Psychedelic Prog Black Metaller HAIL SPIRIT NOIR, whose third full-length album “Mayhem in Blue” was released on Dark Essence Records in late 2016, have announced their first European tour, covering nine dates during the latter half of April, and including an appearance at the Roadburn Festival.
Commenting on the tour, and what fans could expect, the band had this to say:
‘’It’s the first time we embark on a tour in Europe and we really can’t wait to meet all you music maniacs on the road. Be prepared for an intense show based on improvisation, and the transformation of some of our old tracks”.
Routing for the April tour is as follows:
20.4: Temple, Athens, Greece
22.4: Roadburn, 013, Tilburg, Netherlands
23.4: Le Midlan, Lille, France (with Mortier)
24.4: Le Klub , Paris, France (with Glorior Belli)
25.4: Oetinger Villa, Darmstadt, Germany (with Fallen Tyrand and The Invasion)
26.4: Spazio Ligera , Milan, Italy (with Sannhet and Sum of R)
28.4: Magnetofon, Lodz, Poland
29.4: Chemiefabrik, Dresden, Germany
30.4 TBC
Formed in Thessaloniki, Greece, in 2010, and describing their music as “psychoprog black metal whose sound is “retro, yet modern”, HAIL SPIRIT NOIR’s lineup includes Haris (KATAVASIA, TRANSCENDING BIZARRE?) on Synths, Theoharis (TRANSCENDING BIZARRE?, REX MUNDI,) on guitars and vocals, and J Demian (BLACKDRAWN, DOL AMMAD, WARDRUM TRANSCENDING BIZARRE?) on bass and acoustic guitars.
Once the tour is finished, the band intend to focus on writing their much-anticipated next album.
A video of HAIL SPIRIT NOIR performing the title track of their album “Mayhem in Blue” live at Dark Bombastic Evening in 2017 can be seen below and at https://youtu.be/jUWgoxqdJSU
Italian Dark Metallers SELVANS announce their first ever headlining tour, which will cover 9 European countries in May. Routing for the tour, which is titled “Hirpi” after the band’s 2017 live album, is as follows:
10 May: Titty Twister, Parma (IT)
11 May: Concilia Nocturna, Aarburg (CH)
12 May: Farářova Sluj, Mladá Boleslav (CZ)
13 May: Rudeboy, Bielsko-Biała (PL)
15 May: Tartaros, Banská Bystrica (SK)
16 May: Dongó, Győr (HU)
17 May: Melodka, Brno (CZ)
18 May: S8 Underground, Budapest (HU)
19 May: Weberknecht, Wien (AT)
SELVANS was formed by frontman Haruspex after the demise of Italy’s legendary DRAUGR. With SELVANS, Haruspex’s idea was to breathe new life into the rich and varied customs, mysticism and folklore that were left behind by the plethora of ethnic inhabitants that populated Italy throughout the ages. Combined with SELVANS’ music and lyrics, Haruspex’s use of aesthetics has created a band which, visually, and, very importantly, emotively, brings back to life those long-lost eras. And this is something that is not limited to SELVANS’ studio output, but is vividly re-created on stage, as fans will be able to see for themselves on the upcoming tour.
A special video, which was made as a tribute to the band’s late drummer Jonny, for the track “Lupercale” from “Clangores Plenilunio”, can be seen below and at https://youtu.be/AJDfmpYFa4Q
Dark Essence Records have set the 8th of June as the date for the release of the debut full-length album from Norwegian Occult Hard Rockers ACÂRASH. Titled “In Chaos Becrowned”, the eight track album was mixed and mastered by Ruben Willem at the Caliban Studios in Oslo, and features artwork by Lasse Almqvist Scherven.
