On September 13th internationally, the alliance of NoEvDia and Oration Records is proud to present Vafurlogi‘s striking debut album, Í vökulli áþján.
Vafurlogi is rooted both spiritually and literally in the early 2000s black metal movement, as the earliest songs were written nearly 20 years ago. Like the stalwarts of that era, Vafurlogi draws inspiration not only from the staunch traditionalism of the ’90s but also from its rebellious spirit of discovery and creation.
Fronted by guitarist Þórir Garðarsson of Sinmara and Svartidauði, who now also takes on vocal and bass duties, Vafurlogi presents a new chapter for him as a songwriter. Throughout years of activity with his other bands, the essence of Vafurlogi slowly cultivated in parallel below the surface. Initially a vessel for accumulated works not suitable for Svartidauði or Sinmara, Vafurlogi developed into an avenue for him to freely explore different creative ideas and moods. While touching on the apocalyptic, nightmarish realms of Svartidauði and the haunting atmospherics of Sinmara, Vafurlogi places greater emphasis on triumphant and unabashedly melodic flourishes through a comparatively stripped-down compositional approach.
Full stream to be revealed on the day of release. Cover artwork, courtesy of View From The Coffin, and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Vafurlogi’s Í vökulli áþján 1. Reikul Vofa 2. Viðjar Holdsins 3. Helgrindur 4. Dreyrrauði 5. Hvíldarsálmur 6. Iðrun Og Ótti 7. Úr Iðramyrkri 8. Duftið Eitt
On September 13th, W.T.C.Productions is proud to present Horna‘s highly anticipated 11th album, Nyx – Hymnejä Yölle, on CD, vinyl LP, and cassette tape formats.
Horna need no introduction. Formed in 1994 when they were but teenagers, the band soon began creating a vast, prolific catalog – and, since the early 2000s, began asserting considerable influence over the black metal underground both in their native Finland and abroad. And while there are three distinct eras of Horna – the Nazgul-fronted version during the late ’90s to early 2000s, then the feverish Corvus-fronted years from 2003 to 2009, and finally, the Spellgoth-fronted lineup that began the 2010s and which has seen a few lineup shifts but has patiently parceled out recordings ever since – stellar songwriting and impassioned playing have always been their hallmarks. Their sound may’ve undergone subtle shifts of texture throughout those many years, but Horna‘s vision of unapologetic BLACK METAL has never faltered: proud and pure, familiar yet unique, and undeniably eerie and emotive.
Fitting for their 30th anniversary, Horna now unveil a new full-length that bridges past, present, and future: Nyx – Hymnejä Yölle. While the preceding Kuoleman Kirjo challenged with its sheer length – then again, so did 1999’s classic Haudankylmyyden Mailla, which retroactively wielded influence on that album and this next one – it nevertheless comprised 13 mostly-compact rippers emblematic of the Spellgoth era: nightsky melodicism conjured forth by founding guitarist Shatraug and longstanding six-string foil Infection, with the new rhythm section of drummer LRH and bassist VnoM creating blistering speed that was somehow swinging. That lineup carries forward to Nyx, and largely does that songwriting schematic. But whereas its predecessor touched upon a moodier aspect, on Nyx do Horna expand upon that in conjunction with longer tracks; six songs in 44 minutes should be easy math for most people. However, the album’s structure is unique in that the first five tracks are Roman numeral variations of “Hymni,” and thus fit a framework of crisp, mystical black metal both nostalgically ancient yet somehow surprisingly “modern.” Then comes “Kuoleva Lupaus,” which features former bassist (and currently Kryptamok mainman) Hex Inferi. Solemn and stripped back unlike anything else in their extremely deep discography, this nine-minute closer is essentially neofolk, but unmistakably done the Horna way. A haunting end to a majestic catharsis…
Of especial note is the production across Nyx: arguably the “cleanest” production Horna have yet had, it only heightens said mysticism and adds a palatable sheen to these raging wraiths of song – the latent emotion brought to a boil, the hypnotism pulling heartstrings in magickal collusion. It speaks to the strength of their songwriting, once again, which somehow manages to become ever more focused yet varied as time marches on. And although nods to the Nazgul era are noticeable – the Corvus era stands cold ‘n’ alone in its righteous, ragged filth – this synthesis of peak performance and professionalism with spectral songwriting becomes its own new “era,” in effect. Or, simply, it’s Horna. Their legendry continues to be written…
In the meantime, see & hear the brand-new video “Hymni I” here:
Cover artwork, courtesy of Dhomth, and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Horna’s Nyx – Hymnejä Yölle 1. Hymni I [8:46] 2. Hymni II [7:46] 3. Hymni III [6:08] 4. Hymni IV [7:32] 5. Hymni V [5:00] 6. Kuovela Lupaus [8:46]
Today, Amor Fati Productions announces October 4th as the international release date for Nubivagant‘s highly anticipated third album, The Blame Dagger, on CD and vinyl LP formats.
