Dark Essence Records | PATRICIA THOMAS BAND MANAGEMENT

Posts Tagged ‘Dark Essence Records’

POST METALLERS FEVERSEA SET TO JOIN DARK ESSENCE RECORDS

Posted: November 22, 2024 in DARK ESSENCE RECORDS, OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES
Tags: Atmospheric, Atmospheric Black Metal, Black Metal, Dark Essence Records, Ethereal, Extreme Metal, Feversea, Norway, Norwegian Black Metal, Post Metal, Ritualistic, Shoegaze, Sludge

With a world-wide reputation for being able to find some of the best newcomers on the Extreme Metal scene, whilst at the same time attracting iconic exponents of the genre, Dark Essence Records have once again put their uncanny ability to use, and have welcomed Post Metallers FEVERSEA to their roster.

Based in Oslo, Norway, and drawing on influences that range from Black Metal to Sludge Metal to Shoegaze, FEVERSEA’s music lies at the intersection where the ferocity of Black Metal meets with ritualistic and ethereal soundscapes.

Starting out as a post punk project, FEVERSEA underwent a significant change in musical direction that culminated in the release of the well-received 2023 demo that highlighted the band’s atmospheric and varied post-metal direction.

For the past year FEVERSEA have been busy spent recording and producing their debut album, in which the band explores themes centred around the beginning and end of man, as well as mankind’s diminished position in the world. And it is this album that Dark Essence Records will be releasing.

As a part of Oslo’s Extreme Metal scene, FEVERSEA are no strangers to the stage, and this is what the band’s lineup of Ada Lønne Emberland on vocals, Isak Lønne Emberland on guitars and synthesizers, Alexander Fossen Lange on guitars, Aleksander Johnsen Solberg on bass guitar and Jeremie Malezieux on drums had this to say about joining the Dark Essence Records roster:

We are very much looking forward to working with Dark Essence. For us, this has always been the first choice when it comes to the record company we would like to work with, and we are proud and humbled to be part of their particularly eminent roster. We look forward to facing the end of humanity together.

More information about FEVERSEA can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/feverseaband

BLACK METAL VETERANS KOLDBRANN RELEASE NEW SINGLE FROM UPCOMING ALBUM

Posted: July 31, 2024 in DARK ESSENCE RECORDS, OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES
Tags: Black Metal, Dark Essence Records, Koldbrann, Norway, TNBM, True Norwegian Black Metal

Fans of Norwegian Black Metal know that if you mention the name KOLDBRANN you are going to get a band that is respectful of its traditional True Norwegian Black Metal roots, but one that goes its own way, eschewing any trends, in order to deliver a fearsome sound that is raw and completely uncompromising.

Even the title of KOLDBRANN’s upcoming fourth full-length album “Ingen Skånsel”, which translated means “No Mercy”, draws a line in the sand, inviting those who like their Black Metal raw, aggressive, and defiant, to follow them into its fearsome depths.

With the album’s release scheduled for the 23 August, Dark Essence Records have today allowed us another glimpse into what to expect, with the release of the single “Fortærer av Minne og Form”, which can be downloaded or streamed from a number of sources at:

https://orcd.co/koldbrann_famof

With its powerful and chaotic monotype cover art by Indonesian visual artist Bahrull Marta, here is what KOLDBRANN themselves had to say about it:

”Fortærer Av Minne Og Form’, translated to ‘Devourer Of Memory And Shape’, is a ravaging brute that will consume your soul and engulf your being – bones and all!

About his lyrics Kvass commented: “The lyrics were pieced together back in 2018, with the aim of conveying a feeling of paranoia and threat of annihilation. They are inspired by Roko’s Basilisk, the thought experiment about how a future all-powerful AI might seek to punish those who did not help it come into existence”.

Whilst songwriter Voidar gives us some insight into the music’s background: “The opening riff dates back to some odd hours scratch recording in 2019. You never know when inspiration strikes, so better utilize its immediacy to later let it fester for years on some cheaply acquired solid state silicon device. Perhaps to one day come back and seek its revenge – accidentally not unlike the lyrical theme. Come 2020 and we are putting an album together. At the time I had been listening to a lot of ELECTRIC WIZARD and HIGH ON FIRE while also sustaining several bartenders. Unclear of any inspiration or thereof I summoned this dredging riff for a middle section to remedy an otherwise invariant arrangement, topping it off with a somewhat inspired lead. Scriptum est”.

