Modern Symphonic Metal Icons KAMELOT Announce North American “Kamelot: Awaken The World Tour 2024”
Featuring Support from HammerFall and AD INFINITUM
Beginning April 25 in Baltimore, MD | Tickets On Sale Friday, January 19
New KAMELOT Album, The Awakening, Out Now | Order HERE[photo credit: Tom Couture] Modern heavy symphonic metal leaders KAMELOT continue to celebrate their latest top-charting full-length album, The Awakening, in grandiose style! Today, the band is thrilled to announce their upcoming North American “Kamelot: Awaken The World Tour 2024”, featuring direct support from Swedish heavy metal frontrunners HammerFall. Fast-rising modern symphonic metal band and Napalm Records label mates AD INFINITUM will kick off each enchanting night, featuring KAMELOT touring guest vocalist Melissa Bonny!
The tour will begin on April 25 in Baltimore, MD and will cross North America and back, coming to an end a month later in Tampa, FL on May 25. Tickets for this unmissable trek go on sale to the general public this Friday, January 19 at 10:00am local time, following an exclusive Blabbermouth pre-sale beginning on Wednesday, January 17 at 10:00am Eastern time. VIP upgrades will be available in select cities, and can be ordered via www.kamelot.com/VIP2024. Get your tickets now – they will go fast!
Guitarist/Founder of KAMELOT, Thomas Youngblood, says: “We are beyond excited about the upcoming North American tour with our friends HammerFall and AD INFINITUM! We have been to Europe, Japan and South America as part of our AWAKEN THE WORLD tour, and we will come back to North America for some cities we didn’t get to visit on the first leg. Get ready for some amazing nights on this epic Symphonic Metal package!”
KAMELOT: Awaken The World Tour 2024 North American tour dates: ** = Featuring Seven Spires, No HammerFall
4.25.24 – Baltimore, MD – Rams Head ** 4.26.24 – Huntington, NY – Paramount ** 4.27.24 – Boston, MA – Big Night Live ** 4.28.24 – Quebec City, QC – Theatre Capitole ** 4.30.24 – Harrisburg, PA – HMAC 5.1.24 – Montclair, NJ – Wellmont Theatre 5.3.24 – Columbus, OH – The Bluestone 5.4.24 – St. Louis, MO – Delmar Hall 5.6.24 – Fort Worth, TX – Tannahill’s 5.7.24 – San Antonio, TX – Vibes Event Center 5.9.24 – Albuquerque, NM – El Rey Theater 5.10.24 – Tucson, AZ – Encore 5.11.24 – Anaheim, CA – City National Grove 5.12.24 – Las Vegas, NV – House of Blues 5.14.24 – Denver, CO – The Summit 5.16.24 – St. Paul, MN – Myth 5.17.24 – Milwaukee, WI – Eagles Ballroom/Milwaukee Metal Fest (no AD INFINITUM) 5.18.24 – Cleveland, OH – House of Blues 5.20.24 – Pittsburgh, PA – Roxian 5.21.24 – Richmond, VA – The National 5.23.24 – Cincinnati, OH – Bogarts 5.24.24 – Atlanta, GA – Heaven – Masquerade 5.25.24 – Tampa, FL – Jannus Landing
KAMELOT‘s latest album, The Awakening, debuted at #2 on the US Current Hard Music Albums chart and #27 on the Current Album Sales chart, and connected with fans and critics alike – touted by many as the best late-era KAMELOT release to date! The album enters the band’s legacy as their most massive and diverse offering yet – mixing symphonic, gothic, melodic, progressive and power metal styles while yielding some of the heaviest tracks in the band’s history. Having reigned supreme with the release of internationally top-charting melodic metal pinnacles such as The Fourth Legacy (1999), The Black Halo (2005), Silverthorn (2012), Haven (2015, #1 US Hard Rock Albums), and most recently 2018’s acclaimed The Shadow Theory (#2 US Hard Music Albums), KAMELOT’s intense brand of ultramodern gothic and symphonic theatricality is amplified further and with more emotionalism than ever on The Awakening.
Showcasing the incomparable, stage-seasoned vocal acrobatics of Tommy Karevik and increasingly airtight, renowned technical teamwork of guitarist Thomas Youngblood, drummer Alex Landenburg, keyboardist Oliver Palotai and bassist Sean Tibbetts, KAMELOT’s score-like 13th studio album is accented by guest contributions from the likes of Melissa Bonny (Ad Infinitum) and renowned instrumentalists like violinist Florian Janoske and cellist Tina Guo. The Awakening features crystal clear modern production helmed by the band and longtime producer Sascha Paeth, plus mixing and mastering by Jacob Hansen of Hansen Studios.
“10/10 “Masterpiece!” – Metal-Temple
“The Awakening is KAMELOT’s best album in almost 20 years…” – The Prog Mind (US), 9/10
“The Awakening is KAMELOT performing at the top of their game.” – New Noise Magazine (US)
“The Awakening is probably the hottest candidate for the (melodic) metal album of the year.” – Rock It! (DE) – 10/10 Order The AwakeningHERE:
Chicago Melodic Death Metal two man band, Cariosus, are a new edition to the modern Metal scene. They bring a deep cerebral take on the world of Melodeath with as complex lyrics as the music can get. They shine a mirror on the soul and the modern human psyche and rip it open with beautiful brutality. I am no stranger to Melodeath, having seen a dozen shows of pure Gothenburg Metal and reviewing the scene for a decade, so I was interested to see a new one coming from America.
