JINJER haben ihr Konzert am 22. Dezember 2022 im Club “The Wiltern” in Los Angeles gefilmt – der Mitschnitt wird nun als DVD/BluRay veröffentlicht. “Live in Los Angeles” ist das erste offizielle Live-Album der Band aus der Ukraine und erscheint am 17. Mai 2024 via Napalm Records. Einen Vorgeschmack bietet der Mitschnitt von “Pisces” bei YouTube.

Als ersten Appetizer haben JINJER zudem ein Live-Video „Call Me A Symbol” bei YouTube geteilt.

Für JINJER fängt “Live in Los Angeles” eine ganz besondere Show ein:

„Die ausverkaufte Show in Los Angeles am Ende unserer Tournee 2022 war der perfekte Zeitpunkt und Ort, um etwas Besonderes zu machen – so etwas wie eine lang erwartete DVD/Live-Album von JINJER! Die komplett ausverkaufte, legendäre Location, die verrückte Stimmung an der Westküste, und vor allem die Tatsache, dass die Band nach einer sechsmonatigen Tour rund um den Globus – von Europa nach Australien und zurück in die USA – mit voller Power auftrat, machten diesen Abend zu etwas ganz Besonderem. Für die Fans, die an diesem Abend im The Wiltern dabei waren, war es ein unvergessliches Konzert. Jetzt kann jeder einzelne JINJER-Fan auf der ganzen Welt ein tolles Set unserer größten Hits der Diskografie erleben und genießen. Live in Los Angeles ist nicht bloß eine DVD oder ein Live-Album, sondern feiert 15 Jahre JINJER, bevor wir uns dem nächsten Kapitel zuwenden…”

Das Album besteht aus 16 Songs und wird in verschiedenen, zum Teil limitierten, Formaten erhältlich sein. Als Extra enthält das Deluxe-Digipak neben einer DVD noch die beiden zusätzlichen Songs „Wallflower” & „Disclosure!”, die 2023 bei einem Konzert in Paris aufgenommen wurden.

Im Herbst sind JINJER zusammen mit OBITUARY sowie JESUS PIECE im Vorprogramm der SEPULTURA-Abschiedstour zu sehen.

JINJER “Live in Los Angeles” Tracklist
1. Intro
2. Sit Stay Roll Over
3. Teacher, Teacher!
4. Copycat
5. Home Back
6. I Speak Astronomy
7. As I Boil Ice
8. Judgement (& Punishment)
9. Dead Hands Feel No Pain
10. Vortex
11. Who Is Gonna Be The One
12. Sleep Of The Righteous
13. Call Me A Symbol (Live-Video bei YouTube)
14. Perennial
15. Pisces (Mitschnitt bei YouTube)
16. On The Top

Celebrating Life Through Death – European Farewell Tour 2024: SEPULTURA, JINJER, OBITUARY & JESUS PIECE
30.10.2024 FR – Paris / Zenith Paris
31.10.2024 DE – Offenbach am Main / Stadthalle
01.11.2024 DE – Hamburg / Edel Optics Arena
02.11.2024 DE – Köln / Palladium
03.11.2024 NL – Den Bosch / The Rock Circus
05.11.2024 BE – Brüssel / Ancienne Belgique
06.11.2024 LU – Esch-Sur-Alzette / Rockhal
08.11.2024 UK – Manchester / Manchester Academy
09.11.2024 IE – Dublin / Olympia Theatre
10.11.2024 IE – Belfast / The Telegraph Building
11.11.2024 UK – Glasgow / Barrowland Ballroom
12.11.2024 UK – London / Hammersmith Apollo
14.11.2024 CH – Zürich / The Hall
15.11.2024 DE – Ludwigsburg / MHP Arena
16.11.2024 DE – München / Zenith
17.11.2024 HU – Budapest / Barba Negra Red Stage
19.11.2024 DE – Leipzig / Haus Auensee
20.11.2024 AT – Wien / Gasometer
21.11.2024 PL – Katowice / Spodek
22.11.2024 DE – Berlin / Columbiahalle
23.11.2024 CZ – Prag / O2 Universum

JINJER Line-up
Tatiana Shmayluk – Vocals
Roman Ibramkhalilov – Guitars
Eugene Abdukhanov – Bass
Vlad Ulasevich – Drums

Source: Vampster

VUUR & ZIJDE (Feuer & Seide) stellen ihr kommendes Album “Boezem” mit der ersten Single “Zusterzon” vor.
“Boezem” erscheint am 12. Juli 2024.

Der Bandname VUUR & ZIJDE bedeutet auf Deutsch “Feuer & Seide”, die Band aus den Niederlanden schreibt ihre Texte auf friesisch und niederländisch.

VUUR & ZIJDE  “Boezem” Tracklist
1. Onbemind
2. Zusterzon (Audio bei YouTube)
3. Ús
4. Omheind
5. Kuier
6. II
7. Nest
8. Adem
9. Naakt

VUUR & ZIJDE Line-up
Famke Canrinus – vocals​​
Nicky Heijmen – guitar, synths
Richard Japenga – drums
Carmen Raats – guitar
Sylwin Cornielje – bass

Source: Vampster

Selbst eine Band wie ERRA kann sich geläufigen Trends nicht gänzlich entziehen. Industrial-Einflüsse und vermehrter Synthesizer-Einsatz prägen das sechste Album der US-Amerikaner im Guten wie im Schlechten. Denn während die Progressive Metalcore-Pioniere weiterhin um Evolution bemüht sind, bedeutet die Veränderung in Teilen auch eine Annäherung an den zeitgenössischen Genre-Konsens.

Ein einziges Gitarrensolo in “Rumor Of Light” und eine kurze Rückbesinnung in „Pale Iris“ auf jene Tugenden, die den Vorgänger „Erra“ (2021) zum kleinen Meilenstein erhoben haben, sind mehr Relikte einer vergangenen Ära denn weiterhin tragende Eckpfeiler. Die gute Nachricht jedoch ist, dass die charakteristische Handschrift der Band weiterhin erkennbar ist: die melodische Gitarrenarbeit in „Cure“, die markante Stimme J.T. Caveys, der grundeigene Groove, wie ihn nur ERRA genau so umzusetzen wissen.

Grundsätzlich gibt es auf “Cure” einiges zu entdecken
Dass der Shouter auf Albumlänge eigentlich recht monoton zu Werke geht, fällt auch diesmal nicht sonderlich ins Gewicht, da sein Pendant Jesse Cash sich in gesanglicher Hinsicht dafür um mehr Variabilität bemüht. Diese Experimentierfreude prägt den Sound der Platte in entscheidender Weise, wenn etwa der Gitarrist in den ruhigen “Past Life Persona” sowie „Blue Reverie“ überwiegend den Ton angibt und dadurch Erinnerungen an sein Soloprojekt GHOST ATLAS weckt.

Das stampfende Synth-Industrial-Stück „Slow Sour Bleed“ wiederum bewegt sich zu Beginn frappierende nahe an HEALTH, wohingegen „Rumor Of Light“ der softeren Seite INVENT ANIMATEs durchaus nahesteht. Auf Albumlänge hält „Cure“ somit einiges zu entdecken bereit, vor allem da sich ein Stück wie „Crawl Backwards Out Of Heaven“ darüber hinaus an der extremeren Hälfte der Härteskala orientiert.

Die Klasse des Vorgängers erreicht “Cure” nicht, relevant sind ERRA jedoch weiterhin
Dennoch erkaufen ERRA diese Bandbreite in Teilen durch ein Zurückdimmen der Komplexität. Was anfangs weniger schwer zu wiegen scheint, offenbart sich mittelfristig als potenzielle Achillesferse. Während des selbstbetitelte Vorgängerwerk noch Jahre später fesselt, lässt die Faszination an „Cure“ deutlich schneller nach. Bedingt sind die ersten Rostflecken auf der Politur zumindest in Teilen auch durch die matschige Dan-Braunstein-Produktion, welche die instrumentalen Feinheiten eines Stücks wie „Idle Wild“ ungeniert erstickt.

Es ist nicht das erste ERRA-Album mit fragwürdigem Mix, nach den Lehren aus der Vergangenheit aber dennoch ein kleines Ärgernis und fernerhin weiteres Indiz dafür, dass die Genre-Vorreiter letzten Endes tatsächlich nicht über jegliche angesagte Mode-Erscheinung erhaben sind. Glücklicherweise sind auch die musikalisch angepassten ERRA immer noch ziemlich gut in dem, was sie tun.

Veröffentlichungstermin: 05.04.2024

Spielzeit: 48:41

Line-Up
J.T. Cavey – Vocals
Jesse Cash – Gitarre, Klargesang
Clint Tustin – Gitarre
Conor Hesse – Bass
Alex Ballew – Schlagzeug

Produziert von Dan Braunstein

Label: UNFD

Homepage: https://errastore.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Erra.music

ERRA “Cure” Tracklist
1. Cure (Video bei YouTube)
2. Rumor of Light
3. Idle Wild
4. Blue Reverie (Video bei YouTube)
5. Slow Sour Bleed (Video bei YouTube)
6. Wish
7. Glimpse
8. Past Life Persona
9. Crawl Backwards Out of Heaven (Visualizer bei YouTube)
10. End to Excess
11. Pale Iris (Video bei YouTube)
12. Wave

Source: Vampster

“TAKE MY SOUL, MY BLOOD, MY WORDS
LET IT BE, RIDE OR DIE”
In 2022, just before embarking on their inaugural US tour, Sweden’s Then Comes Silence faced an unexpected reduction to a three-piece ensemble. Questions lingered: could their renowned darkwave wall-of-sound thrive with fewer members? The answer proved affirmative, prompting the band to embrace the streamlined lineup permanently for subsequent US and European tours, and now in their return to the studio. This unintentional evolution has sparked a fresh approach to music creation and live performance.

The band’s existential crisis also resulted in a re-assessment of their very raison d’être, and this is reflected lyrically on the new album. Then Comes Silence explain that the new LP, Trickery (out now via Metropolis Records), celebrates friendship, unity and the feeling of belonging to a group, a tribe. For the band, being part of the post-punk/goth community is a cherished privilege, enriched by a nurturing and inclusive atmosphere. Regardless of age, enthusiasts unite for the love of the music and the culture it embodies.

“Being a part of what many people call ‘the goth and post-punk community’ is a great privilege,” says frontman Alex Svenson. “After being on the road meeting people from the music scene for so many years, we have experienced a caring and welcoming community. Both old and young, some with a similar background and some just for the love of the music and the culture that comes with the lifestyle. No one is free from apprehension and fear. Everyone feels some kind of alienation to a certain extent. You might often think you need to camouflage yourself to feel part of a scene, to make a change to fit into the group. The need for friendship is strong, so you adapt. Maybe not always the way you hoped, but then… there are moments when we unite and harmonize with other people and feel an incredible community together. That feeling is priceless and a blessing. Friendship is love. It is important and worth fighting for.”

To capture the raw energy of their live performances, Trickery was swiftly recorded over a mere three days at Stockholm’s Kapsylen Studio. With Jonas Fransson’s driving punk rhythms and Hugo Zombie’s inventive guitar work, the spotlight remains firmly on Svenson, whose velvety vocals evoke echoes of the late Michael Hutchence – particularly in Feel The Cold.

The poignant Ride or Die expresses a theme of unity and loyalty, as two individuals navigate through the night together, bound by a profound connection. Despite uncertainty about the future, they pledge their souls and words to each other, embracing the notion of riding or dying together until the end.

Like A Hammer channels the eerie vibe of Halloween, whisking listeners into a world where faces vanish into the night’s shadows as its rhythm envelops. Amidst this darkness, souls converge like kindred spirits, underscored by the symbolic transition from day to night, echoing with hearts pounding like hammers, fueled by the raw intensity of passion.

While retaining their punk roots, Trickery incorporates essential electronic elements, lending a sophisticated and occasionally experimental edge. Those who love INXS, Midnight Oil, Killing Joke, Chameleons, The Killers, and Nine Inch Nails will find this album intriguing: the album features rollicking tribal drums, carnival samples, and shoegaze-infused guitars, reinforcing the band’s signature wall of sound.

