Month: September 2019

AEGRUS to release new 7″ EP through PURITY THROUGH FIRE, reveal first track

Today, Purity Through Fire sets October 31st as the international release date for a special EP from Aegrus, Wolves Howl Revenge, on 7″ vinyl format.

Hailing from Kouvola, Aegrus is a Finnish black metal band formed in 2005 by vocalist Darkseer Incuta and guitarist Lux Tenebris to act as a vision about Satanic devotion and mockery against Christianity – a vision that, over the years, has grown deeper and more holistic with its misanthrophic outlook about Lucifer/Satan, with light and darkness acting as a guiding force behind the members’ passionate interest towards darkness, occult, self-development, and transcendental knowledge.

Aegrus operated the first ten years of its existence deep in the underground, steadily keeping the black flame growing by forging a series of demos and the Luciferian Engravings in 2011. The pact with Satan finally started to manifest when it gave birth to their debut album, Devotion for the Devil, in 2015, released by France’s cult Drakkar Productions. A year later, Finnish label Hammer of Hate released their EP Conjuring the Old Echoes as a celebration of the past decade. This eventually led to the deal with another Finnish label, Saturnal Records, and the bond with Devil grew even stronger as their even-stronger second album, Thy Numinous Darkness, came out in October 2017.

During this time, Aegrus have justly earned a reputation for their powerful live shows and have now morphed into a four-man group, as long-time session live members Serpentifer (drums) and Praestigiator (guitars) joined their ranks. And now, in 2019, the band are prepared to unleash two Satanic strikes: a new album titled In Manus Satanas and a two-song 7″ for Purity Through Fire titled Wolves Howl Revenge. Indeed aptly titled, Wolves Howl Revenge is a swift ‘n’ decisive attack of black metal lycanthropy, featuring two new and exclusive songs. As ever, Aegrus are unapologetically Finnish through and through: harsh and hysteric, yet never forgetting the burning black fire of majestic melodicism. Just as cold and raw as before, but distilled effortlessly into an essence that’s traditional in the non-pejorative sense – this is FINNISH BLACK METAL, in all caps. Hark, for Wolves Howl Revenge! 

The first howl of revenge can be heard with the brand-new track “Wolves of Belial”
Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Aegrus’ Wolves Howl Revenge
Side A – Wolves of Belial
Side B – Flames of Revenge
MORE INFO:
www.facebook.com/aegrusofficial

Heilung update tour schedule and announce support acts!

HEILUNG are now updating their European tour dates, including the support acts on selected dates. LINDY-FAY HELLA will join HEILUNG in London, MIRA CETI PROJECT will be present during the Paris show and SANGRE DE MIERDAGO will join the band  on selected dates. The exact schedule and support acts can be found below.

HEILUNG are furthermore proud to announce that the shows in Warsaw (PL), Essen (DE), Utrecht (NL), Brussel (BE) and Paris (FR) are already sold out. Tickets for the remaining shows are also running low.
HEILUNG European tour
22 Oct 19 Palladium (PL) Warschau (Sold out)
24 Oct 19 Berlin (DE) Admiralspalast (tickets)*
26 Oct 19 Essen (DE) Colosseum Theater (Sold out)*
28 Oct 19 Munich (DE) Circus Krone (tickets)*
30 Oct 19 Prague (CZ) Divadlo Hybernia (tickets)*
01 Nov 19 Halle (DE) Händelhalle (tickets)*
03 Nov 19 Vienna (AT) The Vienna Globe (tickets)*
05 Nov 19 Zurich (CH) Volkshaus (tickets)*
07 Nov 19 Kiel (DE) Kieler Schloss (tickets)*
10 Nov 19 London (UK) Roundhouse (tickets)&
14 Nov 19 Utrecht (NL) Tivoli Vredenburg (Sold out)
17 Nov 19 Brussels (BE) Ancienne Belgique (Sold out)
20 Nov 19 Paris (FR) Elysée Montmartre (Sold out)#
* support: Sangre de Muerdago
& support: Lindy-Fay Hella
# support: Mira Ceti

