Archive for the ‘OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES’ Category

ARTWORK AND DETAILS OF UPCOMING COVERS EP FROM NIKLAS KVARFORTH’S SHINING REVEALED

Posted: April 16, 2012 in OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES, SHINING
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Sweden’s SHINING is set to release an EP of cover songs with a choice of material that will come as a surprise to many of the band’s fans.  The four-track EP, titled “Lots of Girls Gonna Get Hurt”, includes tracks from KATATONIA, KENT, IMPERIET and POETS OF THE FALL, and is due for release on Spinefarm Records on the 16th of May.  Whilst KATATONIA is an internationally recognised name, KENT and Thåström’s IMPERIET are relatively unknown outside of Sweden, where they are two of the country’s biggest names, and POETS OF THE FALL is a Finnish band with a substantial following in their own country.  Cover art is by Pauline Greefhorst.

Commenting on the decision to release an EP of covers, as well as on the choice of material, SHINING’s front man and founder Niklas Kvarforth had this to say: “In no way should this EP be seen as a new direction for SHINING, and it is absolutely no indication of what you can expect from our upcoming eighth album.  Like most musicians neither myself, nor the rest of the band, restrict ourselves to listening to only one genre of music.  We all have eclectic tastes, and finding ourselves with some spare time in the studio, we recorded a total of six covers, and decided to release four of them. This EP simply represents some of the artists and music that we like.  We know that those fans of SHINING who limit themselves to a narrow musical spectrum will hate the album, but that really is of no concern to us”.

SHINING’s eighth, as yet untitled, full-length album will be released in autumn of this year.  More information about SHINING can be found on the band’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/shiningofficial

The official video for the track “Förtvivlan Min Arvedel” from the SHINING album “VII / Född Förlorare” can be seen below:

 

SHINING INFORMATION
Shining on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/shiningofficial
Shining on SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/shining-official
Shining on MySpace: www.myspace.com/shininghalmstad
Official  YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/OfficialShining
Shining on ReverbNation: http://www.reverbnation.com/shining
Pauline Greefhorst:  www.pauline-greefhorst.com
Management: nelli.ahvenlahti@gmail.com
PR: patriciathomas@btinternet.com

BYFROST ANNOUNCES NEW DRUMMER

Posted: April 13, 2012 in BYFROST, OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES
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ORKAN drummer Rune Nesse has joined the ranks of Norwegian Blackened Metallers BYFROST as a permanent replacement for the recently departed “Alkolust”.  Originally intending not to find a full-time replacement,  but rather to use session drummers both for live performances and in the studio, the band quickly changed its mind after rehearsing with Nesse.  Commented front man HeavyHarms: “The Bergen music community is very tightly knit, and we had known of Rune’s work for a long time.  When our old drummer left we immediately started rehearsing with Rune and it was obvious that he not only understood BYFROST’s music, but that he also shared our vision for the band.  So we did the logical thing and asked him to join as a full time member”.

A band known for its trademark menacing heavy riffs and headbang-inducing live performances, BYFROST’s sophomore album “Of Death”, which, like their debut album “Black Earth” was produced by ENSLAVED’s Herbrand Larsen, was released on Germany’s AFM Records in 2011, and led to several festival appearances and a European Tour.  Work has already begun on the third album, and, according to the vocalist, “Rune’s arrival has been like a shot of adrenaline. BYFROST is sounding tighter and heavier than ever before.  The new album is already sounding fantastic, and we can assure our fans that it’s going to more than meet their expectations”. More information about BYFROST can be found on the band’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/BYFROST

Below you can see fan-filmed footage of BYFROST performing “Horns to the Sky” live at Bloodstock in 2011.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
MySpace: www.myspace.com/byfrostmetal
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BYFROST
SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/byfrost
Twitter: www.twitter.com/byfrostmetal
ReverbNation: http://www.reverbnation.com/byfrost
Band Contact & Booking: byfrost@live.no
Management & Booking:  https://patriciathomasmanagement.com/
patriciathomas@btinternet.com
AFM Records: http://www.afm-records.de

