Search Results: prog-metal

  • 15 Years of Mountain Moshing! ARMSTRONG METALFEST Unveils 2025 Lineup w/ BORN OF OSIRIS, HAVOK, GLYPH, RIOT CITY, THE BROWNING, VIRVUM and more!

     

    Celebrating 15 Years of mountain moshing in British Columbia's Okanagan Valley, Armstrong MetalFest unveils its conquering 2025 lineup with BORN OF OSIRIS, HAVOK, GLYPH, RIOT CITY, THE BROWNING, VIRVUM and lots more from across Canada and beyond.

    Hosted on July 11th and 12th in Armstrong, BC at the Hassen Arena, this year's two days of moshing, headbanging, and camping is a very special one as festival council members comment:

    "The band council worked hard on this year's lineup. I am so excited to have the Browning back. They were amazing on stage. I have been wanting to see Born of Osiris play live for years. I love them, and now I get to see them in my own little town." - Heather Valstar, Vice President of West Metal Entertainment Society

    "I'm really excited about the diversity of this year's line-up. The selection team has really put in the work. There's sure to be something for everyone: a great mix of trusted favorites and new additions to your playlist for the rest of the year!" - Kate Kutzner, President of West Metal Entertainment Society

    "This year's festival is a work of art! I can't believe we are on the 15th year already. Time flies when you're setting up a festival full of crushing riffs, soaring vocals and down right nasty beats. Life rules, bring on the summer!" - Festival Co-Founder / General Manager - Jessie Valstar.

    AMF Weekend Passes are available at https://armstrongmetalfest.ca/tickets

    All tickets provide general admission and grant access to the festival grounds, camping area, and arena from 9:00 AM on Friday, July 11, 2025, until 10:00 AM on Sunday, July 13, 2025. Free camping is included.

    ​(Tickets will be mailed starting after March 1st if you have chosen the "Ticket Mailed" option.)

    Headlining opening night, Friday, July 11th, Denver thrashers HAVOK are no strangers to the mosh pits, these veterans have unleashed five studio albums – Burn (2009), Time Is Up (2011), Unnatural Selection (2013), Conformicide (2017), V (2020) – and recently surprised fans this past November with the EP "New Eyes".

    Also supporting the Friday night stage, the Pacific Northwest's Glyph (ft. members from Gatekeeper, Greyhawk, Hjelvik), which is not just a heavy metal band, they are a crew of intergalactic mercenaries escaping a dying planet in their spaceship, the VSS Dragonlord. Clearly, Glyph isn’t just writing songs, they’re building worlds and they bring it forth in their latest album "Honor, Power, Glory" released in March 2024.

    Another highlight for Friday is the screaming heavy metal from Calgary's speed demons Riot City, who bring forth their steel, spikes and leather! A youthful band that represent the new face of Canadian metal. An amalgam of ripping and hot heavy metal, created in pure and youthful madness, they're bullet belts feature two full lengths "Electric Elite" (2022), "Burn The Night" (2019) and their latest live album "Live in Newcastle" (2023).

    Saturday, July 12th will be headlined by international tour de force, progressive deathcore titans, Chicago's BORN OF OSIRIS. The group is signed to Sumerian Records and has released seven full lengths and two EPs. Their album, A Higher Place, reached number 73 on the Billboard 200. Their second full-length album, The Discovery, debuted at 87 on the Billboard 200. The band unveiled their latest single "In Desolation" this past August.

    Also featured on Saturday is AMF alumni Kansas City's THE BROWNING who will be unleashing their unique eclectic blend of electronicore and deathcore. This past November, they released their sixth album "OMNI" that features 10 powerful tracks, including collaborations with Nik Nocturnal and the eponymous song with THE DEFECT.

    Performing for the first time at AMF and adding to the nostalgia of Saturday night, VIRVUM, progressive / technical death metal all the way from Zürich, Switzerland that many in Canada have been waiting a long time to witness. There's no better place to see them along with the backdrop of the Canadian Rockies than at AMF 2025

    Other to be treasured highlights of this year's fest not to miss is Montreal, QC up and coming thrashers DROWNING IN BLOOD, who are notorious pit mongrels and have made quite a name for themselves in Eastern Canada. Vancouver's GRAVEMASS, they might be a new band, but they feature some serious experienced metalheads from Zimmers Hole, West of Hell, The Golers, Punch Drunk, 3 Inches of Blood and Revocation. Switzerland's technical death/black metal Stortregn, they deliver a mix of charging riffs, blast beats and brutality that leaves the listener begging for more. The Defect is an electronic rock/metal project created by husband and wife duo – Jonny McBee (The Browning) and Moon McBee. Their debut album "Death X Destiny" was recently released on Feb 7th, 2025 under record label FiXT. From the Salish lands of Spokane, WA, Hísemtuks Hími•n introduce their Indigenous melodic black metal of hard hitting riffs, fast paced drumming and a lot of melody. This project has strong roots in the Spokane Tribe/Nez Perce. Most songs are about Native American mythology, history, and folklore.

