» News Archive February 2001
"It came out very, very dark, darker than before," OPETH leader Mikael Akerfeldt explains their newly released Blackwater Park album."I think My Arms (Your Hearse) came across as a more brutal and heavier recording because the music is a bit more aggressive and faster than Still Life. I think it’s a cross between those two albums. It’s a pretty raw sound. Actually I thought this album would be the most brutal stuff that we’ve ever done, until I listened to the finished mastered CD. It starts off very aggressive and then in the middle it gets mellow and then it comes back to super heavy. It might be because of the way we put the tracks on the album. I always thought that this would be a fast and heavy album, but it has everything; from very dark fast heavy stuff to real mellow. Some stuff is like sing-along stuff."
GOD DETHRONED‘s new album, Ravenous, is slated for North American release on April 24th. Despite the band’s name and the provocative, anti-Christian message, the band are having more fun with a bent form of sacriledge than many of their peers. "The power of the church is gone already," Sattler says, "So why we should be that serious about it? The funny part is though that people who don’t know the band, or people who are into religion, are really frightened by the way we expose ourselves. And that’s good." Due to other obligations, the band’s drummer, Roel, will be leaving shortly, and Sattler’s immediate task will be to audition a new drummer.
Pavement Music has just released these new titles in their Classic series. All CDs are remixed, remastered and enhanced for your computer with lyrics, bio, pictures and more. They are: MALEVOLENT CREATION – Eternal, INTERNAL BLEEDING – Voracious Contempt, SOLITUDE AETURNUS – Through The Darkest Hour, FORBIDDEN – Green and JUNGLE ROT – Slaughter Of The Week.
VADER have been confirmed to play this year’s Dynamo Open Air Festival on May 26th – 27th. The band’s current album, Reign Forever World, recently landed at #8 on the Polish album charts, making Vader the first metal band in the history of the Polish music industry to reach such high positions. Another of their albums, Litany, has been nominated for the Fryderyki 2000 Award for Best Heavy Metal Album, to be awarded on March 18th. In related news Poland’s National TV Channel 2 are about to make a documentary about Vader. In July, the band will embark on their own North American headlining tour with DECAPITATED and two American acts, which will comprise 30 dates in the U.S. and Canada. They are still working out details for a European tour.
DECAPITATED will be on tour with IMMOLATION from May 1st to May 20th. Other support bands on various dates include: DERANGED, DESTROYER 666 and SOUL DEMISE. The band will record their second album, Nihility, at Red Studio in August. It will be out through Wicked World/Earache in October. Decapitated are still working on a U.S. tour. The tentative date has been set for July 2001. Digger International and Earache America confirm that the band will open for VADER and two other bands, so everything depends now on the Immigration Office and the American Embassy in Poland.
THORIUM are set to record their second album, Unleashing The Demons, at the Exponent Studio in Slovakia this Summer. Frontman Michael H. Andersen has this to say about the new material: "It’s faster, more brutal and much more insane, but still with a twist of melody. So far we have around seven new songs ready, which will not dissapoint the fans of our debut, Ocean Of Blasphemy!" The album will include a cover of CANCER’s ‘Blood Bath’.
WITCHERY are finishing up their third full length for Necropolis. Some songs on the yet to be titled album are: ‘Wicked’, ‘None Buried Deeper’ and ‘Hearse Of The Pharaohs’.
DREAMS OF DAMNATION hope to enter the studio in June to record a new album.
ABYSSOS have signed with Necropolis and will release a new album this year.
ARKHON INFAUSTUS are a new signing to Osmose. The band previously released a 7" EP on Spikekult and will release their Osmose debut, Hell Injection, shortly. For more on the band check out their website at: www.evilness.com/arkhon666
Mesopotamian metal band MELECHESH have signed with Osmose. They’ll soon release their debut for the label, DJINN
Mexico’s DOMAIN have inked a deal with Osmose. The band are set to enter a Mexican studio with producer Punchy, to record their next album.
DIVINE DECAY and IMPIETY have also inked deals with Osmose.
According to the ARCH ENEMY website, www.archenemy.net, the Japanese release date of the band’s new album is April 25th. European and U.S. dates will be announced soon. As well, on February 27th, the site will post sound samples, the album’s cover art will be shown and the title of the album will be revealed.
KATAKLYSM vocalist Maurizio Iacono’s solo project, L.O.S.T., will release an album, Living On Sympathy & Trust, this Fall
According to www.digitalmetal.com, CEPHALIC CARNAGE are preparing to enter the studio to record a myriad of tracks for various labels. The first release comes in the form of a 3" CD on Willowtip Records. Next up is to record enough material for a split with ANAL BLAST to be released by Nightfall Records. While the band is hitting the studio for the aforementioned tracks, they are writing material for the follow-up to their Relapse debut, Exploiting Dysfunction. Early reports from the band indicate that their new output will be even crazier than before. Expect a 7" split with LAUGHING DOG on Relapse sometime this Summer.
