SPRING/ SUMMER NEWS 2008!!

BLACK ELK: Always A Six, Never A Nine is the second album and the follow up to the 2006 self-titled debut from Portland, OR aggro wreckers Black Elk, whose psychotic brand of crushing, noise-rock influenced heaviosity is a return to the unhinged underground rock force of bands like Jesus Lizard, Melvins, Black Flag and Hammerhead. This new album features ten songs of seething weirdness, with the dissonant, crushing riffage, lunging rhythmic push and awesome freaked out, Yow-esque vocals of singer Tom Glose that made their debut a fave among anyone who remembered the days when Amphetamine Reptile ruled the underground rock scene, but with some interesting new elements (bleak guitar ambience, piano, etc.) that add new shadows to Black Elk's ferocious sound. Always A Six, Never A Nine will be coming out through Crucial Blast on October 21st and will be available as both a CD in deluxe gatefold packaging and digital download, with touring to coincide with the release. http://www.blackelk.net

SOURVEIN: Candlelight Records today confirms the signing of North Carolina-based sludge/doom metal band Sourvein. The popular five-piece on tour now through August 11 have recorded a special/limited edition EP titled Imperial Bastard which will see domestic release on September 30. It will be followed by the band's Billy Anderson-produced full-length label debut currently planned for release in early 2009. Formed in 1993, Sourvein relocated to Cape Fear, North Carolina after Hurricane Katrina ravaged their long-time home base. Blacktide Music says, "ominous riffs, which launch into despair-ridden breakdowns the likes of which would make Eyehategod tremble with fear." Currently featuring vocalist T-Roy Medlin, former Buzzov-en drummer Ramzi, bassist Bonne Doom with guitarists Cool Clyde and Sleepy Doom, the band have released two full length albums - their self-titled (often referred to as Salvation) debut released in 2000/Game Two Records and Will to Mangle released in 2002/Southern Lord. Numerous EPs and split recordings have kept the band in the eyes of their growing fanbase as well their commitment to consistent touring both in the US and overseas. Sourvein are the latest to join London-based Candlelight's growing US roster, a strong concentration of artist development for the rising label. Home to all catalog from Emperor, Ihsahn, Zyklon, 1349, Insomnium plus early recordings from Opeth and Burzum, Candlelight's American roster includes Obituary, Crowbar, Daylight Dies, Abigail Williams, Absu, Averse Sefira and Sothis. The label is distributed exclusively in the United States via Caroline/EMI, PHD Canada for the northern country and Plastichead Music for Europe. http://www.myspace.com/sourvein

JENNIE TEBLER: Jennie Tebler is an enchanting and magical Swedish vocalist. She has the ability to reach your heart and soul with her lyrics. During 2005 and 2006 she released several emotional singles in Europe which garnished praise from melodic rock and metal fanbases. During that time she hooked up with three new members that now form Jennie Tebler's Out of Oblivion on this, the band's debut full-length release for the world. Till Death Tear Us Part is an intriguing and addictive journey through all of metal's spectrums. Brilliant and unparalleled, you have never heard this before. Check out a sample track from Till Death Do Us Part here: http://www.blackmark.net/img/4Pack/Jennie-Tebler-Out-Of-Oblivion.mp3. http://www.myspace.com/jennieteblersoutofoblivion

BORIS: The almighty Boris are currently on tour in the Americas, supporting their most breakout record in the band's monstrous, dynamic catalog, Smile. The praise of this release just does not stop flowing in... fans and critics of all realms of heavy/experimental/open-minded rock can't get enough, as the band digs in on their most comprehensive North American tour to date. Saturday, June 28th, Boris' video for the track 'Statement' - the single for the Smile album - will premier on MTV's Headbanger's Ball, as hosted by Lamb of God! The show runs from 11 PM-1 AM on MTV2. Get ripped, tune in and rock out with our Southern Lord brethren amongst today's major metal acts. More info at: http://headbangersblog.mtv.com or http://www.mtv.com/ontv/dyn/headbangers_ball/series.jhtml Recently, Guitar World's Metalkult.com posted live footage of the one-off NYC performance of this post-doom rock beast. four live tracks that show some of what can be expected from this tour: http://blogs.guitarworld.com/metalkult/live-kult/boris/

FUNEREAL MOON: Autopsy Kitchen Records proudly announces our new signing/collaboration with Mexico's ambient/occult/black metal project Funereal Moon! Funereal Moon have been creating Satanic audio blasphemies in this world since 1993 with the debut release of their Prayers Of The Crystal Tablet Of Beli demo cassette. They have had a unique approach to the dark arts from their very inception and it has only grown phenomenally over the decade since. We first became familiar with Funereal Moon's mysterious presence with their 1997 vinyl only release Grim...Evil.... Soon after that release the band all but disappeared from this planet with only 2 very limited "commemorative/best of" CDs containing a scattering of new tracks being released in a span of almost a decade! Funereal Moon eventually returned from absolute obscurity however and began recording full time once again much to our own pleasure. We decided to approach the band about doing a re-release of Grim...Evil on CD format and in the end we got much more than we bargained for...Funereal Moon have made Autopsy Kitchen their new home for all obsessive intents and Satanic purpose in life...The first collaboration is fully recorded and will consist of a re-release of the tracks from the previously mentioned Grim...Evil LP as well as the first new Funereal Moon recordings in years: Satan's Beauty Obscenity. Following this release, the aptly titled brand new full length recording Bringer Of Evil will also materialize to assist in your pain and pleasure as Funereal Moon have done for us all these years.

THOU: Every now and again the rare occasion arises that you come across a record clearly created by fanatics that simply can't help but stand apart from the crowd. Fanatics that have deep roots in nothing else but bashing out the most grim yet beautiful sounding doom... doom isn't the genre here, doom is the atmosphere. Eyes peer beyond shadows and blood flows beneath footprints. The world is not as vast as the mind. Reality suffers the consequence and we are it's slaves. Peasant is Thou's 2nd full length after their debut LP Tyrant and both LPs were summoned in their hometown of Baton Rouge, LA which many here in the states consider the home state of that true soulful doom vibe somewhat akin to Motown via Detroit. Unlike many bands of the ilk, Thou doesn't just simply plow over you with riff after unbearably crushing riff over the duration of the album but choose to riff over your soul track by track with more venom per ounce than is likely healthy by any standard. Needless pain and suffering are all around you, Thou are not the answer... they are the alternative. No true pleasure can ever be experienced without a healthy dose of pain. Look no further. Presented in a deluxe 16-page booklet and each copy will come wrapped in a specially designed vellum strip. Hear THOU on our online mp3 player now. See THOU on tour now!

SUSPYRE: Sensory Records is proud to announce the signing of New Jersey's up-and-coming prog metal all-stars Suspyre. Formed in 2001, these talented, young musicians have discovered an energetic and gifted way of combining progressive rock and symphonic metal with classical and jazz fusion. The bands' new album When Time Fades... will be released September 30, 2008. "We are all very excited about signing to Sensory Records" says Gregg Rossetti, guitarist and founder/composer of Suspyre. "The high-caliber musicians on this label have inspired our band to become what it is and we are now proud to be a part of their family." October 2005 marked the release of the band's first full-length album, The Silvery Image. Response to the album was so positive that the band was signed to Nightmare Records and followed up with the release of their next album, A Great Divide, in March 2007. The album hit the top 2007 prog metal album charts on websites such as USA Progressive Music, ProgPalaceRadio.com, and Beyond Ear Candy. To further their goal to develop and perfect their fusion of varied musical inspirations and influences, Suspyre has recorded a third album, When Time Fades... This album is a groovier piece of art with a bit more metallic crunch, and even more variety in the song styles, including an acoustic piece. No one can accuse this band of being formulaic in their composing. When Time Fades... has set the bar even higher than the band's previous albums, not only in music creation but also in the artwork done by Gustavo Sazes (Firewind, Dark Empire, Mystic Prophecy) , and featured guest artists that include drummer Charlie Zeleny (Behold the Arctopus, Blotted Science, Jordan Rudess), and female vocalist Trisha O'Keefe (Amaran's Plight). Suspyre is also currently trying out musicians for two new positions, seeking a drummer and a keyboardist to fill the line-up of their band for live performances. http://www.suspyre.com http://www.myspace.com/suspyre

