Metallian Heavy

Canadian black and doom metal band VOW OF THORNS has a demo called Farewell To The Sun out on July 15th through its own Forest Dweller Inc. imprint.

QUINTA ESSENTIA will release its Initiates Of The Great Work full-length on July 29th through Deathgasm Records. Initiates Of The Great Work was recorded and engineered by former drummer Lance Wright (former touring drummer for VILE and guitarist for EPOCH OF UNLIGHT) at Stargate Studio in Huntsville, Alabama, USofA and mixed by Wright and Colin Davis (VILE).

Fredericton, New Brunswick’s HARD CHARGER hit the road for dates across East coast USA and Canada kicking off in Lowell Mass, MA, USA on June 23rd and wrapping up in Sherbrooke, Canada on July 9th. The tour is in support of the new release Bad Omens available on cassette from No List Records, CD from Vleestak Records and 12” LP from Wasted Time Records.

Chile’s PORTA DAEMONIUM will issue the Serpent Of Chaos album through Iron, Blood & Death Corporation on August first.

Latvia’s PROTEAN has an album called The Burning Centuries through Heathen Tribes. The band plays black metal.

POWERED BY DEATH’s It’s Only Getting Worse album was issued earlier this year through Heathen Tribes Records. The Canadian band plays thrash metal.

Flatspot Records will issue MIZERY’s Absolute Light album this July. The San Diego-based band is described as “metallic hardcore.”

VÖRGUS’ upcoming album White Trash Hellraisers will be out in September through Inferno Records. The album was recorded at ABF Studio Jakobsberg and Solna Sound Recording in Sweden and mixed and mastered by Mike Wead.

Nuclear Blast has announced the signing of MEMORIAM, the band of Karl Willets (BOLT THROWER) on vocals, Scott Fairfax (CEREBRAL FIX) on guitar, Frank Healy (BENEDICTION and CEREBRAL FIX) on bass and Andy Whale (BOLT THROWER) on drums. The band was formed in January and will issue a debut later this year.

Eihwaz Recordings/Bindrune has issued VEX’s Sky Exile album.

Swiss band CARNAL DECAY has issued a Promo 2016 through Rising Nemesis Records. The band plays brutal death metal and the release features two tracks. The band is touring Europe.

VADER will release a new studio album, called The Empire, on November 4th (originally slated for September 23rd) through Nuclear Blast. The follow-up to 2014’s Tibi Et Igni was recorded at Hertz Studio in Bialystok, Poland with producers Wojtek and Slawek Wiesawski.

THE MODERN AGE SLAVERY has lost guitarist Simone “Sym” Bertozzi and booted drummer Filippo De Pietri. The Italians are searching for replacement members.

Into The Cunt Of The Witch, the final album by
BLLIIGGHHTTED, is out now from London’s Merdümgiriz Records. After the death of the founding member, the upcoming European summer tour is a farewell for the short-lived band.

Iron, Blood & Death Corporation has issued LIGATURE WOUND’s self-titled album. The band hails from USA. The label has also issued HUMANITY DELETE’s Fuck Forever Off. The latter band has already split off after music nomad Rogga Johansson moved on to his new weekly project.

NYC-based progressive metal outfit INFINITE SPECTRUM will issue an album called Haunter Of The Dark through Laser’s Edge metal subdivision, Sensory Records.

GHOUL will return with its fifth studio album this summer. Entitled Dungeon Bastards, the eleven-track album was recorded and mixed by Scott Evans.

Swedish metal band AKTAION will release a demo called The Parade Of Nature, which featuring guests like Christopher Amott (ARMAGEDDON, ex-ARCH ENEMY) and Joey Concepcion (DEAD BY WEDNESDAY, ARMAGEDDON).

Denmark’s MERCENARY is touring Iberia this October.

Turkish one-man death metal act GROTESQUE CEREMONIUM will issue an album, called Demonic Inquisition, as a co-release between Satanath Records and More Hate Productions on June 15th.

New Jersey-based crossover band ROBOTS AND MONSTERS will issue a demo called Nothing To Fear Nothing To Fight on the first week of September.