“No one is free from apprehension and fear,” muses Svenson. “Everyone feels some kind of alienation in certain degrees. You might often think you need to camouflage yourself to be part of a context. Make a change to fit in the group. The need for friendship is strong so you adapt. Maybe not always the way you hoped. But then…  there are moments when we unite and harmonize with other people and feel an incredible community together. That feeling is priceless and a blessing. Friendship is love. It is important and worth fighting for.”

Listen to “Trickery” below, and order the album here.

Trickery by THEN COMES SILENCE

Captured over three days at Stockholm’s Kapsylen Studio by Jörgen Wall (known for his work with Jay-Jay Johanson and The Hellacopters), this album was skillfully mixed by Tom van Heesch (renowned for his collaborations with Rammstein, Apocalyptica, and Backyard Babies). The finishing touch came from Svante Forsbäck of Chartmakers (credited with mastering works for Rammstein, Amaranthe, Ville Valo, The Rasmus, and Apocalyptica).

Following their debut eponymous album in 2012, Then Comes Silence released two more albums before unveiling Blood via Nuclear Blast in 2016. Machine saw a joint release through Oblivion/SPV and Metropolis Records in 2020. The band has graced stages alongside notable acts like The Fields of the Nephilim, The Chameleons, A Place To Bury Strangers, The Bellwether Syndicate, and Vision Video. Their live repertoire includes performances at Wave Gotik Treffen, M’era Luna, Amphi Festival, Castle Party, and W-Festival.

Commencing their North American tour on April 20, Then Comes Silence will be joined by Vision Video, Aurelio Voltaire, and Tears for the Dying. Then Comes Silence will be touring through New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maine, New York, Vermont, Massachusetts, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Missouri, Louisiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Kentucky, Maryland, Connecticut, as well as Montreal and Toronto.

Tickets for their upcoming North American live dates can be ordered here.

TOUR DATES

April 20 – Parsippany, NJ @ Dark Force Fest
April 21 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Cattivo  *
April 23 – Rochester, NY @ Photo City Music Hall  *
April 24 – Brattleboro, VT @ Stone Church *
April 25 – Boston, MA @ Sonia  *
April 26 – Lewiston, ME @ L/A Arts  *
April 27 – Montreal, QC @ Bar Le Ritz PDB  **
April 28 – Toronto , ON @ Velvet Underground  **
April 30 – Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom  *
May I – Grand Rapids, MI @ Pyramid Scheme  *
May 2 – Chicago IL @ Subterranean  **
May 3 – St. Louis. MO @ The Crack Fox  **
May 4 – Dubuque, LA @ Fox Den Motel  *
May 5- Milwaukee, WI @ The Vivarium  *
May 6 – Minneapolis, MN @ Green Room  *
May 7 – Kansas City, MO @ Recordbar  *
May 8 – Louisville, KY @ Art Sanctuary  *
May 9 – Detroit, MI @ Smalls  ***
May 10 – Baltimore, MD @ Metro Gallery  ***
May 11 – Hamden, CT @ Space Ballroom  ***
May 12 – TBA

 ****   with Vision Video**  with Vision Video + Aurelio Voltaire
*** with Vision Video + Aurelio Voltaire + Tears For The Dying

Follow Then Comes Silence:

Website
Bandcamp
Facebook
Instagram
YouTube
TikTok
Apple Music
Spotify 

The post Swedish Post-Punkers Then Comes Silence Release New Album “Trickery” — North American Tour Begins This Week appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

Source: Post-Punk.com

In the realm of music production, there exists a select few whose touch can transform mere synth melodies into unforgettable experiences, quite like Adam Stilson can. Known for his work with Solemn Youth, New Canyons, and Vidrio Echo, Stilson is undoubtedly ranked among some of the best talents in the underground music scene. With a career spanning collaborations with luminaries of the darkwave and post-punk such as Pixel Grip, HIDE, and Ritual Howls, Stilson’s portfolio exudes versatility and unwavering dedication.

Among his latest endeavors is the long-awaited single release of Breathe On Time, a hauntingly beautiful track off the album never then. This song, a passion project simmering on the back burner since 2013 due to scheduling conflicts, marks a significant milestone in Stilson’s repertoire. Accompanied by a visually striking visualizer, Breathe On Time serves as a compelling introduction to the landscape of never then, promising something special for fans old and new alike.

Breathe On Time beckons listeners into a tranquil oasis with its staccato rhythm and icy and ethereal, soft vocals. The song’s gentle cadence guides listeners to surrender to its soothing embrace. Amidst the dreamy atmosphere, there’s a palpable rush of euphoria that washes over the senses, like a cool gentle breeze on a warm summer’s day. Each note resonates with a sense of calm, enveloping the listener in a meditative state of bliss. It’s a musical sanctuary where time seems to stand still, allowing for moments of introspection and reflection through its delicate balance of melody and emotion.

For those tuned into the scene, the entrancing 80s-styled graphics of the visualizer conjure up a rush of nostalgia for the dawn of new technology, the imposing structures of Brutalist architecture, and the fresh scent of a brand-new Trapper Keeper.

Watch the visualizer for “Breathe On Time” below:



never then is out now via Future Proof Records. Listen to the single below, and find the album on Bandcamp here.

never then by Adam Stilson

Follow Adam Stilson:

Instagram
Facebook

The post Adam Stilson Releases Video for Icy and Melodic Synth Track “Breathe On Time” appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

Source: Post-Punk.com

 
COP International has announced the release of Where the Deep Ends, the third full-length effort from German alternative act The Halo Trees. The album marks the culmination of three years of work, with lyrical topics addressing vocalist Sascha Blach’s observations and queries about finding meaning [..]

Source: RE:GEN Mag

Die Epic Heavy Metal-Band FLAMEKEEPER hat mit “Flamekeeper” ein neues Album angekündigt. Es ist das erste Album des von Marco S.Vermiglio (Ex-DEMONOMANCY) gegründeten Projekts, an dem auch Gitarrist Filipe Jesus Minhava und Drummer Axel Johansson (HANDS OF ORLAC, MALOKARPATAN, CHEVALIER) mitwirken.

Das Album, das am 10. Mai 2024 via Invictus Productions erscheinen wird, befasst sich mit Themen wie Befreiung, Glaube, Selbstentdeckung und Trotz. Vorab gibt es seit März einen Video-Clip zum Titeltrack, nun hat die Band auch ein Video zu “The Golden Spark” veröffentlicht.

FLAMEKEEPER “Flamekeeper” Tracklist
1. New Wild World
2. Flamekeeper (Video bei YouTube)
3. The Golden Spark (Video bei YouTube)
4. Raise the Banner
5. Stray yet Still Free
6. Us and Them (The Song of the Voiceless)
7. Death, You’ll Tremble to Take Me
8. As One with Light
9. The Roads of Rome

Source: Vampster

Tanzwut present the title track of their new album, expected on August 9, 2024, as the first single release: “Achtung Mensch!” In doing so, they are truly causing a “conflagration of the soul”, as the text puts it. Is it really too late for humanity, are we going full throttle against the wall? Tanzwut certainly […]

Source: Orkus

Die Experimental Black Metal-Band MALCONFORT hat einen Labeldeal bei Transcending Obscurity Records unterschrieben. Im Zuge dessen wird das britische Trio, welches aus Nuun (SEA MOSQUITO), Fas (SEA MOSQUITO, AMALTHEIA) und Kopczak besteht, ihr neues Album “Humanism” veröffentlichen. Es wird das erste Album der Band sein. Release-Termin ist der 5. Juli 2024. Nach “Rage (Indulgence)” gibt es mit “Cruelty” nun einen zweiten Vorab-Song.

MALCONFORT “Humanism” Tracklist
1. Compulsion (Ecstasy)
2. Cruelty (Elation) (Audio bei YouTube)
3. Stain (Fantasy)
4. Rage (Indulgence) (Visualizer bei YouTube)
5. Carnivore (God)
6. Inertia (Condense)

Source: Vampster

 
French producer Terence Fixmer has been steadily building anticipation for his new album since the advent of 2024. The Paradox in Me marks his second album with Mute/NovaMute, presenting his signature blend of propulsive rhythms and soulful melodies [..]

Source: RE:GEN Mag

“Ratchet” is the new video and digital single from Australian-based industrial synth outfit Schkeuditzer Kreuz, alias Kieren Hills. It’s the third and final promo single from the project’s latest album, “No Life Left” (2023) after having already released the two video-singles “Joy” and “Second Life”.

The single – available on Bandcamp as well – comes backed by “Amerika 24”, a reworking of an earlier track taken from the debut Schkeuditzer Kreuz 12” EP, “Give Me Nothing” (2021).

Ratchet // Amerika 24 by Schkeuditzer Kreuz

The video for “Ratchet” was produced and directed by David Xuereb of Sydney’s Grim Reflections.

Related newsSchkeuditzer Kreuz presents new remix collection, out now as a 2CD set and as downloadNow in its second pressing, “No Life Left” is out now on vinyl LP, double CD, and cassette, through Bad Habit Records (Australia), and is available directly from Schkeuditzer Kreuz on Bandcamp, along with digital download versions. The CD version also includes the remixes as a bonus disc, while the vinyl LP is distributed in the US through Sorry State Records, and in New Zealand by Centennial Conflict.

Schkeuditzer Kreuz also recently released the remix EP “Second Life: No Life Left Remixed” in December featuring guest collaborators Distruster (US), Max Rael (UK), Creassault (NZ), Non-Bio (UK), and Crash-Scan (NZ).

Second Life: No Life Left Remixed by Schkeuditzer Kreuz

More touring across Australia is currently underway, with shows in Japan scheduled for August-September.

Source: EBM.gr

 
Australian industrial synth crust outfit Schkeuditzer Kreuz has unveiled the music video for “Ratchet,” the third and final single from 2023’s No Life Left. Produced and directed by David Xuereb at Grim Reflections, the video’s frenetic and distorted visuals depict Schkeuditzer Kreuz founder Kieren Hills [..]

Source: RE:GEN Mag

Die Symphonic Metal-Band ELVELLON veröffentlicht am 17. Mai 2024 ihr neues Album “Ascending In Synergy” via Napalm Records auf CD, Vinyl sowie digital. Zur zweiten Single “My Forever Endeavour” hat die Formation ein Musikvideo produziert.

Seit März 2024 steht ein erster Höreindruck bereit: “A Vagabond’s Heart” bei YouTube.

“Ascending In Synergy” folgt dem Album “Until Dawn” (2018) nach. Die Formation kommentiert:

“Wir sind unglaublich gespannt, wie unsere Fans Ascending In Synergy aufnehmen werden. Seit unserem Debütalbum ist viel passiert und der Songwriting-Prozess hat sich stark verändert. Es fühlt sich für uns immer noch wie 100% ELVELLON an, aber die Dynamik hat sich erweitert. Es ist orchestraler und gleichzeitig metallischer geworden. Auch textlich halten wir uns nicht mehr an ein einziges Konzept, sondern die Songs werden von einem roten Faden zusammengehalten.”

ELVELLON “Ascending In Synergy” Tracklist
1. Unbound
2. A Vagabond’s Heart (Video bei YouTube)
3. My Forever Endeavour (Video bei YouTube)
4. Ocean of Treason
5. The Aftermath of Life
6. Last of our Kind
7. Into the Vortex
8. A Legacy Divine
9. The Aeon Tree
10. Epiphany of Mine

ELVELLON Line-up 2024
Nele Messerschmidt – vocals
Gilbert Gelsdorf – guitars
Maddin Klüners – drums
Pascal Pannen – keyboards
Jan Runkel – bass

Source: Vampster

Mit “Primal Judgement Manifesto” wird am 17. Mai 2024 via Soulseller Records die neue EP der schwedischen Black Metal-Band ASPERNAMENTUM erscheinen. Es ist der erste Release des Solo-Projekts von D. Johansson. Gemixt und gemastert wurde die Scheibe von Sverker Widgren. Vorab gibt es den Opener “Epiphanies Of The Night’s Light” zu hören.

