Search Results: prog

• OBSIDIAN SKIES Dive Into The Depths Of Technical Death Metal In “Unmade by the Ocean”

  Apr 3, 2025 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  Progressive metal duo Obsidian Skies from Boulder, Colorado, USA, announces the release of their new single “Unmade by the Ocean”, a symphonic journey through a post-apocalyptic underwater world. The single marks the first offering from their upcoming full-length album to be released in 2025. The comment on the track:

  “Unmade by the Ocean is heavy-hitting, rhythmic, and technically challenging, while still maintaining a very melodic core. With soaring solos on guitar, bass, and piano, it is a song with a unique and diverse sound. Lyrically, it tells the story of a small group of people who spent the years of Earth’s apocalypse underground and must now come to terms with their new reality and find hope where there is none.”

  Born from the creative partnership of Logan (guitar) and Tim (bass/vocals), former members of the band Endlight (2014-2017), Obsidian Skies emerged during the pandemic as the duo reunited to forge a new musical path. Their combined experience – Logan's formal composition training and Tim's technical background – brings a unique depth to their songwriting approach.

  The track showcases the band's signature sound, combining technical progressive metal with neoclassical and symphonic elements. Distinctive piano and bass interplay creates a foundation for intricate melodic solos, while harsh vocals drive the narrative forward, punctuated by clean vocal sections that provide dynamic contrast. It is recommended for fans of Ne Obliviscaris, Alkaloid, and Amon Amarth.

  Listen to “Unmade by the Ocean” via its premiere on Prog-Sphere HERE.

  For more info: Obsidianskiesband.com | Facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083270427893 | Instagram.com/obsidianskiesband​

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• FROGG Display Technical Metal Wizardy In New Animated Video "Interspecific Hybrid Species" Off Debut Album "Eclipse" (Co-Produced by Jamie King (Between the Buried and Me, The Contortionist, Scale the Summit))

  Apr 2, 2025 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  

  Unelashing their technical modern metal marvel, the debut album "Eclipse" this past March, New York's FROGG is exhibiting their new animated music video "Interspecific Hybrid Species" in support of the record, co-produced by guitarist/vocalist Sky Moon Clark and Jamie King (Between the Buried and Me, The Contortionist, Scale the Summit).

  Full of proggy goodness, the track has a strong message about climate change coming for us all.

  "Interspecific Hybrid Species is an intensely proggy, mind-bending epic that weaves intricate chaos with relentless precision, delivering a whirlwind of technical wizardry and amphibious fury," adds the band.

  Watch and listen to the music video "Interspecific Hybrid Species" via its premiere on HeavyBlogIsHeavy HERE.

  Frogg's first full-length features ten tracks of heavy, raw, progressive, death, and avant-garde thinking metal. Fans who have been following Frogg since their conception will find exactly what they signed up for, along with lots of fun surprises. The band doesn't operate in one genre all the time, and "Eclipse" is set to wonder.

  "A sonic eclipse where every genre collides—progressive, technical, and just enough death to keep your neck sore for weeks," adds bassist Ethan Emery.

  Lyrically, the record explores Mythology from various places, along with tying tales and emotions together. Fans can expect seasonal singles from Frogg going forward as they already have plans for follow-up singles to come real soon after the album's release.

  FROGG’s main ambition is to hit the live circuit with a perfected performance and its brand-new line-up. With performance in mind, FROGG has been relentlessly rehearsing new original material and old, to deliver an authentic live experience.

  Committed to technical excellence and progressive innovation, Frogg is recommended for fans of weird and wild and fans who appreciate bands such as Protest the Hero, Between the Buried and Me, Zenith Passage, Unexpect, and Obscura.

  "Eclipse" was released on March 7, 2025, and is available at ​https://froggofficial.bandcamp.com​.

