Annihilator Debuts ‘Couple Suicide’ Lyric Video

Courtesy: earMusic

Annihilator premiered the video for its latest single this week.

The band premiered the lyric video for its single, ‘Couple Suicide’ Thursday. The song is featured in the band’s new album, Metal II, which is a re-issue of the band’s 2007 album, Metal. The song is the third single from the re-issue behind the newly added cover of Van Halen’s ‘Romeo Delight‘ and ‘Downright Dominate.’

The re-mastered take of ‘Couple Suicide’ features guest appearances from Angela Gossow (ex-Arch Enemy) and Danko Jones.

‘Couple Suicide’ and its lyric video are meant to tell the story of a couple that is on the verge of its end, but still has one last chance to survive, according to information presented in the press release announcing the video’s premiere. The video features the song’s lyrics over images of couples in their happy and not so happy moments as the song plays over the visualization.

The musical arrangement featured in the song is a unique presentation. It incorporates elements of 80s hair metal with late 80s/early 90s thrash a la Anthrax for its overall presentation. It makes for plenty of engagement and entertainment in its own right.

Metal II is available now through earMUsic. More information on Annihilator’s new album is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:

Website: https://www.annihilatormetal.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annihilatorband

Twitter: https://twitter.com/annihilatorband

To keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news, go online to https://www.facebook.com/philspicks and ‘Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Amaranthe, Angela Gossow Partner For New Single, ‘Do Or Die’

Courtesy: Nuclear Blast Records

Amaranthe has partnered with former Arch Enemy vocalist Angela Gossow to send a warning to the world about its current state.

The group debuted the video for the song ‘Do or Die‘ Friday.  The video features Gossow and the members of Amaranthe in a post-apocalyptic world that is filled with pollution and garbage, collecting what can only be assumed to be the skeletons of the world’s former inhabitants killed by the impact of climate change.

The song’s musical arrangement features Amaranthe’s familiar melodic, orchestral metal sound alongside Gossow’s equally familiar gutteral vocal delivery.  The song’s lyrical content is meant as a statement about what humans are doing to the planet.

Amaranthe guitarist Olo Morck discussed that lyrical theme in a recent interview.

“While Amaranthe’s music is often uplifting, energetic and positive, sooner or later everyone needs to deal with the obvious fact that the world is literally crumbling around us — and it is crumbling fast, thanks to the short-sighted abuse of our common Mother Earth!,” he said.  “We talked to legendary Angela Gossow of Arch Enemy fame to do an entire package of a video and a song, outside of any normal album cycle, and let our different perspectives on metal collide in a massive explosion; and it resulted in ‘Do Or Die’!”  together with Overbeck Media, who shot the video, we delivered something really quite special, and Angela brings in a fresh strength to the trademark Amaranthe sound that is sure to resound all across the metal world!  Death and Fire!!!”

Gossow offered her own remarks about taking part in the video shoot.

“It was thrilling to join Amaranthe for a more extreme track and shooting a cutting edge video for it!,” she said.  “This is no cozy studio performance, but real ice cold winds, sewages, cadavers and pouring rain — the reality we live in, the devastating legacy we leave to our future generations.  Time to wake up, turn — and bang — some heads!  Watch out for these guys and killer lady.  They are going to crush you this year with a new album and some heavy touring!!!”

‘Do Or Die’ is available to stream and download here.  The song’s debut comes more than a month after the band debuted the video for its cover of Sabaton’s song ‘82nd All The Way.’

Amaranthe is wrapping the latest leg of its tour with Sabaton.  The bands’ current tour winds down Sunday.

The band will take part in a series of festivals this summer across Europe.  Its festival schedule opens June 4 at the Sweden Rock Festival and runs through Aug. 31 at the Rock in the City Festival.

An extensive North American headlining tour is also on tap for Amaranthe this summer, with support from Battle Beast and Seven Spires.  The band’s North American tour is scheduled to launch Aug. 20 in Baltimore, MD and to run through Oct. 2 in Cincinnati, OH.  It features performances in cities, such as Portland, OR; Tempe, AZ and Philadelphia, PA.

Amaranthe’s upcoming live dates are all noted below.  Tickets for the band’s North American dates are available here.

