NEWS: Iron Fire

NEWS:

Iron Fire

Among the Dead

Crime Records

Release: 16 September 2016

The long-running metal band Iron Fire (Denmark) is preparing a return to action. They started as power metal, but nowadays, like on this new album, they have arrived at a more muscular, heavier, chugging form of modern metal; there's heavy metal in there, but there's a feeling that they have been listening to what's happening in extreme metal, and they are closer to a modern heavy/thrash band, and the vocals have also gotten rougher and grittier. Regardless of stylistic changes, the band's skill for songwriting is the most important feature and the songs are meant to stick to the listener quickly. It's a pounding, heavy form of songs and the band has taken itself out of the strict category of power metal and has moved into a broader range of modern appeal. This album will not be published for a little while, but at the link below you can hear a preview of what's going on. Actually, it's a very decent preview that is more than 11 minutes long, and it gives the audiences a good idea of the various places to which the album is headed. The preview is a good representation of the 12 songs that have been made available to this publication.

OFFICIAL: Want to Headbang like it’s 1999!? Then IRON FIRE's Among the Dead should be your obvious choice. The new offering from IRON FIRE is as old school as it gets 16 years into the millennium. The 90s spawned a lot of power metal classics, and Among the Dead is made in the spirit of those. Albums like Black in Mind (Rage), The Dark Saga (Iced Earth) and Better Than Raw (Helloween) were all blueprints for the making of Among the Dead. Recorded in Death Island Studio with engineer Marco Angioni and Mixed in Poland's Hertz Studios, heaviness is guaranteed, along with melodic hooks, blistering guitars and pounding power metal drumming. This is no-bullshit metal from the heart, made by Denmarks finest power metal band!

Among The Dead:CD/LP/Cassette

1) Intro (The Lost City)(Only CD/Casette feat.)

2) Among the Dead

3) Hammer of the Gods

4) Tornado of Sickness

5) Higher Ground

6) Iron Eagle

7) Made to Suffer

8) The Last Survivor

9) No Sign of Life

10) Ghost from the Past

11) When the Lights go out

12) For whom the Bell Tolls (Bonus track, only CD/Cassette feat.)

Recorded at: Dead Island Studio (Denmark)By: Marco Angioni

Mixed and Mastered at: Hertz Studio (Poland)By: Wojtek & Slawek

OFFICIAL: Band mastermind Martin Steene lived through quite a few ups and downs during his long musical career. A rosy beginning greeted the young formation as IRON FIRE partnered with cult producer Tommy Hansen (Helloween, Pretty Maids, Illdisposed) to churn out the band’s debut “Thunderstorm”. The critics raved and the word out on the street was all about IRON FIRE’s promising career. But the higher one soars, the harder one falls, or at least in this case...

One year later, in 2001, the same magazines that praised IRON FIRE turned their backs on the power metal ensemble’s follow-up “On the Edge”. Even the band’s own label seemed disinterested, but things would become worse, before they became better.

Following an amazing concert in Hamburg, Germany, the planned release party fell through and the label announced that they would not be releasing IRON FIRE’s third offering. As for the icing on the cake: The band’s vehicle was towed that evening.

Struck down repeatedly by ill fate, it was only a matter of time before the line-up began to crumble. In the end, the last man standing was none other than a very disappointed Martin Steene, who had no choice but to accept defeat, but began gathering strength to execute his vengeful and conquering comeback.

With “Revenge” (a fitting title in view of the band’s past experiences), Steene projects IRON FIRE’s history into the fantastic world of the warrior Cain, who once double-crossed by his closest friends and allies and now revived by magical forces, takes revenge upon his betrayers. “Revenge” is an epic tale á la “Conan the Barbarian”, told by a band, who obviously knows how to fight back.

With the help of this highly acclaimed third album and the support of a new label, NAPALM RECORDS, Steene and Co. took revenge on all those who doubted the strength of their power metal crusade.

While IRON FIRE never questioned their love of working with metal “clichés”, the success of “Revenge” showed they were on the right track. The resonance from fans and press was overwhelming and Steen and Co. proved to them and all followers of true heavy metal that the band was far from defeat.

After touring with the legendary DEMON, IRON FIRE, now a tight band of brothers united by a sacred vow of faith in Metal, soon began to write new material for their next offering, “Blade of Triumph”.

By teaming up with Frederik Nordström, one of Europe’s most revered producers, the band achieved an immaculate sound, while still delivering heroic power metal complete with heavy guitars, majestic melodies, and in-your-face drumming that paved the way for the unmistakable and charismatic vocals of frontman Martin Steene. This steam hammer of traditional metal albums was sure to appease the youth of steel. And so it did!

In order to take “Blade of Triumph“ on the road, the band embarked on a European Tour in support of U.D.O. and Primal Fear. One of the tour’s highlights was the Christmas Festival in Germany when Iron Fire performed along Saxon, WASP, and Doro.

However, the band did not rest on its laurels and the members focused on writing new material for the upcoming album, which took a darker turn with faster songs and gloomy lyrics. Tommy Hansen’s production efforts also added a rougher and rawer edge to the album’s sound.

“To the Grave” became a celebration for warriors of steel worldwide, who quickly embraced the album. Shortly after the release, the band played selected live gigs and soon began work on their next musical chapter, which was released in October 2010. The album “Metalmorphosized” marked the 10th anniversary of the band and proved to be a power metal opus par excellence!

Martin Steene and his fellow combatants understand how to forge the outstanding power metal seldom heard today. With their latest album "Voyage of the Damned", the Danes deliver metal to the absolute limit. This new collection of songs spills over with genuine riffs, heavy drums, and appealing melodies. The foundation of Iron Fire's unmistakable sound is the tight rhythm section, Martin Steene's vocals, and the many heroic leads. Together they create the new anthems to Iron Fire's tireless power metal crusade. With every note, "Voyage of the Damned" releases the band's fighting spirit and conviction and follows an uncompromising path.

www.facebook.com/ironfiredk

Seattle area concert calendar

Seattle area concert calendar by Metal Bulletin Zine (Washington state). If you know of other metal concerts in the area, please get in contact with Metal Bulletin Zine here, on Facebook and Twitter.

July 16 Holy Grail, Spellcaster, Exmortus at Highline, Seattle, WA

July 16 Washington Deathfest at The Charleston, Bremerton, WA: Funeral Age, Sarcalogos, Primordial Atrocity, Dead Nexus, A Flourishing Scourge, Species Splicer,

July 17 Ne Obliviscaris, Black Crown Initiate, Starkill at The Shakedown, Bellingham, WA

July 18 Ne Obliviscaris, Black Crown Initiate, Starkill at The Crocodile, Seattle, WA

July 19 Inter Arma, Withered at Barboza, Seattle, WA

July 20 Anthrocene, Oxygen Destroyer at Funhouse, Seattle, WA

July 21 Arkaik, Vale Of Pnath, Singularity, Devils of Loudun, Odyssian at Studio Seven, Seattle, WA

July 22 Castle, Disenchanter, Year of the Cobra at Funhouse, Seattle, WA

July 22 Undergang, Spectral Voice, Temple of Abandonment, Of Corpse, Cerebral Rot at Highline, Seattle, WA

July 25: Atriarch, Sabbath Assembly, Eye of Nix, Nox Velum at Highline, Seattle, WA

July 28 Riot V at Studio Seven, Seattle, WA

July 28 Inquisition, UADA, Hissing, Sacrament ov Impurity, guests at Wild Buffalo, Bellingham, WA

July 29 Inquisition, UADA, Necrosomnium, Sacrament ov Impurity, Guests at Studio Seven, Seattle, WA

August 5 Come To Grief, Bell Witch, Hissing, Dilapidation at Highline, Seattle, WA

August 8 Summer Slaughter: Cannibal Corpse, Nile, After the Burial, Suffocation, Carnifex, Revocation, Krisiun, Ingested and more at Showbox SODO, Seattle, WA

