Metal Bulletin #67

th
December 15 , 2015 (no.2 in December)
www.metalbulletin.blogspot.com
Washington state, U.S.
Missa Mortvm
Embodied Torment
www.twitter.com/MetalBulletinZn
www.facebook.com/The-Metal-Bulletin-paper-zine-238441519609213
As Darkness Dies
Sacrament ov Impurity
Putrevore
Darkest Era
upcoming concert: January 2, 2016 in Everett: Zafakon, Calamity, Kill Closet
plus: Abhorrent, Canyon of the Skull, Conflicted, Contrarian, Dystrophy, Exmortus,
Extreme Cold Winter, Grey Heaven Fall, Heathen Beast, Kult Mogił, Lurid Memory,
Marasmus, Mastication of Brutality Uncontrolled, Mindless Sinner, Odium, Rapture,
Rose'n, Savage, Saviours, Suppressive Fire, The Sickening, Tales of the
Tomb,Vigilance, Wilderness Dream, Wilt
FREE metal music: Prophecy Of Apocalypse, Man Made Predator, Verezen, Four
Forests and a Tree, Sabbatic Round, Psionic Plasma
Seattle region concert calendar
www.fuglymaniacs.com (issues online, videos, …)
—
Metal Bulletin Zine
P.O. Box 1339
Lake Stevens WA 98258 USA
Metal Bulletin Zine
#1-20:
#21-26: (2009-2010): Texas
Washington state
(2006-2009): Wisconsin
#27(2010)--now;
All album reviews, news, updates below are
by MMB, unless stated otherwise.
-—
Missa Mortvm (Chile)
Et Lux Perpetua Luceat Eis...
release: August 22, 2015
Satanath Records
This week I have been impressed with this
Chilean black metal band:
the careful
instrumentation and the great effort to give
the guitar work identity and color, creativity
and personality, are all traits that stand out.
The rhythms sound great and all, but above
the rhythms there is another element of
melody, tremolo melody, that takes the songs
further and higher. Moreover, there are other
aspects of the guitar playing to notice, not just
one type of melody. More will be discovered
with additional listens.
The drummer puts on a veritable clinic on
extreme metal drumming: when to do double
bass for more effect; how to time the kicks to
a particular melody or rhythm; how to vary
the kicks to make them stand out when you
are listening; how to do black metal blasting;
when to blast, when not to; how to avoid
monotony; how and when to utilize various
parts of the drum set with imagination, so on
and so forth.
When the above guitar and drums skills are
joined with a feel for songwriting, that’s when
things get really interesting. In this case, the
effect is immediate and undeniable, if you are
into black metal.
The vocals are not the shrieking type, which
means that more people will like them, as the
shrieking tends to irritate some people. The
vocals are gruff, with some screams here and
there. It is in this department, if anything, that I
would have liked a bit more mishegas or
unpredictability or more unleashing.
This band is a bit of a mystery because,
apparently, this album is almost completely
the work of a single person, except for the
bass. Bandcamp says that Ots does
everything, and AJ plays bass. In the live
setting Ots does vocals and plays drums, while
AJ plays bass and Marbas plays guitar.
Anyway, this is not beginner black metal nor is
it shlock black metal. Metal Archives says that
this is the first album, so great things are on the
horizon in the future if this not a one-off album.
www.satanath.bandcamp.com/album/sat12
8-missa-mortvm-et-lux-perpetua-luceat-eis2015
www.facebook.com/MissaMortvm
As Darkness Dies
As Darkness Dies
release: October 30, 2015
Pure Steel Records
This is a traditional-melodic metal band from
the U.S. This work is their debut. Metal Archives
shows that they have been active since 2011,
and it looks like everyone except the drummer
is in another band from Connecticut called
Graven Image (on YouTube it says that this
band is "ex-Graven Image," actually).
Stylistically, the music is modern melodic
heavy metal. The band has many strengths
that they show on this 60-minute, 12-song
album. As a traditional band, one question
that they answer quickly is that, yes, they do
have a good singer. That makes a huge
difference. The singing is a full voice that
sounds good, friendly, comfortable to the ear,
which encourages the listener to check out
the complete album.
After listening to the full album, it becomes
clearer that the band works with a wide
range,
from
songs
that
are
more
headbanging metal to ones that show some
classic rock sounds and some mellower
moments (power ballad) that contrast well
with the higher energy sounds.
In terms of melodic metal, this is the album
that has gotten the most rotation this week
3
here because, like previously mentioned,
there lots of positive aspects that I think the
traditional metal supporter would enjoy.
Overall the recording is good quality, no
problems there at all. I would prefer a more
natural drum sound for this band, as the drums
sound a bit too soft or flat or clicky, in my
opinion. However, remember that if you want
melodic metal, this album is definitely a
keeper. It certainly is for me, and you should
hear this music for yourself, above all.
www.facebook.com/OfficialAsDarknessDies/?
fref=ts
www.puresteelrecords.com/bands/view/369/As_Darkness_Di
es
Putrevore
Tentacles of Horror
release: October 10, 2015
Xtreem Music
When veteran growler Dave Rotten from the
long-running death metal Spaniard sickos
Avulsed teams up with senior zombie multiproject Swede guitarist Rogga “death metal
riff machine” Johansson the result is simplistic,
dirty, and fan-wait-for-it-tastic! The vocals are
as low as they go; you won’t understand a
single word, not a one; it’s just super low woofwoof from start to finish, forwards and
backwards, front to back, back to back. The
vocals basically are another form of a rhythm
section, beating, pounding, pumping in a way
that goes with the jumbled mass of heaviness,
as opposed to having vocals that take over
the songs. The vocals flow and fit in, and do
not seek to dominate the songs. The vocals
function like another instrument, a sort of gruff
undead worm woof-woof beat box zombie
cave put-put boom boom, if you will.
Keep on making zombie-infested music.
www.xtreemmusic.bandcamp.com/album/te
ntacles-of-horror
www.facebook.com/putrevore
NEWS:
Embodied Torment
Liturgy of Ritual Execution
release: May 31, 2015
When you gots to have it all, when you want
the real, traditional, muddy death metal, then
this album should be on your list. Not only that,
but you can hear the sicko-sicko music at the
link below. If you like the first song, and you
want more like that, then that’s what you will
get. There’s nothing complicated going on
here: it’s not a trick nor a fancy gimmick, it’s
not a bird and it’s not a plane, it’s Putrevore!
You might laugh, you might bang your head
or might run away. Either way it’s going to be
a good time.
The curious thing is that the album is actually
catchy, as long as you know what you are
getting
yourself
into.
Sophistication,
innovation, technicality, showmanship and
things like that are not found here. Instead, it is
that old-time death metal that Avulsed and
Rogga’s many projects have been making for
years and years and years. Mr. Rotten and Mr.
Jay are back with something new: more of
the same. Bang your head or step aside, the
old warriors do not quit. Putrevore has called
you up again, if you refuse all of this jelly, it’s
ok, they’ll make their way, like they always do.
4
The ultra brutal death metal aficionado will
eat this album up. This band is from California,
U.S. and they have an album from this year.
It’s possible that this band is totally new to you
or maybe you already have heard it. The
bottom line is that this is super guttural gravity
blast death metal of maximum modern
brutality. Listen to this album on Bandcamp
and listen as they open a can of ultra extreme
metal on you. Do it, it will be good for your
mental health or you metal health or … or …
shut up, just mosh, zombie, mosh!
history of the band:
Matt Chaco: gutturals
Joaquin Chávez: string pain
David Ko: low bumping
Cindy Chaco: gravity blasting freak of nature
Embodied Torment was founded in 2011, as
Matt Chaco (vox) and Cindy Chaco (drums)
joined forces with Casey Ryle (guitars),
Joaquin Chavez (guitars), and David Ko
(bass). After an initial phase of playing a fairly
traditional form of death metal, represented
by their early demo, the quintet gradually
focused on the most brutal and extreme
elements of their sound. Ryle departed in mid2012, which saw the band continue on as a
four-piece and record their 'Kyphonism'
promo, which represented their new sonic
direction.
After their first tour in November of 2013, their
performances gained them the attention of
rising death metal label New Standard Elite,
with whom they signed on in June 2014. After
an intensive period of writing, the band
emerged in May 2015 with their debut fulllength release, "Liturgy of Ritual Execution."
Built on a traditionalist framework of extreme,
blasting death metal, the album weaves
hymns of brutality with a dark atmosphere
that is uncommon in the genre. Tracks such as
Oubliette, Epoch of Suffering and Thrones of
the Slain display a vision of dismal and brutal
music reaching beyond the confines of Brutal
Death Metal without compromising the
extremity that characterizes the core of their
sound.
In June of 2015, to practice the liturgy in front
of the roaring throng, Embodied Torment took
part in the New Standard Elite USA tour
featuring Disentomb, Cerebral Effusion,
Delusional Parasitosis, and Iniquitous Deeds.
The tour was an immense success, and the
band are preparing now to take the next step
in bringing this form of extreme death metal to
parts beyond.
Embodied Torment has also performed with
such luminaries of the extreme death metal
5
world as Crypt Infection, Euphoric Defilement,
Exhumer, Amputated Genitals, Pessimist,
Abhorration, SICK, Shawn Whitaker, Dying
Fetus, Cattle Decapitation, Cerebral Bore,
Krisiun, Omnihility, Carnal Decay, Arsis, Devour
The
Unborn,
Corpsefucking
Art,
and
Coprophiliac.
www.embodiedtorment.bandcamp.com
www.facebook.com/embodiedtorment
interview:
Sacrament ov Impurity
Back on October 14th, the black metal band
Goat Torment (Belgium) played in Everett,
Washington state. California black metal
band Old Coven also played. The third band
that night was the long-running Washington
state black metal outlaws Sacrament ov
Impurity, who happened to have a new
album called “All the Colors of the Dark.” The
album is another triumph for the band. They
obviously don’t care to change due to
outside pressures. So turn up the volume and
listen to the screams and chaos! The album is
dependable and consistent because if it’s
black metal that you came for, black metal is
what the band will give you. The band has
been around the block a time or two and
they are quite the skilled band at writing songs
that you can remember. Don’t be deceived.
This band wants you to remember the songs. I
sure hope that I get to see the band live
again! If you like black metal, be sure to
check out the new album. Below is the band’s
bio and after that, the band answers some
questions. The Butcher (guitars and screams)
answers.
History of the band:
Sacrament Ov Impurity came to be in the
year 2007 by Samhain (drums) and The
Butcher (guitar) after their former band,
Ozzmotiarr came to an end. They were joined
by XephilaX on bass and vocals and began
writing and rehearsing their new material.
