Photo Credit: Andrew Basso

'Sleepwalking' streaming now via Wild Thing Records

"A modern progressive tapestry" - Metal Hammer

Melbourne prog/alt metal giants Circles have released a pulsating new single 'Sleepwalking', streaming now via Wild Thing Records.

Watch the video for 'Sleepwalking' here: bit.ly/circlessleepwalkingYT
Stream 'Sleepwalking' here: https://ffm.to/circlessleepwalking

In a metallic blitz of earth-shattering riffs and electronic textures, ‘Sleepwalking’ is razor-sharp and fierce. Putting it all on the line, vocalist Ben Rechter's fervent melodic tone intertwines with volatile guitars and hammering drums that surge with unbridled energy. At full force, ‘Sleepwalking’ is the band’s cathartic absolution.

On the inspiration behind 'Sleepwalking', frontman Rechter explains:
“Essentially, it’s a song of fear and regret, of feeling like so much time has been wasted while you’ve unconsciously gone through the motions to arrive at your current situation. But you’re struggling to push yourself into the unfamiliar territory that holds the potential to provide you with what you’re searching for. It’s so easy to live and die in a comfort zone, even when all you want is out of it.”

The new single was produced by Circles’ own Ted Furuhashi, with the music video directed by the band’s David Hunter, and the track mastered by Luke Cincotta (Karnivool).

In the midst of being in the longest locked down city in the world, the group found solace in writing the next chapter of Circles' story, commencing with ‘Sleepwalking’. Smashing right into the fray with their first release since 2018’s internationally acclaimed album The Last One (the group’s debut with frontman Ben Rechter), Circles are bringing their textured prog/alt metal flair to their newest single, which shudders with densely-packed melodies and artful songwriting.

Drummer Hunter comments:
“The last few years have been pretty damn tough on the music industry. We locked ourselves away and wrote the next chapter in the Circles story. The band is ready to road test some of this new material, along with some old favourites. So for the first time since 2019, we're stoked to be able to see all of you legends again. This is going to be something really special for us.”

Circles' tour-de-force live show has taken them across Australia, Europe, and the UK, complemented by festivals including Euroblast, Prog Power, and Progfest. The band boast a touring history with some of the who’s who of international progressive/alternative heavy music, such as The Dillinger Escape Plan, Opeth, Fear Factory, Periphery, TesseracT, and Twelve Foot Ninja.

Circles return to the live circuit for the Sleepwalking Australian Tour across August and September. Joining them on all dates is an epic assortment of some of Australia’s best up and coming acts; The Omnific, Future Static, and Heartline.

Sleepwalking Australian Tour Dates:
19/08 - Stay Gold, Melbourne
26/08 - Lion Arts Factory, Adelaide
02/09 - The Zoo, Brisbane
03/09 - Crowbar, Sydney
04/09 - The Basement, Canberra

Circles are:
Ben Rechter - vocals / guitars
Ted Furuhashi - guitars
Drew Patton - bass
David Hunter - drums

For more information:
https://www.circles.band/
https://www.facebook.com/listentocircles
https://twitter.com/listentocircles
https://www.instagram.com/listen_to_circles/

[Photo: Jonathan Vahid]

Fast-rising Massachusetts grinders signs to MNRK Heavy; watch new video 'Cliffhanger'

"bursts of unthinkable sonic rage that still manage to keep the listeners rapt with their density and dynamics...Escuela Grind’s misanthropy as enjoyable and intelligent as it is unending." - Kerrang!

"discombobulating drum patterns and staccato guitar chugs...enough force to level an office park." - Revolver

Massachusett grinders Escuela Grind have announced a new album, Memory Theater, set for release on 30 September via the band's new label home of MNRK Heavy.

Produced by Converge guitarist/ God City producer Kurt Ballou, the album features nine tracks of sharp, scorching underground music that rage and rip in equal measure. Escuela Grind excel at stitching together a new metallic hardcore monster, borne from the rotten corpses of grind and power violence and littered with gleefully unhinged blasts of percussive bombast and chaos.

Ahead of the new album the band have released a video for their first pulverising single, 'Cliffhanger', which encapsulates the kinetic energy of the group's much talked about live performances.

