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Sweden’s THRONEAEON have signed a new deal with the Slovakian label Forensick Music. There’s been alot of negotiations with various labels since the band decided to leave Hammerheart Records and so far the new partnership looks very promising. Studio Underground is already booked during December this year for the recording of their next full-length.
EXCITER have parted ways with bassist Marc Charron.
Blabbermouth reports that guitarist Mitch Harris (NAPALM DEATH, ex-RIGHTEOUS PIGS), has reformed his DEFECATION project, the band he co-founded with former Napalm Death drummer Mick Harris. Although Mick doesn’t appear in Defecation’s current line-up, the band are working on a new album, "Intention Surpassed", due out through Nuclear Blast in early 2003.
The long-awaited MORBID ANGEL tribute titled "Tyrants From The Abyss" has finally been released on Necropolis Records in the U.S. and Hellspawn Records of Sweden. Here is an excerpt from the Necropolis release announcement: "Tyrants Of The Abyss: A Tribute To Morbid Angel" release overview: Universally hailed as the greatest Death Metal band of all time, MORBID ANGEL stands as the ultimate confirmation of the Death Metal genre’s longevity and integrity. Since the band’s inception in 1985, MORBID ANGEL has been an integral part of the entire musical movement. Emerging from the Death Metal explosion of the early 1990s as the undisputed champions, MORBID ANGEL has set the standard for the style ever since, artistically and commercially, touring with artists like PANTERA, SLAYER, BLACK SABBATH, and MOTORHEAD as well as headlining countless tours of their own. This release is a tribute to that band’s vision and integrity, made by some of the Black / Death Metal scene’s most important bands, all of which, not surprisingly, are MORBID ANGEL fans. Including the modernized Blackened Death Metal approach of ZYKLON (featuring Zamoth and Trym of the now-defunct EMPEROR), Brazil’s KRISIUN, long-standing Polish Death Metal act VADER, whose over decade-long track record in the scene more than speaks for itself, as well as many other leading acts in the Death Metal genre. All the bands featured are at the forefront of the current Death / Black Metal generation, and all owe at least some debt of influence to MORBID ANGEL. Now is their opportunity to hail the most significant Death Metal band in history. This tribute has been made by fans of MORBID ANGEL- for fans of MORBID ANGEL. Tracklisting: ZYKLON – Dominate, VADER – Immortal Rites, SOULREAPER – Fall From Grace, ANGELCORPSE – Demon Seed, CENTURIAN – Blasphemy Of The Holy Ghost, LUCIFERION – Brainstorm, INFERNAL – Bleed For The Devil, DIVINE RAPTURE – World Of Shit (The Promised Land), DIABOLIC – Visions From The Darkside, IN AETERNUM – Maze Of Torment, EXCOMMUNION – God Of Emptiness, BEHEMOTH – Day Of Suffering and KRISIUN – Unholy Blasphemies.
According to a recent press release, Texas’ PROPHECY will not be playing shows / tours until further notice. However, founding member James Parks II (guitarist / vocalist / songwriter / drummer), is writing new material for the next full-length, due out in late 2003.
The reformed DARK ANGEL (guitarists Jim Durkin and Eric Meyer, vocalist Ron Rinehart, and drummer Gene Hoglan) have announced that "shows in December are being rescheduled for March 2003, due to numerous personal scheduling conflicts within the band."
CATTLE DECAPITATION have been forced to cancel the remaining dates on their tour with CANNIBAL CORPSE "due to a medical emergency at home." They will however be playing in Hollywood in December (4th at The Palace) for Metal Blade’s 20th Anniversary show.
Upcoming shows for CRYPTOPSY are as follows: November 14 in Oshawa, ON at The Dungeon, 15th in Toronto, ON at The Kathedral, 16th in Windsor, ON at Diesel Lounge, 29th in Rimouski, PQ at La Coudée and 30th in Quebec City, PQ at Kashmir. On a side note, Cryptopsy are not performing at the Xtreme Benefest in Michigan as previously announced.
VADER are heading to South America on December 13th for a seven-date tour in support of their new record, Revelati.
DARKTHRONE are currently in rehearsal for their new album, "Hate Them", which they’ll begin recording in early December. A February release through Moonfog is expected.
DIVINE RAPTURE has recently entered Ron Vento’s Nightsky studios in Clinton, MD to record "The Burning Passion". They have been scrutinizing minuscule details to bring about an album of tight crushing brutality. Sessions ran smoothly and tracking is complete. The album is currently in mix-down. Be sure to check out the latest release from Ron’s band, Aurora Borealis (www.auroraborealis.org) featuring Tim Yeung on drums.
