» News Archive February 2005
New Jersey’s MASS PSYCHOSIS have re-formed! Here’s the official press statement by the band: "Founding member Doug Grandon, original frontman Tom May and original bassist John Zebro have joined their considerable talents once again with drummer Vic Belarista, a veteran of the "Necroporno" album sessions. The band are now poised to unleash upon the world more of the brutal, blinding, and technically astounding music that they have been known for since the ’90s. After much hard work that garnered many fans stateside in their earlier days, Mass Psychosis released "Face", followed by the critically acclaimed "Necroporno". Both recordings earned them a solid fan base in Metal-hungry Europe as well. Loyal fans on both continents who have been clamoring for more musical wizardry from Grandon, May, Zebro and Belarista are about to have their fondest wishes fulfilled,as the band is currently in the studio recording tracks for a brand new release. The versatility of May’s vocals and the fret-board prowess and songwriting ability of Grandon have never been more sharply honed. The combination of unorthodox bassist Zebro and drummer Belarista just adds insult to injury. Mass Psychosis is back – prepare for obliteration!" You can check out a new promo pic here. A website will be up next week. We’ll keep you posted! You can contact the band via email through this address: masspsychosis@verizonmail.com
UNHOLY GHOST founding member / lead guitarist Kelly McLauchlin has announced he is leaving the band, in order to continue on with PESSIMIST and other musical interests. Kelly has been an integral part of UNHOLY GHOST since its beginning in 2003, and the band wishes him future success with PESSIMIST. Check out www.pessimist.com for more info. UNHOLY GHOST will announce a replacement guitarist soon.
BURDEN OF GRIEF finally found a new drummer. His name is Sebastian "Rob" Robrecht. He will replace long-time drummer Carsten Schmerer, who will leave the band due to lack of time. Together with Rob the band just started the songwriting for their forthcoming album. In related news, Magick Records (a division of the L.A. based Cleopatra Label Group) has just licensed BURDEN OF GRIEF’s still current album "Fields Of Salvation" for the US-market. It will be release in the US with one bonus-track (a live-version of ‘Reborn’). For further info check out: www.burdenofgrief.de
Here’s a couple of first hand information from PENTACLE‘s Wannes concerning the progress of the new album and upcoming EP: "Although for you it may seem nothing is happening in the Pentacle – crypts, for us it is an extremely busy period. Evening after evening I am busy doing the layout for the new album. The layout of the CD was supposed to be taken care of in Germany and should have been ready by now, but due lack of time, I was asked to do it myself. This put a lot of pressure on my shoulders to manage to get everything ready on time, but it seems we’re going to make it! The layout is very cool and I’m really happy with the result thus far. It has become a professional product, including many cool photos of the band in the studio and in the rehearsal room. I want to thank Frederique Sengers for helping me out on this one. Without her professional attitude it wouldn’t have been possible to achieve such a big result on such a short notice. You did a great job!!! Unfortunate, the front cover is still not finished yet. Due to different reasons, Manuel hasn’t been able to finish his upcoming masterpiece yet, so we have to wait for that. I hope he’ll manage it asap, as I have no doubt it’ll become something very special! When everything works out as we want to, Metal War Productions is going to release an EP with 2 new songs. Those songs were recorded during the sessions of "Under The Black Cross" and are called ‘A Hellish Descent’ and ‘Blast Them From The Sky!’. We are going to use the artwork and title for the aborted 10" with Blood Storm. So, for those who haven’t read / heard it yet, the EP is going to be called "Archaic Undead Fury". The contract hasn’t been signed yet, but I’m positive about the outcome. The EP should be accompanied by a poster featuring the artwork of the 7". This piece of art was made by Manuel Tinnemans as well. The layout for this EP is almost ready. From this point many thanks to Tony Glebbeek for his dedicated work! So keep your fingers crossed!!!!" www.pentacle.nl
John Tardy, frontman for reformed US Death Metal icons OBITUARY has posted the following message at the band’s official website in early February: "After what seems like forever, we will be in the studio starting today! I feel really good and I think all the time we spent preparing for this will pay off. Everyone here really seems to like the new songs and all I can say is that they are heavy! We will be setting up and working on drum sounds today and tomorrow. Tomorrow we will also set up Big Al and get his sound ready. If that goes well we should be ready to start recording on Monday. I do have a surprise, it looks like along with working with Mark Prator that our good friend Scott Burns is going to be working with us on this CD. How cool is that! These to guys have done more studio work with us than anyone and we are all totally psyched and lucky to be able to have both of them with us! I will keep you all up to date with how thing in the studio are going and get you pictures of us as we go! I am also considering releasing some sound bites of the new stuff so keep in touch for that! On a separate note I do have a web-camera set up in our practice studio and, along with my good friend Paul, I am testing that out. I will keep you up to date and let you know when that we be up and running for all to see. The camera is awesome and I hope to leave it running 24/7 so that everyone will be able to see what goes on in our studio… the good, the bad and the ugly! It should be fun and I hope I can pull it off!"
