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Owen Leuellen and Destiny collaborate on new song - press release 14/07/2023 They are a match made in music heaven and we got a taste of the magic on The Voice Kids Malta. Today Owen Leuellen and Destiny release their collaborative track ‘Juice’ on all radio stations along with a music video by the renowned Steven Levi Vella and DOP Victor Abela who have multiple music videos to their names. The collaboration is a fresh Summer track which will surely have you turning up the volume. Owen tell us ‘’ We were friends a long time ago but since we been on the voice together as coaches we found more buzz in each other than we had ever seen before. So we were like how bout we give the island something to remember for a long time’’ while Destiny says ‘’ I don’t know from where to start. Myself and owen always had a very genuine friendship. We love being around eachother and supporting one another. But after the voice kids we shared something deeper and more special. And we instantly thought about collaborating together. This is just the beginning and I’m pretty sure we’ll have much more music coming your way in the future. To end this I would like to thank owen for being such an incredible person and for making me feel so at ease around him. Stay tuned x x x’’ Music video link Maleth Crucis unveils another song from their upcoming EP In a post on the band's facebook page (and his personal one) singer Michael said this about the latest song announced to be part of their upcoming debut EP: "Now that this gem is featuring in our EP historia nostra, it served to reach another benchmark in the mastering process. It's more brutal than its previous version. This is what morphed Maleth Crucis, between the founding members a re-union from the early-mid nineties in the days of Lithomancy". The band also posted the following information regarding the song in particular and the EP: Intergalactic Animal Farm event important update Viper Soup Complex issued an important update today 17th July with regards to their event taking place at The Garage on 12th August: "The Viper and the Wolf are still meeting and colliding in an explosive soup at the speed of light, however this time round the wolf will not be singing, it will transcend from sheep while becoming more and more determined to provide you with an incredible night ! No ..we're not dreaming! it's actually the truth! This event hasn't been without its changes! and yet another change will see Wolfsinger having to leave our night due to unforeseen circumstances to be replaced by locals From Sheep To Wolves! While we hope to have the opportunity to share the stage once again with Wolfsinger, we're looking forward and we're excited to see this new development! Stay tuned for more! Poster credit goes to the ever-patient Samwel Mallia".

Damaged & Co. Announces First-Ever Tour in Captivating Israel “We are absolutely thrilled to share with you our most exciting news to date: the announcement of our very first band tour in the captivating land of Israel!” announced Damaged & Co. on their Facebook page on Monday 10th July. And while apologizing for thier recent social media silence, they explained it was because they have been diligently working behind the scenes, meticulously planning and organizing this remarkable mini-tour, as well as other surprises that the band shall be revealing soon 😉. The tour is planned as follows: On the 5th of October, Damaged & Co. shall be gracing the enchanting city of Haifa, performing at the renowned Wunderbar. Followed by another live performance on the 8th of October, when they’ll be taking the stage at סטודיו המפלט - HaMiflat Studio in the vibrant and bustling city of Tel Aviv. Finally, on the 10th of October, the band shall be making their way to the historical and spiritually captivating city of Jerusalem. At the prestigious Blaze Rock Bar. From the vibrant streets of Tel Aviv to the underground dens of Haifa and the ancient wonders of Jerusalem, the band is ready to soak in the infectious energy of the crowd and embrace the richness of Israel's diverse cultural tapestry. The combination of their music, the electric atmosphere, and the beauty of these cities is sure to create an extraordinary experience for all. The band ended their message, “We'll be providing exclusive behind-the-scenes sneak peeks and sharing ticket information with you. We can't wait to embark on this incredible journey together and create memories that will last a lifetime. Let the music and magic of Israel ignite our souls and unite us all in an unforgettable celebration of art and culture”. 🎶✨ Fistful of Thrash Vol. 2: Murdoc.104 Featured in Massive New Wave Thrash Compilation 7th July marks the release of Fistful of Thrash Vol.2 compilation on The Hills Are Dead Records , a MASSIVE compilation of some of the most interesting up and coming new wave thrash bands around the world, and locals Murdoc.104 have been included in it. Murdoc.104’s song on the compilation is their eponymous song taken from their debut EP ‘The Undying’ This double album can be downloaded for free from Bandcamp and can also be obtained in both double cassette and double CD format, both in limited number. Remembering Steve Borg: A Tribute to a Founder, Friend, and Dad with "No Surrender" A short post on social media Axel Borg (son of late Steve Borg) wrote: " Today would have been your 54th Birthday! A thought that is always right there, in everything that I do.. What would we be doing if you were still here with us? What would you say to us? How would life be with you around? Of course .. brilliantly Rock N Roll. That’s why we take every opportunity to cherish all the loving, funny moments we had together. Being yourself, you managed to earn a huge amount of respect from a LOT of people. Being it friends, family, music buddies, and the list goes on, luckily most of them are still in our circle. For your 54th the lads made sure that we give you another deserving Salute, coming from a lesson that you gave us a couple of years ago .. No Surrender! You always kept going no matter what, you kept your spirits high until the last beat. That’s why us, as Purple Haze, we are releasing our latest writing dedicated to our Founder, Friend, and Dad .. We would also like to dedicate this song to Ivan Tabone's father who sadly pass away today. ‘’No Surrender’’ video can be viewed here A Huge thank you goes to David Cassar Torreggiani Daryl Ebejer Bagigu Philip Ivan Tabone SPINESPLITTER STUDIO You made this possible once again x". Personnel: David Cassar Torreggiani - guitars Daryl Ebejer - vocals Philip 'Bagigu' Camilleri - bass Ivan Tabone - keyboards Axel Borg - drums Recorded at Spinesplitter Studio by David Depasquale Condolences from all at Melodija.eu to Ivan Tabone and family

DALAM is the backing band to Malta’s construction noise. ‘HEADLINES’ ,the band’s debut EP, is out now exclusively via Kewn Records and is an introduction to DALAM’s frantic, brash, and sardonic sound. ‘HEADLINES’ marks the first phase of what DALAM set out to achieve when they formed in 2020—write compelling tracks steeped in sludgy noise rock, early metalcore, post-hardcore, and various other kinds of filthy music. On an island where everything seems far-fetched, DALAM pushes things one step further. The four tracks on ‘HEADLINES’ feature stories that would make the news in a parallel world where Malta is just slightly more bizarre. ‘HEADLINES’ was engineered, mixed, and mastered by Steve Lombardo at Hell Next Door Studios. check it out now

