The fast-rising Marcus King Band have announced their new album, Carolina Confessions, set for release on October 5 via Snakefarm Records. Produced and mixed by Grammy award-winner Dave Cobb (Chris Stapleton / Sturgill Simpson) at Nashville’s iconic RCA Studio A, this third album sees 22-year-old Marcus and his band taking a major leap forwards in terms of song-writing, production, musical dexterity and emotional weight. The featured tracks, including lead UK single ‘Welcome ’Round Here’, a potent mix of blues-soaked guitars and intoxicating crescendos, find the group’s trademark sound buoyed by a new narrative depth, as Marcus delves into heavy themes: absolution, guilt, leaving home, yearning, love and other affairs of the soul.

The album showcases 10 brand new songs, all penned by Marcus except for ‘How Long’, a co-write with The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach and veteran songwriter Pat McLaughlin. Whether it’s the searing rock exorcism of ‘Confessions’ or the propulsive road-bound soul of ‘Where I’m Headed’, Marcus – born and raised in Greenville, South Carolina – exhibits an almost Southern gothic sensibility in his songs, owning up to failed relationships, portraying his complex connection with his hometown, and generally displaying an expansive musical firmament in the process.

A Blue Ridge Mountain boy, King has been writing songs and performing onstage for half of his lifetime and fronting his own groups for nearly a decade. Since he was a teenager, he’s been trading licks with famous fans and mentors Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks – indeed, so blown away was Haynes by the then-19-year-old that he signed King to his Evil Teen label, releasing the band’s debut album, Soul Insight, in 2015 and producing the self-titled follow-up a year later.

Simply, Marcus and his five band-mates – drummer Jack Ryan, bass player Stephen Campbell, trumpeter / trombonist Justin Johnson, sax player Dean Mitchell and keyboard player DeShawn ‘D-Vibes’ Alexander – are on a mission to create a fresh musical experience effortlessly combining rock, blues and soul into a dynamic and atmospheric sound.

The UK dates in October come in the wake of a huge US run taking in shows on the Tedeschi Trucks Band's Wheels of Soul Tour, plus headline appearances in New York, Boston, Nashville, San Francisco and Los Angeles. King also has his own ‘Family Reunion’ music festival in North Carolina.

OCTOBER 2018 UK TOUR DATES

25th – Bristol, The Fleece

26th – London, Islington Assembly Hall

27th – Manchester, Night & Day Café

28th – Glasgow, Stereo 

Europe's biggest crossover band, Rise Of The Northstar, have released a brand new track 'This Is Crossover'. The song comes off the band's upcoming second full-length album, The Legacy Of Shi.

The Legacy Of Shi will be released on October 19 via Nuclear Blast (Sharptone Records in the USA, Ward Records in Japan) and was recorded with Gojira's Joe Duplantier in his Brooklyn, NY-based Silver Cord Studios. The album will contain 11 brand new songs and one additional bonus track (vinyl and Japan only) with a running time of 44, respectively 48 minutes.

Over the course of the past four years, the internationally acclaimed band has become a household name for crossing ‘90s metal, rap, hardcore and Japanese culture as well as brutal and intense live shows. After the release of their globally praised debut album, Welcame (2014), the band embarked on countless tours, leaving dropped jaws everywhere. With their new, crushing album in store, the Northstar will rise to unknown heights.

Tracklist:

01. The Awakening

02. Here Comes The Boom

03. Nekketsu

04. Kozo

05. Teenage Rage

06. Step By Step

07. This Is Crossover

08. Cold Truth

09. All For One

10. Furyo's Day

11. The Legacy Of Shi