 

 

AMARANTHE EUROPEAN FESTIVAL SHOWS

04.06. S Sölvesborg – Sweden Rock Festival *NEW*
05. – 07.06. D Nürburg – Rock am Ring *NEW*
05. – 07.06. D Nuremberg – Rock im Park *NEW*
05. – 07.06. FIN Tampere – Rockfest *NEW*
13.06. SK Prešov – Dobry Festival
24./25.07. FIN Oulu – Qstock *NEW*
30.07. – 01.08. FIN Kuopio – Kuopiorock *NEW*
31.08. FIN Lappeenranta – Rock In The City *NEW*
05. – 08.08. S Falun – Sabaton Open Air *NEW*

North American Tour 2020
with BATTLE BEAST and SEVEN SPIRE:
08/20/2020  Soundstage – Baltimore, MD
08/21/2020  The Palladium (MA) – Worcester, MA
08/22/2020  The Gramercy Theatre – New York, NY
08/23/2020  Theatre Of Living Arts – Philadelphia, PA
08/25/2020  Club Soda – Montreal, QC
08/26/2020  Imperial de Quebec – Quebec City, QC
08/27/2020  Mavericks – Ottawa, ON
08/28/2020  MOD Club  – Toronto, ON
08/29/2020  The Eclectic Room –  Angola, IN
08/30/2020  Token Lounge –  Westland, MI
09/01/2020  Concord Music Hall –  Chicago, IL
09/02/2020  Apollo Theater – Belvidere, IL
09/03/2020  Wooly’s – Des Moines, IA
09/04/2020  The Cabooze – Minneapolis, MN
09/05/2020  Park Theatre – Winnipeg, MB
09/06/2020  The Exchange – Regina, SK
09/08/2020  The Starlite Room – Edmonton, AB
09/09/2020  Dickens – Calgary, AB
09/11/2020  The Venue – Vancouver, BC
09/12/2020   El Corazon – Seattle, WA
09/13/2020  Hawthorne Theatre – Portland, OR
09/14/2020  Holy Diver – Sacramento, CA
09/15/2020  Brick by Brick – San Diego, CA
09/16/2020  Whisky a Go Go – West Hollywood, CA
09/18/2020  Club Red – Tempe, AZ
09/19/2020  Backstage Bar and Billiards – Las Vegas, NV
09/20/2020  Liquid Joe’s – Salt Lake City, UT
09/21/2020  Bluebird Theater – Denver, CO
09/23/2020  Trees – Dallas, TX
09/24/2020  Come and Take it Live – Austin, TX
09/25/2020. Scout Bar – Houston, TX
09/26/2020  House of Blues – New Orleans, LA
09/27/2020  House of Blues – Lake Buena Vista, FL
09/29/2020  Rt 20 – Racine, WI
09/30/2020  The Crafthouse – Pittsburgh, PA
10/01/2020  The Underground – Charlotte, NC
10/02/2020  Riverfront Live – Cincinnati, OH

 

 

More information on Amaranthe’s upcoming live dates, its new video and more is available online at:

 

Website: http://www.amaranthe.se

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AmarantheBand

Twitter: http://twitter.com/amaranthemetal

 

To keep up with the latest entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

 

 

Arch Enemy Impresses Once More With New Album, Vocalist

Courtesy: Century Media Records

Stalwart Swedish metal band Arch Enemy released its ninth full length studio effort last month.  While being the ninth full length release for the band, it is the first for the band with new vocalist Alissa White-Gluz.  Gluz, the former vocalist of The Agonist, replaced now former Arch Enemy vocalist Angela Gossow earlier this year, shocking a number of fans.  After having spent some thirteen years as the band’s vocalist, one might think that such a shakeup might not be such a good thing.  But as this album has evidenced, it might be the proverbial kick in the pants that the band needed.  As audiences will note in listening through the album, the band has taken the speed/death metal sound that made it famous throughout its previous albums and added a thrash element to the mix, making the album even more of interest to audiences. One of the best of this album is its title track and lead single. The social commentary of the song’s lyrical side alongside the pure aggression and power in the music make it clear why it was chosen as the album’s lead. ‘You Will Know my Name’ will catch listeners’ ears just as much with its scathing indictment of those people that would call themselves friends to ones face but talk trash behind one’s back. The song’s musical side along with that indictment will reach so many listeners. And the instrumental ‘Graveyard of Dreams’ is another show of talent from guitarist Michael Amott. These are just a few samples of what Arch Enemy offers audiences on its latest full length effort. Together with the album’s other songs, they are sure to impress any fan new or old.

