Metallian Heavy

Mighty Music is releasing Daenacteh, the new album by Norway-based melodic death metal band DECEPTION in March. The band is booked for Checkpoint Charlie and Inferno Festival in Norway for this year.

Horror Pain Gore Death will issue GORE MACHINE’s Macerated & Liquified album. The solo act is run by Druesome (guitars for EXTINCTION PROTOCOL).

GRAVE has lost both guitarist Mika Lagrén and bassist Tobias Cristiansson. As such, the band has ceased all activities including concerts in order to reassess its future.

AT THE GATES has cancelled all planned 2024 concerts. A reason was not on offer.

Everlasting Spew Records is releasing WOUNDS’ Ruin album in March. The label has also released ENGULF’s The Dying Planet Weeps and REVULSED’s Cerebral Contamination last month.

Australia-based ENDLESS LOSS will release its debut album Traversing The Mephitic Artery, through Nuclear Winter Records in March.

NACHTS has a full-length called Privileg through Crawling Chaos Records announced for March 2024.

STIRIAH has a full-length album called Portal through Crawling Chaos in February. An advance song for the title track is available now.

Australia-based BESOMORA has a demo called Delusional Monster. Guest musicians are Tobi Morelli of ARCHSPIRE and Joe Haley of PSYCROPTIC. The band and VALHALORE are supporting BLIND GUARDIAN in Sydney in February.

BRODEQUIN will release a full-length called Harbinger Of Woe through Season Of Mist on 22.03.2024.

Horror Pain Gore Death is releasing CORPSEVORE’s Feed The Plague album. CORPSEVORE was formed as the brainchild from the label’s doom band WINTEREVE’s lead guitar player in 2022.

COGNIZANCE’s Phantazein album is out through Willowtip Records.

Italy-based grindcore trio NEID has signed to Time To Kill Records for the release of a cover EP entitled Still Offensive on 15.03.2024. The cover art is by Italian cartoonist Zerocalcare and the band pays homage to the Italian hardcore scene of the 1990s.

Tears Of Creation by Reunion Island-based NOSFERÂ will be released through Music-Records in April.

KAIVS has signed to Time To Kill Records for the release of its debut album, After The Flesh. The band was founded in 2022.

Dublin, Ireland’s THE RISEN DREAD has a video for the song Betrayal. The band is compared to LAMB OF GOD and SEPULTURA.

Poland and Mexico-based thrash metal band TECHNOPHOBIA has a demo called Anti-Human Terror. It was founded as a side-project for Kajetan (guitars) and Barto (bass) while they were still playing in local death/blacksters BUDDAH in April 2023.

Canada-based NOVICHOK has a new demo called Geo-Desiccant. Thrash metal band NOVICHOK got its start as a cover band playing songs from MEGADETH, VOIVOD and SUICIDAL TENDENCIES.

Chile-based ENCHIRIDION MORTIS AETERNAE (EMA) is a quartet from Santiago born in 2022 that has released its first studio work, the Necher Jertet demo. This is a step towards a full-length called The Book Of The Dead.

AUSTRIAN DEATH MACHINE, featuring Tim Lambesis of AS I LAY DYING, has an album called Quad Brutal through Napalm Records. The crossover band is constantly inspired by the actor Arnold Schwarzenegger. A track inspired by the Terminator film is called Destroy The Machines and available early.

PATHOLOGY, NECROTICGOREBEAST and AETHEREUS are touring the USA from April 17th to May 4th.

NILE was forced to cancel its participation at 70000 Tons Of Metal 2024 as two members contracted COVID-19. MONSTROSITY replaced the band on short notice. DRACONIAN and MARDUK were forced to cancel earlier due to members or crew not obtaining US visas in time.

Former CRYPTOPSY singer Martin Lacroix, who appeared on the group’s None So Live record of 2003, has died. The man worked at a tattoo shop and was a member of ENMITY most recently.

CRYPTOPSY and ATHEIST are conducting The Unquestionable Blasphemy European Tour 2024 with ALMOST DEAD, MONASTERY and 72 LEGIONS.

My Plateau is the name of the new full-length by Norway-based black metal group PROFANE BURIAL. It will be released through Crime Records in March.

PENTAGRAM (Chile/Spain) releases an album called Eternal Life Of Madness through Listenable Records in April. It has been in the works for the last three years.

GRÁ/DARK FUNERAL/HELJARMADR singer Heljarmader has been hospitalised with thrombosis (blood clots) and missed concerts with the first band. GRÁ’s guitarist Niklas Ekwall took the mike for pre-booked concerts.

ORIGIN, DOODSWENS and MARDUK are touring Europe this spring.

DUINDWALER will release its debut full-length, which is entitled In Het Heemskerks Duin, through Void Wanderer Productions/War Productions in March.

