SUCHTHAUS RELEASES MAYHEM TRIBUTE VIDEO

Posted: March 24, 2015 in OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES, SUCHTHAUS
Tags: , , , , , , ,
1

Norway’s SUCHTHAUS, the band that defies genre type casting and for whom visuals play as big a role as the music itself, has released a tribute to the iconic Black Metal band MAYHEM, in the form of a video cover of the track “Life Eternal” from what is probably MAYHEM’s most famous album, 1994’s “De Misteriis Dom Sathanas”.   The cover features SUCHTHAUS members Spacebrain on vocals, Ingvar the Last Viking on guitars, Fruen on the organ, and Hellhammer, who is of course himself one of the original members of MAYHEM, on drums.  The video can be seen below and at https://youtu.be/44AbpTyWWiU

Whilst it may not come as a surprise that a band has recorded a MAYHEM cover, it is, in this case, more appropriate than the usual run of the mill tribute, given that SUCHTHAUS founder SPACEBRAIN, is the man behind many of MAYHEM’s most recognisable stage sets.   A renowned sculptor, as well as a musician, SPACEBRAIN had this to say about the tribute:

“Mayhem has survived hell for 30 years, and I was fortunate to play  a part during a few of those years, touring through Europe with the art of SPACEBRAIN from 2000-2006. This is a period of my life I will never forget, neither the good nor the bad experiences,  and  therefore SUCHTHAUS decided to put in some hard work to try to recreate the soundtrack that got stuck in my head: “Life Eternal”.   It´s far from a straight cover, but our vision was a way of thanking the men who let me be a part of their life (in alphabetical order) Atilla, Blasphemer, Hellhammer, Maniac, Necrobutcher”.

SUCHTHAUS is currently working putting the finishing touches on the band’s sophomore album “Motorbrain”, which, once finished, will be released on SUCHTHAUS’ own label Rollabigone.   Guests on the album incude SHINING founder and frontman Niklas Kvarforth.

“Motorbrain” will be the follow up to SUCHTHAUS’ debut  album “The Dark Side and the Bright Side”, which included collaborations from musicians such as Maniac  (SKITLIV, ex-MAYHEM),   CURRENT 93’s David Tibet, Fredrik A. Juell  (BURNING RUBBER,  BERSERK BASTARDS) and singer Sibob Jawara, and showed clearly how difficult it is to squeeze the band into any particular genre.   Whilst “Motorbrain” promises to be a much more “metal” album, it will definitely not be a “straight up” metal album, and the band is at pains to point out that it does not reflect  any direction that they have any  intention of following in the future.

More information about SUCHTHAUS can be found on the band’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/suchthausofficial  or on the band’s website at http://www.suchthaus.no/

Five  tracks from SUCHTHAUS can be heard below and at http://soundcloud.com/suchthaus/sets/suchthaus-tracks

 

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Website: http://www.suchthaus.no
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/suchthausofficial
SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/suchthaus/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/vonSUCHT
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/suchthaus
Spacebrain Website: http://www.spacebrain.no/index.html
Spacebrain on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SpacebrainArtFromHell
Band Contact and Booking: trash@spacebrain.no
Press Contact: https://patriciathomasmanagement.com/
patriciathomas@btinternet.com

TAAKE TO HEADLINE THE DARK ESSENCE RECORDS LABEL NIGHT AT INFERNO FESTIVAL IN A LINEUP THAT INCLUDES GALAR, KRAKOW AND MOMENTUM

Posted: March 23, 2015 in DARK ESSENCE RECORDS, GALAR, OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES
Tags: , , , , , ,
1

DARK ESSENCE RECORDS will once again be showcasing some of its bands at Inferno Festival this year, with a lineup that includes TAAKE, GALAR, KRAKOW and MOMENTUM –  all bands who have recently released new albums on what is one of Norway’s most respected and growing labels.  The event will take place on Wednesday the 1st of April at Blå in Oslo, Norway.

For fans of  Norwegian Black Metal TAAKE needs no introduction.  After more than two decades of writing and performing his Helnorsk Svartmetall, frontman and founder Hoest still produces music which, whilst staying true to its roots,  manages to remain fresh, original and relevant in a genre that  is sadly lacking in all three attributes these days.    The band released its sixth full-length album  “Stridens hus” in December of last year, and proved once again that Hoest has lost none of his intensity and unpredictability, either in the studio or on the stage.

