Today, Iron Bonehead Productions sets June 7th as the international release date for Mutilate‘s highly anticipated second album, Contagium, on CD and vinyl LP formats.
Hailing from New York, Mutilate are literally a blast from the past. Sounding as if time stopped some 30 years ago, this quartet create crude ‘n’ rude black-cum-death metal that was only brewed in the darkest dungeons of the underground circa 1987. As such, they aesthetically nod to the likes of Death Strike, Helllhammer, Nunslaughter, and Goatlord (U.S.) as well as the torchbearers that came after those pioneers during the ’90s like Benediction, Acheron, Usurper, and Sathanas. It’s stripped-down and simple, and unapologetically so, and done with absolute belief and total authenticity. Trend-mongers couldn’t tolerate Tormentium, their debut album for Iron Bonehead last year, and yet the record won the support of those who do not entry to the false.
Now, striking while the iron’s red-hot, Mutilate return with the even stronger and more disgusting Contagium. Aptly titled, Contagium is a throbbing wellspring of pus and pestilence: crude ‘n’ rude DEATH METAL from an arcane age. Without almost effortless aplomb, Mutilate build upon the already-firm rudiments of Tormentium and simply add a darker, more crushing aspect as well as classically headbanging moments. And yet, for the even-more-overt heaviness here, Contagium also breathes a more haunting, otherworldly atmosphere – much like its cover art, as it were – perhaps best exemplified by the album’s closing title track. Dizzying and delirious, or simply downtuned and doomed to fuck: there’s no escaping this Contagium!
Try escape the new track “Vile and Disgusting” here:
Aforementioned cover art and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Mutilate’s
Contagium 1. Vile and
Disgusting 2. Quartered 3. No Faith 4. Eyes of a Child 5. Falling
Into Darkness 6. Black Fate 7. Decapitator 8. Skeletal Haunting 9.
Contagium
March 20, 2019 – Los Angeles, CA – The legendary Norwegian longstanding partnership of Fenriz and Ted “Nocturno Culto” Skjellum, return with their first studio album since 2016’s hugely popular ‘Arctic Thunder’, in the shape of ‘Old Star’. With a mastery and endless dedication to the art of the riff, the Norwegian legends cut through 6 new epic tracks, taking in the best of the old school of heavy & extreme metal plus a large dose of doom-laden riffing, & channelling it through the grime of the underground. Fenriz enthuses, “Old star – again we are here with THE RIFFS! A while after our previous ARCTIC THUNDER album it became apparent that we would continue in that same style, BLACK OLD HEAVY METAL with slow thrash, classic doom and slow death metal.”
As many have focused on the 70s sound over the last 20 years, the mix on our new album has ended up being more 80s than ever. The songs are more metal than ever! Ted’s songs have alot of black metal in them, faster and slower but also doomier parts and reocurring parts. My songs are more linear written, it’s an ancient 80s underground trick, with breaks, all slow heavy or slow thrash, classic doom or slow death.»
He continues, “All in all it is our most 80s album so far and our most metal one to date with drum sound typical for the 80s USA/German market and damned lyrics, which are all written by me. We feel that OLD STAR is the big brother of ARCTIC THUNDER. More solid and with even better riffs.”
Old Star was recorded at the band’s Necrohell 2 Studios, with engineering and production duties carried out by vocalist/guitarist Nocturno Culto, complemented with a perfectly organic mix courtesy of Sanford Parker (Voivod) at Hypercube Studios, & mastered once more by Jack Control at Enormous Door. The stellar cover artistry comes courtesy of Chadwick St John, titled “The Shepherd of the Deep”.
Over the course of 30 years, Norway’s Darkthrone has become a staple of the global black metal genre, forging a legacy as one of the most renowned and influential bands in its illustrious & often infamous history. In the formative years following their 1987 inception, Darkthrone initially started with a strong concoction of thrash & then death/doom metal experimentation, with broader musical influences spanning from the 60s to the 80s, before the debut album Soulside Journey was unleashed in 1991. Never ones to follow convention or stand still even then, the band soon embraced a much darker, more primitive form of expression with the now iconic second album A Blaze in the Northern Sky, & the rest became history.
