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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.

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.

Këkht Aräkh is the Ukrainian project founded in 2018 by Dmitry Marchenko. Originally released on the Finnish label Livor Mortis in 2021, Pale Swordsman goes to even greater extents in building a bold and atmospheric sonic palette, and it's now seeing a worldwide reissue via Brooklyn label Sacred Bones. For the sound design of the album, Dmitry was inspired by The Stooges' Raw Power to deliver a more soft sounding album, decisively less "metal". Traditional black metal song structures still persist in songs like "Night Descends" and "In The Garden". However, their rawness and fast tempos is quickly cut through by dark ambient passages in "Amor" and "Intro" and softly played desolate ballads like "Nocturne" and "Lily". The crown jewel is the album closer "Swordsman", a track that displays a superb gothic sensibility, a poem recited over a deeply melancholic piano melody. "The Christian concept of a person ridding themselves of evil to find inner peace or to be able to leave this world safely has become the core inspiration for the song." Dmitry explains "However, this is not the only reading possible. I purposely avoid specifics in my lyrics so that the listener can always give the song their own meaning." The inspiration for the concept of the album also came from David Bowie's The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. "I really enjoy it when an album tells a story about some character so I came up with one." says Dmitry when explaining the origin of the Pale Swordsman. The character is portrayed on the striking album cover art - a figure sitting aloof with a sword and a rose in each hand - and clearly symbolises the romantic juxtaposition of belligerence and fragile beauty that permeates the album's sound and atmosphere. Pale Swordsman delivers a foreboding yet bittersweet melancholy through poetic lyrics, soft interludes, raw and distorted guitars, eerie drums and harsh vocals - a fragile yet potent mix that successfully amplifies the ambience.

Red Creek's debut release, The Raging River, is a seamless continuation of the writing process and the creative mindset that has guided Cult of Luna for the last couple of years.

“The Raging River” feels more like a bridge. A midpoint that needs to be crossed so we can finish what we started with “A Dawn To Fear”. It’s a seamless continuation of the writing process and the creative mindset that has guided us for the last couple of years.

It’s been an interesting as well as an introspective way of working, having our instinct leading the way and then having to figure out where it takes us. But not only has it been a linear journey, some aspects of it is clearly circular. We have been a fan of Mark Lanegan for many years. So in 2005 when we wrote the song “And With Her Came The Birds” we had his voice in mind and the working title was “The Lanegan Song”. But we were not many years over 20 and our lack of self-confidence prevented us from even daring to ask. It took fifteen years for us to get the guts to ask him. Hearing his voice on “Inside Of A Dream” is nothing more than feeling that we’re inside of a dream.

Johannes Persson

When it says Master, you get Master. The new album “Saints Dispelled” is 100% Master! Now kneel before the Master! One of Death Metal’s founding bands, Czech Republic-based Death/Thrashers Master have been at the forefront of the style from the very beginning, being one of the first bands to ever adopt to this style back in the genre’s infancy. Now forty years on from the start and reaching album number fourteen (!), the titans offer forth this crushing new release “Saints Dispelled”. Master, a.k.a. the Motorhead of Death Metal, give us another viscous Death Metal offering in 2024. They have mastered what it means to produce high octane, ear drum bursting, unrelenting Death Metal once again. With a discography one can not count on two hands, they have rarely skipped a beat in producing the fast paced brutality we all so love and enjoy, and “Saints Dispelled is no exception, maybe we would rate it among their better albums (time will tell). This clearly is not the kind of album you can listen to listen to while reading a nice book and drinking some warm tea. Between the pounding drums, merciless riffing, and, of course, Speckmann’s wonderfully hideous vocals, “Saints Dispelled” does nothing short of furiously, punishing your mind. Start to finish, the album consistently splits your spine and breaks your neck with the mightiness of Master ‘s perfect idea of what old school Death Metal means. To elaborate: “Saints Dispelled” will, figuratively and literally, rip your face off, sew it back on, and rip it off again. As this is clearly a competent and highly professional act that knows what they’re doing, this is nicely displayed here with an album that has a lot to like about it, which makes this a wholehearted recommendation not only for fans of the band but all those who enjoy this ravenous style of old-school Death/Thrash metal.

