In their endless quest to push and support current underground acts that perpetuate the odor of vintage death metal, Memento Mori are extremely thrilled to announce a new signing: Candarian, from Costa Rica.
Hailing from one of the most fertile scenes in recent years, Candarian was spawned in 2020 when Christopher (guitar) and Jose Pablo (bass/vocals) decided to start a new project inspired by old-school death metal from the early ’90s, like Autopsy and Incantation, with lyrics revolving around themes of gore and horror. After some rehearsals, Pablo (drums) and Felipe (guitar) were recruited, and the lineup was then completed. The following months, the band focused on finishing their debut demo, titled Stagnant Livor Mortis, and presenting it live throughout the local scene.
Candarian‘s malignant, odious, reckless, and groove-laden death metal could bring long-buried corpses bubbling to the surface in a quagmire of rottenness. It’s a putrescent and slimy soundscape of horror and doom that goes above the basic old-school worship, while including all the necessary filth that vintage death metal needs, to create something with a haunting quality, too, making for a much-more-unforgettable listen. Prepare to bang your head and drudge through the mulched layers of corpses that Candarian leave in their wake. The time is nigh to become possessed by real terror and carnage!
Candarian‘s debut full-length is due out by mid-2025. Memento Mori will release the CD version, and Me Saco Un Ojo Records will take care of the LP, tape, and digital versions. Further details to follow in the coming months. For more info, consult the links below.
Today, Purity ThroughFire announces November 17th as the international release date for Bloodmoon Eclipse‘s striking debut album, For I Am Your Death, on CD and vinyl LP formats.
Bloodmoon Eclipse is a Greek-based team-up between SAD‘s Ungod and Lunar Spell’s K.C.H. Despite the newness of this formation, the sound of the band’s For I Am Your Death debut album is most definitely OLD. Uncompromising, closeminded, and COLD, Bloodmoon Eclipse play ancient Nordic-style black metal exclusively in the vicinity of 1993-1995. The influences are well-known but noble – Darkthrone’s Under a Funeral Moon, Gorgoroth’s Pentagram, and Dødheimsgard’s Kronet til konge – and assimilated with an authenticity that belies the otherwise-modern nature of this recording; even down to its production, this is as about as era-accurate as it gets. Nevertheless, the duo integrate tasteful touches of their own, including subtly contemplative bass-work, betraying the depth of that authenticity. No more but definitely no less, Bloodmoon Eclipse are the very definition of Old Black Metal Exclusively!
In the meantime, hear the brand-new track “The Demonic Vision of Satan’s Wrath” here:
Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Bloodmoon Eclipse’s For I Am Your Death 1. The Demonic Vision of Satan’s Wrath [5:31] 2. Servants of Anti-God [6:57] 3. Hopeless Damnation [6:09] 4. Embodiment of Christ’s Lamentation [6:37] 5. Drowned in Eternal Desolation [6:43] 6. Μolestation of the Heavenly Kingdom [6:23]
Today, Osmose Productions announces November 29th as the international release date for Filii Nigrantium Infernalium‘s highly anticipated fifth album, Pérfida Contracção do Aço, on CD, vinyl LP, and cassette tape formats.
Open the mouth of Hell: Filii Nigrantium Infernalium, classic Portuguese maniac black metal pioneers, deliver their fourth album for Osmose.
Crushing, demented production and compositions. Blasphemous, disconcerting artwork by cult artist Paolo Girardi. Forged out from the pandemic, this masterpiece is raw, baroque, and complexly straight to the point, an unpredictable, insane labyrinth of sound and words.
Sacrilegious and offensive speedthrashblackmetal, grotesque sinister gloom, venomous sarcasm ranging from old-school heavy metal to dark sharpened doom and relentlessly wild blasting beats’ devastation.
First track premiere to be revealed on November 1st. Preorder info can be found HERE. Aforementioned cover artwork and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Filii Nigrantium Infernalium’s Pérfida Contracção do Aço 1. Beata Fornicanda [2:50] 2. Holocausto Molto Vivace Ma Non Troppo [4:30] 3. Negros Hábitos [4:24] 4. Cristo.Rei.Animal. [4:14] 5. Pérfida Contracção do Aço [5:50] 6. Comes Carne [5:30] 7. Má Criação [4:09] 8. Vaticanale [9:45] 9. Chuva Dourada [3:47]
Today, Purity ThroughFire announces November 17th as the international release date for Hjemsøkt‘s highly anticipated debut album, Om Vinteren, På En Sort Trone, on CD and vinyl LP formats.
