On June 14th internationally, Iron Bonehead Productions will release Ancient Guard‘s highly anticipated debut mini-album, Nightfall Enthroned, on CD and 12″ vinyl formats. And today, they stream the mini-album in its entirety. Hear Ancient Guard‘s Nightfall Enthroned in its entirety here:
Ancient Guard is a new creation of Nightwolf, renown for pagan black metal vanguard Runespell. As expected, his unmistakable mastery is all across Nightfall Enthroned, Ancient Guard‘s first public work. A surprisingly vast mini-album at four songs in 31 minutes, Nightfall Enthroned is immersive to the extreme and almost soothing in its continually cresting swell of sumptuous black metal mysticism. While Runespell‘s no-less-grandiose sound is oft given to bouts of bloodlust and battle rage, Ancient Guard is pure magisterial march & might as can be expected of such a moniker. And Nighttwolf’s knack for mesmerizing melodicism holds true here, as well, but if one could make distinctions in this regard, it’s that Nightfall Enthroned swirls about to a spacious-yet-thick foundation that’s equal parts stargazing wonder and weight-of-the-universe terror – an infinitely compelling canvas equally suited to adrift dreamers and austere realists alike. Followed by the acoustic lament “Eld,” the synth-heavy epic “A Moonscape Abyss” says exactly everything it needs to about Ancient Guard: awaken to Nightfall Enthroned!
Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Ancient Guard’s Nightfall Enthroned 1. Dominion of Primordial Darkness [11:40] 2. Sepulchral Damnation [9:04] 3. A Moonscape Abyss [7:29] 4. Eld [2:45]
Today, melodic black metallers BloodCross premiere the new track “Gravebound”. The track is the second to be revealed from the band’s highly anticipated debut album, Gravebound, set for international release on July 5th via Personal Records. Hear BloodCross‘ title track “Gravebound” in its entirety here:
BloodCross are a Finnish heavy metal band formed in 2019 that rose from the ashes of black metallers Angelscourge and their lone album, Seraph Impaler. Based in Turku, BloodCross cast their gaze wider to the past and draw inspiration from such old gods as Necrophobic, Dissection, and even Yngwie Malmsteen.
BloodCross‘ first release was the demo Abyssal Blood in 2021, which featured three ear-piercing songs. At that point, the band had not yet fully introduced their influences from power metal to their already lethal and bloody cocktail of blackened melodic thrash metal.
However, that will all change with their full-length debut, Gravebound. Here, BloodCross boldly broaden their musical expression to soundscapes that are catchier, more melodic, and somehow also crushing soundscapes. Insanely fast at times but exuding a palatable precision, Gravebound is technical and relentless but never forsakes the art of songwriting, remaining mesmerizingly memorable every step of the way, building epic towers of icy, majesty melody and ripping, burn-the-touch intensity. Coupled with the crisp & gleaming production, one could possibly mistake BloodCross for a very young & hungry Children of Bodom, but the band’s late ’90s vibes extend further to such cult names as Swordmaster, Gates of Ishtar, Ablaze My Sorrow, Prophanity, and Raise Hell: in other words, this is melodic black metal par excellence.
Prepare for a new modern classic of meloblack with BloodCross‘ Gravebound!
Also hear the previously revealed “Warbeasts” HERE at Personal Records‘ Bandcamp. Preorder info can be found HERE. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Y’all hear that? The rumble in the distance ain’t your drunk uncle on his third pass at the chili cook-off; it’s the almighty, riff-crushing, eardrum-busting caravan of renegades known as WEEDEATER. And guess what, Europe? They’re stormin’ your castles with a tour chock-full of Southern-fried metal madness that’s heavier than a double-loaded barbecue platter after Mardi Gras.
