Search Results: progressive

• ANCIENT THRONES Returns w/ Haunting Video "A Moon Fused Key" From Sophomore Album "Melancholia" Out Sept 2025

  Jul 22, 2025 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  Halifax, Canada’s relentless progressive death metal band Ancient Thrones return with their harrowing sophomore album "Melancholia", dropping September 19th, 2025, a follow-up to 2020’s debut "The Veil". Leading the release is their first single, “A Moon Fused Key”, accompanied by a haunting lyric video that offers a raw glimpse into the album’s psychological abyss.

  Formed in 2011 and reborn in 2018 with the arrival of guitarist and composer Dylan Wallace, Ancient Thrones carved out a new identity rooted in fast, extreme, progressive, cinematic, and existential soundscapes. With "Melancholia", the band dives deeper into these sonic philosophies, creating a concept-driven album born out of isolation, trauma, and the need to transform pain into art.

  "We think this album is a turning point for us, where we were able to take the atmosphere of our previous record, and kick the aggression up to a thousand. The intention of our last record, "The Veil," was to be poetic and hopeful, but the intention with our second full-length, "Melancholia," is to crush any ounce of hope that is left," adds the band.
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  A high-speed, technically savage record written during the first wave of the pandemic. "Melancholia" is packed with themes of hallucination, suicide, and emotional unraveling, inspired by personal experience and psychedelic trauma. Built as a narrative journey, with abstract lyrics and music that flow seamlessly from track to track.
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  The writing process started with Wallace churning out riffs in isolation while drummer and vocalist Sean Hickey developed the narrative alongside the music. Their creative synergy resulted in a cinematic tapestry where music evokes visuals, and lyrics deepen the vision. Each track exists as a piece of a larger, emotionally devastating puzzle.

  The band meticulously sculpted every sonic detail over five years, dialing in tones and mastering techniques to ensure a pummeling production. Unlike their expansive debut, "Melancholia" tightens its tracklist to accommodate a proper vinyl release, with each song handpicked for impact. Every riff, lead, and vocal layer contributes to an immersive and aggressive listening experience.

  “We didn’t plan to write a concept album, but the story began to unfold, and we couldn’t resist,” adds Hickey.

  Inviting fans into the haunting world of "Melancholia", Ancient Thrones is unveiling their first single and the album's opening track, “A Moon Fused Key”. Kicking off the record, the track sets the stage for the violent nature about to unfold both musically and lyrically. This is the point of the concept album where the character puts an end to every piece of life in his body. At the end of the song, he sees the hand of god pulling him to heaven, and he severs it. This song is fast, filled with crushing riffs, and sets the tone for what’s to come.

  The band comments:

  “A Moon Fused Key is the opening track on the album, but also a climax narratively, jumping straight into where hell is unfolding in our character's story. The song begins with unrelenting force and speed, and does not stop until the final bitter moments. We wanted to establish that Melancholia was not just a catchy title for the album; that we intend to tie our audience in a nihilistic, inhuman, terrifying, and brutal end, as the character celebrates their death viciously. This song is a statement in existential exhaustion, where you have no choice but to brace for what’s coming”.

  Taking influences from black metal, 2000s death metal, and modern tech death, "Melancholia" reflects the Ancient Thrones' commitment to pushing boundaries in extreme music. Recommended for fans of Archspire, The Red Chord, Deafheaven, and The Faceless.
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  Watch and listen to "A Moon Fused Key" via its lyric video premiere on NoCleanSinging HERE.

  Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/track/54OafwThPmIXquCxxy0ySq

  Album pre-order (Vinyl, Digital) (out Sept 19th, 2025) - 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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• DARKNESS IS MY CANVAS New Single "Ink In The Water" Off New Album "The End Of Times" Out Aug 2025

  Jul 14, 2025 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  With “Ink In The Water”, Finnish alternative/progressive rock band Darkness Is My Canvas showcase their most instinctive and unpredictable side. The track is the latest single taken from their upcoming debut full-length "The End Of Times", due out August 1st, 2025 via Rockshots Records.

  Originally written in a matter of minutes during a spontaneous studio session, “Ink In The Water” captures the band’s no-rules approach to songwriting. “We just felt like doing something fast and upbeat,” the band recalls. “The lyrics were literally transcribed from Pete’s first take on the demo. When we listened back, we knew it had something special.”

  A bold dive into post-punk and pop-punk territories, the song stays true to the band’s emotional and melodic core while introducing a refreshing twist. Short but impactful, “Ink In The Water” reflects the band’s ongoing refusal to stick to a single genre. “If a song demands a certain approach, we go for it without hesitation. Genre doesn’t matter—we just serve the song”.

  Like other tracks on "The End Of Times," the single balances spontaneity with depth. Its tight structure, punchy rhythm, and unapologetic tone reveal a new side of the band’s sonic identity—one that is vibrant, immediate, and still unmistakably Darkness Is My Canvas.