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

With their third full-length album “De gjenlevende” barely over a week old, GALAR is a Black-Folk Metal  band that is not scared to use non-traditional metal instruments including both a string quintet and a horn quartet.  These unusual elements are ideally suited to the epic nature of the six-track concept album and to the band’s music in general. GALAR’s  founders M. Kristiansen (screams, guitars and bass) and A. B. Lauritzen (clean vocals, bassoon and grand piano) recently announced that they had expanded the band’s lineup to include drummer Tomas Myklebust (ex-EMANCER, live session drums with VULTURE INDUSTRIES and VRIED), and have also added live session member Pól Nolsøe Jespersen on lead guitars.  Inferno Festival will be the first time fans will get a chance to see the new lineup on stage.

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

Formed in Bergen, Norway in the fall of of 2005, and their third full-length album “amaran” released in February of this year, KRAKOW’s lineup of highly skilled and experienced musicians consists of Kjartan Grønhaug on guitars, René Misje on guitars and vocals, Frode Kilvik (AETERNUS, VITHR) on vocals and bass,  and Ask Ty Arctander (KAMPFAR) on drums.   The Experimental Post Rockers will be back on the Blå stage with their dark, melodic and mysterious music, perfectly performed with the band’s usual intensity and dynamism.

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

Making their DARK ESSENCE RECORDS debut at Inferno this year will be one of the label’s more recent signings, Icelandic Progressive Doom Metallers MOMENTUM, whose sophomore full length album “The Freak is Alive” was also released in February.  MOMENTUM’s blend of atmospheric Post-Rock is reminiscent of Isis and Cult of Luna, with a Neurosis-esque level of bone-crushing heaviness interspersed with soft vocals and relaxed clean passages.  The band’s lineup consists of frontman Holaf, the man responsible for both MOMENTUM’s  lyrics and artwork, on vocals, bass and sitar, Ingvar Sæmundsson on guitar and vocals, Kristján Einar Guðmundsson on drums, and Sigurður Árni Jónsson on guitar and vocals.

More information about MOMENTUM can be found on the band’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/momentumiceland

Tracks from TAAKE, GALAR, KRAKOW and MOMENTUM can be heard below and at https://soundcloud.com/dark-essence-records/sets/inferno-festival-2015-with 

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Dark Essence Records contact and promo: post@karismarecords.no
Dark Essence Records: www.darkessencerecords.no
Dark Essence SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/dark-essence-records
Dark Essence on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/darkessencerecords
Dark Essence Records G+: google.com/+DarkessencerecordsNo
Dark Essence Records Webshop: http://karismarecords.bigcartel.com/
Dark Essence KlickTrack Store:  http://shop.klicktrack.com/karismadarkessencerecords

KARISMA RECORDS INK DEAL WITH PROG ROCKERS MAGIC PIE

Posted: March 23, 2015 in KARISMA RECORDS, OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES
Tags: , , ,
1

Karisma Records have inked a deal with Norwegian Prog Rockers MAGIC PIE, and are set to release the band’s fourth full-length album on the 25th May.  As well as the new album, information about which will be released shortly, Karisma will also be re-issuing the band’s three previous albums – 2005’s “Motions of Desire”, 2007’s “Circus of Life” and 2011’s “The Suffering Joy” –  later this year in both CD format, and, for the first time, in vinyl format as well.

Formed in 2001 in Moss, Norway, MAGIC PIE has become a household name to Prog fans around the world with their blend of Classic Prog and Hard Rock inspired by bands such as SPOCKS BEARD, DREAM THEATER, GENESIS, PINK FLOYD, THE FLOWER KINGS, TRANSATLANTIC, KANSAS, DEEP PURPLE, YES etc.

MAGIC PIE’s lineup consists of songwriter and producer Kim Stenberg on guitars and vocals,  lyricist and melody co-writer Eirikur Hauksson on lead vocals and guitar, Eirik Hanssen on vocals and guitar, Jan Torkild Johannessen on drums,  Erling Henanger on keyboards and backing vocals and Lars Petter Holstad on bass and backing vocals.  It’s a lineup where experience and superb musicianship combine to create epic prog rock with top notch vocal harmonies.

More information about MAGIC PIE can be found on the band’s website at http://www.magicpie.net/  or on their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/magicpieband

Fan-filmed footage of MAGIC PIE performing at ROSfest can be seen below and at https://youtu.be/HY_JNuK8AmI

 

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

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Promo and other information: post@karismarecords.no
Karisma Records: http://www.karismarecords.no/
Karisma Records Webshop: http://karismarecords.bigcartel.com/
Karisma Records KlickTrack Store:  http://shop.klicktrack.com/karismadarkessencerecords
Karisma Records Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karismarecords
Magic Pie Website:  http://www.magicpie.net/
Magic Pie on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/magicpieband
Magic Pie on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/KimStenberg1975
Management and Booking:  JT@magicpie.no

SWEDEN’S VANHELGA RELEASES DIGI ALBUM

Posted: March 12, 2015 in OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES, VANHELGA
Tags: , ,
1

Sweden’s VANHELGA, one of the more extreme and uncompromising exponents of DSBM, and a band that seems to exist at the centre a maelstrom of creative output, is set to release a digital mini album on the 12th March. With the band’s sense of irony fully intact, the 5-track album is titled “Happiness” and is available directly from the band at https://vanhelga.bandcamp.com/album/happiness where it will be available at a special price, including wallpaper,  for the first few days, as well as from the usual digital distribution and streaming outlets.