Arch Enemy leads off its first album with new vocalist Alissa White-Gluz in grand fashion with the absolutely searing ‘War Eternal.’ A better choice for the band’s re-introduction couldn’t have been chosen. Anyone that is familiar with Arch Enemy’s body of work will be just as impressed with this song as those that might be newer to the band’s sound. The song, penned by Amott—Amott wrote the lyrics to each song as an added note—is rife with social commentary. Amott writes in this song, “Friend or foe/There’s no way to know/Through the battlefield of life/It’s ill or be killed/So many times/It’s a matter of degree/From being up on your luck/To down on your knees.” He’s writing about life ingeneral and how it can be tough and easy from one point to another. He goes on to write about those that would make life difficult, writing that “They try to change you/Crush and break you/Try to tell you what to do/They’d like to have control of you.” Whether it be politicians, those within one’s own social circles or otherwise, there is not one person out there to whom this song doesn’t relate. Through all the difficulties, he reminds listeners not to give up, writing, “Search deep inside/Remember who you are.” In the end, it proves to be a song of self-empowerment and inner strength. Again, what better way to introduce the band’s new album?

‘War Eternal’ proves with the combination of its searing musical side and equally powerful lyrical theme of self-empowerment to be the perfect choice to introduce Arch Enemy’s new album. Just as impressive from this new album is the similarly themed ‘You Will Know My Name.’ It doesn’t boast the same buzz saw guitars and machine gum drumming. But the way in which it builds from almost a brooding opening into the driving classic sound which audiences have come to know will impress just as much. That slow boil helps to heighten the song’s lyrical side, in which Amott writes about false friends. He writes of said individuals in this song, “The judging eyes watching me/Is all I’ve ever known/When I try to open up my heart/I am ridiculed and torn apart/You tell jokes I’ll never get to hear/Behind my back at my expense.” He tackles the things that those false friends like to say about others, writing that “There’s something inside me/And I know it’s good/I’m not evil, just misunderstood…Today I break my silence/Strip you of your dignity/Tear down your perfect world/Your perfect lies…No longer invisible/You will know my name.” In its own way, this could be the anthem of those who have been bullied for years on end. And just as the blues helps people in tough situations feel better, so could this song help those who have been bullied by fake friends, and perhaps even prevent them from doing what so many others before have done. To that extent, Amott and his band mates are again to be applauded for this song’s inclusion on this album.

‘War Eternal’ and ‘You Will Know My Name’ are both powerful and important additions to Arch Enemy’s latest full length effort. They both show the band’s technical abilities and its ability to reach fans lyrically as well. Just as much as the band exhibits its continued talents through the aforementioned songs, it shows once again that it can create deep emotion solely with its musical abilities. This is evidenced in the fully instrumental piece, ‘Graveyard of Dreams.’ The song only runs one minute and ten seconds. Even within that short time, it generates quite the emotion thanks to Amott’s guitar work. The very title, ‘Graveyard of Dreams’ creates an image of someone in the depths of depression. And Amott’s guitar work illustrates this image even better. As with ‘You Will Know My Name,’ the depth of emotion expressed in this song could actually serve as music therapy of sorts. That is because of the band’s ability to relate to listeners even just through music. Listeners will hear the music expressing how they might be feeling. In turn, it could serve as a point of strength. Yet again, the members of Arch Enemy are to be applauded here. It is yet one more piece of the whole that makes War Eternal another impressive release from Arch Enemy.

‘War Eternal,’ ‘You Will Know My Name,’ and ‘Graveyard of Dreams’ are each great additions to War Eternal. They are only part of what makes this album a success for the band. The albums’ remaining songs each pose their own argument for the album’s success. And audiences new and old alike will agree to that in hearing the album in its entirety. War Eternal is available now in stores and online. It is available both in standard and Limited Edition Triple-Disc set online via the Century Media Records store at http://www.cmdistro.com/Item/Arch_Enemy_-_War_Eternal_-Ltd._CD_Mediabook_Edit.-/47541?Aff=cus and http://www.cmdistro.com/Item/Arch_Enemy_-_War_Eternal_Ltd._Deluxe_Artbook_-3CD-/47540?Aff=cus. More information on War Eternal, Arch Enemy’s current tour schedule and all the latest from the band is available online at http://www.facebook.com/archenemyofficial and http://www.archenemy.net. To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Arch Enemy Announces Details On New Album, Performances

Arch Enemy has begun work on its latest full length studio effort.

