Grungy rockers Marisa And The Moths have released the video for new single, 'SAD', from their highly-anticipated second album, What Doesn't Kill You, due for release 3rd May.

Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/bpRowaJ3hxQ
Stream here: https://music.marisaandthemoths.com/sad

Pre-order What Doesn't Kill You here: https://marisaandthemoths.com/pre-order

Drawing inspiration from bands like Alter Bridge and Evanescence, Marisa And The Moths have created a sound that is both familiar and innovative. With elements of pop-infused alt-rock bands like Paramore and Flyleaf, 'SAD' is an exploration of the unspoken struggles beneath a seemingly content exterior.

On the new video, the band comments, "The music video for 'SAD' portrays the complexities of battling depression while maintaining a facade of happiness. Marisa's solo performance subtly conveys the emotions of isolation, loneliness, and vulnerability, against the neon-like backdrop reminiscent of a teenage girl's birthday party. The video perfectly complements the upbeat pop-rock sound of the music. It's a thought-provoking exploration of personal struggles due to societal expectations, including self-medicating and social masking, inviting viewers to reflect on the universal challenges of fitting in while staying true to oneself."

'SAD' is another taste of what fans can expect from Marisa And The Moths' forthcoming second album. The album promises a collection of dynamic and diverse tracks that showcase the band's growth and musical evolution.

Known for their electrifying live performances, Marisa And The Moths have built a loyal and dedicated fanbase. Their ability to connect with audiences through their music and energetic stage presence has earned them a reputation as one of the most exciting rock bands on the alt-scene today.

Marisa And The Moths will be touring the album at a series of headline dates, as follows:

May 02: Reading Sub 89
May 03: Cardiff The Globe
May 04: Southampton The Loft
May 10: Manchester Star and Garter
May 11: Nottingham Rock City Beta
May 12: London Underworld
Jun 07: Leeds Brudenell Social Club
Jun 08: Newcastle Grove

Tickets from: https://www.seetickets.com/tour/marisa-and-the-moths

Marisa And The Moths (pronounced Muh-rees-ah) are one of the hottest unsigned rock acts in the UK right now. Their debut self-titled LP hit #66 in the Official Downloads Chart and has amassed hundreds of thousands of streams globally - as well as rave reviews from Kerrang!, Classic Rock, BBC Radio 2 Rock Show, and many more.

Marisa And The Moths are a group who bring to mind the best hard rock and grunge bands of the 90s, all while adding their own modern twist. Turning heads with their alternative rock sound and powerhouse vocals, frontwoman Marisa's raw and honest lyrics make for a unique and compelling listen. The band's 2023 run of singles have offered an intimate look at her grief in overcoming an abusive relationship, and an honest insight into her battle with anxiety, depression, whilst dealing with a relapsing eating disorder, amongst other things. Listeners can expect both hope and despair as they navigate through each track.

The band kicked off 2023 with their Damned If I Do EP, featuring singles 'Wither Away', 'Pedestal', and 'If You Knew', giving listeners a taste of what's to come with their forthcoming second album. 

With previous headline tours under their belt, support slots for artists like Kris Barras Band, Von Hertzen Brothers, Those Damn Crows, Elvana and As December Falls as well as appearances at festivals like 2000 Trees, Planet Rockstock and Primordial Radio's General Mayhem, Marisa And The Moths have proven themselves to be a top-tier live act.

Follow the band on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3bUzFMP

See more: https://linktr.ee/marisaandthemothsband

Purchase Marisa And The Moths' first LP here: https://www.marisaandthemoths.com/

Marisa And The Moths are:

Marisa Rodriguez / Vocals, Guitar, Piano, Songwriter
Liam James Barnes / Bass, BVs
Alex Ribchester / Drums
Alessio D'Elia / Lead Guitar

What Doesn't Kill You tracklisting: 

1: Cursed
2: Get It Off My Chest
3: Borderline
4: Wither Away 
5: Gaslight
6: State of Mind (Interlude)    
7: Who Are You Waiting For?
8: Pedestal
9: Straight-Laced
10: Fake It Till You Make It
11: SAD
12: Serotonin
13: Just Like Me
14: Sense Of Self (Interlude)
15: Devil You Know
16: Lungs

Photo Credit: Becky DiGiglio

US Crossover unit Take Offense have announced the release of new album T.O.tality on 10th May via MNRK Heavy and are streaming the first single 'Greetings From Below'.

