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First time on vinyl!

Disembody: The New Flesh is the second full-length studio album by the San Francisco metal band Skinlab. It was recorded in El Paso, Texas at the Village Studios and was produced by Andy Sneap. The album was originally released on February 23rd, 1999.

Offering up more dark, moody passages amidst the roaring repetitions and stomping guitars, Disembody: The New Flesh shows Skinlab to be intelligent songwriters as well as sonic destroyers. The addition of veteran guitarists Scott Sargeant (Killing Culture, Laaz Rockit) and Snake (Skrew) doesn't alter the essence of Skinlab's sound, but it does add more flexibility and unpredictability to their compositions and band interplay. As a result, it's an album worth of whispers from hell, bellowing demons, pummeling guitars, and 45 minutes of pure, metal mayhem.

First time on vinyl!

Disembody: The New Flesh is the second full-length studio album by the San Francisco metal band Skinlab. It was recorded in El Paso, Texas at the Village Studios and was produced by Andy Sneap. The album was originally released on February 23rd, 1999.

Offering up more dark, moody passages amidst the roaring repetitions and stomping guitars, Disembody: The New Flesh shows Skinlab to be intelligent songwriters as well as sonic destroyers. The addition of veteran guitarists Scott Sargeant (Killing Culture, Laaz Rockit) and Snake (Skrew) doesn't alter the essence of Skinlab's sound, but it does add more flexibility and unpredictability to their compositions and band interplay. As a result, it's an album worth of whispers from hell, bellowing demons, pummeling guitars, and 45 minutes of pure, metal mayhem.

Modern day Amsterdam is a bit of an oxymoron. On the one hand, the city proudly brandishes its reputation for alternative and sub cultures, pushing back against lawmakers and their incoherent policies to adopt approaches that are more realistic and levelheaded. On the other, its a place of such rampant commercial development the local government actively discourages visitors and new hotel developments. Look closely, though, and you can still feel the spirit of what, during the latter half of the 20th Century, made this place so special. Paradiso is one of those spots. A waterside cultural venue with a history first as a church, then an illegal squat, before becoming what it is today, the walls themselves seem to pervade a sense of brave, adventurous heritage. An ideal place to catch one of the most defining bands of the 1980s in their heyday, then, here Depeche Mode deliver an astounding set in a space with the atmosphere to match.

Rock im Park 2001 is a live festival recording from Nuremberg, Germany, and captures a Limp Bizkit festival performance praised as “chaotic, frenzied-high energy.” DJ Lethal functions as the sound designer, shaping their sound on this recording. According to Lethal, "I try and bring new sounds, not just the regular chirping scratching sounds. It's all different stuff that you haven't heard before.

Format: CD (Vinyl Look-A-Like Compact Disc). This Vinyl Look-A-Like Compact Disc is yellow on both sides with an LP groove and record label design. Remastered in high res, it will play in any CD player. The packaging includes a Gatefold jacket, printed inner sleeve insert and an OBI side spine (French Import ediiton).

Spiral Shadow is the fifth full-length album by American sludge metal band Kylesa. A metal band to the bone, Kylesa stomp the clichés right out of psych-rock on Spiral Shadow. The Georgia band's new album, their fifth in less than a decade, is the next step in a pretty seamless evolution that's hidden increasingly complex (and catchy!) music behind an attack that still hits with the in-the-red rawness of hardcore. - Pitchfork

Power metal for eternity...Fellowship was the absolute power metal revelation of 2022; after successfully bringing their positive vibes live in Europe, Japan and America, the English band is now ready to set the bar higher. "The Skies Above Eternity” takes the classic Fellowship sound, adds a healthy sprinkle of Japanese power metal influence, and then makes a darker turn on a journey into a world where light is all but gone, and where hope is all but lost… Perhaps along the way we might find enough light within ourselves to illuminate the pathway home. A tale of princes and paupers, of oppression and resistance, of the value we get from simply looking up at the sun when times get tough, “The Skies Above Eternity” represent those human aspirations to live freely, live well and live on – no matter how hard or how bleak life may seem. 1. Hold Up Your Hearts (Again)2. Victim3. The Bitter Winds4. Dawnbreaker5. Eternity6. King Of Nothing7. World End Slowly8. A New Hope9. Memories On The Wind

Fully remastered edition of the classic rarities collection from The Obsessed, plus new tracks and new liner notes! A historic document of the stoner/doom godfather's original and best-known band. Ltd Solid White Vinyl! 2020 is the 40th anniversary of the formation of The Obsessed, one of the preeminent bands in the worldwide stoner/doom scene. Led by Scott "Wino" Weinrich, a heavy music lifer admired and acclaimed by the likes of Dave Grohl, Pepper Keenan, Henry Rollins and Phil Anselmo, The Obsessed has been releasing milestone albums for decades on labels like Hellhound, Columbia and Relapse, with Wino himself playing and performing with members of Sleep, Neurosis, Foo Fighters, Judas Priest, Black Sabbath and more. Since their earliest days, The Obsessed accumulated dozens of demos, b-sides, covers and alternate recordings, many of which were issued in various limited releases and an early-2000s collection called Incarnate. Long out of print, Blues Funeral Recordings' new ultimate edition of The Obsessed 'Incarnate' is completely remastered, features the addition of 4 new tracks, and is packaged with all new artwork, photos, and extensive new liner notes with Wino himself telling stories behind each long-lost gem. Fully remastered, new tracks, new artwork, new photos, new liner notes! Press Quotes: 'The career of Wino is a rich and fabled one, and his tentacles of influence weave throughout the arenas of rock, punk and metal.' _Alternative Press 'Wino, what a fucking guitar player, and one of my favorite singers, nothing to prove, just soul-felt vocals.' _Phil Anselmo (Down, Pantera) 'Wino's music has always been so serious, that's the only thing he knows, and he's gonna do it whether or not he makes a million dollars or ten bucks... he means it.' _Pepper Keenan (Corrosion of Conformity) 2020 is the 40th anniversary of the formation of The Obsessed, one of the preeminent bands in the stoner/doom scene worldwide for nearly 40 years. Led by Scott ""Wino"" Weinrich, a heavy music lifer admired and acclaimed by the likes of Dave Grohl, Pepper Keenan, Henry Rollins and Phil Anselmo, The Obsessed has been releasing milestone albums for decades on labels like Hellhound, Columbia and Relapse, as well as Wino himself playing and performing in bands with members of Sleep, Neurosis, Judas Priest, Black Sabbath and more. Since The Obsessed's earliest days, the band accumulated dozens of b-sides, covers, alternate takes and demos, many of which were issued on a variety of compilations and an early-2000s collection called Incarnate. Long out of print, Blues Funeral Recordings' new ultimate edition of The Obsessed 'Incarnate' is completely remastered, features the addition of new tracks, and is packaged with all new artwork, photos, and all-new extensive liner notes written by Wino himself to tell the stories behind each long-lost gem.

