SMASH INTO PIECES

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The new music video, for the track Maze Of Fools, is the brand new single from the Swedish alternative metal band and follows on from their previous single, Hurricane, which was released earlier this month.

Speaking about the new single, the band shares, “this song is about breaking free from limitations, reclaiming control, and standing strong in the face of adversity. You’ve got the power to take control of your future. Break me free from this maze of fools, we’re in.”


Watch the official music video for Maze Of Fools here:

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For more information on SMASH INTO PIECES like their official page on Facebook.

HEAVY MUSIC HISTORY: Steeltown – Big Country

Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland – a city that has seen it all. In the modern day, it is Scotland’s major and thriving service centre, but in the past it was known for its textile, coal and limestone industries alongside its complex network eighteenth century railway networks. This industrial setting is the back drop for Steeltown, the second album by Dunfermline natives, BIG COUNTRY. Made up of Stuart Adamson (vocals, guitar), Bruce Watson (guitar) Tony Butler (bass guitar) and Mark Brzezicki (drums) – the band’s classic lineup – BIG COUNTRY shot to fame in the early and mid-1980s and have retained a cult status ever since. Famous for engineering their guitar-driven sound to emulate the sound of bagpipes, fiddles, and other traditional folk instruments.



BIG COUNTRY’s debut album The Crossing was released in July 1983 and reached number 3 in the UK album charts and drew comparisons to Irish rock band THIN LIZZY with its musical style and lyrics. So, there was pressure going into writing and recording of the band’s sophomore album but also plenty of momentum. Recorded at ABBA‘s Polar Studios in Stockholm and produced by Steve Lillywhite (who worked with the likes of U2, ROLLING STONES, SIMPLE MINDS, PETER GABRIEL and THE POUGES to name a few) the album was released on 19 October 1984 in the UK and 29 October 1984, in the United States.

The central themes that occur throughout Steeltown are the misfortunes of Scottish workers during the industrial decline and British politics at the time – Margret Thatcher was Prime Minister when this album was released and the Miners’ Strike started in that year also, so that should tell you everything you need to know. The title track tells the story of Scots went to work at the Stewarts & Lloyds steelworks in the town of Corby, Northamptonshire when it opened in 1935. This was at the height of the Great Depression, but the workers later found themselves unemployed when the steelworks declined in the early 1980s. Alongside thought provoking tracks such as Where the Rose Is Sown, which according to Tim Peacock of Record Collector had an anti-war message “especially resonant in the wake of the Falklands” and East of Eden which Adamson, speaking with Number One magazine in 1984, stated “It’s a questioning song, a song about always having to look for any hope or inspiration.”
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This also coincides with Adamson’s more personal songs such as Girl with Grey Eyes being based on his wife Sandra. While his father who was a merchant mariner, is the man who is described as bright and hard as “a bloody edge of sword” in the catchy Tall Ships Go. While BIG COUNTRY’s sound was still as revolutionary, the lyrics has also taken on that revolutionary tone, with Adamson in the liner notes stating that the album has “an unshakeable belief in the integrity of the working man, beset on all sides by the hypocrisy, cynicism and often blatant dishonesty of those in power”. So, with the Bolshevik-esque art adorning the album’s cover to boot, Steeltown was very much a songbook for the working man, and in the four decades since its release it still has a visceral effect on a listeners who have experienced the daily working class hardships and collapse of industry.


As a result of this relatability the album rocked to number one on the UK album charts with singles East of Eden, Where the Rose Is Sown, and Just a Shadow all entering the top 40 at various points. However, it failed to take hold of the same success internationally, especially in North America reaching number 53 in Canada and number 70 on the US Billboard 200. It is speculated that this is a result of the insular lyrical themes mentioned above, American and Canadian audiences struggled to relate to it and this effected sales. Despite this, Fred Schruers of Rolling Stone – the well known American publication – gave BIG COUNTRY a glowing review, stating “Clanging and crackling with energy, this second album from BIG COUNTRY rings natural evolutionary changes on the band’s stirring twin-guitar sound even as it frames still better news: bandleader Stuart Adamson has rapidly matured into a songwriter capable of bringing meticulous craft to his obvious passion.”

It also didn’t hamper the band’s touring schedule too much as they toured the UK, Europe, and to a lesser extent the US both as headliners and in support of bigger name artists as QUEEN and ROGER DALTREY (notable frontman of the THE WHO) throughout 1984 and 1985. BIG COUNTRY even appeared on the 1984 Christmas charity record Do They Know It’s Christmas? for Band Aid alongside PHIL COLLINS, BOB GELDOF, FRANCIS ROSSI and RICK PARFITT of STATUS QUO and many other famous faces.

When it comes to Steeltown as an album, it has a very unique place in the rock world as it shows BIG COUNTRY at their pique and it sings of a time when community really meant something. As Adamson poignantly states in the album’s liner notes “If music is important, it has to come down to emotion. It should be a human thing. Maybe that has something to do with coming from Scotland, where music has always been really close to the heart of the community…”
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Steeltown was originally released on October 19th, 1984 via Mercury Records.

Like BIG COUNTRY on Facebook.

ALTERNATIVEFEATURESINTRODUCINGPOST-HARDCORE

Distortion, the new album from FUTURE PALACE is a feast of racing brutality and melodic creativity. We spoke to vocalist Maria Lessing and were enlightened on the unique journey from start to finish of the album; from the bookending medical issues, to the heighten skillset and experience on the way to making it.



