#Netherlands Symphonic Metal Band

[breedsblood]

Within Temptation - Gothic Christmas - Live Streaming With Just Jen Reacts

Click Link For Full Video

https://rumble.com/v48o2zn-within-temptation-gothic-christmas-live-streaming-with-just-jen-reacts.html?mref=1t2sy0&mc=e0pra

[doyoulikethissong-poll]

Within Temptation - Stand My Ground 2004

"Stand My Ground" is the first single from Dutch symphonic metal band Within Temptation's third studio album The Silent Force. The song is also included on the US edition of the band's 2007 album The Heart of Everything. It became a top 10 hit in the Netherlands, Belgium and Finland, and became a top 40 hit in four other countries. It was used in the trailer for the fantasy-horror film Blood & Chocolate. The band also provided some of the soundtrack to the video game Knights of the Temple: Infernal Crusade, released in March 2005.

"Stand My Ground" received a total of 74,6% yes votes!

[black-arcana]

WITHIN TEMPTATION Lost Tens Of Thousands Of Instagram Followers Over 'Pride' Post

In a new interview with Germany's Radio Bob!, vocalist Sharon Den Adel of Dutch symphonic metallers WITHIN TEMPTATION was asked if she took notice of the fact that the band recently surpassed 400,000 followers on Instagram. She responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, to be honest, I'm not sure if I should say this on radio, but I was a bit shocked of our own audience in a way, because we reached actually 4,2 [420,000] and we lost a two [20,000], because we made an announcement, like, okay, just a post about Pride [the yearly event for acceptance and visibility of the LGBTIQ+ community] in the Netherlands. And we lost 0,2 just by one post saying equality stands for…"

She continued: "I don't care about losing those, but it was a shock to me. So many people were appalled by that message, it's, like, what is the world going to? I was a bit sad about that. It was, like, okay, because you said something about equality and how we see people, how we treat people. Wow. It was a shock… It's reflecting how people are thinking about how things are changing in society sometimes by things you post. It's, like, wow. I didn't see this coming. But anyway, anyway, I'm not regretting it at all. So I'm really happy that it happened because it just cleans up the database. [Laughs] Who cannot stand for equality for everyone? It's, like, come on."

Last December, Den Adel was asked by Mexico's Summa Inferno why it was important for her and her bandmates to voice their political views in some of their recently released songs, including "Wireless" and the title track of their latest album "Bleed Out", which have highlighted such current topics as the war in Ukraine and the suspicious death of Mahsa Amini, an Iranian woman "detained" for not wearing a hijab. She said: "We are musicians. And what do musicians do? They're storytellers, in my opinion. At least that's how I see myself, as a storyteller.

"Back in the day when there were castles, hundreds of years ago, when the musicians were traveling from country to country, what they did is bring the news from one country to another country," she explained. "If there was a war far down South, then half year later, people would know up North because then the musicians came and they make music, telling the stories of what's happening in the world. And I think that essence of being a musician, I think that's important. I think the essence of keeping certain subjects alive in a different way than in the past, of course, but now more like the news goes so fast in our time, because we have Internet and everything, we know what's happening in every country, more or less. And the thing is it becomes old news very fast. But certain things you need to keep addressing and talking about, like what's happening in Iran, for instance, but also the war in the Ukraine, and of course now that what's happening in Gaza and in Israel. Those topics are important to talk about.

"For us, we've written songs about certain of these topics, like Ukraine and Iran," Sharon added. "We did write something about that. We were inspired by that. So that's why we're talking about it in our interviews. And because it becomes old news very quickly here in Europe. I don't know how it's in your country, but nobody talks that much anymore about the Ukraine or what's happening in Iran. Not at all, because it's not in the news anymore. Ukraine is, because we are, of course, supporting them, but in different ways from a European point of view. But Iran, it's already very much old news since Mahsa Amini died because she resisted the morality police and died in a horrible way after being beaten to death, just because she wore her clothes in an incorrect way, to them. And it's very important to talk about these topics because otherwise it becomes old news and their fight is still going on. And that's in many subjects. We could have written about so many things in the world, even about South America where certain things are happening. But these were the things that inspired us when we were in the studio. At that moment, the war broke out in Ukraine. At that moment, Mahsa Amini had just died and we watched the news, and before we knew it, it was integrated in our music. But it could have been also other topics that are just as much needed to be talked about, of course. But these were the things that were happening in the moment when we were writing music."

Asked if she is afraid of the backlash and criticism she and the rest of WITHIN TEMPTATION might receive for publicly voicing their political views, Sharon said: "Well, I believe in democracy. And I think also we have a voice, and I believe in debating. What I hope to do with this — we're not lashing out or criticizing anything. It's more like we try to keep the subject alive because just by talking about it, we can bring other people to new ideas or get a little bit deeper into the subject or start being interested in the subject and thinking about what is the right thing to do. What kind of world do we wanna live in? I think that's a good question. So I'm not afraid of feeling attacked because of the fact that we take a certain point of view because I think… Well, I think it's, that's the thing of democracy. We can all be a voice and we can all contribute to the debate on what kind of world do you wanna live in and what do you accept from each other and what don't we accept from each other. There should be a certain pressure from other countries trying to help certain people in need. And I think it's most important that we support those who are in oppression, who are oppressed, and to let them know there's people thinking about them and supporting them."

[x--daughters-of-darkness--x]

NIGHTWISH Singer And SABATON Drummer Welcome Their Second Child

NIGHTWISH singer Floor Jansen and SABATON drummer Hannes Van Dahl have welcomed their second child, a daughter named Lucy.

