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ALCEST took an audible step towards their black metal roots with their sophomore full-length “Écailles de Lune” ("Moon Scales") without losing any of the trademarks that had evolved on their debut album “Souvenirs d’un Autre Monde”. The French post-black metal pioneers created a sound of lucent, dreamlike quality and otherworldly beauty that has equally defined them and been refined by them ever since.In musical terms, ALCEST amalgamate calm, semi-acoustic passages, repetitive, hypnotic patterns, and captivating melodies with outbursts of harsh riffing and aggressive drumming. The same contrasting and complementing effect is used by band founder and guitarist Neige for his vocals. Clean singing that is morphing back and forth between a warm and darker tone and a gentle higher pitch occasionally gets swept aside by despairing shrieks and furious black voices – only to flowingly return like an unstoppable tide. "For this album, I was especially inspired by the sea, the energy, and the exaltation that you can feel when you sit in front of the ocean at night," Neige explained about “Écailles de Lune”. "The sea appears terribly fascinating, full of secrets, beautiful and frightening at the same time." ALCEST‘s music has received many labels over the years including post-black metal, post-rock, shoegaze, and blackgaze to name some of the more commonly found terms. Yet whatever the band originally from Avignon and now based with Neige in Paris is called, their sound has always remained unique. Another typical element of their albums is a concept or theme that runs through the songs. On “Écailles de Lune” it is a tale of transformation. “This album’s story is not a metaphor for death as it might appear to be”, says Neige. “To me, it is about a man who decides to literally leave one world for another. It can rather be seen as a passage to another reality or another state of existence.” For those, who want to follow in those footsteps and journey to another place, ALCEST offer a key. Just close your eyes and listen to “Écailles de Lune” and you will be taken far away to a world of musical wonders and haunting beauty – but beware, even roses of the otherworld have thorns. A1. Écailles De Lune - Part 1A2. Écailles De Lune - Part 2B1. Percées De LumièreB2. AbyssesB3. Solar SongB4. Sur L'Océan Couleur De Fer

"Les voyages de l'âme" ("The Journeys of the Soul") is Alcest's third album and contains the quintessence of the group's creative work to date. While "Le secret," the debut EP from 2005, was the key to the world of Alcest, "Les voyages ..." unites everything that characterises Alcest in terms of concept and music. While an epic composition such as "Là où naissent les couleurs nouvelles" would have found its place also on "Écailles de lune," "Beings of Light" with its blazing character reminds of the ground-breaking "Le secret." On the other hand, "Autre temps" – the album's first single to which there is also an impressive and visually stunning video clip – is a prime example for the melodic and catchy side of Alcest that initially came to the fore on the band's debut album "Souvenirs d'un autre monde." Something that is common to all of the songs, however, is the predominant feeling of euphoria and bliss, always subtly overshadowed by melancholia and yearning. A1. Autre TempsA2. Là Où Naissent Les Couleurs NouvellesA3. Les Voyages De L' meA4. Nous Sommes L'EmeraudeB1. Beings Of LightB2. Faiseurs De MondesB3. HavensB4. Summer's Glory

With their sophomore full-length "Gotta Light?", dark rock innovators Crone are cruising in a high octane fuelled hotrod. Channelling their personal musical inspirations that range from Alice IN Chains, via Killing Joke, NEW Model Army, and JOY Division to Pink Floyd among many others, the Germans leave their very own and personal mark on the genre that has been brought back to the forefront of interest by acts such as Ghost in recent years. While composer, guitarist, and singer Phil Jonas had felt tired, burned out, and empty, working on new songs for Crone provided the spark that kindled the firestorm of fresh ideas and led to the creation of "Gotta Light?". The album title was inspired by the haunting eighth episode of David Lynch's masterpiece TV series "Twin Peaks". A corresponding element of the mysterious and surreal permeates all of the new songs that revolve around topics such as the hope of receiving signals from the afterlife 'Waiting for Ghosts'), shattered dreams 'Abyss Road'), and a guiding last will 'Gemini'). Crone was conceived out of a musical collaboration between Phil "sG" Jonas and Embedded drummer and guitarist Markus Renzenbrink. Both musicians wanted to explore musical horizons beyond the metal limits of their regular bands at the time. As a result the "Gehenna" EP was released in 2014 and sparked a first wave of interest. Critics labelled the first effort post-rock, post-punk, and even as shoegaze. The well-received debut full-length 'Godspeed' hit the streets in 2018 and its more focussed and consistent songs got often filed under "post-rock". With Crone having been elevated to the main band of each protagonist, the band's renewed focus and urgency is clearly audible on "Gotta Light?”. With Christian Schmidt a permanent keyboard player has been added to the line-up that now also features lead guitarist Kevin Olasz for added sparkle and sonic depth. From the ashes of Secrets OF THE Moon a dark reborn phoenix is rising with Crone and this bird of prey is ready to rock humanity's unstoppable descent into madness: "Gotta Light?"