The album is brimming with energy, and that might be in part due to its intense turnaround time. “Well, the process was much, much shorter than normal, and the in between time [between writing and recording] was the shortest we’ve ever had, because we had to delay the studio appointments due to some health issues with me,” Maria explains. She goes on, “first of all, I started very late with the demo, so I was very, very burnt out. Then I got an infected wisdom tooth and had to get in surgery. Fun fact, tomorrow I get another surgery! So, it just ends how it started – this album should have been called wisdom tooth instead of Distortion. And so, yeah, it was a very tight timetable.”

FUTURE PALACE hasn’t exactly slowed down in the meantime between getting the record together. “We just did all the music videos right after started playing festivals. So, I think we finished the process of everything [for the album] in like April or something. Then we worked on merch and everything. So, the process was pretty long [but] now it’s being released already, so it feels like it just happened really quick.”
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While the results have been highly dynamic and bursting with vibrancy and groove, it’s been a hard process to get Distortion to completion. “To me, it was too chaotic,” Maria laughs, “I mean, I am chaotic, I do have a chaotic life in general. It was very stressful and challenging, I would say, because I just had to make it happen, no matter the circumstances. Didn’t matter if I had no power, if I had no time and no health; we had to somehow make it work, or it would have not worked with the release date it is now. To sum it up, I’m just happy it worked.”


While the run to making Distortion was turbulent, there were still some upsides. “It was still nice to go back to songwriting after a while, because Run was released in 2022, so we haven’t done songwriting much since, and it felt kind of nice to be forced to do some songwriting. It helped me a lot to process how I felt these past years; process how I actually feel with touring and being a live musician now, and with everything growing and my life changing so much. It was a bit of therapy for me, even though it was squished in.”


It’s pretty obvious that Distortion has a clear-cut message about mental health, but tackled from a variety of different perspectives. “The entire album is pretty much all about mental health,” Maria clarifies, “and it’s also about different kind of mental health disorders. That was important to me, to point out the differences, that not only one, but a few more can mess up your life or your reality. And I also put some spotlight on illnesses that I don’t even have myself, like narcissism and how could maybe relate to some things in our world happening. And then The Echoes Of Disparity doesn’t really have anything to do with distorted views. Maybe you could interpret the way some people treat women – that that could also come from mental illness or some lack of self-confidence, you just don’t know. But I wanted to only write songs that mean something to me with this album. There’s no meaningless song there for me, all the songs are very important and very honest.”

The record has a huge variety in sounds, from the way the instrumentals have expanded, to the overall range of vocal styles Maria plays with. “I try to do a bit more of like speech singing, or like rapping, if you want to say so, it just felt like it was fitting the songs,” she explains, “And I just wanted to try it out, because I think it’s boring to repeat the same things. I think one vocal coach once said, ‘it’s a one trick pony thing when you keep doing same thing’. And I’m naturally I’m not really one trick pony person! I want to challenge myself a lot, I don’t want to get bored myself with things. And with Run, I just started screaming, for example, and now with Distortion, I’ve screamed for a few years now and gained some life experience.”

While most of these experiences eventually lead somewhere positive, the initial hardship of some of them wasn’t pleasant, we discovered. “I messed up my voice a lot live, and was very, very sick of it just after the headline tour, [and with] the infected wisdom tooth, so I was not really feeling singing super high on this demo stuff this time,” but Maria had a creative solution to this rising issue. “With some demos, I went very, very low. And in the studio, they kind of begged us to go higher, but I really didn’t want to lose my voice again! I listen to them, thankfully, because you shouldn’t make decisions when you’re in a bad state. But a few songs stayed low because there was an intentional decision that I want to show a new phase of me, or a new version where I also sing a bit lower. That it doesn’t always have to be the super high singing rock music thing, it’s a bit more diverse. I wanted to show like, my range and have people get to know me, yeah? I just want to make the songs the most present thing, and my voice just goes with it.”
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FUTURE PALACE, while pushing hard for the best album they could with Distortion, have managed to make a diamond strong record and still manage to create a fresh, authentic experience. it’s a record they won’t forget making in a hurry, and one that only demonstrates their commitment to moving forward to more exciting places.

Distortion is out now via Arising Empire.

Like FUTURE PALACE on Facebook.

BAND FEATURESDEATH METALFEATURES

BLOOD INCANTATION have just released their new album Absolute Elsewhere and it is a stunning piece of work that melds together prime death metal with sublime progressive rock amongst a myriad of other sonic wonders. Listening to the record takes you on a vast and wild journey amongst the stars. We had the pleasure of talking to guitarist Morris Kolontyrsky about Absolute Elsewhere and got an insight into the making of the album.



We start things off with Morris excitedly telling us about Absolute Elsewhere and the mass praise that the album has gained so far. “Every day I wake up to some new crazy review or news about where the record has reached. It’s getting into a lot of circles outside of the metal community, which is what we were hoping for. We obviously appreciate all the praise within the metal community as well, because it is still a pretty extreme record.”

Morris then goes on to tell us about the biggest influences on the record, which includes some heavy hitters in both the death metal world and the prog rock world. “There’s a lot, because there isn’t any one sound to the record, and that makes it so interesting. There’s so many different types of parts. We’ve always been a band that incorporates lots of different genres into our sound, so there isn’t necessarily any one influence.”

