Spanish dark metal entity TODOMAL takes it to a whole other level on their majestic new single “Infero Tristi”. Watch the video HERE.
The song is taken from their sophomore album “A Greater Good”, out nowvia Ardua Music.
Formed by Christopher B. Wildman and Javier Fernández (Asgaroth, Nexus 6, The Heretic, Dejadeath, etc.), TODOMAL bring a new collection of “dark songs” (as they like to define it), which began with the seeds planted in “Ultracrepidarian”, their debut album.
Music has evolved into a complex, dense, and unclassifiable album that takes us on a journey through somber landscapes, existential doubts, tragicomedy, and spiritual and personal unrest.
The band commented: “This song draws inspiration from a medieval prayer/poem penned by Irish scholar-cleric Sedulius Scottus, who fervently implored God for deliverance from the scourge of plague. His entreaty took the form of a poignant poem entitled “Contra plagam,” wherein he poses the question “Infero tristi tibi quis fatetur?” – which roughly translates to “In the depths of sorrow, who will confess to You?” So, basically, if I die, who then will represent You? I’m far too important to be spared, mate…”
“A Greater Good” will no doubt appeal to fans of bands like CANDLEMASS, KRUX, ANATHEMA, PINK FLOYD, AVATARIUM and, we dare to say, old GHOST! Doom on!
American black metal overlords WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM are pleased to reveal that they will be participating in Fortress Festival UK’s inaugural Fortress Forum, an emerging metal conference that offers a unique, in-person opportunity for festival attendees to hear artists talk about their careers and experiences! During WitTR’s appearance at the festival on June 2, they will not only be performing the entirety of ‘Two Hunters’ during an exclusive UK ritual, but founding member/multi-instrumentalist and vocalist CEDAR SERPENT will also now be taking the stage for a live interview with the imitable Jackie Smit of the Into the Necrosphere podcast.
The live talk will take place at 17:40 on June 2 ina300-capacity theatre room at Scarborough Spa and is available only for Fortress Festival ticket holders. The final 100 tickets are available at THIS LOCATION.
WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM’s Cedar Serpent joins an elite group of black metal artists and journalists; other forum interview participants include Tom G Warrior (Triptykon, Celtic Frost), Dayal Patterson (Cult Never Dies), Ralph Schmidt (Ultha), The Watcher (Fen, Fellwarden), Der Weg Einer Freiheit and Gaerea. More information on Fortress Festival, including the lineup and Fortress Forum, can be found HERE.
WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM will be embarking on The Crypt of Ancestral Knowledge EU/UK headlining tour starting on May 10 at Desertfest Oslo (NO) and will decimate the continent until it’s final stop on June 7 in Berlin (DE). The full itinerary can be found below!
The band is supporting 2023’s EP release, ‘Crypt of Ancestral Knowledge,’ which is available HERE.
WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM (w/ Gaerea + Mortiferum): The Crypt of Ancestral Knowledge EU/UK Tour:
05/10: Oslo, NO @ Desertfest Oslo 05/11: Bornstedt, DE @ Dark Troll Fest 05/16: Copenhagen, DK @ A Colossal Weekend 05/17: Leipzig, DE @ Wave Gothic Festival 05/18: Warsaw, PL @ Proxima 05/19: Cracow, PL @ Kamienna12 05/20: Budapest, HU @ Analog 05/21: Vienna, AUST @ Arena 05/22: Munich, DE @ Feierwerk 05/23: Parma, IT @ Campus 05/24: Luzern, CH @ Schuur 05/25: Hollandveen, NL @ Graveland Festival 05/26: Brugge, BE @ Cactus 05/28: Limerick, IRE @ Dolans Warehouse 05/29: Dublin, IRE @ Opium 05/30: Bristol, ENG @ The Fleece 05/31: London, ENG @ Earth 06/01: Glasgow, SCT @ The Garage 06/02: Scarborough, ENG @ Fortress Festival 06/04: Bochum, DE @ Zeche 06/05: Frankfurt, DE @ Zoom 06/06: Hamburg, DE @ Grunspan 06/07: Berlin, DE @ Columbia Theater
Photo Credit: Dreaming God
U.S. black metal masters Wolves in the Throne Room create melancholic atmospheres that are an ode to rain storms, wood smoke and the wild energies of the Pacific Northwest. In October 2023, they unleashed ‘CRYPT OF ANCESTRAL KNOWLEDGE’. This EP contains two epic metal tracks as well as two atmospheric industrial journeys that push the band’s sound into invigorating new directions. The Wolves will be assaulting European shores with support from GAEREA and MORTIFERUM in Spring 2024!
