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SEVERE TORTURE just finished their European tour successfully. There is a limited 7"EP available, called "Lambs Of A God". This EP contains two unreleased tracks recorded during their "Feasting On Blood" recording session. It is strictly limited to 500 copies. An American tour is planned for April. www.severetorture.com
MANGLED‘s second long-player will be out 26-03-2001 titled, "Most Painful Ways".Very heavy Death Metal from the Netherlands. MANGLED will do a couple of shows in March with Vomitory. Check out our tourdates section for details. There are also a few gigs planned with Rebaelliun & Severe Torture. Dates will follow soon. listen.to/mangled
THRONEAEON recorded their debut album, "Neither Of Gods" in Studio Underground, Sweden. Eleven tracks of catchy head-banging Death Metal the Scandinavian way. Their Mini CD "With Sardonic Wrath" is available again (see reviews). listen.to/throneaeon
BLOOD RED THRONE is on THE PLAGUE now. This is the Death Metal band from Tchort (ex-Emperor, Satyricon). The recording will start in April in DUB Studio, Norway. Mixing and mastering will probably happen at Morrisound Recordings, Florida. www.bloodredthrone.com
"Subterraneal Magnitude", the new album from DIABOLIC is planned for April. Cover artwork by Joe Petagno. Produced by Juan "Punchy" Gonzalez (Morbid Angel’s sound man). www.diabolicblastmasters.com
"Raped In Their Own Blood" & "Redemption", the first two albums from VOMITORY will be available on limited gatefold LP in March. www.vomitory.net
LOWBROW will tour Europe in May, together with Ancient Rites and another band. The dates will follow soon! These 3 bands will most likely play Dynamo Open Air as last show on this tour!
NECROPHOBIC have just updated their website "The Darksite of Necrophobic". Now you can check out a bigger voting section, a forum etc. Go to: www.necrophobic.net
DIABOLICUM are currently putting the finishing touches on their second album, The Dark Blood Rising (The Hatecrowned Retaliation), due out in March on code666. The album will include a CDROM track including the video for the song ‘Bloodspawn’. Special guests in the studio during the recording of the album included: Jon Nodtveidt (DISSECTION), Dirge Rep (ENSLAVED), Martin (PUNGENT) and Wrath (SETHERIAL). The tracklisting: ‘The March Of The Misanthrope’, ‘Heavens Die’, ‘Transmissions To The Planet Of Death’, ‘Bloodspawn’, ‘The War Tide (All Out Genocide), ‘The Hatecrowned Retaliation’, ‘The Dark Blood Rising’, ‘The Pitch Black’, ‘The Song Of Suffering’, ‘Into The Dementia’ and ‘The Nemesis Speaks’. The album was recorded in the Abyss Studios with Peter Tägtgren.
DYING FETUS wish to announce the permanent departure of bassist and second vocalist Jason Netherton. Jason left the band following the last date in Europe on the recent MORBID ANGEL tour. The departure came as a result of numerous personal reasons, and was on good terms as Jason wishes the band all the best. Dying Fetus will continue on, at this time as a 5-piece with replacements who have been lined up for the current tour with ALL OUT WAR and DIECAST. Currently on bass is Derek Boyer (DEPRECATED) and vocals are being tackled by Vince Matthews (MUCOUS MEMBRANE, AUTUMN DAWN).
Russia’s RAKOTH have completed their second album, Jabberworks, soon to be released on digipak CD through code666. A real orchestra touch was added to the recording courtesy of the Russian Grotesque Live Orchestra from Moscow. Rakoth also recoded the track ‘L’ Honglath/Facing The Calm’, to be included on the forthcoming code 666 compilation, Better Undead Than Alive.
MORTICIAN release their new album, Domain Of Death, on April 17th. The band will soon record a live album, The Final Bloodbath Session, to be released on Primitive Recordings. This will be the first Mortician release to feature a live drummer. The band will tour in Europe with MARDUK, VADER and others as part of the No Mercy Festival. Dates will be announced soon.