Yet another creation of restless madman Peregrinus – under the banner of Purity ThroughFire the past couple years, releasing records from his bands Solus Grief, Unholy Craft, Kvad, and Heraldic Blaze, but joined here by vocalist/lyricist Letaliis – Hjemsøkt is unapologetically the duo’s homage to early Nordic black metal, particularly the pagan-oriented iteration of it. From the earliest (and iciest) blasts from the likes of Enslaved, Ulver, Hades, Perished, Helheim, Taake, and even Satyricon, these descendants of Odin railed against modernity and, instead of waging war for Satan, sought to revive ancient energies through a solemnly melodic & mesmerizing style of black metal. Such was the sound of last year’s debut mini-album Mystikk & Mørke, and now Hjemsøkt punctually return with their full-length debut, Om Vinteren, På En Sort Trone.
The second wave still courses through Hjemsøkt‘s veins, and thus does their debut album rip right past “nowadays black metal” and back to the darkest past. Wilder and wilier than the preceding MLP, perhaps due to the arrival of drumming madman M.W., Om Vinteren, På En Sort Trone stacks riff upon riff upon RIFF, unleashing an arsenal of coldest fire; the sum effect is still mesmerizing, but there’s a berserker sensation that creates a unique counterpoint to the often-melancholic riffing. And while that high-speed attack goes many places across the duration of each of these eight songs, there’s an expanded portfolio of dynamics, including plaintive acoustics, spectral synth, and exceptionally tight downshifts in tempo. Invoking the ancients again but differently, one could liken Hjemsøkt here to the late/great Sorhin or modern torchbearer of the olde Grifteskymfning – but, of course, with Peregrinus’ ever-enveloping touch. Esteemed references, to be sure: this is exclusively Æterisk Misantropisk Sort Metal!
In the meantime, hear the brand-new track “Uendelige skogskledde Drømmer” here:
Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Hjemsøkt’s Om Vinteren, På En Sort Trone 1. Døden Hersker Blandt Fjord & Fjell 2. Uendelige Skogskledde Drømmer 3. Forhekset Av En Blek & Ensom Måne 4. Om Vinteren, På En Sort Trone 5. Dødens Øyne 6. Skogen & Tjernet 7. Pestas Omfavnelse 8. Vinterkveld I Trollfjell
The relentless storm of Swedish black metal strikes once again. MÖRK GRYNING, undeterred by the passage of time, reveals their latest single Fasornas Tid from their eponymous upcoming album. It’s a declaration of war, a journey through the tumultuous realms of the human soul.
Bracing against the bitter winds of mediocrity, the purveyors of the most nefarious melodies, have once again defied expectations with this latest single. This track heralds a return to their roots, reminiscent of their seminal opus “Tusen år har gått…” yet drenched in the visceral immediacy of the present.
Fasornas Tid is a relentless onslaught of melodic harmonies intertwined with breakneck tempos. With it, MÖRK GRYNING refuse to bow to the whims of mainstream trends. Recorded, mixed, and mastered by the legendary Sverker Widgren at Wing Studios, this release bleeds authenticity from every riff and growled lyric.
The accompanying music video, crafted by the visionary Claudio Marino & produced by Artax Film, plunges you into the heart of darkness. A visual feast that complements the track’s apocalyptic themes, it’s a cinematic portrayal of inner turmoil, the eternal battle between light and darkness, and the insatiable call of self-destruction.
Watch the music video for Fasornas Tid here:
Fasornas Tid is out December 13th on Season of Mist.
