» News
BETHLEHEM are finishing up on "Suicide Radio" – an interactive CD-rom, which features the band’s music, short movies / videos, pictures, links, hidden secrets and more.
HIDDEN have started work on their next record, which will be released on Baphomet Records.
NOKTURNE will put out their second CD through Baphomet Records. The album will also include a Destruction cover.
ENSLAVED has just completed their 7th and yet untitled studio album. The recordings went extremely well and where yet again produced by the band them selves, Pytten and Jørgen Træen. The mixing will take part in January and the final release is set to the 3rd of March next year. Some new titles are ‘As Fire Swept Clean The Earth’, ‘Ridicule Swarm’ and ‘Queen Of Night’. On September 24, 2002 Enslaved played a show at Landmark – Bergen Kunsthall. The band was invited to perform as special guests at the opening ceremony of an art exibition featuring modern grotesque & horror art. Landmark is a highly profiled institution in the Norwegian art society, and coming from a background like Enslaved, this was a rather unusual event for an extreme Metal band. The show was a combination of multimedia effects with flames projected on the walls of the entire hall and the band playing. Enslaved already did a couple of new tunes in the 40 minutes long set. After that the band headed for Poland to record a DVD to be unleashed right after Christmas and are currently in dialogue with a movie director for a possible promo shot of one of the songs for the coming album. If this takes place, it will probably be released as bonus CD-ROM on the forthcoming album.
THE RAVENOUS mini CD "Three On A Meethook" (which features four brand new tracks) is almost ready for release. It will be available as a digipak.
NECROPHAGIA have recorded two tracks for their upcoming DVD. ‘To Sleep With The Dead’ and ‘The Fog’ will not appear anywhere else.
THANATOS will release their "Beyond Terror" MCD via Baphomet Records.
Blood Fire Death will issue a live NARGAROTH 7" from their tour with Krieg.
Johan Lindstrand is back in THE CROWN as the new permanent singer. Hear what the man himself has to say about all this: "Alright planet earth!!!! This is Johan Lindstrand speaking! I’m very proud to say that I’m back in THE CROWN. This time with full fuckin’ force. My commitment and dedication is 110% and I am very excited about the future of the band. I have already rehearsed on a couple of new songs and they fuckin’ blew me away. Really awesome. It feels great to scream with the band again and I’m looking forward to see you on the road so what I wanna say is: THE CROWN HAS RETURNED!!!!!"
Swedish SKYFIRE just returned from Abyss Studio where they recorded the follow-up to their debut-album "Timeless Departure" with producer Tommy Tägtgren. The title of the new album is "Mind Revolution" and some of the song-titles are ‘Shapes Of Insanity’, ‘Dawn Will Break’, ‘The Clouds Lie Silent’ and ‘Euphoria’. Artwork will be done by Graal (www.g-r-a-a-l.com). According to bassplayer Jonas Sjögren we can expect a more diverse, better structured and even better sounding album.
Arctic Music Group has signed Swedish newecomers ETERNAL LIES. Their musical style is best described as a mixture of traditional Scandinavian Death Metal and the melodies and harmonies that redefined Swedish Metal in the late 1990s. The band was already voted best new band in Close-Up, one of Sweden’s biggest and most prestigious Metal magazines. Their debut album "Spiritual Deception" should already be out by the time you read this.
Following their debut album "Human Consumes Human", HOMO IRATUS are back with an EP entitled "Knowledge…Their Enemy". It contains 3 new tracks, a cover version of Sepultura’s ‘Roots Bloody Roots’, and 2 full-length videos. This is also the first HOMO IRATUS release with interim vocalist Thomas Bairachtaris, filling in for Mitch who decided to leave the band in February of 2001. The band is currently working on the second full-length album, which will be released by Arctic Music Group in 2003.
