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"Misanthropy", the fourth full-length album by Poland’s PANDEMONIUM, will be released on March 10, 2012 through Pagan Records. The album was recorded at Viriam Art Studio with Piotr Tyszkiewicz, who is also responsible for the mix and mastering. "Misanthropy" also features guest vocals by Androniki Skoula (CHAOSTAR), who formerly has already worked with SEPTIC FLESH and ROTTING CHRIST. The whole graphic design was realized by PANDEMONIUM vocalist Paul. Here’s the complete tracklist: ‘The Black Forest’, ‘God Delusion’, ‘Necro Judas’, ‘Stones Are Eternal’, ‘Avant – Garde Underground’, ‘Everlasting Opposition’, ‘Only the Dead Will See the End of War’ and ‘Misanthropy’. The song ‘Stones Are Eternal’ can already be checked out at this location. More info at www.pandemonium.metal.pl
Apochs.net, is now streaming both songs off "Manifestation Of Black", the recently released 7" from Swedish NOMINON, at this location. The EP features the songs ‘Manifestation Of Black’ and ‘Burnt Human Offering’ and serves to tide fans over until the band releases the follow up to 2010’s "Monumentomb". The as-of-yet untitled album is expected to be released sometime in 2012. Every 7" purchase comes with a free digital download and the first 300 orders will receive red vinyl. For ordering information go to www.deathgasm.com
REIGN OF VENGEANCE will soon team up with TURBID NORTH for the "The Arctic Brutality And Bloodshed" mini tour, which is set to take place during the last part of January. ETHNIC DE GENERATION will serve as direct support for the tour, with local openers at each stop.
MORGOTH have announced to be returning to North American ground by appearing at Baltimore’s Maryland Deathfest on May 27, 2012. Furthermore the band will also perform at Neurotic Deathfest (The Netherlands), Brutal Assault (Czech Republic) as well as the following events in Germany: Winternachtstraum (Arnsberg), Walpurgis Metal Dayz (Passau), Rock Harz (Ballenstedt) and Summer Breeze (Dinkelsbühl). MORGOTH are currently working on their first-ever live release, which is being mixed in Sweden right now by Dan Swanö at Unisound Studio (OPETH, DISSECTION, BLOODBATH, etc.). An international release date is expected for the summer of 2012 via Century Media Records. The band commented this as follows: "The "Cursed" Anniversary festivals 2011 have been an awesome experience for our fans and us! And that’s why we’ve decided to continue with MORGOTH and some more cool festivals in Germany as well as also in other countries in 2012. We are also very happy to announce that we are right now in the middle of the production process of our very first live album / DVD and expect to release it before the summer. We have listened to the first audio mixes already and it sounds very, very heavy! We are very pleased that we could get Dan Swanö on board for this project and he is doing an incredible job! See you at one of the coming shows…" MORGOTH’s 2011 live setlist consisted of songs from the "Cursed" album as well as some cuts from the classic 1989 / 1990 EP’s "Resurrection Absurd" and "The Eternal Fall" as well as a couple of selected songs off "Odium".
"Incurso", the first release for Swedish SPAWN OF POSSESSION under the banner Relapse Records, will be released in North America on March 13th. The band features current and former members of NECROPHAGIST and OBSCURA. SPAWN OF POSSESSION have already confirmed a massive European tour this March and April alongside OBSCURA, GOROD and EXIVIOUS. More info at www.myspace.com/spawnofpossession or www.facebook.com/SpawnofPossession
