Japanese metalcore rockers Crystal Lake yesterday released the music video for their song “Sanctuary.”
“Sanctuary” is from the band’s 2018 album Helix (JMS / Cube Records / SharpTone Records). The video was directed by Inni Vision with additional footage by John Gyllhamn.
Check out the video here.
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Pittsburgh deathcore metallers Signs of the Swarm are preparing to head to Asia in February for the first time!
The band will be touring in support of their album Vital Deprivation. The tour will start on February 8 and run through February 23, heading to Thailand, and through China and Japan.
Before heading to Asia Signs of the Swarm will be playing in North America as part of the Melancholy Winter Tour headlined by Shadow of Intent. That tour also included Inferi and Brand of Sacrifice and runs from January 16 to February 1.
Check out full Signs of the Swarm tour dates here.
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California Christian metal label Facedown Records has announced 2020’s Facedown Fest!
This year’s Facedown Fest will take place from March 6-7 at Chain Reaction in Anaheim, California!
The lineup includes War of Ages, Bloody Sunday, Dynasty, Deathbreaker, My Epic, Comrades, Everything in Slow Motion, Dens, Weathered, and American Arson.
The fest will see Bloody Sunday reuniting with their They Attack At Dawn lineup.
Check out the Facedown Fest 2020 playlist over at Spotify.
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Jessica Rae Fisher
The following is the personal list of year end album top 5 favorites from frequent yearly Metal Riot contributor Jessica Rae Fisher, aka Longhairedpoet. Much appreciation to Jessica for your support of the metal scene. \m/
Motionless in White – Disguise
Motionless in White brought the heat this year with Disguise. Chris Motionless brought some disgusting vocals. The stand out track for me was “Thoughts & Prayers.”
Thy Art Is Murder – Human Target
Thy Art is Murder never fail to disappoint and that is no less true this year with Human Target. The album starts with the brutal title track, but the album hinges, for me, around “Death Squad Anthem” and “Make America Hate Again.”
Ashbringer – Absolution
Ashbringer’s Absolution is probably the most “one of these things is not like the other” of my picks for this year, but the soundscapes that the band creates on the album, especially in both parts of “Eternal Separation,” are undeniably amazing. With tracks ranging from just over 7 minutes to 10 minutes 20 seconds, this 1 hour and 8-minute album is a marathon and not a sprint. Let each track envelope you in itself. It’s well worth it.
Counterparts – Nothing Left to Love
“Wings of Nightmares” really brought me into this album. These Hamilton, Ontario, Canadian hardcore metallers won me over this year with their combination of punishing instrumentation and emotive lyrics. Also check out “Paradise and Plague.”
Upon A Burning Body – Southern Hostility
Upon a Burning Body pushed through to stand out this year with Southern Hostility. This follow-up to their 2016 effort Straight From The Barrio has a strong opener in the track “Southern Hostility,” faithful to UABB’s style. Other standout tracks include “King of Diamonds,” “Burn,” and “Soul Searcher.”
Happy Halloween, y’all. Have a fun, safe and spirited night. Don’t eat more candy than is reasonable. Listen to some Ministry or King Diamond or Afi or Wednesday 13 or somethin’ and also be sure to take advantage of Bridge Nine’s one day merch sale while you still can.
Happy Halloween! Take 25% off everything, except for pre-orders and new releases, today only! Just use the code CRIMSONGHOST at checkout.
SHOP HERE
New album alert! The Agonist are back… faster, harder, and darker than ever. Their new album Orphans is a thesis in evolution: After 5 years, 2 albums and countless international gigs (with the current lineup), the band have gelled into a paragon of extreme music. In this spectacularly dark work of art, The Agonist combine the melodic death you know and love with an array of other elements (including groovy prog metal and metalcore) that will keep you guessing all the way to the end. Each component shines: In addition to Danny Marino’s multilayered guitar parts, expect pulsing bass lines, machine-gun drums, harmonic clean vocals, and even vocalist Vicky Psarakis singing in Greek. This album is sure to please longtime fans as well as pull in new ones.
