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Dead Center Productions have signed Brazil’s APOKALYPTIC RAIDS for the re-issue of all their albums through the label on CD format. The first release – "Only Death Is Real…" (+ demo rehearsal bonus tracks) will be released during this month. For more info contact dcpacz@gmail.com
Dutch Doom Death Metallers ASPHYX are currently busy with the final recordings for their newest studio effort, programmatically entitled “Deathhammer”. The band checked in with the following status report about the new album: “By now, all the guitars, drums and bass tracks for the upcoming "Deathhammer" album are recorded. Drums were recorded in the classic Harrow Studio, known from the ASPHYX classics as "The Rack" and "Last One On Earth". The guitars and bass were recorded in The Mörser Studio. In a few weeks the vocals will be recorded in the Harrow Studio as well and then Dan Swanö will do the album’s mixing and mastering, just as on “Death…The Brutal Way” and “Live Death Doom”. "Deathhammer" promises to be a darkened successor of "Death…The Brutal Way". Almost every band is praising their newest album to be heavier and more brutal than the previous one, but actually in this case it’s the harsh truth. "Deathhammer" is in every way heavier, doomier and darker. Maybe it’s because of the fact that most of the songs were written in late Autumn / Winter?! We do not know…but it’s easily our heaviest effort so far!.” “Deathhammer” is scheduled to be released via Century Media Records in early 2012. ASPHYX have chosen to perform two very special “full album setlist” concerts on October 15th at Metropool in Hengelo, The Netherlands (where the band will be playing their complete “Last One On Earth” album) and at this year’s Eindhoven Metal Meeting on December 16th at Effenaar in Eindhoven, The Netherlands (where the band will be playing their complete “The Rack” album for its 20th anniversary of release).
Japan’s ANATOMIA and Turkey’s BURIAL INVOCATION have just released a split 7" EP entitled "Decomposing Serenades" through Dark Descent Records. ANATOMIA’s contribution is entitled ‘Drawn Into The Abyss’, while BURIAL INVOCATION supply ‘Obliterated In An Ignominious Grave’. The artwork for this split EP was supplied by Dilek. The brown / black vinyl version is limited to 100 copies and available through www.darkdescentrecords.com
Louisiana blackened Death Metallers EXCOMMUNICATED is offering an EP of unreleased and demo material from the "Skeleton Key" sessions for free download. According to vocalist and Underworld Records chief Chad Kelly, "It is basically an EP of some odds and ends that didn’t get used on "Skeleton Key", as well as the band’s demo material, all wrapped together and re-mastered. I would like to just give it away to everyone and anyone who wants it, no strings attached." Get your copy here: www.sendspace.com/file/bqx92e
Century Media Records have signed U.K. Death Metallers VALLENFYRE. The band’s line-up consists of Gregor Mackintosh (PARADISE LOST) – vocals and lead guitar, Hamish Glencross (MY DYING BRIDE) – rhythm and lead guitars, Mully – rhythm guitars, Scoot (DOOM, EXTINCTION OF MANKIND) – bass and Adrian Erlandsson (AT THE GATES, PARADISE LOST) – drums. VALLENFYRE have just released the "Desecration / Iconoclast" 7" EP (limited to 500 copies) through Imperium Productions. Samples of both tracks can be found on the band’s official web site www.vallenfyre.com. "I was first introduced to more extreme music by my older brother in 1981", Gregor says. "Over the next few years in my early teens, I grew to love various early Hardcore Punk bands like DISCHARGE, ENGLISH DOGS, CONFLICT, etc. Around a similar time I was becoming aware of other more Metal music like MOTÖRHEAD and BLACK SABBATH. In ’84 / 85′ I got into bands who were fusing these styles like HELLHAMMER, ANTISECT and AMEBIX. A couple of years later I started tape-trading with people all around the world, which enabled me to hear lots of really cool, interesting, extreme music. AUTOPSY, NAPALM DEATH, MORBID ANGEL, REPULSION, NIHILIST are some of the more well-known names I started to get into, but there were many, many more which never gained the same notoriety. At the same time, I formed PARADISE LOST with my friends. Our early stuff was a bit of a mixture of all this stuff but we also had a lot of Doom influence from the likes of CANDLEMASS, TROUBLE and ST. VITUS." The tracks on the single and the upcoming album were recorded between December 2010 and April 2011. Added Gregor: "The album is called "A Fragile King", which is a reference to my father’s battle with cancer. The lyrics are predominantly about the same thing, but also include gripes with society, religion, politics and relationships as well. It’s all pretty grim." "A Fragile King" will be released on October 31, 2011 in Europe and on November 01, 2011 in North America. VALLENFYRE is not a one-off project but will continue as a band that will also play live in 2012.