HEILUNG live
07 Sep 19 Selb (DE) Mediaval Festival 2019
17 Oct 19 Nancy (FR) Nancy Jazz Pulsation Festival
19 Oct 19 Hameln (DE) Autumn Moon Festival 2019
06 Dec 19 Lviv (UA) Lviv State Circus
08 Dec 19 Kyiv (UA) Center of Culture and Arts NAU
14 Dec 19 Copenhagen (DK) Amager Bio (Sold out)
18 Feb 20 York (UK) Descended from Odin Festival (Exact date TBA)
22 Feb 20 York (UK) Jorvink Viking Festival
10 Apr 20 Rouen (FR) Le 106
12 Apr 20 Toulouse (FR) Echos Et Merveilles Festival
16 May 20 Metz (FR) Cire Musicale -Bam
20 Aug 20 St.-Nolff (FR) Motocultor Festival 2020 (Exact date TBA) HEILUNG will be touring in support of ‘Futha’ which was released on June 28, 2019. The cover artwork and album details of ‘Futha’ can be viewed below. 

On the meaning of the album title, HEILUNG comment: “The majority of full rune set inscriptions start with ‘Futha’, and is known to us as the first four letters in all runic alphabets. It is considered that our forefathers saw magic potential in engraving the full rune line, but there is also great significance in the beginnings. Science has no key for the meaning of only engraving the first couple of letters yet, but there is, of course, a surplus of theories. One of the theories we found inspiration in, is that ‘Futha’ holds the meaning of fertility and female gender. As ‘Ofnir’ focused on war and masculine notions, the great healing power of female wild strength is evoked in Futha. Those who have been present at a birth or have seen lionesses hunting know the spirit, and we welcome and embrace it in the sounds that were born during the creation of ‘Futha’.“
Track-list
Galgaldr (10:22)
Norupo (4:18)
Othan  (10:19)
Traust (9:49)
Vapnatak (4:03)
Svanrand (3:36)
Elivagar (8:45)
Elddansurin (8:05)
Hamrer Hippyer (14:17)
Total playing time: 1:13:34
“Ofnir” was a very masculine album. To create it, HEILUNG took a big part of the lyrics from preserved rune inscriptions on weapons and armour. “Futha” is the counterpart, the balance point, the feminine side. Here, the lyrics originate from old Icelandic poetry, in which the holy women chant magic spells and offer their blessings. Hence, female voices are more prominent on “Futha”.

HEILUNG means “healing” in the German language and this also describes the core of the band’s sound. The listener is supposed to be left at ease and in a relaxed state after a magical musical journey that is at times turbulent.

HEILUNG reach far back in time to the Northern European iron age and Viking period to create their sound experience. The band utilises many means in their songs: from running water via human bones, reconstructed swords and shields up to ancient frame drums as well as bronze rings.

When HEILUNG self-released ‘Ofnir’ in 2015, the Danish band could hardly have anticipated the breakthrough success of their debut album. Spectacular live shows, strong critical acclaim, and a massive underground buzz added to the constantly high demand for this full-length are the reason why their new label Season of Mist did not hesitate to re-issue ‘Ofnir’ in several collector’s edition formats. HEILUNG‘s live album, ‘LIFA’ (2017) was released in parallel.

The word “Futha” is taken from an artefact, that is still controversially discussed. Big names in runology like Düwel and Heizmann can agree neither on the deciphering nor the meaning of the description.…The word is engraved in a gold bracteate from Skåne (SE), which was produced around 500-530 AD. It was discovered in 1831 and these medals or coins were divided into different categories by the Swedish archaeologist Oscar Montelius. The bracteate in question is a so-called C-bracteate named Schonen II-C (Schonen is the German Name of Skåne) with a horse and a face. The rune inscription is between the hind-legs of the horse. Interesting to mention here is the fact that the majority of full rune set inscriptions start with “futh“, which also is the first three letters in all runic alphabets. It is considered that our forefathers saw magic potential in engraving the full rune line, but there is also great significance in the beginnings. Science has no key for the meaning of only engraving the first couple of letters yet, but there is a surplus of theories. This brings us to a runic staff found in Bergen, which was given the rather unpoetic archaeological classification B011. It carries the inscription: “felleg er fuþ sin bylli Fuþorglbasm”, which means: “Lovely is the cunt, may the cock fill it up”. Also interesting is that the Högstena amulet, which we use in the song “Galgaldr”, has an alternative deciphering of the word “futh“, which in this context means “cunt”. All this leaves us with two hints: magic potential and the female genitalia. The great healing power of the female wild strength is evoked in “Futha”. Those who have been present at a birth or seen a lioness hunting, know the spirit. The spirit of the “wilde Weiber” (German), the wild wise women. “Futha” endeavours to connect to a time before the female was degraded to a birth-machine and carrier of eternal inherited guilt. 