A Rock Legend's Path from Local Bands to Krokus and Beyond Mark Anthony Storace Crockford, born on October 7, 1951, in Sliema, is the son of Anthony Storace and Edna Crockford. He is one of six children in his family. From a young age, he taught himself to sing and began his musical journey at the age of fourteen in 1965. He made his initial live performances with two local bands called Stonehenge Union and The Boys. Inspired by the influential WOODSTOCK Festival in the late 1960s, Storace renamed The Boys to Cinnamon Hades. The band started covering songs by Iron Butterfly, Jimi Hendrix, and various hard rock acts like The Who, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, and Black Sabbath while still including the popular Beatles "Abbey Road Medley." Driven by his dream to pursue a career as a rock musician, Storace had to leave his homeland behind. In 1970, he relocated to London, and the rest, as they say, is history. When it comes to Maltese artists who have made a name for themselves abroad, only a few can be mentioned alongside Marc Storace. In November 2021, Marc returned to the island with some friends to film a documentary about his life. During his visit, I had the privilege of interviewing Marc on November 2nd, where we discussed various topics, episodes from his life. Thanks, Mark, for accepting to visit us at our studios. Hope you're enjoying your stay on the island. Thank you. It's my pleasure to be here and do this interview with you. And yeah, we're having fun. I'm here with a couple of friends of mine from Switzerland, Serge and Sepp, and we're actually here mainly to film some footage for the documentary of my singing career from the very start, which is in the hands of Sepp, who came up with the idea a couple of years back. And actually, we never really got started because COVID came. And so, we wanted to come to Malta two years ago already. But anyway, in the meantime, I did the album. So that was positive too. Well, I am sure throughout the years you have been asked about your early life over and over again. So, we'll try not to dwell too much on that. But maybe a topic which is usually overseen is the fact that you left Malta at a young age and considering what family means to us, Maltese or Mediterranean especially, how hard was it at that time? It wasn't easy at all, but it was a decision I had to take because I had not done too well getting myself a diploma here. So, I kind of held a dagger against my own back and I had to move, take a decision. [And] I thought London would be the best place to go because I could speak English very well. [And] I went there, and I had some friends there. So, I could find my way around and met some musicians and jammed and stuff. But then this thing happened [that] I met this Swiss lady and thanks to her, I made the step to Switzerland. But it was very hard for me all the time. I had these kind of lows where I would think of Malta a lot and miss my family, my friends and a good old hobz biz-zejt and lampuka, some pastizzi and lampuka pie that my mom used to cook and stuff like that. It's the homesickness. And when I went to Switzerland, of course, it became worse, this feeling. The music got better, the situation with Tea and so on. But the feeling of missing the Maltese culture, Mediterranean culture, the fresh seafood and stuff like that walks along the promenade because I grew up in Sliema along the promenade. That was my life, and the sea, of course, life in the Mediterranean on top and under it. Skipping the bit about Tea going to Krokus, many know about you turning down an audition with AC/DC in ‘80 or ‘81. But few know, or at least it is less mentioned, that around the time Krokus asked you to join, you did an audition with Rainbow. How did that one come about? Well, I was at that time in London after the whole episode and adventurous seven years with Tea, which was my actually a pioneering hard rock, progressive Swiss rock band with whom I had come to Malta and we had done five phenomenal concerts. It was like Beatlemania. We didn't know what hit us when we landed at the airport and the support here was so great. And soon afterwards, we actually went our ways and I went back to London and formed a band called Easy Money. And we were close to signing a contract with Grizzly and going on tour in the USA as opening act for Genesis. You know, so it looked like a rosy future. But within the band, I felt some insecurity and some turmoil and opposition, some lack of harmony within the musicians, which made me feel insecure about.., it's like when you go into a casino and put all your money on one number, you know. So, and then we were doing a rehearsal in London and this guy, he was a talent scout, Bob Adcock, took me into the direction room. You know, these were different rehearsal rooms and he said, would you like to do an audition with Rainbow? I said, wow, Richie Blackmore. Great. Yes. Straight away, he said OK. I think it was a Thursday and he said, you fly on Saturday. I said, what? So fast. I have to look into the songs and stuff. He said, no time for that. You know, they just want to know how your voice is. So, I said, OK, well, let's go for it. And I flew to Geneva [New York] that Saturday and I was picked up by, rest his soul, Cozy Powell. And the tour manager of Deep Purple was working with them as well. And we went over the border and Cozy was driving like a rally driver. I mean, he had a racing driver's license. So, we arrived at this chateau and there was the Moulin Rouge mobile recording studio of Jethro Tull parked outside and stuff. And this was like a little bit over my head, you know, for I'd never been to the USA at that point, you know, I'd done Europe with Tea. And the thought of, you know, singing with Ritchie Blackmore and Roger Glover and Don Airy and Cozy Powell was like, wow, quite, you know, I was really nervous. And anyway, so Cozy took me to his room. I chose the song Man on a Silver Mountain, which had been written by Ronnie James Dio. And then Ritchie came in, asked me if I want to have a shot of whiskey. I said, I don't drink whiskey before I sing, but maybe afterwards. Thank you very much. And we went down into the basement where they had everything ready. And off we went, you know, first warmed up with a jam, just singing, whatever, and then we went into the Man on a Silver Mountain and stuff. And that was it. He said, man, now we're going to have dinner. You know, we had dinner. The whole crew was there, and it was a nice atmosphere. And then Cozy took me on the side and he said, you know, when you go to bed tonight, lock your doors because, you know, Ritchie gets up to his pranks, horror pranks, you know, and stuff like that. So, I said, yeah, thanks for telling me. And I locked both doors. There were two sides to the room, and nothing happened that night. And then in the morning I flew back. And then a couple of days later they told me, sorry, we decided to take someone else. All fair and clear and no problem. I continued with Easy Money and we were still writing songs. And then a couple of weeks later, it's amazing how everything happened around the same period. I got a phone call from Chris Von Rohr, one of the founder members and band leader of Krokus. And so, this was a call. Switzerland was calling me back. You know, that's the way I felt, you know. So, we agreed to do a weekend jam and I enjoyed the weekend so much. And so, did they. And then I felt in a way, I felt like being back home in Switzerland because I had spent those seven years with Tea. You know, so it was back to Schnippo, you know. And the typical stuff you do there and yeah, like sitting in a Swiss pub, people talk with each other, whereas in London, you go into a pub on your own, nobody talks to you, you know. And this I found terrible; you know. This big city loneliness thing, you know. I prefer smaller places. So, I ended up in Switzerland again and the rest is history. You know, the Krokus story. Success was immediate when Metal Rendez-Vous was released. Did you personally expect that reception, considering it was your debut with Krokus? I loved it. Wow, great. You know, at last. I've been trying so long, you know, since my dream started in Malta. Singing with The Boys and Stonehenge Union, [then The Boys] and then Cinnamon Hades and dreaming of bigger things. But because of the small size of the island and there not being a music industry here, which was big enough to support a musician's life, you know, where you have to pay your rent, buy a car, pay your taxes and all that stuff, you know, your insurances and stuff. I couldn't do that from doing music alone. And there's no way I was going to go and sing in a hotel or in those days we had the night clubs like The Caravel and Pialli and so on. And I had an offer from them, you know, with a good monthly salary and stuff, but I thought then I would stagnate and lose my chance. So anyway, yeah. In 2018 Krokus announced the Adios Amigos World Tour as their last and retirement was to follow. It was sad news to the metal world, but when considering the band had been around for 46 years plus and 29 releases to date, 26 with your voice on them. I am sure you believe that was a good run. Any thoughts of putting out any back catalogued unreleased material? I think that's too early to say. I think it's also too early to say whether Krokus will play again or not. I mean, we owe concerts to the USA and Canada and Mexico. And my hope is always very high. I'm a positive thinker, you know, otherwise I would have never left the island, you know. And I believe there's a chance that we can finish that tour, those gigs that we owe over the big pond and that there's a possibility that we could do something again in Europe, in Switzerland. I think where there is life, there is hope. And OK, rock and roll, a rock band needs a lot of energy. It's kind of almost like a sport, what we do, especially singing and playing drums, so as long as everything is there, then, you know, and from my end, I've just done a solo album. I'm feeling top fit to do concerts and stuff. We'll talk about Krokus a little bit more before we come to the solo project. It would be impossible to talk about your years in Krokus in just one short interview. But I'm sure you have stories and episodes that you are fond of and you can relate to us. Yeah, there's many. Where do I start? Well, you know, in the beginning, I was living in London, so I had my life there and I said I'm not going to come and live again in Switzerland until the whole thing is stable. So, I kept my life in London going and I was flying over. I had to do rehearsals and the tour and at the end of that, go back home in London. And we communicated a lot by telephone and stuff. Of course, big telephone bills and stuff. But yeah, and then we when it really took off, we weren't at home much anymore. So it didn't matter where you live anymore for a while because you were living out of a suitcase and what counted was your passport and in those days you had a cheque book and a visa, you know, and life went on and on and on. And yeah, there's a couple of funny accounts like when, God rest his soul, Tommy Kiefer, we were on I think, the second tour in the USA, Hardware, and we suddenly drove off. We stopped at the fuelling station on the autobahn, on the freeway, and we drove off and then suddenly we saw that Tommy is missing and he's not in his bunk, you know. So, we had to turn back, go back to that station and see where Tommy is. And where did we find him? It's where you always found Tommy, in the bar with a beer. And almost the same thing happened to me in Denmark. Yeah, I got off the tour bus, it was like in the middle of the night, at about two in the morning, everyone else was already asleep except the driver, of course, they're not allowed to sleep. Good thing as well. And it was a female driver and she had a little dog who was always under the driver's seat, you know, and they went out. I thought, okay, so I'll go down to the toilet and she's gonna probably fuel. But it wasn't that, you know, she was quicker than I thought, she just needed something quick. And I came back out and I saw the bus, you know, driving off, you know, I ran like, like an ass behind this bus. And, it was getting further and further away from me and I thought, oh, shit, now what? You know, so I checked that if I had money and if I had, yeah, in those days, luckily, I had my mobile phone. [And, but I think] I had a prepaid card in those days. This whole thing got so complicated. But the guys at the tankstelle, you know, at the filling station, they helped me out. They called the USA because the ex-Tea manager, Peter Waelti, who was also involved with Krokus, is usually still awake at two in the morning, you know. So, we got him on the phone and then he called the band and he got someone up and they sent me a taxi the next day to that tankstelle, you know. Oh boy. And I arrived at the gig in time for soundcheck, you know, I walked in, had a coffee and went straight to the microphone, you know, one, two, one, two, played something and amazing, amazing when stuff like that happens. We had another episode, which wasn't so, so funny, actually. And it was also in Scandinavia on the tour bus, on the Hellraiser tour. And we came to this, the same place, it's like a bridge where, where the bass player of Metallica had, they had this accident and he died because the bus skipped over. The road was icy, and our driver lost control. You know, you go in a slide, there's not much you can do except calm down and hope. And he hit this other big truck full of metal, steel stuff, you know, and, and he nearly lost his left leg. And our bus went onto the side of the bridge against the running border, the planks, you know. And so, our doors were locked. The two doors were on that side. They were jammed against the planks and we couldn't get out. And our driver was screaming his head off. And I jumped out of my bunk and said, no smoking, don't light any, anything, just in case we have a petrol leak, you know. And they called the emergency and we waited about 20 minutes or half an hour till they could come. It's not easy, you know, you can't drive full blast on that, on those road conditions. They came and they told us to move away from the back glass, because that's the biggest glass you have. It's like a sitting room in the back and they smashed the window in and then they put blankets over the remaining glass and ladders. And we all got out from the back window, except the driver, they went in and helped him out and took him to hospital. And we, we waited then about another three hours in this place until [another] bus [arrived], they sent another bus to take us back to Germany where we had a gig to play the next day. And life went on almost as usual with a little bit of bitter taste, you know, and we kept hearing news about the driver that they're not going to amputate his leg, which was great, you know, and so all good, thank God, back to normal. The number of singers whose voice is still very good after 65, if you don't mind them telling your age, is countable on the fingers on one hand. Apart from yourself, I can only think of Glenn Hughes. How did you manage to take care of your voice like that over the years? Well, I, I just turned 70, actually. And I had a great birthday with my family. And yeah, I guess, you know, I've been through all the rock and roll parties and late nights and stuff and excess, but I never went totally overboard, you know, with stuff. And I guess that helped a lot. And the reason was always in the back of my head, I don't want to ruin my vocal chords, because that's, that's my capital, you know, it’s only a little instrument there, you know, which you can't repair so well, you can't go into a music store and say, I'll have a new one. You know, when it's gone, it's gone. So, this thought at the back of my head kept me balanced out, you know. So, thank God and touch wood. I'm still hitting [although] I'm not hitting the highest notes that I used to hit when I was younger, you know, which is normal. But, you know, I always had a very high voice. So now, I've lost maybe half a semitone. That means half a note, but it's still high compared to some singers anyway. And my lower notes have more character, you know, it's like an old bottle of red wine, which tastes better when you pull it out of the cellar, after 10 years or so, you know, 20 years. As you mentioned, at the beginning of our chat, you're here doing a documentary about yourself. But before the documentary hit the screens, an album shall be released nearing the end of this year, which means that Mark Storace is definitely not hanging his boots. Can you reveal anything about the songs and musicians appearing on it? Well, we'll soon be opening a new website, www.storace.ch and all the information will come there. The release is going to be on the 8th December. And also, the first gig, it's like a showcase in Zurich, in this old club called Mascot, which is very popular. And we're going to have media people there and journalists and fans as well. And, you know, family and friends. And yeah, the music, you know, to hear pieces of the music, some streaming will be on the website as well. Plus, all the links and all the... like there's going to be a store for not only for merchandising, but also for where people can buy the album, the CD. The vinyl will come [out] later. You know, we're going to see how the CD goes and don't take things for granted in this funny age we're living in. And but yeah, that's probably going to go in the normal direction. And December is going to be the big day for the live gig. But before that, Mr. Sepp here, Mr. Sutter, he did already the trailer teaser, which is on my Facebook site, you know, facebook.com-marcstorace. And that's already got the intro of the single on it, you know. Really nice number, I think it's going to be the first single. And also Sepp made a magnificent video out of that song. And since I didn't have my whole band ready when we did the video, I only took one guitar player and he happens to be the co-writer. We wrote that song together. His name is David Preissel. So I find it fitting that he's on the video for the first, the debut, [the] first single. And the band members will be announced also very soon, hopefully with a photograph. We have to get them all together. But we just figured out now recently, I found the guitar player, lead guitar player, soloist who is going to be in the band and go on tour with us. And all this will be announced shortly. In fact, there are some dates already booked. Among them, there's a noticeable one, which I'll let you explain why. But does that mean that you're still touring? Well, we start before Christmas, you know, these four dates that we have before Christmas. They are important places in Switzerland, which are, real culture hotspots. You know, we have musicians from all genres playing there and kind of hardcore guests who follow and fill up the place. And the atmosphere is fantastic in every one of these places. And one of them is Koffmehl in Solothurn. And Solothurn is the Hochburg (stronghold) of Krokus. You know, it's where Krokus was born. And I spent a long, long time living there as well. And so I'm looking forward to every one of them. And I think we now can soon also announce a gig in Basel, it's where I live. And there's another one close to Bern. So you've got Zurich, Bern, Basel and Solothurn, which is pretty covering the Swiss-German part. And I guess a lot of journalists will be filling up the VIP stalls, you know. So that's a good way to spread the news as fast as possible and get all the critics and reviews and get the ball rolling, you know. I'm really excited about that. Well, the last question, you can understand where it's coming from. As a Maltese fan, I must ask, shall we see you back on stage in Malta? Oh, definitely. I would come straight away. I'd love to come, you know. So I'll be waiting for the call, you know, from I don't know who it's going to be. I know there's a lot of Maltese rock fans out there, different kinds of rock, whether it's metal or doom or hard rock or progressive rock. Rock is rock. [So] And we live on a rock. Yeah. So this is where it started for me. So I would really love to come back. And if not before Christmas, then hopefully when we do the tour in beginning in around March, we're going to start and we'll take it from there. But I think the first gigs before Christmas will tell us a lot about what's going to happen in the future of 2022. Well, around March, the weather over here is fantastic. Thanks, Mark, for stopping by and.. My pleasure. For your patience, in answering my questions. No patience at all. I'm glad to talk through you. I can inform the Maltese rock audience out there. And I always made it a point to do interviews each time I come to Malta, whether I have a new product or not, you know, so just to say hi, hi, everybody. Kif intkom? All right? Footnote: The album ‘Live and Let Live was released on Cream Of Rock. Marc kept his word and performed at the Aria Complex on the 30th September 2022. In a post on his facebook page a few days later Marc wrote:” WOW - MALTA!!! Thank you for your warm & heartfelt "welcome" when I returned to my country of origin with my band STORACE. I left the island as a young man to spread my wings and returned "full circle" 50 years later with our last Friday's show at the Aria Complex here in San Gwann. My daughter Giuliana came along as well and contributed with some vocals. Some of you might remember when I returned for the first time in 1977 with TEA, then with the "Hellraiser" KROKUS line-up [including Dom & Tony that shared the stage with me last Friday] in 2006 & 2007, followed by another TEA show in 2010 and finally with the KROKUS originals in 2017 at this same venue. It's been a long journey during which I never forgot my original musical roots here in Malta! YOU ALL ROCKED!!” In the meantime these last couple of days Krokus announced that they'll hit the stage on 25th August at the Riverside Festival in Aarburg. Interview photos by Vica Mifsud and Serge Danis other photos personal collection of Marc Storace and Noel Mifsud Interview held at ONE productions studios Marsa, November 2021

