The title track from SARKOM’s upcoming album “Doomsday Elite” has been debuted today by Dark Essence Records. With the album set for release on the 15th October, “Doomsday Elite” includes guest appearances from Psy Coma (THE KOVENANT), Haan (SVARTTJERN), Nachtgarm (NEGATOR), Thrawn (PARADIGMA, ex DØDHEIMSGARD, ex NOCTURNAL BREED) and V. Larsen, and was mastered by Tom Kvålsvoll at Strype Audio. Artwork for the eight-track album, which will appear in both CD and vinyl versions, is by MK. “Perv”. The track, “Doomsday Elite”, can be heard above and at http://soundcloud.com/dark-essence-records/sarkom-doomsday-elite
The lineup on “Doomsday Elite”, which will be SARKOM’s third full-length album, includes the band’s two core members – founder and frontman Unsgaard (SO MUCH FOR NOTHING) on vocals and Sgt V (SVARTTJERN) on bass, as well as former guitarists Sagstad and Strönen, and former drummer and co-founder Renton, on effects. URGEHAL’s Uruz was brought in to record drums for the album. Track listing on “Doomsday Elite” as follows:
1. Doomsday Elite
2. I Utakt Med Gud
3. No Loose Ends
4. Inside a Haunted Chapel
5. Predators in Disguise
6. Solemn Disorder ‘til Human Extinction
7. Cosmic Intellect
8. Stigma
Unsgaard is firm in his assertion that SARKOM has never been a band content to acquiesce to the calls from certain sections of today’s generation of Black Metal fans who seem to think that conforming to an imaginary set of rules is a requirement for bands. “Like the originators of the genre, SARKOM keeps developing and stretching its boundaries. We don’t want to find ourselves repeating a formula just because it has proved successful. “Doomsday Elite” is not “Bestial Supremacy” part II, and with four songwriters all from different backgrounds, it is definitely an album that crosses the barriers”.
Karisma Records have revealed more details of the upcoming album from Norwegian Prog Rockers AIRBAG. Titled “The Greatest Show on Earth”, the six-track album comes in at just over 50 minutes and will be available as a standard jewel case CD and a limited edition vinyl replica style CD, as well as a double vinyl gatefold in both black and limited edition white version. The album will also be available digitally. Full track listing for “The Greatest Show on Earth” which will be released on the 4th of November, as follows:
1. Surveillance (part 1)
2. Redemption
3. Silence Grows
4. Call Me Back
5. The Greatest Show on Eart
6. Surveillance (part 2-3)
“The Greatest Show on Earth” sees AIRBAG continue to pull the listener into their world and bring out in them a range of emotions by creating cinematic pictures with their use of atmospheric sounds. AIRBAG’s lyrics explore the growing sense of alienation and distrust that the individual feels when confronted by society and authority, whilst at the same time being manipulated and misled into believing that everyone is in control of their self-absorbed lives. This is an exploration that is accompanied by a sonic experience that ranges from massive walls of sound, to ambient textures and soulful soundscapes.
A follow up to 2009’s ‘Identity’ and 2011’s ‘All Rights Removed’, both also released on Karisma Records, it has taken 18 months of painstaking work on the part of Bjørn Riis (guitars, keyboards, backing vocals, bass, co-producer), Asle Tostrup (vocals, keyboards, programming, producer, graphic design), Henrik Fossum (drums), Jørgen Hagen (programming, keyboards) and Anders Hovdan (bass), together with engineer and co-producer Vegard Sleipnes, to perfect the sound on the band’s third full-length album. There is a rougher edge to “The Greatest Show on Earth” and some heavier parts than their previous releases would suggest, but the classic AIRBAG sound is still present, and the quality and musical craftsmanship that marks the band’s work are very much in evidence, bringing this new release to a whole new level.
