Rising metalcore force Avralize release their powerful new single 'medicine' on 8th August. The band will also announce their new album 'liminal', due for release on 14th November via Arising Empire.
Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/eVXNkPbHSso
Stream here: https://arisingempire.com/accvsed
Combining dreamy vocals, raw shouts, massive hooks, and crushing riffs, 'medicine' channels the hypnotic intensity fans crave. Lyrically, it dives into the blur between love and emotional addiction, when one person becomes the only escape from inner chaos.
Catch Avralize live on their first big European headline tour this November.
Sweden's AVIANA return with their crushing new anthem 'EVERMORE', out now via Arising Empire.
Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/fLRusYAEHu8
Stream here: https://arisingempire.com/evermore
Blending ferocious screams, haunting clean vocals, and razor-sharp instrumentation, the track surges with unrelenting energy and emotion. Lyrically, 'EVERMORE' is a powerful, existential journey confronting death not with fear, but with a strange, haunting sense of beauty and peace. This is AVIANA at their most intense and introspective.
Catch the band live:
06/11 – Eindhoven (NL) – Dynamo
07/11 – London (UK) – The Dome
08/11 – Glasgow (UK) – Cathouse
09/11 – Manchester (UK) – Rebellion
10/11 – Bristol (UK) – The Fleece
12/11 – Frankfurt (DE) – Das Bett
13/11 – Hamburg (DE) – Stage 15
14/11 – Gothenburg (SE) – Valand
15/11 – Stockholm (SE) – Kollektivet Livet
16/11 – Oslo (NO) – John Dee
18/11 – Copenhagen (DK) – Pumpehuset
19/11 – Berlin (DE) – Hole44
20/11 – Dresden (DE) – Blauer Salon
21/11 – Prague (CZ) – Fuchs2
22/11 – Stuttgart (DE) – Core Fest
23/11 – Aarau (CH) – Kiff
25/11 – Vienna (AT) – Szene
26/11 – Nuremberg (DE) – Hirsch
27/11 – Munich (DE) – Backstage Halle
28/11 – Cologne (DE) – Club Volta
29/11 – Oldenburg (DE) – Amadeus
Swedish modern metal force LIV SIN celebrate the release of their new album, Close Your Eyes, with the launch of a powerful new single, 'Louder'. Out today via Seek & Strike, the album has already garnered critical acclaim, with Metal Gods Meltdown praising it as “an impressive blend of sonic breadth and emotional depth.”
Fronted by the formidable Liv Jagrell (ex-Sister Sin), LIV SIN deliver a fierce fusion of aggressive, riff-heavy intensity and soaring melodies, steadily carving out their unique place on the global metal stage. Close Your Eyes showcases the band’s growth and command, balancing raw power with emotional resonance.
The newly released single 'Louder' is described by the band as their “most straightforward metal-rock song,” designed to be an anthem fans can easily sing and scream along to. Tackling themes of betrayal and resilience, the track invites listeners to drown out negativity by cranking up their favourite music and losing themselves in the moment.
Watch the video for 'Louder' here: https://youtu.be/DEiPFepIO8g?list=RDDEiPFepIO8g
Order the new album here: https://orcd.co/livsincye
LIV SIN comments: "This is our most straightforward metal-rock song. We wanted to make a song that you could sing/scream along easily with, and with a theme that the most of us can feel and relate to. The song is about when someone you think is your friend, suddenly turns his or her back on you and starts to slander you.What is better to do than crank up your favorite music and silence the world around you for just a while.
We then had the idea of inviting our fans and other random metal people into the video to make a performance video that could share the true feeling of being on a LiV SiN live show. We invite you all to sing, scream, have a great time and jump along!"
A dynamic five-piece born from the ashes of Sister Sin, LIV SIN deliver a sound steeped in modern metal, melodic hooks and uncompromising intensity. Since their formation, the band has built a reputation for soul-stirring live shows and an authentic connection with fans.