Japanese death metal act DEFILED has a forthcoming album called Towards Inevitable Ruin, which is slated for worldwide release on July 8th.

Poland’s MORTHUS has issued a demo called Over The Dying Stars. The band is compared to DISSECTION and BEHEMOTH.

Hungary’s DUSK has a compilation album called Satan’s Laws. It is out through Possession Productions.

MERCYLESS has issued a free digital song, called Altered Divination, in anticipation of the October 7th release date of the new full-length album, Pathetic Divinity.

Croatian black metal band BLACK CULT has issued an album called Cathedral Of The Black Cult through Metal Scrap Records.

WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM has re-released its debut album, Diadem Of Twelve Stars and will tour Canada and the USA this September.

New York-based TELOCH VOVIN will issue the next chapter in the Psalms Ov Khaos series titled, In Nomine Dei Draconis, on the summer solstice, Monday, June 20th, 2016, at 3:34pm Eastern Time.

SODOM will release a new album, called Decision Day, on August 26th through SPV/Steamhammer.

A decade after its last release, INTERNAL SUFFERING‘s Cyclonic Void Of Power was released on June 24th, 2016 through Unique Leader on CD and vinyl.

ANCIENT has signed with Soulseller Records. The band’s new full-length album Back To The Land Of The Dead will be released in mid-September on CD, double LP and other versions. The EMP Label Group will release the album in the USA and Canada.

Swiss band STORTREGN has issued its Singularity album through Non Serviam Records‏.

EXODUS will headline the Battle Of The Bays European tour this October and November, with OBITUARY, PRONG and Australia’s KING PARROT opening.

MUNICIPAL WASTE has announced the addition of Nick Poulos on second guitar. Poulos plays with guitarist Ryan Waste in VOLTURE and BAT and previously played with bassist Phil Hall in CANNABIS CORPSE. The band is touring Europe.

GRAVE DESECRATOR has issued an album called Dust To Lust through Season Of Mist.

In support of the band’s Closed Casket Activities-released debut full-length, The Emptiness Of…, Pittsburgh-based crossover band ETERNAL SLEEP is playing shows in the USA.

The Italian thrash metal band METHEDRAS is the winner of something called the Global Rockstar Contest 2016 and consequently has secured a cymbal set.

The Russian female fronted death metal band ASCENT has signed with Sliptrick Records for the release of new album, Don’t Stop When You Walk Through The Hell, which was issued on June 30th.

Dutch band KAECK wrote its Stormkult album in a mere seven weeks. Stormkult is to be released by Heathen Tribes Records this month.

Finnish industrial/black metal band PROJECT SILENCE has a demo called Slave To The Machine out on June 30th.

Power violence project DENY THE CROSS, which joins current and past members of SPAZZ, BLACK ARMY JACKET, AGENTS OF SATAN, MUNICIPAL WASTE and DISCORDANCE AXIS, will release its eighteen-track debut Alpha Ghoul this summer through Tankcrimes Records.

Louisville, Kentucky-based black metal band ANAGNORISIS is issuing an album called Peripeteia through Vendetta Records this autumn.

BULLETSIZE’s Pansar album will be out on August 1st through Iron, Blood & Death Corporation. The band hails from Sweden.

Fallen-Angels Productions has issued VALGALDR’s Østenfor Sol album. The band hails from Norway and plays black metal.

Art Gates Records has issued REBEL SOULS’ debut album The Forces Of Darkness.

SUICIDAL TENDENCIES has picked The World Gone Mad as the title for its next album, which is due on September 30th.

Sweden’s EXCÖRIATOR has issued Faster Harder Louder album. The thrash metal act is comprised of “geezers” and consequently does not tour.

DEATHFARE’s Shotgun Surgery was issued through Heathen Tribes. The Norwegian band plays death metal.

With the release of Longing For Infection, the new full-length from Ohio’s FISTULA, now less than a month away, the band has issued a graphic visual accompaniment to Morgue Attendant through Cvlt Nation. Find it here: http://www.cvltnation.com/nsfw-extremley-graphic-video-premiere-fistula-morgue-attendant/

Napalm Records has signed thrash metal band WARBRINGER. The band will begin recording at the end of the summer for an early 2017 album release.