  Listen to "Ink In The Water":

  Spotify - https://lnk.to/xGLkY28i​

  ​

  "The End Of Times" is the debut full-length album from Finnish band Darkness Is My Canvas — a bold and emotional journey through melody, introspection, and modern rock expression. Blending progressive elements, cinematic atmospheres, and sharp alternative energy, the album explores the collapse and rebirth of meaning in a chaotic world. With intricate arrangements, thought-provoking lyrics, and powerful hooks, "The End Of Times" is a record that invites repeated listens, each time revealing new layers and deeper resonance.

  For those who appreciate bands like Muse, Ghost, and My Chemical Romance, prepare to rock out with Darkness Is My Canvas!

  PRE-ORDER the album (Out Aug 1st) at the following link: https://rockshots.eu/products/darkness-is-my-canvas-the-end-of-times-cd​

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  Track Listing:​
  1. Wash
  2. Rejected
  3. Bleed
  4. Ink In The Water
  5. The Maze
  6. The End of Times
  7. Day Zero
  8. Subliminal
  9. These Times
  10. Skin & Bones

  Darkness Is My Canvas is:
  Pete - Lead Vocals
  Panu - Guitars
  Fellu - Bass
  Guitar Juza - Drums

  For more info:
  ​Rockshots.eu​
  ​https://www.facebook.com/darknessismycanvas/​
  ​https://www.instagram.com/darknessismycanvas/

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• Vancouver Prog Collective MONIKER Unveils New Music Video "Hindsight

  May 21, 2025 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  Brewed in a basement suite fueled by the lust for bringing their hometown of Vancouver, BC, something it's never heard of before, the members of progressive collective Moniker, whom all met as students while attending Audio Engineering school, returns with its next taste of new music, "Hindsight" to follow single "From The Grave" released March 31st of this year and their first self-titled full-length unleashed back in 2021.

  "You normally had either brutal death metal or indie rock. Bringing melodic progressive metal to this city was our goal, and we are back to finish it," adds the band.

  Before the digital single for "Hindsight" is officially available on June 6th, 2025, on all platforms, the progressive quintet is unveiling its music video that can be viewed below.

  The band comments on the track:

  "To those who know us, it will be just as everyone expects, for those who don't know us, prepare for the unexpected. This single gives a balance between clean melodies and delay-saturated guitar licks, all the way to soul-crushing riffs with gut-wrenching screams. Time flows on and on, whether we want it to or not. Our vision may be clouded, but hindsight is 20/20."

  With its melodic sense, progressive and sizzling heavy riffs, and soaring vocals, Moniker is recommended for fans of Tool, Deftones, Trivium, Leparous, and Killswitch Engage. Watch and listen to "Hindsight" at the following link:

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  Digital Single pre-save - https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/moniker7/hindsight​

  More info: https://www.Instagram.com/monikerband

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• SYMBIOTIC GROWTH Unleashes New Lyric Video "Lost in Fractured Reveries" From New Album "Beyond The Sleepless Aether"

  May 15, 2025 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  Canadian progressive blackened death unit Symbiotic Growth has unleashed their latest lyric video, "Lost in Fractured Reveries," in support of their sophomore album "Beyond The Sleepless Aether," released digitally on March 28th, 2025, and available on limited edition CD from Bolverk Collective.

  Similar to the band's predecessor, their 2020 self-titled full-length, "Beyond The Sleepless Aether," is once again based in fiction and is lyrically conceptual, but dives more into thoughts and emotions of everyday life, and sometimes those thoughts are hard to deal with. It's progressive, experimental, foreboding, and emotional; every song has its own identity and place within the album's story, taking its protagonist through the multiverse, placing him in places like dark wooded forests, wide open desert landscapes, and the unending cosmos.

  The band comments on the track "Lost In Fractured Reveries":

  "The song is about the last stop through the protagonist's journey on the proggiest song on the album. He finds himself floating within the cosmos, seeing all of time and every universe being woven together like a web, contemplating his entire existence, whether he ever even mattered in any time or in any universe. The jumping time signatures and tempo changes lend a hand to the uncertainty that feels within the song."

  Watch and listen to the lyric video at https://youtu.be/mrfCcx7U4Fk

  [embed]https://youtu.be/mrfCcx7U4Fk[/embed]

  Mixed and mastered by Tom MacLean (Twelve Tone Studio, Haken, Athemon, Brutta), "Beyond The Sleepless Aether" features seven paryalzing sounds of technical metal created by the Sudbury, ON recording line up of Aaron Barriault (Vocals, Guitar, Bass), Devin McQueen (Vocals, Guitar), and Dan Favot (Drums)(ex-Wolven Ancestry, ex-Fractal Generator).

