Photo Credit: Juha Vihavainen

Finnish metalcore quintet Balance Breach show their darker and more aggressive side on their brand new single 'Escapers Of Paradise', out today (9th July 2021) via Out Of Line Music. The single, which is the first taste of the band's upcoming sophomore album, marks their first new material since their highly-praised debut album Dead End Diaries (2020).

Watch the video for 'Escapers Of Paradise' here: https://youtu.be/_S9H5spHeOo

Stream/purchase 'Escapers Of Paradise' here: https://balancebreach.lnk.to/EscapersofParadise

'Escapers Of Paradise' has huge hit potential, with its memorable riffs and melodies, alongside a chilling singalong chorus. Balance Breach teamed up with Grammy-nominated producer team Carson Slovak and Grant McFarland for the single's mixing and mastering.

Drummer Antti Halonen comments on the new single:

"With 'Escapers of Paradise', we’re moving to the darkest and most serious place that Balance Breach has ever been in. The song itself is like an emotional discharge showing all the colors of frustration, anxiety, and misery of letting go."

Stayed tuned for more details on Balance Breach's upcoming album.

Balance Breach are:

Terho Korhonen - Guitar
Saku Heimonen - Guitar
Antti Halonen - Drums
Joni Härkönen - Bass
Aleksi Paasonen - Vocals

For more information:
https://www.facebook.com/balancebreach
https://www.instagram.com/balancebreach

https://www.outofline.de
https://www.facebook.com/outoflinelabel
https://twitter.com/outofline
https://www.instagram.com/outoflinemusic1995
https://www.youtube.com/user/outofline1995

Photo Credit: Lane Dorsey

Juno Award-winning, powerhouse rock duo Crown Lands – Cody Bowles (vocals and drums) and Kevin Comeau (guitar, bass, and keys) – have released two new tracks, 'White Buffalo' and 'The Oracle' via Spinefarm Records/Universal Music Canada. Both songs were recorded with three-time Grammy Award-winning Toronto producer David Bottrill (Tool, Mastodon, Rush, Peter Gabriel).

'White Buffalo' is released today with an accompanying official music video, directed by Alim Sabir. The spirited visual sees Crown Lands immersed in the elements, performing in a new age forest with dancers that fortify the theme of movement.

Check out the video for 'White Buffalo' here: https://crownlands.lnk.tt/WBvideo

Listen to 'White Buffalo' and 'The Oracle' here: https://crownlands.lnk.tt/WBTO

'White Buffalo' arrives as a symbol of aspiration, in recognition of the resilience and strength of Indigenous communities to overcome injustice, while manifesting a prosperous future. The big guitars, stomping baseline and pummelling drums barrel forward as if to conjure the movement of a giant buffalo.

“'White Buffalo' is the third instalment in our trilogy of songs about Indigenous rights,” say Crown Lands. “'Mountain' is what happened. 'End of the Road' is what is happening. 'White Buffalo' is manifesting what will happen: overcoming oppression and rising up to reclaim one’s land. The 'White Buffalo' is a symbol of manifestation. When Colonizers came to North America they tried to wipe out the Buffalo to starve Indigenous people to death. The buffalo are still here. We are too, and together we’ll overcome. Also, never has 7/8 ever been more danceable.”

Over the course of a thirteen-minute, multi-part composition, 'The Oracle' continues another story that Crown Lands is creating, revealing the origins of the Queen character featured in the 'Context: Fearless Pt. 1' music video. “We wanted to take the listener somewhere and evoke a sense of adventure,” says Bowles. "Taking solace from the realities Crown Lands confront in a fictional world they continue to create."

Crown Lands were introduced to Grammy Award-winning producer David Bottrill after he produced the vocals for the band’s last two singles, 'Context: Fearless Pt. 1' and 'Right Way Back'. Comeau recalls, “The riff for ‘White Buffalo’ came to me during the 'Context / Right Way Back' session with Nick Raskulinecz back in February 2020. It felt addicting and special then. It was originally written in 13/8 and the chorus was in 7. It kept popping its head up in jam sessions, but we weren’t sure how to make the chorus work. Enter David Bottrill.” On working with the esteemed producer, Comeau continues, "Dave is one of the most meticulous and detail-oriented people we’ve worked with. His precision helped make these songs exactly what they needed to be.”

