Swedish death/crust machine Dråp premiere the new video for “Ner på knä”

Swedish death/crust machine Dråp premiere the new video for “Ner på knä”. The track hails from the band’s sophomore album, Roten Till Allt Ont, released last month via Xtreem Music. See and hear Dråp’s “Ner på knä” video in its entirety

After bursting onto the scene in 2014 with their debut album, En Naturlig Död, Dråp has improved leaps and bounds, creating a monster album entitled Roten Till Allt Ont. Roten Till Allt Ont shows a much more mature sound with heavier and faster compositions where crust, death, grind, and even black metal elements blend into a style that’s already a trademark for the band. Combining influences from bands like Rotten Sound, Skitsystem, Entombed, Doom, Portal, Disfear, and even Deathspell Omega, this new Dråp opus is definitely the right step for the band to get the recognition they deserve.

Cover and tracklisting are as follows:

Tracklisting for Dråp’s Roten Till Allt Ont
1. Ner på Knä
2. Ärrvävnad
3. Hat för en Livstid
4. Övervåld
5. Roten Till Allt Ont
6. Yttersta Domen
7. Eremit
8. Nederlag

MORE INFO:
www.facebook.com/drapswe

Speed metal upstarts Bonehunter premiere new track

Today, speed metal upstarts Bonehunter premiere the new track “Digital Evil”. The track hails from the band’s highly anticipated second album, Sexual Panic Human Machine, set for international release on August 4th via Hells Headbangers.

In 2015, this Finnish power-trio unleashed the surprise hit of the summer in their debut album, Evil Triumphs Again. Word of mouth spread like wildfire about the record’s simple-yet-supremely-evil pleasures, and Bonehunter soon became one of the most talked-about performances at Hells Headbangers’ Hells Headbash 2. The album was both a sincere homage to earliest/best Bathory and an extension of it, as if the very soul of a young Quorthon had been reborn in these far-north miscreants. Even today, Evil Triumphs Again is held in high regard by many the world over, but the best is yet to come in Sexual Panic Human Machine.

Right from the start, even with the album title itself, Sexual Panic Human Machine is a different Bonehunter and one not merely replicating past glories. For one, the trio abandon the “tribute” aspect of the debut and drive deeper into what made that ancient metalpunk sound work: hooks, heaviness, and hellish drive. For another, the cauldron-born evil of that debut gives way to a more earthly, seedier-side-of-the-tracks evil where no lust nor perversion is turned away. From there, Bonehunter dive headfirst and headlong into a raucous yet well-oiled attack that, more often than not, lands well within the bounds of shredding speed metal: the chrome chassis gleams, but the engine pumps pure, black disgust. Leaner and most definitely meaner, this Sexual Panic Human Machine nevertheless never loses sight of that devilish FUN which made Evil Triumphs Again such a modern classic. Stocked with brand-new arsenal, awaken the machine with Bonehunter!

A statement from the band reads: “Sexual Panic Human Machine is a nasty, violent slab of cyberdelic metalpunk anthems, and we are proud to be working alongside Hells Headbangers again to get this record in the hands of people who appreciate our noisy devil gospels!”

Tracklisting for Bonehunter’s Sexual Panic Human Machine
1. Intro (Awaken the Machine…)
2. Enter the Satan’s Dimension
3. Digital Evil
4. Electric Nightmare
5. Doom Desire
6. Devil Science
7. Spectre of Sex Vengeance
8. Substance Creator
9. Sexual Panic Human Machine

MORE INFO:
www.facebook.com/bonehuntermetal

Chilean blackthrash magickians Invocation Spells stream new HELLS HEADBANGERS album

Today, Chilean blackthrash magickians Invocation Spells stream the entirety of their highly anticipated third album, The Flame of Hate. Set for international release on July 7th via Hells Headbangers, hear Invocation Spells’ The Flame of Hate in its entirety.

