Artist: Vibravoid 
Title: We Cannot Awake
Format: LP, Digital
Label: Tonzonen Records
Distribution: Believe International
Genre: Psychedelic Rock
Release Date: 23/08/2024

Vibravoid are the big bang of German neo-kraut and psychedelic rock. 

Vibravoid has released 22 studio albums, countless live albums, singles and EPs over the last 35 years that reached top positions. Live At Finkenbach 2015 made it to No. 2 on the official vinyl sales charts, Live At Rheinkaut Festival stayed for several weeks in the Top 20 of the CD sales charts and climbed into the top 10.

Psych activist Dr. Koch founded the Light Show Society Düsseldorf back in 1988. Since the only thing missing was a suitable band for the light shows, the Vibravoid collective was founded in 1990. Already in the early 1990s, Vibravoid emerged as the most influential new group from Düsseldorf. For example, in the early phase of stoner metal and the resulting misuse of the term “psychedelic”, Vibravoid was invited to many stoner festivals. To the astonishment of the audience, Vibravoid presented songs by Syd Barrett’s Pink Floyd, Silver Apples, CAN or the Beatles, interpreted as songs by Vibravoid because the style hardly differed. Likewise, the guests had never seen a “psychedelic light show” in the style of the 1960s to match the music – today all a standard in this genre.

As children of the flower power generation, Vibravoid only learned from the first wave of psychedelic and kraut rock, because what is marketed today as “psych and kraut rock” didn’t exist back then and had to be invented by bands like Vibravoid.

New album We Cannot Awake is the perfect soundtrack for THC legalization and Vibravoid is the essence of Düsseldorf genetics. They create musical fever dreamscapes that are stronger than LSD. We Cannot Awake is the In A Gadda Da Vida of Generation X. Vibravoid haven’t released a real longtrack for several records, but now the band is making up for this and adding a few more hits.

With Get To You, Vibravoid deliver the psychedelic earworm for every large-space disco. Grooving pop music with hymenic hooks meets the effects wall of the 1960s. The ideal music for any highway.

The band’s love of The Byrds is obvious from tracks like Nothing Is Wrong or A Comment On The Current Times – but the combination with Düsseldorf’s “Motorik Sound” is a completely new level on which psychedelic music can work. The End Of The Game still shows Vibravoid as the German masters of the fuzz effect. Ultra psychedelic guitar sounds and echo effects create a maelstrom that pulls the listener into the spell of the complex rhythm. Vibravoidare not stingy with creative ideas, but still shake themselves out of their sleeves after 35!

Side A closes with On Empty Streets and paints a dystopian picture, yet Vibravoid manage to crank up the pop factor so high that the riffs almost burn themselves into your consciousness… expanding it. All the sound effects are perfectly embedded, you hardly notice that this is actually highly experimental music in the sense of the Düsseldorf school.

We Cannot Awake completely fills side B with over 20 minutes. Musically, the listener is in for a very special experience. Vibravoid fuse their Düsseldorf sound with the year 2024 at the highest level. We Cannot Awake is a journey into the abysses of human existence and other depths of the outer cosmos. Driving beats and interstellar frequencies channel the primal fear of the unknown, because this music is dangerous. Sonic carpets of strychnine and psylocibin. Magical mushrooms. Time is running out. We cannot awaken!

Tracklist
1. Get To You   
2. Nothing Is Wrong   
3. The End Of The Game   
4. A Comment Of The Current Times
5. On Empty Streets   
6. We Cannot Awake 

Links
Facebook: https://facebook.com/vibravoidofficial
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@VibravoidOfficial
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5qXFseejEDd3JvZqap38os?si=p80o7SP4ReKjHnvYIl9YPw
Label: https://www.tonzonen.de

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Artist: Collapse Under The Empire
Title: Non-Album Singles & Bonus Tracks
Format: CD, Digital
Label: Finaltune Records
Distribution: Broken Silence
Genre: Post-Rock
Release Date: 09/08/2024

Collapse Under The Empire releases Non-Album Singles & Bonus Tracks on August 9th, 2024 from their massive 12x LP Box Set WORKS.

