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if you survived trips 1-17 with one tiny speck of psychedelic sunshine intact, Brown Acid The 18th Trip will be your coming of age nightmare. Vintage underground '70s hard rock, coming at you from bizarre angles, local scene wasteland America when everybody was out for themselves and the drugs went bleak. The guitars kill, the attitude is twisted, even the sex is headed down the wrong road. Real people, no compromise, pure and potent. Get stoked, take the 18th Trip and know that the artists will get paid for pulverizing your soul! "People… are you ready?, 'cause the music now is getting so heavy"… Back Jack out of St. Louis, Missouri in 1974 launch our trip with "Bridge Waters Dynamite". It's an invocation to rock flashing on Mark Farner whooping up a Grand Funk crowd, then getting to the point quickly with berserk guitar assaults. Heavy riff with power chord stalks beneath as you take their advice… get loose and blow up the past. Smokin' Buku Band dropped my jaw with the audacious track "Hot Love" coming on like some fractured fever dream burlesque of Led Zep moves out of Hollywood in 1980. Swooping elongated vocals above, a total Zep chord move at the end of each verse. Writer/producer Steve Shauger aka Shag Stevens gets a brilliantly messed up sound quality here, the ideal polar opposite of slick. The extended guitar break is an epitome of serendipitously crude virtuosity, simply outrageous! Coming at you from way outta left field is "Moby Shark" by Atlantis, a hilarious and strange Baltimore pre-punk vibed dose of D.I.Y. meets hard rock. Lon Talbot is the mastermind, the flip side of this impossibly rare Mekon Records label single was featured in an obscure 1978 B-movie titled "The Alien Factor". Follow the lyrics closely, when the ominous jaws jaws jaws start coming after you you you… the song's big hook is so preposterously catchy the shark attack feels like good news. Inquiring minds should know that the band formerly known as Atlantis can now be found by searching for the Lon Talbot Group! Tommy Stuart and the Rubberband's "Peeking Through Your Window" from 1970 opens with a spooky organ riff, slips into a gushy fuzz/organ groove akin to "Mustache In Your Face” by Pretty. The singer creates downright creepy vibes, a stalker peeking through the girl's mind like a peeping Tom at the window up to no good. The lyrics evoke a disturbing scenario. Tommy Stuart also made a strange LP titled Hound Dog Man in 1977 and some terrific rare garage singles under the names Magnificent Seven and The Omen & Their Love in the mid '60s. Nothing better than an angry two chord guitar attack with cowbell to set the stage for this rant about getting "Ripped Off" by love. Taken from their rare 1977 LP on Dynamite Records, Chicago Triangle was Marvey Esparza, Dave Guereca, Jose 'Tarr' Perez and Robert Aguilera. They unleash such strong brain-scrubbing wah wah frenzy in the guitar break here that it seems to perversely mock it's own intensity! Like I said, Brown Acid the 18th Trip comes at you from all kinds of uncanny angles. Damnation of Adam Blessing out of Cleveland, Ohio unleashed a stone killer psychedelic hard rock classic "Cookbook" in the late '60s, this track "Nightmare" from 1973 has them cooking again at full power. A different singer, name change to Damnation and then Glory, unleashing a deadly dose of dark progressive heavy rock drama peaking when spooky 'oooo-wa-oooo' background vocals emerge during a bizarre spoken bit. It unfolds like a mini-epic and includes some remarkably brutal guitar and turbulent organ, too. "Swing your sword, all aboard… bid farewell to the dreamer" Dalquist exclaims. Cynical view of human nature, idealism is over, war is coming, it always does. Opens with a cold menacing riff and atmosphere reminiscent of "Synthezoid Heartbreak" by Maya. Mournful despondent vocals ride an insistent churning groove, gnarly guitar break moves into free noise territory. This rare track is from a local various artists benefit album titled Kangaroo Jam issued for the Waco Family Abuse Center in Texas circa 1980. The Pawnbrokers "Realize" is prime proto heavy rock emerging out of psychedelic garage roots in 1968 Fargo, North Dakota. Unusual arrangement, terrific sustain guitar tones like on the first Blue Cheer LP, even a rip on Hendrix "Manic Depression" with unison voice and guitar ascent near the end. They made three 45s and were active from '65 to '69. Hats off to Blake English, Kent Richey, Paul Rogne and Steve Harrison, you nailed it in just a hair over two minutes! As pure and creative as the original psychedelic garage hard rock gets. Parchment Farm from Union, Missouri gigged with the likes of ZZ Top and Foghat back in the day and unleashed the amazing "Songs Of The Dead" in 1971. Primitive riff/chord pattern dosed with some funky prog moves, sky turning black, 'is this heaven or hell' type disoriented confusion… may as well grab your guitar and sing songs to the dead. Robert 'Ace' Williams on bass, Paul Cockrum on guitar, Gary Reed on keys and Micky Waterman on drums, replacing Mike Dulany (R.I.P.) Cool that they use the Blue Cheer misspelling from Vincebus Eruptum for the band name! Ominous organ, thick minimalist fuzz riff, funky psychedelic wah wah flashes and freaky sex combine in one twisted dance titled "Rockin' Chair" by Brothers Of The Ghetto. Out of Chicago in 1975 with some Santana atmospherics and a delicious fuzz wah screamin' guitar break, the groove is highlighted by an off the wall vocal which sounds eerily detached in a subtly sleazy way. Rene Maxwell is the writer of this hard-rock boogie-down hybrid straight out of the twilight zone. It was issued on Ghetto, a subsidiary of the peculiar Kiderian label that released the Creme Soda LP. Now that your head is totally skewered, go Back Jack and play side one again! (Words by Paul Major)

Finally back in print! One of our most sought after albums "Hour Of The Nightingale" by Trees Of Eternity is soon to be available on vinyl once again.

Born out of the partnership of singer-songwriter Aleah Starbridge and guitarist-composer Juha Raivio, Trees of Eternity began as a quiet acoustic collaboration but then sprouted into a full band, with the Norrman brothers (ex-Katatonia, October Tide) on stringed instruments and the ubiquitous Kai Hahto on drums.

Three years of work on the group's debut album were tragically cut short when Aleah passed away during the album's final post-production phase. The work got finished, and Svart Records are proud to present it to the world once again to honor the legacy and artistry of Aleah Starbridge. Cover art is by the incomparable Fursy Teyssier (Les Discrets). Juha and Fursy had long nightly conversations about the ethereal magic of Aleah, and Fursy's work manages to capture the essence of the album perfectly. "The art contains such power and calm beauty, so many hidden messages. It is mystical in the same way that Aleah always was", comments Juha Raivio.

"This is a celebration of the music, lyrics and life of Aleah, who so tragically and suddenly crossed the bridge of stars and left this world so young and so early. There really are no words to describe the ultimate weight of the darkness, or the rays of the brightest of light that this album holds within its songs and lyrics. In so many ways this album turned out to be the most important album I've done in my life, and we both loved it from the first note to the last as we wrote it.

We were very proud to record "Hour of the Nightingale" together with our friends, band mates and amazing musicians, Kai Hahto, Mattias and Fredrik Norrman who all played their hearts out on this album. And working with another good friend Jens Bogren producing, recording, mixing and mastering the album we’re ready to take this music to the world and play it to you all. Sadly, that never happened... But this is the point where we can finally start this long journey and celebrate our Queen Aleah Starbridge whose words and music will live forever on."

-Juha Raivio

Trees of Eternity are:

Aleah Starbridge: vocals Juha Raivio (Swallow The Sun) : guitar Kai Hahto (Nightwish, Wintersun) : drums Mattias Norrman (ex-Katatonia, October Tide): bass Fredrik Norrman (ex-Katatonia, October Tide) : guitar

Blood will flow, intestines will be spread across your record players and... Oh no, that was just the eye-catcher at the beginning. Blood will flow, but first things first.

