“This song is like a retrospective on broken relationships and the void that stays when people leave. To me it’s not the saying good-bye which is the greatest burden, it’s the never-ending silence, the rejection and the uncertainty. This song tributes the pain that’s left when beloved people disappear completely as if they’d have never crossed way.” – J.J. (vocals)
The song in question is “You Are The Scars” – the latest offering from Harakiri For The Sky’s highly anticipated 4th studio album ‘Arson’, out February 16th next year via AOP Records. The Austrian post-black duo’s 10+ minute epic metal-gaze masterpiece is powerfully emotive, dealing with the pain and confusion of broken relationships that can either drown us or make us stronger. This is beautifully encapsulated in Harakiri For The Sky’s signature symbiosis of breathtakingly atmospheric post-rock soundscapes and emotive black metal – the unlikely equilibrium that explores both the direst depths and fleetingly blissful extremes of the human psyche. Artistically directed, filmed and edited by Andreas J. Borsodi with calligraphy and creative consulting by Albert Hupeka, this is a one of the most touching and creative lyric videos that I have seen in recent times that is flooding with aural and visual meaning. Watch the video below:
“…Too weak to continue swimming, yet not weak enough to give up and sink. Leastwise I know now, that salty waters might cure everything…”
Since 1978 Anvil have plied their trade, churning out slab after slab of solid metal firepower and blowing out the eardrums of concertgoers worldwide. This tradition will continue on January 19, when the Canadian veterans release Pounding the Pavement worldwide via SPV/Steamhammer Records, then hit the road for a European tour that will carry them through until early spring.
How about a femme fatal double attack? This is probably one of the very few times where two female led bands have toured together. Italian rockers LACUNA COIL are joining hands with new born Swiss folk metal outfit CELLAR DARLING consisting of former ELUVEITIE members Anna Murphy(Vocals & Hurdy Gurdy), Ivo Henzi(Guitars & Bass) and Merlin Sutter(Drums). ‘Delirium‘ was the last and eighth studio album released by the Italian outfit last year in May 2016, and since then they have been touring extensively in support of the same. Now they hop on the same bus with CELLAR DARLING who just released their ground breaking debut album almost over a month ago in June titled, ‘This Is The Sound‘ released through Nuclear Blast Records. The Swiss trio also have been playing a lot of shows in and around Europe in the wake of their new album support, even festival shows and an exclusive concert with EVANESCENCE in Pratteln and their chart success (#16 in the Swiss album charts, #19 in the UK Rock Charts…) only spurred them on. So this autumn, the founders of the New Wave of Folk Rock will not only support DELAIN on several dates, but also join the Italian Gothfathers LACUNA COIL on their extensive European tour!
Stockholm based Swedish heavy metal/stoner metal trio GRAND MAGUS will be out touring in support of their latest album, ‘Sword Songs‘ which was just released over a year ago via Nuclear Blast on the May 13th, 2016. Taking the classic heavy metal sound and throwing in some doom/stoner metal and power metal, GRAND MAGUS has been doing pretty good, as it is evident on their latest studio album. It has been received well by the critics and also saw it feature on many year end list for best albums last year. The band have been touring ever since they let their album out of the barn. They let the audience have the first glimpse of their new songs live when they joined forces with AMON AMARTH and TESTAMENT on the fomer’s ‘Jomsviking European Tour’ which was one hell of an extensive touring they went through last winter in Europe. Continue reading
KADAVAR, pretty much a new force on the psychedelic rock and stoner rock block, from Berlin, Deutschland have returned again with a new album in quick succession after their previous album, ‘Berlin‘ released in 2015, which also happens to be the their sophomore album under Nuclear Blast Records. KADAVAR have announced the details for their upcoming fourth studio album, ‘Rough Times‘. The album will be released on September 29th via Nuclear Blast.
Commented drummer Tiger: “The process of making this record was quite intense. I kind of went through my inner hell. Working all day, you’re fine but at night all these things were torturing me. The new songs are crazy and absurd sometimes, but also serious and very personal. It’s the ambiguity that holds ‘Rough Times‘ together. Every song evolved from a certain strong feeling.” Continue reading
TESTAMENT
What a sick tour this looks like! All three thrash metal giants having started way back in the 1980s and still going undeterred to this day now come together for a killer European tour later this year. This tour is going to feature TESTAMENT as the headliner as they keep on going ahead on their tour cycle supporting their latest album,’Brotherhood Of The Snake‘, which saw a successful release last year in October. Receiving top notch reviews and faring well in the charts of many countries, TESTAMENT look forward to spreading the brotherhood wide across Europe with fellow thrashers ANNIHILATOR and DEATH ANGEL. Canadian thrashers ANNIHILATOR last released their record back in 2015, ‘Suicide Society‘ but they have been in the studio lately and are planning to release their new album this year later in October as per frontman Jeff Waters. DEATH ANGEL will also be supporting their new album, ‘The Evil Divide‘ which was out last year itself too. So get those battle jackets ready and get ready to thrash out to this epic tour. You lucky, Europeans! Continue reading
DEATH ANGEL are Bay Area’s one of the most well known thrash metal bands of all time who has had an illustrious career spanning well over 30 odd years and having belted out some of the all time thrash metal classics like their debut ‘The Ultraviolence‘ which just breathes pure unadulterated speed/thrash metal. Their recent album was last year’s ‘The Evil Divide‘, which in my humble opinion is one of their best works till date. It is raw, gritty and thrash to the core, the way it’s meant to be. It has been just a wee bit over a year since ‘The Ultraviolence‘ came out in May 26th, 2016, via record label, Nuclear Blast. On this day, the thrashers release a lyric video for their song, ‘Breakaway‘ from their latest offering, that is, ‘The Evil Divide‘, a great track no doubt!
DEATH ANGEL have been very busy touring in support of their new album, voyaging across countries and continents, also featuring on specials like ‘70000 Tonnes of Metal’. They are also gonna be there playing at ‘Metal Maya’ which is a heavy metal dest-fest, a very appealing and innovative concept of a all metal holiday destination. A few days back we featured ‘Metal Maya’ on an article, which you can read here. Continue reading
Brisbane death metallers/deathcore stalwarts AVERSIONS CROWN have announced a massive month long European headlining tour this coming summer starting from the 27th day of July in Tolmin, Slovenia at one of the biggest European metal festivals, MetalDays. AVERSIONS CROWN formed back in 2010 has released three albums till date with their debut surfacing on 2011 entitled, ‘Servitude‘ which was an independent release. Their latest offering came earlier this year in the form of ‘Xenocide‘ after their second installment, ‘Tyrant‘ under the label Nuclear Blast Records. Robing in new vocalist Mark Poida, the band has remained undeterred in the line up change and are constantly trying to up their game. Playing a blend of death metal and deathcore, they have been a huge name in the circuit off late with their alien themed lyrical approach and concept. So much so that they have been labelled as Alien metallers.
Earlier a month or two back, we reviewed their new album, ‘Xenocide‘, so if you think on buying a copy of it, be sure to check the review out here. They will also be doing an Australian tour this week with Boris The Blade and Alphawolf. Continue reading