TROLLFEST PREVIEWS ARTWORK AND TRACK LISTING FOR UPCOMING ALBUM

Posted: April 5, 2012 in OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES, TROLLFEST
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Oslo’s self-styled True Norwegian Balkan Metallers TROLLFEST have today unveiled the artwork for their upcoming album “Brumlebassen”, which is due for release on NoiseArt Records in August of this year.   Responsible once again for the amazing images that vividly depict the story of what will be the band’s fifth full-length album, is Swedish cartoonist Jonas Darnell, who originally created the iconic metal duck from TROLLFEST’s “Villanden” album, and has worked with the band ever since.  Terje Johnsen, who has been working on the design side of TROLLFEST’S releases since the “Brakebein “album, has once again teamed up with Darnell to produce the finished package.

Like all TROLLFEST’s albums, “Brumlebassen” tells a story about one of the characters that inhabit the fantastical universe created by the band.  This time the story is about Brumlebassen the Bee Keeper, whose task it is to care for the bees and brew the Honey Mead that is much loved by the Trolls.  Brumlebassen adores his bees so much that he would secretly like to become one of them himself and he is therefore depicted wearing a bee costume!  Track listing for “Brumlebassen”, which will be available as a Gatefold vinyl and limited digi pack including 12 tracks plus a bonus track, is as follows:

01. Brumlebassen
02. Böse Tivoli
03. Illsint
04: Hevlette
05. Finsken, Norsken and Presten
06. Mystisk Maskert
07. Apis Mellifera
08. TrinkenTroll
09. Verboten Kjærleik
10. Bråk
11. Sellout
12. Rundt Bålet
13. Konterbier (bonus track)

TROLLFEST, known for their exuberant stage performances which have won them myriads of fans wherever they play, recently announced that Tor Einar Rognhave (stage name St Beinhard) would be joining the band as a permanent member, to replace Per-Olav Wiik, whose personal commitments no longer allowed him the time needed for the extensive schedule of live appearances.  Immediately after their show at Norway’s Inferno Festival the band set off for a 20-date European tour with KORPIKLAANI in April, followed by appearances at ExtremeFest in Austria, Germany and Switzerland in July, MetalCamp in Slovenia in August (where something special has been planned), and the Heidenfest Tour in Europe  in October and November.   A tour blog for the April tour will be available at http://trollfest.blogg.no/. More information about TROLLFEST can be found on the band’s website at http://www.trollfest.com

Below you can see the official video for the track “Karve” from the album “En Kvest For Den Hellige Gral”

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Web Site: http://www.trollfest.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/trollfestofficial
SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/trollfest
WebShop: http://trollfest.bigcartel.com/
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/trollfest
ReverbNation: http://www.reverbnation.com/trollfest

BETHLEHEM TO CO-HEADLINE EUROPEAN TOUR WITH SECRETS OF THE MOON

Posted: April 3, 2012 in BETHLEHEM, OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES
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Legendary German Dark Metallers BETHLEHEM are set to co-headline a European tour with SECRETS OF THE MOON this Autumn.  Joining them on the road as support is Romania’s DORDEDUH.  Routing for the 10 day tour, which will take place in September and October is as follows:

September
Thu 27 – K17, Berlin, Germany
Fri 28 – Willemeen,  Arnheim, Netherlands
Sat 29 –  Exzellenzhaus , Trier, Germany
Sun 30 – JH Comma, Bruges, Belgium
October
Mon 01 –  Camden Underworld, London, UK
Tue 02 –  Kulttempel , Oberhausen, Germany
Wed 03 – Rockfabrik, Ludwigsburg, Germany
Thu 04 – Viper Room, Vienna, Austria
Fri 05 – Bozkov,  Pilsen, Czech Republic
Sat 06 – Alte Kaserne,  Zürich, Switzerland

