Search Results: progressive

• PsyDeathTechProg THE JUDGE THE JUROR's New Single “Heliconian Optivisor” Is Metal Alchemy At Its Finest

  Aug 15, 2025 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  Edmonton, Canada’s most electrifying new metal force, The Judge The Juror (TJTJ), has dropped their blistering new single, “Heliconian Optivisor,” the first taste of their upcoming conceptual EP, "Primitive Minds," set to release in early fall 2025. This marks the beginning of an ambitious trilogy of EPs that will unfold over the next eight months, each exploring the collapse of the human condition through the band’s self-forged genre: PSYDEATHTECHPROG.
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  A mesmerizing, fast-paced assault of sonic force, “Heliconian Optivisor” dives deep into the psychological tension of viewing the world through distorted lenses, red flags we fail to see until it’s too late. The track blends blistering tech-death precision with psychedelic synths and progressive structures, reflecting the band’s desire to find authentic community without compromising identity.

  “What happens when you realize that you may have been viewing parts of your life through a lens you didn’t create? This song speaks of our human desire to find community and belonging that doesn’t come at the cost of selling our souls to fit in. This sentiment has been an ongoing discussion for the band members, as we try to carve a new, unique, and niche sound. We don’t always know where we fit into the metal scene, but we know we want to be authentic and stay true to what we believe without compromising. This balancing creates a push and pull of emotions that the musical structure of the song builds on,” says David W Frontenac (Vocals/Synth/Programming).​

  ​Add to your Spotify Playlist - https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/thejudgethejuror/heliconian-optivisor

  
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  The first of three conceptually linked EPs, "Primitive Minds" explores the paradox of modern humans trapped in ancient mental frameworks. Lyrically and musically, it’s a psychedelic futurist journey, equal parts brutal and introspective. TJTJ's release plans for the EPs will be Fall 2025 "Primitive Minds", early 2026 "Medieval Institutions", and mid-2026 "Godlike Technologies". Each release will build on the last, culminating in a sweeping narrative about societal collapse, technological alienation, and the search for meaning.

  In addition to unveiling the new single, The Judge The Juror will be hitting the road for an August tour in Alberta and BC with The Hallowed Catharsis & Plague Doctor. Catch them live for one of the most high-energy performances in Western Canada. Expect a barrage of increasingly weird and wonderful proggy tech-death.

  Tour Dates - The Judge The Juror w/ **The Hallowed Catharsis & Plague Doctor​
  Aug 21 - Kelowna, BC - Jackknife Brewing**
  Aug 22 - Kamloops, BC - Bridgeview Theatre** (UGEFEST)
  Aug 23 - Salmon Arm, BC - Solid Urban Studios**
  Aug 24 - Abbotsford, BC - Heavy Metal BBQ**
  Sept 13 - Red Deer, AB - The Vat
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  ​More info: https://linktr.ee/thejudgethejurorofficial

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• 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​

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  "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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