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PHOTO GALLERY: DIVDIV AT SALDUS SAULE MUSIC FESTIVAL 2022
Monthly Archives: August 2022
Inhuman Depravity to release new album The Experimendead
Inhuman Depravity was originally formed back in 2013 in Kadiköy, Istanbul, Turkey and they initially recorded a three-track demo to help them promote the band and book some live shows.
In 2015 they released their first album titled “Nocturnal Carnage by the Unholy Desecrator” via Coyote Records, which garnered excellent reviews in various publications.
New full-length album “The Experimendead” takes the band onto a whole new level of brutality. The devastating new album is a sonic assault into the most technical, violent, and true spirit of the genre. Featuring 8 songs spanning 33 minutes of pure violence, highly skilled musicianship and sick brutal vocals, “The Experimendead” displays a true old school technical brutal death metal for fans of bands like Disavowed, Deeds Of Flesh, Severe Torture, Brutality, Sepsism, Sinister and Suffocation.
Line-Up:
Lucy Ferra – Vocals
Murat Sabuncu – Guitars
Ertu Gozoglu – Bass
Eren Gursoy – Drums
EVERDAWN Premieres “The Last Eden” Lyric Video
Cleopatra Out Now Through Sensory Records
New Jersey-based symphonic metal quintet EVERDAWN presents a new video from their second album, Cleopatra, released last year through Sensory Records. The disturbing but inspirational new lyric video for “The Last Eden” has premiered.
Formerly known as Midnight Eternal, EVERDAWN is embodied by lead vocalist Alina Gavrilenko, guitarist/vocalist Richard Fischer, bassist Alan d’ Angelo, drummer Dan Prestup, and keyboardist Boris Zaks. The band’s first album under the EVERDAWN moniker, Cleopatra saw release through Sensory Records in early 2021, delivering eleven epic new movements minutes of epic, progressive, symphonic metal.
The vocals for Cleopatra were recorded at Soundmine Recording, the guitars recorded at Frightbox Recording with engineer Bobby Torres, the bass, drums, and keyboards recorded at RMF Recording Studios, and the bass engineered by Richard Fischer and additional editing by Bobby Torres. The album was mixed and mastered by Dan Swanö at Unisound (Opeth, Riverside, Katatonia) and completed with cover artwork by Gyula Havancsák of Hjules Illustration and Design and photography by Alexandra Hassan and Northern Luna. Additionally, the song “Your Majesty Sadness” features guest vocals from Therion/Candlemass vocalist Thomas Vikström.
The new lyric video for “The Last Eden” puts EVERDAWN’s views on how humankind treats the planet, with cruel and disturbing visuals meant to jolt the viewer into the overall positive and inspiring lyrics the song portrays. The band writes in a collective statement,
“‘The Last Eden’ is our attempt to bring awareness to the events that oftentimes are considered too disturbing to be discussed, and therefore they are not brought up or taken into account. Such provocative topics as shark finning, poaching, makeup testing on animals, deforestation, and effects of the plastic pollution on our environment due to excessive consumerism and greed for profit are just a few that we elaborate on in the song.
“As humans, we often choose to ignore or pretend that evil and injustice aren’t there as long as we don’t see it happen. Hence, why it is critical to face these issues head-on to find resolutions and better ways of spending our time here on planet Earth, in harmony with each other and its other residents (flora and fauna). It is time that we overcome our fear and look at the challenge, right in the eyes, and acknowledge where we’ve gone wrong and what each of us can do at this time to better our lives and the lives of our future generations.
“We are the Strength, if we unite to prosper life, not to destroy...”
Writes Ghost Cult, “…EVERDAWN creates dramatic, epic symphonic metal sure to connect with fans. The new video, meant to raise awareness and combat animal cruelty, is not for the faint of heart, so be forewarned!”
Cleopatra is available now through Sensory Records on CD at the label webshop HERE, at Bandcamp – standard digital HERE and 24 bit hi-res HERE – in addition to all digital services.