EVERGREY: Following intense and very constructive discussions, Steamhammer/SPV have announced their future collaboration with Swedish dark melodic metal act, Evergrey. The deal includes not only the group's brand-new studio album, Torn, which will arrive in September, but also Evergrey's complete back-catalog. SPV Head of Labels, Ulrike Rudolph says: "We are all happy to welcome Evergrey to the SPV/Steamhammer Family, and are looking forward to a great future together." Evergrey mastermind Tom S. Englund is also looking forward to a productive cooperation with Steamhammer, explaining: "After long and intense negotiations, we feel that we have arrived at optimum conditions for everybody involved. We are confident that Evergrey will continue to grow artistically under the terms of this contract, that SPV will enjoy our cooperation and - this is definitely the most important aspect - that our fans will thoroughly benefit from the new deal." The first stage of this ambitious target will see the release of Evergrey's new studio album, Torn, at the beginning of September, featuring eleven compositions, described by Englund as a "modern mix of In Search Of Truth and Recreation Day". "The tracks are all guitar-oriented and very atmospheric. They have exactly the sound that our fans expect from us." According to Englund, the slightly more experimental direction of Evergrey's previous release, Monday Morning Apocalypse, has given way again to old strengths and virtues. "Two years ago we needed an album with a slightly different approach and an expensive producer, just to find out how that sort of thing works. It was the right album at the time, but now we have returned to our typical trademarks." This is one of the reasons why the tracks on Torn were self-produced by Englund together with drummer Jonas Ekdahl. In addition, the band has a new bassist, Fredrik Larsson having been replaced by former Stratovarius musician Jari Kainulainen. Since the band arrived on the scene in 1998, Evergrey have brought out six studio albums and one live cut. All of them made the top 20 in their native Sweden and the last two made the top 10 (no. 6 and 3, respectively). On top of that, their DVD was number 1 for four weeks and nominated for a Grammy in Sweden. The band has toured around the globe several times, together with In Flames, Nevermore, Throwdown, Arch Enemy, Children of Bodom and Iced Earth, among others. Along with Torn, their new contract with Steamhammer/SPV includes the band's complete back-catalog, so top-quality reissues featuring a selection of bonus tracks are likely in future. "There is so much additional material for each album that we could theoretically re-release it on an extra DVD. Whatever we manage to do – premium reissues are certainly a possibility." http://www.evergrey.net or http://www.myspace.com/officialevergrey

ASCEND: The 'Lord's priority new release this Summer, Ascend's debut opus Ample Fire Within is out now. Both of Ascend's members Greg Anderson (sunn 0))), Goatsnake, Engine Kid, owner of Southern Lord Records) and Gentry Densley (Iceburn, Eagle Twin) are available for interviews now!! The organic, genre-bending, post-doom toils with elements hailing from the members' shared love for experimental jazz. Additional tonal subversions on the recording were also supplied by Steve Moore (Earth, Stebmo), Bubba Dupree (Void), Kim Thayil (Soundgarden) and more. Much more is expected from this unit in the future; this is only the beginning of the Ascend... The title track "Ample Fire Within" lies here : http://www.southernlord.com/mp3/01%20Ample%20Fire%20Within.mp3. A press page for the album also lives: http://www.southernlord.com/press/ascend

sun 0))): sunn 0)))'s 7th studio album is still in the incubation stages... Preliminary tracks have been recorded in Seattle, WA with Randall Dunn (Altar album, Earth, Wolves In The Throne Room). Beyond the core duo of Stephen O'Malley and Greg Anderson... Attila Csihar (Mayhem), Oren Ambarchi adds rays to make the 0))) burn divinely. Renowned violinist (among other instruments) Eyvind Kang has collaborated with 0))) on this album. Eyvind has been adding string and horn orchestration to the wicked sonic brew. The material is as diverse as ever, traversing new directions, yet grounded in the behemoth foundation of yore....the white divine light of day = early 2009. The band will also be releasing a double-vinyl-only live album later this summer entitled: Dømkirke. The recording is from as very special live performance by sunn 0))) in a cathedral in Bergen, Norway. The Borealis festival commissioned a piece of music referring to the gothic Gregorian hymns of the Late Middle Ages; hymns that flourished within the Bergen Cathedral in its earliest years. The building was built around 1180 in the age of the Great Famine and The Black Plague. The Gregorian hymns of this time reflected the despair, the terrors and darkness of the world, and consisted of long slow lines of unison melodies. The style, the dark mood and the slow melodic development are all elements that also can be traced back to sunn 0)))'s musical universe. These parallels between sunn 0))) and the medieval times gave birth to this commission. The sunn 0))) core duo of Stephen O' Malley and Greg Anderson was joined by vocalist: Attila Csihar (Mayhem), organ by Steve Moore (Earth, Ascend, Stebmo),electronics by Lasse Marhog (Jazzkammer), and keyboards from T.O.S. Each LP side contains one singular piece: Side 1) Why dost thou hide thyself in clouds? Side 2) Cannon Side 3) Cymatics Side 4) Mass of The Ætmospheres. Like the Oracle LP release by sunn 0))) last year this 180 gram heavy weight vinyl will be packaged in a super deluxe gatefold jacket with printed inner-sleeves featuring stunning photographs of the performance.

SOUTHERN LORD: Some Reissues: Velvet Cacoon - Genevieve - One of the most haunting, epic and mesmerizing Black Metal albums every recorded will be re-issued by Southern Lord in the coming months. Killer layout and re-design via Stephen O' Malley. Gore - Hart Gore/Mean Mans' Dream - An underrated and highly influential Dutch band from the 90's, Gore slays all with their behemoth vocal-less brutality! An important influence on nearly all current instrumental bands these days. They paved the way for Pelican, Don Caballero, Breadwinner, etc. Pay your respects! There is also a Southern Lord Compilation coming out later in 2008 with Ascend, Earth, Boris, Gore, Iceburn, Wolves in the Throne Room, Pentemple, Lair of the Minotaur, Thou, Lurker of Chalice and Velvet Cacoon.

MERCILESS RECORDS: YES, we are back! ...back to rape your mind! http://myspace.com/mercilessrecords. We are Merciless Records; the oldest and longest running German underground Label. We don't know limits. We are the none plus ultra. We do the non plus ultra ÜBER-METAL FÜR FREIGEISTER. M.R.CD019-NONEUCLID The Crawling Chaos CD. (Holland/Germany) Seven Acoustic Cathedrals of Cosmic Death. Rotten monolithic Thrash / Death Metal with extremely abysmally deep atmospheres. Music composed by Morean; featuring Century Media artists V. Santura and Seraph (Dark Fortress). http://www.noneuclid.com; http://www.myspace.com/noneuclidband For Fans of CYNIC, ATHEIST; VOIVOD; MORBID ANGEL and DARK FORTRESS. M.R.CD020-TRAUMATIC VOYAGE Khiaoscuro CD. (Germany) The Sixth Album, Sickest psycho Black Metal ever. This is not just “True” Black Metal... This is the Black Truth itself...This is the true Soundtrack To your real Downfall! http://www.traumatic-voyage.de NO Myspace site here! Real Misanthropes don't search friends! Unique Sound from a unique Band for unique People. WARNING: THESE SOUNDSCAPES ARE DANGEROUS FOR WEAK MINDS AND SENSITIVE LISTENERS. THEY MAY CAUSE MENTAL CONFUSION, CONSCIOUSNESS-EXPANSION AND LOSS OF REALITY! Shirts of both bands in work, and a TRAUMATIC VOYAGE Poster will come shortly as well! More Infos can be found in our Online Store: Metribution.com - Distribution of Metal Music http://www.metribution.com You can order when you are strong enought. Here some more Mailorders and Companies distributing our titels: http://www.blackscaped.de; http://www.mdd-shop.de; http://www.cyclone-empire.com; http://www.metalmailorder.com; more to come soon. NEXT RELEASES: SEAMOUNT http://www.myspace.com/seamountdoom. For fans of classical Doom Metal. Their album is available as digital Download (Music & Art). We are doing a vinyl release in the near future. KHAZAD DHUM Human Breeds Evil CD (Germany) Anti Human Black Metal. TRAUMATIC VOYAGE Cogito Ergo Sum CD (Germany) The Fourth album, Psycho Black Metal. TRAUMATIC VOYAGE Traumatic... CD (Germany) Re-Release of the Debut Album, plus Bonus. ORDER FROM CHAOS T.B.A. Imperium Pt. 2. LP/CD FULGOR Collection, Confession, Condemnation & Condolence LP/CD TRAUMATIC VOYAGE All releases.