Jansen and Van Dahl already have a six-year-old daughter named Freja, who was born on March 15, 2017.

The Dutch-born vocalist revealed the news in a social media post earlier today (Friday, October 20). She shared a photo of her, Hannes, Freja and Lucy holding hands, and she wrote: "There she is! With great happiness we can announce the birth of our second daughter Lucy! Big sister Freja is delighted with our dark haired little girl too!

"Health is not a given fact, and so it's humbling to report that both our baby girl as mom are in a great one! We are enjoying these special moments to the fullest and ask for understanding of our privacy in this intimate time! Big thanks for all the love and support we received during the pregnancy! We have now welcomed our dear Lucy into this beautiful world".

Shortly before Freja was born, Hannes was asked by Spain's Metal Journal whether his family situation would have an impact on his ability to tour with SABATON. Hannes said: "Well, you know, as far as I'm concerned, nothing will really change, 'cause this is what I do, an this is… this is what I do to make a living. People have had kids before in this business. So, to stop any worries — 'cause I know a lot of people are worried [about me] quitting the band — I will stay in the band. And as far as I can say, when it's time, I need to go and be there with my family. But when I've done that, I'm going back to touring. So I won't leave. I will be there."

Jansen herself had spoken about the challenges of raising a child while being in a touring band like NIGHTWISH. She told Finland's Radio Rock in 2016: "Of course, it's a very challenging combination, and I was very happy that the way [NIGHTWISH is] today — or, actually, have always been — it's a very open group; we can talk about things. And the guys, actually, were curious. A few months ago, we started talking about it, like, 'So, 2017… How about kids? Yeah?' So it's great to think about things together: how can we combine it? Also 'cause my partner is in a successful band, touring a lot. Yeah, then you need the cooperation of the people that you are family with also. So I am not afraid that won't work. It will be a challenge, for sure, but, yeah, a little SABATON or NIGHTWISH daycare program sounds lovely, doesn't it? [Laughs]"

Jansen also dismissed rumors that she would leave the band after welcoming her first child. She told Mariskal Rock TV: "No, I won't [quit NIGHTWISH]. I love this way too much; don't worry. You don't even have negative speculations one way or another. Things are great, and let's keep on doing this forever."

NIGHTWISH played its last concert before its current break from touring on June 17 at Lemonsoft Stadion in Vaasa.

In November 2022, Floor revealed that she was "cancer free" after undergoing surgery to have a tumor removed following a breast cancer diagnosis.

In April, NIGHTWISH surprised fans by announcing that the band was not going to be playing any live shows for the foreseeable future and would be not be touring in support of the group's next studio album, which is tentatively due in 2024.

Floor's debut solo album "Paragon", arrived in March.

As part of NIGHTWISH, Jansen has landed two number one albums in Finland, and Top Five albums in Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.

Born in the Netherlands, Jansen joined her first band, one of the world's first symphonic metal bands, AFTER FOREVER, when she was only 16 years old. The group went on to release five albums from 2000 to 2007, before they broke up in 2009.

Jansen's next band, REVAMP, released two albums in 2010 and 2013, before she joined NIGHTWISH as a full-time member. NIGHTWISH's first album with Jansen as the lead singer was 2015's "Endless Forms Most Beautiful", which landed in Top 10s around the world. This was followed by 2020's "Human. :II: Nature." , which was also an international success.

Jansen has toured extensively with the band and appeared on three of NIGHTWISH's live albums "Showtime, Storytime", "Vehicle Of Spirit" and "Decades: Live In Buenos Aires".

In 2019, Jansen participated in the popular Dutch TV show "Beste Zangers" where she scored a big hit with "Phantom Of The Opera" together with Henk Poort. She was recognized with a Dutch Popprijs award — a prestigious accolade for artists that has made important contributions to Dutch music. In the same year, her first solo tour sold out in less than 24 hours.

Jansen performed live with NIGHTWISH for the first time on October 1, 2012 at Showbox Sodo in Seattle, Washington following the abrupt departure of the band's lead singer of five years, Anette Olzon. Jansen officially joined NIGHTWISH in 2013.

[fetznerdeathrecords]

Haliphron - Anatomy of Darkness

Symphonic Black/Death Metal from the Netherlands

Symphonic death metal band HALIPHRON was established in 2021, comprising former and current members of notable Dutch metal bands, including Izegrim, Bleeding Gods, and God Dethroned. The band's primary musical objective is to create a powerful and bombastic metal sound that is relatively uncommon in their native country. While their music represents a sonic departure from their previous projects, HALIPHRON does not seek to reinvent the genre. Instead, they deliver their music with compelling melodies, catchiness, and energy.

1. Opus Addicere 01:04 2. Silent Escape 04:40 3. Feasting on Flesh 04:13 4. Black Star 04:00 5. Buried Truth 05:04 6. Double or Nothing 04:09 7. Epitome of Perfection 04:19 8. Art of the Blade 04:27 9. Anatomy of Darkness 06:30

Release date: October 25th, 2024 via @listenable_records

@haliphron_metal

[anotherghoul666]

Under Our Black Cult tour primer

@battiestbelfry as promised my dear! Now, I don’t have info on Gaerea yet because I don’t know them yet, Imma deep dive in the next few days. But the other 3 bands on the bill I know well, so here we go!

Under the read more: primers and my personal opinions on the bands Uada, Carach Angren and Rotting Christ. Song and album recommendations to start off. And the mask kink thing, with pics. 3/4 of the bands on this bill are or can be confidered masked bands, you know I gotta touch on the mask kink in there!

