FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Please circulate through all relevant channels
Today, ancient Finnish black metallers Ymir reveal the new track “Nightwinds.” The track is the first to be revealed from the band’s highly anticipated second album, Aeons of Sorrow, which will be released by Werewolf Records this summer on CD and cassette tape formats; the vinyl LP version will follow later this year. Hear Ymir‘s “Nightwinds” in its entirety here:
Ymir‘s history stretches back to the late ’90s. The band originally existed as a trio of vocalist/guitarist Vrasjarn, later of funeral doomlords Profetus; drummer Lord Sargofagian, who concurrently founded the prolific Baptism; and lead guitarist Toni Pölkki. With this lineup, Ymir released the Trollsword demo in 1999, mystical black metal firmly (and favorably) of its time. Seven more years would follow before another recording came from YMIR, as the brothers Vrasjarn and Lord Sargofagian were busy with the aforementioned bands (and many others), but the Silvery Howling demo at last arrived in 2006 and saw the band scaled back to a duo and evincing a rawer, nastier sound whilst retaining the sweet stench of the ’90s. Naturally, once again, more silence ensued…
Alas, during the dark days of autumn 2020, Ymir emerged from the shadows with their long-brewing debut album for Werewolf. Simply self-titled, Ymir was a literal (storm)blast from the past, encompassing compositions spanning 2004-2019. Ymir‘s black metal here, however, went back even further: guided by the gauntlet of Vrasjarn – with bass and battery provided by Ghast and V.R., respectively – the band’s first full-length brought vintage mid-’90s sumptuousness into modern focus, robust and roiling but always with a velvety air of mysticism. Truly, Ymir opened portals of the imagination and ancient consciousness alike.
The bats having flown the belfry, Ymir continue their pillage of the present with the second album Aeons of Sorrow. Driving deeper into the past, Vrasjarn unfurls a comparatively more melodic and nuanced record that’s icier and, daresay, more beautiful. Here, he’s joined by the always-commanding presence of Corvus on vocals and prolific veteran drummer VnoM, with bass by True Black Dawn’s Syphon and additional synths by Tyranny’s Agathul – a crucial component of the mesmerizing tapestry of Aeons of Sorrow. To step into the album’s landscape is to imbue the spiritual essence, the psychic sensations, the all-enveloping ATMOSPHERE of 1995. Quiet castles, ice-capped mountains, beastly blizzards, infinite darkness, capes and swords and chainmail: while seemingly innocuous “triggers” for those who don’t breathe that essence – or worse, mere items of mockery – they serve as the textural touchstones for bands like Ymir and records like Aeons of Sorrow, both in increasingly short supply no matter what the internet might tell you. And yet, with the skillfully unselfconscious songwriting on display here, the album adds to that noble tradition rather than listlessly pecking at its remains.
Put another way, Ymir are reverent to the old ways but are by no means tethered to reductive expression. Aeons of Sorrow is thus a black metal record, no more but definitely no less, and it doesn’t need to “be” any more than that. Those whose eyes, ears, and hearts are open to such archaic language will heed the call, just as they did with Ymir…
Release date, cover, and tracklisting to be announced shortly. For more info, consult the links below.
Today, Signal Rex announces August 5th as the international release date for Grigorien‘s long-awaited debut album, Magtens Evangelium, on CD format. The vinyl LP version will follow later this year.
Named after the promethean angels that sinned against God in the Apocrypha, Grigorien was originally conceived in 2006 by Spedalsk and Benedictus as a tool for uncompromising hate propaganda and a call to violence against religion and in particular the Abrahamitic three. Starting in 2007, a demo was released every three years, and then, in 2015, came a split with Danish comrades Ligfaerd. Thereafter, silence…until now.
At long last, Grigorien are set to release their full-length debut, Magtens Evangelium. With a lineup that presently includes vocals by Spedalsk (who also lends his voice to Witchcult), guitars and bass by Benedictus (who also plays bass in Witchcult and Ligfaerd), and drums by Geistaz (who has the solo project Geistaz’ika), Grigorien hereby encompass past, present, and future with their vintage black metal ultraviolence. Translated into English as “The Gospel of Power,” Magtens Evangelium is framed as an imagined theatrical play, in which nine choirs – humans, angels, and seraphs – quarrel over the order of the world and their place in it, each castigating the others and declaring themselves favored by their creator, until the profane priestess Veridian settles the dispute and proclaims a new world order. More concretely, Grigorien whip forth a fury that recalls 1996 in all its whiteout splendor: insane OTT speed, utterly scything guitars, orkish vokills, and a strive for abyssic oblivion. If such names invoked as Thy Primordial, Unlord, and especially Setherial fall on deaf ears, then likely Magtens Evangelium is not for you.