SOTHIS: Candlelight Records confirms September 2 as the American release date for De Oppresso Liber, the full-length debut from Los Angeles-based black metal band Sothis. Recorded in Los Angeles and mixed in Sweden by Andy LaRocque (King Diamond) the album includes nine new original songs. The band is Candlelight's latest American acquisition, a strong focus of artist development for the London-based label. Founding member Dross (drums) says of the new album, "If you are into aggressive, polished black metal that is well executed then you’re going to love De Oppresso Liber. We’ve been able to capture some incredible performances and couple them with some very talented engineers. We wanted to make a record that we would be genuinely proud of and we’ve accomplished that.” A fixture on the Los Angeles area, Sothis released through independent channels their four-song mini-album in late 2004. Finding the immediate attention of Revolver, Canada's Brave Words Bloody Knuckles, who called the recording "fierce in every aspect, Sothis instantly captures their listeners' hearts and and souls... behold the next big black metal band," and England's Zero Tolerance, the recording triggered a very active and productive period for the five-piece. A regional tour was set up with performances throughout the Southwest; the shows inspiring two limited-release dvds that capture the band's impressive stage personnae. The band's self-financed video for "Sinister Nation" (http://youtube.com/watch?v=eB5F1VNuRh4) has seen over 10,000 views since its premiere and further showcases their commanding live performance. Featuring vocalist Drogoth, guitarists Scathe and Nylock, keyboardist Asperia, with Dross, Sothis are ready to expand their already growing fanbase. Signing with Candlelight Records, maintaining offices in Philadelphia and London, the band teams up with a growing label dedicated to development. "We are extremely happy to be working with Candlelight Records. If you think about it there is really no better home for us. Candlelight and Sothis have the same goals and vision for the future; I just can’t tell which of us is more determined to reach them." http://www.sothis.us and http://www.myspace.com/sothis

CURSED:As many of you are well aware of, the Goodfellow Records band CURSED was robbed on the second-to-last day of their recent European tour of all of their tour earnings, some of their passports, etc. This included the money that was set aside to pay for all costs of the tour (backline rental, van, etc). If you want more information on what has happened, I suggest going to the band's own blog, located online at: http://yourfuckingfuneral.blogspot.com/. We have had many inquiries about how people can help the band out financially, as they now have outstanding debts to pay from the tour. Chris Logan of Goodfellow Records has set up a paypal address to collect money from those interested. Paypal payments can be sent to the address paulyspasta@hotmail.com with the subject CURSED DONATION. Anything that you can do to help spread the word about this to your readers would be greatly appreciated. A number of websites have posted that the band has already broken up. While it does look like this is a probability, the band has not yet made a final decision about it as a collective whole. Goodfellow Records will issue a statement about the band's future very soon after the band has had some time to collect themselves after this unfortunate occurrence.

MOONSPELL:Moonspell's new album, Night Eternal will follow up on the gold album, number one charting, “best Portuguese band” at the MTV Europe Music Awards, success of their 2006 release, Memorial. Moonspell have by no means rested on their laurels, but dared another step into a new dimension. While they have chosen their old friend who has always warranted for an acclaimed album Waldemar Sorychta for the pre-production in Lisbon, the actual recording and mixing took place in the renowned Antfarm Studio of top-producer Tue Madsen. The powerful, yet transparent and organic sound justifies that decision by all means. At the same time it is not the Portuguese's first excursion to Aarhus. The re-recordings of their early works under the name Under Satanae (2007) also took place under the direction of Tue Madsen. The return to their roots has effected Moonspell like a rejuvenating potion leading them to rediscover their origins, which are diversely displayed in the first two singles from the album: “Scorpion Flower” and the title track “Night Eternal”. Moonspell have once again re-discovered themselves and still found a way back to their roots. All of these elements are also represented on the bonus-track “Age of Mothers”, which will only be available in the limited first-edition of Night Eternal. http://www.moonspell.com or http://www.myspace.com/moonspell

PHARAOH:To celebrate the outstanding, much-deserved success of Pharaoh's third album Be Gone, Cruz Del Sur in agreement with the band, has made available the whole album for streaming on label's Myspace page (http://www.myspace.com/cruzdelsurmusic) for a limited period of 30 days. No voiceovers, no cuts, nothing but the music to speak itself. Be Gone has received astonishing feedback from press and fans, from the #2 on prestigious German Rock Hard magazine's Soundcheck, to the exceptional response that online communities have given to the release (9.5/10 on Blabbermouth.net, 5/6 on metalreview.com, etc.) While enjoying this fantastic moment, Pharaoh and Cruz Del Sur Music are putting the final details to a new release together, that will see the light before the end of 2008. It's going to be a friendly-priced EP, entitled 10 Years. It contains several additional songs from the Be Gone sessions and special cover versions of Slayer and New Model Army songs. Pharaoh will also release a split 7" with Canvas Solarisin 2008, featuring the bands' own versions of the Coroner classics "Tunnel of Pain" and "Arc-Lite." http://www.solarflight.net or http://www.myspace.com/pharaohmetal

AT A LOSS RECORDINGThe Baroness/Unpersons A Grey Sigh In A Flower Husk split will finally be available on LP format on June 10th. Expect gatefold covers, inner-sleeve design and joined by a free digital download of the album. http://www.myspace.com/yourbaroness or http://www.myspace.com/unpersons. Black Cobra's Feather and Stone will be available on LP on May 27th. http://www.myspace.com/blackcobra or http://www.blackcobra.net/. Deadbird's first tour supporting the Twilight Ritual release (available June 24th) includes killer dates with Only Living Witness, Harvey Milk, Growing, and Black Tusk. http://www.myspace.com/deadbird.

AGATHOCLES: The fourth installment of the amazing Selfmadegod Records series featuring hard to find songs from long out of print seven inches is out now. Mince Core History 1996-1997 is certainly the most obscure and raw sounding part of the entire "Mince Core History" series! Includes the splits with Abstain, Autoritar, BWF, Die, Excruciating Terror, Krush, Praparation H, Shikabane, Unholy Grave, "Live And Noisy" 2X7" and the 10" split with Vomit Fall. A must have for every fan of Agathocles and fan of good, old fashioned grindcore! Agathocles line-up: TONY-bass; NILS-drums and voice; JAN-guitar and vocals. http://www.agathocles.com

RETALIATION: Selfmadegod Records will release a 115 song discography CD of Swedish grindcore band Retaliation. Compiling all the songs recorded and released in nearly a decade in a half the disc includes the splits w/ Gut, Exhumed, The Kill, Grindwork 4-way split w/ Nasum, Vivisection and C.S.S.O., V/A "Really Fast" vol. 9, and two first classic albums: The Execution and Violence Spreads Its Drape, as well as Boredom And Frustration/DDD demo. Exhuming the Past - 14 Years of Nothing is unadulterated grindcore insanity of the highest form and the best style. Devastating, hammering, and relentless: these are proper words to describe the sound of Retaliation. Retaliation line-up: Henke - vocal violence; Jonas - 666-string; Andreas - verbal abuse; Jon - slaying stringulation; Jocke - war and hate. http://www.myspace.com/retaliationgrindcore

ASCEND: ASCEND is a new collaborative musical project between Gentry Densley Iceburn, Eagle Twin) and Greg Anderson (sunn 0))),Goatsnake, Engine Kid). Both have been making music that has crossed paths several times in the last 19 years, the most notable being during the 90s when Anderson's band Engine Kid toured with and shared a split album with Densely’s band Iceburn. During that time both were heavily experimenting with the fusion of jazz (Mahavishnu Orchestra, Miles Davis, John Coltrane) and the dark behemoth tones of influences such as The Melvins, Gore, Slint, and Caspar Brotzman. Hitting stores on May 27th, ASCEND re-visits some of the tones and moods of their past works as well as traveling into uncharted territory all done with the utmost focus on heaviness and power, with the album Ample Fire Within. Of particular note is the vocal performance by Gentry Densley. His voice is deep and ominous with a subtle Tom Waits influence within the growls and gruffness that is emoted. Anderson gushes enthusiastically: "we were extremely fortunate to have a lot of help from our friends with this recording. Andy Patterson pounded the hell out of the drums, and Steve Moore (aka Stebmo, also in Earth and often times sunn 0))) ) added some trombone (“Obelisk of Kolob”, and “Dark Matter”), organ (“Her Horse Is Thunder”, “Dark Matter”) and some amazing wurlitzer (“Amplifier Within”, “Divine”). His playing brings a dark, sophisticated jazz atmosphere to the album. On the track "V O G" we were blessed to have Bubba Dupree (Void) AND none other than Kim Thayil (Soundgarden) put down some incredible lead work!" The entire album was mixed by Randall Dunn (Earth, sunn 0))), Kinski,) and mastered by Mell Dettmer who is turning into the "house-mastering wizardress" for the Southern Lord label. Below are a few shavings from the horns of the beast... "Ample Fire Within": http://www.mediafire.com/?jsqvyjzcnoy; "Divine": http://www.mediafire.com/?mitghoztmnx; "V O G": http://www.mediafire.com/?wvmdiyexaxy.