EMPEROR will release their new album "Prometheus – The Discipline Of Fire & Demise" in September. The band is currently recording at Akkerhaugen Studio (additional parts will be done at Ihsahn’s personal studio). The final mix is supposed to take place in May. Some of the songtitles are: ‘The Eruption’, ‘Depraved’, ‘The Tongue Of Fire’, ‘The Prophet’ and ‘Thorns On My Grave’. According to Ihsahn there’s gonna be nine songs in total on the record. The drumparts should be finished by the end of February. The band is currently working on some orchestral elements. "Prometheus…" is musically supposed to be the missing link between EMPEROR’s older material and the technical elements of "IX – Equilibrium".
On April 17th Deathvomit Records will release "The Genocide Machine" from Pittsburgh PA’s Grindcore act CIRCLE OF DEAD CHILDREN.
Also out on April 17th will be "Forensick" by Mexico’s leading brutal death band DISGORGE. This American version will feature several bonus tracks not available on the European release and George ‘Corpsegrinder’ Fischer of CANNIBAL CORPSE appears on one track as a guest vocalist. Disgorge is playing selected American dates in April, including the infamous Ohio Deathfest.
On the same day "Proclaiming Vengeance", the full length debut from Brazil’s MENTAL HORROR (feat. ex-KRISIUN drummer Robles Dresch) will hit the streets.
PHOBIA have been signed by Deathvomit Records.
AEON is a new band from Sweden featuring members of DIABOLICUM. Playing homicidal Swedish Death Metal in the vein of GEHENNA, MORBID ANGEL, DEICIDE and CANNIBAL CORPSE, the Deathvomit debut MCD "Dark Order", will be released in the coming months.
On March 20th Baphomet / Deathvomit will release "Ugliness Revealed", the new full length album from Japan’s DEFILED that should appeal to fans of the technical wizardry of bands like CRYPTOPSY, GORGUTS, VADER & DYING FETUS. Cover art by Wes Benscoter.
THORNSPAWN from Texas have a new Mini CD out entitled, "Empress From the Realms of Blasphemy". It features three brand new tracks, ‘Empress From the Realms of Blasphemy’, ‘Everlasting Siege of the Necrosoldiers’, ‘Master of the Blood Fury’ and a remixed version of the title track. A new full length should be out in late 2001.
Also newly released on Baphomet/Necropolis is "Fuckhole Armageddon" from Sweden’s OCTINOMOS.
BLOODSTAINED DUSK have just released their second album, entitled "Dirge of Death’s Silence".
After being out of print for a considerable amount of time, DISSECTION‘s "The Past Is Alive" is back in stores again with new artwork.
THE HAUNTED have been awarded a Grammy in the Swedish Grammy Awards which were held this week. The Swedish quintet walked away with the award in the Best Hard Rock Band category, beating off other nominees Entombed, The Hives and Hammerfall. Obviously delighted with the accolade, vocalist, Marco said "we wouldn’t have won the award if it wasn’t for the continued support from our army of fans both in Sweden and across the world, it just goes to show that metal hasn’t died and never will!" The Haunted are currently on tour across Europe with Nile, in support of their second album "The Haunted Made Me Do It", for details of the tour checkout the Earache Website – www.earache.com or use our on tour section.
On March 20, 2001 Necropolis Records will release REQUIEMS OF REVULSION – A TRIBUTE TO CARCASS. Here’s the complete tracklist: 1. Regurgitate – Genital Grinder, 2. Rotten Sound – Reek of Putrefaction, 3. Haemorrhage – Rotten To The Gore, 4. Nasum – Tools of the Trade, 5. Cattle Decapitation – Burnt to a Crisp, 6. Exhumed – Exhume To Consume, 7. Disgorge – Hepatic Tissue Fermentation, 8. Machetazo – Suppuration, 9. General Surgery – Empathological Necroticism, 10. Necrony – Pungent Excruciation, 11. Impaled – Carneous Cacoffiny, 12. Pig Destroyer – Genital Grinder / Regurgitation of Giblets, 13. Vulgar Pigeons – Corporeal Jigsore Quandry, 14. Bodies Lay Broken – Microwaved Uterogestation, 15. Engorged – Swarming Vulgar Mass of Infected Virulency, 16. Dead Infection – Pungent Excruciation, 17. Regurgitate – Psychopathologist
"Choice Cuts" is the title of a new IMPALED release. It features rare tracks, cover songs, and demo versions of material that was featured on last year’s debut effort, "The Dead Shall Dead Remain". This special mid-priced disc contains 13 songs for the price of a mini-CD.
