Witherfall take a trip to Boston, Bloodhound head into battle, Social Disorder don’t want to make friends, Electronmancy let the robots do some heavy lifting — because technology is king in today’s gargantuan Weekend Roundup. I, for one, welcome our new android overlords:
44 | Witherfall | Long Time (Long Version)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “After entering several international charts with their latest album Curse Of Autumn, Witherfall are releasing a special cover of Boston’s illustrious Foreplay / Long Time, entitled Long Time (Long Version). They say: “Witherfall are huge fans of Boston. We are obviously influenced by the rich guitar and vocal harmony work. Joseph grew up in upstate N.Y. and Tom Scholz would come to his grandpa’s lawnmower shop for repair work. Upon becoming interested in playing guitar, Joseph would frequent Bank Place Guitars, a shop owned by Joe Bonamassa’s father and Tom Scholz. Our Version of Boston’s Foreplay / Long Time is a tribute to one of the greatest voices in rock ’n’ roll history: Boston vocalist Brad Delp. The re-working of this song reflects the true emotions behind the lyrical content.”
45 | Bloodbound | March Into War
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “On May 28, Swedish power metal force Bloodbound release their ninth album Creatures Of The Dark Realm. Today they unleash a lyric video for the heavy-as-hell single March Into War. Says Fredrik Bergh: “March Into War is a heavy bombastic anthemic metal hymn! It will be a great heavy song to include in our live set once the pandemic hell is over!”
46 | Social Disorder | Love 2 Be Hated
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Anders ‘LA’ Rönnblom, best known from Killer Bee and X-Romance, and a member of Wolfpakk, has launched his new project Social Disorder. The band’s debut album Love 2 Be Hated will see the light of day on June 18. Call it a labour of love, as it features Rönnblom opening up his heart and soul: Love 2 Be Hated takes the listener on a journey through his life including his battle with alcoholism, personal demons, and his way back, all set to a backdrop of music inspired by his earliest influences. “The struggle to get back on your feet.. the lack of trust, people misjudging your true character. Don’t be afraid and let your past be the reason for not taking control and changing your life around. Who said it would be easy!?”
47 | Electronmancy | The Spark (ft. Toefood)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Electronmancy have released the video for their track The Spark, from their album Robot Black Metal. Electromancy’s music is primarily black metal with bits of death metal and experimentalism. The robots aren’t a gimmick, they are core to the sound, allowing textures, patterns, and compositions that are not natural to and sometimes not possible for a human musician. Some of these compositional eccentricities include phasing multiple rhythmic melodies on a single instrument and simply extremely fast and chaotic composition. In addition to the robots, Satyra fills the bass frequencies with a drone horn made from a modified PVC pipe (the resulting instrument is similar to but not quite the same as a didgeridoo). This full, enveloping bass sound creates a grounded floor for the otherwise chaotic music.”
48 | Atlas | Taivaanranta
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Finnish metalcore band Atlas have shared the single Taivaanranta along with an accompanying video. It’s the first single taken from the band’s studio album coming in fall. Guitarist Tuomas Kurikka says: “Taivaanranta is a song about loss, pain, and the journey of grief. It’s our way of honoring those we’ve loved and lost. My dad was a father figure to everyone in the band and his sudden passing in the summer of 2020 was devestating to us. He came to every show he could and always supported us no matter what. I think he believed in the band even more than we did. We know he’d be proud of us and the song.”
49 | Bevar Sea | The Timeless Zone
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Five years after releasing their sophomore album Invoke the Bizarre, Bangalore’s Bevar Sea used the Covid-19-imposed lockdown as an opportunity to regroup and start working on the third album The Timeless Zone. The first single and title track is out today. Bevar Sea add: “The Timeless Zone, the song and the album, continues our approach of playing stoner doom music while being even more loyal to our hard rock and metal roots than before. Every band member had to step up and learn how to record themselves and work via email for arrangements, demos, and finally turn up one by one to record. This album is us embracing the 2021 way of making music while also being busy working from home, taking care of our families, and just dying to be able to play this new music to our fans live some day.”
50 | Leach | Serenade
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “If it’s burly, melodic, and fits together perfectly, it’s probably from Sweden. Leach certainly fall into the above categories, and their warts-and-all style of thrash ‘n’ roll is just begging for a throwdown. Lovely Light of Life is their third major rodeo and, straight out of the gate, it’s a thrash, hardcore and rock ‘n’ roll mission statement. Out May 21, the record features a varied yet cohesive collection of relentlessly chugging grooves and anthemic riffs carved out of the foundation of rock itself.”
51 | Sea Of Snakes | Ride The Line
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “L.A. metal band Sea Of Snakes have released their video for Ride the Line.. The song is from their recently released album World On Fire.”
