British alt-rock project Mira Disconnect have released their debut single 'What Happens On The Outside'. The brainchild of Tom Hewson (Of Allies), Mira Disconnect bring up the conversation about mental health and suicide through this slick, inspiring alt-rock track. 

Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/m7JMW2xHlL4

Stream the song here: https://ditto.fm/what-happens-on-the-outside
 

Frontman Tom Hewson comments: "The song is about not noticing the red flags when a friend or someone close is struggling internally. Some find it easier to put on a brave face to hide what they’re feeling on the inside, and we only see what happens on the outside. It’s also important not to blame yourself for not being aware of someone else’s struggles because how were you to know? However it is important to ask if they’re ok."

Tom Hewson, the mastermind behind Mira Disconnect, has been a key part of the writing and production of songs that have resulted in over nine million streams on Spotify, BBC Radio 1 coverage and Kerrang! Radio playlisting, all with alt-rock indie juggernauts Of Allies. He has supported acts such as TesseracT, Normandie and Arcane Roots and played major UK festivals over the years.

Mira Disconnect mix elements of alternative rock, post hardcore and pop punk, pulling inspiration from the likes of Biffy Clyro, Reuben, Hundred Reasons and Jimmy Eat World. The act's first single, 'What Happens On The Outside', tackles the difficult subject of suicide, and not seeing the red flags in people who are close until, in some cases, it's already too late. It is the first release from an upcoming 4 track EP which will see the light of day later this year. In the meantime, Hewson has gathered a group of musicians ready to bring Mira Disconnect to the stage. 

For more:
https://www.facebook.com/MiraDisconnect
https://www.instagram.com/miradisconnect

Danish extreme metal quintet, The Arcane Order, have released their staggering new single 'The First Deceiver', another glimpse of their upcoming fourth album Distortions From Cosmogony, to be released 9th June via Black Lion Records.

Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/h8Cfzk88unY 

And stream the single here: https://orcd.co/the-first-deceiver-single

Guitarist Flemming C. Lund comments: "On this song we wanted a darker kind of vibe while utilizing some sinister harmonies we never did before. A bit like in the older Pestilence-songs from the Malleus Maleficarum era, while still mixing it up for a more progressive chorus and some dark yet groovy passages to spice things up."

Lead singer Kim Song Sternkorpf comments: "From a lyrical perspective, the song is about Prometheus, the perfect anti-hero. The myth of how he had to flee the wrath of the gods for bestowing the gift of fire to man served as one of the best classical narratives of rebellion and liberation. Is he a self-sacrificing saviour of man, or has he brought ruin on us all for giving men a tool to undermine the reign of the divine?"

Distortions From Cosmogony is an album for which the word 'epic' does little justice. Its singular style combines the extreme, the grandiose, technical and melodic while telling the story of mankind’s eternal existential conflict between autonomy and submission. 

Distortions From Cosmogony will be released on 2-LP, CD and physical formats can be pre-ordered HERE while digital formats can be pre-saved HERE. 

Kim and Bastian join long-time members Flemming C Lund (guitars) and Kasper Kirkegaard (Hatesphere, rhythm guitar).
 
Founded by Flemming in the 00s, with the aim of delivering epic, melodic extreme metal, The Arcane Order swiftly signed with Metal Blade, who released their first two albums The Machinery of Oblivion (2006) and In the Wake of Collisions (2008).
 
After a hiatus, the band then released Cult of None (2015), before another break while all band members worked on their other projects. Despite this, along the way, The Arcane Order have played a string of high-profile shows, marking themselves as one of Denmark’s most exciting underground metal acts.
 
In their time, the band have played alongside Carcass, Suffocation, and Testament; and they draw inspiration from French tech-death legends Scarve, Decapitated, Strapping Young Lad, and Ihsahn, among many others.
 
As the previous three, the new album was recorded by Jacob Hansen (Aborted, Arch Enemy, Volbeat, Katatonia, etc), with Jacob Bredahl (Lifesick, Eyes, Livløs, etc) recording vocals.
 
