Today, Dutch black metallers Duindwaler premiere the new track “Vaderlands vuur”. The track is the second to be revealed from the band’s highly anticipated debut album, In het Heemskerks duin, set for international release on March 21st: Void Wanderer Productions and War Productions will handle the digipack CD and digital versions while Zwaertgevegt will handle the cassette tape version. Hear Duindwaler‘s “Vaderlands vuur” in its entirety here:
Embark on a harrowing journey into the abyss with In het Heemskerks duin, the full-length debut offering from Dutch black metal entity Duindwaler. An enigmatic force in the realm of black metal, this album transcends the boundaries of sonic extremity, casting a shroud of darkness that engulfs the listener in an otherworldly experience. Draped in the haunting atmosphere characteristic of black metal, In het Heemskerks duin is a sonic tapestry that weaves together blistering tremolo-picked guitars, playful basslines, thunderous blastbeats, and anguished vocals. The relentless assault of sound is punctuated by its overall harshness and the lack of intros.
The album’s production is a sonic descent into the abyss, with a raw and unpolished sound that captures the primal energy of the music. The guitar tones cut through the mix like icy winds, while the drums reverberate like thunder, creating an immersive auditory experience that transports the listener to desolate, otherworldly landscapes.
In het Heemskerks duin stands as a testament to Duindwaler‘s unwavering commitment to the black metal aesthetic, pushing the boundaries of the genre while remaining true to its roots. With each track, the wanderer invites the audience to confront the shadows within and embrace the cathartic release that can only be found within the dark, tumultuous realms of black metal. Brace yourself for a journey into the heart of obscurity, where the dunes of Heemskerk awaits to envelop you in its chilling embrace.
Hear the previously revealed title track “In het Heemskerks duin” exclusively HERE, courtesy of ZwareMetalen.com. Preorder info can be found HERE. Cover artwork, courtesy of A.A.W.R., and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Duindwaler’s In het Heemskerks duin 1. Vaderlands vuur [7:52] 2. Razende wind [4:37] 3. In het Heemskerks duin [6:45] 4. Het duister bestormd [5:18] 5. Alle rust verdwenen [5:31] 6. Schim in de duinen [6:06]
Italian doom metal & dark wave maestros PONTE DEL DIAVOLO are set to embark on a captivating journey across Italy with the announcement of their Fire Blades From the Tomb release tour. The band is poised to bridge the gap between worlds, taking their unique blend of classic cultish doom metal infused with post-punk and dark wave to audiences across 11 unique dates in Italy, and one in Switzerland.
PONTE DEL DIAVOLO has already left a trail of anticipation for their upcoming album Fire Blades From the Tomb with the release of three singles so far. Demonewove a dark narrative inspired by esoteric themes and mysticism. They followed up with their second single Covenantwith dark and doomy bass lines that swarm like a sky full of thunderclouds. With Nocturnal Veil, the band casts a deadly spell with gloomy clarinets, clanking cymbals and whip-cracking riffs.
Fire Blades From The Tomb is out February 16, 2024 on Season of Mist.
“So proud to announce the first part of our Italian tour 🔥. It’s an honor to share the stage with so many great bands from the national and international scene (see details). We are looking forward to play in some of the most important music festivals in Italy as well, such as Frantic Fest, Molto Male Fest and Church of Crow Fest. See you out there!“
Fire Blades From the Tomb Tour 2024 – Part I: February 24 – Genoa, IT @ La Claque w/ Malombra March 1 – Turin, IT @ Ziggy Club w/ Shores of Null March 2 – Mantua, IT @ The Academy w/ Shores of Null, Die Sünde April 12 – Milan, IT @ Circolo Bellezza w/ Sacri Suoni April 13 – Liestal, CH @ A-Way w/ Black Oath April 26 – Rome, IT @ Traffic w/ Otus April 27 – Modena, IT @ NotteTempio May 5 – Pinerolo, IT @ Church of Crow Fest w/ Shape of despair, Dawn of winter May 17 – Vicenza, IT @ CSA Arcadia w/ October Tide May 18 – Bergamo, IT @ Molto Male Fest w/ Bongzilla, Raw Power, Hate e Merda June 1 – Erba, IT @ Centrale Rock Pub w/ Voland August 16 – Francavilla al Mare, IT @ Frantic Fest w/ Marduk, Darvaza, Undertakers
Track-list 1. Demone (5:00) [WATCH] 2. Covenant (6:56) [WATCH] 3. Red As The Sex Of She Who Lives In Death (6:20) 4. La Razza (8:03) 5. Nocturnal Veil (5:17) [LISTEN] 6. Zero (5:26) 7. The Weeping Song (5:33) Total: 42:35
PONTE DEL DIAVOLO bridges the gap between two separate worlds.
