4 - 2024 - Shieldmaidens of Metal

Dutch Vocalist/Songwriter CHARLOTTE WESSELS (ex-DELAIN) Announces New Album

Charismatic Dutch singer/songwriter CHARLOTTE WESSELS is set to release her new studio album on September 20, 2024 via Napalm Records! The striking first single, “The Exorcism”, will be released on May 16, 2024. Wessels’ album promises a cohesive exploration of fear and liberation, as well as spellbinding melancholia and dark, catchy elements meeting progressive and heavier soundscapes. Wessels and her band will bring this story to the stage on October 4, 2024 at Utrecht’s TivoliVredenburg. Grab your tickets HERE!

The former DELAIN vocalists earlier solo endeavours Tales From Six Feet Under (2021) and Tales from Six Feet Under Vol II (2022) already gained Wessels a remarkable number of devotees, but for the upcoming release, Wessels is raising the bar significantly. While still writing and producing the songs in her Six Feet Under basement home studio and sharing their first incarnations with her patrons, now she’s taking the songs to the next level with a band of her fellow ex-DELAIN cohorts Timo Somers (guitars, additional arrangements), Otto Schimmelpenninck van der Oije (bass) and Joey Marin de Boer (drums) as well as Sophia Vernikov (piano/hammond), contributing to the heavier sound. The album also features arrangements by Vikram Shankar (Silent Skies, Pain of Salvation), cello by Elianne Anemaat, was mixed by Guido Aalbers (Muse, Coldplay, The Gathering) and mastered by Andy VanDette (Porcupine Tree, VOLA, Dream Theater).

CHARLOTTE WESSELS states:

“This album is significant, for on the one hand, telling such a deeply personal journey – through its unintended theme of fear and obsessive thoughts – and at the same time, representing the joy of finding the song’s true forms with everyone involved in the making of this record. There were moments in the studio with the band that truly reminded me of why I love making music in the first place, and I don’t think I’ve ever been as excited about music going out into the world. This is the album I want to re-introduce myself with, and I’m so glad to do it with this amazing team.”

CHARLOTTE WESSELS online:
Website
YouTube
Facebook
Instagram
TikTok
Twitter/X

Source: Napalm Records

Xeneris Start Their Ascent In The Metal Scene With Debut Album ETERNAL RISING

Xeneris, the Italian powerhouse of symphonic power metal, is set to ignite the global metal scene with their highly anticipated debut album, “Eternal Rising” slated for release on June 14th, 2024, and available to pre-order HERE.

Prepare to be hypnotised by their first single and video “Eternal Rising“, a mesmerising tale of resurrection and resilience, narrated through the myth of the phoenix’s rebirth. This song embodies the determination to move forward in life’s challenges, echoing the phoenix’s immortal cycle of death and rebirth.

Watch the official video for “Eternal Rising” BELOW:

Masterminds Frederica Paolini states:

Eternal Rising’ tells a story of resurrection and resilience narrated through the myth of the phoenix’s rebirth: every 500 years, the phoenix dies and rises from its ashes, thus ensuring immortality through this purifying ritual. For us, it’s a concept very representative of our musical journey that is reborn and continues, representing also the will to continue our path with renewed passion.

Formed in December 2022, after the disbandment of Kalidia (one of the hottest Italian power metal bands with over 7 million streams and 5 million YouTube views), Xeneris is the brainchild of Federico Paolini (co-founder, composer and guitarist) and Roberto Donati (co-founder, bassist). Coupled with Mayran jaw-dropping vocals and the rhythmic genius of Stefano Livieri. Xeneris manage to honour the heritage of Kalidia, expanding the musical spectrum fusing power metal, symphonic metal, and progressive metal into an electrifying blend of irresistible melodies, powerful riffs, and grand arrangements.

Federico is thrilled to invite fans:

Get ready to be transported on a mesmerizing odyssey through the annals of myth and legend. From traversing the Mediterranean alongside Ulysses to beholding the Phoenix’s resurrection. Follow Dante’s descent into Hades and surrender to the seductive allure of an Arabian night, where the Sahara’s gentle zephyrs embrace you in their warm embrace.

Xeneris invites metal enthusiasts worldwide to join them on this epic voyage, as they redefine the boundaries of symphonic power metal. Prepare to be captivated by the grandeur of “Eternal Rising” and immerse yourself in a world of myths, real-life and fantasy legends, and introspection from human experiences.

Tracklist:
1. Barbarossa
2. Before The River Of Fire
3. Eternal Rising
4. Pandora’s Box
5. A New Beginning
6. To The Endless Sea
7. Shahrazad
8. Scilla And Cariddi
9. Burning Within
10. The Glorious Fight
11. Equinox

Line-up:
Marianna Iacona (Vocals)
Federico Paolini (Guitars)
Roberto Donati (Bass)
Stefano Livieri (Drums)

Xeneris online:
Website
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
TikTok
YouTube

Source: Frontiers Music