Some words on the album provided by the band: “Will, Until Beauty is a thesis on mankind facing its shadow. It is the confrontation of one’s darkness that is necessary to find inner light. In this work, CARIOSUS navigates the modern psychic landscape that humanity finds itself in- rife with spiritual deprivation, manufactured morality, and performative righteousness that the weakest among us use to hide from our own inner abyss. For both the individual and society as a whole, it is a call to reconcile one’s soul in both light and darkness- to create a consolidated and objective view of Being that is the foundation of true virtue.”
Will, Until Beauty is as deep and as heavy as it sounds. It’s methodically written and mature for a debut album. It’s rich in Deathcore, Blackened Death, and Neoclassical influence, deviating from your typical Melodeath sound bloomed in the dark North. Opener “Narrow Path” is a gripping rhythmic track with old school Death Metal guitars, thrash drums, and dynamic screams and growls from Alex Pfister. Alex is impressively ranged, stacking up to any Deathcore vocalist. Kevin Kryszak (Guitar) is fret board fluent, using every octave on that neck on the opening track alone. “Saturn Returns” is more modern and has some Carnifex sounding aspects to it, which vastly impressed me. There’s so much sound coming from two people, it’s hard to believe that this is their debut album. Apollo’s Lament is a slower more melodic track at first, then it hits you like an oncoming out of control train. This track is insane, changing from one measure to the next, switching sounds and influences faster than you can count. It’s complex, even for Melodeath. This song would be a great single from the album as it screams Enslaved and even chorus-effect Type O Negative melodic lines. The solo is also very Classical and intense. All Too Human breaks up the blistering heaviness showing that melodic side with acoustic percussion and Tool-esque bass lines. I absolutely love this track from beginning to end; the way it builds and moves is just so incredible and well-done.
The album continues to flow together very nicely without becoming repetitive or contrived at any point and keeps that depth going through each track. I wish I had access to the lyrics to get a real feel for the message, because it is so deep in meaning and Alex is a highly distorted vocalist so it’s hard to pick out the words. This vocalist highly impressed me, however. His range for a debut is utterly staggering. This album has a depth I rarely see in Death Metal. Cariosus is adding their own spin and I think Metal fans from every area are going to dig this album.
2023 was in my opinion, one of the greatest years for Metal and music in general. The innovations in the genre were overflowing this year. All the true quality releases make it one of the most difficult years to rank and categorize the best of the best. I have revised this article and list so many times, I’ve lost count. It seems I am discovering a new band, song, and album that defies all my musical expectations everyday and it truly astounds me. So, I picked my favorites. It’s not a popularity contest or based on the songs that live rent free in my head, it’s just my favorite albums based upon my perception of quality and innovation. I based my decisions upon personal preference, but also just sheer quality of composition and aspects that made the record stand out from your typical Metal albums. This list could really be in multiple orders, but I just put my favorites in the succession I feel reflected my listening habits the most. Let’s face it, it is impossible to put all of the best albums of 2023 in order by quality or ingenuity. There’s simply too many excellent albums.
What albums did you love this year? Which ones did I leave out or miss entirely? Comment below and let me know.
My Top Albums 2023
Hermitage: Daruma’s Eyes Part 2- Temperance
This should come as no surprise that this album is ranked number one for me, as I predicted in my review. Temperance came back with an ingenious concept album and one of the most musically talented lineups I have heard since Epica. It’s a Symphonic Power Metal Opera for the ages. It overshadowed anything Ayreon or Star One have done for almost a decade, in my opinion. Marco Pastorino and crew made a once in a lifetime bombastic and moving record with impossibly good vocals. It is innovative as it uses so much Classical elements with huge wall-of-sound production and an eclectic mix of vocalists that come together to absolutely blow your mind. It sounds futuristic, but mirrors the production quality of Hard Rock and Prog albums from the 1980’s. It is a stunning record that I don’t think will be topped anytime soon.
2. Fearless In Love- Voyager
Voyager are one of my top 20 bands of all time, and this record is indicative of why they always deserve a top spot. This album does something for me that few albums do; it occupies the same space in my brain as Devin Townsend. Fearless In Love is an emotional journey through modern times and is a riff-heavy progressive romp if I’ve ever heard one. It’s as if Devin Townsend and Tears For Fears collaborated on a star ship. This album doesn’t sound like any other album, yet it mirrors Townsend’s genius riffing on Accelerated Evolution so eloquently. This is undoubtedly my favorite guitar record of the year, but also contains juicy bass lines and sing along emotive choruses. Fearless In Love is truly the most uplifting album of 2023 and one of the best guitar performances of all time.
