Metallian Heavy

KAMPFAR has picked Mare as the title for its next album, which is due on March 25th, 2011 through Napalm Records.

Canada’s WOODS OF YPRES has signed a deal with Earache Records.

Selfmadegod Records has announced the upcoming release of This is Not A Threat, It’s a Promise, the new album from Belgian mincecore band AGATHOCLES. The 27-song album was recorded at Soundshape Studios in Belgium, where the band has recorded most of their releases to date, such as the classics Razor Sharp Daggers, Grind Is Protest and Black Clouds Determinate.

Ryan Bartek has joined BLOOD OF MARTYRS. The band’s new album, Even The Dead Long For Spring, is out this month.

NEURAXIS has announced Asylon as the title for its sixth studio album, second for Prosthetic Records. The album will be released in North America on February 15th, 2011.

The Italian death metal band SUFFER IN SILENCE has added guitarist Ivan Ravaioli (Ex-CRUEL CRIMINAL).

SUPREME PAIN has lost drummer Toep Duin and replaced him with Paul Beltman (SINISTER, INFINITED HATE and JUDGEMENT DAY).

Irremediable, the third full-length from black metal band CONSPIRACY, is out through Pulverised Records.

WHIPLASH has left Pulverised Records. The label issued the band’s Unborn Again album in 2009. In the meantime, singer and guitarist Tony Portaro has released a digital solo song called Thrashing Halloween.

ABOMINANT‘s Where Demons Dwell is out now through Where Demons Dwell.

BETHLEHEM’s Stoenkfitzchen MCD is now out through Red Stream.

FORBIDDEN, EVILE, GAMMA BOMB and BONDED BY BLOOD are touring North America together. The bands are also playing several shows alongside OVERKILL.

Can someone tell Nuclear Blast Records/the whole industry what the word ‘legendary’ means? Austria’s BELPHEGOR recently ended work on its new album. Blood Magick Necromance was produced by the “legendary” Peter Tägtgren (HYPOCRISY) at his Abyss Studio. The album will be released on January 14th, 2011 in Europe and on February 8th, 2011 in North America.

Denver, Colorado’s HAVOK has kicked off its US tour at the White Rabbit in San Antonio, Texas. The band’s latest jaunt will wind through over two weeks worth of dates before drawing to a close in Jacksonville, North Carolina. The band is joined by WRETCHED and ARMED FOR THE APOCALYPSE.

Death metal band DISKREET has returned with its full-length debut, Engage The Mechanicality, through Candlelight USA.

MACHINERY’s Hate Filled Soul demo 1994 has been re-issued by Quarterpipe Records.

Black metal bad DANTALION’s All Roads Lead To Death album is now out through Xtreem Music.

DREAMING DEAD and EXHAUSTED PRAYER have embarked on a tour of the US West Coast. The 10-date Fall Into Ruin tour trekked across Washington, Oregon, and California, ending in the City of Angels on Devil’s Night. DREAMING DEAD have released a video for Overlord from its forthcoming album Midnightmares.

CIA, MI-5 and CSIS beware! GORGOROTH recently returned from Tomas Asklund’s Monolith Studio putting the finishing touches on a project that’s been a secret until now: a complete re-recording of the band’s third album Under The Sign Of Hell. It has long been guitarist Infernus’ wish to do such a re-recording and now the work is close to complete. A final release date has not yet been set. In addition, the band will also begin work on the as-yet-untitled next GORGOROTH full-length, tentatively scheduled for a late 2011 release. Both albums will be released by Regain Records.

Montreal’s Sepulchral Productions is proud to announce the November 9th release of three new black metal releases. These are BORGNE’s Entraves de l’Âme, FORTERESSE’s Par Hauts Bois Et Vastes Plaines and NEIGE ET NOIRCEUR’s La Seigneurie des Loups.

Here is some news from PATHOLOGY: “We regret to say that we are forced to miss the last two weeks of the IMMOLATION/VADER US tour. At the show in Los Angeles our guitarist Tim Tiszczenko decided he no longer wants to be a part of PATHOLOGY. Tim has been with me for almost 5 years, so having him quit like this is a big disappointment and shock. He basically cannot handle life on the road so he has to leave the band mid-tour despite us requesting him to complete the dates through year’s end.” The band is now looking for a permanent singer as well.

Italian industrial black metallers ABORYM‘s new album Psychogrotesque will hit the stores on next November 8th through Season Of Mist.

ANAL CUNT releases its first new full-length since 1999’s It Just Gets Worse on Earache Records. It is called Fuckin’ A.

DÉTENTE has severed ties with EU Distributer Music By Mail. The band believes that MBM has not met the obligations of their agreement and rather than have a bad relationship both sides agreed to go their own ways.