UADA

Uada, which means “haunted”, are a melodic black metal band from the United States. They are based in Portland, Oregon and have been active since 2014. They are currently signed to Eisenwald records, an independent music label from Germany. In this house we love and support independent labels! They are specialized in black metal and have a very fun roster.

Uada have 3 releases out so far, all full length albums. They don’t do singles, they don’t do demos, they don’t do splits, they don’t do EPs. They make full albums and drop them on a roughly 2 years cycle, though with the pandemic we are at 3 years since the last record, so these mysterious hooded figures are ripe for new material! Their debut album Devoid of Light in 2016 was well received by the metal world as a promising debut, albeit very classic black metal that didn’t surprise much. 2018’s Cult of a Dying Sun seems to be their album with the most acclaim. The sound quality difference between these two is astounding. The tracks tend to be longer, which helps some songs and doesn’t help others. 2020’s Djinn is their latest release and the reception’s been this: Djinn is way more niche, as in, you have to be down for 14 minutes atmospheric black metal songs to like it, but if that’s your vibe? It’s fucking good. Quality up, marketability down. They still don’t do anything super different, but it’s good black metal. It feels like European black metal despite being American, which is what I love, because I’m intensely biased towards the EU scene. US bands have to be either 1)extremely fucking special or 2) European-sounding to get in my good graces XD

The guys are “masked”, in the sense that they play with hoods over their faces with the aim of not being seen, for atmospheric purposes:

They also do “the hand thing” when taking pictures.

But they’re ok being approached in public by fans, as long as you don't pressure them to take a pic with their faces showing. They are not anonymous, their names are out there if you wanna know.

As far as recs go, I would rec all of the albums honestly cause it’s less than 3 hours of music and there’s nothing truly bad in there. My favorite album personally is Djinn but that’s because I fucking love atmospheric albums that make me lose track of time. I’m aware that’s not everyone’s cup of tea xD So, to my previous recs of Devoid of Light, Black Autumn White Spring and Cult of a Dying Sun, I’d add all of Djinn, but specifically the title track and In The Absence of Matter as a first contact.

CARACH ANGREN

Carach Angren are a symphonic black metal band from the Limburg province of the Netherlands. They’ve been active since 2003 and they’re currently signed to French label Seasons of Mist, one of the few major metal labels I feel positively about! The Seasons of Mist roster is INSANE. They specialize in the darker genres of metal, black, death, gothic, doom and some prog. Many of my favorite bands have been on them through the years.

So. Listen. Carach are one of my absolute darlings in the black metal world. When I began my exploration into black metal in the early 2010s, their first three records have been instrumental in making this genre my favorite. I would not be where I am today without them. I will forever have a very special in my heart for these guys. I hung out with them several times, I’m attached, ok? But. And there’s a huge But. Dear fucking god did these guys fall off. I’m still reeling from how perfect their music used to be, and how fucking atrocious the output has been since 2015. In my opinion. These primers are only my personal opinions and ramblings ok XD They’re doing fine, their latest albums did get decent reviews which I? Don’t understand? But you do you, boo? XD They’re one of the big names in black metal right now, they’re headlining tours, they’re doing good on the new material ok. But I can’t fucking stand it hahaha.

The main problem for me was the vibe shift. Carach Angren’s themes are horror stories. They recount fantastic tales of horror, fright and gore, psychological horror, body horror, historical horror, the like. The storytelling in their first three albums is stunning. There was always a sense of realism there, of horror being grounded in reality. It’s classy, it’s tasteful, it’s striking and horrifying but it’s never cheap and nothing is played for shock. 2008’s Lammendam is about “true stories” in a 1700s an 1800s backdrop, a historical version of our “I heard from a friend of a friend that…”, tales from the crypt and all that. Ghost stories that we’ve heard before, la Dame Blanche for example, but set to music. 2010’s Death Came Through a Phantom Ship is about nautical horror. Historical stories of phantom ships, captain-less ships, mutinies and their disastrous bloody consequences. It’s so grounded. Their masterpiece, 2012’s Where the Corpses Sink Forever, is about the horrors of war. We follow soldiers in trenches, feel their desperation, their fear of death yet longing for it. The heart-wrenching beauty to be found on battlefields because they are so human, yet the absolute bone-chilling reality of it. It’s so fucking real. This album, no joke, is one of the best albums I have ever heard in my life. It’s a 10/10 record for me, and I do not give out 10/10 easily. I’m rather critical. I have less than 20 albums that I’ve ever rated as perfect in my life, and this album is unanimously recognized as the pillar of this band, and one of the pillars of symphonic black metal altogether. This is one of the albums that made black metal click for me. It changed everything.

And then, there was a tonal shift. I suspect, coming off from such a resounding success, the band didn’t know how the fuck they could live up to it, and they crumbled under the pressure. 2015’s This is no Fairytale is, as the title suggests, bases in the Grimm fairytales. It’s a weird modern retelling of Hansel and Gretel and like. Yeah. It started to get cheap. The language used in the lyrics shifted. There’s a ton of unnecessary cursing all over this album, graphic depictions of SA, p*dophilia, incest, drugs abuse and overdose, and like, yes, Hansel and Gretel is a tale about child abuse, of course, but there’s a way to approach those topics you know? With feeling, with emotion, with realness, and here it just feels cheap. Ghastly “twists” are constantly played out for shock value, it’s surface, it’s plastic-y. The stage show changed from refined hustorical costumes and atmospheres to, like, female-bodied mannequins being dragged around and getting their throats cut on stage with copious amounts of fake blood, and for what? It’s just, tasteless now. The band lost its delicacy. That’s where it started to feel cheap, and it only went downhill from there. 2017’s Dance and Laugh Amongst the Rotten is a joke. Legit, this album sounds like a joke. The songs are boring, uninspired, structure-less. The lyrics are so cheap. It’s like we went from a museum quality horror painting that moves and inspires, to a cheap clown trying to be scary at a kid’s birthday party. 2020’s Franckensteina Strataemontanus was very “meh” to me. Less offensive than the previous two, and the story is inspired by classic horror literature like Mary Shelley and the strange scientists that inspired her Frankenstein. There’s potential, but the magic is dead for me. Bad taste in my mouth. I can’t do it anymore, but maybe a fresh pair of ear that doesn’t have the baggage I have with this band will like it? You let me know.