M-Theory Audio is proud to announce the first-ever vinyl releases of the two acclaimed albums by metal supergroup Divine Heresy, featuring members of Fear Factory, Morbid Angel, Bad Wolves and Nile! After temporarily parting ways with Fear Factory – the influential, gold-certified industrial metal band he co-founded – in 2002, guitarist and extreme metal pioneer Dino Cazares (also of Brujeria and Asesino) began laying the foundation for a new project that would combine metallic aggression, muscular precision, and melodic accessibility. Upon joining forces with acclaimed drummer Tim Yeung (Morbid Angel, Vital Remains, Hate Eternal), and vocalist Tommy Vext (Bad Wolves, Snot), Cazares’ vision was realized, and Divine Heresy was born. The group’s 2007 debut, “Bleed The Fifth” – produced by former Machine Head/Soulfly guitarist Logan Mader (Gojira, Devildriver), and released in North America via Century Media Records and via Fear Factory’s longtime home, Roadrunner Records, in Europe – received rave reviews from the global metal press. Metal Hammer called Divine Heresy “a quintessential 21st Century American metal band,” while Kerrang! raved that the album “couldn’t be more metal if it hung a massive V around the neck of the Eiffel Tower while gargling liquid mercury.” After adding bassist Joe Payne (Nile), the band supported the album’s release by touring extensively alongside the likes of Killswitch Engage, All That Remains, Static-X, Arch Enemy, Dark Tranquillity, Shadows Fall and Chimaira. Unfortunately, Divine Heresy’s initial lineup splintered in 2008 when Vext left the band, but Cazares, Yeung and Payne quickly rebounded with new vocalist Travis Neal (Dirge Within, The Bloodline) and released their second album, “Bringer of Plagues,” in 2009. Again, produced by Mader, the album – which cracked the Billboard Top 200 upon its release – was heavier than its predecessor, with AllMusic describing it as “a head-down, hair-pinwheeling metal album” and Kerrang! praising its “thunderous, jaw-dropping intensity.” Again, the band hit the road with gusto, touring with the likes of Moonspell, Gigan, After The Burial and 36 Crazyfists, but soon after Cazares re-joined a new-look Fear Factory, Divine Heresy went on hiatus. After more than a decade in hibernation, the time has finally come to shine a fresh light on Divine Heresy via the first-ever vinyl releases of “Bleed The Fifth” and “Bringer of Plagues.” “Bleed The Fifth” will be released on white vinyl, while “Bringer of Plagues” will be offered on clear wax.

A place where Finish Death/Doom meets with England Gothic Rock born after `no wave´ scene are the point of departure of the jaw dropping debut Ep of The Bleak Picture “Songs of Longing”, such a perfect mix of early Katatonia constructed by the lightning feeling of superb melodies of the keyboards and guitars as sharp that could cut permafrost. Jussi Hänninen of missed cult act Fall of the Leafe join parts with Tero Ruohonen (Autumnfall) in this absolutely must have for fans of the genre that looks for something different without loosing the essence.

But do not fool yourself. Even this is old school rooted it´s not a simply recovering of the past but a new beginning. Looking for future without forgetting the past, The Bleak Picture are the tears that becomes the oceans that rains in your decrepit faces. A coin with two equal sides that point your destiny underground.

Mid-paced tempos with groovy keyboards in the same vein of Joy Division, Bauhaus or Fields of the Nephilim. Grunts as stones (think of Officium Triste) and clear vocals surrounded by the feeling of misery, all in a thick wall of sound mastered by mighty Dan Swanö at Unisound AB and exquisite and old school artwork. Truly recommended.

The official reissue of Vile Rites’ EP, The Ageless. Originally released on CD and cassette by Desert Wasteland in 2022, the record received praise and admiration through several circles of the metal underground, establishing Vile Rites as a new band to look out for. The Ageless reissue sees both original formats back in print as well as the first ever Vinyl Pressing for this release. Recorded, Mixed, and Mastered by Greg Wilkinson (Mortuous, Necrot, Vastum) at Earhammer Studio. Cover Artwork by Fernando JFL.

All-killer-no-filler melodic & symphonic & bombastic power metal at its best: every song of the new Moonlight Haze album is a potential hit single, displaying at the same time a rich sonic texture, some incredibly uplifting/addicting hooks and a meaningful and heartful message. ‘Animus’ represents a huge step up for the band’s songwriting and sound and got the five musicians excited since the very first melodies and lines that had been written. Lyrically-wise it’s an introspective and intimate work, but at the same time it looks at the world outside – willing to bring a bright message of vitality and rebirth. Hence the title, ‘Animus’, a Latin word that has different meanings: vital force, conscience, soul, mind and courage as well.

Indie exclusive! Recycled Colored Vinyl with alternative sleeve. 24" x 24" Fold out poster / lyric sheet included Formed in 2012 out of a mutual love of metallic hardcore but despair at its lack of ambition, Ithaca exist to challenge everything you thought about what a band that makes heavy music should look and sound like. A glitter-covered nailbomb, Ithaca seamlessly blend the brutality of Relapse Records metalcore with blackgaze, 90s industrial metal, 70s prog and even tinges of 80s power pop. Their influences stretch beyond the musical - this album comes with a clear vision and aesthetic: drawing from members' different ancestral heritage, queer/non-conforming identities and iconic figures in avant-garde, new wave and post punk culture. Their upcoming second album 'They Fear Us' is the sound of a band healing from trauma - standing in their own, unapologetic voice. Furious and wildly inventive while also being more coherent and accessible, this album will introduce Ithaca to a wider audience than they've ever had before. To quote the band - 'those who oppose us; your sins will catch up to you. You will fear us'.

Devotional is a rapturous and heady offering of wordless vocalizations, droning guitars, and heaviness explored in unexpected and intoxicating ways. Inspirations came from deep listening to Indian classical music, as well as a fascinating look at the chaotic and unbelievable life of Ma Anand Sheela and the Rajneesh community.

Through a haze of incense, flowing robes, and secret mantras, Haden's voice rings out over constant drones in ecstatic chants throughout this musical investigation into the myriad of ways in which worship can lure and intoxicate. This is a journey that Haden and Anderson go on together, the guitar and vocals combined like the call and response of a guru and their congregation. Greg Anderson comments on the album, "I'm extremely happy with the recordings we made together. Petra's vocals bring a whole new dimension to the heaviness."

Petra Haden comments, “It was so much fun getting to play and sing on Sunn O)))’s album ØØ Void. 20 years later, I’m on stage with them at The Mayan Theater in Los Angeles singing and playing on the encore. I was in heaven! After the show, Greg and I talked about working on more music together. When I heard his ideas, I already had melodies in my head. I recorded some ideas at home and it developed from there. Greg is a really deep listener and he’s so much fun to work with. Getting to collaborate with Greg reminds me why I love to sing and improvise. I feel free and happy. That’s what music is all about."

AOP Records is proud to present Theotoxin’s highly anticipated third album, Fragment : Erhabenheit, on CD and vinyl LP formats. With the intention of creating supreme black metal art, Theotoxin ascended from the catacombs of Vienna, Austria in 2016. A quintet featuring members of Zombie Inc., Selbstentleibung, Anomalie, this strong lineup of musicians has been well tested on tour all over Europe. In 2017, Theotoxin self-released their debut album, Atramentvm, and kept writing new material, which led to the release of the successor Consilivm (Massacre Records) just a year later. Plenty of live appearances and a tour through Europe followed, further honing the band’s considerable chops. On those stages did the band deliver a throttling live show with deep atmosphere; the name Theotoxin began to spread. Now aligned with longtime fans AOP Records, Theotoxin are eager to spread their black chants even further with their strongest album yet. Bearing the thematic title of Fragment : Erhabenheit, Theotoxin’s third album is both a consolidation of the band’s strengths as well as an extension of new ones. Much like their intense onstage performances, the violence is palpable – almost overwhelmingly so – and is doled out with the ease of experienced masters. Equally so, however, a chilling melodicism rises from this physicality which puts Fragment : Erhabenheit in rarefied territory: a paradoxically refreshing (re)iteration of second-wave black metal classicism. It’s as much mid ‘90s as it is Now, and Theotoxin simply make it look all too easy… Suitably graced with demonic-yet-mystical artwork courtesy of the masterful Jose Gabriel Sabogal, Fragment : Erhabenheit is guaranteed to be Theotoxin’s breakout moment!