Produced by Mannevond, and mixed and engineered by Voidar at Voidsonic, ”Fortærer Av Minne Og Form” was mastered by Tom Kvålsvoll at Kvalsonic Lab. The drums were recorded by Ruben Willem at Amper Tone, Oslo, in August 2021, and guitars, bass and vocals were recorded by Voidar and Mannevond at Voidsonic and Industrigata, Oslo, during 2021-2022.

“Ingen Skånsel” will be available in CD, Digital, Cassette and Smoke Marble Vinyl formats and can can be pre-ordered now at:

Smartlink: https://orcd.co/ingen-skaansel
Webshop: https://darkessencerecords.no/shop
Bandcamp: https://koldbrann.bandcamp.com/album/ingen-sk-nsel

With layout by Salowe Vision, track listing for “Ingen Skånsel” is as follows:

Ingen Skånsel
Et Uomtvistelig Falsum
I Unaturens Vold
Prosesjon Under Blyhimmel
Det Kryper Kaldt
Maskiner av Nihil
Forstanden Seiler Sin Egen Sjø
Fortærer av Minne og Form
Rykk Skaperverket Opp med Roten
Vorde Eders Farkost en Katafalk
Serenade til Dødens Elende
Elevert Hinsides Tilstand (CD only track)

KOLDBRANN’s live appearances have earned the band a well-deserved notoriety and 2024/2025 will see the lineup of Mannevond on Vocals, Kvass and Voidar on Guitars, Leonid Melnikov on Drums, and John Grave on live Bass appearing in the Czech Republic, Poland, Germany, UK, Austria and Switzerland, as well as first-time performances in Canada, Turkey and Romania, with more to come!

Dark Essence Records recently released the single ‘I Unaturens Vold’ from the album, along with s video by Necrolust Productions (WHOREDOM RIFE, 1349, FURZE etc.), which was filmed at this year’s Inferno Metal Festival in Oslo, where KOLDBRANN played in front of a capacity crowd at the John Dee venue. It can be seen below:

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

BLACK METAL VETERANS KOLDBRANN RELEASE VIDEO AND SINGLE FROM UPCOMING ALBUM

Posted: June 20, 2024 in DARK ESSENCE RECORDS, OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES
Tags: Black Metal, Dark Essence Records, Koldbrann, Norwegian Black Metal, TNBM, True Norwegian Black Metal

Norwegian Black Metal veterans KOLDBRANN ended 2023 very much on their own terms, releasing a stand-alone, limited edition, 7″ vinyl single that proved itself to be a swaggering, defiant harbinger for the band’s upcoming fourth full-length album “Ingen Skånsel”, which is set for release on Dark Essence Records on the 23rd August.

It is a release that has been much anticipated by Black Metal fans, who recognize in KOLDBRANN a band that has always sought to create a sound that is uniquely their own – fresh, raw, and completely indifferent to whatever trend happens to be prevalent in the genre at the time.

But, significantly, KOLDBRANN have remained deeply rooted in the traditions of True Norwegian Black Metal, and this respect for their roots can be clearly heard on the track ‘I Unaturens Vold’, which has been released as a single. Even the cold and uninviting cover image, shot at Haukelifjell, Norway, by the talented photographer Vildensky, serves to set the foreboding tone and atmosphere for the song.

Short and concise, with a fierce thread running through it ‘I Unaturens Vold’ stands out from many of today’s trends in Black Metal, and can be downloaded or streamed from a number of services at:

https://orcd.co/i-unaturens-vold

The video for ‘I Unaturens Vold’ by Necrolust Productions (WHOREDOM RIFE, 1349, FURZE etc.), was filmed at this year’s Inferno Metal Festival in Oslo, where KOLDBRANN played in front of a capacity crowd at the John Dee venue. It can be seen below:

KOLDBRANN themselves had this to say about ‘I Unaturens Vold’:

After the punishing previous single, ‘Den 6. Massedød (Manna fra en annen himmel)’, with the primitive necro & roll B-side, ‘Inhumanitær Inngripen’, comes the energetic and melodic ‘I Unaturens Vold’ – the first single taken from our upcoming new album! Fierce and concise, with clear references to classic Norwegian Black Metal, the song has already become an established highlight of KOLDBRANN’s live set

‘I Unaturens Vold’ (translated to ‘In Unnature’s Grasp’) has clear references to classic Norwegian Black Metal, displaying melodious riffs and associations to nature. “Unnature” is used here as a contrast, to point the finger at the fakeness and insincerity in people. It is one of more new songs that deal with standing tall on the outside, turning one’s back on society and the world.