Despite their 21 year history, BETHLEHEM, who effectively invented the term “Dark Metal” and have inspired countless bands to follow in their footsteps, have, in the past,  limited their live appearances, and, surprisingly, have never toured before, a conscious choice on the part of the band – but that is set to change.  With a new album, which will be the band’s  seventh full-length release, in the works and discussions taking place with a new label,  a new lineup that has seen vocalist Rogier Droog and drummer Florian “Torturer” Klein join bassist Jürgen Bartsch who, together with former member Matton,  founded the band in 1991,  and long-time guitarist Olaf Eckhardt who has been in the band since 1999, and with management in place in the form of the UK-based Black and Extreme Metal manager Patricia Thomas, the band is now preparing to become much more active on the live circuit.

BETHLEHEM is also scheduled to appear at From Hell in Erfurt, Germany on the 7th April and Barther Metal Open Air, also in Germany on the 17th August, whilst on the 27th May the band will play its first ever show in the USA, with an appearance at the Maryland Deathfest in Baltimore. More information about BETHLEHEM can be found on the band’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/bethlehemasylum

Below you can see fan-filmed footage of BETHLEHEM performing the track “Gestern Starb Ich Schon Heute” from the “S.U.i.Z.i.D” album, live at the Anti Life Fest in Madrid in March 2012.


Additional Information
Band Contact and Booking: info@bethlehem-darkmetal.com
Management and Booking: patriciathomas@btinternet.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/bethlehemasylum
ReverbNation: http://www.reverbnation.com/bethlehemofficial
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/Bethlehemasylum
MySpace: http://myspace.com/bethlehemasylum

TROLLFEST STREAMS RARE TRACK FOR FANS

Posted: March 30, 2012 in OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES, TROLLFEST
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Norway’s TROLLFEST, a band known for using an eclectic, and somewhat unusual instruments, to create what it calls “True Norwegian Balkan Metal” is streaming a track dating back to the early days of the band’s existence, but which has never been released, although fans familiar with the TROLLFEST’s exuberant live appearances may have heard the track before.  The band’s decision to make the track available a few months before the release of their fifth full-length album is best summed up by the close, and very interactive relationship TrollfesT has developed with its fans over the years: “While we were in the studio recording our new album we wanted to do something for all our fans while they wait for the release of “Brumlebassen”.   One of the songs that often features in our live set is “Skogsfest”, which happens to be the third song we ever wrote, and was a part of an early TrollfesT promo that was never released.  We know that this is a popular song with the audience at our shows, so we came up with the idea of re-recording it, and uploading it so that everyone can listen to it (it will not appear on the new album).  And that’s exactly what we did!  So if you’re coming to see us (and raise a few glasses together) on the KORPIKLAANI tour you may hear it then.  But if you’re not, then you’re not going to miss out, because here it is – from us, to you”.  “Skogsfest” can be heard below

 

TROLLFEST have an extremely full schedule of live appearances and tours during 2012, including a tour with KORPIKLAANI in April, MetalFest in Austria, Germany and Switzerland in July, MetalCamp in August and the Heidenfest tour in October and November.   Kicking off their live schedule in inimitable TROLLFEST style the band will bring a special show to Norway’s Inferno Festival when they hit the Rockefeller stage on the 5th April.  The show goes under the name of “TrollfesT & The Devil’s Dangleberries Inferno Balkan Madness” and according to the band they will be joined on stage by “a group of slightly dodgy individuals known as “The Devil’s Dangleberries” who will be in charge of all the Balkan madness that will be unleashed.  The Devil’s Dangleberries incidentally is the name we first thought of calling ourselves when we started out and before we decided on TROLLFEST”.  The “good friends and superb musicians” who form the Devil’s Dangleberries consist of Per Olav Wiik (TROLLFEST, UNTIME) on Bouzouki, Morten Müller (DEAD TROOPER) on Bouzouki, Birger Larsen (GROTESQUE HYSTERECTOMY) on Acoustic Guitar, Harald Odland (SJU) on Acoustic Guitar and Jon Eirik Bokn (DEAD TROOPER, ZEROZONIC) on Percussion.