Find out for yourself with the brand-new track “Et Taarn til de Høyeste Himle” here:
Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Grigorien’s Magtens Evangelium 1. De 9 Chor 2. Skammens Æt 3. Boedsgang og Blodig Hoste 4. Østens Hviide Slange 5. Et Taarn til de Høyeste Himle 6. Tiggere i Gyldne Pialter 7. Strafferens Psalmer 8. Af Kviksølv og Galdes Chor 9. De Blindes Hyrde 10. Syndens Slegtsbog 11. Den Kaossymmetriske Liturgie
Today, monolithic black metal enigma Black Cilice premieres the new track “Triumph Over Eternity”. The track is the second to be revealed from the band’s highly anticipated sixth album, Esoteric Atavism, set for international release on July 1st via Iron Bonehead Productions. Hear Black Cilice‘s “Triumph Over Eternity” in its entirety here:
By now, Black Cilice require no introduction. Arguably THE most pivotal raw black metal entity of the last decade, this Portuguese enigma has come to both define and defy that idiom. Unmindful of the present, not looking to the future, and undoubtedly rooted in the past, Black Cilice simply IS, and its vast body of work speaks for itself: challenging, for sure, but transportative and transcendental beyond compare.
And so it goes with the band’s sixth full-length, Esoteric Atavism. Ever aptly titled, Esoteric Atavism‘s contents embody that title in a most provocative manner. While Black Cilice is esoteric in the extreme, more so is the entity atavistic, and indeed are those energies the cornerstone of this record. Characteristically coated in miles of miasmic rawness that’s an instrument unto itself, the lyrics of Esoteric Atavism delve into the OLD – old energies, old spiritually – and the music follows suit by reconstituting elements from elder Black Cilice recordings. Always in the red but now deeper into the black, that’s not to say Esoteric Atavism is a deliberate throwback or crass “return to the roots”; rather, the band’s birth pangs are given a deeper wisdom and wider-screened hysteria for the listener to drown himself in…or avoid, revoltingly stratifying as Black Cilice‘s black metal may be. More pointedly, riffs are more forthright, with experimentation subtler, and songs in kind shorter: the proverbial ouroboros, then, forever feeding on the past.
Time is irrelevant to Black Cilice. Past, present, future…all are absorbed into the band’s singular blackout/whiteout swell of sound, and only the NOW exists. Truly, this is Esoteric Atavism.
Begin engaging with that atavism with the previously revealed “Channelling Old Power” HERE at Iron Bonehead‘s Soundcloud. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Black Cilice’s Esoteric Atavism
1. Beyond the Veil [7:27] 2. Channelling Old Power [5:41] 3. Spiritual Poisoning [5:03] 4. Atavistic Reconnection [4:44] 5. Triumph over Eternity [7:24] 6. Towards Transcendence [5:26]
Today, Me Saco Un Ojo Records, in conspiracy with Desert Wasteland Productions, announces August 1st as the international release date for the highly anticipated debut album of Texas’ Fleshrot, Unburied Corpse. Me Saco Un Ojo will handle the album’s release in Europe while Desert Wastelands will handle the USA.
Since forming in 2019, Texas’ Fleshrot have accumulated a steady fanbase with their rancid blend of slowly chugging death metal. With a demo, split, and single under their belts, it is time for their debut album to finally crush the skulls of the collective underground. With an immediately gripping assault of hammering, chunky bass, putrescent guitars, and guttural vocals, the sludgy cacophony of rotten ichor is even more brutal than ever before on this record; it does not take much time to figure that out. From Neanderthaloid riffing and belching breaks, the lumbering juggernaut of heaviness has a groove that even the most primitive mind can bang their head to, scattering loose brain matter as the bludgeoning and lacerating sounds cut through living tissue effortlessly. With some bonus savagery borrowed from grindcore but played at hideously slow pace, this album cannot be accused of being anything other than some of the filthiest and heaviest death metal you will ever hear. Equally, there is nothing trendy or bandwagon-jumping in sight: Fleshrot have their own sound, and deliver it with a scathing performance that is convincing in its own right.
If progression and technical nuance is what you seek, steer clear, for this is a sub-30-minute slab of pure butchery that is not for the self-proclaimed audio genius (read: pretentious); this is violent, visceral, and somehow stinks of rotting meat. With a production that allows seeping guitar wounds in the thick, tarry bass lines while retaining the snappy drums and not allowing the bellowed vocals to overshadow anything, this is a dense and swampy cut of morbid death metal that will puke itself forth into your ears, defiling and degrading all it comes into contact with. If you can withstand the putrefied sonic fruits bared by Fleshrot, then commend your stomach and ears’ strength because most will falter before the mighty and malicious blows landed by Unburied Corpse in all of its lurking, squelching, and squalid splendor. (text by Jørgen Sven Kirby, Nattskog webzine)
In the meantime, hear the brand-new track “Intricate Dissection” here:
Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Fleshrot (Texas)’ Unburied Corpse 1. Wrapped In Entrails 2. Intricate Dissection 3. Draining The Liquified Remains 4. Unburied Corpse 5. Post Burial Extractions 6. In Filth and Pain 7. Haunted of Sick Depravities
Today, Me Saco Un Ojo Records and Memento Mori announce July 25th as the international release date for Sedimentum‘s highly anticipated debut album, Suppuration Morphogénésiaque. Me Saco Un Ojo will handle the vinyl and tape versions while Memento Mori will handle the CD version.
