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MORBID ANGEL are currently writing tracks for their next album. The band hope to release the new set in September through Earache and follow it up with a World tour. The band are expected to announce the names of their new bassist / vocalist and second guitarist shortly.
VITAL REMAINS forthcoming record, "Dechristianize", is out in the spring and features the vocals of DEICIDE’s Glenn Benton.
MASTIC SCUM will tour Europe with MASTER in March. The Scars Over Europe tour runs from March 7th to 23rd. For full info go to: www.bruchstein-tours.de
VADER have posted MP3’s for rare demo tracks ‘Decapitated Saints’ and ‘Vicious Circle’ at their website, www.vader.pl
Although nearly a year off, organizers of the X-MASS FEST 2003 European Tour have announced that NILE, MISERY INDEX, HYPOCRISY, VADER, DISBELIEF and DEW-SCENTED are all confirmed to take part in the tour. The dates will run from December 7th – 21st, 2003. Info on dates and venues will be made available as they are announced.
CHILDREN OF BODOM‘s new album, "Hate Crew Deathroll", has entered Finland’s album chart at #1. The album is out in Japan through Universal on February 5th, in Sweden through Universal’s Stockholm Records on March 10th and in Germany through Universal’s Motor Music on March 17th.
VEHEMENCE are replacing ORIGIN on all the NUCLEAR ASSAULT / ALL THAT REMAINS dates in Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. Vehemence are nearing the completion of a new demo for 2003, featuring songs that were recorded at the Conservatory in Tempe, AZ. The demo tracks include: ‘Kill For God’, ‘Kill For God’ (acoustic version), ‘You Don’t Have To Be Afraid Anymore’, ‘We Are All Dying’ and ‘Darkness Is Comfort’.
CALLENISH CIRCLE are officially off the No Mercy Easter Festivals. They were dropped off the tour from Metallysee Agency because "there are too many bands on the bill and the distances between the venues are too far." The release date of their new album, "My Passion // Your Pain", is May 5th through Metal Blade.
IN FLAMES are nominated in two categories (best album and best group) for Rockbjörnen (Sweden’s biggest newspaper Aftonbladets’ people choice awards. No Metal band has been nominated for the award since Europe in 1986.
SOILWORK and CHILDREN OF BODOM are scheduled to hit the road in Europe on April 18th. Dates begin on April 18 in Stockholm, Sweden and run until May 19th in Osnabrück, Germany.
Columbia’s SAPROFFAGO has signed with Brutalized Records. The band’s debut full-length CD, "Beasty Horrible Thoughts", will be out this Spring.
World Management have revealed on their website that KREATOR will return to North America this year for some live dates. Producer Andy Sneap has mixed the band’s forthcoming live album, "Live Kreation (Revisioned Glory)", due out soon through SPV. The release will come with a 36 page booklet including pictures from Kreator’s last tour, as well as artwork from Andreas Marshall.
Germany’s WITH FULL FORCE FESTIVAL takes place July 4th – 6th at the Roitzschjora Airport in Lobnitz. Confirmed acts performing at the festival include NAPALM DEATH, DESTRUCTION, SIX FEET UNDER, RYKER’S and MESSIAH.
CRYPTOPSY have begun the writing process for their next studio record, tentatively due late 2003. To tide fans over, they will release a live record, appropriately titled "None So Live", this spring. Recorded at the Medley in Montreal last June, "None So Live", is the first official release to feature new vocalist Martin Lecroix.
EXODUS are looking for a replacement for the recently ousted frontman Steve "Zetro" Souza. Those interested can send their demos to the following address: EXODUS, 10026 San Pablo, El Cerrito, CA 94530, USA.
CORPORATION 187 will support ARCH ENEMY on their upcoming Scandinavian tour that begins on January 26th in Stockholm and runs to Helsingborg.