Ever aptly titled, The Flame of Hate bursts into being immediately, igniting a sulfurous conflagration from the first few notes. Indeed, this is very much the Invocation Spells the metal underground quickly came to worship with Hells Headbangers’ international release of the band’s second album, Descendent the Black Throne: harsh, hammering blackthrash imbued with that ancient filth ‘n’ fury that can only come from South America, and specifically the duo’s cult homeland of Chile. But as the album evolves, often at a breakneck pace, it becomes poignantly apparent that Invocation Spells have advanced as songwriters.

Granted, much of Descendent the Black Throne had a special magick that helped it elude easy “blackthrash” categorization – namely, through an acute balance between the bestial and more classically speed metal tropes – but the molten, even martial pulse the band employ here turns these more deliberately hypnotic spells of possession into veritable anthems of minimalism, spilling poison and black blood in equal measure, and giving new rise to the term “headbanging.” And just like its predecessor, the recording across The Flame of Hate locates that elusive middle-ground between fuck-off raw and clear/cutting, with each incensed-yet-impassioned note ringing out through the humid haze before mangling the mind with quintessentially Chilean diabolism. At eight compact songs, The Flame of Hate wastes no time and demands repeat ignition, each glowing/glowering ember lighting the way to absolute possession. The Flame of Hate burns to the touch, and Invocation Spells dare you to take this torch!

Tracklisting for Invocation Spells’ The Flame of Hate
1. Darkness Prevails
2. The Flame of Hate
3. Nocturnal Silence
4. Messiah
5. Ride the Fire
6. Evil Mountains
7. The Invocation
8. Renegade of the Light

MORE INFO:
www.facebook.com/barbarianmetal

Spanish female-fronted death metallers Bloodhunter reveal the cover artwork their second album, The End of Faith

Today, Spanish female-fronted death metallers Bloodhunter reveal the cover artwork their upcoming second album, The End of Faith, whose release date is scheduled for October 16th through Xtreem Music.

Formed back in 2008, Bloodhunter is one of Spain’s leading death metal forces. Led by virtuoso guitarist Fenris and vocalist Diva Satanica, the band released their debut album, Bloodhunter, back in 2014, where they started to create a solid fanbase around the country thanks to their strong live performances and high-quality death metal with a melodic & brutal edge.

Bloodhunter has now finished recording their second album, The End of Faith, whose lineup is completed with bassist Éadrom and magnific session drummer Marcelo Aires. The result is fantastic and will definitely put Bloodhunter on the map as a force to reckon. Just imagine if Arch Enemy would play death metal – yes, death metal, not aggressive modern heavy metal – with a much more brutal approach.

First advance track to be revealed shortly. Cover and tracklisting are as follows

Tracklisting for Bloodhunter’s The End of Faith
1. The Forbidden Zone
2. The End of Faith
3. Eyes Wide Open
4. Still Standing Up
5. Death & Rebirth
6. The Queen Beast
7. All these Souls Shall Serve Forever
8. Spirits of Sin
9. Let the Storm Come
10. Possesed by Myself
11. Crystal Mountain (Death cover)

https://www.facebook.com/BLOODHUNTEROfficial/

Chicago Stoner Doom Act BURY THE MACHINES Release “Beneath My Wrath” Official Video

BURY THE MACHINES has released the official video for “Beneath My Wrath,” a song from the recently released Wicked Covenant EP. In the words of Cvlt Nation: “The driving force behind ‘Beneath My Wrath’ is a soaring amount of heavy melodic sonics that is highly addictive.” Check out the video

BURY THE MACHINES released the Wicked Covenant EP, the follow-up to the 2016 full-length Barbwalker, on June 9. Featuring three new tracks, extreme multi-tasker John E. Bomher, Jr. (I KLATUS, ex-YAKUZA) explores the extent of his mechanical abilities and penchant for creating melodic, hypnotizing songs of depth and character. Seeing release on cassette, compact disc and digital formats, Wicked Covenant will see the dark of night through Long Beach, CA based label Midnite Collective. The EP will be available on CD, Cassette, and digital formats.

