Canada’s The Metal Voice spoke to Former Black Sabbath Tony Martin about his upcoming solo album ‘Thorns’ that will be released on January 14, 2022 via Battlegod Productions and Dark Star Records.
Excerpt from Interview On his time in Black Sabbath, “I think the sound guy got paid more than me (laughs). But I can’t complain too much after all Black Sabbath is what got me out into the world and it’s the reason why people know my name, my voice and ultimately it’s the reason why I am here doing ‘Thorns’ now. That voice has carried me from what I developed way back when. Sabbath is important, it’s got a great story and lot’s of great people have been involved in it and I have nothing bad to say about any of them really.”
Norwegian metal legend ABBATH will drop its third full-length album, ‘Dread Reaver,’ on March 25 via Season of Mist! Album artwork, tracklisting, and other details can be found below! The band is now premiering the official music video for the fiery first single, “Dream Cull,” which is available at THIS LOCATION.
The video was created by Francisco Munoz.
Pre-orders for ‘Dread Reaver’ are available in the Season of Mist shop HERE. Pre-save the album on streaming services HERE.
The album artwork for ‘Dread Reaver’ was created by Bjørn Stian Bjoarvik.
Tracklist: 1. Acid Haze (04:51) 2. Scarred Core (03:29) 3. Dream Cull (04:15) WATCH HERE 4. Myrmidon (04:33) 5. The Deep Unbound (04:05) 6. Septentrion (04:30) 7. Trapped Under Ice (03:59) 8. The Book of Breath (04:35) 9. Dread Reaver (04:43) 10. Make my day (04:16)
The ravens gaze ominously from above. The seas roar in anticipation. The mountains creak yet again. Abbath’s remarkable new album, Dread Reaver, is upon us all. Two years in the making, Abbath’s third full-length is the culmination of everything before it. A fusion of debut Abbath (2016) and follow-up Outstrider (2019), the aptly titled Dread Reaver extends its fantastical fangs outward and drives its cloven hooves onward. Indeed, there’s nothing like an Abbath record. This is the darkest metal for epic journeys and ancient battles. Comprised of eight riveting tracks and a red-hot cover of Metallica’s “Trapped Under Ice,” Dread Reaver shows Abbath triumphing over all trials and tribulations, riding hard into merciless glory as the one and only “Lemmy of black metal.”
Abbath was formed by Olve Eikemo (aka Abbath) in Bergen, Norway, in 2015. After splitting with vaunted extreme metallers Immortal, the beguiling frontman and storied songwriter only had one path: Abbath. Years before, he had proven that venturing out of the Immortal constellation was not only plausible but doable with the I project, a short-lived, one-album (Between Two Worlds) band featuring notable musicians from Immortal, Enslaved, and Gorgoroth. Indeed, once Eikemo was free of Immortal’s shackles, he was able to assemble a cadre of like-minded conspirators for his solo debut album, Abbath. So crucial was Abbath that the Norwegian Embassy in the UK ran a music/culture piece, while in Norway, the album was nominated for a Spellemannprisen (Norwegian Grammy). Metal Hammer Germany even gonged Abbath with its Best Debut award. Follow-up album, Outstrider, was equally lauded. Billboard’s coverage sent shockwaves through the rock/metal scenes, while Kerrang! labeled it “dominating and creative,” awarding it 4Ks. Decibel also heaped praise on Outstrider, giving it the Best New Noise trophy. New album Dread Reaver will yet again lionize Abbath as leader of the frost-bitten pack.
Powered by Abbath’s creative musical imagination, Dread Reaver runs riotously out of the gate. The album’s edifice affords tracks like “Acid Haze,” “Scarred Core,” “The Deep Unbound,” and the album’s closing title track ample room to champion the extremes of black metal, heavy metal, and hard rock. While there are nods to NWOBHM greats, thrash metal’s luminaries, and black metal icons, Dread Reaver is unmistakably Abbath. There is no other fingerprint. Paired with thought-provoking lyrics based on the historical figure of Othryades, Abbath’s new album not only shouts exultant but reads like an ancient pyrrhic tale steeped in violence, sorrow, and grit. The idea of a Dread Reaver—a fearless duelist—can also be read as a metaphor for life’s actions and subsequent struggles. Be warned: Dread Reaver is Abbath at his most menacing and accomplished.
