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• Finland's AITHEER's Debut Album "The Serpent" Pushes Boundaries of Extreme w/ Prog and Cinematic Depth

  Feb 21, 2025 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  Rockshots Records is proud to announce the release of "The Serpent", the highly anticipated debut full-length album from Aitheer, set to arrive today February 21st, 2025. Following their 2020 EP "Sleeper", the Finnish progressive metal band expands its sonic vision with an album that pushes boundaries, blending extreme metal intensity with intricate progressive arrangements and cinematic depth.

  Formed in 2017 by Niko Löfman (vocals, guitars), Antton Kasslin (drums) and Roope Kytölä (bass), Aitheer has evolved from a jam-based project into one of Finland’s most daring progressive acts. "The Serpent" represents a culmination of years of musical exploration, recorded, mixed, and mastered by Harri Petjakko at Studio UG in Finland between 2020 and 2024. The album’s sound is vast and unpredictable, combining black metal aggression, jazz-infused complexity, classical influences, and ethereal ambient textures into a singular, ever-shifting experience.

  At its core, "The Serpent" is a theatrical and immersive journey, moving through moments of chaos and serenity, heaviness, and melody, all bound by Aitheer’s uncompromising artistic vision. Tracks like "The Dance of Twins" exemplify the band’s ability to weave extreme metal with folk-inspired acoustic passages and jazz-laden saxophone solos, while pieces such as "Law" blend haunting piano arrangements with explosive, math-rock-inspired climaxes. Instrumental interludes like "Prologue", "East" and "Flame" introduce rich atmospheric elements, adding depth and contrast to the album’s progressive structures.

  For fans of Meshuggah, The Ocean, King Crimson, and Vangelis, "The Serpent" offers a challenging yet deeply rewarding listening experience that defies categorization. The band embraces a cinematic approach, creating an album that flows like a soundtrack—each track unfolding with unpredictable twists, rich textures, and emotional depth.

  With its genre-bending sound and fearless composition, "The Serpent" is more than just a debut—it is a statement. Aitheer solidifies its place among the most forward-thinking acts in progressive metal, delivering an album that demands exploration and rewards those willing to embark on its sonic journey.

  "The Serpent" will be available on all streaming platforms and in physical formats from February 21st, 2025 via Rockshots Records.

  Album Order - https://rockshots.eu/products/aitheer-the-serpent-cd​

  Digital (Spotify, Apple Music) - https://lnk.to/zPFXXP

  Single Stream- "The Serpent" - https://youtu.be/VOz76T4xOWA

  YouTube Album Stream - ​https://bit.ly/3EJrua8

  ​

  Track Listing:​
  1. Prologue
  2. The Dance of Twins
  3. East
  4. Law
  5. Clairvoyance
  6. The Serpent
  7. Flame

  Band Lineup:​
  Niko Löfman: Vocals (studio, live), Guitar (studio, live), Bass (studio), Keyboards (studio)
  Lassi Enqvist: Guitar (studio, live), Keyboards (studio)
  Toni Paananen: Drums (studio, live) / Toni Paananen - Drums (studio, live)
  Andrea Ferrantelli: Bass (live)

  Album Artwork Credits:​
  Art of the front cover painted by Iiris Astraya.
  Graphic Design by Jarmo Sainio.
  Photography by Niko Löfman, Lassi Enqvist, Roope Kytölä, Andrea Ferrantelli, and Anssi Kippo.
  Logo by Niko Löfman.

  ​For more info:

  ​https://www.rockshots.eu​
  ​https://www.facebook.com/Aitheer

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• Saudi Prog Metal DUSK Teams Up w/ Kuwait's ABZY For New Single "Sleepwalker"

  Feb 20, 2025 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  Saudi Arabia’s one-man prog metal unit DUSK (from the mind of Meshari Sangora) has teamed up with Kuwaiti modern metal artist ABZY and drummer Gilbert Hadad to release their unified single "Sleepwalker". Fresh, creative, and powerful, the track is about the struggle one has with their mental health.

  "As I work on my follow-up music to 2023 Spectrums, I think fans will love this first taste of the new album I'm working on, and they will appreciate the beauty of my maturity when it comes to songwriting and what experiences can do to a creative session. I'm trying to touch base on more realistic subjects such as mental health, but I always like to show the other side of the conversation," adds DUSK.

  Once a college DJ in UAE, that time in his life led to his rediscovery of all forms of metal, and it was just the beginning of his creation of music as a self-taught musician and producer. DUSK released its first full length" "Spectrums" to follow two previously released EPs “To Where I Belong” (2021) and “Ascension” (2020) along with multiple stand-alone singles that were used to introduce the project's music to the world in 2020.