LAIR OF THE MINOTAUR: Lair of the Minotaur’s killing spree continues… Their crushing third full-length War Metal Battle Master continues to reap ravenous praise from all levels of the press and the bloodthirsty public. With several tours already under their belt this year, the band attacks the asphalt again this month with a week and a half of dates with Torche and label mates Boris, a string of shows with acts including Sourvein, Black Cobra and Weedeater, building up to a mini-East Coast tour with legendary hardcore hellions M.O.D. The band is featured on the cover of the August issue of Metal Maniacs which will street the same day Lair join the Boris tour on July 22nd. The video for War Metal Battle Master’s title track has reaped massive response online for the band and is now attacking the world via MTV2s Headbangers Ball this week! Directed by Gary Smithson (High on Fire, Goatwhore, Exodus, Tomahawk) the video is one of the goriest, violent and most METAL videos ever. On the making of the video, LOTM frontman Steve Rathbone comments: "Gary approached us at the Murderfest in LA in March ’07, wanting to direct a video for us. I told him I didn’t want to make a normal video - I hate most videos. But I already had an idea for the track War Metal Battle Master." Filmed outside of Lancaster, CA - about half a mile from the church in Kill Bill where Uma gets shot up -LOTM let the blood flow... "The bloody ladies are Keres; demons that were attracted to blood from battles" Rathbone continues. “They would grab the newly fallen, rip them apart with their teeth, drink their blood and drag the corpses to Hades. We wanted to make something for hardcore horror and metal fans. People have been freaking out about it - I lost count of the people who came up and told me they waited their whole lives to see a metal video like that.” LOTM will unleash their first DVD through Southern Lord in the near future, including both the uncensored version and the PG-13 cut of the video, a behind the scenes feature, a shitload of live footage from the bands archives spanning tours from all three albums, interviews and tons more. 2 versions of the video are already online: Headbangers Ball PG-13 version: http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?vid=252758 and Uncensored balls-out original version: http://www.lairwarmetalvideo.com

FARMAKON and DISTORTED: Candlelight Records has set Tuesday, April 29 as the US release date for new albums from Finland’s Farmakon, and their new album Robin, as well as Israel’s Distorted's new album Voices From Within. Both albums are part of Candlelight’s ongoing cult series; a special-priced product line introducing up-and-coming international artists into the US marketplace. The series provides for artists of varying styles and specifically focuses on establishing initial fanbases for which the artists can grow and connect with American audiences. New tracks from both albums have been posted on Candlelight USA's MySpace page today. Tampere-based Farmakon saw the release of their debut album (A Warm Glimpse, Earache) back in 2003. Quickly making waves through prog metal circles the band make their long-awaited return. The new album Robin witnesses the band experimenting with darker sounds and their trademark twists. Released late least year in Europe, US fans now can enjoy Robin. Album track listing includes: Time-Tables, Coma September, Sixty-Nine, Faint Light, Recondite, Wings, A Temporary Death, Helpless, Monster, Outro. Distorted are a band of keen curiosity. The Bat-Yam quartet’s dual-vocal attack is articulated by their precise musicianship and classic metal composition. The band made their first appearance outside their native country October 2007 as part of the Metal Female Voices Festival performing alongside Leaves Eyes, Epica, After Forever and more. The band will appeal to fans of Within Temptation, Madder Mortem, How Like a Winter, The Foreshadowing and more. Album track listing includes: One Last Breath, What Remains, Voices from Within, Fading, A Soft Whisper, Reveal My Path, Escaping the Mind-grid, Obscure, Theom, Consistent Duality, Letting Go. Candlelight Cult series includes release from Furze, Mithras, Pantheon-I (featuring members of 1349), Throne of Katarsis, and others. http://www.farmakonband.com, http://www.farmakonband.com, http://www.distortedband.com, http://www.myspace.com/distortedband.

NEFASTUS DIES: Candlelight Records in cooperation with Siege of Amida Records confirms June 10 as the US release date for Urban Cancer, the debut album from Canada’s Nefastus Dies. Featuring former Ion Dissonance vocalist Ill-Fate, the album was produced by Yannick St-Amand (Despised Icon). Formed in 2002, Montreal-based Nefastus Dies completed their line-up by the addition of former Ion Dissonance vocalist Ill-Fate in 2005. His presence sparked an intense period of creativity; gigging and writing material that their already growing local fan base found to be a much more extreme approach than their earliest material. Excited about the upcoming release of Urban Cancer, the band are already busy scheduling regional performances and hope to hit the US later this fall on their first stateside tour. Track listing for Urban Cancer includes: Fragments of Poisoned Components, Primal Chaos Layers, Hate Vector, The Irony of Anti-establishment, Ideologies, None of the Above, Spawns of Illegitemacy, Cost-effective Mergers. Other Siege of Amida titles available from Candlelight Records include Martriden/The Unsettling Dark, Whitechapel/The Somatic Defilement, Knights of the Abyss/Juggernaut, Diskreet/Infernal Rise, and Rose Funeral/Crucify Kill Rot. http://www.nefastusdies.com, http://www.myspace.com/nefastusdies

HEADHUNTER: Candlelight Records in cooperation with AFM Records confirms June 10 as the US release date for Parasite of Society, the new album from reformed German trio Headhunter. Featuring the famed line-up of Schmier (Destruction), Schmuddel (Talon) and Jorg Michael (Saxon/Stratovarius), Parasite to Society is an instant throwback to classic German metal. It is the band’s first new recording in nearly 13 years. Schmier (vocalist/bassist) is the man behind the engine. His persona and drive is what has made Destruction the musical force it has come to be appreciated for nearing two decades. With Headhunter, the metal icon is given opportunity to reach outside his normal musical environment; more “power” than “thrash” and adding an immediately identifiable dash of humor. Parasite of Society is a classic good time in waiting. Headhunter are a confirmed a special performer at this summer’s Wacken Open Air Festival. Track listing for Parasite of Society includes: 3rd Man Introduction, Parasite of Society, Silverskull, Remission, Doomsday for the Prayer, 18 and Life, Read My Lips, Backs to the Wall, Egomaniac, The Calling, Payback Time.

NACHTMYSTIUM: With the North American release of Assassins: Black Meddle Part I only days away, the first of seven in-studio episodes during the making of the album launched today on Guitar World's Metalkult website: http://blogs.guitarworld.com/metalkult/. Another episode will air each day until the album's release next week (June 10th). The seven episodes will run in this order, with Episode 1 posted now: Episode 1 - The Origins of Nachtmystium; Episode 2 - Tracking Drums with Tony Laureano; Episode 3 - Emerging from the Underground; Episode 4 - Cooking Bacon & Tracking Bass; Episode 5 - Tracking Guitars; Episode 6 - Analog Effects & Recording with Sanford Parker; Episode 7 - Vocals & Finishing Assassins. http://www.myspace.com/nachtmystium

FARFLUNG: Like an apocalyptic beacon from the dark cosmos, Farflung awake from the cryogenic tubes with warped sensibilities and cosmic wrath... This is the heaviest and most tripped-out offering from these musicnauts to date. Dive bombing moogs, crushing riffs, and mind numbing cataclysmic overtures. This is A Wound In Eternity. Spacewarped by the various crew members voyages with Chrome, Nik Turner’s Hawkwind,Damo Suzuki Network, and Pressurehed. They set off in this new year to bring spacerock to your mental galaxy bathed in infrared, shuddering under the strobes, and warping the eyes. May 6th is the official street date for the brand new A Wound in Eternity CD release from Farflung in the United States. The CD will be released in the United Kingdom and Europe on May 12th. There will be Deluxe Edition CD and a Deluxe Gatefold Double Vinyl versions coming later in May. To celebrate the release of this spectacular album the band has posted a video for the first single "Endless Drifting Wreck" on YouTube. Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHSux581CGQ. Check out "Endless Drifting Wreck" from A Wound In Eternity here: http://www.stonerrock.com/jukebox/Farflung-Endless_Drifting_Wreck.mp3, http://www.myspace.com/farflung

BURZUM: This one-man band retains a vital roll in the early development of Norway’s famed black metal scene. His contributions to what was once merely a small circle of friends grew to immense popularity, the genre now having sold hundreds of thousands of records around the globe. Compared to his peers - Mayhem, Darkthrone, Gorgoroth, Immortal - Burzum possessed a very distinct sound. Using ancient mythology as his lyrical muse (the very name Burzum coming from J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings), he became known for fearless experimentation; each record expanding on previous efforts. Anthology is a special first-time collection of material that spans the musician’s ten-plus year recording legacy; most unfortunately still unavailable for US fans (other than pricey imports). Featuring selections from each of his six albums (and including one from his popular EP Aske), Anthology is anticipated to be a highly sought-after recording for long-time fans and those curious newcomers who up-til-now only knew of the name and not had opportunity to bear witness to the musician’s blackened fruit. http://www.burzum.org.

