SAOR release new song and music video for “Beyond the Wall”

Sharing the myths and tales of the Scottish highlands, Caledonian metal band SAOR are now releasing the second single from their upcoming album ‘Origins‘. The song can be found on the official Season of Mist Youtube channel accompanied by a stunning music video here:

Frontman Andy Marshall comments: “Beyond the Wall refers to the Antonine Wall which ran across the central belt of Scotland to keep the Caledonians/Picts at bay. The song is about their freedom, as they were not under Roman rule and the beauty and mystery of the lands beyond the wall.”

The album will be released on June 24 via Season of Mist. Pre-orders for ‘Origins’ are live in the shop HERE. Pre-save the record HERE.

The cover artwork ‘Origins’ was created by Anaïs Mulgrew and can be found below together with the tracklist.

Tracklist:
1. Call of the Carnyx (06:58)
2. Fallen (05:04)
3. The Ancient Ones (07:54)
4. Aurora (08:24)
5. Beyond the Wall (06:13)
6. Origins (06:44)
Total: 0:41:17
SAOR will be heading out on tour with label mates GAAHLS WYRD and GAEREA in September / October. Find a full list of shows below.

SAOR + GAAHLS WYRD + GAEREA
30.09.2022 – Haarlem (NL) – Patronaat
01.10.2022 – Arlon (BE) – Léntrepot
02.10.2022 – Cologne – DE – Club Volta
03.10.2022 – Berlin (DE) – Holle 44
05.10.2022 – Poznań (PL) – U Bazyla
06.10.2022 – Krakow (PL) – Hol
07.10.2022 – Prague (CZ) – Futurum
08.10.2022 – Vienna (AT) – Vienna Metal Meeting
09.10.2022 – Budapest (HU) – Instant
11.10.2022 – Milan (IT) – Slaughter Club
12.10.2022 – Martigny (CH) – Les Caves Du Manoir
13.10.2022 – Lyon (FR) – CCO Villeurbanne
14.10.2022 – Barcelona (ES) – Boveda
15.10.2022 – Madrid (ES) – Caracol
16.10.2022 – Toulouse (FR) – Le Rex
17.10.2022 – Paris (FR) – Petit Bain
19.10.2022 – London (UK) – The Garage
20.10.2022 – Antwerp (BE) – Zappa
22.10.2022 – Essen (DE) – Turock

24.10.2022 – Munich (DE) – Backstage Halle
25.10.2022 – Frankfurt (DE) – Das Bett
26.10.2022 – Leipzig (DE) – Hellraiser
27.10.2022 – Hamburg (DE) – Logo
28.10.2022 – Copenhagen (DK) – Vega
29.10.2022 – Gothenburg (SE) – Pustervik
30.10.2022 – Stockholm (SE) – Slaktkyrkan
SAOR means free, without obligations, unconstrained. All of these characteristics are intrinsic to the music of SAOR, the musical entity spearheaded by sole member Andy Marshall. As a lone wanderer proudly shouting the tales and myths of his people, his culture and his region from the tops of misty Caledonian mountains for the wind to carry, Andy has carved a solitary, yet strikingly inspiring path with SAOR ever since Roots, his first album laid deep… roots, indeed!, way back in 2013.

A decade about to be completed which is now about to witness the release of a fifth full-length, a decade in which Andy and SAOR have almost single-handedly made us all feel a little bit like Scots at heart, regardless of our own individual origins, such is the passionate and almost visual way that this musician delivers his profoundly atmospheric hybrid of black and folk metal, peculiarly described as Caledonian metal. “I used to play in some local bands, but I never really liked writing music with other people,” Andy recalls of his initial, formative times as a musician, beginnings that already hinted at the future road that would be taken. “There were too many opinions and arguments about the direction of the music. I have always preferred writing music alone.” As such, his musical and conceptual vision could be developed steadily, undiluted and unrestrained. Free, without obligations, unconstrained. “I was really into black metal and folk metal at the time I wrote Roots,” the Scot reveals, somewhat unsurprisingly. The components for his musical edifice are clear – it’s in the personality of their seamless mix, and in the Scottish fog that surrounds it, that the unique magic lies.