BARNEY GREENWAY, lead vocalist for Napalm Death is overjoyed at the constant comparisons to Motorhead that his band receives. "Everyone says that and I’m quite privileged. Motorhead is my favorite band. All the years that I’ve been into music, I wouldn’t be playing if it wasn’t for them. A lot of bands in our position would have folded by now. We just irritate people and get up their noses because we are traditional hardcore, traditional thrash. We are as we are. We’re like working class kids doing our thing, dressing how we want to, and people don’t like that cause things are very fashion oriented. When a band for example, like Papa Roach, can come up and hit platinum status straightaway, it makes you wonder. But we just kept plugging away. We try not to let things like that bother us. First and foremost, we do it for the music and not the money. At the end of the day, everyone deserves a dignified existence. No one deserves to be fucking poor. Whether you’re a musician, you work in a car factory, whether you’re a cleaner, no one deserves to fucking struggle and suffer. That’s what a lot of people tend to forget. We just carry on doing what we’ve got to do for as long as it lasts or as long as we feel that it’s still appropriate, still relevant."
DESTRUCTION are currently working on new material in preparation for entering Abyss Studios in April. Peter Tägtgren will once again produce. In the mean time, the band will play some South American and Mexican dates in late March.
According to www.digitalmetal.com, DAN SWANÖ is finalizing a vertible laundry list of projects he’s been involved over the past few years. Swanö’s progressive rock band, UNICORN, will release a four CD boxset called, A Recollection Of Worlds. He calls it, "… masterpiece of progressive music." His gothic rock act NIGHTINGALE is now a fully-functional live band, drawing members from MEMORY GARDEN and MOMENTO MORI into the fold. Swanö sings and plays guitar in this project. Nightingale will play locally in Sweden during the months of April and June."The songs we’ve been messing around with in one form or another are: ‘Scarred For Life’, ‘Still In The Dark’, ‘The Game’, ‘Game Over’, ‘Alonely’, ‘Deep Inside Of Nowhere’, ‘Revival’, ‘Steal The Moon’, ‘Nightfall Overture’ and some oldies, ‘Black Tears’, ‘Sacrificed’ and ‘Losing Myself’ and maybe, just maybe ‘Blood Of My Enemies’" said the former EDGE OF SANITY vocalist. "All songs are complete with keyboards and backing vocals, and it sounds extremely well! If nothing fails this line up will also record the next album. There are already two new tracks ready for the rehearsal room and many more in the making! Beware!"
Cogumelo Records have released a compilation entitled "20 Years Of Noise", in celebration of it’s 20 years of activity in extreme music. The tracklisting: SEPULTURA – ‘Troops Of Doom’, OVERDOSE – ‘Violence’, SARCOFAGO – ‘Satanic Lust’, MUTILATOR – ‘Immortal Force’, CHAKAL – ‘Jason Lives’, WITCHHAMMER – ‘My Mirror’, THE MIST – ‘Falling Into My Inner Abyss’, SEXTRASH – ‘Genital Tumor’, VULCANO – ‘Bloody Vengeance’, DORSAL ATLANTICA – ‘Straight’, RATOS DE PORAO – ‘General Crisis’, EMINENCE – ‘Rota’ and SIEGRID INGRID – ‘Murder’. Cogumelo dedicates this compilation to Magoo (Mutilator) and to Osvaldo (Sextrash), who left us too soon.
DYING FETUS, GORGUTS, SKINLESS and THE BERZERKER hit the road in the US beginning March 15 in Albany, NY until April 14 at the New England Metal and Hardcore Fest -Worcester, MA
INTERNAL BLEEDING have signed a three album deal with Olympic Recordings. The band’s next album should be out this Summer
SATYRICON have won the Alarm prize for Best Live Band Of 2000. Frost adds, "We have delightfully received the Alarm prize for Best Norwegian Live Band – 2000. I am happy to state this, since it bears evidence of a magnificent response from our audience – hail to them! And in turn it means that our hard work with the tours and one-off shows has been appreciated and therefore successful."
Moonfog have inked a deal with KHOLD from Norway (they have just recorded their debut, MasterPiss Of Pain) and Italy’s MONUMENTUM. who will release a new album later this year.
HOUWITSER have inked a deal with Osmose. The band now includes a second guitarist, SINISTER’s Alex.
MARDUK‘s new album, La Grande Danse Macabre, will be available on both CD and vinyl LP formats through Regain Records on March 12th.
THORNS will soon release a new album, The Ultimate Manifest, through Moonfog. The album features MAYHEM’s Hellhammer on drums, and vocals from Aldrahn (DHG) and Satyr (SATYRICON), who also co-produced the album.
Century Media will re-issue CRYPTOPSY‘s first two albums, "None So Vile" and "Blasphemy Made Flesh", in the next few months. The band are currently planning a national tour.
Norwegian Death Metal-tornado BLOOD RED THRONE will enter Dub Studios (Norway) in April to record their upcoming debut-album for Hammerheart Records. Blood Red Throne is featuring a.o. Tchort (ex-Emperor, ex-Satyricon). The album will be titled "Monument of Death". Some of the songtitles are Ravenous War Machine, Dream Controlled Murder, Mary Whispers of Death, Monument of Death and Portrait of a Killer.