2008 – 2009
The first year as a band was spent perfecting
their sound and playing many shows in
Washington state, down to Portland, Oregon
and getting their name known. People came
to witness their live shows and did not leave
disappointed. Their fan base grew... In the
winter of 2009 they began work on their debut
album, A World Beheld By Damnation.
2010 – 2011
With mixing and mastering of their album
done, A World Beheld By Damnation was
released in April of 2010 and was very well
received by fans and critics alike. With their
debut album released, they began writing
new songs and playing bigger shows, sharing
6
the stage with bands such as Mayhem, Hate
and Impaler to name a few. In November of
2011 they began planning their first tour to
take place early 2012, an eight day venture
that would take them down the West coast to
Los Angeles and back. All was falling into
place, or so it seemed...
2012
As the tour dates neared, and everything
seemed to be proceeding as planned,
XephilaX informed the band that he would be
quitting. So with two months to go before the
tour was set to kick off, Samhain and The
Butcher were left without a bassist or vocalist.
They had a choice to make, cancel the tour,
or make some major changes. They chose the
latter... They scrapped all their old songs and
within a few weeks had written a full set of
new material to take on the road. They
acquired the vocal talents of Naphula to fill in
and they were ready to hit the road. The tour
went better than they could have hoped,
and in August of 2012 they played two shows
with Hellgoat and Teratism in Portland,
Oregon and San Francisco, California and
were very well received. Things had finally
turned around and were heading in the right
direction again, or so they thought... In late
2012 Naphula unexpectedly quit the band. At
this point, Samhain and The Butcher decided
to carry on as a two piece with The Butcher
taking on full vocal duties, and in December
of 2012 they began work on a new album,
Anguishing In Obscurity...
2013
With the new lineup solidified and Anguishing
In Obscurity finally finished, they began
planning a two week August tour in support of
the album...
BEYOND...
Sacrament Ov Impurity has been reborn from
the ashes of their former self. Check back for
updated info, tour dates and future releases.
Fuck trends! Support the true underground!
THE INTERVIEW
What’s up with Sacrament ov Impurity?! It was
excellent to see your band in action in little
old metal-deprived Everett! I have been
listening to your new album appropriately
called All the Colors of the Dark. Who is the
lineup playing on the album? Is it Samhain
and The Butcher only?
What does Rob know about recording black
metal?
A: Basement Studios is our friend Robs' private
recording studio in Mt. Vernon. I'm pretty sure
we are the only black metal band he has
worked with but he has done audio and
video production for years so he knows what
he's doing.
ANSWER: Correct, S does all the drumming
and I do all guitars and vocals.
The album says that only the two of you,
Samhain and The Butcher, played. What are
all instruments used on the album?
A: The only instruments used on this recording
were guitars and drums.
Are there no outside guests for vocal parts or
anything like that?
A: Not on this album but we wouldn't be
opposed to the idea of having a friend or
fellow musician guest on an album.
The album does not
recorded? How new
actually?
say when it was
is the recording,
A: Oddly enough, most of the songs off All The
Colors Of The Dark were written before the
songs off our previous album, Anguishing In
Obscurity but the way everything worked out
we ended up releasing the newer songs first.
What and where is Basement Studios? Who is
Rob Olmsted? Is this your own home recording
equipment or is it a studio in Mount Vernon?
7
The Butcher plays guitar and does vocals, but
at first he played guitars only. Is that correct or
not? Is he vocalist out of necessity because of
lineup changes?
A: On our first album I only played guitar and
some keyboard programming but I would do
live backup vocals. So yes, when we lost our
vocalist I took over out of necessity.
What has The Butcher learned about doing
black metal vocals over the years? How did
you learn not to destroy your vocal chords
doing such an extreme style of screaming?
A: It’s hard to say. I'm always trying new things
and just try not to do anything that hurts my
voice. I'm sure I'm not doing it "technically"
right, but oh well.
How often do you try to play live? What are
your goals on that front for 2016?
start your discography with a live album. How
did the live album come about?
A: We try and play live fairly often, however at
the moment we are taking a few months off
to focus on rehearsal and recording new
material. We do hope to tour for a couple
weeks in the fall.
A: At a few of our very early shows the venues
would offer to burn you a copy of your live set
from the soundboard. And since we didn't yet
have the money for a proper studio recording
it was the best way to get our music out.
I just read on your Facebook page that you
will be recording a new album? You say you
have material for two albums?
How would you both say that you have
changed in terms of musical perspective for
black metal as time goes by?
A: We currently have around 14 unrecorded
songs. We are deciding if we want to do a
four song ep followed by a long ten track full
length or split them into two slightly shorter full
lengths.
A: There are people who think black metal
needs to sound a certain way and if it
deviates from that formula in the slightest it's
not "true" or what not. We believe that while
it's true that black metal should have a certain
sound and aesthetic, it is also important that
the message is rooted in black metal ideology
be it Satanism, depression, nature, violence,
hatred etc. And as long as your intentions are
genuine, bands should be free to test the
limits of what black metal can be, musically.
And it goes both ways, if a band sounds like
Bathory but the lyrics are about sunshine and
happiness that's not black metal, I don't care
what the music sounds like.
By the way, what are other real metal bands
in Mount Vernon?
A: None worth mentioning.
Did both of you go grow up in Mount Vernon?
Were you both in bands in high school? What
type of music did you play when you both
were in bands at the beginning?
A: S went to Mt. Vernon and I went to Sedro
Woolley alternative HS. I believe S was in a
punk band and I just played my guitar alone
in my room in high school.
Having a band is time consuming and it's
money consuming. Why do you do it? How
long could you live life without making music?
A: I personally wouldn't want to live life without
making music and that is exactly why we put
forth all the energy, time and money it takes
to be an independent band for this long.
On Metal Archives it says that your first album
is a live album. That's a bit different, isn't it? To
8
At this point, Samhain and The Butcher have
sold their souls to black metal. Are you less
perfectionist or more perfectionist now?
A: We always strive to outdo our previous
endeavors, so I'd say the end goal is always
perfection.
Do the songs get easier or more difficult to
write as you get older?
A: For myself, writing comes easy when I can
actually sit down and do it. Unfortunately it
seems like there is always something that
needs to be done, preventing me from
focusing on writing as much as I would prefer.
How easy is it to go from the song that you
hear in your head to the song that you
record?
A: A time consuming pain in the ass... But in an
enjoyable way.
I saw your band in Everett when you played
with Goat Torment and Old Coven. Why do
you suppose that you have not played the
Everett/Marysville area that often?
A: Actually, our first show ever was in Everett,
years ago. It just seems like there isn't that
much going on in Everett as far as black
metal. That Goat Torment show was not
something I would expect to happen in
Everett.
I have read that you have shows in
Bellingham? What places in Bellingham book
black metal?
There is a bar called the Shakedown that has
some really good shows but they are mostly a
punk bar, not so much extreme metal. They
will book it, it's just not the norm.
Ok, that's it for now, guys. The Butcher was a
maniac on stage and Samhain is a pleasure
to watch him just go to work on those drums,
man. What else would you like readers of
Metal Bulletin Zine to know about your band?
Is there anything else you would like to
mention?
A: Thanks for the opportunity to do this
interview. I would just say to anyone interested
you
can
follow
our
facebook
at
facebook.com/sacramentovimpurity and find
our
music
and
other
merch
at
www.sacramentovimpurity.bandcamp.com
www.facebook.com/SacramentOvImpurity/
FUCK PC BLACK METAL!
THE END.
9
NEWS:
Darkest Era
Gods and Origins
Cruz Del Sur Music
release: November 20, 2015
Below you will find the relevant information
about the newest release by Darkest Era.
Below you will find band information and also
a previous review from Metal Bulletin Zine in
order to give you an idea about the band in
general.
Celtic metal band DARKEST ERA are set to
release a new vinyl 7" entitled Gods and
Origins November 20 on Cruz Del Sur Music.
Recorded between the studio session for
Severance and Spring 2015, Gods and Origins
is an insightful representation of the group's
decade-long existence.
The EP features new song "Elohim" and a rerecording of an early gem called "An Dagda
Awakens" (renamed "An Dagda" for the 7").
Guitarist Ade Mulgrew had this to say about
the re-recording of "An Dagda Awakens:"
"Since it's almost 10 years since myself and
Sarah started playing guitar together, we
decided to revisit one of the first songs we
wrote, 'An Dagda Awakens'. Written with the
fiery energy (and perhaps naivety) of
teenage metalheads making their first steps
on their journey, we have breathed smoke
and ashes into this old song and brought it
screaming into the darkness."
BIO
DARKEST ERA has developed a fresh Celtic
Metal sound by fusing the twin guitar driven
old school heavy metal styles of Thin Lizzy and
Iron Maiden with a signature dark and
melancholic atmosphere.
The band's journey began in 2005 around the
nucleus of teenage school friends Ade
Mulgrew, Sarah Wieghell and vocalist Krum.
The group recorded a demo under the name
'Nemesis' while still at school in mid 2006. A
collection of raw, epic and twin guitar driven
songs, it began to bring the young band to
the attention of the European metal
underground. The group's fledgling sound
continued to evolve quickly and in 2007
'Darkest Era' was born. The new name was felt
to be more in keeping with the darker and
more epic sound that the band's music had
began to take on.
Two EP's and European festival appearances
preceded the release of debut album The
Last Caress of Light on Metal Blade records in
early 2011 to a strong reaction from fans and
press across Europe and North America. It was
included in a number that year's best album
lists and was seen to stand out for its epic
power and emotional honesty. UK and
European tours followed with bands during
2012 and 2013 helping to establish the band's
unique dark, epic heavy metal sound.
In 2014 the band's eagerly awaited second
album Severance was released via Cruz Del
Sur Records. Showcasing a newfound
darkness and aggression, the critical reaction
surpassed that of their debut. The album
again captured accolades from fans and
press across Europe and the US, and claimed
the 'Album of the Year' title on a number of
online publications.
www.facebook.com/darkestera
www.twitter.com/darkestera
www.cruzdelsurmusic.com
Darkest Era (U.K.): Severance (Cruz del Sur)
Every person has their individual way of
hearing music, certainly, but the case of
Darkest Era (Northern Ireland) seems a bit
more perplexing than usual because the
terms “Celtic metal” and “folk metal” have
been utilized in relation to the band. Yet, I
have no idea whatsoever as to why anyone
10
would call this music “folk metal.” All I hear is
traditional, melodic heavy metal, featuring a
strong quality of melodic doom, contrasted
with segments of uptempo energy. The
category “folk metal,” to me, means old
Skyclad, Cruachan, In Extremo, Korpiklaani,
Eluveitie and other such entities with violins,
bagpipes, accordions and other traditional
instruments that underline the music with
melodies of a particular tradition, time, culture
or region.