“There were plenty of Scandinavian bands singing about their history, culture, roots… but there were no Scottish bands. I thought this was kind of weird because we have such an interesting history, and quite gloomy and epic landscapes, much like the Scandinavians. Since I grew up around traditional Scottish music and was a huge fan of film soundtracks, I used those influences and tried to merge them with atmospheric black metal, folk metal and other sounds. It was quite a natural fit for me. I live very close to mountains, beautiful forests and lochs, and I spend a lot of time on the Isle of Skye, so you can guess where my inspiration comes from. I’ve also been interested in Scottish history from a young age. I’m no expert, but I take inspiration from reading about the past and always feel connected to it.”

Established as a singular voice and presence in the metal and folk underground with Roots (“it might sound corny, but it’s the ‘roots’ of SAOR and the Caledonian metal sound,” Andy jokes. “You can hear some of the typically Scottish melodies on it that would become more prominent in future albums.”), Andy Marshall forged on, and follow-up Aura appeared less than a year later. Though it contains some of the most appreciated hymns in his entire discography, the Scottish musician, ever a perfectionist, has mixed feelings about it. “I was never a huge fan of the production and performances on this one,” he shrugs. “It felt rushed. Funnily enough, it became one of the most popular and well received SAOR albums. People seem to love the somewhat ‘muddied production’ because it gives the album character. We still play songs from this live and they go down really well. ‘Pillars of the Earth’ is one of my favourite SAOR songs.” With apologies to Andy, we do side with the masses on this one – and would even throw the hallowed name of Bathory as an example of how “muddied production” and “character” are two concepts that can indeed go hand in hand, treading a fine but clear line throughout the history of metal.

Perhaps avoiding another rushed effort, Guardians took two years to appear as the third chapter in the ongoing saga that is the SAOR discography. Definitely leaning even more to the side of folk, it’s a work of rare emotional depth within the genres it touches, even if our man is, once more, rather unfazed and focused on the technical aspects of the recording. “I think it’s a natural progression from Aura, but with a slightly improved sound. It focuses more on my folk/Celtic influences. Some would say the folk metal element is more prominent due to the amount of bagpipes, tin whistles and other folk instrumentation used on this album,” he muses. However, not even his author can deny the power of this album’s highest moments. “’Hearth’ is one of the most popular SAOR songs and ‘Tears of a Nation’ always goes down well in a live setting.” Sound considerations aside, it was clear by then, circa 2016, that SAOR was a living, breathing entity, evolving and exploring. Like that recurring metaphor of the lone wanderer that seems so perfect we cannot let go of it. Free, without obligations, unconstrained.


The period between albums ever-lengthening, as if each step into the world of SAOR requires a bigger period of reflection and maturing to take the next one, Forgotten Paths would only appear in 2019. A worthy wait, however, as the evolutionary step was by far the boldest, bravely defying imaginary style constraints and showcasing an atypical and engaging approach to the overall “folk” super-genre. “My most open and accessible album,” Andy admits without hesitation. “There’s definitely a hint of post-metal creeping in on this one and a little less black metal. Neige from Alcest provided guest vocals on the title-track, which was an honour. This is around the time I started using the term Caledonian metal to describe my sound. I think it sums up my music and the themes perfectly.”

As live appearances were beginning to be much more frequent and SAOR a constantly demanded name on more notable events, the world decided to throw us all a pandemic curveball, which halted the victorious march of Andy and his stage cohorts for a while. However, you wouldn’t expect a period of isolation to ever hold back a musician and a project that are, by definition, and even by many of the feelings by them evoked, isolated, would you? And it most certainly did not. “From 2019-early 2020 we had a pretty hectic time touring and playing festivals, so I actually really liked the first few months of lockdown. I got a chance to relax,” Andy says. “But when the government decided to stop us from travelling, even leaving our local area, it was horrible.” Also, the end of 2020 brought an unexpected gift of recognition, as SAOR won the “Best Metal” Category at the Scottish Alternative Music Awards (SAMAs). Humble as ever, Andy thanked the band’s manager Joe, his stage comrades and Season of Mist, and added that “it’s been a tough year, so this award means a lot.”