For more information:
https://www.facebook.com/crownlandsmusic/
https://twitter.com/crownlandsmusic/
https://www.instagram.com/crownlandsmusic/
https://www.tiktok.com/@crownlandsmusic/

About Crown Lands:

Hailing from Southwestern Ontario, powerhouse Canadian rock duo Crown Lands are a startling fresh jolt of energy, making music that brings together a range of influences from folk and blues to psychedelic prog rock. The group’s name is indicative of their musical ambitions: 'Crown Land' is territorial area belonging to the monarch - or, as Bowles (whose own heritage is half Mi’kmaw, an Indigenous tribe from Nova Scotia) puts it: “Crown Land is stolen land and we are reclaiming it.”

Crown Lands’ self-titled debut album, produced by Grammy-nominated Dave Cobb, was released in the summer of 2020, to widespread acclaim from the likes of Guitar World, Kerrang!, and American Songwriter, alongside coverage from the BBC and the CBC. Crown Lands then stormed into 2021 with two songs, 'Context: Fearless Pt. 1' and 'Right Way Back', that saw them return to their prog-rock roots and pointed the way to a limitless future, while also connecting the group to their legendary countrymen Rush after working with three prolific Rush producers – Terry Brown, Nick Raskulinecz and David Bottrill – on the tracks. 'Context: Fearless Pt. 1' and 'Right Way Back' premiered with Rolling Stone and were named 'Rockest Record' on BBC Radio 1. More recently, Crown Lands received their first Juno Awards nominations, for Rock Album of the Year and taking home the award for Breakthrough Group of the Year. The band also signed a deal with Spinefarm Records, which will be working with Universal Music Canada to support their upcoming releases in the US and UK.

US death metal kingpins Waking The Cadaver return with new single / lyric video 'Threaten Physical Force' and announce the release of forthcoming album, Authority Through Intimidation, out 22nd October 2021 via Unique Leader.

Watch the video to 'Threaten Physical Force' here: https://youtu.be/1vXmwcihzpc

Pre-order/save Authority Through Intimidation here: Orcd.co/authoritythroughintimidation

Waking the Cadaver are an American death metal band from Jersey Shore, New Jersey, formed in 2006. The quartet grew to become one of the most exciting bands in the US underground, touring with the likes of Napalm Death and Immolation, and releasing three albums within a six-year span; Perverse Recollections of a Necromangler (2007), Beyond Cops, Beyond God (2010) and Real-Life Death (2013). Their live shows became somewhat legendary for their brutality and power.

Following a huge tour in 2013 with Dying Fetus, Exhumed, and Abiotic, Waking the Cadaverwent on hiatus, but returned in 2018 with fresh sound and new line-up, with only vocalist Don Campan and guitarist Michael Mayo remaining. Now signed to Unique Leader Records and armed with their phenomenal new album Authority Through Intimidation, Waking the Cadaver are ready to reclaim their crowns as the jingpins of death.

Guitarist Mike Mayo commented on the new album: "I believe Authority Through Intimidation is the definitive Waking the Cadaver album. Our mission statement for writing it was SLAMMING GORE GROOVE. That’s been our slogan since the beginning and I think this collection of songs exemplifies its meaning more than any of our previous albums. We really wanted level up the technicality and song writing of Real-Life Death, while also having more nods to our first album Perverse Recollections of a Necromangler. I think we succeeded in doing just that. Listeners will be able to hear our love for bands like Dying Fetus, Last Days of Humanity, and Disgorge, as well as our love for early Hatebreed and All Out War.”

Produced by AJ Viana (Cognitive, Through the Eyes of the Dead), Authority Through Intimidation hits harder than a hammer to the head and takes no prisoners with its polished but powerful live production.

