That trek was originally booked for this month.

The post Carcass & Brujeria’s Australian/New Zealand Touring Rescheduled For September 2027 appeared first on Theprp.com.

There Will Never Be an Ode Like This Again
The Making of Agalloch’s Ashes Against the Grain

Ashes Against the Grain is a classic American metal record, but Ashes Against the Grain is also a middle child. Obviously, no band can know such a thing during the process of creation, but certain markers reveal themselves in retrospect. In the late ’90s, John Haughm, Don Anderson and Jason William Walton pooled the musical compulsions of their young adulthood into both Sculptured, a progressive death metal project helmed by Anderson, and Agalloch, a neofolk- and black metal-inspired project initially conceived by Haughm. The passion that drove efforts like Pale Folklore and Of Stone, Wind, and Pillor grew into an ambition and compositional confidence that allowed the trio to dream their baroque and brilliant record The Mantle into being. All this music came to fruition in the relative hermetic comfort of a small group of friends who shared a tight artistic language, who felt the freedom to create without external input.

On the strengths of these musical statements, Agalloch earned a steadily increasing renown, which carried with it the weight of new expectations and new questions. What was Agalloch’s sound? How far could the band members stray—either outward, toward the avant garde and the experimental, or inward, toward more simplified song structures—without betraying the band’s core purpose? Could they strive toward being a new darling progressive metal juggernaut, “the next Opeth,” as their label, The End Records, wanted? Did they even want that for themselves? Should they make the leap into a full live lineup and whip up a larger audience through relentless touring? And, of course, they were no longer so young anymore—now in their late 20s, with adult relationships and responsibilities encroaching, were they even interested in thinking and creating in the same way they had over the previous decade? Who were Agalloch?

This is the personal and professional tumult in which Ashes Against the Grain took shape. External pressures intermingled with the band’s own sense of self, putting identity and integrity at stake. Before Ashes, Agalloch were powered by a brash and youthful self-assurance; after Ashes, they had the benefit of hindsight, that struggles could be overcome and cast away. And in the cauldron at the center of it all, Agalloch crafted a set of songs that have been fan favorites for two decades and counting. The band’s newfound live performance experience informed the tautly rendered gems like “Not Unlike the Waves” and “Falling Snow.” Monolithic opener “Limbs” and the cataclysmic closing triptych “Our Fortress Is Burning” were lacquered in emotional layers without ever tipping past Agalloch’s ability to recreate them on the stage.

For too long, The Mantle has stood as the lone Agalloch representative in Decibel’s Hall of Fame. Finally, to celebrate 20 years of additional brilliance, we welcome Ashes Against the Grain to its rightful place in the Hall.

Need more classic Agalloch? To read the entire seven-page story, featuring interviews with all five members who performed on Ashes Against the Grain purchase the print issue from our store, or digitally via our app for iPhone/iPad or Android.

The post Agalloch – Ashes Against the Grain appeared first on Decibel Magazine.

Swedish heavy metal squad Ram presents their latest single and video for “Night Blade.” The track appears on their forthcoming new long player, Against, set to drop on October 9th through Metal Blade Records.

Comments vocalist Oscar Carlquist: “The return of the riff! Before writing this song, I had been contemplating the fact that ’70s and early ’80s metal was a lot more about the riff than what you hear and have heard for a long time. I wanted to bring that back and wrote a typical, super simple old-school riff to carry the song. A perfect song to headbang to.”

It has been nearly seven years since Ram‘s The Throne Within, an album defined by its spiritual and metaphysical themes. With Against, Ram takes a more grounded approach, focusing on the experience of being pushed beyond reasonable limits and refusing to comply. The album captures that moment of resistance, “that fire of defiance, which ultimately defines its title and message,” as the band collectively states.

Musically, guitarists Harry Granroth and Martin Jonsson continue to favor bridge pickups, maintaining a sharp and aggressive tone. The equipment used on Against reflects a classic approach, contributing to a sound that feels both timeless and direct. Sonically, Against was conceived as a return to classic recording philosophies. Drawing inspiration from the early works of Dio, MSG, and Sweet, the goal was to create an honest and unpolished sound. What you hear is what you get! In a music landscape increasingly divided into countless subgenres, the band positions itself deliberately outside of categorization. The title Against itself reinforces the band’s longstanding identity as nonconformists, viewing heavy metal as a form of sonic rebellion.

One of the most noticeable aspects of the record is its concise songwriting. Where earlier work may have leaned toward complexity, this album embraces clarity and precision. This evolution reflects a broader maturation, with the Swedes recognizing that restraint and focus can be more impactful than technical display.

The album artwork, created by Carlquist himself, also reflects a conscious shift toward simplicity. In contrast to previous covers filled with symbolism, the focus is placed squarely on the band’s iconic ram-horned skull emblem, ensuring that the identity of the band remains unmistakable.

