Photo Credit: Dirk Behlau

Legendary German heavy metal pioneers BLIND GUARDIAN have announced the release of an epic re-recorded version of their classic 1992 breakthrough album, Somewhere Far Beyond. 

Somewhere Far Beyond Revisited, which was recorded in 2022 and 2023, is a refreshing and powerful tribute to one of the most influential albums in German metal history. It paved the way for BLIND GUARDIAN’s international career that is still going strong today and this re-recording impresses with all the class and quality these pioneers have been known and respected for since forming as Lucifer’s Heritage three decades ago.

Somewhere Far Beyond Revisited will be released on 2nd August 2024 via Nuclear Blast Records, coinciding with BLIND GUARDIAN's triumphant return to this year's edition of Wacken Festival. 

And a wide selection of physical variants can be pre-ordered as of today: https://blindguardian.bfan.link/SomewhereFarBeyond-Revisited

To give you a first impression of the new sound, 'The Quest For Tanelorn (Revisited)' has been released as a single today. A music video by Dirk Behlau featuring historic & new studio, backstage and live footage has been released alongside. You can watch it below.

Stream here: https://blindguardian.bfan.link/Tanelorn-Revisited
Watch: https://youtu.be/fvtZ9_EN0xs

Right on time with their show at 2024’s edition of Wacken Open Air, BLIND GUARDIAN proudly announce the release of Somewhere Far Beyond Revisited on 2nd August which includes a complete re-recording of this classic as well as a live celebration of 1992’s Somewhere Far Beyond, a landmark record for Germany’s heavy metal titans. After three albums on No Remorse Records, it was the band’s major label debut via Virgin Records and opened the doors to the Japanese market resulting in a wider availability and presence on the global metal scene. After finding the right balance of speed, heaviness, melodies, drama and irresistible choruses on 1990’s Tales From The Twilight World, Somewhere Far Beyond honed this approach to perfection, evolving further on a conceptual level and increasing BLIND GUARDIAN’s sonic range. On Somewhere Far Beyond the band experimented with keyboards, orchestrations, and folk elements, the latter manifesting in the group’s best-known song and live staple, ‘The Bard's Song (In The Forest)’, whereas other tracks like ‘Ashes to Ashes’, the rapid ‘Journey Through The Dark’ or ‘The Quest For Tanelorn’ connected well with previous mostly fast-paced albums yet offered an additional push in dynamics.

Fast forward 30 years: prior to releasing the much lauded opus The God Machine in September 2022, BLIND GUARDIAN had been performing Somewhere Far Beyond in its entirety at Rock Hard Festival and Hellfest in Summer 2022 in front of tens of thousands of fans singing along to each track. Both shows were filmed and recorded professionally and aired via WDR and ARTE.

For the limited triple-disc-edition of Somewhere Far Beyond Revisited the Hellfest material was newly edited by the band’s long-time videographer Dirk Behlau using additional multi-cam footage. The idea of re-recording the album originated from the rehearsals for these shows as Hansi Kürsch explains in the detailed liner notes: “The original idea wasn’t to do a re-recording. When rehearsing for the anniversary gigs, corona hit and we couldn’t be certain that those shows would take place. We still wanted to celebrate the anniversary of the album and if we wouldn’t be able to include a live version, we initially thought we could at least record the rehearsals.”

Not 100% satisfied with those rough versions, BLIND GUARDIAN decided to go all in, knowing the risk of being frowned upon by fans who consider re-recordings utter blasphemy. “We tried to recapture what we did in 1992 but compensate youth with skilful experience, though in a hungry way. We never discussed any major changes but with over 30 years of experience, and our current line-up, those ingredients already add a new flavour to it.” With the basic tracks recorded in a live setting, Somewhere Far Beyond Revisited is leaner and more focused on impact in terms of guitar arrangements yet retains all the harmonies and melodies essential to the original. “We finally ended up with this cool hybrid version”, André Olbrich adds. “We combined how we play the songs today, but at the same time, really tried to retain that speed metal spirit of the early 90s!”

The album will be released as Limited Edition 3 Disc Digipak which contains an additional 2022 live version of the entire album on a separate CD and a Blu-Ray disc with the anniversary sets at Rock Hard Festival and Hellfest 2022.