In this context, you’ll understand why my recommendations will only be from the first three albums. If you want to go for it, just listen to all three. There are no duds in any of them. But for specific songs, from Lammendam: Haunting Echoes from the Seventeenth Century, The Carriage Wheel Murder, Heretic Poltergeist Phenomena and my absolute favorite La Malédiction de la Dame Blanche. From Phantom Ship: The Sighting Is a Portent of Doom and Bloodstains on the Captain's Log. From Corpses? Listen to the whole thing man. For real. It’s a concept album, so grab the whole thing, sit down, close the lights, get the lyrics out, and follow along. Prepare to be sobbing by the end. I could recommend every single song, but they hit so much more powerfully within the context of the story.

In terms of aesthetic, there guys are “masked” in the way that they have a very unique look of corpse paint (the face paint typical to black metal).

They coined this look, not corpse paint as a whole, but their style of it. It’s been copied a million times since (like by Cradle of Filth notably, though they'll argue to the ends of the world it wasn't copied. It looks the exact same, it's a bit ridiculous), but it was Carach who did it like this first. The band members have character names, though they are not anonymous. Their real names are out there, but on stage, they’re not themselves, they are Seregor and Ardek (Namtar used to be their drummer. He quit in 2020. I have no clue how the band will record anything else in the future without him because he was the CORE of the band for me. Absolute drummer crush. I digress.) Seregor is a hobbyist mask maker and he makes masks for his different characters from his stories, like these:

Imo they still hit on the mask kink somewhat. The guys on and off stage feel like they are radically different people, and to have met them masked at the end of a show and unmasked at more proper events, there’s a world of difference in the vibe. I love it.

Oh also they have spawn a good few big metal memes like this one XD :

Which they found funny enough they turned it into a shirt XD :

(and yes of course I have one hahaha)

ROTTING CHRIST

Rotting Christ are a seminal band in black metal’s history. They have been at it for 36 years under the Rotting Christ banner, 39 years if we count the first iteration of the band under a different name. Dare I say it? I’ll say it. They’re the black metal daddies. I’m so sorry, I said it, it’s out there now XD They are daddy and I don’t make the rules. Anyway! They’ve been active since 1987, as I said, and they are signed to, yep, Seasons of Mist. I wasn’t kidding when I said this label’s roster is nuts. They are from Athens, Greece and they’re more towards the melodic / gothic side of black metal. They influen ced black meal heavily because this early in the 80s (black metal as a genre really kicked off in the 90s), there were no other bands who did what they did, and especially not in Greek. Rotting Christ have a lot of songs in Greek, in Latin, later in their career they made songs based on Hindu mysticism, their lack of fear when it comes to singing in everything but English at the time was genre defining. They made many songs in English since, but man the ones in Greek just hit different you know? They changed the game before the black metal game was even a thing.

Currently there are only two original members left in the band, brothers Sakis and Themis Tolis, vocals/guitar and drums respectively. Everyone else right now are tour musicians or session studio musicians. As their band name suggests, their themes are of anti-christianity, satanism, occultism of many different cultures, mysticism, it’s all good shit. One more band we traumatized christian kids can heal our religious trauma through, weeeee!! They have 13 full length records out, their latest one being The Heretics from 2019 (we are starving from new material, please feed us) though they haven’t paused during the pandemic, re-recording older material and releasing compilations instead. There was a new single in 2022 called Holy Mountain, and I hope and pray that means new album soon. Sakis Tolis also released a solo project in 2022, Amongst the Fires of Hell, which was fucking DELICIOUS my dude. More laid back, but so fucking crunchy. Highly recommend if you feel their sound.

In terms of recommendations, you’re in luck because they released a massive best of for their 30th anniversary called Their Greatest Spells: 30 Years of Rotting Christ. That’s the must-listen. If you want into this band, start here. You’ll get a taste of the sound of every single full lenght that came befoee. It’s 2 albums, 33 songs: find your favorites, check which album they're from, and go from there! Non Serviam, Grandis Spiritus Diavolos, In Yumen-Xibalba, Kata Ton Daimona Eaytoy, everything’s on here, besides my personal favorite song of theirs, Apage Satanas. It’s a weird chanty, trance-y song but it’s the one that made me fall in love with the band. It scratches at something deep inside my brain idk.

Rotting Christ are not masked, nor is there an aesthetic to latch onto, really. They’re just cool dude doing cool things and doing their part spreading the message. They’re honest and raw. No frills. What you see is what you get. They’re the OG.

And that's the bill! Lemme know if you listen to anything and if the bands catch your interest :D

[moochilatv]

Chasing Zeniths presents: Yesterday's Outsider

Progressive rock music.

"Yesterday's Outsider" by Chasing Zeniths is a powerful and evocative progressive symphonic rock song about frustrations one might experience during a breakup, especially if you are the one putting in most of the effort trying to keep the relationship on track.

