On October 25th, stoner/heavy rock trio UNDERDOGS will release their brand new full-length record “Nine Ties”, which will be coming out via Go Down Records. In support of the new album, the band has released the first single titled “Knockin On Hell’s Door”, along with an electrifying music video featuring a special guest appearance by the legendary Nick Oliveri (Mondo Generator, Kyuss).
“Knockin’ On Hell’s Door originated from a guitar and drums jam, with a punk-core rhythm reminiscent of Mondo Generator’s first album“, vocalist Simone Vian comments. “In my mind, Oliveri’s vocals would have been perfect… When Go Down Records gave us the opportunity to open for a Nick Oliveri gig, we submitted the song to him. He keenly agreed to sing it and provided us with perfect vocals in a quick but effective backstage recording, demonstrating great humility and professionalism. Shortly after, we performed it together on stage, and the footage ended up in the song’s official video.”
UNDERDOGS’ upcoming new album represents the band’s rebirth after a long hiatus – Their comeback features the heavy sound of the early days, combined with greater technical awareness and a new hardcore punk attitude. Taking a wink at genre clichés without becoming addicted, they mix different elements to create their trademark. The new songs are clearly drawn from the 90s and have been influenced by post-punk and post-metal. The band’s mission is to refresh its roots with a contemporary approach.
“Nine Ties” will be coming out on October 25 via Go Down Records and is now available for pre-order here:Vinyl | Digital
OCTOPLOID,the band founded by AMORPHIS bass player Olli-Pekka “Oppu” Laine, share the official video for their new single ‘Monotony,’ previously available only as bonus track on the physical versions of their acclaimed debut album “Beyond The Aeons,” which was released on July 5, 2024 via Reigning Phoenix Music (RPM).
‘Monotony’ is a ruthless blend of stoner rock, death metal, and psychedelic prog rock. Its fragile melodic chorus is followed by a brutal death command – a combination that usually does the trick. The song’s lyrics are written from the perspective of a production animal, making it a sister song to the first single ‘Human Amoral [feat. Tomi Joutsen]’ and not exactly a eulogy for a human being.
“With ‘Monotony,’ I aimed to incorporate as much variety as possible,” explains Olli-Pekka Laine. “Musically, it represents creative freedom and stepping out of the comfort zone – which makes for an exciting, challenging listen!”
Order “Beyond The Aeons” in your preferred physical format [CD-digipak or eco-friendly/recycled “dusk of vex” marbled vinyl], stream it on your favourite digital service provider (DSP), or purchase it digitally here: https://octoploid.rpm.link/beyondtheaeonsPR.
OCTOPLOID‘s debut tour kicks off in the spring of 2025. The first confirmed dates are:
02.05.2025 FI Helsinki – On the Rocks 09.05.2025 FI Kuopio- Sawohouse Underground 10.05.2025 FI Oulu- 45 Special
OCTOPLOID, the solo project of Olli-Pekka Laine (bassist, keyboardist, and backing vocalist, known for his work with AMORPHIS, BARREN EARTH, and MANNHAI), was established in 2022. This venture has culminated in “Beyond The Aeons,” the act’s debut album which was released on July 5, 2024 through Reigning Phoenix Music (RPM). OCTOPLOID‘s music merges elements of 90s death/black metal, 70s prog rock, and 90s psychedelic rock, carving a distinct niche in the music landscape. The sound of OCTOPLOID has aptly been described as “classic death prog.”
The band’s line-up is built around Laine and features four talented musicians. Mikko Pietinen, a versatile drummer with experience ranging from stoner rock with MANNHAI to Finnish mainstream pop rock (including bands like KASMIR), and Peter Salonen, a lead/rhythm guitarist known for his work with THE KINKY THING — a band that performs covers of Finnish psych rock legends KINGSTON WALL — is relatively new to the scene. The group is completed by keyboardist Kim Rantala (GIANT ROBOT, formerly of AMORPHIS) and vocalist Mikko Kotamäki (SWALLOW THE SUN etc.; live).
OCTOPLOID are: Mikko Kotamäki | vocals (live) Peter Salonen | guitars Kim Rantala | keyboards Olli-Pekka Laine | bass, keyboards, backing vocals Mikko Pietinen | drums, percussion
The masters of aural hellfire, 1349, are set to carve their infamous runes deeper into the chronicles of black metal history with their new release, The Wolf and The King. This eighth sonic obliteration unfurls eight brutal tracks that are a testament to their unrelenting ferocity and mastery over chaos and carnage.
