Full Album Stream: Tombstone Highway: Ruralizer – new album

Check out the new TOMBSTONE HIGHWAY album ‘Ruralizer’ here (MetalRecusants), in all its whiskey-drenched and southern rock-flavoured entirety. And there’s banjo. ‘Ruralizer’ was released approximately a month ago in Europe, and on March 16th, 2013 in North America on Agonia Records. TOMBSTONE HIGHWAY play a feisty stoner/southern rock with catchy guitar solos, bringing to mind LYNYRD SKYNYRD, CORROSION OF CONFORMITY, PRIDE AND GLORY, DOWN and, of course, BLACK SABBATH. If you like what you hear, order the album here, from Agonia Records:

Have I mentioned TOMBSTONE HIGHWAY come from Piacenza, Italy? Vocalist and banjo player HM Outlaw and drummer Emilio Sobacchi started as a duo in 1999 (as “Leaf Season Death” or L.S.D.), grew bored, pursued other musical ventures for a while, got back together in 2006, started writing new material and convinced bassist Mike B. to join in shortly after. As TOMBSTONE HIGHWAY, they rehearsed in their barn near the Padus river, as well as wrote and recorded their first EP, aptly titled ‘Padus River Graveyard Blues’. After that, they took some time off. And Mike B. left. In 2011, HM Outlaw and Emilio Sobacchi  recorded TOMBSTONE HIGHWAY's debut full-length ‘Ruralizer’. In 2012, Agonia Records took notice. 

TOMBSTONE HIGHWAY (2013) features: HM Outlaw – vocals and banjo, Emilio “S.O.B.” Sobacchi – drums, Daniele Zoncheddu – guitars and Simone Feroci - bass

Milking The Goatmachine: Stallzeit – new album

Ever inspired and hugely popular in at least one Central European country - a phenomenon really,  MILKING THE GOATMACHINE's new album, ‘Stallzeit’, is due out tomorrow, March 29th, 2013, on NoiseArt Records. Immediately order ‘Stallzeit’ here (NoiseArt Records) and at Amazon's:

“With ‘Stallzeit’ the band sets new standards,” [the press release tells us] An amazing concept album. The killer production really nails it to the point, it´s a hard-slamming, riff-sh*tting, grind shouting record with a massive wall of guitars, goatdowns, mosh parts and ferocity. A true fest of grind/death with a twist of nonsense and craziness, the trademark of them goats]

More than just goat-like creatures, in actual truth it’s not just an image; they’ve descended from Planet GoatEborg with the intention of dominating the planet Earth, grinding-wise. They have come to spread the “goatgrind”, a mixture of grind, crust, milk, horns, sheds, death and love. MILKING THE GOATMACHINE are apparently quite famous on their planet of origin where, we are told, the music scene is “still fine”. Their descend occurred in 2009 when they landed in Goataragua, Chile. Noise & Stuff cannot independently verify the following claim, but reportedly a farmer there gave them a shed. And, after a couple of shots of “Udder-Booze”, I would guess, Anstalt Records signed the creatures. And the beasts released their first chronicle, ‘Back From The Goats’, that same fatal year. Now, this is very important and should be known: ‘Back From The Goats’ was a concept album; it told an important story, as narrated by one of the goat-fathers. Read and be awed:

“A guy has been dismissed by his girl. One night he passed by this huge field, all drunk of course, because of his grief and sadness. Shit happens. Not far away he saw a goat barn where he walked in and crushed on a pregnant nanny goat. They immediately fell in love and made exactly that all night long. In the morning of the very next day, the guy recognized he had connated with the nanny goat while she was giving birth to her child, a goat. Although the farmer thought this guy was one ugly bastard, he took him to his farm to milk him. Shortly after that the farmer casted him out again because of his sour milk and the fact that the flock would not accept him. Shit happens. That led the guy to the point where he ran amok, impaling the farmer and the rest of the flock with his horns. After that he made his way back to town to kill his ex-girlfriend and the rest of the population by squirting them to death with his sour milk. Shit happens.”

They seem to reside in Germany these days, them goats. As expected, NoiseArt Records had fallen for their otherworldly, country charm and MILKING THE GOATMACHINE released yet another concept album in November 2010. Titled ‘Seven…A Dinner For One’, the record was about “the wolf and the seven kids”, containing tracks as ‘Like A Goatmachine’, apparently a remake of James Brown's classic ‘Like A Sex Machine’. At least they didn’t tackle Eros Ramazzoti whom they cite as an influence (along with NAPALM DEATH, DEVOURMENT, NAILBOMB, classic Japanese music and Albano and Romina Power, heh). In 2011, the goats delivered another concept album called ‘Clockwork Udder’of which I know nothing because I haven’t been paying attention, but of which success I have no doubt.

MILKING THE GOATMACHINE features: Goatfreed Udder – guitar and bass (live guitar), Goatleeb Udder – vocals, drums, guitar and bass (live vocals and drums), Steve Shedaway - live bass and Lazarus Hoove - live guitar

Full Album Stream: Moss: Horrible Night – new album

Taking their time, English doom metallers', MOSS, new album should be out everywhere by April 2nd, 2013 – with European release occurring yesterday, March 25th, 2013 via Rise Above. Due to a slight delay, we are informed, for now turn to iTunes for ‘Horrible Night’, the band's third full length album. The six tracks, the true “celebration of horror, the arcane and the unknown”, were recorded during the summer and autumn of 2012 at Hampshire's Earth Terminal and London's Earthworks studios. Pre-order the album here (Metal Blade Records):