August 8 WRVTH at The Pin, Spokane, WA

August 12-14 Migration Festival at the Capitol Theater in downtown Olympia, WA: Alaric, Auroch, The Body and Krieg collaborative performance, Christian Mistress, Dead to a Dying World, False, Fórn, Full of Hell, Hell (U.S.), Khemmis, Kowloon Walled City, Krallice, Magic Circle, Mizmor, Mournful Congregation, Mutilation Rites, Nightfell, Obsequiae, Pale Chalice, Panopticon, Thou, Vastum, Vhol, Yellow Eyes

August 16 Krallice, Pale Chalice, Addaura, A God or an Other at Highline, Seattle, WA

August 19 The Dread Crew of Oddwood at Funhouse, Seattle, WA

August 20 The Dread Crew of Oddwood at WMRF, Bonney Lake, WA

August 20 Lord Dying, Child Bite, Joel Grind at Highline, Seattle, WA

August 21 The Dread Crew of Oddwood at WMRF, Bonney Lake, WA

August 21 Neid, Genocide Method, Truth Decay, Darkmysticwoods at Highline, Seattle, WA

August 21 Anthrax, White River Amphitheater, Auburn, WA

August 22 Master, Sacrificial Slaughter, The Black Order, VX36, Xoth at Substation, Seattle, WA

August 22 Belphegor, Origin, Shining, Abigail Williams, Ashen Pyre guests at Studio Seven, Seattle, WA

August 24 Sammy Hagar at The Tulip Amphitheatre, Tulalip, WA

August 28 The Devils Of Loudun, A Sense Of Gravity, A World Without, Children Of Seraph, Thieves of Eden, Vesuvian at El Corazon, Seattle, WA

September 1 Cobalt, Mantar, Into the Storm at Highline, Seattle, WA

September 5 Volbeat, Killswitch Engage, Black Wizard at WAMU Theater, Seattle, WA

September 13 Black Nights Rising at Studio Seven, Seattle, WA

September 16 Marduk, Rotting Christ, Carach Angren, Necronomicon, Funeral Age, Inquinok at Studio Seven, Seattle, WA

September 30 Kataklysm, Deathmocracy, A Flourishing Scourge at Studio Seven, Seattle, WA

October 1 Def Leppard at Tacoma Dome, Tacoma, WA

October 6 Discharge, Eyehategod, Toxic Holocaust, Oxygen Destroyer, Disciples of Dissent at Studio Seven, Seattle, WA

October 11 Gojira, Tesseract at Showbox SoDo, Seattle, WA

October 12 Brujería, Cattle Decapitation, Piñata Protest at Studio Seven, Seattle, WA

October 14 Between the Buried and Me, Devin Townsend Project, Fallujah at Studio Seven, Seattle, WA

October 15 Saint Vitus, The Skull, Witch Mountain at El Corazón, Seattle, WA

October 15 Skeletonwitch, Iron Reagan, Oathbreaker, Gatecreeper at Highline, Seattle, WA

October 25 Opeth at The Moore Theater, Seattle, WA

October 29 Himsa at El Corazón, Seattle, WA

November 5 Ulcerate, Zhrine, Phobocosm at Highline, Seattle, WA

November 15 Armored Saint, Queensrÿche, Midnight Eternal at Showbox at the Market, Seattle, WA

November 16 Epica, FleshGod Apocalypse, Arkona, The Agonist, Xandria at Studio Seven, Seattle, WA

November 26 Dark Tranquillity, Swallow the Sun, Enforcer, Star Kill at El Corazón, Seattle, WA

November 29 Sonata Arctica, Leaves’ Eyes, Omnium Gatherum at El Corazón, Seattle, WA

January 18 Udo Dirkschneider "Back To The Roots - Farewell To Accept" at El Corazón, Seattle, WA

January 28 Blue Öyster Cult at Historic Everett Theatre, Everett, WA

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interview with Acracy (U.S.)

Acracy, a progressive metal band from Chicago, U.S., points out that the term "acracy" means, “in political philosophy, the negation of rule or government. A society with the absence of coercion; one of voluntary order.” In accordance with that principle, they say that "This is the very idea behind the recently formed metal band to hail from the Chicagoland area: one that writes and performs music without boundaries, without the standard rules of order, and without the impetus to follow the stylistic trends of popular music."

The band is:

Juan Cardenas: drums/percussion

Isaac Traylor: bass

Albert Rybka: vocals

Clint Davis: guitar/backing vocals

They are currently working on their debut album, so this is a new band, but these are experienced musicians who have in their résumés prog and heavy/power metal bands like Abolisher, Bavmorda and Katagory V, amongst other groups. This publication will be covering more on this band in the future, but in the meantime let's begin with this introductory interview. In addition, at the end of the interview you will find the link to the teaser video that they have published. This is all that there is for now, but there will be more in the coming months. Actually, they have some exciting shows coming up. Read on and find out! The band’s guitarist Clint Davis answered the questions.

Greetings! How is the metal life in Chicago for Acracy? You all live in Chicago, correct?

Greetings to you, too! The metal life in our area isn't too bad. I personally consider ourselves lucky be able to live and work as a band in our particular area. One of the advantages to being a performing artist in a larger city with many surrounding suburbs is that there are always plenty of different venues to play shows at. In turn, there are always opportunities to expose your music to newer crowds that may have never of heard of you before. It's also very nice to have so many different metal bands come through town on a regular basis. We were actually fortunate enough to be able to open up for Primal Fear for our very first show. So, yes, the metal life here is pretty good for bands and fans alike. To answer your second question, the members of Acracy all live within the Chicagoland area, but not in the actual city of Chicago. However in the past we have all lived in Chicago, with the exception of our bassist Isaac who is an Ohio native. We all still have family in the city so we'll always consider Chicago our home.

What is the history of your band?

Back in mid 2013 Juan, Albert and I decided to come together and form a new band. At the time I was already working with each of them separately in different projects. Both of which were lacking band members. We all loved what each other was doing as stand alone musicians and the work we each did in our previous bands so it made sense for us to unite as one group. We used the bits and pieces of material that was being created in both projects and got to work on writing a few tunes.

Throughout the remainder of 2013 and early 2014 we put a lot of effort into tightening up our sound and searching for members to complete our lineup. In May of 2014 we made our live debut as one of the opening support acts for Primal Fear for their Chicago stop of that tour. The show went over very well and it seemed that we were on solid ground. Unfortunately, despite our efforts to keep things stable we went through a couple of lineup changes over the following months. We'd made plans to start writing new music for an album right after a show we'd booked in January of 2015. Little did we know that there was another pitfall ahead. Soon after we started rehearsals for that show we found out that we would be losing our bassist that we had at the time.

As luck would have it, we were fortunate enough to have our good friend Patrick Gloeckle (drummer of Moros Nyx) refer us to a bass player that he knew by the name of Isaac Traylor. We invited Isaac out to the final show we played with our old bassist and spoke with him afterwards. A week later he was auditioning for Acracy. He's an amazing player and picked up on our material very quickly in addition to adding his own unique style which gave the tunes new life. He made a great impression on us all and we recruited him into the band a few weeks later. A month or so after that we began writing music for our upcoming debut album Doorways to Destiny which we're currently in the process of recording.

How do you see the music of Acracy?

Acracy at it's heart is a progressive metal band and we try our very best to keep things as versatile and interesting to our listeners as we possibly can. There is always an element of power and force to our songs. Even during some of the softer moments in our music a presence of metal can be heard beneath it all and I think that our listeners are able to sense that.

What can the listener can expect from Acracy?

Our music will most likely capture the attention of fans of progressive, thrash, power and traditional heavy metal and maybe even some fans of classic prog rock, too. I'd like to think that we may even be able to reach other listeners beyond those genres. When we started this band we agreed that we'd always approach the creative side of our music with one rule in mind: We have no rules, no restrictions. At the risk of sounding clichéd, I'd say that listeners should expect the unexpected. We draw our inspiration from many different genres of metal, rock and beyond so we're hopeful there will always be some sort of surprise in each of our songs that will catch our listeners a little off guard, in a positive way that is! (laughs)

What events drove you down the path of being a musician? How were the early days of forming bands?

My main influence has and always will be Led Zeppelin. Watching Jimmy Page in the concert film The Song Remains The Same is what did it for me. Oh, there was also this one episode of the 90's American tv show called The Wonder Years that played a small role, but that's another story for another day. (laughs) I also grew up in a house where my mother listened to a lot of old rock & roll from the 50's and 60's, my father listened to a lot of old blues and I had three older brothers who all listened to different eras of rock and metal, so I there was a ton of musical influence in my soul by the time I picked up the guitar.

