Author: Crix

RISEN CROW Shares Next Single “Believe In Me” Off New Album “Requiem For A Damned Love” Out February 2025

Italian power/gothic metal band Risen Crow returns with their second single, “Believe In Me”, from the upcoming album “Requiem For A Damned Love”, dropping February 28th, 2025 from Rockshots Records.

“Believe In Me” is an anthem of trust, inner turmoil, and connection, blending symphonic textures, intricate guitars, and emotive vocals. Concept-driven, haunting, and melodic, this single sets the tone for a journey through obsession, madness, and the destructive power of love. The music video delivers a cinematic experience, perfectly complementing the emotional depth of the track. Don’t miss it! Let Risen Crow take you into their world of powerful storytelling and atmospheric metal.

Watch the official music video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/zNqJ0UKs_TA​
Stream “Believe In Me” – https://lnk.to/1MMluz​
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Formed in 2020 in Rome, Risen Crow stands out in the Italian metal scene with their distinct fusion of power metal and gothic elements. Drawing inspiration from iconic bands such as Nightwish, Epica, Within Temptation, Kamelot, and Lacuna Coil, the debut album, “Requiem For A Damned Love” delves into themes of obsession, damned love, and sacrifice, taking listeners through an intense narrative filled with emotion and depth. With a strong lineup and a unique blend of influences, the band is ready to make their mark on the international metal scene.
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​Risen Crow’s “Requiem For A Damned Love” is available for digital pre-save and CD pre-order at https://lnk.to/4DdftW​

Music Video – Risen Crow – https://youtu.be/mgYBWxVzZDo​

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Track Listing:
1. Never surrender
2. Black Widow
3. Funeral Jack
4. Risen Crow
5. Revelation
6. Dark In my life
7. Believe in me
8. Black Rose
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​Recording, Mixing & Mastering: Francesco Mattei and Kate Nord at Underworld Studio​
​underworldstudiocasperia.com | Facebook.com/UnderworldStudio​

Cover, Artwork & Layout Design: Harley Velasquez at Infinity NucleArt Studio​
​Instagram: @HarleyVelasquezArt | Facebook.com/InfinityNucleArtStudio​
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​Risen Crow Line Up:​
Antonella Della Monica: Vocals
Claudio Vattone: Vocals
Giuseppe Longo: Guitars
Francesco Menale: Guitars
Alessandro Bernabei: Keyboards
Flavio Cicchetti: Bass
Filippo Martini: Drums

More info: https://www.rockshots.eu | https://www.facebook.com/risencrowband | https://www.instagram.com/risencrow​

DEREV Returns With Powerful New Single “Cyclone” Ahead of Upcoming Album “Troubled Mind” Out March 2025

Canada’s progressive metal band Derev is unveiling their latest single “Cyclone” a dynamic exploration of inner turmoil and redemption that showcases the band’s evolution while staying true to their signature sound. The track follows their earlier single “Room 9” and is the latest preview of their highly awaited first full-length album “Troubled Mind” slated for release on March 26, 2025. The band comments on the lyrical content:

“Building on the narrative, this song revolves around the negative thoughts that plague our minds, constantly reminding us of our perceived unworthiness and shortcomings. This mental state, “Imposter Syndrome” makes us doubt our skills and successes, leaving us feeling unworthy, ashamed, and fearful of being exposed.”

“Cyclone” demonstrates Derev‘s masterful blend of technical prowess and emotional depth, featuring intricate instrumentation that builds from a tension-filled atmosphere to a captivating climax. The song opens with a haunting guitar riff that gradually intensifies as layers of bass and drums create an underlying sense of unrest. This tension ultimately gives way to a soaring, heartwarming guitar solo that brings a moment of clarity before concluding with a memorable cliffhanger riff.

The forthcoming album “Troubled Mind” promises to take listeners on an emotional journey, featuring both energetic highs and poignant lows. It is recommended for fans of Opeth, Dream Theater, and Porcupine Tree.

