Ahead of its release this Friday on the twisted Time To Kill Records roster, Decibel Magazine today presents an exclusive stream of “Moribundis Grim”, the final LP from the legendary NECROPHAGIA.
“Moribundis Grim” will be released via Time To Kill Records this Friday, May 10th 2024.
In the years of 2016-2018, the band’s last line-up – Killjoy, Serge Streltsov, Shawn Slusarek and Jake Arnette – composed and started recording what became their final opus,“Moribundis Grim”.
Unfortunately, in 2018 Killjoy passed away before finishing the album. In 2022 with the help of special guests and former NECROPHAGIA members – John McEntee from Incantation, Titta Tani (ex Goblin) and Mirai Kawashima from Sigh – the album was finally completed.
In a way, it is quite sensational to see another NECROPHAGIA album released at this point in time, meaning 40 years after their first demos were released!
Serge Streltsov adds:
“‘Moribundis Grim’ is Killjoy’s final album. These are his last vocal performances. The album features the last Necrophagia live line up: Killjoy Desade, Serge Streltsov, Shawn Slusarek and Jake Arnette, along with special guest John McEntee and previous members Titta Tani and Mirai Kawashima. These songs are the demos the band and Killjoy worked on up until Killjoy’s passing. Also featuring re-worked versions of songs from the first album and a Samhain cover. Once again the bastard children of horror and gore capture the true essence of what Necrophagia is all about. Killjoy and Fulci Live! Gore Forever!”.
Completed from a remote creative exchange, with ideas being bounced back and forth between all members to create an eight-track barrage of death metal, “Moribundis Grim” is an incredible achievement.
Tracklist:
01. House By The Cemetery (Cover) 02. Moribundis Grim 03. Bleeding Torment 04. Mental Decay 05. Halloween 3 (Samhain cover) 06. The Wicked (Live) 07. Scarecrows 08. Sundown
Titta Tani – Drums, Backing Vocals Mirai Kawashima- Keys John McEntee – Guest Vocals Dee Commisso – Keys
NECROPHAGIA are a seminal band of the early 80s and are considered, along with Possessed and Death, one of the founding groups of death metal. NECROPHAGIA was formed in late 1983 by the Godfather of Gore Metal, Killjoy and their debut recording “Season of the Dead” was unleashed in February 1987. In the same year the Americans split despite their tremendous impact in the underground death metal scene, which they helped founding. In the middle of the 1990’s horror fan Philip Anselmo (PANTERA, DOWN) convinced Killjoy to resurrect NECROPHAGIA and joined for the next three releases including their second album “Holocausto de la Morte” (1998). The band released two more albums including “The Divine Art of Torture” (2003) and several EPs despite undergoing continued line-up changes. NECROPHAGIA‘s fourth full length “Harvest Ritual Vol. 1” (2005) saw some experimentation, while their next eerie incarnation “Deathtrip 69” featured more evil movie samples adding to the beloved vintage horror feeling. In 2014, the time came to light the black candles, chant the incantations and watch the “WhiteWorm Cathedral” rise which, without anybody knowing, would be the band’s latest offering, as Killjoy passed away on March 18, 2018.
Photo Credit: Randy Caballero | Doug Julien | Anthony Lopardo
RIOT V will unleash their new album “Mean Streets” on May 10th via Atomic Fire Records!
Heavy metal was born on the streets. A dangerous din, the calamitous sound of chains and leather, of motorbikes, of recklessness and lawlessness. On their ripping new album »Mean Streets,« NYC legends RIOT (V) take heavy metal back to the streets. Back to where it was born. Back to where it belongs.
“RIOT was born and raised on the streets of New York,” bass veteran Donnie Van Stavern says of the band that was started by iconic guitar overlord Mark Reale. “Mark and the guys would play block parties and concerts and ended up meeting the first producers and management that helped them take off so to speak. This new record represents growing up on the streets of Brooklyn.” He must know: Joining the band in 1986, he’s the longest running RIOT (V) member. Founded in 1975 – almost a whooping 50 years ago – by Reale, the band all but dominated the US metal scene in the ‘80s, bursting out of New York City with ground-breaking albums »Fire Down Under« [1981] and »Thundersteel« [1988], swiftly becoming one of the biggest metal bands in the world.
