Fifteen years ago, the thrash metal legends Kreator, led by leadsinger Mille Petrozza, created a remarkable work: “Hordes Of Chaos”. From the beginning of its creation, the album was distinguished by two unique features. Firstly, the band chose Moses Schneider as the new producer, and secondly, the album was recorded completely live in the studio. This approach gave it an authenticity and energy that are rarely found in today’s music landscape.
The Distinctive Sound of Kreator Even though “Hordes Of Chaos” is not necessarily considered the best album in Kreator’s discography, it nevertheless combines everything that defines the band: fast, hard riffs, technical finesse, precise drumming, and Petrozza’s distinctive vocals. The themes range from war and destruction to political and social criticism. They express not only anger and frustration but also encourage reflection on the state of our world.
Album Highlights Two central pieces of the album, “Hordes of Chaos (A Necrologue for the Elite)” and “Warcurse”, particularly stand out. “Hordes of Chaos” captures the essence of the album with an impressive mix of raw energy, complex guitar riffs, and captivating melodies. “Warcurse”, on the other hand, impresses with its speed and aggressiveness, combined with catchy melodies that leave a lasting memory.
A Limited Anniversary Edition for Collectors To celebrate this anniversary, Kreator is re-releasing “Hordes of Chaos” along with its predecessor “Enemy Of Gods” in a collector’s edition limited to 1,000 pieces. The vinyl box includes the two albums on CD and colored splatter vinyl, a demon mask, and two thematically matching comics.
This special edition is a must not only for collectors but also for fans who appreciate the legacy of Kreator and the significance of “Hordes of Chaos” in particular. With this re-release, the band not only honors a key work in their history but also offers both new and old fans the chance to experience a piece of metal history anew.
This summer, on July 5, 2024, India’s heavy metal powerhouse KRYPTOS strikes back with its devastating, forthcoming studio offering Decimator! The album pre-sale is available via AFM Records at https://kryptos.bfan.link/decimatorA new video for the band’s latest, furious single “Turn Up the Heat”, is now premiering below!
Decimator continues where the band left of with their critically-acclaimed, 2021-album ‘Force Of Danger’, and sees them combine crushing riffs, barbwire vocals and powerful songwriting that grabs the 80s by the throat and drags it kicking and screaming into the modern age. If you’re a fan of Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Accept and Kreator, this album will snap your neck in half and have you raging into the night like you’ve never raged before! In support of their upcoming record release, KRYPTOS have announced an extensive touring schedule for 2024, including a first-ever headlining tour in Australia. Find all upcoming dates of the band listed below!
About their new single, KRYPTOS frontman Nolan Lewis says “Turn Up the Heat is all about getting out on the town with your buddies, kicking ass and taking names. No rules, no inhibitions – just get out there and go wild!!!”
If metal anthems like “Balls to the Wall” and “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin'” get your blood racing, then get ready to stomp your feet and pound your fists to this absolute belter! “Turn Up the Heat” will out now on all digital streaming providers this Friday at https://kryptos.bfan.link/turn-up-the-heat, the new clip is already premiering right here:
KRYPTOS, who was formed in 1998 in Bangalore, India, have long been considered one of the spearheads of the Indian heavy metal revolution. With six critically acclaimed albums under their belt, they have supported some of metal’s biggest names, like Iron Maiden, Testament, Kreator, Exodus and many more, earning themselves a reputation as a fiery and exciting live act.
The band released their debut album ‘Spiral Ascent’ in 2004 and ‘The Ark of Gemini’ in 2008 before heading out on their first European tour in 2010, making them the first Indian heavy metal band to do so. After signing with AFM Records in 2012, the band unleashed four more frenetically-acclaimed studio albums, are a welcome live act at Wacken Open Air and played their first, extensive European headline tours, including numerous sold-out shows in Scandinavia and central Europe.
With momentum firmly on their side, KRYPTOS are all set to power through 2024 once again with the release of their high-voltage seventh album Decimator. As Nolan Lewis recently revealed, “Decimator is without question our finest hour so far. We’ve sharpened our songwriting to a razor point and the album is absolutely exploding with pure heavy metal power and attitude. Once you’ve popped it into your stereo, you’re going to be raising your fist, air-guitaring to the riffs and humming the solos all year long. It’s as perfect a combination of classic 80s metal and caustic thrash sensibilities as you’re ever going to get!”
