Author: Mason Beard

The Industrial/Groove metal band that is Death Therapy has just signed to Solid State Records and has released a new, or rather a re-done track, titled “The Lie”. Death Therapy is the solo project of Jason Wisdom of Becoming the Archetype and Solamors fame. Wisdom left BTA in 2011 and went on to do Solamors in 2013 with ex-BTA/Aletheian Guitarist Alex Kenis and ex-Aletheian Drummer Travis Turner. Turner now hosts a podcast, on which Wisdom has been a guest on twice. The most recent episode, he announced that had signed to Solid State Records, which is now being announced by Solid State.… Continued →

The metallic hardcore act, Strengthen What Remains has a new song streaming, as well as pre-orders for their Promo cassette for 2017. The band started in 2010 and released two studio albums and an EP. The band recently had a few members step down and had new members join. One of those is Logan Hayworth, former Bassist for Abated Mass of Flesh. The Promo tracklist is:

1. Exploit. Enslave. Overpower.
2. Liberation of the Spirit
3. Against the Stone

Pre-order it here.… Continued →

The Christian metalcore band Clear Convictions has announced their disbanding. Clear Convictions started in 1999 but didn’t release their debut album, Warning until 2004 through Strike First Records, the subsidiary of Facedown Records. The band recorded another album that came out through On The Attack! Records and most recently as of 2015, their EP, New Seasons. The band announced on New Year’s Eve that they had disbanded. The band stated that “some us wanted to bring this chapter to a close”. They ask their fans to go to their merch store and buy some stuff.… Continued →

Phinehas, Christian metalcore band from California, has had a successful couple years. Last year they already released a Acoustic EP, titled Fight Through the Night. This year might be a bit rough on the band, though as Drummer Lee Humerian has announced his departure from the band. Humerian, alongside Vocalist Sean McCulloch, have been the main members of the band since 2007. Over the years, they gained Bassist Bryce Kelly (2012) and Becoming the Archetype Guitarist Daniel Gailey (2014), and this became the lineup most knew for the last 3 years.… Continued →

How common is metal in Asia? Does anyone know? The genre of metal is a rare one to say the least, especially over in Asia. Final Surrender is one of the pioneers of the genre there. The Progressive metalcore act has been working hard on this album. Their debut album, Empty Graves, was released 4 years ago. The album begins with the single “Nothing But Void”. The track brings elements of techno music, Progressive metalcore, and thrash metal. There is plenty of work going on with the drums and percussion.… Continued →

The post-hardcore legends that once was known as Frodus, have released the second pressing of their album, And We Washed Our Weapons in the Sea on Clear Vinyl. The album is a limited edition. According to their Bandcamp page: Clear vinyl edition of Frodus “And We Washed Our Weapons In The Sea” + Bonus 7″. LP includes insert of candid Frodus images and hand-written lyrics. 7″ contains hand-written letter on cover art of post-breakup note from bassist Nathan Burke. Tracks on bonus 7″ include a 4-track Frodus cover by Nathan pre-Frodus days and a demo version of “There Will Be No More Scum”.… Continued →

The Christian black metal Cerimonial Sacred has released an EP titled Eternity Begins Tonight. The band has been around since 1998 but has only released a few songs. They released a full length in 2005, titled Our War Is Only Against Hell, a single in 2015 titled “The Man of Nazareth” and their sophomore album, Christ Worshipers in 2015. The band signed to Vision of God Records on December 23, 2016, and has now released their debut EP through there. Eternity Begins Tonight is two songs, being released both digitally and on 7″ vinyl.… Continued →

Read this interview with Joshua Ashworth of Society's Finest

Read this interview with Dave Blackmore of the Symphonic Death Metal band, Death Requisite

The Christian slamming brutal deathcore band (what a genre name, let’s stick with UnDead Metal) band Abated Mass of Flesh has released the first single off of their upcoming sophomore album, Lacerated. The song is titled “Infectious Womb”. The band started in 2011 as a project of Guitarist Zach Plunkett, but became a full band the next year, when Plunkett hired on his brother Matt (Vocals) and friend, Logan Hayworth (Bass). The band then hired on Drummer Kade Dodson and recorded their debut album and released it through Rottweiler Records.… Continued →

Ghost Key, Illinois hardcore act, has just announced that they have signed with InVogue Records. They have also announced the name and release date of their new album, If I Don’t Make It set to be released through InVogue on February 17th. Ghost Key is a band that began around 2011. The band has been on several tours and have played with Silent Planet, Church Tongue, and Beartooth. The band also released a single called “Indecision”, which you can hear below. … Continued →

The Christian punk band Reforma Protestante has released their music video for “Skate & Destroy“. Reforma Protestante means “Protestant reform” in Spanish. The band features Andrés Matamoros (guitar and vocals), Pablo Mata (guitar), David Barrantes (bass and vocals), and Gabo Chevez (drums). The song Skate & Destroy originally appeared on Autism Awareness, Acceptance and Research, a Benefit Comp, Vol. 2, to raise money for The Seaver Autism Center at Mt. Siani Hospital. Reforma Protestante is planning for a full length release on Thumper Punk Records, a label they have just recently signed to, later this year.… Continued →

Hand of Fire, thrash metal band from California, has announce that on January 6th they will be entering the studio to record their album Let the Killings Begin. Hand of Fire started as a vision of Jim Settle, formerly of Tantrum of the Muse. Settle got an official lineup including Tiago Souza, Tom Eaton, and Bill Davies in 2015 and started to perform live. The band has got Juan Urteaga to produce the album, Let the Killings Begin. Urteaga has produced several bands that are well known, including Exodus, Testament, Machine Head and Vicious Rumors.… Continued →

The Indian Christian metal band Final Surrender has released the lyric video for the song “Nothing But Void” for the EP of the same name. The band formed in 2010 with Joseph Samuel (Vocals), Sanjay Kumar (Guitar), James Stephanes (Guitar), Judah Sandhy (Bass), and Jared Sandhy (Drums). The band is signed to Rottweiler Records, where the EP will be released. Check it out here at HM Magazine. … Continued →

Here's a little list of some of my favorite releases this year. Check them out!