SENSORY RECORDS: There is an avalanche of new releases from Sensory Records out now or hitting shelves very soon. Easily a major priority for Sensory Records, California's Zero Hour's extremely anticipated, dizzying new full-length Dark Deceiver is now available, and will have you selling your Dream Theater records the second you experience this monster. Much, much more news is to come on ZH in the coming months...http://www.zerohourweb.com; http://www.myspace.com/zerohourband.
Licensed from Prophecy Productions for North America, Germany's Dark Suns display a unique and talented blend of progressive metal styles into something they can truly call theirs on their album Grave Human Genuine, and have one of the coolest goddamn videos I have ever seen posted on their site... http://www.darksuns.de; http://www.myspace.com/dunklesonnen.
Formed of members of FaceDown and Debase, Nation Beyond creatively mesh and mold countless metal elements never really approached by their other bands on The Aftermath Odyssey, available now and licensed to Sensory for North America from Burning Star Records. http://www.nationbeyond.com, http://www.myspace.com/nationbeyond.
Kingfisher Sky boasts ex-Within Temptation member Ivar de Graaf and a crew of diverse musicians that create a mix of ambient, soulful, thought-provoking melodic rock, licensed to Sensory from Suburban Recods. http://www.kingfishersky.com, http://www.myspace.com/kingfishersky

DEADBIRD: Deadbird will release their second full length Twilight Ritual on June 24th in North America. We hope to have word on the UK and Europe in the future. The album will be available digitally sometime well before the CD release date. The 6-panel digipack will feature art and layout by John Dyer Baizley. Whatever audio format you listen to was mixed by the infamous Billy Anderson. Expect to see Deadbird back on the road again in the month of June. The Ritual begins.... Twilight Ritual track listing: 1. Into The Clearing (7:34); 2. Death Of Self (9:18); 3. Rule Discordia (7:23); 4. Feral Flame (5:41); 5. The Riverbed (8:25); 6. Twilight Ritual (8:49). http://www.myspace.com/deadbird

MOUTH OF THE ARCHITECT: The new track “Hate And Heartache” from MOUTH OF THE ARCHITECT’s new release Quietly has been posted on the Translation Loss Records Myspace profile! You can preorder the record with an exclusive t-shirt design from our website, 2xLP Preorder Packages are coming soon! Quietly, which was recorded by Chris Common (These Arms Are Snakes) at Red Room Recording will see a July 22nd release, but you can hear the track “Hate And Heartache” from the album on both the MOTA and Translation Loss Myspace pages now. MOTA will also be heading out on the road with their bro’s Intronaut and Behold The Acrtopus on their “Ultimate Brodeo” tour this August and September in support of their new record. http://www.myspace.com/mouthofthearchitect

DARSOMBRA: Darsombra's Eternal Jewel CD on Public Guilt is now available at http://www.darsombra.com. This disc will not be in stores until April 29th. The second full length album from Baltimore's Brian Daniloski, is a mix of improvised and structured recordings primarily composed on the baritone guitar. The tracks are best described as equal parts doom, psychedelic experimentation and 20th Century composition. From powerful and doom drenched sections to minimal and shimmering to aggressive rhythms that sound like a pounding string section, Eternal Jewel is some of the strongest material yet from Darsombra. Additionally, Darsombra's Deliriums & Death limited 3-inch cd ep has sold out, but is now available for download at http://www.fina-music.com.

OBITUARY: MTV2/Headbangers Ball today premieres the new video from legendary death metal band Obituary. "Evil Ways" makes its online premiere via the programs popular blog and will make broadcast premiere this Saturday, May 3. The song comes from Obituary’s seventh studio album, Xecutioner’s Return, released via Candlelight last year. "Evil Ways" was directed by outlaw filmmaker Hart Fisher (http://www.crimepaysinc.com) and filmed at Dan's Bar, a local watering hole in Gibtown, Florida. Vocalist John Tardy commeted to MTV, “we wanted a video that fit what the band is really like and in a location where you might find us having a cool one on any given day. I think the locals and regulars probably thought we were out of our minds, but Dan, the owner, was so cool it didn’t seem to faze him. He actually let us in and left us alone in the bar by ourselves to film.” Kerrang Magazine notes, "Xecutioner’s Return sees Obituary on form not witnessed since the early '90s. The distorted sludge and swampy groove that made them one of the most distinctive of death metal's first wave are well and truly intact." Obituary’s core of vocalist John Tardy, drummer Donald Tardy and guitarist Trevor Peres came together in 1984 forming what would become one of death metal’s most successful and respected bands. Releasing the majority of their material for Roadracer, a now defunct division of Roadrunner, the band signed to London-based Candlelight Records in May of 2007. Since album release, Obituary have completed tours of Australia, a 5-week European tour and full US tour last fall. The band recently returned from a success South American tour and are now gearing up for an active European summer festival season and another extensive US tour this fall. The video can now be viewed on MTV's Headbanger's Blog: http://headbangersblog.mtv.com/2008/05/01/video-premiere-obituary-reveal-their-evil-ways/, http://www.obituary.cc, http://www.myspace.com/obituary

COFFINS: Coffins has released two tracks from their upcoming album Buried Death on their Myspace page. The album, to be released on 20 Buck Spin Records with distribution through Southern Lord, will hit the streets on June 24th, and was in Decibel Magazine's 25 most anticipated LPs of 2008. The title track "Buried Death" will be featured on the upcoming Southern Lord sampler that will given out free on the upcoming North American Boris tour. On their 3rd LP, Buried Death, Tokyo's Coffins are firmly established as the underground's leading purveyors of Neanderthal paced doomed death metal. Previous LPs The Other Side Of Blasphemy and Mortuary In Darkness introduced Coffins' black tar dirge to an audience eager for slowppressive maniac riffs and songs dragged forth like the arms of a lumbering ape. Derivative and true rather then progressive and new, with an effectiveness unmatched in today's underground, recalling Bay Area forefathers Autopsy. Immediately battering the listener with the opening sledgehammer "Under The Stench" the album crawls ever forward through the catchiest Coffins tracks ever, like the Frost at 16 RPM narcoplunder of "Cadaver Blood". The patented brick heavy guitar tone remains and the band has added some additional solos and high vocal screams, hinted at on 2006's The Other Side... LP. Rather than toy with forced "evolution" Coffins has instead sharpened and honed its devolved sound further in its primitive single-mindedness. http://www.coffins.jp, http://www.myspace.com/intothecoffin

GRAVE: Continuing their 20-year history of helping define Swedish death metal to the planet, Grave have deployed their eighth album, Dominion VIII. Mongering their classic, gritty, hateful death to the masses, Dominion VIII shows the band possibly at their most fierce yet. They've completed filming the video for the track "Bloodopath" from the album (available on their MySpace page now), and the video is set for release later this week. This marks the first music video from the band since 1994's Soulless album. The band have certainly not weakened with age, and they are fired up to talk about it, making themselves currently available for interviews via email and phone. Get in touch for details... http://www.grave.se, http://www.myspace.com/gravespace

MACHINERY: One of Regain's newest signings, and one of the most diverse artists to ever sign to the label, Sweden's Machinery has unveiled their new full-length The Passing to the world. Out on June 10th, the album can be described as an intense journey in epic and diverse metal. An album with great songs and an unique style that infiltrates the realms of black, death, thrash, progressive and traditional heavy metal with seamless execution. Interviews are going down on the phone on May 24th - get in touch with your best availability if interested. http://www.machinery.se, http://www.myspace.com/machineryswe

DAYLIGHT DIES: Daylight Dies return with their latest epic doom opus, Lost To The Living. The record hits stores June 24, 2008 and will prove to the planet that this band is one of the best contemporary acts of their genre. Their US tour with Candlemass begins this week and sweeps across the country, showcasing some material from the new album as well as their previous works. Mixed at Fascination Street Studios/Sweden by Jens Bogren (Opeth, Katatonia), Lost to the Living features nine new songs from this cherished, North Carolina-based doom metal band. Working with Travis Smith (Amon Amarth, Soilwork) for the album’s packaging, it promises to be another fan and critic favorite. “We all feel confident this is the strongest album we've made,” says drummer Jesse Haff. “The material is a mix of beautiful, melancholic leads and harsh dissonant rhythms; all the despair-driven hooks and dark atmosphere you've come to expect from us.” Formed in 1996, Daylight Dies drummer Haff with guitarist Barre Gambling slowly crafted songs that would make their appearance on the band’s 2002 debut No Reply (Relapse). Their second album, the impressive Dismantling Devotion, was released March 2006 via Candlelight Records. Revolver Magazine called it “as thoughtful and compellingly musical as it is bleak and vengeful... essential.” A US tour with Moonspell and friends Katatonia followed, and the band (including vocalist Nathan Ellis, bassist Egan O'Rourke, guitarist Charley Shackelford, together with Gambling and Haff) completed 2006 on an all-time high. http://www.daylightdies.com

VOETSEK: San Francisco thrashers Voetsek (Athena Dread/bass, Ami Lawless/vocals, Jef Leppard/guitar, Scotty Karate/drums, Ben Reduction/guitar) have signed an album deal with Selfmadegod Records to release their brand-new full length entitled Infernal Command. The album consists of 17 fast tracks mixing Bay Area Fastcore/Power violence (Spazz, Capitalist Casualities) and Bay Area Thrash Metal (Vio-lence, Death Angel). Voetsek drummer Scotty comments on it: "The new album has definitely more developed sound and thought out songs than our previous stuff but still the same killer fastcore thrash." The band has recently posted couple preview tracks from the forthcoming record on their official MySpace: http://www.MySpace.com/Voetsekthrashers. Infernal Command has been recorded at Lennon Studios and mastered at Mammoth Sound Mastering (Impaled, MDC, Ghoul, Magrudergrind). The artwork has been done by Andrei Bouzikov, an outstanding artist well-known from his work for Municipal Waste, Cannabis Corpse, Hatchet, Fueled By Fire and other great thrash bands. Voetsek are from the Bay Area, California. They have been kicking asses for over 5 years and have done lots of records thanks to all the best punk, fastcore, thrash and grind labels around like Six Weeks, 625 Thrash, Sound Pollution, MCR, Torture Garden, Haunted Hotel and more. The band has toured the US extensively and in summer 2007 took on Japan with Capitalist Casualties. Infernal Command is set for July 2008 release on CD via Selfmadegod and LP via Voetsek's own Tank Crimes in the States and Fast & Furious from Holland. In support of the album Voetsek will tour extensively including full European tour in July, and shows on Obscene Extreme Festival and Fluff Fest. Tracklisting: 1. Family Ties; 2. Sorry Don't Mean Shit; 3. Terror on the Dance Floor; 4. Plagued by the Winds of Conformity; 5. W.W.L.D. (What Would Lemmy Do?); 6. Rethinking the Paradigm; 7. Blueprint for the Perfect Circle Pit; 8. Frozen Heart; 9. Screwdriver Smile; 10. Self-Righteous Fuckdom; 11. Bully with a Badge; 12. Aggro Fueled; 13. Five Years in Iraq; 14. Dismember Momma; 15. Mucho Macho; 16. Onward to Nothingness; 17. Strange Fruit. http://www.karaterex.com/VOETSEK/

