Northlane Releases New Song "Rot"

Progressive metalcore band, Northlane, released a new song earlier today titled "Rot." Along with the release of this song, they announced their new vocalist will be Marcus Bridge (via Facebook), which will be filling the empty spot left when Adrian Fitipaldes quit the band. 

There is a lot of hate surrounding the new direction Northlane is going, and most of the blame is put onto Marcus. It is possible that this song is the "bad song" from the unannounced new album they'll release in the future. So count out Northlane yet. Anyway, I think this song is okay but not as enjoyable as any songs from Discoveries or Singularity. 

Also, I don't think the blame should entirely be put onto Marcus either, because it is possible that the band was moving towards this new sound regardless if Adrian was in the band or not. It could have been bad timing for Marcus to join at the same time they wanted to go in a new musical direction.

But! You can judge for yourself by listening to the song below!

Erra Releases New EP 'Moments of Clarity'

The long awaited EP from the progressive metalcore band Erra released today. The reason it was long awaited because Erra ended up switching vocalists between Augment and Moments of Clarity; from Garrison Lee to Ian Eubanks. You can pick up the new EP here, here, or here.

Interview with My Aim!

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Genre(s): Progressive Metalcore

Location: Marke, Kortrijk

 

PSAB: Where does the band name "My Aim" come from exactly?

MA: The name “MY AIM” just points out that we have a specific goal in mind with the band. We really want to achieve something in the modern day music industry and therefore we want to deliver the best music we possibly can. The main reason why we’ve started this band is the love and the passion for the heavy music genre and just because of this we really try to take things to a higher level. We aim as high as we can in the hope that our hard work will pay off one day and that we will be able to live our dream.

PSAB: What was the feedback like when you released your album Heartburn? Do you still receive feedback for that album now?

MA: The feedback was overwhelming. We started the band way back in 2010 and released only 2 singles along the way and never got too much attention. But all of this changed with the release of our first full length album “Heartburn”. More and more people became interested in MY AIM and liked what we did. This just felt surreal to us. It took us more than a year to realize the album and we’ve really put heart and soul into this record. 

We could only hope that people would notice it in the more than over saturated music scene. We were therefore very pleased to see that people actually did find our music and enjoyed it. Till this date we’re still receiving messages from people all over the world telling us that they really like “Heartburn” and that feels just amazing.

PSAB: You're sponsored by Pure Deathcore. How has the experience been being sponsored by them?

MA: We were very excited when Troy form Pure Deathcore asked us if we were interested in a sponsorship from Pure Deathcore. It was the first time ever we were approached by a promo page in this way. We just went for it and released the playthrough for “Constants // Variables” on their YouTube channel. This proved to be very effective and really helped us with getting some exposure. It would be amazing if we could get more sponsorships like this. A big up for Troy and his team.

PSAB: If you had the choice to have two musicians featured on one of your songs. Which two musicians would those be?

MA: That’s a very hard question to be honest. I think I would go for Shawn Spann the vocalist of “I, The Breather”. His vocals are just insane and would fit our music very well. The same counts for Adrian Fitipaldes, the vocalist of “Northlane”. It would be a hard choice but I think I would go for Shawn.

For the second musician I would go for Jesse Cash from Erra. I really think he’s an incredible artist. I’m not such a fan of clean vocals in heavy music, but I just love what Jesse does in Erra. He’s a big inspiration to us for sure.

PSAB: How is the metal scene in Marke, Kortrijk?

MA: The metal scene in our hometown is amazing. We really have an awesome fan base and just love playing here. Although I don’t like the Belgium metal scene in general too much. It’s almost impossible to achieve something in the heavy music industry in Belgium. We’re living in such a small country and yet the local metal scene is so divided. This works contra productive towards bands and makes a lot of bands quit eventually. But this isn’t slowing us down, we take matter into our own hands and try to change the few things we can. A new generation of metal kids is rising and they are determined to change it for the good. We’re in it for those kids and do whatever we can to build a better metal future together.

PSAB: Do you have any shout outs to give to your fans, and the readers out there?

