Live Nation’s latest initiative, “On The Move Once More,” has hit the stage in collaboration with the iconic Willie Nelson to champion emerging artists and the dedicated teams that bolster their careers.
At the heart of live music, emerging artists grace the intimate stages of clubs, a rite of passage for nearly every musician. In a realm where small venues account for approximately 70% of annual shows in the United States, their significance cannot be understated, as noted by Pollstar’s live music charts.
Yet, as touring expenses continue to soar and fluctuate, these hardworking artists bear the brunt of the impact. While the music industry enjoys unprecedented growth, Live Nation is unwavering in its commitment to further fortify the careers of these gifted performers and the tireless crews that labor behind the scenes.
Willie Nelson, a living legend, emphasizes the importance of supporting fellow artists: “Touring is crucial to artists, and if we can extend a helping hand to others, we should. This program will touch the lives of thousands of artists this year, making the journey a tad smoother.” Remarkably, Nelson has generously lent his iconic track, “On The Road Again,” as the program’s anthem.
Throughout the year’s remainder, the “On The Move Once More” initiative aims to inject tens of millions of additional dollars into the pockets of club artists and their crews by:
Live Nation’s clubs will invest in emerging artists by offering $1,500 in travel and gas allowances for each performance, in addition to regular performance compensation. Moreover, these clubs will waive merchandise selling fees, ensuring artists retain 100% of their merch earnings. Recognizing that travel costs often devour artists’ nightly profits, Live Nation’s support will alleviate this financial burden, enabling artists to continue captivating audiences in cities across the nation.
The initiative extends its gratitude to the unsung heroes behind the scenes—the local promoters, tireless tour reps, and dedicated venue crew members. “On The Move Once More” acknowledges their relentless efforts with financial incentives, embodying the essence of grit and dedication that drives the industry. Additionally, the initiative pledges $5 million to Crew Nation, offering a lifeline to industry crew members facing unexpected hardships.
Michael Rapino, president and CEO of Live Nation Entertainment, underscores their core mission: “Championing live artists is our foremost objective. As the live music industry thrives, our commitment to supporting artists at all stages of their touring journey remains unwavering, especially those emerging talents in clubs. In the words of Willie, this is about making it a bit easier for thousands of artists to continue pursuing their passion: performing for their dedicated fan base.”
“On The Move Once More” is a collaborative masterpiece, drawing from Nelson’s extensive experience on the road and insights gathered from touring artists, their teams, and venue operators. Importantly, all the benefits stemming from this initiative are derived directly from the venues’ existing earnings, with no impact on consumers.
DEATH DEALER UNION is: Lena Scissorhands – Vocals CC McKenna – Percussion Doug Weiand – Lead Guitars Hunter Havokk – Rhythm & Lead Guitars Jonny Heinz – Bass
DEATH DEALER UNION Premieres Third Single, “ILL FATED” + Eye-Catching Music Video | Watch HERE
Debut Album, Initiation, out now! via Napalm Records | Pre-Order HERE
Find the power within you! Get initiated into the DEATH DEALER UNION!
West coast-based metal unit DEATH DEALER UNION – featuring frontwoman Lena Scissorhands of modern metal leaders INFECTED RAIN – released their debut album, entitled Initiation via Napalm Records!
Following searing recent singles “The Vow of Silence“ and “The Integument“, today, the band has released a third single – the dynamic “ILL FATED”. The track juxtaposes 80s-influenced clean guitars and sinister metallic riffs as Lena displays her soaring trademark vocal delivery and introspective wordplay. The video features eye-catching imagery, sets and costumes, making for a striking viewing experience!
DEATH DEALER UNION says about the video: “We wanted to present something a little different with this video – everything from the fantastic Cherry Bombs dance troupe to the actors involved. We sought to do something not usually done in heavy metal videos. Enjoy!”
In 2019, metal musicians CC McKenna (drums) and Doug Weiand (lead guitars) set forth on a dark musical path – aligning diverse metal influences with otherworldly channelings of alchemy, the occult and all things esoteric. Little did they know, the final ingredient of their impending amalgamation was on the horizon, set to emerge as DEATH DEALER UNION.
After meeting acclaimed frontwoman Lena Scissorhands, a musical pact was instantly formed – propelling the band into the studio with producer Valentin Voluta (also recognized for his work with Infected Rain). Now, with two new members – Hunter Havok (rhythm and lead guitars) and Jonny Heinz (bass) – in tow, the band is set to unleash their very first sacrificial offering to the masses, Initiation. The album brings forth the huge sound and exciting visuals fans experienced with the band’s debut offerings, plus an entire new trove of musical and lyrical elements. While no track is the replicant of another, they all weave a common thread of compelling essence that will have listeners clamoring to heed the word of DEATH DEALER UNION.
Initiation track listing: 1. Initiation 2. The Vow of Silence 3. ILL FATED 4. Ekphrasis 5. The Integument 6. Mythos 7. The Big Blue 8. Back To Me 9. The Downfall 10. Love Me When I’m Ugly 11. Anew 12. Beyond Heaven
Initiation kicks off with its instrumental title track, droning deeply into electronic flourishes and spine-tingling organs. The track flows into first album single “The Vow of Silence” – a fast-paced burner featuring aggressive verses and a catchy chorus that fully showcases the album’s immense production, once again helmed by Valentin Voluta. “ILL FATED” juxtaposes 80s-influenced clean guitars and sinister metallic riffs as Lena Scissorhands displays her dynamic trademark vocal delivery and introspective wordplay. Tracks such as “Ekphrasis” and “Mythos” – the latter boasting one of the album’s most heart-stopping guitar solos – are rife with chunky 90s heavy metal and even nu-metal-inspired riffage. “The Big Blue”, “Back To Me”, “The Downfall” and “Anew” dance with metal styles ranging from symphonic power to progressive, showcasing the band’s diverse macrocosm of musical skill, before potent, heavy ballad “Love Me When I’m Ugly” provides heartfelt lyrics and melodies. Initiation ends with “Beyond Heaven”, an opus of expansive harmonies and eerie embellishments, closing the album with its most theatrical cut.
