Today, black metal travelers Nigrum stream the entirety of their highly anticipated debut album, Elevenfold Tail. Set for international release on December 16th via Into Endless Chaos Records, hear Nigrum‘s Elevenfold Tail in its entirety here:
In 2015, Nigrum was born from fire, from snake-infested tunnels and ravenous worship of death – there, where ancient stones are inspirited by bone-breaking and incessant ecstatic dances. From the mists of the central Mexican highlands and the pyramid temples of Quetzalcoatl that lie there came a turbid and sinuous path that took shape in the form of black metal.
After the first years of this journey, marked by hard strife and constant changes, the cutting obsidian breeze of the Serpent brought Nigrum to Scandinavian shores. After laying the past to rest, a new gathering of members was established in the south of Sweden. It was consecrated by the recording of a three-track demo named Cremer Igne, translated from Latin to “The Undying Fires.” It was recorded by the band in early 2020 and released later that same year by Tour de Garde. As that year was turning to an end, the band had its first live appearances in Sweden, Denmark, and Germany in its shifted shape after years of silence.
The spiritual and creative processes that guided Nigrum culminated in, and were crowned by, the recording of their debut album. Titled Elevenfold Tail, Nigrum‘s first full-length strike is a serpentine one: clear and cutting in its cunning, but given to hideous energies that always threaten to bubble over into hysteria. Nigrum‘s black metal here simultaneously sounds vintage and modern, with foundation stones faint – both North and South reside on their compass – and no trendiness pursued for cheap absorption. Rather, Elevenfold Tail unlocks its secrets slowly, subtly, almost sensually…although, again, that elemental fire is always burning and always threatening to consume the listener. As such, Nigrum‘s songwriting and execution both put a premium on delayed-gratification dynamics; aura and atmosphere likewise exist in (dis)harmony with that songwriting and execution, coalescing into a cob-webbed, bug-eyed album-length experience. The ritual dagger flashes, and seals your fate…
Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Nigrum’s Elevenfold Tail 1. Prologue 2. Haunting Fields 3. Ea Quae Sanguinem Bibit 4. Per Sepulchra Regionum 5. Murderer, Dweller 6. In Nocte Consilium 7. Reaching Arms Beyond 8. Eleven Feathered Tempest 9. Serpent’s Tribe 10. Epilogue 11. Apparition
Greek metal titans ROTTING CHRIST have just released a digital compilation featuring previously unreleased tracks. ‘The Apocryphal Spells‘ Vol I and II is out now on all digital streaming platforms. Listen to Vol I here and Vol II here. The compilation will be released as a physical edition in 2023.
‘The Apocryphal Spells’ Vol I: 1. Astral Embodiment (05:28) 2. Moonlight (04:16) 3. Phobia (05:40) 4. Tormentor (cover) (02:33) 5. Flag of Hate / Pleasure to Kill (cover) (04:09)
‘The Apocryphal Spells’ Vol II: 1. Spiritus Sancti (04:50) 2. I am the Moonchild (02:40) 3. Noctis Era – remixed (04:50) 4. I Will Not Serve (03:55) 5. Black Sabbath (06:01)
ROTTING CHRIST have reached another peak in their long career that now spans over more than three decades. The Greeks have literally stood the test of time. With a steady core line-up and their well-honed live delivery, ROTTING CHRIST are filling concert halls and reap enthusiastic crowd reactions wherever they go. This demonstration of love from their followers is not just driven by nostalgia as the band has managed to evolve and grow, while staying relevant beyond the classics with their highly acclaimed latest albums such as ‘Aealo’ (2010), ‘Κατά τον δαίμονα εαυτού’ (2013), and ‘Rituals’ (2016).
Now, with the new offering ‘The Heretics’, ROTTING CHRIST are opening a brand new chapter. With confidence and skills derived from experience, each song represents its own sonic universe. Guitarist and vocalist Sakis Tolis in collaboration with his brother Themis on drums achieve a perfect balance of amalgamating their classic and unique style of riffing and rhythm with exciting new elements sprinkled in to keep their material exciting and fresh. The experienced is enhanced by Jens Bogren’s equally clear and transparent yet also massive as well as sombre mix and mastering at his widely renowned Fascination Street Studios (AMORPHIS, BORKNAGAR, MOONSPELL, DEVIN TOWNSEND, and many more).
