New Zealand socially irredeemable punks form sludge band Unruly and miraculously manage to make a self-titled album

This band is a sludge fan's dream made reality. It is sludge the way that Dr. Eyehategod ordered: lazily slow and angry like a person that is under the influence of certain substances. This band is either playing their music in an abandoned building down by the polluted lake that has the yellowish green water or this band is getting their teeth kicked in by the personnel at the rehabilitation center. Either way, it's going to be a party.

MEMBERS OF CULT SLUDGE BAND METHDRINKER REGROUP TO FORM UNRULY. Unruly are a 3 piece sludge band from Te Whanganui a Tara, New Zealand. Named after an infamous family of British travellers whose beach littering escalated into becoming a rolling media spectacle during the summer of 2018. Long time members of the incestuous Wellington punk scene, previous bands include TVX, Bonecruncher, Freak Magnet, DAHTM, Meth Drinker, Drug Problem, Influence and too many more to name. The LP was recorded and mixed & mastered by Vanya of Scumbag College between November 2019 and April 2020. Unruly are: V.V. guitar and vocals; S.L.D. bass; T.R.A.P. drums and vocals. Their debut self-titled album consists of 9 tracks and will be issued digitally and on vinyl via Sludgelord Records on Friday 31st July

Unruly by Unruly

Canadian extreme metal lone ranger Snakeblade today unveils the album "The Kingdom"

ABOUT: Amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, Snakeblade was formed as an escapist project by Mike Redston while the entire world quarantined. What came out of this anxious time may surprise you though, as Snakeblade refuses to follow typical one-man black metal trends. Every song explodes with energy and youthful rage, delivering a pummeling of riffs, blastbeats, and shrieking vocals. With lyrical topics of fantasy, medieval battles, lord of the rings, and video games, Snakeblade is a headbanging nerd’s wet dream. Redston adds: “Snakeblade is where all my nerdiness gets released. I’m a big fan of fantasy, video games, RPG’s, all that shit. Songs on the upcoming album “The Kingdom” were heavily inspired by Lord of the Rings, The Witcher, Metal Gear Solid, and Dungeons and Dragons. The name Snakeblade actually comes from my first character in Dungeons and Dragons, which was a bugbear.” This is the only beginning for Snakeblade as onslaught of more music is to come with two albums worth of material ready to go. Snakeblade’s debut album “The Kingdom” is due out July 31st, 2020 and was mixed by Myles Ogilvie (Diretone Music) and mastered by Logan Macdonald (Logan Gordon Engineering).

The Kingdom by Snakeblade

out now: California death metallers Bloodfeast Ritual's debut EP "Altars of Sacrifice"

ABOUT: Bloodfeast Ritual was formed in the barren lands of Los Angeles when guitarist Hunter Gurney found fellow guitarist Michael Bala shredding at a Guitar Center in Hollywood, CA. With the shock and awe of each other’s talent, a friendship was quickly formed, and soon after the two mad lads began jamming, jellying, and collaborating in all senses of the phrase. Between the two of them, there was a strong, electrical creative energy that compelled the pair to both write songs. The young shredders were very inspired by HP Lovecraft, 80s horror, and older style death metal. Hunter added his own flavor to Michael’s existing songs, and Michael helped Hunter expand his own songwriting abilities. The pair worked very quickly, and composed a handful of crunchy tunes; soon after, it was time to find other members to join their cult for brutality. Through a mutual friend, the duo met growler David Ainsworth. Michael and Hunter were taken aback at David’s ability to perform metal vocals in a wide variety of styles, and suddenly the wolf pack became a terrifying trio of tremendous heavy metal titans. The Mississippi Mutant aka David became close with Michael and Hunter and joined them on their quest for death metal domination. After a few solid months in the practice room, the trio decided it was time to hit the studio. Five songs for annihilation were chosen to be recorded and were executed with surgical precision, under the watchful eye of Charlie Waymire from Ultimate Studios. Michael and Hunter shared bass duties on the recording, and vocalist David injected his vocal venom from with lyrics of demons and eldritch horrors. Showcasing a range from technical death metal to melodic shred, the trio’s sonic devastation “Altars of Sacrifice” (EP) was completed and set to assault the masses on July 24th, 2020.

Hunter adds: “I think there’s something for every type of metal fan on our debut EP. We have some more melodic stuff, some more brutal stuff, some stuff that sounds modern, some stuff that sounds old school. I believe people will think the songs are fun to listen to." Michael also comments: “We want the EP to tell a story, in a sense. It’s inspired by 80’s horror movies, HP Lovecraft, and general blasphemy. Musically, the EP starts very melodic, but becomes more dissonant and technical as it goes on. We’re hoping that this takes the listener on a journey of shred brutality, and fun. Overall, this EP is our love letter to Death Metal. Old School, Modern, Technical and Brutal; we love all of the aspects of death metal as a genre, and we wanted to show that with this EP. We tried to display our influences by dramatically changing the vibe of each song.” 2020 is proving to be a big year for Bloodfeast Ritual. The band is beginning their journey, and they appreciate each and everyone that has encouraged them, either in the form of inspiration or those that have taken the time to pass on a kind word. Especially during the current age of Covid.

Altars of Sacrifice by Bloodfeast Ritual

American alligator-hunting sludge team Pale Horseman (Chicagoland) release the new album "For Dust Thou Art" today

The Chicago area sludgesters Pale Horseman today reveal their fifth album For Dust Thou Art since their beginning in 2012. They make slow music but they work faster at releasing albums. Pale Horseman is proud to tell you that they are influenced by the crawling industrial heaviness of Godflesh and the sludge of Conan (U.K.). Godflesh fans will notice the up-down booming drum beats on this album. After listening to the music, we can say that while the album won't necessarily convert legions of casual doom fans, the devoted, die-hard, love-it-all sludge fanatic should find lots of things to celebrate in this music.

