Author: Web Rock Radio News Dept

True Norwegian black metal horde, 1349, will be releasing their eighth full-length, The Wolf And The King, tomorrow, October 4, via Season of Mist. The band is now streaming the record in its entirety ahead of tomorrow’s release! Listen below.

1349 comments, “We have come to our journey’s end. We knew that only our strongest, darkest and most dedicated effort would enable us to reach our destination. Yet here we stand. A vast darkness is what lies in front of us. Where our voyage ends, yours begin. We bring no light but Hellfire itself.”

The forthcoming offering was mastered by Jarrett Prichard and produced and mixed by Prichard & 1349 frontman Ravn at New Constellation R.M.P.

Pre-order The Wolf And The King here. The cover artwork was created by Jordan Barlow and can be found below, along with the tracklisting.

The Wolf And The King tracklisting:

“The God Devourer”
“Ash Of Ages”
“Shadow Point”
“Inferior Pathways”
“Inner Portal”
“The Vessel And The Storm”
“Obscura”
“Fatalist”

“The God Devourer” video:

“Shadow Point” video:

In addition, 1349 is now spreading hellfire across Europe with support from Kampfar and Afsky. Tickets can be found here.

1349 is not like other bands. It’s not a group of friends who decided to make music together. 1349 is a band formed with a unified vision and specific purpose: To maintain the legacy of black metal.

“I didn’t like the direction that black metal took in the mid part of the ’90s,” 1349 vocalist and mastermind Ravn recalls. “It started losing everything that I liked about black metal—the grimness, the eeriness, the primal emotions that captivated me and brought me into that sphere. You had all these synthesizer-based bands dressing up in pirate shirts and looking like goths. It ruined something that I truly hold close to my heart.”

In 1997, Ravn formed 1349 and recruited bassist Seidemann and, now former, guitarist Tjalve to help him pursue the vision of recapturing the original spirit of black metal. The longstanding lineup of Ravn, Seidemann, guitarist Archaon, and drummer Frost (also of Satyricon) has been in place since 2001. “I found people that felt the same way as me,” Ravn says of his bandmates. “We wanted to bring back the trademark of Norwegian black metal, as it was presented in the early 90s. Every time we release an album, that’s the inspiration and the backdrop.”

The Wolf And The King is the latest sortie in that crusade.1349’s eighth album sees the Oslo-based band harnessing the primordial energy of black metal’s decade-defining second wave and channeling it through ancient mysteries and the relentless global chaos of the 2020s.

The album title comes from a classic alchemical allegory: A wolf devours a king. Then the wolf is devoured by flames, and a new king rises from the ashes. “When I first heard about alchemy when I was young, it was people turning metal into gold,” Ravn says. “Further down the road, through various literatures and magical practices, I realized that what you’re turning into gold is metaphorical. It’s about personal development, basically. You want to be the best you can be, and that’s what we try to do as well. We try to top ourselves, to kill our egos in order to grow as persons. If you don’t do that, you will die. You will not rise from the ashes.”

Lead single “Ash of Ages” combines thrash with extreme metal flourishes and a proper doomsday theme. “The song is based on a story I read about a layer of ash that covered the Earth 12,000 years ago,” Ravn explains. “This layer of ash comes from a meteorite that struck the Earth during the Ice Age. It melted a lot of the ice, which is where the Great Flood came from. The Great Flood is in the Bible, but it was written about in every ancient culture. The theory is that it washed away a lot of other ancient cultures that held a higher intelligence level than those that were found after the flood. So, it possibly set human civilization back many thousands of years.”

Released as a one-sided maxi-12” with a flipside etching by Jordan Barlow—who did all the artwork for The Wolf And The King (as well as the band’s 2019 album, The Infernal Pathway)—“Ash of Ages” is also a warning to check your ego. “To think that you’re important, that you’re anything but an ant down there, is futile,” Ravn points out. “In the end, everything will be washed away, and nothing will be left.”

“Shadow Point” comes complete with a video and revisits the sonic domain of The Infernal Pathway with a classic headbanger groove. “This one references the Star of Algol, or ‘the Demon Star,’” Ravn offers. “It’s actually two stars that revolve around each other, and the small one is devouring the big one. Human beings have seen this star from early ages, and it has had many names over the years. It’s a known part of the magical world, so I wanted to include it in a song.”

