FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE
"VELENO"
Progressive Death Metal
Year:24.05.2019
(NUCLEAR BLAST)

Italian grandmasters of orchestral death metal FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE are finding spontaneity rewarding on new album, »Veleno«. Over the past four albums - previous album, »King« (2016), floored fans and critics alike - the Francesco Paoli-led trio have planned every step, discussed every note, and ensured every salutation to Paganini, Bach, and Mozart was met with an equally brutal death metal equivalent. On »Veleno«, which is Italian for ‘venom,’ they needed a change of approach (and pace). To achieve this, FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE distanced themselves from distraction - line-up changes, tours, and the frustrations of day-to-day life - unboxed the songwriting process, and let the inspiration flow freely. On »Veleno«, they’ve ma...

DESTRUCTION
"BORN TO PERISH"
Thrash Metal
Year:09.08.2019
(NUCLEAR BLAST)

“The old masters of German thrash find on BORN TO PERISH exactly the middleground between their own trademarks and surprising elements.Brutal, timeless, typical Destruction.“METAL HAMMER (D) | Marc HalupczokBorn to perish? This statement does not apply to the Thrash Metal legends DESTRUCTION, though their new album »Born To Perish« will certainly create a furore on August 9th. The brand-new line-up featuring the Canadian drum animal Randy Black and Swiss shred-master Damir Eskic, together with veterans Schmier and Mike, is here to bring you musical destruction. This is a new chapter in the long, impressive history of the band.»Born To Pe...

SUICIDAL ANGELS
"YEARS OF AGRESSION"
Thrash Metal
Year:09.08.2019
(NAPALM RECORDS)

Three years have passed since the SUICIDAL ANGELS swept across the Metal landscape with their latest Thrash hurricane. "Division Of Blood" left nothing but bone splinters and stormed uncompromisingly into the top 100 of the German album charts, just like its predecessors did. For two years, the Greek demolition command has been merciful and only ripped its concert visitors into a roaring inferno. But in 2018, the time has come for the work on the seventh studio album to take shape.Founding member, guitarist and singer Nick Melissourgos has prepared the songs, which were subsequently recorded in the Zero Gravity Studios in Athens, Greece, and, in case of the drums, in the Soundlodge Studios in Papenburg, Germany. The album was produced by the band itself, which has for the fi...

ARCH/ MATHEOS
"WINTER ETHEREAL"
Progressive Metal
Year:10.05.2019
(METAL BLADE RECORDS)

In progressive metal circles, the names of guitarist Jim Matheos and vocalist John Arch are spoken with due reverence. With the former having been a driving force in Fates Warning for thirty-five years, and the latter the original front-man of that band, they also have a single seminal work under the Arch / Matheos banner, 2011's Sympathetic Resonance . In 2019, they have reunited to follow that record up with Winter Ethereal , a more stylistically varied and perhaps deeper collection that explores a lot of sonic territory over the course of nine immersive tracks.Upon completion of Sympathetic Resonance , the duo neither declared it a one-off work nor planned on making a follow up, and rather than force anything, they waited for the right timing to present itself, openi...

MANEGARM
"FORMALDARSAGOR"
Epic/ Pagan/ Viking/ Folk Metal
Year:24.04.2019
(NAPALM RECORDS)

On Fornaldarsagor, Månegarm invite us to a journey through long-lost ancient times. Eight new tracks breathe new life into sagas and tales from a pre-christianized, pagan era that made Scandinavia into what it is today – and those sagas have now been wrapped in exciting viking metal. Furious opening track ‘Sveablotet‘ marks a breathless start and lets majestic black metal flow into anthemic choirs and melodies, whereas ‘Ett sista farväl‘ weds melancholic folk spirit with fragile female vocals. Warm violin interludes infuse most songs, lend an epic character to frost-clad metal tunes and fuel the listener`s imagination. Fornaldarsagor turns out to be the most multi-faceted and uncompromising piece of concept art the Swedes forged so far and will f...