Vocalist Don Campan commented: "I am extremely proud of Authority Through Intimidation for the intensely disgusting brutal vibe it has casted out into the Universe and beyond. Slamming gore groove has been summoned by its worldwide fans and they will not be let down. This album has all of our infamous alien guttural overlord vocal styles and raw signature slam dunks, with wicked fresh ferocious shredding attacks delivered from a musical-masterminded line up. The Kingpins of Death are stoked and proud to have the one and only next level blasting machine Lord Marco on drums giving this new material a cutting edge injection."

Waking The Cadaver online:
Bandcamp || Facebook || Twitter || Instagram

Unique Leader Records online:
Website || Facebook || Twitter || Instagram || YouTube

Track listing:

1. Civic Assault
2. Corpse Decomposition
3. Human Chop Shop
4. Frenzied Vehicular Rampage
5. Arbiter of Punishment
6. Threaten Physical Force
7. Asphyxiating Ligature
8. Authoritative Aggressor

Dublin-based post-rock duo Bicurious have streamed their new video 'We're All Totally F*cked', released on all streaming platforms 9th July.

The single is taken from the band's highly-anticipated debut LP (re)constructed, which will be released 30th July.

You can watch the video here: https://youtu.be/fhotWE1zrE0

Pre-save the single here: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/bicurious/were-all-totally-fucked

Pre-order (re)constructed here: https://bicurious.link/(re)constructed

Bicurious have also announced their (re)constructed Tour (pt. 1):

11/09 The Crown, Bristol (UK)
12/09 Portals Festival, London (UK)
08/10 Ulster Sports Club, Belfast (UK)
09/10 Winthrop Avenue, Cork (Eire)
14/10 Whelans, Dublin (Eire)
15/10 The Live Room Theatre, Waterford (Eire)

After a number of singles, an EP, and over five million Spotify streams, Bicurious are ready to make 2021 their own.

The band have been hard at work on their debut LP since 2019 - (re)constructed will be released 30th July.

A gloriously inventive twopiece, Bicurious stand head and shoulders above the rest of the genre with their brilliant ability to harness melody - hummable hooks buried within mostly instrumental rock. 'Palapalapa' is a glorious example of this - with an instantly catchy tune that guarantees instant repetition.

At once insightful, self-aware, technically proficient but above all immediately accessible, Bicurious are a band with an edge and clear, confident identity. The band are Gavin Purcell (drums) and Taran Plouzané (guitar); a confused, loud, experimental two-piece from Dublin, Ireland and Brest, France. Bicurious’ songs often feature vocal samples from political figures, which aim to bring to light social injustice in Ireland and beyond. The band have built a loyal fanbase through extensive touring and have won over crowds both at home and abroad, establishing themselves as a recognisable force on the European instrumental rock scene.

Known for riff sing-alongs, grooves that open up mosh pits and get heads banging, and the undeniable chemistry between the two remarkable musicians, Bicurious have taken their captivating live show from sweaty private rehearsal rooms to festival stages across Europe for the last four years.

Formed in 2016, Bicurious released their debut singles ‘Sugar Beats’ and ‘T.O.I’ in 2017.
Their debut EP I’m So Confused was crowd-funded by fans through an Indiegogo campaign and a packed-out fundraiser gig in 2017, just a year and a half after the band’s formation. The EP was released in 2018, and the band celebrated the release with a sold-out show in Whelan's, Dublin. The lead single from the EP, ‘Sleep’, has clocked up just under three million streams on Spotify.

In March 2019 the band released the single ‘I Don't Do Drugs, I Just Sweat a Lot.’ They toured the UK and Ireland in support of the release, followed by festival appearances at Knockanstockan, Vantastival, Electric Picnic and more in Summer 2019.