This latest offering, a tempestuous journey through blistering aggression and ambient malevolence, epitomizes 1349‘s relentless pursuit of the darker arts. Recorded between the arcane sanctuaries of Amper Tone in Oslo and New Constellation R.M.P. in Orlando, Florida, and forged by the anvil of Ravn and Jarrett Pritchard, The Wolf and The King blends primordial energy with modern chaos.
From the opening onslaught of The God Devourer to the ominous gravitas in Shadow Point, this album is a portal into realms where shadows devour the weak, and transformation reigns supreme. Tracks like Ash of Ages, melding thrash with extreme black metal, and Inferior Pathways, delivering classic headbanging riffs, create an iron spine that will have the masses headbanging into oblivion.
Lyrically, The Wolf and The King traverses the perilous expanses of the Abyss, entwining themes of alchemical riddles, astral projections, and ancient epignosis. It charts a harrowing course of transformation through destruction, liberation, and mind expansion. This is not mere music; it’s a ritual, a testament to the relentless evolution at the heart of black metal.
Tracklist 1. The God Devourer (5:10) [WATCH] 2. Ash of Ages (5:27) [LISTEN] 3. Shadow Point (3:40) [WATCH] 4. Inferior Pathways (4:28) [LISTEN] 5. Inner Portal (5:08) 6. The Vessel and The Storm (5:15) 7. Obscura (3:44) 8. Fatalist (5:51) Total runtime: 39:01
1349 is not like other bands. It’s not a group of friends who decided to make music together. 1349 is a band formed with a unified vision and specific purpose: To maintain the legacy of black metal.
“I didn’t like the direction that black metal took in the mid part of the ’90s,” 1349 vocalist and mastermind Ravn recalls. “It started losing everything that I liked about black metal—the grimness, the eeriness, the primal emotions that captivated me and brought me into that sphere. You had all these synthesizer-based bands dressing up in pirate shirts and looking like goths. It ruined something that I truly hold close to my heart.”
In 1997, Ravn formed 1349 and recruited bassist Seidemann and, now former, guitarist Tjalve to help him pursue the vision of recapturing the original spirit of black metal. The longstanding lineup of Ravn, Seidemann, guitarist Archaon, and drummer Frost (also of Satyricon) has been in place since 2001. “I found people that felt the same way as me,” Ravn says of his bandmates. “We wanted to bring back the trademark of Norwegian black metal, as it was presented in the early 90s. Every time we release an album, that’s the inspiration and the backdrop.”
The Wolf and the King is the latest sortie in that crusade.1349’s eighth album sees the Oslo-based band harnessing the primordial energy of black metal’s decade-defining second wave and channeling it through ancient mysteries and the relentless global chaos of the 2020s.
The album title comes from a classic alchemical allegory: A wolf devours a king. Then the wolf is devoured by flames, and a new king rises from the ashes. “When I first heard about alchemy when I was young, it was people turning metal into gold,” Ravn says. “Further down the road, through various literatures and magical practices, I realized that what you’re turning into gold is metaphorical. It’s about personal development, basically. You want to be the best you can be, and that’s what we try to do as well. We try to top ourselves, to kill our egos in order to grow as persons. If you don’t do that, you will die. You will not rise from the ashes.”
Lead single “Ash of Ages” combines thrash with extreme metal flourishes and a proper doomsday theme. “The song is based on a story I read about a layer of ash that covered the Earth 12,000 years ago,” Ravn explains. “This layer of ash comes from a meteorite that struck the Earth during the Ice Age. It melted a lot of the ice, which is where the Great Flood came from. The Great Flood is in the Bible, but it was written about in every ancient culture. The theory is that it washed away a lot of other ancient cultures that held a higher intelligence level than those that were found after the flood. So, it possibly set human civilization back many thousands of years.”
Released as a one-sided maxi-12” with a flipside etching by Jordan Barlow—who did all the artwork for The Wolf and the King (as well as the band’s 2019 album, The Infernal Pathway)—“Ash of Ages” is also a warning to check your ego. “To think that you’re important, that you’re anything but an ant down there, is futile,” Ravn points out. “In the end, everything will be washed away, and nothing will be left.”
“Shadow Point” comes complete with a video and revisits the sonic domain of The Infernal Pathway with a classic headbanger groove. “This one references the Star of Algol, or ‘the Demon Star,’” Ravn offers. “It’s actually two stars that revolve around each other, and the small one is devouring the big one. Human beings have seen this star from early ages, and it has had many names over the years. It’s a known part of the magical world, so I wanted to include it in a song.”