In a modern culture of do-it-yourself ethics, viral videos and unfettered access to an endless amount of knowledge, BURY THE MACHINES has sought to define a new niche in a body of people and artists hungry for fresh, unadulterated material. Mapping out the peaks and valleys of sonic waves, BURY THE MACHINES discover a rhythmic groove and unique beauty amidst the uncountable tumultuous echoes of today’s world wide web of noise. Breathing life into his machines, Chicago native John E. Bomher, Jr. (I KLATUS, ex-YAKUZA) masterfully conducts movements of immense weight acting as the heart to his cables, like veins, flowing with signals as blood pumping warmth and being into his body of mechanical, electronic appendages. Ultimately seeking to return the soul to machine-based music, John has created this project as a vessel of travel to take a listener from this world to one beyond, to where his ghosts and spirits rest, Buried with the Machines.

As a one-man solo incarnation, BURY THE MACHINES has performed alongside Helen Money (Thrill Jockey), Glaare (ft. ex-Ancestors and current Buried At Sea, Deth Crux, Black Mare members), Endon and Spell (Canada). Readily available to engulf viewers in its sinister soundscapes, BURY THE MACHINES is prepared for offers including local, touring support and one-off festival appearances

https://burythemachines.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/burythemachines/

Swedish DSBM Legends Shining finish new album in studio

SHINING have finished recording their tenth studio album, ‘X – Varg Utan Flock’ (“Wolf without a Pack”).

Mastermind Niklas Kvarforth comments:” It has been an ordeal of gigantic proportions, but I am pleased to announce that the recording of our tenth album have now come to an end, and I am currently working on the final visual details before this aural nightmare can be sent off to our label and fuck up your lives.

‘X – Varg Utan Flock’ is the direct follow up to our fifth album, but, as usual it does contain a few unexpected twists and turns that will send cold shivers down your spines. It was an honour to serve for two decades as the grand puppet-master and bringer of chaos.

Let there be Blood!”

https://www.facebook.com/shiningofficial

URARV set release date for debut album, reveal first track – features Aldrahn of DHG/Thorns fame

Northern trees sometimes bear strange fruit. Arising from the shadow of mental institutions and personal secret corners comes the Norwegian Urarv (“Ancient Heritage”), the new project spearheaded by avant-metal stalwart Björn Aldrahn Dencker of DHG and The Deathtrip and Thorns fame. “The ideas and visions for Urarv started actually back in 2003 during a stay that I had at the local mental institution where I live,” comments Aldrahn. “It began dawning on me one evening as I was locked out on to the perimeter of the facilities to have a stroll.”

At first, Urarv was going to be a folkish song-oriented solo-project exclusively, but as time went by, those thoughts proved themselves to be much too dysfunctional, and in the end, it would take several years until it all began taking shape properly. It wasn’t until the summer of 2013, however, when enough material for a full-length album was ready. From thereon, Aldrahn sought out for fellow musicians to join his escapade of sonar expedition and relinquishment of artistic restraints. He was lucky enough to find two excellent creatures to do the drums and bass. Patricia and Sturt joined in with great enthusiasm and conviction when rehearsals began taking place later that year.

While Urarv recognizes the ancient heritage of Norwegian black metal, it also tramples across limitations. At the core of the project lies the idea of experimentation with various unorthodox tunings and curious sounds. “We want to tap into uncharted territories to see what lies hidden under the rocks and dead horses and beneath the cold vastness of uncertainty,” says Aldrahn. “We’re traveling to remote regions of metal music and mental space with this music. Although our message is one of emotional putrefaction, we want to help listeners find a way through the black hole.”

Aurum is set for international release on September 22nd via Svart Records on CD, LP, and digital formats.

