Photo Credit: Videolink

Astonishing singer-songwriter Charlotte Wessels (ex-DELAIN) has joined forces with Simone Simons of Epica for her mesmerizing new single entitled 'Dopamine'. This track is part of Wessels’ first traditional full-length, full-band solo album, The Obsession, set to be released on 20th September 2024 via Napalm Records.

Promising a deeply immersive and evocative experience, the two Dutch symphonic metal legends guide listeners through the emotional landscape of SSRI-induced numbness. The Obsession showcases Wessels' most mature work to date, blending progressive and heavier soundscapes with catchy elements.

Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/PIECEJxQeVQ

Charlotte Wessels on 'Dopamine'   
“Lyrically, 'Dopamine' deals with SSRI induced numbness that I experienced a few years ago when I was on Sertraline, a type of antidepressant. While the medication was really helpful, there were so many side effects that I’d never heard of. This song deals with some of them, and while it feels vulnerable to expose the experience, I hope it helps in breaking down the shame and taboo around the topic.
Simone reached out to me as I was first opening up about this in an interview, and when the first version of 'Dopamine' dropped on Patreon (because of course we’re each other's patrons) she texted how much she liked the song. So when we were working on the album version it only made sense to ask if she’d sing along on the track. I am so happy she agreed and after all of the shared introspection, it was great fun to let loose wearing pink wigs in ball pits and marshmallow pools for the video recordings. Musically, out of the entire new album, 'Dopamine' went through the biggest transformation. What started out as an EDM demo for a collaboration with a dance duo that never happened, became an acoustic Song Of The Month on Patreon, which then had a massive overhaul when rearranging it with Timo. The new band version is an absolute banger, and the beautiful guest vocals by Simone complete the song.”

Wessels and her band will bring this story to the stage for a release show on 4th October 2024 at Utrecht’s TivoliVredenburg. In addition, there’ll be some exciting festival appearances this year, and it was recently announced that Charlotte Wessels will join VOLA on their Friend of a Phantom EU Tour 2024.

UK dates with VOLA:

Nov 11: UK London, Heaven
Nov 11: UK Nottingham, Rescue Rooms
Nov 11: UK Glasgow, G2
Nov 11: UK Manchester, Club Academy
Nov 11: UK Bristol, SWX

Whilst still writing and producing the songs in her Six Feet Under basement home studio and sharing their first incarnations with her patrons, Charlotte Wessels is now taking the songs off her new album The Obsession to the next level with a band of her fellow ex-Delain cohorts: Timo Somers (guitars, additional arrangements), Otto Schimmelpenninck van der Oije (bass) and Joey Marin de Boer (drums), as well as Sophia Vernikov (piano/hammond) contributing to the new heavier sound. The album also features arrangements by Vikram Shankar (Silent Skies, Pain of Salvation), cello by Elianne Anemaat, was mixed by Guido Aalbers (Muse, Coldplay, The Gathering) and mastered by Andy VanDette (Porcupine Tree, VOLA, Dream Theater).            

Wessels on the new album: "On the one hand, this album tells a very personal story – through its unintended theme of fear, obsessive thoughts and the escapes from them – and at the same time it represents the joy of finding the songs' true forms with everyone involved in the making of this record. That’s why I chose The Obsession as a title. It refers to my personal challenges with OCD that inspired many of the songs - but I’ve also started referring to the band as The Obsession - because there were moments in the studio with them that truly reminded me of why I'm obsessed with making music in the first place."

With thousands of monthly listeners on Spotify and a loyal fan base on Patreon, Charlotte Wessels has already made a mark with her earlier solo endeavors, Tales From Six Feet Under (2021) and Tales From Six Feet Under Vol II (2022). Now, she is taking her career to the next level with The Obsession. These compilations showcased her ability to blend various musical styles and deeply personal lyrics, earning her widespread acclaim. The Obsession is expected to build on this foundation, offering fans an even more immersive and powerful musical experience.    

Themes like fear, obsessive thoughts and escapism run rampant on the album, presenting dark and heavy on songs like 'The Exorcism', 'The Crying Room' and 'Ode To The West Wind' (feat. Alissa White-Gluz/Arch Enemy). In addition, there are songs that offer a more upbeat approach to the subject – like 'Dopamine' (feat. Simone Simons/Epica) which deals with SSRI-induced numbness, or 'Praise' – which sings the gospel of needing external validation in order to feel anything. The reimagining of fan-favorite 'Soft Revolution' won’t leave a dry eye in the room, while 'Soulstice' and 'Serpentine' present an unprecedented dark sensuality. Each song itself functions like an exorcism, an attempt to cast out a little of the fear it deals with.     
 