Having released Cleopatra while Covid restrictions were still heavily in place, EVERDAWN returned to the stage earlier this year, and were featured as the sole support act for Michael Schenker on his 50th anniversary tour across Europe earlier this year. The band is currently writing the follow-up to Cleopatra for release in 2023.
Bloodbox’s new release “Post Human Disorder” out now
After the dis-banding of New Zealand based experimental death metal act Vext in 1999, core members (CyZERNOBrG and Megalith X) moved to London and eventually Ireland and during that time they were inspired to push their music in a more radical and chaotic direction. Fusing the harsh guitars of death and grind with distorted breaks and bass of Jungle/drum’n’bass (dubbed “BreakbeatGrindcore” by Megalith X), in early 2001 Bloodbox was born.
Music was made in a very crude and raw way using a Yamaha SU-10 battery powered sampler and two microphones. Gigs were performed around the country and the demo “Structure Against Self” was released in 2002, which was met with great critical acclaim including a stunning review at the pioneering Terrorizer mag.
Returning to Aotearoa/New Zealand in 2003, Bloodbox performed a handful of shows and fests before going into hiatus around 2013. CyZERNOBOrG became the key vocalist for death metal outfit Forced to Submit, while Megalith X continued to produce what he coins “deathjungle” for his label Headwound Recordingz.
Fast forward to 2021 and a sound that was arguably invented by Bloodbox in 2001 has still yet to be challenged. In a post myspace world of monotone unoriginal “extreme” music, breakbeat grind has yet to rise! MegalithX can see the holes in the “scene” and has returned with a vengeance. Now producing and recording with a host of digital and analogue tech, “Post Human Disorder” was created with razor precision in the sweltering wastes of New Zealand’s far North during the early months of 2022.With the recent addition of a she-demon vocalist Sacrist D’Aeth (formerly of infamous NZ Black Metal outfit Skuldom), a bristling brand-new recording, a video and an image engineered to confuse and confront,Bloodbox are back with intent. Bloodbox are breakbeat grindcore and Breakbeat Grindcore has arrived for 2022.
Riffing on the ideas of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Post-human or cyborg existence in this modern era, BLOODBOX have created their latest offering: Post Human Disorder.
Using guitars as texture, harsh stuttering stabs of grind and death meet amen breaks and sub bass head on in a collision of sound. Triple threat vocal attacks weave tales of pain and injustice, power and corruption,sex and death. Juxtaposition and tension is created by this clash of abstracted, sampled and manipulated guitars and drums versus rich sub bass drops, doom laden rave stabs and aerial like synth textures.
Created in the sweltering heat of New Zealand’s far north in the peak of summer 2022, the music reflects this oppressive sickly environment, festering and angry.
Motivated by the things in our world that continue to harmor afflict human rights at a personal and societal level, narrative topics represented on Post Human Disorder range the gamut of these issues. Responses to Covid 19 (Project 19), consumerism and overpopulation (Eat Rape Populate), personal mental health (Problems), corporate control over indigenous assets (Turn the Tide).
Mixed by local metal underground legend Cam Sinclair(Diocletian, Stalker, Bridge Burner) at his Dynamic Rage studio in Auckland New Zealand and mastered by the mighty Brad Boatright at Audiosiege in Portland,OR, United States, Post Human Disorder rips through your speakers like a vengeful volatile virus!
WHITE HILLS Premieres “Oceans Of Sound” Visualizer
New York City fuzz rock outfit WHITE HILLS today unveils a mind-bending visualizer created for the track “Oceans Of Sound.” Currently playing at The Sleeping Shaman, the track is featured on the band’s The Revenge Of Heads On Fire full-length, set for release September 16th via Heads On Fire Industries.
Harnessing the energy of ferocious, hedonistic rock with blissful passages of dark ambience, The Revenge Of Heads On Fire explores themes of mortality, transformation, and rebirth. Together, the duo reveals a spiritual depth unparalleled in previous works. The roar of fire, swirling of oceans, and hallucinogenic visions can be heard throughout the seventy-five-minute journey.