CANNIBAL CORPSE will unleash their twelfth studio offering "Torture" this March via Metal Blade Records. The album was again produced by HATE ETERNAL’s Erik Rutan at his own Mana Recording Studio in St. Petersburg, Florida as well as Sonic Ranch in Tornillo, Texas, and features cover art by longtime CANNIBAL CORPSE artist, Vincent Locke. Adds bassist Alex Webster on the outcome of the record: "We’re extremely happy with how "Torture" turned out. Erik Rutan did an amazing job with the production, and the songwriting and performances may be our strongest yet. We can’t wait until our fans get to hear the whole thing!" Here’s the complete tracklisting: ‘Demented Aggression’, ‘Sarcophagic Frenzy’, ‘Scourge Of Iron’, ‘Encased In Concrete’, ‘As Deep As the Knife Will Go’, ‘Intestinal Crank’, ‘Followed Home Then Killed’, ‘The Strangulation Chair’, ‘Caged…Contorted’, ‘Crucifier Avenged’, ‘Rabid’ and ‘Torn Through’. As a precursor to the release, CANNIBAL CORPSE will perform a special one-off show at the Culture Room in West Palm Beach, Florida on January 22, 2012 then head to the seas to take part in this year’s edition of the 70,000 Tons Of Metal Cruise. The band will get a short break before a near month-long march through Europe on the Full Of Hate 2012 tour with labelmates BEHEMOTH. "Torture" will be released in North America on March 13, 2012. www.facebook.com/cannibalcorpse
HOODED MENACE have entered the studio to record their new album (and first for Relapse Records), entitled "Effigies Of Evil". It is being self-recorded by the band at their very own Horrisound Studios, while the drums are being tracked at SF Sound. The band plans to complete recording in mid February for a Summer 2012 release. Guitarist Lasse Pyykko commented on the new recordings: "This album is the catchiest stuff we’ve done so far. On average it’s slightly faster (read: more mid-tempos) and a bit more melodic than the previous records but as always there’s still an unhealthy dose of down-tempo horror hammering. It’s crushingly heavy, dark and graceful music in all its gory glory!" www.facebook.com/HoodedMenace
BORKNAGAR‘s new studio album "Urd" will be released on March 26, 2012 in Europe as well as March 27, 2012 in North America via Century Media Records. The album’s artwork was designed by Brazilian artist Marcelo Vasco, who has not only already worked on the band’s previous "Universal" release but also with artists such as SOULFLY, BELPHEGOR, EINHERJER or KEEP OF KALESSIN. BORKNAGAR’s mastermind Øystein G. Brun comments on the artwork as follows: "The cover and design for "Urd" is spot on when it comes to portraying the very core of the band. This time around we wanted an earthly expression through our cover and general design to support and empower the main themes on the album. You can almost smell and feel the texture of the old Norse wooden carvings – still there is a sophisticated and eclectic approach to the expression that entwines perfectly into the music. Marcelo Vasco enhanced our ideas into brilliance, he painted the face of the beast that is about to be unleashed…" BORKNAGAR have recently finalized mixing duties for the album with Jens Bogren at Sweden’s Fascination Street Studios (OPETH, PARADISE LOST, KATATONIA, etc.). The tracklisting for the album will read as follows: ‘Epochalypse’, ‘Roots’, ‘The Beauty Of Dead Cities’, ‘The Earthling’, ‘The Plains Of Memories’, ‘Mount Regency’, ‘Frostrite’, ‘The Winter Eclipse’ and ‘In A Deeper World’. www.borknagar.com
Ordo MCM have just released MOURNFUL CONGREGATION‘s "Weeping / An Epic Dream Of Desire" on gatefold double heavy vinyl and IMPIOUS BAPTISM‘s "V.A.N.D.V.A." 7" (+ insert). More info at www.ordomcm.com
Hellthrasher Productions will release the new PUTRIFIED album "Neurotic Necrotic" in February. It was recorded at Mind The Gap Studios in November – December 2010, with additional recordings in January – February 2011. Here’s the complete tracklist: ‘Neurotic Necrotic’, ‘They Speak’, ‘Behold The Butchered’, ‘Havoc’, ‘A Chamber Beneath’, ‘The Flesh Of God’, ‘Temple Of Vomit’, ‘Await The Slaughter’, ‘The Arrival’, ‘Monolith’, ‘The Land Of The Pharaohs’, ‘These Forsaken Lands’ and ‘The Return Of Ashes’. PUTRIFIED’s mastermind A. Death commented on "Neurotic Necrotic" like this: "The album is something as pretentious as a concept album in the sense that the lyrics tells a story rather than just the regular gore stuff that the lyrics dealt with on the first album "Spawn Of The Dead". No worries though, it ain’t a rockopera, the music is PUTRIFIED’s form of Necrotic Metal Of Death & Decay as always. Anyway, the story tells of a man who starts to hear voices he cannot see. They tell him things and he can’t make them stop and starts to dig up graves from where the voices come. In an attempt to make the