Photo Credit: Tim Kramer

British heavyweights Heart Of A Coward have released their new single 'Devour me'. The track is taken from the band's upcoming album This place only brings death, due for release on 22nd September via Arising Empire.

Check out 'Devour me' here: https://youtu.be/qw4LAoVPsms

Pre-save / pre-order This place only brings death here: https://arisingempire.com/hoac

Vocalist Kaan Tasan comments: 

"'Devour me' is written about tearing into open wounds to try and find answers, but only ending up exactly where you were before. The familiar feeling of being torn apart, getting nowhere and then being discarded."

Heart Of A Coward recently announced an extensive UK/EU headline tour with support from TheCityIsOurs and Ghost Iris (EU only).

UK dates are as follows:

Oct 16: UK Southampton The Joiners
Oct 17: UK Bristol The Fleece
Oct 18: UK Birmingham The Devils Dog
Oct 19: UK Manchester Rebellion
Oct 20: UK London The Underworld

Tickets are on sale here: http://www.avocadobooking.com/avocms/artists/item/heart-of-a-coward

Catch the band at the following festivals:

Jul 29: UK Manchester, Radar Festival
Sep 8: UK Torquay, Burn It Down Festival
Sep 29 - Oct 1: DE, Cologne, Euroblast Festival

Heart Of A Coward released their debut album, Hope and Hindrance in 2012, which received critical acclaim and helped establish the band's sound and style. They have since released several other albums, including Severance (2013), Deliverance (2015), and The Disconnect (2019).

Heart Of A Coward's newest album takes a bold, accessible turn, drawing heavily from metalcore influences as opposed to their previous leanings towards the progressive. This switch creates an inviting atmosphere for listeners, bridging the gap between band and audience. The album ranges from mellifluous, soft tunes to visceral, hard-hitting tracks, each polished with striking details that add layers of depth and complexity.

At its core, This Place Only Brings Death contemplates the inevitable theme of all comes to an end, a sobering reality explored through their masterful music. This unique blend of accessibility and thematic intensity presents a fresh take on the band's signature style, marking a crucial milestone in their evolving musical journey.
 
Throughout their career, Heart Of A Coward have toured extensively, performing at various festivals and sharing stages with many popular metal bands. Their music has gained a significant following, particularly in the UK metal scene, and they continue to be a prominent force in the genre.

Watch the videos to recent singles taken from the upcoming album:
'Decay': https://youtu.be/NDGkYI2N9KE
 'This place only brings death': https://youtu.be/xCRCAwt8b8U

Heart Of A Coward are:
Kaan Tasan | vocals
Carl Ayers | guitar & vocals
Dan Thornton | guitar
Vishal "V" Khetia | bass
Christopher "Noddy" Mansbridge | drums

For more information:
www.facebook.com/heartofacowardofficial
www.twitter.com/hoac_official
www.instagram.com/heartofacowardofficial
www.heartofacoward.bigcartel.com/

Track list:

01. This place only brings death
02. Captor
03. Surrender to failure
04. Devour me
05. Decay
06. Ghost
07. Hex
08. Passenger
09. Dehumanise
10. All life is finite

Photo Credit: Oliver Lloyd Design

Marc Hudson (DragonForce) reveals his second solo single, 'The Siren', together with an official music video. Napalm Records will release his innovative first solo full-length, Starbound Stories, on 25th August 2023. Starbound Stories is an uplifting journey through Marc Hudson’s universe of power metal, anime, Japanese music and video game soundtrack influences, and features many great guest appearances.

Watch the video to 'The Siren' here: https://youtu.be/vzopKmkUBN8

Pre-order Starbound Stories here: https://napalmrecords.com/marc-hudson

Energetic 'The Siren' is led by a tingling, uplifting melody and ballad-like vocals. The anime influences that have heavily inspired Starbound Stories are clearly present in the soundscapes of this track, and the story-like lyrics enchant the listener. The accompanying official music video takes the magical atmosphere of the song to the next level.

Marc Hudson comments: “With soaring melodies, an electronic pulse and a chorus bursting to life with J-pop sensibilities, ‘The Siren’ serves as a love letter to the nightlife of Japan, lighting up the sky with endless colours and possibilities.”