Wessels comments on the guests: “I’m extremely grateful and proud to add Simone Simons and Alissa White-Gluz to the line-up of this album. They are creative powerhouses that I have so much love and respect for. Whenever we get to work together is an absolute treat and they really elevated the songs with their performances.”
 

The Obsession will be available in the following formats:
Gatefold 2-Vinyl SPLATTER + 2 Bonustracks (“Backup Plan” + “Breathe; Extended“), D-Side Etched – ltd. to 200 copies worldwide *Napalm Records Mailorder Only*
Gatefold 2-Vinyl RECYCLED BLACK + 2 Bonustracks (“Backup Plan” + “Breathe; Extended“), D-Side Etched
Gatefold 2-Vinyl INKSPOT + 2 Bonustracks (“Backup Plan” + “Breathe; Extended“), D-Side Etched *Patreon Exclusive*
Digisleeve + Shirt Bundle
Digisleeve
Digital Album

Charlotte Wessels online: 
WEBSITE
YOUTUBE
FACEBOOK
INSTAGRAM
TIKTOK
X
NAPALM RECORDS

The Obsession Tracklist:

1.   Chasing Sunsets
2.   Dopamine
3.   The Exorcism
4.   Soulstice
5.   The Crying Room
6.   Ode To The West Wind
7.   Serpentine
8.   Praise
9.   All You Are
10. Vigor And Valor
11. Breathe;
12. Soft Revolution (2024)

[Gatefold 2-Vinyl SPLATTER + 2 Bonustracks (“Backup Plan” + “Breathe; Extended“), D-Side Etched – ltd. to 200 copies worldwide *Napalm Records Mailorder Only*]

[Digisleeve + Shirt Bundle]

Photo Credit: Jana Kuhs x Coregraphy

German metalcore act Rising Insane have released a video for their new single 'Carousel' - the fifth track from their upcoming album Wildfires, due for release 23rd August via Long Branch Records. The single follows the band's recent shows with Of Mice & Men. 

Check out the video for 'Carousel' here: https://youtu.be/M9kYtK55NsE

Stream the single and pre-order Wildfires here: https://risinginsane.lnk.to/wildfires

"'Carousel' is one of the songs on Wildfires that carries the most traces of the last 10 years of Rising Insane, and it's important to us to bring up something from those traces," comments vocalist Aaron Steineker. "This fact and the lyrical part of the song form an analogy: no matter how much we fight against it, in the end we are driven by the perceived mistakes or misbehaviour of others, to make decisions that trigger a new series of conflicts. It's a perpetual cycle, like a carousel, until we consciously choose to be a change."

Rising Insane's fourth studio album Wildfires takes an in-depth look at the consequences of our collective abstinence from empathy, and challenges listeners to ignite their inner flame for change. It is an urgent call to break out of the darkness.  

While Rising Insane remain true to their post-hardcore and metalcore roots on Wildfires, the band have evolved both collectively and individually, which is clearly reflected in the new and fresh sound.

Rising Insane singer Aaron Steineker comments on Wildfires: "Over the last two years, I have felt that there is a huge source of strife lurking around every corner. All we have to do is pick up our cell phone and we're immediately thrown into a hate-filled sea of conflict, there's so much hate everywhere. You get the feeling that the world around us is on fire when you add war, global warming, inflation and depression to the mix. That's how this album got the title Wildfires. Each song on the album is about a specific trouble spot, themes and stories that have weighed on me while writing. Our goal is to create awareness through our music of how much we burden ourselves and each other instead of focusing on things that connect us and create positivity."

Rising Insane are:

Aaron Steineker - Vocals
Ulf Hedenkamp - Bass
Sven Polizuk - Guitar
Florian Köchy - Guitar
Robert Kühling - Drums

For more information: 
https://risinginsane.de
https://www.facebook.com/risinginsaneband
https://www.instagram.com/rising_insane

Wildfires track list:

1 Reign
2 Monster
3 Lighthouse
4 Malicious
5 Bet On Me
6 Warning
7 Counting Regrets (Interlude)
8 Carousel
9 Burn
10 The Door
11 Wildfires

Photo Credit: Andy Ford

“This is not a side project. It’s a new touring and recording band, and with Forever We Burn, our debut studio album, we’re showing our love for all things gothic and grand, along with a collective belief that dark music doesn’t have to be confined to the shadows.” – Aaron Stainthorpe

High Parasite, the new band fronted by Aaron Stainthorpe of My Dying Bride, have unveiled their second single, 'Grave Intentions', in anticipation of debut album, Forever We Burn (Candlelight / Spinefarm), scheduled for release on 27th September. 

