Tag Archives: Jesper Strömblad

Cyhra (ex-In Flames, ex-Amaranthe, Kamelot) Share Their New Single and Video “Superman”

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Melodic metallers, Cyhra, have unleashed their latest single, “Superman,” through Reigning Phoenix Music records. It comes with a music video, and is the first new music from the band since their third album, 2023’s The Vertigo Trigger. Watch it below and find out more.

Stream/purchase “Superman” here: https://cyhra.rpm.link/supermanPR

“Sometimes, life tests our limits, but when we choose to rise, dream, and believe, we find the strength to be unstoppable. Because deep down, we all have a ‘Superman’ within us,” comments Cyhra on the song’s meaning.

The track explodes with headbang-inducing riffs, as vocalist Jake E teases its epic, melody-rich chorus against a backdrop of sharp instrumentals. The almost spoken verses escalate to a larger-than-life chorus, culminating in irresistible, sing-along choirs that emphatically signal Cyhra’s trajectory is set to soar above and beyond at breakneck speed!

“Superman” not only marks Cyhra’s latest single but also their debut release with the burgeoning label Reigning Phoenix Music (RPM), which has recently become their new record label home. This track was mastered by renowned audio engineer Maor Appelbaum, known for his work with Halford, Sabaton, and Equilibrium, among others. The artwork for “Superman:” was crafted by Gustavo Sazes, a longtime collaborator who has designed for Soilwork, Dynazty, and Vltimas. Sazes has been instrumental in shaping the visual identity of Cyhra’s previous three studio albums as well.

Vocalist Jake E states: “We are thrilled to announce that we have officially signed with Reigning Phoenix Music! This marks an exciting new chapter in our journey, and we couldn’t be prouder to join a family that shares our passion for music and artistry. Reigning Phoenix Music is home to a roster of incredible talent and a team of dedicated professionals, many of whom we’ve had the pleasure of working with earlier in our careers. Reuniting with such familiar faces feels like coming home, and we’re confident that this partnership will allow us to reach new heights together. We’re already hard at work with new music, and with Reigning Phoenix Music by our side, we’re more inspired than ever to create something truly unforgettable for our fans. Thank you for your continued support – it means the world to us!”

“We are are excited to welcome CYHRA to our family and for the opportunity to work with them again. Their talent, passion, and energy align perfectly with our vision of elevating artistry to new heights. Together, we’re setting the stage for an incredible journey!” adds the RPM team.

More from Cyhra:

As they approach their 10th anniversary next year, Cyhra have carved out a notable place in the metal scene since their founding in 2016 by Jake E (formerly Amaranthe) and Jesper Strömblad (The Halo Effect, formerly In Flames). They were soon joined by drummer Alex Landenburg (Kamelot, Luca Turilli‘s Rhapsody) and bassist Peter Iwers (The Halo Effect, formerly In Flames). Their debut album Letters To Myself was released in 2017 to glowing reviews, catapulting the group to global stages, crowned with a massive North American tour supporting Sabaton and Kreator.

Following Iwers’ departure, Euge Valovirta (guitars, bass) joined the line-up, and the band released their second album No Halos In Hell in 2019, which blended groovy metal with a poppy flair and featured the hit single “Out Of My Life,” amassing about 11 million streams on Spotify. Their success continued with a European tour with Battle Beast, UK dates alongside Delain, headline shows in select countries including Finland and Japan, and performances at major festivals like Masters of Rock, Bloodstock Open Air, Sabaton Open Air, and 70,000 Tons of Metal.

In 2020, guitarist Marcus Sunesson (Ronnie Atkins, The Crown) joined, expanding the line-up. The pandemic pause allowed the band to craft their third album The Vertigo Trigger, released in 2023. The album’s tour brought them back to Finland to open for Smash Into Pieces and to headline shows in early 2024. Quietly beginning their fourth album, Cyhra ended the cycle with a Scandinavian tour with Evergrey, leading into 2025 with the standalone single “Superman.”

Cyhra are:

Jake E – Vocals, keys

Euge Valovirta – Guitars, bass

Jesper Strömblad – Bass, guitars

Marcus Sunesson – Guitars

Alex Landenburg – Drums

Follow Cyhra:

https://cyhra.com/

https://www.facebook.com/CyHraofficial

https://www.instagram.com/cyhra_official/

https://x.com/Cyhra_official

https://www.tiktok.com/@cyhraofficial

https://youtube.com/@cyhraofficial

https://www.reigningphoenixmusic.com/artists/cyhra


ALBUM REVIEW: The Halo Effect – March Of The Unheard

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After blasting onto the scene a few short years ago with their electrifying debut, Swedish supergroup The Halo Effect return with second full length studio release March of the Unheard (Nuclear Blast Records). Comprised entirely of former members of In Flames, The Halo Effect is sort of like the musical equivalent of a support group for disgruntled ex-employees, but with riffs instead of complaining.