Early landslide performances in the UK at Castle Donington (where else?), in Wacken or as support for some of the biggest names ever like BLACK SABBATH, AC/DC, RUSH, RAINBOW or KISS – to name but a few – made them become pioneers of power metal. RIOT quickly rose to one of the pivotal acts worldwide to herald the triumph of steel. After the tragic death of figurehead Reale back in 2012, the surviving members reformed the band to RIOT (V), honoring his legacy and continuing to spawn world-class, hard-hitting, gritty heavy metal in the way it was meant to be played. With amps on eleven and the pedal to the metal.
»Mean Streets« tells about this legacy. And about the undying love for an immortal genre. Today, RIOT (V) combine their early days street-style heavy metal with their triumphant power metal force, patching together their various body parts to a Frankenstein’s monster kind of record that will please fans of each and every era. “»Mean Streets« is an album that we put a lot of passion into for our legacy and fans,” notes Van Stavern. And that’s not lightly said for a band looking back at a storied and tumultuous career like theirs. “Throughout the years I have learned what the listener expects from the band,” he continues. “We had some time off so we really wanted to make the fans happy with our return. We always write with Mark in mind and what he might have done. This one will represent all eras of the band from the rock beginnings of »Rock City« to our last power metal release »Armor Of Light.«” He promises: “We always unleash the ‘fire down under’!”
Written in the chaos of these past years and recorded in their various home studios as well as in Michigan, Texas and New Jersey, already the first seconds of »Mean Streets« make good of that promise. Only take churning album opener ‘Hail To The Warriors,’ a banger that will make present-day JUDAS PRIEST and IRON MAIDEN look pale in comparison: The power, the vigor, the zeal – it’s as if the ‘80s had never ended! After two albums without founding figure Mark Reale, RIOT (V) truly come into their own on their overall 17th record. “We knew continuing wouldn’t be an easy task because RIOT (V) fans deserve what they to came to know and love,” the bassist says and adds: “Luckily we were well received and soldier on for the family.”
What’s extraordinary about RIOT (V) is that this band is all but an estate manager of past glories. Instead, with a stable line-up since 2012, they continue the saga and honor the legacy of one of the biggest and most influential bands ever to come from the States. In fact, there has never been a longer time with the same line-up. Seems the fellowship of vocal tornado Todd Michael Hall, Donnie Van Stavern, Mike Flyntz (guitars), Nick Lee (guitars) and Frank Gilchriest (drums) has finally broken the curse of this endlessly rotating cast of members. “I am very proud that the band continues on and I do all in my power to make us the best we can be in this ever changing musical world,” bassist and manager Van Stavern says. “Mark used to say ‘longevity of a band is achieved through good music’… so as long as we keep putting out good music we will keep the fire burning for the RIOT legacy.”
Oh and how wild this fire is burning. From ‘High Noon,’ a quintessential RIOT (V) anthem in the vein only Mark Reale could write, to PRIEST-like banger ‘Feel the Fire’ or the dirty daredevilry of title track ‘Mean Streets,’RIOT (V) never lose their nerve, their verve, their bite. “Heavy metal is a passion. It’s impossible to give up after doing it for so many years,” Van Stavern says with a crooked grin. “As long as you can perform and compose it will be ingrained deep in your heart and soul.” There’s really nothing to add here.
SEBASTIAN BACH is set to release their new album “Child Within The Man” this Friday, May 10th via Reigning Phoenix Music (RPM)!
With an inimitable presence as loud as his instantly identifiable voice, SEBASTIAN BACH has left a San Andreas Fault-size imprint on music, theater, film, television, and culture. Moreover, his influence only continues to magnify.
