» News Archive August 2007
In honor of the label’s upcoming 25th Anniversary, NEW RENAISSANCE RECORDS is seeking unsigned bands that represent the next wave of Metal on a new "Speed Metal Hell" compilation. Interested acts should submit a recording of no more that four songs, photos of the band, press-clippings and reviews of live shows (if any), and a list of recent and upcoming performances. Packages should be mailed to: Speed Metal Hell, c/o New Renaissance Records, PO Box 4825, Valley Village, CA. 91617. The compilation album will be sold internationally at a discounted rate and available on major websites worldwide. It will be serviced to Metal media worldwide. And, it may be issued on vinyl in a limited edition. Several old school bands who appeared on New Renaissance in the 1980s will be contributing new material. Royalties will be paid.
SWEDISH DEATH METAL, the book by INSISION’s Daniel Ekeroth will be released in the German language by Index Verlag these days. For more info head to www.index-verlag.org
The new SATHANAS album "Crowned Infernal" will be released in September by Pulverised Records from Singapore. Here’s the complete tracklist: ‘Crowned Infernal’, ‘At Death’s Command’, ‘Cast Into The Fire’, ‘Beneath The Blood Red Moon’, ‘Dawn Of Satan’s Rise’, ‘The Beast Of Revelation’, ‘Witches Sabbat’, ‘Summoning The Ancient Hordes’, ‘Necromantic Rites’, ‘Hyms From The Shadow Land’ and ‘Sacrificial Kingdom’. The band will be opening for Overkill and Dark Funeral on October 18 at Peabody’s Down Under in Cleveland, Ohio along with DAATH, NAGLFAR and THE AGONIST. Tickets are available from the band members or may be purchased online by visiting www.sathanas.net. Advance ticket price is $20.00. Also available at this time is the new SATHANAS "The Beast Of Revelation" t-shirt, featuring the the artwork of renowned artist Kris Verwimp.
"Ein Kakophonischer Lebenshauch" is the title of the first official live-recording of Germany’s raw and dirty groovy old school Death/Grinders DEPRESSION. These recordings are from their very last gig in 2006 (the band only played 10 gigs in their entire career). As an extra bonus a new and exclusive studio track (‘DalaiDahmer’) is included, only available on this record. You can order it for 8,-€ (Germany + 2,-€ postage, Europe + 5,-€ postage, overseas + 6,-€ postage) through the band’s website www.depression-grind.de
"For Tyrant’s Sake", the second full length by Germany’s IMMORTAL RITES will be out at the end of August through Medusa Records in Europe and Khaosmaster Productions in North and South America. There will be two different versions in terms of artwork and tracklist again. "For Tyrant’s Sake" was mixed and recorded at Audiospezialist Studios (Germany) by Martin Schmidt (ex-ATROCITY & LEAVES EYES) and mastered in Sweden at Unisound Studios by Dan Swanö (ex-EDGE OF SANITY / BLOODBATH / NIGHTINGALE). You can already listen to one of the new tracks (‘Daemon Dawn’) at www.myspace.com/immortalrites666. For all further info check out www.immortalrites.de
As some of you might have heard: Volker of MERCILESS RECORDS will stop the mailorder for an indefinite period of time. He says the main reasons for that decision are frustration, exhaustion and the lack of enthusiasm. For him right now it is unsure if he ever will return in this form to the scene. Nonetheless we wish him all the best for the future and thank him for the great work he did for the Metal underground! The mailorder will stop its work September 15, 2007 so make sure you drop by for a visit to get some of the great-sale offers and help Volker get rid of his stuff: www.merciless-records.de
NYC Thrashers SUN DESCENDS premiered the first song from their new CD titled "The Entropy Formula", on the band’s Myspace site. The 6 minute track ‘3 Corners Of Hell’ is the first new material to surface in 1 1/2 years since the band’s first full-length release in early 2006. The band is going to negotiate a North American deal for the new album and is currently looking for a suitable label. Mem V. Stein: "The music on SUN DESCENDS’s new album is as relevant as the music on "Possessed By Fire", which I recorded with EXUMER back in 1986. Let’s just hope that the Thrash frenzy of today won’t be exploited as it was in the 80s, causing Thrash Metal to come to a creative full-stop. Otherwise I am amazed at the comeback Thrash Metal has made and I am very hopeful that the new SUN DESCENDS album will be received positively." The band will perform live for the first time in over a year on September 6 in Worcester, Massachusetts, with fellow Mass. Thrashers THE ACCURSED. Check: www.myspace.com/sundescends for ‘3 Corners Of Hell’.