And speaking of Vicky Psarakis, this week we had the opportunity to speak with her about Orphans, The Agonist’s upcoming tour with Jinjer, and more.
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Pittsburgh metallers Signs of the Swarm have released their newest lyric video for their track “Tempting Death.” The track features Tom Barber of Chelsea Grin.
The track was released via Slam Worldwide and comes off the band’s forthcoming album Vital Deprivation. The album is due out October 11 via Unique Leader Records. The 10 track album was recorded, mixed, and mastered by Carson Slovak and Grant McFarland (August Burns Red, Rivers of Nihil, The Last Ten Seconds of Life) at Think Loud Studios in York, Pa.
Signs of the Swarm said of the release:
“We are pleased to present our third album via Unique Leader Records, Vital Deprivation. We began writing for the album shortly after TDOE was released. From the beginning we had a sound in mind that was more aggressive and fast paced, but equally as brutal as our previous releases. What makes this album different from our past is that we wrote with pleasing ourselves in mind first and foremost. We’ve covered a lot of ground in just under 40 minutes. Some of the album may be what you expect to hear from us, and hopefully some may not. David Simonich is a powerhouse of a vocalist bringing a whole new range of motion to the band’s spectrum. His lyrical content and cadence bring a more emotional and poetic energy to Signs while retaining the aggression he’s become known for. We’d like to thank Carson Slovak & Grant McFarland for helping us to shape this album into a coherent message from beginning to end. Thank you to our fans who have supported us relentlessly, this is the first of many to come. Please enjoy Vital Deprivation.”
Signs of the Swarm will hit the road this Fall as part of the Disentomb-headlined Bloodletting North America tour alongside Visceral Disgorge, Continuum, Organectomy, and Mental Cruelty.
Check out the video for “Tempting Death” and Signs of the Swarm tour dates here.
I am a big Killswitch Engage fan and will always have a place for them in my heart of moshing hearts. I have fond memories of seeing the band live with various line-ups from Ozzfest to touring with Disturbed to Jesse’s first show back at NEMHC (that was insane) and more. It is hard to say who is my favorite vocalist for the band as my two favorite records from the band Disarm the Descent and The End of Heartache each feature a different lead singer. I think Jesse has the edge for me lyrically but there is something about Howard’s big melodic voice I always really loved. No shade on Jesse’s singing though, which is also the force propelling many anthems.
Suffice to say, “The Signal Fire” track from the band’s new album bringing Howard and Jesse together for fans again was anticipated! I don’t feel let down. The video is great and shows a lot of love plus the songs high speed intro makes me think the band had a lot of fun touring with Anthrax. I have been jamming the promo for Atonement and am glad now the public can have as much fun with the record as I have. I coulda used a little more of that big melodic Howard voice on this someplace, but overall the song showcases both of them well -if understandably leaning more towards the current (and OG) singer Jesse.
I know y’all are gassed up at Slipknot being #1 right now but can we get KSE to #2?
“This video is a demonstration of solidarity and unity,” says Leach. “This is for the fans and this is our testimony to all who see this video. In these times we live in, I believe this is an important message – not just for us as a band and our fans but for all of humanity. This is a call for compassion and understanding! There is strength in unity.”
Leach continues, “The making of the video was a great experience as well. Just all of us guys hanging out and having fun together. Ian McFarland did a hell of a job capturing the vibe and energy of our performances.”
“It was another silly day at the office,” says Jones. “Good food, lots of wrestling talk, and hanging with the boys is a great way to spend the day and get a little work done. Shout out to Ian McFarland for making everything painless at the shoot. The day was all smiles – with a hint of metal.”
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Grammy-nominated and Gold-selling hard rock heavyweights Killswitch Engage have just dropped the new song “I Am Broken Too.” Listen and watch the lyric video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqHJPpXmYuI – which features singer Jesse Leach’s handwritten lyrics.