Death metal band DESTROYING THE DEVOID, which features Craig Peters of DEEDS OF FLESH and is formerly of ARKAIK, will release its debut full-length through Unique Leader Records on August 19th. Entitled Paramnesia, the seven-track album was engineered and produced by Craig Peters at Carnivale Nocturno Studio with all mixing and mastering handled by Zack Ohren (DEEDS OF FLESH, ARKAIK, SUFFOCATION, etc.) at Castle Ultimate Production.

PATH11 is the solo project of Grolig Maddox (frontman of the black metal band EDGE OF NIGHT). CCP Records has issued the band’s A New Direction Of Life album.

After losing its contract with Nuclear Blast, DECREPIT BIRTH has signed a Europe-only record deal with Agonia Records. The band is working on its next album, which is due in late 2016.

Moving into its fifth consecutive year Loud As Hell Heavy Metal Festival is three days of metal from July 29th to August 1st in Alberta, Canada. This year’s line-up includes UNLEASH THE ARCHERS, STRIKER, INTO ETERNITY, NINJASPY, DIVINITY, WEST OF HELL and DISCIPLES OF POWER.

Solo black metal act ISGÄRDE’s album Jag Enslig Skall Gå is out now through Symbol Of Domination.

ABOMINANT next studio album Napalm Reign is out through Deathgasm Records. Several track names are The Watchers, Truth Beyond Belief and As Evil Rears Its Head.

Sliptrick Records is issuing VEIL OF DECEPTION’s Tearing Up The Roots album this September. The band played at Donauinselfest 2015, Metalheads Against Racism alongside bands like MORTAL STRIKE, DAYS OF LOSS, EWIG FROST, PAIN IS, etc.

BRUJERIA will release a full-length album, entitled Pocho Aztlan, on September 16th through Nuclear Blast Entertainment. The band will conduct a U.S. tour this October with CATTLE DECAPITATION and PIÑATA PROTEST.

Heathen Tribes has issued CRUCIAL FIX’s self-titled album. The American band plays thrash metal.

Danish death metal band DAWN OF DEMISE will release its next full-length The Suffering through Unique Leader Records later this summer.

Sweden’s MUMINCUNT’s has an album called Visor Fran Muminskogarnas Morker through Heathen Tribes this September.

Greek’s groove metal band SPIT THE BLOOD has issued a self-titled album through Symbol Of Domination.

VONÜLFSRËICH’s Spell Of Thunder album is now out through Heathen Tribes. The Finnish band plays black metal.

OROBAS’ Arise In Impurity is out now through Symbol Of Domination. The band hails from Bangladesh and plays black/death metal.

VOODUS’ Nightqueen album is now out through Sliptrick Records. The black metal band hails from Sweden.


Metallian Hard

Two years in the making, THE NIGHT WATCH has issued Boundaries, a single thirty-six-minute piece of music. The Canadian progressive instrumental quartet features guitarist Nathanael Larochette and violinist Evan Runge of MUSK OX.

RUNNING WILD will issue an album called Rapid Foray on August 26th. The recording of the album was delayed as band leader Rolf Kasparek had broken his shoulder in the spring of 2014 and needed a year to recuperate.

Brazilian power metallers HIBRIA have announced a twentieth anniversary North American tour, which will kick off in Vancouver, Canada on August 10th and wrap up in New York City, USA on August 28th.

After being offered a lot of money the ‘80s line-up of DOKKEN is reuniting to play Japan’s Loud Park and six additional shows in the country. According to singer Don Dokken, one show may be filmed. The current line-up of DOKKEN will not disband however.

Two years after the release of its Clearing The Path To Ascend full-length, YOB is returning to Europe for shows in September and October.

Profound Lore Records has announced the release of DYSRHYTHMIA's next album, called The Veil Of Control, for this September. The instrumental band features GORGUTS’ collaborator, bassist Colin Marston.