A video teaser for “The Greatest Show on Earth” can be seen below on the band’s YouTube channel at http://youtu.be/21aX1UuuZK0
A video of AIRBAG playing “All Rights Removed” live in Oslo when the band supported Marillion on the Scandinavian leg of their world tour last year can be seen below and at http://youtu.be/iwK_hpJAPPA
The 29th of November is the date that has been set for the release of “Futile” the debut full-length album from EUDAIMONY, the band formed by former DARK FORTRESS frontman Matthias Jell and NAGLFAR’s Marcus E. Norman (BEWITCHED, HAVAYOTH, ANCIENT WISDOM). The eight-track album, which will be released on Germany’s Cold Dimensions label, includes guest appearances by Mick Moss of ANTIMATTER and Schwadorf of EMPYRIUM and THE VISION BLEAK. The vocal recordings, mixing and mastering of “Futile” were carried out by Markus Stock at the Klangschmeide Studio E and the album artwork is by Ben Borucki (Irrleuchten) from the German band SONIC REIGN. The title track from “Futile” was debuted recently and can be heard at http://soundcloud.com/eudaimony/eudaimony-futile
Track listing for “Futile” as follows:
1. Ways to Indifference
2. Mute
3. A Window in the Attic
4. Futile
5. Portraits (guest vocals by Mick Moss)
6. Cold
7. Godforsaken
8. December’s Hearse (guest vocals by Schwadorf)
With a lineup that includes Jell on vocals and Norman on guitars, bass, synthesizer and programming, Jörg Heemann (SECRETS OF THE MOON) on drums and Peter Honsalek (NACHTREICH) on viola, the natural assumption would be that EUDAIMONY’s music fits somewhere within the Black Metal/DSBM genres. But that is too simplistic an assumption to make where EUDAIMONY is concerned, because this is a band that explores the hopelessness and futility of life, both lyrically and visually, as exemplified in Jell’s lyrics and the sense of mystery in Borucki’s artwork, whilst the music itself forms an atmospheric soundscape of rich melodies that range from the fragile and haunting to the powerfully dark and brooding.
With their latest full-length album “The Tower” due out on Season of Mist on the 27th of September in Europe and the 1st October in North America, avant-garde metallers VULTURE INDUSTRIES have today debuted a video for the track “Lost Among Liars”. The video is an animated surreal visual critique of today’s society which takes us on a journey through a surreal cityscape populated by people and machines, each with their own different duties and functions. From the vagrant loser to the dutiful cog in the wheel of industry, to the facade of family life to the mask salesman, they are all here. Each of them tells a story of oppression, restitution, control and freedom. The video can be seen at the following locations:
The video has been made by the Romanian artist Costin Chioreanu who, despite his relatively young age, has already made his mark not only as a graphic arts, but also as a stage artist, musician, animator and movie maker. Aside from having designed the cover art for “The Tower” Chioreanu has also produced the cover art for bands such as ULVER, IHSAHN, ARCURUS, AURA NOIR and DARKTHRONE. He is the official artist for the Roadburn Festival 2014.
“The Tower” will be released on Digipak CD, solid white gatefold double LP, transparent green gatefold double LP and black gatefold double LP. The LP versions, as well as the digital edition, will include the bonus track “Blood Don’t Eliogabalus”. All physical formats, along with exclusive merchandise are already available for pre-order from http://vultureindustries.bigcartel.com/ Track Listing for “The Tower” as follows:
1: The Tower
2: Divine – Appalling
3: The Hound
4: Blood On The Trail
5: The Dead Won’t Mind
6: A Knife Between Us
7: The Pulse of Bliss
8: Sleepwalkers
9: Lost Among Liars
VULTURE INDUSTRIES are due to hit the road in September for a series of European dates guesting with LEPROUS on the first leg of their European Coal Tour. Starting in the band’s home country on September 13th, the tour routing is as follows:
13/9: John Dee, Oslo, Norway
14/9: Tribute, Sandnes, Norway
15/9: Buddy, Drammen, Norway
16/9: Parkbiografen, Skien, Norway
17/9: Musikken Hus, Gothenburg, Sweden
18/9: Debaser, Stockholm, Sweden
20/9: Nosturi, Helsinki, Finland
21/9: A2/Sputnik, St Petersburg, Russia
22/9: Tapper Club, Tallinn, Estonia
24/9: TBC, Gdansk, Poland
25/9: Progresja, Warsaw, Poland
26/9: Kwadrat, Kracow, Poland
27/9: Alte Zuckerfabrik, Rostock, Germany
28/9: Beta, Copenhagen, Denmark
VULTURE INDUSTRIES has also been performing TURNING GOLEM with the HAPPY GORILLA DANCE COMPANY, a project part concert rooted in the heavier segment of experimental/progressive metal and part theatre performance. Two more shows of TURNING GOLEM are schedule this year – 25 October at the Garage in Bergen, Norway and the 26 October and at the Phantoms Of Pilsen in Pilsen, Czech Republic.