    AMF 2025 Lineup:
    Havok (Denver, CO)
    Born of Osiris (Chicago, IL)
    Glyph (Seattle, WA)
    Riot City (Calgary, AB)
    The Browning (Kansas City, KS)
    Virvum (Zürich, Switzerland)
    Atavistia (Vancouver, BC)
    Drowning In Blood (Montreal, QC)
    Convictions (Fremont, OH)
    Scalding (Vancouver, BC)
    Syryn (Calgary, AB)
    Stortregn (Geneva, Switzerland)
    The Defect (Kansas City, KS)
    Gravemass (Vancouver, BC)
    Lover (Calgary, AB)
    Yegg (Vancouver Island, BC)
    Hísemtuks Hími•n (Spokane, WA)
    The Spruce Moose (Edmonton, AB)
    Volt (Fort McMurray, AB)
    Jisei (Vancouver, BC)
    Nomad (Okanagan Valley, BC)
    Planetkiller (Kelowna, BC)
    Shackled To The Throne (Edmonton, AB)
    The Cadavor Dog (High River, AB)
    Famous Strangers (Edmonton, AB)
    Valley of Despair (Edmonton, AB)
    Naitaka (Kelowna, BC)
    FloodGate (Kelowna, BC)

    In addition to the performing bands, Armstrong Metal Fest will be bringing back the following on-site activities: Yeti Games, Metal Madness Market, and Thrash Wrestling.

    Please Note: Camping - RV / Non-Hookup RV / Vehicle Passes: Make sure to reserve your vehicle spot to get the best location on the grounds. A fee is required for a weekend pass per vehicle in addition to your day or weekend pass. RV hookups include water and power. If you choose to park your vehicle outside the camping area in the main parking lot, then a vehicle pass is not required.

    For more info:
    Armstrongmetalfest.ca
    Facebook
    Instagram
    Twitter

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  • Streaming Now! TUMBLEWEED DEALER Invite You Into Their Lush Psychedelic Swamp With Full Stream Of “Dark Green”

     

    Montreal, Canada's Tumbleweed Dealer is proud to present their monumental fourth album “Dark Green”. This marks the culmination of an eight-year journey for the band, resulting in their most ambitious and fully realized work to date. Listeners can now immerse themselves in all ten tracks of this genre-defying masterpiece, experiencing the album as it was intended - a complete, transformative journey through sound and emotion. The band comments:

    “We simply can’t wait to share this new album with everyone, from old fans, whose expectations we hope to obliterate, to potential new listeners who might be going in with absolutely no clue as to what they should expect. We strived to constantly contrast old sonorities with new tendencies. We layered influences over each other to create something original yet oddly nostalgic.”

    From the opening notes of “A Distant Figure In The Fog” to the closing moments of “A Soul Made Of Sludge”, “Dark Green” takes the listener on an unparalleled auditory adventure. Each track builds upon the last, creating a cohesive narrative that explores themes of nature, consciousness, and the human experience. The album's production quality shines throughout, with every instrument and effect meticulously placed to create a rich, enveloping soundscape.

    As you listen to the album stream, pay attention to the intricate details and hidden layers within each track. Tumbleweed Dealer has crafted “Dark Green” to be an album that reveals new secrets with each listen, much like revisiting a favorite film or novel. Let the music wash over you, and prepare to be transported to the lush, mysterious world of “Dark Green”, which will be especially intriguing to those with an interest in Opeth, Cynic, and Rush.

    Due out on February 7, 2025, "Dark Green" can be heard in full before its official release via its album stream premiere on TheProgSpace HERE.

