Bordeaux’s own titans of technical death metal, EXOCRINE, are set to traverse the realms of auditory obliteration with their highly anticipated ‘Legend Tour 2025’. Prepare yourselves for a labyrinthine voyage through the uncharted territories of sonic complexity, where ferocious riffs and labyrinthine compositions converge to create an otherworldly experience.
With Legend, EXOCRINE reveals their most audacious chapter yetâa maelstrom of intricate and otherworldly guitar passages, obliterating drum beats, and primal growls that carve your soul into a rhythm you’ve never known. This album is a confluence of their relentless exploration of sonic boundaries, a spiritual ascension into unimagined dimensions.
And now, the Bordeaux quartet is ready to unleash their furious artistry live on the ‘Legend Tour 2025’. Mark your calendars for an epic descent into their enigmatic soundscapes:
Tracklist: 1. Presage (1:26) 2. Legend (3:55)Â [WATCH] 3. Life (3:56)Â [WATCH] 4. Eidolon (3:21)Â [WATCH] 5. The Altar Of War (4:36) 6. Dust In The Naught (3:52) 7. Warlock (3:25) 8. Dragon (4:15) 9. The Oath (3:46) 10. By The Light Of The Pyre (6:19) 11. Cryogenisation (Bonus Track) (4:49) Total runtime: 43:30
Born from the depths of Bordeaux, France, EXOCRINE is a technical death metal juggernaut, a force that has redefined the very essence of the genre. Founded by the guitar-virtuoso Sylvain Octor-Perez, alongside the formidable talents of Nicolas La Rosa and Jordy Besse, this trio embarked on their relentless journey in 2013, marking the inception of a musical saga that would leave an indelible mark on the world of extreme music.
Exocrine’s debut album, ‘Unreal Existence,’ unleashed in 2015, was nothing short of a revelation. It showcased the band’s audacious creativity, instantly distinguishing them within the technical death metal scene. With labyrinthine compositions, ferocious riffs, and relentless drumming, Exocrine’s music delved into uncharted territories of sonic complexity.
Their 2022 release, ‘The Hybrid Suns,’ was yet another testament to their musical prowess. It demonstrated their unyielding commitment to pushing the envelope and exploring new realms of technical complexity.
Now, as the anticipation reaches a fever pitch, Exocrine is poised to release their next full-length opus, ‘Legend.’ This forthcoming masterpiece promises to be an epic chapter in their already storied career, destined to secure their place as legends within the hallowed halls of technical death metal.
Exocrine are architects of sonic transcendence, explorers of the uncharted, and pioneers of the unimaginable. With each release, they redefine the limits of technical death metal, and ‘Legend’ is poised to be their most audacious and groundbreaking endeavor yet, a true testament to their status as legends in the making.
Line-up: Sylvain Octor Perez: Lead Guitars Nicolas La Rosa: Guitars Jordy Besse: Bass, Vocals Theo Gendron: Drums
Available Formats: Digital Download CD Digipak 12″ Black Vinyl Gatefold 12″ Clear Translucent – Coloured Vinyl Gatefold 12″ Aqua Deep – Coloured Vinyl Gatefold
Today, American black/death metallers Blasphemous premiere the new track “Martyr Complex”. The track is the second to be revealed from the band’s highly anticipated fourth album, To Lay Siege and Conquer, set for international release on October 25th via Adirondack Black Mass. Hear Blasphemous‘s “Martyr Complex” in its entirety here:
Philadelphia’s Blasphemous formed in 2003 with one intention: to write and record blackened death metal. A lot has changed in the past 21 years, but one thing has remained: the bandâs sense of passion and willingness to persevere despite lineup changes, a hiatus, and the shifting of the music industry. Returning later this year with To Lay Siege and Conquer, their first LP since 2018, Blasphemous are a reminder that death and darkness will always prevail.
Led by founding member Ron “RK” Kaiser and steeped in influence from Morbid Angel, Deicide, Watain, Angelcorpse, and Immortal, Blasphemous have always been uncompromising in their approach to writing and recording. The bandâs first incarnation released their first demo, Storm of Chaos, in 2005. Quickly establishing themselves as a force to be reckoned with live and in the studio, BLASPHEMOUS released their first album, Incineration of the Cult, in 2008. They quickly followed it up with a second album, Bearer of the Darkest Plagues, but lineup instability brought things to a close in 2013âŠfor a time. Feeling that there was more to be said, RK reformed Blasphemous in 2016, assembling a new lineup that included Engulf guitarist Hal Microutsicos, lead guitarist Steve Shreve, bassist Josh Guinter, and drummer Mark Vizza. Signing to Horror Pain Gore Death Productions, that lineup released the third Blasphemous album, Emerging Through Fire. It revealed a band more energized, more creative, and more ready for domination than ever before, leading to a number of short tours and one-off live performances.
Guinter departed the band and was replaced by bassist Dan Lee in 2020, during a time when live performances ceased. Forging ahead, Blasphemous wrote and recorded the Eternal Misanthropy EP, which saw release in 2022, supported by physical releases from Unchained Tapes and Born for Burning. With a solid foundation finally established, Blasphemous are once again prepared to make their mark on the underground when To Lay Siege and Conquer is released October 25th on Adirondack Black Mass.
Also hear the previously revealed “Son of the Forsaken” both HERE at Blasphemous‘ Bandcamp as well as HERE at Adirondack Black Mass‘ Bandcamp, where the album can also be preordered. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Blasphemous (USA)’s To Lay Siege and Conquer 1. To Lay Siege and Conquer [5:16] 2. Son of the Forsaken [4:22] 3. Martyr Complex [3:50] 4. Spiritual Enslavement [3:20] 5. Dead and Still [4:20] 6. Curse of the Witchchrist [4:25] 7. Neverborn [4:11]
Today, Belgian speed metallers BĂŒtcher reveal the new track “Blessed by the Blade.” The track is the first to be revealed from the band’s highly anticipated third album, On Fowl of Tyrant Wing, set for international release on October 25th via Osmose Productions. Hear BĂŒtcher‘s “Blessed by the Blade” in its entirety here:
BĂŒtcher have exploded onto the scene and have been making a name for themselves internationally. Their music caters to the blackened souls who love old-school speed, thrash, heavy, and black metals. Cuts such as “Iron Bitch,” “45 RPM Metal,” and “666 Goats Carry My Chariot” are now part of the canon of the old-school metal community.
