Metallian Heavy

Canada-based deathrash metal band DECEREBRATION has a full-length demo called Follow The Scars.

NAPALM DEATH will release a new mini-album, entitled Resentment Is Always Seismic – A Final Throw Of Throes, through Century Media Records on 11.02.2022. Resentment Is Always Seismic – A Final Throw Of Throes is an extension of NAPALM DEATH’s latest album, 2020’s Throes Of Joy In The Jaws Of Defeatism. The EP features a couple of cover versions.

Everlasting Spew Records has signed USA-based ORGAN DEALER. A record is expected in 2022. Moreover, the label is issuing an album by Japan-based gore metal group FESTERDECAY in 2022. A track called Aborticide is available now.

DESTRUCTION will commemorate its 40th anniversary by releasing a new album, entitled Diabolical, through Napalm Records on the 8th of April 2022.

MESHUGGAH’s US tour of the winter has been postponed as a band member is undergoing a skin treatment on his hand. CONVERGE cannot participate, but TORCHE will still join the Swedes.

Edmonton, Canada-based thrash metal band TYMO has a new demo, called The Art Of A Maniac, slated for release early this year. A track called Mars Attacks is inspired by the film of the same name.

The Netherlands-based techno death metallers ANATOMY OF I have signed to Time To Kill Records for the release of The Los(t) Angered Sessions. The Material stems from 2005 and 2006. Since the release of its debut album Substratum in September 2011, the band has performed live throughout the Netherlands and abroad with the likes of CANNIBAL CORPSE, MASTER (US/CZ), DEW SCENTED (D, NL) and SADISTIK FOREST(SF), among others.

NECRONOMICON (Germany) has had its 2012 album Invictus re-issued on vinyl by Total Metal. Originally released by Massacre Records in 2012, this album was re-issued on CD by Total Metal Records in 2020.

X is the sophomore full-length album by Belarussian band KRVVLA and is due out through Brucia Records on February 4th.

UK-based death metal group INGESTED, which is signed to Metal Blade now, ENTERPRISE EARTH, SIGNS OF THE SWARM and GREAT AMERICAN GHOST are touring the USA in support of FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY.

OVERKILL and PRONG have announced a tour of the USA for March.

Switzerland-based ABRAHAM will release a new full-length, called Debris De Mondes Perdus, through Pelagic Records on 25.02.2022.

SHADOWS FALL reunited to play a one-off concert at The Palladium in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA on 18th of December. Opening were UNEARTH, DARKEST HOUR and WITHIN THE RUINS.

Featuring members from CORPSESSED, SOLOTHUS, TYRANNY, PROFETUS and CATALEPTIC, the Finland-based trio TORMENTOR TYRANT has a self-titled EP through Everlasting Spew.

Pest Records will issue Demolition, a new compilation by Chicago, Illinois, USA-based death metal band DISINTER. It is out on January 26th. The band and label had previously announced a 2020 album called Demolition Red, which is AWOL.

Lion Music is issuing The Netherlands-based MASS DECEPTION’s Halls Of Amenti digipak EP. The EP is a prelude to the Resurrections LP, which is a part of the Revelations, Redemptions and Resurrections triptych.

DEAD TREE SEEDS returns with a new EP with a limited edition of 100 copies, which will be released on Music-Records on February 11th. Back To The Seeds contains four tracks including three from the old album with a new production and an unreleased track.

UK-based gore metal band DELIBERATE MISCARRIAGE has a full-length demo called Mortuary Melodies.

Suspiria Records has issued Fire Will Fire, which is the first single from the upcoming ETERNAL PSYCHO album.

UK-based JACKAL’S BACKBONE has a video for the song Blackout from its demo, Red Mist Descending.

ARCHGOAT’s European tour was cancelled last month owing to the pandemic situation in Europe.

Season Of Mist has signed Australia-based black metal project WOODS OF DESOLATION. An album is expected this year.

Season Of Mist has signed STRIGOI. The band features Greg Mackintosh and co-conspirator Chris Casket. An album called Viscera. It will be released by Season Of Mist in the summer of 2022.

Los Angeles, California, USA-based death metal band ABYSMAL DAWN will be releasing a new EP, entitled Nightmare Frontier, through Season Of Mist on 04.02.2022.

