cleopatra-records

In 1995, Bjork released her second solo album, Post. It featured a song called Army of Me. It was a personal song for Bjork that featured heavy synthesizer and a John Bonham sampled drum beat. In 2005, Army of Me was covered by various artists for a charity record. Flash forward to 2021, another artist and project is giving Army of Me a new look.

I’m not sure I understand why people are so eager to cover Bjork. Anytime an artist covers a song, being compared negatively to the original is a real fear, especially when being compared to Bjork. She is pure inspiration, original, and beloved by most every music fan…..oh, and did I mention she has an amazing, sometimes quirky voice with a huge vocal range?

So, if you want to create a new version, what do you do?

Chuck Wright from Quiet Riot had a pretty good idea- do what he does best, rock! The original version features heavy synth throughout and drum samples. He wisely changes that here. The synthe is still present, but nestled into the background. The foreground has been replaced with guitar- not heavy chords, but more sparse, drawn out, individual notes. Towards the end of the song, Lanny Cordola from House of Lords breaks into a traditional guitar solo to close the song. The drums, which were originally samples of John Bonham on When the Levee Breaks, are now actual drums. The changes here from industrial synthe to rock create a very different version, but both equally support the power of the lyrics and message. Of course, having a song built around a rhythm section created by John Bonham lends itself to a rock treatment, so it was an easy choice. (When the Levee Breaks is actually a song written by Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie, but made famous by Led Zeppelin)

Now to the real problem of covering Bjork- finding a singer who can deliver a powerful performance without being a knock-off Bjork mimic. Wright could have chosen someone a little more quirky like Billie Eilish, but wisely chose Whitney Tai who recently won Best Vocalist at the Intercontinental Music Awards. Tai has her own style, her own voice, and it’s powerful. For those who aren’t familiar, check out songs like Surrender off of her most recent album Apogee or Enigma off of Metamorphosis in 2015. On both, Tai shows a deep dynamic range. On Army of Me, it is no different. Tai approaches the verses and the chorus differently. She sings slowly, impassioned on the verse as she implores the listener to be better, to get up and do what’s right. On the chorus, her voice soars, hitting bigger notes as she gives the ultimatum- do what I say or meet an Army of Me.

What Chuck Wright and company have done so well here is adapt a personal song from 1995, widening its message to a 2021 society that needs the message. He uses Ruth Bader Ginsberg in the video to bolster the point of doing what’s right in the face of adversity. The song and the video are beautiful re-imaginings of the original.

Music Produced By: Chuck Wright
Video Produced & Directed By: Chuck Wright
3D Animation By: Drew Lanius
Music and Lyrics Written By: Björk and Graham Massey
Engineered By: Chuck Wright, Tim Janssens, and Sven Martin
Mixed By: Tim Janssens

Whitney Tai • Vocals
Chuck Wright • Bass (Quiet Riot/ Alice Cooper/ House Of Lords)
Pat Torpey • Drums (Mr. Big)
Lanny Cordola • Guitars (House Of Lords)
Sven Martin • Keyboards (Jonathan Davis Band)
Tim Janssens • Additional Keyboards
Tosha Jones • Video Synch • Drums (Saliva)
Sam Bam Kolton • Video Synch • Guitar (Budderside)

Army of Me is the first song off of Chuck Wright’s Sheltering Sky record which is coming in 2022. The record features over 30 guest performers including members of Mr. Big, Skid Row, Tesla, Dream Theater, Asia among many others. And for those of us who are fans of Whitney Tai, this is not the only song on which she sings. If this song is any indication, The Sheltering Sky sounds like an album worthy of our attention.

(Source: wanderingsandwoolgathering.com)

Hailing from the same icy darkness of the Scandinavian inland that birthed the Grammy Award-winning theatrical metal band GHOST, PRIEST has come to thaw the icy circuits of your frostbitten, winter-chilled heart with a brilliant new single. “A Signal In The Noise” is the first single from the new album by the enigmatic trio, which consists of vocalist Mercury (known as Water when he played bass for GHOST), keyboardist Salt (formerly GHOST keyboardist Air), and programmer/ keyboardist Sulfur. The new album is slated for 2022 and is produced by another GHOST alumni Simon Söderberg (guitarist and producer/engineer of GHOST’s debut album Opus Eponymous).

Although the group has been putting out albums since 2017, this new album marks a significant departure, with a drastically darker mood yet still maintains the band’s penchant for strong hooks and melodies. Speaking about the new single, a spokesperson for PRIEST declares “‘A Signal in the Noise’ is the first glimpse of a darker era in PRIEST’s timeline. The industrial rhythms and melodies paint a vast canvas of an apocalyptic future. To accompany the track, we needed a gritty video with an urban feeling. We are very excited to show it to you!”

For more info:
twitter.com/dominumpupa
instagram.com/priestofficial
facebook.com/priestofficial
https://open.spotify.com/artist/6niO7WSbw5n0nD58jPi2Mx?si=IgmYyWGGQNms8tPV-Cix7Q
priestnexus.com

Los Angeles, CA – Before 2021 comes to an end, New Jersey surf punks Dentist are set to release their third single of the year, “Spilled Coffee.” While their prior two releases showcased sugary punk pop, the new single takes their beach fuzz and delves into the world of post-punk, with a darker sound inspired by groups like Interpol – a band favorite for long trips on tour. The new single has a persistent beat that would be perfect for your fall beach goth party.