Adli and Eddie of SEASONAL ABYSS have quit from the scene and the band. Therefore any correspondence should be addressed to Ajoi at No 167, Taman Bukit Chedang 70300 Seremban Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia.
SHADOWBREED‘s new album "Only Shadows Remain" is going to be released at the end of March through Painkiller Records. For pre-orders, wholesale rates, trades and other info you can always contact painkiller through painkiller@infonie.be If you would like to hear some ne w material already you can visit the official Shadowbreed website and go to the releases section, there you will be able to download 3 new songs in mp3 format (only 1 of them is a fullsong though the other two are 1.30 min. clips), you can also visit our brand new re-styled and re-designed website for any other news concerning the band. Just go to www.shadowbreed.nl
Sweden’s DIABOLICAL MASQUERADE have completed their fourth album, Death’s Design. Diabolical Masquerade is the sole project of KATATONIA guitarist Anders Nystrom, who, for his alter-ego, goes under the name Blackheim. The album was recorded with producer Dan Swano at Sanctuary Studio. "… into a soundpicture bigger, more complex and orchestral than ever," said Blackheim of his newest venture. "Mixed in between there are the classic Masquerade epic riffs with atmospheric leads on top, some tranquil acoustic passages, some clean vocals and a lot of FX. Everything is of highest quality and does not feature one single weak moment. Instead of the standard 8-9 song index, the album’s track index will be divided into fragments and small parts, so be prepared to jump out of the chair when the CD player displays 50-60 tracks!" Expect the album to be released sometime in 2001 on Italy’s Avantgarde Records.
INFERNO FESTIVAL is a two day Metal festival happening in Oslo, Norway on April 13th and 14th. Bands scheduled to appear at the event include: AUDIOPAIN, BLOODTHORN, BORKNAGAR, BURNING RUBBER, CADAVER INC., CREST OF DARKNESS, CYBELE, ENSLAVED, FAROUT FISHING, HADES ALMIGHTY, HYPOCRISY, M-ETERNAL, PECCATUM, RAM-ZET, RED HARVEST, SUSPERIA, TIDFALL, TRAIL OF TEARS, WITCHERY and ZEENON.
At the recent Alarm Awards SATYRICON won for Best Live Band Of 2000 while Moonfog took the award for Best Website Of 2000. Congratulations to both band and label.
ALAS have finished recording their Hammerheart debut, Vol. 1 Absolute Purity. The band features Erik Rutan (MORBID ANGEL, HATE ETERNAL) on guitars and Martina Astner (ex-THERION) on vocals. Songs on the album include: ‘The Enchanted’, ‘Silencing The Sorrow’, ‘Quest Of Serenity’, ‘Loss Of A Life’ and ‘Absolute Purity’. The album will be released on May 7th.
According to www.digitalmetal.com, AVERNUS are preparing to record an album’s worth of material for a self-financed full-length. The band say the new material will be the, "darkest, heaviest stuff we’ve to offer since Sadness." The band is experiencing a rebirth of sorts, forgetting their debut album, Of The Fallen and reclaiming the old spirit of doom death. The quintet is aiming to include a mimimal amount of ‘clean’ vocals on the upcoming full-length to provide depth. Some new song titles include: ‘The Isolationist’, ‘A First In The Aura’, ‘Dead Man’s Eyes’ and ‘Nobody Lives Forever’.
THESYRE will soon complete the mastering of its debut album to be released soon via Radicart Entertainment. The band has been described as a hybrid of MINISTRY and BURZUM.
DECAYED REMAINS will complete a few more shows and will then immediately begin work on a new album, tentatively titled Romansick. The band recently teamed with Pierre Langlois in order to fill the drum position. Francis Perron moved to the bass position in the meantime. Expect a new album around the end of 2001.
AUTOPSY‘s Torn From The Grave rarities album is out on February 19th. The set features unreleased live tracks, demos and a collection of their best tracks. The tracklisting: ‘Charred Remains’, ‘Disembowel’, ‘Gasping For Air’, ‘Severed Survival’, ‘Riddeen With Disease’ (demo), ‘Service For A Vacant Coffin’ (live), ‘Retribution For The Dead’ (live), ‘Fiend For Blood’, ‘Squeel Like A Pig’, ‘Funereality’, ‘An Act Of The Unspeakable’, ‘Frozen With Fear’, ‘Spinal Extractions’, ‘Death Twitch’, ‘Walls Of The Coffin’, ‘Shit Eater’ (live), ‘Humiliate Your Corpse’, ‘Brain Damage’, ‘Blood Orgy’, ‘Bowel Ripper’, ‘Robbing The Grave’, ‘Twisted Mass Of Burnt Decay’, ‘Fleshcrawl’, ‘Torn From The Womb’, ‘Slaugterday’, ‘Dark Crusade’ and ‘Mental Funeral’.