Bicurious embarked on their biggest tour to date in the Winter of 2019, which took them from Ireland to the UK, France and Italy. They were scheduled to appear at ArcTanGent festival (Bristol, UK) and will perform at Portals Festival (London, UK) later this year.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:
OFFICIAL WEBSITE
Spotify
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Youtube
Bandcamp

TRACKLISTING:
1- Intro (Voices)
2- Like We Used To
3- Palapalapa
4- Deconstructed
5- Groundation Intervention (Interlude)
6- We’re All Totally Fucked
7- Mercurial
8- I Can Hear Them Too
9- (re)constructed

New pop-punk group Those Without have revealed their brilliant new single 'Weightless', out now, and taken from their debut album, Bittersweet, to be released 24th September.

Watch the 'Weightless' video here: https://youtu.be/8l6NKxmBXUo

Stream: https://music.thosewithoutband.com/weightless

Pre-order Bittersweet via: www.thosewithoutofficial.com

Those Without have started their life with a bang, finding a breakthrough with the 2020 EP Neon Minds, which placed them at the top of Spotify playlists "Pop Punk's Not Dead", "New Punk Tracks", and catching the attention of legends New Found Glory.

They followed this with 'Good Thyme', and 'Pink Alligator', two highly impressive new singles and a tantalising glimpse into their thrilling upcoming debut Bittersweet. Elements of Boston Manor, Neck Deep, and Trash Boat mark Those Without as newcomers with a surely bright future, and a band already catching the eyes and ears of many.

With strong support already from Alternative Press (Hot New Act, 10 Upcoming Pop Punk Bands You Need To Know About), Those Without's brilliantly direct energetic anthems will surely see them leading the next generation of pop-punk.

Those Without are:
Oskar Westlin (Vocals)
Filip Burman (Bass/Vocals)
Martin Spåman (Guitar)
Felix Lindquist (Guitar)
Dennis Karabegovic (Drums)

www.thosewithoutofficial.com

Tracklist:⠀
1. Happy Ever Disaster⠀
2. Pink Alligator⠀
3. Voodoo Doll⠀
4. Weightless⠀
5. Good Thyme⠀
6. Oblivious⠀
7. Cleopatra⠀
8. Under The Weather⠀
9. A Name For Myself⠀
10. Webspinner

Four years in the making, Impressions II: the official UK Tech-Fest documentary has been unveiled. Released over the weekend UK Tech-Fest 2021 was scheduled, it's a celebration of the vibrant UK tech-metal scene, and the festival that has become the summer highlight for many music fans.

Watch Impressions II here: https://youtu.be/UKoUX-o-4D0

Dutch filmmaker and long time Tech-Fest fan, Arne Seynaeve of Studio Zendeghi, has produced an hour-long documentary featuring interviews with crew, bands and fans along with live performances from the 2013, 2017, 2018 and 2019 festivals and even an onstage marriage proposal.

With live audio recorded and mixed by Chris Surgenor Audio, re-live memories of The Acacia Strain, MONUMENTS, The Contortionist, Chelsea Grin, Agent Fresco, Panzerballett, The Algorithm, Borders, Unprocessed and many more bands.

Organiser Simon Garrod commented "The festival was postponed for a second year running due to restrictions and the ongoing pandemic, so this documentary is the closest we're going to get to a Tech-Fest until 2022."

Arne Seynaeve also produced Impressions, the first UK Tech-Fest documentary, which can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/WitvKGVtgoY

UK Tech-Fest postponed this year's event to 2022, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. UK Tech-Fest will now take place on 30th June - 4th July 2022, at the Newark Showground. Tickets for 2021 will be valid for the 2022 event.

Tickets for UK Tech-Fest 2022 can be purchased here: http://uktechfest.gigantic.com/
Facebook event page: https://fb.me/e/3fkMeLirV

UK Tech-Fest online:
https://uktechfest.com/
https://www.facebook.com/uktechfest

About UK Tech-Fest:

Following the huge success of the first UK Tech-Fest selling out in 2012, the festival went outdoors in 2013 hosting headliners Scar Symmetry, Veil Of Maya and TesseracT. 2014 saw UK Tech-Fest move to the prestigious Newark Showground hosting Sikth's second show after their reunion, and the following year UK Tech-Fest 2015 hosted an exclusive UK appearance from Decapitated. UK Tech-Fest 2016 - The Fifth Anniversary - was a milestone in this festival's career, by far their biggest and best edition to date hosting Animals As Leaders and exclusive appearances from Between The Buried And Me and Protest The Hero. UK Tech-Fest 2017 had its heaviest line-up to date, 2018 had its largest ever attendance and in 2019 solidified its reputation as the UK's most forward-thinking metal festival.

Newly signed Swedish modern metal four-piece Eyes Wide Open have released new single 'Burn 'Em' and details new album Though Life and Death, out 12th November via Arising Empire

Watch the video to 'Burn 'Em' here: https://youtu.be/RGFnRgrfaTQ

Stream here: https://EyesWideOpen.lnk.to/burnem

Through Life and Death carries the torch from the Swedish melodic death metal scene, mixing it with modern sounds and new influences inspired by metalcore. Catchy melodies, heavy drumming, pumping rhythms and versatile vocals are merging into their own unique style of metal. The album will be available as CD, coloured vinyl and special bundles via Impericon & EMP.

With their previous and fourth album The Upside Down (2019), they hit like a juggernaut and paved the road to the top tier within the scene. Their music carries the torch from Swedish melodic death metal, mixing it with modern sounds and new influences inspired from metalcore. Catchy melodies, heavy drumming, pumping rhythms and versatile vocals merge into their own style of metal.

Eyes Wide Open are:
Erik Engstrand | vocals
Kristofer Strandberg | guitar
Jesper Lindgren | bass
Lucas Freise | drums

Eyes Wide Open online:
https://www.instagram.com/ewo_swe
https://www.facebook.com/Eyes.Wide.Open.Swe
https://www.e-w-o.net

Through Life and Death tracklisting:

1. World on Fire
2. Devastation
3. Fallout
4. Burn 'Em
5. End of Days
6. Through Life and Death
7. Eraser
8. Brother
9. Wildfire
10. Echoes (feat. Richard Sjunnesson, Jonathan Thorpenberg)
11. Where Death Meets Paradise
12. Bridge to the Future

Photo Credit: Leandra Bohnet

German metalcore quartet Defocus have released their debut album In The Eye Of Death We Are All The Same via Arising Empire. To celebrate, the band have also shared their new single 'In Our Heads'.

Check out 'In Our Heads' here: https://youtu.be/svcLWDtuc3U

Stream/purchase In The Eye Of Death We Are All The Same here: https://defocus.lnk.to/intheeyeofdeath

Founded by Simon Müller, Jeffrey Uhlmann, Jonas Mahler and Marcel "Bambam" Heberling, Defocus spent time making music together before coming to light in early 2019, instantly proving their worth in the scene with their energetic live shows.

Faced with the global COVID-19 pandemic, Defocus got to work on their upcoming record through extensive late-night online sessions, allowing every member to contribute their individual ideas and emotions.

Guitarist Jeffrey Uhlmann comments:

"I remember that when we started to write all this material, everyone was on the same page from the beginning and we knew exactly which direction we wanted to go, but at the same time everyone took inspiration from different sources. Seeing all this material finally come together in the end makes me super happy, because the writing process and everything around it really defined who we are as a band and resulted in a pure milestone everyone in the band can 100% identify with."

The quartet recorded the tracks remotely from home, before they were mixed and mastered by Christoph Wieczorek (Annisokay) from Sawdust Recordings, who truly captured their crushing and impulsive take on modern metalcore.

Now, Defocus enter the metal scene with a record full of heavy, low-tuned guitars and driving rhythms, paired with dark and ambient melodies, creating a melancholic atmosphere for their thrilling sound. A deep-dive into the world we are living in and how we are all affected by it, In The Eye Of Death We Are All The Same is a punishing album deserving of your attention.

Defocus are:

Simon Müller | Vocals
Jeffrey Uhlmann | Guitar
Marcel "Bambam" Heberling | Bass
Jonas Mahler | Drums

For more information:
http://defocusband.com/
https://www.facebook.com/defocus/
https://www.instagram.com/defocus.band/

In The Eye Of Death We Are All The Same tracklisting:

1. Thought of a Vision
2. In Our Heads
3. Immerse Me
4. Common Grave
5. Tides (Interlude)
6. Diverge (Feat. Tom Brümmer)
7. Can You See Me?
8. Disease
9. Shelter

UK metalcore quintet The Five Hundred have released their new single 'Walls Of Jericho', featuring guest vocals from Cabal's Andreas Bjulver. The track is the fourth single from the band's upcoming sophomore album A World On Fire, due for release on 30th July 2021 via Long Branch Records.

Check out the video for 'Walls Of Jericho' here: https://youtu.be/QxFxpnqD7gE

Stream 'Walls Of Jericho' and pre-order A World On Fire here: https://smarturl.it/aworldonfire

The Five Hundred comment on the new single:

"It’s fair to say that not a single one of us in the band is religious, but the biblical battle of Jericho bears some significance… in that it reminds us that our enemy cannot be defeated with physical weapons, but rather by a crowd of loud voices."

Andreas Bjulver adds:

"My band Cabal is on the same label as the boys in The Five Hundred, so they've been on my radar for a while now and I really like what they do, so when they asked me to jump on a track with them, it was an absolute no-brainer for me."

The Five Hundred have also announced a run of live shows in support of their new album.

Dates:

July 25 - Nottingham - The Sal (A World On Fire album launch show)
Aug 20 - Gibraltar - Fairground
Sep 4 - Essex - Marine Metal Festival
Sep 16 - Gloucester - Dick Whittington's
Sep 17 - Stoke - The Underground
Sep 18 - Chesterfield - County Music Bar
Sep 19 - Birmingham - Dead Wax
Oct 16 - Derby - Alt Fest 
Nov 18 - Peterborough - Met Lounge
Nov 19 - Birmingham - Asylum
Nov 20 - Weymouth - Finns
Nov 21 - Exeter - Tavern
Dec 2 - Brighton - Komedia
Dec 3 - Nottingham - Billy's
Dec 4 - Kingston - Fighting Cocks
Dec 5 - Brigwater - Cobblestones

Aggressive yet euphoric, empowering yet simultaneously enslaving, The Five Hundred are renowned for overcoming adversities and laying siege to every stage they play.

Their critically acclaimed debut album, Bleed Red, told the story of a band struggling with Tourette’s, OCD, and drug addiction. It's now time to share with the world how they’ve battled through their vices and come out on top.

After successful tours up and down the UK, Eastern Europe / Russia and an appearance at the iconic Download Festival in 2019, the quintet are back and angrier than ever with their follow-up album.

As the world closed its frontiers, boarded up their cities, and locked themselves inside, The Five Hundred closed themselves off from the rest of society for six months to write their fitting sophomore album, A World On Fire.

In May 2020, only a few months into the COVID-19 pandemic, The Five Hundred released the album’s first single, ‘Black Dogs’, a song about isolation and the plague of mental health, which spreads through society like a contagion of anxiety, paranoia and suicidal ideations.

Follow-up single ‘The Rising Tide’ offered a glimpse into what has become a central theme to the band and their music in this coming cycle: environmental devastation, rising sea levels, climate disaster, and the ensuing loss of entire ecosystems, cities and millions of human lives. The album concept weaves through various aspects of a generation-defining crisis, from flood to furnace… a fitting soundtrack for the coming apocalypse.

More info:
https://www.facebook.com/wearethefivehundred
https://www.instagram.com/thefivehundred_
https://twitter.com/thefivehundred_

A World On Fire tracklisting:

1. Black Dogs
2. The Rising Tide
3. Our Demise
4. The Warmth
5. Walls Of Jericho feat. Andreas Bjulver
6. Your Apocalypse feat. Jeremy Gomez
7. With Scars
8. Our Curse
9. Agony
10. A World On Fire