Tracklisting for Urarv’s Aurum
1. Forvitringstid
2. Ancient DNA
3. The Retortion
4. Broken Wand
5. Guru
6. Valens Tempel
7. Fancy Daggers
8. Red Circle

MORE INFO:
www.facebook.com/urarv

Interview with Dream Troll – Melodic Metal from the UK

Its not often you get younger bands who’s skills are so good they can play like they are geezers from the 80’s glory days of metal (Sumerlands and Eternal Champion are two that spring to mind) I have to admit I first heard about these guys on the news as their good friend who did some backing vocals for them is a politician and his enemies falsely accused him and by default the band of being Nazis (due to runic s’s they had in their logic) but after seeking them out and listening to their tunes I became a fan – today I spoke with their guitarist Matt – read on!

* Congrats on the album its killer – how old are you guys? As you definitely are well versed in classic metal riffs and leads
Cheers! We’re all approaching our mid-30s. So when we were first getting into metal we were listening to 80s and early 90s rock/metal. Even the cartoons, kid’s TV shows and computer games around that time were unintentionally metal! So I think that subconsciously had a big influence on why we were drawn to awesome cheesy metal riffs and harmonised guitar solos.

* Can you give us a brief history of the band? There really isn’t that much online about you guys
We’ve all played together in previous band over the years; I used to play in a tech-metal band called Tangaroa with Si (drummer) between 1998 – 2008. I also played in a band called 222 with Si. There have been smaller, more unknown projects me Si and Paul(guitar) have been involved in.

After years of trying to push myself creatively, trying to push myself to write unusual, unconventional metal with crazy time signatures, discordant bizarre scales, I wanted to write music purely for fun. I wanted to have fun with all the metal clichés that created the foundation of my guitar playing. Pay homage to all the influences that shaped my guitar playing style at an early age.

It was late 2015, Paul and I started to get together every weekend, we’d drink his crazy homebrew and play guitar. We had no goals other than wanting to write music for fun! There were times when we were jamming ideas and we’d both have to stop in hysterics because one of us would throw in a ridiculously cheesy harmony or melody!

I’d take the ideas back home, start creating song structures, write accompanying synth parts and program drum ideas.

We inevitably got Si involved and he started learning the drum parts. Soon after we asked Rob if he wanted to take on vocal duties. We’d worked with Rob in a covers band/party band called Stephen Hawkwind.

* What bands got you into metal growing up?
Originally it was a lot of 80s and early 90s rock metal that you’d typically expect; Especially Iron Maiden and Guns n Roses for me… Metallica, Megadeth, Ozzy, Sabbath, Aerosmith, Whitesnake, Slayer, Queen, AC/DC, Dio, Kiss, Def Leppard, Dream Theater, Queensrÿche, Motorhead, Meatloaf, Pantera.

Then came the mid-90s – most metallers won’t admit their musical guilty pleasures from around that time haha!

In the late 90s and onwards our musical tastes drastically expanded, we started getting into a lot of extreme and experimental styles of metal.

* How many years have you being playing guitar and did you take lessons at all or all self taught?
I started playing guitar when I was about 12 years old, I had guitar lessons for the first year then I was self-taught. So I’ve been playing 22 years!! I think I should be a lot better considering I’ve been playing for 22 years (!!!) but I reached a stage about 10 years ago where I felt comfortable with my technical abilities and have enjoyed focusing on creativity and writing.

We wanted our artwork to tick a lot of the cheesy metal stereotype boxes

* How did you come up with the idea for the album cover art? Who painted it for you? What’s the feedback been like?
He-Man!!! Haha! That’s the majority of the feedback we’ve had!! We wanted our artwork to tick a lot of the cheesy metal stereotype boxes; swords, castles, buff metal warrior, dragons, skulls, lightning…

The He-Man similarities weren’t intentional, but it goes back to what I mentioned earlier how we’re obviously unconsciously influenced by 80s culture!

