Fractal Universe releases new live album featuring ‘Rhizomes of Insanity’ in its entirety; full live video of ‘Rhizomes of Insanity’ now online
Last year, Fractal Universe released their latest full-length, Rhizomes of Insanity, via Metal Blade Records, and toured across Europe in support of it. During their album release show at Le Gueulard+ in Nilvange, France, on April 19th, 2019, the band recorded their performance, where they played Rhizomes of Insanity in its entirety, along with some fan favorites.

Next month, Fractal Universe will hit the road again in Europe, this time with Obscura, God Dethroned, and Thulcandra. Fractal Universe comments: “We’re stoked to be part of this amazing line-up alongside Prog-Death giants Obscura as well as our Metal Blade label-mates from God Dethroned and German Death/Black heavyweights Thulcandra! This is a huge opportunity for the band and we’re looking forward to meeting old and new fans all over Europe! Special thanks to Kult Management and Obscura for their trust.”

See below for all upcoming dates!

Fractal Universe tour dates:
Jan. 19 – Bomal-sur-Ourthe (Belgium) – Damned Soul Fest
Jan. 31 – Esch/Alzette (Luxembourg) – Kulturfabrik

(w/ Obscura, God Dethroned, Thulcandra)
Feb. 14 – Metz (France) – Haunting the Chapel
Feb. 15 – Zug (Switzerland) – Galvanik
Feb. 16 – Bologna (Italy) – Locomotiv
Feb. 17 – Ljubljana (Slovenia) – Orto Bar
Feb. 18 – Graz (Austria) – Explosiv
Feb. 19 – Tuzla (Bosnia-Herzegovina) – Palma
Feb. 20 – Sofia (Bulgaria) – Mixtape5
Feb. 21 – Bucharest (Romania) – Quantic Club
Feb. 22 – Belgrade (Serbia) – Dom Omladine
Feb. 23 – Budapest (Hungary) – Dürer-Kert
Feb. 24 – Bratislava (Slovakia) – Randal
Feb. 25 – Prague (Czech Rep.) – Futurum
Feb. 26 – Krakow (Poland) – Kwadrat
Feb. 27 – Warsaw (Poland) – Proxima
Feb. 28 – Riga (Latvia) – Melna Piektdiena
Feb. 29 – Tallinn (Estonia) – Tapper Club
Mar. 1 – Helsinki (Finland) – Tavastia
Mar. 3 – Stockholm (Sweden) – Klubben
Mar. 4 – Oslo (Norway) – John Dee
Mar. 5 – Aarhus (Denmark) – Voxhall
Mar. 6 – Essen (Germany) – Turock
Mar. 7 – Landshut (Germany) – Rocket Club

Recently, Finnish singer/ bassist Marko Hietala announced his signing with Nuclear Blast for his upcoming solo album ‘Pyre Of The Black Heart’, that is set to be released on January 24th. Today, he reveals the lyric video for the second single ‘Voice of my Father’, which you can see here

Get the single digitally here: https://nblast.de/HietalaVoiceOfMyFather

Listen in NB New Releases playlist: http://nblast.de/SpotifyNewReleases / http://nblast.de/AppleMusicNewReleases

Pre-order ‘Pyre Of The Black Heart’ now on CD (Jewelcase) or Clear Vinyl via the following link: https://nblast.de/MarkoHietala-POTBH

About the goal behind his solo album, Marko Hietala comments, “Well, let’s put it this way: NIGHTWISH is without any doubt my main band, and thanks to income from that direction, I don’t have to be that commercially aware…what I mean is that when I was coming up with the musical thoughts for this solo record, I was able to do simply anything without limits. So if I had a goal, it was to not have any kind of limits, but to prepare an unpredictable, spontaneous, adventurous, ferocious and intimate solo record. And now when I am listening to the final album by myself, I can say with my hand on my heart that I – or rather us – pulled it off… The record is a really diverse musical roller coaster ride that takes eager listeners into a world of strong emotions and deep feelings!”

Hietala’s voice has barely faded away, and he is already honouring his skillful bandmates. “Even if ‘Pyre Of The Black Heart’ is definitely my solo album, I didn’t compose everything on my own. When the song writing process was really in full swing, I kept sending all the ideas to my long-time collaborators Tuomas Wäinölä [guitar] and Vili Ollila [keyboards], and this ingenious two-some came up with great additions and arrangements, one after another. Drummer Anssi Nykänen – who is simply a wizard behind his set – completed the line-up like no other.”