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).
In the meantime, hear the brand-new track “Darkness Upon the Face of the Deep” here:
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, French black metallers Hyver reveal the new track “Terroir Terreur.” The track is the first to be revealed from the band’s highly anticipated new EP, Fonds de Terroir, set for international release on September 17th via Antiq. Hear Hyver‘s “Terroir Terreur” in its entirety here:
Hyver comes back this autumn with a new EP called Fonds de Terroir. After Sorcier Hibou (dungeon synth – 2023) and Noirceur Mystique d’Autrefois (sympho / dungeoned black metal – early 2024), Fonds de Terroir brings us to the deep countryside of France. Melodious synth meets energic riffs, heavily supported by a creative bass-guitar played by KK (Passéisme) and groovy drums by Summun Algor (Agnus Dei). Hyver‘s rough voice is joined by strong choirs and two guests: Sans Visage (Prieuré) and M (Krasseville). With cover artwork by Joanna Maeyens (Paysage d’Hiver, Ruynn), Fond de Terroir tells us about journeys through France between muddy fields, old stone villages, ancient abbeys, and haunted swamps, in a musical spirit close to Horn, Satanic Warmaster, early Finntroll, and Hanternoz. The focus here is the link between black metal spirit and road-trip adventures – being “en route” to the unknown.
Antiq is a label dedicated to the fully coherent concept of making music through sound, image, video, and attitude. They have been putting their entire existence into it since 2009. Over the years, Antiq have been identified as producers of not only perfectly coherent lyrics and themes through music, but also conceptual art and, of course, the manufacturing of beautiful objects. The label tries as much as it can to work with French creators, and if possible, with the smallest and most serious structures.
Aforementioned cover artwork and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Hyver’s Fonds de Terroir 1. Lanterne des Morts [4:11] 2. La Vieille près du Lavoir [6:39] 3. Frère Jean-Théophane [4:18] 4. Terroir Terreur [4:47]
Today, Hammer of Hate announces October 11th as the international release date for Barathrum‘s highly anticipated tenth album, Überkill, on CD and vinyl LP formats.
Barathrum should need no introduction. Formed in 1991, the band remain one of Finland’s very first black metal bands – and, more importantly, one of the longest-running. While Finland’s history of black metal often revolves around Beherit, Impaled Nazarene, and Archgoat during the ’90s and then Horna, Satanic Warmaster, and Behexen at the dawn of the millennium, during all this have Barathrum remained steadfast in their vision of bulldozing, bass-heavy black metal that indeed features TWO bass guitars. The band’s first two albums – Hailstorm and Eerie, both released in 1995 – remain absolute classics of dark & unsettling art, but thereafter did the band take on a rowdier, more concertedly METAL aspect that’s made that vision all the more unique and their legacy all the more enduring. And while they more or less went on hiatus following 2005’s Anno Aspera, Barathrum returned rougher and rowdier than ever with 2017’s gutted ‘n’ glorious Fanatiko.
Alas, seven years pass, but the Barathrum sound & vision are eternal, and they return to prove it once again with Überkill. Here, previous-bassist / now-guitarist Ruttokieli (also mainman of Sielunvihollinen and White Rune) composed all but one of the songs on this, amazingly the band’s tenth album; drummer Vendetta makes his composition debut with the telltale, scene-setting opener “Death by Steel.” As always, founding frontman Demonos Sova wrote all the lyrics, and his signature full-throated rasp leads with devilish glee these alternately stomping / surging anthems, all with equally telltale titles like “Mountain of Bones,” “Dark Sorceress,” “Black Magick Rites,” and perhaps best of all, “Spark Plugs of Purgatory.” And yet, for as much as Barathrum are very much (still) a pure & proud black metal band, Überkill proves that the Finns are, above all, a very great heavy metal band – just one that’s jet-black, asskicking, and bass-driven as fuck. Simple-yet-sublime pleasures, now and forever: again, Barathrum are eternal!
