Irish indie-punk five-piece New Pagans return with their new single 'Better People', a stunning blast of positivity - and the first glimpse of the band's stellar new era.
Stream 'Better People' here: https://orcd.co/betterpeople
As the music industry fights to return from the brink, New Pagans abandon chaos for a brief moment, in search of hope. 'Better People' celebrates our ability as humans to pull together, create communities, and look after one another - the band's attempt to write a song that uplifts, gives hope, and just says you can be better.
Written during the grip of socially isolated lockdown, 'Better People' began with singer and lyricist Lyndsey Mcdougall celebrating the joy of music with her children. Realising the playlist they'd created had an inter-generational hopeful appeal, Lyndsey and New Pagans set to writing their own new uplifting anthem.
'Better People' is the result - recorded in the Glens of Antrim in Ireland by the band and self-produced, New Pagans continue to expand their DIY position. A glorious listen, recalling elements of The Xcerts, The Menzingers, and Muncie Girls, it's a strong statement of intent from the five-piece - given that extra heft with a mix by Sam Petts Davis (Radiohead, Warpaint, Frank Ocean).
Following their European tour with Skunk Anansie earlier this year, New Pagans will bring their notoriously electrifying and explosive live show back to Europe to celebrate the new release, and will join English folk-punk heroes Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls on four dates across Germany. New Pagans will also be playing Glasgow's Poetry Club on 8th September and London's Courtyard Theatre on 9th September.
'Better People' follows a stellar two years for New Pagans, following their globally-critically acclaimed debut The Seed, The Vessel, The Roots and All. Strong support from Stereogum, Kerrang!, The Independent, NPR and more helped mark the Irish group as a band to sit up and notice.
More information to be revealed shortly.
New Pagans are:
Lyndsey McDougall - Vocals
Cahir O’Doherty - Guitar and vocals
Claire Miskimmin - Bass guitar
Allan McGreevy - Guitar
Conor McAuley - Drums
For more:
https://www.newpagans.com/
https://twitter.com/NewPagansBand
https://www.instagram.com/newpagans/
https://www.facebook.com/newpagansband
The ever-mercurial, boundary-pushing UK rock quartet Sugar Horse have announced their thrilling new collaborative EP Waterloo Teeth.
Waterloo Teeth will be released 28th October via Small Pond, and features members of Heriot, Conjurer, IDLES, Biffy Clyro, and many more. In celebration of the news, Sugar Horse have released the first single from the EP, the aptly-titled 'Disco Loadout'.
Stream 'Disco Loadout' and pre-order Waterloo Teeth here: http://listen.smallpondrec.com/disco-loadout
Of 'Disco Loadout' band comment: "This song is more of a comedic idea, than it is actual music. This song is all about rhythm, so the guitar and bass parts are either playing all open strings at once, or muting every string at once. On top of that all strings were tuned to entirely random notes, so it’s just complete dissonance. The title comes from playing a show just before a club-night is about to begin and how quickly you have to remove all your gear from the stage."
Heriot's Debbie Gough comments: "Sugar Horse are a band I’ve always enjoyed going to watch after having first played with them in 2017! I’m very honoured to be on their track ‘Disco Loadout’ from this EP and it’s fantastic to see lots of other friends on the track list too!"
Mclusky/St Pierre Snake Invasion's Damien Sayell comments: "Sugar Horse are heavy metal for people who don't watch wrestling."
Full tracklisting:
1. Disco Loadout (ft. Debbie Gough, Heriot, vocals; Damien Sayell, Mclusky, vocals; Matt Loveridge, MXLX, cello)
2. Waterloo Teeth (ft. Dave Larkin, Black Peaks, bass; Will Gardner, Black Peaks, saxophone; Paul Tierney, Lonely Tourist, vocals)
3. Gutted (ft. Kate Davies, Pupil Slicer, vocals; Dan Nightingale, Conjurer, vocals/guitar; Brady Deeprose, Conjurer, vocals/guitar; Conor Marshall, Conjurer, vocals/guitar; Nuala Honan, vocals)
4. Super Army Soldiers (ft. Adam Devonshire, IDLES, bass; Mike Vennart, Oceansize/Biffy Clyro/Vennart, guitar; Connie Matthews, Wych Elm, vocals)
Waterloo Teeth is true demonstration of Sugar Horse's refusal to conform or sit still. A community-building, genre-hopping release, the EP sees Sugar Horse letting the good times roll. Recorded during the Christmas break at Small Pond studios, sleeping among the amps, the four-track record is the Bristol group's excuse to work with some of the coolest musicians on the planet.
