I Am Heresy: Thy Will – new album

The only thing Facebook is good for is its “description/influences/inspiration” thingy and I AM HERESY describe themselves there as “the blacker the sun, the darker the dawn” (I’m guessing from COIL's ‘Fire Of The Mind’) kind-of-a-band, while their label forewarns of approaching storm when addressing I AM HERESY and their new album ‘Thy Will’. Out now everywhere, March the 4th, 2014, on Century Media Records,

“on ‘Thy Will’ shimmering black metal melodies crash with chaotic 90ies-noisecore in the vein of DEADGUY and full-on thrash-treats fight vicious negativity reminiscent of clevo hardcore icons INTEGRITY. Furthermore, I AM HERESY sprinkle in dark and heavy folk elements to add a whole different dimension to their sound,” [says the label]

In order to better understand how this intriguingly described sound sounds like, do check out I AM HERESY's three new tunes below. Furthermore, ‘March Of Black Earth’ video apparently stands in defiance of the standard views of “good and evil”:

“It speaks of human exploration into a life without fear or reverence for imaginary deities, who are bent on suppressing our most natural desires. If those deities deem a lust for knowledge, freedom of our carnal self, and disobedience to be sinful, then let us become the best sinners we can be! Each suffering character in the video represents self-sacrifice, killing what is left of our self-expression. The ominous beast in the plague mask represents each character's individual oppression. Their freedom is personified by the archetype Belial, or Baal, (“without a master”) who represents an infernal innocence, freedom, and mockery of self-imposed slavery. Hear the call... Free yourself from the bondage of self-denial, and accept the gift of sin,” [appeals I AM HERESY singer Nathan Gray]

The band that insist they are not Nathan Gray's (of BOYSETSFIRE) side project, are generously giving away the tunes ‘Rahabh’ and ‘March Of Black Earth’ free of charge here. ‘Thy Will’ which is one of this year's musical highlights according to KREATOR's Mille Petrozza, awaits your order here (CM Distro Europe), here (CM Distro North America), here (I AM HERESY store), on iTunes, Amazon etc:

“The whole concept of evil, hell and purgatory is made up only for one reason: few people in power use them to create fear and link their believers to them. In the end, all of these fears are constructs to grant these people more power and wealth. Moving away from these fears, making up your own mind, and creating a view on life that’s based on knowledge and reason can be very liberating“, [appeals once more Nathan Gray]

[And again:] “Come ye daughters and sons of chaos and mystery! We intend to rebuild and create the archetypes of rebellion and revolution against self induced repression. Reveling in anthemic battle songs of lust, pride and indulgence in order to create a ritual purification from the stagnant impotence of servitude and self denial.”

 

Formed in 2011 by vocalist Nathan Gray in order to “live out his love for dark, violent noise”, I AM HERESY, counting guitarist and vocalist Jonah Latshaw (MAY 4TH MASSACRE and son of BOYSETSFIRE guitarist Joshua Latshaw), guitarists Simon Gray (son of Nathan Gray, MAY 4TH MASSACRE) and Gregg Kautz, bassist Jay Sin and drummer Crumbs (brothers, THE DEAD AND GONE), released their “imposing, frenetic, unrelenting and certainly unrepentant” debut self-titled full-length in 2012 on Magic Bullet Records (in Europe via End Hits Records in early 2013): 

 

I AM HERESY features: Nathan Gray – vocals, Jay Sin – guitar, Simon Gray – guitar, Gregg Kautz – guitar, Matt Balog – bass and Crumbs - drums

 

Full Album Stream: Nothing: Guilty Of Everything – new album

Influenced by a line from the play “The Balcony” by prominent and controversial French novelist, playwright and poet Jean Genet: “It’s the hour when night breaks away from the day, my dove, let me go”, or so their Facebook page says, Philadelphia's NOTHING reportedly “seamlessly merge the huge distorted guitar sound of 90s/00s alternative rock giants MY BLOODY VALENTINE and SMASHING PUMPKINS with JESU's introspective post-metal/hardcore” on their just released debut LP ‘Guilty Of Everything’. Available for your listening pleasure in full below, courtesy of Relapse Records, ‘Guilty Of Everything’, was recorded and produced by Jeff Zeigler and awaits your order here (Relapse Records store), on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify etc. This triumph of a debut that “successfully manages to be massively loud, darkly introspective and totally beautiful all at once” is being revered by the industry experts as well, with Noisey describing it as “the most complete, satisfying, and original-sounding shoegaze album since the scene that celebrated itself burnt out”, NPR saying it “is epic and stirring, even unnerving at times, but it carves a path toward enlightened serenity” and Rolling Stone and Stereogum depicting NOTHING's sound as “vast” and “enormous” respectively. So, since not much else is known about NOTHING, trust the experts' opinions and/or trust your own judgments:

Full Album Stream: Destrage: Are You Kidding Me? No. – full album stream

 

DESTRAGE first caught my attention back in 2011 with their ‘Neverending Mary’ video for a rather silly, personal reason and look at them now: they are all grown up and are releasing albums through Metal Blade Records. MetalSucks is streaming ‘Are You Kidding Me? No’ right here right now, so check it out; the title track features a guest appearance by Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal. DESTRAGE's third album and their Metal Blade debut is out now everywhere, March the 4th, 2014. Described as “intricate and batshit crazy” by MetalSucks and “just straight up bonkers in the best way possible” by Metal Injection, the album was recorded at RecLab Studios with Larsen Premoli and at Adrenaline Studio with Daniele Nelli. Mixing and mastering was done by Will Putney at The Machine Shop in New Jersey and the cover illustration was done by Marco Tafuri with the layout completed by The Jack Stupid. Get the latest DESTRAGE offering here (Metal Blade store), on iTunes or via Amazon.

 

DESTRAGE was formed in 2005 in Milan, Italy. Their debut mix of “European melodic death metal, best of American thrash/hardcore and rock ‘n’ roll, speed, core, sickness, and sometimes introspectiveness” was recorded in 2006 with Ettore Rigotti. Called ‘Self Id Generator’, the promo helped DESTRAGE land a deal with Japanese label Howling Bull. They released their debut full-length, ‘Urban Being’, in 2007 (Coroner Records distributed it worldwide from 2009 on), followed by ‘The King Is Fat'n'Old’ in 2010. Additionally: DESTRAGE “destroy, create, transform, sublimate. They worship enthusiasm and venerate the shake that it gives.” Also, they “shoot zombies in the face”.

DESTRAGE features: Paolo Colavolpe – vocals, Matteo Di Gioia – guitar, Gabriel Pignata – bass, Ralph Salati – guitar and Federico Paulovich – drums

 

 

Carnifex: Die Without Hope – new album

 

Although we here, myself and this blog's visitors, derive pleasure from such curious subjects as death, let us hope that all we are witnessing happening around us (world) of late will lead to better future. Honestly, the morning news these days are literally making me physically sick. Perhaps that’s why I am, like ancient Rome's public executioner (CARNIFEX), often shunned by my neighbours, heh. Yes, I - me, the queen of subtle and the mistress of blunt – eventually intend to tell you about CARNIFEX's fifth album ‘Die Without Hope’. It will be released on March 7th, 2014 in Europe and on March 4th in North America and the UK via Nuclear Blast Records. The album was recorded at Audiohammer Studios in Sanford, Florida and produced by renowned Mark Lewis, and its cover art was created by CARNIFEX's longtime collaborator Godmachine. Get the album plus the goodies here (CARNIFEX store), here (Nuclear Blast store), on iTunes, via Amazon etc:

“If you crave for crunchy breakdowns embellished with a dollop of melodiousness, dig into ‘Die Without Hope’ to savor this tasty combination. Be sure to wipe your ears afterwards!” [advises Dane Prokofiev, Pure Grain Audio - more here]

 

American deathcore band CARNIFEX was formed in 2005 in Fallbrook, California by vocalist Scott Lewis and drummer Shawn Cameron. Currently operating out of San Diego, CARNIFEX's debut full-length album, 2007's ‘Dead In My Arms’, produced by Chris “Zeuss’ Harris, sold over 15,000 copies despite limited publicity. Noticed by Victory Records who would release CARNIFAX's next three albums, the band, counting Lewis and Cameron plus guitarists Cory Arford and Ryan Gudmonds and bassist Fred Calderon, first recorded ‘The Diseased And The Poisoned’ which was released in 2008 and which peaked at position 19 on Billboard's Top Heatseekers chart, followed by Zack Ohren and CARNIFEX-produced ‘Hell Chose Me’ in 2010 which peaked at number 22 on U.S. Hard Rock chart. The group's fourth LP, 2011's ‘Until I Feel Stronger’ was received by mixed reviews and (perhaps thusly) CARNIFEX retired indefinitely in 2012. The state of uncertainty had ended the following year, when the band announced their reunion and the signing with Nuclear Blast Records.

