Although the band’s recorded output has lain virtually dormant since 2004 when Dark Essence Record re-released their 2001 classic “The Pulse of Decay”, things are definitely starting to stir in the HADES ALMIGHTY recording front, so much so, in fact, that Dark Essence have renewed their contract and are planning to release a new album from the legendary Norwegians.
Formed in 1992 by guitarist Jorn (DOMINANZ, ex-OLD FUNERAL, ex-IMMORTAL, ex-AMPUTATION), and drummer Remi, HADES ALMIGHTY became a fully functioning band with the arrival of Janto on Bass and vocals, and Nagel on guitar and the release of their first demo “Alone Walkyng”. A series of further releases followed, but it was the appearance of “Pulse of Decay” that really catapulted HADES ALMIGHTY to the forefront of the Black Metal genre, by demonstrating their ability to convey the real darkness that lies within human passion.
With today’s lineup of Janto, Jorn and Remi, HADES ALMIGHTY have proved time and time again in the live arena that they are a force to be reckoned with, and that they rightly deserve to be called “the heaviest Black Metal three-piece in the world”. With another two of the band’s albums “…Again Shall Be” & ” Dawn Of The Dying Sun”, being released on CD and vinyl in 2010, calls from fans for new material have been increasing, and with work on a new album progressing well, it looks like those calls will, at long last, be answered.
The official video for the track “Submission Equals Suicide” from HADES ALMIGHTY’s album “The Pulse of Decay” can be seen below and at http://youtu.be/QOeTGUwcz98
Despite the recently announced cancellation of the Headway Festival that was due to take place in the Netherlands in May, disappointed fans will still have the chance to see one of the bands originally scheduled to appear, as Norwegian avant-gardists VULTURE INDUSTRIES will stage their “Turning Golem” show as planned. The “Turning Golem” show is part concert rooted in the heavier segment of experimental/progressive metal and part theatre performance in conjunction with the HAPPY GORILLA DANCE COMPANY, and it will be the last time that fans will be able to see “Turning Golem” in Western Europe. The show will take place at P60 in Amstelveen on the 3rd May and VULTURE INDUSTRIES will include extra songs at the end of the performance to make it a special evening for those who were hoping to attend the festival.
With a career spanning 10 years and with over 100 shows under their belts, VULTURE INDUSTRIES’ live performances are well known both for their technical skill and the eccentric and somewhat manic antics of frontman Bjørnar E. Nilsen, whose on-stage weirdness has garnered a multitude of fans for the band over the years. VULTURE INDUSTRIES released their third full-length album, “The Tower” on Season of Mist at the end of last year and recently announced that their second-full length album, “The Malefactor’s Bloody Register”, which was released on Dark Essence Records in 2010, will appear as a deluxe vinyl edition on Blood Music in 2015.
Later in May VULTURE INDUSTRIES will hit the road with DORDEDUH and BLUTMOND on an eleven date tour that will take in countries such as the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Greece and Slovenia. As well as tickets being available from the usual ticketing agencies, special personalised tickets designed by the Romanian artist Costin Chioreanu, will be sold exclusively through the webshops of the individual bands. Each ticket will feature the name of the purchaser and will be signed by all the bands. Routing for what will be known as the “Branches” tour as follows:
21 May: Modra Vopice, Prague (CZ)
22 May: Melodka, Brno (CZ)
23May: Tirish Pub , Banska Bystraica (SK)
24 May: Blue Hell, Budapest (HUN)
25 May: Daos Club, Timisoara (RO)
26 May: Flying Circus, Cluj (RO)
27 May: Fabrica Club, Bucharest (RO)
28 May: 8 Ball Club, Sofia (BUL)
29 May: Eightball Club, Thessaloniki (GR)
30 May: Dom Omladine, Belgrade (RS)
31 May: MC Pekarna, Maribor (SLO)
Formed in Linköping, Sweden, in 2001 by musicians looking for an outlet for their own expression and creativity rather than having to perform other people’s music, VANHELGA’s distinctive, and at times unsettling, sound straddles the divide between the Black Metal and DSBM genres. Today’s lineup includes founder J. Ottosson, aka 145188 (former live session musician for LIFELOVER and ex-SKOGSTRON) on Bass, Guitars and Vocals, J. Gabrielson (ESKAPI, ex-LIFELOVER) on Vocals, J. Ejnarsson (TAKETH) and Wadström (ex-SKOGSTRON) on guitars and D. Franzén on drums.
