Edition for true metalfans
#8†30.01.2020
MAYHEM IN MOSCOW ABBATH IN BOGOTA TAAKE IN LONDON IMPIETY IN BOGOTA MELECHESH IN LONDON SUICIDE SILENCE IN BOGOTA DIMMU BORGIR & AMORPHIS IN LONDON KNOTFEST 2019 News•Reviews•Interviews•Exclusive
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CREW A special thanks to... Mark Walsh for Taake/Melechesh/ Dimmu Borgir, Amorphis in London reviews Diego Molina for Impiety, Abbath, Suicide Silence and Knotfest Colombia 2019 reviews Helmuth Lehner (Belphegor) for his TOTAL support
Evgeny-Destroyer Editor-in-chief, design https://www.facebook.com/ evgeny.dubovskoy Mail: destroyerr78@mail.ru WhatsApp: +79180242178
Olga «Blackie» Schneider Editor, interviewer, text corrector https://www.facebook.com/ olga.metalheart Mail: olgaschneider.1997@gmail.com Inst:https://www.instagram.com/blackie_metalheart/
...and especially to these people for the interviews David Ingram (Benediction) S. Wyatt Houseman (Helleborus) Claudio Alcara (Frostmoon Eclipse) Alejandro Ruiz (Weight of Emptiness) Adam Forczek (Needless)
https://destroyerr78.wixsite.com/insidethedarkness https://www.facebook.com/InsideTheDarknessWebzine/ https://www.instagram.com/inside_the_darkness_webzine/ https://vk.com/insidethedarknessmetalwebzine
Editor’s brief
Hails to everyone! First of all, I must confess... Procrastination is a terrible thing, and we apologize for being so slow this time and we promise to kick our ass even harder than we’ve ever done before. Thanks to all of you for such a great feedback to our New Year issue, it was a true gift for us, really. The quantity of our readers is growing fast, we’re still opened for new amazing collaborations and we’re waiting for Spring/Summer to get even more Extreme Metal news around the world, since festival season is coming. Stay tuned, folks, and enjoy. Olga Schneider, editor&just a devil woman
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CONTENT Benediction Interview with David Ingram..............10 Helleborus Interview with S. Wyatt Houseman .......14 Frostmoon Eclipse Interview with Claudio Alcara....18 Weight of Emptiness Interview with Alejandro Ruiz.................22 Needless Interview with Adam Forczek..................26
News from hell..........................................4
Mayhem in Moscow review................46 Impiety in Bogota review.....................48 Abbath in Bogota review.......................51 Suicide Silence in Bogota review............54 Knotfest Colombia 2019 review..............58 Taake in London......................................66 Melechesh in London...........................70 Dimmu Borgir, Amorphis in London............74
Best metal releases..............36
Inside The Darkness reviews............78
Metalheads are waiting for it............80
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World Metal News BELPHEGOR AND
SUFFOCATION RETURN TO EUROPE 2020! BELPHEGOR announce all dates for the «Europe Under Black Death Metal Fire II“ tour, covering cities left uninvaded in 2019. Newly confirmed Rituals including Greece, Zagreb, Vienna and France have been added. 22.02.2020 - FIN - Helsinki, Ääniwalli 23.02.2020 - FIN - Tampere, Klubi 25.02.2020 - SWE - Stockholm, Slaktkyrkan 26.02.2020 - SWE - Malmö, Plan B 27.02.2020 - DEN - Aalborg, Studenterhuset 28.02.2020 - GER - Berlin, Orwo Haus 29.02.2020 - CZE - Prague, Futurum 01.03.2020 - SVK - Kosice, Collosseum 02.03.2020 - ROM - Bucharest, Quantic Club 04.03.2020 - BLG - Sofia, Mixtape 5 05.03.2020 - GR - Athens, Temple 07.03.2020 - HRV - Zagreb, Mocvara 08.03.2020 - ITA - Venice, Revolver Club 09.03.2020 - AUT - Vienna, Viper Room 11.03.2020 - ITA - Milan, Legend Club 12.03.2020 - SUI - Lyss, Kufa 13.03.2020 - SUI - Wil, Gare de Lion 14.03.2020 - FR - Marseille, Jas’ Rod 15.03.2020 - FR - Bordeaux, BT59 17.03.2020 - SPA - Bilbao, Stage Live 18.03.2020 - SPA - Santiago, Sala Capitol 19.03.2020 - POR - Porto, Hard Club 20.03.2020 - POR - Lisbon, RCA Club 21.03.2020 - SPA - Madrid, Independance 22.03.2020 - SPA - Barcelona, Razzmatazz 24.03.2020 - FR - Colmar, Le Grillen 25.03.2020 - GER - Saarbrücken, Garage 26.03.2020 - GER - Oberhausen, Helvete 27.03.2020 - GER - Leipzig, Felsenkeller
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The blackened death metallers DIABOLICAL have announced before that they will be back on the road in February in support of their latest work «Eclipse». The band comments on this tour updates: «One more show has been added to the schedule - we will be back in Warszawa, February 24! We would also like to welcome Frantic Amber on-board. As many probably noticed, this death metal band (fronted by four female musicians from four different countries; Sweden, Denmark, Japan and Colombia), got great attention in recent years and they will join the first half of the tour.» European Eclipse Tour 2020 Diabolical (Swe) + Devilish Impressions (Pol) + Souldrainer (Swe) + Dark Mirror Ov Tragedy (Kr) + Frantic Amber (Swe/Den/Jap) 05.02.2020 POL, Gdansk – Drizzly Grizzly 06.02.2020 GER, Berlin – Blackland 07.02.2020 GER, Sonderhausen – Klubhaus Stocksen 08.02.2020 GER, Bitterfeld – Festung 10.02.2020 NED, The Hague – Musicon 11.02.2020 FRA, Volmerange-Les-Mines 13.02.2020 POL, Szczecin – Elefunk The Club 14.02.2020 POL, Bydgoszcz – Estrada 15.02.2020 GER, Cottbus – Muggefug 16.02.2020 GER, Chemnitz
17.02.2020 CZE, Jaromer – Narodak 18.02.2020 AUT, Salzburg – Rockhouse 19.02.2020 CZE, Brno – Melodka 20.02.2020 ROM, Timisoara – Capcana 21.02.2020 AUT, Vienna Escape 22.02.2020 AUT, Graz – Club Q 23.02.2020 POL, Bielsko-Biala – Rudeboy 24.02.2020 POL, WARSZAWA – Voodoo
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World Metal News
VADER announced a 2020 North American tour with Abysmal Dawn and Hideous Divinity where they’ll play songs from Thy Messenger and the new album, plus celebrate the anniversaries of three older albums: De Profundis (25 years), Litany (20 years), and The Art of War EP (15 years).
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Vader / Abysmal Dawn / Hideous Divinity — 2020 North American Tour 04.02.2020 – CA San Diego / Brick by Brick 05.02.2020 – AZ Mesa / Club Red 06.02.2020 – TX El Paso / Rockhouse 07.02.2020 – TX Austin / Come and take it! 08.02.2020 – TX Dallas / Gas Monkey 09.02.2020 – TX Houston / Warehouse Live Studio 11.02.2020 – FL Orlando / The Haven 12.02.2020 – NC Fayetteville / The Drunk Horse Pub 13.02.2020 – PA Philadelphia / Milkboy 14.02.2020 – NY Brooklyn / The Warsaw 15.02.2020 – NH Manchester / Jewel Nightclub 16.02.2020 – QC Quebec City / Le D’Auteuil 17.02.2020 – QC Montreal / Foufounes Electriques 18.02.2020 – ON Toronto / Velvet Underground 19.02.2020 – MI Detroit / Sanctuary 20.02.2020 – Il Chicago / Reggies 21.02.2020 – MN Minneapolis / Skyway Theatre 22.02.2020 – MO Kansas City / The Riot Room 23.02.2020 – CO Denver / Marquis Theatre 25.02.2020 – WA Seattle / Club Sur 26.02.2020 – OR Portland / Bossanova Ballroom 27.02.2020 – CA Oakland / Metro Opera House 28.02.2020 – CA Los Angeles / 1720
2020 is going to be a memorable year for the death metal force VADER: the band from Poland have ample reason to celebrate! In 1990, thirty years ago, their second demo «Morbid Reich» was released - opening a completely new world to the band and kick-starting their career. Five years later, the second album «De Profundis» followed, set to celebrate its 25th birthday next year. In 2000, twenty years ago, «Litany» was released - one of the most popular VADER albums to date. And last but not least: their mini album «Art Of War» is also celebrating its 15 anniversary! To honour these landmark occasions, VADER have dedicated a whole anniversary tour to these four works, set to take band across Europe in March 2020, with support to come from bands DEFILED, CHRONOSPHERE and FALLCIE. European Anniversary Tour 2020 With DEFILED (Japan), CHRONOSPHERE (Greece) and FALLCIE (Russia). 07.03.2020 GER – Osnabruck / Bastard 08.03.2020 BEL – Arlon / l’Entrepôt 09.03.2020 UK – London / Underworld 10.03.2020 HOL – Rotterdam / Baroeg 11.03.2020 BEL – Lokeren / Sport & Jeugdcomplex 12.03.2020 HOL – Amersfoort / Fluor033 13.03.2020 GER- Leipzig / Stadtbad 14.03.2020 GER – Marsberg / Metal Diver Festival
15.03.2020 GER – Mannheim / MS Connexion Complex 16.03.2020 CH – Martigny / Sunset 17.03.2020 CH – Martigny / Sunset 18.03.2020 ITA – Milano / Slaughter House 19.03.2020 ITA – San Dova di Piave / Revolver 20.03.2020 CRO – Zagrzeb / Mochvara 21.03.2020 A – Wien / Viper Room 22.03.2020 SK – Kosice / Colloseum
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World Metal News
UK and Ireland Tour 2020
12.02 - Bristol - The Fleece 13.02 - Leeds - The Key Club 14.02 - Dublin - Voodoo Lounge 15.02 - Glasgow - Slay 16.02 - Manchester - Rebellion 17.02 - Milton Keynes - Craufurd Arms
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Fleshgod Apocalypse will return to the UK and Ireland on February 2020 in support of their latest album Veleno! Fleshgod Apocalypse will be supported by UK tech-death phenomenon Bloodshot Dawn.
Italian orchestral-death metal giants Fleshgod Apocalypse will make their triumphant return to North America this March - April in support of their critically lauded album, Veleno. For the first time in the band’s celebrated career they’ll be doing a full-tour, accompanied by a classical string quartet, which will be an unprecedented experience for death metal fans. Tour dates: March 16 - Dallas, Texas @ House of Blues March 17 - Austin, Texas @ Emo’s March 19 - Atlanta, Ga. @ Buckhead Theatre March 20 - Baltimore, Md. @ Baltimore Soundstage March 21 - Philadelphia, Pa. @ Theatre of Living Arts March 22 - Brooklyn, N.Y. @ The Warsaw March 23 - Quebec City, Quebec @ Le D’Auteuil March 24 - Montreal, Quebec @ Theatre Corona March 25 - Toronto, Ontario @ Phoenix, Concert Theatre March 26 - Cleveland, Ohio @ House of Blues March 27 - Chicago, Ill. @ House of Blues March 28 - Lincoln, Neb. @ The Royal Grove March 29 - Denver, Colo. @ Summit Music Hall
March 31 - Vancouver, British Columbia @ Rickshaw Theatre April 01 - Seattle, Wash. @ El Corazon April 02 - Portland, Ore. @ Crystal Ballroom April 04 - San Diego, Calif. @ Observatory North Park April 05 - Mesa, Ariz. @ Club Red April 06 - Los Angeles, Calif. @ The Regent Theater
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Benediction• Death Metal from United Kingdom
Interview with David Ingram
Interview by Olga Schneider
Man, first of all, I would really like to say thank you for the opportunity to
My thanks to YOU for the interview! Right now I’m rather busy with those
ly winding up. We’re just waiting on the solos to be finished for that one, by
Metal heads, stay true to the scene and it will stay true to you. d o this interview! We know you’ve been busy with you several projects lately, so... Have are you now? 10
other projects…well, not ALL of them. But let me explain. The Hellfrost And Fire debut album is slow-
Scott Fairfax of Memoriam. Then we get it mixed (by Jonny Pettersson) and look for a label to call home.