MA: We’re down to the clichés now, but thanks a lot to everybody who was ever supported us throughout the years. Without you we would have never gotten this far. You guys are the reason why we keep doing what we do, we owe our success to you. Therefore we will never let any opportunity down to thank you or to do something back to you. 

Really, there is nothing more precious to us than our fan base! And besides this, I really want to thank every booker and promoter out there who ever worked with us. I want to thank “Pure Deathcore” for their trust in us and I want to thank “Pig Squeals and Breakdowns” for this interview. In my opinion “Pure Deathcore”, ‘Total Deathcore” and of course you guys from “Pig Squeals and Breakdowns” are the best promo pages out there! Thank you a whole lot for supporting the underground music scene!

Beheading Of A King Releases New Song Titled "Crown Fragments"

Montreal based progressive metalcore band, Beheading Of A King, dropped this new song "Crown Fragments" recently from their upcoming new album Deathrone. The album has a release of TBA, and is highly anticipated by their fans, as this is the first new album from the band since their 2011 Quasar: Preserving Legacy EP.

Reborn Divided Drops New Song "Bersekergang"

New Jersey based progressive metalcore band, Reborn Divided, released a new called "Berserkergang" from their upcoming new EP Crypt Keeper. The EP, as of this writing, has an TBA release date. This is the second song the band has released from the EP, the first being "Stigmata."

Interview with Lost Without Direction!

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Genre(s): Progressive Metalcore/Djent
Location: Ingelheim am Rhein, Germany

PSAB: Why did you choose the name "Lost Without Direction" for your band?

LWD: Because we have been "lost without direction". We founded the band and had no idea in which direction this project will go. The name really fits, we even need google maps in our hometownarea!

PSAB: You're currently working on a new EP, titled Fragile. When can we expect that EP to release?

LWD: We are going to release it this summer, the recordings are done and we are just working on a new video and some organization. An accurate date will follow in the next days /weeks

PSAB: If you had the chance to create a metal festival, which featured five bands; which five bands would those be?

LWD: For myself it would be BTBAM, Born Of Osiris, The Safety Fire, After The Burial and Periphery. But this is hard, there are too many bands i would love to see.

PSAB: What is the local metal scene like in Ingelheim am Rhein?

LWD: I would love to say that a local scene in Ingelheim really exists. Ingelheim is just a small city in the Rhein-Main area, the local scene in Mainz, Wiesbaden or Frankfurt is really nice, there are lots of people who are having fun with our music, supporting shows and also many other talented bands like "Unprocessed" from Wiesbaden.

You can visit a local Show almost every weekend. The kids are buying merch, even CD´s and are happy if there is a possibility to see their friends on stage. It´s like a big family. But unfortunately there are also many guys hating on some bands, or people who are not into anything else than Beatdown or Hardcore music and leaving the stage when a band is playing some progressive music or clean parts, what is a shame. I feel sorry for every affected band, because i know for myself how it feels.

PSAB: What one band has played the most influence on your music?

LWD: Definitely Between The Buried And Me. Their Songwriting , especially their diversity has blown me away since the first time i listened to them, but Born of Osiris are also a very big influence on our music.

PSAB: Do you have any shout outs to give to your fans?

LWD: We are grateful for every single one of you, and are happy to present our new EP "Fragile" soon. It will be on Bandcamp for "name your price" as our debut album is, so stay tuned and expect a music video and another new LP in 2015, it is already written ;)

The Day Will Come Releases New Lyric Video For Song "True Friends Stab You In The Front"

UK based progressive metalcore act, The Day Will Come, released a new lyric video earlier today for their new song "True Friends Stab You In The Front" via BeheadingTheTraitor. If you're into prog metalcore, you'll enjoy this, so check it out!

Interview with Cloudshift!

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Genre(s): Progressive Metalcore/Deathcore

Location: Nederland, Texas

PSAB: Where did the band name “Cloudshift” come from exactly?

CS: The name CloudShift came from an idea that was formed by founding member Josh Bandsma, that "We like to shift clouds and the clouds like it too." He is an expert in "Cloud Linguistics" and says he, "listened to the clouds." Members Stephen Weaver and Jacob "Earl" Harrell firmly agreed on the name.