Shot through with menace and a snaky groove, album opener “The God Devourer” will also have a video. “The lyrics are based on the alchemical principle of devouring all that you feel is in your way of becoming a better human,” Ravn says. “It sets the ominous tone for the whole album.”
Recorded at Amper Tone in Oslo, Norway, and New Constellation R.M.P. in Orlando, Florida, The Wolf and the King was produced and mixed by Ravn and Jarrett Pritchard (Eulogy, Pulchra Morte), the band’s long-standing sonic wizard who also worked on their previous two albums. The lyrics were written by the band’s longtime wordsmith, Svartalv, who has been working with 1349 for twenty years.
Jordan Barlow’s elaborate artwork for The Wolf and the King reflects the album’s chronological position in 1349’s discography. “This is our eighth album, and the artwork and lyrics are filled with references to this number of infinity,” Ravn explains. “You can basically go on a quest finding references to the number in the artwork.”
All told, The Wolf and the King is the exalted output of the joint force that is 1349. “We all work together to make the best black metal possible every time we release an album,” Ravn says. “This is our common goal. We’re a band on a mission.”
Recording Studio Amper Tone (Oslo, Norway) & NEW CONSTELLATION R.M.P. (Orlando, USA)
Production Credits Produced by Jarrett Prichard & Ravn Mixed by Jaerrett Prichard & Ravn at NEW CONSTELLATION R.M.P. Mastered by Jaerrett Prichard at NEW CONSTELLATION R.M.P.
With their third single ‘Soaring’, noise rock outfit Walfang invite you to step into the world of anxiety and depression. The track is taken from the upcoming album Trigger The Short-Fused, which will be out on 8th November via Barley Records.
A personal note on ‘Soaring’, comes from drummer Charlie Buyse: “I went through a terrible time when writing this song. Looking back it bordered close to depression. I wanted to capture what I felt like. Feeling like shit, drowning myself in work in order to feel something but never feeling content with my work.
“I would use the anxiety that I felt to push myself further and harder, knowing it would hurt me far more in the end. But in that tunnelvision it doesn’t matter, since moving up is the only thing that matters, and i’ll have time to be happy later, when I succeed. The joke is of course that you’ll never succeed if you’re not happy with what your output is. Ambition shouldn’t be an excuse for feeling bad, it should what get you up in the morning, not what drags you down. Learning how to temper that ambition and use it in a positive way is Sisyphean yet essential.
“These lyrics were hard to write, they are harder to hear. But they were a very important part, the first steps actually, in a healing process. Looking back it’s a mental state I never want to go back to in the first place. And hopefully a warning for other ambitious people who are in a similar situation.“
Track-list 1. Probably Sand 2. Soaring 3. No Season 4. Japanese Emperor 5. Marimo Is Deaf 6. Eerie 7. Furious Return 8. Solitude 9. Most Versatile Piece Of Meat
The seasons are dying out, and so are we.
Walfang is a Belgian noise collective known for its genre-defying sound and deeply emotional themes. Originating from the Waasland region, the band has carved out a unique place in the alternative music scene, blending elements of noise rock, post-punk, and experimental rock into intense and often challenging musical landscapes. Walfang embraces a “post-everything” approach, breaking traditional genre boundaries and taking listeners on a dark, introspective journey.
Since their inception, Walfang has built a reputation for creating music that is both powerful and vulnerable. Their lyrics and compositions delve into themes such as apathy, self-destruction, and the fear of the future, leaving a lasting impact on the listener. Each band member brings their own musical influences, resulting in an eclectic and ever-evolving sound that is uniquely Walfang.
Walfang is more than just a band; they are a collective that defies conventions and expectations. This is also evident in their self-produced music videos, which are as quirky and creative as their music. The videos for both “No Season” and “Probably Sand” highlight the band’s determination to realize their artistic vision entirely on their own terms, even if it means spending 100 hours on YouTube tutorials to achieve the perfect result.
Walfang remains a constant force in the alternative music scene, with their uncompromising artistic integrity and ability to capture a wide range of emotions and ideas in their music. With their upcoming album Trigger The Short-Fused, the band is expected to delve even deeper and push the boundaries of what noise rock can be.
Album release show: 20/11/2024 – De Casino, Sint-Niklaas – w/ Ronker.