We at Noisy Plastics Records have landed a deal on a scale that is really awesome. And when you look at what is happening in the States right now, the title is more than fitting: Gwar - America must be destroyed is finally being re-released on vinyl! And in wonderful, but extremely limited editions.

We will have 100 blue splatter, 100 red splatter and 100 bloodfilled liquid vinyl copies of this milestone in thrash history available to order. When it's out, it's out.

On October 25th, 2024 we'll pop the corks and the good piece will enter your homes and blast out of your speakers, better than ever, because good music still sounds best on high-quality records. So mark this date in your calendar so that you can enjoy this really rare disc. Otherwise it might push the ham off your bones again and you'll hear a crack in the egg. Or the LPs will scream "Have you seen me?" from other owners. Be that as it may, Rock N Roll never felt so good.

Red/Black Splatter Vinyl Originally issued in 1995, ‘Slaughter of the Soul’ is considered as one of the most important and influential metal albums of all time. Featuring the classic tracks ‘Blinded by Fear’, ‘Cold’ and ‘Suicide Nation’, the album married melodic sensibilities with razor edged aggression to devastating effect. Pressed From THE Original Master Tapes. This Album HAS Been Specially Recreated Using ‘fdr’ – Full Dynamic Range MasterING - Allowing THE Music’s Nuances TO Shine Through AND Giving This Classic Album A More Ferocious AND Dynamic Sound, Enabling THE Listener TO Immerse IN THE Full Audio Heaviness Like Never Before.

There is NO Light at the end of this tunnel! Brown Acid: The Nineteenth Trip fires ten more savage nails deep into the coffin of ‘60s psychedelic idealism. This series is THE premier top dog journey into the rarest and most wasted early local eruptions of heavy rock, unleashed at a time when harsh reality, human nature and disillusionment drove prevailing underground rock glimpses of a ‘better’ world into ever darker selfabsorbed comedowns. Mind expanding ’60s love energies transform into toxic aggression right before your ears! The great thing is that these moves are totally justified, ‘we are all one’ is cosmically good in theory but ‘get it while you can’ ends up perhaps better advice in the light of human history. Both of those angles of awareness can coexist, some of these bands deliver unrelenting sideways positive energy but they aren’t over-thinking it, they are youthfully driven by hunger for life and satisfying the undeniable urges their DNA thrusts upon them. Sonically, the results in the Brown Acid series never fail to breathe hot and heavy, the guitars kill it every time, the variety of approaches these tracks take keep the scenery shifting into new places. The key element that makes this stuff so potent is that They (the bands) are in control. Captured genuinely with no compromise, right out of the gate. No doubt they had ambition with high hopes for the future when they laid down these primal efforts, the fact that they captured their energy so vividly at a moment in time when the only direction imaginable was UP creates a hard hitting life affirming subtext to the proceedings. That is the core energy of blues and rock and roll, dealing with the struggles of existence by flipping a gigantic ‘what the fuck’ high energy bird right in the face of the moronic defective reality these bands were born into. If you take this stuff too ‘seriously’ you are utterly missing the point, it is beyond analysis, it is life itself! No amount of thinking will get you there quicker! Brown Acid: The Nineteenth Trip is scary... the bottomless pit of deranged vintage heavy rock the series presents continually expands over time... one deadly dose too many and you might be trapped in the bad trip loop forever... enjoy it or lose your mind!

There is NO Light at the end of this tunnel! Brown Acid: The Nineteenth Trip fires ten more savage nails deep into the coffin of ‘60s psychedelic idealism. This series is THE premier top dog journey into the rarest and most wasted early local eruptions of heavy rock, unleashed at a time when harsh reality, human nature and disillusionment drove prevailing underground rock glimpses of a ‘better’ world into ever darker selfabsorbed comedowns. Mind expanding ’60s love energies transform into toxic aggression right before your ears! The great thing is that these moves are totally justified, ‘we are all one’ is cosmically good in theory but ‘get it while you can’ ends up perhaps better advice in the light of human history. Both of those angles of awareness can coexist, some of these bands deliver unrelenting sideways positive energy but they aren’t over-thinking it, they are youthfully driven by hunger for life and satisfying the undeniable urges their DNA thrusts upon them. Sonically, the results in the Brown Acid series never fail to breathe hot and heavy, the guitars kill it every time, the variety of approaches these tracks take keep the scenery shifting into new places. The key element that makes this stuff so potent is that They (the bands) are in control. Captured genuinely with no compromise, right out of the gate. No doubt they had ambition with high hopes for the future when they laid down these primal efforts, the fact that they captured their energy so vividly at a moment in time when the only direction imaginable was UP creates a hard hitting life affirming subtext to the proceedings. That is the core energy of blues and rock and roll, dealing with the struggles of existence by flipping a gigantic ‘what the fuck’ high energy bird right in the face of the moronic defective reality these bands were born into. If you take this stuff too ‘seriously’ you are utterly missing the point, it is beyond analysis, it is life itself! No amount of thinking will get you there quicker! Brown Acid: The Nineteenth Trip is scary... the bottomless pit of deranged vintage heavy rock the series presents continually expands over time... one deadly dose too many and you might be trapped in the bad trip loop forever... enjoy it or lose your mind!

”The Last Will and Testament” is a concept record of sorts. A restless musical journey in a way mirroring my own relationship with music as a consumer of it," narrates band leader Mikael Åkerfeldt. "I pick up something here, dismiss something there. I worship and I hate music at the same time. This ambivalence leads me down some type of creative path of my own and then, all of a sudden, a collection of songs has been written. Best case scenario, these songs are good enough to impress the band. Good enough for the ”powers that be” in terms of the industry. Good enough for ”you”?! I love this record. I have to say it (write it). Maybe I’m proud even? There are some familiar ingredients in there I suppose. Most of our music has sprung from the same source, so I guess it’s not much of a shocker if it’s going to sound like ”us”. I’m a bit in awe of what we did with ”The Last Will and Testament”. It feels like a dream. There is some ”coherence" and ” songwriting skills” I hope, but what do I know? I tend to favour the ”strange” over the ”obvious”, but I feel like I’m in the minority, and that’s fine. So…fair warning! Don’t expect an instant rush (as per usual), but if you do ”get it” (have you got it yet?) right away, that’s ok too!" 1-01 - §1 (00:05:57)1-02 - §2 (00:05:34)1-03 - §3 (00:05:11)1-04 - §4 (00:07:05)1-05 - §5 (00:07:35)1-06 - §6 (00:06:04)1-07 - §7 (00:06:28)1-08 - A Story Never Told (00:07:10)

Blood will flow, intestines will be spread across your record players and... Oh no, that was just the eye-catcher at the beginning. Blood will flow, but first things first.

We at Noisy Plastics Records have landed a deal on a scale that is really awesome. And when you look at what is happening in the States right now, the title is more than fitting: Gwar - America must be destroyed is finally being re-released on vinyl! And in wonderful, but extremely limited editions.

We will have 100 blue splatter, 100 red splatter and 100 bloodfilled liquid vinyl copies of this milestone in thrash history available to order. When it's out, it's out.

On October 25th, 2024 we'll pop the corks and the good piece will enter your homes and blast out of your speakers, better than ever, because good music still sounds best on high-quality records. So mark this date in your calendar so that you can enjoy this really rare disc. Otherwise it might push the ham off your bones again and you'll hear a crack in the egg. Or the LPs will scream "Have you seen me?" from other owners. Be that as it may, Rock N Roll never felt so good.

