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EXUMER have been confirmed to appear at the Ragnarökkr Metal Apocalypse Festival in Chicago, IL, which is scheduled to take place from May 03 – 04, 2013 and also includes ONSLAUGHT, ELDRITCH, OZ, OMEN, MORBID SAINT, OCTOBER 31, SHOK PARIS and many more. Information and tickets can be found at www.ragnarokkrmetal.com and www.facebook.com/ragnarokkrmetal. This appearance will be part of EXUMER’s first full U.S. tour in the band’s 27 year long history, which will take place in April / May 2013. Dates and details will be announced as they are confirmed. EXUMER released their latest album, "Fire & Damnation", in April of this year. You can watch the video for the title track at www.metalblade.com/exumer.
German Black Metallers LUNAR AURORA have split-up. Here’s the band’s official statement: "Dear friends, it has always been clear that also LUNAR AURORA will end some day. And this autumn we felt that it is time to lay the band to rest. We came to that decision for various reasons, the two following may be the most significant. On one hand our imaginations of future musical projects are difficult to reconcile with LUNAR AURORA, on the other hand we feel that LUNAR AURORA is out of tune with these times. We have never been people that speechify, so we won’t make a big deal out of that, either. It have been 18 great years and for that we want to say a big "THANK YOU!" to the people who have been with us during those years. Especially the fans as well as the bands we played with or did projects with. Not to forget the magazines, distributors, concert promoters, without whom publicity would not have been possible. Our label partners Frank Stöver, Andreas Lacher and Tom Wahl we owe deep thankfulness for their energy and trust. With deep gratefulness we think of our bandmates Sindar, Nathaniel, Profanatitas, Biil, Skoarth and Bernhard Klepper for all they did for LUNAR AURORA with great dedication. Although there won’t be a new LUNAR AURORA album anymore, we will make sure that the long out of stock albums "…Of Stargates…", "Elixir Of Sorrow" and "A Haudiga Fluag" will be available through Cold Dimensions within the next 1-2 years. Until we meet again…"
The upcoming full-length from Norwegian Black Metallers ENDEZZMA is entitled "Erotik Nekrosis" and will be released on November 28, 2012 in Europe and February 05, 2013 in the USA through Agonia Records. The album was recorded at Slaughterhaus Studio in Oslo with producer Robert Blix and features the following tracks: ‘Junkyard Oblivion’, ‘Enigma Of The Sullen’, ‘Against Them All’, ‘Swansong Of A Giant’, ‘Hollow’, ‘Krossing The Rubikon’ and ‘Soulcleansing’. ‘Junkyard Oblivion’ is available for streaming at this location.The band’s line-up includes Morten Shax on vocals, Trondr Nefas (URGEHAL, BEASTCRAFT, ANGST SKVADRON, VULTURE LORD) and Mattis Malphas (BEASTCRAFT) on guitars, Sregroth (URGEHAL, ÅSMEGIN) on bass and Carl Balam (NATTEFROST, ASTAROTH, ex – INFERNAL) on drums. More info at www.facebook.com/endezzma
On December 15, 2012 Dark Descent Records will release "The Sanctum Of Human Darkness", the new album from Finnish Death Metallers DESOLATE SHRINE. An exclusive premier of the track ‘Chalice Of Flesh And Bone’ is currently streaming at this location. More about DESOLATE SHRINE at www.facebook.com/desolateshrine
UK’s Speed Metal trio DECEPTOR has been signed by Shadow Kingdom Records for the release of the band’s forthcoming six song MCD "Chains Of Delusion". The band has already posted a video for the track ‘Heatseeker’ at this location. A stream of the song can also be found here. The "Chains Of Delusion" tracklist reads like this: ‘Transmission I’, ‘To Know Infinity’, ‘Heatseeker’, ‘Transmission II’, ‘Sentient Shackles’ and ‘Walking Dust’. The release is scheduled for January 21, 2013. More info at www.facebook.com/deceptoruk