“For this single, we wanted to release something that coincides with the feeling you get moving from fall into winter. ‘Spilled Coffee’ has an ominous vibe, but it’s also something you’d want to dance to, to help move away from your upcoming seasonal depression.”

The single was premiered yesterday on the website for Under The Radar magazine but is released to the general public today!

Check out the previous singles:

“Let Me Let Go”
Stream: https://orcd.co/dentist_let_me_let_go
Video: https://youtu.be/g0Prm5KbhHs

“Don’t Let Me Catch You”
Stream: https://orcd.co/dentist_dont_let_me_catch_you
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ca7cjhWvb8o

Critical acclaim for Dentist’s previous album, Night Swimming:

“Thanks to tight chemistry, killer hooks, and a distinctive sound that’s both lo-fi and retro-pop smooth, New Jersey’s Dentist have managed to stand out amid a sea of like-minded musical acts.” – The AV Club

“Dentist make beachy guitar music sound so good you’ll think it’s just as easy to play.” – Noisey

“Dentist have precision and technicality that borders on math rock, but they also know how to temper their musicality for deft various of energy and aesthetic.” – Stereogum

What links Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lemmy and exploding hot water bottles? Muscleman singer Jon Mikl Thor – one of the greatest cult metal stars of the 70s and 80s.

Jon Mikl Thor has one piece of advice for anyone considering inflating a hot water bottle by lung-power alone: don’t.

“Oh, I never want to do it again,” says the professional body builder-turned-cult heavy metal singer of one of the many theatrical highlights of his gigs during the 70s and 80s. “The pain in my lungs. You’re blowing it up and it’s getting bigger and bigger, like a blimp, and you’re holding it with your fingernails to not let the air out, and it doesn’t explode when you want it to. I got knocked unconscious a few times, cos it’s so big it slaps you back… Boom, lights out.”

There’s footage of him blowing up a hot water bottle like a balloon on The Merv Griffin Show in 1976. He races around the stage in tight blue-and-white lycra briefs, golden hair gleaming and muscles aglow, as the in-house orchestra plays the Sweet’s Action! behind him. As he rolls around on the floor with the exertion of inflating up this giant pink blimp, the look on the audience’s faces shift from bemusement to awe. When it finally pops, so do they. “Liberace was on the show too. I walked off the stage and he said, ‘Very good Jon,’” says Thor. “I think I looked a lot like his boyfriend.”

Read more at loudersound.com

Album features collabs with Steve Stevens, Xiu Xiu, Tiffany, Leæther Strip, The KVB, and more!

Los Angeles, CA – Goth metal icon Jyrki 69, best known as the baritone crooner for Helsinki metal superheroes The 69 Eyes but also seen earlier this year ripping it up with his gothabilly side project The 69 Cats, is ready to sink his teeth into the supple necks of music audiences around with world with his brand new solo album, American Vampire, the follow-up to his widely praised debut solo effort, 2017’s Helsinki Vampire! Mixing both cover tunes and original tracks, the new album finds Jyrki teaming up with several renegade collaborators including fellow Nordic rocker Tim Skold (of the metal outfit Shotgun Messiah and industrial projects Skold and Not My God), Billy Idol guitarist Steve Stevens, indie experimentalists Xiu Xiu, pop music queen Tiffany and many more! The album’s first single, a bone-chilling version of the psychedelic classic “White Rabbit” featuring virtuosic guitar work from Stevens, has already been released digitally and on 7”.

But now the first original track from the album is being released, just in time to haunt your dreams this Halloween! Both written and recorded with Skold, “American Vampire” might be the album’s clearest expression of purpose, opening with dark ambient keyboards before kicking into a massive metal riff and Jyrki’s opening word “Blood!” It’s a haunting, spine-tingling track with cinematic ambitions, as Jyrki explains “American Vampire is a character somewhere between Vampire Lestat and Tony “Scarface” Montana. Whenever they make a movie with that title, they already have a song for it! The music was done by Tim Skold, Hollywood legend and survivor, it was fantastic to make music with him!”

Naturally, the song is being accompanied by a gorgeously shot full-scale concept video filmed by director Vicente Cordero who has previously shot videos with for both Jyrki and Skold.

American Vampire will be released December 17 on all formats including CD in a deluxe gatefold wallet, vinyl in your choice of BLUE or SILVER, and digital!

Track List:
1. SexDrugsRocknRoll feat. Shotgun Messiah
2. White Rabbit feat. Steve Stevens
3. Dreamtime feat. Rosetta Stone
4. Bite It You Scum feat. Leæther Strip
5. American Vampire feat. Skold
6. Don’t You Want Me feat. Tiffany
7. Decision feat. The KVB
8. Deviant Carousal feat. Xiu Xiu
9. Clover feat. Youlooktired
10. Last Dance feat. Not My God

Los Angeles, CA – With their new album, Revival, being zealously embraced by audiences around the world and earning some of the best reviews of their career, Virginia-based band Sonsombre have been itching to spread their gospel of classic Sisters Of Mercy/The Cure-style goth rock to the masses via live stage performances. But with the world continuing its long slog through a hellish nightmarescape, live performances just haven’t been in the cards. However, today the band has come to offer relief and release in the form of a gorgeously shot virtual mini-concert featuring standout tracks from both Revival as well as 2020’s One Thousand Graves.