3. Blue Blood- Phantom Elite
Blue Blood was a complete surprise to me. I knew of Phantom and the excellent Marina La Torraca, but their releases never impacted me until this absolutely aggressive record. It is everything I love about Spiritbox and Jinjer, but with a softer side. It’s a Djent/Prog Industrial album with Symphony Metal overtones and beautiful vocals. It’s an album with massive range and variety, no two songs sound the same. It’s fresh and modern without being contrived. The riffs are punchy and enigmatic, always changing and layering on top of loud bombastic drums and crunchy bass lines. Blue Blood is catchy, chaotic, emotive, and groove oriented. It deserves so much more recognition for utter quality. I never expected this band to hit my top ten, but this record is undeniably fantastic.
4. Beyond the Black- Self Titled
When I thought about my favorite records of the year, this is the first one that actually came to my mind. It’s an album I continue to go back to, despite it being a little more radio friendly than what I usually love. There’s just an exquisite mix of genres and influences on this album. It’s Arena Rock with immense emotion and chuggy heavy riffs. Jennifer Haben is one of the most underrated vocalists who fits into any genre or rhythmic pocket. She has an innate tone that is rarely heard in modern music. Kai Hansen is also one of my favorite drummers of late. His performance on this record ties everything together and holds it all in a heavy package. It’s high production quality without being bubblegum or robotic. Beyond the Black created something reflective of Covid times without being too dark or too in your face and it is truly cathartic to listen to. It has profound meaning underneath catchy hooks and huge arena sounds, something modern Rock typically lacks nowadays. This is a truly special record that will surprise you in depth of content and diamond quality.
5. The Wonders Still Awaiting- Xandria
The Wonders Still Awaiting was originally second on this list, but the year squeaked out even more gems and made it difficult for me to order this list any other way. I am an avid Symphonic Metal listener, admittedly less and less as of the last Epica release. Xandria came back in 2023 with a new lineup that dominated my year in music. The addition of Ambre Vourvahis has reignited this band to the glorious torch it once carried. She is the only vocalist on this list to give me actual chills and goosebumps. Marco Heubaum continues to write moving and enchanting music atop heavy riffs and new growling vocals that set him apart from other Symphonic Metal bands. This album is extremely moving throughput and wonderfully thought-provoking. It greatly foreshadows other releases in the genre of the past five years. I will always hold a higher standard to Xandria than Nightwish, and this gorgeous album proves the reasons why.
6. Anno 1696- Insomnium
I am not the biggest Insomnium fan, but subjectively this is a flawless Melodeath record. This Finnish Melodeath band is known for creating utterly devastatingly heavy albums, emotionally and instrumentally. Anno 1696 is no deviation from their usual greatness, but it definitely hearkens to an 90’s Death Metal sound that creates a unique blend on top of a great story. It is poetry in brutality. The addition of Jani Liimatainen has reignited the band and added a new voice. It’s as though lead vocalist and bassist Niilo Sevanen is the narrator, and Jani is another inner voice of the characters. I’ve never heard another album like it, yet you know it’s Insomnium right away. There is a unique blend of Folk music and Melodeath on this album as well that was new and very interesting. Insomnium refuse to be formulaic and continue to push the envelope of genres. 2023 was all about genre breaking and blending, which is why this album was so successful.
7. Heimdal- Enslaved
Another unexpected gem of 2023 for me. I had never truly given Enslaved a listen, and I realized the err of my ways very quickly when Heimdal came out. This album is a pinnacle of 2023’s genre blending. It mixes 70’s Prog and modern Death Metal in a Viking setting. It’s far from the cheesy formulaic Viking Metal people have grown tired of. Heimdal is an existential journey through the Great Norse worlds and audibly envelopes you in a strange ethereal aura. The synths and organ give it a primordial feel and is not something I ever expected to hear in Death Metal, but is Enslaved’s special brand that really sets them apart for me. The production quality is pure without being too clean for extreme music. It’s perfectly balanced and flows smoothly like a linear story line. It is such a welcome change from overproduced music with no edge or nostalgia.
8. Nemesis AD- Serenity
Serenity is unfortunately an underdog of Symphonic Metal despite continuously putting out quality records. Nemesis AD is a testament to the ultimate strength of this band in bombastic thematic riffs and smooth powerful vocals from Georg Neuhauser and of course the incomparable Marco Pastorino. This album is profoundly beautiful, riff heavy, and catchy with great hooks. It sits somewhere between Sonata Arctica and Therion. To me, it feels more Power Metal than Symphonic without being contrived or another band just influenced by Nightwish. This is a history lesson of inspiration and self empowerment without being cheesy. Serenity set themselves apart from the rest with this record and made something truly special that I will continue to listen to for years to come.
9. Shades of Sorrow- Crypta
Thrash Metal and Death Thrash are not my cup of tea or area of expertise at all. It’s not that I dislike the darker heavier side of Metal. I listen to brutal bands like Archspire, Lorna Shore, Emperor, Triptykon, Draconian, and Cattle Decapitation. Thrash Metal has never spoken to me, however, and lacks a certain refined technicality I need in my music. So, I came to this new Crypta expecting it to be boring to me. Boy was I wrong… Shades of Sorrow is technical perfection in brutality and darkness. This album crushes your senses and spirit in all the best ways. Crypta is a powerhouse of four women with the essence of Thrash and Death and Melodeath in one technically sound package. They are one of the best bands I have heard in a long time. Their chemistry is tangible, led by drummer Luana Damatto holding down the heavy rhythmic section with Gene Hoglan-like groove and precision. If I had to give individual music awards out, Luana would undoubtedly be my drummer of the year winner. Shades of Sorrow is better than I expected and is truly one of the best Thrash records I have ever heard in my life. The fact that its four women delivering one of the heaviest albums of the year just makes me unbelievably proud and happy to be alive. They are terribly underrated and this album deserves to be on every top ten list.
