darkest hour, “enter oblivion” {video}

darkest hour, “enter oblivion” {video}

“Enter Oblivion” is the latest video from the melodic death metal band Darkest Hour. Singer John Henry directed the video that was shot in the Mojave Desert at a national natural landmark, Rainbow Basin. Known for being dry and desolate, the basin has awesome rock formations and fossil beds. The video shows the band playing and periodically shows a mysterious white cloaked man wondering around as if to be searching for something.
“Enter Oblivion” comes from the band’s 11th album, Godless Prophets & The Migrant Flora, that was released in 2017 and was produced by Kurt Ballou (Converge). This D.C. based 5 piece has come a long way from where they started in 1995. Through multiple line up and record label changes Darkest Hour has really matured and while “Enter Oblivion” is not as heavy as what you’d expect it shows great diversity and still carries their melodic signature tone, double bass, and blast beats.
Over the past 20 years, Darkest Hour has risen up from the underground and just like Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong, Darkest Hour has put their flag into the metal scene and marked their place as one of the driving forces behind what defines the true melodic brutality of metal.
Hitting the road Feb 16th Darkest Hour will be touring the east coast first and in April heading overseas with Cephalic Carnage. Check out the video for “Into Oblivion” and if you are serious about your metal and lucky enough that Darkest Hour comes through your town be there front and center and prepare for a lesson in brutality.

DARKEST HOUR w/ Whores, Extinction A.D.
2/16/2018 The Canal Club – Richmond, VA
2/17/2018 Arura Fest – Savanah, GA
2/18/2018 The Basement East – Nashville, TN
2/19/2018 Trixies – Louisville, KY
2/20/2018 Bogarts – Cincinnati, OH
2/21/2018 Emerson Theater – Indianapolis, IN
2/22/2018 Reggies – Chicago, IL
2/23/2018 The Loft – Lansing, MI
2/24/2018 Photo City – Rochester, NY
2/25/2018 Cattivo – Pittsburgh, PA
w/ Havok, Cephalic Carnage, Harlott:
4/05/2018 Kulttempel – Oberhausen, DE
4/06/2018 Musik & Frieden – Berlin, DE
4/07/2018 Hellraiser – Leipzig, DE
4/08/2018 Café Central – Weinheim, DE
4/09/2018 Nova Chmelnice – Prague, CZ
4/10/2018 Durer Kert – Budapest, HU
4/12/2018 Z-Bau – Nürnberg, DE
4/13/2018 Kiff – Aarau, CH
4/14/2018 CCO Villeurbanne – Lyon, FR
4/15/2018 Bóveda – Barcelona, ES
4/16/2018 Caracol – Madrid, ES
4/17/2018 Custom – Sevilla, ES
4/18/2018 Lisboa Ao Vivo – Lisbon, PT
4/20/2018 Totem – Pamplona, ES
4/21/2018 Secret Place – Montpellier, FR
4/22/2018 Petit Bain – Paris, FR
4/23/2018 Underworld – London, UK
4/24/2018 Voodoo Lounge – Dublin, IE
4/25/2018 Cathouse – Glasgow, UK
4/26/2018 Asylum – Birmingham, UK
4/27/2018 Zappa – Antwerp, BE
4/28/2018 Faust – Hannover, DE
4/29/2018 Backstage – München, DE
Keep up with the band here.
get “too far gone” with luke burr

get “too far gone” with luke burr

Hailing from Essex, England, 22-yearold Luke Burr has hit his stride with new mesmerizing single “Too Far Gone”. The song starts off with slow piano. Burr sings about it being too late to stop loving someone. 

The very powerful beat changes up when it hits the chorus. The instrumental sounds of the song flow perfectly with Luke’s soulful voice.When listening to “Too Far Gone” it makes you love the thought of love. Luke Burr’s passionate voice sings about his loved one flawlessly while making the listener feel like he or she is in love. From the lyrics alone, you imagine the person he is singing about, and maybe even compare him or her to your own loved one. This song has the power to hold your attention from start to finish, and you might not want to stop listening.

