Author: Mason Beard

Luke Renno, one of the founders of UnDead Metal (I’m going to make it a thing one day) band Crimson Thorn, has recently joined a new band, called Taking the Head of Goliath. Renno formed Crimson Thorn in 1991 with Guitarist Miles Sunde, Bassist Dylan Jennigis, and Drummer Dave Quast. Throughout the years, the only original members that remained throughout Crimson Thorn’s initial existence were Renno and Sunde. Crimson Thorn has been inactive since 2008 or so. On October 20, 2016, Taking the Head of Goliath announced that Renno joined the band as their Bassist/Vocalist.… Continued →

Renascent, former Finns, now Indiana residents, Melodic death metal, thrash metal, band is on the verge of releasing their sophomore release, Praise of the Lord God Almighty. Renascent formed in 2003 with Drummer Jani Stefanovic (Divinefire, Miseration, ex-Crimson Moonlight), Guitarist Eero Tertsunen, and Keyboardist Mikaela Akrenius. The band formed in Finland, but in more recent days, they have moved to Bloomington, Indiana. The current lineup is Eero, Mikaela, Bassist Voitto Rintala, and Drummer Markus Saarela. Praise was released on November 5, 2016. Download it here.… Continued →

Recently, Dave Gryder of the band Heaven’s Force was interviewed. Heaven’s Force is thought to be the first Christian thrash metal band. Though not as popular as bands like Vengeance Rising or Tourniquet or even Detritus or Ultimatum, Heaven’s Force pioneered the genre, unknown to most of the world from the year they started, 1983, up until 2009, when the band re-released their demos in the form of a compilation. The full interview can be read here.… Continued →

Selfmindead, Swedish metalcore band, has returned to the scene with what should be known as the classic lineup. I made that up, but it seems to hold true. The band announced they were reuniting for Brainstorm Festival, a music festival in the Netherlands, on November 12, 2016. The band has merch up for pre-order, with two options. You can pre-order here, and it will be available for pickup at Brainstorm Festival, and if you order here, the shirts will be shipped out soon. You may read the post and get more information on the concert and merch here.… Continued →

The Sludge metal band, UnTeachers is down to just Stephen Sarro once again, for the first time since 2011. Sarro has had a reoccurring number of friends and musicians, including his cousin, Travis Turner, ex-Aletheian and host of the As The Story Grows, ex-Tantrum of the Muse Keyboardist Seth Luzier, and ex-Good Clean Fun drummer Thom Lambert. The most recent lineup was was Sarro, Turner and Bassist Josh Kale, until Sarro made a post. If anybody is wondering about the status/future of Unteachers… *THIS IS NOT AN ATTACK ON FORMER/CURRENT MUSICIAN FRIENDS.… Continued →

The Unblack/Death Metal (someone needs to come up a term for Christian Death Metal. Maybe UnDead Metal?) band Demoniciduth has signed to Vision of God Records and are due to release their album Enemy of Satan soon. Demoniciduth started in Sweden with Taanak (Bass, Vocals) and a few others. The band has settled on the lineup of Taanak, Lord Ekkletus (Guitars, BGV), Sir Krino (Drums). Vision of God Records has signed band like Brutal Cross, Eyes of the Defiled, and Elgibbor. The band signed to Vision of God earlier this year, and are preparing to release their new sophomore album.… Continued →

Djent/Melodic Death Metal act Bloodline Severed released their first single, “Fire”, off of the long awaited album. The band began in 1998 as Markd, before switching names in 2003 to Bloodline Severed. Though the band has been signed to labels such as Red Cord and Bombworks, they are currently independent. The band worked with former guitarist Derek Corzine (ex-Aletheian, ex-Whisper from Heaven, Blood Thirsty) for the production and recording of the track, and I believe, the whole album. Go download the track for FREE here.… Continued →

Independent Thrashcore band, Spyker, has started to record and rehearse their debut album. The band started in 2009 and released two EPs, Sacred Rage (2010) and self-titled (2013). The band has been influenced by modern day metal bands including August Burns Red, Demon Hunter, As I Lay Dying, Haste the Day and even older bands including Tourniquet and Dream Theater. Which is pretty interesting, considering how most modern day bands that cite modern day bands as influences, they usually sound just like the aforementioned bands and just sound like every other band.… Continued →