The result: a 54-minute long virtuosic display of The Arcane Order’s unique fusion of death, black, tech, classic and melodic metal. In the same manner, the subject matter of The Arcane Order demands a will to be challenged.
 
Distortions from Cosmogony revolves around eternal existential struggle, between autonomy and submission. This is a subject close to vocalist Kim Song Sternkopf’s heart – he grew up in an oppressive religious sect; subsequent loss of faith has led to a deep fascination with what leads us as humans drawn to hierarchies, vs our deep desire for independence and the existence of free will.

The Arcane Order are:
Kim Song Sternkopf: Vocals
Flemming C. Lund: Guitar
Kasper Kierkegaard: Guitar
Anders Frodo S. Mikkelsen: Bass
Bastian Thusgaard: Drums
 

The Arcane Order online:
http://www.thearcaneorder.net
https://www.facebook.com/thearcaneorder
https://www.instagram.com/thearcaneorderofficial/

Black Lion Records online:
www.blacklion.nu
https://www.facebook.com/blacklionrecordsswe
https://www.instagram.com/blacklionrecordsswe/

Track list:

1. Distortions From Cosmogony
2. Cry Of Olympus
3. A Blinding Trust In Chosen Kings
4. Starvations for Elysium
5. Favors For Significance
6. The First Deceiver
7. Empedocles' Dream
8. Ideals Of Wretched Kingdoms
9. Children Of Erebos
10. Wings of Duality

Photo Credit: Colourbound

German trio Future Palace have released a video for their brand new single 'Malphas', out now via Arising Empire. The track is the band's first new music since their second album Run, released last year via the label. 

Check out the video for 'Malphas' here: https://youtu.be/qfgEGrxysUc

Stream/purchase 'Malphas' here: https://arisingempire.com/malphas

We know demons as legendary creatures - but sometimes they seem more real to us than we would like. In their new single 'Malphas', Future Palace combine mythological symbolism with the abyss of an emotional world.

The introductory staccato riffing announces the most harrowing three minutes the band have recorded by far, further developing the sound of 2022's second album Run. 

An incomparable, massively produced set of instruments, together with the brute screams of vocalist Maria Lessing, create a trembling sound that can hardly be described as post-hardcore, with additional synthesizer, industrial and darkwave elements.

The Malphas is a demon figure from centuries-old tales, that appears in the form of a raven and takes its victims bit by bit like a virus. With this image, Future Palace tell of the battles that do not take place in stories, but in real life. 

"With its power, our new song 'Malphas' is intended to represent the recurring struggle and the necessary patience with oneself and one's inner demons," comments Lessing on the song, offering hope despite the brute force of the sound.

Future Palace are currently on tour throughout Europe with Electric Callboy, followed by their Run headline tour later this year.

UK dates as follows: 

May 01: London Eventim Apollo (w/ Electric Callboy)
Oct 10: London Underworld
Oct 11: Sheffield Corporation
Oct 12: Glasgow Audio

Full dates and tickets here: https://future-palace.com/#tourdates

Future Palace are:
Maria | Vocals
Manuel | Guitar
Johannes | Drums

For more information:
https://www.facebook.com/futurepalace
https://www.instagram.com/futurepalaceofficial
https://tiktok.com/@futurepalace
https://twitter.com/futurepalacede
https://www.future-palace.de

Photo Credit: Steve Gullick

English alternative rock quartet Haunt the Woods have released their stunningly evocative new single 'Fever Dream' (Spinefarm).

Stream 'Fever Dream' here: https://HauntTheWoods.lnk.to/FeverDreamPR
Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/2VpERm3HJhc

Haunt the Woods' Jonathan Stafford (vocals/guitar) comments: "'Fever Dream' is a glorious fanfare, juxtaposing the struggle to find oneself in the modern, failing world, against the glorious awe and wonder of the vast limitless universe. Recorded at Middle Farm Studios in 2021, the song reflects the struggles of the time and the glimpse of hope and light at the end of the tunnel."

With elements as disparate as Radiohead, Jeff Buckley, The Mars Volta, Queen and beyond, Haunt the Woods are a curiously unique band.