Tracklist: 1. Intro (1:13) 2. The Seer (4:03) 3. Tornet (3:59) [LISTEN] 4. Fasornas Tid (3:34) [WATCH] 5. Before The Crows Have Their Feast (4:26) 6. Savage Messiah (4:37) 7. An Ancient Ancestor Of The Autumn Moon (4:11) 8. Black Angel (3:38) 9. Barren Paths (1:52) 10. The Serpent’s Kiss (4:19) 11. Det Svarta (3:19) 12. Age Of Fire (4:48) Total runtime: 44:04
Mörk Gryning was founded in Stockholm, Sweden in 1993 by Goth Gorgon and Draakh Kimera. Two years later they released their debut album “Tusen År Har Gått” (1995), recorded and mixed at Unisound Studios, by legendary producer Dan Swanö and released by No Fashion. The album is one of the milestones of the ‘90s Swedish Black Metal scene.
The group returned to action in November 1996, working at Sunlight Studios together with Tomas Skogsberg and Dismember’s Fred Estby to craft the “Return Fire” album. Over the following years, three more albums were released, for example “Maelstrom Chaos” with new guitarist Avathar, a scene veteran, recorded at the legendary Grieghallen Studios Bergen, Norway.
Ever since the debut album, “Tusen år har gått…”, Mörk Gryning has refused to follow in the footsteps of others and walked their own paths – something which is made very clear on the 2003 release “Pieces of Primal Expressionism”, an experimental and heavy progressive release recorded at Dug Out, produced by Daniel Bergstrand. After a couple of years of touring and festival performances, the band was put on hold.
Returning to the scene again in 2017, the band performed an exclusive live show in Stockholm playing all the songs from the debut album and some other songs from the back catalogue. This ended in releasing the 4-song live record called “Live at Kraken”. During the pandemic the comeback album “Hinsides Vrede” was released to much critical acclaim with many of the songs today being the backbone of their live shows. A new album is scheduled for release in 2024 and the band is more active than ever.
Line-up: DRAAKH KIMERA – Lead Vocals, Guitar GOTH GORGON – Bass, Backing vocals, Lead Vocals on “Det Svarta” S-L – Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals C-G – Drums AEON – Keyboards, Backing Vocals
Recording Studio: Wing Studios, Stockholm, Sweden
Production Credits: Produced by Sverker Widgren & Mörk Gryning Mixed & Mastered at Wing Studios, Stockholm by Sverker Widgren
Guest Musician: C of AVSLUT on “Tornet” & “An Ancient Ancestor Of The Autumn Moon”
Today, German black metallers Chaos Invocation reveal the new video “This World Wants Us Dead.” The track is the second to be revealed from the band’s highly anticipated fifth album, Wherever We Roam…, set for international release on November 8th via AOP Records. See & hear Chaos Invocation‘s brand-new video “This World Wants Us Dead” here:
The journey of Chaos Invocation started in the fourth year of this millennium. Ever since the beginning, it has been the intention to manifest the members’ beliefs and experiences in Satanic music. As a trident lineup, Chaos Invocation released three full-length records: In Bloodline With The Snake (2009), Black Mirror Hours (2013), and Reaping Season, Bloodshed Beyond (2018). Shortly before the release of the latter, Omega (drums) and Tumulash (bass guitar) joined the founding members A. (guitars) and M. (vocals) and enriched the band with another spearhead. As a four-piece, Chaos Invocation recorded Devil, Stone & Man (2022): a wild, fierce, and challenging ride into the more sepulchral and dangerous realms of the black metal genre and a sonic monument of Satanic worship and sheer metallic fury. Devil, Stone & Man also marked the first collaboration with V. Santura at Woodshed Studio, with whom they also recorded their latest output.
Titled Wherever We Roam…, Chaos Invocation‘s fifth full-length looks to the past to see the trails to blaze ahead. Where Devil, Stone & Man maintained an incredibly direct aspect – arguably, the German’s most straightforwardly aggressive material to date, all grime and gnarl suiting the dark times in which it was birthed – Wherever We Roam… sees Chaos Invocation bringing back their burning-black melodicism, which heightens the authentically second-wave vibes intrinsic to their enduring aesthetic. Still serpentine and sinuous, their songwriting has continued to focus on expressions of a direct nature rather than busy themselves with overbearing complexity. Put another way, the quintet have focused on the more dynamic currents of Reaping Season, Bloodshed Beyond and simply sharpened them to a judicious degree, all given nightsky flight through the crisp & clean production – wholly organic, wholly powerful – as well as the oft-soaring leads.
