Metallian Heavy

AUGURY has seen the return of bassist Dominic ‘Forest’ Lapointe and drummer Étienne Gallo. The band is rehearsing and writing.

THE FORSAKEN will release its new album, Beyond Redemption, on June 29th through Massacre Records. The album was mixed and mastered at Fascination Street Studio.

Ledo Takas has two new releases on the 6th of June. These are DISSIMULATION‘s Iškelk Ir Išniekink MLP/MCD and OBTEST‘s Prieš Audrą CD.

Dark Descent Records and Me Saco Un Ojo will release BINAH’s debut, Hallucinating In Resurrecture. The July release date comes courtesy of the label which will release the CD and the LP respectively.

SIX FEET UNDER has recruited rhythm guitarist Ola Englund to the ranks. England, who will make his first official appearance with the band on the 18 Nights Of Blood Tour, takes the place of Rob Arnold.

Italian death metal band HUMANGLED has released a video for the track Needles Of The Blind from the band’s forthcoming EP entitled Odd Ethics, which is due out in mid to late May through Abyss Records.

The Emptiness Within, the new album from U.K.’s DE PROFUNDIS is now out through Kolony Records.

Finnish death metal band PYURIA will release its third album, Incarnadine Revelry, on June 13th through Violent Journey Records.

Los Angeles thrashers HEXEN has a new full-length, Being And Nothingness, set for release through Pulverised Records on July 17th, 2012.

DARK FUNERAL has signed a three-album deal with Century Media Records. The band was last on the bankrupt Regain Records.

MASTIC SCUM has signed a deal with Massacre Records. The band is working on material for its next studio album, which is due for an autumn release.

Finnish thrashers BLOODRED HOURGLASS (formerly BRHG) has signed with Spinefarm Records. The band’s debut album, Lifebound, will be released in August.

German death metal band WORDS OF FAREWELL has issued its debut full-length Immersion through AFM Records on May 15th.

Nuclear Blast Records has announced July 31st as the release date for Dark Roots Of Earth, which is the new album by TESTAMENT. The album was mixed and produced Andy Sneap.

WINDFAERER will release its EP entitled Solar this month. The self-released follow-up to the band’s Tribus disc was recorded with Bobby Torres at Frightbox Recording.

Le Stelle: A Voyage Adrift, the new record from Italian band INCOMING CEREBRAL OVERDRIVE is now out through Supernatural Cat.

Eisenwald has issued a limited release from AGALLOCH in the form of The Demonstration Archive 1996-1998 vinyl box set. It is a collection of material from the band’s early years. The archive includes all material from 1997’s From Which Of This Oak demo, the original Of Stone, Wind, and the Pillor EP.

Drummer Pat Hamelin has left MARTYR. The Canadian act has gone into hiatus.

This July INCANTATION and IMMOLATION are playing a series of shows in Brazil featuring local openers.

Finnish death/doom band SWALLOW THE SUN has been announced as the openers for a North American tour this autumn supporting KREATOR and ACCEPT. The North American Teutonic Terror Attack will commence on September 5, 2012 in Washington D.C. and work its way through 23 cities in Canada and USA. KREATOR and MORBID ANGEL will tour together with NILE and FUELED BY FIRE in Europe in November.

Germany’s Dunkelheit Produktionen will release Wijsgeer & Narreman from Dutch Black Metal act LASTER.

ViciSolum Production has issued SECTU’s new album Gerra. The band features members from MORK GRYNING, DAWN, CB MURDOC, EVERGREY and more.

Chaos Records will release the LP and cassette versions of The Key To A Black Heart, the new album from Swedish band BLOOD MORTIZED in July. The CD version is out through FDA Rekotz.

Kaotoxin Records is set to release Black Throne Of All Creation, the debut full-length from Belgian death metal band DEHUMAN on May 28th. The album was recorded at the Blackout Studio.

Eisenwald has issued an AGALLOCH package called The Demonstration Archive 1996-1998 vinyl box set. It is a collection of material from the band’s earlier years, including material from 1997’s From Which Of This Oak demo , the Of Stone, Wind, and Pillor EP of 1998 and the Promo 98.