Recycled Color Vinyl.24" x 24" Fold out poster / lyric sheet included Formed in 2012 out of a mutual love of metallic hardcore but despair at its lack of ambition, Ithaca exist to challenge everything you thought about what a band that makes heavy music should look and sound like. A glitter-covered nailbomb, Ithaca seamlessly blend the brutality of Relapse Records metalcore with blackgaze, 90s industrial metal, 70s prog and even tinges of 80s power pop. Their influences stretch beyond the musical - this album comes with a clear vision and aesthetic: drawing from members' different ancestral heritage, queer/non-conforming identities and iconic figures in avant-garde, new wave and post punk culture.Their upcoming second album 'They Fear Us' is the sound of a band healing from trauma - standing in their own, unapologetic voice. Furious and wildly inventive while also being more coherent and accessible, this album will introduce Ithaca to a wider audience than they've ever had before. To quote the band - 'those who oppose us; your sins will catch up to you. You will fear us'.

Formed in recent years in San Francisco (though it may seem more likely that they hatched fresh out of a time travel portal from the mid-’80s Bay Area thrash scene), Hell Fire have the classic look and sound of modern metal’s halcyon days. Their sonic assault warmly condenses elements of Angel Witch, Iron Maiden, Rainbow, Exodus, Metallica, Riot, Virtue and Diamond Head into eight tracks of headbanging MUYA anthems.

The free-wheelin’ creativity and infectious vitality of Bay Area thrash is a moment forever locked in time, but its spirit lives on in this band’s galloping guitar picks, soaring harmonies and blistering rhythms. The band’s perfect hybrid of NWOBHM theatrics and American thrash attitude delivers a rousing and genuine expansion on sounds long lost to pointless battles over who can be the most “extreme.”

Hell Fire began when bass player Herman Bandala moved to San Francisco from Tijuana, Mexico, with the hopes of forming a heavy metal band. Herman posted an ad to Craigslist which caught the attention of guitarist Tony Campos. They bonded over a mutual love of ’80s thrash and NWOBHM. Just before they entered the studio to record their debut album Metal Masses, Jake Nunn joined on vocals. The lineup continued to develop over time, finally solidifying with Nunn also taking up second guitar duties and drummer Mike Smith joining prior to recording Free Again.

This sophomore album is being released for the first time on vinyl and remastered for CD and download. It was recorded over five days in Grass Valley, California, at engineer Tim Green’s Louder Studios (The Fucking Champs, Melvins.) Where Metal Masses showcased aesthetic nods to Metallica’s Kill ‘Em All album (as well as a cover photo brilliantly depicting a blurry hand speedily playing a Flying-V guitar), Free Again finds the band coming into their own with emphasis upon grooves, a beefier sound and tighter songs that expertly shift into new parts at the drop of a hat.

The new EP of the Erfurt group offers completely new versions of the reference songs ‘A Swan Lake Full Of Tears’, ‘Barricades’, ‘Small.Town. Depression’ and ‘The Forsaken Earth’. Who, if not the German band itself can change the context and meaning in such a way that the four tracks sound completely different and yet somehow familiar in their new guise?! That this is a matter of the heart of Décembre Noir is not only shown by the special emotionality of the songs, but also a look at the collaboration partners and the stylistic breadth of the EP. On the realization of “Pale Serenades” participate renowned greats: Mick Moss Antimatter), Aaron Stainthorpe MY Dying Bride), Michelle Darkness END OF Green) as well as Matthew K. Heafy Trivium and Ibaraki). Together the musicians develop a dark, touching sound. Death and doom metal take a back seat this time. Décembre Noir and their guests change the stylistic framework. They stage the songs acoustic and rocky, in other places electronically enriched or modern-metallic. This inevitably brings the excellent songwriting of the Thuringians into focus. The songs of Décembre Noir also work wonderfully in their other guise, with the developing atmosphere evoking more than one melancholic shiver.

Black vinyl, gatefold sleeve, 12″ insert

Finnish Heavy Metal legends, Spiritus Mortis unveil a grand–scale epic of antique Doom on 16th of September via Svart Records.

Erecting a new monolith in the halls of Doom Metal history with their fifth album The Great Seal, Spiritus Mortis certify true classic status as one of the scene’s modern greats.

There are few modern-day bands that can be uttered under the same breath as the giants of Traditional Doom and Heavy Metal like Spiritus Mortis. Formed in 1987 as Rigor Mortis they can firmly attest to having been “the first Finnish Doom Metal band”, uncovering hallowed ground before the later imitators. Carrying the banner of powerful true Metal, the likes of which stands proudly next to the masters such as Dio era Sabbath, Solitude Aeturnus and Trouble, Spiritus Mortis have established a tradition of catchy song-writing and consummate knowledge of sacred riff-craft. The Great Seal is a collosal album which Spiritus Mortis describes as “a rite of collective suicide and an orgy of self-immolation” and plumbs the depths of epic sorrow with gargantuan slabs of igneous riffs and emotional vocals.

Synonymous with classic Finnish Doom bands like Reverend Bizarre, whose singer Albert Witchfinder intoned previous albums’ vocals, Spiritus Mortis continue to define and cement their formidable legacy. Albert’s replacement, Kimmo Perämäki is more than worthy of the consecrated robes he inherits, delivering a performance which is flawlessly dominating and instantly gratifying. Tracks like Martyrdom Operation and Visions Of Immortality see Perämäki boldly carving his own name in the stone tablets of future history, marrying the riffs of the Maijala brothers and guitarist Kari Lavila with the splendor of magnificent melancholy that Spiritus Mortis is so known and admired for.

Not only will true devotees of the Spiritus Mortis Doom church be raising their fists with full hearts, but those who seek knowledge of the faithful spirit of real Metal can surely look no further than within The Great Seal.

Taking one step forward and three steps back, Alfahanne returns home to Dark Essence Records with their most furious and heavy release to date! Marking exactly 10 years since the band's debut, the new album "Vår tid är nu" will see the dark of night in February 2024. Loaded with the catchy melodies that has become the Alfahanne signature, the album combines a punk attitude, melody and groove with a bleak atmosphere somehow both reminiscent of the 80s and the early days of black metal. Adding such noble and notorious guests as Nattefrost (Carpatian Forest), Spellgoth (Horna), Nattfursth (Sorhin) and Doedsadmiral (Nordjevel) into the mix, you have an explosive cocktail fit for the end of days. On "Vår tid är nu", Alfahanne looks back while leaning forward, staring deep into the abyss. The band quotes "Our time is now, this is the beginning of the end."

German melodic extreme metal act FAR BEYOND mark their return with their third studio album, The End of My Road, on February 16 via their new label home ProstheticRecords. FAR BEYONDüs latest full-length is an ambitious and fastidiously curated amalgam of melodeath, symphonic and power metal, covering themes of courage and heart in theface of depression and hardship.Formed in the early 2000s, FAR BEYOND is the solo project of Eugen Dodenhoeft. Based in the Franconian Switzerland region of Germany, FAR BEYONDüs history to this pointhas been one of slow and steady artistic progression with 2005's An Angel's Requiem and 2016's A Frozen Flame Of Ice albums showcasing Dodenhoeftüs penchant for seamlessly alternating dynamics of gothic and death metal symphonia.Lusciously complex by design, FAR BEYOND's latest album shines in its songwriting structure. Across the eight tracks, Eugen compiled up to 30 layers of vocals, synthesisers and orchestral textures. Whilst a solo endeavour at its core, The End of MyRoad sees collaborative guitar solos from Nathram's Lukas Grasslin as well as additional synthesiser embellishments from Ari Ahrendt on Tempus Fugit and the title track. The Endof My Road was then placed in the hands of Patrick Staudle of Glaswald Studios in The Black Forest, Germany.Furthering their quest to understand the complexities of the unknown and transcend beyond the unknown, The End of My Roadüs contemplative atmospherics and concentrated sonic extremities merge seamlessly with a deft poetic touch. With Eugen adding: üThe End of My Road is my invitation to get lost in the sonic realms of FAR BEYOND and find a moment of peace and inspiration. I look forward to sharing this album with the world and hope that it touches the hearts of listeners, providing them with an unforgettable soundtrack for their own journey.

