Latest Articles

• One Man Band From Patrick Loisel (AUGURY) - MERFOLK Unveils Remastered EP "Demersal" with Haunting New Video "Mind Hive"

  Sep 3, 2025 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  The enigmatic solo project Merfolk, helmed by Patrick Loisel (Augury), returns with a remastered edition of the cult 2012 EP "Demersal," accompanied by a surreal new music video for the track “Mind Hive.” Entirely conceived, performed, filmed, and edited by one man, known for his work with Augury, Kralized, and Foreshadow, Merfolk is a sonic and visual odyssey unlike anything else in the metal underground.
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  ​“Mind Hive” is the third and final video from "Demersal," a record that blends whistled melodies, vintage keyboards, and furious metal instrumentation into a ghoulish, genre-defying experience. The video, like its predecessors, features handcrafted puppets, practical effects, and a visual style that evokes the psychedelic climax of 2001: A Space Odyssey, all built and filmed solo in total darkness, often with props collapsing mid-shot.
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  ​“I built the studio, the instruments, the puppets, about 50 of them, and filmed everything myself. It was easier than trying to coordinate with someone at 3 AM when inspiration strikes,” says Patrick Loisel, aka Merfolk.

  
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  ​"Demersal" is a sonic dive into the abyss, inspired by supernatural aquatic phenomena, UFOs, and lost civilizations. The interlude “Doggerland” features a harp once owned by singer/historian Peter Pringle, while the EP’s eerie textures range from 70s manga soundtracks to black metal and free jazz. The remaster brings new clarity to its murky depths, while preserving the unsettling ambiance fans have come to love.
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  ​Merfolk’s creator, an adopted child of Native ancestry, former physics teacher, patent historian, and lifelong ecologist, has overcome degenerative arthritis through physiotherapy and weight loss, and now channels his eclectic life into music that’s as furious as it is thoughtful.
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  ​“Some people thought my drums were programmed. “I’m in my 50s, it’s not my main instrument, but I played every note,” adds Loisel.
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  The "Demersal" remaster is available now on all major platforms - https://artists.landr.com/990591563315​

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  Merfolk’s 2025 album "Sundaland" (released May 26th) promises even more ambitious storytelling, classical instrumentation, and psychedelic visuals, including a video filmed in the depths of Montreal’s Lachine Canal set for release in the coming weeks.

  "Sundaland" available at https://artists.landr.com/990591564626​
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  For fans of Emperor, Mayhem, Hollenthon, Mercyful Fate, and the weirdest corners of 70s music, Merfolk offers a blastier blast and a spookier spook—no backup tracks, no compromises, just one man and his abyss.

  More info: https://www.melogy.ca/merfolk | https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553443841461

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• Fusing Brazilian Soul and Heavy Metal Guitar Virtuoso GLAUBER OLIVEIRA (Caravellus, Dark Avenger) Unveils Debut Solo Single “LORE”

  Aug 29, 2025 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  Renowned Brazilian guitarist and producer Glauber Oliveira steps into the spotlight with the release of his long-awaited solo instrumental single, "LORE," available worldwide on August 29th, 2025. Known for his groundbreaking work with progressive metal bands Caravellus and Dark Avenger, Oliveira now channels decades of musical exploration into a bold new chapter, one that blends the ancestral rhythms of Brazil with the intensity and precision of modern metal.

  
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  ​"LORE" is more than a song; it’s a statement. Drawing from the Maracatu rhythm of northeastern Brazil, Oliveira crafts a track that pulses with melodic complexity, emotional depth, and technical brilliance. The single’s artwork, featuring a raven with glowing red eyes emerging from a twilight blaze, mirrors the music’s mystical and introspective tone, a union of ancient wisdom and contemporary fire.
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  ​“This is a chance to bring what I carry in my soul to life. LORE is a song with beautiful melodies and a lot of feeling, combined with technique. It’s the beginning of a journey I’ve dreamed of for years,” says Oliveira.
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  Breaking from traditional album release formats, Oliveira is launching his solo career with a unique audiovisual strategy: one single every six months, each paired with an official music video, playthroughs, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive merchandise. This immersive approach reflects his deep commitment to craft and connection.

