“Serpent Sermon”, the 12th studio album from Swedish black metallers MARDUK, sold around 800 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 44 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

MARDUK‘s previous CD, “Wormwood”, opened with around 650 units to enter the Heatseekers chart at No. 99.

“Serpent Sermon” track listing:

01. Serpent Sermon
02. Messianic Pestilence
03. Souls For Belial
04. Into Second Death
05. Temple Of Decay
06. Damnation’s Gold
07. Hail Mary (Piss-Soaked Genuflexion)
08. M.A.M.M.O.N.
09. Gospel Of The Worm
10. World Of Blades

The album was made available as standard CD, vinyl and limited-edition media book with an exclusive bonus track entitled “Coram Satanae”.

The Håkan Sjödin-directed video for the song “Souls For Belial” can be seen below. Source: Blabbermouth.net

CENTURY MEDIA has issued the following:

The hierophants of Swedish Black Metal have started preaching the “Serpent Sermon”. MARDUK‘s 12th studio album will hit the streets today. “Serpent Sermon” is both a memorial for the glory of Black Metal as well as a signpost for a whole scene that far too often drowns in mediocrity and predictability, offering ten diverse songs within the entire spectrum of Black Metal. Be it the opener and title track with its majestic chorus, the creeping doom beast “Temple Of Decay”, “Souls For Belial” or “Gospel Of The Worm” with their pure and untamed blasting ferocity or the epic “World Of Blades”, each track of “Serpent Sermon” relegates every rivaling band further to the fringe. This is Black Metal mastery.

“Serpent Sermon” will be available in the following formats:
1. Standard CD Jewelcase
2. Deluxe Mediabook CD (with 40-page booklet and the exclusive track “Coram Satanae”)
3. Deluxe LP (with 180g vinyl, gatefold sleeve and kingsize 12-page LP-booklet)
4. Digital download

Vinyl collectors beware: An exclusive LP version on dark-red vinyl is available on www.cmdistro.com. This version will also include an exclusive 7inch EP (on dark-red vinyl as well) with the bonus track of the Mediabook CD “Coram Satanae”. Be fast as this version is limited to only 300 copies and almost gone by now.

MARDUK International press quotes:

“This is MARDUK’s definitive album. A masterpiece” 9/10 Rock Hard (IT)

“MARDUK beats up every black metal act with its “Serpent Sermon” album.” Inferno (FI)

“…the vitriolic fire and brimstone is there in spades and ist poisonous bite is potent.” 4/5 Terrorizer (UK)

“After 22 years this band still got it, we don’t need to say more.” 91/100 – Rock Tribune (BE)

“MARDUK proves again to be the absolute top of Black Metal!” Aardschok (NL)

“[MARDUK’s] latest album, ‘Serpent Sermon’, is something of a return to form-or more accurately a return to Satanism…’Serpent Sermon’ is nothing if not a lyrical blitzkrieg on the tenets of Christianity.” Revolver Magazine (USA)

“Some beasts seem to be immune to the burdens of old age” 8/10 – Sweden Rock (SE)

“…maybe the most powerful black metal album of the year.” 8/10 – Close Up (SE)

MARDUK summer festival appearances:
July 5 – Pratteln, Z7, CH, ExtremeFest Switzerland
July 6-7 – Hünxe, DE, ExtremeFest Germany
July 6-7 – St. Pölten AT, ExtremeFest Austria
July 27 – Malmö, SE, Faceplant Metalfest

Swedish black metallers MARDUK will release their 12th studio album, “Serpent Sermon”, via Blooddawn Productions/Century Media Records on the following dates:

Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Norway: Friday, May 25
Rest Of Europe: Monday, May 28
Spain, Italy: Tuesday, May 29
Sweden, Finland, Hungary: Wednesday, May 30
Australia, New Zealand: Friday, June 1
USA/Canada: June 5

“Serpent Sermon” track listing:

01. Serpent Sermon
02. Messianic Pestilence
03. Souls For Belial
04. Into Second Death
05. Temple Of Decay
06. Damnation’s Gold
07. Hail Mary (Piss-Soaked Genuflexion)
08. M.A.M.M.O.N.
09. Gospel Of The Worm
10. World Of Blades

The album will be made available as standard CD, vinyl and limited-edition media book with an exclusive bonus track entitled “Coram Satanae”.

A CD listening session for journalists and media was held in Stockholm on February 11.

Several photos from the studio can be seen at this location.

MARDUK will embark on a North American tour in June with support from 1349, WITHERED and WEAPON.

The band will play its first hometown show in Norrköping in over 12 years on April 28 at Skandiateatern.

MARDUK‘s latest EP, “Iron Dawn”, was made available at the Maryland Deathfest in May 2011 and at the six North American shows that followed.

According to a press release, the songs included on “Iron Dawn” differ from the concept that is being created for the next full-length album. Therefore this EP was made available as a special treat for all MARDUK legionaries out there.

“Wormwood”, the eleventh album from MARDUK, sold around 650 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 99 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

Source: Blabbermouth.net