Keep up with Burr here.

honey child, honey child

honey child, honey child

Pop group Honey Child is releasing their self-titled ninth album on, you guessed it, February 9th. Honey Child was created by Claire McKeown and features Claire Boutelle, Aimee Jacobs, Danielle Mandell, Dayna Richards, Jacquelyn Sky, and Cynthia Zitter. Each of the ladies in the all female group was hands-on in the production process, making this an album of strength in its design.

The album consists of nine songs and clocks in at 28 minutes in total. One of the songs from the album is titled “Run With Me”, which is the first single released from their album. “Run With Me” is a fascinating song that will transport you to a different world. It is about people that have had enough of materialistic things in the world. The people that are fed up decide to run away to another part of the earth, such as the river. The beat from “Run With Me” is very captivating, the singers basically “steal away” from the world. 

Another song from the album is “She Calls His Name”. The beat and the melody mesh seamlessly together. The ladies’ voices blend well together, creating a fascinating affect on the listener. The song is like a mix of classical music – meets a little pop – that will leave you wanting more.

Other songs from the album include “Standing in The Shadows”, “Gotta Wait Another Night”, “I See Other Sides”, “Sorrows Arms”, and “Our Last Goodbye”.

Keep up with Honey Child here.

arlo, “homecoming”

arlo, “homecoming”

At first listen, ARLO‘s new track “Homecoming”, one may be confused if this is a potential electronic dance song, or a pop ballad. ARLO manages to find the distinct balance in “Homecoming” making sure that his soft voice perfectly matches the beats backing him. “Homecoming” is an honest and raw plea to his lover begging them to come home. As the song progressives, his pleas get louder with lyrics such as “they don’t know you like I do.”  ARLO is nothing but persistent on “Homecoming” which is sure to catalyst success into his future singles. 

i “wonder” where sharaya summers has been all my life?

i “wonder” where sharaya summers has been all my life?

With a name like Sharaya Summers, you’re either A) bound to success, B) bound to a pretty voice, or C) both.  Sharaya gets a C in my opinion.  The Portland native just released her new single “Wonder” and it could not be sweeter.  I hate to compare Stevie Nicks to anyone but Sharaya Summers is the Stevie for the generation below me, slightly infused with a hint of Lana Del Rey’s sultriness.  Summers’ voice is syrupy sweet with lyrics such as “…hush now don’t you go”, “if we go the right way”, and my favorite “do you still wonder…do you still wonder?’ 

The song touches me, which means she did excellent job, and even reminded me of someone I used to be super close with.  It’s awesome when music has that effect, and “Wonder” will have you head in a circle of thoughts. 

For all things Sharaya, go to www.sharayasummers.com

we can’t stop talking about ruby boots’ don’t talk about it

we can’t stop talking about ruby boots’ don’t talk about it

Australia’s Ruby Boots, now based in Nashville, TN is about to release her label debut Don’t Talk About It February 9 with Bloodshot Records, having previously released a 2016 album, Solitude. Born Bex Chilcott, the talented artist is backed by The Texas Gentleman and produced by Beau Bedford on this album — and we’re here for it. With confident vocals and sumptuous instrumentation, Ruby Boots delivers a treat for the ears. To sum it up, the album is an experience, a journey. Navigating a country/Southern-rock inspired soundscape that is still accessible for the country-hatin’ folks, Ruby Boots oozes real emotion and authenticity, especially in tracks like “Believe in Heaven”. From the bold opener, “It’s So Cruel” to the title track, “Don’t Talk About It”,Chilcott displays both her range and variety of styles while maintaining the album’s theme. “It’s So Cruel” already has a music video to accompany the scathing track, full of neon lights and rockin’ vibes, utilizing slow motion and close-ups to pack even more of punch for this track.One of the indubitable highlights of  Don’t Talk About It is the stunning acapella track “I Am A Woman”, perfect and raw. Ruby Boots says of the song, “As tempting as it was to just write an angry tirade I wanted to respond with integrity, so I sat with my feelings and this song emerged as a celebration of women and womanhood, of our strength and our vulnerability, all we encompass and our inner beauty, countering ignorance and vulgarity with honesty and pride and without being exclusionary to any man or woman. My hope is that we come together on this long drawn out journey. The song is the backbone to the album for me.”“Infatuation” is another great track on Don’t Talk About It, full of both yearning lyrics and a catchy beat. Closing out with “Don’t Give A Damn”, which combines all the soulful elements of a country blues song with a tinge of almost jazzy piano. Don’t Talk About It is a strong album for a variety of reasons, but it is clear that Ruby Boots knows what she’s doing. Whether you’re looking for some rockin’ folk or some folksy rock, Ruby Boots has got you covered.