The other bands I am working with are: Down Among The Dead Men (new album in 2021), Echelon (new album in 2021), and also Troikadon and Ursinne - both of those I’ll be working on in February and March, when I have had an operation on my hip and will be taking it easy to recover. Obviously there’s the new Benediction album, too. Ok, let’s begin with some... Not “news” already, but still breaking. In July, Benediction suddenly announced your return, and we can’t deny that it was like a hit in the head with a hammer. We know the story generally, but what did you feel when you started realizing that Darren was gonna offer you to return? Did you even have some thoughts about refusing? How many time did you need to take this decision? It was exciting as all Hell! I spoke to my wife and son
moments before he called and they both said “If they ask you to go back then DO IT!” So with the blessing of my family I wasn’t going to turn it down. The only real reservation I had was with my health. As I mentioned previously, I am having a hip operation in February, after our tour in South
America. It’s something that has been plaguing me for a long time, so it will be good to get it fixed. I’ve some other issues to deal with as well, but that’s all part of getting old. How does it feel now, having returned to the band after 20 fukken years? Is it not like getting used to these people again, since working in any team is always lots of compromises and ability to adapt to each other? Especially considering the fact that time can completely change people sometimes, so you see a person and you’re just like: “Dude, who the fukk are you?”, even if you have known this dude for decades... It felt like I was never away. It was an incredibly comfortable transition for me. If anyone felt any “who the fuck are you?” moments, then it was probably the other guys thinking about me. 11
Benediction• Death Metal from United Kingdom
I’ve certainly changed over the years. I rebuilt my personality after my breakdown, so I’m certainly a rogue element and my own anti-hero. After having returned to Benediction, you started some acting at once, so you have already played several shows with them. Tell us a bit more about these experiences. How have your supporters changed and what still remains the same? They are still the same crazy-ass metal heads they always were, just they got older too - and brought along some younger fans as well. Overall the scene has definitely changed, but I saw that happen on my own. It evolved, as we all knew that it would. Now we get to bring the Old School back and teach these young pups a lesson or two. You take part in 4 more projects nowadays, besides Benediction. Do you divide them into the main and the secondary ones? Or you try to dedicate yourself to all of them equally? It’s hard to separate my projects through their importance, as they are all significantly impera12
tive to me. I answered above news about it eventually. Tell us a bit more about about the schedule I have ahead with them, plus there your work with Bolt Throwwas talks about reviving one er. We also know that you
band live for one more show, left the band because of your but I’m not sure exactly when health issues. Have you that would be. There will be ever thought about returning there as well? Probably they’ll be the next ones who will shock us with such news? ^^ That will not happen. R.I.P Martin “Kiddie” Kearns. You will never be forgotten. Back in 2013, your son took part in recording of one of tracks for Down Among the Dead Men.
So, love to Metal is your family thing? My son isn’t much of a music fan, in truth. At least not right now. There is still time, obviously. He will inherit my music collection so maybe that will inspire him in the future. I never try to force him into anything he has no current interest in. Time will tell. Any upcoming plans with some of your projects besides Benediction? And, BTW, What about themselves? Aren’t you preparing some new content? A new Benediction album is close to being finished. We hope to have it out in early 2020. More than that I won’t say for now. Once the South American tour is finished we will take some time off (not just for my hip operation, but there’s other personal reasons) until May when we go back out and play again. I’ve mentioned what my other projects are doing, but not my online show, Metal Breakfast Radio (I will place links at the end) which will continue to put out sporadic episodes from time to time. It’s become difficult to keep to a schedule for now, but a time will come when it shall return to it’s proper slot. It’s definitely not
like most other radio shows! What are your passions besides music? If you have any time for it of course! Truthfully there is little time BUT family is important to me. I always find time for that. My job is important too. I’ve been working at it
here in Copenhagen for nearly 13 years. (it’s at the Danish Cancer Research facility) and let’s not forget my other three passions: my dogs Bella and Clara, Doctor Who, and beer. Always time for those, too. What’s the future of Death Metal in some upcoming 15 years? It will no doubt evolve again.
There will be a dropping off from the OSDM bands from the 90s as they (WE!) may get too old to do it anymore. But I’ll keep at it as long as people want me to. I don’t feel ready to retire quite just yet. Thank you once again for taking your time. Now our last and traditional question. What would you like to say to our readers and our editorial board? Thanks so much for the interview! To the metal heads out there, stay true to the scene and it will stay true to you. Here’s some links of interest for my projects: www.radiofreesatan.com/ category/metalbreakfast/ www.facebook.com/ MetalBreakfastRadio www.facebook.com/ DownAmongTheDeadMen www.facebook.com/ DaveIngramOfficial www.facebook.com/ LambertsBasement www.facebook.com/ HellfrostAndFire w w w . f a c e b o o k . com/EchelonOfficial w w w . f a c e b o o k . com/UrsinneBand w w w . f a c e b o o k . c o m / T r o i k a d o n w w w . m e t a l breakfastradio.com www.darksentinel.dk T w i t t e r / I n s t a gram: @MetalBreakfast 13
Helleborus• Symphonic Black Metal from United States
Interview with Shane Wyatt Houseman
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Interview by Olga Schneider
As far as I know, Helleborus is a mysterious and deadly flower. Why did you choose this name for your band? Do you like this killer plant or were there other reasons? The name is derived from ancient Greek “the plant of fauns”, but yes we found it fascinating that there is a beautiful flower blooming in winter when everything else around it appears dead. It appears as a spot color in an otherwise barren landscape, and yet the flower itself is dead-
ly. It’s also native to the area of Colorado where we are from. Before I had the name I had a collection of
to witches, coven, occult herbalism & sexual mysticism. Where does such an unusual passion come from? It more so comes from the books I read. I personally have always had a fascination with the esoteric & the occult and my brother more so is interested in the hidden histories of man. I believe our upbringing really pointed us in this direction.
typical goat e th om fr ay aw y ra st to t an w I mother. is h or s su Je g in iz m do so s er st mon elements in mind that the name had to reflect; it had to be enigmatic, dark in nature, deadly and possibly sexy. I’m just overall fascinated with all the folklore behind it. Your work is dedicated
Our father is a renaissance mountain man, our mother is somewhat of a forest witch and our grandfather babysat us on horror films. I started reading more occult books while in college and finding like minded individuals through our local music & art scene. Right now I’m more focused on traditional Western Witchcraft and folklore than the typical black metal satanist. Recently, Helleborus released their second album, called Saprophytic Divinations. I would like to reveal the details of this album. How did the recording go, what influenced the album, what or to whom it is dedicated, etc. We write and demo all the songs from our home studio. Jerred writes and composes all music and I write all the lyrics and concepts. We then recorded the final product with Shane Howard at his studio called Sawn & Quartered, located a little north of Denver. Brent Boutte’ records the final drum takes for the album & Ian Horneman performed the bass for it. The books I read is essentially the fodder for my lyrical concepts. In essence the record is dedi-
cated to the individual who sacrifices everything at the alter and to whom endures that suffering. It is also dedicated to She, whom you meet at the Crossroads. She
who trav- e l s both the Heavens and the Hells. Uncover the meaning of the album cover. We are observing a triptych, an idea I had when discussing my visions with Stefan (Khaos Diktator). The first paint-
ing we observe within the triptych is a dead King laying in his court. Three Crown Witches are above him extracting seeds of Belladonna from his entrails to use for divination practices. This piece reflects the concepts in Alraun Ghost. The 2nd and center piece in the triptych is focused on the the title track of the album Saprophytic Divinations. We see a man sapphire blue, dead yet elevated in an archway like a that of a divine being. His skin is sapphire blue to represent his initiation through The Poison Path and The Last Gate. The naked woman below is trying to return his heart as an offering for his personal sacrifices. He is crowned with Henbane, for it has the ability to make one forget oneself. It is said that those who wander along the river of Styx are all crowned with this Saturnalian herb. Greek oracles were said to breathe Henbane smoke as a for of divination. The third and final painting within the triptych we observe a man kissing and embracing a Witch. 15
Helleborus• Symphonic Black Metal from United States
She has answered his call… He is within a cenote catacomb, a naturally accruing sinkhole within a meadow populated by skulls and bones of those who had the misfortune of falling in. He has made his way there based off instinct, to pray among the dead company for flight over Blakullas Meadow. A large meadow, whereof you can see no end. Where the Devil held his Earthly court during a Witches’ Sabbath. A little more time has passed since the release of the album, but there have already been many positive and enthusiastic reviews about this release and, I must say, they are absolutely adequate. The album is very good and will take its rightful place among the new releases released in 2019. As an advertisement, I would like to show our readers links where you can listen to and purchase 16
Saprophytic Divinations. sic videos for Saprophytic d i s t r o k i d . c o m / h y p e r - but we plan on doing more f o l l o w / h e l l e b o r u s / s a p - videos for future releases. r o p h y t i c - d i v i n a t i o n s After the release of the first album, you skated on a tour of North America. Is a Saprophytic Divinations tour expected? And do you plan to expand your horizons and go on tour outside of North America? h t t p s : / / h e l l e b o r u s - u s . As of now we do not have b a n d c a m p . c o m / any tour plans, I’m hopI was pleasantly surprised ing that will change soon. If by watching the Blakulla’s we do not tour in the next Meadow video. Recent- coming months I’m planing ly, it is rare to see themat- to go right back into writic clips from Black met- ing. We are looking to tour al bands. Tell me about Europe and other parts of creating this video. Any the world sometime in the plans to shoot new videos? near future, especially if we Guilherme Henriques did get some solid tour offers. fantastic work for us, he As part of live shows, you executed the vision in my shared the stage with famous scrip very well. He shot it bands. Is there any interestin Portugal and seem to ing story from past gigs? have found the perfect cast. And who was most pleasOf the scenes are not exact- ant to share the stage with? ly how I wanted them to be We had the great pleasure but that’s to be expected. and honor to open for TAThere won’t be anymore mu- AKE’s first Colorado debut.
Hoest was a monster live and a gentleman off stage. Touring with UADA was a real pleasure, Jake and James have become good friends over the years. I don’t really have any crazy stories about bands or band members but I could go on and on about some shit I’ve seen from fans at shows. You said that you are trying to explore aspects in Black metal that no one has touched before. What did you mean? What I meant by that comment is that I’m going in a different rout from a lot of the general black metal bands out there. My new focus is more on Western Occultism, Traditional Witchcraft and Western Folklore. I want to leave as much of the Hebrew religions corruption out of Helleborus as I can. As fun as it can be I want to stray away from the typical goat monsters sodomizing Jesus or his mother. I just feel that it is over saturated and it’s been done before.
What do you think is happening with Black metal now? Is there a development and increased interest in this genre, or vice versa, in our time, it is becoming increasingly difficult to place metalheads in the genre? I see it all as a develop-
ment and I don’t find it difficult. I have witnessed a lot of great new releases in the black metal genre. Especially within the US and I have to say Spain and Greece in particular have some amazing bands right now. I especially appreciate the online Band-
camp platform, I like that you able to follow and subscribe to a lot of the underground and independent record labels. You have the ability to stream and buy physical copies. I is also a great tool for the bands themselves. I express my deep gratitude to you for taking the time to do this interview and telling our readers about your band and especially your new album, which will not go unnoticed by Black metal fans. I wish you not to rest on our laurels and continue to please us with our creativity in the future. And finally, our traditional question is your wishes to those who read this interview. I wish them all many blessing in this new year and to keep an eye out for new releases. We might have a new Helleborus EP this year and a new Akhenaten full length. Also keep an eye out for other killer releases on Redefining Darkness Records.
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Frostmoon Eclipse - Black Metal from Italy
Interview with Claudio Alcara
Interview by Olga Schneider
Frostmoon Eclipse is one of the oldest Black Metal bands on the Italian metal scene. The band was formed in a distant 1994 and has 7 Full-length albums. You released the new album “Worse Weather To Come” October 25, 2019. Let’s talk about new album and your creativity. How did you get the idea to create a Black metal band? Ah, this takes me really back in time... I always wanted to play guitar and have a band, so after the first few usual awkward attempts, I decided that 16 years was a good age to start something on my own. It was the fall of 1994 and all the classics Black Metal
albums were being released one after another. I had just broke a leg and could do nothing but play guitar, so I started to stack up some riffs which eventually came into songs. Then I thought to record a demo. Frostmoon Eclipse combining Old School Black Metal with acoustic interludes. As result you have very unusual but rather interesting mixture. How did you come to this? I don’t think that’s so unusual, acoustic guitars
nothing really new... Anyway I always liked the acoustic sound, so it was natural for me to have acoustic guitars since the first recordings. Your lyrics can be described as a nightmare between deep depression and pure nihilism that bring the listeners into a journey towards the unknown of the human psyche, where darkness wins the feeble light of hope. What contributed to this choice? We just decided to talk about the actual negative sides of life instead of woods, d e m o n s and stuff like that. Nothing against those topics though, we just want to keep real and, if possible, universal.
