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Cover art for The Night Flight by Plastic Horizon

The Night Flight: Cinematic Synthwave Album from Plastic Horizon

November 14, 2023
Cover art for The Night Flight by Plastic Horizon

Plastic Horizon returns with a full-length album, “The Night Flight,” featuring ten tracks of meticulously crafted, synthwave-inspired music.

Cinematic Synthwave

This album is designed as a journey. As described in a review by Binary Oblivion: “Dark, mysterious and cinematic. The Night Flight is a meticulously crafted synthwave album where each track brings to mind a scene from a 1980s thriller, action, horror or sci-fi movie.”

The review highlights the track “Eclipse” as a standout, noting that it “peaks in an epic guitar part before a tape warped outro consumes the track.”

Production Notes

A special thanks goes to Jonathan Nicol from Oblivion Sound Lab. His incredible soundsets continue to inspire new songs, and his work under the name Binary Oblivion is a constant source of inspiration for the Plastic Horizon sound.

Track Listing

1. New Waves (03:30)
2. Missing (02:19)
3. Eclipse (02:58)
4. Unmarked Grave (01:42)
5. Shadow (02:02)
6. Ident (01:17)
7. Fading Lights (02:06)
8. The Night Flight (03:35)
9. Time Traveler (01:44)
10. The Dream (02:12)

Listen & Support

“The Night Flight” is available now on all major streaming platforms. You can support the artist directly by purchasing the album on Bandcamp or streaming it on Spotify using the players below.

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Cover art for Decade in Despair by Plassgard

Decade in Despair: Progressive Rock Anthology from Plassgard

September 18, 2022

Plassgard unleashes a massive musical anthology with “Decade in Despair,” a collection of recordings that spans ten years of creative evolution.

A Ten-Year Journey

Written entirely by Anders Plassgard, this album is a testament to perseverance and artistic vision. It weaves together a tapestry of genres, blending the complexity of progressive rock with the raw energy of NWOBHM (New Wave of British Heavy Metal) and classic rock.

The core trio of the band, Anders Plassgard (vocals, keys), Kevin Hartnell (drums, bass, keys), and Mat Williams (guitars), delivers a sound that is both nostalgic and thoroughly modern.

Ballet of the Mechanical Doll

A standout moment on the album is the track “Ballet of the Mechanical Doll.” Featuring guest bassist Bjorn Pehrson, this six-minute epic serves as a showcase for the band’s technical prowess.

Listeners should pay special attention to the guitar work of Mat Williams here; his performance is absolutely phenomenal, driving the track with intricate leads and heavy rhythms that define the album’s sound.

Track Listing

1. 1974 (04:47)
2. Demons in My Head (04:57)
3. The Wonderful Machine (06:28)
4. Creation (05:18)
5. Insanity of Man (03:00)
6. Black Agenda (06:02)
7. Born Evil (05:09)
8. Sunshine (04:40)
9. Shadowlands (05:35)
10. Ballet of the Mechanical Doll (06:27)
11. Shadow Dancer (02:53)
12. Spirit From the Sun (04:47)
13. Summer Love (04:48)
14. The People (04:34)
15. Shadow of My Heart (08:11)
16. Angel (03:56)
17. The Emporer (05:06)
18. Insanity of Man II (03:37)

Listen & Support

“Decade in Despair” is available now on all major streaming platforms. You can support the artist directly by purchasing the album on Bandcamp or streaming it on Spotify using the players below.

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Lost In Time by Plastic Horizon cover art

Lost In Time: A Cinematic Dreamwave Journey by Plastic Horizon

February 14, 2022

Plastic Horizon celebrates a major milestone with the release of the new single, Lost In Time. This release marks the 1-year anniversary of the band’s first full-length album, offering a nostalgic yet forward-looking soundscape for listeners.

A Milestone Anniversary

“Lost In Time” is more than just a single; it is a celebration of the journey so far. Commemorating one year since the debut full-length release, the track captures the essence of the Plastic Horizon sound while pushing into new territory.

Listen & Support

You can support the artist directly by purchasing the music on Bandcamp or following the official channels below.

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V1CTOR logo wallpaper

This Christmas Eve: A Holiday Rock Anthem by V1CTOR

December 26, 2021

V1CTOR: This Christmas Eve

Overlook Hotel Records is proud to present a special holiday release from V1CTOR (Victor Bonato).

“Vic and I have been working on music together for around 11 years or so. You may have heard him on the Cambium release or some of the singles I’ve posted over the years. He is a wonderfully gifted composer who writes his own brand of music.