He has penned and voiced some of the most iconic anthems in rock history, crafting a catalog highlighted by generational hits such as ’18 And Life,’ ‘I Remember You,’ ‘Youth Gone Wild,’ ‘Slave To The Grind,’ ‘Wasted Time,’ and ‘Monkey Business,’ to name a few. He has made history as “the first heavy metal singer on Broadway” with a now legendary turn in Jekyll & Hyde: The Musical in addition to leading roles in The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Jesus Christ Superstar. He has appeared in dozens of television series and films, ranging from Trailer Park Boys and Robot Chicken to Spongebob Squarepants, The Masked Singer, and Hell’s Kitchen. Speaking to his versatility, he’s the rare force of nature who can duet with Axl Rose and reprise a seven-season recurring role on Gilmore girls.
After selling tens of millions of albums, generating billions of streams, toppling charts, and packing arenas and amphitheaters around the world, he does what he does best on his long-awaited sixth full-length album, »Child Within The Man« (Reigning Phoenix Music).
“All I can do is make music that I love,” he explains. “That’s all I’ve ever done – and I really love this album. I have the same feeling for these songs that I did for ’18 And Life.’ I hear the same emotion. If anyone is feeling down or depressed, crank this record. You’ll realize you can take the bull by the horns.”
Sebastian’s return is long overdue, to say the least.
He dropped his last solo record, »Give ‘Em Hell,« in 2014. Since then, he remained as busy as ever on the road. He launched popular tours such as »18 And LIVE« as well as celebratory 30th anniversary jaunts in honor of the self-titled SKID ROW and »Slave To The Grind,« performing each classic in its entirety. Not to mention, he unveiled his acclaimed autobiography »18 And Life On SKID ROW.«
Along the way, he carefully assembled what would become »Child Within The Man« with none other than powerhouse producer Michael “Elvis” Baskette (MAMMOTH WVH, ALTER BRIDGE) behind the board. He proved to be the perfect fit both sonically and philosophically. Rather than record on the West Coast, Sebastian and his cohorts Devin Bronson (guitars), Todd Kerns (bass), and Jeremy Colson (drums) decamped to Florida and holed up at Elvis’ Studio Barbarosa.
They invariably benefitted from living, writing, and recording together under one roof – a first for Sebastian.
“In my whole career, I’ve never lived in a house with the band, and it was like a whole family. We’d walk downstairs, get coffee, eat breakfast, and go to work. It’s how Elvis does things.”
The title represents the arc of the album for Sebastian and, ultimately, his journey thus far. No matter how much the world around him has changed, he has never lost sight of why he pursued music in the first place. Like a surge of uncontainable energy, his excitement powers up the album.
“Nothing makes me feel more like a little kid than great rock ‘n’ roll does,” he exclaims. “You can put on a song, and it’ll make you feel like a child – no matter how old you are. That’s what music is all about to me. It’s a valuable thing to have in life. During the years of being shut down for the pandemic, I’d remind myself how much fun rock is. It adds light to your life. That’s the core theme of the album. Along with the artwork, it’s why »Child Within The Man« is such a perfect title.”
Mastered by the legendary Robert Ludwig [LED ZEPPELIN, JIMI HENDRIX, TOOL, KISS, Donald Fagen, Eagles, METALLICA], the music captures Sebastian at his most impassioned and indomitable with no shortage of youthful spirit. He introduces the record with the arena-ready stomp of ‘What Do I Got To Lose?’ Co-written by Myles Kennedy [ALTER BRIDGE, SLASH], guitars lock into a heart-thumping groove as Sebastian’s voice rings out on the refrain, “I’m holding on for judgment day.” The momentum gives way to a fret-burning lead.
“To me, ‘What Do I Got To Lose?’ is the perfect sentiment for a guy who hasn’t put out a record in almost a decade,” he laughs. “What do I have to lose? The answer is nothing, and a lot. It’s an anthem for coming back and crushing it. It’s time to lay down the law and put the hammer down old school-style.”
The album opens with the onslaught of ‘Everybody Bleeds.’ His menacing intonation kickstarts a barrage of galloping drums and incisive riffing, crashing into the chorus, “Everybody bleeds, everybody burns, everybody drowns.”
“If you want it hard and fast, f*ckn’ turn it up and let’s go. Here’s the next chapter.”