Comments bass player Tombs: “The song is a narrative / warning of how overwhelmingly and dangerously obsessed some can become living vicariously through the Internet and social media; the decay of real human interaction / connection and the reactions to being cut out and blocked from other people's online life.”

Watch ‘Grave Intentions’ visualiser here: https://youtu.be/p7pF-6eHpXg

Stream / Pre-order here: https://highparasite.lnk.to/ForeverWeBurn

The band have additionally revealed plans to bring their own particular brand of darkness to Nightrain, Bradford on 28th September for an exclusive album release performance. Get ready to experience the raw energy and unique sound of High Parasite. Tickets available here. 

High Parasite's debut single, 'Let It Fail', was released last month, a potent blend of of bold riffs, memorable choruses, and captivating grooves, enriched with electronic and industrial elements. A nihilistic anthem, it signified the start of a thrilling voyage leading up to the album in September.

Forever We Burn features 10 new tracks, produced by Gregor Mackintosh (Paradise Lost), who also adds some signature guitar lines; as a body of work, it both delves into the darker recesses of the human condition and heralds the arrival of a new name and a familiar, formidable voice…

The name (an acknowledgement of mankind as parasite-in-chief) is High Parasite; the voice, that of Aaron Stainthorpe – longstanding frontman with doom metal maestros, My Dying Bride.

As a revered and founding pillar of My Dying Bride, with a legacy spanning over three decades, the spotlight will doubtless focus on Aaron’s distinctive profile, initially at least; pull back the red velvet curtains, however, and another force emerges in the form of bassist / vocalist / songwriter Tombs – a key player in the creation of High Parasite as a livin’, breathin’ entity.

Every song bears the indelible stamp of Stainthorpe and Tombs, their collaboration forming the dark, pulsating core of this five-piece ensemble, fleshed out by Sam Hill (rhythm guitar), Jonny Hunter (lead guitar) and Dan Brown (drums).

High Parasite take their realm of dark music to major venues across the UK and Ireland in October and November in support of Cradle Of Filth. Don’t miss the special Halloween performance at London’s O2 Forum Kentish Town on 31st October. Check out the full list of dates below. 

Cradle Of Filth / Butcher Babies / High Parasite tour dates:
Oct 27: UK Bristol, O2 Academy
Oct 28: UK Bournemouth, O2 Academy
Oct 29: UK Birmingham, O2 Institute
Oct 31: UK London, O2 Forum Kentish Town
Nov 01: UK Swansea, Patti Pavilion
Nov 02: UK Manchester, Damnation Festival
Nov 03: UK Nottingham, Rock City
Nov 05: IRE Belfast, Limelight
Nov 06: IRE Dublin, Academy
Nov 07: UK Glasgow, SWG3
Nov 08: UK Newcastle, NX

High Parasite online:
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Candlelight

High Parasite are:
Vocals - Aaron Stainthorpe
Bass - Tombs
Rhythm guitar - Sam Hill
Lead guitar -  Jonny Hunter
Drums -  Dan Brown 

Forever We Burn track list

1: Forever We Burn 
2: My Syndrome
3: Grave Intentions
4: Wasn’t Human
5: Concentric Nightmares
6: Hate Springs Eternal
7: Parasite
8: Let It Fail
9: Widowmaker
10: We Break We Die

Photo Credit: SK1

American masked metal masters MUSHROOMHEAD recently announced their brand-new, upcoming ninth album, Call The Devil, out 9th August via Napalm Records. 30 years into their groundbreaking history, the band show no signs of slowing down, proving innovative without losing sight of their trademark sound and imagery.

Following the album's hard-hitting first single, 'Fall In Line' - which Revolver dubbed "groove-heavy" and Consequence called "a pummeling barrage of industrial metal" - today, MUSHROOMHEAD unveil their second new nu metal-laden single 'Prepackaged'. The song shines as one of the band's heaviest new offerings, cementing their renown with massive riffs, aggressive growls and a catchy chorus.