Dread Reaver was produced by Endre Kirkesola, Abbath, and Dag Erik Nygaard at Dub Studio in Kristiansand and Bergen Lydstudio, respectively. Kirkesola and Nygaard also engineered. Mixing was performed by Abbath and Kirkesola, while the mastering was done by maestro Maor Appelbaum (Faith No More, Rob Halford) at Maor Appelbaum Mastering in Los Angeles. The goal was to field a storming production that sat firmly at the crossroads of Abbath’s heroes Kiss, Motörhead, Manowar, and Bathory. From the anthemic thrust of opener “Acid Haze” and the epic pound of “Dream Cull” to the rampaging “The Book of Breath” and the wicked cover of Metallica’s “Trapped Under Ice,” Dread Reaver sounds as massive as Norwegian mountain and as fiery as the depths of Hell. Truly, the recording lineup of Abbath (guitar, bass, vocals), Ukri Suvilehto (drums), Ole André Farstad (guitars), and Mia Wallace (bass) found their sonic muse.
The album features a Bjørn Stian Bjoarvik (Immortal) cover and will be supported by singles “Dream Cull”, “Dread Reaver” and “The Book of Breath.” Of course, it’ll all be powered by Abbath’s wry, larger-than-life persona. If “Ace of Spades” catapulted Motörhead to fame and notoriety, then Dread Reaver will find Abbath atop extreme metal’s gigantic heap, the spoils of icy blood, scorching sweat, and steely tears at his feet. As “Myrmidon” states, “Die with a smile, stare glassy-eyed up / At boiling skies! / Valkyries descend to gore-caked fen / Fallen warriors arise!” Lightning strikes thrice with Abbath’s incredible Dread Reaver!
Recording line-up: Abbath – Guitar, bass & vocals Ukri Suvilehto – Drums Ole André Farstad – Lead & acoustic guitars Mia Wallace – Bass on Acid Haze, Scarred Core, The Deep Unbound & Dread Reaver
Recording studio: Recorded in Dub Studio / Additional recordings: Bergen LydstudioProducer / sound engineer: Endre Kirkesola / Dag Erik Nygaard
Mixing studio and engineer: Abbath and Endre Kirkesola
Mastering studio / engineer: Maor Appelbaum at Maor Appelbaum Mastering – California – U.S.A
The “Samurais From Hell”, Japanese Thrash Metal veterans SURVIVE announce the impending release of their first ever live album! After more than 20 years of activity and 7 official studio albums, the 4 Tokyo based Thrash Metal samurais decided it’s time for another venture, a live material to display their full power and energy! “Live At Death Valley” is set to be released via Pest Records this Spring on Jewel-case CD format and will feature 8 tracks plus 4 bonuses.
“It is easy to be technically brilliant metal band in the studio but the true trial by fire is a Live album! With this “Live At Death Valley” album SURVIVE proves they are truly the “Samurais From Hell”! The album was mixed live so it is 100% authentic, no studio gimmicks! Great songs, fantastic technical skills! On top of that you get great new bonus tracks! Brilliant!” – Kimmo Kuusniemi, Band Manager, Sarcofagus Guitarist
Album title : LIVE AT DEATH VALLEY
Track list: 01_Degenerate 02_Wrath 03_Fuck Against Authority 04_Obey Your Own Army Corps 05_Rules Of Lies 06_Immortal Warriros 07_Human Misery 08_the Road to hell is paved by goodwill
+bonus tracks from EP ‘The Road To Hell Is Paved By Good Will’: 1.The Road To Hell Is Paved By Good Will (Featuring Tony “Demolition Man” Dolan/Venom Inc)
Rules Of Lies (Orchestra Ver)
Seize The Victory
The Road To Hell Is Paved By Good Will (Live@Club Citta Metallization Festival 2020)
The band stated: “We lost the place to work with this pandemic. It’s a concert or a tour. This pandemic stopped our band from gigging and touring. We decided to use the time we have now to create new music in the studio. We will share this studio experience with our fans over the coming months as a Vlog. We are also looking for a label to release this new album in Europe and Russia. We are still composing the songs so there are jam sessions to help us to compose the final songs. The plan is to have this album out 2022. We are looking forward to see you all very soon live!”