Replete with Mannevond’s trademark blacker than black raw vocals, and Kvass’ clever Norwegian lyrics, the album itself is confirmation that KOLDBRANN is back with a vengeance – as fearsome, as defiant and as uncompromising as ever.

Even the title “Ingen Skånsel”, which means “No Mercy”, lets everyone know that they are in for 12 tracks of pure aggression from a band that has never shown any mercy or taken any prisoners.

With layout by Salowe Vision, track listing for “Ingen Skånsel” is as follows:

Ingen Skånsel
Et Uomtvistelig Falsum
I Unaturens Vold
Prosesjon Under Blyhimmel
Det Kryper Kaldt
Maskiner av Nihil
Forstanden Seiler Sin Egen Sjø
Fortærer av Minne og Form
Rykk Skaperverket Opp med Roten
Vorde Eders Farkost en Katafalk
Serenade til Dødens Elende
Elevert Hinsides Tilstand (CD only track)

“Ingen Skånsel” will be available in CD, Digital, Cassette and Smoke Marble Vinyl formats and can to pre-ordered now at:

Smartlink: https://orcd.co/ingen-skaansel
Webshop: https://darkessencerecords.no/shop
Bandcamp: https://koldbrann.bandcamp.com/album/ingen-sk-nsel

A video of KOLDBRANN live at Wacken in 2023 can be seen below

BLACK METAL VETERANS KOLDBRANN REVEAL DETAILS OF UPCOMING ALBUM

Posted: May 28, 2024 in DARK ESSENCE RECORDS, OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES
Tags: Black Metal, Dark Essence Records, Koldbrann, Norway, Norwegian Black Metal

When Dark Essence Records announced that Norwegian Black Metal veterans KOLDBRANN would be joining the label for the release of the band’s fourth full-length album “Ingen Skånsel”, they also gave fans a taste of what they could expect from the band who had effectively been on hiatus for almost a decade.

That taste came in the form of a limited edition 7″, two-track vinyl “Den 6. Massedød (Manna fra en annen himmel)” that showed that KOLDBRANN had lost neither their edge, nor their defiant, “backs to the world” swagger, and that they were just as fearsome, and just as uncompromising, as they had ever been.

Or, as Distorted Sound Magazine put it:

“the band have re-asserted themselves as one of the undisputed masters of Norwegian black metal, cramming more frenetic moments and musical twists into just two songs than many of their contemporaries could manage on a whole album”.

Since the two tracks had been recorded at the same time as the album itself, it was fairly safe to assume that “Ingen Skånsel” would contain more of that same ferocity that has kept KOLDBRANN at the forefront of Norwegian Black Metal underground scene since 2001.

And, indeed, anyone hearing “Ingen Skånsel” for the first time will instantly recognise Mannevond’s trademark blacker than black raw vocals, which, combined with Kvass’ clever Norwegian lyrics, and the band’s unique riffs, confirm that KOLDBRANN have carved out their own individual sound.

It is a sound which, whilst deeply rooted in the True Norwegian Black Metal Tradition, nevertheless manages to remain fresh, raw and different, and, more importantly, completely untainted by whatever “play it by numbers” trend happens to be current on any particular day.

The title “Ingen Skånsel”, which means “No Mercy” says it all really, because this is a merciless, deeply aggressive album, that offers no quarter and takes no prisoners. With layout by Salowe Vision, track listing for “Ingen Skånsel” is as follows:

Ingen Skånsel
Et Uomtvistelig Falsum
I Unaturens Vold
Prosesjon Under Blyhimmel
Det Kryper Kaldt
Maskiner av Nihil
Forstanden Seiler Sin Egen Sjø
Fortærer av Minne og Form
Rykk Skaperverket Opp med Roten
Vorde Eders Farkost en Katafalk
Serenade til Dødens Elende
Elevert Hinsides Tilstand (CD only track)

The track “I Unaturens Vold” will be released as a single on the 20th June.