  Spotify - ​https://spoti.fi/4heSdtu​

  

  Album Artwork - Artists: Yann Kempen & Bertrand LeFebvre

  Track Listing:​
  1. Walpurgisnacht (4:44)
  2. Life Zero (4:30)
  3. Dandelion (3:50)
  4. Eclipse I: Blind Bakunawa (4:20)
  5. Eclipse II: Sickened By Silence (4:48)
  6. Interspecific Hybrid Species (4:19)
  7. Wake Up (6:22)
  8. Sun Stealer (4:41)
  9. Double Vision Roll (3:29)
  10. Omni Trigger (4:07)
  ​
  ​Album Recording Credits:​
  • All songs performed by: FROGG
  • All songs written by: FROGG
  • Produced by: Jamie King & Sky Moon Clark
  • Mixed by: Jamie King
  • Mastered by: Jamie King
  • Album Artwork by: Yann Kempen & Bertrand LeFebvre
  ​
  ​Album Band Line Up:​
  Sky Moon Clark - Vocals, Guitars
  Will Brown - Drums, Percussion, World Instruments
  Brett Fairchild - Guitars on tracks 1, 5, 6,10
  Nick Thorpe - Bass on tracks 1,4,5,7,8,10
  David White - Bass on track 2
  Brad Williamson - Bass on track 6
  Jack Lynch - Bass on track 3
  Emma Rae - Clean vocals & keys
  ​
  ​Live Band Line Up:​
  Sky Moon Clark - Vocals, Guitars
  Brett Fairchild - Backup Vocals, Guitars
  Ethan Emery - Bass
  Will Brown - Drums

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

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• THESE CURSED HANDS Conjure An Amalgamation Of Metal Genres In New Video For “Perihelion”

  Mar 28, 2025 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  Emerging from Portland, OR's thriving metal underground, These Cursed Hands has unveiled a visually stunning new video for “Perihelion”, a track from their conceptual EP “Intelligent (RE)Design”, released in November 2024.

  These Cursed Hands continue to push the boundaries of modern metal, crafting a distinctive sound that seamlessly fuses black, progressive, core, death, and thrash metal elements. Their latest EP weaves a dark narrative of divine beings who, weary of humanity's existence, engineer a cybernetic fungal evolution through possessive spores. The theme draws inspiration from “The Terminator”, “The Last of Us”, and “Resident Evil” while incorporating themes from Norse mythology, Christianity, and Satanism. They comment on the track and the album:

  “Musically this album is a dynamic array of sounds and styles, featuring everything from melodic death and black metal to chunky deathcore and brutal death, with even some more ambient sections to haunt the listener. Perihelion is our most structurally complex song, moving between haunting ambiance, crushing death metal, and deathcore riffs.”

  These Cursed Hands has earned a reputation for their electrifying live performances, featuring programmed lighting, theatrical props, masks, and raw energy that transforms venues into apocalyptic landscapes. Their vocal aggression, earthshaking heaviness, explosive rhythm, and face-melting riffage regularly annihilate whole audiences, leaving only ashen smears where fans once stood. As the sun rises on these scenes of sonic devastation, the few remaining survivors will pull themselves from the rubble and spread the cursed word. They are recommended for fans of The Black Dahlia Murder, Dark Tranquility, and Thy Art is Murder.

  Watch and listen to the music video for “Perihelion” via its premiere on Decibel Magazine HERE. ​

  These Cursed Hands' latest EP “Intelligent (RE)Design” is available on Spotify and Thesecursedhands.bandcamp.com​

  Track Listing:​
  1. Advent (opening only) - 0:34
  2. Extermination Revelation – 5:06
  3. Murderous Intent – 4:20
  4. Onset (interlude) - 0:52
  5. Obsolete Beings – 3:27
  6. Perihelion – 5:16
  7. Collapse (interlude) 0:41
  8. Event Horizon – 4:50
  EP Length: 25:11

  All songs performed by:​
  These Cursed Hands (Wesley Griswold, Von-Aldrynne Eslava, Travis Cody)
  All songs written by: These Cursed Hands (Wesley Griswold, Von-Aldrynne Eslava, Travis Cody)
  Produced by: These Cursed Hands
  Mixed by: Seanan McCullough at Helvete Studio
  Mastered by: Seanan McCullough at Helvete Studio
  Album Artwork by: Patrick “Wadl” Hofmeister