For over three decades, Tolis brothers Sakis and Themis have carved a blackened path through the metal world. Architects of the Hellenic black metal, Rotting Christ have been blending histrionic atmospheres, mesmerizing choirs, and neo-classical arrangements for 35 years. Now, the Greek metal legends present their 14th studio album: ‘Pro Xristou’. Translating to “Before Christ” in Greek, this album is a fervent tribute to the last Pagan kings who stood resilient against the Christian tide, safeguarding ancient values and knowledge. Dive deep into the legacies of figures like Flavius Claudius Julianus and Nordic mythological kings through tracks such as "The Apostate" and "Ygdrassil". ‘Pro Xristou’ encapsulates the essence of Rotting Christ's signature style - a melodic symphony with moments of unyielding harshness.

Red Creek's debut release, The Raging River, is a seamless continuation of the writing process and the creative mindset that has guided Cult of Luna for the last couple of years.

“The Raging River” feels more like a bridge. A midpoint that needs to be crossed so we can finish what we started with “A Dawn To Fear”. It’s a seamless continuation of the writing process and the creative mindset that has guided us for the last couple of years.

It’s been an interesting as well as an introspective way of working, having our instinct leading the way and then having to figure out where it takes us. But not only has it been a linear journey, some aspects of it is clearly circular. We have been a fan of Mark Lanegan for many years. So in 2005 when we wrote the song “And With Her Came The Birds” we had his voice in mind and the working title was “The Lanegan Song”. But we were not many years over 20 and our lack of self-confidence prevented us from even daring to ask. It took fifteen years for us to get the guts to ask him. Hearing his voice on “Inside Of A Dream” is nothing more than feeling that we’re inside of a dream.

Johannes Persson

Red Creek's debut release, The Raging River, is a seamless continuation of the writing process and the creative mindset that has guided Cult of Luna for the last couple of years.

“The Raging River” feels more like a bridge. A midpoint that needs to be crossed so we can finish what we started with “A Dawn To Fear”. It’s a seamless continuation of the writing process and the creative mindset that has guided us for the last couple of years.

It’s been an interesting as well as an introspective way of working, having our instinct leading the way and then having to figure out where it takes us. But not only has it been a linear journey, some aspects of it is clearly circular. We have been a fan of Mark Lanegan for many years. So in 2005 when we wrote the song “And With Her Came The Birds” we had his voice in mind and the working title was “The Lanegan Song”. But we were not many years over 20 and our lack of self-confidence prevented us from even daring to ask. It took fifteen years for us to get the guts to ask him. Hearing his voice on “Inside Of A Dream” is nothing more than feeling that we’re inside of a dream.

Johannes Persson

Mask of Prospero is back with their second full-length album "Hiraeth". The album is a powerful blend of metalcore and modern progressive metal.

Mask of Prospero about the album: "Hiraeth in Welsh culture is a mixture of longing, referring to the sense of homesickness tinged with grief and sorrow over the loss. A yearning for that which has passed.

Hiraeth is our second full-length album. We tried to negotiate with our sense of social disconnection, embrace introversion and create a dark and moody atmosphere. Filled with heavy warm bass, emotional ambiance, and aggressive outbursts leading each song into a moral isolation. A musical journey towards ourselves, to our personal Horeeya (Arabic for freedom).

We extended this artistic concept beyond our music. The artwork of the album shows the duality of the Mother figure in perfect balance. Like in Kintsugi the valuable vessel -metaphorically the Mother- is restored with gold after the battle between herself. A perfect irony well fit for each person."

Sound Like: Architects, Tesseract, Textures

The Dark Ride is the ninth studio album by German power metal band Helloween, released in 2000.[3][4] The album's style was quite different from Better Than Raw as it had a much darker sound, very tuned down guitars, and gruffer vocals. The album was produced by renowned figures Roy Z and Charlie Bauerfeind. It is also the last studio album to feature Master of the Rings-era line-up with the dismissal of guitarist Roland Grapow and drummer Uli Kusch after completion of the supporting tour for the album.