Chasing Zeniths is the progressive and symphonic rock brainchild of songwriter, composer, and guitarist Carl Kernie.

Based in Washington State, Carl’s youthful adventures included building high quality furnished snow forts with his younger brother and backpacking the rugged trails of the Cascade Range and Rocky Mountains. After graduating high school at the age of 15, Carl took the opportunity to travel throughout Europe and North America. While living upon such exotic shores as Washington, Colorado, Kansas, Switzerland, and Norway, Carl developed a sincere love of composing music with all the wondrous sounds of modern and traditional instruments and voices.

An avid concert-goer, Carl soon made the acquaintance of fantastically talented musicians, many of whom he now calls friends and several of whom he invited to participate on his debut album Epochs Changing. Some of these collaborators include Timo Somers and Charlotte Wessels, both former members of acclaimed symphonic metal band Delain; Anna Murphy (Eluveitie, Cellar Darling); Vicky Psarakis (The Agonist, Sicksense); and more. Rooted deeply in personal reflection and experiences, Epochs Changing is the result of years of grit and determination to create unique soundscapes that will hopefully inspire others to pursue what is most important to them. When not composing music, Carl is the author of the soon-to-be-released fantasy novel Paper Wings and is currently working on book two in the series.

Roman Engen, Carl Kernie, and Timo Somers (Photo from https://www.facebook.com/chasingzeniths)

The collaborators:

World-renowned virtuoso guitarist Timo Somers hails from The Netherlands and has this to say about Chasing Zeniths:

“It's been so cool meeting a young Carl years ago while I was on tour in the USA and now seeing his musical vision come to life and me being a helping hand in that. His music is very intricate and precise. All the layers fit into each other melodically like a big proggy puzzle, which makes for a very big and bombastic whole. I've been very stoked to put down some of the pieces and am excited to see what insanity he comes up with next!”

Providing a rock solid foundation for the music of Chasing Zeniths, Roman Engen hails from Oslo, Norway and has this to say about the project:

"Working with Carl on this album has truly been a unique experience for me. Coming from a jazz, prog, and death metal background, the music was a really fun challenge and gave opportunity for me to play with artists who come from different styles from what I normally play. Carl masterfully crafted each artist's creative talents into a modern prog masterpiece that I'm really proud to be a part of.” - Roman Engen, bassist.

View this post on Instagram

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[a-silent-symphony]

NIGHTWISH's FLOOR JANSEN To Release New Solo Single 'Invincible' This Friday

Floor Jansen, best known as the lead vocalist of the Finnish symphonic metal band NIGHTWISH, will release a new solo single, "Invincible", on Friday, January 13. She says: "This song tackles a sensitive and important subject."

"Invincible" is the fourth single from Floor's upcoming debut solo album, "Paragon", which will arrive on March 24. The LP showcases the Dutch-born singer's impressive vocal range and powerful voice on a diverse collection of pop-infused tracks and emotional ballads influenced by the sounds of her career.

"Paragon" includes the following tracks:

01. My Paragon 02. Daydream 03. Invincible 04. Hope 05. Come Full Circle 06. Storm 07. Me Without You 08. The Calm 09. Armoured Wings 10. Fire

Jansen said: "To renew yourself and take leaps into the unknown makes you grow. To age is a gift not everyone gets. I am a fortunate woman who got to make an album I never knew I could make. One that even defines me, where I am on my path. I have reached my PARAGON! I am so proud of this work! And grateful for all the amazing people in this beautiful life that helped me get here!"

With its mix of influences and powerful vocal performances, "Paragon" is an album that will appeal to fans of pop music and metal alike. It's the perfect addition to any music collection, and a must-have for fans of Floor Jansen and NIGHTWISH.

"Paragon" will be released digitally and physically on CD, vinyl, and a limited-edition deluxe box set. The album will be available on all major streaming platforms and at music retailers worldwide.

Following the release, Jansen will embark on a tour of The Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria in April and May of 2023.

Floor has already released three singles from "Paragon": "Me Without You", "Storm" and "Fire".

As part of NIGHTWISH, Jansen has landed two number one albums in Finland, and Top Five albums in Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.

Born in the Netherlands, Jansen joined her first band, one of the world's first symphonic metal bands, AFTER FOREVER, when she was only 16 years old. The group went on to release five albums from 2000 to 2007, before they broke up in 2009.

Jansen's next band, REVAMP, released two albums in 2010 and 2013, before she joined NIGHTWISH as a full-time member. NIGHTWISH's first album with Jansen as the lead singer was 2015's "Endless Forms Most Beautiful", which landed in Top 10s around the world. This was followed by 2020's "Human. :II: Nature." , which was also an international success.

Jansen has toured extensively with the band and appeared on three of NIGHTWISH's live albums "Showtime, Storytime", "Vehicle Of Spirit" and "Decades: Live In Buenos Aires".

In 2019, Jansen participated in the popular Dutch TV show "Beste Zangers" where she scored a big hit with "Phantom Of The Opera" together with Henk Poort. She was recognized with a Dutch Popprijs award — a prestigious accolade for artists that has made important contributions to Dutch music. In the same year, her first solo tour sold out in less than 24 hours.

Jansen performed live with NIGHTWISH for the first time on October 1, 2012 at Showbox Sodo in Seattle, Washington following the abrupt departure of the band's lead singer of five years, Anette Olzon. Jansen officially joined NIGHTWISH in 2013.