Track listing for “Happiness” as follows:

1. Dekonstruktion
2. Lyrica
3. Tvingad att leva
4. Jag hatar dig
5. Mjau

Commenting on the new release, VANHELGA founder J. Ottosson, aka 145188 (ex-LIFELOVER (live session musician), ex-SKOGSTRON) had this to say: ” My constant need to write and record is a by-product of my mental state, and I am the first one to admit that whilst recording this I was under the strong influence of drugs. This resulted in a piece of work that is an expression of the effect of the use of self-destructive tools like drugs and self-mutilation in order to feel “happy”. Although we have a new VANHELGA album coming out on Art of Propaganda later in the year, I had a lot of material ready that I wanted to get out before then, and so we thought we’d do a digital self-release. Particularly since some of the material on “Happiness” might not necessarily fit in with the more “traditional” VANHELGA sound, and fans might find themselves a bit surprised by some of it”.

VANHELGA is also set to appear on an upcoming four-way split with OFDRYKKJA, PSYCHONAUT 4 and IN LUNA which will be released jointly on Art of Propaganda and Talheim Records on the 6th April. Titled “Urban Negativism”, VANHELGA will contribute two new tracks and a LIFELOVER cover to the ten-track album, which will first be released in a digipack format, with a vinyl version likely to appear later.

VANHELGA’s next live appearance will be at Kings of Black Metal in Alsfeld, Germany on the 24th April.

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

“Dekonstruction”, a track from “Happiness” can be heard below and on VANHELGA’s YouTube channel at http://youtu.be/v1fgwXkWowI

 

The official video for the track ” Där Evigheten Inväntar Mig “, from VANHELGA’s 2014 full-length album  ” Längtan “,  can be seen below and at http://youtu.be/N1fiCNTUi3I

 

Tracks from VANHELGA’s releases can be heard below and at http://soundcloud.com/vanhelga-official/sets/vanhelga

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/vanhelgaofficial
Bandcamp:   http://www.vanhelga.bandcamp.com
YouTube:  http://www.youtube.com/channel/ucsk8dy_sxnodilbohh9xmng
Store:  http://vanhelga.bigcartel.com/
Reverbnation:  http://www.reverbnation.com/vanhelga
Myspace:  https://myspace.com/vanhelga218
Band Contact & Booking:  145188@gmail.com or patriciathomas@btinternet.com
Management & PR:  patriciathomas@btinternet.com
Art of Propaganda: http://www.art-of-propaganda.de/
Info and Promo:  info@art-of-propaganda.de

BLACK-FOLK METALLERS SELVANS ANNOUNCE LINEUP CHANGE

Posted: February 24, 2015 in OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES, SELVANS
Tags: , , , ,
1

In a statement issued today Black Folk Metallers SELVANS, whose debut EP was released earlier this month on Avantgarde Music, announced that the band’s  lineup would be reduced to a core of two members following an amicable split with bassist Stolas:   “Stolas is no longer part of SELVANS.  The unavoidable split happened in a friendly manner, as indeed  it should as we have shared many experiences together, both with DRAUGR  and SELVANS  over the years.   We wish him all the best – he is a brother to us and always will be! 

“Going forward the SELVANS line-up will consist of two members,  Selvans Haruspex on keyboards, traditional instruments, vocals, programming and  Sethlans Fulguriator on guitars and bass.  We have a number of shows lined up, starting on the 6 March at the Brixia Obscura Fest, and these will be unaffected as we will be joined by three session members for any live appearances.  We’ll have more important news for you soon.”

SELVANS draws on Italian folklore which, over the centuries, has been enriched by the different ethnic cultures that populated the country, and  which the band recreates through its music, lyrics and stunning visuals.  In fact, the release date of the five-track EP “Clangores Plenilunio” was timed to coincide with the start of the ancient Lupercalia Festival on the 13th February.  The EP is also a tribute to the band’s co-founder and drummer, the late Jonny Morelli,  who died shortly after finishing laying down the drums and part of the vocals.