ABOUT: There’s something about the harsh urban landscapes of Chicago that makes it a breeding ground for sludgy doom metal. Indian, Bongripper, The Atlas Moth, Ledge... and that’s just for starters. Another, lesser known name but equally deserving of the spotlight are Pale Horseman, who have been prolific yet consistent in high quality since 2012. Their fifth album, For Dust Thou Art, continues the band’s tradition of mixing high-grade misanthropy with apocalyptic visions, and a taste for thundering riffs and rhythms. Things kick off in magnificent fashion via “Tundra”, with the heaviness of Entombed joining the grandiosity of Mastodon’s sludgy past or Neurosis’ present. Jason Schryver is a powerhouse on drums, driving each song forward at a pace that forces every neck to bend. His three co-conspirators work in almost hypnotic harmony as an array of beautiful melodies (“Disenchanter”), resounding Godflesh-esque riffs (“Archangel”), and thick, intricate bass playing (“Archangel”). The vocals - shared between Eric Ondo and Andre ‘Flesh’ Almaraz - also vary, interweaving a melodic sneer and strained howl echoing into the abyss. The whole package sounds immaculate, as is par for the course - this is a band whose previous records have been engineered by some of their biggest influences, including Dennis Pleckham (Bongripper), Noah Landis (Neurosis) and Justin Broadrick (Godflesh), with the current one by Sanford Parker (Buried At Sea). Each of the six slabs has its own identity, and by the time the record finishes, it feels fresh enough to flip over back to Side A and start again. While Pale Horseman may seem a young foal, its members have been around in bands for more than twenty years. With this experience, the result is a record that guarantees you are in good hands if you need a dose of sludge-coated doom to get you through difficult times.

FOR DUST THOU ART (2020) by PALE HORSEMAN

out now: the pallid Norwegian primeval minimalist black metal doom solo project Deadlight Sanctuary's debut EP "Thaumaturgical Rites of the Damned"

ABOUT: Deadlight Sanctuary is a solo project of G., notorious for being one of the ghouls behind Norwegian black/death/war metal terrorists Goatkraft. In Deadlight Sanctuary G. has however steered his attention toward the more ritualistic, contemplative and esoteric fringes of black metal, seeking out instead the perverse, morbose, doomed and decadent moods and atmospheres we've seen in bands like Beherit and most recently in Demoncy, a couple of G.'s long running musical inspirations. The end result became "Thaumaturgical Rites of the Damned", G's debut solo album under the Deadlight Sanctuary moniker, a lone descent by the Norwegian musician into a sonic underworld of esoteric necromantic perversions and decaying sepulchers drenched with the stench of death. Steeping in deviancy and decadence, "Thaumaturgical Rites of the Damned" is an exercise in sonic disgust, defilement, and abandon, in which black metal has embraced doom and the most decaying realms of inverted filth-worship, giving way to doomy rhythms and tempos that have masterfully re-evoked the tank-like stylistic resemblances of early Demoncy, along with the disgusting, evil, and lurid atmospheres we've seen spew forth by Beherit in their now legendary "Drawing Down the Moon" album. credits

Thaumaturgical Rites of the Damned by Deadlight Sanctuary

power metal project Planeswalker - The Forever Serpent - Official Music Video

ABOUT: Inspired by Magic The Gathering card game, Planeswalker is the new power metal band founded by Helion Prime guitarist Jason Ashcraft and former vocalist Sozos Michael. Jason Ashcraft explains the creation of the project: “For those who follow Helion Prime understand that parting ways with Sozos was due to unfortunate struggles with visa issues as he lives in Cyprus, but I knew someday we’d work together again I just wasn’t sure how. I then got the idea to start a band based completely on Magic The Gathering lore because between Helion Prime and Dire Peril I think I’m good on sci-fi based material and why wouldn’t I need ANOTHER project. When I first heard the song Sozos had written for us I immediately knew it had to be about Nicol Bolas.” Sozos Michael adds: “I am beyond excited for the release of ‘The Forever Serpent’, our first creative output with Jason since our collaboration in Helion Prime. As you will surely notice listening to the song (and/or watching the music video), we channeled our most primal nerdiness to this endeavor, and we have no plans to slow down! We have just begun exploring the rich and deep lore of MTG, and we are excited to see where this journey will lead us.” Planeswalker currently has no immediate plans for a full-length album but Ashcraft would like to see something in 2021. Song Credits: Planeswalker is: Sozos Michael: Vocals; Jason Ashcraft: Guitar; Guest musicians on “The Forever Serpent”: Chelsea McMasters: Bass; Alex Bosson: Drums; Alex Nasla: Keys; Mixed and Mastered by Alex Nasla at Gear Gods Studio.

Planeswalker - The Forever Serpent - Official Music Video

The Forever Serpent by Planeswalker: Sozos Michael & Jason Ashcraft

CZAR (Washington state, U.S.A.)

Czar might seem like they are trying to be the most annoying band that you have ever heard and they might be right! If you are looking for music that will irritate you, then look into CZAR: "progressive noise metal band from Tacoma, WA."

MINUS by CZAR

Life Is No Way To Treat An Animal by CZAR

Cystic (Washington state, U.S.A.)

Cystic is "savage death metal" by three cavemen identified by Metal Archives as Julian Langenberg, Logan Miller and Tanner Moore.

Incineration Rites by Cystic

Cycles of the Damned (Washington state, U.S.A.)

"Seattle, Washington based trio CYCLES OF THE DAMNED successfully create a visceral experience sewn into intensely heavy and dark music. Showcasing a life experience in today's world with malicious guitar onslaughts, hypnotic primeval rhythms, and despondently somber interludes, CYCLES OF THE DAMNED create the necessary chaos to violently break through the human subtopia of mediocrity into a new world with fresh, open eyes. Members Dave Krone (Guitars/Vocals), Mike Lee (Bass/Vocals), and Keith Greer (Percussion) evolved past their original formation as Black Bone Exorcism, leaping forth from those years of musical craft and now rise to a higher level of heavy music. CYCLES OF THE DAMNED invite you into their realm to hear their debut release 'A TIME TO SURVIVE', coming on October 12th, from Incineration Ceremony Recordings, the brainchild label of the legendary Tad Doyle. The trio of COTD continue their consistent message of roaring riffs, demolishing drums and bass, and creatively disturbing ambient landscaping to defy the boundaries of our vision of dystopia.'