Sugar Horse's most out-there music yet, Waterloo Teeth turns ideas on their head. Opening track and first single 'Disco Loadout' is anti-Sugar Horse - a band previously known for long, melodic songs, this song instead is as short and atonal as possible. In contrast track three, 'Gutted' is the everything everywhere at once song, from Shellac-style noise, to Sleep-esque doom, to Cocteau Twins melody and back.
It is apt that Waterloo Teeth is a celebration of the limitations of art. Humans are compelled to create, creation drowns out the madness arounds us as keeps us alive. Where there is release, there is constraint; where there is constraint, there is creativity. It is this circle of life that Sugar Horse thrive in - Waterloo Teeth is a beguiling and irresistible invitation to join the circle.
It's not for nothing that Sugar Horse have become known as a nonconformist band. Their previous EPs Druj and Drugs were acclaimed amalgams of doom, hardcore, stoner and punk, continued by acclaimed debut LP The Live Long After. A band who were due to tour with Black Peaks before the inevitable Covid disruption, and who have toured with Vennart and played ArcTanGent, Sugar Horse have received praise from Upset Magazine, Metal Hammer, Revolver and Kerrang!, among others.
Forming in 2015 as a trio in a flat in Bristol, Sugar Horse fully came into being in 2019 with the addition of Jake Healy on baritone guitar and keyboards. Seeking to break away from emerging trends in their scene, the band's emphasis on simplicity and down-tempo heft belies an impressive sense of self-awareness and maturity. In their own words: "I think the best art is formed when it's creators enforce rigid rules on themselves. Mondrian had geometry, Mark E Smith had his hatred for cigarette taxation and we have a complete disregard for urgency."
Stream the new album, The Live Long After, here: https://sugarhorse.bandcamp.com/album/the-live-long-after
Watch Sugar Horse live:
17th August 2022 – ArcTanGent Festival, Bristol
30th October 2022 – w/ Conjurer, Brighton
31st October 2022 – w/ Conjurer, Bristol
1st November 2022 – w/ Conjurer, Manchester
2nd November 2022 – w/ Conjurer, Glasgow
3rd November 2022 – w/ Conjurer, Leeds
4th November 2022 – w/ Conjurer, London
11th November 2022 – w/ Godflesh, Dublin
12th November 2022 – w/ Godflesh, Belfast
Sugar Horse are:
Ashley Tubb (Vocals/Guitar)
Jake Healy (Baritone Guitar, Keyboards)
Chris Howarth (Bass)
Martin Savage (Drums)
For more information:
https://www.facebook.com/sugarhorseruinedmybirthday
https://www.instagram.com/sugarhorse.are.awful
https://twitter.com/sugarhorse666
Tracklisting:
1. Disco Loadout (ft. Debbie Gough, Heriot, vocals; Damien Sayell, Mclusky, vocals; Matt Loveridge, MXLX, cello)
2. Waterloo Teeth (ft. Dave Larkin, Black Peaks, bass; Will Gardner, Black Peaks, saxophone; Paul Tierney, Lonely Tourist, vocals)
3. Gutted (ft. Kate Davies, Pupil Slicer, vocals; Dan Nightingale, Conjurer, vocals/guitar; Brady Deeprose, Conjurer, vocals/guitar; Conor Marshall, Conjurer, vocals/guitar; Nuala Honan, vocals)
4. Super Army Soldiers (ft. Adam Devonshire, IDLES, bass; Mike Vennart, Oceansize/Biffy Clyro/Vennart, guitar; Connie Matthews, Wych Elm, vocals)
German metal quintet Half Me have released their second single / video 'Wraith' via Arising Empire. Formed in Hamburg Germany in 2018, the band - guitarists Chris and Julius, vocalist Chris, drummer Max and bassist Tobias - are one of the newest additions to the Arising Empire roster.