KHOLD will join SATYRICON on the road as opening act on the upcoming Black Lava Down Europe 2003. In other news, the readers of Panorama voted ‘Fuel For Hatred’ Video Of The Year and the same song as runnerup Song Of The Year.
The first annual BARBARIAN WRATH / WITCHES BREW FESTIVAL is on Saturday, January 25 at Hagalaz Club in Annaberg (near Buchholz, Germany). Acts on the bill feature: ANAEL, HATEFUL AGONY, MORRIGAN and THARGOS.
SAMAEL have inked a deal World Management (home of MORBID ANGEL, NILE, UNLEASHED).
FINNTROLL will begin recording an acoustic EP on February 11th. Details are yet to be announced but rumors are flying that the EP will feature the band’s original vocalist Katla.
WITHERING SURFACE will be playing live at "The Underground" in Istanbul, Turkey, supporting IN FLAMES on Saturday the 29th of March. For more details about the show, please contact: axmeth@mynet.com In connection with this concert, WITHERING SURFACE will be doing an instore signing session in the most popular Heavy Metal store of Istanbul, Hammer Muzik, either on Friday the 28th of March or Saturday the 29th of March. In related news keyboardist Morten Lybecker has left the band due to family priorities. Lybecker and WITHERING SURFACE depart in a spirit of friendship and understanding towards each others wishes. There’s no plans of a replacement, and in the future the other guys will take care of keyboard-parts themselves. The band is currently busy writing new material for the sequel to last year’s "Walking On Phantom Ice" album. 8 – 9 new songs have already been written. Some new titles include ‘This View’, ‘Exit Sculpture’, ‘State Of Emergency’ and ‘Inhale The Hyper Pulse’. A cover of Pretty Maids’ ‘Future World’ is also planned to be recorded. The band promises that it will be absolutely killer-material and will enter the Berno Studio in Malmö, Sweden in July and August to record the album with an expected release on Copro Records in Oct. / Nov. 2003. www.witheringsurface.dk.
Even though the band currently only consists of drummer Herb and guitarist / vocalist Mike, Germany’s ANASARCA are still around and will be entering the studio in April / May to record their third full-length album, which once again will be released by Danish Mighty Music.
Here’s the (99%) final tracklist of the new album "Maximize The Misery" from DIVINE DECAY: ‘Weave A Web Of Vanity’, ‘Silence Of Decades’, ‘Killing Innocence’, ‘The Discomfort Of Articial Euphoria’, ‘Maximize The Misery’, ‘Without A Soul’, ‘The Dead In Me’, ‘Scars’, ‘Less Than Nothing’, ‘Filth’ and ‘Remorse’.
DRILLER KILLER will record a video for the song ‘Breaking Traditions’ for the upcoming Swedish TV – monsters series Mutant in February 2003. This video will be a "teaser" for the series and not a proper DRILLER KILLER video. So there will be some stuff connected to the Mutant story. Expect some blood… The very same month DRILLER KILLER are going to Spain / Portugal to play some shows.
SIX FEET UNDER is confirmed to play this year’s Graspop (Belgium) and With Full Force (Germany) festivals. "More European dates surrounding the festival dates will be added soon," Chris Barnes says. "We will also be filming the With Full Force show for an upcoming live DVD due to the killer response we’ve had with ‘Double Dead’! More on that later." SFU is currently beginning to write their next CD. "We’ve got some great ideas for this next release and are really gonna concentrate on making this the best CD we’ve put out – for real! Other than that, I don’t wanna give too much away – you’ll have to wait for the final product!" Recording is slated for March 2003. The band will be heading into Morrisound Studio in Tampa, Florida to begin tracking the drums and guitar. Vocals will be tracked in Miami as well as the mix. "Right now, we’re going over our options as far as producers. Metal Blade is looking at a summer release date for the CD. We’ll let you know more as we get things movin’."
RAVAGER‘s new album will be called "Naxzgul Rising". The recording sessions are planned to start during the third week of January.
ARKHON INFAUSTUS will tour Europe with Vader at the end of April.