Tracklisting for “In Chaos Becrowned”, which will be released in Digi CD and LP formats, is as follows:
Cadaver Dei
Shadows Roam
Gathering of Crows
In Chaos Becrowned
Ashes of the Mortal Mind
Legio Obscura
Sacrifice the Winter Wolf
Cenotaph in Flesh
ACÂRASH, whose lineup comprises Sølve Sæther on drums, Lukas Paulsen on guitars and Anlov P. Mathiesen on bass and vocals, was formed in Oslo in the fall of 2016, and is rooted in the 80s and 90s avant-garde rockers THE VOID . With members hailing from bands such as LONELY KAMEL, ZECTION8, FAUSTUS and DEEP REST, ACÂRASH is a band whose influences are varied, and which embraces tradition, yet manages to forge an identity all of its own.
By blending hard rock, doom and black metal, ACÂRASH has succeeded in forming a sound in which esoteric poetry and ritualistic contemplation are central to the music, and mirror the nuances in both sound and musical contrasts.
With “In Chaos Becrowned”, ACÂRASH has shown an ability to reinvent, whilst at the same time preserve, in order to deliver a record that explores and develops the boundaries of rock and metal, and naturally alternates between raw catchiness, dark introspection, and progressive playfulness.
A series of short teaser videos from ACÂRASH’s debut full-length album “In Chaos Becrowned” can be seen on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pg/acarash/videos/
Norway’s SLEGEST are shortly to head to the studio to record what will be the band’s third full-length album.
All the new material has been written and rehearsed, and an early April date has been set for SLEGEST to begin recording, with Bjørnar E. Nilsen (VULTURE INDUSTRIES, BLACK HOLE GENERATOR) at the helm in his Conclave and Earshot Studios in Bergen. According to the band, the new album will show a different side of SLEGEST:
“Riff and sinestry ladies and gentlemen! We have as always turned our eyes inwards to make music. Nevertheless the new songs show a different side of SLEGEST, stained with the music we grew up with – the traditional heavy rock of the 80’s. At the same time we have had an almost ridiculous focus on the SLEGEST sound, so those of you who are into that won’t be disappointed. When the time comes, let this one spin in the face of life itself!”
It is anticipated that the new, as yet to be named, album will be finished by the end of May, with the release on Dark Essence Records sometime in the Autumn.
As well as working on the new album, SLEGEST have also been in Stavanger to record two tracks for an upcoming Limited Edition 7″ Vinyl. Titled “Lagnad i E”, it will contain four tracks, two of which will be new, and two of which were recorded live.
Set to be released in May on RhinoRat Recordings, and with artwork by Renathe H. Bryn, tracklisting for “Lagnad i E” is as follows:
Having remained silent on the subject for a year now, Danish Black Metallers BLODARV are ready to announce their new drummer with the arrival of Galheim (DENIAL OF GOD, AD NOCTUM, EXMORTEM, LIVJATAN) on a full time basis.
Commenting on the new addition to the band, founder and frontman Hugin had this to say:
“Not only do we consider Galheim to be the best Danish drummer that ever walked this earth, but also, and even more importantly, we consider him to be the only real match for BLODARV, not just from a musical perspective, but also when it comes to the ideology, visions, and essence of the band. So much so, in fact, that we actually neither looked anywhere else, nor accepted any applications from anyone to take over the drummer’s vacancy. Everyone in the band was in agreement that we didn’t just want a great drummer, we wanted one who was hewn from the same rock as BLODARV, and Galheim was that person.
“He has his roots firmly planted in the Danish Black Metal scene of the 90’s and is someone we can connect and sync with, both musically and on a personal level, because he shares and understands the passion and dedication that goes into a life’s work such as BLODARV. Not only do we want to keep the flame burning, we want to add fuel to the fire, elevate the band, and sharpen the knife that is BLODARV “.
Conceived in 1994, and originally formed as a solo project on the Danish island of Bornholm, Hugin decided to develop and expand on the experience he had gained whilst playing in bands such as MISANTHROPIA, SANSÂGER and ARANRÚTH, and in 1999 he launched the first BLODARV demo.