We just want to keep real and, if possible, universal.
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have been used in Black Metal and/or rock music in general since the beginning, so that’s
Frostmoon Eclipse never lost the slightest bit of energy nor did you ever diverge from band’s style during 25 years career. How have you managed not just to keep your best traditions, but also continue to develop? All in all I think I am the same 16 years old kid I was back then, I just got older. S t i l l everyone changes on the inside, whether you like it or not, and so your m u s i c does. Or should. You ‘ve had a lot of covers in your entire career. I can assume this is a tribute to your favorite bands? Yes, but that’s mostly my favourite bands, so I take all the blame for the odd choices here, ahah... We still close our gigs with “Black Sabbath”, or even “Let’s Fucking Die” sometimes. Some years ago we did “Hells Bells”... Other tributes
we were featured in are Venom, Carnivore, Judas Iscariot... Cover songs are always fun to play, and help to keep the memories alive. You cooperated with many interesting bands. How did you decide to cooperate with them? Sometimes the
chance of a split release pops up here and here, and if we like the other bands involved and the label is reliable, we’re usually up for it. You went to your very first tour around Europe only in 2012. Why so late? Was there no opportunity or no worthy offers? And why you have not so much tours and gigs in your career? Work, everyday life, money could be difficult to
deal with. Also, having a right context could be not so easy. We tried our best anyway. And now let’s talk about “Worse Weather To Come”. Tell about your new creation. I don’t want to sound rude here but I think the best way to know about an album is to listen to it, since today it’s very easy to get ahold of almost everything. Our label Immortal Frost put it on its YouTube channel, Spotify and all the usual streaming channels. I feel uncomfortable talking about my music because it’s easy to sound assumptive. Anyway I can say we tried to write proper songs, songs that could try to stand the test of time, and not just riff sequences. We tried to make it sound as a whole, and ordered the tracks like a journey. I don’t know if we succeeded at it, but this was our main goal. 19
Frostmoon Eclipse - Black Metal from Italy 20
Song To Darkness was recorded with J.J. from Harakiri For The Sky. Why did you decide to offer him to take part in that? We met him when he let us sleep at his place after a gig in Austria and stayed friends since then. We sent the song, he sent it back with his vocals, and that was it. Will be nice to have him on stage with us someday, we’ll see. You have other project c a l l e d Stroszek. This band is not at all like what you do with Frostmoon Eclipse. How did you come to create this band? Perhaps in this way you decided to take a break from the heavy sound and focus on the acoustic component of your music? I think the two bands are really similar, one uses distortion, the other doesn’t, but many chords progressions are very much alike. In 2005
we released an acoustic album called “Dead And Forever Gone”, and the whole Stroszek thing picked up from there. Then Frostmoon went back to our usual style with “Another Face Of Hell”, and Stroszek just kept going the acoustic road.
What projects have you taken part in the process of your creative activity? Beside Frostmoon Eclipse and Stroszek, me and our drummer Gionata have been involved in the first Macabre
Omen album, and way before in another Italian band called Handful Of Hate. I played some guitars for our American friends Canis Dirus, and some ten ago I had an ambient project called Aere Aeternus, with a French guy of Dark Sanctuary. Recently, I was featured in a book about Nick Drake with a short story about that one time when I gave his manager a ride. Basically, I do everything I am asked to, if i like the project. In Italy, there are quite a few well-known bands playing Black metal. Which of the national bands could you distinguish from the rest? What can you tell about development of extreme metal scene in Italy from 90’s till present time? I would have wanted to tell you it’s getting better and better but the real truth is that I don’t know.
There are some good bands just like it was back then, and by the way who am I to say a band is “bad”? All in all, everyone keeps doing their thing. I always forget s o m e o n e when I make lists, so let’s just say we all have friends here and there, I think they all know who they are. Bands but also labels, club owners or even just guys following the scene. I’d like to remember M of The T r u e Endless, who is no longer with us. I would like to congratulate Frostmoon E c l i p s e on its 25th anniversary and wish you success in your creative
career, not stop there and continue t o
implement interesting work. Thank you for your time for this interview. And finally, our traditional question is your wishes to those who are reading this interview. My wishes never come true, so I better keep my mouth shut here, ahah... Thank you very much for this space, for any info check www.frostmooneclipse. com or the usual social channels. See you next time.
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Weight of Emptiness - Death Doom Metal from Chile
Interview with Alejandro Ruiz
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Interview by Olga Schneider
Your band is still quite new, but you have already achieved some success. How did you do it? Have you already found your way in music or are you still experimenting and continuing your search for something new? Hello, first of all thank you for your time for this interview and yes, as you say the band is new but we are guys with an experience of almost 20 years, therefore in regards to music I think we are not experiment-
ing in search of style, since we are clear about how we want the band to sound, what we have experienced and
with other bands before Weight of Emptiness? Yes, as I mentioned before, most of the WOE members have had previous b a n d s . J u a n Acevedo (Guitar), Alejandro Bravo (Guitar) and I played together in a band called Twilight Mist that was the prelude to what is now Weight of Emptiness,
e w d n a l ia t n e t o p e h We have t . s u w o n k o t ld r o w e just need th learned is to better manage the band to promote it worldwide. Did the band members already have experience
Mauricio Basso (Drums) until recently he played in the melodic death band Letargo and Mario Urra (Bassist) played in the progressive rock band Tremates and I personally have gone through many bands also like Perpetuum and Homicide of which I am still part. August 31, 2019 your band released the second full-length album Conquering the Deep Cycle, tell us about it. Indeed, it is our second LP and we believe that we are in quite good physical condition since taking out 2 albums in a period of 4 years is enough for a Latin American band so we are happy for the manufacturing. I think that with this album we raise the level of the compositions and also the level of the production, which has allowed us to show our music in more parts of the world and in a much more professional way. After the release of Anfractuous Moments for Redemption, your first album, you
shot three official videos. After the release of the second album, so far only one video has been shot for the song The Flame. Is there any hope that there will be more videos? Of course, yes ... that’s a fact! Only we want to be delivering audiovisual material in a more measured way, and deliver a quality product for all our fans, so we are already working
to be able to record new video clips… we also have a rather ambitious project for the next album so we know it will take a little more its output and therefore we cannot release all the videos at once since we will run out of material to promote hahahaha ... ... anyway we already released a second single in lyric video format of the song
that opens the disc called “Invisible Mind Workers” which we hope you enjoy very much. In September 2019, Weight of Emptiness went on a European tour and played several concerts in Spain, Romania and Bulgaria. How did Europe accept you, what was most remembered on this tour? Was this your first tour to another continent (including Europe) or had you already had the experience of traveling to distant countries? It was an incredible trip that we lived in the old continent (only Russia was left hahaha) this being our second tour outside our country since in 2017 we had a tour of 6 cities in Mexico, so we were already prepared for what is needed on a tour they are quite exhausting, since you sleep little and eat badly, add all the beer you drink and hangover hahahaha. But we got happy accounts as we were able to get ahead and the people who watched our live shows were not indifferent to us and were always very impressed with the level of the live band. 23
Weight of Emptiness - Death Doom Metal from Chile 24
Weight of Emptiness has not bad experience in live shows. Looking back, can you single out one or several of your concerts among the rest, both positively and negatively? If the truth is that we play a lot within the year and we really like to play live, we try to give a good experience to the audience that attends our shows and I think we have not disappointed with that, since they are shows full of strength and dedication. I remember a show in Mexico that was on November 1, so we were right on “Dia de Muertos” so to give more emphasis to the show and fill ourselves with the energy of that holiday we played with corpsepaint, but with the dead paintings they occupy In that country ... it was crazy, we had an incredible time and we could also learn their customs and their culture with death. With which band or bands was it your honor to share the stage and with whom would you like to perform at a joint open air or in a club? Personally, on the European tour there were several bands with which it was a great experience to share live
that they were God´s Funeral and Pneura from Spain and EvergreeD from Romania ... all incredible guys and excellent musicians ... from bands of my country we have Made excellent shows with Stigmatized, Decem Maleficivm, Human Vestige and Inanna, with whom we are also good friends. As for who we would
like to play with, I think it is a very wide question since there would be many bands. Surely we would answer that with Poema Arcanvs, Ihsahn or Septicflesh, but I think that at this point it does not matter much ... we would love to play with icon bands or of which we are fans but today we worry about our show that is what really matters. In the world Metal community, I think there are not many people who can boast of acquaintance with bands
from Chile. And I am sure that many will be interested to learn from the musician representative of Chile about what is happening with metal in your southern country. Tell me how things are with extreme metal in Chile and what bands would you recommend to those who are interested in listening? The truth is that in Chile you can find bands of all styles that exist in the world and each one has its place and its faithful public, therefore the bands that I will name you go more personally than anything in general and I can name you Stigmatized , Inanna, Decem Maleficivm, Target, Ruit Hora, Homicide, Cadaverous Incarnate, Habitante,Poema Arcanvs, Gorhoth, Aypheros, Human Vestige, Dies Irae, Black Vortex, Magnanimvs, Endless Sedition, Perpetuum, Adkan, Bleak Flesh and there must be many to be They forget right now but it is a matter of researching and you will notice that there are excellent bands around here. (My friends from other bands would say “Ohhh damn son of a bitch you didn’t name my band” hahahahahaha)
of recording the new Homicide that is quite brutal, so as you can see I am full of projects for this 2020. I wish your band creative success and continue to delight metalheads with their new albums and live performances. And finally, our traditional question: what would you wish for those who are reading this interview now? Thank you for your words and listen to our material, since you will not be indifferent to our music, to the What are your plans for you there again near Oc- people of Russia a big greetthe future of Weight of tober. We want to take the ing and I hope to go there, Emptiness and you per- band to the highest we can, play for you and drink sonally as a musician? At this time we are already creating new material for a new album, but we have not put pressure since we want to make it calm and without leaving anything to chance, keep the essence of the band but sound fresh and surely darker, also obviously continue in parallel with the promotion of “Conquering the Deep Cycle” that so far has been in most of the Latin American awards as one of the best albums of 2019 and one or another nomination in Europe, I also under- we have the potential and Vodka with you too hahastand that it is not closed we just need the world to haha …… oh and for Above 100% but we should Come know us. Personally I am all, Stay Unbreakable !!!! back to a European festi- very involved with WOE val this year so we’ll see and I am also in the process 25
Needless - Thrash / Death Metal from Hungary
Interview with Adam Forczek
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Interview by Olga Schneider
First of all, tell us a bit more about the foundation of your band. How did everything begin for you? Adam: First of all thank you so much for the opportunity! It was ages ago in our teenage hood. Needless was founded by old friends, knowing each other for years. We were so young, barely knew our instruments, or how
to make decent music. The only goal which was ahead of us were our inspirations like
We badly wanted to make such music like them. So the bond was very strong in the band from the beginn i n g , and the members did not change frequently, we could remain as we are, and could deepen our relationship musically, which later on became a strong aspect of Needless.
est d l i w e h t g n i nclud i , a e d i y r e v age E n a m n a c e w k, if r o w d l u o c s e s. s e on l d e e N f o d worl e h t o t t i k n i to l Metallica, System of a Down. Later on more bands became our influences, such as Sepultura, Death, or Slayer.