BLOODSHED have inked a deal with code666. The band’s Skullcrusher EP will be released in April.
AGHORA are working on their next album, scheduled to be recorded later this year.
Osmose Productions has signed MELECHESH. The band recently enlisted drummer Proscriptor McGovern (ABSU). Their forthcoming album, Djinn, will be released soon.
This following newsletter currently gets spreaded around by EQUINOX member Darkness regarding their split up with KAM LEE in the KAULDRON project… As we found it pretty amusing we wanted to share it with you: "I really didn’t want to start a war between Kam Lee and EQUINOX, but the bastard can’t keep his big fucking mouth shut (nothing new about that). It seems that our LORD & MASTER KAM LEE, chooses to take credit for everything that went on with the KAULDRON project, which is just NOT TRUE!!! This guy’s "effort" is laughable at best!!! During the last MONTHS of rehearsals, 3 times a week, the Savior of metal KAM LEE only made it to ONE PRACTICE… Oh yeah… he doesn’t even OWN a CAR… I guess that I should have driven an extra half-hour out of my way to pick up his HIGHNESS KAM LEE, when I already drive 45 minutes ONE direction… You would think that KAM would have AT LEAST help pay the rent on our practice facility at least ONCE?! Not KAM!!! The latest Playstation game was way more important than the band!!! Contrary to KAM LEE’s beliefs, EQUINOX DECIDED NOT TO WORK WITH KAM… It seems that the ONLY way KAM would be happy is if the following would transpire… Title of the band: KAM LEE – Title of the record: KAM LEE – All songs written and performed by: KAM LEE, All recording & mixing: KAM LEE… Okay, I’m sure you get the point… EQUINOX made every effort to ensure that KAULDRON would become a success, but KAM’s precious ego would be bruised every time we opened our mouth and voiced our opinions. EQUINOX are NOT Kam’s little followers and decided not to work with him once his ego began to take over the band since it was EQUINOX putting forth ALL THE EFFORT in KAULDRON. A message to KAM: If you have anything to fucking say about EQUINOX, then why don’t you step the fuck up and SAY IT TO MY FACE YOU PUSSY!!? You weren’t man enough to do it when we were working together, and I know that you don’t have the balls to do it now! Good luck in your projects, however I seriously doubt that any self-respecting musician would be stupid enough to hang around and let you ruin another great idea. THANKS FOR NOTHING ASSHOLE!!! THY WILL BE DONE…" Darkness Contact: EquinoxMetal@cs.com www.geocities.com/darkness_of_equinox
And here’s KAM LEE‘s latest (edited) statement, for those who care… "The scene fucking sucks! I have no band, and to tell you the truth I am just fucking fed up with the whole fucked up thing! I’ve given this some thought… and really I just can’t do this shit anymore… I am in my 30’s now, and just too fucking sick and tired of the bullshit that this scene has become! I’ve been spear heading my comeback for the past two years now, and it feels like a losing battle! Everyone wants to forget what it was really like in the beginning, when a person’s integredy counted… when those of us who made this scene what it is today really got respect, but now – "no one cares!" The scene has changed, and to tell you the truth I fucking hate it… it blows! There are still some ‘great people’ out there in the shit giving it their all… and I hold "high" respect for them. I can only hope that in time the scene will return to those who have really bled and sheded for it! yet now it is corrupted… like a corpse gone to rot! Decayed and infested with "maggots"… and those so called maggots are the faggot corperate asswipes and the poser dick sucking "oh – so spooky" corpse painted idiots that have turned this once "proud" underground scene into a joke! And you know what…"no one cares!" Yeah… this is what was said to me that made me realize I am wasting my time with this… "No one cares!" Now, I still have plans and an obligation to record a record for Necropolis Records, and I do plan on going thru with that! I will still do the ‘Kauldron’ record with Jim Durkin, and still plan on doing ‘Cadaverizer’ with Matt, Wes and Cole… I will still correspound with the "real friends" and "cool" people that I have met over the net, and will do my best to answer any questions you may have. I also have plans on releasing a 2nd cd demo from "Phlegethon" for those of you that give a shit… but that will much later!" Kam Lee Contact: panzer58@hotmail.com
TESTAMENT will be re-recording some of its earlier and heaviest material from their debut records, The Legacy and The New Order. This is currently taking place at their own Driftwood recording studio. Mixing will be done with Andy Sneap. Tracks include: ‘First Strike Is Deadly’, ‘Into The Pit’, ‘C.O.T.L.O.D.’, ‘The Haunting’ and ‘Over The Wall’. Guitarist Eric Peterson says the sessions are "gonna sound CRUSHING." That project is scheduled to be released in limited edition before the new studio album. Alex Skolnick will be part of this recording as well, but only for the older recordings. Says singer Chuck Billy, "We thought we would ask Alex if he would like to do this for the fans, and he was totally into it! Plus I think the true fans would dig Alex playing his original parts, since his leads are so awesome on that stuff." Testament are also currently working on their ninth studio album, with plans for a release this Summer.
