Another week, another monstrous collection of malevolence and mayhem from the loudest, lewdest and crudest acts this side of Hades. How do we do it? Volume. So turn it up and get it started:
Forsaken Rite | Call To War
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Forsaken Rite, the symphonic folk metal warriors from the northern plains of Edmonton, share their new video Call To War. This powerful and visually stunning video is the second single from their upcoming EP The Forgotten West, due September 2024. Call To War showcases Forsaken Rite’s signature blend of epic storytelling, intricate musicianship, and high-energy performance, as they explain: “Call To War is the finale of The Forgotten West journey. The war party has made it to their destination… for now. They have found villages and life isn’t so bad, it’s different than before, but yet… oh so familiar. But as if destiny had other plans, peace lasts only so long before history begins to repeat itself as new enemy forces move in to take what little the village has left. Call To War is a battle speech and a rallying cry, because this time, we all stay to fight, unlike so long ago, before the journey of The Forgotten West.”
Prisoner | Skies Are Blackened
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Prisoner are a high-energy Canadian rock band bringing you hard-hitting riffs and unmistakably tight grooves. Their new EP House Of Cards is out now, complemented with a video for their first single Skies Are Blackened. The EP is a conglomeration of music with multiple elements from varying sub-genres. It bridges the gap between emotion and life experience to truly connect music to the individual. The band add: “We think the EP will be received quite well from music fans. There is something for everyone in regard to genre and song range. We have songs that we believe did not fit in an LP structure but were all great together in their own way. Thus the House Of Cards EP. With anthemic themes, fast riffs, and glassy acoustic guitar, each song offers something different for your casual rock fan to die-hard thrash headbanger.”
Luna Sol | Head In A Hole
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “High mountain stoner and heavy blues trio Luna Sol (fronted by Hermano guitarist David Angstrom) present the third track from their new album Vita Mors, due Sept. 20. Fueled by a true story of betrayal that could have been torn from TV and wrapped in lush Southern harmonies, Head In A Hole is as real as it gets. Drenched in killer riffs, thick grooves and a chorus you’ll chant for days after one listen.”
Atomis | Maelstrom
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Atomis, the avant-garde rock band known for their deeply immersive soundscapes, announce the release of The Void Box Set, a comprehensive tribute to our late drummer Nathan Navetto which contains all the music they’ve written. They usher in this release with a video for the single Maelstrom, which they comment on: “Recorded 10 years earlier, it makes sense to finish off the album with something familiar, taking the listener back to the beginning, creating a nice loop, and ending the album with a bang. This nine-minute-plus track has been called an album on its own and was previously the band’s only musical release for the last 14 years. It finally has an album to properly close out, as it was always intended.”
Quiescent Mantis | P.R.E.Y.
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Hailing from Tennessee, Quiescent Mantis unleashed primal fury with their debut album Here Comes The Swarm, produced by Yanic Bercier (Quo Vadis, Gone In April). The genre-defying release blends elements of hardcore, thrash, death, and metalcore into a whirlwind of relentless aggression. Today, the band unveil their latest playthrough for P.R.E.Y. from bassist Jordan McKenzie, filmed during the winter months earlier this year in the Smoky Mountains just South of Knoxville. The playthrough takes you on a visual yet technical adventure while the song creates a feeling of being hunted down by what seems to be an unstoppable force!”
Alunah | Far From Reality
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Birmingham hard rock pillars Alunah premiere their groovy single Far From Reality. Their new album Fever Dream is due Sept. 20. Alunah have wasted no time in a post-pandemic haze since their last release, balancing gigs on the European festival circuit alongside touring the U.K. However, in a Birmingham rehearsal room away from the outside world, everyday life and online noise, Fever Dream has been quietly brewing. Forged from a period of extensive jamming and soul searching, the album digs into the core of what makes Alunah tick: Being in a room together making the music they want to hear.”
Gigantum | For All My Friends
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Gigantum, a fresh rock band from L.A., are ready to show the scene their unique flavor on their debut self-titled album, due Sept. 6. Today they proudly present their third single For All My Friends, another showcase of the band’s ability to blend personal stories with innovative music. Bassist and primary lyricist Mia X reflects on the song’s creation: “I love to write. I like hearing what everyone is thinking or feeling and then coming up with a story for it. I need to hear the music and feel it to know what I’m going to say. The instruments always tell a story. Is more poppy with a bit of anger behind it. It jams out all the emotion. It’s about losing friends either purposely or through misunderstanding or death and the complicated feelings that go along with that.”
Triskelyon | Anarchy Avenue
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Canadian thrash metal gods Triskelyon have returned, delivering stainless steel fury on their upcoming third album Shattered Elysium, due Sept. 27. With their lethal third strike, band leader Geoff Waye once again drafted some of the finest emissaries of the Canadian metal scene. Enlisting the vocal talents of Amanda Kiernan (Into Eternity, Order of Chaos), Eric Forrest (E-Force, ex-Voivod), Tiina Teal (Détente), Amanda Jackman (Category VI), Armin Kamal (Infrared), Dale Drew (Sea Dogs), Fíochmhar (Artach), Des Mason and Pete Healey, this album detonates as a pure and true thrash metal masterpiece. “For Anarchy Avenue, I was thinking more about issues like urban decay, homelessness, corruption, the rich-poor divide, and how these factors contribute to the destruction and deterioration of some parts of cities,” Waye says. “Problems like increased violence, crime, drug use, etc., all become more prevalent in such environments, as you can see in most cities. The vocals on this track are by returning guest Armin Kamal from the band Infrared. As always, he delivers a stellar performance with some guttural parts and plenty of soaring melodic thrash — how can you not love it?”
Chain Code | A New Face
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Progressive rock fans, get ready to be captivated by the latest offering from Chain Code, a unique and complex solo project led by the enigmatic MuRphry. Chain Code just released their debut single A New Face, the first look at the debut Synthetic Outcomes, due out on Oct. 1. MuRphry comments: “The single concerns the effort and ingenuity that went into designing a technology that eventually encapsulates humanity’s inherent desire for self-destruction and war. This was the first song written for the album and has some of the best interplay between guitar parts.” A New Face is a short, frantic, and complex song that is as unpredictable as it is catchy. The song itself, like the album, is full of dire situations where human beings lose the fight for existence to AI and technology.”
Nok Novum | Ominous Kyle
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Canadian instrumental band Nok Novum, are embracing their diverse range of influences and dynamism as a progressive metal group on their long awaited sophomore album, II. Recorded over several years, II finds the band leaning into the production value of their 2015 singles, while reflecting the creativity of the writing seen in their 2012 debut, a fusion of ’70s progressive rock, jazz-fusion and heavy metal. “Being that we’re an instrumental band, we really have no desire necessarily to abide by conventions, in terms of songwriting and song structure, which really cultivates creativity and allows ideas to flow freely,” explains co-founder and drummer Brady Mason. II features the sinister and wide ranging focus track Ominous Kyle, which is energizing as much as it is unnerving. Says Mason: “This is a good one to headbang to — if you’re into that!”
Pythonic | Pills
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Saskatoon’s Pythonic continue their metal assault with the release of Pills, the second single from their upcoming EP 1, due Sept. 27. The single is the oldest song on the EP and the second song ever written by the band. The band add: “Pills is another fan favorite song, not as harped about as Epica is, but still held in very high regard. This song didn’t have a real solo for most of its life, but when it came to recording the leads, Ryan said he had a solo to throw in it, so Vince had not heard the solo at all up until this point hit record on the track and watched Ryan lay down one the tastiest solos for the recording.”