Even better than recognition and accolades, from these difficult times, the new album, Origins, appeared. And for their first album in three years, and their premiere for Season of Mist, we wouldn’t expect anything other than… the unexpected. A counter reaction of sorts to the more meandering and even “accessible” direction of the previous records, perhaps inspired by its main theme of the Picts (a group of peoples who lived in what is now northern and eastern Scotland during Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages) and their fierce battles, Origins comes across as a more raging, black metal-infused effort, copiously evocative in its imagery and even melancholic in places, but decisively strong and abrasive at the same time. “This album is a lot more guitar driven,” Andy confirms.

“During the pandemic I listened to a lot of classic heavy metal and I think you’ll hear the influences on the dual lead guitars and solos. I  also wanted this to be my heaviest album with emphasis on the riffs. My harsh vocals have changed from deep growls to more of a black metal style. Since the subject of the album is the Picts, I wanted a pagan theme throughout, and so that aspect is a lot more prominent than in the previous albums. I also used instruments such as the Carnyx and tribal drumming to convey that feeling.” One of the strongest songs on offer, the opener in fact, “Call of the Carnyx”, is in fact about the Carnyx itself, the ancient Celtic war horn, and it conveys like never before the feeling that it must have  been to hear its resounding bellow, calling the Pictish warriors to battle. A moving homage to the legacy of the Picts, Origins guides us through their gods, their fallen heroes who died protecting their families and land, and what still remains of their identity in the Scottish people of today.

As much as we have food for thought, assured and guaranteed entertainment and inspiration for the months to come as we listen to and explore Origins and its themes, its creator is naturally already moving on. Andy doesn’t need much to create the worlds SAOR albums inhabit, and his most powerful tool is always with him. “I don’t need to be in one particular place to write or be inspired,” he explains. “I do have my own little office/studio in my home where I write music and lyrics, but it’s nothing special. My imagination is the most powerful tool for SAOR.” Not only do we vehemently agree, we would even say that imagination is the most powerful tool, always, for everyone. The one untamed weapon we all possess and can use at all times. Free. Without obligations. Unconstrained

Cover art: Anaïs Mulgrew

Line-up: Andy Marshall – Songwriter, Vocals & All Instruments

Recording line-up:
Andy Marshall – Songwriter, Vocals & All Instruments
Dylan Watson – Session Drums
Sophie Marshall – Female Backing Vocals

Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Folk Instruments: recorded by Andy Marshall at Fortriu Studio, Scotland.

Drums: recorded by Vladmir Cochet at Conatus Studios, Switzerland.

Guitars reamped: LSD-Studio, Germany.

Mixed & Mastered: Lasse Lammert at LSD-Studio, Germany

Links:
Official Website: https://www.saormusic.com
EU Store: https://saor.travelling-merchant.com/
US Store: https://saor-usa.travelling-merchant.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/saorofficial
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saormusic
Bandcamp: https://saor.bandcamp.com
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/saormusic
Bandsintown: https://www.bandsintown.com/a/4099241-saor

Pre-sales: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/saor-origins

RITUALIZATION set release date for new IRON BONEHEAD mini-album, reveal first track

Today, Iron Bonehead Productions announces August 12th as the international release date for a brand-new mini-album from Ritualization, Hema Ignis Necros, on CD and 12″ vinyl formats.

It’s been five long years since Ritualization‘s widely acclaimed debut album for Iron Bonehead, Sacraments to the Sons of the Abyss. While most of the lineup has stayed intact, new vocalist/bassist Daethorn arrives from Merrimack, who’s very much a fellow French underground veteran like his bandmates. Together, the quintet deliver a three-song firestorm of epic proportions in Hema Ignis Necros. 

Indeed, “epic” is an apt descriptor for this three-song/26 mini-album, as the nuclear-powered bestiality of yore – channeled from death metal’s most infernal depths, as practiced by the elite lineage of Angelcorpse/Perdition Temple, Centurian/Nox, and Ravager/Hacavitz – is welded to winding, barbed-wire complexity of songcraft. Sharpened like a gleaming blade, their sulfurous ultraviolence is finessed to an exceptional degree, with terror and tension lurking in the record’s more reposed moments. It’s a statement of intent, to be sure, and one that proves that serious blackened death is still worth reckoning.