In related news, DRAGONLORD will also start recording this Winter and will mix in Sweden with Daniel Bergstrand. Daniel is known for mixing and producing such bands as: MESHUGGAH, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, STUCK MOJO, DARKANE and more. Some titles for the album will include: ‘Spirits In The Mist’, ‘Rapture’, ‘Wolfhunt’, ‘Egraine’ and ‘Tradition And Fire’. Dragonlord’s line-up includes: Eric Peterson (riffs/vocals), Jon Allen (SADUS – drums), Lyle Livingston (PSYPHERIA – keyboards), Steve Smyth (TESTAMENT – guitars) and Steve DiGiorgio (DEATH – bass). Peterson says that "The music is totally different from Testament. It’s way more gothic, classically influenced melodic music, with strings, a choir, harpsichords and lots of screaming and hair pulling. The sound is kinda DIMMU BORGIR crossed with EMPEROR. The disc is produced by Peter Tägtren.
INCANTATION have signed a new deal with Necropolis Records. The band has released the following statement regarding this worldwide agreement: "INCANTATION is prepared to begin work with Necropolis Records. We are anxious about working with a label that has its foundation built on blasphemous music. Death Metal with antichristian beliefs isn’t understood by most record company types, it takes real fans of the music to do the right job. We anticipate our debut album with our new brothers of METAL!!" "We’re very glad to welcome INCANTATION to the Necropolis horde," adds Necropolis Records founder/CEO Paul Thind. "We feel the band is not only one of the most important US Death Metal bands who has helped shape the scene as we know it, but will be one of the bands to continue to lead the genre in the 21st century." "We are honored to work with (band founder) John McEntee, a person who has had a profound impact on the US Death Metal scene in the last 10 years through a string of classic albums and an endless number of devastating live performances," continues Thind. "His dedication and persistence is admired by many, especially the staff at Necropolis, and he is definitely a seminal part of what’s going on in Death Metal today." "The band will also have an opportunity to feel comfortable amongst our roster, which is home to several bands that are in the vein of darker and more traditional death metal; artists like Sadistic Intent, Usurper, and others who share the same kinds of ideologies. Prepare for the ultimate assault of blasphemous Death Metal later this year…" INCANTATION will release their Necropolis Records debut in late summer/early fall 2001 Incantation is also preparing to embark on the World of Darkness North American tour with their metal brothers in Immolation and Goatwhore. Visit the Incantation website at www.incantation.com for all tour updates. Incantation is also working on a European tour along with some Brazilian dates as well. So Look out for that.
CRUACHAN has entered the studio to record songs for a MCD (called "Ride on") and their full-length album (called "Folk-Lore"). Shawn McGowan (of The Pogues) will take part on the album.
SATARIEL signed a deal with Hammerheart. Musically the band is supposed to sound as follows: "…it’s still Metal, even with Death Metal influences, but with clean vocals and with some very progressive elements…"
REBAELLIUN has finished their writing-process and the new album "Annihilation" will be recorded at Stage One Studio by Andy Classen in February 2001.