Everything flows, nothing ever stays the same. The same can be said about the third studio album of the fast-rising Dutch rock band DOOL. Aptly entitled "The Shape of Fluidity" there is not just musical innovation but the full-length revolves around themes of personal change, physical change, psychological change, and the ever-changing world around us. DOOL and particularly singer and guitarist Raven van Dorst ask questions: How does change affect us? How do we keep being ourselves in a world that is so incredibly demanding and aggressive towards the individual? We must be as fluid as water to navigate ourselves through this ocean of possibilities and uncertainties " and make peace with chaos and impermanence. Musically, DOOL continue on the path laid out on the two previous studio recordings of heartfelt rock music with added metal elements, while displaying a maturity and focus in songwriting that has grown out of experience. "The Shape of Fluidity" exhibits an eclectic yet seamless amalgamation of progressive and post-rock as well as doom and heavy metal in combination with an inherent catchiness and a dynamic backdrop. It is hardly surprising that the theme of the album that pitches the concept of identity against the backdrop of a world in constant flux connects the album's lyrics to the biography of lead vocalist Raven. Born intersex, doctors at the time assumed that they could surgically determine which kind of life the infant should lead and decided that the child should be a girl. This has led to a life full of soul searching, fighting taboos and breaking boundaries, until recently Raven decided to reclaim that which others have tried so hard to take away from them, and finally embrace their hermaphroditic nature. The band derived the name DOOL from the Dutch word for 'wandering'. When their debut album "Here Now, There Then" was released in 2017, it became an instant success. Their fresh and wild rock and metal sound received "Album of the Month" titles in the renowned German magazines Metal Hammer and Rock Hard as well as the "Best Debut Album 2017" award from the former, while Vice (US), Aardschok (NL), and de Volkskrant (NL) happily chimed in with heaping praise on the young Dutch band. With their sophomore full-length "Summerland" released in 2020, DOOL successfully exceeded the already sky-high expectations and scored even more "Album of the Month" awards in German Rock Hard (10/10) and Sonic Seducer magazines as well as #2 soundcheck positions in Metal. De, Metal Hammer (DE) and another #1 in the Polish edition " with a pile glowing reviews on both sides of the Atlantic. With "The Shape of Fluidity", DOOL offer so much more than just damn cool music. These extra dimensions of depth and meaning are all part of their unique appeal and come out clearly on the new album. May all those who wander gather under the fluid flag of DOOL!

Guitars, who needs guitars in heavy music? At least YEAR OF THE COBRA can happily do without the ones that have only thin strings and are mostly good for fiddling around. Vocalist Amy Tung Barrysmith gets a massive groove and lush heaviness out of her bass, which is more than enough to fuel the booming twin engine made from doom metal and psychedelic sludge that drives their self-titled third full-length. "Year of the Cobra" has clearly grown out of its two forerunners "...in the Shadows Below" (2016) and "Ash and Dust" (2019), but it also surpasses them. YEAR OF THE COBRA have honed their songwriting, which is more to the point, and produces catchy yet super heavy tunes that are tailor-made to fit the band's strongest aspects. Amy Tung Barrysmith's rich alto and the seamless rhythmical rapport between her bass lines and Jon Barrysmith's emotive drumming come to the fore. YEAR OF THE COBRA were formed in Seattle in 2015. As a duo, YEAR OF THE COBRA had to carve out their own niche, which they did with deceptively seeming ease. They created a sound that effortlessly ranged from classic doom melancholy to oppressively heavy riff architectures. YEAR OF THE COBRA went on to transform catchy, almost upbeat rock moments into swirling psychedelia. YEAR OF THE COBRA are ready for the next step as their self-titled third full-length irrefutably proves. The super heavy "Year of the Cobra" gets her fangs into your ears and just won't let go! 1. Full Sails2. War Drop3. Daemonium4. Alone5. 7 Years6. The Darkness7. The Sleep8. Prayer

UNREQVITED mastermind 鬼 (Ghost) has a penchant for beautiful musical creations that reveal their claws and fangs only at closer inspection after spending some time on them. This solo project is firmly rooted in blackgaze sonic soil but has also sent out tendrils into ambient, post-rock, post-black metal, and other related stylistic strata. The seventh album, "A Pathway to the Moon", is taking an impressive evolutionary leap. One element of this significant sonic development of UNREQVITED is the novel exploration into a predominantly lyrical realm. This step away from mostly expansive soundscapes towards more singing is also due to the transition of UNREQVITED into a touring band. 鬼 carefully crafted "A Pathway to the Moon" with live performances in his mind. The result is an album that resembles a blackgaze soundtrack – a legacy further underlined by the artbook bonus track, which features a cover of the Hans Zimmer "Interstellar" composition 'Cornfield Chase'. Despite the divergence into more lyrical dimensions, "A Pathway to the Moon" keeps the use of lighter and more uplifting passages that were increasingly employed among the expected dark twists on "Beautiful Ghosts" (2021). The significant use of clean vocals throughout the album turns out in hindsight as writing on the wall about developments to come. The core elements that have shaped UNREQVITED in the past remain in active service as well: Thus, the massive anthemic refrains from "Mosaic I: l'amour et l'ardeur" (2018) are equally present as the simple melancholic melodies from the 2016 debut album "Disquiet" and the orchestral grandeur of "Empathica" (2020). Ever since 鬼 conceived UNREQVITED as the musical vehicle for his multi-faceted creative output and brought it to light in 2016, his project has been a constantly shape-shifting and stylistically wide roaming beast. With "A Pathway to the Moon", the Canadian has once again gathered the strands of his previous works but he has also taken a creative leap of faith. "A Pathway to the Moon" takes UNREQVITED closer to a traditional rock and metal album based on songs than ever before – yet it is also the soundtrack of a most fascinating sonic journey. 1. Overture / I Disintegrate2. The Antimatter3. The Starforger4. Void Essence / Frozen Tears5. Into the Starlit Beyond6. Celestial Sleep7. Departure / Everlasting Dream