Perhaps for the Irish listener, or an expert, the
lyrics seem very Irish, but to the non-specialist,
the lyrics simply are heavy metal storytelling;
lyrics alone do not constitute a genre. Again:
Darkest Era is a traditional heavy metal band,
through and through: at least on this album,
there is nothing—nothing at all—having to do
with beer-drinking happy polka, Oktoberfest,
humppa party tunes, or musicians dressed in
furry boots.
Specifically, the sound of Darkest Era is
characterized by a sense of traditional,
melodic doom; sometimes the songs go at a
midpace; frequently, the melancholy in the
vocals is impossible to disassociate from
doom. Still, that is not all there is: in part, it’s
solemn music, but it’s also headbanging
metal. The melody comes from two primary
places: the singing and the guitar work. It is
commendable, in my view, that Darkest Era
avoids clichéd melodies. The melodies can
sound somber, even though, overall, Darkest
Era is most definitely not slow music. It could
be that the melodies originate, consciously or
subconsciously, from a combination of Thin
Lizzy and traditional doom (Candlemass? 80s
Sabbath?), if you can imagine those classic
guitar melodies of Thin Lizzy and melodic
doom tinged with melancholy. In addition,
Darkest Era’s use of sad, midpaced tremolo
works wonders for the vibe of the songs. Of
course, if the band has, in fact, borrowed
traditional Irish melodies, I am not qualified to
identify them; if so, then, my point is that those
melodies do not sound “folky,” happy or
sweet, but rather somber and/or melancholic.
By the way, the singing is so good that I am
curious about Dwayne “Krum” Maguire’s live
performance. Can Krum really sing this well
live? People who have seen this band live can
answer that question. I hope that one day I
get to find out for myself. At any rate, the
album is highly recommended for supporters
of traditional metal, talent and good
songwriting.
Calamity (Puerto Rico)
NEWS:
January 2, 2016 in Everett: Zafakon,
Calamity, Kill Closet
Zafakon: "Death/Thrash Metal band based in
San Juan,Puerto Rico that incorporates
Groove elements, extreme vocals and an
explosive stage presence."
Calamity: "Thrash Metal band from Caguas,
Puerto Rico that brings old school sound
incorporation, aggressive drum rhythms and
harmonized guitar licks together to catch a
performance not easily found, but highly
recognizable."
Kill Closet: "7 piece metal band from just north
of Seattle Wa."; "Metal, Deathcore, Thrash"
Zafakon (Puerto Rico)
11
Kill Closet (Washington state)
Zafakon
www.facebook.com/zafakon/timeline
Calamity
www.facebook.com/CalamityPR/?fref=ts
Kill Closet
www.facebook.com/KillCloset/timeline
Flights Pub 7601 Evergreen Way, Everett,
Washington
98203
www.facebook.com/Flights-Pub235888056435979/
NEWS:
Abhorrent
Intransigence
release: 20 November 2015
Willowtip Records
Nonstop tech-death brutal sounds is the
objective of the band. Below you can learn
more about the band and its music. Below
you will find the link to hear the album. The
main thing you need to know is that this is for
the total tech-death supporters. Find out for
yourself below:
Intransigence is the ear-bludgeoning debut
long player from San Antonio death metal
squadron, ABHORRENT. The record boasts ten
uncompromising tracks of ear-lacerating
severity. Engineered, mixed and mastered by
Mike Garrison at Sound Crater Recording with
guitar and bass reamps by Greg Tomao at
The Tomato Farm Studio, Intransigence
includes guest appearances by the Trevor
Strnad (The Black Dahlia Murder), Malcolm
Pugh (Inferi, A Loathing Requiem), Antonio
Ascencio (Serocs) and more!
Said No Clean Singing of the band's “A
Lightness Of Mind” single featuring guest
vocals
by
Matthew
“Chalky”
Chalk
(Mephistopheles, ex-Psycroptic): “The title of
the song may seem ironic — because the
music is anything but light, and it’s unlikely to
induce a feeling of lightness of mind. On the
other hand, mental agility would certainly be
a plus when you try to follow the headspinning instrumental acrobatics of this band.
The music moves at the pace of a cheetah
and darts, dives, and ascends like a flight of
swallows. It booms, squirms, jabs, rocks, and
rends with razor-edged claws. It’s both nimble
and
neolithic,
tangled
and
tortuous,
somersaulting and sinister. Capped by
barbarous vocals, the music is technically jawdropping (and produced in a way that you
can fully appreciate each performer’s skill) yet
as vicious as death metal should be. And
perhaps most surprising of all, you may find
that after this rocket ride is over, there was an
eerie melody lurking within its labyrinthine
windings all along that stays in your head.”
ABHORRENT — who feature within their ranks
current and former members of Spawn Of
Possession, Absurdist and The Faceless — was
formed in 2007 by guitarist Marlon Friday and
drummer Lyle Cooper. In 2009, a three-song
demo was released before the band went on
an indeterminate hiatus while members
12
focused on other projects. In 2014, vocalist
Nick Brown and bassist Erlend Caspersen
joined and the band entered Sound Crater
Recording to record their Intransigence
debut. Boasting a wealth of riff-variations and
athletic rhythmic assaults, Intransigence is like
the unprincipled, violent force of nature,
realizing itself through pure will and power.
www.willowtip.bandcamp.com/album/intrans
igence
www.facebook.com/Abhorrentdm
NEWS:
Canyon of the Skull
Canyon of the Skull
release: 30 October 2015
independent
Deep in the heart of Texas, there is
instrumental doom sludge in which the music
does the talking and no human voice is heard
to irritate you. It’s just you and the music. It’s a
different experience: no yelling, no screaming.
Some people say, “Shut up and play!” Well,
that’s what this band does! This is what you will
get:
1.The Path (of Bear and Wolf) 17:18
2.Canyon of the Skull
18:03
total time 35:21
This band is from Austin, Texas, which is a little
village surrounded by desert on all sides, and
no trees to be found for miles and miles. The
few people that live there (maybe about 250
or 300 people, at most) like to sit on their
porches and stare into the desert and they
listen to this band (and also to ZZ Top) and just
listen for hours and hours. This is exactly
(exactly!) how life is in Austin, Texas. Blackie
Lawless was right.
To find out more about this instrumental doom
sludge band, read this information and don’t
forget to drink some water:
Austin, Texas' CANYON OF THE SKULL will
release its debut album on October 30, 2015.
Two epic tracks of Instrumental Blackened
Doom guaranteed to permanently damage
ears and melt minds.
Above, stars permeated the blackest night
known only by the towering walls of stone in
all directions, creating shadow never touched
by the pale moon. Below, stillness echoed in
anguished and boundless horror across the
desert floor. The towering pines of the Basin
are weeks away, the seed of desperation now
the only shade and refuge. Recall the advice
sought before journey, the coyotes' voice
coldly bestowing your one true fate:
"Sand"
And so in great and endless time it stands, this,
The Canyon of the Skull.
bio:
The brainchild of Erik Ogershok, COTS was
initially manifested in the winter of 2006.
Several local appearances and line up
fluctuations later, life happened, and the
project laid dormant. 2014 saw the return of
Ogershok as he recruited new musical
personnel in the form of drummer Adrian
Voorhies & bassist Alex Davis, both of the
Austin based Black Metal outfit Humut Tabal
and once more brought the doom trio to life
to melt the faces of all who sought shade in
the Canyon walls.
After numerous regional gigs both opening for
touring colleagues & spearheading an array
of craft beer events & festival slots (including
two SXSW appearances), the band closed the
year with a blistering performance at the End
13
of the World Fest in Houston along side Austin
brethren The Sword and Eagle Claw. 2015 saw
the creation of the bands first recording, a
two track monolith of doom metal spanning
38 minutes, recorded at Wooden Horse
Studios in Dallas & mastered by none other
than Proscriptor McGovern of the mighty
Texas mythological metal gods Absu. Now, as
the band prepares to hit the road in October
for their first regional tour of the country, only
one message can truly be counted on:
Abandon All Hope!
ERIK OGERSHOK (GUITAR)
ADRIAN VOORHIES (DRUMS)
www.canyonoftheskull.bandcamp.com
www.facebook.com/canyonoftheskull/
NEWS: Conflicted
Under Bio-lence
release: 4 December 2015
Sick Bangers
The Chilean thrash bands continue making
headway in 2015. For evidence, look into the
new album by Conflicted. Below you will find
more information about the band:
Conflicted – formed in 2010 – is a Crossover
Thrash Metal band from Arica, Chile. At the
beginning of its career the band launched
their debut demo Dirty Snake Attack 10", and
two years later their first full length called
Social Disorder released in 2012 Via Sick
Bangers Metal Label and Distro.
Their home town Arica, borders with Peru and
Bolivia, countries where the band has been
able to perform promoting their debut album
in a mini-tour called "South Disorder"," sharing
stage with bands such as Violator, Onslaught,
Artillery, Exumer and Annihilator. In 2013, the
band released Sick Mosh, a live DVD along
with label mates Nuclear and Lefutray. This
audiovisual material helped the band to be
part of one of the most important festivals of
extreme music in South America: The Metal
Fest, carried out in Santiago, Chile on April
2014. The festival also had the presence of
important bands like Pentagram (Chile), Dark
Angel, At the Gates, Voivod, Hypocrisy and
Megadeth.
Line Up:
Felipe Huerta: Vocals
Rolando Vasquez: Guitars
Rodrigo Rios: Bass
Pedro Pablo Puente: Drums
www.facebook.com/conflictedmetal/
NEWS:
Contrarian
Polemic
Willowtip
release: November 20, 2015
Below you will find the relevant information
about Contrarian, a prog death metal
project. As you will read below, Contrarian is a
special project for various reasons.
Progressive/avant-garde death metal legion,
CONTRARIAN – which unites the musical
prowess of drummer George Kollias (Nile),
guitarists Brian Mason (Sulaco) and Leon
Macey (Mithras), vocalist Cody McConnell
(Goemagot), and guitarist Jim Tasikas and
bassist Ed Paulsen, both from the New Yorkbased progressive metal fusion act Delirium
Endeavor – will release their debut full-length
this Fall via Willowtip Records.
Titled Polemic, the eight-track offering was
captured at Watchmen Studios (USA),
Dreaming Studios (UK) and Soundtrap Studios
(Greece) with all mixing and mastering done
14
by Macey at Dreaming Studios. A departure
both musically and ideologically from most
bands within the genre today, the record is
essentially just that – a polemic. A
smorgasbord of original and authentic death
metal riffs, layered with blistering solos and
mind-blowing percussion, CONTRARIAN never
sticks to any one thing for too long.
Perpetually changing and evolving, the
band’s layered sound and technical wizardry
is not to be misconstrued as senseless
noodling. Instead, the songs on display delve
into avant-garde, latter-day, Schuldinerianstyle riffage, with atmospheric variations
proving a wholly enticing listen to all those
willing to take in its eccentricity.