In the meantime, hear the brand-new track title track “Überkill” here:
Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Barathrum’s Überkill 1. Death by Steel 2. Mountain of Bones 3. Spark Plugs of Purgatory 4. Black Magick Rites 5. Ritual Murder 6. White Red Black and Pale 7. Denial of God 8. Dark Sorceress 9. Überkill
Today, Primitive Reaction announces October 11th as the international release date for The Mist From the Mountains‘ highly anticipated second album, Portal – The Gathering of Storms, on CD, vinyl LP, and cassette tape formats.
It was but the very beginning of 2022 when The Mist From the Mountains released their momentous debut album, Monumental – The Temple of Twilight, through Primitive Reaction. The record was presciently titled, too: hailing from the ever-fertile Finnish scene, The Mist From the Mountains were a brand-new formation with a very old heart, with their chilling-yet-breathtaking ruminations harkening to the golden days of melodic, nature-inspired black metal back during the mid ’90s. Names invoked included old Borknagar, Kvist, Old Man’s Child, Norway’s Gehenna, and even earliest Dimmu Borgir, but on the songwriting strength across Monumental, these still-young Finns were well on their way to forging an odyssey all their own.
Two years later, The Mist From the Mountains return to deliver the next awe-inspiring chapter of that saga. Titled Portal – The Gathering of Storms, the band’s second album is indeed the next part of a trilogy, but whereas the not-inconsiderable debut was but a mere 38 minutes, this second full-length is an epic near-hour of mesmerizing majesty, its golden rays stretching infinitely beyond the horizon – laced with black, of course. Truly, Portal‘s textures are equally summer and autumnal: the warm embrace of the sun, with the stern suggestion (or at least austere awareness of) the eventual cold, and of course those mossy, turn-to-brown sensations of fall’s inexorable transitions to darker, colder days.
But, that’s simply a surface sweep of The Mist From the Mountains‘ ever-growing sonic palette, for thematically, Portal is quite a different beast. A sea-themed album, the band explore its standing as untamed, dynamic force of nature that cannot be negotiated with: equally fierce, calm, and beautiful in all its inconsolability. As such, the Finns stretch their songwriting to more varied lengths; the melancholy and longing typical of Finnish music is fully accounted for, but there’s a pronounced emphasis on immediate(ly hummable) melodies, cleaner vocals, and more engaging downtempos. One could call it more accessible, and that one would not be totally wrong, but more so does Portal reveal The Mist From the Mountains as weavers of utterly cinematic soundscapes, of magick and wonder taking fuller flight (and hitting waterier depths) that put the band in league with the likes of Moonsorrow, and Borknagar. But, lest one think that this is a more “mainstream” move, the album is not without its share of blasting battle-rage, betraying a truly vast canvas that can now only be distinctly The Mist From the Mountains.
The sea is a portal to new worlds – and, in mythology, also to the afterlife. The Mist From the Mountains once again paint an absolutely poignant picture with Portal – The Gathering of Storms, and hereby cement their status as Finnish folkloric masters.
Hear for yourself with the brand-new track “The Seer of Ages” here:
Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for The Mist From the Mountains’ Portal – The Gathering of Storms 1. And So Flew the Death Crow [10:11] 2. The Seer of Ages [7:59] 3. At the Roots of the Vile [8:38] 4. Among the Black Waves [10:43] 5. In Longing Times [8:19] 6. Saiva [10:28]
Today, death metal cavemen Vomitrot premiere the new video “Envomitted”. The track is the first to be revealed from the band’s highly anticipated new mini-album, Emetic Imprecations, set for international release on August 24th via Personal Records on digipack CD format. See & hear Vomitrot‘s “Envomitted” video in its entirety here:
Vomitrot are a new one for Personal Records: extremely filthy, disgusting, and in-your-face CAVEMAN death metal, which only proves what the labels name means – a name that releases what it likes and does not pigeonhole to any genre or belief as long as the music is good and personal.
Forming in 2019, Vomitrot released their Rehearsal Demo MMXX in 2020 and, two years later, the debut album Rotten Vomit. Emerging from the primordial soup of boiling body fluids, the Swedish power-trio return nastier than ever with the release of Emetic Imprecations.