TRELLDOM are the brainchild of Kristian Eivind Espedal, who is better known under his artist's name Gaahl. The Norwegian became one of the leading figures of the Nordic black metal scene after joining the notorious Bergen outfit GORGOROTH in 1998. For many years, the vocalist was pigeonholed for his extreme vocals and attracted many, often dark rumours about his person. If any notion is true about Espedal, it is to always expect the unexpected. TRELLDOM have already written black metal history. The band founded by Gaahl in Sunnfjord, Vestland in 1992 released their debut album "Til evighet..." (1995) to great acclaim in underground black metal circles. Having changed the line-up to include guitarist Valgard and Stian "Sir" Kårstad on bass, TRELLDOM unleashed their sophomore full-length "Til et annet..." (1999) to already much attention of mainstream metal media. This album was produced by the legendary sound engineer Pytten at Grieghallen Studios in Bergen. Pytten also recorded the third milestone "Til minne..." (2007), which became highly regarded both by critics and fans. One of the key aspects of TRELLDOM's first trilogy has always been that in his own band Gaahl was free of the strict limitations under which GORGOROTH operated, and therefore able to explore his voice at will. With "...by the shadows..." the Norwegian artist breaks free from another mould. Returning after many years of dormancy, in which the musicians involved went on to work with several other projects, there is both continuity and change. The crucial collaboration with Stian Kårstad remains at the musical heart of the band. The by far the largest part of all songs on "...by the shadows..." has been created by Sir, who has also taken over all guitar duties. Yet Espedal has changed other aspects of TRELLDOM, which created fascinating effects. Now the renowned percussionist Kenneth Kapstad sits on the drum-stool,who was formerly of MOTORPSYCHO and is also driving the beats in SPIDERGAWD, MØSTER!, and THORNS. Kapstad also brought the internationally acclaimed jazz musician and saxophone player Kjetil Møster (MØSTER!, RÖYKSOPP, THE END) into the fold. The inclusion of Møster's unorthodox saxophone sounds can already be taken as an indication that TRELLDOM are no longer shackled by the narrowest definition of black metal. The music on "...by the shadows..." does remain dark and fierce. It is also clearly still growing out of its roots in the black past. Yet Espedal has willed his band into becoming a far more layered beast and set it free to roam in an avant-garde dimension – with the dissonant sound at times even turning towards the experimental. TRELLDOM have awakened from their slumber and "...by the shadows..." is a spirited manifesto for artistic freedom as well as a grand declaration of war against nostalgic stagnation. This album poses a challenge that states: love it or leave it! 1. the voice of what whispers2. exit existence3. return the distance4. between the world5. i drink out of my head6. hiding invisble7. by the shadow

Guitars, who needs guitars in heavy music? At least YEAR OF THE COBRA can happily do without the ones that have only thin strings and are mostly good for fiddling around. Vocalist Amy Tung Barrysmith gets a massive groove and lush heaviness out of her bass, which is more than enough to fuel the booming twin engine made from doom metal and psychedelic sludge that drives their self-titled third full-length. "Year of the Cobra" has clearly grown out of its two forerunners "...in the Shadows Below" (2016) and "Ash and Dust" (2019), but it also surpasses them. YEAR OF THE COBRA have honed their songwriting, which is more to the point, and produces catchy yet super heavy tunes that are tailor-made to fit the band's strongest aspects. Amy Tung Barrysmith's rich alto and the seamless rhythmical rapport between her bass lines and Jon Barrysmith's emotive drumming come to the fore. YEAR OF THE COBRA were formed in Seattle in 2015. As a duo, YEAR OF THE COBRA had to carve out their own niche, which they did with deceptively seeming ease. They created a sound that effortlessly ranged from classic doom melancholy to oppressively heavy riff architectures. YEAR OF THE COBRA went on to transform catchy, almost upbeat rock moments into swirling psychedelia. YEAR OF THE COBRA are ready for the next step as their self-titled third full-length irrefutably proves. The super heavy "Year of the Cobra" gets her fangs into your ears and just won't let go! 1. Full Sails2. War Drop3. Daemonium4. Alone5. 7 Years6. The Darkness7. The Sleep8. Prayer