[metalshockfinland]

Symphonic Metal Sensations BEYOND GOD Present 'Cronos' Live Video

Gear up for an exciting symphonic metal experience with BEYOND GOD’s latest release – the live video for their track “Cronos.” It’s a thrilling musical journey that combines powerful melodies with a captivating performance. Trust us, you won’t want to skip this one! Beyond God is a female-fronted symphonic metal band from the Netherlands. Their music incorporates elements from heavy metal as…

[breedsblood]

Within Temptation - Restless - Live Streaming With Just Jen Reacts

Click Link For Full Video

https://rumble.com/v4efn7l-within-temptation-restless-live-streaming-with-justjenreacts.html?mref=1t2sy0&mc=e0pra

[projectmetalmusic]

Haliphron: Prey Album Review

Haliphron Is a symphonic Death Metal Band from the Netherlands. The current lineup is Jessica Otten – Bass, Frank Schilperoort – Drums, Ramon Ploeg – Guitars, Jeroen Wechgelaer – Guitars, David Gutierrez – Keyboards, Vocals, Marloes Voskuil – Vocals. I am going to take a listen to the bands 2023 Album, Prey. The cover of the Album is awesome. The Album has 9 tracks on it. 1) Let the World Burn…

[thekillogiceffect-blog]

FLOOR JANSEN Announces 'Strijdlust' Coming To The Netherlands 2025

Floor Jansen the lead singer of the symphonic metal band Nightwish has announced an intimate Netherlands tour called "Strijdlust"  (Fighting Spirit) coming in 2025! This will be show that is about her story from the metal stage to cancer , motherhood and more all presented in song or spoken word! This show will be a one of a kind event that I'm sure will sell out very fast! Floor Jansen has maintained being such an inspirational person  for so many people and this will be such a beautiful way to pay her respects to all the fans that have made her life what it is today as well as touch even more hearts with her whirlwind of a story! Have you heard of Floor Jansen or Nightwish and their music? Are you planning on going to this show? Let me know what you think! #music #news Floor Jansen Tour: https://www.floorjansen.com/tour Nightwish Website: https://www.nightwish.com/ My Social Media: patreon.com/thekillogiceffect https://www.twitch.tv/thekillogiceffect https://www.reddit.com/user/TheKillog... https://www.tumblr.com/thekillogiceff.. thekillogiceffect.weebly.com https://www.facebook.com/thekillogiceffect/ twitter.com/KillogicFilth vk.com/thekillogicefect Join this channel to get access to perks:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7KATFYYjZG1Zr8eowKdaMQ/join

[black-arcana]

EPICA Collaborates With Dutch Amusement Park Efteling On New Single 'The Ghost In Me (Danse Macabre)'

Dutch symphonic metal titans EPICA have unleashed their eeriest creation yet, the spine-chilling music video for "The Ghost In Me (Danse Macabre)" , a haunting track that lures listeners into a world where shadows dance and the afterlife whispers. This song is a unique collaboration with Europe's second-most visited theme park, Netherlands's magical De Efteling, and their much-anticipated new attraction, Danse Macabre.

Drenched in ghostly imagery, the video mirrors the unsettling thrill of De Efteling's new ride, which opens its gates on October 31, right in time for this Halloween season. Ever since their childhood, every member of EPICA has loved this theme park that welcomes over five million visitors per year. Therefore, this collaboration was a true match made in the otherworld.

Submerge yourself now in the music video which was filmed right inside and in front of the new attraction — and as if this wasn't already exciting enough, the band even received their very own "EPICA gravestone" that you can spot, if you look closely.

EPICA's keyboard player Coen Janssen comments: "Every kid in the Netherlands knows how magical De Efteling is, and working this closely with the most beautiful theme park in the world surely is a dream come true!

"As a young boy, I immediately got captivated by the 'Danse Macabre' by Saint-Saëns as a soundtrack for their haunted house 'Spookslot'. So when De Efteling announced their new plans for the ghostly attraction 'Danse Macabre', all pieces of the puzzle fell into place immediately: Why not combine our symphonic side with the 'scary' side of metal and do our version of this epic classical piece?!?

"We are so happy that De Efteling trusted our vision and gave their full support, providing us with the new ride's storyline, so we could write lyrics fitting the fantastic narrative and even adding a new chapter!"

"The Ghost In Me (Danse Macabre)" lures fans into a darkly enchanting dance with the dead in the YouTube video below and will also appear on all streaming platforms soon, when more of EPICA's next chapter will be unveiled.

The song has already made its live debut at the band's monumental "Symphonic Synergy" shows in Amsterdam this September, and fans in Mexico City will have the chance to be the next to hear it live at two shows in December that EPICA will perform exclusively with a full orchestra and choir.

In a recent interview with Spain's Mariskal Rock, EPICA singer Simone Simons spoke about the progress of the recording sessions for the follow-up to 2021's "Omega" album. She said: "I think that there should be a single by the end of the summer-ish. That's that's our plan. And the album should be released [in] 2025.

"I just wrote with Mark [Jansen, guitar] and Rob [Van Der Loo, bass] also yesterday that I'm so happy with the songs, I'm so proud how everything turned out and it's gonna be another amazing EPICA album.

"We added a couple of new elements, but also went back to the roots, the old EPICA," she continued. "And yeah, I just can't wait for people to hear this.

"I loved 'Omega' and we toured so much with 'Omega' and had wonderful experiences, but then when you reach the end of a touring cycle, you start to get itchy and feel, 'Okay, now it's time to do the new album. Can we do it as good or maybe even better than the last album?' That's always the thing we strive for, ways to renew ourselves a little bit. And we feel a very strong spiritual connection also that it's our ninth album. So there's gonna be themes around the symbolic meaning of nine, the number nine."