“Oceans Of Sound” is a rumbling tidal wave of wah-wah guitar crashing into a surf of pounding bass and drums. A hint of classic ‘70s rock with a modern psychedelic bent, the song resonates with chanted vocal lines and huge, raw riffs.
Frontman Dave W. elaborates, “This song was lyrically inspired by Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 which envisions a nightmare world void of books and critical thought.”
Writes The Sleeping Shaman, “As WHITE HILLS prepares to unleash this sonic exploration, it’s The Shaman’s absolute honor to bring you a skaters and surfers paradise that is the tripped-out video for the reworked track ‘Oceans Of Sound.’”
WHITE HILLS is currently wrapping up a North American tour with Iowa-based stoner doom duo Telekinetic Yeti. The six-week journey comes to a close on August 29th in Minneapolis, Minnesota. On October 12th, the band will kick off a month-long EU/UK tour. See all confirmed dates below.
Electro Metal Pioneers DOPE Release Video for “Believe” (feat. Drama Club)
Coming on the heels of the announcement of their seventh studio album Blood Money Part Zer0 being released on February 24, 2023; New York City electro metal pioneers Dope have unveiled their first music video for the track “Believe” (feat. Drama Club). The video was directed by Edsel & Co Directed by Matt Zane. The video for “Believe” (feat. Drama Club) can be seen here:
The video stars Fivel Stewart, who is best known for her work in the acclaimed series “Atypical” and recently in the Sam Raimi produced/Sandra Oh starring horror film “Umma.” The clip co-stars Johnnie Guilbert, a solo acoustic artist who has amassed over a million followers on multiple platforms. The video follows Fivel and Johnnie on a psychedelic journey into the desert and beyond, while the band powers through their performance during a snowstorm. The energy of the song is very dark, but ultimately, it resolves to help the listener to find peace. Edsel delivers the lyrics of: “We live and learn, die and burn, so in the end. I believe in love, cause that’s where it all begins.“
The song “Believe” was originally a demo from Edsel’s previously anonymous side project titled Drama Club, which exploded onto the scene in 2014. Drama Club toured the world with Black Veil Brides, Falling in Reverse and also appeared on the entire Warped Tour of 2015. The video for the track also features some of the final creative efforts of Amie Harwick aka Amie Nichole, who worked as both choreographer and a dancer in the video. Amie was a long-time friend of the band and tragically passed away after the filming commenced.
Blood Money Part Zer0 is the band’s first release in 7 years and is the follow up to 2016’s highly successful Blood Money Part 1, which debuted at #27 on the Billboard top 200, selling over 15K units in its first week. Dope has sold more than a million combined albums and have amassed an incredible audience of nearly 2-million monthly listeners on Spotify, while racking up more than 100 million plays on their cult classic “Die MF Die.” In a move to demonstrate the bands sincere appreciation to their loyal fanbase for more than 2 decades, the band is giving away Blood Money Part Zer0 for FREE digitally. Longtime fans, curious listeners and people that enjoy gratis music can sign up to download the album for free on the band’s website. A physical pre-order will also be available on the band’s website for fans that want to purchase the new album in various physical available here: www.DopeTheBand.com.
Dope recently released an introspective infomercial, which doubled as a behind the scenes look into the real life of Edsel, his private life, and his many ventures outside of Dope. A very private person, virtually inactive on social media, Edsel is intentionally secretive about what he does with his time between records and tours. This video serves as a direct message to the fans, inviting them to see behind the curtain of the mysterious man, who’s creativity they have supported for years. In the end, the video is ultimately an introduction to Blood Money Part Zer0 and will feature teaser clips from the upcoming music videos for “Believe” and “No Respect,” but is also so much more.
Dope will be touring in 2023 in support of Blood Money Part Zer0 as part of the Rise Of The Machine Tour with Static-X and Fear Factory. The 42-date trek kicks off February 25, 2023, in San Francisco, CA and wraps up April 15, 2023, in Los Angeles, CA. Tickets for all stops on the Rise Of The Machine Tour can be found at: www.DopeTheBand.com.