“Starbound Stories is a soaring rocket ride of sparkling anime-inspired power metal and I can't wait for everyone to hear it!” - Marc Hudson

Instrumental album opener 'As The Twilight Met The Sea' acts as an introduction to the soundscapes of the album and features samurai metal master Ryoji Shinomoto (Ryujin, previously known as Gyze) on traditional Japanese instruments. Shinomoto also lends his vocals on the following track, “'Freedom Heart', which also features a solo by guitar virtuoso Syu (Galneryus). Explosive power metal anthem 'Dracula X' features a guitar solo by Jacky Vincent (ex-Falling in Reverse, ex-Cry Venom) and guest vocals by Adrienne Cowan (Seven Spires). Beautifully emotional successor 'Stars' features classically trained violinist Mia Asano on electric violin. Energetic 'The Siren' is led by a tingling melody and ballad-like vocals. 'Swansong' starts off with a beautiful keyboard intro that could be pulled from a movie soundtrack. Sentimental vocals approach before the song progresses into a full-blown power metal ballad, with high screams and plenty of effects that further enhance the magical atmosphere while backing up the guitars and drums. Steve Terreberry, known on YouTube as Stevie T. (3.32M subscribers), performs a guitar solo on 'Call Of The Martyrs' and is joined by prog guitarist Galen Stapley (Azure). Stapley also provides a solo on the following title track, 'Starbound Stories'. 'One More Sight Of The Sun With You' is sung in Japanese, staying true to the main themes of the album and closing the entire offering on an uplifting note.

Marc Hudson’s debut solo album is an outstanding musical adventure balanced between power metal, video game soundtracks, Japanese music and even pop influences, showcasing virtuosity throughout all of its grand instrumentation.

Watch the video to previous single 'Astralive' here: https://youtu.be/gWdwm2V6Lkw

Line-up:
Marc Hudson - Vocals, Guitar, Backing Vocals
Shaz D - Keyboards
Frédéric Leclercq - Guitars, Bass
Rich Smith - Drums

Marc Hudson online:
INSTAGRAM FACEBOOK TWITTER

Starbound Stories tracklisting:

1.    As the Twilight met the Sea
2.    Freedom Heart
3.    Dracula X!
4.    Stars
5.    The Siren
6.    Astralive
7.    Swansong
8.    Call of the Martyrs
9.    Starbound Stories
10.    One More Sight of the Sun with You

Credit: Lance Williams and Weston Allen

Dorian Electra (they/them) - the ultimate pop futurist - has announced their hotly-anticipated new album Fanfare, due for release on 6th October. In light of the announcement, Dorian Electra has released a video for their new single 'anon', which was originally premiered on BBC 6 Music's New Music Fix Daily. 

Check out the video for 'anon' here: https://youtu.be/y0NI1SkQI5A

Stream/purchase 'anon' here: https://ffm.to/dorianelectraanon

Pre-order/pre-save Fanfare here: https://dorianelectra.komi.io/

Working alongside Clarence Clarity and Klaxon’s Jamie Reynolds, 'anon' is led by a fusion of guitar riffs and Dorian’s signature distorted vocals. The single sees Dorian Electra take on the absurdities of social media: the obsessive gossip, the rumour mill and anonymous message boards. 

Directed by Dorian Electra and their creative partner, Weston Allen, the music video showcases the extent to which stan culture, on any given day, can lead to anonymous profiles propping you up or dragging you down. The track follows on from recently released 'Sodom & Gomorrah' and 'Freak Mode', which saw Dorian Electra tease this new era as they began exploring the world of Fanfare.

The recently announced Fanfare is the pop provocateur’s third album and sees them explore parasocial relationships, from the claims we stake on figureheads' lives to taking in obsession, idolatry and pop culture as modern mythology. Throughout the record, Dorian blurs the lines between love and hate, fandom and control whilst also seeing them flip and rewrite narratives imposed by a heteronormative society. Working with a cast of creatives, including long-time collaborators Clarence Clarity and Weston Allen, alongside Casey MQ, Count Baldor and Klaxons’ Jamie Reynolds, Fanfare asks what we expect - or demand - from our public figures. Fanfare sees Dorian Electra once again display their unique abilities as a shapeshifting musician, visual artist, fashionista, joker, internet philosopher and more with eyes focused forward.