Morris then goes into more detail about those influences in a refreshingly honest manner. “The influence comes from, first of all, ourselves, our previous output. We like to listen to our own music because we make music, we want to hear. What’s the point otherwise? We went back and listened to the stuff we’ve done in the past and tried to push it further into every direction. Over the years, we’ve toured with a lot of great bands like CANNIBAL CORPSE and we wanted to incorporate tricks we’ve seen from these people, especially in the live environment, into our record. But there’s so much more to it. TANGERINE DREAM obviously, we recorded in Hansa Tonstudios in Berlin with Arthur Rizk for the first time. Lots of 70s prog, CAMEL, GONG. I can go on forever!”
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With the mention of TANGERINE DREAM as a huge influence on Absolute Elsewhere, Morris then passionately tells the tale of working with Thorsten Quaeschning from the band on the track Stargate (Tablet II) and how that collaboration arose. “It was one of the most remarkable things I’ve ever experienced in my life. I mean, this is a band that influenced us all greatly over the course of years. It came about through our product manager, who worked for Century Media at the time,” he explains. “He was emailing with Edgar Froese‘s wife, who runs the estate of TANGERINE DREAM. After he died, he passed the torch on to Thorsten, and he is the current bandleader. Later, we were able to have Thorsten come to the studio and listen to what we were working on. We went to his studio in Berlin, where Edgar Froese lived, and there was this massive collection of vintage 70s/80s gear that he used on every single TANGERINE DREAM album. I nearly cried, because this gear is legendary. It’s more than just having a guy play on your record. It meant the world to us. We were all just like, ‘I can’t believe this is actually happening’. The music he made for it, and the way it’s incorporated into the album is crucial, and it worked out so well. The guy knows what he’s doing. He’s a fucking master. We’ve stayed in touch and are friends now. We’re in talks about the European shows we’re doing next May. I think for the Berlin show, he’ll be incorporated into a set somehow.”
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With all this talk of prog rock royalty, we discuss the entry point for any metal fan getting into prog rock as Morris lists a few of his favourite albums. “Well, first of all, before we get to prog, I would recommend that a person getting into this, should probably also listen to OPETH, because they are a band that’s been championing the 70s prog into extreme metal for much longer than we have been. Ghost Reveries is one of my favourite records, and Still Life is named after a VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR song. I think a good starting place would be CAMEL, a record called Moonmadness is an absolute classic. One of my personal favourites is a bit more of a deep cut. Steve Hillage from GONG. I’m obsessed with the guy. I love his guitar playing. All of his solo records are fantastic, but there was a supergroup that he was in with the keyboard player from EGG called KHAN, and they have a record called Space Shanty that’s absolutely mind blowing, it’ll melt your brain, completely crazy musicianship, catchy songs, KHAN is amazing! I think those would be a good place to start before you really go down the rabbit hole and get lost in it forever, because I’m still discovering new bands every day too!”


Talk then turns to the recently announced BLOOD INCANTATION European tour which will see the band playing at next year’s Incineration Festival in London where they will play Absolute Elsewhere in full, something Morris is very excited about. “The Roundhouse is a very classic venue. OPETH recorded a live record there, so that’s my reference point. To me, that’s already enough to be, I can’t believe we’re doing this! The festival itself looks really cool.”

Morris goes on to enthuse about playing Absolute Elsewhere in full live. “We just did the release show a couple weeks ago, and it was the first time we played it live. So we’ve still only done it one time, and I think with this coming tour, it’ll really lock in. So by time we get to Europe, it’ll be an absolute powerhouse!”

We finish off this great chat with Morris tantalisingly talking about potential new music from the band. “Usually for BLOOD INCANTATION, writing new music is a process, because we’ll write record and go on tour and play these songs. This is the first time where we sat down with this material and we didn’t ever play it live before we recorded it. We do have all these tours, but we still have a clean slate. So now we can be more free and open to creating amidst all these other things that are happening. So we do actually have a bunch of ideas and some work in the pipeline.”
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Absolute Elsewhere is out now via Century Media Records.

Like BLOOD INCANTATION on Facebook.

GREEK POWER METALLERS SIRIUS INTRODUCE NEW GUITARIST, RELEASE "UNBOUND THE SCREAM" LYRIC VIDEO FEAT. TIM "RIPPER" OWENS

Greek heavy / power metal force Sirius announces an exciting new chapter in their journey. The band proudly welcomes George Koursoumis as their new rhythm guitarist, and marks the occasion with the release of a lyric video for "Unbound The Scream".

The band shares: "We've been silent for a while now... The last few months have been a whirlwind of emotions and actions for us. A new album is out and your response is overwhelming! We had to part ways with our long-time rhythm guitarist for personal reasons. We want to thank Dimitris Stathopoulos for the journey. But, with great pleasure, we would like to reveal the new addition to the Sirius family. Please welcome George Koursoumis on rhythm guitar! Having George with us is a great boost for what is about to come."

To celebrate this new beginning, Sirius unleashed a lyric video for "Unbound The Scream" which is the opening song of the album A Quest For Life. "And it was an honor to have Tim "Ripper" Owens (Judas Priest, Iced Earth) as a guest vocalist. His powerful voice blends beautifully with our music! The song evolves around the personal struggles and inner fights we have as human beings to the point that we can't take it anymore."

JINJER ANNOUNCE FEBRUARY / MARCH 2025 TOUR DATES FOR ASIA, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND; KITTIE CONFIRMED AS SUPPORT

Ukrainian metal juggernauts, Jinjer, have announced tour dates for Asia, Australia and New Zealand, with Canadian bashers Kittie as support. The complete schedule is available below.