On Monday 20th March Metal Devastation Radio (from Jackson, Tennessee in the US) announced that Maltese metalcore band Damaged & Co. have won the weekly battle of the bands held online: “Damaged & Co. Wins Battle Of The Bands Last Week On MDR! Coming in with 21,945 votes!” We at Melodija.eu congratulate the band for this success and remind all our followers that one can catch the band live on the 31st March at Aria Complex supporting Finish band Lordi and again on Friday 21st April at Dark Malta. ROCK THE SOUTH 10th EDITION POWERED BY URBAN JUNGLE posted earlier: “We’re ecstatic to present Rock the South Malta’s full lineup for our huge 10th-anniversary edition. Zion will be home to our most explosive lineup yet this 5, 6, 7 May 2023” WEEKEND + SINGLE DAY TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW Weekend tickets available at early bird prices for a limited time only! Two Main Stages Silent Disco/Band in a Camp Stage powered by White Noise __ FRIDAY 5th MAY | 5:30PM → Bo Ningen (JP/UK), Beangrowers, Areola Treat, Michael Azzopardi, Kym Pepe, Cher Camilleri, Roża Radju ĦAJ, The Violent Violets, Alias 1, Estranyesa SATURDAY 6th MAY | 5:30PM → Pulled Apart By Horses (UK), Brodu, AIM (IT), Shoshtakovich’s Nightmare, Massacre House Party, Beesqueeze, The Velts, Edgar Allan Paul Black Plague, Spots and Stripes, Zkeletonz DJ Set (UK) SUNDAY 7th MAY | 2PM → Beheaded, BNI, Club Murder, BILA, Haine, Krishna, Hempifier, Five Years From Now, Dalam, Mirage, Grotium, Ferret, Niket, Morsrot DJ Hades, ĦANEK, Gh⊕s††, CHILD, Tina __ Art + Mascot by Samwel Mallia – with special homage to designs from Panda and Andy Vella’s posters for previous editions. __ SUPPORTED BY Urban Jungle, Festivals Malta, Visit Malta, Cisk, Jägermeister, Amrita Malta, Ziggi Rolling Papers, eCabs, PRS Malta, TSS Sound Rentals Malta, Kewn Records, White Noise Back to Dark Malta: On Tuesday 21st March Hades Events, the organisers of Dark Malta, which this year takes place between the 21st and 23rd April announced the festival’s daily programme on their event page on facebook