Then, there’s ‘(Hold On) To The Dream.’ Clean guitar underscores a dynamic vocal run from Sebastian. He stretches his high register to the heavens over a palm-muted trudge only to turn on a dime with a venomous and vitriolic bridge, “You…stand for something, but you die for nothing. You…sick of living this nightmare.”
“To me, it’s the heaviest song I’ve ever been a part of, and that’s saying something,” he grins. “It harkens back to my passion for classic metal in terms of the structure.”
Welcoming a bevy of friends along for the ride, guitar god John 5 [MÖTLEY CRÜE] tears right through ‘Freedom’ with a scorching guest spot, continuing a longstanding 3-album creative collaboration with Sebastian. Speaking of old friends, Steve Stevens [BILLY IDOL] rips it up on ‘F.U.’ – an acronym for ‘Fake You.’ Meanwhile, six-string sensation ORIANTHI adds another dimension to ‘Future Of Youth.’
“There’s a female sensibility in the tune, which was welcome,” he goes on. “I wanted my record to have different vibes.”
Fittingly, he closes out the album with a virtuosic display on ‘To Live Again.’ It fits right in among his boldest and biggest ballads.
“I’m not scared of ballads,” he laughs. “Some rockers shy away from slow songs, but I’m a sucker for a good slow song. That’s ‘To Live Again’ in a nutshell.”
Coming full circle, the artwork comprises two paintings by Sebastian’s late father David Bierk. His paintings previously graced the covers for SKID ROW’s »Slave To The Grind« and »Subhuman Race« as well as Sebastian’s »Angel Down.« This time around, Sebastian enlisted Michael Godard and Christian O’Mahoney from Wentworth Galleries to juxtapose two paintings by Bierk. One painting was born in 1978 and depicts a ten-year-old Sebastian running next to a broken down car in a field as Jesus ascends to heaven in the background. The second painting from 1989 reimagines Sebastian’s first centerfold on stage at Giants Stadium.
“When the two paintings come together, I’m essentially running into myself on stage,” he notes. “It reflects this spirit of being young and having fun. Michael and Christian brought the art back to life, boosted the colors, and added texture. To bring back paintings my dad all of those years ago and make them into album art is very personal and emotional to me. It’s incredible.”
In the end, Sebastian Bach has returned with his most unapologetic and undeniable offering yet.
“»Child Within The Man« sounds like an album from the ‘70s in a video from the ‘80s on the internet in 2024,” he leaves off. “It was made by real musicians, a real producer, and mastered with real dynamics. It’s meant to sound big. In some ways, I’ve been working on this one for 35 years. I’m coming to unite everyone under this album, and we’re going to have a rock ‘n’ roll party. This album represents my whole career so far, now, and the future. It’s just me, my friends, my family and all of YOU who have been rockin’ HARD with me since 1989…the FIRST 35 years that is!”
TRACK LISTING:
Everybody Bleeds
Freedom
(Hold On) To The Dream
What Do I Got To Lose?
Hard Darkness
Future Of Youth
Vendetta
F.U.
Crucify Me
About To Break
To Live Again
Line-up: Sebastian Bach | vocals Devin Bronson | guitars Todd Kerns | bass Jeremy Colson | drums
HOME REARED MEAT have released the aftermovie from the New Album “Truckstop Terror” Release Party. Watch it below.
Home Reared Meat is a six-piece death metal/grind combo with their roots in Emsland/Germany who have been up to mischief since 2008. The meat lovers throw a whole range of genres into the mixer, add some pig’s blood, a can of beer and this is how their typical sound is created. From face-polishing grindcore passages, groovy old school death elements up to aggressive hardcore jump-up “Fuck You” parts, everything is represented.
Home Reared Meat represent the backwood hillbilly redneck lifestyle from their home country.
2024, Home Reared Meat released their fourth full length album “Truckstop Terror” via Kernkraftritter Records.
In recent years Home Reared Meat shared the stage with big bands like Cannibal Corpse, Fleshgod Apocalypse, Unleashed, Massacre, Entrails, Gutalax, Kraanium, Bodyfarm and a lot more.