Those yet enlightened must revisit Electra’s first two albums - the world building 2019 album Flamboyant and 2020’s edgy, provocative My Agenda. Dorian’s music masterfully blends together an assortment of genres, including pop, metal, jazz, medieval, epic baroque, classical, EDM, and more. It’s why they’ve been able to collaborate with such a wide range of artists including Lady Gaga, Charli XCX, 100 gecs, The Village People, Pussy Riot, Rebecca Black, and more.

Electra spent most of 2022 busy at work on their forthcoming project, which sees them examining the socio-political effects of internet culture and the rise of the parasocial relationship. DAZED visited them in the studio early last year, read about that wild experience HERE. 

For more information: 
https://www.facebook.com/DORIANELECTRA
https://twitter.com/DORIANELECTRA
https://www.instagram.com/dorianelectra
https://www.tiktok.com/@dorianelectraofficial

Fanfare Artwork by Charlotte Rutherford

Tracklist: 

1. Symphony
2. Idolize
3. Freak Mode
4. Sodom & Gomorrah
5. Puppet
6. Manmade Horrors
7. Yes Man
8. anon
9. Phonies
10. Touch Grass
11. Lifetime
12. Warning Signs
13. Wanna Be a Star

Prog metal sensation Pomegranate Tiger has announced his stellar new album All Input Is Error, with double single 'Devils to Ourselves' and 'Dagger Dance'.

All Input Is Error, the artist's first album in eight years, will be released 7th September. Pre-order All Input Is Error: https://bio.site/pomegranatetiger

Watch the singles here, the first two tracks from the album:

'Devils to Ourselves': https://youtu.be/_KWWuk1XPdg
'Dagger Dance': https://youtu.be/lM3DteDyS3M

Pomegranate Tiger comments: "AI is slowly taking over everything it seems…and there aren’t too many things more prog than that! The record is meant to bring attention to AI and to open conversations about its role in music and the arts in general.

"AI experts predict with the rise of AGI by 2030, AI will be able to do EVERYTHING better than a human. What does that even mean? That can’t be true…can it? Hence the album name. 

"When AGI gets here…& it’s most definitely coming within the next decade - ANY input or opinion we might have on ANY certain topic, will essentially be rendered error by AGI. Or otherwise put, All input will be error.

"AI has helped immensely already w/ this newest record. From entire music videos, to artwork, professional contracts needed, & all storyline / symbolism ideas behind the newest single 'Dagger Dance', AI has already deeply infiltrated Pomegranate Tiger and the world alike and no one really knows where it all leads.

"'Devils To Ourselves' is about every artist’s inner creative drive, & the battles we have within ourselves to produce something worthy & meaningful…sure AI can already make amazing art and music now, but will it ever be able to recreate art, as the best of human beings do which are full of meaning & beauty & inspiration? It feels like the answer should be a clear resounding “No”. What will we do when it does?

"'Dagger Dance' is a primitive exemplification of the idea that playing with these new civilization changing technologies can be very dangerous and akin to playing with fire. The truth is we don’t really know what we are messing with when it comes to AI just yet and it’s full consequences on society at large.

"All the music on this record aims to reproduce the chaos, wonder, confusion and unpredictability the world of AI has brought us up until now. I have a feeling the music will serve as a good backdrop to the further insanity and unpredictability AI will bring us in the future."

The double-single follows the previously released 'The Cryptographer', a unique audio-visual online art experience, centred on the conversations around AI, DNA sequencing, and robotics. The artwork and entire visual design of 'The Cryptographer' was created by Pomegranate Tiger's AI system, depicting a futuristic world in which humans and AI merge together.

The video alone took five months of 24-hour AI generation, from around 10,000 uniquely highly-detailed AI-generated frames, each taking 20 minutes to create.

Watch: https://youtu.be/DR0F6MlY7Es

Such an approach is typical of the artist that is Pomegranate Tiger - a one-man tour-de-force of musical creativity and energy. Founded in 2010, Pomegranate Tiger (Martin Andres) released his first record, Entities, in 2013. Entities was an underground sensation, garnering millions of streams, and became the #1 metal bestseller on Bandcamp, and #11 best-selling album across all genres. The album also broke the iTunes Top 100 Rock albums chart.

Pomegranate Tiger soon followed the success of Entities with his 2015 album Boundless, which received praise from The Guardian, Total Guitar, Metal Injection, MetalSucks and more. Boundless became the #1 best-selling metal album for a number of weeks on Bandcamp and again broke the iTunes Top 100 Rock.

