CYHRA (Featuring former AMARANTHE & IN FLAMES members) Sign To RPM & Release New Standalone Single "Superman"

Stream/Watch/Purchase "Superman" HERE

CYHRA, the champions of melodic metal, have unleashed their latest single "Superman" today, heralding a new era since the release of their third album, The Vertigo Trigger.

 

The track explodes with headbang-inducing riffs, as vocalist Jake E teases its epic, melody-rich chorus against a backdrop of sharp instrumentals. The almost spoken verses escalate to a larger-than-life chorus, culminating in irresistible, sing-along choirs that emphatically signal CYHRA's trajectory is set to soar above and beyond at breakneck speed!

 

"Sometimes, life tests our limits, but when we choose to rise, dream, and believe, we find the strength to be unstoppable. Because deep down, we all have a 'Superman' within us," comments CYHRA on the song's meaning.

 

Watch the music video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOJTm36WqV0

Stream/purchase the single: https://cyhra.rpm.link/supermanPR

 

"Superman" not only marks CYHRA's latest single but also their debut release with the burgeoning label Reigning Phoenix Music (RPM), which has recently become their new record label home. This track was mastered by renowned audio engineer Maor Appelbaum, known for his work with HALFORD, SABATON, and EQUILIBRIUM, among others. The artwork for "Superman:" was crafted by Gustavo Sazes, a longtime collaborator who has designed for SOILWORK, DYNAZTY, and VLTIMAS. Sazes has been instrumental in shaping the visual identity of CYHRA's previous three studio albums as well.

 

Vocalist Jake E states: "We are thrilled to announce that we have officially signed with Reigning Phoenix Music! This marks an exciting new chapter in our journey, and we couldn't be prouder to join a family that shares our passion for music and artistry. Reigning Phoenix Music is home to a roster of incredible talent and a team of dedicated professionals, many of whom we've had the pleasure of working with earlier in our careers.

 

Reuniting with such familiar faces feels like coming home, and we're confident that this partnership will allow us to reach new heights together. We're already hard at work with new music, and with Reigning Phoenix Music by our side, we're more inspired than ever to create something truly unforgettable for our fans. Thank you for your continued support - it means the world to us!"

 

"We are are excited to welcome CYHRA to our family and for the opportunity to work with them again. Their talent, passion, and energy align perfectly with our vision of elevating artistry to new heights. Together, we're setting the stage for an incredible journey!" adds the RPM team.

About CYHRA

 

As they approach their 10th anniversary next year, CYHRA have carved out a notable place in the metal scene since their founding in 2016 by Jake E (formerly AMARANTHE) and Jesper Strömblad (THE HALO EFFECT, formerly IN FLAMES). They were soon joined by drummer Alex Landenburg (KAMELOT, Luca Turilli's RHAPSODY) and bassist Peter Iwers (THE HALO EFFECT, formerly IN FLAMES). Their debut album Letters To Myself was released in 2017 to glowing reviews, catapulting the group to global stages, crowned with a massive North American tour supporting SABATON and KREATOR.

 

Following Iwers' departure, Euge Valovirta (guitars, bass) joined the line-up, and the band released their second album No Halos In Hell in 2019, which blended groovy metal with a poppy flair and featured the hit single 'Out Of My Life,' amassing about 11 million streams on Spotify. Their success continued with a European tour with BATTLE BEAST, UK dates alongside DELAIN, headline shows in select countries including Finland and Japan, and performances at major festivals like Masters of Rock, Bloodstock Open Air, Sabaton Open Air, and 70,000 Tons of Metal.

 

In 2020, guitarist Marcus Sunesson (RONNIE ATKINS, THE CROWN) joined, expanding the line-up. The pandemic pause allowed the band to craft their third album The Vertigo Trigger, released in 2023. The album's tour brought them back to Finland to open for SMASH INTO PIECES and to headline shows in early 2024. Quietly beginning their fourth album, CYHRA ended the cycle with a Scandinavian tour with EVERGREY, leading into 2025 with the standalone single 'Superman.'

 

CYHRA are:

Jake E | vocals, keys

Euge Valovirta | guitars, bass

Jesper Strömblad | bass, guitars

Marcus Sunesson | guitars

Alex Landenburg | drums

 

More on CYHRA:

cyhra.com | Facebook | Instagram | X | TikTok | YouTube | RPM

Knower – Knower Forever

Forgoing the usual structure of a review allow me to skip right to the finale.  If I had been paying attention/knew about this album when it was released in June of 2023 Knower Forever would have unquestionably been my album of the year.  Instead I have to thank my lucky stars that some guiding force of the cosmos decided it would do me good to investigate Knower.  Thank you unnamed guiding force!  I owe you one!