February
6 - P7 Arena - Dubaie, UAE
10 - The Street Hall - Bangkok, Thailand
12 - Reny Alpha - Tokyo, Japan
13 - Meta Valley - Osaka, Japan
14 - Reny Limited - Aichi, Japan
15 - Musina Garage, Seoul, Korea
16 - Legacy - Taipei, Taiwan
18 - SM Sky Dome - Manila, Philippines
21 - The Fortitude Music Hall - Brisbane, Australia
23 - Hordern Pavilion - Moore Park, Australia
25 - Festival Hall Melbourne - West Melbourne, Australia
26 - Hindley Street Music Hall - Adelaide, Australia
28 - Metropolis - Fremantle, Australia

March
2 - San Fran - Wellington, New Zealand
3 - Powerstation - Auckland, New Zealand

OPETH - THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT

It's always a musical and emotional journey listening to an Opeth album. Many questions arise – will it be melodic death metal, how progressive will it be, will the vocals be melodic and will there be any new instrumentation?

This 14th studio album, each song (with the last one the exception) is titled by a section sign (§), as per the definition a typographical character for referencing individually numbered sections of a document. The concept is set in the post-World War I era, the story of a wealthy, conservative father whose last will and testament reveals shocking family secrets. I am listening to a stream so it’s good to pick up a format that includes lyrics.

Musically, it’s progressive as you would want it, with first single and opener begun by drum patterns and melodic guitars before the rhythm kicks in to familiar musical territories, the death metal vocal a counterbalance to the melodic parts, representing two emotions. And for Opeth it’s nothing new and works for the composition as it travels from hard to melodic parts, Hammond organ, and guitar solo. After becoming familiar with Opeth, you know this all works within an arrangement. The last minute ride out incorporates a melodic orchestral part, voices that flows right in to “§2” which at the start is angry and aggressive, music and vocally. But then all of a sudden, a switch to a melodic verse with another orchestra piece and spoken words with Joey Tempest (Europe), to further the story.

FINLAND’S FIRE ACTION – NEW SINGLE “SURVIVE” ISSUED

Finnish metallers Fire Action have issued their electrifying new single and music video for "Survive", marking a thunderous preview of their upcoming studio album Until The Heat Dies. The single is also accompanied by a music video.

Guitar player Juri Vuortama states: "'Survive' is about - well - surviving. It comes after 'No Drone Zone' on the LP so maybe we defeated the evil powers pretty quick!"

With three albums - Rock Brigade (2016), Fahrenhater (2018), and 9112 (2020) - to their name, Fire Action are anything but newcomers and have long established themselves as an integral part of Finland's metal scene. However, their international career looks to gain added momentum with Until The Heat Dies and an exciting new contract with Steamhammer/SPV.

HEAVY MUSIC HISTORY: Thunder, Lightning, Strike – The Go! Team

THE GO! TEAM emerged out of Brighton in the early to mid 2000s in an explosion of noise, colour and life affirming glory and their 2004 debut album Thunder, Lightning, Strike encapsulated all of these facets in a cacophony of brilliant sounds. It’s a album that sounds as fresh today as it did when it first came out.



THE GO! TEAM was the brainchild of Ian Parton and what started as a project that consisted of Parton alongside his brother Gareth, after the release of Thunder, Lightning, Strike which was released on the Memphis Industries label, soon morphed into a full live band. This was solidified after the band were invited to play at a festival in Sweden with the group featuring longtime vocalist/MC Ninja alongside a selection of deft musicians that make up the group to this day, both live and on record.

Initially it was just Parton though, who “wanted to create music incorporating SONIC YOUTH style guitars, double Dutch chants, Bollywood soundtracks, old school hip hop and electro” and incorporates these elements to create a smorgasbord of eclectic sounds with THE GO! TEAM‘s Bandcamp page summarising it perfectly, “the first and solo practitioners of cheerleader punk. THE GO! TEAM‘s Thunder, Lightning, Strike is an explosion of colour and energy that evokes images of high school sports meets, inner-city summer days and the liberty of youth”.
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Thunder, Lightning, Strike is an aptly named album and it explodes from the get go and sounds like the soundtrack to a 70s action film with so many sonic influences working in tandem to create a listening experience that is instantly infectious and joyous and brims with energy from start to finish.

The album was nominated for the following years Mercury Music Prize (with the award ultimately being won by Antony And The Johnson’s I Am A Bird Now) and the fact that the album was nominated highlights the impact that Thunder, Lightning, Strike made.

The singles from the album, Junior Kickstart, The Power Is On, Ladyflash and Bottle Rocket made a big impression but the album is littered with songs that could also have been framed as single. This highlights what an incredible album this is, with tracks like the opening blast of Panther Dash, Feelgood By Numbers, Get It Together and the beautiful closing Everyone’s A V.I.P To Someone all sounding like instant classics. The album obviously is best listened to from start to finish to showcase it in all its technicolour glory.


The making of the album wasn’t without its troubles though and due to samples not being cleared, as Parton didn’t think it would make the impact it did, the original version (also known as the “illegal” version) was slightly different to the album that was rereleased in 2005 and contained reworking of the album tracks. Sample issues notwithstanding, whichever version of the album you listen to, the sublime vibe remains exactly the game and the results still sound timeless.
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With the album still blowing minds and putting smiles on people’s faces two decades after its release, THE GO! TEAM celebrated this momentous anniversary by embarking on a tour celebrating Thunder, Lightning, Strike. It goes without saying that the album still sounds as fresh and exciting as it did when it was originally released, and undoubtedly has a timeless quality about it. With the album recently reissued as a twentieth anniversary special edition as well, (which brilliantly recreates the original CD-R versions of the albums tracks alongside a selection of versions by Glasgow indie rock legends THE PASTELS and avant pop band THE ORIELLES) so a whole new generation can enjoy the legacy and continued celebration of the classic album.