F.D.A. Records have signed Stockholm’s old school Death Metal horde ENDING QUEST. The band name is a tribute to GOREMENT’s album "The Ending Quest". The band was formed by Stefan Nordström and Gustav Gunnarsson, as a way to have some good, friendly, violent fun with the HM-2 guitar sound. Later, as the line-up solidified with new musicians, they mutated into a real band and have recorded two demos – "Led To The Slaughter" (2010) and "Vlad Tepes" (2011). The demos were never officially released, but will be included as bonus tracks on the band’s upcoming first full-length album.
DIABOLICAL will celebrate 15 years of existence by doing some selected European dates in September. Each date will see different local support bands and special guests. Considering the nature of the tour, the band will do more old material than usual, covering all five official records released until now. "We see this partly as a celebration of the 15 years that was, but mainly as an introduction of the 15 years that are to come. It is a great opportunity to pick up older material, and revisit some good and bad moments from the past. Looking back is only enjoyable to some…" says founding member Sverker Widgren. www.diabolical.se
KRISIUN will release their new album “The Great Execution” on October 31, 2011 in Europe and November 01, 2011 in North America. “The Great Execution” is the band’s 8th studio album and musically expands KRISIUN trademark high speed Death Metal with a heavily increased amount of diversity ranging from extreme tempo variations over distinct rhythm patterns to clean guitars and even Flamenco parts. The band only used analog gear and instruments this time to avoid the compressed sound that so many musicians produce today. “With our new record we managed to capture the sound and the vibe that we were always looking for”, adds vocalist / bassist Alex Camargo. The cover artwork was done by Japanese artist Toshihiro Egawa who has been doing designs for acts like SUICIDE SILENCE, HEAVEN SHALL BURN, DEVOURMENT, DYING FETUS etc. “The Great Execution” will be available as a limited edition digipak including a re-recorded version of the classic KRISIUN song ‘Black Force Domain’ as bonus track, as 180g gatefold vinyl and as a digital download. KRISIUN’s next European live executions will take place in 2012. More info at www.krisiun.com.br, www.myspace.com/krisiun666
French old school Death Metal band TORTURE THRONE just released its debut MCD "Thy Serpent’s Cult" via Obscure Domain Productions (T-shirts with Chris Moyen art will be available, too). Fans of early 90s old school Death Metal should get in touch at: www.obscuredomain.com or www.facebook.com/obscuredomain666
Ordo MCM Records have released the two MOURNFUL CONGREGATION demos on DLP and (in co-production with Hammerheart) "Under Ein Blodraud Maane" of MANES on LP; the red 180 gr LP is only available through Ordo MCM. www.ordomcm.com
Cryptorium Records will be re-releasing the classic "Calls From The Beyond" album by Swedish Death Metallers MEGASLAUGHTER. This release will be the first proper re-release of the album with great sound quality and a bonus CD featuring all the demos ("Negative Bitch" from 1989, "Death Remains" from 1990, the "Demo ’91" and 2 never before released rehearsal songs that were recorded at the end of ’91). With contribution by the former members the booklet will be full of never before seen photos, flyers and gig posters spanning the period between 1988 – 1992. A new cover artwork has been provided by renowned artist Joe Petagno (MARDUK, ANGELCORPSE, MOTÖRHEAD, DIABOLIC etc.), the new cover is based on the original artwork and also features the band’s real logo. When the album was first released in 1991 the frontcover was made without the band’s control and has become known as one of the most sloppy made covers in the history of Death Metal (it didn’t even feature the band’s own logo, the artist just made up a logo for the band and painted it on the cover). The original cover will be featured in the booklet just as the covers for all the demos. Some minor work is still being made with the layout, further news will come of the exact date of release etc.