voices stop he injects the dead with various fluids that make them come alive. Hence the title "Neurotic Necrotic", then the dead starts to walk and try to make their way home to the land of the pharoes etc. The story is very loosely based on the HP Lovecraft stories "Herbert West – Reanimator" and "Under The Pyramids". Even if the story is something that has been worked on it really is the music and songs that are the most important thing. I think these songs are much stronger as an album than "Spawn Of The Dead", the songs form a strong entity. PUTRIFIED’s sound has expanded and new things are incorporated, this material is more focused on groove and catchy riffs than the first one.” More info at www.myspace.com/putrifiedswe
Greek Black Metallers ENSHADOWED have been signed by Pulverised Records. The band’s third full-length album "Magic Chaos Psychedelia" will be released sometime in 2012. Tracklisting: ‘Stary Throne Of It’, ‘Is Venit Ex Abyssus’, ‘Black Holes, Death Planets’, ‘The Scenario’, ‘Surrealistic Shade Of Color Black’, ‘Dethroned’, ‘Inner Psy-Trip’, ‘The Dual Hypostasis Of Nihil’ and ‘Magic Chaos Psychedelia’. Commented ENSHADOWED guitar-player N.e.c.r.o: "This is the right step for us! “Magic Chaos Psychedelia” is the most important step of the band until today. It’s an honour that ENSHADOWED is the new member of Pulverised Records. I knew that they work professionally and I was totally satisfied with my other band’s cooperation BURIAL HORDES with them. This album is a very personal situation for us. We re-made the songs again and again without any time pressure and therefore, the result was totally creative and powerful. Fotis Benardo of SEPTIC FLESH was behind the sound engineering. We spent many hours to manage the best sound quality for the recording and the mix. Now Pulverised Records is ready to spread our sick spiritual creations. Give yourself the chance to taste the blood of chaos and a magical psy-trip…" www.facebook.com/EnshadowedOfficial
Israeli epic Black Metallers ETERNAL DECAY will embark on a 16-date tour of North America, beginning in Toronto on Valentine’s Day. After releasing a couple of demos in 2001 and 2002, ETERNAL DECAY released a full-length album in 2010 called "Beyond The Ties Of Flesh". More info at www.eternaldecay.com
In October of last year, Swedish Death Metallers UNCANNY entered the studio to record two new songs for a 7" to be released in late January through Dark Descent Records. The first of these songs, ‘The Path Of Flesh’ is now streaming online at this location. These two tracks are the first new material from UNCANNY since 1994’s "Splenium For Nyktophobia" album. More UNCANNY at www.facebook.com/uncanny666
Barely a month after its release, VORE‘s latest album "Gravehammer" reached # 4 on Amazon.com’s Death Metal download charts. "Gravehammer" was mastered by Colin Davis of Imperial Mastering and is available from www.vore.org and Amazon.com.
Polish Death Metallers SPHERE will be releasing their second album "Homo Hereticus" through Masterful Records on February 10th, this year. The album is limited to 666 copies and was recorded in ZED Studio by Tomek ‘Zed’ Zalewski in summer 2010. The artwork was created by the band’s vocalist in cooperation with Kaos who had also worked for THRONEUM, CHRIST AGONY and REVELATION OF DOOM. All samples and intros were recorded by Andy Blakk (CONQUEST ICON, EMPHERIS) exclusively. You can check out two of the newest tracks here and here. The album’s complete track list reads like this: ‘Forever Sworn To Blasphemy’, ‘Godless Profanity’, ‘Third Scent Carcass’, ‘Sadistfucktion’, ‘Homo Hereticus’, ‘Holistic Paralysis’, ‘Psalm To The Dark One’, ‘Grave’s Cold Darkness’, ‘Vengeance’s Core’, ‘Devils’ Reunion’, ‘Beyond Madness Of Gods’ and ‘War. For all further info check out www.myspace.com/sphereband, www.facebook.com/damnedSphere
Spanish crossover Thrashers BADFARE STATE have finished recording their first 4 song EP entitled "Socially Dead. The band is currently searching for a record label to release it and a bassist and second guitarist to complete the line-up. You can contact them through badfarestate@gmail.com or www.myspace.com/badfarestate for more info and music.