LUCYFIRE is a new side project from TIAMAT frontman Johan Edlund. The oddly titled debut, This Dollar Saved My Life At Whitehorse, is said to be more rock-oriented. "Music is supposed to reflect the soul, and I feel extremely well at the moment, after all I’m in a very fortunate position," he offers. "The last Tiamat albums sold amazingly well, our festival appearances were highly successful, and I am very grateful to find myself in the situation that I’m in. That’s why I felt like recording an album that’s more representative of the fun side of rock music. No deep messages, no special meaning, no sharp-witted analyses, only straightforward rock songs that entertain and serve all the usual rock clichés." The album was recorded by the following studio musicians: drummer Bertram Engel, bassist John Kazder, guitarist Dirk Draeger, who also produced the record, as well as keyboarder Mark Engelmann. Edlund was supported by vocalist Silly Lemke. The material was cut in Germany at the Woodhouse Studios in Hagen and at the Hafenklang in Hamburg, as well as at the P.U.K. studios in Denmark, where the record was mixed. Tracks include ‘Baby Come On’, ‘Thousand Millions Dollar In The Fire’, ‘Mistress Of The Night’, ‘And Over And Out’, ‘As Pure As A Sin’, ‘Automatic’, ‘The Perfect Crime’, ‘You Can Have All My Love Tonight’, ‘Sharp Dressed Man’ (ZZ TOP cover), ‘Annabel Lee’ and ‘The Pain Song’
KATATONIA will precede their Last Fair Deal Gone Down album, due March 19th, with a CDS for the track ‘Teargas’, to be released on March 5th. The single will also feature two exclusive tracks: ‘Sulfer’ and ‘March 4th’. Last Fair Deal has the following tracklisting: ‘Dispossession’, ‘Chrome’, ‘We Must Bury You’, ‘Teargas’, ‘I Transpire’, ‘Tonight’s Music’, ‘Clean Today’, ‘The Future Of Speech’, ‘Passing Bird’, ‘Sweet Nurse’ and ‘Don’t Tell A Soul’.
MY DYING BRIDE‘s lead singer, Aaron Stainthorpe has opened a website featuring an exhibition of his artwork. The site, dubbed Edenbeast, can be found at www.edenbeast.com. It contains a short biography, a large art gallery and the option of commenting on the artwork.
HIRAX has hired lead guitarist Justin Lent from the Colorado based punk thrash band CLUSTERFUX.
HIRAX have just released a 7" picture disc (limited edition 2000 pressed) entitled "El Diablo Negro". Two records will furthermore be re-issued soon: the "Blasted in Bangkok" EP and the never before released PHANTASM -"Wreckage" LP which features HIRAX’ Katon W. DePena on vocals, the original bass player from METALLICA – Ron McGoveny, and on drums-Gene Hoglan formerly of DARK ANGEL, DEATH and TESTAMENT. Also upcoming is a brand new HIRAX EP entitled "Borage Of Noise" out this summer 2001. For more information contact www.Hirax.org
The Polish quartet DECAPITATED have announced details of a new European tour in support of their Wicked World / Earache debut album "Winds Of Creation". Decapitated will be joining Immolation, Deranged, Destroyer 666 and Soul Demise for a tour of pure metal mayhem. The exact dates you will find in our tour dates section.
Dutch leading Death Metal Machine SINISTER welcome their new vocalist Rachel (Occult). Rachel will make her debut on the new album titled "Creative Killings". Sinister will enter the Excess Studio in May, expect the ultimate Death Metal Explosion of 2001. Some of the song titles on the new album are "Moralistic Suffering", "Altering The Beast", "Early Gothic Horror", the title track "Creative Killings" and "Reviving The Dead."
As VENOM focuses on constructing the tour for their new Resurrection album, with the first showcase gig to be Germany’s Wacken Festival, the band has already looked ahead to a book on the band as well as an accompanying video. The book will be a collaboration with Damien from Terrorizer magazine, who had the initiative to propose the idea to the band over an interview and a few drinks at a local pub. Guitarist Mantas explains. "It’s going to be a book on the entire history of the band and there’s going to be a video history that goes with it. We’re actually going to take people to the very first place that Venom ever played, and where we used to rehearse. Our first ever Venom gig was in a church, in 1979. There’s going to be all these crazy stories in the book as well. But it won’t tell the whole story. There’s a lot of things that went on in the band that we won’t talk about. We’ve been keeping diaries the whole time. We plan to include everything, early drawings that we had for stage designs, the ‘Witching Hour’/’Bloodlust’ video. I’ve still got the original lighting design that I drew out on an A4 piece of paper, all the early posters we used to do for the band. We used to sneak out in Newcastle in the middle of the night and stick posters up all over the place, photographs that have never been seen before. I’ve still got films that haven’t even been developed from the mid ’80s. We have a lot of stuff in storage and we’re going to dig it all out. I think it will be after the Wacken Festival, But I told Damien, ‘if anybody ever writes the book on Venom, it will never tell the full story. And he had met Cronos in 1991, and Cronos had said exactly the same thing. But he said ‘I would love the opportunity to do it.’ So myself and Cronos talked about it and I gave him a ring and said ‘yes, OK, let’s go for it.’ So we’re busy putting together titles for the book, all the draft ideas. That’s our project for this year."