It was definitely a challenge when I first began learning guitar to find others who not only played instruments but also liked and listened to heavy metal. It was extremely rare to meet other metal heads in my neighborhood. The big game changer was when I started going to high school. There I met my fair share of fellow metal musicians that played a major role in how I developed as a guitarist. One of those people I am still making music with till this very day which is our drummer Juan.

What can metal people do to support your music? What support do you like to see?

Keep your eyes peeled for the release of our upcoming album Doorways to Destiny. Check out our Facebook page and follow us for the latest updates. Come out to our shows. Let's us know what you think. If you'd like us to play a show in your neck of the woods then please contact us. Most importantly, support the metal community! Without you there is no scene.

Do you plan to tour?

We definitely plan on going out and supporting our album when it's released. We've played a couple of dates in Chicago this year and we're currently scheduled to play two more hometown gigs that we're pretty excited about. The first one being August 20th. We'll be performing on the second day of the 2016 Midwest Metal Anthem festival with a bunch of other awesome bands. Then, on September 2nd we will have the pleasure of opening for the Norwegian progressive metal greats Circus Maximus which will be an amazing experience that I'm really looking forward to.

Can you explain the reasons why you devote yourself to making music? Can new metal bands make money from their music? What is success to you?

I think it is possible to make money by playing metal music. It all depends on how hard a band is willing to work to make it happen. It takes a lot of investment of time and dedication to make a living off of playing music in any genre. But If you're passionate about playing music, money isn't always at the top of your list of priorities anyway. You make what money you can and use it to further finance your art. For me, I simply love music. I love creating music and the whole process of building songs, recording them and performing them live. So for me there's no other option. I couldn't pull myself away from music even if I tried. It's what I do and it's who I am. I couldn't really tell you if I think that we'll make a lot money from music or not. What I can tell you is that my bandmates and I will do the very best that we can to create the best music that we can and deliver it to the masses. I think that staying dedicated to that simple strategy will eventually produce it's own rewards, whatever they may be. And if we can continue to do that effectively, I would consider that to be a success for Acracy. That is the sort of success that creates a solid foundation that a band can continue to build on over the years.

Does living in a big city like Chicago impact your views on your lyrics? Chicago is in the news all the time, sometimes for good reasons, sometimes not.

Most of the lyrics in Acracy's music cover topics that revolve around real life experiences. Self discovery, betrayal, love, sacrifice, death, and occasionally a bit of fiction too. Both Al and I write lyrics in the band and we have totally different writing styles so it complements the variety of our music.

What other Acracy news do you have?

Please stay tuned for the release of our upcoming album Doorways to Destiny which will be available very soon. If you go to our Facebook page you'll be able check out a teaser video that has a couple of audio samples from the album. You can also find the video on YouTube by searching for "Acracy: DTD Teaser Video". We're looking forward to its release and can't wait to share it with you all!

Acracy: DTD Teaser Video

www.facebook.com/acracymusic/

THE END

NEWS: Vibrion

NEWS:

Vibrion

Bacterya

Release date: March 21st, 2016

Label: Xtreem Music

At the link below is the band's complete album available for listening. They are a death metal band that started in Argentina and now the band is based in Belgium. Below you will also find the official information and hyperbolic hype.

OFFICIAL: Argentinian legends Vibrion, who've been around since the early '90s and have singlehandedly put their country on the map for metal, are back with a new full length album. And it's every bit worth the wait. With better songwriting and a never-say-die approach, they've come up with a set of 10 songs that are as relevant as they can get. Not just that, they're actually pushing the sound forward the way some of the old school legends forgot how to do. Bands like Morgoth, Death, Immolation, Morbid Angel, Sepultura, Malevolent Creation and Pestilence would be proud to have been instrumental in some way in forging the sound that Vibrion peddle in. Each song is pulsating with a unique riff pattern, and with vocals that are as vile as ever, it gives the music a new, exciting dimension, something that the newer bands lacking imagination and power fail to do. 'Bacterya' is one of the most potent albums to come from a band over two decades old that have outlasted all trends and perceptions. It's an album setting new standards and opening up possibilities for that old school sound to evolve, without diminishing any of the raw, unbridled appeal.

OFFICIAL: Emerged back in '89 under the monicker of Chacal, they later changed into Vibrion in 1992. On that year, they infected the international underground scene with their first demo album "Erradicated Life" positioning them as a cult act worldwide, soon after released on EP by the swiss label Witchhunt Records and with two songs featured on 1994 Nuclear Blast's "Grindcore" compilation. Followed by their first full-length album "Diseased" (1995) , full-length album "Closed Frontiers" (1997- recorded at the famous Sunlight Studios, Sweden and produced by Tomas Skogsberg) and "Instinct" EP (2002) the band developed an unique style combining the most violent death-grind attacks, which come unexpected after their slow bending and "tango-ish" riffs, all combined with their trademark double blast technique which they named "Cuatrijera". In 2015 Vibrion just finished the recording of their long awaited new album "Bacterya".

Vibrion touring: During their first years, Vibrion started playing many gigs in Buenos Aires and surroundings, later in the whole Argentina as well as in Uruguay and Bolivia. In April of the same year, their most important gig was played supporting Kreator in front of 2500 people. In '94 and '95, the band did European tours in Belgium, France, Spain, Germany, Holland, Finland and Switzerland. After a long hiatus, the band re-formed in Belgium in 2013 and with two new members. Disembodied Records released the full remastered discography and took Vibrion on a 10 dates Argentinian Tour, followed by some dates in Belgium and a performing at Extremefest (Hunxe, Germany).

Bacterya: Bacterya was recorded in September 2015 at Blackout Studios, Brussels, Belgium. Mastered by Andy Classen at Stage One Studios, Borgentreich, Germany. It has been released in Argentina by Disembodied Records and in the rest of the world by Xtreem Music. Today based in Belgium, the unfrozen evil is back again, and a new plague will be unleashed.

www.xtreemmusic.bandcamp.com/album/bacterya

www.facebook.com/VibrionOfficial

www.twitter.com/vibrionband

NEWS: Krossfire

NEWS:

Krossfire

Shades of Darkness

Release date: June 3rd, 2016

Label: Pure Steel Records

Krossfire is a prog/power metal band from Bulgaria. They have a new album, from which the band has made a video and has posted on their Facebook page. Learn more about the band, its album and its history through the official information below.

OFFICIAL: KROSSFIRE shows us a dozen new songs full of power and emotions. A small progressive influence and a light symphonic attitude is supported by high, but always fine vocals. A female voice is also added without affecting the whole impression of the music.

The choirs in "The last ride" may lead to a special direction, but KROSSFIRE would not be KROSSFIRE, if the power of the songs wasn't strong enough during the whole album. Songs like "Destiny's calling" comes like a tsunami and "Annabelle" tells a story from different angles. If you don't feel trembling and increasing heat in your body now, you are definitely not a fan of Power or US-Metal.

"Shades of Darkness" is an album full of emotions - negative and positive ones. It brings dark themes and explores human nature's deepest fears. However, through it's dark clouds a bright light shines. We put a lot of efforts in bringing our ideas to life, not only when composing, but when recording as well. It was quite challenging making this album, but the final result is outstanding to us. This is big step forward for the band. We love what we do and we do it with passion. KROSSFIRE

OFFICIAL: The band was formed in 2001 from George Driev - bass, George Kushev - guitar and Spas Markov - drums. Later joined Zachary Shinikchiev - vocals and Nikola Ivanov - guitar.

Various clubs performances in Plovdiv follow. The group already has a lot of fans - mostly friends. They are everywhere, where five have appear and strongly support them. So, after a year of concerts and rehearsals comes time to change. Nicola left the band briefly for official duties and Spas is called for compulsory military duty in 2003. Behind the drums temporarily stood Svetoslav Nachev. At the end of 2003, Nichola and Spas return.

The last concert for Zachary is in club "XXL". His place was taken by former lead singer of "Rappel Rack" - Dimo Petkov. Preliminary talks were held with him in December 2003 and early 2004 started rehearsals.