Stream the video to 'Greetings From Below' here: https://youtu.be/vjs69i3KoWU

Pre-order T.O.tality here: https://takeoffense.ffm.to/totality.OYD

Chula Vista’s Take Offense forge ahead towards new frontiers on T.O.tality. After nearly two decades of grinding and the accompanying blood/sweat, Take Offense have mastered their craft, reaching the pinnacle of their crossover style. T.O.tality, their fourth overall album and label debut for MNRK Heavy, is marked with a sense of modernity– - incorporating the hard-driving ethos of thrash, the finesse of speed metal, the sneering tenacity of hardcore all while nodding to their home of Southern California. 
 
Take Offense look toward the tone and attitude of their California counterparts– bands like EXCEL and Suicidal Tendencies who also leaned heavily into skate aesthetics but worshipped Sunset Strip-and-adjacent guitar dieties like Warren Di Martini and Eddie Van Halen. T.O.tality is a love letter to that scene and those times, delivered in the form of an armada of fourteen nitro-equipped tracks that explode through barricades of genre convention and emptying the clip with fresh ideas. It’s a tribute to local heroes with familiar approaches that are wholly and undoubtedly Take Offense.
 
Today they’ve shared T.O.tality’s opening track and lead single 'Greetings From Below' which “touches on certain Mexica beliefs of our underworlds,” reveals vocalist Anthony Herrera. “It’s believed these are places we go to when we die, but also when we go to sleep, in our dreams and nightmares. Our underworlds also correlate to our waking state as well and we usually experience them in the form of troubles or obstacles we face in our everyday life.”
 
Much like previous recordings, tracking for T.O.tality took place with Nick Jett (Terror) and the band serving as producers. But conflicting schedules between Herrera, guitarist Greg Cerwonka, bassist Randy Noyes, drummer Mitch Reitman and rhythm guitarist Ricky Garcia caused the recording of the much anticipated follow-up to Cause & Effect to be drawn out– writing commenced in Summer 2021 and tracking was completed in June 2023, with Matt Hyde (Slayer, No Doubt, Deftones) handling the mixing and Nick Townsend on mastering duty. “We’re incredibly proud of the record, and feel like it really represents who we are and where we’re from. But it was really a strenuous one to make and at points it felt like we might not get it done,” admits Greg. There were scheduling issues and complications around the pandemic, and on top of that Greg played in the live lineup of Turnstile for a while, so that added another layer. Regardless of all that, T.O.tality is here, and a big step forward.
 
And while only a cursory listen is needed to know that T.O.tality is a massive evolutionary step forward for the band, a detailed listen reveals the attention given with respect to lyricism and storytelling by frontman Anthony Herrera. Familiar lyrical themes from previous releases still ring true, but Herrera also called upon his own upbringing to add in themes surrounding existentialism, politics, soldiering forward and leaving regret behind. “I feel like I didn't hold back on things I wanted to say. It’s even in the title of the record– totality,” admits Herrera. “Certain tracks on the record have references to Mexica, which are beliefs that go back to early Mexico– something that I grew up with. When I was younger, I don’t think it was as easy for me to express certain things into words. I think things come easier now and I feel like I put it all out there. So I'm very proud to be at this point– I feel like we are stronger than ever, and with the new record we are the best version of who we are.” 

Take Offense online:
Take Offense | Instagram | X | Facebook | TikTok | YouTube

Track list:

1 - Greetings From Below
2 - S.W.O.
3 - T.O.tality
4 - If I’m Damned, So Be It
5 - Assassination
6 - Uncivilized Animals
7 - Now Or Never
8 - Deep Inside/House Of Shadows
9 - No Mans Land (Instrumental)
10 - Stolen Land
11 - Until Then
12 - Beyond Flesh And Bone
13 - Give’m Chaos
14 - The Prayer

Photo Credit: Mary Lou Larson

Darkest Hour have released their highly-anticipated tenth album Perpetual | Terminal, today, via MNRK Heavy. To celebrate the album's arrival, the band have shared the video for 'One With the Void'. 