CELEBRATUM represents the new breed of Norwegian Black Metal, mixing Scandinavian Black Metal with Heavy Metal and prog-rock influences. The band’s debut album "Mirrored Revelation" was produced by Tommy Tätgren at Abyss Studios / Sweden and just got released by Artic Music Group. www.arcticmusicgroup.com
COFFIN TEXTS have completed writing their 2nd full-length. After the release of their debut "Gods Of Creation, Death & Afterlife", the band toured America with Incantation and Skinless. Bassist / vocalist Robert Cardenas is currently touring Europe with Florida Blastmasters DIABOLIC and the album will be recorded following the tour in late 2002. The cover art will be created by the Malfeitor (Aborym).
World War III Records and Avantgarde Music (Italy) have agreed to a deal that will formally release CARPATHIAN FOREST‘s "Morbid Fascination Of Death" album for America. The American version will include extra tracks.
The US Black Metal horde FOG has entered the studio to record the follow-up to their 2001 breakthrough debut "Through The Eyes Of The Night… Winged They Come". The album entitled "Disturbing The Balance Of The Spheres" will be once again self-produced and the material is described as "stronger, darker and more gggressive, with the deep open wide fury only FOG can create." Some of the new song titles will include ‘Avatar Of Grief’, ‘From Within The Darkness Beyond Eternity’, ‘The Writ Of Keogh’ and ‘Reign Of The Iron Emperor’.
ABORYM is completing the recording of the new album "With No Human Intervention" without the previously reported services of Hellhammer (Mayhem, Winds).
ENFORSAKEN have been signed by WW3 Records. The label will first release a collection of their previous works including the "Embraced By Misery" CD and their demos on one release entitled "Into The Everblack." James Murphy from Disincarnate / Death / Obituary fame will then be producing the follow up CD.
ALLEGIANCE‘s "Hymns Of Blod" will now be formally available in America through Mercenary Musik for the first time ever. The album packaging was designed by Nataanas.
World War III and Code666 have struck a deal that will bring "The Dark Blood Rising" by DIABOLICUM to America. The group features members of Setherial, Naglfar and Ancient Wisdom. The album features guests of Bewitched, Setherial and Naglfar, Odhinn, Walkyria, Hollenthon, Pungent Stench, Dirge Rep of Enslaved and Jon Nodtveit of Dissection who wrote some lyrics from jail.
VOID OF SILENCE‘s "Criteria Ov 666" album is coming soon on WW3. The band that features Malfeitor Fabban (Aborym) on vocals.
World War III has signed Polish newcomers WHICH HEAVEN. The band is said to play "their own special brand of complex atmospheric darkened Metal". The debut album entitled "Respawning Of The Gods" will be released in 2003 and will feature an evil-faced alien-embrion on the cover.
CALLENISH CIRCLE plan to enter the studio again in January 2003 to record the follow-up to the "Flesh Power Dominion" album. Their 4th album "My Passion, Your Pain" will be recorded again at Stage One Studio with producer Andy Classen while the artwork is supposed to be done once more by Niklas Sundin. Some new songtitles are ‘Dwelling In Disdain’, ‘Soul Messiah’, ‘This Truculent Path’, ‘Once More’ and title-track ‘How My Passion Is Your Pain’. Musically the new material is supposed to be in the same vein as "Flesh Power Dominion" but probably even more intense and more extreme, without loosing the sense for catchy melodies and atmosphere which always have been trademarks in the band’s sound. Callenish Circle is furthermore confirmed to take part on the annual "No Mercy" Easter Festivals in 2003. Other confirmed bands are Testament, Marduk, Pro Pain, Nuclear Assault, Die Apokalyptischen Reiter, Malevolent Creation, Graveworm and Arkhon Infaustus. Another as yet undisclosed co-headlining act will reportedly be added to the bill (rumours are speaking about Morbid Angel or Dark Angel). Former Chemical Breath bassplayer Rene Rokx will be the new bassplayer of Callenish Circle. He’s replacing Roland Schuschke and already played with the band on the Stonehenge Festival (NL), Party San Open Air (GER), Brutal Assault Festival (CZECH), in Hof Ter Lo / Antwerp with Dimmu Borgir (BEL) and on their latest mini-tour in the Benelux with Primordial and Mercenary. Painkiller Records from Belgium will again license the rights to release the CALLENISH CIRCLE album on vinyl. The release is expected in late 2002. The album will be in luxury double gate-fold and in a limited edition of only 500 copies. More info at Painkiller Records: laurent@painkiller-records.com
On October 1st, SATYRICON performed a surprise show at Oslo venue John Dee’s 5 years anniversary party. According to the band "For us it was an opportunity to test a few songs in front of a crowd before the real shit begins. We played three songs, ‘Orgasmatron’, ‘Fuel For Hatred’ and ‘Possessed’. It went down well and we feel ready. Presales are strong and it is definitely recommended to buy tickets in advance in the bigger Norwegian cities like Oslo and Bergen.