Filmed by Jacob Johnson, the video showcases the band’s flair for the theatrical reverie of goth’s glory days, from the flowing black coat and distinctive wide-brimmed hat worn by frontman Brandon Pybus to the candle-lit stage set where the band performs. In addition to the regular cast of talented players supporting Pybus, the group is joined for this mini-concert by bassist Mike Louis of Chronic Twilight and Shadow Assembly.

Watch the full video:

Set List
1. Dance Forever
2. Revival
3. One Thousand Graves
4. Long Way Down
5. Slumber
6. Fire

The band is also excited to announce the official CD release of Revival. Packaged in a sleek digipak, the CD version includes a full lyric booklet and additional band photos!

Track List
1. Calling Of The Faithful
2. Revival
3. Dance Forever
4. Reborn
5. Blackbird
6. Long Way Down
7. Coming Down
8. Dreaming
9. Optimist
10. Calling Of The Faithful (Reprise)
11. Ice

Los Angeles, CA – In 2019, the metal world was introduced to Align The Tide, a brutally heavy, technically dazzling new group from an unlikely locale, the beautiful, sun-soaked Mediterranean country of Malta. The quartet released their debut album Dead Religion with mega-indie label Cleopatra Records that year and quickly gained a solid following thanks to a superior combo of monster riffs, thundering drums and dark, heavy lyrical themes. Today, the band returns with an even fiercer sound, a newly expanded line-up and a brand new single, “Judgement.” Now a five-piece, ATT have brought onboard another guitarist as well as a new vocalist who hails across the sea from the state of Texas, USA. Together, this devastating quintet are set to attract attention worldwide as they prepare for a new full-length release coming in 2022.

The band shares these thoughts on the new single, “‘Judgement’ is a well-produced & proper introduction into what ATT has planned for the future: very catchy rhythms, harsh riveting vocals, killer breakdowns and everything else in between. We all hope that you will enjoy this euphonious masterpiece!”

Fans can stream the single and get their first glimpse at the newly revitalized ATT in the video for “Judgement!”

Watch the video:

All dates with The Casualties and Piñata Protest. Hole Hog (ex Monster Squad) are appearing 11/17-11/2. There will be additional special guests, etc announced in the coming weeks.

11/4 Austin, TX- Come and Take It Live
11/5 Dallas, TX- Three Links
11/6 San Antonio, TX- Rockbox
11/7 Houston, TX- Trip Six
11/8 El Paso, TX- Rockhouse
11/9 Albuquerque, NM- The Launchpad
11/10 Denver, CO- Bluebird Theatre
11/11 Salt Lake City, UT- The Loading Dock
11/12 Boise, ID- The Shredder
11/13 Seattle, WA- El Corazon
11/14 Portland, OR- Bossanova Ballroom
11/16 Eugene, OR- WOW Hall
11/17 Petaluma, CA- Phoenix Theatre
11/18 Bakersfield, CA- Jerry’s
11/19 Pomona, CA- Glass House
11/20 Palmdale, CA- Transplants
11/21 Los Angeles, CA- 1720
11/23 Mesa, AZ- Nile Underground

Available On:
CD | Limited Edition Colored Vinyl | Apple Music | Bandcamp | Amazon | Spotify

Legendary street punk band jump in the studio and unleash their fury on some of the highlights from their extensive catalog dating all the way back to their 1997 debut album!

Includes all-new supercharged versions of such classics as “Unknown Soldier,” “We Are All We Have,” “Punk Rock Love” and more!

This band continues to thrive releasing new albums with vocalist David Rodriguez, including 2018’s extremely well-received Written In Blood, and performing numerous shows throughout the US!

Available on both CD in a special gatefold wallet and vinyl in your choice of either RED, BLUE or GREEN!

Also available: Written In Blood CD & LP (CLO 0987)

Track List

1. Chaos Sound
2. Riot
3. Rejected And Unwanted
4. Under Attack
5. Unknown Soldier
6. Criminal Class
7. Resistance
8. Feed Off Fear
9. Punk Rock Love
10. Tomorrow Belongs To Us
11. Made In NYC
12. Do You Wanna Dance
13. My Blood, My Life, Always Forward
14. Unemployed
15. On The Front Line
16. Ugly Bastards
17. War Is Business
18. Running Through The Night
19. We Are All We Have

FOLLOW THE CASUALTIES

https://linktr.ee/indefenseofskatour

1/13/22 – San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar
1/14/22 – Las Vegas, NV @ Backstage Bar
1/15/22 – Phoenix, AZ (Mesa) @ The Nile Theater
1/16/22 – Garden Grove, CA @ Garden Amphitheater
1/17/22 – San Jose, CA @ The Ritz
1/18/22 – San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of the Hill
1/19/22 – Sacramento, CA @ Goldfield Trading Post
1/20/22 – Eugene, OR @ Old Nicks
1/21/22 – Seattle, WA @ El Corazon
1/22/22 – Portland, OR @ Dante’s