20 Years ago a long journey called Hades Events started ... One year later, on the 18th March, their first event with international artist Vitalic was hosted and after that, “ it was a whole roller coaster of emotions, tears, challenges, joy, projects that seemed impossible and more” as posted by Rene Farrugia, founder of Hades Events on fb. "In 5 weeks time we will see each other at Dark Malta Festival 2023, not to forget another The Dungeon Event coming soon, The Malta Deathfest and the 15th anniversary of The Halloween Massacre. Also a jam packed calendar at The Garage , and already 3 foreign dj gigs and more. So yes it's going to be another busy year. For sure I cannot thank you all for the support all these years and for the coming ones too ”. Congratulations from Melodija Team goes out to Rene and surely we cannot thank him enough for all the events and bands we had these past 20 years The Anchorite will return! Anchorite are currently in pre-production of their second album (yet untitled), with Leo Stivala belting out some really EPIC vocals! The band are aiming for a late 2023 release! In a short post Leo stated: "New Anchorite album being composed.. Thanks to Daniel P. Warrington for helping me out with the vocal pre-production sessions." The Viper and the Wolf are finally meeting as they collide in an explosive soup at the speed of light for a night to remember! The event was supposed to be held in April but had to be postponed due to unforeseen circumstances. New date for the event is 12th August at The Garage. In their statement organisers Viper Soup Complex said: "At Viper Soup Complex, we'll join forces with locals Lightspeed Collision and our Italian friends Wolfsinger; for a healthy mix of genres that will provide you with an unforgettable experience Stay tuned for posts and updates!"

In anticipation of the upcoming live shows and soon to be completed full length album Ancient Remains is releasing a new track on streaming services titled ‘A Sorcerer’s Tale’ in the coming days. Ancient Remains upcoming live shows are The Lost And The Damned on 24th March followed with a show during Dark Malta in April. Krishtalk is back and kicking off the season 2 with a BANG! And a thrilling guest, the one and only Baż Żaz Get ready for some serious fun and exciting conversations, folks! Krishtalk can be listened here The Malta Trust Foundation (VO1761) is organising a concert with the musical band SKALD. The event is going to be held at Razzett l-Antik in Qormi on 30th April 2023 (eve of a public holiday). Doors will be open at 08:00 p.m. Tickets can be bought from the here As a non-profit organisation, the Foundation runs entirely on donations and CSR. This concert is being organised as a fundraising event which is part of the Foundation’s annual fundraising telethon which will be held later this year. Skald is a musical band consisting of five members and who sing passionately in the Maltese language. They have a lot of original songs and along the year they participated in events like Ghanafest, Notte Bianca, Earth Garden and the Beer Festival. They also had the opportunity to organise a "Skaldatura" at Teatru Manoel. Skald are already working on their second album. This event is being supported by the band SKALD, Razzett l-Antik, BESTEAM Audio and ShowsHappening. All the money from this concert are going to charity! In a post on social media Hemplifier announced that: "We are proud to unveil our debut album - The Stoner Side of the Doom! Artwork done by our own Baż Żaz! " Details regarding album which shall be available in Black Vinyl (ltd to 250), Yellow/Smoke Vinyl (ltd to 220), Ultra LTD “Hemp Edition” (ltd to 30) and digital shall ne released on June 2nd. Pre-order date: March 30 (18:00 CET) "We recorded our debut album ‘The Stoner Side of the Doom’ live during September 2021 at the local Cornerhouse Studios. The album consists of 6 tracks from which 1 track, with the name of ‘Weedcraft’, we have already released as a single on the same YouTube channel of ours on the 17th of November. ‘Weedcraft’ got also a very good response & was shared by many others such as the renowned 666MrDoom www.electricvalleyrecords.com www.evrecords.bandcamp.com

Official Announcement by Dark Malta organisation on Friday 18th March: Unfortunately in the Last Days we had been informed by the Blutengel Management that their show at Dark Malta Festival 2023 is going to be cancelled for Medical Reasons. With Only 5 Weekends to Go, this couple of Days had been a race against time to find another Headliner for Saturday. While the Dark Malta crew wishes a speedy recovery to the Band Member, we are sure that the band that is replacing Blutengel, for the Saturday Headline Spot will rock Dark Malta Festival ... This was quickly followed by another post announcing the new headliners for Saturday 22nd April: This 2 days were a race against time, but now We Are Very Happy to Announce AND ONE as the Headliners for Saturday 22nd April at Dark Malta Festival 2023 ... A Big Thanks and Lots of Gratitude goes to AND ONE and Kai for making this possible in such short notice ... Are you ready for a Military Fashion Show? Friday 18th march witnessed the debut live appearance of yet another band, a trio, who are still in their early youths. Halcyon is formed by Zain Gauci (Saint Vermin, Chaotic Remains) on guitar and vocals, Alexander James (Damaged & Co.) on bass and vocals and Venezuelan, Victor Hugo Rivera Barreiro on drums. Originally their debut was supposed to happen some weeks ago in Valletta with the superb lighted city as a backdrop, but due to weather conditions it was postponed. Maybe this accident was in a way a blessing because the sheer brutality they showed on stage at The Garage left the crowd want more, and if there weren’t any bands following the audience would have got more. But Halcyon’s debut marked also the commencement of Club Murder’s Double Murder occasion (with A Broken Design and Club Murder on Friday’s bill and Luciferi Regnum, Morsrot, Lady lizard and a different set by Club Murder on Saturday) Halcyon project themselves as technical death metal, but the influence of the old school establishment is highly visible, (in fact they performed covers of songs by Death and Sepultura). What is sure about this band is the sense of humour Zain possesses. Definitely a band to look out for and after this performance I’m sure many are eagerly awaiting their debut recordings, hopefully in a very near future. Official statement from Rock The South organisation on March 16th read: 10 years of music, 10 years of alternative sound and culture blasting throughout Zion with hundreds of bands occupying these stages and thousands of you making endless memories with us Together with you, we have created this meeting space for local and international artists and live music fans alike, setting the bar for new scenes and subcultures every time Thank you, Panda for the wonderful visual identity and poster designs throughout the years, alongside Andy Vella for last year's stellar artwork. Annie Jäger Sci and Chris Mal for filming every year, and Videocafe taking over from last year. Special thank you to our home of Zion Bar & Restaurant, with us since day one, alongside all our crew, partners, and all incredible participating artists part of every edition. Thank you to all of you festival goers, for your constant support and excitement throughout the years Rock the South 10th edition on the 5th 6th and 7th of May full lineup will be out NEXT WEEK together with single-day tickets Weekend Early bird tickets are still available here