Somewhere Far Beyond Revisited will also be available as Gatefold LP with 24-page LP booklet and as jewelcase CD as well as digital album.

For more BLIND GUARDIAN:

https://www.blind-guardian.com
https://www.instagram.com/blindguardian
https://www.youtube.com/user/blindguardian
https://www.facebook.com/blindguardian

Tracklisting:

01.    Time What is Time (Revisited)    05:45
02.    Journey Through the Dark (Revisited)    04:49
03.    Black Chamber (Revisited)    01:00
04.    Theatre of Pain (Revisited)    04:18
05.    The Quest for Tanelorn (Revisited)    06:06
06.    Ashes to Ashes (Revisited)    06:03
07.    The Bard’s Song – In the Forest (Revisited)    03:27
08.    The Bard’s Song – The Hobbit (Revisited)    04:10
09.    The Piper’s Calling (Revisited)    01:02
10.    Somewhere Far Beyond (Revisited)    07:33

Photo Credit: Anne-Marie Forker

Progressive multi-instumentalist and celebrated guitarist Richard Henshall has unveiled a video for 'Granular', the third single taken from his new EP - the first in an a trilogy -  Mu Vol. 1, which is released today.

Watch the video for 'Granular' here: https://youtu.be/Cbk9EYHm0JU

Purchase Mu Vol. 1 EP here: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/richardhenshall/mu-vol-i

On the EP, Richard Henshall commented "This new collection of songs has a strong focus on rhythm and explores new ground for me as a writer and guitar player. It’s been great fun experimenting with the jazzier side of my playing. The rhythmic powerhouse, Lang Zhao, is on the drums on all 3 EPs and his highly creative playing style has really elevated these arrangements to new levels. I can’t wait for everyone to hear what we’ve cooked up on the next two EPs! "

During 2020 Henshall started work on his Mu collection, a trilogy of EPs that explore his love for jazz-infused, intricate instrumental music. The EPs will be released throughout 2024 and promise to be some of his most richly textured, adventurous music to date. Henshall is joined by drummer Lang Zhao and saxophonist Adam Carillio, while he handles guitar, bass & keyboard duties.

Richard Henshall is a composer, guitarist and keyboardist hailing from London, England. He is acclaimed for his work as founding member of progressive metal juggernaut Haken, as well as his endeavours as a solo artist. Henshall has been named as Music Radar’s no. 11 'best prog guitarist’ and in Guitar World’s ‘top 15 best prog rock guitarist’. 

In 2014, Henshall joined forces with Between the Buried and Me’s Dan Briggs and formed Nova Collective. Together they wrote the critically acclaimed ‘The Further Side’, which draws influences from the likes of Chick Corea and Mahavishnu Orchestra. In 2017, Henshall, alongside his Haken bandmates, featured in Mike Portnoy’s Shattered Fortress performing the songs of Dream Theater for a year of very special shows around the world.

In 2019, Henshall completed work on his ambitious debut solo album, entitled The Cocoon, which features Jordan Rudess as well as host of other guests. The music ranges from dense polyrhythmic passages to delicate minimalistic interludes and features Henshall’s trademark guitar and keyboard playing throughout along with his debut performance as a lead vocalist. Prog Radar described it as “a truly impressive release and one that shows Richard at the height of his creative powers.” 

Richard Henshall online:
https://www.facebook.com/RichHenshall
https://www.instagram.com/rich_henshall

Mu Vol. 1 EP Tracklisting

1. Yang
2. Granular
3. Land Aliens
4. Mu

Photo Credit: Ekaterina Gorbacheva 

The world’s most prominent bass driven instrumental rock act, Australia’s The Omnific, have released their highly anticipated sophomore album, The Law Of Augmenting Returns, an audacious and magnificent triumph - out now worldwide via Wild Thing Records.

The Omnific today also unveiled a playthrough inspired music video for the title track, featuring bass solos from Charles Berthoud and Kai den Hertog.

Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/zmrA3shcOho
Stream/Buy here: ffm.to/lawofaugmentingreturns

The Law Of Augmenting Returns encompasses an array of instrumentation never used before on a The Omnific record, such as Bass VI, Fretless Warwick played with an EBow, live brass including Trumpet and Trombone, and even surprise vocals on opener ‘The Omnific ≈ Bass’; a barbershop quartet foreword by genre legend Tim Waurick, and excerpts from Luke Taylor of Australian alt-metalcore upstarts Heartline. The intricate keyboards of Rohan Sharma (I Built The Sky) appear fluently throughout the album; highlighted on tracks ‘The Law Of Augmenting Returns’, ‘Will-O’-The-Wisp’, and ‘Double Malt Ditty’. 

Bassist Matt Fack summarises, “The Law Of Augmenting Returns is the culmination of the experience and knowledge learnt and embodied in the 8 years of our existence as a band. With our creative mindset to incorporate new ideas adhered to the core principle of bass, this album paints the story of the band’s past, present, and beyond.”

The title track ‘The Law Of Augmenting Returns’ embraces bass solos from British YouTube sensation Charles Berthoud, and exhilarating Australian newcomer Kai den Hertog. Berthoud’s solo is a mesmerising jazz swing combustion, followed by the completely different approach of den Hertog’s spine-tingling feature. A singable chorus, catchy blues sections, and about as shreddy as the album gets, ‘The Law Of Augmenting Returns’ is the true champion to hold the title track of the record.

Fack comments, “Charles Berthoud’s involvement on the track showcases the highest of ability bass can be played, to Kai den Hertog’s orchestration of a bass solo that is as complex as it is energetic.”

Accompanied by an enthralling playthrough music video directed by Karl Steller (Gravemind), following on from a catalog of stellar album music videos produced to date; by Jamie McVicker & Declan Blackall (Plini) [‘Phat Mackerel’, ‘Base Camp’, ‘Will-O’-The-Wisp’], and Miki Simankevicius (Polaris - D.O.P) [‘Matrices’]. 

The Law Of Augmenting Returns explores the notion that the more effort you invest in your artistry, the greater the rewards you reap. This powerful trinity of bass and drums pushed their creative boundaries to unprecedented heights; a tremendous body of work transpired, traversing the intense, the emotionally charged, and the humorous, appealing to a wide range of musical palates. The production team of critically acclaimed debut record Escapades (2021) reassembled for the release, including Adam Bentley (mixing, Arch Echo), Ermin Hamidovic (mastering, Periphery), and Josh Saunders (artwork); with the majority of programming handled by the band’s own Matt Fack.

The Omnific will be trailblazing their way through Europe & the UK, heading on their first ever summer festival run, alongside their most extensive array of headline shows in Europe to date. They’ll be making highly anticipated debut appearances at festivals; RADAR (UK), Vagos (PT), Brutal Assault (CZ), Arctangent (UK), and Fekete Zaj (HU). Led by their two other-worldly intertwining bassists, Matt Fack & Toby Peterson-Stewart, and backed by flamboyant drummer Jerome Lematua, The Bass Boys will be bringing a full tank of charisma, showmanship, and unbelievable technical performances from down under. 

Tour Dates:
28-Jul - United Kingdom - Manchester - Radar Festival
30-Jul - Germany - Oberhausen - Druckluft 
01-Aug - Spain - Barcelona - Razzmatazz 3
02-Aug - Spain - Madrid - Wurlitzer 
03-Aug - Portugal - Vagos - Vagos Metal Fest
04-Aug - Spain - Portugalete - Groove
06-Aug - Italy - Milan - Slaughter Club
08-Aug - Slovakia - Bratislava - Pink Whale
09-Aug - Czech Republic - Josefov - Brutal Assault Festival
10-Aug - Poland - Warsaw - Chmury
12-Aug - Germany - Hamburg - Hafenklang
14-Aug - Netherlands - Nijmegen - Merleyn 
16-Aug - United Kingdom - Bristol - Arctangent Festival
18-Aug - Hungary - Gyöngyös - Fekete Zaj Festival

Tickets On Sale Now - theomnific.com

The Omnific are a breathtaking progressive instrumental trio, hailing from Melbourne, Australia. 
 