Skyscraper Music is reissuing the long out-of-print KATAKLYSM "Vision The Chaos" 7" on CD, March 11th. Originally released in 1994 through Belgium’s now defunct Boundless Records, the title has been sold out for years. The limited edition vinyl 7" featured the following two tracks: ‘Vision The Chaos’ and ‘Shrine Of Life’. In other news, Skyscraper is also re-releasing the band’s classic EP, "The Mystical Gate Of Reincarnation". Details will be available coming soon.
The following update has been posted at GORGOROTH‘s official website (www.gorgoroth.org): "As previously reported Gaahl appealed last years sentence by Sunnfjord court, who initially sentenced him to 18 months in prison on charges of violence. He was also ordered to pay over NOK 100,000 in damages and compensation to the victim. Last week the appeal case started in Gulating lagmannsrett, Bergen. The final sentence of the trial will be posted when it is set." Gaahl was jailed in early May, 2004 in Norway for 18 months after being found guilty of beating a 41-year-old man who claimed he was the victim of ritual abuse.
Guitarist Alex Skolnick has issued the following message at his official website (www.alexskolnick.com) in regards to the upcoming TESTAMENT reunion tour: "It is with great anticipation and excitement that I announce my plans to take in an upcoming TESTAMENT reunion tour (dates to be announced). It seems we’ve all reached a place where we have respect for one another on a personal and musical level. For these and whatever other reasons, the time feels right to revisit what began some twenty (!) years ago. TESTAMENT was, is and will always be a part of me; everything I’ve done since has been largely possible due to my experience with TESTAMENT. I’ve never forgotten this, whether everyone realizes it or not. Just as my solo career was never meant as a rejection of TESTAMENT, or Metal in general, my reconnect with TESTAMENT is not a rejection of my solo career… The TESTAMENT guys have all come to see the Alex Skolnick Trio and genuinely seemed to enjoy the music. Similarly, the young guys in the trio are TESTAMENT fans and couldn’t be more thrilled to see me doing this tour. This is partly what it’s been all about for me: challenging conventional ideas about music and musicians themselves. Years ago, my heart told me to go find my own voice and I chose to listen. Now that I’ve found it, my heart’s telling me it’s a good tome to jump back in with TESTAMENT and have some fun. Of course, this brings up inevitable questions: what does this all mean? Will there be more TESTAMENT tours like this? A recording? We honestly don’t know and it would be unfair to ourselves and the fans to try to answer that. Let’s see how things go. One thing I’ve learned over the years is that music, and to a greater extent, life itself, is about being in the moment: not what once happened, not what might happen, but what is happening right now. And right now what I’m really looking forward to is getting back with these guys and playing some music!" According to a recent press release, TESTAMENT lead vocalist Chuck Billy and founding guitarist Eric Peterson recently announced that Skolnick, original bassist Greg Christian and previous TESTAMENT drummer alumnist Johnny Tempesta, are joining them for a Reunion Tour in Europe, May 7th to May 15th ONLY. The tour will last for 9 shows only. Chuck Billy is quoted as saying: "I’m in music to enjoy it, and playing with my old band-mates after all these years will be killer!" Eric Peterson adds "This reunion tour takes me back 20 years, the fans will freak seeing us together again!"