As such, Wherever We Roam… feels anthemic, boundless, and wholly tailor-made for the stage, where Chaos Invocation have considerable experience; since their first live appearance in 2009, they’ve embarked upon several European tours as well as playing several smaller tours and festivals all over the European continent. “Our journey is far from being over,” state the band, and “we cannot wait to raise our banners at places we have yet not visited.” If there’s a record to slay that way forward, then surely it’s Wherever We Roam…
Hear the previously revealed “Ideal Sodom” HERE, also at AOP Records‘ official YouTube channel. Cover artwork, courtesy of Khaos Diktator, and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Chaos Invocation’s Wherever We Roam… 1. Wherever We Roam 2. Ideal Sodom 3. Golden Gates And Terrene Light 4. Bridges Aflame 5. No Throne Withstands 6. This World Wants Us Dead 7. Only In Darkness 8. Engravings Of The Quivering Pedestal
Lineup A. – lead guitar, vocals* M. – vocals LS – rhythm guitars RK – bass guitar Omega – drums
*lead vocals on “Ideal Sodom” and “Bridges Aflame,” all clean vocals
This December, legendary death metallers Deceased will tour the United States in support of their eighth album, Children of the Morgue, released this August on CD and cassette tape via Hells Headbangers Records. Joining them will be labelmates Desolus. Full list of confirmed dates & venues as well as poster art are as follows:
12/14 – Richmond, VA @ Cobra Cabana 12/13 – Wilmington, NC @ Reggie’s 42nd St 12/12 – Atlanta, GA @ Boggs Social 12/11 – New Orleans, LA @ Siberia 12/10 – Birmingham, AL @ Saturn 12/9 – Louisville, KY @ Portal 12/8 – Asheville, NC @ Eulogy 12/7 – Raleigh, NC @ Chapel of Bones 12/6 – Harrisonburg, VA @ Golden Pony
“A nice little nine-day run in December,” says founding frontman King Fowley. “Get out, see a few states, and thrash it up. Guitarist Mike Smith is coming back to the stage after years of studio-only stuff. That will be fun. Come on out and smash it to the wall with us and our pals Desolus – going to be wildddddddddddddddddddddd.”
In other Deceased news, the vinyl version of Children of the Morgue is now available for preorder HERE.
***
By now, Deceased need no introduction. One of the longest-running American death metal bands, since 1985, Deceased have been there for it all: death metal’s genesis, its creative peak, its commercial peak and subsequent sink into trendiness, the eventual fallout and “un-trendiness,” its rebirth at the hands of a new generation, and on and on. There they have stood, simply and 100% always Deceased, not caring what year it is or what is hip – simply, always, DEATH METAL FROM THE GRAVE!
And across their sizable-yet-succinct discography, at their heart, Deceased have always been a great HEAVY METAL band. They proved it with 1997’s landmark Fearless Undead Machines and continued to prove it with every album thereafter, with 2018’s Ghostly White showing that even this MANY years on, their pistons are pumping harder and more creatively than ever.
During those past three decades, Deceased have not been without ambition. Even when stretching the limits of complexity like on 1995’s The Blueprints for Madness, true-to-death storytelling has always been at the fore of their work, vividly illustrated by the characteristic throat of founder / former drummer King Fowley. And although Fearless Undead Machines was perhaps the apex of that storytelling, never before have Deceased attempted such an emotional, topically rooted-in-death album…until now!
Enter Children of the Morgue, Deceased‘s darkest record to date. The album’s concept is on dying and all that it entails, and suitably do the band integrate nearly every element of their past and present arsenal into its 55-minute runtime. “There will be fast parts, slow parts, melodic parts, noisy parts, and everything in between,” Fowley claimed pre-release, and he’s not wrong! But how Deceased manage to thread everything together so seamlessly speaks to the strength of their songwriting – always recognizable, but never resting on past laurels. Here on Children of the Morgue, moody-yet-melodic riffing and lead-work take center stage as Fowley narrates this epic-length tale of life and death. The album’s exceptional pacing and engaging, always-going-forward song constructions heighten the sensation that the record is a lot shorter than it actually is; however, if one was to do some quick math, he’d surmise at least half these tracks are indeed EPIC – at or above the eight-minute mark. Nevertheless, the sum effect is mesmerizing and even majestic, unremittingly DARK as the subject matter may be. The final icing on the cake (or slamming of the morgue’s doors?) is the warm & rustic recording courtesy of Oblivion Studios, where the aforementioned Fearless Undead Machines and co-classic Supernatural Addiction were rendered onto tape.