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

Order Perpetual | Terminal here: https://darkesthour.ffm.to/perpetualterminal

"This song, as well as this album, showcases John's amazing talents like none other," says Mike Schleibaum, guitar.  "With this in mind, we chose to unveil this song, 'One With the Void', as our third video and single for the release of Perpetual | Terminal. An emotional leap, 'One with the Void' channels the melodic, dark, and atmospheric side of Darkest Hour. We are excited to premier this song alongside this incredible video by Mirko Witzki. This song is so personal to me, I love it. It continues the long tradition of John combining his amazing melodic talents with his introspective lyrical approach. To me, this is a love song; others might see another story, regardless there is no doubt this song expands the musical pallet of this band and brings a balance to this record that makes it perfect."

Vocalist John Henry himself states, "This is probably my favorite song off the new album too. The music spoke to me from the early stages of the writing process and I knew this would be a special one. All the space created by the band really inspired me to get creative with the vocal melodies and try new approaches. It's always a risky feeling trying new ideas and expanding on the established sound of the band, but also the most rewarding part of the process for me."

Darkest Hour, as a whole, have weathered time, trends, and tides of change and stand stronger nearly three decades since their formation. Their unique sonic style incorporates death metal exorcisms, thrash recklessness, hardcore punk attitude, and melodic catharsis at the speed of a circle pit.
  
"The record's theme centers around the duality of survival while embracing rebirth,'" says Schleibaum. "We keep killing parts of ourselves to make new parts and survive. The story of the record is the story of the band. We're still here, and we're giving the world a body of work that's representative of our music today. We've realized relationships, tours, good times, everything that seems to give life meaning, is terminal — and will inevitably end. Nevertheless, we're 46-year-old dudes who love this music enough to put up with the trials and tribulations of being artists in a touring band."
 
Darkest Hour clawed their way out of the DMV area in the USA in 1995. Throughout the ensuing years, they tallied tens of millions of streams and quietly built a diehard fan base. Canvasing the globe, they packed thousands of shows and touched down on every continent, save Antarctica. Along the way, they notably notched five top 3 debuts on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums Chart. 2017's Godless Prophets & the Migrant Flora marked the group's third #1 bow on the latter in addition to crashing the top 10 of the Top Vinyl Albums Chart. It also represented a creative and critical high watermark. Beyond praise from Revolver, EXCLAIM!, and more, MetalSucks rated it a rare perfect score of "5-out-of-5" and hailed it as "the best album Darkest Hour have ever made." New Noise cited it as "one of the best of 2017," and Metal Hammer dubbed it "a monumental return." PopMatters crowned it "a masterclass in following your beliefs no matter where they might take you."

Darkest Hour ended their 2023 touring across the USA with Exodus and Fit For An Autopsy. Their 2024 begins with a bang, with a headline tour across North America with Mouth of War, Filth Is Eternal, IAM, and Somnuri in support.

Darkest Hour are:
John Henry – vocals
Mike Schleibaum– guitar
Nico Santora - guitar
Aaron Deal – bass
Travis Orbin– drums

For more information:
https://www.instagram.com/darkest_hour_official 
https://twitter.com/darkesthourrock 
https://www.facebook.com/DarkestHourDudes/ 
https://www.tiktok.com/@darkest.hour.official 
https://www.youtube.com/@darkesthourdudes
https://www.mnrkheavy.com

About MNRK Music Group
MNRK Music Group is one of the largest independent music companies in the world, with recording, music publishing, and management divisions operating in every major music market. MNRK is committed to discovering and guiding top music creators and artists and works with some of the greatest musical talent, including The Lumineers and Pitbull, the music publishing catalog of Chuck Berry, plus premier music companies Dualtone Music Group and Last Gang. The company’s music department services Academy Award and Emmy Award-winning producers. Its catalog across divisions consists of 54,000 music tracks, including multiple GRAMMY winners and platinum-selling hits.