In 2004 appeared their new web site - www.krossfirebg.com. History, news, pictures and latest information are available for the fans.

Largest and most significant event untill then in the band's history is invitation from Albena Tsolova (SinBSin / EAST METAL RECORDS) for supporting act of American power-metal legends "JAG PANZER" in Sofia. This was a reward for their effords during those years, which was deployed with full force on 08.11.2005 in club "Fans". The band played about an hour, "in front of small, but high quality heavy metal audience and give a perfect opening for the metal veterans". Excellent reviews in the press and the internet follow.

In 2006, the band warmed up once again for Austrian legends "Pungent Stench" in club "Snatch" - Plovdiv, with band from city of Burgas - "Vrani Volosa".

From June of 2007 the band has a new member - Peter Boshnakov - keyboards, replaced Nikola Ivanov (guitar).

In late 2007 Krossfire recorded the song "Angels Cry", and in early 2008 - the song "Touch Of Destiny". Records were made in "F.1Sound Studio" (www.f1soundrecords.com) in Plovdiv with sound engineer Vasil Valchev and subsequently released single "Touch Of Destiny". Good reviews appeared, both in Bulgarian and international press.

In June 2008 concert was filmed at club "POLINERO Place", which was released on Home DVD in November 2009 under the title "7 years on stage".

In 2008 and 2009 continued live performances in clubs in Bulgaria and motor fairs in the country.

In June 2009 the song "Touch Of Destiny" participate in CD compilation of the German magazine "Heavy". It was published in Germany in the second half of the month. The song of the band is first one on the list, which gives a great advantage - each having CD will hear the song. Brief information and photo of the band were published in the magazine, along with information about the other bands in the compilation. Also, songs from the CD were played on the festival "Bang Your Head !!!", which was held in the town of Balingen at the end of June.

In early 2010 from "HEAVY" magazine was held an interview with Georgi Kushev and Dimo Petkov, which was printed in the edition of the magazine in April. Also, review of "Touch Of Destiny" was published in the magazine "Rock Hard" in July, issue number 28.

Between October '10 and March'11, Krossfire recorded their debut album "Learning To Fly" in "F.1Sound Studio" in Plovdiv, Bulgaria and then mastered the material in "Master Vargas Studio" in New York, USA. The album was released on 15th of May 2011. The band embarked on their massive, more than thirty dates tour throughout Bulgaria on 15th of February 2011.

At the end of the year Krossfire signed a deal with German label "PURE STEEL RECORDS". The album was released worldwide via label on 27th of January 2012. A lot of excellent reviews appeared in international press and online webzines afterwards.

www.facebook.com/krossfirebg/

NEWS: Mausoleum Gate

NEWS:

Mausoleum Gate

Metal and the Might

Cruz Del Sur Music

Release: 17 June 2016

Mausoleum Gate is vintage heavy metal from Finland. They figured out how to travel back in time through music. If you have not heard them before and you are not used to hearing old heavy metal done this way, get ready for quite the head trip into the past. The band also happens to be good at what they do.

OFFICIAL: Following MAUSOLEUM GATE's 2014 critically acclaimed self-titled debut album comes the two-track 7" vinyl release of Metal and the Might. The release contains two new songs to please all their fans and keep the flame alive. Reflecting once more the eccentricity and uniqueness of these Fins, the title track is a straight in your face metal offering. The B side is occupied for over 6 minutes by the fantastic “Demon Soul," representing the band's progressive essence.

BIO: In October 2014 the release of MAUSOLEUM GATE's self-titled full-length debut album caught the world of Heavy Metal by surprise. Out of nowhere MAUSOLEUM GATE garnered genuine, unexpected attention, considering they do not play your average kind of metal. With an unusual offering that incorporates elements of late 70s proto-metal and a genuine, breathtaking affiliation with the spirit of the NWOBHM, MAUSOLEUM GATE soon rose to the status of “cult-band," a condition that brought them to play prestigious German Keep It True festival in 2015. MAUSOLEUM GATE was formed in 2008 by Count L.F. (gt) and Wicked Ischanius (bs) and two years after recorded their debut EP Gateways For The Wicked. In the spring of 2013 the band released Obsessed By Metal 7'' and reached a deal with Cruz Del Sur Music to release their self-titled debut album in October 2014. The band has recently hired the services of new bass-player Nino Karjalainen (not playing on the 7’’ though) while Wicked Ischianus has moved to keyboards full time.

www.facebook.com/MausoleumGate

NEWS: Solanum

NEWS:

Solanum

I.T.S.C.

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

Release: 2 October 2015

Solanum is a thrash band from Canada and they have their album available for listening now. If you have not heard this crossover thrash, check it out at the link below.

OFFICIAL: SOLANUM make their highly anticipated return to Horror Pain Gore Death Productions with the new vicious full length album I.T.S.C. (aka Into the Sinner Circle). Fresh off of the intense HPGD split album Passages To Lunacy with fellow Canadians Epi-Demic, the four piece terror unit known as SOLANUM continue their reign of devastation, raging straight out of the frozen prairies of their home town Winnipeg. I.T.S.C. features seven uncompromising lacerations of deadly Crossover Thrash, designed to leave the listener pacing and primed for mayhem. No bullshit, no filler... this is nothing but sick unhinged riffs, adrenaline spiked drums and rapid fire vocals! A must have album for fans of Attitude Adjustment, Broken Bones, Cro-Mags, Crumbsuckers, Demolition Hammer, Destruction, DRI, English Dogs, Excel, Iron Reagan, Kreator, Lethal Aggression, Ludichrist, No Mercy, Nuclear Assault, SOD, Vio-lence and Wehrmacht.

www.solanum-crossover.bandcamp.com/album/into-the-sinner-circle

www.facebook.com/solanum.crossover

www.twitter.com/SolanumWPG

NEWS: Ghoulgotha

NEWS:

Ghoulgotha

To Starve the Cross

Dark Descent Records

Release: 13 June 2016

This is death doom from California, U.S. In this case the complete album is available for listening, therefore supporters of old death metal with doom influences can hear directly from the horse's mouth what the band is all about.

OFFICIAL: Southern California's Ghoulgotha have re-emerged from the depths with the release of To Starve the Cross. The band's 2015 debut - The Deathmass Cloak - was praised by critics for its demented revisioning of doom-infused, old-school death metal. To Starve the Cross sees Ghoulgotha twist an already abstract reality into forms never before experienced. Cvlt Nation, in response to the release of The Deathmass Cloak, said it was time to "posers the door." To Starve the Cross is the 10-headed beast ready to devour those who didn't heed that warning. This album, simply put, is a masterpiece of atonal and dissonant death metal delivered straight from the warped mind of Wayne Sarantopoulos (Decrepitaph, Encoffination, et. al). To Starve the Cross was mixed and mastered by Damian Herring at Subterranean Watchtower Studios with artwork by Mattias Frisk.

www.ghoulgotha.bandcamp.com

www.facebook.com/ghoulgotha666

NEWS: Hammers of Misfortune

NEWS:

Hammers of Misfortune

Dead Revolution

Metal Blade Records

Release: 22 July 2016

It's been some years since this prog metal band had a new album, but they are finally back. The U.S. band seems to cause listeners to disagree as what the music is. Some say it's 70s prog through the lens of heavy metal, others think that they are kind of bunch of typical San Francisco hippies or hobos, or something like that. What they are and what they sound like, is something that depends on the listener, apparently. Well, if that's the case, then you've got some investigating to do. Let's start here.

OFFICIAL: When West Coast progressive heavy metallers Hammers of Misfortune are asked what took so long to follow-up 2011's acclaimed 17th Street, principal songwriter and guitarist John Cobbett is likely to throw out a Lennon lyric,"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." Though he's had Hammers of Misfortune on the brain for a good five years, life is exactly what's halted Cobbett and company from marching forward on what would turn into the group's sixth full-length, Dead Revolution. One, Cobbett and keyboardist Sigrid Sheie welcomed a baby. Two, frontman Joe Hutton was sidelined after being involved in a severe motorcycle accident. And three, while Hammers of Misfortune were away, Cobbett and Sheie blazed a crusty northern sky in Vhöl, guitarist Leila Abdul-Rauf had her coffin full with death metallers Vastum, bassist Paul Walker extolled doom metal's virtues in The Worship of Silence, and drummer Will Carroll - who replaces Chewy Marzolo - was sticks up with legendary Bay Area thrashers Death Angel. Indeed, Lennon was right.

