As the release of our third album “Chapter III - Downfall” approaches, we are proud to reveal a more progressive creation, together with a video that symbolizes the rebirth of the phoenix, rising again from the ashes. This video definitely warms up the room by a few degrees. Don’t try this at home, kids!
German raging Thrash Metallers SPACE CHASER have released a brand new video (produced by Lucas Fiederling / Peregrine Films) for “Juggernaut”, a song taken off the bands’ latest full-length “Give Us Life” which was released in the summer of 2021. Check out “Juggernaut” here: youtu.be/NxKUI40ogac
Comments the band: “Freeze your ass off in a Berlin club for two days and assemble a disrupted desert landscape from another planet? We thought that was a fantastic Space Chaser idea! Together with our buddies from Peregrine Films we brought the Juggernaut – the merciless, warmongering monster – to life and sent him on a destructive journey. In well known “sci-fi meets thrash metal” style, we deliver the matching short film for our song “Juggernaut” and headbang our brains out along the way. Watch out that you don’t get buried under the tank chains! BOOM!“
SPACE CHASER will hit European streets again next week for a 9-day-trek. Dates below.
02.03.22 DE Osnabrück Bastard Club
03.03.23 DE Oberhausen Kulttempel (Thrash Speed Burn Festival)
04.03.23 NL Arnhem Willemeen
05.03.23 BE Bree Ragnarock
06.03.23 DE Siegen Vortex
07.03.23 DE Wiesbaden Schlachthof
08.03.23 DE München Backstage
09.03.23 AT Wien Viper Room
10.03.23 DE Leipzig Bandhaus
11.03.23 NL Eindhoven Welcome to Hell Festival
Nothing can beat the thrill of Thrash at its best, and no one is keeping the spirit and sound of the genre alive quite like SPACE CHASER. Marking their ten-year anniversary with their third full-length, “Give Us Life“, they returned to force and once again established their importance in the scene. “What we do is contemporary Thrash Metal, if you will, and while still having the ‘old-school’ elements everyone loves, we try to incorporate some of the influences that we expose ourselves to. Over the last ten years, this kind of music progressed a lot, and of course that has its influence on us. But what we do is still Thrash Metal!“
Today, Svalbard are proud to release a brand-new single, 'Eternal Spirits', accompanied by an electrifying, live-performance music video. 'Eternal Spirits' is an uncompromising, poignant track, dedicated to the memory of the legendary musicians of our community who we have sadly lost. It showcases Svalbard's finesse and fiery spirit, where musical ferocity and ethereality interflow, forging an evocative, raging sea. Svalbard are currently working on their fourth studio album.
Svalbard's Serena Cherry stated,
"Eternal Spirits is one of the most tragic songs we have ever written, yet it is also a celebration of legacy and musical heritage. It is a song about late metal musicians who sadly passed away too soon and the loss we feel within the metal community without their presence. This song is a heartfelt tribute to our metal heroes who are gone but will never be forgotten, because their legacy lives on in the millions of hearts they have touched with their music. It's crushing when your heroes die, but with this song we want to commemorate our late heroes glorious music and the legions of bands they have inspired. That inspiration will never die.
On a more personal level, Joey Jordison was the person who inspired me to pick up an instrument. I started learning drums when I was 12 years old because of the energy and passion he exuded from his playing. When I listened to his drumming, every hit gave me a surge of motivation. His creative spark lit a fire within me that will never be extinguished. I'd like to dedicate Eternal Spirits to his memory."
Svalbard will be touring Europe in March 2023 with Cult Of Luna and Russian Circles, followed by a full spring/summer of European festival performances including; Inferno (Norway), Hellfest (France), Gränichen Open Air (Switzerland), Alkatraz (Belgium), With Full Force (Germany), plus 2000Trees, ArcTanGent and Portals in the UK.
The third release in the Slavonic Trilogy reissue series. Grom was originally released in 1996 and will be available on March 31, 2023, digitally, on CD, and Vinyl with pre-orders for physical copies starting today. The reissue is beautifully packaged and is available on the following formats: Digital, 2 CD media book, and a gatefold 2 LP. Physical formats include bonus audio material and booklets containing exclusive archival content. Bonus content contains these following rarities: cover versions, rehearsals, and live tracks.
Comments Nergal: “Twenty-seven years since its first release, it’s time to give GROM its time in the spotlight! Our second album now re-issued with plenty of archived, never before seen photos and liner notes. It’s a beautiful collector’s item. Grom remains a key piece of Behemoth history and I embrace it as much as any of our other albums. Behemoth would never be where it is now without it. Check it out and pre-order your copy now!“
Metal Blade will release Grom worldwide, excluding Poland.