Norway’s ZYKLON, featuring ex-EMPEROR guitarist Samoth, have announced that their forthcoming new album, due out sometime this year through Candlelight Records, has the tentative title "Disintegrate". Songs to be featured among the album’s tracklisting include: ‘Disintegrate’, ‘Vulture’, ‘Vile Ritual’, ‘The Four Corners’ and ‘Scum’. In other news, ZYKLON have completed work on their new video, for the track ‘Core Solution’. It will be available soon online. The band are also planning to release a full length DVD, details as they become available. In live news, ZYKLON were recently added to the bill for this year’s Wacken Open Air Festival, scheduled to take place August 4th – 6th in Wacken, Germany.
DEAD OF WINTER, will release their debut album, "At The Helm Of The Abyss", in March via Profound Lore Records. The band is being compared to AXIS OF ADVANCE, CONQUEROR, BLACK WITCHERY, LEVIATHAN (US) and BLUT AUS NORD.
Germany’s Black / Death Metallers CRYPTIC WINTERMOON will release their new album, "Of Shadows… And The Dark Things You Fear", on March 28th through Massacre Records. The tracklist is as follows: ‘The Dark Things You Fear’, ‘Thrashomatic Overdrive’, ‘Portals Of Nightfall’, ‘Bonegrinder 1916’, ‘Synthetic God’, ‘Where The Oceans Meet Eternity’, ‘Grave Without A Name’, ‘Once, In The Windblasted North’, ‘War (Without Any Regret)’, ‘Heavy Armed Assault’, ‘Open Fire’ and ‘Grim Frost’.
RAZOR will be releasing a 20th Anniversary CD / DVD box set, due out later this year.
Australia’s RUINS have recently got signed by Neurotic Records. The band that already released a MCD on Blacktalon Media, delivers aggressive innovative Black Metal with dark eerie Death dynamics. RUINS features multi instrumentalist Alex Pope on vocals, guitars and bass and drummer David Haley (Psycroptic and The Amenta). Their debut full-length album "Spun Forth As Dark Nets" is already recorded and currently in the mixing phase. It contains 8 songs and some songtitles are: ‘The Ends Of The Earth’, ‘Feed The Emptiness’ and ‘No Trace Or Rumour’. The release is set for May 2005. An advance MP3 will be up on www.neurotic-records.com as soon as possible.
EISMALSOTT have split up. Guitarist Aínvar is going to continue solely with his project one day. In the beginning of March the 7" EP "Best Before: Spring", recorded in late 2003, will be released on Northern Silence Productions. The four left members have united to GEIST and will release the "Patina" album in April on Solistitium Records. A sample is ready for a listen on www.geist.cjb.net. The band’s next gig is held on the 26th of February on the Dawn of the Goat IV festival.
OPETH have posted the following message at their official website: "OPETH will be entering Fashination Street Studios (in Stockholm, Sweden) on March 15 to record their 8th yet untitled opus. The band are currently in rehearsal mode, which is a rare occasion having recorded the last four records without rehearsing. The recording will be overseen by the uprising recording mogul Jens Bogren. As of today no names for production duties have surfaced and it looks like the next record will be a band produced effort. Nothing has been decided regarding who’s taking care of the mix either so we’ll have to keep you wondering. Opeth and their management have spent the last month meeting the five top label candidates for the next Opeth recording contract. The names are still secret but a decision will be made very soon and obviously announced here earlier than anywhere else. Several Summer festival appearances have been confirmed and will be posted here soon. A Summer tour of the US has also been confirmed and will be posted here soon as well. The matters are still very "hush, hush" so we can’t say anything more at this point. What can be said is that the band will make a few low-profile apperances prior to the next release and several full blown headline tours all over the world after the release. Take your rest now!"
German Black Thrashers DESASTER (www.total-desaster.de) have inked a deal with Metal Blade Records. Their next album, "Angelwhore", will be released on CD format via Metal Blade. The vinyl version will be released via Iron Pegasus Records. The band is currently in the songwriting stage. The release is scheduled for August, 2005.
Sweden’s NASUM have posted the following update on their official website regarding frontman / guitarist Mieszko Talarczyk: "Today – Thursday, February 17, 2005 – we recieved a confirmation that Mieszko Talarczyk died in the Tsunami Disaster December 26, 2004. His body has been identified and will be transfered to Sweden shortly. His closest family and friends are in our thoughts right now. Mieszko will be missed by many. Nasum.com will be closed for at least a month. You know why. There will be a slight update in a couple of days with some information about the future of Nasum along with some personal words about Mieszko. Thanks a lot for your support and your thoughts. Now a new time begins, a time we must spend alone. Please respect this wish. Sincerely, Anders and Nasum."
