Today, black/doom enigmas Stuporous stream the entirety of their highly anticipated debut album, Asylum’s Lament. Set for international release on January 25th via Void Wanderer Productions, in conspiracy with War Productions, hear Stuporous‘ Asylum’s Lament in its entirety here:
Stuporous is a Dutch/Belgian black-doom band with members from the infamous Zwotte Kring collective. With a history in black metal going back to the ’90’s, and a deep interest in doom metal, the idea for Stuporous was born.
Stuporous is the brainchild of Floris Velthuis, who had previously flirted with blackened doom with his non-orthodox black metal band Meslamtaea. Trumpeter Izzy Op de Beeck, who’s also part of Meslamtaea, plays in various jazz-noir projects. Doom, therefore, is familiar territory to him, and he adds a special dark jazz vibe to the music. With singer Devi, who works in psychiatry, the formation is complete.
Stuporous‘ lyrics are about mental disorders and depression, based on true events in the psychiatric facility. Devi’s vocals, at times schizophrenic, are making the listener identify with the suffering persons that the music is about. Traditional grunts and screams are interspersed with clean vocals.
The band’s first public recording, Asylum’s Lament sounds heavy, nostalgic, and melancholic – dreamlike, but not a pleasant dream, as the listener is drowning into a mental nightmare maelstrom…
Preorder info can be found HERE. Cover artwork, courtesy of Gordiart, and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Stuporous’ Asylum’s Lament 1. Parasidious Preludium [2:22] 2. Throne of Madness [5:40] 3. Desperation [6:16] 4. Decorating the Willow Tree [7:13] 5. Never Let Me Go [8:26] 6. Distorted Echoes [6:34] 7. The Voice That Made Me Do It [10:33]
Lineup Floris Velthuis – guitar, bass, drums, synths (Meslamtaea, Schavot, The Color of Rain, Asgrauw) Devi Hisgen – vocals (Teitan, The Color of Rain, Cthuluminati) Izzy Op de Beeck – horn (Meslamtaea, Waveshard, Detour Doom Ensemble, Avatar BE)
SYLVAINE has grown into a guiding light for ambient post-metal and atmospheric black metal. But today, she’s tracing back to her roots on Eg Er Framand.
Growing up in Norway, amidst the contrasts between nature and urbanity, Kathrine Shepard often performed in the Kampen Church in Oslo. This 19th century relic is where she recorded the entirety of her ethereal new EP.
Lead single “Dagsens Auga Sloknar Ut“ comes from mysterious origins. The lyrics were written in 1891 by Elias Blix, a professor-turned-politician, who also wrote hymns. Staying true to the original’s delicate, reverent melody, Sylvaine sings in a breathy, elongated whisper that’s both haunting and soothing.
The music video for “Dagsens Auga Sloknar Ut” was directed and produced by William Lacalmontie. Kathrine dances and enchants across a magnificent tapestry of poetic landscapes, striking the beautiful balance that’s at the heart of Eg Er Framand. Watch the video:
With “Dagsens Auga Sloknar Ut”, Sylvaine opens the book on an intricate, transformative fairy tale.
“A beating heart so pure Who wished to feel once more As her eyes slowly opened to the world
She lifted her head And at once beheld A light in front of her
A path to take The choice to make To lead her on her way
A story about to begin Of a soul ignited again On a road to turn loose dismay?“
Track-list 1. Dagsens Auga Sloknar Ut (4:36) [WATCH] 2. Arvestykker (4:36) 3. Eg Veit I Himmelrik Ei Borg (4:47) 4. Livets Dans (6:09) 5. Tussmørke (3:15) 6. Eg Er Framand (4:46) Total runtime: 28:12
Kathrine Shepard, the visionary artist behind the evocative musical project SYLVAINE, weaves an intricate tapestry of emotions through the language of music. A transcendental bridge between worlds, a mesmerizing duality that encapsulates the beautiful and the harsh, light and darkness, serenity and chaos, and the delicate balance between the external world and the inner sanctum of the soul. It is a symphony that harmonizes the human experience with its spiritual origins – a resonance of something beyond the tangible.
