Posts Tagged ‘Avantgarde Metal’

Well known for their wide appeal and their entertainingly theatrical, and hugely accessible stage antics, VULTURE INDUSTRIES  recently celebrated their 20 years of existence with a special anniversary show in Bergen,  Norway.  Knowing that only a relative handful of their fans would be able to witness the show first-hand, the band made sure that their many fans world-wide would not miss out on this very special occasion by recording the whole event.

Produced by Jarle Jovda Moe, who also made the “New Lords of Light” video, and featuring a multi camera and multi track production, the show included not only favourites from the band’s previous releases, but also tracks from the upcoming fifth full-length studio album “Ghosts from the Past”. It is, in other words the perfect opportunity for fans old and new to take stock of how far the band  has come over the years and reminisce about the past. 

The show, will be streamed in three separate segments, the first being on the 26th May at 20:00 Central European Time, and can be watched on the Band’s YouTube channel  below and at https://youtu.be/t8opjxwtfRU

Parts 2 and 3 of the show will be shown at 20:00 on the 03 June and 10 June respectively.

“Ghosts from the Past” itself will be released on Dark Essence Records on the 16th June, and is easily VULTURE INDUSTRIES’ strongest album to date.  It marks a new direction for the band, one that leans towards the harder side of rock, and draws upon a wide range of influences.  However, the quintessential VULTURE INDUSTRIES sound that makes the band so distinctive is still there for all to hear.

Recorded at the Conclave & Earshot Studios “Ghosts from the Past” was produced by the band and mastered by Tony Lindgren at Fascination Street. With album artwork by Kim Holm and artwork for the singles by Costin Chioreanu, track listing is as follows:

  1. New Lords of Light
  2. Saturn Devouring His Young
  3. This Hell is Mine
  4. Deeper
  5. Right Here in the Dark
  6. A Strangers Curse
  7. Tyrants Weep Alone

“Ghosts from the Past” will be released in CD, Digital and Vinyl formats and is now available to pre-order from the foillowing:

Webshop: https://darkessencerecords.no/kar255-vulture-industries-ghosts-from-the-past/
BandCamp: https://vultureindustries.bandcamp.com/album/ghosts-from-the-past
North American Webshop: https://darkessence.indiemerch.com

Unusually, VULTURE INDUSTRIES lineup has been together since the band’s beginning and comprises Bjørnar Erevik Nilsen on vocals and keys, Eivind Huse on guitars and vocals, Øyvind Madsen on guitars, Kyrre Teigen on bass and vocals, and Tor Helge Gjengedal  on drums. 

More information about VULTURE INDUSTRIES can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/vultureindustries/ and on the band’s website  at http://www.vulture-industries.net/

The band is currently finalising more festival appearances and tour dates, but in the meantime the following shows have been confirmed:

16 Jun – Vaterland, Oslo (NO)
17 Jun – Good Omens, Trondheim (NO)
28/29 Jul – Artmania Festival, Sibiu (RO)

A video for the single “This Hell is Mine”  by artist Kim Holm, which is especially interesting because it is a time-lapse insight into the work he put  into creating the album artwork for “Ghosts from the Past”, can be seen below and at https://youtu.be/9uL2YfDshuY

Additional Information
VULTURE INDUSTRIES
Website: http://www.vulture-industries.net
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/vultureindustries
Bandcamp:  https://vultureindustries.bandcamp.com
Webshop: https://vultureindustries.bigcartel.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBSajmM4gDMC8Tt41pc2BAw
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vultureindustries/
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/VultureIndustr1
Band Contact: bjornar@vulture-industries.net
Management: bjornar@propulsionmusic.no
Booking: benny@doomstarbookings.com
DARK ESSENCE RECORDS
Dark Essence contact: post@karismarecords.no 
Dark Essence Records: www.darkessencerecords.no
Dark Essence on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/darkessencerecords
Dark Essence Records Bandcamp:  http://karismarecords.bandcamp.com/
Dark Essence Records YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/DarkEssenceRecords
Dark Essence Records Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darkessencerecords/
Dark Essence Records Twitter: https://twitter.com/DarkEssenceRec
Dark Essence SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/dark-essence-records
Dark Essence Records Webshop: https://www.darkessencerecords.no
Dark Essence Records North American Webshop:  https://darkessence.indiemerch.com
Dark Essence Records Australian Webshop:  https://www.heavymetalmerchant.com/bands/d/dark-essence-records/

With VULTURE INDUSTRIES’  fifth full-length album “Ghosts from the Past”  set to hit the streets  on the 16th June, Dark Essence Records have released a new single taken from the album, along with an accompanying video.