Shortly after the album release, there will also be a Marko Hietala solo tour. “Come February…we simply can’t wait to get out on the road! It will be amazing to perform these solo songs for all those multinational friends of my music”, Hietala says and continues: “I strongly recommend coming out to see my band during this run, entitled ‘Tour of the Black Heart’ as this will be my first and last European solo tour in a long time – or ever!”

See him live on one of the following shows:

‘Tour Of The Black Heart 2020’
w/ OCEANHOARSE
02.02.  D         Hamburg – Markthalle
04.02.  D         Frankfurt – Batschkapp
06.02.  D         Munich – Backstage
07.02.  D         Leipzig – der ANKER
08.02.  PL       Wroclaw – Centrum Koncertowe A2
09.02.  CZ       Prague – Roxy
11.02.  H         Budapest – Barba Negra
13.02.  D         Stuttgart – Im Wizemann
14.02.  CH       Pratteln – Z7
16.02.  D         Oberhausen – Turbinenhalle
17.02.  NL       Amsterdam – Melkweg
18.02.  F          Paris – La Machine du Moulin Rouge

w/ NIGHTWISH
05.05.  RCH     Santiago – Teatro Caupolicán
07.05.  RA       Buenos Aires – Luna Park (w/ BOUDIKA)
09.05.  BR       São Paulo – Espaço das Américas
10.05.  BR       Rio de Janeiro – Vivo Rio

KARG, project of the Harakiri for the sky vocalist, released a new video. Produced & directed by Oliver König (responsible for videos of Firtan, Imperium Dekadenz &Sun of the Sleepless) and Michael Winiecki. Taken from the album „Traktat“. To be released on february 7 via AOP Records…Quote J.J.„This song may be my own private autumn. It feels beautiful, yet everything is dying…”

KARG was founded back in the summer of 2006 as a one-man project by HARAKRI FOR THE SKY vocalist J.J., offering a furious and original mixture of Atmospheric Black Metal, Post Rock, Grunge, Shoegaze and Post Punk. The influences from other genres than Black Metal evolved more and more within the last few years but were there in abridged form since day one. Lyrically KARG always was about the more melancholic side of life, such as broken relationships, lost love, estrangement, drug abuse, loss or suicide thoughts and depression. In contrast to many other bands KARG’s lyrics are as equal important than its music is.

Victor Smolski’s ALMANAC are set to unleash their third studio album, Rush Of Death, on March 6th via Nuclear Blast. Today, the band unveil the first album trailer, in which Victor discusses the band line-up and album artwork

Pre-order Rush Of Death on various formats, here: https://nblast.de/AlmanacRushOfDeath

LMANAC won’t be resting on their laurels in regards to live shows either – they’re set to present tracks from Rush Of Death to fans in spring 2020, when the band joins the Finnish Horror Metal maniacs LORDI on their European tour.

Headline Shows
01.02.  DE         Hamm – HoppeGarden
15.02.  DE         Dusseldorf – Pitcher
29.02.  DE         Bocholt – Alte Molkerei
KillecTour 2020
w/ LORDI
05.03.    FR         Epinal – La Souris Verte
06.03.    FR         Paris – La Machine du Moulin Rouge
07.03.    NL          Sneek – Het Bolwerk
10.03.    DE         Munich – Backstage
12.03.    DE         Hamburg – Markthalle
13.03.    DE         Berlin – Kesselhaus
14.03.    DE         Leipzig – Hellraiser
15.03.    DE         Stuttgart – LKA Longhorn
18.03.    DE         Aschaffenburg – Colos-Saal
19.03.    DE         Nuremberg – Hirsch
20.03.    DE         Memmingen – Kaminwerk
21.03.    DE         Regensburg-Obertraubling – Eventhalle Airport
22.03.    CZ         Prague – Roxy
25.03     DE         Cologne – Essigfabrik
26.03.    CH         Pratteln – Z7
27.03.    DE         Heidelberg – halle02
28.03.    CH         Schaffhausen – Kammgarn
29.03.    NL         Amstelveen – P60

SERIOUS BLACK release their new album ‘Suite 226’ on 31st January, out on AFM Records. The band have released their second single & lyic video for ‘Let Me Go’, taken from upcoming album ‘Suite 226’.

After 18 months, Serious Black – Official are back with a bang with their killer new album ‘Suite 226’. They used their well-deserved time-out to design new concepts, to work on fresh material and also to build their own studio. Bassist Mario proudly announces: “The waiting comes to an end, we are fresh and rested. Above all, we are hungry to return to the stage.”