PSAB: When can we expect your album Enthullung Der Weg to release?

CS: You can expect Enthüllung der Weg, to be released at the beginning of the Summer this year, as well as our new single "Rancor" on April, 20th.

PSAB: You're currently unsigned, if you could be signed to any record label, which label would that be and why?

CS: Any label that puts out good music that isn't a product designed by those outside of the band, is a record label worth signing under.

PSAB: What is the local metal scene like in Nederland, TX?

CS: SETX holds a growing breed of amazing musicians producing a sound that be found only in the area. The level of competency and musical dedication this area holds is at a level unseen my most of the nation's eye.

PSAB: Which bands play the most influence on your music?

CS: Such bands as Born Of Osiris, Periphery, Vildhjarta, Veil Of Maya, The Contortionist, and Knuckle Sandwich play a huge role when it comes to our influences as a band as well as individuals.

PSAB: Do you have any shout outs to give to your fans?

CS: Shouts out to Adam Fontenet, Jose Campos, Jarrod Talbot, Peter Smith, Caleb Hyatt, CoreToTheCore, Youth Decay Creations, and everyone whos ever been out to support us.

The Afterimage releases new song "O N Y X" that features Eric of AURAS

Canadian progressive metalcore band, The Afterimage, released a new song yesterday at around 9PM titled "O N Y X." The song features vocalist Eric Almedia of progressive metalcore act AURAS. The song was to be released when one of The Afterimage's Facebook statuses reached 1,000 likes. However, the band was generous and released it without meeting that goal.

This song has a lot of variety in the instrumentals, and diversity in the vocals. If you're one of those "screams only" people, then you'll want to steer away from this song. Either way, this song is awesome.

The Room Colored Charlatan releases new song "Questions of Origin"

Earlier today, progressive metalcore/groove band, The Room Colored Charlatan released a new lyric video for a new song titled "Questions of Origin." The song is taken from their upcoming album Primitives, which they have also announced will release May 25, 2014 through their label, Subliminal Groove Records. Pre-orders are not out yet (as of this writing), but when they are, they will be through the links provided below.

PREORDER (Physical)
PREORDER (Digital)

Interview with Fraktions!

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Genre(s): Progressive Metalcore

Location: Southampton, UK

PSAB: Why did you choose the name "Fraktions" for your band?

FT: When we started out about a year and a half ago, we used to be called 'Talllon' but the 3 'l's caused a lot of confusion with the pronunciation so we decided to change it. After a lot of brainstorming we agreed to rename ourselves FRAKTIONS to fit the increasingly technical material we are currently working on. It also ticks the one word plural box which we like the sound of.

PSAB: How was the feedback for your moderately new EP Momentum?

FT: It's been really positive. After slaving over it for months we're delighted with the final product, especially the production. It was produced by Richard Gibson who did a fantastic job considering the small time frame we gave him. We're waiting on a couple of reviews at the moment so keep an eye out for them.

PSAB: If you had the choice to sign to any label, which label would that be and why?

FT: That's a tough one! I guess Basick Records because they have a stunningly progressive roster and we'd love to be on a British Metal label that really values musicianship, creativity and groove. The idea of playing gigs with bands like Skyharbor, Uneven Structure and No Consequence tingles our djentacles! To sign to Sumerian Records or Subliminal Groove Records would also be awesome.

PSAB: How is the local metal scene in Southampton, UK?

FT: It's pretty good for a the size of the city. Advanced Promotions always seem to pull big metal acts to Southampton. Recently we've had lots of successful modern metal acts such as Thy Art Is Murder, Heart of a Coward, Architects, Northlane and Stray From The Path all play here. Born of Osiris are coming to Southampton soon as well. There's a few venues that are happy to put on metal nights every now and again such as Joiners, Talking Heads and Avondale House. Last year we were able to support Circles (Basick Records) on the album release show of their UK tour in Southampton which was incredible. However generally speaking, it is tough to get noticed and on some of the bigger bills with the internationally touring metal bands unless you have management or a label.

