WEREWOLF RECORDS is proud to present the debut demo of Japan’s IMMORTAL DEATH, self-titled Immortal Death, on CD and cassette tape formats.
Emitting the sick stench of the ancients, IMMORTAL DEATH play savage, Satanic DEATH METAL as if the last couple decades of “death metal” didn’t exist. A mysterious entity, it is known that at least one member hails from the esteemed Sex Messiah, but that is where the parallels end: one listen to IMMORTAL DEATH’s eponymous debut demo is enough to convince the diehard – or offend those of delicate sensibilities. Howling and harrowing and hulking in its ragged, rabid physicality, Immortal Death mangles both mind and body with its sulfurous rehearsal-room intensity, skillfully moving between primitive blasting and ominous trudge, with UNGODLY riffs being bullet-belted out right and left. And after a mere 14 minutes, you’re left with absolute devastation.
So impressed by its sheer audacity and merciless battery, WEREWOLF steps forward to release Immortal Death on a worldwide scale, on all formats. Maniacs of Necrovore, the pre-Deicide Amon, America’s Infester, Pissgrave, or the late / great Deathchurch, prepare for reckoning with IMMORTAL DEATH.
Today, German black metal traditionalists Servant reveal the new video “Temple.” The track is the second to be revealed from the band’s highly anticipated third album, Death Devil Magick, set for international release on September 20th via AOP Records. See & hear Servant‘s “Temple” video in its entirety here:
German black metal band Servant have been celebrating their melodic-yet-furious black metal across the underground and beyond since 2021. Their two well-received full-lengths, 2021’s Blessed by The Light of a Thousand Stars and last year’s Aetas Ascensus, shook ground within the metal scene. Now, Servant are set to release their third full-length, Death Devil Magick, via new label home AOP Records.
Death Devil Magick was written, recorded, mixed, and mastered between October 2024 and May 2024. Without lacking in their musical trademarks, Servant continue to evolve on their new record. Melodic guitars combine with furious drums, and powerful basslines go with keys and mighty grooves. On Death Devil Magick, the vocals are clearer than on the previous two albums, giving the words the required power in meaning. All this is put in a powerful soundscape which is aggressive yet very dynamic and tidied up.
The lyrical topics are inspired by poets and philosophers like Charles Baudelaire and Friedrich Nietzsche, but also paintings by Franz von Stuck from the era of symbolism, for example, can be mentioned here. The lyrics discuss conflicts of emotions, beliefs, addiction, and depths of human nature. Death Devil Magick invites the listener to step into the gallery of nine microcosms and witness lust, despair, magick, and ecstasy.
Moreover, Servant are going to tour Europe as part of the Scherbentour 2024 together with labelmates Ellende and GROZA to spread magick, lust, and ecstasy. Dates follow further below.
Also hear the previously revealed “Litany” HERE, also at AOP Records‘ official YouTube channel. Cover artwork, courtesy of Misanthropic Art Illustrations, and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Servant (Germany)’s Death Devil Magick 1. Void 2. Temple 3. Sin 4. Devil 5. Hope 6. Fury 7. Death 8. Litany 9. Magick
The relentless beast that is 1349 emerges once again from the frosty abyss, delivering The Wolf and The King’s harrrowing new single – The God Devourer.
Carved from the frozen landscapes of Norway, 1349 have etched their mark upon the black metal pantheon, wielding their instruments like war-axes in the vanguard of the genre’s relentless assault. With a legacy drenched in the blood of aural extremities, they have become the standard-bearers of unyielding sonic warfare, relentless in their pursuit of the darker arts. The Wolf and The King is set to expand the parameters of the genre, infusing it with an atmosphere of apocalyptic elegance.
The God Devourer is a towering example of the infernal craft, a blasphemous symphony forged in the heart of the blackened abyss. With lyrics penned by Svartalv and music conjured by Archaon, this track is a ritualistic passage through the veils of torment and revelation. The invocation begins with a summons to the beasts of the cosmos, where darkness penetrates all light. Each riff is a dagger, each blast beat a crucible, crossing fields of fire and carving paths in bone. The song’s relentless pace drags you through the hidden realms, breaching the gates of the seven realms with the spell-fire that consumes the soul. The God Devourer is an experience of striding diabolic galaxies and embracing the equinox of gods. It perfectly captures the timeless aggression and astral darkness that is 1349, unleashing a wave of aural hellfire that scorches all who dare to listen.
