Art Of Dying release album pre orders as well as lyric video

Art Of Dying release album pre orders as well as lyric video

Vancouver’s hard-rock icons ART OF DYING are set to release a new studio album, “Armageddon”, on the 4th October 2019. The album will be preceded by a new title track single taken from the album

The Art Of Dying story starts with their talismanic front man Jonny Hetherington. From hours busking on the corners of frozen streets to gatecrashing some of North America’s biggest venues, to writing and recording records of truly earth-shattering proportions, the trajectory of the quartet’s career has astonished both fans and industry insiders alike.

ART OF DYING have been able to create muscular, vivacious hard-rock bursting with lung-shattering choruses and a sincerity that is impossible to fake. Equally at home with a lead-fingered riff or a deft slow-burner, there is an ease of breadth in AOD’s repertoire.

“I was blown away when I first heard their independent record,” enthuses DISTURBED guitarist Dan Donegan. “I lived with it for quite a while and I was so impressed with the quality of the songwriting that I had a feeling there was something special going on. David (DISTURBED vocalist David Draiman) and I had been looking for someone to sign to our imprint for a while, but I wanted to make sure the guys could do it live – it’s hard to find a band that are the complete package these days. So, we invited them out on a DISTURBED tour of America, we really threw them in the deep end!”

The band introduced guitarist Tavis Stanley and bassist Cale Gontier to their ranks on the eve of the run with DISTURBED – the quartet playing onstage together for the very first time during the soundcheck of the opening show of the tour. But suddenly, everything clicked. “The moment I knew that we had it right was when our voices started harmonizing,” says Hetherington, of the band’s now-trademark three-way vocals for which David Draiman has dubbed them “Eagles in Chains” referencing a blend of 70s supergroup The Eagles and 90s grunge rockers Alice In Chains.

Now, with two critically-acclaimed and widely-played major label releases under their belts, Art Of Dying are returning with Full Length Album “Armageddon”, their most imperious effort to date. “It’s a dark record.” Says Jonny. “Even the cover art (featuring NYC artist Stefano Losi’s painting of Pharaoh Thutmose III) is inspired by the album title. Thutmose lead the historic battle in Megiddo, (aka Armageddon) the first war in history where proper records were kept and a body count was taken.”

Themes like “No One Ever Wins”, “Dark Days” and “Unoriginal” take the listener down to visit the depths of the deep end. But no Art of Dying record would be complete without the inspirational balance of spine-tingling anthems like new single “Armageddon”, “Cut It All Away” and “ShatterProof”.

Of first single “Armageddon” Jonny Hetherington says, “Life sucks. Life is beautiful. Writing Armageddon got me through a tough time and helped shake a few of the demons off my back. If you feel like your world is caving in, like you’re trapped in your own personal Armageddon, I hope you will find the strength to get out.”

If ARMAGEDDON is about one thing above all else it is a study on the power of human will and the uplifting capacity of one’s own self belief. This is rip-snorting rock ’n’ roll that will smash your self-doubt into a million pieces.

 

“Armageddon” is released through Get A Grip on the 4th October 2019. The new album is available to preorder now, including a limited transparent red vinyl pressing:
Here​

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Black Star Riders – Another state Of Grace (Nuclear Blast Records)

Black Star Riders – Another state Of Grace (Nuclear Blast Records)

I’ve been a huge fan of Ricky Warwick for a long time and have enjoyed whatever music he has put out whether it’s the loud punk-metal of The Almighty or his storytelling solo albums and what we now come to know the great rock’n’roll of the Black Star Riders.

On the first trio of the Black Star riders albums, the songs have been largely co-written by Ricky and guitarists Damon Johnson and the legend that is guitar slinger Scott Gorham.

So it was a surprise when it was let known that Damon Johnson was moving on to pastures new and that the vacant guitar player slot was being filled by Christian Matrucci who is guitarist of Stone Sour and also to my delight I have discovered he has had various bands of his own over the years which I have found too have released top draw music but the question is  would he gell with Black Star Riders.

Fear, not Christian has not only fitted in but the music is all the better for it.

Starting off this new album titled “Another State Of Grace” we have the track “Tonight The Moonlight Let Me Down” and immediately the ears are treated to a great guitar riff and Ricky’s trademark gruff vocal. Scott and Christian’s guitar mesh together beautifully to create a great rock’n’roll sound and we even have some saxophone added into the mix which fits in perfectly.

On track two we get the song “Another State Of Grace” which was the first song to be released as a single and this song has a big Celtic sound to it with a backing chant of “hey” being shouted which really makes the track stand out.

