Mormânt De Snagov: Derisive Philosophy – new album

Frustrated, openly blasphemous and extremely serious about their craft, Finland's MORMANT DE SNAGOV second LP, ‘Derisive Philosophy’, is out now (May 30th, 2013) via Romanian label Pest Records. Hailing from the oldest city in Finland (incidentally also the official Christmas City of Finland), Turku, MORMANT DE SNAGOV also appear to be fascinated with a certain Romanian, specifically Vlad the Impaler, hence the band's name. In all honesty, it’s a bit difficult for me to phantom where you can buy ‘Derisive Philosophy’ – so I suggest you make your enquiries here (MDS store) or here (Pest Records), if interested.

“[Helped out the band's mainman Domnul Cadavru:] Whatever the source or the inspiration, I add elements from my personal views, which very often contain my thoughts about death, or just simply mock religions. I try to wake people up to realize that religion won’t save anyone from death, and death really is final. There is no resurrection, afterlife, heaven or hell. After you’re dead, you are just a piece of rotting meat. Deal with it!” [Read the rest of this revealing interview here]

Once a one-man project for guitarist and vocalist Domnul Cadavru, MORMANT (from Romanian: a grave, tomb) DE SNAGOV (according to a spurious 19th-century tradition the site of the tomb of Vlad Dracula), started out in 2008. By 2009, Cáhcerávga, Balaur and Faolán Domhnall were enlisted (see, that’s why I like to write about black metal bands):

“At [an] early stage the band decided to keep the recording process as minimalistic and organic as possible. Consequently, a professional studio was an excluded option, no commercially orientated space would have been the right stage nor would it have provided the right atmosphere for what would become the debut album of MORMANT DE SAGOV. The band contacted a good friend of theirs, VK, who set up a custom studio rigging to a place subsequently named as Arthur III. Eight songs were laid down and every one of them were included on the debut album, ‘Rise From The Void’.”

‘Rise From The Void’ was released through Wintersunset Records in 2010, followed by the very limited ‘Secluded Sleeper’ EP. In 2011, the band recorded and released ‘Detrimental Edict’ demo and amicably, of course, parted ways with bass player Cáhcerávga. With Wârcolac on bass, MORMANT DE SNAGOV released another demo, ‘Divine Dismemberment’. In 2012, the band self-financed a split with DIE SWARZE SONNE.

In related news, Pest Records is offering ‘Online Compilation Vol. 14 / 2013’ for free streaming or download here.

MORMANT DE SNAGOV features: Domnul Cadavru – vocals and guitar, Faolán Domhnall – guitar, Balaur - drums and Wârcolac – bass

Full Album Stream: Svartsyn: Black Testament – new album

Not the happiest bunch around - since the band seems to count just one - SVARTSYN (apparently Swedish for “pessimism”)/its sole member Ornias is well known for the choices he makes; it is said that “when faced with the choice of two evils, he chooses both” (a slightly distorted Oscar Wilde quotation). I just made that up, of course. Nevertheless, the purveyor of “true underground black metal” is back with SVARTSYN's sixth or seventh LP, ‘Black Testament’. The album was released in Europe today, May 28th, 2013, and will awash North America in torment on June 11th, 2013, due courtesy Agonia Records. Mixed and mastered at Clintworks Studio by Dennis DerClint Israel, and described by The Metal Observer as “an aural nightmare that envelops one in a whirlwind of snakes and blades the one moment, and dips one headfirst into a tar pit the next” (more here), buy the album here (Agonia Records store) if you so desire:

Hailing from Nynäshamn, Sweden, the band, formerly known as “Chalice”, was formed in 1991 by guitarist Ornias and drummer and vocalist Tormentor. Tormentor was soon replaced by Surth and in 1995, SVARTSYN recorded nine tracks of which five found home on ‘A Night Created By The Shadows’ demo. In 1996, Draugen (former DARK FUNERAL drummer) joined SVARTSYN who then proceeded to record their debut album ‘The True Legend’, released through Folter Records in 1998. UNPURE's Kolgrim replaced Surth on 1997's ‘Tormentor’ 7” EP and on second album ‘Bloodline’. Recorded already in 1998, ‘Bloodline’ received a limited release via End All Life Productions in the year 2000. After Kolgrim, Mörk was soon discharged, apparently for being “unstable”. In 2003, the band issued their third album ‘Destruction Of Man’, followed by ‘Chaos Svarta Mar / Skinning The Lambs’ split with ARCKANUM which reportedly “dropped like a bomb on an unsuspecting black metal community”. ‘Bloodline’ was re-released in 2005 by Sound Riot Records, and ‘Timeless Reign’ was put forth in 2007 through Carnal Records. Staying true to his own brand of melodic, low-fi black metal, SVARTSYN/Ornias next recorded ‘Wrath Upon The Earth’, he released through Agonia Records in 2011.

Full Album Stream: Gevurah: Necheshirion – new EP

Well, these two sure know how to get one's attention. You’ll find GEVURAH a bit above “majesty”, just below “understanding”, and clearly opposite of “kindness” and “love”. Lifting their shield: “Que cette oeuvre soit un monument a ton nom, O Lucifer, etoile du matin…” (something about “the shining one/Lucifer” and “the morning star/Venus” - “The [morning star]?” “A woman. Same story, different versions. And all are true.”), the Canadian duo are ready to battle for the Dark Lord. Their debut recording is out now, May 28th, 2013 on Profound Lore:

“Their debut release ‘Necheshirion’ captures that moment of genuflection to give honor and praise to the reign of Lucifer during the inevitable dark aeon. Five songs spanning 33-minutes of virulent religious black metal malevolence (one song being a homage to legendary Swedish black metal horde MALIGN) which signify the process of spiritual rebirth of the enlightened Self which rises from the ashes through fire and ultimately liberates itself through death,” [Profound Lore Records espoused GEVURAH's cause]

