On July 26th, Hells Headbangers will release Goat Semen‘s highly anticipated new EP, Fuck Christ, on CD, 12″ vinyl, and cassette tape formats. And today, they stream their EP in its entirety. Hear Goat Semen‘s Fuck Christ in its entirety here:
At ground zero of the rebirth and resurgence of South American black/death at the dawn of the new millennium, Goat Semen delivered one of the most classic demos ever with their self-titled 2002 demo, which has seen countless re-editions in the past two decades. As their legendry grew to enviable levels, so, too, did the anticipation for these Peruvian devils’ debut album. But alas, time passed and the fervor ‘n’ anticipation for that first full-length reached critical mass in the metal underground, taking on almost mythical status (not unlike Sadistic Intent’s long-promised debut LP). Finally, it saw the unlight of day in 2015 as Ego Svm Satana: the ultimate Goat Semen statement, in the making for literally a decade, the album became something of a veritable travelogue across the history of South American metal barbarity the prior three decades. The very end, and also the beginning, Ego Svm Satana was suitably CLASSIC, as expected.
But, Goat Semen are never one for half measures, and much like that full-length took at least a decade before it emerged from hellfire fully formed, they’ve only released live albums and a couple splits since then – nothing as substantial as a fully-new recording. Now, nearly a decade after that momentous debut album, Goat Semen return with a comparatively quick-hitting EP in Fuck Christ. Much like its unapologetic & unadorned title, the Peruvian devils waste no time, kicking in immediately with a swirlingly sulfurous maelstrom of classic Goat Semen proportions. For a record that comprises five stout songs in 19 electric minutes, Fuck Christ feels simultaneously longer and quicker than that runtime suggests, so respectively satisfying and urgent is that hammering barbarity. Naturally, it wouldn’t be Goat Semen if everything wasn’t attacking from every angle all at once, the feeling of imminent implosion lurking around every dark ‘n’ diseased corner; compared to Ego Svm Satana, Fuck Christ exacerbates that mania to an almost overwhelming degree even when the intensity dips down to a doomed trudge. But perhaps the most unique element on this new record is how relatively clean and clear its recording is, with each and every instrument sounding sharp and powerful – nothing “muddy” about Goat Semen fucking Christ here – which in turn makes the band’s inherent grit & grime sound stranger and more depraved. Put another way, there’s nothing to hide behind here; there’s simply no escape from Fuck Christ.
For those who still hail the old gods of equally early Sarcofago, Krisiun, Hadez, Sextrash, and Mystifier, no matter when their records arrive, you can always count on Goat Semen to Fuck Christ!
Preorder info can be found HERE. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Goat Semen’s Fuck Christ 1. Midnight Worship 2. Los Ojos de Judas 3. Fuck Christ 4. Heed the Call 5. Prophets of Hell
On September 6th internationally, Antiq is proud to present Tour d’Ivoire‘s highly anticipated debut album, self-titled Tour d’Ivoire.
Tour d’Ivoire is an atmospheric black metal project created by Hyver (Véhémence, Grylle, Hanternoz) and La Griesche (Grylle, Cercle du Chêne) in early 2023. The atmosphere of this first eponymous album is thick and mysterious as a twilight fog: extreme vocals emerging from hypnotical riffs, synthesizer melody, and spectral choirs. The French lyrics treat, with a fatalistic view, the contemplation of landscapes and architectures out of mystical dreams, as depicted by Sperber Illustrationen for the album’s cover art.
Antiq is a label dedicated to the fully coherent concept of making music through sound, image, video, and attitude. They have been putting their entire existence into it since 2009. Over the years, Antiq have been identified as producers of not only perfectly coherent lyrics and themes through music, but also conceptual art and, of course, the manufacturing of beautiful objects. The label tries as much as it can to work with French creators, and if possible, with the smallest and most serious structures.
In the meantime, hear an excerpt of the near-nine-minute opening track “La Tour” here:
Aforementioned cover artwork and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Tour d’Ivoire’s Tour d’Ivoire 1. La Tour [8:34] 2. Brouillard [9:09] 3. Forteresse de Marbre [7:54] 4. Givre [7:44]
“Perhaps the best thing to come out of Australia since the Bloomin’ Onion” – Metal Injection
On their new album, Black Lava summon another perfect storm. The Savage Winds to Wisdom swirls together eerie blackened countermelodies and hexing prog with a heavy load of old-school headbanging. The riffs on “Dark Legacy” loom large, casting a fiery shadow over the kingdom of metal that warns of the band’s growing legend.