Perpetual | Terminal Track listing:

1. Perpetual | Terminal
2. Societal Bile
3. A Prayer to the Holy Death
4. The Nihilist Undone
5. One With the Void   
6. Amor Fati  
7. Love is Fear 
8. New Utopian Dream    
9. Mausoleum
10. My Only Regret
11. Goddess of War, Give Me Something to Die For

Perpetua are a burgeoning metallic force from Scotland that have cultivated a dynamic and unique sound that will quickly catch the attention of the metal community. Their much-anticipated new, full-length album, Resurgence, will be released 22nd March, and it all kicks off with the crushing, new single, 'The Hell It Brings' - out now.

Its video can be seen below and showcases the band’s distinctive songwriting prowess, as well as their live performance intensity. Prepare for a ferocious blast of modern metal excellence! 

Watch the 'The Hell It Brings' official video here: https://youtu.be/bTwlkb91glw

Perpetua state: "This is a song about bad choices, depression and how far our minds can fall into despair as a result. Much like the overall lyrical content on the album, it's very deep and dark. This track is in a lower tuning, featuring some of the grooviest and heaviest guitars on the album, making it a stand out single for us. Visually, we thought to lean into the despair. Showing how the mind can be twisted by opting to view it through augmented lenses and prisms. The pace of the video carrying forth the idea that life can be hard to keep up with. 

"This album is the culmination of all our efforts to create something special. It’s a fresh take on classic metal formulas with a modern twist. We felt that the aggressiveness and depth of the songs really stood out how we imagined. The layered choruses, the fast technical guitars, and the ferocious groove all blended together perfectly. We strived for a more technical and melodic approach in contrast to our previous work. The song structures are now more in-depth and progressively changing. Like the lyrical content, we feel the instrumental aspect of the song itself is very dark and moving.

"We were heavily focused on creating a combination of blistering fast riffs, death metal vocals and soaring chorus hooks. We wanted to write an album as technical and aggressively heavy as we could, and we feel that we reached that. We spent a lot of time digging into song structures, rearranging and making sure we were content with the final outcome of every song. We knew how important our first full-length album is and for that reason it had to be perfect. We hope you enjoy it and thanks for your support."

Forming in 2013, Perpetua released their debut EP Resistance in 2016, and second EP To Suffer in 2018, supported by two successful headline UK tours. Supporting as wide a variety of artists as Skindred, Crossfaith, Hacktivist, Perpetua also won Best Metal Act at the Scottish Alternative Music Awards.

Perpetua online:

https://www.facebook.com/PerpetuaUK
https://www.instagram.com/perpetuaband
https://linktr.ee/perpetuaband

1 Resurgence (Intro)
2 Resolve
3 The Hell It Brings
4 Tethered
5 Overcome
6 Human
7 Trapped Mind
8 This Is Retribution
9 Forsaken
10 Alone In The Static

Photo Credit: Oli Duncanson

TheCityIsOurs have released their new single 'In The Dark' via Arising Empire. Continuing their exploration of deep and evocative themes, the track follows previous single 'Shame', and delves further into the complexities of personal and societal challenges.

Check out the video for 'In The Dark' here: https://youtu.be/-5Nxm4uJOqo

Stream 'In The Dark' here: https://arisingempire.com/inthedark

This new track builds upon the emotional narrative established in 'Shame', offering a compelling blend of powerful melodies and introspective lyrics, highlighting the ongoing journey towards self-discovery and acceptance.

With 'In the Dark', TheCityIsOurs reaffirm their commitment to shedding light on the struggles many face in silence, providing a source of comfort and solidarity through their music.

Vocalist Oli Duncanson comments that 'In The Dark' is: "About building up a wall to keep yourself safe by creating a fake image of yourself to make your family happy, growing up being told by society that I'd always be a disappointment because of my sexuality, something I can't control. So I'd try to hide it and do anything to not cause any sort of disappointment in anything that I can control.

"The pressure of upholding that image builds up to a point where it feels you can't go back and completely shatter your own family's perception of you. No matter how much I'd planned it out and got to a point where I was going to tell them, nothing would ever come out, I feel guilty because your life is a lie to people who are supposed to love you unconditionally. And no matter how irrational I knew the fear of telling them was and how frustrated with myself I'd get for not being able to tell them, I could never get the words out. 

"Your friends and potentially people who barely know you still know you more than family, which isn't fair. It feels like you can't progress as a person as you condition yourself to keep your walls built up, unable to let anyone in." 