  EP and Band Lineup:​
  Wesley Griswold – Guitar
  Travis Cody – Drums
  Von-Aldrynne Eslava – Vox
  Danny Hettum – Bass

  More info: Thesecursedhands.com | Instagram.com/thesecursedhands | Facebook.com/thesecursedhands

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• DEREV Release Debut Album "Troubled Mind" + Cross-Canada Tour Dates (QC/ON/MB/SK/BC)

  Mar 26, 2025 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  Toronto, Canada's Derev is proud to release their first full length, "Troubled Mind", now available as of March 26th on digital platforms (links below).

  The follow-up to their 2021 debut EP "Leap of Faith," “Troubled Mind” takes a deep dive into the intricacies of the human psyche, addressing a spectrum of mental health issues with each track, ranging from temporary mental instability to more severe conditions such as schizophrenia, cognitive immobility (a fixation on the past), and depression stemming from loss.

  Offering a diverse range of sounds from mellow, calm tracks to adrenaline-pumping heavy headbangers while maintaining their distinctive progressive rock sound, enriched with Middle Eastern influences. Incorporating more prominent keyboard parts, experimenting with various time signatures, and introducing new instruments such as the Cajon, Darbuka, and electronic elements. This evolution showcases the band's innovative spirit and commitment to pushing musical boundaries.

  The band adds:

  “This album is very personal and introspective. It’s full of memorable songs and parts to listen to and digest, both from a musical and lyrical perspective. Every song tackles a different state of mind and takes the listener into their thoughts of a mental state that they can relate to. As this one marks our second official release, we think the fans will be excited about hearing what Derev still has to offer. They’re in for a crazy ride full of energetic ups and heartbreaking downs.”

  Derev was conceived after founding member and drummer Michel Karakach, after fleeing the war in the Middle East and finding refuge in Toronto, Canada, reunited with his best friend, guitarist Armando Bablanian, to turn what was once a mere childhood dream into a powerful reality.

  Derev's dynamic lineup now includes bassist Stan Komarovsky, providing the backbone of Derev's sound, and keyboardist Ran Zehavi from the progressive rock band Scalar, adding depth and complexity. Leading the live charge is frontman and vocalist Mike Symons, who has replaced previous singer Adel Saflou, whose recorded vocals are featured on "Troubled Mind".

  Recommended for fans of Opeth, Dream Theater, Porcupine Tree, Soen, and Riverside, "Troubled Mind" is available at https://www.derevmusic.com/store (on Vinyl, CD, Tour Pass) and all digital platforms (Spotify, Bandcamp).

  In additional news, Derev is touring in Ontario to support "Troubled Mind" and will continue their road shows across Western Canada for May (listed below).

  ​

  DEREV - Troubled Mind ON/ QC Tour​
  March 28 - Waterloo, ON - Midnight Run Café w/ Local Goblin
  March 29 - Guelph, ON - The Red Papaya w/ Jupiter Hollow, Crown For A King, and Exolithic
  April 5 - Montreal, QC - Piranha Bar w/ World On Alert & Vinyl Hero
  April 11 - Hamilton, QC - Club Absinthe w/ 8 Banger, Hollow Core, Bad Communication
  April 12 - Brantford, ON - Brandi’s Kitchen & Bar w/ Jupiter Hollow & Guests