GLORYHAMMER
"LEGENDS FROM BEYOND THE GALACTICAL TERRORVORTEX"
Symphonic Melodic Power Metal
Year:31.05.2019
(NAPALM RECORDS)

Mighty warriors of the galaxy, the time has come: Gloryhammer have forged their third album! The next thrilling chapter of the heroes around mastermind Christopher Bowes (Alestorm) awaits! The spies of Emperor Zargothrax are everywhere, which is why Legends from Beyond the Galactic Terrorvortex has been secretly recorded in an undisclosed location in the highlands of Scotland with producer Lasse Lammert. Mighty fanfares guide the listener into his journey through the Terrorvortex – and only the bravest warriors will make it out of this maelstrom, clad in triumphant power metal and epic orchestral backgrounds. Could there be a more hypnotizing and beautiful place than the gloriously symphonic ‚Land of Unicorns‘? We doubt it. FOR THE ETERNAL GLORY OF DUNDEE!...

VULTURE
"GHASTLY WAVES & BATTERED GRAVES"
Heavy Metal
Year:07.06.2019
(METAL BLADE RECORDS)

VULTURE is a Heavy Metal force to be reckoned with! The German spike-and-leather quintet has just finished recording their 2nd longplayer 'Ghastly Waves & Battered Graves' for a June 7th release via Metal Blade Records.VULTURE formed in 2015 and released their debut LP 'The Guillotine' in the summer of 2017 and straight on the boys continued their killing streak with eight massive songs that contained even more aggression and fury than their predecessors. Having added more melody and variation to their songwriting, VULTURE clearly emphasizes that they are not in line for being yet another homage to the 80s metal scene.VULTURE once again joined forces with close friend and producer Marco Brinkmann (Casket, Cross Vault) at Hellforge Studio i...

THY ART IS MURDER
"HUMAN TARGET"
Death Metal
Year:26.07.2019
(NUCLEAR BLAST)

- THE PERFECT SOUND FOR AN APOCALYPSE!Privatized prisons enforce police states, where nonviolent offenders languish for decades. Pharmaceuticals numb the mind. Social media distracts the spirit. All while the very planet lurches toward an inevitable climate disaster that will extinguish humanity. The Nightmare of Human Organ Harvesting? That’s not a gruesome song title from some forgotten old-school death metal record. It’s a headline from the Wall Street Journal.Against this backdrop of postmodern dystopia, chaos, and confusion, arrives Human Target, the earth-scorching fifth album from extreme metal titans THY ART IS MURDER.Australia’s most brutally alarming cultural export since George Miller’s Mad Max franchise makes music ...

STRAY CATS
"40"
Classic Rock/ Rock N Roll
Year:2019
(MASCOT LABEL GROUP)

All revved up and red hot, THE STRAY CATS are back. Brian Setzer (guitar, vocals), Lee Rocker (bass, vocals) and Slim Jim Phantom (drums, vocals)--original founding members of the iconic and acclaimed American rock and roll trio--are celebrating their 40th anniversary in 2019 with a new album and tour. THE STRAY CATS have titled the album 40. Marking their first new album in 26 years, it will be released May 24 via Mascot Records in Europe and the UK. The song titles alone--including “Cat Fight (Over A Dog Like Me),” “Rock It Off,” “Mean Pickin’ Mama,” and “Devil Train”—instantly let listeners know they’re in for a non-stop rocking time.The guys recorded 40 at Blackbird Studios in Nashv...

KENNY WAYNE SHEPHERD
"THE TRAVELER"
Blues/ Classic Rock
Year:31.05.2019
(MASCOT LABEL GROUP)

We are all travelers. And for the last quarter-century, riding shotgun with Kenny Wayne Shepherd has been the greatest road-trip in rock ‘n’ roll. Gone is the young Louisiana gunslinger who erupted onto the early-’90s scene with his burn-it-down guitar solos and gut-punch songcraft. World-class guitar-playing has always been his calling card, but in his forties, Shepherd knows when to blaze and when to breathe. “There’s some restraint on The Traveler,” he considers. “As I’ve got older, I’ve started to lean towards the approach of less is more. I play for the song now, versus what gets me more ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’. But there’s some real moments on here. Especially the solo in I Want You. That&rsq...

