Bands

1349 Bring Aural Hellfire on “The God Devourer”

The relentless beast that is 1349 emerges once again from the frosty abyss, delivering The Wolf and The King’s harrrowing new single – The God Devourer.

Carved from the frozen landscapes of Norway, 1349 have etched their mark upon the black metal pantheon, wielding their instruments like war-axes in the vanguard of the genre’s relentless assault. With a legacy drenched in the blood of aural extremities, they have become the standard-bearers of unyielding sonic warfare, relentless in their pursuit of the darker arts. The Wolf and The King is set to expand the parameters of the genre, infusing it with an atmosphere of apocalyptic elegance.

The God Devourer is a towering example of the infernal craft, a blasphemous symphony forged in the heart of the blackened abyss. With lyrics penned by Svartalv and music conjured by Archaon, this track is a ritualistic passage through the veils of torment and revelation. The invocation begins with a summons to the beasts of the cosmos, where darkness penetrates all light. Each riff is a dagger, each blast beat a crucible, crossing fields of fire and carving paths in bone. The song’s relentless pace drags you through the hidden realms, breaching the gates of the seven realms with the spell-fire that consumes the soul. The God Devourer is an experience of striding diabolic galaxies and embracing the equinox of gods. It perfectly captures the timeless aggression and astral darkness that is 1349, unleashing a wave of aural hellfire that scorches all who dare to listen.

The Wolf and The King delves deep into the abyss, exploring themes of transformation through destruction, liberation, and mind expansion, traversing realms of alchemical riddles and ancient mysteries.
The Wolf and The King is out October 4th on Season of Mist.

➤ Pre-order & Pre-save: https://orcd.co/1349thewolfandtheking

In a union that promises to reshape the contours of black metal, Norwegian titans 1349 will be joining forces with the revered Kampfar for the highly anticipated 1349 & Kampfar – 2024 EU Co-Headline Tour. A ceremonial gathering of black metal’s most fervent apostles, ready to spread the gospel of Aural Hellfire and pagan might across Europe.1349 & Kampfar Co-Headline – 2024 EU Tour:
01 October: Leipzig, DE @ Anker
02 October: Berlin, DE @ SO36
03 October: Aarhus, DK @ Voxhall
04 October: Gothenburg, SE @ Filmstudion
05 October: Stockholm, SE @ Kolletkivet Livet
07 October: Helsinki, FI @ Aaniwalli
08 October: Tallinn, EE @ Helitehas
09 October: Riga, LV @ Melna Piektdiena
10 October: Warsaw, PL @ Proxima
11 October: Kraków, PL @ Kamienna 12
12 October: Vienna, AT @ Vienna Metal Meeting
13 October: Budapest, HU @ Barba Negra
15 October: Prague, CZ @ Futurum
16 October: Munich, DE @ Backstage
17 October: Milano, IT @ Slaughter Club
18 October: Colmar, FR @ Le Grillen
19 October: Aarburg, CH @ Musigburg
20 October: Oignies, FR @ Tyrant Fest
22 October: Weiher, DE @ Live Music Hall
23 October: Paris, FR @ Le Petit Bain
24 October: Bochum, DE @ Zeche
25 October: Amstelveen, NL @ P60
26 October: Maastricht, NL @ Samhain Festival
TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW!

Tracklist
1. The God Devourer (5:10) [WATCH]
2. Ash of Ages (5:27) [LISTEN]
3. Shadow Point (3:40) [WATCH]
4. Inferior Pathways (4:28)
5. Inner Portal (5:08)
6. The Vessel and The Storm (5:15)
7. Obscura (3:44)
8. Fatalist (5:51)
Total runtime: 39:01

1349 is not like other bands. It’s not a group of friends who decided to make music together. 1349 is a band formed with a unified vision and specific purpose: To maintain the legacy of black metal.