Watch the video to 'Wraith' here: https://youtu.be/3tPGtDtItJs
Stream here: https://arisingempire.com/wraith
The band comment "'Wraith' is the repercussion of a traumatic episode. In a cry for solidarity, the isolation turns out to fuel the infectious progression of something that is vague and hard to pin down - but it exists. Every single thought aggravates a vicious downward spiral while nobody else is able to understand. In this state of being pushed away from everyone, 'Wraith' describes this entity that is growing and slowly becoming a part of you."
Watch the video to previous single 'Trauma Culture' here: https://youtu.be/pcpA9wJ--KE
In the space of just two years, the band have made an impact in the music scene by self producing their music and videos, displaying their intensive and energetic demeanour. Debuting with four singles initially, it was their latest single 'Exitwound' (featuring Jack Bergin of Void of Vision) that gave the group a breakthrough and landed the band in the spotlight of Knotfest’s Countdown to Oblivion.
Musically, Half Me blend a modern rendition of metal and hardcore with highlights of 90s nu-metal. Pounding riffs and breakdowns are accompanied by brutal, yet sometimes elegant, vocals that all balance together to formulate the band’s own distinctive sound. Riding the high of their recent success, Half Me have sights set on releasing their highly anticipated debut album in 2022.
Half Me will support their label mates in The Oklahoma Kid on the Tangerine Tragic Tour across Germany this autumn alongside Liotta Seoul.
Half Me are:
Christopher Zühlke | vocals
Christopher Hesse | guitar
Julius Jansen | guitar
Tobias Max Sajons | bass
Maximilian Eisersdorff | drums
Half Me online:
Facebook || Twitter || Instagram || TikTok
Photo Credit: Oscar Dziedziela
Swedish metalcore quintet Imminence have shared a reimagined acoustic version of their hit single 'Alleviate'. The original track features on the band's fourth album Heaven In Hiding, out now via Arising Empire.
Check out 'Alleviate (Acoustic)' here: https://youtu.be/h7szP83V2Wo
Stream 'Alleviate (Acoustic)' here: https://arisingempire.com/alleviateacoustic
Since their formation, Imminence's acoustic side has been an equally important component to their unique identity. 'Alleviate' is the third reimagined song from their latest album, written and produced solely by Eddie Berg (vocals/violin) and Harald Barrett (guitar). The acoustic version of 'Alleviate' is accompanied by a music video filmed and edited by producer Pavel Trebukhin.
Imminence's latest album, Heaven In Hiding, was released in 2021 via Arising Empire and saw them elevate to the next level in the global modern metal scene. The metal community even granted Imminence a brand new and unique genre: violincore. Singles 'Temptation', 'Heaven In Hiding', 'Ghost', 'Chasing Shadows' and 'Alleviate' were accompanied by outstanding visual production, with enormous success on YouTube and other streaming platforms.
Stream/purchase Heaven In Hiding here: https://imminence.lnk.to/heaveninhiding
Closing in on 100 million streams and over 250,000 online followers off the back of four albums, Imminence emerged from the global COVID-19 pandemic straight into a six-week long European headline tour. Always breaking boundaries and expectations, Imminence introduced the touring cycle with a full-acoustic show: Live In Concert Halls. Featuring a string quartet and other classical elements, Imminence brought the ensemble to six shows in Germany, resulting in a chart position in Eventims' fastest selling tours in the country. The Heaven In Hiding album tour followed, with venues tripling in capacity and additional dates announced due to phenomenal demand.
Imminence's touring has remained strong over the summer of 2022, appearing at Full Force, Graspop, Rock For People, Deichbrand, Nova Rock, Jera On Air and more.
The band will return to the stage in November and December, supporting In Flames alongside At The Gates and Orbit Culture.