Greek After a long time searching for a singer, Greece’s WINTER CRESCENT has found a singer. His name is Fabio Nunes and hails from Brazil. The band is already in the studio composing vocal lines for its upcoming demo.

Lithuanian female fronted melodic metal band BERSERKER will issue an album, called Dark Worlds collide, will be released on June 30th through Sliptrick Records.

Italian hard rock band EASY TRIGGER has announced the arrival of new frontman Nico. The band is at Hate Recording Studio to record a new full-length album with producer Maurizio "Icio" Baggio. Ways Of Perseverance will be published in September through Street Symphonies Records.

Following its upcoming summer and autumn live dates with METAL CHURCH in Europe, ARMORED SAINT will head back out on the road this November and December as support to QUEENSRŸCHE. MIDNIGHT ETERNAL will also join the bill which runs from November 15th through December 15th.

Sixteen years following his departure CROWBAR has been rejoined by original bassist Todd "Sexy T" Strange. Jeff Golden was unceremoniously fired.

Former ACCEPT and current U.D.O. singer Udo Dirkschneider will conduct a North American tour in January to play ACCEPT songs one last time before completely moving on. Back To The Roots - Farewell To Accept begins on January 5th.

Former JUDAS PRIEST singer Tim "Ripper" Owens was forced to cancel his appearance at Scotland's Wildfire festival on June 24th after being denied entry to the United Kingdom. A reason was not offered.

Argentina’s DOMINATION has issued a demo called Beneath The Silence. It features Tim Ripper Owens as a guest.

CRUCIFIED BARBARA from Sweden has thrown in the towel citing a lack of joy.

TESLA will issue Mechanical Resonance Live! in August. It is a live recording of its album of the same name thirty years later. Included is the single Save That Goodness, which was written and produced by Phil Collen of DEF LEPPARD.

MICHAEL SCHENKER performed under the Michael Schenker Fest banner at this year’s Sweden Rock Festival. This show featured performances by three former band singers, namely Gary Barden, Graham Bonnet and Robin McAuley.

Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page and Robert Plant appeared in a Los Angeles, USA court last month to defend the song Stairway To Heaven from accusations of plagiarism from the estate of the dead guitarist of SPIRIT, Randy Wolfe. LED ZEPPELIN and SPIRIT played together in the late 1960s. After hearing from multiple witnesses the jury decided in favour of LED ZEPPELIN.

Lithuanian authorities have banned the posters for IRON MAIDEN’s world tour because, they claim, the band’s mascot Eddie will frighten children. The same poster is used worldwide to promote the band’s current tour.

WOLVERINE's Machina Viva was recorded and produced by the band in various locations throughout Sweden during late 2015 and early 2016. It will be issued through Laser’s Edge on July 8th.

Sweden’s EVERGREY is commemorating its twentieth anniversary by issuing an album called The Storm Within on September 9th.

Brazilian heavy metal group GREY WOLF, which was founded by bassist and singer Fabio "Grey Wolf" Paulinelli, has released its third full-length album, Glorious Death. The material is being made available on CD through Arthorium Records.

AIRBOURNE will release its next album, Breakin' Outta Hell, this autumn through Spinefarm. The disc was produced by Bob Marlette who recorded the band’s Runnin' Wild debut in 2007.

Recorded during its 40th anniversary world tour, KISS and Eagle Rock Entertainment will issue Kiss Rocks Vegas this August in multiple CD and DVD formats.

Mallcore band IN FLAMES has returned to Nuclear Blast. The Swedes are working on a new album and a live DVD.

HELLOWEEEN was forced to cancel its Japanese tour on June 14th due to drummer Daniel "Dani" Löble being hospitalized with appendicitis.

JACKYL will release a new album, called Rowyco, on August 5th through Mighty Loud Records.

GUNS N ROSES and AC/DC singer Axl Rose has contacted Google to remove a photo of him looking fat from the Internet.

EDENBRIDGE is in the studio recording its next full-length album, The Great Momentum. The album will be released through Steamhammer/SPV in February.

France’s ELECTRIC SHOCK has issued an EP called Burn Out. The band, which started as an AC/DC cover band, is also compared to KROKUS.

