We are happy to announce that we will be releasing Lamentia, the new album from British Death Metal masters Obscene Entity. The album is phenomenal and we are excited for everyone to hear it. The album is due to be released on November 27th 2015, on cassette and CD formats.
It has been three years since Cryptopsy’s last release and many fans have expressed their eagerness to hear new material. This time, rather than a full album, the band will release a series of EPs entitled The Book of Suffering. This new approach will allow Cryptopsy to put out new music more often while remaining true to their standards of quality. The first EP in the series, TheBook of Suffering Tome 1, was produced by Chris Donaldson at The Grid studio in Montreal, mixed by Jason Suecoff at Audiohammer Studio and mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side Music.
TheBook of Suffering Tome 1 track listing:
Detritus (The One They Kept)
The Knife, The Head and What Remains
Halothane Glow
Framed by Blood
The Book of Suffering Tome 1 is now available for pre-order via Cryptopsy’s Bandcamp page as well as on iTunes. Upon pre-order, fans will receive the exclusive single “Detritus (The One They Kept).” Pre-order the EP now at: cryptopsyofficial.bandcamp.com.
Cryptopsy has launched the premiere of the video for Detritus. Produced by Chris Kells of Front to Back Video Production, the video is now playing at: https://youtu.be/HidjSJb7Hw8 or below:
The Book of Suffering Tome 1 is set for release on October 30th 2015. Regarding the forthcoming EP, Cryptopsy states, “We are extremely proud of the new material. it is some of the most brutal, dark and technical music we have ever created.”
Cryptopsy’s Canadian Rampage Tour Dates:
10.07 – Sudbury, Ontario @ The Asylum
10.08 – Timmins, Ontario @ The Working Class
10.09 – Thunder Bay, Ontario @ Crocks
10.10 – Winnipeg Manitoba @ The Garrick with Gwar and Battlecross
10.11 – Regina, Saskatchewan @ The Exchange
10.12 – Saskatoon, Saskatchewan @ Odeon Event Center with Gwar and Battlecross
10.13 – Calgary, Alberta @ Macewan Ballroom with Gwar and Battlecross
10.14 – Edmonton, Alberta @ Union Hall with Gwar and Battlecross
10.15 – Prince Geroge @ The Generator
10.16 – Vancouver, BC @ Commodore with Gwar and Battlecross
+ More dates coming soon
US cult Power Metal perennials Sacred Oath have just posted a new music video for “Taken” – the first single from their brand new album “Ravensong” – on YouTube. View it with the link or watch it below:
The band members all live in Connecticut, a state where graveyards can be found on just about every street corner, so it’s no surprise that the new music video for “Taken” was shot on an abandoned island in Bridgeport with a cast of creatures from the “other side.” We’re talking Zombies here, nasty ones and they apparently heed the whims of their siren mistress (played by tattoo model/Instagram starling Leah Jung). Jung lures the band to her isle of the damned where they are condemned to play their classic, hard-hitting Metal style for her and her legions – eternally.
“What’s cool is that this video is really a return for us to how the band got started,” says Sacred Oath singer Rob Thorne. “Back in ’85 we would have our bass player crawling out of a coffin drenched in blood to deliver (the band’s signature anthem) “Rising From the Grave” at our live shows and the kids loved it! It’s cool to be back in a horror vibe with the “Taken” video, especially with an album that we’re so excited about.”
Thorne was approached by a former guitar student of his, Jordan Elizabeth Gelber, back in April about producing the video. Her company Starbaby Enterprises in New York was looking for a short film project and it seemed like a great way for both Starbaby and the band to benefit.
“Jordan became a good friend over the years and I always trusted that she had a good sense of what Sacred Oath was all about. It was a no-brainer to bring her on for this video. She’s incredibly ambitious.”
“Ravensong” is the band’s seventh studio album and was released this past Friday September 18th by Angel Thorne Music/Caroline/Universal. “Taken” also premiered this past Friday on the popular Heavy Metal website Bravewords.com.