On 23rd March Crowd Force Booking announced the 'Decapitating Europe Tour 2023' featuring brutal death metal outfit Abysmal Torment alongside Molested Divinity (Turkey), Carnivore Diprosopus (Columbia) and Kakothanasy (Switzerland). The tour is set to commence on May 18th at the 'Nice To Eat you Deathfest' in the Czech Republic, moving through Germany, Belgium and Switzerland and with more dates to be announced. Abysmal Torment formed in 2000 (after changing the name from Molested) and has released their first EP (Incised Wound Suicide) four years later. Their debut full length album 'Epoch of Methodic Carnage' was released in 2006, followed by Omnicide (2009), Cultivate the Apostate (2014) and The Misanthrope in 2018. Melodija Team wishes all the luck to the band and we hope to see the band on stage in Malta very soon! Whilst thanking their fans for the support chill-out/fusion band Cushion announced the arrival of their EP 'Reborn' on Friday 24th March. "Exciting news! Our EP called Reborn is finally here! We’ve been working hard on this project and we can’t wait for you to listen to it. It’s available on all major streaming platforms. Thank you for your support and we hope you enjoy it!", read their Facebook post in which they also thanked Blacklight Studios and singers Analise , Julie Pomorski , Nadine Axisa and Fiona Cauchi who guested on the EP. Cushion, a Fusion band of Indian and cosmopolitan sounds which is based in Malta, offers a very interesting mid tempo fusion of western and eastern chill-out music, mostly inclined towards the sound of India, with dominant sitar licks, eastern inclinations on vocal threads, backed with sublime ambience from the keys, and interesting bass and drum patterns to wrap it all up. (From Cushion official bio on the band's website)

Gianluca Bezzina, a former Eurovision participant, emerged as the winner of the third installment of Mużika Mużika on Saturday night with his song "Sabiħa," written by Joe Julian Farrugia and composed by Philip Vella. A doctor by profession, Bezzina is no stranger to the stage, having represented Malta in the Eurovision Song Contest a decade ago in Sweden and placing eighth. In his remarks, Bezzina expressed his surprise at winning, stating that he was content with his performance and savouring the moment. The runners-up were Drakard and Lisa Gauci with their song 'Jekk Mhux Int,' and Jasmine Abela with 'M'hawnx Bħalek' ranked third. In addition, Maestro Ryan Paul Abela was awarded Best Musical Arrangement, and Jasmin Abela won the Best Interpretation award. Mużika Mużika, has grown into one of the most prominent platforms for showcasing Maltese songs and artists. The festival, held at Ta' Qali MFCC and hosted by Keith Demicoli, Moira Delia, and Claire Agius. The last weekend of March is upon us with a major event organized by Rock 'N Malta, to be followed by another one on the following night, this time organized by the guys that brought Therion to our shores. On the 31st March, a public holiday on the island, Rock 'N Malta presents Lordi at the Aria Complex, San Gwann. The Finnish band was formed in 1992 by Tomi Petteri Putaansuu (Mr. Lordi) who is the band's lead singer, songwriter, and costume maker. The band first success came in 2002 with their hit single "Would You Love a Monsterman?” but are probably most famous for their triumph in the Eurovision Song Contest of 2006 with their song "Hard Rock Hallelujah". The band’s discography boasts 17 studio albums and 3 compilations, plus numerous singles, and music videos. On the night Damaged & Co. fresh from the launch of their debut album ‘Life’s Grand Delusion’ last February. Tickets for this event costs €25 and can be bought here. Less than 24hours later The Garage hosts Spanish Melodic Doom/Death metal band Evadne on their second visit to Malta (having played the Malta Doom Metal Festival in 2012). Evadne was formed in Valencia in 2003 although they performed for three years prior under the name of Hexenprozesse. Influenced by classica Doom/Death metal bands of the 90's their sound is based on melancholy, a desperate and devoted attempt to establish a sound that cries for the deepest, most arcane and saddest feelings in humans. In 2004 the band released its debut demo 'In Bitterness Of Our Souls'. The demo is currently sold out after selling all 1000 copies issued. Their first full length album was released in 2007 (The 13th Condition) and since then released 3 more, with the last one being The Pale Light Of the Fireflies on the 24th December 2021. Chaotic Remains are the support band on the night and tickets are €10 and can be bought from the door. Festivals Malta events for 2023, includes a new addition in November called The Early Opera and Music Festival. The calendar which started with the Valletta Baroque Festival in January, Carnival in February and Mużika Mużika in March continues with Ritmu and The Malta International Arts Festival in June, The Malta Jazz Festival and Dance Festival Malta in July, Notte Bianca in October, and The Three Palaces Festival and The Early Opera and Music Festival in November. In addition to these events, Festivals Malta is responsible for organizing five national events and backs Rock ‘N Malta events, supporting the rock community in Malta. Learn more about Festivals Malta's upcoming events here

Just 8 months after the initial CD release, ZABBETH will now also be available on VINYL!! in a limited number. A launch party for this occasion shall be held at Kickstart Rock Bar on Sunday 30th April. Other merch such as CDs, T-Shirts, and Patches will be available at the event with bundle offers to be announced soon! Autism awareness in new single by Different Minds and other fresh singles April is the autism awareness month and local band Different Minds launched their new single ‘Different Not Less’ about this theme. Lyrics emphasize for more awareness about the abilities of autistic individuals and the importance to integrate them by offering them opportunities in life. The lyrics of the song were written by the band’s acoustic guitarrist Jason and his daughter Nicole Mizzi. Music by the singer Robert G and musical arrangements from the other band members – Elton Abela on piano, Godwin Debono on bass guitar, Jeff Hailey on electric guitar and Julio Guintero on drums. Production by Cyprian Cassar. ‘Different Not Lesss’ is the sixth single from Different Minds in recent years with the most popular amongst them are ‘Across the Borderline’ and ‘Helping Hand’. The band can be followed by liking their FB page – Different Minds Malta. Check the song here. Aidan Somers, a diverse artist and producer from Malta has just released his debut single titled ‘Alone’ His work showcases a variety of influences which broadly range from ambient to emotive, as well as melancholic and electronic music. Whether it's composing as 'Aidan Somers' or 'Alias 1' his electronic project, both have gained traction in the local and international scene, with releases on several record labels and working with established local artists. ‘Alone’ can be listened here Another new track is called Drilly, delivered by Bruce Samut who composed and sang with backing band made up of David Cassar Torreggiani on guitars, Antoine Tonna on bass and Patrick Camilleri on drums with both music and video production by David Depasquale at SpineSplitter Studio and can be heard here. Behold The Wolves is a one-man band from Malta specialising in industrial metal with a tint of progressive. In May 2020 his single ‘Fallin’’ appeared on Spotify with ‘Gone’ following it on 27th November 2021. His third single emerged on 29th March 2023, it’s called ‘In-Nofs’ and as the previous songs was released on 1865065 Records DK. As one can guess from the title the song is in Maltese. 'In-Nofs' is on spotify

Sonic Storm parts with guitarist and announce release dates On 4th April Sonic Storm announced that guitarist Sean Attard has left the band: "It is with a heavy heart that we announce that our good friend Sean has left Sonic Storm. We have really enjoyed having Sean on board for the past year, sharing riffs, ideas, gigs, beers and (a lot of) laughs. We are really thankful and would like to wish Sean all the very best for his future endeavors, on whichever instrument he decides he wants to play". In the meantime Sean posted his gratitude towards the band: "Thank you guys for the opportunity and experience! I'll cherish the memories! Good luck for the future! " A few hours later the band revealed the artwork of their debut album 'Keys to your Ruin' which will be released later this year after releasing their second single 'Web of Corruption' on the 26th April 2023. We wish both parties on their future adventures. Bitterside single no.3 from their comeback album LOW is the third single by Bitterside from their 3rd album Perception, released on 26th september 2022. In a short post on their Facebook page the band stated that: 'Low' is a piano driven ballad that was written 20 years ago in what feels like a different life. The song cuts through the soul, highlighting the complexity of how much we want to end a relationship but at the same time wanting to hold onto it". Listen to LOW on all local radio stations or here Massacre House Party signs with Kewn Records Kewn Records issued a short press release which read: "They don't do house, but they like to party - Massacre House Party are a surfy garage, post-punky, indie rock band who've been charming the tiny sunny island of Malta with their catchy, body moving tunes. Coolness has never been so proud to have as its ambassadors a trio, who joined forces even unknown to their good selves, to play a string of memorable live shows and unleash blistering, poppy singles to the people out there, as long as they enjoy themselves too. Welcome to the Kewn Records Family!" All of us at Melodija.eu congratulate both Massacre House Party and Kewn Records.