After an avalanche of successful shows and festivals throughout Europe, BĂŒtcher are proud to present their third album, On Fowl of Tyrant Wing. After the rabid debut Bestial FĂŒkkinâ Warmachine (Babylon Doom Cult Records, 2017) and the heralded sophomore album 666 Goats Carry My Chariot (Osmose Productions, 2020), they delve deep into their specific mixture of the golden ’80s and extreme ’90s.
BĂŒtcher have always mixed ancient speed and thrash metal with NWOBHM, classic hard rock and black metal. On side A of the new album, they continue their very own legacy. On side B, they double down on that premise. It’s a concept side with an overarching unique story (written by R Hellshrieker) and a fully composed tour de force (by KK Ripper) where tempo changes, interwoven melodies, sitars, organs, and various percussion instruments create an unexpected musical journey.
Heavy, death, and black metals counter the speed metal, and nobody will see it coming. Both progressive and very traditional, this album is sure to opiate fans and critics alike.
Preorder info can be found HERE. Cover artwork, courtesy of the legendary Kris Verwimp, and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for BĂŒtcher’s On Fowl of Tyrant Wing 1. A Divine Wind 2. Speed Metal Samurai 3. Blessed By The Blade 4. Koraktor’s Iron Rule 5. Keep The Steele (Flamin’ Hot) 6. A Sacrifice To Satan’s Spawn 7. A Gypsy’s Tale (Of Sex and Seance) 8. An Ending In Fyre
On November 29th internationally, Personal Records is proud to present the highly anticipated debut album of Sweden’s Cryptorium, Descent Into Lunacy, on CD format. Iron Fortress Records will be handling the cassette tape version.
Hailing from Karlstad, Sweden’s Cryptorium started in November of 2022 by Fabian Larsen, Knalle Arvidsson, and a drummer who was fired within the first five months of the band. Due to lack of drummer, Fabian and Knalle continued writing material as a duo, which would later take shape as the Cryptic Bloodlust demo, which was released in July 2023. The demo was released digitally and as an independent cassette tape limited to 20, which sold out on preorder before the release date. The band later made 30 more independent cassettes, which all sold out within a month. Cryptic Bloodlust was also issued on cassette by Iron Fortress Records and on CD through Nihil Productions.
A week after the release, the demo was heard by Albin Holgersson, who would join Cryptorium and save them from disbanding completely. Now, as a trio, stronger than ever, Cryptorium started to write music for what was going to become their debut full-length, Descent Into Lunacy. The recording process was done parallelly with the band playing shows from December 2023 to April 2024 – and now, it’s ready to be unleashed.
Faster, louder, and ruder than ever, Cryptorium have risen from the ashes of the glory days of Swedish death metal during the late ’80s and early ’90s. Taking inspiration from such bands as Dismember, Entombed, Nirvana 2002, Dissection, and Gorement, Cryptorium‘s Descent Into Lunacy is aptly titled: madness, mania, METAL, all evil as fuck and gutted beyond belief. Unholy and uneasy, this eight-song / 30-minute slab doesn’t want to reinvent the wheel so much as rot it from within; no more but definitely no less, this is relentless, gloomy, and merciless HM-2-driven DEATH METAL made for the depraved to consume. Dare you Descent Into Lunacy? NOT FOR WHIMPS AND POSERS!
In the meantime, hear the brand-new track “Void of Life” here:
Preorder info can be found HERE. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Cryptorium (Sweden)’s Descent Into Lunacy
1. Incarcerated 2. Horrid Exultation 3. Inner Decay 4. A Distant Dream 5. Void of Life 6. Obscure Reality 7. Mournful Dawn 8. Descent Into Lunacy
Today, gothic-doom metallers Invernoir steam the entirety of their highly anticipated second album, Aimin’ For Oblivion. Set for European release on September 27th (October 4th for North America / rest of the world) via code666, hear Invernoir‘s Aimin’ For Oblivion in its entirety here:
Formed in 2016 by members of Rome’s flourishing local scene, Invernoir have shown a special talent right from the beginning with their striking debut EP, 2018’s Mourn, combining the cherished atmospheres of ’90s British doom with the more recent Scandinavian scene, managing the difficult feat of not sounding derivative at all. With their debut album in 2020, The Void and the Unbearable Loss, Invernoir received enthusiastic reviews from all over the world, building a loyal fanbase eagerly awaiting their new album, titled Aimin’ for Oblivion, for cult label code666.
Invernoir literally bring back to life the best ’90s gothic doom with this stellar new album. Aimin’ for Oblivion comprises seven tracks that will make dark metal hearts bleed with that irresistible balance between light and shadows. Invernoir‘s Aimin’ for Oblivion is unmissable for fans of old-school Anathema, Katatonia, and My Dying Bride.
Preorder info can be found HERE at Aural Music‘s Bandcamp. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Invernoir’s Aimin’ for Oblivion 1. Shadow Slave [6:20] 2. Doomed [5:29] 3. Desperate Days [4:50] 4. Forgotten in Time [6:02] 5. Broken [5:16] 6. Few Minutes [7:12] 7. Unworthy [6:06] 8. Useless [6:31]
Even during its initial gestation period, THY CATAFALQUE had already expanded beyond the perceived limits of extreme metal. With each album, TamĂĄs KĂĄtai and his band of collaborators have taken another step beyond the genre’s boundaries, bringing the world’s most vile art form into conversation with the avant-garde.