Rise Of The Machine North American Tour 2023
Feb 25 – San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore
Feb 27 – Portland, OR – Roseland
Feb 28 – Seattle, WA – Showbox
Mar 01 – Vancouver, BC – Rickshaw Theater
Mar 02 – Spokane, WA – Knitting Factory
Mar 03 – Boise, ID – Revolution Concert Hall
Mar 04 – Reno, NV – Virginia Street Brewhouse
Mar 05 – Sacramento, CA – Ace Of Spades
Mar 07 – Phoenix, AZ – Van Buren
Mar 08 – Albuquerque, NM – El Rey Theater
Mar 09 – Oklahoma City, OK – Diamond Ballroom
Mar 10 – Dallas, TX – House of Blues
Mar 11 – San Antonio, TX – The Aztec Theater
Mar 12 – Houston, TX – House Of Blues
Mar 14 – Atlanta, GA – Buckhead Theater
Mar 15 – Orlando, FL – Plaza Live
Mar 16 – Charlotte, NC – Underground
Mar 17 – Baltimore, MD – Soundstage
Mar 18 – Philadelphia, PA – T.L.A.
Mar 19 – New York, NY – Irving Plaza
Mar 21 – Boston, MA – Big Night Live
Mar 22 – New Haven, CT – Toad’s
Mar 23 – Montreal, QC – Corona
Mar 24 – Toronto, ON – Phoenix
Mar 25 – Detroit, MI – St. Andrews Hall
Mar 26 – Cleveland, OH – House Of Blues
Mar 28 – Pittsburgh, PA – Roxian
Mar 29 – Cincinnati, OH – Bogarts
Mar 30 – Columbus, OH – The King of Clubs
Mar 31– Ft. Wayne, IN – The Clyde
Apr 01 – Milwaukee, WI – The Rave
Apr 02 – Green Bay, WI – Epic Event Center
Apr 04 – Grand Rapids, MI – Intersection
Apr 05 – St. Louis, MO – Del Mar Hall
Apr 06 – Indianapolis, IN – The Vogue
Apr 07 – Chicago, IL – House Of Blues
Apr 08 – Minneapolis, MN – The Fillmore
Apr 09 – Lincoln, NE – Bourbon Theater
Apr 11 – Denver, CO – The Summit
Apr 13 – Las Vegas, NH – House Of Blues
Apr 14 – San Diego, CA – House Of Blues
Apr 15 – Los Angeles, Ca – Belasco Theater
Acclaimed Rockers ALTER BRIDGE Announce 2023 North American Tour
On the heels of their recently-announced seventh studio album, Pawns & Kings, acclaimed rockers Alter Bridge are announcing the North American run of their 2023 Pawns & Kings Tour. The 30-city tour – split into two legs – kicks off on January 25th in Tampa, FL and wraps up April 1st in Highland, CA, making stops in Nashville, TN (January 30th); Toronto, ON (February 11th); Kansas City, MO (March 11th) and Seattle, WA (March 23rd) to name a few markets. It has been almost three years since the quartet comprised of Myles Kennedy on vocals/guitars, Mark Tremonti on guitars/vocals, Brian Marshall on bass and Scott Phillips on drums has toured North America. Alter Bridge is also pleased to announce that Mammoth WVH – the Wolfgang Van Halen fronted band – will be joining them as direct support on the entire tour. Rockers Red will be playing on the first leg of the tour and newcomers Pistols At Dawn will be playing on the second leg. Tickets will be available everywhere starting Friday, August 26th. More information on tickets and VIP experiences can be found at https://alterbridge.com/pages/tour.
