Destruction butcher their own past, Hardline won’t back away, Los Disidentes Del Sucio Motel keep it down to earth, Mercyful Fate enjoy some new couch covers — and there’s no reason for you to get up off the sofa yet; your Midweek Roundup is still going strong. Onward:
34 | Destruction | Mad Butcher
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Legendary German thrash metal powerhouse Destruction deliver all devastating, neck-breaking Live Attack onto the masses on Aug. 13. Dive deep into Destruction’s history with the first crushing single and energetic live video for Mad Butcher, originally released in 1983 as one of the first songs the band ever wrote. Schmier states: “Mad Butcher is one of the first songs we ever wrote, such a classic! I still love to perform it live, it is in my DNA I guess! There are a lot of memories that come along with this track and the history of the band. We brought back the double-lead section from the EP version into the solo part; many fans have reacted at that during the live shows, which is really cool! But this DVD will also have some nice surprises, some songs we have not played live in decades!”
35 | Hardline | Surrender
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Who’s ready for another single from Hardline’s upcoming album Heart, Mind And Soul? Enjoy the single & video Surrender, preferably at a loud volume. Johnny Gioeli says: “Although the title is Surrender, the message is NEVER SURRENDER. The message in this song is clear: We must all find our value on this Earth. And most importantly, recognize that we HAVE value no matter what career, level of income, or what “things” we own. We ALL share the same stresses this life puts on us. And stress/pain is all relative to how we feel inside each one of us. Our focus must be our “purpose”. The simplest things in life can give us purpose. I hope this song sheds light on lifting you up when you feel down, empowers you when you feel the need for more life gas in the tank. And I hope you recognize that you are never alone.”
36 | Los Disidentes Del Sucio Motel | Earthrise
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “French heavy rockers Los Disidentes Del Sucio Motel have just revealed a video for a song off the band’s fourth album Polaris. Earthrise was directed by Lucas Bastian with art done by Louis Ian Bolumet.”
37 | Bodysnatcher | King Of The Rats
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Florida deathcore practitioners Bodysnatcher released their punishing single and video for King Of The Rats. Says vocalist Kyle Medina: “I wrote this song mainly about how people act high and mighty, talk a ton of negativity and trash, but are essentially not as holier than thou as they present themselves. Not only that but these people tend to associate themselves with others who are similar in this aspect. Hence the name King Of The Rats. Not necessarily about someone directly, but more so if the shoe fits, wear it.”
38 | Mercyful Fate | Black/Sabbath (Couch Cover)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “DeathCAVE bassist/vocalist Freiburger unsheathes the latest instalment of his Couch Covers video series with a medley of Mercyful Fate’s Come To The Sabbath and Black Funeral. It features Freiburger on bass alongside Alex Sibbald (The Accüsed A.D., Toe Tag) on rhythm guitar, Tyler Splurgis (Xoth) on lead guitars, acoustic guitars and keyboards, and Brad Mowen (The Accüsed, Burning Witch, Lesbian, Cryptic Slaughter/Lowlife) on vocals. Comments Freiburger, “Mercyful Fate has always been one of my absolute favorite bands and as soon as myself and Brad finished our Iron Maiden cover, he brought up the idea of doing Mercyful Fate, which is an absolute dream for me! The hardest part was choosing a song! We finally settled on Come To The Sabbath and Black Funeral or, quite simply, Black/Sabbath.”
39 | Stormruler | At The Cliffs Of Azure City
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “St. Louis black metal export Stormruler will release their infernal, battle-inspired full-length Under The Burning Eclipse this Friday, and are gracing fans with a lyric video for the track At The Cliffs Of Azure City. The combat-ready standout proves exactly why Stormruler have turned heads in the underground. With their grim attack, the track incorporates ruminations of classic heavy metal combined with scorched, war-torn percussion to create a blackened offering for the modern age. Stormruler say: “At The Cliffs Of Azure City is a track that demonstrates a bit of an off-kilter approach, with the first riff in 5/4 and a bridge section that has a traditional heavy metal feel. Lyrically it describes a city under siege by a powerful sorceress and her army of mages.”
40 | Beleth | First Born
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Aussie extreme metallers Beleth proudly release the second single from their upcoming album Silent Genesis, due June 25. Beleth are an extreme metal band hailing from the east coasts of Australia. Their music delivers a dark, heavy, driving punch, with an element of groove, catchy riffs, and ferocious, guttural vocals.”
41 | Sombria | Tired
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Melancholic metal band Sombria have released a cover of Schiller’s Tired, which is found on their Sehnsucht album. The band comment: “Tired is a unique and very powerful song originally created by Schiller, containing a dramatic and deeply emotional background. This is what we had in mind working on this song. Having a big respect towards Schiller’s music, we decided to bring this piece closer to our music genre, emphasizing the melancholy and the hidden ‘’sorrow’’ that surrounds it. Also, we took the opportunity to add our own message through the music video, highlighting the sensation of agony and despair that so many of us meticulously hide for all kind of reasons. Our identity is our most sacred strength in life, it’s a shell hiding our self-esteem, individuality and qualities that is the reason we need to protect it, feel proud and flaunt it!”