PURPLE SET FOR DEC. 18th RELEASE; PRE-ORDER BUNDLES AVAILABLE NOW
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PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 24, 2015 – Baroness, who recently announced the release of their fourth album, Purple (Dec. 18, Abraxan Hymns), launch their first U.S. tour in support of the ten-song album with a round of intimate performances beginning Nov. 27 at the Ace of Cups in Columbus, Ohio.
“We’ve been off tour for too long,” said John Baizley. “It’s time for Baroness to start playing shows in the U.S. again. We’re doing a short run through the eastern half of the States, in small clubs, getting our new songs stage ready for 2016. Who knows, maybe we’ll even throw in a few songs from the very early EPs and albums. See you soon…”
In conjunction with the tour announcement, the band have unveiled the official music video for “Chlorine & Wine” via their website (www.yourbaroness.com). The clip, which was directed by Jimmy Hubbard, gives fans a raw, behind-the-scenes peek into the making of the song, including footage of Baroness writing and rehearsing the track as well as recording at producer Dave Fridmann’s Tarbox Road Studios.
A European outing kicked off the band’s live dates in support of Purple, with slots at both the Reading and Leeds Festivals, saw the first live performance of “Chlorine & Wine.” Baroness also joined Metallica for the Sept. 16 opening at the Centre Videotron in Quebec.
November 27 Columbus, OH Ace of Cups
November 28 Chicago, IL Beat Kitchen
November 29 Madison, WI Frequency
December 1 St. Louis, MO The Demo
December 2 Lawrence, KS Jackpot Music Hall
December 4 Oklahoma City, OK 89th Street Collective
December 5 Dallas, TX Double Wide
December 6 Austin, TX Mohawk
December 8 Houston, TX Rudyard’s
December 9 New Orleans, LA Gasa Gasa
December 11 Gainesville, FL 8-BIT Bar
December 12 Savannah, GA The Jinx
December 13 Atlanta, GA The Earl
December 15 Chapel Hill, NC Local 506
December 16 Richmond, VA Strange Matter
December 18 Baltimore, MD Metro Gallery
December 19 Philadelphia, PA Johnny Brenda’s
December 20 Brooklyn, NY Saint Vitus Bar
Pre-order packages for Purple, which feature an instant download of “Chlorine & Wine” as well as a limited edition colored vinyl version of the new album, two picture discs, t-shirts and other unique items are available now via this link: http://smarturl.it/dpurple.
Yellow & Green landed atop most 2012 year-end lists with Entertainment Weekly awarding the release the #1 spot on their best Metal albums round-up and saying “’Take My Bones Away’ hit harder and popped sharper than anything on rock radio in a decade. The double album was similarly lauded by Decibel (#2), Pitchfork (#3), Revolver (#4), Village Voice (#6), Spin (#6) and the BBC (#13).
Baroness is John Baizley (guitar, vocals), Pete Adams (guitar, vocals), Nick Jost (bass, keyboards) and Sebastian Thomson (drums).
Iced Earth Fans, Iced Earth is in the process of setting up a new headquarters for all things concerning the band, including a new studio for future recordings. Jon Schaffer has decided to sell some guitars from his massive collection to help finance the new project.
Schaffer states, “I’m selling a few guitars that have been on various recordings as well as some that were bought for my personal collection. We need to raise a large amount of money to complete the vision of our new headquarters, and begin this new chapter in the bands march to independence, to thrive in the ever-changing music business. There are some pretty killer guitars in the collection, so I urge die-hard fans, and guitar collectors alike, to go to Carter Vintage Guitars and see what’s there.” Those interested can follow the link below.
The SCORPIONS continue to celebrate their 50th year in Rock with a special national screening event of their first theatrical release, the documentary film, Forever And A Day, beginning Wednesday, October 14th.