The artwork was done by a friend of ours, Andy Sykes, AKA Hexjibber. We wanted the artwork to reflect the music; to be on the blurred line of – is this serious or not?! A lot of people seem to ‘get it’ and have said they really like the artwork.

They had an agenda and they weren’t going to let facts get in the way of a good smear story, right?!

* So what was the story with that accusation that you guys were nazis? Storm in a teacup? Political assassination of your mate or what?
Yeah, a blatant smear campaign! The tabloid scum were happy to throw us under a bus to get to Richard Burgon!!

We’ve known Richard Burgon (politician/Shadow Justice Secretary/Labour MP for East Leeds) for a long time. He’s a huge metal fan and genuinely decent, honest guy. He used to put on an all-dayer in Leeds that Tangaroa used to play every year.

A few months back we went to see Gojira in Leeds. Rick was asking about Dream Troll and asked if he could do a guest spoken-word piece on the album. I immediately agreed, not only because I love his political speeches but also because of the absurdity of the Shadow Justice Secretary doing a guest piece on a metal album by a band called Dream Troll!!!

So before I explain the accusation I’ll give you some context.

Last year, we were posting song names on Facebook, replacing the word ‘roll’ with ‘troll’ …Silly wordplay:

God gave rock and troll to you… long live rock n’ troll… you can’t kill rock and troll… We sold our soul for rock and troll… We built this city on rock and troll… For whom the bell trolls… etc…

To continue the joke, I thought about photoshoping a parody album cover of one of the above titles. The simplicity of the Sabbath-We Sold Our Soul, cover made that one an obvious choice. I made the pastiche/parody album cover, uploaded it… That was it…

Fast-forward to April 2017. Rick uploaded a photo of himself announcing his spoken-word collaboration with us. The Tory-backed tabloids saw it and started digging… They found the Sabbath parody cover on our social media pages, from which they were able to fabricate a ludicrous scenario where we ‘delight in Nazi symbols’ and claim that we spell our name in German military font, complete with an umlaut over the letter ‘o’…!!!

Leading up to the release of the tabloid article on the night of the 15th April, we were informed of the accusations and the impending article. Rick and the Labour Party press office had already provided The S*n with an explanation and context of the image including photos of the original Sabbath cover. But they had an agenda and they weren’t going to let facts get in the way of a good smear story, right?!

* How would you compare the metal scene when you guys were growing up to today’s scene?
It would be unfair for me to compare today’s metal scene to the scene when I was growing up as I was way more involved in it back in the day! I’m a retired veteran now haha, soon to make a comeback and probably complaining about how it “wasn’t like this back in my day!!” – “these kids with their beatdowns and 9 string guitars!!”.

A lot of experimental extreme metal on Relapse Records pushing the creative boundaries

* If you had a say in the matter do you think you would rather have been in a teen back when you guys were growing up or a teen today? (me personally I am glad I was a teen back then and not now)
That’s a tricky one! When I was young I would do anything to get my hands on new music. Buying a new album was a real luxury back then! I would try and copy as much music from friends onto tapes or buy cheap records at car boot sales, stay up to watch Headbangers Ball or listen to the Radio One Rock show… I can’t imagine what it would have been like to have YouTube and Spotify back then! It would have been great…… or would it?! When music is so freely available it loses its value; it’s doesn’t feel as special anymore! Music is so disposable now.

Also, during the 90s, rock and metal music was changing A LOT! It was an exciting time for music, even up until the late 90s with a lot of experimental extreme metal on Relapse Records pushing the creative boundaries and some great new melodic metal bands like Children of Bodom.

So I’m glad I experienced evolution of rock and metal throughout the 90s, even if it did include the birth of nu-metal! I wouldn’t change it.

