Month: October 2020

HULDER set release date for IRON BONEHEAD debut album, reveal first track

Today, Iron Bonehead Productions sets January 22nd, 2021 as the international release date for Hulder‘s highly anticipated debut album, Godslastering Hymns of a Forlorn Peasantry, on CD, vinyl LP, and cassette tape formats.

One of the black metal underground’s best-kept secrets, Hulder formed in 2018 as the sole work of the selfsame Hulder. A native of Belgium but currently residing in the United States, she quickly went to work on Hulder‘s first demo, Ascending the Raven Stone, released during the summer of 2018. Ancient and regressive but with no shortage of technicality, Ascending the Raven Stone set forth a rigorous discipline that Hulder would expound upon with the more dungeoned Rehearsal 8/13/18.

Word began to build about the band, and successive tape editions as well as the De oproeping van middeleeuwse duisternis compilation a year later ensured Hulder‘s momentum was worth reckoning. Arguably, it was the release of the Embraced by Darkened Mysts EP where Hulder crystalized her aesthetic, both in sheer sonics as well as visuals: full-color cover art featured her in medieval warrior regalia surrounded by a dense forest – classically black metal in its composition, sword included – neither emphasizing her femininity nor denying it. Along the way, Hulder piqued the ears of Iron Bonehead, who first released De oproeping van middeleeuwse duisternis on vinyl and then collected that as well as the two demos onto digipack CD.

Now aligned with Iron Bonehead, Hulder make their boldest statement yet: Godslastering Hymns of a Forlorn Peasantry, the band’s full-length debut. Just like debut albums properly should, Godslastering Hymns of a Forlorn Peasantry straddles both Hulder‘s past as well as unearthing new paths. Within the eight songs comprising the 40-minute record, Hulder spans myriad generations and idioms of black metal, but all deeply rooted in ’90s classicism: from the paganisms of earliest Enslaved, Ulver, Isvind, and Kampfar to the hypnotizing grit of classic Judas Iscariot and Grand Belial’s Key, on to the mystical majesty of unsung Greeks like Zemial and Kawir and even over to the woodland wonder of old Opera IX. Which is all to say that Hulder here not so much mimic their forebears so much as meld the idiosyncrasies inherent to each into a masterclass in all-caps BLACK METAL songwriting: dynamic, engaging, nuanced, and transportive, but undeniably physical in its pulsing vistas of darkness and mystery. Likewise, Godslastering Hymns of a Forlorn Peasantry is structured like a true album, with Side 1 kicking in an utterly feral manner and cresting along to vicious wanderlust and ending on the eerily restrained near-ambient hymn “De Dijle,” and then Side 2 furthering the synth mysticism and maintaining a more triumphant aspect, with the closing magickal march of “From Whence an Ancient Evil Once Reigned” sounding not unlike a lost relic from Grieghallen circa 1994. And all this is encased in a production that’s rich, robust, and rounded; only the rawness of the performances bleed into the soundfield, a clear division from Hulder‘s earlier demo days.

The past is alive because the present is dead. With the glorious birth of Godslastering Hymns of a Forlorn Peasantry, long live Hulder!

Witness the first birth with a video for the brand-new track “Upon Frigid Winds” here:

Cover and tracklisting are as follows:

Tracklisting for Hulder’s Godlastering Hymns of a Forlorn Peasantry
1. Upon Frigid Winds [3:22]
2. Creature of Demonic Majesty [3:33]
3. Sown in Barren Soil [4:43]
4. De Dijle [6:33]
5. Purgations of Bodily Corruptions [4:23]
6. Lowland Famine [5:26]
7. A Forlorn Peasant’s Hymn [6:03]
8. From Whence an Ancient Evil Once Reigned [5:07]

MORE INFO:
www.hulder-official.com

HADOPELAGYAL and THORYBOS to release split album via AMOR FATI

Today, Amor Fati Productions sets December 2nd as the international release date for Conjuring Subterranean Vortex, a special split album between Hadopelagyal and Thorybos, on CD and vinyl LP formats.

