Category Archives: M-Theory

🎧🎶 DEATH RATTLE Unleashes New Single/Music Video “The Darkness” Today! Album “The Moral Chokehold” Out July 11th 🎧

New England metal band DEATH RATTLE continues to build momentum with the release of their powerful new single and music video, “The Darkness,” available today, June 2nd, 2025. This release comes as anticipation builds for their forthcoming album, The Moral Chokehold, now set to drop on July 11th, 2025, due to a manufacturing delay.

Check out “The Darkness” on all streaming/download digital platforms or watch the music video here.

“’The Darkness’ is collectively one of, if not our most favorite song from the ‘Moral Chokehold,” states guitarist Ryan Vanderwolk. “Not only is it the closer for the record, but also the closer for our live sets. Born from a couple of riff ideas, it quickly grew to a much larger, and diverse song as everyone put their fingerprints on it. There are the elements of the groove, and aggression Death Rattle does well, but also has more relaxed moments, a huge catchy chorus, and a very progressive climax. ‘Rage against the dying of the light’ and enter ‘The Darkness.’”

Building on recent tours with diverse acts like Left To Die, Gorgoroth, and Aeturnus, and gaining traction on Liquid Metal radio, DEATH RATTLE showcases their blend of groove, melody, and aggression, as previously heard in tracks like “Malthusian Dependency”, “Immersed in Black,” and “Nietzsche, and the Fall” (featuring Bjorn “Speed” Strid of SOILWORK/THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA).

Pre-order The Moral Chokehold now for a limited edition 300 “Philosopher’s Moon” colored vinyl, CD, and Digital formats at http://lnk.to/deathrattle.

The Moral Chokehold boasts a powerful sound, thanks to production by Kevin Billingslea (Lamb of God, Trivium), mixing/mastering by Jens Bogren (Amon Amarth, Kreator), and stunning artwork from Tamer Azab of The Dark Art in Dubai.

“We are beyond stoked to release ‘The Moral Chokehold.’ For us, this album has been almost four years in the making. We had a blast writing and recording it, but for the last year we have been in the trenches making content and releasing things to hype up the release. It is the grind of the music business. It feels so good to finally get back to what we are passionate about – the music. Releasing these songs to the world and touring to support them is what this whole venture is all about. Creatively, this was a giant step forward for us. We experimented with writing more in the studio environment and playing with different melody structures. It has brought out a new energy in our live show. When a group of songs inspires the band to begin writing the next album before the music is even released, you know you have made something special. That is how we feel about ‘…Chokehold.’ We cannot wait for you all to hear this thing all the way through.”

Hailing from New England, a region known for producing influential metal acts, DEATH RATTLE aims to follow in those footsteps. They have already released two independent albums, toured the US four times (including supporting The Convalescence), and toured Japan twice, supporting acts like Cattle Decapitation, Revocation, Ne Obliviscaris, and Wolfheart. They have also played regionally with Hatebreed, Soulfly, Unearth, Crowbar, Allegaeon, Philip H Anselmo and the Illegals, Let Us Prey, and appeared at festivals like Mayhem Fest, Summer Slaughter, New England Metal and Hardcore Fest, and the Tattoo & Music Festival.

Upcoming Live Shows:

  • 6/13 – Jewel – Manchester, NH
  • 6/14 – The Cage – Lewiston, ME

DEATH RATTLE is:

  • Trey Holton (vocals)
  • Ryan Vanderwolk (guitar)
  • Justin Brown (bass)
  • Chris Morin (drums)

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🎧 AMIENSUS Returns with New Song “FIELDS OF EMERALD FIRE”! 🎧

AMIENSUS has surprisingly dropped a digital single for their new song “Fields of Emerald Fire.” Just last year, the epic, melodic, progressive black metal group released two critically acclaimed records. Not resting on their laurels, AMIENSUS now gives fans the first of several new tracks in the works. Listen to “Fields of Emerald Fire” here or watch the streaming visualizer here.

“’Fields of Emerald Fire’ was written concerning The Great Hunger,” explains singer/guitarist James Benson. “As a band that has often written about historical events, as well as current events, we used this opportunity to draw parallels between the past and present actions of governments and their oppression of minorities.”

James continues, “’Fields of Emerald Fire’ is the first of multiple singles to be released in 2025. Some of these tracks were written with the objective of creating within a limited time span, and therefore pushing ourselves to maintain our standards on creativity without the pesky overanalyzing that often can delay completion of songs/albums. We have a lot of material for the future and a lot to speak on. We hope you enjoy ‘Fields…’ and look forward to sharing more music with you this year!”

James Benson, who also fronts Midwest post-black metal operatives CHROME WAVES, is joined in AMIENSUS by GHOST BATH drummer Chris Piette plus guitarists Alec Rozsa, Kelsey Roe and bassist Todd Farnham. Chilling, harsh yet melodic and progressive are just some ideas of AMIENSUS’ sound heard on “Fields of Emerald Fire,” which will sate fans of their two-part ‘Reclamation’ opus while they continue work on additional new music this year.

AMIENSUS formed in Minnesota in 2010 as a project amongst friends, who self-released an EP that same year. It took 3 years for the band to develop into a full group, expanding their lineup way beyond state lines to find the right talents and mindsets, and release the atmospheric black metal album ‘Restoration’ in 2013. Two years later AMIENSUS were back with the more polished and well-received ‘Ascension,’ which introduced Alec and Todd. 2017 marked the release of the lengthy EP, ‘All Paths Lead To Death’ (Apathia/Black Lion Records), which saw the band drop some of the heavy orchestration in favor of more melodic death and black metal passages and introduced Chris. In 2020, AMIENSUS signed with Transcending Records to release the heralded ‘Abreaction,’ which now also included Kelsey. That same lineup remains today and also recorded the aforementioned ‘Reclamation’ albums.