“Ultimately GEVURAH have aimed to encompass all that is wrong with the world and ‘Necheshirion’ is certainly a work that evokes feelings of gross unease and claustrophobic paranoia, from the opening discord to the closing dissonance. GEVURAH feed on discomfort and their sound is at times overwhelming, cloying and full of sulphuric hate. ‘Necheshirion’ flows with a tangible and heady thrum of dark will and X.T's voice conveys the work of an unseemly entity via guttural roars and heightened streams of horror-laden curses,” [CVLT Nation's reviewer found the recording quite consuming – more here]

So, if you prefer the winning side, buy ‘Necheshirion’ here (Profound Lore store) or search for it on Amazon, Amazon MP3 and iTunes:

GEVURAH features: X.T. - drums and vocals and A.L. – guitar and bass

Full Album Stream: Evile: Skull – new album

Dedicated West Yorkshire, UK thrashers', EVILE, new album entitled ‘Skull’ is out now in Europe, May 27th, 2013, on Earache Records and will be released in North America on June 11th, 2013 through Century Media/Earache Records. Recorded with producer Russ Russel at Parlour Studios in Kettering, England, with artwork created by Eliran Kantor, ‘Skull’ awaits you here (Earache store Europe), here (Earache U.S. store) and here (CM Distro USA) and on iTunes. The album can be enjoyed in full below (an occasional comparison between Matt Drake/EVILE and James Hetfield/METALLICA is inevitable, I suppose)  and here (Earache YouTube channel):

Formed in 2004 by siblings Matt (vocals and rhythm guitar) and Ol Drake (lead guitar), bassist Mike Alexander, and drummer Ben Carter, EVILE independently recorded and released two EPs, 2004's ‘All Hallows Eve’ and 2006's ‘Hell Demo’, before being voted  UK's best unsigned act by readers of Terrorizer Magazine and, as a result, signed by Earache Records' founder Digby Pearson. The group's debut album, Flemming Rasmussen-produced 2007's ‘Enter The Grave’, received generally favorable critical reviews and had entered the UK Rock Chart at number 33:

“Classic thrash is alive in the new millennium!” [couldn’t contain his enthusiasm AllMusic's Eduardo Rivadavia:]  “In fact, it’s experiencing a mini renaissance across the globe, thanks to hundreds of eager young groups set on emulating the frenetic sounds first perpetrated by METALLICA, SLAYER, and company in the early '80s (surely before many musicians from this particular generation were out of their diapers… if out of the womb, come to think of it). Needless to say, Britain's EVILE are but one of many accomplished outfits stepping out into this recently formed mosh pit, but they’re doing it with remarkable panache via 2007's ‘Enter The Grave’ debut.” [Read more here]

Following the release, EVILE were sent off to tour with music's giants such as MACHINE HEAD and MEGADETH. In 2009, they retuned to the studio with producer Russ Russell with whom they recorded ‘Infected Nations’, which entered the UK Top 100 chart at number 91 and which Phil Freeman, AllMusic found to be “seriously ambitious” and “a terrific showcase for the band's musical abilities” (more here). Tragically, just weeks after the album's release, bassist Mike Alexander died due to pulmonary embolism while the band were on promoting tour. In 2011, EVILE returned with their third longplayer ‘Five Serpent's Teeth’. Again recorded with Russel, the band dedicated a song off the album, ‘In Memoriam’, to their fallen band member Mike Alexander. ‘Five Serpent's Teeth’, which introduced new bassist Joel Graham, surprised Revolver's J.D. Considine who found the album “sophisticated” and its creators “intent on perfecting, not merely imitating” (more here):

EVILE features: Matt Drake - rhythm guitar and vocals, Ol Drake - lead guitar, Ben Carter – drums and Joel Graham – bass

 

Dark Tranquillity: Construct – new album

Twenty years ago DARK TRANQUILLITY released their debut album ‘Skydancer’, and tomorrow, May 27th, 2013 (May 28th in North America), “the guardians of the Gothenburg sound” – as they are generally referred to – will unleash, in partnership with Century Media Records, their latest, tenth album called ‘Construct’:

[Explained vocalist and lyricist Mikael Stanne:] “A construct is something that exists in your own mind. A kind of fantasy. I’m intrigued by the human need to make stuff up. That we create something to believe in to feel more at ease. I’m primarily thinking of religion, of course. In the context of the album, a construct is a negative thing. Half of the songs deal with every-day things while the other half have a more philosophical angle. I’m trying to work out why things end up a certain way. The bottom line is that you can’t trust the human brain, that everything’s subjective and that you’re always wrong. You don’t know everything. You can’t even trust your own memory.”

Recorded at Rogue Music owned by keyboardist Martin Brändström and mixed by Jens Bogren at his Fascination Street studios in Örebro, with bass duties handled by guitarist Martin Henriksson following the departure of Daniel Antonsson, and with artwork designed by resident artist, guitarist and songwriter Niklas Sundin (“Construct” is a noun but of course also a verb. I aimed for a mechanical feel in the same vein as Fritz Lang's “Metropolis”. And there’s an X in there, since it’s our tenth album.”), get your own copy of the record which is already exciting the metal press here (CM Distro Europe), here (CM Distro USA) or here (DT store). The promotional video for DT's new tune ‘Uniformity’ was directed by Patric Ullaeus.

Formed in 1989 by vocalist and guitarist Mikael Stanne and guitarist Niklas Sundin (who, for a while, thought “Septic Broiler” was the right name under which to try for stardom) and soon joined by singer Anders Fridén (now IN FLAMES), drummer Anders Jivarp and guitarist/bassist Martin Henriksson, DARK TRANQUILLITY released multiple demos before issuing their debut studio album, 1993's ‘Skydancer’, on Spinefarm Records. When Fridén switched allegiances, Stanne became the band's lead vocalist and Fredrik Johansson was recruited on rhythm guitar. DARK TRANQUILLITY's second full-length was issued in 1995 on Osmose Productions; described by John Serba, AllMusic, as “a bona fide masterpiece that helped further stretch the boundaries of death metal in the '90s” (more here), ‘The Gallery’ helped to expand the band's international fan base. 1997's ‘The Mind's I’, originally published through Osmose Productions, was re-released in 2005 by Century Media, containing DARK TRANQUILLITY's EP ‘Enter Suicidal Angels’, recorded during the sessions for their third longplayer. According to AllMusic's Eduardo Rivadavia, this was the record on which “DT were still experimenting with all manner of ulterior motives in search a distinctive voice with which to challenge their inner-city rivals” (more here). They seemingly found something on its follower, since 1998's ‘Projector’, their Century Media debut, was consequently nominated for Swedish Grammy. Fredrik Johansson departed from the band after ‘Projector’s release and Martin Henriksson switched from bass to guitar as a result. DARK TRANQUILLITY's fifth full-length, 2000's ‘Haven’, also introduced keyboardist Martin Brändström and bassist Michael Nicklasson:

“Finally, DARK TRANQUILLITY has achieved just that - tranquil balance, both in songwriting and musical approach, and it is all combined with a melancholic heaviness bands like IN FLAMES or TIAMAT have long forgotten. Amazing, all should hear this subtle masterpiece,” [exclaimed Jason Hundey, AllMusic – more here]

The band continued to add extreme metal to melody on 2002's ‘Damage Done’. Sticking with the formula that worked only this time diving further into aggressiveness, DARK TRANQUILLITY recorded their seventh studio album, 2005's ‘Character’. Recorded already in 2006, ‘Friction’ was issued in 2007; reconciling the old and the new writing styles and bringing back Stanne's clean vocals, ‘Friction’ turned out to be the last album recorded with bassist Mikael Niklasson. The vacant position was soon filled by Daniel Antonsson, only featured on DT's 2010's album ‘We Are The Void’:

“So consistent have DARK TRANQUILLITY's albums been throughout the years, that it ironically takes an especially spectacular effort like 2010's ‘We Are The Void’ to make one realize that the prior few - specifically 2005's ‘Character’ and 2007's ‘Fiction’ - had actually left something wanting. … OK, so stylistically, there are really no revolutionary changes afoot - not even mild ones, in fact - just stunningly accomplished songs playing to DARK TRANQUILLITY's strengths on a scale not heard in some time,” [commented Eduardo Rivadavia, AllMusic – more here]

DARK TRANQUILLITY features: Mikael Stanne – vocals, Martin Henriksson – guitar and bass, Niklas Sundin – lead guitar, Anders Jivarp – drums and Martin Brändström – keyboards

Full Album Stream: Slidhr: Deluge – new album

In my fourth year of documenting this shit, I do feel we are gaining a positive footing here since I keep writing about, listening  to or seeing horses, feathers, deserts and seas - and in this case a heavy downpour. SLIDHR also bring the horse of death:

“As unoriginal as it may sound within this kind of music, the overall concept is apocalyptic. I very much feel we are nearing the end of days and this is no bad thing. This corrupt shithole has gone too far; let’s just hit the restart button,” [the man behind SLIDHR, Joseph Deegan, told Metal Ireland – more here]

“ ‘Deluge’ sings of nature's awakening, calling on its forces to swallow this civilization. Heralding the horse of death to unite mankind with the soil. These ten songs evoke celestial turmoil and welcome the next great catastrophe upon a species hypnotised and poisoned into submission. To achieve spiritual liberty, the crown of the tyrant must be seized. By journeying beyond the physical realm and learning from the dead, those who awaken may shun the blinding light of the false sun,” [added theirs the label, Debemur Morti Productions]

You might know him as Gast from MYRKR or Joey Deegan from MAEL MORDHA or perhaps as J.D. from SOL AXIS. This time he has teamed up with CHAO drummer Bjarni Einarsson with whom he recorded an album worthy of your time and money. ‘Deluge’ is due out tomorrow, May 24th, 2013, on Debemur Morti Productions. Listen below and buy/restore some faith here (Debemur Morti e-shop):

“SLIDHR will never be a big name or whatever and there is certainly no money to be made from this kind of music so I will do whatever I want. It is a creative thing for me; it’s art. My opinion is the only one that matters at the end of the day and that won’t change in order to appeal to some losers. If SLIDHR got more exposure, fine. I don’t care either way. I’ll still make music when I am motivated to do so:” [Read the rest here/Metal Ireland]

SLIDHR features: J. Deegan – guitar, bass, vocals and art and Bjarni Einarsson - drums

Hatebreed: Honor Never Dies – new video

They are such optimists, HATEBREED, aren’t they? In today's world where common sense is in seriously short supply, they claim that “sometimes standing for what you believe means standing alone”. ‘Honor (also running short these days) Never Dies’ comes off HATEBREED's highly successful sixth album ‘The Divinity Of Purpose’ (well yes, “purpose” – it’s been ages since I’ve ate one of those), issued on Razor & Tie and Nuclear Blast Records in January 2013. Nevertheless, ‘The Divinity Of Purpose’ turned out a career high for the band, debuting at number 20 on the Billboard Top 200 (conquering Billboard's Top Hard Rock Albums chart among other achievements), with over 17,000 copies sold in its first week. HATEBREED's sixth longplayer was co-produced by Zeuss, Josh Wilbur and the band, and its artwork created by Eliran Kantor (click here (YouTube) to hear it explained by vocalist Jamey Jasta). Get your own copy of the album here (Nuclear Blast Europe) or via iTunes and/or Amazon:

“HATEBREED sixth long-player is as reliable as black electrical tape and as brutal as the current it shields,” [wrote James Christopher Monger, AllMusic] Jasta's intense delivery remains unchanged, relying on a conversational, Henry Rollins-esque cadence that flirts with melody without ever closing the deal. He’s more of a commanding officer than a ringmaster, providing instruction and inspiration with equal amounts of gruff flare, resulting in a sort of stoic pummeling that promises the listener a well-deserved endorphin release. Musically, HATEBREED sticks with the blueprints that they used to build previous outings, but there’s an impressive sense of workmanship to ‘Divinity Of Purpose’ that suggests a steady diet of more traditional metal.” [More here]

Assembled in 1993 in Bridgeport, Connecticut with a purpose of creating a “back to basics hardcore band with heavy, metallic guitars, screaming vocals, and 30-second songs”, HATEBREED released six studio albums to date. They have also managed a Grammy nomination in 2004, and have managed to get wrongfully accused of being “white power” band by the mighty CNN (who later apologized for the mistake). Described as “these scary-looking, tattooed dudes from Connecticut” by Adam Bregman, AllMusic (more here), HATEBREED successfully crossed over from hardcore to the metal scene with their debut LP decisively titled ‘Satisfaction Is the Death Of Desire’, released through Victory Records in 1997, preceded by a compilation EP, Under The Knife’, and a split 7” with INTEGRITY. Rated nearly perfect by AllMusic, their second album, ‘Perseverance’, followed in 2002 on Universal Distribution.