Having turned BLODARV into a fully fledged band in 2002, Hugin has, since then, proved that in order to give a voice to his poetic and lyrical creations, he is totally unafraid to mix classical, industrial and ambient elements to form BLODARV’s distinctive take on Black Metal
With three full length albums, some very tasty limited edition boxed sets, and several EPs and Splits under their belts, Hugin confirms that, energized by the arrival of Galheim, the band is now dedicating as much time as possible to rehearsing a formidable new stage show and ensuring that BLODARV’s raven banner will soon once again flutter proudly on stage. “We will return stronger, darker, and more powerful than ever before”
Having just celebrated their 25th Anniversary with a show in their home town of Bergen, Norwegian Black Metallers TAAKE will make a welcome return to Japan where they are set to play four dates in July. Supporting TAAKE on the tour will be BLOODSHOT DAWN from the UK, and REMISSION and SEPTIK PIGGERY from Australia. Routing is as follows:
26 July: Soma, Osaka,
27 July: Imaike 3 Star, Nagoya
28 July: Cyclone, Tokyo,
29 July: Cyclone, Tokyo
TAAKE’s “Helnorsk Svartmetall ” sound, honed to perfection by TAAKE’s iconic frontman and founder Hoest, has been keeping the spirit of Norwegian Black Metal alive for a quarter of a century, both in the studio and on the stage, whilst never allowing the icy, dangerous edge, much beloved by Black Metal fans, to stagnate.
Hoest’s powerful presence, which dominates any stage on which he sets foot, coupled with a live lineup of experienced and highly skilled musicians, and an extensive back catalogue to draw from, has always ensured that TAAKE’s performances are an experience that is guaranteed to enthral.
TAAKE’s seventh full-length album “Kong Vinter” was released on Dark Essence Records at the end of 2017 and is available, along with the band’s other releasesn and exclusive merchandise, from the following, as well as all the usual retailers:
Norwegian Experimental Post Metallers KRAKOW have today revealed the following tantalising facts about their upcoming fourth full-length studio album titled “minus”, which is set for release on Karisma Records on the 31 August:
minus
mi·nus \ˈmī-nəs\
preposition
less by the subtraction of; decreased by.
lacking or without.
adjective
involving or noting subtraction.
algebraically negative.
less than; just below in quality.
Informal. having negative qualities or characteristics; inferior.
Mycology. (in heterothallic fungi) designating, in the absence of morphological differentiation, one of the two strains of mycelia that unite in the sexual process.
Informal. a person or thing with no apparent abilities, usefulness, etc.
Six songs. Nine singers. Three guitarists. Two drummers. One bassist. KRAKOW is back with a new album, summarized in title as minus. The result of laborious and intense work over the course of a year, with two and a half albums’ worth of music chiselled down to one perfected collection of songs, the band is finally ready to reveal details of its upcoming album.
With themes spanning from outer space to the hidden worlds deep below, travelling in time from distant future to nearer past like an inverted space odyssey, we are taken on a journey through stories, as much a reflection of those we tell as a revelation of those we won’t.
Stunning visually, a complete physical design inspired by the music and defined by the patterns that shaped those songs, the vinyl and CD editions promise to be gems as suited to the stereo as to the shelf above it.
And the music, as always stretching towards the outer borders of any attempted genre definition covers the heavy, the subtle, the melodic, the atonal, the groovy, the absolutely ungroovy, the dense, the airy, the naked, and, always, always, that wall of sound where no light can escape before the singer stands there alone with his last story. There are guests, they bring glitz and rock n’ roll as well as a grounding force towards the mountain core. There is beauty, and there is rotten decay, like a lush forested island in a lake of septic water. There are monsters and there are saints, and none of them reveal themselves, we must find those cracks on our own.
It’s a collection of contradictions, is what we’re saying. It’s a KRAKOW album.