THOUSAND YEAR WAR is working on a new EP to follow the band’s full-length debut, Tyrants And Men, which was released last year on Abyss Records. The EP will contain six tracks including a cover of the MISFITS’ London Dungeon.

People From The Lands Of Vit, from Bulgarian death metal act ENTHRALLMENT, is now available through United Guttural Records.

Greyhaze Records has announced the formation and signing of a new death metal act called WARFATHER, which features ex-MORBID ANGEL man Steve Tucker. WARFATHER is currently in the final stages of tracking the yet-to-be-titled album with mixing to take place immediately after.

BOLERO has changed its name to VESPERIA. “This new name means ‘of the land of the evening star’ and the word ‘Vesperia’ was one of the proposed names for Canada before our country’s name was decided upon,” says the band. The band is touring in June.

Chicago-based death metal band CARDIAC ARREST is back with its fourth full-length. It is called Vortex Of Violence and out through Ibex Moon.

TANKARD will release a 30th-anniversary album, called A Girl Called Cerveza, on July 27th through the band’s new label, Nuclear Blast Records. The album was recorded at Studio 23 in Frankfurt, Germany with producer Michael Mainx.

COFFIN TEXTS’ The Tomb Of Infinite Ritual is available on CD through Dark Descent Records. The vinyl version will be released through Blood Harvest Records
Jordan’s BILOCATE has issued Summoning The Bygones through Code666. The album features Dan Swano as guest vocalist. It was mixed and mastered at Fascination Street Studio in Sweden with producer Jens Bogren.

Bassist Martin ‘Tore’ Toresson has left EVOCATION after 7 years with the band. The Swedish group is seeking replacements and can be contacted via marko@evocation.se.

HADES will appear as A Night Of Hades Music With Alan Tecchio for this year’s Headbangers open Air Festival in Germany. The promoters have asked the band to play music from its first two thrashier albums and guitarist Dan Lorenzo has backed out. Following him were also Tom Coombs and Ed Fuhrman. Alternate current and former HADES members participating are bassist Kevin Bolembach, who has been in the band recently, and drummer Ron Lipnicki from OVERKILL, who played on DamNation.

White metal band MEGADETH will perform its 1992 album, Countdown To Extinction, in its entirety at the Pepsi Center in Mexico City, Mexico on Wednesday, September 19th and at the Arena VFG in Guadalajara, Mexico on Friday, September 21th.

Swedish death metallers ENTRAILS has signed a deal with Metal Blade Records. A record is due this year.

Guitarist and singer Trond “Trondr Nefas” Bråthen of Norway’s URGEHAL has died at age 35.

Greek Fascists Ahoy! Giorgos Germenis, bassist for Greek black metal band NAER MATARON, has been elected to the country’s parliament. Germenis (a.k.a Kaiadas) is a member of the fascist Golden Dawn party. Racists and fascists may rejoice when the band’s new album, Long Live Death, will be released.

20% chance of happening: SACRIFICIAL SLAUGHTER is confirmed to join MASTER for the North American Detonation Tour, which is set to take place in March of 2013.

SACRIFICIAL SLAUGHTER and BLOODSOAKED will tour Europe this November using the Hammer Of Gore European Tour 2012 monicker. The tour will run from November 2nd to 11th and hit Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Holland, Belgium, Austria and Sweden. Exact cities and venues are currently being confirmed. Support will come from COFFIN SYRUP, GORGY and MANGLED ATROCITY.

Chaos And Live Shots DVD of ASSASSIN will be released in September. The DVD will feature footage of the band’s 2010 concerts in Japan.

Pulled an EYEHATEGOD? Century Media Records has signed London, England’s MONUMENTS. The band’s debut album, Gnosis, will be released in August. The album was originally slated to be released in 2011 through Basick Records. MONUMENTS left the label, which had issued the band’s debut EP, We Are The Foundation, in 2010.

Candlelight Records has signed Ukrainian black metal band KHORS. The band’s album, Wisdom Of Centuries, will be released in September.

ILLDISPOSED will release its next album, Sense The Darkness, on September 21st through Massacre Records. The album is being recorded at Antfarm Studio in Aabyhøj, Denmark with producer Tue Madsen.