Dates:
12.11. EE Tallinn – Helitehas
13.11. LV Riga – Palladium
15.11. PL Katowice – Mck
16.11. CZ Prague – Mala Sportovni Hala
20.11. UK London – O2 Academy Brixton
21.11. LU Esch-Sur-Alzette – Rockhal
22.11. FR Strasbourg – La Laiterie
23.11. FR Paris – Bataclan
25.11. ES Bilbao – Santana 27
26.11. ES Madrid – Riviera
27.11. ES Barcelona – Razzmatazz
28.11. FR Lyon – Transbo
30.11. CH Zurich – Samsung Hall
01.12. IT Milan – Alcatraz
02.12. AT Vienna – Gasometer
03.12. DE Leipzig – Haus Auensee
04.12. DE Cologne – Palladium
06.12. NL Tilburg – 013
07.12. BE Brussels – AB
08.12. DE Wiesbaden – Schlachthof
09.12. DE Hamburg – Edel Optics Arena
10.12. DK Copenhagen – Store Vega
11.12. NL Oslo – Spektrum
14.12. FI Helsinki – Ice Hall
16.12. SE Stockholm – Hovet
17.12. SE Gothenburg - Scandinavium
Imminence are:
Eddie Berg | Vocals/Violin
Harald Barrett | Guitar
Alex Arnoldsson | Guitar
Christian Höijer | Bass
Peter Hanström | Drums
For more information:
www.imminenceswe.com
www.facebook.com/imminenceswe
www.instagram.com/imminenceswe
www.twitter.com/imminenceswe
Photo credits: Photo: Veronica Van Groningen / Edits: Thor Merlin
Maverick ambient electro duo Aiming For Enrike have announced their stunning new album Empty Airports, which will be released 20th January via Jansen Records.
In celebration of the news, Aiming For Enrike have released their first single from the album, the eponymous 'Empty Airports (Parts 2 & 3)'.
Stream the single and pre-order the album here: https://orcd.co/emptyairports-single
Of the new single, the band comment: "A slowly growing, hypnotic and minimalistic track that goes through subtle changes in a musical landscape that is more ambient, melancholic and electronic sounding than our previous releases."
On Empty Airports: "Empty Airports is our most minimalistic and ambient record so far. Most of the tracks explore simple and repetitive musical themes over long stretches of time in a warm and electronic sounding landscape. Even though there is always a red line going through our discography, this feels like a pretty big change from our previous record which we basically think of as a dance record. Empty Airports is more of a contemplative, hypnotic and introspective kind of record even though it has some pretty danceable parts."
It’s safe to say that Aiming For Enrike’s fame has come mostly thanks to their frenetic, wild and engaging live shows – having toured extensively in USA, India, Japan, Czech Republic, Norway, England and Germany for several years. Recently the duo have performed at the UK's esteemed ArcTanGent Festival, released an acclaimed Audiotree session, and toured with modern prog titans Leprous.
Previously known for noisy musical transformations and frenetic sonic attacks, Empty Airports marks a significant tonal shift for Aiming For Enrike. More electronic, more atmospheric and massive, the new album delves more deeply in the world of ambient than ever before.
A reflection and recognition of the stillness of COVID-life, Empty Airports was recorded during the strange, silent lockdown months of 2020 and 2021. The most spacious of Aiming For Enrike's work so far released, Empty Airports is also the duo's longest record, and their first double album.
Taking influence variously from the likes of Nils Frahm, Burial, Jon Hopkins, Sunn O))), Empty Airports' title touches on the stopped nature of the COVID world, a sense of the post-apocalyptic, and is a tip of the hat to Brian Eno's Music for Airports record.
Another stellar release in the canon of an already well-regarded forward-thinking group, Empty Airports proves beyond doubt that Aiming For Enrike live entirely in their own universe.
More info:
https://www.facebook.com/aimingforenrike/
https://aimingforenrike.bandcamp.com/
http://www.pekula.no/
Tracklisting:
1: Empty Airports pt1
2: Empty Airports pt2
3: Empty Airports pt3
4: The Rats And the Children
5: Feel No Threat/Absent Lovers
6: Slopes
7: The Castle
8: Square Machine
9: System 0
10: Pulse Fragments
Hotly-tipped electro-punks CLT DRP have released their astounding new single 'Aftermath', streaming now via Small Pond Records.
Aftermath will be released as a 7'' single on 7th October, with a B-side cover of the same song by Mercury Prize-nominated indie rockers The Big Moon.