**HEATSTROKES IS NOW ON MELODIJA.EU** We're happy to announce that now you can listen to Heatstrokes on melodija.eu. Heatstrokes is a weekly metal show airing on allRock Dab Radio since March 2011 and presented by Noel Mifsud. Since day one the show for metalheads of all ages promoted the local scene as much as new music from all around the globe with interviews and promotions. Illustrious artists both Maltese and foreigners have appeared on the show, too many to mention. ​ The weekly show airs every Sunday 6pm with repeats throughout the week and is now available here on Melodija.eu. Check it out ➡ https://www.melodija.eu/heatstrokes Rock The South launched officially with unplugged live session Rock The South was officially launched on Thursday 6th April with an unplugged set by Beesqueeze and Italian artist Yung Belial, plus a few words from organiser Nick Morales. The event took place at one of the sponsors (Urban Jungle) outlet in Tigne Point, Sliema. On 8th April Black Plague hosted the festival’s official pre-party with the participation of Yung Belial, Eddie Fresco, Caro Etern, and one of the newer names on the block who merges his metal upbringing with melodic rap Kodin Hill. The 10th edition of Rock The South takes place at Zion Bar & Restaurant from the 5th till the 7th of April and tickets can be bought from here. Checkmate unveils new guitarist just hours before gig With just a few hours left for the band to hit the stage, Checkmate posted the following message on their Facebook page: "It is with a heavy heart that we announce the departure of our lead guitarist Denis Grubic who has left the band due to personal reasons. Denis has been an invaluable member of our band, and we are deeply grateful for his contributions, talent, and passion for music during his time with us. We wish him all the best in his new chapter, and we will miss him greatly." The message continued: "On the other hand, we are excited to introduce our new lead guitarist, Adam Bonello. Adam has an impressive track record in the music industry, having played with acclaimed acts such as Ira Losco's band, The Lesser Gods, and The Characters. With his musical experience and expertise, we are confident that Adam will bring fresh and innovative sounds to our band and captivate our audiences with his exceptional skills. Our band is committed to producing quality music and delivering great performances, and we are excited to continue our journey with Adam as our lead guitarist", whilst thanking everyone for the continuous support and loyalty to the band. Dark Malta bands' running orders announced With only a few days left for Malta's darkest festival Hades Events have announced the bands' running orders (below). Dark Malta takes place at Gianpula Main Room between the 21st April and the 23rd. Organiser Rene Farrugia shall be Noel Mifsud's guest on Heatstrokes which shall air on Sunday 16th April. In the meantime take a look at what Alessandro Schümperlin had to say about his experience at last year's edition when his band Blut shared the stage with more than twenty other bands here. Tickets for this year's edition can be bought from here live bands photos by Noel Mifsud

Kewn Records add yet another band to its roster In a short post (reproduced below) on their Facebook page Kewn Records announced the signing of yet another band, Dalam. In the same post the records company also revealed details of Dalam debut release. 'Proud to announce the signing of the backing band to Malta’s construction noise - DALAM ! 'HEADLINES', the band’s debut EP, is an introduction to DALAM’s sardonic brand of noise rock and hardcore. The four tracks feature stories that would make the news in a parallel world where Malta is just slightly more bizarre. Engineered, mixed, and mastered at Hell Next Door Studios.' 'Headlines' is out later this year via Kewn Records. Dalam are: Malcolm Alden - Vocals Kurt Pace - Guitar Ben Mifsud Joslin - Bass guitar, vocals Andrew Mifsud - Drums Dalam shall perform at RTS on Sunday 7th May. The return of 'Il Bestia' This year Rock The South not only marks its 10th anniversary, but also the return of Loathe's vocalist David "Beast" Fenech on stage after a four year absence, this time fronting 'newcomers' Niket, a project started by Nicholas Bonello as a solo project in 2019. Niket's show at RTS, in fact is the band's stage debut. In a post on his Facebook page David expressed: " It's been nearly 4 years since I performed Live with Loathe, unfortunately we're going thru a neverending Hiatus at the moment but we ain't gone yet expect some Good news soon... Meanwhile a few years ago a very extraordinary and wonderful Individual contacted me telling me he had this Dream he wanted to fulfill and wanted me to do vocals... He told me something that I'll never forget and brought tears to my eyes plus flattery and appreciation - He said till now you are the most Painful and Desperate Voice I have ever heard in the Maltese Scene and that's why I want you in this... With this I felt that all I ever wanted to achieve as a vocalist with Loathe was reached thus becoming the Birth of Niket 🖤 So finally after our Debut EP self titled Niket we're performing for the first time Live at Rock The South Malta and since were beginners (LOL!) were playing a bit early in the afternoon so it would be lovely to see a lot of you Guys and Girls catch us Live and Enjoy our Show. Thanks and Hope to see you there Deepest Respect The Beast Niket released their debut eponymous EP on 22nd October 2021on Kewn Records and shall hit the stage at RTS as Dalam, on Sunday 7th May. Juan Xerri to fill for Mark Spiteri on vocal duties at The Garage this weekend At noon on Friday 14th April the following statement was released by Lord Adder on the band's page on Facebook: "Earlier this week, our frontman and bassist - Mark (Crusher) was hit with a really mean throat allergy which had a severe (temporary) effect on his voice making him unable to reach certain notes. Given that the concert was to happen in a few days' time, there was no way we would cancel this gig after months of preparation from both us and Soul. At the same time, though, we truly value your experience more than anything, and anyone who's been following us through the years can (hopefully) vouch for that. In comes Juan Xerri, most of you may know him either from previous guest appearances with us or as the frontman of great bands such as Animamortua and previously Relicuia. Yesterday's rehearsal was great and we look forward to sharing with you the final result tomorrow. Join us in welcoming Juan as part of The Gut's lineup!" Whilst all of us from Melodija.eu yearn a speedy recovery to Mark, we are sure that Juan shall rise to the occasion and deliver, as he always did. The Gut is happening on Saturday 15th April at The Garage