    Recommended for fans of Elder, Ohm, Camel, Opeth, and Cynic, "Dark Green" is available for album pre-order at https://tumbleweeddealer420.bandcamp.com/album/dark-green

    Video - Dark Green - https://youtu.be/L73im_7hOWs

    ​Video - Ghosts Dressed In Weeds feat. Ceschi - https://youtu.be/E06a90W8hFo

     

    Track Listing:
    1. A Distant Figure In The Fog (2:52)
    2. Sparks Adrift In The Louisiana Nightsky (3:39)
    3. A Plant That Thinks It’s Human (3:34)
    4. Becoming One With The Bayou (3:19)
    5. Dragged Across The Wetlands (2:56)
    6. Dark Green (4:48)
    7. Ghosts Dressed In Weeds (5:31)
    8. Moss On The Mind (3:13)
    9. Body Of The Bog (6:34)
    10. A Soul Made Of Sludge (3:49)

    Album Recording Credits:
    • All songs performed by: Tumbleweed Dealer
    • All songs written by: Tumbleweed Dealer
    • Produced by: Jean-Baptiste Joubaud
    • Mixed by: Jean-Baptiste Joubaud
    • Mastered by: Harris Newman
    • Album Artwork by: Glenn Le Calvez

    Album Band Line Up:
    Seb Painchaud – Bass & Guitars
    Angelo Fata – Drums & Percussions
    Jean-Baptiste Joubaud – Synths & Programming

    Guest Musicians:
    Antoine Baril – Mellotron, Hammond Organ & Keyboards on tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9 & 10
    Guillaume Audette – Wurlitzer, Rhodes and Church Organ on tracks 8 & 10
    Jocelyn Couture – Trumpet & Flugel Horn on tracks 4, 5, 7 and 9
    Loïc Roy-Turgeon – Trombone on tracks 4 and 5
    Zach Strouse – Saxophone on track 6
    And special guest star Ceschi Ramos as himself on track 7

    More info: Facebook.com/TumbleweedDealer | X.com/westernhorror | Instagram.com/tumbleweeddealer | Spotify

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  • Poland’s KINGSPHERE Unveils Powerful Music Video for “Archetype” Off Forthcoming Third Album in 2025

     

    Modern metal outfit Kingsphere, from Rybnik, Poland, is set to release the music video for their latest single “Archetype”, delivering a memorable metalcore experience that is both aggressive and emotionally vulnerable. The band comments on what listeners can expect:

    “It is an intense and dynamic track that captures the essence of our sound. It combines heavy, hard-hitting verses with melodic and emotionally charged choruses, creating a powerful contrast. The energy is elevated by intricate guitar solos that add an electrifying edge and depth to the song. The track also features a mystical bridge, offering a moment of atmosphere and intrigue before diving back into its relentless energy.”

    With two albums under their belts, 2012’s Self-Titled and 2022’s “Enigmatic”, Kingsphere’s sound has evolved naturally as they’ve grown as musicians and as a band. In the beginning, they focused on raw energy and heavy riffs, inspired by their love for modern metal. Over time, they’ve started experimenting with more dynamic elements—adding catchier melodies, atmospheric layers, and intricate rhythms—to create a more diverse and unique sound.

    “Archetype” is a journey through aggression, melody, and emotion, reflecting both the raw power and the introspective side of the band. It is recommended for anyone who enjoys powerful clean vocals and heavy breakdowns, especially those with an interest in All That Remains, Born Of Osiris, and The Browning.

    Watch and listen to the music video for “Archetype” at https://youtu.be/pTfJXcq3DjQ

    [embed]https://youtu.be/pTfJXcq3DjQ[/embed]

    Spotify - https://spoti.fi/408zE2R

    [embed]https://open.spotify.com/track/1tUHzKPZSbgSzF754I076l[/embed]

    Kingsphere is:
    Piotr Miliczek - Vocals
    Marek Kula - Guitar
    Kamil Sikorski - Guitar / Vocals
    Paweł Kawalec - Bass
    Maciej Sobieski - Drums

    For more info:

    https://www.facebook.com/kingspheremetal 

    https://www.instagram.com/kingspheremetal

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  • HYPERSPACE METALFEST Announces 2025 Lineup w/ ENFORCER, PSYCHOSTICK, PLANESWALKER, GLYPH, CRIMSON SHADOWS, LUNAR, OWLBEAR, RED CAIN and more!

     

    Canada's premier melodic and power metal festival HYPERSPACE METAL FEST returns for its 6th edition after another year of crowd-pleasing epic fun in Vancouver, BC. Being hosted at The Cobalt (April 10 &11th) and the Rickshaw Theatre (April 12th), the full 2025 lineup is ready to be revealed with headliners ENFORCER, PSYCHOSTICK, PLANESWALKER, GLYPH along with Crimson ShadowsLunar, Owlbear, Tower Hill, Solarus, Red Cain, Tylor Dory Trio, Serpent Rider, Luminator, Heyoka's Mirror, and Crüzer.