CARACH ANGREN
have announced a European headlining tour this Summer. The ‘Pitch Black
Summer 2019’ tour starts at Wave Gotik Treffen in Leipzig (DE) and takes the
band through France, Spain, The United Kingdom, the Netherlands and more.
CARACH ANGREN will be supported by WOLFHEART, THY ANTICHRIST
and NEVALRA. A full list of tour dates can be found below
CARACH
ANGREN comment: “This summer Europe will be drenched in a pitch black
darkness as we will bring horror to all of you. This will be the longest crusade
we have ever undertaken as it consists of almost 40 shows and festivals all
across the continent. We are proud to present our special guests Wolfheart and
supporting is Thy Antichrist & Nevada from America!”
CARACH ANGREN With WOLFHEART, THY ANTICHRIST and NEVALRA 21 Apr 19 Oslo (NO) Inferno Festival 2019 * 09 Jun 19 Leipzig (DE) Wave Gotik Treffen 10 Jun 19 Frankfurt (DE) Batschkapp 11 Jun 19 Paris (FR) Maroquinerie 12 Jun 19 Toulouse (FR) Le Rex 13 Jun 19 Madrid (ES) Mon 14 Jun 19 Porto (PT) Club Hard 15 Jun 19 Lisbon (PT) RCA 16 Jun 19 Sevilla (ES) Sala X 18 Jun 19 Granada (ES) El Tren 19 Jun 19 Valencia (ES) Republica 20 Jun 19 Barcelona (ES) Salamandra 22 Jun 19 Clisson (FR) Hellfest 2019 24 Jun 19 Milan (IT) Legend Club 25 Jun 19 Luzern (CH) Schuur 26 Jun 19 Essen (DE) Turock 27 Jun 19 Trier (DE) Mergener Hof 28 Jun 19 Ferropolis (DE) With Full Force 2019 29 Jun 19 Dokkem (NL) Dokkem Open Air 2019 30 Jun 19 Brugge (BE) Entrepot 01 Jul 19 London (UK) The Underworld 02 Jul 19 Birmingham (UK) Mama Roux 03 Jul 19 Manchester (UK) Rebellion 04 Jul 19 Glasgow (UK) Audio 05 Jul 19 Dublin (IE) Voodoo Lounge 06 Jul 19 Limerick (IE) Dolans Warehouse 07 Jul 19 Bristol (UK) The Fleece 08 Jul 19 Rotterdam (NL) Baroeg 10 Jul 19 Bratislava (SK) Randal 11 Jul 19 Dunaujvaros (HU) Rockmarathon 2019 12 Jul 19 Warsaw (PL) Proxima 13 Jul 19 Anykšciai (LT) Devilstone Open Air 2019 14 Jul 19 Tallinn (EE) Tapper 16 Jul 19 Tampere (FI) Klubi 17 Jul 19 Helsinki (FI) On the Rocks 19 Jul 19 Gävle (SE) Gefle Metal Festival 2019 20 Jul 19 Gothenburg (SE) Sticky Fingers 21 Jul 19 Aalborg (DK) Platform 4
CARACH ANGREN only *
CARACH ANGREN will be playing in support of their latest release ‘Dance and Laugh amongst the Rotten’. The cover art by Costin Chioreanu and track-list can both be viewed below.
Track
list:
1. Opening (2:17) 2. Charlie (4:10) 3. Blood Queen (4:55) 4. Charles Francis Coghlan (6:07) 5.
Song for the Dead (4:16) 6. In De Naam Van De Duivel
(6:29) 7. Pitch Black Box (3:17) 8. The Possession Process (4:27) 9.
Three Times Thunder Strikes (5:19)
Total playing time:
41:16
The Dutch masters of horror are
back with their most flamboyant album so far. On ‘Dance and Laugh amongst the
Rotten’, CARACH ANGREN are painting musical pictures that
easily combine the grandiose depth of a Rembrandt with Van Gogh’s maelstrom of
whirling colours and the utter madness of Bosch. This lusciously seductive danse
macabre will drag you in and never let go.