According the the band’s Bjørnar Erevik Nilsen,  the single, titled  “This Hell is Mine” , is an older track, written from an entirely different perspective, but relevant in a whole new way today, as he explains:

This track was based on some old lyrics I had written many years ago. Originally written in praise of the simple and austere toiling on the land. Today, though,  “This hell is Mine” can be seen as a tribute to unyielding resistance against invasion and oppression.

“This Hell is Mine” can be streamed or downloaded from a variety of services at

https://link.darkessencerecords.no/Vulture-Industries_This-Hell-is-mine

The video for the single is by artist Kim Holm, and is especially interesting because it is a time-lapse insight into the work he put  into creating the album artwork for “Ghosts from the Past”.  It can be seen below and at https://youtu.be/9uL2YfDshuY

“Ghosts from the Past” was recorded at the Conclave & Earshot Studios and was  produced by the band and mastered by Tony Lindgren at Fascination Street.  With album artwork by Kim Holm and artwork for the singles by Costin Chioreanu, track listing is as follows:

  1. New Lords of Light
  2. Saturn Devouring His Young
  3. This Hell is Mine
  4. Deeper
  5. Right Here in the Dark
  6. A Strangers Curse
  7. Tyrants Weep Alone

It will be available in CD, Digital and Vinyl formats and can be pre-ordered now from the following:

Webshop: https://darkessencerecords.no/kar255-vulture-industries-ghosts-from-the-past/
BandCamp: https://vultureindustries.bandcamp.com/album/ghosts-from-the-past
North American Webshop: https://darkessence.indiemerch.com

Written at a time when the band was undergoing considerable changes in their personal lives, and coupled with the arrival of the Pandemic,  VULTURE INDUSTRIES admit that they struggled somewhat to find a sense of direction and that, as a consequence, “Ghosts from the Past” took longer to write than expected.

However, the resulting album is, without a doubt, their strongest to date.  While “Ghosts from the Past” has that unique  sound that is so recognisably VULTURE INDUSTRIES, the fact that it leans towards the darker side of hard rock also marks a change of direction for the band.

Mirroring all the chaos of today, “Ghosts from the Past”  is a reflection of the fear of a world spinning out of control, and  the sense of powerlessness that results when the world order begins to fall apart, only to be replaced by autocratic warlords, whose only aim in life is to expand their own power and legacy.  

As a  band that can boast that it still retains the same members it had when it started twenty years ago, VULTURE INDUSTRIES lineup of Bjørnar Erevik Nilsen on vocals and keys, Eivind Huse on guitars and vocals, Øyvind Madsen on guitars, Kyrre Teigen on bass and vocals, and Tor Helge Gjengedal  on drums, have drawn on a myriad of influences for “Ghosts from the Past”.  From dust-riddled Spaghetti Westerns accompanied by Ennio Morricone, past the monochrome melancholia of apocalyptic post punk, through deep valleys and steep hills shrouded in progressive darkness, and a Nordic Noir looking to solve the unexplained murder of the truth.  It is, in fact, a piece of their collective soul.

