Search Results: black

• ANCIENT THRONES' New Concept Album "Melancholia" Plunges Listeners Into A Surreal Narrative

  Sep 18, 2025 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  Ancient Thrones, the Canadian progressive blackened death metal force known for their visceral storytelling and relentless sonic assault, is set to officially release their long-awaited sophomore album, "Melancholia," on September 19th (Vinyl and Digital), and can be heard in full before its unleashed via its album stream premiere on Decibel Magazine HERE.
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  Described by the band as “the sound of existential exhaustion,” "Melancholia" is a 42-minute concept album that plunges listeners into a surreal narrative: a colourblind protagonist takes hallucinogens in a desperate attempt to see colour, only to spiral into a kaleidoscopic nightmare. From the explosive opening of “A Moon Fused Key” to the haunting decay of “Vacant,” the album is a relentless barrage of speed, aggression, and cinematic atmosphere.
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  ​“This is truly an unapologetic extreme metal concept album. It’s a bad trip you can’t escape, jagged, abstract, and emotionally devastating,” says the band.

  
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  Formed in 2011 and rebranded in 2018, Ancient Thrones has evolved into a fully realized extreme metal entity, thanks in part to the addition of multi-band virtuoso Dylan Wallace. The writing process began in early 2020, just as the world was descending into pandemic-induced uncertainty. Rather than reflect the global crisis directly, the band channeled their energy into crafting a deeply personal and psychologically intense record.
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  ​“We’re proud to share this album with our fans, old and new. We hope it moves you in unnatural ways. Enjoy the trip while it lasts,” adds the band.

  
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  ​"Melancholia" is not just an album; it’s an immersive experience. The band’s signature blend of fast, extreme, progressive, cinematic, and existential metal is on full display, with every track contributing to the overarching narrative. Lyrically, the album explores themes of trauma, hallucination, and the dangers of idealism, all inspired by real-life experiences and a harrowing psychedelic episode.
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  Drawing inspiration from bands like The Red Chord, The Faceless, Archspire, and Deafheaven, Ancient Thrones pushes the boundaries of extreme music. Their sound is rooted in black metal, 2000s death metal, and modern tech death, but their cinematic approach and lyrical depth set them apart.

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  With "Melancholia" out on September 19, 2025, the band is already writing new material for the follow-up. Fans can expect more crushing, emotionally charged music in the near future.​
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  ​Album pre-order (Vinyl, Digital) - https://ancientthrones.bandcamp.com​

  Track Listing:​
  1. A Moon Fused Key (5:12)
  2. Achromatopsia (1:19)
  3. Melancholia (6:17)
  4. A Turning Point (5:46)
  5. A Pellucid Prism (4:26)
  6. Sacred Swollen Glass (6:16)
  7. Blight (2:18)
  8. A Pale Palace (4:55)
  9. Vacant (5:31)
  Album Length: 42:00

  Band Lineup:​
  Dylan Wallace - Guitar
  Nick Leslie - Guitar
  Matt LeBlanc - Bass
  Sean Hickey - Drums & Vocals

  More info: Facebook.com/Ancientthrones | Instagram.com/ancientthrones

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• BORN DIVIDED's New Video ‘Everything Comes to an End’ Opens the Gates to October Album "Chronicle of a Shipwreck"

  Sep 4, 2025 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  Quebec City progressive melodic death force Born Divided has dropped their blistering new single and music video, “Everything Comes to an End”. The track is the first glimpse into their upcoming full-length album, "Chronicle of a Shipwreck," (mixed and mastered by Cryptopsy's Chris Donaldson), set to release on October 24, 2025.
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  Formed in 2020 by former members of Blinded by Faith, Born Divided has carved out a signature sound that’s epic, melodic, orchestrated, aggressive, and progressive. Their latest offering is a cinematic metal journey that fuses clean vocals, explosive guitar work, and relentless blast beats—culminating in a finale that’s as emotionally rich as it is musically intense.
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  ​“Everything Comes to an End” showcases the band’s evolved sound with Maxim Levesque delivering a powerhouse vocal performance, backed by Tommy Demers on bass, Lucas Biron on drums, along with Fred Bédard, and Michael Beaudoin rounding out the lineup with razor-sharp guitar shredding. The track’s emotional depth and orchestral intensity set the tone for the rest of the album, which promises a dynamic blend of melody and aggression.

  "Everything Comes to an End kicks off the album with an epic and catchy fusion of sound. Intense clean vocals take center stage, including a standout performance by Tommy Demers that evokes the emotional depth of Opeth. The track builds towards a breathtaking finale, where rapid melodic guitar picking collides with relentless drum blast beats—delivering a cinematic and explosive finish," adds the band.

  ​Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/track/0JDzA0Rx2OTG5hps4ULYYR​

  The forthcoming album, "Chronicle of a Shipwreck", features seven meticulously crafted tracks selected from twelve original compositions. Lyrically penned by Danny Emond, the album explores themes of chaos, introspection, and resilience, anchored by fast, heavy riffs and soaring vocal passages.

  "This isn’t just an album. It’s a reflection of where we’ve been, what we’ve endured, and how we’ve emerged, louder, heavier, and more unapologetically ourselves," says the band.

  With influences ranging from Ne Obliviscaris and Dimmu Borgir to Symphony X, Born Divided’s sound is a collision of death metal, black metal, and heavy metal crafted with precision and passion. Prepare for the full sonic voyage when "Chronicle of a Shipwreck" drops this October 24th, 2025.