Can someone tell Metal Blade/the whole industry what the word ‘legendary’ means?Metal Blade Records has announced a new partnership with German label, Cyclone Empire. Metal Blade will bring Cyclone Empire’s releases to North American shores. Cyclone Empire has releases from the “legendary” EVOCATION, as well as underground acts such as DEMONICAL, THE GROTESQUERY, BLACK SUN AEON, FUNEBRARUM, DEMIURG, FACEBREAKER and many more. The first two releases are EVOCATION’s third full-length album, Apocalyptic, and FACEBREAKER’s latest slab of death metal, Infected.

Maldives-based thrashers SERENITY DIES has recently parted ways with bassist/vocalist Chuck and guitarist Xiao due to personal reasons. According to a statement from the band, there is no ill-will on either side and everyone remains close friends. Despite this obstacle, SERENITY DIES is fully committed to moving forward as a band and is pleased to announce that guitarist/vocalist Jared MacEachern (ex-SANCTITY) and bassist Addo (ex-FASYLIVE) have joined the fold.

IMPRECATION has broken its decade-long silence with two brand-new tracks in the form of The Sigil Of Lucifer 7“ EP through Negativity Records. It is limited to a once-only pressing of 666 copies.

ABACINATE has announced that on Tuesday morning, September 28th its vocalist Jason “Plunger” Sica, 25, was found dead. He died at the home of one of his friends, in his hometown of Edison, New Jersey. The band is still issuing an album, featuring Jason, later this year.

PLAGUE WARHEAD, the new Swedish thrash metal band featuring former members of EDGE OF SANITY, PAN-THY-MONIUM, OPHTHALAMIA, SCYPOZOA, DARKIFIED and ASHES, will release a four-song mini-CD through Godeater Records. The band features EDGE OF SANITY’s Benny “Bempa” Larsson and ALLEGIANCE and DARKIFIED’s Martin Gustavsson.

DEATHRAISER, which inked a deal with Xtreem Music in mid-2008 under its previous monicker of MERCILLESS, has finished the recording process for its debut full-length album entitled Violent Aggression, which will see the light of day in February 1st, 2011.

Reunited Swedish death metal band DESULTORY will reissue its Into Eternity and Bitterness full-lengths through Singapore’s Pulverised Records. The albums were initially released through Metal Blade Records in 1993 and 1994 respectively. The albums are re-mastered by producer Dan Swanö at Unisound Studio in Sweden. The band’s demos are included as bonus tracks.

EXHUMED is currently at Arcane Digital Recording in Arizona with engineer Ryan Butler (MISERY INDEX, etc.) recording its first full-length album since 2003’s Anatomy Is Destiny. All Guts, No Glory is scheduled for a spring 2011 release through Relapse Records.

ASSASSIN will release a new album, Breaking The Silence, in February through SPV/Steamhammer Records. The album was recorded by producer Harris Johns. The band is returning to the label after 20 years.

GLOOMY GRIM has a new two-track single featuring a cover version of the MERCYFUL FATE song Black Funeral and a new song, Let My Enemy Suffer As I Do! The single is called Grim Fate.

HOMO IRATUS has recruited a new singer, Alex of HUMAN REJECTION.

CATAMENIA has lost four members. Ari Nissilä, Toni Kansanoja, Kari Vähäkuopus and drummer Mikko Nevanlahti have left the band to concentrate on their own bands, business and projects. Former bassist Mikko Hepo-oja of the Winternight Tragedies era and drummer Tony Qvick and guitarist Sauli Jauhiainen have joined the act.

NORTHER’s Circle Regenerated is set for an early 2011 release through Century Media.


Metallian Hard

The new U.D.O. album, Rev-Raptor, which was originally planned for January 14th through AFM Records has been postponed to March 18th, 2011. The album is delayed due to the resurgence of guitarist Stefan Kaufmann back pain which had forced him to stop playing drums in ACCEPT.

THRESHOLD has announced the following 2011 dates: 24 March 2011 - The Rock Temple, Kerkrade, NL, 25 March 2011 - Boerderij, Zoetermeer, NL, 26 March 2011 - Zeche, Bochum, DE and 2 April 2011 - Fused Festival, Lydney, UK.

MASTERS OF REALITY is touring the US this month and hitting the UK with THE CULT in January.

ASTRAL DOORS will release a new compilation, Testament Of Rock - The Best Of Astral Doors, on November 19th through Metalville.

DARK MOOR will release its eighth album, Ancestral Romance, in November.

Former METAL CHURCH singer Ronny Munroe, who joined the band in the summer, has quit LILLIAN AXE. He wants to focus on his other bands.

Former IRON MAIDEN singer PAUL DI’ANNO will play the band's self-titled debut album in its entirety plus select songs from the second album, Killers, during his tour of the USA in December and January. Support on the tour will come from ICARUS WITCH.

CRUSHING BLOW’s CeaseFire album is out through Inferno Records.

BLIND GUARDIAN’s North American portion of the Sacred Worlds And Songs Divine 2010 World Tour is commencing on November 19th in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and concluding on December 22nd in West Springfield, Virginia. Support acts are California’s HOLY GRAIL and Florida’s SEVEN KINGDOMS.

AGALLOCH will release its new album, Marrow Of The Spirit, on November 23rd through Profound Lore Records.