Ritualization may have been away for some years, but on proof of Hema Ignis Necros, their commitment to the faithful tradition of what death metal must be is forever firm. Detonate & desecrate! 

Begin detonating & desecrating with the brand-new track “The Crown of Moloch” here:

Cover artwork, courtesy of the legendary Chris Moyen, and tracklisting are as follows:

Tracklisting for Ritualization’s Hema Ignis Necros
1. The Shapeless Scepter [10:02]
2. The Crown of Moloch [8:03]
3. When the Chalice Runneth Over [7:15]

MORE INFO:
www.facebook.com/pages/Ritualization/145905645471417


Imperial Triumphant announce new album, Spirit of Ecstasy

Experimental metal group Imperial Triumphant have just announced their new full-length album Spirit of Ecstasy out via Century Media Records on 22nd July. The album will be released as Ltd. CD Edition (Mini-Gatefold), Gatefold 2LP & LP-Booklet and on all digital platforms. Pre orders are available here.

To celebrate the album announcement, Imperial Triumphant have also just shared their new track/video for “Maximalist Scream (feat. Snake/Voivod)” today. 

“Atmospheres awash with mysterious origins. Sacred rites of passage and formidable knowledge lead to marvels of engineering,” states Imperial Triumphant. “Funnelling the mass into a finite horizon all roads travel in duality. Blurred is the line between real and illusion as the last scream of truth is destroyed by evil so grotesque. It transforms into a lone rider traveling into the forbidden darkness…”

Spirit of Ecstasy follows the band’s previous LPs 2020’s Alphaville, 2018’s Vile Luxury and most recently their 2021 live record, An Evening With Imperial Triumphant, which was was recorded at the infamous Slipper Room in New York City. Just like its predecessors, the album features a handful of special guests including Kenny G on soprano saxophone, Max Gorelick on lead guitar, Snake on vocals, Alex Skolnick on lead guitar, Trey Spruance on lead guitar, Andromeda Anarchia with choirs, Sarai Woods with choirs, Yoshiko Ohara on vocals, J. Walter Hawkes on the trombone, Ben Hankle on the trumpet, Percy Jones on bass, SEVEN)SUNS on strings, Colin Marston on Simmons drums and Youtube, and Jonas Rolef on vocals.

Stay tuned for more details about the highly anticipated release by following the band on socials. 

Spirit of Ecstasy track listing:

Chump Change

Metrovertigo

Tower of Glory, City of Shame

Merkurius Gilded

Death on a Highway

In The Pleasure of Their Company

Bezumnaya Maximalist Scream

Imperial Triumphant is Zachary Ilya Ezrin (vocals, guitars), Steve Blanco (bass, vocals, keys, theremin) and Kenny Grohowski (drums).

IMPERIAL TRUMPHANT TOUR DATES: 