A Time To Survive by Cycles of the Damned

Culprit (Washington state, U.S.A.)

Culprit is an American heavy metal band first formed in Seattle, Washington, United States, in 1981 by vocalist Jeff L'Heureux, guitarists John DeVol and Kjartan Kristoffersen, bassist Scott Earl, and drummer Bud Burrill. Their debut album Guilty as Charged was first released through Shrapnel Records in 1983 and later again through Hellion Records in 2000. The band broke up in 1985 and each of its members moved on to other endeavors. Culprit was the result of a merger between two Seattle area bands named Orpheus and Amethyst in 1981. Guitarist John DeVol, bassist Scott Earl, and drummer Bud Burrill played in Orpheus while vocalist Jeff L'Heureux and guitarist Kjartan Kristoffersen were in Amethyst. These five musicians first came together when their respective bands played at a mutual gig. They later got together with plans on forming a new band, which they ultimately named Culprit. This new band got their first taste of success in 1982 when their debut song "Players" was selected on Shrapnel Records' U.S. Metal, Vol. 2 compilation. Shortly afterward, Culprit signed a proper recording contract with Shrapnel and began work on their debut album.

In 1983, Culprit released their first and only studio album thus far Guilty as Charged to much critical acclaim. Eduardo Rivadavia of AllMusic gave the album four and a half stars, calling it "a lost gem of American metal from the 1980s, and well worth seeking out for fans of other bands from the period." Scott Earl left the band in 1984 and the band broke up soon after. Following the break-up, L'Heureux became lead vocalist for the band Mistrust while Kristoffersen and Earl joined the band TKO, appearing on their third album Below the Belt, then relocated to Hollywood, California and formed The Bang Gang, which released Love Sells... in 1990 on Sinclair/MCA Records. In 2000, Guilty as Charged was re-released on CD for the first time through Hellion Records. The original lineup has reunited on various occasions for one-off shows, most recently in 2001. In 2005, they released a compilation album of rarities titled Innocent 'Til Proven Guilty. [Wikipedia]

Culprit Guilty As Charged REV TV (Seattle WA.)

Guilty as Charged

Ice in the Back

Crurifragium (Washington state, U.S.A.)

Crurifragium is bestial extreme metal in Washington state.

Beasts of the Temple of Satan by Crurifragium

The Crüd Güns (Washington state, U.S.A.)

The Crüd Güns play "DEATH METAL, THRASH, GRIND, PUNK" in Washington state.

Full Clip by Crüd Güns

Coven 6669 (Washington state, U.S.A)

Biography: Thrash never sounded so evil and funny!!!! - 95% Written by cravingforvenom on August 2nd, 2010

Coven was formed in the late 1980s just north of Seattle Washington. The classic lineup featured Dean Babbitt, Paul Hash on Guitar Neal Babbitt on drums Gary Peebles on bass & Jay Clark on vocals.

The band recorded three albums between 1985 & 1993 Blessed Is The Black, Death Walks Behind You & Boneless Christian these continue to be international classics because of their blending of several metal genres and unique style.

Coven is back again in 2012 like a malignant tumor again! Dean & Neal Babbitt are joined by lunatic front man Jamie Carter, thrasher extraordinaire bassist Eric Close and the diabolically sinful guitar work of The mysterious UnderBishop!

Seattle, WA will always be remembered by people in the rock music fraternity as the birthplace of grunge and early progressive/power metal of which the former became a widely followed religion worldwide in the nineties while the latter sure enjoyed good success towards the end of the eighties. Little do they know that the city also spawned a devilish fiend and its name was Coven. Wicked, funny, diabolic, inhumane, perverted and demented are but a few terms that pretty much summed up the songwriting prowess. One look at the album cover of “Blessed is the black” and you could be sure this isn’t going to be conventional hard rock singing about love, compromises and family issues. While they did not break any new grounds musically as much of it could still be dubbed thrash with just a few leanings towards doom, power and even black metal, their lyrical content certainly raised a lot more eyebrows than what the band may have even expected themselves. Coven sure did release one stunner of a debut album with an absolute unrestrained approach.

Before I got my hands on this record, I had heard a lot of good things about it if not convincing enough to give it a shot sometime. Upon playing the title track the first thing that caught my attention was the production and I thought to myself “For the year 1988, this production sounds as raw as an early eighties Venom or Bulldozer demo”.

After the main riff which sounded quite captivating, the real show stealer stepped in and he’s the maverick vocalist Jay Clarke. Holy crap BATMAN!!!! This was one of the most vicious vocals I had ever heard; when I thought I’d heard it all. The guy sounded almost like he was standing at the altar, screaming his lungs out to deliver an antireligious sermon. His vocal talent is definitely laudable because of his ability to bark out guttural grows and throwing in a few Tom Araya like shrieks as well. I still wonder if he ever had to undergo surgery on his vocal chords. The rest of the pack certainly had their basics in place. Good catchy riffs, controlled and precise drumming for the most part and tight basslines lay the foundation.

As mentioned earlier, while most of the songs here are rooted in thrash, there are various other genres that can be heard here. Perverted humor is inevitably heard on the tracks “6669” and “Iron Dick” whereas crunchy thrashers include “Burn The Cross”, “The Monger” and the title track. “Rock This Church” is an absolute heavy metal anthem with that brilliant American power metal influenced main riff and a maniacal chorus that literally despises and desecrates the church of God while the band hits top gear on “McDonaldland Massacre” reeking of old school crossover and crust in contrast with the former.

The biggest surprise present on this album are the two power ballads “Another Life” and “Out Of The Grave” which are extremely doom metal in nature and sound nothing like any of the other tracks. With clean vocals and acoustic sections thrown in to good effect, these two tracks provide a good balance. The album finisher “Creature of Duty (and My Duty is Death)” has got to have one of the best song titles in business and is yet again another top notch thrasher almost along the lines of English thrash veterans Deathwish.

It finally made sense to me, why this record received generally favorable reviews. It sounded extremely original and the songwriting (despite the sick humor) sounded very mature and controlled. Not very often would you come across an album that explores practically most of the genres in heavy metal, but if you wish to experience a whole new variety of thrash metal, then look no further. In retrospect to the high speed antics of Dark Angel, Slayer and Wehrmacht this one provides a refreshing change and is highly recommended!!!

