This week's round-up: New music from Erja Lyytinen, The Funeral Portrait and H.E.A.T

“The Ring” is a straightforward upbeat rock song punches you in the face and pushes you to a wrestling circle for a proper sweat! The story is about facing challenges, when you have no other chance than to get i to the ring and defend yourself. Come on, let the game begin!

It’s been three years since the release of Erja Lyytinen's last solo studio album, Waiting for the Daylight. Since then, the high-flying Finn has continued to tour the globe relentlessly, performing at prestigious events such as the Byron Bay Blues Festival in Australia, headlining HRH Blues at the O2 Academy in Leicester, and making her debut at the legendary Rory Gallagher Festival in Ballyshannon, to name but a few.

Throughout her career Erja Lyytinen has appeared on many television shows in her native Finland, but in the latter stages of 2024, the artist was invited to participate in The Masked Singer on Finnish TV. As one would imagine, Erja was sworn to secrecy about her role on the show; even her twin boys were left guessing whether their mum was on the programme. "I got to perform on The Masked Singer in Finland, where I made it through to the finals. It was such a fantastic experience, and I always love doing TV shows. My character was “Skeleton," and I got to sing cool songs like "Master of Puppets," by Metallica, "Running up That Hill," by Kate Bush and "Hallelujah" by Jeff Buckley. I recorded my version of the latter as a single.”

Amid extensive touring activity and her stint on The Masked Singer, at the close of 2024, the Queen of the Slide Guitar released a new live album titled 20 Years of Blues Rock! The concert recording was captured in her hometown of Helsinki, Finland during an evening that celebrated a musical milestone – that being the 20th anniversary of the release of Erja’s debut solo album Wildflower.

During what was already a sterling year for the artist, in November 2024 Erja Lyytinen was recognised as an Angel of Rock at the HRH Awards in Great Yarmouth following in the footsteps of legends of the genre such as Doro Pesch and Jackie Chambers from Girlschool. “It really made me very happy. Especially being a Finnish artist who started playing guitar at fifteen years old and dreamed of playing abroad for audiences. It feels great and being recognized always gives me a push to improve myself as an artist. It also makes me feel so grateful to my fans who have been so supportive all these decades.”

Behind the scenes, throughout much of 2024, Erja was in the studio working on her upcoming full-length studio album. “2024 was very innovative for me. I started to write new songs in Spring 2024 when I had a chance between my hectic schedule,” says Erja. “On my last studio album from 2022, Waiting for the Daylight, we had lots of layers on each track - violins, keyboards, tens of guitar tracks and lots of backing tracks. With the new album, I wanted to go the opposite direction. For the album Smell the Roses I wanted to put the focus on the guitar riffs and guitar solos and make the band instruments stand out individually.”

Smell the Roses continues to showcase Erja Lyytinen’s musical evolution as the artist proceeds to push her creative boundaries with each release that follows. "The album's backing tracks were recorded at Hollywood House Studios in Helsinki. I told my mixing engineer Matias Kiiveri to go for the sound of seventies rock albums. I have been recently listening to mainly vinyl and recordings from the sixties and early seventies,” explains Erja. “While mixing the album, we used some analogue gear like a two-track tape machine to get a fat and warm sound on the album. This sound and the organic way of creating music speaks to me a lot.”

Erja once again was at the helm of production duties during the recording of Smell the Roses. “I was working in the studio with my band for only three days, and all the backing tracks were recorded at that time. Then I recorded my guitar solos and vocals on my own at Sniper´s Studio in Helsinki,” confirmed Erja. “This is not the first time I produced and recorded my own album, so I knew what to expect from the task. There were long hours and hard decisions and a lot of guitar playing on my own! I didn’t let myself off easy in the studio this time either. I challenged myself to create more advanced solos than ever before. The album has some fully arranged guitar solos, but also some improvisational lead parts.”

Whilst the genesis of the artist’s last three albums centred around the breakdown of a relationship, by her admission she wanted to make the songs on Smell the Roses to be "edgier". "There are songs about encountering deep sorrow, meaning getting the blues and subsequently going to hell. Topics like forgiveness, hope, lust, loss and betrayal have been inspiring my songs along with my love for nature. I wanted to add a bit of mystery to some of the songs too,” she says. “There are some puzzles you need to put together yourself.”

Like a lot of artists, Erja wants the subject of her lyrics to be open to the listener’s interpretation. “I don’t want to explain the songs too thoroughly but rather have the listener find their story and their interpretation of the song. Titles like "Going to Hell, "Abyss", and "Empty Hours" probably tell a lot - this isn’t just an album played in a major chord with a smile on your face,” laughs Erja. “The album is a lot heavier than my previous ones, but it does still lift you up. The rhythms on the album are groovy and rocky and I´m pretty sure most of the songs will be fun to play at festivals and live shows!”

With a March release date, Erja Lyytinen is preparing to spring into action as she unveils her eagerly anticipated new studio album to her loyal followers around the globe. The album release will be accompanied by Erja’s most extensive UK tour since before the pandemic.

Smell the Roses, the new album from Erja Lyytinen, will be released on March 28th, 2025 via Tuohi Records. For further information, including an up-to-date touring schedule, please visit https://erjalyytinen.com/tour.

Emo rock revivalists THE FUNERAL PORTRAIT—Lee Jennings (Vocals), Cody Weissinger (Guitar), Caleb Freihaut (Guitar/Auxiliary), Robert Weston (Bass), and Homer Umbanhowar (Drums)—will release a deluxe edition of their critically acclaimed second album, GREETINGS FROM SUFFOCATE CITY, on June 13 via Better Noise Music.