In the deepest reaches of the English countryside there is a sublime sound emanating from the landscape, and its name is Haunt the Woods. Timely and yet oddly timeless, this surprisingly youthful quartet span musical decades and worlds.

Recently signed with Spinefarm, it won't be long before you hear plenty more from these musical mavericks, and with good reason. Formed in the hinterlands between Plymouth, Devon, and Cornwall, Haunt the Woods deftly interweave alt rock, folk, prog and pop with an epic level of pomp and poetic elegance that suggests a far longer tenure than their young years suggest. There are tips of the hat to Queen and Muse, Jeff Buckley and Radiohead, and a sprinkled-in tinge of Beatles-loving pop sensibility and Manchester Orchestra-esque poignancy: Haunt the Woods have that rare ability to conjure legacy while creating a bold sound that is newly their own.

With two warmly received EPs and a debut album, Opaque (2020) which was released in 2020, the stage has been set for their overdue introduction to the world, which begins with their stunning new single 'Fever Dream'. Cinematic in scope, operatic in texture - it's a fitting illustration of the band's prowess and talent. 

Watch Haunt the Woods live:

May 11: Brighton The Great Escape
Jun 03: Scorrier The Great Estate
Jul 05: Cheltenham 2000trees
Jul 21: Dartmoor Tunes in the Sands
Jul 22: Whiddon Down Chagstock
Jul 23: Bude, Leopollooza

Follow Haunt the Woods:
https://www.facebook.com/hauntthewoodsofficial
https://twitter.com/hauntthewoods
https://www.instagram.com/hauntthewoods

Photo Credit: Luna Perri

UK trio Black Orchid Empire have unveiled their new single / lyric video 'Scarlet Haze', taken from their new album Tempus Veritas, out now via Season of Mist. 

Watch the lyric video for 'Scarlet Haze' here: https://youtu.be/3qW7ZEyG-OI

Purchase Tempus Veritas here: https://shop.season-of-mist.com/list/black-orchid-empire-tempus-veritas

Stream the single and album here: https://orcd.co/tempusveritas

Speaking about 'Scarlet Haze', guitarist / vocalist Paul Visser says: "We've always loved filthy riffs and heavy songs, but huge, melodic tracks have a vital place in our sonic landscape - 'Scarlet Haze' is one of those. We can't wait to hear you screaming the chorus back to us at a live show. We're so excited for people to hear Tempus Veritas and explore the new musical worlds which we've had such a great time crafting.
 
"Lyrically this song is written from the point of view of the first human in space - Yuri Gagarin. In his final moments aboard the test flight on which he would ultimately lose his life, he contemplates the stars above him - realising he will never reach them again."

Watch the video for previous singles:
'The Raven': https://youtu.be/ep_OlxGNNr0 
'Glory To The King': https://youtu.be/bY76U2RyHgk
 'Deny The Sun': https://youtu.be/b1uukX9KALY

On new album Tempus Veritas, he continues: "Interwoven with the fabric of our history as a species are countless opportunities for stories. Little pieces of imagined narrative, set within events we all collectively know as historical, that seek to explore what it means to be human - this is the idea behind Tempus Veritas. Whereas Semaphore looked to the future, this record reinvents the past, wondering what it was like to be inside the mind of a person living through times of consequence. Musically, we continue to seek the boundary between the savagely technical and the undeniably beautiful and attempt to push it as far as possible. We poured our entire creative beings into making this album - we sincerely hope you enjoy it."

Black Orchid Empire have also announced their Tempus Veritas headline tour, with support from Giant Walker. Full upcoming dates are as follows:

Apr 22: Wolverhampton, KK's Steel Mill (Empyre album release show)

UK headline tour:

Jun 28: Derby, The Hairy Dog 
Jun 29: Newcastle Upon Tyne, Anarchy Brewery
Jun 30: Glasgow, Audio
Jul 01: Manchester, Yes Basement
Jul 02: London, 229

Black Orchid Empire create huge, memorable rock music that combines heavy-hitting savagery with intense melodic beauty. Their technical, fearlessly complex grooves and gigantic sing-along choruses have already earned them a widespread fanbase.
 
