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RIVERS OF NIHIL To Release Self-Titled Fifth Full-Length May 30th On Metal Blade Records
New Video/Single “House Of Light” Now Playing
“I feel like these songs are the perfect blend of all our albums, with all the fat cut away,” says founding guitarist Brody Uttley. “There are more technical songs that call back to The Conscious Seed Of Light and Monarchy sound, but with a more mature understanding of how to pace a song. There’s a fair bit of the Where Owls Know My Name and The Work-type experimental stuff, but with a more refreshed perspective on those styles for the current era of the band.”
On June 15th, 2023, the band released a new single, “The Sub-Orbital Blues,” the first track with Biggs handling lead vocals following the 2022 departure of singer Jake Dieffenbach. It was also the first track to feature Thomas. A second single, “Hellbirds,” dropped on October 19th of that year. On April 29th, 2024, the band released the cut “Criminals” and an accompanying music video. Both “Criminals” and “The Sub-Orbital Blues” appear on Rivers Of Nihil.
The new album’s first single of 2025, “House Of Light,” is a track that “encapsulates the nature of what it is that we do perfectly while offering a different perspective on the sound with the new lineup,” explains founding member/guitarist Brody Uttley, who also plays piano and does the programming in the band. “Everything that our fans have come to love about our sound is demonstrated in this song with the new addition of Andy singing and Biggs on main vocals. It has the riffs, it has the big chorus, it has the prog, it has the solos, it has the sax. Just a real classic example of what we do as a band in 2025.”
Rivers Of Nihil also showcases additional musicians, including Patrick Corona on alto saxophone, Stephan Lopez on banjo, McFarland on cello, and a slate of other guest vocalists. Despite the fresh approach on Rivers Of Nihil however, the album fits neatly into the band’s discography. With Where Owls Know My Name (2018), RIVERS OF NIHIL transcended all labels applied to them, and with its 2021 follow-up, The Work, they forged further into new territory with Metal Injection calling the latter album “the group’s most cohesive, ambitious, meditative, and varied effort, with greater uses of philosophical significance and transcendental respites.”
Later this month, RIVERS OF NIHIL will kick off their Aggressive Progressive EU/UK headlining tour with support from Cynic, Beyond Creation and labelmates, Dååth. In May, the band will return to North American stages for another month-long headliner with support provided by Holy Fawn, Inter Arma, and Glacial Tomb. Tickets and VIP packages are available now at https://ron.soundrink.com. See all confirmed dates below.
RIVERS OF NIHIL w/ Cynic, Beyond Creation, Dååth:
2/28/2025 Essigfabrik – Köln, DE
3/01/2025 Zappa – Antwerp, BE
3/02/2025 La Machine – Paris, FR
3/04/2025 Slay – Glasgow, GB
3/05/2025 Academy – Dublin, IE
3/06/2025 The Fleece- Bristol, GB
3/07/2025 Engine Rooms – Southampton, GB
3/08/2025 Club Academy – Manchester, GB
3/09/2025 Electric Ballroom – London, GB
3/10/2025 XOYO – Birmingham, GB
3/12/2025 Patronaat – Haarlem, NL
3/13/2025 Gruenspan – Hamburg, DE
3/14/2025 Fryshuset Klubben – Stockholm, SE
3/16/2025 Tavastia – Helsinki, FI
3/18/2025 John Dee – Oslo, NO
3/19/2025 Pumpehuset – Copenhagen, DK
3/21/2025 Proxima – Warsaw, PL
3/22/2025 Columbia Theater – Berlin, DE
3/23/2025 Z-Bau – Nürnberg, DE
3/24/2025 Flex – Wien, AT
3/25/2025 Dürer Kert – Budapest, HU
3/26/2025 Backstage – München, DE
3/27/2025 Slaughter Club – Milan, IT
3/28/2025 Kiff – Aarau, CH
3/29/2025 Substage – Karlsruhe, DE
ALIEN WEAPONRY Takes Aim at Social Media on New Single “1000 Friends”