TheCityIsOurs are a four-piece pop metal band from London who have quickly garnered attention and growing support for peers, industry and fans alike, with their high-octane live show and the success of their second album. Coma (2021) smashed into the Top 5 iTunes Metal Charts with several singles appearing in editorial playlists with the likes of Amazon Music, Deezer and Spotify (including two covers on New Core and Metal UK) supporting the band.

TheCityIsOurs have become a upcoming staple on UK and EU festival line-ups, with appearances at Camden Rocks, Macmillan Fest, Burn It Down, Holloween, a fly in appearance at High 5 Festival in Sweden, and a headline set in the Doghouse Tent at the revered Download Festival to a 4000+ audience of festival-goers. After a sold-out album release show at The Underworld in London, 2022 saw TheCityIsOurs break out into the European scene, with a full-length tour across the mainland. Most recently, the band toured across the UK supporting Heart Of A Coward. 

TheCityIsOurs are:
Oli Duncanson | Vocals
Mikey Page  | Vocals / Guitar
Jamie Deeks  | Bass
David Cardona | Drums

More info:
https://www.instagram.com/thecityisoursuk
https://www.facebook.com/thecityisoursuk
https://www.tiktok.com/@thecityisoursuk
https://twitter.com/thecityisoursuk
https://thecityisours.bigcartel.com/

The award-winning, genre-busting RADAR Festival is proud to unveil its Saturday headliner for the 2024 edition.

Held at Manchester's O2 Victoria Warehouse on 26-28th July, RADAR Festival 2024 will be headlined by UK prog-metal titans TesseracT on Saturday night, for a unique full immersion set - not to be missed. They join the previously-announced Friday headliner, synth royalty, The Midnight.

Also confirmed for RADAR 2024 are cinematic rock quartet Earthside, US post-hardcore legends The Fall Of Troy, metallic hardcore heavyweights thrown, proggers Hail The Sun, and new supergroup Vower (featuring members of Toska, Black Peaks, and Palm Reader), among others.

And if that's not enough, there are still after-parties and masterclasses, plus at least four more incredible bands to be announced for RADAR 2024, including Sunday's headliner - shaping up to be the new music event in the UK this year. And, demonstrating their commitment to new bands, RADAR have also announced that they will be the first venue to donate a portion of ticket sales proceeds to Music Venue Trust, in order to support grassroots music venues.

Get tickets from: RADARfestival.co.uk

Full line-up as follows: 

The Midnight
TesseracT
Dirty Loops
Plini
VOLA
Sungazer
Humanity's Last Breath
Heart of a Coward
Thrown
Oxymorrons
Blood Command
Caskets
Earthside
Conjurer
Ithaca
The Fall of Troy
Siamese
unpeople
Graphic Nature
The Intersphere
Hail The Sun
Vower
The Omnific
Future Static
ADHARMA
Cestra
Ashen
Tribe Of Ghosts
Kyros
Seething Akira
Giant Walker
Ikonik

Festival co-organiser Catherine Jackson-Smith comments:

"Our second headliners are pioneers of the modern prog scene, TesseracT.  This announcement is a little closer to home for me personally, as I met the band in 2010 when they first started playing at my own venue, The Lounge Bar in Alton. They instantly stood out as exceptional artists and through that friendship, I’ve stood at the sides watching the stage sizes and fans increase steadily since, looking forward to the day returning when we can collaborate on a show again. Together, we’ve been working on an immersive experience for RADAR, this will be something special and not to be missed! 

"The rest of our line-up additions showcase the health of this modern progressive scene, and our commitment to platforming new bands such as Vower (built from Toska, Black Peaks and Palm Reader!), and introducing a wide variety of music, from pop synths in the form of Kyros right through to post-hardcore from The Fall of Troy."

RADAR - the UK's most exciting new progressive music festival - moved to Manchester for its 2023 edition, the third iteration of the festival.

RADAR Festival 2023 was a smash success, with Friday headliners Sleep Token joining Periphery (Sunday) and Igorrr (Saturday) among a host of the best from the UK progressive underground and globally. RADAR pride themselves on providing a first home for the best international artists - previous years have seen Dirty Loops' (2022) and The Callous Daoboys' (2023) first UK shows. 