CANNIBAL CORPSE has announced their Spring Neck Break Tour 2001, featuring Norway’s black metal gurus DIMMU BORGIR, Sweden’s thrash kings, THE HAUNTED and new grind metal act LAMB OF GOD. The tour begins on April 13th in Worcester, MA and runs through May 6th (Montreal, PQ). Cannibal Corpse are currently in the writing process for their eight full length. Upon completion of The Spring Neck Break tour, they will head to Village Studios in El Paso with producer Colin Richardson (MACHINE HEAD, FEAR FACTORY). Expect an October 2001 release date. Dimmu Borgir release their new CD, Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia, in March. The Haunted are touring in support of their sophomore effort, The Haunted Made Me Do It and Lamb Of God are pounding senses with their Prosthetic / Metal Blade debut New American Gospel.
SIX FEET UNDER are scheduled to hit Criteria Studios in Miami to begin recording their forthcoming album. Inside sources say that ICE T will make an appearance.
While still months away, the line-up for the annual WACKEN FESTIVAL (Aug 3/4) continues to grow. Bands confirmed to play include: ANNIHILATOR, BEHEMOTH, BLACKSHINE, CAGE, CARNAL FORGE, CRYPTOPSY, CULPRIT, DARK TRANQUILLITY, DECEASED, DESASTER, DIMMU BORGIR, EXHUMED, EXUMER, GRAVE DIGGER, HOLY MOSES, IN FLAMES, KRISUIN, LACUNA COIL, METALIUM, MORTICIAN, NAPALM DEATH, NASUM, NEVERMORE, NIGHTWISH, NOSTRADAMEUS, OPETH,PAUL DiANNO & KILLERS, PRIMAL FEAR, SINS OF THY BELOVED, SODOM, SOILWORK, SONATA ARCTICA, SUBWAY TO SALLY, TAD MOROSE, TANKARD, THE HAUNTED, THERION with orchester, VINTERSORG, VOIVOD and WARHAMMER.
The Third Annual METAL MELTDOWN, the East Coast edition of the Metal Mania Series, is moving to the warmer weekend of April 6 and 7 and back to its original Convention Hall location in Asbury Park, N.J. The Meltdown has a new sponsor in Snake Net Metal Radio (www.snakenetmetalradio.com). Confirmed for the two-day event are: EINHERJER, VINTERSORG, RAVEN, HOLOCAUST, EXCITER, NILE, MALEVOLENT CREATION, DECEASED, MONSTROSITY, WITCHFYNDE, MURDER 1, THE STEP KINGS, NATRON, CATASTROPHIC, DEEDS OF FLESH, SHADOWS FALL, PYREXIA, BURNT BT THE SUN, LUDDITE CLONE, DIE CAST, ALL OUT WAR, ORIGIN, MASTODON, GOD FORBID, PIG DESTROYER, NATRON, YATTERING, CENTINEX, VICIOUS RUMOURS, WITHERED EARTH, CHAOS THEORY, RAIN FELL WITHIN, DISINTER and MIMIC. More bands will be announced. Tickets go on sale Saturday at 10 a.m. EST. The cost is $55 for a two-day pass and $35 for a one-day ticket (plus service charges where applicable). Tickets are available through TicketMaster (201/507-8900, www.ticketmaster.com), Relapse Records (800/303-0606, www.relapse.com). Tickets my also be obtained by sending a check or money order to payable to "Jack Koshick Presents" and a self-addressed stamped envelope to: Metalfest XIV, 1626 N. Prospect Ave., Suite 1801, Milwaukee, WI 53202.
According to a posting at www.archenemy.net, members of ARCH ENEMY have spent the last two weeks in the UK mixing their new album. They describe the album as being "more heavy and aggressive than Burning Bridges… with a bigger sound". The band hope to ‘officially’ announce the name of the new singer shortly. Meanwhile, the band continue to add sound files to their web site, now including tracks from their live album, Burning Japan Live, as well as ‘Screams Of Anger’, the Japanese bonus track from Stigmata – www.archenemy.net/music.html
MURDER SQUAD, the project that features members of ENTOMBED and DISMEMBER, release their album, Unsane, Insand And Mentally Deranged, on April 9th through Pavement
KILLJOY‘s label, Baphomet Records, will now be known as Baphomet/Housecore. The reason for this expansion is that the company is now owned by Killjoy and PANTERA’s Philip Anselmo. They are in the process of getting things finaliazed and more details about distribution will be forthcoming.