For all the time of your existence, you released one demo, one EP and one full-lenght album, and the pauses between each of the releases were quite big. Did you have any circumstances that interrupted you or you just needed some time to understand completely what you really wanted your creations to be? Adam: Our musical knowledge improved during the early life of the band. We learned how to be proper musicians in Needless itself. There was no background knowledge from any of us. So it took time for us to reach such level to present any listenable for the audience. On the other hand we worked as a garage band. Needless was a hobby project between us friends until around 2010 when we decided to move to higher levels. We began to prepare our first
EP called The Dark Spirit of Ages. Then the lineup changed and forced us to lover the engines of the band for a while. Then in 2018
we came up with the heaviest lineup ever and began to record our first full length Heresy. For the record, I can tell that you don’t have to wait another 4 years for our new record. Our second full length is already in the making. Your music is absolutely wild mix of Thrash, Death and Black Metal. How many time did you need to find your own perfect sound and what bands inspired you? Adam: Our influences came from all around the metal and rock scene. We listen a lot of bands from black metal to 70’s prog rock bands. Our philosophy is basically this: every idea, including the wildest ones could work, if we can manage to link it to the world of Needless. We came up ideas frequently. Fortunately we are creative guys. 27
Needless - Thrash / Death Metal from Hungary 28
guages in the world. I myself personally found English more comfortable when it comes to metal music. All my inspirations used English, and my lyrical world is also based on theirs. However
But, the hardest thing is finding that link between our music and a riff or an acoustic part. Since you’re from Hungary and your language is truly distinctive, sometimes a bit strange, but definitely not like other European languages, have you ever thought about making some lyrics in Hungarian? Or you want your lyrics to be easy to understand? Adam: Yes, it is a common knowledge that Hungarian language is one of the most authentic lan-
we tried to insert some Hungarian words into our song Sky Burial but it just did not work for us. It does not mean that we won’t experiment with it later. Maybe on our second album. Your band was
founded in 2004, and as we know, you haven’t changed any members since that year, and this is rather something unusual nowadays. How did you manage to keep the same line-up? Adam: Tolerance. Like in a family you have to manage to accept everyone’s bullshit. It is pretty hard, and wasn’t be like that all the time. We had huge arguments and broke ups during the years, but we all love the music we do, and we know that we could not manage such great things without each other. So this kept us together.
Some years ago, you played some shows in your country with several famous bands. What collaboration was the best, in your opinion? Adam: I think the show with Flotsam And Jetsam in Budapest was pretty cool back in the day. Everything was professional, and we got a lot new friends. It was a mini festival and all the honorable Hungarian thrash bands was there alongside with Dew-Scented and Flotsam.
Do you plan any tour at the moment to promote your latest release? Adam: Not anything big. On the next week we are going to hit the road to Serbia. We will do two shows with Rapidforce. Also we have upcoming shows in Poland. They are yet to be announced. Also we will be there at Aggressive Music Fest in Czech Republic on this summer. Our traditional question. What would you like to
say to those who are reading this interview right now and to our editorial board? Give Heresy a shot if you haven’t heard already, and let us know what do you think! Thanks again!
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Latest releases
Horrizon Melodic Death Metal band from Germany released the third Full-length album World of Pain November 29, 2019. The German Melodic Death Metal band HORRIZON was founded in the year 2005. This is the album for fans of bands like Arch Enemy, Amon Amarth, At The Gates, Dark Tranquility.
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Lineup Martin Gerloff - Vocals (formerly guitars) Franz Riemann - Bass, Vocals (backing) Peter Gedert - Guitars Robert Witzel - Drums Michael Bach - Guitars Andy Gillion (Mors Principium Est) guitar solo on Reborn.
Tracklist: 1. Once in a While 2. Sentenced to Death 3. Where Am I? 4. World of Pain 5. Haunted by the Past 6. Ancient Wisdom 7. Dying God 8. Lost 9. Why? 10. Reborn 11. Endless Rain
INTO THE CATACOMBS OF FLESH Fleshcrawl Death Metal band from Germany released the ninth Fulllength album Into the Catacombs of Flesh November 29, 2019. FLESHCRAWL came to life in spring 1987 by Stefan Hanus and Bastian Herzog. The band was initially known as Morgรถth, but changed their moniker to Suffocation in 1990. They were forced to change it again in 1991 (to Fleshcrawl), because of the US band of the same name. Lineup Bastian Herzog Drums, Vocals
(additional) Sven Gross - Vocals Oliver Grbavac - Guitars, Vocals (additional) Manu Markowski - Bass Slobodan Stupar - Guitars
Tracklist 1. Into the Catacombs of Flesh 2. Mass Obliteration 3. Ossuary Rituals 4. Funeral Storm 5. Grave Monger 6. Chained Impalement 7. Law of Retaliation 8. Obliteration Bizarre 9. Red Streams of Sorrow 10. Of Frozen Bloody Grounds 11. Suffer the Dead 12. Among Death and Desolation
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Latest releases
Crest of Darkness Black Metal band from Norway released the eighth Full-length album The God of Flesh December 6, 2019. Ingars’ brainchild Crest Of Darkness was conceived in the midnineties when his former band Conception was still at its peak. As opposed to Conception, the idea behind C.o.D. was unquestionable a product of Ingars’ passion for sheer sonic brutality and devotion to the satanic ideology according to Anton LaVeys’ Church Of
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Satan and the Satanic Bible. The contents of C.o.D.’s lyrics clearly reflect Ingars’ beliefs as well as his deep admiration for vampirism. CREST OF DARKNESS moved the barriers again with “The God Of Flesh”, the new full-length album from the Norwegian Black Metal veterans, and present the heaviest, darkest and most personal album of their career with a band at its 110%. “The God Of Flesh” is a new classic of a band marked by an integrity and a personality that is hard to come by. Now they have reached the point: this is the evil, this is the beast, this is the dead.
Tracklist 1. The God of Flesh 2. The Child with No Head 3. Endless Night 4. The Spawn of Seth 5. Forgotten 6. Euthanasia 7. Blood 8. Godless Evil Eyes 9. Salvation in Hell Line-up: Ingar Amlien - Vocals, Bass Rebo - Guitars (lead), Guitars (rhythm) Bernhard - Drums
Helleborus Symphonic Black Metal band from United States released the second Fulllength album Saprophytic Divinations December 6, 2019. Like the enigmatic & deadly winter flower from which the project takes its name, the ancient Greeks called the Helleborus “the plant of fauns”. Heavily influenced by the Orphic Mysteries, traditional w e s t e r n witchcraft & folklore. The band pushes the exploration of orthodoxy black metal into the uncharted territory of
sensual duality with a focus on occult herbalism & sexual mysticism. Tracklist 1. Celestial Grave 2. Alraun Ghost 3. Verum Fidei 4. Devil’s Garden 5. Juniper Shrine 6. Decaying Observer 7. Nocte Amans 8. Blakulla’s Meadow 9. Saprophytic Divinations
Lineup Jerred C. Houseman Guitars, Songwriting S. Wyatt Houseman Vocals, Lyrics Brent Boutté - Drums Ian Horenman - Bass
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Latest releases
Officium Triste Death/Doom Metal band from Netherlands released the sixth Full-length album The Death of Gaia December 13, 2019. Dutch death/doom metal legends Officium Triste, who have been around for 25 years, are back with their sixth full length album titled ‘The Death of Gaia’. They’re only wiser with age, for the music is just as evocative as always if not more this time around, with better arrangements and variations spread across the album. Their music has this gentle yet overwhelming approach that will leave you in complete tatters by the time it’s done. It’s beautifully hinging on this balance they’ve perfected over decades
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between plaintive melodies and wretched heaviness. Additional instruments such as piano, violin and cello have been brought in and even several guest vocals to lend to this an epic air, further entrenching their mastery over this form of poignant music. For this album they’ve employed the services of Chris Smith (Grey Aria Design Studio) for the vibrant artwork and of Greg Chandler (Esoteric) where mastering is concerned, ensuring that everything is done just the way it was meant to be. ‘The Death of Gaia’ is the pinnacle of the band’s illustrious career and sets new standards even now for others to look up to.
Tracklist 1. The End Is Nigh 2. World in Flames 3. Shackles 4. A House in a Field in the Eye of the Storm 5. The Guilt 6. Just Smoke and Mirrors 7. Like a Flower in the Desert 8. Losing Ground Lineup Martin Kwakernaak - Keyboards, Guitars (acoustic) Gerard de Jong - Guitars Pim Blankenstein - Vocals Niels Jordaan - Drums William van Dijk - Guitars Theo Plaisier - Bass
Pagan Reign Folk/Pagan Black Metal band from Russia released the seventh Fulllength album Art of the Time December 1, 2019. Art Of The Time is a monumental work dedicated to the art of creation and the accumulation of knowledge based on the age-old cultural archetypes of the harsh and mighty north. The album reveals the theme of the infinity of art and time as mutually generative phenomena. The art of the time is a universal process that underlies the human civilization. Creativity is timeless as a source of culture and development. The music was performed in the familiar style with the abundant use of folklore instruments and the multilayered construction of compositions typical of Russian classical music of the late 19th century. The album received a completely new sound.
Heavy guitar riffs are intertwined with the magical sound of flutes and mandolines, aggressive and clean vocals will delight a wide variety of fans of heavy music from black to progressive metal. Tracklist 1. In Gods We Trust 2. Art of the Time 3. ะกult of Blizzard and Fire 4. Rising Hearts 5. Eternal Saga of Glory 6. Path to the North 7. Voice of the Legend
Lineup Orey - Vocals, Guitars (rhythm), Guitars (acoustic) Vetrodar - Guitars (lead), Guitars (acoustic), Bass, Wind instruments, Vocals (clean) Dimosthen - Drums Aurora - Flute, live folk instruments Voron - live bass
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Latest releases
Svarttjern Black Metal band from Norway released the fifth Full-length album Shame Is Just a Word released January 17, 2020. Svarttjern is Norwegian for «black tarn», but was taken from a piece of Norwegian art, more specifically a painting by the Norwegian artist August Cappelen. The painting describes the dark nature of the band. SVARTTJERN return to the front with their fifth full-length of true Norwegian black metal entitled «Shame Is Just A Word»! «The stars have aligned. The planets are in place. Forget your joy and embrace your fear. The
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new Svarttjern album is here. Dive into Svarttjern’s basement of lust and rust! Ride the fleshtrain, bathe in the cesspool of fat, gurgle the lube or let it soak. Show your true self and shake off your invisibility cloak. Embrace your shame. Shame is just a word.»
Tracklist 1. Prince of Disgust 2. Ment til å tjene 3. Melodies of Lust 4. Ta dets drakt 5. Frost Embalmed Abyss 6. Ravish Me 7. Bonded by Blood 8. Shame Is Just a Word Lineup Grimmdun - Drums HaaN - Guitars (lead) Fjellnord - Guitars HansFyrste - Vocals Malphas - Bass
Daemoniac was founded at the end of 2013. Daemoniac, now is ready to destroy,massive and powersound guitars in the name of the Swedish oldschool Death metal! «Dwellers of Apocalypse», recorded in Sweden during June 2019 at Sunlight Studio, Artwork by Chris Moyen, released throught Xtreem Music, the new coming Album, borns from the deep of Hell. 2nd album by this italian band that plays the purest swedish Death Metal from early 90’s in the vein of NIHILIST, CREMATORY, early NECROPHOBIC, CARNAGE... Includes cover of GOREMENT.
Tracklist 1. The March of Apocalypse 2. Rebellion 3. Council of Evil 4. Dwellers of Apocalypse 5. Human Relic (Gorement cover) 6. The Beginning of Chaos 7. Disciples of the Black Arts 8. The Last Call 9. Legions of Death
Lineup Max - Vocals, Guitars Matt - Drums Albe - Bass Johan - Guitars Dwellers of Apocalypse out December 19, 2019
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Latest releases
Dominia Death/Doom/Gothic Metal band from Russia released the fifth Fulllength album The Withering of the Rose released January 20, 2020. Dominia was formed (as Tentamentum) in Russian city SaintPetersburg in February 1999 by vocalist and composer Anton Rosa and guitarist Denis Sukharev (Daniel). Initially, the band professed typical for t h a t time, black-death
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metal, but in September 2001 as the composer, violinist and keyboard player Dmitriy Rishko (Casper) joined the band, Tentamentum changed its’ name and genre. Dominia are well known for their melodic and haunting music with their biggest track ‘Mountains of god’s depression’ from the album ‘Divine Revolution’. The bands main influences derive from: My Dying Bride, Opeth, Pink Floyd, This Will Destroy You, Draconian, Type O Negative and many more.