Watch 'Cliffhanger' here: https://youtu.be/iD83fotpjAY
Pre-order Memory Theater now here: https://escuelagrind.ffm.to/memorytheater

“'Cliffhanger'' is us branching out and including all of our influences into a heavy, danceable song. It’s a perfect representation of all the new things to expect from Escuela Grind," says vocalist Katerina Economou. "The lyrics are about the people that try to play both sides of the fence, play devil's advocate and drag you down with them. It’s about fighting crab mentality. This is just a taste of all the killer stuff coming on Memory Theater!"

Memory Theater, Escuela Grind's sophomore album, is seven minutes shorter than Slayer’s Reign in Blood, but with a few songs running past the three-minute mark, it’s downright epic by grindcore norms. Delivering on the promise of several split records, a handful of EPs (including GGRRIINNDDCCOORREE and PPOOWWEERRVVIIOOLLEENNCCEE, both released in 2020), and the full-length, Indoctrination, the nine songs on Memory Theater offer a near-psychedelic trip to the genre’s soul.

For more information on Escuela Grind:
Facebook || Website || Twitter || Instagram || MNRK Heavy

Track listing:

1. Endowed With Windows
2. My Heart, My Hands
3. Cliffhanger
4. Strange Creature
5. Faulty Blueprints
6. All Is Forgiven
7. Forced Collective Introspection
8. The Feed
9. Memory Theater

Credit: David D'Agostini

FFO: Arch Enemy, Gojira, Machine Head

New album, rEolve, released Autumn 2022

Swiss progressive death metal quintet Kassogtha have revealed their new beast of a track, 'Venom'. 'Venom' invites you to enter the second chapter of Kassogtha's forthcoming concept album rEvolve, a chapter that will take you into the darkest parts of its journey.

Stream 'Venom' here: https://found.ee/kassogtha-venom

Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/vuqe66YvjI8

Of 'Venom', Stephany comments:

"’Venom’ is about helplessness and self-hatred, when nothing is controllable anymore, when we’ve decided to surrender to the poison controlling all our behaviours. The song tells of wanting to abandon ourselves to another reality, to forget the present, letting the destructive forces in our life settle in, deliberately. All this while realising that it’s wrong, and hating ourselves for letting it happen.

"To musically match the darkness of the lyrics, ‘Venom’ relies on its dark and heavy atmosphere in place of instrumental technicality. Ultimately, the song is a mix of all our childhood influences, channelling the angry and sombre attitudes of the likes of Korn and Slipknot (Yes, we are 90’s kids)."

Kassogtha place authenticity and sincerity above smoke and mirrors: a genuine metal band for true metal fans that takes the genre further without abandoning its core ingredients. From Pink Floyd to Gojira, Kassogtha’s no-nonsense brand of groovy progressive death metal combines a variety of influences to create a steamrolling fusion of irresistible riffs, neck-breaking drums and a vocal range covering devastating growls and ethereal melodies.

Kassogtha was brought to life by vocalist-lyricist Stephany and chief songwriter Morty in Geneva, Switzerland. The band’s debut album A New World to Come (2017) was followed by their sophomore EP The Call (2019), where Kassogtha showcased their musical diversity with an edgy cover of Pink Floyd’s 'Welcome to the Machine'. Having shared the stage with the likes of Cellar Darling, Sirenia, and The Agonist across Europe, they will next appear with Triptykon in Lausanne, Switzerland, followed by a string of release shows in the autumn.

On the band’s upcoming concept album rEvolve, Stephany conquers her inner demons and tells the story of an endless self-destructive cycle of fear, anxiety, and jealousy. In a world that normalises negativity, we have forgotten how to be ourselves — and following a pandemic-enforced long, hard look at humanity and society, this is Stephany’s journey of dealing with these emotions. This album is a perfectly timed release valve for two years of isolation, anxiety and grief — a furious expression of frustration with your own inner demons.

On rEvolve, produced at Stockholm’s legendary Fascination Street Studios with David Castillo (Carcass, Opeth, Leprous), Linus Corneliusson (Ihsahn, Amorphis) and Tony Lindgren (Carcass, Opeth, Katatonia), Kassogtha showcase old school riffs and progressive inspiration, savage grooves and blast beats, creativity and speed, and pure, honest dedication to their craft.

