UK sludge trio IRON MONKEY today shares new song “Off Switch” from their forthcoming new full-length, Spleen & Goad, set for release on April 5th through Relapse Records!
On Spleen & Goad, the legendary band is as uncompromising as ever, churning out some of the grittiest sounding sludge doom in their twenty-five-plus year history. Dubbed a “doom sludge vanguard” by The Sludgelord, IRON MONKEY lives up to their legacy, absolutely pummeling through each of the nine tracks on their new album.
From the two-ton, heavier-than-anything-else riff opening “Concrete Shock,” IRONMONKEY shows no signs of easing up; fuzzed out guitars crash against pulse-pounding drums, set against vicious, misanthropic snarls and barks. Elsewhere, tracks like the aptly titled “Rat Flag” kicks the band into high gear with palpable fury and malaise.
Check out IRON MONKEY‘s “Off Switch” on YouTube HERE or listen on all streaming services HERE.
Watch IRON MONKEY’s previously released video for first single, “Misanthropizer,” HERE.
Preorder Spleen & Goad on LP, CD, and digital formats via Relapse.comHERE.
Recorded in their native Nottingham, Spleen & Goad was mastered stateside by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege.
IRON MONKEY was formed in the year 1994AD in the city of Nottingham, England. The original members were J.P. Morrow, J. Rushby, D. Dalziel, S. Watson, and J. Greaves. IRON MONKEY released six tracks of raw sludge-core via the label Union Mill that were later re-released on Earache Records. During this period S. Watson was replaced by D. Berry.
1998 saw the release of the album Our Problem, widely regarded as a masterpiece of negative rock. This was succeeded by a split EP on Man’s Ruin Records with Church Of Misery from Japan.
IRON MONKEY destroyed itself sometime in 1999. Vocalist J. Morrow died from heart failure in June 2002. Rest In Noise…
The band reformed in the winter of 2016 with original members J. Rushby and S. Watson with the addition of the then Chaos UK drummer Brigga. As of 2023, IRON MONKEY are back with a new lineup featuring founding member J. Rushby and D. Berry from the Our Problem sessions and ex-Widows drummer Z. Big.
Thuringian (Germany) doomsters DÉCEMBRENOR release first new single from new album “Your Sunset | My Sunrise”
Against The Daylight is the first single from the new DÉCEMBRENOIR album Your Sunset | My Sunrise, which is set to be released on October 13th via Lifeforce Records.
The lyric video was created by JerkkaPerälä / Soft Neon Audiovisual, who is also responsible for the visual works for his own band ATLASES, also in Lifeforce Records.
As for the direction of their new album, DÉCEMBRE NOIR reveal the following: “Your Sunset | My Sunrise” is the cry for inner peace set to music. A heavy heart full of tears, which threatens to plunge its bearer into the abyss at any moment. Even if this means giving up oneself, in the end only the long-awaited silence counts. It is the escape on the wings of addiction from the battlefield of never-ending depression.
The approach of the band from Thuringia, Germany also reaches deep on their fifth full-time album – both lyrically and musically. This is already known from the previous records “The Renaissance Of Hope” (2020), “Autumn Kings” (2018), “Forsaken Earth” (2016) and “A Discouraged Believer” (2014). DÉCEMBRE NOIR act consistently atmospheric, gloomily tuned and open to interpretation. The underlying thoughts, emotions and intentions of the songs of the quintet are not always clearly determinable. And they don’t have to be. For the nuances and forebodings set to music have a special significance in the German band’s playing.
TRACK LIST:
Dead End: May Against The Daylight Your Sunset | My Sunrise Sentimental Giants Sleepwalker (In Yesterday’s Smoke) Trivial Heart
What once started between doom and death metal, has developed over the years and releases to an independent, organic gloomy sound, which achieves its ominous effect space and its captivating fascination quite independently of liking or style questions. On“Your Sunset | My Sunrise”, produced by HEAVEN SHALL BURN’s Alexander Dietz at his Chemical Burn Studio, DÉCEMBRE NOIR again rely on melancholic as well as melodically addressed pieces that stand completely on their own and therefore captivate because they are presented so heavy, dark and atmospheric.
Chilean melodic doom metallers WOODEN VEINS will be releasing their new album, “Imploding Waves”, on June 23rd 2023 via Ardua Music.
Today, Everything Is Noise is hosting the album’s official premiere. Stream “Imploding Veins” in its entirety at THIS LOCATION.
WOODEN VEINS, formed by Chilean musicians mostly based in European countries, engages in classic melodic doom metal, combining it with progressive and gothic elements, exploring even further as they bring more heaviness and even some latin flavour into their sound.
“In Finitude”, their debut album (The Vinyl Division), released in 2021, got an excellent response from the media, ranking the album in many lists as one of the best of 2021, in specialised press and was even nominated for the best Metal Album in the Premios Pulsar Chile, the biggest Music Award for Chilean Music.
Now WOODEN VEINS present us their second album “Imploding Waves”, a more complex and refined work. This time the Chileans took a more progressive approach, expanding their stylistic boundaries, mixing darker, heavier and faster passages into their distinctive melodic and atmospheric elements.