Brazilian Extremists NERVOCHAOS are set to bring their devastating brand of old-school Death/Thrash to the U.S. for The Art Of Vengeance Tour. NERVOCHAOS will be playing alongside Black/Death Metal veterans INSATANITY for the three-week trek that kicks off October 16th at Fubar in St. Petersburg, Florida. Confirmed dates as follows:
The Art Of Vengeance Tour w/ NERVOCHAOS & INSATANITY:
10/16 St Petersburg, FL @ Fubar
10/18 Birmingham, AL @ Syndicate Lounge
10/19 Atlanta, GA @ 529
10/20 Raleigh, NC @ The Maywood
10/21 Richmond, VA @ Strange Matter
10/23 Queens, NY @ Gussy’s Astoria
10/24 Philadelphia, PA @ 3rd & Girard
10/26 Chicago, IL @ Reggie’s
10/27 Minneapolis, MN @ Hexagon Bar
10/28 Omaha, NE @ Lookout Lounge
10/29 Denver, CO @ 7th Circle
10/30 Salt Lake City, UT @ The Dawg Pound
10/31 Oakland, CA @ The Stork Club
11/01 Long Beach, CA @ Blacklight District
11/03 Tempe, AZ @ Yucca Tap Room
11/04 El Paso, TX @ Mesa Music Hall
11/06 San Antonio, TX @ Bonds 007
11/07 Houston, TX @ The White Swan
11/08 Dallas, TX @ Reno’s Chop Chop
11/09 Shreveport, LA @ Tiki Bar
NERVOCHAOS released The Art of Vengeance last year on Greyhaze Records. The band’s most varied and devastating release to date, The Art of Vengeance blends elements of traditional death, bone crushing doom, punk and thrash for results that are both destructive and addicting. The official music video for album track “For Passion Not Fashion” is now playing at this location or below:
Fed-up with the entire trend flooding the scene, NERVOCHAOS was formed in mid-1996, with the idea of creating an aggressive and chaotic music shredding the barriers of Death Metal and Hardcore. The band gained cult status in the extreme music scene due to their hard work over the past years, offering a sonic extravaganza in their unique way. Their demo-tapes have become collector’s items in the underground, supporting their regular releases.
The band is not afraid of touring or performing live. They did many tours around Europe, South America; and shared the stage with several acts such as VENOM, POSSESSED, CANNIBAL CORPSE, KREATOR, BIOHAZARD, AGNOSTIC FRONT, CARCASS, NAPALM DEATH, DISMEMBER, D.R.I., MAYHEM, THE EXPLOITED and many more to list.
After 18 years of churning out some of the most furious and vehement metal the South American underground has experienced, NERVOCHAOS is back with The Art of Vengeance; the band’s sixth studio album.
Critical Praise:
“Old school death metal and thrash from Brazil, where you’ll still get your ass kicked sideways for being a poseur.” – Decibel
“Brazilian Death Metal Kings” 10/10 – Metal-Temple
“Music that will make you dive into the pit and headbang until you drop” – Two Guys Metal Review
“A bounty of varied influences that blend into their sound, moving from the thrashy bits towards some Floridian influences to some mid-tempo grooviness and even a hint of doom on occasion.” – Dead Rhetoric
On September 22nd, 1973 – SWEET hits #2 on the UK charts with their gigantic hit single: TheBallroom Blitz.
On September 22nd, 1984 – TWISTED SISTER had their enormous hit single, We’re Not Gonna Take It, ranked at #21, on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart. Jumping jelly fish!
On September 22nd, 2013 – The stupendous IRON MAIDEN headlined Rock In Rio at Cidade do Rock in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This was also a stop on IRON MAIDEN’s Maiden England Tour. Hail IRON MAIDEN!!
On September 22nd, 2015 – The newly released SLAYER studio album, Repentless, is debuting at #4, on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart. Whoa and freaking long live SLAYER!!
On September 22nd, 2015 – The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Freedom: Atlanta Pop Festival (Live) is ranked at #10, on the Billboard Top Hard Rock Albums Chart. This live album was released on August 28th, 2015.
DAVID COVERDALE
On September 22nd, 1951, David Coverdale was born in the UK. As the founding member and vocalist for Whitesnake, David Coverdale is also a former member of Deep Purple. I can go on and write another 7,000 words or more on this top-tier Hard Rock legend known as David Coverdale. You get the Metal picture? ‘Nuff said.
More info on David Coverdale & Whitesnake: http://www.whitesnake.com
Shown above, top to bottom: Fireworks Magazine – (issue #70, June 2015) – “The Purple Tour” flyer from 2015 and “Is This Love” 45rpm cover sleeve from 1987.
