Tuesday 22 September 2015

ESSENCE REVEAL FIRST SINGLE/VIDEO ‘UNTOUCHABLE’ FROM UPCOMING ALBUM ‘PRIME’



Danish rockers ESSENCE have released a new track called ‘Untouchable’ on digital platforms with supporting video. The track features on the bands third album, ‘Prime’, set for international release on November 6th via Spinefarm Records.

Watch the video here:



Freshly signed and ready to take on the world, Essence - originally a Danish foursome with their roots in thrash metal and hatched in the nation's capital Copenhagen in 2005 - are no newcomers in spite their young age. After 130 or so gigs and two studio albums plus an EP, the quartet now present their first outing for their new label Spinefarm, signalling a new beginning, a new expression between punky rock energy and good old violent thrashing fun.

Narrowing the gap between the poppy energy of The Offspring and the youthful vehemence of early Metallica and Slayer, ‘Prime’ is where the metal is headed in 2015.

Track-listing for Essence's "Prime”:

01. Refuse To Exist 02. Thunder Prayer 03. No Sleep ’Till Def 04. Heart Of Gold 05. Modern Heroes 06. Untouchable 07. Flawless 08. Prime 09. Watch It Burn 10. Triumph

ESSENCE is:

Lasse Skov – lead vocals, rhythm guitar Mark Drastrup – lead guitar Rasmus Kalke – bass Nikolaj Kjaergaard – drums

OVERKILL Announce Killfest UK IRE tour 2016



New Jersey-based thrash metal titans Overkill are delighted to announce they will be returning to the UK and Ireland this April for a run of headline shows entitled the ‘Killfest’ tour.

Enigmatic frontman Bobby ‘Blitz’ Ellsworth had to say on the announcement;

“We are happy to announce we are coming back to the UK, to thrash it up with our cousins across the pond! Yes, yes, yes boys and girls from New Jersey to England, Ireland & Scotland the "Wrecking Crew" comes your way next April, kicking off in Birmingham on the 5th. So let’s mark the dates and remember, I'm easily disappointed! HA! Over the wall boys and give 'em the cold steel!!!”

You can see the ‘Wrecking Crew’ live in the following cities:

April 5th – Birmingham, Rainbow Warehouse April 6th – Manchester, Sound Control April 7th – Leeds, Stylus April 8th – Glasgow, Classic Grand April 9th – Belfast, Limelight 1 April 10th – Dublin, Academy April 12th – Bristol, The Fleece April 13th – London, O2 Islington Academy

Overkill are currently preparing for the release of their first worldwide Nuclear Blast output, an exceptional limited edition box set of 14 CDs entitled: ‘HistoriKill: 1995 – 2007’ which will be released on October 16th. It will include eleven Overkill albums across 13 CDs plus an extra bonus CD (incl. demos, remixes and an unreleased cover song) all in digi sleeves.

Although everybody seems to have a different account of who came first in the world of New York/New Jersey area thrash metal, it seems certain that New Jersey’s Overkill have stayed around the longest, and have never let their fans down by remaining musically consistent and true to their roots for an impressive 35 years with an unprecedented 18 studio albums under their belts.

The massive contribution to thrash by heavy metal partners in crime Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth and bassist D.D. Verni (who cofounded Overkill the same year Ronald Reagan was elected President) is undeniable and remains unchallenged by those in the know. Overkill were formed about one year before Slayer and Anthrax and a couple of years ahead of Metallica, with all of the aforementioned bands pushing forward a new style of music drawing from NWOBHM, hard rock and punk.

Through much hard work and a slew of infamous live performances at New York area clubs like L’Amours, Overkill established a reputation as a blue-collar, working man’s metal band. After the band released a self-financed EP in 1984, Overkill broke onto the scene in 1985 with ‘Feel The Fire’, a crushing thrash assault. The self-proclaimed ‘Wrecking Crew’ - originally consisting of vocalist Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth, bassist D.D. Verni, guitarist Bobby Gustafson, and drummer Rat Skates - were on a tear, borrowing heavily from punk rock roots while adding a venomous metal crunch that allowed them to compete favourably with peers like Testament, Anthrax, and Megadeth. The guys have been part of the Nuclear Blast family now since 2009 and are one of the most successful East Coast thrash bands in history.

“I think it was my niece who asked me recently ‘What do you really do for a living? Are you a Rockstar?’” Blitz remembers with a devilish chuckle. “I told her, ‘I have spent over 30 years of my life alienating the masses. That’s what I do. But I endear myself to a small minority. That small minority loves me and I love them. That’s how it works.” Blitz lets out a big laugh. “I think she’s still at home going, ‘Hmm, I don’t get it!’”