ASPERNAMENTUM “Primal Judgement Manifesto” Tracklist
1. Epiphanies Of The Night’s Light (Audio bei YouTube)
2. To Pledge Allegiance To The Void Beyond
3. Vessel Of Enlightenment (Black Flame Manifestation)
4. Of Condemnation, Death And The Holy Ghost

Source: Vampster

MOIRAI specialise in the musical treasures of the middle ages with a focus on what has been lost in time, long before current notation systems came into use and of which only tantalising glimpses remain. The unique trio use original written sources and oral traditions, which they artistically interpret and respectfully recombine.
"Blood Treasure, Woven Fates" is a fascinating case in point. On their new album, MOIRAI bring an ancient story back to life that they have extracted from Old Icelandic manuscripts and perform in the original language. On eight of the ten album tracks they sing of the hero Sigurd, who kills the dragon Fafnir and wins a cursed treasure of red gold. They also sing of a bitter feud between two powerful women, Brynhild and Gudrún, and deadly intrigues at the Burgundian court that finally lead to three kings meeting their terrible fate in the halls of Atli, king of the Huns.
With the first and the last track, MOIRAI embed their tale in a frame built from lines taken from the prophetic Old Norse poem 'Völuspá' ("The Prophecy of the Seeress"). Yet while "Blood Treasure, Woven Fates" is firmly rooted in Old Icelandic language and literature, the trio takes a much wider perspective. The story of Sigurd is derived from much older Germanic sources that also inspired the Middle High German epic "The Song of the Nibelungs". This poem was written down around the year 1200, and is therefore nearly contemporary with the 13th century Icelandic manuscript Codex Regius that MOIRAI went to study in Reykjavik in preparation of this album.
While in Iceland, MOIRAI also studied the later Icelandic rímur type of poetry that probably began in the 14th century and last until the early modern period – and even underwent a modern revival in popular music. In a parallel to the story of the dragon slayer Sigurd told in Iceland and under the name Siegfried in continental Europe at the same time, MOIRAI created a musical reflection of these cultural connections by blending melodies and patterns from the rímur tradition with the monophonic song that became popular in Europe during the 13th century. This process laid down the foundation of "Blood Treasure, Woven Fates".
MOIRAI were conceived as an American-Swiss duo creating songs in the context of "Alte Musik" ("old music"). The beautiful voices of Hanna Marti and Mara Winter are combined with a sparing yet very effective use of acoustic instrumentation. In addition to their singing, Hanna plays lyre and Mara the flute, which she also does in a recently begun residential role in SANGRE DE MUERDAGO. They expanded to a trio when French musician Félix Verry joined and brought his subtle fiddle playing to the group. Mara Winter was formerly the vocalist and keyboard player in the Cascadian black metal band EIGENLICHT, before moving from Olympia, USA to the Swiss city of Basel (CH) to form MOIRAI with Hanna Marti in October 2015. Hanna performs frequently with the legendary medieval music ensemble SEQUENTIA. Félix and Mara also released three albums together as the experimental dungeon synth duo URGHUN.
With "Blood Treasure, Woven Fates", MOIRAI take us on a captivating journey through Germanic space and time. The epic tale of the hero Sigurd might go back as far as the migration period, which began with the Huns pushing Germanic tribes into the territories of the late Roman Empire, which was already weakened by internal strife until it fell. Whatever his original story was, it got reshaped again and again through the centuries until a version of it reached the North at the latest by the time of the Viking expansions, and finally was written down by Christian monks in the medieval period. In their musical retelling "Blood Treasure, Woven Fates", MOIRAI join the present with an age of dragons, swords, old gods, valkyries, and heroes through their exciting recital of Old Norse literary monuments – and let us experience ancient emotions that are otherwise hidden by the veils of time.

Tracklist:
01. Völuspá I
02. Sigrdrífa
03. Rúnar
04. Brynhildr ok Sigurðr
05. Guðrún
06. Eiða svarna
07. Helreið
08. At Gunnars höllo
09. Atli
10. Völuspá II

Source: Prophecy

Während die Einstürzenden Neubauten aktuell mit "Rampen (apm: alien pop music)" in den Top Ten der deutschen Charts stehen, blicken wir in unserer Videoklassiker-Rubrik auf ein älteres Werk zurück.

Source: Sonic Seducer

THE CULT gehen im Sommer 2024 auf Europatour und haben dabei auch Termine in Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz angekündigt. Auf dem Programm stehen Konzerte in Berlin, Köln, Hamburg, Pratteln (CH) sowie Wien (A).

THE CULT Tourdaten 2024

JUL 11 SEVILLE, ICONICA
JUL 12 MADRID, NOCHES DEL BOTANICO
JUL 14 VALENCIA, JARDINS DE VIVEROS
JUL 16 PORTO, COLISEU
JUL 17 LISBON, COLISEU
JUL 20 CO LAOIS, FORESTFEST FESTIVAL
JUL 23 PRAG, ARCHA THEATRE
JUL 24 VIENNA, GASOMETER (A)
JUL 25 OPATIJA, OPATIJA SUMMER STAGE
JUL 27 MILAN, CARROPONTE
JUL 28 PRATTELN, Z7 SUMMER NIGHTS 
JUL 30 WARSAW, LETNIA SCENA PROGRESJI
JUL 31 BERLIN, HUXLEY’S NEUE WELT
AUG 2 REJMYRE, SKOGSRÖJET
AUG 4 KÖLN, CARLSWERK VICTORIA
AUG 5 TILBURG, 013
AUG 6 AMSTERDAM, PARADISO
AUG 8 HAMBURG, GROSSE FREIHEIT
AUG 9 SKANDERBORG, SMUKFEST

Source: Vampster

Die Alternative Rock / Post-Hardcore-Band EL MOONO hat nach “Haunting” mit dem Titeltrack einen weiteren Video-Clip von ihrem kommenden Album “The Waking Sun” veröffentlicht. Wenige Wochen zuvor ist der Video-Clip zu “The Charm” erschienen.

“Der Song handelt von häuslicher Gewalt in einem zerrütteten Haushalt und bezeichnet den Täter als hypnotische Schlange”, erklärt die Band.

Es ist das erste Album der Briten, die 2022 mit der EP “Temple Corrupted” debütierten, und wird am 10. Mai 2024 via Lockjaw Records erscheinen.

Nach dem Video-Clip zu “Chains” – ein Track, der sich um emotional missbrauchende Beziehungen dreht – hat die Band mit dem Video zu “The First Man On Mars” zuvor auch eine weitere Single veröffentlicht.

“Das moderne Leben gleicht immer mehr einer Dystopie – die Reichen werden immer reicher, die Armen werden immer ärmer, und Milliardäre planen ihre Flucht zum Mars. “The First Man On Mars” ist ein Kommentar zum milliardenschweren Wettlauf ins All und wie wir zulassen, dass diese Milliarden in ein Eitelkeitsprojekt investiert werden, anstatt in Probleme, die uns alle auf der Erde betreffen. Manchmal haben wir das Gefühl, in der Truman Show festzusitzen, ohne unserem vorbestimmten Schicksal zu entkommen”, erklärt die Band.

EL MOONO “The Waking Sun” Tracklist
1. Dawn
2. Illusionist
3. The Waking Sun (Video bei YouTube)
4. The Charm (Video bei YouTube)
5. Haunting (Video bei YouTube)
6. Chains (Video bei YouTube)
7. The First Man On Mars (Video bei YouTube)
8. Orbit
9. Phantom
10. Screw Loose
11. Marionettes
12. Soul Eclipse
13. Dusk

Source: Vampster

Love finds a way
Drowns me in the waves
I remember you all too much
Some relationships may not withstand time’s trials, yet their enduring impact molds our identities and perceptions of love. Forever, by Canadian darkwave duo ANI, celebrates the fleeting beauty of such connections, recognizing the profound significance of a love that blazes brightly, if only for a season.

ANI, comprised of Ana Klah (Prince Bunny) and Philip Traikovski (Visitor), effortlessly melds haunting melodies and pulsating rhythms with nostalgic undertones. Theirs is a forward-thinking approach, defying categorization. The band’s name, drawn from the Hebrew word for “I,” underscores their dedication to delving into the intricate nuances of human emotion through their music.

“Forever is about that summer romance that stays with you forever but was never meant to last,” the band reflects.

Forever encapsulates the bittersweet essence of a fleeting yet impactful dalliance: two souls intertwining, finding solace and passion in the ephemeral warmth of the season, only to face the inevitable reality of parting ways. Klah’s ethereal vocals glide atop biting synth layers and hypnotic beats, bringing forth a bittersweet nostalgia for a gossamer dream, still sorely missed.

The DIY video poignantly visualizes these emotions, juxtaposing vibrant scenes of sunlit travel and laughter with stark portrayals of heartbreak. Every flashing memory encapsulates carefree moments where time stretched infinitely, and every touch sparked electricity. Yet, amid the joy, glimpses of pain and sorrow emerge. The contrast between summer’s vivid colours and heartache’s grayscale hues underscores love’s dual nature. Despite its inevitable conclusion, memories persist, etched into our very essence, forever imprinted upon the heart.

Watch the video for “Forever” below:

With influences ranging from classic synth pioneers such as Hard Corps and Operating Theatre to contemporary electronic innovators like Minuit Machine and SRSQ, ANI crafts a sound that is both timeless and cutting-edge.

Folie à deux, their first LP, is set for release on May 3rd, 2024, under the Verboden label in Vancouver.

Order Here

Folie à deux by ANI

Follow ANI:

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Bandcamp
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The post Canadian Darkwave Duo ANI Explore the Ephemeral Nature of Romance in Their Video for “Forever” appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

Source: Post-Punk.com

“TAKE MY SOUL, MY BLOOD, MY WORDS
LET IT BE, RIDE OR DIE”
In 2022, just before embarking on their inaugural US tour, Sweden’s Then Comes Silence faced an unexpected reduction to a three-piece ensemble. Questions lingered: could their renowned darkwave wall-of-sound thrive with fewer members? The answer proved affirmative, prompting the band to embrace the streamlined lineup permanently for subsequent US and European tours, and now in their return to the studio. This unintentional evolution has sparked a fresh approach to music creation and live performance.

The band’s existential crisis also resulted in a re-assessment of their very raison d’être, and this is reflected lyrically on the new album. Then Comes Silence explain that the new LP, Trickery (out now via Metropolis Records), celebrates friendship, unity and the feeling of belonging to a group, a tribe. For the band, being part of the post-punk/goth community is a cherished privilege, enriched by a nurturing and inclusive atmosphere. Regardless of age, enthusiasts unite for the love of the music and the culture it embodies.

“Being a part of what many people call ‘the goth and post-punk community’ is a great privilege,” says frontman Alex Svenson. “After being on the road meeting people from the music scene for so many years, we have experienced a caring and welcoming community. Both old and young, some with a similar background and some just for the love of the music and the culture that comes with the lifestyle. No one is free from apprehension and fear. Everyone feels some kind of alienation to a certain extent. You might often think you need to camouflage yourself to feel part of a scene, to make a change to fit into the group. The need for friendship is strong, so you adapt. Maybe not always the way you hoped, but then… there are moments when we unite and harmonize with other people and feel an incredible community together. That feeling is priceless and a blessing. Friendship is love. It is important and worth fighting for.”

To capture the raw energy of their live performances, Trickery was swiftly recorded over a mere three days at Stockholm’s Kapsylen Studio. With Jonas Fransson’s driving punk rhythms and Hugo Zombie’s inventive guitar work, the spotlight remains firmly on Svenson, whose velvety vocals evoke echoes of the late Michael Hutchence – particularly in Feel The Cold.

The poignant Ride or Die expresses a theme of unity and loyalty, as two individuals navigate through the night together, bound by a profound connection. Despite uncertainty about the future, they pledge their souls and words to each other, embracing the notion of riding or dying together until the end.