“I didn’t like the direction that black metal took in the mid part of the ’90s,” 1349 vocalist and mastermind Ravn recalls. “It started losing everything that I liked about black metal—the grimness, the eeriness, the primal emotions that captivated me and brought me into that sphere. You had all these synthesizer-based bands dressing up in pirate shirts and looking like goths. It ruined something that I truly hold close to my heart.”

In 1997, Ravn formed 1349 and recruited bassist Seidemann and, now former, guitarist Tjalve to help him pursue the vision of recapturing the original spirit of black metal. The longstanding lineup of Ravn, Seidemann, guitarist Archaon, and drummer Frost (also of Satyricon) has been in place since 2001. “I found people that felt the same way as me,” Ravn says of his bandmates. “We wanted to bring back the trademark of Norwegian black metal, as it was presented in the early 90s. Every time we release an album, that’s the inspiration and the backdrop.”

The Wolf and the King is the latest sortie in that crusade.1349’s eighth album sees the Oslo-based band harnessing the primordial energy of black metal’s decade-defining second wave and channeling it through ancient mysteries and the relentless global chaos of the 2020s.

The album title comes from a classic alchemical allegory: A wolf devours a king. Then the wolf is devoured by flames, and a new king rises from the ashes. “When I first heard about alchemy when I was young, it was people turning metal into gold,” Ravn says. “Further down the road, through various literatures and magical practices, I realized that what you’re turning into gold is metaphorical. It’s about personal development, basically. You want to be the best you can be, and that’s what we try to do as well. We try to top ourselves, to kill our egos in order to grow as persons. If you don’t do that, you will die. You will not rise from the ashes.”

Lead single “Ash of Ages” combines thrash with extreme metal flourishes and a proper doomsday theme. “The song is based on a story I read about a layer of ash that covered the Earth 12,000 years ago,” Ravn explains. “This layer of ash comes from a meteorite that struck the Earth during the Ice Age. It melted a lot of the ice, which is where the Great Flood came from. The Great Flood is in the Bible, but it was written about in every ancient culture. The theory is that it washed away a lot of other ancient cultures that held a higher intelligence level than those that were found after the flood. So, it possibly set human civilization back many thousands of years.”

Released as a one-sided maxi-12” with a flipside etching by Jordan Barlow—who did all the artwork for The Wolf and the King (as well as the band’s 2019 album, The Infernal Pathway)—“Ash of Ages” is also a warning to check your ego. “To think that you’re important, that you’re anything but an ant down there, is futile,” Ravn points out. “In the end, everything will be washed away, and nothing will be left.”

“Shadow Point” comes complete with a video and revisits the sonic domain of The Infernal Pathway with a classic headbanger groove. “This one references the Star of Algol, or ‘the Demon Star,’” Ravn offers. “It’s actually two stars that revolve around each other, and the small one is devouring the big one. Human beings have seen this star from early ages, and it has had many names over the years. It’s a known part of the magical world, so I wanted to include it in a song.”

Shot through with menace and a snaky groove, album opener “The God Devourer” will also have a video. “The lyrics are based on the alchemical principle of devouring all that you feel is in your way of becoming a better human,” Ravn says. “It sets the ominous tone for the whole album.”

Recorded at Amper Tone in Oslo, Norway, and New Constellation R.M.P. in Orlando, Florida, The Wolf and the King was produced and mixed by Ravn and Jarrett Pritchard (Eulogy, Pulchra Morte), the band’s long-standing sonic wizard who also worked on their previous two albums. The lyrics were written by the band’s longtime wordsmith, Svartalv, who has been working with 1349 for twenty years.

Jordan Barlow’s elaborate artwork for The Wolf and the King reflects the album’s chronological position in 1349’s discography. “This is our eighth album, and the artwork and lyrics are filled with references to this number of infinity,” Ravn explains. “You can basically go on a quest finding references to the number in the artwork.”