RADAR capped their intensely impressive 2022 by winning the Best New Festival Award at the UK Festival Awards on 6th December in Manchester, and were shortlisted for Best Small Festival and Best Metropolitan Festival at 2023's UK Festival Awards.

With their mixture of international talent and confirmed homegrown success, RADAR Festival has already positioned themselves as a champion of forward-thinking guitar-led progressive music. No genre boundaries, welcome to all, RADAR Festival was launched in 2019 to acclaim, with performances from Animals As Leaders, Agent Fresco, Rolo Tomassi, among others. Following the COVID hiatus, RADAR Festival 2022 expanded to three days with triumphant appearances from Leprous, Haken, Dirty Loops, Plini, Conjurer, Soen and more.

RADAR Festival is all about pushing boundaries - this year introducing fresh genres to the lineup and stages - and this is just the beginning. 

For more information:
Instagram: RDRfestival // Facebook: RDRfestival
Twitter: @RDRfestival // Website: www.radarfestival.co.uk

Photo Credit: Andy Ford

UK heavyweights Shrapnel have announced their forthcoming album In Gravity will be released via Candlelight Records on 31st May. To celebrate, the band have released a new single and video, 'Amber Screams'. It's a powerful track which looks at the harrowing issue of being stuck in a cycle of substance abuse. 

Watch the video for ‘Amber Screams’ here: https://youtu.be/bd68qoOx9kQ

Pre-order In Gravity here:  https://shrapnel.lnk.to/InGravityAlbum

The band comment on the new single: "'Amber Screams' delves into the harmful cycle of substance abuse and the search of greater highs becoming the escape from the plummeting normalcy of addiction. 

"This is simply the most bludgeoning and heavy we've ever sounded. It's a pretty sombre and introspective song, drawing on our love of bands like Alice In Chains, Deftones, and Gojira, and turning this into something new. We really wanted to lean into our post-metal side, and ended up writing what is possibly our favourite song on the new album. We really wanted to translate a feeling of despondency and a sense of teetering on the edge of the abyss." 

New album In Gravity is the sound of rebirth and marks the launch of a new chapter for Shrapnel. Drawing on their ever-deepening well of experience and influence, In Gravity sees a band at the height of their songwriting prowess. Whether dealing in extremity and complexity, Gojira-inspired bludgeoning heaviness, or a newly emerging sense of modern melodic maturity, Shrapnel are able to weave their sonic palette in new, genre-defying directions. 

Guitarist Chris Martin comments: "We've channelled every bit of suffering, devastation, and emotion that we've experienced in recent years. We've never been so confident about our own material."

Helmed by Swedish super producer Jens Bogren (Sepultura, Opeth, Amon Amarth, Ihsahn) and featuring collaborations with Scott Kennedy (Bleed From Within) and modern shred virtuoso Bradley Hall, In Gravity sees Shrapnel breaking out of their shackles where others have failed, and staking their claim to the British metal throne. 

Continuing, Chris adds, "As an album, In Gravity really has a focus on how we all deal with problems of varying extremities. We wanted to take a look at how some of the solutions to our problems become problems in of themselves, be that addiction or anything else.

"It's an album about how difficult it can be to face those problems many of us share. It was written during tragedy, and we're rolling it out during some difficult times for us. While we don't have the answers, we also realise that the ways we deal with issues is to create art, which in itself is a healer. We've really been holding the mirror up and exercising some demons on this one. It's led to the best album we've ever written, and something we hope will connect other people far more deeply than anything we've released previously."

Formed in 2009, Shrapnel have been on a campaign of destruction ever since. Previously supporting bands such as Exodus, Sepultura, Death Angel, Suicidal Tendencies, Wolf, Gama Bomb and appearing three times at Bloodstock Festival. Later this year the band are set to perform at Barbeuk Metal Festival in France. From the blistering underground EP No Saviours through to their critically acclaimed 2020 release, Palace For The Insane, the band have grown from strength to strength with no intention of slowing down. More live dates to follow, watch this space. 

