L-R - AITTALA - Gary 'Smith' Zeus (Drums), Eric Aittala (Guitar/Vox), Ali Lugo (Bass)
Photo Credit - Formont Photography
Originally unleashed in September 2019 on Curtain Call Records, Raleigh, NC's Aittala will be re-releasing their fifth album via Exitus Stratagem Records, who also recently released the band's follow-up and sixth full-length "Live To Regret" this past November.
Led by vocalist and guitarist, Eric Aittala, with bassist Ali Lugo and drummer Gary ‘Zeus’ Smith, "False Pretenses" features the trio’s unique stamp of infused classic rock licks, thrash, doom, and sludge along with progressive layers and hard rock grooves.
"When we offered up this album, I still believe it is one of the best Aittala recordings we have done,” Eric Aittala states. "Of course, all bands make that claim when their new album is released, but I still really mean it. If nothing else, it is one of the best-sounding Aittala albums. When we wrote it, we used an entirely different approach for recording, mixing, and mastering. Even with its re-release, I'm still really excited for people who have still not heard it yet."
Rounding out the album’s track listing is “Different Day”, “Disowned”, “Infamy”, “How Much Longer”, “Nemesis”, “Afterthought”, “They Live”, “Funeral Procession” and “Debt”. Eric notes, “The album’s title comes from the idea that the songs have an underlying theme of misrepresentation”.
Drummer Gary Smith believes those who have not listened to the album, are in for a treat.
"When we made this album, we really stepped it up and I truly believe it is a record for a much larger audience than the previous four we released. There's something for everyone on it that's a fan of good metal."
Recommended for fans of Baroness, Crowbar, and Katatonia, the re-release of "False Pretenses" is due out on February 28th via Exitus Stratagem Records and can be pre-saved at https://hypeddit.com/aittala/
Music Video - Black Coffin -
Aittala's latest album "Live to Regret" released on November 7, 2022, via Exitus Stratagem Records available at the following link: https://hypeddit.com/aittala/
Music Video - War of Attrition -
Music Video - Collateral Damage - https://youtu.be/Foh__WSHD4o
In additional news, Aittala will be doing a mini tour during March 2023 in Florida and Georgia (dates listed below).
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Tour Dates:
March 1 - Rain Dogs - Jacksonville, FL
March 2 - Propaganda - Lake Worth, FL
March 3 - Uncle Lous - Orlando, FL
March 4 - Sweetwater Bar and Grill - Duluth, GA
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Track Listing:
1. Different Day (Explicit Version) - 3:21
2. Black Coffin – 4:34
3. Disowned – 4:51
4. Infamy – 3:17
5. How Much Longer – 5:04
6. Nemesis – 3:09
7. Afterthought – 4:17
8. They Live – 3:38
9. Funeral Procession – 6:53
10. Debt – 4:02
Bonus Tracks for digital release
Forsaken – 4:02
Different Day (Clean Version) – 3:21
Album Band Line Up:
Eric Aittala – Guitar/Vocals/Bass
Gary ‘Zeus’ Smith - Drums
Live Band Line Up:
Eric Aittala – Guitar/Vocals
Ali Lugo – Bass
Gary ‘Zeus’ Smith - Drums
For more info:
https://www.exsrmusic.com
http://www.aittala.com
https://www.facebook.com/
https://www.instagram.com/
About: The music of AITTALA (pronounced 'EYE-tah-la') crosses many metal genres; it’s hard to put it into just one category. The sound infuses elements of classic heavy metal, doom, progressive, power, thrash, and hard rock with lyrics drawing inspiration from the darker side of the human condition. The AITTALA sound has been cited for being unique which is no easy feat in the metal genre.
The first version of AITTALA was formed in 1991 while Eric Aittala was living in Holland. With fellow American Tim on vocals and Dutch bandmates Ed (drums) and Jon (bass), the band became a staple of the Dutch metal scene.
With the release of the 3-song EP 'Selling Heaven' in the summer of 1993, AITTALA opened for such bands as THE GATHERING and SADIST. Unfortunately, as the demo started to create a buzz in the underground European metal scene, Eric had to return to the US and disbanded AITTALA.
Over the next decade or so, Eric played in numerous bands (TRIBE, MAGNETHEAD, DWELL) and lost focus on AITTALA.
Near the end of the 00s, Eric decided it was time to refocus his efforts on the AITTALA brand. From 2009 to 2016, AITTALA released 4 full-length albums: 'Bed of Thorns' (2009), 'Haunt Your Flesh' (2011), 'Effigy' (2014), and 'American Nightmare' (2016). Each album showcases a natural progression of songwriting and lyrical content but retains the core AITTALA sound and evolves it.
In 2019, AITTALA signed with Curtain Call Records and released the band's fifth full-length album 'False Pretenses'. It was ten brand new songs that not only continued the songwriting evolution of heavier but catchy songs but also sonically. AITTALA used an entirely different approach for recording, mixing, and mastering to create the best AITTALA album to date.
The current lineup of AITTALA consists of Gary 'Zeus' Smith (THE FIFTH, ex-MR BLACKWELL) on drums and Ali Lugo (ex-AGE OF DESPAIR) on bass.
They continue to write, record, and tour to bring AITTALA to the masses, recently unleashing their sixth studio album entitled "Live To Regret" via label Exitus Stratagem Records on November 7, 2022, and the re-release of their 2019 album "false Pretenses" out on February 28, 2023, also through Exitus Stratagem Records.
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"Their new album, “False Pretenses”, leans heavy on the Doom and Goth side of their listed influences but makes some interesting style choices within the genre." - Metal Temple (False Pretenses)
"In my opinion, this is by far their best effort. Highlight tracks for me are: “Different Day”, “Black Coffin” and “Debt”. In the metal world, bands can start to sound the same and Aittala steps outside of the box. With clear crisp vocals, grinding rhythms and well executed leads, this band is definitely in a league of their own." - That Metal Channel (False Pretenses)
"The common element in all the songs is the potent groove. On tracks like “Black Coffin” and “Afterthought” stoner/doom is at the forefront, while songs such as “Disowned” have a more traditional metal vibe. There are progressive influences on “How Much Longer,” while the closer “Debt” is a piano based ballad. Even with so many disparate styles, Aittala bring everything together into a cohesive whole." - Heavy Music Headquarters (False Pretenses)
"Aittala Offer Powerful Pandemic Post-Mortem on ‘Live to Regret’... Stick it on a playlist with Apostle of Solitude, Crowbar, Famyne, and Paradise Lost, with a dash of Slayer for good measure." - Doomed and Stoned
"One of the best albums for 2022" (Live to Regret) - 666MrDoom YouYube Channel
"This platter is heavy melodic ear candy that drips with deep and mesmeric face-melting tones and grinding rhythms." (Live to Regret) - The Metal Gods Meltdown
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