Drummer Chad Smith has informed CHICKENFOOT that he is unable to tour next year due to scheduling conflicts with his main band, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS. He will record the band’s second album however.

Self-cover band: MANOWAR is rerecording and rereleasing its Battle Hymns album. Due for release at the end of this month Battle Hymns will be issued as Battle Hymns 2011. Replacing Orson Wells is the voice of Christopher Lee.

ROTTING CHRIST has had its South American tour cancelled yet again. The band is still trekking across North America next spring.

HALLOWS EVE has recruited drummer Patrick "Scooch" Pascucci (SHANK 456, J.F.K.F.C., DICK DELICIOUS and SUPERJAK) is working on a new album.

Swiss band GOTTHARD, whose singer Steve Lee was killed on October 5th in a motorcycle accident in Nevada, will release a new collection called Heaven - Best Of Ballads Part 2 on November 26th through Nuclear Blast Records.

CANDLEMASS will celebrate its 25-year anniversary by performing an extra-long set at Debaser Medis in Stockholm on December 18th. The band's debut album, Epicus Doomicus Metalicus, will be played in its entirety for the first time with the original singer Johan Längqvist. The band has also been in the studio recording a couple of cover songs for a limited vinyl EP that will be sold on the evening of the show.

Giddy Up! Records will release PLACE OF SKULLS' fourth full-length, As A Dog Returns, in North American on November 9th, 2010. The band is touring Europe in October and November.

KING’S X are wrapping up a co-headlining run with ACCEPT. In 2011, the band has a new album and will release Live Love In London, a 2CD/DVD package featuring music from the past 30 years. This release features two hours of the KING’S X live and songs such as Over My Head, Goldilox, Pray and more.

FIREWIND’s Days Of Defiance is out now through Century Media. The band features guitarist Gus G. of OZZY OSBOURNE.

HALFORD and OZZY OSBOURNE are touring North America together in November and December.

As of October 20th, ABRAHADABRA, the new album by Norway’s symphonic band DIMMU BORGIR, has sold 9,428 copies in the U.S. since its October 12th release and debuted at #42 on the Billboard Top 200 chart. DIMMU BORGIR’s 32-date run across North America launches on Friday, November 5th in Worcester, Massachusetts and ends Tuesday, December 14th in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.

The North American version of the new SLOUGH FEG album The Animal Spirits is now available through Profound Lore.

Atlanta metal band HALCYON WAY regrets to announce the cancellation of its upcoming European tour with STUCK MOJO. Guitarist Jon Bodan was recently diagnosed with Lymphoma, a form of cancer. HALCYON WAY recently released its sophomore album, Building The Towers, through Nightmare Records in North America on October 12th, 2010.

JAMES LABRIE, also the singer for DREAM THEATER, has been forced to cancel his upcoming tour in support of the recent release of Static Impulse. The band's all-star lineup is spread out around the world, and unfortunately complications with immigration and work visas are at the root of the situation. LABRIE, InsideOut Music and James’ booking and management teams are working diligently to make sure that a tour in support of Static Impulse happens in the near future.

Sweden’s LION’S SHARE will perform 2-3 songs with legendary drummer Vinny Appice (HEAVEN & HELL, BLACK SABBATH, DIO, etc.), during his Scandinavian Drum Day appearance on October 30th in Stockholm, Sweden.

Eagle Rock will release HEAVEN & HELL’s Neon Nights DVD and CD featuring the band at the Wacken Open Air festival on July 30, 2009. The DVD features interviews with the four members.

ANVIL is at Dave Grohl's Studio 606 in Northridge, California with producer Bob Marlette recording its new album, Juggernaut Of Justice, which is due for release next summer through The End Records.

LOUDNESS will play at the third memorial concert for its dead drummer Munetaka Higuchi on Sunday, November 14th at CC Lemon Hall in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. Higuchi died on November 30th, 2008 due to liver cancer.


Metallian Demos

OBTENEBRIS - DUST OF TIME
These Canadian deathsters are not the world’s most original band, but clearly that is a positive when the music is this powerful. Starting with the album title one encounters some unoriginality. How many bands have you used this exact, or similar, title for albums or songs?
The music though is solid. The full-length is chockfull of brutal metal delivered with precision and style. The band’s music is derivative of Amon Amarth to the nth degree, but referring back to my first sentence and emphasizing the songs Dust Of Time is ultimately a satisfying meal. Opulence Of Hate stands out for its harsh distorted bass, while favourite track Broken Arrow hits a homerun with great riffing, drumming and guitars. The long-ish closer The Night Stalker borrows too much melody from Opeth, yet; in contrast, its forerunner A Hundred Wars has that patented Slayer guitar swirl at its core. Then there are the aggressive complementary screams and the occasional habit of the drummer to hit his toms with a constant motion while the rest of the drum and music swirls forward.
Dust Of Time is heavy, fast and a treat for fans of the style. Get hold of it by visiting www.obtenebris.com. - Ali “The Metallian”