DOOMRAISER have completed work on the new album “Cold Grave Marble”, which is scheduled for release in the next few months on Time To Kill Records. “Cold Grave Marble”, the sixth DOOMRAISER full doom length, is a frozen view in the darker side of life: Death, the Omega of our earthly dimension. The album is made up of raw riffing seasoned up in heavy, dark and gloomy dreaming atmospheres, and explores a plethora of styles with different sounds and solutions. The songwriting approach is rougher than before, experimental, suggestive, still preserving the classic DOOMRAISER characteristic sound.
The whole concept lies upon a personal portrayal of Death, the Infinite Void, the Great Absence, the greatest experience in matter of Chaos and disruption of reality. It’s a journey exploring the end of the biological cycle and man’s awareness of the ancient idea of “having to die”, an extreme but natural event belonging to the inevitability of time.
The album was recorded in Rome, Italy, by the skillful hands of Danilo Silvestri and mastered (just like the previous album “The Dark Side of Old Europa”) by Claudio Gruer. The record features important guests such as James Murphy (Death, Obituary, Testament), Flegias (Necrodeath) and Mario Di Donato (The Black) among others.
Watch for further album details, singles and more news on other upcoming DOOMRAISER activities to be posted shortly.
Line-up:
Andrea “BJ” Caminiti – Bass Giuseppe “El Grigio” Nantini – Guitar Nicola Rossi – Vocals Daniele “Pinna” Amatori – Drums Marco Montagna – Guitar
Formed in 2004, DOOMRAISER have evolved into an instantly recognisable figurehead for those pushing doom metal into crushing new directions.
Through the years the band have shared the stage with acts such as Electric Wizard, Reverend Bizarre, The Gates of Slumber and Orange Goblin and have released several records, experimenting and contaminating their music with raw heavy metal, psychedelia and other influences.
Discography:
Heavy Drunken Doom (Demo, 2005) The Old Man to the Child (7”, 2006) Lords of Mercy (Full-length, 2006) Behind the Same Cross (Split 7”, 2008) Erasing the Remembrance (Full-length, 2009) Guardians of the Great Eye (Split 7”, 2010) Mountains of Madness (Full-length, 2011) Dream Killers (Split 12”, 2013) Reverse (Passaggio Inverso) (Full-length, 2015) Terror Tales – A Tribute to Death SS (Tribute album, 2018) The Dark Side of Old Europa (Full-length, 2020) Mesmerized – A Tribute to Celtic Frost (Tribute album, 2024
LIAR THIEF BANDIT have launched “It All Goes Away in the End”. The single is the third and final leading up to the Swedish band’s fourth studio album “ICON”.
Liar Thief Bandit on the single: Gloom, melancholy, hope, aspiration, insight. These themes have characterized many previous works in one way or another, but this time the overall feeling of these reaches its climax in a powerful and dynamic soundscape.
Swedish garage rock trio Liar Thief Bandit is back! Since the release of their acclaimed 2022 mini-album “Diamonds,” the band has toured extensively and has shared stages with notable Swedish rock acts like Graveyard and The Hellacopters. In the summer of 2023, they performed on Sweden’s largest music festival, Sweden Rock Festival. Now, they’re set to release their fourth studio album “ICON”, blending everything you would ever wish for in a melodic rock record. The album, which will be released on the 24th of May on black vinyl, transparent orange vinyl, and on digital formats, is available now as pre-order via The Sign Records.
Upcoming shows: 24.05 medley, Malmö, SE 25.05 Rock Am Tangen, Stavern, DE 04.07 Ponyhof, Frankfurt, DE 05.07 Datscha Open Air, Wieslet, DE 06.07 Sonic Ballroom, Köln, DE 13.07 South Ocean Festival, Sibbarp/Malmö, SE
Oberst is set to captivate fans and music enthusiasts around the world with their latest album, “Toil,” released April 26th, 2024. With a musical style that defies easy categorization, Oberst continues to push boundaries and redefine the metal genre with their unique blend of atmospheric riffs, intense vocals, and thought-provoking lyrics.
Lead vocalist and guitarist Tarjei Kristoffersen reflects on the journey of creating “Toil,” stating,“Making this album, we raged and delved into the sorry state of the human condition, as seen from within and as an observer. A bunch of barely sentient beings living our lives on a big, wet rock being hurled through the night sky. It seems pretty straightforward, but we sure do manage to make it complicated.”
TRACKLIST: Chroma Repugnaissance A Breath and a Sigh Lifeline Invisible Hands Mules on a Mountain The Bends Bad Run Taxed and Brittle Toil
As Oberst delved deeper into the creative process, they discovered that “Toil” is, at its core, an exploration of depression. Kristoffersen shares, “As we raged outwards and self-loathed in equal measure, we discovered – quite late in the process – that Toil in actuality is about depression. The songs are all some flavor of this particular stale state of being.”