Tracklist:
Sirens of Steel
Fall to the Spectre’s Gaze
Turn Up the Heat
Electrify
Solaris
Decimator
In the Shadow of the Blade
Pathfinder
We Are the Night
Followed by European live dates, that will see them storm stages from Sweden to Poland to Germany and everywhere in between, and, for the very first time, a headlining tour of Australia in the fall, one can be sure, KRYPTOS will cement their reputation as a live act to be reckoned with. Be prepared for the heavy metal onslaught coming your way!
See Kryptos Live!
ELECTRIFY EUROPE 2024 05.04 | DE | Weinheim | Cafe Central 06.04 | DE | Oberursel | Taunus Metal Festival 07.04 | DE | Freiburg | Crash 10.04 | DE | Düsseldorf | Pitcher 11.04 | DE | Stuttgart | Schwarzer Keiler 12.04 | DE | Cham | L.A. Live Style Cafe 13.04 | NL | Eindhoven | Welcome To Hell 08.05 | DE | Monheim am Rhein | Sojus 7 10.05 | BE | Oostende | Huginns Awakening Fest 11.05 | PL | Goleniów | Goleniów Metal MayDay 3 12.05 | DE | Selb | Rockclub Nordbayern 13.05 | CZ | Prague | Vagon Klub 14.05 | DE | Berlin | Reset Club 16.05 | SE | Helsingborg | Flat Cap 17.05 | SE | Jönköping | Klubb Dissonans 18.05 | DK | Agger | Heavy Agger Fest
AUSTRALIAN TOUR 2024 31.10 | AUS | Brisbane | Stranded Bar 01/11 | AUS | Sydney | Marrickville Bowling Club 02/11 | AUS | Newcastle | Hamilton Station Hotel 03/11 | AUS | Geelong | Medusa 04/11 | AUS | Melbourne | The Gasometer Hotel 07/11 | AUS | Canberra | The Baso
In celebration of their 35th year as a band, this May, Rotting Christ are releasing their 14th album. ΠΡΟ ΧΡΙΣΤΟU (Pro Xristou) is bound to hold a revered place in the Greeks’ heretical history. Always true to their name, Sakis Tolis and his brother Temis pay tribute to the last of the Pagan kings. Today, they’re releasing the album’s rising and resolute new single, “Saoirse”.
“Saoirse” pays tribute to the Irish King of Tara, who was one of the last kings to resist the expansion of Christianity. In Gaelic, “Saoirse” means “freedom”. The song invokes this long-heard ancient battle cry from the very beginning, opening with a distant clang of swords. “I am the wind that blows across the sea”, Sakis warns as a riff comes charging in behind him like a tidal wave.
Like all of Pro Xristou, “Saoirse” was recorded and produced in Athens, Greece. Their new single also embodies the history of the band’s home country with its resounding choir and thunderous drum fills. But it’s also emblematic of the way Rotting Christ has evolved over the past 35 years. Steered by a steadily chugging rhythm section, minor chords and melodic leads unfurl with the towering majesty of an ancient tapestry. At the center of this black metal fresco stands Sakis, the unwavering captain of Rotting Christ’s battle ship. “Hails to our ancient Kingdom”, he growls, still fierce and full of fight after all these years.
Artwork by Thomas Cole – Digital Processing by Adrien Bousson
Track-list
1. Pro Xristou (Προ Χριστού) (1:29) 2. The Apostate (5:01) 3. Like Father, Like Son (4:35) [WATCH] 4. The Sixth Day (3:56) 5. La Lettera Del Diavolo (4:01) 6. The Farewell (6:15) 7. Pix Lax Dax (4:33) 8. Pretty World, Pretty Dies (4:51) 9. Yggdrasil (5:04) 10. Saoirse (6:17) [WATCH] 11. Primal Resurrection (Bonus Track) (5:32) – Only Deluxe Editions! 12. All For One (Bonus Track) (3:37) – Only Deluxe Editions! Total runtime: 55:17
In the dimly lit catacombs of extreme metal, one name stands as a monolith: ROTTING CHRIST. Sakis Tholis and his brother Themis started this band together back in 1987. In the three decades since, these Greek titans have left their blackened imprint all over the metal world. They’ve released 13 studio albums and played more than 1,300 concerts around the globe. Underneath all this hard work, Rotting Christ have but one vision – an urge to not only push the boundaries of extreme metal, but to keep reinventing themselves along the way.