Los Angeles, CA – Celebrate the holidays this year with a little international flavor, courtesy of one of the most widely revered violinists, vocalists and musical geniuses who has collaborated with everyone from Frank Zappa, Peter Gabriel and U2 to Bruce Springsteen, Madonna and many, many more – Indian-born L. Shankar. Known for his incredibly dexterous playing and his unique singing voice, Shankar has earned accolades from across the musical spectrum and has been recruited to perform live for the world’s most demanding talents. Now, Shankar brings Christmas From India, a brand new set of recordings where he recreates some of the most treasured holiday classics with the sound of tablas, sitar and, of course, violin and vocals to craft a Christmas album like no other. The album also includes 2 original compositions written by Shankar, “Christmas Time” and “Saviour.”

Shankar had this to say about the project, “It was a thrill and pure joy to work on my new album Christmas From India. It brought back fond memories of working on the music for both of the Jesus movies, first with the legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese and Peter Gabriel on ‘The Last Temptation of Christ’ and then with Mel Gibson and John Debney on ‘The Passion of the Christ.’ Christmas From India is like a third chapter.”

Today, Shankar brings the Christmas joy a little early, sharing his gorgeous take on the ‘80s Band Aid classic “Do They Know It’s Christmas.”

Christmas From India will be available on all digital platforms as well as on CD in a digipak!

1. Jingle Bells
2. All I Want For Christmas Is You
3. The First Noel
4. We Wish You A Merry Christmas
5. O Holy Night
6. Do They Know It’s Christmas?
7. Deck The Halls
8. O Christmas Tree
9. Christmas Time
10. Silent Night
11. Joy To The World
12. Last Christmas
13. Saviour

FOLLOW L. SHANKAR

Los Angeles, CA – They’re HERE! They’re THE QUEERS! Get used to it! Or don’t, the band doesn’t really care either way. In fact, since their formation in 1981, The Queers have made a career out of upsetting conventions and norms across political, social and musical spectrums. Under the leadership of founding vocalist, Joe Queer, the band have blazed their own path through 4 tumultuous decades, crafting a persona of fun-loving troublemakers while at the same time creating music that was undeniably vivacious, hooky and in-your-face passionate. And while the band’s lyrics were always admittedly juvenile and flippant, the vocal melodies and harmonies that sang those lyrics were always complex, intricate and (dare we say) mature, earning the band what is perhaps the single highest praise attained by any band of the last century when Larry Livermore of Lookout! Records described them as “The Ramones meet The Beach Boys.”

It’s the latter act, along with their early rock peers, that takes the spotlight on The Queers newest album of retro cover songs, Reverberation. Set for release on September 24, Reverberation is Joe Queer & Co.’s trip through some of rock’s foundational songs like the aforementioned Beach Boys’ “Be True To Your School,” The Who’s “The Kids Are Alright,” The Clovers’ “Love Potion #9” and not one but two tunes made famous by another fun-loving group whose adolescent antics belied their musical maturity, The Monkees. The classic “(I’m Not Your) Stepping Stone” and the exquisite “Valleri” both appear on the album and, today, the band happily shares “Valleri” on all streaming platforms as a preview of what’s to come on the full album.

The first ever covers album from one of the finest and longest lasting American punk bands around today, The Queers!

Reverberation will be available on both digipak CD and on colored vinyl in your choice of either ORANGE or YELLOW with original artwork and a full-color printed inner sleeve!

1. Give Me Love
2. Velleri
3. Gas Money
4. Be True To Your School
5. Hungry
6. With A Girl Like You
7. Love Potion #9
8. The Kids Are Alright
9. Strychnine
10. Deadman’s Curve
11. I’d Much Rather Be With The Boys
12. Stepping Stone
13. See You Later Fuckface
14. We Gotta Go

Los Angeles, CA – The wait is finally over, friends, as beloved post-grunge alternative band Tantric have released their new album The Sum Of All Things today on all platforms and formats. The album is a passionate, emotional rollercoaster that is chock full of memorable hooks, heavy riffs and some of the band’s best songs to date! To celebrate the release of the album, the band is proud to share a new performance video filmed earlier this year for one of the album’s standout tracks, the heavy rocker “Walk That Way.” The video features vocalist and frontman Hugo Ferreira alongside guitarist Sebastian LaBar, bassist Jaron Gulino and drummer Jason Hartless. Together this quartet kicks up enough rock charisma and technical prowess to power six bands!

The Sum Of All Things was produced by veteran producer Chuck Alkazian (Chris Cornell, Sponge) and is the band’s debut album for their new label, Cleopatra Records. It is available now on all digital platforms as well as on digipak CD and a special 2LP vinyl package with the full album on colored vinyl PLUS a bonus 12” single.

Also, be sure to catch Hugo & the boys performing live all over the US in the coming months!