Sylvaine’s compositions are a visceral journey through the vast spectrum of emotions that the complexities of the human experience have to offer. They encapsulate the inherent struggle of being an entity in this world, yet not entirely of it. Katherine’s music serves as a conduit for her innermost feelings, a cathartic expression of the eternal longing that resides within the very core of her melodies.
Akin to a fairytale spun from the threads of Norwegian folklore, a narrative that resonates with the spirits of ancient woods and the whispers of long forgotten creatures. With every ethereal note and haunting melody, she conjures images of untamed forests, of misty clearings inhabited by mystical beings. In this artistry, there is an undeniable sense of transcendence, where listeners are transported beyond the confines of the ordinary into a dreamscape where reality and fantasy converge. A profound sense of wonder and allure creates a unique musical alchemy – with a touch of enchantment that lingers long after the music has ceased.
With four albums and one split-EP released to date, Sylvaine’s ethereal soundscapes have been taken to stages across Europe, North America and South America, leaving audiences mesmerized by the transcendent power of the band’s live performances. Two of these albums have been nominated for the Norwegian Grammy Awards Spellemannprisen in the category of metal. The ability to transport listeners to otherworldly realm through her music is a manifestation of the artistry & profound impact the band can bring.
As Sylvaine prepares to unveil her upcoming EP, Eg Er Framand, she embarks on a deeply introspective and serene journey through the rich tapestry of Norwegian heritage and tradition. Folk tales of old are brought to life in this new chapter of her musical odyssey, offering a glimpse into the depths of her creative spirit and an exploration of the roots that anchor her artistry. A reflection of myths is embraced through exquisite sonic realms.
Line-up Sylvaine – Vocals, Church Organ, Guitars, Synthesizers & Percussion
Recording Studio Kampen Kirke
Sound Engineer Sylvaine
Mixing Engineer Magnus Lindberg (Magnus Lindberg Productions/VRTKL Audio/Redmount Studio)Mastering Engineer Karl Daniel Lidén
Rotting Christ have stood the test of time. While their name has caused plenty of gatekeepers to clutch their pearls, Sakis Tolis and has brother Themis have ascended from Greece’s blackened catacombs to one of metal’s most formidable bands.
This year, Rotting Christ are celebrating 35 years of evil excellence with their 14th album. ΠΡΟ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΥ (Pro Xristoy) is bound to hold a revered place in the band’s heretical history. Always true to their name, with Pro Xristoy (“Before Christ”), the band pay tribute to the last of the Pagan kings by offering up more towering, gothic, melodic black metal.
Now that Rotting Christ are closing in on four decades, some followers might’ve wondered if there was any sacred ground left for them to conquer. But Pro Xristoy is a testament to a band that’s still on the rise.
Pro Xristory comes out May 24.
Track-list
1. Pro Xristoy (Προ Χριστού) (1:29) 2. The Apostate (5:01) 3. Like Father, Like Son (4:35) 4. The Sixth Day (3:56) 5. La Lettera Del Diavolo (4:01) 6. The Farewell (6:15) 7. Pix Lax Dax (4:33) 8. Pretty World, Pretty Dies (4:51) 9. Yggdrasil (5:04) 10. Saoirse (6:17) 11. Primal Resurrection (Bonus Track) (5:32) 12. All For One (Bonus Track) (3:37) Total runtime: 55:17
Pre-orders for the new album will start next month.
To kick off what’s shaping up to be a year’s worth of devilish festivities, Rotting Christ are heading off on a tour of Latin America. Fans from Mexico to Argentina will have the pleasure of banging their heads to an unholy litany of the band’s greatest hits. They’ll also be treated to new songs off Pro Xristoy that are bound to become setlist staples.
In the dimly lit catacombs of extreme metal, one name stands as a monolith: ROTTING CHRIST. Sakis Tholis and his brother Themis started this band together back in 1987. In the three decades since, these Greek titans have left their blackened imprint all over the metal world. They’ve released 13 studio albums and played more than 1,3000 concerts around the globe. Underneath all this hard work, Rotting Christ have but one vision – an urge to not only push the boundaries of extreme metal, but to keep reinventing themselves along the way.
