PANTHEON I GO OLD-SCHOOL WITH TAPE RELEASE

Posted: September 11, 2012 in OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES, PANTHEON I
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With three full-length albums to their credit, Norwegian Extreme Metallers PANTHEON I have gone old-school and rereleased their 2006 debut album “Atrocity Divine” as a limited edition tape.  Commented front man Andre’ Kvebek: “I think a lot of people still remember the days of tape releases with a certain fondness and even those who weren’t around at the time associate tapes with the beginnings of the underground scene, and it was definitely something we wanted for at least one of PANTHEON I’s releases, so when the opportunity arose, we were more than happy to say yes”.    The tape version of “Atrocity Divine” is released on Silent Scream Records on the 10th September, and is limited to 150 copies.  Artwork is by the Norwegian artist Kjell Åge Meland.

Formed in late 2002 in Oslo, Norway, PANTHEON I’s music combines brutality, aggression and speed with melodic interludes that, unlike the majority of bands, are not played using synths and string samples, but on the cello by classically trained Live Julianne Kostøl.  The band’s line up underwent a change last year with the addition of former ABSU guitarist Aethyris McKay, who not only contributes his writing skills and clean vocals to the band, but also allows frontman Kvebek (DEN SAAKALDTE, ex-1349) to step out from behind his guitar on stage.   As well as Kvebek, McKay and  Live Julianne, the line up includes Sagstad (TROLLFEST, SARKOM) on guitars, T.R.S. on bass (1349, DEN SAAKALDTE) and MADS G on drums (THE ALL SEEING I, ZEENON).

PANTHEON I are currently on the pre-production stage of their fourth full-length album and plan to enter the studio later this year to being recording.  More information about PANTHEON I can be found at http://www.facebook.com/pantheoni

The official video for the track “Serpent Christ” from the PANTHEON I album “Worlds I Create” can be seen below:

 

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

SHINING REVEALS HISTORY BEHIND NEW VIDEO STORYLINE

Posted: September 4, 2012 in OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES, SHINING
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Following yesterday’s exclusive release through the internet press of their new video for the track “Tillsammans Är Vi Allt” from the band’s seventh full length album “VII / Född Förlorare”, SHINING have today released the video on their own YouTube channel, and have revealed the real history behind the storyline.  The video can be seen below or at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iULz19Cc7yw

Contrary to how the video has been interpreted by both some press and fans alike, who have mistaken it for a simple glossy music video, there is, in fact, a symbolism behind it, one which both SHINING frontman Niklas Kvarforth, and guest vocalist Håkan “Nordman” Hemlin, are all too familiar with.   Taking as its theme a wedding between a dominant and corrupting groom, portrayed by Kvarforth, and a desirable and deceptively innocent bride, portrayed by Swedish model December Wiklund, the video uses their marriage to symbolise the insidious effects of substance abuse.   By the end of the video, the roles have been reversed, with the bride having complete control over the groom, in the same way that substance abuse becomes a marriage between the drug and the user, subtly taking over and destroying the addict’s life, and leaving him unable to give up the very thing that is destroying him.

The “Tillsammans Är Vi Allt” video is more than a trite music video replete with the mandatory titillation of sex and blood.  It is Kvarforth’s vision of a life-consuming obsession depicted through imagery, as opposed to simply music and lyrics.  Both Kvarforth and Hemlin, who appears in live footage throughout the video, have experienced the effects of substance abuse in the past. They have survived the obsession that has destroyed others and come through to the other side with more control of their lives, but their performance both live and on the album itself clearly shows that re-living that past brought a sense of anguish to their interpretation.

Live footage was filmed during the band’s appearance at the Club Nosturi in Helsinki, Finland, in October of last year.  The concept itself was created by Kvarforth, working  together with director Martin Strandberg, who was behind SHINING’s first video “Förtvivlan, Min Arvedel” and with photographer Martin Eriksson of Hill Fifty and producer Jussi Hyttinen of FLC 415, to bring to life the blood infused, disturbing vision of addiction and obsession that anyone who has been there will recognise.