Said No Clean Singing of the record's title
track: “‘Polemic’ is so much more than a
display of technical fireworks. It’s a union of
the mystical and the marauding. Somehow,
this song that’s instrumentally complex and
loaded with rapid tempo changes is also
hauntingly atmospheric, with melancholy
melodic motifs that have real staying power.
It’s also definitely a death metal song. In
addition to all the other talents on display, the
vocals were provided by Cody McConnell of
Goemagot, and his slow, deep growls are
massive, while the song also includes an
assortment of grim, heavyweight riffs and
thundering drums. But what really makes the
song so memorable is the band’s success in
building a bleak atmosphere at the same time
as they’re flashing their technical chops, and
in infiltrating the dynamic music with somber,
high guitar melodies that prove to be quite
memorable. On that score, Leon Macey from
the UK’s Mithras turns in some guitar solos that
are simply beautiful.”
Polemic is:
1.Polemic
2.Need For Apathy
3.Retrieval
4.Foreknowledge
5.Predestined
6.Libertarian Manifesto
7.Diogenes At Delphi
8.Nothing Is Everything (Death cover)
www.willowtip.bandcamp.com/album/polem
ic
www.facebook.com/contrarianmetal
deal and proper worldwide release. The
band’s forward-thinking and procedural
death metal that will appeal to fans of Death,
Gorguts, Atheist, Voivod, Ripping Corpse,
Humans Remains, Deathspell Omega and the
like.
NEWS:
Dystrophy
Wretched Host
Selfmadegod Records
release: 4 December 2015
www.facebook.com/DystrophyNJ
www.dystrophyband.com
www.selfmadegod.com
www.facebook.com/selfmadegod
Tech-death
audiences
into
dissonant,
plodding, jarring sounds will need to hear
what these Jersey guys have come up with
this time around. It’s not speed-based per se,
although there is some of that, of course. It is a
gigantic mass of ear-rattling slow growling
thick heaviness that they are doing and it will
probably sound disturbing and sweet to the
tech-death ear. It’s not easy listening, for sure,
but this band is not easy and that has not
changed.
If you are new to the band, here’s a bit of
information about them:
Formed in 2007, DYSTROPHY was spawned
from a DIY ethic that has stuck with the band
to this day. Progressing from the rapid
technical approach of their first album, 2010’s
Chains Of Hypocrisy, DYSTROPHY has since
refined their style, and on Wretched Host the
band weaves an intensely personal tale of
mental health into a savage and dissonant
style of technical death metal. The album was
tracked and mixed at One Stone Recording
Studio, and mastered at West West Side
Music. Initially self-released in June with a small
amount of copies made available directly
from the band, a few months later Wretched
Host caught attention of Polish label
Selfmadegod, which lead to signing official
15
Exmortus
Ride Forth
Prosthetic Records
release: 8 January 2016
The L.A. kings of shredding virtuosity return for
another victorious crusade. Once again
Exmortus, the great one, brings its gongshow
in all its glory. The combination of neoclassical
guitar + power/thrash tempos + growled
vocals is as sharp as ever. If things turn out
right for them, this album should raise their
profile higher and more people will know the
name. Listen to this music and very quickly
you will hear the precision and the quality
instrumentation. The music rejoices with
neoclassical shredding and the spirit of
neoclassical metal in general.
The 2014
album was called “Slave to the Sword” and it
was a very good album for the audiences
looking for excellent musicianship. I have
been listening to this new one that will be out
in January 2016: the band’s dedication to the
craft shines through mightily again. It’s
refreshing to hear a metal band so devoted
to mastering its art. The guitar playing is
something to be heard. At times the band is
melodic, at times the speed of the shredding
is dazzling, it always sounds awesome. The
standard that the band has set for itself gives
great results, and the listener wins. The public
into serious guitar and headbanging tunes will
find many, many positives here. Highly
recommended to metal audiences that want,
that demand, that seek skill, hard work and
high
standards
of
quality.
www.facebook.com/exmortusofficial
www.prostheticrecords.com
NEWS:
Extreme Cold Winter
Paradise Ends Here
Vic Records
release: 30 November 2015
This one is for all the total death doom
fanatics out there. As you can tell from the
name of the band, life is not about to get a
happy turn when you listen to this band. Then,
as if that were not enough, they cheerfully
named the album “Paradise Ends Here,” and
it definitely does. Don’t go to school anymore.
Don’t bother showing up for work any longer,
either. Don’t answer people’s phone calls.
Just stay at home, sit there and listen to this
album and things are going to go slow. The
rain won’t stop, the cold is only getting worse,
and the sun does not shine out here for you.
Take a vacation from your problems. Death
doom therapy for you: super slow songs and
growling, just like you want. Merry Christmas.
This is the official information about the band:
EXTREME COLD WINTER IS: AJ van Drenth, all
guitars
(Beyond
Belief,
Temple),
Pim
Blankenstein (Officium Triste, the 11th Hour)
vocals, Seth van de Loo, drums (Severe
Torture, Voodoo Gods, Centurian) Guest bass
by Michiel Dekker (The Monolith Deathcult, ex
Dead Head). 5 tracks with a total playing
time of over 25 minutes, puur doom death, in
the best Beyond Belief traditions! Recorded at
Excess Studios (Eternal Solstice, Sinister, After
Forever) in Rotterdam, The Netherlands with
Hans Pieters.
16
www.facebook.com/Extreme.Cold.Winter
www.vicrecords.com/news.html
NEWS:
Grey Heaven Fall (Russia)
Black Wisdom
release: October 30th, 2015
Aesthetics of Devastation
This album is for the public into elite black
metal, akin to Deathspell Omega. It is both
dissonant black metal as well as hypnotic
black metal and the album requires patience
in order for the fog to clear a bit so that the
picture can emerge. Once it does, though,
the quality and dedication is beyond
question. No casual listeners wanted here.
Aesthetics of Devastation manifesto:
"Attention! October, 30, 2015. Today the
second full-length album called “Black
Wisdom” by Grey Heaven Fall is released. We
realize that not everyone will be capable of
comprehending this record in full, because
the words, that God said, aren’t food for
those whose hearts are fading away.
“Aesthetics” insists on being responsible for
careful listening to the album as the Art
demands. Savour these sounds as if you sip an
old wine. Don’t be in a hurry while detecting
inflections. Think over and seek. Seek after
something that is covered with great and
eternal Being mourning. Before trying to find
God in Beauty, look for Him in the deepest
abomination."
Aesthetics of Devastation is a community, that
publishes and distributes all kinds of High Art
with
extraordinary
unique
devastating
features. Our intentions go far beyond the
name of "publishing label" and are sacred for
us and people we support. It means that all
musicians, artists, directors and other authors,
whose works are represented here, carry the
genuine and high Idea…
'Black Wisdom' track list:
1.The Lord is Blissful in Grief
2.Spirit of Oppression
3.To the Doomed Sons of Earth
4.Sanctuary of Cut Tongues
5.Tranquility of the Possessed
6.That Nail in a Heart
www.aestheticsofdevastation.bandcamp.co
m/album/black-wisdom
www.facebook.com/greyheavenfall
NEWS:
Heathen Beast
Trident
release date: July 10th, 2015
Transcending Obscurity India
According
to
Metal
Archives,
this
political/atheistic extreme metal band from
India started in 2010. They have three EPs and
now all three recordings are collected for this
compilation, from "Ayodhya Burns" to "The
Drowning of the Elephant God" and to "The
Carnage of Godhra." Besides their political
stance, the band is becoming more adept at
utilizing traditional Indian musical elements, a
characteristic that is more pronounced as the
compilation moves towards the more recent
material. The band says that they will not
reveal their identities because it is not yet the
appropriate time. Below you will find
information about the band and the link.
the tried and tested method, sensitive as they
are to criticism. Heathen Beast, ladies and
gents, is of a different ilk. This one not only
sounds Indian, but heck, these guys are
scathing in their anti-religious and anti-fascist
stance pertaning to the actual events
transpired in the country. So much so, that the
identities of the band members are hidden,
otherwise their very lives could be at risk given
their highly controversial and bold themes.”
The band says about itself:
“Heathen Beast believes in no god and no
religion. We write about the world and it's
religion as we see it, we write about how it
encompass and controls the masses in our
country India. Our music symbolizes self belief
and the fact that we choose our own path
and make our own destiny. There is no God
that writes your life and not everything that is
bad in this world is a consequence of that
karma. You are responsible. Heathen Beast
plays a form of brutal metal to connect with
those who think like we do. The Heathen Beast
Shall Be Unleashed Upon Thee.
Heathen Beast is the formation of three.
Carvaka who believes religion was invented
and made up by men, having no divine
authority.
Samkhya who denies the existence of God.
Mimamsa who rejects the notion of God and
says that human action itself is enough to
create the necessary circumstances for the
enjoyment of its fruits.”
The label says:
The label says about the recordings:
“People often ask me "Why does metal music
from India not sound Indian?" Perhaps the
bands here are afraid. They want to stick to
“'Trident' is the ultimate release by Heathen
Beast. Each three-song set has a bold and
unique subject, unfailingly controversial. From
17
the riotous incident revolving around the city
of Ayodhya in 'Ayodhya Burns' in which
thousands
were
slaughtered,
to
the
controversial defiance against the practice of
the immersion of Lord Ganesha idols in 'The
Drowning of the Elephant God' and lastly the
ghastly communal Hindu vs. Muslim riots in the
latest 'Carnage of Godhra' in which literally a
train full of people was torched and there was
blatant butchery killing thousands again,
these are the ugly and shocking issues in India
that only one band has dared to speak out
against. The hidden identities of the members
is a must, since the government in power here
is becoming increasingly intolerant of any
rebellious acts. Upon the band's insistence,
the songs are presented in chronological
order so that the listener can understand the
band's progression and evolution in sound.
More and more Indian instruments are
employed especially on the latest EP titled
'The Carnage of Godhra', fused with black
metal in a more significant way than ever
before in metal history perhaps. This is black
metal with real good intent, boldness and
passion for music over anything else.”
Kult Mogił were established in October 2014 in
Tarnów, Poland. In April 2015 they released
Demo 2015, which was recently put out on
tape with the title K+M+B via Gravplass
Propaganda. Their upcoming full-length,
Anxiety Never Descending, features six brand
new tracks and sees the mysterious trio create
an atmosphere of a reeking graveyard, a
soundtrack to your damnation and slow
death.
wwww.transcendingobscurityindia.bandcam
p.com/album/trident-black-metal
www.facebook.com/HeathenBeast
Regarding the band’s name, the members
explain that Kult Mogił does not translate to
“sepulchral cult”. Instead, “cult of graves” is
more fitting and understood as a “burial place
with or without tombstones” as opposed to
“the cult of dead ancestors”.