 

Alright, now that I’ve hopefully made it clear that I am unabashedly enthusiastic about this group and their latest album let me explain why I find this recent musical connection so impactful.  First of all, based off of my recent listening habits this music was a gale force wind of fresh sounds and ideas.  These songs check off so many boxes it is ridiculous.  What type of music do you want to listen to waveriders?  Pop?  All of this album can be classified as pop.  Funk?  Knower often gets downright filthy.  Electronic?  Synthesizers feature in every song.  Jazz?  There are multiple solos that would fit right into your favorite bebop record.  Metal?  Well, maybe not, but the song “Do Hot Girls Like Chords” comes awfully close from time to time.

 

But what if you’re more of a visual person when sampling new music?  Knower has you covered there as well!  I watched all seven of the impressively D.I.Y. music videos corresponding to this album every day for fifteen straight days.  I love watching all of the musical elements being performed/recorded inside (and outside of) a suburban home.  I love seeing the enthusiasm of the musicians tasked to breathe life into these compositions.  I love all of the snarky text/low resolution imagery flashing on screen which complements the snarky lyrics of some of the songs.  I love this stuff!

 

There is one note I do want to make.  Knower is the project of Louis Cole and Genevieve Artadi.  Due to my enthusiasm towards Knower Forever I bought the entire Knower discography on Bandcamp.  While I do enjoy the music which preceded Knower Forever, my personal sweet spot with this group involves the “live band” lineup(s).  That said, I highly recommend you investigate everything on offer.  It’s all worthwhile and you may prefer the more electronic nature of the earlier albums.

 

So there you have it waveriders.  Knower is one of my favorite musical discoveries in recent memory, and Knower Forever has irrevocably cemented itself into my listening life!  Check ‘em out!

 

-Penfold

GOTTHARD Unleash New Single & Video "Thunder & Lightning"

Stereo Crush Now Available For Pre-Order

Watch/Stream/Purchase "Thunder & Lightning"

Swiss hard rock legends GOTTHARD have kicked off the new year with the release of their second single, Thunder & Lightning, from their upcoming 12-track studio album Stereo Crush. As the world remains blanketed in snow, this new track spreads spring fever with its uplifting leads and emotionally charged storyline about love, quickly capturing the hearts of fans and heightening anticipation for the band's eagerly awaited new album.

 

Secure your copy [digipak-CD, jewelcase-CD, red marbled vinyl, digital] or pre-save Stereo Crush now, here: https://gotthard.rpm.link/stereocrushPR

 

Today, alongside the worldwide launch of pre-orders, GOTTHARD are also excited to reveal the cover artwork for Stereo Crush, set to hit the shelves on March 21, 2025 via RPM. The artwork, designed by Thomas Ewerhard, who has previously collaborated with the band, perfectly encapsulates the album's themes of honesty, rawness, and a broad spectrum of emotions.

 

"Freddy [Scherer; guitars] came to my house with the musical idea for this song. We started there and came up with the structure and the vocal melodies together and recorded the demo there. I then spent quite some time figuring out lyrics. The sound of the chorus riff somehow sounded electric to me, and I was thinking of words like 'lighting,' 'thunder' etc...and then I thought of the concept of how lighting never strikes twice but in this case it does, using this as a metaphor for love. Also in French, which I'm fluent in, you can say that 'love at first sight' is like getting hit by a bolt of lighting," singer Nic Maeder sheds light on the track's creation.

 

Watch the music video: https://youtu.be/Z1swDgrXvxo

Listen to "Thunder & Lightning": https://gotthard.rpm.link/thunderPR

 

After releasing two singles, there's no really doubt that GOTTHARD are more than ready for the future with Stereo Crush! Decorated with a powerful and contemporary production, the album delivers a series of big anthems but also a few surprises which help the Swiss icons to improve their DNA fresh and to spice up the essence of their trademark sound in an exciting way. It's clear like Swiss glacier water: 2025 belongs to GOTTHARD!

"Stereo Crush" - Track Listing:

 

01. AI & I

02. Thunder & Lightning

03. Rusty Rose

04. Burning Bridges

05. Drive My Car

06. Boom Boom

07. Life

08. Liverpool

09. Shake Shake

10. Devil In The Moonlight

11. Dig A Little Deeper

12. These Are The Days

 

Produced and mixed by long-time partner Charlie Bauerfeind, who's known for his work with the likes of HELLOWEEN and BLIND GUARDIAN, alongside founding member Leo Leoni at Yellowhouse Studio, and mastered by Sascha "Busy" Bühren (TrueBusyness), with artwork once again provided by Thomas Ewerhard (AVANTASIA etc.), Stereo Crush promises to set new standards which will additionally come to shine on the band's forthcoming touring cycle: GOTTHARD will be touring in May, accompanied by special guests Y&T, rounded off by select festival and headline dates during the course of the year. The band's current live schedule and ticket info can be found below!