Rotting Christ’s evolution has unfolded across several distinct chapters. After starting out closer to the barely controlled chaos of grindcore, they went on to establish the iconic sound of Hellenic black metal. Their albums often embrace refined gothic soundscapes, only to plunge back into the depths of blasphemous fervour. Each chapter marked another, further exploration, and an unwavering commitment to bush boundaries.
But the real turning point came in 2007, when Rotting Christ signed a pact with Season of Mist. They unleashed a series of albums for the French label that defied any and all expectations. From the piercing Theogonia and the symphonic grandeur of Aelo to the ritualistic intensity of Κατά Τον Δαίμονα Εαυτού, the cinematic experiences created by Rotting Christ became a spectacle of bombastic atmospheres, mesmerizing choirs, and neo-classical arrangements. The unexpected is their modus operandi, with the use of various languages (Latin, Arabic, Greek, English) as well as the extensive use of famous poetry woven into their music, like Edgar Allan Poe’s ‘The Raven’ on The Heretics.
In 2019, Rotting Christ’s epic journey continued with The Apocryphal Spell compilation, which offers fans an intimate glimpse into unreleased and rare material. This allowed them to gather strength, preparing for the release of their next, highly anticipated, 14th full-length studio album: Pro Xristoy.
Pro Xristoy (‘Before Christ’ in Greek), serves as a fervent tribute to the last Pagan kings who resisted the onslaught of Christianity, guarding their ancient values and knowledge. In this thematic odyssey, intricately woven through tracks such as ‘The Apostate’ and ‘Ygdrassil’, Rotting Christ delves into the legacies of historical figures such as Flavius Claudius Julianus and Nordic mythological kings, embodying the might of Pagan wisdom in the face of Christian adversity. The album encapsulates the essence of Rotting Christ’s signature style – melodic, yet harsh at times – reinventing themselves yet again, while remaining rooted in their 35-year legacy.
Today, Werewolf Records announces February 23rd as the international release date for Druadan Forest‘s highly anticipated fifth album, Dismal Spells From the Dragonrealm – Part 2, on CD format. The vinyl LP version will follow later this year.
By now, Druadan Forest should require little introduction. From their demos in the late ’90s to the fever of work from 2016 onward, this Finnish entity has created a vast and magickal world like no other. Naturally, it should come as no surprise given that mainman V-Khaoz is an incredibly prolific veteran of the black metal underground for over 25 years now, and concurrently numbers the likes of Vargrav, Embryonic Slumber, and Grieve among his endeavors. With Druadan Forest, however, the emphasis has always been on atmosphere and its transportive qualities. Whether the medium is ominous, titanic-gait black metal, cosmic ambient, pure dungeon synth, or some symbiosis of those, it matters not: the story – and the voyage – from this realm to another is paramount.
After the interstellar ambient of 2022’s Portals, Druadan Forest returns to a medieval age with Dismal Spells From the Dragonrealm – Part 2. As spelled out by its title, Dismal Spells From the Dragonrealm – Part 2 is a companion record to 2019’s Dismal Spells From the Dragonrealm, arguably V-Khaoz’s most massive work to date: four tracks across 73 minutes, a none-more-immersive journey that felt even vaster than its epic length suggested. While scaled back to 38 minutes and comprising eight component tracks, Part 2 is no less immersive; if anything, it portends more magick and daresay whimsy, further fleshing out Druadan Forest‘s pure dungeon synth worldview. The track titles give credence to this parallel shift – “Moonlight Sorcery,” “Summer Night Orgies,” and “Spells and Magic Potions,” for example – while others suggest specific locales, like “Wizard’s Hut,” “Witches Lake,” and “Black Towers of Kharanos,” altogether serving as a sonic canvas for RPGs in the flesh or within the shadow soul. For his part, V-Khaoz stays within the parameters of dungeon synth – and, indeed, that was the aim with Part 2 – but he’s never skimped on its sonic palette, always rendering his tones in rich, 3D sound and tastefully embellished songwriting; this is far from the pre-programmed, one-note garbage borne of Bandcamp trendiness. Almost deceptively soothing at times, the sometimes-sparse canvas of Part 2 nevertheless reveals shimmering expanses perhaps more on par with Portals than the first part of Dismal Spells From the Dragonrealm.