Alongside Liv Jagrell (vocals) are Per Bjevoluk (drums), Daniel Skoglund (bass), Sonny Larsson (lead guitar) and Ante Mäkelä (rhythm guitar), each bringing unique musical influences and personal passions to the table, from painting and folk music to animal rescue, yoga and music education. Their collective energy is channeled into creating cathartic anthems for a global audience.
Rooted deeply in Swedish culture, several members of LIV SIN are dedicated to preserving the nation’s rich tradition of folk music, community art and craftsmanship. Sonny is an accomplished folk guitarist and painter, while Ante works in cultural education, championing the music and arts institutions that have helped define “the Swedish music wonder". Their love for traditional sounds and storytelling often seeps into their songwriting and creative aesthetic.
The new album began to reveal its dark heart earlier this year with the release of the powerful title track, 'Close Your Eyes'. Confronting the grim realities of human trafficking, the track features a striking guest vocal performance from Lars Palmqvist of Scar Symmetry. Following that, the band unveiled the intense single 'Run', inspired by a harrowing real-life cult story, further building anticipation for the full release. Mixed by acclaimed producer Tue Madsen (Babymetal, Meshuggah), Close Your Eyes promises a heavy, unflinching sonic journey.
Driven by purpose and powered by riffs, LIV SIN are not only forging new paths in heavy music, they’re carrying pieces of Sweden’s cultural soul with them along the way.
Catch LIV SIN live:
26/9 Mora, Sweden - Lilla Helfvetet
27/9 Motala, Sweden - Bomber Bar
3/10 Örebro, Sweden - Kvarteret & co
4/10 Trollhättan, Sweden - Backstage Bar
17/10 Söderhamn, Sweden - Söderhamns Teater
18/10 Östersund, Sweden - Jane Doe
1/11 Stockholm, Sweden - Encore (Kids show)
1/11 Stockholm, Sweden - Encore
15/11 Rock at Sea
28/11 Borås, Sweden - Klubb Hades
29/11 Lidköping, Sweden - Sockerfabriken
Track-list:
1. Praise The Winners
2. Run
3. Close Your Eyes
4. Louder
5. It's Not Your Life
6. Above The Line
7. The Shadow March
8. Shades Of The Sun
9. Raven
10. I Refuse
11. The Mask
12. Hold It Together
Photo Credit: Leo Baron
Rock legend and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Glenn Hughes today shares his new single and official visualiser video, 'Into The Fade', taken from his upcoming studio album Chosen, set for release on 5th September via Frontiers Music Srl.
Watch 'Into The Fade' here: https://youtu.be/e6rI5I-63WU
Pre-order Chosen here: https://ffm.to/glennhugheschosen
This year will also see Glenn Hughes touring across Europe and South America, with The Chosen Years tour starting in Zoetermeer, Netherlands, on 2nd September, and ending on 29th November in Bogota, Colombia. For the full list of dates and tickets, please see here: https://www.glennhughes.com/tour.html
UK dates as follows:
14/10 - O2 Academy - Bristol, UK
15/10 - Guildhall - Portsmouth, UK
17/10 - KK's Steel Mill - Wolverhampton, UK
18/10 - O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire - London, UK
21/10 - O2 Ritz - Manchester, UK
22/10 - Boiler Shop - Newcastle, UK
24/10 - Rock City - Nottingham, UK
25/10 - The Garage - Glasgow, UK
Glenn states 'Into The Fade' is about: “a life of acceptance, being here now, and living in the present moment”.
Vocalist/bass guitarist/songwriter Glenn Hughes is a true original. No other rock musician has carved such a distinctive style blending the finest elements of hard rock, soul and funk. That astonishing voice is his calling card. He's known as a singer's singer. Stevie Wonder once called Glenn Hughes his favorite white singer.
After a nine years hiatus as a solo artist, Glenn Hughes is back with Chosen, his brand-new solo record: an album which presents Glenn in his most hard rockin’ fashion. An explosive record that offers Glenn Hughes at its absolute best with a state-of-the-art album, both from a songwriting and production standpoint. A truly captivating return.