Like A Hammer channels the eerie vibe of Halloween, whisking listeners into a world where faces vanish into the night’s shadows as its rhythm envelops. Amidst this darkness, souls converge like kindred spirits, underscored by the symbolic transition from day to night, echoing with hearts pounding like hammers, fueled by the raw intensity of passion.

While retaining their punk roots, Trickery incorporates essential electronic elements, lending a sophisticated and occasionally experimental edge. Those who love INXS, Midnight Oil, Killing Joke, Chameleons, The Killers, and Nine Inch Nails will find this album intriguing: the album features rollicking tribal drums, carnival samples, and shoegaze-infused guitars, reinforcing the band’s signature wall of sound.

“No one is free from apprehension and fear,” muses Svenson. “Everyone feels some kind of alienation in certain degrees. You might often think you need to camouflage yourself to be part of a context. Make a change to fit in the group. The need for friendship is strong so you adapt. Maybe not always the way you hoped. But then…  there are moments when we unite and harmonize with other people and feel an incredible community together. That feeling is priceless and a blessing. Friendship is love. It is important and worth fighting for.”

Listen to “Trickery” below, and order the album here.

Trickery by THEN COMES SILENCE

Captured over three days at Stockholm’s Kapsylen Studio by Jörgen Wall (known for his work with Jay-Jay Johanson and The Hellacopters), this album was skillfully mixed by Tom van Heesch (renowned for his collaborations with Rammstein, Apocalyptica, and Backyard Babies). The finishing touch came from Svante Forsbäck of Chartmakers (credited with mastering works for Rammstein, Amaranthe, Ville Valo, The Rasmus, and Apocalyptica).

Following their debut eponymous album in 2012, Then Comes Silence released two more albums before unveiling Blood via Nuclear Blast in 2016. Machine saw a joint release through Oblivion/SPV and Metropolis Records in 2020. The band has graced stages alongside notable acts like The Fields of the Nephilim, The Chameleons, A Place To Bury Strangers, The Bellwether Syndicate, and Vision Video. Their live repertoire includes performances at Wave Gotik Treffen, M’era Luna, Amphi Festival, Castle Party, and W-Festival.

Commencing their North American tour on April 20, Then Comes Silence will be joined by Vision Video, Aurelio Voltaire, and Tears for the Dying. Then Comes Silence will be touring through New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maine, New York, Vermont, Massachusetts, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Missouri, Louisiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Kentucky, Maryland, Connecticut, as well as Montreal and Toronto.

Tickets for their upcoming North American live dates can be ordered here.

TOUR DATES

April 20 – Parsippany, NJ @ Dark Force Fest
April 21 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Cattivo  *
April 23 – Rochester, NY @ Photo City Music Hall  *
April 24 – Brattleboro, VT @ Stone Church *
April 25 – Boston, MA @ Sonia  *
April 26 – Lewiston, ME @ L/A Arts  *
April 27 – Montreal, QC @ Bar Le Ritz PDB  **
April 28 – Toronto , ON @ Velvet Underground  **
April 30 – Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom  *
May I – Grand Rapids, MI @ Pyramid Scheme  *
May 2 – Chicago IL @ Subterranean  **
May 3 – St. Louis. MO @ The Crack Fox  **
May 4 – Dubuque, LA @ Fox Den Motel  *
May 5- Milwaukee, WI @ The Vivarium  *
May 6 – Minneapolis, MN @ Green Room  *
May 7 – Kansas City, MO @ Recordbar  *
May 8 – Louisville, KY @ Art Sanctuary  *
May 9 – Detroit, MI @ Smalls  ***
May 10 – Baltimore, MD @ Metro Gallery  ***
May 11 – Hamden, CT @ Space Ballroom  ***
May 12 – TBA

 ****   with Vision Video**  with Vision Video + Aurelio Voltaire
*** with Vision Video + Aurelio Voltaire + Tears For The Dying

Follow Then Comes Silence:

Website
Bandcamp
Facebook
Instagram
YouTube
TikTok
Apple Music
Spotify 

The post Swedish Post-Punkers Then Comes Silence Release New Album “Trickey” — North American Tour Begins This Week appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

Source: Post-Punk.com

Die Black Metal-Band ERNTE hat ihr neues Album “Weltenzerstörer” für 7. Juni 2024 angekündigt. Erscheinen wird die Platte via Vendetta Records auf CD, Vinyl, Kassette sowie digital.

Reinhören ist vorab in die Single “Ruler Of Chaos, Bringer Of Storm” bei YouTube möglich.

Zum Album selbst haben ERNTE Folgendes zu sagen:

“Das Cover wurde von einem Grafikdesigner entworfen, auf den wir in den sozialen Medien gestoßen sind. Sein Bild hat uns sofort angesprochen und passt in unseren Augen perfekt zum Albumtitel: Neben dem Seeungeheuer, dem ‘Weltzerstörer’, wirken die wenigen Menschen winzig und verschwinden fast. Dieser Weltenzerstörer wird z.B. auch in einem satanischen Ritual in Form des Leviathan in unserer ersten Single/Video ‘Ruler of Chaos, Bringer of Storm’ beschworen.

Weltenzerstörer” bedeutet aber nicht nur die Zerstörung unserer Erde – der Plural “Welten” ist bewusst gewählt. Die Welt der kranken Gedanken. Die Welt der falschen Gefühle. Die Welt des Konsums, oder die Welt der Manipulation. Die Welt der Religionen, die wir alle zutiefst verabscheuen.

Weltenzerstörer ist kein Konzeptalbum, dennoch lässt sich allgemein sagen, dass die Texte des Albums eine misanthropische Haltung verkörpern. Es geht um bewusst gewählte Einsamkeit und die Suche nach einem höheren Sinn. Es ist aber auch eine Beschwörung uralter Kräfte und Geister, um mit der Zerstörung der bisherigen kranken Welt(en) neue zu schaffen und der Natur wieder mehr Raum zu geben.”

Aufgenommen und gemischt wurde “Weltenzerstörer” von Gitarrist Häxär, das Mastering übernahm Greg Chandler. Für das Artwork zeichnet Monsain Design verantwortlich.

ERNTE “Weltenzerstörer” Tracklist
1. The Witch (Was Born in Flames)
2. Ruler of Chaos, Bringer of Storm (Video bei YouTube)
3. Silent and Bleak
4. Trip to a Solitary Moon
5. Vessels of Sacrifice
6. The Fire Lake: Death of Souls
7. Profound Eyes

ERNTE Line-up 2024
Häxär: guitars, bass, drums
Askahex: vocals, bass, violin

Source: Vampster

Of all the bands in 4AD’s orbit, few have been as near and dear to our heart as Xmal Deutschland. Formed in 1980 by five women who at the time, did not play any instruments, the band quickly developed a sound that was immediately captivating, tapping into the underground German post-punk scene. After a string of early singles, the band relocated to London and signed to 4AD, releasing two trailblazing LPs (1983’s Fetisch and 1984’s Tocsin) and a series of singles, including a re-recording of club staple “Incubus Succubus,” which quickly became a club anthem. The band then signed to Phonogram and released their third LP 1987’s Viva, which expanded the band’s sound and achieved further international success, driven by the Hugh Cornwell-produced single “Matador.” After a key lineup shift, the band released their final LP Devils, in 1989 before parting ways officially.

Since then, vocalist Anja Huwe has been focusing her efforts on visual art and painting, remaining mostly quiet on the musical front, aside from a 2019 collaboration with the legendary Mona Mur and Malaria’s Bettina Köster. However, just this year, there has been a flurry of news from Huwe and Xmal Deutschland, centered around two prominent March releases on New York imprint Sacred Bones. The first collects Xmal Deutschland’s first two single releases (1981’s Schwarze Welt and the original Zickzack recording of “Incubus Succubus”) and two rare compilation tracks, all of which are woefully out of print and have been fetching high prices on the collector’s market for many years now. The second is Codes, a brand-new (and delightfully unexpected) solo offering by Anja Huwe, featuring collaborations with original Xmal Deutschland guitarist Manuella Rickers, Olaf Boqwist from Blue Kremlin, and of course, Mona Mur. Codes is a stellar offering and one of our favorite releases of the year thus far, featuring blistering guitar work, modern electronic flourishes, and of course, Huwe’s arresting vocals.

We had the chance to catch up with Anja about the recording of Codes, Xmal Deutschland’s legacy, and what the future holds in store after her most triumphant return to music. Enjoy!

—–

So, it was rather early on that Xmal Deutschland were signed to 4AD. There was a pretty immediate crossover/cult appeal in Europe and the US. How do you feel about the reception in those countries over the years? 

Well, I’m used to it. From the beginning, we were better known and more written about in other countries compared to Germany. I find it really bizarre, as it’s still a bit like that these days, even with Codes. I have good press here in Germany, but there seems to be more interest in these other countries. The respect for local artists seems to be a bit missing here in Germany. The German audience adores bands and artists from abroad, and not as many who are local. That said, I’m very happy to have this kind of response in general, especially in South America. It’s all amazing.

Well South America certainly has a rather devoted fanbase to this music – it seems like they truly live and breathe it. I’m sure you’d have a great opportunity to play there at some point, should you wish to…

Yeah, definitely. I think that has to do with most of the countries in South America being closed off in a way in the eighties, they were not as connected as we are now. It’s a different time now – the people in these areas really enjoy discovering bands like us.

Xmal Deutschland in 1982. Photo by Ilse Ruppert
It’s not quite the same, but for me, because of my age, I feel like I missed out on so many first wave bands like Xmal Deutschland, as well as other artists I wasn’t able to discover until I was older and the internet was more prominent… It made me really appreciate finding things for myself over the years, really being able to fall in love with a band in that way. Speaking of discovering the band, I am not in any way fluent in German, but I’ve always found the way that you emote on your records to be extremely powerful – I feel like I am able to connect with the material, even if I don’t immediately understand the meaning behind the words. Was that something that you considered when you were recording?

Yeah, I always use words that no one uses here, more or less. The German language is a very hard language, and we have more words to communicate in terms of poetry and lyrics. It’s very difficult to sing in German in a way, but I have found my way how to get this across. While words are important to me, I felt like in Xmal Deutschland, I was always the fourth instrument in a way, so I wanted to fit in. The way how I worked at those days was the music was first, and then I came in and had to sing on top of all of the instruments. The way I work today is different because we start from scratch – I have poetic lyrics and we create atmosphere, and then I fit in, and then we put stuff on top. So it’s a completely different way of working, you know. It’s not a whole band, it’s a team of people who give what they have.

In this case you can work differently with words. The way I do things these days is more structured, and I understand how to write music and how to sing to music. It was different in the early days, because no one knew. We were not musicians at the time. We loved doing music, but we were not familiar with the process. I didn’t even know what a verse or a bridge or a chorus was! How I write songs today it’s quite different.

And of course these days there are a lot more tools to help you along… 

Of course, but you still have to know how it all works. There are certain rules you still have to follow, even if you do your own thing with them.

Do you ever really break those rules as you go along? 

Oh, absolutely. It’s great if you understand how things work and make them work for you, but then it gets boring quickly. So you have to add different aspects, you know? It’s the same with art. I love to work with color as you can see behind me, but I always have to find different combinations. Where you think to yourself whether or not something really works, and if it does, you take it further and further. It’s the same with songs. Even when I get bored, I absolutely do understand how things work and have to work. Music has so many variations though, it’s not that easy to get bored!

Well, speaking of your art, I was wondering if your new record Codes is related to your art. You have a series called Codes of Color – was the album an intentional extension of your work in that medium? 

Not quite, but I mean, everything has a code. We have a code. How we speak. Art has a code. Poetry has a code. Politics have a code. So this term codes, we also have this on the record. I feel if you lose your codes, you lose yourself in a way, so I love this word. It’s a common word and an international word. Everyone understands this word. So I picked the word also for my for my art, because color has codes, too. I like that concept, so that’s why the album was named Codes as well.