NEWS:
Kult Mogił
Anxiety Never Descending
Pagan Records
Release: 24 December 2015
Those that enjoy exploring bands that are
more difficult will be interested in this one from
Poland. The music is a bit of mix of doom and
death metal. This albu will be available soon,
but you can hear a bit of it at the link below:
“Anxiety”, “death”, “grave” and “damnation”
are not just words to describe their music in a
cool metal way. These terms are truly
reflected in the band’s music. The title track’s
chaotic drum work resembles an anxiety
attack, the experimentation with feedback
and slow drum beats on “The Width of a
Forehead” paint morbid pictures while the
soothing guitar melody and riffs on “Palliative
Messiah” could be the soundtrack to your
descent to the grave.
Anxiety Never Descending is not for the fainthearted. “This record will not make dying any
easier for you”, the band commented.
www.facebook.com/paganrecords
www.paganrecords.bandcamp.com/album/
anxiety-never-descending
NEWS: Lurid Memory (U.S.)
Dematerializing
Funeral Noise Records
September 18, 2015
For the readers that appreciate prog death
18
metal, this week I would like to point out this
band to you. The musicianship sounds careful
and detailed, with some melodic guitar
passages that give the songs a bit of an
unexpected twist. There are some mellow
segments, too, which demonstrate that the
band is not shy to bring skill and a bit of
emotion to the music.
The information about the band says:
Progressive Death Metal outfit LURID MEMORY
might seem like a newcomer to many,
however that is not the case. This San Diego
based quartet features current and past
members of brutal Death Metal titans,
GORTUARY. Their first studio opus has already
been highly anticipated by both fans and
media alike.
Featuring cover art by Spanish illustrator Raul
Gonzalez
(Morbus
Chron,
Skinfather,
Deceased),
“Dematerializing”
was
produced by Edward Tolarda (Disgorge) at
DHQ in San Diego, CA. This E.P. also included
special guest appearance by Travis Ryan
(Cattle Decapitation / Murder Construct)
LURID MEMORY are:
Oscar Padilla (Guitars/Vocals)
Aaron Ashby (Drums)
Glenn Davis (Guitars)
Chris Boodhoo (Bass)
www.funeralnoiserecords.bandcamp.com/al
bum/dematerializing
www.facebook.com/luridmemory
www.facebook.com/FuneralNoiseRecords
NEWS:
Marasmus
Conjuring Enormity
release: 2 October 2015
independent
19
The band found the one thing that they do
the best: tech-death barrage and more of it.
Chaotic and precise at the same time, the
tech-death fanatic will welcome this Kansas
City bunch. Listen to the album and find out
just how ugly things can get and fast. No pain
no gain. See below for more information:
Kansas City war machine Marasmus has
thrown down the gauntlet with their newest
release, Conjuring Enormity.
One of 2015's most violent releases, the follow
up to 2012's Mountains of Dead is the product
of a band who has mastered the art of
domination. Devastating brutality delivered
with
unmatched
technical
precision,
Conjuring Enormity is set to usher in a new era
of USDM.
Meaning complete and utter starvation or the
worst way to die, Marasmus have made a
name for themselves as being one of the most
punishing underground metal acts in the
Midwest. They have carved their own style out
of an over saturated genre and have
changed people's perception of what they
call Death Metal; leaving crowds in disbelief
at what they just witnessed. The current lineup
is Kansas City's own local’s Gore Growler
Devon Ferrara on vocals and audio
mastermind Andy Nagorski on Guitar. With
Missouri's own Trynt “machine gun” Kelly on
Drums and massive sound of Brandon Culligan
on the other Guitar. Marasmus has been
perfecting their craft for years and making an
impression on just about anybody that crosses
their path. The future will only tell what is
possible but let it be known that if you are
lucky enough to catch a live set by these four
sick motherfuckers. Your ear drums and
irrelevant life will be destroyed into the
hereafter! Expect to see Marasmus at metal
fests and maybe at the next ceremony of
dark arts near you.
www.marasmus.bandcamp.com
www.facebook.com/MarasmusKCDM
www.twitter.com/MarasmusKCDM
NEWS:
Mastication
of
Uncontrolled (Germany)
Preemptive Space Warfare
release: October 31st, 2015
Rotten Roll Rex
Brutality
Here we go. This is it: the pig squeal death
metal brutality. There's nothing quite like it until
you hear it. This is most definitely wild barnyard
farm death metal of the animal kingdom.
Listen to the album at the link below and
study the technique of the pig squeal.
Released this Halloween, Mastication Of
Brutality Uncontrolled "Preemptive Space
Warfare" contains 10 tracks of Brutal
German/Swiss Death Metal, that burrow into
your memory, ensuring that they vomit over
most of the current competition from a great
height. With all the polish and studio
gimmickry of many of today's extreme metal
projects, one forgets what real metal is
supposed to sound like: angry, raw, and
ripping. "Preemptive Space Warfare" is all of
those things and assaults the listener with
tracks filled with shrieks of pain, technical
Guitar riffage, and blasting double bass, that
send chills down ones spine. A flesh ripping
Brutal Death Metal Slam Alien Apocalypse
attack!
www.rottenrollrex.bandcamp.com/album/pre
emptive-space-warfare
www.facebook.com/mobu.slam
www.facebook.com/rottenrollrex.de
20
NEWS:
Mindless Sinner
The New Messiah
release: 16th October 2015
Pure Steel Records
How many 80s bands from Sweden have
been forgotten? Who knows, but Mindless
Sinner can be added to that list. Now it’s time
to revise the list again because the band has
returned with a new album. Apparently, they
took a short break of 29 years. This album is
definitely for those into the old heavy metal
ways!
Check out this information about them:
Beside acts like Heavy Load and Gotham City
also MINDLESS SINNER from Linköping belong
to the legendary godfathers of the Swedish
80s-Heavy Metal scene. Misunderstood in the
mainstream, loved in the underground: With
the EP „Master Of Evil“ (1983) and the full
length „Turn On The Power“ (1986, „We Go
Together“) the quartet have released only
two outputs back in the days.
Finally, after 29 years of silence the brand new
act „The New Messiah“ will be released
through Pure Steel – recorded almost in
original line up. Driven by catchy, melodic
Heavy Metal, with his unique, clear power
voice Christer Göransson still hits every note on
all ten new tracks. Provided with powerful
drumming, the guitar duo Danneblad/Edman
conquer the hearts of all „Swedish Steel“
enthusiasts with poignant leads. A song like
„Follow Your Path“ is fully studded with hints to
the ancient „Turn On...“ –era.
Everyone, who love to go to festivals like Live
Evil and Muskelrock, need to get this reunion
album!
Mindless Sinner - The New Messiah
It’s 2015 and there’s a new Mindless Sinner
album coming out.
Well, who would have thought that way back
in 1990 when we laid the band to rest.
Anyways here it is 10 new blistering tracks! We
have tried to make it sound like it would have
done back in the day but of course with a
new touch. So if you like our previous work
you’re gonna love this! The New Messiah is
here!!!
Mindless Sinner
www.facebook.com/mindlesssinnerofficial
www.puresteelrecords.com/bands/view/372/Mindless_Sinner
NEWS:
Odium
Terraform
release: 23 October 2015
independent
Here’s a band for the modern metal crowds
into Soilwork and similar sounds. It should be
pointed out that this is a full-length 48-minute
professional work. The band has worked hard
to make a quality recording and it shows.
Below you can learn more about the band
and hear the complete album:
ODIUM has been operating out of Hanover,
Ontario producing dark, yet melodic metal
layered with fast-paced gruff bellows,
resonating
vocals,
and
pounding
instrumentals for nearly a decade. After
releasing an EP and two full-length records,
the band has been gearing for their third
album ‘Terraform’ due out on October 23,
2015.
Their goal is to write heavy and melodic
music, while constantly developing their style
from album to album. The instrumentals lend
21
their tone and energy to invite more versatility
in the vocals in each song. Their passion for
performing live and incredible stage energy
has allowed them to open for Alexisonfire, The
Agonist, Beneath the Massacre, Divinity,
Moneen, and Fuck the Facts.
The lyrics invite listeners to take a journey
through despair, while the bass and drums
drive the rhythm, the guitars straddle the line
between pure aggression and melodic riffs.
For ODIUM there has always been a pattern of
evolution over the past few years that allows
them to continuously create multi-genre
influenced music. The band is comprised of
Joe Mullen, Jake Fortney, Andrew Fullerton, Bo
Louther, Marc Dobson, who have come from
various bands such as Archaea/Willfall.
The bands name is defined as ‘disgraceful
hate’ however after the past 10 years they
have come to see the band name relating
directly to perseverance. ODIUM has a
foundation of trust which creates a bond
likened to that of a brotherhood. The
dedication and teamwork within the band is
based on respect, and because the internal
bond is so strong they are able to create a
meaningful connection with fans.
www.odium1.bandcamp.com/
www.twitter.com/odiummusic
www.facebook.com/odiummusic
NEWS:
Rapture
Crimes Against Humanity
release: October 30th, 2015
Witches Brew
The thrash wave from Greece is not going to
stop any time soon, is it? Rapture sounds like
they have done their homework in thrash. This
is album is for the thrash diehards and
definitely for the thrashers that love the sound
of the Greek bands.
This is the band's history:
Rapture was formed in the last days of
December 2012. In January 2013, the first
lineup was completed, with Apostolos on
Lead Guitar and Vocals, Matt on Lead and
Rhythm Guitar, Theo on Bass and Thodoris on
drums. Soon after the first live performance,
Thodoris was fired. Meanwhile, the band
recorded their part on the Hellenic tribute to
Death "Only Death Is Certain", covering the
song "Crystal Mountain". The band faced
trouble finding a new drummer so the position
was temporarily covered by Aggelos, friend of
Matt and drummer of the band "Burn The
Sun". The recordings of the debut EP started in
April and it was released in summer of 2013.
Soon after the release, Theo and Matt left the
band, and their positions were covered by
Stamatis on bass and Manolis (Ex- Acid-Fury)
on lead/rhythm guitars. The new drummer was
George T. The band released another promoep in 2014, showing its new musical directions
(Death/Thrash). A whole new chapter started
for Rapture in Fall 2014 when George T. and
Manolis G. left the band and their positions
were covered by Nikitas M. (Guitars) and
George M. (Drums). Currently Rapture are
stronger than ever, as the release of their first
album "Crimes Against Humanity, will take
place on October 30 2015, by Witches Brew.