Coven - Blessed is the Black [FULL ALBUM] HD

Coven - Boneless Christian (1993 full album)

facebook.com/covenofficial

Countless the Dead (Washington state, U.S.A.)

Below is a recording by Countless the Dead in Washington state.

"Originally named The Left Hand, Countless The Dead was born in June of 2012 the same way any good band from the northwest was; in a garage. Founding members Jonah Huffines, Jesus James, and Zach Page made quick headway with the new band, adding guitarist Zack Sanchez, who departed shortly after joining. Bear Zombi was added to the band early 2013 and as well departed shortly afterwards. Guitarist Zack Sanchez would then rejoin the band and just following was good buddy, Willie Jansen (Tatarus, Amanda Hardy Band) on bass. After their first show with the new lineup, it was obvious that this band was headed towards a long life of increasing brutality, and will continue to bring their presence, energy, and raw youthfulness back to one of the most legendary genres of all time: Death Metal."

Forgotten and Rotting: The Demo Collection by Countless The Dead

Confines (Washington state, U.S.A.)

Confines is no longer active. This is a recording by them.

"A project birthed from original members of Heir To The Throne in September 2012, Confines is the collaboration of multiple musical backgrounds with the sole intent of writing honest, heavy music. With an EP released in Summer 2013 (Engineered, M/M by Jake Paulson, formerly of I Declare War), Confines plans to continue hitting the scene as hard as possible. With a second EP and even a full length already in the works, Confines has every intention of bringing the most unique yet straightforward sound to your ears as possible."

Hive Mentality EP by Confines

CHVD (Washington state, U.S.A.)

CHVD is or was black metal in the state of Washington. Below are the recordings from years ago that are available on Bandcamp.

A Grim Night For Suicide Split by CHVD

CHVD by CHVD

Chronic Tomb (Washington state, U.S.A)

"We have been playing as Chronic Tomb for three years and reside in Seattle. Our next release is going to be the 'Dungeons Of Dank' seven inch that will be a joint release coming out before the new year. This is the official page feel free to ask us about shows/splits/future releases on this page or tag us in events. Visit our bandcamp page to hear some of our latest tracks! HAILS TO ALL EXTREME METAL BROTHERS/SISTERS! \m/ Chronic Tomb is four sick fucking maniacs from Seattle, WA \m/ The only TRUE DEATH/GOREGRIND band from their state! Worship under the altar of death and decay! Revel in the smoke of the inverted herb!

Dungeons Of Dank by Chronic Tomb

BAND-MAID (Japan)

Band-Maid, stylized as BAND-MAID, is a Japanese rock band formed in 2013. The band combines a rock sound with a maid image modeled on Japanese maid cafés. Originally signed to Gump Records (an imprint of the Platinum Passport artist management and talent agency), they switched to major label Nippon Crown's sub-label Crown Stones in 2016 and later moved to new sub-label Revolver Records in 2019.

The band formed in July 2013. Singer/guitarist Miku Kobato, formerly an employee of a Japanese maid café, envisioned forming a band that juxtaposed the maid image with rock music. Kobato recruited lead guitarist Kanami Tōno after an Internet search. Tōno had performed as a singer-songwriter and suggested her occasional backing drummer Akane Hirose for the new band. Hirose in turn suggested bassist Misa, with whom she had attended music school. On July 24, 2013 they had their first live performance at the PP Audition held at Osaka Deep, as a quartet with Kobato on vocals. The band then decided to recruit an additional lead singer and selected Saiki Atsumi during auditions. Their first performance as a five-piece was at the P Festival at Shibuya-AX on August 22, 2013.

Early in their history, Band-Maid regularly performed live at various venues around the Tokyo area. The group released their debut mini-album Maid in Japan in January 2014, written in collaboration with musicians Masahiko Fukui and Kentaro Akutsu (the latter formerly of the musical group Zero). In August 2014, they released the maxi-single "Ai to Jōnetsu no Matador" (titled "Love, Passion, Matador" internationally). In November 2015 they released their sophomore mini-album New Beginning. The album was their first chart placement, reaching No. 64 on the Japanese Oricon weekly albums chart. The band undertook a tour of Tokyo venues to promote the album through February 2016, culminating in a sold-out concert on February 14.

In March 2016 they had their first overseas performance at Sakura-Con in Seattle, Washington. The group released their third mini-album and major label debut, Brand New Maid, in May 2016 on the Nippon Crown sub-label Crown Stones. That album reached No. 19 on the Japanese Oricon weekly albums chart. In October and November 2016, they went on their first world tour that took them to Mexico, Hong Kong, and six countries in Europe.

In January 2017, Band-Maid released their first full-length album titled Just Bring It. It was preceded by the single "YOLO," released in November 2016. Just Bring It reached No. 16 on the Japanese Oricon weekly albums chart. Band-Maid appeared at the 2017 Golden Melody Awards and festival in Taiwan on June 23–24. The maxi-single "Daydreaming/Choose Me" was released in July 2017. They covered "Honey" for the November 2017 Mucc tribute album Tribute of Mucc -En-.

The band released their second full-length album titled World Domination on February 14, 2018. World Domination reached number 9 on the Japanese Oricon weekly albums chart. Also on February 14, 2018, they reissued their 2014 debut album Maid in Japan with two bonus tracks. While the original release of that album did not chart, the reissued version reached No. 26 on the Japanese Oricon weekly albums chart. On April 1, 2018, they performed at Warped Tour at Makuhari Messe as the first date on a world tour.

The maxi-single "Start Over" was released on July 25, 2018. The CD singles "Glory" and "Bubble" were released simultaneously on January 16, 2019. Under the name Band-Maiko and adopting a maiko image, the band released an EP titled Band-Maiko on April 3, 2019, which adapted several previous Band-Maid songs with traditional Japanese musical instruments and lyrics in the Kyoto dialect. In April 2019, the band announced a tour of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Taiwan, and the United States in partnership with Live Nation Entertainment.