NACHTMYSTIUM: Chicago’s ever-evolving NACHTMYSTIUM will join their similarly sonically expansive brethren in Boris and Torche for a week-long run through parts of Canada and the U.S. The tour will see the band play from Montreal to Milwaukee in mid-July, when they can then pull from both the Worldfall EP and their June 8th full-length Century Media debut, Assassins: Black Meddle Part I. Two tracks from the album are posted on Nachtmystium's MySpace page now. Made available exclusively through CM Distro and iTunes, the recently released Worldfall EP features two new tracks, a re-recorded track from Demise and two cover songs. Worldfall is a prelude to the Sanford Parker (Rwake, Minsk, Pelican, etc.) produced Assassins... The phrase “expect the unexpected” is often used but it could not be more applicable to NACHTMYSTIUM’s first venture with their new label. Co-founder / guitarist Blake Judd recently described the album to Decibel: “If you stripped all the leads and E-bow stuff off of Instinct, it’s just a raging black metal record. Do the same thing to this one, and it’s still a psych-y, borderline rock album.” From the addition of studio drummer Tony Laureano (ex-Nile, Dimmu Borgir, 1349) to the insanely heavy Parker production, Assassins is still firmly rooted in heavy metal but the 70s rock influences are unmistakable and the album-closing trilogy, "Seasick," only hints at one-dimension of the band’s new direction. http://www.myspace.com/nachtmystium

ROCKET SCIENTTISTS: Acclaimed American progressive rock legends Rocket Scientists with special guest symphonic rock diva Lana Lane have scheduled two concerts at opposite ends of the country with their first show at the 2nd Annual Bay Area Rock Fest on Friday, June 27th, 2008. The two-day festival will be held at The Independent, 628 Divisadero Street in San Francisco, CA. Tickets are available at http://www.tickets.com. For more information about the festival, please visit http://www.bayarearockfest.com. Rocket Scientists' second concert, also with special guest Lana Lane, will be at the 1st Annual Power of Prog Festival in Clinton, NY on Sunday, June 29th. The three day fest kicks off on Friday, June 27th and runs through Sunday, June 29th with Rocket Scientists in concert at 7PM. The event will be held at the Kirkland Arts Center, 9-1/2 East Park Row in Clinton. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit http://www.myspace.com/powerofprog. Rocket Scientists' core members Erik Norlander, Mark McCrite and Don Schiff will appear in concert along with select guest musicians including symphonic rock diva Lana Lane and guitarist Jim Williams. This concert follows on the heels of three very successful shows in Mexico, Cleveland, and the UK; and the recent release of Rocket Scientists' ambitious 5-disc multimedia box set "Looking Backward" through Think Tank Media and ProgRock Records. Rocket Scientists was formed in the late 1980s by keyboardist Erik Norlander and vocalist / guitarist Mark McCrite. The two released their first CD, "Earthbound", in 1993 joined by then - session bassist Don Schiff. Schiff quickly became a part of the band for their second release in 1995, "Brutal Architecture", and the three toured in the US and Europe in 1997 culminating in the live CD, "Earth Below and Sky Above: Live in Europe and America". In 1999, Rocket Scientists released "Oblivion Days", raising the bar on already high expectations. At the turn of the century, Norlander, Schiff and McCrite all worked on solo projects in addition to backing symphonic rock vocal icon Lana Lane on several tours around the world. After an eight year hiatus, Rocket Scientists released its fourth studio album "Revolution Road" in 2006 to high accolades from the press and fans worldwide. In January, 2008, Rocket Scientists released their first box set entitled "Looking Backward", a 5-disc collection containing remastered versions of their first three studio albums, "Earthbound", "Brutal Architecture" and "Oblivion Days", along with a 4th audio CD of new recordings of classic Rocket Scientists songs reinterpreted by the band in 2007. The 5th disc is a DVD-9 containing video of the 2007 sessions along with extensive interviews and historical archive footage from sessions going back to 1993. The band has posted videos from "Looking Backward" on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/rocketscientists. For more information about Rocket Scientists, please visit http://www.thetank.com or http://www.myspace.com/rocketscientistsband.

SPITFIRE: After turning the world on fire in early 2006 with Self-Help, their first new album in over five years, SPITFIRE return nearly two years to the day with Cult Fiction and with it redefine what heavy is all about. Recorded at Trax East Studios in New Jersey by noted producer Eric Rachel (The Dillinger Escape Plan, God Forbid, Burnt By The Sun) and mastered by Alan Douches (you name it, he did it), this new fifteen-song offering by the Virginia based quartet expands upon the fantastic groundwork built by the band's previous release and finds the band at the top of their game. Call it metalcore, hardcore, technical metal - no matter what catch phrase you like best, one thing is true. Cult Fiction is a dark and disturbing journey, both musically and visually, and one worth spilling blood over. The cult is alive. The rapture has begun. Don't miss out on one of 2008's heavy highlights. http://www.myspace.com/spitfirerock

GNAW THEIR TONGUES: Gnaw Their Tongues, an enigmatic project from the Netherlands that has wowed fans of messed-up heaviosity with the phenomenal Reeked, Pained and Shuddering CD that was released on Paradigms along with a host of super-limited CDR and cassette releases, is joining the Crucial Blast roster for the CD release of the new full length An Epiphanic Vomiting Of Blood, which was released as a limited edition vinyl release at the beginning of 2008 on Burning World Records. This undefinable mass of black amorphic horror is one of the most intense listens we've engaged in recently, a nihilistic pit of howling orchestral strings and blackened abstract doom, operatic female voices plunging into a fetid sewer of filth and blackness, equal parts avant black metal and splattered sludge and symphonic horror movie score. An overwhelming deathscape scrawled in jagged figures across pieces like "My body is not a vessel, nor a temple. It's a repulsive pile of sickness" or "Sawn asunder and left for the beasts", and flecked with moments of unbelievably crushing beauty that may surprise fans of Gnaw Their Tongue's previous work. MP3 track excerpts from An Epiphanic Vomiting Of Blood: "My Body Is Not A Vessel, Nor A Temple. It's A Repulsive Pile Of Sickness", "Teeth That Leer Like Open Graves", "Sawn Asunder And Left For The Beasts"

TREES: The debut album from the Portland quartet Trees delivers two epic tracks of monolithic, blackened doom metal with a twisted, noise-damaged approach and a dank basement vibe. Trees craft glacial abstract riffs and rivers of ashen amplifier goo that fans of feedback-laden heaviosity will find highly satisfying, a kind of grinding, slow-motion black hole psychedelia that has a similar hypnotic death-ritual quality as artists like Bloody Panda and Khanate, but with their own unique trance state of swirling guitar textures, horrific jet black dronescapes and ghoulish, excoriating vocals. Features members of the PDX psych-sludge outfit Tecumseh (Important Records). MP3 track excerpts from Light's Bane: "Nothing" and "Black"

NADJA: Following a wave of recent reissues and re-recorded versions of older CD-R titles, Desire In Uneasiness is an album of all new material from the acclaimed Canadian dreamsludge weavers Nadja. Five colossal jams of eternally-fuzzy, ethereal dirge that are powered by the interlocking bass guitars of Leah Buckareff and Aidan Baker, who set loose a wave of monstrous grinding bass riffs amidst a fog of beautiful, swirling electronic effects. Desire In Uneasiness also marks the first Nadja album to feature a live drummer in place of the drum machine programming that has driven the band's previous recordings, and the difference in the band's sound is apparent from the first crushing beats of album opener 'Disambiguation'. The organic drumming here takes Nadja's music into new realms of spacious jazzy exploration, dubby rhythms and cavernous psychedelia, while also delivering some of the band's most grooving, crushing hypno-bliss yet. Desire also stands out from the rest of the Nadja catalog for it's bizarre artwork that Aidan commissioned from his friend The Reverend Aitor. Aitor's bright, bold lines and textured magic marker artwork gives the gatefold jacket we've presented this disc in the look of a twisted children's book on acid, with weird images of chickens, trees growing through chairs, and more. MP3 track excerpts from Desire In Uneasiness: "Disambiguation" and "Uneasy Desire"