Ahead of the album’s release, they’ve today (February 28) unveiled an instant grat track with pre-orders of a new version of “Holy Water.” It now features guest vocals by Ivan Moody of Five Finger Death Punch, with whom THE FUNERAL PORTRAIT toured in 2024. Moody’s powerful and distinctively rugged vocals bring an exciting new element to the track. Listen to the song HERE, which has been making a huge impact at radio in its first week and debuting on Billboard’s “Mainstream Rock Tracks” chart at #21, while a video for the song will be released Friday, March 28.

Pre-orders for the digital, CD and vinyl copies of the deluxe edition of GREETINGS FROM SUFFOCATE CITY are available today here. The digital deluxe collection will include 24 songs, including “Holy Water” feat. Ivan Moody, songs from the CASSANOVA EP and the FROM BEYOND THE ABYSS EP, as well as the recently released version of “Hearse for Two” feat. Lilith Czar and three brand new songs, “Skinny Lies,” “Evergreen,” and “Lost Boy.” The vinyl and CD two-disc deluxe packages feature 21 tracks, one of which is exclusive to the physical formats (“Friends Like These”).

“‘Holy Water’ has always been one of the most personal and cathartic songs I’ve ever written,” explains THE FUNERAL PORTRAIT’s Lee Jennings. “It’s about confronting your darkest moments and finding the strength to cleanse yourself of the weight they carry. Seeing the connection its made with fans, especially during our live shows, has been beyond powerful—watching the crowd scream the lyrics back at us is proof that music really can heal. Having Ivan Moody join us on this track took it to another level. His energy, passion, and personal story made him the perfect voice to help tell this chapter, and we couldn’t be more honored to have him be part of it.”

“Before our tour together, I wasn’t too familiar with The Funeral Portrait’s music, so I didn’t know what to expect,” says Ivan Moody. “But after watching them night after night, seeing how they commanded the stage and connected with the crowd, I was absolutely hooked. The passion, intensity, and raw emotion they bring to their performances make them one of the most exciting new bands out there. And Lee’s voice? Absolutely incredible—one of my favorite new singers! We had talked about collaborating before the tour, but the timing never worked out. Then, while speeding down the highway, I heard ‘Holy Water’ on the radio and couldn’t help but sing along. What an amazing track! It immediately brought back the idea of working together, so I hit up Lee about the possibility of me redoing the song with them. Luckily, he was all in—and here we are….The rest is history."

“Holy Water” was described by MetalPlanetMusic.com in a September 8, 2024 review as “a full-on arena anthem sound that hits straight between the ears. The beat is hard and uncompromising, with the dual guitar riffs forcing the emotion down your throat. The choral harmony during the bridge gives the track a ‘it’s our song, and we’re going to do what the fuck we want to’ vibe. It’s a real monster of a track.”

GREETINGS FROM SUFFOCATE CITY, released September 13, 2024 via Better Noise Music, consists of 14 tracks of theatrical, dramatic, unapologetic, full-throated flair with guest appearances from Bert McCracken of The Used, Spencer Charnas of Ice Nine Kills, Danny Worsnop of Asking Alexandria, and Amanda Lyberg of Eva Under Fire. Get a copy of GREETINGS FROM SUFFOCATE CITY on CD or digital download now athttps://thefuneralportrait.ffm.to/gfsc.

Last November THE FUNERAL PORTRAIT landed the #1 spot on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay and Mediabase’s Active Rock radio charts with their hit single “Suffocate City (feat. Spencer Charnas of Ice Nine Kills).” This marks the band’s first-ever #1 radio single and first entry onto any Billboard chart. The single has garnered over 6.5million streams globally and over 600k views for its prom-themed music video.

Meanwhile, Pandora named THE FUNERAL PORTRAIT as one of their “Artists to Watch 2025: The Pandora Ten,” which spotlights a group of ten emerging artists across all genres that it believes will break through in the coming year.

In touring news, THE FUNERAL PORTRAIT has been bringing their message to the masses with an aggressive touring plan that continues throughout 2025. The band is on the road now throughout the U.S. and Canada with Catch Your Breath & Archers. Next up will be a nationwide tour with Ice Nine Kills, as well as an appearance as part of the Vans Warped Tour in Long Beach, CA on July 26 and 27.

After the announcement of their brand-new studio album ‘Welcome to the Future’, Hard rock sensation H.E.A.T continues to ignite 2025 with the release of their second single ‘Bad Time for Love’.

Following the success of their first single ‘Disaster’ – a mainstay on rock radios since its release – the band now unleashes this new anthem that pulses with the raw intensity of love on the edge.

The song is accompanied by a high-energy music video, directed by the renowned Patric Ullaeus (Europe, Arch Enemy, Children of Bodom and many more), promising another visual rock feast.

The new album ‘Welcome to the Future’ is a dynamic, melodic, and powerfully anthemic ride – one that Powerplay Magazine hails as:

“(…) not only H.E.A.T’s best album to date but one to raise the bar for their peers. This album will certainly be recognised as an AOR classic and is sure to be a contender for album of the year.”

‘Welcome to the Future’ is set for release on April 25th via earMUSIC, is now available for pre-order and will be released in multiple formats: CD Jewel case, black vinyl, limited-edition Neon Orange vinyl, and digital.

Fresh off the success of the first leg of their 2025 tour, which spanned the UK, Sweden, Finland, Norway, and Denmark, H.E.A.T is preparing to bring their stunning live performances to fans across the globe. Their upcoming tour dates include stops in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Colombia, Spain, Bulgaria, and Germany.