» News Archive April 2006
DENIAL FIEND is a new band from Tampa, Florida, featuring Kam Lee (ex – DEATH / MASSACRE) on vocals, Terry Butler (ex – DEATH / MASSACRE / SIX FEET UNDER) on bass, Curtis Beeson (NASTY SAVAGE) on drums and Sam Williams on guitar. Their April 23 rehearsal is available for download at this location.
SHINING have just published the following press release: "We have just returned from the "Razors Across Europe" tour we made throughout Europe. The ten ceremonies, and three emergency hospital visits, were more or less successful and we will soon return better and even more determined of your demise soon. We did face some real severe problems in Budapest though due to our drummer and had to cancell the show because of this however, we will be back shortly in order to fuck you up in a more sincere and professional way! We would like to thank foremost URGEHAL for coming along and prooving that there still are some genuine Black Metal bands out there not bowing for anyone or anything, and a massive thanks to my long time partner in crime Attila Cshair for helping us out in Budapest (without you, Ludwig would have probably been dead by now)… Some days ago we entered the caverns of Radio Halland in order to record our fifth studio album and if we manage to keep the time scheduele we have set this pernicious piece of malignancy should be finished and ready for release within 4 weeks. "V / Halmstad", will contain six tracks of the darkest, yet most controversial, material we have written to date! Tracklisting is as follows: ‘Yttligare Ett Steg Närmare Total Jävla Utfrysning’ (yet another step towards complete fucking desolation), ‘Längtar Bort Från Mitt Hjärta’ (longing away from my heart), ‘Låt Oss Ta Allt Från Varandra’ (let us take all from the one and the other), ‘Besvikelsens Dystra Monotoni’ (the dismal monotony of dissapointments), ‘Åttiosextusenfyrahundra’ (eightthousandfourhundered) and ‘Neka Morgondagen’ (deny the day of towmorrow). Apart from this we have also recorded a few additional tracks which will be used for an upcoming EP release, titled "Ett Steg I Helt Fel Riktning", which should be released sometime at the end of the year most likely featuring the video we’re currently making as bonus… For those still unaware, Casado left the band and have been replaced by Gråby (ex-ONDSKAPT) and John Doe, the king of SG and psychotic behaviour, by Huss. We wish him all the success with his future projects and performances. Kvarforth, on behalf of Halmstad Death Squadrons." www.shiningangst.se
HATE ETERNAL have posted the following message on their official website: "We wanted to let you all know we have finally secured European dates that will not get cancelled. We want to apologize to all our European fans for the delay and cancellations due to problems within the band. We are ecstatic about touring Europe and proud to announce Reno Kiilerich (ex-DIMMU BORGIR, DEW-SCENTED, VILE, PANZERCHRIST) as our drummer for this European tour. Reno has done tremendous things in the genre and we are very excited to welcome him to the fold. He will do an amazing job and we are very eager to tour together. Our USA tour with CHIMAIRA and ARCH ENEMY has been incredible, close to 1,000 people a night and has been one of the best tours we have ever done. Stand-in drummer Kevin Talley (ex-CHIMAIRA, MISERY INDEX) is doing an incredible job and tearing it up every night. We really feel rejuvenated and this tour has been truly amazing. Look forward to seeing you all out there soon!"
GEIST and MORTUUS INFRADAEMONI, two Black Metal acts from Germany, have been signed by Cold Dimensions. GEIST have just entered the studio to record their second album "Kainsmal" (the successor to their Solistitium debut "Patina"), which will be out in August 2006. MORTUUS INFRADAEMONI is a new, still unknown band which only released an unofficial rehearsal demo up to date. Their debut album is planned to be released in early summer 2006.
LUNAR AURORA are currently working on new material for their 8th album which will be recorded at the end of 2006 / beginning of 2007.
GRAUPEL will record material for an upcoming split – LP with ENDSTILLE soon. This LP will be released by the bands themselves. GRAUPEL is also already working on songs for their second album which will be released on Cold Dimensions again.
REGURGITATE have entered the studio to record an as-yet-untitled new full-length album, their fourth for Relapse Records. The quartet (Rikard Jansson – vocals, Urban Skytt (ex-NASUM) – guitars, Jocke Pettersson – drums, Glen Sykes – bass) have been writing and rehearsing over the past couple of months for their follow-up to 2003’s "Deviant". REGURGITATE vocalist Rikard Jansson promises the new album will sound "A bit rougher and not too polished. It is Grindcore after all." The band is looking to be done recording by April for an as-yet-unscheduled fall release.
According to Tartarean Desire, Ztephan Dark, band leader and founder of the Swedish Black Metal act SATANIC SLAUGHTER, has sadly passed away due to a serious heart condition.