Pre-order the 7'' here: https://cltdrp.bandcamp.com/album/aftermath
Stream 'Aftermath' here: https://listen.smallpondrec.com/aftermath
'Aftermath' is centred on themes of sexual assault and gendered violence, and the internalised guilt and frustration that can follow in the wake of sexual assault.
CLT DRP's Annie comments:
"Generational grief’s discourse within feminism is something that I don’t believe gets paid much attention to. There’s been so much progress culturally around the education of sexual health, consent and intersectional feminism while I’ve been growing up. Unfortunately even within that progress - it feels as though a lot of disconnect surrounding the victim blaming narrative has stayed the same. The onus continues to remain on the women to solve the problem of sexual assault / gendered violence and I notice that there is still a slight trace of resentment clashing between generations. There are all these conversations around how lucky my generation is that culturally, these topics are being spoken about and normalised in our lifetime. The reality surrounding that is most of these women and victims of sexual assault have carried this generational trauma and grief and passed it down. Men are learning about power dynamics and trying to be better but the women in this world have been left to pick up the pieces. More emotional labour, more time forgiving their perpetrators than themselves. Shame, that’s never been erased from family tree to family tree. Trauma that’s never been paid for and then becomes recycled on to our children.
'Aftermath' was a way to process how I felt about the conversation around sexual assault. I’ve been a bystander before because I was too scared to speak up, I’ve second guessed accusations because it was too painful to believe the truth or blocked out my own experiences because I didn’t want to admit that I was a victim. When you pride yourself on independence it’s really hard to paint yourself in that light, as not in control. When someone starts sharing their story it almost holds a mirror to you and your experiences that you’ve managed to bury, it’s triggering and so many women I know were never taught how to deal with that conversation or that trauma. I used to be so jarred by women my mother’s age in how little they spoke about their trauma and how little empathy they had sometimes for women/LGBTQ+ individuals younger than them. I soon realised that that’s how they processed their experiences and who was I to judge or ask of them to be anything more than okay with how they chose to deal with it at the time. If anything, I admire them now in a way I never used to. It fills me with more love and empathy than I could have imagined having when I carried so much anger and judgement."
On their collaboration, The Big Moon comment:
“We’re lucky to be both friends and fans of Annie and CLT DRP, so we were really glad to be asked to be part of this release. 'Aftermath' is such a powerful song - so personal yet universal - the weight of that really hit us and we feel grateful to have been part of the song’s life in some small way.”
CLT DRP will be releasing a zine to accompany Aftermath - a visual lyric book with perspectives from the band on the wake and reality of dealing with sexual assault. It touches on victim-blaming, gendered violence, and notions of responsibility. Confronting the sense of self-reflection that trauma instils in victims, the song and zine are a vital moment from a truly special trio.
Pronounced 'CLIT DRIP' for those confused or too shy to ask, CLT DRP have been turning heads since 2017. The genre-bending trio's non-apologetic and yet playful approach has seen them garner praise from TheLineOfBestFit, Gigwise, and plenty more. Their music gets you moving, invites you in with power, and makes you question your environment and yourself.
In their time, CLT DRP have already supported Nova Twins, Warmduscher, among others, and performed at 2000trees and ArcTanGent festivals.
CLT DRP will be touring with De Staat shortly. Dates as follows:
14/10 Manchester, UK, Academy 3
15/10 Dublin, IE, Grand social
16/10 Glasgow, UK, King Tut's
18/10 Birmingham, UK, Mama Roux
19/10 Leeds, UK, Brudenell
20/10 Bristol, UK, Thekla
04/11 Cluji, RO, Form Space
05/11 Bucharest, RO, Club Control
06/11 Sofia, BG, Terminal 1
08/11 Budapest, HU, Turbuina
09/11 Vienna, AT, Arena
10/11 München, DE, Strom
11/11 Oberhausen, DE, Resonanzwerk
13/11 Zürich, CH, Plaza
For more information:
https://www.facebook.com/CLTDRP
https://www.instagram.com/cltdrp/
Photo Credit: Martin Ruffin
UK rock quartet InTechnicolour have revealed a video for their latest single 'The Wave'. The track was released last week alongside the announcement of their new album Midnight Heavyweight, due for release on 4th November 2022 via Small Pond Records.