After Celtic Frost, Samael…check out Undead Vision now!
Their first EP will be available in Autumn 2015.Undead Vision is a Metal band from Switzerland. We are four musicians from Freiburg: Didier to voice and guitar, Casou on guitar, Jay on bass and Yoann drums. Rocked by the old-school Metal and new Metal generation, we mix the styles to produce our sound old-school Thrash Death.
UNDEAD VISION band from Switzerland will be presented for the second time in IMPERATIVE MUSIC COMPILATION CD, Volume 11!
This time UNDEAD VISION is more mature, skilled and awesome!!
Été 2014, la chanson Undead Vision est sélectionnée pour figurer sur la Compilation international promotion vol.7 by Imperative Music Gilson Management http://www.imperative-music.com/
Death/Black Metal heathens Kult Mogił (translation: Sepulchral Cult) are the newest band to dwell in the sounds of the netherworld. Their potential has led to their recognition and signing of a record deal with Poland’s legendary Pagan Records.
The band was established in October 2014 in Tarnów, Poland. In April 2015 they released Demo 2015, which will soon be released on tape via Gravplass Propaganda. The band is currently recording their debut full-length album entitled Anxiety Never Descending, which will be released under the banner of Pagan Records. More information regarding the release to follow soon.
Kult Mogił are the latest band you need to watch out for. Their sounds will appeal to fans of bands like Bölzer, Cruciamentum, Necros Christos, Doombringer or Cultes Des Ghoules. Listen to Kult Mogił’s Demo 2015 via Bandcamp. Check them out online on their official website.
On September 21st, 1990 – The super incredible IRON MAIDEN performed at The Apollo in Oxford, England. This was IRON MAIDEN’s No Prayer On The Road Tour, promoting their eighth studio album: No Prayer For The Dying.Shown above is the 1990/91 UK tour program.
On September 21st, 1991 – RUSH had their 14th studio album, Roll The Bones, ranked at #3 on the U.S. Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart. Whiz-bang!
On September 21st, 2007 – The motion picture Resident Evil: Extinctionwas released to wide-screen theaters, via Sony Pictures. In my Metal opinion, the Resident Evil movie franchise is… Metal. This third chapter of Resident Evil was directed by Russell Mulcahy, with the lead star (heroine) being the super talented: Milla Jovovich. Resident Evil had the zombies way before the zombie craze. Metal Be Thy Name.
On September 21st, 2015 – The newly released studio album, To Those Left Behind, from Arizona’s BLESS THE FALL is ranked #1, on the iTunes Top 100 Heavy Metal Albums Chart.
On September 21st, 2015 – Chicago’s BORN OF OSIRIS have their forthcoming studio album, Soul Sphere, ranked at #22 on the iTunes Top 100 Heavy Metal Albums Chart. Whoa!
California Metal behemoths, SAVIOURS, will embark upon a North American Fall tour supporting Corrosion Of Conformity and Brant Bjork And The Low Desert Punk Band. The trek will commence on November 16th and run through December 10th with additional support provided by Mothership. Tickets go on sale Friday, September 18th at all local ticket outlets.
The tour follows SAVIOURS‘ impending performance at the Day Of The Shred Festival in Santa Ana, California and comes in conjunction with their long-awaited new full-length, Palace Of Vision, set to detonate via Listenable Records next month. Captured at Type Foundry in Portland, Oregon with the inimitable Billy Anderson (Neurosis, Brothers Of The Sonic Cloth, Eyehategod, Taurus, Ommadon etc.), Palace Of Vision thrusts forth nine tracks of SAVIOURS‘ signature brand of towering riffs, colossal rhythms, infectious guitar harmonies and an obsession with the end of times, the occult, psychedelics and the arcane.