May 25 – Brooklyn, NY – Elsewhere

May 30 – Helsinki, Finland – On The Rocks

May 31 – Tallinn, Estonia – Sveta Baar

June 1 – Riga, Latvia – NOASS

June 2 – Vilnius, Lithuania – XI20

June 4 – Gdansk, Poland – Mystic Festival

June dates w/Nero Di Marte

June 6 – Bratislava, Slovakia – Kulturak klub

June 7 – Budapest, Hungary – Robot

June 8 – Cluj Napoca, Romania – Form Space

June 9 – Bucharest, Romania – Quantic

June 10 – Sofia, Bulgaria – Live & Loud 

June 11 – Skopje, North Macedonia – KC

June 12 – Belgrade, Serbia – KC Grad

June 14 – Zagreb, Croatia – Klub Mocvara

June 15 – Ljubljana, Slovenia – Klub Gromka

16 – Vienna, Austria – Viper Room Vienna

July 9 – Baltimore, MD – Ottobar

July 30 – Youngstown, OH – In the Darkness Fest

__

August 10 – Jaroměř, Czechia – Brutal Assault

August 12 – Oxfordshire, England – SUPERNORMAL FEST

August 13 – Manchester, England – The White Hotel

August 14 – Glasgow, Scotland – Stereo

August 15 – Belfast, England – Voodoo

August 16 – Dublin, Ireland – The Grand Social

August 18 – Somerset, England – ArcTanGent Festival 

August 19 – London, England – The Dome

August 20 – Méan, Belgium – MÉTAL MÉAN

August 21 – Brittany, France – MOTOCULTER

August 23 – Madrid, Spain – Moby Dick

August 24 – Barcelona, Spain – Sala Upload

August 25 – Toulon, France – L’Hélice

August 26 – Mantova, Italy – The Academy

August 27 – Winterthur, Switzerland – Gaswerk

August 28 – Strasbourg, France – La Maison Bleue

August 29 – Nijmegen, Netherlands – Merleyn

August 30 – Hamburg, Germany – Hafenklang

August 31 – Aalborg, Denmark – 1000 Fryd

September 1 – Oslo, Norway – Bla

September 2 – Goteborg, Sweden – Fangelset

September 3 – Copenhagen, Denmark – Hotel Cecil

September 8 – Leipzig, Germany – Bandhaus

September 9 – Tel Aviv, Israel – Gagarin

FOR MORE ON IMPERIAL TRIUMPHANT: WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

American black metallers Vaamatar stream their debut album

Today, American black metallers Vaamatar stream the entirety of their highly anticipated debut album, Medievalgeist. Set for international release on May 20th via Iron Bonehead Productions, hear Vaamatar‘s Medievalgeist in its entirety here:

Formed in 2020, out of the ashes of two projects coming to an end, Los Angeles’ Vaamatar was born with one intention: to play black metal in its purest form. Raw and fast and free of frills, the full-length Medievalgeist is the follow-up to their debut EP, Evil Witching Black Metal. Immediately, old sensations are awakened and recast anew. The spectre of the second wave of black metal during the 1990s drapes its wings across Medievalgeist, but Vaamatar‘s strong songwriting eludes easy categorization. Instead of early Darkthrone, one can hear here contemporaneously early Dødheimsgard; instead of early Enslaved, the ’90s work of Norway’s Hades; instead of prime Marduk, comparably prime Arckanum, and so on. Which is all to underline that the duo of Vaamatar are old souls to the bitter end, having imbibed ancient wisdoms and now spilling them freely across their own teachings in the form of Medievalgeist.

Recorded, mixed, and mastered by Greg Wilkinson (Autopsy, Necrot, Vastum) during the turbulent unrelenting pandemic, Medievalgeist conveys a cold, apocalyptic atmosphere fit for the ages. Its six-song/41-minute runtime is exceptionally immersive, working on spiritual/transcendental levels as well as ones rooted in good, old-fashioned headbanging. But mark these words: Vaamatar do not play “party” black metal. This is serious, sophisticatedly unsophisticated Black Art brewed in archaic splendor – old catacombs open and spectral shades escape to the velvety embrace of the night. This is Medievalgeist!

Fully embrace the night exclusively HERE. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:

Tracklisting for Vaamatar’s Medievalgeist
1. Medievalgeist [8:10]
2. Plundering Claws [6:37]
3. Hallowed Flesh [5:45]
4. Spit & Gravel [8:04]
5. Axe of Dolor [4:45]
6. Midnight Montpelier [7:27]

MORE INFO:
www.vaamatar.bandcamp.com

SPITER release HELLS HEADBANGERS debut today, begin tour – features members of DEVIL MASTER and SHITFUCKER

Today, Hells Headbangers releases Spiter‘s highly anticipated debut album, Bathe the Babe in Bats’ Blood, on CD and cassette tape formats; the vinyl LP version will follow later this year. In lieu of the album’s release, Spiter are beginning a two-part US tour. Dates and poster art are as follows:
5/19 Brooklyn, NY @ St. Vitus
5/20 Philadelphia, PA @ Fotoclub 
5/21 Washington, DC @ Atlas Brew Works
5/22 Richmond, VA @ Cobra Cabana
6/2 Pittsburgh, PA @ Rockroom
6/3 Detroit, MI @ Donovans Pub
6/4 Cincinnati, OH  @(DSGN) CLLCTV
6/5 Cleveland, OH @ No Class


Featuring members of labelmates Shitfucker and Devil Master, Spiter made their recorded debut during the spring of 2021 with the Draconian Death Curse EP. Although it’d be semi-accurate to see the EP as a sonic union between Shitfucker and Devil Master, already Spiter exerted their own identity, ripping forth with a raw-yet-anthemic blend of cult blackthrash, obscure hardcore punk, and even the wildest deathrock. Immediately, the short-length garnered the band a great deal of attention.