There’s still a light at the end of Thy Catafalque’s upcoming twelfth album. But as KĂĄtai winds through its introspective journey into the night, XII: A gyönyörƱ ĂĄlmok ezutĂĄn jönnek revisits the all-consuming heaviness that courses back through the project’s 20-year history. While garnished with plenty of classical flourishes, its meaty new single “MindenevĆ” growls like the belly of a metallic beast.
Feast your eyes on the video for MindenevĆ:
XII: A gyönyörƱ ålmok ezutån jönnek comes out November 15, 2024 on Season of Mist.
A gyönyörƱ ĂĄlmok ezutĂĄn jönnek is still guided by the dreaminess that fans in and outside of Hungary have come to admire about Thy Catafalque. After all, in English, the album’s title translates to ‘The Beautiful Dreams Are Yet to Come’. “I imagined these songs as a journey into the night”, KĂĄtai says. Finding his way along this path required him to head in a different direction – at least, as far as the production goes. The dark waves of synth that streak through the album’s title track and lead single glow with the faint but familiar reassurance of the dawn.
Still, journeying through A gyönyörƱ ĂĄlmok ezutĂĄn jönnek can be a rocky road. While the latest single opens with a plucking oud, “MindenevĆ” is a full bore feast for bloodthirsty metalheads. The insatiable blast beats and tongue-flicking tremolo picking are cooked over the same blackened fires as Thy Catafalque’s 1999 debut. “Our last album, Alföld, was very bleak”, KĂĄtai explains. “Adding classical and acoustic instruments helped add a sprig of color to these new songs, but XII still has plenty of metal”.
Even the progressive flourishes feed the song’s sickening theme. A fretless bass waltzes into the room just as the video’s dinner party succumbs to their insatiable appetite for destruction. “Blood and fat shall course through every vein“, chants a doomy operatic chorus. “We devour everything around us”, KĂĄtai says when asked about the philosophical musings that greased the wheels of “MindenevĆ” (which means “Omnivore”). “It’s absurd. The way we consume everything in our path only leads us closer to our demise”.
In the end, the engorged death metal riffs finally eat their fill. Yet as the beastly “MindenevĆ” lays to rest amidst a thick delirium of clarinet and French horn, the feeling that’s left churning in the pit of your stomach is pure, unfiltered dread.
“Human beings do have an animal side”, KĂĄtai says. “Even though some of us strive for purity, in the end, we have to recognize and accept the morbidity of nature”.
The video for “MindenevĆ” was created by G13 Film.
More praise for Thy Catafalque
“Few musicians have as long and varied a career as TamĂĄs KĂĄtai of Thy Catafalque” – Angry Metal Guy
“Thy Catafalque are a one of a kind experiment that have never played by traditional rules or boundaries” – New Noise
“A monstrously entertaining, tightly diverse band” – Everying Is Noise
For two decades, TamĂĄs KĂĄtai was content on sticking to the studio. That changed in 2021, when he and a cast of heavy hitters performed at the Fekete Zaj Festival. This milestone was later committed to memory on Mezolit, but Thy Catafalque has continued to grow into a steady and spectacular live act.
Earlier this year, Thy Catafalque headlined their first tour of Europe. Now, to celebrate the project’s upcoming twelfth album, KĂĄtai and his ever-growing list of collaborators will perform at four concerts across Europe. This includes two very special sold-out shows at one of Hungary’s most influential underground venues, where they’ll perform songs off XII: A gyönyörƱ ĂĄlmok ezutĂĄn jönnek, along with all ten tracks on the recently reissued fifth album Rengeteg.
During these two special shows at DĂŒrer Kert, Thy Catafalque will be joined by the noisy experimentalists in Shum, labelmate Saor and KĂĄtai’s old band, Gire.
Thy Catafalque 2024 Concerts: October 12 – Thessaloniki, Greece, @ Mammothfest [TICKETS] November 22 – Budapest, Hungary @ DĂŒrer Kert w/ Saor [SOLD OUT] November 23 – Budapest, Hungary @ DĂŒrer Kert w/ Gire, Shum [SOLD OUT]
New fans and long-time appreciators can now rediscover just how much Thy Catafalque has grown since their humble beginnings as a duo. This year, Season of Mist re-issued Thy Catafalque’s first seven albums.
TamĂĄs KĂĄtai has a vision that extends beyond borders and boundaries. Even during its infancy, Thy Catafalque had already outgrown the rather rigid guidelines of black metal. Though only intended for the studio, over the past 20 years, his recording project has evolved into a lively collaboration. With each album, Thy Catafalque has pushed the envelope of extreme metal a step further, bringing the world’s most vile art form into conversation with the avant-garde.
Thy Catafalque’s twelfth album is even more expansive, but XII: A gyönyörƱ ĂĄlmok ezutĂĄn jönnek ties both to its mastermind’s past and the history of his native Hungary. “For this album, I felt it was time to move in a different direction, whatever that direction might be”, KĂĄtai says, “but XII still possesses the dreaminess that I’ve always associated with Thy Catafalque”.
Of course, KĂĄtai hasn’t been mulling over this album for too long. Keeping in line with his prolific pace, XII arrives just one year after his previous album. Named after the stretch of land where the producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist was born in southeast Hungary, Alföld returned to the heaviness from which Thy Catafalque took root during the late ’90s. Once again, KĂĄtai set out to make a straightforward metal record, but while there’s plenty of cause for chest-pounding, A gyönyörƱ ĂĄlmok ezutĂĄn jönnek ended up taking him on another surreal headtrip.
Of course, many other familiar faces join KĂĄtai on his journey. After all, Thy Catafalque started as a duo with JĂĄnos JuhĂĄsz. A gyönyörƱ ĂĄlmok ezutĂĄn jönnek features the biggest guest list in the project’s long discography. More than 20 guest musicians appear on this album, including old friends from inside and outside the Hungarian metal scene. Martina Veronika HorvĂĄth â whose band The Answer Lies in the Black Void toured Europe with Thy Catafalque earlier in 2024 â duets with the tender brooding GĂĄbor DudĂĄs for a faithful rendition of “LydiĂĄhoz”, a 1980 SebĆ ensemble classic that sowed the seeds for Hungary’s roots revival.