MÖRK GRYNING live keyboard player Johan Larsson has joined the band as full-time member.
Massacre have released MYSTIC CIRCLE‘s "Damien" album on vinyl LP with a bonus track, ‘Cry Little Sister’.
WARDULAK‘s new album, "Severed Eyes Of Posses", is out in Europe on October 6th via Season Of Mist.
NAGLFAR‘s new album, "Sheol", is already recorded, and will be released by New Hawen Records (formerly WAR Music) in January. "Sheol" (the Hebrew term for hell) contains eight tracks.
Work on the sixth BAL-SAGOTH album continues, and the band plan to record before the end of the year. Cover artwork will be done by famed British fantasy artist Martin Hanford.
GORGOROTH has now started the recordings of their new full-length album. The recording is taking place at their home town in Bergen, Norway. Eight songs are already finished. Ghaal will put vocals on the album as soon he’s able to get a permission from prison (probably in December). Tormentor is no longer a part of Gorgoroth. The band is planning to use a session-member for their live performances.
According to their website, the next CHILDREN OF BODOM album will be released in Finland on January 1st, 2003.
SUIDAKRA currently searching for a new guitar player. Interested and qualified musicians please get in contact with the band – contact@suidakra.info
CANNIBAL CORPSE’ "Worm Infested" album will be available on a mini-CD in a limited edition digi-pack from October 7th in Europe.
NAPALM DEATH‘s "Order Of The Leech" album is out in Japan through Toy’s Factory on November 20th with an exclusive bonus track.
SOULREAPER signed a multiple album-deal with Hammerheart Records. The band, featuring ex-Dissection members Johan Norman (guitar) and Tobias R. Kellgren (drums), recently finished the recordings of their 2nd full-length album entitled "Life Erazer". The new album is recorded & mixed at Los Angered Recording Studio with producer Andy La Rocque (Evergrey, Witchery, Morifade). Some of the songtitles are ‘Godless Reaper Of Souls’, ‘Son Of The Dead’, ‘Slow Fall Of Death’ and the title-track ‘Life Erazer’. According to guitarist Stefan Karlsson the new album is way more mature in arrangement: "The fast parts are faster, the heavy parts more heavy and the brutal parts are crushing everything that has been done. A killer album for sure."
Contrary to recent rumors, CENTINEX are not off the DEICIDE tour. Of the six scheduled bands three are off, namely INSISION, ANTAEUS and latest additions BLOOD RED THRONE. The final tour routing kicks off on November 6th at Rio’s in Bradford, England and wraps up on November 27th at Transilvania in Milano, Italy.
According to their website, the recording of INTERNAL BLEEDING‘s "Hatefuel" has been pushed back to January 2003.