The vinyl version of CENTINEX‘ "Diabolical Desolation" is out now. It was released through Finnish Northern Sound Records (limited to 1000 gatefold copies) and features exclusive artwork by Scott Stearns. Visit the band’s website for more info. For wholesale matters, please contact Northern Sound. www.northernsound.cjb.net To celebrate this release CENTINEX launched a competition at their website. The lucky winner will receive a Centinex giftbox including a "Diabolical Desolation" LP, a "Hellbrigade" CD, a T-shirt, a badge, a patch and a signed tourposter. www.centinex.org
PA / USA – based Death / Grinders CIRCLE OF DEAD CHILDREN got signed by Displeased Records. The band’s music evolved into a highly original mix of Death / Grind, Crust / Core, Jazz, old school Death Metal and harsh noise. Their upcoming full-length "Human Harvest" (CD and LP) will be recorded shortly for a late April 2003 release.
PERISHED are now completely finished with recording, mixing and mastering their upcoming new full-length "Seid" (still a working title), their first album for Displeased Records. It’s said to be "a perfect hybrid of recent Dimmu Borgir and 1996-era Mayhem. " Expect a late March 2003 release.
Norway’s ENTHRAL will record their first album for Displeased Records in January / February with a scheduled June 2003 release. Guest vocals got performed by Martin Walkyier (Sabbat, Skyclad).
Swedish MANEGARM have completed their new full-length "Dödsfärd" at Underground Studios. On this release there will be even more emphasis on Viking themes and lyrics. The title is referring to the ancient burials of the Vikings, and the music has shown to be a fine, yet very recognizable elaboration of the band’s first two releases. Belgian artist Kris Verwimp will again take care of the cover art.
Displeased Records will re-issue the debut full-lengths of NINNGHIZHIDDA ("Blasphemy" + 1 bonus track – out February 2003) and INTERNAL SUFFERING ("Supreme Knowledge Domain" + 3 bonus tracks – out March 2003).
Expect LP versions of ULVER ("Nattens Madrigal"), Borknagar ("Olden Domain") and CRYPTOPSY ("Whisper Supremacy") in late January 2003.
From Beyond Productions just released the European CD version of the "Wet Slit And A Bottle Of Whiskey" album by US asshole rockers EAT MY FUK. Consisting of prominent and legendary members of the US Black and Death Metal scene, the band is not to be compared to the related acts, but rather to the sickest works of the likes of GG Allin, Motörhead and a very early Venom. The LP version will follow in late January 2003, since the original pressing plant was too offended by the front cover / backside cover artwork of the release.
Back in 1985 Paul Speckmann / MASTER got signed by US label Combat, and recorded a thunderous to-be debut album the same year. Due to insuperable differences the contract got torn up and Paul went on with his new band Deathstrike. After the re-union, Master got signed with Nuclear Blast and recorded many stunning albums in the 1990s. Now, almost 20 years later, the original 1985 album recordings are dug up from the vaults to be immortalized on CD and vinyl. The release will come with early 1990s demo tracks as a bonus. To be released in May 2003.
California based brutal Death / Grinders SEPSISM have signed to From Beyond Productions. The band is still around, performed at last years Ohio Death Fest and just released an early material / live CD themselves. Moreover, at the moment they are completing "To Prevail In Disgust", the follow-up to their much-anticipated 1999 debut "Purulent Decomposition". Release in late April 2003.
From Beyond Productions will release the first full-length of Colombian hyper-blasters GORETRADE. Containing members of the Internal Suffering clan, Goretrade is even more grinding and severe. Expect nothing less than the most extreme Death / Grind ever heard. To be recorded in the USA in February 2003, to be released in late May 2003.
SIKSAKUBUR, Indonesia’s answer to Cryptopsy, will release both their "The Carnage" (2000) and "Back To Vengeance" (2001) sessions (previously only locally released on cassette) re-mastered on one CD, with improved artwork. Release date: late February 2003.