GATEFOLD 2LP:
- copper hotstamping
- 24p booklet
Audio:
Disc 1: Grom
Disc 2: bonus vintage material
24 page BOOKLET EXCLUSIVE ARCHIVAL CONTENT:
- lyrics
- old photos
- flyers
- interviews with former and current Behemoth members Nergal, Baal, Les, Zbigniew “Inferno” Prominsky
- interview with David Thierie, “Grom” cover artist
- interview with Krzysztof Maszota (Warrior Studio, Poland)
- interview with Carsten Molior of Solistitium Records
- interview with Orjan “V’gandr” Nordvik (Helheim)
- interview with Michal Kraszewski (Creator of the Behemoth 1992 logo, Editor of Euronymous zine, Amon Magazine, Vox Mortis Magazine, Novum Vox Mortis Magazine)
MEDIABOOK 2CD:
- hardcover
- copper hotstamping
- 48p booklet
Audio:
Disc 1: Grom
Disc 2: bonus vintage material
48 page BOOKLET EXCLUSIVE ARCHIVAL CONTENT:
- lyrics
- old photos
- flyers
- interviews with former and current Behemoth members Nergal, Baal, Les, Zbigniew “Inferno” Prominsky
- interview with David Thierie, “Grom” cover artist
- interview with Krzysztof Maszota (Warrior Studio, Poland)
- interview with Carsten Molior of Solistitium Records
- interview with Orjan “V’gandr” Nordvik (Helheim)
- interview with Michal Kraszewski (Creator of the Behemoth 1992 logo, Editor of Euronymous zine, Amon Magazine, Vox Mortis Magazine, Novum Vox Mortis Magazine)
Track list:
01. Intro
02. The Dark Forest (Cast Me Your Spell)
03. Spellcraft and Heathendom
04. Dragon’s Lair (Cosmic Flames And Four Barbaric Seasons)
05. Lasy Pomorza
06. Rising Proudly Towards the Sky
07. Thou Shalt Forever Win
08. Grom
Bonus Material
01. Freezing Moon (Mayhem Cover 1995/1996)
02. Total Desaster (Destruction Cover 1995/1996)
03. Ostatni tabor (Kat Cover 1996)
04. Rising Proudly Towards the Sky (Rehearsal 1995)
05. Dragon’s Lair (Cosmic Flames And Four Barbaric Seasons) (Rehearsal 1995)
06. The Dark Forest (Cast Me Your Spell) (Live in Maastricht, Pagan Triumph Tour 1996)
07. Spellcraft and Heathendom (Live in Maastricht, Pagan Triumph Tour 1996)
08. Lasy Pomorza (Live in Krakòw, XXX Years Ov Blasphemy 2021)
On March 24th, blackened deathcore outfit Ov Sulfur will release their debut full-length, The Burden Ov Faith, via Century Media Records. For a preview of The Burden Ov Faith, the video for the new single, "Befouler" - directed/animated by Anastasia Solti with additional effects by Dylan Gould, and featuring Alex Terrible! - can be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IymKky93qr8
Vocalist Ricky Hoover comments: "Breaking away from our constant blasphemy, 'Befouler' focuses on real-life heretics who say one thing to your face but believe another. They use this false front as a pathetic defense to slowly plot your demise. This type of life became foreign to me in my years away from the music industry, but it seems the more you're in the public eye, the more you face dissenters and weaklings. I've made so many great friends through the industry, but this one is a middle finger to those who are too cowardly to even spit in your face because they only open their mouth while hiding theirs."
Guitarist/vocalist Chase Wilson adds: "This is easily our most energetic song. The technical riffing keeps you banging your head so hard you just might get lightheaded while singing along to the anthemic chorus - shout out to Ricky! By the time you get to the end, you've basically given yourself short-term memory loss and forgotten that Alex Terrible comes in to just bludgeon you to death on the final breakdown. For the video, we went with a tale of revenge that ties our early single and EP artworks to 'The Burden Ov Faith'. Rather than go with the typical animated video, we wanted it to be almost like a moving painting or storybook, complete with hyper-stylized art from the super talented Anastasia Solti. We had our friend Dylan Gould add some extra effects to really make it pulse with the music, and we're very excited to have a unique visual for one of our collective favorite songs from the album!"
The previously released singles/videos can be viewed below:
Pre-order The Burden Ov Faith now at: https://OvSulfurBand.lnk.to/TheBurdenOvFaith - where the record is available in the following versions:
--Standard CD jewel-case
--Black LP
--Silver LP available from USA retail (limited to 500 copies)
--Transparent red LP available from CM Distro Wholesale EU and CMdistro.de (limited to 300 copies)
--Golden LP available from Ov Sulfur (limited to 300 copies)
--Digital album
Crafted by the band alongside producer Morgoth Beatz (Winds of Plague, Scarlxrd), then mixed/mastered by maestro Josh Schroeder (Lorna Shore, Tallah), The Burden Ov Faith sees the two split engineering of vocals and drums, respectively, with former Machine Head guitarist Logan Mader stepping in to capture the guitars and bass. The resulting album spans the stygian planets of deathcore, black metal, and metalcore, creating something as majestic as it is hook-laden. "It's the 'Oblivion' EP (2021) on steroids," says founding guitarist/vocalist Chase Wilson, joking, "I would almost call it 'Arena Black Metal' at points!"
