Archive for August, 2016

NORWEGIAN BLACK METALLERS RAGNAROK RENEW LONG-STANDING RELATIONSHIP WITH AGONIA RECORDS. TOUR DATES ANNOUNCED

Posted: August 30, 2016 in OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES, RAGNAROK, Uncategorized
Tags: , , , , ,
0

ragnarok_logoPR

Norway’s  RAGNAROK have signed a new three album deal with Agonia Records, continuing the relationship that has so far  seen the release of the Norwegian Black Metal veterans’ seventh and eighth full-length albums, “Malediction” in 2012 and “Psychopathology” in 2016 respectively, as well as the  special edition retrospective “Chaos and Insanity Between 1994-2004“, which traces the first decade of the band’s history.

Founder and iconic drummer Jontho, had this to say about the decision to stick with the label:

“We looked at several other offers when our contract with Agonia expired, but one of the most important things for us was the kind of relationship we could have with a label.  We know that with Agonia we can have open and honest discussions and exchanges of ideas, which always result in something productive for both parties.  It’s not just about releases for them, it’s also about all the other the other things that go into making a band successful”.

Agonia Records Commented:

“RAGNAROK is in a class of its own for delivering more than two decades of truly intensive music. And that’s a heck of a time. One could say a band is burnt out after so many years of artistic expression, but this isn’t the case with RAGNAROK. If anything’s burning, it’s their enthusiasm, that’s being well channelized with experience. We are happy to re-new the deal and we are thrilled and looking forward to working on the upcoming releases!”

Formed in 1994 RAGNAROK’s history spans well over two decades.  As with any band that has lasted this long, there have been changes in the lineup along the way, not least of which was the decision by Jontho, one of the most recognisable and respected drummers on the Norwegian Black Metal  scene,  to expand his performing repertoire by  laying  down his drumsticks and taking over as vocalist.  Aside from Jontho on vocals, the band’s lineup includes long-standing guitarist Bolverk (IMAGES AT TWILIGHT), drummer Daniel Minge (DAUDEN) and session bassist Viti (IMAGES AT TWILIGHT, HINSIDIG).

RagnarokLiveMetalliluola

Having appeared at various festivals over the summer, RAGNAROK is set to play at Mörkaste Småland in Sweden, before hitting the road headlining a series of dates in Europe in the autumn. Upcoming shows as follows:

24 Sep:  Mörkaste Småland, Hultsferd, Sweden
16 Oct:  Bambi Galore,  Hamburg (DE)
17 Oct – Little Devil, Tillburg (Nl)
18.10 – TBA (DE)
19.10 – Backstage to the Mill,  Paris (FR)
20.10 – TBA (Ch)
21.10 – Rockfabrik, Ludwigsburg (DE)
22.10 – Bowlers Bar & Lounge, Apolda (DE)
23.10 – Barrak,  Ostrava (CZ)
24.10 – Melodka,  Brno (CZ)
25.10 – Blackland,  Berlin (DE)
26.10 – Roxy,  Flensburg (DE)

Ragnarok TourposterPR

More information about RAGNAROK can be found on the band’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/ragnarokofficial  or on their  website at http://www.ragnarokhorde.com/

The official video for the title track from RAGNAROK’s seventh full-length album “Collectors of the King” can be seen below and at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdRPw1tPl5E


x

Eleven tracks spanning over two decades of RAGNAROK’s career can be heard below and at http://soundcloud.com/ragnarokofficial/sets/ragnarok-live-set-list

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ragnarokofficial
Website: http://www.ragnarokhorde.com
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/RagnarokNorway
Official Spotify Playlist:  http://spoti.fi/2c34nFG
SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/ragnarokofficial
Management: https://patriciathomasmanagement.com/
Management Contact: patriciathomas@btinternet.com
Label: http://www.agoniarecords.com
For promo copies: info@agoniarecords.com

 

PROG ROCKERS SEVEN IMPALE DEBUT TRACK FROM UPCOMING SOPHOMORE FULL-LENGTH ALBUM

Posted: August 30, 2016 in KARISMA RECORDS, OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES, Uncategorized
Tags: , , , ,
0

Seven Impale PR

With a date of the  16th September set for the release on Karisma Records of “Contrapasso”, the second full-length album from Norwegian Prog Rockers SEVEN IMPALE, a track from the album is now streaming to give fans a taste of what they can expect.  The track, “Languor” can be heard at the following:

Rock Hard: https://www.rockhard.de/news/newsarchiv/newsansicht/44799-seven-impale-languor-vom-contrapasso-album-feiert-premiere.html

Having earned themselves seventh place in the Progarchives.com best albums of the year poll with their  2014 debut full-length “City of the Sun”, SEVEN IMPALE are eager to show fans how far this group of musicians have developed since then, commenting:

“Finally the day (or at least one of the days) we have waited for!  We are very happy to present the track “languor” from “Contrapasso”. We feel that song captures the essence of the album with darker lyrics, heavier guitars, bigger drums, more everything! Still we are sure we are the same band that you heard on “City of the Sun”, but now a couple of years older and more mature. We are very excited and hope that you will enjoy it as much as we do!”

The nine-track album was recorded at the Solslottet Studio with producer Iver Sandøy, known for his  work with bands like ENSLAVED and KRAKOW.  Artwork for “Contrapasso” is by the Romanian artist Costin Chioreanu.  Tracklisting is as follows:

1. Lemma
2. Heresy
3. Inertia
4. Languor
5. Ascension
6. Convulsion
7. Helix
8. Serpentstone
9. Phoenix

Seven Impale AlbumArt PR

SEVEN IMPALE’s lineup of Stian Økland on vocals and guitars, Fredrik Mekki Widerøe on drums, Benjamin Mekki Widerøe on sax, Tormod Fosso on bass, Erlend Vottvik Olsen on guitar and Håkon Vinje on keyboards seamlessly combine their various musical disciplines, from classical orchestra to big band, metal to jazz, and rock to electronic, to give their sound an original approach that eschews genre boundaries.    “Contrapasso” builds on SEVEN IMPALE’s early sound, and demonstrates how much more confident and mature these young musicians have become, whilst the youthful  enthusiasm that permeates all they do, is still very evident.

A release party for “Contrapasso” will take place on the 7th October at Kvarteret in Bergen.

“Contrapasso” is available to pre-order now in both CD and vinyl editions from  http://shop.karismarecords.no/artist/seven-impale  or https://sevenimpale.bandcamp.com As well as from  the Karisma Records US Webstore at https://karismarecords.aisamerch.com/pre-orders

More information about SEVEN IMPALE can be found on the band’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/sevenimpale

SEVEN IMPALE’s “City of the Sun” can be heard below and at http://sevenimpale.bandcamp.com/album/city-of-the-sun


x

Tracks from Karisma Records releases, can be heard below and at https://soundcloud.com/karisma-records


x

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sevenimpale
Bandcamp:  http://sevenimpale.bandcamp.com
SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/sevenimpale
NRK: http://www.nrk.no/urort/Artist/SevenImpale/default.aspx
Promo and other information: post@karismarecords.no
Karisma Records: http://www.karismarecords.no/
Karisma Records Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karismarecords
Karisma Records on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/c/KarismarecordsNor
Karisma on SoundCloud:  https://soundcloud.com/karisma-records
Karisma Records Webshop: http://karismarecords.bigcartel.com/
Karisma Records US Webshop:  http://karismarecords.aisamerch.com/
Karisma Records BandCamp: http://karismarecords.bandcamp.com/music
Karisma Records KlickTrack Store:  http://shop.klicktrack.com/karismadarkessencerecords

 

DETAILS OF THE SOPHOMORE FULL LENGTH ALBUM FROM ROCKERS TIEBREAKER REVEALED

Posted: August 26, 2016 in KARISMA RECORDS, OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES, Uncategorized
Tags: , , ,
0

Tiebreaker PR 2016

Karisma Records have today revealed the details and artwork for the sophomore full-length album from Norwegian Rockers, TIEBREAKER.  Written over a period of three months in a small cabin in the west of Norway, the album, titled “Death Tunes”, was recorded at the Amper Tone Studio in Oslo, owned by Kjartan Kristiansen of the DUMDUM BOYS, and produced by KVELERTAK guitarist Bjarte Lund Rolland. The engineer/mix/master on “Death Tunes” is Nick Terry (TURBONEGRO, KVELERTAK, LIBERTINES) with assistant engineers Kim Lillestøl and Espen Andersen, and it is set for release on October 21st, whilst the vinyl edition will hit the streets on November 18th.