Grim barbaric raw war warriors MANIAC BUTCHER are not back together (RIP 2000), though to salute the German fans especially a new release will be done (CD and LP) posthumously, containing raw live recordings from four different Maniac Butcher gigs done in Germany during 1997-2000. Guest bass by Akhenaten (a.k.a. Judas Iscariot). Release date: late March 2003. Since 2000 ex-Maniac Butcher members have been working with the likes of Agmen, Iron Fist, Avenger, Judas Iscariot and Nargaroth.
BARBATOS is no other than ABIGAIL’s mainman Yasuyuki. While concentrating on old school Black Metal in Abigail, Barbatos is Yasuyuki’s outlet for a nostalgic mix of early / mid eighties Thrash, NWOBHM and catchy raw Punk / Rock. His previous full-length showed references of the likes of Bulldozer, Carnivore, Warfare and early Venom. His upcoming full-length album "Rocking Metal Motherfucker" will be out in June 2003 on From Beyond Productions.
KRISIUN perform the final concert of their "Ageless Venomous" World Tour at Vale do Paraíba in Tremembé, São Paulo, Brazil on February 8. Support includes ANCESTRAL MALEDICTION and OPHIOLATRY.
INFLICTION singer Idris has left the band for personal reasons. They have replaced him with Björn Goosses (NIGHT IN GALES) who has played a few shows with the band already. INFLICTION are currently writing new songs for their second full-length which will be entitled "Earshot". Expect a early 2003 release.
IN FLAMES plan to return to North America for a string of dates to run from March to May. Confirmed details and dates will be available soon.
PUNGENT STENCH will play a few West Coast dates this February. Several East Coast dates are also being planned.
Former VOIVOD bassist / vocalist Eric Forrest is to release the first album from new band PROJECT FAILING FLESH in February. It’s called "A Beautiful Sickness" and includes a cover of VEMOM’s ‘Warhead’. Forrest recently contacted BW&BK with the following update: "I am involved in a side project called PROJECT FAILING FLESH and I start the vocal tracks at the end of the month. EFORCE is still happening and we are going to sign with a French label in a matter of a few days. I am still working with Borislav Mitic.
ANATA will be in StudioMega in February recording their third full-length album. It will feature ten tracks and will be issued through Earache / Wicked World.
DEATH ANGEL have been added to the February 2nd lineup featuring headliners HALFORD at the House Of Blues in West Hollywood, CA. Others on the bill include TESTAMENT, VIO-LENCE and EXHUMED.
The Heineken Music Hall in Amsterdam, Holland will feature a headlining gig from CRADLE OF FILTH on April 18th. COF will release their new "Damnation And A Day" album in Europe on March 10th.
SATHANAS‘ "Hex Nefarious" CD / LP will be out through Drakkar soon. Meanwhile, the band’s "Warlords Of Death" 7" EP will be out at the end of January and features a cover of BATHORY’s ‘Raise The Dead’.
HYPOCRISY‘s "Abducted" album is available in Europe in the Classic Series. It now features new cover artwork and four bonus tracks.
The Classic Series edtion of KATAKLYSM‘s "Temple Of Knowledge" album comes in digipak format with a bonus clip.
According to reliable sources, drummer Aantar Lee Coates was just fired from Florida’s Death Metal masters DIABOLIC.
ABHORRENCE are currently working on the follow-up to their "Evoking The Abomination" debut album. The delay is explained by the long distance between their bass player / vocalist Marcello and the rest of the band’s homes which makes rehearsals harder to do. The new record should be done in June 2003.