In other NECROPHAGIA news, the band have recently recorded a new song and video for the Cannibal Holocaust DVD. Also the new VIKING CROWN release has just been mixed as well as three new EIBON songs. Through all of this, Killjoy and Anselmo will continue to write the new material for the upcoming new Necrophagia full length, Harvest Ritual, as well as writing the new material for AMICUSS, the band featuring Caset Chaos of AMEN, Killjoy and Philip Anselmo. Ross Robinson will be producing their debut.
THE EMBRACED will release their second album, The Birth, through Aftermath Music on February 10th.
NOCTURNAL WINDS release their new album, Of Art And Suffering, on March 1st through Aftermath.
SINISTER will be on the road this Spring as part of the No Mercy Festivals. The dates begin in Germany on April 12th and wrap up on April 24th back in Germany. Other bands on the tour include: MARDUK, VADER, MORTICIAN, AMON AMARTH, GOD DETHRONED, MYSTIC CIRCLE, … AND OCEANS and BAL-SAGOTH. In related news, Sinister have replaced vocalist Joost (ex-INHUME) with Rachel (ex-OCCULT). Some song titles on the upcoming album include ‘Moralistic Suffering’, ‘Altering The Beast’, ‘Early Gothic Horror’, the title track ‘Creative Killings’ and ‘Reviving The Dead.’ The release date is spring. The band left Nuclear Blast recently citing the label’s inability to promote brutal music as the reason for their departure.
ZYKLON have secured the support slot on MORBID ANGEL’s upcoming European tour. Dates begin in Bradford, England on April 12th and end at London’s LA2. Also, the band has confirmed that vocalist Daemon from LIMBONIC ARTS has now been confirmed as a full-time member of the band. For the upcoming tour, SOURCE OF TIDE bassist Cosmocrator will join the band.
Pavement will release KULT OV AZAZEL‘s debut album, Triumph Of Fire, on March 5th. The album was produced by Jeremy Staska (MALEVOLENT CREATION, HATE PLOW).
REBAELLIUN have finished writing their forthcoming album, Annihilation, set to be recorded at Stage One Studio by Andy Classen in February. Recording will commence at Stage One Studio in February. The album will have eight new tracks and a re-recording of ‘Bringer Of War’. A limited edition CD and vinyl will also include a bonus track.
SKYFIRE have completed their debut album, Timeless Departure. It was recorded at Abyss Studios. The expected release date is April 17th.
DIE APOKALYPTISCHEN REITER, LOWBROW and ANCIENT RITES will head out on tour from May 16th. The last show on the tour will likely be the Dynamo Open Air festival.
AETERNUS will mix their new album, Ascention Of Terror, in February. Long time member Morrigan has left the band. Bass duties will now be handled by Orjan (HELHEIM). The upcoming Aeternus compilation CD, Burning The Shroud, will be available on February 20th. The album’s track listing includes ‘Midnatt Storm’ (previously unreleased)’, ‘Raven And Blood’ (previously unreleased), four live tracks recorded by Pytten (IMMORTAL, EMPEROR, ENSLAVED) are titled ‘To Enter The Realm of Legend’, ‘When The Crow’s Shadow Falls’, ‘The Summoning Of Shadows’ and ‘Cuchulain’.
… AND OCEANS have finished recording their new album, Allotropic/Metamorphic – Genesis Of Dimorphism. The final tracklisting: ‘Intelligence Is Sexy’, ‘White Synthetic Noise’, ‘Tears Have No Name’, ‘Esprit De Corps’, ‘Odious & Devious’, ‘Of Devillish Tongues’, ‘Postfuturistika’, ‘TBA In A Silver Box’ and ‘New Model World’. The album is out in the U.S. on February 20th.
Hammerheart Records has decided to stop with all sub labels including The Plague, Well Of Urd and Unveiling The Wicked. The label, will continue only as Hammerheart Records.
GODGORY will go into the studio on March 19th to record their fourth album, Way Beyond.
BROKEN HOPE are already at work on the follow-up to Grotesque Blessings.
AURA NOIR‘s new line-up features Apollyon on bass/vocals, Aggressor and Blasphemer on guitars and Dirge Rep (of Enslaved)on drums.
DETERIOROT has been signed by Repulse Records – the forthcoming album In Ancient Beliefs is scheduled for an April release.
DEVILEECH has been signed by Maquiavel Music Entertainment.