A ferociously tight live band, Black Orchid Empire have toured Europe and the UK extensively, supporting Skunk Anansie, HED p.e, INME and Black Map as well as festival slots at Download, Standon Calling and Planet Rockstock. Black Orchid Empire have sealed the bands reputation as a force to be reckoned with.
 
Having released their debut album Archetype (2016) to universal acclaim, Black Orchid Empire signed with German label Long Branch Records to release the follow up albums Yugen (2018) and Semaphore (2020). Both albums received stellar reviews and over 4,000,000+ combined streams.
 
Tempus Veritas is a collection of stories that seeks to find compelling imaginary narratives hidden away in what we all think of as history. Behind every milestone or major event in humanity’s long, complex past lies a treasure trove of possibilities for invention - how did Pope Urban VIII feel when confronted by his friend Galileo about the true nature of the sun?  What really happened during an almost triumphant but ultimately doomed Everest attempt? What was it like to be a Norse settler amongst the Saxons; did the omens of the ancient gods begin to disappear?

In approaching Tempus Veritas, Black Orchid Empire sought collectively to push themselves both musically and thematically. Their pursuit of heaviness, melody, emotional power and rhythmic complexity has pushed them to create something they‘re immensely proud of. Semaphore was an album of Sci-Fi, this is an album of Hi-Fi. Tempus Veritas.      
          
Black Orchid Empire are:
Paul Visser - Vocals, Guitar
David Ferguson - Bass, Vocals
Billy Freedom - Drums 

Black Orchid Empire online:
Website || Facebook || Instagram || Youtube || Tiktok

Track-list:

1. Tempus Veritas (1:24)
2. Hydrogen (3:57)
3. The Raven (3:41)
4. Last Ronin (4:27)
5. Scarlet Haze (3:42)
6. Deny The Sun (3:15)
7. Glory To The King (3:37)
8. Summit (3:07)
9. Weakness (2:49)
10. Vesuvius (3:44)
11. Latimer (3:43)
Total: 37:26

Photo Credit: Maciej Pieloch

Death-thrash force DIETH - featuring the iconic line-up of Grammy Award winning bassist David Ellefson (ex-Megadeth), Swedish Grammy nominated guitarist/vocalist Guilherme Miranda (ex-Entombed A.D.) and drummer Michał Łysejko (ex-Decapitated) - have today released their new single and video, 'Don't Get Mad ... Get Even!'.

The new single is the second glimpse of their highly anticipated debut full-length To Hell And Back, out 2nd June 2023 via Napalm Records.

Watch 'Don't Get Mad ... Get Even!' here: https://youtu.be/QC7fT0wRvJQ

Pre-order To Hell And Back here: https://lnk.to/DIETH-ToHellAndBack/napalmrecords

The anthemic 'Don't Get Mad ... Get Even!' listeners' hearts pumping instantly with its fastpaced, charging rhythms, energetic vocal chants and chunky thrash-infused riffs. The track's accompanying video highlights that while it sometimes feels easier to make self-destructive choices in times of anger, we can channel that energy into bettering ourselves, both mentally and physically, instead - the best revenge!

David Ellefson comments on the single: "The best revenge is being better than you were before. 'Don't Get Mad... Get Even!' is about the champion inside us that helps overcome and rise above the challenges. Don't get bitter... get better!"

Frontman Guilherme Miranda adds: "When things fall apart, instead pointing the finger at others, you can turn around, work on yourself, do your best and find your way to get truly even."

Michał Łysejko offers one more sage thought: "In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream will win - not by strength, but by perseverance."

Produced by DIETH with mixing and mastering by Tomasz Zed Zalewski at Zed Studios in Chechło, Poland, debut album To Hell And Back represents new beginnings; musically, lyrically and for the band members themselves. Weaving a sinister thread of unrelenting tech-steeped death metal, rapid thrash bangers and even boasting the first ever lead vocal performance by David Ellefson on a track, the members of DIETH have pushed beyond the stereotypes of their former genres to create an unexpected yet charismatic and dynamic new sonic footprint.