For the past 15 years Chris Burda and Martin Grimm have been presenting a genre mix of post-rock, soundtrack, shoegazing, ambient to ice-cold electronica. Since 2008 they have released an impressive number of studio albums, EPs and various singles to date.

Their music is now used in Hollywood trailers, such as Brightburn by James Gunn and in many documentaries. It’s also the perfect music to get better focus – whether being creative, working, or doing sports. That’s why they have been popular in the post-rock scene and other genres for so many years.

The previously unreleased tracks on Non-Album Singles & Bonus Tracks will be available on CD on August 9, 2024. Physically, it can only be purchased on the band website at https://collapseundertheempire.com as part of the ultimate 11x CD Bundle or 12x LP Box Set titled WORKS. 

WORKS is a very unique vinyl 12x LP Box Set, limited to just 200 copies. It has 12 vinyls with their complete discography including 114 songs and bonus features. Their largest LP box set ever. WORKS is also available on CD, including all releases from 2008 to 2024 on 11 CDs.

Tracklist
1. Anthem of 44   
2. Low   
3. Anomaly   
4. Abstracted   
5. Beyond Us   
6. Sacrifice (single version)   
7. Section I   
8. Drowning   
9. Diving into Deep   
10. Dragonfly   
11. Everything Disappears   
12. Arise (unreleased)
13. Echos (unreleased)   
14. Lost in Space (unreleased)   
15. In Amber (unreleased)

Links 
12x LP Box Set WORKS: https://collapseundertheempire.com/works
11x CD Bundle WORKS: https://collapseundertheempire.com/shop/-p590274229
Video “Making of WORKS”: https://youtu.be/KQWFMc6eEto
Offical: https://collapseundertheempire.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/collapseundertheempire
Youtube: https://youtube.com/user/collapseempire
Label: https://finaltune.com

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Artist: Ritual
Title: The Story of Mr. Bogd Part 1
Format: LP, CD, Digital
Label: Karisma Records
Distribution: Plastic Head Distribution
Genre: Progressive Rock
Release Date: 16/08/2024

One of the most legendary bands from the 90s Swedish progressive scene is finally back with a new album, 17 years since the last full-length. Ritual has often been a band with a concept, and their music has often been inspired by Tove Jansson’s novels about the Moomins. On their return, we’re invited into the strange story of the mysterious Mr. Bogd. And this fifth studio album is only part 1 of the story!

Since the formation in 1993, the band soon established a distinct progressive style of their own influenced by progressive rock and hardrock of the ‘70s as well as contemporary bands. They’ve always been song based, melodic and intense, with a great stylistic variation, and plenty of folk music influences seeping in. The latter feature is not least due to the band’s frequent use of acoustic instruments like bouzouki, mandola, whistles and the Swedish nyckelharpa (a keyed fiddle). On the epic The Story of Mr. Bogd – Part 1, Ritual is definitely continuing on this musical journey, and the new songs will hit old fans right in the heart. 

We’re extremely thrilled to have Ritual back with a new album, that will both charm and surprise both old and new fans.

Tracklist
01. A Hasty Departure
02. The Inn of the Haunted Owl
03. Dreams in a Brougham
04. Chichikov Bogd
05. Mr. Tilly and his Gang
06. Through a Rural Landscape
07. The Feline Companion
08. Read all about it!
09. Forgotten Qualities
10. The Three Heads of the Well

Links
Official: https://ritual.se
Facebook: https://facebook.com/ritual.se
Label: https://karismarecords.no

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Artist: Echotide
Title: As Our Floodlights Gave Way To Dawn
Format: CD, Digital
Label: Bird’s Robe Records
Distribution: MGM
Genre: Cinematic/ Post-Rock
Release Date: 07/06/2023

Australian post-rock trio Echotide have announced they will re-release their 2012 debut album As Our Floodlights Gave Way To Dawn as a belated celebration for its 10^th anniversary in 2024, as part of the Bird’s Robe Records 10^th anniversary series.

With a slow-burn introspective sound, Echotide are an Australian cinematic/prock-rock three piece with a dynamic songcraft approach, ranging from delicate and minimalist ambient to an all-encompassing wall-of-sound.

