Sunday Singles: Vänlade-"Highway Hounds"

Self-Release/Independent
2018

Vänlade is a talented U.S. heavy metal/power metal band that has been active since 2006. The group is fronted by Brett "Blackout" Scott (one stone cold killer metal front man!) and so far in their career the group has released two full-length albums, two demos, one EP, and this recently-released single. Available for free over at the group's bandcamp page, the must-hear "Highway Hounds" is a catchy metal track that clocks in at almost five and a half minutes! That's five and a half minutes of Grade A hard & heavy/power metal from a Kansas City-based band that sure knows how to craft slick metal anthems!! Serving as the follow-up to the group's 2016 (all covers) EP, "Wayward Sons: Masters of Time, Vol. I", "Highway Hounds" is for anyway that just loves true heavy metal and U.S. power metal. For more information on this cool band (and when and where you can see them live!) be sure to check out the group's Facebook page.

Sunday Singles: Nightland-"Astralize"

Rockshots Records
2017

Formed in 2007 and featuring lead vocals courtesy of guitarist Ludovico Cioffi (The Modern Age Slavery), Italy's Nightland started out in life playing a mixture of folk metal/death/ and power metal. On their latest single, "Astralize", which was released in early November of 2017 and runs slightly over four minutes, the name of the game is symphonic death metal with lots of screaming and the obligatory growls.  Only released as a digital download, "Astralize" is nothing if not completely vicious! The track serves as my first introduction to this Italy outfit that is also comprised of Filippo Scrima (guitar), Brendan Paolini (bass), and drummer Filippo Cicoria (ex-Suffer In Silence). Having played it a couple times through, Nightland's new single does have it's appeal, even if it might not be geared towards every one's taste. Recommend to fans of symphonic death metal  with a bit of a deadly bite.

Sunday Singles: Dawn Of 7th Sky-"Island in the Sky"

Self-Release/Independent
2017

Dawn Of 7th Sky is a post-hardcore/metal band from Aix-en-Provence (France). Fronted by lead vocalist Marika, Dawn Of 7th Sky released this single in the summer of 2017. Backed up by the menacing yet melodic track "Persecuted" (a rhythmic post-metal meets nu metal number which clocks in at over six minutes!), "Island in the Sky" is as beastly as it is beautiful. Infused with pop rock dynamics courteous of lead singer Marika, Dawn Of 7th Sky's latest single has one foot firmly planted in electronic rock territory while the other foot dangles above modern metal. Thanks to it's clever construction and somewhat somber vibe, this three minute plus song gets stuck in your head while it silently digs deeper into your heart. On a scale of 1 to 10, "Island in the Sky" gets a 8 from me. The hard & heavy "Persecuted" gets a 7. With Mido (guitar), Bulle (bass), and  Bambie (drum) rounding out things out, Dawn Of 7th Sky has a captivating sound that slickly mixes smooth female vocals with aggressive rock, metal, and post-hardcore. It is a style that works really well for this four-piece band and it makes you want to find out what else this band is capable of. You can find "Island in the Sky" at the following link.

Sunday Singles: Rockstar Frame-"Christmas Rape"

Musicarchy Media
2017

Formed in 2012 by drummer Max Klein, Rockstar Frame is a (Top Notch!) heavy rock/hard & heavy band from Italy that I have talked about on numerous occasions (link). This socially-conscious/emotionally-powerful single was released earlier in the month and it is the first song from Rockstar Fame to feature new lead singer Kiara Laetitia (ex Skylark, Virgin Steele). Having gone through a line-up change sometime after the release of "Bullet For Birthday ", Rockstar Frame would be forgiven had they lost any steam. Despite the set backs, "Christmas Rape" is a tremendous number that goes a long ways towards pointing out Max's skill as a band leader. Packed with passion and intensity, Rockstar Frame's latest single also showcases Kiara's amazing set of pipes! If this new song is anything to go by (and why shouldn't it be?), Kiara Laetitia and Rockstar Frame are a match made in heaven!! Rockstar Frame has a new album set for release in February of 2018. A tour of Europe will follow in it's footsteps. While my location in the U.S. might make a live performance impossible for me to witness, Rockstar Frame's next album will be reviewed on this site. That alone makes me anticipate the change from 2017 to 2018!