Shrapnel online:

Facebook || X || Instagram || Spotify || Candlelight

In Gravity Tracklisting:

1. In Gravity
2. Amber Screams
3. Guardian
4. Breaker
5. Judgement
6. Dark Age
7. Follow The Cold
8. As Above…
9. …So Below
10. Absolution

Photo Credit: Nick Sayers

Mastiff have released 'Void', the second crushing single to be taken from forthcoming album Deprecipice, an intense hybrid of hardcore, punk & metal, the soundtrack to Neurosis, Converge & Cursed battling in a Roman Coliseum.

Deprecipice, will be released on 22nd March via MNRK Heavy and features an onslaught of special guests including Ethan Lee McCarthy from Primitive Man, Harry Nott from Burner, Dan James from XIII and Rob Scott from Yersin.

Watch the visualiser for 'Void' here: https://youtu.be/joRaHs6-Vi0 

Pre-order Deprecipice here: https://mastiff.ffm.to/deprecipice 

Comments guitarist James Lee: “'Void' might not fall in the literal middle of Deprecipice, but in many ways it acts as a thematic centrepiece, both musically and lyrically. There’s a strong Converge influence in the guitars for sure, and we wanted it to have a ragged, almost punk sound that gradually evolves into this monstrous, lurching breakdown. Dan and Joe (Clayton, producer) then worked on washing the song over with some nasty, unsettling electronic noise that gives it this really queasy vibe.

"For a good while we had the music finished but hadn’t landed on a lyric, but then in the few weeks between the initial album tracking and Jim’s vocal session my mother passed away after a short but brutal battle with lung cancer, and this song ended up becoming the outlet for all of the pain and grief I had spilling out of me. To suddenly not have that safety net of the person who created you, for them to just be gone with nothing to take their place, it really did feel like a void opened in my chest, and this song was my humble attempt to put that feeling into words.”

Everything Mastiff does is in the name of intensity. Since forming amid the misery of Kingston-upon-Hull in 2013, the five-piece have crashed extreme metal, sludge and hardcore together to create the most brutal sonic onslaughts possible, all in the name of keeping their music fresh, raw and seething.

Signing to MNRK Heavy three years ago, Mastiff’s commitment to blunt-force aggression remains untempered. Their 2021 album, Leave Me The Ashes Of The Earth, was described by Blabbermouth’s Dom Lawson as a “horrifying slab of disgust” and “a sustained scream in the face of uncontrollable madness”. Now comes its long-anticipated follow-up: Deprecipice – an album that, somehow, smacks even harder than anything this band have unchained before, produced by longtime collaborator Joe Clayton (Wallowing, Ithaca, Tuskar) at Manchester’s No Studio. The beguiling artwork that runs throughout the album is by Paul Phillips at the award winning True Spilt Milk Designs, another long time collaborator with the band. 

“We’ve gone quite a lot towards a hardcore sound,” says Hodge. “Where the last one was more death metal, this one’s a lot more staccato: a lot more defined, riff-wise.”

Unlike so many of their extreme metal peers right now, though, Mastiff didn’t source this rejuvenated savagery from the anxieties and frustrations of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the lockdowns ended and real life started to resume in 2021 and 2022, Hodge and Lee noticed the spirits of the world around them lifting. Feelings of trauma and isolation were beginning to enter people’s rear-view mirrors – and it was an overcoming that the duo couldn’t relate to. Lee was mourning the loss of his mother, while Hodge realised he was still grieving over the death of his five-day-old son, Isaac, in 2010.

“The album’s called Deprecipice, and that pretty much sums up where me and James were when we wrote it,” says the singer. “We were both standing back on the edge of a depressive void.You have to keep that primal feeling,” Hodge continues. “I think, if you take too much time, you start to second-guess yourself. We try to be as true to ourselves as we can.”

With Deprecipice, Mastiff have made a magnum opus that bleeds with genuine pain. As earnest as it is ferocious, it’s already an album of the year candidate for a year that’s only just beginning.

Watch the video for previous single 'Serrated',here. 

Mastiff hit the road in March touring the UK, including London’s legendary The Black Heart with North East extreme metal outfit Yersin. Pick up tickets here. 