Rogga Johansson (PAGANIZER, RIBSPREADER, REVOLTING, DEMIURG, BONE GNAWER, etc) has resurrected his HUMANITY DELETE project (that he formed in 2003), and has completed the debut album "Never Ending Nightmares", which will be released on December 04, 2012 through Dead Beat Media. The cover artwork was done by Adam Geyer, with inner artwork also by Adam Geyer, as well as Ironworx Gravefix and Dzul Skam. "Never Ending Nightmares" was recorded by Rogga Johansson and mixed / mastered by Ronnie Björnström. Lyrics have been written by Jill Girardi (Dead Beat Media), while HOODED MENACE’s Lasse Pyykkö contributed some guest guitar solos. The following tracks will appear on the album: ‘Never Ending Nightmares’, ‘The Eight Ice Narakas’, ‘Black Oil Defiler (Orang Minyak)’, ‘Necromantic Sorcery’, ‘The Jenglot’, ‘Dismal Corridors’, ‘Resurrection Rites’, ‘Retribution Of The Polong’, ‘Pontianak Part I’, ‘The Eight Fire Narakas’, ‘Frozen Apparition’ and ‘Pontianak Part II’. More info at www.facebook.com/humanitydelete
French Black Metallers AOSOTH are currently working on the follow-up to their 2011 release "III". The as of yet untitled album is tentatively slated for a March / April 2013 release through Agonia Records and will firmly consist of 7 new tracks and 55 minutes of music. Guitarist BST has issued the following statement: "We have entered the infamous Bst Studios once again to work on our fourth album and we are confident that this will be our most elaborate, twisted, and sick release so far. Those who did not like the direction we took with the previous record, probably will hate this one even more. We’re on the second day of tracking guitars now, and things are going smoothly, so to speak." Track ‘V’ from AOSOTH’s previous album entitled ‘III’ can be checked out at this location. More AOSOTH at: www.facebook.com/aosoth
"Coils Of The Black Earth", the debut from Finnish blackened Death Metallers MAVETH, will be released on CD and double LP (black & grey splatter vinyl) on December 15, 2012 through Dark Descent Records. It features the following songs: ‘The Devourer Within The Gulf’, ‘Dragon Of The Continuum’, ‘Hymn To Azael’, ‘Beneath The Sovereignty Of Al-Ghul’, ‘Hymn To The Black Matron’, ‘Stating Erictho’, ‘Coils Of The Black Earth’, ‘To Seed The Succubi’, ‘Terminus I – The Burning Offal Of Hinnom’ and ‘Terminus II – Hinnom Everlasting’. You can already check out ‘Hymn To Azael’ at this location. More info and updates at www.maveth.com or www.facebook.com/maveth666
Philip Lawvere, the artist who in the past created album covers for KREATOR ("Pleasure To Kill") and CELTIC FROST ("Emperor’s Return"), will design the new HIRAX album, which is scheduled for a Spring 2013 release. HIRAX front man Katon W. De Pena commented: "We couldn’t be happier to have Philip Lawvere illustrating the cover of our new album; after getting Bill Metoyer to produce it, this is truly the icing on the Thrash Metal cake!" You can check out Philip Lawvere’s work at www.facebook.com/lawvereart. In other news, HIRAX is pleased to announce that their new single "La Boca De La Bestia (The Mouth Of The Beast)" is the most downloaded song in the history of the band. It was recorded, produced and mastered by Bill Metoyer at Skull Seven Productions. More info at www.hirax.org
Reunited Brazilian Thrashers PANZER have just released a new single entitled "Rising". It can be downloaded for free at the band’s official website www.panzermetal.com.br. The video for the song can be checked out at this location. Currently the band features original members André Pars on guitar and Edson Graseffi on drums as well as newly recruited Rafael Moreira on vocals and Rafael DM on bass. For all further info you can also check out www.facebook.com/panzermetal
The debut album from Costa Rica’s old school Death Metallers INSEPULTO has finally been released on October 22, 2012. It features an original cover art by Chilean underground artist Daniel Self-Desecrator and was mixed and mastered by local engineer Max Gutierrez at Cavan Studios. The CD version has been licensed exclusively for Europe to Psycho Records from Poland. The band is currently looking for another label (or labels) to step in and release the album for the American territory. Tape and vinyl formats are being negotiated as well. Contact: insepultocr@gmail.com, www.facebook.com/pages/Insepulto/314871011905018, www.wydawnictwopsycho.com
"Suffering Is The Seed", the new album from Colombian Death / Black Metallers NEPENTE, is scheduled for a November 20, 2012 digital release on MetalHit.com. It was mixed and mastered at Poland’s Hertz Recording Studio (VADER, HATE, BEHEMOTH, DECAPITATED, etc) and is currently streaming in its entirety at nepente.bandcamp.com. Here’s the tracklist: ‘Suffering Is The Seed’, ‘Hell Is The Name Of This Land’, ‘Merciful Death’, ‘Hear Me Howl’, ‘Slaves Will Always Be Slaves’, ‘Die For Me’, ‘This Shroud Is Yours’ and ‘The Swamp’. More info at www.facebook.com/nepente.manizales