Nearly 40 years since their formation, Deceased show no signs of stopping – and, in fact, are arguably more potent than ever. You can now add Children of the Morgue to their list of undeniable classics…but this is not the end! Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Deceased’s Children of the Morgue 1. Destination: Morgue 2. Children of the Morgue 3. Turn to Wither 4. Terrornaut 5. The Reaper is Nesting 6. Uninvited Dirge 7. The Grave Digger 8. Eerie Wavelengths 9. Fed to Mother Earth 10. Skull with the Vacant Stare 11. Brooding Lament 12. Farewell (Taken to Forever)
Today, Austrian black metallers Anomalie reveal the new video “Awakening.” The track is the second to be revealed from the band’s highly anticipated fifth album, Riverchild, set for international release on November 1st via AOP Records. See & hear Anomalie‘s “Awakening” video in its entirety here:
Authenticity. Creativity. Passion. Since 2011, the fundament of Anomalie lies within the boundless will to surpass the past by constantly evolving those intense soundscapes that became the trademark of this Austrian collective led by multi-instrumentalist Marrok, also known for his live duties for Harakiri for the Sky.
To simply characterize Anomalie as “atmospheric black metal” greatly misses the point. Granted, black metal will always serve as firm foundation for the band’s sound, but as brazenly broadcast by the title of 2021’s full-length Transformation, Anomalie are always evolving, always moving – in all senses of the word – and every record is as surprising in its approach as it is dependable in Marrok’s delivery. Dynamic and devastating, heavy in both physical and emotional heft, atmosphere painted in myriad colors (but, naturally, with plenty of black) – Anomalie are as much of a flagship band for AOP Records as Marrok’s live employers.
So comes Anomalie‘s fifth full-length, bearing the mysterious title of Riverchild. Born and raised along the rural shores of the Danube River, the element of water has always had a shaping impact on Marrok’s perception of nature and life in general. Throughout Riverchild, he drew a musical portrait of an entity still present around this immense stream which had always nurtured and taken lives equally, a force able of spending hope and wisdom but also possessing the strength and wrath to destroy and destruct.
Comparable to the multiple faces of a colossal river like the Danube, Anomalie‘s musical direction on Riverchild provides a diverse range of facets, taking the listener on a journey full of profound and honest emotions expressed through aggressive outbursts of pure black metal dissonance as well as fragile moments of introspective calmness. Anomalie once again asks for focus and patience, but offers a wider range of rewarding layers than ever before!
Hear the previously revealed “Perpetual Twilight” HERE, also at AOP Records‘ official YouTube channel. Cover artwork, courtesy of Misanthropic Art Illustrations, and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Anomalie’s Riverchild 1. Mother Of Stars 2. An Unvorgiving Tide 3. Perpetual Twilight 4. Heart To Beat 5. Awakening 6. Riverchild 7. Among Shadows 8. A Cosmic Truth 9. Thoughts
On October 4th internationally, Amor Fati Productions will release Nubivagant‘s highly anticipated third album, The Blame Dagger, on CD and vinyl LP formats. And today, they stream the album in its entirety. Hear Nubivagant‘s The Blame Dagger in its entirety here:
Black metal both traditional and transcendental – such is the mark of Nubivagant. Omega, the multi-instrumentalist behind the band, possesses the collective experience of over three decades in the black metal scene; he concurrently helms the well-respected Darvaza and plays drums Frostmoon Eclipse and Chaos Invocation, among many others in the past. However, with Nubivagant does he walk a unique path that takes a cleaner-toned timbre both in strings and voice, resulting in two equally awe-inspiring albums, 2020’s Roaring Eye and 2022’s The Wheel and the Universe. Once again under the auspices of Amor Fati, Omega delivers a new treatise on hypnotic sonic levitation: Nubivagant‘s The Blame Dagger.