The first time I heard his work, it struck me as theatrical, odd, and entirely wonderful. It was a bit rough around the edges back then, but so enticing in a ‘mad musical scientist’ way that pulled me right in. I knew I wanted to work with him and be a part of his creative vision.

“This Christmas Eve” is his first Christmas song, marking a distinct departure from his usual body of work. Being as it has been a rough couple of years for everyone, sharing Vic’s positive message seems like a good idea to me. Roll down the windows, crank up the volume, and enjoy a bit of rock and roll Christmas spirit.”

Lyrics

This Christmas Eve

Tell us that you missed us
Spend time with us this Christmas
Family and friends, I believe
Make it all worth while
Good cheer, love, and smile
We all agree
It’s all you need

Verse
Gathered round the Christmas tree
Feelings warm are guaranteed
Even if it’s cold outside
Feeling alive, so hard to describe
We all need,
This Christmas Eve

Chorus
This Christmas Eve
Candles burning bright
This Christmas Eve
What a wonderful sight
This Christmas Eve
Everything’s all right
Always Christmas Eve
It’s my favorite night

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Mothsounds cover art

Mothsounds Debut: New Shoegaze & Indie Rock Album from Phoenix

June 21, 2021
Mothsounds cover art

Mothsounds: A New Shoegaze Journey from Phoenix

It is new release day and I am proud to announce the arrival of Mothsounds! This self-titled debut brings nine new tracks of indie rock and shoegaze created by the talented trio of Mike Chambers, Jason Whitcomb, and Kevin Hartnell.

The album is now available for streaming on your favorite platforms. Take a dive into this sonic landscape and let us know what you think!

Critical Reception

The debut has already caught the ear of international press. IndieCriollo praised the album’s experimental nature and raw power:

“We start today’s charts with a doublet of mothsounds, who bring us a whole experimental universe in their music… finding these two songs is like seeing the curiosity of rock, and how it can unleash you with fury with nothing to leave behind. It is pure rock so that you feel and do not lose your mind, so untie it all.”

Track Highlight: “Beta Carotene”

One of the standout tracks mentioned in the review is “Beta Carotene.” It’s a track that takes you by surprise, demanding you jump into its world while catching your breath. Driven by propulsive percussion and the cryptic, catchy hook “Lemon lime twister,” it leans heavily into the band’s college rock influences.

Mothsounds Album Credits

All songs written by Mike Chambers & Jason Whitcomb.

Mothsounds is:

  • Mike Chambers: Guitars, bass, keys
  • Jason Whitcomb: Guitars, bass, keys, drum programming, vocals
  • Kevin Hartnell: Guitars, bass, keys, drums, percussion, backing vocals

Mixed by Kevin Hartnell | Mastered by Hector the Rat
Moth photo courtesy of Natasha Wright.

View Full Lyrics and Tracklist (Click to Expand) ▼

1. Son of the System

Son of the system / A child of war he cannot fight / A mother’s conviction / Try and escape he cannot hide
Open doorways and starlit sounds / As the looking glass fades / Opulence on this carousel of the beautiful ones / But something’s not right
Son of the system / A child of war he cannot fight / A father’s intentions / Poising everything in sight
One by one, as the air runs thin for the struggling fold / Two by tow as we take control of everything else / It’s starting to rise

2. Chain Link

Stop me before I get tired of the same situation / The cat’s out of the bag now / Downtown on the corner with another
Don’t speak it’s ok / I don’t think I want to hear this / Excuses come easy / I should I know / I’ve made quite a few of my own
Tell me if I should sit back while it falls out from under / Your footing unstable / Grab ahold of the sky as you’re falling / But next time remind me / Of the ways that I’m there when you / Don’t seem to need it / Looking down at the bottom of a barrel

3. Beta Carotene

Screaming at the statues on the lawn / Losing any sense of self control / Find myself alone and then / Television’s on the fritz again / We should just go throw it away
Lemon lime twister / Yeah I think I saw your sister last night / Out past a quarter to two / Beta Carotene wasteland / Now you’re off to the next move / Don’t you come down until we are through
Where have all the good times left and gone? / Wondering if they ever came around / Would I fall in love again with someone other than myself, my friend? / This life is just such a charade
Now you’re running to the wrong side of the ship cause you know it’s sinking / But no one else has a clue

4. Disentangled

Now that we’ve come this far / I don’t expect you’ll understand / I’ll leave it all behind / Forgetting just how sad it is / Then you get under my / Cold and thin contorted skin
And all / All I hear / Is the silence you bring / I’ll find some sense / And I’ll wait for you to change
A loaded mouth of lies / Twisted tongue and serpent’s smile / You slither by and by / I sit alone and wonder why / No comfort I have found / In watching you consume my mind.