Those live shows are part of what makes THE GO! TEAM so special. The songs from Thunder, Lightning, Strike sound sound as good when they are played in a live setting as they always have and having witnessed the group a number of times, they always deliver such a celebratory experience every single time, with the band looking as though they are having the best time of their lives in tandem with the very audience that is watching them. From start to finish, it feels like a nonstop party as the band blast out their set.

There is also a set of remixes of Thunder, Lightning, Strike tracks from the likes of Kevin Shields, RJD2, Hot Chip and Simian Mobile Disco that was released in 2006 that compliments the original greatly and is well worth checking out, as are more twentieth anniversary remixes by the likes of LOS BITCHOS, CORNERSHOP, LOUIE ZONG, and LILIEN ROSARIAN.

Thunder, Lightning, Strike was the beginning of it all and is an ultimate feelgood album, positively fizzing with life affirming triumph from the moment it dropped and twenty years on, it still sounds as good as it did when it first exploded into the conscious of listeners, and that’s is beyond doubt. This is an album that can cheer you up in an instant and put a big smile on your face, and you can’t help but get swept up in its positivity and joyously uplifting vibe as the album plays on.

So, as the nights start to draw in, crank up Thunder, Lightning, Strike and let the electric sounds of THE GO! TEAM explode like fireworks in the sky and light your life up with one of the most joyous, uplifting, original and comforting albums ever made.

Thunder, Lightning, Strike was originally released on September 13th, 2004 via Memphis Industries.

Like THE GO! TEAM on Facebook.

Killswitch Engage announce new album ‘This Consequence’

KILLSWITCH ENGAGE have announced a new album!



Titled This Consequence, the upcoming album from the Massachusetts-based veteran metalcore band is the long-awaited follow-up to 2019’s Atonement, and is scheduled to be released in February next year, via Metal Blade Records.

Speaking about the upcoming album, vocalist Jesse Leach shares, “This Consequence, to me, is the combination of everything the past five years has thrown at us as a band, as humans, and society as a whole. This album is just as much about everybody and their stories as it is for me about my journey personally. Sonically, I love the combination of everybody’s ideas and contributions on this album. It feels more like a collaboration than the past few records have been. When all is said and done, I wouldn’t change anything about this album. I think it’s the exact record we needed to make. I’m honoured and proud of what we all were able to create and refine through this music and message.”
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Alongside the announcement of the new album, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE have released a new music video for a new song lifted from the upcoming album; Forever Aligned. Speaking about the new song, Leach shares, “Forever Aligned is one of those songs that is not just about us as humans, our love, and connection, but that connection to the unknown, the greater power, the universe, or God. It feels like a really good first song to release not just sonically, but lyrically, as it is all about connection. The device of world we live in could use a lot more connectivity.”


Watch the official music video for Forever Aligned here:

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Also, you can view both the track list and artwork for the upcoming new album below:

Track List: Abandon Us
Discordant Nation
Aftermath
Forever Aligned
I Believe
Where It Dies
Collusion
The Fall Of Us
Broken Glass
Requiem



And that’s not all from the band! To support their new album, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE will embark on their first headlining North American tour since late 2022 in March through to May next year. Support for the tour comes from KUBLAI KHAN TX, FIT FOR A KING and FROZEN SOUL. European dates will be revealed in the coming weeks.

Tour dates are as follows:

3/5 — Nashville, TN — The Pinnacle
3/6 — Chesterfield, MO — The Factory
3/8 — Fayetteville, AR — JJ’s Live
3/9 — Oklahoma City, OK — The Criterion
3/11 — El Paso, TX — Don Haskins Center Arena
3/13 — Las Vegas, NV — The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas
3/14 — Reno, NV — Grand Theatre at The Grand Sierra Resort
3/15 — Wheatland, CA — Hard Rock Live
3/17 — Garden City, ID — Revolution Concert House
3/18 — Seattle, WA — The Paramount
3/19 — Vancouver, BC — PNE Forum
3/21 — Penticton, BC — South Okanagan Events Centre
3/22 — Tsuut’ina, AB — Grey Eagle Resort & Casino
3/24 — Winnipeg, MB — Burton Cummings Theatre
3/27 — Peoria, IL — Peoria Civic Center
3/28 — Waukee, IA— Vibrant Music Hall
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3/29 — La Vista, NE — The Astro
3/30 — Kansas City, MO — The Midland Theatre
4/1 — Grand Rapids, MI — GLC Live 20 Monroe
4/3 — Corbin, KY — The Corbin Arena
4/4 — Pittsburgh, PA — Stage AE
4/5 — Philadelphia, PA — Franklin Music Hall
4/6 — Greensboro, NC — Greensboro Special Events Center
4/8 — New Haven, CT — College Street Music Hall
4/9 — Buffalo, NY — Buffalo RiverWorks
4/11 — Laval, QC —Place Bell
4/12 — Portland, ME — Cross Insurance Arena
5/8 — Columbus, OH — Sonic Temple*
5/16 — Daytona Beach, FL — Welcome to Rockville*
*Festival Appearances





This Consequence is set for release on February 21st via Metal Blade Records. Pre-orders are available now and can be purchased here.

For more information on KILLSWITCH ENGAGE like their official page on Facebook.

Obscura announce new album ‘A Sonication’

Obscura announce new album ‘A Sonication’



OBSCURA have announced a new album!



Titled A Sonication, the upcoming album from the German progressive death metal band is the follow-up to 2021’s A Valediction, and is scheduled to be released in February next year, via Nuclear Blast Records.