July 23 – Q Bar & Grill – Darien, IL
July 24 – The Token Lounge – Westland, MI
July 25 – Emerson Theater – Indianapolis, IN
July 30 – The Rail Club Live – Fort Worth, TX
Aug 4 – Elk Creek – Piedmont, SD
Aug 6 – Snake River Rock Fest – Lewiston, ID
Aug 7 – Hurricanes – Idaho Falls, ID
Aug 13 – L-Treyns – Keokuk, IA
Aug 14 – Black Bear Casino – Carlton, MN
Aug 20 – Smokestack Brew – Mishawaka, IN
Aug 21 – Seymour Brewing – Seymour, IN
Aug 27 – Ripon Summer Concert Series – Ripon, WI
Aug 28 – Enchanted Forest Live – Albany, IN
Sept 3 – Jockey Bar & Grille – Boonsboro, MD
Sept 10 – Scout Bar – Houston, TX
Sept 11 – Honey Island Swamp Fest – Pearl River, LA
Sept 18 – Shrine – Tulsa, OK
Sept 19 – Wheeler Park – Oklahoma City, OK
Sept 24 – Geraldine’s Bar & Grill – Chicopee, MA
Sept 25 – Brewsky’s – Hattiesburg, MS
Sept 30 – Piper’s Pub – Pompano Beach, FL
Oct 2 – Shovelhead – Longwood, FL
Oct 8 – J.D. Legends – Franklin, OH
Oct 9 – Empire Concert Club – Akron, OH
Oct 21 – Morgan Hill Event Center – Hermon, ME
Oct 22 – The Vault – New Bedford, MA
Oct 23 – Gin Mill Roctoberfest – Northampton, PA
Oct 29 – The Main Course – Columbia, SC
Oct 30 – Hooligans – Jacksonville, NC
Oct 31 – Scandals Live – Virginia Beach, VA
Nov 5 – Geraldine’s – Chicopee, MA
Nov 12 – Legend’s Pub – Chickasha, OK
Nov 13 – Black Sheep – Colorado Springs, CO
Nov 14 – The Otherside – Kearny, NE
Nov 19 РHard Rock Caf̩ РPittsburgh, PA
Nov 20 – Dingbatz – Clifton, NJ
Nov 21 – Bourre – Atlantic City, NJ
Nov 28 – Whisky A Go Go – West Hollywood, CA
Dec 4 – Granite State Music Hall – Laconia, NH
Dec 10 – Hobart Art Theatre – Hobart, IN
Dec 11 – The Avenue Bar – Owosso, MI
Dec 17 – Damanetger Vinyard – New Berlin, IL

TRACK LIST:
1. Alone
2. Walk That Way
3. Twisting And Turning
4. Can’t Find This
5. Living Here Without You
6. Take Me I’m Broken
7. The Words To Say
8. Compound
9. Pushover
10. Ten Years
11. The Sum Of All Things
BONUS TRACKS
12. Breakdown
13. Down And Out
14. Whiskey & You

Los Angeles, CA – Today the long-awaited 39th studio album from classic metal superhero THOR is officially released worldwide! The album, Alliance, includes special guest appearances from Soilwork vocalist Björn “Speed” Strid, W.A.S.P.’s Chris Holmes, Raven vocalist John Gallagher, Danko Jones, Anthrax’s Neil Turbin, Ross “The Boss” Friedman and many more. It features stunning artwork from Timo Wuerz and is available on both digital as well as on CD in a digipak and limited-edition silver vinyl in a gatefold jacket! To celebrate this monumental release, THOR shares a brand-new video, the official Official Music Video for the short film “LIBERATOR” starring Lou Ferrigno, Peta Wilson and Ed Asner.

Please visit the official “LIBERATOR” website: liberatormovie.net

About the entire project, THOR proclaims, “After 50 years of living and breathing Metal and Rock n Roll, I can truly say that this is the BEST album of my career. There have been a myriad of songs written and albums recorded in my 50 year career. If hang up the helmet, cape and hammer after this one, call it a day, I can truly feel proud of this record. I feel that this could be the greatest work of my life. It certainly was a union of power and an honor to work with such talented artists from around the world. For which I shall be eternally grateful.”

Track List:
1. We Need Musclerock feat. John Gallagher (Raven)
2. Niflhel (Realm Of The Dead) feat. Björn Strid (Soilwork)
3. The Ultimate Alliance feat. Chris Holmes (W.A.S.P.), Ross “The Boss” Friedman (Manowar), Nina Osegueda (A Sound Of Thunder) & Fang VonWrathenstein (Lords Of The Trident)
4. Ode To Odin feat. Dan Cleary (Striker)
5. We Will Fight Forever feat. Neil Turbin (Anthrax)
6. Because We Are Strong
7. Rock Around The World feat. Danko Jones
8. Queen Of The Spiders feat. Frank Soda (The Imps)
9. Power Hungry
10. Bounty Hunter feat. Frank Meyer (The Streetwalkin’ Cheetahs) & Dennis Post (Warrior Soul)
11. Battlements feat. Trevor William Church (Haunt)
12. Thor vs. The Juggernaut (War Of The Gods) feat. Sean Peck (Death Dealer)
13. Generation Now feat. Joey Killingsworth (Joecephus & The George Jonestown Massacre)
14. After The Laughter feat. Martin Gummesson (Thundermaker)
15. Good Stuff feat. Al Harlow (Prism)
16. Congregate feat. Joey Roads & Sheldon Byer (Roadrash)
17. We Will Fight Forever (Reprise)

Los Angeles, CA – The year was 1998 when hard rock icons Great White released Great Zeppelin: A Tribute To Led Zeppelin, an electrifying live album that found GW frontman Jack Russell stepping into the vocal shoes of Zeppelin singer Robert Plant for a phenomenal full-length celebration of that British band’s long lasting influence on Russell & company. The album quickly became a fan favorite and proved beyond the shadow of a doubt that Russell possessed one of the most powerful voices in rock music.

