Metal Tape 147 Items

Time is a slippery fish.

Loss has inspired Mamaleek’s latest full-length album, titled Vida Blue. This marks the San Francisco Bay Area metal deconstructionists’ eighth album and their third as a full lineup.

Tragedy struck in March of 2023 when the band lost a longtime friend and member, keyboardist Eric Livingston, leaving the group, which began as a duo of two brothers and later expanded to a five-piece, now with only four members. Despite this profound loss, Mamaleek persevered, performing as a quartet at various festivals, including the 2023 edition of Tilburg.

The band returned to the studio to create new material that appropriately reflects their journey through loss and honors their fallen comrade. The resulting album draws inspiration from the legacy of Oakland A’s baseball legend Vida Blue, whose former team coincidentally announced its relocation to Las Vegas that same year. The band members themselves describe this poignant chapter in their own words:

“Time is a slippery fish. Maybe only someone like Vida could grasp it. Although he’s left time behind, his image and that lefty heat remain in the memories of many. Eventually they’ll be forgotten, and hopefully replaced with even more exultant ones. This musical recording is a reflection on loss and its acceptance. We explore several examples for each song, including the loss of pride, of money, of glory, of country, of sanity, of a favorite sports team, of significant others, and, every day, one’s self. It also explores various associated moods—fear, panic, reverence, stoicism, and steadfastness—to arrive at a resolution: Loss is only a test, the glue that holds and erodes each memory, the connection that binds and loosens us all, pitch by pitch, inning by inning. This is your celebration.”

Vida Blue is a person, moment, and memory, together the crystallization of apocalypse: “unveiling,” “disclosure.”

Sarcofago’s third album is somewhat of a departure from the band’s previous two outings. A more technical musical approach takes hold as the band builds upon the madness created by INRI and ROTTING. "The Laws of Scourge" offers some classic Sarcofago songs such as "Midnight Queen", and "Screeches from the Silence". This Greyhaze reissue features pristine dynamic mastering. For fans of Mayhem, Beherit, Black Witchery and all Metal. Side A1. THE LAWS OF SCOURGE2. PIERCINGS3. MIDNIGHT QUEENSide B1. THE BLACK VOMIT2. PRELUDE TO A SUICIDE3. SCREECHES FROM THE SILENCE4. SECRETS OF A WINDOW

Perpetually out of print, much sought after and universally worshipped amongst those in the know, Winter's "Into Darkness" was a game-changing classic.

Formed in New York circa 1988, Winter played slow, deep and hard nuclear doom with a crust punk rawness, that came across like Hellhammer jamming with Amebix. Their penchant for mammoth sized and funeral-paced, wasteland droning has become a touchstone reference for bands across the whole spectrum of underground metal.

Their pre-internet infamy led to Winter demos being tape- traded in hallowed adoration by fans and bands alike, gaining notable fans such as Fenriz from Darkthrone. Deserving of their special place in the pantheon of one-off classic albums, the Swans-like noise and down-tuned Earth-like riffs of "Into Darkness" went on to spawn countless doom and sludge bands, being an influence for an entire doomed generation.

The Winter come-back show at Roadburn Festival in 2011 was massively anticipated and held a captivated audience. Packing out one of The Netherlands largest stages, that particular Winter show, after many years in obscurity is a rare event that is still highly regarded today. The band is a rare jewel amongst collectors, and audiences alike.

"Into Darkness" was a gateway drug to the dark depths of sludge metal, and now awaits a whole new throng of acolytes who bow down before the throne of heavy doom. Svart Records is proud to re-release it once more, putting the album back in print for a new generation of listeners. Eternal Winter awaits!

After an almost decade-long period of dwelling in the shadows, Koldbrann returned with a series of select festival appearances in 2022/23, premiering new material and proving that they're still full of cold grimness and misanthropy, and completely void of compromise. After last year’s 2-track 7” single “Den 6. Massedød (Manna fra en annen himmel)”, their long-awaited 4th album “Ingen Skånsel” is ready to be unleashed - and Koldbrann is sounding rawer, harsher and better than ever. Even though deeply rooted in the True Norwegian Black Metal tradition, Koldbrann has carved out their own sound within the genre confines and it sounds fresh, raw and different. There’s a fierce nerve running through the album, and the songs stand out from today’s typical black metal sounds. You can feel the aggression throughout the whole album. “Ingen Skånsel” is one of the most interesting, aggressive and fierce Norwegian black metal albums in modern times! 1.Ingen Skånsel2.Et Uomtvistelig Falsum3.I Unaturens Vold4.Prosesjon Under Blyhimmel5.Det Kryper Kaldt6.Maskiner av Nihil7.Forstanden Seiler Sin Egen Sjø8.Fortærer av Minne og Form9.Rykk Skaperverket Opp med Roten10.Vorde Eders Farkost en Katafalk11.Serenade til Dødens Elende12.Elevert Hinsides Tilstand (CD only track)