I AM MORBID, featuring former MORBID ANGEL singer and bassist David Vincent and drummer Pete Sandoval will perform MORBID ANGEL’s debut album Altars Of Madness of 1989 in its entirety at Milwaukee Metal Fest on Sunday, May 19.

BEHEMOTH’s O Father, O Satan, O Svmmer 2024 European tour of July and August will feature openers TESTAMENT, GAEREA or PESTILENCE depending on the dates and includes stops at Dong Open Air, Rockstadt Extreme Fest and Wacken.

ANTHRAX, KREATOR and TESTAMENT are touring Europe in late autumn.

Devil is the name of the latest demo by Japan-based speed metal band SEX VIRGIN KILLER. It is available through the band’s Lilii Sound Loom imprint.

Cancer Culture Over North America 2024 tour features DECAPITATED and SEPTICFLESH with openers KATAKLYSM and ALLEGAEON in April and May. DECAPITATED’s Cancer Culture album was released in 2022.

Italy-based death/grind band SLUG GORE has signed with Time To Kill Records and will release its debut album, They Slime! They Ooze! They Kill!, in April.

ORBIT CULTURE, which is opening for FEAR FACTORY and MACHINE HEAD in North America, has signed with Century Media.

Led by ex-THY CATAFALQUE guitarist János Juhász, five-piece Hungary-based death metal act DAMNATION will release a full-length called Fátum through Pest Records on 18.02.2024.

BLOOD RED THRONE has a new full-length called Nonagon through Soulseller Records.

Russia-based DRAKON has released an album entitled Thunderdome through Sleaszy Rider on January 18th. It was mixed and mastered by Theodor Borovsky (ALKONOST and DISSECTOR) and the cover artwork was created by Valentina Mustajarvi.

Christian deathcore act DESOLATE TOMB will issue an album entitled Scorned By Misery through Rottweiler Records on February 23rd.

EXHORDER will release a full-length album, entitled Defectum Omnium, through Nuclear Blast Records on March 8th. The band, VIO-LENCE, DECEASED and MORTAL WOUND will tour next.

Australia-based ANCIENT REMAINS has a demo called Burn It All. Unfortunately, the word “groove” is associated with this act.

Regina, Canada-based KELEVRA has a video for the song The Distance, which is from the Oneiric demo. The band is considered both metal and mallcore. New in the line-up is bassist Adrienne Mahoney.

The husband and wife duo that is AZELL has a debut album, entitled Death Control, through Rottweiler Records on March 1st. The style is described as sludge. The two also have a comedy act called TIMŌRĀTUS.

The Switzerland-based THE CROTALS has a new album called Conjure through Argonauta Records and Cold Smoke Records. The band is compared to UNSANE and ENTOMBED.

Denmark-based speed metal act CRUCIBLE has its The Savage Weapon demo released on cassette (limited to 100 copies) and digital format through From The Vaults on January 26th. The band is working on a full-length. Formed by guitarists Thomas Carnell and Jon Brogård and joined by singer Phillip Butler, the group features IMPALERS and PECTORA members.

After 25 years, founding guitarist André Müller has returned to EMBEDDED. Now former guitarist Christian Wösten has moved to bass replacing Daniel Meier who left last year.

Chicago, USA-based OPIUM DEATH has a demo called Genocidal Nemesis.

VADER is continuing to commemorate its 40th anniversary with a European tour from June 13 to July 6. The band will play the Black To The Blind album of 1997 in its entirety. Maurycy Mauser Stefanowicz, who left the band in 2008, will join the act on this tour resulting in three guitarists being on stage.

SPECTRAL VOICE has a full-length called Sparagmos through Dark Descent Records.

Portugal-based death metallers CHAPEL OF SAMHAIN will release a debut album, entitled Black Onyx Cave, through Nuclear Winter Records in March. Black Onyx recruited Phoros into the act. They are also in GROG, VELÓRIO and NETHERMANCY.

Avantgarde Music is issuing FUNERAL ORATION’s Antropomorte full-length and SEVEROTH’s By The Way Of Light.

SHORES OF NULL is booked for 70000 Tons Of Metal, Hellfest and Rock Imperium this year. The act will perform its 38-minute long track Beyond The Shores (On Death And Dying) in its entirety on the cruise.

Coinciding with its 35th anniversary, DEAD HEAD will release a full-length, entitled Shadow Soul, which will be released through Hammerheart Records on 29.03.2024. A song entitled The Age Of Hype is available now.

Gothic rock and rollers ROTTING CHRIST are 35 years old and will issue a new album called ΠΡΟ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΥ (Pro Xristoy), which translated into ‘Before Christ,’ through Season Of Mist in May.

Finland-based mellow doom metallers THE BLEAK PICTURE, featuring current and ex members of AUTUMNFALL and FALL OF THE LEAFE, will release a debut album called Meaningless through Ardua Music in March.