Appealing in us and widely released from getting placed in vacant definitions, there is resulting pantophagy – bounded by the energies which are at work in us, which are exempted from expression through hollow words and not attempted to be depicted concretely. Our compound exists for what is shaking and flowing in us, naturally grown and born by efforts of disposition in infinity. Doomed in utter vagous cacaesthesia, a haemathermal burning thirst for things that are to be figured out tacitly, which may also wait eternally to get breathed into life and get a name because, raining from the heavens, they will presumably never meet us at all. We vomit what is in our limbs and inhale from our depths what we allow to lead us.

Hadopelagyal regards itself in a state of mad flow. The search for substance and everything connected to it is important for the output or creation. You don’t have to ponder over everything; some things come naturally in such a deep and relentless way that you don’t know what actually hit you. Thus, we take these conditions as they arise and let them vanish without raising any claims. We’ve discarded the pretense of simplicity, and yet, with all the agony and the adversities in the perpetual chaos, we feel a wonderful lightness that gives us ataraxia. It’s certain that meaningful things only originate from fever, where the scourges seem to be without end, where you sink to ashes in purgatory – ashes that don’t wear out as long as something pulsates in you, where malacophonous umbrages claim the toxic climax, where the masks fuse and you consider yourself lost in pandemonism, until the mythical labtebricole creatures fly.

Thorybos, formed in 2008, here present two songs accompanied by two lengthy intros to this split release. Compared to their 2012 debut album, their contribution to the 2014 split with Truppensturm, and their devastating recent EP The Foul and the Flagrant, this material accentuates a more sinister and atmospheric approach, including swarming subtle melodies in the first as well as an extensive doom part and keyboards in the second song. However, all this happens without missing the aggressive directness and killer instinct that made the band one of the torchbearers of the German bestial black/death metal landscape.

Thematically, Thorybos lyricist V. Tyrant – an actual archaeologist and university professor – once again explores various dark and mystic aspects of ancient culture across these songs. “Underground Cemetery” takes especial inspiration from arguably the most fascinating subterranean structure of ancient Malta, known as Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum. The second song, “Temple Prostitution,” deals precisely with the phenomenon of sacred sex rites and their paid concubines – not in a derogatory way, but as essential part of religious practice and ritual performance. These four tracks work in magickal harmony/disharmony with Hadopelagyal‘s three contributions, summarily rendering Conjuring Subterranean Vortex the personification of its ominous namesake.

First track to be revealed shortly. Cover artwork, courtesy of Void Revelations, and tracklisting are as follows:

Tracklisting for Hadopelagyal & Thorybos’ Conjuring Subterranean Vortex Side A:
1: Hadopelagyal – Schattendraeuen
2: Hadopelagyal – Beshrew Thee – Through Mephitic Babeldom In Aphotic Vorago
3: Hadopelagyal – Perspice Obscurum, Ubi Ima Reges, Lucem Contemnes, Ad Amentiam Convertes

Side B:
1: Thorybos – Gate I Hamartigenia
2: Thorybos – Underground Cemetary
3: Thorybos – Gate II Paraphernalia
4: Thorybos – Temple Prostitution

MORE INFO:
www.hadopelagyal.bandcamp.com
www.thorybos666.bandcamp.com 

Auðn premiere entire new album ‘Vökudraumsins fangi’

Icelandic black metal formation AUÐN are now premiering their entire new record ‘Vökudraumsins fangi’. The band’s third full-length set is for worldwide release tomorrow, Friday October 30th. Listen to the album here:

‘Vökudraumsins fangi’ is available in various formats in the Season of Mist shop HERE.

The cover artwork of ‘Vökudraumsins fangi’ was created by Mýrmann and can be viewed below, together with the track list. 

Tracklist
1. Einn um alla tíð (08:15)
2. Eldborg (04:08)
3. Birtan hugann brennir (05:33)
4. Verður von að bráð (05:50)
5. Drepsótt (03:16)
6. Næðir um (05:03)
7. Horfin mér (06:42)
8. Á himin stara (03:47)
9. Ljóstýra (05:54)
10. Vökudraumsins fangi (06:43)

As the country’s vibrant black metal scene has proven, Iceland can be a beautiful and sinister place where furious elements rage teaching fear but also inspiring human creativity. Emphasizing melodies rather than dissonance and approaching their music from a dramatic, classical black metal angle, AUÐN deliver another mesmerizing piece of art with ‘Vökudraumsins fangi’.