CARNIFEX features: Scott Lewis – vocals, Shawn Cameron – drums, Jordan Lockrey – guitar, Cory Arford – guitar and Fred Calderon – bass

 

 

 

Exmortus: Foe Hammer – new video & Slave To The Sword – full album stream

EXMORTUS, who, of course, are “an entity amongst themselves and their music, both complex and thoroughly hook-laden”, have just released a new, Ron Thunderwood-directed video for ‘Foe Hammer’ off their thoroughly enjoyable album called ‘Slave To The Sword’. Equipping it with an appropriately looking cover created by legendary heavy metal painter Philip Lawvere, EXMORTUS had conjured “the kind of album you want to hear pouring from the windows of a van with a Viking fighting a demon in space painted on it” according to Revolver (more here) and the kind of album that “would make a perfect soundtrack for a non-sucky remake of Conan the Barbarian”, according to About.com (more here):

“With virtuoso guitar performances and a flare for modernizing classic speed metal, it’s an album that, despite a couple forgettable mid-tempo death anthems, looks back at a rich history of extreme music, then takes a step forward in terms of aggression and technical wizardry. EXMORTUS further prove that Prosthetic [Records] is one of today's leading merchants of thrash.”

Well, I wouldn’t know about that, but Prosthetic Records is indisputably a generous label, one that respects the potential buyer; ‘Slave To The World’, recorded with engineer/producer Zack Ohren, is therefore available for a full listen below. The album is out now in North America as CD, LP, cassette and digitally (shop for it here here/Prosthetic store), since February 2014, and is available worldwide via Amazon, iTunes and BandCamp (here): 

 

Formed in 2002 in Whittier, California, EXMORTUS released their full-length debut album, ‘In Hatred's Flame’, in 2008 through Heavy Artillery Records, following a string of demos and EPs. Since then, EXMORTUS' invigorating twin-guitar mix of neoclassical shred, Bay Area thrash, progressive death and traditional heavy metal has earned the group a devoted following, including that of their new label, who noticed the talented Southern California quartet after the release of their sophomore LP, 2011's ‘Beyond The Fall Of Time’: 

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EXMORTUS features: Mario Mortus ( Mario Moreno) – drums, Conan (Conan Gonzales) – guitar and vocals, David Rivera – guitar and Jovanni Perez – bass 

 

Tesseract: Of Matter – new video

“Imperfection you will find / Look close enough / Tear off the mask I need… I don’t begin to proclaim that I know… Bless my lips for the first time before you don’t…” sings Ashe O’Hara in TESSERACT video ‘Of Matter’ which does not make me struggle with my conscience (or make me remember that terrible movie called “Prometheus” – see below). ‘Of Matter’ comes off the group's second album ‘Altered State’ which did very well for them, debuting at number 94 on the Billboard Top 200 and at number 4 on the Billboard Top Hard Rock Albums chart. Issued through Century Media Records in May 2013, ‘Altered State’ was produced, mixed and mastered by the band's guitarist Acle Kahney and bassist Amos Williams at their own 4D Sounds studio in Milton Keynes, England. TESSERACT's first full-length recording with new vocalist Ashe O’Hara, was also commented on as “a follow-up album that doesn’t just live up to their debut, but blows it out of the water” by Gregory Heaney, AllMusic (more here). The album is available as a limited special edition double CD including the album's instrumental version, as a double LP (in different vinyl color options), as a standard CD and as digital download. Kindly shop here (CM Disto Europe) and here (CM Disto North America), via iTunes or Amazon. As explained by Century Media, ‘Altered State’ is not just the second TESSERACT album; it is also a valedictory statement from a band that have always followed their own path and aimed higher than the vast majority of their supposed peers:

“For whatever reason, we’ve always felt a little out of context to our friends and peers,” [elaborated bassist Amos Williams (and he may just as well be describing yours truly, heh)] “I’m sure everyone feels that, but let’s just say we’ve never quite fit. This has been a blessing for us creatively, as it has allowed us a certain freedom. As always, on this album there appears to be a rule of contradictions. Although things are less hectic than before, they are also far more delicate and tricky. The impact is less explosive, but more shattering as a result. Mood, atmosphere, melody, and experiment are the main focus. Although it may have gone off on its own journey, it is still TESSERACT somehow."

Formed in 2003 as a studio project for guitarist Acle Kahney, TESSERACT's line-up was completed by 2007 with Jay Postones on drums, James Monteith on guitar, Amos Williams on bass and Abisola Obasanya on vocals. In 2009, Daniel Tompkins took over vocal duties and the band recorded their debut full-length ‘One’, which was released in 2011 through Century Media Records: “But perhaps most impressive of all is how naturally these many elements are meshed together, not to mention the uplifting emotions they convey against such oppressive prog metal backdrops,” wrote Eduardo Rivadavia, AllMusic (more here). In 2012, TESSERACT recorded ‘Perspective’ EP, with new vocalist Elliot Coleman who left the band mere weeks after the EP's release.

TESSERACT features: Acle Kahney – guitar, Amos Williams – bass, Jay Postones – drums, James Monteith – guitars and Ashe O’Hara – vocals