Catch them on the following dates, presented by Tone Deaf Touring: 12 July: Erfurt, DE @ Stoned From the Underground 13 July: Lille, FR @ La Bulle Cafe 14 July: London, UK @ Underworld 17 July: Helsinki, FI @ Kuudes Linja 19 July: Praia de Quiaios, PT @ Woodrock Festival 21 July: Manchester, UK @ Rebellion 22 July: Dublin, IE @ Grand Social 24 July: Wiesbaden, DE @ Schlachthof 25 July: Berlin, DE @ Neue Zukunft 26 July: Cottbus, BE @ Bluemoon Festival
Brace yourselves for a night filled with the kind of head-bangin’, foot-stompin’, soul-shakin’ debauchery that only WEEDEATER can deliver. Them syrupy slow riffs will resonate in your bones, the canyon-deep bass will rumble your guts, and hard-hittin’ drumming will slap the sobriety right outta your system.
WEEDEATER‘s fifth full-length installment merges true Southern rock and metal with their unique blend of raw humor, old religion, and tributes to weed and whiskey. Goliathan not only showcased WEEDEATER‘s distinctively syrupy slow riffs, buoyed by canyon-deep bass, but also encapsulates the band’s full-on swagger and shuffle like never before. The album is a landmark in their adventurous journey through music, embodying the crossroads of their musical and thematic elements at their absolute peak.
Y’all best brace yourselves for a double whammy of tunes—you’ll get a healthy dose of the swampy, thunderous tracks from Goliathan and some bona fide WEEDEATER classics that’ll shake your very soul. And hey, if you truly can’t wait to get your live fix, you can always haul yourself over to the Season of Mist Webshop to grab your self a copy.
Those infamous sludge outlaws WEEDEATER finally return with their long-awaited fifth full-length Goliathan. Their new album marks the crossroads where true Southern rock and metal meet raw humour, old religion, as well as weed and whiskey.
Goliathan embodies the band’s trademark shuffle and swagger at their fullest. Syrupy slow riffs are buoyed by canyon-deep bass and some of the hardest-hitting drumming since Keith Moon. Full-on bruisers such as “Cain Enabler”, “Claw of the Sloth”, and the aptly-named “Bully” demonstrate that Goliathan is delivering a vintage WEEDEATER and the soon-to-be gold standard of Southern sludge metal.
At its founding, the band rose like a doobie phoenix out of the ashes of BUZZOV•EN. When the cult sludge act called it a day, bass player Dave “Dixie” Collins teamed up with guitarist Dave “Shep” Shepherd and founded WEEDEATER in the harbor town of Wilmington about the year 1998. Their crushing and massive first full-length ‘…and Justice for Y’all’ (2001) created an immediate buzz, while critics were struggling to put a tag on their sound. Nearly everybody agreed that stoner rock, doom, sludge and some crusty elements were part of the mix, which the band simply calls “weed metal”.
The debut was produced by renowned engineer Billy Anderson (EYEHATEGOD, NEUROSIS) as well as sophomore album ‘Sixteen Tons’ (2002). WEEDEATER went out to perform live with CORROSION OF CONFORMITY and ALABAMA THUNDERPUSSY among others. After some detours of Dixie Dave, who played shortly with BONGZILLA and SOURVEIN, third album ‘God Luck and Good Speed’ hit the world in 2007 and shifted the band’s focus slightly towards the stoner side.
The latest full-length ‘Jason… the Dragon’ got delayed when vocalist Dixie Dave lost a toe due to an incident with his favourite shotgun. When the sludge driven album finally came out in 2011, shows in the US and Europe cemented the band’s reputation as a fierce live entity.
After signing to Season of Mist, WEEDEATER reissued their full back-catalogue on their new label. Yet the Bible Belt state of North Carolina, USA remains a fertile ground for hemp and stoner rock. Goliathan makes the South smoke again. Lean back and let this monster record blow your mind!
Imagine the scene: you’ve passed out in a graveyard because you had one too many shots of bourbon last night, and you wake up to a world where every day is literally Halloween… Do those slow-moving figures in the corner of your eye remind you a bit of the fiends from that black-and-white Romero movie you’ve watched too many times?