“Brumlebassen” itself is set for release on NoiseArt Records in the summer, and more information about TROLLFEST can be found at http://www.trollfest.com

Below you can see the official video for the track “Karve” from the album “En Kvest For Den Hellige Gral”

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Web Site: http://www.trollfest.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/trollfest
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/trollfestofficial
ReverbNation: http://www.reverbnation.com/trollfest
SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/trollfest
WebShop: http://trollfest.bigcartel.com/

DARK ESSENCE RECORDS SIGNS POST METALLERS KRAKOW

Posted: March 27, 2012 in DARK ESSENCE RECORDS, OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES
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Norway’s Dark Essence Records have today announced the signing of Bergen-based post-metal crew KRAKOW who have just recorded their 2nd full-length album, “diin”, with producer Iver Sandøy (TRINACRIA, MANNGARD). Commenting on the signing, label head Martin Kvam said “KRAKOW have taken a huge step forward and upwards with this beast of an album, creating a unique sound and atmosphere that is entirely their own, and we are very proud to have them on our label”. “diin” is scheduled for release in September of this year.

Formed in 2005 by Frode Kilvik (bass, vocals), Kjartan Grønhaug (guitar) and René Misje (guitar, vocals) KRAKOW recorded their first three-track demo within a couple of months of being together and went on to release their “Dusty Roads” EP in 2007.  The band’s debut album “Monolith” appeared in 2009.   Initially drawing their inspiration from bands such as ISIS, NEUROSIS, IRON MAIDEN and MASTODON, KRAKOW have gone their own way, producing a sound that is at times dark, evocative and beautiful, at other times fast and aggressive or heavy and mesmerizing. It’s with difficulty that anyone can pin a genre on KRAKOW but the names most mentioned when talking about the band are post-rock, metal and stoner rock.  KRAKOW’s line up was recently expanded to include drummer Ask Ty Arctander of KAMPFAR and MONDVOLLAND.  More information about KRAKOW can be found at http://www.facebook.com/krakowband

Below you can see fan-filmed footage of KRAKOW performing the track “Mound” live at the Nouveau Casino in Paris in 2011.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Dark Essence Records Contact: post@karismarecords.no
Dark Essence Records: http://www.darkessencerecords.no/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/krakowband
Website: http://www.krakowofficial.com/
SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/krakow_band
Band Contact: krakowband@gmail.com

 

DEAD TROOPER RELEASES LIVE ALBUM WITH A DIFFERENCE

Posted: March 9, 2012 in DEAD TROOPER, OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES
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Norwegian Thrashers DEAD TROOPER have released a live album with a bit of a difference.  The eight track album, “No Tan En Vivo En Mexico”, with artwork by Danny Larsen, is released digitally on the 9th March, and is inspired by the band’s appearance at Mexico’s Wild Metal Fest last year which was rained off after only one and a half songs into the set.  As a result the band decided to release a live studio recording of what would have been the entire show as a tribute to the fans who took Dead Trooper to their hearts after they performed an impromptu set at a local biker bar following the cancellation of the festival.  Frontman Meister Muller describes what happened:

“To cut a long story short DEAD TROOPER went to Mexico last year to play their biggest outdoor concert to date at the Wild Metal Fest 2011. We hit the stage and what did we get?  Rain.  Insane amounts of it which drowned the stage and cut the power. So much rehearsing and anticipation for this gig and we only got to play 1.5 songs before Mother Nature pissed on us. We don’t need to tell you how passionate Mexican fans are about their metal and with the festival called off there ensued the usual riot, fire, fists and shit kickers.  After quite a few depressing cervesas and tequilas we got word that a bunch of disgruntled fans thirsty for Norwegian Metal were gathered at a local biker bar, together with a local band and back line, so we headed off to the Route 666 bar and shredded through some songs, including a bunch of covers, together with eminent guests! The bar exploded! We were welcomed as stars! Unbelievable! The intensity, heat and adrenaline of the packed club was only matched by the rain of bear hugs, kisses, praise and love from the crazy metal heads of Cancun  when we eventually stumbled off stage.   Before we were due to appear we had made this brilliant studio recording of our intended live set which really captured our live sound in the best way possible and which was only meant for us to dissect and analyze for the sake of perfecting the set. But we had to give something back to Mexico for treating us like metal royalty! “No Tan En Vivo En Mexico” is the set we intended to play at Wild Metal Fest, and here it is, raw, dirty, heavy, and passionate! This album is for you, Mexico! Te amamos, you bastards!!”