Then again, Dead Revolution was finished in 2015. It's been sitting on Hammers of Misfortune's shelf between copies of Roxy Music's For Your Pleasure and Scorpions' In Trance. Well, not literally. "Mostly, the delay was my fault, trying to finish the cover art," admits Cobbett. "Specifically the gatefold/booklet, which is hand drawn and hand lettered (while holding a baby), took me a long time. Sorry! The front and back covers are by Robert Steven Connet, and are beautiful. I absolutely can't wait to hold the vinyl in my hands."Hammers of Misfortune's legion of heavy metal maniacs can't wait for the vinyl either. Formed in 2000, the Fog City metallers have enjoyed the majority of their catalog - save for 2001's The Bastard and 2006's The Locust Years - on precious wax. It's Cobbett's preferred format as a fan of '70s music like The Sweet, David Bowie, and various progressive rock bands. But that's not to say the songwriting for Dead Revolution was informed by the promise of a double vinyl or timeworn groups Cobbett holds dear. In fact, Hammers of Misfortune's sixth full-length started off, more or less, like previous efforts.

"Sometimes I feel like we're too metal for the progs and too prog for the metals," the guitarist rifles before getting into his songwriting routine. "A cup of coffee, a guitar and a keyboard. The riffs come easy; lyrics, and arrangements are murder. Most of it comes down to making decisions, deciding what to cut out and what to keep. At least half of the music I write gets thrown away. Not very glamorous." As for differences between Dead Revolution and its predecessor 17th Street, Cobbett says it's more varied, using different tones. The mainman also thinks it's a darker and heavier effort. If trends and opinions are anything to go by, it would appear Hammers of Misfortune are sliding slowly into, well, darker and heavier territory. 17th Street, by comparison, was fiercer than Fields / Church of Broken Glass. Likewise, Dead Revolution eats its forebear 17th Streetfor proverbial breakfast. To wit, there's no power ballad ("Summer Tears") on Hammers of Misfortune's newest. Then again, with tracks like the awesome "Sea of Heroes", the stupendous "The Precipice", the raging "Flying Alone", and the title track's riff-organ fest, fans expecting a continuation or expansion of "Summer Tears" will be placated by a more musically active Hammers of Misfortune. That's not to say Dead Revolution is without its slow-burners. "Here Comes the Sky" pivots off a Pink Floyd axis (think "A Pillow in the Wind") - with its soft strums, careful vocal interplay, and delicate percussion - before jettisoning into traditional heavy metal motifs. Dead Revolution's no musical slouch, that's for sure.

"Of course, every song stands out to me,"says Cobbett. "I've no idea how listeners will react to them. 'The Velvet Inquisition' is probably one of the most ambitious compositions we've ever recorded. I was trying some different writing methods and the results are...interesting. 'Days of '49' is an attempt to repurpose an old traditional folk song, which is new for us." To realize Dead Revolution, Hammers of Misfortune altered the studio and studio personnel. Whereas previous efforts - going all the way back to 2001's The Bastard - were handled by engineer Justin Weis, this time around the group enlisted Nick Dumitriu (Vhöl, Ritual Chamber) to control the sound. The result is a warm, sharp sound that harkens back to productions like John Leckie's treatment of Pink Floyd's Meddle or David Hitchcock's master work in Camel's Mirage. "We recorded at Light Rail Studios in San Francisco," Cobbett reveals. "We recorded half the album before our son was born, and half after. We used no auto-tune, no digital reverb, no amp sims, no simulated keyboards, practically no plug-ins. It's pretty raw."

If there's anything Cobbett is coy about, it's the lyrics to Dead Revolution. As with 17th Street - an album about "loss and endings" - so too Hammers of Misfortune's latest, lyrically it's very personal. "As usual, I'm reluctant to talk about it," says the six-stringer. "It has a lot to do with what's been going on around me where I live, which just so happens to be going on seemingly everywhere. I live in San Francisco's Mission District, and have for over two decades. A little research into what's been going on here would explain a lot to the curious." What Cobbett and the rest of Hammers of Misfortune are excited about - besides the long-awaited release of Dead Revolution - is getting out there and playing the new songs live. And maybe writing a new song or two. "Playing some gigs and eventually writing some more songs," settles Cobbett. "I'm hoping we get to play some festivals this time. That would be excellent!"

www.facebook.com/hammersofmisfortune

NEWS: Revocation

NEWS:

Revocation

Great Is Our Sin

Metal Blade Records

Release: 22 July 2016

Revocation is a modern metal band from the U.S. They are about to let the world hear their new album, which continues the band's tendency to mix several styles into a ball of modern melodic extreme metal of thrash, groove and growl metal. The band is known for consistency, and the new album adds a few twists, but retains the sound that they have building throughout the years. At the link below you can find out more about the album. Here is the official information about their new work.

OFFICIAL: Having delivered five killer albums boasting some of the most potent, technical and abrasive metal unleashed over the last decade, it would be easy for Revocation to sit back and rest upon their laurels. However, with their constant drive to push their sound ever forward and refusal to compromise their integrity, this could never be the case - and Great Is Our Sin is their most dynamic, boundary-pushing and weighty release to date. For vocalist/guitarist Dave Davidson, the goal has never been about trying to please others. "Thinking critically about my own style and being self-motivated has had a very strong impact on me as a musician and songwriter. We try not to think too much about extraneous forces when we're writing so we can focus on creating music for ourselves first and foremost."

Hitting the road with 2014's Deathless, the band shared stages with the likes of Crowbar and the mighty Cannibal Corpse, drawing in legions of new fans. When it came time to follow it up, the quartet - rounded out by guitarist Dan Gargiulio, bassist Brett Bamberger, and recently recruited drummer Ash Pearson - had their work cut out for them, and their response to the challenge is a record that grabs you by the throat and refuses to let go. Never forcing anything, the songs that would comprise Great Is Our Sin came together organically, and while the members being spread all around North America would have been an impediment to some, Revocation drew strength from it. "Writing comes pretty naturally for us, but logistics are more of an issue since everyone lives in different places. Ash would fly in from Vancouver, and he and I would jam together at our practice space in Boston. We didn't have the luxury of getting together to jam whenever we felt like it, but in a way I think it actually made us more focused, since we had to make the most of our time together and not procrastinate. Added to that, Ash is an incredible player and he has a really diverse style which we've utilized a lot on the album. He can really go off behind the kit, playing some very intense technical stuff, as well as bringing in some more diverse elements drawn from his influences outside the metal realm." Reuniting with producer Zeuss (Hatebreed, Bleeding Through), who also helmed Deathless and 2012's Teratogenesis EP, the record packs the requisite punch, yet retains the organic feel with which it was conceived. Known for their technical prowess, the band remained dedicated to upping the ante without ever losing sight of the importance of good songwriting. Opener "Arbiters Of The Apocalypse" makes this abundantly clear, blending together breakneck thrash, crunching death metal flavors, plenty of visceral fret abuse as well as compelling yet unforced melodies. While they rarely hold back the aggression, it is very much pushed to the fore on the likes of "Communion" and "Copernican Heresy", which are as savage as the band have ever sounded. However, they also retain and build upon the proggier aspects of their sound, as well as embracing triumphant "fist-in-the-air" moments, most notably on the chorus of "Arbiters" and the blistering solo that slashes through "Crumbling Imperium". "We've always had a bit of a prog element to our sound, I think we've all just gotten better as musicians so we feel more comfortable pushing the envelope even more than before," Davidson states."Likewise, I try to write melodies and solos that aesthetically fit the mood of the part, and for me both those sections needed something really epic sounding, especially on the 'Arbiters' chorus. I was initially planning on screaming for that part, but the riff felt very anthemic to me, so I came up with a melody that was more in line with the triumphant nature of it." That legendary shredder Marty Friedman unleashes a solo on "The Exaltation" was a dream come true for Davidson, and certainly gives the track an extra kick in the pants. "Marty has always been a huge influence on me and is someone I really respect. His solo on 'The Exaltation' has all the elements that I love in his playing, especially the element of surprise."