Since that time, over 20 years later, fans have been clamoring for a follow-up and now Jack Russell’s Great White is ready to deliver! Great Zeppelin II: A Tribute To Led Zeppelin is the long-awaited sequel that rocks even harder than its predecessor and includes all-new covers of “Kashmir,” “Houses Of The Holy,” “Misty Mountain Hop” and more! Russell, of course, remains in top form and he’s ably backed by stellar guitarists Robby Lachner & Michael Olivieri along with bassist Dan McNay & drummer Dicki Fliszar. The full album gets officially released on August 13 but the band is proud to share the first single, a killer take on the song that was recently honored as having “the greatest guitar riff of all time” by Guitar World magazine, “Whole Lotta Love!”

Speaking about the project as a whole, Russell proclaims, “I’m really excited about Great Zep 2. We had such a great time recording it and took the opportunity to choose songs we hadn’t covered on the first one. The band played beautifully and the sound, I believe, is first class. I’m hopeful everyone will enjoy listening to it as much as we did playing it.”

Great Zeppelin II: A Tribute To Led Zeppelin will be available on both CD in a deluxe digipak and on colored vinyl in a gorgeous gatefold jacket!

Track List:
1. Whole Lotta Love
2. Good Times, Bad Times
3. Misty Mountain Hop
4. Dancin’ Days
5. No Quarter [CD ONLY]
6. Kashmir
7. Houses Of The Holy
8. Trampled Underfoot
9. Moby Dick [CD ONLY]
10. The Rover [CD ONLY]
11. Stairway To Heaven [CD ONLY]
12. Heartbreaker
13. Livin’ Lovin’ Maid [CD ONLY]
14. Communication Breakdown

Los Angeles, CA – Zürich-based rockabilly phenoms The Hillbilly Moon Explosion are all set to bring their highly danceable, hugely energetic brand of rock n’ roll Stateside! Founded by multi-instrumentalist Oliver Baroni along with enchanting chanteuse Emanuela Hutter in 1998, the band became the talk of Europe as they relentlessly toured through Germany, France, Spain, Italy and the UK. Now, the band has partnered with Los Angeles-based indie label Cleopatra Records for the first ever U.S.-based pressings of their albums on both CD and vinyl. Starting with the incredible 2002 debut album, fittingly entitled Introducing The Hillbilly Moon Explosion, which will be released July 23, and followed by the sophomore effort, Bourgeois Baby, coming September 10, HME will be looking to expand their following on this side of the pond in the same way they’ve conquered Europe: with style, impeccable musical chops and impressive songwriting skills! And keep an eye out for the reissue of the superb third album All Grown Up set to be released later this year.

Each CD reissue will come in an attractive digipak and each vinyl release will be available in limited edition colored vinyl housed in a gatefold jacket. Don’t miss out on these very special albums!

Click to order Introducing on CD/Vinyl
Click to stream/download Introducing

Click to Order Bourgeois Baby CD/Vinyl
Click to stream/download Bourgeois Baby

Click to Stream/download All Grown Up

From the vault of bassist Chip Z’nuff and vocalist Donnie Vie comes this long buried treasure of early ’80s demos that chronicle the very birth of melodic glam rockers Enuff Z’nuff.

Never Enuff – Rarities & Demos, officially scheduled for release on August 27, features high-quality studio recordings consisting entirely of unreleased, original material written by Z’nuff and Vie as they honed their songcraft in the years leading up to their 1989 Atlantic Records self-titled debut album, which featured the massive hit singles “New Thing” and “Fly High Michelle”.

All of the band’s elements were present in these early days – the Beatles-esque melodies, the dynamic harmonies, and the feel-good, hippy-vibe energy – all of which have served to make Enuff Z’nuff one of the longest lasting acts to emerge from the glam metal explosion. Just give a listen to the melodic rocker “Bye Bye Love” that the band shares today on digital platforms. No, it’s not a cover of The Everly Brothers well-known song but its melody is just as effervescent and unforgettable, and but a taste of things to come!

The Never Enuff box comes in both physical formats, as either a 3CD set or 4LP vinyl set with spectacular psychedelic colored vinyl. Both formats include a deluxe booklet featuring numerous rare and unseen photos of the band, many of them shot by veteran photographer Paul Natkin, as well as fan submitted photos from over the years. The booklet’s liner notes were penned by Z’nuff and Vie themselves sharing details about their early struggles in making a name for themselves, defining and refining the band’s sound, and surviving their hard-partying youth!