    Festival organizer Joey Hockin of Journeyman Productions adds:

    "Stoked to unveil the full lineup for Hyperspace 6! Adding to the lineup we have Psychostick, Crimson Shadows, Owlbear, Red Cain, Serpent Rider, and Crüzer! This year is looking like it will be the best year yet and we hope you'll join us! See you in April!"

    Headlining Saturday, April 12th at The Rickshaw Theatre, Sweden's ENFORCER have proved themselves both live and on record, they stake their place amongst the world’s most renowned heavy metal bands since first forming in 2005. They have toured the world over, playing the biggest festivals and garnering a global fanbase. Their latest sixth studio album Nostalgia (released May 2023 - Nuclear Blast), features 13 heavy metal anthems and throws ENFORCER back to their speed metal roots. Fusing extreme guitar riffing with catchy stadium choruses, ENFORCER is out to conquer the world.

    Supporting ENFORCER on the closing night lineup will be Comedy Metal Kings PSYCHOSTICK. These humorcore titans bring forth a nostalgic escapade of sing-alongs and moshing fun with iconic titles such as "Beer!", "Numbers (I Can Only Count to Four)", "Dogs Like Socks", "Obey The Beard!", "Boobs", and their latest single "Ultra Mega Fast".

    The Saturday night lineup will also witness the return of the formidable force that is Toronto's Crimson Shadows bringing forth tales of fantasy and warfare in their fierce melodic power and death metal imbued sound. Thundering across the icy Canadian mountains, Crimson Shadows has awoken after five years away. The band has emerged from the dark and is preparing to forge its own path in this next stage of its journey. Across their defiant career stretching almost two decades, to date notable highlights of Crimson Shadows' journey include the band’s appearance at Wacken Open Air in Germany in mid-2013 and subsequent victory in obtaining the title of International Wacken Battle Champions. Alongside international performances, Crimson Shadows has ventured across the length and breadth of their homeland delivering brutality, technical prowess, and unyielding intensity in their melding of power and death.

    Headlining Friday, April 11th at The Cobalt and returning for their second time at HMF, the duo known as PLANESWALKER features Jason Ashcraft (Helion Prime) and Sozos Michael (Gloryhammer, ex-Helion Prime) present Magic the Gathering-inspired Power Metal. They recently released their latest single "Compleated" and were joined by Carlos Alvarez (ex-Power Theory, Behölder, Shadowdance) on bass and Stefanos Meletiou (The Zilla Project, Private Garden).

    The second night of the festival will also unleash the first-ever live performance of Lunar, a progressive metal project from California that features members from Witherfall, Helion Prime, Planeswalker, Novareign, Mokili Wa, Nordic Frost, Outloud, and Double Vision. Their fourth and latest album “The Illusionist” features guests Jørgen Munkeby (Shining), Christian Münzner (Obscura), Andy Gillion (Mors Principium Est), Taylor Washington (Paladin), Sam Vallen (Caligula's Horse), Ben Karas (Thank You Scientist), Gleb Kanasevich, and Patrick Corona.

    Meant to perform on the 2024 lineup, but forced to cancel, Tylor Dory Trio returns for 2025, they are a monstrous progressive metal unit and beloved by many in Western Canada. This live performance on Friday, April 11th, will be their first following a nearly seven-year layoff. 

    Opening night of the festival, Thursday, April 10th at The Cobalt, will showcase the Pacific Northwest's Glyph, which is not just a heavy metal band, they are a crew of intergalactic mercenaries escaping a dying planet in their spaceship, the VSS Dragonlord. Clearly, Glyph isn’t just writing songs, they’re building worlds and they bring it forth in their latest album "Honor, Power, Glory" released this past March. 

    Traveling from Edmonton, AB, Tower Hill delivers premium old-school heavy metal inspired by bands like Running Wild, Riot, Judas Priest, early Blind Guardian, and Helloween. Forging the best of the late 80s and early 90s German, British, and US metal scenes into a new blend of shimmering steel, Tower Hill’s riff-driven, hook-laden traditional metal will have you banging your head and singing along. 

    Replacing the originally announced Lost Nebula, Calgary's RED CAIN has been imported to perform their power-prog storytelling with Eastern European roots for the masses. They have been making waves since their first release in 2016, with award-winning music videos and concept albums “Kindred: Act I”, “Kindred: Act II” and "NÄE'BLISS". The albums contained a ton of genre inspirations, from gothic rock to ambient electronica, power, black, and death metal, and were universally lauded for their inventiveness, variety, and strong conceptual content. They continue this momentum with the latest singles "Firestarter" and "Demons II".