NOISM: Crucial Blast will release the debut CD from Japan's instrumental avant-death shred machine NOISM on August 26th. Noism was formed by guitarist Yoshiro Hamazaki and programmer Tomoyuki Akiyama in 1999 in Tokyo, Japan, and from the beginning the band has focused on creating intensely complex and crushing death/grind using programmed drums, brain-melting riffs and dissonant shred, which is chopped up and processed into abstract death blasts that defy physics. Early on, Noism utilized vocals and bass guitar but as the band continued to develop their unique, glitched-out chop shop of Planet Mu-style beats delivered at truly meth'd levels of chaos fused with sweeping technical death metal, those more "organic" elements were phased out. The band self released a few demos, like 2000's Brutality And Complexity, released songs digitally through the Net, and appeared on the 2006 compilation Drummachinegun from Relapse Records, but prior to 2008, they had yet to release a real body of work. When Tomoyuki relocated to the US in 2002, the members of Noism began to compose new music long-distance through file sharing, and finally created their first mini-album, ± , which is being issued through Crucial Blast in summer of 2008. More info coming soon on this release...http://www2.ttcn.ne.jp/~noism, http://www.myspace.com/noist

BORIS: A press page with the latest and most comprehensive Boris band bio to date, new hi-res photos and album art, and an MP3 for the new album is now up: http://www.southernlord.com/press/borissmile/. Also, just posted is the video for the Statement single: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3TTPPXMqzE. Boris returns with their first non-collaborative recordings in 2 years! The new track “Statement” is a preview of things to come on their forthcoming full-length album Smile to be released by Southern Lord in April of this year! The B side of this 7″ “Floorshaker” is exclusive to this vinyl and will NOT be available anywhere else. Pressing is limited to 3,000 copies total. The two tracks here are an appropriate progression from the sounds and direction on the last studio full-length Pink. Mailorder customers will receive the yellow/gold vinyl (w/ gold dust-sleeve) version of which only 1,000 were pressed. http://www.inoxia-rec.com/boris/.

DEADSEA: DEADSEA formed in 2003 when veteran composer-guitarist-vocalist Adam Smith decided to fuse his love of metal, doom and free music to create a trio that would provide "apocalyptic visions for positive ascendance". He found a perfect foil in longtime friend and bassist Alex Conley, who had spent six years as guitarist and composer in bizzaro hardcore band Three Studies For A Crucifixion. This combination of ideas make up the unique sound of DEADSEA: metal mutation, passion is law, and the rest of the rules are thrown on the fire. In February 2006, a new and vicious addition, drummer Jeremy Spears, was brought into the mix. Spears brings the technical discipline DEADSEA's music requires along with an enthusiasm for testing new boundaries that improvisation allows. In May 2005, Desiderata was released on indie label Chrome Leaf Records (Melt Banana, Portal, Dead Child), receiving universal acclaim in the local press despite lengthy songs such as the 22 minute opus "Salem." By this time the DEADSEA live experience had become legendary in the area. Their epic versatility led audiences through extended noise freak-outs, all synthesizer sets and unrelenting doom punishment. People were leaving shows with mouths agape and national acts were scared of their powers. Now available is the band's latest venture; the self-titled release on Chrome Leaf Records. Extensive touring in 2008 is already being mapped out with Earsplit PR running the publicity machine. DEADSEA are label shopping their newest opus in hopes of garnering interest to a larger audience. Check out the track "Killing Faith (Crying Death)" here: http://www.deadsearising.com/audio/deadsea_killing-faith_crying-death.mp3. Also, http://www.deadsearising.com/.

CANVAS SOLARIS: Formed in 1999 by Sapp, Ginn, and former bassist Jimmy McCall. Band played increasingly weird death metal for two and a half years before adding Simpkins to the line-up and going instrumental. Recorded the Spatial/Design EP in December 2002, which was promptly released the next year by North Carolina label Tribunal Records. In 2004, Canvas released their debut LP, Sublimation, again through Tribunal. In February 2005 the band signed with Sensory Records (home to Spiral Architect, Gordian Knot, Zero Hour, et al.), who just released the band's second full-length album, Penumbra Diffuse. Slaughtering, pillaging, and world domination to be released later this year.... The Atomized Dream will be released by Sensory in May 2008. http://www.myspace.com/canvassolaris

GLORIA DIABOLI: Battle Kommand Records is proud to announce our next CD release, the debut album from Canada's GLORIA DIABOLI, entitled Gate To Sheol. This band is the North American answer to true Satanic black metal acts such as Watain, Ofermod, Funeral Mist, etc. The band performs a martial, orthodox form of black metal, fueled by ferocity and hellfire. Aggressive, ugly and well-recorded, this attack will yet again prove that Canada's ever-extreme Vancouver, BC-area black metal scene has spawned some of the ugliest metal of our time, and alongside countrymen BLASPHEMY, AXIS OF ADVANCE, WITCHES HAMMER, ALLFATHER, CONQUEROR and REVENGE, Gloria Diaboli are now leaving their mark on this important regions history of violent and chaotic metal. Gate To Sheol was mastered @ Necromorbus Studio in Sweden (Watain, Malign, Averse Sefira, Ofermod, etc). Gate To Sheol features 7 tracks. 1. The Kingdom of Filth And Decay 2. Above As It Is Below 3. Gloria Diaboli 4. Gate To Sheol 5. Libation Unto He who Dwelleth in the Depths 6. Omega Throne 7. Oh, Great Deceiver. Released on CD / digitally in North America on Battle Kommand Records. Released on CD in Europe by Total Holocaust Records, Sweden. BKR release date: April 15th, 2008. http://www.gloriadiaboli.com/.

NACHTMYSTIUM: Nachtmystium prepare for the biggest assault in the band's existence in 2008... First, the new Worldfall MCD will be released as a precursor to their upcoming full-length, and will only be available direct from Century Media as well as iTunes. Then in June falls the release of the massively anticipated new full-length entitled Assassins: Black Meddle Part I. The album will be released on on Century Media Records in North America and Candlelight Records in Europe (who will also reissue the band's back-catalog for Europe). Cover art for both releases are posted on Nachtmystium's Myspace page now. The Worldfall tracks were originally intended for a split with Leviathan that has now been delayed due to legal issues with Leviathan's record label. Nachtmystium will be recording new tracks later this year and releasing the split at a later date. The Assassins... full-length was recorded in December at Sanford Parker's Volume Studios (Rwake, Minsk, Lair of the Minotaur, Pelican, etc.) and showcases Nachtmystium's most prolific and expansive sounds to date. The record features Tony Laureano (AngelCorpse, Nile, Dimmu Borgir, etc.) on drums, and spot appearances by members of Pharaoh and Yakuza. Nachtmystium have plans to embark on a full U.S. tour starting when they return from Europe at the end of May. The tour will be roughly 3 weeks and end back in Chicago in late June. Worldfall track listing: 1. Worldfall 2. Depravity 3. Solitary Voyage (re-record trk from Demise LP) 4. Roseclouds of Holocaust (Death in June cover) 5. IV (Goatsnake cover). Assassins track listing: 1. One of These Nights (intro) 2. Assassins 3. Ghosts of Grace 4. Away From Light 5. Your True Enemy 6. Code Negative 7. Omnivore 8. Seasick Part I: Drowned at Dusk 9. Seasick Part II: Oceanborne 10. Seasick Part III: Silent Sunrise. Nachtmystium merch is for sale now at http://www.battlekommand.com and http://www.shirtsanddestroy.com. Check out new tracks "Worldfall" from the Worldfall EP, and "Your True Enemy" from Assassins... at: http://www.myspace.com/nachtmystium

DAYLIGHT DIES: North Carolina-based Daylight Dies are readying themselves for a busy spring with their upcoming tour alongside Candlemass and release of their third album, Lost to the Living. The tour, set to kick off May 19, finds the band in direct support to the Swedish metal legends and represents their second national tour since signing with Candlelight Records in late 2005. The cross-country tour wraps up two weeks prior to the anticipated June 24 album release date. In the final mixing process at Fascination Street Studios/Sweden by Jens Bogren (Opeth, Amon Amarth, Katatonia), Lost to the Living features nine new songs from the cherished doom metal band. Working with Travis Smith (Opeth, Soilwork, Katatonia) for the album’s packaging, it promises to be another fan and critic favorite. Track listing as of press time (not confirmed running order) is Cathedral, Descending, A Subtle Violence, And a Slow Surrender, Last Alone, Woke Up Lost, The Morning Light, At a Loss, A Portrait in White. Video footage from the album’s recording process is exclusively available at the band’s official website (http://www.daylightdies.com). Formed in 1996, Daylight Dies drummer Jesse Haff and guitarist Barre Gambling slowly crafted songs that would make their appearance on the band’s 2002 debut No Reply (Relapse). Terrorizer Magazine called the album "memorable and engaging." Outburn Magazine proclaimed it "pristine doom metal," while Digital Metal found it to be "a combination of dark melody and deathly aggression." The quintet would tour Europe with Katatonia and perform with Lacuna Coil throughout the US and Canada before writing processes would begin on new material. Their second album, the impressive Dismantling Devotion, was released March 2006 via Candlelight Records. Revolver Magazine called it “an epic slab of gloom metal that's equal parts apocalyptic rage and suicidal sorrow.” Terrorizer Magazine again applauded the band noting the album as “an epic journey as thoughtful and compellingly musical as it is bleak and vengeful... essential.” Another US tour, this time with Moonspell and friends Katatonia, the band including vocalist Nathan Ellis, bassist Egan O’Rourke, guitarist Charley Shackelford, together with Gambling and Haff completed 2006 on an all-time high. Outside of a few local performances the five-piece spent much of 2007 crafting the material that finds itself on Lost for the Living. "Everyone is taking a little time to catch their breath after working hard on bringing Lost to the Living to life,” says Haff. “We've continued to refine the music up until the last minute it was recorded and we all feel confident this is the strongest album we've made. As stated previously, the material is a mix of beautiful melancholic leads and harsh dissonant rhythms; despair driven hooks and the overall dark atmosphere you've come to expect from us. After an exhausting recording process, the one thing on all of our minds is the upcoming tour. We can't wait."

