Second Chance

From the outside, Nuremberg's metal scene may appear tranquil. But this impression is very deceptive, because what has developed there in the shadow of superlative-ridden Munich is quite simply a hidden Mecca for rockers and metalheads who want to take a break from the sometimes exhausting spiral of louder, harder, faster, bigger. Instead of huge halls full of anonymous crowds, people in the Nuremberg scene like to focus their eyes and ears on what defines rock and metal, even away from high-performance musical sport: the warmth, the soul, the groove and all of this best enjoyed with good friends – in the melodious living room atmosphere of one of the numerous live clubs.

And right from the heart of this bustling yet easy-going grassroots movement of rock bars, music clubs, and bands comes the video single Faraway by STIGMA, announcing the release of their new album Second Chance, scheduled for June 4th.

Founded in 2021 by singer Gerald Zinnegger and guitarist Markus Mantau and quickly joined by René Chlebnitschek on bass and Bernd Paptistella on drums, Stigma's new album is the logical continuation of a journey that began with the two EPs Last Order (2022) and First Call (2023). Initially still heavily influenced by acts such as Alice Cooper or the later Metallica, the quartet quickly found their own compositional approach: They neither wanted to lay down fashionable accents nor bury what should ultimately matter – the pure song itself – under musical frills and glitter. From the first to the last note, everything compositional is therefore subject to the strict dictation of remaining honest, glare-free, and appropriate to the song without compromising the fun in rock.

Following this premise, Second Chance revolves around the central existential questions of working people at the heart of society in an almost metal-atypical way, proving the meaning of existentialism through simple stories of common life with well-dosed detours into philosophy.

Shouter Gerald, who delivers the lyrics with an intense baritone, sums up the diversity of themes on the new record: “Second Chance is an album about resilience, transformation, and duality. It explores the highs and lows of human experience, relationships and social challenges. The title speaks of the possibility of growing stronger through adversity and complements the trajectory we set out on with our first two EPs.”

With the brand new single Faraway, the first single from Second Chance, the band is also taking a rather unusual route and prefacing the smash hits to come with a calmer, yet impelling track: “Faraway, our lead single, is a powerful yet introspective song deeply rooted in themes of regret, longing, and resilience,” explains Gerald. “The raw, gritty verses reflect the harsh reality of being trapped, while the upbeat, melodic chorus symbolizes hope and liberation.”

Stigma will of course be celebrating the release date for Second Chance on June 4th in style: With a big release party at the Hirsch in Nuremberg. The popular venue, which was recently voted Germany's best live club by the readers of Rock Hard magazine, will be a hotbed of activity, as celebrated metallers RANDOM will also be there, taking the opportunity to introduce their new guitarist Angelo Schilirò (ex-Kingdom Come).

The new album Second Chance will be out on June 4th via Music Mania Live
and is ready for pre-save here:
https://stigma.lnk.to/newalbum