CARACH ANGREN
have employed all the sonic colours on their palette to dazzling effect. Their
trademark whipping guitars are weaving harsh melodies and sinister soundscapes,
which are beautifully contrasted by opulent keyboards and majestic
orchestrations. That Till Lindemann (RAMMSTEIN) and Peter Tägtgren (PAIN) have
called upon the composition talent of Clemens “Ardek” Wijers is a telling sign
of his outstanding mastery of the craft. Another signatory counterpoint is
provided by Seregor’s fierce rasping and shrieking vocals. Adding to the impact,
Namtar has become a relentless driving force with his hard hitting yet intricate
drumming. Each track on this album is a highlight on its own, while combined
‘Dance and Laugh amongst the Rotten’ simply shines.
CARACH
ANGREN set out to tell ghost-stories with a set of paranormal cases
recorded on the demo ‘The Chase Vault Tragedy’ (2004). This was soon followed by
the official release of the ‘Ethereal Veiled Existence’ EP (2005) as a prelude
to the haunting ‘Lammendam’ (2008). The Dutch had a clear vision of combining a
dark baroque style of metal with horror based lyrical concepts. Their sophomore
full-length ‘Death Came through a Phantom Ship’ (2010) witnessed the band
setting sail to bring their eccentric and capturing live performances to
audiences and festivals all over Europe. In the wake of third album ‘Where the
Corpses Sink Forever’ (2012), the haunting had reached the Americas and started
to spread rapidly. This recorded added a serious side to the lyrics of
CARACH ANGREN. While firmly remaining in the horror genre,
their tales revolve around the evils of war. This mature streak was taken a step
further with the fourth full-length ‘This Is No Fairytale’, which is on the
surface a darker variation of the “Hansel and Gretel” story from the Brothers
Grimm collection, but also deals with the too real topic of child abuse in a
dysfunctional family.
With ‘Dance and Laugh amongst the Rotten’,
CARACH ANGREN are returning to “pure” storytelling with
episodes that are centered on a girl playing a little too long with her Ouija
board. The Dutch have pushed their unashamedly theatric style to a new intense
height. You do not believe us yet? Press play and unleash these radiant ghosts
into your home…
Line-up Seregor: vocals,
guitars Ardek: keyboards, orchestra Namtar: drums Guitars on tracks 2,
3, 4 written by Seregor Guitars on tracks 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 written by Ardek
& Seregor Bass written by Ardek
Guest
musicians Nikos Mavridis: solo violin on tracks 3, 4, 9 Patrick
Damiani: all guitars and bass guitar
Vocals & keys
recording: Clemens Wijers Music Productions, The
Netherlands Drums recording: Abyss Studio,
Sweden Guitars & bass recording: Patrick Damiani, Tidal
Wave Studio, Germany
Mixing: Peter Tägtgren, Abyss
Studio, Sweden
Mastering: Jonas Kjellgren, Black Lounge
Studio, Sweden
CRIPPLED
BLACK PHOENIX are
about to head out on their earlier announced European tour. The tour starts
tomorrow, Tuesday March 19 in Scunthorpe (UK) and ends at the
Roadburn Festival in the Netherlands, a few weeks later. The band will be
supported by SOFT KILL and FOTOCRIME.
A
full list of confirmed shows can be found below.
CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX + SOFT KILL and FOTOCRIME 19 Mar 19 Scunthorpe (UK) Café Indie * 20 Mar 19 Manchester (UK) Rebellion * 21 Mar 19 London (UK) The Underworld 22 Mar 19 Brighton (UK) Pattern 23 Mar 19 Osnabrück (DE) Bastard Club 24 Mar 19 Hamburg (DE) Knust 25 Mar 19 Aarhus (DK) Voxhall 26 Mar 19 Stockholm (SE) Kraken 27 Mar 19 Copenhagen (DK) Vega 28 Mar 19 Berlin (DE) BiNuu 29 Mar 19 Dresden (DE) Scheune 30 Mar 19 Prague (CZ) Underdogs 01 Apr 19 Afschaffenburg (DE) Colossaal 02 Apr 19 Martigny (CH) Caves du Manoir 03 Apr 19 Vaureal (FR) Le Forum 04 Apr 19 Strasbourg (FR) La Laiterie 05 Apr 19 Nimes (FR) La Paloma 06 Apr 19 Luzern (CH) Schüür 07 Apr 19 Villingen Schwenningen (DE) Klosterhof 08 Apr 19 Vienna (AT) Arena 09 Apr 19 Munich (DE) Feierwerk 10 Apr 19 Cologne (DE) Luxor 11 Apr 19 Tilburg (NL) Roadburn Festival 2019
CBP and FOTOCRIME only *
CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX are touring in support of their full length ‘Great Escape’ which was released on September 14, 2018. The artwork and track-list can be viewed below.