EXMORTEM‘s new album "Pestilence Empire" will be released on November 25 through Osmose Productions. The tracklist reads like this: ‘Ghastly Grotesque’, ‘Funerary Sculpture’, ‘Pestifer’, ‘Malus Invictus’, ‘Death Deceiver’, ‘Grand Dome Of Destruction’, ‘Icecold Ugliness (Part 2)’, ‘Gruesome Icons’ and ‘A Tyrants Hunger’. For further information check out the band’s website at: www.exmortem.com
MORBID UPHEAVAL is a new Death Metal act from Italy, formed by members and ex-members of Martial Might, Goatreich 666 and Goatfire. The band was created in spring 2002, inspired by legendary acts such as Treblinka, Grave, Order From Chaos, Sarcofago, Nuclear Death and Autopsy. The concepts expressed through the lyrics find their roots in the writings of Mishima, Redbeard, Devi and the likes. The first release is gonna be a limited edition (666 copies) split 7" EP with Arghoslent (www.arghoslent.cjb.net), out very soon through Warhammer Records. Morbid Upheaval are gonna record two trax for it (‘Solar Impetus’ and ‘Forsaken Hordes’). Their next release, a split 10" MLP with Capra Hircus (www.caprahircus.cjb.net) is planned for spring 2003 and will be a co-production between Hellflame and Warhammer Records. Plans are to record two own songs and a cover version of each band. All further info you may get from one of the bandmembers directly. Contact: hereticwisdom@libero.it (Savazzi) or sunandiron@hotmail.com (Nicola).
Italy’s My Kingdom Music have just released new albums by DEINONYCHUS ("Mournument"), CROWHEAD ("Frozen") and ROOM WITH A VIEW ("First Year Departure"). Label contact and download samples at: www.mykingdommusic.net
Cold Blood Industries have signed Dutch Thrashers CRUSTACEAN. The follow-up to their debut "Burden Of Our Suffering" is entitled "Insaniac" and supposed to see the light of day in February 2003.
THE GREAT DECEIVER have been announced as the main support for Napalm Death on a 17 date tour around Europe, they miss the three Finnish dates and join the tour on the 1st December in Germany. After Christmas The Great Deceiver will enter the studio to record the follow up to the highly acclaimed debut album "A Venom Well Designed". This time the band have chosen to work at Dug Out in Uppsalla. Daniel Bergstrand, famed for his work with Strapping Young Lad, Meshuggah, In Flames and Darkane will produce the album with the band. The Swedes even have a working title for the new album – "Terror Incognito", taken from Proust’s In Search Of Lost Time.
Earache Records have signed DEICIDE! US boss Al Dawson had this to say about the signing: "I am very proud to be working with Deicide, ‘the most evil band in the world.’ These guys have stood the test of time and they continue to lead the way. They are the real deal. Earache’s roster has never been stronger than it is today."
SATYRICON have cancelled their one and only Germany show, which was supposed to take place at the "Markthalle" in Hamburg on December 10, 2002. Due to differences between the European agent and the band it remains uncertain at this point of time whether or not there will be new dates in the coming year. We’ll keep you posted.
IN AETERNUM is now signed to Regain Records. The band will finish their upcoming album "Nuclear Armageddon" on November 8th and 9th at Abyss Studios together with Tommy Tägtgren, scheduled for a spring 2003 release.
ARCH ENEMY have confirmed the following UK dates for December: December 7 – TJ’s in Newport, 8 – Camden Underworld in London, 9 – King Tut’s in Glasgow, 10 – Hop & Grape in Manchester.
L.A.’s OIL, which features vocalist Ron Rinehart (DARK ANGEL), are scheduled to play Downey, California’s First Baptist Church Of Downey on November 2nd. The show will be filmed for a live CD release, tentatively titled "Choice Cuts Off The Chopping Block".
VOIVOD will begin mastering their forthcoming studio album, "The Multiverse", on December 13th. A tentative release on March 4th, 2003 through Chophouse Records / Surfdog has been scheduled.
Jared Anderson (INTERNECINE) will tour the US with his other band, HATE ETERNAL, in support of CANNIBAL CORPSE. Also on the bill are MACABRE and CATTLE DECAPITATION. The dates run from November 6th at Jaxx in West Springfield through November 26th at the Gothic Theater in Englewood, CO.
SOULREAPER will release a limited edition (500 copies) 7" EP entitled "The Son Of The Dead", that will feature two songs from their forthcoming album, "Life Eraser". The EP is due out on November 18th and the "Life Eraser" album will be released through Hammerheart on March 3, 2003. The band will tour Europe in support of the release beginning in April.
DECEMBER‘s video for ‘Host’ is currently in rotation at MuchMusic USA.