In times of trouble, women have often had to bear an even heavier burden throughout history. On their tenth full-length "Ruby Red", San Francisco based all-female quartet AMBER ASYLUM offer a haunting reflection on turbulent eras and blends instrumental passages with evocative lyrics. "Ruby Red" combines dirges, introspective laments, and powerful songwriting that evoke both despair and hope. The album transitions between themes of pain, loss, empowerment, and mortality, while creating a sonic landscape that is both raw and introspective. "Ruby Red" features bass, classical strings, percussion and kit, modular synthesis and female voices. Musically, AMBER ASYLUM balance driving neoclassical elements with the raw power of pounding bass and drums, adding a potent, rhythmic force that contrasts beautifully with the quieter, brooding strings on "Ruby Red". The bass and percussion create a compelling pulse that underpins the tracks, adding both intensity and depth to the album's darker moments. AMBER ASYLUM were conceived by composer, singer, and multi-instrumentalist Kris Force in the Californian city of San Francisco in 1990. Throughout their ever-changing musical evolution, the band has shifted throughout a variety of styles and collaborated with a host of musicians such as Steve van Till (NEUROSIS), Sarah Schaffer (WEAKLING), John Cobbet (HAMMERS OF MISFORTUNE), Leila Abdul-Rauf (VASTUM), among many others. With "Ruby Red", AMBER ASYLUM perfectly capture the growing dread and horror of a new dark age falling in our time. Yet the Californians balance the eerie and unhinged with a fragile beauty and blossoming of hope. "Ruby Red" is a most fascinating soundtrack of all that is to come. Listen carefully. 1. SECRETS 2. RUBY RED3. DEMAGOGUE4. THE MORRIGAN5. AZURE4. WEAVER6. A CALL ON THE WIND

In times of trouble, women have often had to bear an even heavier burden throughout history. On their tenth full-length "Ruby Red", San Francisco based all-female quartet AMBER ASYLUM offer a haunting reflection on turbulent eras and blends instrumental passages with evocative lyrics. "Ruby Red" combines dirges, introspective laments, and powerful songwriting that evoke both despair and hope. The album transitions between themes of pain, loss, empowerment, and mortality, while creating a sonic landscape that is both raw and introspective. "Ruby Red" features bass, classical strings, percussion and kit, modular synthesis and female voices. Musically, AMBER ASYLUM balance driving neoclassical elements with the raw power of pounding bass and drums, adding a potent, rhythmic force that contrasts beautifully with the quieter, brooding strings on "Ruby Red". The bass and percussion create a compelling pulse that underpins the tracks, adding both intensity and depth to the album's darker moments. AMBER ASYLUM were conceived by composer, singer, and multi-instrumentalist Kris Force in the Californian city of San Francisco in 1990. Throughout their ever-changing musical evolution, the band has shifted throughout a variety of styles and collaborated with a host of musicians such as Steve van Till (NEUROSIS), Sarah Schaffer (WEAKLING), John Cobbet (HAMMERS OF MISFORTUNE), Leila Abdul-Rauf (VASTUM), among many others. With "Ruby Red", AMBER ASYLUM perfectly capture the growing dread and horror of a new dark age falling in our time. Yet the Californians balance the eerie and unhinged with a fragile beauty and blossoming of hope. "Ruby Red" is a most fascinating soundtrack of all that is to come. Listen carefully. 1. SECRETS 2. RUBY RED3. DEMAGOGUE4. THE MORRIGAN5. AZURE4. WEAVER6. A CALL ON THE WIND

With their sophomore album, "Wormwood" (Палын), which is not part of the trilogy, DYMNA LOTVA returned to the topic of Chernobyl in 2017. Following the release of the second full-length, both founding members had to flee their native Belarus due to political persecution and attempts by the Lukashenka regime to censure and suppress their art. The trilogy was continued with the third album, "The Land under the Black Wings: Blood" ("Зямля Пад Чорнымі Крыламі: Кроў"). DYMNA LOTVA. beautifully and powerfully expanded their style, which is based on Nordic black metal, but also takes elements from doom as well as traditional music. The duo has moved beyond the post-black metal tag and created melancholic, haunting melodies that bear their unmistakable trademark and results in an emotional sound. The name of the band, DYMNA LOTVA, means 'Swamp in Smoke' and relates to the atrocities surrounding the burned villages of Polesie – a marshy region along the River Pripyat that is now divided between the modern-day states of Belarus, Ukraine, and Poland, which has endured bloody massacres and brutal conflict in the past. 1. Самотны Чалавечы Голас (A Solitary Human Voice)2. Прыпяць (Pripyat)3. Пакідаючы Родныя Дамы (Leaving Native Houses)4. Палын (Wormwood)5. Чарнобыль. Ненароджаны (Chernobyl. Unborn)6. Одинокий Человеческий Голос (A Solitary Human Voice II)7. P.S. Пахаванне Зямлі (P.S. Funeral Of The Ground)8. Самотны Чалавечы Голас (A Solitary Human Voice) (Demo)