“It’s about dreams, death and change, the mixture of these elements and their manifestation in ourselves and the world around us.” “Imploding Waves” was recorded in Chile, Czech Republic, Spain and Germany, between July and October 2022. The album was mixed by Juan Escobar at Vultura Studio in Plzen, CZ and mastered by Sebastian Puente at Audiocustom, CL. The artwork is once again by French artist Valnoir from Metastazis.
Tracklist: 01 – Dreamside Death 02 – Tearing Seas 03 – The Dreamer 04 – L´apell du Vide 05 – Skies 06 – Ganymede 07 – Kaimerah 08 – Broken World 09 – Vuelavá 10 – Calling
Line-up: Javier Cerda – Vocals Juan Escobar – Guitar Eduardo Poblete – Keys Juan Diaz – Bass Alberto Atalah – Drums
LEGIONS OF DOOM, formerly Legion Of Doom, the doom metal supergroup featuring members of The Skull, Trouble, Saint Vitus, Corrosion Of Conformity, and more will make their debut appearance at Legions Of Metal Fest at Reggies Live in Chicago this Saturday! Later this month, the band will head overseas for performances at Graspop Metal Meeting in Belgium, Hellfest in France, and more. In November, the band will play Mass Destruction Fest VI in Atlanta, Georgia with more shows to be announced in the weeks to come. See all confirmed dates below.
LEGIONS OF DOOM Live: 6/03/2023 Legions Of Metal Fest @ Reggies Live – Chicago, IL 6/14/2023 Schlachthof – Wiesbaden, DE 6/15/2023 Club Void/Effenaar – Eindhoven, NL 6/16/2023 Graspop Metal Meeting – Dessel, BE 6/18/2023 Hellfest – Clisson, FR 11/05/2023 Mass Destruction VI Fest @ The Loft – Atlanta, GA
After the untimely passing of Eric Wagner (The Skull, Trouble), one of doom metal’s most notable and esteemed singers and songwriters, The Skull bassist and bandleader, Ron Holzner (Trouble) contemplated long and hard on whether it would be possible to carry on. Nine months and a lot of soul searching later, an idea was born. “I’m not in this boat alone.”
Recalls Holzner, “I decided I want to honor the memory of Eric by still playing some of the songs that he crafted, and ones that [guitarist] Lothar [Keller] and I wrote with him in The Skull. I want his spirit to become eternal through his words and melody. And I also want to play many songs from the catalogs of everyone involved. We want to honor Eric as well as Reed Mullin [Corrosion Of Conformity], Armando Acosta [Saint Vitus], and, most recently, Mark Adams from Saint Vitus. We have all lost someone close and special to us that we have spent much time making and playing music with over the years.”
Alongside Holzner and Keller is drummer Henry Vasquez (The Skull, Saint Vitus, Blood Of The Sun), vocalists Karl Agell (Corrosion Of Conformity, Blind, Leadfoot, Lie Heavy) and ScottReagers (Saint Vitus), and recent recruit, guitarist Scott Little (Leadfoot, Blind).
And so, LEGIONS OF DOOM has come to exist with an all-star lineup of some of doom’s most prestigious figureheads, here to share their ultimate heavy truth, taking the genre from what is known into uncharted territories.
LEGIONS OF DOOM: Ron Holzner – bass Lothar Keller – guitars Henry Vasquez – drums Karl Agell – vocals Scott Reagers – vocals Scott Little – guitars
Due to originally announced headliners OCEANO along with VCTMS and INCITE unable to perform at this year’s 2023 TOLEDO DEATH FEST, the festival is proud to announce their replacements will be SIGNS OF THE SWARM as the new headliner along with CASKET ROBBERY and SUMMONER’S CIRCLE.
The festival organizer Keith Wampler issued the following statement:
“We have good news and we have bad news. The bad news is that Oceano and VCTMS are no longer able to perform at TOLEDO DEATHFEST 2023, This was very unexpected and is something that is out of our control. We ask that you please respect the Bands, Organizers, and Venue and understand that we are all still working to bring you a great day of heavy music. That being said, We do have some good news… We were able to get two amazing artists to replace Oceano and VCTMS at this year’s event! They are Signs of the Swarm and Casket Robbery. We really appreciate these bands jumping in on such short notice and are looking forward to seeing them perform! Thank you to everyone who has supported Toledo Deathfest and we will see you all June 3rd!”
Along with a statement from OCEANO:
“We deeply regret to inform you that we will be unable to perform at Toledo Deathfest. The band is currently undergoing personal and internal changes that have unfortunately hindered our ability to proceed with our plans. However, we are pleased to announce that the festival organizers have secured another exceptional band to take our place. We encourage you to continue supporting your local music scene and show your enthusiasm for all the talented bands performing. The lineup promises to be outstanding! We apologize for any inconvenience caused and thank you for your understanding. We hope to connect with you again in the near future!”