The Burden Ov Faith kicks off with the slamming sulfuric firestorm of opener, "Stained In Rot," which teases Ricky Hoover's expanding vocal range via singing, in stark contrast to the gnarliest gutturals he's conjured from his forked tongue. "Befouler" follows with technical death metal riffing and climaxes into an unexpectedly catchy chorus, before crumbling into a brutal breakdown featuring vocalist Alex Terrible. That Hoover keeps up with the likes of that masked madman, plus guests Taylor Barber (Left To Suffer) and Kyle Medina (Bodysnatcher) is impressive though not entirely surprising. That he holds his own on an album featuring Howard Jones (Light The Torch, ex-Killswitch Engage), however, is. Throughout and on the epic closing title track, his injection of melody is beautified by Lindsay Schoolcraft, formerly of Cradle of Filth.
"I wanted to put something out there that was as blasphemous and heavy as it was thought-provoking; I just had no idea how many people felt the same way," comments Hoover. Since their formation in 2021, Ov Sulfur has burned as bright as a Norwegian church in the night, and with a reception warmer than hell and a set of principles to guide them along their left-hand path, The Burden Ov Faith promises to be only the beginning for the rising Las Vegas collective.
The Burden Ov Faith track-listing
1. Stained In Rot
2. Befouler (ft. Alex Terrible)
3. Unraveling (ft. Left to Suffer / Taylor Barber)
4. Death Ov Circumstance
5. Earthen
6. A Path to Salvation?
7. I, Apostate
8. Wide Open (ft. Light The Torch / Howard Jones)
9. The Inglorious Archetype
10. The Burden Ov Faith (ft. Bodysnatcher / Kyle Medina and Lindsay Schoolcraft)
Ov Sulfur live
Feb. 24, 2023 - Roseville, CA @ Goldfield Trading Post ^
Feb. 25, 2023 - Santa Cruz, CA @ Catalyst ^
Feb. 26, 2023 - Fresno, CA @ Full Circle Brewing Co. ^
Mar. 17, 2023 - Las Vegas, NV @ Backstage Bar & Billiards *
Apr. 13, 2023 - Phoenix, AZ @ The Nile +
Apr. 14, 2023 - Anaheim, CA @ House of Blues +
Apr. 15, 2023 - Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades +
Apr. 16, 2023 - San Diego, CA @ House of Blues +
Apr. 18, 2023 - Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex +
Apr. 19, 2023 - Denver, CO @ The Oriental Theater +
Apr. 20, 2023 - Lincoln, NE @ Bourbon Theatre +
Apr. 21, 2023 - Minneapolis, MN @ The Cabooze +
Apr. 22, 2023 - Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge +
Apr. 23, 2023 - Grand Rapids @ Elevation +
Apr. 25, 2023 - Lexington, KY @ Manchester Music Hall +
Earlier this week, Mental Cruelty dropped a surprise teaser for fans, hinting at upcoming music plus the identity of their new vocalist. Now, the band is releasing two new tracks - "Symphony of a Dying Star" and "Zwielicht" - to coincide with their news today, revealing their singer: Lukas Nicolai [of Sun Eater (formerly known as Impale)]. Stream "Symphony of a Dying Star" and "Zwielicht" here; watch the video (directed by Marvin Kessler and produced by AMP) for both singles later today @ 9AM PT//12PM ET//6PM CET here: https://mentalcruelty.lnk.to/SymphonyOfADyingStar-Single
Mental Cruelty comments: "The first song 'Zwielicht' (old German for twilight), which serves as the intro, is a poem written by Marvin (guitars) and it's about the demon called depression that slowly creeps into your body to a point where it takes full control over your life. The poem comes from a very personal place and serves as a way of letting go and processing hard and dark stages of life in the past. Musically, the song is heavily inspired by classic Nordic folk songs and was recorded with ancient instruments that you wouldn't quite expect in this kind of music. 'Symphony Of A Dying Star' serves as the continuation of 'Zwielicht' musically as well as lyrically. We accompany a wanderer on his journey through a winter landscape. All life around him seems to be trapped in hibernation and eternal ice while a surreal feeling of deafness creeps up on him. The winter itself serves as a metaphor for loneliness, the end of all things and the transience of life. At some point, all things start to fade away and it is the fate that will overtake us all once when standing on the threshold between life and death. The whole concept of this 2-track song is about letting things go and die to make place for a new start and a new beginning. We couldn't quite play shows and work on new music as we wanted to the last two years due to the pandemic and having to find a new vocalist, so we wanted to make a cut and a new beginning."