Tracklist 1. I Want to Forget 2. My Flesh and the Sacred River 3. Suprema 4. The Light of the Black Sun 5. Entombed in Grief 6. The Elephant Man 7. Nomoreus 8. The Withering of the Roses 9. The Night and the Dark Room 10. The Song that You Don’t Like Lineup Daniel - Guitars Anton Rosa - Vocals, Bass Oleg «Papa» Filistovich - Drums Mikhail Morozkin - Violin Sakis Tolis (Rotting Christ) Guest Vocals
Konvent Death/Doom Metal band from Denmark released the first Full-length album Puritan Masochism released January 24, 2020. Could Copenhagen become the new death doom capital? If so, it`s all because of Konvent! Founded in 2015, the fourpiece stoically trudges through the blackest mires – following in the footsteps of Candlemass, Paradise Lost, Cult of Luna and Black Breath, who all unleashed the bleakest horror on mankind in the early 90s. Rikke Emilie List`s guttural vocals and tenacious riffing combined with menacingly heavy production make the debut by these four D a n i s h
women a massive extreme metal highlight of early 2020 – and it wouldn`t come as a surprise if Puritan Masochism conjures up a deserved revival for the whole death doom genre. Slowly but insistently, resounding bass riffs and a brutal death vocal will pierce through your body, as KONVENT make you feel their love of heavy and simple old school doom.
Tracklist 1. Puritan Masochism 2. The Eye 3. Trust 4. World of Gone 5. Bridge 6. Waste 7. Idle Hands 8. Ropes Pt. I 9. Ropes Pt. II Lineup Heidi Withington Brink - Bass Sara Helena Nørregaard - Guitars Rikke Emilie List Vocals Julie Simonsen - Drums
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Latest releases
Avslut Sun of the Dying Black Metal band Doom/Death Metal from Sweden released band from Spain the second Full-length released the second Fullalbum Tyranni November length album The Earth 29, 2019. Is Silent Tyranni - Nine new monstrous November 29, 2019. hymns that explore a SUN OF THE DYING more aggressive and Doom / Death Metal misanthropic spectrum band from Madrid, of Avslut! with its roots planted in Line-up groups of the 90s like My D. - Bass Dying Bride, Paradise O. - Drums Lost or Anathema and C. - Vocals influences of more E. - Guitars (lead), Vocals current bands like (backing) Shape of Despair, Ahab S. - Guitars (rhythm) or Swallow the Sun. Tracklist Tracklist 1. Tyranni 1. The Earth Is Silent 2. Stigens ände (Intro) 3. Likvidering 2. A Dying Light 4. Allt förgås 3. A Cold Unnamed Fear 5. Den eviga flamman 4. Orion 6. Underjordens apostlar 5. When the Morning Came 7. Pestens lärjungar 6. Monolith 8. Dråp 7. White Skies and Grey 9. Ändlöst slaveri Lands
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Ofdrykkja Depressive Black Metal band from Sweden released the third Full-length album Gryningsvisor November 29, 2019. Ofdrykkja was born out of chaos. Eight years ago, three darkness consumed men seeked to ventilate their seemingly endless pain. Tracklist 1. Skymningsvisa 2. The Swan 3. Swallowed by the Night 4. Ensam 5. Wither 6. In i natten 7. As the Northern Wind Cries 8. Herr Mannelig 9. Våra minnens klagosång 10. Köldvisa 11. Grey 12. Gryningsvisa Lineup The Associate - Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Electronics Drabbad - Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Drums, Electronics Pessimisten - Vocals
Arkona Black Metal band from Poland released the seventh Fulllength album Age of Capricorn December 13, 2019. Formed in 1993, the band record-on-record continually ascend to the next level and this emphatic 7th album builds a new world from their distinctive sonic elements: nihilistic rage, strident power, masterfully integrated filmic orchestration and vicious slabs of whiteout riffing where emotive melodies are beaten into corruption. ARKONA are the place where the lightless spirits of second and third wave Black Metal assume modern form in an all too relatable maelstrom of degradation and disquiet, alienation and anger, hypnosis and horror. Tracklist 1. Stellar Inferno 2. Alone Among Wolves 3. Age of Capricorn 4. Deathskull Mystherium 5. Towards the Dark 6. Grand Manifest of Death Lineup
Verthebral Death Metal band from Paraguay released the second Full-length album Abysmal Decay December 27, 2019. Verthebral it’s a death metal band originally from Ciudad del Este, Paraguay, founded by guitarist Daniel Larroza at September 2013. The sound of the band is strongly influenced by death metal bands from the 90’s added to their own style of playing death metal. Tracklist 1. Ancient Legion 2. The Art of Perversion 3. Abysmal Decay 4. Isolation Room 5. Coronation of Envy 6. Absence of a God 7. Sweet Home Illusion 8. Obsidian Tears 9. My Dark Existence 10. Testimony of Hate
Lineup Cristhian Rojas - Bass, Vocals Lineup Denis Viveros - Drums Khorzon - Guitars, Samples, Daniel Larroza - Guitars Vocals Alberto Flores - Guitars
Asenheim Black/Pagan Metal band from Germany released the fourth Fulllength album Der Geist des Krieges December 13, 2019. The lyrical themes of Asenheim are about paganism, death, Paranormal experiences and other personal stuff... Tracklist 1. Erwachen 2. Auf Drachenschwingen 3. Dunkle Konigin 4. Breath of Fire 5. Schattenwolfe 6. Ritt durch den Runenwald 7. Undank ist der Welten Lohn 8. Der Geist des Krieges Lineup Tiwaz - Vocals, instruments Valfor - Drums
All
Nechrist - Guitars Zaala - Drums Drac - Vocals, Bass
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Latest releases
Navjarmaahr Pagan Black Metal band from Russia released the third Full-length album Navje released December 19, 2019. Line-up Kolosveth Vocals, Guitars, Bass Tracklist 1. Wings. Claws. (Крылья. Когти.) 2. Inquire the Unknown (Вопрошай неизведанного!) 3. Burning in the Fire (Не напоить в огне горящего) 4. Sacrifice (Жертва) 5. Plague Riot (Чумной бунт) 6. Poison of Faith (Заразы яд грызет язык) 7. Eternal Wayfarer (Вечно идти) 8. Contemplation of the Storm (Созерцание бури) 9. Verily! (Истинно!)
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Echoes of Decay Atmospheric Death/Doom Metal band from Greece released the first Full-length album Dive into Darkness December 15, 2019. The Band’s sound is defined by downtuned guitars, the use of effect pedals, brutal vocals, atmospheric textures and non-standard song structures. Tracklist 1. Death of Sanity 2. Frozen Oblivion 3. Echoes of Decay 4. White Room 5. Obsession 6. Sinister Thoughts 7. Soulless Carcass 8. Before, There Was Light Lineup Thanous Pallidis - Bass Υannis Boutsioukis - Drums Nikos Papadopoulos - Guitars Alkis Stamos - Guitars John Georgiades - Vocals, Keyboards
Lunarsea Melodic Death Metal band from Italy released the fourth Fulllength album Earthling/Terrestre December 15, 2019. Elements such as Growling, screaming, clean vocals, blast beat, synths and typically power-prog riffs are the core and the peculiarity of Lunarsea style and soul. Tracklist 1. Light Hearted in an Ergonomic Resin 2. The Earthling 3. In Expectance 4. Helical Stalemate 5. Aqueducts 6. Humanoid, Mannequinn, Androgyne 7. Polar Covalent Bond 8. The Fourth Magnetar 9. Mi Suthina 10. π (Outro) Lineup Cristian Antolini - Bass, Vocals (clean) Fabiano Romagnoli - Guitars, Keyboards Alessandro Iacobellis - Vocals Andrea Miazzetto - Drums
Fen Atmospheric Black Metal band from United Kingdom released the sixth Fulllength album The Dead Light December 6, 2019. The band is named after a region in England called The Fens. The Fens have very flat and mysterious landscapes, with many marshes and wetlands. The band members grew up in this area, and find much of the inspiration for their music and themes from the atmosphere of this area. On «The Dead Light,» Fen explore the beauty that comes from destruction. Representing the vanguard of contemporary UK post black metal, the band offers its heaviest, most direct album to date. Tracklist 1. Witness 2. The Dead Light (Part 1) 3. The Dead Light (Part 2) 4. Nebula 5. Labyrinthine Echoes 6. Breath of Void 7. Exsanguination 8. Rendered in Onyx Lineup Grungyn - Bass, Vocals The Watcher - Guitars, Vocals Havenless - Drums
Mortem Atra Melodic Doom/Death Metal band from Cyprus released the first Full-length album A Dark Lament December 6, 2019. MORTEM ATRA were formed in November 2011 in Limassol Cyprus and they describe their blend of melodic death/doom metal as “an amalgamation of genres, a mixture of emotions”. The main lyrical themes of the band’s songs consist of internal struggles, aggression & depression, sensitivity as part of the human nature, dark stories and elements that can best be associated with fairy-tales. Tracklist 1. A Dark Lament Prologue 2. Frozen Illusion 3. The Puppet 4. A Voice 5. Evil Rise 6. Hymn of Doom 7. In Superstitious Breath 8. Mirror 9. Harmful Obsession 10. Depressed Lineup Marios Gavrielides - Guitars (rhythm), Guitars (lead) Valantis Paulou - Guitars (rhythm), Guitars (lead) Takis Gorestoned - Vocals Chris Papadjiakou - Vocals, Keyboards Aris Ioannou - Bass Antonis Pappas - Drums
Arkhangelsk Black Metal band from Greece released the first Full-length album Advent December 12, 2019. Arkhangelsk (Архангельск in Cyrillic) is a city in the Northern Russia. The core band formed in August 2015 and came to a full line-up by October of the same year. Consisting of members no strangers to the scene nor the music, the quartet is driven by no other purpose than music itself. Influenced by all that can be listened to, Arkhangelsk is pacing slowly, yet surely, through Black alleys that dictate a path towards the majestic void. Tracklist 1. Advent 2. The Waste Land 3. Shadows over Cosmos 4. Frozen Eternity 5. Triumphant 6. Absolution 7. Beyond Existance 8. A Lucid Dream Lineup Angel - Bass Evan - Guitars Lem - Guitars, Vocals Bill Kranos - Guitars, Vocals Talos «Mechanical Blasphemy» - Drums
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Latest releases
Blackguard Folk/Melodic Death Metal band from Canada released the third Full-length album Storm released January 3, 2020. Tracklist 1. By My Hand 2. To Ashes Return 3. Northern Storm 4. The Hunted 5. In Dreams 6. Mourning Star 7. Clouds 8. A Dying Season 9. Visions (Of Blood and Gold) 10. ...of Threads and Fate Lineup Justine Ethier - Drums Terry Roadcase - Guitars Paul Ablaze - Vocals Louis Jacques - Guitars
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Sandarmoh Melodic Death/Black Metal band from Russia released the first Full-length album Sandarmoh released December 30, 2019. Sandarmoh (or Sandarmokh correctly) is a forest massif in the Republic of Karelia where thousands of victims of Stalin’s Great Terror were executed. Over 9,000 people of more than 58 nationalities were shot and buried there in 236 communal pits over a 14-month period in 1937 and 1938. Tracklist 1. The Raid 2. Beginning of Times 3. IIXIIXIV 4. Chaos Rising 5. Execute Them All 6. Drowned 7. Illusion of Time 8. Final War 9. Dimension Beyond 10. Existence to Extinction
Grauen Symphonic Black/Death Metal band from Russia released the first Fulllength album Hapax Legomenon released December 20, 2019. Grauen came to light one Friday summer night that was ringing by airless and thunderous silence. Tracklist 1. На ветхих страницах (On timeworn Pages) 2. Обречённые на вечную ночь (Damned to Eternal Night) 3. Hapax Legomenon 4. Безмолвные тени (Voiceless Shadows) 5. Соль земли - это мы (We Are the Salt of the Earth) 6. Мрачный дух небытия (The Gloomy Spirit of Unbeing) 7. Яза (Yaza) 8. Соль земли - это мы (We Are the Salt of the Earth) (Orchestral) Lineup Yaroslav Lolenko - Bass, Vocals Shirin Shirinov - Drums, Songwriting Nikolay Naydenov - Guitars Natalia Pomazkova - Vocals, Lyrics Egor Loktev - Guitars
Gherzen Atmospheric Black Metal band from Russia released the second Full-length album 1881 released December 31, 2019. The second full-length album by Gherzen originally formed by members of Russian famous ABM act Elderwind. Furious black metal in a bit melodic way dedicated to the controversial page of Russian history - Narodnaya Volya (People’s Will) organisation. Tracklist 1. Пять выстрелов (Five Shots) 2. Дни сочтены (The Days Are Numbered) 3. Один из нас (One of Us) 4. Гремучая ртуть (The Fulminating Mercury) 5. Изоляция (An Isolation) 6. Петля (The Noose) 7. Пепел души (Ashes of the Soul) Lineup Andrey Bykov - Drums Artem Plekhanov - Guitars, Bass, Clean Vocal, Mixing Alexander Shirochenko Extreme Vocal Alena Alifanova - Acoustic Guitar
