Rising indie-alt-pop ingénue Kailee Morgue has today released her latest single “Trainwreck“ plus the accompanying visualizer (via Thriller Records). Speaking on today’s release, Kailee shared:
“I wrote ‘Trainwreck’ for my friend that was in a really toxic situation with their partner, it was hard to watch them change and make themselves small. In some ways it feels like a song for my younger self, I wanted to capture that chaotic energy of a relationship that would inevitably result in both people being hurt and losing sight of who they are.”
Prior to today’s release, Kailee has previously dropped tracks “Butterflies“, “Another Day In Paradise”, and “Loser”.and has clocked up over 150 million streams across streaming platforms. Fans can also catch Kailee‘s streaming party on the campground app this weekend on Sunday, July 3 (more info here). Watch “Trainwreck“ below.
Today, Toronto duo Housewife share their new single ‘Bones (God Like You)’, out now via Hazel Street Records/Sony/The Orchard. Co-written and produced by Jackson Phillips of Day Wave, ‘Bones (God Like You)’ is their second release of the year and follows previous single ‘Patrick Bateman’, which was widely praised by outlets like FLAUNT, Exclaim! and more. Housewife (formerly Moscow Apartment), comprised of queer singer-songwriters Brighid Fry (she/they) and Pascale Padilla (they/she) are only just getting started at the respective age of 19 and 20 years old; the new music follows their 2017 self-titled debut EP and their follow-up 2020 EP Better Daughter, which CBCMusic named one of the “22 Albums You Need to Hear”, and to date they’ve taken home a Toronto Independent Music Award, the Canadian Songwriting Competition in the under-18 category, a Canadian Folk Music Award and the Slaight Music It’s Your Shot Award.
“Bones is about struggling with ongoing mental health issues and feeling like you won’t get better, like a broken bone that can’t heal properly,” Housewife share. “It always seems like everyone around you is doing better and it reminds you of how lost you are in your own illness. There’s also an interesting juxtaposition with this track that Jackson helped us create; lyrically it’s quite dark and touches on suicide, but it has this bright rhythm to it.”
Following their early success, Housewife signed to Hazel Street Records (Sony/Orchard) and are working on new music – ‘Patrick Bateman’ and ‘Bones (God Like You’ are a taste of what’s to come from the band as they explore their identities. Though they began with folksier roots, their new sound is admittedly more in a broad pop-rock vein. Both members of Housewife share an existential streak which manifests in their songs and in their social activism, including their particularly active involvement in the Canadian branch of Music Declares Emergency.
Welcome to a new era in the fantastical universe of AVANTASIA! Tobias Sammet is back, with passion, magnificent energy, and a musical monument with epical deepness. A Paranormal Evening withthe Moonflower Society marks AVANTASIA’s ninth album and will be released on October 21st, 2022 via Nuclear Blast.
Pure magic, fascinating the listeners with the artistry combined of Metal, Classic Rock, and any other ingredient that is required to be AVANTASIA. No one puts more lifeblood into their songs than AVANTASIA does.
Tobias Sammet about the new album: “From the first song ideas back in 2018 / 2019 to the production, orchestration, keyboards, arrangements, details, I have been personally involved so deeply in every little aspect and detail of this album, that you can’t get an album anymore personal or closer to my vision than this one. I had the time, nothing else to do in the past two and a half years, it was a slow movement life with music and my Mysteryhausen studio serving as a portal to another world, full of music and quirky encounters with my muses keeping me sane and hopeful. I am super proud of the album, some of my best songs, some of my most emotional and extreme vocal performances, and some of thestrongest guest performances ever. I couldn’t be happier with the outcome and when you’ll hear it, you will know why!”
A Paranormal Evening with the Moonflower Society is presenting eleven magical and powerful songs featuring numerous prestigious guest stars. An adventure that captivates the audience with freshness, briskness, sophistication, and enchantment. Get the first taste by watching the lyric video of the first single taken from the upcoming new album „The Wicked Rule The Night“ featuring PRIMAL FEAR front man, Ralf Scheepers. Watch it below.
