Swedish doom metal juggernaut, MAMMOTH STORM, has announced to reissue their highly acclaimed debut EP, Rites Of Ascension, on Vinyl this April through Argonauta Records!
The band, who formed in 2012, burst into the heavy doom, sludge and metal world when they released their impressive, 2014- EP, Rites Of Ascension, which gained them not only high praise from both fans and critics alike, but also tour opportunities all over Europe with bands such as AHAB and many more. MAMMOTH STORM’s first full length album, Fornjot, was released by Napalm Records in 2015.
Four years later, the trio featuring bassist and vocalist Daniel Arvidsson (also in Draconian), drum and organ wizard Emil Ahlman as well as guitarist Christer Ström, returned to the scene pursuing heavy as hell riffs in the name of doom with the release of their critically acclaimed, second album Alruna in 2019 on Italy’s powerhouse label Argonauta Records.
Yet Rites Of Ascension marks the band’s most traded record jewel, and one of the best and heaviest underground doom tips to date. MAMMOTH STORM’s debut is a thunderous, lumbering beast of an EP; brutally heavy, slow and majestic, to the sound of riffs the size of mammoth storms.
Originally released as digital formats in 2014, doom fans all over the world have been frequently asking for a physical reissue. In cooperation with their label Argonauta Records, MAMMOTH STORM are proudly re-releasing Rites Of Ascension on Vinyl! Coming out on April 30, 2021, this highly collectable and limited, coloured LP edition is now available to pre-order at THIS LOCATION!
Rites Of Ascension Tracklist Side A: Rites Of Ascension Obscure Horizon
The world’s most exciting acapella metal masters VAN CANTO return with their energetic and unique Rakkatakka-power and are set to release their highly anticipated, eighth inimitable offering, To The Power Of Eight, on June 4, 2021 via Napalm Records. Prepare for an outstanding vocal offering smashing in with full force! The record marks another milestone in the band’s impressive career and presents VAN CANTO as a coherent entity stronger than ever!
With an impressive new teaser, VAN CANTO draw their devotees into a flawless universe and sonic adventure to deliver a glimpse of what can be expected in this multifaceted spectrum of vocal virtuosity. Adapted to the visual concept of the new record, this promising insight allows every band member to shine in high profile: A hypnotizing, harmonizing layer of drums smooths the way for vocal interpretation that only VAN CANTO can offer!
VAN CANTO states: “The teaser presents an epic intro of our new album and heats up the anticipation for all twelve tracks in total: Eight original numbers and four cover versions (Iron Maiden, Amon Amarth, Queen and AC/DC). From ballads to proper double bass, you can find everything in there!”
Bringing pure vocal power to the metal world since 2006, VAN CANTO set the stage for their very own genre and never failed in surprising their fans and beyond, while showcasing that metal can be heavy as hell without any riffage. With their previous full length, Trust in Rust (2018), the German rarity reworked its lineup, consisting of seven members since then. For To The Power Of Eight, the unit once again joined forces with Philip Dennis “Sly” Schunke, who had been the lead singer on their first six studio records. Sly joins lead vocalists Inga Scharf and Hagen Hirschmann on all twelve flawless tracks as third vocalist and special guest. It’s clear that this peerless piece of music was written with three voices in mind: To The Power Of Eight embodies a special sense of common bond and presents VAN CANTO in undeniable peak form!
VAN CANTO on the new album: “Being able to present an album after 15 years of band history, where three lead singers share the microphone hand in hand, makes us incredibly proud. Due to the pandemic situation we had a lot of time to work on To The Power Of Eight and put all our heart and soul into the compositions, the arrangements and the production. Originally we planned to have Sly as guest vocalist for one song – but it turned out to be twelve in total in the end. If someone would ask for one record to present VAN CANTO the most suitable way, we would choose To The Power Of Eight.”
Pre-order the new album, To The Power Of Eight, NOW
From their own original speed driven tracks, like flaring “Dead By The Night”, raise-your-fist animated “Heads Up High” or mid-tempo, heart-warming “Turn Back Time”, to anthemic heavy metal covers such as Amon Amarth’s “Raise Your Horns”, Iron Maiden’s “Run To The Hills” or AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck”, VAN CANTO always manages to easily serve their own unique take with every output. On the one hand, To The Power Of Eight reflects a well experienced collective that has gathered several top 50 entries on the German album charts and played numerous shows around the globe and festivals like 70k Tons Of Metal, Wacken and Masters of Rock. But at the same time, it presents these energetic visionaries of acapella metal, who are far from resting on what they’ve achieved so far.