‘Venom’ is the fourth of a series of new songs leading up to rEvolve, out on Klang Machine Records, the newly-formed heavy music label co-founded by Swiss metal wizard Merlin Sutter (Cellar Darling, ex-Eluveitie).

For more:

kassogtha.com | facebook.com/kassogtha | instagram.com/kassogthamusic | klangmachine.com

photo - Kris Herrmann

'Suffer' video streaming now

Detroit death thrashers PLAGUE YEARS have dropped a surprise EP, All Will Suffer, via MNRK Heavy alongside a new video 'Suffer'.

Watch the video to 'Suffer' here: https://youtu.be/t_CLBXCzbjM

PLAGUE YEARS are a band every devotee of thrash, crossover, and death metal should know. Citing the group's Kreator, Sodom, and Slayer vibe with "a touch of evil," tastemaker metal magazine Revolver gushed that the band is "genuinely mean." In nuclear-sized fusion with thrash throwbacks like Dark Angel, the unrelentingly crushing quartet pays homage to hardcore-punk Michigan forebearers' Negative Approach in attitude and gritty local gangster rappers in spirit.

A self-titled EP filled with spite and furious anger introduced PLAGUE YEARS to the world in 2017. Metal Temple declared the following year's Unholy Infestation EP the best modern thrash record of 2018. Both early outbursts laid the brutal foundation for 2020's gargantuan full-length and debut for MNRK Heavy, Circle Of Darkness. In a glowing 10/10 review, Metal Injection called it "nothing short of a modern thrash classic,” serving as a stern reminder of why support from the band's peers was swift and decisive. (Fellow Great Lakes metalhead, the late Trevor Strnad of The Black Dahlia Murder, posted about the band on Instagram, which caught the attention of Toxic Holocaust mastermind Joel Grind. Soon after, PLAGUE YEARS signed with MNRK Heavy.)

That following year, vocalist Tim Engelhardt, guitarist Eric Lauder, bassist Rian Staber, and drummer Mike Jurysta buckled down in the midst of a real-world plague and did what they do best. Conjuring four new cuts of death thrashing mania, PLAGUE YEARS return with a vicious EP called All Will Suffer.

All Will Suffer’s guitars, bass, and vocals were tracked by Lauder while Shaun O'Shaughnessy (Sanguisugabogg) engineered the drums. Mixing duties were handled by Roger Camero (Night Demon, Grave Maker, The Warriors) and mastering by Erol Ulug (Sleeping Giant, Teeth, The Great Commission). The EP boasts the same ripping intensity familiar to PLAGUE YEARS fans lucky enough to have seen them on tour, alongside bands including The Black Dahlia Murder, Skeletal Remains, Exhorder, and Somnuri.

Comments Lauder: “We wanted this record to be a darker and heavier version of ourselves, trying to blur the line even more between thrash and death metal. All Will Suffer is relentless from start to finish and is a prelude of what’s to come.”

Plague Years are:
Tim Engelhardt – vocals
Eric Lauder – guitar
Rian Staber – bass
Mike Jurysta – drums

Plague Years online:
https://www.facebook.com/plagueyearsdet
https://www.instagram.com/plagueyearsmi

Track-listing:

1. Make You Mortal
2. Suffer
3. Reality Of Filth
4. Cursed

Photo Credit: Blair Todd

The Rain Museum album out 2th September via Rude Records/Equal Vision Records

Armor for Sleep have released their first piece of new music in 15 years. 'How Far Apart' comes as the first single and music video to be released from newly announced upcoming album The Rain Museum, due for release 9th September via Rude Records (UK/EU) and Equal Vision Records (ROW).

Watch the music video to 'How Far Apart' here: https://youtu.be/VrOpydSX_mg

Stream/purchase 'How Far Apart' here: https://afs.lnk.to/howfarapart

Pre-order The Rain Museum here: https://afs.lnk.to/rainmuseum

It’s been almost 20 years since the release of Armor For Sleep’s seminal full-length, What To Do When You Are Dead, but the album still resonates with much of the band’s fanbase. 'How Far Apart' is an evocative anthem that'll leave a heavy feeling in the pit of your stomach through lead singer Ben Jorgensen's belting lyrics, “you used to be my home, I found you in my bones”.