Tracklisting:

Disc 1: McNulty’s Basement
“Bye Bye Love”
“I Won’t Forget”
“Say It Isn’t So”
“Girl Crazy”
“Tears Away”
“New Night Tonight”
“Just What You Want”
“Love On Your Mind”
“I Want You Back”
“Never Let You Go”
“Everyone Says No”
“I Can’t Get Over You”

Disc 2: Prairie Street
“Temporarily Disconnected”
“The Real Thing”
“Number One”
“Higher”
“Enough’s Enough”
“Why Does It Have To End”
“Million Miles Away”
“Misery”
“Soldier’s Story”
“Valentine”
“Tossed In My Face”
“Maybe Someday”
“Fallin’ In Love”
“Will You Remember”
“1, 2, 3”

Disc 3: Longwood Towers
“Crazy Night”
“Still Lovers”
“Somewhere Else For Me”
“Help”
“Holdin’ Out 4 More”
“Yesterday’s Gone”
“How Does It Feel”
“I Don’t Mind”
“So Fine”
“Cupid’s Laughing”
“Tara Nichole”
“No Girl Of Mine”
“Look What You Do”
“Bye Bye Love”:

Los Angeles, CA – It’s been nearly 5 years since Detroit’s alternative rock superstars Sponge have released a full-length album of brand-new music. In the interim, the band – still led by singer/founder Vin Dombroski along with longtime guitarists Andy Patalan and Kyle Neely plus bassist Tim Patalan and drummer Jason Hartless – continued to hone their chops with multiple national and international tours. All of that hard work has most certainly paid off, just check out the lead-off track “Stitch” from the band’s new studio album Lavatorium. Kicking off with a pounding floor-tom rhythm, “Stitch” busts into the bathroom stall of your inner mind with a ferocious energy and an absolute monster of a guitar riff that’ll pick your subconscious off the toilet seat and give it a swirly. Filmmaker James Edwards has crafted a provocative, visually unsettling music video for the track that brings this grungy, hard-hitting song to life.

And “Stitch” is just the beginning of the delight that awaits listeners. Dombroski and company offer a passionate glimpse of twisted romance on “Fits My Addiction,” sing an ode to the Year Of Our Pandemic 2020 with “Socially Distant,” and even step into some country boots with “If Cobain Was A Cowboy.” Also don’t miss the band’s supercharged new version of their smash hit from 1994, “Plowed,” which shows just how far these veterans have come. All in all, Lavatorium may be one of the most diverse and satisfying albums of their long career. It will be available on all formats including digital, CD in a digipak, and on limited edition clear vinyl! Dombroski adds, “The band is super excited to have Cleopatra Records release this collection of songs that we’re so proud of. And we can’t wait to play these new songs at the shows for our fans!”

Track List:
1. Stitch
2. Catastrophilia
3. The Night Of The Drunken Cobra
4. Socially Distant
5. Fits My Addiction
6. On The Dead Highway
7. Sorry
8. Lavatorium
9. If Cobain Was A Cowboy
10. Devil In The Field
11. All We Ever Wanted
12. Plowed

Los Angeles, CA – As a founding member of Swedish metal warriors Soilwork, Björn “Speed” Strid has been a leading figure in the metal world since 1995. Metal deity, THOR, on the other hand, has existed for all eternity, has no beginning nor end, is worshipped by legions of classic metal fans around the world and is about to release a brand-new studio album, his 39th such release, this one entitled Alliance, on July 16! Today, these two mighty giants have united their voices on the epic second single from Alliance, a searing song of sonic devastation, “Niflhel (Realm Of The Dead),” whose lyrics are filled with references to Norse mythology and the after-life. Trading verses as well as harmonizing with each other on the choruses, these two warriors let the vocal sparks fly as a propulsive track of crunchy distorted guitars and pounding drums does its best to contain the metal fury unleashed therein.

Alliance also includes special guest appearances from W.A.S.P.’s Chris Holmes, Raven vocalist John Gallagher, Danko Jones, Anthrax’s Neil Turbin, Ross “The Boss” Friedman and many more. It features stunning artwork from Timo Wuerz and will be available July 16 on both digital as well as on CD in a digipak and limited-edition silver vinyl in a gatefold jacket! Watch for Thor to launch several shows and festivities in this year as he celebrates this his 39th studio album and an astounding 50 years of metal mayhem as well as co-starring in a feature-length action movie “Pact Of Vengeance,” which will feature music from the new album!

Track List:
1. We Need Musclerock feat. John Gallagher (Raven)
2. Niflhel (Realm Of The Dead) feat. Björn Strid (Soilwork)
3. The Ultimate Alliance feat. Chris Holmes (W.A.S.P.), Ross “The Boss” Friedman (Manowar), Nina Osegueda (A Sound Of Thunder) & Fang VonWrathenstein (Lords Of The Trident)
4. Ode To Odin feat. Dan Cleary (Striker)
5. We Will Fight Forever feat. Neil Turbin (Anthrax)
6. Because We Are Strong
7. Rock Around The World feat. Danko Jones
8. Queen Of The Spiders feat. Frank Soda (The Imps)
9. Power Hungry
10. Bounty Hunter feat. Frank Meyer (The Streetwalkin’ Cheetahs) & Dennis Post (Warrior Soul)
11. Battlements feat. Trevor William Church (Haunt)
12. Thor vs. The Juggernaut (War Of The Gods) feat. Sean Peck (Death Dealer)
13. Generation Now feat. Joey Killingsworth (Joecephus & The George Jonestown Massacre)
14. After The Laughter feat. Martin Gummesson (Thundermaker)
15. Good Stuff feat. Al Harlow (Prism)
16. Congregate feat. Joey Roads & Sheldon Byer (Roadrash)
17. We Will Fight Forever (Reprise)