The album was produced by Tobias Sammet with AVANTASIA guitar player Sascha Paeth. The artwork of the cover was done by Swedish illustrator Alexander Jansson.
A Paranormal Evening with the Moonflower Society Tracklisting: 1. Welcome to the Shadows 2. The Wicked Rule the Night 3. Kill the Pain Away 4. The Inmost Light 5. Misplaced among the Angels 6. I Tame the Storm 7. Paper Plane 8. The Moonflower Society 9. Rhyme and Reason 10. Scars 11. Arabesque
ABOUT AVANTASIA: AVANTASIA, the all-star rock outlet led by EDGUY singer, songwriter, and producer Tobias Sammet, released album number eight Moonglow on February 1, 2019 via Nuclear Blast Records, which hit number one on the album charts in Germany and charted in 17 countries in Europe, Asia, and the Americas before AVANTASIA embarked on a ten-month world tour of Europe, Russia, Asia, Australia, North and South America.
Since its beginnings in 1999, the past AVANTASIA releases have featured international stars such as Alice Cooper, Klaus Meine and Rudolf Schenker (SCORPIONS), Sharon Den Adel (Within Temptation), Bruce Kulick and Eric Singer (KISS), Eric Martin (MR BIG), SAXON‘s Biff Byford, ex-TWISTED SISTER frontman Dee Snider and many more.
Nuclear Blast Records are proud to announce that SVALBARD has signed to the label globally. Formed in Bristol UK in 2011, the blackened post-hardcore group has since released three studio albums, three EPs, and several split releases. Their exceptional latest studio album ‘When I Die, Will I Get Better?‘ was dubbed by Metal Hammer as “the most important British metal record of 2020”. Acareer milestone, it cemented SVALBARD as a powerful and vital component of our global music scene.
SVALBARD’s Serena Cherry stated, “I have many fond memories of visiting my local record shop and buying anything that had the Nuclear Blast logo stamped on it. You always knew you were in for a tasty metal treat with a Nuclear Blast band! Most days I have to pinch myself that we have now joined Nuclear Blast, it is a real dream come true for me to work with this amazing label.”
Svalbard’s Liam Phelan stated, “I’m absolutely thrilled that we have been welcomed into the Nuclear Blast family with open arms and cannot wait to work with this iconic label.”
Nathan Barley Phillips, Senior Nuclear Blast A&R stated, “I’m absolutely delighted to welcome SVALBARD to Nuclear Blast! Ever since I heard the raw and visceral emotion of ‘Disparity’ back in 2015, I was an instant fan. With biting lyrics and a keen observation of today’s societal issues, SVALBARD continues to be one of the most important and challenging voices in the heavy scene today. I’m delighted to be able to amplify this voice as the band gets set to make an indelible mark on our genre.”
Hard-hitting! That’s the only way to describe this fearless group. There’s no poetry, no ambiguity – just direct, raw honesty as the Bristolian quartet tackles some very uncomfortable subjects head-on. This is heavy in the most evocative sense of the word. The blunt lyrics are equally as important as the music.
Whilst refining their distinctive blend of euphoric black metal, post-rock, and d-beat, SVALBARD has incorporated a few more surprising influences along the way. From soft, mournful singing to progressive guitar leads, it showcases a sensitive dynamic that lends impact to their most crushing moments – of which there are undoubtedly many.
Whilst the underground has been in on the secret for a few years now, 2020 became the year that people well and truly took notice as Svalbard‘s third album ‘When I Die, Will I Get Better?’ landed on critics’ end-of-year lists across the globe. At home, the respect and acclaim was clear to see as both Metal Hammer and Kerrang! lauded the record as a top 10 album of the year.
You might say there follows a pause… like many artists, the last couple of years have seen SVALBARD stopped in their tracks somewhat. This didn’t prevent them from playing their biggest UK headline tour to date, performing their latest album in full at Damnation Festival, and being invited to the prestigious Roadburn Festival, amongst other highlights.