The band’s first two records exhibited textures that could be qualified as calming, if not without a certain sturm und drang one finds when contemplating the ocean. Here on The Blame Dagger, Nubivagant bares open his soul once again, but in a manner much darker, both on the surface and well below it, and altogether in rougher fashion. One could call the songwriting “minimal is maximal” or simply primitive, but the sum effect is psychedelic to the extreme: one (BIG) idea is employed and then pushed further and further with subtle twists of nuance, the repetition resulting in mesmerizing movement that somehow evaporates time. Compared to its two predecessors, the tones utilized here seethe with tension and unease, if not somehow strangely soothing due to that ever-enveloping schematic; dirt and grit still coat everything, more so than ever. Likewise is Omega’s voice smoother yet darker, sounding less like a lost deathrock spectre of the first two LPs and more like an immortal prophet of doom perched upon a cliff overlooking said sea. Some might even qualify that as “doom” in terms of the metal subgenre, and they would not be totally incorrect; still, Omega’s wordplay and tastefully curious note choices put Nubivagant further into their own unique category. But with that (MESMERIZING) movement manifesting itself in an almost-relaxed way – again, almost doom in the very liberal sense – the ripples of emotion coursing through The Blame Dagger suggest resignation, a soul in sore need of rest, anxiously mindful of a dawn too dark to contemplate.
“Outsider black metal,” then, but without being mawkish or cloying: Nubivagant have completed a near-perfect trifecta of personal, poignant art no matter the nomenclature. To commemorate the release of The Blame Dagger, the band will embark upon a European tour with labelmates Häxenzijrkell (dates after the jump).
Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Nubivigant’s The Blame Dagger
1. Darkness Upon The Face Of The Deep [6:40] 2. Endless Mourning [6:17] 3. A Perfect Throne [5:38] 4. Who Made The World [7:28] 5. The Voice Of A Black Candle [4:32] 6. The Judgement [7:21]
Today, Polish black metallers Mardom stream the entirety of their highly anticipated debut album, Dead Soul Age. Set for international release on October 4th via Personal Records, hear Mardom‘s Dead Soul Age in its entirety here:
Formed in 2019, Mardom are a new force in the always fertile Polish black metal scene. Despite their geography, the duo aren’t strictly “Polish black metal” by definition; a strong foundation in ’90s Scandinavian black metal underscores the grim & melancholic elements of their local tradition. Mardom are one of those rare new bands who bring the black metal atmosphere of the old days to life in such an authentic and natural way.
Mardom was initially planned as a project of guitarist Morgomir, but eventually became a band with vocalist Kres and others joining. Since then, the band have released two EPs, 2020’s The Path of No Return and 2022’s Longing for a New Dawn. Those two titles should doubtlessly state what sort of atmosphere Mardom are brewing.
Now, that cauldron boils over with their debut album, Dead Soul Age. Here, Mardom aesthetically bridge those two short-lengths, combing dynamic sound and aggression with more melancholic and nostalgic themes, and even a touch or two of (blackened) doom. On first blush, Dead Soul Age bears some passing semblance to the ever-thorny “depressive black metal” subgenre; listen further, and that semblance is superficial, for there’s far more energy and enveloping songwriting at work here. While the former pushes the latter forward with an almost understated grace, that songwriting soon shows its full depth: both simplicity and complexity weave into and out of each other, much in the way that the early Scandinavian trailblazers did, but arguably wrapped in a sympathetic production neither too polished nor too raw. Dead Soul Age thus becomes a dream-like journey through themes of emptiness and sorrow, as well as both hatred and love.
True Polish black metal, especially of the underground variety, is nothing if not authentic: you hear it, and you KNOW it. Rarer still is depressive black done right, such as the cult likes of Wigrid, Krohm, and Raate. You can now add the humble name of Mardom to those rarefied ranks with the beginning of their Dead Soul Age.
Preorder info can be found HERE. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Mardom’s Dead Soul Age
1. If Hate Now Reigned [6:13] 2. Spojrzenie [7:40] 3. Inverted Sun Darkness [6:31] 4. Buried in the Dust of Stars [7:02] 5. Unseen Dreams [6:58] 6. Dead Soul Age [5:55]