Nephylim Melodic Death Metal band from Netherlands released the first Full-length album Severance of Serenity released January 18, 2020. In the winter of 2015 longtime friends Kevin van Geffen (ex-Breaking the Monolith) and Rens van de Ven started a new project mainly focused on Scandinavian Melodic Death metal: Nephylim. Tracklist 1. Reminiscence 2. Forsaken 3. vanquish the Sepsis 4. Aftermath 5. Fractured Existence 6. Reassurance 7. The Bitter Inheritance 8. Dust Veiled Sky 9. Eye of the Storm 10. Remembrance Lineup Martijn Paauwe - Drums Kevin van Geffen - Guitars (lead), Vocals (backing) Rens van de Ven - Bass Ralph Lentink - Guitars Tijn Bosters - Vocals (lead) Guest solo by Andy Gillion (Mors Principium Est) Violin by Sabrina van Geffen Virtual Orchestration by Jon Phipps Backing vocals by Cézary van der Veen (RIP)
Naamah Depressive Black Metal band from Romania released the fourth Fulllength album Death, My Saviour... released January 20, 2020. Naamah is the Hebrew female devil of seduction. Tracklist 1. My Last Breath... 2. Death, My Saviour... 3. Rotting in Darkness 4. Chained in Solitude 5. Kill Me... Before I Kill Myself 6. Suicide Salvation 7. Subliminal Suicide Vision 8. Drown in My Own Blood... (Re-recorded) Lineup Filip Garlonta Guitars, Drums, Bass, Vocals
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† Hellfest † Wacken Open Air † Tuska † Brutal Assault † Summer Breeze † Rock Fest † Rock Am Ring † Rockest † Download Festival † Resurrection Fest †
Live on stage Reviews
Mayhem live at club 1930, Moscow, Russia 15 January 2019. Review and photos by Olga Schneider
Don’t even know what to begin with... Mayhem has always been one of the bands to which I
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had an incredibly difficult attitude in different periods of my life. I’ve known them for the most part of
my life and I grew up with THE old Mayhem’s music and I for many years I was sure that I simply hated
modern Mayhem until I heard the single from the upcoming Daemon (2019), and then the full album. So when I heard that Mayhem were gonna return to Russia in 2020, I knew so clearly that I was gonna see them. So, day X and first... SUPPORT! How much there is in this word actually! This time the support band was absolutely dumb, just a hellish mix of Metalcore and some Russian pop. That case when you just have to pay properly, so you’re a support band for such titans, even if you barely can play. As for Mayhem themselves... Double feeling actually. Yeah, they definitely got some hype after that notorious movie with fat Grishnackh and «touching» Euronymous, and this is one of those cases when Black Metal kinda loses its magnetism, but right now I don’t want to torture you with my reflections about main ideas
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was absolutely fitting for all the specifity of the band, and at the same time, it didn’t turn turn into any inarticulate bunch. Also great respect for the way of presentation... The show was divided into 3 part, and for each of the genre and all. There one the dudes are several points I wanna changed their outfits and highlight. decorations. The first one was followed by the cover of the new album on the backgrond, the second one was kinda imitation of inside part of some ancient and forgotten temple, the third was followed by simple banners with the band’s name and gave that feeling of... Real First of all, the sound underground! Also great absolutely great even respect to the dudes for in the front row and their skills of wotrking with the audience. This is endless contact, even without talking to the audience after every song, definitely one of the most important acpects. Yeah, I still have double feeling, but... Thanks to them for this evening anyway!
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† Hellfest † Wacken Open Air † Tuska † Brutal Assault † Summer Breeze † Rock Fest † Rock Am Ring † Rockest † Download Festival † Resurrection Fest †
Live on stage Reviews Review from Impiety “Latin America Ablaze 2019” in Bogota that passed in Bogota Colombia on November 6. The author is our friend and great photographer Diego Molina of Colonia Records f r o m Bogota, Colombia.
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Event organized by: Colombian Shows (Rock/ Metal Show Agency) Venue: Ace of Spades Date: November 6, 2019 Review & Pictures by Colonia Records (Diego A Molina)
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† Hellfest † Wacken Open Air † Tuska † Brutal Assault † Summer Breeze † Rock Fest † Rock Am Ring † Rockest † Download Festival † Resurrection Fest †
From Singapore, one of the most important black / death metal groups in Asia would be presented for the first time in Colombia; their show held at Ace of Spades on November 6, took place in the framework of their tour «Latin America Ablaze 2019» that they perform together with the Brazilians NervoChaos, which before stepping on our territory toured countries like Costa Rica, Guatemala , El Salvador...
† Hellfest † Wacken Open Air † Tuska † Brutal Assault † Summer Breeze † Rock Fest † Rock Am Ring † Rockest † Download Festival † Resurrection Fest †
Live on stage Reviews
and to complete the tour, there would be two concerts in Colombia (Bogotá and Medellín), to continue through Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina and the closure in Brazil. Almost 30 years in the world metal scene are enough to give an opinion on the experience of this band, in addition to their 9 works including their most recent recording «Versus All Gods», which precisely saw light in the market during this tour.
The show, took as reference the first recordings ... extracting songs from «Asateerul Awaleen» (1994), «Skullfucking Armageddon» (1999), «Funeralight ...» (EP 1997), among others, and lasted almost 80 minutes; later, the group led by Muhammad Ariffeen (Shyaithan) would share a short time with the attendees at the venue. The opening of the event was in charge of the black metal band Horncrowned 50
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(Colombia) and followed by these, as we had already mentioned the NervoChaos group (Brazil) who after a year returned to the capital, this time with a formation of three members.
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Abbath “Outstrider Tour” in Bogotá, November 10, 2019 Review from «Outstrider Tour» of Abbath that passed in Bogota Colombia on November 10. The author - Diego Molina of Colonia Records from Bogota, Colombia.
Bands: Abbath (Norway), Pheretron (Colombia). Exequia (Colombia). Event organized by: Backline America Corporation Place: Ace of Spades Club Date: November 10, 2019 Review & Pictures by Colonia Records (Diego A Molina)
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† Hellfest † Wacken Open Air † Tuska † Brutal Assault † Summer Breeze † Rock Fest † Rock Am Ring † Rockest † Download Festival † Resurrection Fest †
Live on stage Reviews
More than two years passed for Abbath’s return to Bogotá (Colombia)... he for that occasion in 2017 debuted with his solo project, but for this occasion he presented us with his new record “Outstrider”, recently pressed by the label Season of Mist.
After finishing their tour of North America with Obituary, the Norwegian would have prepared a tour of Latin America, which before arriving in our country, would start in Mexico and pass through countries such as Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Ecuador, to Colombia will finally arrive on November 10 at Ace of Spades venue.
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Around 11 pm, Abbath arrived at the venue along with Ukri, Mia and Ole André... attendees noticed their arrival, also because Abbath was looking to greet fans quickly, all this while preparing the stage. «Outstrider Latin America Tour», would begin in the Colombian capital with the song «Count the Dead» of the debut recording, «Bridge of Spasms» would be the first sample of the latest LP and the beginning of a string of this new production... «The Artifex», «Harvest Pyre» and «Ashes of the Damned» were the mouthpiece for what many wanted... to hear the great Immortal classics. The show was composed of a setlist of 15 songs, five songs for each work and the complement with themes of the remembered band from Norway that made it known worldwide. «One by One» would begin to put the final stamp of the presentation and would be the songs «Winterbane» and «To War!», With which Abbath would say goodbye to his audience and finish one of the best black metal presentations in what It is run of the year in Bogota. The opening of the event was carried out by Pheretron (Bogota-Colombia) and Exequia (Ibague-Colombia), the latter showing excerpts from their most recent LP “Human Control” and all those issues that made them known locally in the 90’s… Abbath setlist: 1. Count the Dead 2. Bridge of Spasms 3. The Artifex 4. Harvest Pyre 5. Ashes of the Damned 6. Warriors 7. In My Kingdom Cold 8. Tyrants 9. Hecate 10. Mountains of Might 11. Fenrir Hunts 12. Outstrider 13. One by One 14. Winterbane 15. To War!
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† Hellfest † Wacken Open Air † Tuska † Brutal Assault † Summer Breeze † Rock Fest † Rock Am Ring † Rockest † Download Festival † Resurrection Fest †
Live on stage Reviews
Suicide Silence and Revocation in Bogota. November 17.
Review from Suicide Silence’s show in Bogota that passed in Bogota Colombia on November 17. The author is our friend and great photographer Diego Molina of Colonia Records from Bogota, Colombia.
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Event organized by: KAOS Corporation / Eventos Capitan Spaulding / Discipline Company Venue: Ace of Spades Date: November 17, 2019 Review & Pictures by Colonia Records (Diego A Molina)
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Colonia Records was in the presentation of two great American exponents in their musical genre; on the one hand from California, Suicide Silence and as a special guest from Boston, Revocation. After 7 p.m., the event was held on November 17 at Ace of Spades venue where the Loathsome Faith group, a Bogota band that weeks ago, was the winner of a battle of bands that participated to be part of this great cartel.
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† Hellfest † Wacken Open Air † Tuska † Brutal Assault † Summer Breeze † Rock Fest † Rock Am Ring † Rockest † Download Festival † Resurrection Fest †
Live on stage Reviews
Followed by them, the turn would be for Brainblast who recently made the release of their single «The Golden Age of Wisdom», which will be part of the work that is in process and will surely be released during 2020. Revocation, one of the most important exponents of world technical death metal would visit Colombia for the third time, the most recent in Knotfest Colombia 2018 (one year ago); this time they would emphasize their most recent recording «The Outer Ones» which was performed almost entirely, a great show given by the group led by David Davidson, which left the audience prepared for the main show...
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A year passed to meet again with Suicide Silence, who would appear in the 24th edition of the “Festival Rock al Parque 2018». On this occasion the alignment of the deathcore group would feature their main guitars, that is Chris Garza and Mark Heylmun (who are also the oldest members of Suicide Silence). They would take a tour of their discography and bring prepared a setlist with 15 cuts that began with the songs «Meltdown» and «Love Me To Death»; there was time for everything and the farewell of a night loaded with extreme sounds of not forgetting… “Hold Me Up, Hold Me Down”, “Feel Alive” and “You Only Live Once”.
Revocation setlist: 1. The Outer Ones 2. That Which Consumes All Things 3. Madness Opus 4. Vanitas 5. Of Unworldly Origin 6. Luciferous 7. A Starless Darkness 8. Dismantle the Dictator Suicide Silence setlist: 1. Meltdown 2. Love Me To Death 3. Wake Up 4. No Pity for a Coward 5. Disengage 6. Slaves to Substance M.A.L. 7. You Can’t Stop Me Revelations 8. Unanswered 9. Fuck Everything 10. Bludgeoned to Death 11. Sacred Words 12. O.C.D. 13. Hold Me Up, Hold Me Down Encore: 14. Feel Alive 15. You Only Live Once
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† Hellfest † Wacken Open Air † Tuska † Brutal Assault † Summer Breeze † Rock Fest † Rock Am Ring † Rockest † Download Festival † Resurrection Fest †
Live on stage Reviews Knotfest Colombia 2019. December 6, 2019. Review from Knotfest Colombia 2019 that passed in Colombia on December 6. The author is our friend and great photographer Diego Molina of Colonia Records from Bogota, Colombia.