ZARDONIC Releases Highly Anticipated Debut Album With eOne Music, 'Antihero'



Following a series of high profile, multigenre premieres, ZARDONIC has released his much anticipated album, Antihero, out now on Multiplatinum Entertainment One. With a massive 26 track playlist, including both Instrumental and Remixes by Voicians, The Outside Agency, Evol Intent, Heavygrinder, Darksiderz, Esparta, Dub Elements, Counterstrike, and Rusty K, Antihero quite literally runs the gamut from Big Room House to brutal, guitar shredding metal. From the almost poppy, infectious danceability of "Pure Power (Heavygrinder Remix)" to the industrial, black-metal sound of "Highway 666", and the straight up streaming guitar riffs of "Against All Odds", there's a favorite song for every listener on Zardonic's Antihero! For the first time, listen to the full Antihero on YouTube or on SoundCloud Below!



Antihero Tracklist:

1. World At War (Prologue) 2. Against All Odds 3. For Justice 4. Crush It 5. Vigilante 6. Override 7. Pure Power 8. Raise Hell 9. The Time Is Now 10. Antihero (Epilogue) 11. Highway 666 12. Against All Odds (Instrumental Mix) 13. For Justice (Instrumental Mix) 14. Vigilante (Instrumental Mix)) 15. Pure Power (Instrumental Mix)) 16. Raise Hell (Instrumental Mix) 17.The Time Is Now (Instrumental Mix) 18. Against All Odds (Rusty K Remix) 19. For Justice (Counterstrike Remix) 20. Crush It (Dub Elements Remix) 21. Vigilante (Esparta Remix) 22. Override (Darksiderz Remix) 23. Pure Power (Heavygrinder Remix) 24. Raise Hell (Evol Intent Remix) 25. The Time Is Now (The Outside Agency) 26. Antihero (Voicians Remix)

The Mission release ‘Singles A’s & B’s’ September 25th



On September 25th The Mission release Singles A’s & B’s through Universal Music Catalogue.

Singles A’s & B’s features all 15 of the band’s charting singles and includes seven that reached the UK Top 30, including Wasteland (No.11), Tower Of Strength (No.12) and Butterfly On A Wheel (also No.12). It is the first time these recordings have been collected together in one comprehensive 2-disc set and also includes unreleased edits.

In late 1985 Wayne Hussey and Craig Adams left The Sisters Of Mercy to form The Mission, immediately embarking upon their first European tour supporting The Cult. They released two singles independently, both of which reached No.1 in the UK Alternative Chart, before signing a worldwide record deal with Phonogram (now part of Universal Music’s Virgin EMI label group).

Their first single for Phonogram, ‘Stay With Me’, went straight into the UK chart at No. 30 followed by the debut album ‘God’s Own Medicine’, in at No. 14. Over the next eight years The Mission released six more albums and had a further 12 hits including the doom-rock anthems ‘Wasteland’, ‘Tower Of Strength’, ‘Beyond The Pale’, ‘Deliverance’ and ‘Butterfly On A Wheel’. Total worldwide album sales to date for the band have now exceeded well in advance of 3 million.

During the electrifying period covered by the collection The Mission enhanced their reputation as one of the best and most exciting live bands in the world, garnering countless accolades and inspiring lurid media stories and a fanatical following. In fact, they toured almost constantly, notching up seven sold-out consecutive shows at the Astoria Theatre in London, headlining Reading Festival twice, and playing with U2, The Cure and Robert Plant.

Here is The Mission’s promo video for 'Tower of Strength 1994'

ANTI-FLAG DROP NEW VIDEO FOR "ALL OF THE POISON, ALL OF THE PAIN"



Anti-Flag have just dropped a brand new video from their latest critically acclaimed album American Spring. The video is for "All of the Poison, All of the Pain" and you can watch it here:



The video was shot on tour in Belgium, Austria and Hungary this summer and was directed by Russian ace Maxim Frolov with Fedor Ganyushkin helping in the editing room.

Additionally, Anti-Flag will participate in a Reddit AMA ("Ask Me Anything") session on Monday, September 27th at 5pm UK time. Fans can log on and ask the band whatever burning questions they may have! It's sure to be a fun and informative AMA.

Anti-Flag are currently out on an Australian tour with Pennywise before heading to Europe for a whole host of shows to close out 2015, with support coming from Red City Radio, Trophy Eyes and The Homeless Gospel Choir.

All UK dates are listed below

18.10.2015 London, Alexandra Palace, Warped Tour 20.10.2015 Nottingham, Rescue Rooms 21.10.2015 Birmingham, Institute 22.10.2015 Sheffield, Corporation 23.10.2015 Newcastle, Riverside 24.10.2015 Glasgow, Classic Grand 25.10.2015 Manchester, Sound Control