The Wolf and The King delves deep into the abyss, exploring themes of transformation through destruction, liberation, and mind expansion, traversing realms of alchemical riddles and ancient mysteries. The Wolf and The King is out October 4th on Season of Mist.
In a union that promises to reshape the contours of black metal, Norwegian titans 1349 will be joining forces with the revered Kampfar for the highly anticipated 1349 & Kampfar – 2024 EU Co-Headline Tour. A ceremonial gathering of black metal’s most fervent apostles, ready to spread the gospel of Aural Hellfire and pagan might across Europe.1349 & Kampfar Co-Headline – 2024 EU Tour: 01 October: Leipzig, DE @ Anker 02 October: Berlin, DE @ SO36 03 October: Aarhus, DK @ Voxhall 04 October: Gothenburg, SE @ Filmstudion 05 October: Stockholm, SE @ Kolletkivet Livet 07 October: Helsinki, FI @ Aaniwalli 08 October: Tallinn, EE @ Helitehas 09 October: Riga, LV @ Melna Piektdiena 10 October: Warsaw, PL @ Proxima 11 October: Kraków, PL @ Kamienna 12 12 October: Vienna, AT @ Vienna Metal Meeting 13 October: Budapest, HU @ Barba Negra 15 October: Prague, CZ @ Futurum 16 October: Munich, DE @ Backstage 17 October: Milano, IT @ Slaughter Club 18 October: Colmar, FR @ Le Grillen 19 October: Aarburg, CH @ Musigburg 20 October: Oignies, FR @ Tyrant Fest 22 October: Weiher, DE @ Live Music Hall 23 October: Paris, FR @ Le Petit Bain 24 October: Bochum, DE @ Zeche 25 October: Amstelveen, NL @ P60 26 October: Maastricht, NL @ Samhain Festival
Tracklist 1. The God Devourer (5:10) [WATCH] 2. Ash of Ages (5:27) [LISTEN] 3. Shadow Point (3:40) [WATCH] 4. Inferior Pathways (4:28) 5. Inner Portal (5:08) 6. The Vessel and The Storm (5:15) 7. Obscura (3:44) 8. Fatalist (5:51) Total runtime: 39:01
1349 is not like other bands. It’s not a group of friends who decided to make music together. 1349 is a band formed with a unified vision and specific purpose: To maintain the legacy of black metal.
“I didn’t like the direction that black metal took in the mid part of the ’90s,” 1349 vocalist and mastermind Ravn recalls. “It started losing everything that I liked about black metal—the grimness, the eeriness, the primal emotions that captivated me and brought me into that sphere. You had all these synthesizer-based bands dressing up in pirate shirts and looking like goths. It ruined something that I truly hold close to my heart.”
In 1997, Ravn formed 1349 and recruited bassist Seidemann and, now former, guitarist Tjalve to help him pursue the vision of recapturing the original spirit of black metal. The longstanding lineup of Ravn, Seidemann, guitarist Archaon, and drummer Frost (also of Satyricon) has been in place since 2001. “I found people that felt the same way as me,” Ravn says of his bandmates. “We wanted to bring back the trademark of Norwegian black metal, as it was presented in the early 90s. Every time we release an album, that’s the inspiration and the backdrop.”
The Wolf and the King is the latest sortie in that crusade.1349’s eighth album sees the Oslo-based band harnessing the primordial energy of black metal’s decade-defining second wave and channeling it through ancient mysteries and the relentless global chaos of the 2020s.
The album title comes from a classic alchemical allegory: A wolf devours a king. Then the wolf is devoured by flames, and a new king rises from the ashes. “When I first heard about alchemy when I was young, it was people turning metal into gold,” Ravn says. “Further down the road, through various literatures and magical practices, I realized that what you’re turning into gold is metaphorical. It’s about personal development, basically. You want to be the best you can be, and that’s what we try to do as well. We try to top ourselves, to kill our egos in order to grow as persons. If you don’t do that, you will die. You will not rise from the ashes.”
Lead single “Ash of Ages” combines thrash with extreme metal flourishes and a proper doomsday theme. “The song is based on a story I read about a layer of ash that covered the Earth 12,000 years ago,” Ravn explains. “This layer of ash comes from a meteorite that struck the Earth during the Ice Age. It melted a lot of the ice, which is where the Great Flood came from. The Great Flood is in the Bible, but it was written about in every ancient culture. The theory is that it washed away a lot of other ancient cultures that held a higher intelligence level than those that were found after the flood. So, it possibly set human civilization back many thousands of years.”