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Event organized by: Páramo/ Knotfest/Knotfest Colombia Place: Hipódromo de los Andes Date: December 6, 2019 Assistance: >15000 Review & Pictures by Colonia Records (Diego A Molina)
complete list of participating bands:
Knot Stage: - Reencarnación (Colombia) - Random Revenge (Colombia) - A.N.I.M.A.L (Argentina) - Unleashed (Sweden) - Testament (USA) - Behemoth (Poland) - Slipknot (USA)
Carnaval Stage: - Arzen (Colombia) - Perpetual Warfare (Colombia) - Stratovarius (Finland) - Cherry Bombs (USA) - Accept (Germany) - W.A.S.P. (USA)
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Alternative Stage: - Gutgrinder (Colombia) - Poker (Colombia) - Aire Como Plomo (Colombia) - Koyi K Utho (Colombia) - Carnifex (USA)
For the second consecutive year, the largest metal carnival in the world was held in Bogotá (Colombia), this time it had more than 15 thousand attendees; It was held on December 6 in the same place of the first Knotfest version, the Hipodromo de los Andes. For this second edition, Knotfest Colombia brought together 17 groups (9 international bands and 8 local bands), which on this occasion were distributed in three stages (Knot / Carnival / Alternative Stage’s). 59 59
† Hellfest † Wacken Open Air † Tuska † Brutal Assault † Summer Breeze † Rock Fest † Rock Am Ring † Rockest † Download Festival † Resurrection Fest †
Live on stage Reviews
Arzen, heavy / power metal group consisting of Ricardo and Oscar (Kilcrops), David and Alejandro (UnderThreat) and Andres Arce, was the band in charge of opening the Carnival Stage; followed would be the presentation of Perpetual Warfare who closed a great year that included, among others, a tour in the USA and a few days ago the presentation at the Force Fest in Mexico.
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Stratovarius, was the first foreign band of this stage and would show some of his greatest hits, including «Black Diamond», «4000 Rainy Nights», «Shine In the Dark» and the closing of the show with «Hunting High and Low». The Cherry Bombs would perform their performance of half an hour, where they showed a mixture of pole dancing, aerobatics and fire acrobatics, among others.
Accept, a band that we had not seen live since the third version of the Festival del Diablo, was one of the highlights of the night and would say present with «Die by the Sword» and would include in their setlist their remembered «Midnight Mover», «Metal Heart” and “Balls to the Wall”, perhaps one of the great presentations of the whole day. The closing of the stage by the expected W.A.S.P that after two failed attempts, would finally be presented for the first time in Colombia; those led by Blackie Lawless would not leave without showing their mega hits “L.O.V.E. Machine”, “The Idol” and for a moment made us think that it would be on the next occasion the anthem “I Wanna Be Somebody”…
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† Hellfest † Wacken Open Air † Tuska † Brutal Assault † Summer Breeze † Rock Fest † Rock Am Ring † Rockest † Download Festival † Resurrection Fest †
Live on stage Reviews
Meanwhile the main stage Knot Stage, officially inaugurated the Knofest Colombia 2019 with a touch of ultrametal by Reencarnación, a band from Medellín (Colombia) that already exceeds three decades of writing its history in the pages of colombian metal. Random Revenge would be the last local band to perform at this stage... «Final War», «Weapons of Mass Paranoia», among others, were some of the songs performed by the locals. “Acosados Nuestros Indios Murieron Al Luchar”, as Andrés Giménez reminded the attendees present at that time, it would be the first international band of the day... “Familia”, “Lejos de Casa”, “Gritemos Para No Olvidar”, “Sol” and the ending show with the version of “Cop Killer” some of the songs given by A.N.I.M.A.L, an old band known to the colombian public.
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From Sweden, those led by Johnny Hedlund, Unleashed, would appear for the first time in Bogotá (second time in the country) and although they had some small technical problems at the beginning, they would not leave without interpreting «Into Glory Ride», «The Dark One» , «Death Metal Victory»...
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† Hellfest † Wacken Open Air † Tuska † Brutal Assault † Summer Breeze † Rock Fest † Rock Am Ring † Rockest † Download Festival † Resurrection Fest †
Live on stage Reviews
The turn would be for the californians Testament, who were in doubt among the attendees due to the cancellations of their shows days ago in Mexico ... their one-hour show included a review of their successes, «Into the Pit”, “The New Order”, “Over The Wall” and as usual the closing song “Disciples of the Watch”. A short rite we attended with the show of the polish band Behemoth who emphasized their most recent record «I Loved You at Your Darkest» that saw light during 2018, not without neglecting «Chant for Eschaton 2000», «Conquer All”, “Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel”… The Knotfest experience would end with the owners of the brand….
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For the third time Slipknot would make a presentation in Colombia, this time of almost two hours (the longest of the whole day), it would have a setlist of 17 songs that reviewed all his discography, as well as a stage with a large screen of leds and perhaps the best lighting of all the presentations seen during the carnival... The balance of the event is really good, the majority of moles / blackheads of the first edition were attended, among them the rows for the areas of drinks, food and baths, which little were seen during the whole event; there was a rapid passage between the common areas and the VIP, as well as a slightly more agile exit. The journey from the capital to the racecourse, generated some chaos due to the works that are done at the time, for which we must get up a little more on the next occasion. The metal carnival had some additional attractions such as the Slikpnot museum and a motorcycle cage that could have been included in the program or repeated on different occasions, thus achieving a greater reach among the attendees of the event.
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† Hellfest † Wacken Open Air † Tuska † Brutal Assault † Summer Breeze † Rock Fest † Rock Am Ring † Rockest † Download Festival † Resurrection Fest †
Live on stage Reviews Review by Mark Walsh of METALFESTEUROPE.COM Taake Photos by JOANNA KAT PHOTOGRAPHY: facebook.com/joannakatphotography The Infernal Sea Photos by RICARDOCINEMA.COM Instagram @ricardo.cinema
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Please check this site and you can see many information about great European metal fests! http://metalfesteurope.com
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Taake and The Infernal Sea: Underworld, London: 12th December 2019 With incessant touring and regularly appearing on festival bills, The Infernal Sea have become a recent mainstay on the UK gig circuit and there’s now plenty of opportunity to catch this awesome Black Metal band. Tonight at the Underworld they ritually enter a green lit foggy stage in robes and masks before launching into ‘Destruction of Shum’. A track that begins at furious pace with immense drumming and blackend guitar riffs, before slowing down briefly almost catch breath, before racing off again. In similar vain, The Infernal Sea continue to wage war on the Underworld audience
with a selection of old (not they have been around for long) and new tracks. It’s all very compelling to watch and these talented musicians really do draw you in. The masks hold intrigue and the relentless guitars and drums are mesmerising. They only have time for a short set, but leave having yet again made their mark live and no doubt will be making their way up the bill in the future and rightly gaining headline slots.
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† Hellfest † Wacken Open Air † Tuska † Brutal Assault † Summer Breeze † Rock Fest † Rock Am Ring † Rockest † Download Festival † Resurrection Fest †
Live on stage Reviews
In similar vain to Mayhem touring «De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas» on it’s 25th anniversary, Taake have at the same time been touring their landmark a l b u m “Nattestid” on it’s 20th anniversary. You can draw a lot of parallels between the two bands based on their heritage and controversy and having just seen Mayhem in London, it was now the turn of Taake to ply their trade with Black Metal performed at a
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blistering pace. The Underworld is quite an intimate venue and the stage is fairly small so vocalist Hoest has little trouble
creating an atmosphere as this striking guy stalks the stage, frequently crouching down and leaning over the monitors beyond the front row of the audience. As promised, Taake work their way aggressively through all of “Nattestid”
and additionally fit in a few other tracks from their illustrious history. They play a flawless set and each time Hoest shouts o u t a song title the crowd prepare themselves for a frenzy of moshing which duly erupts as the next set of guitar riffs lash out and Hoest commences his renown style of lyric bellowing. Visually Taake are a great to watch. The deep blue side lighting bounces off them as in full corpse paint they perform at a blistering pace.
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I have seen them on bigger stages and the only difference is that Hoest is able to be even more energetic and not have to rain himself back, sometimes looking like
a caged animal due to the constraints of a small stage. Taake finished a 75 minute set with the powerful “Hordalands Doedskvad 1� before leaving the stage
so they could prepare to head northbound to Manchester for the penultimate gig of the tour and then Netherlands to appear at the Eindhoven Metal Meeting.
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† Hellfest † Wacken Open Air † Tuska † Brutal Assault † Summer Breeze † Rock Fest † Rock Am Ring † Rockest † Download Festival † Resurrection Fest †
Live on stage Reviews
Review and Photos by Mark Walsh of METALFESTEUROPE.COM
Please check this site and you can see many information about great European metal fests! http://metalfesteurope.com
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Reviews
Melechesh, W.E.B and Selvans: Boston Music Room, London, 12th
January 2020. A night of very European flavour was ahead at the Boston Music Rooms with bands from Italy, Greece and Israel on a bill that promised a real mix of Black, Gothic, Folk and
Death Metal. F i r s t up were Selvans ( f r o m Italy) whose charismatic front-man immediately catches the eye. In a long trench coat, black hat and all sorts of bones draped around his neck, he is a real performer and as the venue gradually fills, he is able to command the audience and I see people pushing up to the front to get a better look. Selvans play a blend of Black Metal with some folk aspects due to the interjection of various wind instruments and tribal drum beats. They have a swathing keyboard layer in the background and it all makes for a really good atmospheric but
heavy sound. Their tracks are fairly long but never dwindle
and at times they slow right down just long enough to create an air of expectation before they pick up again. I really thought Selvans were stunning and hope they come to London again soon.
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† Hellfest † Wacken Open Air † Tuska † Brutal Assault † Summer Breeze † Rock Fest † Rock Am Ring † Rockest † Download Festival † Resurrection Fest †
Live on stage Reviews
Pyre’s striking blond hair, the imposing figure of vocalist ‘Darkface’ and the guitarist’s relentless enthusiasm, there was much to keep the attention and visually look at while W.E.B were playing.
After Selvans had set the bar high, Greek band W.E.B (Where Everything Begun) launched into their set with massive energy and enthusiasm. The lead guitarist immediately got the crowd involved with lots of fist raising and chanting and his enthusiasm was infectious. Many of W.E.B’s tracks lend themselves well to some chanting and it created a good atmosphere. W.E.B were essentially touring their latest album ‘Tartarus’ and with some new material due to release soon I expect they aired some
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of that too although as this was the first time I had come across W.E.B I couldn’t be sure. With numerous skulls strapped to the mic stands, bassist Hel
Of course add to this some very good tracks and I thoroughly enjoyed their set. As with Selvans, I would definitely go out of my way to see them again. I look forward to the new material. So we get to the headliners; Melechesh. Originating from Israel and known as the Sultans of Sumerian, Melechesh are in London
on the third night of their Sumerian Sonic Magick Tour. With the smell of burning incense devouring the room, Melechesh come onto a bright red lit stage and the guitars hit us with the opening bars of ‘Tempest Temper Enil Entrasged’ as vocalist
Reviews
Ashmedi leans into the crowd and launches into aggressive vocals. I actually then realised that the previous two bands also only had red lighting which was a bit odd. Maybe the venue needs a new lighting rig! It’s difficult to nail down the sound of Melechesh as it is interchangeable on many tracks. You often get the heaviness of Death Metal along with slower rock based breaks, and aggressive Black Metal cuts in and out too. You also can’t fail to hear the Middle Eastern twang in the guitar melodies. It all works well and Melechesh are very impressive. Ashmedi, with his bald head and long goatee beard is a charismatic
front-man and involves the audience in the choruses, raising his fist in the air and getting everyone chanting. ‘Ghouls of Nineveh’ was the stand out track of the set for me and the evening was eventually drawn to a close with the awesome ‘The Pendulum Speaks’
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† Hellfest † Wacken Open Air † Tuska † Brutal Assault † Summer Breeze † Rock Fest † Rock Am Ring † Rockest † Download Festival † Resurrection Fest †
Live on stage Reviews Review by Mark Walsh of METALFESTEUROPE.COM Photos by Mark Walsh and JOANNA KAT PHOTOGRAPHY: facebook.com/joannakatphotography
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Please check this site and you can see many information about great European metal fests! http://metalfesteurope.com
Reviews
Dimmu Borgir, Amorphis, Wolves in the Throne Room : O2 Forum Kentish Town, London – 22 Jan 2020 Queues circled around the Kentish Town Forum well before the doors were opened as evidence that this was not only going to be a well attended gig, but that people had no intention of missing opening band Wolves in the Throne Room. I was one of those such people in the queue and wanted to get in promptly so to not miss out on what I expected to be the opening track from WITTR ‘Born from the Serpent’s Eye’ which is a magnificent guitar laden melodic track
that I just had to see performed live.