ROTTING CHRIST were founded by Sakis Tolis and his brother Themis in the year 1987. Starting out on a basis of death and grind, the Greeks had already embarked on a darker musical journey by the time their debut full-length ‘Thy Mighty Contract’ (1993) was revealed. On the following seven albums covering a ten-year period from ‘Non Serviam’ (1994) to ‘Sanctus Diavolos’ (2004), ROTTING CHRIST steadily defined their own distinct style by experimenting with elements from death, heavy, and gothic metal without betraying their black roots. At the same time, the band went from underground heroes to headliner status. With the highly acclaimed ninth album, ‘Theogonia’ (2007), the Greek stalwarts added an unmistakable native element to their sound, which has remained with them as a signature trademark ever since. Exploring the mythical legacy of cultures around the globe let to
ROTTING CHRIST‘s massively successful latest release, ‘Rituals’ (2016). With more than 30 years, 13 studio albums, a dozen EPs, singles and split releases, as well as more than 1.250 shows under their belt, 2018 marked the year of ‘Their Greatest Spells’ (2018), where they musically revisited their exciting legacy to connect their past with the present.
‘The Heretics’ marks another step in the evolution of the Greek masters. Buckle up for a fascinating musical ride through the woes of religious wars, Zoroastrianism and the eternal war between good and evil. Metal at its best!
On December 16th internationally, NoEvDia will release Misþyrming‘s highly anticipated third album, Með hamri.
By their hammer let none be saved – Misþyrming return to lay down the law. Með hamri is the sound of the iron heel of black metal trampling the face of musical modernity. Með hamri is deeply saturated with the vibrantly alive energy that Misþyrming capture so effectively on stage. The drums sound organic and powerful, the guitar distortion has a vicious bite, and D.G.’s vocals are as brutal and evocative as ever. The underlying spirit is one of action. There is melancholy, bitterness, and filth, but one of the album’s foremost characteristics is its relentless surge of determination. Never before have Misþyrming sounded livelier and more confrontational.
In the band’s own words, “Authentic and genuine, entirely devoid of gimmicks, Með hamri is a celebration of violence and excess. Arrogant, vitriolic, and with contemptuous disregard for your every sensibility, this album is our statement against all that is false and vain in today’s underground scene. With the timeless values of true metal woven into its very fabric – unironic and unapologetic – this is the Devil’s music made manifest. There is plenty of room for nuance and subtlety in black metal, but the hammer leaves no room for interpretation.”
Full stream to be revealed the date of release. Following the album’s release, the band will embark upon a European tour; full list of dates follow after the jump. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Misþyrming’s Með hamri 1. Með hamri 2. Með harmi 3. Engin miskunn 4. Engin vorkunn 5. Blóðhefnd 6. Aftaka
On March 3rd, 2023 internationally, Personal Records is proud to present Ocean of Grief‘s highly anticipated second album, Pale Existence, on CD format.
Hailing from Greece, Ocean of Grief‘s melodic doom-death dates back to 2016 when their first musical endeavor, the Fortress of My Dark Self EP, saw the light of day. This EP carried a deep influence from the sound of bands like Slumber, Enshine, Draconian, On Thorns I Lay, and Saturnus. The gloomy but melancholic feeling of the EP was followed by the self-released single “After a Long Time” and, eventually, the band’s first full-length album, Nightfall’s Lament, which took a deeper dive into darkness and despair.
Now in 2023, Pale Existence comes to life, and this time, Ocean of Grief‘s approach of the music is even darker and more melodic, moving with both heaviness and grace, immensity and sensitivity. Indeed, the Greeks exhibit a mastery of songwriting here, working with the requisite light/shade so endemic to melodic doom-death, but with a fluidity that’s simply awe-inspiring: hooks, soundscapes, and ambiances take the listener from dark to light in no time. Further fleshing out the awe-inspiring landscape of Pale Existence is the album’s production, which is nothing short of superb and allows each detail to ring true but without sacrificing the raw emotion at the core of Ocean of Grief‘s colossal sound. In a word, this is spiritual.