Shot through with menace and a snaky groove, album opener “The God Devourer” will also have a video. “The lyrics are based on the alchemical principle of devouring all that you feel is in your way of becoming a better human,” Ravn says. “It sets the ominous tone for the whole album.”

Recorded at Amper Tone in Oslo, Norway, and New Constellation R.M.P. in Orlando, Florida, The Wolf And The King was produced and mixed by Ravn and Jarrett Pritchard (Eulogy, Pulchra Morte), the band’s long-standing sonic wizard who also worked on their previous two albums. The lyrics were written by the band’s longtime wordsmith, Svartalv, who has been working with 1349 for twenty years.

Jordan Barlow’s elaborate artwork for The Wolf And The King reflects the album’s chronological position in 1349’s discography. “This is our eighth album, and the artwork and lyrics are filled with references to this number of infinity,” Ravn explains. “You can basically go on a quest finding references to the number in the artwork.”

All told, The Wolf And The King is the exalted output of the joint force that is 1349. “We all work together to make the best black metal possible every time we release an album,” Ravn says. “This is our common goal. We’re a band on a mission.”

1349 Lineup:

Archaon – Guitars
Frost – Drums
Ravn – Vocals
Seidemann – Bass

(Photo – Henrik Sander)

American heavy metal band, Manowar, are set to relaunch their “Army Of Immortals”. The band have issued the following update:

“Very soon we will be relaunching our fan email with exciting news, exclusive rewards and regular updates. BIGGER AND BETTER THAN EVER!

“As one of our most loyal fans we wanted to invite you to join our Army Of Immortals first, so you can get priority access to all we offer.

“As a member of our Army Of Immortals, you will be first in line, before anyone else, and get access to unique features like early previews,  special content and exclusive offers.

As a Thank You for your loyalty you will also receive a 10% Welcome Discount from our store!  The discount code will be delivered by e-mail once you confirm your subscription.

“Check out the store selection and show your love for Manowar with guaranteed official Manowar merchandise!”

Join the Army Of Immortals here.

Manowar’s “Warriors Of The World United” video, filmed at Monsters Of Rock Brazil, has gathered over 113,000,000 views on their official YouTube channel.

Says the band: “We hail all the loyal Manowarriors who made this happen! Are you one of them? How do you feel about this song? Whether it will be your first time or a revisit, we’d love for you to check it out and leave us a comment under the video. We will reply! Hail to you, Manowarrior!”

October 3, 2024, 56 minutes ago

news hard rock motley crue

Mötley Crüe are returning to the Las Vegas strip for the “Las Vegas Residency”, a limited run of shows at Park MGM between March 28 – April 19, 2025.

A portion of ticket proceeds will be donated to Nevada Partnership For Homeless Youth through Mötley Crüe’s Giveback Initiative and Live Nation.

S.I.N. Club pre-sale is set for Friday, October 4 at 10 AM, PT. Sign up for the S.I.N. Club free at cruesuem.com.

Citi card members pre-sale Friday, October 4 at 12 noon, PT. For details visit citientertainment.com

Tickets on sale Friday, October 11 at 10 AM, PT.

For travel packages, hotel, and ticket info, head here. Watch a video trailer below:

Underground metal visionaries Sol Invicto, the dynamic project formed by producer/guitarist Richie Londres, Stephen Carpenter (Deftones), and Eric Bobo (Cypress Hill), are thrilled to announce the release of their long-awaited debut EP, Loosely Aware, dropping November 8.

Accompanying the announcement is the release of their first official single,  “The Obvious Play “, alongside an official visualizer.

Fans can pre-save the EP here, stream the new track here, and watch the visualiser below.

Speaking on the EP, the band shares,  “It’s been quite the journey to get this to the people, just a taste of what’s to come. “

After years of experimentation and anticipation, Sol Invicto is finally ready to reveal the first taste of what’s to come with single “The Obvious Play “, featuring guest vocals from Sean Plague of Plague To Pyres (who are signed to Londres and Carpenter’s independent label Omyac Records). The EP marks the project’s first official release following their extremely rare, private double album Initium in 2017, a collection of demos and experimental tracks gathered over the years which was available only to members of their private club, Sol Invicto Comiti.