Alongside the announcement of the new album, the band have released a new music video for a new song lifted from the upcoming album; Silver Linings.
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Speaking about the new song, band mastermind Steffen Kummerer says, “with Silver Linings we present you the first track of our brand new album A Sonication, which sees the light of day in early 2025. Supporting the new record, OBSCURAwill embark on the first leg of a world tour in February next year. Lend your ear to the music, and see you at a venue near you!”


Watch the official music video for Silver Linings here:

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Also, you can view both the track list and artwork for the upcoming new album below:

Track List:

1. Silver Linings
2. Evenfall
3. In Solitude
4. The Prolonging
5. Beyond The Seventh Sun
6. Stardust
7. The Sun Eater
8. A Sonication



And that’s not all from OBSCURA! To support their new album, the band will embark on a headlining European and UK tour in February next year. Support for the tour comes from RINGS OF SATURN and GOROD. Tickets for the tour are available now and can be purchased here.

Tour dates are as follows:

04.02. GER Stuttgart – Im Wizemann
05.02. IT Milan – Legend
06.02. CH Aarau – Kiff
07.02. FR Lyon – MJC O Totem
08.02. ES Barcelona – Wolf
09.02. ES Madrid – Sala Mon
10.02. PT Lisbon – Lav Lisboa
11.02. ES Portugalete – Groove
12.02. FR Toulouse – Le Rex
13.02. FR Rennes – L‘ubu
15.02. UK Birmingham – Asylum
16.02. UK Manchester – Rebellion
17.02. IRE Dublin – Whelans
18.02. UK Bristol – Thekla
19.02. UK London – O2 Academy Islington
20.02. FR Paris – Petit Bain
21.02. NL Eindhoven – Effenaar
22.02. GER Hamburg – Headcrash
23.02. GER Köln – Gebäude 9
24.02. GER Berlin – Lido
25.02. PL Wroclaw – Klub Lacznik
26.02. CZ Prague – Futurum
27.02. GER München – Hansa39



A Sonication is set for release on February 7th via Nuclear Blast Records. Pre-orders are available now and can be purchased here.

For more information on OBSCURA like their official page on Facebook.

INTRODUCING: Terminals

One of the UK’s most exciting fresh talents, TERMINALS have just unleashed their stunning debut EP Baptise. We caught up with the trio about recording in an Air BnB, their friendship and having utter trust in each other in all areas of their music.
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“When we started this band, I didn’t feel comfortable vocally,” vocalist and guitarist James Whitehouse informs. “But as soon as I started writing about the stuff that was in my head that I kind of hadn’t fully processed, I don’t know, I just became kind of comfortable with it,” having that relaxed dynamic, to make bold moves within their musical space and it not only be acceptable but encouraged is an ongoing part of the magic for TERMINALS. “The fact that we can have clean melodic vocals, and then these big, unapologetic heavy riffs underneath it all, put it together, and it sounds like it works is really, really gratifying.”

There’s some pretty heavy riffs and heavy themes through TERMINALS‘ debut EP Baptise. The way James could approach putting his dark ideas out into the world with the band’s brooding, groove laden sound comes from the level of respect the guys have for each other. “I think with the nature of the music, because I’m writing all the lyrics and come up with the subject matter. It’s all coming from me and if I wasn’t comfortable enough to be open with how I’m feeling maybe it wouldn’t get translated over well. But it’s nice to know that because we’re comfortable with each other enough that I can write a song about something really dark and tell the guys about it. It feels more gratifying when we actually put the song together, that the guys know where everything’s coming from. And that comes out from their performance as well as mine.”

The importance of that friendship can’t be understated for how TERMINALS operates. To have such a distinct sound, you have to be completely at ease to be creative and outspoken. “Even though it’s like James‘ lyrics and the meanings behind the songs comes from him, the rehearsals are normally like a bit of a group therapy for us all,” bassist James Cohu explains further from the other bandmates perspective. “We’re just friends, we just chat and get a lot of stuff out. So it feels like when we perform those songs, I can perform it with James‘ thoughts in mind, because we know like the backstories and the meanings that songs that come from so even though they’re like his stories, I feel like we’re all projecting those feelings.”
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The bands sense of assuredness and confidence in each other in inherent in all areas of their work, from writing and recording, to live playing. “I’m so sure of them,” drummer Joe Cooper assures of his bandmates. “And so sure that we know the songs, because we love the songs and we admire them. I think songs get better once we’ve played them live loads of times. There are little things we do live that are just natural, it’s funny because that’s one thing that most people just wouldn’t care so much about or wouldn’t pick up on, [we are] really locked into the little things. To us, those tiny little details are really important.”

While TERMINALS have a close bond, they don’t necessarily get much time to just be mates. The recording of Baptise was as good an opportunity to get together as friends as well as work. “With the Air BnB,” James Whitehouse describes the place they rented to put together a makeshift studio for the week, “we wanted we wanted to go somewhere that was like far away from everything. And this place was literally in the middle of nowhere, which was great, but it was kind of like a little holiday; when we spend time together, we just laugh and talk absolute bollocks to be totally honest with you. But it’s just like, we have a lot of fun doing what we do.”