The album “Ingen Skånsel” will hit the streets on the 23rd August in CD, Digital, Cassette and Smoke Marble Vinyl formats. It is now available to pre-order at:

Smartlink to various services: https://orcd.co/ingen-skaansel
Webshop: https://darkessencerecords.no/shop
Bandcamp: https://koldbrann.bandcamp.com/album/ingen-sk-nsel

A video of KOLDBRANN live at Wacken in 2023 can be seen below and at https://youtu.be/2pVczr09ULU?si=bfzczi7igRcwd4wI

DARK ESSENCE RECORDS REVEALS ALBUM DETAILS AND NEW SINGLE FROM HARD ROCKERS VESTINDIEN

Posted: April 5, 2024 in DARK ESSENCE RECORDS, OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES
Tags: Bergen, Black Metal, Dark Essence Records, Hardcore, Heavy Metal, Norway, Old School Metal, Punk, rock n roll, Vestindien

When you name your band after the last known brothel (now a museum) in your home town, you’d better be able to deliver something special with your music, and without a doubt VESTINDIEN do just that with their sophomore full-length album “Verdande”.

Set for release on Dark Essence Records on the 10th of May, fans had already been given a glimpse into what to expect at the end of last year, when VESTINDIEN released a freshly mixed single even before the album was fully completed.

But now, with the album ready to go, Dark Essence Records are expanding that glimpse with a brand new single titled “Etter ilden”, a track which, according to VESTINDIEN, has undergone a series of iterations before having been deemed ready:

The demo was first written and recorded in the summer of 2021 in a location where the view from our windows was of the Urd, Skuld and Verdande mountains at Bjørnøya. It would be re-recorded several times before it finally came together as intended, at Underschön Studio in the fall of 2023.

“Etter ilden” is about taking the time to find calm and beauty in a world that is chaotic and full of suffering. We acknowledge that it is a privilege to be able to do so, whilst at the same time, we believe it is necessary to keep moving forward.

“Etter ilden” can be streamed or downloaded from a variety of sources at https://fanlink.tv/etterilden

“Verdande” comes three years on from the release of VESTINDIEN’s debut full-length “Null”, an album that served as an introduction to the band’s unique take on old-school metal but which hinted at something dark and harsh and sinister.

The fact that it was written both in a basement in Bergen, as well as on a secluded island in the Barents Sea, gives “Verdande” a unique feel, allowing its chaotic, claustrophobic underground roots to gain a more spacious, airy feel, that no doubt comes from being written out in the open sea.

With cover art by Geir Wallem and cover design by Sondre Krum Dahl, “Verdande” delivers eight tracks of psychedelic proto-metal with a gloomy twist, and whose song titles are in Norwegian, but whose lyrics are in English.

Track listing is as follows:

Humus
Evig Lys
Etter ilden
I en hule under berget
Alt vårt
Forbi stillheten
Verdande
Innover

“Verdande” will be released in Digital and LP formats, and is now available to pre-order from:

Webshop: https://darkessencerecords.no/shop/vestindien-verdande-black-vinyl/
Bandcamp: https://vestindien.bandcamp.com/album/verdande

VESTINDIEN, whose lineup today is comprised of Slettsnok on vocals, guitars and synth, Fader War and Henrik Paulsen on guitars, Karl Johan Johannessen on drums, Petter Beyer on synth and Pål Eirik Veseth on bass, was originally formed in 2009 and quickly earned itself a well-deserved reputation as an up-and-coming hardcore band with a heavy metal twist.

Their frenetic live shows gained the band a solid following, yet one year after the release of their 2011 EP “We are the Lords of Hellfire”, VESTINDIEN inexplicably called it a day. Their emergence several years later saw VESTINDIEN with a more introverted, and less hardcore and aggressive, approach to their music.

Answering only to their own their own standards and expectations, VESTINDIEN’s music today still hints at the bands hardcore roots but it has evolved into a sound that conjures up the essence of black metal, punk and old school rock’n’roll, all of which are enveloped in a dark shroud.