When DYMNA LOTVA infused new bood and a particular Belarus element into black metal with their debut full-length "The Land Under The Black Wings: Swamp" ("Зямля пад чорнымі крыламі: Дрыгва") in 2016, the founding duo started out with an elaborate concept. The lyrics on this album are based on the main events in the course of their country’s history and its legends, while also containing many references to classic Belarusian literature. The musical fire of composer Jauhien Charkasau and vocalist Katsiaryna "Nokt Aeon" Mankevich was lit by the news that Belarusian writer Svetlana Alexandrovna Alexievich had won the Nobel Prize in Literature. The duo created their first song based on quotes from Lyudmila Ignatenko, the widow of a Chernobyl liquidator, whose husband Vasily Ivanovich Ignatenko largely inspired the HBO series "Chernobyl". 1. Intro2. Зямля Пад Чорнымі Крыламі (The Land Under The Black Wings)3. Willothewisp4. У Дрыгву (Into The Swamp)5. Марнасць (The Vain)6. Мяне Больш Няма (There’s No More Me)7. Пад Ільдом (Under Ice)8. Requiem9. Верасы На Костках (Heather On Bones)10. Outro

UNREQVITED mastermind 鬼 (Ghost) has a penchant for beautiful musical creations that reveal their claws and fangs only at closer inspection after spending some time on them. This solo project is firmly rooted in blackgaze sonic soil but has also sent out tendrils into ambient, post-rock, post-black metal, and other related stylistic strata. The seventh album, "A Pathway to the Moon", is taking an impressive evolutionary leap. One element of this significant sonic development of UNREQVITED is the novel exploration into a predominantly lyrical realm. This step away from mostly expansive soundscapes towards more singing is also due to the transition of UNREQVITED into a touring band. 鬼 carefully crafted "A Pathway to the Moon" with live performances in his mind. The result is an album that resembles a blackgaze soundtrack – a legacy further underlined by the artbook bonus track, which features a cover of the Hans Zimmer "Interstellar" composition 'Cornfield Chase'. Despite the divergence into more lyrical dimensions, "A Pathway to the Moon" keeps the use of lighter and more uplifting passages that were increasingly employed among the expected dark twists on "Beautiful Ghosts" (2021). The significant use of clean vocals throughout the album turns out in hindsight as writing on the wall about developments to come. The core elements that have shaped UNREQVITED in the past remain in active service as well: Thus, the massive anthemic refrains from "Mosaic I: l'amour et l'ardeur" (2018) are equally present as the simple melancholic melodies from the 2016 debut album "Disquiet" and the orchestral grandeur of "Empathica" (2020). Ever since 鬼 conceived UNREQVITED as the musical vehicle for his multi-faceted creative output and brought it to light in 2016, his project has been a constantly shape-shifting and stylistically wide roaming beast. With "A Pathway to the Moon", the Canadian has once again gathered the strands of his previous works but he has also taken a creative leap of faith. "A Pathway to the Moon" takes UNREQVITED closer to a traditional rock and metal album based on songs than ever before – yet it is also the soundtrack of a most fascinating sonic journey. 1. Overture / I Disintegrate2. The Antimatter3. The Starforger4. Void Essence / Frozen Tears5. Into the Starlit Beyond6. Celestial Sleep7. Departure / Everlasting Dream

It was well known in Nordic traditions that the voice holds magical power. With their debut album "At the Sound of the Heart", a collective of renowned musicians from the west coast of Norway explores and embodies these ancient ways. All band members brought a part of their own background to Whispering Void: The distinctive voices of WARDRUNA vocalist Lindy-Fay Hella and her male counterpart Kristian "Gaahl" Espedal spellbind the listener with an enormous range of techniques and sounds. Guitarist Ronny Stavestrand and ENSLAVED drummer Iver Sandoy combine ambient, psychedelic prog, and rock with notes of dark folk and metal on "At the Sound of the Heart" into something essentially Nordic but extending beyond already explored dimensions. The creative spark that lit the fire of Whispering Void burning came from a long time of creating new music by Ronny Stavestrand. The guitarist had shared many years in the legendary underground black metal act TRELLDOM with outstanding vocalist Kristian "Gaahl" Espedal, who rose to fame with GORGOROTH and has meanwhile also established GAAHLS WYRD as a channel for his creativity. Therefore, it was only natural that Stavestrand asked Espedal to contribute to Whispering Void - to which the latter chose to agree. While exploring new musical territories together, the need for a female voice arose. Having been part of WARDRUNA in the early years, Espedal was quick to note that vocal powerhouse Lindy-Fay Hella with her characteristic voice and unique contributions, which she has also shared in her own projects, was the perfect match for Whispering Void. Hella was duly invited and luckily heeded the call. The quartet was completed by Iver Sandoy on battery and bass, who had put his impeccable musical sensitivity and timing into the service of ENSLAVED some years back but already made himself a name with the progressive outfit EMMERHOFF & THE MELANCHOLY BABIES. The result of their collective musings and interchanges is a unique mixture of the various influences that the band members represent. There are elements of ambient, dark and Nordic folk, psychedelic prog, rock, and many more ingredients in the unique music created by Whispering Void, which due to lack of an easy description needs to be experienced by each listener individually. There is magic woven into "At the Sound of the Heart"!