The Italian band proposes a Doom / Black metal sound with old-school roots, adding a modern and outside the box background. The female voice – with strong dark wave influences – is the lyric corpus of this strongly esoteric project. The solid presence of two bassists creates the massive foundation for the rhythmic guitar, everything marked by a raw and dynamic drumming.
Mystery of Mystery / Secret Live Session marked the quintet’s debut EP. It was recorded live and without editing at Dracma Studio with the producer L’Ossario in their home base of Turin in March 2020.“I” was released on the web by Iopan Records. It was soon followed by their second single, “The Wickedest Woman In the World”.
At the end of 2021, Ponte Del Diavolo recorded their second EP, Sancta Menstruis at Deepest Sea Studio in Turin with Danilo Battocchio. The first single, “The Unborn”, arrived in February 2022.
The band’s third EP, Ave Scintilla!, was also recorded in Turin. This time around, they reconvened at Dracma Studio with L’Ossario.
Now that they’ve signed with Season of Mist, Ponte Del Diavolo are ready to release their debut album. Fire Blades From the Tomb forges classic, cultish doom metal with modern bents of post-punk. Lead single and opening track “Demone” is whipped along by a boiled black bass line and dark-wave induced vocals.
Guest Musicians Andrea l’Abbate – Synth on ‘Covenant’. Lucynine – Theremin on ‘Covenant’. Vittorio Sabelli – Clarinet on ‘Covenant’, ‘Red as the sex of She who lives in death’ & ‘Nocturnal veil’. Davide Straccione – Vocals on ‘The weeping song’.
Today, Finnish black metallers Hollow Woods stream the entirety of their highly anticipated second album, Like Twisted Bones of Fallen Giants. Set for international release on February 2nd via Signal Rex, hear Hollow Woods‘ Like Twisted Bones of Fallen Giants in its entirety here:
In many ways, Like Twisted Bones of Fallen Giants is a natural continuation of Hollow Woods‘ debut album, Cold Winds Cleave the Earth, from 2021. Familiar elements – pure & proud BLACK METAL, done with personality and charisma – are recast in more varied ways. The production across the album is a bit more airy compared to that debut, but still far from overly polished. Likewise, overt aggression is dialed down a bit to make room for more epic passages, where acoustic guitar gives support to powerful clean vocals. As no doubt presaged by the album’s title, lyrical themes here deal with nature mysticism, atavism, and specifically slash-and-burn as a metaphor of personal growth unburdened by the past. For the first time, select passages of lyrics are published as ciphers for the song’s themes. To usher in Like Twisted Bones of Fallen Giants, Hollow Woods will be performing at the Howls of Winter fest in Estonia during February 2024.
Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Hollow Woods’ Like Twisted Bones of Fallen Giants 1. Ancient Graves 2. Beneath the Dying Tower 3. Night Burns Through 4. Halls of Idle Breath 5. Interlude / Among Ruins 6. Burial Fires 7. Like Twisted Bones of Fallen Giants
Today, hiking metalpunk horde Dödsrit premiere the new track “Celestial Will”. The track is the second to be revealed from the band’s highly anticipated fourth album, Nocturnal Will, set for international release on March 22nd via Wolves of Hades. Hear Dödsrit‘s “Celestial Will” in its entirety here:
Shrouded in Gyllbergen’s mist, and the sentient essence of the nocturnal fire burning within, Dödsrit hereby unveils its fourth beckoning, entitled Nocturnal Will.
With six hymns, Dödsrit purvey triumphant atmosphere, archaic strength, and mournful rejoice where every note reverberates with the weight of devotion and suffering.
Restless and visceral, these unhallowed tomes beckon the mournful chants from its resonant harmonious introduction to the victorious dagger in the very core of the cosmos under the celestial will of heroic bloodshed.