5. Photos of the Ghost

Your moves are fine / It’s all we do to keep it in place / Hanging out for now / Truth is I’m mortified / By your grace it seems
Your thoughts are mine / A stoic figure enters my mind / Who does she want now? / Changes like the weather / And clouds are blowing in
When should I just let it go? / Let it end in silence / Ask yourself would you look back / Or would you run for your life?
Unglued, but I / See the pieces fall into place / Nausea is mine / I cannot stomach all we’ve become / And all that we’ve made

6. Dark Army

Let us in your silver lining / Leaves you trembling on the floor
Now I can’t feel you / My limbs are numb / We’re innocent here / We are innocent here / Now I can’t see you / My eyes are blind / We’re innocent here
Half lit pathways open on / Promises of what we’ve done / Broken pages of your story / One that no one lives to tell

7. Edit

I’ll surrender myself / I’ll lay my hand facedown / Stripped of all that controls me / Can’t save you from yourself / Innocence is over / At least that’s what we’re told
The countdown / It’s starting / Change is bound to come / They beg us / To feed them / Always wanting more / The chants are / Still calling / Slowly drowning out / An answer to all / The questions are left out
Broken down and beaten / We pull ourselves back up / Raise a fist in anger / Then watch it fall back down / Ours is not to question / Just fall back into line

8. Slip

Who am I to tell you that your mediocre life is tainted? / You’ll find out someday I know / Maybe I should clear my head and the way I see you clouded in my far too empty mind
I miss all the finer things we know / When I come down to the excuses we’ve made / I’ll forget all our troubles and we’ll make some
Who are you to listen to my every word I’m speaking softly / So you can’t hear what I say / Maybe I should scream my lungs out and blow away what you’ve accepted in your warm embrace

9. All That We Have Lost

Distant voices / Slowly fade away / Is anyone out there? / Who hears the same thing? / We are never going back
This is not what I’m here for / Shouldn’t shock you / Don’t need words to show you how I feel about you / Tell yourself that it’s alright / But don’t look in the mirror / You might not like who’s looking back / Wash away denial
Is she lost? / Or is she waiting? / For someone who’ll make a change

#IndieRock #Shoegaze #PhoenixMusic #Mothsounds #NewMusic

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Memory Waves by Plastic Horizon - video thumbnail

Plastic Horizon – Memory Waves: Melancholic Synthwave Ballad

June 11, 2020
Memory Waves by Plastic Horizon - single cover art

Plastic Horizon: “Memory Waves”

Kevin Hartnell presents “Memory Waves,” the most popular track from the self-titled Plastic Horizon album. Recorded between May 2020 and June 2020, this slower-paced synthwave ballad captures a specific, melancholy vibe, a strong sense of nostalgia for growing up in a small town in the 1980s.

“Recently, my daughter was describing how she felt a wave of great memories flooding her mind. It was a bittersweet observation from the point of a child in the middle of a pandemic, closed schools, and being isolated from her friends. It inspired me to create this track and recall quite a few great memories of my own. Writing this track was an emotional journey for me, and I hope it is for you as well.”

Insights

“Memory Waves” functions less as a retro pastiche and more as an emotional recollection filtered through synthwave aesthetics. Rather than leaning on overt genre signifiers like aggressive arpeggiators, the track adopts restraint and patience. The title is well chosen; the music unfolds in gentle swells rather than linear development, mirroring how memories surface unpredictably and recede just as quietly.

The melancholy here is subdued and sincere. It suggests quiet streets, late evenings, and small-town stillness rather than neon skylines. Sustained synth pads and gently voiced melodic elements carry the emotional weight, creating a polished piece of “Dreamwave” that feels personal and introspective.

Credits:

  • Written & Produced by: Plastic Horizon
  • Mixed & Mastered by: Hector the Rat
  • Catalog: R237-027 ©Overlook Hotel Records
  • Released: February 13, 2021

#PlasticHorizon #Synthwave #Dreamwave #KevinHartnell #OverlookHotelRecords

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Before After Again debut album cover art

Before After Again – Self-Titled Debut: Atmospheric Darkwave & Post-Punk

March 9, 2020
Before After Again self-titled album cover art

Before After Again: Self-Titled Debut

Overlook Hotel Records is proud to present the self-titled debut from Before After Again. A collaboration between Jason Whitcomb and Kevin Hartnell, this project draws upon darkwave, post-punk, synthpop, and electro-rock styles to create a dense, atmospheric soundscape.