Tokyo’s Thrash Heroes SURVIVE – active in the world for over 20 years – have forged their own indelible path within the jmetal scene. It was back in 1998, when former Death File guitarist and mastermind Nemo decided to form a thrash metal band of his own which soon became the juggernaut known as SURVIVE. Over the next two decades the band have played many big festivals (Loud Park, Beast Fest, Multiplex-motorbike event, Korean Live Rock, Formoz Festival, Asia Metal Festival, Dongducheon Rock Festival, Trendkill Extreme Feast, etc) and toured all over the world with acts such as Behemoth, United, Killswitch Engage, Dope, Pulling Teeth, Testament, Outrage, Anthrax, Hatebleed, Napalm Death, Amon Amarth, Venom Inc, At The Gates, to name just a few, cementing their place in Japanese metal history. Still going strong, SURVIVE‘s latest album “Immortal Warriors” was released to the Japanese market on September 12th, 2018 and a year later, on September 24th 2019, the album is out worldwide via Sliptrick Records. SURVIVE have lost none of their verve and “Immortal Warriors” is an absolute must for fans of this fantastic, often overlooked band.
Nine years after the release of In Darkness, German dark metal frontrunners AGATHODAIMON set the stage for their long-awaited comeback – the bittersweet seventh studio album, The Seven, out March 18, 2022 via Napalm Records. AGATHODAIMON’s exceptional new strike maintains the old-school spirit of its predecessor, but can’t be pigeonholed due to its dynamic and widespread musical styles, evoking a gloomy atmosphere fueled by sharp growls, epic clear vocals and a gripping, exceptional sonic universe.
Formed in 1995 and entering the scene with their debut, Blacken the Angel, in 1998, bandleader Sathonys was temporarily forced to put AGATHODAIMON on hold in 2014 due to private circumstances. But the irrevocable fire of the band and their fans never went out, seeking a reawakening of this sonic, seething beast.
Now, the gates of darkness have opened once again with the massive first single “Ain’t Death Grand” as a mouth-watering harbinger, alongside a hard-hitting music video. The song breaks in with evil screams spit from the devil himself while evoking a hellfire of thundering drums and razor-sharp riffs to create an intense mélange fueled with heroic symphonic black metal passages.
Sathonys on the first single: “’Ain’t Death Grand’ was the first song we’ve written together after our reunion, so it rightfully became the first video clip. Especially as it acts as an excellent teaser for what’s still to come: As usual, the songs of THE SEVEN won’t be one-dimensional, there’s a wide range of styles you can expect, just like we did it in the past. BUT this one has a lot of elements in common with the other songs: Dark atmosphere, melody, aggression, intensity, groove, some old school-vibe and respect for our roots, but also the inevitable longing for new musical grounds and heartfelt music in general.”
AGATHODAIMON‘s massive new outburst, The Seven, reveals extreme soundscapes amid a captivating concoction of evil, provoking, cutting dark metal and heroic symphonic black metal in the style of bands like Cradle of Filth and Carach Angren, but with their unique and very own multifaceted take. Thematically, as hinted by the album’s title, the full-length is centered around the momentous and symbolically powerful number seven and the seven deadly sins – sloth, greed, lust, gluttony, pride, wrath, envy – on ten tracks total, all addressed with religious topics that contrast with human beings and its original nature.
Sathonys about the album: “Well, we took our time in creating this album. We had to make sure we (can) work together as a band after all these years, that the chemistry is there, that it feels organic to release another album after such a long break. To cut it short, we’re really looking forward to have THE SEVEN out, as we’re very satisfied with it. More than that, we’re proud of it. Typically, you can point a finger at one or two songs that really stand out from the rest, but here, you’ll feel the effort that was put into every song and every aspect. Not only in terms of songwriting, there’s also the artistic concept and visual artwork/realization delivered by the team of Credo Quia Absurdum, or the excellent production under the supervision of our friend Kristian “Kohle” Kohlmannslehner (Powerwolf, Aborted, Benighted etc.). Usually you have to be prepared to make compromises. THE SEVEN is far from that, as it is our most ambitious album to date.”
Diving into this exciting construct with opener “La Haine”, the track lures the listener into the freezing, dark world of AGATHODAIMON, produced by long-time companion Kristian “Kohle” Bonifer (Aborted, Powerwolf, Hämatom amongst others), by building up a dense wall of thunderous sound, accented by a multifaceted vocal interpretation. Songs like raging “Wolf Within” and haunting “In my Dreams” roam between dense soundscapes, crushing instrumentals and intense lyricism. “Kyrie / Gloria” on the other hand stomps more towards heavy doom metal, calling for a black mass with creeping darkness and desperate screams turning into harsh black metal parts, all topped by the guest appearance of Benighted frontman Julien Truchan. Amid the tracklisting there’s another special treat for fans lurking with epochal orchestration that paves the war for the remarkable performance of AGATHODAIMON’s former vocalist, Romanian Vlad Dracul, on “Mother of all Gods”. It’s not only this very first collaboration since 1999, but The Seven as a whole, that showcases that AGATHODAIMON absolutely acing the balancing act of incorporating their past into a bright and exciting future.