The band was originally formed as a side project for members of progressive metal outfit Arcane, guitarist Michael Gagen & keyboardist Matthew Martin. The original lineup included original Caligula’s Horse drummer Geoff Irish, who featured on the band’s 2012 debut record As Our Floodlights Gave Way To Dawn.

Following the dissolution of Arcane in 2015 and the departure of drummer Geoff Irish to focus on joining Arcane vocalist Jim Grey in Caligula’s Horse, the profile of Echotide lifted further with the 2012 release of their debut album.

Guitarist Michael Gagen reflects on the period that led to the record: “Matt and I started planning out a post rock release in 2007, with a goal to write something more ethereal and cinematic than anything we’d written with Arcane. The blurry nature of a first album is always difficult to write through, but I feel that we wound up with something unique, dark and introspective. 

We started writing this album through the rather limited and more corporeal lens of youth, writing like a trio of young players trying to capture something more cinematic and ethereal than anything we’d written before. Like all debut-records, it’s a strange and imperfect image of a young band, but almost a decade later, we couldn’t be prouder of this strange, blurry little yellow-green record. 

So…happy (belated) decade anniversary to our beloved first child. We’re beyond proud to present this remix & reimagining of our first album. As we watched the 10 year anniversary of our debut album roll past, we decided to dust off the hard-drives, re-open these massive sessions, and reimagine the album as it could be in 2024. 

This undertaking proved equal parts nostalgic and challenging; but with the original engineer of the floodlights drum sessions Chris Lait from Head Atlas at the console, the remix was in safe hands. 

Working in consultation with both the original Echotide lineup and with our current lineup, Chris has, from the ground up, reimagined, reworked and remixed the entire album. This was then breathtakingly re-mastered by Tahlia-Rose Coleman at Studios 301 Australia. 

For all of us in Echotide, this record is still a strange, special, and imperfect one. But to hear it in all this new and vibrant detail feels rewarding. It sounds closer to what we wanted the album to be all those years ago.

After so many years; ‘floodlights’ finally comes full circle, and we hope you are still here to enjoy it with us.”

Tracklist
1. Of Addictions   
2. Floodlights   
3. 3mwy (Of Hope)   
4. Embers Glow   
5. Mare Cognitum (Of Memory)   
6. Stillwaters   
7. Of Overcoming Addictions

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Artist: Myriad Drone
Title: Arka Morgana
Format: LP, CD, Digital
Label: Bird’s Robe Records
Distribution: MGM
Genre: Cinematic Rock/ Post-Metal
Release Date: 07/06/2024

Melbourne cinematic rock act Myriad Drone have announced they will join Bird’s Robe Records for the re-release of their spectacular debut Arka Morgana and all future releases.

The band began their collaboration with the renowned Australian label and promoter in late 2023 and have since toured alongside Solkyri, Russian Circles (USA) and Tangled Thoughts of Leaving.

Their original 2019 release of Arka Morgana was sent to Bird’s Robe Director Mike Solo by Emily Highfield of Suldusk, who eventually listened to the record and got in touch with the band immediately.

“Arka is an absolutely masterful record. It’s a beautifully constructed and performed record and I’m adamant that more people need to hear this band. There is new music on the way too, but you must start your listening journey with Arka, it’s epic, melodic and emotional in all the right ways.”

The record was written in 2017 and recorded in 2019 at Toyland Studios, Melbourne as well as various home studios. It was self-mixed and mastered by guitarist and vocalist Shane ‘Shamus’ Mulholland in Melbourne, Australia.

The recording lineup of Myriad Drone consisted of Shane Mulholland, Dominic Lewis (bass), Mikey Harland (bass) and Frankie Demuru (drums). Since 2023, the lineup has solidified with the addition of Simon Delmastro (bass), Jacob Petrossian (guitar/vocals) and Hayley de Kruiff (drums).