But no matter where you meet Druadan Forest, the man remains a master of mood, and he again offers infinite landscapes on which to roam. Dismal Spells From the Dragonrealm – Part 2 is suitably completed by breathtakingly olde-world cover art courtesy of Misa Horkio.
Preorder info can be found HERE. Aforementioned cover art and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Druadan Forest’s Dismal Spells Part 2 – The Night Circus 1. Born From the Unholy Fire (Part II) 2. Iconoclast 3. Aal Apam Li Aamnuk 4. Strife For Blood 5. Life in Death 6. To Die a Thousand Times 7. Summum Bestiae 8. Phosphoros 9. Concerto of Sodomy 10. Celestial
Today, ancient deathrashers Boundless Chaosstream the entirety of their highly anticipated debut album, Sinister Upheaval. Set for international release on January 19th via Dying Victims Productions, hear Boundless Chaos’ Sinister Upheaval in its entirety here:
Hailing from Germany, the land ever brimming with ancient thrash metals, Boundless Chaos was begotten in the year of 2017 when M.F., P.K, T.B., and M.J. heaved bloody deathrash straight up from the ashes of hellfire. With a brutal barrage of drums, slashing guitars, and throbbing bass-lines, they unapologetically worship the sound of the old. In 2019, E.M. completed the force. Now whole, Boundless Chaos have been spitting the hellish gospel of chaos, upheaval, fire, and antifascism across an EP in 2020 and then two splits in 2020 – one with Idle Ruin, the second with fellow Germans Reign in Blood.
Still, the best was yet to come, and it’s now arrived in Boundless Chaos’ debut album, Sinister Upheaval. Aptly titled, Sinister Upheaval is a ravaging onslaught of deathened thrash built upon a blazing foundation of early Dark Angel, Possessed, Texas’ Devastation, Sepultura’s Schizophrenia, and of course, Sodom’s Persecution Mania (and even Agent Orange!). Here, Boundless Chaos stick to their tried ‘n’ true formula, but simply maximize the muscle and tighten the execution; when graced with a well-rounded (yet requisitely dirty) production, the result is nothing short of powerful. And adding to the Chaos is Malte Gericke (Sijjin, ex-Necros Christos), who does guest vocals on “Guillotine.” No gimmicks, no modernity, no non-metal influences – just straightforward & straight-ahead THRASH METAL from the unholy years of 1986 and ’87, torched to a crisp, and set to conflagrate YOU!
Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Boundless Chaos’ Sinister Upheaval 1. Down 2. High Tension 3. Arson from Beyond 4. Kromer’s Whistle 5. Guillotine 6. Tyrant’s Call 7. Blasphemous Rupture 8. Rip out the Roots 9. Demons Unchained
VLTIMAS are legends of the underworld. Any good Satanist knows to bow down and worship at the horned feet of David Vincent (ex-Morbid Angel), Rune Eriksen (ex-Mayhem) and Flo Mounier (Cryptopsy). Their debut was greeted with a rapturous procession of devil horns. But with their new album, these gods of dark, extreme metal have ascended to truly epic heights.
Today, VLTIMAS are releasing the album’s hellacious second single, exclusively premiered by Metal Obs France.
You can watch the visualizer, made by Aimed & Framed right now:
Some metal songs prefer to slowly unfold before blowing out your ear drums. But rest assured, “Scorcher” is not a slow burn. Sure, the guitars lure you in with a smoky seance. Once Rune tightens those chords into icy black tremolo picking though, VLTIMAS take off like a bat out of hell. The amps crank up; Flo fires off blast beats that are hot enough to singe an angel’s wings, while David Vincent unleashes a miles-long battle cry.
