Formed in 2014, Australia’s Earth Rot has wasted no time in spreading their venomous blend of black and death metal and released a four-track EP titled “Dirt” that same year, followed by their debut full-length “The Black Smoke” merely six months later. Both releases stunned the underground scene, showcasing the same energy and hunger of a pack of dingoes hunting in Australian desert. Such great reactions opened a few doors for the Perth-based four-piece group and offered them the chance to tour across Australia, Asia and even Europe, where they opened for Aversions Crown and Thy Art Is Murder.
In 2016, the group issued a new EP titled “Chthonian Virtues” to great critical acclaim, No Clean Singing for instance said “Chthonian Virtues houses five songs, and while it’s true that they’re all indeed trying to kill you, listening to them is an exhilarating experience for other reasons besides that one.”
Now just one year later, Earth Rot returns with their second full-length album “Renascentia”, which sees the Australian four-piece further honing and sharpening their crushing and vicious blackened death-metal attack. Recorded by Sam Allen and Jared Bridgeman at Electric City Studios, Western Australia, mixed by Erik Rutan (Cannibal Corpse, Goatwhore, Hate Eternal, Morbid Angel) at Mana Recording Studios, Florida, “Renascentia” features the same pummelling aggression that Earth Rot have been inflicting their listeners since their first EP, 2014’s “Dirt”, but also offers some new and refreshing ideas, like for instance, the saxophone played by Shining’s Jørgen Munkeby on the track “The Bones That Lay Beneath The Earth”.
Ultimately, “Renascentia” is clearly destined to be hailed as one of the best death metal releases of 2017.
THE PROJECTIONIST, black metal band from Canada, formed and fronted by Lord Matzikeitus (ex-Idolatry) has recently released their 2nd full length “Exalted Solitude” via Appalachian Noise Records & The True Plague Records;
The Projectionist (previously known as Lord Matzigkeitus), was initiated by the frontman Lord Matzigkeitus (Ex – Idolatry). He was soon joined by comrades from some other diabolic acts including Vile Insignia, Unrest, Ov Enochian, Belchior etc, however the lineup has continued to change. The music is centered on themes of hatred and isolation, to evoke new unexplored domains of intellectual fury and bleakness in black metal with complete despotic will poured over its endeavors.
Beginning their warpath in 2016, they released a full length and EP, entitled “Poisonous Disengagement” and “The GallowForest Eulogy” respectively, which attacked listeners with ghoulish screams and mournful yet ultimately violent guitar work, gaining good reviews in the process. Exalted Solitude is the Projectionist’s next phase in evolution. Refined and despotically black. Here, the ramparts of hell are fully manned and blotting out the sun with hateful arrows. Meant to vanguard the tortured isolation of Satanic rule. Lord Matzigkeitus, Parageist and new drummer Malphas bludgeon True cultists with eloquent savagery and indominable power.
With lavish artwork by Sang Ho Moon and Jan Pysander Whitney, and a guest guitar track by Christopher Hernandez of Xasthur. Out April 20th on Appalachian Noise Records and The True Plague Records jointly.
Testimony from the Vocalist, Lord Matzigkeitus:
“Exalted Solitude is the Projectionist’s next phase in evolution. Refined and despotically black. Here, the ramparts of hell are fully manned and blotting out the sun with hateful arrows. Meant to vanguard the tortured isolation of Satanic rule. Lord Matzigkeitus, Parageist and Malphas bludgeon True cultists with eloquent savagery and indomitable power.”
The Projectionist
Exalted Solitude
(Full Length)
Location: Canada
Release Date: 20 Apr, 2017
Label: Appalachian Noise Records & The True Plague Records
Format: CD & Digital
Track – List:
1. 11 Strikes to Incite Incurable Silences
2. Suckling a Most Hateful Claustrum
3. Ineffable Inner Void
4. Oubliette Threnodies
5.If Erased, So Fertile Ought
6. Draw Away
7. Chapel of Astaroth
8. Zarathustra Within
9. Sleepless Witching Curse
10.Harpy Whispers Malice (The Regent’s Downfall)
MERRIMACK are now revealing the second crushing song taken from their forthcoming fifth full-length, which bears the title ‘Omegaphilia’ and will be released on June 9th.
MERRIMACK comment: “Our will to create a record that is more rooted in the 90’s era of black metal becomes pretty obvious on ‘The Falsified Son’, which is a straight forward and simple track. Our typical lead guitars, the slightly dissonant end, the addition of a guitar solo, and the mid-tempo middle break make it a strong tune, which has proved to be very well received at our latest live performances. The lyrics deal with the way of life that we have chosen and its consequences – with black metal (which is mentioned in the song) being an immense part of it.”
MERRIMACK have previously unveiled the cover art (by Dehn Sora) and track-list of ‘Omegaphilia’, which can both be viewed below.