| “Alien Weaponry are back with a vengeance…” – Revolver Magazine New Zealand modern groove metal trio ALIEN WEAPONRY recently announced their heaviest, most powerful and mature offering to date, Te Rā, out March 28, 2025 via Napalm Records. In the hands of veteran producer/mixer Josh Wilbur (Lamb Of God, Gojira, Megadeth) and featuring a guest vocal appearance from longtime ALIEN WEAPONRY champion Randy Blythe of Lamb Of God, Te Rā’s gnashing blend of groove, nu, math and thrash metal shines with anthemic choruses and refreshed technical skill. Today, following the release of the album’s acclaimed first single, “Mau Moko” – a track Revolver, Metal Hammer, Heavy Consequence and others dubbed as one of the best new metal tracks upon release – the band returns again with second single, “1000 Friends”. Warning of the looming societal division and hidden dangers created by social media dependency, the track premieres alongside a brand new music video. Frontman Lewis Raharuhi de Jong says about “1000 Friends”: “‘1000 Friends’ encapsulates the shifting way we socialize today, and the impact it has on the human psyche. We can often feel disconnected from the outside world. The human mind wasn’t built to comprehend the world we are currently living in.” |
| Watch the official music video for “1000 Friends” here: |
ALIEN WEAPONRY have solidified themselves as one of the greatest young metal bands of their generation with renewed musical tenacity and crucial messaging. Since releasing their acclaimed debut Tū (2018), the band have been lauded for their kinetic presence and sound, as well as their vital blend of culturally profound lyricism in both English and te reo Māori, the indigenous language of New Zealand.
With their third full-length album, ALIEN WEAPONRY expand on their hallmark messages of cultural, societal and environmental resilience while delivering their most massive-sounding, focused musical output ever. Te Rā is a bold, unwavering cry for a future in which we can all take part in the legacy of peoples like the Māori and others all around us – people who, if they aren’t seen, most certainly need to be heard! Taken as a whole, Te Rā grapples with what it’s like to be caught in the pull of divergent cultures – not just for the descendants of colonized people, but for all of us.
On Te Rā, listeners can hear the band doubling-down on the aggression in the verses before applying temperance, especially in the case of “Taniwha”, a death metal-leaning banger featuring the particularly raw aforementioned guest vocal from Randy Blythe. Lyrically, there’s a noticeable tilt towards despondency, hopelessness, and frustration on Te Rā. While bassist Tūranga Porowini Morgan-Edmonds’ lyrics in Māori on songs like “Tama-nui-te-rā” and “Ponaturi” draw from the themes of history, battle lore and mysticism that made the first two albums so rich, frontman/guitarist Lewis Raharuhi de Jong’s English-language lyrics illustrate the impact when culture collides with disenfranchisement day to day. “Crown” and “Hanging by a Thread” take us into the headspace where struggle pushes people to the brink of desperation, while on “Blackened Sky” and “1000 Friends”, Lewis addresses universal woes like the looming threat of World War III and the damaging effects of social media. On album closer “Te Kore”, Tūranga dives into primordial nothingness at the root of the Māori origin story, while on “Mau Moko”, he finds the middle ground between these perspectives. As the lyrics honor the traditional Māori practice of face tattooing, they also delve into the social costs of maintaining customs that are at-odds with dominant cultural norms.
Te Rā track listing:
1. Crown
2. Mau Moko
3. 1000 Friends
4. Hanging by a Thread
5. Tama-nui-te-rā
6. Myself to Blame
7. Taniwha (feat. Randy Blythe)
8. Blackened Sky
9. Te Riri o Tāwhirimātea
10. Ponaturi
11. Te Kore
ALIEN WEAPONRY are currently making waves in North America, on tour with metal icon Kerry King! After the tour, the band will headline a home country run of New Zealand. See below for all currently confirmed tour dates.