After gaining over 20,000 plays in less than 72 hours, CRASH MIDNIGHT’s new video for the Steve Thompson (GUNS N’ ROSES, ROLLING STONES, PRINCE, DAVID BOWIE, etc.)-produced single Roxy has been taken down on YouTube creating controversy regarding artistic censorship. The original video can be found on http://www.crashmidnight.com.

Vancouver band BLACK WIZARD undertook a month-long Canadian with DEAD QUIET last month. The band will take a short breather before supporting VOLBEAT and KILLSWITCH ENGAGE this August followed by a tour through Europe this autumn with JOY.

ARAPACIS, which just released the System Deceive CD, is already working on new music with help from Vinny Appice and Steph Honde (DI'ANNO/HOLLYWOOD MONSTERS).

SLAMMIN’ THRU is releasing an album, called Things To Come, through Suspiria Records.

FEAR FACTORY's Dino Cazares tore a muscle in his right foot following the band's concert in Melbourne, Australia on June 5th. The guitarist was not put pressure on his foot for two weeks. As a result, Cazares is performing sitting down.

PARADISE LOST has signed to Nuclear Blast.

Sensory Records has confirmed a September release date for Origin, which is the label debut album by Finnish progressive metal band ODDLAND.

US heavy metal band CHILDREN OF SERAPH’s demo Warriors Of Light is out now.

ROTTING CHRIST has a video in support of its latest album Rituals. The clip for the track Ἄπαγε Σατανά (Apage Satana) is directed and produced by Jon Simvonis.

DEEP PURPLE cancelled the two shows in Sweden last month after Ian Paice had a small stroke. It was initially announced that an unspecified band member had fallen ill.

SOILWORK will release a compilation of rarities titled Death Resonance on August 19th through Nuclear Blast. The cover art was designed by MNEMIC guitarist Mircea Gabriel Eftemie.

Former BLACK SABBATH drummer Bill Ward has a new band called DAY OF ERRORS. The group features Joe Amodea on guitar and singer and bassist Nick Diltz. In the meantime, BLACK SABBATH itself is playing its post final show and final tour concerts. It claims it will play its last US show on November 12 at AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. BLACK SABBATH has been playing farewell shows for years including in 2015 and this year.

Inspired by KEEL? NARNIA has returned and to coincide with its twentieth anniversary will release a self-titled studio album on September 16th.

A music festival in Georgia featuring TIAMAT was stopped and shut down by a local Orthodox Christian mob on Saturday June 4th.

DUNSMUIR, a new project featuring CLUTCH singer Neil Fallon, former BLACK SABBATH drummer Vinny Appice, FU MANCHU bassist Brad Davis, and THE COMPANY BAND guitarist Dave Bone is set to release its self-titled debut album July 22nd through Hall Of Records.

Lebanese folk-metal band BLAAKYUM released a demo called Line Of Fear on June 25th. Stan-W Decker created the cover artwork. The band is touring Europe in support of ONSLAUGHT.

MEGADETH will tour the US with AMON AMARTH, METAL CHURCH and HAVOK this autumn.

White metal band STRYPER will commemorate the thirtieth anniversary of its To Hell With The Devil album this autumn with a world tour, which will feature all four original members in the original yellow and black costumes. The colours are inspired by The Bible.

Some lame and commercial so-called ‘metal’ band released a beer, hot sauce or lollipop somewhere.