DIETH set the metalsphere ablaze when they dropped their debut single 'In The Hall of the Hanging Serpents', in mid-2022. Met with acclaim from both fans and media alike, the surprise track marked the exciting resurgence of these three renowned musicians, coming together as a new musical force after years of silence. 

Opening with an entrancing acoustic introduction, first track 'To Hell And Back' quickly slams in with a punishing death metal attack. Tracks like 'Dead Inside' and 'Don’t Get Mad … Get Even!' showcase the thrash-infused side of DIETH, while death metal anthems such as 'Wicked Disdain' and 'The Mark of Cain' lean diabolical with hair-raising solos and breakneck paced rhythms backed by crushing walls of aggression. Standout 'Free Us All' flirts with the record’s pace by blending winding passages and aggression with throwback bass-driven interludes with psychedelic production, followed by 'Heavy Is The Crown' - a slow and low grinder featuring stoner metal groove, a swaying chorus and a blues-infused solo. Pensive, powerful ballad 'Walk With Me Forever' showcases David Ellefson’s lead vocal performance debut, singing about the intense loss of a loved one and their memory providing the strength to carry on.

Ending with intensely beautiful 'Severance', To Hell And Back proves that DIETH isn’t just another side project or “supergroup”, but rather the collective reincarnation of three renowned heavy metal forces who, by harnessing their own pain and conflict, have delivered an exciting next chapter no metal fan will want to miss!

Bassist/vocalist David Ellefson says about the new album:
"This album has been a terrific collaboration, building upon our past as we created a new sound together... we're looking forward to unleashing the fury!"

To Hell And Back will be available in the following formats:
-1CD Digisleeve
-1LP Gatefold Black
-Limited 1LP Die Hard Vinyl (Marbled Red/Black) w/ wristband, embroidered patch, signed autograph card - Napalm mail order only, limited to 300
-Digital Album

DIETH are:
Guilherme Miranda - Vocals, Guitar
David Ellefson - Vocals, Bass
Michał Łysejko - Drums

DIETH live:
June 15. - 18: BE, Dessel / Graspop Metal Festival
July 06. - 08: CZ, Velke Mezirici / Fajtfest
Aug 03. - 5.08: PT, Vagos / Vagos Metal Fest
Aug 20: FR, Carhaix / Motorcultor Festival

DIETH online:
WEBSITE FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM NAPALM RECORDS

Track list: 

1. To Hell And Back
2. Don't Get Mad ... Get Even!
3. Wicked Disdain
4. Free Us All
5. Heavy Is The Crown
6. Walk With Me Forever
7. Dead Inside
8. The Mark Of Cain
9. In The Hall Of The Hanging Serpents
10. Severance

Australia's Eurovision Song Contest representatives, Voyager, have released their cover of Andrew Lambrou's track 'Break A Broken Heart'.

Andrew Lambrou is an Australian-Cypriot artist, due to represent Cyprus at the Eurovision Song Contest this year. 

Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/SgjSdB84FoE

The cover will be available on all streaming services from tomorrow, Wednesday 19th March. Pre-save the track here: https://orcd.co/voyagerbabh

Voyager comment: "We had such a wonderful time meeting Andrew Lambrou at Eurovision: Australia Decides in 2022, and were surprised to find he had one of the biggest metal playlists you've ever seen! So, covering his banger of an entry for Cyprus in the Eurovision Song Contest this year 'Break A Broken Heart' just felt like a natural fit. Can't wait rock out in Liverpool mate!"

Voyager will be performing a special pre-Eurovision headline show at London on 20th April.

Purchase tickets for the London show here.

Voyager's fearless, riff-laden, genre-bending entry, 'Promise' can be heard here, and you can watch the video here.