52 | Invicta | Killers
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Kitchener metal band Invicta haVE released a video for their cover of Iron Maiden‘s Killers. The song is from the upcoming Kitchener-Waterloo Metal Cover Compilation, out May 7. The band comment: “We are so stoked to be finally releasing this video! We had a blast making it and we hope our fans and Iron Maiden fans have a blast watching it!”
53 | Zgard | Old Ruins
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Zgard’s seventh studio album features eight fascinating, epic, pagan black metal tracks and will be released on May 21. The band just premiered the track Old Ruins.”
54 | Hannes Grossmann | The Great Designer
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “One of the most prolific and acclaimed drummers in modern tech-metal, Hannes Grossmann shares The Great Designer, another track off his upcoming solo album To Where The Light Retreats, which will be released on June 1. Grossmann is a highly renowned drummer who is best known for his work in numerous bands, including Nercophagist, Obscura and Alkaloid.”
55 | Subways | Fight
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “U.K. indie-punk favorites The Subways released the single Fight. Having attended various marches during the band’s hiatus of 2016-2019, it was the Black Lives Matter marches in the summer of 2020 that inspired guitarist Billy Lunn to write Fight in just a few fiery hours. Lunn says: “Fight is a letter in two parts: a gesture of solidarity with the Black community and communities of color, as they face their daily oppression at the hands of systemic racism; and it’s a wake-up call to the white community that such oppressions do in fact exist, and that we must acknowledge these oppressions and fight alongside marginalized communities as allies.”
56 | Roman Lions | Small Moments
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “San Jose’s Roman Lions includes former members of A Perfect Kiss, I Am Empire and Octaves. The band will soon release the followup to 2018’s Absolutes, and today, they unveil the single Small Moments, which was recorded, mixed and mastered by Jack Shirley. Since Baltimore brothers Justin and Matt Tracy relocated to California, the band have expanded their sound and their lineup. Roman Lions combine the emotional intensity of screamo, the build-and-break grandeur of post-rock, and the heaviness of hardcore. After recording their 2018 debut LP Absolutes, the band returned to the Atomic Garden in Oakland, CA in 2020 to record their next batch of songs being released throughout 2021.”
57 | Blind Drive | Nowhere Near
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Boston’s Blind Drive have just released their debut two-song EP Redemption. Says singer Aaron Noj: “This EP consists of memoirs of cathartic yet beautiful stories of self-reflection in the hopes of redemption.” In the summer of 2020, Blind Drive’s grungy quintet reunited in the small dusty shed outside (drummer) Timslizz’s house in the south shore. They already established chemistry and an aggressive stage presence from past projects. This time their goal was to create a dynamic, original sound inspired by diverse punk/post-hardcore/rock influences; fused with their trademark bouncy, emotional flare.”
58 | Talk Show Host | Crisis Actors
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Toronto power-pop punk trio Talk Show Host deliver another single off the upcoming debut album Mid-Century Modern, out June 4. Singer-guitarist Chris Veinot says: “Crisis Actors was written a couple of years ago and I distinctly remember worrying that the lyrics might seem dated by the time we released it, especially after we had to delay the record due to COVID. Fortunately (?) I didn’t have to worry at all! Hooray? Yes, it’s about stupid internet bullshit, but at its core it’s about trying (and pretty much always failing) to empathize with someone who doesn’t seem open to empathy.”
59 | Church On Sunday | Control Freak
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Church On Sunday are a Toronto punk band who encompass a sound that spans far beyond the term punk. Control Freak is their latest single. They say: “We’ve all had times in our lives where others who know nothing about us try to tell us what to do. They believe if you live by their rules and their standards, you’ll be better off … But that’s not the case, and that’s exactly what Control Freak addresses. It’s about standing up to those who try to control you, speaking out for what you believe in and showing that just because you’re the underdog it doesn’t mean you can’t have a voice. Be you. Be who you’re meant to be. Live by the standard of only comparing yourself to you past self and never others. But most importantly never let anybody push you around or tell you what to do.”
60 | Black TarPoon | Ten Thousand Throats
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Black TarPoon have released the video for their song Ten Thousand Throats, from their upcoming release Probable Caws, due later this year. A family band from Corpus Christi, Black TarPoon serve up brutally honest American roots music inspired by Goddamn Gallows, Clutch, early Misfits and more. The band say of their tongue-in-cheek name, “We assure you it’s not slang for a woman’s private parts. We use the word ‘poon’ as in a foolish person. The name is basically an anti-heroin reference. We’ve had loved ones pass away due to heroin overdose … Heroin can make the best of us fools.”