Released as a one-sided maxi-12” with a flipside etching by Jordan Barlow—who did all the artwork for The Wolf and the King (as well as the band’s 2019 album, The Infernal Pathway)—“Ash of Ages” is also a warning to check your ego. “To think that you’re important, that you’re anything but an ant down there, is futile,” Ravn points out. “In the end, everything will be washed away, and nothing will be left.”
“Shadow Point” comes complete with a video and revisits the sonic domain of The Infernal Pathway with a classic headbanger groove. “This one references the Star of Algol, or ‘the Demon Star,’” Ravn offers. “It’s actually two stars that revolve around each other, and the small one is devouring the big one. Human beings have seen this star from early ages, and it has had many names over the years. It’s a known part of the magical world, so I wanted to include it in a song.”
Shot through with menace and a snaky groove, album opener “The God Devourer” will also have a video. “The lyrics are based on the alchemical principle of devouring all that you feel is in your way of becoming a better human,” Ravn says. “It sets the ominous tone for the whole album.”
Recorded at Amper Tone in Oslo, Norway, and New Constellation R.M.P. in Orlando, Florida, The Wolf and the King was produced and mixed by Ravn and Jarrett Pritchard (Eulogy, Pulchra Morte), the band’s long-standing sonic wizard who also worked on their previous two albums. The lyrics were written by the band’s longtime wordsmith, Svartalv, who has been working with 1349 for twenty years.
Jordan Barlow’s elaborate artwork for The Wolf and the King reflects the album’s chronological position in 1349’s discography. “This is our eighth album, and the artwork and lyrics are filled with references to this number of infinity,” Ravn explains. “You can basically go on a quest finding references to the number in the artwork.”
All told, The Wolf and the King is the exalted output of the joint force that is 1349. “We all work together to make the best black metal possible every time we release an album,” Ravn says. “This is our common goal. We’re a band on a mission.” Line-up Archaon – Guitars Frost – Drums Ravn – Vocals Seidemann – Bass
Recording Studio Amper Tone (Oslo, Norway) & NEW CONSTELLATION R.M.P. (Orlando, USA)
Production Credits Produced by Jarrett Prichard & Ravn Mixed by Jaerrett Prichard & Ravn at NEW CONSTELLATION R.M.P. Mastered by Jaerrett Prichard at NEW CONSTELLATION R.M.P.
Today, Invictus Productions announces September 27th as the international release date for the highly anticipated second album of America’s Spite, The Third Temple, on digipack CD and trifold double-LP vinyl formats.
Six years since the coming of the Antimoshiach, Spite returns with The Third Temple, 12 brand-new tales of unblessed black metal! Serving as both prequel and sequel to preceding works, The Third Temple further unfolds the apocrypha of Salpsan, the Antichrist incarnate, and his rise to the throne of Earth. In ancient days, the temples of Solomon and Herod each stood in Jerusalem and fell to forces both mortal and divine. In its first two segments, The Third Temple recounts the fates of these edifices and the powerful sacred relics they housed, as well as the consequential rise of dark forces which lurked below them in wait for their inevitable destruction. In the third segment, the world awaits the erection of a new Temple as religions new and old vie for the rights to the sacred soil of the Holy Land, while the Antimoshiach must determine his own role in the future of Satan’s kingdom on Earth.
Once again, Spite has joined forces with Jamie Elton, who recorded, mixed, and mastered this opus containing over an hour of new music, maintaining the signature Spite sound with the bite of sinister black metal riffcraft delivered in Biblical proportions. In conjunction with the release of The Third Temple, Spite‘s Antimoshiach debut album will also see an overdue reissue on vinyl format.
In the meantime, hear the brand-new tracks “Unblessed” and “Desert Demons” here:
Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Spite (U.S.)’s The Third Temple 1. The Blackened Talmudist 2. Unblessed 3. Under Wings of Cherubim (Dvir, Part I) 4. Yahweh’s Vengeance 5. Desert Demons 6. Hounds of Herod 7. The Spoils of Judea (Dvir, Part II) 8. The Black Moon (Yare’ach Shachor) 9. Where Dust Cannot Fall 10. The Stone of Sakrah 11. The Dark Ark (Dvir, Part III) 12. The Third Temple
Today, Werewolf Records announces September 13th as the international release date for Dead Flesh Stigma‘s striking debut album, Necrocosmic Death Ritual, on CD format.