“We sharpened our tools with this album”, Black Lava says. “We went a little more brutal and that sets the tone for where we’ll head in the future”.
Watch the guitar playthrough for “Dark Legacy”.
The Savage Winds to Wisdom is out now on Season of Mist.
Black Lava erupted out of Australia’s metal scene during the first trying year of the pandemic. But the band came together with all the ease of a natural stream. All four members have crossed paths around the various corners of the Melbourne underground. Guitarist Ben Boyle also shreds alongside bassist Nick Rackham in Hadal Maw and A Million Dead Birds Laughing.
Their potent alchemy is the skeleton key that unlocks “Dark Legacy”. With the tap of his fingers, Boyle casts a menacing spell from gloomy minor chord dissonance and technical wizardry. Though it’s Rackham’s monstrous bass groove that hits like a spear straight through the heart.
“We took greater care with compositions on The Savage Winds to Wisdom”, Boyle says. “There’s more depth and layering to the riffs and melodies. By calling on a broader list of inspirations and tones, the album has a real sense of balance, a certain quality that will lend itself to repeat listens and attention to detail, while still staying true to what we set out to do with Black Lava; create heavy, energetic and catchy tunes that emanate a sense of atmosphere and power for the listener.”
The guitar playthrough of “Dark Legacy” was shot at Bushido Studios. It was filmed, edited and coloured by Black Lava’s drummer Dan Presland.
More praise for Black Lava
“Familiar yet undeniably creative, heavy and a clear statement in the darkness of music” – Metal Roos
“A fantastic album…wrapped up in a package that is so tight, you couldn’t squeeze in between the layers if you were as thin as paper.” – Metal Temple
“Black Lava scrachtes a particular itch when you need music that is heavy, groovy and gritty” – Metal Epidemic
“Riff after riff, chug after chug, these songs bleed with strength and perseverance” – Monuments in Ruin
Like any good sorcerer, Black Lava cast a wicked array of spells. Dan Presland, Ben Boyle and Rob Watkins treated Outburn magazine to a list of the band’s potent influences and most punishing songs.
Track list 1. Colour of Death (6:44) 2. Dark Legacy (4:08) [LISTEN] 3. Wrapped in Filth (4:03) 4. Unsheathing Nightmares (4:45) [WATCH] 5. Summoning Shadows (6:03) 6. Ironclad Sarcophagus (4:08) [WATCH] 7. Pagan Dust (4:46) 8. Sanguis Lupus (5:21) 9. The Savage Winds to Wisdom (7:07) Total runtime: 47:12
Not even the most stifling period in recent history could contain Black Lava. Despite being kept under strict lockdown during the pandemic, these Aussies were just stewing together, waiting to erupt. Now, only two years removed from their smoldering debut, the band are roaring back with even more mythical firepower on The Savage Winds to Wisdom.
“Our second album is a step up from the first in all aspects”, drummer Dan Presland says. “We took more time on the songwriting. The Savage Winds to Wisdom shows exactly where we want to take our music”.
Though possessed by an ancient and mysterious alchemy, Black Lava formed with the ease of a natural spring. Over the past decade, all four members have crossed paths around the various corners of Melbourne’s metal underground. On top of their progressive all-instrumental vision quests in Vipassi, Presland also drums alongside Hadal Maw guitarist Ben Boyle in the grinding, tech-death, underground curiosity A Million Dead Birds Laughing. But when the two got together to blow off steam amidst quarantine at Presland’s newly minted home studio, they were pleasantly surprised by the darkness that swept over these jam sessions.
“Both of us were dealing with a lot of pent-up frustrations”, Presland remembers. A few weeks before, his flight home from America (where he was supposed to track the drums for Ne Obliviscaris’ fourth album Exul) touched down hours before Australia closed its borders. “But that anger, coupled with our need to keep creating, led us in a different direction”.
Progressive metal was still a clear undercurrent, but the songs that came spewing out were unusually heavy. Death and black metal held more sway, though sludgy rock n’ roll also found its way into the mix. Such a peculiar range of influences required a vocalist with a very particular set of pipes. Fortunately, Rob Watkins jumped at the opportunity to reunite with Presland, who was the drummer in their thrash band Metalstorm. With Watkins’ Blackhelm bassist Tim Anderson added to the fold, Black Lava burst onto the scene in 2022 with their smoldering debut.
“Soul Furnace more than lives up to those lofty expectations”, Distorted Sound hailed, “proving to not only be a late contender for album of the year, but also one of the more impressive debut albums of recent years”.