Watch the video to 'Prepackaged' here: https://youtu.be/9l-gOv5z_bg

Pre-order Call The Devil here: https://lnk.to/MRH-CallTheDevil/napalmrecords

MUSHROOMHEAD mastermind Steve "Skinny" Felton says about 'Prepackaged':
"'Prepackaged' turned out extremely heavy, aggressive and haunting. Full of dark sonic textures. Both the video and the song are delightfully dark, foreboding and unrelentingly grim."

Resulting in debuts at #2 on the US Current Hard Music Albums chart and #8 on the Current Rock Albums chart, and with the unveiling of the band’s first woman vocalist, Jackie LaPonza, MUSHROOMHEAD introduced a whole new slew of accessible, hard-hitting anthems on the “artistic breakthrough” (Loudwire), A Wonderful Life, and have only aimed to expand on it with their ninth auditory onslaught.
 
Bursting with ominous intensity, album opener 'Eye To Eye' launches with warning sirens and a grooving riff provided by Gravy, proving the band wastes zero time with filler on Call The Devil. Eclectic tracks like the emotive, surprisingly jazzy anthem 'Emptiness', dramatic carnival creeper 'UIOP (A Final Reprieve)' and haunting 'Hallelucination' showcase the more experimental side of MUSHROOMHEAD, while heavy burners such as the gripping 'Prepackaged', charging and melodic 'Hideous' and aggressive drum-forward 'Torn In Two' cement the band’s lauded metal renown. Featuring guitar work and writing from Gravy, the winding, dark 'We Don’t Care' proves to be a future live favourite with its chanting chorus and earworm hook as vocalists Steve Rauckhorst and Jackie LaPonza split leadership duties. Call The Devil brings the cinematic, signature style of musical mastermind and bassist/keyboardist Ryan "Dr. F" Farrell to the forefront, exploring piano-driven balladic auras and compelling with eerily Vaudevillian three-part vocal achievements on songs like 'Decomposition', 'Grand Gesture' and 'Shame In A Basket', eventually veering into welcomed bizarre territory with album closer 'Doom Goose'.
 
Steve "Skinny" Felton commented on the album title: "We played around with a few different album titles, and apparently ‘Shout at the Devil’ was already taken... so we figured we’d just try calling.”
 
30 years into their groundbreaking history, MUSHROOMHEAD show no signs of slowing down, proving innovative without losing sight of their trademark sound and imagery. Call The Devil boasts everything from bangers to ballads, providing a strong variety that every heavy music fan will have on repeat.

MUSHROOMHEAD recently announced a slew of tour dates, catch them in the UK:

Headline with with Dymytry & Silenzer:

Aug 11: UK Southampton, Engine Rooms
Aug 12: UK Birmingham, O2 Institute2 
Aug 13: UK London, O2 Academy Islington 

MUSHROOMHEAD are:
Steve Rauckhorst - Vocals
Scott Beck - Vocals
Jackie LaPonza - Vocals
Dave Felton - Guitar
Joe Gall - Guitar
Ryan Farrell - Guitar, Bass, Keys
Aydin Kerr - Drums, Percussion
Robert Godsey - Drums, Percussion
Steve Felton - Drums, Percussion, Keys, Vocals
 
MUSHROOMHEAD online:
WEBSITE
FACEBOOK
INSTAGRAM
X
NAPALM RECORDS

Call The Devil track list:

1. Eye To Eye
2. Fall In Line
3. Emptiness
4. We Don't Care
5. UIOP (A Final Reprieve)
6. Prepackaged
7. Decomposition
8. Grand Gesture
9. Hallelucination
10. Hideous
11. Torn In Two
12. Shame In A Basket
13. Doom Goose

Call The Devil will be available in the following formats:      
-2-LP Gatefold Marbled Red/Black Die Hard Edition w/ 12inch and Booklet, Slipmat, Record Butler, A4 Artprint (limited to 400 worldwide)
-1-CD Digisleeve, Booklet + "Call The Devil" T-Shirt Bundle
-2-LP Gatefold Black
-1-CD Digisleeve
-Digital Album

Photo Credit: Susanne Mueller

Punk-inspired rock outfit zebrahead have released a video for their latest single 'I Have Mixed Drinks About Feelings'. The video was shot at Download Festival last month, a stage they have graced multiple times. The video was directed and filmed by the band’s tour photographer Susanne Müeller.