Do you believe that death metal should require some flimsy introduction to have atmosphere? Or soft, clean guitars? Please allow us to introduce you to Sedimentum, whose burgeoning cacophony of rotten, old-school putridity is packed with a charnel atmosphere while constantly firing on all cylinders. Their debut LP dives headlong into a chunky blend of overdriven bass, gut-splitting guitars, skull-pummeling drums, and absolutely gargantuan vocals. Befitted with a raw, uncompressed production that harkens back to when death metal terrified the masses with its violently unwelcoming sounds, this is not an album that faint-hearted trendies will like. This is pure unfiltered filth.
As the glorious Brad Moore cover artwork aesthetically displays, the grotesque and malignant horrors on this album are vibrant and unforgettable, something the music lives up to and surpasses expectations with. Following a couple of great demos and splits, the underground has recognized Sedimentum as the real deal, with a loyal legion of real death metal diehards already adoring the Quebecois mob of miscreants. Now the curtain has been pulled back for their first full-length, and all manner of unearthly beings spew forth.
If you have read these eldritch writings to this point, you are likely one of the few who appreciates death metal the way it is supposed to be: raw, unfiltered, and jagged. Sedimentum deliver on all promises of fetid extremity tenfold with cerebral riffs, warped atmospherics, and a contorted delivery that spatters any surroundings in decaying fluids from the deepest tombs. This growling, churning, puking opus of pus-ridden soundscapes is an old-school-sounding tome that redefines the word disgust with its mangled sonic apparitions and takes you into a state where you meditate upon the abhorrent.
Taking the gloom of some death-doom but keeping the overall mood much more feisty and aggressive, there is bark and bite on this record while never being superficial about the actual feel of the album. Everything seems too candid and urgent to be premeditated; with precision but also spontaneity, there is no holding back the beast that is Sedimentum now they have lurched and lumbered forth from whichever catacombs they dwelled within. You will be putrefied, and you will love it. (text by Jørgen Sven Kirby, Nattskog webzine)
In the meantime, hear the brand-new track “Funestes Manifestations” here:
Aforementioned cover art and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Sedimentum’s Suppuration Morphogénésiaque 1. Krypto Chronique II 2. Excrétions Basaltiques 3. Suppuration Morphogénésiaque 4. Funestes Manifestations 5. Nécromasse 6. Supplice 7. Un Grotesque Panorama
Enigmatic world music collective HEILUNG are proud to announce the details of their upcoming new full length ‘Drif’. The album is set for worldwide release on August 19, 2022 via Season of Mist. The cover artwork and track titles of ‘Drif’ can now be viewed below. The brand new single “Anoana”, which is accompanied by a magical new music video, will be released soon. For a glimpse of things to come, check out the “Anoana” teaser here:
HEILUNG comment in their own words: “Drif means “gathering”. A throng of people, a horde, a crowd, a pack. In symbiosis with the album title, Drif consists of a flock, a collection, a gathering, a collage of songs, that much like little flames were seeking towards each other, to join, to bond, to create, and be greater together. This album has very clearly dictated its own path. Our attempts to tame it was repeatedly fruitless and once we came to this realization, the creative flow surged forward with immense force. So much so that sometimes it felt like the songs wrote themselves. All the songs on Drif have their own stories. They have each their place and sense of belonging, with inspiration not only from Northern Europe, but from the ancient great civilisations.”