All Input Is Error carries the torch of Pomegranate Tiger's storied legacy, challenging musical conventions and embarking on a melodic odyssey and rhythmic stampede that transcends time. Pomegranate Tiger is set to captivate listeners with his unbridled creativity and unwavering dedication to pushing sonic and technological boundaries: and the new album is a typically heady, future-facing return from this one-of-a-kind brain.

For more information:
www.pomegranatetiger.com
www.facebook.com/pomegranatetiger
www.instagram.com/pomegranatetigerofficial
https://pomegranatetiger.bandcamp.com
https://open.spotify.com/artist/30T39voTL4EiHKGNE0mQxO?si=d-UDzE7ET8al1xE9rpVXdw
https://www.youtube.com/user/pomegranatetiger

Tracklisting:

1 Devils to Ourselves
2 Dagger Dance
3 The Great Filter
4 Poison Pen
5 The Cryptographer
6 Metasphere
7 Burn The Spirit
8 False Dawn
9 All Input Is Error
10 Keyways

Today, prog-metal pair Myth of I release new hard-hitting single 'Oni'. It follows 'JENOVA', which landed on 23rd June. 'Oni', which is accompanied by a playthrough video featuring guitarist Tyler Fritzel at his shreddiest, will appear on the band's upcoming dual EP Blood/Stream, the first of which is due for release this autumn.

Watch the official playthrough video here: https://youtu.be/GWFvJU9pNY4

Stream the song here: https://linktr.ee/mythofi

Guitarist Tyler Fritzel comments: "'Oni’ is similar to ‘JENOVA’  in a way that it hits hard immediately - though it follows with a section that opens up and breathes very quickly, giving you a moment to relax and take in the soundscape. Throughout the track you’ll notice quite a few themes inspired by anime soundtracks. With heavy hitting drums and intricate guitars to airy pianos and delicate strings, ‘Oni’ is certainly a song to keep you guessing what’s going to happen next."

Myth of I are an instrumental progressive metal band based out of Boston, MA, USA. They strive to bring innovation to the progressive music world. Admitting to a wide range of influences, the band aim to give a unique cosmic twist to the ordered chaos they consistently produce. Think Tosin Abasi, Joe Hisaishi and a cat walk into a particle accelerator. You may want to call the resulting aural mayhem "angry jazz" or even "technical support metal".

After signing with extreme metal label The Artisan Era, Myth of I released their eponymous debut album on 10th April 2020, receiving support from the likes of Decibel Magazine and Metal Injection.

The future looks bright for Myth of I, following the releases of 'The Expedition' and 'Naïveté', two singles that feature exceptional performances by guest vocalists Eli Cutting (Lattermath) and Michael Lessard (The Contortionist) respectively. A concept dual EP titled Blood/Stream is in the works - Blood is due for release in late 2023. Through its Japanese-inspired visual elements and ten ambitious tracks, it will explore the theme of the duality of life and death. 

Myth of I online:
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter 

Photo Credit: Fabrice Gagos

Genre-defying sister duo ALT BLK ERA have released their new single 'Misfits : SOLAR'. The track is taken from their their upcoming debut EP Freak Show, due for release on 1st September. 

Nyrobi and Chaya abandon any and every idea of conformity in their approach to music. With an eccentric rebel theme, 'Misfits : SOLAR' is about finding their place and strength in the alt community.

Check out 'Misfits : SOLAR' here: https://youtu.be/-yK03mVurmU

Stream 'Misfits : SOLAR' here: https://www.altblkera.com/misfits-solar

Pre-save Freak Show here: https://earache.lnk.to/FreakShow

Nyrobi states: “It’s a call out to all MISFITS, FREAKS & REBELS that we belong and that we aren’t afraid to RAGE to make ourselves seen, heard and respected.

“Not everyone has found the place that they'll call home, whether their family has outcast them or the school system has rejected them – we are extending our arms through our music for every ALT person of ANY background to join our family.”

ALT BLK ERA are so much more than two sisters making music: they are two alternative people who understand what it feels like to live life outside of the edge of social norms. The girls want to build safe spaces and a community for alts and their allies, which is reflected in the diversity of their following.

The alternative scene has given ALT BLK ERA the space to express themselves - allowing them to bring elements from all of their musical loves and influences, where they can push and merge musical boundaries.

Merging rock, electronica and scream rap to create a powerful yet unique sound, listeners describe 'Misfits : SOLAR' as "our inner thoughts & feelings in a heavy a*s song."