Following the release of three groundbreaking EPs - Sonorous (2016), Kismet (2017), The Minds Eye (2019) - the band attracted interest, and fans from all corners of the globe. Their 2021 debut album Escapades achieved international critical acclaim - landing #3 on the Australian AIR Independent Album Charts, and cementing their status as torchbearers of the next generation of progressive rock and metal. Clay Gober of Polyphia featured on the single ‘Antecedent’, exceeding a combined 1 million plays on YouTube & Spotify. In 2023, the group went from strength to strength; supporting Polyphia in Australia, and Ne Obliviscaris in Europe and North America, capping off with a landmark 46-date world tour in support of single ‘Phat Mackerel’ - including festivals Euroblast (DE), Reeperbahn (DE), and Bigsound (AU). The group kickstarted 2024 with Mongolia’s The HU in Australia, profiling their outrageous musical versatility - which dives through prog, metal, djent, funk, synth-driven soundscapes, and more. The Omnific have also toured with renowned artists such as Between The Buried And Me, Intervals, Galactic Empire, Twelve Foot Ninja, and Cog. 

The Law Of Augmenting Returns explores the notion that the more effort you invest in your artistry, the greater the rewards you reap. This powerful trinity of bass and drums pushed their creative boundaries to unprecedented heights; a tremendous body of work transpired, traversing the intense, the emotionally charged, and the humorous, appealing to a wide range of musical palates. 

“a bright future for the instrumental outfit” - Metal Hammer (UK)
“a veritable masterclass in the art of the bass player” - Prog Magazine (UK)
“The Omnific never cease to entice, excite and amaze” - The Music (AU)

FollowThe Omnific:
Facebook | Instagram | Bandcamp |YouTube|Twitter|Spotify
 
FollowWild Thing Records:
Web | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify | YouTube

01.    The Omnific ≈ Bass (Ft. Tim Waurick and Luke Taylor of Heartline)
02.    The Law Of Augmenting Returns (Ft. Charles Berthoud and Kai den Hertog)
03.    Matrices
04.    Base Camp
05.    Will-O’-The-Wisp
06.    Phat Mackerel
07.    Butterfingers
08.    Double Malt Ditty (Feat. Rohan Sharma)

Photo Credit: Ilona Gerasymova

Swedish metalcore act Awake The Dreamer have released a video for their new single 'Violence', out now via Arising Empire. This powerful anthem is a must-listen, solidifying Awake the Dreamer's place within the scene.

Check out the video for 'Violence' here: https://youtu.be/Esyrv1copJ0

Stream 'Violence' here: https://arisingempire.com/violence

'Violence' delves into themes of internal struggle and emotional turmoil, portraying a narrative of being ensnared by another's anger and the silent battles that follow. Musically, 'Violence' blends haunting melodies with powerful riffs and dynamic vocals, reflecting the intensity of the emotions described. The track underscores the impact of unspoken anger and the relentless pressure it creates, showcasing the band's ability to merge melodic elements with raw post-hardcore energy.

Formed through childhood and high school friendships in 2015, Stockholm-based quartet Awake The Dreamer released their Grow EP the following year, leading to tours in Europe and Asia alongside bands including Ice Nine Kills, Northlane, Adept and Crystal Lake.
 
In 2019, Awake The Dreamer released their debut album Damaged Souls via Arising Empire. The 10-track release featured guest appearances from Adept's Robert Ljung ('Vigilant') and Crystal Lake's Ryo Kinoshita in ('Atmosphere').
 
Bassist/vocalist Benjamin Turesson adds:

"Being a small band that didn't even have an album out by the time we had toured Europe and Asia finally caught up to us, then the pandemic hit. Like that wasn't enough, unfortunately we had former members leave the band, so it became natural for us to just start from scratch in order to redevelop a new sound. A sound which we are really happy and proud of. It feels great to start releasing music again and we are really excited to be back." 

Awake The Dreamer are:

Max Andrén | Vocals
Victor Sandberg | Guitar
Johan Norsander | Guitar

For more information:
https://awakethedreamer.se
https://www.facebook.com/awakethedreamerofficial
https://twitter.com/atdbandswe
https://www.instagram.com/awakethedreamer
https://www.tiktok.com/@awakethedreamer

Photo Credit: Node52

Following the phenomenal success of their previous singles, which cumulatively amassed over 2.5 million plays on Spotify, metalcore supergroup Alleviate have announced their debut album DMNS, due for release on 23rd August via Arising Empire. The band have also released a video for their new single 'Alive'.