Elaborating on the musical direction of EPICA's next album, Simone said: "The songs are heavy. There's a beautiful ballad, a very cinematic song, very uptempo, very doomy, melancholic and amazing, amazing power riffs. It's the most epic EPICA, I think, so far. Yeah, I think so. I mean, I'm feeling it. I'm very happy with it. I'm proud of it. And they are going to start recording the orchestra now next week. They're flying to Prague; that's where we record the orchestra. And I will be recording my final vocals as well."

In November 2022, EPICA released "The Alchemy Project" through Atomic Fire Records. The EP was co-written and performed with diverse guests ranging from extremists like FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE,��Niilo Sevänen (INSOMNIUM) and Björn "Speed" Strid (SOILWORK) along with melodic masters like Tommy Karevik (KAMELOT),keyboard legend Phil Lanzon (URIAH HEEP) and Roel Van Helden (POWERWOLF) to a once-in-a-lifetime song with Simons, Charlotte Wessels and Myrkur.

Just one day after the release of its anniversary reissues "We Still Take You With Us" and "Live At Paradiso", EPICA celebrated 20 years of existence live in September 2022 at 013 in Tilburg, Netherlands, the same place where they played their first show (supporting ANATHEMA) back in 2002.

EPICA was formed by Jansen after leaving AFTER FOREVER in 2002, and the band quickly gained attention outside their home country, taking big steps towards becoming the leading symphonic metal superpower they have long proven to be. After their ambitious debut "The Phantom Agony" (2002) and the surprisingly eclectic sophomore work "Consign To Oblivion" (2005),the road took them to new heights via their first concept masterpiece "The Divine Conspiracy" (2007) and their global breakthrough "Design Your Universe" (2009). 2012's opus "Requiem For The Indifferent", 2014's bedazzling "The Quantum Enigma" and "The Holographic Principle" (2016),cemented their reputation as not only one of the hardest-working metal bands in the business but also as one of the best. With "Omega", the final part of the metaphysical trilogy they began with "The Quantum Enigma", they reclaimed the throne without so much as the blink of an eye, amassing three million-plus streams during the first week of the album's release.

[concerthopperblog]

Under Our Black Cult: North American Tour 2023 - Rotting Christ Returns to The Masquerade!

Well-known and legendary Greek black/gothic metal juggernauts Rotting Christ (and personal favorites of mine) were back touring stateside on their Under Our Black Cult North American Tour with opening support from Carach Angren, UADA, & Gaerea. Originally named Black Church (c. 1984) and renamed later to Rotting Christ in 1987 when brothers Sakis Tolis (vocals/guitars) and Themis Tolis (drums) joined the band. Rotting Christ is considered one of the first black metal bands to come from the Mediterranean Region. They are also responsible for influencing the black metal community in Greece during the onset of their career in the 1990s. Currently, the band consists of Sakis Tolis (vocals/guitars), Themis Tolis (drums), Kostas “Spades” Heliotis (bass/backing vocals), and Kostis Foukarakis (guitar/backing vocals). They have released thirteen (13) LPs, one (1) EP, and numerous demos/compilations/DVDs over their historic musical career.

Their latest release, The Heretics (2019), is an incredible album and deserves more attention even years after its release. The underlining theme for this album focuses on renowned literary icons, poets, and authors who were considered “heretics” during their lifetime, such as Mark Twain, Friedrich Nietzsche, Thomas Paine, and Edgar Allen Poe. You can also check out my first review of Rotting Christ from last year’s Devastation of the Nation Tour live from The Masquerade in Atlanta exclusively on Concerthopper.com by following this link. Anytime Rotting Christ makes the trip to the United States to tour, make sure you attend one of their shows. You will thank me afterward. Non Serviam!

The set list from Rotting Christ’s triumphant return to The Masquerade is below:

·         “666”

·         “Kata Ton Daimona Eaytoy”

·         “Fire, God, and Fear”

·         “Dub-sag-ta-ke”

·         “Apage Satana”

·         “Elthe Kyrie”

·         “Demonon Vrosis”

·         “Societas Satanas” (Thou Art Lord cover)

·         “Non Serviam”

·         “In Yumen-Xibalba”

·         “Grandis Spiritus Diavolos”

·         “The Raven”

Encore:

·         “Noctis Era”

Follow these two separate links to Rotting Christ’s Official Bandcamp and to the Bandcamp page run by their label Season of Mist and listen for yourself. If you are going to listen to Rotting Christ for the first time, I suggest listening to their live album, Lucifer Over Athens, as your starting point. I believe this highlights Rotting Christ’s ability to create a symphonic journey through their melodic yet often very shadowy lyrics. The set list used for this album will make any fan of Rotting Christ salivate to witness live, especially seeing them live at a hometown show in Athens, Greece. You can order lots of merch (including vinyl variants) from Rotting Christ over on Season of Mist’s website.

Carach Angren is a symphonic black/horror metal band from Landgraaf, Netherlands that formed as a band in 2003 by Dennis “Seregor” Droomers (lead vocals/guitars) and Clemens “Ardek” Wijers (keyboards/backing vocals). While on tour, Bastiaan “The Butcher” Boh joins the band to play guitar as well. The band has released six (6) LPs, one (1) EP, and one (1) demo. Their latest album, Franckensteina Strataemontanus” was released in November 2020 and retells the age-old story of Johann Konrad Dippel, which inspired Mary Shelly’s novel ‘Frankenstein’.