Cold Blood Industries have signed MONOLITH, a brutal Dutch Death Metal band that consists of ex-members from ALTAR and DEAD HEAD. Their debut "The Apotheosis" will be released on March 21st, accompanied by a European tour together with THE CROWN and SKINLESS. For more info check out www.monolith-deathcult.com
N.Y. Death Metal masters IMMOLATION have made a lot of new fans all over Europe during the very successful Xmas fests. Although the band played a short set of 30 minutes due to the numerous amount of bands every night, they pulled a crazy crowd and played new songs from their current album "Unholy Cult", like the epic title track and the insane ‘Rival The Eminent’ along with new classics like ‘Of Martyrs And Men’ and the moody ‘Bring Them Down’ and old classic tunes like ‘Into Everlasting Fire’ as well. For those who haven’t been lucky enough to catch them live, a DVD is being prepared for an Autumn 2003 release. IMMOLATION’s new album has also been in the Dutch indie charts for the past 7 weeks along with other Metal bands like SYMPHONY X, OPETH… Without a doubt, the cult is growing.
Israel’s NAIL WITHIN are finally releasing their much talked about debut album in early February. It features the following tracks: ‘Dirty-Colored-Knife’ (with Mille Petrozza (KREATOR), Tomas Lindberg (THE GREAT DECEIVER) and Zeev from SALEM on backing vocals. ‘Bleed Forever’ (with Robert Gonnella from legendary German Thrash band ASSASSIN on backing vocals). There will also be a sick video of ‘Dirty-Colored-Knife’ as a bonus. The album was recorded at Spiderhouse Studio in Germany ( Sodom , Krisiun, Night In Gales) and produced by Harris Johns (Kreator, Sodom , Helloween) and Zeev Tananboim. An mp3 is posted in the sound section on the Listenable Records website www.listenable.net
VILE are to re-release their much sought after debut album "Stench Of The Deceased" with 3 live tracks and an unreleased song on February 17, 2003. In the same month, the band will also embark on a full European tour with MANGLED, INHUME, DISAVOWED and SPAWN OF POSSESSION.
After an amazing U.K. tour with KREATOR, the mad Swedes from DERANGED have returned home totally chuffed. They unfortunately had to cancel their 3 dates on the Xmas fest but DERANGED will be back on track next February with another bunch of U.K. dates with NO RETURN and SCARVE. They will also do a long awaited 8 date treck in France in March 2003 in support of the new album "Plainfield Cemetery ".
The release of the ABORTED / EXHUMED live split 10inch was postponed to Spring 2003. It will feature 3 songs from each band. The ABORTED side was recorded in Europe and the EXHUMED side was recorded in Japan . It will be limited to 500 copies, so everyone interested should save their copy as soon as the release date is confirmed. ABORTED’s new album "Goremageddon – The Saw And The Carnage Is Done" is currently being mastered at Aabenra studios in Denmark.
SCARVE are back from a very impressive European tour with NILE and are already working on a new album to be recorded with Daniel Bergstrand (MESHUGGAH, SYL) in Sweden. The album should be out in October 2003.
Finnland’s MORS PRINCIPIUM EST are putting the final touches to their debut album "Inhumanity" at Tico Tico studios. It will feature the following tracks: ‘Another Creation’, ‘Eternity’s Child’, ‘In My Words’, ‘Inhumanity’, ‘D.I.B’, ‘The Lust Called Knowledge’, ‘Oblivion’, ‘Life In Black’, ‘Last Apprentice’, and ‘Into Illusion’. The album will be issued in March. An older demo track is available in the sound section on the Listenable Records website www.listenable.net
Following their worldwide well-acclaimed debut album "A World Depraved", AMARAN is set to record the follow-up in April 2003 in Studio Underground Västerås , Sweden . This young band has grown a lot musically since their debut and the new material is both heavier and more dynamic, to further accentuate the contrast between the instruments and vocals. The album, yet unnamed, is set to be released after the summer of 2003 through Listenable Records.