Check out the video for 'The Wave' here: https://youtu.be/-0V4D7cxnno
Stream/purchase 'The Wave' here: https://listen.smallpondrec.com/thewave
Video director Ali Gill comments:
"The video is a kind of twisted, comedic, human-form adaptation of The Scorpion & The Frog parable. The story follows a parasitic character who persuades a stranger to carry him to his destination - and the subsequent events that unfold between them that day.
"It was important for the video to have this uncanny, deadpan tone. A lot of this came from the performance: we experimented a lot before shooting on what might be the most abnormal - and almost disturbing - method of carrying another human, which is present in most of the shots of the video. I wanted to capture the oddity of the actors in quite a composed and dispassionate manner. We were often shooting from afar on long lenses - with the actors performing amongst the public. Perhaps characteristic of South London, the sight of a man being dragged across the pavement caused no one to bat an eye. I love that."
Vocalist Tobie Anderson adds:
"The video for 'The Wave' tells its own little story about struggle and hardship and what it looks like when that struggle kills you…obviously we interpreted that in the most literal way we could, ‘cuz of the amount of THC floating 'round our wrinkly old veins."
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.
InTechnicolour are an inventive four-piece comprised 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.
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, and are gearing up to hit the road this autumn with dates to be announced very soon.
InTechnicolour online:
https://www.facebook.com/Intechnicolourband/
https://twitter.com/intechnicolour_
https://www.instagram.com/intechnicolour/
Midnight Heavyweight tracklist:
1. BloodMoonShine
2. The Wave
3. Tokyo Dream
4. Wake Up Dead Man
5. Corner of Time in the World
6. Turn It loose
7. Midnight Heavyweight
8. Remember Not to Forget
9. Fever Queen
10. Making Friends with Shadows
11. Eastman
New Puerto Rican progressive guitarist Jan Rivera has revealed his third single/video, 'Fractional Lineage', and announced his debut album Existential Paranoia, to be released 14th October.
Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/j6y6cRcMRhM
Pre-order Existential Paranoia here: https://janrivera.bandcamp.com/album/existential-paranoia
Of the single, Jan Rivera comments: "This song was so much fun to make! I think you’ll be able to tell from the video alone! Shooting at a rooftop in Downtown LA at 6am, drones flying around, cracking jokes. That’s my idea of a fun time. Don’t worry, we only woke up about half of the city!"
Featuring bass guitar virtuoso Mohini Dey (Jordan Rudess, Jordan Richardson, AR Rahman), 'Fractional Lineage' is another enticing glimpse into the impressive sonic world Jan Rivera is building. Accompanied too by drumming legend Marco Minnemann (Steven Wilson, The Aristocrats), 'Fractional Lineage' is a prog rock tour de force.
Jan's debut album Existential Paranoia continues the theme - a superlative first offering from this new artist, accompanied by a host of musical stars. Alongside Marco Minnemann and Mohini Dey, the album also includes appearances from Jordan Rudess (Dream Theater), Gary Husband (John Mclaughlin, Allan Holdsworth), Nili Brosh (Danny Elfman), and Chad Wackerman (Frank Zappa) among others. Notably, Existential Paranoia includes the first instance of drumming legends Chad Wackerman and Marco Minnemann appearing on the same track - the album closer, 'The Grey Sticky Note'.
Jan Rivera comments: “Existential Paranoia is a play on words. It’s simply a reflection of the times. The high amount of noise in the world almost makes it feel like for many, paranoia is a direct result of existing...
"Using the word existential also makes reference to the fact that the space created the last few
years has propelled introspection and sort of given fuel to the existential crisis. This is why
many people have not returned to their previous jobs. They had a view into “the world that
could be” and decided to pursue it."
Jordan Rudess comments: “I get asked to do a lot of projects. I have to say that many of them are really good, but it's not very often that you find a unique compositional voice. When I first heard Jan Rivera's music, I was freaking out!”