SHINING’s eighth full-length album, “Redefining Darkness”, is due for release on Spinefarm Records on October 29th.  More information about SHINING can be found on the band’s website at http://www.shiningasylum.com/

 

SHINING INFORMATION
Website:http://www.shiningasylum.com/
Merchandise: http://www.shininglegions.com/
Shining on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/shiningofficial
Official  YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/OfficialShining
Shining on MySpace: www.myspace.com/shininghalmstad
Shining on ReverbNation: http://www.reverbnation.com/shining
Management: nelli.ahvenlahti@gmail.com
PR: patriciathomas@btinternet.com

THE STONE SET TO TOUR WITH ISVIND

Posted: September 2, 2012 in OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES, THE STONE
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Black Metallers THE STONE are set to join ISVIND on the road in September as the Norwegians embark on one of their rare tours.  Routing for the seven-day “Through Dark Waters and Barren Earth” tour is as follows:

Sun 09 – Gloppe, Leeuwarden, NL
Mon 10 – TBA
Tue 11 – Marx, Hamburg, DE
Wed 12 – Zuckerfabrick, Rostock, DE
Thu 13 – K17, Berlin, DE
Fri 14 – Klex, Greifswald, DE
Sat 15 – Morion, Stettin, PL

Formed in Belgrade, Serbia, under the name STONE TO FLESH in 1996, THE STONE has, since its inception, grown to become an internationally recognized Black Metal band with a plethora of releases, tours, festivals and live appearances under its belt.   THE STONE’s  first full length album “Some Wounds Bleed Forever” appeared on CCP records in 2000 and was followed by several more releases before the band came to the attention of the cult German label Folter Records in 2006.  In a move that was to bring THE STONE to the attention of fans world-wide, Folter released the band’s fourth full length album “Magla”.

Over the next few years there were  releases and re-release of more material in different formats, including the “Live Curse from the East” DVD,  but essentially THE STONE spent this time building on the success of “Magla” and becoming more and more familiar to concert goers thanks to their dynamic live performances.  2009 saw the release of the band’s fifth full length album “Umro” on Folter Records, and their sixth full length album “Golet” appeared in late 2011, once again on Folter Records and showed the band at its most mature and skilled to date, with praise being heaped on the album from journalists and fans alike.  THE STONE’s current lineup comprises Nefas on Vocals, Kozeljnik and Demonetras on Guitars, L.G. on Drums and Usud on Bass Guitar.  More information about THE STONE can be found on the band’s website at www.thestonehorde.com

The official video for the track “Nikad Bliži Smrti” from the “Golet” album can be seen below or at  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcquA7VAkKs

 

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Website: www.thestonehorde.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/thestonehorde
SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/thestonehorde
ReverbNation: www.reverbnation.com/thestonehorde
MySpace: www.myspace.com/thestonehorde
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/TheStoneOfficial
Band Contact and Booking: band@thestonehorde.com
Management, PR and Booking: patriciathomas@btinternet.com
Folter Records: folter.rec@snafu.de

DARK ESSENCE RECORDS SIGNS RATTENFÄNGER, ALBUM DETAILS REVEALED

Posted: August 25, 2012 in DARK ESSENCE RECORDS, OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES
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Norway’s Dark Essence Records have announced the signing of the Ukrainian band RATTENFÄNGER, and the Bergen-based label is set to release their debut album “Epistolae Obscurorum Virorum” in late October/early November of this year.   Although RATTENFÄNGER is a new band, its lineup of Thurios on guitars, Krechet on bass, Vlad on drums and keyboards, and Roman on guitars and vocals, has a depth of musical experience behind them that most bands would envy, hailing as they do from cult acts such as DRUDKH, BLOOD OF KINGU, HATE FOREST and DARK AGES.

According to Dark Essence Records, if, after seeing this pedigree, anyone assumes that they know what to expect  from RATTENFÄNGER, they would most likely be off target, because this band is a very different beast indeed.  Inevitably there will be nuances from the members other projects, and comparisons can also be made with bands such as CELTIC FROST, early DARKTHRONE, ASPHYX, WINTER, BOLTHROWER and NIHILIST amongst others,  but RATTENFÄNGER, is the epitome of old-school death metal  and “Epistolae Obscurorum Virorum” has its own, very distinctive, sound.  It is pitch black and bone crushingly brutal. It is Death Metal in its original form – and it is devastating.  A track from the album can be heard at http://soundcloud.com/dark-essence-records/rattenf-nger-grimorium-verum and on the player above.

The name RATTENFÄNGER is taken from the legend of the Pied Piper of Hamelin (Rattenfänger von Hameln), who was hired by the townsfolk of Hameln, Germany, to rid the town of the rats that had overrun it.  Unfortunately he is deceived and cheated of his payment, and he exacts a dreadful revenge on the citizens.