Loosely Aware showcases the band’s unique blend of furious riffs, razor-sharp lead guitar lines, industrial and electronic elements all infused with the percussive genius of Eric Bobo, drawing from the talents of Dan Foord (Sikth) on drums. The EP signals a bold new chapter for the band as they prepare to record a full-length metal album later this year. More on that coming soon. For now though, bask in the gloriously nasty, soul-crushingly heavy sounds of Sol Invicto’s  “The Obvious Play ” and get ready for Loosely Aware to drop on November 8th.

About Sol Invicto:

Sol Invicto is an underground metal powerhouse founded by producer/guitarist Richie Londres, alongside Stephen Carpenter of Deftones and Eric Bobo of Cypress Hill. Fusing heavy riffs, industrial beats, and Latin-infused percussion, the project has carved out its own unique space in the world of experimental metal.

The group initially blended Lo-Fi Industrial Drum & Bass with Carpenter’s crushing guitar work and Bobo’s dynamic percussion. As the sound evolved, Londres brought in Dan Foord from Sikth to take over on drums, pushing the band toward a more live, raw energy.

To date, Sol Invicto has released a single, exclusive double album titled Initium, a collection of demos and experimental tracks gathered over the years. Released in 2017 on limited edition signed vinyls, Initium remains a rare gem for members of the Sol Invicto Comiti and is currently unavailable to the public.

After starting work on new music in 2018, the group’s plans were delayed, but 2024 will finally see the first official release from Sol Invicto – the 3-track EP titled Loosely Aware, featuring vocals from Sean Plague of Plague To Pyres, a Norwegian/British noisecore band signed to Carpenter and Londres’s label, Omyac Records.

Loosely Aware is only the beginning for Sol Invicto. Waiting patiently to unleash their unique brand of heaviness into existence, they are now primed for global domination.

Loosely Aware is mixed by Adam  “Nolly ” Getgood (Periphery, Animals As Leaders). Mastered by Jaime Gomez Arellano (Ghost, Paradise Lost). Artwork by Kwonny.

The Who are delighted to announce that a special set of stamps is being issued to mark the the band’s 60th anniversary.

Royal Mail revealed details of 12 stamps which feature images of some of The Who’s most popular album covers and group shots from some of their live performances.

The album covers are My Generation from 1965 designed by David Wedgbury; Tommy from 1969 designed by Michael McInnerney; Who’s Next from 1971 designed by Ethan Russell and Kosh; Quadrophenia from 1973 designed by Graham Hughes; Who Are You from 1978 designed by Terry O’Neill and Bill Smith; Face Dances from 1981 designed by Sir Peter Blake; Endless Wire from 2006 designed by Richard Evans; and WHO from 2019 designed by Sir Peter Blake.

A miniatures sheet features two group publicity shots and two images of the band’s live performances at the Marquee Club in London in 1967 and the Kings Hall in Belle Vue, Manchester, in 1973.

Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend, John Entwistle and Keith Moon formed The Who in 1964. Within five years, they went from performing club shows to headlining the Woodstock festival in the US and becoming the biggest box-office draw in the world.

Roger Daltrey said: “The artwork on the album sleeves was almost as important to the success of the record as the music. It’s great to be reminded of them.”

And Pete Townshend added: “Stamp! Stamp! Stamp! It’s what I’ve done on stage all my life, sometimes in the air. At last my stamping, and that of my buddy Roger, has been honoured properly, and will help letters, parcels and birthday cards travel through time and space, just as we have.”

David Gold, Royal Mail’s director of external affairs and policy, said: “With their truly original sound and effortless ability to mix musical styles, The Who are rock royalty. These stamps celebrate one of the UK’s much-loved and revered musical bands who have achieved global popularity for six decades.”

The new Royal Mail special edition stamps celebrating 60 Years of The Who will be available to purchase on October 17 from the Royal Mail website. But you can pre-order your set now, here.

Slipknot guitarist Mick Thomson has said he recorded solos for the band’s blockbuster debut album, but that “they all got cut out”.

Thomson makes the claim in a new interview with Guitar World and explains the omission of solos, saying that “any kind of technical guitar playing was mocked and frowned upon” at the time.

“I actually had some solos in songs,” says Thomson, “but they all got cut out. Because, between Ross [Robinson, producer] and Joey [Jordison, drummer], guitar solos are stupid now.”

Thomson adds: “Any kind of technical guitar playing was mocked and frowned upon. So, yeah, leads were stripped out. The song (Sic) used to be called Slipknot, and there was a lead in that, and then there were solos in some other shit. But they were just massaged out.”