SIGNS OF THE SWARM
TOLEDO DEATH FEST will be stirring up the most extreme mosh pit to ever tornado Ohio and its surrounding states. This year’s event is being hosted on June 3rd in Toledo at Mainstreet Bar and will feature headliners, Signs of the Swarm alongside The Convalescence, Casket Robbery, Summoner’s Circle, and many more (full lineup below).
CASKET ROBBERY
Since its inception in 2009 by Keith Wampler, the frontman of The Convalescence and owner of The Legend Agency, the festival has showcased the talents of some of the American Midwest’s best up-and-coming metal bands. Past editions have seen past support from well-known artists such as Jungle Rot, Malevolent Creation, and The Breathing Process among many more. The festival has been an extreme metal pilgrimage for fans living in the surrounding states of Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and West Virginia.
THE CONVALESCENCE
“I am very happy to be able to bring Toledo Deathfest back in 2023 with one of the most insane lineups we’ve ever had. This festival has come from being local bands at small venues to a two-stage festival featuring bands from around the country thanks to the incredible support of everyone who attends each year. Thank you to everyone who has supported Toledo Deathfest and I look forward to seeing everyone again on June 3rd!” adds Keith Wampler.
Highlights of the confirmed bands include headliners Signs of the Swarm with their slamming brutal chugs, to black metal-tinged frenzies and groove-driven downtempo bursts of aggression, the band cohesively captures a vile sound spreading across the genre’s various styles. The Convalescence is one of the USA’s unstoppable tour de force, touring Europe in 2022 with Chelsea Grin, and Carnifex plus an upcoming tour in Japan in 2023 with Exhumed and Defiled along with their latest single “No Survivors” ft. Scott Ian Lewis of Carnifex, that has fans demanding more and more.
Emerging from the darkest and most desolate areas of the Midwest, Casket Robbery creates its own signature style of death metal by infusing horror and occult themes. Their trademark huge riffs and unstoppable grooves create the unrelenting, brutally catchy, and eerie sound that only Casket Robbery is known for. Summoner’sCircle, hailing from Dandridge, TN, is a six-piece theatrical metal band that blends elements of doom, death, black and progressive metal into what they refer to as simply Epic Metal.
Toledo Death Fest 2023 Full Lineup: Signs of the Swarm (Pittsburgh, PA) The Convalescence (Toledo, OH) Casket Robbery (Madison, WI) Summoner’s Circle (Dandridge, TN) Hive (Chicago, IL) Carrion Vael (Richmond, IN) WoR (Raleigh, NC) Within Chaos (Fort Worth, TX) The D.O.O.D (Sarasota, FL) Squidhammer (Watertown, WI) Filth Spewer (South Bend, IN) Ignominious (Norwalk, OH) Cephlic (Toledo, OH) Death Hex (Toledo, OH) Pharohound (Fort Wayne, IN) Extinction Agenda (Ohio)
Doom metal band MNRVA have released a video for their song “Not the One”. The track is taken from their album Hollow which came out last year via Black Doomba Records. A vinyl version is set to be released on April 7th, 2023 with pre-orders starting on March 17th, 2023.
The band comments: ” ‘Not the One’ is a mid-tempo, sludgy track with a psychedelic intro, catchy vocal hooks, and in-the-pocket grooves. We filmed the video at Filmmaker Chris Bickel’s compound on a sweltering Saturday in June. Columbia, SC’s city motto is “famously hot” and we were all pretty much at our limit, even with constant hydration and industrial fans, which set the perfect scene for a song about burning it all down. The hottest part of the day was actually well after sunset, when the director had us improvise some around-the-bonfire scenes. The fire burned so intensely hot and fast that we had to act quickly. Kevin is a natural at spontaneous invention, and dark mystery.”
MNRVA venture further into the descending darkness with their debut full-length, Hollow. Conjuring gloomy atmospheres with funereal doom and fuzz tones, the heavy trio are unafraid to unveil what’s lurking in the shadows.
Forming in 2018, MNRVA made their debut with the EP Black Sky giving fans a tantalising taste of their unconventional sludge fuelled doom sound. Hollow builds further on their exploration of heavy music with groove-laden riffs, mid-slow tempo tracks and vocals which range between soaring melodies and those of guttural demons . “Not the One” introduces the new album with ludicrously overdriven instruments, impactful percussion and vocals that appear to be reaching out of the abyss. The title track falls further into the gloom evoking an intense dark mood. Melodic motifs and riffs punctuate the black with an experimental twist, adding something extra to the sound without breaking the nightmarish illusion. “The Way” concludes the album with the wrath of the void, fusing the sinister and sombre.
Hollow is a melting pot of sludge drawing upon the guitar grind of MELVINS, the vocal interplay of MASTODON, and the post-doom heaviness of Wisconsin’s BEREFT. Embracing their influences while cultivating their own distinctive edge, MNRVA manipulate these dynamic musical elements to manifest an enticing atmosphere.
Finnish traditional heavy metal / doom metal band WIZARDS OF HAZARDS releases their second album SUPERNATURAL today February 17th 2023. The album is available on music services and as CD.