Night(s) of debuts Last weekend The Garage witnessed three debuts (not counting the Hawaiian attire The Drowning Sorrow came out on stage in). They were part of the lineup making up Realm Of The Forgotten with Sahhar and Weeping Silence. Attire apart, The Drowning Sorrow delivered one hell of a set, followed by an excellent performance by Sahhar. But as the title of this piece suggests, let's take a look at the debuts we had during this weekend. The first was delivered by Weeping Silence.... The band's set was made up of new songs (set list in photo) that should see the light of day physically by the end of 2023, unleashing a 16 minute prog metal epic titled "The Legend Of Matteo Falzon" (debuted live for the first time). It tells the story/legend of a Maltese sorcerer named Matteo Falzon, who was judged by the Inquisition. He managed to escape, some even saying he vanished into thin air in front of the Inquisitor. He fled to Sicily, where he instructed a slave to kill him and cut his body into pieces, burying them so that he would be able to reincarnate later on. The servant obeyed but was caught by the Inquisition and revealed the place he had buried the sorcerer after he was tortured. When they opened the tomb, legend goes that the body and bones had started reuniting, so they burned them immediately, destroying the magical powers off completely. ​ As the remaining songs in the band's set list shows, the new songs have the Maltese folklore and legends as their topic. But we were not done of debuts for the weekend..... Saturday evening saw the debut gig of newcomers 'Soul' a band formed by teens, playing music their parents used to listen to in rock bars in Paceville in the 90's. Soul has been together for not more than four months, although the energy they showed on Saturday one would think they have been playing together for years. They also debuted an original song called Dirt, a song written in the same vein as the covers they performed on the night. Soul supported veteran band Lord Adder who organised the event titled The Gut (a Lord adder song about past life in Strait Street, and which was given a new aspect some days ago when the band released it with Maltese lyrics. As we mentioned last week, Lord Adder's frontman Mark Spiteri was unable to sing due to a mean throat allergy. As was also mentioned Juan Xerri filled in for Mark on vocals duties, with Mark playing bass and (sometimes) backing vocals. We all know the capabilities of Juan, but Saturday he exceeded all expectations with a brilliant performance which truly showed the professionalism of Animamortua's singer. Aaron comes out of hibernation A short post by guitarist/bassist Aaron Dimech on his Facebook page and a music video on Youtube announced his 'retirement' is over. As Aaron put it himself: "I've been absent from the music scene for quite some time, as the most of you are aware. I quit performing music altogether since I was feeling a little burnt out. Since then, I have avoided playing an instrument and averting any musical activities in favour of concentrating on other things. However, I've been attempting to get back to it lately by beginning to just play in private, but for some reason it is challenging for me to stand up again. So, I bought a new 8 string (an Ibanez RG8-WH). Nothing pricey or extravagant. Just something to get me motivated to start writing again. So I wrote this piece of music and I wanted to share with all of you." 'Cordyceps' was inspired by 'The Last of Us', a videogame & now also a television series and the video can be seen here. Dark Malta latest news Dark Malta is set to lift up its curtains on Friday afternoon. This honour falls on locals Damaged & Co. who are part of a lineup made up of another twenty three acts. Our latest news comes from the other two locals on the bill. Ancient Remains announced earlier this week that their show is set to be enhanced: "For this special live show we will be joined by 10PAH who will be travelling to Malta to accompany the set with a live stage performance art and prose. Additionally we are pleased to announce that the visual artist Damian Daly, who will also be present, has prepared a 40 minute projection to compliment the live set. Below you can read comments on Mr Dalys work. Ethereal, fractured, collage like Drawings, made up of a network of delicate and intricate lines and marks, a mix of fluid and subconscious versus detailed deliberate and disjointed. Sometimes uncomfortable and sometimes forming a sublime, pleasurable order. People as constructs, pieced together by inner or outside forces or agencies. Complex emotional and psychic states battle and coexist within a kind of meta/physical body or meta body. Imagery and inspiration taken from anywhere and everywhere, built around personal or projected unconscious desires, deliberate intentions and exploratory psychic excavations. Marvel meets Renaissance. Fractured sensuality. Damian Daly's work draws from the fashion and symbolism of various cultures, yet he slashes them up and presents them in fractured, broken poses like great fleshy cyborgs, beautiful and incomplete". Ancient Remains hit the stage on Sunday 15.30, followed by Xitan at 16.30, who announced that he'll be accompanied on stage by Veronique Meeuwsen (stage name La Vero) as guest. Ġenn new single out As befitting a band who take their name from the Maltese word for frenzy, ĠENN thrive amongst chaos. It's this unique outlook and tight-knit gang mentality that make ĠENN such a thrilling proposition musically, as evidenced on Liminal EP released March 2021. A Reprise (That Girl) - 18 April Release Now the band have just released a new single tilted 'A Reprise (That Girl)' on social media platforms. Video can be seen here.

Maleth Crucis finalising debut Maleth Crucis have announced that work on their debut EP is well under way and the band has got five out of six songs ready, while also working on the artwork. Maleth Crucis (death metal) was formed in June 2020 by Carlo Calamatta (song writer & guitarist) and Michael Grech Sammut (vocals). With bassist Joseph Camilleri joining just after the name Maleth Crucis was chosen. The name comes from both Phoenician and Latin language. Maleth was the name given to our country, Malta, during the Carthaginians rule around the year 480 B.C. While Crucis is the Latin word for Cross which is directly linked to the knights of Saint John. In 2020 Michael and Carlo got the rights and ownership of a song they have written in 1992 transferred from Lithomancy to Maleth Crucis. The song titled ‘Witness of Eternity’, was reconstructed and rearranged, retaining the most important riffs that sums up its character. Both Carlo and Michael are founders of the local death metal band Lithomancy. ‘Witness of Eternity’ was released on 16th August 2020. Footprints’ Vince Farrugia passes away News that Footprints’ Vince Farrugia has passed away was announced on the band's Facebook page around 6pm on Wednesday 19th April. Post read: "The band is saddened by the news that Vince Farrugia has passed away. Vince used to play the drums with Footprints during the first years of the band in the early 2000's. Our prayers to Vince and condolences to his family." Footprints have contributed greatly to the local scene, especially in the contemporary Christian one. All at Melodija offer our heartfelt condolences to Vince's family and friends. Debut single by Atomic Flame Atomic Flame debuted live on the 21st January at The Garage and since then have been working on recording new material. The debut single titled ‘Innocence Become Prey’ shall be released on May 1st and the band shall return on stage on the 27th alongside Delirium MT at The Garage in an event labelled Burnout. Farsons Beer Festival announces dates In a short post on their facebook page Farsons Beer Festival announced the dates and place for this year’s edition. This is the 41st edition of The Farsons Beer Festival and it’ll take place in Ta’ Qali’s picnic area between the 27th July and 5th August. The festival is one of Malta’s hottest summer celebrations. Running over 10 days, this summer outdoor festival brings together the best local music, beer and entertainment and is one of Malta’s most awaited summer annual events, drawing thousands of festival goers every night. Follow Melodija.eu for more updates and band announcements in the near future.

Travellers at the Palace for il-Festa tal-Festi Il-Festa tal-Festi is set to take place at Verdala Palace on Saturday, 29th April, promising an unforgettable day celebrating all things Maltese Festa! And to top it all off, the night will end with a concert by the renowned Maltese band, The Travellers Organisers 'Ponder & Pitch' advised: "You won't want to miss this unforgettable celebration at Verdala Palace as the sounds of traditional Maltese band music fill the air Join us at the Verdala Palace for an impeccable night which celebrates the traditional Maltese feast. Dive into various exhibitions, street decorations, educational programmes, traditional Maltese bands and so much more! Be a part of the celebration, tickets are very limited!" Tickets Link - https://mccf.store/info/25 Maleth Crucis announce debut release's name On Monday 25th April the band issued the following statement on their Facebook's band page: "Releasing our EP has become a massive priority for us. the title we chose for this debut is 'HISTORIA NOSTRA'. We are in the final stages of recording. We thank you for the support you have shown, keep tuned to our page...more info to be released soon." Band photography - Maria Catania Beesqueeze sign to Kewn Records On Friday 21st April Kewn Records issued the following statement announcing another addition to their already rick roster: "Welcome to the Kewn Records family Beesqueeze ! Beesqueeze is a Maltese high-power indie pop rock trio, consisting of Kriz Haze (guitar, synth and vox) & Chris Lee (drums, vox, guitar and fx) & Erick Saliba (bass) who joined the band later - three individuals full of energy! Beesqueeze describe their music as 'Alterdelic' (alternative / psychedelic) rock, and rightly so, as their sound is a pumpy and vibrant combination of alternative rock mixed with psychedelic pop influenced by acts such as The Strokes, MGMT, Tame Impala, Gorillaz, Arcade Fire and The Pixies. Their first EP 'Crowd Control' was released in 2017 and showed the band's take on finding a crispy sound. In 2020 recording sessions for their first album started in their tiny home studio. The band is experimenting with a variety of electronic sounds, beats and rhythms on these tracks, whilst maintaining a warm rawness to it. In 2020 they've released 3 tracks all accompanied with a music video shot, directed and edited by the band itself. The Bees are finishing the last few songs to be released with Kewn Records later this year! Beesqueeze is an explosive live band worth watching and being part of their energetic shows!" Melodija Team congratulates both parties on yet another milestone achieved.