A Voyage Through Time' sees Perth's premier power prog outfit Voyager present a one-of-a-kind visual and aural performance that outlines the progression of their musical career. The virtual live experience with full production is a journey across two decades and seven albums with a fan-voted set list, exploring a new and enhanced approach to the band's live show.

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'.

Këkht Aräkh is the Ukrainian project founded in 2018 by Dmitry Marchenko. Originally released on the Finnish label Livor Mortis in 2021, Pale Swordsman goes to even greater extents in building a bold and atmospheric sonic palette, and it's now seeing a worldwide reissue via Brooklyn label Sacred Bones.For the sound design of the album, Dmitry was inspired by The Stooges' Raw Power to deliver a more soft sounding album, decisively less "metal". Traditional black metal song structures still persist in songs like "Night Descends" and "In The Garden". However, their rawness and fast tempos is quickly cut through by dark ambient passages in "Amor" and "Intro" and softly played desolate ballads like "Nocturne" and "Lily".The crown jewel is the album closer "Swordsman", a track that displays a superb gothic sensibility, a poem recited over a deeply melancholic piano melody. "The Christian concept of a person ridding themselves of evil to find inner peace or to be able to leave this world safely has become the core inspiration for the song." Dmitry explains "However, this is not the only reading possible. I purposely avoid specifics in my lyrics so that the listener can always give the song their own meaning."The inspiration for the concept of the album also came from David Bowie's The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. "I really enjoy it when an album tells a story about some character so I came up with one." says Dmitry when explaining the origin of the Pale Swordsman. The character is portrayed on the striking album cover art - a figure sitting aloof with a sword and a rose in each hand - and clearly symbolises the romantic juxtaposition of belligerence and fragile beauty that permeates the album's sound and atmosphere.Pale Swordsman delivers a foreboding yet bittersweet melancholy through poetic lyrics, soft interludes, raw and distorted guitars, eerie drums and harsh vocals - a fragile yet potent mix that successfully amplifies the ambience.

Këkht Aräkh is the Ukrainian project founded in 2018 by Dmitry Marchenko. Originally released on the Finnish label Livor Mortis in 2021, Pale Swordsman goes to even greater extents in building a bold and atmospheric sonic palette, and it's now seeing a worldwide reissue via Brooklyn label Sacred Bones.For the sound design of the album, Dmitry was inspired by The Stooges' Raw Power to deliver a more soft sounding album, decisively less "metal". Traditional black metal song structures still persist in songs like "Night Descends" and "In The Garden". However, their rawness and fast tempos is quickly cut through by dark ambient passages in "Amor" and "Intro" and softly played desolate ballads like "Nocturne" and "Lily".The crown jewel is the album closer "Swordsman", a track that displays a superb gothic sensibility, a poem recited over a deeply melancholic piano melody. "The Christian concept of a person ridding themselves of evil to find inner peace or to be able to leave this world safely has become the core inspiration for the song." Dmitry explains "However, this is not the only reading possible. I purposely avoid specifics in my lyrics so that the listener can always give the song their own meaning."The inspiration for the concept of the album also came from David Bowie's The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. "I really enjoy it when an album tells a story about some character so I came up with one." says Dmitry when explaining the origin of the Pale Swordsman. The character is portrayed on the striking album cover art - a figure sitting aloof with a sword and a rose in each hand - and clearly symbolises the romantic juxtaposition of belligerence and fragile beauty that permeates the album's sound and atmosphere.Pale Swordsman delivers a foreboding yet bittersweet melancholy through poetic lyrics, soft interludes, raw and distorted guitars, eerie drums and harsh vocals - a fragile yet potent mix that successfully amplifies the ambience.

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'.