Find your own power within DEATH DEALER UNION – your Initiation is only the beginning!
Initiation will be available in the following formats: -1CD Digipak -2LP Gatefold Purple – available only via Napalm Records Mail Order and DEATH DEALER UNION, limited to 300 -Digital Album
Renowned around the world as one of the greatest and most distinctive heavy metal vocalists of all time, Bruce Dickinson will be releasing a brand new solo album in early 2024 on BMG Records.
Entitled The Mandrake Project it sees him reunited with long-time musical collaborator and producer Roy Z.
The Mandrake Project will be Dickinson’s seventh solo album and his first since Tyranny Of Souls in 2005.
Dickinson explains, “This album has been a very personal journey for me and I am extremely proud of it. Roy Z and I have been planning, writing and recording it for years, and I am very excited for people to finally hear it. I’m even more excited at the prospect of getting out on the road with this amazing band that we have put together, to be able to bring it to life. We’re planning to play as many shows as we can in as many places as possible, for as many people as we can!
The first live shows to be announced are in Mexico and Brazil in April and May 2024, with further touring plans to be revealed in due course.
In March 2022, Bruce told Consequence about his next solo album: “I’ve been working on it, on and off, since ‘Tyranny Of Souls’. But between lockdowns and albums and MAIDEN tours and everything else, I’m looking for a clear space to actually nail and say, ‘Okay, this is what it’s gonna be,’ and get [Bruce‘s longtime collaborator Roy [‘Z’ Ramirez] to put some backing tracks down. And then we can do it. So we’re at the point now where we’ve already got — I don’t know — anywhere between 50 and 70 percent of the material for the album, depend[ing] on what we pick, from things we’ve already got. And I think we’d like to tweak it a little bit.”
Back in December 2017, Dickinson said that his next solo LP would likely include a reworked version of “If Eternity Should Fail”, the opening track on IRON MAIDEN‘s 2015 disc “The Book Of Souls”. At the time, he said that he had about “half” of his seventh record already written and he also confirmed that “If Eternity Should Fail” was originally penned as a Dickinsonsolo track.
He told Finland’s Kaaos TV that the original plan was for his next solo record to be “a whole concept album, which was gonna be called ‘If Eternity Should Fail’. And ‘If Eternity Should Fail’ was the title track to my new solo album,” he said. “And a bit like [Dickinson‘s 1989 solo song] ‘Bring Your Daughter To The Slaughter’[laughs], it got commandeered for IRON MAIDEN. So if I did do another solo album, which I think I will, I might just stick to my original plan and have that as the title track. I mean, I did write it — it was the first track that I wrote for it. So, yeah, I’d probably still include that song. But it would be… the feel would be slightly different — not very much, though — from the MAIDEN version.”
Bruce Dickinson – The Mandrake Project Tour 18 April – Diana Theater, Guadalajara, Mexico 20 April – Pepsi Theatre, Mexico City, Mexico 24 April – Live Curitiba, Curitiba, Brazil 25 April – Pepsi On Stage, Porto Alegre, Brazil 27 April – Opera Hall, Brasilia, Brazil 28 April – Arena Hall, Belo Horizonte, Brazil 30 April – Qualistage, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil 2 May – Quinta Linda, Ribeirao Preto, Brazil 4 May – Vibra, Sao Paulo, Brazil
OBSCURA recently announced their highly anticipated live album, A Celebration I – Live in North America, which will be released on October 27 th via Nuclear Blast Records.
Today, the band presents a stunning live video for the track ´Emergent Evolution´, captured during their electrifying Mexico tour. This video promises to deliver a sensory experience like no other, showcasing the band’s unmatched talent and captivating stage presence.
Steffen Kummerer comments: “´Emergent Evolution´ quickly became the most popular track of our 2018 record Diluvium. The song has been part of our live shows ever since, and combined with a loud and wild audience as in Mexico back in 2022, it’s just pure joy to perform live on stage.”
A Celebration I – Live in North Americatakes you on a mesmerizing journey through their iconic discography, featuring fan favorites from albums like Cosmogenesis, Omnivium, Akroasis, Diluviumand the chart-breaking A Valediction.
The album has been mixed & mastered at Studio Fredman by award-winning producer and engineer Fredrik Nordström (Arch Enemy, In Flames, At The Gates), in Gothenburg, Sweden, in collaboration with OBSCURAs architect Steffen Kummerer. Vincent Grundke, who has been working alongside the band as a videographer and photographer since 2021, provided the visual accompaniments for the record.
A Celebraion I – Live In North America – Tracklist: 1. Forsaken 2. Emergent Evolution 3. Ode To The Sun 4. The Anticosmic Overload 5. Septuagint 6. A Valediction 7. Ocean Gateways 8. Akroasis 9. Orbital Elements II 10. Incarnated
Catch OBSCURA live, as they embark on an extensive Latin America tour, followed by another extensive run across UK with label mates DECAPITATED.
Latin America tour 28.10. ARG Buenos Aires – Uniclub 29.10. BR Sao Paulo – Carioca Club 31.10. CHL Santiago – Teatro Cariola 02.11. PER Lima – Teatro Cantaro 04.11. COL Bogota – Ace Of Spades 05.11. HND Tegucigalpa – Radio house Casa Campo 07.11. GTM Guatemala City – Rock ´ol Vuh 08.11. SLV San Salvador – Café Catedral 09.11. CRI San José – Pepper´s 11.11. MX Monterrey – Mexico Metal Fest
With Decapitated & Inferi 29.11. UK Bristol – The Fleece 30.11. UK Milton Keynes – MK 11 01.12. UK Bournemouth – The Old Fire Station 02.12. UK Torquay – The Foundry 03.12. UK Merthyr Tydfil – Redhouse Cymru 04.12. UK Liverpool – O2 Academy 2 06.12. IRE Limerick – Dolan´s Warehouse 07.12. UK Dublin – Opium 08.12. UK Belfast – Limelight 2 09.12. UK Glasgow – Slay 10.12. UK Newcastle – The Grove 11.12. UK Leeds – The Key Club 12.12. UK Norwich – The Waterfront 13.12. UK Southend-on-Sea – Chinneys 14.12. UK London – 229 15.12. UK Manchester – Club Academy 16.12. UK Birmingham – Asylum
Peter Tägtgren comments, “We wrote this song together, me and my son Sebastian. He wrote all the music and I did the lyrics. And it turned out great. We are very proud of this song. The lyrics are about false information on social media and news, and for a normal person, it’s hard to understand what is right and what is wrong.”