VOIVOD have set July 25, 2006 as the North American release date (via The End Records) for their much-anticipated new album, "Katorz". The band has recorded and mixed the album with producer Glen Robinson (ANNIHILATOR, TEA PARTY, GWAR) at Multisons Studio in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and mastered the CD in New York. The follow-up to 2003’s "Voivod", "Katorz" is the first album in the band’s 20-plus-year career that did not feature founding guitarist Denis "Piggy" D’Amour working alongside his bandmembers in the studio. D’Amour died August 26, 2005 in a Montreal hospital from complications of advanced colon cancer. In order to record "Katorz", singer Denis "Snake" Belanger, drummer Michael "Away" Langevin, and bassist Jason "Jasonic" Newsted utilized all of the guitar parts that Piggy had recorded for the record on his laptop with ProTools before his death. In a recent interview with Greg Prato of Billboard.com, Langevin had the following to say about the upcoming CD: "It came about in unfortunate circumstances, but the result is mind-blowing. Right before his departure, Denis explained to me that he had recorded all the tracks that we had been working on with Jason and Snake for the past two years. He had recorded that on his laptop with ProTools, and even though he would have preferred to re-do the whole thing in a real studio, there was a chance that we could use the tracks. We built the album based on the guitar tracks, which was difficult, because normally, we go the other way around – we start with the drums, and then add stuff on top. But it sounds amazing." ""Katorz" means 14 – it’s the 14th effort of the band," Belanger added. "The first time Piggy put it together and gave us the demo was on CD (and he had written) "Katorz", which is not the right way to write it. Of course (there is) an emotional side to it, so we took the demo, and the design of it will be his handwriting." Check out the track ‘The X-Stream’, taken from the upcoming CD, in streaming audio format at MP3.com.
WITCHES, an old French Thrash / Death Metal band from the 80s / 90s is back! The band (composed of Sybille, sister of Alex from AGRESSOR, on guitar and vocals) is searching for musicians to complete the line- up. Email: witches@freesurf.fr
San Francisco Bay Area Thrash Metal band VIO-LENCE have completed work on their two-disc DVD, "Blood And Dirt", tentatively due later in the year via Megaforce. Produced and directed by Jerry Allen of Metallian Productions, "Blood And Dirt" is over three and a half hours long and contains "a ton of live footage spanning the band’s entire existence as well as a full-length documentary on the history of the band. Included on the documentary will be commentary by all the members of VIO-LENCE (going back to the DEATH PENALTY days) as well as comments by fellow Bay Area Thrashers EXODUS, DEATH ANGEL, FORBIDDEN and many others. You’ll also hear from Bay Area historians Ron Quintana and Walter Morgan, as well as legendary band manager Debbie Abono and many others including comments from VIO-LENCE fans themselves. Expect lots of rare, unreleased footage. This is a DVD for the fans, made by the fans." "Blood And Dirt" will include the following: Disc 1 – "Blood And Dirt": a 90-minute documentary on the history of VIO-LENCE. It includes all kinds of rare VIO-LENCE clips, photos as well as interviews with everyone who was in the band, friends, managers, other bands, fans etc. Disc 2 – "Thrash of the Titans" benefit concert in San Francisco, August 2001 (whole set): ‘Kill On Command’, ‘Eternal Nightmare’, ‘Serial Killer’, ‘Mentally Afflicted’, ‘Officer Nice’, ‘Phobophobia’, ‘World In A World’, ‘T.D.S.’ and ‘I Profit’. Slim’s in San Francisco – December 14, 2001 (half set): ‘Liquid Courage’, ‘Ageless Eyes’, ‘Calling In The Coroner’, ‘Subterfuge’, ‘Bodies On Bodies’ and ‘Paraplegic’. 420 Musik Conspiracy concert in San Francisco – April 19, 2003 (one song): ‘Gutterslut’. The Stone 1993 (one song): ‘Color Of Life’. Former VIO-LENCE and current MACHINE HEAD guitarist Phil Demmel recently announced that the upcoming DVD will serve as VIO-LENCE’s "final release and function as a band. There will be no more re-releases, reunions or re-anything. We had a blast writing and performing for you and once again, wholeheartedly, thank you all for it." Megaforce Records reissued VIO-LENCE’s classic debut album, "Eternal Nightmare", with a live bonus CD in June 2005. The bonus disc was recorded on December 14, 2001 at Slim’s in San Francisco and was mixed by Chris Hanson (TECHNOCRACY, THE SERVANTS, M.I.R.V., RIVERRED) of Redcar Lane Productions. VIO-LENCE’s lineup on "Eternal Nightmare" included vocalist Sean Killian, bassist Deen Dell, drummer Perry Strickland, and guitarists Phil Demmel and Robb Flynn (both now in MACHINE HEAD).