Delinquent by Mona Mur

Fair enough! So I’d love to talk more about Codes in general. It’s been awhile since we’ve heard from you in this medium, and I know that your friendship with Mona Mur has really helped ease you back into recording, starting with the “Sex to Go” track…

Well, she was someone that tried convince me regularly to get back into music, but I always said no. However, when she recorded that song, I was in the studio with them and she said she needed something extra on top. I was really reluctant at first, you know? But then I just did it quickly in five minutes.

Outside of that though, I had so many offers and I was always sure that I wasn’t going to go back to music. However, when the pandemic started, there was really nothing to do, no art, no gym, nothing. Someone from Tel Aviv approached me and asked me if he could send me a basic track, to see if I would be interested to sing on it. I said no of course, that I wasn’t really singing anymore, but he was very polite and asked me to listen to it anyway. So I did, and one morning when I was bored, I created some words and melodies and just sung them over my iPhone. I sent it all over to Mona in Berlin and she said “this is incredible, what is it?” When I told her it was me, she asked if I could just jump on a train and come over to give this a proper try in the studio. It was low pressure, she said that if I didn’t like it, we could just throw it all out.

So we did the basic track and sent it back to Tel Aviv and they loved it! So from there, we started talking about his family and where he comes from. He was talking about his grandfather, they lived in a Belarusian area during the war, and at some point he left his family and retreated into the Belarusian woods. He told me these stories about how people lived there, and I did a lot of research. I started reading a lot of books about this, and it was so fascinating to me, this concept of living in the woods and disappearing from civilization. What does that do to you? I know the area up there is dangerous, you know, it’s like swamps. You can get lost there. I told Mona about my fascination with this story and asked if we can create some kind of musical atmosphere that captures this, and that’s how it all started. We built music, I wrote poetry and we recorded things. They were not really songs in the beginning, but then I thought that maybe we should think about creating an album, just try and go for it. So we brought Manuela (Rickers) in on guitar and another friend or two, and then it all came together.

Codes by Anja Huwe

How long did the record take to make?

I think it took almost one-and-a-half or two years, something like that. I was in Hamburg. She was in Berlin. We recorded the guitars in Hamburg and I went to Berlin here and there maybe twice a month. We didn’t rehearse anything, it was all created in the studio from scratch.

That’s great, and since no one knew you were working again, I’m sure there wasn’t any pressure. Being able to work at your own pace must have been very freeing…

You got it. It was freeing! The funny thing was that I still have friends in Britain and everywhere that were asking what I was doing. I told them that I was in Berlin quite often recording an album, and they were like, “really? Ok, I see.”

Hah, yeah no big deal! I remember when the news broke that you’d be joining Sacred Bones, my entire social circle blew up with excitement! 

It was really funny, because I was in contact with Ivo from 4AD, who is just not in the business anymore, you know? We were just chatting and stuff. I told him I wanted to send him my Soundcloud, to see what he thought of what I was doing. He said ok, even though he’s very clearly not in the music business anymore, but when the single came out, he sent me a message late at night and said that he was completely blown away! Then the floodgates opened and lots of people wrote me, asking why didn’t I tell them, why did I say I was not interested…

Yeah, many of us were wondering if this would ever happen. Quite a few folks hold the Xmal Deutschland catalogue up in high regard, so it’s really wonderful to have you back. Thank you for that! Actually, speaking of Xmal, I was wondering if you ever get asked about the Devils record. I’ve always liked that album a lot. I love all four of the albums rather equally, but as a DJ, it’s always been cool to play something from Devils and have people really respond to it – asking what it is and sometimes losing their minds over some of the tracks. It’s been something of a secret weapon for me, depending on the night. 

That’s that’s really interesting, because I don’t like that one!

I wondered!

When Wolfgang (Ellerbrock), Frank (Ziegert), and I first recorded the tracks, they were a lot rougher. The producer brought some people in what that I did not like at all. They changed things, like the drumming, for example. They brought in a studio drummer that softened the drumming, the original tracks were tough, you know? The basic tracks were so much nicer to my ears. The record came out on a German label called Metronome and they missed releases in in Britain and the US. It was mainly released in Germany and Canada. That was it. I don’t know why. That said, it will be out again, all our records will be out again, you know? There will be a 4AD box in the summer, and we will hopefully get Viva out again too. It’s a bit difficult with those last two albums, because they were on different labels.

Will Sacred Bones be involved with these reissues, or will they come out through different channels?

I’ll be in New York soon, so I will speak with them about it. I have a lot of ideas, some really nice ones. So we shall see what happens!

Well, I’m sorry to hear that Devils had so much interference. There’s some tracks on there I really do love, like “When Devils Come,” “Dreamhouse,” and “Searchlights,” – those are the ones I gravitate towards in my sets. Are there any old mixes of the tracks, maybe some demo recordings? Could be a good opportunity to release a bonus disc with a more true-to-concept mix on it. That’s the kind of stuff that makes me excited about reissues.

Well, I had a look to see if we still had these tapes, but I cannot find them. I still have old demos and have digitalized many them already. Not sure about anything from this era, though.

Do you have a favorite era from the band? 

I like our beginning very much, because it was so naive and so thrilling. Every aspect of it, from getting letters from people and reading all the music press, and things like that. Then, it was also exciting when we moved to London and got to connect with all these British bands that we liked and meeting different kinds of people than those we met in Germany, where we felt it was more conservative. When we recorded Viva, we were touring the US and Japan, but then at the end of the day, shortly before we split up, it was getting difficult. We didn’t have management, so no one cared about us anymore. No one could tell us anything, and we had a very closed group. In the end, this is a job, too, and lots of people depend on you to get things together, and some couldn’t, unfortunately.

It’s not just a job, but it’s also like a family, too. So you have to basically be creative and run a business with people you aren’t related to, but still are bound to in a deep way. So many interpersonal minefields there!

Yeah, it is hard work definitely, but also very fun being on stages and traveling and such. You get to hang out 24 hours a day sometimes. But it was really our age and how we dealt with problems. Everyone developed in a different sort of way, you know? Some of us wanted to be in more and more bands, some moved away to be in relationships. Things just change.

Yeah, I can see where that could get chaotic as well. Did the lineup changes that Xmal Deutschland went through over the years alter your sound naturally, or was your evolution more calculated? 

It was more natural, but things definitely changed. For example, when Peter (Bellendir) came into the band, that changed things for sure. He was a fantastic drummer. He played the Tocsin material in I think two days, or something like that. It was amazing. Unfortunately, he died about ten years ago. So it is.

I’m sure everyone is asking this as well, but do you think you’ll do any live shows in the future?

Everyone is asking me this, of course, and the thing is, we worked on the record right up until the announcement. We were working all the time. Then the announcement came and the embargo was over. Suddenly, my mailbox exploded, with everyone asking about playing live, with lots of invitations all over. I keep saying no, that this isn’t the plan. We don’t really have a band, you know? But now that the record is out, I have to say we will see… I’m not sure if I’m able to. I can still sing. My my voice is still there, but to perform is different. I wouldn’t be able to tour like we did in the early days. If we do something, we will do a few odd spots, maybe in combination with art.

Right, one thing at a time, I suppose!

I mean, it’s not that easy, because not everyone is really up for it. You know, Manuela’s not up for it at all, but she is very important. I’m not sure if we’ll give it a try, but we will talk about it, you know? We were working so hard on the record over the last two years, we didn’t have much time to think about anything else. The response has been very surprising, and I’m very thankful for it all.

It’s just great to have you back in whatever capacity that is – whether it be just this record, or more in the future.

There will be more, I mean, we we already did a few very interesting things and created a few more songs. We will do another video as well. I’m really in the flow right now, and have been really enjoying it, I have to say.

Well, you’ve got a great label behind you, Sacred Bones really has some of that same unified spirit that 4AD had back in the day. You don’t see that much anymore, that kind of camaraderie and cohesive spirit… 

It’s interesting that you say that, because, when I was in New York in November, I visited them in in the in their office, and it reminded me so much of 4AD at the beginning, a small, but excited team. Very up for things. We had lots of offers – there were many labels interested in signing us. We even offered the singles collection to 4AD because they wanted to do this box set. I also told 4AD about the new album, and they just weren’t interested. At some point, my inner voice said to go with Sacred Bones. It just felt right to me.

Have you heard the remixes of the very early singles?

No, I haven’t! Tell us more…

Well, there’s this band from Germany called No More, they did remixes of the early tracks for us.

Is this the same No More that did “Suicide Commando?” 

Yes! They are nice people. I’ve known them for many, many years. The remixes they did are great, especially considering the early singles are all so sparse, you know? These remixes should be out by the end of May…

On a related note, did you know about the No Songs Tomorrow box set on Cherry Red? I picked both “Sickle Moon” and No More’s “Suicide Commando” for that box. 

No, I had no idea!

Well, it must have been licensed from Universal, but point is, there are many of us, Sacred Bones included, who are trying to keep this music alive. There’s such a renewed interest in darker music, and while there are so many good new bands, there are also hundreds of original bands that are ripe for discovery. With that in mind, do you get a lot of messages from new fans in recent years? 

Yeah, from lots of young people who are excited to have discovered the band. Everyone is looking back, it seems. Of course, these people have never seen the band and have only heard about us after the fact, as part of the goth movement. Well, I don’t call it goth, but you know… It’s just the spirit and the energy, it feels new and fresh to them, which is interesting, isn’t it?

Well, of course your origins are quite interesting as well, those early days of the band coming together. Five women picking up instruments for the first time and carving out your own vast microcosms of sound. It’s really inspiring to people, I think. It really resonates. 

You know, that’s especially interesting because we were never that present on the net or anything over the years. We were not keen on posting things and doing selfies, or promoting the band in that way. Now I’m on Instagram of course, because they made me, but I’m not too keen on sharing things. I’m an artist, you know?

You do seem really private in that way… 

Yeah, it’s more of a private thing for me, but then again, times have changed. Everyone has to give a bit.

From Anja Huwe’s Codes of Color series.
As far as your artwork – have you always been a visual artist? How did you start working in that medium?

Well, I started at the same time I started music, the same. I went to university but had to make a decision – music or illustration. I thought it would be more interesting to move to London and be a musician really, but I always stuck with art, I worked on booklets and album covers for people. I’m a photographer, too. I just love visual art of any form, really.

The good thing is that no one says that you have to do only one thing, especially these days. Being able to express yourself in so many different ways is pretty fantastic…

Yeah, it would be boring for me to do just one thing.

With that in mind – what are you doing next? Are you working on new paintings?

I work on my paintings constantly, but I did lots of paper work like scribbling and cutting out stuff and doing scenes. Right now I’m thinking about something bigger, since I have a lot of photo material. I did the designs together for the album with Olaf, who is also a designer, so we will start working on things. I plan to either work more on my art or my poetry at the moment.

I’m glad you have that freedom to explore your passions, and am so delighted that you have found a place for your music. Is there anything else you wanted to share about Codes?  

Well, I think it’s important to say it was good work, you know? It was a very straight and constant process with Mona, and I’m very happy to work with her, as well as with Olaf, Manuela, and John Caffrey, who did the mastering for the album. He really brought the album to a different level, added a lot of edge, really. I think we are still up for more work together, between us and the label. It’s such a small, independent circle, and it really feels like a breath of fresh air after those last Xmal Deutschland. We will keep it independent, and keep working independently and creatively.

Well, I think I speak for everyone here – we can’t wait to see what’s next! 

Same here! §

Anja Huwe’s Codes and Xmal Deutschland’s Early Singles (1981-1982) are both available via Sacred Bones and Bandcamp. Check below for the full artwork and track listing:

Anja Huwe- Codes
1. Skuggornas
2. Rabenschwarz
3. Pariah
4. Exit
5. O Wald
6. Zwischenwelt
7. Sleep With One Eye Open
8. Living In The Forest
9. Hideaway

Xmal Deutschland – Early Singles (1981-1982)
1. Schwarze Welt
2. Die Wolken
3. Großstadtindianer
4. Kälbermarsch
5. Incubus Succubus
6. Zu Jung Zu Alt
7. Blut Ist Liebe
8. Allein

Header photo by Katja Ruge

The post Living in the Forest an Interview with Anja Huwe of Xmal Deutschland appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

Source: Post-Punk.com

  Since the band’s inception in 1991, 16volt has been virtually synonymous with coldwave and machine/rock as Eric Powell and his numerous bandmates over the years have helped to define and shape the style. It’s been seven years since the release of the Dead On Arrivals EP, which was preceded by 2016’s The Negative Space; […]

Source: EBM.gr

Out now is the brand new video for the industrial black metal band Damned To Downfall: “Last Man Falling”.

