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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.

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.

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.

Uncompromising, with their backs to the world and a fierce grin! Koldbrann has been at the forefront of the Norwegian Black Metal underground since the band was formed in 2001. Now a new chapter is at hand! Expect a relentless display of pitch-dark disharmony! This 7” single contains two exclusive tracks, not included on the upcoming album. Led by Mannevond’s characteristic, strict vocals and Kvass’ cunning Norwegian lyrics, Koldbrann has delivered the real goods from day one. With obscure and unique riffs, free from all trends and plagues. From the raw and cold debut “Nekrotisk Inkvisition” (2003), to the varied and distinctive “Vertigo” (2013). Koldbrann has been a notorious live band since the beginning, touring with bands such as Taake, Urgehal, Endstille, Marduk and Shining, and making a mark at principal festivals such as Hellfest, Inferno, Party.San and Wacken.

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.

“Nightmare Eclipse”, the second album and label debut from Sheboygan, Wisconsin's mosh masters Toxic Ruin. The album shows off the combination of energetic thrash metal, death metal brutality and clinical technicality that propelled the band to the final round of the 2019 Wacken Metal Battle. Toxic Ruin was formed in 2014 with a mission of blending classic thrash metal, old-school death metal and modern technicality and tones into a wicked headbanging brew. Operating out of their collective hometown of Sheboygan, the band released their debut album, “Subterranean Terror,” in 2016. This opening serve showcased the group's already-burgeoning barrage of furious riffs and lyrical content ranging from the socio-political commentary of tracks such as “Seat of Corruption” to the beloved craving of a good drink on songs such as “Alcoholocaust.” The group followed up that debut record with the release of their 2018 EP, “Mortal Insolence,” on which the current line-up of Toxic Ruin took shape with Behrendt stepping into the vocalist position and the debut of rhythm guitarist Blake Toltzmann alongside lead guitarist Jacob Baneck and drummer David Miller. The effort saw the group further evolve their sound, leading to praise from Dead Rhetoric for showcasing “a stronger level of confidence and insight into dynamic songwriting for a thrash band not content to rest on recycling the past, but rather creating a bright future." Toxic Ruin began writing and recording “Nightmare Eclipse” while relentlessly touring the United States in 2019 alongside bands such as Lich King and Stonecutters and playing multiple festivals including Full Terror Assault and Slam Dakota, plus winning 2nd Place in the 2019 edition of Wacken Metal Battle USA. The result is the band's most mature and complex material to date, while also being their heaviest display of metallic force so far.

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.

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!”

Transparent / Black Splatter Vinyl.Wolf King Have Returned With A Follow Up To 2018's Blistering Release, Loyal To The Soil.Having Lost None Of Their Bite, Everyone's Favorite Bay Area Blackened Heavy Metal Band Hascrafted A Twelve Track Opus That Will Set 2021 Off To A Smouldering Start. The Path Of Wrathtells Real Life Tales Of Existential Struggles And Explorations Of Life And Death. This Abrasivetake On Mortality And The Afterlife Traverses Themes Of Judgement, Salvation, And Looking`Beyond The Veil'. As They Pick Over The Weight Of Sin And Uncover The Burdens Of Bothdamnation And Forgiveness, Ripples Of Pure Darkness Infiltrate Every Crevice Of The Album.Few Do Blackened Heavy Metal Better Than Wolf King. For An Uncompromising, Filthdrenched,Smoke-Infused Take On The Genre, The Path Of Wrath Delivers The Goods And Thensome.

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.

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

“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.”

Originally released in 2010. "Steven Rathbone and company have unleashed yet another masterpiece! Evil Power is their fourth album and by far one of the best. Lair of the Minotaur have shifted between a sludgy doom/thrash metal outfit. On this album they focus much more on the thrash. Their last album was all about war and carnage. So is Evil Power, but it's more of a victory album. They've succeeded in defeating the enemy and are rejoicing on this album. The production is the same as every other album. Very rough and scratchy, but I can't imagine Lair of the Minotaur with good sound quality. It wouldn't be the same. The bass guitar is also audible throughout much of the album, which adds to the heaviness.

ARE YOU A Good Witch OR A BAD Witch?