Track-list 1.
You Brought It Upon Yourselves (3:43) 2. To You I Give (9:22) 3. Uncivil War (pt I) (2:50) 4.
Madman (4:51) 5. Times, They Are A’Raging (11:58) 6. Rain Black, Reign
Heavy (5:58) 7. Slow Motion Breakdown (4:34) 8. Nebulas (5:35) 9. Las Diabolicas (3:49) 10. Great Escape (pt I) (7:36) 11. Great Escape (pt II)
(13:03)
‘Great Escape’, this beautiful touch of darkness comes hardly as a surprise, when taking into account that CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX mastermind Justin Greaves has previously gone public about his personal fight against severe depression. Similar dark themes and traits have already been a hallmark of the UK rockers’ latest full-length, ‘Bronze’ (2016).
CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX have always confounded critics trying to pin their style down ever since founder Justin Greaves recorded his first ideas in 2004 – which earned them tagging attempts ranging from “stoner prog” through “freak folk” to “psychedelic doom”. Despite the wide range of musical leanings within their albums, there are a unifying dark streak and somber melancholy running through the songs. Greaves had already made himself a name as drummer for IRON MONKEY and ELECTRIC WIZARD among others. When the multi-instrumentalist finally decided to stand on his own musical feet, CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX was born. This involves a changing cast of musicians and live set-ups which mirrored the ever-ongoing evolution of the band, and the fact that the songs were mostly not composed with a live performance on mind.
Between 2007 and 2014, CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX released a string of five critically highly acclaimed studio albums – namely ‘A Love of Shared Disasters’ (2007), ‘The Resurrectionists’ (2009), ‘Night Raider’ (2009), ‘(Mankind) The Crafty Ape’ (2012), and ‘White Light Generator’ (2014). This was complemented by EPs ‘I, Vigilante’ (2010), ‘No Sadness or Farewell’ (2012), and ‘Oh’ Ech-oes’ (2015), the live recording ‘Live Poznan’ (2013), and the ‘200 Tons of Bad Luck’ compilation (2009). Their ‘New Dark Age Tour EP 2015 A.D.’ was the band’s first release on Season of Mist and came with an extensive homage to PINK FLOYD. The strong influence of the UK rock giants could also be felt on ‘Bronze’ (2016), yet while CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX never denied their roots, this outstanding act has long created their own sonic cosmos.
With last year’s ‘Horrific Honorifics’ offering, the band elegantly payed tribute to great artists and classic songs while making those tracks their own in sound and spirit without compromising the integrity of the original masterpieces.
Now with ‘Great Escape’, CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX take you on their new adventure and let you explore their sonic cosmos even further, and where all its emotions are reflected on to this earth. From the angry “Rain Black”, to the unnerving “Madman” and forgiving “Nebulas”, CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX arise once more.
Canadian post black metallers
NUMENOREAN are now premiering the title track from upcoming
record ‘Adore’.
NUMENOREAN
have unveiled the cover artwork of ‘Adore’, which has been created by Luca
Pierro. The artwork can be found below, together with the tracklist.
Tracklist: 1. Nocebo (02:31) 2.
Portrait of Pieces (08:37) 3. Horizon (04:17) 4. And Nothing Was The
Same (01:29) 5. Regret (06:56) 6. Stay (02:22) 7. Coma (05:10) 8. Alone (02:01) 9. Adore (08:42) 10. DDHS (01:23) Total playing time:
0:43:28
Contrasting the bleakness of their debut record ‘Home’, Canadian post-black metal act NUMENOREAN have painted their sophomore effort ‘Adore’ in an array of brighter shades, while never loosing intensity. The new record will be released on Season of Mist on April 12.
