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• ARMSTRONG METALFEST Opens Up Band Submissions For 2025 Lineup! 15 Years of Mountain Moshing In The Okanagan!

  Oct 1, 2024 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  Western Canada's largest mountain mosh pit Armstrong MetalFest will be celebrating 15 years of bringing extreme metal music fans from across Canada and beyond to British Columbia's Okanagan Valley with their forthcoming 2025 lineup being held on July 11th-12th in Armstrong at the Hassen Arena.

  This 15th annual gathering of metalheads will once again witness two days of unforgettable moshing, headbanging, and camping. From iconic headliners to promising newcomers, the 2025 lineup is set to showcase the best of diverse metal genres, ensuring an electrifying experience for all.

  Bands interested in applying to perform at the 2025 festival can submit at the following link from October 1st to 15th: https://armstrongmetalfest.ca/band-submissions/

  In addition to band submissions opening for 2025, Armstrong MetalFest has been honoured with the Tourism and Hospitality Award at the Armstrong Spallumcheen Community Excellence Award Show this past September.

  The 2024 lineup hosted Los Angeles death metal masters ABYSMAL DAWN (July 12th) and Kansas City THE BROWNING (July 13th) who unleashed their unique eclectic blend of electronicore and deathcore. Also featured were dissonant and atmospheric Vancouver tech death metallers ATRÆ BILIS, and Orlando's two-fisted two steppin' double-wide aural assault squad BODYBOX. Returning to the festival, were the Okanagan's very favourite Black Metallers XUL (Vernon, BC) and Edmonton death metallers EYE OF HORUS along with first-time performances from Vancouver twin brother duo OPAL IN SKY, San Francisco's outside-the-box prog metallers CYBORG OCTOPUS, and the tech death fury of Riverside, CA's ARKAIK among many more.

  Since 2009 (minus pause years 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid pandemic), West Metal Entertainment and Armstrong Metalfest have not only fostered the talent of hundreds of local bands, but have imported well-known, international acts to the quiet, little Canadian town of Armstrong, British Columbia.

  Each year hundreds of metal music fans from Canada and the USA descend into the picturesque Okanagan Valley and under the blistering sun, they spend three days camping, taking in as much metal over two days, participating in wrestling events, scavenger hunts, and catching up with their metal family.

  The festival has seen such renowned headliners as Kataklysm, Cattle Decapitation, Archspire, Nekrogoblikon, Origin, Rivers of Nihil, Warbinger, Fallujah, Striker, and Beyond Creation as well as emerging artists from across North America. At the end of the revelry, the festival disappears without a trace, leaving the landscape as pristine as it has always been.

  West Metal Entertainment is a non-profit society that not only puts on the Armstrong Metal Festival every year in Armstrong, B.C. but also gives bands opportunities to play at different venues throughout the region including all-ages shows, to encourage musical passion in kids as well as adults.

  For more info:​
  ​Armstrongmetalfest.ca
  ​​Facebook​
  ​Instagram​
  ​Twitter

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• CHAIN CODE's Spacey, Progressive Debut Album “Synthetic Outcomes”

  Oct 1, 2024 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  Chain Code, the progressive rock project from Milwaukee, USA, is now officially reeling their debut album, “Synthetic Outcomes”, which will hurtle listeners through time and space as they go on a sonic journey through a dystopian future where technology has overtaken humanity, blending complex melodies, dissonant chords, and thought-provoking lyrics into a cohesive and immersive experience. Mastermind MuRphry shares his thoughts on the album:

  “I am pleased to finally unleash this labor of love. I started this project in 2022 and manically wrote two albums, fixated on creating paranoid yet beautiful progressive rock to express my enjoyment of dystopian science fiction that sees humanity losing its very essence to machines. The initial point musically was to have Adrian Belew join Voivod in my bizarro musical mind. I encourage any weirdo to put on a set of headphones and take a trip to our future with the chaotic elegance that is Chain Code!”

  Each track on the concept album offers a unique perspective on the overarching theme of the consequences of humanity’s overreliance on technology. From the frantic energy of the opening track “Human(kind of)” to the haunting beauty of “In Line” Chain Code masterfully balances chaos and harmony, creating a sound that is both challenging and rewarding.