The band's sixth album Conqueror was released digitally on December 4, 2019, with physical formats following one week later. The album featured one song produced by Tony Visconti. It debuted at number nine on Japanese Oricon weekly albums chart but debuted at number one on the Oricon weekly Rock Albums chart. Also in December 2019, it was announced that Band-Maid will appear in the upcoming Netflix film Kate, playing themselves. They released their first standalone concert video Band-Maid World Domination Tour [Shinka] at Line Cube Shibuya (Shibuya Public Hall) on April 29, 2020. (Wikipedia)

BAND-MAID / FREEDOM (Feb. 14th, 2020)

BAND-MAID / DOMINATION (Feb. 14th, 2020)

BAND-MAID / Choose me (Feb. 14th, 2020)

facebook.com/bandmaid/

Japanese power metal veterans Aldious issue new compilation of re-recordings "Evoke 2010-2020"

"New vocalist R!N has joined, and newly formed Aldious has finally released their long-awaited new album 'Evoke 2010-2020', their first full album in about 3 years! The vocal re-recordings of some of their most popular songs, including some of their early favorites, will make a new mark in Aldious's history! In addition, they include a new song "I Wish for You" which is their first song in about 1 year and 4 months!"

BIOGRAPHY: ALDIOUS joined forces in Osaka, Japan, back in June 2008, with Rami on vocals and Yoshi on guitar. In November 2008, 2 of their songs were featured on a compilation album titled “Red Hot Burning Hell Vol.16″. In January 2009 Toki (guitar) joined the band prior to the band’s self-produced first 4-song EP titled “Dear Slave” which was released in November of the same year. “Dear Slave” was well received and sold out in many metal music stores around Japan. ALDIOUS was officially formed upon the return of original bass player Sawa, along with the addition of Aruto on drums in March 2010. The band also launched a label specializing in girls metal called “Bright Star Records” at this time. As the band started to gain recognition on the Internet, in April 2010 ALDIOUS signed with Spinning as the first domestic girls metal band for the label and released their first single “Defended Desire” in July. The single ranked 4th on the weekly ORICON indie chart, 49th on the weekly singles chart and 24th on the daily chart.

Following their single, ALDIOUS released their first full album “Deep Exceed” in October. The album successfully topped the weekly ORICON indie album chart, as well as ranking into 15th on the weekly album chart and 7th on the daily chart. Following the release, ALDIOUS performed sold out shows in Tokyo and Nagoya, also performing their first solo show at the Osaka Club Quattro which also sold out.

In January 2011, ALDIOUS made appearances on two popular TV show called “Sukkiri” (Nippon Television) and “MezaNew” (Fuji Television), successfully gaining a stronger fan base. In April 2011, the band released their second single “Mermaid” which ranked into 16th (daily), 20th (weekly) and 1st (weekly indie) on the ORICON charts. ALDIOUS went on to perform on their first solo tour, playing in Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka, in which all shows successfully sold out. Later the same year in October, ALDIOUS appeared on popular TV show “Happy Music” (Nippon Television) prior to releasing their second album “Determination” which ranked into 8th (daily), 13th (weekly) and 2nd (weekly indie) on the ORICON charts. The song “Spirit Black” from the album was used as the ending theme for the TV show “Shimura Ken” (Fuji Television).

ALDIOUS went on to do a 6-city sold out tour in November to December, including renowned venues such as the Shibuya O-East in Tokyo. In May 2012, ALDIOUS conducted an encore tour, performing in yet bigger venues such as the Akasaka BLITZ in Tokyo, CLUB Diamond Hall in Nagoya, and the BIGCAT in Osaka. ALDIOUS then went on to release a live DVD featuring their show at Shibuya O-EAST during their 2011Determination Tour. The DVD ranked in the ORICON charts at 2nd for music DVDs and 6th among all DVD titles. Following the tour, lead vocalist Rami parted ways with the band due to personal health issues. Despite Rami’s withdrawal from the band, ALDIOUS continued their songwriting while searching for a new singer. ALDIOUS recruited Re:NO as their new singer in August, and went on to release their 3rd single “White Crow”. The single ranked into the ORICON charts at 19th on the weekly singles chart, 14th on the daily charts and 3rd on the weekly indie singles chart.

In November the band went on tour with THE AGONIST as a supporting band, performing in Tokyo (Shibuya O-East), Nagoya (Club Quattro), and Osaka (Osaka Big Cat).

ALDIOUS also went on for a solo tour from the end of November, playing in 5 cities including the Shibuya O-East in Tokyo. ALDIOUS also made their second appearance on the TV show “Happy music” in December.

In May 2013, the band released their 3rd Album “District Zero” which accomplished a remarkable ranking of 4th on the ORICON daily chart and 7th on the weekly chart. This marked a new record for an all girls band from an independent label in the history of the ORICON charts. The song “Scrash” from the album “District Zero” was used as the ending theme for the TV program “Ranking Kingdom” on TBS for June and July.

ALDIOUS then went out on the District Zero Tour starting in July, performing in 10 cities around Japan, including venues such as the Shibuya O-East in Tokyo. The band also made appearances at various events and festivals including the Hammerball 2013 Festival. ALDIOUS released their next double A-side single “Dominator / I Don’t Like Me” in October. The single ranked into 10th (daily), 12th (weekly) and 1st (weekly indie) on the ORICON charts. The ballad “I Don’t Like Me” was on high demand for requests on the USEN J-POP HOT 30, ranking in at #16 on the chart, creating a new fan base for the band. ALDIOUS went on an 8-city solo tour in November, with shows for the first time in cities such as Kagawa and Okayama.

In February 2014, ALDIOUS held extra shows at the Nagoya Club Quattro and Osaka Umeda Club Quattro before taking part in the Pure Rock Japan Extra Vol.1 Festival. The band released another live DVD titled “District Zero Tour ~ Live at Shibuya O-East” which was their first live DVD featuring Re:NO on vocals. The DVD ranked in the ORICON charts at 5th for music DVDs and 6th among all DVD titles.