“That is a song that’s been with me and the rest of my generation ever since we were children”, KĂĄtai says. Violins, cello, clarinet and other classical instruments add to the comforts of home. Before it drifts off high beyond the clouds, “Vakond” strings along like a whistling stroll across The Great Plains. “Alföld was very bleak”, he continues. “Adding classical and acoustic instruments helped add a spring of color and an air of adventure to these new songs”.
Still, A gyönyörƱ ĂĄlmok ezutĂĄn jönnek can be a hard road â especially during its crushing middle section. Despite the gentle opening plucks, “MindenevĆ” crashes down like a boulder, hurtling ahead at terrifying speed behind doomy operatic backing vocals, mechanized blast beats and the eerie fires of tremolo picking that forged Thy Catafalque’s debut Sublunary Tragedies. “This album still has plenty of metal”, KĂĄtai assures.
The heaviest moments are often grounded in Hungary’s history. While colored by nostalgia, XII is also shadowed by the ticking hands of time, a theme that ripples back to 2021’s Vadak. Blackened chugger “VasgyĂĄr” shares a namesake with the rusted-out ironworks that once fueled the country’s economy. It’s not a political statement, but the song does reflect how the landscape has changed to the eye of the now 48-year-old KĂĄtai.
“Even the album’s visuals are from a bygone era”, he says. In the video for its title track, closing song and lead single, KĂĄtai doesn’t just run through the streets of his hometown. Surreal scenes from the past and present linger along his winding path through the placid countryside. Watching his doppelgĂ€nger dig his own grave feels like a living nightmare. “‘This song comes from a place of desperation”, he says. “Within the afterglow of nostalgia, there’s also the chill of disappointment”.
Ultimately, the progressive flair that has come to define Thy Catafalque shines through the darkness on album twelve. Only this time around, in order to reach the light at the end of the tunnel, KĂĄtai needed some guidance. “I felt like the production had largely been the same since Geometria“, he admits. XII marks the first time in the project’s history that he worked with an outside producer. Granted, GĂĄbor VĂĄri is no stranger to how his mind works. When he’s not holed away in the studio with other prominent Hungarian metal bands, GĂĄbor could be seen hammering away at his guitar on stage with Thy Catafalque on the live album Mezolit. “He was the perfect person to help give this album a somewhat different sound that is still familiar”.
As a result, “A gyönyörƱ ĂĄlmok ezutĂĄn jönnek” stands out as one of Thy Catafalque’s biggest crowd pleasers, uplifted by hand claps and catchy, fist-pumping riffs. Even the dark waves of synth glow with the reassurance of the dawn. “At the end, there’s still hope for a future that might offer warmer days after the darkness has ceded”.
Thy Catafalque’s twelfth album looks back longingly at the past, TamĂĄs KĂĄtai isn’t stopping to smell the roses. With A gyönyörƱ ĂĄlmok ezutĂĄn jönnek, he shows that the beautiful dreams are yet to come.
Guest Musicians: Martina Veronika HorvĂĄth â vocals on Track 1, 6 Ivett DudĂĄs â vocals on Track 8 Helga Kreiter â vocals on Track 4, 10 GĂĄbor DudĂĄs â vocals on Track 2, 5, 6, 10 BĂĄlint Bokodi â vocals on Track 2, 4, 9 GĂĄbor Veres â vocals on Track 3, 8 Attila Bakos â vocals on Track 1 ZoltĂĄn KĂłnya â vocals on Track 3 AndrĂĄs Vörös â vocals on Track 4 Breno Machado â lead guitar on Track 2 ZoltĂĄn Vigh â lead guitar on Track 3 KrisztiĂĄn Varga â lead guitar on Track 4 Daniele Belli â acoustic guitar on Track 2 Miguel Velasquez Matija â fretless bass on Track 2, 6 Edu GirĂł â oud, bouzouki, baglama on Track 2,7 Grigoris Mitropoulos â bouzouki, mpaglamas on Track 7 Sanja Smileska â violin on Track 3 Jo Quail â electric cello on Track 8 Issar Shulman â contrabass on Track 2 Cal Rustad â French horn on Track 2, 8 Manuel Domenech â cor anglais on Track 8 Khachatrian Lernik â clarinet on Track 2 GergĆ Bille â flugelhorn, trumpet on Track 7 Joakim Toftgaard â trombone, trumpet on Track 7 Fabian Hernandez â saxophone on Track 5 ViktĂłria Varga â narration on Track 3 Annamari SĂĄnta â narration on Track 7, 8
Recording: Recorded in various countries: Hungary, United Kingdom, Romania, Ukraine, Italy, Spain, Greece, North Macedonia, Israel, U.S.A., Colombia, Brazil.
Death metal masters now touring their new album throughout Japan
“‘Horror Beyond Horror’ again finds Defiled stuck on the upswing” – Decibel
For the past three decades, DEFILED have kept their blade sharp. Ever since Tokyo’s underground lost their minds over the band’s grotesque arsenal of finishing moves, Yusuke Sumita and his death metal samurai set off on a war path that’s left nothing but inevitable ruin in their raw wake. They’ve ransacked Milwaukee Metal Festival and joined forces with their fellow legends in Mayhem, Incantation, Morbid Angel and Cannibal Corpse.
Having now churned out three albums in almost as many years, metalheads can be forgiven for believing that Defiled had already reached the highest level. But the Japanese legends have topped themselves again on their eighth album. Horror Beyond Horror comes out this Friday, September 20, but you can hear all 14 slicing and dicing songs today by listening to the full album stream on Season of Mist’s YouTube channel.
After they first took to the stage in 1995, Defiled needed nearly a decade before finally erupting with wrath on their debut album. But ever since the bandâs lineup solidified around original member Yusuke Sumita, they havenât stopped to look back and admire all the ugliness they’ve revealed. Horror Beyond Horror comes hot on the heels of the album they released just last year, which Metal Injection listed as one of the canât-miss releases of 2023.