Based out of Iowa, Telekinetic Yeti is a two-man band that delivers sonic brutality melded with psychedelic doom wizardry, forged by the worship of the almighty riff and honed by relentless touring and dedication to their craft. Creating music as cryptically enchanting as it is heavy, you wouldn’t guess that the impressive cacophony pouring out of the speakers like molten, metal syrup is being produced by only two people. Founder and guitarist Alex Baumann explains, “Originally I decided not to have a bass player purely for logistical reasons, it was just another schedule to work around, another person who’s boss could tell us we can’t tour, but then I started seeing it as a challenge, like let’s see how heavy we can make it with just two people.” That started grabbing peoples’ attention. Relentless touring and playing pretty much any club that would have them, the band set sail on their epic voyage, selling their debut album Abominable out of their van and cutting their teeth in the underground playing hundreds of shows. All the while receiving rave reviews of their live performance as well as their first release, which landed at #2 on the doom charts and stayed right there for months. The video for “Stoned and Feathered” quickly racked up a few hundred thousand views and counting. People were starting to catch on, and soon thereafter Telekinetic Yeti would be invited to tour extensively with some of the best heavy rock bands in the business, including Clutch, Black Label Society, Red Fang and Weedeater. Now the band finds itself in a much different, auspicious position, and with the help of famed producer Phillip Cope (Baroness, Kylesa, Damad, Black Tusk et al), Telekinetic Yeti returns with their eagerly-anticipated, second full-length album, Primordial. With this release, the band takes their game to a whole new level. Primordial explores themes as diverse as evolution, sorcery, black magic and the contradictions of the gloriously uplifting yet simultaneously melancholic human condition. “I wanted to write something that was an appropriate intro to the album, that brought to mind an early earth setting and featured atmospheric elements as well as some droning, sparse simplicity and lyrically, simple imagery regarding the dawn of humankind and creation of the first tools.” explains Baumann of the title track. As it unfolds, the album evolves into a cathartic exploration turning themes into tangible sounds and haunting fugues. Says Baumann regarding the inspiration behind “Beast”: “This song is about wanting to escape the societal constraints that keep us on the wheel, toiling away, indefinitely. It’s also about questioning authority figures, or really anyone that claims to have all the answers.” Matured songwriting, creatively brutal riffs and an exercise in monstrous tones make this listen an immersive experience taking you back to explore and appreciate the primordial ooze that we all came from.

British crust punk/death metal outfit Pray U Prey is back with their second full-length "The Omega Kill". Over the past few years, Pray U Prey was hard at work writing the successor to Figure The Eight, and in 2019 and 2020 they wrote and recorded twelve new songs for their second full-length, The Omega Kill. Returning to Studio 6 where they recorded its predecessor, The Omega Kill delivers top-tier brutal and blisteringly death metal/grindcore; a heady mix of brutal riffs, breakneck speed and lyrics to blow your mind.

With a name like Warish, the San Diego noisy punk-metal trio assured listeners they were in for a maniacal bludgeoning from the get-go. But the band has never been as dark and bitingly vicious as the wholly ominous Next To Pay. The band’s mix of early AmRep skronk, dark horror rock and budget doom antipathy is taken to a whole new level on this thirteen song invective. “Next To Pay is about a sense of imminent doom, everyone is going to die,” vocalist / guitarist Riley Hawk says. “It’s not the happiest record, I guess.” To say the least. On the title track opener, Hawk screams through shredded vocal chords with the tuneful rage of Kill ‘Em All-era James Hetfield and the seething desperation of Kurt Cobain. “This album is more of an evolution, it’s a little more punk-heavy,” Hawk says of the group quickly founded in 2018. “We figured out what our sound was.” And with that evolution comes a change in the lineup. Original drummer Nick (Broose) McDonnell plays on about half of the songs, while new drummer Justin de la Vega brings an even tighter urgency to the remaining, more recent tracks. Bassist Alex Bassaj joined after the debut album was recorded and here showcases muscular and melodic low end previously missing. Riley Hawk is also the pro-skater son of Tony Hawk. Inspired by early-Nirvana, The Misfits, The Spits and Master Of Reality-era Black Sabbath, Next To Pay keeps things heavy and pummeling at all times. The guitars are heavy and powerful, though decidedly not straightforward cookie cutter punk; more like Greg Ginn’s and Buzz Osbourne’s wiry contortions, and occasionally drenched in chorus effects. The rhythms bash right through it all with aggressive force ensuring that nothing gets overly complicated. Warish’s cover of ’80s Dischord Records punks Gray Matter turns the emotive flail of “Burn No Bridges” into a Motörhead-style basher.