While the songs come together to make for a cohesive record that is engaging from front to back, they are further united by the lyrical concept penned by Davidson. The title itself appropriated from Charles Darwin's quote: "If the misery of the poor be caused not by the laws of nature, but by our institutions, great is our sin", Davidson went about building a theme that was not only fittingly expansive, but also had real resonance with regard to contemporary society. "The concept revolves around the folly of man throughout the ages. Some themes come from historical references that are hundreds of years old, yet sadly these themes are still very relevant today due to mankind's refusal to learn from the lessons history has taught us, time and time again." To this end, the vocalist tackles issues such as political corruption and the buying and selling of lawmakers on "Only The Spineless Survive", while on "Theatre Of Horror" he reflects on the place of public execution in Medieval times, and the manner in which it was supposed to shock and entertain the populace. Furthermore, he vents his anger and frustrations over the very real problems presented by climate change on epic closer "Cleaving The Ice Giants", and the aptly titled "Monolithic Ignorance".

Regardless of the state of the world, nothing is going to slow Revocation down any time soon. Whilst the lineup has changed over the ten years the band has been in existence, Davidson's passion has never waned, and they are arguably sounding better than ever as they look toward the future. "We can't wait to bring these songs out on the road and perform them for different audiences all over the world. 'Great Is Our Sin' is a new chapter for the band, and collectively we feel that it is our defining record to date."

www.facebook.com/revocation

www.twitter.com/revocation

NEWS: Dark Avenger

NEWS:

Dark Avenger

Tales Of Avalon: The Lament

Scarlet Records

Release: 24 June 2016

Metal Archives says that this album is from 2013. Dark Avenger is a traditional heavy/power/prog metal band from Brazil. The band began in 1993. This publication, unfortunately, is not able to clarify the confusion about this album. Below is the official information available to this publication. One thing is certain: this album is a professional, quality recording for supporters of traditional forms of metal, especially the more mature styles, like prog and melodic metal. Expect real singing and an intellectual edge to the album. Find out more about the band below.

OFFICIAL: “Astonishment”. With this great feeling Dark Avenger present and lead the listener through the ‘Tales Of Avalon’, a play in two acts: ‘The Terror’ and ‘The Lament’. Dialogs of love and hatred, honor and despise, compassion and vindication, hopes and farewells, in a frantic unfolding journey through the emotions shared by Morgana, Arthur, Guinevere, Merlin, Mordred and all the ones who dwell in the Arthurian atmosphere of the album. ‘Tales of Avalon: The Lament’ was produced and recorded at Rossom Records by Tito Falaschi and R. Schumann using the ultimate technology in the musical industry. The band and producers brought to life the atmosphere originally conceived for the songs, adding their combined talents to the musical work. The mix and master process was in charge of the renowned Sound Engineer Michael Wagener, who created masterpieces such as ‘Master of Puppets’ (Metallica), ‘No More Tears’ (Ozzy Osbourne), ‘Slave To The Grind’ (Skid Row), ‘Balls to the Wall’ (Accept), among others.

www.facebook.com/darkavengerofficial/

NEWS: Final Sign

NEWS:

Final Sign

Hold High the Flame

Tridroid Records

Release: 28 October 2016

Final Sign is heavy metal from the U.S. Learn more about the band and its music at the link below and the following official information.

OFFICIAL: The newly revamped Tridroid Records is pleased to announce that they will release the cassette version of Hold High the Flame by traditional metal band Final Sign, on October 28th 2016. The album was originally released in 2015 and contains 8 tracks of pure metal for true metal heads. This is the first release from Tridroid since being revived by new owner Christine Kelly. Christine used to write for the highly regarded metal zine Worm Gear and is a lifetime metalhead looking to put out the highest quality tape releases. Christine commented about the release "I am extremely proud to present the debut album from Final Sign to the fist-raising masses eager for the sound of metal that is just plain heavy. Thrash, power, traditional - whatever you call it, Final Sign delivers on every track." The band further commented "We are thrilled to have Final Sign be part of the Tridroid Records family! Tridroid has a fantastic rep in the underground and we could not be happier for them to be handling our cassette release!"

About Final Sign: The musical partnership between vocalist Shawn Pelata and guitarist Brian "Hellstorm" Williams dates back to 1999, when Brian contacted Shawn with the hope of recruiting him to sing for a new project he was putting together. That short-lived endeavor became K-OCTAVE—yielding a single, highly praised album, Outer Limits, issued via Germany's Hellion Records in 2001. Williams then continued with his main band, underground metal giants OCTOBER 31; while Pelata released two albums with melodic rock outfit LINE OF FIRE, as well as working with metalcore cultists KILLWHITNEYDEAD. The two kept in touch, vowing to one day work together again when the time was right. That time, it seems, is now. An unstoppable riff machine (he's not called "Hellstorm" for nothing), Brian soon found himself with new players, and eight new songs in need of the right voice. He knew just who to call: Shawn was brought on board and—alongside Kevin Haverlah (drums) and Howard Baker (bass)—FINAL SIGN was born.

OFFICIAL: FINAL SIGN is a North Carolina based Heavy Metal band. Incorporating elements of Thrash Metal, US Power Metal and Traditional Heavy Metal, FINAL SIGN delivers the goods. Made up of veterans from the Metal scene, FINAL SIGN is a band ready to charge headlong into the swirling masses of Metal fans around the world!

The musical partnership between vocalist Shawn Pelata and guitarist Brian "Hellstorm" Williams dates back to 1999, when Brian contacted Shawn with the hope of recruiting him to sing for a new project he was putting together. That short-lived endeavor became K-OCTAVE - yielding a single, highly praised album, Outer Limits, issued via Germany's Hellion Records in 2001. Williams then continued with his main band, underground metal giants OCTOBER 31; while Pelata released two albums with melodic rock outfit LINE OF FIRE, as well as working with metalcore cultists KILLWHITNEYDEAD. The two kept in touch, vowing to one day work together again when the time was right.

That time, it seems, is now. An unstoppable riff machine (he's not called "Hellstorm" for nothing), Brian soon found himself with new players, and eight new songs in need of the right voice. He knew just who to call: Shawn was brought on board and alongside Kevin Haverlah (drums) and Howard Baker (bass) - FINAL SIGN was born. Since the release of 'Hold High The Flame' on Divebomb Records in October 2015, Howard stepped down and has been replaced by Jim "Heavy Metal Warlock" Hunter.

www.facebook.com/FinalSignOfficial/timeline

NEWS: War Curse

NEWS:

War Curse

Final Days

Static Tension Recordings

Release: 17 June 2016

War Curse is a thrash band from the U.S. Fortunately, the complete album is available for listening at the link below and you can hear the band's take on traditional thrash. Who they are is explained in the official information below.

OFFICIAL: Static Tension Recordings is pleased to announce that they will be doing a CD release of Final Days by heavy metal thrashers WAR CURSE. The cassette and digital versions have been such a success that the label and band have decided to release the EP on CD in order to bring the album to an even wider audience. The CD will be released on June 17 2016. Final Days is highly recommended for fans of Kreator, Megadeth, Slayer, Testament and Metallica.

About WAR CURSE: War Curse began melting faces around the Mid-West in 2014. They have since taken over the Ohio metal scene, sharing the stage with notable bands like Raven, Havok, Metal Church, and many more. Listening to War Curse’s debut EP “Final Days” reveals influences from early thrash metal icons Exodus and Testament, heavy metal titans Metallica and Megadeth, and draws subtle inspiration from the band’s love of punk rock. The initial response to Final Days has been overwhelmingly positive, gaining War Curse press and praise from around the globe, and landing them on Static Tension’s roster. Since recording Final Days, War Curse has already returned to the studio to record their follow-up album, tentatively set to release in Q4 2016. You can see them live in select markets this summer on their first U.S. tour, supporting Miami death thrash pioneers Solstice.