Prog-metal pranksters Flummox are back with IN Hindsight, featuring the hit second amendment anthem "Trans Girls Need Guns" along with 4 heavy new cuts. IN Hindsight is Flummox at their most playful, a whirlwind of chaotic energy centered on the satanic personality of frontwoman Alyson Dellinger. "Good Witch" kicks off the set, backing rock and roll mayhem with big band jazz, while "Bad Witch" and "Holy Ejaculate" pay homage to Mr. Bungle's tongue-in-cheek bangers. "Excelsior" works nostalgic throwbacks to 70s prog virtuosity into the havoc, packing all the jaw-dropping goodness of a King Crimson epic into a bite-sized 4-and-a-half minutes. Everything culminates in Dellinger's manic, magnetic performance at the heart of "Trans Girls Need Guns," a finale as empowering as it is groovy. Miss the mosh pit? Just light your candles, draw you

This is the third album by a Japanese death metal band that has received high praise from the international media. The first track "Conqueror", which is released with a music video, is a good blend of blast beats and old school death vibe, and there is no throwaway track until the final track, "Cold Blooded Killing". Mixed and mastered by Emanuel Salgado of the Norwegian studio Grottemann Studio, the sound is solid, clear, and heavy, making this a death metal production that can be compared to the best in worldwide scale. The artwork is by Evil Raven, a Spanish illustrator specializing in metal and horror, and the illustrations perfectly fit the band's name and album concept.

Every Once In A While, A Band Emerges Ready To Take On The World_ Sweden's Own Knights Of The Realm Bring The Thunder And Deliver The Goods (Pun Intended). From The First Note Of The Intro, To The Last On The Outro, They Deliver Their Own Lovingly Crafted Blend Of Classic 80's Metal.Knights Of The Real Is Many Years Of Heavy Metal Experience Combined Into A Pure Vicious Heavy Metal Machine. Larry "The Hammer" Shield (Lars Sköld) Has Toured The Globe And Recorded With Legendary Band Tiamat For As Long As He Can Remember, And Is Without A Shadow Of A Doubt The Band's Backbone. Megalomagnus (Magnus Henriksson) Has Been Making History With His Band Eclipse Since The End Of The 90's And Is A Bonafide Guitar Hero, Who's Both Capable Of Some Heavy Duty Riffage As Well As Delivering Gorgeous Melodies. Mean Machine (Marcus Von Boisman) Has Been Working In The Shadows Of Metal For Many Years, And Played With Swedish Bands Windupdeads And Stormen. And As Far As The Mean Machine Goes, Well, The Name Says It All! He Delivers The Soaring Rock Vocals We All Love, With Attitude And Feeling.The Love For Classic Heavy Metal Is The Driving Force Behind This Band. The Aim From The Beginning Was To Write Heavy Metal Hits That Should, Or Could, Have Been On The Albums They Grew Up Listening To. When The Songwriting Process Began, It Was Like Opening Pandora's Box. The Overall Feeling Was That Those Songs Were Calling Out To Be Written And To Be Played, And The Band's Collective Ideas, Dreams And Experiences Merged Into Something New, Something That Can Hopefully Lure A New Generation Of Rockers Into That Metal Club We All Love.Knights Of The Realm Is A Swedish Heavy Metal Band, And Their Aim Is To Spread Their Music To As Many Metal Heads As Possible, All The While Having A Blast Doing It. They Are Getting Ready To Go On A Crusade, And To Take Their True Place On The Metal Throne As Knights Of The Realm.

When it comes to the musicality of HANGING GARDEN, words are only second choice. At least the words that try to describe the songs of this Finnish band and their overall artistic aesthetic. The group’s approach to their art is based on emotion. Everything revolves around authenticity, honesty and unreserved openness. All this characterizes “Skeleton Lake”, whose progression is often implicit and whose direction of effect is sometimes suggestive. There is no right or wrong here. The connection to the seventh album of the Finns presents itself inevitably. Although the playing of HANGING GARDEN tends to be gloomy and melancholic, from to time, the songs also seem optimistic or even euphoric. Since Riikka Hatakka joined the band as a permanent vocalist on “Into That Good Night” (2019), the musical picture has partially brightened and, additionally, the sound cosmos of the Finns has broadened noticeably. The resulting impressions seem manifold and even more emotional.