Limited edition golden double vinyl in a lush gatefold incl. two bonus tracks. This was the ardent wish of thousands of fans calling out to Andi Deris, Michael Kiske, Michael Weikath, Kai Hansen, Markus Grosskopf, Sascha Gerstner and Dani Löble during the Pumpkins United World Tour - and their dream has come true! With the upcoming album, simply titled Helloween, the band opens a new chapter after 35 years of a glorious career. The future of one of the most influential German metal bands from now on will feature three singers. Originally planned for the live performances only, it was the birth of a unique seven piece metal alliance. Skyfall begins with a bang. The epic track describes an alien landing on earth and a dramatic chase while Kiske, Deris and Hansen duel with each other in a breathtaking manner and create a vocal broadband adventure. Produced by Martin Häusler, it is the most elaborate video clip in the history of the band; shown with 3-D animation and having a cinematic look, this video is a real high end experience. ”fear OF THE Fallen” – the second single is a fast paced, melodic track done the way only Deris can do it. ”I had so much fun not only writing a song for my voice but also for one of the greatest singers out there. I always have an extremely broad smile on my face when I hear Michi singing my melodies“, says Deris and Kiske adds: ”The whole process, including the spirit, was just ideal. If I had the feeling that one of the parts would not be really fitting, I asked Andi if he would sing it and vice versa. There was no competition whatsoever – what counted was what is best for the respective song. I am thankful to be (again) a part of this crazy family. I love them all”.

Their first new album will be released in summer 2021. Flatten the runway with a loud drumbeat: in April 2021 the spectacular single Skyfall will be released. The 12 minute epos, written by Kai Hansen has the long yearned ‚Keeper-Vibe’ but it isn’t telling the story of the whole album. Skyfall has a musical arch which will be loved by fans of every era: from unforgettable times to glorious adventures all the way to the upcoming first album of the Helloween new age. The epic track tells about an alien landing on earth and a dramatic chase while Hansen, Kiske and Deris duel with each other in a breathtaking manner and create a broadband adventure - with a lyric sheet with colored blocks identifying the singers as well as a video that is formidable. Produced by Martin Häusler, it will be the most elaborate clip in the history of the band, the story to be shown with 3-D animation and having a cinematic look – in these times almost a dinosaur in implementation.

Excelsior! It’s the hail of yore that one should go ever onward and upward. And so, fittingly Onwards And Downwards is the occultist Swedish band ALASTOR’s clever call to arms... and also a reflection of the collective dark state of mind these days. “If our last album Slave To The Grave were about death, this record is more about madness,” says guitarist Hampus Sandell. “You can look at the whole record as one person’s gradual slip into insanity. An ongoing nightmare without end. It also sums up the state of the world around us as this year has clearly shown.” Alastor is heavy doom rock for the wicked and depraved. Drenched in heavy, distorted darkness and steeped in occult horror that will make one’s skin crawl and ears cry sweet tears of blood, the band is revitalized in 2021 with meticulously crafted songs and new drummer JIM Nordström bringing a hard-hitting and precise energy. “It’s a more focused record but at the same time it’s more personal and naked. More raw emotion and pain,” Hampus says. The band recorded the album with the help of Joona Hassinen of Studio Underjord, who has helped with mixing since their Blood On Satan’s Claw EP in 2017. Christoffer Karlsson of THE Dahmers also assisted with overdubs and encouraged the band to demo the material early on, aiding in the album’s more deliberate and tighter feel.

Swedish experimental metallers VAK were highly praised for their previous album “Loud Wind” (2019), a piece of well-produced, doom-groovy, stoner/sludge. UK Magazine Zero Tolerance wrote that the album was “one of 2019’s contenders for best stoner metal album!....It’s one thing to pack an album full of crushing riffs, memorable hooks, and passionate performances, but VAK truly evoke a unified togetherness that beams throughout” while Metal Temple (uk) gave the album a 9/10, stating that "vak is its own unique breed, one that has hints of the past but is focused solely on the future." Praised for their ability to incorporate more than just one style and genre in their music, drawing inspiration from a great variety of bands and artists, VAK’s upcoming album The Island is something to look forward to! The album will be released in September 2023, featuring eight new tracks developing VAK’s distinctive sound even further.

Plumbing the depths of modern death metal with primitive elegance, Succumb have returned with their sophomore release XXI. One of the strongest up-and-coming metal bands in recent years, what sets Succumb apart from their peers is vocalist Cheri Musrasrik; the juxtaposition of death metal riffing and propulsive drums with Musrasrik’s cavernous howl and sophisticated lyrics make a unique listening experience in today’s crowded landscape. Musrasrik cites authors and poets like Yeats, Genet and Zola as her primary lyrical influences. XXI sees an allegorical look at the elements and their related mythologies. Talks about Lilith, the Orphic poems, ocean and nature deities, Dionysus, Arthurian literature, fly agaric as soma, the cosmic egg, and the Boxer Rebellion. Succumb was formed in 2014 by a group of friends with diverse musical backgrounds who share a common love for Canadian death metal, war metal, and 1990s Napalm Death. The band released their self-titled debut album in May of 2017 and received praise from publications around the globe. Blocland called it “one of the year’s most intriguing metal listens” and PopMatters named it one of the best metal albums of the year, citing: “Musrasrik’s insane delivery makes Succumb one of the strongest metal debuts to come out in 2017.” The eight new tracks that comprise XXI are sure to continue this arc of praise.

Haunted Plasma, powerhouse of futuristic synth in symbiosis with the super violence of kosmische black metal, release their debut album in May 2024

The phenomenal three-piece band includes members of Oranssi Pazuzu, K-X-P, Grave Pleasures and Aavikko

Svart Records is proud to release the debut album, I, from Haunted Plasma, a powerhouse of futuristic synth in symbiosis with the super violent atmospherics of kosmische Black Metal. Haunted Plasma is “man meets machine” in a cybernetic wasteland, set to a conceptual backdrop of William Gibson and Phillip K. Dick style mind-melt. The highly evolved creatives at the heart of Haunted Plasma’s sound, cite Terry Riley, Massive Attack, a contemporary take on Krautrock hypnosis, psychedelic Black Metal and 90s Techno, resulting in an orgy of mutant sound.



The phantoms at the beating nucleus of this unearthly machine are Juho Vanhanen (Oranssi Pazuzu, Grave Pleasures), Timo Kaukolampi (K-X-P, Op:l Bastards) and Tomi Leppänen (Circle, Aavikko, K-X-P), transmitting a music form evolved from a life of redefining sonic boundaries in their respective projects. Also featuring guest vocals from Mat McNerney (Hexvessel, Carpenter Brut, Grave Pleasures/Beastmilk), Pauliina Lindell (Vuono, Dust Mountain) and Ringa Manner (Ruusut, The Hearing). Haunted Plasma promises an extraterrestrial experience from some of the foremost contemporary musicians at the heart of the Finnish heavy and avant-garde musical underworld.



Haunted Plasma reveals:

“We are liberated futurists, embracing free-form and natural composition, mirroring the merciless forces of cosmic creation. We have a motto to stay true to our feelings, to spawn a sound that’s never been heard before. Servants of music. Energizing, radical and pure”

The first single from Haunted Plasma’s cascading debut, Reverse Engineer, is a creepy, slowly erupting, synthetic nightmare, of a downloaded being waking up in the wrong future. Ghostly vocals demand the listener to “give us what we want” in an Orwellian glimpse into the current dystopia we live in, where information is controlled, and thoughts are bought and sold. As McNerney intones the words “technology of power” he describes the threat of a malevolent and omnipresent artificial intelligence, as much as describing the oppressive and electromagnetic sonar pulse of Haunted Plasma’s sound itself. Psychedelic guitar hypnosis from Vanhanen snakes around Kaukolampi’s molten and morphing synths, while Leppänen’s uncanny man/machine rhythms pull our strings and animate their other-worldly mechanisms. Have a look at the official visualiser of "Reverse Engineer" on the Svart YouTube channel here

Culminating in the full-blown fast Krautrock of the final self-titled track, oozing with blistering noise elements and enigmatic vocals from Ringa Manner, the album's journey reaches its zenith, taking you to unknown territories on a Kubrikian space trip. I is a rare record of talented musicians coming together to create a completely new sound, which is entirely their own, boldly glowing, where no light has shone before. From the dreamy psychedelia of Echoes to the discombobulated Spectral Embrace, Haunted Plasma is a willful force of deliberate sound contortion.