With a wide appeal both on stage and with their studio output, VULTURE INDUSTRIES have carefully honed their stagecraft, earning the band a well-deserved a reputation as a theatrical and hugely entertaining live act, one that is currently firming up its 2023 touring schedule.  Confirmed upcoming dates are as follows:

16 Jun – Vaterland, Oslo (NO)
17 Jun – Good Omens, Trondheim (NO)
28/29 Jul – Artmania Festival, Sibiu (RO)

Dark Essence Records recently released the single “New Lords of Light” from “Ghosts from the Past”, and a video for the track, filmed and edited by Jarle Hovda Moe and with stock video from Carnival of Souls, can be seen below and at https://youtu.be/FB4d8lMEeLg

More information about VULTURE INDUSTRIES can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/vultureindustries/ and on the band’s website  at http://www.vulture-industries.net/

Additional Information
VULTURE INDUSTRIES
Website: http://www.vulture-industries.net
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/vultureindustries
Bandcamp:  https://vultureindustries.bandcamp.com
Webshop: https://vultureindustries.bigcartel.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBSajmM4gDMC8Tt41pc2BAw
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vultureindustries/
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/VultureIndustr1
Band Contact: bjornar@vulture-industries.net
Management: bjornar@propulsionmusic.no
Booking: benny@doomstarbookings.com
DARK ESSENCE RECORDS
Dark Essence contact: post@karismarecords.no 
Dark Essence Records: www.darkessencerecords.no
Dark Essence on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/darkessencerecords
Dark Essence Records Bandcamp:  http://karismarecords.bandcamp.com/
Dark Essence Records YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/DarkEssenceRecords
Dark Essence Records Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darkessencerecords/
Dark Essence Records Twitter: https://twitter.com/DarkEssenceRec
Dark Essence SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/dark-essence-records
Dark Essence Records Webshop: https://www.darkessencerecords.no
Dark Essence Records North American Webshop:  https://darkessence.indiemerch.com
Dark Essence Records Australian Webshop:  https://www.heavymetalmerchant.com/bands/d/dark-essence-records/

Dark Essence Records have today revealed a new single, taken from the much-anticipated re-release of the 2015 self-titled debut full-length album from IF NOTHING IS, the brainchild of DØDHEIMSGARD bassist Lars Emil Måløy. 

The single, “Darkspace Navigator”, can be downloaded or streamed from a variety of services at:

https://darkessencerecords.fanlink.to/INI_DarkspaceNavigator

It is a track about which the band had this to say:

The lyrics of Darkspace Navigator tell  of a deity that exists in the void between dimensions. An entity that causes  various paranormal phenomena to occur when it chooses to interfere with our world. On the musical side of things this track covers a lot of ground. Starting off with an electro-acoustic section, followed by fast metal parts, groovy stuff, tapping, slapping, beats, cramp inducing chords, and so on. Give it a spin!

Despite its pedigree, the album’s original release passed by largely unnoticed due to it having  only been available through a limited selection of digital platforms. But, on the  10th September, Dark Essence Records intend to bring to light this gem of an album that embodies everything that  lies at the heart of extreme and technical metal music.

Having been  completely  re-mixed and re-mastered, “If Nothing Is” ranges from thrash, speed and death, to black metal, melding sharp technical skills and creative songwriting with a keen eye for detail and a streak of madness. 

IF NOTHING IS’ lineup of Boeddelen on vocals and lyrics, Håkon Grytvik and Mats Stenberg on guitars,  Lars Emil Måløy on  bass, FX, backing vocals, lyrics, main composer and Vegard Myrdal Berg on drums, backing vocals and lyrics, have been joined by  DØDHEIMSGARD’s Vicotnik on synths, beats and samples, and have come up with an album where each song is a journey in itself, replete with intersecting passages that are progressive and experimental,  along with rich jazzy parts.

With new original artwork by Ulf Simon Lindgren “If Nothing Is”  will be available in a CD and a gatefold clear transparent double LP versions  for the first time ever, as well as digitally.  Track listing as follows:

1. 101
2. Sovereign
3. Juvenihil
4. Anti Horde
5. Dominant Outlaw Nation
6. Postapo Calypso
7. Darkspace Navigator
8. Intermezzanine
9. Apsylum Absolute
10. If Nothing Is

It is now available to pre-order now from the following:

Dark Essence Webshop:  https://darkessencerecords.no/artists/if-nothing-is/

If Nothing is bandcamp:  https://ini-official.bandcamp.com/album/if-nothing-is-2

US webshop:  https://darkessence.aisamerch.com/

More information about IF NOTHING IS can be found on the band’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/INI101