Black Lava wasted no time in keeping the juices flowing. The band was already hard at work on their second album while the first one was hot on the shelves. The Savage Winds to Wisdom stirs from the same cauldron of influences. Lead single “Ironclad Sarcophagus” echoes from the crypt with eerie countermelodies and a rhythm section that’s more bewitching than a spell book.
“I pictured this ancient wizard sending out evil vibes into the world in hopes of tricking someone into opening his coffin”, Watkins says. “When writing lyrics, I try and stay true to the spirit of metal. But really, I’m just channeling how the music makes me feel”.
If Soul Furnace was like stumbling upon the entrance to an ancient cave, then The Savage Winds to Wisdom is a fiery, full-blown descent into the belly of the beast. “Dark Legacy” rings through the long black night with one sustained roar of a guitar roar, like an angry, one-eyed ogre. But while the songs came quickly, with Presland and Boyle carving out monstrous riffs and scaly grooves for Watkins to splatter his medieval fantasies, Black Lava took their time with this album. It’s not until nearly three minutes into the opening number, after “Colour of Death” has boiled to a full headbang, that the first of its many horns-up roars is unleashed.
“There was greater care taken with compositions on The Savage Winds to Wisdom”, Boyle says. “There’s more depth and layering to the riffs and melodies. Calling on a more broad list of inspirations and tones, the album has a real sense of balance, a certain quality that will lend itself to repeat listens and attention to detail, while still staying true to what Black Lava set out to do; create heavy, yet energetic and catchy anthemic tunes that tell a story and emanate a sense of atmosphere and power for the listener.”
True to its name, The Savage Winds to Wisdom swirls within a deeper and darker sense of atmosphere. Whereas before their bang-bang approach to songwriting resembled something closer to a punk rock band, this time around, Black Lava concentrated more on atmosphere. “Unsheathing Nightmares” reveals its root source of terror in careful layers, mutating from raw black metal and razor-sharp tech-death into a rainy, ambient hellscape. “That’s one of the songs that really excited me”, says Watkins, who calls upon a coven of witches by digging into the slimier depths of his baritone.
The title track is big enough to stand alone as its own self-contained world. Winding over the course of seven eventful minutes, it’s the longest and perhaps most ambitious song in Black Lava’s musical geology. Blast beats pound like hail beneath waves of distortion that crash with the force of a monsoon. “The silents of fate” Watkins reckons, like a sea captain stranded among the wreckage. “The thousand winds swirl the soul”. Swept up by a screeching solo from special guest Ben Baret (Ne Obliviscaris), the song whirls into an unstoppable force, a torrential finale that brings this album to a truly epic conclusion.
“We sharpened our tools with this album”, the band says. “We went a little more brutal and that sets the tone for where we’ll head in the future.
On The Savage Winds to Wisdom, Black Lava conduct a perfect storm.
Recording line-up Dan Presland (drums) Ben Boyle (guitar) Ben Boyle (bass) Rob Watkins (vocals)
Guest musician Benjamin Baret (Ne Obliviscaris, Vipassi) plays the guitar solo on “The Savage Winds to Wisdom”.
Live line-up Dan Preslans (drums Ben Boyle (guitar) Nick Rackham (bass) Rob Watkins (vocals)
Recording studio Bushido Studios in Melbourne, Australia
Producer and sound engineer Troy Mccosker
Mastering, mixing and engineering Studio Fredman and Fredrick Nordstrom
Today, dark rockers The Other Sun stream the entirety of their highly anticipated debut album, Daimon, Devil, Dawn. Set for international release on July 23rd – Invictus Productions will be handling the album’s European release while The Ajna Offensive will be handling the North American release – hear The Other Sun‘s Daimon, Devil, Dawn in its entirety here:
“Dark rock” is how The Other Sun define their sound. “Occult rock” would also be appropriate.
When you read “dark,” don’t think of this as an angry, angsty darkness, but rather an exploration of the Inner Self infused with the psychedelic, a Western twang, the profound demeanor of deep-rooted occultism that conjures both the sunrise and the sunset and all that such implies when studied through the individual. Dreams start from darkness and turn into that invisible light which compels the Promethean spirit in Man.
The Other Sun draw influence from surf rock, western score, and ’70s rock. People have suggested they hear bits of Tito & Tarantula, Swans, Deep Purple, The Devil’s Blood, Virus (Norway), Dick Dale, and Ennio Morricone in their music. Daimon, Devil, Dawn is their debut album. Many of the lyrics are inspired by alchemical imagery as metaphors for the human condition. In particular, “Stalking the Stalker” was inspired by the poem “The Street” by Mexican author Octavio Paz.
