/. “Oceanquake” features an appearance by Audrey Tang, a long-time Chthonic fan who currently holds the seat of Digital Minister in Taiwan's cabinet. “Audrey’s voice has been added with Machine Effect,” explains frontman Freddy Lim. “I’ve never known anybody’s voice that fit in so well with this kind of effect. It makes this Chthonic DrumNBass remix so unique!” Chthonic Megaport 2021 documents Chthonic’s return to the stage to headline Taiwan’s massive Megaport Festival. The release will be available digitally and as a special limited “anti-epidemic bundle” including a physical CD, Chthonic medical-quality mask, a Chthonic mask lanyard, large and small Chthonic mask containers and a small Chthonic spray can for sanitizer will be available. Pre-orders are available at https://ciongzo.com/en/product_detail.php?id=602. After making history by successfully managing the COVID-19 pandemic, Taiwan was able to move forward with the Megaport Festival, the first large-scale rock festival since the unprecedented global lockdown. Taking place March 27-28 in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, the festival featured more than 100 artists on 10 stages. Founded in 2006 by Chthonic’s Freddy Lim, who left the organizing team after being elected as a member of Taiwanese Parliament in 2016, Megaport Festival attracts tens of thousands of people every year, with this year’s festival selling out its 20,000 tickets within five minutes. While Taiwan is considered home of Austronesian peoples and a mystic island nation in the Orient, advanced technologies, modern cities, and upholding human rights and progressive values are also part of the image of Taiwan, and Chthonic gives the best interpretation of the contrasting images of the country. Chthonic's lyrics are inspired by Taiwanese mythology, folk stories and history, and the music incorporates elements of traditional Taiwanese folk music, enka and sorrowful melody from Taiwanese opera, accompanied by traditional Taiwanese musical instruments, such as hena, zheng - also known as "box zither"- and pgaku flute. Contemporary symphonic black metal, melodic death metal, blood-boiling riffs and solos are also integral parts of Chthonic's music. Several of Chthonic's albums have entered the In Taiwanese pop-music charts, and the band has been awarded the Golden Melody Award, the Taiwanese version of the Grammy Award. With exception of its earlier works, Chthonic's albums include Seediq Bale (2007), Mirror of Retribution (2009), Takasago Army (2011) and Bú-Tik (2013) were all released worldwide, with positive feedback from music critics. The band took on a lower profile with a reduced number of performances after Lim’s election into the Parliament in 2016, but they still released the album Battlefields of Asura in 2018, which won the Golden Melody Award for Best Band, as well as a number of other nominations. In 2019, Chthonic held a concert with a symphony orchestra in the square in front of Taiwan’s Presidential Office. It attracted 50,000 people, and its live video and audio was digitally released in 2020. From Fuji Rock and Summer Sonic in Japan to Ozzfest in the US, Bloodstock in the UK and WOA in Germany, Chthonic has performed at major music festivals around the world, and has had toured hundreds of shows in Europe, North America and Asia. The group has also worked with many internationally renowned artists, including Lamb Of God’s Randy Blythe, Trivium’s Matt Heafy, guitarist Marty Friedman, Japanese folk singer Hajime Chitose, and Hong Kong diva Dennise Ho. Chthonic online:-
Greek symphonic death metal outfit, Septicflesh, is proud to announce that guitarist and orchestral composer, Christos Antoniou, has been selected by the prestigious Berklee College Of Music to have four of his scores added to the music library. The orchestral arrangements for "Dark Art," "Enemy Of Truth," and "Portrait Of A Headless Man" from the band's tenth album, Codex Omega, and "The Vampire From Nazareth" from their eighth album The Great Mass is now available at the college. Septicflesh comments:- "We are very honoured to announce that Berklee College of Music, one of the most prestigious music schools in the world, has asked Christos Antoniou for various compositions from his orchestral scores to be included in their libraries." Stay tuned for more updates about the forthcoming album! Septicflesh are:
Eleine follow up their breakthrough album "Dancing In Hell", with the limited edition vinyl single "Die From Within", taken from the previous album. The single contains 4 tracks and besides from the album versions of "Die From Within", "The World We Knew" and the symphonic version of "Die From Within", this release also includes a symphonic version for "Story Untold" (from the album "Until The End"). The vinyl comes in three different colours, white/gold splatter, black / gold and regular black vinyl. To celebrate the release, the band has also made a music video for "Die From Within" here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=767JL3L6pO0 "The loss of someone leaves such silence, even if you're screaming from the top of your lungs and it feels like your insides are being ripped out. As time goes by, you slowly realize that life will never be the same again. It often feels like no-one understands the pain you‘re in, and that just makes everything so much worse. ”Die From Within” was born out of loss and depression. We all know what it‘s like when you take one step forward, and take two steps back when dealing with depression and grief. There are no words that instantly fix everything, but as you continue working on getting back to your daily life, you will get better little by little each passing day by finding the small things that comfort you and that keeps you pushing forward. Even if it feels impossible sometimes. ”Die From Within” is for our lost loved ones, and for all of our fans out there dealing with any form of depression. We see you, we're with you and we love you.” - Madeleine & Rikard Connect with ELEINE: www.eleine.com www.eleine.myshopify.com www.facebook.com/eleineofficial www.youtube.com/eleineofficial www.patreon.com/eleine www.songkick.com/artists/8769794-eleine Symphonic metal foursome Sirenia recently released its exquisite tenth studio album, Riddles, Ruins & Revelations, via Napalm Records. The 11-track offering draws the listener deep into a versatile symphonic metal vortex through combining heavy soundscapes with modern influences and showcases the multifaceted nature of the unit around mastermind, bandleader, multi-instrumentalist, composer, songwriter