Watch and listen to the lyric video for “Cyclone” at https://youtu.be/1il9zsnxl0U​

Spotify – https://show.co/XRS9Tlm​

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Due out March 26, 2025, “Troubled Mind” is available for album pre-order at https://www.derevmusic.com/store​

First single – Animated video for “Room 9” at https://youtu.be/ryl-vajc7-M​
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Track Listing:​
1. Buried Voice (7:23)
2. Cyclone (5:39)
3. Crawl Space (1:16)
4. Room 9 (6:15)
5. Paracusia (4:35)
6. Tides of Time (5:59)
7. Darker Self (5:44)
8. Trace Within (5:01)
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​Album Band Line Up:​
Adel Saflou – Vocals
Armando Bablanian – Guitar
Michel Karakach – Drums
Stan Komarovsky – Bass
Ran Zehavi – Keys
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​Live Band Line Up:​
Mike Symons – Vocals
Armando Bablanian – Guitar
Michel Karakach – Drums
Stan Komarovsky – Bass
Ran Zehavi – Keys

More info: Derevmusic.com | Facebook.com/derevmusic | Instagram.com/derevmusic | X.com/derevmusic​

About: “Divided by war, United by music”

Derev is a progressive rock band captivating global audiences with its innovative blend of progressive rock and traditional Middle Eastern music.

After fleeing the war in the Middle East and finding refuge in Toronto, Canada, founding member, and Drummer Michel Karakach reunited with his best friend, guitarist Armando Bablanian, to turn what was once a mere childhood dream into a powerful reality.

Derev’s debut release “Leap of Faith” melded the raw energy of hard rock with the rich textures of traditional Middle Eastern music they grew up with, offering a fresh perspective on topics often overlooked in modern music. This distinctive sound quickly caught the attention of both local and international audiences, propelling Derev into a series of successful shows across Canada.

The band’s dynamic lineup now includes bassist Stan Komarovsky, providing the backbone of Derev’s sound, and keyboardist Ran Zehavi from the progressive rock band Scalar, adding depth and complexity. Leading the live charge is frontman and vocalist Mike Symons to replace previous singer Adel Saflou who is featured on their forthcoming studio offering “Troubled Mind”. Symons’ compelling presence and vocal prowess complete the live ensemble.

As Derev gears up to release their anticipated second album “Troubled Mind” on March 26th, 2025, they continue to carve out a unique niche in the music world. Their innovative sound promises to captivate new listeners and industry veterans alike. Keep an eye on Derev as they redefine what rock music can be.

Discography:
2025 – Troubled Mind – LP
2021 – Leap of Faith – EP

Rock band Luponero releases first single from their upcoming debut album

Rock band Luponero, who announced their signing to Swedish boutique label Icons Creating Evil Art at the end of the year, attracted widespread attention last year with their humorous single ‘DAD BOD ROK GOD’. As promised back then, “slightly” different winds will blow in the future.

The single ‘Everything/Nothing’, released today with a music video, presents a more serious and aggressive Luponero. Diving headfirst into the midst of the modern existential crisis, the song oscillates between introspection and cathartic chaos.

“This song clearly crystallizes the central themes of our upcoming album – nihilism, frustration and the search for meaning in a meaningless world. The repetitive, almost mantric, bass riff takes the song from serenity to chaos. The perfect soundtrack for when you stare into the void and face the absurdity of existence,” comments the band’s singer-bassist Marco Luponero.

The self-titled album Luponero will be released on March 31st. Pre-orders for the album are now open here.

Track-list:
1. Everything/Nothing
2. Bipolaroids
3. Killing Time
4. Running On Empty
5. Helsinki Intersection Mindfuck
6. Sapiens
7. Angelo
8. Pickup Artist
9. The Burden
10. The End

In addition to his career as an actor-director, Marco Luponero’s history consists of heavier music in bands such as Altaria, Terrorwheel and most recently Marco Luponero & The Loud Ones. However, the artistic framework of the bands was found to be too narrow. So it was the right time to rename the band and create a completely new skin.

The mission of Luponero is to continue to push boundaries with its unapologetic, rebellious sound and style. The music seamlessly blends classic rock influences with a modern punk attitude. With these elements, Luponero creates a unique entity that, with the upcoming album, will take listeners to a completely new world, where surprises are waiting for them at every corner.

Luponero is:
Marco Luponero – vocals, bass
Jim Heikkinen – guitar
Simon Grundvall – drums

Finnish thrash metal band Kamala releases new music after a long time – Sota sisällä tells about the disgusting horrors of war

Finnish thrash metal band Kamala is releasing new music after a long time, as today the song “Sota sisällä” (The War Inside) has been released on music services.

Singer-guitarist Karita Kivioja explains the background of the song:
“The song was inspired by the Finnish Civil War events on 1918. We visited the memorial of the Dragsvik prison camp in Tammisaari during our summer holiday in 2018 and I stayed to read the names of the dead prisoners, the children, in the largest mass grave in Finland. The grave was the final resting place of 3 100 prisoners who had died of starvation and epidemics, near the barracks area. One story was particularly poignant: a 17-year-old boy from Ostrobothnia, whose parents came all the way to Tammisaari to bring him food, but the guards would not let the prisoners who had lost the war feed their children, so the boy died in a concentration camp. And these names are on the memorial in plain sight. The Civil War tore this country to shreds and made ordinary Finns into victims as well as torturers and murderers.

This stopped, shocked and disgusted. The lyrics of the song were born from stories passed down through the family and the shock of prison camp hell. Also mixed into the lyrics were experiences of the hell inside the head and the hell in modern society called homes. Acts of the sick human mind against others, both because of the prevailing environment and because of mental breakdown.”

The song, which had been ready for some time now, took on a whole new meaning in the spring of 2022 after Russia invaded Ukraine: “As a teenager in the 90s, I never thought I would see two European countries at war with each other. Less than 1000 km away, all the horrors of war are suddenly happening all over again. Horrors that should have been consigned to history” Karita continues.

In late 2023, the band entered the SN-audio studio in Jyväskylä, Finland to record the song. The lyrics and vocal style went through quite a mill in the studio, including the appearance of Putin’s face in front of Karita’s face in the vocal booth. When the singer felt like the embodiment of the spirit of Rocky Balboa when she screamed, we started to get close to the final sound.

The music video was shot with Jaakko Manninen on December 22nd 2023. As is typical of this production, the video which uses only natural light, was perfect for shooting on the darkest day of the year. The video’s director and cinematographer Jaakko Manninen found this to be the perfect choice, as there was simply no time to waste. The final production took almost a year, but now the song is available for everyone to listen to!

Listen to the single on music services (Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, Tidal etc): https://push.fm/fl/kamala-sotasisalla

Watch the music video: https://youtu.be/m2bNLe-PdBw

https://www.kamalaband.fi/

https://www.facebook.com/kamalaband

https://www.instagram.com/kamalaband/

The heavy metal regiment of the last decade made a comeback – Freedomination’s Until The Lights Go Out album will be released on February 26th.

Freedomination combines elements of thrash, progressive, more traditional heavy metal and punk rock in their music. The band’s music leans heavily towards the old alliance between North American and British metal bands. The band forges a metal that respects traditions, but knows how to avoid the pitfalls of retroism from afar.

Now Freedomination is back on the music scene after a long break. Founded in 2008, the band’s previous release with new music was 2015’s EP “The Stand”. Now, however, the band has been honed to a new level and their sights are set on the top of the metal world. Freedomination has been working on a full album of new music and the full glory will be revealed on February 26th, when “Until The Lights Go Out” sees the light of day.

After “Heaven Sent” and “Sin Road” it’s now time for a third single from the upcoming album, “The Raven” which was released today.

“This release is the result of a strange coincidence: We decided to release this song as the next single last November. Shortly after, I saw a music video showing the return of the Seattle band Nevermore. The Raven is a tribute to the band, whose return I am very much looking forward to. I have received comments from acquaintances that there are also references to the music of another Seattle band, Alice in Chains. No wonder, because their music was also searched extensively on Google. From the references, you can conclude that dark and disturbing music is coming,” says singer-guitarist Timo Ahlström.

Tracklist:
1. Sin Road
2. Heaven Sent
3. The Raven
4. Second Chance
5. Tear Down The Wall
6. Smoking Gun
7. Unleash Hell
8. Down With The Rain
9. Until The Lights Go Out

Freedomination founding member singer-guitarist Timo Ahlström’s musical resume includes live touring with Barren Earth and performing with Canadian Annihilator in 2013. In addition to Timo Ahlström, the band’s lineup includes Jörgen Reinholm (guitar), Tommi Otsavaara (bass & backing vocals) and Jukka Ahlström (drums).

INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE | SPOTIFY

Lord Of The Lost’s Chris Harms to release surprise ‘1980’ solo album at the end of the month, listen to new single ‘She Called Me Diaval’

Chris Harms, the vocalist of the band Lord Of The Lost will be able to realize his long-standing dream on the last day of this month. Chris’s first solo album “1980” takes listeners to the heart of the darker synth pop of that decade, without forgetting new wave and gothic elements.

The now-released “She Called Me Diaval” single is a great example of the upcoming album’s output, and watching the music video will take you on a real journey through time.

“The question I’ve probably heard more often lately about the song is who or what is Diaval? Hmm… either the song is about a dream that’s hard to describe in more detail, about me exploring a part of my life through music – because that’s how I tend to figure things out. Or I just want to tell mysterious dark stories. At some point it will come out,” Chris describes the song.

The upcoming “1980” concept album is a streamlined entity that Harms has had time to think about for a long time.

“If I had to categorize this album and put a label on it, I would probably say it’s a strange but successful mix of Depeche Mode, Modern Talking and Sandra performed by Chris Harms. But with less perm and a ponytail.”

Previously released singles from the album, along with their music videos, are now also available to watch on Napalm Records’ YouTube channel.

The upcoming album will also be available in several formats and special packages here.

The “1980” album features the following tracks:

1. I Love You
2. She Called Me Diaval
3. Somewhere Between Heaven And Armageddon
4. Missed Call
5. Madonna Of The Night (feat. Sven Friedrich)
6. Lunamor
7. Parallax
8. Past Pain
9. The Grey Machines (feat. Ronan Harris)
10. Vagueness Of Faith
11. May This Be Your Last Battlefield

Facebook | Instagram | Chris Harms Shop | Napalm Records

Lowhill’s Denial-EP out now

LOWHILL, an aggressive Finnish metalcore band, has released their EP titled “DENIAL” today. “NUMB VISION” is the last release in the band’s trilogy, which shapes the band’s future sound more and more towards a more complex direction.

The band is set to play around Finland next spring, with the first show taking place in their hometown on January 25th, at the legendary 45 Special in Oulu.

Listen to the song here.

Line-up:
Vocals – Teemu Väntti
Guitar – Jaakko Kangasniemi
Guitar – Henri Salmi
Bass – Sami Väntti
Drums – Sami Körkkö

 

Alternative band LUNA KILLS: Nu metal-inspired LEECH single pounding alongside a dark story

LUNA KILLS release the third single from their upcoming album “DEATHMATCH”. The album, which will be released via SharpTone Records on April 4th, has already featured the single “Slay Ur Enemies” and “Sugar Rush”. The new “LEECH” clearly follows in the footsteps of nu metal and tells of a dark inner battle.

“LEECH is a raw description of suicide and the fight against depression. The song reflects the painful situation where you realize that fear and self-loathing are starting to become part of your identity and it is impossible to separate them. Even though the subject of the song is dark, the song itself was created in a really good atmosphere and in a lighthearted way. It was one of the last songs written for the upcoming album, and it hit us all right away,” describes singer Lotta Ruutiainen.

A music video for “LEECH” has also been released. The new single can be heard live this Thursday at the prestigious ESNS/Eurosonic showcase festival in the Netherlands, where LUNA KILLS has been invited to perform. Following the DEATHMATCH album release tour in Finland this spring, the band will also be performing at numerous summer festivals, the first of which is Poland’s largest metal festival, Mystic Festival.

