Welcome back to The Grindhouse. I’ve got no time to screw around, so let’s get right down to it. Here are the loudest, lewdest, rudest and crudest tracks and clips of the day. Dime the volume and let loose:
Voraath | The Road To Samm Hill
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Transporting you through a portal of sci-fi storytelling and extreme music, Voraath’s first full-length Vol 1: The Hymn of the Hunters is brutal yet epic metal. The release exposes a grand story of interdimensional worlds and warrning cosmic entities while paying homage to their culture in the Carolina Appalachians. “This album will be an investment of thought and emotion,” they say. “We want to immerse the listener in another world. It’s heavy yet sad, brutal yet immersive, so we hope to take everyone on a journey… scored with metal!” Today, that journey continues with the video for The Road To Samm Hill, a song that outlines a battle with an otherworldly entity and they discovery of a traitor in the ranks. “We have received coordinates to the location of the relay, an alien mechanism that can bend space-time,” the band say. “Our mission is to retrieve the relay at all costs. As we approach the area of operation, we are confronted by a creature frail and decaying stumbling along the old road. As it approaches us it reaches out its hand, revealing a sort of otherworldly controller. The creature shortly after petrifies and dies. Resuming our journey we come across a barren village, with dead bodies scattered.”
Mexican Standoff | Bloody Summer
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Mexican Standoff will release the album Raiders Of The Dutch Rudder on Oct. 4. In the meantime, here’s the video for the song Bloody Summer. It’s an uptempo track in the style of Danko Jones, featuring an explosive intro and an extremely catchy chorus. Raiders Of The Dutch Rudder showcases their blend of classic rock energy, metal aggression and punk rebellion for a groovy musical experience. After a six-year hiatus, the trio reunited to produce tracks highlighting their signature sound while exploring new territories. Drawing from metal, glam, and punk, their approach is both fresh and familiar, with lyrics ranging from imaginative storytelling to personal reflection.”
Hermano | Breathe
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Cult California stoner-rock band Hermano (fronted by Kyuss vocalist John Garcia) will release When The Moon Was High…, their first new music in 15 years, on Oct. 4. As they began to remix, remaster and reissue their entire back catalog, a new song emerged: Breathe. It was recorded in 2023 and travels back to the band’s first release, filled with the same swagger and heavy hand as the band’s initial offerings, reinforcing the band’s undeniable impact upon modern heavy rock, stoner rock, and driving blues genres.”
Cortez | Gimme Danger (On My Stereo)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Boston heavy metallers Cortez return with their fourth album Thieves and Charlatans on Oct. 18, precede by their new video and single Gimme Danger (On My Radio). The followup to 2020’s Sell the Future, Thieves and Charlatans demonstrates their ability to command a sound that is both classic-rooted and modern in its construction. Working again with producer Benny Grotto, the lineup of vocalist Matt Harrington, guitarists Scott O’Dowd and Alasdair Swan, bassist Jay Furlo and drummer Alexei Rodriguez (since replaced by Kyle Rasmussen) look forward while regarding their past in a new way. “We were a bit selfish while writing and recording this album,” says O’Dowd. “There’s probably one of our catchiest songs in Gimme Danger (On My Stereo), and yet some of our longer, gloomier songs as well. There are also more complex guitar and vocal arrangements than in the past.”
Chrysalïd | The King
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Chrysalïd, the heavy metal powerhouse from Northern England, will release a new album in October, featuring special guests Tim “Ripper” Owens, Zak Stevens, Fabio Lione, Henning Basse and more. It’s a powerful album about never giving up, always fighting for your dreams and standing tall no matter how many times you fall. For fans of Savatage, Helloween, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and Angra, Breaking The Chains is a must-listen. The album is an honest and passionate act of love for heavy metal music. With every aspect of the creation process like writing, recording, rehearsing, and live performance they are improving continuously, setting this second album as a testament to their dedication to their craft. The first single and video from the album is The King, featuring Craig Cairns (Induction, Tailgunner).”
Sound Storm | At The End Of Time
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Sound Storm just released the new single At The End Of Time, off their upcoming album The Void Beyond. The track dives deep into the fragility of human existence and the urgent need for redemption in the face of impending doom. Featuring a blend of modern metal with progressive and speed metal influences, At The End Of Time showcases double lead vocals, haunting melodies, and intense rhythms that will captivate and resonate with listeners. Experience the relentless energy and thought-provoking lyrics that define Sound Storm’s unique sound.”
Derelict | The Escapist
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Returning after a 12-year hiatus with their album Versus Entropy, Montreal’s Derelict share a drum playthrough by Tommy McKinnon for the closing track The Escapist. The song features a combination of classic Derelict elements, but with a cool groove and some exotic gypsy scale breaks and leads. The lyrics are about wanting to escape your reality, be it through substances, media, or other avenues. “We think this one is both brutal and progressive in equal amounts. We think you could describe the album that way as a whole so we thought it was a nice way to wrap it up.” adds the band.McKinnon adds: “The Escapist was definitely one of the most challenging tunes I had to nail for the album. The tempo is pretty fast and there are breaks in sextuplets, which are sort of tricky to get into after just giving her at 203 bpm.”
Warlock A.D. | Rothgar Warsong
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Set to unleash their sophomore album Book II: The Valley of Vâgené on Sept. 27, fantasy power metal outfit Warlock A.D. share their latest lyric video for Rothgar Warsong. Heavily inspired by Turisas and Feuerschwanz, this track tells of the capture of the party by a tribe of ravenous Half-orcs led by the titular Rothgar Warsong (played by Scot Evans). Over two years in the making, this entry into the saga is bigger, thicker, and more powerful than anything they have brought you before! The album is 12 tracks of interwoven musical storytelling implementing the use of motifs, themes, and callbacks. The album combines the sound and styles of various iterations of orchestra-led melodic metal — culminating in what feels like a full-fledged D&D-style epic told through the medium of a heavy metal musical.”
Insurrection | Bless The Machine
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Insurrection, the death metal powerhouse from Gatineau, present their new single Bless the Machine. This track is from their forthcoming album Obsolescence, which is set to drop on Sept. 13. The band comment: “This is the final part of The New Uprising trilogy. Musically, this song sounds like At the Gates playing Castlevania songs. Which you, the reader, will either completely understand, or be completely confused by. We’re fine with that. It’s fast, it’s melodic, and it’s just complicated enough so that every time you listen to it, you may find a tiny new thing.” The song was inspired by reflections on the death penalty, although the trilogy itself is about a robotic uprising, which is a metaphor for the rise of political extremism in the world.”
Atomis | 12 Chains
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Atomis, post-metal from Calgary, were created by Nathan Navetto, Matthew McLaughlin, Taylor Johnson and Bryan Buss in 2010. Combining elements of post-rock/metal, electronic, and cinema, Atomis created a unique voice in their music/visual hybrid live performances. They disbanded in 2020 due to the passing of drummer Navetto and are now releasing a box of all the music they created as a tribute. Here is the single 12 Chains. Bassist Buss comments: “12 Chains is a driving, repetitive, droning track that constantly moves forward until it breaks.” Musically, the box showcases the entirety of Atomis, all the way from the drawing board, to a polished album, but in reverse. Each of the three CDs showcases an era of the band.”
