Eclipse look forward to the weekend, Helloween take a nasty spill, God Is An Astronaut take some poetic licence, Morgarten run out of air, The Ending look sharp — and you’d better focus too if you’re to get the most out of your latest Weekend Roundup, which is definitely jam-packed even though it’s not packed with jams, if you follow. Onward:
17 | Eclipse | Saturday Night (Hallelujah)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Sweden’s Eclipse are putting the finishing touches on their upcoming studio album, due out this fall. In the meantime, the band just released a new single and an anthem for the ages: Saturday Night (Hallelujah). “It was another one of those Saturday nights. At home. But, for the first time in a very long time there was hope. Suddenly there were stories about someone’s mom getting ‘the shot’, an old neighbor who was able to see the grandkids for the first time in a year, and I saw an ad for a gig. A real one, without screens or internet connections. A songwriter buddy of mine was there and we walked back to the studio and wrote most of what would become Saturday Night (Hallelujah) in 15 minutes,” says frontman Erik Martensson. “There’s absolutely nothing snotty about this song. It’s about partying! Don’t try to tell me you’re not up for a good f***ing party right about now?”
18 | Helloween | Fear Of The Fallen
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Helloween release their second single Fear Of The Fallen along with an amazing lyric clip. The song is a fast-paced, melodic track done the way only they can do it. ”I had so much fun not only writing a song for my voice but also for one of the greatest singers out there. I always have an extremely broad smile on my face when I hear Michi singing my melodies,” says Deris. Kiske adds: ”The whole process, including the spirit, was just ideal. If I had the feeling that one of the parts would not be really fitting, I asked Andi if he would sing it and vice versa. There was no competition whatsoever — what counted was what is best for the respective song. I am thankful to be (again) a part of this crazy family. I love them all.”
19 | God Is An Astronaut | Barren Trees
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “More than three months after the release of the release of God Is An Astronaut’s studio album Ghost Tapes #10, the Irish four-piece present a video for Barren Trees. The song is the most emotive and haunting song on the album and it’s also the only song that includes lyrics and vocals mixed as an instrument, so they blend in with the overall sound of the song. The additional guitar parts by Jimmy Scanlan complete the special sound design crafted on Barren Trees. Inspired by the poem Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening by Robert Frost, Barren Trees reflect the overall feeling of the band in November 2019, when this piece of art was written.”
20 | Skeletal Remains | Obscured Velitation
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “California death-metal diehards Skeletal Remains celebrate the upcoming reissues of Beyond the Flesh and Condemned To Misery, along with a special 10th-anniversary compilation release. This LP rerelease contains the 2011 Desolate Isolation demo tape as well as bonus content compiled from a decade of Skeletal Remains’ history. To celebrate the release of the re-issues, the band have re-released a rare official video for Obscured Velitation.”
21 | Morgarten | The Last Breath
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The Swiss folk/black metal band Morgarten just released a lyric video for The Last Breath, the third single from their album Cry Of The Lost out June 18. Pierric from Morgarten says: “The Last Breath is one of the first songs we wrote for the album and it’s the first song we ever wrote that features clean vocals. It may not have the aggression or speed of other songs, but it has an intensity that makes it really unique, especially when played live. It is about the moment when the warrior, on the verge of death, realises that he may have spent his life building something that was ultimately meaningless. It’s this situation that we chose to represent on the album cover. The Last Breath is also in my opinion one of the songs that Jens Bogren did the most impressive work on, especially the vocal work and some of the effects he added that really bring something to the atmosphere.”
22 | This Ending | Needles Of Rust
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Stockholm melodeath group This Ending stream the title track from their impending fourth record Needles of Rust. The album is slated for worldwide release on May 28. The band elaborate: “This was the first song written after we decided it was time for a new This Ending. We had no idea that this would also turn out to be the title track. Linus N. tried to write a song that combined the old This Ending sound with our roots back in the ‘90s. It became an insane song that I think defines our sound. We also get some backing vocals from Peter on this one. The lyrical theme for this one revolves around people who exploit others’ weaknesses for personal gain.”
23 | Wanderer | Marionette
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “As Minneapolis metallic hardcore/grindcore outfit Wanderer prepare for the June release of the debut LP Liberation From A Brutalist Existence, they premiere of the album’s opening track Marionette. Guitarist Brent Ericson reveals, “This song is a microcosm of what Wanderer is as a band, and that’s why it’s the first song on the record. It’s got speed, agility, dark-but-relatable lyrics, and a crushing breakdown. Sanjeev Mishra, the guest vocalist on this track, adds a unique element to the song and the change from Dan’s vocals to Sanjeev’s and back really makes that part pop so much and makes it feel amazing to play. This song hits hard and doesn’t let up til the end, a perfect opener to the record.”
24 | Insomnium | The Reticent
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Finnish melodic death metal masters Insomnium just released their new single The Reticent. Ville Friman says: “The past year has been a difficult one. People have lost their loved ones, jobs and livelihoods. Hope has been replaced by fear, anxiety and uncertainty. We have all been forced to live our lives in isolation, detached both physically and mentally. This song is about all those feelings. An inner dialogue of hope and hopelessness. During this time, music has been a source of comfort and solace. Something to rely on and return to. And while we have become withdrawn and reticent, our music tolls now ever stronger.”