Having signed with Dark Essence Records for a further two albums, Norwegian Black-Folk Metallers GALAR have been ensconced in Bergen’s Conclave and Earshot Studios with Producer Bjørnar E. Nilsen (VULTURE INDUSTRIES, BLACK HOLE GENERATOR) working on the bands third full-length album which will be titled “De Gjenlevende” (The Bereaved) and which is set for release in early 2014. Drummer Phobos (AETERNUS, GRAVDAL, MALSAIN) has now finished laying down the drum tracks and the band will take a short break from the studio until October. A video from the drum sessions can be seen below and on GALAR’s YouTube channel at http://youtu.be/bbNDHGFtoiY
A follow up to 2010’s “Til Alle Heimsens Endar”, the lineup on the album will once again include GALAR’s two core members of M. Kristiansen on screams, guitars and bass and A. B. Lauritzen on clean vocals, bassoon and grand piano, with Phobos on drums. They will be joined by a series of session musicians that include both a string quintet and a horn quartet in keeping with the epic material the band has produced for the album both musically and lyrically. Consisting of six tracks, one of which will be an instrumental, “De Gjenlevende” is a concept album and, according to GALAR, the songs will be longer, and more epic, than previously. Written entirely in Norwegian, “De Gjenlevende” will come with an explanatory booklet.
Jorge Scholz, the band’s lyricist, recently briefly explained the concept behind the album, which draws its inspiration from Pan-European folklore, ontology, and elegies. “Its five contemplative texts tell of the utter dreadfulness that haunts both the human mind and body when the season of winter holds every living thing in its grasp. Winter is the time of utter gloom, enfeeblement and inescapable death, which challenges mankind, beasts and plants equally. Yet, as long as there is life, there is hope, and eventually a new era of the Sun will bring to an end the seemingly eternal darkness of winter. With the arrival of spring hope and life will flourish once more. It is a portrayal of this cyclical process of transformation that is as old as the history of mankind itself”.
Fan-filmed footage of GALAR performing the track “Ingen Siger Vart Vunnin” at the Phantoms of Pilsen Festival in 2011can be seen below and at http://youtu.be/sETwf9PwNlc
Sweden’s SHINING is set to headline the “Razors Across Europe 2013 Tour” (a nod in the direction of the band’s 2007 tour “Razors Across Europe” with URGHEAL) which will take place over 17 dates during November and December of this year. Norwegian Black Metallers CREST OF DARKNESS, who, like management roster-mates SHINING, will be touring with a new album, and Swedish Thrashers STERBHAUS, are set to support the tour which is presented by Catapult Promotion. Routing confirmed so far for the “Razors Over Europe 2013 Tour” as follows:
NOVEMBER
22 – Tiyatrom, Berlin, Germany
23 – Skullcrusher, Dresden, Germany
24 – Viper Room, Vienna, Austria
25 – Gala Hala, Ljubljana, Slovenia
26 – Freak Out Club, Bologna, Italy
27 – TBA, Switzerland
28 – Ninkasi Kao, Lyon, France
29 – Secret Place, Montpellier, France
30 – Nouveau Casino, Paris, France
DECEMBER
01 – Effenaar, Eindhoven
02 – Magasin 4, Brussels, Belgium
03 – Electrowerkz, London, England
04 – Lomax, Liverpool, England
05 – Slade Rooms, Wolverhampton, England
06 – Voodoo Lounge, Dublin, Eire
07 – TBA, UK
08 – Ivory Blacks, Glasgow, Scotland