The band picks up the tale: “Much like Dracula leaving Transylvania hell-bent on conquest, Richard Spider (Daemon Bitch of Shitfucker) moved to Philadelphia with the sole intent of forming Spiter. Alongside fellow magician Bat (Darkest Prince of Devil Master), and Philly punk drummer Snake (Disjawn), who was magically uncovered in a destined meeting, the lineup was complete. Following the path forged by the infernal and immortal Dragon, creating the True Vampyric Metal Punk in the name of our God and Father, Satan!” 

Now armed with Hells Headbangers, Spiter’s first full-length fully displays the band’s considerable powers. More ripping, more anthemic, wilder and weirder and laded with a crisp-yet-crushing production, Bathe the Babe in Bats’ Blood will put the name Spiter on the tongues of all who worship the dark and depraved. The album features 10 songs in 36 minutes, swiftly and salaciously possessing the listener in a sanguine fury like few others. Each and every second literally explodes with electricity and excitement, Spiter frothing with blood – both others’ and their own – and seemingly drunk on their own undead energy. And each track is as immediately memorable as the last yet offering variety across that whirlwind landscape, commanding that listener to press “play” over and over…until it fucking hurts.

“Spiter has an unquenchable thirst for blood and glory,” sagely state the band – and on evidence of Bathe the Babe in Bats’ Blood, those black-leather wings will enwrap the world soon enough!

In the meantime, see & hear the previously revealed video “Living Nightmare here:

and “I am Dracula” here:

Preorder info can be found HERE. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:

Tracklisting for Spiter’s Bathe the Babe in Bats’ Blood
1. Suicidal Blood Fucker
2. Phan
9. Spider Bitertoms
3. Tortured Soul
4. Transylvanian Night
5. Foreshadow
6. Living Nightmare
7. Full Satanic Power
8. Cursed Eternal
10. Debauchery

MORE INFO:
www.spiter.bandcamp.com

www.hellsheadbangers.com

WAMPYRINACHT stream new IRON BONEHEAD album

Today, Greek black metallers Wampyrinacht stream the entirety of their highly anticipated second album, Night of the Desecration. Set for international release on May 20th via Iron Bonehead Productions, hear Wampyrinacht‘s Night of the Desecration in its entirety here:

One of the deepest gems of the always-vital Greek black metal scene, Wampyrinacht began unholy life back in 1995. Their first demo arrived the next year, followed two years later by an EP released by Melancholy Promotion, the precursor to the infamous ISO666 label. Thereafter, Wampyrinacht more or less returned to the crypt, as members drifted off and mainman Necrolord sought to establish a new lineup. Mind you, Necrolord kept busy in myriad bands in the meantime – truly, he is one of the most prolific veterans of the Greek underground – but it was not until 2017 when Wampyrinacht would return with a new recording. Thankfully, that record bore fruit in full-length form, under the title We Will Be Watching: Les cultes de Satan et les mystères de la mort. A dynamic and dazzling display of canonic Hellenic black metal but infused with a melancholy that was indeed vampyric, We Will Be Watching became a late-days essential of Greek classicism.

Patient but still present, Wampyrinacht arrive when the time is right with their second album, Night of the Desecration. Immediately, an uptick in energy and clarity is felt; the oft-otherworldly rawness of its predecessor is replaced by a stout ‘n’ surging sound brimming with a newfound professionalism that pays off in spades. For Night of the Desecration burns with a fire that flickers in myriad directions – rising, falling, cresting, flowing, all-consuming at every turn across the album’s deceptively epic 43-minute runtime – but always focused, always finessed. Leading the charge is Necrolord’s guitar work here, ably balancing stout ‘n’ strident riffing with emotive ‘n’ bone-chilling leads; the heavy metal spirit at the core of classic Greek black metal pulses proudly, but Wampyrinacht doubtlessly put their own shadowy twist on it. Night of the Desecration is thus a work steeped in the ancients whilst retaining a freshness of approach that should span generations of black metallers: actual songwriting is king, now more than ever.