Released on January 1, 2020, this album marks a unique moment in the label’s history. Parts of the record were tracked in the original Overlook Hotel Records studio prior to its remodeling. As a result, the drum tracks capture a specific, “lost” room sound that no longer exists and can never be replicated.

Project Personnel

Before After Again is:

  • Jason Whitcomb: Vocals, Backing Vocals, Synths, Drum Programming, Bass, Guitars
  • Kevin Hartnell: Drums, Percussion, Bass, Guitars, Synths, Drum Programming, Backing Vocals

Special Guests:

  • Ty Whitcomb: Guitar on “Faux Devox”
  • Vic Bonato: Piano on “Core”

Mixed and mastered by Hector Ratt. Catalog R237-020.

Connect with Before After Again

Music Video: “Allison’s Gone”

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#BeforeAfterAgain #Darkwave #PostPunk #Synthpop #Industrial #KevinHartnell #JasonWhitcomb #OverlookHotelRecords

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The Harvesting by THAL - album cover art

THAL – The Harvesting: Heavy Stoner Doom (Doom Charts #5)

December 20, 2019
The Harvesting by THAL - album cover art

THAL: “The Harvesting”

Overlook Hotel Records presents “The Harvesting,” the thunderous 2019 release from THAL (The Heathens Are Loose). Debuting at #5 on the Doom Charts, this album wraps up the year with a heavy dose of fuzz, groove, and misery.

The album transports listeners to a world of hardship and conflict, whether in medieval Europe or modern-day America. With massive riffs and stellar hooks, it takes everything that made the previous THAL releases great and amplifies it by ten.

Critical Reception

“The Harvesting” was met with immediate acclaim in the heavy music community:

  • Doom Charts: Debuted at #5 (December 2019).
  • Metal Temple: “9 out of 10… It takes everything that made the previous album great and just amplifies it by ten.”
  • Outlaws of the Sun: “Crank that dial up to 11 and ROCK THE HELL OUT WITH THAL.”
  • Desert Psychlist: “Transported to a world of hardship, conflict and misery… riffs that are as fuzzy as my face is bearded.”

Project Personnel

THAL is:

  • John “Vince Green” Walker: Vocals, Lyrics, Guitars, Keys
  • Kevin Hartnell: Guitars, Bass, Drums, Keys

Special Guest:

  • Margherita Bandini: Featured vocals on “Tonguerazor”

All songs written, recorded, mixed, and mastered by John Walker and Kevin Hartnell.

Lyrics: “Tombs”

Live at the base of a mountain
Ready to blow and release its fire
Every sound may be your last
The slightest move crushing every desire

Any man with a face is bound to fall
Another victim of the rules
Water drowns but please don’t thrash around and disturb this peaceful tomb

The solitude is wonderful down here
When it’s time to go I’ll do it without fear
Never place my fortunes in the hands of another man
Escape to the dusty tombs

As the walls they close in
Ready to bow down and ready to tap out
Then I clutch my chest and remember my way
Am I born to carry the load?
I made a pact with the devil and it’s time to go
Never again will the moon shine quite the same

Follow me to the fallen angels
Kingdom full of wretched names

Connect with THAL

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#THAL #TheHeathensAreLoose #StonerRock #DoomMetal #HeavyMetal #KevinHartnell #JohnVinceGreenWalker #OverlookHotelRecords

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Silent Kings & Queens by Elektrik Warfare - cover art

Elektrik Warfare – Silent Kings & Queens: Debut Metal Album

March 25, 2019

Elektrik Warfare: Silent Kings & Queens

Overlook Hotel Records is proud to announce the release of “Silent Kings & Queens” (Catalog R237-019), the debut album from Elektrik Warfare.

Founded by Stockholm-based songwriter and artist Anders Plassgard, Elektrik Warfare delivers ten heavy tracks reflecting influences such as Black Sabbath, Motörhead, Judas Priest, and The Ramones. The album features blistering guitar work from Tony Inosencio and dystopian themes that echo the classic New Wave of British Heavy Metal era.

Recorded between April 2017 and September 2018, this release is highly recommended for fans of classic heavy metal and driving hard rock.