“Satan laughs as worlds collide”.
His growl is so massive, so heartless, you’d better believe that he’s talking about himself.
“‘Scorcher’ brings to life a fantastic story of the great purge that’s coming our way”, says Vincent. “Humanity has been sleepwalking toward this reckoning for centuries. There will be no refuge, nor mercy granted”.
VLTIMAS have been making grand declarations of war for more than 30 years, but the lead single off EPIC isn’t just another offering at the altar of madness.
“I spread my misery, biblically evolved”, David Vincent sings on “Miserere” in a baritone that’s so monstrous it could summon an army of the dead.
The drums speed ahead mercilessly, mowing down all onlookers under a barrage of surgical blast beats, as riffs hail from all directions with enough firepower to shatter bulletproof glass.
Tracklist 1. Volens Discordant (1:02) 2. EPIC (4:35) 3. Miserere (3:51) [WATCH] 4. Exercitus Irae (4:01) 5. Mephisto Manifesto (05:05) 6. Scorcher (03:21) [WATCH] 7. Invictus (5:30) 8. Nature’s Fangs (3:52) 9. Spoils of War (5:54) Total runtime: 37:16
Extreme metal powerhouse VLTIMAS (pronounced ‘uhl-tuh-mas’) assault metaldom once more with their highly-anticipated sophomore album, EPIC, through Season of Mist. Featuring Norwegian guitarist Rune “Blasphemer” Eriksen (ex-Mayhem, RUÏM), American vocalist David Vincent (ex-Morbid Angel), and Canadian drummer Flo Mounier (Cryptopsy), the multinational quintet, rounded out by Dutch bassist Ype TVS (ex-Dodecahedron) and Portuguese guitarist João Duarte (Corpus Christii), continue to venture down their path. Moored by strength and integrity, VLTIMAS fortified their signature with wicked invention, as applauded by Decibel Magazine, BangerTV, Louder, and many others, on their debut, Something Wicked Marches In (2019). Singles “Miserere,” “Scorcher,” and “Invictus” showcase a band of musicians at the top of their game, united in their pursuit of oneness.
“We wrote every bit of EPIC together at my ranch in Dime Box, Texas,” offers Vincent. “The writing sessions were as organic as they could be. There were times when, at the end of the night, Rune would take his guitar and play something ridiculous. Flo would play something even more ridiculous on top of it. I’d say to the guys, ‘I need to capture this.’ So, the magic [of VLTIMAS] is being in the same room together, discussing, playing, and recording music and everything else we’re doing together. We have unbelievable camaraderie.”
While the members of VLTIMAS are not atavists, their preferred creative methods are time-tested and battle-hardened. Technology has its place, but the group thrive when they’re together, not separated by the world. Eriksen, renowned as a riff innovator, is more effective when he’s got a highly capable sideman like Vincent or Mounier, whose drumming in Cryptopsy and his celebrated instructional Extreme Metal Drumming 101 DVD has proven to be a no-limits player, by his side. Whether it’s the moody, angular attack of “Miserere,” the wicked groove of “Mephisto Manifesto,” or the dark fury of “Nature’s Fangs,” the chemistry and enterprise of VLTIMAS is undeniable.
“The main goal [of VLTIMAS] is to be real,” Eriksen reveals. “To channel the very moment, to let true inspiration out. I don’t believe I ever set myself a goal on what an album should or needs to sound like before I or we write it because that means I have to compromise during the process. For EPIC, we focused on more direct songs, trimming the fat, as opposed to Something Wicked Marches In, which had a progressive and ‘playful’ flair.”