“ ‘Horrible Night’ is the sound of MOSS emerging from [their] cocoon a much more savage, intelligent and all the more terrifying beast. While no longer obsessed with extremity for its own sake – with weirdly infectious riffs, eccentric vocal melodies and no song over 12 minutes – MOSS remain heavier-than-thou, broadening their horror beyond any imposed “scene” expectations. This mastery of the craft is evident from the opening moments of first track ‘Horrible Nights’ – written back in 2010 it sets the course for the album, taking the twisting death-crawl of MOSS mini-epics such as ‘Tombs Of The Blind Drugged’ and administering a lethal dose of addictive melody, cooked up by the colossal riffs of Dominic Finbow and the Ozzy-via-seance vocalizations of Olly Pearson. Cuts such as ‘The Coral Of Chaos’ and ‘Dark Lady’ expand further upon this potent formula, dragging the BLACK SABBATH blueprint to its most nightmarish conclusion and ushering MOSS further into their newest dark age. With 6 tracks, MOSS prove more than ever why this English cult band is regarded exactly as such. While still no easy pill to swallow for the uninitiated, over its duration, ‘Horrible Night’ will demand complete mind control. Nonsense prefixes such as “stoner”, “sludge” or “drone” do not apply here; this is pure doom metal, a celebration of horror, the arcane and the unknown,” [we get instructed:]

“Born from a sickening lust of horror, drugs, insane occult visions and a desire to create the heaviest fucking doom metal anti-music of all time,” in 2000 in Southampton, England, “with the formative ambition of being slower and heavier than the slowest, heaviest band you can think of”, MOSS issued their share of cassettes and split demos before recording their first proper album, 2005's ‘Cthonic Rites’, with ELECTRIC WIZARD's Jus Oborn which, according to a press release, “took the listener on a journey from the bowels of the earth to the farthest reaches of space and back, heralding the coming of ancient elder gods through two massive slabs of bleakly magnificent, mind-controlling death sludge”. Listen to (and buy) ‘Cthonic Rites’, plus an exclusive bonus track ‘The Gate II’, below:

Three years of self-inflicted silence followed, save a limited 7” split with MONARCH. In 2008, MOSS returned with their second album, ‘Sub Templum’, apparently recorded “nocturnally in the mystical Welsh valleys” and released on Rise Above.  Once again overseen by Jus Oborn, ‘Sub Templum’ was described by the label as “an immense opus of occult hypnosis inspired by the macabre, masonry, marijuana and Doris Norton, a terrifying work of uncompromisingly cryptic enormity”. Following 2009′s ‘Tombs Of The Blind Drugged’ 10” and the ‘Eternal Return’ 12”, MOSS, traditionally a reluctant live act, released ‘Never Say Live’ in 2010:

MOSS features: Olly Pearson – vocals, Dom Finbow – guitar and Chris Chantler - drums

Wardruna: Runaljod – Yggdrasil – new album

 

Well, in this business we use the word “epic” a lot and often in vain, but not in case of WARDRUNA and their self-appointed task of musically interpreting the runes of the Elder Futhark. The second such rendition, containing 11 songs and 24 runes, is due in Europe tomorrow, March 25th, 2013 and in North America on April 2nd, 2013, on Indie Recordings. ‘Runaljod - Yggdrasil’ comes available as regular jewel case CD and as digibook CD with an exclusive 32 page booklet, as vinyl and as digibook sold together with a limited edition necklace. Go, and enrich yourselves here (WARDRUNA store), here (Indie store USA) or via iTunes. The album was produced and engineered by multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Einar “Kvitrafn” Selvik in his own, aptly named (say experts in such things), Fimbulljóð studio. As in case of WARDRUNA's first album, many of the recording sessions were executed outdoors “at carefully selected locations” with instruments or natural sounds that are relevant to the different runes. WARDRUNA primarily use old and historical instruments such as primitive deer-hide frame drums, “kraviklyra”, “tagelharpe” (Viking fiddle), mouth harp, goat horn, “lur”, as well as sound of trees, rocks, water and torches.

 

In 2002 in Bergen, Norway Einar “Kvitrafn” Selvik, whom you might know from JOTUNSPOR, GORGOROTH, SAGH and so on, set out to explore and evoke the depths of heathen Germanic wisdom and spirituality, or, in other words, he decided to combine his passion for and practice of Norse paganism and runes with music. By 2003, WARDRUNA consisted of “Kvitrafn” and singers Kristian Eivind Espedal, better known as GORGOROTH's “Gaahl”, and Lindy Fay Hella. In 2007, the project attracted some attention after it was featured on the soundtrack of documentary by Peter Beste called “True Norwegian Black Metal”. In 2009, WARDRUNA issued their nearly six-years-in-the-making debut album, ‘Runaljod - Gap Var Ginnunga’, on Indie Recordings.

WARDRUNA features: Kvitrafn - music and lyrics, vocals & most of the instruments, Lindy Fay Hella – vocals, Gaahl – vocals & conceptual contributions and Erlend Gjerde - drums 

 

 

 

 

The Amenta: Flesh Is Heir – new album

Australia's THE AMENTA will unshackle their new album ‘Flesh Is Heir’ tomorrow, March 25th, 2013, and release it upon this world through Listenable Records. ‘Flesh Is Heir’, currently streamed in its precise industrial black metal entirety here, at Terrorizer's, should be bought here (Listenable Records store). Take care though, THE AMENTA's music is not for the “tin-eared and terrified. This music is for the true adventurer:”

“ ‘Flesh Is Heir’ builds huge sculptures of sound from decayed choir loops and found percussion, the strongest riffs and guitar hooks in THE AMENTA catalogue and an immaculate vocal performance. Lyrically it deals with the constant war in the human psyche between the faction that desires obliteration and the faction that struggles in the mud. This bipolar theme is carried through to the music which is at once, ugly and beautiful, organic yet electronic, lightening fast but also crushingly slow, and always dark as pitch,” [the press release makes things comprehensible]

“Like all truly extreme artists, THE AMENTA has long been defined solely by its refusal to be defined.”