The band has already played gigs with some
of the best bands of the greek underground
(Death Courier, Overkast, Mentally Defiled,
Dark Nightmare and many more) and
currently they are busy organizing live shows
all over Greece, and maybe even Europe.
www.facebook.com/ThrashRapture
www.witchesbrewthrashes.eu
22
NEWS:
Rose'n
Wake up
release: 30th October 2015
independent
The information available, which is not very
much, says that this German traditional heavy
metal band formed 30 years ago, but this is
their debut, apparently. They were supposedly
active in the 80s. Anyway, the music is straight
up late 70s/early 80s metal, songs that run the
gamut from rockers to slower vibes, all pretty
much like a New Wave of British Heavy Metal
band for today. The album sounds perfect for
people into cult and forgotten bands of old.
The recording is a serious album, not a demo,
so for people longing for bands that have
been forgotten or ignored, this should be of
interest. Maybe you can contact them and
ask them to update their Facebook page so
that people can find out more about them.
What exactly is this “30 years history,” for
instance? I will be listening to this album more
for sure.
1 Flying
2 Table's Turned
3 Tonight
4 Take Me To The Top
5 Don't Rush Ones Fences
6 Decide It
7 My Immortal
8 Dreamer
9 Tales
10 Wake Up
Total playtime: 42:43
vocals: Boris Proegler
lead guitars: Mike Wolf
guitars: Mike Vynnez
bass: Steven Nicks
drums: Ralf Taylor
www.facebook.com/ROSEN-494076147337998
NEWS:
Savage
7 / Live N Lethal
release: October 9 2015
Minus 2 Zebra
The enthusiasts of traditional heavy metal and
the New Wave of British Heavy Metal will be
pleased to know that Savage has a new
studio album. Not only that, they are releasing
a live album along with the new studio album
to give you a double dose of Savage. As
usual, the band mixes it up: uptempo rockers
and songs with a midtempo, bluesy feel:
heavy metal, classic rock and a bit of the
blues, it’s all Savage. The main thing for them
is to avoid making all the songs sound alike.
Disc number two is the live album: the
complete 1983 debut album Loose N Lethal
live in their hometown of Mansfield, U.K., in
addition to other older songs. As the metal
trivia dorks already know, this is the same
Savage that Metallica covered during their
demo days.
In case you are interested, here is a history of
the band:
Hailing from the heart of the UK, Savage
where born out of the need for a bunch of
teenagers to put their own stamp on the hard
rock scene. At just 18 and 15 years of age
respectively, founder members Chris Bradley
and Andy Dawson first set alight to the
Nottinghamshire music scene by rampaging
through covers of their heroes such as Thin
Lizzy, UFO, Deep Purple and Van Halen. But
the band weren’t dragging their heels when it
came to penning original tunes and were
soon wowing local audiences with a blend of
energetic new metal. As a result they were
invited to participate in 1981’s seminal
compilation album 'Scene Of The Crime',
contributing two barnstorming tracks 'Let It
23
Loose' and 'Dirty Money' which would both go
on to become stage favourites as the band’s
star rose.
It was clear the band were head and
shoulders above the rest of the crowd. A copy
of ‘Scene Of The Crime’ ended up in the
hands of Lars Ulrich and before long the
newly-formed Metallica were playing Savage
tracks themselves, famously recording 'Let It
Loose' which set them on the road to creating
their brand of thrash metal and securing their
first deal. At around the same time, Savage
were offered their first deal. The band's double
A-Side single ‘Ain’t No Fit Place’ c/w ‘The
China Run’ had been released to strong
reviews, and in 1983 Savage released their
legendary debut album 'LOOSE ‘N’ LETHAL'
which not only received rave reviews but was
soon acclaimed as the best-selling metal
import album in America.
By now Savage were gigging across the UK
although focussing their efforts especially on
London where Kerrang favourably reviewed a
number of their gigs. In 1984 the band went to
Europe and shared the bill with Metallica and
Venom, at the now legendary ‘Aardschok
Day’ playing to 10,000 people and again
receiving outstanding reviews. Metallica
knocked at the dressing room door and asked
to share a beer with the Savage boys; the
bands would later meet again in London
where more beer drinking ensued, this time for
a Kerrang! article on real ale! In 1985 Savage
released their second album 'HYPERACTIVE'.
The album received a full 5K review in
Kerrang! followed by a UK tour with a
homecoming sold out show at the Mansfield
Civic Theatre, outside of which many years
earlier Bradley and Dawson had first met
giving birth to Savage. But despite the success
of the first two albums and live shows, the lack
of support from both labels and management
caused much frustration and resulted in the
band finally folding in 1986.
Bradley and Dawson continued to make
music separately for the next few years until
due to demand the band reformed with
original drummer Dave Lindley to record the
comeback album ‘HOLY WARS’ in 1995. The
album sold well across the UK, Europe and
Japan and the guys played a cracking set at
Germany's
Heavy
Oder
Was
festival.
Maintaining the momentum they recorded
their fourth studio album 'BABYLON' which
demonstrated Savage's ability to craft
powerful, punchy classic rock, with Bradley's
almost sneering vocals and thundering bass
counterpointing Dawson’s outright riffing and
searing solos, showing that British rock bands
can have attitude, grit and punch! The new
millennium brought 'XTREME MACHINE', an
album full of mean, grooving rock which
brought new fans to the band and was
followed a year later with more live shows, the
band hitting America for the first time with
new boy Mark Nelson on drums before
performing a stunning show at Wacken.
Joined again by drummer Mark Nelson and
new guitarist Kristian Bradley, Yes! Chris’s son
and Andy’s Nephew, the band spent 2011
preparing songs for 'SONS OF MALICE'.
Released April 2012 ‘SONS OF MALICE’ once
again showed the band were in touch with
the contemporary metal scene without losing
sight of their traditional British roots, an aspect
recognised by the significant number of
positive
reviews
the
album
received
worldwide. Shows throughout Europe proved
the band had not lost any of their bite live! In
fact new boys Mark Nelson and Kristian
Bradley have given the band a new energy
wholly apparent from barnstorming sets at
Hard Rock Hell VI, CRF 13 and a legendary
performance of the entire ‘LOOSE ‘N’ LETHAL’
album in reverse at the Headbangers Open
Air Festival 2013. In a neat twist High Roller
24
records issued a collectable vinyl version of
‘SONS OF MALICE’ that includes bonus tracks
from the album recording sessions. Although
material for their next release is already being
written, the band are considering recording a
live album to capture the excitement of the
band on stage.
John Tucker
25.09.2013
www.savageband.com/
www.facebook.com/savageuk
NEWS:
Saviours
Palace Of Vision
Listenable
release: 30 October 2015
Still building upon the foundation that Black
Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Thin Lizzy and
Motörhead laid decades prior, California
volume abusers, SAVIOURS, enters their
second decade in a new partnership with
Listenable Records and their long anticipated
new full-length, Palace Of Vision.
Rooted in hardcore punk but preferring to
cruise in outer space, SAVIOURS have always
brought an infectious swing and swagger to
their forward-charging heavy metal. The band
melds the prime tenets of the New Wave Of
British Heavy Metal, progressive rock, and
proto-doom, and delivers it all with a snarling,
West Coast hardcore edge. The result is a
rugged beast of a sound that is singularly
SAVIOURS.
Palace Of Vision is the band’s first proper fulllength in four years and picks up where the
molten manifestations of 2011’s Death’s
Procession left off, spewing forth nine fiery
tracks of towering riffs, monolithic rhythms,
infectious guitar harmonies and an obsession
with the end of times, the occult, psychedelics
and the arcane. From fast-paced road ragers
to lumbering doom pounders, SAVIOURS’
Palace Of Vision is perpetually hell-bent on
taking listeners away to an entirely new
dimension of volume abuse.
Since the 2005 release of their debut EP,
Warship, SAVIOURS has worked relentlessly,
touring North America, Europe, and Japan
with the likes of Mastodon, Corrosion Of
Conformity, The Sword, High On Fire, Saint
Vitus and Clutch. In just a few short years,
SAVIOURS had risen to become stalwarts of
the world’s metal scene, ambassadors of an
aggressive-yet-stoned West Coast vibe,
inspired by the ‘70s but totally real and
relevant in 2015.
Palace Of Vision was captured at Type
Foundry in Portland, Oregon with Billy
Anderson (Neurosis, Brothers Of The Sonic
Cloth, Eyehategod, Taurus, Ommadon etc.)
and comes sheathed in the fittingly dark,
intricately transfixing cover renderings of
Derrick Snodgrass (Obliterations, Lecherous
Gaze).
Palace Of Vision will be released worldwide
via Listenable Records on October 30th, 2015.
www.listenablerecords.bandcamp.com/album/palace-ofvision
www.facebook.com/Saviours
NEWS:
Suppressive Fire
Bedlam
release: 14 January 2016
independent
25
January is right around the corner and that
means that extreme metal band Suppressive
Fire will soon open the gates. Who is this new
band? Read the information below and let’s
find out:
North Carolina Death Thrashers SUPPRESSIVE
FIRE will release debut album Bedlam on
January 14, 2016. The album was mixed and
mastered by Joel Grind (TOXIC HOLOCAUST)
and features art by Par Olofsson (Exodus,
Abysmal Dawn). SUPPRESSIVE FIRE channels
the old school fury of bands like KREATOR,
EXODUS, DEATH, and SODOM in creating its
own brand of scorched-earth devastation.
SUPPRESSIVE FIRE proudly hail from Raleigh,
along with greats such as Corrosion of
Conformity and Between the Buried and Me.
The trio has shared the stage with Toxic
Holocaust, Wretched, Genocide Pact, The
Hookers, and a slew of other bands and have
no plans on slowing down. SUPPRESSIVE FIRE
began their all-out attack on the Southeastern
metal scene in 2013 and have refused to
restrain the assault. Independently releasing
Hellwraith (EP) in August 2014 and Covered in
Conflict (Split) in 2015, the stage is now set for
the unrepentant annihilation that is Bedlam.
Members: Joseph Bursey - Guitars // Aaron
Schmidt Bass/vox // Brandon Smith - Drums
www.suppressivefire.bandcamp.com/
www.facebook.com/suppressivefire
NEWS:
The Sickening
Sickness Unfold
release date: July 20th, 2015
Xtreem Music
Let’s keep it simple and direct: these
Norwegians want one thing and one thing
only: death metal of the brutal variety.
Politically incorrect and immature, there’s no
message of wisdom for anyone here; just
extreme metal with the finesse and subtlety of
a horror movie. This fine troupe of gentlemen
and scholars includes in their ranks the
drummer from Blood Red Throne, another
name associated with ultra death metal.
Track after track, piling it up, one after
another of an anti-eclectic work made for
those that are love-it-all 100% fanatics.
Skeptics won’t want this band and this band
won’t want the skeptics. You have two
choices: join the mosh pit, form a mosh pit or
stay in the mosh pit. That’s not two choices.