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.

Crypt of the Wizard is proud to announce the debut LP from Riders of Rohan. Arise now, arise, and listen to these here ballads of courage, kinship, gracious good and ultimate evil heralded by Sweden's Riders of Rohan. This power trio of epic proportions was forged in the dark smithies of Gothenburg and founded of black steel by Marcus Ferreira Larsen at No Master's Voice studio in Copenhagen. Our heroes play an enchanted breed of heavy adventure-rock, where KISS-like melodies merge with the punk rock 'n' roll delivery of Dead Moon to tell tales written for the love of Tolkien. Don't miss out on the first release from this fine fellowship. Stream it now or look out for it on cassette and vinyl later on this year. Ride now, ride now, ride! Ride for ruin and the world's ending! Death! Death! Death! Forth Eorlingas!

Conjured in 2016, OBSCENE are a death metal quartet from Indianapolis, Indiana. Following their Sermon to the Snake demo in late 2017, they quickly caught the attention of Sweden's BLOOD HARVEST, who reissued the demo on cassette and digital formats in early 2018. 2020 saw the release of OBSCENE's debut LP, The Inhabitable Dark. The record, earning year-end accolades from the likes of Zero Tolerance, Invisible Oranges, Grizzly Butts, Last Rites, etc. continues to garner praise of fans and critics internationally. 2020 prevented OBSCENE from performing live; in 2021, the band resurfaced for successful festival appearances at Tri State Terror and Full Terror Assault alongside acts such as Nunslaughter, Wraith, and Bat as well as a Chicago crusher with Skeletal Remains and Molder while resuming writing and recording ...From Dead Horizon to Dead Horizon. Now 2022 sees the release of that highly anticipated second album, ....From Dead Horizon to Dead Horizon. Recorded by engineer Noah Buchanan (Midnight, Nunslaughter) at Mercinary Studios and mastered by Dan Swano (Bloodbath, Hail of Bullets) at Unisound AB, the follow-up to the band's critically acclaimed The Inhabitable Dark full-length is as bulldozingly devastating as it is infectious and memorable. Far and away their most surgical performance to date, ...From Dead Horizon to Dead Horizon bursts at the seams with world-eating rhythms, barbaric riffs, and pained howls at the moon. OBSCENE don't care about reinventing the wheel; rather, they opt to keep the faithful wheel turning. The album is suitably adorned with the cover art of Skadvaldur (Coffin Rot, Ripped to Shreds). To kick of the release of ...From Dead Horizon to Dead Horizon, OBSCENE will be touring the United States in support of Morta Skuld. And the wheel keeps turning!

Ghost is the name of a devil worshipping ministry, that in order to spread their unholy gospels and, furthermore, trick mankind into believing that the end is ultimately a good thing, have decided to use the ever so popular rock music medium as a way to achieve their ends. Standing motionless and anonymous beneath the painted faces, hoods and robes which their sect demand, the six nameless ghouls of Ghost deliver litanies of sexually pulsating heavy rock music and romantic lyrics, that glorify and glamorise the disgusting and sacrilegious, with the simple intention to communicate a message of pure evil via the most effective device they can find - entertainment. In May 2010 Ghost were contracted to a UK based gramophone company called Rise Above Ltd, who swore an oath stating that they will assist the group in the task of spreading their musical blasphemies through formats such as Compact Discs, Long Playing Vinyl Records and Digital Downloading. The first full length Ghost album ‘Opus Eponymous’ will be released in October 2010 and it is understood and agreed that Rise Above Ltd will invest money in areas such as magazine advertising and retail marketing and will employ the services of music publicity specialists in order to expose the music of Ghost to the wider public. Specific attention will be paid to targeting people (research suggests these are most likely to be adolescents) who have a void in their life, perhaps caused by some form of emotional trauma or upset, that can be filled by the music and philosophies of Ghost. In time, these easily manipulated children will come to share the views and goals of the Ghost sect and can prepare their own plans for the downfall of humanity....

Limited edition of 100 copies. A whopping 12 years after the release of Monkeys with Guns from the Swedish punk'n'roll gods, it's now going to "bone" on Noisy Plastics Records and Backbite Records. The first time that there is a vinyl reissue of this incredibly good record. The Bones have blasted 15 absolute pieces here that simply don't get boring and, in addition to a fat pogo, also get you dancing.

Melodic boards like Shooting Blanks bring punk rock into your place, but also fine rock 'n' roll songs like the opening song by Bones City Rollers really make every room crack. But even a little mosher can get by. Because one or two tracks definitely make your neck turn to rubber.

Sure, blame the guy in the dress… and then move your tired bodies and die like men. This album offers eternal hits and even more in very elaborate and fantastically beautiful versions.

Messa’s rising trajectory hits the stratosphere on their immense new album “Close”. Soaring up out of the Italian Doom Rock underground in 2014, Messa have been rapidly garnering a frenzied throng of devotees, in thrall to their monumental and broad-ranging sound craft. Releasing two widely celebrated cult records, the latest of which “Feast For Water” in 2018 was a critical breakthrough success, with Rolling Stone calling the whole album “captivating, wringing maximum drama out of its savvy stylistic clash,” Messa have had everyone on tenterhooks, waiting for what was next.

New album “Close” draws us further into Messa’s spellbinding textures and immersive dynamics. Described as “Stevie Nicks fronting Black Sabbath,” singer Sara’s colossal voice omnipotently carries the listener on an emotional rollercoaster ride where the sonic cauldron of Iommi guitars gives way to Arabian oudh and progressive solos in a masterful style-clash that well befits Messa’s incendiary reputation.

The hushed Fender Rhodes piano intro on opener “Suspended,” picks up where Messa left off on their previous album “Feast For Water” but then collapses gloriously into Jazz guitar and widescreen impassioned crushing riffs, lighting our way for the odyssey ahead. The scene is set magnificently for the journey that “Close” expertly takes the listener on, with Messa’s obvious care and passion for the album as a pilgrimage of sonic experience. Heavyweight tracks like “If You Want Her To Be Taken” or “0=2” are modern Doom Rock classics that expertly upgrade and leave the genre reeling in their wake. “Pilgrim” and “Orphalese” are woven with tapestries of Mediterranean sounds where oudh and eastern chord phrasings expand Messa’s cinematic palette with a panache that is all their own. Atmospheric and grandiose belters like “Rubedo” and “Dark Horse” build into an almost limitless climax of discord and harmony where blast beats and saxophones descend into a thrilling cacophony that’s a masterclass in artful cutting edge Doom.

Referencing bands like Dead Can Dance, Swans and Om, Messa have created an album where song, experience and atmosphere are focused into a crystalline modus where high art flawlessly embraces good old fashioned riff-worship. Transcending the occult and noir-tinted atmospheres of their past works, “Close” confidently weaves Messa’s multifarious influences into a singular breath-taking sound that leaves the listener enthralled. Perfection or something extremely close, Messa’s “Close” is not just a Metal record, but it’s definitely one of the best things to break out of the confines of Metal in a long time.

Demon Head releases the new album ‘Through Holes Shine the Stars’ in September 2024 via Svart Records

Demon Head is proud to announce the release of Through Holes Shine the Stars on Svart Records. The album is the fifth full-length from the band that celebrated their first 10 years of existence last year, and it is undoubtedly another milestone on their tireless – and very own – path through the wilderness. It is a deeper, darker well of tones and melodies than before, while being significantly more extroverted than their last releases. All in the seemingly effortless, strangely catchy, and unique manner that Demon Head have become known for.