Formed, nay, crudely welded together in 2002 in Sydney, Australia by guitarist Erik Miehs and programmer Timothy Pope, THE AMENTA (“a fluid collective, utilizing any instrument, technique or musician to carve out hymns of decay and disgust”) first independently released the ‘Mictlan’ EP, followed by their first full-length album, ‘Occasus’, in 2004 on Listenable Records. Described by Eduardo Rivadavia, AllMusic as “claustrophobic”, “head-spinning” and “nerve-shattering” (“In sum, this secretive Aussie collective has struck upon a formidable formula with which to stun their unsuspecting prey, and that can only bode well for their future,” more here), the collective depicted it as a “deliberately atonal and ugly beast”. “Stepping away from the safety of repetition and embracing a colder, dirtier aesthetic”, THE AMENTA's second longplayer ‘n0n’, arriving in 2008, which sounded like “an aggressive video game soundtrack; futuristic yet anachronistic” to Cosmo Lee, AllMusic (more here), was according to the band received “ecstatically by critics and fans”. Once back from European and U.S. tours, THE AMENTA, now completed by vocalist Cain Cressall, drummer Robin Stone and bassist Dan Quinlan, recorded and released ‘V01D’, featuring one new (title) track and re-recordings of tracks from the two previous albums. Listen, buy or download for free from here (BandCamp), courtesy THE AMENTA:

THE AMENTA features: Cain Cressall – vocals, Timothy Pope – samples & programming, Erik Miehs – guitar, Dan Quinlan – bass and Robin Stone – drums

Hypocrisy: End Of Disclosure – new album & Tales Of Thy Spineless – new video

Well Europe, ready or not, all will be revealed tomorrow, March 22nd, 2013, when the new HYPOCRISY album, ‘End Of Disclosure’, lands in your stores, descending from the conspiracy-fertile planet of Ludvika, Sweden. ‘End Of Disclosure’ will affirm the average Jane/Joe's worst fears and suspicions on April 2nd, 2013, when it is due in North America. If you’ve ever had a dream crushed, if you’ve ever had a bank loan denied, or if you’d just like to know how to correctly pronounce the term “illuminati”, do take advice from HYPOCRISY mainman Peter Tägtgren here, here and here (album trailers). Furthermore, watch their new Ville Lipiainen-directed videos for the title track (which you can download from Nuclear Blast for free here) and for ‘Tales Of Thy Spineless’ below. Produced by Peter Tägtgren in his Abyss Studios in Pärlby, Sweden with artwork created by Wes Benscoter, ‘End Of Disclosure’ awaits you here (Nuclear Blast Records Europe) and here (Nuclear Blast USA).

As the legend goes, HYPOCRISY was formed in 1990 by Peter Tägtgren in Ludvika, Sweden after having briefly lived in Florida where he had been inspired by that state's metal scene (and where he occasionally drummed for MALEVOLENT CREATION). Once securing a record deal with Nuclear Blast, Tägtgren recruited vocalist Masse Broberg, bassist Mikael Hedlund, guitarist Jonas Österberg, and drummer Lars Szöke. This lineup recorded HYPOCRISY's debut full-length, 1992's ‘Penetralia’. Without Österberg, the band released ‘Obsculum Obscenum’ in 1993, and after Broberg departed as well, Tägtgren assumed vocal duties and the production of the next album, 1994's ‘The Fourth Dimension’, followed by 1996's ‘Abducted’:

“Instead of exclusive reliance on the typical cookie-monster grunting featured on ‘The Fourth Dimension’ (the musician's first attempt at vocals), Tägtgren expands his repertoire to include sub-sonic growls and piercing black metal screeches, along with the grunts and hollers he had already mastered,” [Jason Anderson, AllMusic took notice of the musician's nearly alien-like vocal capabilities – more here]

Intended as HYPOCRISY's last album - as Tägtgren developed an alternate career as a producer and created his own electronic/industrial side-project PAIN - ‘The Final Chapter’ came out in 1997. But,

“swayed by worldwide fan pleas and weary from the unrelenting requests to produce records for other bands,” [explains the band's official bio] “his decision was made easier by a contagious desire to experience a Swedish summer outside the confines of a studio control room, to tour more (and perform half-naked!), and use Abyss Studios solely to record his own bands, as well as a few select bands.”

Tägtgren and HYPOCRISY ended the state of worldwide uncertainty with 1999's self-titled album (preceded by live album ‘HYPOCRISY Destroys Wacken 1998’), described as “100 percent pure organic metal” by Jason Hundey, AllMusic (more here). Their seventh album, ‘Into The Abyss’, was issued in 2000, followed by experimental and poorly received ‘Catch 22’ (“the disc title says it all: progress and be called a sellout by cliquish devotees; write the same album again and again and be called boring, the classic catch 22,” argued in album's defense Brian O'Neill, AllMusic – more here):

“We did a different kind of HYPOCRISY record with ‘Catch 22’ and people flipped out, y’know? So all the flipping out I do with PAIN. It’s really good to have two different bands, because whatever doesn’t fit in one, you can use with the other. I don’t want to change HYPOCRISY. It’s never been pure death metal. There are elements of doom, thrash, death, some squirts of black metal. [These are] just things I listen to that reflect in the songs,” [stated the talented man in a MetalSucks interview – read the rest of it here]

The next in the HYPOCRISY's beefy catalog, and the last album to feature long-time drummer Lars Szöke, came in 2004, ‘The Arrival’, followed by ‘Virus’ in 2005, introducing new drummer Horgh (Reidar Horghagen of IMMORTAL fame), a man Tägtgren had long admired. No less than eleventh full-length, ‘A Taste Of Extreme Divinity’, was released in 2009 through the band's loyal partner in crime, Nuclear Blast.In 2011, HYPOCRISY looked back at twenty years of chaos and confusion that seem to guide the restless genius that is Peter Tägtgren in form of a DVD accompanied by two CDs of live music recorded at the Blue Box Club in Sofia, Bulgaria entitled ‘Hell Over Sofia’. 