VESTINDIEN are confirmed to play a series of dates in the Spring. Routing as follows:

12 April: Blå, Oslo, Norway
13 April: Fängelset , Gøteborg, Sweden
19 April: Tou, Stavanger, Norway
27 April: T2, Ålesund, Norway
10 May: Landmark , Bergen, Norway

More information about the band can be found on their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Vestindien/

GENRE-DEFYING DUO LETHE RELEASE NEW SINGLE FROM UPCOMING ALBUM

Posted: March 15, 2024 in DARK ESSENCE RECORDS, OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES
Tags: Dark Essence Records, Electronic, Experimental, Lethe, Metal, Norway, Pop, Sweden, Triphop

When they first got together in 2012, Tor-Helge Skei (MANES, MANII etc.) and Anna Murphy (CELLAR DARLING, ex-ELUVEITIE) had it in mind that LETHE would act as a home for their musical and artistic aspirations. Which is precisely what happened. And now, two much-admired albums later, the Swiss/Norwegian duo are ready with their third full-length album “Alienation”.

Ahead of its release on Dark Essence Records on the 26th April, a second track from “Alienation” has been released. Titled “Éternel” the single can be downloaded or streamed from a variety of services at:

https://orcd.co/eternel

Introducing the single, LETHE had this to say:

The album is pretty varied, and it’s difficult to select a few songs to represent it as a whole.. but, trying to show some different sides of it, here’s a slightly ‘sharper’ and more energetic song this time, featuring the usual suspects – Eivind Fjøseide on guitars, Tor Arne Helgesen on drums, plus Pierre Ripka on vocals… enjoy! Become Alienated!

Named after one of the five rivers of Hades in Greek mythology, LETHE was built on the premise that the music created by the duo would follow only one rule, and that is that there would be no rules, no expectations and no compromises, thus allowing the band to experiment with their sound at every possible level.

LETHE’s music is therefore quite unique and very personal. A melting pot of dark rock, pop, electronic, experimentation and metal, filled with an atmosphere that is cold and harsh and interwoven with beautiful melodies and mesmerizing grooves.

It is a sound that has variously been described as “genre-bending”, “style-bastardization”, “eclectic”, and even “just plain weird”, resulting in LETHE being able to straddle a variety of disciplines, without having to fit themselves into any one in particular. Something that has drawn fans of all kinds of genres to the band.

“Alienation” itself took longer to appear given the circumstances that affected so much new music over the past few years, and it continues to explore LETHE’s idiosyncratic soundscapes, whilst at the same time giving Tor-Helge and Anna the freedom to explore new avenues, as they explain:

The 3rd chapter of the Lethe saga is, as always, an eclectic blend of expressions and atmospheres and moods, and not many defined borders, styles or rules.. Lyrically it’s about being outsiders, outcasts, and alienated in various forms, mentally, physically, ideologic(ally).. and musically.. (hence the album title).. So, join us on another journey, a personal and alternate one..

Track listing on “Alienation”, which features guest appearances by members of ATROX, MANES, THE 3^RD and THE MORTAL, and artwork by Tom Korsvold. is as follows:

Anhedonia
Brighter
When it’s Over
Éternel
Crossroads
Sedator
Erosion
Worm

“Alienation” will be released in CD, Digital and Limited Edition Purple Vinyl formats, and is now available to pre-order from:

Webshop: https://darkessencerecords.no/shop/
Bandcamp: https://lethemetal.bandcamp.com/album/alienation
US Webshop: https://darkessence.indiemerch.com

A video for the previously released single “Erosion”, comprised of clips taken from ‘Point of Return’ (University of Oklahoma), can be seen below and at https://youtu.be/PGzLIT3K8DE

More information about LETHE can be found on the band’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/LetheProject or on their website at https://torhelgeskei.com/lethe/

DOOM METALLERS BISMARCK REVEAL DETAILS AND SINGLE FROM UPCOMING ALBUM

Posted: March 7, 2024 in DARK ESSENCE RECORDS, OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES
Tags: Black Metal, Dark Essence Records, Doom, Doom Metal, Norway, Norwegian Black Metal, Post Rock, Psychedelic, Sludge

With a trademark sound that is an uncompromising mix of sludgy riffs and psychedelic nuances, BISMARCK’s lineup of Torstein Tveiten on Vocals, Leif Herland on Guitar and Backing Vocals, Eirik Goksøyr on Guitar, Tomas Osland on Bass and Tore Lyngstad on Drums, have earned themselves a reputation as one of the heaviest bands in Norway.