“We can imagine our listeners finding their truth in the lyrics and then cementing or building a belief in themselves," the duo add. "We want our listeners to feel part of something! We want them to headbang, scream and air guitar in the mirror, alongside us!"

Recently appearing at Bearded Theory, Dot To Dot Festival and Glastonbury (Shangri-La Truth Stage), ALT BLK ERA have been confirmed to headline the BBC Introducing stage at this year's Reading & Leeds Festival.

ALT BLK ERA have also announced two headline shows, set to take place in September. Tickets are on sale here: https://www.alttickets.com/alt-blk-era-tickets

Dates are as follows: 

Aug 25: Reading Festival
Aug 26: Leeds Festival 
Sep 13: London The Grace (Headline Show)
Sep 16: Nottingham Beta (Headline Show)
 
ALT BLK ERA are:
Nyrobi - vocals
Chaya - vocals

ALT BLK ERA online:
Instagram || TikTok

Swiss metalcore act Vicious Rain have released their crushing second single 'Blackout' along with a stunning video via Arising Empire.

Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/3GCZToKgbQ0

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

Fronted by vocalist David Häusermann, guitarist and vocalist Mauro Gugerli, guitarist Tristan Meier, bassist Loris De Notaristefano and drummer Michael Teufelberger, the band‘s dedication to their craft and the sheer passion they exude leaves no doubt that their future is bright. 

Following their debut single 'The Devil & Lovers', the band continue their fruitful collaboration with acclaimed producer Manuel Renner. Renner‘s expertise and meticulous attention to detail brought out the best in the band, resulting in a powerful and immersive recording.

While The Devil & Lovers' was a bittersweet and melancholic journey, our new single 'Blackout' is a fierce and unapologetically angry anthem. It‘s a raw expression of frustration and disillusionment, capturing the intense emotions that come with witnessing stagnation and toxic behavior. With blistering instrumentals and impassioned vocals, 'Blackout‘ channels our collective discontent and serves as a powerful release for both us as a band and our listeners.” says guitarist and vocalist Mauro Gugerli.
 
"'Blackout' channels the raw frustration of witnessing someone you love remain stagnant, unable to change for the better. It‘s a poignant reflection on the hurtful reality of holding onto memories of how things used to be, while recognizing that toxic patterns can poison their own mind. This song is an emotional outcry, urging listeners to find the strength to let go and prioritize their own well-being.“ - David Häusermann (vocals)

Check out the video for debut single 'The Devil & Lovers' here: https://youtu.be/9AXzlAnli20

Formed in late 2022, Vicious Rain are an alternative metalcore band hailing from Baden, Switzerland. The group combine intertwined singing/screaming vocals with anthemic singalongs, screaming melodic leads and crushing breakdowns, as they embrace everything from the heavy side of the genre all the way to the more intimate melodies. The band‘s spirit is marked by their shared belief in the importance of solidarity, and the role of the individual accomplishment of a common vision. Lyrically, the Swiss quintet wholeheartedly express their stance on personal matters, while highlighting their belief that self-reflection is the key to growth. 
 

The future looks promising for the quintet.

Vicious Rain are:

David Häusermann | Vocals
Mauro Gugerli | Guitar & Vocals
Tristan Meier | Guitar
Loris De Notaristefano | Bass
Michael Teufelberger | Drums

Vicious Rain online:
https://www.instagram.com/viciousrainband
https://www.tiktok.com/@viciousrainband
https://www.facebook.com/viciousrainband
https://twitter.com/viciousrainband
https://viciousrain.com

Photo Credit: Jared Shute

US screamo ensemble Dreamwell have today announced their signing to Prosthetic Records and unveiled details of their upcoming second album, In My Saddest Dreams, I Am Beside You - due for release on 20th October.

The group have also released their first single from the album - the monumental 'Obelisk of Hands'.

Stream the single and pre-order the album here: https://lnk.to/Dreamwell
Watch the video: https://youtu.be/nBzVxKlRM9g

Of the upcoming album, vocalist KZ Staska comments: “We invested an insane amount of detail and care into every aspect of this album and cannot wait to share it with you. In My Saddest Dreams, I Am Beside You is an exploration of interpersonal relationships and how they are impacted by mental illness, particularly Borderline Personality Disorder, and employs a loose conceptual narrative following a character caught in a waking dream, viewing every aspect of his life through the lens of a heavily distorted reality and struggling to escape from his paranoid nightmares.”