Melodic doom-death doesn’t need to be more what it already is when it’s this powerful and poignant. Without hyperbole, in Pale Existence have Ocean of Grief delivered one of the subgenre’s best records of the year. Get ready to be imprisoned by two worlds!
In the meantime, see & hear the brand-new video for “Dale of Haunted Shades” here:
Preorder info can be found HERE. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Ocean of Grief’s Pale Existence 1. Poetry For The Dead 2. Dale Of Haunted Shades 3. Unspoken Actions 4. Imprisoned Between Worlds 5. Cryptic Constellations 6. Pale Wisdom 7. Undeserving
Symphonic black metal formation …AND OCEANS are now unleashing another brand new track from the upcoming album “As in Gardens, so in Tombs”. The new offering will be released on January 27, 2023 via Season of Mist.
‘Within Fire and Crystal’ represents an epic symphonic black metal tune with a twist. The track and accompanying video represent an out of the body experience that has been around for millennia, too otherworldly to be told until now. Experience ‘Within Fire and Crystal’ yourself here:
The album can be pre-ordered HERE, and pre-saved HERE.
…AND OCEANS vocalist Mathias comments on the track: “A journey through tongues of fire, towards the crystal walls. And to return with the Key from the Observer.“
The cover artwork, which is created by Adrien Bousson, and further album details of ‘As in Gardens, so in Tombs’ can be found below.
Tracklist: 1. As in Gardens, so in Tombs (4:17) 2. The Collector and His Construct (4:36) [WATCH] 3. Within Fire and Crystal (5:52) [WATCH] 4. Carried on Lead Wings (5:14) 5. Likt Törnen Genom Kött (5:10) [LISTEN] 6. Cloud Heads (4:19) [WATCH] 7. Wine into Water (3:57) 8. Inverse Magnification Matrix (4:50) 9. The Earth Canvas (4:11) 10. Ambivalent God (7:44) Bonus: 11. Samlarens Valv (3:49) 12. Third Eye Catalyst (4:28) Total: 58:27
It’s rare for a band to commandingly return with their best effort to date, but Finland’s …And Oceans are here to prove that 2020’s Cosmic World Mother was the sound of creative floodgates bursting through into a new body of water, an ocean if you will. Well, that was their pinnacle up until their new album, As In Gardens, So In Tombs, is let out into the world. Everything that …And Oceans’ first full-length in 18 years did well – blistering symphonic black metal, heady themes that dealt with the connection between philosophy and psychics, and …And Oceans’ trademark adventurous songwriting – As In Gardens, So In Tombs manages to eclipse and recontextualize. It’s the sound of a band seizing every ounce of momentum and upping the ante in every way. While …And Oceans has never written the same album twice, in many ways, their latest sounds like an opportunity for the Finnish group to pick up and improve upon what they started. Symphonic black metal is never this fun, free, and fantastic.
Lead single “Cloud Heads” is a great introduction into the magic and serves as a statement of intent. Swirling melodies, blastbeats that sound like the rumbles after The Big Bang, and ethereal symphonic touches result in a song that’s equally fierce and pleasant to take in. A kinder, gentler (but not gentle) version of …And Oceans.
“’Cloud Heads’ is certainly one of my favorites!” vocalist Mathias Lillmåns shares. “It was sort of an icebreaker song. It was one of the first songs we wrote straight after Cosmic World Mother was finished, and the first lyrics I wrote for the album. It was the song that paved way (or broke the ice) for the rest of the album.”
Part of the reason the band even needed to “break the ice” with this record is the pace at which their last was written, as guitarist Timo Kontio acknowledges:
“Well for me starting to do Cosmic World Mother was more nerve wrecking and even in doubt whether we should make new music or not. In the end it was quite an easy project to do, to our relief. So when we started to make this album, it was more relaxed and more or less go with the flow mentality. We had the first ‘difficult comeback album’ done, and everything came quite easily! It was really refreshing to make this kind of music after so long.”