THRASH ZONE is the name of a really cool new website, dedicated to the Thrash Metal scene from past to present (with discographies, pics, bios, links to fan- and webzines etc.) – you will find it here: http://get-me.to/thrashzone
RED HARVEST have been nominated best Metal act at the Norwegian Grammy Awards. Other nominees in the Metal category are Satyricon and Immortal. The Grammy Awards will be broadcasted on national TV on the 22nd of February. RED HARVEST have also been nominated for "Alarmprisen", the Norwegian "alternative Grammy". To help RED HARVEST win this award vote for them at www.alarmweb.org The band will be performing at the Alarm Awards in Trondheim on the 15th of February (in connection with By:Larm) and will also most likely be performing their first Asian (!) show in March. More dates to follow. Their latest CD, "Sick Transit Gloria Mundi", was voted Norwegian album # 5 of the year by one of the country’s biggest daily newspapers, Aftenposten. The writing team of UK’s extreme music magazine Terrorizer voted the album # 13 of the top 40 albums of 2002. Nocturnal Art Productions will soon release a special limited edition split 7" EP of ZYKLON and RED HARVEST. It will feature remixes of both bands done by VOID mastermind OCD. Releases dates on VOID "Posthuman" and AETERNUS "A Darker Monument" will be issued soon.
New Dutch Thrash act CYPHER have just finished their first promo called "Forward Devolution" and are working hard at getting their name and music spread. The band is currently in the process of writing the music for their debut album. The 3-track promo is available for download at their website: www.cyphercore.com.
Florida’s CONTORTED has booked the studio for February to record their debut for Still Dead Productions. Musically the band is being described as "very fast brutal death fucking Metal in the Floridian style." Their line-up consists of Ed Webb (ex – Brutality, Diabolic and Eulogy), Pete Sykes (ex – Brutality and Execration) and Jim Coker (ex – Brutality). Here is a statement from Ed Webb: "We are so excited about this CD and we are dying to tour Europe and we will blow the faces off DIABOLIC that’s for sure. Music isn’t only about speed but heaviness and great riffs and they miss the boat on that lately, but we will dominate this planet"
The new GOD DETHRONED album "Into The Lungs Of Hell" will be released as a double-CD. The package will include a fat booklet and a bonus-CD. Here’s the track listing of the bonus-CD: ‘God Dethroned’ (re-recorded version), ‘Satan’s Curse’ (Possessed Cover), ‘The Execution Protocol’, ‘The Grand Grimoire’, ‘Nocturnal’, ‘Under A Silver Moon’, ‘The Somberness Of Winter’, ‘Serpent King’. (tracks 3 – 8 were recorded live at the "Whiskey A GoGo" in Los Angeles , February 2000 on the Death Metal Massacre Tour with Cannibal Corpse, Hate Eternal and Diabolic), ‘Villa Vampiria’ (video-clip) and ‘Under The Golden Wings Of Death’ (video-clip). The album will also be released on vinyl.
Sound Recording Advice is the title of a new book, which simplifies the process of establishing a home recording studio. There’s also a website connected to it, which gives plenty of free advice on how to configure a home recording studio. The website and the book are all about education. Check out www.soundrecordingadvice.com for all further info.
The new album by THE CROWN won’t be out before summer of 2003. Here’s a little update from Magnus Olsfelt himself: "Alright, we are right now in the process of rehearsing new material for the next album. This time we are heading for the ultimate and so far it sounds very promising. The new material is pretty diverse but in general the songs have more power. Hard-hitting and straight forward, with more natural flow. So that the energy and force comes straight back to you. Some song titles are: ‘No Tomorrow’, ‘Face Of Destruction’ / ‘Deep Hit Of Death’, ‘Are You Morbid?’, ‘Cold Is The Grave’, ‘Kill ‘Em All’, ‘Natashead Overdrive’, ‘Dawn Of Emptiness’, ‘Crown Of Thorns’… and there’s more coming up of that wild-style mix of true deathmetalthrashpunkblackhardrockhorrormelody – shit going on! So it seems like you will have to deal with the ultimate THE CROWN album ever next year! Be forewarned!" Magnus www.thecrownonline.com