The follow up to their debut album “We Come From the Mountains”, which was released internationally on Karisma Records in 2015, “Death Tunes” is a high-octane album, packed with melodic riffing and spiced up with a dash of bluesy melancholy.  If you can imagine the sound of today’s Rock & Roll, combined with the raw power of early Garage Rock, then understand exactly what TIEBREAKER are all about.

With artwork by Robin Gnista and the video single “Anywhere But Here”, tracklisting for the ten-track album is as follows:

1. Hell
2. Pan American Grindsont
3. Cannonball
4. Commando
5.  Anywhere But Here
6. The Deep
7. Building Up To Dier
8. Killer
9. Float Away
10. Heavy Lifting

Tiebreaker AlbumArt PR

With their roots forged amongst the deep fjords and brutal landscapes of Odda, Hordaland, and with an ingrained work-ethic, TIEBREAKER first saw the light of day in 2011. The band consists of Thomas Espeland Karlsen on vocals, Eirik Wik Haug and Olav Areklett Vikingstad on guitars, Patrick Andersson on bass and Pål Gunnar Dale on drums.  It is a band whose studio and on-stage chemistry has raised TIEBREAKER to the top ranks of Norway’s rock scene, affording them the opportunity to tour extensively both at home and abroad.  They have shared the stage with bands such as ENSLAVED, KVELERTAK, VINTAGE CARAVAN, etc., as well as earning themselves repeat invites to prestigious showcase festivals.

TIEBREAKER are set to perform a series of shows in support of “Death Tunes”.  Routing as follows:

14.10.16   Odda, Iris Scene
04.11.16 Husnes, 5460
11.11.16 Kristiansand, Østsia
12.11.16 Sandnes, Tribute
17.11.16 Bergen, Garage
18.11.16 Haugesund, Flytten
19.11.16 Stord, Arena
24.11.16 Trondheim TBA
25.11.16 Oslo, Pokalen
26.11.16 Skien, Lundetangen Pub

More shows to be announced.

More information about the band can be found on the band’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/tiebreakerofficial/

A video of TIEBREAKER playing live at the ABC Studios filmed by Gregor from tripidea.com and produced by Kjetil Ulland, can be seen below and on the band’s YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/ptT_aigL474  as well as on the Karisma Records channel at https://youtu.be/UWE8nMkAfWo

 

TIEBREAKER’s debut full-length album can be heard below and on Bandcamp at https://tiebreaker.bandcamp.com


x

Tracks from all of Karisma Records releases can be heard at https://soundcloud.com/karisma-records/sets/karisma-records

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Tiebreaker on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/tiebreakerofficial/
Tiebreaker on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG5ZcJxEdOudYfHcOx8ILDw
Tiebreaker on Bandcamp:  https://tiebreaker.bandcamp.com
Band Contact: tiebreakertheband@gmail.com
Tiebreaker Booking: ragnar@timeoutagency.com
Promo and other information: post@karismarecords.no
Karisma Records: http://www.karismarecords.no/
Karisma Records Webshop: http://karismarecords.bigcartel.com/
Karisma Records US Webshop:  http://karismarecords.aisamerch.com/
Karisma Records BandCamp: http://karismarecords.bandcamp.com/music
Karisma Records KlickTrack Store:  http://shop.klicktrack.com/karismadarkessencerecords
Karisma Records Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karismarecords
Karisma Records on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/c/KarismarecordsNor

 

DARK ESSENCE RECORDS TO RE-RELEASE TAAKE’S CLASSIC “…DOEDSKVAD” ALBUM ON VINYL

Posted: August 25, 2016 in DARK ESSENCE RECORDS, OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES, TAAKE
Tags: , , , , , ,
0

Taake Logo

With the vinyl version long-sold out and much in demand from fans,  Dark Essence Records are set to re-release TAAKE’s “…Doedskvad” in LP format.  The cover art for the LP differs from the original Dark Essence release, and is the one that was used for the limited edition splatter vinyl that was available on Perverted Taste, and which also sold out and is no longer available.

First released in 2005, and acknowledged by many to be a Black Metal masterpiece, “…Doedskvad” forms  the final part of TAAKE’s classic Trilogy, which includes the  “Nattestid” and “Bjoergvin” albums.  It was recorded at the legendary Grieghallen Studios, with guest appearances from Nattefrost (CARPATHIAN FOREST), NORDAVIND (ex-CARPATHIAN FOREST) and Taipan (ORCUSTUS).

The new vinyl edition will hit the streets on the 16th September and is  available to pre-order now from http://www.darkessencerecords.no/shop/doedskvad-2/  or http://taake.bandcamp.com/album/doedskvad , as well as from the Dark Essence Records  North American webshop at https://darkessence.aisamerch.com/item/41647

Tracklisting for “…Doedskvad” as follows:

  1. Hordalands Doedskvad part I
  2. Hordalands Doedskvad part II
  3. Hordalands Doedskvad part III
  4. Hordalands Doedskvad part IV
  5. Hordalands Doedskvad part V
  6. Hordalands Doedskvad part VI
  7. Hordalands Doedskvad part VII

Taake Doedskvad Artwork PR
Founded by Hoest, one of the most  the most respected frontment in the genre, TAAKE’s Helnorsk Svartmetall sound remains true to the traditions of  Norwegian Black Metal, but never allows itself to become stale, introducing fresh, and often musically controversial , ideas with each album.  The use of a banjo on the track “Myr” on the band’s 2011 album “Noregs Vaapen, for example, initially caused consternation amongst  some of the diehard Black Metal fans,  but is now acknowledged as an eccentric  stroke of genius, and is one of the most anticipated songs at TAAKE concerts.

Following a string of festival appearances this summer, and with two North American tours behind them, TAAKE will hit the road in Europe during December for a series of dates with Niklas Kvarforth’s SHINING.  With these two dynamic and high profile frontmen taking to the stage on the same bill, the tour is understandably much anticipated by fans.   Dates will be announced shortly.

More information about TAAKE can be found on the band’s website at http://taake.svartekunst.no   or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/taakeofficial

“…Doedskvad” can be heard below and on BandCamp at facebook.com/taakeofficialhttp://taake.bandcamp.com/album/doedskvad


The official video for the track “Nordbundet” from the TAAKE album “Noregs Vaapen” can be seen below and at http://youtu.be/OAIIbnrYC7Q


x
Tracks from all of DARK ESSENCE RECORDS releases can be heard at http://soundcloud.com/dark-essence-records/sets/dark-essence-records

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Taake Website: http://taake.svartekunst.no/
Taake on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/taakeofficial
Taake WebShop: http://svartekunst.bigcartel.com/
Svartekunst Produksjoner: http://svartekunst.no
Taake Bandcamp:  http://taake.bandcamp.com
Taake Management & Booking: Propulsion Music http://www.propulsionmusic.no/
email: bjornar.erevik.nilsen@gmail.com
Dark Essence Records contact and promo: post@karismarecords.no
Dark Essence Records: www.darkessencerecords.no
Dark Essence on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/darkessencerecords
Dark Essence Records Bandcamp: https://karismarecords.bandcamp.com/
Dark Essence Records Webshop: http://karismarecords.bigcartel.com/
Dark Essence North America Webshop: http://darkessence.aisamerch.com/
Dark Essence KlickTrack Store:  http://shop.klicktrack.com/karismadarkessencerecords
Dark Essence SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/dark-essence-records

 

PROG ROCKERS SEVEN IMPALE REVEAL ARTWORK AND DETAILS OF SOPHOMORE FULL-LENGTH ALBUM

Posted: August 5, 2016 in KARISMA RECORDS, OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES, Uncategorized
Tags: , , ,
0

Seven Impale PR

Karima Records have set the 16th September as the release date for “Contrapasso”, the second full-length album from Norwegian Prog Rockers SEVEN IMPALE, and if the band’s debut album, “City of the Sun”,  is anything to go by, it is a date that many fans will be looking forward to.

Having earned itself seventh place in the Progarchives.com best albums of 2014 poll, “City of the Sun”, with the unique SEVEN IMPALE  sound still in the early stages of development, showed the promise of things to come from this young band.  And with “Contrapasso” SEVEN IMPALE are well on the way to fulfilling that early promise, with an album that shows a new maturity, and the confidenceto explore their sound further, imbuing it with more complexity and harder soundscapes, along with tracks that are more catchy and upbeat .  Genre boundaries are not something that concern these musicians, allowing them to create a sound that is interesting and varied, and which is still full of SEVEN IMPALE’s youthful enthusiasm.