  With international releases under his belt and a reputation for musical excellence, Oliveira’s solo work marks a return to his roots and a leap forward. Influenced by legends like Kiko Loureiro, John Petrucci, and Steve Vai, Oliveira’s music defies genre boundaries while remaining deeply personal. His sound can be described in six words as “Brazilian essence, Heaviness, Virtuosity, Technique, Feeling, Melody”, which is a reflection of this dual heritage.
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  ​"LORE" is available on all major streaming platforms starting August 29th, 2025, and can be found at the following link: https://found.ee/GlauberOliveiraLORE​

   

  More info: https://www.glauberoliveira.net/

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• Experience Raw Metal Intensity w/ IMPERISHABLE's (ft. Nile, Hate Eternal, Malevolent Creation members) Debut Album “Revelation In Purity”

  Aug 28, 2025 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  Get set to experience a raw and real death metal experience with the debut album "Revelation in Purity" from IMPERISHABLE, featuring guitarist/vocalist Brian Kingsland (Nile, Enthean), bassist Alex Rush (Olkoth, Enthean), and drum legend Derek Roddy (Hate Eternal, Malevolent Creation). Mixed and mastered by Jamie King (Between the Buried and Me, Whitechapel, Scale the Summit), the album is set to be unleashed on Friday, August 29th, 2025, via Everlasting Spew Records. Teaming up with Decibel Magazine, the triad force is premiering the album's exclusive full stream premiere HERE.

  Delivering an unapologetically fierce experience, Imperishable was formed as an outlet for raw, unfiltered aggression outside their legacy bands. This first full-length is a relentless display of old-school ethos and modern wrath. Eschewing over-polished production, the album plunges listeners into visceral, analog brutality. The title of this record is based on the revelation of what true purity is. Lyrically, the album ranges from topics of religion, health, personal struggles, and sacrifice. Imperishable welcomes interpretation, mirroring their approach to songwriting as collaborative, ever-evolving, and instinctively intense.

  "First of all, we're thrilled to be releasing Revelation In Purity on Everlasting Spew Records. They're a well-respected and renowned underground label that aligns with our musical standards and vision. It's an honor. This album started with just a few ideas between Alex and I, and has now taken on a life of its own, and we're damn proud of what we've achieved here. It represents where we were at the time. Musically and otherwise. The pandemic, the birth of my son, the loss of immediate family, etc, it's all in there. It's an honest record. Even the recording itself has no quantizing or samples on the drums. Minimal edits across the board. We wanted it to sound good, but not over-polished. A lot of that is in capturing the performance. So, you might not hear every note perfectly, but the conviction is there, and that's what matters," says Brian Kingsland.

  A dark, aggressive, and occasionally experimental at times, the songs on "Revelation in Purity" are molded around power rather than flash. Pure metal with a sense of exploration! Recommended for fans of Morbid Angel, Emperor, Angelcorpse, Zyklon, and Nile.

  Album pre-order (CD, Cassette) (out Aug 29th) (Vinyl coming in 2026) - https://everlastingspew.com/​

  Digital - https://everlastingspew.bandcamp.com/album/revelation-in-purity​

  Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/artist/0V9iSPRTE4WRgXZ6DPZAsC

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  ​More info: Facebook.com/Imperishable83 | Instagram.com/imperishable_metal | https://linktr.ee/EverlastingSpew

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• IVY GARDENS Live Off The Floor Sludge Rock Album "Death of Don Valley" + Canadian Tour Dates

  Aug 28, 2025 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  Niagara Falls, Canada's Ivy Gardens is unveiling their lush-sounding, raw and live off the floor sludge rock storytelling album "Death of Don Valley" as they prepare to hit the road across Canada in support of its release on August 29th, 2025 via Paper Cut Recordings.

  Before it officially drops, the trio has teamed up with Bravewords for its full stream premiere, which can be heard HERE.