That’s three. Make way for the zombies and
the chainsaws. Listen at the link below.
bio:
2003:
- The Sickening was founded by guitarist
Markspist (ex-Slagmark) & drummer Beist (exSlagmark, ex- Blood Red Throne).They got
some other members to complete the band:
Stig Hansen (Violated, ex-Slagmark), Hans Wik
(Violated) & Ola Langli (Cleaver, exPanzerskrekk). But due to other commitments,
this line-up did not stay alive.
- Over the next few years, more dedication
was put into this project and it was decided
by Beist & Markspist that once again they
wanted to make The Sickening into a full-time
band.
2007:
- The band became a full quartet with the
addition of Stjernestøv on vocals and Neeraj
Kasbekar (ex-Slagmark) on bass.
- They recorded their first demo "Soiled Rotten"
at Concrete Studio with Espen “Dr. Rock”
Pedersen (Chapter in Hate, ex-Breed).
- They started playing gigs to promote the
26
demo.
2008:
- The band did many gigs onwards, playing
most major cities of Norway, supporting acts
like Blood Tsunami, Mindgrinder & The
Allseeing I, as well as festivals like Inferno Kickoff, Oslo Deathfest & Piggtrådfestivalen.
- By end of the summer they recorded their
debut album "Death Devastation Decay", also
with Dr. Rock and had the album mastered by
Dan Snawö (Katatonia, Bloodbath).
- They had their first international gig in St.
Petersburg,
Russia,
co-headlining
the
Petrogrind Festival.
- Neeraj had to take a break from the band
due to his studies and Olve Kroknes (Sodomy
Club, ex- Slagmark) stepped in to handle the
bass.
- By end of the year, The Sickening signed a 2record deal with Spanish label Xtreem Music.
2009:
- The band continued promoting their material
and playing gigs all across Norway, including
few mini-tours with Blood Red Throne &
Sulphur. As well as a Finland tour with Inferia.
- The debut album "Death Devastation
Decay" was released through Xtreem Music.
2010:
- Completing his studies, Neeraj has returned
to the ranks of The Sickening once again for
the bass.
- During June the band toured Germany &
Croatia including the Deathfeast festival
(Germany).
- Soon after the tour, the band parted ways
with Stjernestøv due to personal differences.
- The bands original singer Stig has once again
rejoined the ranks of The Sickening.
2011:
- During the summer, we decided to
concentrate on composing songs for the next
album, and thus only took part at 1 show, the
Eisenwahn Festival in Germany.
- In November we played Sweden & UK as
part of "The Sign of Hell Tour" supporting
Gorgoroth, Vader & Valkyrja.
2012:
- The band took an extensive break for every
member to sort out things in their personal
lives.
- Did only one tour, supporting Vomitory on
their Blastfest tour of Norway along with Byfrost
and Blodspor.
2013:
- Due to some health issues, vocalist Stig had
to part with the band.
- Thus The Sickening has decided to stay as a
3-man group with Markspist taking over vocal
duties.
- From late autumn the band entered FX
Arena to record their sophomore album
"Sickness Unfold".
- Taking a break in recording (partly due to
holiday season), The Sickening did a one-off
show in Trondheim with Irr and Cleaver to
finish off the year.
2014:
- The band had an almost all year hiatus, as all
members had to prioritize their private life, but
when time, working with mixing the upcoming
album.
2015:
- We were going to start of the year
performing at the Blastfest in Bergen, Norway,
but unfortunally had to cancel due to an
injury caused to our frontman Markspist.
- We have finished mixing the album (that
started almost 2 years ago) this summer and
released in through label Xtreem Music on
July 20th.
- Guitarist Andreas Bruheim (ex- No Dawn) has
joined as the latest addition to the band in
27
August.
"We are the Plaguebearers, await pestilence
& destruction from our rotting corpses!"
www.xtreemmusic.bandcamp.com/album/si
ckness-unfold
www.facebook.com/thesickeningdeathmetal
/
NEWS:
Tales of the Tomb
Volume One: Morpras
release: 27 November 2015
independent
The band considers itself old school, 90s-style
death metal. They are from Canada and they
have their debut EP ready now.
Find out more about the band below:
Edmonton (Canada) Death Metallers TALES
OF THE TOMB will release debut EP Volume
One: Morpras on November 27, 2015. TALES
OF THE TOMB is a three-headed vocal attack
layered with grinding blast beats, injected
with Cerberus-esque barks and finished with
shrill and raspy vocals - a sound straight from
Hell. Gore-filled lyrics leave little to the
imagination as the band concocts song after
malicious song. TALES OF THE TOMB will destroy
your eardrums like a corpse is erased in an
acid-filled bath.
"Out of the gates we have just under a year
have played over a half dozen shows and
recorded our debut 3-song EP entitled
Morpras. The name is old English for "secret
killing of a person, unlawful killing." The EP is a
compilation of serial killer themed music not
celebrating but elaborating on the heinous
crimes committed by infamous murderers. It is
old school death metal with its blending of
melody and groove, gives Morpras its unique
sound. The first track 'Snowtown' will ease you
into this murderous journey with a heavy
groove and plenty of vocals. 'Pig Farmer,' the
2nd song on the EP is as fast and brutal as the
slaying of Robert Pickton; the song is also
accompanied with our lyrical video which will
be available on Youtube. 'Dr. Death' also
makes an appearance as the final track, a
chilling slower tempo song that depicts the
heinous crimes of Harold Shipman."- John
Thomson (Drums)
This concept album about murder was
recorded by Greg Wright at Hillbilly Wizard
Sound Studio, and mixed/mastered by Eurodeath metal master Dan Swano (exBloodbath, Unisound) and is just the first of
many more sonic crimes to come from TALES
OF THE TOMB.
Every town has stories to caution or warn,
every police officer has a seen a crime that
keeps them awake at night, and every
coroner has seen death in ways that the rest
of us could never imagine. Murder,
conspiracy, supernatural horror, and real-life
terror are stains on the cutting room floor
where Edmonton-based group Tales of The
Tomb paints their canvas.
Unified by the desire to have the grotesque
power of 90’s era death metal, TALES OF THE
TOMB started as a thought that grew into an
insatiable need to make extreme music. Core
Skerlak and Connor Adams divided duties to
guitar and vocals respectively, Bryn Herbert
was sewn on to cover bass, John Thomson is
the machete-swinging drummer, and finally
Tres Thomas to draw out the gruesome tone
as the second guitarist. Much of their
inspiration is drawn from the pulp-and-grim of
throwback horror comics that glorified
hideous crimes and creatures, and such was
28
the inspiration for the name; TALES OF THE
TOMB.
Live line-up:
Connor Adams - vocals, Corey Skerlak - guitar
and vocals, Tres Thomas - Guitar, Bryn Herbert
- Bass and vocals, John Thomson- drums
www.talesofthetomb.bandcamp.com/
www.facebook.com/talesofthetomb
www.twitter.com/talesofthetomb
NEWS:
Vigilance (Slovenia)
Hounds of Megiddo
release: June 9th, 2015
What would happen if Venom, Thin Lizzy,
Motorhead and Mercyful Fate formed a
band, with Cronos on vocals?
Maybe what would take place is Vigilance!
It’s cult metal for people into Manilla Road
and Brocas Helm, bands that play heavy
metal that is dark and obscurantist. You would
think that (1) this mix of sounds is
impossible/improbable to come up with and
to hold together and that (2) this band is
comprised of old folks who were young in the
late 70s and early 80s. Apparently, this is a
young band from Slovenia and this is what
they came up with. Unfriggingreal. I
mentioned the magic words Manilla Road.
What else do you want?!
Check it out:
Born from the depths of Adelsberg, VIGILANCE
have been unleashing a blackened heavy
metal
assault
on
your
ears
since
Walpurgisnacht 2010. Inspired both by the
harmonic arts of NWOBHM bands and the
sepulchral elements of the first wave of black
metal, VIGILANCE deliver a thunderous, yet
melodic sonic blasphemy. Over the years, the
band has released numerous demos, an EP
and a full length album, firmly fortifying their
place in the European underground. After a
few line up changes and many live rituals,
VIGILANCE are back with a vengeance - a
brand new album, called "HOUNDS OF
MEGIDDO".
www.facebook.com/VigilanceAdelsberg/
www.witchesbrewthrashes.eu
www.twitter.com/steedoftime
/
NEWS:
Wilderness Dream
Wilderness Dream
release: 16 October 2015
Creator-Destructor Records
Recently the California crossover band had its
debut EP out on Creator-Destructor Records.
Below you will learn a bit about the band and
you can hear the EP for yourself at the link
below, too. Learn more here:
Born from the thrash epicenter of the San
Francisco Bay Area comes WILDERNESS
DREAM, a brand new, four-piece, heavy
metal unit of destruction combining the speed
and fury of 80s thrash and 90s death metal,
with the melodic leanings and no-frills DIY
aesthetic of modern day punk. Though
boasting this unique amalgamation of
influences, it comes as no surprise that the
band would dawn both the melody-infused
underpinnings and unrelenting intensity of the
members' current and past projects.
With an unhinged vocal sincerity, blistering
twin guitar assault, and undeniably crushing
and thunderous rhythm section, WILDERNESS
DREAM's sound and identity has now been
29
established, as proven on their self-titled
debut EP, which was recorded, mixed and
mastered by Scott Goodrich in July of 2015 at
NuTone Studios in Pittsburgh, California.
Clocking in at just under fifteen minutes, the six
songs that comprise the band's debut release
reflect a sonic attack reminiscent of thrash
legends Sacrifice and Testament, with a
violent and unrestrained vocal approach,
more akin to crossover acts such as Cursed,
Ringworm, and Integrity. Lyrically, Murray
adopts a more stripped-down and bleak
approach to the death-obsessed, anxietyridden regurgitation of his experience, moving
through an overpopulated, immoral, and
devastatingly distracted human landscape,
and exploring his interpretation of the futility
and uncertainty of life, while never negating
our all-encompassing, ever-growing and
universal fear of the end.
WILDERNESS
DREAM
consists
of
guitarists/vocalists Ben Murray and Ryan
Hansen, drummer Trey Derbes and bassist Bret
Fontaine. Murray is the current frontman of
Heartsounds, and former drummer of now
defunct Prosthetic Record-signed, Light This
City, and Heartsounds drummer Trey Derbes
provides the ripping percussive style, offering
a natural, live, and completely unedited
approach to the drum production. While
Murray and Derbes began writing what would
become the band’s debut release throughout
the past few years, it become an entity of its
own until Ryan Hansen entered the fold
supplying second guitar and vocals, followed
by Bret Fontaine joining in on bass guitar.
Hansen and Murray share a musical history as
well, as Hansen played lead guitar in Light This
City, which contributes to the cohesive
musical vision and camaraderie of what has
now become WILDERNESS DREAM.
The upcoming year will see WILDERNESS
DREAM on the road in support of their debut.