SHINING is a band that needs no introduction, particularly to fans of Black Metal and DSBM, for whom NIKLAS KVARFORTH’s unruly child has been a yardstick for superb musicianship, skilled writing, and a complete disregard for the artificial rules placed on the genres by a generation of fans who only became aware of Black Metal long after the band was formed back in 1996. Never a band to stick to a repetitive formula when playing live, SHINING’s performances are emotionally charged and “of the moment”, with audiences always wondering what to expect next from one of the scene’s most dynamic frontmen. SHINING has a new full-length album, “8 ½ – Feberdrömmar I Vaket Tillstånd”, due out on Dark Essence Records on the 23rd September, which features guest vocals from some of the elite of Black Metal including ATTILA CSIHAR (MAYHEM, TORMENTOR), MANIAC (SKITLIV, EX MAYHEM), GAAHL (GOD SEED, WARDRUNA, TRELLDOM, EX GORGOROTH), FAMINE (PESTE NOIRE) and PEHR LARSSON (ALFAHANNE), a track from which can be heard at http://soundcloud.com/dark-essence-records/shining-selvdestruktivitetens . More information about SHINING can be found at www.shiningasylum.com
The official video for the track “Tillsammans Är Vi Allt” from SHINING’s album “VII / Född Förlorare” can be seen below and at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iULz19Cc7yw
CREST OF DARKNESS
CREST of DARKNESS is another band with a long history behind it – 18 years to be precise. With six full-length albums under their belts, CREST OF DARKNESS this year saw Kickass Metal webzine place two of those albums in first and second positions in their “Norwegian Heavy Metal Albums of All Time” feature. Combining elements from both Black and Death Metal together with founder Ingar Amlien’s interest in Vampirism and Satanic ideology and his passion for sonic brutality, CREST OF DARKNESS’ sound has grown in power and intensity over the years and the recent addition of a young new guitarist has breathed a renewed sense of enthusiasm and a fresh outlook to the band. CREST OF DARKNESS’ sixth-full length album “In the Presence of Death” was released on My Kingdom Music earlier this year. More information about CREST OF DARKNESS can be found at https://www.facebook.com/crestofdarknessofficial
The Official video of “Demon Child” from CREST OF DARKNESS’ “In the Presence of Death” can be seen below and at http://youtu.be/3-sNJCviSGY
STERBHAUS
Formed in 2007 in Stockholm, STERBHAUS is a four-piece thrash/death combo that set out to prove that quality Metal combined with a neatly weighed dose of humour can blend perfectly. Having completely revitalized itself STERBHAUS now brings to the stage humour with sarcastic tongue-in-cheek wit and verbal slaughter that is hell-bent on earning the band a smirk or two. STERBHAUS is all about waging sonic warfare against trends and stereotyping. What you see is what you get, and what you get is music founded on the four cornerstones of Heavy Metal, Thrash Metal, Death Metal and Black Metal. “Angels For Breakfast…And God For Lunch”, the debut album from STERBHAUS was released on Killhead Productions in 2012. More information about STERBHAUS can be found at http://www.sterbhaus.com
The official video of “Insecticide” from the STERBHAUS album “Angels For Breakfast…And God For Lunch” can be seen below and at http://youtu.be/d5f5eg16TDI
PRESS NOTE
All the bands are available for interview throughout the tour. For SHINING and CREST OF DARKNESS please contact patriciathomas@btinternet.com to arrange. For STERBHAUS Please contact sterbmail@sterbhaus.com to arrange.