Check out the video for 'Alive' here: https://youtu.be/g6T98336itA

Stream 'Alive' from midnight on DSPs here: https://arisingempire.com/alive

Pre-order DMNS here: https://arisingempire.com/dmns

'Alive' takes listeners on an intense journey of resilience and rebirth, featuring powerful lyrics and a dynamic performance. The track showcases the band's ability to fuse crushing heaviness with melodic depth, making it a standout piece in their growing discography. 'Alive' is a bold statement of Alleviate's artistic evolution and sets the stage for the highly anticipated debut DMNS. 

Upon releasing their debut single 'Die For Me', Alleviate gained fans across the globe. Famous internet reactors like Nik Nocturnal and Too Lit Mafia supported their powerful sound, which combines technical riffs, heavy breakdowns, and catchy hooks.

Alleviate stand for the strength that's hidden deep inside us all. Formed in 2020, the band consists of five successful musicians from five different bands across a variety of metal sub-genres. They combine the best of technical metalcore, deathcore, djent and post-hardcore in one powerful and beautiful style. The members have proven themselves numerous times in previous and current bands. They've played hundreds of shows and are experienced live performers. 

The name Alleviate itself represents what the band stands for; giving hope and spreading a positive message into the world.

Alleviate are:
Timo - clean vocals (Our Mirage)
Marius - shouts (Breakdowns at Tiffany’s)
Ramon - guitar (The Evolutionist)
Marc - guitar (We Are Perspectives)
Yunus - drums (Time, The Valuator)

Alleviate online:
https://www.instagram.com/Alleviate.official
https://www.facebook.com/Alleviate.official
https://twitter.com/alleviateoffic1
https://www.tiktok.com/@alleviate.music

DMNS tracklisting:

01. DMNS
02. Trying To Survive
03. Broken
04. Forevermore
05. Gravity ft. Nik Nocturnal
06. Alive
07. Better
08. Die For Me
09. Within Worlds
10. My Demise

Finnish folk metal Superstars KORPIKLAANI have released a video for the song 'Harhainen höyhen' from their latest album, Rankarumpu (Nuclear Blast Records). 

Watch: https://youtu.be/1T7q0CHjMTw

KORPIKLAANI's twelfth studio album Rankarumpu is classic folk metal - fast, energetic and dynamic, showing once again they are the leaders in this genre.

The closing song 'Harhainen höyhen' is slightly different in tone from the rest of the album as it leans more towards a melancholic side, which is not only being reflected in the song's lyrics dealing with mental health issues, but also noticeable in the atmospheric new music video directed by Miika Hakala that's out today. 

KORPIKLAANI's Jonne commented:
"'Harhainen höyhen' is a song that deals with mental health problems and how a person can think they are weak and be susceptible to problems, as the weakest and poorest feather. Then you can hear bad things in your head which at worst can lead to committing suicide. I myself have been in a situation where I heard a voice in my head that said that my clock had rung a long time ago and that I could leave this world. But then I realised that my time wasn't even remotely over yet ... anyway this song is for all of us out there with mental health issues and about how wrong it is to harm yourself."

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health issues, depression and/or suicidal thoughts, there is help. For free, confidential support and resources 24/7 visit: https://findahelpline.com/i/iasp

Purchase / stream Rankarumpu here: 
https://korpiklaani.bfan.link/rankarumpu

Watch KORPIKLAANI live at Bloodstock Open Air on 10th August.

KORPIKLAANI online: https://linktr.ee/korpiklaani

Heavy metal titans HammerFall are thrilled to announce the release of their electrifying new single 'The End Justifies'.

This classic HammerFall anthem is the second single from their highly-anticipated upcoming album, Avenge The Fallen, set to be released on 9th August through Nuclear Blast Records.

Watch 'The End Justifies' here: https://youtu.be/ktA2Ui79mUE
Stream 'The End Justifies' here: https://hammerfall.bfan.link/TEJ.ema 
Pre-order / pre-save the album: https://hammerfall.bfan.link/avenge-the-fallen.ema 

'The End Justifies' captures the essence of HammerFall's signature sound, combining powerful riffs, soaring vocals, and a relentless rhythm that fans have come to love. The accompanying video, filmed in the band's rehearsal studio, brings an intense visual experience that matches the song's driving energy. Fast-paced camera movements and raw, unfiltered footage showcase the band's passion and dedication, creating an immersive experience for viewers.