PAIN also confirmed their set for Wacken Open Air next year.
PAIN, known for high-energy live performances, are thrilled to announce their “I AM” European/UK Tour. With 17 countries and 33 cities on the itinerary, this tour promises an unforgettable experience for fans throughout Europe and UK. Prepare to be captivated by the raw energy and intensity of PAIN’s performances as they take the stage. Don’t miss out on this epic metal adventure!
PHOTO CREDIT: Alibi Assylkhanov
ABOUT PAIN:
PAIN is an industrial metal project created by Peter Tägtgren, a Swedish musician, multi-instrumentalist, and producer. If you want to hear this story from him, it would be short and straight to the point: “PAIN was just me f*cking around in the studio, and it grew into becoming a band.”
Started as a one-man project with all the vocals, instruments parts, and production made by one person… Well, it still is, but not only. It also became a prominent touring group that today consists of, apart from Peter, his son Sebastian Tägtgren (drums), Jonathan Olsson (bass), and Sebastian Svalland (guitar).
Nevertheless, a long time ago, in 1997, when the debut album of the project was released, there was nobody but Peter. By this time, he already had four successful albums with HYPOCRISY — and also had some ideas that wouldn’t go with the band’s style.
That’s how the story of PAIN began — the story where eight albums are known and loved for such smashing hits as “End Of The Line,” “Shut Your Mouth,” “Same Old Song,” “Follow Me,” “Coming Home,” and many more. This story also contains strong lyrics, rich arrangements, solid melodies, unflagging energy, killing live shows, and big plans for the future.
THE ROME CARNAGE EXTREME FEST IS BORN IN ROME / ITALY!
The Rome Carnage Extreme Fest was born from the idea of creating an annual metal festival in Rome, with its own identity, which could involve Death & Black Metal realities of the Italian extreme scene and important international groups! The first edition will see the Germans headlining the event Fleshcrawlactive since 1987 and known for their unparalleled Old School Death Metal and many releases behind them! The Roman Deathsters will also be present Devangelic who will return to the capital 4 years after their last appearance and will present their new fourth album XUL acclaimed by excellent reviews internationally. The event will also see the Romans present OTUS, excellent musical reality with crosses between brutality and mysticism, between doom and sludge, a sound research certainly the result of numerous influences, with references ranging from Isis, Om, Cult Of Luna to Sunn O))). The band enriches the proposal through sound research capable of incorporating ethnic instruments, synthesizers, mantras. Completing the lineup will be the The Codontion with their atmospheric and experimental death metal, characterized by the presence of two distorted basses and the absence of guitars and the Dethroner who despite their young age, are dedicated to old school Black/Death Metal with no frills and a devastating impact! Event not to be missed!
Cabrakaän is a Mexican metal band that is now based in Calgary, Canada. They formed in 2011 and have made it their mission to infuse metal with traditional instruments and folky elements. This year they are releasing an album “Aztlán” and to complement it have produced a documentary further explaining their musical background and heritage. They share their thoughts on the video explanation:
“We hope that it will be engaging to people who aren’t necessarily metal fans, who are interested in music and culture. A lot of the music is a blend between our previous releases and stem tracks from our upcoming release. We hope that this helps to tell our story and to get audiences interested in how our album will sound.”
The overall goal of the documentary is to showcase the band’s story to existing and new audiences. It’s about how they use music to hold on to their Mexican cultural roots while setting their foundation in a new country through storytelling in their music, incorporating folk themes, and collaborating with Canadians as they weave their cultures together. The film is presented in Spanish with English subtitles and features interviews with professional instrument makers and an anthropologist.
In addition to the documentary, this past August, Cabrakaän released its music video for the first single “Mictlán” (pronounced mickt-lahn) off their forthcoming album “Aztlán”. The track details the nine levels of the underworld in Aztec mythology through which the dead must overcome a series of challenges before reaching their final resting place. Musically, “Mictlán”features nylon string instruments to emulate the sound of a vihuela (Spanish guitar), hompak (Mayan trumpet), and orchestral arrangements. The band explains more:
“Through haunting melodies and thunderous rhythms, “Mictlán” delves into the depths of Mictlán, painting a sonic landscape that takes listeners on a journey through the nine levels of the Aztec underworld. With its powerful and energetic sound, the song captures the essence of Mictlán, enveloping the audience in an otherworldly experience. Mictlán is a concept that is still relevant today in understanding the meaning of our lives. The song contains the musical elements that make Cabrakaän who they are: a fusion of folkloric themes, orchestral arrangements, and, of course: heavy metal.”
Cabrakaän’s sound and style were initially influenced by popular metal acts like Nightwish, Amon Amarth, and European folk metal bands. Soon after, the band established a distinct sound, style, and ambition to tell the forgotten pre-hispanic folk stories, mythologies, histories, and traditions of Mexico’s sociocultural past and present.
The lyrics and music on “Aztlán” are thematic and are heavily inspired by Mexican culture, history, and mythology. In the past, band founder and drummer Marko Cipäktli and vocalist Pat Cuikani’s lyrics have engaged with Aztec and Mayan mythology. Lyrics from “Aztlán” will engage with a mix of themes related to the Spanish conquest and more mythological concepts. It is recommended for fans of Nightwish, Epica, and Equilibrium.