Masterminded by Vargrav / Druadan Forest mainman V-Khaoz, Dead Flesh Stigma is a psilocybin-fueled plunge into the vast-yet-oft-unexplored abyss of industrialized black metal. Joining him are a number of esteemed guest vocalists, including Hellwind (Grieve, Embyronic Slumber et. al.), Narqath and J13 from Azaghal, and the notorious Graf Werwolf von Armageddon.
The collective’s first public work, Necrocosmic Death Ritual is an aptly titled album: in space, no one can hear you scream. With rusty robotic pistons pumping and torched tones searing above and below, Dead Flesh Stigma‘s debut album seeks to overwhelm the senses, and succeeds with devilish ease. Granted, one perhaps has to be acclimated to that rarefied idiom – one pioneered by Mysticum’s landmark In the Streams of Inferno, the most obvious influence here, and then expounded upon by the likes of early Blacklodge, Traumatic Voyage, Diapsiquir, later Trollheims Grott, and of course Dodheimsgard’s 666 International – to truly immerse themselves in this rippling body high (or negation?). But as with all things that bear V-Khaoz’s touch, form and content intertwine in a symphony of totality, synthetic and caustic in equal measure.
Industrial BM is both alive and dead with Dead Flesh Stigma‘s Necrocosmic Death Ritual!
In the meantime, hear the brand-new track “Worms and Eyes, Eyes as Worms” here:
Preorder info can be found HERE. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Dead Flesh Stigma’s Necrocosmic Death Ritual 1. Worms and Eyes, Eyes as Worms 2. Farewell to the Flesh 3. Interlude – Cipher for Self-Destruction 4. Black Harvest 5. The Weak Wept Below 6. Interlude – Life Lies Bleeding 7. The House of Satan Pt.1 – Pure Denial of Life 8. Necrocosmic Death Ritual 9. Interlude – The Chamber of Faceless Angels 10. In the Shadow of the Conquerors 11. The House of Satan Pt.2 – The Dreamlike Triumph of Rebirth 12. Outro – Trapped in False Reality
On October 4th internationally, Personal Records is proud to present Mardom‘s highly anticipated debut album, Dead Soul Age, on CD format.
Formed in 2019, Mardom are a new force in the always fertile Polish black metal scene. Despite their geography, the duo aren’t strictly “Polish black metal” by definition; a strong foundation in ’90s Scandinavian black metal underscores the grim & melancholic elements of their local tradition. Mardom are one of those rare new bands who bring the black metal atmosphere of the old days to life in such an authentic and natural way.
Mardom was initially planned as a project of guitarist Mogomir, but eventually became a band with vocalist Kres and others joining. Since then, the band have released two EPs, 2020’s The Path of No Return and 2022’s Longing for a New Dawn. Those two titles should doubtlessly state what sort of atmosphere Mardom are brewing.
Now, that cauldron boils over with their debut album, Dead Soul Age. Here, Mardom aesthetically bridge those two short-lengths, combing dynamic sound and aggression with more melancholic and nostalgic themes, and even a touch or two of (blackened) doom. On first blush, Dead Soul Age bears some passing semblance to the ever-thorny “depressive black metal” subgenre; listen further, and that semblance is superficial, for there’s far more energy and enveloping songwriting at work here. While the former pushes the latter forward with an almost understated grace, that songwriting soon shows its full depth: both simplicity and complexity weave into and out of each other, much in the way that the early Scandinavian trailblazers did, but arguably wrapped in a sympathetic production neither too polished nor too raw. Dead Soul Age thus becomes a dream-like journey through themes of emptiness and sorrow, as well as both hatred and love.
True Polish black metal, especially of the underground variety, is nothing if not authentic: you hear it, and you KNOW it. Rarer still is depressive black done right, such as the cult likes of Wigrid, Krohm, and Raate. You can now add the humble name of Mardom to those rarefied ranks with the beginning of their Dead Soul Age.