The opening line of Voyager’s 2023 Eurovision song 'Promise' is somewhat prophetic. As vocalist Danny Estrin belts out the lyric, “Have you ever done anything like this before?” audiences across the globe will realise we haven’t. For the first time ever, a band will represent the country – and not just any band – a band with soaring melodies, masterful riffs, keytar solos, powerhouse rhythms, and enough charisma to take on the world.

Shattering expectations, their resilience and determination has finally paid off. Voyager's is a story of passion, perseverance, and patience. The band has been throwing their hat in the ring for the Eurovision Song Contest since Australia announced its participation back in 2015. Eight years later, they have prospered, overcome, and are now victorious. Voyager are a band who take everything in their stride, over the years garnering a strong fanbase near and far, continuing to vie for their Eurovision dream. At last year’s Eurovision – Australia Decides, they took out second place in a nail-biting finish, leading the public vote with their song 'Dreamer'.

Now, Voyager are about to set sail to Merseyside with their song 'Promise'; an epic, progressive pop-metal track that transports the listener on an emotive story of adventure and redemption. Its stunning music video was captured in the region of Australia's mid-west Kalbarri that boasts the pink ethereal Hutt Lagoon, and Kalbarri National Park, where there are epic gorges and rock formations including Nature’s Window.

Blending New Romantic, ‘80s infused vocals with technical, melodic framework, groovy basslines, bombastic drums, and what is fast becoming the band’s signature instrument, the keytar, it’s sure to lift the roof off Pier Head, Liverpool. They have toured the world many times over, with an influx of fans on their latest European tour won over by their electric live performances. 

Voyager will soon embark on their eighth album cycle, but before they can begin their next chapter, they must first take on the epic battle they have long been fighting for.

Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra won the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest in Turin, Italy, with their song 'Stefania'. This year, the United Kingdom will host the competition on Ukraine’s behalf with the theme United by Music. This is the ninth time the United Kingdom will host Eurovision and the fifth time it’s hosted for other countries due to financial or capacity issues.

Follow Voyager on social media: @voyagerau (Twitter, TikTok, Instagram) and Facebook: www.facebook.com/voyageraustralia

Voyager are:

Danny Estrin (Vocals, Keytar)
A keytar wielding, songwriting powerhouse who is a lawyer by day and a rockstar by night. Not only is Danny an award-winning lawyer, but his multilingual abilities are an asset to Voyager’s live shows all around the world, allowing the band to connect on a deeper level with their international audience, mesmerised by his ‘80s vocal timbre.

Simone Dow (Guitars) 
A firecracker of a guitarist whose chronic pain condition only drives her further to succeed. An advocate of migraine awareness, the 7-string guitarist shreds and brings an energy to the stage unmatched by anyone else in the scene.

Scott Kay (Guitars)
Scott’s technical proficiency and energy perfectly compliment his sister in shred, syncopating their efforts on stage and providing a twin attack on guitars. Scott’s philosophical approach to music shines through in his performance, executing a deep and meaningful energy to every live show.

Alex Canion (Bass)
The face of bass, and a killer vocalist to boot. Alex is a force of nature and connects with all his peers on stage in a way that brings a dynamic that is hard to rival in any band. Providing epic moments in the songs alongside a rhythmic foundation, Alex’s personality brings an eccentric and expressive outpour to Voyager’s shows.

Ash Doodkorte (Drums)
The most bombastic drummer you’ll ever see. Leading the charge with impact and momentum, Ash’s drumming is indefatigable. Not only is he a master of his craft, but he also specialises in another craft topic, beer.

Photo Credit: Dennis Larance

Atreyu have announced a 25-date UK/European headline tour, set to take place across November and December 2023. The announcement follows their hugely impactful return to European shores earlier this year, as special guests to Bullet For My Valentine alongside Jinjer.

The band comment: 

“You asked for it, and we listened! We’re heading back again this year for our first proper UK/EU headlining tour in over a decade. We have something truly special in store for everyone and are so excited to see y’all!”