Coilguns' self-sufficient riffing engine ticks like a swiss watch. Right in the middle of their Millennials tour, the band has gathered enough time and life points to craft their loudest record to date. Locked all by themselves in a studio for a month - without a single note written prior to setting up their gear - they have put together an urgent and challenging suite of unpolished bursts. Watchwinders sums up the sheer pleasure of doing things the unusual way. These 12 songs are raw as noise and messy as punk though carefully organised in a daring and flawless sequence. Excessively low-tuned guitars, gnarly synths and excentric vocals are carried away by Luc Hess obsessive drumbeats.The whole functions as a complex and utopian mechanism of perpetual motion, an urgent and clever serie of sketches of how to merge good ideas into a fascinating mess.

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.

Shrink wrapped but opened. Seems unplayed

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“.

There is always a story behind any band. This story started with a bunch of guys from local bands who ended up playing together after 20 years of friendship. This is story of good luck, a mix of coincidences and being in the right place at the right time. Thyrant was formed in the summer of 2015 in Southern Spain, still without a name, just an idea and some riffs. Five guys playing together for the first time in a city where everybody knows everybody. After their crushing debut album "What We Left Behind", Thyrant return with their stunning second album "Katabasis" to prove to the world that they are not a one off!!

Upon recovering from being steamrolled over by the onslaught of Satan’s Satyrs’ new album, The Lucky Ones, one’s likely to wonder just what exactly it was that just hit them. A punky, sleaze rock groove (perhaps even a whiff of ’70s glam) meets NWOBHM melodic fury, Blue Cheer mass and volume, and Ozzy’s dramatic charisma condensed into a sound all its own, perhaps. At its core is an unstoppable, unpretentious exorcism of rock ’n’ roll exuberance.

A significant difference on this album from the band’s previous releases is the addition of second guitarist Nate Towle, which expands the band’s steamrolling capacity tenfold. Bassist / vocalist Clayton Burgess (Electric Wizard), Towle, guitarist Jarrett Nettnin and drummer Stephen Fairfield convened at the Richmond, VA studio of Windhand guitarist Garrett Morris, working in fits and starts over several months, first quickly capturing the raw energy of a band firing on all cylinders, then fine-tuning the sounds and experimenting to get everything massive. Likewise, Burgess’ lyrics show new levels of achievement.

The twin guitar assault begins from the very first beat of the album and never relents until the last second of the nine track, thirty-five minute album. Opener “Thrill of the City” wastes no time launching into soaring harmonized riffs and swaggering rhythms setting the scene for a debauched good time. The title track, perhaps the most personal song on the album, is also the most unabashedly melodic. “Trampled By Angels” pits a swinging T Rex-vibe against dizzy, noisy guitars and lyrics about a pioneer of fetish photography using his medium to express forbidden desires to the world. Likewise, the whole album is a vibrant, brash and loud expression of defiance against convention that refuses to be ignored.

SOARS is the solo project of Kristian Karlsson, synth player in CULT OF LUNA and bass player/vocalist in PG.LOST - and yes, `Repeater', a truly epic instrumental rock album bustling with delay-drenched drama and joyful yet melancholic melodies will make every PG.LOST fan very, very happy. Why is it not a PG.LOST album then?"I got tired of discarding ideas I've written that didn't ft PG.LOST, but at the same time were too good for my ears to throw away. PG.LOST as a collective works at a relatively slow pace, while I by default write music all the time_ so eventually it became clear to me that I needed a new outlet for all those ideas".Karlsson released his debut solo album `Enfold' under the Soars moniker in 2021. Recorded and released all by the artist himself, `Enfold' made waves in the post rock world and the vinyl pressing sold out quickly. Repeater connects seamlessly with the debut album: propelled by the powerful drumming of Christian Augustin (Stiu Nu Stiu, live drummer of Cult of Luna) and Karlsson's charismatic synths melodies, these eight tracks share a distinct reference to the cinematic works of artists like Vangelis and Jean-Michelle Jarre, as well as post rock acts like God is An Astronaut, Caspian and Mogwai. "Soars is a personal journey and expression of a sound that has been developed over the years," explains Karlsson. And this long-term development of his artistry ensures that while painting with a familiar palette of tones and textures as the aforementioned artists, Karlsson always paints a picture that is very much his own.Title track «Repeater» comes saturated with orchestral grandeur and melancholy, and yet somehow exudes a sense of hopefulness which lingers throughout the album. Driven by layers of processed vocals and glorious melodies, «Uprise» literally gives rise to waves of exalted joy, while tracks like «The Waiting» or «Grow» demonstrate that Repeater shines through sheer strength of composition. Wrapping his retro synth sounds into a fat modern production,...

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.