Sample first single, “Burning Shrine,” still streaming at Cvlt Nation at THIS LOCATION
SAVIOURS:
11/1/2015 Day Of The Shred Festival @ The Observatory – Santa Ana, CA
w/ Corrosion Of Conformity, Brant Bjork And The Low Desert Punk Band, Mothership:
11/16/2015 Pub Rock – Scottsdale, AZ
11/17/2015 Teragram Ballroom – Los Angeles, CA
11/18/2015 Slim’s – San Francisco, CA
11/20/2015 Venue Nightclub – Vancouver, BC
11/21/2015 Neumo’s – Seattle, WA
11/23/2015 The Summit Music Hall – Denver, CO
11/24/2015 The Riot Room – Kansas City, MO
11/25/2015 Mill City Nights – Minneapolis, MN
11/28/2015 The Odeon – Cleveland, OH
11/29/2015 Underground Arts – Philadelphia, PA
12/01/2015 Opera House – Toronto, ON
12/03/2015 Altar Bar – Pittsburgh, PA
12/07/2015 9:30 Club – Washington, DC
12/09/2015 Shaka’s Live – Virginia Beach, VA
12/10/2015 Lincoln Theatre – Raleigh, NC
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Since the 2005 release of their debut EP, Warship, SAVIOURS has worked relentlessly, touring North America, Europe, and Japan with the likes of Mastodon, Corrosion Of Conformity, The Sword, High On Fire, Saint Vitus and Clutch. SAVIOURS has risen to become stalwarts of the world’s metal scene, ambassadors of an aggressive-yet-stoned West Coast vibe, inspired by the ’70s but totally real and relevant in 2015. Rooted in hardcore punk but preferring to cruise in outer space, the lysergic of SAVIOURS hessians have always brought a ton of swing and swagger to their forward-charging heavy metal.
Palace Of Vision will be released via Listenable Records on October 30th, 2015 with preorders to be unveiled in the coming days.
“Cult heaviness…” – Spin
“A dual-guitar riff-fest inspired by NWOBHM and ’70s proto-doom.” – Revolver
After a few months in his home studio in Armstrong, BC, Chris Shaver has produced the debut full-length VHOD album, ‘Dreamcleaver’. Chris mans the helm alone, performing all the instruments and vocals and this album showcases snippets of unused material spanning many years as well as brand new material. The release is a fair representation of VHOD’s Experimental Death Metal angle and will cement a milestone for Chris in his quarter-of-a-century musical journey thus far.
VHOD was conceived in January 2014 and is a merger of Godcursed (2004-2014), Morbid Darkness (1989-2014) and Worms Of The Birth (2011-2014), which were all active projects of sole member Chris Shaver at the time. Early VHOD releases exhibited sporadic styles and were mostly instrumental pieces used as a basis for finding a more focussed signature sound. Said releases consist of 3 singles, ‘The Scornful Winter’, ‘One Fallen’ & ‘Cimmeria’ and an EP, ‘Dreams Of 11.14′, respectively, all released independently.
In December of 2014, work began on the ‘Tor’ Series, which consists of 4 parts: ‘Behind The Shroud Of Mist’, ‘Wrap Three Times’, ‘Portal’ and ‘The Desolates’, respectively. In these independent releases an evident foundation was made with which future VHOD recordings will branch out from. Dreamcleaver is set for release November 13th 2015 on Finnish label INVERSE RECORDS.
On September 16th, 1978 – BOSTON reached #1 the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart for the first time with their second studio album: Don’t Look Back. This great album spent two non-consecutive weeks on top of this chart. If you don’t own this album, you are most likely a card-carrying member of the StaleHead Cheese Lovers Society.
On this day in KISSTORY– September 16, 1985 – KISS released their platinum studio album ASYLUM. That was 30 years ago! Oh, no, tears are falling!!
On September 16th, 2015 – The newly released SLAYER studio album, Repentless, is ranked #1, on the iTunes Top 100 Heavy Metal Albums Chart. Whoa!
On September 16th, 2015 – The debut studio album, Show No Mercy, from SLAYER is ranked at #98, on the iTunes Top 100 Heavy Metal Albums Chart. Whoa, again! This album was released back in 1983, via Metal Blade Records.
On September 16th, 2015 – The newly released studio album, Got Your Six, from FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH is ranked at #2, on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart. Hell and freaking yeah!