Damned to Downfall started in 2019 and mix old-school death metal with Industrial and EBM, and black metal. It resulted in the 2020 EP “Born to Breed” and the 2021 album ”Embrace Your Extinction”. On their 2023 EP “Slavery for You” they moved further towards industrial and black metal.

Below is the “Last Man Falling” video on YouTube

You can also get the single from Bandcamp.

Last Man Falling by Damned to Downfall

Source: EBM.gr

Meist verheißt es ja nichts Gutes, wenn nahezu die komplette Band die Koffer packt. Für das verbliebene Gründungsmitglied Wyatt McLaughlin war die notgedrungene Nachbesetzung von drei Vierteln des Line-ups im Jahr 2022 jedoch offenbar eine Chance, zu den fundamentalen Werten zurückzukehren. So lassen THE LAST TEN SECONDS OF LIFE sicherlich nicht zufällig im Opener „Of All Humanity, The Sum” den Geist von „Soulless Hymns“ (2015) wieder aufleben.

Grundsätzlich zeigt sich „No Name Graves“ in der langsamen, groove-orientieren Ecke des Deathcore verankert, wo die Riffs tonnenschwer treffen und die Breakdowns dem walzenden Grundcharakter ein wenig extra Punch hinzuaddieren. Wenn sich in „Body Of A Bastard“ die begleitende Lead-Gitarre aus dem Morast schlängelt, um den teils abgrundtiefen Growls ausnahmsweise eine klare Melodieführung zur Seite zu stellen, bewegen sich THE LAST TEN SECONDS OF LIFE schon am Rande ihrer Komfortzone.

Mit voller Wucht in die Magengrube: “No Name Graves” setzt klare Prioritäten
Zumindest hinterlässt das Quartett diesen Eindruck, wo doch sonst hauptsächlich eine zermalmende Urgewalt über uns hereinbricht, die langsam kriechend im Titeltrack oder mächtig groovend („Saint No More“) stets auf dasselbe Ergebnis abzielt. „No Name Graves“ ist so heavy wie unnachgiebig, streut kurze Doublebass- und Blastbeat-Salven nur ein, um uns danach umso überzeugender in die Magengrube treten zu können.

Möglich macht dies abseits der für US-Deathcore typisch dicken Produktion der neue Mann am Mikro. Tyler Beams Organ ist vor allem in den tiefen Regionen das ideale Vehikel für den Ansatz, welchen THE LAST TEN SECONDS OF LIFE verfolgen. Auch hier gilt allerdings, dass wirklich neue Impulse rar gesät sind, wenngleich das teils doomige „Doomsday Death Trap“ durch seine ominöse Atmosphäre ähnlich in Erinnerung bleibt wie das tatsächlich vielseitige „Debt To The Dark“.

THE LAST TEN SECONDS OF LIFE zeigen zum Ende, was künftig möglich wäre
Hier spielen die vier Musiker in dezenter Weise mit unterschiedlichsten Stilmitteln, ohne am eigentlichen Fundament zu rütteln, bevor dem Ganzen im finalen „Thirst For Extinction“ noch eins draufgesetzt wird. Auf seinen letzten Metern tritt die Band das Gaspedal durch und versichert uns, dass die Band auch in runderneuerter Besetzung durchaus verschiedene Gesichter zeigen kann: Potenzial, das „No Name Graves“ derzeit noch nicht durchgehend zu realisieren vermag, während es aber doch deutlich macht, warum der Line-up-Wechsel für THE LAST TEN SECONDS OF LIFE letzten Endes eine gute Sache gewesen sein könnte.

Veröffentlichungstermin: 09.02.2024

Spielzeit: 34:43

Line-Up
Tyler Beam – Vocals
Wyatt McLaughlin – Gitarre
Andrew Petway – Bass
Dylan Potts – Drums

Produziert von Carson Slovak und Grant McFarland

Label: Unique Leader

Homepage: https://www.thelasttensecondsoflife.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thelasttensecondsoflife

THE LAST TEN SECONDS OF LIFE “No Name Graves” Tracklist
01. Of All Humanity, The Sum (Video bei YouTube)
02. Letania Infernalis
03. No Name Graves
04. Body Of A Bastard
05. Saint No More
06. Feel My Fangs In You
07. Doomsday Death Trap
08. Broken Glass Incantation
09. Debt To The Dark
10. Thirst For Extinction

Source: Vampster

Das SUMMER BREEZE Festival 2024 in Dinkelsbühl wird vom 14. bis 17. August stattfinden. Nun haben die Organisatoren mit einer letzten Bandwelle das Line-up komplettiert: ANGSTSKRÍG, AVRALIZE, DEFOCUS, DISBELIEF, EMBRACE YOUR PUNISHMENT, ERADIKATED, ERDLING, ESCUELA GRIND, EYES WIDE OPEN, FALL OF SERENITY, FATEFUL FINALITY, HALCYON DAYS, HAND OF JUNO, HEMELBESTORMER, IMPALEMENT, KUPFERGOLD, LEAVE., LOS MALES DEL MUNDO. MAVIS, MØRKET, NYKTOPHOBIA, PALEHØRSE, PLAGUEMACE, RANDALE, SHREDHEAD, SLOW FALL, SOULPRISON, SPIRE OF LAZARUS, VENUES und ZERRE.

Die Ankündigung folgt auf die Bestätigung zehn weiterer Acts: MESHUGGAH, LORDI, MOONSPELL, MYRKUR, ARKONA, PUNK ROCK FACTORY, SUOTANA, TILINTETGJORT, ALCHEMIA sowie BLASMUSIK ILLENSCHWANG. Zuvor gab es die Ankündigung von 13 weiteren Bands. Neben dem Headliner HEAVEN SHALL BURN statten auch EMMURE, EQUILIBRIUM, OBSCURA, PAIN, SYLOSIS, AETHERIAN, ANKOR, NAKKEKNAEKKER, PEST CONTROL, THRON, VISCERA sowie ein Überraschungsact dem Festival einen Besuch ab.

Update (15. April 2024): SPIRITWORLD haben ihre Europatermine 2024 und damit auch den Auftritt auf dem SUMMER BREEZE abgesagt. Als Ersatz konnten DUST BOLT gewonnen werden.

Wie sich die einzelnen Bands auf die Festivaltage aufteilen, ist in der Tageseinteilung zu entnehmen (s. unten).

AMON AMARTH und ARCHITECTS gehören zu den Headlinern des SUMMER BREEZE 2024
Im Dezember 2023 gab es das letzte Update: Mit dabei sind demnach CRADLE OF FILTH, EXODUS, ENSLAVED, INSOMNIUM, RISE OF THE NORTHSTAR, ECLIPSE, NECROPHOBIC, THE BABOON SHOW, ABORTED, DYNAZTY, KAMPFAR, MEMORIAM, THE OCEAN, EINHERJER, SAMURAI PIZZA CATS, BEFORE THE DAWN, UNPROCESSED, IMPERIUM DEKADENZ, NESTOR, EREB ALTOR, DISENTOMB, CARNATION, ACRANIUS, STILLBIRTH, INSANITY ALERT, ROBSE, THE NIGHT ETERNAL, IGNEA, BRUTAL SPHINCTER sowie DEAR MOTHER.

Ende Oktober enthüllte das Festival bereits 27 zusätzliche Bands: FLOGGING MOLLY, JINJER, SODOM, KORPIKLAANI, DARK TRANQUILLITY, SPIRITBOX, THE AMITY AFFLICTION, ORDEN OGAN, WHITECHAPEL, MADBALL, CULT OF FIRE, CALLEJON, UNEARTH, EVIL INVADERS, BOKASSA, THE BUTCHER SISTERS, OUR PROMISE, SIAMESE, HERETOIR, JESUS PIECE, SVALBARD, NECROTTED, TENSIDE, GUILT TRIP, FIXATION, MOON SHOT sowie VOODOO KISS.

Zuvor startete man mit den Headlinern AMON AMARTH und ARCHITECTS sowie einer Reihe weiterer Bands in den Vorverkauf: FEUERSCHWANZ, BEHEMOTH, LORD OF THE LOST, MOTIONLESS IN WHITE, SUBWAY TO SALLY, J.B.O., NEAERA, ROTTING CHRIST, DELAIN, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, ASPHYX, AFTER THE BURIAL, MEGAHERZ, WARKINGS, BLIND CHANNEL, PALEFACE SWISS, BROTHERS OF METAL, CRYPTA, TEN56., MENTAL CRUELITY, DYMYTRY, BURNING WITCHES, NACHTBLUT, BODYSNATCHER und FUTURE PALACE sind mit dabei.

Informationen zum Ticket-Vorverkauf beim Summer Breeze Open Air 2024:
Das Early Bird Ticket für 179 Euro (inkl. 25% Discount) war bereits nach wenigen Tagen komplett vergriffen. Limitiert war es auf die ersten 20.000 Tickets. Mittlerweile kostet das reguläre Ticket 239,99€. Tagestickets sind zum Preis von 89,99€ verfügbar. Eine Sonderaktion gibt es hierbei für jüngere Metal-Fans: Unter dem Motto “New Blood” können sich alle Jahrgänge 2005 und jünger für den Donnerstag (15.08.2024) um einen limitierten Platz auf der Nachwuchs-Gästeliste bewerben – mit etwas Glück erhält man dann für diesen Tag freien Eintritt auf das Festival.

Mit dem “Social Ticket” steht darüber hinaus ein limitiertes Kontingent von 100 Eintrittskarten zur Verfügung, mit dem Metalfans, die in finanzielle Schieflage geraten sind, der Besuch auf dem SUMMER BREEZE ermöglicht werden soll. Bewerben kann man sich mit der eigenen Geschichte (und ggf. Belegen) bis zum 30. April 2024 via Email an socialticket@summer-breeze.de.

Weitere Informationen zum SUMMER BREEZE: http://www.summer-breeze.de

Hier gibt es Informationen zum SUMMER BREEZE 2023 bei vampster.

Die vorläufige Tageseinteilung der Bands auf dem SUMMER BREEZE 2024
An welchen Tagen die unterschiedlichen Bands auftreten werden, haben die Veranstalter nun auch öffentlich gemacht. So headlinen etwa MESHUGGAH den Mittwoch, während ARCHITECTS den Donnerstag und AMON AMARTH den Freitag anführen. Headliner am Samstag sind schließlich HEAVEN SHALL BURN.