Tracklist
1. Time Enough at Last
2. Vitreous
3. Arka Morgana
4. Please, Stand by…
5. Atonement
6. All Roads Lead
7. Disguidance
8. Unrequited

Links
Order: https://myriaddrone.bandcamp.com/album/arka-morgana  
Instagram: https://instagram.com/myriaddrone   
Facebook: https://facebook.com/myriaddrone
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@MyriadDrone
Label: https://birdsrobe.com 

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Artist: Airbag
Title: The Century Of The Self
Format: LP, CD, Digital
Label: Karisma Records
Distribution: Plastic Head Distribution
Genre: Progressive Rock
Release Date: 14/06/2024

Prepare to embark on an auditory journey like no other as Norwegian prog-rock maestros Airbag unleash their highly anticipated sixth studio album, The Century Of The Self. Showcasing their trademark fusion of mellow introspection and dynamic energy, from the mesmerizing depths of Dysphoria to the haunting crescendo of Tyrants And Kings, each track captivates with irresistible vocal hooks and virtuosic lead guitar work that has become synonymous with the Airbag sound.

As the album unfolds, listeners are taken on a voyage through introspection and intensity, from the introspective balladry of Awakening to the foreboding depths of the single Erase. Evoking echoes of their acclaimed work on the album Disconnected, Erasebuilds from a hypnotic bassline into a powerhouse of heavy refrains, setting the stage for the epic conclusion of Tear It Down. Clocking in at a staggering 14 minutes, this opus traverse serene moments of reflection to the heaviest musical landscapes Airbag has ever ventured.

Yet, The Century Of The Self is more than just a sonic odyssey—it’s a reflection of our modern zeitgeist. Delving into themes of cancel culture and the rewriting of personal histories, the album offers a poignant commentary on a world steeped in fear and condemnation.

Recorded at Subsonic Society, Airbag Studio, and Riis Studio, and expertly produced, mixed, and mastered by Vegard Kleftås Sleipnes, The Century Of The Self stands as a testament to Airbag’s enduring creativity and artistic vision.

Line-up: Asle Tostrup – vocals, keyboards and programming, Henrik Bergan Fossum – drums, Bjørn Riis – guitars, bass, keyboards and backing vocals

Featuring: Kristian Hultgren – bass on Dysphoria & Tear It Down, Ole Michael Bjørndal – guitar on Dysphoria, Tyrants And Kings & Tear It Down, Simen Valldal Johannessen – keyboards on Tear It Down

Tracklist
1. Dysphoria
2. Tyrants and Kings
3. Awakening
4. Erase
5. Tear it Down

Links
Official: https://airbagsound.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/airbagsound
YouTube: www.youtube.com/airbagsound
Instagram: https://instagram.com/airbagsound
Label: https://karismarecords.no

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Artist: Halma
Title: Driving By Numbers
Format: LP, CD, Digital
Label: Kapitän Platte
Distribution: D/AT: Cargo Records, Benelux: Sonic Rendezvous FR: Differ-Ant, CH: Irascible, IT: Goodfellas, USA: A Thousand Arms
Genre: Instrumental Rock
Release Date: 24/05/2024

Driving By Numbers is already the eighth album by the Hamburg band HALMA.

The four musicians Fiona McKenzie (drums), Andreas Voss (baritone guitar), Gundi Voigt (bass) and Thorsten Carstens (guitar) get straight down to business on the first track of this instrumental longplayer: The sound structure grinds and flies – it’s impossible to immediately find your way through this surging abundance of the audible and the conceivable: You have to start again, begin again, in order to grasp the complex construction and artistic wit of this music.

Sounds and rhythm play hare and hedgehog with each other: catapult starts, accelerations, delays, fades in and out. The variety makes it clear that the band’s focus lies in the unknown: What can be heard works like the breadcrumbs in Hansel and Gretel’s forest – the associatively assembled improvisations lead through ups and downs and ravines and valleys to the goal after all: and back to the beginning – like the pins with which insects are fixed in the display case – escaped from time…

Tracklist
01. Phlegraean Fields      
02. By The Way                    
03. Slow Song                      
04. Driving By Number

Links
Official: www.halma-music.com
Bandcamp: https://halma.bandcamp.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/halma.music
Label: https://kapitaen-platte.de

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