Having only released a 2-song demo in 2014, the band got offered a lengthy recording deal by Season of Mist. Soon after, debut record ‘Home’ followed and the underground met NUMENOREAN’s take on post black metal with some critical acclaim, yet also polarizing views, due to the graphic nature of the cover.
With ‘Home’, NUMENOREAN achieved far more than just following a musical path pioneered by DEAFHEAVEN, ALCEST, WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM, and DER WEG EINER FREIHEIT. The Canadians crafted a musical masterpiece that embraced beauty, harshness and melancholy in equal measure and transformed those into fragile, nihilistic and hauntingly beautiful songs.
After playing shows with DEAFHEAVEN, GHOST BATH and BATUSKHA in Canada, the United States and Australia, NUMENOREAN set up a crowdfunding campaign to fund the recording of the sophomore album with Josh Schroeder (GHOST BATH).
Forming the antithesis of the previous album, ‘Adore’ adopts a more vibrant approach, both musically and thematically. Rather than seeing life from a nihilistic view, the songs convey a loose message of hope. The lyrics and the theme of the music explore being beat, down and broken, but still finding a way to preserve by finding reasons to appreciate life for what it can be.
NUMENOREAN skilfully employ the feeling of melancholy, an intricate song writing and the black metal roots that marked their debut. Yet the newfound hooks and facets of ‘Adore’, represent a band that has established and evolved sound. ‘Adore’, will be one for the year lists.
Today, Sepulchral Productions sets April 26th as the international release date for Ossuaire‘s highly anticipated debut album, Premiers Chants.
Having recently inked a record deal with Sepulchral Productions, Ossuaire emerges anew as the grandiose and impetuous first chapter of a concept spawning two albums and recounting the major events contributing to the downfall of Christianity and the rise of heresy resounds. Ossuaire delivers a resolutely unwholesome breed of black metal, both corrosive and melodic, bestowing upon this offering an aura that is as dark as it is authentic.
First track premiere to be revealed shortly. Preorder for the album can be found HERE. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Ossuaire’s Premiers
Chants 1. Premiers
Chants 2. La Procession des Flagellants 3. La Flamme Noire de
Ge’henom 4. Exhortation 5. Saints Céphalophores 6. La Grande
Apostasie
Today, Hells Headbangers sets April 26th as the international
release date for Nighnacht‘s surprise debut EP, Christophila, on 7″ vinyl
format.
Although an otherwise brand-new and unknown name,
Nighnacht is the new project of Don of the Dead, vocalist and
founder of the legendary Nunslaughter. While that band prepares
their long-awaited next studio recordings – including a new full-length
for Hells Headbangers, before the end of 2019 –
Nighnacht steps forward to bring a new-yet-familiar take on the
Devil’s metal. Put the needle on Christophilia and it’s immediately
apparent that Don of the Dead is still ruling supreme and still fully committed
to the simple-but-profound pleasures of punkish, rocking death metal, but here
with more than a bit of blackened sizzle. Compact and cantankerous, the five
songs comprising Nighnacht‘s opening salvo slash ‘n’ bash
through 12 minutes of orgiastic mayhem that could only come from Don of the
Dead!
