Boston post-metal band, Junius, today releases its new LP, ‘Sotera‘, via Prosthetic Records. ‘Sotera’ is Junius’ first full-length LP in nearly a decade, following 2017’s Eternal Rituals for the Accretion of Light, a recording that Rolling Stone noted, “takes the band’s alternately soaring and crashing sound to even more diverse places.” Produced by Junius vocalist/guitarist, Joseph E. Martinez and Tom Syrowski (Mastodon, AC/DC), the quasi-conceptual ‘Sotera’, in Martinez’s words, “feels like a rebirth for the band” and “is an act of devotion as much as it is a piece of “music.” Purchase/stream Junius‘ ‘Sotera’ at this location.

“The response to ‘Sotera’, so far has been incredibly encouraging,” shares Martinez. “After nine years, there’s always a little voice in the back of your head wondering if anyone still cares, so it’s been rewarding to see listeners connect with our music again. More than anything, we’re excited to finally get these songs in front of people. ‘Sotera’ feels like a rebirth for Junius, and with a renewed lineup and our first run of shows in support of the album, it genuinely feels like the beginning of a new chapter for us. We’re grateful to everyone who’s taken the time to listen, and we can’t wait to share these songs live.”

Harmonizing bright transcendence, heightened consciousness, coiled ear-worming, and emotional swell in like degree, ‘Sotera’s’ ambient shoegaze metal is expansive and deep, best experienced unhurriedly. Call it sound as relief and release; intense undercurrents of magnetic volume attached to an almost symphonic use of motion. Fully realized music as exhilarating as it is ghostly. Whereas earlier Junius records wrestled with cataclysms, escaping Samsara and what might come after death, ‘Sotera’ shifts the focus toward something more immediate: restoring balance through the worship of the divine feminine.

Stream a new NPR interview with Junius‘ Joseph E. Martinez at this location.

“The word Sotera is the feminine form of savior or protector in Greek, and it perfectly captured what the album was circling around,” offers Martinez. “This album is a musical invocation that explores the divine feminine as a force of transformation and balance. Medea stands at the threshold. In Sotera we’re calling upon Hekate, her mother, to guide us in her resurrection. The Oracle as a loving but ignored prophet. Lucifera appears as the punished light-bringer. The Initiatrix is the one who begins the rite.”

Purchase/stream Junius‘ ‘Sotera’ at this location.

Junius has announced summer U.S. tour dates in support of ‘Sotera’. Junius will team up with Minsk for a July run leading to the group’s featured appearance at Indianapolis’ Post Fest, where the quintet will share the stage with Kylesa, Torche, and more. Junius will also embark on an east coast weekend run in early August, with shows announced in Brooklyn, NY, Somerville, MA, and Philadelphia, respectively.

The live itinerary is as follows:

July 21 – Baltimore, MD    Metro Gallery w/ Minsk
July 22 – Youngstown, OH    Westside Bowl (Downstairs) w/ Minsk
July 23 – Detroit, MI    Sanctuary w/ Minsk
July 24 – Chicago, IL    Reggies / Music Joint w/ Minsk
July 25 – Indianapolis, IN    The Hifi (as part of Post Fest)

August 7 – Brooklyn, NY    The Wood Shop
August 8 – Somerville, MA    ONCE Ballroom (as part of Somergloom Festival)
August 9 – Philadelphia, PA    Milk Boy

Get tickets here.

In addition to Joseph E. Martinez, Junius features Dana Filloon (drums), Eoghan Mccarthy (guitar), Matthew Vincenty (guitar), and Orion Wainer (bass).

Self-proclaimed post-skramz outfit DREAMWELL will unleash their scorching Hymns For The Denial Of God full-length on August 28th via Prosthetic Records.

Everything boils down to intent. In the wrong hands, social constructs like religion will divide us and diminish our potential for unity. DREAMWELL unravels the contradictions, complications, and conflicts inherent within the misuse and weaponization of faith in a higher power on their third full-length offering, Hymns For The Denial Of God. Rather than levy a black-and-white attack against religion, the Rhode Island quartet — vocalist Keziah “KZ” Staska, guitarist/backing vocalist Ryan Couitt, bassist Justin Soares, and drummer Anthony Montalbano — considers the nuances and what happens when an entity meant to unite ends up driving us apart.

Ripping back the curtain and exposing what’s underneath, the group tightly harnesses the turbulence of torrential screams, off-kilter riffing, and pit-splitting rhythms into a provocative, poignant, and poetic 10-track collection.