PSAB: Which bands play the most influence on your music?

FT: When I created the band, my main aim was to combine the impact of techy metalcore riffs with progressive elements and the djent riffing style. So basically a fusion of August Burns Red, Misery Signals and Architects with bands like Periphery, Monuments and TesseracT with a hint of the ambient alternative metal of Deftones. Another huge influence on my writing style are Between the Buried and Me. The way they effortlessly switch genres is something I wanted to incorporate into our music. We have a cheeky jazzy/swing section in the middle of our song 'Parachutes Are Overrated' which is inspired by BTBAM's 'Prequel to the Sequel' off 'Colors'. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cn5xKJFl7NE (5:15)

PSAB: Do you have any shout outs to give to the readers out there?

FT: I'd like to give a shout out to our friends in 'A Formal Horse' and 'Ariyah' two awesome bands who supported us at our EP launch gig on the 23rd Feb. I'd also like to thank everyone that's supported us so far and especially to those people who have bought an EP! To anyone who hasn't heard of us before if you like the sound of it you can listen to our EP for free here: http://fraktions.bandcamp.com/ Cheers for the interview Micah.

Interview with Pangaea!

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Genre(s): Progressive Metalcore

Location: Wisconsin

PSAB: What does the band name "Pangaea" mean exactly?

PG: Pangaea is the supercontinent that formed around 300 million years ago. All of the continents today were once all connected as one giant land mass. Due to continental drift we have the continents in their current locations. The name Pangaea is derived from Ancient Greek with PAN meaning “entire”, and GAIA meaning “Mother Earth.”

PSAB: How has the feedback been for your recently released EP Unified?

PG: The feedback so far has been overwhelmingly positive. We are humbled by all of the kind words we have received so far from people who have downloaded Unified and from those who have seen us live.

PSAB: If you could share the stage with any band, which band would it be and why?

PG: Between the Buried and Me. It would be a huge honor since they've been playing for so many years in a style that is truly their own. They have never conformed or stopped creating music that is meaningful to them.

PSAB: What are your plans for this upcoming summer? Tour? Record?

PG: We have a couple of tours in the works for this spring/summer. We are heading to the east coast with our Wisconsin brothers in Ocellus in May. Keep an eye open on our Facebook page for the tour dates. No plans to record at the moment with Unified just coming out but we are always writing new music.

PSAB: Which bands play the most influence on your music?

PG: The Contortionist, Sikth, Veil of Maya, Mastodon, and Between the Buried and Me to name a few.

PSAB: Do you have any shout outs to give to the readers out there?

PG: We would just like to thank everyone who has taken the time to listen to our music, see us play live, read this interview, and picked up merch. Some people have even sent donations while downloading our EP (which is free on our Bandcamp). We can’t thank them enough for that. Also, all of the bands we’ve had the chance to share the stage with have been awesome. No egos, no BS, just local bands that support each other. We definitely want to give our dudes in Ocellus a shout out for taking us on the road this May! And thank you, Micah, for supporting us and doing this interview!

Volumes' new album cover and release of new album unofficially releases

This is currently still a rumor and it has not been confirmed by the band or their label; however, is it believed that this is the new album cover for Volumes' upcoming new album. Also, the title of the new album (also rumor) is No Sleep. Even though this is unofficial, it is nice to see some news about Volumes' new music, because they have been pretty quiet about it since the release of their song "Vahle."

It is also rumored the release date of this album will be June 17, 2014. If true, this is upsetting as a Volumes fan, because the band has changed the release date of their album over the course of six months twice thus far. Originally it was to release late Winter in 2014, but it was changed mid-Winter to late Spring in 2014. If the release date is actually true, on the positive side, I am glad to know there is an actual, official, release date.

