Welcome back, my friends, to the news service that never ends… that’s right – it’s time for some more Shrapnel!

DYMYTRY

First in the line today for your perusal and hopefully appreciation are the Czech Republic’s Dymytry. A powerhouse in their own country, the band have decided to expand their operations a little for their sixth album, Revenge, will will emerge on German label AFM on January 22nd!

After well over one thousand concerts in their home country, five successful records to date and a platinum award for their latest release Revolter, Dymytry has opted for a step that is unusual in two respects: Revolt, originally recorded exclusively in Czech, will be the first Dymytry album to also be released in English language, as well as introducing their new, additional singer Alen “A.L.“ Ljubic.

Bassist Artur “R2R” Mikhaylov revealed:“Four years ago we came up with the idea of expanding our musical operating radius beyond the Czech Republic. We probably wanted to get out of our comfort zone and try something new and different. After translating a few of our tracks into English, we started to look at the option of playing some shows abroad.”

After a joint single with German act Hämatom in September 2018, both bands went on tour together in October 2018; these were Dymytry’s first shows outside their home country. Mikhaylov: “The tour proved to us that our music also works for an international audience, and in English.” So the band decided to take this remarkable step, and the band’s first international output, Revolt, will be released on January 14, 2022 through AFM Records. “We want to show to the world that there is great music in the Czech Republic, too,” Mikhaylov explains. “We feel that our first English album is a very strong record, we really put everything into it.”

All of the twelve, new album tracks on Revolt practically burst with a high-voltage energy, strong melodies and powerful rhythms driven by mercilessly modern metal. There’s every sign of a storm brewing when Dymytry, featuring its three main songwriters Mikhaylov, Jiri “Dymo” Urban and Jan “Gorgy” Görgel (both guitar) as well as with exciting guest appearances by Joakim Lindbäck Eriksson of Brothers Of Metal and ex- Rage guitarist Victor Smolski, will present its successful Revolt album to an international audience for the first time. Dymytry will continue to work with vocalist Protheus in the Czech Republic and with Alen on the international market, especially since the band think highly of both frontmen.

As a nice intro to the album, the band has recorded a cover of the eighties Rockwell classic Somebody’s Watching Me, with Smolski along for the ride – watch the clip for the track here!

SPACE COKE

Whilst we are on the topic of cover versions, American doom dealers Space Coke have just released their take on the Danzig classic Twist of Cain! The song is taken from the band’s new album, Lunacy, which releases later this week.

Psychedelic and ominous, Space Coke is a trip in a good way. A group that can be described as psychedelic music meets metal, Space Coke is a unique offering coming out of Columbia, South Carolina. Their new album Lunacy is an otherworldly trip; either an escape or an immersion in the madness of humankind.

Formed in 2009 and featuring: Reno Gooch (Guitar and Vocals), Jay Matheson, (Bass and Recording Engineer), Brandon Johnson (Drums) and Moses Andrews III (Organ and Keys), Space Coke is rife with high-quality riffs, pure rhythms that do the stomping, and altered consciousness type vocals.

The band comments: “We have an origin theme that a trip to space is a breakaway from a society gone mad. A planet that has built up civilisations based on power and oppression. Also mix that with the Space Coke scene from Cheech and Chong‘s movie. Reno grew up in a diverse multicultural household and likes his music and musical companions to reflect that. Space Coke is aural magic to ground us in how small our planet and its affectations are in an immeasurable existence.”

Lunacy is a Twilight Zone-like journey and will be both darker and more occult themed than previous albums. Each musician’s influences add to the complexity of the album and lend to something far beyond the traditional hallmarks of fuzz and bass. Reno Gooch pulls from his childhood of listening to Indian classical, as well as contemporary artists such as Sun Ra, Sonic Youth and Anthony Braxton, plus some of rocks most well known godfathers: Black Sabbath, Mothers Of Invention and Jimi Hendrix.

The band haven’t yet revealed their Danzig cover for mass consumption, so here’s another track from Lunacy to keep you going until that January 14 release date…

MØTIVATIØN

Ready for something a little more out of left field? I have to say I’ve really been enjoying Prison Logic, a new track from alt.metal collective MØTIVATIØN. You can watch the clip for the track below!

A mammoth project uniting an eclectic array of musicians, the ambitious effort boasts twelve stirring psalms brought to fruition by members of Agnostic Front, L7, Black Anvil, Toxic Holocaust, High Reaper, Obituary, and so many more. The premise of the project is simple: If you want to motivate yourself by motivating others and/or motivate others by motivating yourself, then your positive collaboration will be most welcome. MØTIVATIØN’s immersive listening experience and teachings continually challenge and engage candidates searching for the best possible version of themselves.

Comments chief motivator/instigator/orchestrator Ø, “The goal is to cultivate a culture of positive collaboration in which individuals actively contribute to each other’s evolution, and to achieve these through a unique process designed for a unique audience. In short, this is all about personal development. Are you familiar with the field of ‘life coaches’ and ‘motivational speakers?’ Have you ever been frustrated with how artificial, and…well, ‘normal’ they tend to be? Have you ever felt like you would like a role model like that, but none of them feel relatable to you? We have. Our vision is about crafting a subculture approach to personal development,” he continues. “The ‘dark’ imagery and mysterious language are tools to create a distinct frequency and culture which will appeal to the outcasts and misfits and repel those who are unwilling to face their own darkness. Our processes and strategies are intentionally novel, mysterious, and even sometimes apparently apocalyptic. Psychologically, this allows individuals to experience them with a sho-shin-beginner mind. A sense of curiosity and apprehension which activates the nervous system in a different way”.

Interested? keen to find out more? The Infinite 8 Steps To Power / Money / More, the Full-Length album from which Prison Logic is taken, releases on February 22nd Via Seeing Red Records.

GAUNTLET RULE

Back to normality now and the storming traditional metal of Gauntlet Rule! The band was formed in 2019 by ubiquitous death metal writing machine Rogga Johansson and bassist Peter Svensson (Assassin’s Blade, Void Moon) with the intent of creating timeless heavy metal. The lineup was completed by vocalist Teddy Möller (Loch Vostok).

Despite, or maybe because of, the style of Gauntlet Rule being a huge departure from the styles of Johansson’s and Möller’s main bands, the band manages to create an original sounding record yet maintain all the trademarks of classic metal. The songs range from speed metal to almost doom metal, but the focus on fist-pumping heavy metal is never let go. The foundation of the songs is the unrelenting presence of the riffmaster Johansson, backed by the tight and sometimes adventurous rhythm section of Svensson and guest drummer Lars Demoké. The massive vocals of Möller set the tone for the journey through the landscapes of The Plague Court. Lyrical themes include horror stories, war, internal struggles, and supernatural concepts; sometimes several of the themes in one song.

The album also features the excellent vocal talents of two guest vocalists. Blaze Bayley (ex-Iron Maiden) lends his pipes to the track Dying for My Dreams, to which he also contributed additional vocal arrangements and lyrical adjustments. Blaze comments: “I really enjoyed working on this song, a great time working on the guest vocal. I wish the guys every success with the release”.

The other guest vocalist in the album is is Lorraine Gill from cult US metal band Taist Of Iron. She adds her haunting yet powerful vocals to the track A Choir of Angels. “It was an absolute pleasure to work on this project, and I felt honoured to be asked to do so”, she declares. “The music and lyrics are absolutely top-notch and I was blown away by the whole collection! The music stands alone. Not like anything I’ve heard recently!”

Well, that’s it for another edition. As ever, I hope you’ve enjoyed at least a little of what we’ve brought to your attention this day… Horns up! HD