Fvnerals have created an album that turns the emptiness of the void and the depth of the abyss into sound with their third full-length "Let the Earth Be Silent". The duo gives sonic shape to the silence of extinction that humankind brings to all life on earth and itself. Depression, isolation, and existential despair ooze out of every note. Fvnerals came into being when singer and bass player Tiffany Ström met guitarist and songwriter Syd Scarlet in the southern English seaside resort Brighton in 2013. Their joining of creative forces resulted in the formation of a dark doom act that also reaches out to and draws from ambient, drone, and a pinch of post-rock to complement what constitutes a particularly sinister and heavy sound. Fvnerals' first sign of life was the self-released EP "The Hours" (2013), which was soon followed by the debut full-length "The Light" in the summer of 2014 and a first UK tour. In 2015, Fvnerals returned with the second EP "The Path" and relocated to Glasgow, Scotland where they started working on their sophomore album. When "Wounds" hit the scene in 2016, it sparked relentless live activities across Europe in each following year until the pandemic shut everything down. Compared to previous records, Fvnerals have taken an even less optimistic approach to songwriting on "Let the Earth Be Silent". This also means that their third album is an artistic gift of beautiful darkness.

Fvnerals have created an album that turns the emptiness of the void and the depth of the abyss into sound with their third full-length "Let the Earth Be Silent". The duo gives sonic shape to the silence of extinction that humankind brings to all life on earth and itself. Depression, isolation, and existential despair ooze out of every note. Fvnerals came into being when singer and bass player Tiffany Ström met guitarist and songwriter Syd Scarlet in the southern English seaside resort Brighton in 2013. Their joining of creative forces resulted in the formation of a dark doom act that also reaches out to and draws from ambient, drone, and a pinch of post-rock to complement what constitutes a particularly sinister and heavy sound. Fvnerals' first sign of life was the self-released EP "The Hours" (2013), which was soon followed by the debut full-length "The Light" in the summer of 2014 and a first UK tour. In 2015, Fvnerals returned with the second EP "The Path" and relocated to Glasgow, Scotland where they started working on their sophomore album. When "Wounds" hit the scene in 2016, it sparked relentless live activities across Europe in each following year until the pandemic shut everything down. Compared to previous records, Fvnerals have taken an even less optimistic approach to songwriting on "Let the Earth Be Silent". This also means that their third album is an artistic gift of beautiful darkness.

Who am I? This is the essential question that PENCEY SLOE explore on their sophomore full-length "Neglect". The Parisian dreamgaze rockers have dedicated their entire new album to the theme of identity. While founding-member, singer, and guitarist Diane Pellotieri is the main songwriter for PENCEY SLOE, her collaboration with new drummer and percussionist Clément Hateau has overall been much closer than with the previous line-up of the band. The result of this joining of musical forces is a more mature and complex sound. Although the French continue on their path of cinematic soundscapes and beautiful psychedelic colours, their occasional drifting into darker spheres and the perfect balance between Diane's vocals and meandering guitar textures create a sonic world of their own design. While the guest-contribution of ALCEST frontman Neige on 'The Run .I' is a welcome nod to the friendship that their compatriots have exerted on PENCEY SLOE, the inclusion of Justin K. Broadrick from among others GODFLESH and JESU is a more subtle pointer to an inspirational musician for the duo. PENCEY SLOE were conceived in the French capital of Paris in 2017. The name was in part inspired by J. D. Salinger's famous "The Catcher in the Rye". In the same year as the band's inception, a 5-track eponymous EP was self-released in 2017 and their acclaimed debut album "Don’t Believe, Watch Out" appeared in 2019. With "Neglect", PENCEY SLOE embark on a dream-like journey into the dangerous waters of identity. Who we are, who we want to be, and as who we want to appear to others might not be the same. Diane Pellotieri's voice offers musical guidance, driven by subtle drumming, and carried by a stream of guitars. Hoist the anchor, rig the sails, and listen diligently.