Maudlin yet malevolent, old and new, Wampyrinacht‘s timely return with Night of the Desecration is just cause for celebration. Let the cries of ecstasy resound in the medieval deep!

Cover and tracklisting are as follows:

Tracklisting for Wampyrinacht’s Night of the Desecration
1. The Fountain of All Sorrows and Wrath [0:36]
2. Thorns for my Damnation [6:09]
3. Night of the Desecration [11:15]
4. My Angel [1:08]
5. The Church of Thorns [8:30]
6. A Wanderer’s Journey… [1:58]
7. Hammer of the Angels [7:59]
8. …Towards the Glimmering Star [3:52]
9. Of Statues Wrecked and Ruined [0:58]

MORE INFO:
www.facebook.com/wampyrinacht
www.wampyrinacht.bandcamp.com

BLUT AUS NORD unveil “Disharmonium – Undreamable Abysses”

“That is because only a real artist knows the actual anatomy of the terrible or the physiology of fear – the exact sort of lines and proportions that connect up with latent instincts or hereditary memories of fright, and the proper colour contrasts and lighting effects to stir the dormant sense of strangeness.” (H.P. Lovecraft)

The 15th album of the legendary French Black Metal innovators is officially streaming here.

Comparable to naught except BLUT AUS NORD, the inimitable leads, eroded melodies and uncanny vocal textures of “Disharmonium” ooze and uncoil, leeching into vast hyper-skilled rhythmic structures which traverse sea-mountains of madness towards lightless echelons far beyond comprehension. Check the seven dreadful and fearsome hymns below:

“Disharmonium – Undreamable Abysses” is available on CD, tape, vinyl and digitally. Additionally, various merch designs as well as two new patches accompany the release. Everything is available via the label’s EU, US (no merch apart from the white print t-shirt) and Bandcamp shops.

Originating in 1994 from the ashes of VLAD (who released two demos), BLUT AUS NORD are undisputable French Black Metal pioneers, always managing to progress and move forward, evolving in perpetual mutation, developing their own vision of Black Metal.

Choosing, from the start, the total opposite path of regressive bands (who copy what others have done ten years earlier and ten times better), BLUT AUS NORD eschews all the inherent clichés belonging to the genre. BLUT AUS NORD‘s Black Metal approach is a fist in the face of mainstream mediocrity, becoming more macabre and sinister through a blend of innovative musical research, subliminal mental manipulation, and an incredible haunted, nightmarish feeling based on disharmony.BLUT AUS NORD are creators of a hallucinogenic universe, erasing all preconceived ideas of Black Metal – and extreme music in general. They redefine the rules…

Website | EU shop | US shopFacebook | Bandcamp | Youtube | Instagram

AM HIMMEL set release date for BURNING WORLD debut, reveal first track

Today, Burning World Records announces June 30th as the international release date for Am Himmel‘s striking debut album, As Eternal As The Starless Kingdom Of Sorrow.

Am Himmel is an ecclesiastical nightmare formed by emanations from the metaphysical voids trapped in the eternal light. A starless kingdom bereft of celestial pureness. Strange rituals in the gothic catacombs of Christianity and insanity.

Translated as “In The Sky” in German, Am Himmel is a new project from an old soul from the Netherlands, whose inspiration lies between doomy synth-based drone, raw black metal, and shoegaze. Created by JMKP, Am Himmel channels ancient and metaphysical energies through the combination of droning, eerie soundscapes with raw and buzzing black metal. There’s a sinister and unearthly atmosphere surrounding the whole record – not just from the devilish growls and shrieks, but also from the hypnotic mystical synth layers.

For those into Urfaust, Lurker of Chalice, and Xasthur, Am Himmel‘s As Eternal As The Starless Kingdom Of Sorrow should prove as essential listening.