See them live at one of the following dates: 

Nov 12: IE Dublin Academy 
Nov 13: UK Belfast Limelight 
Nov 15: UK Glasgow Garage 
Nov 16: UK Nottingham Rescue Rooms 
Nov 18: UK Wolverhampton KK's Steel Mill 
Nov 19: UK Manchester Club Academy 
Nov 20: UK Bristol Thekla 
Nov 22: UK London Electric Ballroom 
Nov 23: UK Brighton Chalk 
Nov 25: DE Berlin Hole 44
Nov 26: CZ Prague Rock Café
Nov 27: AT Vienna Szene 
Nov 28: DE Munich Backstage Halle 
Nov 29: CH Zurich Dynamo 
Dec 01: ES Madrid Mon Live 
Dec 02: ES Barcelona Apolo 2 
Dec 04: FR Paris Backstage BTM 
Dec 05: DE Munster Skaters Palace 
Dec 06: BE Antwerp Zappa 
Dec 07: NL Utrecht Tivoli 
Dec 09: DE Cologne Kantine 
Dec 10: DE Hamburg Knust 
Dec 11: DK Copenhagen Pumpehuset 
Dec 12: NO Oslo John Dee 
Dec 13: SE Stockholm Klubben 

Tickets are on sale at 10am BST on Friday 21st April, available via the band's website: http://www.AtreyuOfficial.com

Atreyu recently released their new EP, The Hope Of A Spark, via Spinefarm. The EP is available to stream/purchase here: https://atreyu.lnk.to/TheHopeOfASpark

Check out the video for the band's latest single 'Watch Me Burn' here: https://youtu.be/r1D4496O-XM

The Hope Of A Spark embodies everything that Atreyu have come to be, to mean, and to represent. The EP marks the beginning of the next chapter in the band’s story, with assorted pieces of an expansive puzzle still taking shape, form and focus.
 
Produced by long-time collaborator John Feldmann, the new music explores reflection and rumination on the pressures, pleasures, and pains of modern life, with each track representing a snapshot of deeply personal lived and shared experiences.
 
“The overarching concept is essentially about the seasons of life,” frontman Brandon Saller explains. “Everyone goes through the same things, the ups, and downs of life. The emphasis really is the importance of at least respecting those, and finding the positives and the lessons from even your lowest moments.”

Recent single 'Watch Me Burn' is the EP’s phoenix rising from life’s trial-by-fire, a call to arms to let renewed hope emerge from smouldering embers and ash. “To me, it’s a song about being cleansed by fire,” explains bassist Porter McKnight. “Whatever it is that’s bringing you down and holding you back, burn it down. Use it, learn from it, move on, and grow. That thing does not deserve you and you don’t deserve it.”
 
“It’s very relatable to all of us individually,” adds Saller, who leads the track’s anthemic, hooky chorus with a defiant cry of ‘Even when flames grow higher / I’ll be fighting till I’m dead.’ “But it’s also incredibly pertinent to the journey of this band.”

Opening track 'Drowning' was written as a collective effort from each band member, who poured their own experiences. Be it familial health problems that guitarist Dan Jacobs was shouldering, Saller’s first encounters with feelings of anxiety, or McKnight’s long-running fight with depression. The second track, 'God Devil', laments a loss of identity, self and faith, a desperate cry for help from a higher power, when our greatest power is one we need to find within. Following track, 'Capital F', was inspired by Saller’s observations of the human plight he saw in his local community. 
 
“These songs are the culmination of our entire artistic endeavors,” McKnight attests. “It’s everything we’ve learned as humans, everything we’ve ingested as musicians, and everything we’ve experienced in this lifetime. It is Atreyu unleashed.”
 
“Everything that we have put out to this point has built to this moment,” said Jacobs. “Something special is happening with Atreyu right now. We can feel the creativity and collaboration when the five of us get in the studio. We can feel the confidence we all give each other when we stand onstage together. And we can see it in the audience when they’re losing their minds. They’re having as good a time as we are ourselves.”
 
“It feels like the world has been catching up with the diversity of influences and sounds that we’ve been putting into Atreyu for some time now,” Saller says. “There are no limitations, no barriers.”