  The band comments on their sophomore album:

  "Death of Don Valley is the record we had inside us, but couldn’t quite articulate for several years. Musically, it’s a huge leap in a more experimental direction. It’s about death, decay, and the ultimate destruction of the world around you. Everybody knows of some sort of small natural space that gets slowly encroached upon until only a shell remains. The pond beside the highway, the wetlands behind the factory. The Don Valley in Toronto is one such natural feature, slowly tainted by industrialization until it can’t support any of the life that it used to. After touring for several years, we grew a lot as musicians, and only after really honing all of this material live for about a year, we felt we were ready to get it tracked and send it into the world. We recorded everything live off the floor, and Frank, our engineer, had heard nothing beforehand and had no idea what we actually sounded like going into it. Eventually, he asked us, 'How do you determine what becomes a 2-minute song, and what becomes a 9-minute song?' Pure instinct, Frank. Here it is."

  Formed in the unlikely crucible of a Princess Auto parking lot, Ivy Gardens began with a simple desire to shred through Rush instrumentals and explore the outer reaches of heavy music. Now, following their acclaimed first full-length "Goon" released in 2024, the band takes a daring leap into more dour, experimental terrain. "Death of Don Valley" presents a concept album steeped in decay, lyrically and sonically portraying the slow death of natural spaces like Toronto’s Don River, drowned by industry and time.

  Ivy Gardens' influences are vast, ranging from progressive icons like Rush, Yes, and King Crimson to sludge pioneers like EYEHATEGOD and Iron Monkey. Their sound blends elements of stoner metal, sludge, math rock, and progressive rock, creating an unpredictable listening experience that takes the listener through a series of emotional and sonic landscapes.
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  Fans can expect a live experience unlike any other as Ivy Gardens is hitting the road for a cross-Canada tour in kicking off on August 29th in St. Catharines, ON, and will wrap up in Victoria, BC on October 25th (dates listed below).

  "Death of Don Valley" (out August 29th) is available for pre-order at https://ivygardens.bandcamp.com/​

  Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/artist/1TBuI2vFSltCNhiHdHnz01​

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  Ivy Gardens - Live or Die Tour:​
  Aug 29 - St. Catharines, ON - Warehouse Concert Hall
  Aug 30 - Toronto, ON - Monarch Tavern
  Sept 5 - Kitchener, ON - The Golden Apple
  Sept 12 - Windsor, ON - Phog Lounge
  Sept 13 - Sarnia, ON - AJs Bar
  Sept 14 - London, ON - Grogettes Living Room
  Sept 18 - Halifax, NS - Radstorm
  Sept 19 - Sydney, NS - Daniels Ale House
  Sept 20 - Charlottetown, PEI - Babas Lounge
  Sept 21 - Moncton, NB - Generator Show
  Sept 25 - Woodstock, NB - Montieth Manor
  Sept 26 - Montreal, QC - Turbo Haus
  Sept 27 - Quebec City, QC - Sonum
  Oct 9 - Barrie, ON - CW Coops
  Oct 10 - Sudbury, ON - Townhouse Tavern
  Oct 11 - Thunder Bay, ON - Black Pirates Pub
  Oct 12 - Winnipeg, MB - Bulldog Event Center
  Oct 16 - Regina, SK - The Cure Kitchen and Bar
  Oct 17 - Saskatoon, SK - The Black Cat
  Oct 18 - Calgary, AB - Palomino
  Oct 19 - Edmonton, AB - Blak Bar
  Oct 23 - Kelowna, BC - Dunnenzies
  Oct 24 - Vancouver, BC - Black Alley
  Oct 25 - Victoria, BC - Fernwood Community Center

  More info: Facebook.com/ivygardensband | Instagram.com/ivygardensofficial

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• SHORES OF NULL Announces UK Tour Dates + Headlining "One For Sorrow Festival"