Check out the video for 'I Have Mixed Drinks About Feelings' here: https://youtu.be/WeCyi7aiWTU

Stream 'I Have Mixed Drinks About Feelings' here: https://lnk.to/ZH_I_Have_Mixed_Drinks

Bassist Ben Osmundson comments: 

“It rained for three days straight... when the sun came out for a few minutes it was a glorious mud pit of fun and excitement! And then it rained again… that being said, I think everyone had the best time ever and wouldn’t want to change a thing. See you guys back in the UK again soon!!!” 

zebrahead have been busy since the release of their last EP, II, playing shows across the globe, with studio sessions in between. The band will be rolling out an onslaught of new music well into 2024.

A new song will be released every five weeks, culminating in the release of the band's I EP later this year, the follow-up to the III & II EPs, which were released in 2021 and 2023.

Since their inception, zebrahead have shared highs and lows, sold over 2.5 million albums to date, and currently have over 640,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. They have survived label changes, earned a Grammy nomination, and through it all, non-stop touring and mayhem ensued across the globe.

zebrahead are:
Adrian Estrella - vocals
Ali Tabatabaee - rapper
Dan Palmer - guitars
Ben Osmundson - bass
Ed Udhus - drums

zebrahead online:
http://www.zebrahead.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Zebrahead 
https://twitter.com/zebrahead
https://www.instagram.com/zebraheadofficial/
https://www.youtube.com/zebraheadofficial

Photo Credit: Casey Coscarelli

World-renowned American death metal icons NILE return in 2024 with their highly-anticipated 10th onslaught, The Underworld Awaits Us All, out 23rd August via Napalm Records. Boasting airtight technicality and unrelenting brutality, the new album pushes each member of NILE – founding mastermind/guitarist Karl Sanders, longtime drum master George Kollias, vocalist/guitarists Brian Kingsland and Zach Jeter, and bassist Dan Vadim Von – to their furthest extremes both in artistry and performance.
 
The album's second single and most succinct standout, 'To Strike with Secret Fang', pushes that unrelenting prowess to the next level. Out today via a new lyric video and streaming on all major platforms, the track blends low-end punishment with blackened death metal inspiration, rhythmic vocal mastery and brutal conviction.

Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/a2N5TjIS7bw

Pre-order here: https://lnk.to/NILE-TUAUA/napalmrecords 
 
Alongside the single, NILE have also announced their upcoming 2025 USA co-headline tour with death metal greats Six Feet Under, with support from Psycroptic and Embryonic Autopsy.
 
NILE's Karl Sanders comments on the new track and tour announcement: "'To Strike with Secret Fang' is a straight-to-the-point, uptempo blasting venomous assassin's blade of a metal song. It's the shortest track off the new record, The Underworld Awaits us All, which of course in NILE fashion has several long form complex metal compositions. But 'Fang' instantly goes right for the throat and will no doubt be a burner for live NILE shows. 
 
"Speaking of, NILE is very pleased for the opportunity to once again share the stage with the guys in Six Feet Under and Psycroptic. We are also primed and ready to play some of the killer songs from the new NILE album for metal fans, as well as classic NILE tracks that have become live favorites over the years. We have no doubt that metal will take place!"

Boasting airtight technicality and unrelenting brutality, the new album pushes each member of NILE – founding mastermind/guitarist Karl Sanders, longtime drum master George Kollias, vocalist/guitarists Brian Kingsland and Zach Jeter, and bassist Dan Vadim Von – to their furthest extremes both in artistry and performance. Once again produced and recorded at Sanders’ own Serpent Headed Studios in Greenville, South Carolina, the band returned to Vile Nilotic Rites engineer Mark Lewis (Cannibal Corpse, Dying Fetus, Whitechapel) for mixing and mastering.

Facing the planet’s inevitable end with their diehard fans at their side, NILE waste absolutely no time with histrionics on The Underworld Awaits Us All, distilling their trademark Egyptology driven tempest down to its most streamlined essence. Charging into battle as its namesake depicts, 'Stelae of Vultures' makes an immediate impact with dissonant guitar chords and supernatural drumming, teasing the auditory evisceration to come. Topped by impressive screams and gutturals, the track leads into 'Chapter for Not Being Hung Upside Down on a Stake in the Underworld and Made to Eat Feces by the Four Apes', citing the Egyptian Book of the Dead’s 181st chapter. The album’s most succinct track, 'To Strike with Secret Fang', blends low-end punishment with blackened death metal inspiration, before album standouts such as 'Naqada II Enter the Golden Age' and 'Overlords of the Black Earth'  breathe new life with thrash and fusion experimentation, as well as real human choirs – adding a raw element to the NILE fold. Each track soars as a technical tour-de-force – featuring career-defining extreme drumming from Kollias, as well as razor-sharp soloing from all three active guitarists and palpable bass exploration. A perfect example of this equation is pinnacle burner 'Under the Curse of the One God', combining sinister atmospherics with breakneck pacing and whirlwind, vicious riff acrobatics.
 