EM SINFONIA is a band by Brian Griffin (Broken Hope’s songwriter and studio-owner) that did an EP in 1999 already on Martyr Music Group. The album will be released in Europe on Hammerheart Records and it is titled "Intimate Portrait", very progressive atmospheric Death/Doom with different vocal-styles and keyboards.
SKYFIRE has finally finished their debut album at Abyss Studio called "Timeless Departure". According to label infos it is like Dark Tranquility meets Rhapsody meets Children of Bodom.
From May 16th up until Dynamo Open Air DIE APOKALYPTISCHEN REITER will tour once more across Europe with assistance of LOWBROW and ANCIENT RITES. The dates will be published soon.
SUNSETH SPHERE is another new addition to the Hammerheart roster, musically to be put in the category of The Gathering and Within Temptation, but once again different.
AETERNUS will mix their new album "Ascention of Terror" in February. Meanwhile long-time member Morrigan left the band and the bass is now handled by Orjan of Helheim.
AURA NOIR seems to continue in a new line-up, featuring Apollyon on bass/vocals, Aggressor and Blasphemer on guitars and Dirge Rep (of Enslaved) on drums.
ENSLAVED press release concerning Norwegian Grammy Awards Nomination: "We know, we know. Bands like us are supposed to be all unaffected by these things… However, the Norwegian Grammy Awards has been a pioneer in treating extreme metal seriously over the last few years. The whole thing started out with the Dimmu thing a few years back (they did a song live with some half-naked chicks and blew fire half way through the awards). The last three years there has been nothing but Death / Black / Extreme metal nominated in the Hard Rock category. So I guess it is only a natural thing; that the extreme metal bands have their "own" Grammy’s in the homeland of extreme / black metal. To be honest, at this point we have not heard any of the other two nominees (Ram-Zet and Sensa Anima), but you do not have to be a rocket scientist to figure out that we ought to win. Hehe! You never know about these things, however. Covenant won two years in a row, which tells us that there might be very disturbed people in the jury. Joke. To conclude in a more or less serious manner. We’re happy to have received this nomination, and if there are no vital dysfunctions amongst the jurors, we will win. And we’ll give the actual bronze harp statue to Garage Rock Pub, so that they can use it as a door handle. And they will give us cheap bear eternally. So there can come something good out of such a nomination, you see. It can be very metal, if you just look at it the right way! As with everything else in life! We thank chaos, miss Fortuna, quantum physics, Vulcan logic and a drop of our own talent for this nomination -Ivar Bjørnson on behalf of the ENSLAVED collective
Usually we wouldn’t feature any METALLICA related news, but this was so fresh and spectacular (well, in a way…) that we simply had to share it with you straight away: STATEMENT FROM THE MEMBERS OF METALLICA – Metallica regrets to announce that after 14 years as Metallica’s bass player, Jason Newsted has chosen to leave the band. Jason Newsted: "Due to private and personal reasons, and the physical damage that I have done to myself over the years while playing the music that I love, I must step away from the band. This is the most difficult decision of my life, made in the best interest of my family, myself, and the continued growth of Metallica. I extend my love, thanks, and best wishes to my brothers: James, Lars, and Kirk and the rest of the Metallica family, friends, and fans whom have made these years so unforgettable." Newsted joined Metallica from Flotsam And Jetsam in the fall of 1986 after the tragic death of bassist Cliff Burton. He participated in the recording of 6 Metallica albums (…And Justice For All, Metallica, Load, Re-Load, Garage Inc., and S&M) which have sold over 55 million copies world-wide to date. In addition, he played on numerous world-wide tours to millions of fans representing over 1000 gigs in all. While with Metallica, the band won countless awards including 5 Grammy Awards and 2 MTV Video Music Awards. James Hetfield: "Playing with someone who has such unbridled passion for music will forever be a huge inspiration. On stage every night, he was a driving force to us all, fans and band alike. His connection will never be broken." Lars Ulrich: "We part ways with Jason with more love, more mutual respect, and more understanding of each other than at any other point in the past. James, Kirk and I look forward to embracing the next chapter of Metallica with both a huge amount of appreciation for the last 14 years with Jason and the excitement of rising to the challenges that lay ahead to make Metallica shine brighter than ever." In the spring, Metallica will begin writing and recording a new studio album with release sometime in late 2001 or early 2002. Kirk Hammett: "Jason is our brother. He will be missed."