Florida’s gods of death metal MORBID ANGEL are gearing up to annihilate Europe with news of a forthcoming tour. Morbid Angel are currently touring stateside on a stadium tour with heavyweight combos Pantera, Soulfly and Nothingface. The legendary quartet have shown, yet again, just why they are a force to be reckoned with, by being the first death metal band to play stadium size venues in America. The band are touring in support of their latest Earache Records release Gateways To Annihilation. Gateways To Annihilation demonstrates how Morbid Angel can boast of a fulfilling 10 year career, whilst so many other death metal bands have fallen by the wayside, they continue to push back the boundaries of death metal back even further with the luminous virtuosity of guitarist, founder and song writer Trey Azagthoth, the astonishing battery of legendary percussionist Pete Sandoval and bassist, vocalist and song writer Steve Tucker, along with the classically inspired workmanship of guitarist Erik Rutan, combining to weave sinuous, striking, and dark grooves. Gateways To Annihilation has become another indispensable landmark on the heavy metal landscape. The standards have been raised and exceeded, but that is what Morbid Angel have done since their inception. Joining Morbid Angel will be new Norwegian death metal terrorists Zyklon, featuring the legendary Samoth from Emperor. Check out our tour dates section for the exact dates.
As already reported, THE CROWN singer Johan Lindstrand has left the band. Here is his official statement: "Hello dear CROWN fans! I’m very sorry to announce that I’m leaving the band. The reason is mainly because of all touring. I don’t really have the time to be on the road that much, which of course has a very high priority in THE CROWN. The band can become violently big for sure. I really hope so. They are all great guys. My best friends, but I can’t combine the bands development with my private life, and that feels a bit tragic after ten years of total fun and hard work. With or without me they are a great force that will keep on marching forward and I think the new vocalist will do just fine. Maybe better! During my time I’ve heard some extreme compliments that has meant a lot to me and the band so I just want to thank everybody that has pushed us further and that has put us in todays position. CHEERS! I also want to say that my mission of death is not over yet just because I’m quitting the band. I will continue to spread death metal mayhem in the future in one way or another. Perhaps not in that big league but I WILL LIVE AGAIN!!! Finally I want to say thanks to my brothers of death: Janne, Marcus, Marko and Magnus. YOU’RE THE GREATEST. GOOD FUCKIN’ LUCK IN THE FUTURE!"
Belgium’s Death Metal pride ABORTED are in the studio right now to finish their new album "Engineering The Dead", which will be released through Listenable Records in early May this year. The tracklist reads like this: The Holocaust Incarnate, Nailed Through Her Cunt, Engineering The Dead, To Roast & Grind…, Eructations Of Carnal Artistry, Served Up On A Plate, Exhuming The Infested (Necro-Eroticism Pt II) plus another title yet to be announced. According to the band, the new stuff is gonna be "… faster, sicker and more pounding than previous slabs of gore, and the sound quite promising so far…" Their split with CHRIST DENIED will be released (with alterated artwork) in the US on Ablated Records (contact: analripper@hotmail.com) Ablated will also print up limited copies of the band’s "Purity Of Perversion" shirts, which should be available at the Ohio Deathfest. To contact the band write to: ABORTED, Beveren-dries 82, 8791 Beveren-Leie, Belgium, fax: ++32 56 72 64 97, phone: ++32 477 81 55 85, e-mail: aborted@pandora.be, www.goremageddon.com
Norwegian label EdgeRunner Records will release CALLENISH CIRCLE‘s 2nd full-length album "Graceful… yet Forbidding" exclusively in Europe. The album is completely re-mastered at Franky’s Recording Kitchen by producer Bertus Westerhuis (a.o. God Dethroned, Severe Torture, Altar) resulting in an even heavier and more powerful sound than on the original DSFA-release (which was for Benelux only). The European release features 4 bonus-tracks (the complete Escape mcd) and it has a playing-time of almost 70 minutes now. Besides the artwork is restyled by Gavin. EdgeRunner Records is planning a complete new promotion-campaign with promo-cd’s, advertisements and interviews in all important European magazines. For more information, promotion and distribution contact: EdgeRunner Records, P.O. Box 1215, 0367 Oslo, Norway, E-Mail: mail@edgerunner-rec.com, Website: www.edgerunner-rec.com The band’s 3rd full-length album will be recorded at Stage-One Studio in Germany at the end of April with well-known producer Andy Classen (a.o. Rotting Christ, Krisiun & Die Apokalyptischen Reiter). The new material is supposed to be more straightforward and aggressive but still featuring the typical Callenish Circle-trademarks, known from the previous releases. 2 very special cover-tracks are planned as well (one even from a non-metal act…). After the release of the new album (late 2001) a European support-tour is planned. CALLENISH CIRCLE is furthermore looking for serious record-labels to license "Graceful… yet Forbidding" in South East Asia / Japan and North / South America exclusively (plenty of bonus-tracks are available for that). For more information contact: psavelko@nl.packardbell.org
Johan Lindstrand has decided to leave the position as the singer of THE CROWN. Read the details at: www.thecrownonline.com
The Thrash-Division of HYPNOSIA has a new, full time bass player!!! Over two and a half years of troubles getting the right bass player has been put to an end. The new bass player is called Lenny Blade and he has rehearsed with the band since November 17, 2000.