The guitarist candidly says that he wasn’t a fan of the cuts. “I mean, I get it… but it sucked. Because it was one of those things where I’m like, ‘I’ve spent my whole life playing, and now fucking here I am, and… nope! Never mind! It’s all gone!’ You know?

“Like, ‘Just take it all away from me. That’s cool! Never mind that I sat in my room for years obsessing and trying to fucking do whatever, and then here I am and… nope!’”

During the nu metal era when Slipknot made their debut, guitar solos were very much out of fashion. It was a trend that did not sit well with veteran players. For example, in 2016, Megadeth mainman Dave Mustaine went on a fiery rant about the genre’s approach to the guitar. He told Cry Of The Wolf: ​​”That was the worst part of my career during that whole nu metal thing. You know there were no solos because the guitar players weren’t good enough to do solos.”

Slipknot are celebrating 25 years of their debut album by playing it in full on tour. The band have already trekked across North America and will hit Europe with Bleed From Within in December. See details below.

Slipknot 2024 European tour dates:

Dec 05: Amsterdam Ziggo Dome, Netherlands
Dec 06: Dortmund Westfalenhalle, Germany
Dec 08: Stuttgart Schleyerhalle, Germany
Dec 09: Leipzig Quarterback Immobilien Arena, Germany
Dec 11: Zurich Hallenstadion, Switzerland
Dec 12: Paris Accorhotel Arena, France
Dec 14: Leeds First Direct Arena, UK
Dec 15: Glasgow OVO Hydro, UK
Dec 17: Manchester Co-op Live Arena, UK
Dec 18: Birmingham Utilita Arena, UK
Dec 20: London O2 Arena, UK
Dec 21: London O2 Arena, UK

Dan Presland, drummer with Australian prog metallers Ne Obliviscaris, drums through the whole of the band’s 2014 album Citadel in a new video he’s just shared.

A remastered version of Citadel will be released through Season Of Mist Records on October 11. The new album will be available on vinyl, CD and as a digital release.

The Melbourn e quintet will also be performing the whole of Citadel, along with 2023’s acclaimed Exul album, in their entirety on their upcoming UK and European tour which kicks off in Athens in Greece on October 9 and runs through to Colmar in France on November 7, including a headline gig at London’s The Garage on November 1 and an appearance at Manchester’s Damnation Festival on November 2.

“2024 marks the 10th anniversary of our second album, Citadel, the record that launched us into the international scene back in 2014,” the band say. “Citadel took us from our little corner of the world in Australia to stages across the world for the first time.

“Here in 2024 we have much to celebrate as a band. Last year saw the release of our most successful album to date Exul, and with it a return to the road that saw us performing to ever-increasing crowds wherever we went. So many new people have discovered our music through Exul and we are so incredibly proud of what we created with this album.”

You can see all the ticket details below.

Pre-order Citadel Remastered.

Ne Obliviscaris UK/EU tour 2024

Oct 9: GRE Athens Temple
Oct 10: TUR Istanbul Dorock XL
Oct 12: FIN Helsinki House of Culture
Oct 14 SWE: Stockholm Bar Brooklyn
Oct 15: NOR Oslo John Dee
Oct17: DEN Copenhagen Pumpehuset
Oct 18: GER Hamburg Logo
Oct 19: CZE Prague Rock Cafe
Oct 20: POL Warsaw Proxima
Oct 24: HUN Budapest Instant Club
Oct 25: HUN Zagreb Mochvara
Oct 26: ITA Milan Slaughter Club
Oct 28: SWI Zurich Dynamo
Oct 29: FRA Paris Petit Bain
Oct 30: GER Cologne Kantine
Oct 31 NED: Eindhoven Effenaar
Nov 1: UK London The Garage
Nov 2: UK Manchester Damnation Festival
Nov 4: FRA Wasquehal The Black Lab
Nov 5: FRA Nantes Le Ferrailleur
Nov 6: FRA Lyon Rock’N’Eat
Nov 7: FRA Colmar Le Grillen

Get tickets.

Bristol-based psychfolk trio Hands Of The Heron will release their third studio album Quiet Light via their own community label Cuculi Records on 22 November 2024.

The band, Bec Garthwaite, Beth Roberts and Claire Vine, who featured in Prog‘s Limelight pages and also at last year’s Summer’s End Festival, have also shared their current single, Evergreen.