In the meantime, hear the brand-new track “If Hate Now Reigned” here:
Preorder info can be found HERE. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Mardom’s Dead Soul Age
1. If Hate Now Reigned [6:13] 2. Spojrzenie [7:40] 3. Inverted Sun Darkness [6:31] 4. Buried in the Dust of Stars [7:02] 5. Unseen Dreams [6:58] 6. Dead Soul Age [5:55]
Today, rabid black/death maniacs Concrete Winds reveal the new track “Subterranean Persuasion.” The track is the second to be revealed from the band’s highly anticipated third album, self-titled Concrete Winds, set for international release on August 30th via Sepulchral Voice Records. Hear Concrete Winds‘ “Subterranean Persuasion” in its entirety here:
To all death metal lunatics and black metal psychopaths left out there in this toothless and tamed scene, let us proclaim the word! Concrete Winds are back to push spikes, needles, and barbed wire into your flesh and ears.
Once again, the noise aggressors slit the veil from beyond and step into our world to pillage and hound to death all what was known, predictable, and comfortable in metal music. Their third album is self-titled for mandatory reasons and shows the band furthermore exploring the EXTREME in extreme metal. This truly is rabies set to music!
While their debut, 2019’s Primitive Force, was a beacon of strife in stretching and redefining the boundaries of unholy, grinding death metal, the successor, 2021’s Nerve Butcherer, pushed the limits even harder and set new standards in the world of audial bulldozing destruction and blitzin’ torment.
With Concrete Winds, the band now open wide again the portals to the abattoir and continue right where Nerve Butcherer had left the listener helplessly in a sonic wasteland of scorched earth, barren soil, and sheer darkness. They manifest their will to tear the listeners’ drumheads out and to creep deep into souls black. As expected, the album is rooted in outrageous speed, heaviest trembling rhythm passages, abysmal croaked curses, turbulent breaks, and repulsive shrieking leads which let you drown in a maelstrom of insanity. But this time, new layers are also added to the pandemonic universe, as weird staccato riffing sections bleed into witching industrial scenarios.
Concrete Winds have always gone further than any recent extreme metal outfit and leave out everything that’s established in music, cut off what became comfortable in metal, and blow away what still feels “appropriate” in extreme metal. It seems that this once-urgent attitude to explore limits finally has a new helmsman. Nevertheless, they stay ever loyal to the elder originators of bloody metal mayhem, but evolve those inspirations taken from masters like Morbid Angel, Necrovore, and Repulsion to a very unique and nearly “reference-less” hellwitchin’ sound.
No less than Lawrence Mackrory – with the help of Matti Mäkelä – recorded, mixed, and mastered this cacophonic eruption mostly at Rorysounds Studios in Uppsala, Sweden. All of it is bound together in nine signature two-word-titled songs that altogether does not exceed the 27-minute mark. Calculators may wrongly estimate it as “short,” but measured in CW units, it has the perfect length to die a thousand deaths.
Concrete Winds have never been for the faint-hearted. They always killed any scent of entertaining characters straight from the seed. It’s easy not to understand them; it’s easy not to comprehend them; it’s easy not to love them. But it should not be easy to confuse entertainment with art: true art must hurt.
However, this is Concrete fucking Winds‘ third album! And it will definitely not leave anyone untouched, no matter in which way – PERIOD.
Also hear the previously revealed “Infernal Repeater” HERE, also at Sepulchral Voice‘s official YouTube channel. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Today, Werewolf Records announces September 13th as the international release date for Förgjord‘s highly anticipated seventh album, Perkeleen Weri, on CD format. The vinyl LP version will follow later.
For years one of Finnish black metal’s best-kept secrets, in recent times have Förgjord sprung to prominence among the adventurous as practitioners of a strangely alluring sort of obsidian. Although existing since the mid ’90s and patiently parceling out their recordings in an almost-clandestine manner, the upswing in activity began with Förgjord‘s third album (and first with Werewolf), Uhripuu, in 2017 and was followed by the equally challenging Ilmestykset in 2019, the comparatively more rockin’ Laulu kuolemasta a year later, and the draw-everything together Ruumissaarna Pt. 1 in 2022. Among those four full-lengths, the Finnish trio solidified and strengthened their strident aesthetic – malodorous melodicism, hypnotically rendered through a ripped-raw soundfield, making their strangely hummable ruminations on triumph & tragedy sound all the more alien, each album unified yet unique within that aesthetic – and made it all seem effortless. Finally, it seemed that the name Förgjord was no longer a “secret.”