 

More from "Stereo Crush":

"Boom Boom" OFFICIAL LYRIC VIDEO:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vKHkfiegtg

 

GOTTHARD live:

"Stereo Crush" Tour 2025

 

21.05.2025 DE Saarbücken - Garage (w/ ECLIPSE) *NEW*

 

Special Guests: Y&T

Presented by Metal Hammer, Classic Rock, musix,

Rock Antenne, powermetal.de & Bottom Row

23.05.2025 DE Bochum - RuhrCongress

24.05.2025 DE Geiselwind - Music Hall

25.05.2025 DE Frankfurt - Batschkapp

27.05.2025 DE Hamburg - Große Freiheit 36

29.05.2025 DE Munich - Circus Krone

30.05.2025 DE Filderstadt - FILharmonie

31.05.2025 AT Telfs - Rathaussaal

 

14.06.2025 ES Zamora - Z! Live Rock

27.06.2025 CH Basel - Summerstage (w/ KROKUS)

28.06.2025 DE Ehingen - Martkplatz (w/ KROKUS) *NEW*

20.07.2025 CH Locarno - Moon&Stars ("Steve Lee - The Show") *NEW*

22.07.2025 DE Regensburg - Piazza im Gewerbepark

06.08.2025 CH Zofingen - Heitere (w/ Orchestra) *NEW*

10.08.2025 DE Tettnang - Schlossgarten (w/ KROKUS) *NEW*

19.12.2025 CH Bern - Festhalle (w/ KROKUS)

20.12.2025 CH Zurich - The Hall (w/ KROKUS)

 

Info & Tickets: https://www.gotthard.com/tourdates/

L-R:

Freddy Scherer (guitars), Marc Lynn (bass), Nic Maeder (vocals),

Flavio Mezzodi (drums), Leo Leoni (guitars)

 

Photo credit: Manuel Schütz

About GOTTHARD

 

With 16 number one albums, a Diamond Award for selling over one million units in Switzerland, and multiple platinum records, including their quadruple platinum album Homerun, and several double and triple platinum albums, GOTTHARD have an unmatched legacy of successes, rounded off by over 3.5 million units sold worldwide and more than 2,000 live performances. Their tracks like "Heaven," a platinum single, and seven top 10 singles have cemented the band in the international music scene.

 

GOTTHARD are:

Nic Maeder | vocals

Leo Leoni | guitars

Freddy Scherer | guitars

Marc Lynn | bass

Flavio Mezzodi | drums

 

More on GOTTHARD:

gotthard.com | Linktree |  Facebook | Instagram | X | TikTok | YouTube | Spotify | RPM

US heavy psych-prog rockers RAINBOWS ARE FREE to issue new album "Silver and Gold" on Ripple Music this spring; watch new video "Sleep" now.

US heavy psychedelic and progressive rockers RAINBOWS ARE FREE announce the upcoming release of their fourth studio album "Silver and Gold" this March 7th on Ripple Music, and present their new video for "Sleep" today.

 

Watch Rainbows Are Free's new video "Sleep" at this location

 

Rainbows Are Free's sonic pedigree appears on the rock n’ roll family tree at the point where proto-metal and heavy psychedelia shared a common apocryphal ancestor before branching off into their own distinct lineages. Their fourth studio record "Silver and Gold" is a dark-tinged, heavy offering that immediately conjures a sense of foreboding right out of the gates – a comforting dreariness that the band embraces to channel their sonic attack. They are at peace here, if not at home.

 

The sonic assault continues as the band pummels the listener with crunchy guitars erupting into explosive leads that ride upon a driving rhythm section, held together by a lattice of spacey synth and guitar atmospherics. Rainbows Are Free’s soundscape is further cemented by lead singer Brandon Kistler’s soaring, crooning, and at times snarling, vocal fury. In all, the heavy psych alchemy at work on the album is apparent in their multi-faceted sound that spins proggy riffs, sexy groove magick, garage surf-rock, and even a death metal inspired ripper into "Silver and Gold" as a varied, but cohesive listening experience.

 

About the new single "Sleep", vocalist Brandon Kistler comments: “Lyrically, it's pretty straight ahead, and I'm most proud of the chorus for its honesty about society today and how we perceive it. It’s very relatable to how I felt at the time. My favorite line is, “We can’t let it break, no it can’t be broke.”  I’m referring to society as a whole, and I was thinking about my children and the future of that society when I ad-libbed that line… we have to make it work.”