Übersicht: SUMMER BREEZE 2024 Lineup, Billing & Bands
(Stand: 16.04.2024)

Headliner:

AMON AMARTH
ARCHITECTS
HEAVEN SHALL BURN
MESHUGGAH

Alle weiteren Bands beim Summer Breeze 2024 in alphabetischer Reihenfolge

ABORTED
ACRANIUS
AETHERIAN
AFTER THE BURIAL
ALCHEMIA
ANGSTSKRÍG
ANKOR
ARKONA
ASPHYX
AVRALIZE
BEFORE THE DAWN
BEHEMOTH
BLASMUSIK ILLENSCHWANG
BLIND CHANNEL
BODYSNATCHER
BOKASSA
BROTHERS OF METAL
BRUTAL SPHINCTER
BURNING WITCHES
CALLEJON
CARNATION
CRADLE OF FILTH
CRYPTA
CULT OF FIRE
DARK TRANQUILLITY
DEAR MOTHER
DEFOCUS (Dienstag)
DELAIN
DISBELIEF (Dienstag)
DISENTOMB
DUST BOLT
DYMYTRY
DYNAZTY
ECLIPSE
EINHERJER
EMBRACE YOUR PUNISHMENT
EMMURE
ENSLAVED
EQUILIBRIUM
ERADIKATED
ERDLING
EREB ALTOR
ESCUELA GRIND
EVIL INVADERS
EXODUS
EYES WIDE OPEN
FALL OF SERENITY (Dienstag)
FATEFUL FINALITY
FEUERSCHWANZ
FIXATION
FLOGGING MOLLY
FUTURE PALACE
GUILT TRIP
HALCYON DAYS
HAND OF JUNO
HEMELBESTORMER
HERETOIR
IGNEA
IMPALEMENT
IMPERIUM DEKADENZ
INSANITY ALERT
INSOMNIUM
J.B.O.
JESUS PIECE
JINJER
KAMPFAR
KUPFERGOLD
KORPIKLAANI
LEAVE.
LORD OF THE LOST
LORDI
LOS MALES DEL MUNDO
MADBALL
MAVIS
MEGAHERZ
MEMORIAM
MENTAL CRUELITY
MOON SHOT
MOONSPELL
MØRKET
MOTIONLESS IN WHITE
MYRKUR
NACHTBLUT
NAKKEKNAEKKER
NEAERA
NECROPHOBIC
NECROTTED
NESTOR
NYKTOPHOBIA
OBSCURA
ORDEN OGAN
OUR PROMISE
PAIN
PALEFACE SWISS
PALEHØRSE
PEST CONTROL
PLAGUEMACE
PUNK ROCK FACTORY
RANDALE
RISE OF THE NORTHSTAR
ROBSE
ROTTING CHRIST
SAMURAI PIZZA CATS
SHREDHEAD (Dienstag)
SIAMESE
SLOW FALL
SODOM
SOULPRISON (Dienstag)
SPIRE OF LAZARUS
SPIRITBOX
STILLBIRTH
SUBWAY TO SALLY
SUOTANA
SVALBARD
SYLOSIS
TEN56.
TENSIDE
THE AMITY AFFLICTION
THE BABOON SHOW
THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER
THE BUTCHER SISTERS
THE NIGHT ETERNAL
THE OCEAN
THRON
TILINTETGJORT
Überraschungsact
UNEARTH
UNPROCESSED
VENUES
VISCERA
VOODOO KISS
WARKINGS
WHITECHAPEL
ZERRE

Source: Vampster

Genre/Influences: Dark-Ambient, Cinematic. Format: Digital, CD. Background/Info: This is the debut-album by Chicago (USA)-based artist...

Source: Side Line

Well, ain?'t this quite a fun little bop of a goth / darkwave track? Ceremony Shadows describes themselves as making ritual darkwave, but this is not to be confused as a fusion of what typical ritualistic music includes. The tribal drums and ethereal ambiance that permeates what is usually con

Source: EBM.gr

Collection D’arnell-Andréa is now active for nearly forty years. Originally set up in 1986 by...

Source: Side Line

Das Debütalbum von VUUR & ZIJDE ("Feuer & Seide") dreht sich auf bemerkenswerte Weise um Themen wie bedingte und bedingungslose Liebe - und den Unterschied zwischen diesen, die Befreiung von Intimität und Mutterschaft. Mit "Boezem" ("Schoß", wörtlich: "Busen") lehnt es das niederländische Quintetts höflich ab, die ewigen Heavy Metal-Klischees zu bedienen. Obwohl die Niederländer im Black Metal verwurzelt sind und deren Mitglieder in so etablierten Bands wie LASTER, NUSQUAMA, SILVER KNIFE, GREY AURA, WITTE WIEVEN und TERZIJ DE HORDE gespielt haben oder weiterhin dabei sind, haben sie ihren stilistischen Kurs seit dem Split-Album mit IMPAVIDA (2020) korrigiert. Die Entwicklung von einem Trio zu einem 5-köpfigen Ensemble hatte eine größere Bandbreite an Einflüssen und Ideen zur Folge. Die subtilen Veränderungen auch der Produktion reichen aus, um einen Teil des neuen Sounds in der spannenden aktuellen Evolution des Post-Black Metal zu verorten. Die schwarze Seite der Musik drückt sich hauptsächlich in wirbelnden Schlagzeugattacken und surrenden Gitarrenriffs aus. Doch "Boezem" baut noch auf einer weiteren starken Säule auf, denn die Band nennt auch Acts wie COCTEAU TWINS und sogar DEAD CAN DANCE als wichtige Einflüsse, die beide im Post-Punk begannen und sich dann zu verträumteren, meditativen Klängen weiterentwickelten. Synthesizer-Sounds sowie die schöne, warme Stimme von Sängerin Famke tragen offensichtlich zu dieser anderen Seite von VUUR & ZIJDE bei. Die Sängerin zeichnet auch für einige Texte verantwortlich, die in Frysk (Friesisch) verfasst sind. Diese alte germanische Sprache wird noch immer in einigen niederländischen und deutschen Nordseeküstengebieten gesprochen, die sich bis zur dänischen Grenze erstrecken. Alle anderen Texte sind auf Niederländisch verfasst. Mit "Boezem" gelingt VUUR & ZIJDE ein perfekter Balanceakt zwischen ihren gegensätzlichen Polen. Die aggressive Seite mit schwarzen, zum Post-Black Metal verwandelten Elementen kontrastiert mit der lichten Seite von Shoegaze, Post-Punk und Wave. Beide Seiten kreisen in einem endlosen Tanz umeinander, der faszinierende neue Musik hervorbringt. "Boezem" erstrahlt voller Schönheit und ist doch wie eine schwarze Rose zugleich von Dornen übersät.

Tracklist:
1. Onbemind
2. Zusterzon
3. Ús
4. Omheind
5. Kuier
6. II
7. Nest
8. Adem
9. Naakt

Source: Prophecy

Es geht weiter und weiter: Während viele Bands der “Class of 05” sich längst aufgelöst haben, machen Maxïmo Park kaum Pausen. Eine neue Single...

Source: monkeypress.de

Die Black Metal-Band ANTIFLESH hat einen Labeldeal bei Theogonia Records unterschrieben. Der Deal sieht den Release des neuen Albums “Hosanna” vor, welches am 14. Juni 2024 erscheinen wird. Es ist nach “Ashes” (2020) das zweite Album der Polen. Das Cover-Artwork stammt von Temira De Temirin. Mit “Kres Istnienia” gibt es vorab einen Video-Clip.

ANTIFLESH “Hosanna” Tracklist
I. Ceremony of Black
II. My Name is Death
III. Black Dawn
IV. Et Gloria in Saecula
V. Kres Istnienia (Video bei YouTube)
VI. Impaled Flesh
VII. Holy Poison
VIII. Black Manifest
IX. Funeral Whore

Source: Vampster

There has been a lot of buzz around Data Void. So, what's all buzzing about? Well, imagine Don Gordon of Numb and James Mendez of Jihad meeting each other in Austin Texas in 1996 when Numb, Die Krupps and Front Line Assembly were tour. Great!, two artists met each other, but here's where it gets int

Source: EBM.gr

Die Death Metal-Band MORTAL WOUND hat mit “Anus of the World” ein neues Album angekündigt. Es ist das erste Album der US-Amerikaner aus Los Angeles, die davor ein Demo (“Forms of Unreasoning Fear” – 2018) und eine Split (mit GUTLESS – 2020) veröffentlicht haben. Release-Termin ist der 24. Mai 2024 via Dark Descent Records (CD, Tape) und Me Saco un Ojo Records (Vinyl). Vorab gibt es den Opener “Found Dead in a Bush” zu hören.

MORTAL WOUND Line-Up:
Sam Shriver – Giutar, Vocals and Samples.
Mathias Hofmeister – Bass
Peter King – Guitar
Devlin Baldwin – Drums

MORTAL WOUND “Anus of the World” Tracklist
1. Found Dead in a Bush (Audio bei Bandcamp)
2. Tunnel Rat
3. The Surf is Gonna Be Bitchin’
4. Drug Filled Cadaver
5. One Who Kills & One Who Loves
6. Born Again Hard
7. Engulfed in Liquid Hellfire
8. The Worm Has Turned for You
9. Spirit of the Bayonet
10. Even the Jungle Wanted Him Dead
11. Royally Fucked Forever

Source: Vampster

“Inspired By Me” is a personal song. The accompanying video clip tells a thoughtful story, looking into the past and the future. It was filmed in Fernando’s old neighborhoods outside Stockholm, where he lived in his youth. It is the second single from Principe Valiente‘s new album, which will be released on May 3, 2024. […]

Source: Orkus

Die Metalcore-Band ICE NINE KILLS hat einen Live-Clip ihres Stücks “The Shower Scene” bei YouTube veröffentlicht. Aufgezeichnet wurde der Song wie der Mitschnitt ihres Tracks “Funeral Derangements” und das Live-Video “Hip To Be Scared” am 29. August 2023 im Municipal Auditorium in Riverside (Kalifornien). Entnommen ist “The Shower Scene” dem aktuellen Album “The Silver Scream 2: Welcome To Horrorwood” (2021).

Im Sommer spielen die US-Amerikaner zudem eine Handvoll Shows in Europa. Konzerte unter dem Motto “Meat & Greet” sind u.a. in Hamburg, Saarbrücken und München geplant.

ICE NINE KILLS Tourdaten 2024

22.05.2024 – Wolverhampton, Civic Hall (UK)
24.05.2024 – Portsmouth, Guildhall (UK)
04.06.2024 – Hamburg, Docks
21.06.2024 – Saarbrücken, Garage
10.07.2024 – München, TonHalle

Fotogalerie: ICE NINE KILLS – TonHalle, München – 23.05.2023

Source: Vampster

Call me to darkness or call me to rise
Look down upon me with emerald eyes
Your swollen hands are breaking the bread
Your lying breath is luring the dead
Arjuna, a central figure in the Hindu epic, The Mahabharata, embodies a complex journey of duty, morality, and self-discovery. As a skilled archer and warrior prince, he grapples with his moral conscience on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. Guided by his charioteer, Lord Krishna, Arjuna navigates dilemmas of righteousness and loyalty, ultimately finding clarity in fulfilling his divine duty, or dharma, as a warrior and protector of righteousness in the cosmic order.

This ancient tale inspired the new single from Vancouver psychedelic doom grunge duo Post Death Soundtrack, taken from their album Veil Lifter.

In the single Arjuna’s Hunting Hand, themes of betrayal and disillusionment take centre stage as the protagonist faces off against a deceitful authority figure. Rejecting manipulation and empty promises, they assert their identity and agency amidst the turmoil. With imagery of a screeching wheel and a forgotten beat, the song captures a sense of chaos and uncertainty, while references to Arjuna’s hunting hand evoke a relentless quest for truth and justice.

In this intriguing track that moves from gentle soundscape to brain-melting metal, Post Death Soundtrack blends heathen guitars, brazen bass, and a cacophony of raw sounds that mirror the untamed depths of the subconscious. The band’s ability to seamlessly navigate between ferocity and serenity, surrealism and familiarity, challenges the boundaries of conventional music. Front and center is the inimitable Steve Moore, whose vocal performance adds an unparalleled intensity in the retelling of this tale.

Listen to “Arjuna’s Hunting Hand” below, and order Veil Lifter here:

Veil Lifter by Post Death SoundtrackFrom the gritty depths of Calgary, Canada, Post Death Soundtrack emerged, drawing inspiration from the defiance of bands in cities like DC, Austin, and Detroit, amidst the dissonance between town and life’s forces. Founding duo Kenneth Buck and Steve Moore aimed their fury and sarcasm at government, religion, and mainstream ideology in their 2008 debut, Music as Weaponry. Infusing industrial with trip-hop, they challenged Western culture. Jon Ireson’s addition brought psychedelic flair, while Colin Everall’s haunting piano and Moore’s vocals delved deeper into the psyche. Their 2016 LP, The Unlearning Curve, explored introspection with a new “psychedelic industrial” sound.