Rotting Christ’s evolution has unfolded across several distinct chapters. After starting out closer to the barely controlled chaos of grindcore, they went on to establish the iconic sound of Hellenic black metal. Their albums often embrace refined gothic soundscapes, only to plunge back into the depths of blasphemous fervour. Each chapter marked another, further exploration, and an unwavering commitment to push boundaries.
But the real turning point came in 2007, when Rotting Christ signed a pact with Season of Mist. They unleashed a series of albums for the French label that defied any and all expectations. From the piercing Theogonia and the symphonic grandeur of Aelo to the ritualistic intensity of Κατά Τον Δαίμονα Εαυτού, the cinematic experiences created by Rotting Christ became a spectacle of bombastic atmospheres, mesmerizing choirs, and neo-classical arrangements. The unexpected is their modus operandi, with the use of various languages (Latin, Arabic, Greek, English) as well as the extensive use of famous poetry woven into their music, like Edgar Allan Poe’s ‘The Raven’ on The Heretics.
In 2019, Rotting Christ’s epic journey continued with The Apocryphal Spell compilation, which offers fans an intimate glimpse into unreleased and rare material. This allowed them to gather strength, preparing for the release of their next, highly anticipated, 14th full-length studio album: Pro Xristou.
Pro Xristou (‘Before Christ’ in Greek), serves as a fervent tribute to the last Pagan kings who resisted the onslaught of Christianity, guarding their ancient values and knowledge. In this thematic odyssey, intricately woven through tracks such as ‘The Apostate’ and ‘Ygdrassil’, Rotting Christ delves into the legacies of historical figures such as Flavius Claudius Julianus and Nordic mythological kings, embodying the might of Pagan wisdom in the face of Christian adversity. The album encapsulates the essence of Rotting Christ’s signature style – melodic, yet harsh at times – reinventing themselves yet again, while remaining rooted in their 35-year legacy.
Swedish metal veterans EVERGREY, known for their dark and profound compositions, have unveiled a haunting new video for their captivating song “Ominous”. The song is cut from their latest and highly acclaimed chart-topping opus, A Heartless Portrait (The Orphean Testament), which entered the charts worldwide at #3 in Sweden (Metal), #5 in the United States (Top New Artist Albums), #7 in Finland, and #12 in Germany. The gripping new visual for “Ominous” marks the closure of this chapter, while EVERGREY are more than ready to head into new sonic adventures.
EVERGREY’s journey shows no sign of slowing down – their new album will be released this year. Stay tuned for more exciting news coming soon!
Throughout over 30 years of existence, Gothenburg’s finest export of darkness has gathered numerous worldwide chart positions with thirteen studio albums in total and has enthralled fans around the globe. The band, centered around mastermind Tom S. Englund, has been a consistent presence in the metal scene, leaving an indelible mark with their powerful performances, also appearing at renowned festivals such as Wacken Open Air, Bloodstock, Summer Breeze and Graspop.
EVERGREY state: “This is the last song to be released as a stunning feature film-like video from the “Heartless Portrait” album, however, it is at the same time also the beginning. This will become much clearer VERY soon! Stay excited! :D”
A Heartless Portrait (The Orphean Testament), the follow-up to the unit’s highly successful 2021 full-length, Escape of the Phoenix (which landed at numerous chart positions worldwide), reveals a 10 track mélange of which every note, every riff and every word seeps pure poetry – creating a ceaseless intensity that mesmerizes from the very first second.
A Heartless Portrait (The Orphean Testament) was recorded at Top Floor Studios Gothenburg, engineered by Jakob Herrman and produced by Tom S. Englund and Jonas Ekdahl, with mixing and mastering by Jacob Hansen at Hansen Studios (Volbeat, Destruction, Epica and many more), whereas the hauntingly beautiful album artwork was conjured by Giannis Nakos at Remedy Art Design. Nakos is known for creating artworks for acts like Oceans Of Slumber, Amaranthe, The Agonist and The Crown as well as merchandise for Morbid Angel, Suffocation or Cryptopsy – just to name a few.
[Artwork by Giannis Nakos, Remedy Art Design]
Get your copy of A Heartless Portrait (The Orphean Testament)NOW
A Heartless Portrait (The Orphean Testament) is a striking testament to the fact that while the Swedish five-piece doesn’t need to prove anything to anyone at this phase, they still impressively showcase that their creativity sees no bounds – dropping yet another sensation within their impressive catalog!