We can’t wait for Ruby Boots to drop this masterpiece of an album tomorrow!

Connect with Ruby Boots:
FacebookTwitter InstagramRuby Boots Online

rainbrother, “black chemicals”

rainbrother, “black chemicals”

Denmark-based Rainbrother – comprised of Bjarke Bendtsen, Aske Fuglsang, Lars Hvelplund, Simon Minke, and Kristian Sejerskilde – is set to release a new album sometime in 2018. While we wait for that gem, they released their new song “Black Chemicals”, which is about the emotions that you feel when you fall in love. The “Black Chemicals” that are addressed in the song are the feelings associated with falling in love or wanting to be loved. The song is saying that love takes on a mind of its own. The black chemicals are like a loose animal that cannot be contained. The strong composition allows the listener to feel all of the emotions that the singer is feeling.

Rainbrother’s “Black Chemicals” is a great song that really sets the tone for what the group is really about and what they stand for.

Rainbrother’s album is set to release later this year. Keep up with them here.

sollunar, “formation”

sollunar, “formation”

“Formation”, the latest release from Sollunar, shows the same song in 3 different versions. Don’t be confused, this is not a “remix” of the same song. It literally captures how the moment of inspiration from one base element can go so many different directions and produce a totally different outcome and feel.
Sollunar, defined as being influenced by both the sun and moon, has also given a great example of considering both sides of the coin when applying alternate techniques during production.
Josiah Bibb is the mastermind behind this instrumental masterpiece. Considering his Colorado Springs surroundings he has no lack of inspiration. “Formation”, in all its versions, will appeal to fans of Days of the New/Travis Meeks. Similar to Travis, Josiah knows his way around an acoustic guitar. Working the harmonics, demonstrating picking and plucking skills that are similar to the delicate approach of playing the harp. Given the slow to medium pace of  “Formation”, this isn’t a sad song by any means, it is the perfect setting for a meditative, introspective journey.
There is a theme with Sollunar that goes beyond the name. “Formation” joins Josiah’s prior releases “The Observatory” and “Collisions”. Notice the trend there?
While there is a theme, Sollunar doesn’t provide an exact direction.”Formation”  sets the stage for your individual perception to designate its path.

As an awesome incentive you can pick up “Formation” and it’s 3 alternate outcomes for just $1 via BandCamp.
alice boman {video}

alice boman {video}

Alice Boman is no Alison Wonderland,  but her new single “End of Time” will leave you at the bottom of the rabbit hole.  The track is chilling and Alice’s gentle voice grabs you as she proclaims in the opening lyric  “I would take your pain…if I could, I would take it all, I swear I would.”  The chorus is equally as chilling with an old timey feel backed by a guitar and Boman stating, “Let me love you and I will love you, until the end of time.” 

I liked the song when I first heard it, but you have to watch the video.  In fact, I recommend listening to the song first, then watching the video for the full effect.  Directed by Jeanne Lula Chauveau, the video loyally backs the 70’s vibe the song deserves while making you contemplate if you can afford flying to Europe and saying good bye to a lover you’ll never see again.  For me, listening to end of time felt as if I needed to be in a lavender field while wearing a yellow dress as I proclaimed my eternal youth.  Alice’s “End of Time” is good all on it’s own, but an even better way to enjoy it would be with your journal and a glass of red wine. 

To hear more of this beautiful soul visit https://aliceboman.bandcamp.com