The reissue of WANDERER‘s "Bypassing The Abyss" is now available through Germany’s Dunkelheit Produktionen. The album, that was originally released on Magik Art in 2005, has been carefully repaired and re-mastered since the original master was damaged before pressing. The new edition comes as a digipak with a 12-page booklet including Mysterion’s (vocals / lyrics / artwork) original pictures and art editing of the Russian designer Al.Ex (Mayhem Project). Dunkelheit Produktionen has plans for a vinyl edition in 2013. More details at www.dunkelheit.cc or www.facebook.com/dunkelheitprod
Dallas, Texas based deathened Black Metallers SPARROWS have just released "Mark Of The Beast: Indoctrination" digitally through www.sparrowsmetal.bandcamp.com. The CD version will be available in the coming weeks. The tracklist reads like this: ‘Drunk On The Blood Of Fools’, ‘Cellar Of The Damned’, ‘Brainscan’, ‘Irradiated Boars’, ‘The Trinity Denied’ and ‘Indoctrination’. "Mark Of The Beast: Indoctrination" is the first of a three-part series; the connection between the series will be divulged after all three have been released. A series of videos documenting the recording of the EP can be viewed at this location. More info at www.facebook.com/thisissparrows
Illinois-based Vikings Thrashers THE HORDE have added drummer Travis Scudder to their line-up. He has replaced James Whitehurst, who left the band for personal reasons. Scudder also plays with Rock Island, Illinois Black Metallers SEPT OF MEMNON. THE HORDE are currently working on material for their next album, to be released on CD and vinyl in the fall of 2013 by Abyss Records. Earlier this year, THE HORDE released a video for the track ‘Odin’s Blood’, taken from "Thy Blackened Reign" at this location. Check out www.facebook.com/hordemetal for updates.
Italian Death Metallers ANTROPOFAGUS have released their first ever official music video for the song ‘Sanguinis Bestiae Solium’ from their 2012 Comatose Music release "Architecture Of Lust". The video was directed by Davide Cilloni and filmed on location at a deconsecrated church in Balestrino (SV, Italy). You can check it out at this location. More info at www.facebook.com/antropofagus.official
Swedish Death Metallers DEMONICAL have issued the following official statement: "The highly successful tour through Russia officially closed the "Death Infernal" touring cycle. We would hereby like to thank each and everyone of you who supported us in a way or another during the past 17 months at all our memorable shows in Europe, north-America and Russia. It was a truly awesome and significant ride. We hope to see you all again in April / May 2013 when we return to the live scene with full force and a new album under our belt. As of now we will fully concentrate on new dominating material and the realization of our upcoming fourth full-length, a process which will take place at Necromorbus Studios in Stockholm between late November and late January 2013. Further news, studio-updates and more detailed info will of course be posted here during the path so keep checking back. Until then – Bang or be banged!!" More info at www.demonical.net
Norwegian Viking Metallers HELHEIM are set to celebrate their 20 year history with a special concert at the Inside Rock Café in their home town of Bergen today. The event will also feature local bands and special guests, and, according to the band, the venue, with its intimate surroundings, has been especially chosen so that it becomes a true celebration amongst fans and friends. However, after receiving many messages from fans outside of Norway who would obviously not be able to attend, HELHEIM have decided to stream the performance live on their website at www.helheim.com/live and the stream will begin at precisely 22:00 Norwegian time, and will remain available to be viewed for a period of time after the event. NARROWHEAD, whose frontman has frequently guested on vocals for HELHEIM, along with the all-girl Rockband FAIRY and Punk Rockers BEINKJØR will also be playing at the event. There will be other guests throughout the evening, but according to HELHEIM: "we prefer to keep it all as a surprise. It wouldn’t be a real party if there weren’t a few surprises for everyone!" Nine tracks covering 20 years of HELHEIM’s history can be heard on the band’s SoundCloud page