HEILUNG previously announced new European Tourdates 2022 and 2023. A list of all confirmed shows can be found below
HEILUNG Summer Festivals 2022 02 Jun 22 Gdansk (PL) Mystic Festival 10 Jun 22 Nickelsdorf (AT) Novarock 17 Jun 22 Dessel (BE) Graspop Festival 23 Jun 22 Clisson (FR) Hellfest 26 Jun 22 Spálené Porici (CZ) Basinfirefest 02 Jul 22 Helsinki (FI) Tuska Festival 2022 (Exact date TBA) 19 Aug 22 Borre (NO) Midgardsblot 2022 (Exact date TBA)
HEILUNG European Tour 2022 26 Oct 22 Copenhagen (DK) Forum Black Box 28 Oct 22 Stockholm (SE) Annexet 30 Oct 22 Helsinki (FI) Black Box 04 Nov 22 Prague (CZ) Forum Karlin 06 Nov 22 Leipzig (DE) Haus Auensee 08 Nov 22 Zurich (CH) Halle 662 11 Nov 22 Brussels (BE) Cirque Royal 13 Nov 22 Berlin (DE) Tempodrom 16 Nov 22 Bochum (DE) Ruhrcongress 18 Nov 22 Paris (FR) L’Olympia 02 Dec 22 Budapest (HU) Barba Negra 05 Dec 22 Ljubljana (SI) Hala Tivoli 07 Dec 22 Frankfurt (DE) Jahrhundert Halle 14 Dec 22 Stuttgart (DE) Liederhalle Hegelsaal 18 Dec 22 Munchen (DE) Zenith
HEILUNG Tour 2023 08 Jan 23 Rouen (FR) Le 106 10 Jan 23 Metz (FR) La Bam 12 Jan 23 Tilburg (NL) 013 14 Jan 23 London (UK) O2 Academy Brixton 17 Jan 23 Manchester (UK) Bridgewater Hall 19 Jan 23 Dublin (IE) National Stadium 22 Jan 23 Glasgow (UK) Barrowland
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 utilizes 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. It’s difficult to categorize a band that uses such a variety of influences, traditions, and instruments to create immersive soundscapes. Thus, the band has described their own music as ‘amplified history’ to befit their sounds.
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 visionary three-piece continued gathering praise with their latest full-length ‘Futha’, released in 2019 which debuted at #3 on the Billboard Heatseeker charts and #4 on the Billboard World Music Charts in the United States, placing on a total of seven Billboard charts within the first week of its release. For the single “Norupo” a music video was filmed at the Neolithic standing stones at Les Menhirs de Monteneuf in France, which can be viewed HERE.
The band’s music has been widely used in pop culture and transcends the traditional genre boundaries in music. Not only did leading television broadcaster HBO use their music in the trailer for the hit series Game of Thrones, HEILUNG’s sounds can also be heard in series like Vikings and Ragnarök on Netflix.
Furthermore, the group has been collaborating with game studios for the soundtrack of several mainstream video games. In 2020, gaming company Ninja Theory and HEILUNG started to work on the soundtrack for their upcoming game, ‘Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II.’ The announcement trailer for the new game features HEILUNG‘s song ‘In Maidjan,’ which is taken from their debut album, ‘Ofnir’. Watch the trailer HERE.
Later, HEILUNG was invited to join in another video game collaboration with MY.GAMES and Booming Tech for the new season of the ‘Conqueror’s Blade’ video game, ‘VII: “Wolves of Ragnarok.” The trailer for the game, featuring the track “Galgaldr,” can be found HERE. HEILUNG will also see their name being eternalized in one of the new combat map locations, which is now officially called ‘Heilung Fjord,’ and serves as a place for healing.
While the world came to a stop during the pandemic, the three-piece retreated in the studio to write and record upcoming album ‘Drif’. In the band’s fashion, they sought for forgotten songs, made ruffling leaves into instruments and wrote lyrics spreading messages of love for each other and respect for nature. ‘Drif’ will be HEILUNG’s most immersive and successful work to date.
In their own words:
“Drif means “gathering”. A throng of people, a horde, a crowd, a pack. In symbiosis with the album title, Drif consists of a flock, a collection, a gathering, a collage of songs, that much like little flames were seeking towards each other, to join, to bond, to create, and be greater together. This album has very clearly dictated its own path. Our attempts to tame it was repeatedly fruitless and once we came to this realization, the creative flow surged forward with immense force. So much so that sometimes it felt like the songs wrote themselves. All the songs on Drif have their own stories. They have each their place and sense of belonging, with inspiration not only from Northern Europe, but from the ancient great civilisations.”
Line-up: Kai Uwe Faust Christopher Juul Maria Franz
Recording studio: Lava Studios Copenhagen Producer / sound engineer: Christopher Juul Mix/Master: Lava Studios Copenhagen, Christopher Juul
Guest musicians: – Annicke Shireen, Emilie Lorentzen, Mira Ceti, on track: 1, 2, 3 and 8 – Jacob Hee Lund and Nicolas Schipper on track: 1, 2, 3 and 7 – Ruben Terlouw, Pan Bartkowiak, Marijn Sies, Gwydion Zomer, Isabella Streich, Martin Skou, Samiye van Rossum, Nadia Kalamieiets, Edward Boyter, Nina Cornelia Schilp, Mitchell Bosch, Gwydion Zomer and Katalin Papp on track: 2, 4 and 5 – Vilja Christine Agger, Ea Christine Agger and Michael Berberian on track: 3