Jan 25 – TAMPA, FL – Seminole Hard Rock *
Jan 27 – ORLANDO, FL – Hard Rock Live *
Jan 28 – ATLANTA, GA – Coca Cola Roxy *
Jan 30 – NASHVILLE, TN – Ryman Auditorium *
Feb 1 – MONTCLAIR, NJ – The Wellmont Theater *
Feb 2 – HUNTINGTON, NY – The Paramount *
Feb 4 – SILVER SPRING, MD – The Fillmore Silver Spring *
Feb 5 – PHILADELPHIA, PA – Franklin Music Hall *
Feb 7 – WALLINGFORD, CT – The Dome at Toyota Oakdale Theatre
Feb 8 – BOSTON, MA – Roadrunner *
Feb 10 – WATERLOO, NY – Del Lago Casino Resort (On sale soon) ^
Feb 11 – TORONTO, ON – HISTORY ^
Feb 14 – DETROIT, MI – The Fillmore *
Feb 15 – INDIANAPOLIS, IN – Murat Theatre at Old National Centre *
Feb 17 – PRIOR LAKE, MN – Mystic Lake Casino Showroom *
Feb 18 – CHICAGO, IL – The Riviera Theatre *
Mar 10 – QUAPAW, OK – Downstream Casino Resort #
Mar 11 – KANSAS CITY, MO – Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland #
Mar 14 – CHESTERFIELD, MO – The Factory #
Mar 15 – OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – The Criterion #
Mar 17 – HOUSTON, TX – 713 Music Hall #
Mar 18 – DALLAS, TX – South Side Ballroom #
Mar 20 – DENVER, CO – Mission Ballroom #
Mar 21 – SALT LAKE CITY, UT – Union Event Center #
Mar 23 – SEATTLE, WA – The Paramount Theatre #
Mar 25 – AIRWAY HEIGHTS, WA – Northern Quest Resort & Casino ^
Mar 28 – ANAHEIM, CA – House Of Blues #
Mar 29 – TEMPE, AZ – Marquee Theatre #
Mar 31 – RENO, NV – Silver Legacy’s Grande Expo Hall #
Apr 1 – HIGHLAND, CA – Yaamava Theater at Yaamava Casino Resort ^
^ Alter Bridge – Mammoth WVH
* Alter Bridge – Mammoth WVH – Red
# Alter Bridge – Mammoth WVH – Pistols At Dawn
NOCTEM Reveal Title Track Of Forthcoming New Full-Length
Credo Certe Ne Cras To See Release October 28th On MNRK Heavy
Iberian black/death metal practitioners NOCTEM today reveal their latest video for “Credo Certe Ne Cras.” Now playing at MetalSucks, the unholy psalm serves as the title track of the band’s eagerly awaited new full-length, set for release on October 28th on MNRK Heavy.
In spirit, presentation, and philosophy, NOCTEM shares much in common with Watain, Rotting Christ, Belphegor, and Gorgoroth, while sprouting their own decaying branch of a rotten metal tree. Any extreme band with Spanish-style nylon string guitars in their arsenal owes a sizable debt to them.
The band unveiled its fifth full-length studio album, The Black Consecration, in 2019. New Transcendence declared the offering a “superb album, littered with secrets and enticing riffs,” making favorable comparisons to early Emperor and Dark Funeral. Metal Hammer Portugal wrote, “in this particular genre, it is perhaps one of the best Spanish works ever of its kind.”
Credo Certe Ne Cras broadens its old-school-sounding predecessor’s raw, filthy fury with bigger production and melody without sacrificing the frostbitten 200 mph winds of anger and blast beats. Indeed, Credo Certe Ne Cras (“I Believe With Certainty That There is No Tomorrow”) is a true work of art merging the crushing cacophony of angry, adrenaline-fueled lust with newfound sorrows and mournful melodic might. The album demands to be experienced as much as listened to, invoking ritualistic examination.
Elaborates the band of the title track, “We’re excited to finally bring this latest offering from our upcoming new album to our faithful devilish horde! This title track combines various elements of Credo Certe Ne Cras, all within the confines of one song. Play it loud!”
Adds MetalSucks, “‘Credo Certe Ne Cras’ is a traditional blackened death metal offering, intertwining melodies with the blast beats and shrieked vocals. Anyone familiar with NOCTEM’s previous work, like 2019’s The Black Consecration, will immediately notice an upgrade in production quality.”