  DEREV - Troubled Mind - Western Canada Tour​
  May 2 - Sudbury, ON - The Townhouse w/ Jeidei, Codos
  May 3 - Marathon, ON - Biloxys Wings and Things
  May 4 - TBA (North Western Ontario)
  May 6 - TBA (Manitoba)
  May 8 - Regina, SK - Revival Music Room w/ Fame Fatale, 66 Aces
  May 9 - Saskatoon, SK - Amigos Cantina w/ Out Of Frequency, 66 Aces
  May 10 - Edmonton, SK - Rendezvous Pub w/ Darkened Skies, Silent Script, Misplaced Intentions
  May 12 - Grand Forks, BC - 4th St. Studio w/ guests
  May 13 - Kamloops, BC - The Blue Grotto w/ Augur, Gregarious
  May 14 - Vancouver, BC - The Roxy Cabaret w/ guests
  May 16 - Vernon, BC - Longhorn Pub w/ None The Wiser, Scared Soul Empire
  May 17 - Cranbrook, BC - The York Public House w/ Phaeton
  May 18 - Calgary, AB - Verns w/ Humans As Totems, The Future Relics, Rocky Mountain Maniacs, 13 Strikes
  May 20 - Winnipeg, MB - Sidestage w/ Valley Narrow, Sunbreather
  May 22 - Thunder Bay, ON - Black Pirates Pub w/ Cycle Of Disobedience, Along The Lines, The Fixer
  May 23 - Sault Ste. Marie, ON - Soo Blaster w/ guests
  May 24 - Timmins, ON - Victory Tavern w/ guests

  ​

  Track Listing:​
  1. Buried Voice (7:23)
  2. Cyclone (5:39)
  3. Crawl Space (1:16)
  4. Room 9 (6:15)
  5. Paracusia (4:35)
  6. Tides of Time (5:59)
  7. Darker Self (5:44)
  8. Trace Within (5:01)
  ​
  ​Album Band Line Up:​
  Adel Saflou - Vocals
  Armando Bablanian - Guitar
  Michel Karakach - Drums
  Stan Komarovsky - Bass
  Ran Zehavi - Keys
  ​
  ​Live Band Line Up:​
  Mike Symons - Vocals
  Armando Bablanian - Guitar
  Michel Karakach - Drums
  Stan Komarovsky - Bass
  Ran Zehavi - Keys

  More info: Derevmusic.com | Facebook.com/derevmusic | Instagram.com/derevmusic | X.com/derevmusic​

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• LOUD AS HELL Open Air Festival Announces 2025 Lineup w/ REVOCATION, FIRST FRAGMENT, FILTH, INSURRECTION, GORGATRON, OPAL IN SKY and more!

  Mar 17, 2025 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  LAH 2025 Lineup Spotify Playlist – https://spoti.fi/3XT8IUw

  From the barren expanse of sculpted sandstone, wind-carved hoodoos, and the vast canyons of Alberta, Canada's badlands, one of the country's loudest decibel-breaking extreme music events, LOUD AS HELL OPEN AIR FESTIVAL announces its 2025 lineup with REVOCATION, FIRST FRAGMENT, FILTH, INSURRECTION, GORGATRON, OPAL IN SKY and more!

  Hosted in Drumheller, AB from August 1st to 3rd at the Dinosaurs Down Stampede, LAH showcases the best up-and-coming Canadian and international talent to roar through the country's largest dinosaur fossil grounds.

  This year's 13th annual festivities will witness technical death metal masters Revocation headline the Sunday, August 3rd lineup. The band unveiled their latest 2025 single and music video “Confines of Infinity,” featuring brutal guest vocals from Cattle Decapitation’s Travis Ryan. The single also marks the debut of a new Revocation lineup that sees vocalist and guitarist Dave Davidson joined by drummer Ash Pearson--who has been in the band since 2015--bassist Alex Weber and guitarist Harry Lannon. Revocation formed in 2006, and their self-released debut, Empire of the Obscene, came out in 2008. Since then, they've released seven critically acclaimed albums and have toured the world, bringing their technically charged, high-energy extreme metal to rabid fans in North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. 