To The Power Of Eight tracklisting: 1. To the Power of Eight 2. Dead by the Night 3. Faith Focus Finish 4. Falling Down 5. Heads Up High 6. Raise Your Horns 7. Turn Back Time 8. Run to the Hills 9. Hardrock Padlock 10. Thunderstruck 11. From the End 12. I Want It All
Saudi Arabia’s progressive grunge rock trio SONGS OF PETRICHOR are releasing their debut single “Nomad” in preview to their self-titled album coming November 2021 via Sound of Wall Records.
A nostalgic, melancholic revival of influenced 70’s prog, 90’s grunge, and South Asian classical music, Songs of Petrichor has fused a refreshing sound from the Middle East. With all members of the band being multi-instrumentalists, the crafting of songs has always taken an interesting approach with each of them having mutual respect for each other’s instrumentation.
Admitting that they are first and foremost a live experience, Songs of Petrichor’s true chemistry comes to life when adding improvisation to their stage performance, but in the meantime, with lockdowns around the globe, they feel it is necessary to allow the public to enjoy this chapter of their sonic adventure until then.
Songs of Petrichor‘s goal with “Nomad” and the forthcoming record is to take listeners on a journey of rain-induced sentiment, strong emotions, and adoration for the classic yet modern love of rock. On “Nomad”, fans will hear SOP find their own voice while still demonstrating a unique and relatable sound.
“‘Nomad’ was inspired by our drummer Omair’s thoughts of not belonging anywhere and constantly moving on. The song is open to interpretation as either a narrative of a literal ‘nomad’ or as a metaphor of one whose journey is akin to that of a nomad. The song holds themes of not belonging to a single location, perseverance, moving on, pain, loss, vengeance and yet finds space for hope. It is an Oriental Grunge song with elements of Progressive Rock.” adds the band.
NEKROMANTHEON unleash their new, skull splitting single “Dead Temples” today! Listen to the single here: https://orcd.co/deadtemples, or watch the lyric video on YouTube! “Dead Temples”is is the third single off Nekromantheon’s most ferocious record up to date – “The Visions of Trismegistos”, coming on April 30!
The band has commented on the single: “Deep in the soil near the ruins of Eleusis, the grains of immortality still lie dormant. In the voice of Triptolemus, Dead Temples praises the power of the unspeakable gods of a bygone time.”
The Visions of Trismegistos is a long-awaited metal assault, bringing forth the spirit of old metal once again. Recorded in Chaka Khan Studio and various locations around Oslo by the members of Nekromantheon themselves, using mostly old, analog equipment to get that warm, genuine sound. Visions of Trismegistos feels like a lost opus from the glory days of the 80’s, when Thrash, Death and Black metal was merged into one unholy trinity. Yet, it is a fresh and vital testament of a band at the height of their abilities, that stand out amongst their peers.
With The Visions of Trismegistos, Nekromantheon are ready to resurrect the ways of the ancient with their fresh take on old school extreme metal!
The Visions of Trismegistos will be unleashed by Indie Recordings worldwide and by Hells Headbangers in the USA!
Nekromantheon started out in early 2005 with only one goal in mind: To play fast, evil and dirty thrash metal in the way of the old gods. Influenced by the classics of Slayer, Sadus, Kreator, Dark Angel and Sepultura, they unleashed their attack on modern metal.
After the release of the “We’re Rotting” EP in early 2007, the band had already built a name for themselves in the underground scene. As the band got more and more focused on capturing the spirit of the 80’s, guitarist Arild “Arse” Myren Torp, and drummer Christian “Kick” Holm started building their own recording studio. Shortly their very own “KickArse Studio” was ready in Kolbotn, Norway, the hometown of the mighty Darkthrone.
With their own creative pit available their first full-length album, entitled “Divinity of Death” was released shortly. This intense evocation of evil turned some heads indeed, and earned the band a spot at Maryland DeathFest 2010 and the highly prestigious, yet extremely underground, Live Evil Festival in London the same year.