10. This Heathen Land- Green Lung
Where in the heck did Green Lung come from? They went from being a band I’d never heard of to one of the bands dominating every top ten list of 2023. It’s shocking how well received this album is by the heaviest listeners in the Metal Community. The riffs on This Heathen Land are too perfect to resist, however. This album mixes Folk Rock, Black Sabbath, and Ghost like catchiness to create solid Stoner Metal rooted in Pagan epics. This sounds like it could be put out in the 1970s with the heavy organ sound and creepy high pitched vocals. It’s heavy, ethereal, and anthemic all in a smoothly delivered package (That’s what she said). This Heathen Land by Green Lung is far from an album I expected to be on my top ten, but it is just so damn solid I can’t think of any album that deserves this spot more. All of you elitists that hate on Ghost are absolute hypocrites if you’re jamming this album since in came out, and I hope that realization hits you like a truck. This is one of the most listenable albums on this list and is quite addictive. Once you start listening to Green Lung, you won’t be able to stop.
Honorable Mentions:
Terrasite- Cattle Decapitation
Time Will Take Us All- Entheos
Bleed Out- Within Temptation
Riverside- ID Entity
Fauna- Haken
Avenged Sevenfold- Life Is But A Dream…
Tales From The North- Bloodbound
Dark Waters- Delain
My Top Singles of the Year
Darkness is Just a Drawing- Temperance
Broken Orbit- In Mourning
Reflections of AD- Serenity
Inner Beast- Phantom Elite
Free Me- Beyond The Black
Ultraviolet- Voyager
Never Dawn- Lacuna Coil
Lilian- Insomnium
Jaded- Spiritbox
Native Colossus Live at Mad With Power- Shield of Wings
Honorable Mention Singles
As the Flower Withers- Elysion
One More Flag in the Ground- Kamelot
Two Worlds- Xandria
Basterd Von Asgard ft Fabienne Erni- Feuerschwanz
More- The Warning
Hey Brother- Dartagnan
Maxine- Green Lung
Beneath- Delain
This playlist features 20 of my favorite songs of 2023
Click play or watch on Youtube to see the full list on the sidebar
Swiss modern metal upstarts ILLUMISHADE unveil their magical sophomore record and Napalm Records debut, Another Side of You, out February 16 2024! Fronted by vocalist Fabienne Erni and guitarist Jonas Wolf (both of Eluveitie) and completed with orchestration and synths by film composer Mirjam Skal, bass by Yannick Urbanczik, and drums by Marc Friedrich, ILLUMISHADE skillfully balances all things both dark and light on Another Side of You.
On their new single cut from the new album, “Here We Are”, Erni’s radiant charisma shines brighter than ever with her crystal-clear vocal delivery. Wolf’s guitar work is as blazing and emotional as ever, while a fresh dose of modern prog brings a cutting edge to the band’s elaborate songwriting. The song impresses with a stomping chorus and an exciting variety in its middle passage, and arrives alongside a stunning music video.
ILLUMISHADE on “Here We Are”: “‘Here We Are’ is an anthem to the essence of being in the here and now. It tells about accepting the legacy of history, acknowledging our current standing as a foundation from which we can move forward.”
Another Side of You is the successor to ILLUMISHADE’s acclaimed debut album, ECLYPTIC: Wake Of Shadows. The second coup showcases a more modern approach both lyrically and musically, while still transporting the listener into an immersive world rich with mesmerizing soundscapes (even enhanced by the Budapest Art Orchestra at certain points) and massive and dreamlike vocal lines, marking the perfect start of a brand new chapter for this promising outfit.
ILLUMISHADE add: “Marking the beginning of a new era, our album Another Side Of You bridges the tangible and the ethereal. It’s an odyssey to the many facets of human emotion but also the challenges we all face in this ever-changing world. Another Side of You is about grounding in reality, yet also letting the music carry you to places unknown.”
Another Side of You Tracklisting: 1 Enter the Void 2 ELEGY 3 ENEMY 4 In the Darkness 5 Cloudreader 6 Here We Are 7 CYCLONE 8 Fairytale 9 The Horizon Awaits 10 HYMN 11 TWILY 12 Riptide 13 Hummingbird 14 Verliebt (feat. Coen Janssen)
ILLUMISHADE are: Fabienne Erni – Voice, Piano Jonas Wolf – Guitars Mirjam Skal – Orchestration / Synths Yannick Urbanczik – Bass Marc Friedrich – Drums
2023 has been a new Renaissance of music with new innovations and genre bending iconoclasts. I have been speechless one album after another this year. It’s been one of the best years for me for new releases that I absolutely love, and I know a lot of people are feeling the same way. I have my favorites and will definitely do a list later this month as the discovery of new music is ongoing.