The eight songs were written collectively during several concentrated sessions from 2019–2022 and recorded entirely by the band themselves from October 2022 to March 2023 in their own studios in Copenhagen and the west coast of Ireland. Guitarist, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist producer, Birk Gjerlufsen Nielsen expands on the process: “This long and careful process has allowed us to reach a balance between structural precision and artistic expansion, melodic simplicity, and compositional depth. It feels like we’ve uncovered every possibility within each of these songs without losing track of the original nerve.”

In continuation of previous collaborations, Demon Head have mixed the album with the legendary engineer and producer Flemming Rasmussen (Metallica, Morbid Angel, Ensiferum, etc.) in Sweet Silence Studios. Vocalist and recording engineer Marcus Ferreira Larsen remarks: “Like any true master Flemming has created a direct and hard-hitting, transparent mix that does nothing but enhance what is already communicated in the compositions and the performance. He helped us place everything in the landscape that we've carved through recording everything ourselves once again.”

With a running time of 47 minutes, this is Demon Heads most extensive work to date. Birk Gjerlufsen Nielsen comments on one of the songs: “The Chalice opens with a discordant anthem that unbelievably enough combines the qualities of late Scott Walker with Europe’s The Final Countdown. It’s a good introduction to how Marcus and I have worked closely together on complimenting each other’s voices. It’s consistent that we sing together throughout the whole record. Between the two of us there’s a balance of equal parts raw charm and melodic desperation”.

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

The finest Italian prog-power metal prime movers!Vision Divine are back for good once again delivering a handful of glorious and smooth progressive power metal. An epic saga unfolding across two monumental records, with "Blood And Angels' Tears" as its first part: set in a distant epoch before known civilizations, the narrative revolves around three angels banished from heaven for their indecision during the cataclysmic war between Lucifer and Archangel Michael. Each album is a chapter in a grand movie-like tale: themes of redemption, unity and resilience permeate the melodic orchestrations and haunting vocals. Experience the cinematic majesty of "Blood And Angels' Tears" where each note and lyric merges to evoke a timeless struggle and a heroic journey through the realms of ancient myth and fantastical imagination! Chapter I: War In HeavenChapter II: The Ballet Of Blood And Angels’ TearsChapter III: Once InvincibleChapter IV: Drink Our BloodChapter V: When Darkness ComesChapter VI: PreysChapter VII: A Man On A MissionChapter VIII: Go EastChapter IX: The Broken PastChapter X: Dice And DancersChapter XI: Lost

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.

Following the success of the blazing debut album “Emperor Rising”, “Return Of The Heralds” delivers yet more fast melodic tunes living and prospering in the realm of traditional power-speed metal. The new Krilloan record is once again a heartfelt homage to the "good ol' times" of classic heavy metal and sword & sorcery entertainment that shaped them. Epic and fierce battle hymns about Conan the Barbarian, Elric of Melniboné, "Warhammer 40.000" and those never-ending days spent in a world beyond our own: this is the conceptual foundation of the Swedish band led by guitarist Klas Holmgren, with a clear focus on a well-crafted and always well-balanced songwriting as well. One thing is for certain: you will never be bored listening to a Krilloan album! 1 Atlantean Sword 2 Kings Of The Iron Hill3 Blood & Fire (Born On A Battlefield)4 Hammer Of Wrath5 Avenging Son6 The Oathpact7 Return Of The Heralds8 The Kingkillers Tale9 We Burn10 Beyond The Gates

Following the phenomenal success of Panzer Surprise (a gold-certified album), Ultra Vomit are back with Le Pouvoir de la Puissance (The Power of Power), their fourth album in just 25 years of existence! Released in the year 2024, it contains 16 hits and 1 piece of crap of Metal that's as powerful as it is lazy. Huge riffs and a massive sound (from producer Fred Duquesne) are to be expected on all 17 tracks... But, rest assured, this veritable Metal bomb will be defused by some deeply deplorable “lyrics”, bringing a little joy to a life in the throes of an existential crisis. So, dear customers, for your own good, don't wait any longer! Get your hands on this album and come and join us at our galas, where we'll be able to share with you the Power of Power... of Power! 1.Kings of poop 2.Dead Robot Zombie Cop from Outer Space II 3.Le coq 4.Doigts de Metal 5.Toxoplasma Gondii (Felinus Sanctus) 6.Ricard Peinard 7.Mortal konkass 8.The gruge 9.Tikawahukwa 10.Patatas Bravas (feat. Crisix) 11.Mouss 2 Mass (feat. Mouss de Mass) 12.Auto-thunes 13.Ültrüs Crew 14.GPT (à l’instant) 15.Mollo sur le caca 16.La puissance du pouvoir 17.A.N.U.S.

No rock 'n' roll record has felt this mysterious and free-spirited in years. R.I.P. channels Jorge Ben's late-night, alcohol-soaked vibes (heard on 1970's Fôrça Bruta) and the rambling country-blues of Bob Dylan's Nashville Skyline. - NPR

And just like that he did it again, vanished. At this point Krano is an expert in the art of disappearing, after the dust settles he retreats, fades away into the hills behind Valdobbiadene and shuts down communication. It took four years to rescue from the vaults ‘Requiescat In Plavem’, Krano’s 2016 country-psychedelic masterpiece, a Venetian songbook for the Piave river shrouded in mystery and wonder that turned heads across the music circuits. Seven years later he’s back with ‘Lentius Profundius Suavius’ an incredible collection of songs about loss, solitude, death, darkness (Profundius) and sweetness, devotion and friendship (Suavius). Absolutely aching with soul, these ten songs channel rollicking twang, cosmic electric americana, honky-tonk mystics, noir gothic and fuzzed out spiritual rock’n’roll. As some would say, only the good sh*t, a masterclass in songcraft and true loner folk.

Who knows how, but ‘Lentius Profundius Suavius’ was vaguely inspired by the work of Italian peace activist Alexander Langer, a forgotten hero that relentlessly worked on eliminating ethnic boundaries and fostered ‘togetherness’ and true values of solidarity and ecological renaissance. “Slower rather than faster, deeper rather than higher and gently rather than hard” was Langer’s motto and fittingly is the reason behind the album’s title.

Krano’s music runs free, transcends barriers, a distillation of broken dreams tinted in black and white, where having the blues is not just a feeling but something you can’t shake, a wayfaring outsider on a journey side by side with players like Bill Fay, Robbie Basho, Skip Spence, Dave Bixby, inevitably bound to burn in eternity.

“Damn if there isn’t some mystical appeal at work in these songs.” - Aquarium Drunkard

The Netherlands' premium progressive gothic metal artists The Gathering caught live on the stage of the legendary Paradiso in Amsterdam, 1999. The Svart Records official reissue comes on 180 gram vinyl, wrapped in a heavy gatefold jacket.



"It is a very good representation of where we stood back in 1998/99. We also didn’t do any overdubs so what you see is what you get. It’s a very honest document of what THE Gathering was like in 1999", says Hans Rutten of The Gathering,"It's very pure and I'm very proud of it, especially to see it finally reissued on vinyl after a first, very limited run in 2013."

The Netherlands' premium progressive gothic metal artists The Gathering caught live on the stage of the legendary Paradiso in Amsterdam, 1999. The Svart Records official reissue comes on 180 gram vinyl, wrapped in a heavy gatefold jacket.



"It is a very good representation of where we stood back in 1998/99. We also didn’t do any overdubs so what you see is what you get. It’s a very honest document of what THE Gathering was like in 1999", says Hans Rutten of The Gathering,"It's very pure and I'm very proud of it, especially to see it finally reissued on vinyl after a first, very limited run in 2013."