Very much in keeping with the period of the legend, the lyrics for “Epistolae Obscurorum Virorum” are in Latin and are written in style of the medieval poets, the thinkers and the troubadours/minstrels of old. Track listing for “Epistolae Obscurorum Virorum”, which was recorded during the spring and summer of 2012 in Kharviv in the Ukraine, and produced by RATTENFÄNGER, is as follows:

1. Coelo Affixus Sed Terris Omnibus Sparsus – intro
2. Grimorium Verum
3. Victa Lacet Virtus
4. Nunc Scio Tenebris Lux
5. Allegoria De Gula Et Luxuria
6. Clausae Patent
7. Deest Remedii Locus, Ubi, Quae Vitia Fuerunt, Mores Fiunt
8. Regno, Regnavi, Regnabo

ADDITONAL INFORMATION
For information, promo copies etc., please contact martin@karismarecords.no
Website: www.darkessencerecords.no

KRAKOW TO SUPPORT ENSLAVED ON UPCOMING NORWEGIAN TOUR

Posted: August 21, 2012 in DARK ESSENCE RECORDS, OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES
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Post-rockers KRAKOW have been confirmed to support ENSLAVED on their upcoming Norwegian tour which will take place in October of this year.  The two bands are no strangers to each other, both hailing from Bergen and both having toured together for seven weeks during the “Vertebrae” tour of 2008.  ENSLAVED frontman Grutle Kjellson also makes a guest appearance on KRAKOW’s upcoming album “diin”, about which he had this to say:  “It was a great honour for me when KRAKOW asked me to do some guest vocals for them.  From not being that much more than “thirteenth out of a dozen” bands only a few years back, they have grown to be one of the most interesting new bands in the whole metal scene! Hard work, desire to make great music, and the fact that they don’t give a shit about “genre rules” and such, have made them the Avantgarde metal monster they are today. These guys are no copycats, they are the real deal! Watch out for Krakow”.  The connection between the two bands was further cemented recently, when KRAKOW covered the track “Center” on the recently released album “Önd – A tribute to Enslaved”.

Norwegian tour dates as follows:

04.10 Trondheim – Blæst
05.10 Oslo – John Dee
06.10 Hamar – Gregers
25.10 Stavanger – Folken
26.10 Kristiansand – Kick
02.11 Stord – Arena
03.11 Haugesund – Høvleriet

KRAKOW’s sophomore album “diin” is set for release on Dark Essence Records on the 14th September, and the band recently released a video teaser with a taster of all nine tracks which can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kU00Vv7n7A.  Cover art for “diin” is by Thomas Hooper, the renowned Brooklyn-based American tattoo artist, painter and designer.  The entire album will be previewed at the upcoming Beyond the Gates Festival which will take place in Bergen from the 23 – 25 August, with a listening session taking place at The Garage at 13:00 on the 25th, followed by a live appearance by the band later that evening.

Formed in 2005 by Frode Kilvik on bass and vocals , Kjartan Grønhaug on guitars  and René Misje on guitars and vocals, KRAKOW  recently announced the addition of KAMPFAR and MONDVOLLAND drummer Ask Ty Arctander to their line up.  More information about KRAKOW can be found on the band’s website at http://www.krakowofficial.com/

The video teaser for “diin” can be seen below:

 

 

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: contact@krakowofficial.com

FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES OF TRONDR NEFAS JOIN TOGETHER WITH BEASTCRAFT FOR TRIBUTE CONCERT

Posted: August 19, 2012 in ENDEZZMA, OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES
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After Norwegian Black Metallers BEASTCRAFT  were announced to appear at Oslo’s Bunker 2012 Festival, the sudden and unexpected death of guitarist Trondr Nefas of natural causes on the 10th May this year momentarily raised some doubt as to whether this rare live appearance by the band would actually take place. However, following discussions with his family, close friends and the fellow musicians who have worked with Trondr on his various projects, it was decided that despite the loss of their guitarist, BEASTCRAFT would go ahead and play, and that the event would become a tribute to the well-liked and admired musician.