“I was only supposed to produce guitars for Cosmic World Mother,” Lillmåns adds, “but a month before the recordings were supposed to start, my phone suddenly rang. I could sense that this phone call was going to be important when I saw it was Timo calling. I was asked to join the band and also to write lyrics for the whole thing. Immediately when I saw the first version of the [album] cover, I got this vision of what the concept of the album would be, and I wrote most of the album in sort of a frenzy with the next few weeks.”
“It’s strange with the new album,” he continues, “because I have always been forced to use tight deadlines for myself when writing music or lyrics. It seems I need the pressure to create something I’m happy with. Also, for some reason I get most done when traveling, I used to take trains to nowhere just write sometimes back in the day! This time there were no pressure, no traveling, and I was not on the edge of a burn out, and it went smoother than ever before! The lyrics just kept on coming, not as fast and not in such a trancelike frenzy as the last album, but good stuff on a steady basis.”
So while Cosmic World Mother was the sort of ravishing fever dream of an album that poured out of …And Oceans in fits and starts, As In Gardens, So In Tombs was the result of the band taking the time to sweat the small stuff. The result can be found everywhere – melodies are brighter, the orchestral elements feel more essential, and Lillmåns’ vocals have swallowed a mushroom (in a garden or tomb?) as done a Mario-like levelling up. Even in the way the album sounds, As In Gardens, So In Tombs sounds warmer, the kind of record meant to be played while walking alone in nature. That sense of measured purpose was very intentional as Lillmåns notes:
“[The record] definitely feels grander and more melodic. I think stepping up the production also was something that helped in this sense! Having Juho Räihä at SoundSpiral Audio taking a bigger role in the recording and having it sent over to Tore Stjerna at NBS Production definitely made it sound more massive and took a load off our shoulders to focus on the music itself!”
Who could’ve guessed that leaving the musicians to focus on the music would have good results?
As noted earlier, musically and thematically, everything about Cosmic World Mother was rapidly birthed from its creators. The themes of that record weighed heavily on the band and carried over into this record. Cosmic World Mother was about how energy is eternal and how only changes form. This record doubles down on that notion by focusing on how humanity’s energies toward enlightenment are often the same path, even if we have different languages, religions, customs, etc. I have this vision of us all playing different levels of a video game but ending up at the same ending. Energy is the most efficient recycler in the universe. So where and how did Lillmåns find inspiration to write the lyrics for this album? Did he end up walking gardens and pacing graveyards?
“I went back to gardens, moved away from the city into the nature. I always felt like I needed to be in a dark place to create lyrics that came from the heart, ‘when the body suffers, the mind flowers,’ kind of state. This time I was at ease, and it was surprisingly efficient. I usually don’t want to spoil too much and having people to think for themselves, but yes, I had the time to sit down and read during the pandemic and came to some conclusions (as in nature, so in books). I think it’s a very calming thought, that whatever happens, whenever it happens, makes no difference. We have always and always will be a part of the circle of eternal energy; we have always existed and will always exist in some form. A notion that became ever so clear when reading up on different religions, worldviews, customs, and philosophies.”
Recording Studio: Drums & Bass at D-studio Guitars & Vocals at SoundSpiral Audio Keyboards & electronics at Ryijy’s cave.
Producer/Sound engineer: Juho Räihä Mix/Master: Necromorbus Studio / Tore Stjerna
Line-up: Timo Kontio – Guitar Mathias Lillmåns – Vocals Teemu Saari – Guitar Pyry Hanski – Bass Kauko Kuusisalo – Drums Antti Simonen – Keyboards
Cover artwork: Adrien Bousson Bio: Nick Senior Pictures: M.Laakso
Today, Blood Harvest Records announces February 24th, 2023 as the international release date for Necrovation‘s LONG-awaited comeback recording, Storm the Void / Starving Grave, on 7″ vinyl and cassette tape formats.