Under the light of a full moon, you head back home only to realize your old friendly neighborhood is now swarming with witches, and there’s a sacrifice going on behind every window. Finally, back in your own bed, you can’t sleep because the flapping sounds of batwings keep you awake, and you still can’t get rid of that image of the totem in the shadows that wasn’t there yesterday…
For some, this could be the most nightmarish scenario to witness, but to the death rockers of Black Totem, it’s the very (un)life they live and breathe every single day with their third full-length album, “III: Sacrifice Tonite.”
Take a horrific trip through the ten tracks of pure vintage audio horror, guaranteed 100% free from modern-day CGI and cheap jump scares. “III: Sacrifice Tonite” brings back the good old days of rocking and catchy as hell blues punk, where Screamin’ Jay Hawkins shakes hands with old-school doom metal, and Samhain and The Misfits. Guitarist and vocalist Spit Poison and bassist Vera Wolf preach these unholy sermons together, never forgetting just the right amount of “WOOOO’OS,” while Tony Cash assaults the drums with human bones and lead guitarist Sam Hate channels the very best of John Christ‘s rocking solos.
Black Totem’s new album “III: Sacrifice Tonite” is out today digitally and on 300 copies of limited black vinyl.
Today, pan-international darkwave duo Nox stream the entirety of their highly anticipated debut album, Entity. Set for international release on June 7th via Neuropa Records, hear Nox‘s Entity in its entirety here:
Nox is a brand-new project between Inmesher (Rope Sect) and Lykaios (Hemelbestormer, Lhaäd, Rituals of the Dead Hand). While both men are known for post-punk and metal, respectively, Nox sees them taking their first steps into the wider electro scene, wielding a similar-yet-different darkness to their more-renown bands. Elements of synthwave, industrial, and dubstep are chopped & screwed to their (DARK) design.
Entity is the duo’s debut album, comprising eight songs across 43 minutes of shimmering, mysterious energy. With pulsing but never-overpowering beats, in service of atmosphere as much as songwriting, Nox dive headlong into a mirror world of subtly torched tones – some scavenging among the gravel, even despite being electronic, while others ascend into the ether on wings of mesmerizing melody – where the listener is guided through moonlit back streets, crumbling edifices of modernity, and a strange sense of futurism that feels apocalyptic and enticing in equal measure. Atop it all are the hauntingly soothing vocals of Inmesher, narrating that listener’s journey (or perhaps narrating the hitherto-unexplored regions of his soul) and creating a unique disconnect that separates Nox from so many treading the hard-electro boards; Entity definitely isn’t the usual retrowave / outrun worship. Underlining this crucial link to humanity is the duo’s cover of Placebo’s “The Bitter End,” which is dubstep in form but something sublime in content.
Trainspotters will already know of Neuropa’s work with the scene stalwarts Carpenter Brut, which serves as a handy reference here, but Nox is equally recommended to fans of Crystal Castles, ADULT., Kavinsky, Sixth June, Kontravoid, or even Nine Inch Nails. Entity is but their first steps on this path…where will it end?
Also see & hear the recently revealed video for “Once Now Gone” exclusively HERE, courtesy of InvisibleOranges.com. Preorder info can be found HERE. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Nox (Germany/Belgium)’s Entity 1. Black Nebula 2. Once Now Gone 3. Flesh and Bones 4. Escape the Light 5. Seven Days of Rain 6. The Bitter End (Dream Mix) 7. Broken Circle 8. The Triple Goddess
Today, Sepulchral Voice Records announces July 26th as the international release date for Mayhemic‘s highly anticipated debut album, Toba, on CD and vinyl LP formats.
Over 70,000 years ago, an event of horrific proportions brought earth’s life to the edge of existing. Known as the Toba eruption, a monstruous super-volcano spat forth brimstone and fire and put the world under the fangs of a massive volcanic winter. Here and now, writing the year 2024, we finally get the audiomantic equivalence to this catastrophe absolute.
As if the most glorious days of thrash metal never had ceased to exist, Chilean aggressors Mayhemic come up with a debut combining utmost power and speed, intertwined with incredible musicianship and songwriting of sheer brilliance.