Track-list
1. Cauterizing Cosmos
2. The Falsified Son
3. Apophatic Weaponry
4. Gutters of Pain
5. Sights in the Abysmal Lure
6. Cesspool Coronation
7. At the Vanguard of Deception
Musicians as any artists can be roughly categorised into different groups by their approach to composing. There are those for example, who come with restless souls and always try to find new ways and break into uncharted territories. Others prefer to evolve within a certain genre, driven by a desire to hone their skills and striving to bring their art to perfection. MERRIMACK as black metal traditionalists obviously belong to the latter circle and their fifth full-length with the apocalyptic title ‘Omegaphilia’ is an impressive demonstration of how far the French band has matured.
MERRIMACK are breathing fresh life into an exhausted genre, not by heaping up epithets such as progressive, post-, and avant-garde, but by razor-sharp songwriting, captivating melodies, and close to perfect arrangements. ‘Omegaphilia’ achieves excellence through hard work and experience that shows through on every single song.
MERRIMACK were founded by guitarist Perversifier in 1994 with a clear vision to keep the black metal flame burning as an act of aesthetic terrorism – as adamantly based in the underground as opposed to any attempts to co-opt, commercialise, or turn the style into a self-parody.
With a number of demo recordings (‘Prologue’ – 1995, ‘Act 1’ – 1995, ‘Horns Defeat Thorns’ – 2001) and split releases (with Hirilorn in 1998 and Sargeist in 2002), the French gained respect in the scene by remaining true to their words. Although MERRIMACK decided to reach out to a larger audience with the release of their first full-length ‘Ashes of Purification’ (2002), the Parisians did not sever their roots with the underground at any time.
‘Of Entropy and Life Denial’ (2006) and ‘Grey Rigorism’ (2009) followed and witnessed MERRIMACK closing ranks with the most influential, active, and authentic acts of the French black metal scene. Their classic combination of harsh sound with epic structures appealed to critics and fans alike and put the band on their celebrated first US tour with MARDUK and NACHTMYSTIUM in 2009.
Following the recording of ‘The Acausal Mass’ (2012) again in the legendary Necromorbus Studio (WATAIN, DESTRÖYER 666), MERRIMACK embarked on a European tour with Norwegian icons MAYHEM and accepted invitations to prestigious festivals such as Hellfest in their native France, Germany’s Party-San Open Air and Summer Breeze and Montreal’s Messe des Morts in Canada.
Having firmly established their black name and message around the globe, MERRIMACK are setting a bold exclamation mark with ‘Omegaphilia’. Be warned, this album is determined to remain in your playlist for a long time.
Guest musicians
Aldrahn – vocals on “Cesspool Coronation”
Frater Stephane (NKRT) – rituals on “Cauterizing Cosmos”
The Chorale of Cachan – choir on “At the Vanguard of Deception”
Recording, mix, mastering: Andrew Guillotin at Hybreed Studios, France
LEGACY OF EMPTINESS was originally started by Eddie and Kjell-Ivar as a tongue in cheek BM-project called Permafrost back in 1995. A few years later, Øyvind joined on keyboards and the band recorded a couple of demos with this lineup and left the project to bleed out in the early 00’s.
In 2010, the band came together and decided that the songs they had left years ago were too good to be left behind, and thus decided to record them properly for,once again, for their own amusement. The result was the self titled debut album containing 5 old tracks and one brand new; it was released in 2011.
The band is unveiling their new chapter as they are to release their sophomore full length ‘’OVER THE PAST’’ via Black Lion Records. All splendidly mixed and mastered by Dan Swanö, one of the biggest inspirations of the band. Dan Swanö even performed Lead guitar on ‘Evening Star’, final track from the album.
There is no real lyrical concept on this album other than the usual suspects like darkness,hopelessness,void and the odd historical moments. Musically it’s the opposite of what the band did on their debut. This time all songs are brand new except for one that they brought along from the 90’s, heavily reworked. The cover artwork is based on the song ‘Four Hundred Years’ wich is about the ‘night of the four hundred years’ that is a description of the years Norway were ruled by foreign kings. The artist,Alex Tartsus,really caught the nerve in the lyrics and created this masterpiece.
The 09 track album is a journey towards the fantasy realm, where darkness and melody equally reign together.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: To the fans of Carach Angren, Limbonic Art, Dimmu Borgir (Old) etc.
Track – List:
1. Reminisce
2. Despair
3. Angelmaker
4. Into The Eternal Pits Of Nothingness
5. Drawn By Nightmares
6. There -was A Man
7. Four Hundred Years
8. Transition
9. Evening Star
Additional vocals on ‘Drawn By Nightmares’ performed by Jesse M. Jolly.
Lead guitar on ‘Evening Star’ performed by Dan Swanö.
Banjo on ‘Despair’ performed by Geir Emanuelsen.
Mixed and mastered by Dan Swanö at Unisound Studios, winter/spring 2017.
Artwork created by Alex Tartsus.