SELVANS is set embark on a series of live dates in Italy in March in support of the release of “Clangores Plenilunio”:

06 March, Brixia Obscura I Festival, Circolo Colony, Brescia, Italy
07 March, RomaObscura III Festival, Traffic Live Club, Rome, Italy
27 March, Ride ‘n’ Roll, Chieti, Italy
28 March, La Masquerade, Work in Progress, Albignasego, Italy

More information about SELVANS can be found on the band’s website at http://www.templeofselvans.com/   and on their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/templeofselvans

“Lupercale” from SELVANS’ “Clangores Plenilunio” EP can be heard  below and at https://avantgardemusic.bandcamp.com/album/clangores-plenilunio


A video teaser for the title track from SELVANS’ “Clangores Plenilunio” can be seen below and at  http://youtu.be/rZwpCXkO_fI

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Website: http://www.templeofselvans.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/templeofselvans
BandCamp: https://selvans.bandcamp.com/track/lupercale-single-edit
SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/templeofselvans
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/templeofselvans
Twitter: https://twitter.com/selvans_
Instagram:  http://instagram.com/selvans_official
Webshop: http://selvans.bigcartel.com/
Band Contact & Booking:  info@templeofselvans.com
Management & PR: patriciathomas@btinternet.com
Avantgarde Music
Website: http://www.avantgardemusic.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/avantgardemusiclabel
Contact: info@avantgardemusic.com

NORWEGIAN BLACK METALLERS SARKOM TALK ABOUT NEW ALBUM

Posted: February 15, 2015 in DARK ESSENCE RECORDS, OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES
Tags: , ,
1

 

With  their third full-length album “Doomsday Elite” having been released on Dark Essence Records at the end 2013, and with a current lineup that  includes Unsgaard (SO MUCH FOR NOTHING) on vocals, Sgt V (ex Svarttjern)  on  bass,  Thrawn (ex DØDHEIMSGARD) on guitar,  Nihil (ENDEZZMA) on guitar and  Defest (SVARTHAUEG) on drums, SARKOM founder Erik Unsgaard  recently spoke about the band’s next album, and why it has been a little longer in coming than originally planned:

“The new album was supposed to be released last year, as a special Anniversary release to mark ten years since we released our demo.  Unfortunately, personal matters got in the way and we only got as far as tracking the drums and some of the guitars.  Added to which, we’ve recently had some technical problems, which everyone who has ever worked in a band will know about, so it’s just one of those things you get used to and eventually work around.  Although we can’t actually make any definitive promises at this stage, we hope to get it finished within the next few months and hopefully get it released this year.

“What can you expect from the album?  Well, as this was meant to be an Anniversary release, there will not be any particular theme or concept to it, neither will the sound or lyrics necessarily reflect each other at all.  Without wanting to give away too many details at this stage we can reveal that aside from six SARKOM songs, it is likely that a handful of cover songs will also find their way onto the final product.  If anyone wants a sneak peek at the new material and you are coming to Blastfest, then make sure you’re at the Garage on Friday 20th February.  SARKOM will be hitting the stage at 13:30 and you can be amongst the first to hear the new track ‘Mind-abscess'”.

As well as releasing “Doomsday Elite” in 2013 in both CD and Digital formats,  Dark Essence Records also released the band’s two earlier albums – 2006’s “Aggravation of Mind” and 2008’s “Bestial Supremacy” in Digital format.  Originally released on the now defunct Twilight Vertrieb label, both albums are now almost impossible to get hold of.  Tracks from all three releases can be heard on the player at the top of the page, or at https://soundcloud.com/dark-essence-records/sets/sarkom

“Doomsday Elite” has also just been released in 12″ vinyl format on the Witching Hour Productions label, under license from Dark Essence Records.

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

The official video for “Inferior Bleeding” from SARKOM’s “Bestial Supremacy” can be seen below and at http://youtu.be/YJIVbBw_cnM

 

The DARK ESSENCE RECORDS SoundCloud player contains tracks from all the label’s releases and can be heard below and at http://soundcloud.com/dark-essence-records/sets/dark-essence-records

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Sarkom Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/sarkom
Sarkom Website: http://www.sarkomsect.com/
Sarkom MySpace: https://myspace.com/sarkom
Band Contact: e.unsgaard@gmail.com
Dark Essence contact: post@karismarecords.no
Dark Essence Records: www.darkessencerecords.no
Dark Essence SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/dark-essence-records
Dark Essence Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/darkessencerecords
Dark Essence Webshop: http://karismarecords.bigcartel.com/
Dark Essence Records KlickTrack: shop.klicktrack.com/karismadarkessencerecords