Ultimately, Against stands as a statement of intent, a reaffirmation of identity and purpose. Or, as they put it themselves: “Fear the return of the Heavy Metal Tyranny!”

Ram‘s Against full-length will be released on CD and digital formats here, as well as vinyl, in the following color variants:

• 180g Black
• Clear Lilac Marbled
• Purple Melt (Ltd. 300)
• Crystal Clear Blackdust (Ltd. 300)
• Silver Black Splatter (Ltd. 250)

In related news, after 17 years as the bassist for Ram, Tobias “Tobbe” Petterson has decided to step down from the band. Petterson has been a pivotal part of both Ram‘s recordings and live shows, and his steadfast bass playing and ferocious stage presence will be missed.

The band comments: “Petterson will always remain a part of the Ram family, and we part as brothers, still united by the power of heavy metal. But the heavy metal tyranny must proceed; new horizons await, and these will be shared with our new bass player, Desekrator of Voodus and Stormdeath fame. Desekrator has been close to the band for decades, and through being a die-hard fan, he is already well-versed in the true spirit of Ram. This, combined with his bass skills makes him the perfect replacement for Tobbe. Onward Upon The Black Path!”

Petterson will perform his final show with Ram on October 9th in Gothenburg, the band’s record release show.

The post Swedish Heavy Metallers RAM Unleash “Night Blade” Video/Single appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

“Avalanche” arrived this past April.

The post Gojira’s Mario Duplantier Launches His Second Drum Solo Of The Year, “Refuge” appeared first on Theprp.com.

Lighting up stages in February & March.

The post Cult Of Luna, BRUIT ≤ & Youth Code Announce Early 2027 European/UK Tour appeared first on Theprp.com.

The promoter is "currently assessing the extent of the damage." Continue reading…

“50th Anniversary Studio Album Collection, Part One: 1980 – 1992” contains their first nine albums.

The post Iron Maiden Announce New 50th Anniversary Vinyl Box Set & “Somewhere In Time” 40th Anniversary Vinyl For December appeared first on Theprp.com.

This week we have the premiere of Quebec City’s very own Still Insane and their latest album, “When Friendship’s Not Enough.” Formed in 2006, Still Insane has spent nearly two decades delivering skate punk anthems in punk rock in both the States and their home country of Canada. After years of numerous types of releases, Still Insane’s latest album is a testament to their sound and time in the scene. Take a listen below:

Still Insane’s “When Friendship’s Not Enough” is available now through Thousand Island Records.

Former Turnstile guitarist Brady Ebert has been ordered to undergo a competency evaluation to determine if he has the mental capacity to understand the attempted first and second-degree murder charges against him.

The charges arose after Ebert, 34, was arrested in April for allegedly driving his car at William Yates, Turnstile frontman Brendan Yates’ 79-year-old father.

Montgomery County Police were called to a property in Silver Spring, Maryland on April 1 and found William Yates in the front yard with “trauma to his lower extremities.”

In court, Ebert has insisted that he “did not commit a crime” and says that “every part of the police report is a lie”, according to a report in The Baltimore Banner.

During a status hearing in Montgomery County Circuit Court, Ebert’s attorney, Mark Sobel, said that he has “significant concerns regarding competency”, but Ebert insists that he is “perfectly competent”.

According to the newspaper, the former Turnstile guitarist says that he is going to fire his own attorney, and has promised to press legal charges against the police, prosecutors and defence attorneys in his case.

In February, Brady was fired from his most recent band, The S.E.T. (The Self Evident Truth), after writing a social media post accusing Turnstile of bandwagon-jumping on liberal political issues, and also financial mismanagement, during his time in the band.

The guitarist also claimed that his former bandmates were falsely seeking to secure a restraining order against him.

Ebert parted ways with Turnstile in August 2022.

Following his arrest, Turnstile issued a statement to Rolling Stone, which read: “Turnstile cut ties with Brady Ebert in 2022 in response to a consistent pattern of harmful behavior affecting himself, the band, and the community.

“After exhausting every available resource to support his access to help and recovery, a boundary ultimately had to be set when healthy communication was no longer possible and he began threatening violence.

“In the years since, his baseless tirades have continued in public. We never addressed it. We chose to protect his privacy and the circumstances around his departure, even when he did nothing to be deserving of that protection. Over the past few months, his threats only escalated further. … We have no language left for Brady.”

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What happens when poverty, exclusion and suffering appear to determine a person’s future before they can make their first meaningful choice? EREBOROS confront that question on “At the Gallows of Doom,” the third single from their forthcoming debut album, From Oblivion to the Grave. The Brazilian death metal band released the track on August 28 […]

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