Line-up:
Joacim Cans - vocals
Oscar Dronjak - guitar
Fredrik Larsson  - bass
Pontus Norgen - guitar
David Wallin – drums

HOMEPAGE: LINK
FACEBOOK: LINK
INSTAGRAM: LINK

Avenge The Fallen comes in the following formats:

- CD Jewel Case
- CD Digipack w/signed poster
- 1 LP Gatefold Gold Vinyl
- 1 LP Gatefold Purple Vinyl
- 1LP Gatefold, Splatter Vinyl (Sweden Rock Exclusive)

Photo Credit: Declan Blackall Photography

Prog insturmentalist Plini has announced a run of UK headline shows with The Intersphere, Night Verses, Yomi Ship in support, and supports with Polyphia & Haken, around his UK and EU festival appearances. Plini is touring in support of his new EP Mirage, released December 2023.

Plini also recently released a live video for the track 'Ember', watch the video here: https://youtu.be/815fagvORLI

Also check out his recent collaboration with Mateus Asato 'sugarfish' here: https://youtu.be/A9NvvgB2E1E

Dates:

Tue 11 Jun    Italy    Milan    Carroponte, supporting Polyphia
Wed 12 Jun    Switzerland    Lausanne    Les Docks, supporting Polyphia
Thu 13 Jun    Luxembourg    Esch-sur-Alzette    Rockhal    
Fri 14 Jun    Belgium    Antwerp    Trix   
Sun 16 Jun    Germany    Hamburg    Große Freiheit 36, supporting Polyphia
Mon 17 Jun    Germany    Berlin    Columbiahalle, supporting Polyphia
Thu 20 Jun    Spain    Cartagena    Rock Imperuim Festival    Festival
Sat 22 Jun    France    Gisors    Kave Fest    Festival
Tue 25 Jun    Portugal    Porto    Hard Club   
Wed 26 Jun    Portugal    Lisbon    Ao Vivo   
Sat 29 Jun    Netherlands    Valkenburg    Midsummer Prog Festival    Festival
Mon 1 Jul    Denmark    Copenhagen    Pumphueset   
Wed 3 Jul    Sweden    Uppsala    Prog in Park    Festival
Fri 5 Jul    Italy    Milan    Live Music Club    supporting Haken
Thu 25 Jul    England    London    Shepherds Bush Empire, supporting The Intersphere
Fri 26 Jul    England    Manchester    RADAR Festival    Festival
Sat 27 Jul    Ireland    Dublin    Opium, supporting The Intersphere
Sun 28 Jul    Northern Ireland    Belfast    The Limelight 2, supporting The Intersphere
Mon 29 Jul    Scotland    Glasgow    Garage, supporting The Intersphere
Tue 30 Jul    England    Newcastle    Tapyard, supporting The Intersphere
Thu 1 Aug    France    Paris    Petit Bain, support from Yomi Ship
Sat 3 Aug    France    Lyon    La Rayonne, support from Yomi Ship
Mon 5 Aug    Germany    Stuttgart    Wizemann Club, support fromYomi Ship
Tue 6 Aug    Germany    Frankfurt     Das Bett, support from Yomi Ship
Wed 7 Aug    Switzerland    Zurich    Dynamo, support from Yomi Ship
Fri 9 Aug    Germany    Dresden    Blauer Salon, support from Night Verses & Yomi Ship
Sat 10 Aug    Czechia    Jaromer    Brutal Assault    Festival
Sun 11 Aug    Poland    Krakow    Hype Park, support from Night Verses & Yomi Ship
Tue 13 Aug    Germany    Hannover    Musikzentrum, support from Night Verses & Yomi Ship
Wed 14 Aug    Germany    Oberhausen    Kulttempel, support from Night Verses & Yomi Ship
Fri 16 Aug    England    Bristol    ArcTanGent Festival    Festival
Sat 17 Aug    Netherlands    Haarlem    Complexity Festival    Festival
Sun 18 Aug    France    Carhaix    Motocultor Festival    Festival
Tue 20 Aug    Germany    Nuremberg    Hirsch, support from Night Verses 
Wed 21 Aug    Austria    Vienna    Flex support from Night Verses 
Thu 22 Aug    Hungary    Budapest    A38 support from Night Verses 
Fri 23 Aug    Romania    Bistrita    WTF Rock Festival    Festival
Sun 25 Aug    Turkey    Istanbul    Zorlu PSM Turkcell Platinum Stage    -

Tickets: plini.co

Plini's latest release Mirage is his most adventurous yet; along side his dexterous performance, the record features live strings, piano, oud and a guest guitar solo fromAnimals As Leaders' Tosin Abasi.