After guitarist Roland Grapow and bassist Mario Lochert hatched the idea of founding a Melodic Metal band in 2013, it was only a matter of time before these thoroughbred musicians, who earned their stripes in bands like FIREWIND, RHAPSODY, TAD MOROSE, EDENBRIDGE, VISION OF ATLANTIS and DREAMSCAPE, established the band in the Melodic Metal scene. In 2015 SERIOUS BLACK released their debut album ‘As Daylight Breaks’, gaining a chart entry, and completing their first headliner tour one year later. The fan base was growing steadily, followed by three successful albums, including live recordings and the unplugged version ‘First Light’ in 2017.

In 2020, the German-American band proudly present their highly anticipated fourth studio album ‘Suite 226’ that’s guaranteed to stir the Power Metal community’s blood. Unlike ‘Mirrorworld’ and ‘Magic’, which are more in a hard rock style, ‘Suite 226 features more driving guitars, catchy hooks and finest riffing as showcased in ‘As Daylight Breaks’.

After concept album ‘Magic’, ‘Suite 226’ tells a complete narrative of a mentally confused man who is torn between his own dreamworld, reality and evil. The protagonist has been held captive for many years in the dismal, cold padded cell number 226, the inhuman condition of the rotten psychiatrydriving him insane. In his imagination he is the mighty king who lives in his feudal castle surrounded by courtesans, good food and wine and commands an invincible army. Staggering between illusion and reality, he continues to be drawn into the maelstrom of madness, his life becomes a ride through purgatory accompanied by demons, anxiety attacks and paranoia.

SERIOUS BLACK’s ‘Suite 226’ is the perfect soundtrack for this trip to the place of damnation. Ruthless riffs meets catchy melodies, driven by a manic rhythm section, Urban Breed’s unleashed vocals add the necessary amount of insanity

Urban breed (Vocals), Dominik Sebastian (Guitar), Mario Lochert (Bass), Ramy Ali (Drums)

Pre-order here: https://fanlink.to/Suite226 https://www.facebook.com/seriousblackofficial/

A rapidly rising act in the South American metal scene, Semblant are more than ready to take the
world stage. The band have already received international praise from the metal community with
the 2014 release of their second album ‘Lunar Manifesto’, the singles from which (‘What Lies
Ahead’, ‘Dark Of the Day’ and ‘Incinerate’) have racked up over 30 million views on YouTube.
They are now ready for the next phase of their career with the upcoming release of their highly
anticipated new album, ‘Obscura’.

pre-order link: https://radi.al/Obscura

LIVE IN LONDON 06.04.20 – Underworld

Semblant formed in 2006 in Curitiba, Brazil when singer Sergio Mazul and keyboardist J. Augusto
joined forces to create music that featured all the dark and aggressive elements they loved in metal
music. The group eventually established a settled line-up with the addition of Mizuho Lin (female
vocals), Juliano Ribeiro (guitar), Welyntom ‘Thor’ Sikora (drums) and Johann Piper (bass).

States Mazul: “The last few years were really intense for the band. ‘Lunar Manifesto’ received a lot
of attention for quite a while after it was first released and it was actually issued twice, independently
at first, and then a second time with our previous label (and that meant we promoted it for longer
than originally intended). Besides that, we faced some extremely difficult moments in our personal
lives during the songwriting process of ‘Obscura’ and it definitely shows when you listen to it. We
put our hearts into this record to help us deal with all the trouble we were facing during that time.”

Guitarist Ribeiro adds: “‘Obscura’ is definitely a more mature record. We were really conscious of
how we wanted it to be since the beginning of the process, so we took all the time we needed to make
the album exactly how we wanted. It’s important to say that we’ve been together as a band for many
years now and it also had a big impact on the end result of this record.”

The first single from the album, ‘Mere Shadow’, features most of the band’s main characteristics: an
awesome duet between Mazul and Lin, catchy melodies and chorus and heavy riffs. It is an
excellent introduction to this new era of Semblant, so play it at an appropriate (LOUD) volume!