Glenn Hughes, a native of Cannock, England, absorbed all kinds of influences, including early British hard rock, The Beatles and, most importantly, American soul and R&B. The sleek Motown sound from Detroit and the gritty Stax/Volt sound from Memphis left their mark on him.
Glenn Hughes first found success in the early '70s with the band Trapeze, before joining Deep Purple in 1973 during a pivotal lineup change that introduced him and David Coverdale to the group. Despite initial scepticism, the revamped band silenced critics with the release of Burn (1974), a powerful album that revitalized Purple’s sound and remains a classic.
During this era, the band headlined the iconic California Jam in front of over 300,000 fans, toured the world aboard their private jet The Starship, and released two more studio albums, Stormbringer and Come Taste The Band, before disbanding in 1976.
Glenn's first solo album Play Me Out was released in 1977. He joined former Pat Travers guitarist Pat Thrall to form Hughes/Thrall, which released an acclaimed self-titled album in 1982. Throughout the '80s and '90s, Glenn Hughes made countless guest appearances (both credited and un-credited) as a vocalist, bass guitarist or songwriter on other artists' albums. The endless list includes - among others - Gary Moore, John Norum, and Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath.
Since 1992, Glenn has started a prolific solo career with a dozen studio albums where he explored all the different sides of his songwriting and influences: from hard rock to funk and more contemporary sounds. He collaborated - among others - with such musicians as Chad Smith (RHCP), Dave Navarro, and John Frusciante.
He also founded or took part in some amazing musical alliances such as California Breed (with Jason Bonham and Andrew Watt), Black Country Communion (with Joe Bonamassa) and The Dead Daisies.
Glenn has collaborated with Robbie Williams on his new single 'Rocket', which was released on 22nd May 2025. The track also features a collaboration from Tony Iommi and will be the first time Glenn has been featured on a record with Tony since 2005, when they released 'Fused' together.
Glenn Hughes has also recently joined forces with Satch Vai, a new collaboration by legendary guitar icons Joe Satriani and Steve Vai, by writing and singing on their new single 'I Wanna Play My Guitar'.
Line Up:
Glenn Hughes - Vocals
Soren Andersen - Guitar
Ash Sheehan - Drums
Bob Fridzema - Keys
Follow GLENN HUGHES:
Facebook
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X
Website
Tracklisting:
1. Voice In My Head
2. My Alibi
3. Chosen
4. Heal
5. In The Golden
6. The Lost Parade
7. Hot Damn Thing
8. Black Cat Moan
9. Come And Go
10. Into The Fade
Photo Credit: Ignacio Gálvez
Chilean progressive rock band Aisles have revealed the video for their new single 'Blue Skies'.
Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/x188wYPDpYk
Stream 'Blue Skies' here: https://farolatino.ffm.to/blue-skies
Right out of the gate, 'Blue Skies' channels the DNA of Aisles, harnessing the band’s experimental approach while referencing the melancholy of bands like Leprous, Vola and Muse. Guitarist German Vergara’s complex melodies hand off to Boris Seeder’s hypnotic chorus, over distorted riffs and head-nodding drums. The track was produced by Vergara and Fernando Cubillos, and mixed and mastered by engineer Jacob Hansen (Vola).
Vergara elaborates, “This is the first song we worked as a full band since Boris joined a year ago. We feel empowered with this new lineup and the new music we have made together. 'Blue Skies' is a song about how someone thinks about the person they love, without knowing where they are or how they are. Due to unknown circumstances, these two people are separated. It's a love song about the value of inner life and subjectivity.”
Aisles will be returning to the UK in November, including a performance at HRH Prog Festival.