You can see Carach Angren’s set list below:

·         “The Ghost of Raynham Hall”

·         “The Carriage Wheel Murder”

·         “The Necromancer”

·         “Bitte Totet Mich”

·         “Operation Compass”

·         “Franckensteina Strataemontanus”

·         “A Strange Presence Near the Woods”

·         “Monster”

·         “Bloodstains on the Captain’s Log”

You can hear Carach Angren by following this link to their Official Bandcamp page today!

UADA (Latin for “haunted”) is a melodic black metal band from Portland, Oregon that formed in 2014. UADA consists of James Sloan (guitars), James Superchi (vocals/guitars), Nate Verschoor (bass), and Josh Lovejoy (drums). UADA has released three (3) LPs with Djinn being the latest release from 2020. As the only stateside black metal act on this tour, UADA proved to everyone why Rotting Christ invited them to perform on the Under Our Black Cult Tour. What started to be a difficult stage setting to photograph with the low lights and heavy smoke, turned into an exquisitely, dark, and intimate performance by UADA.

You can check out UADA’s set list below:

·         “Djinn”

·         “Retraversing the Void”

·         “Cult of a Dying Sun”

·         “Black Autumn, White Spring”

Want to check out UADA? Follow this link to UADA’s Official Bandcamp page today!

Fellow Season of Mist label mates, Gaerea is a post-black metal band from Porto, Portugal that formed in 2016. The band consists of Guilherme Henriques (vocals/guitars), Lucas Ferrand (bass), and Diogo Mota (drums). Gaerea has released three (3) LPs, one (1) EP, and three (3) singles. They are touring in support of their latest release, Mirage (2022). Also, something worth noting is that the Under Our Black Cult Tour was Gaerea’s first time playing in the United States and Canada. The stage presence of Gaerea is something to behold and had this Concerthopper enthralled as soon as they took the stage. I was not that familiar with the music of Carach Angren or Gaerea before this tour. That would change very fast once the lights went out before Gaerea’s formidable and stunning opening set.

Gaerea’s set from this night at The Masquerade is below:

·         “Deluge”

·         “Salve”

·         “Mirage”

·         “Urge”

·         “Laude”

Follow this link to Gaerea’s Official Bandcamp page and show them some support today!

Unfortunately, the last show for this North American tour was on March 14th (the night after this show in Atlanta) at The Haven in Orlando, Florida. Now the countdown begins for the next North American tour for Rotting Christ. You can still see Rotting Christ on tour in Europe on the following dates:

24 Mar 2023-Capital Death Fest-Galve-(SWEDEN)

25 Mar 2023-Thunder Metal Fest-Antwerp-(BELGIUM)

9 Apr 2023-Dark Easter Metal Meeting-Munich-(GERMANY)

28 Apr 2023-Black Hole Festival-Wetzikon-(SWITZERLAND)

29 Apr 2023-Gothoom Festival-Zemberovce -(SLOVAKIA)

4 May 2023-Karmaggedon Festival-Kopervik-(NORWAY)

12 May 2023-Durbuy Rock Festival-Bomal-sur-ourthe-(BELGIUM)

13 May 2023-Incineration Festival-London-(U.K.)

23-25 Jun 2023-Rock Imperium Festival-Cartagena-(SPAIN)

22 July 2023-John Smith Festival-Peurunka-(FINLAND)

4 Aug 2023-Saarihelveti Festival-Tampere-(FINLAND)

17 Aug 2023-Frantic Fest-Francavilla al mare-(ITALY)

18 Aug 2023-Kaltenbach Open Air-Spital am Semmering-(AUSTRIA)

02 Sep 2023-Rethymno Rocks Festival-Rethymno-(GREECE)

Curious about Concerthopper? You can find more music related articles, interviews, various photo galleries, indie music reviews, our very own ‘Bars & Bites’ section, our exclusive “She Said, She Said” column, or become a Concerthopper at www.concerthopper.com. Sign up for our monthly newsletter by following this link: The Setlist! Please ‘Like’ our page on Facebook and follow us on Instagram to stay up to date in 2022, on all music related events/festivals such as: Long Time Going Tour: Sierra Ferrell at Georgia Theatre, 20th Anniversary Tour: August Burns Red (Rapids Theatre), Pitch Black Forever Part 2- Hawthorne Heights & Armor For Sleep: Live at Town Ballroom (Buffalo), Mental Awakening: Spafford, The Orange Constant, Spaghetti Western, Airshow, Mountain Grass Unit, & The Fixin’s Live at Steady Hand Beer Co., Spring Tour (2023): BongZilla with Wizard Rifle @ Grantski Records, Beartooth & Trivium: Live at Buffalo Riverworks, AmericanaFest (2023), Ghost RE-Imperatour U.S.A. with Amon Amarth: Ascend Amphitheater, The 5th Annual PorchFest, 12th Annual Papa Joe’s Banjo-B-Que Music Festival, Souls of Mischief: 93’ til Infinity 30th Anniversary Tour @ City Winery (Atlanta), Yob and Pallbearer: Live at the Masquerade, and Morbid Angel: The 40th Anniversary Tour (The Masquerade) by following us on all social media formats: Concerthopper on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.  Also, you can follow my personal concert hopping on Facebook and Instagram for even more photos not available on Concerthopper.com.

[solaraurora]

I love the most beautiful amazing band to ever exist... a band full of wonderfully talented brilliant creative composers & songwriters... no other band can do what they do, no one even comes close to their level of musical genius... Epica will always be my favorite band 🖤💜❤

[drondskaath]

Grand Celestial Nightmare | Forbidden Knowledge and Ancient Wisdom | 2021

Dutch Old School Symphonic Black Metal

https://gnawtheirtongues.bandcamp.com/album/forbidden-knowledge-and-ancient-wisdom