A stout recording at six songs in 26 minutes, Emetic Imprecations is almost so overwhelming that any second after that length would simply be too much to bear. Here, Vomitrot deliver a bizarre breed of vicious death metal, originating from an unholy mix of old-school death metal, war metal, and grindcore. The feverish riffs, the guitar tone that with cuts through your bones with the finesse of a rusty saw, the gut-wrenching vocals, the subsonic bass frequencies that stimulate the primal urge to dominate your enemies by making them gargle on their innards, and the schizophrenia-inducing hammering on the drums, purely driven by instinct and insanity – all components blend together disharmoniously into an explosive diarrhea of emetic madness and primal entropy.
Other bands may pose as “caveman,” but Vomitrot truly live it, and prove it with pustulent punctuation on Emetic Imprecations! Recommended for maniacs of early Incantation and Kataklysm, as well as Canada’s Cremation, Finland’s Abhorrence, and America’s Infester: YOU’VE BEEN WARNED!
Preorder info can be found HERE. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
HEILUNG, renowned for transcending the mere boundaries of music to summon the primordial spirits, now gift the world their most sacred ritual yet: Lifa | Iotungard – their 2021 Red Rock ritual, capture in its full glory. Witness the fusion of earth, fire, voice, and bone as it was meant to be experienced – imperishable, visceral, and hauntingly real.
Gaze upon the enchanted footage today on the HEILUNG below. Let your senses be enveloped by the raw, unadulterated power of their live performance. These spells carry the essence of Traust and Svanrand, immortalized in moving images:
ᛁ – LIFA Iotungard is out today on Season of Mist.
HEILUNG don’t play shows. They perform a ritual. Every performance begins with Kai Uwe Faust leading Christopher Juul, Maria Franz and the rest of the Nordic collective in an ancient prayer. Soon after, the audience is swept into rapture, swayed by incense and throat singing, primordial rhythms, subtle electronic textures, a mesmerizing light show, an army of warriors and bursts of fire.
Since they began in 2015, Heilung have been paving melodic paths to the past with their unique and mystifying sound. Evading all conventional genre tags and the confines of any specific labels, the group aptly self-describes their sound as “amplified history,” emphasizing their ability to connect modern society with the rudiments of humanity’s beginnings through music.
“Our ancestral Nordic civilizations did not just pop up, exist and disappear in isolation”, says Faust, a throat singer and one of Heilung’s three composers. “With singing these primordial songs we want to give tribute to these cultures, reconnect to the beginnings and remember that we all, from East to West, from past to present, are connected through the exchange of ideas and inspiring each other”.
While Heilung features authentic and archaic instrumentation that ranges from rattles and ritual bells to human bones and throat singing, their captivating brand of music is far from primitive. Producer and founding member Christopher Juul implements subtle electronic elements that elevates the musical atmosphere and provides a more in-depth and layered soundscape.
Indeed, Heilung’s success has been unprecedented, achieving milestones in its few short years of existence that many do not see in a lifetime. The collective already had rapidly been growing a buzz upon the self-release of their first full-length Ofnir in 2015, but their dizzying upward trajectory really took off from the moment they set foot on the stage at Castlefest in 2017 for the now-legendary debut of their live ritual. Luckily for those who were not fortunate enough to bare witness to this magical event, the full ceremony was captured on film, having since been viewed by tens of millions of fans across the globe.
As Heilung trekked across Europe and brought their mystifying experience to new audiences, talk of this new band and their stunning ceremony made way to Season of Mist label owner Michael Berberian, who quickly offered the band a record contract after seeing their undeniable musical impact for himself.
By 2019, Heilung launched their second full-length record, Futha, which contrasted the masculine and battle-heavy themes of their debut with a feminine counterpart that celebrated fertility and female energy. Upon the first week of the record’s release, it graced the Billboard charts with coveted numbers, debuting at #3 on the Heatseekers Charts and #4 on the Billboard World Music Chart, placing on a total of seven Billboard charts while meeting critical-acclaim from the press on a global scale.
