Finnish progressive heavy psychedelic rockers Craneium are thrilled to announce they’ve officially signed with Majestic Mountain Records. To celebrate this exciting occasion, the band will release their brand-new single Empty Palaces’ today, available on all digital platforms.
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In a statement from the band, guitarist Martin Ahlö shared: “A friend of the band gifted us a book on old Egyptian magick, and some of the spells carried really empowering messages. It also inspired the themes that we explored a lot in our music at the moment: the inevitable decay of mankind’s empires and monuments at the hands of nature and time.”
Drummer Joel Kronqvist added, “We’re beyond excited to share a new single called ‘Empty Palaces’ with the world. This track is the perfect blend of our signature 90’s edge mixed with the soulful, retro vibes of the 70’s.”
Known for their ability to seamlessly blend classic riffing with dynamic atmospheres, Craneium explores the ebb and flow of light and heavy, drawing inspiration from ’70s hard rock, ’90s desert psychedelia, and various other musical influences. Their sound stands as both timeless and uniquely their own.
Formed in 2011 in Turku, Finland, Craneium has made a name for themselves with electrifying live performances across the Nordic countries and Europe. Having shared the stage with acts such as Skraeckoedlan (SWE) and Mars Red Sky (FRA), Craneium continues to spread their powerful sound to fans worldwide.
The band has already released four albums and two split releases and is currently working on a new full-length album, tentatively scheduled for release in 2025, now under the wing of Majestic Mountain Records.
Philadelphia-based art-rock duo Tulipomania are back with ‘I’ve Been Told – Absolution’, the first offering from their sixth album Absolution, inspired by an invitation from acclaimed author Jeff VanderMeer to contribute music as part of the publication of his latest novel Absolution, the surprise fourth volume in his award-winning ‘Southern Reach’ series.
With a pressingly mournful urgency, this soundscape resonates with the complex energies enveloping VanderMeer’s novel, the author having invited the duo to create music inspired by ‘Absolution’ while still a work in progress. Hearing that VanderMeer took inspiration for the ‘Absolution’ novel from their Dreaming of Sleep album, the duo enthusiastically accepted the challenge.
Alternately categorized as cult synth punks, glam-leaning, post-punk, art-rock and muscular chamber pop, Tulipomania is Tom Murray (lead vocals, synthesizer, electronic percussion) and Cheryl Gelover (synthesizer, background vocals) – they first began their collaboration through projects for experimental film and animation classes. Tulipomania evolved from those experiences. Their new Absolution album includes four new tracks inspired by VanderMeer’s new novel, plus ten alternate versions of the songs that originally sparked VanderMeer’s interest, reimagined as a cohesive sonic experience.
It’s an exciting development for the duo to be involved in this new chapter of the Southern Reach Trilogy with Absolution being the brilliant, beautiful and terrifying final word on one of the most provocative and popular speculative fiction series of our time. An instant sensation, it has been celebrated by the New York Times, Stephen King and many others. With each volume climbing the bestsellers list, accruing awards, it was ultimately adapted in a movie – now a cult classic. The trilogy has now sold more than a million copies, securing its place in the pantheon of 21st century literature.
In the liner notes to the album, VanderMeer lends insight into his creative process: “I remember being in the middle of the ecstatic visions that formed my novel Absolution and discovering Tulipomania’s music for the first time, around August of 2023 – this very album’s doppelganger, in fact. The original mix of ‘Dreaming of Sleep’. It felt like a revelation – hypnotic, pulsing music that got deep hooks into my brain, so I couldn’t stop listening to the songs. Like a lighthouse’s roving light, the songs felt like a beacon, and the recursive nature of the composition, the sense of a beating heart, a thick muscle at the core of them, combined with the surreal lyrics got deep into the novel’s DNA. … So I was really pleased that this opportunity for this wonderful contamination of (novel / album) to go the other way – the Absolution remix of ‘Dreaming of Sleep’, with four new Absolution tracks! I really love this band so much – to the point I’ve listened to and recommend their entire back catalogue – that it’s an honor.”