Semblant will tour Europe in April 2020:

02.04.20  NAMUR Belvédère
03.04.20  ROTTERDAM Baroeg
04.04.20  PARIS La Boule Noire
05.04.20  WEINHEIM Café Central
06.04.20  LONDON Underworld
09.04.20  LISBON RCA Club
10.04.20  MADRID Nazca
11.04.20  BARCELONA Razzmatazz 3
12.04.20  LYON Rock & Eat
14.04.20  PRATTELN Z7
15.04.20  BERLIN Music And Freinden
16.04.20  KRAKOW Zaścianek
17.04.20  BRATISLAVA Randal Club
18.04.20  ROME Traffic
19.04.20  MILAN Dedolor Music Headquarter
20.04.20  MUNICH Backstage

Being already possibly the first Russian metal band to ever succesfully tour the UK as headliners,  IMPERIAL AGE have announced dates of their second – and bigger – UK tour in April 2020, kicking off at The Dome in London. Prior to working on the highly anticipated follow up to 2018‘s ’The Legacy Of Atlantis‘ you can catch them here:

April 2020

16th            LONDON – The Dome
17th            BIRMINGHAM – Asylum
18th            MANCHESTER – Rebellion
19th            GLASGOW – Ivory Blacks

Founded in Moscow by singers/songwriters Alexander “Aor” Osipov and Jane “Corn” Odintsova in 2012, IMPERIAL AGE has become Russia‘s most famous symphonic metal band and the country‘s second most-internationally-touring rock act, achieving acclaim from fans, press and even the founder of symphonic metal – Christofer Johnsson (Therion) – himself.

Between 2016 – 2019 the band toured Europe 4 times, with a total of 103 concerts (out of those 38 as headliners). Musically, IMPERIAL AGE combine heavy metal with a symphony orchestra, folk instruments, 3 lead singers (1 male and 2 female) and a full choir. The records feature multiple collaborations with musicians from DIMMU BORGIR, RHAPSODY OF FIRE, THERION, ARKONA and the Moscow Conservatory Chamber Choir.

Lyrically, the band deals with the idea of ancient prehistoric advanced civilizations (Atlantis, Hyperborea, Lemuria) and their legacy in the form of the Western Magical Tradition (Hermetism, Kabbalah etc.) carried through history by secret societies and magical orders (Orphism, Templars, Rosenkreuz, Freemasons, Golden Dawn etc). As of 2019, IMPERIAL AGE have self released 2 studio albums and 1 EP. The records feature multiple collaborations with musicians from DIMMU BORGIR, RHAPSODY OF FIRE, THERION, ARKONA and the Moscow Conservatory Chamber Choir. All artwork by Jan Yrlund (MANOWAR). Mixing and mastering by Sergei Lazar (ARKONA).

The unstoppable DEVILSKIN unveil ‘Corrode’, a monstrous new video, first single and details of their long-awaited fourth album. The New Zealand four piece – who have toured with the likes of Slash, Halestorm, Motley Crue and Disturbed – have just announced that their new album, titled “Red”, will be released worldwide Friday April 3 on all formats across all platforms.

“We wanted to reflect the diversity, strength and depth of the songs on the album with an undeniable declaration,” says Devilskin bassist Paul Martin. “We are so very excited to share these songs, we are extremely proud of how far we have come and what we have achieved with this recording.” The single ‘Corrode’ encapsulates the red theme perfectly, it’s angsty lyrics tell of being completely overwhelmed and submerged in grime and stress. Fighting your way through it all and rising to ask for help. Directed by Alex Hargreaves (Alien Weaponry, Beastwars) filmed and edited by DOP Piotr Ziomus (Kwasnik Pictures) the video is powerful, confronting and evolves to show the bigger picture that we don’t always see in our own lives.

Martin continues, “Perspective is so important, more-often-than-not, the difference between our happy places and our darkest spaces is just the angle we are looking from. This song is about the journey and the challenges you need to face when you feel lost. It’s saying it’s fine to ask for help.”“Red” is the universal colour of passion, vitality, blood, danger, romance, anger, horror and love. Everything evocative. Of all the colours, “Red” is a warning and a statement.

Recorded at Roundhead Studios Auckland mid 2019 with the award-winning team of Producer Greg Haver and engineer/mixer Simon Gooding, this is the bands most complex, complete and confident collection of songs yet. “We really took our time with Red”, Martin enthuses, “we had the vision and we knew it had to be done right. The songs each have so much life and we felt a real duty to do them justice. There are some really personal and very real moments on this album. We absolutely did not hold back, there are songs about struggle, depression, suicide and loss and there are songs about strength, hope, victory and love. We demoed almost 30 songs for this album, so we had a lot of work to do to narrow the list down. One of last songs we wrote, it almost missed the cut too, but the throat punch we call Do You See Birds opens the album and sets the tone on a real rollercoaster of a ride. We felt it was especially important to give the listener a total immersive experience from start to finish. There’s lots of mood, colour and texture in the songs as well as between them. It’s a trip.”

The amazing response of the first two singles ‘Endo’ and ‘All Fall Down’ show the promise this album holds. Both songs receiving high rotate radio play and amassing serious numbers online. From the epic moodiness of ‘Blood & Bone’, the caged rage of ‘Same Life’, the visceral impact of ‘The Victor’, to the poignant beauty of ‘Sweet Release’, the resplendent grandeur of ‘Bright Lights’, right through to the swagger of ‘Be Like The River’ and the manic fury of ‘Everybody’s High But Me’, Devilskin have bared their soul with their finest performances yet. The album will be released digitally on all the usual formats, physically via CD and LP and there will be a limited-edition deluxe box set.

HUNTSMEN have today unveiled details of their upcoming new album, titled Mandala of Fear, as well as announcing a run of tour dates in support of the release. The recently expanded Chicago quintet have premiered the first track to be taken from the album – Ride Out – along with an accompanying video, animated by Seth Whitehurst of Shadow Puppet Horror Theatre. Pre-orders for  Mandala of Fear are now available and Ride Out is available on all streaming platforms.

Of the track vocalist, Chris Kang, comments: “Ride Out simmers with the adrenaline and gut churning dread of the dawn of battle. As one of humanity’s final wars ravages the land, sea, and air, a young soldier feels the coming storm in her bones and wonders if, when faced with taking a life, her rifle will be an extension of her will, or a lead weight in her hand.“

With Mandala of Fear, HUNTSMEN have returned to add a dynamic new chapter to the rich and varied tradition of great American storytelling. Massive in scope and spanning two full LPs, the album explores themes of trauma, recovery, and – ultimately – survival, through the lens of a fully formed sci-fi-esque tale set in the near future as unending desert war crumbles into apocalypse. The story is further told through a 32-page graphic novel that accompanies the 2LP set. Having enlisted Aimee Bueno to provide vocals for the final track of previous album, American Scrap, her role has since evolved into being an equal participant in the HUNTSMEN adventure.

Whilst storytelling has been – and remains – at the core of all that HUNTSMEN is, they continue to dissolve the boundaries between metal and the more traditional modes of folk and country. Mandala of Fear marries melody and progressive elements to create an undulating foundation to layer its dystopian missive on atop.

Recorded at Decade Studios in Chicago with Sanford Parker occupying the producer’s chair, Parker’s own love of true American storytellers such as Waylon Jennings further imbued the spirit of the tradition into every crevice of the album, while his leanings toward icy electronic music provide a chilling and gut-wrenching counterpoint.

As well as the already announced show supporting Om on the day of release, HUNTSMEN will hit the road in the days after, several shows will feature labelmates Snow Burial. The band will also head to Europe in May to play Desertfest London. More live shows will be announced in due course.

Drummer, Ray Knipe commented: “We wanted to play some of the cities that have been supportive of us in the past, alongside some of our favorite local bands and friends. As we plan for the rest of what will be a busy year, it seemed appropriate to keep this run of shows short and to the point to make sure we celebrate our album release tactically.”

3/13 – Garfield Park Conservatory, Chicago, IL*
3/14 – Mag Bar, Louisville, KY
3/20 – Mulligans Pub, Grand Rapids, MI *
3/21 – Metal Monkey Brewery, Romeoville, IL *
3/26 – Barley Pop, Madison, WI
3/27 – Blu Room, Dubuque, IA @ Blu Room
3/28 – Part Wolf Upstairs, Minneapolis MN

Finnish gothic dark-electro band Miseria Ultima released their second album Graygarden. Physical album is released by Advoxya Records and digital release is handled by Inverse Records. Aleksi Martikainen comments: “Graygarden is about denial of mortality. A haven, where a person is a kept imprisoned, an illusion of that, everything is eternal. Fighting against nature and inevitable loss.”

Miseria Ultima was founded in the beginning of 2017. Both of the members were involved in a Doom Metal band Ordog. The band’s debut album Phosphor was released in late 2017 by Advoxya Records. They have made numerous shows both in Finland and abroad.

Listen to the album on:​
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3ac0We3
Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/us/album/121618362
Tidal: https://listen.tidal.com/album/124451843
Apple Music: https://apple.co/2QTVtB0
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2uKfbGy