Author: wamdines

British melodic rock band, Nitrate, have released the deluxe edition of their latest album, Feel The Heat, available digitally on all platforms via Frontiers Music Srl. The focus track and accompanying lyric video “Live Fast, Die Young” (Radio Edit) are also out now. Watch the clip below.

Vocalist Alexander Strandell comments on the deluxe edition release, by saying: “It feels great to give the fans something more from this amazing album. It’s an honour to be involved with the Nitrate guys.”

Nitrate’s fourth studio album, Feel The Heat, was released on October 13, 2023. Produced and mixed by Martin Bros Productions (Vega), it features a duet and backing vocals by female rock artist Issa, backing vocals by rock legend Paul Laine (Danger Danger/The Defiants), along with a song co/written by legendary song writer Bob Mitchell (co-writer of the Billboard #1 song Cheap Trick’s “The Flame”).

There are also backing vocals by Leon Robert Winteringham (LRW Project), Alan Clark (Change of Heart), and a couple of co-writes by Rob Wylde (Midnite City/Tigertailz). With Richard Jacques and Alex Cooper (Devilfire, Corvus) coming on board, Nitrate delivered a record full of anthemic hook filled tracks and a more intense AOR style.

Formed in 2015 in Nottingham, England by bass player Nick Hogg, Nitrate is a Melodic/AOR rock band heavily inspired by the late ‘80s rock scene. Influenced by the likes of Def Leppard, Europe, Journey, and Bon Jovi, they have previously released three critically acclaimed albums: Real World in 2018, Open Wide in 2019, and Renegade, in 2021.

For Real World in 2018, Nick brought in Rob Wylde (Tigertailz, Midnite City) to get the project started and help with the song writing/recording process; Joss Mennen (Zinatra, Mennen) on vocals gave an authentic 80’s sound, Pete Newdeck (Eden’s Curse, Vega, Grim Reaper) mixed the album and played drums with the whole thing being mastered by Harry Hess of Harem Scarem fame.

The second album, Open Wide, in 2019, saw a couple of changes in personnel including a new singer in Philip Lindstrand (Find Me, East Temple Avenue), and Marcus Thurston (Vega) on guitars alongside Nick and Rob with Pete and Harry Hess again Mastering. The names may have changed but the same concept of classic melodic rock still applied with the album getting rave reviews and featuring on several “Best of the Year” accolades.

This was again the case for the third album which featured a more AOR style, with more changes in personnel. The new lineup for Renegade was Nick Hogg on bass, Alexander Strandell on vocals, Tom Martin on rhythm guitars, James Martin on keyboards, Dario Nikzad on lead guitar, Mikey Wilson on drums plus Alessandro Del Vecchio (Edge of Forever, Revolution Saints, Giant) on backing vocals and mastering. The album sold out of print and again was featured in 2021’s “Best of the Year” reviews.

Tracklisting:

“Feel The Heat”
“All The Right Moves”
“Wild In The City”
“Needs A Little Love”
“One Kiss (To Save My Heart)” (featuring Issa)
“Live Fast, Die Young”
“Haven’t Got Time For Heartache”
“Satellite”
“Strike Like A Hurricane”
“Big Time”
“Stay”
“One Kiss (To Save My Heart)” (Acoustic Version)
“Tough Guys Don’t Cry”
“Live Fast, Die Young” (Radio Edit)
“One Kiss (To Save My Heart)” (Alternative Version)

“Live Fast, Die Young” (Radio Edit) lyric video:

“Tough Guys Don’t Cry” lyric video:

Lineup:

Nick Hogg – Bass Guitar
Alexander Strandell – Lead Vocals
Tom Martin – Guitars
James Martin – Keyboards
Alex Cooper – Drums
Richard Jacques – Guitars

December 20, 2024, an hour ago

news heavy metal powerrage exciter high roller records

John Ricci, the former guitarist, founding member, and main songwriter for Exciter, recently announced the formation of a powerful new band, Powerrage. The band have announced their signing to High Roller Records.

The debut album is due out sometime in 2025. Watch out for a massive dose of Canadian speed metal.

Powerrage includes Ricci alongside bassist Todd Pilon (ex-Witchkiller), vocalist Jacques Belanger, who appeared on the Exciter albums The Dark Command, Blood Of Tyrants and New Testament, and dynamic new drummer Lucas Dery, who emerged from the Canadian metal scene.

Guitar sensation, Sophie Lloyd, has shared the video below, performing a shred version of “Christmas Time (Don’t Let The Bells End)” by The Darkness.

Says Sophie: “Merry Christmas everyone! I hope this festive period brings you cosy times with your family and loved ones! I wish you an amazing new year! Thanks again for a wonderful year supporting me!”