The Other Sun was formed in Gothenburg, Sweden in 2018 by Fredrik Eytzinger. Their first EP, Horizon Between the Eyes, was released through Lapis Niger Productions in 2019.The current line-up consists of Fredrik Eytzinger (lyrics, vocals, guitars, bass), Árni Bergur Zoëga (vocals, guitars, bass, drums, keyboards), and Tommie Eriksson (session solo guitars).
Fredrik Eytzinger is a writer and has published several books and articles in Europe and the US on topics related to occultism and magic. He is also the founder of the dark ambient band Nuclear Spells. Árni Bergur Zoëga is a professional composer and sound designer who is also involved in several other projects, such as Árstíðir Lífsins, Carpe Noctem, Helrunar, and Sól án varma. Tommie Eriksson is the founder of Saturnalia Temple and ritual ambient project Lapis Niger. Guest vocals on the track “A New Dawn” were performed by Erik Molarin, previous singer of the Swedish gothic metal band Beseech and more currently Dark brs.
The album cover and lyric transcript was made by fine artist David S. Herrerías. The booklet photos were shot by Gothenburg-based photographer Peter Gaudiano, with layout by Heresie Studio.
Aforementioned cover art and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for The Other Sun’s Daimon, Devil, Dawn
1. Shaking Ground 2. Stalking the Stalker 3. Black as Gold 4. Lion Spell 5. Horizon Between the Eyes 6. Conjuring Other 7. Pan 8. A New Dawn
Helldprod Records marks July 19th as the release date for Chapel Of Samhain’s debut album, Black Onyx Cave, in cassette format.
A path has been made for so long that desire gave birth to a new dimension of horror, where the graves awake at night and swallow the breathless.
Black Onyx stared into this abyss and sealed a left hand pact with Phoros to rot the alchemy upon the philosophical stone. These fumes wrecked the pillars of time and procreated a vicious ensemble of smothering tunes towards ruin baptized under the moniker CHAPEL OF SAMHAIN.
Totally architect in a monolithic vision and crafted in the sulfuric womb of lunacy both musicians accepted this challenge outside their other musical projects (Grog, Velório & Nethermancy) to embrace and celebrate the newborn spirits of the dead.
Wandering through the extreme and obscure catacombs of the old school metal scripts, traces of death, black with eerie symphonies gather for a mass of skull crushing hymns along with a choir of morbid enchantments that turn down the crosses for the CHAPEL OF SAMHAIN hordes as the ambiances grow thicker within the abyssic layers of doom.
Once entering Black Onyx Cave, an altar will rise as you will feel the mark and the creation force behind this unparalleled vortex meant to represent the seasons change within light and shadow as Man grows wither into His Mastery. Transmutation is the Key!
FFO early Morgoth, Profanatica, Teitanblood, Acheron and Imprecation.
After being released in CD ad LP (black vinyl) by the ominous Nuclear Winter Records, now is the time for the exclusive release in tape format by yours truly underground’s Helldprod.
Chapel Of Samhain’s Black Onyx Cave Tracklist:
Side A: 1. Charnel [04:59] 2. Flesh [05:18] 3. Pale [04:14]
Line-up: BLACK ONYX – artistic concept, veil composer, throat channeler, mineral conductor, and ignominious producer from the plainness infinity. PHOROS – mass ritual ensemble holistic architect and black hole summoner for all fiery production baptized in volcanic ashes.
On August 24th internationally, Personal Records is proud to present a brand-new mini-album from Vomitrot, Emetic Imprecations, on digipack CD format.
Vomitrot are a new one for Personal Records: extremely filthy, disgusting, and in-your-face CAVEMAN death metal, which only proves what the labels name means – a name that releases what it likes and does not pigeonhole to any genre or belief as long as the music is good and personal.
Forming in 2019, Vomitrot released their Rehearsal Demo MMXX in 2020 and, two years later, the debut album Rotten Vomit. Emerging from the primordial soup of boiling body fluids, the Swedish power-trio return nastier than ever with the release of Emetic Imprecations.
A stout recording at six songs in 26 minutes, Emetic Imprecations is almost so overwhelming that any second after that length would simply be too much to bear. Here, Vomitrot deliver a bizarre breed of vicious death metal, originating from an unholy mix of old-school death metal, war metal, and grindcore. The feverish riffs, the guitar tone that with cuts through your bones with the finesse of a rusty saw, the gut-wrenching vocals, the subsonic bass frequencies that stimulate the primal urge to dominate your enemies by making them gargle on their innards, and the schizophrenia-inducing hammering on the drums, purely driven by instinct and insanity – all components blend together disharmoniously into an explosive diarrhea of emetic madness and primal entropy.