WILDERNESS DREAM is guitarists/vocalists Ben
Murray and Ryan Hansen, drummer Trey
Derbes and bassist Bret Fontaine. Murray is the
current frontman of Heartsounds, and former
drummer of now defunct Prosthetic Recordsigned, Light This City, and Heartsounds
drummer Trey Derbes provides the ripping
percussive style, offering a natural, live, and
completely unedited approach to the drum
production. While Murray and Derbes began
writing what would become the band’s debut
release throughout the past few years, it
become an entity of its own until Ryan Hansen
entered the fold supplying second guitar and
vocals, followed by Bret Fontaine joining in on
bass guitar. Hansen and Murray share a
musical history as well, as Hansen played lead
guitar in Light This City, which contributes to
the cohesive musical vision and camaraderie
of what has now become WILDERNESS
DREAM.
www.facebook.com/wildernessdream
www.wildernessdream.bandcamp.com
www.facebook.com/pages/CreatorDestructor-Records/281868423801
www.twitter.com/CD_Records
www.creator-destructor.bandcamp.com
NEWS:
Wilt (Canada)
Moving Monoliths
Bindrune Recordings
release: 27 November 2015
This is a melodic doom extreme metal band
with an album that was made available
recently. Listeners into extreme doom are the
ideal target audience for this band. For more
information see below:
the band :
30
Wilt was formed by Brett Goodchild and
Jordan Dorge in 2010 with the original
intention of creating a black metal studio
project. After the reception of the Self Titled
debut in Oct 2012 surpassed all expectations,
and gained some serious international
attention, the duo decided to make Wilt a full
time project and assemble a live lineup. Wilt
has done a bunch of Canadian tours, played
many festivals such as Noctis Metalfest 666
where they shared the stage alongside
blasphemy, carcass, bolzer, candlemass,
possessed to name a few.
In 2014 wilt
decided to break the mold of the 2 piece
studio/live lineup band and continue as a full
band where all 5 members involved will
contribute to the sophomore effort. Early 2015
Wilt signed with Bindrune recordings and will
be releasing the bands sophomore effort
‘Moving Monoliths’ in Sept/Oct. Taking their
unique brand of cold atmospheric black
metal into new progressive and even
unexpected domains. "Moving Monoliths" was
once again self produced by Goodchild
himself in Saxon Sound Studios, and the
beautiful gatefold cover art was done by
renowned artist Nick Keller.
www.wiltmanitoba.bandcamp.com
www.facebook.com/wiltmb
FREE METAL MUSIC
Prophecy Of Apocalypse
Prophecy (demo)
release date: 2014
This is a traditional, high-energy heavy metal
band from France. They have a free demo. It's
guitar-driven fast metal. Here is a bit of
additional information from the band.
Since January 2012, Prophecy has a line-up
consisting of five musicians - Antoine and
Laurent (guitars), Jeremy (Vocals), Camille
(bass) and Michael (Drums) - motivated and
passionate, hoping well get a place in the
metal world! After recording a demo
eponymous first release in 2014, the group saw
a blow with the departure of Michael, leaving
the orphaned rhythmic base. Fortunately, the
same year, Baptiste joined the adventure as a
drummer to give new life to the group. With
this line-up full of energy and creativity,
Prophecy is ready to do battle with the metal
scene! In 2015, Prophecy becomes Prophecy
Of Apocalypse (or Prophecy OA) mostly for
legal reasons.
1.Searching for Light 04:52
2.God Killers 05:41
3.Last Hope 07:30
4.Tyranny 05:38
5.The Age of Gods 10:07
total time 33:48
www.prophecyofapocalypse.bandcamp.co
m/releases
www.facebook.com/ProphecyMetalOfficial
Man Made Predator (Germany)
Of Decay and Collapse
release date: November 20th, 2015
This is a free recording of energetic melodic
death metal from Germany. I think that
supporters of this particular genre would be
interested, especially if they are interested in
hearing new bands do their take on the style.
Below is more information about the band.
"It's spring in 2012. A few enthusiastic
metalheads meet and have Bock, hard music
to make. Each of the five musicians from
Dortmund and the surrounding area has
31
already gained experience in other band
projects and look for the band, in a common
musical goal and the ambition to go with
each song to the limit of technical possibilities
unite. When the cast is finally complete, make
Man Made Predator their Bandgruendung
officially.
Since then the band forges eagerly riffs, beats
brutal Blasts from the drums and singer
Thomas shouts and growls, the soul from the
body. The songwriting is based on more
modern melodic death metal, but remains
keen to experiment and use any creative
inspiration. With a line-up change on guitar in
summer 2014 and the introduction of Tobi on
the guitar MMP are finally ready for their first
EP recordings. In its relatively short existence
still recorded MMP already numerous stages in
and around the Ruhr. After intensive
songwriting and Recordings Man Made
Predator wait stretched on 20 November,
when they will release their first EP "Of Decay
and Collapse" in the world. Brace yourself!"
1.Dusk 03:18
2.Progress 03:03
3.A Vision 03:54
4.Walking Corpse 03:13
5.Preying on the Meek 03:48
6.The Spectre 02:54
total time 20:10
www.manmadepredator.bandcamp.com
www.facebook.com/mmpband
Vezeren
Vezeren
release: November 20th, 2015
This is a raw recording of fairly traditional black
metal from Italy. There is not much
information, but here is some.
"Vezeren is a one man band by Giuseppe De
Paola (Lamezia Terme, Cz), born in the first
months of 2015 with the intention of playing a
deep and raw music, and making revive the
rough sound of old school black metal. The
first homonymous record (whose link you can
find on the short description) was recorded in
August and published in October 2015."
www.vezeren1.bandcamp.com/album/vezer
en
www.facebook.com/Vezeren1486359175024222
Four Forests and a Tree
Cold Dark Death
release: November 21st, 2015
This is a free recording of "pure black metal"
from Oregon (according to Metal Archives).
At this point I do not have much information
to pass along, except that if you want
traditional black metal, then you cannot go
wrong with this recording, that's for sure.
The personnel, according to Facebook, is:
JAMIE "BOGGY" SYKES - Vocals, Percussion
JOHN "MOON" MARSHALL - Guitars, Bass,
Production
1.Where Winter Lays
03:52
2.In the Shadow of the Mountain
3.Blood Tastes Their Lips 04:50
4.Cold Dark Death03:57
5.So Dark
05:29
total time 20:31
02:23
www.fourforests.bandcamp.com/releases
www.facebook.com/fourforests
Sabbatic Round (USA)
Satanic
independent
release: August 24th, 2015
I have just about zero information to give you
about this black metal free album. Bandcamp
and Metal Archives say that the location for
this entity is the state of Missouri, U.S.
The music is traditional black metal. I think that
the vocals sound appealing to supporters of
traditional black metal, and the overall vibe
fits the genre well. It is antimodern metal of
primal energies. As frenetic and necro as the
music is, the songs are not just fast, but rather
have individuality. This is also not a super raw
garage demo recording, so that's a positive,
too. It's a relatively clear recording, in the
framework of the genre. One last thing, it
appears that the last track is a song for the first
several minutes, but after that it seems to be a
time of silence.
1.Possessed by Darkness 04:51
2.Raging Hellfire 04:33
3.Blasphemy 05:11
4.My Stale, Grey Reflection 04:37
5.Written in Blood 03:53
6.The Gates of the Abyss 04:47
7.Eternal Damnation 03:58
8.Demonwitch 16:32
total time 48:22
www.sabbaticround.bandcamp.com/release
s
Psionic Plasma
Kaos Typhonian Dimensions
release date: November 6th, 2015
independent
This is a free recording of fast, minimalist black
metal from Spain. The band gives you control:
32
it is not too loud; you have to turn up the
volume. Once you do, you can hear the
antimodern recording very well. The songs are
easy to get into because the guitar has fast
tremolo melodies. They say that they
recorded this during the winter of 2015. The
band personnel is:
Abhorym kv55: vocal, lyrics
(Beltain, Heilnoz, PankuroniuM)
Apofis kv62: drums
(Abÿfs)
Kadgar gv269: guitars, bass
(Aanomm, Abÿfs, Gravislatro,
TrollfasthearT, PankuroniuM)
Icepressive,
1.Narkotic Angels of Concupiscence 04:13
2.Phosphorus
05:24
3.Stellar Inquisitors 04:06
4.Parasites of Kosmos
06:25
5.Reptilian Black Metal 05:52
total time 26:00
www.psionicplasma.bandcamp.com
www.facebook.com/ps10n1cpl4sm4
concert calendar
Enforcer,
Exmortus,
Cauldron,
Oxygen
Destroyer
February 6 Black Sabbath at Tacoma Dome February 19 Fleshed Apocalypse at Studio
Seven - Seattle, WA
February 20 Skelator at Funhouse - Seattle, WA
February 21 Coffins at Highline in Seattle
March
5
Cannibal
Corpse,
Obituary,
Cryptopsy, Abysmal Dawn at El Corazón Seattle, WA March 6 Helloween at The Showbox
March 7 Delain, Sonata Arctica, Nightwish at
Showbox SoDo
March 19 Slayer, Testament, Carcass at
Paramount Theater - Seattle
March 24 Y & T at Studio Seven Seattle
April 1 Decibel Magazinel Tour ABBATH, High
On Fire, Tribulation, Skeletonwitch at El
Corazon - Seattle, WA
April 11 Iron Maiden at Tacoma Dome
April 23 D.R.I. at El Corazón
May 1 Napalm Death at The Showbox Seattle, WA
May 08 Primal Fear, Luca Turilli's Rhapsody at El
Corazon - Seattle, WA
—
metal programs (these are Pacific Times)
Mosh Pit (Madison, WI): Monday night 9:30pm12am WORT 89.9 fm www.wortfm.org
Seattle region concert calendar by Metal
Bulletin Zine (Washington state). If you know of
other metal concerts in the area, please get
in contact with Metal Bulletin Zine.
Sweet Nightmares (Houston, TX): Thursday
night 9pm-12am KPFT 90.1 fm www.kpft.org
December 17 Black Breath at Neumos
December 19 at Highline, Seattle: DISPIRIT ‡
SHRINE OF THE SERPENT ‡ VOID WRAITH ‡
January 2 at Flight's Pub in Everett: Death
Metal from San Juan Puerto Rico ZAFAKON,
CALAMITY, W/ Local Talent, KILL CLOSET
January 30 Nile at El Corazon
January 31 at Studio Seven: Warbringer,
Metal Shop (Seattle, WA): Saturday 11pm3am KISW 99.9fm www.kisw.com
—
This zine is available at:
www.issuu.com/metalbulletinzine
33
Excuse All the Blood (Olympia, WA): Friday
night 11pm-1am www.kaosradio.org