Elements of Allan Holdsworth, Dream Theater, The Aristocrats, and Scott Henderson abound throughout Existential Paranoia, displaying a musical sensitivity and rhythmic guile which marks out this new voice as one to watch. Much like his esteemed predecessor John McLaughlin, Jan displays a strong Indian Classical musical influence, including tabla master Zakir Hussain. For example, compositionally, Jan's musical counting is based upon Konnakol, an Indian rhythmic method of counting metre.
Well-regarded as a music educator, Jan is a graduate of the revered Musicians Institute's Guitar Institute of Technology in Los Angeles, where he studied under Alex Machacek, Greg Howe, and Scott Henderson, among others. His 2014 textbook 'Advanced Rhythmic Concepts for Guitar' was a bestseller, and received rave reviews globally. Jan is an on-set consultant and curriculum designer for Fender Guitars and has taught and performed with Guitar Workshop Plus, which commonly features guitarists such as Tosin Abasi, Paul Gilbert, and Andy McKee, among others.
On the album art, Jan comments: "The "world that could be" is visible in the album’s artwork. You can see that the colors outside of the door are monotone, while inside the door everything is full of color. This represents “what could be”.
"The surreal elements you see within the city represent the dreams and creative parts that
capture our imaginations and propel us to seek something more, something meaningful. This is
something that I deeply identify with, as it also mirrors my own struggles with finding my voice
as a musician.”
For more information:
https://www.youtube.com/c/JanRivera
https://janrivera.bandcamp.com
Tracklisting:
1: Fractional Lineage
Mohini Dey (bass), Marco Minnemann (drums)
2: Existential Paranoia
Jordan Rudess (keys), Mohini Dey, Marco Minnemann, Juan Antonio (guitar)
3: Homenaje
Mohini Dey, Marco Minnemann
4: Can’t Fight Who You Are
Jordan Rudess, Mohini Dey, Marco Minneman
5: Things That Don’t Fit
Mohini Dey, Marco Minnemann
6: My Friend The [Synic]
Chris Clark (keys), Jimmy Johnson (bass), Marco Minnemann
7: Morse Code For Hope
Gary Husband (keys), Jimmy Johnson, Marco Minnemann
8: The Encounter
Nili Brosh (guitar), Eli Marcus (bass), Marco Minnemann
9: Not Here, Not There; Not Anywhere
Eli Marcus, Marco Minnemann
10: The Grey Sticky Note
Chris Clark, Mohini Dey, Marco Minnemann, Chad Wackerman (drums), Mark Hartsuch (saxophone)
Melodic death metal quartet Railgun have released a video for their raucous new single 'Night Terrors'.
Check out the video for 'Night Terrors' here: https://youtu.be/4jU3MJrVuSg
Railgun comment on the new single:
"'Night Terrors' is a foray into something slightly more theatrical both musically and visually for Railgun. The song is dark, heavy, melodic, and is complemented by an incredible music video directed by Curtis Jensen of Apple Wagon Films. This is without a doubt our best, and most cohesive work to date."
It’s difficult to define Railgun’s music based on genres alone. Some have described their music as “crossing a number of elements from melodic death metal, to heavy metal, to metalcore, to groove metal and beyond.” Although it may be easier, and more accurate, to classify their music as “a ground shaking elemental force” (The Circle Pit).
Formed in 2009, Railgun’s style was deeply influenced by the metalcore pioneers from the late 1990’s and early 2000’s. As time went on and line-ups changed, the band naturally synthesised into something that was far more eclectic and versatile. Their album Tension firmly drives this point home when measured up against their previous works. Throughout the release, Railgun flaunt their ability to bridge the gap between crushing heavy riffs and beautiful melodic lines, a juxtaposition that has a unique way of drawing upon the deeply rooted emotions of the listener.
Railgun are releasing a series of singles as a follow-up to Tension, which will continue to grow and evolve not only their sound, but what Railgun are artistically. The new material is a testament to the band's willingness to push past what people expect, treading into uncharted territory.
Railgun are:
Zack Kangas-Sinsbury | Vocals
Mike Henderson | Bass
Jake Pechiwa | Drums
Ray Milton | Guitars
For more information:
https://www.facebook.com/railgunmetal/
https://www.instagram.com/railgunband/
https://twitter.com/railguntheband/