THE HAUNTING is a dark ambient project inspired by Japanese horror, created by Jakub Lisicki, the lyricist of black metal bands Voidfire and Erebos, and the author of the book “Anamene i inne opowiadania”. The concept of the project, as well as the album “The Hautning“, was born in 2023.
The goal of The Haunting‘s debut is to tell a horror story using extremely unconventional, disturbing, and boundary-pushing artistic methods. It combines dark ambient textures, household environment sounds, and unsettling, dehumanized voices to create a unique cinematic horror atmosphere. The Haunting is a concept album that tells the story of one night, during which an evil spirit/demon appears in a quiet, isolated house and mercilessly murders the entire family living there.
Music for the album was recorded in the artist’s home studio. Jakub Lisiecki is responsible for the music production from recording through mixing to mastering. The cover was created by the Filipino artist Yuki Hijirikawa, using the pseudonym Yukisensei.
The debut album of The Haunting project will be released on November 1, 2024, and will out by Jakub Lisicki‘s new DIY label, Sulphuric Darkness. Album will be available both digitally and physically as a limited to 22 copies CDr in a cardboard sleeve (pre-order).
Stream song “The arrival of the evil spirit” at Bandcamp, here.
Tracklist:
1. I wish you good dreams 2. Weird nightmares 3. Shadows have eyes now 4. The arrival of the evil spirit 5. The chase 6. The dialogue between the malicious and the innocent 7. Feasting on a child’s soul and body 8. I’ve heared some strange noises 9. My son is dead 10. I’ve found you demon! (and I shall avenge my child) 11. Brutally torn apart 12. A house full of half-devoured corpses 13. The end of the murderous night
Australian extreme progressive metal titans NE OBLIVISCARIS stand unrivaled. Now, they beckon you to witness one of the most breathtaking displays of technical artistry and relentless power: the drum playthrough by none other than Dan Presland – a journey into the heart of the storm.
As the duality of light and darkness defines their soundscapes, so too does Presland’s percussive mastery shape the soul of NE OBLIVISCARIS. Returning to the thunderous beats of their 2014 magnum opus, Citadel, now reborn through the alchemy of modern remastering, Dan Presland presents an unrivaled demonstration of his craft.
This fresh incarnation rekindles the album’s intricate layers where Presland’s drumming is an unshakeable force—a tempest that propels each track from “Painters of the Tempest” to “Devour Me, Colossus”. Every beat, every crash, every pulse of the kick drum resonates with the collective heartbeat of NE OBLIVISCARIS, epitomizing the sheer grandeur of their art.
Tracklist: 1. Painters of the Tempest (Part I): Wyrmholes (3:08) 2. Painters of the Tempest (Part II): Triptych Lux (16:35) 3. Painters of the Tempest (Part III): Reveries from the Stained Glass Womb (3:35) 4. Pyrrhic (9:50) 5. Devour Me, Colossus (Part I): Blackholes (12:36) 6. Devour Me, Colossus (Part II): Contortions (2:28) Total runtime: 48:12
Drum tracking for Exul, the fourth long-player from Australian extreme progressive metallers Ne Obliviscaris, started in March 2020. There is an ominous tone to that date: March 2020. The pandemic demarcation line. That month, Daniel Presland laid down his drums in Nashville, Tennessee, with American producer Mark Lewis. As flight cancellations increased and borders shuttered, Presland made it home literally hours before Australia closed theirs. Lewis, guitarist Benjamin Baret and bassist Martino Garattoni weren’t as lucky. They were due to land in Australia in the days that followed to continue tracking, but were forced to remain overeseas indefinitely. With recording studios shuttered throughout Melbourne, a slow, tedious, life-altering two-year grind to complete Exul ensued for Ne Obliviscaris.
Seven additional studios and three more countries later, Exul was finally mixed and mastered in July 2022.
The album personifies Ne Obliviscaris’s distinctive, boundary-pushing ethos. The band’s trademark blend of emotion and beauty is as towering as ever, if not even more compelling, particularly how Charles’s violin lines carefully weave their way around Baret and fellow guitarist Matt Klavins’ riffing. The duality of Charles’s clean vocals and Xenoyr’s growls remains the narrative anchor, elevating songs that emanate sophistication and are a masterclass in composition.
Lineup: Xenoyr – Harsh Vocals James Dorton – (Live) Harsh Vocals Tim Charles – Violin & Clean Vocals Benjamin Baret – Lead Guitar Matt Klavins – Guitar Martino Garattoni – Bass Dan Presland – (Live) Drums
Biography: David E. Gehlke
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