HYPOCRISY features: Peter Tägtgren – vocals and guitar, Mikael Hedlund – bass and Horgh – drums (and Tomas “Elof” Elofsson – live guitar)

Six Feet Under: Unborn – new album

He leads and we follow: SIX FEET UNDER. Chris Barnes and his group of fiends this time bring ‘Unborn’, after delivering ‘Undead’ less than a year ago. Mixed by Chris “Zeuss” Harris, ‘Unborn’ is out now in Europe as an exclusive European boxset edition containing the limited digipak of ‘Unborn’ and a bonus track entitled ‘Illusions’, a poster, a patch, two pins, a sticker “plus enough space for last year's ‘Undead’ album!”, and will be unleashed upon North America tomorrow, March 19th, 2012. Visit Metal Hammer here to hear the ‘Prophecy’ and check out ‘Zombie Blood Curse’ lyrics video below and then shop for ‘Unborn’ here (Metal Blade Records):

“The journey to create, write, and record ‘Undead’ and ‘Unborn’ has been the most challenging and exciting musical endeavor and process I have ever been involved with,” [expressed vocalist and founder Chris Barnes] Working with all these amazing writers and musicians like Ben Savage (WHITECHAPEL) on songs like ‘Neuro Osmosis’ and ‘Fragment’ are some of the most dynamic, beautiful, and brutal songs I’ve ever had the pleasure of putting lyrics to. I believe Ben is a true innovator of the death metal genre. It was also a lot of fun working Jari Laine from TORTURE KILLER again. We wrote a great album together a few years back called ‘Swarm!’ [TORTURE KILLER's 2006 album] – one of my favorite releases I’ve been involved with – and Jari is someone who I have really wanted to work with again ever since. I wanted to revisit collaborating with Jari because of how well we work together; proof of that on ‘Unborn’ are the hook heavy sounds of songs like ‘Zombie Blood Curse’ and ‘Incision’.”

Originally a side project for CANNIBAL CORPSE vocalist Chris Barnes and OBITUARY guitarist Allan West, SIX FEET UNDER eventually became a full-time proposition featuring Barnes, West, bassist Terry Butler and drummer Greg Gall. This “exciting collaboration” was spotted by Metal Blades' Brian Slagel, who took the band under his wings. SIX FEET UNDER's debut album, ‘Haunted’, was issued in 1995. ‘Alive And Dead’ EP, which presented four live songs off the band's debut album, as well as two new ones and JUDAS PRIEST cover, followed in 1996. According to Jason Birchmeier, AllMusic, SIX FEET UNDER already “fulfilled [their] potential” on second album 1997's ‘Warpath’, “merging Chris Barnes' Godzilla-like growl with West's lumbering, snail-paced riffs” (read the rest here). ‘Warpath’ proved to be the last album recorded with Allan West. In 1998, Steve Swanson became the group's new guitarist; SIX FEET UNDER delivered the goods again (“ridiculously over-the-top vocals spewing tales of death, dismemberment, and other variations on gore and splatter themes” – Steve Huey, AllMuisc – more here) on 1999's ‘Maximum Violence’. The band enriched their catalogue with entertaining cover album entitled ‘Graveyard Classics’ in 2000, and with their fourth full-length, ‘True Carnage’, in 2001. ‘True Carnage’, featuring guest vocalists Ice T and Karyn Crisis, peaked at number 18 on the Billboard Heatseeker's chart, with its follower, 2003's ‘Bringer Of Blood’, reaching position number 22 on the aforementioned chart, where it had remained for two whole weeks. SIX FEET UNDER recorded ‘Graveyard Classics 2’, a cover version of AC/DC's album ‘Back In Black’, in 2004, and had celebrated a decade of existence with a 4-CD and DVD box set ‘A Decade In The Grave’. Their sixth longplayer, ‘13’, followed in 2005 and 2007 and 2008 saw the release of ‘Commandment’ and ‘Death Rituals’ respectively. ‘Graveyard Classics 3’ inevitably followed in 2010; the last album to feature original members Greg Gall and Terry Butler. Undeterred, Chris Barnes returned in 2012 with ‘Undead’, the band's ninth full-length featuring guitarists Rob Arnold and Steve Swanson, bassist Jeff Hughell and drummer Kevin Talley :

“Now, as for everyone else who actually digs SIX FEET UNDER for reasons known or unknown, rest assured that ‘Undead’ is, well, pretty good,” [came across decisive Eduardo Rivadavia, AllMusic] Heck, the dreadlocked old goat is sort of like that wacky uncle (if he sounded like, you know, Cookie Monster) that keeps things interesting for the family: you can’t really miss him ‘cos he won’t go away, but you still invite the old coot for kicks on Thanksgiving. The same is true, in roundabout fashion, of SIX FEET UNDER, even if ‘Undead’, like most of their albums, makes better stuffing than cranberry sauce. Who doesn’t like a little stuffing now and then?” [Read the rest here]