Throughout the remainder of its 11 pummelling tracks and intricate interludes, NILE masters full-tilt speed and ferocious musicality. 30 years into their heavy reign, The Underworld Awaits Us All proves that NILE is marching onward and undoubtedly upward, bleeding metal for their fandom for as long as the sands of time will allow.

NILE Underworld Europe Tour 2024 UK dates:

September 5, 2024 - Bristol, UK @ The Fleece
September 6, 2024 - Glasgow, UK @ Slay
September 7, 2024 - Dublin, IRE @ Opium
September 8, 2024 - Belfast, N.IRE @ Limelight2
September 10, 2024 - Manchester, UK @ Rebellion
September 11, 2024 - London, UK @ Underworld

NILE is:
Karl Sanders - Guitar, Vocals, Keyboards
George Kollias - Drums
Brian Kingsland - Guitar, Vocals
Zach Jeter - Guitar, Vocals
Dan Vadim Von - Bass
 
NILE online:
WEBSITE
FACEBOOK
INSTAGRAM
X
NAPALM RECORDS

The Underworld Awaits Us All track listing:

1. Stelae of Vultures
2. Chapter for Not Being Hung Upside Down on a Stake in the Underworld and Made to Eat Feces by the Four Apes
3. To Strike with Secret Fang
4. Naqada II Enter the Golden Age
5. The Pentagrammathion of Nephren-Ka
6. Overlords of the Black Earth
7. Under the Curse of the One God
9. Doctrine of Last Things
10. True Gods of the Desert
11. The Underworld Awaits us All
12. Lament for the Destruction of Time

The Underworld Awaits Us All will be available in the following formats:      
- 6 Page CD Digipak & Anubis Bust (limited to 500)
- 2LP Gatefold MARBLED ORANGE RED BLACK w/ 24 Page Vinyl Booklet and Slipmat (limited to 200)
- 2LP Gatefold SPLATTER DARK GREEN YELLOW (limited to 300)
- 2LP Gatefold BLACK
- 2LP Gatefold CLEAR (North American retail stores only - limited to 500)
- Cassette Tape Edition YELLOW (limited to 200)
- 6 Page CD Digipak
- Digital Album

Post-metal Brightonian quartet El Moono have announced a run of UK shows in support of their debut album The Waking Sun, released earlier this year via Lockjaw Records. 

Over the next few months the band will tour with Author & Punisher, appear at festivals and embark on a series of headline shows. 

Full dates are as follows:

Jul 13: Nottingham Mangata Festival 
Aug 12: Brighton Chalk (supporting Author & Punisher)
Aug 13: London New Cross Inn (supporting Author & Punisher)
Aug 14: Manchester Bread Shed (supporting Author & Punisher)
Sep 19: St Albans The Horn (headline)
Sep 20: Nottingham JT Soar (headline)
Sep 21: Leicester Crowded Festival 
Sep 22: Manchester Love Day (headline)
Oct 19: Rugby West Indian Club (headline)

Tickets are on sale here: https://bnds.us/3gxjch

The band comment: “It was beautiful to see our album The Waking Sun connecting with our fans on such a deep level during our headline tour in May and June, and it was emotional to play the new tracks to our best audiences yet. We’re excited to be hitting the road again this summer with Author & Punisher and Ken Mode alongside festival appearances, and a few more very special headline shows. See you on the road!” 

Check out the band's latest single 'Marionettes' here: https://youtu.be/-ogSW-NoN9k

Stream/purchase The Waking Sun here: https://elmoono.lnk.to/thewakingsun

The Waking Sun was recorded at Middle Farm Studios with Sam Conevey. El Moono unveiled the album at a special session at Dolby Screening Room, London, where its 360-degree spatial Dolby Atmos mix delivered depth, clarity, and sonic details unheard of elsewhere. 

The Waking Sun marks an exciting turn for El Moono toward the darker and more abrasive - a more mature release from a band already marked for greatness. 