'Obelisk of Hands' bridges the gap between Dreamwell's 2021 self-released album, Modern Grotesque and other material soon to be unveiled on In My Saddest Dreams, I Am Beside You.

KZ adds further context on the single: “In ‘Obelisk of Hands’, what starts as a song about sexual openness slowly morphs into a sadder, bleaker song about using sexuality as a substitute for a lack of romantic affection and a temporary, and ultimately empty, attempt to feel less alone.
                    
“The song features our good friend Logan St. Germain who plays bass in the band Anklebiter and was formerly the guitarist and vocalist for the band Lilac Queen. They have an incredible voice and sang the clean bridge a lot better than I possibly could have, and I’m thrilled by the extra dynamic touch that they add to the track.”

The patchwork, stop-start approach taken to create their debut album, Modern Grotesque, served a hard-won purpose as the band refined their line-up and honed their sound. Their early trials by fire stood them in good stead as they started work with a clean slate and contemplated what would later take shape as In My Saddest Dreams, I Am Beside You - their first foray into consciously and deliberately writing an album, start to finish. The result is a blistering take on screamo, with flourishes of post-hardcore and metalcore for good measure. 

Dreamwell demonstrate artistic influence drawn from a multitude of genres, from doom to black metal. Some artistic influences - such as Botch or The Blood Brothers - are easily distinguishable, whilst others - such as Khanate, The Mountain Goats or Elizabeth Cotten - are buried deep in the DNA of Dreamwell. The album was recorded at Format Audio in Dover, New Hampshire by Ryan Stack in September of 2022, bringing together a cohesion of sounds and ideas from a group of individuals operating perfectly in tune with each other. 

Since their inception in 2017, Dreamwell have been refining and reshaping the parameters of what screamo can be. On In My Saddest Dreams, I Am Beside You, they have provided a structure within which their own chaotic take on the genre is able to flourish.

Dreamwell will shortly be departing on tour with The Fall of Troy in the US, with further live dates to follow.

Dates as follows:
Jul 27: MI Grand Rapid, Pyramid Scheme*
Jul 28: KY Covington, Madison Theatre*
Jul 29: IL Chicago, Bottom Lounge*
Jul 30: OH Cleveland, Winchester*
Aug 4: ON Toronto, New Friends Fest
Sep 2: NY Potsdam, Potsdam Park>
Sep 24: NY Brooklyn, Saint Vitus Bar~
Oct 21: RI Providence, Dusk<

* w/The Fall of Troy & Omerta
> w/ Sunflo’er
~ w/Ithaca
< w/Usurp Synapse & Frail Body

Dreamwell are: 
Aki McCullough - Guitar 
Ryan Couitt - Guitar 
Justin Soares - Bass 
Anthony Montalbano - Drums 
KZ Staska - Vocals 

Track-list:

1. Good Reasons to Freeze to Death
2. Studying the Greats in Self-Immolation
3. Lord Have MRSA On My Soul
4. All Towers Drawn in the Equatorial Room
5. Obelisk of Hands
6. It Will Hurt, and You Won't Get to Be Surprised
7. Reverberations of a Sickly Wound
8. Blighttown Type Beat
9. Body Fountain
10. I Dream't of a Room of Clouds
11. Rue de Noms (Could Have Been Better, Should Have Been More)

Photo Credit: Michaël Maillard

Shimmering psychedelic rock trio Dirty Sound Magnet have announced their new album, Dreaming In Dystopia, to be released 20th October via Australian label Wild Thing Records.

The band have also released their evocative new single ‘Melodies From Distant Shores’, the album's opening track.

Stream here: https://ffm.to/dsm_melodies
Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/QHvThFlsIRk

Dreaming In Dystopia is Dirty Sound Magnet's fourth LP, and arrives as the band continue to establish themselves as one of the most exciting acts to emerge from Switzerland this century.

Since its founding in 2016, Dirty Sound Magnet have released three studio recordings, each melding the sounds of rock’s golden age with the genre-agnostic experimentalism of today.