Up next we have “Ain’t The End Of The World” which is the second single to be released and this track has what I would call the classic Thin Lizzy sound with Scott Gorham’s trademark guitar all over it yet has a freshness that while takes you back to the glory days of Thin Lizzy it also shows how the Black star riders are very much their own band with their own identity.

“Underneath The Afterglow” starts off with a great classic rock guitar riff with a great vocal by Ricky and what strikes me is how Christian’s backing vocals go together so well with Ricky’s that you would think they have been in a band together for years.

“Soldier In The Ghetto” is up next and this track adds a funky intro before relaxing back into a great Black Star riders chorus and shows a band that’s not afraid to mix things up a bit but when they do they do it well.

“Why Do You Love Your Guns” slows the pace down a bit with a beautifully crafted acoustic guitar intro before a crunchy electric guitar riff is introduced to build the song up and a great passionate vocal by Ricky makes this track another winner.

Next up we have “Standing In The Line Of Fire” and this track picks the pace back up with some pounding drums and driving bass and a shredding guitar solo that makes this a great rock song.

“What Will It Take?” is another track which features acoustic guitar mixed with electric to add to a song with great harmonies. Also, we have some great female backing vocals which yet again add another dimension to the Black star riders sound.

“In The Shadow Of The War Machine” is a awesome rocker of a track with some real biting guitar and lyrics that describe the troubled times we are living in yet even though this is a serious song it still has the great harmonies and an uplifting chorus that I hope to hear live on the upcoming tour.

Finishing off the album is the track “Poisoned Heart” and this is how an album should be finished off and that is with style with Ricky’s soaring vocals backed with great backing vocals from Christian and great all-round work from the rest of the band making sure this album goes out with a bang.

Overall words are hard to describe how great this album is because every song on here is a sure-fire crowd-pleaser with no weak tracks or filler to be heard anywhere.

This is a great album that on repeated listens is an album that will keep on giving and in this reviewer’s opinion is Black Star Riders finest work to date.

Buy ‘Another State Of Grace’ Here

Author: Gareth ‘Hotshot’ Hooper

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The Fallen State Announce UK Headline Tour & New Studio Album

The Fallen State Announce UK Headline Tour & New Studio Album

British rising stars The Fallen State are thrilled to announce their headline UK tour in October 2019.

The Fallen State is one of the most exciting British rock acts to emerge in recent years and this tour will celebrate the band’s new studio album “A Deadset Endeavour”, which was released earlier this year through Last Man Music.

“A Deadset Endeavour” is the perfect showcase for the UK five-piece rock act – a band with a mutual love for powerful, anthemic and beautifully executed rock. The Fallen State’s soundscape blends grooving and ruthless rhythms courtesy of drummer Rich Walker and bassist Greg Butler with the exuberant and soulful voice of singer Ben Stenning, the artful emotive phrasing of lead six-stringer Jon Price and a Dan Oke inspired harmonic wall of warm, contemporary rock guitars. From the powerful opening salvo of “Statements” to the driving rhythms of “Open Wound” to the heavy brutal riffing of “Torn”, “A Deadset Endeavour” is a stunning statement of a band at the very top of their game.

The band supported Pop Evil across Germany, France, UK and Holland in February and March 2019, having previously toured with the likes of Black Stone Cherry, Tremonti, US Grammy winners Halestorm, 3 Doors Down, Puddle Of Mudd and fellow UK rockers Young Guns and Heavens Basement.

The UK forthcoming festival dates and headline shows are as follows:

UK Tour Dates:
Sun 21st July 2019 – Ramblin’ Man Fair Festival
Fri 18th October 2019 – Barnstaple, The Factory
Sat 19th October 2019 – London, 229 The Venue
Sun 20th October 2019 – Plymouth, Underground
Mon 21st October 2019 – Bristol, Exchange
Tue 22nd October 2019 – Birmingham, O2 Academy 3
Wed 23rd October 2019 – Oxford, O2 Academy 2
Thu 24th October 2019 – Manchester, Rebellion
Fri 25th October 2019 – Newcastle, Think Tank
Sun 27th October 2019 – Nottingham, Alberts
Mon 28th October 2019 – Bournemouth, The Anvil

Since forming in 2013, The Fallen State have developed a fearsome live reputation by selling out shows with their modern, incisive and inspiring performances allied to their prolific output of five skillfully crafted EPs (“I,II,III”, “Crown Your Shadows” and “The View from Ruin”). The Fallen State’s critically acclaimed single “Nova” (featuring Chris Robertson from Black Stone Cherry and released in Christmas 2017) was a huge hit.  The “Nova” single has had over 3 million views across socials.

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