Strange New Dawn is the band founded by ex-In The Woods & ex-Green Carnation members, the Botteri twins. The music they create is a continuation of their work with their previous bands, forged in their own unique and timeless style.
The sophomore album of Strange New Dawn – ‘Planet System’ – is an eclectic mix of progressive metal, aeonic atmospheres and classic prog sensibilities. The original mix of music will appeal as much to fans of their previous bands as to fans of King Crimson and Pink Floyd. The band have released a music video for their lead single ‘Ashes to Dust’
The album is available to stream NOW on all digital music services and will be available on CD via www.DeathToMusic.com from 01/09/20
1. Heartfull of Stranger
2. Eternal World
3. Symbol of Stones
4. Finally Saved
5. Waiting for the Day
6. Masterplan
7. Before the Millennium
8. Sky Creator
9. The Symphony of the Universe
10. Vision and Sight
11. My Confession
12. Into Pandemonium
13. Ashes to Dust
The album is available to stream NOW on all digital music services and will be available on CD via www.DeathToMusic.com from 01/09/20
Norwegian Black/Death Metallers Brotthogg have released a new lyric video for the song Draugen. The song has been taken off their second full-length album The Die is Cast. The Die is Cast is available on the Black Metal Promotion YouTube channel.
With this second full-length album following their critically acclaimed debut Echoes of the Past (2019), Brotthogg presents a new hyper-charged melodic blackened thrashing beast. The album is filled with high-speed staccato riffing, massive and intense harmonies, as well as slower parts with a gloomy, heavy atmosphere.
Ewigkeit‘s new short-player is a hazy 70’s trip-rock style homage to the Illuminatus! Trilogy (the legendary psyche-conspiracy adventure novel). It details the cartoonesque plan of the Illuminati to kill all hippies and take over the world by resurrecting a zombie army at Europe’s biggest rock concert. The only people who can stop them are the Discordians, traversing the world in their giant submarine and trading cannabis to fund the war against the coming eschaton.
It has 5 songs. It is 23 minutes long. All hail Discordia!
Tracklist:
1. Bring the Eschaton
2. God’s Lightning
3. 23
4. Black Space Suits
5. Gravity Train To Agartha
The album is released on all streaming platforms on 23/09/20, via Death To Music productions (www.DeathToMusic.com)
Ewigkeit is the long-running experimental Metal band of James Fogarty, who also performs Vocals / Guitars / Keys for Norwegian Progressive Metallers IN THE WOODS, vocals and keys for English Cult Black Metal band OLD FOREST, and is the main-brain behind dormant Heraldic Templar Metal band JALDABOATH (amongst other projects).
German Melodic Death Metallers Empyreal Sorrow is releasing their debut album PRÆY on 20 November. With humanity more and more acting like a giant swarm of insects controlled by one leading thought, the message within Empyreal Sorrow’s debut album is like a festering branding:
„Join the Cult Of Sorrow“ – reflect on your own self and avoid the repeated mistakes of mankind.
It’s so easy to feel caged in a bug-like life. To choke on the daily overdose of the feces from the overly present (social) media. When you are constantly fed with anger, hate, and delusion. The band is taking this obvious misconception of our existence and creating their own oppositional counterpart with the idea of the „Cult Of Sorrow“: Incorporating the picture of the human swarm and showing off the perversity of today’s life with an insectoid cultist image. The cover artwork of PRÆY shows this approach with its perverted adaption of the Vitruvian Man drawing by Leonardo Da Vinci – the destruction of the ideal of the perfect human being.
Every track on PRÆY covers the one thing that unites mankind the most – devastation. Be it personal devastation through depression or drugs, be it devastation through senseless wars or blind belief in misleading god-figures. The band took a lot of effort and time to find the right balance between the lyrical and musical content. It surely helps that Empyreal Sorrow’s members all have a long and solid background as a studio and live Metal musicians. Starting in early 2019, the recordings progressed until the midst of 2020. And it was a real „coming to life“ process as the basic ideas from Mastermind Martin Hofbauer underwent a constant change when each member put its personal stamp on arrangement and content. The outcome: A massive beast of a Melodic Death Metal album, on point in terms of production and individuality.
Inspired by the great Swedish Death Metal tradition of bands like Edge Of Sanity, At The Gates, Dark Tranquillity or In Flames, the band also impersonates a touch of a Black Metal feeling within its melodies, vocals and riffing. The foundation is Death Metal, but there is no rule to what it takes for an Empyreal Sorrow song to be unique. This simple strategy also led to the implementation of two vocalists – with Martin Szeike providing the guttural, deep grunts, and Sebastian Moser slamming out his more Black Metal-like screams.
There is only one goal for Empyreal Sorrow – enjoying the music and the company of those that share the same vision without compromising the own believes. So join the ranks of the „Cult Of Sorrow“ – now!
01 – Praey To Sorrow
02 – Thrown Into The Fire
03 – Source Of (In)humanity
04 – The Error Code
05 – Come Down With Me
06 – Quiet Depression
07 – Scars Of Old
08 – Voice Of Violence
09 – Killing Silence
10 – A Night Without Armor
All music was written by Martin Hofbauer
Lyrics are written by Martin Hofbauer & Sebastian Moser
Arranged, recorded, mixed and mastered at Grotesque Studios, Bad Wörishofen
Lineup: Sebastian Moser – Bass & Vocals Markus Winter – Guitars Martin Szeike – Vocals Julian Osterried – Drums Martin Hofbauer – Guitars
Empyreal Sorrow is Melodic Death Metal with well-known trademarks heeling to a new emotional side. The band takes the Death-Metal-wheel, demolishes it completely and puts it back together again in their very own way, creating an individual sound with a lot of interesting facets. Their musical construct is born out of aggression paired with ear-catching melody and a sometimes Black Metal-like atmosphere; the music is punchy, dynamic and drills directly into your head. Raw energy flows through every single song: boosting the urge to bang your head until total escalation. Definitely a band you should consider listening to.