Tour dates: 

Mar 22: Hull, Polar Bear
Mar 23: Glasgow, Audio
Mar 24: Edinburgh, Bannermans
Mar 27: London, The Black Heart
Mar 28: Brighton, Green Door Store
Mar 29: Bristol, Crofters Rights
Mar 30: Birmingham, Devils Dog
Mar 31: Nottingham, Rough Trade

Mastiff are:

Jim Hodge – vocals
James Lee Ross – guitar/vocals
Phil Johnson - guitar
Dan Dolby – bass
Michael Shepherd – drums

For more information:
https://www.facebook.com/mastiffhchc 
https://twitter.com/Mastiffhchc 
https://www.instagram.com/mastiffhchc/ 
https://www.mnrkheavy.com

About MNRK Music Group
MNRK Music Groupis one of the largest independent music companies in the world, with recording, music publishing, and management divisions operating in every major music market. MNRK is committed to discovering and guiding top music creators and artists and works with some of the greatest musical talent, including The Lumineers and Pitbull, the music publishing catalog of Chuck Berry, plus premier music companiesDualtone Music GroupandLast Gang. The company’s music department services Academy Award and Emmy Award-winning producers. Its catalog across divisions consists of 54,000 music tracks, including multiple GRAMMY winners and platinum-selling hits.

Deprecipice track listing:

1. Bite Radius
2. Everything Is Ending
3. Void
4. Cut-Throat ft. Ethan Lee McCarthy (Primitive Man)
5. Skin Stripper
6. Serrated ft. Harry Nott (Burner) & Dan James (XIII)
7. Worship ft. guitar solo by Rob Scott of Yersin
8. Pitiful
9. The Shape
10. Thorn Trauma

Photo Credit: Max Palasic

Aussie pop-punk quintet Between You & Me have announced their long-awaited new EP SH!T YEAH, to be released 5th April. Alongside today’s announcement, the band have released a brand new single, 'In The Middle', the third track lifted from the upcoming release following on from last year’s 'Nevermind' and 'YEAH!'. 

Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/xFTK54bt3M8

“‘In The Middle’ is about the realisation that your relationship is over,” reflects vocalist JT. “The strong joy and excitement you once brought to each other’s lives had been replaced with fighting, bitterness and a complete breakdown in communication. Even despite this, you both yearn for it to work out and dream of the better times. You break up, you get back together, and the cycle continues, despite both recognising you had grown apart as people and the trust for each other was irreparable. The song encapsulates the slow breakdown of a relationship and the acceptance in moving on.”

The new single and forthcoming EP saw the band team up once again with Canadian producer Sam Guaiana, who flew to Australia earlier this year to record with the band at Beveridge Road Recording Studios in Victoria’s Dandenong Ranges. Between You & Me previously worked with Guaiana on their acclaimed 2021 album Armageddon (Hopeless Records). 

Stream 'In The Middle' here: https://orcd.co/byaminthemiddle
Pre-order SH!T YEAH here: https://byamaus.ffm.to/sheetyeah

Between You & Me are currently on their UK headline tour. Remaining dates (with support from Broadside and Young Culture):

Feb 22: Southampton Joiners
Feb 23: London Underworld [SOLD OUT]
Feb 24: Birmingham Asylum

Following this run of dates, Between You & Me will head over to the USA for their first ever headline North American tour.

SH!T YEAH is the band’s first independent body of work, and is the culmination of an incredible couple of years for Between You & Me. Their first independent single 'Nevermind' was released to acclaim from fans and tastemakers alike, and arrived ahead of a massive stint in the USA supporting Knuckle Puck and Real Friends, followed by two Australian tours upon their return, where they supported Slowly Slowly and You Me At Six.

In 2021, Between You & Me’s acclaimed record Armageddon (Hopeless Records) took the band to new heights, featuring hit singles 'Deadbeat', 'Butterflies', 'Change' and 'Go To Hell' ft. Mikaila Delgado of Yours Truly. The electrifying 10-track record has since clocked up over 15 million global streams in addition to support from BBC Radio 1 (UK), Spotify, and more. Their headline Australian album tour finished with a milestone sold-out hometown show at Melbourne’s The Corner Hotel and was swiftly followed by a month-long support of State Champs in the USA. 

For more information:
https://www.byamaus.com
https://www.facebook.com/byamaus
https://www.instagram.com/byamaus
https://twitter.com/BYAMAUS

Tracklisting: 

1: Kill My Vibe
2: In The Middle
3: Nevermind
4: Super Good
5: Yeah!
6: Virus