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FESTIVAL REVIEW: Bloodstock Open Air 2022 Part 2

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Catton Park, United kingdom, 14 Aug 2022, Lamb of God performing on the Ronnie James Dio Stage at Bloodstock Open Air Festival Credit: Rich Price/Ghost Cult Magazine

 

SATURDAY

Considering most people are already feeling like overcooked baked potatoes wrapped in tin foil, the fact that today is meant to be the hottest day of the festival really isn’t the best news. Still, that certainly doesn’t deter a healthy crowd from shaking off the hangovers and getting on with the business at hand, Baest and Lost Society both grabbing the main stage by the scruff of the neck while Sister Shotgun and Mastiff do the same on the Sophie stage.Continue reading →


ALBUM REVIEW: The Halo Effect – Days Of The Lost

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Although lockdown was undeniably a desperate time for the entertainment business, for some, the time spent in isolation actually created opportunities. With schedules and timetables suddenly emptied, many long-standing ideas and projects, that for whatever reason, looked set to never get off the ground, were finally able to grow and develop into something more than a mere hopeful nucleus of an ideaContinue reading →


ALBUM REVIEW: Annihilator – Metal II

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There’s a fine line between “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” and “there’s always room for improvement”, and more often than not the re-recording of old albums usually falls snugly into the former category. No matter how much more accomplished the revised version might sound from a technical standpoint, the overall results rarely change. Lightning in a bottle cannot be captured twice.

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The Resistance Releasing Torture Tactics EP In February, Full Length In April/May

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Marco Aro and Jesper Stromblad of The Resistance

Marco Aro and Jesper Stromblad of The Resistance

The Resistance is releasing a new mini album titled Torture Tactics on February 27, 2015 via earMUSIC. A full length album is expected to follow in April/May 2015.

According to a press release, Torture Tactics is 30 minutes of a good old slap in the face. It jumps at you with its pure aggression, speedy and heavy guitars, the obvious heavy distortion and the extreme beats. Topped with the distinctive angry growling vocals of Marco Aro – who is literally screaming his lungs out – the brand new six songs are a boisterous statement.

Additionally, the mini-album features four bonus tracks: two songs each taken from the band’s last EP Rise From Treason and the last album Scars.

The Resistance’s impressive line-up is as heavy as the sound of their musical adventure. The four Swedish musicians carry a great legacy in the long Scandinavian extreme metal tradition. In Flames founding member (and main songwriter until his departure in 2010) Jesper Strömblad is one of the “columns” of the huge Resistance sound. Glenn Ljungström (ex-In Flames), vocalist Marco Aro (The Haunted, ex-Face Down), drummer Chris Barkensjö (ex-Kaamos, ex-Grave) and the new addition Rob Hakemo (ex-M.A.N.) on bass complete The Resistance’s high calibre line-up.

The Resistance is
Marco Aro – vocals
Jesper Strömblad – guitar
Glenn Ljungström – guitar
Chris Barkensjö – drums
Rob Hakemo – bass

the resistance torture tactics

Tracklist
1. For War*
2. Dead*
3. Cowards*
4. Deception*
5. The Burning*
6. Dying Words*
7. Slugger
8. Expand To Expire
9. Face To Face
10. I Bend You Break

*song 1-6 – brand new songs

earMusic on YouTube


Engel – Raven Kings

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Not content with plying his trade with one major label band, guitarist Niclas Engelin, who stepped into the Jesper Strömblad sized hole in the In Flames line up on a permanent basis in 2011, teams up with long-standing partner in crime Marcus Sunesson (ex-The Crown) for Raven Kings (Gain/Sony), the fourth installment of his near-eponymous band Engel, and his stamp, and that of his day job, is all over this new release.

Engel are keen to show that the metal does indeed flow in their veins, and the decision to kick the album off with two ragers works from a dynamic point of view, particularly considering the exemplary production job undertaken by Jacob Hansen (Volbeat), although the decision to utilize new vocalist Mikael Sehlin’s harsher tones at the onset of the album instantly draw comparisons with Anders Friden, which for a side project that are not a million miles away from the furrows being ploughed by his other band, is potentially too thin an ice to be stomping army boots on.

Where they do come into their own, though, is as the album progresses and the bands’ keen ear for a hook is accentuated and highlighted, be it riff, groove, vocal melody or chorus that provides it, this is an album full of catchy moments and Soilwork-ed passages, with Sehlin operating much more effectively in the melodic ranges, sounding not too dissimilar to Sebastian Bach’s more Slave-ish moments, and with a power and tone reminiscent of Chris Jericho.

While the band have termed themselves Melodic Death Metal there is no escaping that the core sound of Engel is intrinsically close to that of In Flames, particularly as electronic and “industrial” nuances fleck both the Jester’s and this ancillary outfits’ sound these days, or that the term “Death” in that descriptor is a bit of a red herring. Yes, their hooky song-based modern metal (I’m loathe to add the word core on the end as it almost by default detracts from what they produce) is heavy without resorting to ultra beatdowns to bring the weight, but it is in the melodic and the catchy where they thrive, as, ultimately, Raven Kings is a worthy release of contemporary, commercial metal.

 

7.0/10

Engel on Facebook

 

STEVE TOVEY