Los Angeles, CA – Post-punk icons Killing Joke have made a career out of courting controversy and challenging audiences, from their politically-charged album covers, like the Wardance 7” which depicted a debonair Fred Astaire dancing in a warfield riddled with dead bodies, to lyrics barbed with stinging social commentary. Not as well known, however, is that many of these ideas came not just from KJ frontman Jaz Coleman but also from co-founder and percussionist Big Paul Ferguson. Indeed, since the band’s inception, Ferguson has been a main contributor to the songwriting and themes behind Killing Joke. So when it came time for Ferguson to create his very first solo album, it’s not surprising that he would dedicate its 10 original tracks to chronicling the afflictions of modern society.

Take, for instance, “The Unraveling,” the third track from Ferguson’s brand-new album, Virtual Control, which is released today via Cleopatra Records. The song recreates our distinctly modern condition of being inundated with mindless commands and digital instructions “Swipe left swipe right / Scroll up scroll down / Click here click there / Watch the little wheel spin round / And round and round.” As Ferguson suggests, these seemingly innocuous tasks serve not only to distract us from the inequities in society as a whole but to remove any agency by which the status quo could be challenged, singing “The world’s gone crazy / There’s so much wealth / Flushed down the drain / But so’s my mental health.” Together with co-writer and guitarist Mark Gemini Thwaite, who also mixed the track, Ferguson has crafted a compelling song that is both a social and musical statement, one that is certain to resonate with fans of Killing Joke. Accompanying the song is a visual tour de force of a video from award-winning video director Vicente Cordero (Industrialism Films).

Ferguson shares these thoughts on the video and single, “The seemingly endless months where most of our interactions were online, were filled by a bombardment of images and disparate messages where the truth of anything became a fiction in itself.

Living our lives online, we have become marionettes pulled every which way by the latest catchphrase or trend.

I hope this song and video shed a little light on the larger forces at work.”

With additional mixing by award-winning producer Tom Dalgety (Pixies, Rammstein) and highlighted with special guest appearances from former Marilyn Manson member Tim Skold as well as Die Krupps mastermind Jürgen Engler, Virtual Control conjures a dense and foreboding aural atmosphere, layering guitars, synths and Ferguson’s own distinctive vocals, that underscores the thoughtfulness of Ferguson’s introspective and observant lyrics. The album is available now on digital, CD and in limited edition RED vinyl!

Click to order the CD/Vinyl
Click to stream/download the album

Track List:
1. Lapdogs
2. Shiny Toys
3. The Unraveling
4. Extrapolate
5. Sea Of Judgement
6. Seeping Through The Cracks feat. Tim Skold
7. Data Lama
8. Glass Houses
9. Plausible Deniability
10. Dystopian Vibe feat. Jürgen Engler

Los Angeles, CA – They are one of the most distinctive metal bands to emerge in the wake of the post-grunge explosion, a band fronted by vocal powerhouse Hugo Ferreira, whose unmistakable baritone rasp can be heard on the band’s massive hit singles from 2001, “Breakdown” and “Down And Out.” Now Ferreira and company, including guitarist Sebastian LaBar, bassist Jaron Gulino, and drummer Jason Hartless, are about to roar back to life with an impressively heavy and deeply emotional album, The Sum Of All Things! The album is the product of a new partnership between the band, veteran producer Chuck Alkazian (Chris Cornell, Sponge) and L.A.-based indie label Cleopatra Records, and it certainly measures up to its title as it represents a culmination of all that Tantric have been working toward in their 20+ year career. Not only does the album include new songs that reveal incredible growth in the band’s songwriting, with memorable melodic hooks and poetic lyrics on tracks like “Twisting & Turning,” “The Sum Of All Things,” and the album’s first single “Living Here Without You,” but also finds the band revisiting the aforementioned breakout hit singles in spectacular fashion.

“Living Here Without You” was chosen as the album’s first single because of the rapturous reception it received at Tantric live shows, and it’s easy to hear why. The song paints a moving portrait of a love that entangles the soul and produces a powerful sense of yearning when taken away. Shifting back and forth from the sparse atmospheric verses to bombastic choruses, the song’s musical dynamics echo the push-pull dynamic of romantic passion and set the stage for Ferreira’s resonant vocals. The band also shot a breathtaking new video with award-winning video director Vicente Cordero (Industrialism Films) that brings the album’s cover art to vivid life.

Click to Stream the single

The Sum Of All Things will be available July 23 on all digital platform as well as digipak CD and a special 2LP vinyl package with the full album on colored vinyl PLUS a bonus 12” single!

Click to Pre-order the CD & vinyl

Click to Pre-order/pre-save the digital

TRACK LIST:
1. Alone
2. Walk That Way
3. Twisting And Turning
4. Can’t Find This
5. Living Here Without You
6. Take Me I’m Broken
7. The Words To Say
8. Compound
9. Pushover
10. Ten Years
11. The Sum Of All Things
BONUS TRACKS
12. Breakdown
13. Down And Out
14. Whiskey & You