US warmachine KOMMANDANT and Swedish Deathers NOMINON will release a vinyl split 7" through Cryptorium Records. KOMMANDANT (featuring members of acts like INCESTUOUS, CONTAGION / FUNEREAL, KRIEG, NACHTMYSTIUM, CIANIDE and more), will contribute a new song called ‘Absence Of Light’, while NOMINON will recorded the IMPALED NAZARENE cover ‘Human Proof’ (from the album "Nihil"). More info at www.cryptorium.se
Swedish TO THE DEATH RECORDS have announced the following releases: MORDANT – "Black Evil Master" (LP / CD), PROTECTOR – first 3 LPs reissued ("Misanthrophy" as a full-length with DEATH ATTACK and "Protector Of Death" demo as bonus), DOOMSTONE – "Those Whom Satan Hath Joined" (vinyl), INVERTED – demos and raries (LP or more probably 2 LPs), CURSE – three 10"es (first two demos plus newly recorded old unreleased material), MEGASLAUGHTER – "Calls From The Beyond" (vinyl reissue), SORCERY – "Bloodchilling Tales" (+ "Rivers…" EP as a bonus on vinyl with new artwork / title) and more to be confirmed… Already out is SARCASM’s "Never After" tripple gatefold LP, that features all 6 demos (3 of them never before released and their unreleased 1994 LP). It comes with an 16 page A5 info fanzine. A limited edition on red / black splatter vinyl includes an extra 7" with some never before released 90 – 93 rehearsals. More info at www.myspace.com/tothedeath666
"The Tomb Awaits", the second full-length album by Sweden’s old school Deathers ENTRAILS, is set for a September 09, 2011 release on Dark Descent Records in North America and on F.D.A. Records in Europe. Once again mixed and mastered by Dan Swanö, the album also features guest vocals by Swanö and cover art by Daniel Devilish. The tracklist reads like this: ‘The Tomb Awaits’, ‘Unleashed With Wrath’, ‘Crawling Death’, ‘Eaten By The Dead’, ‘To Live Is To Rot’, ‘Undead’, ‘The Slithering Below’, ‘End Of All Existence’, ‘Collection Of Cracked Heads’, ‘Remains In Read’, ‘Total Death’ and ‘Unspeakable Obscenities’. More info at www.myspace.com/entrailsreborn
Slovakian Death Metallers PERVERSITY have been signed by Lavadome Productions for the release of the band’s upcoming fourth album, "Ablaze", due out on August 31, 2011. You can check out the album’s cover art and a track from the album (‘Merciless Messiah’) at the following location: http://perversity.bandcamp.com
In late 2011 Abyss Records will be releasing "Inevitable Decay", the debut full-length from Swedish old school Thrashers ENTRENCH. A vinyl treatment will follow through Sweden’s Blood Harvest Records. Tracklist: ‘As Dawn Breaks’, ‘Debt Of Sorrow’, ‘Portrait Of A Phobia’, ‘Into Oblivion’, ‘Doubt What’s Left’, ‘Blind Illusion’, ‘Crossing The River’ and ‘Where Only Ruins Remain’. More info at www.myspace.com/entrench
Swedish Death Metallers FETUS STENCH have released the first installment of a video blog about the recording of their debut album. You can check it out at www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcbYkUL2kkk. The album will be released through Abyss Records in early 2012. More at www.facebook.com/fetusstench