Inspired by KEEL? Metal On Metal Records has signed the reformed metal act HERETIC. An Album is due this year.


Metallian Hard

LOUDNESS has signed a deal with Toronto’s FrostByte Media. The band's latest album, Eve To Dawn, which was issued last September will be released outside Japan this August.

AFM Records has June 19th as the date for the dual-CD package called Celebrator: Rare Tracks collection of U.D.O, AT VANCE’s Facing Your Enemy and THE MURDER OF MY SWEET by Bye Bye Lullaby.

KATATONIA has picked Dead End Kings as the title for its new album, which is due on August 28th through Peaceville Records.

Singer Eduardo "Edu" Falaschi has left the Brazilian metal band ANGRA

Electronic heavy rock band KHONSU, which features the Gronbech brothers (ex-KEEP OF KALESSIN), has signed a deal with Season Of Mist. The band's debut album, Anomalia, is out this year.

KAMELOT has assigned a new deal with Steamhammer. The band remains with King Records for Japan. KAMELOT is working on a new album due later this year.

URIAH HEEP will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the release of its Demons And Wizards album by performing the album in its entity at several U.S. shows this autumn.

Inspired by KEEL? 25 years after the band’s commercial zenith three of the original members of VIXEN have reunited as VXN. The band is singer Janet Gardner, bassist Share Ross and drummer Roxy Petrucci along with guitarist Gina Stile are VXN. The name VIXEN is being used by original guitarist Jan Kuehnemund.

ACCEPT's new album Stalingrad has been issued by Nuclear Blast.

Chile`s PENTAGRAM has changed its name to PENTAGRAM CHILE. The band wanted to avoid confusion with the US band of the same name and thought it is now an opportune time following a split with original drummer Eduardo Topelberg a.k.a. Eurynomos.

Frontiers Records released HARDLINE's next studio album, Danger Zone, on May 18th.

Inspired by KEEL? To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the recording of, Feel The Shake, the four original members of JETBOY (Mickey Finn, Billy Rowe, Fernie Rod and Ron Tostenson) will reunite for one show on June 1st at the Whisky A Go Go in Los Angeles.

Vivian Campbell, guitarist for DIO in the early days and currently with THIN LIZZY and DEF LEPPARD, has gotten together with former DIO members Jimmy Bain, Vinny Appice and Claude Schnell to rehearse and play material from the first two DIO albums. The news is peculiar given Dio’s disdain for Campbell and the Irish guitarist’s disdain for DIO and the music he often denigrated.

MANOWAR's new album, The Lord Of Steel, will be released worldwide on June 16th exclusively on iTunes and in the band's own online store, The Kingdom Of Steel. The CD will also be included in Metal Hammer.

BLACK SABBATH singer Ozzy Osbourne will now perform many of the previously announced BLACK SABBATH European concerts, but be billed as OZZY OSBOURNE & FRIENDS. These were the dates originally planned with guitarist Tony Iommi, which were cancelled with the guitarist’s cancer. Part of the band is Zakk Wylde and Slash.

KORPIKLAANI will release its next studio album, Manala, on August 3rd through Nuclear Blast Records.

CHROME DIVISION, featuring DIMMU BORGIR frontman Shagrath on guitar, has asked bassist Björn "Burn" Luna and guitarist Ricky Black to leave. The band’s new guitarist is Damage Karlsen of former BREED fame.

Rob Doherty, the former INTO ETERNITY and recent FINAL DARKNESS guitarist, has died. No reason was disclosed.

Massacre Records will release the newest album from Germany’s GUN BARREL, entitled Brace For Impact, in North America on May 22nd.

Italian hard rockers VOODOO HIGHWAY have unveiled the cover artwork for its new album, which is currently being recorded. The album’s artwork will be edited and created by Storm Thorgerson. The same man is most known for being the creator of one of PINK FLOYD’s The Dark Side Of The Moon. That album’s cover motif is being repeated on VOODOO HIGHWAY’s release.

