RHAPSODY OF FIRE
Unleashes Colossal, New Video Single “Diamond Claws”
From Forthcoming Album ‘Challenge The Wind’ Out May 31 On AFM Records!
May 31, 2024 will see symphonic melodic metal overlords Rhapsody Of Fire release their hotly-anticipated, new studio epos ‘Challenge The Wind’ via AFM Records.
For more than thirty years, Rhapsody Of Fire have been able to rely on one thing: there’s nothing half-hearted about this band. The Italian masters of their craft can look back at an impressive catalogue of 14 studio albums, three EPs and two live recordings to date, all marked by lots of heart and soul, passion and a virtually inexhaustible wealth of ideas. Since 1993, mastermind and founder Alex Staropoli has been hailed as the creator of the film score metal genre and his band as one of the most charismatic acts worldwide. In addition, Staropoli has enlisted a highly creative first-rate guitarist in Roby De Micheli, who joined the fold in 2011, contributing lots of gritty metal riffs and virtuoso solos to contrast the band’s symphonic orchestral style.
‘Challenge The Wind’ will mark Rhapsody Of Fire‘s most fast-paced rager to date, as the composer and keybordist Staropoli recently revealed: “Compared to all previous Rhapsody Of Fire releases, the current album consists exclusively of up-tempo numbers, not a single ballad in sight. None of our other records have featured as much pure, unadulterated metal as ‘Challenge The Wind’!”
‘Challenge The Wind’ was produced by Alex Staropoli and mixed by Seeb Levermann (Orden Ogan), who is responsible for the homogeneous sound of the ten songs’ elaborate arrangements. As all of the band’s first single releases prove, one can be sure: Rhapsody Of Fire’s fast-paced adventure is set to continue with undiminished intensity!
Pre-order ‘Challenge The Wind’ HERE
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KRYPTOS
India’s Heavy Metal Pioneers “Electrify” With Brand New Video Single Of Upcoming Album “Decimator”
July 5, 2024 sees India’s heavy metal powerhouse KRYPTOS strike back with their furious, new studio album Decimator via AFM Records.
Watch the band’s latest music video for their new single “Electrify” now premiering below!
Decimator continues where the band left of with their critically-acclaimed, 2021-album ‘Force Of Danger’, and sees them combine crushing riffs, barbwire vocals and powerful songwriting that grabs the 80s by the throat and drags it kicking and screaming into the modern age. If you’re a fan of Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Accept and Kreator, this album will snap your neck in half and have you raging into the night like you’ve never raged before! In support of their upcoming record release, KRYPTOShave announced an extensive touring schedule for 2024, including a first-ever headlining tour in Australia. Find all upcoming dates of the band listed below!
About their new single the band suggests: “Feel the power of the 80s surge through your veins with the crackling new Kryptos single ELECTRIFY off the upcoming album DECIMATOR!”
KRYPTOS, who was formed in 1998 in Bangalore, India, have long been considered one of the spearheads of the Indian heavy metal revolution. With six critically acclaimed albums under their belt, they have supported some of metal’s biggest names, like Iron Maiden, Testament, Kreator, Exodus and many more, earning themselves a reputation as a fiery and exciting live act.
The band released their debut album ‘Spiral Ascent’ in 2004 and ‘The Ark of Gemini’ in 2008 before heading out on their first European tour in 2010, making them the first Indian heavy metal band to do so. After signing with AFM Records in 2012, the band unleashed four more frenetically-acclaimed studio albums, are a welcome live act at Wacken Open Air and played their first, extensive European headline tours, including numerous sold-out shows in Scandinavia and central Europe.
With momentum firmly on their side, KRYPTOS are all set to power through 2024 once again with the release of their high-voltage seventh album Decimator. As frontman Nolan Lewis recently revealed, “Decimator is without question our finest hour so far. We’ve sharpened our songwriting to a razor point and the album is absolutely exploding with pure heavy metal power and attitude. Once you’ve popped it into your stereo, you’re going to be raising your fist, air-guitaring to the riffs and humming the solos all year long. It’s as perfect a combination of classic 80s metal and caustic thrash sensibilities as you’re ever going to get!”
Accompanied by a busy tour plan, that will see them storm stages from Sweden to Poland to Germany and everywhere in between, and, for the very first time, a headlining tour of Australia in the fall, one can be sure, KRYPTOS will cement their reputation as a live act to be reckoned with. Be prepared for the heavy metal onslaught coming your way!
The album pre-sale is available HERE
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ONLAP
French Alt-Metal Act Drops New Video Single “Ghosts”
French Alt-Metal Act Drops New Video Single “Ghosts”
Featuring LANSDOWNE!
On June 14, 2024, Paris-based alternative rock and metal unit ONLAP will release their brand new, much-awaited studio album “Waves” via AFM Records!
A music video for the band’s latest single, “Ghosts” featuring US rockers LANSDOWNE, is now premiering below!
Following a series of previously-released album tracks including “Never Too Late”, featuring a guest appearance by Billboard-charting singer and songwriter KIIARA, the French five-piece is writing about their new single:
“Ghosts” is a special release on several counts. Firstly, it’s our last single release before the full album “WAVES”. Secondly, it’s also a collaboration with our old brothers LANSDOWNE, whom we’d like to thank for agreeing to be on this track. Finally, it’s a song about the loss of loved ones and the life that goes on despite everything, with and without them, at the same time. This song exudes a special emotion, and we can’t wait to unveil it.”
Onlap was formed in 2006, driven by a full DIY-spirit. Since years, each song they self-released has been ruling Social Media platforms and playlists, with a fan base growing day by day (with 380k monthly Spotify listeners and 115k YouTube subscribers to name just a few numbers) and a cross-platform streaming performance of more than 150 million streams. “The Awakening”, the band’s top hit on Spotify, reckons with 23M streams only to this impressive hoard of facts.
With their signing to AFM Records and as first single releases instantly prove, ONLAP have never felt more vibrant and hungry than they are on their upcoming album “Waves”. After all those years self-releasing a giant number of tracks, some EP’s, and a Best-Of in celebration of their 15th band anniversary, ONLAP have been hard at work to finally unleash their full-length offering containing 10 colossal, new tracks. According to the band, “Waves” will be a collection of their musical history, roots and recent influences, and will mark the most ambitious offering ONLAP has achieved in their career to date. Coming this June on AFM Records, one can be sure: ONLAP are going to make “Waves”!
The pre-sale is available HERE
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Photographer and Editor/Founder of AllMusicMagazine.com. My love of live music has taken me to incredible experiences with the top bands of all time in stadium shows to the smallest venues with equally inspiring musicians. Using the medium of photography and my publication, these memories will last forever.
