Detest Records from Belgium announced some new releases yesterday: MORBUS CHRON – pre-album 7" (September 2010), STENCH OF DECAY – first full-length album on 12" (2011), SWALLOWED – first full-length album on 12" (2011), MIASMAL – first full-length album on 12" (2011) and KRYPTS – first full-length album on 12". Check out www.detestrecords.com to know more.
The first 7" by Sweden’s GRAVEHAMMER has just been released by Detest Records from Belgium. For more details check out www.detestrecords.com
The upcoming second issue of Chile’s COMPILATION OF DEATH ‘zine will once again feature reprints of the following classic interviews: THERION and SEPTICEMIA (Hammer of Damnation # 3), SADISTIC INTENT (Voices From The Darkside # 5), PESTILENCE (Blackthorn # 5), MORTA SKULD (Mutilated # 2), AUTOPSY (Metal Meltdown # 9), CADAVER and BOLT THROWER (Sadistic Noise # 2), HADEZ (Under Metal # 2) and MESTEMA (Under Metal # 1). You’ll furthermore get an extensive IMMOLATION special with an old and in-depth new interview, and new in-depth interviews with CARNAL DISSECTION, MALFEITOR, Perra Karlsson (ALTAR / SUFFER / NOMINON, etc.), Dave Rotten (Drowned Records / Repulse Records / Spain Is Different ‘zine / AVULSED, etc), IMPRECATION, DESULTORY, GOREAPHOBIA, INCANTATION, DEFILED, MERCILESS DEATH, Chris Aubert of RIPPING HEADACHES ‘zine, CIANIDE, BODY BAG, CEMETARY URN, NECROS CHRISTOS, PUTRID, AFFLICTION GATES, MACHETAZO, ENCOFFINATION, VERMINOUS, AXIS POWER, UNDERGANG, THRONEUM, STENCH OF DECAY, ASCENDED, a Spain scene report, review section, pictures, old and new flyers plus a giant IMMOLATION poster. Distributors, traders, bands, labels and zines can get in touch at one of the following email addresses: Gabriel Gatica: compilationofdeath@hotmail.com, Joseph Curwen: joseph_curwen@hotmail.com. People from Europe can contact Nathaniel Colas: nathanieldeathmetal@hotmail.com
Germany’s old school Death Metal heads in MANDATORY finally completed the production of their first full-length "Adrift Beyond". The band is still searching for a label to release it, nevertheless scheduled a release date for summer 2010. Keep your eyes open and check out www.myspace.com/mandatory1989 for updates.
DIABOLIC will release its first full-length album since 2003’s "Infinity Through Purification" on June 8, 2010 through Deathgasm Records. The album is entitled "Excisions Of Exorcisms", was produced by Juan "Punchy" Gonzalez (MORBID ANGEL, TERRORIZER, UNHOLY GHOST) and features cover art from Joe Petagno (MOTÖRHEAD, KRISIUN, ANGEL CORPSE, MARDUK). DIABOLIC’s current line-up includes founding members Aantar Coates (drums), Paul Ouellette (bass, vocals) and guitarists Kelly McLauchlin (UNHOLY GHOST, PESSIMIST) and Jeff Parrish (BLASTMASTERS). DIABOLIC is scheduled to appear at the 20th Anniversary edition of the Michigan Deathfest on August 20-21, 2010 alongside DECEASED, NATRON, GODHATE, GODLESS RISING and more. All further info at www.myspace.com/diabolic666
Maldives-based melodic Thrashers SERENITY DIES will release their "Hacksawcracy" EP on July 15, 2010. The EP features guest appearances from Rob Caggiano (Anthrax) and Mikko Salovaara (Kiuas) who perform guitar solos on ‘Psycho Ride’ and ‘Dystopian Law’ respectively. "Hacksawcracy" was produced / mixed by Anssi Kippo (Children of Bodom) alongside Grammy Award winning engineer Gavin Lurssen (Slumdog Millionaire, Across the Universe, Iron Man, Guns ‘N’ Roses, Rob Zombie and Alice Cooper). More info at www.myspace.com/serenitydies
Reactivated legendary Death Metallers DESULTORY has recently completed work their upcoming album, which will be entitled "Counting Our Scars". The band recorded, mixed and mastered the effort with Tore Stjerna at Necromorbus Studio (Watain, Unanimated, Deströyer 666, etc) in Alvik, Sweden. Work is also currently underway for the new album’s cover artwork and layout, and more announcement on this will be made available soon. Among some of the song titles to be included (in no particular order) on "Counting Our Scars" are ‘In A Cage’, ‘Counting Our Scars’, ‘Ready To Bleed’, ‘This Broken Halo’, ‘Uneven Numbers’, etc. The band commented: "What gets inside always stays inside. This music once shaped us and the marks it left will forever keep itching. DESULTORY never died, it just went down deep below and beneath the surface it slowly kept growing. Throughout the years, there are many of you out there who never stopped waiting, asking the same question over and over. Now when we finally meet again, "Counting Our Scars" feels like liberation, the bleeding is over. This album is for all of us who never stopped waiting." More info at www.myspace.com/desultoryofficial
Polish Death Metallers ARMAGEDON have announced the European and US release dates of their already highly acclaimed "Death Than Nothing" album. The European release already dates back to May 17, 2010, in the US it’ll be out on August 11, 2010. For further details check out ARMAGEDON’s myspace page www.myspace.com/armagedonofficial