  Album pre-order - https://borndividedofficial.bandcamp.com/​

  Track Listing:
  ​1. Everything Comes to an End - 5:09
  2. Chronicle of a Shipwreck - 4:10
  3. Illusion Factories - 7:38
  4. The Dead Inside Ourselves - 5:54
  5. Run, Burn, Die! - 7:52
  6. Subterranean Corridors - 4:48
  7. Anxiety - 7:57
  Album Length: 43:31
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  ​Born Divided is:​
  Tommy Demers - Bass
  Maxim Levesque - Vocals
  Michael Beaudoin - Guitars
  Fred Bedard - Guitars
  Lucas Biron - Drums

  For more info: https://linktr.ee/borndivided

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• 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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• New York Thrash QUEMASANTOS Channels Loss From Cancer Into Lyrical Fury with “Burning the Black”

  Jul 25, 2025 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

   

  New York thrash QUEMASANTOS is turning up the heat with their scorching new lyric video 'Burning the Black', a vision accumulated through time turned into a metal track that was born from grief, rage, and love. It emerged from the pain of witnessing cancer’s devastating impact.
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  ​"In the past, vocalist Nelson Diaz has always come up with the concepts for the music they’ve been writing. This time, I asked him to work under my concept, which was based on what I was experiencing at the time (which was during the time before my wife’s passing). He kindly agreed to do it, and I’m just happy with the way he performed and used all the material I gave him. He’s a true friend and a master of metal interpretation. I love him," adds Ignacio Orellana (Bass/Guitars/Drums).

  ​'Burning the Black' is an analogy to the process of receiving chemotherapy, which burns the cancer cells in the body. The concept for the track came to Ignacio Orellana while watching his wife fight cancer for six years, which tragically ended with her dramatic death. The lyrics are narrated from the perspective of death, constantly reminding you that it will take you and that no matter what you do, it’s inevitable. The music encapsulates the life cycle of a person, beginning with the gradual and transformative changes life brings and concluding in a manner reminiscent of its inception.
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  ​"On a personal note, this has been a brutal and devastating time, as well as strange to lose my life partner of 31 years. It still feels unreal. This song is essentially what I can translate from the experience of being there next to her and witnessing her decline from good to bad. I genuinely hope that people can understand it the way I’m trying to convey it. I loved my wife, and she will always be with me," says Orellana.
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  ​Quemasantos is Nelson Diaz (singer and concepts) & Ignacio Orellana (bass/guitar/drums).
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  The guest musician for this track was Felipe Roa, the lead guitarist for metal bands Acaro and Shadows Fall (touring member). With extensive studio recording and touring experience, Roa has also owned and operated Boston Guitar Tech, providing professional services such as guitar setups, fretwork, electronics, and online and in-person lessons.
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  Vocal tracks recorded at Studios Ultrasonico, Santiago, Chile.
  Felipe Roa's tracks were recorded at his studio.
  Mixed and mastered at Oily Sound Studios in New York City by Ignacio Orellana.
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  ​More info:

  ​https://quemasantos.com

  ​http://quemasantos.bandcamp.com

  ​http://instagram.com/quemasantos1

  ​http://www.facebook.com/quemasantos

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• VISITANT Announces "In the Wake of Flame Tour" (FL/GA/TN/SC/NC) w/ IATT + New Videos "Fodder" & “Starless” From Debut Album "Rubidium" Out Aug 2025

  Jul 25, 2025 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  Blackened death metal collective Visitant announces they will be hitting the road this October for "In the Wake of Flame Tour" with Philadelphia’s alchemical blackened death metal force IATT (dates listed below).

  Visitant will be touring in support of their forthcoming debut album "Rubidium," out on August 22nd, via Exitus Stratagem Records.

  The band's recording lineup features seasoned musicians from the extreme metal underground: Anthony Lusk-Simone (drums/orchestration) from Abiotic and Lattermath, Kilian Duarte (bass) from Abiotic and Scale the Summit, Taylor Tidwell from Unaligned, and Chelsea Marrow from Voraath, whose vocal work has also been featured in acclaimed video games including DOOM ETERNAL and Senua's Saga: Hellblade II. Thomas Weidick, on guitar, recently joined their live lineup this past June.
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  ​Visitant's debut album “Rubidium”, which they describe as ‘shadow work’, embodies the bleakest parts of being human, including grief, loss, betrayal, vengeance, time lost, and regret. The band has two current singles, "Fodder", a ritualistic journey that showcases their ability to weave ethereal elements into an unrelentingly aggressive soundscape, and "Starless", a technical odyssey that further explores the band's signature blend of dynamic brutality and spiritual beauty.

  Spotify - https://hypeddit.com/visitant/fodder

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  Spotify - https://hypeddit.com/visitant/starless

  ​Recommended for fans of Gojira, Opeth, and Naglfar, Visitant's "Rubidium" is available for album pre-order (out Aug 22nd) via Exitus Stratagem Records at https://hypeddit.com/visitant/rubidium​

  Other Dates:​
  Aug 23 - Michigan Metal Fest - Leila Arboretum - Battle Creek, MI w/ Dying Fetus, Within Ruins, Ov Sulfur, The Convalescence
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  ​"On The Wake of Flame Tour" - IATT, VISITANT:​
  Oct 3 - Pensacola, FL – Pacific Kava
  Oct 4 - Jensen Beach, FL – Dark Riff Records
  Oct 5 - Atlanta, GA – Sweetwater
  Oct 6 - Nashville, TN – Cobra
  Oct 8 - Piedmont, SC – Tribbles
  Oct 9 - Raleigh, NC – Chapel Of Bones
  Oct 11 - Jackson, TN – TN Metal Devastation Fest (Visitant only)

   

  ​Exsrmusic.com | ​Facebook.com/visitantband | Instagram.com/Visitantband | Tiktok.com/@_visitant_

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