DEAD TROOPER, who describe their music as “groovy, aggressive thrash metal” are currently on the hunt for a label to release what will be their sophomore full-length album, which features guest appearances by some of Norway’s extreme metal elite.  The band’s next live appearance will be at the Inferno Festival in Oslo on the 6th April.  More information about DEAD TROOOPER can be found at http://www.deadtrooper.com/

”Kiss of the Kannibal”, a track from “No Tan En Vivo En Mexico”, together with other tracks from DEAD TROOPER  can be heard on the SoundCloud player at the top of the page.

Below you can hear Meister Muller explaining the decision to release “No Tan En Vivo En Mexico”, during a recent interview with DJ Malice for Canada’s Nuclear Holocaust Radio.

 

The video below shows DEAD TROOPER playing the track “Inner Riot” from the 2010 EP “Sickening” live in Oslo

 

Additional Information
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/deadtrooper
Website: http://www.deadtrooper.com/
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/deadtroopermetal
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/DeadTrooperOfNorway
SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/deadtrooper
Band Contact & Booking: band@deadtrooper.com
Management & Booking: patriciathomas@btinternet.com

PANTHEON I RECORD TWO TRACKS TO MARK NEXT PHASE IN THE BAND’S CAREER

Posted: March 8, 2012 in OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES, PANTHEON I
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PANTHEON I have completed recording two tracks to show both fans and prospective labels the direction the Norwegian Extreme Metallers are taking with their music and what to expect from their fourth full length album.   Whilst there are no definitive plans at the moment to release the two tracks, titled “Pariah” and “Martyr”,  according to frontman Andre’ Kvebek the band  “wouldn’t be averse to releasing  it on vinyl as a special should any labels be interested”.

Having recently expanded their line up to include former ABSU guitarist Aethyris McKay, Kvebek explains the thinking behind the rather unusual decision to record two separate tracks first, rather than a full album and just release teasers:  “We did actually have virtually a full album in a pre-production stage, but these were all tracks that pre-dated Aethyris joining the band, and were not really structured to take into account his contribution on clean vocals.  After working on them for a while, we realised that most of them wouldn’t work they way we wanted them to work.  Additionally of course we had his considerable song-writing skills and approach to Extreme Metal to draw on, so we decided to start again from scratch.  As far as we’re concerned it was the right decision to take because we can now turn what would have been simply a “transitional” album into a fully fledged PANTHEON I anno 2012 album, which is much more fierce and much more mature than before.

Whilst Kvebek (ex 1349) still continues to write and play the guitar on recordings, the arrival of McKay has enabled him to concentrate solely on vocals when performing live, something he has been wanting for some time as it allows both himself, and the band, more flexibility on stage.  Other members of the band include Sagstad (TROLLFEST, SARKOM, METAL MILITIA) on guitars, Live Julianne Costol on cello, TRS (1349, TYRANN) on bass and Mads G (THE ALLSEEING I) on drums.  More information about PANTHEON I can be found on the band’s website at http://www.pantheon-i.com

Below you can see the official video for the track “Serpent Christ” from the PANTHEON I album “Worlds I Create”

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Website: http://www.pantheon-i.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pantheoni
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/pantheoni
SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/pantheon-i
ReverbNation: http://www.reverbnation.com/pantheoni
Band Contact & Booking: pantheon@hotmail.com
Management & Booking: patriciathomas@btinternet.com

HYPNOTIC DIRGE RECORDS RELEASES VIDEO FOR UPCOMING STROSZEK ALBUM

Posted: February 13, 2012 in CLAUDIO ALCARA, OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES, STROSZEK
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Canada’s Hypnotic Dirge Records have released the following video for “Can’t Make Things Undone” a track from the upcoming STROSZEK album “Sound Graveyard Bound” which is scheduled for release on the 10th March.