THE 3RD ATTEMPT, THE NEW BAND FROM FORMER CARPATHIAN FOREST GUITARISTS, INKS DEAL WITH DARK ESSENCE RECORDS

Posted: February 10, 2015 in DARK ESSENCE RECORDS, OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES, THE 3rd ATTEMPT
Tags: , , ,
1

When CARPATHIAN FOREST guitarists Tchort and BloodPervertor announced last year that they were leaving to set up a new band, THE 3rd ATTEMPT, they knew that they were leaving behind them the security of  one of the most iconic Norwegian Black Metal bands of all time, and one with a huge following, to start something completely new and unproven,  at a time when labels are reluctant to dip their toes into uncharted territories and new bands emerge  in their hundreds every week, only to disappear into nothingness.   But when you have two musicians with the skill and experience of Tchort (GREEN CARNATION, ex-CARPATHIAN FOREST, ex EMPEROR, ex BLOOD RED THRONE) and BloodPervertor (APOSTASY, ex-CARPATHIAN FOREST, ex NEONGOD) who have the desire to work in an environment that could re-ignite the enthusiasm and creativity they felt they had lost, then a move was inevitable.  Interest from various labels was certainly not slow in materialising and today the band are pleased to be able to announce that they have inked a deal with one of Norway’s foremost labels, Dark Essence Records.

Commenting on their decision to sign with Dark Essence, the band had this to say: “Dark Essence signalled their interest in the possibility of working together as soon as we announced THE 3rd ATTEMPT, even before they had heard anything,  and they have kept in close touch, actually making the effort to attend rehearsals and get to know our new members.  In the end, it came down to a decision as to whether we wanted to sign with a large label and,  as a new band,  risk disappearing in the depth of their rosters, or whether we wanted to work with a label who was genuinely interested in us as a band, and who would be with us every step of the way, in all aspects.  We also heard many good things about Dark Essence from the musicians already signed to them, so, Dark Essence it is!  We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us with preparing and rehearsing the new material ready to enter the studio,  and we are excited to see what the future will bring”.

Dark Essence Records commented on the signing: “It takes a substantial label to be able to afford to sign a band like CARPATHIAN FOREST,  so when it was announced that Tchort and BloodPervertor were leaving and starting again from scratch with THE 3rd ATTEMPT, we were immediately interested in seeing what direction they would take, and opened a dialogue with them . We already knew what formidable musicians they were and what they were capable of, so Dark  Essence’s Kristine Knapskog went along to rehearsals to check out their new material.  She very much liked their enthusiasm and attitude, and their desire to work closely with a label and  we are very happy to welcome them to the Dark Essence family “.

The 3rd Attempt celebrating with Dark Essence Records’ Kristine Knapskog

Aside from Tchort and BloodPervertor, THE 3rd ATTEMPT’s lineup includes frontman Kaahrl Ødemark (ex- MIDNATTSVREDE, ex-NECROCAVE) who was selected following online auditions that drew in submissions from all over the world, and drummer Tybalt (FORTID, DEN SAAKALDTE, ETHEREAL FOREST, ex- HEATHEN DEITY, ex-PANTHEON I) who was originally slated to join the band as session live drummer for an upcoming appearance, but after taking part in rehearsals, it was decided that he would become a full-time member.

The 3rd ATTEMPT’s debut live  appearance will be at Blastfest, in Bergen,  Norway, on  the 18th February on  board the boat “Showline”, which will take fans on a 5 hour cruise of Bergen’s spectacular fjord,  and which kicks off the 4 day festival.

THE 3rd ATTEMPT recently debuted a demo track “The Beast Within”, which also features CARPATHIAN FOREST’s Daniel Vrangsinn on bass and Anders Kobro on drums, and which was  used in a shortened form for the  vocalist auditions.  It is not a “finished”  track.  “The Beast Within” can be heard below and on THE 3rd ATTEMPT’s SoundCloud page at   https://soundcloud.com/the-3rd-attempt/the-3rd-attempt-the-beast-within-demo-track

 

More information about THE 3rd ATTEMPT can be found on the official Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/the3rdattemptofficial

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/the3rdattemptofficial
SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/the-3rd-attempt
Band contact: tchort@online.no
Management & PR: patriciathomas@btinternet.com
Dark Essence contact: post@karismarecords.no
Dark Essence Records: www.darkessencerecords.no
Dark Essence SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/dark-essence-records
Dark Essence Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/darkessencerecords
Dark Essence Webshop: http://karismarecords.bigcartel.com/
Dark Essence Records KlickTrack: shop.klicktrack.com/karismadarkessencerecords