25 | Wheezing Parrot | Harmful Values
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Wheezing Parrot release the title track from Harmful Values, their second album due this September. Swaying between alternative and hard rock, this song was inspired by real-life events from a situation that happened during a band practice. Tackling abusive attitudes, mean and easy judgment and unwholesome and hurtful ways of thinking, Wheezing Parrot discuss the importance of staying strong and not get dragged down by toxicity.”
26 | Awake Again | Busy Doing Nothing (ft. Lena Scissorhands)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Finnish alt-metal band Awake Again are releasing their debut album this autumn. The band just dropped the track Busy Doing Nothing. Awake Again say: “We’d been thinking for a while already how it’d be cool to have a guest singer on one of our songs, and the structure and rhythm in Busy Doing Nothing were perfect for two singers. The first name that came to our minds was Lena from Infected Rain. Lucky for us, she said yes.”
27 | Vulture | Dealin‘ Death
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Vulture just released their new album Dealin’ Death, along with a video for the title track. When it comes to contemporary thrash, there are few bands that can stand toe-to-toe with the German outfit. Establishing their status with 2016’s Victim To The Blade EP and 2017’s The Guillotine, then cementing their reputation with 2019’s Ghastly Waves And Battered Graves, they now return with the mighty Dealin’ Death, one of the most ruthless records the genre has seen. “Take all our key elements — fierce riffing, halftone-shifts, aggressive vocals, huge toms, changing dynamics, horror-synths and classical twin guitar harmonies and cast it in a mould, then you have Dealin’ Death,” says guitarist Stefan Castevet. “The result sounds a little ‘back to the EP-ish’ to my ears, yet it contains new approaches that we’ve never included in our sound so far, like choirs with harmonies.”
28 | KNTC | Melatonin
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Just a few days after sharing a first single from its upcoming album The Arrival, Lyon’s alternative pop-rock / progressive metal duo KNTC have released Melatonin, a song to be featured on The Great Escape, their debut full-length coming out later this year. Influenced by everyone from Billie Eilish to Gojira to Radiohead, KNTC emerged from the French scene a couple of years ago, releasing the promising EP Body and Soul in 2019.”
29 | Regrown | Deep End
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “New Jersey emo/pop-punk quartet Regrown shared their single and video Deep End. The track is a guitar-driven anthem, harkening back to the sound of bands like Four Year Strong and With The Punches. Lyrically, the song dives into themes of self-acceptance and learning not to need validation from others. Deep End marks the third single from their upcoming debut EP Closed Casket Material, due out June 18. Vocalist/guitarist Ben Greenblatt stated: “This song is me accepting that I don’t need anyone else to acknowledge my progress in order for me to know I’m getting better. I feel I’ve finally got to a place where I believe in myself enough to carry my own weight and I’m proud that the band has been able to make it through a lot of bad situations to get where we are now.”
30 | Point North | Nice Now
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Alternative rock band Point North have released their new single Nice Now. Complete with pop hooks and an anthemic rock sound that’s reminiscent of early pop-punk — and with a high-energy video to match — Nice Now is here to stake its claim as the song of the summer. Vocalist Jon Lundin shares: “This song is about growing up in a small town where it wasn’t cool to be in the scene and love emo music and feeling like the black sheep, but deciding to say ‘fuck it’ and live our truths and play what we love and what we’re good at. We stuck to our roots here and just wanted to bring the energy and angst back.”
31 | The Owen Guns | Is This Punk
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Aussie punk rock reprobates The Owens Guns are asking the question Is This Punk? It’s the third single and video from their just-released EP 2 Electric Boogaloo. It’s a fist-pumping singalong punk tune, inspired by the age-old question asked on every punk forum on the internet. The answer is … no one cares! If you have to ask, you just don’t get it. The Owen Guns’ first EP release Violating Community Standards came out in 2020 to rave reviews from their wives, girlfriends and they’ve been annoying people with their blend of politics, bad-taste humour and social commentary.”
32 | We Are The Union | Make It Easy
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “We Are The Union have a new single called Make It Easy. Reade wrote this one as just a simple, cute, queer-as-fuck love song, and a celebration of queer love in general! Also there’s a fun ’90s sitcom-style video to go along with it, featuring a cameo by Scott Klopfenstein (and a cameo by the In Defense of Ska book)! Did I mention we filmed the video at an actual school? How the hell did we even film at a school?”
33 | Capstan | Shades Of Us
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Florida five-piece Capstan — Anthony DeMario [vocals], Joe Mabry [guitar], Harrison Bormann [guitar], Andrew “Boz” Bozymowski [bass, vocals] and Scott Fisher [drums] — have announced their sophomore album Separate, out July 23. The band also share the video for first single Shades Of Us. The song teeters between vulnerable vocals, neck-snapping riffs, trap hi-hats, and unforgettable grooves, culminating in a magnetically massive hook offset by a deluge of distortion. “Several songs on the album are about my ex before we split up, and this is one of them,” says Mabry. “There’s a dynamic shift. You’ve got a modern pop edge, but it’s still quite heavy. This is one of the flagship songs for the record. It’s about coming to a really bitter realization no matter how much you love a person or care, there’s all of this other fucked up shit in the way. Ultimately, you know it’s not going to work out.”