All told, The Wolf and the King is the exalted output of the joint force that is 1349. “We all work together to make the best black metal possible every time we release an album,” Ravn says. “This is our common goal. We’re a band on a mission.”
Line-up
Archaon – Guitars
Frost – Drums
Ravn – Vocals
Seidemann – Bass

Recording Studio
Amper Tone (Oslo, Norway) & NEW CONSTELLATION R.M.P. (Orlando, USA)

Production Credits
Produced by Jarrett Prichard & Ravn
Mixed by Jaerrett Prichard & Ravn at NEW CONSTELLATION R.M.P.
Mastered by Jaerrett Prichard at NEW CONSTELLATION R.M.P.

Biography
J. Bennett

Cover Art
Jordan Barlow

Pre-order & Pre-save:https://orcd.co/1349thewolfandtheking

Links/Follow Artist:
Official Website: http://www.legion1349.com/
Bandcamp: http://1349som.bandcamp.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/1349official
Instagram: http://instagram.com/1349official
Twitter: http://twitter.com/1349official
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/1349auralhellfire
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/150xbiJGnTy1tSBZ9EFKnT
Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/en/artist/10673
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/1349/79664050
TIDAL: https://tidal.com/browse/artist/22185
Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/1349/e/B001LHI2SI/

Cryptopsy Sign to Season of Mist

No band has tested the boundaries of extreme music more than Cryptopsy.

After an ungentle exhumation from the Canadian underground during the early ’90s, Cryptopsy quickly rose to recognition amongst metalheads all across the globe. Most bands would consider themselves lucky to make one classic album. Cryptopsy have made three, including None So Vile, which is widely considered one of the best death metal albums of all time. 

Cryptopsy’s raw and blistering technical prowess set a precedent for extreme music. After all, their eldest statesmen did write the book on this style of drumming. But the band have continued to evolve throughout their storied career. Their 30-year discography defies any one categorization, incorporating everything from jazz fusion to mathy avant-garde rhythms and melodic experimentation before returning to their more brutal form.

Just last year, Cryptopsy won a JUNO Award for their most recent album, As Gomorrah Burns. This year, the band earned another prestigious honor: joining the celebration of death metal’s most iconic band. While they continue to tour North America alongside Death to All, recently, Cryptopsy made a stop at Maryland Death Fest for a special 30th anniversary set of their debut album, Blasphemy Made Flesh.

Now that they’ve signed with Season of Mist, Cryptopsy are focused on keeping their momentum rolling. They’re hitting the road this fall on a second tour of North America, this time with Carnifex. New music is also on the way, along with definitive reissues from their classic catalogue.

“We are thrilled to announce that Cryptopsy has joined forced with Season of Mist!” the band says. “Season of Mist’s dedication to artistic integrity and their track record of supporting diverse and innovative music make them the perfect partner for Cryptopsy. With their backing, we look forward to reaching new heights creatively, connecting with more fans and continuing to push the boundaries of extreme music. We are excited for the journey ahead and the opportunities this opens up for what’s already an exciting new chapter of our band”.