While the pandemic paralyzed the entire world and prevented bands from touring, Latin America's biggest metal export SEPULTURA refused to sit back and act like an animal trapped in a cage. Like the flowers growing out of the deceased bird’s body depicted on the stunning, colourful cover artwork by Eduardo Recife, the thrash metal pioneers from Belo Horizonte made good use of their unexpected free time to start a project that kept them busy throughout the entirety of 2020.

„»SepulQuarta« was born at the very beginning of the pandemic when everything was halted”,guitarist Andreas Kisser remembers. “We had a new album out, but we couldn’t tour for it. Therefore, we created this recurring event where we could talk with our fans around the world, play our music and exchange ideas, it was a blast! »SepulQuarta« kept us alive and strong throughout one of the most difficult times in human history.” “Doing Sepulquarta during this period allowed me to stay in contact with music. Playing my instrument was the only thing left to do in this pandemic,”adds drummer Eloy Casagrande, and indeed, music seemed to be a good way of coping with the never-ending lockdown and fear of loss and isolation that haunted people worldwide.

Obviously, the Brazilian pioneers were not the only musicians feeling this way, so they started to connect with friends and colleagues worldwide and asked them to not only be part of their weekly podcast, but also join them in playing one of SEPULTURA’s classics tracks. From the safety of their homes, international stars like David Ellefson, Scott Ian, Danko Jones, Devin Townsend, Matt Heafy and many more recorded a SEPULTURA track together with the band, which have now been mixed and mastered by Conrado Ruther for release on CD, 2LP and all streaming platforms.“We invited our amazingly talented friends to be a part of our project, either jamming with us or as a guest in the many Q&A’s we promoted,” Andreas explains.“We talked about our history, politics, sports, philosophy, depression and the environment among other things. We learned a lot with specialist guests and many of the great minds of today. Here you will find unique performances of SEPULTURA’s music from the many phases of our career, with amazing guest musicians that lent us their talent and energy to record these historical versions!”

To celebrate the 11th anniversary of the 2nd album from Vulture Industries, “The Malefactor’s Bloody Register” has now gotten a makeover and will for the first time be available on vinyl. Re-mixed, de-mixed, remastered and unmastered, this release has been in the making for some time. Intent on an impeccable vinyl presentation, the band originally set out to re-mix the album. But good intentions turned to shit as the new master sounded worse than the original. So, two steps back, press reset, the original master was tweaked for vinyl and we are mighty pleased with the result. Originally released in 2010, “The Malefactor’s Bloody Register” was released to critical acclaim and took the band to big festivals such as Hellfest Open Air and Metal Days. With the band growing in size, and the latest single, “Deeper”, reaching half a million streams, we know the fans are hungry for something new. And this is the only Vulture Industries album that hasn’t been out on vinyl yet. So, while we wait for something completely different and new from the band, we can enjoy a trip down memory lane with “The Malefactor’s Bloody Register”. “The Malfactor’s Bloody Register” was originally recorded at Conclave & Earshot Studios with Bjørnar Nilsen, and was mastered by Brian Gardner (Isis, NIN, David Bowie). The album also features a guest performance by Herbrand Larsen (ex-Enslaved) on hammond organ, and performers on cello, viola and saxophone.

Comes in a gatefold jacket and Includes a lyric insert, Orange/Green swirl colored vinyl.Filth-ridden death metal, for fans of Morbid Angel, Death, Massacre, Monstrosity, and the classic Florida sound.Formed in 2014, Cemetery Filth have consistently crafted death metal of the highest quality, starting with their debut EP, Screams from the Catacombs. Dominion is their first full-length, boasting nine songs that will crack necks.Press Quotes:A modern death metal classic. _Metal InjectionOne of the stand-out death metal albums of 2020. _No Clean SingingAbsolutely essential. _Indy Metal VaultI couldn't be more impressed by this well-crafted and highly considered debut. _Grizzly Butts

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

“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.”

“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.”

“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.”

Requiem is the seventh studio album by Swedish extreme metal band Bathory. It eschews the Viking metal style Bathory's three previous releases for a thrash metal style that recalls many of the bands that initially influenced Bathory. This album marks the return of Bathory after Quorthon put the band on hold to record his first solo album.

black vinyl ltd. to 200 copies incl. album download code.Nine new songs + interludes that will iron out the wrinkles from your butt. These almost 50 minutes of the finest, catchy, brutal, technical-classic death metal can be summed up in the album title "From Origin To Decay" and will be released as a CD, LP and in digital form on November 22nd, 2024 via FDA Records (distribution: Cargo Records).Everything is created once. And everything will decay. And from all decay, there can be a new creation. About this topic are the stories, told in 9 full track...