SIX FEET UNDER features: ‪Chris Barnes – vocals, Ola Englund – guitar, Kevin Talley – drums, Steve Swanson – guitar and Jeff Hughell - bass‬

The New Black: Sharkpool – new video & III: Cut Loose – new album

 

 

You can’t get rid of them even if you try; they have a new video out, ‘Sharkpool’, and their brand new album is making waves over at Amazon where it is conquering charts fast. If you can imagine “BLACK LABEL SOCIETY inviting the NICKELBACK guy over for some THIN LIZZY covers, all dressed in PANTERA shirts”, then THE NEW BLACK is just what you need. The German rockers' new album, ‘III: Cut Loose’, was released on March 15th, 2013 on AFM Records and you can still download yourselves their new single ‘Count Me In’ for free here (AFM Records – enter the code: MG52K2V) or here (ReverbNation). ‘Count Me In’ comes also in video form that will stand the test of time and awaits you below. The video features a young lady called Cindy Wenk who, shortly after the filming, has been voted “Bild Girl 2013” (Bild is Germany's biggest tabloid) and is also featured in the current issue of Playboy:

“[Commented THE NEW BLACK:] Blackies & Blackettes [referring to their fans]! Thanks for the impressive click rates and all the comments to the ‘Count Me In’ clip. Now you can take the song with you wherever you go, in the car, to the bar, visiting mom or your next stint on a red carpet somewhere. Download it, crank it!”

‘III: Cut Loose’, THE NEW BLACK third album, can be found here (AFM store), here (AFM MP3 store) on iTunes and Amazon. The album's regular edition contains 12 tracks, whereas the limited digipak version offers additional song and no less than “four moody acoustic compositions”. Furthermore, the tune ‘Superhuman Mission’ proudly presents two guest vocalists, Chris Birx of MOTORJESUS and Tyler Voxx of THE BULLETMONKS (“the result: FAT!”). ‘III: Cut Loose’ was mixed and mastered by Jacob Hansen:

“Not ones to be accused of cranking out basic three chord pint-of-beer rock 'n' roll, the band keeps the songs heavy, intricate, yet catchy all the way through. THE NEW BLACK's established arsenal of trademarks is fully loaded for ‘III: Cut Loose’, making rockers like ‘Superhuman Mission’, ‘Any Colour You Like (As Long As Its Black)’, ‘Muzzle & Blinkers’, ‘Sharkpool’ and ‘Not Quite That Simple’ guaranteed fan favourites. Ultimately, however, it comes down to finding your earworm of choice amongst the familiar and new twists on a working theme; there are plenty to choose from. Whether it’s the party crash MOTORHEAD-flavoured opener ‘Innocence & Time’ (if Lemmy could sing he’d sound like TNB vocalist Fludid), the groovy stomper ‘Count Me In’, a balls out '80s-with-a-harmonica rocker ‘Cut Loose’, or the oddly infectious ballad-esque “screw you” tune ‘One Thing I Know’ – it’s very clear that nothing about ‘III: Cut Loose’ was phoned in or blueprinted from previous efforts,” [added the label]

 

Formed “by coincidence and heavy drinking” in 2009 in Würzburg, Germany, THE NEW BLACK, after putting forth their self-titled debut album which was reportedly “an enthusiastic exploration of new territory”, self-produced their second offering entitled ‘II: Better In Black’, which was mixed by Michael Dotzler and guitarist Fabian Schwarz, mastered by Achim Köhler and issued through AFM Records in 2011.

THE NEW BLACK features: Fludid – vocals, Christof Leim – guitar, Fabian Schwarz – guitar, Günt Auschrat – bass and Chris Weiß – drums

 

 

 

Hate: Alchemy Of Blood – new video

 

 

HATE, described by Greg Pratt for Revolver Magazine as “death metal's unsung greats” and “Polish MORBID ANGEL-lovers”, have just issued a brand new video for ‘Alchemy Of Blood’ off their new album ‘Solarflesh’, released in January/ February 2013 on Napalm Records. ‘Solarflesh’, containing:

“full-speed blast beats, grimy sludge, and just enough experimentation to keep things interesting, keyboard flourishes and a sense of drama that borders on ludicrous, militaristic marching, mid-tempo near-blackened metal, and so many great death riffs NILE's Karl Sanders is probably twitching a little just thinking about it,” [as put by aforementioned Greg Pratt – read the rest here]

was recorded at Sound Division Studio in Warsaw, Poland with Filip Halucha and Arek Malczewski, and mixed at Hertz Studio in Bialystok, Poland with producers Slawek and Wojtek Wieslawski. Check out the “Making Of ‘Solarflesh’ ” short documentary below and shop for the album here and here (Napalm Records).

 

HATE was formed in Warsaw, Poland in 1990 by lead guitarist and vocalist ATF Sinner who, in a band that endured quite a few line-up changes, is the only constant. HATE issued several demos (‘Abhorrence’ in 1992, ‘Evil Art’ in 1994 and ‘The Unwritten Law’ in 1995) before releasing their first full-length record entitled ‘Daemon Qui Fecit Terram’ in 1996, followed by 1998's ‘Lord Is Avenger’, considered a highlight of their early years, on Polish label Vox Mortiis. ‘Cain's Way’, released in 2000, was HATE's first to be distributed in United States (through World War III/Mercenary Musik). HATE signed a record deal with Listenable Records in 2001, the year ‘Holy Dead Trinity’, a collection of their best material from the first three albums, was released internationally via World War III Records. Next, HATE released their acclaimed album, ‘Awakening Of The Liar’,  in 2003, succeeded by their first DVD titled ‘The Litanies Of Satan’. HATE's experimental album, 2005's ‘Anaclasis: A Haunting Gospel Of Malice And Hatred’, received praise from nearly every European metal magazine; in its support, the band embarked on a mega tour across Europe, Russia, Brazil, Mexico and the U.S. Their sixth full-length, ‘Morphosis’, followed in 2008 and HATE's seventh blackened death metal attack came in form of ‘Erebos’, issued in 2010.