Get tickets for Sophie Lloyd’s January 16 show at Whisky A Go Go in Los Angeles, California, here.

Sophie’s debut album, Imposter Syndrome, is available via her own Autumn Records. The album is available as a digipack CD, Black Gatefold Vinyl and Limited Edition Gatefold Purple Splatter Vinyl. Orders can be placed here.

Tracklisting:

“Do Or Die” (feat. Nathan James)
“Pressure” (feat. Brandon Saller)
“Imposter Syndrome” (feat. Lzzy Hale)
“Let It Hurt” (feat. Chris Robertson)
“Runaway” (feat. Michael Starr)
“Fall Of Man” (feat. Matthew K. Heafy)
“Lost” (feat. Cole Rolland)
“Hanging On” (feat. Lauren Babic)
“Avalanche” (feat. Trevor McNevan)
“Won’t You Come” (feat. Marisa Rodriguez)
“Judge And Jury” (feat. Tyler Connolly)

“Won’t You Come” video:

“Judge And Jury” video:

“Runaway” featuring Michael Starr of Steel Panther:

“Lost” featuring Cole Rolland:

“Hanging On” featuring Lauren Babic:

“Fall Of Man” featuring Matthew K. Heafy of Trivium:

As a heartfelt “Thank you!” for everyone’s love and support, Cemetery Skyline are releasing “The Coldest Heart” (Live Semi Acoustic 2024), which was captured in an intimate setting shortly before the release of their debut album, Nordic Gothic, in October. Watch a video from the session below.

Markus Vanhala (guitar) looks back: “We went all the way to New York City to celebrate the release of our album, Nordic Gothic, and besides all the partying at Duff’s we played a special secret show and did it the old school 90’s MTV Unplugged trio way. So here’s one result of that night, ‘The Coldest Heart’, in its most gentle and stripped down acoustic way. We hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed this special moment.”

The release comes shortly after Cemetery Skyline were excited to learn that they were nominated for the Finnish Emma 2025 in the categories “Best Rock” and “Best Artist” (public vote).

Cemetery Skyline recently announced four shows in their native Finland as well as several European festivals and Prog Power USA. See below for all dates.

Cemetery Skyline tour dates:

March
19 – Helsinki, Finland – Tavastia
20 – Tampere, Finland – Olympia
21 – Jyväskylä, Finland – Lutakko
22 – Lahti, Finland – Möysä

Cemetery Skyline festival dates:

June
12-14 – Finland – Rock Fest
27-29 – Finland – Tuska Festival
18-21 – Finland – Nummirock

July
17-19 – Finland – John Smith Festival
24-26 – Finland – Kuopiorock
25-26 – Finland – Qstock Festival

August
6-9 – Spain – Leyendas Del Rock

September
3-6 – US – ProgPower USA

Cemetery Skyline lineup:

Vocals: Mikael Stanne (Dark Tranquillity, The Halo Effect, Grand Cadaver)
Guitars: Markus Vanhala (Insomnium, Omnium Gatherum, I Am The Night)
Keyboards: Santeri Kallio (Amorphis)
Bass: Victor Brandt (Dimmu Borgir, Witchery, ex-Entombed/Entombed A.D., ex-Firespawn and many more)
Drums: Vesa Ranta (Sentenced, The Abbey)

Nightwish have released a 45-minute documentary on the making of their latest album Yesterwynde.

The Finnish symphonic metal outfit’s 10th album was released in September of this year via Nuclear Blast, and was described by Metal Hammer as “a showcase of Nightwish’s incredible ambition.”

The documentary, which can be viewed below, includes interviews with the band as the album was coming together in the studio.

Explaining what the album means to her, vocalist Floor Jansen previously told Metal Hammer: “To me, it’s a continuous awareness about the beauty of the planet we’re on and the positivity of us as a species.

“We get all this negative feedback about killing the planet and hurting each other, and all of that is unfortunately true. But there’s also a lot of beauty to it – humanity has achieved amazing things throughout history, and we should remind ourselves of that. That is sometimes forgotten in the speed of the life we live today.”

In the same interview, Nightwish mainman Tuomas Holopainen said: “Yesterwynde has a very optimistic vibe to it. It celebrates life and humanity and mortality. The important things.

“The major theme of the album is time – going back in time, recognising your own mortality. Connecting to the past.”

Admitting that looking to the past was appealing, considering the state of the world today, Holopainen added that there was much to be grateful for about the present.

He added: “But it’s also incredibly good in many ways. And in many ways it’s better – the innovations of science and medicine, the child death rate.