ANASARCA‘s second album, "Moribund" will finally be released in January/February.
Swedish SOLAR DAWN will release a MCD, entitled "Frost-Work", in January/February. In February the band enters The Abyss Studio to record the debut album, Equinoctium. Solar Dawn featues members from Unmoored and Jocke Petterson (Dawn, Thy Primordial etc.) will play session drums on the debut album.
The release of ENTER MY SILENCE‘s debutalbum, "Remotecontrolled Scythe", has been postponed to March. The band is said to appeal directly to fans of modern melodic (death) metal. Niklas Sundin of Dark Tranquility is responsible for the coverartwork.
Maltas Death/Grinder BEHEADED released a new MCD entitled Resurgence Of Oblivion in November 2000. The band is focusing on extremely brutal, groovy and violent death/grind in the US vein. The forthcoming second full lengh album will be recorded during the summer and is to be released by Mighty Music in November.
PANZERCHRIST‘s new album Soul Collector (one of the best selling titles on Mighty Music ever) was never officially released in Germany due to the fact that the distributor found the album to be too right-wing oriented. Once again the band and Mighty Music would like to underline that Panzerchrist is NOT a right-wing oriented band!!!
The well established US Death Metal band FLESHTIZED will release their new album Here Among Thorns in May. According to their label Mighty Music you can expect "tight, in-your-face grinding death metal that leaves nothing behind for Morbid Angel and Immolation!" The album will include a superb cover of Morbid Angel’s Rapure. Jacob Hansen (Illdisposed, Without Grief, Autumn Leaves etc.) will be responsible for the mix.
American Thrash veterans CRONIC DISORDER will release their second album Torture Test through Mighty Music in May. The band is playing heavy, aggressive thrash/death in the vein of new Testament and Incubus/Opprobrium!
Latest signing to Mighty Music is Brazilian NEPHASTH. This band is managed by Massive Mangement (Vader, Dies Irae, Decapitated etc.) and their debut album Immortal Unholy Triumph is planned to be released in May. Nephasth are playing ultra tight death metal and might be the next big thing from Brazil.
GUIDANCE OF SIN and Mighty Music have decided to part way with eachother. Guidance Of Sin is currently looking for a new deal.
Danish Death Metal legends INIQUITY will enter the Aabenraa Studio together with Jacob Hansen during summer to record their long awaited third full-length album. The new album is expected to be faster, dirtier and more brutal.
SACRIFICIAL from Denmark is planning to enter the Berno Studio (The Haunted, Vomitory, Deranged etc.) in the end of 2001. According to the band the new style is less complex, more simple, catchy – and in your face, but still thrashing deathrash.
Danish Death/Industrial outfit PARKINSON is still preparing their forthcoming debut album Lebensraum.
Danish CORPSE VOMIT is still concentrading on drinking and smoking dope… a reeking split-7"ep is planned for 2001.
RAVENTHRONE‘s new full-length "Endless Conflict Theorem" will be available mid 2001. To contact the band please make sure to use the following (NEW!) e-mail address: pazuzu@home.com (mails regarding PAZUZU can of course be send to that address as well).
Italy’s epic Black Metal band STORMLORD has signed a new deal with Scarlet Records! After leaving their previous label Last Episode, the band will return with a 7 track mini cd entitled ‘The Curse Of Medusa’. It will contain 2 songs that will also appear on the next full-length album, 2 exclusive songs, a cover-version of the Death SS-classic ‘Baphomet’ (remixed and with new vocals, bass and keyboard parts), and two live songs (one of them will be the cover of ‘Creeping Death’) recorded during the last Stormlord gig in Rome on 14 December 99. The mcd will be out in April.