They now look forward with renewed optimism and frankly have every right to. 2023 will see them head out across Europe with Cult of Luna and Russian Circles, but before that, they take arguably their biggest step up yet: signing a worldwide deal with the iconic heavy music label Nuclear Blast. In a world ever more open to breaking down doors that once seemed firmly closed, SVALBARD seems as vital as any artist right now.
SVALBARD are: Vocals/Guitar – Serena Cherry Guitar – Liam Phelan Drums – Mark Lilley Bass – Matt Francis
To celebrate last week’s release newly reimagined version of “Lightning Crashes” by +LIVE+ and EDM artist AVIRA via Armada Music, the band’s lead singer Ed Kowalczyk personally signed a beautiful Fender guitar and inscribed it with the lyrics from the song. It was auctioned this past weekend with the $13,000 in proceeds going to UNITED24 (https://u24.gov.ua) to benefit the victims of war in Ukraine. The charity was launched by the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy as the main venue for collecting charitable donations in support of Ukraine. Funds will be transferred to the official accounts of the National Bank of Ukraine and allocated by assigned ministries to cover the most pressing needs: Defence And Demining, Medical Aid And Rebuilding Ukraine.
In the past few years, AVIRA has built quite the reputation when it comes to remixing classic songs. Having already put his hand to The Alan Parsons Project’s “Sirius” (with Armin van Buuren) as well as timeless dance tracks such as “Communication” (by Armin van Buuren), “Silence” (by Delerium), “Strange World” by (M.I.K.E. Push) and “Saltwater” (by Chicane), the Canadian DJ and producer has now joined forces with multi-platinum rock band LIVE for an incredible reimagining of their self-written 1994 smash hit “Lightning Crashes.” The song was released (June 17) by Armada Music.
Marking the multi-platinum band’s biggest single (#1 at Modern Rock radio for ten consecutive weeks) and one of the most acclaimed songs of the modern rock era, “Lightning Crashes” has now been pushed into an electronic dimension. With subtle chord plucks, droning bass, freshly recorded vocals–by LIVE’s lead singer Ed Kowalczyk–and lyrics that narrate the circle of life, this brilliant take on the globally beloved rock classic will resonate with listeners across genres and stylistic preference.
“When I was growing up in Toronto, I always felt like dance music had a bad reputation,” AVIRA reminisces. “I knew that only small circles were into it, but almost everyone listened to rock, hip-hop and Top 40. ‘Lightning Crashes’ is one of those records that is universally understood as a masterpiece, and I immediately saw the opportunity to bring that legendary rock radio sound to the dance space, hopefully opening the eyes of many to dance music!”
“I had been getting inspired and actually talked about working or wanting to do some experimenting in the EDM/trance space when this email and scratch demo from AVIRA came in.” Ed Kowalczyk says. “I was excited to hear it because of the synchronicity of how it unfolded for me personally, and my excitement only grew after I popped it up on the speakers! My initial thought was how protective AVIRA’s version was of the original; I could tell he really cared about the song and wasn’t just throwing a beat to it. My second thought was for the minimalistic but super-powerful counter melodies he composed that felt like emotional and spiritual exclamation points on my lyrics. As good as the original version is for its raw energy and rock-and-roll vitality, AVIRA’s production and its sophisticated, modern and soulful depth immediately felt like the next chapter for the song to me.”
“Ed’s performance on this new recording sent chills down my spine,” AVIRA adds. “I wanted to make this feel like an epic homage to LIVE’s original and show a new generation of listeners what dance music can be all about. I’m forever grateful that Ed was involved in making my dreams come true.”