Their music has even appeared in places that extend far beyond typical concert venues. From hit television series like Game of Thrones and Vikings to video game giants like Conqueror’s Blade VII: “Wolves of Ragnarök and Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II to the blockbuster Robert Eggers film The Northman, Heilung’s music has risen far above the underground and has transcended into a greater world. Even a global pandemic couldn’t slow down Heilung’s success; it only strengthened them and gave them the gift of time to complete work on their third album. In English, Drif translates as “Gathering”. The music embodies this philosophy by tying together the beginning of civilization with today’s modern society.
Heilung now perform their rituals all over the world. They sold out their first North American tour in 72 hours. Upon returning to the United States in 2021, they were greeted by another sold-out crowd, this time at the historic Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado. This performance will be released on vinyl, CD and Blu-Ray in 2024, along with another performance at the Apollo Theatre in Hammersmith, London.
During the lead-up to the new LIFAs, Heilung will embark on headlining tours of Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Along the way, they will cast their spell over more of the world’s biggest stages, including Roskilde Festival, Download Festival and Glastonbury. But no matter where they are, Heilung always begin their performance with a humbling reminder of where we all come from.
“Remember, we are all brothers. All people, beasts, tree and stone and wind, we all descend from the one great being that was always there, before people lived and named it, before the first seed sprouted.”Line-up: Kai Uwe Faust Christopher Juul Maria Franz
WEREWOLF RECORDS is proud to present the debut demo of Japan’s IMMORTAL DEATH, self-titled Immortal Death, on CD and cassette tape formats.
Emitting the sick stench of the ancients, IMMORTAL DEATH play savage, Satanic DEATH METAL as if the last couple decades of “death metal” didn’t exist. A mysterious entity, it is known that at least one member hails from the esteemed Sex Messiah, but that is where the parallels end: one listen to IMMORTAL DEATH’s eponymous debut demo is enough to convince the diehard – or offend those of delicate sensibilities. Howling and harrowing and hulking in its ragged, rabid physicality, Immortal Death mangles both mind and body with its sulfurous rehearsal-room intensity, skillfully moving between primitive blasting and ominous trudge, with UNGODLY riffs being bullet-belted out right and left. And after a mere 14 minutes, you’re left with absolute devastation.
So impressed by its sheer audacity and merciless battery, WEREWOLF steps forward to release Immortal Death on a worldwide scale, on all formats. Maniacs of Necrovore, the pre-Deicide Amon, America’s Infester, Pissgrave, or the late / great Deathchurch, prepare for reckoning with IMMORTAL DEATH.
Today, German black metal traditionalists Servant reveal the new video “Temple.” The track is the second to be revealed from the band’s highly anticipated third album, Death Devil Magick, set for international release on September 20th via AOP Records. See & hear Servant‘s “Temple” video in its entirety here:
German black metal band Servant have been celebrating their melodic-yet-furious black metal across the underground and beyond since 2021. Their two well-received full-lengths, 2021’s Blessed by The Light of a Thousand Stars and last year’s Aetas Ascensus, shook ground within the metal scene. Now, Servant are set to release their third full-length, Death Devil Magick, via new label home AOP Records.
Death Devil Magick was written, recorded, mixed, and mastered between October 2024 and May 2024. Without lacking in their musical trademarks, Servant continue to evolve on their new record. Melodic guitars combine with furious drums, and powerful basslines go with keys and mighty grooves. On Death Devil Magick, the vocals are clearer than on the previous two albums, giving the words the required power in meaning. All this is put in a powerful soundscape which is aggressive yet very dynamic and tidied up.
The lyrical topics are inspired by poets and philosophers like Charles Baudelaire and Friedrich Nietzsche, but also paintings by Franz von Stuck from the era of symbolism, for example, can be mentioned here. The lyrics discuss conflicts of emotions, beliefs, addiction, and depths of human nature. Death Devil Magick invites the listener to step into the gallery of nine microcosms and witness lust, despair, magick, and ecstasy.
Moreover, Servant are going to tour Europe as part of the Scherbentour 2024 together with labelmates Ellende and GROZA to spread magick, lust, and ecstasy. Dates follow further below.
Also hear the previously revealed “Litany” HERE, also at AOP Records‘ official YouTube channel. Cover artwork, courtesy of Misanthropic Art Illustrations, and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Servant (Germany)’s Death Devil Magick 1. Void 2. Temple 3. Sin 4. Devil 5. Hope 6. Fury 7. Death 8. Litany 9. Magick