VLTIMAS was a profane concept—a constellation of riffs against a modest frame—when formed by Eriksen in 2015. After departing Mayhem in 2008 and putting his gothic doom outfit Ava Inferi to rest in 2013, the Norwegian’s fingers still itched with infernal fury. VLTIMAS was his vent, and when Mounier and Vincent joined, he finally had the cadre of professionals to make it a reality. Together, they devised complementary schemes and themes rooted in rightness. In a world gone mad, VLTIMAS had a vision. On Something Wicked Marches In, they commanded attention with metaphors about the apocalypse, the ancient goddess Lilith, and truth. Lyrically, EPIC spears into the very nucleus of strength through Vincent’s brio of double entendre and clever wordsmithing. The songs are designed to be heard, read, and interpreted—there are no shortcuts.
“Everything we’re doing and messaging is about strength and honor,” says Vincent. “These are the fundamentals that I incorporate into my life, which I believe in. I want to share with others, hoping they’ll incorporate strength and honor into their lives. I wouldn’t say I like spelling lyrics out. I use a lot of double meanings on purpose because I want to inspire the listener to think. I’m not a short attention span guy, and I don’t appreciate it. EPIC is holistic and meant to be experienced that way.”
EPIC was recorded by producer Jaime Gomez Arellano (Paradise Lost, Grave Miasma) with engineer Jonathan Mazzeo (First Fragment, Sickening) at Arda Recorders in Porto, Portugal. VLTIMAS tracked the album throughout May 2023. Arellano also handled the mix and master. Like everything the band does, the main goal was to be honest. The maxim of no sample replacement or re-amping—EPIC was captured on outboard gear—was adhered to and enjoyed by the team. The result is a sonic expression that sounds like nothing else. From the crushing title track to the epic musicality of closer “Spoils of War,” EPIC is an absolute beast.
“Stress, long walks, too much alcohol, yet very focused once in the recording mode,” Eriksen says of the sessions. “We booked a month, but somehow, that flew by instantly. We worked up until the very end. I even added a few solos at my local Soundscape Studio in Almada, Portugal. Art unfolds, and once you think you are done, there’s always another idea popping up.”
VLTIMAS brought Italian artist Daniele Valeriani (Mayhem, Unanimated) to visualize EPIC. The aesthetic, as illuminated by music and message, was iconic boldness. The three-eagle head crest with three different crowns, accompanied by transfigured symbols of the Passion and the “impossible triangle,” projects effortlessly. In EPIC, the group will dominate. There’s no escape from “Miserere,” “Mephisto Manifesto,” “Scorcher,” and “Invictus.” Together, they thrust, by resolve and inventiveness, VLTIMAS into the uppermost echelons of extreme metal.
“[EPIC is] old meets contemporary, a symbiosis of all the great things we love about extreme metal,” offers Eriksen. “All combined into one album.”
“I want to be as emotional and honest [with VLTIMAS],” Vincent adds. “I want to tell stories; I want to have the themes that appeal to me; I want to have some messaging that someone can take away, in this case, strength. EPIC is strength.”
Lineup David Vincent – Vocals Rune Blasphemer Eriksen – Guitars Flo Mounier – Drums Ype TVS – Bass João Duarte – Guitars
Recording studio ARDA Recorders
Producer Jamie Gomez Arellano
Sound engineer Jonathan Mazzeo
Mixing and mastering engineer Jaime Gomez Arellano
Mixing and mastering studio Arda Recorders, Orgone Studio
EAL Productions will release the highly anticipated third album of Portugal’s Angrenost, Magna Lua Ordem Mística.
Emerging from northern Portugal in the formative years of the second wave of black metal, Angrenost has been defined not by output but by its unorthodox evolution. With roots planted by Pursan and A. Ara, the project has been a vessel for exploring the evil within man, free from the constraints of the prevailing scene or current trends.
The reunion of Pursan with A. Ara, alongside Erdsaf and M. Skúlason, has yielded Angrenost’s most mature and inspired offering to date: Magna Lua Ordem Mística (“The Mystical Order of the Great Moon”). A work full of bygone tradition, elevated by a mastery of sound, as well as words and spirit that make it shine with a distinct light.
The album invites listeners to walk a contemplative path across the ephemeral nature of existence. It is a narrative of humanity’s voyage from the still waters of the immaterial plane into the mortal sphere of chaos and corruption – a world where the celestial bond fractures and the soul of Man encounters raw embodiments of the diabolical.
