Within a year of their inception, Vrona had already performed at Bloodstock andMammothfest, and shared stages with the likes of Dorje, Cambion, The Men That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing and more. Their first EP ‘A Lapse In Time’ released in early 2016 gained them critical acclaim with their instrumental offerings being compared to a vocal-less mix of Karnivool, TesseracT and Tool.
2017 sees a marked change in the band as they release two new tracks on October 25th and unveil a new twist to their ever evolving sound – the introduction of vocalist Jamie Ball.
The two track release entitled ‘Impermanence’ still showcasesVrona‘s brand of progressive ambient metal. However, the addition of vocals, and the acceptance of more outside influences into their melting pot shows that the band are not afraid to change things up.
Their monster third album ‘Born A Dying Breed’ will be released on 3rd Nov and it sees the band really ramping things up a notch, huge chunky hard rock tracks intermingled with some sublime songs showcasing their lighter touch, this truly is a fabulous album and should see them rise through the ranks with speed.
Northants rockers STORMBRINGER formed in summer 2011 when founding members Jon Quantrill, Dom Wallace, Ash Smith and Darren McCullagh got together to write and create what would become the 2013 debut album ‘MMXIII’, recorded with vocalist Mike Stockley. A mix of classic rock and heavy metal with a contemporary edge saw Stormbringer quickly set themselves apart.
SEPTICFLESH have announced a big European tour in support of their latest masterpiece, ‘Codex Omega’. The Greek masters of symphonic death metal will be joined by label mates and American black metal trailblazers INQUISITION.
The demons of winter will first be summoned in the Bavarian city of Munich on January 4th and will continue to raise hell in 10 more countries until a final black ceremony at the MS Connexion Complex in Mannheim, Germany on the 27th of January.
On further news, SEPTICFLESH will perform in Lebanon for the first time in their career. The Greeks have accepted an invitation to play the Minus 5 in Beirut on December 2nd.
Diamond Head have announced more dates this year in the UK and Ireland kicking off in Dublin on November 23, 2017 and ending at the Blast from the Past Festival in Kuurne, Belgium on December 9, 2017.
Currently in the studio working on the follow up to the highly praised self-titled release from last year.
From the band: “We will continue to bring the lightning after we’ve spent some more time in the studio getting the next album together. See you all end of November!!!”
The Cherry Dolls release their utterly wonderful track ‘Blister‘ as a lead in to the release of their album ‘Viva Los Dolls‘ on Golden Robot Records on November 24th.
This mellow single is a sublime tune from The Cherry Dolls, a melancholic touch of brilliance (tongue firmly in cheek too!) infiltrating their normally more full on punky stylings. Simply stunning & one not to be missed.
“Raw dog dirty realness as Rock ‘n’ Roll should be! I would describe this band as heavily influenced by The Stooges, MC5, Johnny Thunders or New York Dolls, of course there are many bands out there with similar influences, The Cherry Dolls are a band who gets it right. I love the sort of country and western meets old school punk track …….. but I really dig the whole album! I suspect these catz would be really awesome live!”
Dena VonKook
Portland, OR ‘Street Doom’ quartet R.I.P. is streaming their forthcoming sophomore album Street Reaper in full ahead of the release date on the 13th October. Hear and share the full album on YouTube and Bandcamp.
When R.I.P. came crawling out of the sewers of Portland, OR last year, their grimy, sleazy Street Doom was already a fully formed monstrosity that quickly infected the minds of everyone it encountered. Now, borne from the band’s declining state of mental health and increasing focus on songwriting, Street Reaper is an even more unhinged and menacing album than their 2016 debut In The Wind.
Borrowing equally from 80s Rick Rubin productions and Murder Dog magazine aesthetics, Street Reaper is a streamlined, yet brutally raw manifesto of heavy metal ferocity hearkening to the era when both metal and hip hop were reviled as the work of street thugs intent on destroying America’s youth.
Throughout, Angel Martinez’s guitar and John Mullett’s bass are inextricably interlocked, sounding like a massive sonic steamroller, while drummer Willie D keeps the beat solid and simple for the most powerful impact. And, the band’s extensive touring and excessive virgin sacrifices have clearly endued singer Fuzz with evermore agile vocal chords to drive it all home with extreme precision.
Operating on the belief that doom is not tied to a tuning or a time signature, but rather a raw and terrified feeling, R.I.P. eschews well trodden fantasy and mysticism tropes of the genre and focuses on conveying the horror and chaos inherent in the everyday reality of the human mind. With several years of touring under their heavily studded belt, R.I.P. has distinguished themselves from the interchangeable hordes of bands trying to play heavy metal by crafting an aesthetic and a sound all their own, focusing on the things that make metal heavy rather than adhering to the formulaic confines of a particular sub-genre.
Street Reaper opens with the knockout punch of “Unmarked Grave” and the rest is just sheer bludgeoning for bludgeoning’s sake as the album echoes the grimy vibe of legends like Saint Vitus, Pentagram and Motorhead, with the no b.s. aesthetic of the early Metal Massacre compilations.
Street Reaper will be available on LP, CD and download on October 13th, 2017 via RidingEasy Records.
R.I.P. LIVE:
10/13 Portland, OR @ Tonic Lounge – album release party
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