Black vinyl edition. Gatefold double lp with silver foil blocking and a large booklet. First time on vinyl! The fourth Lord Vicar full length album, a sonically and emotionally devastating journey in doom metal, features songs about war, fought both between people and within us all. Slow and intense riffage, progressive structures, and introspective lyrics create a hard and yet magical journey to the relief that waits at the end of all things.

Black vinyl edition. Gatefold double lp with silver foil blocking and a large booklet. First time on vinyl! The fourth Lord Vicar full length album, a sonically and emotionally devastating journey in doom metal, features songs about war, fought both between people and within us all. Slow and intense riffage, progressive structures, and introspective lyrics create a hard and yet magical journey to the relief that waits at the end of all things.

Probably the most charismatic figure of all the Italian prog scene, Antonio Bartoccetti (Antonius Rex) began his career going to Milan from the Marche, forming Jacula, Dietro Noi Deserto (even with a single on Decca in 1971!), and Invisible Force (another lonely single in 1971). Not a real band but just a group of musicians working beyond the leading figures of Bartoccetti and Doris Norton: Zora from 1977, on the small Tickle label with an outrageous cover that was replaced with a different one a year later. Zora includes a reworking of a Jacula's Tardo pede in magiam versus track (Morte al potere is a third revised version of U.F.D.E.M.); their main elements are as usual church organ, dark atmospheres, lyrics dealing with occultism. This edition reproduces cover and music exactly as the original.

Black vinyl, insert. Limited to 300 copies.

Imagine the scene: you've passed out in a graveyard because you had one too many shots of bourbon last night, and you wake up to a world where every day is literally Halloween... Do those slow-moving figures in the corner of your eye remind you a bit of the fiends from that black-and-white Romero movie you've watched too many times?

Under the light of a full moon, you head back home only to realize your old friendly neighborhood is now swarming with witches, and there’s a sacrifice going on behind every window. Finally, back in your own bed, you can't sleep because the flapping sounds of batwings keep you awake, and you still can’t get rid of that image of the totem in the shadows that wasn't there yesterday…

For some, this could be the most nightmarish scenario to witness, but to the death rockers of Black Totem, it's the very (un)life they live and breathe every single day with their third full-length album, "iii: Sacrifice Tonite."

Take a horrific trip through the ten tracks of pure vintage audio horror, guaranteed 100% free from modern-day CGI and cheap jump scares. "iii: Sacrifice Tonite" brings back the good old days of rocking and catchy as hell blues punk, where Screamin’ Jay Hawkins shakes hands with old-school doom metal, and Samhain and The Misfits. Guitarist and vocalist Spit Poison and bassist Vera Wolf preach these unholy sermons together, never forgetting just the right amount of "WOOOO’OS," while Tony Cash assaults the drums with human bones and lead guitarist Sam Hate channels the very best of John Christ's rocking solos.

Red Creek's debut release, The Raging River, is a seamless continuation of the writing process and the creative mindset that has guided Cult of Luna for the last couple of years.

“The Raging River” feels more like a bridge. A midpoint that needs to be crossed so we can finish what we started with “A Dawn To Fear”. It’s a seamless continuation of the writing process and the creative mindset that has guided us for the last couple of years.

It’s been an interesting as well as an introspective way of working, having our instinct leading the way and then having to figure out where it takes us. But not only has it been a linear journey, some aspects of it is clearly circular. We have been a fan of Mark Lanegan for many years. So in 2005 when we wrote the song “And With Her Came The Birds” we had his voice in mind and the working title was “The Lanegan Song”. But we were not many years over 20 and our lack of self-confidence prevented us from even daring to ask. It took fifteen years for us to get the guts to ask him. Hearing his voice on “Inside Of A Dream” is nothing more than feeling that we’re inside of a dream.