The Scream of Perseverance Tour 2024
featuring Cryptopsy and Death to All

May 18 – Milwaukee, WI @ Milwaukee Metal Fest
May 19 – Milwaukee, WI @ Milwaukee Metal Fest
May 21 – Columbus, OH @ The King Of Clubs
May 22 – Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre Of Living Arts
May 23 – New York City, NY @ Gramercy Theatre
May 24 – New York City, NY @ Gramercy Theatre
May 25 – Boston, MA @ The Middle East
May 26 – Boston, MA @ The Middle East
May 28 – Montreal, QC @ Le National
May 29 – Montreal, QC @ Le National
May 30 – Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Concert Theatre
May 31 – Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Concert Theatre
June 1 – London, ON @ London Music Hall 
June 2 – Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick 
June 3 – Chicago, IL @ Reggies*
June 4 – St. Paul, MN @ Amsterdam Bar & Hall 
June 5 – St. Paul, MN @ Amsterdam Bar & Hall
June 6 – Iowa City, IA @ Wildwood*
June 7 – Lawrence, KS @ The Granada
June 8 – Denver, CO @ Oriental Theater
June 9 – Denver, CO @ Oriental Theater
June 10 – Grand Junction, CO @ Mesa Theater*
June 11 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Metro Music Hall
June 12 – Spokane, WA @ The Big Dipper*
June 13 – Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw Theatre  [TICKETS]
June 14 – Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw Theatre [TICKETS]
June 15 – Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile [TICKETS]
June 16 – Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile [TICKETS]
June 17 – Richland, WA @ Ray’s Golden Lion [TICKETS]*
June 18 – Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theatre  [TICKETS]
June 19 – Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theatre [TICKETS]
June 21 – Berkeley, CA @ Cornerston [TICKETS]
June 22 – Berkeley, CA @ Cornerstone [TICKETS]
June 23 – Santa Cruz, CA @ The Catalyst [TICKETS]
June 24 – Fresno, CA @ Full Circle Brewery District [TICKETS]*
June 25 – San Diego, CA @ Brick By Brick [TICKETS]
June 26 – San Diego, CA @ Brick By Brick [TICKETS]
June 27 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Regent Theater [TICKETS]
June 28 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Regent Theater [TICKETS]
June 29 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Nile Theater [TICKETS]
June 30 – Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad [TICKETS]*
July 2 – Oklahoma, OK @ 89th Street Collective [TICKETS]*
July 3 – St. Louis, MO @ Red Flag [TICKETS]*
*Cryptopsy only

Necromanteum Part II North American Tour 2024
featuringCryptoposy, Carnifex,Mental Cruelty, Organectomy and Heavy / Hitter

October 4 – Pomona, CA @ The Glass House Concert Hall [TICKETS]
October 5 – Palmdale, CA @ Transplants Brewery [TICKETS]
October 6 – Roseville, CA @ Goldfield Trading Post [TICKETS]*
October 8 – Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theatre [TICKETS]*
October 9 – Seattle, WA @ El Corazon [TICKETS]
October 10 – Vancouver, BC @ Hollywood Theatre [TICKETS] *
October 12 – Calgary, AB @ MacEwan Ballroom [TICKETS]
October 13 – Edmonton, AB @ Starlite Room [TICKETS]
October 14 – Saskatoon, SK @ Louis’ [TICKETS]
October 16 – Winnipeg, MB @ The Park Theatre [TICKETS]
October 17 – Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theater [TICKETS]*
October 18 – Bloomington, IL @ Castle Theatre [TICKETS]
October 19 – Sauget, IL @ Pop’s [TICKETS]*
October 20 – Indianapolis, IN @ Hi-Fi Annex [TICKETS]
October 22 – Toronto, ON @ Opera House [TICKETS]
October 23 – Nepean, ON @ Brass Monkey [TICKETS]
October 24 – Montreal, QC @ Beanfield Theatre [TICKETS]
October 25 – Quebec City, QC @ La Source de la Martinière [TICKETS]
October 26 – Ablany, NY @ Empire Live [TICKETS]
October 27 – Stroudsburg, PA @ Sherman Theater [TICKETS]
October 28 – Cleveland, OH @ The Asylum at Masonic Temple [TICKETS]
October 30 – Springfield, MO @ Regency Live [TICKETS]
October 31 – Wichita, KS @ Temple Live Wichita [TICKETS]
November 1 – Colorado Springs, CO @ Black Sheep [TICKETS]
November 2 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex [TICKETS]*
November 3 – Reno, NV @ Virginia Street Brewhouse [TICKETS]
*no Cryptopsy

Lineup 
Flo Mounier – Drums
Matt McGachy – Vocals
Christian Donaldson – Guitar
Oli Pinard – Bass

When Cryptopsy emerged from Montreal, Quebec in 1993, their groundbreaking blend of technical prowess and brutal intensity left an indelible mark on extreme metal.

Right away, Cryptopsy showcased their unparalleled musicianship with their debut album. Blasphemy Made Flesh (1994) set the stage for a career that’s been defined by innovation and boundary-pushing. Their next album solidified the band as pioneers of death metal. None So Vile (1996) earned them critical acclaim and a devoted fanbase across the world.