War Curse was formed in late 2013 by guitarists Justin Roth and Joshua Murphy, and drummer James Goetz. In 2014 the decision to pursue the project led to the recruitment of vocalist Tarek Puska, and a bassist named Death Metal Doug (who wouldn’t last long). Two bassists later, Eric Payne completes the line up and War Curse is melting faces around the mid west, sharing the stage with notable bands like Raven, Viking, Unleash the Archers, and many more.

Listening to War Curse’s debut EP “Final Days” reveals influences from early thrash metal icons Exodus and Testament, heavy metal titans Metallica and Megadeth, and draws subtle inspiration from the band’s love of punk rock. War Curse has been called thrash enough for the thrash heads and heavy metal enough for the guys who grew up listening to Iron Maiden.

With no plans on slowing down, War Curse will be heading back into the studio in early 2016 to record a follow up to “Final Days”, hoping to showcase their evolution as a band and songwriters. War Curse “Final Days” is available now on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, Amazon, and all of your favorite platforms.

www.warcursemetal.bandcamp.com

www.facebook.com/warcursemetal

NEWS: Diabolizer

NEWS:

Diabolizer

Apokalypse

Third Eye Temple

Release: 8 July 2016

This is modern, blasting extreme metal from Turkey. To find out more about the band see the link below, where you can hear a teaser of the album. Below is some of the usual, hyperbolic hype and information about the band, which specializes in to-the-point, competent death metal with gruff growling, with sharp riffing, including a good amount of tremolo picking.

OFFICIAL: Third Eye Temple are pleased to announce that they will release Apokalypse by Turkish death metal horde DIABOLIZER on July 8th 2016. The blades are sharpened, the screams of vengeance and death grow louder, and far beneath the pits of Kadiköy's underground, the blackest flames of impurity rise up to the skies. Diabolizer, the daemonic Death Metal entity consisting of members of Decaying Purity, Engulfed, Deggial and Godslaying Hellblast have finished first MCD Apokalypse. Apokalypse offers 5 tracks of relentless death metal containing diabolical skills, unending wrath and worship of destruction. As a bonus, the CD will also contain two tracks from their very limited 2012 promo Shadows Of Impending Decimation. Expect nothing but cruel, punishing and relentless death metal madness!

www.facebook.com/diabolizer

right now, Friday night, metal music show on

The Washington state metal music show Excuse All the Blood is on right now from 11pm to 1am. Listen here.

www.kaosradio.org/listen/

www.twitter.com/EATBRadio?lang=en

NEWS: Iskra

NEWS:

Iskra

Ruins

Southern Lord

Release: 1 July 2016

Iskra is a black metal band from Canada. The band is known for its advocacy of anarchy and the mixing of crust and black metal. This particular recording features a sound that is very close to traditional black metal, with very little of the sloppiness associated with punk rock. In other words, it's a tight recording of black metal with lyrics supportive of left radical/anarchist ideas.

OFFICIAL INFORMATION: Blistering anarchist black metal unit, ISKRA, has teamed up with Southern Lord for the CD release of their latest LP, Ruins. Approaching the most fearsome of all genres from a foundation in filthy metallic crust, ISKRA has skillfully created an old school orthodox epic that their extensive back catalog has always been working towards, and in Ruins is executed in sublime, scathing style. The Canadian collective, almost two decades into their journey as ISKRA, stands out as staunch advocates of anarchism, and reject all forms of oppressive mainstream ideologies such as communism, fascism and democracy. To underline this, they coined their unification of extreme punk anger and black metal sonics “anarchist metal,” separating themselves from other acts deemed as “extreme” or “radical” but lacking conviction or real menace. It is certainly evident in their vitriolic offensives that they mean business, but most impressive is the sharp, refined songcraft that makes Ruins a compelling black metal record regardless of your political (dis)orientation. The constantly shifting tremolo riffs and blasting drums are some of the most devastating and aggressive you will hear, and fans of Absu and early Immortal will find plenty to enjoy - ISKRA exerts overwhelming levels of energy and brutality in Ruins, outpacing and outwitting the vast majority.

ISKRA has toured across scores of countries with countless acts operating in various subsects of underground punk and metal, and have built up a fearsome international reputation, demonstrated by their heavy patch presence on the battle jackets of the true. A wealth of DIY and independent label releases trails behind them, with numerous albums, splits and demos all available to download for free from their website in accordance with their principles.

Southern Lord will issue ISKRA‘sRuins on digipak CD including a twenty-page booklet with lyrics and liner notes on July 1st. ISKRA also proudly announces the Anarchy Attack... Canadian Destruction (Storming the Atlantic) Summer Tour of Canada, their first major tour of Canada since 2004. This tour will mark the band's first coast to coast tour of the country and includes five days in the maritime provinces. The tour also features appearances at the legendary Spider Fest (formerly Spider Acres) in Meyersburg, Ontario and Evil Fest in Sainte-Angele-de-Merici, Quebec.

(This tour is going on right now. --Ed.)

OFFICIAL BIO: ISKRA officially began in November of 2002. The vision of the band: to mix DIY crust punk music, and politics, with European, and Scandinavian metal. ISKRA is one of the few bands to do so and thus coined their own genre BLACKENED CRUST, meaning a mix of English style crust and Scandinavian black metal. More recently the band has re-defined their music as simply ANARCHIST METAL, another genre created by the band in order to transform general impressions found in, and what is commonly referred to as, "extreme" music. Although the founding of such genres seems antithetical to the band's anarchist stance, one must keep in mind that they wish to separate themselves from mainstream and status quo descriptions, as well as expand ideas regarding music.

Although lyrics are varied, the band has always more-or-less adhered to an anarchist point of view. Anarchism here meaning a total criticism of power, the control of power and knowledge, the possibility of transformation from present states to one of a decentralized existence, the destruction of government as we know it, complete dismantling of capitalism, suspicion of fixed systems in general. The band is quick to point out that they are not aligned with any one stream of anarchist thought, preferring an open interpretation, collectively speaking. Anyone interested in the varied forms of anarchism are invited to explore the links provided on this site. Again, it is important to note, and imperative to understand, that anarchism is not one idea but a varied complex dependent upon local conditions and interests. Thus a definition of anarchism is not possible, it remains as a practise against authoritarian structures. Over the past twelve years has ISKRA has released numerous recordings, and have performed hundreds of concerts and festivals in over forty countries.

www.facebook.com/officialiskra

NEWS: Mistur

NEWS:

Mistur

In Memoriam

Dark Essence Records

Release: 27 May 2016

"Sognametal" is the name that this Norwegian band gives to its melodic black metal music. Find out more about them and listen to the album at the link below.

OFFICIAL INFORMATION: It’s been a long wait since Norway’s MISTUR made its mark on the world with their critically acclaimed debut, Attende. Fortunately, the wait has not been in vain. The band’s latest full-length, In Memoriam, sees MISTUR return with a masterpiece fielding long and layered arrangements, clever melodies and progressive elements mixed with its signature brand of “Sognametal.” MISTUR was forged in Sogndal, Norway by Espen Bakketeig and Andre Raunehaug, and joined shortly thereafter by Stian Bakketeig (Vreid, ex-Windir, ex-Cor Scorpii). Following just one demo, they landed a deal with Einheit Produktionen, who would release the band’s critically-adored Attende debut in. Apart from some festival shows and a tour however, the band fell dormant for a short time, before the work on the follow up album started.

With new vocalist Oliver Øien and new drummer Tomas Myklebust, MISTUR is back and more potent than ever bevore. In Memoriam was captured in Conclave and Earshot Studios as well as the band’s private studio, produced by MISTUR mainman Espen Bakketeig, and mixed by Bjørnar E. Nilsen (Black Hole Generator, Vulture Industries). With In Memoriam, MISTUR brings new elements into the “Sognametal” style without loosing its unique core. The album is a must for all fans of Windir, but will certainly appeal to fans Amon Amarth, Insomnium, and Månegarm.