“Futha” was three years in the making and was finished for production and print at midwinter, the very darkest day of the solar year, the 21st in the 12th month at 21:00.

Any attempt to link the band with or bring their music into a modern political or religious context is pointless, since HEILUNG try to connect their listeners with a time before the coming of Christianity and modern political ideologies. 

Line-up
Kai Uwe Faust 
Christopher Juul
Maria Franz

www.facebook.com/amplifiedhistory

1349 premiere new song “Striding the Chasm”

Norwegian black metal band 1349 have premiered the third track from their new record ‘The Infernal Pathway’
The cover artwork of ‘The Infernal Pathway’ has been created by Jordan Barlow and can be viewed below, together with the tracklist.
Tracklist
1. Abyssos Antithesis (5:30)
2. Through Eyes of Stone (3:24)
3. Tunnel of Set VIII (0:47)
4. Enter Cold Void Dreaming (3:59)
5. Towers Upon Towers (4:50)
6. Tunnel of Set IX (1:06)
7. Deeper Still (4:13)
8. Striding the Chasm (6:11)
9. Dødskamp (5:01) (album edit)
10. Tunnel of Set X (0:53)
11. Stand Tall in Fire (8:09)
1349 live dates 2019
16 Oct 19 Oslo (NO) Røverstaden
30 Nov 19 Parma (IT) Black Winter Fest XII

1349
European tour w/ ABBATH and VLTIMAS
23 Jan 20 Weimar (DE) Uhrenwerk
24 Jan 20 Bochum (DE) Matrix
25 Jan 20 Nijmegen (NL) Doornroosje
26 Jan 20 Antwerpen (BE) Trix
27 Jan 20 London (UK) Islington Assembly Hall
28 Jan 20 Paris (FR) La Machine Du Moulin Rouge
29 Jan 20 Nantes (FR) Stereolux
30 Jan 20 Toulouse (FR) Metronum
31 Jan 20 Barcelona (ES) Salamandra
01 Feb 20 Madrid (ES) But
02 Feb 20 Lyon (FR) Nikasi Kao
04 Feb 20 Mannheim (DE) MS Connexion Complex
05 Feb 20 München (DE) Backstage
06 Feb 20 Luzern (CH) Schüür
07 Feb 20 Parma (IT) Campus Music Industry
08 Feb 20 Brno (CZ) Fleda
09 Feb 20 Warschau (PL) Progresja
11 Feb 20 Berlin (DE) Festsaal Kreuzberg
12 Feb 20 Hamburg (DE) Kulturpalast
13 Feb 20 Copenhagen (DK) Amager Bio
14 Feb 20 Gothenburg (SE) Tradgarn
15 Feb 20 Stockholm (SE) Fryhuset Klubben
Norwegian black metal titans 1349 have returned with their long awaited seventh full-length: ‘The Infernal Pathway’. The album promises a journey through chaos and madness, darkness and peril, terror and annihilation.
 
1349 is AURAL HELLFIRE.  That has been, and continues to be, the primary concept since the band first rose from the ashes of Alvheim in 1997.  Conceived around the founding members – vocalist and former drummer Ravn, guitarist Tjalve, and Seidemann on bass – 1349 completed their line-up with the addition of guitarist Archaon in 1999 and SATYRICON drum-legend Frost in 2001.
 
When their debut ‘Liberation’ was unleashed in 2003, the Norwegians took the world by storm with their intense blend of old school black metal soundscapes and ultra-fast aggression. Further assaults followed in rapid succession. ‘Beyond the Apocalypse’ (2004) and ‘Hellfire’ (2005) cemented the band’s reputation as one of the strongest acts in the scene.
 