Utterly dynamic and organic, Nocturnal Will carries the elements of a record to be beheld through the ages. From feral wailing vocals, coupled with intricate guitar work – blazing with catchy-yet-somber melodic leads and acoustic lines – to the unrelenting rhythmic, percussive assault, a symbiotic maelstrom of sound is created with captivating and harrowing virtues.
Written in blood and fire, Nocturnal Will carries the nostalgia and grief of olden days into a new Aeon, with a will and command, a genuine fervor that shines beyond the burning ember and the smothering ash.
Also hear the previously revealed “Nocturnal Fire” HERE at Wolves of Hades‘ Bandcamp. Preorder info can be found HERE. Cover artwork, courtesy of Burney, and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Dödsrit’s Nocturnal Will
1. Irjala [10:37] 2. Nocturnal Fire [8:03] 3. Ember and Ash [0:45] 4. Utmed Gyllbergens Stig [4:33] 5. As Death Comes Reaping [10:45] 6. Celestial Will [8:29]
Today, Brazilian dark metallers Litosth stream the entirety of their highly anticipated third album, Cesariana. Set for international release on February 2nd via Personal Records, hear Litosth‘s Cesariana in its entirety here:
Litosth is the physical manifestation of the visions of Brazilian multi-instrumentalist Maicon Ristow and bassist Wendel Siota. Founded in 2016, Litosth channel a torrent of feelings and life principles in the form of music, which definitely does not respect any type of barrier or limitation.
Formed by members of the most prominent black metal bands in Latin America (Patria, Mysteriis, Swords at Hymns, Dark Celebration, I Gather your Grief), Litosth bring a new approach and a breath of fresh air with their unique way of creating music. Following two albums – 2019’s Crossed Parallels of Self Refraction and 2022’s Farther From the Sun – Litosth are now set to release their third full-length, Cesariana. Armed with absolutely top-notch production, Cesariana sees the duo go even deeper in their quest, delivering a mix of almost unthinkable influences. The basis is melodic black metal of a most ’90s vintage, but threading inside and out this visceral work are everything from dark pop from the ’80s, epic classical music, and a wide swath of other metals – doom and dark metal, especially. Cesariana is thus a work that feels boundless and brave, all the while exhibiting a focus that’s exceptionally concise given that breadth.
But, lest one think Litosth are betraying their black metal roots, think again: Cesariana contains a massive amount of melodic black metal grandeur, cosmic and symphonic in equal measure, sheathed in a soundfield that allows all atmospheric undercurrents to vividly convey the band’s vision. That theme sees Cesariana as a resilience manifesto, written in eight songs that celebrate the tragedy and the curse about the fact of being alive, even against one’s will. It is a cry not of agony, but of revolt – against the establishment, and against the magic formula for happiness. And it was never just music…
Behold one of the new year’s boldest and biggest-sounding records with Litosth‘s Cesariana!
Preorder info can be found HERE. Cover artwork and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Litosth’s Cesariana
1. In Waves 2. Whipping Bottles 3. Time Doesn’t Heal 4. The Clay Messiah 5. A Ofensa 6. The Argonaut 7. Caesarean 8. The Vaccum Extractor Paradigm
Today, epic black metallers Hasturian Vigil stream the entirety of their highly anticipated debut album, Unveiling the Brac’thal. Set for international release on February 2nd via Invictus Productions, hear Hasturian Vigil‘sUnveiling the Brac’thal in its entirety here:
Formed in the Dimension of Chains, with cosmic chaos and deathmagick, Hasturian VigilL seek to relinquish mortal ignorance with their brand of black metal, inspired by Mortuary Drape, Absu, Mercyful Fate, Negative Plane, and Zemial as well as a dose of classic heavy metal. Both familiar and foreign, the resultant four-song Unveiling the Brac’thal debut album comprises 33 minutes of epic, archaic splendor – labyrinths of majesty & malice that scourge the mind and body with equal relish. You want riffs? There are RIFFS. You want leads? There are LEADS. What about mystery and mysticism? Tons. A veritable bounty of black METAL, the Riddle of Steel draped in sensuous obsidian.
Indeed, the Irish two-piece walk their own path across Unveiling the Brac’thal, conceptualizing an entirely original mythos, inspired by authors such as Lovecraft, Machen, Lord Dunsany, and Yeats. This “Yith-Melle” mythos is embraced with their fascination for cosmic dread, deranged pantheons, and unspeakable curses! Thus, the power-duo of Cxaathesz and Shygthoth strike both as guides and teachers, torches ablaze with illumination almost incomprehensible to mere mortals. Prepare for the preachings of Hasturian Vigil!