On Absolution, Tulipomania is immersed fully in electronic means of creation – the exception being a sole accent played on electric guitar on the last track. This record involves Executive Producer Howard Thompson, renowned as a record industry executive (Elektra, Island, Almo Sounds), credited for having discovered and / or worked with Adam and the Ants, Billy Bragg, MC5, Mötorhead, PiL, Psychedelic Furs, Robyn Hitchcock, The Sugarcubes and Suicide, among others.
AMBER ASYLUM reveal the title track taken from their forthcoming new album Ruby Red. The tenth regular full-length of San Francisco’s neoclassical dark ambient quartet has been slated for release on February 14, 2025.
AMBER ASYLUM comment: “The title track of our new album, Ruby Red, is a poignant dirge that directly addresses the pain and loss inflicted by the pandemic, riots, war, and the looming specter of death”, frontwoman Kris Force writes. “Its haunting melody resonates with the collective sorrow and anguish felt in the aftermath of recent upheavals. Through mournful vocals and evocative instrumentation, the song serves as a solemn elegy, amplifying the echoes of grief caused by these tumultuous events. Each note carries the weight of collective sorrow, inviting listeners to confront the harsh realities of our world and to find solace in shared experience.”
Listen here:
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In times of trouble, women have often had to bear an even heavier burden throughout history. On their tenth full-length Ruby Red, San Francisco based all-female quartet AMBER ASYLUM offers a haunting reflection on turbulent eras, and blends instrumental passages with evocative lyrics. Ruby Red combines dirges, introspective laments, and powerful songwriting that evoke both despair and hope. The album transitions between themes of pain, loss, empowerment, and mortality, while creating a sonic landscape that is both raw and introspective. "Ruby Red" features bass, classical strings, percussion and kit, modular synthesis and female voices.
Ruby Red differs from its predecessor in the expansion of focus and depth. While earlier albums centered more on personal emotions, relationships, and journeys, Ruby Red broadens its scope to address global issues such as societal upheaval, war, and human rights. This album navigates both the personal and the global, and aims to illuminate the seen and unseen forces that influence our shared reality.
Musically, AMBER ASYLUM balance driving neoclassical elements with the raw power of pounding bass and drums, adding a potent, rhythmic force that contrasts beautifully with the quieter, brooding strings on Ruby Red. The bass and percussion create a compelling pulse that underpins the tracks, adding both intensity and depth to the album’s darker moments.
AMBER ASYLUM have taken inspiration for the lyrical concepts of Ruby Red from significant global issues such as the pandemic, riots, war, political turmoil, the threat to women’s rights, and empowerment, all while maintaining a deep connection to the extramundane. It reflects on mortality and the inevitability of death as part of a greater cosmic order, intertwining these global crises with metaphysical reflections on the resilience of the human spirit.
AMBER ASYLUM were conceived by composer, singer, and multi-instrumentalist Kris Force in the Californian city of San Francisco in 1990. Throughout their ever-changing musical evolution, the band has shifted throughout a variety of styles and collaborated with a host of musicians such as Steve van Till (NEUROSIS), Sarah Schaffer (WEAKLING), John Cobbet (HAMMERS OF MISFORTUNE), Leila Abdul-Rauf (VASTUM), among many others.
With Ruby Red, AMBER ASYLUM perfectly capture the growing dread and horror of many of a new dark age falling in our time. Yet the Californians balance the eerie and unhinged with a fragile beauty and blossoming of hope. Ruby Red is a most fascinating soundtrack of all that is to come. Listen carefully.
Cardiff Shoegazer’s ‘WYLDERNESS’ are back with a brand new single. ‘Big Idea’ will be released digitally on Monday 18th of November 2024.
Taken from their forthcoming new EP entitled ‘Safe Mode’ which will be released in 2025.
Woozy sun-drenched pop wrapped in a wall of stabbing fuzzy guitars and mesmerising shoegaze,echoing the sounds of Ride, DIIV, Sonic Youth and Yo La Tengo.