ZYKLON have confirmed studio time for early 2003 with plans for a Summer release. Album details are still in the works.
MYRKSKOG plan to tour the US in 2003. They will tape an upcoming show in Poland for an upcoming DVD / VHS release.
Candlelight will release EMPEROR‘s "Scattered Ashes – A Decade Of Emperial Wrath" in March, 2003, a year after the band’s demise. The collection was put together with cooperation from guitarist Samoth.
USURPER are currently in Engine Music Studio in Chicago recording their new album, "Twilight Dominion", with producer Neil Kernon (CANNIBAL CORPSE, NEVERMORE). An early 2003 release is expected through Earache.
Sweden’s LORD BELIAL have been signed to a deal by Regain Records. The band’s label debut will be released next year.
CADAVER INC. are currently readying their next album. Frontman Apollyon says: "The new record is going to be much worse than the first! We’re all into old-school AUTOPSY, CARCASS and INFERNO, and keeping it brutal and underground." The new album is slated for an early 2003 release through Earache.
DIABOLIC guitarist Jerry Mortellaro has left the band. He is replaced by Eric Hersemann (LORD BLASPHEMER).
AETERNUS are set to enter Grieghallen Studios in November with producer Pytten to begin recording their new CD, "A Darker Monument". Watch for an early 2003 release through Nocturnal Art Productions.
Roadrunner Japan will reissue digital remasters of the following albums on December 18th: MALEVOLENT CREATION’s "Retribution" & "Stillborn", CYNIC’s "Focus", DISINCARNATE’s "Dreams Of The Carrion Kind", DEICIDE’s, "Deicide" & "Legion" and OBITUARY’s "Slowly We Rot", "Cause Of Death", "The End Complete" and "World Demise". The OBITUARY re-issues will include bonus tracks.
Candlelight will reissue OPETH‘s first two albums on June 17th, 2003. The US releases will include the bonus material that was previously only available on the European releases.
NUNSLAUGHTER‘s live album "Radio Damnation" will be re-released on MC through Agonia Records, limited to 333 handnumbered copies, incl. a cover of VENOM. Contact: Agonia, c/o Filip Jesion, P.O.Box 273, 64-920 Pila 1, Poland. eMail: noxfil@poczta.onet.pl
In the first half of 2003, Hammerheart Records will re-release the first three NECROPHOBIC albums, "The Nocturnal Silence", "Darkside" and "The Third Antichrist". All the albums will be released on both CD and LP.
According to an official press statement, drummer Roger Sundqvist rejoined Swedens THRONEAEON: "After some serious thinking he decided to reclaim the place behind the drums and turn this band into what he wanted from the beginning. He is now a fulltime member and is working fulltime with the band for the first time since around 1996. He did actually quit his ordinary job. Furthermore bassist Andreas Dahlström has decided to leave the band after 8 years of dedication. He has decided that he wants to move on to something different, but he will still handle stuff like the website and newsletter for Throneaeon.There are no hard feelings between them and the band has already found a kickass replacement in Mangus Wall, formerly known from handling the bass in Abhoth. Check out www.throneaeon.com and read the new personal info to know more about this bloke (click on the silhuettes to view each member’s personal page)." As you can see above, the band has furthermore finally decided on their new logotype by now… "We wanted to go for a "cleaner" look, a logo that you have no trouble reading at a long distance, but still keep some of the shapes from the old logo! We are very satisfied with the final result."
MALEVOLENT CREATION will be heading out on the second leg of the most extreme tour of the US next fall, joining friends and fellow Floridian’s Cannibal Corpse. This string of shows will mark the first time that Malevolent Creation have toured the States in five years.
ARES KINGDOM is getting very close to recording their album for Merciless Records. "We do have more than enough music for the album", says guitarist Chuck Keller, "but I have started writing two new songs which I want to wait and see how they turn out. They could possibly replace a couple already slated to go on the record. We’ve picked up where (ORDER FROM CHAOS’) "An Ending In Fire" left off…"
VULPECULA is going to release one last 10" called "In Dusk Apparition" sometime after the first of the year… whenever Invictus Productions is ready. They would like to do more, but since Chris lives in Seattle and Chuck in Kansas City, it makes things kinda tough.