Album Credits: – Produced by Marko Cipäktli and Cody Anstey – All songs mixed by Cody Anstey at Clarity Recording & Mixing (Osyron, Ravenous E.H., Wu-Tang Clan) – All songs mastered by Mika Jussila at Finnvox Studios (Nightwish, Children of Bodom, Amorphis) – All lyrics by Pat Cuikani & Marko Cipäktli
Album Band Line-up: Pat Cuikani, Vocals Marko Cipäktli, Drums & Rough Vocals Alex Navarro, Lead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar David Saldarriaga Tobón – Bass, Classical Guitar
Live Band Line-up: Pat Cuikani, Vocals Marko Cipäktli, Drums & Rough Vocals Alex Navarro, Lead Guitar Brendan Wilkinson, Rhythm Guitar David Saldarriaga Tobón – Bass, Classical Guitar
“In the world of metal music, where genres often blend and boundaries are pushed, there emerges a band that beautifully merges traditional folk elements with the raw power of heavy metal. Enter Cabrakaän, a Mexican folk metal band on a mission to reconnect with their ancestral roots and preserve the rich cultural heritage of Mexico.” – Infrared Magazine
“CABRAKAÄN has released an amazing, fun, well-written album with influences from various folk styles aligned with Death Metal. It’s definitely one of the best releases of the year in the style and the band deserves all the attention they are getting from the media and the public. 10/10” – Metal Temple (review 2019 – Cem Anahuac My Home)
“While the band may celebrate cultures that are unknown to most Canadian metal fans, Cipäktli says live performances by Cabrakaan are an immersive experience. The band, who wear face paint and costumes to conjure up the “time of the Aztecs,” like to give audiences both a visual and sonic feast.”
-Calgary Herald: “Symphonic Metal Band Cabrakaän Brings Spirit Of Ancient Mexico To Calgary”
“The use of traditional, lesser-known instruments that rarely leave Central/South America jamming along with metal instruments – in a way that would make Ozzy Osbourne in his prime proud – is the last thing Calgary expected to experience, and yet Cabrakaän is here.”
– Calgary Journal: “Cabrakaän, Calgary’s friendly neighbourhood Mexican folk metal fusion band”
BLACKBRIAR is: Zora Cock – VOCALS René Boxem – DRUMS Bart Winters – GUITARS Robin Koezen – GUITARS Siebe Sol Sijpkens – BASS Ruben Wijga – KEYS
Blackbriar RELEASE NEW SINGLE ‘FOREVER AND A DAY’ + NEW ALBUM A DARK EUPHONY OUT ON SEPTEMBER 29th
Today BLACKBRIAR release their brand new single ‘Forever and a Day’. The new album A Dark Euphony will be released on September 29th via Nuclear Blast Records. A Dark Euphony features 11 brand-new tracks.
Zora Cock comments: “Forever and a Day is a tragically romantic song, inspired by 19th-century mourning traditions. While listening, I imagine a Victorian lady, dressed in a heavy black mourning gown. She lost her love a long time ago, and can’t move on. One day, she replaces her black gown into a day dress to spend the day with someone, to see if there could be another future for her, only to realize she can’t give her heart to another. It’s the final single of our forthcoming full-length album.”
A Dark Euphony – Tracklisting: 1. An Unwelcome Guest 2. Far Distant Land 3. Spirit of Forgetfulness 4. Bloody Footprints in the Snow 5. The Evergreen and The Weeping Tree 6. Cicada 7. My Soul´s Demise 8. We Make Mist 9. Thumbelina 10. Forever and a Day 11. Crimson Faces
BLACKBRIAR also announced their ‘The Euphonic Downfall Tour 2023’ together withAD INFINITUM. They will be supported by the band PHANTOM ELITE. ‘The Euphonic Downfall Tour 2023’ includes 10 dates around Germany, Netherlands and Switzerland.
Tourdates: The Euphonic Downfall Tour 2023 support: PHANTOM ELITE
26.09 DE – Saarbrucken, Garage 27.09 DE – Munich, Backstage 28.09 NL – Utrecht, Tivoli 29.09 NL – Heerlen, Nieuwe Nor 30.09 DE – Oberhausen, Resonanzwerk (+) 02.10 DE – Hamburg, Logo 03.10 DE – Leipzig, Hellraiser 05.10 DE – Aschaffenburg, Colos-Saal 06.10 CH – Solothurn, Kofmehl (*) 07.10 CH – Schaffhausen, Kammgarn (*) (+) festival (*) plus opener – INFINITAS
Get your tickets here: https://www.blackbriarmusic.com/#tour
“Some say that there is beauty in darkness – terrifying visitors, worlds far gone, gothic romances, bone-chilling legends, sin-eaters, burning hearts frozen in time, songs with a misleading voice, and a truthful whisper. This and so much more for you to discover on A Dark Euphony.”Such are the words of vocalist Zora Cock about the band’s upcoming sophomore album, set to release in fall 2023 on Nuclear Blast Records. A telling sign coming from a band who has reveled in gothic beauty and metallic darkness since their onset, spanning three EPs and a full-length album, along with long-time collaborator Joost van den Broek.
Formed in 2012 by Zora Cock, René Boxem, Bart Winters, and Frank Akkerman, they crafted their first single in 2014 with ‘Ready to Kill,’ but it was 2015’s second single ‘Until Eternity‘ that truly propelled them into the scene. A sweeping track with an equally compelling and beautiful video, it continues to draw many to the act with over 20 million views since its debut. Taking advantage of the growing buzz surrounding the band, they independently recorded and released their first EP, Fractured Fairytales, as well as acquiring a second guitarist in Robin Koezen. This EP layed down an impressive foundation for the band’s ethereal and breathtaking sound and brought about new opportunities for the act, including tour dates in The Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Hungary, and more, where the band played alongside EPICA, HALESTORM, IN THIS MOMENT, DELAIN and MaYan.
To keep moving ahead with full control of their creative ideals, the band successfully crowdfunded their follow-up EP, We’d Rather Burn, and brought it to life in October 2018. This EP would be the first time the band worked alongside esteemed producer Joost van den Broek to arrange and produce the effort, and this fruitful collaboration allowed BLACKBRIAR‘s whimsical and enigmatic sound to reach new sonic heights. Released the same day as their self-made video for ‘I’d Rather Burn,’ this EP showcased a stronger sense of dreamy atmosphere and brought listeners beautifully grim tales of witches, banshees, and sea sirens. In the time following, keyboardist Ruben Wijga (ex-Re-Vamp) took a larger role within the band and began playing shows, after being involved in the songwriting process since Fractured Fairytales.