BUT first, I want to hear from my fellow metal fans and connoisseurs of music! What do you think is the best album of 2023? Vote below or comment! I will do a separate review of the winner and post your responses! Just follow the link, no sign in required!
HIRAES (feat. Former Members of Dawn of Disease & Critical Mess) Strike Back with Sophomore Melodic Death Metal Assault
New Album, Dormant, out January 26, 2024 via Napalm Records Pre-Order HERE
Watch the Music Video for First Single, “Through The Storm”, HERE
photo by Lisa Ulferts
German-based melodic death metal formation HIRAES – featuring former members of Dawn of Disease and Critical Mess – will furiously kick off the new year with the release of their sophomore studio album, entitled Dormant, due out January 26, 2024 via Napalm Records!
Wasting no time, HIRAES have just unveiled the first single from Dormant – thunderous album opener “Through The Storm”. The track offers a glimpse into the variety of elements on the album, including powerful and varied drumming, poignant and melancholic melodies, infectious choruses, and breathtaking soundscapes – all complimented by Britta’s versatile vocals. The band comments about the track and video: “In a way, the video is a continuation of our first single, ‘Under Fire’, from the last album. It’s dedicated to a storm and its indomitable energy. Experience this debut single and join us as we navigate ‘Through The Storm’ together!“
The band adds: “We are far beyond proud to present our second album Dormant to you! The album will grab you with its intensity from the first second on and won’t let you go. We invested a lot of energy, dedication and passion to create this monumental and melancholic piece of melodic death metal. Having played countless shows over the last two years, Dormant captures the energy of HIRAES’ live performances and places the songs right between heart and gut.
Once again, none other than the talented staff of Fascination Street Studios under the direction of Jens Bogren are responsible for the refinement of our sound. We are so much looking forward to unleashing Dormant upon all those metalheads out there!“
Watch the official video for “Through The Storm”HERE:
Compared to their lauded 2021 debut, Solitary, it’s immediately evident that HIRAES did not only grow within their sound due to countless live appearances, but have invested more time and energy into developing their sophisticated songwriting and production, leaning further into their own unique sound profile. Due to the use of varying keys and sonic elements, Dormant is undoubtedly fresh without sacrificing the nuances that caused their first album to connect so successfully with fans. With their very first offering, HIRAES already created an exciting new melodic death metal emergence, built upon a brutalized vocal attack, intense melodies and aggressive guitars. On Dormant, HIRAES flexes their own trademarks in an intensified way, ranging from versatile drumming, catchy riffs and hymn-like melodies to enthralling soundscapes and the impressive vocal onslaught of singer Britta Görtz. Dormant is a stirring, intense and dynamic death metal affair that is both heavily brutal and dark, yet full of melodic melancholy.
Dormant track listing: 1. Through The Storm 2. We Owe No One 3. Undercurrent 4. Chance To Fail 5. About Lies 6. Come Alive 7. Ocean Child 8. Nightflight 9. Red Soil 10. Dormant
Set to be released on January 26, 2024, Dormant will be available in the following formats:
– 1 CD Digisleeve (6page) – 1 LP Gatefold solid royal blue – Digital Album
Melodic metal outfit LUTHARO returns with a cacophony of all that is metal! The Canadian metallers bring forth their signature mixture of traditional heavy metal, melodic death metal, thrash metal and more on their latest effort, Chasing Euphoria, the follow-up to their critically lauded debut full-length Hiraeth. Due out March 15th 2024 via Atomic Fire Records, Chasing Euphoria is as destructive and violent as it is soaring and captivating. Pre-orders are available HERE.
Today the band has also shared a new single and video for “Time To Rise.” The video is an intimate look inside behind the scenes at the band’s practice and rehearsal.
The band elaborates on the album: “We are beyond excited to finally announce our second full length album “Chasing Euphoria” will be released on March 15th 2024! This album is very near and dear to our hearts as it has brought out the most emotion in us to date! We laughed, we cried and we put everything we have into this album. So when you listen to these songs, know you are taking a piece of us with you.”
And of the single, they share: “We are incredibly eager to finally introduce to the world our newest single “Time to Rise”. This one is a doozy. This song is not only one of the most emotional we’ve written but has pushed us FAR out of our comfort zone in so many ways. This song has endless layers to it but its most dominant subject matter is inner child trauma and how it affects us in adult life especially when it isn’t resolved or acknowledged. We hope that through this song our listeners can begin a learning journey just as we have through this writing process. To anybody reading this remember to give yourself some grace, you and the younger version of you deserve it.”
Chasing Euphoria features dynamic production from Lasse Lammert of LSD Studios (ALESTORM, GLORYHAMMER, WIND ROSE, SVARTSOT & more!) and striking cover art from Niklas Sundin (ARCH ENEMY, DARK TRANQUILLITY, DELAIN, & more!), with orchestral arrangements from Elliot Vernon (ALESTORM).