The young quartet has pushed it hard since the beginning with numerous live shows – sharing stages with names like Marduk and Krisiun, among others – countless rehearsals, and an evolution which can be only labeled as stunning. From the well-produced and -structured No-Life demo up until the total speed mayhem and maniacal fury of the Mortuary Feast of Skeletons EP and the “Volcanic Blast” single, the time is now for Mayhemic‘s first full-length madness.
Comparisons do mostly suck, but for those unfamiliar with their earlier output, imagine the ravage of old Sodom, the speed kill of Merciless and old Sepultura, all combined with Kreator’s best moments of high-class thrash as on Pleasure to Kill till Extreme Aggression. Big words without doubt, but listen to Toba and the rest is self-explanatory.
If you need your dirty white high-tops, skinny jeans, and leather jackets as sharp as in the ’80s, this is the perfect soundtrack to bang your heads to Hell.
In the meantime, hear the brand-new track “Triumph Portrait” here:
Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Mayhemic’s Toba 1. Kollarbone Crushed Neanderthal 2. Extinction & Mystery 3. Valley Of The Thundra 4. Triumph Portrait 5. Eschatological Symphony 6. Hazardous Prowler 7. Olduvai’s Lullaby 8. Toba
On July 30th internationally, W.T.C.Productions is proud to present True Black Dawn‘s highly anticipated third album, Of Thick-circling Shadows.
True Black Dawn are a cult band above all “cult” bands. Come the Colorless Dawn, that record marked the second (or even third) era of the band. See, back in 1992 when they first formed, True Black Dawn were simply “Black Dawn” years before a no-name American band threatened legal action. A handful of demos were released that decade before their classic debut album, Blood for Satan, arrived in 2001. A tense hiatus followed before a very strange three-way split Enochian Crescent and O came at the end of 2005, signaling a shift – or fucking with their audience, or the underground, or whoever – from the filthy & furious Finnish black metal of their preceding work to something almost industrialized and inhuman, wild and boundless and unorthodox no matter how you qualify it. Thus, when Come the Colorless Dawn surprisingly arrived, heralding the band’s official return after a couple teasing festival performances, True Black Dawn had largely drawn those two (challenging) poles together – and started on a new path equally powerful and poignant.
And so it goes with Of Thick-circling Shadows, an extrapolation / intensification of all that came before but with yet another subtle-yet-significant sonic shift: majestic, mesmerizing melody of a most purple-blue hue. It’s not disingenuous to suggest that True Black Dawn here are drawing together that elusive balance (or at least juxtaposition) of the “classic” and the “modern,” given the cold-metal contours they continue to icily erect which particularly imparts the latter. But that balance / juxtaposition isn’t solely relegated to ’90s melodicism / industrialized textures; across a bulk of Of Thick-circling Shadows, the intensity is pushed well into the blastbeaten red – truly, founding vocalist Wrath sounds like he’s being torn apart – while the subtlest dusting of synths tastefully heightens / deranges the vortextural violence circling that spidery, spiraling melodicism. Thus does the title make sense, at least within the album’s sonic aesthetics, while the psychedelically smeared artwork (courtesy of Jukka Siikala and Babalon Graphics) provides ample visual cues for what the listener is getting into when he enters these Thick-circling Shadows.
All this grimy grandeur is given palpitating, Technicolor clarity courtesy of Tore Stjerna’s mastering, making the streamlined orthodoxy of Come the Colorless Dawn both a conclusion to that era of the band and a springboard into a new one. Have True Black Dawn, some 30-plus years after their formation, delivered their masterwork with Of Thick-circling Shadows? Only time will tell…but the present is as dark and daunting as the album’s namesake.
In the meantime, hear the brand-new video “Algol” here:
Aforementioned cover artwork and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for True Black Dawn’s Of Thick-circling Shadows 1. Algol 2. The Depths of the Looking Glass 3. Night and Names 4. The Wind from the Red Cloud 5. Fish, Sin and Soma 6. Body-without-Soul 7. Worlds in the Mirror 8. Palace of Ash 9. Volaverunt 10. The End of Our Age
Darkness Shall Rise Productions is proud to present Aivvass‘ Spiritual Archives (Occult Rites I+II) collection on CD and cassette tape formats. Both EPs, Occult Rites I and Occult Rites II, shall be released separately on 12″ vinyl. The CD and tape versions will be released internationally on July 18th while the two vinyl EPs will be released on August 15th.