HATE features: Adam “ATF Sinner” Buszko – guitar, vocals and synthesizer, Stanisław “Hexen” Malanowicz – drums, Konrad “Destroyer” Ramotowski – guitar and Sławomir “Mortifer” Kusterka – bass 

 

 

 

Full Album Stream: Inter Arma: Sky Burial – new album

Visit BandCamp here and immerse yourselves into an hour of seemingly effortless mix of doom, psychedelic sludge, grind and black metal with added elements of noise and southern Americana in short: INTER ARMA's new album ‘Sky Burial’, due March 18th, 2013 (March 19th, 2013 in North America) on Relapse Records. Virginians' Relapse debut was recorded at Dark Arts Studio in Madison, Tennessee, with engineering, mixing and mastering duties helmed by Mikey Allred. The album's truly amazing art was created by Orion Landau and James Rexroad, with special effects by Drew Pierce of Cutthroat Studios. Listen, be blown away and buy ‘Sky Burial’, surely a contender for heavy music record of the year, here (Relapse store):

“ ‘Sky Burial’ is an album that requites the listener to encompass the fabric of the album as a whole, capturing the full contextual meaning and representation therein. The album is built around creating a journey through veritable prowess expressed both musically and conceptually. Resulting in an experience that is very personable, spiritual and deeply rooted into representing a sound that will reflect the band's solemn roots within live performances,” [wrote CLVT Nation reviewer – more here:]

Emerging from the ever-fertile metal breeding grounds of Richmond, Virginia, INTER ARMA have spent the last few years perfecting “a hypnotically punishing live show”. Formed in 2006, drummer T.J. Childers, guitarists Steven Russell and Trey Dalton, vocalist Mike Paparo and bassist Joe Kerkes recorded a live demo they put forth in 2007, followed by another demo a year later and a split 7” with BATTLEMASTER in 2010 on Mirror Universe, the year that saw the release of their first studio full-length album, ‘Sundown’, on Forcefield Records. In 2012, prior to being signed by Relapse, INTER ARMA issued a 12” EP entitled Destroyer via Toxic Assets Records:

Full Album Stream: Imperium Dekadenz: Meadows Of Nostalgia – new album

“Out of the murky depths of the Black Forest rise IMPERIUM DEKADENZ. The dark chasms of these steep mountains have witnessed the rise and fall of empires in bloody battles and glorious history. Celts, Romans and Germanic tribes have lived and perished in these fog ridden, harsh and yet exquisite landscapes. The ancient past and lost peoples left lingering feelings of longing and a deep melancholy, which none have ever captured more intensively than native IMPERIUM DEKADENZ on their fourth full-length ‘Meadows Of Nostalgia’,” [tells us the press release]

So, after establishing that IMPERIUM DEKADENZ are beyond current political and religious issues and prefer to delve into human transience, ashes, dust and have a thing about resurrecting the Roman Empire, fully intent to sing angrily about loneliness, destruction and despair until that happens, and if you’ve just said to yourselves: “I wish I could witness at least one new empire of darkness rise today,” do visit IMPERIUM DEKADENZ site here (or simply make use of that handsome player available below) and listen to complete ‘Meadows Of Nostalgia’. The album - dare I use such a plebeian term?! - the anthology then is due March 15th, 2013 in Europe and March 19th, 2013 in North America on Season Of Mist. Shop for IMPERIUM DEKADENZ here (Season Of Mist e-shop):

“When winter falls upon the Black Forest, its steep peaks cover chasms and valleys with darkness and harsh frost. Even in summertime the sun does not reach every slope and it comes as no surprise that this rough and sinister environment gave birth to an equally somber sound,” [relates the band's bio]

And so, in 2004, somewhere in Schwarzwald in southwestern Germany, drummer Vespasian and singer Horaz created IMPERIUM DEKADENZ. Inspired by ancient emperors, philosophers and one famed classical poet (the name of the band was inspired by the scandalous 1979 film “Caligula”), the pair released their melancholic and dramatic debut LP, ‘…Und Die Welt Ward Kalt Und Leer’ in 2006 to much local acclaim:

“The album was recorded during the coldest and most snow plagued winter of the new millennium. Yet despite the harsh condition, this work was a dream come true for the two protagonists and the beginning of their deep and lasting friendship.”

Taking “another big step towards the dark peak with downcast darkness, destructive rage and precious melodic interludes of fragile acoustic spider webs”, IMPERIUM DEKADENZ followed up with second full-length, ‘Dämmerung Der Szenarien’, in 2007, with it ensuring their final breakthrough into the German scene. The duo reportedly painted their work as “a collection of tableaus in colours of melancholy, epic drama and dark impression”. Thus comfortable with their own sound, IMPERIUM DEKADENZ proceeded with ‘Procella Vadens’, which obviously “amazed with ingeniously constructed multi-layered hymns plunged into the pure passion of ancient wrath and mournful melancholy”. Issued through Season Of Mist in 2010, the album had led the band to major European festivals including Wacken Open Air and Summerbreeze,  as well as secured them an appearance at the Inferno Festival in Oslo, Norway, and that, my dear visitors, amounts to being knighted by the black scene (or something):

IMPERIUM DEKADENZ features: Vespasian - drums, guitar, acoustic guitar, bass and synthesizer and Horaz - vocals, guitar and synthesizer