ABOUT LUTHARO: Formed in 2014, LUTHARO strive to sculpt an epic sound that sees aspects of power and death colliding, combining artfully crafted melodies, harmonies and precision with hard-hitting power and force. Members Krista Shipperbottom (vocals), Victor Bucur (guitar), John Raposo (guitar), Chris Pacey (Bass) and Cory Hofing (drums) may have found their groove on this new record, but don’t expect them to fall into a rut. LUTHARO opens the throttle all the way and barrels forward into new territories.
After releasing two EPs, LUTHARO pulled out all the stops on Hiraeth, the debut full-length album that was released on October 15th, 2021. Following their 2018 debut EP UNLEASH THE BEAST, and 2020 EP WINGS OF AGONY, Hiraeth saw the quintet push their compositional and performance skills further than ever before. What Hiraeth brought forth, Chasing Euphoria now amplifies. Expertly balancing hauntingly beautiful atmospheres with raw power and aggression. A fantastically epic journey that needs to be experienced to be believed.
Recorded by drummer Cory Hofing at Coho Studio, with additional recording by Thomas Ireland and mixing and mastering by Lasse Lammert of LSD Studio, Chasing Euphoria is out March 15th, 2024, via Atomic Fire Records. The band partnered with Niklas Sundin for the stunning artwork featured on the cover.
Prepare your necks for a maelstrom of windmills as Chasing Euphoria is certain to provoke headbanging, boisterous pits and chanting singalongs. An aggressive touring schedule will give you plenty of opportunity to join them for an electrifying evening as the riffs and raucous beats pummel you.
Shipperbottom’s earth-shaking vocal performance is impossible to ignore, from her thorny growls to soaring falsettos. – Metal Injection
…The Canadians’ self-released debut album is a primarily traditional metal record with bags of melody, shitloads of muscular power and large amounts of virtuoso musicianship….Bridging the gap between ancient and modern with admirable skill, LUTHARO have dropped one of this year’s most vital debuts. – Blabbermouth
Gatling gun riffage glues the listener to the wall, practically challenging you not to get out of your seat and bang that head, while huge melodies soar and dive in and out of that furious wall of noise. – Metal Observer
Chasing Euphoria Tracklist:
Gates of Enchantment
Reaper’s Call
Ruthless Bloodline
Time to Rise
Born to Ride
Bonded to the Blade
Chasing Euphoria
Creating a King
Strong Enough to Fall
Paradise or Parasite
Freedom of the Night
Lutharo Is: Krista Shipperbottom – Vocals Victor Bucur – Guitars, backing vocals Chris Pacey – Bass Cory Hofing – Drums Jeff Wilson – Guitar (Live)
Releases November 17th via Music Theories / Mascot Label Group
Experimental Progressive Metal thinkers, Earthside defied every boundary you could imagine within music with breakout release “A Dream In Static” in 2015 and highly acclaimed singles like “All We Ever Knew and Loved”. It is a record that fused philosophy, metaphysics, Prog, Ambient, and instrumentals into a long sonic journey and was highly well received by the Metal community. Anything new and profound, whether it be emotionally or mentally significant seems to hit the Metal community’s ears just right. “Let the Truth Speak” is another genre breaking mind bending record that I know will be another critically acclaimed hit. Was this record worth nearly breaking up the original base lineup? Earthside answered that question upon completing this hugely ambitious undertaking and finding themselves as inspired as 16 year olds finding their path for the first time.
Anytime an album is rooted in deep thinking, self reflection, or claims to be a mirror to the existential self, I am eager to delve into it. This is an album I didn’t expect to like, as I really didn’t know many of the guest musicians and I expected something quite self-important and pretentious. I thought it might be overtly composed and too chaotic, and it proved me wrong immediately. This album is a lot to take in, yes. It is as complex as you may expect, but not overwhelming. It is supremely balanced with ambience and detailed with melodic guitar parts and passionate rhythms and weird time signatures. It gives you breaks and room to sit in the feelings their trying to convey, before it mesmerizes you with technicality. You can tell it took a ton of mind power to craft this album, because there are so many bits and pieces that almost don’t fit together, but it works. “Who We Lament (featuring Keturah)” reminds me of Devin Townsend’s album Ki that featured Chee Aimee Dorval in the best way possible. It starts atmospheric and then absolutely explodes and the vocals reflect this inner heaviness of self loathing with a bit of a surprise fry vocal. “Tyranny (featuring Pritam Adhikary of Aarlon)” is a huge standout for me and is one of the heavier songs on the album with pounding technical rhythms and chesty voicing reminding me of the band Klone. “Pattern of Rebirth (featuring AJ Channer of Fire From the Gods)” is a great single track that brings a familiar more Metalcore sound, with some nicely melodic spoken word and long sung choruses.