“Toil” promises to deliver an unique musical experience for listeners, offering a raw and unfiltered glimpse into the complexities of the human psyche. Through their emotive lyrics and impactful music, Oberst invites audiences to confront their struggles and discover comfort in the common threads of what humanity is.
Oberst’s previous releases, including their self-titled debut EP in 2015 and their debut album “Paradise” in 2020, have garnered critical acclaim and established them as a formidable presence in underground metal scene.
“This opus is a promising start for Oberst”…” showcases their raw, unbridled talent impressively enough.” – Kerrang! Magazine
OBERST: Tarjei Kristoffersen – Vocals/Guitar Dennis Estensen – Guitar Joakim Karlsen – Bass Johan Fredrik Bolli – Drums
Germany’s best kept progressive metal secret DISILLUSION are re-releasing their critically acclaimed album Back To Times Of Splendor in a 20th Anniversary Reissue edition via Metal Blade Records today.
Re-mastered by Tony Lindgren at Fascination Street Studios, the album includes two bonus live tracks plus their 2002 “The Porter” EP, which has never been released on vinyl before.
Disillusion – Back To Times Of Splendor (20th Anniversary Reissue) Tracklisting: 1. And the Mirror Cracked (Remastered 20th Anniversary Edition) (08:28) 2. Fall (Remastered 20th Anniversary Edition) (04:53) 3. Alone I Stand in Fires (Remastered 20th Anniversary Edition) (06:53) 4. Back to Times of Splendor (Remastered 20th Anniversary Edition) (14:40) 5. A Day by the Lake (Remastered 20th Anniversary Edition) (04:54) 6. The Sleep of Restless Hours (Remastered 20th Anniversary Edition) (17:02) 7. The Porter (2002) (04:17) * Bonus Track 8. Eternal Duality (2002) (05:05) * Bonus Track 9. And the Mirror Cracked – Live 2023 (06:24) * Bonus Track 10. Alone I Stand in Fires – Live 2023 (06:27) * Bonus Track
A second sample off the reissue can be checked out now via the song “Alone I Stand in Fires (Remastered 20th Anniversary Edition)” here: youtu.be/X1ZKxTphmJc
And the first single “And the Mirror Cracked (Remastered 20th Anniversary Edition)” can still be checked out here: youtu.be/2kdBoS_-L6I
DISILLUSION was founded in 1994 and with each subsequent independent release, the band progressed in many ways and morphed into something much more. By the time their debut album “Back To Times Of Splendor” was released through Metal Blade Records in 2004, DISILLUSION were not only touring throughout Germany but also internationally with the likes of Amon Amarth and Impious.
Singer, main composer and founding member Andy Schmidt comments: “20 years, crazy, I’m so grateful for the huge impact this record had on so many people, fans, musicians, music lovers. And of course we never expected this. Thank You to everybody who supported us through all the years! Time to celebrate together on tour in spring.”
DISILLUSION‘s long rich history has had many highlights, most recently being their last two albums “The Liberation” and “Ayam” charting in Germany, but “Back To Times Of Splendor” was an album that defined them as a band. It was a concept album of pure progressive death metal but still showed a huge range of emotion. From touching, almost fragile moments to brutal rhythmic outbursts – DISILLUSION melted all genre boundaries together and made an epic masterpiece which Metal Hammer Magazine heralded it as one of the best German metal albums of all time.
DISILLUSION will celebrate this milestone in 2024 by touring internationally, where they will perform “Back To Times Of Splendor” in its entirety. The first shows in Germany, Switzerland and Austria are on sale now with many more concerts and festivals to be announced soon.
DISILLUSION – Tour Dates 2024, remaining shows: “Back To Times Of Splendor – 20th Anniversary” Presented by Rock Hard Magazine 03.05. – Munich (DE) Backstage 04.05. – Vienna (AT) Viper Room 05.05. – Prague (CZ) Klubovna 06.05. – Nürnberg (DE) Hirsch 07.05. – Basel (CH) Rockfact 08.05. – Stuttgart (DE) Club Zentral 09.05. – Ruesselsheim (DE) Das Rind 10.05. – Cologne (DE) Yard Club 11.05. – Berlin (DE) Frannz Club
Further DISILLUSION live dates: 04.-07.09.2024 Atlanta, GA (USA) – ProgPower USA progpowerusa.com
THE ROCK ALCHEMIST – Italian Rock Band from Turin with a strong sonic identity that blends modern rock with progressive, hard, alternative, and pop elements!
Kimmo Kuusniemi’s SARCOFAGUS return with a Historic 2010 Concert Video Premiere on YouTube! Click image to watch the video
Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 