Wolf is a Swedish heavy-/power-/speed metal band from Örebro. Formed in 1995, the band has released nine studio albums and toured with bands such as Saxon, Evile, Tankard and Trivium.

Legions Of Bastards is the band's sixth album which was originally released by Century Media in April 2011. Now available on vinyl for the fist time since its release year!

"Musically, it carries harder, faster chords and angered anguish from frontman Niklas Olsson. While Wolf have stayed true to the traditional heavy metal template, with "good times" vibes in tow, they have also pushed for a harsher edge to make their own sound. Here, they've gone even further with that direction, concentrating on solos and picking up the pace. The result is not just heavier, but also sleazier and grittier." -Invisible Oranges

Legions Of Bastards is available on a limited Svart exclusive turquoise/red marble vinyl, limited transparent yellow vinyl and classic black vinyl.

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

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

High-octane melodic metal from the heart of Raleigh, North Carolina! On their fourth full-length Showdown, Mega Colossus matches epic metal grandeur with the hooks and melodies from Rainbow and Kansas! Sometimes, a good classic movie reference is all you need. Case in point, Mega Colossus guitarist/vocalist Bill Fischer who compares the band’s new Showdown studio album to its 2021 Riptime predecessor with a nod to an iconic series from the 1980s: “Showdown is to Riptime as Temple of Doom is to Raiders of the Lost Ark.” Fischer is spot on. Showdown takes Mega Colossus’s brand of triumphant, big melodic metal to new heights without forgetting where the band came from. It’s like the perfect sequel — but better! Mega Colossus was originally formed in 2004 as simply “Colossus” by vocalist Sean Buchanan and Fischer. The band became a fixture on the East Coast live scene, including appearances at the famed South by Southwest festival in 2008 and 2009. The group issued its first album, ..And the Rift of the Pan-Dimensional Undergods in 2008, followed by the addition of drummer Doza Mendoza and the Drunk On Blood EP in 2010, then the …And the Sepulcher of the Mirror Warlocks EP in 2012. Upon learning of another outfit named Colossus, Buchanan and crew requested a battle of the bands to determine the name’s rightful owner. However, the “other” Colossus declined and Mega Colossus was born in 2016 as an ode to Godzilla and fantasy books. The HyperGlaive album followed in 2016, after which bassist/vocalist Anthony Micale joined in 2017. The V album was released in 2019, leading to the arrival of guitarist/vocalist Chris Millard in 2021 in time for the Riptime LP. Recorded with Al Jacob at Warrior Sound in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, in early 2023, Showdown catches Mega Colossus in full stride, expanding upon its template of dueling twin-guitar harmonies and gallops. Buchanan’s vocals (think of him somewhere between Diamond Head’s Sean and Harris and Dragonforce’s Marc Hudson) are strident and effortless, carrying forth grandiose, bold choruses that even possess the occasional Styx reference. But above all else, Showdown is the amalgamation of five very different musicians with something unique to offer to Mega Colossus. It is no wonder, then, that Showdown has emerged as an epic display of uncanny and striking melodic metal, with all the depth and charisma of a band now entering its 20th year.

In this accompanying remix set, "Earth 2.23: Special Lower Frequency Mix", the Bug has taken a bit of "Seven Angels" and laced it with feedback and big bass, allowing grime luminary Flowdan to climb atop it with his dark, staccato visions. Responsible for many transformational records himself, Justin K. Broadrick of Jesu and Godflesh crawls inside "Teeth" to lash at it with punishing drum machines and sordid layers of new distortion, building it into some brokedown palace of industrial mayhem. Loop's Robert Hampson makes good on the premise of ambient metal with his 30-minute hypnotic beauty, while longtime Earth cohort and longtime Built to Spill multi-instrumentalist Brett Netson seems to float the sound through a benighted graveyard on his clever "Teeth" revamp. These are not obvious directions for Earth's impact. Again, Earth 2 was never an obvious record. 30 years on, have we yet to grasp the enormity of Earth 2, an album that has continued its slow cycle of influence, uninterrupted? Probably not. Hell, most of us don't even know there are horses on the cover. Very limited indies only Loser copies pressed on lovely Curacao Blue vinyl!

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