The long-awaited debut album follows El Moono's highly-regarded 2022 Temple Corrupted EP (released via Lockjaw Records). Previous tours alongside Black Peaks, Haggard Cat, St Pierre Snake Invasion, and Press to MECO elevated El Moono within the new British underground, and the EP release garnered notable praise from Metal Hammer, Kerrang! and Guitar World. With influences of rock, hardcore, metal and grunge, the band's off-kilter and oftentimes mind-bending riffs, emotive songs and expressive lyricism combine to create a sound that’s difficult to pigeonhole.

For more information: 
https://www.elmoono.com
https://www.facebook.com/elmoono
https://www.instagram.com/el.moono
https://twitter.com/elmoono4

The Waking Sun tracklist:
 

1. Dawn
2. Illusionist
3. The Waking Sun
4. The Charm
5. Haunting
6. Chains
7. The First Man On Mars
8. Orbit
9. Phantom
10. Screw Loose
11. Marionettes
12. Soul Eclipse
13. Dusk

Photo Credit: Dante Torrieri

USA extreme metal powerhouse, Escuela Grind, will release their new LP, Dreams on Algorithms, on 18th October via MNRK Heavy (High on Fire, Zakk Wylde, etc). 

Recorded at Salem, Massachusetts' GodCity studio with producer Kurt Ballou, and mastered by Nick Townsend (Dr. Dre, Betty Davis) the record is the highly anticipated follow-up to Escuela Grind's celebrated 2022 full-length debut, Memory Theater, a recording hailed as "an opus of extremity" by The New York Times. 

Pre-order/save Dreams on Algorithms here: https://escuelagrind.ffm.to/dreamsonalgorithms

In sync with the album announcement, Escuela Grind today have dropped their new single + video, 'Turbulence', which showcases clean vocals over an earworm chorus - a first for the group -  without pulling away from unhinged brutality.

Stream the video, directed by Zack Perez for Astral Media, here: https://youtu.be/UndvDa4TI28

"It will be immediately obvious when you first hear this song that it is a departure for us," offers vocalist Katerina Economou. "We wanted to take a risk with 'Turbulence', and after performing so many live shows over the last year we were ready to compile all that influence. The clean singing may take some people off-guard coming from a grind/hardcore band, but after touring with Napalm Death, we realized we wanted to incorporate that aspect into our music in a similar way. We definitely wanted a grungy, catchy chorus to sing at all of our upcoming festival appearances, and I hope the fans like the song as much as we do."

The album announcement was preceded by the release of the single 'Always Watching You', track two on Dreams on Algorithms. Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/G2G3WRNG4B4

“Most of 'Always Watching You' was written in a practice space by Jesse and Krissy, and refined during soundchecks we had over the year," details Economou. "I've had this desire to write a song where I could portray the obsessive-stalker-girl archetype through lyrics for a while. Although not physically threatening, it's really interesting that society is so terrified of this stereotype. In 'Always Watching You', I wanted this fantastical, Nightmare on Elm Street-style imagery that was rooted in the gore and horror of death metal. Themes of parasocial relationships, anxieties from social media, and an omnipresent algorithm are strongly observed in this song and throughout the entire album."

For more information on Escuela Grind:
Facebook || Website || Twitter || Instagram || MNRK Heavy

Escuela Grind are:
Katerina Economou (vocals)
Jesse Fuentes (drums)
Kris Morash (guitar)
Justin Altamirano (bass)

  Dreams on Algorithms track listing:

   1.) DOA
   2.) Always Watching You (stream VIDEO)
   3.) Constant Passenger
   4.) Moral Injury
   5.) Concept of God
   6.) Animus Multiform
   7.) Scorpion
   8.) Planned Obsolescence
   9.) Toothless
 10.) Turbulence (stream VIDEO)

Phenomena II out 23rd August via MNRK Heavy

Band celebrate the tenth anniversary of critically acclaimed album Phenomena (2014) with follow up

Photo Credit: Riamond Lomeli

Progressive deathcore outfit Within The Ruins will release their highly-anticipated seventh album, Phenomena II on 23rd August, through MNRK Heavy. The band have released their first mind-blowing single/video, 'Castle In The Sky', featuring ominous orchestration, Steve Tinnon’s powerful growls and a relentless onslaught of guitars that hit like a battering ram. With gunshots, sirens, and a haunting choir adding to the intensity, this track is an auditory explosion not to be missed. Get ready for a musical experience that will leave you breathless.

Comments guitarist Joe Cocchi, “It has everything people want to hear from us out of the gate. There’s some old-school Within The Ruins in there. Lyrically, it’s based on The Punisher. He’s a war veteran who has his family taken away from him. The central struggle is, ‘Would he rather be alive or reunite with his family in the castle in the sky?’”