Reunited Norwegian Symphonic Black Metallers LIMBONIC ART will strike back on the 24th of September with their brand new album entitled "Legacy Of Evil". You can check a brand new song called ‘Lycanthropic Tales’ at the band’s myspace page www.myspace.com/limbonicart
Shortly before the end of the last millennium, DRAUTRAN from Kiel, Germany, self-released their "Unter dem Banner der Nordwinde" album. Their name quickly made the circuit in the international underground, a few concerts (among them the PartySan Festival in 2002 and the Av Is Og Ild in 2004) cemented their reputation. After eight years of deceitful calm, "Throne Of The Depths" will be released on October 29 via Lupus Lounge (www.lupuslounge.com), with whom the band has signed a five-album contract. A dignified re-release of the classic "Unter dem Banner der Nordwinde" has also been agreed upon.
After just one demo ("042103Freitod") Germany’s grim Black Metal horde FARSOT will release their debut album "IIII" via Lupus Lounge on October 29. It is the first of five albums to be published by the label.
SPEARHEAD finished recording their second album for Invictus at Hertz Studio, Poland (where VADER, HATE, ANIMA DAMNATA, among others record) in early July. The album has been mastered and the label is currently awaiting the completion of the artwork which is being handled by Manuel Tinnemans at Somaworx (who has been responsible for artwork for PENTACLE, BUNKUR etc.). The new SPEARHEAD material sees the band branch out further into a more Death / Thrash direction and with the powerful production courtesy of Hertz Studio the album is certain to impress and elevate SPEARHEAD to a new level within the scene. A sample will be uploaded shortly on the Invictus myspace! SPEARHEAD played two very successful and well received festival appearances at Day of Darkness Fest in Ireland and Hells Pleasure Fest in Germany in July.
New Zealand Doom cult DIOCLETIAN are to begin recording their debut full length album for Invictus in September. Their well received demo from 2005 was repressed due to high demand by Invictus and the band have gone onto record a MCD titled "Decimator" which is due for release soon, a 7" and s split 12" with the Aussie band DENOUNCEMENT PYRE. A final date for the release of the DIOCLETIAN album which is to be titled "Doom Cult" has not been set. DIOCLETIAN have been hailed as a savage and uncompromising underground Metal act likened to fellow pioneers ORDER FROM CHAOS, CARCASS and BLASPHEMY in terms of brutality, intensity and style. A sample from the demo can be heard on the Invictus myspace!
Invictus have signed the new project from Gene Palubicki called APOCALYPSE COMMAND. Gene has been well known as the helmsman in crushing Death Metal legends ANGELCORPSE and has taken blasphemy, musical extremity and aural violence to a whole other level with APOCALYPSE COMMAND. A three track demo is currently available from Gene and it is due to be pressed on 7" in the near future. APOCALYPSE COMMAND will also feature the unique talents of one Steve Hughes who has drummed for the mighty SLAUGHTER LORD as well as MORTAL SIN, NAZXUL and more recently as a live drummer for PRIMORDIAL. This will be Steve’s first drum recordings in nearly a decade and is sure to make the album more intense in a collaboration bringing together musicians from different eras of the extreme Metal underground.
US psychedelic Black Metal heathens NACHTMYSTIUM have officially licensed their "Eulogy IV" opus to Invictus exclusively for the European market. Currently signed to Century Media in the USA and Candlelight in Europe, the band agreed a special license deal with Invictus for the currently out of print album. As one of the more experimental underground Black Metal acts to emerge from the US, NACHTMYSTIUM laid a solid foundation of cult underground releases before coming to the attention of their current labels. "Eulogy IV" is a more direct, Thrash inspired offering with the traditional NACHTMYSTIUM sound and eccentricity. All upcoming Invictus titles will be available through Plastic Head Distribution for Europe.