Dates:
9 November 2025 | Bannermans – Edinburgh TICKETS
11 November 2025 | The 1865 – Southampton TICKETS
12 November 2025 |The Fiddler’s Elbow – London TICKETS
13 November 2025 | Corporation – Sheffield TICKETS
15 November 2025 | HRH Prog Festival – Great Yarmouth SOLD OUT
Having released five highly acclaimed studio albums, progressive rock band AISLES have created an unparalleled musical approach that combines intricate melodies and sonic openness. They have toured the Americas, Europe, and performed with prog legends Marillion, Focus, and Riverside.
In 2005, AISLES released their debut album, The Yearning, recognized for its elegant and delicate melodic work. In 2009, their second album, In Sudden Walks, inspired by existential literature and theatre, was nominated for Best Foreign Record at the Prog Awards in Italy. Their third record, 4:45 AM (2013) was ranked among the best albums of that year in numerous publications specialized in progressive rock.
Their fourth studio album, Hawaii (2016), a conceptual double album that narrates the life of humanity in space after the destruction of the Earth, was called a “masterpiece”. The success of the album allowed AISLES to tour in Europe, the United States and Mexico.
In 2018, they released the EP Live from Estudio del Sur, complemented by four live-recorded videos available on YouTube. The band released their fifth album, Beyond Drama, on April 5, 2023, after the departure of three members and the reconfiguration of the group. On June 30, 2023, AISLES released the instrumental suite Bahamut, inspired by the science fiction novel of the same name written by Chilean author Francisco Ortega. On May 2024, they released the EP Obras de Los Jaivas, where they tribute Chilean prog folk group Los Jaivas, featuring four guest singers - and closed the year with new single 'The Dream', introducing new vocalist Boris Seeder.
Lineup:
Boris Seeder: singer
German Vergara: guitar
Juan Pablo Gaete: keyboards
Daniel Concha: bass guitar
Alvaro Poblete: drums
FOLLOW AISLES
OFFICIAL WEBSITE / INSTAGRAM / SPOTIFY / FACEBOOK
Photo Credit: VD Pictures
Lord of the Lost indulge in darkness with the complex 'Bazaar Bizarre', the latest single off their upcoming studio album OPVS NOIR Vol. 1, out this Friday, 8th August 2025 via Napalm Records. Appropriately opulent, the album opener 'Bazaar Bizarre' immediately proves the bands’ sonic recalibration, re-adding their early edge to create somber mysticism in irresistible guise. Lord of the Lost hauntingly unite the children of the night in a sophisticated anthem, reassuring: No one lost behind.
Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/5FET9-hz2U8
Pre-order OPVS NOIR Vol. 1 here: https://lnk.to/LOTL-OPVSNOIR/napalmrecords
'Bazaar Bizarre' ornately crafts a new doorway into Lord of the Lost’s ever expanding universe – a testament to their ability to constantly uncover new angles while staying true to their roots. Following the success of their #1 Blood & Glitter album (Official German Album Charts) and their celebrated appearance in the finals of the Eurovision Song Contest 2023, Lord of the Lost continue to push boundaries with unmatchable versatility. OPVS NOIR Vol. 1 is the first album of an exciting album trilogy, featuring several strictly limited special editions.
Vocalist Chris Harms commented on the single: “‘Bazaar Bizarre’ is too long, too complex, and too weird to be an album opener – almost like a mix between an acoustic hidden-object painting by Hieronymus Bosch, Apocalypse Now, and the underground troll market from the Hellboy universe. Everything hurts and is somehow eerie, but at the same time too fascinating to want to escape.
"We could’ve picked a simple and accessible song to kick things off – but we didn’t want that. We wanted a long cinematic trailer for the ears, one that instantly makes it clear what kind of world all three parts of OPVS NOIR will drag you into. And 'Bazaar Bizarre' captures that perfectly – sonically, and in the music video, also visually – covering the full spectrum of our upcoming trilogy.”
What is the essence of Lord Of The Lost in 2025? That is one of the questions OPVS NOIR Vol. 1 fearlessly begins to answer. Once again, the band proves not only musical excellence but also masterful craftsmanship: Produced by Chris Harms, recorded, mixed, and mastered at the legendary CHAMELEON STUDIOS in Hamburg, the 11 tracks hit with a force and brilliance that immediately transport us into a dark yet colourful ballroom. From there, the tone is set: Dark Wave Metal on an amphitheater scale.