Upon the departure of founding member Tjalve, who decided to focus on his band PANTHEON I, 1349 have since continued as a four-piece – occasionally adding guest guitarists. Extensive touring aided the growth of their now massive following when the four piece opened for reunited metal legends CELTIC FROST in North America in 2006.
 
Impressively demonstrating that holding true to the principles of the genre do not mean nostalgia and stagnation, 1349 widened their sonic palette with  ‘Revelations of the Black Flame’ (2009), which was co-mixed by CELTIC FROST mastermind Tom Gabriel “Warrior” Fischer. This inspired a newfound ambient darkness from the band, which was further explored on ‘Demonoir’ (2010).
 
‘Massive Cauldron of Chaos’ (2013) was the next milestone in the Norwegians merciless advance, scoring excellent reviews and a nomination for a Norwegian Grammy (Spellemannprisen). The release sparked more festival shows as well as extensive touring, bringing 1349 to Australia and New Zealand. In 2018, the Munch Museum and Innovation Norway chose 1349 as one of four bands to create a song based on the paintings of Edvard Munch. As a result, the single ‘Dødskamp’ was released earlier this year.  
 
After performing a fiery show at Norway’s Inferno festival this year, 1349 started recording in Amper Tone studios and Studio Nyhagen with engineer Jarrett Pritchard. Thus, ‘The Infernal Pathway’ was born, a sonic parallel to summoning and unleashing the beast of the abyss in all its fearsome, ferocious and powerful splendor.
 
Gearing up for a full U.S. tour in the fall, and a European tour with ABBATH and VLTIMAS in 2020, more events will unfold, making this a banner year for 1349.
https://www.facebook.com/1349official/
https://www.instagram.com/1349official/
www.legion1349.com

OZBM elite Runespell stream the entirety of its highly anticipated third album, Voice of Opprobrium

Today, OZBM elite Runespell stream the entirety of its highly anticipated third album, Voice of Opprobrium. Set for international release on September 6th via Iron Bonehead Productions, hear Runespell‘s Voice of Opprobrium in its entirety here:
Since this Australian entity’s public unveiling in 2017 with the Aeons of Ancient Blood demo (released by Iron Bonehead), Runespell has sharpened its sword and quickly, with two albums – 2017’s Unhallowed Blood Oath and last year’s Order of Vengeance – arriving less than a year apart. Now arrives the new full-length Voice of Opprobrium a year after the last, and the iron’s hotter than ever. Here, Runespell consolidates its all-too-considerable strengths, suitably balancing the grandiose melancholy vs. bloodlust axis of Unhallowed Blood Oath and the urgency and unquenchable desperation of Order of Vengeance. Similarly, mainman Nightwolf maximizes the melancholy of his now-characteristic acoustic interludes, instilling Voice of Opprobrium with a somberness that chills to the fucking bone.

And once again, underpinning everything is an authentic and austere steeping in early ’90s black metal classicism. Be it from Scandinavia or France or particularly Poland, such source material has been so widely replicated year after year, and yet Runespell elusively continues to be able to both handily challenge those classics AND resound like an era-relevant relic. It’s not surprising, considering Nightwolf is one of the busiest men in the shit-hot Australian black metal scene, maintaining as he does the equally prolific Eternum and Blood Stronghold. While still bearing aesthetic similarities to those two bands – this is the purest, most mystical black metal after all – with Order of Opprobrium, Runespell further solidifies its majestic rumination on the mysteries of war and bloodshed, vengeance and valor, memory and destiny. Dedication and sacrifice – spiritually, above all, as well as physically – are once again the watchwords, and they’ve resulted in black metal wielded as weapon, totem, and portal simultaneously.

Mesmerizing, majestic, iron-girded and iron-willed Runespell‘s Voice of Opprobrium is the torch to burn modernity down to the ground.

Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Runespell’s Voice of Opprobrium
1. Firmament in Blood
2. Voice of Opprobrium 
3. Wraithwoods
4. All Thrones Perish II
5. Wings of Fate
6. Ascendant
more info:
www.facebook.com/IronBoneheadProductions