Other bands may pose as “caveman,” but Vomitrot truly live it, and prove it with pustulent punctuation on Emetic Imprecations! Recommended for maniacs of early Incantation and Kataklysm, as well as Canada’s Cremation, Finland’s Abhorrence, and America’s Infester: YOU’VE BEEN WARNED!
First track to be revealed shortly. Preorder info can be found HERE. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
On August 16th internationally, Stygian Black Hand in conspiracy with Invictus Productions are proud to present a brand-new mini-album from Horns & Hooves, Spectral Voyeurism. Stygian Black Hand will handle the 12″ vinyl and cassette tape releases while Invictus will handle the CD release.
The south Brooklyn skels Horns & Hooves return with a devious new mini-LP entitled Spectral Voyeurism. Chasing the high of their acclaimed debut album, I Am the Skel Messiah, miscreants Malebolge, Salpsan, and Orobas conjure the anguipedal demon Abraxas, as the trio presides over the unholy union between the Cockheaded demigod, the omnitumescent Satan, and the demicuck Christ. Perverse black metal ensues, taking unexpected thrusts into previously-untouched holes of sound and progressive segues, with both instrumentation and virility most uncommon to the genre but entirely sensible in the warped universe of Horns & Hooves. Highly recommended for fans of Absu, Nifelheim, Carnivore, Venom, and Sadistik Exekution.
In the meantime, hear the brand-new track “Waiting for Creation”here:
Cover artwork, courtesy of Karmazid, and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Horns & Hooves’ Spectral Voyeurism 1. Pleromic Birth (Intro) [1:23] 2. Spectral Voyeurism [5:22] 3. Shallow Blue (Hesitation) [2:44] 4. Waiting For Creation [7:38] 5. Dust [7:16]
Lead single “Hope Shatters” is an anthem for our dying era
Touring North America with Zeal & Ardor
“These shrouded and mysterious artists may hide their faces and their identities but their feelings and passion is out for all the world to see” – Metal Injection
“Terrifying at times, but beautiful, almost like life” – New Noise
GAEREA arrived shrouded in mystery. The masked sensations emerged from pandemic limbo with a vision for black metal that was guided not by myths or pagan beliefs but a purging of emotion. Existential dread still pulses through the Portuguese band’s blood, but their upcoming fourth album signals a shift in psychology.
With Coma, Gaerea are no longer strictly a black metal band. Instead, they’re breaking to the forefront of extreme metal. Though their new album was produced by trusted confidant Miguel Tereso, it broadens the band’s signature sound by taking it in two seemingly opposed directions. There are more moments of intense beauty, but they only heighten the ensuing blows.
The world may be as hopeless as the album’s lead single declares. But with Coma, Gaerea have returned to prove that they are only the band who can guide us into the darkness.
Coma comes out October 25, 2024 on Season of Mist.
When Gaerea secretly gave everyone a sneak peek at their new album back in April, they set the world ablaze. Now, with the first official single off Coma, they’re ushering in the immediate aftermath. Hope Shatters opens with a lone guitar that wails like a siren before a whirl of blast beats sucks the world back into the band’s vortex.
“Welcome to the urban abyss“, their unnamed vocalist pronounces. “Where dreams turn to rust”.
Gaerea aren’t afraid to embrace harsh realities. There’s clean singing on Coma, but the swarming darkness of “Hope Shatters” is only punctured by cries of agony. Even when the song collapses under its blistering heaviness, the melody hangs perilously in the air, like a swaying chandelier, before it’s smashed to pieces by hammering bass and concussive drum fills.
Still, perhaps Gaerea have uncovered a shred of hope from beneath the blackened wreckage. As “Hope Shatters” meets its end, the band push ahead through the ashes with a triumphant, headbanging riff. “Enter the maze through the never-ending haze”.
With Hope Shatters, Gaerea deliver an anthem for our dying era.
The video for Hope Shatters was produced by Grupa 13 and directed by Dariusz Szermanowicz.
Tracklist 1. The Poet’s Ballet (7:39) 2. Hope Shatters (4:05) [WATCH] 3. Suspended (5:02) 4. World Ablaze (3:29) [WATCH] 5. Coma (5:19) 6. Wilted Flower (5:50) 7. Reborn (3:51) 8. Shapeshifter (6:24) 9. Unknown (4:24) 10. Kingdom of Thorns (4:45) Total runtime: 50:54
To usher in this new era, Gaerea are touring behind Coma later this year when they come to North America with Zeal & Ardor and ZETRA.