This album seems darker and moodier than previous releases. There’s melancholy and even anger in instrumentals “Watching the Earth Sink” and “Vespers (feat. Gennady Tkachenko-Papizh & VikKe)”. This emotional arc seems to be fitting and reminds me of the heaviness of Russian Circles at times. The drums stand out instrumentally to me and really carry this album to be something special, besides all the unique guest vocalists. Ben Shabrom is a brilliant drummer, but there are parts on this album that exceed even his usual flair and heavy hitting. The addition of Baard Kolstad on “All We Ever Knew and Loved” is a smart decision as he is incomparable and the hardest hitting Prog drummer I have ever seen. Kolstad was possibly an influence throughout the album, because many parts mirror his bombastic crazy rhythms and airy cymbals. Overall, the diverse instrumentation is great and interesting throughout, but I find myself complaining what everyone complains about in Modern Music: It needs more bass. For the most part, Ryan Griffin is inaudible and under utilized. Without bass, the tone of the music is completely lost and always lacks dynamic range. The only song he shines on is the Jazzy-Djent breakdown “The Lesser Evil (feat. Larry Braggs & Sam Gendel)”, and while it is a brilliant Seal and Skinny Puppy crossover, it’s sad that’s the only time we get chunky and crazy bass lines.
This album is a lot and is certainly not accessible to the average listener, but Prog nearly never aims for accessibility, but emotional diction in technicality. Earthside have created something very complex, once again rising to their self proclaimed crazy ambitions. I like this album and a lot of tracks on it. It flows extremely well without getting repetitive or stale. It’s unlike anything I have ever heard, but definitely has familiar aspects the more diverse listener can appreciate it. I don’t know if I’ll ever listen to the album in full again, however. It seems to be one to appreciate a couple times, but doesn’t have anything that sticks with me. It’s a great album technically and has profound meaning, but it lacks a recurring theme or something to keep me engaged.
Lyrically, I found it boring and without distinctive messages to pull from so it stays in your head. It just leaves you once you’re done listening. Maybe, that’s the point. Maybe it’s about enjoying the moments while you have them and then moving on from the past. Either way, it is worth a listen and maybe true Earthside fans will consider it a classic. I don’t necessarily love it, but I understand and appreciate what they were trying to do with “Let the Truth Speak”. I like it, but I expect way more content with the next release and an arcing theme that resonates longer than a play through.
Back with new music Friday on the blog! Here are my top ten picks of the day/week you might’ve missed. It’s short and sweet, which is rare for me as I can be quite the windbag on here.
What are you listening to today?
Favorite album and singles post of the year coming soon! Stay tuned and don’t forget to sign up for updates below this post.
Plini, atmospheric Metal guitarist, and legendary Animals as Leaders’ Tosin Abasi shred it out
German Symphonic Melodic heavyweights Beyond the Black release new live video
Italian Power Metal legends Secret Sphere are back with brand new speedy single.
German 90’s band HELMET return with new album and single
Ex-Three Days Grace singer Adam Gontier and Skillet’s John Cooper groove on this catchy modern rock guitar heavy track.
A new discovery for me in the realm of Progressive Metalcore. Kinda like ERRA, Volumes, and Periphery. Great lyrics and drums as well as super technical guitars.
Portland Metalcore band Dying Wish drops heavy new ballad single. BIG surprise to me how good this is. This is the kind of music I wanted fifteen years ago.
Legendary German Power Metallers are back after 11 years with edgy Neoclassicism, and you guessed it, DRAGONS
Italian Melodic Metal powerhouses return with gorgeous power ballad that will undoubtedly make a big impact on listeners
Canadian Juno Award winning band debuts new intense speed single with a horror theme
The very first covers album by Germany’s #1 charting LORD OF THE LOST – honoring favorites by Michael Jackson, Judas Priest, Billy Idol & more!
Exactly one year after the release of their game changing #1 charting album, Blood & Glitter (Official German Album Charts), LORD OF THE LOST are coming back with their first ever covers album, Weapons Of Mass Seduction. The new album is a collection of songs that have inspired the band to bend genres. This double album wraps up the busiest and most successful year in the band’s history so far. In addition to storming the charts with their latest studio album, being invited by the legendary Iron Maiden as special guest on their European tour (again!), numerous sold-out headline shows, and opening gigs for Powerwolf and Amon Amarth, the band represented Germany at the Eurovision Song Contest Finals in Liverpool in May of this year. LORD OF THE LOST made it clear once again that they do not limit themselves when it comes to genre norms and influences. They’re wacky and weird and don’t follow any rules when it comes to music.
Today, the band unveils the opening track of their upcoming offering, an electrifying cover of Billy Idol’s “Shock To The System”! The song arrives with a perfectly fitting music video, underlining its attitude the best possible way. It’s a great cover and I was honestly impressed with the vocals as Billy Idol is an incredible singer. I didn’t expect to like it as I haven’t like their latest releases… but this cover is really well done. I wish the guitars were more pronounced and heavier, but it’s a polished 80’s sound that fits with the original.
Chris Harms on “Shock To The System”: “I remember exactly when I heard this song for the first time. I was 13 years old, it was summer and I was sitting in the back of the Opel Manta convertible in which I drove to the open-air pool with my older sister and her boyfriend. Rarely has the energy of a single song gripped me so much. We’d like to give a little bit of that energy back with our tribute to Billy Idol and this song through our cover and accompanying video.”
While the album is entirely covers, Weapons Of Mass Seduction confirms LORD OF THE LOST’s creative ability to make even unexpected songs their own, and further confirms their status. The covers album comes in various different formats – some of them containing a second CD with 11 covers that are already released or have been played live. The deluxe boxset includes a third CD with 10 acoustic tracks, exclusively available in this format.