Set for release in both CD and vinyl formats, the digi pack version of “Längtan” will hit the streets through the German label Art of Propaganda on the 28th April, while the LP version will appear on Sweden’s Carnal Records on a date to be announced shortly. The title itself means “Longing”, and is an exploration of the concept that death is not the end of existence, but rather the beginning of true freedom, without all the restraints placed on us by society. Death, therefore is to be “longed for” rather than feared. Artwork for the twelve-track album, which is available to pre-order at http://www.art-of-propaganda.de/shop/index.php, is by the Spanish artist Juanjo Castellano. Track listing for “Längtan” as follows:
1. Svartsint ömhet
2. Där evigheten inväntar mig
3. Evig förändring
4. Med mina andetag
5. Joyless
6. Låt snön falla
7. Kärleksförklaring
8. Vansinnesvardag
9. Narkotisk uppgivenhet
10. Eternal night
11. Förbarma
12. Exploderande känslostorm
VANHELGA recently release a video for the track “Där Evigheten Inväntar Mig”, which depicts, through disturbing images, the story of a man who wakes up in a confused state and with the dawning realization that he may have tortured and killed his best friend. The video for “Där Evigheten Inväntar Mig” can be seen below and on VANHELGA’s YouTube channel at http://youtu.be/N1fiCNTUi3I
Additionally, the band also released a digital single taken from the track “Längtan” . The single, “Där Evigheten Inväntar Mig”, which means “Where Eternity Awaits Me”, can be found on VANHELGA’s own BandCamp page at http://vanhelga.bandcamp.com/album/d-r-evigheten-inv-ntar-mig
VANHELGA are set to play a series of dates in their native Sweden in May along with HARAKIRI FOR THE SKY and KALL. Routing as follows:
21 May: Club Medusa, Stockholm
22 May: L’Orient, Linköping
23 May: Göta Hof, Gothenburg
24 May: Kulturhuset, Norrköping
Whilst in October they will once again team up with HARAKIRI FOR THE SKY for some shows in Germany alongside AGRYPNIE. Routing as follows:
22 Oct: Steinbruch Theater, Darmstadt
24 Oct: From Hell, Erfurt
25 Oct: K17, Berlin
26 Oct: Bambi Galore, Hamburg
Norwegian Black Metallers RAGNAROK have announced an amicable parting of the ways with their frontman Hans Fyrste. Fyrste, who has been with the band since 2005 and performed vocals on two of their seven full length albums – 2010’s “Collectors of the King” and the latest release “Malediction” – is cutting back on his musical activities due to other personal and job-related commitments, which had already affected his ability to tour with RAGNAROK at the end of last year. His last live appearance with the band was at this year’s Blastfest festival in February.
In a statement the frontman explained his decision: “The decision to leave RAGNAROK, has been an extremely hard one to make. Jontho and Brigge brought me in to the horde in 2005, and this still stands as my biggest achievement as a musician. Personal circumstances have made it so that I will not be able to dedicate myself to RAGNAROK, as much as it requires. It is with a heavy heart that we have come to an agreement, and I am pulling out of the band.