The band will also be performing “World Ablaze”, “Hope Shatters” and other songs from their new album at several European summer festivals, along with two special dates with Behemoth and Testament.
Gaerea North American Tour 2024 with Zeal & Ardorand ZETRA
Arist Presale: July 17 @ 10 am Local Time Local Presale: July 18 @ 10 am Local Time General Ticket Sale: July 19 @ 10 am Local Time
November 23 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer [TICKETS] November 24 – New York, NY @ Le Poisson Rouge [TICKETS] November 25 – Allston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall [TICKETS] November 27 – Montreal, QC @ Le Studio TD [TICKETS] November 28 – Toronto, ON @ Opera House [TICKETS] November 29 – Detroit, MI @ The Majestic [TICKETS] November 30 – Milvale, PA @ Mr. Smalls Theatre [TICKETS] December 2 – Indianapolis, IN @ The Vogue [TICKETS] December 3 – Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall [TICKETS] December 4 – Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theatre [TICKETS] December 6 – Denver, CO @ Gothic Theatre [TICKETS] December 7 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge [TICKETS] December 9 – Seattle, WA @ The Showbox [TICKETS] December 10 – Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw Theatre [TICKETS] December 11 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom [TICKETS] December 13 – Berkeley, CA @ US Theatre [TICKETS] December 14 – Santa Ana, CA @ The Observatory [TICKETS] December 15 – Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom [TICKETS] December 17 – Austin, TX @ Mohawk [TICKETS] December 18 – Dallas, TX @ Studio at The Factory [TICKETS]
Gaerea with Behemoth & Testament July 21 – Warsaw, PL @ Progresja Summer Stage July 23 – Kosice, SK @ Kulturapark
Additional Gaerea European Summer Dates July 20 – Fridek – Mistek, CZ @ Dark Session Fest July 25 – Ljubljana, SI @ Tolminator August 1 – Rasnov, ROU @ Rockstadt Extreme Fest August 8 – Kotka, FI @ Dark River Festival August 30 – Volos, GR @ Golden R Festival
Behind black shrouds of obscurity and desolation, the performers of GAEREA deliver their odes in cascading maelstroms of aggression and beauty. Emerging from the age of pandemic to whatever awaits humanity next, the dark horde remains on the frontlines of the next generation of extreme metal. With an EP and three albums to their name, GAEREA has rapidly distinguished themselves from the thousands of bands toiling away in the underground. Brewing their cauldron of sound from a recipe of pounding black-metal blast mixed with a touch of harrowed, reflective longing, many devotees of the darkened arts have flocked to their banner. With the emergence of third full-length album Mirage, those numbers certainly grew.
GAEREA met a challenge when releasing their second album during the pandemic, the aptly titled Limbo, to excellent world reception. In the meantime, they found the total suspension of interactive life as it was previously known to be the perfect breeding ground for further creation and making.
Sizzling with ambition from day one, GAEREA may present one unique face to their audience, masked and enshrouded, but the truth is they have not remained changeless.
As their previous album name Mirage suggests, the inability to trust what our senses are telling us could be construed as one of the album’s central themes. Rather than constrict their art to mythological references or anti-religious tropes, GAEREA instead plumb the depths of the human experiences of isolation and suffering.
Just two years since Mirage was released, GAEREA is here, erupting with intensity, casting forth black ashes over the world yet again.
Their latest release, Coma, has finally surfaced, marking a pivotal shift. From this point forward, everything changes. It’s time for GAEREA to bridge the gap between underground metal and the elevated realm they’ve attained. With Coma, GAEREA emerges from the underground scene, ascending towards a permanently lasting position at the head of the table.
An emotional gateway to a dark black metal scene, a guide to salvation, pain, despair and letting go. Moving up, into the blackness that is above. GAEREA is the answer, the only answer.
Within ‘Coma’s’ ten tracks lies an individual narrative, each with its own tale to unveil. Collectively, they blend nuances of aggression, tranquility, solitude, and fervor.
Boasting a superior production that threads the needle between caustic and clarity, GAEREA yet again admit their loyalty to producer Miguel Tereso of Demigod Recordings for the production of Coma. Together they created the birth of ‘Coma’, the new era for metal mankind. Distinguishing themselves ever more so, the Vortex handpicked their artist Nathan Lorenzana with a clear assignment to create their mesmerizing cover artwork. Months of hand drawing the image with a ballpen lead to this masterpiece which dipped his name into ‘Coma’.