WIZARDS OF HAZARDS are a heavy metal band from Middle Finland. Sharing the same interest for vintage instruments and heavy music composing, they are doing their own music entirely through full analog signal chain. Their musical influences come from the recordings of the analog aeons, mostly 70’s and 80’s heavy metal, and their lyrics are inspired by bygone times, supernatural phenomenons and old tales & beliefs. After decades of jamming and performing as a trio, they shifted their shapes into a four piece and changed their name to WIZARDS OF HAZARDS.
A debut album END OF TIME came out in 2020. Album consists of doomish, heavy riffed songs from the band’s early years, and three of those were pre-released on the BLIND LEADS THE BLIND EP on that same year – both releases came via Inverse Records. Recordings were made on RTM SM900 magnetic tape within two sessions in january and june 2020 under the brilliant guidance of analog wizard Anssi Kippo at Astia-studios, Lappeenranta Finland.
The BLACK WIZARD EP was released on december 2021 by Inverse Records, and it was a hats off to their roots with ep given the band’s former name. Those three, very old songs came from the same session at the Astia-studio november 2021 as all the songs of the second album SUPERNATURAL. Although most of the songs of their second long play were made long ago, the lyrics of the album are unfortunately valid and sadly true today also. The cover art presents stunning sculptures of Vilde Hage Aune, and all the songs were recorded again on magnetic tapes with help of Mr. Kippo in that doomy & riff-based, vintage sounding way of the WIZARDS OF HAZARDS.
Little Rock (AR) – Sludge/Doom Metal trio MAMMOTH CARAVAN released “Frostbite,” the second single and closing track from forthcoming debut album Ice Cold Oblivion on Christmas day. The song tells the story of a baby mammoth that strayed from the herd and is being pursued by a primitive nomad that’s hungry for blood.
According to bassist/vocalist Brandon Ringo (who celebrated a birthday on the same day as the premiere), “the song is our favorite to play live and the one I’m most proud of on Ice Cold Oblivion; and it really channels a heavy Electric Wizard/Eyehategod-esque boogie.”
During the past few years,long-running stoner/doom metal act GODWATT has been crafting their new opus “Vol. III”, which will be released on CD, LP and digital format on December 20th 2022 via Time To Kill Records.
To celebrate this delightful day of the album announcement,the Italian band are now premiering the video of new single “Signora Morte”. Watch it HERE.
Album tracklist:
01. Signora Morte 02. Sepolta 03. Croce 04. Delirio 05. Oscura 06. Non Ritornerai 07. Lamenti
No one combines 70’s hard rock in the vein of Ozzy’s era Sabbath, heavy rock and stoner/doom metal streaks quite like Italy’sGODWATT. With unflinching viciousness and a sense of atmosphere unique to the band, with their upcoming new album they are going to push the boundaries of their craft even further.
Just in time for Halloween, doom metal band GRAVE NEXT DOOR have released a spooky video for their track “Charnel House”. The song is from their album Sanctified Heathanwhich was recently relesaed via Black Doomba Records.
The band comments: “‘Charnel House’ was inspired by Henry Miller’s book Tropic Of Cancer. Miller used the archaic term ‘Charnel House’ in this sentence: ‘The cradles of civilization are the putrid sinks of the world, the charnel house to which the stinking wombs confide their bloody packages of flesh and bone.’
The song is about being trapped in a tomb of the past by one’s own mistakes and misery. The tortured soul seals his own fate by not forgiving himself and living in the past no matter how bad he wants to be free he can not free himself from his past and has therefore destroyed his future by not letting go and moving forward. At the same time he is dead and he doesn’t even realize it. He is the quintessential tortured soul rotting in his own tomb of self inflicted misery.”
Formed back in 2018 by brothers Patrick and Anthony Salerno, and aptly named after the graveyard situated next to their home, GRAVENEXT DOOR delves into the dark and macabre. Drawing from the iconic sounds of BLACK SABBATH, BLACK FLAG and even CREAM, all blended with the trio’s individual edge. SanctifiedHeathensees the band deliver brutally heavy distortion, doom grooves and powerful vocals. A morbid exploration awaits with lyrical themes of addiction, mortality, war, and their own personal experiences seeping through the album.
Track Listing:
Thor
Bloody Nuns
Witch Head
As Heavy As Texas
Charnel House
Sanctified Heathen
Sand in the Blood
Nuclear Winter
Bloody Nuns (Live Bonus Track)
Line Up: Patrick Salerno Anthony Salerno Travis Soleski
Michigan stoner metal outfit, GRAVENEXTDOOR, have released their new video for their single ”As Heavy As Texas” via Ghost Cult Magazine.
Please note that their upcoming album, SanctifiedHeathen, will be releasing via BlackDoombaRecords on March 18, not January 28th as previously stated.
The band comments:
”We filmed our video for “As Heavy As Texas” in the little town of Hubbard, Texas, where the inspiration of the song came from. We filmed on a severely hot day at the end of July after we played a show there the night before, at the Red Barn Winery And Tasting Room. The town really opened itself to us with their generous and genuine hospitality.
We were able to shoot at two locations, a working ranch and an old roadhouse bar. We feel that the footage of the ranch enabled us to show the light and space of Texas. The other location was a dark dank roadhouse bar, which had been a speakeasy during the prohibition years and it was a direct contrast to the ranch. The video also features a cameo by local Hubbard, Texas artist Tommy Kruger.”