A busy 2019 followed, the band released a haunting single in May entitled ‘Snow White and Rose Red.’ A duet with Ulli Perhonen, their take on the Grimm’s fairytale featured striking cinematic visuals to accompany the spellbinding track. Continuing to dig deeper into fairytale realms, BLACKBRIAR closed the year with their third EP, Our Mortal Remains. Ever-sharpening their intoxicating blend of storytelling and breathtaking musicianship, the EP brought about new live exposures for the act as well. Small, sold out tours with EPICA in 2019 and 2020, as well as a sold out opening for DELAIN‘s Apocalypse & Chill release show in Utrecht followed, with more future plans then being put on hold due to COVID-19.
Championing their continued independence, which included everything from songwriting, maintaining their web presence, overseeing merch, as well as shooting and producing their own videos and photos, BLACKBRIAR reached out to their ever-growing and loyal fanbase for assistance to make their full-length album a reality in 2020. Fans fervently heeded the call, reaching the € 25,000 goal in under 24 hours and ending with a total of € 70,000 and achieving all five stretch goals. An impressive accomplishment for an independent act, which also showcases a strong internet presence with over 230,000 YouTube subscribers and 56.5 million channel views as well as 37.9 million Spotify streams and 275,000 monthly streamers on the platform.
Entering 2021, the band relinquished a bit of control in signing exclusively with Doomstar Bookings to help properly support their highly anticipated first full-length album, The Cause of Shipwreck, which released in April. Once again recorded with renowned producer Joost van den Broek (EPICA, AYREON, POWERWOLF) at Sandlane Recording Facilities, this release showcased the band’s continued evolution into masterfully dark gothic storytelling and theatrical aesthetics that entice you into a deadly yet spellbinding musical paradise. On the live front, launching into success with six sold out Dutch club shows, they later extended into more European territories such as Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, France, and the Czech Republic as the band moved into 2022.
Despite a very successful 2021, the band still hungered for more, unleashing their latest single, ‘Fairy of the Bog‘ in December. A song about ‘het meisje van Yde’ (Yde girl), it’s a mixture of folklore, myth, and ancient local history wrapped into a more mystical and magical package that showcases what BLACKBRIAR does best. Due to winning ‘Drents Talent Award Culture 2021’ from ‘Stichting Kunst & Cultuur,’ BLACKBRIAR performed ‘I’d Rather Burn‘ live on television together with the Dutch ‘Noordpool Orchestra in early 2022. In April, the band parted ways with founding member and bassist Frank Akkerman. Not a band to slow down, they welcomed Siebe Sol Sijpkens from The Netherlands as their new bassist. A happy and energetic performer with a lifetime of global performances, he is a welcome addition to the act as they continue to strive forward.
With their vision looking firmly into the future, with a major label behind them, they set their sights on 2023 to conjure their most deadly siren song yet. The band previously released the song ‘Crimson Faces‘ to celebrate their partnership with Nuclear Blast Records, and now the world eagerly awaits the release of A Dark Euphony this fall. Set to contain 10 new original songs as well as a bonus track, they recently released their first single from it with ‘My Soul’s Demise.’ According to Zora, “We’ve had the pleasure of working with producer and musical genius Joost van den Broek, and we gave it our all to write this record and feel that this is our most complete, personal, and mature album to date.” With this in mind, the band launched a preorder campaign in April for the release, full of unique perks, which has been quite successful already. They have also been preparing on the road, with festival shows Wave Gotik Treffen, SummerBreeze, and Rock the Lakes in 2023, as well as being a special guest on CHARLOTTE WESSELS‘s Club Tour.
With accolades behind them, such as being nominated three times for ‘Best Artist’ in EuroSonic/Noorderslag’s Popgala Noord (2018, 2020, 2022), and continued fan support with current monthly streaming totals on YouTube and Spotify near 1.5 million streams, the world is primed and ready for a spectacular journey into darkness and beauty.
VEXED is: Megan Targett – Vocals Jay Bacon – Guitar Willem Mason-Geraghty – Drums
UK Alt-Metal Act VEXED Drops Visualizer Video for “Lay down your flowers”, feat. Lochie Keogh/Alpha Wolf | Watch HERE!
Get Your Copy of The New Album, Negative Energy, NOW!
UK Tour Dates Announced!
After releasing their second beast of an album, Negative Energy, earlier this year, UK alt-metal outfit VEXED grace their fans with a new highlight, taken from their critically acclaimed offering. Today the band presents a visualizer video for the furious song “Lay down your flowers“. The track features special guest and Alpha Wolf vocalist Lochie Keogh and impresses with extreme vocals and bombarding drums.
As one of the hottest newcomers in alternative metal, VEXED have received great attention with recent Negative Energy and singles like “Anti-Fetish”. Amongst others, the track was aired on BBC’s Radio 1 Rock Show. On top of that, VEXED will bring Negative Energy to six intimate headline shows in the United Kingdom, starting October 10 in Glasgow this fall.
VEXED add: “This tour is so special to us because it is proof that no matter how dark things may get, there are always better days ahead. We invite you to join us in our healing process, a cathartic and brutal celebration of how hitting rock bottom has saved us.”
Check out the visualizer video for “Lay down your flowers” HERE:
Megan Targett on “Lay down your flowers”: “‘The boy who cried wolf’ is a story that we are all familiar with. ‘Lay down your flowers’ is based on the vindication of the people who have had to endure living their lives in constant fear and threat of tragedy. Finding the courage to stand up to those who use your emotions and good nature to take advantage, and claiming back your sanity which was so manipulatively taken from you.”
Negative Energy Tracklisting: 1. PTSD 2. Anti-Fetish 3. We don’t talk about it 4. X my <3 (Hope to die) 5. Panic attack 6. Lay down your flowers 7. There’s no place like home 8. Extremist 9. Default 10. Trauma Euphoria 11. It’s not the end 12. DMT 13. Nepotism
Negative Energy achieves pinnacle musicianship and gripping, profound and brave lyricism. Instead of opting for forced positivity like many of their contemporaries, the Hertfordshire three-piece channel every ounce of their current album into these 13 tracks – recharging themselves for an uphill battle. Negative Energy proves itself as a stunning, devastating musical conduit – ventilating the band’s pain-stricken burdens and breathing life into their fresh approach, delivered with a vengeance.