On September 16th, 2015 – UNCLE ACID & THE DEADBEATS have their newly released studio album, The Night Creeper, debuting at #189, on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart. Jumping Jiminy! This band and album ROCKS.
Unspeakable Axe Records has released a two-song split CD from CIST and SOLSTICE. Check out the promo trailer at this location or below. Pre-orders are being taken here.
Relative newcomers, CIST hail from Russia, and their Death/Pestilence-influenced style of Death Metal makes a natural pairing with underground legends SOLSTICE, whose early albums are classics of Death/Thrash metal. This is just a 2-song split to serve as an appetizer for things to come from both bands, and it’s priced accordingly at a measly $5!
2 Song Track List:
1. Synthetic Life [Cist]
2. Eyes Sewn Shut [Solstice]
Italian Progressive Occult Metal visionaries, VOID OF SLEEP, will release their sophomore full-length next month via Aural Music. Titled, New World Order, the seven track concept album and follow-up to 2013’s acclaimed Tales Between Reality And Madness long player was captured by bassist Riccardo Pasini (Ephel Duath, The Secret) at Studio73 in Ravenna, Italy and mastered by Collin Jordan (Eyehategod, Indian, Wovenhand, Voivod etc.) at The Boiler Room in Chicago, Illinois.
“New World Order represents to us a new culmination of our sound,” issues of the band of their latest compositions. “Now more than ever you can call it visionary, sludgy and progressive. It’s an occult, esoteric and wicked metaphor to the modern society as we consider it: with no positive expectations of the future of this world. This album embraces the concept of evil in its purest form. Since the beginning, man has been doomed to consume and enslave and destroy his own kind in an absurd discord to the final extinction.”
New World Order comes shrouded in the arcane cover creation of Simone Bertozzi who relays of the work, “while doing it I experienced the breath of Lucifer on my back, the Illuminati around the corner and reptilians getting ready for my abduction. Coincidence? I think not.”
New World Order – Track Listing:
1. The Devil’s Conjuration
2. Hidden Revelations
3. Slaves Shall Serve
4. Ordo Ab Chao
5. Lords Of Conspiracy
6. New World Order
7. Ending Theme (l. Mourn ll. Triumphant lll. Void)
Forged in Ravenna, Italy, VOID OF SLEEP – guitarist Gale, vocalist/guitarist Burdo, drummer Allo and bassist Paso – conjure a cosmic amalgam of stoned out, progressive sludge rock where epic rhythms melt into bottom heavy doom breakdowns, complex time signatures and psychedelia.
Following a three-song promo EP, Giants & Killers, which garnered the attention of Italian imprint, Aural Music, the band released their full-length debut, Tales Between Reality And Madness. Crowned, “adventurous, intelligent and refreshingly addictive,” by Teeth Of The Divine and an “underground gem worth discovering,” by Metal Underground, the record proved wholly engrossing both sonically and thematically with lyrics exploring the darkest corners of the human psyche, oneiric visions and lysergic nightmares. With New World Order, VOID OF SLEEP continues their multi-faceted, audio journey towards oblivion.
VOID OF SLEEP‘s New World Order will be available via Aural Music on CD in Europe on October 16th and in North America on November 13th. The record will be available digitally worldwide on October 19th, with vinyl available in the New Year. Preorders to be available soon.
Having laid low since the end of 2014, Northern Irish Death Metallers Rex Shachath have suddenly announced their return and are back for blood with a brand new record which will be out November 20th via Great Dane Records.
Entitled Revocation Of The Blood Elect, this new EP might not be what people are expecting if they’re familiar with the band’s debut offering Sepulchral Torment. Since that release, the band have had time to coalesce and where Sepulchral Torment had more of a ‘old school’ sound, Revocation Of The Blood Elect is an entirely new animal. Tackling social issues such as the state of modern society and man’s exorbitant desire for wealth at the expense of our natural world, the band have harnessed a sound more befitting to such issues on their forthcoming record.
Old school ideals kneaded with modern Death Metal notions on a much more up to date and punchier production is what we have here. Revocation Of The Blood Elect carries a sound as big, if not bigger, than its message.