Metallian Demos

RAZEND – WHITE GOAT II
Razend, which is Dutch for ‘furious,’ is an independent thrash metal band from The Netherlands. Three out of the five members – although two on this demo – are former Acrostichon members, a band whose 1991 demo Dehumanized arrived at Metallian Towers in that year and is still here.
Razend is far tharshier and less deathly than Acrostichon, but White Goat II, which also includes his father, is no less violent for it. 25 years has passed, but this bunch likes to attack with a sound that is reminiscent of DRI’s Crossover era with speed, flourishes and throatier vocals added. It bears mentioning that while goats are usually diabolic and symbolic of the infernal intentions of bands, this fellow here is of the more cute kind (‘white’ goat?) more commonly seen on the lid of a commercial product at the local cheese monger.
The phrasing of Corinne is early Forbidden/Annihilator, but the tonality and music are nods to crossover. The tone is harsh, but the words are easy to understand. Corinne can be gruff like the old days, but also wails like a banshee. The brutal backing growls add to it all. Critically, there is a lack of leads and the guitar tone is one-dimensional, also a byproduct of the production. Time (the song) slows down for some harmony before a big riff kicks in. Stop Pressuring Me, from the first demo, is sheer ripping speed and a delight. Check out the solo. No Cure For Dementia takes one back to Acrostichon. The warm bass sound and bass drums are definite bonuses as evidenced on Boktor Of Horror.
This CD is available for ten Euros by contacting razendband@gmail.com. - Ali “The Metallian”

SCYTHIA - LINEAGE
The prolific Canadians are back with a sixth release since 2010's ... Of War. The number of members listed and pictured is down to four. True to the band's 'folk metal' tag much of Lineage has been recorded, mixed and mastered in Finland. Eternal Oath begins the story varying between folk-ish and heavier vocals, the music however is something akin to folk metal or perhaps power metal. Synthesizers aplenty of course. Laugh Of The Tsar tells a better story than its standard multi vocals and not too ground-breaking music and the gents and lady can't resist incorporating other instruments. There is some catchiness and a dose of heaviness however. Barbarian can have some claim to being power metal and borrows from ‘70s progressive rock too. Soldier's Lament has a dominant chorus but otherwise is a low key song befitting its title. Loremaster Pt I and Pt II total over 14 minutes start ballad like but quickly jump into heavy and power metal, the length allows David Khan and co to showcase their talents. Scythia often sounds very European. The Sacrifice continues with the Slavic tales and features some more of the so called harsher vocals but it is mainly a mix of different influences. The title track is the shortest of the eight songs and shifts focus from a harsher chorus to DragonForce. Despite what it says on the CD the lyrics are not available at www.scythia.ca/lyrics at the time of this review. Head on there to see if the words have made it. – Anna Tergel

NEW CLUE - MYSTIC WINDS
Is it New Clue or NewClue? The CD label has almost cropped out one member of this US quartet. Mystic Winds is a four song EP with little info from the band otherwise. The title track opens up with the odd, approaching the screeching vocals of Neil Whittington jumping out at the listener and lyrics like 'Mystic winds ... Should I leave or should I stay ... I hear one sound, stay'. The music is raw. Hail To The King (Henry VIII) presents a different vibe to the opener, as if the party has started after a pensive period. The song gives off an ‘80s hard rock vibe with Will Gould Jr keeping busy on guitars. Homeless tones down the party atmosphere somewhat. Illustrious Youth is again hard rock that musically would fit in pretty well in decades past, it is certain the band would welcome names like Cinderella as somewhat of a soundalike. Head over to www.facebook.com/NewClue-176688119017719/ for more. – Anna Tergel

CELESTIAL RUIN - PANDORA
Female lead vocals and sound a likes listed as Nightwish, Evanescence, Delain and Within Temptation (among others). Basically throwing away originality even before the CD has started. Is this really a good thing for a band? Pandora is an EP and is this Canadian quartet's second release following 2012's The Awakening. Fronted by Larissa Dawn the five songs on Pandora start with Murder Of Crows, which features a brief intro. Not for the first time a four piece band allows its music to be intermixed by an extra instrument, why not have the keyboard player (played on Pandora by Ruben Wijga) as a full time member? Doses of catchiness aid bands like Celestial Ruin and the musicianship and production are not exactly weak either. As befitting the aforementioned bands Celestial Ruin can sound European but then again a song like Sense Of Exile borrows melodies and vocal stylings from Evanescense and Amy Lee but (with a bit of Battle Beast too). No Quarter is rock-ish and Nevermore can be said to be symphonic rock and not symphonic metal. Firestorm starts with the band's take on the folk style but avoids staying that way and closes Pandora with something more up tempo. Delve into the box at www.celestialruin.com. – Anna Tergel