VEXED UK Headline Tour 2023: 10.10.2023 – Glasgow / Audio (𝗟𝗢𝗪𝗧𝗜𝗖𝗞𝗘𝗧𝗦) 11.10.2023 – Leeds / The Key Club (𝗟𝗢𝗪𝗧𝗜𝗖𝗞𝗘𝗧𝗦) 12.10.2023 – Cardiff / Fuel Rock Club (𝗟𝗢𝗪𝗧𝗜𝗖𝗞𝗘𝗧𝗦) 13.10.2023 – Birmingham / Devils Dog (𝗦𝗢𝗟𝗗𝗢𝗨𝗧) 14.10.2023 – Southampton / Suburbia (𝗟𝗢𝗪𝗧𝗜𝗖𝗞𝗘𝗧𝗦) 15.10.2023– Cambridge / The Six Six (𝗦𝗢𝗟𝗗𝗢𝗨𝗧)
BRUJERIA is: Juan Brujo | Vocals Sangron | Vocals Fantasma | Vocals Pinche Peach | Vocals La Encabronada | Vocals El Criminal | Guitars El Embrujado | Guitars Hongo | Bass El Cynico | Bass Hongo Jr. | Drums
Mexican death grind band BRUJERIA put the world of cartels and ritualistic murder on wax with a brutal power equivalent to when Compton arrived in pop culture via NWA. Today, the band unleashes their fifth full-length album Esto Es Brujeria onto the world via Nuclear Blast Records.
‘El Patrón Del Reventón‘ is the latest offering from the record. The music video was produced by Ceasar “Chorro” Padilla& Juan Brujo.
Esto Es Brujeria was recorded worldwide at the following studios: Dog Run Studio in Riverside, CA; Total Annihilation Studios in East Los Angeles, CA; Robanna‘sin Birmingham, UK; and Audiocustom in Santiago, Chile. Production of the record was handled by the band while engineering was a joint effort between Eddie Casillas, Eddie Rivas, and Miguel Seco. The mixing and mastering of the album was completed by Seba Puente who was also a part of the engineering team. The album artwork was created by Gary Ronaldson. Esto Es Brujeria saw the return of their metal mascot Coco Loco who is emblazoned on the ferocious cover.
Esto Es Brujeria – Tracklisting: 01. Esto Es Brujeria 02. El Patrón Del Reventón 03. Estado Profundo 04. Bruja Encabronada 05. G-A-K 06. Tu Vida Loca 07. Mexorcista 08. Bestia De La Muerte 09. Políticamente Correctos 10. Mochado 11. Perdido En El Espacio 12. Odio Que Amo 13. Testamento 3.0 14. Covid-666 15. Lord Nazi Ruso 16. Cocaína
On November 2nd, BRUJERIA will kick off their ‘Esto Es Tour 2023‘ in Yuma, Arizona. The 29-date trek will make stops in Dallas, Boston, and Seattle before ending in Pomona on December 10th. Joining them on the run are PIÑATA PROTEST and NO/MÁS.
Confirmed dates for BRUJERIA’s ‘Esto Es tour 2023‘ with PIÑATA PROTEST and NO/MÁS are: 11.02. US Yuma, AZ – Red Moon Ale House 11.03. US Tucson, AZ – The Rock 11.04. US Albuquerque, NM – Launchpad 11.06. US Dallas, TX – Granada Theater 11.07. US Lubbock, TX – Jakes Sports Cafe 11.08. US Oklahoma City, OK – 89th Street Collective 11.09. US Austin, TX – Come And Take It Live 11.10. US Houston, TX – Houston Vert Ramp 11.11. US Brownsville, TX – Outdoors at The Kraken Lounge 11.14. US Orlando, FL – Conduit 11.15. US Atlanta, GA – The Loft at Center Stage 11.16. US Asheville, NC – Asheville Music Hall 11.17. US Virginia Beach, VA – Elevation 27 11.18. US Mechanicsburg, PA – Lovedrafts 11.19. US Boston, MA – Brighton Music Hall 11.21. US Brooklyn, NY – Saint Vitus 11.22. US Pittsburgh, PA – Preserving Underground 11.24. US Cleveland Heights, OH – Grog Shop 11.25. US Chicago, IL – Reggie’s 11.28. US Denver, CO – Bluebird Theater 11.29. US Salt Lake City, UT – Metro Music Hall 12.01. US Seattle, WA – Substation 12.02. US Portland, OR – Bossanova Ballroom 12.05. US San Francisco, CA – Great American Music Hall 12.06. US Roseville, CA – Goldfield Trading Post 12.07. US San Jose, CA – The Ritz 12.08. US Los Angeles, CA – Teragram Ballroom 12.09. US Las Vegas, NV – The Usual Place 12.10. US Pomona, CA – The Glass House Concert Hall
DORO PESCH‘s new masterpiece Conqueress – Forever Strong and Proud – will be released worldwide on October 27thvia Nuclear Blast.
Today sees the release of DORO‘sthird album single ‘Bond Unending’, in which the metal queen presents her fans with another high-profile duet partner, namely Sammy Amara from the German rock heavyweights BROILERS. DORO‘s powerful voice combined with Sammy‘s signature gritty sound creates a dynamic and unforgettable mix that will give you goosebumps. ‘Bond Unending’ is a sonic explosion of pure energy, passion, and rock ‘n’ roll magic. The single is accompanied by a stunning video that contains clips from DORO‘s huge anniversary live performance which took place at Wacken Open Air on August 2nd of this year.
DORO: “‘Bond Unending’ is a song about deep friendship. Sammy and I wrote it in the middle of the night. We had so much fun together. The chemistry was great right from the start.”