A prolific and hard working musician, and a much-respected member of the Black Metal Underground, Trondr Nefas was at the heart of so many of Norway’s seminal Black Metal bands including BEASTCRAFT, URGEHAL, ENDEZZMA, ANGST SKVADRON, VULTURE LORD and IN LINGUA MORTUA, as well as making guest appearances with bands too numerous to mention.  Essentially a two man project featuring Trondr Nefas and Sorath Northgrove, BEASTCRAFT’s live line up at Bunker 2012 is drawn from the ranks of Trondr’s colleagues.  Joining Sorath Norgrove on stage for the tribute performance will be Enzifer (URGEHAL) and Malphas (ENDEZZMA, HAGL) on guitars, Desecrator (KRYPT, ex ENDEZZMA) on bass and Ghoul (ENDEZZMA, ANGST SKVADRON, IN LINGUA MORTUA, WOBBLER) on drums. With a festival line up that includes TAAKE, SHINING, CARPATHIAN FOREST, VIRUS, DJEVEL, BOMBERS and BUNKER 66, many of whose members knew Trondr well, it is anticipated that guests may also appear to pay their respects to their friend. DARKTHRONE’s Fenriz is set to DJ the event.

Morten Shax, ENDEZZMA front man and long-time friend and colleague of Trondr’s, who will be making a guest appearance during BEASTCRAFT’s set, had this to say: “As with all the musicians who are taking part, I would give anything for this occasion to be one where we are all together on stage with Trondr having a blast, but sadly we will be there to remember his life instead. Not just his life as a fellow musician, but also of the life of friend who we all miss with a pain that is difficult to express, and who we will remember with deep affection for the rest of our lives. His music will live on as a tribute to him, as it should, but the emptiness of his leaving will long remain with his family and with those who had the privilege to call him friend.

Bunker 2012 will take place at the Parkteatret in Oslo, Norway, on the 24th and 25th of August, with BEASTCRAFT appearing on Friday 24th. More information about BEASTCRAFT can be found at http://www.deathcibel.com/beastcraft/

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Beastcraft contact: deathcibel@hotmail.com
Beastcraft Website:  http://www.deathcibel.com/beastcraft/
Trondr Nefas Official Page: https://www.facebook.com/nefas.official
Urgehal: http://www.myspace.com/urgehal666
Endezzma: https://www.facebook.com/endezzma
Angst Sqvadron: http://www.myspace.com/angstskvadronofficial
In Lingua Mortua: http://www.inlinguamortua.com

TROLLFEST RELEASE TRACK-BY-TRACK VIDEO GUIDE TO NEW ALBUM

Posted: August 17, 2012 in OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES, TROLLFEST
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With their fifth full-length album “Brumlebassen” due out on NoiseArt Records on the 24th of August, TROLLFEST have released a video guide to each track which can be seen at below and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0NbibItJPM:

 

The limited edition Digipack version of “Brumlebassen”, which features guest musicians such as Vreth from FINTROLL and Mariangela from TRISTANIA, amongst others, comes with bonus download content that includes 100 minutes of videos, screen savers and MP3s as well as a much requested translation of the lyrics which are normally written in the band’s own mix of Norwegian and German.  The download content will be accessible through a unique personalized code which will be printed on each individual Digipack.

Full download content as follows:

Video – The  Making Of Brumlebassen (37 min)
Video – Heidenfest Tour Diary (63 min)
English translation of all the Brumlebassen lyrics
Screensavers/Wallpapers
Skogsfest (mp3) – exclusive previously unreleased song
The MetalCamp song (mp3) – exclusive previously unreleased song

“Brumlebassen” will also be available in Gatefold vinyl format,  and,  as to be expected from the band,  feature storylines and characters from the universe created by TROLLFEST which is inhabited by an assortment of crazy, fun-loving and mead-fuelled trolls, and which is once again brought vividly to life in the artwork of Swedish cartoonist Jonas Darnell who originally created the iconic metal duck from TROLLFEST’s “Villanden” album, and designer Terje Johnsen.

In the Autumn TROLLFEST will set out on the Heidenfest tour along with WINTERSUN and KORPIKLAANI.  More information about TROLLFEST can be found on the band’s website at http://www.trollfest.com

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

SHINING ANNOUNCES TITLE OF UPCOMING ALBUM. NEW WEBSITE OPENED

Posted: August 13, 2012 in OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES, SHINING
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Sweden’s SHINING have today announced that their new album will be called “Redefining Darkness”.  Unlike all previous SHINING albums “Redefining Darkness”, which will be the band’s eighth full-length release, will not preface its title with a number.  According to founder and front man Niklas Kvarforth “The use of numbers to describe our albums is no longer something that SHINING is interested in doing. The new album is without a doubt the darkest thing I have ever done or heard. People will be upset for sure – and hopefully its divine genius will destroy the lives of thousands”. “Redefining Darkness” is set for release on Spinefarm Records International later this year.