Vocalist and lyricist Dave Connolly sums the record up with a quote from French philosopher Denis Diderot, “Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest.”
Artwork (as seen above), was completed by UK artist Godmachine famed for his work with bands such as Suicide Silence, Bring Me The Horizon, Cannibal Corpse and Job For A Cowboy to name a few. The EP was recorded, mixed and mastered by Joe Thompson at Sonic Forge Studio, Cardiff, Wales.
Track Listing:
1. Atonement Through Atrocity
2. Impious Axiom
3. Revocation Of The Blood Elect
4. Within The Temple Of Disgust (Featuring Ben McCrow)
5. Colossus Rise
Through the verbose horror of their first two LPs (2011’s Carnal Law and 2013’s Patricidal Lust) San Francisco’s VASTUM sadistically carved a jagged dripping wound into an increasingly reductive American Death Metal scene. One of the most lyrically unique, creative and disturbing bands in underground Metal, now arising for their third full length album, VASTUM plumbs the depths of internalized agony and degradation farther than ever on Hole Below.
Characterized by a deeply cavernous trudge through gut churning heaviness, Hole Below both bluntly crushes and rigorously shreds to conceive fully formed grotesqueries of debased brutality. Guitarist Leila Abdul-Rauf wields her axe with the experienced slice of a masked executioner, quartering savage riffs and twisting leads alongside the thunder of guitarist Shelby Lermo. The abhorrent vocal (and lyrical) morbidity traded by imposing frontman Daniel Butler and Abdul-Rauf continues to be the most formidable combination in Death Metal. The intimidating rhythm section of bassist Luca Indrio and drummer Adam Perry steer the war machine through the pooled blood and skull fragments scattered amidst the debauched iniquity of this peculiar hell.
Three albums in, VASTUM has honed their disturbed masochism into a sound manifestly their own and true to the core of the purest darkest Death Metal. Crushingly recordead at Earhammer Studios in Oakland and mastered at Audiosiege by Brad Boatright, the art for Hole Below was created by vocalist Daniel Butler. 20 Buck Spin (also responsible for the release of the band’s prior two albums) presents Hole Below as one of the finest and best executed examples of the genre this year.
Hole Below will emerge on CD and digital formats on November 6th, with the LP to follow in December. Fans of Bolt Thrower, Grave, Death, Asphyx, Shroud Of The Heretic, Cruciamentum and the like are hereby on notice.
VASTUM will strike with new tour dates in support of Hole Below, including the band’s debut East Coast performances which are being slabbed for early November. Stand by for tour specifics in the coming days.
Hole Below – Track Listing:
1. Sodomitic Malevolence
2. Amniosis
3. In Sickness And In Death
4. Intrusions
5. Hole Below (A Dream Of Ritual Abuse)
6. Empty Breast
Iron Maiden will head to South Africa in May 2016, for two shows:
May 18 in Cape Town at the Grand Arena
May 21 at the Johannesburg Carnival City Festival Lawns
Tickets go on-sale on Thursday 17 September at 9am from bigconcerts.co.za or Computicket. Ticket prices range from R510 – R905 in Cape Town and R620 – R905 in Johannesburg.
There will be an exclusive pre-sale for IRON MAIDEN Fan Club members on TUESDAY, details can be found on our website.
Ed Force One heads down under in 2016 for The Book Of Souls World tour:
CHRISTCHURCH – April 29th – Horncastle Arena
AUCKLAND – May 1st – Vector Arena
BRISBANE – May 4th – Brisbane Entertainment Centre
SYDNEY – May 6th – Allphones Arena
MELBOURNE – May 9th – Rod Laver Arena
ADELAIDE – May 12th – Adelaide Entertainment Centre
PERTH – May 14th – Perth Arena
Fanclub presales start on Thursday 17th, with tickets going on sale to the general public at noon on Thursday 24th September.
If you’re a band or musician and would like your music reviewed or be interviewed by Stone, please click the link under the “ALBUM REVIEWS ARCHIVES” section below!
Metal Odyssey's Rock, Hard Rock and Heavy Metal Hall of Fame! These Are The Rock And METAL Legends Wrongfully Ignored By "The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame"
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