The band released their next single “Another World” in May 2014. The band also performed a successful sold out show with legendary Japanese rock band EARTHSHAKER before releasing their 4th album “Dazed and Delight”. The song “Dominator” was featured as an ending theme for a TV series on TV TOKYO in July. ALDIOUS went out on a solo tour to 14 venues, including shows in Ishikawa and Iwate prefectures, as well as a show at the Club Citta in Kawasaki. ALDIOUS also made appearances at various events and festivals including the “Grace Rock Museum”, as well as a metal festival with renowned metal acts such as THE KANMURI, NoGoD, SEX MACHINEGUNS, NINGEN ISU and OUTRAGE, “Ani-Song-Rock 2014″, and a successful sold out show with veteran thrashers OUTRAGE.

In November 2014, drummer Aruto departed from the band after announcing her marriage and retirement from the music industry. The band will be doing a show for the KERA SHOP ARENA OSAKA Fashion Show in December with a fill-in drummer for the show.

ALDIOUS released a new live DVD in February 2015, featuring their show at Club Citta in August 2014 titled “Live Tour 2014 – Dazed and Delight Live at Club Citta”. The DVD ranked number 8 on the Oricon weekly music DVD charts. In April 2015, ALDIOUS signed with their new label VAA (Village Again Association). The band also recruited Marina as their new drummer., and they will release New single on July 8th.

Evoke 2010​-​2020 by Aldious

facebook.com/Aldious.officialpage/

Echo of Silence (U.S. metalcore)

"Echo of Silence is a melodic metalcore band that has taken flight after this group of musicians crossed paths by chance, and followed their passions together. With a firm belief that people go out to see live music to -see- a performance, Echo makes it a point to keep enthusiastic/energetic shows to keep the attention of those who see them on stage. Having performed in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Iowa, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, and Indiana, it’s only a matter of time before they’ll make it to your locale! If you ever want to reach out and get to know them better, feel free to send a message or be active on the facebook posts/threads. Be sure to keep updated with their latest updates, you can follow them on their other socials and follow their profiles for any exclusive content! (Spotify, Bandcamp, Soundcloud, Twitter)."

Mental Madness- Echo Of Silence

Metanoia by Echo of Silence

Innocence by Echo of Silence

facebook.com/echoofsilencemi/

Canadian cavemen of old bestial black metal Blasphemy: concert video of "Desecration of Belo Horizonte" (2019)

DISCOGRAPHY:

Blood upon the Altar Demo 1989

Fallen Angel of Doom.... Full-length 1990

Gods of War Full-length 1993 3

Live Ritual: Friday the 13th Live album 2001

Brazilian Ritual - Third Attack Split video 2015

Desecration of São Paulo: Live in Brazilian Ritual - Third Attack Live album 2016

Rehearsal Compilation 2017

Victory (Son of the Damned) Demo 2018

Promo Tape Demo 2018

Live Ritual: Friday the 13th / Victory (Son of the Damned) Boxed set 2018

Promo Tape 2 Demo 2018

Blood upon the Soundspace Demo 2018

Blood upon the Altar / Blood upon the Soundspace Boxed set 2018

Desecration of Belo Horizonte: Live in Brazilian Ritual - Fifth Attack Live album 2019

Promo Tape 3 Demo 2019

Blasphemy ‎– Desecration Of Belo Horizonte (FULL VIDEO)

facebook.com/OfficialBlasphemy/

Brazilian black metal cultists Mystifier: full album stream of "Protogoni Mavri Magiki Dynasteia" (2019) on YouTube

OFFICIAL BIOGRAPHY (with Google translate from the original Portuguese): Formed in 1989, in Salvador / BA, the group Mystifier became one of the classic and veteran bands of Black Metal Extreme World. With his own sound (profane, evil, fast and aggressive), he created his distinctive style within the beaten Black Metal, spreading it all over the world. Originally, the group was created by Beelzeebubth (bass / guitar), Lucifuge Rofocale (drums), Behemoth (guitar) and Meugninousouan (vocal), releasing the first demo tape in November, entitled “Tormenting the Holy Trinity”, in the same year creation, followed by several presentations in the city of origin.

The following year, they released the compact classic (single, 7 ’EP)“ The Evil Ascension Returns ”by the Salvadoran producer Maniac Records and the second demo-tape“ Aleister Crowley ”. The debut album, “Wicca”, was released in 1992 in Brazil by Hellion Records from São Paulo and the following year in Europe by the French producer Osmose Productions.

Mystifier has four records under its belt: “Wicca” from 1992; “Göetia” from 1993 and “The World Is So Good That Who Made It Doesn't Live Here” from 1996, all released by the French label Osmose Productions (1996) and, five years later, the album “Profanus” (2001 ), by Encore Records in São Paulo and Crash Music in the United States. These works were launched and relaunched by several international labels, being promoted in several international tours and concerts. The launch of the Box Deluxe “Baphometic Goat Worship” in 2008, launched by Nuclear War Now (USA), consolidated the group worldwide, accrediting it to the NWN Festival ll (2010), followed by several festivals and performances, including the recording of a DVD in Germany.

However, Mystifier has undergone some radical changes in its formation over time. One of these was the departure of vocalist Leandro Kastyphas, replaced by the exceptional Diego DoUrden (Infested Blood). Years later, drummer Alex Rocha (Poisonous) left, being replaced by Eduard WarMonger (ex-Medicine Death), who brought experience, maturity and talent to the group.

Throughout its trajectory, the group has already carried out several South American, North American and European tours, with the last European tour “Bloodshed Rituals” 2016 - with the participation of Rotting Christ and Inquisition, having a great success, with several sold-out concerts.

The 1999 maxi-single, originally released by Demise Records / MG, entitled “Demystifying The Mystified Ones For A Decade In The Earthly Paradise”, was relaunched by the Teutonic / Brazilian producer Winter Distro. As a bonus track, a Live recorded in Rio de Janeiro in 1994, at the former Garage Art Cult, will be included during performances to promote the album “Göetia”.

Some years later, the 4th album “Profanus” was reissued by Vic Records in Belgium, with a recently recorded Live bonus track, which was also relaunched in Brazil by Black Legion / Blasphemy Productions.