Century Media Records has signed Swedish old school Deathers EVOCATION. EVOCATION’s guitar player Marko Palmén comments: "It’s time to kick in the year of the apocalypse with the writing of a new chapter and a new era in EVOCATION’s history. We are very pleased to announce that we have signed a new worldwide recording agreement with Century Media Records. The label feels for us as a natural choice and a perfect partner due to their long experience and commitment with the Death Metal scene. To become a part of the CM family feels for us as coming home. Huge thanx to Jens Prüter, Philipp Schulte, Stefan Franke and CM for making this happen!" EVOCATION will shortly enter the studio to record the follow-up of the highly acclaimed 2010 album "Apocalyptic" which is planned to be released in autumn 2012. Besides a new studio album Century Media will also release a compilation of the band’s entire demo discography plus additional footage, comments, liner notes, exclusive artwork and unreleased songs. This yet untitled compilation will be released in summer 2012. EVOCATION online: www.evocation.se
UK-based Deathcrust Metallers WINDS OF GENOCIDE has announced the upcoming debut full-length album as "Usurping The Throne Of Disease". Rough sketches of the artwork can be found at the official Mark Riddick Facebook page. In related news, the band recently underwent a line-up adjustment. The new WINDS OF GENOCIDE drummer is Matthew Henderson and Linus Girdland Flink will be the second guitarist. In an official statement released by the band: "This is the new line-up that will be writing material for and recording the debut full-length album "Usurping The Throne Of Disease". Matthew is a great young versatile drummer (still only in his teens, he is currently 17 years old, nearly 18) and he also drums in a local Death Metal band called PLAGUE RIDER. He can switch from D-Beats, Swebeats and blast beats, which is all we need in a drummer! He has picked up most of the songs we have written so far very quickly and learnt the current setlist with impressive ease. We are very happy to have him in the band and onboard for the full-length album. Linus, who played drums on our first two recordings and the tracks for the upcoming split with ABIGAIL (Japan), has now moved on to second guitar due to him moving to London so we needed to find a drummer who could rehearse and work on new material regularly." www.myspace.com/windsofgenocide
Vocalist Beer Reebs of Texas Death Metal maniacs HOD has issued the following update on the band’s upcoming activities: "Due to numerous line-up changes (4 total) in the past 1 1/2 – 2 years and lack of finances, our sophmore album "Book Of Worms" was inevitably pushed back, and pushed back. During this time I spoke with Big Bald Brian from Ossuary Industries, who has been a long time friend and supporter to HOD. I told him we couldn’t commit to a full-length album due to our obligations / loyalty to Ibex Moon Records but we could commit to a split of some sorts. He mentioned the upcoming Limbsplitter 2 compilation he was putting together. Needing to release something to appease the masses we agreed to jump on that. He even let us pick another group of our choosing to join in on the chaos. We chose our comrades in the Black / Death group LOCUSTA to accompany us alongside DEMONAICAL GENUFLECTION, INGURGITATE and INIQUITOUS respectively. I forget who’s doing the mastering but the artwork was done by the very twistedly sick Jon Zig. We recorded our three tracks with Dennis Munoz of SOLSTICE fame. Our three slabs of hate are titled: ‘Awakening Blasphemous Abominations’, ‘And The Smoke Will Rise’ and ‘To Call Forth The Deep Ones’. These tracks were recorded as a 4 piece and are the last recorded tracks with founding member Dennis Sanders on drums. The disc will hopefully be available at the Gathering of the Bestial Legion V fest being held in L.A. Sat Jan 14th where we (HOD) share the stage with Death Metal titans AUTOPSY, INCANTATION, ACHERON, DIVINE EVE and more. When we get back home we’ll play a "local" show the 21st with some fellow TX Black and Death Metal bands while awaiting our March 26th show opening for the mighty ONSLAUGHT and M:PIRE OF EVIL. Recording of our 2nd album will be getting finished during this time as well. Till then, get your limbs split by Ossuary Industries with the Limbsplitter 2 disc. Fuckin’ Metal!" The band has posted a stream of the track ‘To Call Forth The Deep Ones’ at this location. "Book Of Worms" will be out on Ibex Moon Records later this year. www.myspace.com/hodtheband
After a solid week of intensive recording at Pyramid Sound with producer Alex Perialas, BIRTH A.D. is close to the finish line with their debut album, "I Blame You". Bassist / vocalist Jeff Tandy was quoted as saying, "Everything sounds great so far. Alex has pushed us to get the best performances of our careers, and even the raw tracks sound unbelievable. This record is going to blast a hole in all the laptop studio junk that gluts the market. We’re doing it the old way and the right way – the sound everyone has been missing is alive again!" Production for "I Blame You" will wrap on January 16. BIRTH AD is actively seeking label support for the release. More info at www.birthad.com
Norwegian experimental Black Metal band, MESOPOTAMIA (www.facebook.com/mesopotamiaofficial) has recently signed to Abyss Records. The band is currently at work on their debut, which is set to be released later this year. In the meantime, MESOPOTAMIA has posted the track ‘The Cult Of Ninurta’ online at this location. In other MESOPOTAMIA news, the band is scheduled to make their live debut this weekend when at the Flytten Pub in Haugesund, Norway as direct support for SUSPERIA. ENCHANTING DARKNESS is also slated to perform. For more info visit the show’s event page at www.facebook.com/events/264864963556635