  ​

  Also on the Sunday lineup will be Insurrection, the powerhouse metal band from Gatineau, Quebec, Canada. Formed over 20 years ago (2003), the band is known for its intense and energetic performances. Their sound is a unique twist of groovy death metal mixed with a healthy dose of thrash energy. The band has released several albums, including "Prologue" (2008), "Fracture" (2010), "Prototype" (2013), "Extraction" (2017), and "Obsolescence" (2024) (Bam Co. Heavy). Their music often addresses social and political themes through bilingual lyrics in both English and French. The band has gained a notable reputation on stage throughout Canada with tours covering coast to coast, including performances at festivals such as Montebello Rockfest, Trois-Rivières Metalfest, and Decimate Metalfest.

  ​

  Headlining Saturday, Aug 2nd, Montreal, QC's First Fragment will display their virtuosity and demonstrate why they are so beloved globally for their Neoclassical/Technical Extreme Metal. The band broke ground with their debut EP "The Afterthought Ecstasy" (2010). Their latest two albums "Dasein" (2016), "Gloire éternelle(2021), and the latest instrumental compilation record "Le Recueuil Des Âges" (2024) have been released on Unique Leader Records. 

  Saturday will also feature LAH alumni Gorgatron, guttural Death Metal out of Fargo, North Dakota. Their sound is based on a “love of the riff” approach to writing and is rooted in the old-school stylings of Death Metal and Thrash. They have honed their style and work ethic with rigorous DIY tours across the States, Europe, Canada, and Mexico. They have a slew of records under their belts with their latest "Sentience Revoked" (2024) (Redefining Darkness Records) and just this past January they unleashed a digital EP "Live From the Basement". It was originally set to be released on Adult Swim's 'Fish Center Live' in 2020, but was shelved due to Adult Swim shutting down their livestream division that same year.

  ​

  The festival's first day on Friday, Aug 1st will be headlined by hip-hop-influenced deathcore gutter gang Filth out of North Carolina. They dropped the next chapter in their discography, Southern Hostility, in April 2024.

  ​

  Also on Friday are Vancouver, BC's Opal in Sky, twin brothers Tyson and Dylon Opalinsky. They share a deep passion for music and its limitless possibilities. Their music reflects their shared values and beliefs. They believe that music has the power to heal, uplift, and bring people together. They are committed to creating meaningful and enjoyable music, and their unique sound is a fusion of different styles and influences. They released their debut album, "Dream Shift," in July 2024.

  With a lineup featuring over 40 bands from across Canada, the USA, and Mexico, traveling the furthest from Europe is Vienna, Austria's Hog Meets Frog, a band fans don't want to miss. The trio is renowned for their eccentricity and boundary-pushing music that blends prog, funk, and metal.

  ​

  Other highlights for this year's open-air are Toronto's Beguiler, champions of last year's 2024 Wacken Metal Battle Canada; the slamming deathcore of Arizona's Gore Pig; Mexico's Spit On Your Grave, showcasing their powerful, deep growls, blast beats, slam riffs, and heavy breakdowns, all infused with a melodic touch; and Vancouver's Thirteen Goats, with their signature blend of infernal riffs, huge hooks, and uniquely theatrical songwriting.

  Weekend Passes (Aug 1- 3) are available at https://loudashell.ca/shop/​

  This weekend pass grants you full access to all the headbanging, moshing, and metal mayhem that Loud As Hell Open Air offers.