The year 2018 started very well, right from the beginning, the label Season of Mist from France agreed to launch the 5th studio album and then in March 2019 the album Protogoni Mavri Magiki Dynasteia was released worldwide by Season of Mist, in Brazil by USB.

Mystifier - Protogoni Mavri Magiki Dynasteia (2019) Full Album Stream

facebook.com/mystifier666/

German heavy metal crusaders BLIZZEN official music video "Gravity Remains"

"BLIZZEN has released a new video for the song 'Gravity Remains'. That song is on the album 'World In Chains', which will was released on CD, Vinyl and Download on April 24th, 2020 via PURE STEEL RECORDS.'

"Blizzen play Heavy / Speed Metal which leads back to the 80´s uniting two dynamical guitars, high powerful vocals, epic choruses and an energetic bass sound. The band was formed in Weilburg - Germany in January 2014 by all band members."

BLIZZEN - Gravity Remains - offical Video (PURE STEEL RECORDS)

facebook.com/BlizzenOfficial/

Serbian power metallers Claymorean stream new song "Hunter of the Damned (Demo 2020)"

"Claymorean is an independent epic-power metal band from Lazarevac, Serbia. The music of Claymorean can be described as a mix of traditional European power and epic metal with some doom and folk influences.

The band released two albums under the name Claymore: 'The First Dawn of Sorrow' (2003, One Records) and 'Lament of Victory' (2013, SoundAge Productions).

The first installment of the band was formed in 1994 by its original member Vladimir Garcevic a.k.a. Vlad Invictus (guitars & vocals). After many line up changes during the entire first decade, the band finally recorded its debut album 'The First Dawn of Sorrow' in 2003, which was released on CD and MC for a Serbian record label 'One Records'.

In 2012 Vlad gathers a new band line up, which debuts on 'Fabula' a local festival in band’s hometown. Shortly after a live premiere, Claymore enters the 'Midnight studio' in February 2013 and begins recording the sophmore album by the name 'Lament of Victory'. This album was published on 'SoundAge Productions' label on October 25th 2013.

After a successful show at 'Serbian Metal Festival' in Belgrade in June 2014, band eventually changed the name to Claymorean.

Claymorean can be considered as an entirely new band, since the musical direction is very different from Claymore’s. The sound of Claymorean is more stripped down, back to the roots power heavy metal, depraved of keyboards and symphonic elements.

In October 2014 Claymorean once again entered 'Midnight studio' to record the new album. Recording process lasted over 5 months with the newly established line up. Claymorean released their 1st album called 'Unbroken' for “StormSpell Records' on July 1st 2015.

The second album called "Sounds from a Dying World" has been released July 12th 2017 on 'StormSpell Records'".

Claymorean - Hunter of the Damned (Demo 2020)

Sounds from a Dying World by Claymorean (2017)

out today: death metallers Draghkar debut full-length album "At the Crossroads of Infinity"

The American old-school death metal band Draghkar has been doing demos and split releases for several years now, but today is the official release day for the full-length debut album At the Crossroads of Infinity. So far the reviewers are having a good time trying to figure how to describe the old-school death metal, but what can be said without much argument is that fans of classic-style death metal with the more natural productions values should be interested. In addition, for those us here in the state of Washington, Draghkar is joined by K.S. Kuciemba from cult death metal heroes Drawn and Quartered.

At the Crossroads of Infinity by Draghkar

American rockers VIXEN released "Rev It Up" 30 years ago in July 1990

"Vixen was founded in St Paul, MN by guitarist Jan Kuehnemund. Driven by rock star dreams, like so many before her, Kuehnemund packed up her group and headed for Hollywood. Kuehnemund soon re-tooled the lineup to include vocalist Janet Gardner, drummer, Roxy Petrucci, and bassist Share Pedersen (Ross).

Vixen quickly built their reputation playing the infamous Sunset Strip and signed a major label deal with EMI. Vixen's first hit single, “Edge of a Broken Heart” penned by Richard Marx and Fee Waybill (The Tubes) blasted onto the Billboard charts fueled by heavy video rotation on MTV. Their self-titled freshmen LP garnered two more knee droppers with "Cryin'" and "Love made Me" both charting on the Billboard hot 100 top 40. It was the group’s live performances opening for the Scorpions, Ozzy and Bon Jovi that established Vixen as a premiere rock act to be taken seriously.

In 1990, "Rev it Up", Vixen’s second LP produced the monster rocker "How Much Love", scorching ballad, "Love is a Killer"' and the upbeat "Not a Minute Too Soon" cementing their reputation not only as formidable performers, but as hit songwriters. The group Vixen-ized their fans on worldwide tours with heavyweights Deep Purple and KISS, which fueled the international frenzy."

1. "Rev It Up"

2. "How Much Love"

3. "Love Is a Killer"

4. "Not a Minute Too Soon"

5. "Streets in Paradise"

6. "Hard 16"

7. "Bad Reputation"

8. "Fallen Hero"

9. "Only a Heartbeat Away"

10. "It Wouldn't Be Love"

11. "Wrecking Ball"

Vixen - How Much Love HQ

Vixen - Not a Minute too soon

Vixen - 01. Rev It Up

Vixen - Love is a Killer

out now: the melodic death metal of Buried Realm: "Embodiment of the Divine"

Buried Realm's second album Embodiment of the Divine is one for fans of European-style melodic death metal with a dose of technicality and a little bit more brutality than the older bands of the style, like the younger generation has been looking over the fence at tech-death and contemporary brutal death metal, and been thinking that maybe the grass is not greener on the other side, but it sure be nice to get a piece of that action. Buried Realm does not want to marry brutal-technical death metal but it does want get together and see if the sparks fly for a day of partying.

Back in 2017 Josh Dummer (Colorado, U.S.A.) hit the ground running with his debut album, and it was Josh doing his solo thing but what was interesting was the nice collection of guests for the guitar solos. For instance, somehow he convinced Christopher Amott of Arch Enemy fame, Peter Wichers of Soilwork fame and Marios Iliopoulos the head honcho of Nightrage to get onboard. Josh is back at it and he got Peter again, Andy Gillion from Mors Principium Est, and other shredders, and Ryan Strain as a guest vocalist, from the looks of it, for some of the more melodic singing.