Hailing from the village of Hveragerði in the south of Iceland, AUÐN deliver haunting melodies and beautifully frozen atmospheres – as opposed to the jarring and caustic blunt force trauma that has brought this remote place in the Northern Atlantic to the black metal forefront.

Founded in 2010, AUÐN‘s talent was quick to be recognized. After the release of the self-titled debut, the band got invited to Iceland’s main metal event, the Eistnaflug Festival. They participated and won the local Wacken Metal Battle contest in 2016, while making it to the top three during the infamous Wacken Open Air festival itself. Shows at the prestigious Inferno and Roadburn festivals followed in 2017.  

The second full-length, ‘Farvegir Fyrndar’ was released in November 2017, continuing the band’s fast ascent. Highly praised by the international metal press, the sophomore record reached back to a more classic second-generation black metal approach combined with a sense of elegance and melancholy that one can feel while dwelling among the bleak, extraordinary landscapes of the island.

The Icelanders embarked on European tours with label mates GAAHL’S WYRD in 2017 and THE GREAT OLD ONES (2017 and 2018) and captivated festival audiences at the biggest European fests, such as Copenhell, Summer Breeze Open Air, Eurosonic Noorderslag, Roskilde, Eindhoven Metal Meeting and more.

Returning with ‘Vökudraumsins fangi’, AUÐN explore new soundscapes and push their music to new heights, thereby setting themselves further apart from their Icelandic contemporaries. The six piece draws inspirations from their natural surroundings, but also chart the territory of the mind. The album title literally translates to ‘prisoner of the daydream’, but rather refers to a perpetual state of delusion of a life that never took place.

Join AUÐN while traversing the blurred lines between reality and the supernatural and the otherworldly sceneries of their native Iceland. 
Recording studio: Sundlaugin Studio
 
Producer / sound engineer: Stephen Lockhart of Studio Emissary
 
Mixed and mastered: Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios
 
Recording line-up:
Andri Björn Birgisson – Guitars
Aðalsteinn Magnússon – Guitars and vocals
Hjalti Sveinsson – Vocals
Hjálmar Gylfason – Guitars
Matthías Hlifar Mogensen – Bass and guitars
Sigurður Kjartan Pálsson – Drums
 
Guest musicians:
Arnaldur Ingi Jónsson – Hammond organ on “Næðir um “and “Horfin mér”
Magnús Jóhann Ragnarsson – Grand piano & Mellotron on “Næðir um” and “Vökudraumsins fangi”
 
Cover artwork: Mýrmann
 
Links:
https://www.facebook.com/audnofficial/
https://audnofficial.bandcamp.com
https://www.instagram.com/audnofficial/
 
Shop: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/audn-vokudraumsins-fangi

OCCELENSBRIGG to release new HARVEST OF DEATH tape this weekend, reveal first track

Occelensbrigg return with another striking and swirling work, five long tracks intensively violent like the wind whispering from the One who walks the highest mountains.

Dissonant yet abrasive and surely hypnotizing, Frostbitten Cleansing will drive you through the roughest of the paths you can find on this terrestrial space, a journey through the icy and deadly mountains, to purify your soul and mind!

Occelensbrigg‘s Frostbitten Cleansing was recorded at the dawn of the last winter under the Aldebaran Circle and is now brought to light by Harvest of Death.

The cassette version is being released this weekend, on November 1st. In the meantime, hear the brand-new track “Gathering the Cold of Many Winters” here:

www.signalrex.com
www.facebook.com/signalrex

www.signalrex.bandcamp.com

VREID release entire ‘In the Mountains of Sognametal’ concert

Norwegian Black ‘n Roll veterans VREID have released their entire ‘In the Mountains of Sognametal’ concert via Youtube.

A few months into the pandemic, the band performed a unique show. Against the stunning backdrop of their mountain farm in Sogndal (Norway) and amidst pristine winter landscapes, VREID played a classic set from their entire Sognametal history. This included songs that have never been played live before and even a couple of WINDIR tracks. Valfar’s brother Vegard and former MISTUR vocalist Odne made a guest appearance during the concert.