Weapons Of Mass Seduction Tracklist: CD 1
Shock To The System (Billy Idol Cover)
Unstoppable (Sia Cover)
Smalltown Boy (Bronski Beat Cover)
Turbo Lover (Judas Priest Cover)
Hymn (Ultravox Cover)
Give In To Me (Michael Jackson Cover)
River (Bishop Briggs Cover)
Somewhere Only We Know (Keane Cover)
(I Just) Died In Your Arms (feat. Anica Russo) (Cutting Crew Cover)
High (Zella Day Cover)
House On A Hill (The Pretty Reckless Cover)
CD 2
The Look (feat. Blümchen) (Roxette Cover)
Ordinary Town (Celebrate The Nun Cover)
Cha Cha Cha (Käärijä Cover)
Judas (Lady Gaga Cover)
Children Of The Damned (Iron Maiden Cover)
Wig In A Box (Hedwig and the Angry Inch Cover)
Bad Romance (Lady Gaga Cover)
The Most Radical Thing To Do (The Ark Cover)
This Is The Life (Amy MacDonald Cover)
It’s A Sin (Pet Shop Boys Cover)
Ordinary World (Duran Duran Cover)
CD 3 – Ltd Deluxe Edition only
Starman (David Bowie Cover)
Girl, You’ll Be A Woman Soon (Neil Diamond Cover)
The Days Of Pearly Spencer (David McWilliams Cover)
Hey You (Pink Floyd Cover)
I Had Too Much To Dream Last Night (The Electric Prunes Cover)
Where Do You Go To My Lovely (Peter Sarstedt Cover)
Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is A Season) (The Byrds Cover)
In The Year 2525 (Exordium & Terminus) (Zager & Evans Cover)
All I Have To Do Is Dream (The Everly Brothers Cover)
Perfect Day (Lou Reed Cover)
Weapons Of Mass Seduction will be available in the following formats:
3 CD Boxset, incl 2 CD 6 pages Digisleeve (Ltd Deluxe Edition) and CD 3 incl 10 acoustic songs, exclusively available in the Deluxe Box + pink Sweatband with black logo, sharped patch and sticker – Napalm Records Mailorder and LORDSHOP exclusive – strictly limited to 1000 copies worldwide
2 LP RECYCLED COLOR Vinyl – Die Hard Edition incl Slipmat, record butler and 12 inch booklet – Napalm Records Mailorder exclusive – strictly limited to 300 copies worldwide
2 LP RECYCLED COLOR Vinyl incl 12 inch booklet – LORDSHOP exclusive – strictly limited to 300 copies worldwide
2LP Gatefold RECYCLED BLACK Vinyl
2 CD 6 pages Digisleeve (Ltd Deluxe Edition), 12p booklet
1 CD 6 pages Digisleeve, 12p booklet
Cassette (PINK w/ Black print) – Napalm Records Mailorder and LORDSHOP exclusive – strictly limited to 300 copies worldwide
Digital Album
Weapons Of Mass Seduction features a wide range of songs from different eras and genres performed in true LORD OF THE LOST style, all surprisingly fitting for the band and hence forming a cohesive collection of covers. Classic heavy metal track “Turbo Lover”, originally by Judas Priest, meets modern pop hits in songs such as Sia’s “Unstoppable”, Bishop Briggs’ “River” and Zella Day’s “High”. Ultravox’ “Hymn”, followed by Michael Jackson’s legendary “Give In To Me” and Keane’s “Somewhere Only We Know”, expand the multifaceted selection even further. With added rougher elements such as heavier vocals, Bronski Beat’s captivating 80s electro pop hit “Smalltown Boy” gets a dark makeover in the hands of LORD OF THE LOST. The unit’s cover of another legendary 80s song, “(I Just) Died In Your Arms“, features a guest appearance from rising singer-songwriter Anica Russo, who also took part in Germany’s ESC 2023 preliminary round Unser Lied für Liverpool (EN: Our Song for Liverpool). An emotional version of The Pretty Reckless’ “House On A Hill” closes Weapons Of Mass Seduction impactful.
A special 2CD edition of the new covers album provides a cross-cut of covers previously released or already covered live over the course of LORD OF THE LOST’s career. Among them are the Roxette cover “The Look” feat. Blümchen – already known from Blood & Glitter – “Children Of The Damned”, a homage to Iron Maiden, with whom LORD OF THE LOST experienced intense times during the last two years, and the cover of the Finnish ESC song “Cha Cha Cha” by Käärijä – sung by Chris Harms completely in Finnish.
[photo credit: Tom Couture] Modern heavy symphonic metal leaders KAMELOT continue to celebrate their latest top-charting full-length album, The Awakening, in grandiose style! Today, the band is thrilled to announce their upcoming North American “Kamelot: Awaken The World Tour 2024”, featuring direct support from Swedish heavy metal frontrunners HammerFall. Fast-rising modern symphonic metal band and Napalm Records label mates AD INFINITUM will kick off each enchanting night, featuring KAMELOT touring guest vocalist Melissa Bonny! 
Metal Valkyrie 