“All words fall short compared to how grateful I am for have taken part in this journey.Over the years we have experienced so many great achievements, and I would never have been without any of them. Being able to tour around the world, from Siberia to Rio de Janeiro, with supporting, passionate and faithful friends and fans in every city, has been a humbling experience. Every step of the way has also brought with it impressions, educating me to be a stronger person. Also learning so many new things, evolving to be the vocalist and human being I am today.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank everybody who has made this journey possible. Without all my great friends and fans out there, nothing of this could have ever happened. Thank you! And finally, of course, thank you Jontho, DezeptiCunt and Bolverk. Thank you for all the great times on and off the stage. Thank you for everything we have gone through together. Thank you for the brotherhood and support! I leave RAGNAROK as a humble man, and wish my brothers all the best in the future.
Hans Fyrste…. ”
Founder and drummer Jontho had this to say about Fyrste’s departure “After 20 years you come to expect these things as an inevitable part of being in a band. Sooner or later there comes a time when all musicians must take a hard look at their lives and take decisions based on family and work commitments. Hans Fyrste felt that he could not give the amount of dedication that RAGNAROK asks of its members, and that it would be fairer all round to call it a day, and that is very much to his credit. He has been a real asset to the band. We have watched him grow over the years to become a great frontman and we wish him all the best for the future”.
Formed in 1994, and celebrating their 20th Anniversary this year, RAGNAROK are unfazed by the departure of their frontman and have begun work on what will be their eighth full-length album. The band played their first North American show in November last year, and are scheduled to headline at the Sick Midsummer Festival in Austria in July. They have not yet disclosed who will replace Hans Fyrste in the lineup, which, aside from Jontho on drums, includes DezeptiCunt on Bass and Bolverk on guitars. “Let’s just say that we are looking at various options, some of which might come as a bit of a surprise to RAGNAROK fans, but we’re not prepared to say more at this time”, commented Jontho.
DARK ESSENCE RECORDS plans to make their annual Inferno Festival event a little different this yea when they join forces with sister label KARISMA RECORDS to showcase two of their bands each at Blå on Wednesday 16th April. “We are always conscious of the fact that while many of Dark Essence’s artists such as TAAKE tour frequently, and fans in Europe have a good chance of seeing them live, the Karisma artists tend to tour much less, so we thought that this year we would open up the event to give their fans a chance to see some of them, and introduce them to Dark Essence’s fans at the same time”, commented the label’s Martin Kvam.
Representing Dark Essence will be two bands whose recent releases have been getting rave reviews from press and fans alike. First up will be SLEGEST, the new project from former VREID guitarist Ese, who has skilfully blended classic heavy rock and old-school black metal to produce a sound that is both dark and sinister, and with an unmistakably down and dirty catchy groove that weaves its way through the music. Originally started as a one-man project, once the debut full-length album “Løyndom” was released at the end of 2013, it quickly became clear that the demand from fans to see SLEGEST perform live was such that Ese was persuaded to form a fully functioning band. More information about SLEGEST can be found at https://www.facebook.com/slegest
The official video for the track “Ho Som Haustar Aleine” from SLEGEST’s “Løyndom” can be seen below and at http://youtu.be/ti8XokQakEw
Joining them will be Sweden’s ALFAHANNE, whose lineup includes members of bands such as VINTERLAND and early MAZE OF TORMENT, and who have come together to play what they themselves have called ”Alfapocalyptic Rock”, a fascinating and hard-hitting mix of Black Metal, Classic Rock and Punk with some Goth influences . Their high-energy live performances have garnered them much praise. Making a guest appearance on stage with ALFAHANNE, will be HELHEIM’s V’gandr who performed vocals on one of the tracks from the band’s new album “Alfapokalyps” . It is a tribute to ALFAHANNE that they were able to attract not only V’gandr to make a guest appearance on the album, but also Dark Essence label-mates Hoest from TAAKE and Niklas Kvarforth from SHINING. More information about ALFAHANNE can be found at https://www.facebook.com/alfahanneofficial