Premonition Records will release the debut album "Hacked To Death" of DECAPITATED RP (RP stands for Republica Ng Philipinas), an brutal old school Death Metal band from the Philippines. The label will also handle the CD release of MANTAK‘s "Eye Of Deviant" album (the tape version will be released by Nebula Productions). It will include 5 bonus tracks from their previous cassette EP. Both releases will be out within the next months / early 2003. The LACERATE MCD is now available, so interested distributors should get in touch with Premonition at: premonition-records@t-online.de
Chile’s THORNAFIRE are looking for German distributors willing to sell their MCD "Mortus Tenebrae Surrectus" (see reviews for further details). The band promises really good prices. Contact: mcnamarath@hotmail.com
The first infos on this year’s "EAR TERROR II Festival" are available at this address now: get.to/earterror
Within the next few days Cogumelo Records is gonna re-release the HEADHUNTER D.C. debut "Born… Suffer… Die" on CD. It will feature the band’s "Hell Is Here" demo from ’89 as well as other rare recordings (live/studio) as bonus tracks and some unpublished pics. Cogumelo also have plans to re-release the second LP "Punishment At Dawn" on CD (also with bonus material) in early 2003. The next HEADHUNTER D.C. album will be recorded in November or December and will be out in early 2003 on WW III Records.
Set for a release date on October 28th is IMMOLATION‘s new album "Unholy Cult". It will be available in limited edition slipcase (5000 copies only) and strictly limited vinyl version, available directly from Listenable Records for 15,- Euro postpaid. "Unholy Cult" was already pointed "Album of 2002" in the biggest Israeli Metal forum "Hyde Park Metal" (1300 users only in the "Metal" forum), reaching 10/10 (the last album got this mark was Nevermore’s "Dead Heart…" CD).
Sweden’s LUCIFERION will finally unleash their new album "The Apostate" in March 2003. If everything goes well the recordings will be finished before Christmas.
ABORTED are currently completing the writing process for their upcoming new full-length "Goremageddon: The Saw And The Carnage Done". In a new line-up, the band feels quite confident about the new material. The album will include the following 10 tracks, 8 of them being new songs: ‘The Saw And The Carnage Done’, ‘Recidivist In Suicide’, ‘Misanthropic Murder Mind’, ‘Clinical Colostomy’, ‘Sanguine Verses Of Extirpation’, ‘Parasitic Flesh Resection’, ‘Methiculous Invagination’, ‘Sea Of Cartilage’ (new version, originally on the split with Christ Denied), ‘Carnal Forge’ (CARCASS cover) and ‘Charted Carnal Effigy’. It will be recorded at Aabenraa Studios in Denmark, produced by Jacob Johansen (Iniquity, Illdisposed, Invocator, Hatesphere, etc) and should see an early March release, just before the band embarks on their European tour with IMMOLATION.
VILE, INHUME (second half of the tour), DISAVOWED, MANGLED (first half of the tour), SPAWN OF POSSESSION will tour Europe together in early 2003. The tour will start in the Netherlands on February 20 and will also end there on March 16. In between they will hit the following countries: Belgium, Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, France, Spain and Portugal. The booking agency is Driven By Metal. Please get in touch with Driven By Metal Agency for further info: Rob Peters or Wilko at Fadeless Records. VILE’s much sought debut "Stench Of The Deceased" will be exclusively re-released with bonus tracks in February 2003 through Listenable Records.
On November 3rd, Hellfest 2002 is taking place at The Rosetta Bar in Belfast, Ireland and will feature the following acts: KREATOR, DESTRUCTION and DERANGED among others.
NILE have been confirmed for Beast Feast 2002.
A tour featuring KREATOR, DESTRUCTION, DERANGED and RIFFMASTER GENERAL hits the UK on the following dates: October 27 – Woughton Centre, Milton Keynes, October 28 – Patti Pavillion, Swansea, October 29 – Camden Underworld, London, October 30 – JB’s, Dudley, October 31 – The Station, Bristol, November 1 – Rio’s, Bradford, November 2 – Eamon Dorans, Dublin and November 3 – Rosetta Bar, Belfast.
