ALBUM REVIEW: Iron Maiden – Senjutsu


When every superlative known to man has already been used a hundred times over, it’s difficult to find something to say about Iron Maiden that hasn’t already been said. Every lyric, song, album and music video has been rated and evaluated to within an inch of its life. Business dealings and interviews are scrutinized in microscopic detail, and the minutiae of every record cover examined and dissected like a hairy art project. The moment anything regarding the band is released, the global hive mind that is Maiden’s information-hungry fan base not only know about it but have already expressed their opinion.

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Wardruna Postpones North American Tour Dates to 2022


Sad news as acclaimed Nordic folk band Wardruna, has yet again had to postpone their tour supoppoorting their amazing album Kvitravn (Sony/By Norse) again. The hoped for tour dates for 2021 will now happoen in 2022. The band made an announcement with new dates and links. They also expanded the dates to include rituals in Atlanta, Georgia and Durham, North Carolina. See details and new dates with buy links below. Ghost Cult also supports this tour with a contest we held in 2020, and our original winner will still get their prize for 2020 if they claim it. The band commented:

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ALBUM REVIEW: Gojira – Fortitude


It should be clear by now that inertia and complacency are words that simply don’t exist in the vocabulary of French progressive death metal act Gojira, and with the latest album Fortitude (Roadrunner Records) the band have made some of their biggest and most diverse strides to date.

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Hellfest 2021 Is Canceled


The organizers of Hellfest have been officially canceled after the French government culture ministry said summer events would be allowed to go ahead — but with a limit of 5,000 people, all of whom must remain seated, to meet COVID-19 restrictions.This is a bad sign for the upcoming European festival circuit this year as other countries are likely to follow the same protocols. The Union of Contemporary Music (SMA), which represents festivals, concert venues and producers, said late Thursday that the figure had been agreed at a meeting with culture minister Roselyne Bachelot. Hellfest, which drew 180,000 people in 2019, generally features a lineup which is 90 percent made up of international acts and 20 percent of spectators coming from abroad. Hellfest 2021 was to have featured Deftones, Faith No More, System of A Down, Judas Priest, Puscifer, Korn, Volbeat, Opeth, Dropkick Murphys, Northlane, Deep Purple, Wardruna, Rival Sons, Devin Townsend, Suicidal Tendencies, and more.

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Wardruna Celebrates the Winter Solstice with New Single “Andvervarljod”


 

Wardruna celebrated the Winter Solstice, one of the most important ancient Pagan holidays yesterday with a surprise livestream performance by Einjar Selvik and the group of their new single, “Andvervarljod” (Song Of The Spirit-weavers). This surprise livestream yesterday was a “skaldic” version of the longer version of the song, now available, from their forthcoming new album, Kvitravn releasing January 22 via By Norse Music in the U.S. and Sony Music / Columbia Records (worldwide excl. U.S.). Watch it now and stream the tracks!

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Wardruna Shares New Video for “Kvitravn”


Wardruna has released a cinematic music video for their new single Kvitravn” which is the title of their forthcoming album, due out on January 22nd, 2021 via By Norse Records. “Kvitravn” (meaning White Raven) show the video from a birds-eye view and features Wardruna founder Einar Selvik and vocalist Lindy Fay-Hella. Watch it now.

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Wardruna Announces Rebooked North American Tour Dates for 2021


Wardruna has announced they have rescheduled their highly anticipated North American tour to next fall, 2021. All dates are below. Their new album Kvitravn (translated to White Raven) is releasing this winter, via By Norse Music in the U.S. and Sony Music / Columbia Records (worldwide Excl. U.S.). Tickets are on sale and pre-order bundles are now available in the U.S at the link below.Continue reading


Watch a Lyric Video for Einar Selvik’s Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Track “Hrafnsmál – The Words of the Raven”


Acclaimed Norwegian dark folk outfit Wardruna’s Einar Selvik’s recent single from the have shared a lyric video from Assassin’s Creed, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla – “Hrafnsmál – The Words of the Raven”. The track is from the recent EP Out of the North, which features seven tracks from the Assassin’s Creed Valhalla soundtrack including Selvik’s track. The lyric video premiered at Revolver which you can see below with Selvik’s commentary. Out of the North was released digitally by Lakeshore Records on July 17th and also includes music by the Assassin’s Creed franchise’s core composers Jesper Kyd and Sarah Schachner..Continue reading


Deftones, Faith No More, System of A Down, Judas Priest, Puscifer, Korn and More to Headline Hellfest 2021


Hellfest Open Air recently completed its first-ever online streaming festival. Hopefully, the real thing is coming back next summer! The venerable metal and rock fest announced their lineup for 2021, with most of the bands slated to have played in 2020, but canceled due to COVID-19. Deftones, Faith No More, System of A Down, Judas Priest, Puscifer, Korn, Volbeat, Opeth, Dropkick Murphys, Northlane, Deep Purple, Wardruna, Rival Sons, Devin Townsend, Suicidal Tendencies, and many more will perform. Ten more bands will be added soon. Thirteen bands slated to play in 2020, but cannot attend 2021 include Incubus, Mastodon, Infectious Groove, Thy Art Is Murder, Alter Bridge, Baby Metal, Joyous Wolf, Unleashed, Meshuggah, The Black Dahlia Murder, Periphery, Body Count and August Burns Red.Continue reading