  "Spectrums" garnered praise as it was named Album of The Year in 2023 by Metal Pedia and Metal Has No Borders along with reaching listeners in over 90+ countries on Spotify.

  This album further solidified his place in the international metal community, featuring 12 tracks sung in multiple languages, including (English, German, Finnish, and Arabic). Spectrums also included collaborations with both local Saudi artists and international metal musicians, such as Aron Harris from Solemn Vision and Jaani Peuhu, formerly of Swallow the Sun.

  Beyond his music career, DUSK is an influential figure in the Saudi Arabian and broader GCC metal scenes. He has played a crucial role in supporting local artists by offering marketing consultations, providing studio recording services, and helping to manage and promote the “Riyadh Inferno” festival, an important event for the region's growing metal community. As the festival's key liaison, DUSK connects local venues with regional bands, further strengthening Saudi Arabia’s position as a destination for metal acts.

  With a deep commitment to his craft and his role in the development of the metal music scene in Saudi Arabia and beyond, DUSK continues to shape the future of heavy music along with the CEO and Founder of Heavy Arabia “GIGI ARABIA”.

  "Sleepwalker" is recommended for fans of Currents, Spiritbox, and Killswitch Engage, along with everything under the vein of progressive metal, metalcore, EDM, and djent.

  Listen at the following links:

  Digital (Spotify) - https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/dusk14/sleepwalker

  ​

  For more info:

  ​Officialdusk.com​

  ​Facebook.com/Officialdusk94​

  ​Instagram.com/official__dusk​​

  ​Twitter.com/Official__Dusk​

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• United By Pain and Rage Hungary's SIN OF GOD Unshackle New Album "Blood Bound"

  Feb 18, 2025 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  The metal world is now "Blood Bound" with the release of Hungary's SIN OF GOD's fourth studio album from Exitus Stratagem Records. With influences in thrash, ODM, and blackened and progressive death metal, Sin of God's sacrificial offering "Blood Bound" will please both old and new-school death metal fans at the same time. This new full-length presents a collection of variations that exhibit brutality and softness. It is something fans have heard in the past from the band but it has never sounded like this.

  "This album was a very painful and gory birth. Blood Bound was born bloodied and beaten. It was hurt by viruses, epidemics, wars, pollution, stupidity, irresponsibility, lies and deception. But finally, Blood Bound is here! Blood Bound is a mirror. Look into it! You will see the past, the present, and the future. Blood Bound is not a concept album, but it is united by the pain and rage that boils inside us. It reflects the best of our current knowledge. We wanted to write something simple and raw, conveying the message clearly but musically interesting, unique, and challenging. If you look at the album artwork, you’ll know exactly what to expect. Blood Bound is (life and) death metal at its finest, not for the faint of heart, that's for sure!” adds the band.

  Recommended for fans of Aborted, Bloodbath, Cattle Decapitation, Cryptopsy, and Psycroptic, Sin of God's latest album "Blood Bound" is now available as of February 18, 2025, from Exitus Stratagem Records, and available at the following links:

  Digital - https://hypeddit.com/sinofgod/bloodbound​

  CD order - https://www.exsrmusic.com/store/p/sin-of-god-blood-bound-lp-cd​

  ​

  Track Listing:​
  1. Blood Bound (3:52)
  2. Black Waves (4:16)
  3. No Return (4:58)
  4. The Unbelief (4:49)
  5. Diabolical Agitation (7:44)
  6. Obulus (3:28)
  7. Cerebral Malfunction (4:02)
  Album Length: 33:09
  ​
  ​Album Credits:​
  Album recorded at: Denevér Hangstúdió, Hungary
  Mixed and mastered by Sam Winslow/Sam Winslow Music
  Album artwork by Tamás Kis
  ​
  ​Album Band Lineup:​
  Tamás Schupkégel - Vocals
  Tamás Kis - Guitar
  Michele Gawen Augello - Bass
  Balázs Botyánszki - Drums
  ​
  ​Live Band Lineup:​
  Tamás Schupkégel - Vocals
  Tamás Kis - Guitar
  Krisztián Páncél - Bass
  Balázs Botyánszki - Drums

  More info:

  ​Exsrmusic.com | Facebook.com/ExSRecords | Instagram.com/exsrmusic​

  ​Sinofgod.com | Facebook.com/sinofgodhu | Instagram.com/sinofgodmetal​

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• SERPENTYNE's New Album “Tales From The Dark” + New Video "Run For Your Life"