About +LIVE+
+LIVE+, the multi-platinum band from Pennsylvania, have sold over 22 million albums worldwide and earned two number one albums (‘Throwing Copper’, ‘Secret Samadhi’). Their catalog is filled with such gems as “Lightning Crashes,” “I Alone,” “All Over You,” and “Lakini’s Juice,” which live on today as classics on rock radio. Throwing Copper—which the band celebrated in 2019 with a new deluxe 25th anniversary edition via Radioactive/Geffen/Ume along with a global tour across major festivals, amphitheaters and arenas–produced the band’s biggest single, ‘Lightning Crashes,’ which was #1 at Modern Rock radio for ten consecutive weeks. ‘Throwing Copper’ reached #1 on the Billboard Top 200 and eventually surpassed sales of 10 million albums sold, with Rolling Stone honoring the album with placement on their list, “1994: The 40 Best Records From Mainstream Alternative’s Greatest Year.” Secret Samadhi (1997) immediately shot to #1 on the Billboard Top 200 and eventually went double platinum. The release of the platinum-selling “The Distance to Here” (1999) turned +LIVE+ into an international powerhouse and moved the band from arenas into stadiums. +LIVE+ has been and remains today a global concert juggernaut. The band released an acclaimed five-song EP in 2018–LOCAL 717, their first new music in over a decade–and will be recording new music soon.
Australia’s Victoria K returns in 2022 for the release of the sophomore album “Kore” this coming October via Rockshots Records to follow the 2020 debut album “Essentia”.
Offering up progressive symphonic sound, “Kore” was specifically written to provide a full orchestral experience that drives people through a sonic journey of growth and grandeur.
A concept record, “Kore” explores modern-day issues through the Homeric Hymn to Demeter (the story of Persephone). Victoria K conceptualized the idea for the album with her producer Lee Bradshaw and then spent many months researching and analyzing the Homeric Hymn to Demeter, even meeting with experts of the Homeric Hymns from Greece. The story was then broken up into its different parts where Victoria Knight wrote the lyrics and developed the melodies for each section of the tale, exploring the myth from a modern perspective.
The tracks were written specifically to encapsulate the various sections of the Homeric Hymn to Demeter and tell the story chronologically through each song and the music grows in intensity throughout the record capturing the emotional state of Persephone and other characters as the story progresses.
The various instruments were then written by Victoria around the lyrics and further enhanced and developed through the production process. Lee Bradshaw then finalized the songs by writing orchestral scores for each song, which were recorded live in Europe, before the final mixing and mastering.
Finnish modern metal squad LOST SOCIETY recently shook the scene upside down with “112”, the first single of their upcoming album If The Sky Came Down, which is going to be released on September 30th via Nuclear Blast Records.
With “Stitches” the band delivers a heavy pounding anthem for any modern metalhead out there while addressing serious mental health issues.
Frontman Samy Elbanna about the song: “Chapter 5 continues, and we’re heading deeper inside the human mind. ‘Stitches’ talks about something that is more than familiar to so many people. The fact is that no matter how hard you try to mask your traumas and past scars, they always find a way of haunting you until you come head to head with them all. Sometimes you just have to pull out your stitches and let all the blood and hurt come out before you can finally start healing.”
He continues about the video: “Vita Pictura has once again delivered a true masterpiece. Once again the intensity and true anguish of the track get an incredible visual representation, and the viewers will definitely feel what this song is all about. The video has us in scenes of near insanity, but also in our most free state. Just as the lyric, we feel trapped by our past, until we rip off the last remaining stitches to let it all out and realize we’re not alone.”
Nashville metal band ORTHODOX have just announced their new full-length album Learning To Dissolve, which is set for release on August 19th via Century Media Records. Pre-orders are available starting today,HERE.
To celebrate the album announcement, the band have released their new track and music video for “Head On A Spike” today. Watch the video, which was directed by Nick Chance, below.
“This is essentially the first song I have ever written to gloat about my backbone,” states ORTHODOX frontman Adam Easterling about “Head On A Spike”. “Orthodox as a band has been called ‘corny’ and been continually overlooked year in, year out. But we haven’t given up. This is a song to anyone who thinks we should’ve thrown in the towel, because we don’t feel like we’ve even peaked.”