In the meantime, hear the new track “Christophilia”
Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Nighnacht’s
Christophilia 1. Vultures Feed
on Me 2. Christophilia 3. Abudcted Raped and Eaten 4. Crippled
Traitor 5. Agony
Norwegian black metal titans ABBATH have announced the release of the second full length record ‘Outstrider’. The album is set for worldwide release on July 5, 2019. ABBATH have furthermore released an album teaser, which can be found here:
ABBATH will also headline the
Beyond the Gates festival in Norway, on Saturday August 24. Label mates
MAYHEM are schedule to headline the Norwegian festival on
Thursday August 22. A list of all confirmed dates can be viewed below
ABBATH tourdates 27
Jul 19 Steenwijk (NL) Stonehenge Festival 2019 24 Aug 19 Bergen (NO) Beyond
the Gates Festival
The coverartwork and tracklist
for ‘Outstrider’ have also been revealed and can be found below. The artwork was
created by Kim Holm and Olav Iversen
Track
listing: 1. Calm in Ire (Of Hurricane) (04:32) 2. Bridge of
Spasms (03:49) 3. The Artifex (04:09) 4. Harvest Pyre (04:12) 5. Land
of Khem (04:08) 6. Outstrider (05:39) 7. Scythewinder (04:17) 8. Hecate
(04:25) 9. Pace till Death (BATHORY cover) (03:41)
When Abbath announced that he had left IMMORTAL, it sent
massive shockwaves through the metal scene. The iconic frontman had long become
the “face” of the Norwegian black scene, his image synonymous with the genre.
Upon releasing his debut album with his eponymous new band,
ABBATH, in 2016, trve fans were satiated with a dose of icy,
blackened fury.
Now, the Norwegian giant returns for round two, armed
with a refined lineup and ready to strike with a sophomore effort that is sure
to once again exceed the expectations of Abbath’s loyal fanbase. ‘Outstrider’
sees a maturation in sound, delivering a tighter, well-rounded offering from the
band as they come into their own identity.
While there are moments that
certainly channel the frosty hallmarks of IMMORTAL, there is no danger of
ABBATH repeating that formula. ABBATH draws
from NWOBM and melodic influences, adding a fresh new flavor to the sound that
the band’s founder came to define.
‘Oustrider’ consists of eight,
crushing original songs and concludes with a fiery BATHORY cover. The album
promises a full-on aural assault from start to finish with frigid riffage and a
robust pocket that are layered with vocals from one of the most identifiable
voices in black metal. If you thought ABBATH came in hot with
their last record, just wait until you hear this!
Line-up Abbath
– Vocals & guitars Ole Andre Farstad -Guitars Ukri Suviletho –
Drums Mia Wallace – Bass
Today, Helldprod Records announces May 31st as the international release date for Hellish Grave‘s highly anticipated second album, Hell No Longer Awaits.
Hailing from Brazil, Hellish Grave formed in 2011 with the intent to play blackthrash influenced by great masters of the style, such as Vulcano, Sodom, Celtic Frost, Venom, and Nifelheim, as well as classic heavy metal acts like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Motorhead, and Mercyful Fate. After the release of a demo and an EP, in 2016, the band released their debut album, Worship Macabre, via Kill Again Records, which is also the label home for Violator, The Force, Attomica, etc.
Emboldened by that momentum and striking while the iron’s red fucking hot, Hellish Grave return with an even stronger second album, Hell No Longer Awaits, via fans-from-the-beginning Helldprod Records. Pushing forward a more unique identity with the force of an iron fist, Hellish Grave here aren’t easily labelled as simply “blackthrash”; their songwriting chops have deepened, and they’ve found an ever-elusive balance between tight execution and Bachanalian wildness. More to the point, they’re delivering fucking ANTHEMS that are more accurately described as BLACK heavy metal: the headbang reigns supreme, and it’s supremely evil. Not for nothing is the album devilishly titled Hell No Longer Awaits, such is their slaying…
Recorded & mixed in professional studio Da Tribo – where the likes of Krisiun, Ratos de Porão (RDP), and Torture Squad have recorded, among others – Hell No Longer Awaits is truly the coming-of-age record Hellish Grave have hinted at since their not-inconsiderable beginnings. Graced with cover art and layout by Fernando JFL (Damn Youth, Flagelador, Violator, Etc), Hellish Grave‘s second strike is the deadliest!
Get deadly struck by the new track “Macabre Worship” here:
Aforementioned cover art and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for
Hellish Grave’s Hell No Longer
Awaits 1. Transilvanian
Nights (Instrumental) 2. In Nomine Draculae 3. Revenant Awakening 4.
Possessed By The Witch 5. Over My Haunted Pact 6. Macabre Worship 7.