As such, it makes total sense for Förgjord to strike back with inarguably their most-direct and least-tweaked album yet: Perkeleen Weri. The band’s seventh full-length, Perkeleen Weri is definitely – and immediately – recognizable as Förgjord, maintaining mostly all those above characteristics and chiseled into new-yet-familiar shapes. However, the distinct difference here is that the band have dialed down the atmosphere for the sake of the almighty RIFF. Indeed, Perkeleen Weri is rife with riffs…riff after riff after riff after RIFF, all of them rough and rowdy and catchy and cantankerous. It’s a sonic / psychic move back to ancient times, primordial “regression” of a most ’80s manner (or, at the very least, the very early ’90s) that’s symbolic of both youth and older age. While nostalgic in essence, the burning-black flame here strides forward, ready to burn past, present, and future; suitably, the execution and especially recording feel almost clearheaded in context, or at least Förgjord‘s most crystalized attack yet. Melodicism abounds, of course, but there’s a murderous edge to Perkeleen Weri that’s never been this fully explored. Add to that palpitating attack a tasteful dose of organ and some chorus FX and you have a black metal record that’s simultaneously traditional and nuanced.
“Perkeleen Weri is an album which is dedicated to glory days of black metal,” explains founding guitarist / bassist Valgrinder, “when things were pure and albums were built more on guitar riffs and not just atmosphere, when songs themselves weren’t hidden behind hellish tempos or under huge production. Perkeleen Weri is a pure, naked, and shameless album, for both good and bad – nothing more, nothing less.”
As always, a carefully cultivated lyricism informs Förgjord‘s latest work. Valgrinder again: “Lyrically, it is a compilation of small stories from our part of Savo area, stories that were told from one generation to the next. Whispered secrets, well-known tragedies, and horror stories that were told to children to keep them safe; memories from old days when brother stood against his brother – the untold sins of Finland’s civil war, wounds that never healed properly. It’s about hard times, when depression took over the lands and charlatans tried to exploit the common man – when the blood of Perkele was running and people did whatever they had to, just to survive. We are here not to judge, but to speak their stories.”
In the meantime, see & hear the recently revealed video for “Käärmeenkieli” here:
Preorder info can be found HERE. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Förgjord’s Perkeleen Weri 1. Silmäinkääntäjä 2. Käärmeenkieli 3. Neljäs Lapsi Saatanalle 4. Loukatun Kunnia 5. Kalm 6. Raskas Veden Taakka 7. Pettävä Suo
Today, German black metallers adventurists Firtan reveal the new video “Komm herbei, schwarze Nacht.” The track is the second to be revealed from the band’s highly anticipated fourth album, Ethos, set for international release on September 13th via AOP Records . See & hear Firtan‘s “Komm herbei, schwarze Nacht” video in its entirety here:
For nearly 15 years now, Firtan have been a relentless force in the German extreme metal scene, captivating audiences with their dynamic performances across Europe. Inspired by the raw energy of the ’90s black metal scene, their sound has evolved into a unique, more progressive entity, shedding eclectic influences for a multifaceted and innovative approach.
At the core of Firtan‘s music stands an increasingly aggressive and frenetic sound characterized by powerful guitars and intense, visceral vocals. The haunting presence of the acoustic and electric violin weaves through their compositions with melancholic, experimental, and evocative tones. The incorporation of other acoustic instruments, such as the dulcimer, as well as analogue synthesizers, adds layers of depth. This blend creates a unique tension and complexity, enhancing the band’s intricate riffing and unexpected musical shifts.
With three albums and two EPs to their name, Firtan‘s discography showcases a clear and audible progression. Now, they unveil their fourth album, Ethos, once again through AOP Records. A work that promises to be their deepest, rawest, and heaviest yet, Ethos delves into serious existential themes in an abstract manner, contrasting decline and opportunity within an ambivalent context. This juxtaposition is reflected in the music itself, confronting listeners with the harshness and sonic tension between harmony and dissonance, revealing the meaning and emptiness of existence.
Ethos follows Firtan‘s critically acclaimed Marter from 2022, and stands as a testament to the vibrant dynamics within the German black metal scene. The album will feature guest performances from J.J. (Harakiri for the Sky, Karg) and L.G. (Ellende). Expect to be immersed in a world where melody and chaos collide, where unapologetic riffing and haunting melodies guide you through the shadows of the human condition.
Also see & hear the previously revealed video “Wermut hoch am Firmament” featuring guest vocals from Ellende‘s L.G. HERE at AOP Records‘ official YouTube channel.
Following the release of Ethos, Firtan will embark upon a tour with Bucovina, Sojourner, Finsterforst, and Countless Skies. Full list of dates as well as poster art follow after the jump. Cover artwork, courtesy of Nona Limmen, and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Firtan’s Ethos 1. Hrenga (feat. guest vocals of J.J. [Harakiri For The Sky / Karg]) 2. Zores 3. Contra Vermes 4. Arkanum 5. Wermut hoch am Firmament (feat. guest vocals of L.G. [Ellende]) 6. Moloch 7. Ruakh 8. Komm herbei, schwarze Nacht 9. Wenn sich mir einst alle Ringe schließen
September 26 – München, Germany @ Backstage Halle* September 27 – Erfurt, Germany @ From Hell* September 28 – Fensch Viking Fest, France @ Complexe de Bétange* September 29 – Berlin, Germany @ Orwohaus Halle* September 30 – Hamburg, Germany @ Logo* October 1 – Oberhausen, Germany @ Resonanzwerk* October 2 – Arnhem, Netherlands @ Willemeen* October 3 – Manchester, UK @ Rebellion* October 4 – London, UK @ The Underworld* October 6 – Nantes, France @ Le Ferrailleur** October 8 – Lyon, France @ Rock’n’Eat** October 10 – Timisoara, Romania @ M2** October 11 – Vienna Metal Meeting Warmup, Austria @ Viper Room** October 12 – Praha, Czech Republic @ Storm Club** October 13 – Krakow, Poland @ Zascianek,**
Today, doom-death titans Mourners Lament stream the entirety of their band’s highly anticipated second album, A Grey Farewell. Set for international release on August 2nd via Personal Records, hear Mourners Lament‘s A Grey Farewell in its entirety here:
Formed in 2004, Mourners Lament are a doom-death metal band hailing from Viña del Mar, Chile. During their first years, they released a demo in 2004 and then an EP, Unbroken Solemnity, in 2008. Those two recordings launched the quintet onto numerous gigs within the Chilean doom scene, some of them with classic bands like Poema Arcanus and Mar de Grises.
Lineup changes followed during the next handful of years, as Mourners Lament underwent a minor period of silence while preparing what would be their debut album. Titled We All Be Given, the band’s first full-length would first be released in 2016 by esteemed national label Canometal Records, and then later the next year internationally through Hammerheart Records. Between the two editions, Mourners Lament established themselves as a considerable new(er) name in the wider doom-death scene.
After the debut album’s initial release, Mourners Lament continued playing live shows in their native Chile, climbing to a higher position in the national doom scene. Later on, two new members took over drums and vocal duties, and a new lineup was established in 2019, which continues to this day. This new-look Mourners Lament brought fresh sounds and spirit to the band, resulting in the new EP Grieving at a Distance in 2022 and their first adventure in European territory that same year.
After the Euro tour, which included an appearance at the renowned Dutch Doom Days festival, the band started the process of a new album. At last here, A Grey Farewell easily eclipses its not-inconsiderable full-length predecessor. Here, Mourners Lament erect a towering monument to misery: six songs in nearly 65 minutes, the album is an emotional and DARK journey across a majestic & melancholic landscape. Undoubtedly, it’s pure DOOM-DEATH by definition – riffs crush and then reverberate, rhythms lumber before nearly disappearing into darkness, guttural vocals either meld with both or play counterpart, and icy, almost-sensual synths flow with subtlety and a quiet power – but Mourners Lament prove to be masterful songwriters, patiently building arcs that unfold dark drama and bittersweet emotion, and then seamlessly threading the whole experience together as one unified work that’s equally spacious and suffocating. That there’s a bit more polish here only makes A Grey Farewell that much better, particularly given the band’s penchant for dynamic quietude.
The raw-yet-rich emotion of the earliest days of the Peaceville Three – Paradise Lost, My Dying Bride, and Anathema, altogether THE eternal template for doom-death metal – can still be a fertile field for inspiration. It would not be hyperbole to suggest that A Grey Farewell is perhaps one of the best modern examples of pure doom-death that imparts its own personality. Some 20 years after their formation, Mourners Lament have truly arrived!
Preorder info can be found HERE. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Mourners Lament’s A Grey Farewell
1. Towards Abandonment [10:58] 2. Changes [13:27] 3. Ocaso [7:26] 4. The Clear Distance [12:29] 5. In A White Room [9:18] 6. Mass Eulogy [10:22]