NORWEGIAN BLACK METALLERS CREST OF DARKNESS POST LYRIC VIDEO OF ALICE COOPER COVER FROM UPCOMING RELEASE

Posted: February 9, 2015 in CREST OF DARKNESS, OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES
Tags: , ,
1

Veteran Norwegian  Black Metallers CREST of DARKNESS have released a lyric video of “Sick Things”, the Alice Cooper cover that will appear on their upcoming EP “Evil Messiah”,  which is set for release on My Kingdom Music on the 23rd February in both Digipack CD and vinyl format as well as digital download.  The video, produced by EstremArte, can be seen below and on the band’s YouTube channel at http://youtu.be/tQJC4ZJuqk8

 

A follow up to 2013’s “In the Presence of Death”, the band’s sixth full-length album, “Evil Messiah” will be the first studio outing  of the band’s new lineup, which includes founder and frontman Ingar Amlien (ROQUEFIRE, CONCEPTION, AMLIEN’s INFERNO) on bass and vocals, Rebo on guitars, and Bernhard (ex- PALE FOREST) on drums.

Track listing on the four-track EP,  which includes special guest Kristian Wentzel  on keyboards, and was mixed and partly recorded at the MLP Studios and partly in Rebo’s own studio  studio in Gjøvik,  as follows:

1.  Evil Messiah
2. Armageddon
3. Abandoned by God
4. Sick Things (Alice Cooper cover)

CREST OF DARKNESS will play  three Norwegian dates in February, the first being on the 13th at the Felix Pub and Scene in Lillehammer. On  the 14th the band will play two shows at the Kultursenter in Gjøvik, where the early show, starting at 18:00, will be open to all ages, something that is quite rare in Norway, a country with strict age restrictions at its venues.  This will then be followed by a show for audiences aged 18 and upwards at 21:00.

CREST OF DARKNESS are also set to make their first ever UK appearance at the Black Hart in Camden, London, on the 7th March,  on a bill that includes ACHERONTAS, THAW, MORD’A’STIGMATA and TOWERS OF FLESH

“Evil Messiah” is available to pre-order from the following:

CD – http://smarturl.it/COD-CD
LP – http://smarturl.it/COD-LP
iTunes – http://smarturl.it/COD-iTunes
ONErpm – http://smarturl.it/COD-ONErpm
Amazon – http://smarturl.it/COD-amazon

A rehearsal video featuring snippets of the material from “Evil Messiah” was recently released on the band’s YouTube channel and can be seen below and at http://youtu.be/B4iwk0ubmIQ

 

More information about CREST OF DARKNESS can be found on the band’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/crestofdarknessofficial

Nine tracks tracing the history of CREST OF DARKNESS, can be heard below and on the band’s SoundCloud page at http://soundcloud.com/crest-of-darkness/sets/crest-of-darkness

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Website:  http://www.crestofdarkness.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/crestofdarknessofficial
SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/crest-of-darkness
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/CRESTOFDARKNESSOFFIC
MySpace:  http://www.myspace.com/crestofdarkness
My Kingdom Music:  info@mykingdommusic.net
http://www.mykingdommusic.net/
Band Contact and Booking: contact@crestofdarkness.com
Management and Booking:  patriciathomas@btinternet.com
https://patriciathomasmanagement.com/

PROGRESSIVE DOOM METALLERS MOMENTUM STREAM VIDEO OF TRACK FROM NEW ALBUM

Posted: February 9, 2015 in DARK ESSENCE RECORDS, OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES
Tags: , ,
1

Iceland’s MOMENTUM, whose sophomore full-length album “The Freak is Alive” hit the streets on the 9th February on Dark Essence Records, have released a video for a track from the album.  Made by the band’s frontman Holaf, who is responsible for MOMENTUM’s lyrical, musical and artistic concepts, the video for “Between Two Worlds is an animated adaptation of the song’s artwork and can be seen below and at http://youtu.be/sE5c4OQR1zY

 

Holaf explained that as a visual artist, as well as a musician, he very much prefers graphics to come alive whenever he has that option, so the video “Between Two Worlds” is a simple animated adaptation of the artwork for that particular track. In fact, each of the songs on the nine-track album take the listener on a journey,  and the artwork illustrates the different stages of that journey.  The track “Between Two Worlds” leads you to a portal that marks the border between the surface reality and the underlying world.  At the portal the traveller meets the Gatekeeper, Mr Blue, who, together with his band of freaks, surveys everything that happens on both sides.

MOMENTUM have recently been showcasing the artwork of each of the tracks from “The Freak is Alive” on the band’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/momentumiceland, where each drawing is accompanied by a brief explanation and lyrics.