Norwegian thrashers DEAD TROOPER have released the first of two digi singles that will appear in the lead up to the release of their sophomore full-length studio album “Erector”. Aside from the title track “Fat Horny Beast”, which includes a guest appearance from Thebon (HELLISH OUTCAST, ex KEEP OF KALESSIN), the first single also includes two bonus tracks, one being a cover of the D.D.E. song “Det Går Likar No”, and the other being the live version of “Reaping Of Your Cries” from the band’s 2009 “Cynicist” album. “Reaping of Your Cries” also serves as a taster for the DVD that will form part of the upcoming album release. “Fat Horny Beast”, which includes artwork by Haakon Hoseth is available through all the usual digital distributors, as well as on Spotify and directly from the band where you can get it for free on BandCamp at http://deadtrooper.bandcamp.com/
An official music video for “Fat Horny Beast” has also been released and can be seen below and on DEAD TROOPER’s YouTube channel at http://youtu.be/nHDIDnCcYqU
The coming few months are going to be busy for DEAD TROOPER. Aside from the singles and the release of “Erector”, plans are underway to celebrate a decade of the band’s existence with digital back-catalogue releases as well as videos for the two singles. “The exact details of how the back catalogue material will be presented are still in the thinking-through stage”, commented frontman Meister Müller, “because despite the fact that we are releasing the material for this digitally, we still want it to be something special for the fans, rather than something just thrown together for the sake of it. Releasing it on vinyl as well would definitely be something we would be up for”.
Aside from Müller (DEATH INJECTOR, TROLLFEST, METAL MILITIA, ex-GRIMFIST) on vocals and guitars, DEAD TROOPER’s lineup includes Andreas Stenvoll (BLODSPOR, ex TROLL) on bass and vocals and Jon Eirik Bokn (BREED, AUTUMN INSPIRATION, ex ZEROZONIC) on drum. The Oslo trio, with their brand of aggressive thrash metal, are known for their charismatic, high energy shows, and a rapport with their audience which has gained them fans from Norway all the way to South America.
With their debut full-length album set for release in the autumn, EUDAIMONY, the Swedish/German band that features current and former members of NAGLFAR, DARK FORTRESS, NACHTREICH and SECRETS OF THE MOON in its lineup, has today announced the full track-listing for the 8-track album “Futile”, which features a guest appearance by ANTIMATTER’s Mick Moss. The newly completed artwork for the album is by Ben Borucki (Irrleuchten) from the German band SONIC REIGN. Full track listing for “Futile”, which will be released on the Cold Dimensions label, is as follows:
1. Ways to Indifference
2. Mute
3. A Window in the Attic
4. Futile
5. Portraits
6. Cold
7. Godforsaken
8. December’s Hearse
Although formed back in 2007 by former DARK FORTRESS frontman Matthias Jell and Marcus E. Norman (NAGLFAR, BEWITCHED, HAVAYOTH, ANCIENT WISDOM), EUDAIMONY only recorded three songs before the schedules of all its members, which, aside from Jell on vocals and Norman on guitars, bass, synthesizer and programming includes of Jörg Heemann (SECRETS OF THE MOON) on drums and Peter Honsalek (NACHTREICH) on viola and piano, caught up with the band. Added to this were a few label issues that had to be resolved, so things were put on the back burner until March 2013 when everyone was finally free to begin recording the band’s debut full-length album.
EUDAIMONY recently debuted the title track from the album, and although many see the band’s logical home as being within the Black Metal and Depressive Black Metal genres, mainly because of the backgrounds of its members, Jell was quick to point out that this should really not be the case. “EUDAIMONY’s music is about emotional hopelessness and the futility of life, and is a world away from the usual subject matters that Black Metal tends to deal with. The whole visual and the lyrical concepts of EUDAIMIONY combine together to send out the message that the end of our lives begins from the instant we first draw breath, happiness on earth is just an illusion and life itself has no sense except in death. The debut track “Futile” can be heard on EUDAIMONY’s SoundCloud player at the top of the article and at http://soundcloud.com/eudaimony/eudaimony-futile
With a new album about to be released, SLEGEST founder and frontman Ese has put together a live lineup to take what was initially a solo project onto the stage. “As soon as the album was announced I was being asked if the band would ever play live” says the former VREID guitarist, “and, as it happens, the time felt right to take the next step in SLEGEST’s development. Once I had everyone on board, the thought of playing live again felt really good. It’s one of the greatest satisfactions there is when you play music, and honestly we can’t wait to get up there on stage”. Aside from Ese on Vocals and Rhythm Guitars, SLEGEST’s live line up includes Sør (BÄÄÄV, VONBRÅTEN) on Lead Guitars, Hövard (BOMBEKLÜCHTER) on Bass and Fjøsne on Drums.