IMMOLATION will release a new album, entitled Acts Of God, through Nuclear Blast on 18.02.2022. The band has issued a song called Apostle.

CROWBAR will release a new album, called Zero And Below, through MNRK Heavy (formerly eOne Music) on March 4th. A single, called Chemical Godz, is available now.

Tom Gabriel Fischer has stated his openness to resurrecting CELTIC FROST, under another name, to pay tribute to the dead bassist Martin Eric Ain.

France-based MY OWN FEAR has signed with Music-Records for the release of a debut album, which is called Violence Made History.

Yasutaka Kajihara the bass player for Japan-based UNOLY GRAVE has died.

Sixth Circle Fest VI is taking place in Trolsdorf, Germany on 15.01.2022. The bands appearing are PHANTOM WINTER, HEXER and IUS TALONIS. Sixth Circle Fest V with MORAST, TOADEATER and AERA took place in December.

White metal act SYMPHONY OF HEAVEN has an album, called Maniacal Entropik Discordium, through Rottweiler Records.

Italy-based “atmospheric black metal” duo EARD has a lyric video for the song De Rerum Natura. The song is the title track for its debut album, which was released by Avantgarde Music on September 24th.

Thailand-based death metal act SAVAGE DEITY has an album called Decade Of Savagery through the local Inhuman Assault Productions. The band was founded in 2010.

Tehran, Iran-based SARGAS has released a sophomore single called Labyrinth Of Evolution as of the 19th of November. The band’s last single was on the native Tough Sounds.

Montreal, Canada-based MESSORA started as a solo recording project with no clear goal back in 2016 and since then has evolved into a full-fledged live band that is releasing a new single called Forever As I Beg, which is a follow-up to the 2019 demo The Door.

PRIMALFROST, the solo melodic unit created by Canadian guitarist Dean Paul Arnold (touring guitarist BELPHEGOR, OPERUS and ex-VITAL REMAINS) has a first full-length in seven years. The demo entitled Lost Elegies follows 2014’s Prosperous Visions.


Metallian Hard

Italy-based hard rock band MOONLIGHT HAZE will release a new album, entitled Animus through Scarlet Records on 18.03.2022.

Canada-based heavy metal group STRIKER will be hitting the road in April and May 2022 to support BEAST IN BLACK for its first US and Canada headlining tour along with SEVEN KINGDOMS. Entitled the Dark Connection Tour, the first date will kick off in Orlando, Florida on April 7th and wrap up in Detroit, Michigan on May 2nd.

Prog rockers VOIVOD will release a new album, entitled Synchro Anarchy, through Century Media Records on 11.02.2022. It is the follow-up to 2018's The Wake. The band has a single called Planet Eaters.

U.D.O. has left AFM and signed with Atomic Fire Records. The band expects to have an album to coincide with the frontman Udo Dirkschneider’s 70th birthday on April 6th, 2022.

HAMMERFALL will release a new album, called Hammer Of Dawn, through Napalm Records on 25.02.2022. The title track’s video is available currently.

ANCIENT MYTH has released an EP called Ambrosian Blood, which is tagged with a bonus DVD.

Japan-based hard rock and heavy metal band FILL IT UP has an album called Heads Or Tails Shotgun Records in February. The band has a video for the song Payback.

THE IRON MAIDENS, an IRON MAIDEN cover band, and Switzerland-based BURNING WITCHES will tour the U.S.A. in May.

USA-based heavy metal band DARK MEDITATION will release an album called Polluted Temples through Satanik Royalty Records on January 28th. The band features former members of EMERALDS and R.I.P.

MARY’S BLOOD has joined DESTROSE, CYNTIA, LOVEBITES and others and announced the band will go on hiatus in April citing a need to recharge. “Hiatus” is code for disbandment in Japan. The band will play a concert in Japan on April 9th.

MATT PIKE of HIGH ON FIRE will release his debut solo album, Pike Vs. The Automaton, through MNRK Heavy on 18.02.2022.

Blackened heavy metal band NITE will release its sophomore full-length, Voices Of The Kronian Moon, through Season Of Mist on 25.03.2022. It is the band’s debut on the label. The band has a music video for the first single, Kronian Moon.

KISS’ second Las Vegas residency run was cancelled last month. The run was cancelled due to low ticket sales, which was partly blamed on COVID-19.