“Brutal and beautifully chaotic…a must-have for any extreme metal fan’s collection”, wrote Metal Hammer, who named None So Vile one of the best death metal albums ever.

Cryptopsy has continued to evolve throughout their storied career. Their 30-year discography defies any one categorization, ranging from jazz fusion on Whisper Supremacy (1998) and the avant-garde rhythms of Once Was Not (2005) to the melodic experiments of The Unspoken King (2008).
 
In 2012, Cryptopsy released their self-titled album, which signaled a return to their brutal roots. Three years later, the band embarked on The Book of Suffering, an ambitious two-part EP that Decibel regarded as “an absolute fucking burner”.

Almost 30 years into their career, Cryptopsy won the JUNO Award for Best Metal/Hard Music Album for their latest album As Gomorrah Burns (2023). They followed that up by earning another prestigious honor: joining Death to All on a tour of North America.

Along with their celebrated discography, a relentless work ethic and reputation as blistering live performers has cemented Cryptopsy as one of metal’s most influential and respected bands. But while their legacy is safely established, the band remain committed to expanding the definitions of extreme music. Having now signed with Season of Mist, they’re preparing to release new music, along with definitive reissues from their classic catalogue.

Follow Cryptopsy:
Bandcamp: https://cryptopsyofficial.bandcamp.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cryptopsyofficial
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cryptopsyofficial/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/29PgYwTelpNl6370XLqFtN
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CryptopsyDeathMetal
BandsInTown: https://www.bandsintown.com/a/2941-cryptopsy

Irish black metal enigma Fuil Na Seanchoille streams second album, The Crossing

FUIL NA SEANCHOILLE stream new ME SACO UN OJO / TOUR DE GARDE album at “Decibel” magazine’s website

Today, Irish black metal enigma Fuil Na Seanchoille streams its highly anticipated second album, The Crossing.
Set for international release on November 14th via Me Saco Un Ojo Ojo in conspiracy with Tour de Garde, hear Fuil Na Seanchoille‘s The Crossing in its entirety here:
Formed in 2008, Fuil Na Seanchoille is a black metal entity hailing from Ireland, helmed by mainman Satyrign, whose experience in the international hardcore-punk underground is incredibly prolific. Two demos resulted those first two years, which would later be released together on vinyl by Me Saco Un Ojo Ojo in 2012. Completely DIY, Fuil Na Seanchoille‘s first two demos were remarkably developed, evincing a psychedelic bestiality that ravaged the body and bent the mind in equal measure. In 2011 came the band’s debut album, Hunger, first released on cassette by Tour de Garde and then on vinyl by Me Saco Un Ojo Ojo. Expanding on the demos’ firm & filthy foundation, here Satyrign explored a unique “complex simplicity,” entrancing the listener with a strangely alluring sort of grime.

Alas, those dualities have reached an apotheosis with Fuil Na Seanchoille‘s long-awaited second album, The Crossing. Horror and beauty, the beast vs. transcendent man, strident minimalism colliding with labyrinthine layering: The Crossing is indeed an ambitious work, comprised of a single 29-minute composition formed over an eight-year period, crafted to induce maximum out-of-body/out-of-mind exploration. Black metal is undoubtedly the framework for Fuil Na Seanchoille still, yet the manner in which Satyrign here wields it is incredibly idiosyncratic, to say the least. Lapping waves upon a distant forlorn shore, The Crossing begins with a plaintive female voice singing a funereal lament in Gaelic (to wit: the band’s moniker means “Blood of the Old Forest” in same), and a tense placidity is heightened as the record plays on, until sparkling shimmers of chorused guitar and gurgling bass explode into a torrent of emotion. From there, the catharsis continues to build, on and on and on, infinitely so yet circumscribing the listener’s headspace, dwarfing that listener when contemplating the enormity of this experience. Still, like any journey at some point, a kindling of hope lingers…or does it?