Additional Information
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/INI101
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iniofficial/
YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPtsQQ1D_TMTfbW7odC_S5g
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/6JPOsXyyLZv5RS6dPGP3vt
SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/ini-official
Band Contact: ini101mail@gmail.com
Dark Essence contact: post@karismarecords.no 
Dark Essence Records: www.darkessencerecords.no
Dark Essence on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/darkessencerecords
Dark Essence Records Bandcamp:  http://karismarecords.bandcamp.com/
Dark Essence Records YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/DarkEssenceRecords
Dark Essence Records Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darkessencerecords/
Dark Essence Records Twitter: https://twitter.com/DarkEssenceRec
Dark Essence SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/dark-essence-records
Dark Essence Records Webshop: https://www.darkessencerecords.no
Dark Essence Records North American Webshop:  http://darkessence.aisamerch.com/
Dark Essence Records Australian Webshop:  https://www.heavymetalmerchant.com/bands/d/dark-essence-records/

HOWL OF THE UNDERDOGS

Howl of the Underdogs is the story of the Norwegian metal band Madder Mortem and their singer who, struggling with a life-long eating disorder in an image-obsessed industry, undergoes weight loss surgery to battle the demons that have given birth to their music. After filming with the band during their 20th anniversary year as they recorded new music, toured Europe, and reunited all of their former members in Oslo for a once-in-a-lifetime show, the film explores how the band boils down their internal demons, Scandinavian cultural norms, and an image-obsessed industry into inspirational music that reaches fans around the world.

The worldwide release of “HOTU” will be celebrated with a whole day of events, in collaboration with Odal Rock Club’s Microrock festival in Austvatn, Norway on Saturday, June 26th, 2021.

After a screening of the film, Metalheads Against Bullying, in collaboration with Madder Mortem and Odal Rock Club, are hosting a live panel discussion under the header “The Bully Within”. Inspired by “Howl of the Underdogs”, this panel discussion will address topics like shame, body image, and gender roles in metal. Among the participants are Leif Munkelien, the man behind Metalheads Against Bullying, singer Agnete from Madder Mortem, Norwegian singer/songwriter Marius Nesset, and Green Carnation singer Kjetil Nordhus. To add perspectives from outside the music business, the panel is joined by Mona Larsen, spokesperson from the Norwegian Eating Disorder Association. The panel will be accessible online as a free-of-charge streaming event, and the online audience will be able to add their comments and questions through a live chat moderator interacting with the panel. 

For more info and links to the panel, follow:  https://www.facebook.com/howloftheunderdogs

In addition to the panel discussion, Metalheads Against Bullying, Nord-Odal photograper Ann-Helén Moen Nannestad and Madder Mortem have collaborated on an art photography project, also under the header “The Bully Within”. The resulting photographic prints will be exhibited and for sale at the festival, and all proceeds from the print sales will go directly to Metalheads Against Bullying and their work. 

Finally, Madder Mortem will be performing an hour-long live set at the festival later that night.

In order that fans around the world can participate in the event, “Howl of the Underdogs” will be available for purchase or rent on Vimeo on the same day. 

Pre-orders available now: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/howloftheunderdogs

Dark Essence Records are offering a discount of 20% on the purchase or rental price  of the documentary.  The discount is for a limited time only and will expire on the 24th July.

To take advantage of the discount please  follow this direct link https://vimeo.com/r/3gNu/V2hsRm5HNi  Or use PromoCode: DEHOTU20

A  Stewis Media / Madder Mortem production
Directed by Randy M. Salo
Runtime – 76 min.
Language – English and Norwegian w/ English Subtitles

https://www.howloftheunderdogs.com
http://www.maddermortem.com/

https://against-bullying.no
Contact:  contact@stewismedia.com

More information about MADDER MORTEM can be found on the band’s website at http://www.maddermortem.com or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/mmortem/