Lust For Youth 8. Locomotive Blast 9. Hell No Longer Waits 10. Soldiers
Of Hell (European edition exclusive song)
KAMPFAR – ‘OFIDIANDS MANIFEST’ TO BE RELEASED ON MAY 3RD
Los Angeles, CA – Approaching 25 years of existence and having grown to become one of extreme music’s premier live outfits, while releasing albums that would dominate year-end lists and even bagging a Norwegian “Spellemann” Grammy award for their ‘Profan’ album, Kampfar looked ready to go and dominate for years to come. But behind the music, disguised during the intense live shows, underneath it all, was a clarity that the road’s end was nigh.
Founded back in 1994 by Dolk, who recruited Thomas to take care of strings and keys while the former focused on drums and vocals, the band was an underground gem for years. A band whose first records are spoken of with reverence to this day, perhaps helped by the low profile they kept at the time. It was ten years before the first live show was performed, at this point bassist Jon and drummer Ask Ty had joined the ranks and this line-up released another three albums before Thomas departed the band, 2011’s ‘Mare’ the last release with his stamp so solidly placed on it.
This recording marked a shift in the style and expression of the band, becoming the leading star for the records to come, now with the new guitarist and songwriter Ole who quickly developed into a key force of the group. With the albums ‘Djevelmakt’ and ‘Profan’ Kampfar established a new era for Norwegian Black Metal, proving that while some may have lost their passion for the fiercest musical exploits, these men had a hunger that was as ravenous as ever.
Except that life has a knack for surprise. Health issues caused the band to slow down and during the summer of 2017 it was decided that there would be no more Kampfar, unless something radically changed. The guys didn’t see each other for a year, didn’t really speak or keep up any kind of contact, just focusing on their own personal lives. “It was time to just heal, to not cause any more damage, to just see if one could get back to a point of strength again” says Dolk. It was a year that culminated in ‘Ofidians Manifest’.
Though demos were written by Ole during the spring, shaped massively by him losing his father in the same period, the main song writing was done over the course of two months in the fall of 2018, with another month spent recording the album in Bergen, Oslo and Pärlby, Sweden. The band spent intense weeks together in their creative home of Hemsedal, moulding and shaping the songs, surrounded by mountains and forest that turned from summer green, to autumn yellow, to winter white as they worked extensively on what was to become this testament to the band themselves.
As part of the healing process of creating this collection of songs the decision was made to involve Agnete Kjølsrud on the track ‘Dominans’. Her contribution to the song lifted the atmosphere of the whole album, and the duet is one of perfect harmony between two very different yet familiar voices bonding to create an excellent song. Marianne Maria Moen’s contribution on album closer ‘Det Sorte’ similarly brings to light the realisation that all life is fragile and that our voices must be allowed to bellow through the world for as long as there is air left to bellow with.
The madness of Medusa was chosen as a visual clue to the record’s themes, represented by two different paintings to be explored on the physical releases. And again, the band decided to travel to Poland to record a music video, this time with director Dariusz Szermanowicz of Grupa 13. The video, hinting at the many underlying stories of the album, is a chaotic depiction of the road back to equilibrium, a place no one knows yet all walk towards. According to Ask Ty, the choice of song proclaiming the band’s return was made because “it tells you everything you need to know about Kampfar today, distilled down to four and a half minutes of intense breaks and turns, it is the beginning and the end and the new beginnings after that, and it is the sound of a band that is alive and well.”
‘Ofidians Manifest’ represents Kampfar anno 2019. 25 years on from their foundation, only willing to release new music if they felt it would surpass all they had done before, it is a condensation of the immense struggles of the last few years. Everything that has been hidden behind the music and the live performances is laid bare, though told in the only way the band can portray themselves, through songs. It is immensely honest yet wrapped in their own folklore, the snake tongues splitting every truth into two deeper truths, every word sung dominated by the weight of all those sung before.
To Ofidian.
Kampfar is:
Ole – Guitar and keys | Jon – Bass | Dolk – Vocals| Ask Ty – Drums and vocals
Press pictures All press pictures are taken by photographer Sebastian Ludvigsen in Hemsedal where most of the album was written. Some of the pictures are taken just a few meters away from where the first Kampfar pictures were taken 25 years ago.