Like a poisonous dart, Defiled come shooting out of the shadows on Horror Beyond Horror. Blast beats pummel at unforeseen angles amidst “Smoke and Mirrors”. âEvery lie has been revealedâ, fearless frontman Shinichiro Hamada shouts, taking aim at perpetual frauds and tyrannical technocrats. The band charges into the pit behind bassist Takachika Nakajima’s greasy groove, which is snapping plenty of necks on their current Japanese tour.
“We wanted this album to be natural and realistic”, Sumita told New Noise. “We did not use any editing or artificial techniques in the recording process”.
With 30 years and eight albums under their belt, Defiled know where to stick the blade on Horror Beyond Horror. The album’s title track shreds through the corrupted torment of mind control with riffs that are honed from the jagged influence of â80s thrash and hardcore. âThe time has comeâ, the band spit at their captors with utter disgust. âDeath strikes you with derisionâ.
Defiled aren’t afraid to crack open people’s skulls, either. Horror Beyond Horror descends deeper and deeper into the psychological shadows the further you go down the track list. “Syndicate” conspires around a greasy, pit-dwelling breakdown but drummer Keisuke Hamada never stops chopping up the tempo. âThe path to your eliminationâ, Shinichiro Hamada cries, digging in amidst a flurry of blast beats during the album’s final boss “To See Behind the Wall”. Whether theyâre slicing, dicing or leaping into a furiously fast solo, the band’s riffs take no prisoners.
“We still love death metal and are very proud to be recognized as a death metal band”, Sumita tells Antichrist Magazine. “At the same time, it’s clear from our songs that we do not follow trends. Who would be interested in a Japanese bands that follows Western trends? We have our own perspective, and we have been going our own way for many years now, and we are convinced that we are on the right path”.
On Horror Beyond Horror, Defiled unleash the kind of old-school ass-kicking that only true masters can deliver.
More praise for Defiled
âThe one-two punch of tight musicianship and an inclination to pummel into submission without the need for flashy antics makes for a dazzling experienceâ â Ghost Cult
âIt’s phenomenal what they’ve done and can do in the realm of death metalâ â Distorted Sound
âEncapsulates both the oldschool familiarity and the modern aesthetics of death metalâ âMetal Trenches
“By the time you’ve become deep within the album, you’ll be wondering just what else they can possibly jut up when they’ve already hit you ten or eleven times already with completely unique songwriting” – The Razor’s Edge
In customary fashion, this fall, Defiled are welcoming Horror Beyond Horror with a tour of Japan. Watch these legends shred through “Horror Beyond Horror”, “Smoke and Mirrors”, “To See Beyond the Wall”, “Syndicate” and other nasty rippers off their new album for the very first time.
The band also have two very special shows planned for later this year. In November, they’ll bang heads with fans in Bangkok alongside Batushka and Malevolent Creation. Then, to cap off what’s already shaping up to be another gloriously hellish year in their 30-year history, Defiled will share the stage with Hellchild and Satanic Hell Slaughter in a joint celebration of Japan’s historic death metal scene.
“As a Japanese death metal band, we wanted to reflect on where our scene started”, says Yusuke Sumita, who’s been Defiled’s guitarist since the band started in 1992. “Hellchild and Satanic Hell Slaughter are legends who built the Japanese death metal scene in the early ’90s. We are honored to have them return to share the stage with us. We want the young Japanese metalheads to come to this show. Don’t miss it”. Horror Beyond Horror Japanese Tour 2024: September 13 – Okayama @ Digvuilt September 14 – Hiroshima @ Leo September 15 – Karatsu @ Yggdrasil September 16 – Fukuoka @ reflex September 20 – Osaka @ Hokage September 21 – Hikone @ Benihana September 22 – Nagoya @ Studio 246 September 23 – Tokyo @ Earthdom September 24 – Yokohama @ El Puente September 25 – Fussa @ Chicken Shack September 26 – Utsunomiya @ Beat Club September 27 – Nagano @ Rosebery Cafe September 28 – Niigata @ Rocka September 29 – Sendai @ Solfa September 30 – Fukushima @ 559 October 25 – Kofu @ Kazoo Hall October 26 – Tokyo @ Earthdom October 27 – Matsudo @ Dugout 2
Defiled Live in Bangkokwith Batushka + Malevolent Creation: November 29 – Bangkok, Thailand @ Mr. Fox Livehouse
Defiled Live in Tokyo with Hellchild + Satanic Hell Slaughter: December 8 – Tokyo, Japan @ Earthdom
Tracklist:1. Smoke and Mirrors (2:35) [WATCH] 2. Horror Beyond Horror (4:01) [WATCH] 3. Syndicate (3:59) 4. The Alchemy (2:47) 5. Demagogue (2:13) 6. The Terminal Phase (2:18) 7. Trojan Horse (2:35) 8. Spectrum of Fear (2:30) 9. The Crook and Flail (3:08) 10. Replicator Dynamics (2:42) 11. Equinox (3:04) 12. The Chains (3:16) 13. Psychopomp (3:14) 14. To See Behind The Wall (2:45) [WATCH] Total runtime: 41:08
From the depths of Tokyo’s darkest alleys, Defiled have emerged once again, claws sharpened, eyes bloodshot, ready to unleash a fresh dose of unadulterated savagery with their latest full-length studio album, Horror Beyond Horror. Marrying the grotesque with technical prowess, these samurais of sickness are poised to carve another notch into the archives of death metal’s sordid history.
Since crawling from the primordial soup of the underground scene in the early ’90s, Defiled have forged a path littered with broken souls. Their journey of destruction first sank its teeth into the international jugular with Erupted Wrath, mixed by the masterful Jim Morris in Tampa, Florida. This brutal assault opened gates to a global bloodletting, from leveling stages in South Korea to crushing skulls at the Milwaukee Metalfest, and not even the November to Dismember fest could foresee the carnage they’d bring.