  “Synthetic Outcomes” invites listeners to immerse themselves in a world where technology has the upper hand, but the future is still uncertain. It is recommended for fans of progressive rock, sci-fi themes, King Crimson, and Talking Heads.

  Listen to “Synthetic Outcomes” at the following links:

  Spotify - https://spoti.fi/4enVncZ​

  Bandcamp - https://chaincode.bandcamp.com/album/synthetic-outcomes​

  ​

  Track Listing:​
  1. Human(kind of) (8:12)
  2. A New Face (4:42)
  3. They’re NOT Mad Scientists (4:16)
  4. Unlearn (6:18)
  5. My Buddy (3:54)
  6. Inadequate (4:27)
  7. Junk Piles and Their Lonely Owners (5:16)
  8. Reaching Out (7:02)
  9. In Line (8:00)

  More info: Facebook.com/ChainCodeBand

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• Ophidian Memory Unleashes New Melodic Death Album “Carrion Lord”

  Sep 27, 2024 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  Melodic death metal project Ophidian Memory, the brainchild of Blake Lamoureux, is set to release its latest album “Carrion Lord” on September 27th, 2024. Ophidian Memory, hailing from Des Moines, USA, is known for its innovative approach to metal, using melodic death metal as a foundation to incorporate elements of black metal, thrash, progressive metal, and metalcore. “Carrion Lord" continues this tradition, offering a heavier and more unrelenting sound compared to its predecessor “Our Shattered Garden”. Lamoureux comments:

  “Carrion Lord is the most ambitious and brutal Ophidian Memory release to date. The lyrics portray themes of deception, sacrifice, undreamt horror, and war. Musically the death and black metal notches have been turned all the way up, while the progressive notch has been turned down greatly until late in the album, giving a reprieve to the listener for a slight moment until the record ultimately closes with a ripping epic finishing track.”

  The album is best experienced as a front-to-back listening journey, with each track offering a unique blend of subgenres that keeps the listener engaged throughout. Lyrically, “Carrion Lord” delves deeper into the fictional universe of “Existence”, a dark fantasy epic created by Lamoureux that has become the cornerstone of Ophidian Memory's conceptual approach.

  On this album, Ophidian Memory has moved away from the progressive metal feel, choosing to take on a darker and heavier tone which reflects the brutal narrative this time around. Expect lots of unhinged vocals, riffs for days, and oppressive drums. For those who love extreme metal of all decades, in the vein of The Black Dahlia Murder, Behemoth, and Blood Red Throne, this one's for you.

  “Carrion Lord” is available at the following links:

  ​

  Bandcamp - https://ophidianmemory.bandcamp.com/​

  Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3BiMNxv​

  Track Listing:​
  1. The Mausoleum - (5:13)
  2. Hunger Of Your Deceased Deity - (4:52)
  3. A Jewel In Grocinia - (5:23)
  4. Fleshbinding Ritual- (4:08)
  5. Carrion Lord - (5:19)
  6. The Murder On Warforged Soil - (6:17)
  7. Hollowed - (3:50)
  8. Sculptors Of Seraphic Tributes- (11:14)
  9. Kept From Dust - (4:22)
  10. Bloodborne - (4:40)

  More Info: https://www.instagram.com/ophidianmemory/​

   

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• Extreme Sci-Fi Fantasy VORAATH Announces Tour Dates w/ The Convalescence, Green Jello, Casket Robbery, Ignominious

  Sep 25, 2024 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  Extreme sci-fi storytellers, VORAATH announce they will be hitting the road for their last series of dates for 2024. They will be supporting The Convalescence on the "No Survivors Tour Part 2" from October 5th to October 14th along with select show dates with Green Jello, Casket Robbery, and Ignominious (dates listed below).