Kingcrow: Morning Rain – new video

 

 

‘Morning Rain’ is the new video created by Mauro Marani Studio for KINGCROW's tune taken from their fifth studio full-length ‘In Crescendo’, released in February 2013 through Sensory Records, a division of The Lasers Edge Group. ‘In Crescendo’ was recorded at Sound Under Pressure studio in Rome, Italy, produced by KINGCROW guitarist Diego Cafolla and drummer Thundra Cafolla, mixed by Giampiero “PapeDroga” Ulacco and mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side in New York, USA. Its cover art was created by Devilnax. If you like what you hear, and I hear nothing that should make you fell differently about the record especially if you’re into PORCUPINE TREE, RIVERSIDE, OPETH, ORPHAND LAND or DREAM THEATER, order your copy of ‘In Crescendo’ here (KINGCROW store).

 

Founded in Rome, Italy in 1996 by guitarist Diego Cafolla and drummer Manuel Thundra Cafolla, KINGCROW's name  was inspired by Edgar Allan Poe's poem “Raven”. With singer Stefano Tissi , the band recorded their first demo in 1997, ‘Eyes Of Memories’, followed by second promo CD ‘Hurricane's Eye’, issued in the year 2000. KINGCROW found their true calling on progressive-leaning debut album ‘Something Unknown’, which they released in 2001 when the lineup became richer for guitarist Ivan Nastasi. In 2002, new vocalist Mauro Gelsomini replaced Tissi, as KINGCROW was getting ready to record their second LP, a concept album titled ‘Insider’, which they published in 2003. Having build their own recording studio, the band recorded ‘Timetropia’, apparently heralded by media and fans as a true rock opera along the lines of “Tommy” and “Jesus Christ Superstar”, KINGCROW's first album to be released internationally by Lucretia Records International. Years 2007 and 2008 KINGCROW spent on the road promoting the album, their lineup strengthened with bassist Angelo Orlando. In 2009, during the recording sessions for the new album ‘Phlegethon’, the band experienced some turbulence which resulted in new bassist Francesco D'Errico as well as new singer Diego Marchesi. ‘Phlegethon’ followed in 2010 through Scarlet Records.

KINGCROW features: Diego Marchesi – vocals, Diego Cafolla - guitar & backing vocals, Ivan Nastasi - guitar & backing vocals, Thundra Cafolla - drums & percussions, Cristian Della Polla – keyboards and Francesco D'Errico – bass

 

 

 

Full Album Stream: Lost Society: Fast Loud Death – new album & Thrash All Over You – new video

 

“17, 18, 19, 19. No, that’s not today's lottery numbers, but the age of the band members of Finland's most promising contemporary newcomer combo,” [the press release kindly introduces us to LOST SOCIETY. Adds Metal Hammer UK:] Ludicrously young and prodigiously talented.”

Not disagreeing with either, let me point you to Metal Hammer here, where the wunderkinds debut album, ‘Fast Loud Death’, is being streamed in full. Crafted under the aegis of famous producer Nino Laurenne in the Sonic Pump Studios, LOST SOCIETY's rite of passage will be released via Nuclear Blast on March 15, 2013 in Europe and on April 2nd, 2013 in North America. The album's art was designed by “no less a figure” than Ed Repka, while the first video released in ‘Fast Loud Death’s promotion was shot by LEGION OF THE DAMNED frontman Maurice Swinkels, who explained:

“I spent a fun evening with the LOST SOCIETY boys in Finland, creating the music video for ‘KILL’. It was a blast – we shot the video at drummer Ossi's place, where his parents welcomed us with open arms. They were very co-operative and lots of fun - especially his father's physical commitment was great to watch!” [He has since put together, along with the band, second video, ‘Thrash All Over You’, available for your viewing pleasure below:]

“ ‘Fast Loud Death’ can be ranked among this year's best releases of it's genre, despite all the outputs of seasoned long-established thrashers that may follow. It’s their fresh, catchy, highly energetic songs, forged in the fire of youthful passion under the sledge-hammer of boundless joy of playing, presented with most likable winking snotty attitude – making LOST SOCIETY become unrivalled, even in direct comparison with old hands of the scene. That’s because the quintet adds pots of a special ingredient to its creative work that many routiniers have lost over the years: pure heart’s blood, overflowing with adrenaline,” [provided the recipe for success Nuclear Blast Records]

Buy ‘Fast Loud Death’ here (Nuclear Blast Europe) and pre-order it here (Nuclear Blast USA).

 

Founded in  2010 in Jyväskylä, Finland by guitarist and vocalist Samy Elbanna who surrounded himself with fellow speed and thrash metal fanatics, LOST SOCIETY quickly established themselves as one of the most energetic newcomers Scandinavia has seen in years. After numerous gigs performed in “every nook and corner” of their home country, the band took part in the GBOB (Global Battle Of the Bands) 2012's world finals held in London. Not blind to their potential, LOST SOCIETY were quickly snapped up by Nuclear Blast.