One more track (‘Shatahan’) from the upcoming new FLESH album "Worship The Soul Of Disgust" is available at www.myspace.com/peteflesh. The album is scheduled to be released this autumn on Pulverised Records.
Sweden’s Iron Fist Productions have released two new full length albums by THROWN ("The Suicidal Kings Occult") and INFUNERAL ("Sepulchral Monument"). You can check out sound samples at the band’s myspace sites www.myspace.com/thrownbitch or www.myspace.com/infuneral
C-187, the band featuring Patrick Mameli (guitar, ex – Pestilence) alongside Tony Choy (bass, ex – CYNIC), Sean Reinert (drums, ex – DEATH) and Tony Jelencovich (vocals, ex – B-Thong) is now on myspace: www.myspace.com/c187band. For the introduction of the Myspace site Patrick Mameli will personally answer all mail sent to him via myspace. Be sure to drop him a line. On the myspace website you can find 3 tracks of the new album, to be released August 31.
One year after its original release in CD format, Soulseller Records (www.soulsellerrecords.com) finally released REPUGNANT‘s debut full-length album ("Epitome Of Darkness" ) in vinyl format. The vinyl version is limited to 999 copies (666 copies black vinyl, 333 picture vinyl). Both versions are in gatefold sleeve and include two huge posters (one with band photo and another one with the album artwork).
They came, they saw and they DEFINITELY CONQUERED! Yes people, California’s SADISTIC INTENT finally played they very first European show EVER, yesterday night at the Ballroom in Hamburg, Germany. And I can tell you – all those of you who decided to stay home will most certainly regret this decision forever, cause personally I haven’t seen any other Death Metal act in a fuckin’ long time that managed to impress in such a big way as this unholy unity (and I suppose the internationally mixed crowd – fans from Sweden, Belgium, Italy etc. showed up for this event – will agree with me here)! Imagine a crushing mixture of classic MORBID ANGEL spiced up with the intensity of old SLAYER and POSSESSED (also visually) and you are kinda close already to the power and magic that was set free yesterday. Of course all the band’s classics found their way into the setlist (‘Eternal Darkness’, ‘Ancient Black Earth’, ‘Morbid Faith’ etc. etc.) as well as a brandnew song (of which I can’t recall the title at the moment, sorry)! LEGENDARY! Support came from Holland’s ancient Death Metal trinity PENTACLE who once more proved to be a killer live act with the right feeling for old school Death Metal as well as female fronted TOURETTES from Australia, who unfortunately replaced NECROS CHRISTOS.
Pete Flesh (THROWN, ex-DECEIVER, ex-MAZE OF TORMENT) has now recorded the follow-up to last years FLESH album "Temple Of Whores", entitled "Worship The Soul Of Disgust". The album was recorded, mixed and produced at Abyss studio by Tommy Tägtgren and Pete Flesh. This will be the first "real" release for FLESH on Pulverised Records (SATARIEL, DISSECTION, IN AETERNUM, WATAIN, etc.) from Singapore since the break-up with Swedish Iron Fist Productions. Pulverised Records has as well re-released "Temple Of Whores" (2006) and will soon also re-release the first album "Dödsångest" (2007). No release date is set for the new album yet, but plans are being made to have it out this autumn. The tracklist for "Worship The Soul Of Disgust" reads as follows: ‘Shatahan’, ‘I Masturbate To Jesus-Christ’, ‘Feast On The Soul’, ‘Nights Of Funeral Bells’, ‘Fuck The Romantic, Fuck The Gothic – All Hail The Morbids And The Obscure’, ‘Sluts & Whores’, ‘Sadistic Penetration’, ‘My Penis Will Be Your Opera’ and ‘Worship The Soul Of Disgust’. The track ‘I Masturbate To Jesus-Christ’ can be heard at this location: www.myspace.com/peteflesh