Chris Harmscomments on the album: “Darkness, melancholy, loneliness - all words that often have negative connotations, that we may associate with danger, sadness and loss, and not without reason. But darkness can also be security, melancholy the warm and sentimental feeling of our memories, and loneliness becomes necessary silence, peace and inner contemplation. OPVS NOIR is a travel guide, or perhaps also a travelogue, through the dark sides of our inner world, which so often move precisely in the area of tension between what we emotionally categorize as positive or negative. And with Vol. 1, all of this is just the beginning of this 3-part journey...”
Lord Of The Lost will tour the UK in November with support from UK metal outfitSkarlett Riotand the synth-rock pioneersJULIEN-K(featuringRyan ShuckandAmir DerakhofORGY) from the US. Dates:
30.10.25 UK - Wolverhampton / KK’S Steel Mill
31.10.25 UK - Manchester / O2 Ritz
01.11.25 UK - Whitby / All Tomorrows Ghosts
02.11.25 UK - Glasgow / Garage
04.11.25 UK - Belfast / Limelight 1
05.11.25 UK - Dublin / Academy
07.11.25 UK - Bristol / The Prospect Building - Crane
08.11.25 UK - London / Electric Ballroom
09.11.25 UK - Southampton / Engine Rooms
Lord Of The Lostare:
Chris Harms – Vocals, Guitar
Pi Stoffers – Guitar
Class Grenayde – Bass
Gared Dirge – Piano, Synths, Percussion, Guitar
Niklas Kahl – Drums
Lord Of The Lostonline:
Website
Facebook
Instagram
Tiktok
Napalm Records
OPVS NOIR Vol. 1 will be available in the following formats:
Wooden Book Collectors Box
3 CD Digipak in cross format, containing OPVS NOIR Vol. 1 CD plus two placeholders for the upcoming OPVS NOIR Vol. 2 and OPVS NOIR Vol. 3, 48 pages booklet, Bonus Live CD (details to be revealed later) plus 80 pages notebook with handwritten album lyrics by Chris Harms – Napalm Records Mailorder Europe & LORDSHOP exclusive (strictly limited)
Earbook Collectors Edition with 48 pages, containing OPVS NOIR Vol. 1 CD plus two placeholders for the upcoming OPVS NOIR Vol.2 and OPVS NOIR Vol. 3 – Napalm Records Mailorder Europe & LORDSHOP exclusive (strictly limited)
1-LP Liquid Gatefold Vinyl NOIR & MOONSHINE SILVER with 12p booklet – Napalm Records Mailorder Europe exclusive (strictly limited)
1-LP Gatefold Vinyl Deluxe SPLATTERED DARK NIGHT BLUE (translucent) with 12 pages booklet – Napalm Records Mailorder exclusive (strictly limited)
1-LP Gatefold Vinyl CRISTALLO with 12inch booklet - LORDSHOP exclusive (strictly limited)
1-LP Gatefold Vinyl Recycled NOIR
Music Cassette NOIR WITH SILVER PRINT – Napalm Records Mailorder Europe & LORDSHOP exclusive (strictly limited)
1-CD Digisleeve with 16 pages booklet
Digital Album
OPVS NOIR Vol. 1 track list:
1 Bazaar Bizarre
2 My Sanctuary
3 Light Can Only Shine In The Darkness (feat. Sharon den Adel)
4 I Will Die In It
5 Moonstruck (feat. Stimmgewalt)
6 Damage (feat. Whiplasher Bernadotte)
7 Ghosts (feat. Tina Guo)
8 Lords Of Fyre (feat. Feuerschwanz)
9 The Things We Do For Love
10 The Sadness In Everything (feat. Anna Maria Rose)
11 Dreams Are Never Alone
Photo Credit: Joe Dilworth
After a three-year creative process, German hard rockers Wucan will return with new album Axioms, due 29th August via Long Branch Records.