For more information: 
https://www.atreyuofficial.com
https://www.instagram.com/atreyuofficial
https://twitter.com/atreyuofficial
https://www.facebook.com/Atreyu
 
https://www.spinefarmrecords.com
https://www.instagram.com/spinefarmrecords
https://www.facebook.com/spinefarm

The Hope of a Spark EP Tracklisting
 
01. Drowning
02. God Devil
03. Capital F
04. Watch Me Burn

Atreyu ushered in a new movement in heavy music. Their music seamlessly intertwines with formative experiences for a diverse legion of dedicated listeners, many of whom started their own bands. They've broken into the Top 10 in the Billboard 200 more than once; two of their albums, The Curse and Lead Sails Paper Anchor, are certified gold with two million albums sold worldwide and an encompassing 600 million streams. Their most recent album, Baptize, has clocked 65 million streams alongside a Top 10 at rock radio hit with 'Warrior' featuring Travis Barker.
 
Where once the band was heralded as the early innovators of the nascent metalcore scene, their place in heavy music’s diverse and boundary-breaking scene has never felt more relevant, with inspirations of pop-punk, hardcore, thrash, ‘80s rock and more melding into a unique and varied sound that has never felt more relevant than in today’s increasingly genreless world.
 
With a 20-year career and eight acclaimed albums in the rear-view mirror, Atreyu are focused only on the present and the future in 2023, with a mission to continue shaping and defining the rock and metal scene, just as they have always done since their emergence from Huntington Beach in Southern California.
 
Frontman Brandon Saller, guitarists Dan Jacobs and Travis Miguel, bassist Porter McKnight and drummer Kyle Rosa are some of the most respected names and potent forces in heavy music, and their live show is one of the most heralded on the touring circuit.

Photo Credit: Timo Ehlert

German metalcore powerhouse Annisokay have released a video for their brand new single Human, out now via Arising Empire. Rudi Schwarzer's emotional roars and Christoph Wieczorek dreamy vocals blend in the track's undeniably catchy chorus, spiced up with thrashing guitars and unparalleled drums. 

Check out the video for 'Human' here: https://youtu.be/TDL4vZk0nBw

Annisokay will embark on a European headline tour later this year, UK dates are as follows: 

Oct 12: London The Garage 
Oct 13: Nottingham Rescue Rooms 
Oct 14: Manchester Rebellion 
Oct 15: Brighton Chalk 

Tickets are on sale here: https://www.eventim.de/artist/annisokay/

Annisokay reinvented themselves on their fifth studio album Aurora, which was released in 2021 via Arising Empire and entered at #18 in the official German album charts. The album was the first to feature the band's new frontman and heavy vocalist Rudi Schwarzer - a long-time friend of the band - who stepped into the role in late 2019. Once again guitarist/clean vocalist Christoph Wieczorek oversaw production duties on the album, which is full of heavy riffs, driving percussion, melodic, goosebump-inducing cleans and aggressive shouts. The quartet is completed by drummer Nico Vaeen and bassist Norbert Rose.

Formed in 2007, Annisokay are at the forefront of German metal with their cutting edge sound, which has earned them huge success at home and has seen them breakthrough internationally. The four-piece have embarked on successful tours throughout Europe, the UK, Japan and the USA, including several headline shows in Belarus, Russia and Ukraine, a US run with I Set My Friends On Fire, two sold-out shows in Russia supporting Parkway Drive, and, more recently, the Xmas Bash Tour with Emil Bulls, which marked Schwarzer's first tour with the band. 

Annisokay’s first three studio albums were released through Long Branch Records/SPV, all of which charted in the Top 100 Official German Album Charts. In 2018, the band signed to Arising Empire to release their fourth studio album Arms, which reached #26 in the German charts. In January 2021, Annisokay released their most recent album Aurora, which charted at #18 - their highest German chart entry to date. 

Annisokay are:
Rudi Schwarzer | Vocals
Christoph Wieczorek | Vocals / Guitar
Peter Leukhardt | Bass
Nico Vaeen | Drums

For more information:
www.annisokay.com
www.facebook.com/annisokay
www.instagram.com/annisokay
www.twitter.com/annisokay