Norwegian Black ‘n Roll veterans VREID have released their entire ‘In the Mountains of Sognametal’ concert via Youtube.

A few months into the pandemic, the band performed a unique show. Against the stunning backdrop of their mountain farm in Sogndal (Norway) and amidst pristine winter landscapes, VREID played a classic set from their entire Sognametal history. This included songs that have never been played live before and even a couple of WINDIR tracks. Valfar’s brother Vegard and former MISTUR vocalist Odne made a guest appearance during the concert.

Watch the ‘In the Mountains of Sognametal’ concert HERE.

VREID songwriter and bass guitarist Jarle Hváll Kvåle comments: “It was such a unique experience. It was a moment where we embraced our entire legacy, and I am so proud of how it came together. It was organized with a true Sognametal spirit, in a strong DIY manner with help from our closest friends and family. The response to the stream was overwhelming and we hope that when this pandemic is over, we can invite the audience to watch a special concert in the same surroundings. That would be mind blowing.

Launching the entire concert is also a kickstart to what is going to be the most intense and creative year in our lives. We are progressing with our new album and what an album it will be. Lets just say that we have been possessed with the working on this record and can’t wait to release it in 2021. In conjunction with the album, we are also doing something completely new, a project that will give the music a new dimension.

Furthermore, in a few weeks  we have absolutely wild news for all of you that enjoy the Sognametal legacy. But first, we have opened the gates to our beloved mountain farm and made the “Into the Mountain’s of Sognametal” concert available for all of you. Enjoy the show, spread it wherever you can and keep following us for some intense months to come. The march continues!”

VREID released their latest full length ‘Lifehunger’ in September 2018. Listen to the full album HERE. The artwork can be viewed below, together with the album details.

Track-list
1. Flowers & Blood (1:50)
2. One Hundred Years (5:39)
3. Lifehunger (5:36)
4. The Dead White (4:59)
5. Hello Darkness (4:39)
6. Black Rites in the Black Nights (6:26)
7. Sokrates Must Die (3:29)
8. Heimatt (6:01)
Total playing time: 38:39

VREID were formed in 2004. The Norwegian metal brigade rose from the ashes of WINDIR after the tragic perishing of the “Sognametal” legends with the declared mission of exploring new musical paths.
 
The Norsemen proved true to their words and have so far delivered 7 albums and one DVD, which each received high praise from critics and fans alike. VREID chose a course of constant evolution that is marked by thematically denoted phases regarding their often historically inspired lyrics.
 
This became particularly clear with albums ‘I Krig’ (2007) and ‘Milorg’ (2009), which both revolved around concepts dealing with resistance and liberation of Norway during World War II. With their following three records, VREID returned to their Norse roots, especially on latest full-length, ‘Sólverv’ which received high critical acclaim in 2015.
 
VREID have hammered out their success partly by being a heavily touring band. The four-piece performed more than 500 shows in 25 countries so far. Their everlasting march to conquer new territories has led the Norwegians to headline tours in Europe, North America, Japan, and India.
 
VREID‘s style is often referred to as black ‘n roll and Metal Hammer UK described their music as “a unique time travel in metal” as elements of 70’s rock, 80’s classic metal, and Norwegian black metal are all clearly audible.
 
Now with eighth album ‘Lifehunger’, black ‘n roll is back! With eight brand new tracks, VREID are ready for the next chapter.
  
www.facebook.com/vreidofficial
 
Line-up
Sture: Vocals & guitars
Strom: Guitars
Steingrim: Drums
Hváll- Bass and keys
 
Guest Musician
Aðalbjörn ‘Addi’ Tryggvason (SÓLSTAFIR): vocals on “Hello Darkness”
 
Recording: Nabolaget studio
Producer: Jarle Hváll Kvåle / Anders Nordengen
Mix: Anders Nordengen, Nabolaget studio
Mastering: Ruben Willem
 
Cover art: Remi Juliebø of Deformat
 
Shop: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/VreidLifehunger
 
Available formats
Digipak CD
Vinyl LP in various colours

Mora Prokaza release new video for ‘I See It This Way’

Extreme Belarusian Avant Garde duo MORA PROKAZA are now premiering a brand new music video for ‘I See It This Way’, taken from the bands latest album ‘By Chance’. The new offering can now be viewed here:

MORA PROKAZA comment: “No borders.  No awarderds.  I See It This Way.“

The cover artwork and track-list of ‘By Chance’ can be found below.