Learning To Dissolve tracklisting:
1. Feel It Linger
2. Head On A Spike
3. Cave In
4. Become Divine
5. Digging Through Glass
6. Nothing To See
7. 1 1 7 6 2
8. Dissolve
9. Fast Asleep
10. All That I Am
11. Voice In The Choir
The sound of ORTHODOX is the opposite of what most associate with the laid-back energy and country-fied twang of their native Nashville, Tennessee. ORTHODOX’s distinct, nu-metal-tinged brand of metallic hardcore has carved its own lane with their Century Media debut, Learning to Dissolve. Learning To Dissolve is the punctuation on a journey that began with 2017’s Sounds of Loss. From the inception, ORTHODOX were nothing short of a standout, blending together riffs that wouldn’t be out of place on a Slipknot record coupled with Easterling’s blunt, Jonathan Davis-esque howls. But, like their sonic brethren in Knocked Loose or Vein.FM, while the influence of the 90’s/00’s is there, ORTHODOX doesn’t merely pay homage to their influences, it exceeds them.
Written during the global pandemic and world shutdown of 2020, Learning to Dissolve was born of frustration. That is, until Easterling and guitarist Austin Evans began to really dig in. Recording in the dead heat of Summer with producer and mixer Randy Lebooeuf (Thy Art Is Murder, Kublai Khan) at Graphic Nature Audio in Belleville, New Jersey, found the band in creative overdrive, ripping their songs apart.
While 2019’s Let It Take Its Course, which Revolver called, “A straight-up bone-chilling metal album that sounds like the music [ORTHODOX vocalist] Adam Easterling has always wanted to make, but is presented with the authenticity that his music has always had”, focused on the duality of love and anger Learning to Dissolve is born of intense self-reflection. It digs deeper than most metal or hardcore records. Not surprisingly, that ethos has echoed throughout ORTHODOX’s existence as a band, whose members past and present come from backgrounds rooted in straight-edge hardcore.
ORTHODOX is Adam Easterling (vocals), Austin Evans (guitar), Shiloh Krebs (bass) and Mike White (drums).
Praised as one of the most promising and interesting bands in the Danish deathcore scene, CABAL gets ready to enter a new level in their so-far impressive career that recently has been crowned by pumped liveshows alongside bands like LORNA SHORE or NASTY. Today, the band announces their new longplayer “Magno Interitus” that will be released on October 21st via Nuclear Blast.
CABAL states: “The album Magno Interitus – which translates to the great decay, was written during the pandemic when we felt like everything was falling apart right in front of us, both in grand scheme of things but also on a much more personal level. So most of the songs serve as an outlet for all of the emotions we’ve felt during this time, which is also why this might not be the most uplifting album ever produced. The album was recorded, produced and mixed and mastered by our very own Chris Kreutzfeldt.”
The album will be available as Digipak [limited edition], Black Single LP, Crystal Clear with Gold Single LP [limited to 500 units, Mailorder + Wholesale exclusive], Gold + Black Marbled Single LP [limited to 500 units, USA exclusive], Crystal Clear with Red + Black Splatter Single LP [limited to 300 units, bandshop exclusives] and on all streaming platforms.
The announcement of “Magno Interitus” comes with a track that couldn’t be a better fit for this special day. Check out the track for ‘Exsanguination‘ below.
CABAL is one of the most brutal and promising heavy acts hailing from Copenhagen, Denmark. The band aims to create a visceral and doom-laden atmosphere throughout both their music and visual expression. The production is crystal clear, whilst the songwriting draws inspiration from everything from black and death metal to djent and hardcore.
Since the release of their debut album “Mark of Rot” in 2018, the young band has managed to make a name for themselves in both Denmark and the rest of the world by playing renowned festivals like Copenhell, Roskilde Festival, Euroblast Festival and Complexity Fest as well as touring in Europe, Japan and North America.