Today sees the release of ‘Pipe Dreams’, the fourth single from the upcoming album Axioms.
"'Pipe Dreams' started as a jam session in the rehearsal room – based on a drum groove that Phil just threw on the table, instantly pulling all of us in," says singer Francis Tobolsky. "It was the second song we wrote for the album, and it feels like a snapshot of where we were at that time. A driving beat, heavy guitars and floating vocal harmonies explore the tension between disillusionment and hope. To me, this song also carries a warning: shared dreams require the support of the whole community."
Watch the video to 'Pipe Dreams' here:
https://youtu.be/wF07DS1PgeM
Stream the single and pre-order the new album here:
https://wucan.lnk.to/axioms
True art is characterised above all by its constant renewal - a combination of the tried and tested with the innovative. Like all influential artists who follow this golden rule, Wucan demonstrate their capacity for artistic evolution with their new album, Axioms.
On the new record, the four-piece heavy rock outfit led by frontwoman Francis Tobolsky blend the distinctive elements of their previous studio records - Sow The Wind (2015), Reap The Storm (2017), and Heretic Tongues (2022) - with fresh ideas, resulting in a broader stylistic range and a more clearly defined conceptual approach. While the band continues to reference hard rock, krautrock, East German rock, and metal, the eight new tracks are also infused with touches of progressive rock, isolated electronic elements, and a playful jazz attitude. Or as Francis Tobolsky aptly puts it: “The foundation of our music is international 70s hard rock enriched by contemporary influences – this time with even more bombast, brutality, and complexity.”
Wucan's videos for previous singles 'KTNSAX' and 'Irons In The Fire' can be viewed here: https://wucan.lnk.to/axioms/youtube
"The title Axioms stands for the fundamental convictions our band is built upon, convictions we no longer question," says bandleader Francis Tobolsky. "After ten years of making music together – seven of them in this lineup – there were moments when everything could have fallen apart. This album was created during a time when each of our lives was changing significantly, and it bears the imprint of those personal experiences. The fact that we’re still making music together is neither a coincidence nor a matter of convenience – it’s our axiom."
For more:
http://wucan-music.de
https://www.facebook.com/wucanmusic
https://www.instagram.com/wucantheband
https://open.spotify.com/artist/7FsZ5HKdtDFJ1xmK6NICBO?si=nlHnoldOSsaJehcl_jC3Zw
Wucan are:
Francis Tobolsky - Vocals / Guitar / Flute / Theremin
Tim George - Guitar
Philip Knöfel - Drums
Alexander Karlisch - Bass
Tracklisting:
1 Spectres Of Fear
2 Irons In The Fire
3 Wicked, Sick and Twisted
4 KTNSAX
5 Holz auf Holz
6 Pipe Dreams
7 Axioms
8 Fountain Of Youth
Photo Credit: Sheri Furneaux
Connecticut’s self-deprecating noise rock entity INTERCOURSE have released their third single, 'Another Song About The Sun', a jagged, soul-stripping track taken from their forthcoming full-length, How I Fell In Love With The Void, on 12th September via Brutal Panda Records.
Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/_xDHgm4sFPM
Listen to 'Another Song About The Sun' on all streaming services at https://linktr.ee/IntercourseCT
Pre-order How I Fell In Love With The Void on the Brutal Panda store at: https://www.brutalpandarecords.com/collections/intercourse
INTERCOURSE vocalist Tarek Ahmed comments on 'Another Song About The Sun' video: “The song is about having sobering moments of reflection about your station in life. The video was directed collaboratively between our guitarist Sean and Karen Jerzyk. It stars Greg Weeks from The Red Chord/Umbrae Vitrae as a coked up punishing Jesus. Also, our homies in Don’t Grow Old have a cameo as corpses in the end.”