Across four releases, beginning with 2016's Pereat Mundus EP, Mental Cruelty has woven together a violent tapestry of black metal, death metal, deathcore, and a madness of their very own. With 2021's landmark LP, A Hill To Die Upon (Unique Leader), the German quintet not only set a new standard for themselves, but also the genre as a whole.
Rising from the ashes of personal and professional chaos, Mental Cruelty spent the first half of 2022 seeking out a voice to continue to cement them as an uncompromising force in the German metal scene. After locking in Lukas Nicolai, the band (rounded out by guitarists Nahuel Lozano and Marvin Kessler, bassist Viktor Dick and drummer Danny Straßer) reemerged bloodied but unbowed, ready to continue on their path to becoming an international force.
Armed with new vocalist Lukas, Mental Cruelty usher in a new epoch of unlight and grim determination that's at the heart of their upcoming album - which will be announced soon. Mental Cruelty's reign of darkness is just getting started...
After releasing their sixteenth studio album, Digital Noise Alliance, last year to critical acclaim, Queensrÿche are kicking off 2023 with an extensive USA headlining trek in support of the record, featuring special guests Marty Friedman and Trauma. To coincide with the tour-start this week, Queensrÿche is also giving fans a new video for "Realms" (from Digital Noise Alliance). Produced by Thomas Crane (https://www.killdevilfilms.com/), watch the clip now here.
"This track surrounds the ongoing scandals of politicians and the non-transparent cover-ups trying to save their political careers," Queensrÿche comments.
In regards to the upcoming shows, the band adds: "We are very excited to be doing this headline tour in support of our most recent album, 'Digital Noise Alliance'! This touring package is amped up and very much looking forward to seeing all of you! Come on out and let's have a great time together, as live music is as vibrant as ever once again!"
See below for all dates!
Queensrÿche 2023 Digital Noise Alliance Tour
w/ Marty Friedman, Trauma
Mar. 3, 2023 - Orlando, FL @ The Plaza Live
Mar. 4, 2023 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Culture Room
Mar. 5, 2023 - Jacksonville, FL @ Florida Theatre
Mar. 7, 2023 - Destin, FL @ Club LA
Mar. 9, 2023 - San Antonio, TX @ The Vibes Event Center
Mar. 10, 2023 - Houston, TX @ Scout Bar
Mar. 11, 2023 - Dallas, TX @ House Of Blues
Mar. 12, 2023 - Midland, TX @ La Hacienda Event Center
Mar. 14, 2023 - Phoenix, AZ @ Marquee Theatre
Mar. 16, 2023 - Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades
Mar. 17, 2023 - Sycuan Casino Resort - El Cajon, CA
Mar. 18, 2023 - Cannery Casino Hotel - North Las Vegas, NV
Mar. 19, 2023 - House Of Blues - Anaheim, CA
Mar. 21, 2023 - Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom
Mar. 22, 2023 - Seattle, WA @ The Neptune Theatre
Mar. 24, 2023 - Denver, CO @ Gothic Theatre
Mar. 25, 2023 - Kansas City, KS @ Knuckleheads Saloon
Mar. 26, 2023 - St. Louis, MO @ Delmar Hall
Mar. 28, 2023 - Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave
Mar. 29, 2023 - Ft. Wayne, IN @ The Clyde Theatre
Mar. 31, 2023 - Chicago, IL @ Concord Music Hall
Apr. 1, 2023 - Grand Rapids, MI @ The Intersection
Apr. 2, 2023 - Detroit, MI @ St. Andrews Hall
Apr. 4, 2023 - Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall
Apr. 5, 2023 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Roxian Theater
Apr. 7, 2023 - Boston, MA @ The Palladium
Apr. 8, 2023 - Huntington, NY @ The Paramount
Apr. 10, 2023 - New York, NY @ Irving Plaza
Apr. 11, 2023 - Baltimore, MD @ Soundstage
Apr. 12, 2023 - Charlotte, NC @ The Underground
Apr. 14, 2023 - Nashville, TN @ Brooklyn Bowl
Apr. 15, 2023 - Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade (Heaven)
Apr. 16, 2023 - St. Petersberg, FL @ Jannus Live
With a career that not only spans, but has also charted the course of multiple genres, Queensrÿche remains a force in their own right - and Digital Noise Alliance continues their ever-evolving legacy. As Blabbermouth proclaims, "...'Digital Noise Alliance' promises to increase the momentum that has propelled them this far...The glorious comeback keeps on coming."
Stream and purchase Digital Noise Alliance now here.