According to a brief update at their official website, Dutch Thrashers THANATOS are "Busy writing new songs for their fifth full length album that probably will be recorded at the end of this year." The band issued their last album, "Undead.Unholy.Divine." via Black Lotus last year.
Candlelight Records will be releasing the PROJECT: FAILING FLESH debut, "A Beautiful Sickness" on March 22nd. The album was released in Europe in September 2004 through Karmageddon Media. As previously reported, the band – featuring E-FORCE frontman Eric Forrest on vocals – is busy working on their second album, "The Conjoined". Keyboards and vocals are expected to be laid down in the near future, at which point the album will be ready for mixing.
According to the official HOLY MOSES website, the announced title for the band’s upcoming album, "Strange Power Will Passion", is incorrect. The name of the new album will in fact be "Strength Power Will Passion". The band’s label, Armageddon Music, regrets the error. In other news, vocalist Sabina Classen is finishing up vocals for the new album, with backing vocals, bass and guitar leads scheduled to be recorded this week. A guest vocalist is going to be brought in to do some singing as well.
IN FLAMES have won the Swedish Grammy Award for the best Hardrock / Metal album of 2004, with their latest album, "Soundtrack To Your Escape". Nuclear Blast will release a digipak edition of the album on February 21st. This edition of the album will include a 5-track DVD containing the following videos: ‘The Quiet Place’, ‘Touch Of Red’, ‘Watch Them Feed’ (live at Wacken Open Air 2003), ‘Only For The Weak’ (live at Wacken Open Air 2003) and ‘The Making Of Soundtrack To Your Escape’ (feat. Daniel Bergstrand).
SHINING have signed a deal with Osmose Productions for two albums, whereas the first one, "Besvikelsens Dystra Monotoni" is to be recorded in April. To celebrate this event Osmose Productions and SHINING have decided to once and for all issue the first two albums "Within Deep Dark Chambers" and "Livets Ändhållplats" in luxurious digipak versions including one exclusive bonus track each and for the first time ever fully printed lyrics as well as linear notes. About one year ago Kvarforth announced the death of the band due to many unpleasant circumstances within the band and around him personally but now, with a basically entirely new line-up of Ludvig Hvit (of Spiritual Beggars, Firebird) on drums, John Doe (of Craft, Twin Earth) on solo / rhythm guitar and at this very moment a anonymous person on lead guitar a new era has begun to take shape. The reason for this new line-up is simply because there is a need to rehearse and play live which never would have worked out in long terms with the previous members considering the distance in between. SHINING are currently rehearsing a live-set as well as the new material and are currently looking for a full time bassist to replace former member Phil A. Cirone.
Oslo-based quintet DISIPLIN scored a number one spot on Norwegian Metal show, Svisj Metal with their first ever video for ‘Anti-Life’, taken from their self-titled second album (out in March). The video, directed by internationally celebrated photographer, Marcel Lelienhof premiered on Svisj Metal last week.
Townsend Avalanche Music will release a tribute to IMMORTAL compilation in Autumn 2005. It will be entitled Epimythion – Tribute To Immortal and feature the following bands / tracks: sunn o))) – Cursed Realms Of The Winterdemons, beyond dawn – Storming Through Red Clouds And Holocaustwinds, vreid – As The Eternity Opens, ocd+braincontroller – Pure Holocaust, endwarfment – Unsilent Storms In The North Abyss, tragedy begins – The Sun No Longer Rises, zweizz – Blacker Than Darkness, enthroned – Eternal Years On The Path To The Cemetary Gates, aura noir – t.b.c., seth – Battles In The North and funeral procession – A Perfect Vision Of The Rising Northland.