“Crowd reaction and participation have always been hallmarks of the hardcore and thrash genres. It’s probably the ultimate goal of any music to entertain, to illicit some kind of response from the listener. But within these enclaves - especially hardcore - the musicians can become mouthpieces for the mob, their songs vessels for carrying a collective meaning. While that conduit's energy has been sapped somewhat by shifting allegiances and new influences both in and outside of loud rock, it’s remained one of HATEBREED's guiding principles,”

introduced HATEBREED's 2003's album, ‘The Rise Of Brutality’, AllMusic's Johnny Loftus (more here). The album shoot to number 30 on the Billboard Top 200 chart, and its anthem, ‘Live for This’, was nominated for a Grammy. Next, HATEBREED turned to Roadrunner Records through which they unleashed their fourth full-length, Zeuss-produced ‘Supremacy’ in 2006, which peaked at position 31 on the Billboard charts.In 2009, the band conjured a cover album for Koch Records/eOne entitled ‘For The Lions’ and a mere four months later issued their fifth album, ‘Hatebreed’, which introduced two new guitarists, Frank Novinec and Wayne Lozinak, and a new drummer Matt Byrne, making vocalist Jamey Jasta and bassist Chris Beattie the only two founding members. 

HATEBREED features: Jamey Jasta – vocals, Frank Novinec – guitar, Chris Beattie – bass, Wayne Lozinak - guitar and Matt Byrne – drums

 

Parkway Drive: Wild Eyes – new video & Atlas – full album stream

Enormously popular PARKWAY DRIVE have released a brand new video for the track ‘Wild Eyes’, taken from their immensely successful 2012 album ‘Atlas’. Their previous cooperation with director Aaron Hymes resulted in tremendously well-received video ‘Dark Days’ (over 3.5 million views on YouTube) which can be seen below. What can be found below as well is the full ‘Atlas’ stream, courtesy the label Epitaph Records. The fourth studio album from this amazing young band of wave riders was received enthusiastically by fans, hitting position number 7 on the iTunes overall charts and climbing to position number 32 on the Billboard Top 200. ‘Atlas’ entered the band's home country charts (ARIA Charts) at number 3, New Zealand's (RIANZ) at number 12 and Germany's (Media Control Charts) at number 22. The album was recorded in Los Angeles with producer Matt Hyde; its deluxe package includes the ‘Home Is For The Heartless’ DVD, a travelogue featuring one of the most heavily traveled acts' many adventures while touring destinations usually less traveled by this music's representatives, including Colombia, China, India and Indonesia. The ‘Atlas’ awaits you here (PARKWAY DRIVE store), here (Epitaph store) and on iTunes:

“The album was written at a time the band was travelling very extensively which had a major effect on the lyrics,” [commented vocalist Winston McCall:] “While there is no overarching theme, the songs resonate with the travels we as a band have made, and the effects they have had. This has lead to some of the harshest, and also some of the most personal lyrical content that we’ve ever put to music. In every way, this record has been shaped by the experiences that shaped us a people. This record means the world to us. Never as a band, and as people, have we put more effort and thought into creating music. There is more of us in this record than anything before. The experiences that it took to create over the years were once in a lifetime. Ten years down the track, this is the PARKWAY you know, but we’ve decided to step it up.”

“Vocalist Winston McCall's guttural singing is one of the best parts of the band. His versatile growls, spoken parts, and gut-busting screams convey a sense of sincerity, whether it sounds desperate, ferocious, or simply impassioned. [His] lyrics tend away from the usual approach to topics of pain and anger that a lot of hardcore bands deal with, touching instead on environmental concerns, religious confusion, and disappointment in a thoughtful, ponderous way. … the album's depth and openness to straying away from typical devices of the genre make ‘Atlas’ one of the more engaging and thought-provoking metalcore releases amid a sea of the interchangeable riffs and howls of other bands,” [commented Fred Thomas, AllMusic – more here]

Formed in 2002 in New South Wales, Australia, PARKWAY DRIVE's debut full-length, 2005's ‘Killing With A Smile’, followed a split EP they issued with I KILLED THE PROM QUEEN soon after the band's inception. Adam Dutkiewicz-produced CD, released through Epitaph Records, prompted AllMusic's Corey Apar to write:

“ ‘Killing With A Smile’ is all about punishing breakdowns, death metal riffing, hardcore aggression, and monstrous growls that want nothing more than to spit and snarl until listeners entirely understand just how pissed off they really [the band] are and, well, that they’re not joking.” [He also somehow concluded that:] “PARKWAY DRIVE prove to really be just a bunch of tough Aussies with broken hearts who want to be loved.” [Read more here]

Their second album, once again produced by metalcore guru KILLSWITCH ENGAGE's Adam Dutkiewicz,  2007's ‘Horizons’, debuted at number 6 on the Australian Music Sales Chart. AllMusic's Stewart Mason noted:

“ ‘Horizon’ is strictly by the book metalcore, but delivered with enough talent and passion to put across a set of songs that might easily come off as samey and dull in less capable hands,” [read the rest here]

2010's third longplayer, ‘Deep Blue’, was produced by Joe Barresi and released via Epitaph Records, Resist Records and Burning Heart Records. The album debuted at number 2 on the ARIA charts (main Australian music sales charts), at number 39 on the Billboard Top 200 chart, and had peaked at number 46 on German Albums Chart. ‘Deep Blue’ also won the band the 2010 ARIA award for Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Album:

“Barresi [Joe, producer] has filled the low end with booming bass, and the drums are relatively free of the tick-tock triggering that plagues many other metalcore acts; indeed, they sound like they’re played by a live human being in a big room, a bit of sonic wizardry many producers seem to have forgotten how to perform. … Taken as a whole, ‘Deep Blue’ demonstrates that PARKWAY DRIVE are very good at what they do, and just need someone to help them leap out from the pack a little more,” [commented Phil Freeman, AllMusic – more here]

PARKWAY DRIVE features: Winston McCall – vocals, Luke Kilpatrick – guitar, Jeff Ling – guitar, Ben Gordon – drums and Jia O’Connor – bass

Hardcore Superstar: C'mon Take On Me – new video

God's personal gift to this world, Gothenburg's HARDCORE SUPERSTAR, have once again teamed up with director René U. Valdes in order to produce yet another highly educational video; ‘C’mon Take On Me’ comes off the band's ninth studio album of the same name, released in March 2013 through Nuclear Blast Records. HARDCORE SUPERSTAR's latest almanac of balls-to-the-wall hard rock was produced by the band and mixed by Randy Staub. Enjoy two additional songs from the album in their audio & video format below, and buy yourselves a fistful of timeless sleaze metal here (Nuclear Blast Records store).

Having the balls to marry two styles that grew up hating each other, thrash metal and sleaze rock, HARDCORE SUPERSTAR was formed in 1997 in Gothenburg, Sweden. They released their first album, (Swedish-only release) ‘It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll’, on Gain Records in 1998, followed by their first internationally-released album, 2000's ‘Bad Sneakers And A Pina Colada’. The band's cooperation with Music for Nations label continued for another two albums, 2001's ‘Thank You (For Letting Us Be Ourselves)’ and 2003's ‘No Regrets’. Vocalist Jocke Berg, guitarist Thomas Silver, bassist Martin Sandvik and drummer Adde Andreasson leaped onto Swedish Album Charts (at position number 12) with their next self-titled longplayer, issued on Gain Records in 2005. HARDCORE SUPERSTAR's last album recorded with guitarist Thomas Silver, and their last on Gain before switching to Nuclear Blast, came in 2007; ‘Dreamin' In A Casket’ was described as “consistent and enjoyable effort” by AllMusic's Dave Donnelly (more here). Finally recognized for their sense of humor, featuring new guitarist Vic Zino, ‘Beg For It’ followed in 2009 (“On their latest effort, they’re continuing to deliver what big-haired ladies and aging bandanna-over-the-bald-spot dudes want from a rock band,” endorsed Phil Freeman, AllMusic – more here), while AllMusic's Alexey Eremenko found HARDCORE SUPERSTAR's eight album, 2010's ‘Split Your Lip’, fit for biker's convention (“think Hell's Angels” – more here). 

HARDCORE SUPERSTAR features: Jocke Berg – vocals, Vic Zino – guitar, Martin Sandvik – bass and vocals and Magnus “Adde” Andreason – drums

Entrails: Raging Death – new album

ENTRAILS' third album has just became available in Europe (May 13th, 2013) and will be released in North America on May14th, 2013 on Metal Blade Records. ‘Raging Death’ was recorded at the Racetrack studios (drum recordings) and at guitarist's Jimmy Lundqvist The Crypt recording studios. ‘Raging Death’, mixed and mastered by Dan Swanö whose voice appears on the track ‘Death League’ alongside that of Kam Lee (BONE GNAWER etc: “When I was asked by the maniacs of ENTRAILS to lend my death growl vomit to the mix I was honored. Like a cannibal mutant feeding frenzy of blood soaked gore… this track will make you bleed from the inside out!”), Jorgen Sandstrom (THE PROJECT HATE MCMXCIX etc: “I had no idea that I was supposed to be in a song with these sickos!!! If I knew I would had said yes in planck time!! Death League FTW!”) and Rogga Johansson (PAGANIZER: “All I could think was: fuck yes! And the song fucken’ crushes!”), should be bought from Metal Blade here or searched for on iTunes and Amazon.

Well, a long long time ago (in 1990 or 1991) in a small village in southern Sweden (Linneryd), Jimmy (Lundqvist, guitarist) and Fredde decided to start a death metal band. Shortly thereafter, Tobbe and Billy joined that band, called ENTRAILS. According to some highly cited rumors, the mentioned four immediately began to rehearse in a furious manner (“in a converted woodshed”) - unfortunately though, attempts to record a demo have, at the time, not yielded a satisfactory result. After two such years Fredde, Tobbe and Billy gave up on a dream; but Jimmy kept on writing songs – until 1998. Ten years later, Jimmy Lundqvist found some old ENTRAILS recordings and, reportedly in a moment of nostalgia, decided they deserve to be released. Helped by modern recording technology, Lunqvist has first spent several weeks choosing the right songs for the release, and then recorded them - all by himself. Except for vocals; after some recommendations from Lunqvist's friends, those were eventually handled by Jocke Svensson. And so in 2009, ENTRAILS' first demo, ‘Reborn’, was finally out. Encouraged by positive response, Lundqvist recycled additional music found on old ENTRAILS demo tapes he released by the end of that same year as ‘Human Decay’ demo. In 2010, ENTRAILS, richer for vocalist and bassist Jocke Svensson, guitarist Matte Nilsson and session drummer Fredrik Widigs, recorded their first proper full-length; ‘Tales From The Morgue’ was issued in 2010 through German label FDA Rekotz. After the release of the album, drummer Adde Mitroulis joined the band on permanent basis. In 2011, ENTRAILS released their second album, ‘The Tomb Awaits’, through FDA Rekotz in Europe and through Dark Descent Records in the USA. In 2012, the band was snatched up by Metal Blade Records.