The beauty of GAEREA lies in the directness and simplicity found within their florid tapestry of extremity and aggression. Whether it is in the less-polished aural dynamite of Mirage, or in the lustrous textures of Coma, GAEREA is building a mighty edifice of metal. With talons dipped in the inky blood of black metal and scraped across the flesh of human suffering, GAEREA is leading a charge into the future of darkness, and all those who find beauty and power in the dark side of existence would do well to take heed.
Recording Studio Demigod Studios at Redbox Studios
Production Credits Produced by GAEREA Recorded by Miguel Tereso at Redbox Studios Mixed and Mastered by Miguel Tereso at Demigod Studios
Today, Spanish death metallers Krypticy stream the entirety of their highly anticipated second album, The Non-Return. Set for international release on July 22nd via Memento Mori, hear Krypticy‘s The Non-Return in its entirety here:
Krypticy was founded by main composer Alex Guerrero (vocals/guitar) in Málaga, back in 2013. The band’s debut EP, Necronomicon, captured their fondness for old-school death metal, most specially of the Floridian kind (Morbid Angel, Obituary, Death, Cancer). By the time they released their debut full-length, Hideous Being, a few years later, the band was already exhibiting a larger range of influences (Suffocation, Malevolent Creation, Deicide, Decapitated) and had begun to play live, sharing the stage with bands such as Lapidated, Avulsed, Wormed, Aposento, and Necrophiliac, among others.
With the band solidifying their lineup by the end of 2022 – Guerrero alongside Pancho Vázquez (drums), Thomas Schenk (bass/backing vocals), and Sergio Álvarez (guitar) – Krypticy signed with Memento Mori for their sophomore full-length. And now it arrives, bearing the ominous title The Non-Return. As forecasted by its stark cover artwork (courtesy of Cardaver Art) and cryptic nomenclature, The Non-Return sees Krypticy aiming to push the limits their already consolidated sound. Undoubtedly still tried & true DEATH METAL, there’s nevertheless a strive for something more spiritual here, as the quartet seek an evolution towards a more unique personality whilst retaining the classic edge that always defined Krypticy‘s approach to the genre. Mind you, this isn’t doublespeak for going all-out “prog” or leaving behind death metal altogether (and still calling it such); rather, the band have begun to more fluently speak different dialects within the same language, producing a multilingual approach that can only but strengthen the sum effect. So, while the traditional tropes of late ’80s thrashing and early ’90s grinding are well and accounted for, there’s a markedly angular aspect to Krypticy‘s songwriting on The Non-Return, which works up a fever & fury when riffs and riffs and RIFFS attack, one mercilessly after the other, the rhythm section surging and staying linear and ultimately producing a memorability that easily evades verse/chorus structures.
So, for those who willingly have their minds warped by such unfussy sleepers as Suffocation’s Pierced From Within, Malevolent Creation’s Stillborn, Decapitated’s The Negation, and Diabolic’s Infinity Through Purification, prepare to arrive at your destination with Krypticy‘s The Non-Return!
Aforementioned cover artwork and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Krypticy’s The Non-Return 1. Infected Pharaoh 2. Hypatia’s Heresy 3. Texas Chainsaw Massacre 4. The Void 5. The Water Street Butcher 6. UGH! 7. Krypticy 8. Virgins Recently Fucked Sacrifice
With the resounding chants of Christopher Juul, Maria Franz, and Kai Uwe Faust, HEILUNG does not merely perform; they invoke. Their rituals, veiled in the essences of forgotten landscapes, pull you into a realm where the primordial and the modern collide. Their sonic enchantments, crafted with ancestral breath and iron’s cold kiss, transcend the mere act of listening, pulling you into a communal trance born of earth and stars.
Prepare, kindred spirits, as the Nordic collective declares their upcoming voyage, Albion, Eiru ok Erop Ferdhast, an odyssey through the mists of history and the echoes of old.
HEILUNG’s rituals are not bound by the constraints of traditional performances; their ceremonies cultivate an atmosphere where time shifts and bends. Steeped in throat singing, rhythmic sacraments of bone and hide, and the flickering dance of firelight, their evocations at places like the legendary Red Rocks have already etched unforgettable marks on the threads of time.