Track-list
1. WIMG (2:41) (WATCH HERE)
2. Im Not Yours (3:39) (WATCH HERE)
3. Check It (3:36) (WATCH HERE)
4. Im A Human (2:41)
5. I See It This Way (6:08)
6. Madonna (3:19)
7. Be There (3:30)
8. Sorry Man (3:11)
9. Blacker Than Black (3:01)
Total playing time: 31:46

Welcome to the unnerving and anger driven world of MORA PROKAZA where madness reigns! Just like MORA PROKAZA, the upcoming new opus ‘By Chance’ cannot be contained nor be put in one single musical category. A mixture between Avant Garde Black Metal meets New School Trap, integrated with the Belarusian arts roots that lay so deep within.

The band with the cunning name MORA PROKAZA was formed back in 2013 by Farmakon (guitars, vocals) and Isvind (drums). Both musicians have a long-term experience of playing in many local Belarusian extreme metal bands. The material for the first release “Bringer of Plague” was quickly composed and released in early 2015 and with that, MORA PROKAZA shared Russian stages with bands such as HELL SPIRIT, SUSPERIA, DARKEND, CLAYMORDS, MORIBUND OBLIVION and many others. In the winter of 2015, the band even supported INQUISITION in St. Petersburg (RU).

Shortly after the release of their debut album, Isvind leaves MORA PROKAZA and furious drummer Hatestorm joins the band commencing the recording of new material. With the addition of Hatestorm, the band opened up for new opportunities and In May 2015 the musicians present a brand-new EP “My Awakening” shorty followed by a new full-length “Dark Universe” (2016).

In 2018 MORA PROKAZA completely changed their approach to composing and sound concept and with the release of the single ‘Blacker than Black’, the band reinvened themselves with great feedback from fans all around the world. The band set out for new musical horizons and started recording a brand-new full length after signing a deal with Season of Mist.

Take what you will from ‘By Chance’. The underlying aggression in its purest form or perhaps the philosophical glance towards spiritual growth. In the end, WIMG?

www.moraprokaza.com
www.facebook.com/moraprokaza
www.instagram.com/moraprokaza
www.moraprokaza.bandcamp.com

Studio/recording: Studio Mora Prokaza
Mix/Master: Shepelevich Andrei (Farmakon)

Line-up:
Farmakon – lyrics, composition, vocals
Hatestorm – drums

Cover artwork: by Mora Prokaza

MONGREL’S CROSS premiere new track – ABSU’s Proscriptor features as new vocalist

Today, Aussie metal vanguard Mongrel’s Cross premiere the new track “What the Cards May Tell”. The track is the second to be revealed from the band’s highly anticipated third album, Arcana, Scrying and Revelation, set for international release on November 27th via Hells Headbangers. Hear Mongrel’s Cross‘ “What the Cards May Tell” in its entirety exclusively here:

Hailing from the extreme metal hotbed of Australia, Mongrel’s Cross were once of the best-kept secrets Down Under. The band’s debut album, The Sins of Aquarius, was released in 2012 via Hells Headbangers, and presented an unselfconsciously unique twist on paradigmatic Oz black/death. Grimily gratifying, Mongrel’s Cross unleashed a widescreen span of filthy thrashing, down-tempo war-marches, and epic metal grandeur alike, and diehards dutifully took note. Unfortunately, lineup struggles would hamper momentum, and it would take six long years before another recording reared its head.

However, when Mongrel’s Cross at last emerged from their hiatus, now pared down to a duo, the dividends paid off handsomely. Released in 2018 to widespread international acclaim, Psalter of the Royal Dragon Court soon became something of a modern classic to any and all who heard it. Mongrel’s Cross didn’t so much as change during the interim as simply intensify and fine-tune their iron-fisted attack, here conveying an altogether more terrifying and triumphant aspect. It was the age-old axis of form meeting content, and rarely had a metal record this cleanly produced sounded so threatening, which simply underlined the powerful panache to the band’s strong songwriting. Mongrel’s Cross had truly arrived with Psalter of the Royal Dragon Court – and thankfully, people were now paying attention.