Jeff Elrod, better known as Tchort, formerly of MASOCHIST and WIND OF THE BLACK MOUNTAINS, has passed away on March 23, 2006. Rest in peace buddy!
Neurotic Records have signed New Zealand based technical Death Metallers ULCERATE. The band’s debut album, tentatively titled "Of Fracture And Failure", which has been recorded and is currently in mixing stages, will be released around Summer 2006. A definite release date will be decided on soon and one or two MP3 songs from the album will become available shortly after. www.neurotic-records.com
IMPERIOUS MALEVOLENCE will release their new full length album "Where Demons Dwell" in May via Evil Horde Records. The album will feature twelve tracks of "most insane and perverse Death fuckin’ Metal the way it should be done…" For distribution and promotion go to: www.evilhorderec.com. For further info and concert contact: hellhorde@hotmail.com, www.imperious-malevolence.net
U.K.-based label Grindethic Records has announced the signing of Lebanese extreme Metallers OATH TO VANQUISH. The bands debut album, "Applied Schizophrenic Science",, was engineered by the band, with the assistance of and mastered by Colin Davis (VILE) at Imperial Mastering. It is tentatively set for a June release. Track listing: ‘Pear Of Anguish’, ‘Dearly Beheaded’, ‘Funeral In F Sharp’, ‘Executive Onslaught’, ‘Toxic Bowel Manoeuvre’, ‘Sulphuric Semen’, ‘Symptoms Of Accrued Transgression’, ‘Sorrow In Adornment’ and ‘Coat-hanger Massacre’. Rough cuts off their upcoming album and more info can be found at: www.oath-to-vanquish.com
Sweden’s NECROPHOBIC have made two samples off their upcoming new album "Hrimthursum" available in the media section on their official website www.necrophobic.net. The songs are ‘I Strike With Wrath’ and ‘The Crossing’. The release date for the album is set for May 22 and it will be available as a slipcase CD and gatefold vinyl. A mini tour in Spain in the middle of June is already in the finishing stage, more tourdates are about to follow soon.
DEMONICAL, the new Swedish Death Metal band featuring three former CENTINEX members, have opened their website at www.demonical.net. Check out the site in order to see the bandlogo. The MySpace address is www.myspace.com/thedemonicalhorde. Here is a statement from the band: "Demonical will return to the roots of Death Metal and give you a sheer dose of darkness and brutality. We are now preparing our first audio assault which will be unleashed upon mankind during the summer. Our website is under construction but might open sooner than you think… Until then, hail the Death Metal victory!!" Demonical can be described as "brutal and dark Death Metal, like the old Swedish bands from the late 80s / early 90s mixed with the Florida and Brazilian scene and on top of that, spiced up with some nordic Black Metal. In other words brutal riffs, heavy downtuned guitars, fast relentless drums and blasphemous vocals. Demonical are currently looking for a vocalist. Serious offers can be sent to Dreamtide Music, the bands management. Email: dreamtidemusic@hotmail.com. The line-up: bass – Martin Schulman (ex-Centinex), guitars – Johan Jansson (ex-Centinex / ex-Dellamorte), drums – Ronnie Bergerståhl (ex-Centinex / ex-Amaran / ex-Julie Laughs Nomore), vocals – tba. Contact: the-demonical-horde@hotmail.com
ARKHON INFAUSTUS have finished the pre-recording of the fourth album, recorded and mixed by Mathrien at Andromeda Studio, containing nine songs. The band will enter the studio again in May to complete the record. It will be released on Osmose Productions before the end of the year. A limited gatefold double EP should be released in the meantime including a song of the coming album and some extra material exclusive to the EP. ARKHON INFAUSTUS is now endorsed by Randall Amplifiers and Samson gears.
"The Inhuman Aberration", the new album from URKRAFT is set for a release on Earache on the 29th of May 2006. Recorded at Antfarm Studios with Tue Madsen (The Haunted, Sick of it All, HIMSA, Hatesphere etc.) the album features 10 tracks in the vein of Soilwork, Darkane and The Haunted. Tracklisting: ‘Too Strong For The Strongest Lord’, ‘This Great Summer’, ‘Only The Gods’, ‘The Inhuman Aberration’, ‘Open The Gate’, ‘Come No Tomorrow’, ‘Watch Your Own Eyes’, ‘Liberation’, ‘Forsaken’ and ‘The Pressure Of Our Jaws’.