Magna Lua Ordem Mística stands at the crossroads of tradition and modernity, blending esoteric lore with the intricacies of composition. It represents a sincere and powerful display of everything that makes black metal an obscure and sinister art form.
Tracklisting 1. Interlúnio: O Arco escuro e a Seta de prata 2. Côncava: Fornalha lunar… os abismos da Manifestação 3. Crescente: No fio de lua, o Enforcado 4. Corcunda: Da prata gibosa, a foice do Mago 5. Água Real: Na ampulheta o Diabo, enxofre por firmamento 6. Disseminadora: Caverna solar… os breus da Contemplação 7. Minguante: No coração de pedra, a fortaleza do Ermita 8. Balsâmica: Nos fumos esquecimento, dédalos de enxofre
On March 15th internationally, Dying Victims Productions will release Armagh‘s highly anticipated third album, Exclamation Po!nt, on CD and vinyl LP formats. And today, Wepremiere the new track “Masters of Time.” Hear Armagh‘s “Masters of Time” in its entirety here:
Formed in 2012, Armagh are a heavy metal force based in Satanic City Warsaw and Necropolis Navis. Mixing classic heavy metal from the ’70s and ’80s with proto-black metal, Armagh are the creators of First Wave Only movement, which unites several Polish bands delivering old-school metal – among them, labelmates Gallower and Sexmag but also Torpor, Wielki Mrok, and R.I.P. – with primal severity in their sound and message.
Truly, Armagh are a maniac maniac’s band, idiosyncratic mainlining such noble influences as Thin Lizzy, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Motörhead, KISS, Manilla Road, early Slayer and Megadeth, W.A.S.P, Bathory, Dissection, Running Wild, KAT, and the NWOBHM in general into something authentically rustic and effortlessly unique. But it was their second album, Serpent Storm – originally self-released in 2022, but then released on vinyl the next year by Dying Victims – where they had their breakout moment. A true record collector’s record, Serpent Storm displayed its power and personality at every turn, coming from an alien place – one where Battle Cry, Another Perfect Day, Haunting the Chapel, Chinatown, Under the Sign of the Black Mark, and Born Again all simultaneously play in perfect, hellish harmony – but evincing a wild and weird but never belabored alchemy that was simply peerless.
Now, two years later, Armagh stir up their cauldron once again with their third album, Exclamation Po!nt. This record features a wholly reconstructed lineup, with founding frontman/guitarist Galin Soulreaper now joined by fellow guitarist Vikk Vandall, bassist Tom CultCommander, and drummer Al Atom Smasher. As such, it’s a far more collaborative effort than the largely Soulripper-written Serpent Storm, with each new member adding their own fiery flair to an altogether less-immediate but much-more-mysterious album: Tom CultCommander’s spacey & hypnotic bass work (a Hawkwind influence is detectable across the record, as is a faint whiff of Rush), Vandall’s impulsive & spring-loaded leads, and the jazzy, Bill Ward-esque drumming of Atom Smasher. Less is indeed MORE here!
Just as wild and weird as its mighty predecessor but perhaps eating subtler, sweeter fruits, the deliberately demonstrative Exclamation Po!nt dives deeply into moodier and mustier waters, sounding impossibly older than even Serpent Storm. It’s all unmistakably Armagh, but if LP#3 proves anything (and loudly), it’s that these Polish maniacs are operating at the height of their powers – and, again, as a full band this time. No dynamic is too severe, no construct too off-kilter, no speed shunned: with greater emphasis on harmony vocals and Soulreaper’s lonely-warlock tones guiding the listener into a misty, mystical wonder-world, Exclamation Po!nt weaves a plaintive-yet-powerful spell that traverses the whole spectrum of human experience. And perhaps it’s there that Armagh in general and Exclamation Po!nt in particular excels – that it’s undeniably human in construction and execution, but its journey (and destination) is otherworldly to the splendorous extreme. Or, cutting out the fancy words, what we have here is heartfelt, handmade heavy metal: no modern, no trends, no way!