CABAL released the sophomore album “Drag Me Down” in April 2020 – a dark descent into a personal hell brought to life by crushing instrumentals, an oppressive atmosphere and dark personal lyrics delivered with relentless intensity, while still leaving room for experimentation and expansion of CABAL’s signature sound. Add to this guest appearances from metal titans TRIVIUM‘s Matt Heafy, rising metalcore stars POLARIS’ Jamie Hails and Denmark’s Blackgaze darlings MØL’s Kim Song Sternkopf and there is no doubt that CABAL is a band with friends in every corner of the metal scene.
CABAL is: Andreas Bjulver Paarup – Vocals Christian Hammer Mattesen – Guitars Chris Kreutzfeldt – Guitars Malthe Strøyer Sørensen – Bass Nikolaj Kaae Kirk – Drums
QUEENSRŸCHE announce their 16th studio album, Digital Noise Alliance, which is set for release on October 7th. To celebrate the announcement the band have released their new song and music video “In Extremis” off the forthcoming release. The track is available on all digital platforms and the music video can be viewed, below.
“This song is about being on your deathbed surrounded by your loved ones. Clinging to the last sense available, letting them know you will still be hearing them after correspondence or perceived consciousness is visible. Other conceptual metaphors flash in and out, taking note of a world that will not bend to accommodate such suffering, a universe of mockery, and a universe void of such abilities,” states QUEENSRŸCHEabout “In Extremis”.
With a career that not only spans, but has charted the course of multiple genres, QUEENSRŸCHE remains a force in their own right with the new release that continues the ever-evolving legacy the Bellevue, Washington born band began in 1982 when they first hit the scene with their well-received self-titled EP. Their recent U.S. tour with Judas Priest proved that the band’s time off the road and in the studio only stoked their ambition and fire.
Once again teaming up with producer Zeuss (Rob Zombie, Hatebreed), Digital Noise Alliance not only refracts QUEENSRŸCHE’s past accomplishments but also pushes into the band’s future. It is the band effortlessly moving from strength to strength: immediate and thought-provoking. Quintessentially QUEENSRŸCHE.
Right after the release of Digital Noise Alliance, the band will embark on another tour opening for the mighty Judas Priest on their “50 Heavy Metal Years” tour.
QUEENSRYCHE Tour Dates:
Opening for Judas Priest
Oct. 13 Wallingford, CT – Toyota Oakdale
Oct. 15 Albany, NY – MVP Arena
Oct. 16 Boston, MA – MGM Music Hall Fenway
Oct. 18 Uniondale, NY at Nassau Veterans
Oct. 19 Wilkes-Barre, PA – Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza
Oct. 21 Kalamazoo, MI at Wings Event Center
Oct. 22 Detroit, MI at Masonic Temple Theatre
Oct. 24 Cincinnati, OH – The Andrew J Brady Music Center
Oct. 25 Waukegan, IL – Genesee Theatre
Oct. 27 Green Bay, WI – Resch Center Theater
Oct. 29 Moline, IL – TaxSlayer Center Moline
Oct. 30 Mankato, MN – Mayo Clinic Event Center
Nov. 01 Sioux City, IA – Tyson Events Center
Nov. 02 Rapid City, SD – The Monument
Nov. 07 Ontario, CA – Toyota Center
Nov. 08 Tucson, AZ – TCC Arena
Nov. 10 Loveland, CO – Budweiser Events Center
Nov. 12 Park City (Wichita),KS -Hartman Arena
Nov. 13 St. Charles, MO – The Family Arena
Nov. 15 Corbin, KY – The Corbin Arena
Nov. 17 Southaven, MS – Landers Center
Nov. 18 Baton Rouge, LA – Raising Canes River Center
Nov. 20 Oklahoma City, OK – Paycom Center
Nov. 22 San Antonio, TX – Tech Port Center & Arena
Nov. 23 San Antonio, TX – Tech Port Center & Arena