Formed back in 2018 by brothers Patrick and Anthony Salerno, and aptly named after the graveyard situated next to their home, GRAVENEXTDOOR delves into the dark and macabre. Drawing from the iconic sounds of BLACK SABBATH, BLACK FLAG and even CREAM, all blended with the trio’s individual edge. Sanctified Heathen sees the band deliver brutally heavy distortion, doom grooves and powerful vocals. A morbid exploration awaits with lyrical themes of addiction, mortality, war, and their own personal experiences seeping through the album.
Line Up: Patrick Salerno Anthony Salerno TravisSoleski
Costa Rican doom metal band AGE OF THE WOLF have signed with Aural Music to release their new album Ouroboric Trances on May 10 2019. The album will be made available on CD, vinyl and digital formats.
The band commented: “we are excited to sign with the ever-growing Italian label ‘Aural Music’. This is a big step for the band and the entire country, since this is the first band in it’s genre to be signed by an international label in Costa Rica, and now with the momentum, the band’s not planning on stopping anytime soon.”
In early 2015, WHILE HEAVEN WEPT main man Tom Phillips had to regrettably pull the plug on the band’s European tour in support of their latest studio album, “Suspended At Aphelion”. The decision led to Phillips’ unexpected retirement from the metal scene, effectively putting the revered doomsters on ice. However, Phillips and his band mates have long sought to make amends to the European crowds who have so strongly backed WHILE HEAVEN WEPT over the years. Now, as 2018 draws to a close, the most recent incarnation of WHILE HEAVEN WEPT that started with 2009’s classic “Vast Oceans Lachrymose” will play its final shows together on a run of European dates that begins November 16 at Germany’s Hammer Of Doom Festival.
“I agreed to do these shows to give everyone else – the band members, our fans, even myself some closure, especially since the last tour was cancelled,” says Phillips. “The other aspect is the circumstances and priorities of the musicians involved are simply not aligned with what an actively touring band requires anymore.”
The “Vast Oceans Lachrymose” lineup – rounded out by bassist Jim Hunter, vocalist Rain Irving, second guitarist Scott Loose, keyboardist/harmony vocalist Michelle Schrotz and drummer Trevor Schrotz – have been holed up in a Virginia rehearsal room putting together a setlist that is not only representative of the latest era of WHILE HEAVEN WEPT, but the band’s storied past as well. According to Phillips, some of WHILE HEAVEN WEPT‘s most memorable shows have taken place on European shores, including their 2010 appearance at Hammer Of Doom alongside Irish metallers PRIMORDIAL, which was not only Irving’s third show with the band, but also where the “Triumph: Tragedy: Transcendence” DVD/live album was recorded.
“We’ve always had a great time sharing the stage with PRIMORDIAL,” he says. “I think we’ve played with them more than anyone else in our history – and that’s always been such a great insight into the scope of melancholia and epos. Of course, we’ve also had the great honor of playing with heroes, family and upcoming bands who have gone on to become some of the biggest names out there like ALCEST and GHOST. Most of all though, it’s connecting directly with the people who really care about what we do and again, that’s what these upcoming shows are really about.”
The shows will offer another treat for fans – a limited-edition shirt commemorating the 30th anniversary of the band. “It’s an exclusive design by Gustavo Sazes, who has done the covers for our last couple of albums,” says Phillips. “There’s quite a few layers to the design and it definitely correlates to ‘Fear Of Infinity’ and ‘Suspended At Aphelion’. Personally, I think it turned out amazing and while it does represent our 30th anniversary, for now, it will be available exclusively at the concerts.” `
While these European dates signal the end for the “Vast Oceans Lachrymose” era of WHILE HEAVEN WEPT, it does not mean the end for the band. Phillips says there is an entire album of unfinished material that sits between “Fear Of Infinity” and “Suspended At Aphelion” in which he may look to finalize at some point.
“In the end, I’d started on a solo project prior to being involved with the WALPYRGUS album [2017’s ‘Walpyrgus Nights’], but with the WHILE HEAVEN WEPT shows coming up, I haven’t even looked at that again. But for WHILE HEAVEN WEPT, as long as I’m breathing, WHILE HEAVEN WEPT exists, even if the lineup changes for the nth time or we are strictly DIY on a small, independent scale. Only time will tell. For now, it’s time to commemorate a milestone and the end of an era!”
WHILE HEAVEN WEPT 2018 European tour dates:
November 16/17 – Hammer Of Doom, Würzburg, Germany
November 18 – Temple, Athens, Greece
November 24/25 – Dutch Doom Days, Baroeg, Rotterdam, Netherlands
December 7 – Under The Doom VI, Sala But, Madrid, Spain
Austin (TX) – CANYON OF THE SKULL has returned! The instrumental Doom duo of guitarist Erik Ogershok and Adrian Voorhies (Humut Tabal) will release sophomore album The Desert Winter on August 19. The CD version will be available in a gorgeous 6-panel format.