With the band having completed their latest album, Dark Essence Records have today announced details of what will be BISMARCK’s third full-length release. Slated to hit the streets on the 3rd May, “Vourukasha” promises to be an amp melting form of stoner doom, combined with atmospheric post-rock, and with a hint of Middle Eastern folk music and the Norwegian black metal the band grew up listening to.

As a hint of what to expect, Dark Essence have today released a single from the album. Titled “Sky Father”, the single can be downloaded or streamed from a variety of services at:

https://link.darkessencerecords.no/Bismarck_Sky-Father

This is what BISMARCK had to say about the single:

“Sky Father” is the divine wrath, the flood to come, and the fall of man. Its aggressive nature and ferocity coming to life with the help of Aslak (Ondt Blod), as he summons the unavoidable calamity.

“Vourukasha” is an album that amply showcases BISMARCK’s music. With its exploration of western esotericism, altered states of consciousness and a mystical apocalypse, “Vourukasha’s” lyrical content acts as the perfect foil to the band’s sound, which alternates between intense, fuzzed-out heaviness, and clean, atmospheric drones.

As the band explained

“Vourukasha” is a work born from curiosity, hard work, and sheer determination. It will take you on a metaphysical journey through space and time. From the darkest depths of the sea to the endless cosmic void. Join us, and dive into the Heavenly Sea.

With artwork by Vaderetro, track listing for “Vourukasha” is as follows:

Sky Father
Echoes
Kigal
The Tree of All Seeds
Vourukasha
Ocean Dweller

“Vourukasha” will be available in CD, Digital and Limited Edition Splatter Vinyl formats and can now be pre-ordered from:

Webshop: https://darkessencerecords.no/shop/
US Webshop: https://darkessence.indiemerch.com

BISMARCK has been confirmed to appear at Oslo’s Desertfest and the Valo Rock Festival in May 2024.

More information about BISMARCK can be found at https://www.facebook.com/Bismarckdoom

A video of BISMARCK live at the Vill Vill Vest festival at USF Verftet, Bergen, Norway, in 2020 can be seen at https://youtu.be/jdTpWV43g0s?si=EyikFAW0lg290qBx

GENRE-DEFYING DUO LETHE REVEAL ALBUM DETAILS, NEW SINGLE & VIDEO

Posted: February 16, 2024 in DARK ESSENCE RECORDS, OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES
Tags: Dark Essence Records, Electronic, Experimental, Lethe, Metal, Norway, Pop, Triphop

Following the inevitable delays that the past few years have wrought on new releases, LETHE are finally back with their third full-length album, scheduled for release on Dark Essence Records on the 24th April.

Titled “Alienation” the album continues to explore LETHE’s idiosyncratic soundscapes, described variously as “genre-bending”, “style-bastardization”, “eclectic”, and even “just plain weird”. However, this time the Swiss/Norwegian duo of Tor-Helge Skei (MANES, MANII etc.) and Anna Murphy (CELLAR DARLING, ex-ELUVEITIE) also dip their toes into new territories.

And, whilst waiting for the release date to arrive, Dark Essence Records have today released “Erosion” a track taken from the album, and about which LETHE had this to say:

It’s hard to pick out one song to represent the album, but ‘Erosion’ might give a little clue about what you can expect from the “Alienation”. Or not.. Joining us on the song are Tor Arne Helgesen on drums, Eivind Fjøseide on guitars and Marita Hellem on vocals.

“Erosion” can be downloaded or streamed on various services at:

https://link.darkessencerecords.no/Lethe_Erosion

Accompanying the single is a video comprised of clips taken from ‘Point of Return’ (University of Oklahoma), which can be seen below:

Formed in 2012, and taking their name from one of the five rivers in Hades in Greek mythology, LETHE was originally created as a home for Anna and Tor-Helge’s musical and artistic experimentation. And, right from the start, the duo made it very clear that the only rule is that there are no rules, no expectations and no compromises.

This has resulted in the band being able to experiment on every level, whilst being absolutely unafraid of incorporating melody and catchiness into their sound. LETHE’s music is therefore quite personal and different. A unique melting pot of dark rock, pop, electronic, experimentation and metal, filled with an atmosphere that is cold and harsh and interwoven with beautiful melodies and mesmerizing grooves.