The unwavering innovation and experimentation that Dirty Sound Magnet applies to its sound is instantly apparent on the upcoming album’s first single, ‘Melodies From Distant Shores’, bearing the vivid textures of folk rock. Its combination of kaleidoscopic guitars, kinetic percussion, atmospheric passages, and colourfully-sung lyrics coalesce into a partially autobiographical tale about Stavros Dzodzos’ (guitars, lead vocals) upbringing in the folklore-steeped town of Fribourg, Switzerland.

“Fribourg is an old mystical town that has many gloomy legends featuring dragons, witches, and the Devil himself,” explains Dzodzos. “With ‘Melodies From Distant Shores’, I wanted to depict how I always felt like a stranger in a strange world growing up in the city, where it also doubled in cultivating this fear of the unknown as well through its mysterious history.”

That otherworldly aura is even more palpable in the ethereal ‘Melodies From Distant Shores’ music video that debuts alongside the single and the announcement of Dreaming In Dystopia. In order to visually capture that distinct atmosphere, the band opted to shoot the video at the very location that inspired much of the track in the first place.

“Many of Fribourg’s fantastical tales take place in the valley near the city's old town,” explains Dzodzos. “It’s an area full of graphic poetry but the spooky vibrations never leave the air. There is a precise spot that inspired the atmosphere and the lyrics of ‘Melodies From Distant Shores’. We chose that very same spot to shoot the music video to channel the foresty and magical textures as heard on the track”.

In their time, the trio of Stavros Dzodzos (guitars, lead vocals), Marco Mottolini (bass, backing vocals), and Maxime Cosandey (drums, backing vocals, special effects) have already performed over 650 shows throughout Europe, the UK, and Mexico. Thanks in part to this tireless work ethic and becoming known internationally for their mesmerizing live shows, Dirty Sound Magnet have, in just this short period of time, taken home the 2022 Swiss Live Talents award for ‘Best Swiss Rock Band’ and performed as support for various rock heavyweights including Wolfmother (AU), Rival Sons (US), and Monster Magnet (US).

While 2023’s Dreaming In Dystopia sits as Dirty Sound Magnet's most wonderfully expansive release to date, it also represents the most introspective chapter in the band’s story so far. The album sees the trio explore how, despite the chaotic nature of the world we live in, certain things like the profound power of music and self-expression remain constant. It’s reflective in a way that allows Dirty Sound Magnet to not only express and iterate on their ever-evolving flavour of psychedelic rock but also puts into perspective just how far the trio has come as musicians and performers.

Track-list:
 

01. Melodies from Distant Shores (4:19)
02. Dreaming in Dystopia (3:42)
03. The Tragedy of Men (3:37)
04. Lonely Bird (3:59)
05. Utopia (4:28)
06. Flowers, Angels and Chaos (4:37)
07. Lost My Mind (3:39)
08. Insomnia (8:25)

About Dirty Sound Magnet:

Switzerland’s Dirty Sound Magnet are an unstoppable, unbreakable force of rock. The uniqueness of their mesmerizing music and kinetic live performances has won audiences the world over. Their show is unpredictable; shamanic stage presence, rock star charisma, instrumental prowess, poetic vocals, tantalizing dynamics. As teenagers hailing from Fribourg, Stavros Dzodzos (guitar, vocals), Marco Mottolini (bass, backing vocals), and Maxime Cosandey (drums, backing vocals) devoured hundreds of albums, while rehearsing with great intensity. Their passion rapidly turned into an addiction and total dedication to their art, crafting a sound that has been likened to a fusion of Led Zeppelin's energy and instrumental virtuosity, Iggy Pop's raw energy, and The Doors' mysticism, additionally imbued with modern psych influences of bands like Tame Impala and King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard. This stylistic pedigree, along with thought-provoking lyrics reflecting contemporary social turmoil, Dirty Sound Magnet have created their own distinct musical formula.

In only a few short years since the band's formation, Dirty Sound Magnet swiftly established themselves within Europe’s burgeoning psychedelic rock scene, extensively touring the continent throughout 2017 to 2020. Since the release of the band’s third and most successful studio album DSM-III, Dirty Sound Magnet have performed over 130 shows, including sold-out tours in the UK, Germany, and Mexico, won the Swiss Live Talents award for ‘Best Swiss Rock Band’ for the second time, previously taking it home for the band's 2017 debut album, Western Lies. 

Dirty Sound Magnet's music is in a constant state of evolution, and their upcoming record, Dreaming In Dystopia, due on October 20, 2023, via Australian label Wild Thing Records, is a testament to their artistic progression. 

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