and producer Morten Veland. This is proven evident once more on their fourth single “This Curse Of Mine”. The song sets off with a fresh yet harsh riff attack and consecutive electronics, leading into a confident and strong vocal presentation of operatic vocalist Emmanuelle Zoldan, whilst unfolding all its magic in a memorable, grooving chorus. Morten Veland on “This Curse Of Mine”: “We are pleased to bring you a lyric video for the song 'This Curse Of Mine' taken from our brand new album Riddles, Ruins & Revelations. As touring is not an option these days we might as well be bringing you videos instead of shows. That being said, we really can't wait to see you all on tour again though. In the meantime, please enjoy 'This Curse Of Mine'. We hope you like it.” Watch the official lyric video for “This Curse Of Mine” HERE. Morten Veland on the album: "Riddles, Ruins & Revelations is Sirenia's tenth studio album. The album is very diverse, as a Sirenia album should be. There's a lot of material that shows the band from a new side, and there is lots of material that is to be expected from the band musically. All in all, the album will take listeners through a journey that will cover both familiar and unexplored musical landscapes. We hope that you will enjoy the journey.” Sirenia is:
Connect with Sirenia online: Bulgarian symphonic metallers Metalwings release music video for the song "Monster In The Mirror"16/3/2021 On December 23rd 2020, the Bulgarian symphonic metal band Metalwings released the first single from their new upcoming album and now they have released the music video for "Monster In The Mirror" (the single was mixed and mastered by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios), watch it here:- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBOaR4L_tQs&t=2s The music and lyrics are by Stela Atanasova, extreme vocals deliveredby guest musician Ivo Kalyonski! This song combines angelic and extreme vocals with the sound of heavy guitars, powerful symphonic parts, wonderful melodic lines, beautiful lyrics and dynamics that keep you in suspense until the last second of the song! Stela Atanasova also participated in the 'Women Rock Project'. This project was conceived by Jasper de Man for the Belgian YouTube channel Jasper to celebrate the International Women’s Day on March 8th 2021. From that day on he published the whole week, from Monday 8th till Friday 12th over 30 interviews and video compilations. The video from Stela was published on Friday March 12th and you can watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_QQVyxuofQ LINE-UP:
Belarusian Symphonic Metal duo Belle Morte have signed a deal with Wormholedeath for the release of their debut album "Crime Of Passion". Bella Morte shares their feelings: "We are extremely proud to share that we have signed with WormHoleDeath label, and our first full length album “Crime of Passion” will be released soon. This is a big step for us, as we’ve spent over 2 years crafting it track by track. Compared with our debut EP, “Crime of Passion” has a way darker sound and vibes and more complicated arrangements with multiple influences. We believe we’ve advanced musically, and signing with WormHoleDeath will help us reach more people. We are thrilled to become a part of the family and can’t wait to see how it goes!" And about the album: "The album is called “Crime of Passion’ and it’s inspired by John Fowles’s novel “The Collector”. It tells a coherent story which started as an unhealthy obsession and stalking and resulted in murder, both from the side of the murderer and his victim. The idea of having a full-length album appeared when we were working on the EP. We had enough material for it at that moment, but at the same time didn’t want to rush and really wanted it to be well-thought and professional, so it took us 2 years to complete it. In general “Crime of Passion” has a way darker sound and vibes, compared to our first EP “Game on”. The story we tell here doesn’t have a happy ending, so you are witnessing how the situation unfolds, getting more and more intense and having a tragic finale. Musically “Crime of Passion” has more complicated arrangements, a lot of djent/progressive and even some black metal elements and a very diverse material. For example, “Beauty meant to kill” doesn’t have guitars at all, relying heavily on powerful symphonic parts with electronic instruments and percussion. “If only you knew” has a lot of prog metal and some djent elements. Guitars became heavier and more sophisticated, especially in “My Little Demon” and “Beauty and the Beast”. We are using a lot of different elements on the “Crime of passion” and we made it all sound consistent and not trivial at the same time. Each element used reveals different nuances, making it all sound like a mono rock-opera, with leitmotivs and instrumental parts, which are there not for the sake of being there, but for the sake of strengthening presence effect, shedding more light on the emotions of the characters." Belle Morte is a musical project from Belarus, Minsk, playing dark symphonic metal with gothic / progressive flavour and melancholic vibe. The first single “Mercy” was released on Dec 9, 2017, accompanied by a music video later on. Debut band’s EP “Game On” was released in 2018. 4 tracks listed on the EP have asymmetric songwriting structure and jarring dynamic jumps from balladry to metallic symphonic bluster. Later on, Belle Morte collaborated with Norwegian melodic death metal band “Addendum” and released “Mistakable Monster” single together. The song is about trying to find back to the ones you have loved and lost. A tale about two sisters, locked in different worlds. After EP the band focused on producing a full-length conceptual album inspired by John Fowles’s “The Collector”. During this period “My Legacy”, “To Get Her” and “Lace” singles were released. The second Belle Morte’s music video was shot for the “Lace” single. Album named “Crime of Passion” tells a coherent story which started as an unhealthy obsession and stalking and resulted in murder, both from the side of the murderer and his victim. The idea behind Belle Morte is playing on contrasts – in music, lyrics and visual imaginary. It’s about seeing its own beauty in disturbing things, ugly things, and, vice versa, seeing the bad side in nice things which might not be that obvious at the first sight. https://www.facebook.com/bellemortemusic |
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Global Metal Apocalypse Archives
December 2022
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