Formed in 2003, Necrovation soon began their ascent of the Swedish death metal underground. A demo, a split, and an EP followed in quick succession, the latter two via Blood Harvest, before some silence would pass. Alas, in 2008 did Necrovation release their debut album, Breed Deadness Blood, via Blood Harvest; it was soon hailed as modern classic for its unique synthesis of other eldritch death metal styles and textures and not merely just Swedeath. Another EP via Blood Harvest followed two years later, signaling further growth by the power trio. That growth would perhaps reach its apotheosis with the release of their eponymous second album in 2012. Still very much “death metal” by design, Necrovation here boldly integrated more traditional metal tropes – all without devolving into “death ‘n’ roll” pantomime – as well as other now-characteristic twists of weirdness.
Then…a deafening silence. Infrequent shows would happen over the ensuing decade, but plans for a new recording never materialized. Now, over a decade since Necrovation, Necrovation return in enigmatic fashion with a two-song EP bearing the title Storm the Void / Starving Grave. The record’s two component tracks are almost too perfectly titled: “Storm the Void” sounds very much like that, with tension-inducing stop/start angularity and a devouring thrust that would almost sound punk if it wasn’t so molten and creepy; “Starving Grave” is indeed thirsty and miserable, with a woozy march that defies easy imbibement and then with-no-warning bursts of clawing speed and vapor trails of more simmering tension and repose. Together, these two tracks display Necrovation honoring their past while pointing the way toward a very, VERY special future…if they, in fact, continue to stir their sulfurous cauldron. Only they know, but we are truly fortunate to receive Storm the Void / Starving Grave to begin the year. Either way, Necrovation are eternal.
In the meantime, hear the brand-new track “Storm the Void” here:
Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Necrovation’s Storm the Void / Starving Grave 1. Storm the Void 2. Starving Grave
Today, Australian black metallers Krvna stream the entirety of their highly anticipated second album, For Thine is the Kingdom of the Flesh. Set for international release on December 12th via Third Eye Temple and Ancient Dead Productions on CD format – the tape version will be directly available from the band. – hear Krvna‘s For Thine is the Kingdom of the Flesh in its entirety exclusively here:
Perhaps laying in wait, below deck on a cursed coffin ship, a vampyric entity stirred and soon spread its black-leather wings in the autumn of 2021: Krvna‘s debut demo, appropriately titled Long Forgotten Relic, introduced the Australian black metallers in a most auspicious manner. However, that demo was but a mere two songs, and a few months later did the band’s debut album follow. Titled Sempinfernus, Krvna‘s first full-length unveiled the full fathom of mainman Krvna Vatra’s vision. At once authentically classic and unblinkered by the past, Sempinfernus was a sparkling gem of refreshingly old (and refreshingly vast) air, their black metal laced with a mysticism and sumptuousness that could only be likened to purple velvet. Not for nothing was it widely acclaimed.
Now, like (cursed) clockwork, Krvna return a full year later with arguably an even greater record: second album For Thine is the Kingdom of the Flesh. Immediately, the aggression is more tangible, more restless, but so is the grandiosity as six equally epic compositions unfold and take flight. Indeed, the sensation of flight is an apt one; racing and roiling with a blastbeaten intensity, there’s simultaneously a hovering – if not entirely ethereal – aspect that plays perfect counterpoint to that emphatic violence. Truly, Krvna‘s attack swarms here, sounds rippling and reverberating across a ruined cathedral, but executed with startling clarity: you’d be hard pressed to find a better-produced authentic black metal record these days. While certainly one can’t dress up a turd and call it a gem, Krvna Vatra’s superlative songwriting prowess receives the proper sonic presentation, and that synthesis of form and content makes all the difference in rendering For Thine is the Kingdom of the Flesh an engaging and engrossing experience on all levels. That the mainman’s lyrical themes delve deeper into philosophical concepts surrounding existential dread, vampirism, immortality, and transubstantiation only give greater weight to making this Krvna‘s defining statement thus far.