Sick and cyclic, The Crossing beckons the hardiest of travelers, both dungeon trawlers and cosmonauts alike. Fuil Na Seanchoille point the way – and may perhaps even pierce the veil – will you journey through that void?

Also on November 14th, CD editions of the self-titled compilation and Hunger (both remastered at Enormous Door) will be issued alongside a limited cassette containing reinterpretations of The Cure and Dead Can Dance.
More info HERE.

Cover art for The Crossing, by Zdzisław Beksiński, and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Fuil Na Seanchoille’s The Crossing
1. The Crossing [28:56]
www.mesacounojo.com
www.mesacounojo.bandcamp.com

Afar – Selfless (Full Album) Atmospheric Black Metal

I like these guys, playing the album in the office a fair bit lately

Atmospheric Black metal with a splash of shoe gaze, from New Jersey. Released October 19, 2016

Tracklist:

0:00 Healing
9:46 Cascading Shadows
18:01 Tsalmaveth
29:02 Endless Path
33:52 Aerial Discord
39:02 Beckoned into Fog
46:34 Twelve

Selfless was written and recorded by I.K.
Guest vocals on Beckoned Into Fog by J. Aversario and M. Goncalves.
Engineered and mastered by Peter Lloyd in One Stone Recording & Mastering 2014-2016.
Cover photography by Peter Lloyd, design & layout by M. Goncalves,
inside cover art by Eden Lustig.
Photography for this site by Peter Lloyd.

EINHERJER – BALLAD OF THE SWORDS (Official video)

In over twenty years Einherjer has carried out their vision.

 They were there when Norwegian extreme metal grew forth and took shape as an enormous cultural export. They played far and wide. At home and abroad. They were part of something new. Something special and innovative. They were there when Norwegian metal gathered and inspired thousands. They were there and swung the hammer when Viking metal was forged as a unique expression that later inspired countless bands, worldwide.

 Now the horns of war sound again. And Einherjer is there.

 Behind them, they have an array of albums – some of which stand as milestones in a genre of explosive growth. And now comes the re-recording of the 1996 album ‘Dragons Of The North’.

DRAGONS OF THE NORTH XX
OUT NOW on LP, CD & Digital!

CD/LP:
https://goo.gl/DS0B7g
Digital:
https://goo.gl/f9S7c8

Video and illustrations by Costin Chioreanu

More EINHERJER here:
http://www.einherjer.com
http://einherjer.indierecordings.no
http://www.facebook.com/einherjeroffi…

Mogh – Persian/Israeli Anti Islamic Black Metal

“2016 demo of this Anti-Islamic Black Metal Legion.. Mogh is Persian/Israeli/German extreme black metal Project,influenced by Nihilism/Oriental Thelema &  Occultism / Middle Eastern Rituals. Trance-Modern Conceptual.

from the album- Kirshah Khutai Kirkhoda

Tracklist

1. Wisdom of Ordeal
2. Puraithoi Eyes of Kappadocia
3. Eblis Abr E Siyah
4. Angra Mainyu
5. Sarghashteh
6. Alamihtra Mithra Mesr
7. Thirsty for Anunnaki Royal Blood
8. Amartad Mord

℗ 2016 Terror Records

Released on: 2016-06-03

Composer: Mogh

Cognitive Emancipation by Behold The Arctopus

THIS IS NOT AN EP
time is eleastic. length is subjective. don’t discriminate.

recorded july 2016 by Colin Marston
at Menegroth, The Thousand Cavesartwork by Terry Grow

music by Marston feb 2011 – oct 2013
solos by Lerner

thanks:
Weasel Walter and Lille Gruber for also playing some of this music,
Mick Barr at Hathenter Records A&R and Justina for saving arctopus,
my name is Eliane at “Only Hits” corp,
Kevin, Jeff, Luc, Pat, Masterblaster, the fans, the idiots, fieldy

credits

released November 8, 2016

Colin Marston: warr guitar
Mike Lerner: guitar guitar
Jason Bauers: drums