“I began writing this song in 2017, before I really considered myself a songwriter,” explains Roberts. “I’d been in Athens for nearly a year volunteering with asylum seekers and refugees. I was surrounded by a lot of trauma and felt compelled to help in any way I could, so I completely overworked myself until I was totally burnt out. When I came home I was exhausted, depressed and had taken on what I now know as secondary trauma. I didn’t have any language to express how I was feeling or understand how to make myself feel better and didn’t feel like I deserved support as I had chosen to put myself in that situation. The song emerged from that place in lots of fragments – I thought they were all different songs, but Beth and Bec helped me weave them together into a whole song.”

Talking about the new album, she adds, “We each have ideas that are bigger than what any of us can do individually, and we transform them together. When one of us brings a seed idea to the other two, it already contains the potential for the whole – we start from these specific strands of poetry and melody, and then the arranging is done as a collective. Some of the songs are hugely transformed in the process, but we stay true to the feeling of the initial idea, shaping the arrangement around the original concept to fully express its themes.”

Quiet Light was recorded at The Roost in Bristol during spring 2024 in collaboration with co-producer Rowan Elliott. The band will release a new single, Pieces Of Me, on October 25.

Pre-order Quiet Light.

French prog rock quintet Klone have shared a video for their latest single, the uplifting Magnetic, which is taken from the band’s upcoming album The Unseen, which will be released through Pelagic Records on November 8.

“This track’s strength lies in its simplicity,” explains vocalist Yann Ligner. “Its simple structure gets straight to the point and offers a breath of fresh air. It is an honest, joyous and rebellious ode to love.

“The album serves as a milestone that uses reflections on the past as a means of appreciating the beauty of the present, with the band employing their shared decades of creativity and collaboration to offer enlightening new perspectives on the here and now.”

The Unseen, the band’s tenth release, is the follow-up to 2019’s acclaimed Le Grand Voyage, during which time Klone have established themselves as a real prog force, performing with the likes of Devin Townsend, Leprous, Pain Of Salvation, Gojira and most recently with Riverside here in the UK, as well as appearing at Hellfest 2024, Prog Power USA, Midsummer Prog and Cruise to the Edge.

Klone have previously shared videos for Interlaced and the album’s title track.

Pre-order The Unseen.

Motley Crue is heading back to Sin City in the spring for their third Las Vegas residency.

The extended stay, simply titled “The Las Vegas Residency,” will take place at Dolby Live at Park MGM and comprise 11 shows from March 28 through April 19. It follows 2012’s “Motley Crue Takes on Sin City” and 2013’s “Evening in Hell” residencies.

A portion of the proceeds from Motley Crue’s residency ticket sales will benefit the Nevada Partnership of Homeless Youth, a Las Vegas-based organization that helps homeless young people in southern Nevada move into stable housing.

Tickets for the Las Vegas Residency go on sale to the general public on Oct. 11. You can see the full list of dates below.

READ MORE: Motley Crue Will ‘Probably Be Dead’ When They Make the Rock Hall

Motley Crue Promises ‘Tell-All Show’ for Third Vegas Residency

With their third Vegas residency, Motley Crue promises to “take the audience on a journey back to their gritty rock beginnings,” according to a press release. “The tell-all show will immerse the audience in the band’s history, leading all the way through their record-breaking Stadium Tour.”

“Motley Crue and Las Vegas have always been the perfect combination of extravagance and decadence,” the band said in a shared statement. “We’ve always loved the idea of the Vegas residency, because we’ve always loved the idea of staying in one location to build a unique show for the fans. We’re excited to get into rehearsals and work up a lot of songs that have been requested by the fans for years.”

Separate presales for members of Motley Crue’s S.I.N. Club and Citi cardholders will also begin this Friday, the same day the band releases its new EP, Cancelled. The Bob Rock-produced, three-song set was preceded by the original single “Dogs of War” and a cover of Beastie Boys‘ “Fight for Your Right,” and it will be rounded out by its title track.

Additionally, Motley Crue will return to their roots next week by launching their “Hollywood Takeover” and playing at three famed Sunset Strip clubs: the Troubadour on Oct. 7, the Roxy on Oct. 9 and the Whisky a Go Go on Oct. 11.

Motley Crue, ‘The Las Vegas Residency’ 2025 Show Dates
March: 28, 29
April: 2, 4, 5, 9, 11, 12, 16, 18, 19