Plinicommented,"Writing for the EP began shortly after the release ofImpulse Voicesat the end of 2020, while Australia was still in lockdown. The majority of the production was finished by the end of 2021, but once touring resumed, the project had to be put on the shelf for a little while, after deciding that it would be better to give it the attention it deserved than try to finish it in between flights and tours and other commitments. The wait was worth it (at least in my opinion) - couldn't be happier with how it turned out!" 

After two years of waiting patiently, Plini sprang back into action in 2022, with back-to-back sold out headline tours of Australia, India and Scandinavia, festival appearances in Australia, UK, Germany and Portugal, and performing in some of Australia’s finest theatres supporting Northlane. 
 
Always delivering mind-bending musicality from all angles, Plini has previously released two full length albums, 2016's Handmade Cities and 2020's Impulse Voices, as well as multiple EPs, singles and contributing credits with various other artists. Nominated for Live Guitarist of the Year in 2018 at theNational Live Music Awards, Plini has also previously toured alongside Sleep Token, Periphery and TesseracT.

Plini online:
https://www.facebook.com/Plini
https://www.instagram.com/plini/
https://www.youtube.com/plinimusic
https://twitter.com/plinirh

More information on Plini:

Plini composes, plays guitar, records, produces and manages his unique brand of instrumental progressive rock all from a bedroom studio.

His critically-acclaimed debut album Handmade Cities was voted #5 in Guitar World Magazine’s “20 best guitar albums of the decade,” and hailed by Steve Vai as “one of the finest, forward thinking, melodic, rhythmically and harmonically deep, evolution of rock/metal instrumental guitar records I have ever heard.” Routinely mentioned in “best guitarist” lists, Plini was named #4 in the “Top 10 best prog guitarists in the world today” by Music Radar in early 2020. Plini also made Prog mag (UK)'s top 100 musicians of all time list.

Over the last few years, Plini has toured the world supporting bands like Animals As Leaders, Periphery, Tesseract and Intervals, as well as playing festivals and headlining his own tours all over North America, Europe, Australia, Asia and India. In 2018, Plini was the first instrumental act ever to play the legendary Download Festival in the UK.

Plini was a special guest instructor at “Vai Academy” in 2019, alongside Steve Vai, Joe Satriani and Devin Townsend, and despite being entirely self-taught, he has been invited to give masterclasses at some of the most prestigious contemporary music colleges in the world, including Berklee College of Music, Musician’s Institute (USA), BIMM (UK), and JMC Academy (Australia).

Plini has a signature guitar with Strandberg Guitars, signature guitar amp software with Neural DSP, and endorsement deals with Yahama Music, Dunlop, D’Addario and Fractal Audio.

Photo Credit: Harry Steel

The UK's most exciting new heavy band, HERIOT, are proud to announce their long-awaited debut album. Devoured by the Mouth of Hell will be released 27th September via Century Media. 

Accompanying the album news, HERIOT today have released their Hadean new single 'Foul Void', recorded with Josh Middleton (Sylosis, Architects) and GRAMMY Award-winning Will Putney (END, Fit For An Autopsy, Better Lovers).

Watch the video for 'Foul Void' here: https://youtu.be/1NdIbCZvo7k
Stream 'Foul Void' here: https://heriot.lnk.to/DevouredByTheMouthOfHell

Devoured by the Mouth of Hell will be available for pre-order from Friday 7th June from the same link: https://heriot.lnk.to/DevouredByTheMouthOfHell

The band comment: "‘Foul Void' was one of the last tracks written for our debut album, Devoured by the Mouth of Hell. Sonically influenced by '90s and early 00’s metalcore, the song delves into the inner struggle of an individual facing uncertainties about their faith."