In 2012, Nekromantheon released their second record, “Rise, Vulcan Spectre” elevating the level of ferocious, darkened Thrash metal to unknown heights. The release was an unholy offering to summon the old ways of metal, being held up to underground classics from the 80’s. It was an intense, analog sounding record that showed no mercy. Rise, Vulcan Spectre was met with raving reviews and went on to receive a Grammy for Best Metal album 2012.
Nekromantheon, unaffected by the “success”, continued to play underground concerts and festivals that they deemed suited for their concept, and continued to keep a low profile throughout the years, playing selected shows and slowly working on new material. As the members were active and creative in bands like Obliteration, Black Viper, Flight, Deathhammer etc, and they have an extremely self-critical way of writing music within Nekromantheon, the follow up record took years and years before it materialized. We believe it’s worth the wait.
Entertainment One (eOne) is pleased to unveil a limited-edition vinyl repressing of Time Heals Nothing, the third full-length from NOLA sludge masters, CROWBAR.
Initially released in 1995 through Pavement Music, the critically lauded offering contains some of the band’s most revered compositions including “The Only Factor,” “No More Can We Crawl,” and the title track. Upon its release, All Music praised the record noting, “CROWBAR was never afraid to share their pain, and Time Heals Nothing exemplifies the New Orleans doom purveyor’s well-practiced aching out loud.” Sputnik Music concurred, “Built on the success of CROWBAR‘s self-titled album, Time Heals Nothing continues the band’s onslaught of well-executed sludge metal.” Wrote Exclaim, “Vocalist/guitarist Kirk Windstein’s lyrics prove incredibly biting and emotionally poignant for a bunch of dudes that look as though they’d send your eyeballs through the back of your skull with the slightest provocation.” Added Sea Of Tranquility, “Time Heals Nothing is the perfect example of just what makes CROWBAR the doom legends they are as these ten uncompromising tracks perfectly blend their penchant for crafting, slow, sludge infested riffs, with the faster, more energetic elements of hardcore. It then gets molded into something truly unique which can only sound like CROWBAR… Music for the downtrodden? Definitely!”
Last year, eOne issued a 25th anniversary pressing of Time Heals Nothing. Limited to 300 copies, the record sold out in 24 hours. The new edition is limited to 1000 copies — split between the US and EU/UK (available for the first time ever) — and comes in black and clear with blood and honey splatter.
Grab your copy today only at eOne Heavy at THIS LOCATION.
The Time Heals Nothing vinyl repress serves as a precursor to CROWBAR’s eagerly anticipated new full-length, set for release later this year via eOne with details to be revealed in the weeks to come.
With just a month to go to the release of HYMNR‘s debut full-length album “Far Beyond Insanity”, a second track from the album makes its debut. Titled “Part.III” the track is streaming exclusively on “No Clean Singing” and can be heard at THIS LOCATION.
Describing themselves as a “Black Metal band from unknown parts of the world” HYMNR plays its cards very close to its chest when it comes to its lineup, saying little more than that it is comprised of V on Vocals, V1 on Guitars and VII on Drums.
Intriguingly, the band did have this to say regarding both its formation, and its music:
HYMNR is an entity, a formation that spawned itself. The music, the story, and the concept of HYMNR is its own tale, charting the tragic path that has led the world, humanity, and religion on a downwards spiral.
HYMNR is not so much a band as a concept that sets forth the old anguish-filled tales of how it all ended up where it did.
What HYMNR is, no one can say, except maybe the induvidual minds of the ones who are willing to embark on this journey.
HYMNR needs to be heard and seen, and, above all, felt.
Mixed and mastered by Christer Krogh at Velvet Recording, and with artwork by David Thiérrée, tracklisting for “Far Beyond Insanity” is as follows:
Part.I Part.II Part.III Part.IV
“Far Beyond Insanity” will hit the streets on the 23rd April in in CD, Digital and LP formats on Saturnal Records.
Additionally, a Special Edition Vinyl , limited to 10 copies, which will contain a poster and a patch, will be available only directly from HYMNR.
“Part.I”, another previously debuted track from “Far Beyond Insanity” can be heard at https://youtu.be/ehqu_R7TBJg
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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 ) 