 

 

 

RAINBOWS ARE FREE "Silver and Gold"

Out March 7th on Ripple Music (LP/CD/digital)

International preorder - North American preorder

Rainbows Are Free formed in late 2007 as the conglomerate of several long-time heavy rock bands from Norman, OK. In February 2008, they self-released an eponymous demo EP featuring the track “Are You Dead”, which catapulted the band into the burgeoning heavy psych scene of the era. A year later they began work on a full- length album, Believers In Medicine, which was released in April 2010 on Guestroom Records Records (GRR). They followed up with their second album on GRR in 2014 with the release of Waves Ahead of the Ocean. In 2019 Rainbows saw an international release with their fourth studio offering, Head Pains, on Italian doom/stoner/sludge label Argonauta Records (Arenzano, GE), followed by a live retrospective album in 2023 with the release of Heavy Petal Music on California-based heavy psych/stoner/doom juggernauts, Ripple Music.

 

Often appearing in costumed stage dress, the band, fronted by the soaring and snarling nigh 7-foot cyclone of weirdness that is Brandon Kistler, continues to shock and amaze fans by introducing an element of good- humored theatrics to accompany their live sonic assault. This is achieved in no small part due to the guitar prowess and songwriting of Richie Tarver, joined by the ambient soundscapes of Joey Powell on rhythm guitar and Josh Elam on spacey synth, and rounded out by the thunderous low end of Jason Smith on bass and Bobby Onspaugh on drums.

 

Rainbows Are Free continue to bring their unique brand of psychedelic heaviness on tour as they support the release of their upcoming studio album, Silver and Gold, due out Spring of 2025 on Ripple Music.

 

RAINBOWS ARE FREE is

Brandon Kistler - Vocals

Richie Tarver - Lead Guitar

Jason Smith - Bass

Joey Powell - Rhythm Guitar

Bobby Onspaugh – Drums

Josh Elam - Synths

 

RAINBOWS ARE FREE links

Website⎪Facebook⎪Bandcamp⎪Instagram⎪Spotify

RIPPLE MUSIC links

Website⎪Facebook⎪Bandcamp⎪Instagram

NAXATRAS "V" Out February 28th on Evening Star Records

TRACKLIST:

1. Celestial Gaze

2. Spacekeeper

3. Numenia

4. Utopian Structures

5. Breathing Fire

6. Legion

7. Sand Halo

8. The Citadel

 

Hailing from Greece, Naxatras has been a powerhouse in the world of modern psychedelic rock since their inception in 2012. With four critically acclaimed albums under their belt, they have evolved from a predominantly jam-oriented band into one that balances spontaneity with deliberate craftsmanship. This transformation is the natural result of years of touring, artistic exploration, and a steadfast commitment to a signature sound steeped in the warm, vintage vibes of the '70s that weaves together groovy rhythms, dreamy melodies, thunderous riffs, and beautifully captivating guitar solos.

 

Naxatras recorded their self-titled debut album in 2015 at Magnetic Fidelity with renowned engineer Jesus I. Agnew. Embracing a fully analog approach, all tracks were performed and recorded live in just one day. "Naxatras" quickly became a landmark release in the genre, earning widespread critical acclaim and cementing its place as one of the best-selling albums in its field. In 2016, Naxatras unveiled their second full-length "II" alongside a new EP. The momentum continued in 2017 with the release of the "All the Stars Collide Into a Single Ray" single and the recording of their third album, once again embracing fully analog, live recording techniques. "III" debuted in 2018, followed by a live album capturing their electrifying, sold-out performance at Athens' iconic venue Gagarin 205.

 

On their fourth album "IV" (2022), Naxatras expanded their sonic horizons by welcoming multi-instrumentalist Pantelis Kargas on keyboards and synthesizers, while the artwork created by longtime collaborator and friend Chris RW continued the artistic partnership that has visually defined all their releases. The band has developed a reputation for high-energy live performances, combining elements of psychedelic/progressive rock, stoner, funk, jazz, electronic and Eastern music with trippy screenings to a fully immersive experience. They have gone on numerous tours and performed in most European countries, including distinguished festivals such as Desertfest, Ozora and Dunajam and a tour in Australia.

 

In the band’s ever-present mindset of constant experimentation and evolution as a creative process, bits and pieces of ideas and patterns were brewing, waiting for the right time to surface. Now, those fragments have come to life in the form of their fifth album "V", enriched by a matured approach to songwriting. With a line-up that includes a keyboardist and an expanded percussion arsenal, Naxatras has embraced a multi-layered production, blending their analog warmth with a newfound clarity and complexity. This is more than an album: it’s a defining moment for Naxatras. With their vast array of influences and years of expertise converging, "V" signals a new chapter, reaffirming their place as one of the most visionary acts in the progressive rock landscape.

 

NAXATRAS is

John Delias - Guitar & Vocals

John Vagenas - Bass & Vocals

Kostas Charizanis - Drums & Percussion

Pantelis Kargas - Keyboards & Synthesizers

NAXATRAS links

Facebook⎜Bandcamp⎜Instagram⎜Youtube⎜Spotify