3D The Boss push it to the max, Neb. is living just enough for the city, Boy Destroy plays favourites, Fhang put on a show, Vivian Leva & Riley Calcagno toe the line — but we’re going way over it with your Thursday Roundup. Get ready for some cardio:
16 | 3D The Boss | Push It
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Atlanta cardio-pop trio 3D The Boss have just released their debut album Push It. These seasoned musicians effortlessly combine their ’70s and ’80s funk and R&B with modern pop and electro elements for a potent signature sound. Most pop, funk & r&b projects intend for their audiences to get moving, but with 3D The Boss it’s practically mandatory. The music on Push It is not only energetic, but it’s infused with meaning and spirit as it encourages the listener to live a healthy lifestyle. Whether you’re working out with the band during one of their live performances or just listening to the album, the songs stand on their own, each with it’s own distinct groove.”
17 | Neb. | Sing It For Yourself w/ Henry Nozuka
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “On Silhouette Of Yesteryear, multi-instrumentalist and producer Neb. makes his solo artist debut. With an EP that rings of sadness and nostalgia, Neb. courageously shares his most vulnerable moments over the course of 2020, baring his rawest emotions over sorrowful acoustic guitars and lofi ambient soundscapes. Today, Neb. shares the second track from his EP, Sing It For Yourself, a song that explores the anxiety bred out of living in a big city. “I imagine this song as what it would feel like to be in the eye of a hurricane — storm clouds swirl above me destroying everything they touch and I’m just holding on until it passes.”
18 | Boy Destroy | Favourite
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Swedish alt-star Boy Destroy released his debut EP Warpaint today, along with a video for the track Favourite. Playing with the concept of fame and fangirls, the Zoë Que video explores an obsessive, one-sided and detached love affair where Boy Destroy is left disempowered. Favourite sees Boy Destroy toy with acoustic guitar for a sample heavy slow jam that’s simultaneously commanding and sensual, indulging in primal instincts and putting your life on the devil’s altar. “Warpaint is an autobiographical collection of stories, and a look back on a certain aspect of my previous and sometimes troubled life,” Boy Destroy explains. “I’ve written many songs over the last few years, but the ones on the EP were written whilst I was getting out of some pretty tough times battling addictions and a messy life. I was trying to cope. I still am.”
19 | Fhang | Vaudevillain
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Fhang, the debut collaborative album between Mishka Stein and Samuel Woywitka, channels the energy of pandemic-induced uncertainty into thunderous grooves and cinematic soundscapes with the gravity to absorb your entire attention. Due out this spring, Fhang showcases an explosive chemistry between two musicians and songwriters with a deep commitment to exploring unexpected textures and grooves. The immersive rhythms and textures here invite listeners to leap inside, to a shared landscape of awe. The new single from Vaudevillain blossomed from experimental snippets into a massive, sprawling production with lush psychedelic elements and deep rhythmic pulses.”
20 | Vivian Leva & Riley Calcagno | On The Line
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Vivian Leva & Riley Calcagno just released a new video for their song On the Line. The duo’s recent self-titled record is old-soul roots music to its core. Though both just out of college, their musical talents extend far beyond their years. Produced by Grammy-winning Cajun roots heavyweight Joel Savoy at his Louisiana studio, Vivian Leva & Riley Calcagno is not some soulless collection of songs imitating previous masters of American music. Rather, the pair has responded to one of the darkest eras in American history with an album of stunning breadth and originality.”
21 | Sarah Neufeld | The Top
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Sarah Neufeld has released The Top, the third single from her upcoming album Detritus. This latest track is as stunning as the two before it, while allowing us to hear a more independent approach from the Arcade Fire violinist. Sarah elaborates: “The Top is an emblem of my soloistic performance and writing style. The piece came together one melodic puzzle fragment at a time, written on my instrument while playing, repeating phrases over until fluid and calling toward the next unfolding passage. Performing The Top is at once trance-like and difficult; one off-putting thought easily throws the whole thing off the rails. It was the first brick in the album. The only piece without drums or other instrumentation, it’s just me, centered in the whirlwind of my own creation. The Top represents change, and the struggle in making peace with oneself.”
22 | LAL | Still Movements (Prince Josh Remix)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “LAL are sharing the video for the Prince Josh remix of Still Movements. “Prince Josh is someone we see all the time; he works out of Easy Life Studios in our building,” says Nicholas Murray. “We usually sit outside and discuss music and all things Toronto past and present. Josh has a really deep knowledge of Toronto music history. We really enjoyed his last record The Joy. It is an absolute pleasure and honour to have Prince Josh do a remix for us.”