Moon Colored Vinyl, limited to 500 copies. Swords and metal go hand in hand. That's what crossover thrash band High Command say, having turned heads with their debut album Beyond The Wall of Desolation (2019). But it's not solely metal music which influences the band, who cite the lustful violence of Robert E. Howard, Michel Moorcock, Jack Vance and many other legendary pulp writers of the 20th century as an impetus for their expansive storytelling. "People would also be surprised to hear we drew quite a bit of inspiration from the music of Ennio Morricone, especially in regards to writing some more of the epic, grandiose passages and chord progressions." says the band. Now, with their second album, Eclipse of the Dual Moons, the band take their love of storytelling a step further, deepening and widening the world of Secartha, the realm of High Command's songs. The band place themselves as omniscient narrators of the world they have created, and say that they are inseparable from Secartha and its people. "It's one thing to make a good metal record, but it's another to put on top of it a sort of overarching story that makes sense to listeners. The whole High Command project is enriched by lyrics articulating characters, a world, and trials faced within it. We want our records to be immersive and leave listeners with a feeling they've experienced something bigger than the music."

Vinyl LP pressing including digital download. 2018 release from the hardcore outfit. Recorded with producer Will Yip at Studio 4 in Conshohocken, PA, Time & Space marks Turnstile's Roadrunner Records debut and follows their 2015 breakthrough, Nonstop Feeling. Time & Space features additional vocals from Sheer Mag's Tina Halladay on "Moon," while Diplo offers added production to "Right To Be." Comprised of Brendan Yates (vocals), Franz Lyons (bass/vocals), Brady Ebert (guitars), Pat McCrory (guitars), and Daniel Fang (drums), Turnstile has gripped listeners and press around the globe with their, "... melodic riffs, bright-eyed spirit, and riotous sets... " as noted by The New Yorker. NPR revered Turnstile as, "... freewheeling and heavy... with shout-along choruses and grooves that do more than just open up the pit," with The Washington Post adding, "... The unabashed funkiness of Turnstile feels so invigorating." Noisey declared, "... (Turnstile) has positively exploded, moving from exciting prospect to one of the most talked about bands in hardcore," while Stereogum asserted, "Right now, the biggest band in hardcore might be Turnstile... ." Thrasher Magazine wrote "These guys are powerful," with GQ agreeing, "Turnstile is more than a good hardcore band-they've got a whole movement behind them."

High Command returns with their second full length album Eclipse of the Dual Moons, arriving 25th November via Southern Lord and produced with Seth Manchester. Listen TO First Single "siege Warfare" Black Vinyl - Non-returnable. Swords and metal go hand in hand. That’s what crossover thrash band High Command say, having turned heads with their debut album Beyond The Wall of Desolation (2019). But it’s not solely metal music which influences the band, who cite the lustful violence of Robert E. Howard, Michel Moorcock, Jack Vance and many other legendary pulp writers of the 20th century as an impetus for their expansive storytelling. “People would also be surprised to hear we drew quite a bit of inspiration from the music of Ennio Morricone, especially in regards to writing some more of the epic, grandiose passages and chord progressions.” says the band. Now, with their second album, Eclipse of the Dual Moons, the band take their love of storytelling a step further, deepening and widening the world of Secartha, the realm of High Command’s songs. The band place themselves as omniscient narrators of the world they have created, and say that they are inseparable from Secartha and its people. “It’s one thing to make a good metal record, but it’s another to put on top of it a sort of overarching story that makes sense to listeners. The whole High Command project is enriched by lyrics articulating characters, a world, and trials faced within it. We want our records to be immersive and leave listeners with a feeling they’ve experienced something bigger than the music.” It’s not just a question of widening the world, which the band first started exploring on The Secartha Demos (2016); Eclipse of the Dual Moons sees High Command honing their process to a fine art “it’s like we started with chiseling a rock… this record is the moment the rock in question begins to look like an actual sculpture.”

Vector Seven, the virtuoso of the cyberpunk genre serves you the virtual album "Modified". Previously only available on the digital format, now available on limited vinyl interface which you can jack in, and experience the retrofuturistic net personally at your own residence. With the hit track “Trauma Team” clocking in at 2.5 million streams on Spotify alone, this creation will not disappoint any online netrunners. "Modified" includes bonus tracks like the grit punched "Hydraulic", Yautja advanced "Camouflage", and a upgraded version of the original "Trauma Team" track. Let the scanning of datapackage commence.... Vector Seven is a well respected synthwave, darksynth and cyberpunk artist from Germany. He is famous for his unique production style combining dark and heavy synthesizer sounds, with punchy drum patterns and a good bit of retro nostalgia. He has proven more than once how versatile he is as a music producer with his distinctive sound design skills.

Back after just a few years with a third album of arcane evil speed-metallic riffcraft, there is no questioning the apex of inspiration is still riding high beyond classic Chilean thrash metal band APOSTASY‘s return back in 2013. Driven by their own fiercely traditional conviction from the start the banners of this classic Valparaíso-borne forever underground entity still fly by a strong willed and highest standard. If we can consider their previous full-length, The Sign of Darkness, the band making good on their promised return with blazing and uncompromising evil thrash then we can view Death Return as further solidification of their legacy featuring prime works beyond 2018. The mid-to-late eighties are still in sight as these new pieces generally veer towards brutal South American thrash of that era but, this time around they’ve made some room for nostalgia including a few remade classics from Sunset of the End as well as the strongest tracks from EP and demo releases during the interim. The greater effect is a summary of this dark-souled thrash entity’s past and present self framed as one experience, a sustained continuum of steadfast ideals."—Grizzly

Maraton break boundaries between genres, creating progressive alternative rock with roaring bass, massive guitars and exceptional vocals. Described as "shamelessly melodic", the band experiments with sounds and creates music that can be described as a dynamic journey through sensory impressions. Thematically, lines are drawn between the emotional and the philosophical, and the songs are based on human receptivity to new impressions and developments. Maraton released their debut album "Meta" in 2019, with great success and very good reviews internationally. At the time of writing, the debut has almost 3 million plays on Spotify alone, and despite the pandemic and little opportunity for concerts, the band's fan base is constantly growing. The band has been praised for their fantastic and energetic live performances with such claims as: "Bergersen's falsetto delivery is simply amazing" and "With a voice driven by power and clarity, I was left with goosebumps in places you did not know you could get goosebumps " - Heavymetal.no. Maraton has previously played at festivals such as Roskilde Festival in Denmark, By:larm- and the Trondheim Rocks festival in Norway, and after the debut album they went on an extensive European tour with Leprous. By combining and experimenting with different genres, the band creates a distinct and iconic soundscape that is characterized by technical drumming performed with mechanical precision, earthquake-awakening bass, shimmering guitars and almost sacred vocals. Despite this strange and wonderful mix, the songs present themselves as surprisingly catchy, but at the same time timeless, and as something that should be enjoyed and absorbed through more than one listening.

Thou have a bit of a reputation for doing Nirvana covers, even releasing of a full album of them titled Blessings of the Highest Order during the height of quarantine. The infamously ravenous Thou fans were stuck in their rooms, drinking every drop and begging for more and just their luck the band decided to release a full-length compilation of their non-Nirvana covers they recorded and released from 2009-2022. All of the songs on A Primer of Holy Words appeared on limited pressings of various split EPs and benefit compilations. The range of bands being covered is wide: Pearl Jam and Alice in Chains from abandoned tribute projects; Born Against from a small press European compilation; Ginger Quail, an obscure New Orleans punk band from the late 90s; and so on. Regardless of their standing in the civilian world, all of these bands and songs have had a strong imprint on Thou - much more so than "sludge" or metal in general or "the swamp" of New Orleans. New Noise Magazine described some of the tracks saying "They've got a Black Sabbath `Sweet Leaf' cover that they've dirtied up to the point where it sounds like a High on Fire original, a blackend-sludge version of Born Against's `Well Fed Fuck,' a bewitched version of Pearl Jam's `Spin the Black Circle,' and an appropriately gross and desperate cover of Shellac's `Prayer to God.' It's as good or better than their Nirvana album imho." And while the mentioned tracks will be on the vinyl version sans "Sweet Leaf" it will have a different track list from 2020's digital release including a cover of the Yeah Yeah Yeah's iconic track "Maps". This collection includes artwork from former New Orleans -now Mexico City artist Rachel Speck from her Tropical Goth imprint.