Also signed to Scarlet Records is the Danish newcomer HATESPHERE. The band plays a Scandinavian hard-edged style of Death Metal (THE HAUNTED & ENTOMBED) with incorporated 80s Bay-Area thrash metal influences. Their self-titled debut album was produced by Jacob Hansen and will be released in April 2001 with a simultaneous release also in Japan through Soundholic / Tokuma.
IMPIETY are signed to Osmose now.
ENSLAVED are nominated for the Norwegian Grammy Awards.
Pavement Music are re-issuing some of their best selling titles. The Classic Series titles will be remixed, remastered and enhanced for your computer. The CD’s will include pictures, bio information, lyrics, videos (if available) and more. Up first in the series are: MALEVOLENT CREATION – Eternal, FORBIDDEN – Green, JUNGLE ROT – Slaughter The Weak, SOLITUDE AETURNUS – Through The Darkest Hour and INTERNAL BLEEDING – Voracious Contempt.
Pavement will release OPPRESSOR‘s classic "Solstice Of Oppression" on February 13th. The album has been out of print for many years now and was originally released on Red Light Records. This version includes updated artwork, remastered music and never released bonus tracks.
CHILDREN OF BODOM‘s new album, "Follow The Reaper", has been embraced by the Metal masses as the band’s best work to date. Their unique fusion of speed and death/black metal elements caused a buzz with their 1998 debut Something Wild, that buzz having since become a roar of approval by many. The way guitarist/singer/songwriter Alexi Laiho tells it, however, Follow The Reaper had the potential to be a huge flop. "When I started writing the music for this album I was under a lot of pressure," Laiho admits. "A lot of people were asking me, ‘What are you going to do now since you can’t do Hatebreeder Part II? How are you going to beat Hatebreeder?’ That totally fucked me up; I was sitting there thinking ‘What the hell am I supposed to write?’ I eventually ended up writing complete crap: I wasn’t satisfied with it at all. I was thinking about every single riff – ‘Are people going to like this or not?’ – and not about what I wanted to do. I just decided to put everything on the table and not care about what other people are going to like. After that it wasn’t hard to write the music at all." As for the recent trash talking that has been going on, with some people (as seen on our mighty Braveboard at www.bravewords.com) trying to tear down the band for their seemingly widespread appeal, Laiho remains unaffected. "I don’t really pay attention to that sort of shit. It doesn’t have anything to do with what we’re doing, and if we do start paying attention to that it’s just really going to fuck everything up. If people want to talk shit about us, then go ahead. You know, I thought that no one was going to like our stuff when the first album came out because it wouldn’t be black metal enough for the black metal people and vice versa with the speed metal crowd. But, you know, if someone has a problem with it, too fucking bad. That’s their problem."
According to knac.com, TESTAMENT are in the studio working on tracks for a Spring/Summer release, to be produced by Andy Sneap. The band are also planning re-recordings of their first few Megaforce albums. "We’re planning to re-do the best tunes from the early records, only it’ll sound better with current technology and our current lineup, which kicks ass," states Eric Peterson. "It’s just gonna sound CRUSHING." That project is scheduled to be released in limited edition before the new studio album. Peterson’s first solo project, DRAGONLORD, is also nearing completion. "The ironic thing is, almost all the guys I recorded this disc with ended up in Testament! The music is totally different from Testament. It’s way more gothic, classically influenced melodic music, with strings, a choir, harpsichords and lots of screaming and hair pulling. The sound is kinda DIMMU BORGIR crossed with EMPEROR. Dragonlord features keyboardist Lyle Livingston (PSYPHERIA), drummer John Allen (ex-SADUS), bassist Steve DiGiorgio (ex-DEATH/ICED EARTH) and guitarist Steve Smyth (ex-VICIOUS RUMORS. The disc is produced by Peter Tägtren.