Permanently on the lookout for new blood, Darkness Shall Rise are delighted to proffer its latest discovery.
Having concocted their curious amalgam in secrecy for several years, Germany-based Aivvass come out of the shadows to reveal their aptly titled EPs Occult Rites I & II. Named after the non-corporeal being which Aleister Crowley claimed to have dictated his “Liber AL vel Legis,” it takes no wonder that the obscure band’s creations are profoundly steeped in Thelemic magick and occult lore.
Expertly oscillating between bludgeoning heaviness and acoustic serenity, the compositions of Aivvass take the listener on a stunning ride between polarities. Mellow neofolk accompanied by clean singing are effortlessly intertwined with down-tuned doom riffs and evocative growling of a bestial nature. The predominantly mid-paced songs, like the masterfully crafted “Lucifer” or “Witchcraft,” unfold a meditative quality by means of numerous repetitions of each arrangement. Adding to the atmospherically dense recordings are various samples including invocations by The Great Beast himself.
Fiends of the dark arts and aficionados of obscure sonic manifestation alike: COME TO THE SABBATH!
In the meantime, stream Spiritual Archives (Occult Rites I+II) in its entirety here:
Preorder info can be found HERE. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Aivvass’ Spiritual Archives
1. Aivvass 2. Satan 3. Baphomet 4. Lucifer 5. Crucifixion 6. Witchcraft 7. Cremation of Care 8. The Ghoul [Pentagram cover]
Darkness Shall Rise Productions is proud to present Ulvehunger‘s highly anticipated debut album, Retaliation, on CD, vinyl LP, and cassette tape formats. The CD and tape versions will be released on July 18th while the vinyl version will follow on August 15th.
When merited veterans of Norwegian death / black metal conspire to breathe life into a new entity, you know you are in for a real treat.
Ulvehunger‘s Retaliation – the outcome of a joint effort by L.J. Balvaz (Balvaz, Cadaver, Disgusting) and K.B. Fletcher (Disgusting) together with none other than the equally legendary Frost (Satyricon, 1349) and Anders Odden (Cadaver, Order, Satyricon live) – has Norwegian death / black metal written all over it.
Tracks like “Desecrator,” “Consumed by Hate,” or “Rise From the Shadows” convince with memorable riffs that are razor-sharp and remorselessly attacking yet melodious and melancholic at the same time. Pushed ahead by Frost’s unmistakable drumming and L.J. Balvaz’s scornful sermons, Retaliation is a dynamic, ravenous beast of an album.
Retaliaton was recorded in Tomb Studio (Order, Witch Club Satan) and produced by Anders Odden, with mastering by Patrick W. Engel at Temple Of Disharmony.
Ulvehunger, despite being steeped in the tradition of classic outputs by compatriots Carpathian Forest, Darkthrone, or Gorgoroth, deliver without being a carbon-copy of said bands. Ulvehunger have managed to create a worthy addition to the endless list of masterpieces from Norway no adherent of the genre can afford to miss out on.
In the meantime, stream Retaliation in its entirety here:
Preorder info can be found HERE. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Ulvehunger’s Retaliation
1. Desecrator 2. Sacrifice 3. Leave Them In Disgrace 4. Consumed By Hate 5. Castle Of Blood 6. Forces Of Doom 7. Declaration Of War 8. Rise From The Shadows 9. The Mighty Pentagram 10. Covenant Of Pestilence
In a tumultuous sea of static universes, a monumental sonic wave ripples across the cosmos — WORMED releases their latest single, Protogod. A track set to recalibrate the molecular composition of sound waves. Immerse yourself in the chasms of twisted quantum fabric and galactic chaos, as Protogod emerges from the forthcoming album Omegon — a sonic enigma engineered for the seekers of the abstruse and the warriors of the obscure.