Remaining dates – ALIEN WEAPONRY supporting Kerry King in North America:
w/ special guests Municipal Waste
02/19/25: Mesa, AZ @ Nile Theater
02/21/25: Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda
02/22/25: Las Vegas, NV @ HOB Vegas
ALIEN WEAPONRY Headlining New Zealand:
03/14/25: Kirikiriroa (Hamilton, NZ) @ Factory
03/15/25: Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington, NZ) @ Jim Beam Homegrown
03/20/25: Ngāmotu (New Plymouth, NZ) @ TSB Showplace
03/21/25: Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland, NZ) @ Powerstation
03/22/25: Ōtautahi (Christchurch, NZ) @ James Hay Theatre
03/23/25: Tāhuna (Queenstown, NZ) @ AJ Hackett Kawarau Bungy Centre
ALIEN WEAPONRY is:
Henry Te Reiwhati de Jong – Drums, Backing vocals
Lewis Raharuhi de Jong – Guitars, Lead vocals
Tūranga Porowini Morgan-Edmonds – Bass, Backing vocals
Sludge/Post-Metal Discovery TranscomaR Drops Dictatorship (Lyric Video)
| Bochum’s sludge/post-metal duo TranscomaR is back with a powerful lyric video for “Dictatorship”. The track, taken from their album The Sea of Trees, offers fans a brutal critique of society through raw and visceral sound. |
| Dictatorship” dissects the human condition under oppressive systems, exploring themes of greed, addiction, and societal decay. The band’s unique blend of sludge and post-metal seethes with tension, delivering a heavy-hitting anthem that amplifies despair and rage with an unflinching intensity. Lyrically and sonically, the track captures humanity’s relentless self-destructive spiral and the cycles of suffering we seem unable to break free from. |
TranscomaR is a two-piece band from Bochum, Germany, formed by friends Ramin and Tobias in 2018. They initially met through a mutual friend while living in an alternative house community, where Ramin often joined Tobias’ punk band to jam. Over time, their shared passion for music led them to form their band. After playing on local stages and facing pandemic restrictions, they recorded their debut album, The Sea of Trees, in 2022, which was released a year later on Bandcamp. Their sound blends grunge, sludge, and post-metal, featuring heavy, down-tuned guitars, intense shouting, and occasional noise storms.
Desu Taem – Ripped In Two
Desu Taem – What Am I To You?
Last Call Disaster – Silhouette
German Dark Metal Pioneers NACHTBLUT Release New Single “Das Leben der Anderen” + Official Music Video
Today, German dark metal masters NACHTBLUT have released their gloomy third single “Das Leben der Anderen” [Eng: The Lives of Others], cut from their upcoming seventh studio album Todschick [Eng: Dead chic], out this Friday via Napalm Records.
In the age of social media, this sentiment is more relevant than ever. The melancholic track “Das Leben der Anderen” captures a deep sense of loneliness and isolation, reflecting the all-too-common feeling of being left behind while everyone else seems to be thriving. Underlined by Askeroth’s guttural screams and explosive synths, this offering elevates their sound to new heights as the band prepares to showcase this and more Todschick tracks on tour, starting this Friday!
NACHTBLUT on their new single “Das Leben der Anderen”:
“When was the last time you scrolled through social networks for hours? From one perfectly staged vacation photo to the next, from faces distorted by filters that warp our beauty standards. And have you ever asked yourself: Why is everyone so flawless and seemingly living an exciting life – except for me? If so, this song is for you.”
“A great album that captures the feeling of early 80s goth rock, romance and EBM in a new way.” – Sweden Rock (SE)
Check out the official music video for “Das Leben der Anderen”
Following their successful album Vanitas (2020), which reached number 19 in the official German album charts, the quartet is expanding its sound with a multi-faceted mix of stylistic elements and synthesizer sounds that pay homage to the 80s, among other influences. Produced by Chris Harms (Lord of the Lost), the album will also be released in an exclusive wooden box set with a bonus CD containing seven additional tracks and exciting collaborations with scene greats.