Johannes Persson

Red Creek's debut release, The Raging River, is a seamless continuation of the writing process and the creative mindset that has guided Cult of Luna for the last couple of years.

“The Raging River” feels more like a bridge. A midpoint that needs to be crossed so we can finish what we started with “A Dawn To Fear”. It’s a seamless continuation of the writing process and the creative mindset that has guided us for the last couple of years.

It’s been an interesting as well as an introspective way of working, having our instinct leading the way and then having to figure out where it takes us. But not only has it been a linear journey, some aspects of it is clearly circular. We have been a fan of Mark Lanegan for many years. So in 2005 when we wrote the song “And With Her Came The Birds” we had his voice in mind and the working title was “The Lanegan Song”. But we were not many years over 20 and our lack of self-confidence prevented us from even daring to ask. It took fifteen years for us to get the guts to ask him. Hearing his voice on “Inside Of A Dream” is nothing more than feeling that we’re inside of a dream.

Johannes Persson

Red Creek's debut release, The Raging River, is a seamless continuation of the writing process and the creative mindset that has guided Cult of Luna for the last couple of years.

“The Raging River” feels more like a bridge. A midpoint that needs to be crossed so we can finish what we started with “A Dawn To Fear”. It’s a seamless continuation of the writing process and the creative mindset that has guided us for the last couple of years.

It’s been an interesting as well as an introspective way of working, having our instinct leading the way and then having to figure out where it takes us. But not only has it been a linear journey, some aspects of it is clearly circular. We have been a fan of Mark Lanegan for many years. So in 2005 when we wrote the song “And With Her Came The Birds” we had his voice in mind and the working title was “The Lanegan Song”. But we were not many years over 20 and our lack of self-confidence prevented us from even daring to ask. It took fifteen years for us to get the guts to ask him. Hearing his voice on “Inside Of A Dream” is nothing more than feeling that we’re inside of a dream.

Johannes Persson

Red Creek's debut release, The Raging River, is a seamless continuation of the writing process and the creative mindset that has guided Cult of Luna for the last couple of years.

“The Raging River” feels more like a bridge. A midpoint that needs to be crossed so we can finish what we started with “A Dawn To Fear”. It’s a seamless continuation of the writing process and the creative mindset that has guided us for the last couple of years.

It’s been an interesting as well as an introspective way of working, having our instinct leading the way and then having to figure out where it takes us. But not only has it been a linear journey, some aspects of it is clearly circular. We have been a fan of Mark Lanegan for many years. So in 2005 when we wrote the song “And With Her Came The Birds” we had his voice in mind and the working title was “The Lanegan Song”. But we were not many years over 20 and our lack of self-confidence prevented us from even daring to ask. It took fifteen years for us to get the guts to ask him. Hearing his voice on “Inside Of A Dream” is nothing more than feeling that we’re inside of a dream.

Johannes Persson

‘This is the best death metal from Texas right now’ was spoken affirmatively but quietly as if no other words were needed to convince oneself of the enormity of oppressive and condemning misery that Seclusion - Occultess Unknown… still holds to this day. Of course those words were spoken and the tape was handed to me in one of the best bars that country has to offer but even the warmth of the jukebox and fall and the broken peanut shells could not hold back the distance this demo will make you feel. The vast expanse between one's own intellect, identity and sense of security. A stone-weighted synth might even appear but don’t let that concern you…. this is perhaps one of the only demos involving even close to the glory and blasphemy of the fleshgrind demos but with a more textural and tomb like production. Rumors of the self-immolation photo shoot has been largely spread and supposedly contested. But let the images and flames themselves engulf one cloaked figure on the cusp of unnecessary anger, parading confidently as the flames reach higher and higher speak for itself. The meat hook is waiting for you and the ones you hold close.

Originally released on cassette on Thee Broken Window with bones and wax.

Night Crowned, the Swedish blackened death metal powerhouse, has emerged as a force to be reckoned with in the heavy music scene. Their debut studio album, "Impius Viam", released on February 28, 2020, via Noble Demon, instantly captivated both critics and fans, solidifying its place as one of the year's most exceptional releases.