This single renders a voyage through time, density, and reality, echoing WORMED’s enduring lineage in liberating mind-bending brutal metal. Protogod reverberates as a cosmic scream, enunciated through Krighsu’s revived quantum syndicate.
Delve into the celestial trenches as Protogod orchestrates the transformation of cosmic paradigms. Every note promises a paroxysm of revelation, with layers of aggressive instrumentation synonymous with the auditory assault only WORMED can engineer. They traverse through the spectral realms of aural brutality while preserving the narrative of Chryms’ divine legacy.
Space – the final frontier. Yet, when WORMED reach out into the void, the results sound far more like a dark space opera inhabited by bizarre aliens, genetically and technically evolved meta-humans struggling for power and survival in galactic empires. Now, the nano-technological war has been unleashed in the void to defeat the last sower of human life, Krighsu!
Odd-time signatures, avalanches of breaks and complex rhythmical as well as melodic patterns will excite every aficionado of extreme technicality, while growls down-tuned strings and double-bass assaults will more than satisfy extreme metal connoisseurs. While being outstandingly skilled musicians WORMED are avoiding any self-indulgent show of prowess for its own sake. Instead, the five-piece from Madrid clearly lays its emphasis on creating atmospheric songs, which develop and grow along the underlying story.
Originating from Spain’s capital Madrid in 1998, WORMED immediately made an impact in the death metal scene with the release of their ‘Floating Cadaver in the Monochrome’ MCD (1999). Following a promo CD under the title ‘Voxel Mitosis’ (2001), the first studio album ‘Planisphaerium’ received high acclaim by critics and fans alike in 2003. In the wake of their debut full-length, the Spanish received invitations to international festival shows and touring around the globe. WORMED performed in Japan alongside GORATORY and VOMIT REMNANTS and afterwards hit Europe with MALIGNANCY and DESPONDENCY.
A creative hiatus, partly due to line-up changes and filled with re-issues of their previous released as well as the single ‘Quasineutrality’ (2010) finally ended, when their sophomore album ‘Exodromos’ came out in 2013. On their third full-length ‘Krighsu’ (2016), the fast-rising Spanish Sci-Fi tech death prodigies are telling a dystopian cosmic story with lyrics and music joined into an overarching concept. Its intense brutality, dissonant dynamic riffing, and tremendous heaviness combined with an amazing futuristic concept, which introduced the character Krighsu – last human in the cosmos, harvested top reviews and saw WORMED headlining in the US and co-headlining in Europe.
In the summer of 2019, WORMED brought their ultra-technical cosmic sonic onslaught to new heights on their 4-track EP ‘Metaportal’, released through Season of Mist. Praised as a monstrously satisfying addition to their catalogue, the EP bridged the gap between their previously released 2016 ‘Krighsu’ and their newest project. Atmospheric yet faithful to the skull-crushing mindboggling textures they’ve given fans over the years, ‘Metaportal’ allowed WORMED to come to terms with the loss of Guillermo Calero in 2018 and move forward.
On ‘Omegon’, WORMED’s upcoming 2024 release, they continue the story of Krigshu, a timeline hacker entangled in manipulation by cosmic forces. As viciously as the aggression they bring on their technically impressive instruments, Krigshu battles his way to unlock the mysteries of Omegon, a mysterious cosmic substance holding ultimate power. With 9 tracks of ultimate interstellar chaos, a story unfolds and WORMED prove yet again that they reign supreme on the technical death metal genre.
Recording Studio BlackStorm Studios (Karrantza, Basque Country)
Production Credits Ekaitz Garmendia – Producer & Sound Engineer Mixed & Mastered by Colin Marston at Menegroth, The Thousand Caves (Queens, NY, USA) Editing by Simon Da Silva at The Empty Hall (Madrid, ES)
Available Formats: Digital Download CD Digipak 12″ Vinyl Gatefold – Black 12″ Coloured Vinyl Gatefold – White 12″ Coloured Vinyl Gatefold – Transparent Blue 12″ Coloured Vinyl Gatefold – Blue, Black & White Marbled