LUNA KILLS live:

16.1.2025, ESNS, Groningen, Netherlands
14.2.2025 6 Feet Underground, Kannusali, Espoo
4.4.2025 ZRock, Kempele
5.4.2025 On The Rocks, Helsinki (album release gig)
11.4.2025 Olympia, Tampere (+ Balance Breach, Beyond Awareness)
12.4.2025 House of Rock, Kouvola
17.4.2025 Monttu, Pori (+ Awake Again)
18.4.2025 Brummi, Rauma (+ Awake Again)
5.6.2025 Mystic Festival, Poland
26.7.2025 Qstock, Oulu
8.-9.8.2025 Hellsinki Metal Festival

LUNA KILLS is:

Lotta Ruutiainen – vocals
Samuli Paasineva – guitar
Lassi Peltonen – bass
Jimi Kinnunen – drums

WWW | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK

Finnish metal band Exision release their third single ‘Haaksirikko’, taken from their upcoming second album

Finnish groove/alternative metal band Exision released the third single ‘Haaksirikko’ from their forthcoming second studio album ‘Uhreina Ajassa’ which is set to be released on February 20th 2025 via Inverse Records. 

LISTEN to ‘Haaksirikko’ on streaming services: https://push.fm/fl/exision-haaksirikko

The band comments:

“As the ship runs aground or the crew is swept overboard by a rogue wave, remember the words of Kari Tapio: “After the storm, there is a calm”. Whether it is a serene summer day or death; silence awaits.”

BIOGRAPHY:
Exision is a Groove/Alternative metal band founded in 2017, known for their energetic live shows and colorful social media updates.
The band includes Joonas Kataja, the man of thousand voices and also the main lyricist of the band.
Bassist Jere “AV” Ala-Varvi, a song composing machine and the main song writer who brings in so much new material nearly every week that it has to be poured into other projects as well.
The rhythmical foundation, Tapio Haverinen makes sure that the capturing drum beats keep the crowd going.
The groove continues with the rhythm guitarist Nico Välkkilä‘s iron grip and high-flying lifestyle.
The lead guitarist Jarkko Oksman can also be held responsible for the song writing and composing. He stretches chords placing the cherry on top when putting the songs together.
The songs get their final form and polishing with the teamwork from the entire band by getting flavor from politics, movies and games. The band also doesn’t shy away when it comes to breaking the barriers of different music genres.

Exision – Haaksirikko (single 2025)

Track list:

01. Haaksirikko

Composed by Jarkko Oksman
Lyrics by Joonas Kataja

ISRC: FI3FC2587903

Single cover by Mari K. / usva_peikko

Exision – Uhreina Ajassa (Album 2025)

Track list:

01. Puhdistava Liekki
02. Älytön Ikiliikkuja
03. Haaksirikko
04. Pimeyden Aallot (feat. Sirkku-Sisko Kostamo)
05. Tähtihenkilö
06. Persona Non Grata (feat. Jesse Salo)
07. Impulssi
08. Uhreina Ajassa
09. Loputon Meri
10. Adrenokromi
11. Ihmisvirhe

Album cover by Mari K. / usva_peikko

Line-up:
Joonas Kataja – Vocals
Tapio Haverinen – Drums, mixing

Nico Välkkilä – Guitar

Jarkko Oksman – Solo guitar, backing vocals, keys

Jere “AV” Ala-Varvi – Bass, backing vocals, mixing, keys

Links: 
https://www.facebook.com/ExisionBand
https://instagram.com/exision.official
https://tiktok.com/@exision.official
https://exision.bandcamp.com

King Satan and The Abbey live at Monttu New Level, Pori (Finland) 10.01.2025

Industrial metal band KING SATAN, known for their mischievous extreme metal and explosive stage charisma, released their fourth album “The Devil’s Evangelion” at the end of 2024 and in support they organized a mini-tour in Finland, including a date at Montu New Level in Pori on January 10th. The band, which is also gaining momentum in Europe, has a “death metal disco” that defies rigid genre definitions and combines influences from industrial, death metal, electronic dance music and symphonic black metal in their music. With their energetic live performances, the band has conquered Finnish rock clubs and the stages of Tuska, Nummirock and SaariHelvetti, among others, as well as concert stages in 17 different countries during their European tours.
The warm-up act for the Pori crowd was the doom metal band THE ABBEY. The band’s debut album “Word of Sin”, released in 2023, has attracted interest from the international rock press and has taken the band to the stage of Tuska, among others, and toured Europe twice.
Our reporter Cristina Gregori was there for the occasion, below is the photo gallery of the event.