Keeping that shit-hot momentum going, Mongrel’s Cross scored quite the coup in acquiring the legendary vocal skills of Absu’s incomparable Proscriptor for their third full-length. Bearing the appropriately magickal title of Arcana, Scrying and Revelation, these Aussie hooligans-turned-heroes are set to deliver yet another decisive and undeniable album. Mongrel’s Cross are on the march, ready to take the throne that’s rightfully theirs.

If its no-less-considerable predecessor saw Mongrel’s Cross step deeper into territory that’s entirely their own, here with Arcana, Scrying and Revelation do the bolstered quartet solidify that rarefied ground. Not for them the over-generalization of “Australia = war metal” nor the simplistic connotations associated with such; still peaking at the height of their compositional powers, Mongrel’s Cross remain a great extreme METAL entity. All the drama and danger, legendry and lawlessness, power and poison, and essential OTT abandon of this artform otherwise known as heavy metal – everything that Psalter of the Royal Dragon Court so effortlessly played out with a palpably physical poetry – here on Arcana do they render in more manic and narrative form, no doubt informed by Proscriptor’s pioneering work with the singular Absu. In fact, it’s a match so perfect (and poignant), it’s a small wonder it never happened sooner… Regardless, each of these seven screeds artfully canvasses a wide territory of heavy metal magick – the playing deft and nuanced, the songwriting itself direct yet richly detailed – and once again does the clean ‘n’ gleaming production fit like a gauntlet lined with velvet. In a word, Arcana is EPIC, in every sense.

Suitably adorned with majestic cover artwork courtesy of the masterful Kris Verwimp, hereby do Mongrel’s Cross enter the halls of confirmed greatness with Arcana, Scrying and Revelation!

Begin witnessing that greatness with the previously revealed “Suffer the Witch to Live” HERE at Hells Headbangers‘ official YouTube channel. Preorder info can be found HERE.

Aforementioned cover art and tracklisting are as follows:

Tracklisting for Mongrel’s Cross’ Arcana, Scrying and Revelation
1. Suffer the Witch to Live [6:07]
2. Fate of the Grail PT. I [4:53]
3. A Magician’s Prayer [5:22]
4. Fate of the Grail PT. II [6:02]
5. As a Being Undead [5:21]
6. What the Cards May Tell [6:09]
7. The Whispering Void [4:45]

MORE INFO:
www.facebook.com/MongrelsCross

MÖRK GRYNING stream entire new album ‘Hinsides Vrede’

Swedish melodic black metal icons MÖRK GRYNING are now streaming their entire new album ‘Hinsides Vrede’. Listen to it here:

“We are proud to finally present our new album “Hinsides Vrede” in its entirety to you. It’s forged by the elements of our past which have matured during our 15 years break. It’s an opus of rage and fury of the world beyond,” comments Goth Gorgon.

‘Hinsides Vrede’ will be out on today and is available in various formats in the Season of Mist shop HERE.

The cover artwork was created by C-G and can be viewed below, together with the tracklist.

Tracklist:
1. The Depths of Chinnereth (01:00)
2. Fältherren (03:37)
3. Existence in a Dream (03:12)
4. Infernal (03:41)
5. A Glimpse of the Sky (02:56)
6. Hinsides (01:25)
7. The Night (03:13)
8. Sleeping in the Embers (04:25)
9. For Those Departed (01:09)
10. Without Crown (04:29)
11. Black Spirit (04:36)
12. On the Elysian Fields (01:41)
After fifteen years of slumber, the sleepers are asleep no more, the dead are resting peacefully no more. One of Sweden’s legendary black metal bands MÖRK GRYNING are about to unleash their wrath upon the masses with ‘Hinsides Vrede’.
 
Founded in 1993 in Stockholm, Sweden, MÖRK GRYNING stood at the cradle of the melodic black and death metal scene as it is known today. In May 1995, founding members Goth Gorgon and Draakh Khimera entered the Unisound Studios to record their now legendary debut album ‘Tusen År Har Gått’, produced by Dan Swanö.