42 | T-Model Ford | I Was Born In A Swamp
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “I Was Born In A Swamp, a new compilation of cuts by Mississippi bluesman T-Model Ford, arrives on June 11. Here’s the title track, along with an interview where T-Model explains all. The album features members of GravelRoad, Moreland & Arbuckle, Soledad Brothers and Outrageous Cherry.”
43 | The Soldedad Brothers | Mean Old Toledo
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The Soldedad Brothers will reissue their fifth and final album The Hardest Walk on splatter vinyl on June 11. Check out the song Mean Old Toledo today.”
44+45 | The Antlers | Porchlight + Just One Sec
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “New York duo The Antlers have debuted a Take Away Show. Filmed in Hobart, N.Y. with director Derrick Belcham, the session features performances of the songs Just One Sec and Porchlight from the band’s latest album Green to Gold. Conceived and written almost entirely in the morning hours, Green to Gold is the band’s most luminous music to date. “I think this is the first album I’ve made that has no eeriness in it,” singer and primary songwriter Peter Silberman asserts. “I set out to make Sunday morning music.”
46 | Aasiva | Ungalirakki
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Niriunniq is the second full-length from Pangnirtung artist Aasiva. Due out on Nunavut Day, July 9, the record comprises eight tracks that embody and explore the titular concept: what it means to remain committed to hope even in the depths of grief, loneliness, and struggle. “I have been going through a really difficult time in the last couple of years,” Aasiva explains. “My mother suddenly passed away in 2019, so it’s been interesting trying to navigate grief. But no matter what I’m feeling, at least I still have hope. At the end of every day, I’m beaten up emotionally or mentally, and I just say, ‘OK, well at least tomorrow might be a better day.’ Holding onto that hope really kept me going.”
47 | Lisa LeBlanc | Bonsoir Moreau (ft. Salebarbes)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Lisa LeBlanc and Salebarbes have teamed up to offer their own version of the Cajun classic Bonsoir Moreau. The song, originally from singer and fiddle player Canray Fontenot, is Lisa’s first new single in almost five years. Bonsoir Moreau — which means “Good night bartender” — is the perfect song to cover with her friends from the band Salebarbes. They recorded the song remotely, over the winter of 2021, while in lockdown in their respective homes. “This is our humble tribute to the Cajun music of our southern cousins by a gang of northern Acadians,” she explains. “We are all lovers of our Acadian culture and I find it fascinating the history, similarities (and kinship!) that link us with Louisiana. Many of my happiest moments in life were spent there, so I have a very special bond with that place.”
48 | Joe Hodgson | Till The Last Breath
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Northern Irish guitarist Joe Hodgson’s new single Till The Last Breath comes off his self-produced solo album Apparitions. Till The Last Breath is a stunning instrumental requiem and a masterclass in slide guitar that allows listeners to experience real and unfiltered emotions. Deeply personal, the track is a tribute to Hodgson’s mum Ethnea, who died in 2017. Joe says: “The track has an intimate, vulnerable and mournful feel to it, and the melodies reflect the immense sadness I was feeling and the sense of foreboding at what was surely to come. But it’s also uplifting, and conveys joy and thankfulness for having had such a wonderful person to call my mother.”
49 | Fred Lee & The Restless | You Were Anyone, But Not Anywhere
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Swedish singer-songwriter Fred Lee released a video for his single You Were Anyone, But Not Anywhere, a folk-infused song that brings everything back to basics: A guitar, a tiny stage and a small crowd. There’s no need to pretend you are a rock star when your music is sincere and is not afraid to show your true self and reach to other people’s heart. Fred Lee (aka Fredrik Lindkvist), who has made himself a name in the Scandinavian hardcore punk scene in the past and now is presenting himself as a folk-punk singer-songwriter, comments: “I’ve done gigs for 500-1,500 people, which felt incredibly cool. However, most gigs have been in front of a small, rather uninterested audience. On such occasions, your willingness to continue to create and express yourself with the music is tested, your willingness to be able to give everything even though the audience is yawning. I have loved such occasions, the hope of reaching out to one or two people gives me the strength to continue. This is what we wanted to capture with this video, and as the world looks now with the pandemic, there is nothing to lose. We’ll just wait until it’s time again, time to rock.”
50 | Chloe Foy | Where Shall We Begin
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Chloe Foy just shared the title track from her upcoming debut album Where Shall We Begin. Arriving June 11, the album closes the chapter on a formative period for the Gloucestershire-via-Manchester songwriter. The title track is a microcosm of what makes Foy so special. It begins pensively with Foy’s poetic lyricism taking centre stage, before swelling into a hair-raising, choral harmony that gleams blindingly and brilliantly bright. Foy said: “This song is about the moment that the complexity of life dawns on you. When you lose people you love, you realise life isn’t what you hoped or expected it to be and feel quite betrayed by that. However, it’s also a nod to those who are around to comfort us and who bring us round to the idea that maybe it’ll be OK.”