“Because we live so far apart, we only meet up once or twice every couple of months. So we want to just get in a room together and play and do stuff. Having a whole five to seven days, in a really nice place together, recording music as well. It was just loads of fun.”
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The record has a big sound, and an organic energy the band can pat themselves on the back for; not only did they write and record it all, but they mixed it in house too. “We only had like eight inputs!” James Cohu recalls. “It’s kind of annoying because we like to make it sound live, without being able to record it live. So that was the whole process behind it, trying to recreate how we sound live, but recording instruments individually. To use the space was a bit of a nightmare,” they laugh, “we had we padded out all the windows and the doors with pillows to stop the sound getting out more than anything acoustic. Mostly it was just throwing mics up and fix everything afterwards. Which was why it took so long to mix and why it was me pulling my hair out for ages.”

Baptise is out now via self-release.

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INTRODUCING: Vower

There is a really exciting moment at the beginning of a band where there are no preconceived notions on what something should sound like. For VOWER, a project amalgamated from the bare bones of Rabea Massaad [TOSKA], Josh Mckeown [PALM READER] and Joe Gosney and Liam Kearley [both formerly of BLACK PEAKS], with bassist Rory McLean, sonically they rest on heavy foundations of the bands that came before, but have instead created something entirely ferocious and new.





Bringing the best out of the post-hardcore supergroup, they released their new EP Apricity earlier this year, which we ranked a solid 9/10 in our review and appear to be one of the most promising voices in alternative music. Ahead of their Radar Festival set, we chat to Joe and Josh about the direction of the band, their evolution of their sound and new music on the horizon.
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The project started when Liam and Rabea started making music instrumentally, putting the bare bones together for what would become VOWER. Through a few different iterations, with the band almost putting the project to bed entirely, it was picked up again as Joe was asked to play some shows with PALM READER. From there, the stage was set to start recording new music.

As most of the band were based in Brighton, vocalist Josh would come down to do recording sessions of “intense energy”, with Shroud being the first song he recorded the vocals for. However, it was In The Wake Of Failure that made them realise that the project was worthwhile. Joe says, “I got sent a demo straight afterwards and I remember really clearly where I was walking. I listened on my headphones and I got full goosebumps.”


For Josh, who had recently played their last show with PALM READER (on the same day VOWER performed their first festival), his “inspiration for vocals and melodies have come easier than I’ve ever known it to,” with In The Wake Of Failure allowing him to explore “a lot of really different vocal techniques, and utilise my rage in the song in a way that wasn’t contrived.” For both Josh and Joe, this became the stand-out track on their new EP.




Their four track record Apricity – meaning the warmth of the sun in winter – was the benchmark for their new sound, constructed from Rabea’s prog background and unmistakably riff-heavy sections descended from BLACK PEAKS. Spearheading their music, Josh’s vocals reminisce and build upon the intense vocals from PALM READER. The EP is daring, with bursts of unpredictability and soaring choruses. In terms of the band’s overall direction, Josh comments that they are “not aiming for a sound necessarily, it’s just what we think sounds cool. What we want to play.” Regardless, VOWER is a true passion project, pushing into uncharted territories in heavy music. It is clear the band are very enthusiastic and excited about this new chapter for the band.

Supporting KARNIVOOL for two dates on their Tri Continental Drift Tour, the band properly got together for the first time to rehearse a few days before their set. They’ve later taken this show on the road in the UK at ArcTanGent, 2000trees and Radar, as well as further afield at Cologne’s Euroblast progressive music festival.

The reception of the project has been really positive for the band with Joe commenting that they’re “all very lucky to be in a band driving to a show to perform to a bunch of people, playing music that we all really care about and all really stand behind.” Josh adding with a smile , “it’s absolutely outrageous. We expected with the notoriety that the other bands have that we had, we thought there would be a bit of a reception, but we never expected it to be received as well as it had been!”



Apricity is out now via self-release.

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Machine Head release new song ‘These Scars Won’t Define Us’

The new song, titled These Scars Won’t Define Us, is the brand new single from the Bay Area-based metal titans and marks their first new music since their latest album, Øf Kingdom and Crøwn, which was released back in August 2022, via Nuclear Blast Records.

The new single features guest appearances from Swedish melodeath veterans IN FLAMES, Italian metallers LACUNA COIL, and American metalcore outfit UNEARTH; all of whom will join the band on their headlining North American tour next year.


Watch the official lyric video for These Scars Won’t Define Us here:


Alongside the release of the new single, the band has announced a headlining North American tour for April and May next year. Support for the tour comes from the aforementioned IN FLAMES, LACUNA COIL and UNEARTH. Tickets for the tour are available now and can be purchased here.



Tour dates are as follows:

4/05/2025 U.S. Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater
4/07/2025 U.S. Phoenix, AZ @ The Van Buren
4/09/2025 U.S. San Diego, CA @ Observatory North Park
4/10/2025 U.S. Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern
4/12/2025 U.S. Las Vegas, NV @ Sick New World **
4/13/2025 U.S. Salt Lake City, UT @ Union
4/15/2025 U.S. Denver, CO @ The Fillmore Auditorium
4/17/2025 U.S. San Antonio, TX @ The Aztec
4/18/2025 U.S. Houston, TX @ House Of Blues
4/19/2025 U.S. Dallas, TX @ House Of Blues
4/21/2025 U.S. Raleigh, NC @ The Ritz
4/22/2025 U.S. Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore
4/23/2025 U.S. Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Paramount
4/25/2025 U.S. Reading, PA @ Santander Arena
4/26/2025 U.S. Boston, MA @ House Of Blues
4/27/2025 CAN Montreal, QC @ M’Telus
4/28/2025 CAN Toronto, ON @ History
4/30/2025 U.S. Cincinnati, OH @ Andrew J. Brady Music Center
5/02/2025 U.S. Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore
5/03/2025 U.S. Chicago, IL @ Radius
5/04/2025 U.S. Minneapolis, MN @ The Fillmore
5/05/2025 CAN Winnipeg, MB @ Burton Cummings
5/07/2025 CAN Calgary, AB @ Grey Eagle Event Center
5/08/2025 CAN Edmonton, AB @ Midway Music Hall
5/10/2025 CAN Kelowna, BC @ Prospera Place



**Festival date – MACHINE HEAD & LACUNA COIL only



For more information on MACHINE HEAD like their official page on Facebook.