ANATA will release "The Conductor’s Departure" on Wicked World / Earache on June 12th 2006. Recorded at Studio Mega with Valle Adzic (The Crown, Impious, Lake of Tears, Beseech etc.) it features 10 brand new tracks continuing the path that have seen the band likened to Meshuggah, Dillinger Escape Plan, Gojira and Necrophagist. Tracklisting: ‘Downward Spiral Into Madness’, ‘Complete Demise’, ‘Better Grieved Than Fooled’, ‘The Great Juggler’, ‘Cold Heart Forged In Hell’, ‘I Would Dream Of Blood’, ‘Disobedience Pays’, ‘Children’s Laughter’, ‘Renunciation’ and ‘The Conductor’s Departure’.
FUNEBRARUM is currently recording new tracks for their upcoming split CD / LP with Swedish Death Metal legends, Interment. This release will be unleashed on Conqueror of Thorns Records. Limited quanity comes with vinyl stickers of both bands. For pre-orders and more information about this release please visit: www.conquerorofthorns.com
EQUIMANTHORN (with ABSU and SOIL BLEEDS BLACK members) is currently recording a new full length album for From Beyond Productions. To be released later in 2006.
In a couple of weeks Japanese label Obliteration will reissue CSSO‘s collection CD (singles & previously unreleased material) done two years ago by From Beyond Productions.
AGATHOCLES had their CD pre-release party at the Bogaard in Geel / Belgium with Vuur, Rotkop, Ekzeema and From the Ashes, which was very succesful.
BLOODTHORN is confirmed for this years Inferno Festival where they will headline the 2nd stage John Dee Friday April 14th. After that they will fill the slot held by Keep of Kalessin on the European tour with Carpathian Forest and Hate, as Keep of Kalessin must fly home to Norway for a few gigs there. They all meet up again in London, playing at the Underworld, and from there Keep of Kalessin will continue their trek. After Wacken Open Air in August, a Scandinavian tour is scheduled for November with Vader and Nightrage, but the cities and venues is still to be confirmed.
ZARATHUSTRA have been signed by Agonia Records for two albums.
Florida’s DEICIDE checked in from Morrisound Studios in Tampa, Florida where they are nearing completion on their latest album "The Stench Of Redemption", set for a 6.6.06 release. It is the first album recorded without the Hoffman Brothers. The band was incredibly excited to bring their latest vision to life which may explain their relentless speed in the studio. They have been putting in long hard hours to get everything down on tape and are in the final stages of tracking now. As of Thursday, vocal tracks have been completed in addition to the previously completed rhythm and lead guitar tracks and drums. Vocalist Glen Benton is currently milling over the recorded vocals to see if there are any portions of the recording that he’d like to thicken up or re-track to improve them. Along with that, bass tracks should be finished as well by the time you are reading this. DEICIDE will add the finished touches to the album and then move on to the next stage of mixing as early as this weekend.
Sweden’s CENTINEX have split-up. Here’s the official statement from the band: "We hereby announce that after 16 years in the business the Swedish Death Metal act Centinex call it quits. This might come as a surprise to many of you, especially after releasing such a strong and critcally acclaimed album as "World Declension". However, things came to such a point where the only solution was to call it a day. Without going too deep into all the details I can tell you that there are many reasons (personal, musical etc) for this decision and believe me, everything is well thought out. Hereby we stop all band activities and our farewell show will be the already booked appearance in Eskilstuna, Sweden, on May 13th. We wanna thank and salute each and everyone out there who have supported us in some way during all these years. Of course all the members will go on with Metal, jointly and individually, in various bands and projects. So you will sure hear from us in the near future. Thanx for your attention in Centinex and remember to keep the flame burning!! – Martin Schulman & Centinex, Avesta, Sweden, April 2nd 2006."
Old School Metal Records have signed India’s Thrash Metallers KRYPTOS. "The plan for KRYPTOS is to enter the studio in September to record the follow up to their acclaimed debut record "Spiral Ascent" for a 2007 release", comments Patrick Ramseier of OSM Records. "Meanwhile you can still order "Spiral Ascent" through OSM or via The End Records." KRYPTOS was formed in the winter of 1998 by founding members Ganesh K (bass / vocals) and Nolan Lewis (guitars) with the sole purpose of paying homage to the glorious 80s Metal / Thrash scene. The line-up got completed by Akshay Patel (now departed) on guitars and Ryan Colaco (drums). For more information visit www.kryptos.net, www.osmrecords.net or join the label’s mailing list at: old school-subscribe@osmrecords.net
The new MORRIGAN CD "Welcome To Samhain" will be out mid / end of March via Undercover Records.