   

  Oct. 5 - Toledo, OH @ The Ottawa Tavern w/Green Jelly
  Oct. 6 - Lakewood, OH @ The Foundry Concert Club w/Green Jelly
  Oct. 7 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Hard Rock Cafe
  Oct. 8 - Hartford, CT @ The Webster Underground
  Oct. 10 - Clifton, NJ @ Dingbatz
  Oct. 11 - Mechanicsburg, PA @ Lovedraft's Brewing Co.
  Oct. 12 - Raleigh, NC @ Chapel Of Bones
  Oct. 13 - Charlotte, NC @ The Neighborhood Theatre
  Oct. 14 - Nashville, TN @ The End

  Transporting you through a portal of sci-fi storytelling and extreme music, VORAATH unleashed their first full-length “Vol 1: The Hymn of the Hunters” this past June on Exitus Stratagem Records (EXSR). Brutal yet epic metal, the level of detail that VORAATH has emphasized on this record exposes a grand story of interdimensional worlds and cosmic entities warring while paying homage to their culture in the Appalachian Mountains of the Carolinas.

  ​"This album is an investment of thought and emotion. We want to immerse the listener in another world. It’s heavy yet sad, brutal yet immersive, so we hope to take everyone on a journey. That journey is scored with metal! We think this album will be something unique, a whirlwind of emotions and an auditory odyssey. We capsulated real events in our lives and laced them through our complex musical universe. We want the fans to feel the music, and ride along with us on this musical journey through our dystopian planet." adds the band.

  An odyssey of hardship, betrayal, survival, and cosmic tales, “Vol 1: The Hymn of the Hunters” is recommended for fans of Septic Flesh, Gojira, and Fleshgod Apocalypse, and is available at the following links:

  Digital - https://hypeddit.com/voraath/volume1hymnofthehunters​

  CD - https://www.exsrmusic.com/store/p/pre-sale-voraath-vol-i-hymn-of-the-hunter-available-june-17-2024

  More info: Exsrmusic.com | Voraath.com

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• BornBroken’s New Album “Am I Invisible” Brings Forth Empowering Anthems Through Life's Highs And Lows

  Sep 21, 2024 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  Montreal, Canada’s BornBroken unleashes their latest album “Am I Invisible” as of September 20, 2024. The third full-length can be heard at the following links:

  Bandcamp - https://bornbroken.bandcamp.com​

  Digital - https://ffm.to/785376b4ad1c4c7e8b394d6c59d215c6

  BornBroken members reflect on the creative journey and the deep themes explored in their new work:

  “We wanted to create something raw and real. Creating 'Am I Invisible' was an intense and rewarding process. This album is incredibly personal for all of us. We poured our hearts into every beat, every note. It’s a journey through our highs and lows.”

  Musically, “Am I Invisible” allowed BornBroken to experiment with their roots in metal and its structures. They aimed to blend heavy, aggressive riffs with melodic elements to create a dynamic listening experience. From the relentless march of time in “Time Pays No Respect” to the existential questions in the title track, every song is a piece of their collective soul and they are proud of how the extreme music complements the powerful lyrics.

  BornBroken is excited to share “Am I Invisible” with the world and invites everyone to experience the raw emotion and powerful messages encapsulated in their latest work. They are especially recommended for fans of Chimaira, Machine Head, and Slipknot.

  ​

  Track Listing:​
  1. Time Pays No Respect - 5:04
  2. Am I Invisible - 3:54
  3. Will You Remember - 4:03
  4. How Strong You Are - 4:41
  5. Conflicting Lies - 5:09
  6. Scabs & Scars - 3:36
  7. 7 Mondays - 4:00
  8. Fold - 6:30
  9. Age of Anger - 5:23
  10. The Day I Die Inside - 5:07
  Album Length: 47:31

  BornBroken Album Lineup​
  Mike Marino (Bass)
  Michael Decker (Vocals/ All Guitars)
  Carlos Ojeda (Drums)

  BornBroken live and Official New Lineup​
  Mike Marino (Bass)
  Michael Decker (Vocals/Guitar)
  Carlos Ojeda (Drums)
  Rob Henx (Lead Guitar) Newest member after recording

  More info: BrokenMusic.ca | Facebook.com/BornBroken | X.com/bornbroken | Instagram.com/bornbrokenofficial

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