Metal Riot

Crusty Death/Doom outfit VALLENFYRE , one of the most killer bands in heavy music will release its third album, Fear Those Who Fear Him, via Century Media Records on June 2nd, 2017.

Now, the band proudly presents the first single and video clip for this opus. Greg Mackintosh (vocals and guitar) comments: “’Kill All Your Masters’ is about the frustration and anger we feel towards the many people and regimes in positions of power, whether it be political, religious or corporate, inflicting crimes and injustices on an often docile and enslaved population, who in many ways seem happy to be told what to do by anything from ancient books to lifestyle magazines.”

If you are on extra edge from how fucking dumb the world has been of late, this is some much needed riff/hate therapy.

Album Purchase options HERE.

EARTH ELECTRIC, the hard rock brainchild of Norwegian guitarist Rune Eriksen (ex-MAYHEM, AURA NOIR, TWILIGHT OF THE GODS, ex-AVA INFERI) are streaming another new track off their forthcoming album, ‘Vol. 1: Solar’. The track, a symphonic hard rock opus titled “The Endless Road” is streaming now, here.

Regarding the new track, EARTH ELECTRIC comments:

“We have chosen ‘The Endless Road’ as the third and final single from ‘Vol.1 Solar’. This one used to be called ‘Burn’ when it was in my Cubase folder – most likely due to the umpteen amount of times I’ve traveled abroad with that glorious Deep Purple album on my headphones. Somehow something must have slipped in; however, I digress. For me, this song represents something alluring and charming yet indefinitely old, something untamed and wild, something that transcribes perfectly into our unique take on hard rock. Carmen’s interest in Gypsy magic and aesthetics is massively present in the lyrics and the hypnotic melodies move forward in a carefree and sort of ‘unattached’ way assisting the music. To be honest, what is a rock band without having a song dedicated to these mysterious traveling people?”

As the press release says: ‘Vol. 1: Solar’, sees the renowned musician joined by front-woman Carmen Simoes (ex-AVA INFERI, ex-MOONSPELL), and marks a return to his roots by exploring a more progressive sound firmly based on rock music. Recorded in Orgone Studio with acclaimed producer Jaime Gomez Arellano (GHOST, CATHEDRAL, PARADISE LOST, PRIMORDIAL), ‘ Vol. 1: Solar’ will be released via Season of Mist worldwide on May 12.

I interviewed Rune once for the defunct Crusher Magazine years ago in the real Myspace days when he was in Ava Inferi and he was great to talk to. So cool to know he is doing music with Carmen again, one of the greatest singers in rock and metal who deserves way more acclaim. I also felt Mayhem was never as powerful again since Rune left, though they tried.

‘ Vol. 1: Solar’ is available for pre-order across multiple CD and LP formats at the Season of Mist E-Shop.

The artwork  was illustrated by Costin Chioreanu (GHOST, WATAIN, MAYHEM).

Sweden’s Below are a strong doom band who, like Pilgrim and October Tide off the top of my head, could deserve a bit wider following. The group’s last record Across The Dark River had some really good moments. I especially dug the song “The Whitechapel Murderer” , which almost called to mind if Tony Martin had sung on the doomiest moments of Heaven & Hell’s The Devil You Know instead of RJD. Now the band is back with another sort of out of focus charcoal grave rubbing looking album cover to go with their dark sonic vision.

The new record Upon A Pale Horse will be out via Metal Blade mid May and you can hear first song “1,000 broken bones” (which sounds more like a Cannibal Corpse song name than doom metal, haha) right HERE. All metal genre jokes aside, we really dig this act. Check them out pronto!

Below comments: “With ‘Upon a Pale Horse‘ we feel that we have found our sound. We have grown as songwriters and this album contains our fastest and slowest, shortest and longest, heaviest and most melodic songs to date. Making this album more diverse yet still staying true to the core of heavy riffs and melodies that is Below. We recorded ‘Upon a Pale Horse‘ in Deep Blue Studios, the studio where we recorded our first EP, so in some sense it felt like we were returning to our roots.”

Outlandish and mysterious Icelandic rock band SÓLSTAFIR are streaming the second new track off their new album Berdreyminn. The  album closer titled “Bláfjall” is streaming now both at the indie music outlet Brooklyn Vegan and metal site Invisible Oranges. 

It seems the Guðmundur Óli Pálmason situation, though certainly stressful for all parties, did not stop the remaining members from creating new, strong art. This latest song is more driving than recent material with am interesting, proggy/classic rock bent. The vocals seem more pained. I can’t stop listening to it, frankly. Very cool.

Regarding the new track, SÓLSTAFIR vocalist/guitarist Aðalbjörn Tryggvason comments on the personal meaning behind the track and its intent: “The meaning of ‘Bláfjall’ is blue – as in a black, black mountain, and it revolves around man’s battle against his own mind and those inner demons that often lead to self-destruction and harming one’s loved ones. I have myself struggled with alcoholism and it remains a never-ending battle and continuously walking further up a mountain in foggy darkness. But this is also about hope, because there is a way out, but you have to grab that rope when it comes swinging towards you and hold on to it as tight as you can. Everybody can end up lost on the black mountain, or ‘Bláfjall’ in this case.“