* Yorkshire has always had a great metal scene – how is the metal scene in Leeds these days?
It’s still going strong. We’ve definitely got our fair share of extreme metal bands and metal bands of a heavier nature here in Leeds, so I’m not sure how Dream Troll will fit in when we start gigging …But, I’ve got to confess – I’m almost 35 now! I’m not as involved in the Leeds music scene as I was 10-15 years ago!

A recent highlight in the Leeds metal scene was the return of Canvas after 17 years! Their album ‘Lost in Rock’ has to be one of my favourite albums of all time! A real hidden gem in the rock world. A very weird album – it’s definitely not for everyone! Si, Dream Troll drummer, was asked to join

Canvas and was set to be part of their reunion until he broke his arm in a motorbike accident at the end of last year.

There are still a lot of interesting bands coming out of the Black Metal scene

* What are your thoughts on more modern metal genres like Deathcore and Black Metal?
I’m not a big fan of Deathcore… I love Black Metal though! Emperor are one of my all-time favourite bands. There are still a lot of interesting bands coming out of the Black Metal scene; loads of great experimental Black Metal.

I’m a big fan of many other modern metal genres, bands like Meshuggah, Dillinger Escape Plan, all of Devin Townsend’s work, Ephel Duath, Textures, Car Bomb, Destrage, Soilwork, Behemoth, Mastodon, Bodom, Brutal Truth, Dimmu Borgir, Morbid Angel, Napalm Death, Gojira… I’m very open-minded to new styles of music.

It’s not self-indulgent unnecessary guitar wankery, it’s really well thought out melodies and chords

* Are you guys familiar with the new wave of American bands that love the NWOBHM scene?
Yeah, the NWOTHM bands are great. I’m a huge fan of Eternal Champion and especially Sumerlands!! The Sumerlands album just keeps getting better; really nice natural warm production, fantastic song structures, and the guitar work (!!!!) – it’s not self-indulgent unnecessary guitar wankery, it’s really well thought out melodies and chords all intertwined. Love it!

Other bands that spring to mind… I’m really enjoying Visigoth, it’s so metal!! Lunar Shadow – Far from Light, sounds like a demo, but it has loads of great harmonies and melodies… Witchtower, Striker, Skull Fist are a few others that I’m enjoying at the moment.

Although Dream Troll aren’t trying to replicate the authentic old sound like a lot of the NWOTHM bands, we seem to get associated with the whole niche subgenre because of our obvious appreciation of the old rock and metal clichés and themes.

* What more can we expect from Dream Troll in 2017?
Gigs!!! I can’t wait to play some gigs! After Si’s motorbike accident, a small line-up change and getting a bassist, we’re finally preparing to play some gigs. We’re also in the middle of recording 3 new songs. We’ll be releasing one of the songs on a split 7”.

* Any final words?
We’re really keen to keep things moving – we’ve written loads of new songs, slightly different sound to the songs on The Knight of Rebellion, but they still have the signature Dream Troll catchy melodies, maybe inspired even more by 80s culture! Our new singer is helping us to evolve our sound and bringing a lot more to the band. We’ll be playing gigs soon, so promoters/bands, get in touch…

UK’s Black Metal HORRIFIED reveal cover art and release date for forthcoming SHADOW KINGDOM album

Today, Shadow Kingdom Records announces September 29th as the international release date for the highly anticipated third album of the UK’s Horrified, Allure of the Fallen. A work of towering, melodic death metal majesty, Allure of the Fallen is the record by which Horrified continue their ascent and truly stake their claim as the genre’s elite – and render a new modern classic to the canon.

Hailing from Newcastle upon Tyne, Horrified was born in 2012 with humble beginnings. An acolyte worshiping the altar of old-school death metal, founder and creator Dan Alderson would later transform the project into a full band. Like so many of their predecessors, Horrified took a sidestep and evolved into melodic and grandiose territory, adding twin-guitar harmonies and increasing its scope into epic territory without sacrificing their original vision of savage OSDM. After releasing two full-length albums on various labels, assaulting UK underground audiences with tight, energetic live performances and taking their aural onslaught to European audiences, Horrified took steps up from the underground with wide, positive acclaim for the second full-length album Of Despair.