In a 4/5 review, Sputnik Music elaborates, “the ’bigger is better,’ or in this case, the ‘grandeur is grander, attitude has been taken into account in more ways than just one with MISTUR's latest… Every motif, every change of direction, every placement, all points towards a larger image. The unknown, impending doom induced by MISTUR's ruinous forays is magnificent. It may not extend its arms into the realms of pure ingenuity, but In Memoriam is 2016's Brobdingnagian king.” In an 8/10 rating, Soundscape Magazine concurs, “In Memoriam is a great album, and one you’ll keep wanting to come back to. A highly recommended listen, particularly for those who are fans of Windir,” while Eternal Terror notes in a near-perfect 5.5/6 verdict, “The dark vocals are superb, while the clean version adds to the national-romantic feel of the music, add flawless sound and production and MISTUR is definitely a force to be reckoned with, and a serious contender to album of the year.” Adds No Clean Singing of the track “Distant Peaks,” specifically, “The song really does sound like the majestic soundtrack to a mythic saga — it’s panoramic, sweepingly powerful, and warlike, and the guitar and keyboard hooks are sharp as scalpels. When the storming pace slows, the music becomes heart-aching, but no less compelling. The tale told in the lyrics fires the blood, too.”

OFFICIAL BIO: MISTUR is a Norwegian black metal band hailing from the mighty fjords and mountains of Sogndal. The sound is a mixture of melodies, atmosphere and raw black metal. The lyrics are written in norwegian and the themes are viking related. The band has existed since the summer 2005, when the demo "SKODDEFJELLET" was released. "SKODDEFJELLET" received great reviews in magazines and sites like heavymetal.no, Scream and Vampire magazine. Alltogether it sold about 800 copies in Norway and abroad. Many of the reviews are available on this website. You'll also find quite a few interviews. In September 2006 MISTUR also participated on the metalsampler Metalmessage Vol.III, with the title track from the demo "SKODDEFJELLET". The coverart was done by Kris Verwimp and the CD is sold out.

It all started as a metal project by Espen Bakketeig and Andre Raunehaug. Seeing the opportunity to do live shows, the band increased to a full line-up. Among the members in MISTUR, you will find lead guitarist Strom from the legendary black metal band WINDIR. The lineup: Oliver F. Øien on screams, Espen Bakketeig on synth and clean vocal, Stian Bakketeig on lead guitar, Andre Raunehaug on rythm guitar and clean vocal, Ole Hartvigsen on bass and Kenneth Mellum on drums.

Mistur did some great live shows in 2007, at a packed club Maiden in Oslo and at the Stoy festival in Sogndal. Mistur headlined also Fresn festival 07 in Fresvik. In September 2008 MISTUR recorded the full-length debut album in the famous AKKERHAUGEN STUDIO just outside Notodden, Norway. The album is produced by MISTUR and Thorbjorn Akkerhaugen and it is mastered by Peter in De Betu at Tailor Maid, Sweden. It is a full produced masterpiece containing 7 songs with a raw black metal sound. Thorbjorn Akkerhaugen has produced albums for bands such as EMPEROR, ZYKLON and WINDIR. The Belgian coverartist Kris Verwimp has created an exclusive oil painting for the album. He has done artwork for bands such as THYRFING and OLD MANS CHILD.

Kris Verwimp's masterpiece is a viking motive painted in oil. The landscape is taken from the place Kaupanger in Sogndal, on the vestside of Norway. The fjord with the viking ships is the famous fjord called SOGNEFJORDEN. This is the place where MISTUR originally come from. "ATTENDE" was release in cooperation with the German label EINHEIT PRODUKTIONEN the 29th of August 2009, and has sold more than 2000 copies so far. The album has recived great reviews and many of the them can be read on the bands website. The first show after the release found place in Sogndal. MISTUR played at the INFERNO FESTIVAL 2010, and KARMØYGEDDON 2010, and a European Tour with Vreid and Carach Angren in 2012.

www.mistur.bandcamp.com

www.facebook.com/Mistur-334339291694/?fref=ts

NEWS: Unmerciful

NEWS:

Unmerciful

Ravenous Impulse

Unique Leader

Release: 22 July 2016

This is an upcoming album directed squarely at the blasting brutal ultra death metal audiences. The album features former and current members of Origin and the band gets quickly to the point by underlining that they like Suffocation, Dying Fetus, Cannibal Corpse, Hate Eternal, Origin, Nile, and Decrepit Birth. The album art depicts a raging monster arising and that is the same basic theme with the band itself: a return to what they do best: the ultra death metal from Topeka, Kansas, U.S. See the link below to hear a new song.

OFFICIAL INFORMATION: Kansas death metal squad, UNMERCIFUL, will drop the devious fruits of their long-awaited new full-length this Summer via Unique Leader Records. Titled Ravenous Impulse, the record features the drum demolition of John Lonstreth (Dim Mak, Origin, ex-Gorguts etc.). Comments UNMERCIFUL guitarist Clint Appelhanz (ex-Origin) of the band’s forthcoming full-length, “It’s been ten years since the release of Unmercifully Beaten and we’ve had an up and down ride through the years. We are proud to announce the release of Ravenous Impulse to mark a new time for the band. Ravenous Impulse features a collaboration of song writing styles from [bassist] Jeremy [Turner; ex-Origin], [guitarist] Justin [Payne] and myself. Coupled with John Lonstreth’s approach to drums and Kris [Bolton; D.F.W.B.]’s vocal delivery, we feel that our sound is in a new place while still maintaining the band’s identity. Concepts behind most of the lyrical content mainly deal with violent instinct and diabolical human behaviors. We feel these subjects and themes are more realistic and relative to everyday society and more terrifying. Expect a classic death metal sound with modern speed.”

Founded in 2001, UNMERCIFUL released its debut, Unmercifully Beaten, in 2006. With intensive tour runs from 2006 through 2009 with the likes of Cannibal Corpse, Dying Fetus, Necrophagist, Decrepit Birth, Cryptopsy, and more, the band went through various personnel changes before deciding to disband in 2009. What started out as just a reunion show in 2012, quickly returned the band to working status. With consistent live shows and numerous metal fest appearances, the band released a self-titled demo in 2014 as a first step in the process to completing its first full-length release in nearly a decade. After the abrupt departure of drummer James King, John Longstreth was enlisted to record drums for Ravenous Impulse. In July 2015, UNMERCIFUL entered Chapman Studios (Origin, Tech N9NE) to work with longtime producer and friend, Robert Rebeck. Longstreth laid down a phenomenal recording on drums. The rest of the album was recorded and mixed at Clint Appelhanz’s own Waveworks Studio. The process was long and tedious, but the end result is nothing short of sonically devastating. Ravenous Impulse raises the bar of relentless, unmerciful, aggressive, and plainly brutal death metal. Look for Ravenous Impulse July 22nd, 2016 on Unique Leader Records.

www.facebook.com/Unmerciful-347016405378181/

www.twitter.com/Unmerciful16?lang=en

NEWS: Neurogenic

NEWS:

Neurogenic

Ouroboric Stagnation

Comatose Music

Release: 2 September 2016

Watch out, boys and girls, Neurogenic will chew you up with super tight ultra brutal death metal reserved only for the true blue straight up dedicated public. Believe the hype! This music is untouchable. This band is not pretending to be all things to all people. It's a feeling. It's something that you feel when this music begins to play. You like it, you love it, you want more of it. It sounds very good. The musicians' objective is to take it to the maximum and keep pushing as much as possible. Below you can hear one song. That's all that there is for the public right now, but you will get the picture, big time. The whole album follows that idea. If you want the ultra death metal, this project will make your dreams come true.

OFFICIAL INFORMATION: Comatose Music and Neurogenic have teamed up to bring you what will certainly be one of the most devastating releases of 2016! 'Ouroboric Stagnation' is a brutal overdose of scorching guttural death metal in the vein of Putridity and Disgorge (USA). Neurogenic is comprised of an elite international line-up formed in early 2012 by guitarist Vlad Melnik (Derogation) of Ukraine. He soon recruited the superior drum skills of Marco Pitruzzella (Six Feet Under) from the United States, and followed by adding Russian bassist Anton Zhikharev (Fleshbomb). While recording their two song demo entitled ‘Subdural Breeding’, vocalist Matteo Bazzanella (Indecent Excision) from Italy joined the band to complete the line-up and make Neurogenic an underground death metal juggernaut. In addition to this amazing line-up there are also several respectable guest performers on this album. Don't miss out on this extreme debut release!

www.neurogenic.bandcamp.com/releases

www.facebook.com/Neurogenicmetal