  "I think the fans who have heard our previous album may be a bit surprised; the sound of this album is a bit different; it's a little bit more experimental in its way. Either way, we hope that fans enjoy what we've created. I feel like the listener may have feelings of uneasiness and wonder. An odd combination, but I feel like it's fitting," adds Aaron Barriault – Vocals, Guitar, Bass.

  "Beyond The Sleepless Aether" is recommended for fans of Ne Oblivisacaris, Der Weg Einer Freiheit, Cor Scorpii, and Gojira.

  The album can be heard on the following digital platforms:

  YouTube (Album Stream) - https://youtu.be/CSOzIaRlo6E​

  Spotify - https://spoti.fi/42m1Mlp​

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

  CD Order is available at https://www.bolverkcollective.com/symbioticgrowth​

  Track Listing:​
  1. Of Painted Skies and Dancing Lights - 7:03
  2. Spires Of The Boundless Sunset – 7:28
  3. The Architect Of Annihilation – 10:57
  4. The Sleepless Void – 9:52
  5. Arid Trials and Barren Sands – 7:35
  6. Lost in Fractured Reveries – 8:44
  7. Trading Thoughts For Sleep – 10:02
  Album Length: 1:01:43

  Album Credits:​
  Mixed and Mastered By Tom Maclean of Twelve Tone Studio
  Album Art by Erskine Designs

  Album Band Line Up​
  Aaron Barriault – Vocals, Guitar, Bass
  Devin McQueen – Vocals, Guitar
  Dan Favot – Drums

  Live Band Line Up​
  Aaron Barriault - Vocals, Guitar
  Dan Favot - Drums

  For more info: Facebook.com/SymbioticGrowth | Instagram.com/symbioticgrowth

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• KRATORNAS Announces “Ravaged by Hurakaan” Vinyl and Cassette Demo Ahead of Upcoming Album "God of the Tribes" Out August 2025

  Apr 21, 2025 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  Saskatoon, Canada's Kratornas is set to unleash a special vinyl demo on May 20th and remix cassette on May 30th, 2025, through Grathila Records. These releases serve as a prelude to the highly anticipated full-length album “God of the Tribes,” scheduled for release on August 20th, 2025. The mastermind behind Kratornas comments:

  "This album marks a turning point for KRATORNAS. Not because it tries to be “different” but because it couldn’t have come out any other way. Every part of this release came together naturally. The sound, the pacing, the tension... it wrote itself, shaped by instinct and intention. This album is unlike the usual Kratornas, so anyone expecting it to sound like “early Kratornas” will be disappointed.

  The 7" vinyl demo features “Ravaged by Hurakaan” on Side A, with Side B containing an instrumental “Drum and Bass” version of the same track. This vinyl-exclusive release will not be available in digital format, making it a true collector's item for dedicated fans. Simultaneously, Kratornas will release a remix of the track on cassette. Both the vinyl and the upcoming album were mastered by Dan Swanö (Edge of Sanity).

  "Ravaged by Hurakaan" serves as track #3 on the upcoming full-length album "God of the Tribes," giving fans an early taste of what to expect from the new material. Unlike previous Kratornas releases known for their "superfast brutality," this new material focuses on build-up and atmosphere, showcasing a significant evolution in sound.

  The new material features previously unexplored instrumentation, including a 7-string guitar for L/R channels and a 6-string fretless bass, moving away from blast beats and heavily distorted guitars toward a more nuanced approach. Black Metal fans, especially those with an interest in “being progressive”, should take note.

  Vinyl and cassette pre-orders are available at https://kratornas.bandcamp.com/album/ravaged-by-hurakaan-7ep-2025​

  Vinyl Track Listing :​
  ​Side A: "Ravaged by Hurakaan" – demo/rough mix of track #3 from the upcoming album "God of the Tribes"
  ​Side B: "Drum and Bass" Instrumental of track #3 from the upcoming album "God of the Tribes"
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  ​The cassette - KRATORNAS - Ravaged by Hurakaan (QUE DIABLO Remix) featuring DJ Aromaz
  Track Listing:
  Cassette Side A: (28 Minutes)
  1. Ravaged by Hurakaan (Que Diablo remix featuring DJ Amoraz) [2025]
  2. Ravaged by Hurakaan (Demo/Rough Mix from 7" vinyl) [2025]
  3. Spit on God (2016/Sub Mix) *
  4. Human Livestock (2019/Bulldozer Version) *
  5. Three Unclean Spirits (2009) *
  * = additional tracks to fill a C60. Mixed “exclusively” for this Cassette.
  ​Cassette Side B: (29 Minutes)
  6. Swarm of Rattlesnakes (2015/Meditative Ambient)

  Vinyl / Cassette Credits:​
  Performed, Produced, Recorded, and Mixed by Bruno Zamora
  All Lyrics and Music written by Bruno Zamora
  Layout and Cover Artwork by Bruno Zamora

  For more info: https://www.facebook.com/officialkratornas

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