Thou have a bit of a reputation for doing Nirvana covers, even releasing of a full album of them titled Blessings of the Highest Order during the height of quarantine. The infamously ravenous Thou fans were stuck in their rooms, drinking every drop and begging for more and just their luck the band decided to release a full-length compilation of their non-Nirvana covers they recorded and released from 2009-2022. All of the songs on A Primer of Holy Words appeared on limited pressings of various split EPs and benefit compilations. The range of bands being covered is wide: Pearl Jam and Alice in Chains from abandoned tribute projects; Born Against from a small press European compilation; Ginger Quail, an obscure New Orleans punk band from the late 90s; and so on. Regardless of their standing in the civilian world, all of these bands and songs have had a strong imprint on Thou - much more so than "sludge" or metal in general or "the swamp" of New Orleans. New Noise Magazine described some of the tracks saying "They've got a Black Sabbath `Sweet Leaf' cover that they've dirtied up to the point where it sounds like a High on Fire original, a blackend-sludge version of Born Against's `Well Fed Fuck,' a bewitched version of Pearl Jam's `Spin the Black Circle,' and an appropriately gross and desperate cover of Shellac's `Prayer to God.' It's as good or better than their Nirvana album imho." And while the mentioned tracks will be on the vinyl version sans "Sweet Leaf" it will have a different track list from 2020's digital release including a cover of the Yeah Yeah Yeah's iconic track "Maps". This collection includes artwork from former New Orleans -now Mexico City artist Rachel Speck from her Tropical Goth imprint.

Thou have a bit of a reputation for doing Nirvana covers, even releasing of a full album of them titled Blessings of the Highest Order during the height of quarantine. The infamously ravenous Thou fans were stuck in their rooms, drinking every drop and begging for more and just their luck the band decided to release a full-length compilation of their non-Nirvana covers they recorded and released from 2009-2022. All of the songs on A Primer of Holy Words appeared on limited pressings of various split EPs and benefit compilations. The range of bands being covered is wide: Pearl Jam and Alice in Chains from abandoned tribute projects; Born Against from a small press European compilation; Ginger Quail, an obscure New Orleans punk band from the late 90s; and so on. Regardless of their standing in the civilian world, all of these bands and songs have had a strong imprint on Thou - much more so than "sludge" or metal in general or "the swamp" of New Orleans. New Noise Magazine described some of the tracks saying "They've got a Black Sabbath `Sweet Leaf' cover that they've dirtied up to the point where it sounds like a High on Fire original, a blackend-sludge version of Born Against's `Well Fed Fuck,' a bewitched version of Pearl Jam's `Spin the Black Circle,' and an appropriately gross and desperate cover of Shellac's `Prayer to God.' It's as good or better than their Nirvana album imho." And while the mentioned tracks will be on the vinyl version sans "Sweet Leaf" it will have a different track list from 2020's digital release including a cover of the Yeah Yeah Yeah's iconic track "Maps". This collection includes artwork from former New Orleans -now Mexico City artist Rachel Speck from her Tropical Goth imprint.

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."

Kill Division are a grindcore act that embody and honor the essence of grind's humble beginnings from luminaries in the scene. As the name suggests they vehemently oppose any division caused due to political party affiliation, religion, sexual orientation / preference, or anything designed to cause division amongst us. Left or Right, they have formed to try and help unite us under the banner Metal! Gus Rios shares “Kill Division was started as a result of Kyle and I wanting to hear that old school style of grindcore ala Terrorizer and Napalm Death Pintado-era. Thankfully, I knew my good buddy Dirk Verbeuren was also a huge fan of that style, and between him and Kyle I had the confidence to write an album, that if it passed their sniff test, it would likely be killer! We also had the good fortune of having Jeramie Kling mix and JF Dagenais master…a pretty solid combo!”

Kill Division are a grindcore act that embody and honor the essence of grind's humble beginnings from luminaries in the scene. As the name suggests they vehemently oppose any division caused due to political party affiliation, religion, sexual orientation / preference, or anything designed to cause division amongst us. Left or Right, they have formed to try and help unite us under the banner Metal! Gus Rios shares “Kill Division was started as a result of Kyle and I wanting to hear that old school style of grindcore ala Terrorizer and Napalm Death Pintado-era. Thankfully, I knew my good buddy Dirk Verbeuren was also a huge fan of that style, and between him and Kyle I had the confidence to write an album, that if it passed their sniff test, it would likely be killer! We also had the good fortune of having Jeramie Kling mix and JF Dagenais master…a pretty solid combo!”

We announced our cooperation with Grá over one year ago. Now, the time has finally come to shed some light over the Swedish black metal band’s latest activity, and there is no better way than a good, old 7’’. Here comes Flame Of Hephaestus. We asked the band to comment on the new single, which will serve as an anticipation for their incoming fourth studio album, following the acclaimed Väsen (2018). Guitarist and singer Heljarmadr (Dark Funeral) expressed his thoughts: “Flame Of Hephaestus” is the first single from our new album Lycaon. We feel that it is a good representative for the album and it carries an intensity that kinda connects it with our last album Väsen. It serves as a natural bridge, if you will.

In the kitchen of the Byron Bay home of Winston McCall stands a refrigerator, adorned on one side by a quote from Tom Waits: “I want beautiful melodies telling me terrible things.” This, the Parkway Drive vocalist says, is a pretty good summation of himself. It holds true, too, as one of the guiding principles behind Darker Still, the seventh full-length album to be born of this picturesque and serene corner of north-eastern NSW, Australia, and the defining musical statement to date from one of modern metal’s most revered bands. Darker Still, McCall says, is the vision he and his bandmates – guitarists Jeff Ling and Luke Kilpatrick, bassist Jia O’Connor and drummer Ben Gordon – have held in their mind’s eye since a misfit group of friends first convened in their parents’ basements and backyards in 2003. The journey to reach this moment has seen Parkway evolve from metal underdogs to festival-headlining behemoth, off the back of close to 20 gruelling years, six critically and commercially acclaimed studio albums (all of which achieving Gold status in their home nation), three documentaries, one live album, and many, many thousands of shows. While Darker Still remains irrefutably Parkway Drive, it finds the band sonically standing shoulder to shoulder with rock and metal’s greats – Metallica, Pantera, Machine Head, Guns N’ Roses – as much as it does their metalcore contemporaries. “I wanted a classic guitar tone for this record,” explains Ling, who credits much of his inspiration to the connection his riffs have with a crowd in a live setting Emerging from the darkness of the past few years, this is the true face of Parkway Drive: redefined and resolute, focused in mind and defiant in spirit. Tracks 1.