Commandeering the technical tightrope between anarchy and precision, Defiled evolved, much like an aberrant spawn isolated on the Galapagos, grotesque yet ultimately superior. Their subsequent onslaughts â Ugliness Revealed, Divination, and the sheer violence of In Crisis â built a monument to atrocity that ascends to new heights with Horror Beyond Horror.
Taking no prisoners in their three-decades-long campaign of terror, Defiled have become the indestructible behemoth of Asia’s death metal scene, powered by the relentless engine of their oldschool roots and the twisted wreckage of technical thrash and progressive rock innovation.
But enough with the history lesson, you came here for the carnage, didn’t you? Horror Beyond Horror is a 14-track massacre, riddled with riffs sharp enough to slit your throat and a rhythmic onslaught that’ll pulverize your pathetic bones. Each track, from the visceral “Smoke and Mirrors” to the haunting “To See Behind the Wall”, is a calculated strike, precision-engineered to leave no survivors. Let’s not forget the eponymous “Horror Beyond Horror”, a track that cements Defiled’s legacy as harbingers of the apocalypse.
With a sound as raw as exposed nerve endings and as unrefined as a mass grave, Defiled stands defiantly apart from the polished poseurs and shameless sellouts. They donât peddle in cheap gimmickry or nostalgia; they deal in the currency of pure, unfiltered destruction. As they look out upon the charred landscape of the genre theyâve helped to define, Defiled is not content to rest on their laurels. Horror Beyond Horror sees them, once again, ascending to the blood-soaked throne of death metal sovereignty.
Production Credits: Sound Engineers – Shinichiro Hamada & Keisuke Hamada Produced by Yusuke Sumita Mixed & Mastered by Kenji Kikuchi at Studio Nest, Chiba, Japan
In this era of relentless superficiality, CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX stand as a beacon for those broken by an indifferent world. This latest masterpiece, Self Control, extracts the haunting essence of Braniganâs classic and weaves it into a poignant tapestry of raw emotion and relentless defiance. With the ever-captivating Belinda Kordic giving voice to our shared darkness, Justin Greaves and his band of rebels breathe new life into a song that resonates with the tortured soul of the modern age.
Listen to Self Control here:
Their upcoming double album, The Wolf Changes Its Fur But Not Its Nature and Horrific Honorifics Number Two (2), commemorates two decades of relentless introspection and unyielding rebellion.
The Wolf Changes Its Fur But Not Its Nature An album which exhumes and resurrects their buried treasures, reworking and re-recording iconic tracks that have weathered the storms of time. These anthems â imbued with the rawness of old friends and new allies â surge with renewed vigor, challenging the very essence of complacency. Anthem such as We Forgotten Who We Are or the lead single Goodnight, Europe, completely re-imagined.
Horrific Honorifics Number Two (2) An albums which serves as a dark homage to the musical titans who ignited their spirit, with visceral covers that explode into life. With tracks like the searing rendition of New Model Army’s Vengeance and the haunting introspection of Laura Branigan’s Self Control, this album is a collection of CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX‘s masterful rendition of classic songs which have inspired them over the years.
The Wolf Changes Its Fur But Not Its Nature + Horrific Honorifics Number Two (2) is out November 29 on Season of Mist.
Tracklist: 1. We Forgotten Who We Are (11:17) 2. You Put The Devil In Me (6:18) 3. 444 (7:23) 4. Goodnight, Europe (Pt2) (8:37)Â [WATCH] 5. (-) (4:39) 6. Song For The Unloved (14:22) 7. Whissendine (6:58) 8. Blizzard Of Horned Cats (4:43) Total runtime:Â 1:04:21
Tracklist: 1. Vengeance (4:16) 2. Self Control (5:23)Â [LISTEN] 3. Blueprint (4:03) 4. And That’s Sad (6:52) 5. Hammer Song (4:52) 6. When A Blind Man Cries (3:22) 7. My Pal (3:51) 8. Goin’ Against Your Mind (8:53) Total runtime: 41:36
The thread that binds CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIXâs bold and towering discography â a dozen studio albums, a half-dozen mini-albums, a handful of compilations and swaths of bootlegs â could not be more apropos circa 2022. Since its 2004 creation by multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Justin Greaves, CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX has served as the voice for the voiceless, whether it be animals, the unequal and the different. Greaves and longstanding vocalist and lyricist Belinda Kordic have often proffered that these beings cannot fend for themselves. Henceforth, CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIXâs mission has been to shed light on the human condition and the inequalities that befall humankind and its creatures. Their battle marches on with their latest studio album, Banefyre.
Banefyre follows 2020âs EllengĂŠst â an effort that found CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX employ a series of notable guest vocalists alongside Kordic, prompting Metal Hammer to describe it as their âmost cohesive and emotionally devastating record.â Kordic is now paired with Swedish vocalist Joel Segerstedt, who made his CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX debut last year via the âPainful Reminder/Dead is Deadâ single. Piano, synth and trumpet player Helen Stanley and additional guitarist Andy Taylor complete the lineup. Greaves says Stanley and Taylor âfit so well creatively,â which has made CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX feel like a band when making plans and decisions.
Also central to this is Segerstedt. According to Kordic, the vocalist and lyricist lives a mere five minutes from her in Sweden and has quickly integrated himself into the band. âWhat I like about Joel is that heâs a good person,â she says. âThereâs no fakeness with him; he has cajones. Heâs not a bitch-talker, either. I canât handle people who donât have a backbone, but Joel is real and can speak his mind.â
âI like how Joel has come in and spoke for himself,â adds Greaves. âHeâs in the band for the right reasons. I see him the same way as Belinda â she took an interest in the whole artistic thing behind CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX, like the vocals, lyrics, artwork and aesthetic. Itâs the same with Joel. He has taken an interest in all of those things. In the past, we had people who didnât contribute artistically and only cared about what they got out of the band. But Joel is really proactive and takes the initiative.â
Greaves assembled 13 songs (including âNo Regrets,â a bonus track for his new project with Kordic, Johnny the Boy) imbued with the depth and introspection that will reinforce CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIXâs standing as a band that defies genre. The album was tracked at Chapel Studios in South Thoresby, Lincolnshire, with vocals cut at Monolith Studio and Kapsylen Studio in Stockholm, Sweden. Kurt Ballou handled mixing in GodCity Studios in Salem, Massachusetts â a pivotal move in determining the albumâs overall sound.