KRAKOW’s next live appearances will be at Inferno Metal Festival in Oslo on the 31 March and at Bergenfest on the 12 June.
Sweden’s self-styled “Alfapokalyptic” Rockers ALFAHANNE, whose ability to marry Black Metal, Classic Rock and Punk with good old Rock n Roll creates a sound that is unmistakably theirs, have released a 7″ single on Iron Fist Productions.
The single follows the traditional format of two tracks. Side A being a new original ALFAHANNE composition titled “Kontroll”, whilst side B is a cover of “Dom Andra”, a track by KENT, one of Sweden’s most popular bands. It is available to order direct from Iron Fist Productions via the label’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ironfistproductions1/
A video of the live version of “Kontroll”, filmed in ALFAHANNE’s rehearsal studio, can be seen below and on YouTube at https://youtu.be/2ge–DO2J6c
A
Formed in 2010, ALFAHANNE’s debut full-length album “Alfapokalyps” appeared on Dark Essence Records in 2014 and was followed by “Blod Eld Alfa” in 2015. “Det Nya Svarta”, the band’s third full-length release hit the streets in April 2017 on Indie Recordings. ALFAHANNE’s lineup of Pehr Skjoldhammer on Vocals and Guitar, Fredrik Sööberg on Guitars, Niklas Åström on Drums and Jimmy Wiberg on Bass was recently augmented by the addition of Stefan Eriksson on keyboards.
It is a lineup whose skill, experience, and personality speaks volumes when you realise that the band are able to attract guest performers such as TAAKE’s Hoest, SHINING’s Niklas Kvarforth, HELHEIM’s V’gandr, KVELERTAK frontman Erlend Hjelvik, Spellgoth from HORNA and TURMION KÄTILÖT, Nattfursth from SORHIN, KAMPFAR’s Dolk, David Lindh from YVONNE and BRODER DANIEL and Sanrabb from GEHENNA, not just on their albums, but also on stage.
ALFAHANNE are set to bring their high-energy, charismatic, stage show to Stockholm Slaughter in April, the Karmoygeddon Metal Festival in Norway in May, as well as to Gamrocken in Sweden later the same month, whilst in August they will hit the stage at Wacken Open Air in Germany.
Dark Essence Records have inked a deal with Norwegian Occult Hard Rockers ACÂRASH, and will release their debut full-length album on a date as yet to be announced.
Formed in Oslo in the fall of 2016, ACÂRASH’s lineup is comprised of Sølve Sæther on drums, Lukas Paulsen on guitars and Anlov P. Mathiesen on bass and vocals. Founded on the pillars of the 80s and 90s avant-garde rockers THE VOID, ACÂRASH draws its inspiration from a variety of sources, including bands such as LONELY KAMEL, ZECTION8, FAUSTUS and DEEP REST.
Blending hard rock, doom and black metal, ACÂRASH is a band that embraces tradition yet manages to forge a sound that it uniquely theirs. It is a sound where esoteric poetry and ritualistic contemplation are central to the music, and mirror the nuances in both sound and musical contrasts.
With their debut album, Acârash reinvents and preserves, delivering a record that explores and develops the boundaries of rock and metal, and naturally alternates between raw catchiness, dark introspection, and progressive playfulness.
Whilst full details of the album, which will be titled “In Chaos Becrowned”, will be announced shortly, it can, however, be revealed that it has been recorded, mixed and mastered by Ruben Willem at the Caliban Studios in Oslo, to produce a sound that fits the sharp delivery and the crispness of the music to perfection.
A series of short teaser videos from ACÂRASH’s debut full-length album “In Chaos Becrowned” can be seen on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pg/acarash/videos/
Karisma Records have good news today for fans of PLENTY who have waited three decades for a new release from the band that was formed in 1986 from the remnants of the eccentric Liverpool-based Post-Punk ensemble A BETTER MOUSETRAP and the Art Rockers from Warrington, AFTER THE STRANGER, and is the immediate predecessor to Tim Bowness’ NO-MAN band. Because today they bring you two tracks from the upcoming album “It Could Be home” . One is a single release for the track “Hide” and the other is a lyric video for the track “Every Stranger’s Voice”.