Whether you want to give in to Haunted Plasma’s sound or not, you are being watched, you are being recorded and your every move is monitored. Haunted Plasma will enter your system on the 31st of May 2024. Turn on your phantom circuits and be prepared for an interdimensional excursion into Haunted Plasma’s alien dreams.

Traditional Heavy Metal from New York City, in the vein of early Iron Maiden, Riot, Saxon, Judas Priest and the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. Forged in New York City, 2018 Anno Satanas, Shadowland journeys beyond the chaos portal, sailing through the seas of time to conjure the spirits of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal ancients. Shadowland's debut full-length entitled “The Necromancer’s Castle”, contains eight weird and fantastical tales set to sounds of old school heavy metal thunder and cover art by Tanya Finder."Tanya’s vocals echo both the gothic wails of Coven or Wooden Stake and the snarl of Di’Anno-era Maiden, while the moments of chugging riffage and thundering drums show off the band’s appreciation for gritty punk and hardcore. That, coupled with Tanya’s Stygian album art, makes Shadowland more than your average vest-metal act." - Kerrang! Magazine Labelled by one astute chronicler as possessing the looks of Sacrilege and the sounds of Judas Priest, Shadowland are: Tanya Finder - Vox, Jeff Filmer - Guitar, Al Bulmer - Guitar, Cedric Obando - Bass, Dave Hawk – Drums. 1. Ligeia2. The Necromancer's Castle3. Walking In Shadows4. Rising Tide5. Warhound6. Remains7. Easy Livin'8. Pretty Faces

Haunted Plasma, powerhouse of futuristic synth in symbiosis with the super violence of kosmische black metal, release their debut album in May 2024

The phenomenal three-piece band includes members of Oranssi Pazuzu, K-x-p, Grave Pleasures and Aavikko

Svart Records is proud to release the debut album, I, from Haunted Plasma, a powerhouse of futuristic synth in symbiosis with the super violent atmospherics of kosmische Black Metal. Haunted Plasma is “man meets machine” in a cybernetic wasteland, set to a conceptual backdrop of William Gibson and Phillip K. Dick style mind-melt. The highly evolved creatives at the heart of Haunted Plasma’s sound, cite Terry Riley, Massive Attack, a contemporary take on Krautrock hypnosis, psychedelic Black Metal and 90s Techno, resulting in an orgy of mutant sound.



The phantoms at the beating nucleus of this unearthly machine are Juho Vanhanen (Oranssi Pazuzu, Grave Pleasures), Timo Kaukolampi (K-x-p, Op:l Bastards) and Tomi Leppänen (Circle, Aavikko, K-x-p), transmitting a music form evolved from a life of redefining sonic boundaries in their respective projects. Also featuring guest vocals from Mat McNerney (Hexvessel, Carpenter Brut, Grave Pleasures/Beastmilk), Pauliina Lindell (Vuono, Dust Mountain) and Ringa Manner (Ruusut, The Hearing). Haunted Plasma promises an extraterrestrial experience from some of the foremost contemporary musicians at the heart of the Finnish heavy and avant-garde musical underworld.



Haunted Plasma reveals:

“We are liberated futurists, embracing free-form and natural composition, mirroring the merciless forces of cosmic creation. We have a motto to stay true to our feelings, to spawn a sound that’s never been heard before. Servants of music. Energizing, radical and pure”

The first single from Haunted Plasma’s cascading debut, Reverse Engineer, is a creepy, slowly erupting, synthetic nightmare, of a downloaded being waking up in the wrong future. Ghostly vocals demand the listener to “give us what we want” in an Orwellian glimpse into the current dystopia we live in, where information is controlled, and thoughts are bought and sold. As McNerney intones the words “technology of power” he describes the threat of a malevolent and omnipresent artificial intelligence, as much as describing the oppressive and electromagnetic sonar pulse of Haunted Plasma’s sound itself. Psychedelic guitar hypnosis from Vanhanen snakes around Kaukolampi’s molten and morphing synths, while Leppänen’s uncanny man/machine rhythms pull our strings and animate their other-worldly mechanisms. Have a look at the official visualiser of "Reverse Engineer" on the Svart YouTube channel here

Culminating in the full-blown fast Krautrock of the final self-titled track, oozing with blistering noise elements and enigmatic vocals from Ringa Manner, the album's journey reaches its zenith, taking you to unknown territories on a Kubrikian space trip. I is a rare record of talented musicians coming together to create a completely new sound, which is entirely their own, boldly glowing, where no light has shone before. From the dreamy psychedelia of Echoes to the discombobulated Spectral Embrace, Haunted Plasma is a willful force of deliberate sound contortion.

Whether you want to give in to Haunted Plasma’s sound or not, you are being watched, you are being recorded and your every move is monitored. Haunted Plasma will enter your system on the 31st of May 2024. Turn on your phantom circuits and be prepared for an interdimensional excursion into Haunted Plasma’s alien dreams.

The debut album from Haunted Plasma will be packaged in a beautiful tip-on sleeve, swirling fog artwork, complete with 12” booklet and pressed on 3 exclusive vinyl colours: 300 copies on Standard Black Wax, 200 copies in Amber + Black Smoke and 500 copies of Svart exclusive Turquoise/Black Marble. The album will also be available on CD and digital platforms.

Uboa’s fifth album Impossible Light almost never made it out of the dark. From its initial conception in 2018, this record went to hell and back, dragging its immensity and too-big-to-hold emotion through the torturous process of translation to sound and returned triumphantly as a full-bodied record in a distinct new style.

Impossible Light begins where Uboa’s 2019 breakout album The Origin Of My Depression left off—and ends somewhere entirely different. The Origin stunned with its methodical use of doom, harsh noise, and ambient soundscapes while documenting a raw, unhindered account of Xandra Metcalfe’s experiences with her transition and her struggles with mental health. Over time The Origin steadily grew a cult-like following which developed into a full-fledged internet community focused around noise, neurodiversity and transness. While Uboa’s signature style of highly polished, cinematic “hypernoise” is front and center in Impossible Light, there is also a daring departure into the genres of industrial metal / rock, setting it apart from any other Uboa release thus far and distinguishing it from other contemporary noise records.

Metcalfe kept the lyrical content of this record as a time capsule of the catastrophic ups and downs and rapidly changing environments within herself and in the world from 2018-2023. Key collaborators include Blood Of A Pomegranate, Otay:onii, Charlie Looker and Haela Hunt-Hendrix of Liturgy. Impossible Light dives fearlessly into queer sexuality, trans embodiment, grief for those who couldn’t make it, solidarity for those facing unimaginable discrimination, the toxic spread of transphobic hatred and misinformation, and the ultimate hope of recovery from trauma and mental anguish. This is a record about the light at the end of the tunnel and the power it takes to keep moving towards it.

In 1990 guitarist/vocalist Fredrik Mannberg formed a band called Necronomic, then by the end of the same year the only two remaining members (Fredrik and drummer Tommy Eriksson) recruited bassist Nils Eriksson and started with the monicker of Nocturnal Rites. In 1991 the band made their first, and still only, official demo recording. A four track release called "The Obscure". It attracted some indie-labels but the band decided to wait for something better. While writing material to be a two track promo recording they found themselves having drifted away from the death metal sound, towards a more melodic and harmonic oriented sound. This new approch, again, attracted some label attention. But the band was not be willing to sign. Around this time drummer Tommy Eriksson left the band and was replaced by Ulf Andersson. The band also added a second guitarist, Mikael Söderström. Through 1993 the band continued writing material and by this time their sound had come to grow into traditional heavy metal, influenced by the likes of Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. The band describes this transition as a normal continuance on what they started on in 1992. By the end of 1993 they felt they had gathered enough good material for another recording. This recording, however, made the band realized Fredrik's vocals didn't quite fit their new sound. So they felt they had to recruit a proper, melodic singer. Fredrik's replacement was found in Anders Zackrisson, a talented and experienced vocalist, formerly of Gotham City band. With 1993's recording with newly recruited Zackrisson they felt the songs had potential and it was sent out to various labels. The tape caught swedish label Dark Age's attention. A deal was worked out and by the end of 1994 the band signed it. Dark Age's intention was always to license the album to a bigger label with better funds and distribution. The partner was found in Megarock Records and finally Nocturnal Rites debut album "In a Time of Blood and Fire" (1995) was launched upon the world. It was critically a big success but, unfortunately, due to some distribution problems and poor efforts in promoting the album, it never became “big” as it potentially could have been. While writing for a follow-up, guitarist Mikael Söderström decided to leave the band and was replaced by Nils Norberg, equally talented as musician and songwriter. In late 1997 the band's second CD, "Tales of Mystery and Imagination" was released in Japan. But since Megarock didn't please Dark Age, they looked for a better deal in Europe and found it in Century Media and so the album was finally released in March 1998. At this point, a whole new era was to begin for the band. After touring Europe in support of the "Tales..." album, the band came back with a newfound confidence to write and record its third offering, the critically acclaimed "The Sacred Talisman" (1999). It showed a more mature and able side of the band and a new addition to the rythm section, the drummer Owe Lingvall. Then the boys joined Nevermore and Lefay for an intense european tour. When all touring duties were done the band and vocalist Anders Zackrisson separated. Quite quickly a replacement was found in local singer, Jonny Lindqvist and with him Nocturnal Rites released the following albums: "Afterlife" (2000), "Shadowland" (2002), "New World Messiah" (2004),"Grand Illusion" (2005), "The 8th Sign" (2007) all under Century Media, then "Phoenix" (2017) under AFM.

Deafheaven’s new album, Ordinary Corrupt Human Love, finds them working with old friends again. The Jack Shirley-produced and Nick Steinhardt-art directed (of Touché Amoré) collection gets its title from Graham Greene’s novel The End of the Affair, referencing a moment when someone is looking for love, in all of its
imperfection and simple beauty. This sentiment is carried throughout the hazy, yearning romanticism of the record with song titles and words as sumptuous as the sounds around them. Clarke describes the composition of Ordinary Corrupt Human Love beginning with “small seeds of healing, repair, and rebirth,” and like each subsequent Deafheaven album, this record is, in fact, a revelation.
Defeat has inspired some of our best art. If you survive something terrible, you surface on the other side, walk toward the light, and come back to life. If you’re an artist, this kind of new self-knowledge can lead to creating something universal and remembered, something that can live longer than you do. While Deafheaven have managed to cross over this road in the past, they’ve nailed the feeling wholly with Ordinary Corrupt Human Love, a feeling that comes with experience and wisdom.
Yes, everybody deals with hurt, everybody’s been the cause of their own implosions, and everybody has the capacity to overcome and love again. Deafheaven have found a way to externalize all of this, and in making their most complete record to date, they turn it into a balm and a cathartic exorcism.

Repress on solid blue vinyl in gatefold sleeve. Originally released in 2022. Though still a relatively young band, Year One opens a new artistic chapter for Doodseskader. They are a hip-hop act in one moment and a grunge band in the following, just to transform into a full-blown sludge or hardcore steamroller next. Sometimes they are all and sometimes none of the above – there’s no way to pin them down. “Being able to draw from different musical genres makes us who we are. There's no specific genre we’re looking at. Great songs are great songs. It’s craftsmanship.” Written in late 2020 and once again recorded by Tim De Gieter in Much Luv Studio (Amenra, Brutus, Absent In Body), Year One is as much a declaration of war as it is a declaration of independence: Doodseskader are here to cut their own path – and you better not stand in their way.

Uboa’s fifth album Impossible Light almost never made it out of the dark. From its initial conception in 2018, this record went to hell and back, dragging its immensity and too-big-to-hold emotion through the torturous process of translation to sound and returned triumphantly as a full-bodied record in a distinct new style.

Impossible Light begins where Uboa’s 2019 breakout album The Origin Of My Depression left off—and ends somewhere entirely different. The Origin stunned with its methodical use of doom, harsh noise, and ambient soundscapes while documenting a raw, unhindered account of Xandra Metcalfe’s experiences with her transition and her struggles with mental health. Over time The Origin steadily grew a cult-like following which developed into a full-fledged internet community focused around noise, neurodiversity and transness. While Uboa’s signature style of highly polished, cinematic “hypernoise” is front and center in Impossible Light, there is also a daring departure into the genres of industrial metal / rock, setting it apart from any other Uboa release thus far and distinguishing it from other contemporary noise records.

Metcalfe kept the lyrical content of this record as a time capsule of the catastrophic ups and downs and rapidly changing environments within herself and in the world from 2018-2023. Key collaborators include Blood Of A Pomegranate, Otay:onii, Charlie Looker and Haela Hunt-Hendrix of Liturgy. Impossible Light dives fearlessly into queer sexuality, trans embodiment, grief for those who couldn’t make it, solidarity for those facing unimaginable discrimination, the toxic spread of transphobic hatred and misinformation, and the ultimate hope of recovery from trauma and mental anguish. This is a record about the light at the end of the tunnel and the power it takes to keep moving towards it.

Omen from Los Angeles, formed in 1983 should be considered as founders of Us epic heavy metal together with Warlord, Manilla Road, (early) Manowar, Savatage, Virgin Steele and Armored Saint, choosing to worship the genre in its purest and truest tradition, detaching from US thrash/speed metal that was the “king” of that decade. Their 80’s albums, debut “Battle Cry” and following “Warning of Danger” became, rightly, HM classics. “Teeth of the Hydra”, a compilation album originally released in 1989 by Metal Blade, featuring 11 highlights drawn from the four albums and one Ep released during Omen's five-year tenure with the Us label, is such an ideal career wrap-up for anyone looking to sample the band's wares. All the Omen's classics are here, and even if some tracks follow the thrash-way ("Termination", "The Curse"), it's the old-school heavy metal of standouts like "Teeth of the Hydra," "Bounty Hunter," the very Iron Maiden-like "Die by the Blade" (exposing the band's New Wave of British Heavy Metal influences), “Dragon’s Breath,” “Teeth of the Hydra”, “Battle Cry” that find Omen in their true element, an exciting epic heavy metal sound embellished by the unique and rough voice of J.D. Kimball (passed away in 2003). Not to surprise so to find just 1 track from "Escape to Nowhere" ("Thorn in Your Flesh" - 1988) featuring future Annihilator singer Coburn Pharr, who replaced original vocalist on the band's final Metal Blade album.

Uboa’s fifth album Impossible Light almost never made it out of the dark. From its initial conception in 2018, this record went to hell and back, dragging its immensity and too-big-to-hold emotion through the torturous process of translation to sound and returned triumphantly as a full-bodied record in a distinct new style.

Impossible Light begins where Uboa’s 2019 breakout album The Origin Of My Depression left off—and ends somewhere entirely different. The Origin stunned with its methodical use of doom, harsh noise, and ambient soundscapes while documenting a raw, unhindered account of Xandra Metcalfe’s experiences with her transition and her struggles with mental health. Over time The Origin steadily grew a cult-like following which developed into a full-fledged internet community focused around noise, neurodiversity and transness. While Uboa’s signature style of highly polished, cinematic “hypernoise” is front and center in Impossible Light, there is also a daring departure into the genres of industrial metal / rock, setting it apart from any other Uboa release thus far and distinguishing it from other contemporary noise records.

Metcalfe kept the lyrical content of this record as a time capsule of the catastrophic ups and downs and rapidly changing environments within herself and in the world from 2018-2023. Key collaborators include Blood Of A Pomegranate, Otay:onii, Charlie Looker and Haela Hunt-Hendrix of Liturgy. Impossible Light dives fearlessly into queer sexuality, trans embodiment, grief for those who couldn’t make it, solidarity for those facing unimaginable discrimination, the toxic spread of transphobic hatred and misinformation, and the ultimate hope of recovery from trauma and mental anguish. This is a record about the light at the end of the tunnel and the power it takes to keep moving towards it.

Norway´s masters of blackened sonic evil, 1349, are finally back with a deadly vengeance. Four long years after the release of the masterpiece “Demonoir”, the band returns with a new full-length album this fall. “Massive Cauldron of Chaos” is set to be released on September 29 through Indie Recordings worldwide, except for North America, where Season of Mist will be handling the album.

Founded in Norway in 1997, 1349 have remained a constant influence on the Norwegian black metal scene. With a penchant for lightning speed riffing, blazing drums, and apocalyptic lyrics, the band has trail-blazed the underground, surpassing many of their peers through brute musical force. Following a quintet of landmark albums, 1349 is set to re-establish their dominance in worldwide extreme metal scene. “Massive Cauldron of Chaos” leave no doubt as to their intentions. Not looking back, but constantly evolving and challenging our perceptions as to what to expect from an extreme metal band. Comments the band: "We entered the studio with an idea of putting everything that 1349 has ever been about into a cauldron, stir it well, and pour in some fresh ingredients - as well as some strange old ones - and come up with our most potent elixir ever. And we brought the spirit to match the ambitious attempt. Boil, boil, toil and trouble...Behold! We have made the most delightfully intoxicating and dangerous potion you can dream of. FEEL THE FIRE! And Hail Hell."?

1349 will tour Europe this fall, make sure not to miss the Aural Hellfire as it blaze through your neighborhood!

Clear Red Vinyl Edition.

How did 'Dreams D'Azur' become one of the best prog-death-doom metal albums ever created? At that time, Novembere were looking for the next move towards the next album after 'Novembrine Waltz' but the ever-evolving composition was not allowing the band to deliver something new in a short space of time. In order to buy more time and offer something new in the meantime for label and fans, the band decided to re-mix their debut album 'Wish I Could Dream it Again' - but the task was not as simple as they had hoped. A vast, extensive amount of work went into the effort, and Novembre eventually decided to go in for a re-recording session that would transform the album into something entirely new: the progressive classic that is “Dreams D’Azur! Initially, Novembre wanted to be as loyal as possible to the original songs, but then the album became even more prog and death metal than the original, with the help of original members Antonio Poletti (guitars) and Thomas Negrini (keyboards) plus the help of additional guest musicians like Fabio Fraschini, to attend to bass parts.

A new band from the uprising Norwegian Metal scene. Singer David Rosario was looking for someone to record his songs with. The chemistry with guitarist Stein Hjertholm and drummer Per-Helge Bruvoll was perfect, so they recorded a 3-song demo and the idea of Rozario was born. This was just before the pandemic and of course all activities were very limited. They took advantage of their time and focused on songwriting and finding the direction of the band, with all three contributing songwriting. Rozario then teamed up with producer Trond Holter (Wig Wam, Holter, Jorn, etc.). During the recordings, the line-up of the band was completed by the young guitar virtuoso Johan Jamtfall and the bassist Anders Halsan Engum.

From the cold dank fog of Portland, Oregon USA re-emerges Petrification with their highly anticipated sophomore album nearly 5 years in the making titled “Sever Sacred Light”! Conjuring all the dark powers of Death, Doom, Punk and THE Occult, Petrification brings their most barbaric, heavy, and yet sophisticated release to date. This new full-length opus will be released on Svart Records 9th of February 2024.

“Sever Sacred Light” paints a mental landscape of a crumbling universe magnified through the hysterical mind of a deranged and rottenly eccentric undead enigma “Arach-Ned”. “Sever Sacred Light” illustrates vast musical growth from the critically acclaimed 2017 demo “Summon Horrendous Destruction” and the 2018 full length debut of “Hollow of the Void”. They continue to advance and evolve while honoring the traditions and influence of ungodly masters of Autopsy, Bolt Thrower, Coffins, and all the celebrated favorites of the early 90’s Finnish death metal scene such as Rippikoulu and Demigod. With Petrification’s top tier sonic depravity this album is promised to be looked back at as the measuring stick of what an old school death metal album of this era should be.

From the cold dank fog of Portland, Oregon USA re-emerges Petrification with their highly anticipated sophomore album nearly 5 years in the making titled “Sever Sacred Light”! Conjuring all the dark powers of Death, Doom, Punk and THE Occult, Petrification brings their most barbaric, heavy, and yet sophisticated release to date. This new full-length opus will be released on Svart Records 9th of February 2024.

“Sever Sacred Light” paints a mental landscape of a crumbling universe magnified through the hysterical mind of a deranged and rottenly eccentric undead enigma “Arach-Ned”. “Sever Sacred Light” illustrates vast musical growth from the critically acclaimed 2017 demo “Summon Horrendous Destruction” and the 2018 full length debut of “Hollow of the Void”. They continue to advance and evolve while honoring the traditions and influence of ungodly masters of Autopsy, Bolt Thrower, Coffins, and all the celebrated favorites of the early 90’s Finnish death metal scene such as Rippikoulu and Demigod. With Petrification’s top tier sonic depravity this album is promised to be looked back at as the measuring stick of what an old school death metal album of this era should be.

The enchanted land of power metal. ‘On a Moonlit Night’ is the highlight of the brief but already remarkable Vandor’s career. The Swedish band looked at the best moments of their brilliant debut-album and aimed at writing in that vein, expanding the stylistic horizon at the same time. They managed to cover so much musical ground on this record, spanning from the anthemic ‘Mountains of Avagale’ to the beautiful ‘Future to Behold’ and the intense warmongering tale of ‘Fate of Eltoria’, and finishing with the almost 20-minute-long saga ‘The Sword to End All Wars’. This second album is even more “power metal” than the previous one, but Vandor also embraced some elegant and subtle hard & progressive rock influences – which might not come as a shock for those familiar with their music. Enter the realm of Vandor, enter a new and exciting power metal dimension.

With New Confusion they've usurped their own outré paradigms yet again, resulting in a demented heat-haze panorama of delirious beat-driven abandon and elucidated neural pathways. As ever the brainchild of Texan king of outlaw brinkmanship Craig Clouse, these nine abject and glorious meditations exist in an alternate dimension whereby a loop-driven exploratory framework is joyridden with alacrity offroad by a moonshine-swigging convict, a zone whereby aural scrap metal is alchemically transformed into gleaming, abstract and intimidating structures and sculptures anew. It may not have occurred to the average head that the sound of Tropicália melting gleefully in the sun (as here essayed on 'Miami') might be to their satisfaction, nor that the image of J Dilla trapped in a K-hole with Butthole Surfers would do anything but make them mildly anxious.