'How Far Apart' is full of the emotive, hard-hitting drums and reverb-soaked guitars that were so
pivotal to the success of What To Do When You Are Dead, but with the maturity you'd
would expect from an artist of Jorgensen’s calibre after years of refining his craft. It serves
as a perfect introduction to what fans can expect on the band’s upcoming full-length,
The Rain Museum.

For the official music video, Armor For Sleep tapped director Jesse Korman (Hot Water Music, The Juliana Theory), for a collaboration that yielded an emotionally-gripping tale of a life lived in reverse. The visual is cinematically beautiful and complex, matching the intensity of the track in lock-step. The band have always been celebrated for the cohesiveness of their releases - from narrative to artwork to videos - and this visual once again lives up to that high standard of creativity.

On the new track and upcoming album, vocalist Ben Jorgensen states:

"We are very excited to share our new album, The Rain Museum. Back in 2020, at
the start of the pandemic and at the start of our collective lockdown, I made it my mission to finish
writing a concept album that had been in my mind for many years but was never able to bring to life.
The Rain Museum was initially a short story I wrote many years ago about a post-apocalyptic
Earth and a mysterious museum in the middle of the desert. Weaving the story into an album was
going to be my quarantine project. Unfortunately, my marriage of nearly eight years and basically
my entire life fell apart as I was beginning the writing process. The one thing I had in my life to
divert my attention from what I was going through was the creative process of writing that album. But because I couldn’t ignore what I was going through personally, I wound up writing about myself and what I was going through and putting that into the story of the album and into the world I had been creating for this concept record. In the end, it’s an album about facing some of the most painful parts of being human and how lost we can get. I just hope it will speak to people going through their own dark times, as my favourite art certainly helped me get through mine."

'How Far Apart' is the first single from The Rain Museum, the band’s upcoming full- length that is 17 years in the making. It’s a concept album built around a post-apocalyptic world where weather no longer exists on planet Earth and people come to a mysterious museum in the middle of the desert to look back on what life used to be like. Originally planned as the follow up to What to Do When You Are Dead, the album had been shelved due to “bad advice” leading the band in another direction. Fast forward to the global pandemic of 2020, and the events of the real world encouraged Jorgensen to revisit the concept. The result is a beautiful and devastating 12 song collection that draws upon the best elements of Armor For Sleep’s catalogue while incorporating elevated song-writing and composition. After a fifteen year absence from the studio, The Rain Museum will undoubtedly prove to be well-worth the wait for old and new fans alike.

Armor For Sleep are:
Ben Jorgensen - vocals / rhythm guitar
PJ DeCicco - lead guitar
Anthony Dilonno - bass
Nash Breen - drums

For more information:
https://www.armorforsleep.com/
https://www.facebook.com/ArmorForSleep
https://www.instagram.com/armorforsleep/
https://twitter.com/armorforsleepnj

The Rain Museum tracklisting:

1. The Rain Museum
2. How Far Apart
3. See You On The Other Side
4. World Burn Down
5. In This Nightmare Together
6. New Rainbows
7. I'm Not Myself
8. Whatever Who Cares
9. Rather Drown
10. A Teardrop On The Surface Of The Sun
11. Tomorrow Faded Away
12. Spinning Through Time

Photo credit: Christian Ripkens

Available on multiple physical formats from today via Napalm Records

The day POWERWOLF fans have been eagerly awaiting for has finally arrived – the cinematic livestream THE MONUMENTAL MASS - A CINEMATIC METAL EVENT is finally available on various physical formats, starting today. With this movie-like show, the wolves once again make clear that they are setting new standards on all levels. With incredible audio production and breath-taking visuals created by a huge LED wall, multiple actors, massive pyro elements and a new setting for each individual song, POWERWOLF have created something never seen before.

To celebrate the release, POWERWOLF have unviled a live video for one of their most celebrated and most successful songs, 'Demons Are A Girl’s Best Friend', cut from THE MONUMENTAL MASS itself.

Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/VK0gFGwmATQ

The stage shrouded in fog and blazing flames in front of a huge church on the LED wall provides the setting for the dance of the completely unleashed nuns, already known from the official music video, who are completely under the spell of POWERWOLF and their singer Attila Dorn. The video showcases once again that THE MONUMENTAL MASS - A CINEMATIC METAL EVENT is a must-see spectacle.

Purchase THE MONUMENTAL MASS – A CINEMATIC METAL EVENT here: https://napalmrecords.com/powerwolf

Cover artwork: Zsofia Dankova

THE MONUMENTAL MASS – A CINEMATIC METAL EVENT track listing:

Chapter I - Temptation
1 Prologue / Monumental Mass Theme
2 Faster Than the Flame
3 Venom Of Venus
4 Stossgebet
5 Demons Are A Girl‘s Best Friend
Chapter II - Sin
6 Dancing with the Dead
7 Cardinal Sin
8 Resurrection By Erection
9 We Drink Your Blood
10 Glaubenskraft
Chapter III - Confession
11 Fire & Forgive
12 Beast of Gévaudan
13 Incense & Iron
14 Where The Wild Wolves Have Gone
Chapter IV - Forgiveness
15 Amen & Attack
16 Army of the Night
17 Blood for Blood (Faoladh)
18 Armata Strigoi
19 Epilogue / Monumental Mass Theme

At the end of 2021, POWERWOLF – the most successful German metal band to date – fascinated with a streaming event of unprecedented dimensions. Those who thought they had seen everything in the live sector were instantly proven wrong with unmatched audio production and visuals that can only be described as simply breath-taking. This summer, on 8th July 2022, this new benchmark for music streaming events will finally be available to view any time you crave. THE MONUMENTAL MASS - A CINEMATIC METAL EVENT will be unleashed on DVD, BluRay and many other physical formats.

POWERWOLF have stood at the peak of superlative, epic metal moments for years, but what they present with this streaming event surpasses anything seen before. After months of detailed work, a story was crafted and presented in several chapters based on the stunning music and elaborately staged cinematic scenes. All show effects, actors and stage settings work hand in hand with each other and bring the medium of live music to a level never seen before. From battles with clergy to stories of nuns, monks and burning angels, cinematic images immediately capture the viewer.

THE MONUMENTAL MASS - A CINEMATIC METAL EVENT is a live spectacle that unveils new details watch after watch, and cements POWERWOLF's status as the most outstanding band in their genre.

THE MONUMENTAL MASS - A CINEMATIC METAL EVENT will be available in numerous formats including a 96 page earbook, 48 page mediabook, deluxe box, vinyl box and other elaborate formats. The mediabook format will feature POWERWOLF's legendary headline show from Wacken 2019, Hallowed Be The Holy Ground, in full as a special bonus. The show is also included in the vinyl box – you can't get more live action than this!

THE MONUMENTAL MASS – A CINEMATIC METAL EVENT will be available in the following formats:

• 48 page Mediabook (incl. BluRay, DVD) in DVD Format – THE MONUMENTAL MASS – A CINEMATIC METAL EVENT & Hallowed Be The Holy Ground: Live At Wacken 2019

• 96 page Earbook – TV Wolf Cover (incl. Hardticket) – limited to 1000 (Napalm Records Shop exclusive)

• 96 page Earbook – Wolf Church Cover – limited to 1500

• 4 LP Vinyl Box Napalm (incl. Vinyl THE MONUMENTAL MASS – A CINEMATIC METAL EVENT & Vinyl Hallowed Be The Holy Ground: Live At Wacken 2019 + Cover Poster & Wide Shot Poster) – limited to 500 (Napalm Records Shop exclusive)

• 4 LP Vinyl Box EMP (incl. Vinyl THE MONUMENTAL MASS – A CINEMATIC METAL EVENT & Vinyl Hallowed Be The Holy Ground: Live At Wacken 2019 + Cover Poster & Torches Poster) – limited to 500 (EMP exclusive)

• 4 LP Vinyl Box Powerwolf (incl. Vinyl THE MONUMENTAL MASS – A CINEMATIC METAL EVENT & Vinyl Hallowed Be The Holy Ground: Live At Wacken 2019 + Cover Poster & Group Poster) – limited to 500 (Powerwolf Bandshop exclusive)