A Heartless Portrait(The Orphean Testament)tracklisting: 1. Save Us 2. Midwinter Calls 3. Ominous 4. Call Out the Dark 5. The Orphean Testament 6. Reawakening 7. The Great Unwashed 8. Heartless 9. Blindfolded 10.Wildfires
EVERGREY are: Tom S. Englund – Vocals, Guitar Henrik Danhage – Guitar Rikard Zander – Keyboard Jonas Ekdahl – Drums Johan Niemann – Bass
Faroe Islands-based Viking metallers TÝR unveil their latest single, “Dragons Never Die.” The track comes by way of the band’s stunning ninth full-length studio album, Battle Ballads, set for release on April 12th via Metal Blade Records! Battle Ballads North American Tour Begins Tonight!
Once crowned, “powerful, heroic and memorable,” by New Noise and lauded by Exclaim for, “expertly balancing power and death metal” and perfecting, “the Viking metal formula,” with Battle Ballads, TÝR has crafted an album that resounds with their trademark Viking metal sound — a crushing, soaring, batch of classical embellished songs that conjure images of galloping steeds, clashing swords, and hard-fought victories. At the same time, the band has experimented with new writing styles and musical techniques and created songs that are structurally simpler, yet musically more variegated. For founding frontman Heri Joensen, it’s a clear illustration of how he plans to continue exploring different approaches in the future while staying true to the spirit of thunderous Viking metal.
“We consciously decided to make this a more direct album with songs that are easier for listeners to get right away than some of the stuff on our last album, or maybe even on our 2006 album Ragnarok, which was very progressive,” says Joensen. “With Battle Ballads, there are progressive elements here and there, but we tried to keep the songs based on one or two musical ideas each, and work on everything from there. So, in a way, it’s more concise than our last album, but it’s more epic because of the symphonic elements.”
There’s no escaping the masterfully meticulous blend of melody and savagery on Battle Ballads. Notes Joensen of the band’s “Dragons Never Die” single, “The song starts with a long harmonic crescendo on drums and guitar reminiscent of classical Deep Purple, then shifts an eastern inspired melodic journey back in time with wordless singalong parts, going into a rhythmically simple and stomping verse about a gold-grabbing dragon and a protagonist set on defeating it. It’s a fast and riveting chorus. The metal story progresses and culminates into a face melting solo. With the last chorus, the protagonist finds that becoming rich beyond measure just makes him the next dragon.”
Watch TÝR‘s previously released video for “Axes” HERE and “Hammered” HERE.
As much as TÝR would have liked to write, rehearse, and record with a symphony, scheduling conflicts made it impossible. So they did the next best thing. Joensen sent the band’s ten thunderous compositions to a Danish colleague, Lars Winther, in England, who added the orchestral samples, paying close attention to the tone and tempo of the songs so the violins, violas, cellos, woodwinds, and horns complimented the traditional rock instruments. When the samples were all in place, the album sounded impressive, but the tones weren’t perfectly blended. So, TÝR sent the album to veteran producer Jacob Hansen (Volbeat, The Black Dahlia Murder, Amaranthe) in Denmark to put together the final mix.
In celebration of the release of Battle Ballads, TÝR will return to North American stages for The Battle Ballads headlining tour. The tour will commence tonight, March 28th, in Baltimore, Maryland and will make its way through over two dozen cities, coming to a close on April 26th in Greensboro, North Carolina. Support will be provided by Trollfest, Æther Realm, and The Dread Crew Of Oddwood. The tour marks TÝR‘s first North American run since 2019. Tickets are on sale now. See all confirmed dates below.