In the scriptures of mortal men, there exists a pallet of stars and flesh… Yith-Melle, the dimension of chains… Where the resonance of deathmagick spurted the cosmic architect, decorated in a million eyes and teeth… The creator of plague and torment… A crack in the world has opened… To unveil the Brac’thal…
Cover artwork, courtesy of Canopic Ire, and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Hasturian Vigil’s Unveiling the Brac’thal 1. Ikaath the Seven Horned [10:08] 2. Apparitions of Torment [7:22] 3. Nine Bellowing Hounds [7:00] 4. Velvet Paintings Gaze [7:57]
On February 2nd internationally, Iron Bonehead Productions will release a brand-new mini-album from House of Atreus, Orations, on CD and 12″ vinyl formats. And today, they stream the mini-album in its entirety. Hear House of Atreus‘ Orations in its entirety here:
Since their emergence in 2011, House of Atreus have become one of the most singular hordes to hail from North American soil during that time. Across a demo, an EP, and two successive full-lengths, the Minnesota natives have patiently and painstakingly crafted death metal of a most epic order. A veritable riff-machine, House of Atreus are powered by the Greek tragedies and have that very same tragedy (as well as triumph) coursing through their rough ‘n’ rugged veins. Theirs is a sound unapologetically influenced by the ancient Hellenic legends Varathron and Rotting Christ as well as other singular riff-machines like Grand Belial’s Key and Arghoslent, and the earliest and most blackened works of Running Wild. However, House of Atreus handily transcend these influences, as evidenced by their critically acclaimed second album, From the Madness of Ixion, released in 2018 by Iron Bonehead. Truly, the quartet managed to add to this glorious lineage rather than merely bottom-feed off it.
While the years since have been quiet for the band, metal art such as theirs does not come overnight, nor are they tethered to tired yearly record/tour/repeat hucksterism. Thus do House of Atreus finally emerge with a swift-yet-satisfying mini-album elegantly titled Orations. Something of a strategic detour, the 33-minute Orations comprises five brand-new tracks – each one as regally galloping as the last, concise and expansive in equal measure – and a closing cover of heroes Running Wild and their late ’80s gem “Riding the Storm.” The “detour” aspect of the record largely pertains to the further finessing of their trademark songcraft: ever more patient, riffs flowing like molten gold, but a slicker and more seamless aspect emerges that pays off a hundredfold. The latent grit ‘n’ grime still exists, but rather than being an exception to wider “death metal,” here do House of Atreus assert themselves simply as a masterful HEAVY METAL band – but one that just so happens to have more than a bit of death metalled muscle. Founding bassist Anxietous Nero’s remarkably articulated vocals are again at the fore, but possess more clarity and charisma than ever. Not surprisingly, in just over a half-hour, House of Atreus prove with Orations that they have more (worthy) ideas than most bands can muster across a couple albums or more.
Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for House of Atreus’ Orations 1. Orations / Reascension of Mastery 2. Thy Wounded Sovereignty 3. Under an Accursed Dynasty 4. Morphos of Degeneration 5. Cathedral of Ancestry 6. Riding the Storm [Running Wild cover]
Québec’s own CANTIQUE LÉPREUX are back with their third full-length album “Le bannissement”, scheduled for release in spring 2024 via Eisenwald. It is a tale of self-initiation, a rejection of society, and a glorification of nature – manifested in their signature style of swirling tremolo-guitar-riffs, tortured screams, and elaborate melodicism.
Formed in 2014 in Quebec City, Cantique Lépreux is the creation of Blanc Feu, Cadavre, and Matrak. Since their first album “Cendres célestes”, released in 2016, they have established themselves as an essential act of the Métal Noir Québécois scene. They channel the evocative power of Black Metal, carrying vast forests, desolate landscapes, impassable mountains, and cosmic torment. The band members are also associated with Mêlée des Aurores, Chasse-Galerie, Acédia, Manière Noire, Chaos Catharsis, Forteresse, Délétère and Au-delà des ruines.