Consisting of the undeniably epic 37-minute title track of blackened doom, The Desert Winter is a journey deep into the psyche. Listeners are strongly advised to clear out all head space (and any earwax) and settle in for this existential Ride of the Doomed!
Recorded at WoodenHorse studios October 2016.
Mixed and Produced by Zawicizuz and Canyon of the Skull.
Mastered by Proscriptor McGovern (Russ R. Givens) at Nox Luna Inlustris Music.
Artwork Layout and design by Erik Bredthauer.
Adrian Voorhies – Drums, Percussion
Erik Ogershok – Guitars, Bass, Percussion
BAND BIO:
The brainchild of Erik Ogershok, COTS was initially manifested in the winter of 2006. Several local appearances and lineup fluctuations later, life happened, and the project lay dormant. 2014 saw the return of Ogershok as he recruited new musical personnel in the form of drummer Adrian Voorhies of the Austin-based Black Metal outfit HUMUT TABAL and once more brought the doom ensemble to life to melt the faces of all who sought shade in the Canyon walls.
After numerous regional gigs both opening for touring colleagues and spearheading an array of craft beer events and festival slots (including two SXSW appearances), the band closed the year with a blistering performance at the End of the World Fest in Houston alongside Austin brethren The Sword and Eagle Claw. 2015 saw the creation of the band’s first recording, a self-titled EP solidifying the now scaled down duo of Ogershok and Voorhies as a force to be reckoned with in the Texas doom scene.
With the EP capturing some attention, they embarked on a two-week tour of the Midwest, bringing their signature brand of instrumental doom from the Twin Cities to Louisville. Once home, the band commenced production on their most ambitious musical effort yet with rare selected live performances across the lone star state. In October, they headed back into Wooden Horse studios with an A-list production team of Zawicizuz (The Black Moriah) and Proscriptor McGovern (Absu) and their sophomore offering was forged. Now, as the band prepares to release The Desert Winter, only one message can truly be counted on: Abandon All Hope.
Austin doom-crushers, DESTROYER OF LIGHT, have updated their Summer tour, which begins in just one week, then consumes the remainder of June and nearly half of July.
The upcoming tour is the first extensive tour from DESTROYER OF LIGHT since their Summer 2015 tour with Godhunter, which was booked in support of their Endsville split 2xLP. This new trek sees DESTROYER OF LIGHT taking their Endsville anthems back out to the masses, beginning in Fort Worth on June 16th, then running up through the Central and Midwestern states to the Pacific Northwest, before running down the West Coast on their way back to Texas, the final show going down in the band’s hometown on July 11th.
A brief trailer for the tour is posted HERE or below:
Additionally, DESTROYER OF LIGHT has been confirmed to take part in the second installment of Shadow Woods Metal Fest in Maryland this September, with the likes of Zud, Tombs, Mantar, Wino with Faith In Jane, Ghost Bath, Darsombra, Blood Storm, and countless others, around which another tour is being routed.
Following the recent departure of Keegan Kjeldsen, these tour dates will see DESTROYER OF LIGHT taking to the streets as a three-piece for the first time, with Jeff Klein handling lead guitars, Steve Colca on guitars and vocals, and Penny turner on drums, the trio strategically bulking up on extra amplification for the journey. The band is working on their new album, which will see release in early 2017 on a label to be announced at a later date along with more info on the permanent lineup.
Stream DESTROYER OF LIGHT’s Endsville split with Godhunter RIGHT HERE and see the lyric video for “Electric Shadows” HERE or below:
Endsville is available through a joint release with Godhunter co-owned Battleground Records and DESTROYER OF LIGHT‘s Heavy Friends Records, the 2xLP bearing two slabs of 180-gram vinyl on two colors packed in a gatefold sleeve. Order the digital and vinyl HERE.
DESTROYER OF LIGHT – Tour Dates:
6/16/2016 The Grotto – Fort Worth, TX
6/17/2016 Road Map – Texarkana, AR
6/18/2016 Downtown Lounge – Tulsa, OK @ Freak Tulsa 2016
6/19/2016 The Elbow Room – Wichita, KS
6/20/2016 Bourbon Theatre – Lincoln, NB
6/21/2016 Three Kings Tavern – Denver, CO
6/22/2016 Flux Capacitor – Colorado Springs, CO
6/24/2016 Wastelander Studio – Boise, ID
6/25/2016 VFW – Missoula, MT
6/26/2016 Emerald of Slam – Richland, WA
6/27/2016 Victory Lounge – Seattle, WA
6/28/2016 The Panic Room – Portland, OR
6/29/2016 The Wandering Goat – Eugene, OR
6/30/2016 Base Kamp – Ashland, OR
7/01/2016 Starlite – Sacramento, CA
7/02/2016 Hemlock Tavern – San Francisco, CA
7/03/2016 Sweet Water Saloon – Los Osos, CA
7/04/2016 Lexington – Los Angeles, CA
7/05/2016 Soda Bar – San Diego, CA
7/06/2016 The Womb Room – Las Vegas, NV
7/07/2016 Yucca Tap Room – Tempe, AZ
7/08/2016 191 Toole – Tucson, AZ
7/09/2016 The Sandbox – El Paso, TX
7/10/2016 The Depot O’Bar – Lubbock, TX
7/11/2016 The Grand – Austin, TX
9/15-18/2016 Camp Hidden Valley – White Hall, MD @ Shadow Woods Metal Fest
Finnish funeral doom duo, TYRANNY – featuring within its ranks current and former members of Corpsessed and Wormphlegm among others – will unleash their first new studio offering in a decade this Fall via Dark Descent Records. Titled Aeons In Tectonic Interment, the record offers up five diseased psalms of slow, tortured, epically bowel-rupturing grimness.