In 2019, It Will Come Out of Nowhere built upon their signature sound by incorporating sludge metal elements for added weight. With the group streamlined back to a duo, Ireson helms the expansive production while Moore guides listeners through his turbulent psyche. The 11 tracks delve into unexpected calamity, inspired by themes of betrayal, divorce, and personal loss. Drawing from doom, hip-hop, and Indian raga, the album achieves unparalleled sonic depth.

In their fourth full-length release, Veil Lifter, the band unleashes a tempestuous 10-track tornado of doom, grunge, hardcore, and thrash. The title itself draws inspiration from Eastern philosophy, symbolizing the act of “lifting the veil of ignorance” to reveal deeper truths. Veil Lifter serves as a powerful exploration of existential themes, urging listeners to look beyond the surface and embrace the journey towards enlightenment and self-discovery.

“Steve had amassed a treasure trove of guitar parts that he would send me daily,” recounts Jon Ireson. “A lot of slow dirges with some faster hardcore-inspired stuff mixed in. That inspired the new direction for this record…The bones of the songs came together very quickly, arranging all the drums, rhythm guitars and some of the bass in two crazy week-long bursts. The album really came to life once we started adding Steve’s great vocal layers, added some fuzzy melodic bass lines to move the plot along, and the icing on the cake was bringing in Casey Lewis. He had worked with Steve on several projects before and his intensity, personality, and feel make the record really punch.”

With sludgy riffs, hardcore fury, hypnotic grooves, and ethereal ambience merging seamlessly, presents a captivating and singular vision. The album charges forward relentlessly, embodying the defiant spirit of an unwelcome outsider confronted by a menacing pack of hyenas.

Veil Lifter is very much the album I’ve always wanted to make,” muses Steve Moore, who dedicated the album to the memory of his father. “The album is intended, as all my work is, to be completely uncensored, unashamedly dark, raw emotionally, and therefore, cathartic and freeing. It was literally written from deep within the shadow during nearly impossible times. Isolation, depression, addiction, chaos, burned bridges, health failures, and strangely, perseverance and the resilience of the inner witness. So in many ways, it’s an invocation of protection and spiritual weaponry at a time when it was greatly needed….Much of it is written in heavy metaphor and dream language, as I’ve always felt it’s more powerful to paint a picture rather than be overly direct. Ideas from Advaita, the Gita, Zen and philosopher’s like Krishnamurti find their way into the concepts and lyricism here and there, but for the most part, this is a purely raw album intended to evoke deeply personal emotion, as it was written from a truly dangerous place.”

Veil Lifter is out on all digital platforms on April 16th. A limited edition vinyl run is also expected at a slightly later date.

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The post Vancouver Duo Post Death Soundtrack Debut New Single “Arjuna’s Hunting Hand” appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

Source: Post-Punk.com

Die Post / Depressive Black Metal-Band NOBODY hat mit “Despair is Where My Thoughts Swim” ein neues Album angekündigt. Es ist nach zwei EPs das erste Album der US-Amerikaner aus Cincinnati und wird am 17. Mai 2024 via End My Life Records / Tragedy Productions erscheinen. Vorab gibt es den Opener “Life’s Ephemeral Tale” zu hören.

NOBODY “Despair is Where My Thoughts Swim” Tracklist
1. Life’s Ephemeral Tale (Video bei YouTube)
2. Faces Pass Me in Crowded Rooms
3. In This Emptiness
4. Perpetual Torment
5. Days Drift By
6. A Silent Prayer
7. Bleeding a World Undone
8. The Path of Ashes
9. Obscurity’s Embrace
10. In the Quietus of Night
11. Myspys (LIFELOVER Cover)

Source: Vampster

Über 20 Stunden Gothic und Symphonic Metal mit Paradise Lost, Lord Of The Lost, Nightwish, Moonspell, Katatonia, Epica, My Dying Bride, Tiamat, The Gathering, Lacrimosa und vielen mehr!

Source: Sonic Seducer

Paysage D'Hiver sind innerhalb des Black-Metal-Genres ein Phänomen. Wintherr, der allein hinter dem Schweizer Projekt steht, hat es in mehr als 20 Jahren auf zehn Alben und eine Reihe von EPs gebracht, die alle zu Underground-Erfolgen und Sammlerobjekten wurden, obwohl er größtenteils zurückgezogen blieb und keinen Drang verspürte, an die Öffentlichkeit zu treten.

Der Künstler, der sich nicht der Masse andienen möchte, bleibt genauso rätselhaft wie seine Kunst, die immer wieder aufs Neue überrascht … was nun auch insbesondere auf sein erstes Album seit 2013 zutrifft - "Im Wald", ein monochromes Epos im wahrsten Sinn des Wortes.

Es ist mit 120 Minuten Spielzeit nicht nur Paysage D’Hivers bislang längstes Werk, sondern auch ein weiteres Kapitel der Winterreise (daher der französische Name des Projekts), die sich als Erzählung wie der sprichwörtliche Rote Faden durch sein gesamtes Schaffen zieht. Innerhalb der sehr detailverliebten Geschichte siedelt Wintherr "Im Wald" nach "Steineiche" und "Schattengang" (beide 1998) an, die den Beginn der Reise markieren, und vor "Das Tor" (2013), "Kerker" (1999) sowie "Die Festung" (1998), die an ihrem Ende stehen.

"Im Wald" is erhältlich als limitiertes, von Hand nummeriertes Holz-Boxset mit entweder 2 MCs (300 Exemplare), 2 CDs (500) oder 4 LPs (500) - alle mit 20-seitigem Booklet und Poster - sowie in nicht limitierter Auflage als 4LP-Boxset (ebenfalls mit 20-seitigem Booklet und Poster) oder 2CD-Digipak mit 20-seitigem Booklet in schwarzem Umschlag. Alle Produkte wurden von Hand gefertigt.

Titelliste:
01. Im Winterwald
02. Ueber den Baeumen
03. Schneeglitzern
04. Alt
05. Wurzel
06. Stimmen im Wald
07. Flug
08. Le rêve lucide
09. Eulengesang
10. Kaelteschauer
11. Verweilen
12. Weiter, immer weiter
13. So hallt es wider

Source: Prophecy

Die Kultcombo The Cult kommt auf Jubiläums-Tour und macht im Rahmen dieser auch drei mal in Deutschland Station. Mehr Infos und die Dates hier!

Source: Sonic Seducer

Das Schweizer Black Metal Duo ERNTE hat die Veröffentlichung ihres kommenden Albums „Weltenzerstörer“ angekündigt und gleichzeitig ein Video zur ersten Single „Ruler of Chaos, Bringer of Storm“ veröffentlicht. Das Album wird am 7. Juni über Vendetta Records erscheinen. https://ernteblackmetal.bandcamp.com/

ERNTE über das kommende Album:
„Das Cover wurde von einem Grafikdesigner entworfen, auf den wir in den sozialen Medien gestoßen sind. Sein Bild hat uns sofort angesprochen und passt in unseren Augen perfekt zum Albumtitel: Neben dem Seeungeheuer, dem ‚Weltzerstörer‘, wirken die wenigen Menschen winzig und verschwinden fast. Dieser Weltenzerstörer wird z.B. auch in einem satanischen Ritual in Form des Leviathan in unserer ersten Single/Video ‚Ruler of Chaos, Bringer of Storm‘ beschworen.

 

Source: Amboss-Mag.de

It is difficult to put the music of Venues into words. In our May/June issue, Lela describes the style as modern metalcore. With their third album “Transience”, the Stuttgart-based metalcore youngstars are really taking off and getting more personal than ever before – after all, the album title means “transience” … Watch the clip for […]

Source: Orkus

Die Troll / Folk Metal-Band VERIKALPA hat nach dem Video-Clip zum Opener “Arvon Tuomari” und dem Track “Noijan Sauna” mit dem Video zu “Sammalsynti” einen dritten Track ihres kommenden Albums “Tuomio” veröffentlicht. Es ist das vierte Album der Finnen und folgt dem 2022er-Album “Tunturihauta” nach.

“Tuomio”, das vom Trinken, Feiern, Kämpfen und einem Haufen verrückter finnischer Folklorekreaturen handelt, wurde von Pasi Kauppinen (SONATA ARCTICA) im Studio 57 produziert und wird am 19. April 2024 via Scarlet Records erscheinen. Das Cover-Artwork stammt von Alvaro Valverde.

VERIKALPA sind Sänger Jani Ikonen, die Gitarristen Janne Niva und Sami Ikonen, Bassist Sami Knuutinen, Keyboarder Jussi Sauvola (CATAMENIA) sowie Drummer Jari Huttunen (KLINGENBERG SYNDROME, Ex-REQUIEM).

VERIKALPA “Tuomio” Tracklist
Arvon tuomari (Video bei YouTube)
Laulava vainaja
Noijan sauna (Audio bei YouTube)
Sammalsynti (Video bei YouTube)
Tuhkakruunu
Tulimerten taa
Hakkaa hakkaa
Maat hauraan hautaa
Eksyneet
Veritonttu
Kaunan valta
Tuomio

Source: Vampster

The Lisbon (Portugal) based heavy post-punk/industrial ensemble Louvado Abismo have released a brand new video...

Source: Side Line

Die Doom Metal-Band VOID MOON hat mit “Dreams Inside the Sun” ein neues Album angekündigt. Es ist das vierte Album des schwedischen Duos, welches aus Sänger und Drummer Marcus Rosenkvist (HEIR CORPSE ONE, CULT OF THE FOX, ASSASSIN’S BLADE) sowie Bassist und Gitarrist Peter Svensson (AMAUROT, HEIR CORPSE ONE, CULT OF THE FOX, ASSASSIN’S BLADE, FURNACE) besteht. Release-Termin ist der 7. Juni 2024 via Personal Records. Vorab gibt es den Opener “Rays of Vindication” zu hören.

VOID MOON “Dreams Inside the Sun” Tracklkist
1. Rays of Vindication (Audio bei Bandcamp)
2. Dreams Inside the Sun
3. Season Out of Season
4. The Dreaming Spire
5. Nadir
6. Broken Skies
7. East of the Sun
8. Still Dark
9. The Wolf (at the End of the World)

Source: Vampster

Die Altrocker von The Jesus and Mary Chain feiern zurzeit ihr 40-jähriges Jubiläum mit einer großen Europa-Tour und erfüllten in diesem Rahmen am zweiten...

Source: monkeypress.de

Die Alternative Metal-Band BEAUTIFUL SKELETONS hat einen Labeldeal bei Wormholedeath unterschrieben. Im Zuge dessen werden die US-Amerikaner ihre neue EP “Temperance” veröffentlichen. Die nach “Vegvisir” zweite EP der 2018 gegründeten Band wird am 10. Mai 2024 erscheinen.

BEAUTIFUL SKELETONS Line-Up
Tina Firefly: Vocals
Einar Einarsson: Guitar
Jason Johnson: Bass
Huwy Williams: Drums

BEAUTIFUL SKELETONS “Temperance” Tracklist
1. Letter to a Narcissist
2. Only Zuul
3. Victim Loop
4. Butterfly Pinned Under Glass
5. Upside Down Song

Source: Vampster

Die Modern Medodic Metal-Band DENDERA hat mit “Mask of Lies” ein neues Album angekündigt. Es ist nach “The Killing Floor” (2013) und “Pillars of Creation” (2015) das dritte Album der Engländer aus Portsmouth und wird am 14. Juni 2024 via Rockshots Records erscheinen. Vorab gibt es einen Video-Clip zum Titeltrack – “ein Song über das Aufbegehren gegen Unterdrückung”, wie die Band meint.

DENDERA Line-Up:
Ashley Edison – Lead Vocals
Steve Main – Guitar & Vocals
David Stanton – Guitar
Andy Finch – Drums
Bradley Edison – Bass

DENDERA “Mask of Lies” Tracklist
1 – Face to Face
2 – Mask of Lies (Video bei YouTube)
3 – Scream in Silence
4 – Fading
5 – Guiding Light
6 – The Fall
7 – Drift Away
8 – Inside My Head
9 – Stare Into The End
10 – Drag Me Below

Source: Vampster