Final Surrender, a Bangalore-based Christian folk/progressive metalcore band, took to the streets of India with their new album, Nothing But Void on October 26, 2016. The band formed in 2007, but didn’t progress until 2013, when the band released Empty Graves in 2013. The band released Nothing But Void in India only, but has a release date for United States and the rest of the world, released by Rottweiler Records. The album is due to be released around the rest of the world on January 13, 2017.… Continued →

Hand of Fire, thrash metal band from California, released the long awaited lyric video for their debut song “Let the Killings Begin” off the album with the same name. The band formed in 2010, but didn’t get started until 2015 as a live band. The band is a project of Jim Settle, formerly of bands such as Tantrum of the Muse, Bore, and Intercessor. The lyric video is currently streaming at HM Magazine.… Continued →

Chaotic metalcore/mathcore band What We Do In Secret teased the soon-to-be-released album, Love | Chaos on the band’s Facebook. The band formed in 2012 with friends Vocalist Josh Adams, Guitarist Nathan Moody, Bassist Drew Nance and Drummer Devin Harris. Moody has since left the band and was replaced by Guitarist Clay Crenshaw. The band is currently independent and has released two EPs. The album was originally set to be released in the summer of 2016, but apparently, this was not the case.… Continued →

The Symphonic metal band, Whisper From Heaven, is on hiatus. The band formed in 2005 with couple Vocalist Amulyn and Guitarist/Vocalist Derek Corzine. The band also consists of Bassist Darren Overcash. The Christian metal band has had an impact in the scene with Derek having been in bands such as Blood Thirsty, Aletheian, Bloodline Severed and others. The band put out a statement on their Facebook page saying: “2015 was not kind to Whisper from Heaven. Had A LOT of setbacks due to members’ schedules while we were trying to practice up to be able to get onstage… which never happened unfortunately.… Continued →

Christian metal/rock band The Persuaded announced the departure Joseph Vargas, bassist and backing vocalist for the band. The Persuaded is a band that originated in September 2010 with four members, including Vargas. As of the last month, the band has been playing shows without Vargas, having fill-ins taking over that position. On October 23, 2016, the band announced the departure of Vargas. Vargas is currently working on a project entitled Our Last Trial. The Persuaded is currently working on a new EP.… Continued →

Spirit-filled Metalcore band, Church Tongue released their debut album, Heart Failure, on October 22, 2016 on the Christian hardcore/metal label, Blood & Ink Records. The band, based out of Indianapolis, recently signed to Blood & Ink Records, started in 2012. The band released the single, “Medicine Breath”, via Lambgoat. Blood & Ink Records started in the early 2000’s with Christian metal bands, With Blood Comes Cleansing, Soul Embraced, Besieged and Christian hardcore bands, Blessed by a Broken Heart, xLooking Forwardx, Stars Are Falling, and even being associated with Christian metal bands, Figure Four, Clear Convictions, and legendary Christian metalcore acts, Strongarm and No Innocent Victim.… Continued →

Becoming Saints just dropped their debut album, Oh, the Suffering on Rottweiler Records. Becoming Saints started in Arkansas in 2003, but ended in 2006, with Bassist Jeff Bowie most notably joining Soul Embraced. The band reunited in 2013, as one-off reunion, but later started back in 2014 as a full-time thing. The band, previously only released two EPs, now have their debut album released on Rottweiler Records, home to Grave Robber, Soul Embraced and Pantokrator. Physical albums are up for pre-order now. Go buy it here.… Continued →

Melodic death metallers Your Chance to Die have recently joined Megadeth’s Dave Ellefson’s label, EMP Label Group and EMP Underground. The band has announced plans for the band’s fourth album, Ex-Nihilo and they will try to release the album in early 2017 and plan on touring on this record. Your Chance to Die started in 2007 with couple Missi (Vocals) and Coca Avila (Guitars) and Drummer Daniel Todd. Since then the band has had a revolving lineup with the Avilias staying on. The lineup consists of the Avilas, Vocalist Som Plujimers (ex-Cerebral Bore) , Guitarist Ron Dalton and Drummer Thomas White.… Continued →