PAUL GILBERT
"BEHOLD ELECTRIC GUITAR"
Hard Rock/ Shred/ Blues
Year:17.05.2019
(MASCOT LABEL GROUP)

- Paul Gilbert is one of the pioneers of shred guitar and one of the top guitar players in the world and heavily endorsed by Ibanez and Marshall [!]Paul Gilbert's newest album features 12 new original songs, all with Paul's most expressive, and inspired guitar playing to date! After his recent move to Portland, Oregon, Paul set out to connect with the best and grooviest musicians in the area, and record an album in his brand new hometown. Brian Foxworth (drums) and Asher Fulero (keyboards) were both obvious choices to play Paul's mix of rock, blues, jazz, and pop flavors. When Paul's regular Portland bassist Kelly Lemieux was unavailable (due to his touring with Buckcherry), Paul reached out to New Orleans bass legend, Roland Guerin. Roland ca...

POSSESSED
"REVELATIONS OF OBLIVION"
Thrash/ Death Metal
Year:10.05.2019
(NUCLEAR BLAST)

There was a time in which genuine power was felt erupting from the sonic landscape that is now referred to as “old school” death metal. As with most newly developed forms of art, at its genesis it was filled with a fresh and vibrant energy and was virtually unsaturated by musicians. It was the mighty POSSESSED who initially breathed life into this new and exciting genre. With writing that started in 1982, the first official death metal band created the now classic record »Seven Churches« and established the face of the genre permanently. Even DEATH’s late guitarist and mastermind Chuck Schuldiner who is sometimes credited with creating the genre, was adamant about the album’s influence upon him. Sadly, like with many artistic pioneers, it was very ear...

ENFORCER
"ZENITH"
Heavy Metal
Year:26.04.2019
(NUCLEAR BLAST)

ENFORCER GOING MORE EPIC!»Zenith« will, of course, bring joy to fans of fast-paced heavy metal hymns ('Searching For You', 'Thunder And Hell'), but the record offers way more: the band’s new more epic approach delivers gems like the opening stomper 'Die For The Devil'. 'Zenith Of The Black Sun' starts off quite laid-back before speeding up towards an enormously melodic, playful outro. Track 4, 'Regrets', surprises with its little short romantic piano intro turning into a mesmerizing, unforgettable stadium rock anthem. Up next is 'The End Of A Universe', another haunting, but definitely crushing piece, with the next stunner named 'Sail On' right around the corner, twisting the listener aro...

SAINT VITUS
"SAINT VITUS"
Doom Heavy Metal
Year:17.05.2019
(SEASON OF MIST)

- Ninth full length-album by one of the US doom metal pioneers. Original singer Scott Reagers recently rejoined the band. The godfathers of American Doom Metal will soon embark on an extensive European tour in celebration of their 40th band anniversary [!]Rejoined by their original vocalist, Scott Reagers, SAINT VITUS delivers nothing less than the truest and most enduring representation of original and fundamental doom metal. From the very first guitar chords, that unmistakable frying, sizzling, and wailing signature sound of Dave Chandler, any adherent of classic doom metal will immediately know: this is SAINT VITUS.Recommended if you like: BLACK SABBATH, PENTAGRAM, CATHEDRAL, DOWN, SLEEP ...TRACKLIST CD/ LP:1. Rem...

PROTECTOR
"SUMMON THE HORDES"
Thrash Metal
Year:24.04.2019
(SOULFOOD MUSIC)

Teutonic Thrash veterans Protector’s new album completes what one can only describe as a classical hat-trick. After a glorious return to original form on “Reanimated Homunculus” with a wholly new line-up and its successor “Cursed and Coronated”, Martin Missy and company again hit the proverbial bull’s eye with “Summon the Hordes”, an epitome of consolidation and rejuvenation at once.Content-wise though, “Summon the Hordes” is far from laid back. From the partly groovy ‘Three Legions’ across the furious ‘Meaningless Eradication’ to the truly heavy ‘Two Ton Behemoth’ and ‘The Celtic Hammer’, a tribute to Tom G. Warrior’s artistic work, the instant success ...