Additionally, INTERCOURSE will tour the US in September alongside Nerver. All dates can be found here: https://linktr.ee/IntercourseCT
INTERCOURSE’s How I Fell In Love With The Void delivers ten searing new tracks that merge elements of metallic hardcore into an antagonistic foundation of corrosive noise rock. The album was recorded by Chris Teti (The World Is A Beautiful Place And I Am No Longer Afraid To Die) at Silver Bullet Studios in Burlington, Connecticut. It was mastered by George Richter (Thy Will Be Done) and mixed by Chris Teti and Greg Thomas. The photograph on the album cover was shot by Sherilyn Furneaux (Portrayal Of Guilt) and features exotic dancer Clementine.
“I have no life. I don't fucking do anything else. I don't have any hobbies. I don't play video games. I don't do fantasy football. I'm just obsessed with making music and writing.”
That’s INTERCOURSE vocalist Tarek Ahmed explaining how the acclaimed Connecticut noise rock band has averaged a release per year since forming in 2013. From their self-titled debut and 2018’sEverything’s Pornography When You’ve Got an Imaginationto 2023’sHalo Castration Instituteand last year’sEgyptian DemocracyEP, INTERCOURSE have kicked against the pricks, power brokers and pissants who make America “great” while tempering their outlook with a self-deprecating look inward.
Which brings us toHow I Fell in Love with the Void. Ahmed and his bandmates - guitarist Sean Prior, drummer Caleb Porter and bassist Pete Stroczkowski - spent more time and money on their fourth full-length than any of their previous releases.“Usually we record in a basement home studio, or they’re done super quickly,” Ahmed says.“This time, we figured it was a really good investment to book a full week of studio time and challenge ourselves to write better songs.”
In fact, Ahmed ended up rewriting his lyrics three times.“I f*cking wrote my ass off, and then I do this thing about two months out where I'm like, ‘Everything I wrote sucks, so I'm going to rewrite all the lyrics.’ Then a month before recording, my wife and I decided to split, so I tried to punch up the lyrics and make them funnier by throwing some divorce stuff in there. But I think I made it more depressing.”
Marital bliss aside, the lyrical themes onHow I Fell in Love with the Voidaren’t dissimilar from those on INTERCOURSE’s 2016 EP,Pissing Into the Abyss, which features a cover illustration of a woman fucking a giant insect while an alien watches.“On the new record, there’s definitely a lot of talking about the void and that emptiness that a lot of us try to fill with food, booze or sex,” Ahmed explains.“Pissing Into the Abysswas about being so comfortable with the void that you’ll just piss there. Unfortunately, I’m super acquainted with it. But once you realize that nothing will ever fill the void, it will no longer rule over you.”
Ultimately,How I Fell in Love with the Voidis about being on the outside looking in.“We’re music for weirdos and freaks,” Ahmed says.“I grew up as the only Egyptian kid in a little white town. I’m an outsider, and we make music for outsiders. Every time we play a faraway place that we haven’t been to before, there’s always one person there that has followed us for years and is there specifically for us. They are always the weirdest person in the room, and I love that. Those are my people.”
INTERCOURSE formed in 2013 and have been annoying ever since. With the lofty (or pointless, depending on who you ask) goal of ditching the pretension of noise rock and fusing it with the immediacy of hardcore, they’ve managed a release a year since 2014. 2023’sHalo Castration Institutehelped the band reach a new level of notoriety with positive reviews across the board. With the release of a last year’s EPEgyptian Democracy, and nowHow I Fell In Love With The Void the band is sure to become the high watermark for annoying adults who dress like they’re 17 and simply will not quit.
INTERCOURSE have played sold-out shows with the likes of Chat Pile, Deadguy, The Red Chord and The World is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die. The quartet have been featured on notable websites Decibel, Lambgoat, New Noise Magazine and were recently featured on The Needle Drop’s top 15 EPs of 2024.