âI love the album so much because it was a different approach with the production,â says Greaves. âFor my part, it was a little bit of a reaction. I didnât want to do the same warm, safe CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX album. Iâm aware that when we did [2012âs] I, Vigilante, everyone wanted I, Vigilante again. As it so often happens with this band, people complain about the next one, then grow into it. EllengĂŠst is like I, Vigilante. Itâs a shorter album. It hit the mark and was done really well, but everyone will expect another EllengĂŠst. I feared that, but I care enough not to make another EllengĂŠst. Itâs the right thing to do. Thatâs why we got Kurt to mix it â we wanted that analog, raw power. Even though the album has mellow moments, those are edgy as well. We just didnât want to do the same album twice. Weâre never going to be a band that people can rely on.â
Greavesâ summation of his band notwithstanding, his distinctive guitar playing and enduring knack for immersive songwriting is the propellent behind the haunting, chant-laden âGhostland,â pensive âThe Reckoningâ and forlorn âEverything is Beautiful but Us,â the bandâs spot-on analysis of the retreat of humankind indoors during the pandemic that revealed natureâs priceless beauty. The album is also stocked with no less than four ten-minute-plus cuts (âRose of Jericho,â âDown the Rabbit Hole,â âIâm Okay, Just Not Alrightâ and âThe Scene is a False Prophetâ) that are intermixed with drama and melancholy.
It all ties into Banefyreâs central theme of the persecution of people who are deemed âdifferentâ by society. The album title is a play on the song âBonefireâ that Kordic named and wrote lyrics for. In classic CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX fashion, Greaves turned it into the Olde English translation to represent the bonfires that engulfed witches and politicians through the 15th and 18th centuries, hence, the name Banefyre.
The album begins with âIncantation for the Different,â which was written and orated by Chicago-based witch, artist, author and occultist Shane Bugbee, who, according to Greaves, âbrought us some positive, dark energy.â Banefyre then delves into the Salem Witch Trials (âWyches and Basterdzâ), fox hunting in Great Britain (âThe Reckoningâ), politicians of an unscrupulous and dishonest kind (âBonefireâ) and the New York City Blackout of 1977 (âBlackout77â).
Greaves says Banefyreâs topics may have a decidedly negative and pessimistic tone, but a glimmer of hope and joy remains. âThereâs always the random bits, but overall, Banefyre is about the people who have suffered because they are different. The album covers inequality and oppression, like âIncantation for the Different,â which is about overcoming when youâre put down because youâre not like everyone else.â
In true CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX fashion, the Lucy Marshall-created Banefyre cover leaves plenty to the imagination, depicting four animals seated at a table â interacting and dressed like human beings. âItâs sort of like Planet of the Apes showing what animals could do to humans,â says Greaves. âThe cover was specially commissioned and is unique to the album. Itâs incorporating all the classic CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX elements with the love for animals and twisting the narrative around.â
CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIXâs reputation was built on the back of their studio albums and live shows. The pandemic prevented the band from supporting EllengĂŠst, but it did provide them additional time to bring in new members to their live configuration.
âWe did the Leipzig show and even though the rehearsals were better than the show itself, that lineup, our live band, is so good. Because we havenât been under pressure to put a live band together since 2019 and spent so long talking to people, weâve got a better band from those results. Out of disaster, weâve got quite a good, positive thing.â
The Wolf Changes Its Fur But Not Its Nature & Horrific Honorifics Number Two(2) are a double album celebrating the 20 year existence of CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX.
Original Credits: All tracks on Horrific Honorifics Number Two(2) are covers of various artists.
Vengeance Originally recorded by New Model Army, Written by: Sullivan/Morrow
Self Control Originally recorded by Laura Branigan, Written by: Giancarlo Bigazzi, Raffaele Riefoli, Steve Piccolo
Blueprint Originally recorded by Fugazi, Written by: Canty, Lilly, MacKaye, Picciotto
And Thatâs Sad Originally recorded by NoMeansNo, Written by: NoMeansNo
Hammer Song Originally recorded by Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Written by Alex Harvey
When A Blind Man Cries Originally recorded by Deep Purple, Written by: Gillan, Glover, Blackmore, Lord, Paice
My Pal Originally recorded by God, Written by: God, Joel Silbersher)
Goinâ Against Your Mind Originally recorded by Built To Spill, Written by: Doug Martsch, Jim Roth, Brett Nelson, Scott Plouf
Self Control Belinda Kordic – Vocals Justin Greaves – Drums, Guitars Andy Taylor – Baritone Guitar Helen Stanley – Synth Wesley J. Wasley – Bass
Blueprint Ryan Patterson – Vocals Justin Greaves – Drums, Guitars Helen Stanley – Piano Wesley J. Wasley – Bass
And That’s Sad Justin Greaves – Drums, Guitars, Vocals Wesley Wasley – Bass, Vocals
Hammer Song Belinda Kordic – Vocals Justin Greaves – Drums, Guitars Andy Taylor – Guitar, Acoustic guitar Helen Stanley – Synth, Hammond Wesley J. Wasley – Bass
When A Blind Man Cries Belinda Kordic – Vocals Justin Greaves, Drums, Guitars Andy Taylor – Guitars Helen Stanley – Piano Kostas Panagiotou – Hammond Wesley J. Wasley – Bass
My Pal Belinda Kordic – Vocals Justin Greaves – Drums, Guitars, Backing Vocals Wesley J. Wasley – Bass
Goin’ Against Your Mind Justin Storms – Vocals Justin Greaves – Drums, Guitars Andy Taylor – Guitar Wesley J. Wasley – Bass
Recorded in 2023 at: Chapel Studios, Lincolnshire Engineered by Pieter Rietkerk
Additional Vocal Sessions at: Kapsylen Studio, Stockholm Engineered by Jörgen Jugglo Wall. House Of Foto, Louisville, KY Engineered by Ryan Patterson
Additional Production Credits: Mixed by Pieter Rietkerk Mastered by Magnus Lindberg Produced by Justin Greaves
Cover Art: Erebus Art (Thanasis Stratidakis)
Pre-save & Pre-order ‘The Wolf Changes Its Fur But Not Its Nature’:Â https://orcd.co/cbpwolf
From the feral fjords of neo-Norse mythology, EIHWAR barrels onto the scene like a berserker storming a tranquil village. They didnât choose the warrior’s path; it tore through their souls and left behind a sonic battleground that marries ancient gods with unapologetic modern chaos. This is Viking War Tranceâa titanic clash of techno fury and primal beats, designed to send your senses careening into the stratosphere.