With artwork by Tom Korsvold “Alienation” will be available in CD, Digital and Limited Edition Purple Vinyl, and track listing is as follows:

Anhedonia
Brighter
When it’s Over
Éternel
Crossroads
Sedator
Erosion
Worm

“Alienation” is now available to pre-order from:

Webshop: https://darkessencerecords.no/shop/
Bandcamp: https://lethemetal.bandcamp.com/album/alienation
US Webshop: https://darkessence.indiemerch.com

Commenting on the album, LETHE explained that:

“Alienation” took years longer than planned, because of a lot of things, circumstances far beyond our control, but it’s finally here! The 3rd chapter of the Lethe saga! As always, it’s an eclectic blend of expressions and atmospheres and moods, and not many defined borders, styles or rules.. Lyrically it’s about being outsiders, outcasts, and alienated in various forms, mentally, physically, ideologic(ally).. and musically.. (hence the album title).. So, join us on another journey, a personal and alternate one..

More information about LETHE can be found on the band’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/LetheProject or on their website at https://torhelgeskei.com/lethe/

DARK ESSENCE RECORDS RELEASE NEW SINGLE FROM UPCOMING MADDER MORTEM ALBUM

Posted: January 12, 2024 in DARK ESSENCE RECORDS, OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES
Tags: Americana, Dark Essence Records, Extreme, Heavy, Madder Mortem, Metal, Norway, Post Metal, Prog, Rock

With the release date of MADDER MORTEM “Old Eyes, New Heart”, fast approaching, Dark Essence Records have today revealed a new track from the album. Titled “Unity”, it is, according to the band:

A song about not lying to oneself, facing reality head-on and with honesty. Musically, “Unity” blends Muse-ish excess with Eastern rhythmic and melodic influences and a sing-along chorus, all wrapped in a very Madder Mortem mix of heaviness and atmosphere.

“Unity” can be downloaded or streamed from a variety of services at:

https://link.darkessencerecords.no/Madder-Mortem_Unity

Set for release on the 26th January, “Old Eyes, New Heart” is the eighth full-length album from MADDER MORTEM, a band that has never sought to fit into any particular category, but has preferred rather to draw upon styles such as Prog and Metal, Rock and Extreme, much to the delight of their many fans.

With “Old Eyes, New Heart”, MADDER MORTEM’s lineup of Agnete M. Kirkevaag on vocals, BP M. Kirkevaag on guitar & vocals, Anders Langberg on guitars, Tormod L. Moseng on bass and Mads Solås on drums have created a work that follows many unexpected directions ranging from post-metal heaviness to soft Americana grooves and everything in between

Recorded and produced by BP M. Kirkevaag, the album is an exploration of hope, disappointment, and the ambivalence between them. It is, essentially, music that comes from old hearts and deep roots, with new eyes open to the unlimited possibilities of 12 notes. But, as always, MADDER MORTEM’s intention is to write a good, honest song. And with “Old Eyes, New Heart” they have succeeded admirably.

But it is also an album whose creation has not been without turmoil, and with it also came the heartbreak that was felt at the death of Jakob Kirkevaag, the much-loved father of band members Agnete and BP, and a man whose unfailing support has been so important to MADDER MORTEM from its very inception almost 30 years ago.

“Old Eyes, New Heart”, is, in fact, dedicated to Jakob, an artist in his own right, who sadly did not live long-enough to see or hear the finished work. However, his contribution to the band lives on, because, with the help of MADDER MORTEM’s long-time collaborator, the artist and video producer Costin Chioreanu, two of Jakob’s original paintings were adapted to form the cover art for “Old Eyes, New Heart”.

“Old Eyes, New Heart”, will be available in CD, Digital, and Limited Edition LP formats in White Vinyl (limited to 250 copies) and Blue Vinyl (limited to 250 copies), and can now be pre-ordered from:

Webshop: https://darkessencerecords.no/kar270-madder-mortem-old-eyes-new-heart/
BandcampL https://maddermortem.bandcamp.com/album/old-eyes-new-heart
US Webshop: https://darkessence.indiemerch.com

Tracklisting on “Old Eyes, New Heart” is as follows:

Coming from the Dark
On Guard
Master Tongue
The Head that Wears the Crown
Cold Hard Rain
Unity
Towers
Here and Now
Things I’ll Never Do
10. Long Road

A release party for will be held at the Rockefeller / John Dee / Sentrum Scene in Oslo, Norway on the 3rd February, and fans will also be able to see MADDER MORTEM perform at this year’s Inferno Metal Festival in Oslo on Saturday 30th March.