The following statement was issued by ACHERON‘s Vincent Crowley: "Metal Hellions, after a 22 year run, I am finally putting ACHERON to an end. It has been an interesting journey, but it is indeed over now. I know I have broken up the band in the past, but there is no turning back this time. This musical entity has run its course and I didn’t want to tarnish what ACHERON represented. Some people didn’t agree with my decision, but I feel I know what is right to do. ACHERON never set out to be the most technical, fastest or heaviest band out there. That was not what I strived to achieve. Those who resonated to our music knew the feeling and spirit it had behind it. And this music was not created for the masses, it was an art form to be embraced by other kindred souls who shared the same likes and interests. That is why the fans have always been very special to me. Their dedication and support fueled the Hellfires! In the end I never really cared what the media thought of us, but I did want the fans to always get 100% ACHERON. I’m glad we were able to put out our last album "The Final Conflict: Last Days Of God". I am very proud of the work we all did on it and was very pleased with the positive response we got from it. How ironic to have such a title. Very fitting, indeed! I’d like thank all the fans for showing their support throughout the years and keeping the Satanic beast alive for so long. I hail all you Metal Maniacs! I’ve had the chance to meet a lot of you throughout the years and the pleasure has been mine. I would also like to give special thanks to all the great musicians I have been able to work with the last twenty plus years. Without their contributions I couldn’t have continued to release albums and played shows. "Rites Of The Black Mass" was recorded in 1990 and it is now 2010. My 20 year pact with ACHERON has been fulfilled. But be assured, I will always be a thorn in the side of all that is Holy! (Ha, Ha) Originally we were going to play shows until the end of the year, doing the "Rites Of The Black Mass" set. Unfortunately, the line-up I had planned to use for the shows didn’t work out, so all those shows have been cancelled, including the C.I.M. Fest and Michigan Death Fest. I apologize to the fans and the promoters, but there is nothing I can do about it. So as of now, ACHERON will no longer be recording or playing shows. It has officially been laid to rest. Presently, I am slowly working on putting together a new project called CRIMSON HEROIN. And who knows what else I will get into? So you haven’t heard the last of me! (Sorry Media. lol) But I am taking my time and not rushing anything. For now I need a little solitude and escape from the populous. I hope you all keep an eye out for future musical assaults from me. Cheers! In Blood and Blasphemy – Vincent Crowley, ACHERON (R.I.P.)"
After years of rumors about their second coming, guitarist Drack aka Deviant and drummer Malkira of the French Black Metal pioneers OSCULUM INFAME have officially announced the band’s rebirth with "Manifesto From The Dark Age", the re-release of their demos on LP and CD through Ordo Decimus Peccatum. A new OSCULUM INFAME EP entitled "Quwm" is also available through Battleskr’s Productions. The band’s current line-up consists of Deviant, Malkira, I. Luciferi (from REVERENCE) and Dispater. Concerning certain circulating rumors the band has issued the following statement: "OSCULUM INFAME has nothing to do with mere human political ideas and draw its hate far away in darkness and chaos… We are at war against the mass, we’re coming in total hate and we fuck them all."
Pulverised Records have signed Japan’s Death Metallers GxSxD (which stands for God Send Death). The band commented: "Finally we have found our home!! We are very excited to work with Pulverised Records since we’ve been recognizing them as one of best label. We’ll prove what we can do. Expect our Pulverised release." Watch GxSxD performing ‘The Abyss’ live at Image, Okayama in Japan, taken off their 2008 split album "Fighting On The Edge" at this location. For all further info check out GxSxD’s official myspace site www.myspace.com/gxsxd
The MCD of Australia’s old school Thrashers HELLBRINGER (formerly FORGERY) will be released on vinyl through Iron Pegasus Records sometime in August. www.myspace.com/hellbringeraus
Wendy Dio, wife / manager of RONNIE JAMES DIO has just released the following statement to Blabbermouth.net: "Today my heart is broken, Ronnie passed away at 7:45 a.m. (on Sunday) 16th May. Many, many friends and family were able to say their private goodbyes before he peacefully passed away. Ronnie knew how much he was loved by all. We so appreciate the love and support that you have all given us. Please give us a few days of privacy to deal with this terrible loss. Please know he loved you all and his music will live on forever." Rest in peace, Ronnie! You will always be remembered!
Blabbermouth.net also reported that DEBBIE ABONO, well-respected and much-loved manager and promotional machine behind some of San Francisco Bay Area’s strongest Metal bands (POSSESSED, FORBIDDEN, EXODUS, VIO-LENCE, SKINLAB), passed away today (Sunday, May 16) as well at appoximately 9:59 a.m. PST after a battle with cancer. Rest in peace, Debbie!