Christian death metal musician Ricky Puckett has a new project called In Darkest Dreams. On September 9, 2016, Puckett released the album digitally and on September 16 the physical copies were released. In Darkest Dreams is not like Puckett’s former band, Broken Flesh, a Christian slamming death metal band from Oklahoma. The band is more of the Gothic side of Death metal, rather than a Broken Flesh style. The album was released independently via Bandcamp for $8. Download it here. … Continued →

Swedish Black Metal act Shadows of Paragon have announced they are working on their sophomore album. Shadows of Paragon formed in 2001 under the name Allsherjar until 2003, when they switched to Shadows of Paragon. Shadows of Paragon has released two EPs and their debut album, Through the Valley Within. The band, until recently, consisted of just Bassist Frederik Bergmann and Guitarists Linus Bergman and Zharlie Gustavsson. Shadows of Paragon recently added on new Drummer Arvid. The band is currently writing their upcoming sophomore album.… Continued →

The “Beautycore” band Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh, also known as GFM, just released their debut album, entitled Identity Crisis. GFM started in 2008 with three sisters, CJ (Vocals, Guitar), Maggie (Bass, Keyboards, Vocals), and Lu-Lu English (Drums, Vocals) in Jacksonville, Florida. The band went into the studio with Jake Jones and Justin Forshaw, both formerly of We As Human and currently of As We Ascended. Jones and Forshaw produced the band’s new CD, which was released Independently.… Continued →

Death Requisite, the Extreme Hybrid Metal band from Sarasota, Florida, is due to release their sophomore album, Revisitation, through Rottweiler Records. Rottweiler Records is a record label that was founded by Shawn Browning a.k.a. Wretched Graverobber as a method to release Grave Robber and his solo music. Death Requisite formed in 1999 in Sarasota, Florida. The band went on a hiatus in 2005 but reformed in 2010, with Original Guitarist Dave Blackmore and Drummer William Lee being the only consistent members in the band’s lineup.… Continued →

Rottweiler Records announced the long awaited release date for Christian thrash metal band, Hand of Fire’s new album Let the Killings Begin. Rottweiler Records, based out of Fort Wayne, Indiana, is a record label that was founded by Shawn Browning a.k.a. Wretched Graverobber as a way to release Grave Robber and his solo music. Hand of Fire, a recent signing to Rottweiler, is a Thrash metal band that formed in 2010 as a supergroup project with Jim Settle (ex-Tantrum of the Muse) and Corey Steger (ex-Underoath).… Continued →

Christian technical death metal band Gnashing of Teeth have finally called it a day. The band formed in 1993 under the name Enslaved with Guitarist Duane White and Drummer Larry Davis. The band continued for 23 years before they decided to finally  call it a day. White and Guitarist Travis Cooper are working on a new project, the name of which is still to be announced.… Continued →

Doug Mann, the founder and original owner of R.E.X. Records, home to several Christian metal acts, including Living Sacrifice, Six Feet Deep, Believer and Circle of Dust, was featured on the As The Story Grows Podcast for a two part interview. R.E.X. Records was a label, pre-Tooth and Nail Records, that was home to several Christian bands. Certain bands, formerly on the label, have not spoken ill about Doug Mann, but have stated that it was a bad experience being on R.E.X. As The Story Grows is hosted by Travis Turner (ex-Aletheian, Solamors, UnTeachers), but for the first part of the Doug Mann interview, Living Sacrifice Vocalist/Guitarist Bruce Fitzhugh co-hosts.… Continued →

On July 13, 2016, the world heard from ex-Embodyment and The Famine member Andy Godwin. Since 2013, when Pyrithion went on hiatus, Godwin has not done a musical project. Godwin and former Famine touring guitarist, Jon Tooley formed a new Christian death metal project entitled Hope Deferred. The band released a three song demo for $3. Download it here. … Continued →

Christian metalcore band, See the Rise, has called it a day. Vocalist Josh Meyers posted a statement on October 13, 2016, talking about why the band has decided to end. See the Rise formed in 2011 with Josh Meyers, and a few others. In 2014, the band disbanded. In 2015, the band reunited with Josh Meyers, Guitarists Brian Elliot and Jason Law, Bassist Andrew Davis, and Drummer Kyle Zahorski. The band, as mentioned above, announced their disbanding. The band will play their final show on December 3, 2016.… Continued →