The song appears on the band’s eighth album, Atonement, out August 16th on Metal Blade Records. The album is available for pre-order here: https://smarturl.it/kse-atonement. Killswitch Engage previously shared the new single “Unleashed.” Watch the visualizer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lm-sI1EB8BA
Leach discussed the song exclusively with Alternative Press. Read the interview here: https://www.altpress.com/features/killswitch-engage-i-am-broken-too-jesse-leach-interview
The band is also donating a portion of the proceeds from the song to Hope for the Day (https://www.hftd.org/), a Chicago-based non-profit organization that focuses on suicide prevention by providing outreach and mental health education through the use of music and art. “This song is very near and dear to my heart,” Leach explains. “I wanted the listener to feel the urgency, the heaviness of the topic as well as a possible connection. Many people suffer from mental illness in one form or another. I want nothing more than for people to feel like they are not alone in this struggle. There is always someone there to help, to listen, and to be there for you. Don’t lose hope and don’t let your brokenness consume you. Broken can be fixed, or at the very least, maintained. No one is alone in this fight.”
Regarding the decision to work with Hope for the Day, Leach says, “I personally chose Hope for the Day to be the organization we partner with for this song. I admire their tireless efforts to spread mental awareness and suicide prevention. The phrase and the hashtag #ItsOkNotToBeOk is a simple yet powerful statement. I think it coincides with #IamBrokenToo perfectly! Johnny Boucher and his organization are out spreading the powerful message of connectivity and solidarity in this fight for understanding mental health issues. I’m honored to have them on our team for this song and this movement to continue to raise awareness and keep the conversation going for mental health issues.”
“‘I Am Broken Too’ is a song that truly encompasses what we need to be doing in society, talking about what we have been through,” Boucher says. “We know that by talking about our experiences, we are able to relate and be encouraged to ask for help. Hope for the Day has been working with KsE on breaking the silence around mental health since 2014, and we couldn’t be more excited to continue working with them on raising the visibility of resources in our communities.”
Killswitch Engage will be doing an exclusive in-store performance on August 14th at 5pm PT at Amoeba Music Hollywood. Fans will be able to purchase the album to get guaranteed admission and a limited-edition “Live at Amoeba” poster. All further details about this show are here: https://www.amoeba.com/live-shows/upcoming/detail-4846/
The band will also perform a special intimate show at The Space in Las Vegas on August 13th. Tickets go on sale today at this location: https://www.thespacelv.com/
Killswitch Engage are currently on tour with Clutch (see dates below). Fans attending the dates with Clutch will be able to purchase a limited edition laminate containing a unique code to receive a CD copy of the new album Atonement delivered to their front door on or just prior to the August 16th release date (may not apply for some of the festival dates).
More BELOW.
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Pennsylvania metallers War of Ages have announced their newest album Void to be released on September 13 via Facedown Records.
Void is the follow up to 2017’s Alpha and was recorded at Sicktones Studios.
Check out the first two tracks off of Void – “Miles Apart” and “Sulphur and Salt” over on the band’s Spotify.
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Boston metalcore group ICE NINE KILLS have achieved a new career highlight by landing their current single “A Grave Mistake” in the Top 10 on Billboard’s Active Mainstream Rock Radio chart. The song, now positioned at #10, is from their fifth full-length album THE SILVER SCREAM, out now via Fearless Records which has surpassed 70,000 albums sold. Listen to “A Grave Mistake” and its music video, which is part of a mini-series mini-series that injects their own narrative into the famous movies they pay homage to below.
Tour dates BELOW.
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ON SALE NOWhttps://t.co/R2gufcZL0e pic.twitter.com/ghovFQTtnG
— The Acacia Strain (@theacaciastrain) May 22, 2019
The Acacia Strain will tour with Kublai Khan, Judiciary, and Chamber this summer for the “Impact Crater Tour 2019.” Dates are listed below and for the fuck of it first I am also throwing in one of their nastiest newer jams “Dark Harvest” cuz you know you wanna crank that shit today.