No longer the “sleeper hit of the year,” Armagh are prepared to punctuate “best of 2024” conversations already with Exclamation Po!nt!
Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Armagh’s Exclamation Po!nt 1. Rough Edges 2. Masters of Time 3. Aftermath 4. Between the Sides 5. The Portal 6. Rapid Str!de 7. This !s New A 8. Enough for Now
Today, Wolves of Hades and Argento Records announce March 28th as the international release date for Verwoed‘s highly anticipated second album, The Mother, on CD, vinyl LP, and cassette tape formats.
The journey of the Dutch enigmatic Verwoed has been one in continuous synergy with sonic exploration and innovation. This blazing entity returns with a much-anticipated fourth release and second full-length album, an awe-inspiring and utterly immersive experience in creative profundity by the title of The Mother.
The past has already witnessed the virtuous way Verwoed contemplated and traveled through unfathomable aural stratospheres brimming with feeling, intensity, and a sense of visceral commitment. The Mother perceives the Utrecht project as taking a step further in the direction of the abyss, an epic of splendor and imposing nature, bursting with emotion in the form of striking riffs that offer an electrical pallet of eclectic, evocative, and utterly cathartic songwriting.
Aided by a superbly captured production, the sonic quality of The Mother is drenched in dynamics with an organic power felt in the deepest depths of the dark night of the soul. Such character is overflown through a musical tapestry that is both complex and emotionally resonant, whether by the incredibly enticing and pulsing drumming performance, driven with and by a sense of variation and symbiosis, or the fervorous sensation purveyed by the electric traits aforementioned and the passionate and brutally ardent vocals, offering a visual representation of the poignant scope contained within each track.
To be released by Wolves of Hades and Argento Records on March 28th, The Mother invites the listener to a mesmerizing and innermost experience, a monument to introspective realms, a prayer of blood and fire conveyed with raw momentum.
In the meantime, hear the brand-new track “The Child” here:
Cover artwork, courtesy of Joost Vervoort, and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Verwoed’s The Mother
1. A Prayer of Blood and Fire [4:04] 2. The Mother [9:32] 3. Seven Trumpets [1:55] 4. The Child [6:55] 5. The Madman’s Dance [8:14] 6. A Choir of Null and Void [4:39] 7. Death in a Rosary [8:25]
Today, Iron Bonehead Productions announces March 22nd as the international release date for Moon Incarnate‘s striking debut album, Hymns to the Moon, on CD and vinyl LP formats.
Moon Incarnate are a new band of old souls, forged with single-minded focus. The band features the duo of Christian Kolf (Valborg) and Matin Vasari (Beyondition), who together wrote, recorded, and produced their debut album over the course of two years in their hometown of Bonn, Germany, with Peter Scartabello (Sky Shadow Obelisk) recording his drum tracks in Providence, Rhode Island, home of H.P. Lovecaraft.
Suitably, Moon Incarnate‘s sound was born out of love for the early works of the Peaceville Three – Paradise Lost, My Dying Bride, and Anathema – as well as early Amorphis, Tiamat, Katatonia, Samael, and Moonspell. Powerfully patient and starkly streamlined, their Hymns to the Moon full-length lumbers forward with eerie, awe-inspiring ease: massively heavy, entrenched in moonlit atmosphere, and rendered in rich, vintage tones courtesy of mastering by Armin Rave (Pavor). As forecasted by both moniker and album title, Moon Incarnate‘s Hymns to the Moon indeed delves into classic gothic horror themes while always paying tribute to Mother Moon.
Whether one’s a maniac for early doom-death or simply heeds the call of horror in heavy metal, you will FEEL the chill in your bones with Moon Incarnate‘s Hymns to the Moon!
In the meantime, hear the brand-new track “The Tempest” here:
Tracklisting for Moon Incarnate’s _Hymns to the Moon_ 1. Hymn To The Moon 2. The Tempest 3. A Knight’s Death 4. Nemesis 5. A Graveyard In My Soul 6. Minotaur 7. The Kraken