 

ENTRAILS features: Jimmy Lundqvist – guitar, Joakim Svensson – vocals and bass, Mathias Nilsson – guitar and Adde Mitroulis - drums

Immolation: Kingdom Of Conspiracy – new album

 

Capturing the times we live in perfectly with the title of their new album ‘Kingdom Of Conspiracy’, IMMOLATION's ninth full-length is out now in Europe (May 10th, 2013) on Nuclear Blast Records. ‘Kingdom Of Conspiracy’ will be released in UK on May 13th, and in North America on May 14th, 2013. Produced by Paul Orofino and mixed and mastered by Zack Ohren, with Orwellian-like artwork created by Swedish artist Pär Olofsson, the relentless album awaits you here and here (Nuclear Blast store), on iTunes and Amazon. Check out lyrics videos for the title-track and ‘Indoctrinate’ below, and for the behind the scenes stuff visit here and here (YouTube):

“[Explained guitarist Robert Vigna:] The album deals with the world today and the slow unraveling and breakdown of our societies and the systems and structures behind them. It speaks of the human side to all this and how we have all lost our way and have fed into these very systems that are slowly coming apart. This is the common thread running throughout the album and the cover paints a very dark picture of the future, where these systems have completely absorbed our world, and our freedoms and we have become a part of the very fabric of these structures that we have created. Each song is a symptom of this mass sickness that has brought the world to the point it is at now, and we paint a very bleak picture of this slow and gradual breakdown and the human failures that sped this process along. This is the ‘Kingdom Of Conspiracy’.”

“Let’s just preempt all the bullshit adverbs and comparisons for a minute: the new IMMOLATION album is really fucking good,” [starts off his review of the album MetalSucks' Emperor Rhombus who rewarded it with 4/5 marking] … Two things immediately stand out to the listener: the production, and the guitars. The former is clear, but not crisp, maintaining a lushness that brutal death metal often loses and steering away from a stark brittleness the genre often courts for technicality's sake. The latter blows the mind: driving, unrelenting leads juxtaposed next to grinding central riffs that are more percussive than melodic; [guitarists] Bill Taylor and Robert Vigna somehow exude the album's themes - mind control, enforced lies, the hideousness of modern life, the sense of being an unwitting puppet - through these edged, almost melancholy guitar lines that never overuse the pinch harmonics or repeat the same riff to the point of exhaustion,” [read the rest here]

Once called RIGOR MORTIS, IMMOLATION formed in New York in 1986. Signing with Roadrunner Records, the band released – these days considered a death metal classic - their debut full-length in 1991, entitled ‘Dawn Of Possession’. Moving to Metal Blade Records, IMMOLATION next recorded 1995's ‘Here And After’, the last album to feature original drummer Craig Smilowski. With new drummer Alex Hernandez, bassist and vocalist Ross Dolan and guitarists Thomas Wilkinson and Robert Vigna released IMMOLATION's third album, 1999's ‘Failures For Gods’, closely followed by 2000's ‘Close To A World Below’. Through French label Listenable Records the band, now counting six-stringer Bill Taylor who replaced Wilkinson, issued 2002's album ‘Unholy Cult’, the last album to feature drummer Alex Hernandez. 2005's ‘Harnessing Ruin’, which found Steve Shalaty behind the drum kit, was described by AllMusic's Eduardo Rivadavia as “one of the most inspired and texturally varied records of [IMMOLATION's] career”:

“All told, these nine songs constitute an embarrassment of riches, and deliver a much-needed shot in the arm for the American death metal scene,” read the rest here]

After 2007's ‘Shadows In The Light’, IMMOLATION switched labels once again. Through Nuclear Blast Records the death metal legends (with over two decades under their belts) and one of the most ferocious live bands out there, issued their eight full-length, 2010's ‘Majesty And Decay’:

“IMMOLATION's sound has evolved over the years,” [wrote Alex Henderson, AllMusic] “On 2010's ‘Majesty And Decay’ they favor technical death metal with hints of black metal at times. Black metal isn’t a huge influence on this sledgehammer of a CD; all of Ross Dolan's lead vocals are stereotypical death metal “Cookie Monster” growls, and there is no question that [this] is a death metal album first and foremost. Nonetheless, scorching tracks like ‘The Purge’ and ‘A Glorious Epoch’ have enough black metal influence to add to the menacing vibe that IMMOLATION were obviously going for.” [Read the rest here]

IMMOLATION features: Ross Dolan – bass and vocals, Robert Vigna – guitar, Bill Taylor – guitar and Steve Shalaty - drums‬

Full Album Stream: The Monolith Deathcult: TETRAGRAMMATON – new album

 

Listen to the full new album by the 6th most popvlar and almost award-winning svpreme avantgarde death metal band from Kampen, Netherlands, THE MONOLITH DEATHCULT, via the handsome player available below - courtesy the label, Season Of Mist. ‘TETRAGRAMMATON’ is out now in Europe (May 10th, 2013) and will become available in North America on May 14th, 2013. Shop indiscriminately here (Season Of Mist e-shop):

“There is nothing funny about death metal. Wrong! THE MONOLITH DEATHCULT surprise with their visual tongue-in-cheek approach to this brutal genre on their fourth full-length ‘TETRAGRAMMATON’. Yet when it comes to their music these Dutch are deadly serious. Their stunning technical prowess simply allows this band to be self-ironic and referential towards any death metal band of the 90's they find worthy of their brutal attention. There are glimpses of CANNIBAL CORPSE, DEATH, NILE, NAPALM DEATH, HAIL OF BULLETS, ASPHYX, BEHEMOTH openly displayed throughout this album. THE MONOLITH DEATHCULT do not shy away from reaching beyond the genre borders by referencing WHITE ZOMBIE for example, while their lyrics refer to war, terrorism, historical events, and even touch controversial topics such as religion:”

 

 

 

Founded in 2002 in Kampen, the Netherlands and spreading misery, despair and contempt throughout Europe ever since, THE MONOLITH DEATHCULT believe that since death metal has reached a ceiling in terms of speed (see: HATE ETERNAL, listen: CRYPTOPSY), they have therefore decided to broaden the genre by inserting previously ignored elements into the style: from techno/dance and industrial music (“completed with Wagnerian classical pomposity”) to irony, black humour and bad taste (“in combination with a morbid fascination for everything that is wrong”):