“The Freak is Alive” is an album in which the lineup of Holaf on Vocals, Bass and Sitar, Ingvar Sæmundsson on Guitar and Vocals, Kristján Einar Guðmundsson on Drums, and Sigurður Árni Jónsson on Guitar and Vocals, combines atmospheric post-rock with bone-crushing heaviness,  and features soft vocals and clean passages. Recorded at Studio ReFlex with Axel “Flex” Árnason, the track listing is as follows:

1. Bury the Eyes Once Gold
2. Between Two Worlds
3. Familiar Unknown
4. Gauntlet
5. The Freak is Alive
6. A Beast is Near
7. Creator of Malignant Metaphors
8. Undercover Imagination
9. Depth of the Whole

MOMENTUM’s next live appearance will be on the 1st of April at the Inferno Festival in Oslo, when they join fellow Dark Essence Records bands TAAKE, KRAKOW and GALAR for the label’s club night at Blå.

More information about MOMENTUM can be found on the band’s website at www.momentumiceland.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/momentumiceland.

The tracks “Between Two Worlds” and “Gauntlet” from “The Freak is Alive” can be heard below and at https://soundcloud.com/dark-essence-records/sets/momentum-two-tracks-from-the

 

A video of MOMENTUM playing the title track from their debut album “Fixation, at Rest” live at the Airwaves festival can be seen below and at http://youtu.be/hobUiT8qEvo

 

The DARK ESSENCE RECORDS SoundCloud player contains tracks from all the label’s releases and can be heard below at http://soundcloud.com/dark-essence-records/sets/dark-essence-records

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Website: www.momentumiceland.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/momentumiceland
Twitter: https://twitter.com/momentumiceland
BandCamp: http://momentum.bandcamp.com/
ReverbNation: www.reverbnation.com/momentumiceland
SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/momentumiceland
Band Contact: momentumiceland@gmail.com
Dark Essence contact: post@karismarecords.no
Dark Essence Records: www.darkessencerecords.no
Dark Essence SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/dark-essence-records
Dark Essence Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/darkessencerecords
Dark Essence Webshop: http://karismarecords.bigcartel.com/
Dark Essence Records KlickTrack: shop.klicktrack.com/karismadarkessencerecords

NIKLAS KVARFORTH’S SHINING DEBUTS TRACK AND REVEALS ARTWORK AND FULL DETAILS OF UPCOMING NINTH FULL-LENGTH ALBUM

Posted: February 4, 2015 in OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES, SHINING
Tags: , ,
2

With the release date of SHINING’s ninth full-length album “IX – Everyone, Everything, Everywhere, Ends” set for the 20th of April on Season of Mist, a track from the album has been debuted today. Commenting on the track, Kvarforth had this to say: “The time has come to share a little bit of the darkness that will infect the world’s population in a few months. The song chosen for this specific event is called “Vilja & Dröm”. The track reminds me of our earlier days, when I was still mostly focusing on metal. However, it also represents a great leap into the terrible shift-shaping darkness that is our ninth album!”  “Vilja & Dröm”  can be heard for the next five days at the following links, before being uploaded onto the band’s SoundCloud page at http://soundcloud.com/shining-official:

Listen to “Vilja & Dröm”  at the following:

Pro-Rock (BG)
www.pro-rock.net/cgi-bin/index.pl?_state=CommentsView&news=13705
Spark (CZ)
www.spark-rockmagazine.cz/poslechnete-si-shining-%E2%80%9Evilja-drom%E2%80%9C
Metal Hammer (DE)
www.metal-hammer.de/video-audio/premieren/article692901
Rockzone (ES)
www.zona-zero.net/news/2015/02/04/19922-vilhja–drom-el-nuevo-tema-de-shining
Inferno (FI)
www.inferno.fi/uutiset/ensisoitossa-uusi-shining-single-myos-tulevan-levyn-kansitaide-esilla/
VS-Magazine  (FR)
www.vs-webzine.com/InfoVS-SHINING+%28Black+metal+++Su%C3%A8de%29+a+intitul%C3%A9+son+nouvel+album+%22IX-76701.html
Rocking GR)
www.rocking.gr/news/Apokleistiko-Akouste-to-prwto-kommati-apo-ton-eperxomeno-disko-twn-Shining/23119/
Lángoló (HU)
http://langologitarok.blog.hu/2015/02/04/vilja_drom_shining-dalpremier
Metal Wani (IN)
http://www.metalwani.com/2015/02/premiere-shining-reveal-new-track-vilja.html
Andfari (IS)
http://andfari.com/2015/02/04/shining-vilja-drom
Rock Hard (IT)
http://rockharditaly.com/shining-anteprima-esclusiva-da-ix-everyone-everything-everywhere-ends/
Marunouchi Muzik (JP)
http://sin23ou.heavy.jp/?p=2344
Lords of Metal (NL)
www.lordsofmetal.nl/en/nieuws
Metal Hammer (NO)
http://metal-hammer.no/premiere-shining-vilja-drom/5954/
Musick Magazine (PL)
www.musickmagazine.pl/archiwa/2049
Loud (PT)
www.loudmagazine.net/shining-nivo-disco
Metal Underground
http://www.metalunderground.com/news/details.cfm?newsid=110362
Close-Up (SE)
http://closeupmagazine.net/shining.php
Terrorizer (UK)
http://Terrorize.it/bgXC
Metal Obsession (AU)
http://www.metalobsession.net/2015/02/05/australian-exclusive-premiere-shinings-vilja-drom/