Bermuda announces new guitarist

California based metalcore/hardcore band, Bermuda, announced today that they have recruited a new guitarist named Mike Gianelli. He is also apart another band called Dissipate. This was announced via their Facebook page, and here's the full announcement,

"Ladies and gentlemen , we are very excited to announce the addition of MIKE GIANELLI to the Bermuda family ! Mike is an amazing guitarist, and a helluva great guy! Go check out his YouTube channel for a taste of what he can do, and give his other band Dissipate a listen and buy their " tectonics " ep! 

 

See you all soon!  

 

Bermuda"

Through Lifeless Eyes - Monsters In Every Man [REVIEW]

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Listen / Name Your Price (via Bandcamp)

Genre(s): Melodic/Progressive/Metalcore/Deathcore

Monsters In Every Man is Through Lifeless Eyes' debut album which was released in January of this year. The album consists of 12 songs and roughly is 40 minutes in length. Through Lifeless Eyes provides a few different types of metalcore throughout the album, like progressive and melodic. Also, in some parts, they completely go over the line into sounding deathcore. The variety they bring to the table within this album is something I really enjoy.

The fifth song is "Apophis" and it has a steady, and sometimes upbeat, pace. The song's instrumentals transition between being melodic, progressive, and guitar chuggy. It sometimes transitions from metalcore to deathcore, this can be heard the most near the end of the song. The vocals keep to the three main types of screams; high, mid, and low. The mid scream is used the most, the high scream is heard in well placed portions of the song, and the low screams are mainly heard near the end of the song. Overall, the transitions between different types of sounds and sometimes genres are well done, and if you had to listen to only one song from this album, this should be it.

"Destroyer of Worlds" is the ninth song and it has an upbeat, and mostly fast, pace. Instrumentally it sticks to guitar chugging and progressive sounds. Like the previous song, Through Lifeless Eyes transitions from metalcore to deathcore in some parts of the song, more heard in the beginning of the song. The same type of vocals are used in this song as they were in "Apophis" with the exception that Jon uses more low screams in this song. 

Monsters In Every Man is well worth the 'name your price' price tag with the variety it brings to the table with every song, and it having 12 songs alone is worth the purchase. This album is one of those good albums that may got unnoticed by the masses, and only a selected few who went out there way to find it will really enjoy it. Definitely give this album a listen and a purchase if you're into variety in your metalcore.

Score: 4/5

Sean Hall releases new album Chariots of Fire

One-man band, Sean Hall, released a new album recently titled Chariots of Fire. Unlike his previous albums, this album has vocals that are done by Matt Turkington. It isn't really a two-man band, it is just Sean Hall's instrumentals used with Matt Turkington's vocals. Either way, if you're into progressive metal, or djent, definitely give this album a listen and purchase it on Sean Hall's Bandcamp!

New Structures song "Life Through A Window" releases

A new song by Structures titled "Life Through A Window" released sometime yesterday through YouTube. The song is taken from the Sumerian Records' Winter Sampler, which can be obtained through purchasing the Rock Sound Magazine. It could be considered an unofficial release, because it hasn't been released via Sumerian Records or the band. Anyway, the song is pretty solid, but I still enjoy their previous work on the album Divided By. Give this song a go!

Edit: So... it seams Sumerian Records jumped on the leaked song and have had it taken down all over YouTube. I guess we will wait until an official release from the band or the label. Sorry guys!

Shores releases full EP stream of their new EP Life/Lost

Progressive metalcore band, Shores, released a full EP stream of their upcoming new EP Life/Lost yesterday. So check it out in its full form before picking it up! The EP is set to release officially on February 26, 2014 via Bandcamp. You can pre-order below!

PREORDER

Solo act, Our Dying Dreams, releases new song "Selfish"

One man instrumental band, Our Dying Dreams, released a new song earlier today called 'Selfish.' It is taken from his upcoming EP, which doesn't have a set release date or title as of right now. If you're into instrumental/djent bands, give this a go!

Shokran releases preview to new album Supreme Truth

Earlier today, djent band Shokran, releases a preview video for their upcoming new alum Supreme Truth. The album is set to release February 22, 2014. There is currently no pre-orders up for the album, so be on the look out for that. This album is their second new album, Sixth Sense being their first release. If you're into progressive metalcore, or djent, you will enjoy Shokran.