Composed, performed and tracked by members Matti Mäkelä and Lauri Lindqvist with additional percussion by Jussi-Pekka Manner and mastered by D. Lowndes at Resonance Sound Studio (Absu, Pallbearer, Profetus, Sigh, Wodensthrone etc.), Aeons In Tectonic Interment is at once spiritual and ill-omened; a fifty-one-minute soul-searing sound apocalypse where misanthropy, suffering and imminent ruin become one achieving purification through sonic decay.
Aeons In Tectonic Interment Track Listing:
1. Sunless Deluge
2. A Voice Given Unto Ruin
3. Preparation Of A Vessel
4. The Stygian Enclave
5. Bells Of The Black Basilica
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Forged in 2001 by Mäkelä and Lindqvist, TYRANNY was conceived under the strain of a Stranger Will to channel the Ageless resonations of Earth and Oceans and sonorous visions and fevered dreams by the means of epic, Funereal Soundscapes. In 2004 the band unsheathed their debut, Bleak Vistae, which shook the foundation of a small, reclusive yet inexorably devoted funeral doom scene.
Crowned an, “epic masterpiece,” and commended for its, “mystical atmosphere,” and, “crushing wall of sound,” by Ultimate Guitar, 2005’s Tides Of Awakening reaped the attention of critics globally. Metal Bite championed a record that was, “uncompromising and extreme,” while Metal Reviews, in an “Album Of the Month” review likened it to, “a partner piece instructing in the discipline of appreciating one’s own suffering.”
TYRANNY has always operated in the shadows, worked on intuition and done things only when there was a will and the time seemed right for it. The past ten years have been devoted to various live appearances such as Roskilde Festival, Roadburn and the Kill-Town Deathfest, and the slow writing process of Aeons In Tectonic Interment – the band’s most devout work to date.
Aeons In Tectonic Intermentwill see release via Dark Descent Records on CD, double LP and digitally on September 18th, 2015 with preorders and track samples to be revealed in the coming weeks.
Chilean / Belgian Epic Doom metallers KING HEAVY present La Gárgola, the first track off their upcoming self-titled, full-length debut album. “La Gárgola” (Spanish for “Gargoyle”) offers a good look at what’s to come when the album is released in early September. This is heavy and epic Doom Metal led by the multifaceted vocals of Luce Vee (Hooded Priest / Witchsmeller Pursuivant), melting into twisted and obscure melodies in the vein of Celtic Frost’s masterpiece Into the Pandemonium.
Check out the promo video for “La Gárgola” now at this location.
Cruz Del Sur Music will release the album September 4 (Europe) and September 19 (North America) on CD, digital and limited-edition vinyl. Soon after the album’s release, KING HEAVY will embark upon a tour that will bring the band to Europe for appearances at Malta Doom Fest and Dutch Doom Days Fest. Confirmed shows are as follows:
Chilean Dates:
OCT 2 Valparaíso, ELE Bar, w/ Inquisición, Metal Grave,
OCT 3 Olmué, KH HeadQuarters
OCT 8 Santiago, Mi Bar
OCT 9 Rancagua, Golden Ba, w/ Clair de Lune Morte
OCT 10 Osorno, w/ Ruined
OCT 11 Temuco, w/ Retrosatan
European Dates:
OCT 15 TBA
OCT 16 Leipzig, Germany
OCT 17 Wien, Austria
OCT 18 TBA
OCT 23 Malta Doom Fest
OCT 24 TBA
OCT 25 TBA
OCT 28 Birmingham, UK w/ Iron Void
OCT 29 London, UK w/ Iron Void
OCT 30 Lille, France w/ Iron Void
OCT 31 Vosselaar, Biebob, Belgium w/ Iron Void, Witchsmeller Pursuivant
NOV 01 Dutch Doom Days, Rotterdam, Baroeg, Netherlands
KING HEAVY is anything but the typical brand of mono-dimensional, superficial Doom Metal. KING HEAVY rocks! Aside from strong elements of CANDLEMASS and of the more traditional Doom Metal sound, KING HEAVY offers epic arrangements and a twisted touch that reminds of BLACK SABBATH’s Born Again, CELTIC FROST’s Into the Pandemonium and the early, darkest side of DANZIG. The album contains seven songs for a total running time of over 47 minutes and was engineered, mixed and mastered by Pablo Clares at DM6 Studio (Chile). Vocals were recorded by Peter Maene at Creative Factory (Belgium).