• Boxset (incl. Mediabook, Jewelcase, Flag, Ticket, Poster, Wristband) – limited to 900 (Amazon Germany exclusive)

• 2 CD Jewelcase

• 2 LP Gatefold Vinyl

• Music Cassette

• Digital Album

ABOUT POWERWOLF:

The story of POWERWOLF, beginning in 2004, reads like a true fairytale, but is the result of the most hard-working and entertaining live band on the heavy metal planet. POWERWOLF has not only received plenty of Gold and Platinum awards to date, but numerous releases have entered the official German album charts at the top position of #1. With Blessed & Possessed (2015), POWERWOLF achieved Gold status (in the Czech Republic) for the first time, while its predecessor, Preachers Of The Night (2013), hit the official German album charts at #1, and the incredible DVD, The Metal Mass (2016), came in at #1 of the German DVD-Charts. POWERWOLF's holy mass in the name of heavy metal is unstoppable – their latest magnum opus, The Sacrament of Sin (2018), again entered the album charts at #1. The accompanying, almost completely sold out Wolfsnächte headline tour – in which POWERWOLF headlined large venues with their phenomenal stage performances – became a single major triumph, as well as the numerous summer festival shows in which crowds were thrilled and completely captivated by the Wolves and their unique, (un)holy metal mass. With the new studio album, Call Of The Wild, and the Wolfsnächte 2021 tour charging through the largest halls in Europe, 2021 will again be a year completely under the sign of the wolf pack.

POWERWOLF are:
Attila Dorn – vocals
Falk Maria Schlegel – organ
Charles Greywolf – guitar
Matthew Greywolf – guitar
Roel van Helden – drums

More Info:
HOMEPAGE
FACEBOOK
INSTAGRAM
NAPALM RECORDS

Abhorrent Obsessions due 12th Aug via Unique Leader

Melodic death metallers Carrion Vael have released a new single and music video 'The Devil In Me'. The track is the third to be taken from the band's forthcoming album Abhorrent Obsessions, set for release on 12th August via Unique Leader.

Watch the music video to 'The Devil In Me' here: https://youtu.be/SqSpl5UsSls
Pre-order Abhorrent Obsessions here: https://orcd.co/abhorrentobsessions

Vocalist Travis Lawson Purcell discussed the new single: “'The Devil in Me' was the first song that we completed for our new album, Abhorrent Obsessions, and it laid the foundation for the direction of the whole thing. Captivatingly melodic, with sheer barbarity waiting in the wings. It mimics life, and all of its cruelties."

Formed in 2017 Carrion Vael execute skilfully crafted melodic death/thrash and draw lyrical influences from famous serial killers and mass murders in history. Their brutal force is heavily influenced by technical, melodic and traditional death metal, incorporating aspects of slam and old school death with razor-cut precision.

Their debut album, Resurrection of the Doomed, arrived in 2017 with sophomore album God Killer following in 2020 via Horror Pain Gore Death Productions to worldwide critical acclaim.

Having shared the stage with The Black Dahlia Murder, Cattle Decapitation, Nekrogoblikon, Wolftooth and many more hard-hitters, Carrion Vael are ready to push the next chapter of their career to the fullest.

Carrion Vael are:
Travis Lawson Purcell - vocals
Trent Limburg - guitar
Alex Arford - bass
Chris Smiley - drums
Ryan Kuder - guitar

Carrion Vael online:
Facebook || Instagram || Twitter

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

Tracklist
1. Wings Of Deliverance
2. The Devil In Me
3. King Of The Rhine
4. Kentucky Fried Strangulation
5. Tithes Of Forbearance
6. Disturbia
7. Malleus Maleficarum
8. The Paint Shop

New album Solace out now via Arising Empire

German post-hardcore outfit Venues have unveiled their new single / video 'Reflections', the first new music heard from the band since the release of their critically acclaimed second studio album Solace, out now via Arising Empire.

Watch the video to 'Reflections' here: https://youtu.be/u_fLeP9TPYA

Stream here: https://arisingempire.com/reflections

On the single, vocalist Lela states: "With 'Reflections' we describe the process of self-knowledge: When you realise over time that you're the only one who can really help you and you are held up to a mirror until you're able to accept and understand what you're seeing in it. Because that’s the only way you can surpass yourself."