  Feb 16, 2025 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  ​
  Out now! Serpentyne unleashes their highly anticipated new album "Tales From The Dark", a bold evolution of their symphonic metal sound. The album refines its signature fusion of orchestral grandeur and modern metal intensity, weaving together fast-paced, cinematic compositions with powerful vocal harmonies. Fans of Nightwish, Within Temptation, and Eluveitie will find themselves immersed in a dynamic and evocative listening experience.
  ​
  The road to "Tales From The Dark" has been paved with an electrifying single that introduced listeners to the album’s rich sonic universe. The first glimpse came with "Prophetess of Dreams", a hard-hitting and fast-paced track that set the stage with machine-gun guitar riffs and an ominous tale of fate and destiny. Now, the album release is accompanied by the focus track "Run For Your Life", a relentless and high-energy anthem that captures urgency and fear through a powerful mix of 8-string guitar work, soaring vocals, and layered orchestration. This song encapsulates the cinematic intensity of Serpentyne’s evolved sound, pulling listeners into a desperate chase for survival.

  ​

  ​With "Tales From The Dark", Serpentyne solidifies its place at the forefront of the symphonic metal scene, delivering an album that is heavier, darker, and more dynamic than ever before.

  ​
  ​"Tales From The Dark" is available now as of February 14, 2025, on all major streaming platforms and in physical format at the following links:

  Digital - https://lnk.to/talesfromthedark​

  CD pre-order - https://rockshots.eu/products/serpentyne-tales-from-the-dark-cd​

  ​

  Track Listing:​
  1. Prophetess of Dreams
  2. Into The Night
  3. Dangerous Mind
  4. Ghosts of Times Past
  5. Run for Your Life
  6. Evil From Within
  7. Dreamer
  8. Seance
  9. March of Death
  10. Promised Land

  Album Credits:​
  Maggiebeth Sand - Lead Vocals
  Nigel Middleton - Bass and Vocals
  Lee Willmer - Guitars
  John Haithwaite - Keyboards
  Marco - Drums
  ​
  Recorded by Maggiebeth Sand, Lee Willmer and John Haithwaite
  Produced and arranged by Serpentyne
  Mixed and Mastered by Justin Hill
  Front cover Artwork by Harley Velasquez
  Digipack & booklet design by Maggiebeth Sand

  ​More info:​
  Label: https://www.rockshots.eu​
  Website: https://www.serpentyne.com​
  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Serpentyneofficial​
  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/serpentyneofficial

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• Texas Metal Veterans STATE OF MIND Return With Sophomore EP “Sanity Of Madness”

  Feb 14, 2025 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  State of Mind, the Texas-based heavy metal outfit known for its powerful blend of classic metal and raw emotion, has recently released its second EP “Sanity of Madness” on February 7, 2025, via Self-Made Records with distribution from Earache Records. The six-track collection arrives as a testament to the band's evolution since their formation in 1994, showcasing their signature combination of thunderous anthems and introspective songwriting. They comment on their expectation for the reception of the album:

  “We think it will be received well. It’s got a raw human unpolished sound to it that you don’t get anymore. We decided not to put too much polish on it and leave it raw and authentic. We wanted that human, dirty sound. Like the good ole days of hella concerts. It's like all of our influences came together and showed us the path we needed to take. There are so many storylines in this EP; it's epic how they all fit together”

  “Sanity of Madness” builds on the momentum of their 2022 singles “Shattered" and "Fall Away," and their self-titled 2019 debut. The new release includes standout tracks like “The Masters Coming”, a groove-heavy odyssey that tells the tale of Renefield's supernatural struggles, and “Dead”, a hard-driving anthem that captures the universal feeling of modern-day alienation. “Wizard”, inspired by a mystical poster that once adorned their practice space, demonstrates the band's ability to transform visual art into crushing metal compositions.

  State of Mind continues to deliver what they call “New Classic Metal” combining the timeless appeal of traditional heavy metal with contemporary themes and production. The EP weaves together tales of mythical beings, personal demons, and spiritual warfare, all delivered with the intensity that State of Mind fans have come to expect. It is recommended for fans of Black Sabbath, Alice Cooper, and Dio.

  “Sanity of Madness” is available at the following links:

  Bandcamp - https://sttefmnd.bandcamp.com

  Spotify - https://spoti.fi/4hBestQ​

  Youtube Stream - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kQqlrjSlxBdocyxCjG8JIfnIWTTgfxBQA

  ​

  Track Listing:​
  1. The Masters Coming (3:00)
  2. Dead (3:50)
  3. Mourning Star (4:59)
  4. Shine (3:34)
  5. Wizard (2:39)
  6. Sail Across The Ocean (3:52)
  EP Length: 21:51

  More info: Facebook.com/AstateofmindJohnFerris | X.com/JohnFerris_SOM

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