Deine Lakaien, the legendary electronic avant-garde duo are an iconic German dark music act who have been popular for over three and a half decades! With their new full-length "Dual +", Deine Lakaien continue to ride the impressive creative wave their compelling previous double-album "Dual" caused. While "Dual" was strictly following a principle of cause and effect that juxtaposed one cover version on the first album with a new song that was inspired by it on the second record. "Dual +" keeps the basic formula, but comes across as more compact, multi-layered, and experimental, while also leaving more space for relaxed divergence. With their 11th studio album, "Dual +", classically-educated composer and pianist Ernst Horn and vocalist extraordinaire Alexander Veljanov are further exploring the musical vector that the duo had taken on "Dual" by playfully adapting some of their musical influences and making them their own, but always serious about the composition and respectful towards the original. By ostensibly showing the connection to their own creations and making a part of their artistic process transparent, Deine Lakaien also state that music does not grow out of thin air – as clearly as Beethoven could not have created his symphonies without the works of Bach before him. Founded in 1985, the German duo started as a purely electronic avant-garde dark wave project. Taking their name from a reference in the song 'Die genaue Zeit' by German experimentalists Einstürzende Neubauten, the band self-released "Deine Lakaien" in 1986, which spread by word of mouth and created an underground buzz. The debut set the duo clearly apart from electronic contemporaries such as Yazoo, Soft Cell, Eurythmics, and OMD by virtue of their singular dark sound. Deine Lakaien have created yet another marvellous piece of music with "Dual +". Their art comes with multiple layers and can be read in many different ways or simply be enjoyed as one amazing song after the other unfolds and the dividing lines between cover versions and original songs begin to blur until they are without meaning to the true beauty revealed.

Holland's most notorious rock musicians have gathered to form DOOL, a dark rock band featuring bassist Job van de Zande and drummer Micha Haring from celebrated cult rockers The Devil's Blood and the country's most infamous rock singer, the striking Ryanne van Dorst. Rounded out by guitarists Nick Polak (Gold) and Reinier Vermeulen (The New Media), DOOL radiates an undeniable raw energy and has created a distinct and dynamic sound right from the start. On the strength of its captivating debut single, "Oweynagat", and a red hot live performance at Roadburn 2016, DOOL has quickly become a hotly-tipped buzz band in underground circles. DOOL's much anticipated debut album, Here Now, There Then, is set for release in February 2017, and proves all advance praise to be more than justified. Recorded by producer Pieter Kloos (The Devil's Blood, Motorpsycho), Here Now, There Then is an album of supreme songwriting and remarkable musical diversity, blending classic hard rock, gothic pop and psychedelic metal in an ever-surprising manner. Carried by infinite, hypnotic guitar lines, DOOL takes the listener from dark caves, inhabited by ancient ghosts on its debut single "Oweynagat", to the deep abysses of a broken heart on cuts like "Death of Love". From the sensual and teasing ("Words on Paper"), to the imposing and ominous (the 10 minute epic "Vantablack"), DOOL hits every pressure point, striking with the deadly precision of a venomous asp. "Here Now, There Then is about dreaming, ambition and will," says Ryanne van Dorst. "The album is about breaking boundaries and behavioral patterns while destroying stigmas. It is a mantra for whoever needs it and in any way one chooses to use it. It is the shadow lands between fantasy and reality. A fairy tale in a concrete background." Dutch for "wandering", the sound of DOOL is a call to let oneself float freely and weather the storms of everyday life, taking flight into the wild unknown…all those who wander are DOOL. 1. Vantablack 2. Golden Serpents 3. Words On Paper 4. In Her Darkest Hour 5. Oweynagat 6. The Alpha 7. The Death Of Love 8. She Goat

Guitars, who needs guitars in heavy music? At least YEAR OF THE COBRA can happily do without the ones that have only thin strings and are mostly good for fiddling around. Vocalist Amy Tung Barrysmith gets a massive groove and lush heaviness out of her bass, which is more than enough to fuel the booming twin engine made from doom metal and psychedelic sludge that drives their self-titled third full-length. "Year of the Cobra" has clearly grown out of its two forerunners "...in the Shadows Below" (2016) and "Ash and Dust" (2019), but it also surpasses them. YEAR OF THE COBRA have honed their songwriting, which is more to the point, and produces catchy yet super heavy tunes that are tailor-made to fit the band's strongest aspects. Amy Tung Barrysmith's rich alto and the seamless rhythmical rapport between her bass lines and Jon Barrysmith's emotive drumming come to the fore. YEAR OF THE COBRA were formed in Seattle in 2015. As a duo, YEAR OF THE COBRA had to carve out their own niche, which they did with deceptively seeming ease. They created a sound that effortlessly ranged from classic doom melancholy to oppressively heavy riff architectures. YEAR OF THE COBRA went on to transform catchy, almost upbeat rock moments into swirling psychedelia. YEAR OF THE COBRA are ready for the next step as their self-titled third full-length irrefutably proves. The super heavy "Year of the Cobra" gets her fangs into your ears and just won't let go! 1. Full Sails2. War Drop3. Daemonium4. Alone5. 7 Years6. The Darkness7. The Sleep8. Prayer