In the meantime, hear the brand-new track “The Fumes Of Thy Preposterous Torment” here:

Additional preorder info for the US can be found HERE while preorder for the rest of the world can be found HERE. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:

Tracklisting for Am Himmel’s As Eternal As The Starless Kingdom Of Sorrow
1. Bleared By The Infinite Wings [6:56]
2. The Patience And Silence Of A Saint’s Death [5:12]
3. The Virgin Wages Celestial War In The Seraphim Courts [7:22]
4. The Fumes Of Thy Preposterous Torment [6:31]
5. The Bewildered Firstling Thrusts The Knife Into Her Brother [6:25]
6. As Eternal As The Starless Kingdom Of Sorrow [5:23]

MORE INFO:
www.amhimmel.bandcamp.com 

www.burningworldrecords.com 
www.facebook.com/burningworldrecords

FROSTEN set release date for PURITY THROUGH FIRE debut – features members of THY DYING LIGHT, HEATHEN DEITY, HELVELLYN, TORVER+++

Today, Purity Through Fire announces May27th as the international release date for Frosten‘s striking debut album, With Sigils and Infernal Signs, on CD format.

Frosten is the most recent creation of prolific UK underground veteran Azrael, who also numbers such entities as Heathen Deity, Helvellyn, Torver, and now-labelmates Thy Dying Light among his many current endeavors. As Frosten, the duo of Azrael and session drummer Julian Foster play True English Black Metal. Their debut album, With Sigils and Infernal Signs, was originally released in 2020 on cassette only, and now Purity Through Fire steps forward to unleash this blast of cryogenic fire on CD format. Almost effortlessly, Frosten skillfully exude a classic atmosphere of the late ’90s, brimming with the stultifying violence and cold, hard gleam of early Enthroned, Setherial, and Thy Primordial but with a subtly British aspect, most especially in the oft-melodic (and tastefully so) riffing. Grim and bare it With Sigils and Infernal Signs!

In the meantime, stream With Sigils and Infernal Signs in its entirety here:

Cover and tracklisting are as follows:

Tracklisting for Frosten’s With Sigils and Infernal Signs
1. Under a Twilight Sky (Intro) [2:19]
2. Ov the Black Flame [8:14]
3. My Words Become Flesh [9:02]
4. With Sigils and Infernal Signs [8:08]
5. At Autumn’s End [3:30]
6. A Shadow in the Fog [8:52]

MORE INFO:
www.facebook.com/FrostenUK

NIHIL NIHIL NIHIL set release date for CALIGARI debut EP, reveal first track

Today, Caligari Records announces June 16th as the international release date for Nihil Nihil Nihil‘s striking debut EP, Things Fall Apart As They Shall, on cassette tape format.

Nihil Nihil Nihil delivers heavy post-punk paeans that pierce straight into the heart of the rotten 2020s. With their four-track debut EP, the enigmatic Berlin duo have created their very own brand of sonic darkness: driving esoteric anthems with a sense of finality, inward-bound yet expressive.

On Things Fall Apart As They Shall (recorded during February and March 2022), visceral guitars meet haunting baritone vocals, sparse-but-captivating melodies, and a throbbing rhythmic pulse. Atmospherically dense yet energetic, with a musical complexity that is rarely found in modern post-punk, Nihil Nihil Nihil have created a sound that should equally appeal to punks, metalheads, and other misfits. For those into GGGOLDDD, Rope Sect, Ritual Howls, All Your Sisters, and other borderland-walking mavericks, hear how Things Fall Apart As They Shall!


Astral quivering in empty gateways
In perpetual impermanence the end is now
First and last interject full circle
Spiralling the primal hour has come
Seconds to one, all and none
To Death to the Death
In the meantime, hear the brand-new track “Dance the End” here:

Cover and tracklisting are as follows:

Tracklisting for Nihil Nihil Nihil’s Things Fall Apart As They Shall
1. Further Inwards
2. Dance The End
3. Abysmal Rising
4. Don’t Fall [The Chameleons cover]

MORE INFO:
www.caligarirecords.com
www.facebook.com/caligarirecords