But now, with the impending release of third album Allure of the Fallen, Horrified has been reborn into something far more vast than ever originally imagined. Comprising six expansive tracks in an epic 46 minutes, Allure of the Fallen finds the band in an enviable state of maturity, exuding class and power in equal measure, their ever-winding but never-extraneous compositions truly taking the listener on a journey into what real – and really melodic – death metal can encompass. Thus, Horrified’s signing to Shadow Kingdom for the album’s release is a logical alliance to bolster the band’s ever-growing evolution and constant broadening of vision, scope, and horizons.

Patient but never slumbering, Horrified arises from the ashes of a barren landscape, shrouded in majesty, resurrected in ancient art. This is the Allure of the Fallen: pay witness to the dawn of majesty.

“This band just keeps getting better with each album. On Allure of the Fallen, they shed much of their ‘Sunlight’ influences sound- and music-wise, and incorporate a lot more black metal and doom. It’s melodic, heavy, and catchy as hell. It brings to mind fond memories when I first discovered bands like Unanimated, Sacramentum, etc, and that’s an awesome thing. This will definitely be a highlight for a lot of folks in 2017!” – Damain Herring (Horrendous)

First track and preorder info to be announced shortly. Cover art, by Adam Burke, and tracklisting are as follows:

Tracklisting for Horrified (UK)’s Allure of the Fallen
1. Allure of the Fallen
2. Light’s Dissolution
3. The Perceiver
4. Unanswered
5. Shorn
6. The Promise of Solace

MORE INFO:
www.facebook.com/horrifiedUK

Black Metal Duo ASAGRAUM set release date for debut album, reveal first track

Today, KVLT sets September 29th as the international release date for Asagraum’s highly anticipated debut album, Potestas Magicum Diaboli. A magickal work of nighsky majesty, simmering celestial aggression, and the most potent tenets of ’90s Scandinavian black metal, Potestas Magicum Diaboli breathes and billows a blast-from-the-past classicism that nevertheless manages to sound fresh among the modern BM landscape, outstripping the prevailing trends and the pretenders who enable them. Perhaps more importantly, it is the work of two women – a rarity in black metal, both past and especially present – who hereby render gender an irrelevant argument. Simply, Potestas Magicum Diaboli stands on its own, towering and terrifying.

A cross-continental entity, Asagraum was founded in the autumn of 2015 by vocalist/guitarist Obscura and drummer T. Kolsvart. The original intent was to play pure, Satanic black metal, in all its aspects, with the old-school feeling of the eternal ’90s greats but also with dark psychedelic influences. A three-track promo recording was released earlier this year, laying bare Asagraum’s aims and accordingly special sound. Wasting no time, Potestas Magicum Diaboli was then recorded, fleshing out further those aims into an eight-song, 44-minute work which maintains a fuller, more windswept totality. It heaves and weaves to both aggression and atmosphere, walking a delicate balance but always boldly. It is both unapologetically modern and authentically ’90s.

With anticipation high for the release of Potestas Magicum Diaboli, Asagraum will be touring Europe later this year, utilizing a bass-player – either Mortifero or Makashanah – for live performances. Onstage, the band is equally deadly, proving their left-hand-path black art knows no boundaries. Until then, let Potestas Magicum Diaboli revive the old cult of the witches, radiating forever the black flame of Lilith. “Black Sun Prayer,” the first track to be revealed from the album.

Cover and tracklisting are as follows:

Tracklisting for Asagraum’s Potestas Magicum Diaboli
1. Transformation
2. Black Triangle Temple
3. Leviathan
4. Gospel of Ignition
5. Daar Waar Ik Sterf
6. Black Sun Prayer
7. Carried by Lucifer’s Wings
8. I Burn within the Devil

MORE INFO:
www.facebook.com/asagraum