Comprised of former and current members of renowned acts such as Dark Funeral, Nightrage, and Cipher System, Night Crowned possesses a musical vision that is as haunting as it is clear. With "Impius Viam", they have crafted a work of art that exudes rage, melancholy, and pure destruction, resurrecting the dormant sounds of the influential Scandinavian acts and masterpieces from the '90s.

This modern-era melodic death/black metal classic seamlessly blends aggression, atmosphere, and captivating melodies, leaving listeners in awe of its flawless and relentless mix. Night Crowned's steady pursuit of musical excellence knows no bounds, as they wasted no time in releasing their highly anticipated follow-up record, "Hädanfärd," on July 9th, 2021.

Inspired by a story penned by vocalist K. Romlin, "Hädanfärd" delves into encounters with death, weaving a far-reaching concept that was meticulously developed during the band's intense demo process. The album's nine atmospheric tracks, accompanied by K. Romlin's written interpretations and explanations, form an infernal and bleak monolith that solidifies Night Crowned as one of Sweden's best kept blackened death metal secrets. With "Hädanfärd", Night Crowned has not only garnered praise from fans and critics alike but has also reached new heights in their musical journey.

On October 11, 2023, the band's highly anticipated third full-length record will be released, again via the esteemed Noble Demon label. With "Tales", Night Crowned embarks on a new chapter, pushing the boundaries of blackened death metal to unprecedented levels. Brace yourselves for an auditory assault that defies conventions and redefines the limits of the genre. Night Crowned is a force to be reckoned with, and their relentless pursuit of musical excellence shows no signs of waning. With lyrics in both English and Swedish, Jonathan Thorpenberg's mixing skills put the band's sound on full display, while Jani Stefanovic's mastering ensures that every note is hit with precision. So surrender to the darkness and let Night Crowned guide you through their captivating narratives!

- Band features (ex-)members of Dark Funeral, Cipher System, Nightrage, THE Unguided among others - First two albums and previous music videos have gotten nothing but extremely positive feedback in the scene and in media so far and most videos reached 6-digit figure views on YT - Playlisting in own and 3rd party playlists

Reverend Bizarre's debut album In The Rectory Of The Bizarre Reverend was released on Sinister Figure on November 24th, 2002 and has since become an important cult favorite and one of the most legendary albums from the new generation of traditional Doom Metal.

Described by Decibel Magazine as sounding "like a black hole opening up and drawing everything into its bleak void", the classic album now receives the 20th Anniversary treatment. The album comes on double vinyl, accompanied by an Albert Witchfinder -designed lyric and photo booklet plus a massive amount of bonus materials exclusive to this one-time pressing only:

- a repro of the super rare 8 page promo booklet spread with review copies of the album

- A2 poster of the iconic band portrait in the graveyard - A3 poster of the original promo flyer design (Crowley) - A3 poster of the Black Sabbath homage photo - A3 repro of the early gig poster w/ MInotauri and Spiritus Mortis - DVD documentary with the band listening to and giving commentary on the album 20 years later, subtitled in English

Reverend Bizarre's debut album In The Rectory Of The Bizarre Reverend was released on Sinister Figure on November 24th, 2002 and has since become an important cult favorite and one of the most legendary albums from the new generation of traditional Doom Metal.

Described by Decibel Magazine as sounding "like a black hole opening up and drawing everything into its bleak void", the classic album now receives the 20th Anniversary treatment. The album comes on double vinyl, accompanied by an Albert Witchfinder -designed lyric and photo booklet plus a massive amount of bonus materials exclusive to this one-time pressing only:

- a repro of the super rare 8 page promo booklet spread with review copies of the album

- A2 poster of the iconic band portrait in the graveyard - A3 poster of the original promo flyer design (Crowley) - A3 poster of the Black Sabbath homage photo - A3 repro of the early gig poster w/ MInotauri and Spiritus Mortis - DVD documentary with the band listening to and giving commentary on the album 20 years later, subtitled in English