23 | Caliban | Nichts
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “German metalcore vets Caliban release the ominously entitled Nichts from their upcoming album Zeitgeister, due for release on May 14. Andy Dörner comments: “Who am I, where do I belong? Disorientation, hopelessness, fear, helplessness — the feeling of depression, feelings that can have multiple reasons. It’s feelings that many of us can relate to, especially these days and during the ongoing pandemic. Nichts is dealing with these really dark places that are reflected by our protagonist, who is dreaming about taking his own life.” What is really important to the band though: “Suicide is not a solution. If you feel like you are getting lost in these feelings, there are people ready to help you. Please reach out.”
24 | Silverstein | Bankrupt
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Just after celebrating 20 years together and having their album A Beautiful Place To Drown receive a Juno nomination for Rock Album of the Year, legendary post-hardcore outfit Silverstein hit us with the anthemic single and video Bankrupt. As 2020 took a turn to become a horrible time for most, the band were hit with an onslaught of rage as they watched the select few in elevated positions leverage their power, and opportunistically kick us while we were down. The band took their fury into the studio, with Bankrupt being the first look. Says guitarist and songwriter Paul Marc Rousseau: “I don’t know how to feel anything but rage anymore. The rich are getting richer and poor are getting poorer. Wages are stagnant, tuition costs are rising, jobs are being automated/off-shored, costs of a home are laughable in most major cities. The walls feel like they’re closing in and escape is starting to feel impossible. Two-faced leaders and greedy elected officials line their pockets while stripping funding for the programs that we actually need. What are we supposed to do now? Looking out for one another on a community level is good, but changing a crooked system is better.”
25 | Scar Of The Sun | Inertia
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Greek modern metal five-piece Scar Of The Sun are poised to reach the next level with the release of their otherworldly third full-length Inertia, out May 14. Today they drop the exciting second single and official video for the title track. Taking off with an instrumental intro, Inertia evokes full aggression — raising a voice for everything that is about to come and lyrically dissecting the idea that those who run the world want society to be numb. Scar Of The Sun say: “It’s absolutely breathtaking to watch your emotions and words that you put on paper being materialized and visualized in such a magnificent way!”
26 | Stormruler | Of Hollowed Souls & Distant Flame
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The banners of imperial black metal brigade Stormruler are flown high! The fast-rising St. Louis export recently announced their infernal, fantasy battle-inspired album Under The Burning Eclipse, out May 28. Today, the band follow up with the searing, dynamic Of Hollowed Souls & Distant Flame, alongside a lyric video. Stormruler offer: “Of Hollowed Souls & Distant Flame is the final song we composed for the record, and we felt it was a good single to represent the band’s direction. Lyrically, it invokes a feeling of being liberated, from both physical and mental shackles.”
27 | Bodysnatcher | Smash Your Enemies
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Florida’s brutal deathcore outfit Bodysnatcher unleash their punishing rendition of Hatebreed classic Smash Your Enemies. The cover appears on the B-side of their limited-edition Break The Cycle 7″. Comments Bodysnatcher drummer Chris Whited: “Under The Knife by Hatebreed was an EP that changed my taste in music growing up. Hatebreed paved the way for heavy underground music. Without them, bands like Bodysnatcher wouldn’t exist. We just wanted to pay respects to a band that we feel deserves it. We recorded a cover of Smash Your Enemies back in October 2020, so we’re super-pumped for people to finally hear it.”
28 | Dead End Finland | Beyond The Distance
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Finnish melodic metal band Dead End Finland have released Beyond The Distance. The track is included on an upcoming EP due in late 2021. Guitarist & bassist Santtu Rosén comments: “Where our previous album dealt more objectively with the state of the whole nation and the prevailing world situation, the theme of our new album is clearly more personal. The song to be published tells the story of how one is forced to first touch the bottom to be able to strive towards the surface. A kind of power song, if you will.”
29 | Scream Collision | AWOL
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “AWOL is taken from Scream Collision’s upcoming album Memories, due on May 21. Scream Collision are a Greek band formed in Athens in 2017. Their influences are varied but mainly come from hard rock and metal. Memories incorporates elements that have influenced them over the years, helping them form their own sound. It is a loose concept album about a man battling mental turmoil and breakdown and emerging victorious for a bit of an uplift towards the end. The main concept connects the songs of the album, but every song is a bit different and has its own character.”
30 | Ghost Iris | Cult
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Danish metalcore four-piece Ghost Iris have released a visualizer for their new single Cult. The track is the fourth and final single off their upcoming album Comatose, which comes out May 7. Ghost Iris say: “There once were a number of people that laid themselves to rest in order to ‘graduate’ to the next level. What happens when human beings blindly follow one other human being? It’s a song that dives into the dangers of not questioning everything and the fact that no one is above scrutiny, not even kings or queens. In a post-factual society, this is even more evident.”