In other news from the band, a new website has been set up at www.shiningasylum.com

SHINING’s next live appearance will take place at Summer-Breeze in Dinkelsbuehl, Germany,  on Saturday 18th August, followed by the Bunker Festival in Oslo, Norway on the 25th August.  More information about SHINING can be found 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 Webshop: http://www.shininglegions.com
Shining Website: www.shiningasylum.com
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
Management: nelli.ahvenlahti@gmail.com
PR: patriciathomas@btinternet.com

DANISH BLACK METALLERS BLODARV DEBUT TRACK FROM UPCOMING ALBUM

Posted: August 11, 2012 in BLODARV, OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES
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With a new album “Gâst” set for release later this year on Selfmutilation Services, Danish Black Metallers BLODARV have debuted a second track from what will be the band’s fourth full-length album.  Unlike the previous track “I Blaek Og Blod”, which recently had its debut as a music video, the lyrics to the new track, “Surrounded by Dust”, are in English and the track can be heard on BLODARV’s SoundCloud page at http://soundcloud.com/blodarv/blodarv-surrounded-by-dust as well as on the player above.

The music and lyrics of BLODARV have always represented a very personal aspect of founder and front man Hugin’s life and beliefs.  Writing both in English and Danish he gives voice to his deepest thoughts and emotions through his poetry, which in turn becomes the lyrics to his music.  According Hugin  “Surrounded by Dust” is in a way much more representative of the album as a whole: “The “I Blaek Og Blod” video caught some of our fans by surprise as the track is not as dark as they have come to expect from us, but as always in BLODARV we create various atmospheres, to fit the music to the lyrics, and “Surrounded by Dust” takes us firmly back into the darkness.   It is, in fact, one of the slower tracks on the album and is one of my personal favourites.  We finished recording the guitars for the track on the 5th of August and mixed and engineered it over the next few days, so it’s ‘smoking hot” in every sense of the word”.

BLODARV’s next live appearance will be at the Club Sick in Odense, Denmark on the 15th September supporting IMPALED NAZARENE.   More information about BLODARV can be found on the band’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/blodarvofficial

Below you can see BLODARV’s “I Blaek Og Blod” video.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION – BLODARV
Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/blodarvofficial
YouTube : http://www.youtube.com/huginofblodarv
SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/blodarv
Twitter : http://www.twitter.com/blodarv
MySpace : http://www.myspace.com/blodarv
Web Shop:  http://www.blodarvshop.bigcartel.com/
HammerArt Studios: http://www.myspace.com/hammerartstudios
ReverbNation : http://www.reverbnation.com/blodarv
Management: https://patriciathomasmanagement.com/ email: patriciathomas@btinternet.com
Booking: stafahugin@hotmail.com or patriciathomas@btinternet.com

KRAKOW REVEAL TRACK LISTING AND VIDEO ALBUM TEASER

Posted: August 9, 2012 in DARK ESSENCE RECORDS, OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES
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With their sophomore album “diin” due for release on Dark Essence Records on the 14th September, Norwegian post-rockers KRAKOW have revealed the track listing for the album and have, at the same time, released a “teaser” video offering a taster of all nine tracks. Cover art for “diin” is by Thomas Hooper, the renowned Brooklyn-based American tattoo artist, painter and designer. The video teaser can be seen here and at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kU00Vv7n7A.

 

Formed in 2005 by Frode Kilvik , Kjartan Grønhaug  and René Misje the line up for the album includes Misje on guitars and vocals, Kilvik on bass and vocals, Grønhaug  on guitars, and Cato Olaison on drums.  Additional drums on some of the tracks are by Iver Sandøy, whilst Grutle Kjellson (ENSLAVED, TRINACRIA) makes a guest appearance on vocals and has this to say about his collaboration:  “It was a great honour for me when KRAKOW asked me to do some guest vocals for them.  From not being that much more than “thirteenth out of a dozen” bands only a few years back, they have grown to be one of the most interesting new bands in the whole metal scene! Hard work, desire to make great music, and the fact that they don’t give a shit about “genre rules” and such, have made them the Avantgarde metal monster they are today. These guys are no copycats, they are the real deal! Watch out for Krakow!”  Track listing for “diin” as follows:

Hymn to the winds
Future Past
Termination of Origin
Mound
Mark of Cain
Possessed
Into the Distant sky
Omen
Sense of space

KRAKOW, whose sound ranges from dark and evocative to fast and aggressive, recently announced the addition of KAMPFAR and MONDVOLLAND drummer Ask Ty Arctander to their line up.   More information about KRAKOW can be found on the band’s website at http://www.krakowofficial.com/


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: contact@krakowofficial.com

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