New Music..... Sonic Storm has just released their second single titled 'Web Of Corruption', taken from their debut album 'Keys To Your Ruin'. Song was mixed and mastered by Peter Grech, with artwork by Headsplit Design while the video was produced and edited by Paul Formosa and can be viewed here. This was revealed in a short post on their Facebook page the band, in which the band also showed gratitude to a number of people: "We would like to show our gratitude to a number of people who have always supported us as individual musicians as well as a band: Rene Hades Farrugia & Darren Borg - The Garage/ Kickstart Rock Bar Matthew Mercieca - MadGiant Media Our brothers in Angelcrypt and Ascendor Former members: Robert Friggieri | Edward Tagliaferro | Sean Attard Steve Lombardo - For being ever-present at every gig, making us sound better than we are Noel Mifsud - allRock / Melodija.eu | Michael Bugeja - Rockna - Ir-Rock taghna l-Maltin Joshua Micallef and all at Thrash Metal - Malta Our families and loved ones, especially Denise Vella for their constant support ...THANK YOU! Stay Metal Everyone! Francesco | Karl | Paul " On their social media page Death Metal band Maleth Crucis posted information about a new song called 'Saulos Tarseus': "The second track in the EP ' Historia Nostra'. Saulos takes us back to 60AD and relate the story of the ruthless (and) annihilator of Christians, his conversion to Christianity, his shipwreck on our island and his demise by decapitation." Summer is but a few weeks away, and with summer we get summer festivals and Mana Tapu. Just a few days before they hit the stage at this year's edition of Earth Garden, the band announced that they'll be opening the season by releasing a new music video for the song 'Shulama' Stay tuned for more information in the coming days. 28th April 2023, marks the release of Aidan Somers'1st ever full length album, promising many more to come towards the end of the year! 'The All Encompassing Spectrum' is a journey into downtempo, world, psychill, and electronica experimental. Projects created between 2019 and 2022 finding the light of day in this body of work. The album features collaborations with talented artists, Alias1, Kyle Drakard, Eliza and Patryk Cutajar. The album is on spotify and can be listened here. More news....from Prague Different Light is a prog band, now based in Prague. Originally formed in 1994 by Trevor Tabone in Malta, they ended the first chapter in 1999. Trevor moved to Prague, where in 2008 decided to reform the band. Today's line-up features Trevor Tabone on vocals and keyboards with Jirka Matoušek (bass), Petr Lux (guitar and backing vocals) and David Filák (drums). The band are "soldiering on with the production of 'Binary suns 2'" (Facebook post). "Unfortunately our record label is no more and so this has added to the delay of the release of the album. We're hoping to release a single very soon to give you a taste of what's to come, whilst at the same time looking for a new label (if you have any recommendations please mail us at: differentlightsound@gmail.com). We guarantee that it'll be worth the wait (as always ) so thanks for your patience". Binary Suns (Part 1 - Operant Condition) was releasedin 2020.

Devil’s Breath in collaboration with Russian producer Massiath has had a song included in Dark Ambient Volume 25 compilation released by Sombre Soniks on bandcamp. The song is titled ‘Forest Wanderers’ falls under the Ritual Noise Ambient as a genre, although it also possesses drone and industrial influences and can be listened here Released on 20th March the compilation can be listened, bought and downloaded from here Devil's Breath ft. Cultura Obscura & [Dis]event. Influenced by Dark Ambient, Industrial, Ritual, Tribal & certain aspects of Techno, both came together with the notion 'music is an artistic concept with no restrictions'. The band work in partnership with Massiath on a label entitled Music Analysis Discussions Records. The third edition of Muzika Muzika takes place this coming weekend commencing on Thursday 23rd till the 25th March at the MFCC Ta’ Qali. The twenty songs participating, celebrates, as does the festival, the Maltese song in its native language. Although this is the third edition, the 'Malta Song Festival' knows a humble beginning when a small group, Żgħażagħ Ħaddiema Nsara (ŻĦN) organized the first music festival on the island in 1960. The 'Festival Internazzjonali tal-Kanzunetta Maltija’ was officially initiated in 1981, with the idea that Maltese music, together with local singers, authors and composers, would reach international recognition. Unfortunately, it was abruptly stopped in 2002 after twenty years, to the astonishment of festival fans and musicians. After eleven years this festival returned in 2013, but did not continue after that year, except once in July 2016 under the name of 'The Song of the People - Festival of the Maltese Song'. In 2021, the festival returned with a bang, under the umbrella of Festivals Malta, with the new name of 'Mużika Mużika - Festival Kanzunetta Maltija' and is finally being given the prestige it so deserves. On 21st March It's Psychedelic Baby Magazine premiered Hemplifier’s new single ‘Brujo’ taken from the upcoming debut album ‘The Stoner Side Of The Doom’, out on June 2nd via Electric Valley Records Live footage used in the video was filmed by Matthew Mercieca (MadGiant Media) during Haunting The Theatre and Reeferfest, while Nicholas Bonello (Bonello Media) filmed ‘Frequencies From Another Dimension – Live From Our Rehearsal Spacecraft!’ Released in November 2021 ‘Brujo’ can be viewed here ‘Frequencies From Another Dimension – Live From Our Rehearsal Spacecraft!’ features four songs (Headless Chicken, Brujo, Weedabix and Gort and can be viewed in its entirety here ‘The Stoner Side Of The Doom’ Pre-order date: March 30 (18:00 CET) Stay Hemplified!

Rock The South is only a few days away….here’s the band schedule for the weekend. FRIDAY 5th MAY - Doors open 5:30PM 🔈 Bo Ningen (JP/UK), Beangrowers, Areola Treat, Michael Azzopardi, Kym Pepe, Cher Camilleri, roża 🎧 Radju ĦAJ, The Violent Violets, Alias 1, Estranyesa SATURDAY 6th MAY - Doors open 5:30PM 🔈 Pulled Apart By Horses (UK), Brodu, AIM (IT), Shoshtakovich’s Nightmare, Massacre House Party, Beesqueeze, The Velts, Edgar Allan Paul 🎧 Black Plague, Spots and Stripes, Zkeletonz DJ Set (UK) SUNDAY 7th MAY - Doors open 2PM 🔈 Beheaded, BNI, Club Murder, BILA, Haine, Krishna, Hempifier, Five Years From Now, Dalam, Mirage, Grotium, Ferret, Niket, Morsrot 🎧 DJ Hades, ĦANEK, Gh⊕s††, CHILD, Tina 🔈 = stages 🎧 = silent disco More information can be found on https://rockthesouthmalta.com and the event's Facebbok page. New music from Ferret & Kill The Action In lieu of their performance at Rock The South this weekend Ferret have decided to release an early in-house recording of one of their songs, which will be appearing on the band’s EP set to be released later on this year. The song was mixed by the band’s guitarist Anthony Micallef and is titled ‘Cheeky Breeky (Garage Release). Song can be listened here. Kill The Action is an electronic rock band, famous for their energetic live shows. While the band is in full preparation for their EP launch in the coming weeks, Kill The action shall release a new single titled 'Zero Infinity' accompanied with a video on 10th May and can be pre-saved here. The Band's Visit in Valletta From May 6 to 14, the Manoel Theatre in Valletta will be hosting a production of The Band's Visit, which was awarded 10 Tony Awards, including best musical. This unconventional story, adapted from Eran Kolirin's 2007 film, takes place in a remote Israeli town where a group of disoriented Egyptian musicians suddenly appear. Against the backdrop of the desert sky, the provincial Israeli hosts and the band cautiously draw closer to one another, sharing food, secrets, pain, and music. The cast of actor-musicians will perform a score by David Yazbek and a book by Itamar Moses. Revamp.mt is presenting the show in Malta, and tickets are available here. Dark Malta 2024 Many of us are still reminiscing the incredible three days at Gianpula Village last month....most hoping that Hades Events announce Dark Malta 2024.....well mark your calendars and book you leave. The dates for the 5th edition of Dark Malta are: