Metal 189 Items

Hevn III emerges from the shadows of Norway’s underground with a debut album that is nothing short of a sonic assault. This relentless black metal offering is a testament to the trio's pitch-black sovereign hatred, channeled through raw, primal aggression. Drawing on themes of hatred, magick, misanthropy, and the philosophical musings of Blake, Nietzsche, and Crowley, Hevn III crafts a soundscape that is both chaotic and deeply unsettling.
For those who have encountered Hevn III live, the sheer intensity of their performance is unforgettable. Their sound harks back to an era when black metal was raw, dissonant, and unfiltered, characterized by a tight, sulphurous noise that gnaws at the soul. This debut album plunges listeners into a world where dissonance is king, and every riff resonates with venomous intent. Hevn III isn’t just an album; it’s a ritual of misanthropic fury, destined to leave a lasting scar on the black metal landscape.

In 2004 Sarkom released their only demo before signing to a label. Now, 20 years, several albums and EPs later, this hidden gem will be released on vinyl for the first time ever! This will be a one time pressing, limited to 250 hand numbered copies, just like the original demo back in the days! In addition to regular black vinyl, it will also be released as picture disc, limited to only 100 copies! No remixing, editing or remastering - the songs on the vinyls will sound exactly as cold, grim and necro as for 20 years ago!

The Gates of Slumber return with a new album out in November on Svart Records

“I never intended to pick up with The Gates of Slumber ever again in 2014. While I did start the band and wrote most of the first album it was never intended to be a one man show.” -Karl Simon, 2024

Indiana’s True Doom Metal legends The Gates of Slumber return with their sixth album out in November via Svart Records. The self-titled album is the band’s first full length offering since The Wretch from 2011.

The Gates of Slumber was formed by Karl Simon in 1998. Various people were in and out of the group between 1998 and 2001, when the Blood Encrusted Deth Axe demo was recorded with Jamie Walters aka Dr. Phibes/Athenar (Boulder, Midnight) on drums and bass. In 2003 Jason McCash took over the bass duties and was a long-time member of the band until his untimely demise in 2014, after which Simon decided it was time to call it quits. That was until 2019 when the renowned metal festival Hell Over Hammaburg wanted to bring the band back on stage to perform at the festival’s 2020 edition. Simon reformed the band with its original member Chuck Brown on drums and Steve Janiak on bass and got back to work. “We’d been asked several times to play Hell Over Hammaburg. But there was no “we” to play. The germ of the idea started. We started re-learning songs from the first LP. It wasn’t too long into the rehearsals that we started coming up with new songs.”, states Simon.

After a reunion tour was finished, Covid kicked in to slow down the process. Half of the album was already written but the remaining half took its time, and the songs were left to stew in their juices. With bastard heavy songs honoring the Doom Metal greats Saint Vitus and Penance, straight forward bangers, lyrics inspired by the Black Death and John Carpenter’s The Fog, The Gates of Slumber is a truly crushing album and a must listen to any Doom Metal fanatic.

Having toured with Pentagram, Reverend Bizarre, Cathedral, Slough Feg, Earthride, and Weedeater in addition to getting praised by Decibel Magazine such as “The Gates of Slumber have quietly gone about the business of becoming one of the best heavy metal bands in the world.”, it’s safe to say The Gates of Slumber play some of the heaviest metal on this planet.

Cynic's vinyl reissues including bonus material to be released via Svart Records in February 2025

American progressive metal band Cynic's 2014 album Kindly Bent to Free Us 10 year anniversary edition out in February!

Cynic was formed in Miami, Florida by Paul Masvidal in 1987, incorporating elements of progressive rock, alternative, and metal. Their third full length offering Kindly Bent to Free Us is the final Cynic album to feature original drummer Sean Reinert and long time member Sean Malone on bass, who both passed away in 2020. Originally released on a 2LP version and mastered at 45rpm, Svart Records in co-operation with Cynic now proudly present the single LP edition of the album including a bonus track Earth Is My Witness for the first time on vinyl and a booklet with linter notes by Martin Popoff, lyrics, notation to the song Kindly Bent to Free Us, and more.

Paul Masvidal comments the reissue: “Kindly Bent to Free Us is reborn on vinyl for its 10th anniversary. This record holds a special place in my heart for many reasons. First, the songs and the journey they take, exploring inner realms as represented by the cover art. Then, there are the arrangements—raw and explosive—which R. Walt Vincent was so good at capturing the live energy we shared as a trio in the rehearsal room when these ideas were developed. There’s also something poignant about this being the last record the three of us would make together. It’s exciting to finally see The Earth is My Witness, which was previously only a bonus track on the box set, brought into this format for the first time.”

"If I'm giving anyone a heart-shaped box this year, that thing will have a copy of the freshly purchased Cynic album, Kindly Bent to Free Us in it. I personally feel like this is a much more grand gesture of love than any other." -Daniel Cordova, Metal Injection, 2014

Cynic's vinyl reissues including bonus material to be released via Svart Records in February 2025

American progressive metal band Cynic's 2014 album Kindly Bent to Free Us 10 year anniversary edition out in February!

Cynic was formed in Miami, Florida by Paul Masvidal in 1987, incorporating elements of progressive rock, alternative, and metal. Their third full length offering Kindly Bent to Free Us is the final Cynic album to feature original drummer Sean Reinert and long time member Sean Malone on bass, who both passed away in 2020. Originally released on a 2LP version and mastered at 45rpm, Svart Records in co-operation with Cynic now proudly present the single LP edition of the album including a bonus track Earth Is My Witness for the first time on vinyl and a booklet with linter notes by Martin Popoff, lyrics, notation to the song Kindly Bent to Free Us, and more.

Paul Masvidal comments the reissue: “Kindly Bent to Free Us is reborn on vinyl for its 10th anniversary. This record holds a special place in my heart for many reasons. First, the songs and the journey they take, exploring inner realms as represented by the cover art. Then, there are the arrangements—raw and explosive—which R. Walt Vincent was so good at capturing the live energy we shared as a trio in the rehearsal room when these ideas were developed. There’s also something poignant about this being the last record the three of us would make together. It’s exciting to finally see The Earth is My Witness, which was previously only a bonus track on the box set, brought into this format for the first time.”

"If I'm giving anyone a heart-shaped box this year, that thing will have a copy of the freshly purchased Cynic album, Kindly Bent to Free Us in it. I personally feel like this is a much more grand gesture of love than any other." -Daniel Cordova, Metal Injection, 2014

Sordide comes from the wet gutters of Rouen, Normandy. Since the release of its debut album through Avantgarde, back in 2014, the trio has been spitting a scornful and desperate anger in Moliere’s language under the motto NEITHER NAME, NOR FLAG. Since then, the band has multiplied albums culminating with the release of “Les idées blanche”, in 2021, and played throughout Europe and at Roadburn and Hellfest festivals. After travelling to Iceland and Finland, Sordide will release its fifth full-length, “Ainsi finit lejour”, through Les Acteurs de l'ombre, and its own collective, La Harelle. To present this abrasive opus, Sordide will tour in France, Switzerland and Belgium in October 2024, and in Europe in February 2025. 1. Des feux plus forts2. Nos cendres et nos râles3. Le cambouis et le carmin4. Sous vivre5. Banlieues rouges6. La poésie du caniveau7. Ainsi finit le jour8. La beauté du désastre9. Tout est à la mort

Record is slightly warped but still enjoyable.
Includes original inner sleeve.

Still shrink wrapped but opened.
Includes poster.

Ars Veneficium, one of Belgium’s most prominent black metal acts is back with their 3rd full length album “The Lurking Shadow of Death”, 4 years after the release of their 2nd full length album “Usurpation of the Seven”. With their new album The Lurking Shadow of Death it is clear that Ars Veneficium has not taken the song writing for granted and managed to overthrow their previous work once more with delivering only the best of their best on this record. From the compositions to the production to the artwork, one can undoubtedly say that this is their best work thus so far. The lead guitars by Ronarg deliver some amazing melodies variated with some aggressive chords where the bass guitar (once again) plays some beautiful underlaying solo notes to create that extra atmosphere which is more or less the Ars Veneficium signature by now. The drum work has been delivered by no one else than Flo Musil (Theotoxin) who blasts his way throughout the album with some outstanding, highly skilled details giving the extra punch that this album absolutely deserves. The vocals by S. are more furious than before and deliver a much wider range and diversity which lifts the whole album to a new level. With The Lurking Shadow of Death, Ars Veneficium has delivered an absolute beast of a black metal album that every fan of old school, satanic or melodic black metal would appreciate! Raging black metal filled with atmosphere, melodies and pumping energy! A must have! 1. Death is Light2. Eye to Eye with the Devil 3. De Glorie van Dood 4. One with the Cosmos5. Into the Void 6. My Tomb Under the Stars7. Pale Image of I

Includes original insert.

Small light scuff on side B.
Record is close to VG+.
Includes original inner sleeve.

Helter Skelter Productions (distributed & marketed by Regain Records) announces a partnership with cult kings Beastmaker for an extensive reissue campaign of the band's many (and crucial) EP releases. In lieu of this announcement, Beastmaker also confirm that they have returned from their self-imposed hiatus and will be recording new music and playing shows again - as always, on their own terms.Formed in 2014, Beastmaker began with a flurry of activity and only intensified that activity over the next five years. Following two demos and an EP, the power-trio then released two albums - Lusus Naturae (2016) and Inside the Skull (2017) - through Lee Dorrian's esteemed Rise Above Records. Naturally, that pairing proved fruitful, for Beastmaker were indeed cut from a doomed cloth, but Beastmaker founder Trevor Church (who'd soon form the equally prolific Haunt) showed he had so much more to his vision than sticking within scene boundaries. Thereafter, between 2017 and 2019, the band released a staggering 11 EPs before breaking up, with another EP - Body and Soul - released posthumously in 2020.Now, longtime fans Helter Skelter Productions step forward to reissue this goldmine of Beastmaker godliness. The reissue campaign will include Body and Soul joined with the bonus material on the Who Is This? compilation, thereby making it a full-length, and which will be released on CD, vinyl LP, and cassette tape formats. Then, EP. 1 and EP. 2 will be joined together on CD and tape formats, followed by the pairings of EP. 3 and EP. 4, EP. 5 and EP. 6, EP. 7 and EP. 8, and finally EP. 9 and EP. 10: thus, full-length releases for all, and each on vinyl and tape formats. All ten of these EPs will also be available on a special 5xCD boxset. This reissue campaign is tentatively slated to start in April and then conclude by November; release dates and preorder info to be revealed in time.A statement from Church reads as follows: "I'm very excited to announce that the EP collection from Beastmaker will see a new pressing from Helter Skelter / Regain Records. This collection of work shows the artistic vision of horror I had writing in my home studio during 2015-2018. I was watching so many old horror movies during these times to inspire the song craftsmanship. Mario Bava always a huge inspiration in my music. The imagery of poster lobby cards also played a part of the writing process during these times. I've booked a festival for 2024, and Beastmaker will rise from the coffin once again. Thanks to all the fans that have supported us during our hiatus. We are not gone! Rather, we have descended further underground waiting for the right time." 1. Body and Soul2. Global Domination3. Ritual4. Lady of the Water5. Night of the Devil6. Who is This7. Why Can´t you See8. Cataclysm9. Fortune Thief10. Time Wizard