HERIOT's debut album will continue their ascendancy as the pre-eminent new force in the UK heavy scene. The new single 'Foul Void' follows 'Siege Lord' and late 2023's 'Soul Chasm', the first two glimpses of new material following their signing with Century Media and support shows with Architects in summer of 2023.  

HERIOT's debut EP Profound Morality (2022, Church Road Records) catapulted the quartet into the global spotlight, with praise worldwide and a debut, sold-out, headline tour across the UK. The band have since supported Lamb Of God, Thy Art Is Murder, Rolo Tomassi, and performed to packed tents at Download Festival, 2000trees, Wacken Open Air, Bloodstock, Mystic Festival and many more, gathering a legion of fans in the process. They since followed Profound Morality with the ferocious standalone single 'Demure' (February 2023, Church Road Records).

Fully-focused and with a razor-sharp edge, the awe-inspiring double-vocal attack of Jake Packer and Debbie Gough is all-conquering; the titanic support of Erhan Alman (guitar) and Julian Gage (drums) rock-solid. 

HERIOT have deservedly been grabbing attention with all four pairs of hands, weaponising metallic sludge and hardcore, unholy levels of distortion, speed and gut-punching talent. Elements of Nails, Knocked Loose, Code Orange, and Vein.fm combine and collide to exhilarating effect, creating a sound that is truly groundbreaking, fully worthy of the notice the band are achieving.

In their short recent history HERIOT have caught the attention of Pitchfork, The Guardian, Metal Hammer UK, Rock Sound, Brooklyn Vegan, Kerrang!, Revolver, and Knotfest, among many others, heralding the quartet as "one of the most promising young bands in modern metalcore", and "probably the best new metal band in Britain".

HERIOT are:

Jake Packer - Vocals/Bass
Debbie Gough - Vocals/Guitar
Erhan Alman - Guitar
Julian Gage - Drums

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

Full list of HERIOT live dates:

Festivals:

08/06/24 ROCK IM PARK, GERMANY
09/06/24 ROCK AM RING, GERMANY
15/06/24 DOWNLOAD FESTIVAL, UK
26/06/24 RESURRECTION FESTIVAL, SPAIN
28/06/24 JERA ON AIR, NETHERLANDS
30/06/24 HELLFEST, FRANCE
 
With Fit For An Autopsy, Sylosis, and Darkest Hour:
 
22/11/24 ELECTRIC BRIXTON, LONDON
23/11/24 STYLUS, LEEDS
24/11/24 QMU, GLASGOW
26/11/24 O2 RITZ, MANCHESTER
27/11/24 O2 INSTITUTE, BIRMINGHAM
28/11/24 SWX, BRISTOL
30/11/24 DOORNROOSJE, NIJMEGEN
01/12/24 KAVKA ZAPPA, ANTWERP, BELGIUM
02/12/24 GRUENSPAN, HAMBURG, GERMANY
03/12/24 PUSTTERVIK, GOTHENBURG, SWEDEN
04/12/24 JOHN DEE, OSLO, NORWAY
05/12/24 FRYSHUSET KLUBBEN, STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN
07/12/24 AANIWALLI, HELSINKI, FINLAND
09/12/24 AMAGER BIO, COPENHAGEN, DENMARK
10/12/24 HOLE44, BERLIN, GERMANY
11/12/24 PROXIMIA, WARSAW, POLAND
12/12/24 MEET FACTORY, PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC
13/12/24 REITHALLE, DRESDEN, GERMANY
14/12/24 BARBA NEGRA, BUDAPEST, HUNGARY
15/12/24 SIMM CITY, VIENNA, AUSTRIA
17/12/24 LIVE CLUB, MILAN, ITALY
18/12/24 Z7, PRATTELN, SWITZERLAND
19/12/24 BACKSTAGE, MUNICH, GERMANY
20/12/24 SUBSTAGE, KARLSRUHE, GERMANY
21/12/24 ESSIGFABRIK, COLOGNE, GERMANY

Tracklisting:

1. Foul Void
2. Harm Sequence
3. Opaline
4. Siege Lord
5. Sentenced to the Blade
6. Solvent Gaze
7. Lashed
8. At the Fortress Gate
9. Visage
10. Mourn