What’s better than four of a kind? Five of a kind, of course. That’s the winning hand you’re getting dealt right now — and you won’t find a joker in this pack. Got all in — or read ’em and weep:
SigSour | And It Goes
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Flourishing from a solo project by Evan Jodrey (guitar / vocals), Halifax’s SigSour have become a solid powerhouse trio bonded by Trey Gabriel (bass / vocals) and Quenny Stevens (drums). Their first studio album Apathetic Generation, produced and mixed by Don Levandier (The Motorleague), is due later this year. Apathetic Generation will “showcase all of what we are and can do,” says Jodrey. “With each song telling a different story and having its unique vibe, we hope there’s at least one song in the entire album that someone can relate to and head-bang to.” To preview what’s to come, they are sharing And It Goes, the first song tracked on the album. “The lyrics portray one’s life being mastered by addiction and constantly finding yourself in an endless cycle of pain and confusion. The release from all the pain is in the chorus, searching for answers amidst the struggle.”
These Cursed Hands | Perihelion
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Emerging from Portland’s thriving metal underground, These Cursed Hands unveil a visually stunning video for Perihelion, from their recent EP Intelligent (RE)Design. These Cursed Hands continue to push the boundaries of modern metal, crafting a distinctive sound that seamlessly fuses black, progressive, core, death, and thrash elements. Their EP weaves a dark narrative of divine beings who, weary of humanity’s existence, engineer a cybernetic fungal evolution through possessive spores. “Musically, this album is a dynamic array of sounds and styles, featuring everything from melodic death and black metal to chunky deathcore and brutal death, with even some more ambient sections to haunt the listener,” they say. “Perihelion is our most structurally complex song, moving between haunting ambiance, crushing death metal, and deathcore riffs.”
Vortex | Haunting The Abyss
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Vortex have released a video for their single Haunting the Abyss, directed by Chris Kells (The Agonist). It’s the second single from their upcoming EP Alien Realms, due April 11. They say: “This song begins with a melancholic black metal section before transitioning into a verse that I’d describe as a modern death metal take on the main riff of Metal Church by the band of the same name. For this EP, we focused on writing memorable, epic choruses, and this one is a perfect example of that. This song showcases Vortex at its best. We put a lot of hard work into it, and we truly believe it’s the standout track on Alien Realms.” The video, crafted by Kells’ visionary direction, perfectly captures the band’s blend of technical proficiency and atmospheric intensity.”
Svnth | Narrow, Narrow
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Italian experimental metal outfit Svnth’s new album Pink Noise Youth will be unveiled April 18. The latest preview of their fourth full-length is Narrow, Narrow, a song with a dreamy Deftones-like intro soaked in delay and reverb — until it evolves into a hardcore-oriented explosion with black metal screams and shoegazey sections. Svnth explain: “As much as the song Wings Of The Ark from the previous album Spring in Blue was based on the experience of a loss during childhood, this song does the same but in the late youth phase of life. The final refrain: ‘We will never come back again, but we’ll always be here’ is intended to be considered a sort of anthem that reflects on the shortness of our life as humans compared to the eternity of our memory that remained in the people we left.”
Shores Of Null | Quiescent (Live)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Italian melancholic dark metal band Shores Of Null will drop their first live album Beauty Over Europe on May 9. It features 10 tracks recorded during their monumental 2023 European tour with Swallow The Sun, Draconian and Avatarium. On that tour, Shores of Null played 35 shows across 18 countries, bringing their album The Loss Of Beauty to the stage. The live recordings preserve the raw and emotive energy of their performances. Each track reflects the band’s ability to blend melancholic melodies with crushing heaviness, offering fans a visceral live experience. Beauty Over Europe is both a celebration of the tour and a gift to all fans of the band. Exactly two years after that unforgettable journey, this live album offers a chance to relive the emotional intensity and true essence of Shores Of Null’s live performances.”