Today, Time To Kill Records is pleased to announce the addition of Italian death-grind squad BRAINSORE to its evergrowing and varied roster. The band will release their debut album later this year.
Founded in Modena by drummer Don Gulag and guitarist Holy Father in spring 2022, the duo eventually recruited vocalist Horcrux Urethra (ex-Jesus Ain’t In Poland) and started focusing on songwriting and live activity, storming the stages all over northern Italy.
BRAINSORE find themselves on the crossroad between grind, death metal, hardcore and general hysteria. With no compromises or no rules, the band push the boundaries for an intense and chaotic soundscape without losing their love for groove and subtle melodies.
Expertly wielding the fierce brutality and massive aggression of their genre, the Italians add intelligent songwriting, effective arrangements, and musical proficiency as well as unexpected elements to their sound.
Watch for further album details, singles and more news on other upcoming BRAINSORE activities to be posted shortly.
Line-up:
Don Gulag – Drums Holy Father – Guitar Horcrux Urethra – Throat
True Norwegian black metal pioneer MAYHEM will be performing two very special 40th anniversary sets in their hometown of Oslo (NO) at Sentrum Scene on Friday, May 10, and Saturday, May 11, with the first night already entirely SOLD OUT! Limited tickets are still available for the Saturday performance, so hurry up and get yours before its too late!
In celebration of this monumental double-header, the band is now sharing the official live video for the song “Deathcrush,” which is taken from the band’s latest live album, ‘Daemonic Rites.’ The clip can be seen at THIS LOCATION.
Fans can also view an in-depth interview with Mayhem about their 40th anniversary and upcoming performances via NRK HERE.
In addition, MAYHEM has just been added to the 2024 edition of Maryland Deathfest, which will take place in Baltimore, MD from May 23-26!
‘Daemonic Rites’ marks the culmination of the ‘Daemon’ era, which commenced in 2019 with the release of their critically acclaimed studio album, ‘Daemon.’ The journey continued with the savage EP ‘Atavistic Black Disorder’ in 2021, leaving audiences hungry for more. This latest live conglomeration serves as the ultimate chapter-closer for this landmark.
Preeminent black metallers Mayhem ready their newest live strike with Daemonic Rites for Century Media. The 16-track effort captures the frightful efficiency and utter lethality of the Norwegians as they close the chapter on their exalted sixth album, Daemon (2019). Throughout Daemonic Rites, Mayhem impressively nail newer tracks like “Falsified and Hated,” “Malum,” “Bad Blood,” and “Voces Ab Alta” to the proverbial cross, while offering pure fucking mastery of classics like “Freezing Moon,” “Buried by Time and Dust,” “Deathcrush,” and “Carnage.” The devilish quintet also add mid-career haunts like “To Daimonion,” “Symbols of Bloodswords,” and “My Death,” making Daemonic Rites a genuine career-spanning offering.
“We wanted to document how great the band and set sounds like after almost 40 years of playing live,” says founding member Necrobutcher. “As a treat to our fans, we decided to release this live recording.”
“We released the live version of De Mysteriis [aka De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas Alive] a few years ago,” Ghul adds. “That was received very well. We have been playing together for so long now with this lineup that we feel we have reached a point where we are a seriously well-oiled machine. It seemed like a natural step to try to capture this moment in the band’s history, with the same setlist we have been using for a while.”
Mayhem have nearly 1,000 shows to their name. Since their formation Langhus, Norway in 1984, the band—now comprised of Necrobutcher (bass), Hellhammer (drums), Attila Csihar (vocals), Teloch (guitars), and Ghul (guitars)—have brought their brand of bellicose, preternatural black metal to over 60 countries. From the United States and Germany to Australia and Brazil, Mayhem have stunned, bewildered, and turned rabid a global legion, dedicated as much to the band’s infamous legacy as they are staunchly in support of Daemon. Much of that respect and devotion started in the early ‘90s, but persisted to the present day on the strength of official live albums Live in Leipzig (1993), Mediolanum Capta Est (1999), Live in Marseille 2000 (2001) and De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas Alive (2016). Mayhem continue their on-stage assault with Daemonic Rites.