7/31 Waterford, NY @ Chrome
8/1 Rochester, NY @ Montage Music Hall
8/2 Lakewood, OH @ The Foundry
8/3 Detroit, MI @ The Shelter
8/4 Cudahy, WI @ X-Ray Arcade
8/6 Iowa City, IA @ Blue Moose Tap House
8/7 St. Louis, MO @ Fubar
8/8 Nashville, TN @ The End
8/9 Knoxville, TN @ The Concourse
8/10 Augusta, GA @ The Epicenter
8/11 Charlotte, NC @ Amos’ Southend
8/13 Louisville, KY @ The Tiger Room
8/14 Cincinnati, OH @ Northside Yacht Club
8/15 Pittsburgh, PA @ Rex Theater
8/16 Richmond, VA @ Canal Club
8/18 Brooklyn, NY @ Saint Vitus
Metalcore mainstays Killswitch Engage and hard rockers Clutch will hit the road this summer for a North American co-headline and festival tour. The John and Mackie version of Cro-Mags (“Cro-Mags JM”) is on this one as well, so it is certainly an energized line-up.
Dates below.
7/11 London, ON @ Rock the Park Festival
7/12 Syracuse, NY @ SI Hall
7/13 Inwood, WV @ Earth Rocker Festival
7/14 Myrtle Beach, SC @ House of Blues
7/16 Fort Wayne, IN @ The Clyde
7/18 Sioux City, IA @ Hard Rock & Casin
7/19 Cadott, WI @ Cadott Rock Fest
7/20 OshKosh, WI @ Rock USA Festival 2019
7/22 Tulsa, OK @ The Brady Theater
7/23 St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant
7/25 Bethlehem, PA @ Sands Event Center
7/26 Asbury Park, NJ @ Stone Pony Outdoors
7/27 Montreal, QC @ Heavy Montreal
7/28 Bangor, ME @ Impact Festival
7/30 Huntington, NY @ The Paramount
8/1 Columbus, OH @ Express Live
8/2 Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE Outdoors
8/3 Port Chester, NY @ Capital Theater
8/4 Worcester, MA @ Palladium Outdoors
Gloom-core freaky deakies Motionless In White have quite a vast following of similarly minded ghouls who have been waiting for the band to release more stuff from Disguise (available June 7th). Well, the band have a new video out for “Undead Ahead 2: The Tale of the Midnight Ride” which you can check out below!
I gotta say they are getting better at perfecting the heavy to spooky combo-splatter platter and the animation is pretty rad. Plus, the cleans sound a lot more confident. We stan Headless Horseman romantic tragedy-core!
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Cave In will always be one of my favorite bands and one who made an undeniable dent on underground history. The band has announced a record called Final Transmission, featuring the last recordings of Caleb Scofield. If this is their final record, it is a fitting and dignified end to the band’s tenure.
It is impossible to hear “All Illusion” and not have some serious feels. Really gorgeous tune and fits seamlessly into their already profound and beloved catalogue. I hope this release serves as a way for the band to feel closer to their legacy than ever and helps to soothe some of the loss whole also comforting fans and giving us great new songs to enjoy for years.
Add to My RadarLinks to pre-order new album “Final Transmission” available everywhere June 7th, 2019 via @HydraHead
Germany: https://t.co/XvVKuRH1HT
— CAVE IN (@SonicDeathwall) April 8, 2019
Queensrÿche have many great eras and albums, the best of which is a hotly debated topic amongst rock fans. I love almost everything they have ever done (especially Empire, Condition Human, Tribe and Rage For Order being my personal faves - don't yell at me Mindcrime fanatics, haha). It is flat out dumb not to respect them and consider them a very important legacy band. Tate and La Torre are both vocal giants who have led the always skilled line ups and there is always something to offer. Anyway, the band still kicks ass and The Verdict was another killer release last year on Century Media.
"Inner Unrest" is their new video from that album, a song tackling PTSD. "'Inner Unrest' is an abstract characterization loosely based on the struggles dealing with PTSD. The internal and external battles one must fight daily," states Queensryche frontman Todd LaTorre about the track.
See the band live with John 5 and Eve To Adam in 2020!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSnXabEh7Xg&feature=youtu.be