LIVE REVIEW: Lacuna Coil @ O2 Academy, Bristol

It’s wild to think LACUNA COIL has been gracing the music industry for thirty years. They’re on a UK tour ahead of the release of their tenth studio album, Sleepless Empire, a feat few bands achieve, underscoring both the quality of their music and the dedication of their fans. We join them on the tour’s final night, with a line snaking around the building. Fans of LACUNA COIL and BLIND CHANNEL arrive early, excited to see both bands. Excitement buzzes through the venue as the doors open, and an hour later, the lights go down at 8:00 pm. A cheer echoes through the venue as BLIND CHANNEL take to the stage.
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Blind Channel live @ O2 Academy, Bristol. Photo Credit: Serena Hill Photography

Being the one and only support act can be intimidating, but BLIND CHANNEL rise to the occasion with a solid 45-minute set that gives the crowd a great taste of their back catalogue. Bringing just one support act almost makes it feel like two headline sets, as the support band isn’t forced to play just the hits; they can delve into deep cuts for their dedicated fans.



The band blasts onto the stage with DEADZONE, and you can tell they’re seasoned performers. The whole band is moving, hyping up the crowd, and playing the songs to perfection. The first half of the set spanning the most recent three albums, with tracks like Over My Dead Body, where the crowd enthusiastically screams the chorus back, We Are No Saints, and XOXO. After an energetic first half, the set slows down with DIE ANOTHER DAY, it would have been nice to have the RØRY feature like London did but unfortunately we can’t have that at every date on the tour. Regardless, it still makes for a nice breather before they jump back in with Deja Fu, the oldest song on their setlist, from their debut album Revolutions.Blind Channel live @ O2 Academy, Bristol. Photo Credit: Serena Hill Photography

We’re treated to a SYSTEM OF A DOWN cover with B.Y.O.B., a great party song that brings in newcomers for a sing-along, though it would have been nice to see another original track given BLIND CHANNEL’s extensive back catalogue. Back to their own music with WOLVES IN CALIFORNIA, which brings out heavy nu-metal riffs and grooves, showing how nu-metal’s fusion of rap and metal influences today’s bands, including BLIND CHANNEL.



The set wraps up with their recent single, a cover of Everybody (Bloodbro’s Back) by BACKSTREET BOYS, followed by their major breakout hit Darkside. It’s a high-energy end to the night. The set gives newcomers a strong snapshot of what Blind Channel is about, musically and in terms of performance. This may be the last we see of them for a while, as they’re taking a well-deserved break, but we’re already looking forward to their return.

Rating: 9/10Lacuna Coil live @ O2 Academy, Bristol. Photo Credit: Serena Hill Photography

With an eager crowd fully warmed up, LACUNA COIL takes the stage. Blasting through their back catalogue, they’ve got almost ten albums and several EPs to choose from for tonight’s setlist. The first half features hits from recent albums, like Blood, Tears, Dust, Reckless, and Trip To Darkness. We get our first taste of the new album with Oxygen, a track that captures classic LACUNA COIL sound with a modern twist as the band continues to evolve.



With the audience fully immersed, we’re taken back to earlier work with Our Truth, and the crowd joins in on the melody with a chorus of “ahhs” and the classic “hey hey hey” chant. As with many shows, there’s a mid-set break for slower songs, this time with Entwined from Comalies. With Comalies XX re-released in 2022 as reimagined versions, it’s exciting to hear the band’s older tracks evolved to match their current sound, giving long time fans a fresh experience while engaging new listeners.Lacuna Coil live @ O2 Academy, Bristol. Photo Credit: Serena Hill Photography

One of LACUNA COIL’s standout features is their use of dual vocals. Often compared to bands like WITHIN TEMPTATION, NIGHTWISH, and EVANESCENCE, LACUNA COIL distinguishes itself by giving both vocalists an equal role. In the reimagined Comalies XX versions, this balance is even more pronounced. While many think of Cristina Scabbia as the face of the band, they’ve consistently used Andrea Ferro’s vocals to add depth and dynamics. This is showcased in Hosting The Shadow, another new song, where Andrea takes centre stage, demonstrating his range, especially in the absence of LAMB OF GOD‘s Randy Blythe’s feature.




Cristina gets her solo moment with Enjoy The Silence, their DEPECHE MODE cover. Her vocals shine, and it’s the biggest sing-along of the night due to the song’s widespread popularity. As the main set concludes with Never Dawn, the lights dim, and the crowd anticipates an encore.

The encore is packed with fan favourites: Aeon XX flows into Tightrope XX, ending with the massive Swamped XX and Nothing Stands In Our Way. The latter has lyrics that fans scream back at the band: “we feel nothing” and “nothing stands in our way”. It’s the perfect close to an incredible night.

We’ve been truly spoiled tonight, with an excellent support set from BLIND CHANNEL and an amazing headline performance from LACUNA COIL filled with both classics and fresh tracks. LACUNA COIL can only continue to go from strength to strength, and we eagerly await both the new album and their next tour on our shores.

Rating: 10/10

Check out our photo gallery of the night’s action in Bristol from Serena Hill Photography here:





























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