Watch the video for 'Castle In The Sky' here: https://youtu.be/_2tsCV4Yyss

Pre-order/save Within The Ruin's Phenomena II: https://wtr.ffm.to/phenomenaii.OYD

New album, Phenomena II, serves as the sequel to the band’s critically adored Phenomena full-length, which was released a decade earlier and has over 18 million streams to date.

Evolution drives longevity. Within The Ruins relentlessly pushes forward, incinerating complacency and innovating out of its ashes. The Western Massachusetts quartet — Joe Cocchi (guitar), Kevin McGuill (drums), Paolo Galang (bass, clean vocals), and Steve Tinnon (lead vocals) — razes convention with a sonic sensory onslaught anchored by polyrhythmic bludgeoning, head-nodding grooves, viscerally evocative vocals, and vivid storytelling. Their controlled chaos has resulted in tens of millions of streams (a rarity for acts this uncompromisingly heavy), packed houses on tour, and widespread acclaim courtesy of Alternative Press, American Songwriter, Loudwire, Metal Injection, Phoenix New Times, and many more.

Now, they continue to evolve on their seventh full-length offering, Phenomena II. “When you listen to us, we hope you feel like you found some fresh metal,” notes Cocchi. “After doing anything for a long time, it’s easy to get stuck in your ways. So, we always try to present something you haven’t heard before—and you aren’t going to get anywhere else.”

That’s what the band has done since their formation in 2003…

As the story goes, Cocchi and McGuill first linked up back in high school. They slogged it out locally for a long time, solidifying the initial core lineup of Within The Ruins with previous vocalist Tim Goergen. Building a devout fan base one gig and project at a time, they served up Creature (2009), Invade (2010), and Elite (2013), paving the way for the fan favourite, Phenomena (2014). Drawing its primary subject matter from Marvel and DC characters, the latter yielded two of their most popular anthems 'Gods Amongst Men' and 'Enigma,' which reeled in 4.7 million Spotify streams and 3.5 million Spotify streams, respectively. Following Halfway Human (2017), the musicians welcomed Steve Tinnon to the fold and ignited Black Heart during 2020. Highlighted by 'Deliverance,' 'Devil In Me,' and 'Black Heart,' the latter incited critical applause. American Songwriter praised how “Within The Ruins takes deathcore to a new level with Black Heart.” 

Tinnon’s addition had injected fresh fire into the band as they continued to write and record. In the meantime, Cocchi opened up his own brewery Tin Bridge Brewing where he and McGuill both work. Tin Bridge Brewing also serves as the band’s homebase, including their studio on site. With the decade anniversary of Phenomena looming, the musicians made a conscious decision to leap forward by looking back. The band wrote and recorded in their hub of Westfield, Massachusetts with Cocchi at the helm as producer once again.

We had written a handful of songs, and we were searching for inspiration,” recalls Cocchi. “We wanted to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Phenomena, because it was a pinnacle point of our career. I wrote a demo that reminded Steve of Phenomena. So, it was his idea to create Phenomena II. The styles really aligned in terms of the unique guitar effects and the themes where each track tells a story from a comic book character’s point-of-view.”

Within The Ruins are:
Joe Cocchi(guitar)
Kevin McGuill(drums)
Paolo Galang(bass, clean vocals)
Steve Tinnon(lead vocals)

Within The Ruins online:
http://www.facebook.com/withintheruins 
http://www.instagram.com/withintheruinsofficial 
http://twitter.com/withintheruins 
http://www.mnrkheavy.com

Track-list: 

1. Castle In The Sky
2. Daywalker
3. Demon Killer
4. Level 12
5. Eater Of Worlds
6. The Last Son
7. Chaos Reigns       
8. Death Mask  
9. Corruption
10. A World On Fire
11. Enigma II

About MNRK Music Group

MNRK Music Group is one of the largest independent music companies in the world, with recording, music publishing, and management divisions operating in every major music market. MNRK is committed to discovering and guiding top music creators and artists and works with some of the greatest musical talent including The Lumineers and Pitbull, the music publishing catalog of Chuck Berry, plus premier music companies Dualtone Music Group and Last Gang. The company’s music department services Academy Award and Emmy Award-winning producers. Its catalog across divisions consists of 54,000 music tracks, including multiple GRAMMY winners and platinum-selling hits.To learn more visit mnrk.com.