“THE MONOLITH DEATHCULT realizes all too well that music is a form of entertainment, and that music is made not only for our own pleasure, but also for the audience. The audience wants to be entertained and wants to be captivated by what the band offers. THE MONOLITH DEATHCULT makes music for the masses without losing their identity by making easy-listening rock tunes. THE MONOLITH DEATHCULT doesn’t make artist-centered music and won’t gorge on technicalities only trained ears will hear and appreciate. If people want to see virtuoso techniques they can go out and rent a Steve Vai DVD,” [declares the official pamphlet]

Claiming an appalling lack of talent which the bandmembers allegedly disguise by playing guitars with extreme body shapes, THE MONOLITH DEATHCULT released their debut album, The Apotheosis’, in 2003, followed by ‘The White Crematorium’ in 2005. Sponsored by German label Twilight Vertrieb, their acclaimed third effort ‘Triumvirate’, issued in 2008, brought the band international recognition. The rising interest spawned a re-release of ‘The White Crematorium 2.0’ in 2010. 

THE MONOLITH DEATHCULT features: Sjoerd Visch: The Grocer - drums, percussion analog and triggering, piledrivers and preternatural serenity, Michiel Dekker: The Teacher - doubtful poet, vox, guitar (retuned & out-of-tune solo leads), kahler misuse and supreme inanity, Robin Kok: The Doctor - fretted and fretless bass, vox and howling insanity, Ivo Hilgenkamp: The Logistic - stringed stoicism, lead beard and unalloyed sublimity and offline member Carsten Altena - Stalin organ, sonic booms and mammoth orchestral stabs

Full Album Stream: Sadgiqacea: False Prism – new album

“As deep as the oceans and as vast as the cosmos, equally turbulent and serene”, SADGIQACEA (sad-juh-kay-sha) are but two men - drummer Fred Grabosky and guitarist Evan Schaefer. Their debut album ‘False Prism’, produced by WOE's Chris Grigg at Gradwell House in New Jersey and mastered by Colin Marston at The Thousand Caves in New York, featuring original art by the band's two musicians, is out now, May 7th, 2013, on Candlelight Records (U.S. division). Visit Pitchfork here for the album's title-track and if you like what you hear, order the CD here (Candlelight store) or search for it on Amazon. ‘False Prism’ will be released as 12” gatefold LP via Anthropic Records on May 14th, 2013 (pre-order here).

“ ‘False Prism’ is a journey through the cosmic mental process. I have listened to the album over a hundred times and it literally brings me to tears. The intensity of each song is comparable to being inside a dmt nebula and the only way out is for the vibration of yourself to throw you a rope. Each song is twisted ladder of dueling forces spiraling into cerebral destruction which leads to a path of clarity. It is both a psychic war and a triumphant reincarnation,” [wrote whoever listened to ‘False Prism’ for Anthropic Records:]

SADGIQACEA began their unrelenting and passionate quest into the realm of heavy music in 2010 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with a free ‘Submersed In Manichea’ EP (see below):

Their name apparently stands for no less than the “powerful phenomenon that is our existence, and the connection we all share with the universe as a whole”. Drawing from a multitude of dark sub-genres they skillfully manipulate “as if they were colors of paint”, drummer Fred Grabosky and guitarist Evan Schaefer are artist as well as musicians. After splits released with fellow road warriors OMINOUS BLACK and GRASS in 2011 and 2012, Candlelight Records took notice:

“Their songs are full of different sonic textures, achieved through lush effects pedal soundscapes, cacophonous vocals, devastating riffs, and bludgeoning drums. Their ability to recreate the tension and catharsis of the multiverse specially for our trodden minds and sodden souls is a feat worthy of immense praise.”

The Sword: Cloak Of Feathers – new video

Texan heavy metallers, THE SWORD, have come up with new video for ‘Cloak Of Feathers’, off their latest longplayer ‘Apocryphon’, issued through Razor & Tie Records in October 2012. ‘Apocryphon’ was recorded with producer J. Robbins at Magpie Cage Studios in Baltimore, Maryland, and is their first to feature drummer Santiago “Jimmy” Vela III, who replaced the band's original drummer Trivett Wingo. ‘Apocryphon’ peaked at number 17 on the Billboard Top 200, had nearly conquered U.S. Hard Rock Albums chart at number 2 and had managed position number 3 on the U.S. Independent Albums chart. So, kindly buy the album here or here (THE SWORD store) or through Amazon or iTunes:

“THE SWORD feel more confident and in control on ‘Apocryphon’, and the feeling comes through with each titanic riff. And while we’re on the subject of rough edges, singer John Cronise delivers his best performance yet. Listening to ‘Cloak Of Feathers’, his vocals feel more powerful and substantial, and with the frontman feeling more in command, everything else seems to follow suit. The bottom line here is that for all of their tweaks and changes, THE SWORD are still a band all about massive riffs and epic lyrics, and while other bands might be more structurally complex or aggressive, few can offer the instant cosmic journey that dropping the needle on ‘Apocryphon’ can,” [wrote Gregory Heaney, AllMusic – more here]

THE SWORD, “a bladed weapon used primarily for cutting or thrusting”, was formed in 2003 in Austin, Texas by vocalist and guitarist John “J. D.” Cronise, guitarist Kyle Shutt and drummer Trivett Wingo. Bassist Bryan Richie joined the band in 2004, after the release of their demo ‘Age Of Winters’. Second demo, ‘The Sword’, and debut EP ‘Freya’, preceded the band's signing with Kemado Records who issued their debut full-length album, ‘Age Of Winters’, in 2006. Rewarded with 4.5 out of 5 rating by AllMusic, the album was described as “as good an entryway as any into the “retro-metal” universe, while also managing to sound refreshing even to calloused heavy metal ears” by Eduardo Rivadavia, AllMusic (more here).A split EP with Sweden's WITCHCRAFT was issued next in 2007, as THE SWORD were readying themselves to unleash their second longplayer, 2008's ‘Gods Of The Earth’. The album that took lyrical inspiration from “Conan the Barbarian” stories by Robert E. Howard and George R. R. Martin's “A Song Of Ice And Fire”, had become the band's first commercial success, having peaked at number 102 on the Billboard Top 200 albums chart. THE SWORD turned to producer Matt Bayles to record 2010's ‘Warp Riders’, a tale of Ereth, an archer banished from his tribe on the planet Acheron:

“A hardscrabble planet that has undergone a tidal lock, which has caused one side to be scorched by three suns, and the other enshrouded in perpetual darkness, it is the background for a tale of strife and fantasy, the battle between pure good and pure evil.”