Familiarise yourself with INTERCOURSE on Bandcamp here: https://intercourse.bandcamp.com and watch their previous video, the horrifying 'The Ballad of Max Wright',here
INTERCOURSE are:
Tarek Ahmed - Vocals
Caleb Porter - Drums
Sean Prior - Guitar
Pete Stroczkowski - Bass
INTERCOURSE online:
https://linktr.ee/IntercourseCT
https://www.instagram.com/intercoursenoise
https://www.facebook.com/outsiderxhardcore
https://x.com/intercoursect
How I Fell In Love With The Void Tracklist:
1. The Ballad Of Max Wright
2. Another Song About The Sun
3. Zoloft And Blow
4. Unsuccessfully Attempting To Parse Nightmare From Reality
5. Slightly Less Than A Feeling
6. Cadaver Resume
7. Running A Cemetery Without A License
8. Cryptid Divorce Court
9. I’m Very Tired Please Let Me Die
10. Family Suicide Gun
Photo Credit: Erika Larsson
Swedish post-rock trio BARRENS have released 'The Derelict', the fourth single from their forthcoming album Corpse Lights, out on 12th September via Pelagic Records.
Stream here: https://orcd.co/barrens
Corpse Lights is the name given to the folk belief that small coloured lights often appear near the home of someone about to die, leading them along the path to their eventual resting place. Often considered to be evidence of the soul leaving the body, the concept of corpse lights embodies BARRENS’ approach to creating music as a cathartic release; not just because they want to, but because they have to. Their writing process is one of joy, light, and release as much as it is dark, heavy, and tense.
Five years in the making, Corpse Lights sees BARRENS strike a breathtaking balance between light and dark; beauty and brutality; the calm and the chaos as the three fast friends refine their formidable command of composition and dynamic even further.
One listen to BARRENS and the revelation that Markku Hildén, Johan G. Winther and Kenta Jansson had already been playing and touring together before forming the band suddenly makes sense. In 2018 Markku joined Scraps of Tape, Johan and Kenta’s other project, as a live drummer for two tours of Europe and a tour of China. Recognising an immediate chemistry, the outlines for what would become BARRENS were sketched out in countless vans, trains, planes and bars as they travelled together across the world.
Back home, the trio wasted no time and quickly turned their collection of notes and motifs into demos; drawing unique inspiration from the experiences they shared as well as exploring new and unknown territories. The result was debut album Penumbra, a dense, elegant and passionate collection of instrumental, synth-driven post rock pieces that sounded in no way like the debut album from a brand new band.
Corpse Lights, BARRENS’ sophomore album, is somehow deeper, richer and headier; imbued with an alluring compositional patience that serves as unspoken testament to the combined creativity of the trio in their element, as something so much greater than the sum of its parts. Recorded and produced by Kristofer Jönson, who also helmed Penumbra, and mixed and mastered once again by Cult of Luna’s Magnus Lindberg, shimmering synthesizers and sprawling guitars lead the charge propelled by exhilarating drums and percussion but Corpse Lights also finds BARRENS using space, silence and atmosphere as another instrument if not as another band member entirely.
‘Corpse Lights’ is the name given to the folk belief that small coloured lights often appear near the home of someone about to die, leading them along the path to their eventual resting place. Often considered to be evidence of the soul leaving the body, the concept of corpse lights embodies BARRENS’ approach to creating music as a cathartic release; not just writing music because they want to but because they have to. Their writing process is one of joy, light and release as much as it is dark, heavy and tense.
In their time, BARRENS have supported the legendary Mogwai, God Is An Astronaut, signed with the famed Pelagic Records and opening ArcTanGent's main stage for the 2023 edition.
BARRENS are:
Johan G. Winther (Guitar, Synths)
Markku Hildén (Drums, Percussion)
Kenta Jansson (Bass, Synths)
For more:
https://www.instagram.com/barrens_official
https://www.facebook.com/BARRENStheband
https://pelagic-records.com/artist/barrens
Corpse Lights tracklisting:
1. Memory Eraser
2. The Derelict
3. Sorrowed
4. Periastron
5. Apastron
6. No Light
7. Collapsar
8. Remnants
9. A Nothing Expands