Cover art  for “IX – Everyone, Everything, Everywhere, Ends” is by the Italian artist Daniele Serra (http://www.multigrade.it/  ) who recently won an award for the best cover art for a comic with his Pinhead painting  for the “Hellraiser Bestiary” .  Included in the artwork are sketches by the Norwegian artist  Kim Holm  (https://www.patreon.com/kimholm) .  Design is by the Trine and Kim Design Studio (http://www.trineogkim.no/ )

Track listing for the six-track album as follows:

  1. Den Påtvingade Tvåsamheten
  2. Vilja & Dröm
  3. Framtidsutsikter
  4. Människotankens Vägglösa Rum
  5. Inga Broar Kvar Att Bränna
  6. Besök Från I(ho)nom

Season of Mist plan to release “IX – Everyone, Everything, Everywhere, Ends” in various versions, some of which are limited editions, and one which is exclusively available only through the band’s webshop.  Advance orders are now being taken at  the SHINING LEGIONS webshop, which will also stock “IX – Everyone, Everything, Everywhere, Ends” T’s,  and exclusive bundles, at http://www.shininglegions.com,  as well as at Season of Mist from http://www.season-of-mist.com/ 

The different versions of “IX – Everyone, Everything, Everywhere, Ends” include:

1.  Regular Jewel Case with 12 page booklet
2. Limited Edition Deluxe Digibox which includes 2 bonus tracks, 12 page booklet,   a mirror in a blue velvet pouch and a goat leather patch, limited to 3,500 copies
3. Double vinyl in deluxe gatefold
4. Transparent red double vinyl in deluxe gatefold, limited to 620 copies
5. Orange/Black marbled double vinyl in deluxe gatefold, limited to 250 copies
6. Opaque white double vinyl in deluxe gatefold, limited to 100 copies (exclusive to Shining Legions)
7. Red/Black marbled double vinyl in deluxe gatefold and collectors 7″ vinyl, with exclusive back patch with logo and title, limited to 100 copies

Long-time SHINING collaborator Martin Strandberg, who was responsible for the videos for “Tillsammans Är Vi Allt” and “Förtvivlan, Min Arvedel” from  the band’s seventh full length album “VII / Född Förlorare”, and who is currently working on a documentary about the band, is directing a video for a track from “IX / Everyone, Everything, Everywhere, Ends”.  Photos from the video shoot can be found at http://www.facebook.com/shiningofficial

SHINING will embark on a series of dates in support of “IX / Everyone, Everything, Everywhere, Ends”.  Confirmed appearances so far include:

02 April, Messe des Morts Festival, Montreal, Canada
30 April, SWR Barroselas Festival, Barroselas, Portugal
09 May, Incineration Festival, London, England
03 July, Hard Rock Laager, Vana-Vigala, Estonia
30 July, Wacken Open Air Festival, Wacken, Germany
25 Sept, Mörkaste Småland, Hultsfred, Sweden

More  information about SHINING can be found on the band’s website at http://www.facebook.com/shiningofficial  or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/shiningofficial

Ten tracks from SHINING can be heard below and  http://soundcloud.com/shining-official/sets/shining

The official video for the track “Tillsammans Är Vi Allt” from SHINING’s album “VII / Född Förlorare” can be seen below and on the band’s YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iULz19Cc7yw

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Website: www.shiningasylum.com
Shining on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/shiningofficial
Niklas Kvarforth Official Fan Page on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/kvarforthofficialfanpage
Shining Webshop: http://www.shininglegions.com
Shining on SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/shining-official
Official  YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/OfficialShining
Management and PR: patriciathomas@btinternet.com
Booking: toni@thedamager.com

Older Entries
Newer Entries