“Le bannissement” tells the abduction of a young girl and the sickness that is forced into her. Tainted, and rejected by those who should have protected her, she flees to wild and unexplored land, where she shatters and mends herself continuously. In these countless battles, she severs her bond to reality, subverts the sickness, and overthrows those who had seized her innermost Dream. Through banishment, liberation.
Listen to the first single track ” Consécration” here!
The album presents a raging and hypnotic narrative. Fast-paced songs drag the listener in a wild hunt, rushing towards self-annihilation. It was interpreted with the band’s live line-up and equipment to preserve the fierceness of the mindset it was composed. This raging maelstrom, built on alluring melodies, shows guitarists Blanc Feu and Ascèse’s fascination for music history and musicology. The album’s emotional power stems not only from black metal’s common genre tropes but also from the austere grandeur of early music.
Recording and production were mostly handled by the musicians themselves. Guitarist, vocalist, and founder Blanc Feu took over the mixing duties. Drum recording and additional mixing was done by François Fortin at La Boîte Noire. Mastering and also additional mixing by X.T. at Tehom Studios. Marek Soszyński contributed his skills in calligraphy.
TRACKLIST: 1. Le ravissement 2. Fuir 3. Rivières rompues 4. Archétypes 5. Par la gueule des fantômes 6. Le rêve primordial 7. Consécration
DigiCD / 180g Classic Black Vinyl Edition / Bundle + CD Re-Releases of the first two albums incl. revised artwork and layout
Today, Osmose Productions announces March 29th as the international release date for Darkestrah‘s highly anticipated seventh album, Nomad, on CD, vinyl LP, and cassette tape formats.
On Nomad, their seventh full-length album, Darkestrah venture further on their chosen path of Epic Shamanic Black Metal. Sharp black metal riffing and traditional Central Asian melodies, verses from Kyrgyz epic poetry, and visions of spiritual quests are all woven into the fabric of this new opus.
With a new lineup consisting of long-term veterans and fresh blood, Darkestrah have never been in better shape.
First track premiere to be revealed on February 26th. Preorder link can be found HERE. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Darkestrah’s Nomad
1. Journey Through Blue Nothingness [2:12] 2. Kök-Oy [8:00] 3. Nomad [9:29] 4. Destroyer of Obstacles [9:28] 5. Quest for the Soul [9:43] 6. The Dream of Kojojash [4:51] 7. A Dream That Omens Death [1:45]
Today, Amor Fati Productions, in conspiracy with Extraconscious Records, announces March 20th as the international release date Lhaäd‘s
highly anticipated second album, Beneath, on CD and vinyl LP format.
Hailing from the currently thriving Belgian black metal scene, Lhaäd are a part of the esteemed Nox Entity collective, which also includes the likes of Entartung, Rituals of the Dead Hand, and Wolven. To begin to understand Lhaäd, one must dissect the band’s phonetically & visually unique moniker: an anagram of “hadal.” The hadal zone, also known as the hadopelagic zone, is the deepest region of the ocean, lying within oceanic trenches. The name comes from Hades, the ancient Greek god of the underworld. Fittingly, Lhaäd bring the same, incredibly vast darkness & tension as if they were to capture and take you to the ocean floor, deep within the largest abysses.
Such was the sound of the band’s 2021 debut album, Below, and now Lhaäd go impossibly deeper & darker with the follow-up Beneath. The band’s framework of martial/cosmic hypnosis is well and accounted for – namely, classic Thorns and Darkspace – but mainman Lykormas here evinces an engaging, almost-ceremonial aspect that brings forth ominous beauty to the no-doubt-dark deluge; perhaps one could make a parallel in this respect to his post-metal titans Hemelbestormer. Tempos thus span the slower end of the spectrum – trudging, ominous, HUGE – as frequently as the ultraviolent, altogether making for a slipstream that’s deceptively melodic and even tragically blissful. Too, the aquatic element is even more pronounced on Below, as cold & caustic riffs undulate and overlap like currents of the ocean, seemingly infinite in possibility but always with the portent of everlasting darkness.
True to its title, Beneath is a six-song/40-minute experience of going under the Below. Lhaäd plays hadopelagic black metal exclusively!
In the meantime, hear the brand-new track “Beneath V” here:
Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Lhaäd’s Beneath 1. Beneath I [5:57] 2. Beneath II [7:18] 3. Beneath III [7:21] 4. Beneath IV [5:24] 5. Beneath V [6:20] 6. Beneath VI [7:39]