I wasn’t wrong. A big crowd had gathered at the front and WITTR duly opened with the aforementioned track from their most recent album ‘Thrice Woven’. Immersed in fog and with a stunning blue light display, the big London crowd soon became immersed in WITTR’s rich atmospheric Black Metal. As the
deep blue lighting became more and more vibrant, WITTR continued with a couple more lengthy tracks before finishing their set with an older number ‘I Will Lay Down My Bones Among the Rocks and Roots’ WITTR were a w e s o m e . Noticeably, the girl next to me had her eyes shut and her head constantly swaying rhythmically from side to side throughout the set, which pretty much sums up the gratifying feeling you get listening to this band. I expect they will be back on tour again soon with some new material and will have made a big enough impression to draw a big crowd again.
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† Hellfest † Wacken Open Air † Tuska † Brutal Assault † Summer Breeze † Rock Fest † Rock Am Ring † Rockest † Download Festival † Resurrection Fest †
Live on stage Reviews
Amorphis have been touring ‘Queen of Time’ for the past 18 months now, so with this new tour it was an opportunity for them to freshen up the set-list a bit and drop in a few older tracks. After opening with the magnificent ‘The Bee’ Amorphis duly did so and some older (and heavier) tracks from the early 90’s such as ‘Into Hiding’
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and ‘Sign From the North Side’ made an appearance. These were introduced by vocalist Tomi Joutsen reminding us
Following Amorphis, just as the stage begins to clear, in wheels an amazing silver and black drum kit from stage right. Mythical horned skulls are perched high at either end and in front of the kick drums, candles and incense burn. The chrome
that this year is the 30th anniversary of Amorphis. I’m so pleased that this awesome band continues to get recognition and fill venues as they really are great live and their albums are consistently exceptional. Against a huge ‘Queen of Time’ backdrop Amorphis are dawned in static blue, green or red lighting, and play an excellent set with ‘Silver Bride’ being a highlight. This was far from being just a Dimmu Borgir audience and up the front everyone was singing along to the choruses, noticeably to ‘Golden Elk’ and ‘House of Sleep’. It was great to see Amorphis again and I look forward to Graspop in June for more of the same.
stanchions shine brightly in the spotlights and we have a great teaser to what is about to come. After a long intro backing track, a hooded Dimmu Borgir walk onto a foggy and incense swathed stage and openers ‘The Unveling’ and ‘Interdimensional Summit’ are greeted with enthusiasm by a buoyant crowd who waste no time in architecting a big circular mosh-pit. Lots of painted faces in the audience…a real effort has been made. Dimmu Borgir’s sound is a great combination of deep pounding rhythmic bass drums backed by high pitched symphonic vocals and of course Shagrath’s distinctive vocals.
Reviews Shagrath stalks the stage with very precise movement as he allows the music to create the energy, and he just seems to effortlessly e n h a n c e it with his vocals. The symphonic vocals are all backing tracks which is a shame as this is a big venue, with a big stage, and some additional vocalists and orchestra would really have worked well tonight. The set comprises predominantly of tracks from the last two albums ‘Eonian’ and ’ABRAHADABRA’. It is musically perfect and is visually stunning. There’s no mistaking the opening to ‘Dimmu Borgir’ and suddenly everyone is attempting to be symphonic vocalists. Shagrath then gets the chance to double up with Daray on the drums as a huge bass drum appears centre stage for him. Following this, shrouded in fog and with his painted face he raises a horned
skull to the skies while gesturing f o r adornment from the audience. We don’t get fire w i t h D i m m u B o r g i r (Behemoth u s e enough for everyone) but there’s pretty much everything else thrown in. Of the Black Metal bands in this genre who incorporate flamboyant pomp and symphony, Dimmu Borgir are one of the best, and their stunning show is filling some big venues and drawing big festival crowds. With Shagrath’s welcome announcement of an imminent new album, I expect Dimmu Borgir to continue pioneering this genre of Black Metal well into the decade.
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https://www.facebook.com/VoidfireBM/
Review by Olga Schneider Voidfire is a band from Białystok, Poland founded in 2018. Well, just one of those young bands we’ve never heard before, but it’s very remarkable that the drummer is no one else as Łukasz ‘Icanraz’ Sarnacki known mainly for playing in Devilish Impressions, Corruption, Abused Majesty, Christ Agony etc. Sounds promising, doesn’t it? It’s also worth noting that dudes act quite fast: after 2 years since the band was founded, they’re
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gonna release their debut album called Ogień Pustki. So, the founder of the band Kuba Zdzienicki recently contacted us and introduced the upcoming creation. The band itself describes its music as Melodic Black Metal and its main point is founding creative inspiration in emotional suffering. All the lyrics are made in Polish, so it seems like the dudes are mostly concentrated on instrumental part. You don’t need to understand anything, music will tell everything itself, but at the
same time, this is one of those things that made the atmosphere of the album. Slavic languages don’t sound like most of European ones, so it brings some kind of mystery element. However, I didn’t feel enough expression in vocals actually. No, I wouldn’t call it weak, this is a normal male scream voice, but it doesn’t have any special development within the album. But several parts with clean voice kinda bring some variety to the vocal part of the album. As for the music part... This is just typical Black Metal supplemented from time to time with some atmospheric parts reminding about some good old Dark Tranquillity or stuff like that. And, I should notice, the sound itself is quite good for a debut album. The album is gonna be released 28th of February 2020. FB page: https://www. facebook.com/VoidfireBM/ Soundcloud page: https:// soundcloud.com/user196371258 Bandcamp page (together with the album pre-order): https://voidfire.bandcamp. com/album/ogie-pustki
old Marduk, Darkthrone, Burzum, Nargaroth and others. Harsh and cold. Combined with scream voice Review by Olga Schneider varying from neitral tranquil to almost hysterical, t h i s music feels like a been suffering from people’s actions, but nevertheless, it punch in ya face. survived again and again. So This is one of those albums we can guess that the main which are unsuitable to concept is not only to celebrate «background playing». You the majesty of nature, but also must definitely feel it, and to show how weak mankind this is how music dedicated to such things must sound. actually is agaist it. FB page: Ok, the music part. The album is opened with https://www.facebook.com/ violin intro and continued blackmetalorgg/ with good old typical Black https://orgg.bandcamp.com/ Metal inspired by good album/the-great-white-war Nature has (almost) always
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https://www.facebook.com/blackmetalorgg/
Orgg is a Black Me t a l band f o u n d e d in Italy in 2 0 1 8 . You know, for me personally, this country has always been one of those countries where they really know how to make good Extreme Metal. As for Orgg, all their content is dedicated to one of the most scary and destructive things for humanity you’ve ever heard about, and of course this is war. Their new album named The Great White War is completely dedicated to the war between Austro-Hungary and Italy which lasted from 1915 to 1918 during the First World War. This concept was chosen to show all the majesty of nature which was raped and totally destroyed by human race during their attempts to resolve contradictions. Can you imagine fields filled with dead bodies, rivers turned red, woods burned away?
Upcoming albums
Venerated black metal specialists DARK FORTRESS return with a new album, “Spectres from the Old World”, on February 28th, 2020. “Spectres from the Old World” is more direct, more aggressive than its predecessors. At no time in DARK FORTRESS’ history have they reached so far out into the darkness, only to find the domine of astronomy non-existent, the end merely an end. Recorded, engineered, mixed, and mastered by V. Santura at Woodshed Studios throughout 2019, “Spectres from the Old World” marks an important milestone in DARK FORTRESS’ journey along actual and spiritual left-hand paths. Line-up: Asvargr - Guitars Seraph - Drums V. Santura - Guitars Morean - Vocals Phenex - Keyboards The new album will be release February 28, 2020
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British doom metal veterans MY DYING BRIDE will release their new studio album, «The Ghost Of Orion». The new MY DYING BRIDE record features a more accessible style compared to some of the band’s past, highly technical releases. «The Ghost Of Orion» features compositions not only of epic proportions but of intimate quality too, from death metal vocals to the pained cries of a vocalist in longing. Replete with an excellent Eliran Kantor (FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE, EX DEO) cover art—commissioned by Stainthorpe—and sporting 11 tracks, «The Ghost of Orion» posits MY DYING BRIDE back on the proverbial doom-death throne. In fact, they’ve never sounded better. From the doleful lay in ‘Your Broken Shore’ and the deathly traditional ‘A Secret Kiss’ to the grim 10-minute epic ‘The Old Earth,’ «The Ghost of Orion» is the product of a vibrantly creative band unwilling to rest on their laurels or past glories. «The Ghost Of Orion» will be released on March 6, 2020.
Illuminati continues God Dethroned’s immutable reign after a two-year gap. Musically speaking, Illuminati offers God Dethroned’s most varied material to date. With a refined lineup-guitarist Mike Ferguson was replaced by Dave Meester (ex-Apophys) during the songwriting process, God Dethroned set off on writing an album that would retain the band’s signature brutality and expand upon ideas hinted at on pivotal songs from previous albums, such as «Hating Life,» «Under a Darkening Sky,» and «The Wrong Side of the Wire.» To write Illuminati, Sattler teamed up with long-time drummer Michiel van der Plicht. Together, they penned the majority of God Dethroned’s new full-length, with critical input from Ferguson, who wrote «Eye of Horus,» and bassist/vocalist Jeroen Pomper. Certainly, God Dethroned’s devoted legions will find tracks like «Broken Halo,» «Satan Spawn,» and «Blood Moon Eclipse» devilishly delectable. The lyrical focus on Illuminati is a move away from the World War I theme of Passiondale, Under the Sign of the Iron Cross, and The World Ablaze. Hearing fans beg for Sattler to return to God Dethroned’s antiChristian roots, God Dethroned embarked on a journey to unearth secret religious societies, photograph scenes of erotic derangement, feed jealous angels, tell tales of forced evangelism, detail demonic frenzies, and, of course, covet the spawn of Satan. In short, Illuminati returns God Dethroned to its infernal roots. Will be released on February 7, 2020.
“Threnos” – follows the path of atmospheric, yet emotional Doom Death Metal. On Thorns I Lay continue to tell dense stories of loss and despair. Folk elements add to the gloomy sound of “Threnos” in a natural manner. The ninth album consists of seven tracks, which are based on pure emotion and gloomy heaviness. Keyboard sounds expand the density and provide even more depth to the songs. The album’s sound took their Death/Doom roots and melded it perfectly with Melodic Death. “Threnos,” is a very impressive Doom Metal album that kicks off the genre, and Metal in general, on a high note in 2020. Lineup: Stefanos – Vocals Chris – Guitars Antony – Keyboards Stelios – Drums Akis – Guitars Jim - Bass “Threnos” will be released on February 21, 2020.
Existing at the forefront of the Polish black metal movement, Blaze Of Perdition return with their fifth fulllength, The Harrowing Of Hearts – their most urgent, refined, dynamic and accomplished work to date. Richly layered, it is also their most textured release, and they dive ever deeper into the themes they have been exploring sincedroppingtheirdebutfull-lengthin 2010, Towards The Blaze Of Perdition. «I would say the new record is to 2017’s Conscious Darkness what [2011’s] The Hierophant was for Towards The Blaze Of Perdition - a continuation of the initial idea, but in more energetic and catchy form. Perhaps more approachable and listener-friendly, but it’s not up to me to decide,» states vocalist Sonneillon. «Although some gothic rock influences could be heard on Conscious Darkness, here we took them out of the shadows and let them shine in the spotlight. It’s also our most collectively written effort so far, with every band member throwing something meaningful to the whole.» Lineup XCIII – Guitars Sonneillon – Vocals DQ – Drums M.R. – Guitars The Harrowing Of Hearts will be released on February 14, 2020.
The 5th studio album of one of France’s most creative death/black metal bands of our time, SVART CROWN, features their most diverse compositions to date! “Wolves Among The Ashes” consists of 8 tracks of technically proficient extreme metal paired with irresistible melodic strains and a haunting atmosphere! After an almost classic intro and a very destinctive late 90’s blackened death metal outburst in the vein of Angelcorpse (‘Thermageddon’), SVART CROWN’s reprogrammed DNA starts to unveil its devilish nature, leaving no stones unturned, from weird industrial samples married with Gregorian chants performed by drummer Ranko (‘Blessed Be The Fools’) to dual clean vocals and triphop-like beats (‘Down To Nowhere’) or freezing blackmetal worthy of Gorgoroth (‘At The Altar Of Beauty’). Instead of coming across as an artistic mess, this fifth full-lenght actually remains incredibly cohesive and shows a band eager to make the next step in its carreer. Wolves Among The Ashes will be released on February 7, 2020.
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