Sunday Singles: Lilith and The Knight-Wake Up

Red Vixen Records
2016


Calling London home, Lilith and The Knight is a up-and-coming heavy rock/hard & heavy band with one truly inspired single to it's name thanks to the recently-released "Wake Up". Formed by guitarist Stephen and lead vocalist Lilith a little over a year ago, Lilith and The Knight draws it's inspiration from a wide-range of sources that are both new and old. From classic rock to modern metal you'll find a little bit of everything has  made it's way into the heart of this band's fresh sound and with guitarist Adam, bassist Tom, and drummer Francesco rounding matters out it sure seems as if NOTHING can stand in the way of this group's ultimate success! Fans of female-fronted rock and heavy metal would do well to invest in the magnificence that is "Wake Up" especially as this in one new single that is sweet as F**K!!!!

Sunday Singles: Snakewine-"Brood of Vipers"

Phonector
2016

Released back on February 10th of this year, "Brood of  Vipers" is a drop-dead AWESOME single from German heavy rock/hard & heavy band Snakewine. This ass-kicking quartet is solid as fuck in regards to both their songwriting skills and actual performances and it was it just last week that I covered Snakewine's unreal album "Serpent Kings". Seeing as this rock and roll-fueled outfit is as much influenced by bands like Guns N' Roses and Rose Tattoo as it is Motörhead and Zeke there is no shortage of good times when you plug into tracks like "Brood of Vipers"! In fact the more I hear from this up-and-coming band the more I fall MADLY in love with them and it's the same kind of special feeling that I've long felt for Motörhead and "Appetite For Destruction"-era G N' R!! This is another band that I can't believe is flying so far below the radar especially in this day and age when this kind of dirty underground rock could save us all!!!!

Sunday Singles: Helstar-Black Cathedral

EMP Label Group
2016

Helstar just released this slick single on Friday, April 8th. it comes from their new album, "Vampiro", which is due to drop sometime later in year. As it is Helstar (or if you will the one and only James Rivera!) you almost had to know it would be good, but even so this is U.S. metal band that never seems to let people down. If "Black Cathedral" is anything to go by then Helstar's new album is going to be another kick ass addition to  my classic metal/power metal collection! Simply put I cannot wait to hear more from this legendary act!!

Sunday Singles: The Rods (featuring Veronica Freeman)-"Smoke On The Horizon"

David Feinstein / Nire
2015

Welcome to a special edition of Sunday Singles. Today we will be talking about the hard & heavy rock-fest that is "Smoke On The Horizon". This recently-released single finds Veronica Freeman and The Rods collaborating on a four plus minute barn burner with this (so far at least) one and done recording all but written with rock radio in mind! This joint venture could best be viewed as heavy metal's past and hard rock's present colliding mid-air for some red hot destruction with the two distinct styles actually complimenting each other. On "Smoke On The Horizon" the Benedictum front-woman manhandles the microphone with Veronica "The V" Freeman's humongous voice shattering glass and destroying more than a few building foundations along the way! You'll be surprised to find The Rods actually taking a back seat to this powerhouse of a lead singer with the U.S. power metal trio mere putty for this fiery front-lady to mold! Even so, "Smoke On The Horizon" find The Rods doing what they do best and their timeless take on American metal is as blistering as it gets! As a first collaboration between these four veteran musicians this rocking number has a nice bit or bite to go along with it's loud bark and it points towards the possibility of this becoming a legitimate, full-time project if everything else were to fall apart for the parties involved. You can find "Smoke On The Horizon" at the usual places including iTunes and CD Baby.