“A small example: would you rather go to the dentist today or a hundred years ago? I want to emphasise that I’m not immune to the bad stuff that’s going on in the world. I’m aware of it and I do everything I can to help.

“But I think it’s good for our mental state to recognise the good stuff. And I think that we have the chance as a species to survive and get together. That’s the core message, the essence, of Yesterwynde.”

All-Canadian rock band Toque, featuring Todd Kerns and Brent Fitz – both of whom play in Slash Featuring Myles Kennedy And The Conspirators – along with Cory Churko (Shania Twain) and Shane Gaalaas (Michael Schneker Group), have just released the official video for their new, original song “Broken”. 

“Broken” was written by Toque, along with their good friend and guitarist of Honeymoon Suite, Derry Grehan. Stream / download the single now at this location.

In live news, Toque will resume their Frozen Not Broken Tour after Christmas. Remaining dates are as follows:

December 
27 – Regina, SK – Casino Regina
28 – Winnipeg, MB – Club Regent Event Centre
30 – Taber, AB – Taber Community Centre
31 – Calgary, AB – Deerfoot Inn & Casino

Tickets are on sale now at this location.

For further details, visit Toque on Facebook.

Sight of Emptiness has been slowly working towards the release of Above The Noise, their fifth studio release. The album’s first single, “Mandates of Hate,” dropped back in October. There’s no holding back when it comes to Sight of Emptiness, and these first two singles emphasize that to the highest of degrees. 

As a song, “Soul Ascension”  “dives deeply into the depths of the human soul. It scrapes at the bowels of where darkness, light, and the pursuit of redemption lay. The song itself is a battle between the light and the dark, a fight that is relatable to anyone who has felt lost or is crying out for meaning and purpose.”

Discussing the video, Concept Designer and CG Visuals Designer Fibonacho (Ignacio Bolaños) states: “The ‘Soul Ascension’ visualizer represents the overwhelming experiences and turbulent processes that push us to grow and transcend our limitations. It captures a transformative phase in the human journey, where what defines us can sometimes hold us back from reaching our highest potential. This visualizer explores the inherent balance in life: to gain something, you must be willing to let go. The central character is shown undergoing a transformation, shaped by mental processes of surrender, trusting intuition, and navigating challenging environments.

“In today’s world, marked by widespread substance abuse, intergenerational trauma, and the repercussions of wars and mass migrations, this piece resonates deeply. My hope is that this visualizer speaks to populations at risk and offers a connection to these shared struggles.

“Visually, the inspiration came from modern glitch art, ’90s computer graphics, odd patterns, extraterrestrial phenomena, and various forms of noise. The dominant green hues and interplay of black and white were intentional choices, helping to establish the toxic and uncertain context of the visualizer while maintaining consistency with the single’s cover artwork.”

“Soul Ascension”:

“Mandates Of Hate”:

Turku-based metal band Awake Again, known for their bold and distinctive style, has released their new single “river.” The track highlights the band’s rockier and more melodic side while retaining their signature head-nodding riffs. With a big, singable chorus and infectious verse rhythms, “river” is sure to become an earworm for all who hear it.

The band submitted river to this year’s Finnish Eurovision selection contest (UMK), though it didn’t secure a spot in the finals. Nevertheless, the song has been warmly received by fans during the band’s fall performances, and its studio release has been widely anticipated.

“After our gigs, we’ve heard countless comments from fans saying they can’t wait for ‘river’ to drop,” says guitarist Maron Lahdenperä.

The track also features a full-fledged guitar solo, a rarity for Awake Again. The solo has earned Lahdenperä plenty of admiration: “As someone who looks up to old-school guitar heroes, the praise for the solo has really meant a lot to me,” Lahdenperä shares.

Beneath its catchy hooks, “river” carries a deeper meaning.

“In ‘river’, the river represents the universe. Through my meditation practice, I’ve explored non-dualistic philosophies, especially Zen Buddhism, which teaches that everything is fundamentally one and the same—this moment. A constantly changing, flowing river felt like the perfect metaphor for this concept. I firmly believe that understanding and embracing these fundamental principles of existence could eliminate much hatred, violence, pain, and suffering in the world,” explains bassist Ville Loukola.

The song was entirely written, composed, and produced by the band, with vocalist Matti Österman serving as producer. It was mixed and mastered by Rami Nykänen, one of the leading names in Finnish metal production (One Morning Left, Crownshift). The band previously collaborated with Nykänen on their A Promise of Better Days EP earlier this year.

In 2025, fans can look forward to new music and adrenaline-fueled live performances from Awake Again.

Awake Again is:  
Matti Österman – Vocals  
Petteri Horn – Drums  
Maron Lahdenperä – Guitar 
Ville Loukola – Bass