In the kitchen of the Byron Bay home of Winston McCall stands a refrigerator, adorned on one side by a quote from Tom Waits: “I want beautiful melodies telling me terrible things.” This, the Parkway Drive vocalist says, is a pretty good summation of himself. It holds true, too, as one of the guiding principles behind Darker Still, the seventh full-length album to be born of this picturesque and serene corner of north-eastern NSW, Australia, and the defining musical statement to date from one of modern metal’s most revered bands. Darker Still, McCall says, is the vision he and his bandmates – guitarists Jeff Ling and Luke Kilpatrick, bassist Jia O’Connor and drummer Ben Gordon – have held in their mind’s eye since a misfit group of friends first convened in their parents’ basements and backyards in 2003. The journey to reach this moment has seen Parkway evolve from metal underdogs to festival-headlining behemoth, off the back of close to 20 gruelling years, six critically and commercially acclaimed studio albums (all of which achieving Gold status in their home nation), three documentaries, one live album, and many, many thousands of shows. While Darker Still remains irrefutably Parkway Drive, it finds the band sonically standing shoulder to shoulder with rock and metal’s greats – Metallica, Pantera, Machine Head, Guns N’ Roses – as much as it does their metalcore contemporaries. “I wanted a classic guitar tone for this record,” explains Ling, who credits much of his inspiration to the connection his riffs have with a crowd in a live setting Emerging from the darkness of the past few years, this is the true face of Parkway Drive: redefined and resolute, focused in mind and defiant in spirit. Tracks 1.

In the kitchen of the Byron Bay home of Winston McCall stands a refrigerator, adorned on one side by a quote from Tom Waits: “I want beautiful melodies telling me terrible things.” This, the Parkway Drive vocalist says, is a pretty good summation of himself. It holds true, too, as one of the guiding principles behind Darker Still, the seventh full-length album to be born of this picturesque and serene corner of north-eastern NSW, Australia, and the defining musical statement to date from one of modern metal’s most revered bands. Darker Still, McCall says, is the vision he and his bandmates – guitarists Jeff Ling and Luke Kilpatrick, bassist Jia O’Connor and drummer Ben Gordon – have held in their mind’s eye since a misfit group of friends first convened in their parents’ basements and backyards in 2003. The journey to reach this moment has seen Parkway evolve from metal underdogs to festival-headlining behemoth, off the back of close to 20 gruelling years, six critically and commercially acclaimed studio albums (all of which achieving Gold status in their home nation), three documentaries, one live album, and many, many thousands of shows. While Darker Still remains irrefutably Parkway Drive, it finds the band sonically standing shoulder to shoulder with rock and metal’s greats – Metallica, Pantera, Machine Head, Guns N’ Roses – as much as it does their metalcore contemporaries. “I wanted a classic guitar tone for this record,” explains Ling, who credits much of his inspiration to the connection his riffs have with a crowd in a live setting Emerging from the darkness of the past few years, this is the true face of Parkway Drive: redefined and resolute, focused in mind and defiant in spirit. Tracks 1.

Shrink wrapped but opened. Seems unplayed

Reissue of critically acclaimed 1990 full-length on limited-edition (300 copies) radiation green with orange haze colored vinyl. M-Theory Audio will reissue “Harsh Realities,” the debut album release from Seattle thrashers, Bitter END. The group's 1990 release, originally released by Metal Blade Records, was produced by Randy Burns (Megadeth, Kreator, Death, Nuclear Assault) and featuring cover artwork by Jim Warren (Loudness, Lizzy Borden, Heir Apparent) - garnered critical acclaim and a cult following for a thrash metal assault that bludgeoned ears with musical precision that appealed to fans of acts such as Megadeth, Forbidden, and Testament. The band were mainstays of the late 1980's pre-grunge Seattle heavy metal scene that also gave rise to fellow Pacific Northwest promising thrashers such as Forced Entry and Panic. Bitter END signed with Metal Blade Records and released “Harsh Realities,” after the success of their “Meet Your Maker” demo tape hailed by fanzines, underground/college radio, and tape traders. The album received strong reviews at the time from Metal Forces and Kerrang!, and the music video for the title track received airplay on MTV's “Headbanger's Ball.” The band cultivated their live presence with prolific shows in their hometown scene alongside future giants such as Soundgarden and Alice In Chains and toured alongside fellow thrash greats such as Sacred Reich and DRI. The group began tracking their follow-up record at Robert Lang Studios in Seattle with famed producer Jack Endino (Nirvana, Soundgarden, Mudhoney) handling mixing duties, however the shifting tides of the music industry and creative differences resulted in the dissolution of Bitter END in 1992 before their next album could be completed.

Formed in late 2015, New York's False Gods whip up a unique blend of sludge/doom metal mixed with melodic noise and down-trodden hardcore. Neurotopia marks the band’s sophomore full length and further fuses, while at the same time, expands upon their marriage of Doom and Hardcore.

Unleashed Hymns is the second album from the Norwegian artist Fjøsnisse. The one-man project was launched last year by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Anders Vada. This album is released on vinyl for the first time. They are a good example of very well executed Norwegian black metal with thrash metal elements. Great vocals, thrash metal style abrasive riffs and relentless drumming there is actually a fair bit of ambiance and melody on here. The track The Nine Lords for instance, contains a melodic guitar section towards the latter half of the. All the tracks have a very balanced amount of both melodic and harsh elements with smooth transitions in the guitar passages. Then there is the beautifully serie and frostbitten instrumental The Wanderer, the closing song to what has been a very enjoyable album. Unleashed Hymns is a cult-classic album, in particularly for those who enjoyed the bands that emerged as part of the Norwegian black metal scene in the 1990s. A few decades later Fjøsnisse is continuing with the legacy. This album comes out in deluxe gatefold edition, in three colors (Gold / Red / Silver) 300 limited edition each.

Unleashed Hymns is the second album from the Norwegian artist Fjøsnisse. The one-man project was launched last year by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Anders Vada. This album is released on vinyl for the first time. They are a good example of very well executed Norwegian black metal with thrash metal elements. Great vocals, thrash metal style abrasive riffs and relentless drumming there is actually a fair bit of ambiance and melody on here. The track The Nine Lords for instance, contains a melodic guitar section towards the latter half of the. All the tracks have a very balanced amount of both melodic and harsh elements with smooth transitions in the guitar passages. Then there is the beautifully serie and frostbitten instrumental The Wanderer, the closing song to what has been a very enjoyable album. Unleashed Hymns is a cult-classic album, in particularly for those who enjoyed the bands that emerged as part of the Norwegian black metal scene in the 1990s. A few decades later Fjøsnisse is continuing with the legacy. This album comes out in deluxe gatefold edition, in three colors (Gold / Red / Silver) 300 limited edition each.

The Cruel Intentions are dangerously skilled and always out to have a great time! Serving you the perfect blend of melodrama and fun this Scandinavian sleaze rock band are ready to bring make the best rock music, and sweetest of street styles great again. For what is rock but a homage to the legends! The band was founded in 2015, by Mats Wernerson, Lizzy DeVine, Kristian Solhaug, and Eiliv Sagrusten who has now been replaced by Robin Nilsson on drums. All of which have a widespread band experience. Notably, Lizzy DeVine lived several years in Los Angeles where he was the singer and songwriter of Vains of Jenna, a band that got their breakthrough the American era of Rock´n Reality tv with performances on shows like Jackass, Viva La Bam, and Kat Von Dee’s LA Ink. This no-fucks-given culture has no doubt shaped DeVine and his attitude towards music that is also evident in The Cruel Intentions’ music In technical terms, the band plays around the esthetics of bands such as Guns ‘N Roses and Mötley Crue, and carries on the legacy of good old Rock ‘n’Roll into the contemporary youth of today. The songs are fast paced, humorous and at times really hard-hitting. The result is feelgood music with a fresh, original and modern expression, albeit strongly rooted in rock history. Easy to love and to relate to.

Octagon is the eighth studio album by Swedish extreme metal band Bathory. It was released in October 1995, through Black Mark Productions. It continues the retro thrash metal style of the previous album, Requiem. It was reissued in 2003, with the first two tracks combined and "Winds of Mayhem" outro added.

On vinyl fo rthe first time. Even in 1994, good and exciting traditional metal albums were being recorded while "out there“ grunge and crossover were raging. Morbid Jester from Herborn started in 1988 under the name Milzbrand (German for anthrax) and initially played punk. But the love for heavy metal prevailed among the members, so that in 1992 they recorded their first demo as Morbid Jester, which sold more than 400 copies regionally. The press also reacted enthusiastically, so the next step was to record their first album: "Until The Battle Is Won“.

Ripping Storm is proud to unveil another treasure until now hidden in the deep underground. Caligula formed in 1984 in New York City and were part of that legendary wave when punk and metal bands started crossing each other's territory and playing shows together. Caligula raised their banner high playing shows with the likes of Whiplash, Carnivore, Sheer Terror, Crumbsuckers, Agnostic Front, Rest IN Pieces and many more. "Technical Aggression" is their 1987 Demo featuring five songs of fast and violent thrash metal that betrays the hardcore influence only in its speed and in the super-aggressive approach. The LP version features 4 extra never heard before tracks recorded live at the CBGB's in 1987 with an incredibly good sound. The CD version features the whole CBGB's show as bonus and two additional tracks recorded live in 1988, never heard before as well. Mastered at Toxic Basement Studio. 400 copies on black vinyl, insert, A2 poster.

The style of this album is not heavy in the sense that, giving the songs a charismatic focal point and producing some lyrics that hint just as much towards psychedelia as depression, which makes an unusual change for the genre. The extra parts of this album are what make it special, because there are details and oddities that add to the moody experience and differentiate this from other similar bands as well as making the majority of songs memorable. There are a number of reverb-laden classic guitar leads that enter the fray of 'So Much for Suicide' and 'Love Is as Good as Soma' that exude a freedom and luxury across the compositions, stirring powerful non-specific emotions and complicating the apparently downbeat nature of the band; the same thing can be said of the other instruments used, which include violin, sitar, and oud, as well as excellent judgement with the keyboards, all of which turn what is on paper a dour listen into a much more colourful experience. The presence of some more upbeat songs has a similar effect, particularly the masterfully deployed 'Angel Holograms' that plays with choppy chords and rushing chorus mid-album to break up the dreamier, slower numbers. 'Vote for Love' and 'I Am in Love with Myself' offer interesting variations, the former playing out almost like a late '60s rock song, containing jangly guitars and a group chorus that inspires with major key progressions, while the latter recalls Joy Division and the post-punk era, especially in its insistent bassline and intelligent lyrics. This album comes out in deluxe gatefold edition, in two colors (Gold / Red) 500 limited edition each.

Tiamat have been one of Sweden's oddities for the last two decades, ranging from synth-rock to gothic metal to death metal, there's something for pretty much any fan of dark music to enjoy. However, 2003's Prey marks something of a return to form, sounding something like a cross between Wildhoney and Skeleton Skeletron. Specifically, the album is fairly diverse, with a smattering of influences and styles, but the majority of the songs are gothic rock or gothic metal, with the remaining songs falling under either ballads or interludes. Johan Edlund employs the deep, crooning, clean baritone delivery he's used since A Deeper Kind of Slumber, and it works remarkably well, creating a suffocatingly depressive atmosphere with his deep tone and the desperate, almost hopeless quality of his voice. Occasionally, in lighter songs such as "Clovenhoof", and to a lesser extent, "Wings of Heaven", his croon takes more of a sultry tone, seductive rather than hopeless, although there's still a hint of desperation present. His performance is also aided by vocalist Sonja Brandt on the songs "Divided" and "Carry Your Cross and I'll Carry Mine". Her tone is light and clear, presenting a very innocent, sweet, and slightly sultry delivery, providing an interesting contrast to Edlund, and overall making an excellent addition to the album. The duet on "Divided" is especially good, with a short dialogue passage that's deliciously evil and hopeless. This album comes out in deluxe gatefold edition, in two colors (Gold / Red) 500 limited edition each.

A scorching debut from New Zealand's latest sensation, Pull Down THE SUN deliver a blast of celestial power combining elements of prog metal and heavy riff-driven post-rock. Existing within a triangle between Gojira, Isis, and Deftones, Pull Down THE SUN (nz) have mastered the diverse language of modern metal to enrapture the listener with mythical tales from their Maori homeland. `Of Valleys and Mountains' reaches into the heart of the land and reveals its deep mysteries, at times in the pristine beauty of tremolo picked guitars, at times in the sedation of ethereal soundscapes, but most of all in in the massive riffs and huge choruses that pierce right through the mountain forest haze. With over 14 years of experience under their belt Pull Down THE SUN prove to have learned from the best - and they've learned their lessons well. Of Valleys and Mountains is more than just a collection of good songs. It is a sonic ritual that draws you in as it goes along, while vibrant rays of light to pierce through the haze and the mist dissipates to reveal the hidden song at the heart of their enrapturing homeland.

A scorching debut from New Zealand's latest sensation, PULL DOWN THE SUN deliver a blast of celestial power combining elements of prog metal and heavy riff-driven post-rock.Existing within a triangle between Gojira, Isis, and Deftones, PULL DOWN THE SUN (NZ) have mastered the diverse language of modern metal to enrapture the listener with mythical tales from their Maori homeland. `Of Valleys and Mountains' reaches into the heart of the land and reveals its deep mysteries, at times in the pristine beauty of tremolo picked guitars, at times in the sedation of ethereal soundscapes, but most of all in in the massive riffs and huge choruses that pierce right through the mountain forest haze.With over 14 years of experience under their belt PULL DOWN THE SUN prove to have learned from the best - and they've learned their lessons well. Of Valleys and Mountains is more than just a collection of good songs. It is a sonic ritual that draws you in as it goes along, while vibrant rays of light to pierce through the haze and the mist dissipates to reveal the hidden song at the heart of their enrapturing homeland.

“I wanted to play guitar since I was born, basically,” proffers Matt Pike when asked about the formative years of his musical maturation. The iconic guitarist of High on Fire and Sleep seemingly came into the world with inherent talent

From reverent youth to Grammy-winning riff-wielder, Pike has always housed a boundless enthusiasm for the six-string and the stupendous sounds that – in the right hands – the instrument can produce.

“Trapped in A Midcave” was the first song we wrote. It’s kind of like “God of Thunder”. I tried to make my vocals mimic a David Lee Roth-type melody. Then I thought, “Who should I play the solo like?”, so I studied a bunch of Michael Schenker solos and then put a Michael Schenker solo that’s like four minutes long on it. It’s such a good riff. Soon after, it felt like ‘I want to record this, this shit’s really good,’” Pike admits.

The Automaton, in Greek mythology, is the big robot that’s the guardian of the Gods, basically. It’s a soulless, big machine named Talos. The big machine that’s working against mankind at this moment. In ‘Jason and the Argonauts’, Jason and the Argonauts have to battle this big machine guy that protects the island. Basically, what the album title is saying, metaphorically, is ‘Pike against the World.’”

“I made a psychedelic rock record that Sleep and High on Fire fans would like,” Pike says when asked for a CliffsNotes description of ‘Pike vs. the Automaton’. “And maybe if you’re not a Sleep or High on Fire fan, you might like it too. I definitely think it’s interesting; it has D-Beat punk, two-step. It’s got everything and it still works together, it doesn’t sound odd. It’s just an off-the-wall psychedelic rock record.”