Embodiment of the Divine by Buried Realm

review: Blazing Rust

Blazing Rust

Line of Danger

Pure Underground Records

July 24th, 2020

Even though this is only the second album by Russian band whose debut is from 2017, the members seem to have years of experience in the country’s scenes, ranging from black metal to traditional heavy metal, and also some experience with thrash, grind and other genres. Whatever their other experiences, here they focus on rocking, traditional heavy metal in the international style for fans anywhere in the world that like Judas Priest, Accept/U.D.O., Saxon, and the classics in general. It’s songs with big and familiar riffs, solos and catchy choruses (the vocals, though, are closer to 1990s Metallica than the screaming-banshee Priest style), the fundamentals of ear-friendly heavy metal that rock fans recognize.

One of the most basic facts of good quality metal is that metal musicians are concerned with skill in terms of the entertainment value of the songs. Musicianship, skills, a good work ethic and other such values distinguish the serious metal bands (Of course, this is not true in all rock music. Some genres place almost no value on being good musicians and are concerned, obsessed even, with controlling the audience’s social thinking to fit a certain agenda.). Upon first hearing the music, the experience comes across, that they have a clear vision of their goals, and that they know why people listen to this music. People don’t listen to Judas Priest and Saxon because the musicians have the secrets of the universe. People listen because they like the sound of the guitars and the songs. It’s the same idea with Blazing Rust. They won’t help you to figure the meaning of life, but they can entertain you and give you a good rocking time. Seems like a winning combination, right?! Blazing Rust is the time to rock.

Line of Danger

Only to Burn

Race with Reality

facebook.com/blazingrust

new video by metalcore band For The Likes Of You (Washington state, U.S.A.) "Rot With Me"

For The Likes Of You - Rot With Me (Music Video)

facebook.com/forthelikesofyouofficial/

U.S. metalcore band Hollow Front full album "Loose Threads" (2020) on YouTube

"HOLLOW FRONT is Tyler Tate (Vocals), Devin Attard (Drums), Brandon Rummler (Bass), and Dakota Alvarez (Guitar). Hailing from Grand Rapids, MI. The 4-piece Metalcore group actually began in the summer of 2016, as a 5-piece. The band started as a project “just for fun,” but quickly grew into something none of the band members could deny had real potential. Hollow Front's Sophomore EP "STILL LIFE" is available now on Spotify, Apple Itunes/Music, Google Play, Bandcamp, and more! The band released their debut EP titled “Homewrecker” in Feb of 2017, and have been on the grind ever since. Playing shows, shooting music videos, and writing new material. In May of 2017, they signed with Beckwith Records, a label based out of their hometown, released their stand-alone single, “Chameleon” and began work on their follow-up EP titled “Still Life,” which has just been released as of June 29th of 2018. And the band has already begun the process of pre-production for their debut full length, expected to release sometime in late 2019.

HOLLOW FRONT has gained over 2,700,000 Spotify streams, over 1,700,000 YouTube views, and have sold merchandise all over the world countless times, since their debut in 2017. They’ve been featured on two prominent Spotify playlists, (Metalcore and Got Djent?,) where their songs “Don’t Fall Asleep” and “Blackhole,” have accumulated over 500k streams, and have also gained an excellent foreign and domestic following after being featured on Dreambound’s extremely popular YouTube channel. Their official music video for the title track to their new album “Still Life” hit 1,00,000+ views and continues to climb everyday. Keep an eye on their Facebook and Instagram for upcoming tour dates and music related news."

Hollow Front - Loose Threads (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)

Hollow Front - Loose Threads (Full Album Stream)

facebook.com/hollowfront/

review: Angband

Angband

IV

Pure Underground Records

July 24th 2020

The early pioneers of heavy metal often had the habit of starting their albums with a rocking, uptempo or fast song, and it served the purpose of setting the perimeters, but then the rest of the work would unfold in various directions because they did not want all their songs alike and narrow. It was the same idea during the concerts. Warm up the crowd and then do all the other things that they liked to do. In a similar way, the sequence of this particular album is important for guiding the audience through the music that walks some winding paths. As the title says, this is the fourth album by the Iranian entity established in 2004. Actually, nowadays it is necessary to say “Iranian/American” because for the new work they have recruited the U.S. singer Tim Aymar (formerly of Death’s main man Chuck Schuldiner’s Control Denied, Psycho Scream, and others) from the long-running heavy/power/prog band Pharaoh (U.S.; 1997-present; four albums/one EP/one split).

The first song is traditional heavy metal, uptempo for headbanging and with the unmistakable voice of Tim Aymar. So, then, this is traditional, classic heavy metal, correct? No, it’s not, but the listener is given plenty of room to adjust to the changes about to happen. The second song is a midtempo song with a bit of an instrument called the ney (it appears throughout the album), a type of ancient flute (Wikipedia says that it has been around for some 5,000 years), and in this song, it has an extra bit of buzzing wind sound (YouTube says the guest playing the ney is Pasha Hanjani and there you can find videos of him playing the ney if you search his name). It’s not a huge shock but enough to notice that something is happening in this more progressive-leaning track.

By the time the fourth songs ends, the feeling is that this is progressive metal and the recurring and previously mentioned ney makes more sense. The guitar melodies now feel more melancholic and extended, more meandering, and done very well. In the subsequent songs things continue in that direction of big melodies, progressive, and midtempo and some slow segments, in a measured way. The slow guitar melodies are very appealing, in a bluesy/doomy/psychedelic/spacey way. The rocking moments do not disappear, either. It’s just that the landscape has more variety than just one type of terrain. By the time the album ends, the listener has a modified vision of the overall sound, not a totally different one, but certainly a changed one. What begins as fairly traditional heavy metal album becomes a little bit of an adventure in prog, while still retaining the metal in a mature, balanced way.

ANGBAND - Visions In My Head - official lyric Video (PURE UNDERGROUND RECORDS)

ANGBAND - Nights Of Tehran - official lyric Video (PURE UNDERGROUND RECORDS)

facebook.com/angbandmetal/