This record quickly drew attention in the underground scene, and it is still one of the most celebrated records in black metal. The melodic combination of haunting black metal with heavy metal, toppled with keyboards and acoustic guitars became the trademark of MÖRK GRYNING. Moreover, they were one of the first black metal bands to ever sing in their mother tongue.  
 
In 1996, the Swedes entered the Sunlight Studios with Tomas Skogsberg and DISMEMBER’s Fred Estby to craft the follow-up ‘Return Fire’. The reception of this dark, thrash metal influenced record was initially not as strong as its predecessor, but it gained popularity over the years. It is now regarded as one of the hallmarks of early Swedish black metal.  
 
Avathar joined the group in 1999, who’s virtuous guitar soloing added a new dimension to the band’s sound. A year later, the three-piece traveled to Bergen, Norway, and cut ‘Maelstrom Chaos’ at the famous Grieghallen Studios, produced by legendary Norwegian producer Pytten (MAYHEM, BURZUM, EMPEROR). The music had taken a more orchestral approach with epic arrangements and longer songs, culminating with the incorporation of Mozart’s “Lacrimosa” in the song “The Menace”.
 
In early 2003, MÖRK GRYNING entered the Dug Out Studio (MESHUGGAH, DEVIN TOWNSEND, IN FLAMES, DARK FUNERAL) with the two producers David Bergstrand and Örjan Örnkloo. Although every album thus far had been a big step from the previous in terms of music and sound, the difference was beyond comparison on ‘Pieces of Primal Expressionism’. Sounding highly experimental with disharmonic clusters painted on a gargantuan wall of sound built by Bergstrand, the record turned out to be a great divider for fans. Many old fans were deterred by the abrupt change of style while others praised it as a brave step forward.
 
Several line-up changes followed in the years after the release, but the band kept on touring and playing festivals. Eventually, Goth Gorgon was left as the only original member and disbanded the project even though a new record was already being recorded. Posthumously, the recorded songs were released by Black Lodge Records in 2005 on the self titled album ‘MÖRK GRYNING’.
 
Awakening the flames of chaos again at Party San Open Air in 2017, the anniversary show of ‘Tusen År Har Gått’ in Stockholm (2017), several other festivals, Founding members Goth Gorgon, Draakh Kimera and Avatar reunited and MÖRK GRYNING signed a new deal with Season of Mist.
 
With ‘Hinsides Vrede’, MÖRK GRYNING again found the synergy they had while writing their legendary debut record and return to their foundations by balancing melody with straightforward brutality. Yet, by striving to reinvent themselves with every record, the long-awaited comeback of the band is by no means a reiteration of a glorious musical past.

Translating into ‘otherworldly wrath’ or ‘wrath of the world beyond’, ‘Hinsides Vrede’ represents the doom of pre-historic cultures as well as our impending doom while the world is cracking at its seams. It is a furious assault upon the civilized world and a descent into the nether regions of the world beyond. Join us into the maelstrom!
Follow MÖRK GRYNING on Facebook and Instagram, and check out their Bandcamp!

Shop:  https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/mork-gryning-vrede

Photographer: Peter Wendin

Recording studio: Wing Studios, Sverker Widgren
 
Producer / sound engineer, mixing and mastering: Wing Studios, Sverker Widgren

Line-up:
Draakh Kimera – Lead Vocals, Guitar, Drums
Goth Gorgon – Bass, Guitar, Backing Vocals
Avathar – Lead Guitar
 
Recording line-up:
Draakh Kimera: Lead & Backing Vocals, Guitars, Drums, Keyboards
Goth Gorgon: Bass, Lead Guitar, Backing vocals, Lead vocals on “Black Spirit”, Keyboards
Avathar: Lead Guitar     
C-G: Drums on “Fältherren” & “Black Spirit”
Aeon: Backing Vocals, Piano on “For Those Departed” & “On The Elysian Fields”

Guest musicians:
Laura Ute: Vocals on “Black Spirit”

Live members:
C-G – Drums
Aeon – Keyboards

GRABUNHOLD set release date for IRON BONEHEAD debut album, reveal first track

Today, Iron Bonehead Productions sets January 22nd, 2021 as the international release date for Grabunhold‘s highly anticipated debut album, Heldentod, on CD and vinyl LP formats.