THE MASS: SF Bay Area metal/punk/jazz/lunatic combo THE MASS proudly release limited CD-R EP Holocene #6 now boasting 4-string assault skills of Andrew Lund (Lower Forty-Eight, Sons of Oswald). Once again utilizing producer Tim Green of The Fucking Champs, four fullthrottle tunes showcasing blasphemous sonic headfuckery, raw death guitar ripping flesh, thrashing scream throat hate, warped unjazz Coleman saxophone massacre, too-distorted fuckyou bass chugs, neck-snapping too-fast frantic drum fragments, thudding plodding stop-on-a dime, fast/slow unorthodox approach to music composition, answering to no trend, caring for no approval, leaving all who know this disc chock full of Fuck-off old-school punk Coltrane disaster-economics. End game, we do not care any more about popularity contests and online friend-orgies, we just wanted to say fuck it all and make the gnarliest shit of our careers, and we did, and you are holding it now here in your hands, fucking crank it sucker.: http://www.themass.us/.

IHSAHN: Candlelight Records today confirms May 27 as the American release date for angL, the second solo album from former Emperor vocalist/guitarist Ihsahn. The album features nine new songs all written and performed by the highly respected musician. The album features guest performances by drummer Asgeir Mickelson, bassist Lars Koppang Norberg (both of the band Spiral Architect) and Mikael Akerfeldt (Opeth). Recorded and mixed by Ihsahn at Symphonique Studios in Notodden, Norway (the studio owned by Ihsahn and partner Heidi Tveitan), additional work was completed by Jens Bogren (Opeth, Katatonia, Amon Amarth) at Fascination Street Studios and Borge Finnstad (Mayhem, Borknagar) at Toproom Studios. Commenting about the record’s musical collaborations, “Asgeir (Mickelson) did such a great job on my last album (The Adversary, Candlelight 2006), that while in preproduction for angL I programmed a much more generic drum track to leave more creative license for him. It was on Asgeir’s recommendation that Lars (Koppang Norberg) contribute to the album. They both recorded at Asgeir’s studio (Multimono Studios) and it came together nicely.” Working with Mikael (Akerfeldt), “Mikael and I go back as friends since the early nineties. We met up when Emperor headlined Wacken in 2006 and had a great time watching bands together. We talked then about doing something together at some point and in spite of busy schedules on both sides this luckily came to happen. Rough mixes of “Unhealer” with lyrics were sent to Mikael with the idea for both clean and growl vocals. He worked on it during his off-time recording the new Opeth album. I could not be any happier with the results.” Writing for angL began early in 2007 and picked up momentum after the Emperor US performances early last summer. “I knew to a greater extent where I wanted to go with this album, though I feel all albums are a kind of struggle to overcome. Regardless of how many you make, it never gets any easier.” An aggressive schedule to complete the album, in addition to recording projects for Hardingrock (in which Ihsahn also contributes) and Starofash (released February 26), Ihsahn completed album tracking in early December. With mixing and mastering completed early this year, the musician is already starting promotion with for the album; efforts that will take up much of his time over the coming months leading up to album release. Track listing for angL (not in running order) is: Alchemist, Elevator, Malediction, Misanthrope, Monolith, Morningstar, Scarab, Threnody and Unhealer. Spellemann (Norwegian Grammy) Award Nominee Ihsahn (born Vegard Tveitan) began playing music at a very early age. As a teenager, his friendship with Tomas Haugen (a.k.a. Samoth) would trigger the start of his music career – one that to date includes over fifty individual recordings, five high-profile Emperor European tours (the band reaching US shores on only 3 occasions) and the respect of fans and peers worldwide. http://www.ihsahn.com/.

ABSU: Texas-based mythological occult metal outfit ABSU has announced the addition of guitarist/keyboardist Zawicizuz (ex-Rape, Pillage & Burn/Infernal Oak) to the group’s ranks. He replaces Vastator who recently quit the band due to musical and personal differences. Drummer/vocalist Proscriptor says of the replacement, "We are very proud to welcome Zawicizuz as the newest musician of ABSU! He is one of the best-kept secrets in the extreme Texas music environment and we are delighted to convey our next chapter of mythological occult metal with him." ABSU will enter Nomad Recording Studio in April 2008 to begin recording the self-titled CD for a tentative autumn release on Candlelight Records. The album will be engineered/produced by none other than Sterling Winfield (King Diamond, Mercyful Fate, Solitude Aeternus, Usurper, Blood of the Sun, Etc.) and mastered by Proscriptor at his studio Tarot Productions. "Absu" projected track listing: (in no particular order) 01. 13 Globes 02. In The Name of Auebothiabathabaithobeuee 03. Between the Absu of Eridu & Erech 04. Night Fire Canonization 05. Those of the Void Will Re-Enter 06. Nunbarshegunu 07. Girra's Temple 08. Magick Square Cipher 09. Ye Uttuku Spells 10. Amy 11. …Of the Dead Who Never Rest In Their Tombs Are the Attendance Of Familiar Spirits…Including: a.) Diversified Signs Inscribed b.) Voor c.) Sceptre Command d.) Twix Yesterday, the Day & the Morrow e.) Our Earth of Black. Proscriptor adds: "Lyrically, I am concentrating more on Sumerian-based occult themes of magick and mythology versus the Celtic aspect of my previous writings, which was heavily expressed on the last few ABSU studio albums. Musically speaking, the material will be quite similar to 'Tara', but with more of a '70s progressive/psychedelic texture within it. You will not be disappointed — trust me. I will be utilizing the first logo created by Equitant and Belgian artist Kris Verwimp will handle the cover illustration once again. In other news, I am also pleased to announce the following guest musicians that will appear on the album: Ashmedi (Melechesh), Jex Thoth (Jex Thoth/ex-Totem), Mindwalker (The Firstborn), Nornagest (Enthroned), Sataniac (Desaster), Vorskaath (Zemial). http://www.absu.us/.

DARSOMBRA: Darsombra's Eternal Jewel CD on Public Guilt is now available at http://www.darsombra.com. This disc will not be in stores until April 29th. Eternal Jewel, the second full length album from Baltimore's Brian Daniloski, is a mix of improvised and structured recordings primarily composed on the baritone guitar. The tracks are best described as equal parts doom, psychedelic experimentation and 20th Century composition. From powerful and doom drenched sections to minimal and shimmering to aggressive rhythms that sound like a pounding string section, Eternal Jewel is some of the strongest material yet from Darsombra. The packaging for this release features letter-pressed metallic silver ink on thick black gatefold sleeve with a six panel, art only booklet with two mixed media pieces by artist/package designer Stephen Kasner. Check out the full layout on Darsombra's Myspce. http://www.darsombra.com/ or http://www.myspace.com/darsombra.

OCTOBER FILE: October File, Gundogs, Headcount perform Raven memorial gig. Saturday April 12th will see a special gig remembering with fondness Paul Raven, bassist from Killing Joke, Ministry Prong etc who died in October of last year. The special line-up features three bands that all have a close association with Paul. None more so that Gundogs who feature Paul’s brother Dan on bass. Dan said of the event “'I hope that this show and the love that underpins its spirit, will be loud enough to reach Paul at the right hand of God. He would be proud to see so many of his great friends come together in this way.' Also featured on the bill are October File who many will have seen on recent Killing Joke tours and Headcount who had their 2004 album Die Monkey Die produced by Paul. Headcount singer Rob Moss said of Paul “What better way to remember Paul than an evening of floor to floor rock n roll. He'd have been first up there, kicking it up!” Steve Beatty of October File added " We shall endeavor to honor and salute Paul as best and as fitting as we can. We hope he is attending in spirit." October File’s acclaimed new album, Holy Armour From the Jaws of God, is available now from Candlelight Records. http://www.myspace.com/octoberfile.