61 | Cory Marks | Blame It On The Double (ft. Tyler Connolly & Jason Hook)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Canadian artist Cory Marks leans into his hard-hitting rock sensibilities, maintaining his unapologetically loud and foot-stomping sound, with the release of his new single Blame It On The Double featuring Tyler Connolly of Theory of a Deadman and Jason Hook, produced by fellow Canadian Kevin Churko. The track is a reimagined version of the original laid-back country anthem that appeared on Marks’ debut album Who I Am. The release is accompanied by a high octane music video, taking place at a drive-in, painting the full range of celebratory and trouble-making sentiments in the song’s lyrics. The video features footage from upcoming horror-thriller The Retaliators, in which Cory also makes his acting debut. Marks notes, “Blame It on the Double is the perfect country-rock anthem going into the weekend.”
62 | The Deep Dark Woods | How Could I Ever Be Single Again?
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The Deep Dark Woods share a second song from forthcoming album Changing Faces, out May 14. How Could I Ever Be Single Again? haunts with a gently lilting lament. Inspired by Irish waltzes and featuring contributions from Kacy & Clayton, the song is a still-watered pool of reflection, a question that comes with its own answer. How Could I Ever Be Single Again? arrives with a video directed by Craig Range. Featuring the emerald lagoons and everytown motels of Lillooet, British Columbia wrapped in a hazy ’70s glow, the video translates the song’s sorrow into the director’s own experiences with loss due to overdoses, which have surged during the pandemic. “I wanted to make something that touched on the ongoing tragedy many face as the opiod epidemic continues unabated. I lost coworkers and friends. They were young men in the prime of their lives. It was something I wanted to address in an empathetic way.”
63 | Lily Rose | Overnight Sensation
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Rising country artist Lily Rose releases Overnight Sensation in conjunction with a heartwarming video. Overnight Sensation was written in 2019 with Rose’s close friends Matt Morrisey, Morgan Brock and Lauren Hungate as they dreamed up what it would be like to see sudden success. “I honestly don’t know if there’s a more personal song in my arsenal than Overnight Sensation. Who knew that when we wrote the song in 2019 it would be the ultimate foreshadowing of me signing a record deal because of a viral moment,” reflects Rose. “I’m lucky to have written it with some of my closest friends. Getting to share this moment with them is extremely special to me. I needed this song through all of the hard times in my career, and I hope it helps other people keep the foot on the gas.”
64 | Cat Clyde & Jeremie Albino | Freight Train
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Singer-songwriters Cat Clyde and Jeremie Albino have released the single Freight Train along with a video. Freight Train is off their new project Blue Blue Blue, which will be released on May 21. Cat and Jeremie say, “We have been in love with this song since the first time we played it together years ago, and it inspired the original idea of doing a covers album together. After trying it a couple different ways we decided the stripped-down raw performance really felt like the best way to pay homage to Freight Train, a song written by Elizabeth Cotten when she was 11 years old!”
65 | Joe Bourdet | Songbird Revisited
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Much of L.A. singer-songwriter Joe Bourdet’s debut album Meadow Rock (out JUne 18) is inspired by natural surroundings in California — including the mountain ranges throughout. The first single Songbird Revisited, as Joe explains, is “like a deer still rubbing the felt off his antlers — this song has a youthful perspective.”
66 | Bluegrass at the Crossroads | On The Lonesome Breeze
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Serving as a musical meeting ground for musicians working in a broad range of bluegrass styles, On The Lonesome Breeze showcases rich creativity, deep skills — and a lot of musical muscle, too. Sung by bassist Travis Book (Infamous Stringdusters) and written with series producer Jon Weisberger, On The Lonesome Breeze gets a robust treatment that offers distinctive instrumental work from banjo player Sammy Shelor (Lonesome River Band), fiddler Carley Arrowood, mandolinist Wayne Benson (IIIrd Tyme Out) and Fireside Collective’s Joe Cicero on guitar, with harmonies provided by Arrowood and Zoe & Cloyd’s John Cloyd Miller.”
67 | Jeremy Garrett | Won’t You Remember My Name
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The ‘Fiddle Science’ purveyor is back again with the latest in his series of exploratory and creative singles. Serving up solo work that complements his role as a member of the Grammy-winning Infamous Stringdusters, Jeremy Garrett continues to break new ground with Won’t You Remember My Name. Says Garrett: “I love a good ‘fight song,’ as they used to call it, when I was in high school football. A song that would get the spirits of everyone up and inspire people to be great and to win. When Jon Weisberger and I started to write the song, that’s what I had in mind for the idea; I remember the conversation being centered around some of my friends who had been rodeo bull riders. How do you stand out in such a competitive field and stay in the career long enough to make your name? That’s where the hook, Won’t You Remember My Name came from.”