LOST SOCIETY features: Samy Elbanna – guitar and vocals, Arttu Lesonen – guitar, Mirko Lehtinen – bass and Ossi Paananen – drums

 

 

 

Full Album Stream: The Eye: Supremacy - reissue

It is hellishly hot here today - hence ‘Supremacy’. Because, “after years of lying dormant in forgotten silence, the icy menace of THE EYE has risen anew”. But beware: THE EYE is BLUT AUS NORD's Vindsval before we discovered his pleasant singing voice on ‘777 – Cosmosophy’. Originally released in 1997, ‘Supremacy’ is made up of “eight unholy canticles of cold, hypnotic black metal in its purest form”:

“Conceived and executed by Vindsval, THE EYE's sole full-length explored the cruel mythos of odinism and delved into a poetic worship of nature in its dark, repetitive compositions, foreshadowing its creator's later work with star-driven black magicians BLUT AUS NORD. Wreathed in an ancient, otherworldly atmosphere, ‘Supremacy’ is both deeply misanthropic and hauntingly beautiful. Saturated with epic, elegant keyboards and clean, ringing guitar tones, it recalls the grandiose paeans of SUMMONING and glorious ride of latter-day BATHORY as often as it offers a window into Vindsval's darkened shrines. It’s accessible but commanding; an experience, rather than a mere distraction. THE EYE's final testament is a lost classic that has been found and elevated to its rightful place,” [commends the label, Debemur Morti Productions]

So, take a listen here (BandCamp) or below and marvel one of this talented musician's first black impressions, and buy the ‘Supremacy’ either as CD or vinyl here (Debemur Morti store). ‘Supremacy’ is due March 15th, 2013:

Ektomorf: Black Flag – new video

 

 

It’s hard to keep up with EKTOMORF, them being such a busy band. They have a new video out (actually two, and a new record and, it turns out, a new acoustic album as well, and, we can safely suppose, a very obliging label watching their backs, that being AFM Records) for ‘Black Flag’, off their August 2012 release of the same name. ‘Black Flag’, the album, was mixed and mastered by Tue Madsen at his Antfarm Studios in Denmark, and its cover designed by Tim Eckhorst. Shop here (AFM Records store).

 

Hungary's EKTOMORF was founded in 1994 by brothers Farkas, vocalist and guitarist Zoltán “Zoli” and bassist Csaba, with the intention of  adapting SEPULTURA's brand of “world metal” to their own national aesthetic; a mix of 90's death metal spiced with Gypsy folk music. These days, Zoli is the only remaining original bandmember. EKTOMORF's breakthrough came in 2003, when Danish producer Tue Madsen took an interest in the band. Under his guiding hand, the group released five albums: ‘Destroy (2004), ‘Instinct’ (2005), ‘Outcast’ (2006), ‘What Doesn’t Kill Me…’ (2009) and ‘Redemption’ (2010):

“When faced with the improbable realization that ‘Redemption’ is EKTOMORF's ninth album devoted to some manner of serious SOULFLY karaoke, with nary a lawsuit or death threat from Max and Gloria Cavalera, one feels compelled to pause and wonder whether perhaps it’s time to stop bitching about this weird state of affairs and just live and let live. After all, there’s no denying that EKTOMORF typically come up with a few pretty decent SOULFLY songs every time out, and ‘Redemption’ is no exception, thanks to infectiously rudimentary chant-alongs with one combat boot planted in the realm of groove metal and the other in nu metal. And the band even breaks out of type on very rare instances, including the forbiddingly melodic ‘I’m In Hate’ and the cleanly sung, acoustically infused ‘Sea Of My Misery’. Heck, should one simply cave in and give EKTOMORF leader Zoltan Farkas credit for proving that Hungarians can speak English with a convincing Brazilian accent? (All that’s missing is an occasional “um, dois, tres, quatro,” or “jumdaf**kup!”)…” [due thanx should be reserved for Eduardo Rivadavia, AllMusic – read more here]

In February 2012, EKTOMORF issued an acoustic album called ‘The Acoustic’, featuring newly recorded songs from previous albums, new material and two cover songs by LYNYRD SKYNYRD and Johnny Cash.

EKTOMORF features: Zoltán Farkas – vocals and guitar, Szabi Murvai – bass, Tomi Schrottner – guitar and Robert Jaksa – drums

 

 

The Casualties: My Blood. My Life. Always Forward. – new video & Resistance – full album stream

Punk rockers rejoice: THE CASUALTIES, the voice of the disenfranchised, the disillusioned and the dispossessed on this planet, have released new, Lewis Smithingham-directed video for ‘My Blood. My Life. Always Forward., the track off their latest recording ‘Resistance’, released through Season Of Mist in September 2012. ‘Resistance’ can be streamed in full here (BandCamp) and below and ordered from here (Season Of Mist e-shop) or here (THE CASUALTIES shop):

“[Explained and advised the label:] These street fighters are still angry and their album. ‘Resistance’ takes up their fight against injustice, police brutality and the corporate onslaught. ‘Resistance’ fuels the anger of undiluted raw punk with crunchy riffs and anthemic chants, coupled with the precise energy from thrash and a melodic dose of rock. Kick it!”

Formed in 1990 in New York City eying the golden era of street punk embodied by THE EXPLOITED, SEX PISTOLS, CHARGED and GBH, THE CASUALITIES released eight full-lengths, three EPs and three live albums to date. The initial lineup consisted of Colin and Jorge on vocals, Yureesh on drums, Hank on guitar, and Mark on bass. Their first longplayer, British punk-influenced 1997's ‘For The Punx’, was followed by ‘Underground Army’ a year later and ‘Stay Out Of Order’ came next in 2000. ‘Die Hards’ followed quickly in 2001 and THE CASUALITIES did not disappoint with their 2004' ‘On The Frontline’. 2006's ‘Under Attack’, described as  “rowdy, rampant and frantic” by AllMusic reviewer Jason MacNeil, entered the U.S. Billboard Top 200 albums chart at number 199. The band's eight full-length and their fourth issued on Side One Dummy Records, ‘We Are All We Have’, came next in 2009.

THE CASUALITIES features: Jorge Herrera - lead vocals, Rick Lopez – vocals and bass, Jake Kolatis – vocals and guitar and Marc “Meggers” Eggers – drums