PESSIMIST have recently signed a new management deal with NY’s Alchemusic, who already managed Gorguts, Withered Earth and more. Here’s an official press statement that the band released about their "Slaughtering" US tour: "Pessimist would like to thank all who came out to the shows!! After battling with van problems 3 days into the tour, we were able to get back on the road to complete the East Coast dates with REFLUX, and we’d like to give a big hails to our new friends and fans in NJ, NY, SC and FL!! Unfortunately the next day bassist / vox Reaper having to leave the tour, and the band suffering from financial setbacks, the decision was made to postpone the rest of the tour. Dates in Las Vegas, TX and CA will all be re-scheduled at a later date!! The band apologizes to the promoters and especially the fans we missed! Good news is that the Pessimist van now runs great (thanks Mad Dog!!), we’ve made tons of new friends, contacts and working with a new agent… look for more complete US Tour dates this Winter / Spring ’03!" www.pessimist.com
Unfortunately, PROFANITY won’t be able to play the Ear Terror Festival this coming weekend. Instead, HARMONY DIES will take their place.
MALEVOLENT CREATION have replaced drummer Justin DiPinto (who still played on "The Will To Kill") with Ariel Alvarado.
Skullfucked Productions have just released a GERBE OF LIFE / REPUDIATE split CD. Further info at: www.skullfucked.ht.st
From a reliable source we got the info that Germany’s Thrash masters ASSASSIN, who released two albums back in the 80s ("The Upcoming Terror" and "Interstellar Experience") are about to reform! Original vocalist Robert Gonnella has just contributed backing vocals to the debut album of Israel’s NAIL WITHIN, who recorded their debut album at Spiderhouse Studio in Lutte, Germany with Harris Johns and Zeev Tananboim. Other guests to appear on the record are Mille Petrozza (Kreator), Tomas Lindberg (At The Gates, Lock Up, The Great Deciever), Zeev Tananboim (Salem) and Harris Johns himself. The self titled album will be released by Listenable Records in early 2003.
The HEARSE debut album "Dominion Reptilian" will be released in February 2003. It was recorded in four weeks during the summer of 2002 in the Stockholm situated studio Dog Pound Audio (a.o. Entombed, Terra Firma) together with studio technician Jonas Edler. Some of the titles on the album are ‘Cosmic Daughter’, ‘Rapture In Twilight’, ‘End Of Days’ and the title track ‘Dominion Reptilian’. HEARSE consists of the following members: Johan Liiva (ex – ARCH ENEMY / FURBOWL) – vocals & strings, Max Thornell (ex – FURBOWL) – drums & strings and Mattias Ljung – strings. According to the band the sound on "Dominion Reptilian" has the old FURBOWL vibe with a touch of MERCYFUL FATE in it. Not a big surprise of course since Johan and Max used to be in FURBOWL together between 1990 – 1994. Mattias brought that MERCYFUL FATE influence into the music. As an appetizer Hammerheart Records recently released a strictly limited edition (500 copies) 7" EP with two exclusive songs, ‘Torch’ and ‘Avalon’.
Earache Records will be celebrating a X-MAS PARTY on December 16, 2002 at Rock City in Nottingham. Performing live: The Berzerker, Insision, Without Face and Cult Of Luna (debut UK show), DJ’s Matt Zane (Society 1), Lee Barrett (Elitist Records) and many more surprises. For further info go to: www.earache.com/media/news_stories/earache.html#party
MORTIIS‘ "The Smell Of Rain" album is to be re-released on November 4, 2002 with additional tracks, remixed by the likes of Lustmord and Raven Fox and Tarmvred.
Sweden’s aggro-Thrash five piece CORPORATION 187 have completed their second album for Wicked World entitled "Perfection In Pain", due for release November 4, 2002 in the UK.
MORBID ANGEL‘s classic first two albums – "Altars Of Madness" and "Blessed Are The Sick" are to be re-released on November 11, 2002 with extensive liner notes written by Trey Azagthoth, new photos from the band’s personal archive, and a bonus CDRom video on each, packaged in an exclusive slipcase.
Code 666 Records have signed Italy’s Black Metal horde HANDFUL OF HATE for the release of their new album "Vicecrown". The band is said to play "violent and technical Black / Death Metal, somewhere between Angelcorpse and Marduk". "Vicecrown" will be recorded in February 2003 at No Fear Studio in Ravenna and produced by Paso. The tracklist: ‘Vexer’s Kult’, ‘I Hate!’, ‘Boldly Erected’, ‘Risen Into Abuse’, ‘Beating Violence’, ‘Hierarch In Lust (Vice Ostentation XI)’ and ‘Carnal Spite (Held In Leash)’. The release is scheduled for late Spring 2003, followed by a tour.
The DEPRESSION / GONORRHOEACTION split 7"EP is done. It includes 7 new studio trax of groovy Death / Grind from DEPRESSION (including the coverversion ‘Radio Hit’ from Anal Cunt), and 4 new songs of brutal Goregrind from GONORRHOEACTION (including the coverversion ‘Torso’ from Machetazo). The EP is limited to 1.000 handnumbered copies and available from Cudgel Agency: office@cudgel.de