Watch DREAMWELL’s “Plath Vs. Kafka Vs. Romance” video HERE. Stream the track HERE.

“The title embodies the theme,” reveals KZ. “In the past, I was so inwardly focused; most of our songs were about myself and whatever I was emotionally dealing with. I wanted to make a record that wasn’t extremely introspective. The album interrogates the negative impact of organized religion when it’s misused to justify violence, genocide, and hatred of others. It’s not a purely atheistic statement either. I’m choosing not to believe in a God who’s invoked to validate evil. The prevailing narrative in heavy music is often, ‘If you believe in God, you’re stupid.’ This isn’t our narrative. Believing in God isn’t wrong. I don’t think the mainstream God in the political landscape is the one we should be looking for though.”

The band has incited both a catharsis amongst a growing fan base and the applause of tastemakers since emerging in 2020. They organically evolved from Modern Grotesque (2021) to In My Saddest Dreams, I Am Beside You (2023). Flood Magazine praised how the latter, “twists the heavy-rock genre Rubik’s cube to introduce more confrontational metalcore sounds into the equation,” while Stereogum highlighted the lead single and attested, “‘Obelisk Of Hands’ takes DREAMWELL’s sound in an epic metalcore direction before going full-on screamo meltdown at the end.” Beyond further praise from ChaosHour with Matt Heafy, Loudwire, Knotfest, and The Mountain Goats’ John Darnielle, BrooklynVegan raved, “In My Saddest Dreams, I Am Beside You is a post-hardcore triumph.”

In 2026, DREAMWELL turned their attention towards what would become Hymns For The Denial Of God. The group wrote together during in-person rehearsals, tapping into their chemistry. They also returned to Silver Bullet Studios in Connecticut in order to record with producer Chris Teti.

Opener “Hypercrucifixation” commences with the manic ramblings of a would-be street poet, recorded while the band were on the road. Murmurs of clean guitar slip underneath a prescient question, “What would you do if a voice spoke back?”Elsewhere, cymbals nervously skitter, feedback pinches, and a menacing bassline sets the tempo for “Carrion Birds On The Ark.” Power chords groan beneath KZ’s possessed delivery of a jarring singalong, “There’s a Virgin Mary water stain in the missing children’s poster.”

Lead single “Plath Vs. Kafka Vs. Romance” hinges on a seasick rhythm punctuated by piercing screams and the squeal of serrated distortion. The gnashing subsides and makes way for a disarmingly catchy chorus, “Flowers turn into ash whenever I let my voice be heard.”

“We wanted to embrace the more mosh-y early two-thousands style we’d been ignoring for a while,” elaborates KZ. “We hit it here. I wrote ‘Plath Vs. Kafka Vs. Romance’ at a time in my life when things were going pretty well for me. If I discussed being miserable in the lyrics, it would’ve been disingenuous. I don’t know how to write the songs I’ve come to be known for when things are okay though. It was scary to not know what my creative process was going to look like. I’m basically saying, ‘I wish I knew how to write songs about being happy, but I don’t. I don’t know what to do with my writing when I’m not miserable.’

DREAMWELL’s Hymns For The Denial Of God will be released digitally. Find preorders for HERE.

Hymns For The Denial Of God Track Listing:

1. Hypercrucifixation

2. Sissy Hate Machine

3. Anti-Christ’s Testimony

4. A Crisis Of Realization

5. Apostates & Gentiles

6. Plath Vs. Kafka Vs. Romance

7. I Dreamt I Survived An Extinction Event

8. Carrion Birds On The Ark

9. Your Ichthys Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Anymore

10. Cherub Rock Of Gibraltar

DREAMWELL:

Keziah “KZ” Staska – vocals

Ryan Couitt – guitars, backing vocals

Justin Soares – bass

Anthony Montalbano – drums

Melodic death/doom outfit FIRES IN THE DISTANCE have unveiled their long-awaited new album, Circadian Promise, available now via Prosthetic Records. To mark the occasion, the band has also premiered a lyric video for the album standout, “By This Time Tomorrow” featuring Johan Reinholdz of DARK TRANQUILITY.

Following a string of acclaimed singles that introduced listeners to the album’s emotional depth and sweeping scope, Circadian Promise arrives as the band’s most ambitious and affecting work todate. Balancing crushing heaviness with cinematic atmosphere and poignant introspection, the record expands upon the foundation established by 2022’s Air Not Meant For Us while pushing the band’s sound into even more immersive territory.