"German metal with a mission and a message" - Kerrang!

From the depths of their deepest crisis, Venues emerge victoriously, welcoming two new members - clean vocalist Lela and guitarist Valentin. When former vocalist Nyves quit the band mid-tour, following the release of their pivotal debut Aspire (2019), the modern metal juggernaut was shaken to the bone. 
 
Despite this, the remaining members refused to give up and tirelessly searched for new talent. Following guitarist Constantin witnessing a performance of Lela at (of all places) a Steel Panther show, the band found their new clean vocalist.
 
Venues went into the studio with producer Christoph Wieczorek (Annisokay) to record Solace, who has coated their massive sound with a metallic alloy of remarkable precision.
 
“We wanted to be more metal,” Robin comments. “There were some pop sensibilities of Aspire we wanted to replace with rather the opposite.”
 
Melody and punch-drunk heaviness, metal and alternative rock, zeitgeist and authenticity, barbed choruses and unleashed creativity: with their soaring sophomore release, Venues fulfil every single promise they gave on Solace.
 
“2020 showed all of us how much the band is helping us keep our sanity,” guitarist Robin muses. “Almost the whole band went through minor or medium crises since the release of our debut. Relationships went sour, things were ended and begun. In times like these, our second album was the light at the end of the tunnel. Something we all could look forward to. Our music held our heads above water.”
 
It’s a big leap, going from Aspire to Solace, and it’s a logical one, too. Ten songs, ten exorcisms of negative energy, ten lifesavers.

Purchase Solace in various formats here: https://Venues.lnk.to/solace


Venues are:
Lela | clean vocals
Robin | shouts
Constantin | guitar
Valentin | guitar
Dennis | drums

Venues online:
www.facebook.com/venuesofficial
www.instagram.com/venuesofficial
https://twitter.com/venuesofficial
https://venues.bigcartel.com/

Photo Credit: Kathi Sterl

"composed confidently, professionally produced and performed in an appealing manner."
– METAL HAMMER DE

German post-hardcore outfit Our Mirage have released a video for their brand new single 'Summertown (ft. Breakdown Bros)', another taste of their upcoming third album.

Check out the video to 'Summertown (ft. Breakdown Bros)' here: https://youtu.be/bpdQY8KZ5Qw

Stream/purchase 'Summertown (ft. Breakdown Bros)' here: https://arisingempire.com/summertown

'Summertown (ft. Breakdown Bros)' sets out to celebrate life, love, friendship, and all of the special moments this world has to offer.

Hailing from Germany, Our Mirage hit your feelings deep. From their ambient music to poignant lyrics that really strike a nerve, this young group are becoming known for the emotion that they pour into their music. On their 2020 album Unseen Relations, released via Arising Empire, Our Mirage delved deeper, using their intuition to focus on relatable problems and struggles that we deal with on a regular basis.

Watch their previous videos here:
'Calling You': https://youtu.be/_XaDNT9iB40
'Through the Night': https://youtu.be/BYtGodlgbEQ
'Remedy': https://youtu.be/Idao4nFlOoQ
'Falling' feat. Telle Smith (The Word Alive): https://youtu.be/eUGZNmiUZ-4
'Unseen': https://youtu.be/yTXlJgjQ_xQ
'After All': https://youtu.be/db2poByTU-U
'Different Eyes': https://youtu.be/BfwdyIFETXE
'Lost': https://youtu.be/sGc3gM3GVyY
'The Unknown': https://youtu.be/36j03cY1SIw

Our Mirage will tour across Germany with Time, The Valuator, Casino Blackout and The Narrator in mid-2022.

Dates:
July
01.07.22 Stuttgart - Juha West
Sept
14.09.22 Düsseldorf - Tube
15.09.22 Trier - Mergener Hof
*with Tenside

Tickets: https://www.ourmirage.de/tour

Our Mirage are:
Timo Bonner | Vocals
Steffen Hirz | Guitars
Manuel Möbs | Bass
Daniel Maus | Drums

For more information:
https://www.facebook.com/OurMirageBand
https://www.instagram.com/ourmirageband/
https://www..ourmirage.de