Of “Every Stranger’s Voice” Bowness has this to say:
“Every Stranger’s Voice” was one of the last songs written by Plenty during its first incarnation and dates from 1990. It’s one of the grand ‘doomed romantic ballads’ that partly defined Plenty and early No-Man. I always felt it was one of the strongest songs we’d come up with, but it had the misfortune of emerging in the month that No-Man got its first record and publishing deals so was abandoned very shortly after being written. Michael Bearpark’s searing solo on the track is a real highlight for me. Bob Hodds’ atmospheric video ambiguously captures the emotional ‘force of nature’ that drives the lyric”.
A
With regard to the single “Hide”, Bowness went on to say:
“”Hide” is one of the few Plenty pieces that betrays the band’s origins as part of the thriving Liverpool Post-Punk/Art Pop scene of the 1980s. It was written in 1987 and was an important part of the live performances we did at the time. All two of them! I always liked the fact that the song itself hid a dark lyric about mental illness and the desire for retreat behind a jaunty and propulsive musical facade. As I croon about someone’s tragic decline and stasis, Brian and David’s playing exudes something joyous and surprising. The lyric was inspired by a friend who also provided part of the inspiration behind No-Man’s Animal Ghost”.
“Hide” is available from all the usual streaming and download services details of which can be found at http://phonofile.link/hide
“It Could Be Home”, which features PLENTY’s most enduring lineup of Tim Bowness on vocals, Brian Hulse on guitars and keyboards, and David K Jones on bass, was recorded between the spring of 2016 and the summer of 2017, when the band got together once more to re-record their 1980 catalogue of 16 songs, along with one completely new one
“It Could Be Home” Remains faithful to both the spirit of the original recordings, and the era in which they were written, with PLENTY re-writing some of the lyrics and streamlined some of the song arrangements in order to finally produce “It Could Be Home”. It is an album that showcases the origins of the styles that were subsequently to become the trademarks of Bowness and NO-MAN. Significantly, it also reveals a variety of shades to Bowness’ singing, as Jones’s powerful bass playing and Hulse’s inventive guitar parts and pulsating electronics, push his vocals into territories he has rarely explored since the 1980s.
It is an album that could, essentially, be described as a re-discovered gem of the Art Pop genre in which PLENTY’s cover of THE ROLLING STONES’ “As Tears Go By” is given a radical synth-heavy overhaul, “Hide” and “Climb” possess a driving Post-Punk energy, while pieces like “Foolish Waking” and “Strange Gods” anticipate the timeless atmospheric melancholy of Bowness’ music and the direction which it is taking. “The Good Man”, the band’s first new song in 27 years, provides a seamless link between PLENTY’s past and its present.
Set for release on Karisma Records in CD, Digital, LP and Limited Edition Blue Vinyl formats on the 27th April, “It Could Be Home” is mixed and instrumentally augmented by Norwegian producer Jacob Holm-Lupo (WHITE WILLOW, THE OPIUM CARTEL), and mastered by THE PINEAPPLE THIEF’S Steve Kitch. The album also features contributions from former PLENTY guitarist Michael Bearpark, pianist Peter Chilvers (BRIAN ENO, KARL HYDE) and NO-MAN violinist Steve Bingham.
With artwork by Carl Glover, tracklisting on “It Could Be Home” is as follows:
As Tears Go By (Rolling Stones cover)
Hide
Never Needing
Broken Nights
Foolish Waking
Strange Gods
Every Stranger’s Voice
Climb
The Good Man
It could be Home
“It Could Be Home” is now available to pre-order in CD and Vinyl versions from the following:
PATRICIA THOMAS BAND MANAGEMENT 