DEATH are set to release "Live At The Whiskey A Go-Go" on Nuclear Blast. The album features the best tracks of every Death era in powerful live performances. More details as they become available.
CRADLE OF FILTH are planning to donate a track to the forthcoming TWISTED SISTER Tribute.
BORKNAGAR‘s Quintessence is nominated for the Norwegian Alarm Award in the category Best Metal Album. To vote for the band, click on www.alarmweb.org/metal.shtml – one vote is allowed in each category. For everyone who already passed their votes, due to reasons unknown the counter has been reset and all votes were deleted. Please vote again. This award is the official award from alternative music press and radio-stations in Norway.
The CANNIBAL CORPSE, DIMMU BORGIR, THE HAUNTED and LAMB OF GOD tour will start in April and continues through the first week of May.
Prophecy Productions have started a new label, Ember Music. The label will focus on releasing "intense music", and among it’s first releases will be albums from NAERVAER, TENHI and EMPYRIUM.
EMPYRIUM are busy recording a new album, Weiland, to be released on the new Ember Music label. The album is described as being "dark, very atmospheric and challenging".
BLAZING ETERNITY‘s bassist, Magnus "Darkenfald" Ringling has left the band. Anders I. Kristiansen is the new bass player. The bands new album will be recorded later in 2001.
BETHLEHEM will begin recording their next album, Schatten Aus Der Alexander Welt, in March. The album will be produced by Markus Stock.
CIRCLE OF DEAD CHILDREN has been picked up by Necropolis’ Deathvomit Records. Look for a new release from the band this Spring.
AMICUSS is a band formed by Killjoy of NECROPHAGIA and Casey Kaos of AMEN. They are on the verge of signing with Virgin Records and plan on working with Ross Robinson for their debut full-length.
WOLFEN SOCIETY, the new project featuring members of ACHERON, DARK FUNERAL, INCANTATION and THE ELECTRIC HELLFIRE CLUB, have been forced to delay the release of their forthcoming MCD, Conquer Divine. It seems that someone at Thorn/Apple Studios recorded over the title song on the bands DAT tape. They now have to go back into the studio to re-record the track. The band apologize for the delay and say they will get the disc out as soon as possible.
ABLAZE MY SORROW vocalist Martin Qvist is out of the band, again. His replacement is singer Kristian Lönnsjö (ex-DEIFICATION). The band have composed eight new songs. Some titles: ‘Erase/Relieved’, ‘Ad Libitum’, ‘Slit Wide Open’ and ‘Suicidal’.
DARK FUNERAL are busy writing songs for their third album. They are scheduled to enter the Abyss Studio with Peter Tagtgren on January 24th, with the recording expected to take four weeks. The album is scheduled to be released in May, followed by festival gigs during the Summer and a massive headlining tour after that.
LORD BELIAL guitarist Pepa af Vassago has left the band for personal reasons. His replacement is Plague (MASTEMA, B.E.A.S.T.). For more on Pepa’s departure check out the bands website, www.lordbelial.com.
KULT OV AZAZEL, who are currently gearing up for an April tour with MALEVOLENT CREATION and MONSTROSITY, are looking for the 2 weeks worth of dates. Anyone interested please contact the band at KultOvAzazel@aol.com. Double bass and speed is a must. To hear the band, the track ‘My Misanthropy’ can be found at www.mp3.com/KultovAzazel.
DEW-SCENTED have a new website. You can check it out at www.dew-scented.de Their old e-mail address dew-scented@geocities.com is no longer in service. They can be reached at info@dew-scented.de from now on. The songwriting for their fourth album is progressing and they have 8 new tracks done. 2-3 more are planned (maybe also another cover track of some of their old Thrash Metal heroes…). The album will be recorded again for Grind Syndicate Media / NBR and produced by Andy Classen at Stage One Studios in late May 2001. Even though nothing concrete has been decided on yet, the album title will start with an "i" once again (as usual…).