Here’s what some have written about ‘Reclamation’: “Easily the group’s best album yet, demonstrating that they more than deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as their more prominent peers… Agalloch, Alcest, Borknagar and Enslaved. – No Clean Singing”

“This is an auditory journey like no other—a fusion of raging, intense black metal with glorious melodies that will ignite your soul. It’s a sonic tempest, a whirlwind of ferocity and beauty that will leave you breathless and exhilarated. You’ll be engulfed in the raw power of black metal, with blistering riffs and thunderous drums. Yet within, melodies soar and cascade, weaving a tapestry of beauty and emotion that transcends the brutality of the music. This is an early contender for “Album of the Year” for sure. – Metal Temple”

“An impressive album that shows all of AMIENSUS’ finest features and builds them to a level that the band has not achieved previously, Reclamation part 1 builds further anticipation for its second half, while reminding the metal community that they are still one of the underground’s best kept secrets. Black, death, prog, folk – whatever your flavor, you are going to find plenty of content with Reclamation that will leave you incredibly impressed even if you are already familiar with the band. AMIENSUS have a poignant and genre-pushing masterpiece in their hands… it will more than satiate anyone looking for high quality extreme metal that tosses the traditional boundaries aside for something insightful and far more unique. – Dead Rhetoric”

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🌌 FRACTAL UNIVERSE Unleashes New Video “A New Cycle” Ahead of The Great Filters Album Release 💀

Progressive death metal boundary-breakers FRACTAL UNIVERSE have dropped a brand-new music video for their latest single “A New Cycle” — the third and final preview from their upcoming full-length, The Great Filters, out this Friday, April 4th via M-Theory Audio.

🎥 Watch “A New Cycle” HERE

The track dives into the speculative sci-fi concept of directed panspermia — humanity, teetering on extinction, sends probes filled with primordial life across the cosmos to spark new civilizations. But those civilizations, destined to repeat our same fatal mistakes, find themselves trapped in a never-ending loop of rise and ruin.

Directed by Pauline Colombani (www.c3polette.com), the video is the latest visual chapter following “Causality’s Grip” and “The Seed of Singularity,” all showcasing FRACTAL UNIVERSE’s signature fusion of progressive technicality and eerie saxophone-laced soundscapes.

🎧 About The Great Filters

Due out April 4, 2025, The Great Filters is FRACTAL UNIVERSE’s most ambitious and intricate album to date. Merging heavy riffs, jazz-influenced melodies, and philosophical storytelling, it delivers a cerebral experience laced with cosmic awe.
Recorded at Boundless Production Studios and Fractal Headquarters, the album was mixed and mastered by Flavien Morel (Benighted Soul, Catalyst).

💿 Available Formats:

  • Limited-edition red with black splatter vinyl (500 copies)
  • Red and cream marble vinyl (band/label exclusive, 200 copies)
  • Digipak CD
  • Digital

🛒 Pre-order Now

🔥 FRACTAL UNIVERSE – Tour Dates

European Shows
Apr 3 – Chambery, FR – Brin De Zinc
Apr 5 – San Sebastian, ES – Donostia Prog/Tech Death Fest
Apr 11 – Nilvange, FR – Le Gueulard Plus (release party)

North America – Shred Fest Tour w/ Obscura, Atheist, Origin, Decrepit Birth
Apr 20 – San Diego, CA – Brick By Brick
Apr 21 – Las Vegas, NV – Backstage Bar
Apr 22 – Grand Junction, CO – Mesa Theater
Apr 24 – Lawrence, KS – Granada Theater
Apr 25 – Dallas, TX – Trees
Apr 26 – Birmingham, AL – WorkPlay Theatre
Apr 27 – Jacksonville, FL – Underbelly
Apr 28 – Orlando, FL – Conduit
Apr 29 – Greensboro, NC – Hangar 1819
Apr 30 – Richmond, VA – Canal Club
May 2 – Boston, MA – Middle East Downstairs
May 3 – Quebec City, QC – Salie Montaigne
May 4 – Ottawa, ON – Overflow
May 5 – Montreal, QC – Fairmount
May 6 – Toronto, ON – Lee’s Palace
May 7 – Pittsburgh, PA – Preserving
May 8 – Chicago, IL – Reggie’s
May 9 – Minneapolis, MN – The Cabooze
May 10 – Winnipeg, MB – Park Theater
May 12 – Edmonton, AB – Starlight Room
May 13 – Calgary, AB – Dickens
May 15 – Vancouver, BC – Rickshaw Theater
May 16 – Seattle, WA – El Corazon
May 17 – Portland, OR – Bossanova Ballroom
May 18 – San Francisco, CA – DNA Lounge
May 20 – Albuquerque, NM – Sunshine Theater
May 21 – Phoenix, AZ – Rebel Lounge
May 22 – Los Angeles, CA – 1720

🧬 FRACTAL UNIVERSE – A Legacy of Evolution

Formed in 2015 in Nancy, France, FRACTAL UNIVERSE made their debut with the independent EP Boundaries of Reality before signing to Kolony Records for 2017’s Engram of Decline, a concept record influenced by Nietzsche.
They joined Metal Blade Records for 2019’s Rhizomes of Insanity, exploring fragmented human consciousness with technical brilliance. Their critically acclaimed 2021 album The Impassable Horizon tackled themes of determinism and free will, all while integrating saxophone flourishes into their progressive metal palette.
Having toured with heavyweights like Obscura, Evergrey, Black Dahlia Murder, and God Dethroned, FRACTAL UNIVERSE continue to carve their place as one of the most innovative acts in modern metal.

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