Meanwhile, the dark, new-wave-synth track “Manchmal kommen sie wieder” explores the eternal cycles of creation, destruction and war. Tracks like “Kinder des Zorns” invite headbanging with especially hard riffs and tempo. With “Schneller als der Tod,” the band ventures into entirely new musical territory, seamlessly merging epic wild west elements with the powerful sounds of dark metal. Energetic melodies blend perfectly with Askeroth’s characteristic vocals, creating a unique atmosphere that brings the album to a striking conclusion, offering an unexpected musical twist.
With Todschick, NACHTBLUT not only masterfully enriches dark metal with captivating, genre-spanning sounds that set new accents, but also addresses contemporary societal issues, striking a chord with the times. This new masterpiece is an invitation to view the dark beauty of life and its challenges in a new light, and to join the band on their 2025 headline tour to experience it live!
[Photo Credit: Andreas Schieler]
WEDNESDAY 13 Announces 10th Studio Album “Mid Death Crisis” + Drops Scandalous New Music Video
Watch the Scandalous Music Video for New Single “When The Devil Commands”
After returning in 2022 with his widely-acclaimed full-length album Horrifier (#8 US Top New Artist Albums), as well as several major tours supporting his solo work and celebrated Murderdolls reunion shows, world-renowned fearsome frontman WEDNESDAY 13 is back with another slew of harbingers of horror to slay the masses. His new full-length album, Mid Death Crisis, is set to drop on April 25, 2025 via Napalm Records.
The Duke of Spook himself dubs the album as a fun, campy, “leave-your-brain-at-the-door” ragerand a true return to his hard-rocking roots! Produced by guitarist Alex Kane (Life, Sex & Death, Enuff Z’Nuff, Antiproduct) and mixed by Steve Evetts (The Dillinger Escape Plan, Prong, DevilDriver) the album oozes infectious 80s sleaze metal energy, further accented by a blitzing guest vocal from Faster Pussycat’s Taime Downe.
WEDNESDAY 13 has unveiled the album’s first single, the ultra-catchy “When The Devil Commands”, and its equally raucous, blasphemous new music video. The track stuns with an unforgettable hook, charging arena rock-laden drum production and chugging guitars.
WEDNESDAY 13 comments:
“Growing up in the 80s, I remember the satanic panic of heavy metal music and parents’ concern over what their kids were listening to. My mother was constantly checking my cassettes and making sure I wasn’t possessed by the devil. Most of the music that I listened to never had any of those themes, but they were just accused of it. So when writing the lyrics to this song, I wrote what I thought would terrify my mother if she had stumbled upon this music. I wanted the lyrics to be upfront and leave no question as to what they were about… the Devil. This song is done in a fun spirit, and we don’t plan on burning any churches in the future.”
Eerie introductory track “There’s No Such Thing As Monsters” vibrates with electricity before industrial-tinged “Decease and Desist” kicks in full blast. WEDNESDAY 13’s trademark crooning wastes no time entering the fold as he careens through the high-octane horror anthem, before tracks like “Rotting Away” and “Blood Storm” ensnare with metallic goth-punk energy that will have crowds moving wall to wall. Featuring Faster Pussycat’s Taime Downe on guest vocals, standout heavy rocker “No Apologies” is a fast-romping exorcism of toxic demons, while the triumphant mini-murder ballad “Decapitation” riles up listeners with a catchy lead riff before making a hard left into a theatrical bridge straight out of a sinister 60s sock hop! Ragers like “In Misery”, “Xanaxtasy” and “Sick and Violent” explore various genres of metal, injecting the album with elements of gripping heaviness for any listener, while downtempo stunners “I Hurt You” and “My Funeral” approach a more pensive territory.
Although its title, Mid Death Crisis,may suggest otherwise, the Duke of Spook shows zero signs of stopping on this refreshingly powerful and multi-faceted entry into the WEDNESDAY 13 hall of horrific history!
Metal Planet Media 