Wylderness’ eponymous debut album, released in 2018, was championed by Steve Lamacq (BBC 6 Music), Huw Stephens (BBC Radio 1) and was part of Radio 1’s Best of BBC Music Introducing. It garnered critical acclaim from Clash, DIY and Drowned in Sound, with the song On a Dais being featured on the US version of the TV show Shameless.
Wylderness have played shows for Huw Stephens, Sonic Cathedral, Swn Festival and support with Acid Mothers Temple.
The Cardiff band’s second album, Big Plans for a Blue World (2022), was recorded with an expanded line up and featured added layers of vintage synths and clarinet. It placed no.28 in Far Out Magazine’s Best Albums of 2022 and charted in the North American College & Community Radio Chart.
Wylderness are Ian (guitars/vox), Jim (bass/guitars), Ben (drums/percussion), Dan (guitars/vox), and Harri (clarinet/keys).
What’s that? A new song from the Jesus Lizard that isn’t on RACK?
‘Cost Of Living’ is out now on streaming platforms.
“Simply because I wrote the words to ‘Cost of Living’ doesn’t mean that I know exactly what it’s about. I think it has to do with the dread and self-loathing that addicts experience on a very regular basis. You can pick whichever type of addict you choose.” – David Yow
“A friend asked me if we had any tricked-out, odd timing type things with twists and turns, and I said ‘Yeah, I think so….’” – Duane
Benefits have a new album, Constant Noise, due for release on 21st March 2025 on Invada Records. ‘Relentless’ is the first taste of it. It certainly marks a progression from Nails. Who would have predicted a collaboration with Pete Doherty even just a few short months ago?
Industrial rock band, HEAVENLY TRIP TO HELL has just unleashed their ferocious new single & video, ‘Millions Of Flowers’.
Drawing inspiration from the darker side of the rock and roll lifestyle, the band’s new single, ‘Millions Of Flowers’ is an unflinching exploration of real stories and tragedies. “Rock and roll can be really dangerous,” the band explains. “No money, fast drugs, fast women, fast death. These songs reflect that reality.”
This fast-paced, hard-hitting track dives deep into the gritty realities of life, bringing forth an uncompromising hardcore energy that fans have come to expect. Prepare for a journey into the depths of sound and storytelling with ‘Millions of Flowers.’
Check it here:
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Emerging from the sun-soaked chaos of Long Beach, California, Industrial Metal band, HEAVENLY TRIP TO HELL embodies the raw essence and palpable danger of rock and roll. With unforgettable performances—including most recently sharing the stage with Guns N’ Roses, Billy Idol, Slipknot, Muse, and Helloween At The Hell in addition to the festivals, Heaven Music Festival—one of the world’s biggest metal festivals in Mexico, HEAVENLY TRIP TO HELL continues to make their mark in the heavy music scene.
HEAVENLY TRIP TO HELL’s relentless dedication to their craft has allowed them to share stages with legends such as The Dead Kennedys, Soulfly, Body Count, Transmetal, L.A. Guns, Bang Tango, and Too Short. Their music has even made waves in the documentary, Road Dogs, which chronicled the wild adventures of extreme L.A. bands over four years of touring.
Starting out with dreams of the road band life, HEAVENLY TRIP TO HELL quickly learned that true evolution came from hitting the pavement. With thousands of gigs under their belts—alongside festival appearances—they’ve honed a sound that resonates with audiences nationwide.
Looking ahead, the band is set to embark on a new tour with a setlist that promises a mix of fresh tracks and fan favorites. Fans can catch them live and experience the electrifying energy that has captivated audiences from coast to coast.
HEAVENLY TRIP TO HELL band consists of lead singer, Gerardo Christ, Sergio Natas on bass, Vicky Vicious on keyboards, Kurt Thompson on lead guitar, Frank Transer on rhythm guitar and Jose Soto on drums.