Australia’s savage thrash/death veterans In Malice’s Wake proudly announce the release details for their 4th full-length album The Blindness of Faith. The album is scheduled for independent worldwide release on Friday the 13th of November. Presale is now available (see links below).
The Blindness of Faith is a journey into the dark side of religion, narrated by the harrowing In Malice’s Wake sound – haunting melodies, an onslaught of classic riffs and drumming and vocals that resonate from the depths of hell. The album is a further push along the extreme path of darkness and brutality set upon by the previous album, Light Upon the Wicked. Recorded & mixed by Chris Themelco at Monolith Studios, and mastered at Panic Room studios – The Blindness of Faith screams with the sonic fire that In Malice’s Wake are renowned for. In Malice’s Wake are proud of all that has been achieved on the path so far and are ravenous to break new ground slaying a legion of new listeners in the next chapter with The Blindness of Faith – the strongest album yet. Truly thrash metal as it should be – unholy, destroying sonic fire…
The cover art, painted in oil by guitarist/vocalist Shaun Farrugia, is a reflection of the atmosphere and destruction contained within the 10 tracks on offer.
1. The Blindness of Faith
2. Graven Image
3. See the Light
4. Religious Holocaust
5. Unbound Sinful Light
6. Houses of God
7. To Die As One
8. Into the Outer Darkness
9. Ritual Slaughter
10. Gehenna
Australian Melodic Death Metal band MrKill is releasing another visualizer from their debut EP The Day of Reckoning for the song Oblivion. The Day of Reckoninghas been received well by the media. Here are some statements:
“Four powerhouse tracks, each around the six-minute mark, and each a full-on kick to the face. ‘Valiant Amusement’ and ‘Oblivion’ are horrible bastards. As the music of Australia continues to expand and develop, MrKill may be another band to keep an ear out for in the future.”Paul Hutchings – The Razors Edge
“Is the battle over, am I still alive? The composition of the EP, the music that lives up to its name, the stories in the songs that encourage intense reflection are well worth the 10/10.” Dasha Krivosheeva – Stalker Magazine
“So Mr.Kill live up to their name, no matter what you think of it, and thunder out a first Death / Thrash bullet that meets international standards on a modern basis. Skillful musicians, high level of aggro … perfect debut.” 8/10 Kerbinator – Rock Castle Franken
Sydney progressive rock trio SteelSwarm masterfully create daring music of epic stature. They have now released their debut album Aspects of Dissonance.
The album release started with their single Everything Lasts Forever in 2018 – a triumphant, intricate and cathartic journey that carries melody, atmosphere and heavy hooks at every turn. Recorded by Melbourne producer Tye Pennington of Danger tones Studio. SteelSwarm followed this up by unleashing their debut Everything Lasts Forever film clip in June 2018. A beautiful, effectual incarnation of the cosmic life cycle, of how we all must return to the universe as material. Directed and produced by the very talented Jamie Andrei of Bake Agency. SteelSwarm released their second single Twilight Harbour in January 2019. Teaming up with Tye Pennington in early 2020, SteelSwarm hit the studio to produce their debut album. Described by Tye as “I can’t even comprehend this!”, Aspects of Dissonance is a new direction for the band combining complicated music with beautiful meaning and soundscapes. The band is ready to push forward and released their debut album digitally on the 6 August 2020.
Dane Simms states on the album: “We pushed our musical limits on ‘Aspects of Dissonance’. I am very proud that we have created such complicated beauty as our debut album. Our goal is to make great music.”
SteelSwarm have never adhered to any preconceived ideals. With the introduction of drummer Zac Stewart – who brings his own complementary dynamism, precision and imagination – this band are now firing on all cylinders as they further push the envelope with every atmospheric track and live experience they construct.
Line-up: Dane Simms – Guitar & Vocals Jamie Simms – Bass Zac Stewart – Drums & Keys
With the concept of the band first being conceived by brothers and fellow band-mates Dane and Jamie Simms in 2012, SteelSwarm’s journey since has seen them share the stage with some of Australia’s biggest local names in progressive metal including Chaos Divine, Blood Duster and Red Bee. SteelSwarm has been playing from Queensland to Tasmania and all the venues in between. Melodic twists, technical wizardry, numerous dazzling lead guitar sections, addictive riffs, rhythm that is both pulsating and inventive, genuine groove, moments of dense ambience and clean, emotive vocals are all part of their authentic and compelling package. SteelSwarm’s audiences are constantly energized, engaged and wondering what will come next. Always refreshingly challenging, this is a band that takes an intelligent and thoughtful approach to their complex music. Their thrash inspired debut EP The Ultimate Offering was released in 2014 and recorded at The Brain Studios (Thy Art is Murder, Red Bee).
Tracklist:
1. Begin Simulation
2. River Of Sky
3. Future Gods
4. Everything Lasts Forever
5. Life Obsolete
6. Phthalo
7. Wasted Signals
8. Twilight Harbour