Albion, Eiru ok Erop Ferdhast – EU 2025 Spring Tour: 7 March: Helsinki, FI @ Ice Hall 9 March: Stockholm, SE @ Hovet 12 March: Oslo, NO @ Spektrum 14 March: Aarhus, DK @ ACC 16 March: Copenhagen, DK @ Black Box 19 March: Oberhausen, DE @ Turbinehalle 21 March: Zurich, CH @ Hallenstadion 23 March: Esch-sur-Alzette, LU @ Rockhal 15 April: London, UK @ O2 Brixton Academy 17 April: Dublin, IR @ 3Arena 19 April: Edinburgh, UK @ O2 Academy 21 April: Manchester, UK @ O2 Apollo 23 April: Lille, FR @ Zenith 25 April: Lyon, FR @ Halle Tony Garnier 27 April: Milan, IT @ Teatro Arcimboldi
Step into the eternal cycle. Tickets, gateways to this transcendent experience, can be summoned through the following link:
HEILUNG don’t play shows. They perform a ritual. Every performance begins with Kai Uwe Faust leading Christopher Juul, Maria Franz and the rest of the Nordic collective in an ancient prayer. Soon after, the audience is swept into rapture, swayed by incense and throat singing, primordial rhythms, subtle electronic textures, a mesmerizing light show, an army of warriors and bursts of fire.
Since they began in 2015, Heilung have been paving melodic paths to the past with their unique and mystifying sound. Evading all conventional genre tags and the confines of any specific labels, the group aptly self-describes their sound as “amplified history,” emphasizing their ability to connect modern society with the rudiments of humanity’s beginnings through music.
“Our ancestral Nordic civilizations did not just pop up, exist and disappear in isolation”, says Faust, a throat singer and one of Heilung’s three composers. “With singing these primordial songs we want to give tribute to these cultures, reconnect to the beginnings and remember that we all, from East to West, from past to present, are connected through the exchange of ideas and inspiring each other”.
While Heilung features authentic and archaic instrumentation that ranges from rattles and ritual bells to human bones and throat singing, their captivating brand of music is far from primitive. Producer and founding member Christopher Juul implements subtle electronic elements that elevates the musical atmosphere and provides a more in-depth and layered soundscape.
Indeed, Heilung’s success has been unprecedented, achieving milestones in its few short years of existence that many do not see in a lifetime. The collective already had rapidly been growing a buzz upon the self-release of their first full-length Ofnir in 2015, but their dizzying upward trajectory really took off from the moment they set foot on the stage at Castlefest in 2017 for the now-legendary debut of their live ritual. Luckily for those who were not fortunate enough to bare witness to this magical event, the full ceremony was captured on film, having since been viewed by tens of millions of fans across the globe.
As Heilung trekked across Europe and brought their mystifying experience to new audiences, talk of this new band and their stunning ceremony made way to Season of Mist label owner Michael Berberian, who quickly offered the band a record contract after seeing their undeniable musical impact for himself.
By 2019, Heilung launched their second full-length record, Futha, which contrasted the masculine and battle-heavy themes of their debut with a feminine counterpart that celebrated fertility and female energy. Upon the first week of the record’s release, it graced the Billboard charts with coveted numbers, debuting at #3 on the Heatseekers Charts and #4 on the Billboard World Music Chart, placing on a total of seven Billboard charts while meeting critical-acclaim from the press on a global scale.
Their music has even appeared in places that extend far beyond typical concert venues. From hit television series like Game of Thrones and Vikings to video game giants like Conqueror’s Blade VII: “Wolves of Ragnarök and Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II to the blockbuster Robert Eggers film The Northman, Heilung’s music has risen far above the underground and has transcended into a greater world. Even a global pandemic couldn’t slow down Heilung’s success; it only strengthened them and gave them the gift of time to complete work on their third album. In English, Drif translates as “Gathering”. The music embodies this philosophy by tying together the beginning of civilization with today’s modern society.
Heilung now perform their rituals all over the world. They sold out their first North American tour in 72 hours. Upon returning to the United States in 2021, they were greeted by another sold-out crowd, this time at the historic Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado. This performance will be released on vinyl, CD and Blu-Ray in 2024, along with another performance at the Apollo Theatre in Hammersmith, London.
During the lead-up to the new LIFAs, Heilung will embark on headlining tours of Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Along the way, they will cast their spell over more of the world’s biggest stages, including Roskilde Festival, Download Festival and Glastonbury. But no matter where they are, Heilung always begin their performance with a humbling reminder of where we all come from.
“Remember, we are all brothers. All people, beasts, tree and stone and wind, we all descend from the one great being that was always there, before people lived and named it, before the first seed sprouted.”Line-up: Kai Uwe Faust Christopher Juul Maria Franz