Another side-project: CANNIBAL CORPSE drummer Paul Mazurkiewicz, guitarist Taylor Nordberg (INHUMAN CONDITION, FORE, THE ABSENCE, et cetra), bassist Vernon Blake (formerly of ANARCHUS) and vocalist Brian Stephenson (FORE) have a new rock band called UMBILICUS. The band has written a dozen songs in the vein of the ‘70s.

BMG and investment firm KKR have purchased the entire music catalogue of ZZ TOP for a reported $50 million (US).

Rockshot Records has signed VANDERLUST. The science fiction and fantasy-inspired band will issue its debut album in the spring. The band members are also in S91 and DREAL.

EXISTENCE DEPRAVED is a melodic metal act formed by Toni Tieaho (CRYSTALIC) in Finland in 2018. After releasing two singles, The Herd and Unwalked Path, in 2020 the band will issue its debut album through Art Gates Records in 2022.

Nothing like the chance to make another buck: MEGADETH has its own cryptocurrency, which is called $MEGA, now. $MEGA owners are promised additional MEGADETH goodies in the future.

White metal act STRYPER will tour the USA in May. The band will also play at the M3 Rock Festival at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Maryland. Also appearing are TONY HARNELL, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, TESLA, LILLIAN AXE, LEATHERWOLF, DORO, KIX, SKID ROW, EXTREME and TESLA.

YNGWIE MALMSTEEN has cancelled several dates on his USA tour due to medical reasons. The man’s statement specifically claims the issue is not COVID-19.

DEF LEPPARD, DURAN DURAN and RICKY GERVAIS are among the acts performing the second annual A Bowie Celebration on January 8th. It coincides with the dead pop singer’s 75th birthday.

TOM KEIFER, L.A. GUNS and FASTER PUSSYCAT will tour the USA using the Sonic Slam monicker starting June 1st.

PRETTY MAIDS’ singer Ronnie Atkins, who is afflicted with cancer, will release a new album called Make It Count through Frontiers Music on 31.03.2022.

STRATOSPHERE PROJECT is a project by musician Flávio Brandão from Brazil. Depersonalization is a semi-concept album, where the musician handles the guitars, bass, keyboards and drum arrangements. Invited vocalists, including Volker Siefer, Rainer Michael Ludvik and Lean Van Ranna, from all over the world participate in the hard rock album. The project was formed at the end of 2019.

Art Of Melody Music and Burning Minds Music Group have renewed their deal with Italy-based melodic hard rockers SAINTS TRADE for the release of a new album, The Golden Cage, which is due later this year.

DARIAN AND FRIENDS is a charity musical project created by Dario Beretta, guitarist of DRAKKAR and CRIMSON DAWN. While a single is available now the band is working on a full-length for 2022. Dario is joined by Ty Christian (LORDS OF THE TRIDENT), Kristian Niemann (SORCERER), Simone Pesenti Gritti (DRAKKAR) and Michele Sanna (SUNSTORM). With the help of an array of metal and rock musicians from around the world, Dario is working on a full-length album which will be released in 2022.

In advance of the IV album, MARDELAS is independently releasing a single called Infinite Trinity on January 26th. The band is promising that the tracks will be exclusive to the release.

Japan-based EPITAPH has an EP called One Night Desire.

Calgary, Canada-based CAVEAT has a video for Infinite off its upcoming demo Alchemy. It is out in February.

Calgary, Canada-based thrash metal band HYPERIA has moved to Vancouver and will be self-releasing Silhouettes Of Horror in March. The full-length follows 2020's Insanitorium released through Sliptrick Records and the 2019 demo Fish Creek Frenzy.

INTO ETERNITY has joined the 2022 Hyperspace Metal Festival line-up performing with The Scattering Of Ashes Line-up. The festival is taking place from April 15 to 17 in Vancouver, Canada. WITHERFALL, IRON KINGDOM, WINTERS REACH, GATEKEEPER, SYRYN and many others are also scheduled.

The 18th issue of Romania-based fanzine Slowly We Rot is out now. Bands featured include TERMINAL CARNAGE, TRANSILVANIA and VERGEBLICHKEIT. Order it at https://slowlywerot.miiduu.com/

More freaky Americans shot more freaked Americans last month. Many right-wing politicians sent their thoughts and prayers.