The nine-track “Sound Graveyard Bound” will be the third full-length album from STROSZEK, the project formed by Claudio Alcara of FROSTMOON ECLIPSE, one of Italy’s longest serving Italian Black Metal bands.  Unlike his work with FROSTMOON ECLIPSE, which mixes Old School Black Metal with acoustic interludes, STROSZEK is a much more introspective vehicle in which Alcara takes the listener on an intimate journey through his life, replacing the distinctive heavy riffs for which he is maybe better known, with a much more haunting style, which a guitarist of his calibre is able to do with consummate ease.   As well as Alcara himself, STROSZEK features fellow FROSTMOON ECLIPSE members Davide on bass and Richard on drums.  “Sound Graveyard Bound” also features a cover version of MIKE JOHNSON’s “If The World Hadn’t Gone Insane”

Commenting recently on the new album Alcara said “With the first release I tended to keep my vocals very far back in the mix.  As a guitarist I wasn’t used to being the centre of attention, and my vocal style is certainly not that of a “screamer”, on the contrary, I’m rather laid back, but after three albums I’m confident that my vocal style suits the music, so I’m not too worried about hiding behind the instruments this time”.  More information about STROSZEK can be found on the band’s MySpace page at  http://www.myspace.com/songsofremorse

Additional Information:
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/songsofremorse
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/stroszekofficial
ReverbNation: http://www.reverbnation.com/stroszek
SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/ordog-1
Band Contact: ordog@libero.it
Management: patriciathomas@btinternet.com
Hypnotic Dirge Records:
www.hypnoticdirgerecords.com
www.myspace.com/hypnoticdirgerecords
www.youtube.com/user/hypnoticdirgerecords
www.facebook.com/pages/Hypnotic-Dirge-Records/289020060460

BYFROST PARTS WAYS WITH DRUMMER

Posted: February 2, 2012 in BYFROST, OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES
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In a statement issued by the band today, Norwegian Blackened Metallers BYFROST have announced that they have parted ways with “Alkolust”, their drummer since 2008.  Frontman Heavyharms commented:  “We have had a great time playing with Alkolust over the years and we wish him the best with his other projects.  And to all our fans out there, this is not the end, but very much a new beginning.  Horns to the Sky!”

Formed in Bergen, the heartland of Norwegian extreme metal, in 2007 by Heavy Harms and Ripmeister, BYFROST released their debut album “Black Earth” on Painkiller records in early 2010, and, on the strength of this release, were quickly picked up by Germany’s AFM records. The band’s second full-length album, “Of Death”, which was once again produced by ENSLAVED’s Herbrand Larsen, who also guested on the album, was released in June 2011 to much critical acclaim.

BYFROST, whose trademark dark, heavy riffs, with a menacing touch of iciness, make it almost impossible to listen to the band without wanting to bang your head, will use session drummers both for live performances and recording going forward, and do not anticipate any break in activity.  More information about BYFROST can be found on the band’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/BYFROST

Below you can see fan-filmed footage of BYFROST performing “Horns to the Sky” live at Bloodstock in 2011.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
MySpace: www.myspace.com/byfrostmetal
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BYFROST
SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/byfrost
Twitter: www.twitter.com/byfrostmetal
ReverbNation: http://www.reverbnation.com/byfrost
Band Contact & Booking: byfrost@live.no
Management & Booking:  https://patriciathomasmanagement.com/
patriciathomas@btinternet.com
AFM Records: http://www.afm-records.de

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