Conqueress – Forever Strong and Proud will be released with 15 brand new songs and 5 bonus tracks and comes in the following formats:
Jewel case
2CD Digibook with 36p booklet (including bonus tracks)
2LP in gatefold with 2 inserts | Splatter white/black
2LP in gatefold with 2 inserts | Marbled white/blue
2LP in gatefold with 2 inserts | Red transparent (US only)
2LP in gatefold with 2 inserts | Picture
Box Set 2LP in gatefold with 2 inserts (incl bonus tracks) + 2CD Digibook with 36p booklet (including bonus tracks) + Pendant + Numbered & Signed Certificate + Poster + Patch + Pick (NB mailorder only)
DORO Pesch stands as one of the greatest success stories in rock history.
In 1983, 19-year-old Dorothee Pesch from Düsseldorf set out to conquer the rock world. Today, 40 years later, with over 10 million studio albums sold and countless awards under her belt, DORO has been the undisputed Queen of Metal for decades. With over 3,500 concerts played in more than 60 countries around the world, she has earned herself an outstandingly powerful and enthusiastic fan base!
For this great 40th anniversary, the Metal Queen also invites you for her anniversary show in her former hometown Düsseldorf in the Mitsubishi Electric Halle on October 28th. Let’s celebrate with her, our true Metal Queen!
Line-up Morean – guitars, vocals Christian Münzner – guitars Linus Klausenitzer – bass Hannes Grossmann – drums
Alkaloid are metal’s maddest scientists. The Bavarian band have crafted songs about what lies beneath the Arctic crust, on top of an ongoing, multi-part saga about a galactic civilization that ascends to god-like levels of domination.
‘Numen’ is their most intricate, thought-provoking and batshit insane album yet. Alkaloid are still bonded together by their love of extreme metal. After all, they are a super group that’s assembled from foundational members of Obscura, Dark Fortress, Triptykon and other genre heavyweights. The fiery, finger-tapped solo that squiggles loose halfway through lead single “Clusterfuck” is crushed like an ant between colliding moons. But their new album finds the band playing around with all kinds of experiments. “The Cambrian Explosion” flips death metal on its horned head with seductive flurries of jazz and flamenco, while the title track is a dizzying seven-minute yarn of how a supermassive black hole came to burp up an unheard-of cosmic artifact that gives both the song – and the album – its name.
“We proudly present our third album ‘Numen’, says Alkaloid. “Where ‘The Malkuth Grimoire’ dealt with the rearrangement of existing particles into new forms, and ‘Liquid Anatomy’ with the creation of new particles, this album looks at the universe from the perspective of imaginary deities detached altogether from the cycle of life and death of incarnated organisms. This hypothetical viewpoint is reflected on the scales of both biological and cosmological processes. If one could shape and manipulate life and the cosmos itself, how would one go about it, and what would it mean for everything in that cosmos?
Tracklist
Disc 1 1. Qliphosis (7:48) 2. The Cambrian Explosion (3:58) 3. Clusterfuck (6:00) 4. Shades of Shub-Niggurath (6:11) 5. A Fool’s Desire (8:10) 6. The Fungi From Yuggoth (6:06)
Disc2 1. The Black Siren (Instrumental) (1:39) 2. Numen (Dyson VII) (7:03) 3. Recursion (Dyson VIII) (3:29) 4. The Folding (Dyson IX) (6:54) 5. Alpha Aur (13:23)
Progressive extreme metallers Alkaloid prepare to unfurl their new many-tentacled full-length, Numen via Season of Mist. Featuring members of Triptykon, Obscura, Dark Fortress, and Obsidious, the Germany-based quartet of Morean (vocals, guitars, concepts), Hannes Grossmann (drums), Christian Münzner (guitars), and Linus Klausenitzer (bass) construct upon, expand away from, and journey between previous full-lengths The Malkuth Grimoire (2015) and Liquid Anatomy (2018) on Numen. In every respect, Alkaloid recommence the purposeful warp of various metallic genres they dimensionally blur. Tracks like the video single for “Clusterfuck,” “The Cambrian Explosion,” and “Numen” posit heavy cosmological/Lovecraftian theoretic themes on top of musically-adept songs that are accessible yet undeniably intricate.
“We’ve all been around the block a few times by now as metal musicians,” says songsmith Morean. “The feeling that we’ve outgrown the narrow niche of pure extreme metal was a main motivator to start this band in the first place, ten years ago. The ‘prog’ tag is handy for us because, per definition, it already encompasses a wider range of possible styles and influences we can get away with than any one specific metal genre. This means we could ensure from the beginning that we’ll always be able to write whatever we want, no matter how crazy our ideas become. The heart of this band is always the songwriting, and we all like complex and virtuosic music in all its diverse manifestations. However, we do share a love for death metal as the smallest common denominator in the band, and we wanted to make sure no one thinks that just because we include melodies, clean guitars, and influences from other genres, we’d automatically sacrifice the brutality and relentless esthetic of extreme metal.”
Alkaloid formed in Bavaria in 2013. While the members, starting with Morean, were already ensconced or had partaken in activities with Necrophagist, Dark Fortress, and Obscura, they saw the band as an outlet of limitless expression, a vehicle for traversing miasmal worlds host to ancient squamous things residing in Cyclopean architecture. Indeed, Morean’s lyrical hard sci-fi subjects are as critical to the totality of Alkaloid as the music. Tracks like “Cthulhu” and “Carbon Phrases” (both from The Malkuth Grimoire), as well as video single “Azagthoth” and “Kernel Panic” (both from Liquid Anatomy), found critical acclaim not just with extreme metal enthusiasts the world over, but also the press, with Metal Hammer Germany calling Liquid Anatomy a “work of art” and Metal Injection enthusiastically stating the album was a “phenomenal juggernaut.” New album, Numen, will undoubtedly rise above its predecessors with its ubiquitous, thought-provoking sophistication.
“Every new Alkaloid album builds on the previous ones,” Morean says. “As we have different songwriters, we also have different stories and styles on every album, which develop in parallel and are picked up again on the next album. We didn’t know this yet back when we started out, but three albums in, we see different song cycles being created across albums; apparently, many of the stories we tell don’t want to end but lead us to new chapters that want to be written. Examples are: the sequence of ‘Funeral for a Continent’ from the first album, which asks the question of what’s under the Antarctic ice sheet, leading in a direct line to Cephalopods becoming the next dominant species on the planet on the second album, and turning into a space-faring race in this installment; the growing ‘portrait’ gallery of the Lovecraftian pantheon, where each of his deities is linked to real-world phenomena in cosmology and biology; and of course, the ever-growing Dyson saga that sketches a path how a galactic civilization is born and climbs to god-like levels.”