According to Modern Drummer, ex – TWISTED SISTER drummer JOE MARKOWSKI (aka "Fast" Joey Brighton) died on April 14. He was 57 years old. Markowski was well known in the New York area as a drum teacher in the ’70s, working out of VANILLA FUDGE drummer Carmine Appice’s Oceanside drum studio. Top drummers – including Bobby Rondinelli (BLACK SABBATH, RAINBOW) and Joe Franco (GOOD RATS, TWISTED SISTER) – studied with Markowski, who himself had played with the GOOD RATS and TWISTED SISTER.
Blabbermouth.net has published the following news regarding the rumors that RONNIE JAMES DIO has passed away: Contrary to published reports, Ronnie James Dio (DIO, HEAVEN & HELL, BLACK SABBATH, RAINBOW) has not died after a six-month battle with stomach cancer. After rumors started circulating via the Internet late Saturday that Dio had lost his cancer fight, Blabbermouth.net reached out to Ronnie’s wife / manager Wendy Dio, who sent back the following message at approximately 11:35 p.m. PST on Saturday, May 15 / 2:35 a.m. EST on Sunday, May 16: "I am at the hospital and Ronnie has NOT passed away!!!! He is not doing good, but he is not dead. I will let you know if anything changes. Thank you for your concern." Wendy Dio posted the following message on Ronnie’s official Twitter profile at approximately 3:45 a.m. EST on Sunday, May 16: "Don’t believe the rumors, Ronnie is still hanging in there!!! Hugs, Wendy Dio."
‘Venomous Habitations’, a track from Florida Death Metal masters DIABOLIC‘s upcoming new full-length album "Excisions Of Exorcisms", has been uploaded to the Deathgasm myspace player at www.myspace.com/deathgasmrecords
Nicola Costantini, editor of the great ENCYCLOPEDIA OF SVENSK DÖDSMETALL, has been very busy working on a worthy follow-up release. Here’s some quotes of a blog he just posted: "What I’m proudly announcing here, is a new edition of the Svensk Encyclopedia. This will be by no means a reissue, but something really new. So beware, I’m returning with a new massive book! This will have 50% of the old material and 50% new for a whole package of more or less 400 A4 pages. Every single old article has been re-arranged in a different way and enriched with a different approach, with more in-depth details, different artwork and so on." Among others, the most relevant new features include new interviews with DISSECTION’s Peter Palmdahl (about the early days with Jon since kindergarten to the very first days of DISSECTION), DISMEMBER’s David Blomqvist (prepare to see tons of photos of the very first days of DISMEMBER: first gig, first time in Sunlight, days with the NIHILIST guys), Jens Näsström (regarding the "Projections Of A Stained Mind" history), a list of all MORBID bootlegs (courtesy of Joakim Westerlund), Johan ‘Liiva’ Axelsson (in depth on FURBOWL, DEVOURMENT and more amazing details about CARNAGE), Anders Nyström (a very very long interview about KATATONIA’s early days when they were still called MELANCHOLIUM), Martin Larsson (about HOUSE OF USHER), Jocke ‘Grave’ Göthberg (on DARKIFIED, GRIMORIUM), Orvar Säfström (on NIRVANA 2002 and more details about his time in ENTOMBED), Janne Rudberg (on EXHUMED, MORPHEUS and MASTICATION), David Isberg aka ‘Unholy Emperor’ tells the story of his metal affair with Christoffer Johnsson in PROCREATION and OPETH, Sandro Cajander (on MEFISTO), Patrik Jensen (recalling his first attempts in SÉANCE, ORCHRISTE and SATANIC SLAUGHTER) and Willy Wilhelmsson (on RABBITS CARROT). Nicola has covered all the bands from Eskilstuna (MACRODEX, CHRONIC DECAY, DEATH RIPPER, ASMODEUS) and the Mjölby-Motala-Linköping area (SALVATION, BELSEBUB, LUCIFER, NEFARIOUS, FUNERAL FEAST) as well as many other new chats with CEMETARY, GODDEFIED, CABAL, LUCIFER, ABSURD, SARCASM, ABHOTH, EMBALMED, MEGA SLAUGHTER, EXCRETION, MACRODEX, INTERNAL DECAY, SACRETOMIA, ALTAR, INCARDINE, SUFFER, CEMETARY, UNCANNY, DECAMERON, RUNEMAGICK-MASTICATOR, MACABRE END, VIRGIN SIN, BRAINDEAD, DION FORTUNE, MALFEITOR, DEAD END, ATROCITY, SCYPOZOA, NOCTURNAL RITES, MIDAS TOUCH… and more to come. The new edition will also have different artwork, courtesy of Daniel Desecrator from Chile and the title will probably be "Encyclopedia Of Svensk DödsMetall… The Return", unless someone comes up with a better idea. It’ll probably be printed in a very small amount of copies only (300 or something), so you better reserve yourself a copy! No release date has been set as of yet, but expect something for the end of this year or within the first months of 2011. We’ll keep you posted! More info and updates you will always find at www.myspace.com/nicola.costantini