    Hyperspace Metal Festival VI - April 10th - 12th.
    One-day passes and three-day passes are available at: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/hyperspace-metal-festival-vi-tickets-1000996957847

    Facebook Event - https://www.facebook.com/events/1637280440385808

    Thursday, April 10th - The Cobalt
    Glyph
    Tower Hill
    Red Cain
    Serpent Rider
    Crüzer

    Friday, April 11th - The Cobalt
    Planeswalker
    Lunar
    Solarus
    Tylor Dory Trio
    Heyoka's Mirror

    Saturday, April 12th - The Rickshaw Theatre
    Enforcer
    Psychostick
    Crimson Shadows
    Owlbear
    Luminator

    To follow updates for Hyperspace Metal Festival 2024, please visit the following links:
    Facebook.com/HyperspaceMetalFestival
    Instagram.com/HyperspaceMetalFestival

    Over the five editions of Hyperspace Metal Festival, bands from all over the world have come to play power, prog, melodic death, and speed metal on the Canadian West Coast. The festival has presented lineups that have included performances by Týr, Flotsam and Jetsam, Skelator, Trollfest, Aether Realm, Exmortus, Striker, Riot City, Into Eternity, Witherfall, Planeswalker, Iron Kingdom, Helion Prime, Ravenous, Crimson Shadows, West of Hell, Judicator, Odinfist, Tanagra, Scythia, Greyhawk, The Order of Chaos, Red Cain, and many more.

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  • NIGHTWRAITH Unleases Progressive MeloDeath Epic Album “Divergence”

    NightWraith, the progressive melodic death metal band from Denver, USA presents their latest and new offering "Divergence". An album featuring eight original tracks and a cover version of Pink Floyd's "Us and Them", the full-length has a lot of depth to it and is not a traditional metal record.

    Vocalist guitarist Benjamin Explains further:

    "We hope people can appreciate the risks we took on this record. We wanted to really kick it up a notch for anyone who already knows our music since they might be expecting that from us. We also don’t want to turn off any potential new listeners, so it was kind of a fine line between what current fans expect from us, and what brand-new listeners are willing to keep an open mind for. There’s really something for everyone on this album, whether it's 80’s style guitar riffs, blast beats, electric piano, or guttural vocals."

    "Divergence" takes listeners on a sonic journey. There are many layers to it and the band's idea was for people to hear something new with each listen. The album is intended to lift you up with major melodies, evoke emotion with harmonic minors, and harken overall feelings of nostalgia and hope. ‘Divergence’ often utilizes classic songwriting structures (verse/chorus/bridge/lead). Each instrument is not overly complicated, but when layered on top of each other, the music has a lot of depth. The drums are fast with lots of big rock fills and the choice to use fast double bass and blast beats was meant to give the album a driving, more ‘classic’ metal sound. The keyboards/synthesizer tones are the icing on the cake and are what truly color the album in a nostalgic-sounding way. The melodies that were written to lay on top of the guitars are what give the songs the musical complexity that can be rare within the heavy metal genre. There are also a lot of solos on this album, but none of them are overly ‘shreddy’ and are meant to serve the song, not the player.

    The band also stepped up the production on this album by recruiting some talented guest musicians to contribute and added extra rhythmic layers using acoustic guitar and percussive instruments like cowbells and shakers. Then stepped up the production again by involving producer Zack Ohren (Machine Head, Immolation) to mix and master the record, which gave it a top-shelf-sounding production quality.

    Due out on September 13, 2024, from What’s Left Records, “Divergence” is available for album pre-order at https://nightwraith.bandcamp.com/

    Vinyl pre-order - https://whatsleftrecords.bigcartel.com/product/nightwraith-divergence-lp-clear-red-vinyl

    Track Listing:
    1. Fruitless (5:15)
    2. Perpetual Night (5:13) ft. guest Cole Rudy - Pedal Steel Guitar
    3. One Flower (5:14) ft. guest Andreas Wild - Baritone Saxophone
    4. Whispers of Dragonflies (5:27) ft. guest Kelly Schilling - Concert Flute
    5. Invocation (2:19) ft. guest Joey Truscelli - Guitar Solo
    6. Fallen Kings and Queens (4:20) ft. guests Dan Phelps & Chuck French - Backup Vocals
    7. Nothing Left to Lose (3:24)
    8. Divergence (5:20) ft. guests Jeremy Portz & Xander Galvin-Soto - Auxiliary Percussion
    9. Us and Them (bonus Pink Floyd cover) (5:18)
    Album Length: 42:08

    More info: Nightwraithband.com | Facebook.com/nightwraithband | Instagram.com/nightwraithband | Twitter.com/nightwraithband

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