GRB offer both, continuity and change, on their sophomore full-length "Kremess". The Bavarian black metal project founded by vocalist Grant continues to revolve lyrically around tales and traditions narrated in the local dialect of Germany's southernmost Alpine state: Bavaria. "Kremess" means 'funeral feast' in that language and death plays a leading role on this album. Musically, GRB still feature a prominent traditional instrument of their region, the hammered dulcimer. This gets combined with particularly Norwegian strands of black metal such as early GEHENNA, ULVER, and DARKTHRONE as well as taking inspiration from German pioneers of the genre namely NAGELFAR and LUNAR AURORA. Adding to the local sonic colours are many fresh ideas and sounds that came with English guitarist Gnast, who has replaced previous main songwriter Grain in the meantime. A host of guest musicians including members of EMPYRIUM, TRIPTYKON, and DARK FORTRESS among others has further enhanced the musical spectrum. GRB, meaning "old and grey" in the local dialect, were conceived by former DARK FORTRESS frontman Grant who wanted to bring a particularly Bavarian expression to black metal. The earlier collaboration between Grant and guitarist Grain resulted in the release of the debut full-length "Zeitlang" in 2021, which channelled the black metal spirit of the early 90s much to the delight of both critics and fans. With "Kremess", GRB are infusing Bavarian black metal with new power that is bound to expand their growing empire far beyond the borders of their homeland.

Black Vinyl. GRB offer both, continuity and change, on their sophomore full-length "Kremess". The Bavarian black metal project founded by vocalist Grant continues to revolve lyrically around tales and traditions narrated in the local dialect of Germany's southernmost Alpine state: Bavaria. "Kremess" means 'funeral feast' in that language and death plays a leading role on this album. Musically, GRB still feature a prominent traditional instrument of their region, the hammered dulcimer. This gets combined with particularly Norwegian strands of black metal such as early GEHENNA, ULVER, and DARKTHRONE as well as taking inspiration from German pioneers of the genre namely NAGELFAR and LUNAR AURORA. Adding to the local sonic colours are many fresh ideas and sounds that came with English guitarist Gnast, who has replaced previous main songwriter Grain in the meantime. A host of guest musicians including members of EMPYRIUM, TRIPTYKON, and DARK FORTRESS among others has further enhanced the musical spectrum. GRB, meaning "old and grey" in the local dialect, were conceived by former DARK FORTRESS frontman Grant who wanted to bring a particularly Bavarian expression to black metal. The earlier collaboration between Grant and guitarist Grain resulted in the release of the debut full-length "Zeitlang" in 2021, which channelled the black metal spirit of the early 90s much to the delight of both critics and fans. With "Kremess", GRB are infusing Bavarian black metal with new power that is bound to expand their growing empire far beyond the borders of their homeland.

Dark green vinyl version!

TRELLDOM are the brainchild of Kristian Eivind Espedal, who is better known under his artist's name Gaahl. The Norwegian became one of the leading figures of the Nordic black metal scene after joining the notorious Bergen outfit GORGOROTH in 1998. For many years, the vocalist was pigeonholed for his extreme vocals and attracted many, often dark rumours about his person. If any notion is true about Espedal, it is to always expect the unexpected. TRELLDOM have already written black metal history. The band founded by Gaahl in Sunnfjord, Vestland in 1992 released their debut album "Til evighet..." (1995) to great acclaim in underground black metal circles. Having changed the line-up to include guitarist Valgard and Stian "Sir" Kårstad on bass, TRELLDOM unleashed their sophomore full-length "Til et annet..." (1999) to already much attention of mainstream metal media. This album was produced by the legendary sound engineer Pytten at Grieghallen Studios in Bergen. Pytten also recorded the third milestone "Til minne..." (2007), which became highly regarded both by critics and fans. One of the key aspects of TRELLDOM's first trilogy has always been that in his own band Gaahl was free of the strict limitations under which GORGOROTH operated, and therefore able to explore his voice at will. With "...by the shadows..." the Norwegian artist breaks free from another mould. Returning after many years of dormancy, in which the musicians involved went on to work with several other projects, there is both continuity and change. The crucial collaboration with Stian Kårstad remains at the musical heart of the band. The by far the largest part of all songs on "...by the shadows..." has been created by Sir, who has also taken over all guitar duties. Yet Espedal has changed other aspects of TRELLDOM, which created fascinating effects. Now the renowned percussionist Kenneth Kapstad sits on the drum-stool,who was formerly of MOTORPSYCHO and is also driving the beats in SPIDERGAWD, MØSTER!, and THORNS. Kapstad also brought the internationally acclaimed jazz musician and saxophone player Kjetil Møster (MØSTER!, RÖYKSOPP, THE END) into the fold. The inclusion of Møster's unorthodox saxophone sounds can already be taken as an indication that TRELLDOM are no longer shackled by the narrowest definition of black metal. The music on "...by the shadows..." does remain dark and fierce. It is also clearly still growing out of its roots in the black past. Yet Espedal has willed his band into becoming a far more layered beast and set it free to roam in an avant-garde dimension – with the dissonant sound at times even turning towards the experimental. TRELLDOM have awakened from their slumber and "...by the shadows..." is a spirited manifesto for artistic freedom as well as a grand declaration of war against nostalgic stagnation. This album poses a challenge that states: love it or leave it! 1. the voice of what whispers2. exit existence3. return the distance4. between the world5. i drink out of my head6. hiding invisble7. by the shadow