The Seven tracklist: 1. La Haine 2. Ain’t Death Grand 3. Wolf Within 4. Ghosts of Greed 5. Mother of all Gods 6. Estrangement 7. In my Dreams (Part 1 – Prelude) 8. In my Dreams (Part 2 – In Bitterness) 9. Kyrie / Gloria 10. The Divine
Polish death metallers from CATHARSIS have released the first music video from their latest album “Human Failures” released mid 2021 via Mad Lion Records. The aesthetics of the video reflects the band’s fascinations with old black and white horror movies and was shot in the original ruins of the mausoleum nearby the palace in Sławików (Poland). Check out the video:
The video was directed by Marcin Pawłowski, who is also the author of the script. Movie editing and digital processing was done by Endorfina Artmedia.
Adam Mamok comments: “We are very pleased with the end result. This time it took us a long time to get the whole thing completed. The plot is divided into two parts. A story, which is a metaphore for the lyrics of “Your Truth” and shots of the band. I admit, that it was great fun for us and we discovered each other in new roles. The convention of an old movie from the 1930s adds to the dark atmosphere of this video.”
The fury of Italy’s THE HUMAN TORNADO will be unleashing the new album “Love Is Démodé” on March 11, 2022 via Rockshots Records.
Offering a slab of smashing knock-out heavy groove rock, The Human Tornado has been making shockwaves since forming in 2014 in Bologna, Italy. The band made their debut in 2016 with their first full-length “Storm In A Ketchup” on Hidden Stone Records along with supporting touring bands such as Twelve Foot Ninja, Destrage, and Crazy Town.
The Human Tornado‘s sophomore follow-up “Love Is Démodé” was self-produced by the band with mixing and mastering done by Marco Paradisi at Boat Studio. The album will feature ten hurricane tour de force tracks that will leave fans breathless and eager to set the track listing on repeat from beginning to end.
“Every song is played with heart and soul and we wanted to explore new sounds, but without forgetting our heavy rock imprint, so we produced an intense groovy album with more melodic openings.” adds the band.
The lyrical concept behind the album is love, one of the strongest feelings of deep affection. It has different aspects and it can be addressed to another person, an animal, or a passion. But, if it’s pure, this doesn’t matter.
The band explains further: ”For some years this feeling of love has been declining, going out of fashion. In fact, in our society finding people loving what they do is increasingly difficult and often image, power, success are the most important aspects of life. Moreover, these goals are more and more often achieved by means of questionable actions and negative feelings. In this album we want to express our idea of love in particular towards music, showing in every single song even the dark and negative sides coming from love in our life.“
Today, in preview to the album, the band is sharing their second single “Last Embrace” with a new visualizer. “Sometimes we meet people literally turning our lives upside down. At first, we believe we have finally met the right person, our soulmate, but step by step we realize that our dignity is slowly crumbling. Then it’s hard to give up everything even when everybody tells us to do so. Absurdly, only extreme events can change our minds and give us the strength to make the right choice. This is the first song written during the composition of the new album that we chose as our second single for its heavy rock sound distinguishing our musical identity.” adds vocalist Roberto Montanari.
In additional news, The Human Tornado welcome new guitarist Gianmarco “Jam” Bognanni.
“Hello everybody! We’re proud to announce the entry into The Human Tornado family of the super talented Gianmarco “Jam” Bognanni. We take this opportunity to thank and greet Maximiliano “Max” Giglio who decided, for personal reasons, to leave the project. We wish him the best whatever the path he decides to take.“
Track Listing: 1. It’s Never Too Late (3:11) 2. Dreamland (3:19) 3. What I’m Waiting For (3:45) 4. The Iron King (3:12) 5. Great Unknown (3:53) 6. Last Embrace (4:06) 7. Free (4:05) 8. Kill! Kill! Kill! (3:26) 9. Compromise (3:31) 10. Black Mind Hole (5:28) Album Length: 38:03
Album Credits: – All songs Written, Produced and Arranged by The Human Tornado – Recorded at Boat Studio, Calderara di Reno (BO) – Italy – Mixed and Mastered by Marco Paradisi at Boat Studio, Calderara di Reno (BO) – Italy – Design, Artwork and Layout by Antonio “Mantra” Magro
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 ) 