Originating in Valencia, Spain, NOCTEM made their putrid presence felt with the rumble of 2002’s Unholy Blood demo. The God Among Slaves demo followed in 2007, building bloodthirsty anticipation for the band’s proper full-length debut, Divinity (2009), on Austria’s Noisehead Records. Metal Blade Records licensed Oblivion (2011) abroad, followed by a deal with Prosthetic Records, which issued Exilium (2014) and Haeresis (2016), a concept album centered on the Spanish Inquisition. (A special “rotten meat” scented LP edition of Haeresis sold all of its 666 copies in under a week.) The Black Consecration (2019) expanded NOCTEM’s themes of ancient civilizations and dark rites to encompass more of Beleth’s philosophy, previously outlined in his first book, 2017’s Codex Ante-Mortem, released the same year as the band’s homemade beer, A Cruce Salus.
NOCTEM’s union with MNRK Heavy sees them stepping onto the world stage like never before, threatening a full assault. In 2022 and beyond, NOCTEM takes a massive leap forward on their thorn-ridden path, armed with blackened faith and righteous fury, thirsty with unquenchable bloodlust, and prepared to conquer. They arise again without redemption, embracing the chaos of modern times and unafraid of fate.
NOCTEM:
Beleth – vocals
Varu – bass
Voor – drums
Moss – guitars
Tobal – guitars
INHALE EXISTENCE new Track “Facade Breaker”
Creating extremely heavy and catchy prog metal, Detroit, MI founded Inhale Existence is offering up another taster from their forthcoming debut album “The Spiral”, which was recorded, mixed, and mastered by audio engineer guru Jamie King (Between the Buried and Me, The Contortionist, Scale The Summit). Entitled “Facade Breaker”, it is the band’s third single to follow previously unleashed tracks “The Spiral” and “Absolve”. Compared to the first two songs of the eleven that will be featured on their first full-length, “Facade Breaker” serves as the band’s most “technical” song.
“I think fans of technical music who also enjoy catchy riffs and melodies will really enjoy it. I drew inspiration from bands like Necrophagist and Archspire to write the song; I even wrote the final riff and outro of the song purely as an homage to Necrophagist. Nikhil wrote about his love for music and being a part of the music scene, which is something I think we all identify with. As an aside, I like that our most technical track to date is about a love for something, in contrast to much of the lyrical themes found in tech death.” adds guitarist Sam Mooradian.
Bludgeoning, and chaotically heavy, all the tracks were written remotely during the pandemic. The band was founded just before Covid impacted the US; the pandemic was officially declared days later. They each individually worked from home during those rough months to write and shape the music for their debut.
The forthcoming record has been arranged to be heard as a full album from start to end. The album will have a lot of weird and interesting twists, musically speaking, but they all feel natural and help contribute to the listening experience. The band made “The Spiral” to play like a concept album, but only musically – the lyrics are all thematically linked and exist in the same universe, but there’s no single story being told.
“Our first album “The Spiral” is a work that we’re all exceptionally proud of. It’s a landscape of melodies portrayed angrily, with tinges of extreme melancholy. It’s brutal, heavy, and infectious. We can’t wait to share the rest of it with you.”
All band members are seasoned touring musicians. Nikhil Rao (vocals) toured with A War Within, Sam Mooradian tours with Fallujah, James Knoerl (drums) has toured with The Faceless and plays in Aviations and Gargoyl, and Brian Krahe (bass) has toured with Abiotic and is a member of Krosis.
All together the quartet brings forth tight playing and a huge stage presence. They have evolved since their inception, with Nikhil digging deeper on lyrical content, inspiring Sam to push the music to heavier and darker places. The band is currently writing their follow-up to “The Spiral”.
Band Line Up:
Nikhil Rao – Vocals
Sam Mooradian – Guitar
Brian Krahe – Bass
James Knoerl – Drums
Inhale Existence strives to be the most unabashedly heavy band they can be. Born of a combination of Nikhil Rao’s catchy vocals and Sam Mooradian’s crushing guitar riffs, and paired with Brian Krahe’s aggressive bass playing, and James Knoerl’s improvised grooves, Inhale creates something wholly unique in a saturated modern progressive metal scene. The band brings substantial experience with them, with all members having done major US tours with bands such as Fallujah (Sam), The Faceless (James), Krosis (Brian), and A War Within (Nikhil). With their sound inspired by bands like The Dillinger Escape Plan and Meshuggah – and colored with synthesizers – when Inhale Existence comes together, brace yourself.