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Madder Mortem  Website: http://www.maddermortem.com/
Madder Mortem Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Madder-Mortem-10035071567
Madder Mortem Bandcamp: https://maddermortem.bandcamp.com
Madder Mortem Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maddermortemofficial/
Madder Mortem YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLLOBPu8Kr25bWceExl_YXA
Madder Mortem Twitter:  https://twitter.com/MadderMOfficial
Band Contact and Booking: mail@maddermortem.com
Dark Essence contact: post@karismarecords.no
Dark Essence Records: www.darkessencerecords.no
Dark Essence on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/darkessencerecords
Dark Essence Records Bandcamp:  http://karismarecords.bandcamp.com/
Dark Essence Records YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/DarkEssenceRecords
Dark Essence Records Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darkessencerecords/
Dark Essence Records Twitter: https://twitter.com/DarkEssenceRec
Dark Essence SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/dark-essence-records
Dark Essence Records Webshop: https://www.darkessencerecords.no
Dark Essence Records North American Webshop:  http://darkessence.aisamerch.com/
Dark Essence Records Australian Webshop:  https://www.heavymetalmerchant.com/bands/d/dark-essence-records/

Avantgarde Metallers IF NOTHING IS, have inked a deal with Dark Essence Records which will see the label release the band’s debut full-length album  this year.   

The  brainchild of DØDHEIMSGARD bassist Lars Emil Måløy,  IF NOTHING IS rose up in Trondheim, Norway, from the ashes of extreme metallers REVOCATION in 2008.  This signaled not only a name change, but also a new musical direction for the lineup that today comprises Boeddelen on vocals and lyrics, Håkon Grytvik and Mats Stenberg on guitars,  Lars Emil Måløy on  bass, FX, backing vocals, lyrics, main composer and Vegard Myrdal Berg on drums, backing vocals and lyrics.

Having being  able to call on the talents of DØDHEIMSGARD’s Vicotnik to work his magic with synths, beats and samples, IF NOTHING IS released their self-titled debut album in 2015, but only via a selection of digital platforms. Consequently it never received the kind of exposure that it deserved, melding, as it did, sharp technical skills and creative songwriting with a keen eye for detail and a streak of madness. Intersected with progressive, experimental passages and rich jazzy parts, the album is reminiscent of the early efforts of bands like ATHEIST and CYNIC, with each song a journey in itself.

What IF NOTHING IS created with their first foray into the studio is an album that exemplifies everything that lies at the heart of extreme and technical metal music, ranging from thrash, speed and death to black metal.  And Dark Essence have recognized that this album was never meant to lie in relative obscurity, and to this end the album was re-mixed and re-mastered and will be released for the first time in CD and Vinyl formats as well as digitally.

With new original artwork the album will hit the streets on the 10th September, track listing as follows:

1. 101
2. Sovereign
3. Juvenihil
4. Anti Horde
5. Dominant Outlaw Nation
6. Postapo Calypso
7. Darkspace Navigator
8. Intermezzanine
9. Apsylum Absolute
10. If Nothing Is

Work on the follow up to IF NOTHING IS’ debut is already progressing well, and the band had this to say about their joining forces with Dark Essence Records.

After many years of searching we finally found our spirit animal label! A label with a roster so great and weird we are actually able to fit in for once! We are extremely proud to be a part of the Dark Essence Records/Karisma Records family and can’t wait for the future to arrive!

If your appetite has be whetted about what is to come from IF NOTHING IS, you can hear their 2015 stand-alone single at https://youtu.be/QIwiPiGSOWI

More information about IF NOTHING IS can be found on the band’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/INI101

Additional Information
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/INI101
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iniofficial/
YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPtsQQ1D_TMTfbW7odC_S5g
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/6JPOsXyyLZv5RS6dPGP3vt
SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/ini-official
Band Contact: ini101mail@gmail.com
Dark Essence contact: post@karismarecords.no 
Dark Essence Records: www.darkessencerecords.no
Dark Essence on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/darkessencerecords
Dark Essence Records Bandcamp:  http://karismarecords.bandcamp.com/
Dark Essence Records YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/DarkEssenceRecords
Dark Essence Records Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darkessencerecords/
Dark Essence Records Twitter: https://twitter.com/DarkEssenceRec
Dark Essence SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/dark-essence-records
Dark Essence Records Webshop: https://www.darkessencerecords.no
Dark Essence Records North American Webshop:  http://darkessence.aisamerch.com/
Dark Essence Records Australian Webshop:  https://www.heavymetalmerchant.com/bands/d/dark-essence-records/