OMEN will release a new album, called Hammer Damage, on June 29th through Pure Steel Records. The band's album was originally due at the end of April, but had to be delayed as Kenny Powell's studio was damaged by a tornado.

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions will reissue the debut album from DECEASED, Luck Of The Corpse, on CD format on May 22nd. This version features different artwork and is remastered. The album was originally issued through Relapse.

Umskiptar the new album from VARG VIKERNES of BURZUM was released on May 22nd through Candlelight. The label has also released HAVOK’s Point Of No Return.

MOTÖRHEAD’s The Wörld Is Ours Vol. 2 DVD will be released to tie in with MOTÖRHEAD's annual U.K. tour in November.

CIRCUS MAXIMUS’ new CD called Nine will be released on June 5th through Frontiers Records.

FLYING COLORS, featuring drummer Mike Portnoy (ex-DREAM THEATER) and guitarist Steve Morse (DEEP PURPLE), has scheduled shows in the USA and Europe for September.

KREATOR and ICED EARTH will make their respective Indian live debuts at the Bangalore Open Air, which will take place on June 16th. Many Indian bands are on the list.

DORO PESCH has a new album this year called Raise Your Fist. It has been recorded and written in the U.S., Germany, and Scandinavia. It will be issued through Nuclear Blast.

Gary Moat and Gordon Bonnar of HEAVY PETTIN’ have a new band called MOTHERS RUIN. Gary is now on vocals. The band has a demo and is searching for a deal. The band is gigging in the UK.

SACRED GATE released its full-length debut, When Eternity Ends, on April 27th through Metal On Metal Records. The band plays heavy metal.


Metallian Demos

LELAHELL – AL INTIHAR
Lelahell hails from Algiers, the capital of Algeria….. wait….. did he say Algeria? Yes, from Algeria where forming a metal band must be as difficult as putting brains into an American GI, let alone forming a metal band with this much power and brutality. No matter how reformed or current Algeria has become in more recent years, and let me go out on a limb and add no one should hold their breaths, forming a band like this is going to go against societal, religious and local sensibilities. In that sense, kudos to the trio. Much more importantly, however, kudos to the band for the sharp professionalism and competence of this brutal death metal. In fact, the list of factors and qualities this bunch is lacking compared to its Western brethren is short:
Very Short! There is none. Lelahell is easily up to international standards and more. The band’s bread and rotten butter is downtrodden sick death metal and its delivers without any detour into stupidity of Oriental or Arabic music. The band’s name and song titles like Al Moutanabi and Al Ihitiqar might deliver the wrong message for this band is not retarded like those Finnish wimps up in whatever their country is called waxing Suomi saccharine. This is all business. Well mostly. Heavy death songs with the occasional dual vocals and clean soloing are back-ended by a cover version of Mayhem’s Freezing Moon, something that is both clichéd and unnecessary. The band’s riffs are not the world’s best and most innovative, but they are good to very good. Nonetheless, it is a good performance of the Norwegians’ original song and a slight departure compared to the other five tracks here.
The group was formed only a short one year ago and has already issued this. Want to contact them? lelahellband@gmail.com or www.myspace.com/lelahellband. – Ali “The Metallian”

ENTRENCHED – PREEMPTIVE STRIKE
Neither the band’s name nor the demo’s title is anything new or original. The black and white cover photograph of a war-ravaged dystopia is no less formulaic for the genre. What about the music? Nothing new under the sun!
Does the band disappoint? Not at all, it’s meats and potatoes death metal with as little as possible, but that is what the purist should want, right? The band sounds like proto-grind band/ Think early Master mixed with Obituary. Solos are as rare an event on this disc as is humanity and compassion in the army, but they do make an appearance on the odd track like Anesthetic Death. Indeed, the cover artwork and attitude, as well as the music’s simplicity have a certain Master-ish reek. The band adds an intro, some spoken dubs and violent titles to spruce up the proceedings, but a weak point exists and it is the drumming of Charles Snyder. He is a follower who adapts to the music rather than adds flair and excitement. Here is to him improving. The band can be reached through its publicist clawhammerpr@gmail.com or at this corporate website: http://www.myspace.com/entrenchedusa. - Ali “The Metallian”