Sightless Pit is the project of duo Lee Buford (The Body) and Dylan Walker (Full of Hell). Buford and Walker are born collaborators, known for their ability to subvert musical expectations, transcend genre and plunge headlong into the unknown. Across the album, the two highly inventive musical omnivores are buoyed by an astounding menagerie of eclectic and celebrated collaborators including: Gangsta Boo (Three 6 Mafia), YoshimiO (Boredoms), Frukwan (Gravediggaz), Claire Rousay, Midwife, Lane Shii Otayonii (Elizabeth Colour Wheel), Foie Gras, and more. Their work with the likes of Thou, Uniform, Merzbow, and Nothing, taken together with their The Body & Full of Hell albums, have established each as singular voices and masterful alchemists of heavy music. The duo shares an affection for rhythm-based beat music, disparate electronic genres, dub, as well as darkly-hued atmospheric ambience. Lockstep Bloodwar exceeds expectations by stunningly combining the noise and confrontational posturing they are both well known for with pulsing and kaleidoscopic electronic samples, drum machines, and grizzled synths.Following the release of their first record, Grave of a Dog- which features Kristin Hayter (Lingua Ignota), Buford and Walker continue to push the boundaries of heavy music. An aura of brusque confrontation and grime is sheathed around Lockstep Bloodwar and its multiplicity of noises and raw energy. Lee Buford"s signature rhythmic voice stretches into new complex patterns while retaining an unearthly punch, with gargantuan bass thuds and deft syncopations capable of transforming a song"s landscape in an instant. A spirit of malcontent and caged frustrations oozes from within each piece manifested in spiraling low end throbs and Dylan Walker"s pained wails. Walker describes the underlying worldview of the album: "Lockstep Bloodwar is the struggle to comprehend and come to terms with the fact that our lives are on a locked track, and the track is violent and painful. We have zero control over our lives on a...

Azusa have inked new partnerships with Indie Recordings and Solid State Records to release “Loop Of Yesterdays”, the highly anticipated follow up to 2018’s critically acclaimed “Heavy Yoke”. Although equally broad in scope, “Loop Of Yesterdays” finds the band with more to say but less to prove, achieving a more aerodynamic and accessible approach to their intricate sense of song-writing and inherently technical style. On their sophomore release, Azusa step off the tightrope and stand with feet on solid ground. Expanding on ideas first presented on 2018’s album Heavy Yoke, Azusa seek to captivate audiences with their unique blend of melodic-thrash, jazz-fusion, hardcore and early 90’s riff pop sensibilities.

Azusa have inked new partnerships with Indie Recordings and Solid State Records to release “Loop Of Yesterdays”, the highly anticipated follow up to 2018’s critically acclaimed “Heavy Yoke”. Although equally broad in scope, “Loop Of Yesterdays” finds the band with more to say but less to prove, achieving a more aerodynamic and accessible approach to their intricate sense of song-writing and inherently technical style. On their sophomore release, Azusa step off the tightrope and stand with feet on solid ground. Expanding on ideas first presented on 2018’s album Heavy Yoke, Azusa seek to captivate audiences with their unique blend of melodic-thrash, jazz-fusion, hardcore and early 90’s riff pop sensibilities.

After winning over new audiences with their acclaimed 2018 debut full-length “Age of Revolution” and touring relentlessly alongside fellow shredders such as Marty Friedman, Powerglove and Exmortus, Immortal Guardian gathered in Las Vegas at the beginning of 2020 to begin recording their second album. As the spread of Covid-19 and the subsequent pandemic began to ensue, each member of the band retreated to their respective hometowns. With shutdowns around the world being enforced, the band completely scrapped the record that they had been working on and were heavily inspired to write and create a new thematic record about their emotions surrounding current events. “Psychosomatic” is the next step in Immortal Guardian’s evolution while still capturing the band’s exhilarating trademark melding of melodic power metal with progressive/shred tendencies.

The group – founded by Gabriel Guardian, whose uncanny ability to play guitar and keyboard simultaneously has been showcased on MTV's “Amazingness” and on his unique dual-instrument covers of classics by the likes of Iron Maiden, Pantera and Guns N' Roses that have garnered hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube – began building their following through multiple self-released EPs before signing with M-Theory Audio for the 2018 release of their first full-length record, “Age of Revolution.” The band has also performed live alongside some of the biggest names in metal, including Judas Priest, Dragonforce, Kamelot, Symphony X, Sonata Arctica, Slayer, Metal Church, Soilwork and Steve Vai, and in countries such as Brazil and Russia, and during high-profile performances at ESPN's X Games, South By Southwest and the Fun Fun Fun Fest.

Den Of Iniquity was originally released on Dark Empire Records in 1993 to combine their demos and rare vinyl releases on one CD. Organized Crime is pleased to bring back this early, rare-track anthology and more than double the amount of tracks included. Spanning from the very start of the band in 1988 through 1998, Den Of Iniquity brings together 23 rare tracks as a double LP now available on “clear and ghostly” green vinyl limited to 265 copies. Includes layout by Dwid Hellion along with liner notes by Aaron Melnick.

Like the towering mounds of toxic waste from which it gets its namesake, the music of Oklahoma City noise rock quartet Chat Pile is a suffocating, grotesque embodiment of the existential anguish that has defined the 21st Century. It figures that a band with this abrasive, unrelenting, and outlandish of a sound has stuck as strong of a chord as it has. Dread has replaced the American dream, and Chat Pile’s music is a poignant reminder of that shift—a portrait of an American rock band molded by a society defined by its cold and cruel power systems.

Though very much on-brand with Chat Pile’s signature flavor of cacophonous, sludgy noise rock, the band’s shift to a global thematic focus on Cool World not only compliments the broader experimentations it employs with their songwriting but also how they dissect the album’s core theme of violence. Melded into the band’s twisted foundational sound are traces of other eclectic genre stylings, with examples of gazy, goth-tinged dirges to abrasive yet anthemic alt/indie-esque hooks and off-kilter metal grooves only scratching the surface of what can be heard in the album’s ten tracks.

Besides stylistically stretching the boundaries of the Chat Pile sound, Cool World is also the band’s first record to have someone else handle mixing duties, with Ben Greenberg (Uniform) capturing and further amplifying the quartet’s unmistakably outsider and folk-art edge.

While Chat Pile’s debut album was plenty disturbing with its B-movie-inspired interpretation of a “real American horror story”, what the band depicts on Cool World is unsettling not just from its visceral noise rock onslaught, but from depicting how all sorts of atrocities are pretty much standard parts of modern existence. In film terms, think something like a Criterion arthouse film by way of schlocky grindhouse splatterfest: undeniably gratuitous and thrilling in the moment but leaving a looming dread in the back of one’s mind for how close the horrors depicted mirror reality.

Like the towering mounds of toxic waste from which it gets its namesake, the music of Oklahoma City noise rock quartet Chat Pile is a suffocating, grotesque embodiment of the existential anguish that has defined the 21st Century. It figures that a band with this abrasive, unrelenting, and outlandish of a sound has stuck as strong of a chord as it has. Dread has replaced the American dream, and Chat Pile’s music is a poignant reminder of that shift—a portrait of an American rock band molded by a society defined by its cold and cruel power systems.

Though very much on-brand with Chat Pile’s signature flavor of cacophonous, sludgy noise rock, the band’s shift to a global thematic focus on Cool World not only compliments the broader experimentations it employs with their songwriting but also how they dissect the album’s core theme of violence. Melded into the band’s twisted foundational sound are traces of other eclectic genre stylings, with examples of gazy, goth-tinged dirges to abrasive yet anthemic alt/indie-esque hooks and off-kilter metal grooves only scratching the surface of what can be heard in the album’s ten tracks.

Besides stylistically stretching the boundaries of the Chat Pile sound, Cool World is also the band’s first record to have someone else handle mixing duties, with Ben Greenberg (Uniform) capturing and further amplifying the quartet’s unmistakably outsider and folk-art edge.

While Chat Pile’s debut album was plenty disturbing with its B-movie-inspired interpretation of a “real American horror story”, what the band depicts on Cool World is unsettling not just from its visceral noise rock onslaught, but from depicting how all sorts of atrocities are pretty much standard parts of modern existence. In film terms, think something like a Criterion arthouse film by way of schlocky grindhouse splatterfest: undeniably gratuitous and thrilling in the moment but leaving a looming dread in the back of one’s mind for how close the horrors depicted mirror reality.