A video by Patrick Scantlebury for “Towers” the recently released first single from “Old Eyes, New Heart” can be seen below and at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzf7cvrk3jU

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

DARK ESSENCE RECORDS RELEASES NEW TRACK AND VIDEO FROM UPCOMING ALFAHANNE ALBUM

Posted: January 10, 2024 in ALFAHANNE, DARK ESSENCE RECORDS, OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES
Tags: Alfahanne, Alfapokalyptic Rock, Black Metal, Classic Rock, Dark Essence Records, Punk, rock n roll

Sweden’s ALFAHANNE, whose ability both on and off stage to produce their own infectious, crowd-pleasing “Alfapocalyptic Rock” has endeared the band to a legion of fans since the 2013 release of their debut full-length “Alfapokalyps“, will be back this year with their fifth album “Vår tid är nu”.

But, although fans will have to wait until the 9th February to hear the album in its entirety, Dark Essence Records have today released a new single taken from the album. Titled “Wolfman” the track can be streamed or downloaded from a variety of services at

https://link.darkessencerecords.no/Alfahanne_Wolfman

Whilst the video, by Necrolust Productions, can be seen below and on YouTube at https://youtu.be/wCayoki-82U

Commenting on the track, ALFAHANNE noted that:

The song includes brilliant Steel guitar work which is something different for us, but make no mistake, “Wolfman” is as “Alfahanne” as it gets. It’s a classic Rock song but it comes with a twist because we have never been afraid of turning left when the road turns right.

Whilst “Vår tid är nu” is unmistakably ALFAHANNE, replete with the band’s mix of Black Metal, Classic Rock, Punk and a healthy dose of Rock n Roll, it is, nevertheless, their heaviest album to date. The catchy melodies and the punk swagger are all present, but so too is a an underlying bleak atmosphere that is reminiscent of both the early days of Black Metal and the 80s.

With album cover art by Roger Pettersson and photography by Uffe Sandin, tracklisting on “Vår tid är nu” is as follows:

Intro
9:e cirkeln
Eremiten (Feat. Doedsadmiral)
Elden har vaknat
Alfa omega (Feat. Nattefrost)
Wolfman
När allt faller-Kaiken Kaatuessa
(Feat. Spellgoth)
213
Vår tid är nu (Feat. Nattfursth)
Outro

Known for their ability to attract a veritable who’s who of Scandinavian Extreme Metal icons to guest both on their albums and on stage – artists such as Hoest (TAAKE), V’gandr (HELHEIM), Dolk (KAMPFAR), Erlend Hjelvik (KVELERTAK), Spellgoth (HORNA, TURMION KÄTILÖT), Nattfursth (SORHIN), David Lindh (YVONNE and BRODER DANIEL), Sanrabb (GEHENNA) and Niklas Kvarforth (SHINING), ALFAHANNE carry on this tradition with “Vår tid är nu”.

This time CARPATHIAN FOREST’s legendary Nattefrost himself makes an appearance, along with Doedsadmiral (NORDJEVEL), both of whom contribute their first ever guest vocals with the band, whilst Spellgoth (HORNA) and Nattfursth (SORHIN) make a welcome return.

“Vår tid är nu” will be available in CD, Digital and Limited Edition Swamp Green Vinyl formats and can be pre-ordered now from:

Bandcamp: https://alfahanne.bandcamp.com/album/v-r-tid-r-nu
Webshop: https://darkessencerecords.no/shop/
US Webshop: https://darkessence.indiemerch.com/

ALFAHANNE’s lineup is comprised of Pehr Skjoldhammer on guitars and vocals, Fredrik Sööberg on guitars, Jimmy Wiberg on bass, Niklas Åström on drums, and Stefan Eriksson on keyboards and guitars, and more information about the band can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/alfahanneofficial

ALFAHANNE have already been confirmed to appear at 2024’s Karmoygeddon Festival to be held in Kopervik, Norway, 2-4 May.

A video of ALFAHANNE performing the track “Indiehora” from their album “Alfapokalyps”, live at Inferno Festival 2014, and featuring V’gandr of TAAKE & HELHEIM can be seen https://youtu.be/alOrLodpTGg

PATRICIA THOMAS BAND MANAGEMENT

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