SLEGEST are also working on a music video for “Ho Som Haustar Aleine” the opening track on the band’s upcoming album “Løyndom”. The video is being produced by Håvard Nesbø and Ørjan Talle, and, according to Ese, the budget is 1 case of Hansa beer and 1 litre of Mackmyra Brukswhisky! The video will premiere in September.
“Løyndom” (Secret) will be the band’s debut full-length album, and is set for release on Dark Essence records in the autumn. Mastered by ENSLAVED’s Herbrand Larsen and recorded partly in Ese’s own Systrond Studio and partly at the Conclave and Earshot Studio with producer Bjørnar E. Nilsen, the artwork for “Løyndom” includes drawings by Jan Magne Vigdal and design by Tom Korsvold. Track listing on the 8-track album, which is a perfect showcase for Ese’s special blend of classic heavy rock and old-school black metal, is as follows:
1. Ho Som Haustar Aleine
2. Rooted In Knowledge
3. I Slike Stunder
4. Løgna Sin Fiende
5. The Path Of No Return
6. Faceless Queen
7. Dirt Life Death
8. Past Burden Strength
A track from “8 ½ – Feberdrömmar I Vaket Tillstånd”, the upcoming album from Sweden’s SHINING due to be released on Dark Essence Records, has been debuted today. Featuring songs dating back to the band’s “Livets Ändhållplats” and “Angst” era, “8 ½ – Feberdrömmar I Vaket Tillstånd” is a rare foray for the band, in that all the vocals on all the tracks, bar-one, are performed by vocalists specially chosen by SHINING founder and frontman Niklas Kvarforth, with some being sung in the native languages of the guests taking part. “Selvdestruktivitetens Emissarie” the fourth track on the six-track album features Gaahl (GOD SEED, WARDRUNA, TRELLDOM, EX GORGOROTH ) on vocals and is currently being streamed by Metal Hammer, together with an interview with Niklas Kvarforth. It can be heard at http://www.metalhammer.co.uk/news/exclusive-shining-swegaahl-track-and-interview/
The tracks on “8 ½ – Feberdrömmar I Vaket Tillstånd” are in their original pre-production format, to which have been added newly recorded bass and guitars, as well as keyboards by Lars Fredrik Fröslie (ANGST SKVADRON, WOBBLER, ASMEGIN), whose sound is a realtively new addition to SHINING’s releases, not having been used before the band’s sixth album. Track listing and featured vocalists as follows:
1. Terres Des Anonymes featuring FAMINE of PESTE NOIRE
2. Szabadulj Meg Önmagadtól featuring ATTILA CSIHAR of MAYHEM, TORMENTOR
3. Ett Liv Utan Mening featuring PEHR LARSSON of ALFAHANNE
4. Selvdestruktivitetens Emissarie featuring GAAHL of GOD SEED, WARDRUNA, TRELLDOM, EX GORGOROTH
5. Black Industrial Misery featuring MANIAC of SKITLIV, EX MAYHEM
6. Through Corridors Of Oppression featuring KVARFORTH himself
“8 ½ – Feberdrömmar I Vaket Tillstånd” will hit the streets on the 23rd September, and will be available both in CD and limited edition black or white 12” vinyl versions, with liner notes by Niklas Kvarforth. Artwork for the album is by Michal Pawlowski (miszaa.tumblr.com). All three versions are now available to pre-order from Dark Essence Records at http://karismarecords.bigcartel.com/artist/shining .
The official video for the track “Tillsammans Är Vi Allt” from SHINING’s album “VII / Född Förlorare” can be seen below and at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iULz19Cc7yw
PATRICIA THOMAS BAND MANAGEMENT 