Making an appearance for Karisma will be two bands, representing the new and the established. Lovers of Prog Rock cannot fail to recognise the name of AIRBAG, a band known the world-over for an exquisite musical craftsmanship that enables its musicians to create a sonic experience ranging from massive walls of sound, to ambient textures and soulful soundscapes, both in the studio and on stage. The release of AIRBAG’s third full-length album “The Greatest Show on Earth” at the end of last year confirmed the band’s status in the world of prog, earning them many accolades. Inferno will be one of the very few chancesthat to catch this incredible band live this year so it is an opportunity that should not be missed. One for fans of ANATHEMA. More information about AIRBAG can be found at http://www.airbagsound.com/
The second of the Karisma bands is one of their latest signings, SEVEN IMPALE. The release of the digital EP “Beginning/Relieve” last year gave an indication of the multi-faceted nature of these young musicians. With its member drawn from a range of disciplines including classical orchestra, big band, metal, jazz, rock and electronic music, their sound ranges from progressive and jazzy to the softer and more melodic to the harder and edgier. They bring a freshness and enthusiasm to their live performances, and it is anticipated that their debut full-length album later this year will more than meet expectations, setting them apart from many other new arrivals on the scene. If you are a fan of Norway’s SHINING, SEVEN IMPALE is definitely a band you will want to check out. More information about SEVEN IMPALE can be found at https://www.facebook.com/sevenimpale
Scheduled performances for the Dark Essence Records / Karisma Records artists at Inferno Festival, which will take place at Blå, Brennereiven 9C, Oslo, Norway, on Wednesday 16th April as follows:
Having recently released all three of their previous albums digitally, Dark Metallers FOSCOR have now released some rare tracks including previously unreleased material, and material that has long since sold out, as well as the entire soundtrack of their 10th Anniversary live DVD “Deu Anys Vers la Foscor”. Included in the new releases are the XERIÓN cover “Na Noite Dos Tempos” which was originally included in the 2002 split Cd/Tape “XERIÓN vs. FOSCOR”; the 2008 track “The Ghost Sonata” which was exclusively composed for the never released “Toteninsel: A Tribute to Arnold Böcklin” album (which is available for free download); and the song “The Other’s Voice” which was originally included in the long-since sold out 2010 split 7” EP with NECROSADIST “Onslaught of Black Putrefaction”. The new material, together with the three full-length albums, 2004’s “Entrance to the Shadows’ Village”, 2007’s “The Smile of the Sad Ones” and 2009’s “Groans to the Guilty”, all three of which come with their individual booklets, can be found at https://foscor.bandcamp.com/music
Commenting on the decision to release previous material digitally, frontman Fiar said: “FOSCOR is entering a whole new phase of its existence, and many new fans have started following the band, fans that perhaps don’t really know our history, and it seemed like the ideal way to let them find out about us. When we released the three albums we offered them for free download for a month as a thank you to old and new fans, and we received an extraordinary response, with many people actually paying for the albums, rather than downloading them free, and that certainly gives us a lot of confidence for the future”.
As well as on BandCamp, the back catalogue, including the new material is also available to stream on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/FOSCORbcn
FOSCOR recently completed work on their fourth full-length album “Those Horrors Wither” and are currently looking for a label. Starting out with a sound that was traditional 90’s Black Metal, FOSCOR have, over the years, refined their style to include Doom and Dark Rock, majestic interludes and a healthy flirtation with Prog. Unafraid to experiment, FOSCOR have taken the unusual step of asking the guests set to appear on “Those Horrors Wither”, to write and perform connecting passages between the tracks, rather than a straightforward guest appearance on an individual track, something which the band feels has worked extremely well, and gives the album a sense of individuatly.
The official video for the track “”I Tornà de les Cendres” from FOSCOR’S 2009 album “The Smile of the Sad Ones” can be seen below and at http://youtu.be/Z32MwaFvEio
PATRICIA THOMAS BAND MANAGEMENT 