Preorder info can be found in the links after the jump. Cover artwork, courtesy of Greallach, and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Krvna’s For Thine is the Kingdom of the Flesh
1. For Thine Is The Kingdom Of The Flesh [7:49] 2. Gethsemane Ablaze [7:29] 3. Veni, Vidi, Vici [7:26] 4. The Flaming Hordes of Basarab [7:08] 5. In The Absence Of Gods… [7:14] 6. …Death Shall Have No Dominion [7:16]
Today, Shadow Kingdom Records announces January 27th, 2023 as the international release date for Iron Void‘s highly anticipated fourth album, IV, on CD, vinyl LP, and cassette tape formats. “Slow and steady wins the race,” and so it is the same in the doom scene. Iron Void was originally formed by Jonathan “Sealey” and Andy Whittaker (Solstice, The Lamp of Thoth) in 1998 in order to create an old-school doom metal band, worshiping at the altar of doom legends such as Black Sabbath, Saint Vitus, Pentagram, etc. The band re-formed in 2008, and proceeded to release a live album, an EP, and a digital single, each exactly two years apart, before delivering their self-titled debut album in 2014. The Doomsday follow-up came a year later, with 2018’s critically acclaimed Excalibur arriving via new label home Shadow Kingdom.
Consolidating Iron Void‘s position as proud ‘n’ pure purveyors of dependable doom metal is the aptly titled fourth album, IV. This new record sees the arrival of “new” drummer Scott Naylor, who’s actually been with the band since 2018, and who’s renown for his work in Reign of Erebus, Heathen Deity, and Atra Mors among others. Together, this new-look power-trio look back to the old, to Iron Void‘s roots, and create a stripped-down DOOM METAL album. Whereas Excalibur had a concept encompassing the historical past and legend, IV by contrast takes a long, hard look at everyday matters: real-world themes that are darker and more tangible, particularly in these days of Covid-19 and political unrest across all nations. Musically, Iron Void match form to content with direct, hard-hitting doom steeped in the old school, but they’re equally adept at varying their dynamics whilst retaining their core sound. Like many bands during these dark days, Iron Void had to write the whole album remotely during lockdown using file-sharing software, something Sealey says was admittedly “probably the hardest record to write” since they’d never previously done such before. However, the recorded results of IV burst with energy and personality, proving that these old dogs are anything but tired!
No other words needed: Iron Void are doom metal maniacs, for doom metal maniacs. IV is your unlucky number!
In the meantime, hear the brand-new track “Grave Dance”
Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Iron Void’s IV 1. Call Of The Void 2. Grave Dance 3. Living On The Earth 4. Pandora’s Box 5. Blind Dead 6. She 7. Lords Of The Wasteland 8. Slave One 9. Last Rites
Today, legendary Devil Metallers Nunslaughter reveal the new video “Red is the Color of Ripping Death.” The track is the fourth video to be revealed from the band’s long-awaited fifth studio album, Red is the Color of Ripping Death, released on August 27th, 2021 by Hells Headbangers but at long last seeing vinyl release. The album is currently available in five different vinyl colors/variations: gold, red, picture disc (with cover and insert), swamp green/beer swirl, and traditional black.
Order info for the vinyl version of Red is the Color of Ripping Death can be found HERE. In the meantime, see & hear Nunslaughter‘s brand-new video for the title track “Red is the Color of Ripping Death” HERE at Hells Headbangers official YouTube channel.
Nunslaughter require no introduction. Since 1987, these Ohio natives have prolifically perfected their own brand of Devil Metal: an evil blend of classic death metal and hardcore punk. And by “prolifically,” Nunslaughter are likewise serious; their catalog of records released rivals that of Japan’s Sabbat and Agathocles, both of whom the band have done splits with. Through it all, Hells Headbangers have been diehard fans, and have released countless Nunslaughter records going all the way back to the label’s earliest days in 2003.
And while Nunslaughter are largely renown for being an EP band, any chance to welcome a new full-length from them is cause for (devil metallish) celebration: at long last, Red is the Color of Ripping Death, the band’s first album in seven years. Many are still mourning the loss of legendary drummer Jim Sadist (RIP), and while Red is the Color of Ripping Death is their first full-length without him playing on it, some of the 14 songs contained herein are unfinished / unrealized music that Jim and founding frontman Don of the Dead wrote years ago. Just as importantly, this album comprises material newly written with Nunslaughter‘s current lineup, which is arguably the band’s best to date. And hearing is believing: over the course of the album’s 35 minutes, it becomes immediately apparent that Nunslaughter are a really good – and really ripping – DEATH METAL band above all. Largely gone (or least sublimated) is the hardcore punk influence, and in its place is an absolutely furious onslaught of catchiness and causticness. Armed with the best-sounding production on a Nunslaughter record ever as well as Don of the Dead reaching new heights/depths of maniacal perversity, Red is the Color Ripping Death truly brings the band to a different level of Devil Metal.