PureGrainAudio.com is currently offering an exclusive free download of the song ‘The Mown Dawns Lie On The Ground’ from "CREEDamage", the forthcoming fifth album from Ukrainian ambient Folk Pagan Metal outfit MUNRUTHEL at this location. The album features guest vocals from Masha "Scream" (ARKONA) and Wulfstan (FOREFATHER), as well as a cover of BATHORY’s ‘The Lake’. It will be released in standard jewel-case and limited 6-panel digipak on November 12, 2012 via Svarga Music. A video for the album’s title track is currently being featured at www.svarga.eu. More MUNRUTHEL info at www.facebook.com/munruthelband
The self-titled debut from Toronto-based blackened Death Metal four-piece PAROXSIHZEM is now available through Dark Descent Records. A promo video for the track ‘Vanya’ has been posted at this location. All further info at www.facebook.com/pages/Paroxsihzem/293704858374
Hells Headbangers have just reissued DECEASED‘s "Supernatural Addiction" on CD with five bonus demo tracks and extensive liner notes from founding frontman King Fowley (the LP version will be out on January 23, 2013). The album was originally released in 2000 on Relapse Records and the reissue features the following tracks now: ‘The Premonition’, ‘Dark Chilling Heartbeat’, ‘A Very Familiar Stranger’, ‘Frozen Screams’, ‘The Doll With the Hideous Spirit’, ‘The Hanging Soldier’, ‘Chambers Of The Waiting Blind’, ‘Elly’s Dementia’, ‘Dark Chilling Heartbeat’ (bonus demo track), ‘Frozen Screams’ (bonus demo track), ‘A Very Familiar Stranger’ (bonus demo track), ‘The Premonition’ (bonus demo track) and ‘The Hanging Soldier’ (bonus demo track). More info and ordering details at www.hellsheadbangers.com
The American atmospheric Metal one-man project TWILIGHT FAUNA has just released a second album entitled "The Grotesque Travesty Of Creation", which is the follow-up to "The Silence Of A Blackening Abyss". Both albums are available for download at www.twilightfauna.bandcamp.com. It’s a free download but any donation is welcome. All proceeds are invested directly into making more music. Contact: faunusmusicproject@gmail.com
"Blessed In Sin", the debut full-length by Dutch old school Death / Thrash Metallers WEAPONS TO HUNT, will be released on November 26, 2012 via Vic Records. The band put out three albums under the name INFINITED HATE and last year transformed into WEAPONS TO HUNT. Here’s the tracklist: ‘The Hell Room’, ‘Blessed In Sin’, ‘Corpse Field’, ‘The Smell Of Victory’, ‘Bullets For The Assassin’, ‘Merciless Impact’, ‘False Positive System’ and ‘Strike Face’. More info at www.facebook.com/pages/weapons-to-hunt/124969717612834
When PAGANIZER was on hold for a brief period (2002), Rogga Johansson, Matte Fiebig and Andreas Karlsson recorded 2 demos and 2 albums under the monicker CARVE and quickly returned to the name PAGANIZER. The album "Stillborn Revelations" was recorded in 2002 at Necromorbus Studios with Tore Stjerna (WATAIN, SCAR SYMMETRY, DESULTORY) and the second album "Revel In Human Filth" was released in 2004 (mastered by Dan Swanö). Both albums were originally released by an obscure Brasillian label and are out of print for a decade. Now both albums are available on one disk, plus three exclusive bonus tracks, liner notes from Rogga and new artwork and booklet by Peter Sallai (MEMORY GARDEN, BORNHOLM). This new edition is entitled PAGANIZER – "Carve: Stillborn Revelations And Revel In Filth" and will be released on November 26, 2012 by Vic Records. More info at www.facebook.com/pages/paganizer/201782296500909?ref=ts&fref=ts
Belgian melodic Black Metallers SAILLE have revealed the cover art and tracklist for their new album "Ritu". It will be released on January 18, 2013 via Code666 Records. The follow-up to 2011’s "Irreversible Decay" was produced and mixed by Reinier Schenk (GORATH, FLESHMOULD) and mastered by Tom Kvålsvoll (1349, DIMMU BORGIR, KEEP OF KALESSIN). The cover art comes courtesy of Polish digital landscape artist Michal Karcz. Here’s the tracklist: ‘Blood Libel’, ‘Subcutaneous Terror’, ‘Fhtagn’, ‘Upon The Idol Of Crona’, ‘Sati’, ‘A Titan’s Sacrifice’, ‘Haunter Of The Dark’, ‘Runaljod’ and ‘Ritual Descent’. The album cover was posted at this location, a video trailer can be found here.