Project Personnel

Elektrik Warfare is:

  • Anders Plassgard: Vocals, Keys
  • Tony Inosencio: Rhythm & Lead Guitar
  • Frank Motor: Rhythm & Bass Guitar
  • Kevin Hartnell: Drums, Rhythm Guitar

Guest Musician:

  • Mat Williams: Rhythm & Lead Guitar

Credits:

  • Artwork: Anders Plassgard
  • Mixing: Kevin Hartnell & Tony Inosencio
  • Mastering: Hector Rat at The Overlook Hotel
  • Production: Elektrik Warfare

Lyrics: “Silent Kings & Queens”

The darkest ages, they are here
Evil rules the World and there´s bloodlust in the air
Somebody’s profit is someone’s misfortune, Gold in the pocket and death of a child
Guilty are those who stand watching in silence, They with the answers, they with the truth
Silent witness on the Shore
Stare into the sea they’re all gone forevermore
We follow a path into eternal darkness, Black empty souls and our heart´s made of stone
God is a Devil who plays with his children, Then leaving them all alone

Silent Kings and Queens just don´t want to see
They just close their eyes, Won´t give you no pity
Silent Kings and Queens they just let it be
System has failed it’s corrupt and inhuman
System has served for the eyes that never see

And all the gossip, all the lies
People spread their shit without a blink or thinking twice
Poor little thing who is begging for mercy, Mercy is not in the plan for you
Evil has come for a feast in all glory, nothing that you can do
The darkest ages, so they say
Evil rules the World and the weak they just obey
Somebody’s profit is someone’s misfortune, Gold in the pocket and death of a child
Guilty are those who stand watching in silence, They with the answers, they with the truth

Silent Kings and Queens just don´t want to see
They just close their eyes, Won´t give you no pity
Silent Kings and Queens they just let it be
System has failed it’s corrupt and inhuman
System has served for the eyes that never see

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#ElektrikWarfare #SilentKingsAndQueens #HeavyMetal #NWOBHM #AndersPlassgard #KevinHartnell #OverlookHotelRecords

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Death Will Flee by wytCHord - cover art by Nate Burns

wytCHord – Death Will Flee: Debut Doom Metal Album

October 31, 2016
Death Will Flee by wytCHord - cover art by Nate Burns

wytCHord: Death Will Flee

Released on Halloween 2016, “Death Will Flee” (Catalog R237-013) is the debut full-length album from wytCHord.

Loaded with heavy riffs and powerful vocals, the album features Vince Green (THAL) delivering a performance often compared to the offspring of Neil Fallon and Glenn Danzig. Green is joined by guitarist David Jones (Black Mountain Creeper) and drummer Kevin Hartnell (Ironleaf, THAL) to create crushing, fuzz-laden grooves.

Fans of Black Sabbath, Clutch, Kyuss, and Queens of the Stone Age will find much to embrace in this “sludgy, funerary” collection of songs.

Project Personnel

wytCHord is:

  • Vince Green: Vocals, Rhythm Guitar, Lyrics
  • David Jones: Lead Guitar
  • Kevin Hartnell: Drums, Guitars, Keys, Mixing

Credits:

  • Artwork: Nate Burns
  • Production: Kevin Hartnell

Critical Reception

Metal Nexus:
“…riff-driven slab of somber doom, dense grooves with rhythmic enchantments, and detonating drum play.”

Chairthrower Reviews:
“Its malefic albeit stylish cover art withstanding, Ohio’s Wytchord is a fairly nascent doom act gratifyingly alternating between sludgy, funerary guitar riffs backed by a plump, menacing rhythm section which sounds like it’s rising from six feet under… With ‘Death Will Flee’, Wytchord has stoutly carved its niche among its peers – no easy feat when it comes to doom metal.”

Fan Reactions:

  • “Masterfully crafted, this album finds a well earned spot among the first four Black Sabbath albums.” – brofistnate
  • “Packed to the absolute brim with crushing doom tinged riffs… a dark, superbly crafted slab of rock and roll.” – Jacob Andrew
  • “Brilliant Doom/Stoner with tonnes of originality!” – OWNED BY 2 CHIHUAHUAS

Lyrics: “The Queen They Left To Die”

She begs her wretched God from a cage of her own design,
He rises from the orchard filled with trees of wasted lives,
The time has come to feast on every soldier,
Bloody skies.
When the rebels came to conquer,
She’s the Queen they left to die.

She took the crown with her beauty and grace,
Then she ruled with ruthless hate.

They move through every village,
The stench of blood underneath her nails.
This Queen and her wretched God,
Come forth encased in serpent scales.
She’ll draw her blade and catch the sun before he hides his face.
And in the morning, before dawn,
The corpses take her place.

She took the crown with her beauty and grace,
Then she ruled with ruthless hate.

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#wytCHord #DeathWillFlee #DoomMetal #StonerRock #HeavyMetal #KevinHartnell #VinceGreen #NateBurns #OverlookHotelRecords

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