Happy birthday to Tool / Puscifer / A Perfect Circle frontman (and winemaker) Maynard James Keenan, who hits the big 6-0 today. Which means he’s only five years away from being the world’s coolest senior. Wait and see. Thankfully, you don’t have to wait another second to check out these new heavyweight cuts from near and far. Blow out these candles, if you dare:
Zolle | Fiocco
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Italy’s fun and boundary-free noisy heavy rock duo Zolle unleash their dance-inducing new Fiocco video. Their new album Rosa will be released on May 3. Zolle return with an album where the heavy parts are lovingly heavier and the melodic parts are monstrously more melodic than in the past. Imagine Crowbar on a diet singing The Ramones refrains at an AC/DC show with Metallica as an opening act. Rosa is Italian for pink but it also refers to the flower itself. Rosa sounds incisive and unconventional, its nine tracks brimming with a buzzing energy and featuring playful vocals and melodies, muscular riffs and highly propulsive drums.”
Lÿnx | Hell In High Heels
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “In the heart of Calgary, Lÿnx’s creative process lies a tight-knit camaraderie and a commitment to musical excellence. They are gearing up to release their third album Claws Out on May 9, and as that date approaches, they offer a glimpse into what’s to come with the music video for Hell In High Heels: “This song was Ja6ur’s ex. We wanted to express in words the feeling of ‘forbidden fruit’ in a sense. When you know it’s gonna hurt but you still need it. Every person has that one volatile relationship, we’ve just given it lyrics.”
NOTSM | Humans
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “One-man project NOTSM continues to build anticipation for their debut album Only Death Brings Silence, slated for a May 3, with the unveiling of the second single, Humans. Accompanied by an AI-generated video, the track offers listeners a glimpse into the band’s exploration of the human experience. With thought-provoking lyrics and dynamic instrumentation, Humans delves into the complexities of human nature, inviting listeners to contemplate their place in the world. Matt Barkley comments: “Humans is a relentless barrage of heavy metal fury, confronting the harsh realities of human existence and our destructive impact on the world around us. With blistering riffs and pounding rhythms, the song pulls no punches in its indictment of human nature. The lyrics paint a bleak picture of our tendency to exploit and destroy, questioning how we arrived at this point of environmental and moral decay. As the song progresses, it becomes a scathing commentary on our insatiable appetite for consumption and our failure to confront the consequences of our actions.”
Hypersonic | Veil Of Insanity
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Hypersonic, the powerhouse symphonic metal band founded in 2006 by Salvo Grasso and Emanuele Gangemi, has achieved their dream of creating unique, powerful, and epic music. Today, they proudly present their latest album Kaosmogonia a musical journey that transcends genres and immerses listeners in a symphonic and extreme metal experience. Kaosmogonia is the culmination of Hypersonic’s musical evolution, showcasing a distinctive sound that is powerful, symphonic, epic, extreme, and dramatic. The album is a testament to the band’s dedication to pushing creative boundaries and introducing new elements to their signature sound introducing their new singer Eleonora Russo, whose exceptional songwriting qualities bring a fresh and dynamic dimension to the band’s music.”
Marble Ghosts | End Of The World
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Ottawa’s Marble Ghosts share the video for their self-titled album’s closing song End Of The World. Taking the ‘quiet’ ‘loud’ verse-chorus formula of ’90s grunge, the track turns everything on its head. The quiet verse with its detached vocals transitions into deafening double bass and heavy toms over desperate angry screams. Inspired by the epidemic of wildfires in Canada, End Of The World is a biting, cynical, and powerful takedown of the greed that is destroying our world. “End Of The World is cynical and angry and reflects the mentality of a millennial generation that grew up being told that their actions would make a difference in the world, and they didn’t. Late-stage capitalism dividing the rich and the poor, rampant homelessness and environmental devastation, End Of The World is the anthem for those disillusioned by the fact that greed persists despite these devastating problems.”
Lay Of The Autumn | Si Sta Come D’Autunno Sugli Alberi Le Foglie
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Spearheaded by Davide Scuteri and joined by Cesare Ferrari (bass), Davide Lovecchio (guitars), and Michele Olmi (drums), Lay Of The Autumn embody the essence of classic symphonic metal with a female vocalist, continuing the rich tradition established by Ravenword following the release of their album Transcendence. The band’s first single Si Sta Come D’Autunno Sugli Alberi Le Foglie underscores the full power of Lay Of The Autumn. As described by mastermind Scuteri: “This is a hermetic title. During the First World War, there was a poet into the battlefield, his name was Giuseppe Ungaretti and he wrote these lines in his poetry Soldati (Soldiers), as perpetual symbol of the life in the trenches. It’s an instrumental powerful and virtusistic song, in the style of the Stratovarius, which talks about the conflicting emotions which can live inside us, and the precarious condition of the life when the Lay Of The Autumn comes.”
The Human Tornado | Your Darkness
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The Human Tornado announce the launch of their latest single and official video Your Darkness. It stands as a profound milestone for the band, marking the debut creation with our new lineup. This track embodies the collective spirit of their musical journey, reflecting an evolution in their sonic identity. It propels them towards a vision that is simultaneously more aggressive and melodically enriched, symbolizing a pivotal transformation in their musical essence. Capturing the essence of raw emotion and sonic intensity, Your Darkness encapsulates the essence of The Human Tornado’s artistic progression. From its inception, this song has served as a guiding light, leading us towards a more dynamic and resonant musical landscape.”
The Blood Of Christ | Sworn 3: Oathbreaker
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Canada’s The Blood Of Christ are an epic dark metal band that have been around since the early ‘’90s. They have released three full-length albums, and their new EP Sworn Trilogy is set to come out on April 23. The concept record tells a story about a man who, by means of his own cowardice in the face of oblivion, sentences his entire bloodline to commit evil acts on behalf of abyssal demons for all time. Ahead of the EP, to give fans of black and death metal a taste of what’s in store, they are releasing a lyric video for the single Oath Breaker. They say: “Oath Breaker was the last song we wrote for this trilogy and it might have just turned out to be one of our best yet. It has a lot of emotion and moods and resolves the trilogy in classic death metal, climaxing pit riff fashion. We have a feeling that this song will be a staple in our live set for several years to come and can’t wait to see the reaction to it.”
Ancient Entities | Pierced By Obsidian
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Milwaukee’s Ancient Entities are a powerhouse ensemble of seasoned musicians — Alex Rausa, Bernardo Mendia, Jake Falk, Luke Veranth and Brian Gulliford — who will release their debut death metal album Echoes of Annihilation on June 21. Coupled with this announcement, they are also unveiling the lyric video for their hard-hitting single Pierced by Obsidian. “I can say we definitely hold our own against bands we share the stage with,” they say. “We respect everyone but we aren’t ones to bow our heads cause someone has been around longer than us. We can’t say that we offer anything more than any other band that graces that stage but we can certainly tell you the floor will be moving when we go on.”
Paradox Rift | The Sky Beneath
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Cleveland’s Paradox Rift are gearing up to unleash their latest sonic assault with their upcoming album Ensnared, due May 10. As a preview of what’s to come, the band unveil the second single and lyric video for The Sky Beneath, a devastating track that promises to captivate audiences with its raw energy and brutal riffs. The band share the conception of the track: “This song has been through more changes and edits than any other song in the history of the band. The song began as a skeleton of drum parts that Eric had organized for Preston to add guitars to. Preston had decided to completely overhaul the guitars and had basically rewrote all of his original parts to the song. Even added a brand new intro riff unintentionally while messing around with effects in the studio. Luke had his share of work too with changing and altering the lyrics to better accommodate the constantly evolving music. This song has been in the oven for years and we are beyond excited to put it out there and see what comes of it.”
Exsomnis | Inertia
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Montreal’s Exsomnis are an atmospheric and melodic powerhouse in progressive gothic metal. They just released their debut single Inertia. This haunting track delves deep into the abyss of existential contemplation, enveloping listeners in a symphony of gloomy soundscapes, haunting riffs, and orchestral grandeur. Vocalist Viky Boyer comments: “Inertia is one of the earliest songs we wrote and one of the songs I spent the most time writing and re-writing. With every scrap of lyrics and melody, I felt like I was getting closer to the message I actually wanted to put out. I am also very glad that the band was on board with me including some French spoken words in the song, sort of like a mini poem, as I feel like it really completes the vision I had for it. I really hope my experience with the theme of the song will resonate with the listeners, partly for my artistic ego, but also as a sign that I am not alone struggling with those particular feelings of dread when it comes to life choices.”
Abrams | Tomorrow
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Denver’s genre-bending heavy rockers Abrams unleash a gripping new track from their upcoming album Blue City, due May 24. Following the release of their cathartic Fire Waltz video, Abrams reveal their pulsating and riff-driven new track Tomorrow today. Frontman Zachary Amster adds: “When we started writing for the new record, we wanted a clear shift and progression in our sound. We wanted to kick off the album and showcase this upfront with Tomorrow, featuring some soaring vocals into a fury of drum fills escaping into a psychedelic wash of bass-driven groove. The lyrics say, ‘Tomorrow needs you…’ It’s about not giving up and not listening to the bad voices.”
Supermodel Taxidermy | Exorcist For Beer
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Unleashing a combo of thrash metal and hardcore punk, Canada’s Supermodel Taxidermy have been delivering unrelenting mosh-pit madness since they made their debut in 2022 with the EP A Whorer Story. Gearing up to unveil their first album At What Cost, the triad of high-speed debauchery is revealing their party anthem Exorcist For Beer, a story about finding an exorcist on the dark web who makes all your problems much worse than just booze alone. Due May 31, At What Cost was made to catch your ears with its intense guitar hooks, heavy drums, and catchy bass lines all the while keeping your attention on the lyrical topics at hand. A collaborative effort, the majority of this album looks at death lyrically. A lot of the writings question the cause and effect of vices and the wrong choices that can be made throughout our lives. “If we have sold this to your ears correctly the album will be nothing shy of D.R.I.’s Full Speed Ahead vs. Iron Reagan’s Crossover Ministry with a touch of Slayer,” adds vocalist and guitarist Shawn Maynard.”
Black Pyramid | Take Us To The Threshold
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Psychedelic doom legends Black Pyramid present a blistering new excerpt from their first studio album in a decade — The Paths of Time Are Vast, due May 3. Evoking the molten, sludgy tones and immersive atmosphere of their self-titled debut, Black Pyramid expand upon what worked wonders in the past, then seek the transcendent path, pushing each element of their alchemistic sound to its unparalleled cosmic conclusion.”