  LOUD AS HELL OPEN AIR 2025

  Thursday, July 31 – Kick Off Party
  ​Vapor (California, USA)
  Display Of Decay (Edmonton, AB)
  Black Pestilence (Calgary, AB)
  Decrepitation (Edmonton, AB)
  ​
  ​Friday, August 1​
  Filth (Shelby, NC, USA)
  Auzzy Blood – Freak Show (Las Vegas, NV, USA)
  Opal In Sky (Vancouver, BC)
  Hazzardous Material – Burlesque (Alberta)
  Spit On Your Grave (Monterrey, Mexico)
  Hazzerd (Calgary, AB)
  Ascension Blacklist (Newburgh, ON)
  Black Friday (Edmonton, AB)
  Daniel Martin’s The Infamous (Edmonton, AB)
  ​
  ​Saturday, August 2​
  First Fragment (Montreal, QC)
  Kyle Pullan – Acoustic (Canmore, AB)
  Gorgatron (Fargo, ND, USA)
  Hazzardous Material – Burlesque (Alberta)
  Heartsick (Lansing, MI, USA)
  Judicator (Salt Lake City, UT, USA)
  Casket Robbery (Munroe, WI, USA)
  Kelevra (Regina, SK)
  Lycanthro (Ottawa, ON)
  Frontal Assault (Cedar Rapids, IA, USA)
  Cabrakaan (Calgary, AB)
  Spectre (Winnipeg, MB)
  Pridelands (Red Deer, AB)
  Pharm (Kelowna, BC)
  Beserker (Lethbridge, AB)
  ​
  ​Sunday, August 3​
  Revocation (Boston, MA, USA)
  Kyle Pullan – Acoustic (Canmore, AB)
  Insurrection (Gatineau, QC)
  Auzzy Blood – Freak Show (Las Vegas, NV, USA)
  Gorepig (Hot Springs, AZ, USA)
  Hazzardous Material – Burlesque (Alberta)
  Cyborg Octopus (San Francisco, CA, USA)
  Squidhammer (Waterton, WI, USA)
  Truent (Vancouver, BC)
  Beguiler (Toronto, ON)
  Reaping Asmodeia (Minneapolis, MN, USA)
  Endless Chaos (Winnipeg, MB)
  Hog Meets Frog (Vienna, Austria)
  Thirteen Goats (Vancouver, BC)
  Woodhawk (Calgary, AB)
  Famous Strangers (Edmonton, AB)

  Since its inception in 2012, LOUD AS HELL OPEN AIR FESTIVAL has exposed hundreds of Canadian and international bands annually except for 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Their 2024 edition was host to the most stacked lineup to date featuring BEYOND CREATION, STRIKER, ANCIIENTS, GREEN JELLY, THE CONVALESCENCE, SUPER MONSTER PARTY, TERRIFIER, and lots more. Previous years have witnessed well-known bands such as Jungle Rot, Narcotic Wasteland, Necronomicon, Into Eternity, Goatwhore, Battlecross, Fit for An Autopsy, Anciients, Archspire, Unleash The Archers, Striker, KEN mode, Obey The Brave, Protest the Hero, AngelMaker, Divinity, Neck of The Woods, Endast among many more.

  Live LAH 2024 - Anciients - Despoiled - https://youtu.be/-E440Gax4ao​

  Live LAH 2024 - Terrifier - Depths Of The Storm Scepter - https://youtu.be/ZEm4ncOlbH4​

  Live LAH 2023 - Narcotic Wasteland - Sex, Lies and DNA - https://youtu.be/q-AraxYaEfA‪

  Live LAH 2023 - Jungle Rot - A Call To Arms - https://youtu.be/b5GCaJ--lZo​

  More info:
  ​LoudAsHell.ca​
  ​Facebook.com/LoudAsHellFestival​
  Twitter: @LoudAsHellFest
  Instagram: @LoudAsHellFestival
  ​Social Media Hashtags #LAHXIII, #LAHOA, #LAHOA2025

  Festival Press Materials - Posters, Band Links, EPKs, Photos - HERE.​

  About:

  LOUD AS HELL OPEN AIR FESTIVAL has hosted hundreds of Canadian and international bands annually since 2012 with the exception of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During its decade of showcasing Canadian and international bands, the festival has grown into a pilgrimage for metalheads from across the country.

  LOUD AS HELL OPEN AIR FESTIVAL 2025 will be celebrating its thirteenth festival event presented by Loud As Hell Productions, Jurassic Ink Custom Tattoo, Prairie Fire Events, and Asher Media Relations. LAH always works its hardest to deliver the best lineup in the West ready to melt your face off. Featuring bands from across Canada and beyond, you won’t want to miss any of it. And don’t forget about their freak shows, burlesque dancers, clinics, vendors, and dinosaurs!

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