  Aug 26, 2025 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  After playing extensively all over Europe in support of their acclaimed album "The Loss Of Beauty" and their recent live album, "Beauty Over Europe", Italian melancholic dark metal outfit Shores Of Null is thrilled to announce a string of four UK performances. The tour includes a headlining appearance at Plymouth’s One For Sorrow Festival. Joining them on this UK leg will be Lisburn’s own The Crawling. (dates listed below)

  "We always enjoy returning to the UK. In our 12-year career, we have been back here several times and have always found people ready to welcome us. The very first time we played in London was even before we had our debut album out, at Doom Over London in 2013. This time we are returning as headliners for our own tour with The Crawling, and we are looking forward to seeing many familiar faces and meeting new ones," adds vocalist Davide Straccione.

  "The Loss of Beauty UK Tour" w/ Shores of Null, The Crawling:
  Aug 28 - The Black Heart - London, UK
  Aug 29 - The Fenton - Leeds, UK
  Aug 30 - One For Sorrow Festival - Plymouth, UK
  Aug 31 - The Gryphon - Bristol, UK

  "Shores Of Null Capture Tour Magic In Beauty Over Europe... Beauty Over Europe is a great listen. Heavy, emotive, engaging, and well-delivered, Shores Of Null fans will love it." - Metal Talk

  Shores of Null's first live album, “Beauty Over Europe,” was released on May 9th, 2025, via Sulphur Music / Masked Dead Records. The live album features 10 tracks recorded during the monumental 2023 European tour with Swallow The Sun, Draconian, and Avatarium. Throughout that tour, Shores of Null performed 35 shows across 18 countries, including Norway, Denmark, Germany, the UK, Ireland, France, Italy, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Hungary, bringing their critically acclaimed album "The Loss Of Beauty" to the stage.

  The live recordings, captured in Leipzig, Munich, Aschaffenburg, Budapest, and Belfast, preserve the raw and emotive energy of their performances. Each track reflects the band’s ability to blend melancholic melodies with crushing heaviness, offering fans a visceral live experience.

  "Beauty Over Europe" is both a celebration of the tour and a gift to all fans of the band. Exactly two years after that unforgettable journey, this live album offers a chance to relive the emotional intensity and true essence of Shores Of Null’s live performances.

  Reflecting on the experience, vocalist Davide Straccione and guitarist Gabriele Giacarri share their thoughts:

  "This tour was an incredible journey, the longest in our career, and a true milestone for Shores Of Null. As the promotional tour for The Loss Of Beauty, our latest and most acclaimed album to date, it was an honor to bring these songs to life across 35 shows in 18 countries. Sharing the stage with monumental bands like Swallow The Sun and Draconian—huge inspirations for our music—was unforgettable. Despite the melancholy of their sound, they’re some of the most fun and genuine people we’ve met, and by the end of this epic journey, we were proud to call them friends.

  We owe special thanks to our incredible crew—Petri, Matti, Mikko, and Tero—who ensured everything ran seamlessly and made this experience unforgettable. To pay homage to this extraordinary chapter, we decided to produce a live album. Recorded during key moments of the tour, it captures the essence of these unforgettable performances and is dedicated to all the people who supported us live and shared these magical moments with us.” - Gabriele Giaccari
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  Davide Straccione adds:

  “Our 2023 European tour with Swallow The Sun, Draconian, and Avatarium was one of the most beautiful and intense experiences of my life. Night after night, we poured everything we had into our performances, connecting deeply with audiences across 18 countries. It was a journey that marked a pivotal moment in our career as a band as well, and one we’ll carry with us forever. This live album is our way of preserving and sharing that beauty, not only as a gift to those who joined us in the crowd, but also for those who couldn’t be there to witness it.”

  Recommended for fans of Swallow The Sun, Borknagar, and Paradise Lost, "Beauty Over Europe" is available at the following links:

  Physical CD: https://maskeddeadrecords.com/product/shores-of-null-beauty-over-europe/
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  ​Digital: https://shoresofnull.bandcamp.com/album/beauty-over-europe​

  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/76lKNyW77arKg42qdDO9Sm​

  For more info: Shoresofnull.com

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