Dark Mirror

Dutch symphonic metal pioneers DELAIN break into new realms with their eagerly awaited, brand new full-length, Dark Waters, out February 10, 2023 via Napalm Records. The pristine record marks a game-changing chapter in the band's history and presents the brainchild of keyboardist, founder and main songwriter Martijn Westerholt with a new lineup. Rejoining the fold and bolstering DELAIN's continuity are original guitarist Ronald Landa and original drummer Sander Zoer, while new members - terrific vocalist Diana Leah and bassist Ludovico Cioffi - continue to evolve their sound. Dark Waters follows the chart-breaking Apocalypse & Chill (2020), integrating the most refined sounds in the genre. DELAIN's renowned orchestral arrangements, highlighted by modern shadings, set new standards and manifest the five-piece on top of the scene. A sonic rollercoaster ride of catchy tunes with explosive elements - ranging from pop to film score-inspired to blistering metal - merge perfectly with Diana's fantastic voice, showcasing her incredible talent and musical sophistication.

As an aside to the musical works realised by Church of the Cosmic Skull, the works to be sent forth from this new platform will be myriad and multiform, varied in genre but of high standard and rich with heart.

Drab Majesty's third album, Modern Mirror, is a journey of self-reflection, nostalgia, love, beauty, and heartbreak told across eight addictive and emotional synth pop anthems - a seemingly classic tale delivered unblinkingly through the frame of the modern world.

Natural Velvet is Corynne Ostermann (bass, vocals), Greg Hatem (drums), Spike Arreaga (guitar) and Kim Te (guitar). The post-punk quartet is known in their native Baltimore for a distinct sound that is both aggressive and catchy. Framed by washing guitars, vocals that alternately howl and harmonize, and throbbing drum sounds, Natural Velvet creates music that moves between gazey indie pop and guttural, “wall of sound” noise rock. Aggressive bass lines throughout tie together a dark and foreboding framework, ultimately leaving the listener with haunting melody and hypnotic rhythm. At times confrontational, at times seductive, Ostermann’s vocals guide the listener through dark rolling narratives of identity, existence, rage, and femininity.