The Swedish-based “extreme metal” band has started mixing on what will be its ninth full length studio release.  The new album, titled War Eternal, is expected to be released this June.  Guitarist Michael Amott explained the meaning behind the title in a recent interview.  “A lot of times life is a struggle, a war against what I like to call ‘mental chains’ in society that try to prevent you from living life the way you want, that try to stop you from making your dreams come true. I have always resented that and I always will. The title sums up our collective attitude a band as well; stages will be destroyed, eardrums will bleed. There will be no choice. This, ladies and gentlemen, is ‘War Eternal’…“

Amott went on to explain what fans can expect from War Eternal, musically and lyrically.  Musically, this album is going a few places we haven’t visited before. As our fans have come expect, our albums have all had their own vibe and ‘War Eternal’ will leave its own mark. Lyrically it’s a much more personal record, and I feel the songs have more dynamics and depth than ever before. The songs are loaded with strong and vicious metal, drenched in tons of melody and emotion. All the trademarks of ARCH ENEMY are present, just more in your face and turned up to 11″.

The band will debut some of its new material early this year during its European tour before the album is released in June.  That tour will be followed by a full run of European Summer Festivals including: Sweden Rock, Wacken Open Air Festival and more.  Arch Enemy will then head out for its own headlining tour across Europe, the UK, and North America this Fall and Winter.

More information on Arch Enemy’s upcoming album, performances and more is available online at http://www.archenemy.net, http://www.facebook.com/archenemyofficial, and http://twitter.com/archenemymetal.  To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Of Conquest Is A Surprisingly Entertaining High Seas Hard Rock Epic

Courtesy: Adrenaline PR

Odds are that many American metal audiences have never heard of Scythia.  That all changes here and now.  Anyone that is a fan of Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Judas Priest, In Flames, and even Dream Theater will enjoy the latest release from the Canadian power/prog rock band.  Of Conquest, the band’s fourth full length studio release, offers audiences even more adventure from the four-piece.  Stylistically speaking, this new record presents a sound that fans have come to know from the band’s previous records.  In terms of its content, the band has offered its fans something new once again.  Instead of delving into the world of warriors, wizards, the band has opted this time for a high seas hard rock epic.  Those that might be new to the music of Scythia will enjoy this record first and foremost of its musical content.  While this record boasts a sound similar to Scythia’s previous records, the sound stands out because of its hybrid qualities.  This will be discussed later.  The story presented in Of Conquest is just as certain to entertain any pure blooded metal head that is open-minded enough to give the record a chance.  In giving it a chance, said audiences may very well themselves find this new record to be one of their own favorite rock albums.

The musical side of Scythia’s new record is relatively similar to that of the band’s previous records.  On the surface, it comes across as another power/prog rock record, stylistically speaking.  But a deeper listen reveals something even more intriguing. The band’s sound is actually a subtle hybrid sound.  While the power/prog element comes out above others, there are also some obviously Swedish metal influences, too.  That’s obvious in the performance of lead guitarist/vocalist Dave Khan and even drummer/backing vocalist Celine Derval.  As a matter of fact, if one were to listen to this record without knowing that Derval was a member of the band, one would swear that the screaming female vocals that are interwoven into certain songs were that of Arch Enemy vocalist Angela Gossow.  Speaking of Arch Enemy, Dave Khan’s prowess on the guitar is just as impressive as that of Michael Amott and other fellow Swedish shredders.  It just goes to show the influence of Swedish metal on the rock world.  Some might consider it musical heresy, but Khan’s own vocals are even on par with the likes of Rob Halford, Bruce Dickinson and others.  Considering that this band released its debut album only four years ago, that is saying something.  Audiences that give this new record a chance will be surprised to find themselves agreeing with this comparison, too.  The positives of Of Conquest  don’t end here, either.  Just as noteworthy with this latest release is the album’s lyrical side.

Scythia has given its audiences a new story with each one of its previous releases.  Those releases have been steeped in fantasy and legend somewhere along the lines of perhaps Amon Amarth and others, only toned down.  There is still plenty of myth on Of Conquest.  But this time, the myth is used in a high seas hard rock opera of sorts.  This album presents a young protagonist that decides to take to the high seas in the late 1500s.  At first things seem great.  But it doesn’t take long before the young unnamed subject finds himself on quite the adventure.  From getting caught in an unforgiving storm to battling a kraken to facing some unspeakable figures late in his journey, he has great odds to face.  Making the story all the more interesting to take in is the fact that despite the band’s hybrid hard rock/metal sound, Khan actually sings his way through each “chapter” of the story.  So it’s actually possible to understand what is going on without a dire need for a lyric booklet.  Don’t misunderstand that statement.  Lyric booklets are always a nice addition for any artist’s album, regardless of genre.  It’s just that easy to understand the story.  And that is the final piece of what makes this album a surprisingly enjoyable record.  The band currently has no live events planned.  But fans that want to hear the band live or those that want to check out the new album when it is released can keep up with the band online at http://www.scythia.ca and http://www.facebook.com/scythiametal.  To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.