NETHERBIRD sprung into existence October 30th 2004 in Stockholm, Sweden when Nephente, Bizmark and Grim decided to start collaborating. The was goal was to create harsh metal with influences from both black and death metal without any regard or limitation when it comes to style or even line up.
The first full-length Netherbird album, when it came out in 2008, was well received by the media and attracted a large group of fans. Due to the production being pretty heavy on keyboards and gothic elements, the band quickly gained popularity among the appreciators of gothic-influenced extreme- and sympho-black metal. The Ghost Collector is a promise of something grand and ambitious, it is a clear proof that Netherbird were always a band with a bigger vision; and it paves a solid path to the success of their recent, more atmospheric records. This album is an inspired complex venture, combining both the earliest tunes written by Netherbird co-founder Grim and songs created by the band’s main composer Bizmark between 2004 and 2008, with vocalist Nephente’s profound and imaginative lyrics crowning them. A massive guild of guest musicians that took part on the recording sessions adds to the versatility of instrumentation and stylistic diversity of the record.
Originally recorded in several sessions, this album was guested by renowned pillars of metal scene such as Adrian Erlandsson (At The Gates, The Haunted), Janne Saarenpää (The Crown), Brice Leclercq (Ages, ex-Satyricon, ex-Dissection) and Daniel “Mojjo” Moilanen (Katatonia, Lord Belial) among others, which makes it a remarkable collection of songs with a wide range of styles. Having been sold out for many years, The Ghost Collector is now being reissued by Black Lodge Records. The re-release is scheduled for the 5th of May, 2017, and comes with a new cover art as well.
Official music video for THE BLACKEST BREED by NETHERBIRD off their album, THE GHOST COLLECTOR
A broad retrospective of all rarities, covers and non-album tracks throughout Netherbird history, Hymns from Realms Yonder is a must-have for every collector. Tunes that were once available as digital releases only have now been gathered into one CD summarizing the band’s creative journey through the first decade of its existence. Written and recorded during different session and lineups, these songs present a staggering sonic rollercoaster when it comes to their sound, tone and atmosphere, at the same time remaining recognizable and keeping all the distinctive elements that made Netherbird who they are today.
Original tunes (single b-sides as well as limited EP’s material) are neighboured by several cover versions of renowned classics of metal and obscure alternative, including Annihilator, Paradise Lost, and Sentenced. Vika Yermolyeva’s masterpiece piano rendition of Pillars of the Sky is definitely a rare gem to crown the album. The album was released on 7th of April, 2017, via Black Lodge Records.
NIGHTBRINGER are are unleashing their complete forthcoming new album ‘Terra Damnata’, which has been scheduled for release on April 14th.
NIGHTBRINGER comment: “With Terra Damnata we have tread even deeper into the labyrinth of certain esoteric traditions and sacred mythos, closer to the heart of the living darkness that destroys all and liberates but few. The spirit of the album is one of an ever backwards turning and embracing of both terror and ecstasis, love and death, before the gods and daemons of the Age of Misrule.”
NIGHTBRINGER have previously revealed the new artwork and the track-list of ‘Terra Damnata’, which can both be viewed below.
Track-list
1. As Wolves Amongst Ruins
2. Misrule
3. Midnight’s Crown
4. Of the Key and Crossed Bones
5. Let Silence be His Sacred Name
6. Inheritor of a Dying World
7. The Lamp of Inverse Light
8. Serpent Sun
NIGHTBRINGER are pushing forward in their fast-track evolution with grim determination. Their forthcoming fifth full-length ‘Terra Damnata’ takes at least as big a step into new musical dimensions as its predecessor ‘Ego Dominus Tuus’ (2014) – yet without straying from the band’s original black course.
While ‘Ego Dominus Tuus’ amalgamated traces of quintessential elements taken as inspiration from EMPEROR, DARK FUNERAL, and DIMMU BORGIR among other black classics into a dark American alloy, ‘Terra Damnata’ seems to systematically sever such ties to the previous orthodoxy found on ‘Hierophany of the Open Grave’ (2011). NIGHTBRINGER have sharpened their claws and unafraid of dissonance dare to take their songwriting where it hurts.
At the time of their founding, NIGHTBRINGER were conceived as a conduit for contemplations on the mysteries of death as it is understood in the tradition of the magical arts. Formed in the year 1999 by vocalist and guitarist Naas Alcameth and former member Nox Corvus, the outfit from Colorado, United States chose Scandinavian black metal as the foundation of their artistic expression. NIGHTBRINGER developed along the lines of second generation Black Metal, while continuously expanding their own unique sinister mark on sound. After unleashing several demos and split releases between 2001 and 2006, their debut album ‘Death and the Black Work’ arrived in 2008. Two years later, sophomore opus ‘Apocalypse Sun’ followed. Erupting from the US underground, NIGHTBRINGER found themselves opening for major scene acts such as WATAIN, KRIEG, and PROFANATICA.
Having firmly established their place within the elite circle of US black metal, NIGHTBRINGER are bound to break through new boundaries with ‘Terra Damnata’.