Numen was written during the pandemic, but it was planned long before the scourge of disease wracked humanity. As a result, the songwriting sessions were predictably not “in the room” but over the Internet after the band members had isolated and worked on their constituent parts. Demos flew back and forth. Then, Tunker left amicably for personal reasons. Alkaloid could’ve folded, but the close-knit group soldiered on. They intensely relied on the professionalism and dependability of the collective to drive Numen to completion. The complications of the two years it took to sonically inscribe the album into aeonic vastness didn’t fragment the end result. Instead, the process accelerated Alkaloid’s lambent, eldritch explorations. “Clusterfuck,” “The Cambrian Explosion,” “Numen,” and “A Fool’s Desire” expertly bridge the past to the future, where Alkaloid’s originative, daedal storytelling captures (and holds hostage) the imagination.
“‘Clusterfuck’ is a rather moderate track for us,” says Morean. “It’s mid-tempo, not too long, pretty straightforward, has its brutal moments and a catchy chorus, and is the one track where the lyric is more philosophical and less based on imagery. ‘The Cambrian Explosion’ is a nod to tech death, even if we always work hard to escape that niche. Danny conceived it as a less cheerful cousin to ‘Alter Magnitudes,’ another hyper-condensed grenade of excessive shredding; Hannes and I then added elements you’d never find in tech death. ‘Numen’ then shines a light on how the ever-growing Dyson saga continues. Musically, it explores polyrhythms, extended sound design for the guitars, and a unique combination of ingredients that tell a gargantuan story of galactic architecture that needed to be reflected in the many complex layers of the music. ‘A Fool’s Desire’ offers yet another of our personalities, starting as a ballad that becomes an epic rock song before being inevitably ground up in blastbeats towards the end. It’s a perfect example of how Hannes’ songwriting focus these days is happy to sacrifice instrumental virtuosity in favor of an epic character, unashamedly embracing traditional metal without becoming banal in it or denying the other aspects of this band.”
The title, Numen, got its start at the dawning of Alkaloid. It’s a word that Morean fell in love with immediately, and he knew it had a place in his creative endeavors. Whereas The Malkuth Grimoire talked about combining existing elements into new structures, and Liquid Anatomy dealt with the creation of new elements, Numen tries to look at the universe from a kind of meta-perspective from an imaginary god, as if the space that everything happens in was given a voice and a role as observer and shaper of everything that happens. In it, sentient panspermic mycelia are swathed in Lovecraftian nastiness—like Shub-Niggurath and the Fungi from Yuggoth—while the new Dyson chapters interpret the aspiration to reach divinity rather literally, reshaping the entire galaxy by manipulating spacetime itself. Desperate to escape their doom, the Cephalopods from previous songs have returned, too. Numen is dense but not impenetrable. In fact, from the first moments of opener, “Qliphosis,” to the final contemplation of closer “Alpha Aur,” Alkaloid prove to be more charismatic than ever.
“I’m always most interested in the big picture,” Morean says. “Considering the size and depth of our universe, it is preposterous for dumb little ape-descendants like us to really get there, but I prefer to fail spectacularly in the attempt than to not try at all. You have to reach for the stars to reach the branches. I’d also presume that the only division between the physical and the spiritual world is in our knowledge and perception of it since I’m convinced it’s all part of the same world. Where science offers a wealth of objective understanding of the physical world, we’re still in the dark as far as the mind and soul are concerned. As an artist, I take my poetic license to fill in the blank spots at the edges of both domains and connect them in hopefully original and unexpected futuristic analogies. One development in the album concept is that I’m starting to be able to connect all those different story strands (which I started without much consideration for the future on the first album) with each other on this album, so finally, it’s all coming together in the same universe. And I see a plethora of grand new stories to be told in the future.”
Alkaloid technically recorded Numen individually, each member tracking their songs/parts at their respective homes. Getting everyone into Grossmann’s Mordor Sounds (Eternity’s End, Hannes Grossmann) simultaneously was logistically (and sometimes legally) impossible. So, the able-bodied drummer/producer took the pieces of Numen, stitching them together to form a cohesive, tenebrous whole. Grossman then invited Morean between government-mandated lockdowns to track his vocals. Numen was mixed at Mordor Sounds. What ostensibly started in 2021 finally concluded on the eve of 2022, with American mastering cognoscente Alan Douches (Cannibal Corpse, Death) reprising his Liquid Anatomy role. “Clusterfuck,” “The Cambrian Explosion,” “Numen,” and “The Fungi from Yuggoth” not only sound intense and pyramided but also dynamically awesome.
“How it goes is you wake up, have a coffee, stand before the mike, and scream your guts out for sometimes 8-10 hours in a row until you forget even your name,” says Morean. “Make no mistake, though: we love the absolute concentration of the task at hand, and if we didn’t push ourselves to the absolute limit in everything we do with almost monk-like dedication, we wouldn’t feel we did our job. And we live for this, of course, so I hope we’ll still be doing this when we’re senile in wheelchairs wearing diapers and losing our dentures between takes. No money in the world can buy you the satisfaction of hearing an awesome finished mix of something you worked on for years in the privacy of your own head.”
Alkaloid’s next steps are to release Numen to an eagerly-anticipating world. From there, the Germans aim for traditional tours and unorthodox venues alike. In fact, Alkaloid are already booked to play at a science conference in Germany, as well as the Netherlands Bach Society, which orchestrates a weekend of festivals celebrating the work of Johann Sebastian Bach. The latter might come as a surprise, but not for Morean, whose off-Alkaloid profession is a classical composer for the likes of Netherlands Public Broadcasting (NPO), the Ricciotti Ensemble, the DoelenEnsemble, and others. He won the Paul Jacobs Memorial Award (2002) and was nominated for the Unesco International Rostrum of Composers (2010). Clearly, the backdrop of Alkaloid’s accomplished membership translates to the piquant, transformative qualities of Numen.