The Christian metalcore giants Sleeping Giant have released a new music video for “Victory”. The band is very passionate about Jesus but also about this organization they support to end Human Trafficking. The music video was shot in Cambodia where poverty is plentiful. Support this organization. Support the band. Victory to all. … Continued →

Facedown Records has been rather notorious for throwing a festival each year since the early 2000’s to give people a show and sometimes to showcase bands for the label. On December 26, Impending Doom spoiled that they would be playing, though Facedown is no longer their label. In May, the 11th through the 13th is when the festival will occur. Another interesting tidbit, each member of the defunct band A Plea for Purging also shared the dates via his Instagram. None of the members are in another band, and there wasn’t another band they were in on Facedown, so best bet is A Plea for Purging reunion.… Continued →

Facedown Records, a label that has been a home to several bands over the years including the famed Impending Doom and the now resting For Today, is hosting a Christmas sale until New Years. The label has been around for 20 years in 2017. They have hosted a number of bands over the years, many of which have gone on to have great success. The label’s offer only has a few days left. Get over there fast.… Continued →

The Christian deathcore band Toarn has been working hard since 2009. This year, 2016, the band released an EP titled Giant Killer through Luxor Records, a label run by Nick Morris of As They Sleep. The label consists of bands such as Upon a Broken Throne, Broken Flesh, and My Heart to Fear. The band released a music video for the title track. Enjoy. … Continued →

Silent Planet had a good year with their Everything Was Sound record. The album did extremely well and so did the songs. “Panic Room” was one of those songs. “Panic Room” is a song that talks about PTSD essentially. Check it out. … Continued →

The black metal/death metal band A Hill to Die Upon has something new on the horizon. The band teased something new on December 15, 2016, saying that in March 2017 there will be something new. The band formed in 2004 with brothers Adam (Guitar, Vocals) and Michael Cook (Drums), and Bassist Elisha Mullins. Mullins left in 2011 to pursue joining the band The Burial (Facedown Records). The band now has a full line-up consisting of the Cooks, Nolan Osmond (Guitar), Brent Dossett (Bass), and Tanner Jones (Guitar).… Continued →

The boys in Silent Planet have had a busy year. And they will probably have an even busier year in 2017. The band has just announced tour dates and bands playing alongside them on their Everything Was Sound Tour for 2017. The band formed in 2009 with a completely different lineup. The band came to fame when they signed to Solid State Records in 2013. They released their debut album, The Night God Slept in 2014 through Solid State. This year, 2016, the band released their sophomore album, Everything Was Sound.… Continued →

The Industrial/black metal band Kekal has been working on new material. Earlier this year, a little over a month ago, Jeff Arwadi, the main man behind the band (hey that rhymed), put out a post giving clarification on the band’s status and new music. Kekal started in 1995 and has gone through minor lineup changes. The band has had no official members since August 8, 2009, when Jeff Arwadi and Leo Setiawan both quit the band. All the former members have contributed to albums since the departure of these members.… Continued →

The Ohio metalcore band Settle the Sky, is about to perform in February of 2017. The band has been inactive since 2010. The band formed in 2006 with JD Merill. The band was only around for four years (2006-2010). Settle the Sky only released an EP through StandBy Records, titled Now That We’re Waiting and a Demo. The band is prepping for a reunion show in February 17, 2017 and will hopefully make this a full-on reunion.… Continued →

These are some bands that were sort of popular, but didn’t get very far. Hopefully this sheds some light to the underground SFHC Scene or more appropriately, SFMC Scene. 5. One Way/Raid Christian metalcore/hardcore One Way formed in… I don’t know when. The 80’s. The band did not have very much success or really any publications. Other than one in HM in 1991. But Raid, their next band, had a little more success. Same genre as One Way, but with a Straight-Edge message, alongside the uplifting Christian message.… Continued →

Read this split review of Death Requisite's Revisitation with Matthew Michel

The unblack metal band, Slechtvalk are about to release the album, Where Wandering Shadows and Mists Collide on December 20th. The band will be following up with a mini-tour of the album alongside Morgarten and Nightland. The band formed in 1999 with Shamgar, the only founding member, performing as a solo project called Dommer until 2000, when he changed the name to Slechtvalk. Shamgar remained the only member until 2002 when a full lineup was added on. With a few minor changes, that lineup remains primarily intact.… Continued →

Norma Jean has had their fill of success over the years. Wage War however is just getting off the ground, and are doing very well for themselves. Both bands have found a spot of River City Rockfest, a tour that includes bands such as Fozzy, Three Days Grace, Papa Roach, and famous Def Leppard, as well as several others. Norma Jean formed in 1997 as Luti-Kriss with Josh Scogin (The Chariot, ’68) Chris Day, Scottie Henry, Josh Swofford, Mick Bailey, and Daniel Davidson. In 2002 the band changed their name to Norma Jean and underwent some lineup changes to where now none of these members are in the band.… Continued →

Demon Hunter has been prepping for this new album, Outlive for awhile, and they are on the verge of releasing it. So close, that they released a lyric video for “Cold Winter Sun”. Very melodic. Outlive 2017. … Continued →

Read this review of Zao's The Well-Intentioned Virus