Picture this: Vikings discovering synthesizers and headbanging to a techno beat, where trance-emboldened voices resurrect Odin, and shamanic drums roll like a tempest in Asgard. With tracks like Völva’s Chant, Viking War Trance, and Mjölnir, this album doesn’t just break the moldâit obliterates it with the ferocity of Thor’s hammer. Imagine a mosh pit filled with Viking warriors high on the Northern Lights’ magic, channeling Fenrir’s rage and Baldr’s sorrow in an electrifying, sweat-drenched, neo-pagan dance!
Recorded and produced entirely by Eihwar, with mastering conjured at Tower Studio, Montpellier, every beat and grunt encapsulates the raw animal spirit and modern madness of this genre-redefining spectacle.
Tracklist 1. Viking War Trance (4:30) [WATCH] 2. Ragnarök (Viking War Trance Reforged) (7:10) 3. Völva’s Chant (4:05) [WATCH] 4. Geri And Freki (4:21) 5. Baldr (4:08) 6. Fenrir (Viking War Trance Reforged) (5:13) 7. Berserkr (Viking War Trance Reforged) (4:04) [WATCH] 8. Mjölnir (5:25) 9. Sir Mannelig (1:54) Total runtime: 40:54
Many bands have explored the Pagan & Norse worlds over the last 15 years seeking atmospheric, acoustic and ritual sounds with great seriousness. This is not the path EIHWAR chose.
Although the musicians of Eihwar are virtuosos in their acoustic traditional instruments, their goal is to bring some fun⊠and as much chaos as possible during their concerts, provoking the craziest trance on dancefloors. They bring a festive and furious neo-viking music whose primal force is based on technoid machines, mixed with trance vocals, shamanic drums and traditional Nordic sounds. Electronics are a ânew steelâ for those modern warriors, cold and powerful. As the web already says, the duo is a kind of new âViking Carpenter Brutâ.
Thus, Eihwar named the single, the album but also their style of music âViking War Tranceâ.
âWe are heavy drops of rain announcing lightning. We call for war: A war waged against our judgments, Our inner demons, our limits, Our stiffness of body and mind. We donât want our best enemies to spare us Nor to be spared by those we love. We invoke a war for our thoughts, A flamboyant chaos of fire & ice, Cradle of creation.â
Since its appearance on YouTube in February 2023, Eihwar has shook the Internet and concert venues. The band experienced rapid expansion on YouTube and was quickly booked by major European festivals such as Hellfest, Leyendas del Rock, Wave Gotik Treffen & more to be announced!
Line-up Asrunn: Vocals, Traditional Percussions Mark – Vocals, Machines
Recording credits are being kept anonymous intentionally
For today’s release of the new studio album Dracul Drakorgoth via Massacre Records, BLUTGOTT present the video for the title track in the “Balgeroth” version. See & hear the video here:
THE BLUTGOTT METAL UNIVERSE
DEBAUCHERYâ Monster Metal
BLOOD GODâ Hard Rock & Heavy Metal
BALGEROTHâ German Metal
Over 20 years, singer and guitarist Thomas Gurrath has created an entire band universe with over 30 CDs spread across more than 17 albums from Debauchery,Blood God, and Balgeroth. He has united this Trinity of Blood Gods under the name BLUTGOTT.
Musically, the band moves across genres somewhere between Judas Priest, Slayer, AC/DC, Rammstein, and Bolt Thrower. There is pounding death metal, classic heavy metal, and groovy hard rock, sometimes with screeching vocals, sometimes with the distinctive monster voice, sometimes clean, and everything in between.
The lyrics – in German and English – deal with the band’s own dark fantasy universe: the World of Blood Gods, named after the Blood Gods – biomechanical vampire dragons with demonic abilities.
The three most infamous are Bal-Geroth, the Bloodking of Knochenheim; Dracul Drakorgoth, the Debauchery Blood God; and Setekh Drakorgaur, the Red Dragon. Together, they form the Trinity of Blood Gods.
In the war zones of the past and future, on Earth, Eden, other planets, and Hell, they fight brutal battles against elves, humans, and dwarves, as well as other demons. The World of Blood Gods has its own miniatures and its own tabletop game, called Kings of Carnage.
Concerts of the various incarnations of the BLUTGOTT Metal Universe have been held throughout Europe, Russia, and Asia. They have performed with Doro, Saxon, Dismember, Napalm Death, Destruction, and many other well-known bands from the metal scene and played at major festivals such as Wacken, Summer Breeze, and Bang Your Head. The albums are regularly in the top 50 of the official German album charts.
The new album Dracul Drakorgoth will be released on September 20th via Massacre Records and contains ten completely new songs each with the Debauchery Monster Voice, once with the German Balgeroth lyrics and also with the Blood God Heavy Metal voice. It will be available as 3CD digipack as well as limited-edition box, and the Debauchery and Balgeroth versions each as limited-edition vinyl LP. The album was recorded by Dennis Ward (Unisonic, Krokus, Helloween).
In addition, there is the Blutfest Tour with a BLUTGOTT live show for the new album and 20 years of monsters and metal. Dates follow after the jump. Cover and tracklisting are as folllows:
