Tag: rainbow

MEGA COLOSSUS announces new album “Showdown”: pre-orders open!

Enrico

High-octane melodic metal from the heart of Raleigh, North Carolina!

On their fourth full-length Showdown, Mega Colossus matches epic metal grandeur with the hooks and melodies from Rainbow and Kansas!

PRE-ORDERS:
COMPACT DISC
BLACK LP
LMT 200 BONE LP

Sometimes, a good classic movie reference is all you need. Case in point, Mega Colossus guitarist/vocalist Bill Fischer who compares the band’s new Showdown studio album to its 2021 Riptime predecessor with a nod to an iconic series from the 1980s: “Showdown is to Riptime as Temple of Doom is to Raiders of the Lost Ark.” Fischer is spot on. Showdown takes Mega Colossus’s brand of triumphant, big melodic metal to new heights without forgetting where the band came from. It’s like the perfect sequel — but better!

Recorded with Al Jacob at Warrior Sound in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, in early 2023, Showdown catches Mega Colossus in full stride, expanding upon its template of dueling twin-guitar harmonies and gallops. Buchanan’s vocals (think of him somewhere between Diamond Head’s Sean and Harris and Dragonforce’s Marc Hudson) are strident and effortless, carrying forth grandiose, bold choruses that even possess the occasional Styx reference.

But above all else, Showdown is the amalgamation of five very different musicians with something unique to offer to Mega Colossus. It is no wonder, then, that Showdown has emerged as an epic display of uncanny and striking melodic metal, with all the depth and charisma of a band now entering its 20th year.

MIRROR Signs With Cruz Del Sur Music, ‘The Day Bastard Leaders Die’ Due Next Spring

Enrico

Cruz Del Sur Music is proud to announce the signing of multi-national classic occult metallers MIRROR. The label will release the band’s third full-length, “The Day Bastard Leaders Die” in spring 2022.

Formed in 2015 by former ELECTRIC WIZARD bassist Tas and vocalist Jimmy Mavrommatis, MIRROR released their self-titled debut the same year. Their 2019 “Pyramid Of Terror” follow-up was hailed for its energetic blend of NWOBHM and 70s proto-rock, particularly Mavrommatis’s high-wire vocal delivery and the band’s deft use of twin-guitar melodies. MIRROR soon found itself a new record deal when guitarist Nikolas Moutafis contacted the Cruz Del Sur Music brass and inquired about a partnership.

“We are happy and excited about signing with Cruz Del Sur,” says Tas. “The label’s ownership loved the songs on ‘The Day Bastard Leaders Die’. We started recording the album last year but had a few delays because of COVID. Somehow, we made it. Our producer is my good friend, Costa Costopoulos, and he’s based in Athens and did a fantastic job.”

MIRROR, which is rounded out by drummer Daniel Georgiou and second guitarist Dino, had a tall order following “Pyramid Of Terror”. But, according to Tas, “The Day Bastard Leaders Die” should surpass its predecessor in more ways than one.  

“Overall, it’s a heavier and faster album than ‘Pyramid Of Terror’. This was not intended, but a lot of frustration came out when we were composing the songs. The album is in the same vein as the ones before, though, and it’s still classic, raw heavy metal.”

Mausoleum Gate – Into a Dark Divinity to be released Sept 8

EnricoLeave a comment


“One of the best newcomers in years” – Deaf Forever

MAUSOLEUM GATE’s 2014 self-titled debut album was not as much of a revelation as it was a reminder of how vintage metal should be played. Bucking virtually every modern production trend, the Finns greeted audiences with a warm analog production sound, flanked by the star-gazing vocals of V-P Varpula and the classy twin guitar action of Count LaFey and Kasperi Puranen. Critical and fan acclaim soon followed, along with key festival appearances at Keep It True and Muskelrock, with many hailing MAUSOLEUM GATE as one of the most exciting new retro metal bands on the scene.

Three years removed from their debut, the Finns return with the six-song “Into a Dark Divinity”, which is set for a September 8 release via Cruz Del Sur Music. Capitalizing on the self-titled debut’s majestic sound, MAUSOLEUM GATE harnesses the keyboard-dominated bravado of classic DEEP PURPLE and RAINBOW and blends it with the proto metal visions of MANILLA ROAD and early IRON MAIDEN.

With an increased emphasis on Hammond C3 organ and keyboard interplay (courtesy of bass player Wicked Ischianus), songs such as “Condemned To Darkness” and the lurking “Apophis” augment the high-wire vocals of Varpula, who has further established himself as one of the most distinctive vocalists in traditional metal. The melody-driven “Solomon’s Key” and NWOBHM-inspired “Horns” recall an era where actual songwriting would make or break a band. The graceful closing title track also offers up a new angle from MAUSOLEUM GATE, showcasing lush textures and atmospheric acoustic guitar work.

A must-have for any and all traditional metal aficionados, “Into a Dark Divinity” proves MAUSOLEUM GATE are one of the scene’s best new true metal torchbearers. Singular, alluring and able to captivate audiences of all varieties, MAUSOLEUM GATE represent a new front in authentic vintage metal. Sophomore slump be damned – MAUSOLEUM GATE are the real deal.

 

Into a Dark Divinity track listing:

  1. Condemned To Darkness
  2. Burn The Witches At Dawn
  3. Apophis
  4. Solomon’s Key
  5. Horns
  6. Into A Dark Divinity

 

Band lineup:

V-P. Varpula – Vocals

Count L.F. – Guitars

Kasperi Puranen – Guitars

Wicked Ischianus – Bass, Hammond C3 organ, Mellotron M400, MiniMoog synthesizer, Kong MS20, Petrof Piano

Oscar Razanez – Drums

 

Discography:

Mausoleum Gate (– 2014, Cruz Del Sur Music)

Gateways For the Wicked / Obsessed by Metal Sessions( – 2014, Self-Released)

Metal And The Might  / Demon Soul (7’’ – 2016, Cruz Del Sur Music)