Already sick of all that goddamn Christmas music? Allow me to assist: Just crank up these tracks and drown out the sappy seasonal slop. Remember: If it’s too loud, that’s still not quite loud enough. Fa la la la la, la la, let’s rock:
Bruce Dickinson | Afterglow Of Ragnarok
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Bruce Dickinson unveiled the dramatic, action-packed video for Afterglow Of Ragnarok, the first single from his upcoming solo album The Mandrake Project. It will be released on March 1. Across 10 inventive, expansive and absorbing tracks, Dickinson and his long-term co-writer and producer Roy Z have created one of 2024’s defining rock albums. Sonically heavy and rich in musical textures, it sees Bruce bring to life a musical vision long-in-the-making, and features some of the finest vocal performances of his career.”
Nova Spei | Le Père-Noël Est Une Ordure! (Santa Claus is a Garbage!)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Trois-Rivieres, QC’s Nova Spei are back with a new edition of their Xmas song Le Père-Noël Est Une Ordure! (Santa Claus is a Garbage!), remixed by Anthony Chognard from CHS Prod and accompanied by a new video. They say: “Le Père-Noël Est Une Ordure! (Santa Claus is a Garbage!) is an original composition on the theme of a bad Santa from a seedy shopping center who humorously missed his life journey.”
Hatred Reigns | Awaken The Ancients
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Canada’s Hatred Reigns are a convergence of masterful musicians, each with a rich and storied background in the music industry. They came together in 2015 and released their first EP Realm I: Affliction in 2018. They follow it up now with Awaken The Ancients, which weaves together the elements of old-school death metal with modern technical intricacies, creating a sonic tapestry that is both captivating and groundbreaking. The lyrics on this concept album are inspired by What Dreams May Come, Dante’s Inferno, John Milton’s Paradise Lost and the anguish that many of us experience.”
Massive Scar Era | 30 Years
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Massive Scar Era presented their seventh record Metal Goes Egyptian in November. The EP features six songs, including two brand-new tracks and four rearrangements of previously released songs. Each showcases the collaboration between Cherine Amr and diverse musicians, creating a seamless fusion of metal and traditional Arabic music. The fourth single 30 Years is now presented with a video, which Amr comments on: “This is a rearrangement of a previously released song under the same title. I wrote it when I turned 30 when I moved to Canada. I’m used to writing songs and then jamming on them with a drummer to try out different ideas. With the move to Canada, I didn’t know any drummer to jam with, and I wasn’t ready to network yet, so I had to navigate midi and drum machine, which was a pain — still a pain! But I wrote the drumline for this song on my computer, and with this added knowledge, it gave me a tool to finally express the beats I have in my mind, even if they don’t sound great.”
Lowlives | Liar
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Lowlives just released the video for the new single Liar. “I wrote ‘Liar’ right in the middle of the first COVID lockdown,” states vocalist/guitarist Lee Downer. “Once the panic had kinda settled down, the song came together in about 10 minutes. Lyrically, it started out about putting on a brave face, pretending that I was OK throughout it when I probably wasn’t… almost convincing myself that everything would be alright. When we worked on the demo, we wrote the rest of the lyrics, and it became more about being someone you’re not and feeling like you don’t fit in to the point of creating a fake world in an attempt to feel more comfortable. You really want to tell the truth, but you’re bought in to the lies so much that they have become your own personal truth.”
Decrowned | Mouth Leaks Black
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Finnish metallers Decrowned will release their first full-length Persona Non Grata in February. The album follows their two EPs Hansel’s Nightmare (2019) and Weight of The Dark Sky (2018). On Persona Non Grata fans will find a great number of variations; each song has its own identity but the themes of each are very relevant to one another. They say: “We hope the listeners will find their own personal ways to relate to the songs and also find the album interesting enough to keep finding new things and themes in it.”
Kind | Heard It Through The Grapevine
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Burn on the Bayou: A Heavy Underground Tribute to Creedence Clearwater Revival, due Dec 8, features 32 heavy covers of the American rock band’s classics. Get doom as hell with Kind‘s rendition of Heard It Through The Gravepine. Following the release of Bone Church‘s electric cover of Fortunate Son, Kabbalah’s occult take on Sailor’s Lament and High Priestess’s bewitching doom with Bad Moon Rising, the Boston foursome put their doomy boot in and deliver a heavier-than-thou version of another CCR hit. And to this day, only the bravest have survived…”
Disorientation | Survival Mode
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Montreal, avant-garde metal duo Disorientation return to unleash their sophomore EP Survival Mode. Presenting a much blunter and more straightforward record than its predecessor, the 16-minute, 3-track recording bends extreme metal, noise, and hardcore influences at its will pushing the envelope with unorthodox vocal lines, odd structures, with the accompaniment of dissonant oboe and English Horn arrangements to create a strong emotional reaction to reflect tactics for psychological survival in unpleasant situations. “This is another milestone for us to express our own unique sound and perspective in the context of metal music.,” they say. “We both have been busy with other projects, which explains the two-year gap between Survival Mode and our self-titled EP. However, the drive to produce more music of our own has never disappeared during that time. We doubled down on the unique elements that set us apart. We also opted for a more straightforward sound with a mix that better reveals each instrument and voice. We think that this will express the power of those new songs more effectively.”