German Synth pop trio BEBORN BETON unveil the video single ‘Ticket to the Moon’, which is a cover track from the ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA album Time and taken from the forthcoming new EP To the Stars. The EP has been slated for release on November 22, 2024.
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BEBORN BETON comment: “The song ‘Ticket to the Moon’ was originally released by the British rock band Electric Light Orchestra on their 1981 album Time, which is one of our favourite records from that era”, vocalist Stefan Netschio writes on behalf of the trio. “We have been thinking about recording a track from that album for quite some time. Given the context of the EP, we felt that the appropriate moment had finally arrived. Alain De Grox aka Synth Heaven once again supported us in the creation of the video. He uitilised amazing excerpts from the CGI Animated Short ‘Ad Astra’ with kind permission of these ArtFX School students: Lauric Bonnemort, Clementin Massin, Pierre Vallerich, and Florian Coquaz. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to everyone who made this project happen.”
Legendary artists Peter Murphy and Boy George have combined forces for a gorgeously majestic new single entitled ‘Let The Flowers Grow’. Produced and co-written by Youth, their duet on what is a profoundly emotional orchestral masterpiece is available from today on Metropolis Records. Murphy recalls: “I was recording my new album in Spain with Youth and, while listening to a playback of a song, I heard another piece of music coming from his mobile phone. It caught my ear for its melodic beauty as well as a Roy Orbison-like voice that was singing it.” Upon learning that it was an unfinished demo written by Boy George, he was intrigued and asked Youth if he could work on the partial song. “In a matter of twenty minutes, we had ‘Flowers…’ finished.”
“When I heard the mix, I was satiated in every way,” beams Boy George. “I have always loved Pete’s voice and his writing on this adds a beautiful darkness. The production feels very epic, like Scott Walker.”
Check it here:
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‘Let The Flowers Grow’ carries an air of elegance, the iconic voices of both singers delivering a message of hope and tolerance. Originally written by Boy George, its initial message was one of personal acceptance about being gay. As the song developed, it took on a more expansive and universal scope, its lyrics extending beyond sexuality and embracing race, gender, creed and religion. “With everything going on in the world about identity, it feels very powerful,” he explains.
The mutual adoration between the duo has spanned decades. “I first met Boy George when he asked to be allowed backstage to meet Howard Devoto when Bauhaus were supporting Magazine,” recalls Murphy. “He struck me as a super-original, self-styled 17th Century fop. The second time I met him was when we walked into the BBC to do ‘Ziggy Stardust’ on Top of the Pops where Culture Club were also making their debut on the show. George greeted me very warmly and I discovered he was a Bauhaus fan.” With the single unveiled, Boy George adds:“It makes me dizzy and proud,” while Murphy concludes: “Boy George loves it and I’m so glad.”
PETER MURPHY : photo by Jolene Siana | BOY GEORGE : photo by Dean Stockings
BAIKAL is excited to announce the release of their new music video for the track ‘Rorschach,’ the first single from their upcoming project. At the origins of BAIKAL are guitarist Jérôme Colombelli (formerly of Uneven Structure and Cult Of Occult) and singer Matthieu Romarin (from Psykup and Uneven Structure). The project was initiated by Jérôme, who began crafting the first compositions in 2020.
Amid the global pandemic and a time characterized by confinement, the duo, along with other contributing musicians like bassist Julien Turrin, combined their diverse influences and backgrounds. This collaboration resulted in a unique sound that blends dark trip-hop atmospheres with powerful post-metal guitars driven by Sunn amplifiers, accented by electro-industrial elements and hints of post-black metal. In 2022, the band officially took on the name BAIKAL and made their live debut in Lyon, performing alongside Céleste.
The video created for ‘Rorschach’ vividly illustrates the imagery present in the lyrics and develops the aesthetic BAIKAL aims to present. Jérôme adds, “For us, music is inseparable from visuals. When I listen to music, images always come to mind, and when I watch a film, I need music that truly complements what I see to fully immerse myself in it.”
Aural Aggravation 