In the summer of 2021, Inhale Existence entered the studio with renowned producer Jamie King (Between the Buried and Me, The Contortionist) to record their debut album. The resulting record traverses a vast sonic landscape packaged in irreverent and interesting song structures. Its expected release in late 2022 promises to be both memorable and upsetting to the prog metal scene.
Ellefson-Soto To Release Debut Album “Vacation In The Underworld” On October 7th
In a partnership that has been years in the making, GRAMMY® Award winning bassist David Ellefson and acclaimed metal vocalist Jeff Scott Soto have joined forces for an all-new collaboration, Ellefson-Soto. The band follows the tradition of successful individuals that joined forces to create memorable music: David Coverdale & Jimmy Page, Tony Iommi & Glenn Hughes, Tommy Shaw & Jack Blades, Michael Sweet & George Lynch to name a few examples. The metal duo is joined by Andy Martongelli on guitar and keys and Paulo Caridi on drums to unleash their debut album Vacation In The Underworld. The album is slated for released on October 7th via Rat Pak Records. The album features eleven tracks and three bonus recordings that demonstrates why Ellefson-Soto are considered legends by many in the metal world. The new album Vacation In The Underworld was produced by Chris Collier and is now available for pre-order via Rat Pak Records here: https://smarturl.it/EllefsonSoto.
From the fiery guitar lead of the album opener “Vacation In The Underworld” to the prog-metal fury of closer “Rise To Win,” Ellefson-Soto have created a debut that is sure to capture metal fans from all over the globe. Combining different styles of metal, songs like “Sharpen The Sword,” “The Revolution” and “Live To Die Another Day” showcase the various influences Ellefson-Soto have picked up over their four decades in music. Jade Etro from the Italian power metal band Frozen Crown makes a guest appearance on “The Day Before Tomorrow.” Steve Conley and Ken Mary from Flotsam and Jetsam perform on the title track “Vacation In The Underworld.”
The tracklisting for Vacation In The Underworld is:
1) Vacation In The Underworld
2) Like A Bullet
3) Sharpen The Sword
4) The Reason
5) S.T.N.
6) The Revolution
7) Celebrity Trash
8) Live To Die Another Day
9) The Day Before Tomorrow
10) Hercules
11) Rise To Win
12) Out Of The Blue (Bonus Track)
13) Lone Star (Bonus Track)
14) Writing On The Wall (Bonus Track)
Ellefson-Soto unites two of the most formidable forces in hard rock and heavy metal around one collective vision. For as much as they’ve individually shaped the course of metal history with their contributions to numerous landmark albums, GRAMMY® Award winning bassist David Ellefson and vocalist Jeff Scott Soto harness undeniable synergy to break new ground together. To rewind, David made his bones as an original member of Megadeth, writing and performing on a series of multiplatinum landmark albums such as Peace Sells…but Who’s Buying?, Rust in Peace, Countdown to Extinction, Youthanasia, and Dystopia for which he garnered a GRAMMY® Award. Beyond other bands such as The Lucid, Temple of Brutality, F5, and Metal Allegiance, he co-wrote a popular memoir My Life With Dethand collaborated with everyone from Gus G and Mark Morton to Soulfly and Ministry. Meanwhile, Jeff lent his voice to Yngwie Malmsteen’s seminal Rising Force and Marching Out and went on to front Talisman and supergroup Sons of Apollo. He logged a year in Journey and established a role as a vocalist in the Trans-Siberian Orchestra since 2008. Their full-length debut album, Vacation In The Underworld [Rat Pak Records], ignites an inimitable hybrid of thrash firepower, rock swagger, and anthemic arena-ready thunder.