“I knew from day one back in 1984 that this band was going to be outstanding—one of the best bands ever!” Necrobutcher says. “I guess that’s a big reason why we still are here after 39 years—and counting.”
“Well, for the first time in a long time, we felt again like a unit, musically,” continues Hellhammer. “That’s something we haven’t felt in a long time, and that shows in the live recording.”
Daemonic Rites wasn’t pre-planned. Rather, they had sound engineer/producer Tore Stjerna (of Necromorbus Studio fame) record everything—just for posterity, in fact—during the group’s Northern Ritual MMXXII and Thalassic Ritual tours of 2022 and early 2023. Mayhem and Stjerna pilfered the gems, resulting in gigs from London (“Life Eternal,” “Malum”), Manchester (“My Death,” “Silvester Anfang”), and Gothenburg (“Pure Fucking Armageddon,” “To Daimonion”) coming out on top. The penultimate Mayhem live album wouldn’t be complete without “Freezing Moon” and “Pagan Fears”—both from Csihar’s hometown of Budapest, Hungary—as well as newer tracks “Falsified and Hated” and “Bad Blood” from Sydney and Melbourne, respectively. Daemonic Rites showcases the two-time Norwegian Grammy (aka Spellemannprisen) winners at the pinnacle of their live potential.
“We play the songs that feel the best live,” Hellhammer says. “We have in the past tried out a lot of different songs from former eras, but when you play live for an audience, the songs must have IT. If they don’t, even if they are good songs, they won’t fit in a live setting.”
Adds Teloch: “We have a vast catalog by now with so many different types of songs. It’s interesting to make them all work together in a full concert.”
Daemonic Rites comes off the heels of Mayhem’s incredible Beyond the Gates 2022 performance, where they uncaged cult classic De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas not far from where it was originally recorded by Eirik ‘Pytten’ Hundvin (Enslaved, Emperor, Immortal) in Grieghallen during 1992/1993. The live album, however, was mixed and mastered over in neighboring Sweden. Stjerna, who also assisted with Daemon, took the phantasmagoric collection of tracks to his lair at Necromorbus Studio, where his sole job was to preserve Mayhem’s raw, unbridled energy and ghastly electricity. From “Falsified and Hated” and “My Death” to “Buried by Time and Dust” and “Carnage,” they’ve never had the quality of a live album quite like Daemonic Rites. If the past is always alive, this is a live album on par with Venom’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, Emperor’s Emperial Live Ceremony, and Gorgoroth’s Black Mass Krakow 2004.
“It fits with where we are now, or more precisely, where we were at the time of the recording,” says Hellhammer.
“[The live recordings] capture the spirit and energy,” furthers Ghul, “of where we are as a band right now.”
Indeed, Mayhem have been and continue to operate at a level not yet witnessed. While atavists will always relish the Deathcrush or Live in Leipzig lineups, Hellhammer’s drum performance against the twin terrors of Teloch and Ghul is the purest black magic on Daemonic Rites. Similarly, Csihar’s hair-raising caterwauling and spectral snarls atop Necrobutcher’s seventh-hell low end is witching-hour great! To support Daemonic Rites, Mayhem have videos for Daemon-era masterpiece “Malum” and late-‘80s Killjoy dedication “Chainsaw Gutsfuck” lined up. Daemonic Rites is the perfect guillotine while the group craft new songs and conspire with others on what the group’s 40th Anniversary next year might entail. Mayhem are likely in their final form, and they’ve never been deadlier.
Kimmo Kuusniemi’s ASA unveil the long-overdue release of "Collective Failure" + first music video for title-track! Check it out and stay tuned for more news! Click image to watch the video
Kimmo Kuusniemi’s SARCOFAGUS return with a Historic 2010 Concert Video Premiere on YouTube! Click image to watch the video
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Visionary artist KIMMO KUUSNIEMI's ANCIENT STREAMING ASSEMBLY (ASA) have released “Aurora Nuclearis”, a powerful 12-minute audiovisual experience, dedicated to the Late Keyboardist Esa Kotilainen. - Click image to watch the video
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Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 