“More important,” [came to rescue Eduardo Rivadavia, AllMusic] “is how the members of THE SWORD  convincingly navigate this proverbial meteor belt. Whether revisiting familiar musical ground on instrumentally proficient metallic moshers like ‘Arrows in the Dark’ or pealing off more compact, surprisingly nimble time capsules back to the 1970's like ‘Tres Brujas’. Throughout all this - both the old ways and new directions - the ever-present weak link would have to be Cronise's emotionally deadpan vocals, but, as was the case with earlier SWORD albums, they ultimately don’t matter as much as the group's pulverizing twin guitar attack. And these still dominate the proceedings (never more so than on the instrumental ‘Astraea's Dream’), despite shedding some of their serrated dragon-toothed distortion to reflect the sleeker, more aerodynamic, but no less cyclopean spaceship hulls befitting ‘Warp Riders’ sci-fi setting, before powering THE SWORD victory yet again. And they didn’t even have to rename themselves the “Lightsabers” to make it work:” [More here]

THE SWORD features: John D. Cronise – vocals and guitar, Kyle Shutt – guitar, Bryan Richie – bass and Santiago Vela III – drums

Full Album Stream: Arckanum: Fenris Kindir – new album

 

ARCKANUM's new album is of course dedicated to the flaming giant wolf, son of Loki. Become better acquainted with the flaming giant wolf through ARCKANUM mastermind Shamaatae:

“The flaming giant-wolf, son of Loki; created from the Chaos-fires of Múspellsheimr. [This album] is a tribute to the wrathful giant-wolf, son of Angrboða, found in the Ironwood where he is breeding hordes of giant monstrous wolves with Angrboða. His victorious name is Fenrir, also called Tungls Tjúgari. The sounds and music on this album are my auditory vision of the march of Fenrir convoyed with his hordes of giant wolves from the depths of the underworld to face Ragna Rök with warlike glory – deformed giant-wolves swarming in thousands. This is my tribute to the wrathful, harsh and untamed anti-nature of Fenrir’s mighty essence! The anti-cosmic enemy of the worlds! Heill Tungls Tjúgari! Heilir Fenris Synir!”

The “heilir” ‘Fenris Kindir’ though can be streamed below. ARCKANUM's new black ritual is due on May 10th, 2013 in Europe and on May 14th, 2013 in North America on Season Of Mist. Listen, be awed by Fenrir's march, and buy the record here (Season Of Mist e-shop):

As AllMusic's Eduardo Rivadavia puts it: “Shamaatae first broke bread with elves and trolls in 1992”. Swedish multi-instrumentalist Shamaatae (Johan S. Lahger), founded ARCKANUM after ending his drumming career with CONQUEST/GROTESQUE (who were to become AT THE GATES). A one-man project, Shamaatae obtained a record deal with Necropolis Records in 1995, on the strength of the 15-song demo he recorded, called ‘Trulen’. His debut full-length album ‘Fran Marder’, originally released in 1995, was reissued by Debemur Morti Productions in 2009:

“On one hand as grim and frostbitten as Norway's best, on the other exhibiting a fire and earthiness completely unique amongst the band's contemporaries, ‘Fran Marder’ simply mesmerized with its subtly shifting hypnosis, all the while mainman Shamaatae spitting praises to Pan and the powers of chaos as if his very life depended upon it. And now, with exclusively remastered sound by Andy Classen, that palpitating venom becomes even more blanching, Pan's legions of chaos invoked even more severely,” [offered the ever eloquent label:]

Its worthy sequel, ‘Kostogher’, followed in 1997. Considered by many to be Shamaatae's best work, the album combined black metal rawness with sounds from wilderness (horses, thunder, clanging of metal against metal…), with added “queen-of-the-forest” female vocals and a violin:

Nearly five minutes of forest sounds, low chanting and the occasional tribal drumbeat introduced ARCKANUM's third, relentless album ‘Kampen’. Originally released in 1998,

“ARCKANUM laid bare all that came before and all that was to come: from wild, widescreen wanderlust to the pulsating grit of proto-black Metal, ‘Kampen’ ranges the vast experience and even vaster hinterlands of the imagination of Shamaatae's psyche. And now, with exclusively remastered sound, those hinterlands become vaster, the maw of chaos opening even wider:”

Quite a few EPs, splits and a compilation album later, ARCKANUM returned in 2008 with fourth LP ‘Antikosmos’, consisting of “eight complex and chaotic compositions delivered in the archaic Runic language, a wrathful tongue which lends might and majesty to the black magical formulae”. The album was released through Debemur Morti Productions and Moribund Records:

Shamaatae's ‘ÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞ’ came next in 2009, followed by his first published book entitled “Pan Paradox”. Stripped of “animal cries and sounds of the forest, the atmospheric keyboards and the haunting female vocals”, some listeners welcomed ‘ÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞ’ while others found it lacking (Phil Freeman, AllMusic – more here):

‘Sviga Lae’, an album dedicated to Surtr (“a giant and ruler of the world of flames Múspellzheimr”) and Loki (“the flaming giant and archenemy of the worlds”) was released in 2010 through Regain Records. But since Loki is not one of this or otherworld's best known sharers, ARCKANUM attributed 2011's ‘Helvítismyrkr’ to him alone, including the exclusive bit recorded at midnight during winter 1996-97. Issued through Season Of Mist, the album featured guest appearances by guitarist Set Teitan, vocalists Kajsa Lahger-Klarström, Basse Wallin and Set Teitan and violinist Stefan Westberg: