RADAR Festival has announced a second wave of bands for its second edition, held in Guildford, UK, following the smash success of the first event in 2019.

Announced today are second headliners and progressive heavyweights HAKEN, one of the most exciting new metal bands in CONJURER (Stage Two headliners) and Australian favourites VOYAGER, among others. They join the other headliners in Swedish fusion masters Dirty Loops (first ever UK performance), instrumental master Plini, and more.

Early bird tickets for RADAR Festival have already sold out.

Purchase: https://radarfestival.seetickets.com

Full list of bands announced today:

Haken
Conjurer
Voyager
Unprocessed
Jakub Zytecki
David Maxim Micic
I Built The Sky
Palm Reader
Nick Johnston
Hypophora
Tiberius

Full list of bands playing:

Dirty Loops
Haken
Plini
Toska
Humanity's Last Breath
Conjurer
Hacktivist
Voyager
Unprocessed
Jakub Zytecki
David Maxim Micic
The Physics House Band
I Built The Sky
Palm Reader
Nick Johnston
Hypophora
Time, The Valuator
Tiberius

RADAR Festival co-organiser Catherine Jackson comments: "We are delighted to be able to announce the next wave of bands for RADAR 2020. 'The difficult second festival' puts pressure on ensuring that we meet the high expectations we set others and ourselves by having such a varied and successful inaugural year with RADAR 2019.

The first wave saw the announcement of the first ever UK show by Dirty Loops, and we are keeping to the formula of providing a wealth of fantastic progressive music by announcing HAKEN as our other headliners for 2020. Our intention is always to pour a mix of artists, styles, genres and surprises into a huge melting pot to curate an unforgettable RADAR experience. There's a true mix of heavier sounds such as Palm Reader to the beautifully melodic Voyager and we recognise that the music taste of our audience is as wide as ours, the curators. 

We have an amazing third wave announcement coming in the next few months, it's going to be difficult to contain our excitement as the whole festival is laid out for you all to enjoy, and we can't wait to do it all again."

RADAR Festival is held in Guildford, Surrey, on 31st July and 01st August 2020.

With their mixture of international talent and confirmed homegrown success, RADAR Festival position themselves as champions of forward-thinking guitar-led music. Launched in 2019 to acclaim, with performances from Animals As Leaders, Agent Fresco, Rolo Tomassi and more, the new festival is already making a claim as one of the UK's most exciting progressive music events. 

For more information:
Instagram: RDRfestival // Facebook: RDRfestival
Twitter: @RDRfestival // Website: www.radarfestival.co.uk

Rock quintet INTECHNICOLOUR have released a video for the new single 'Big Sleeper', the title-track from their debut album which is due for release on 21st February 2020 via Big Scary Monsters. 

Check out the video for 'Big Sleeper' here: https://youtu.be/knYJsgT6NWo

Guitarist Dave Jackson comments on the single:

"This song used to be called 'Sexy Boys' but we changed it to 'Big Sleeper' in a vein attempt to increase our chances of getting on Top Of The Pops...then we realised the programme had been cancelled and regretted our decision terribly!"

Pre-order the band's debut album Big Sleeper and stream the new single here: https://orcd.co/sleeper

INTECHNICOLOUR will play a series of headline shows in February, March and April in support of the new album, joined by CLT DRP and Operation Kino on select dates. 

19.02.2020 – Glasgow, Broadcast (w/ CLT DRP)
20.02.2020 – Bristol, The Exchange (w/ CLT DRP)
21.02.2020 – London, The Black Heart (w/ CLT DRP)
22.02.2020 – Southampton, Heartbreaker's (w/ CLT DRP)
23.02.2020 – Brighton, The Pipeline (w/ Operation Kino)
26.03.2020 – Worthing, Bar 42 (w/ Operation Kino)
27.03.2020 - Tunbridge Wells, Forum Basement (w/ Operation Kino) 
28.03.2020 - Hastings, Crawley's (w/ Operation Kino)
23.04.2020 - Cheltenham, Frog And Fiddle (w/ Operation Kino)

Hailing from Brighton, INTECHNICOLOUR are a riffy, groovy, rock band with a knack for creating a colourful song or two. Formed in 2015 through a want to play loud music through slightly broken amps, the basis of the band was created.

Comprised of members from the likes of Delta Sleep, LUO and Broker the five-piece are a fully-formed band of technically gifted musicians, cutting loose and playing music that’s about as far removed from their day jobs as it’s possible to get – and they are doing it better than a good portion of their contemporaries. Landing somewhere between the slack desert-groove of Kyuss and Karma to Burn, the band combine deeply satisfying riffs with a dynamic vocal style, which calls to mind the sounds of Baroness, Gojira and Mastodon.
 
The band have previously been quoted as saying that they "literally have nothing to say about themselves," but with music this good, it’s highly likely that there’ll be plenty of others willing to do the talking for them.

INTECHNICOLOUR have previously toured across the UK and Europe with the likes of Physics House Band, Black Peaks, Town Portal, Bitch Falcon and Haggard Cat. The band concluded 2019 with a performance at Big Scary Monsters’ Xmas Party, with headline dates confirmed in support of the album.

For more information:
https://www.facebook.com/Intechnicolourband/
https://twitter.com/intechnicolour_
https://www.instagram.com/intechnicolour/

Emerging from the nihilistic quagmire of London, four-piece BEGGAR have announced their debut album Compelled To Repeat will be released on April 3rd via APF Records. Not so much unleashing their album as hurling it in frustration into the faces of the general public, BEGGAR propound a kind of sludge-meets-extreme-metal pandemic of tar thick riffs and groove, blasts, emotional vocal discharge and genre-bending brutality.

Pre-order Compelled To Repeat here: https://apfrecords.co.uk/albums/compelled-to-repeat 

Originally premiered via Decibel Magazine, the band have also released their new single 'Black Cloud'. View the video here: https://youtu.be/88bRdViMCms

Recorded with Wayne Adams (responsible for recent works by Green Lung, 11Paranoias and Terminal Cheesecake) at Bear Bites Horse, London and mastered by the master of noise himself, James Plotkin (Sunn O))), ISIS, Pelican and Earth), Compelled To Repeat is a fuming tornado of aggression and frustration, offering a glimpse into a new sphere of savagery. 

Originally founded in Bristol in 2011 as a means of melding big riffs and grooves with a blackened mode of expression, BEGGAR have honed their bubbling hatred over a series of EPs into something that might defy categorisation altogether. 
 
Impossible to fit solely within the sludge bracket, their sound nonetheless nods to the huge monoliths of tone that such a tag implies. More multi-faceted than the death metal or hardcore genres would allow, BEGGAR still use the sheer brutality and visceral dynamics of those styles as their primary means of propulsion. Fans of bands such as Iron Monkey, Eyehategod and Napalm Death will all find a comfortable auditory home with BEGGAR. Most will find it a hard journey and startlingly abhorent, but for the brave few lies a raucous audio initiation into the hellish world of BEGGAR.  

BEGGAR will release their debut album, Compelled to Repeat, on April 3rd 2020 via APF Records. Preorder via APF Records or Bandcamp. 

FORTHCOMING GIGS/TOUR DATES: 

26 March - London launch at the Dev, UK (with Road Mutant, Wallowing)
27 March - Bristol launch at Old England, UK (with TBA)
28 March – Record Junkie, Sheffield, UK (with Dopelord)
29 March – The Bread Shed, Manchester, UK (Riffolution Festival)
6 June – Boom, Leeds, UK (Stonebaked Festival)
5 Nov – Star & Garter, Manchester, UK (with Desert Storm)
6 Nov – Ivory Blacks, Glasgow, UK (with Desert Storm)
7 Nov – Tap ‘n’ Tumbler, Nottingham, UK (with Desert Storm)
 
Find out more about the band 
Facebook || Bandcamp || Instagram || APF Records

Texas, USA Death act I AM have signed a worldwide deal with Entertainment One ("eOne") with plans to release a new LP later this year.

Check out latest single 'Paid in Sin' here: https://youtu.be/IT3b8ciQ530

The group have just embarked on a full European tour with THY ART IS MURDER, CARNIFEX, FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY and RIVERS OF NIHIL. I AM will then return to The States and head right back out on the road with SPITE and VARIALS. 

Currently in the UK, check them out on the following dates:

26/1 Academy 2, Manchester, UK
27/1 Garage, Glasgow, UK
28/1 Stylus, Leeds, UK
29/1 SWX, Bristol, UK
30/1 Electric Brixton, London, UK
31/1 O2 Institute, Birmingham, UK

"When we were approached by eOne we knew it’d be a perfect fit," says vocalist Andrew Hileman. "After talking with them and sharing ideas we’re so excited to put out some badass records with them. We’re thrilled to be on our way to Europe right now for our upcoming tour with Thy art is Murder and we’re glad to be representing eOne and TEXAS DEATH."

I AM have come to embody the sub-genre known as "Texas Death," and they have no qualms about saying so. While the band takes influence from "The Big Four," their homage to artists like Pantera, Power Trip, and Cro-Mags is undeniable. Their signature style of dive-bomb guitars and guitar-driven riffs has come to define the genre. 

Started by vocalist Andrew Hileman in 2011, I AM quickly gained recognition in the great state of Texas of being a band that was meant for bigger things. After paying their dues and touring relentlessly, solidifying Texas Death across North America on tour with bands like The Acacia Strain, For The Fallen Dreams, and Kublai Khan, I AM released their debut album, Life Through Torment in February of 2017. 

In 2018 the band began recording the new album with Randy Lebeouf at Graphic Nature Audio (Kublai Khan, Left Behind, Great American Ghost) with a vision of capturing their chaotic live performance and power they'd become known for. The new album Hard 2 Kill was released in November of 2018 to some serious critical acclaim.

Decibel Magazine declared, "I AM know how to write songs that make you want to move." KERRANG! plainly stated, "Devoid of pretension and brimming with tangible anger, the band's music is an angry headbanger's dream."

I AM online: 
https://www.facebook.com/iamtxmusic/
https://twitter.com/iamtxmusic
https://www.instagram.com/iamtxmusic/
https://iamtxmusic.bandcamp.com/

Mexican melodic death metal band AFTERFALL have launched new single 'Requiem'. Following the huge success of debut single ‘Maere’ which has surpassed 70k streams since its release in October, the band wasted no time in delivering a follow up, which showcases more sides to their sound.

Watch 'Requiem' here: https://youtu.be/NpeO6IpWu8U

The band explain the concept behind 'Requiem': " This a story of the suffering, pain and unrelenting agony of a dying mother who desperately tries to catch every breath even when her lungs are being tore apart by the very air she breathes. Her skin is thin and full of cracks, her eyes lost and tarnished, sunken deep into their sockets, shaking in cold, barely able to whisper a farewell for her older daughter ,just before passing away consumed by the immense torture carried out by a life at its end. The song will take you under the skin of this agonising woman to let you know about the reason behind her suffering and self-sacrifice with the embracing organ, strings and voices mixed with crushing guitars, fast drumming, a melodic bass and a combination between harsh and clean vocals."

The lyrical themes are based on a fiction novel written by the band and 'Requiem' is the second chapter. Chapter one is the story of 'Maere', which centres on a character who experiences several traumatic and desperate events to protect the life of a young sibling, resulting in the person being transformed into a ruthless, cold-blooded psychopath.

Fast melodic riffing, harmonised leads, breakdowns and half-time riffs are aplenty in AFTERFALL’s sound, and their incorporation of Middle-Eastern instruments and baroque orchestration shows they have no limits in terms of sonic experimentation.

Formed early 2019 at in Mexico City, the quartet have wasted no time in producing their world-class metal sound; 'Maere' and 'Requiem' serve as perfect tasters for the band's upcoming album. 

For more information: 
https://www.facebook.com/AFTERFALL.MX/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA8ECLi-4XkVFk_i8yd2v-Q

Progressive metal quartet CHIASMATA have released the video for their latest single 'Foreboding', the third taste of their forthcoming release. 

The video for ‘Foreboding’ explores the song title in a fitting manner. The figures represented by the band appear misrepresented against the beautiful landscapes that provide the setting for this piece. Unable to shake the feeling that something is wrong, it becomes abundantly clear that this release deals with a struggle of powerlessness. 

Check out the video for 'Foreboding' here: https://youtu.be/9iRfohWcFxs

In light of the concept and composition of previous single ‘Absolution’, there is something uncomfortable about ‘Foreboding’ from the outset; there is no mistaking that this is the catharsis of a band wearing its heart on its sleeve. Much more direct in its approach to the difficult subject matter that it shares with some of the band’s other offerings, this track pulls no punches as it explores the depths of personal conflict while further cementing the band’s vision.

CHIASMATA comment on the single:

"When writing ‘Foreboding’ we wanted to confront some uncomfortable topics and see what that cathartic process would produce. In confronting these topics, the compositional ideas that quickly materialised set the tone for the entire track – tension that only finds temporary relief before clawing its way back. The reprieve of stripping back the instrumentation was immediately challenged by the use of odd metres; the lyrical concepts that were being explored manifested their ebbs and flows in dramatic, dynamic shifts throughout. This was a window that we couldn’t close once we had opened it, serving to produce a track that has a troubled identity all of its own."

Based in Manchester, CHIASMATA are a four-piece progressive metal band who are bridging the gap between the atmospheric sensibilities of cinematic acts and the relentless complexity of modern technical metal. The young outfit strive to deliver their vision in line with lofty compositional ambition. The vocal hooks and melodic maturity that are staple to the band’s methodology are welcome anchorage, providing temporary reprieve as they navigate a turbulent sonic landscape.

See CHIASMATA at one of the following dates:

27.01.2020 - Liverpool, The Jacaranda Club (w/ Godeater and VEXED)
07.04.2020 - Manchester, Night People (w/ Altostratus) 

For more information:
https://www.facebook.com/ChiasmataBand/
https://www.instagram.com/ChiasmataBand/
https://chiasmata.bandcamp.com/

Introducing PURGE, a brand new UK four-piece with a powerful new sound and lyrical conviction for the 2020s.

Today the band release new single / video 'Influenza', check it out here: https://youtu.be/zsm1fYD-uo0 

Featuring former Hacktivist producer/guitarist Timfy James, former Your Demise vocalist George Noble, Heart Of A Coward bassist Vishal Khetia and drummer Perry Smith, the band fuse low-tuned aggression with fresh hardcore attitude.

The foundation of eight-string guitars and hard-hitting drums create the perfect platform for Noble's vocals, that furiously switch between rage and intellect with the intent to agitate.

Noble says of 'Influenza's' subject matter: “The song is about a sickness creeping into our lives as we are being separated from reality. We rely on influence and friendships from people we don’t know, over social media”.

He then goes on to target those at the root of the problem: "Influencers are people that should have no social bearing on us as they are usually sycophantic and self-obsessed”.

Still very much in their infancy, PURGE already promise to make a huge impact with their sonic assault and lyrical conviction. Expect big things from the band in 2020.

'Influenza'  was produced and written by Timfy at Old School Studios.

PURGE online: 

facebook.com/PURGESOUND/
instagram.com/purge_uk/ 

He’s a man VICE calls “an institution” with a voice recognised by Rolling Stone as the sound of resilience. Now, KIRK WINDSTEIN, the highly respected sludge metal pioneer and unmistakable earth-moving bellow of Crowbar, stomps forward as a solo artist for the very first time.

In advance of the release of Dream In Motion, WINDSTEIN debuts his reverential cover of the hugely influential Jethro Tull song 'Aqualung,' a rock and roll treasure that MOJO calls "a gearshifting classic."

Premiered via Ultimate Classic Rock, listen here: https://youtu.be/eKv2960kCQM

On 24th January 2020, Entertainment One (eOne) will proudly release Dream In Motion, Windstein's singular debut and a recording that sees the Dark Lord of the Southern Riff stretch his creative wings and strengthen his indelible legacy.  

Recorded in Windstein's native Louisiana over a period of two years between tours and over holidays, Dream In Motion is a powerfully moving recording that pulls from every corner of the riff king's three-decade-plus career. The LP owns a lyrical depth, emotional weight, and musical muscle forged from the fires of thousands of worldwide live shows, a well-earned reputation for creating the melancholic melody that has become synonymous with New Orleans heavy metal.

Kirk handled all vocal duties, guitars, and bass on the album, with drums and effects by longtime producing partner and collaborator, Duane Simoneaux (Crowbar, Down, Exhorder).

Dream In Motion has been met with a deluge of critical acclaim in the weeks leading up to its release, with high praise from Kerrang, Metal Hammer, Decibel, Revolver and more.

Pre-order here: https://eoneheavy.ffm.to/dreaminmotion

More information:

http://www.crowbarnola.com
https://www.facebook.com/crowbarmusic/
https://www.instagram.com/crowbarmusic/
https://twitter.com/crowbarrules

London-based prog-psych-doom artisans ELEPHANT TREE have announced their highly-anticipated third album Habits, after four years of honing their sound on the international live circuit.

Released April 24th via Holy Roar Records, you can pre-order Habits here: http://smarturl.it/elephanttree

The band have also streamed their new single 'Sails'. View the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gES-CO9cRaQ

The champions of the underground have delivered perhaps their most cohesive record yet, a scintillating blur of prog, stoner, psych, and melodic heavy rock. Opening on a hazy note of foreboding dread on 'Wake.Repeat (Intro)', the band explode into life soon after and rarely let up.

Every aspect of ELEPHANT TREE’s previously established sound has been amplified to 11 and fine-tuned to perfection. Their heavy, driving, grooves hold a more calculated rhythmic swing counterbalanced with leads that hold a soberingly clear gentleness. This is all tied together with vocals that possess a charming hedonism to their timbre, sure to win over legions more fans.

Elements of a heavy Pink Floyd, Melvins, and Deftones all combine with exhilarating effect, cementing the status of this group who have already sold tens of thousands of records and streams into the millions. 

The union of sonic density and yearning is captured wonderfully, thanks in no small part to the band's production choice of The Church Studios, famed for the sounds of U2, Nick Cave, The Jesus and Mary Chain and Adele amongst others.

If the sound of Kyuss and Smashing Pumpkins partying with Hunter S. Thompson and Cult Of Luna in an arena sounds like a good time, then this is the album for you. If there's any justice, 2020 will be the year ELEPHANT TREE bloom out of best kept underground secret into a household name.

https://www.facebook.com/elephanttreeband/
https://twitter.com/ElephantTreee
https://www.instagram.com/elephant_tree_band
https://elephanttreeband.bandcamp.com/