Ojayy from New York’s LACERATION joined SUN DESCENDS as their new drummer. Ojayy has been playing drums for over 10 years and has toured the East Coast opening for Suffocation, Obituary, Testament, Vital Remains and others. SUN DESCENDS is currently working on their live set and is also priming Ojayy for the new SUN DESCENDS album which will be recorded this summer. Check for comments etc. on www.sundescends.com
Swedish deathsquad CENTINEX have signed a worldwide deal with Cold Records / Regain Records. Here is a statement from the band: "After two highly acclaimed studio albums and several re-releases CENTINEX and Candlelight Records have decided to go separate ways. The reasons for this will remain unanswered from our side. CENTINEX have signed a new deal with Swedish based Cold Records, which recently became a sublabel to Regain Records (after being linked to Metal Blade Records for a few years). CENTINEX are extremely thrilled about this new deal and are really looking forward to work with such wellknown and strong partners". CENTINEX have booked Black Lounge Studios for four weeks, starting March 4th, for the recordings of "World Declension". The album will be released worldwide in June 2005. More info about the exact release date(s), license versions, tracklisting etc coming soon. The artwork and layout for the album will be done by Costin Chioreanu of Twilight 13 Design. The artwork can now be found at the CENTINEX website. "World Declension" will be released as a 8-panel digipak. CENTINEX will headline the Arcane Promotions Infernal Damnation Festival and take part in two classic German festivals: Fuck The Commerce VIII and Bands Battle.
Dutch brutal Death Metal formation ARSEBREED recently inked a deal with Neurotic Records. The band includes members from PYAEMIA, DISAVOWED and MANGLED. The first, as of yet untitled, album will be recorded somewhere in the second half of 2005, and it is aimed to be released before the end of this year. Even though this band is formed around people who all have their own other bands this band is not to be seen as just another side-project, and therefore there will definitely be shows to support their upcoming album when the time is right. More info on: www.neurotic-records.com
The first REVIOLENCE videoclip for the song ‘Zero Of Me’ is finished and was produced and directied by Claudio Tibérius, a Brazilian producer who also produced the Torture Squad and Panzer videos. The clip, which will be available for download on Reviolence’s website (www.reviolence.com.br), contains scenes from their first concert at Blackmore’s Rock Bar (August 2004).
Deimos (bass) is no longer a member of BLOODY SIGN. Lead vocalist Hagend has taken over the bass duties (as well as still doing vocals). He has already played bass in previous bands so it was an obvious choice. The band will continue as a trio. Coming later this year BLOODY SIGN will also be doing a split EP with unholy Death gore Metallers RADEMASSAKER from Germany. This will be a split release between Ibex Moon Records and Redrum Records. Look out for BLOODY SIGN on tour in Eastern Europe with the Czech Black / Death Metal band AVENGER in April 2005. The tour will hit France, Germany, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, and Romania.
FUNERUS has returned from their "Festering the United States" Tour 2005. FUNERUS would like to send out a big thanks to all the Metallers that came out to the shows and showed support to the bands along with everyone that had made the tour possible. There are a few limited edition tour shirts still available. Visit the FUNERUS website for ordering info at: www.funerus.com
Displeased Records will re-release CRYPTOPSY‘s debut "Blasphemy Made Flesh" with its original cover and complete new artwork on CD. For the first time also available on LP! Both versions available from late March 2005. In related news, Jon Levasseur left the band.
Both INCRIMINATED and THRONEUM delivered material for a limited split 7", to be issued in early summer 2005 via From Beyond Productions.
INFINITED HATE just finished the recordings of their second album "Heaven Termination" at Excess Studios.
Last week Deathstrike Records from Germany released a vinyl version of the NOCTURNAL "Arrival Of The Carnivore" album, recently issued on CD via From Beyond Productions. It comes with a gatefold cover, poster and bonus track (Violent Force cover). Available from both Deathstrike and Displeased.
Having laid low for a long while, Polish grinders REINFECTION are back from the undead. A limited 7" with exclusive tracks (originally scheduled for a 2002 release) will be released through From Beyond Productions later this year.
After many delays RESUSCITATOR finally were able to hand over the master of the upcoming "A Warrior’s Death" album. Expect a mix of later Immortal and recent Enthroned. Out in late April 2005.
With alternative cover artwork, From Beyond Productions will present a limited vinyl version of the "Tyranny Returns" album of SARGEIST in late April, with a CD version out now on Moribund Records.
UTUK XUL is currently working on a European tour. More news will follow as soon as the dates are set.