“As Sadist says, RED IS THE COLOR OF RIPPING DEATH!!” Long live Jim Sadist, and long live Nunslaughter!
Live long with the brand-new video for the title track “Red is the Color of Ripping Death” HERE at Hells Headbangers official YouTube channel. Also see the previously revealed videos for “Beware of God” HERE, “Broken and Alone” HERE, and “Below the Cloven Hoof” HERE, all at Hells Headbangers‘ official YouTube channel. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Nunslaughter’s Red is the Color of Ripping Death 1. Murmur 2. Broken and Alone 3. To A Whore 4. Banished 5. Red is the Color of Ripping Death 6. Eat Your Heart 7. Annihilate the Kingdom of God 8. Beware of God 9. Black Cat Hanging 10. Dead in Ten 11. The Devil Will Not Stray 12. The Temptress 13. Casket Lid Creaks 14. Below the Cloven Hoof
Atmospheric black metal project WOODS OF DESOLATION is now sharing the full album stream of “The Falling Tide” days ahead of schedule! The new offering, which will be released upon this earth on December 9, 2022, can already be heard here:
WOODS OF DESOLATION comments: “It is finally time to release the new album in full, as the journey that was ‘The Falling Tide’ finds completion to begin anew.”
“The Falling Tide” is available in the Season of Mist shop HERE. Pre-save “The Falling Tide” on your favourite streaming service HERE.
The cover artwork was created by Lucas Ruggieri and can be found below along with the tracklist!
Tracklisting: 01. Far From Here (07:02) [WATCH] 02. Beneath a Sea of Stars (07:23) 03. Illumination (05:01) [LISTEN] 04. The Falling Tide (06:32) [LISTEN] 05. The Passing… (03:45) 06. Anew (06:39) Total Duration (36:22)
Australian visionary Woods of Desolation returns with The Falling Tide, a bewitching crescendo of atmospheric black metal and post metal elements. Unlike the act’s Australian contemporaries who are known for their raw, unrefined grit, Woods of Desolation takes a different approach, showcasing the genre’s beauty and elegance with their grand melodic passages and radiant aura.
Formed by multi-instrumentalist D. in 2005, the project started as a means for personal expression through music. Firmly built upon this ethos, a series of demo recordings garnered attention and a solid following within underground black metal circles worldwide. Continually evolving and working with different guest musicians in pursuit of new artistic territory, D. began to showcase his talent for crafting melancholic, yet at times uplifting, melodies on the debut album Toward the Depths (2008), further refining it on the Sorh EP (2009) and the influential sophomore full-length Torn Beyond Reason (2011).
In 2014, Woods of Desolation released the critically acclaimed third full-length As the Stars, receiving strong placements on Decibel’s “Top 40 Albums of 2014” and Stereogum’s “50 Best Albums of 2014” list. This album saw D. further introduce a wider array of musical influences, such as post rock and shoegaze, into his unique take on black metal, becoming one of the main protagonists in what would become the burgeoning genre of post black metal. Additionally, lyrical themes were expanded beyond what had come before – nature, life, sorrow – now personally exploring the metaphysical aspects of spirituality and the afterlife.
In the intervening years that followed, D. created and worked on two new black metal projects Remete & Unfelled, simultaneously writing and developing material for the next Woods of Desolation full-length. In 2021, finally ready, D. teamed up with Vlad (Drudkh, Windswept) on drums & keys to record The Falling Tide, the long-awaited follow-up to As the Stars.
This forthcoming album sees the musical palette of D. and WOODS OF DESOLATION continue to grow, exploring higher peaks, deeper depths, all the while maintaining honest artistic expression, unfettered and free – remaining ever faithful to those principles that lead the way all those years ago.
Lineup: D. – Guitars, Bass, Vocals Vlad – Drums, Keyboards