It was but September 2019 when Grabunhold released the mini-album Unter dem Banner der Toten for Iron Bonehead. Justifiably celebrated, here did the German quartet poignantly prove that ’90s black metal classicism could indeed come from the modern era. In fact, despite invoking a whole host of timeless influences – beyond the wandering moon, an arising realm upon a shadowthrone, dark waters stirring at the dawn of the dying sun – Grabunhold processed them in such an undeniably Teutonic, swords-drawn way that was not only wholly their own, it was wholly refreshing.

Wasting no time with this enviable momentum, Grabunhold return little more than a year later with more medieval madness: Heldentod, their full-length debut. Just as spellbinding as the preceding EP but even more expansive, Heldentod immediately creates a compelling canvas that’s simultaneously tied to tradition and pushing that tradition further. Its songwriting and attendant soundfield suggest strong second-wave vibes – silent citadels, sequestered keeps, dark dungeons – but never whiff of retro posturing or ham-fisted revisionism; rather, their invocation runs parallel to the Old Ways, fluently speaking the ancient dialect instead of stunted pidgin. In other, more telling ways, Heldentod strikes upon braver and less-travelled territory, bristling with a sparkling sort of production that’s palatable in its almost-crystalline sheen and befitting the album’s contents. Here, Grabunhold maintain a more solemn aspect – more “pagan,” if you will – that’s given spectral flight through cascading melodicism and an integration of choral vocals, perhaps most stirringly encapsulated in the Spartan hymn “Trommeln in der Tiefe.” Elsewhere, the fire of old burns hotter than ever, with the band’s bravado amplified by the powerful ‘n’ pro production.

Taste the German steel of Grabunhold‘s Heldentod! Draw the first sword with the brand-new track “Flammen und Schatten” here:

Cover art and tracklisting as follows:

Tracklisting for Grabunhold’s Heldentod
1. Wolkenbruch über Amon Sul [8:59]
2. Hügelgräberhöhen [3:11]
3. Trommeln in der Tiefe [3:52]
4. Flammen und Schatten [5:53]
5. Morgenröte am Pelennor [7:46]
6. Fangorns Erwachen [3:22]
7. In tiefen Verliesen [4:49]
8. Der Einsamkeit letzter Streiter [8:48]

MORE INFO:
www.facebook.com/grabunhold

www.facebook.com/IronBoneheadProductions

GJOAD set release date for ANTIQ debut, reveal trailer

On December 15th internationally, Antiq is proud to present Gjoad‘s striking debut album, Samanōn, on digipack CD format.

Gjoad is a three-piece band from Austria, playing atmospheric rock highly influenced by the magestic visions of their native alpine landscapes. From their major influence of black metal, only stays the impressive atmospheres and film-worthy build-ups. Next to guitars and drums, the band also experiments with instruments like jaw harps, singing bowls, horns, and bells to create new atmospheres.

With goosebump-inducing mountain visions, with the sometimes-burning excitement of the a collapsing winter pyre, and the sometimes-freezing stillness of the frost peaks shrouded in clouds, Gjoad also deliver music that equally brings the comfort and protection of the deep woods.

Samanōn is an album marked by the will to give birth in the listener’s mind to a sparkle of magic. Then to breathe on it, make the fire grow and spread, enlighten and burn the whole soul with the fire of ancient creeds and legends, and then let the fire come down gently, watch the embers live and glow in the dark. Through huge build-ups brought to life by the band, the listener is invited to undertake this initiatic journey.

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, see & hear a special trailer here:

Cover artwork, by Franz Steinfeld (1852 – Salzburger Landschaft), and tracklisting are as follows:

Tracklisting for Gjoad’s Samanōn
1. Rouh – Samanōn [14:03]
2. Peraht [9:16]
3. Gartsang [3:02]
4. Hagazussa [5:05]
5. Untar [4:04]

https://www.antiqofficial.bandcamp.com/