Las Vegas-based doom bringers, DEMON LUNG, will unleash the forlorn fruits of their A Dracula full-length next month via Candlelight Records. Captured by Billy Anderson (Neurosis, Zoroaster, Eyehategod, Taurus, Brothers Of The Sonic Cloth etc.), the record boasts eight dark, devious hymns centered loosely on Juan López Moctezuma’s 1977 horror film, Alucardain which two teenage orphan girls living in a Catholic convent unleash a demonic force and ultimately become possessed by Satan.
“Alucarda is a more relatable story for me than our last album’s [The Hundredth Name] subject matter,” vocalist Shanda Fredrick issues, “which made writing a lot more fun this time around. The heroine in this story is the daughter of Satan, who happens to fall in love with the purest of souls in the convent she resides. She coaxed this soul over to the dark, with only intentions of love but in doing so she dooms her to death by the hands of the nuns. The anger consumes her and she uses her dark powers to resurrect her love and together they kill the convent and then the world.”
As a precursor to its official unveiling, today Decibel Magazine offers up sixth movement, “Mark Of Jubilee” for public consumption atTHIS LOCATION.
A Dracula comes nearly two years to the date from the successful release of the band’s critically lauded, 2013-released The Hundredth Name. Media applauded the band, especially Fredrick with Decibel Magazine gushing, “She emerges like a high empress, adding real soul to the quintet’s lurch.” Ghost Cult called the debut, “a modern doom masterpiece,” Las Vegas Weekly concurred noting, “Everything about DEMON LUNG‘s debut screams epic,” while New Noise Magazine gushed, “This record is mammoth. Bass riffs tuned low drag the listener into a dark, solemn swamp of evil. The atmosphere created is as important as each note plucked from Lucifer’s hairy hind quarters.” Added This Is Not A Scene accurately, “The future of doom seems to be in safe hands.”
DEMON LUNG is vocalist Shanda Fredrick, drummer Jeremy Brenton, guitarists Phil Burns and Brent Lynch and bassist Jason Lamb. A Dracula will be released via Candlelight Records on June 16th, 2015 with tour dates to be announced shortly. In the meantime, preorders are available at THIS LOCATION. Desirers of the digitals, point your browsers HERE.
Chilean / Belgian band KING HEAVY is set to release its self-titled debut full length on Cruz Del Sur Music on September 4th in Europe and September 19th in the U.S.
KING HEAVY is anything but the typical brand of mono-dimensional, superficial doom metal. KING HEAVY rocks! Aside from strong elements of CANDLEMASS and of the more traditional doom metal sound, KING HEAVY offers epic arrangements and a twisted touch that reminds of BLACK SABBATH’s Born Again, CELTIC FROST’s Into the Pandemonium and the early, darkest side of DANZIG
The album contains seven songs for a total running time of over 47 minutes and was engineered, mixed and mastered by Pablo Clares at DM6 Studio, Chile; vocals were recorded by Peter Maene at Creative Factory, Belgium.
Shortly after the release of the album, the band will engage an European tour which will bring them to Malta’s Doom Fest, Dutch Doom Days, Biebob (the notorious Belgian metal club)… Other tour dates will be published and confirmed very soon!
KING HEAVY was formed in 2009 by ex-Procession founder Daniel Perez Saa and Luce Vee, known for being the vocalist of Dutch Doom Metal act Hooded Priest. Shortly thereafter guitarist Matias Aguirre and drummer Miguel Canessa were added to the line up and in 2014 the band self-released an EP entitled Horror Absoluto, which was later repressed on split-vinyl by French label Emanes Records.
Track List:
La Gárgola
Life A.D.
As Dawn Broke On The Day
Thirteen Chosen Ones
Wounds
The Crowning
He Who Spoke In Tongues
U.S. Doomsters APOSTLE OF SOLITUDE will release Of Woe and Wounds on November 14 in North America through Cruz Del Sur Music. Decibel Magazine is streaming album track “Luna” exclusively at this location.
With its oppressive and crunching sound, APOSTLE OF SOLITUDE’s Of Woe and Wounds will rank among the heaviest album of 2014. From the 7-minute opener “Blackest of Times” to the ending “Luna,” APOSTLE OF SOLITUDE deliver an incredible performance that gives full sense to the sometimes-abused term “DOOM”. Mastered by Tony Reed (producer of last SAINT VITUS’ album “Lillie: F-65”), this album confirms APOSTLE OF SOLITUDE as a versatile, multi-dimensional doom band that offers the most Sabbath-inspired sound around these days, blended with personal, oppressive yet dynamic atmospheres such as those found in “Push Mortal Coil” or “Whore’s Wings” (re-recorded hits from their 2012’s demo), or the long and haunting “Die Vicar Die”.
The album also features the extraordinary work of talented Artist David Csicsely known for his illustrations of Mournful Congregation, Solitude Aeternus, Wheel, Flight of Sleipnir releases.The album was recorded by Mike Bridavsky at Russian Recording LLC in Bloomington, IN and later mastered by Tony Reed (SAINT VITUS’ “Lillie: F-65). DOOM has never been so HEAVY! The vinyl version will contain two bonus live tracks.
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