The nine-track album was recorded at the Solslottet Studio with producer Iver Sandøy, known for his  work with bands like ENSLAVED and KRAKOW.  Artwork for “Contrapasso” is by the Romanian artist Costin Chioreanu.  Tracklisting is as follows:

1. Lemma
2. Heresy
3. Inertia
4. Langour
5. Ascension
6. Convulsion
7. Helix
8. Serpentstone
9. Phoenix

Seven Impale AlbumArt PR

SEVEN IMPALE was formed in Bergen, Norway in 2010, and its relatively young members bring with them a considerable diversity of musical disciplines, from classical orchestra to big band, metal to jazz, and rock to electronic.  The lineup of Stian Økland on vocals and guitars, Fredrik Mekki Widerøe on drums, Benjamin Mekki Widerøe on sax, Tormod Fosso on bass, Erlend Vottvik Olsen on guitar and Håkon Vinje on keyboards demonstrates how easily these musicians are able to fuse together all these influences to give the band its fresh, original, approach.

More information about SEVEN IMPALE can be found on the band’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/sevenimpale

SEVEN IMPALE’s “City of the Sun” can be heard below and at http://sevenimpale.bandcamp.com/album/city-of-the-sun


x

Tracks from Karisma Records releases, can be heard at https://soundcloud.com/karisma-records

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sevenimpale
Bandcamp:  http://sevenimpale.bandcamp.com
SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/sevenimpale
NRK: http://www.nrk.no/urort/Artist/SevenImpale/default.aspx
Promo and other information: post@karismarecords.no
Karisma Records: http://www.karismarecords.no/
Karisma Records Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karismarecords
Karisma Records on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/c/KarismarecordsNor
Karisma on SoundCloud:  https://soundcloud.com/karisma-records
Karisma Records Webshop: http://karismarecords.bigcartel.com/
Karisma Records US Webshop:  http://karismarecords.aisamerch.com/
Karisma Records BandCamp: http://karismarecords.bandcamp.com/music
Karisma Records KlickTrack Store:  http://shop.klicktrack.com/karismadarkessencerecords

MUSICIAN BEHIND NORDJEVEL, SVARTELDER & DOEDSVANGR LAUNCHES ENEPSIGOS & SIGNS WITH DRAKKAR

Posted: August 3, 2016 in ENEPSIGOS, OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES, Uncategorized
Tags: , , , , , , , ,
0

Enepsigos LogoPR

Nobody knows who the Norwegian vocalist behind some of the most talked about new Black and Extreme Metal bands to emerge over the last year is, but one thing is sure, he has an uncanny knack of being able to bring together talented musicians from well known, established bands, and give them the impetus to  create new projects. Projects that have allowed the individual musicians to bring their experience and different disciplines together to form bands that, whilst helmed by the same individual, are totally different one from the other.  Furthermore, in a saturated market, they are bands that  get snapped up by labels in very short order.

With NORDJEVEL and SVARTELDER having already released critically acclaimed albums on Osmose Productions and Dusktone respectively, and with DOEDSVANGR currently considering various recording offers, ENEPSIGOS,  the latest project of this shadowy individual,  has attracted interest from labels purely on the strength of two raw demo tracks, and the band has just agreed a deal with the French label Drakkar Productions for the release of their debut album.

Having eschewed his stage name of Doedsadmiral, in favour of V.I.T.H.R, for his work with ENEPSIGOS, the mysterious vocalist has called upon the talents of fellow countryman and former SARKOM guitarist Straff and Italian drummer Thorns known for his work with BLUT AUS NORD, DEATHROW, FIDES INVERSA, FROSTMOON ECLISPE and DARVAZA, to name but a few.  Together they have created a band that is dark and brutal, and whose roots in the traditions of early Black Metal are unmistakable.

Because it’s easy to talk about what a band is going to sound  like, but in reality it’s impossible for fans to form any kind of idea about a band without actually hearing any music, ENEPSIGOS have uploaded a ROUGH STUDIO MIX of the title track from their upcoming album “Plague of Plagues” and it can be heard below and at https://soundcloud.com/enepsigos-official/plague-of-plagues


x

More information about ENEPSIGOS can be found on the band’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/EnepsigosOfficial/

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/EnepsigosOfficial/
SoundCloud:  https://soundcloud.com/enepsigos-official
Band Contact: Enepsigos666@gmail.com
Management & PR:  patriciathomas@btinternet.com
Drakkar Productions: http://www.drakkar666.com