DYING FETUS are currently writing material for their forthcoming Relapse full-length to be titled "Stop At Nothing". The album will be out in January. Tracks on the release will include: ‘Schematics’, ‘One Shot, One Kill’, ‘Stop At Nothing’ and ‘Forced Elimination’.
EXHUMED are now writing for their new album, due out through Relapse in early 2003.
NASUM are writing for their upcoming full-length for Relapse. The band will once again record in Soundlab Studios. Expect a spring, 2003 release date.
REGURGITATE‘s new EP, "Hate-Filled Vengeance", will be released in October. The release was recorded at Soundlab Studios and mastered by Scott Hull (PIG DESTROYER).
SKINLESS are currently writing for their upcoming album, tentatively titled "From Sacrifice To Survival". Look for it in early 2003. Tracks on the release will include: ‘Nexus In Hell’, ‘Miscreant’, ‘Deathwork’, ‘From Sacrifice To Survival’, ‘Contrition’ and ‘Ill Refute’.
A video for VOMITORY‘s ‘Nailed, Quartered, Consumed’ track is in the works by Lowlife Media. Footage for the clip is taken from the group’s recent show at Wacken Open Air. In tour news, Vomitory will invade Poland during the Thrash ’em All Festivals that run from October 1st through 10th. Other acts on the tour include MONSTROSITY, TRAUMA, SCEPTIC, LOST SOUL, DISSENTER and CONTEMPT.
DEICIDE‘s upcoming tour has lost three of its support acts, ANTAEUS, INCISION and CENTINEX. Promoters in Bradford, London, Trier, Vosselaar, Paris, Ludwigsburg and Warszawa are against having more than three bands on the bill, which led to the cancellations. The tour organizer apologizes for this situation.
MYSTIC CIRCLE‘s "Damien" album is out through Massacre in a limited edition digipak with the bonus track ‘Cry Little Sister’.
Century Media Records have issued the following statement regarding the planned tour featuring BORKNAGAR, FINNTROLL, SUIDAKRA, SUSPERIA and WINDIR: "Cheers Maniacs! Unfortunately we have to confirm the rumours. Due to organizational problems the tour is canceled. The Norwegian dates will take place as scheduled. They kick off on October 3rd at Zeche Carl in Essen and wrap up on October 25th at Stundentsamfunnet in Aas."
According to their website, IMPALED NAZARENE will start the recordings of their 8th studio album in March 2003 at Astia Studio’s with Anssi Kippo in charge again.
DARKNESS ETERNAL‘s website (www.deternal.darkgod.net) has been updated with all the latest happenings of the band. New reviews and links have been added as well.
IN AETERNUM have parted ways with Necropolis Records. The band is currently finishing their new album, which will be released by a new label, to be announced soon. http://inaeternum.cjb.net
Finnish melodic Death Metal act FARMAKON was signed by Elitist Records The band will start recording their as-yet untitled debut album in the new year.
Russian blackened, symphonic Doom act FOREST STREAM will release their album "Tears Of Mortal Solitude" in early 2002.
Russian avant-garde experimentalists RAKOTH are presently in the studio putting the finishing touches to their new album "Tiny Deaths".
EPHEL DUATH are currently recording their new album "The Painter’s Palette". The bass and the drums have already been recorded, and the rest is being done during November.
During a gig with PUNGENT STENCH, DISASTROUS MURMUR und DEATH REALITY in Zwickau’s "Alarm Club" on September 27, someone stole a guitar effect tool (Digitech DNX-1, 40 x 20cm in size, metallic grey, with 4 pedals, a big volume-pedal and a green / red display – value approx. 500,-Euro) as well as some guitar accessoires (tools, belt) from the band THORNESBREED. The band is willing to pay a reward of 25,- Euro for useful indications in getting their stuff back. Contact: andre@thornesbreed.de