TÝR w/ Trollfest, Æther Realm, The Dread Crew Of Oddwood: 3/28/2024 Baltimore Soundstage – Baltimore, MD 3/29/2024 Gramercy Theater – New York, NY 3/30/2024 Middle East Downstairs – Boston, MA 3/31/2024 La Source De La Martinière – Quebec City, QC 4/01/2024 Studio TD – Montreal, QC 4/02/2024 Brass Monkey – Ottawa, ON 4/03/2024 Horseshoe Tavern – Toronto, ON 4/04/2024 The Sanctuary – Detroit, MI 4/05/2024 Reggies – Chicago, IL 4/06/2024 Skyway Theater – Minneapolis, MN 4/07/2024 Park Theater – Winnipeg. MB 4/08/2024 The Exchange – Regina, SK 4/09/2024 Starlite Room – Edmonton, AB 4/10/2024 Dickens – Calgary, AB 4/12/2024 The Rickshaw – Vancouver, BC 4/13/2024 El Corazon – Seattle, WA 4/14/2024 Bossanova Ballroom – Portland, OR 4/15/2024 Cornerstone – Berkeley, CA 4/16/2024 1720 – Los Angeles, CA 4/17/2024 Brick By Brick – San Diego, CA 4/18/2024 Nile Theater – Mesa, AZ 4/19/2024 Rockhouse Bar & Grill – El Paso, TX 4/20/2024 Come And Take It Live – Austin, TX 4/21/2024 The Granada – Dallas, TX 4/22/2024 White Oak Music Hall – Houston, TX 4/24/2024 Conduit – Orlando, FL 4/25/2024 The Masquerade (Hell) – Atlanta, GA 4/26/2024 Hangar 1819 – Greensboro, NC
TÝR: Heri Joensen – vocal, guitar Hans Hammer – guitar Gunnar Helmer “Gunz” Thomsen – bass Tadeusz “Tad” Rieckmann – drums
Canada’s WAKE have just announced a full European tour in support of their latest album Thought Form Descent!
Comments guitarist Rob LaChance: “It’s been seven long years since we last wreaked havoc on European soil and in May, we make our return. We’re excited to bring Thought Form Decent, Devouring Ruin and the liminal space in-between to our European and UK comrades!“
May 09 – Karlsruhe, DE @ P8 May 10 – Lille, FR @ La Malterie May 11 – Basel, CH @ Tales of Wrath Fest May 13 – Bristol, UK @ The Gryphon May 14 – Newcastle, UK @ TBA May 15 – Glasgow, UK @ The Attic May 16 – Sheffield, UK @ Corporation May 17 – London, UK @ DesertFest May 18 – Paris, FR @ Le Klub May 20 – Bratislava, SL @ Fuga May 21 – Berlin, DE @ Reset Club May 22 – Leipzig, DE @ Naunmass May 24 – Hoogeven, NL @ Graveland Fest May 25 – Antwerp, BE @ Antwerp Music City May 26 – Liege, BE @ Kultura May 27 – Metz, FR @ La Chaouee May 28 – Trier, DE @ Villa Wuller May 29 – Nijmegen, NL @ Merleyn
WAKE released their sixth full-length, Thought Form Descent, in July of 2022 via Metal Blade Records. Stream and purchase the album at: metalblade.com/wake
Never a band interested in repeating themselves, WAKE has evolved with every release. 2020’s Devouring Ruin made this clearer than ever, hammering the point home with the Confluence EP in the same year. Thought Form Descent is their most dynamic, diverse and emotional release to date. “I’d describe the record as a place to reconsider what ‘extreme’ means. The words ‘brutal’, ‘crushing’, ‘devastating’ are overused adjectives for extreme music. We wanted to force people to confront the idea that ‘brutal’ or ‘extreme’ ideas aren’t just blastbeats or angular tritones, or, more importantly, ‘brutal’ elements alongside pointedly passive elements can create their own experience that can channel both and neither.” The result is eight nuanced tracks that run the gamut from relentlessly heavy to exquisitely beautiful – often simultaneously – and instantly grab hold of the listener, demanding their full attention. However, at the same time, they are lushly textured and densely layered, and offer more with every subsequent exposure, unfurling to show hidden depths, and taking WAKE to a whole new level.
To track the album, the band once again collaborated with Dave Otero (Allegaeon, Cattle Decapitation) at Flatline Audio in Denver, CO. “Dave is someone who does something we love – supersedes what people think of him. Sure, he recorded many successful death metal albums, but his ability to understand pop music and its composition, his knowledge of music theory and his willingness to get right into the movement of a song and its chord progressions, not just the riffs, are things that go way beyond ‘death metal’. He can make hard right turns into wildly different sonic territory without batting an eyelash, and he always has an idea during the deviation, too. He contributed a lot to this record.” Having prepared exhaustively in advance, once in the studio the band were able to try new things, play with ideas and rearrange songs, having the time to go down the proverbial rabbit hole and see where it took them. Kevin Hufnagel of Gorguts and Vaura also makes an appearance, playing guitar on “Pareidolia” and “Observer To Master“, the latter track one of the most melodic on the record.
WAKE line-up: Josh Bueckert – Drums Arjun Gill – Guitars Rob LaChance – Guitars Kyle Ball – Vocals Ryan Kennedy – Bass
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
Ads
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
Click image to watch the video
Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 