AFTER DEATH are just finishing the recordings of a full extended version of ‘At War With Satan’ (21 1/2 minutes long) for an upcoming VENOM tribute album on Iron Pegasus Records. The song will take up one whole side of the vinyl. According to Mike Browning it is "very close to the original but with that AFTER DEATH touch of Magick!"
In a few weeks Nihilistic Holocaust will release a split tape with ALTARS (Australia) and HEAVING EARTH (Czech Republic). It will contain new tracks of both Death Metal bands. More info at http://nihilistic.voila.net
Blood Harvest Records have just released the vinyl version of SERPENT ASCENDING‘s "The Enigma Unsettled". The band features Jarno Nurmi (bass / guitar player and singer of SLUGATHOR, DESECRESY, NERLICH) and the album collects both the "Serpent Ascending" and "The Mournful Pilgrimage" recordings from 2009 and 2010 together with a brand new song. Here’s the complete tracklist: ‘The Mournful Pilgrimage’ (Part 1), ‘Saturnal’, ‘The Human Ladders’, ‘The Mournful Pilgrimage’ (Part 2), ‘The Entwinement’, ‘World Of Flesh On Bone’, ‘Serpent Ascending’, ‘The Enigma Unsettled’ and ‘Endless Initiations’. The album comes in a luxurious full color gatefold format with an insert that includes lyrics and paintings by American artist Wiley Trieff. A stream of "The Enigma Unsettled" in its entirety has been posted at this location. For more information check out www.facebook.com/pages/serpent-ascending/282039945193550
Blood Harvest Records (in co-operation with Temple Of Abomination) have also released the vinyl version of TYRANT GOATGALDRAKONA‘s "Sign Of Moloch" (originally released on CD by Stygian Shadows Productions in 2010). It is available as a one-sided 12" vinyl MLP, limited to 300 copies and streaming in its entirety at this location. "Sign Of Moloch" was recorded, mixed and mastered by Dávid Fehér at Noise Lab Studio, April 3-4, 2010, in Szeged, Hungary. Here’s the tracklist: ‘The Sign Of Moloch’, ‘Lords Of Catharsis’, ‘The Born Of Hatred’, ‘Whip Of Lucifer’ and ‘Tyrant Goatgaldrakona’. TYRANT GOATGALDRAKONA’s first full-length record, "Horns In The Dark", is set to be released on 12" vinyl through Blood Harvest Records in 2013. All further info at www.facebook.com/tyrantgoatgaldrakona or tyrantgoatgaldrakona.bandcamp.com
Spanish technical Death Metallers UNREAL OVERFLOWS have just finished working on their new album "False Welfare". It was recorded, mixed and mastered at their very own Zoilo Unreal Studios and is scheduled for a release during mid November. You can already check out the album cover as well as listening to an advance track and an official teaser at the following links: http://youtu.be/g-UPv6z-emo, http://youtu.be/_jOXjpTBViI