SATYRICON, BRAINSTORM, TIAMAT (performing a Cloud and Wildhoney set), BAEST, THRESHOLD, BERSÆRK, NECROPHOBIC, TYGERS OF PAN TANG, DEMONICAL, SVARTSOT, UNDERGANG, DEFECTO, EVERDAWN, BLAZING ETERNITY, CENTINEX, RED WARSZAWA, NERVOCHAOS, ADVOCACY, AVARICE and VANIR are among bands performing at Næstved Metalfest in Denmark in August.

TYGERS OF PAN TANG and SONS OF THUNDER will conduct a mini-tour of Italy in March.

Moncton, Canada-based OMNIVIDE’s A Tale of Fire demo is out on 22.03.2024. An advance song called Holy Killer is available now. The band is the follow-up to the OPETH cover act SUNBIRD. This group has keyboards.


Metallian Hard

Kicking off their first tour of 2024, Toronto, Canada-based DEADWOLFF will be hitting the road in February and March for American gigs with support from USA-based TINY. The tour is entitled the No Rest In The West Tour.

In advance of the release of the Invincible Shield album in March, JUDAS PRIEST is holding two interview events. The first will take place at Pryzm Kingston in London on Saturday, March 2nd and the second at Empire in Coventry, England on Wednesday, March 6th.

Texas, USA-based heavy rockers RADDAR, which is comprised of singer and guitarist Randee Lee, guitarist and bassist Razar King and former MSG drummer Bodo Schopf, has a new (space-motif) demo called Discovery.

Inspired by KEEL? BLAZING ETERNITY is back with a single called One Thousand Lights through Mighty Music. The band has been working on a new album in stealth since 2019 and one is expected later this year.

Former IRON MAIDEN singer BLAZE BAYLEY has a new solo album. It is called Circle Of Stone and available on February 23rd. A video for the title track, featuring a guest appearance by Niklas Stålvind of WOLF, is available now.

TANK has recruited DIAMOND HEAD drummer Karl Wilcox as a permanent member.

ACCEPT has recruited WHITESNAKE guitarist Joel Hoekstra for European festivals and the South American tour in May. He replaces Phil Shouse for these gigs.

Former SCORPIONS and KINGDOM COME drummer James Kottak, who was an alcoholic, died in Louisville, Kentucky on January 9th. He was 61.

Tony Clarkin, guitarist and the main songwriter for MAGNUM, died at the age of 77 on January 7th. This comes mere weeks after the announcement of a diagnosis of an incurable spinal condition. As a result, MAGNUM had cancelled its previously announced spring 2024 tour.

MANOWAR has announced The Blood Of Our Enemies tour for Germany and Luxembourg for February 2025. The band will perform shows focusing on Sign Of The Hammer and Hail To England albums.

In advance of its new full-length, Norway-based progressive group VICINITY issued a single called Purpose through Uprising Records on 26.01.2024. The full-length VIII is due this year. The recordings started in 2020, but between the pandemic and departure of singer Alexander K. Lykke in 2022 the process was delayed. VICINITY tried out vocalist Erling Malm (ARTICULUS and ENDOLITH) at a concert in Trondheim and recruited the man permanently.

ICARUS DREAM, and its new singer Víctor Camargo, have uploaded a song called Fuerza E Ira. The band is Camargo, bassist Jordi Troya and guitarists José Icarus and José Torres.

MERCYFUL FATE and bassist Joey Vera (ARMORED SAINT) have opted "mutually to part ways. Becky Baldwin of FURY, TRIAXIS and CONTROL THE STORM had taken Vera’s slot over the previous month given his scheduling conflict. MERCYFUL FATE singer King Diamond spoke of continued friendship and respect between the parties.

NAZARETH, CORRODED and VELVETEEN QUEEN are among the bands playing Gothenburg Rock Riot in July.

KAMELOT is touring the USA (with one concert in Canada) in April and May. SEVEN SPIRES, HAMMERFALL or AD INFINITUM will open depending on the night. HAMMERFALL is not appearing at the Canadian concert in Quebec City.

RILEY'S L.A. GUNS released its second album, entitled The Dark Horse, through Golden Robot Records on January 22nd. Drummer Steve Riley died more than two months ago, but the date would have been his birthday anniversary. The album was promised for mid-2023 initially. RILEY'S L.A. GUNS' line-up was Riley, singer and guitarist Kurt Frohlich, guitarist Scott Griffin and bassist Kelly Nickels.The band performed live in the USA paying tribute to the drummer.

The attack of “product” shall continue unabated: BMG will release a five-CD live MOTÖRHEAD set called The Löst Tapes. It contains old recordings. Volume 1: Live At Sala Aqualung, Madrid – 1st June 1995, Volume 2: Live At University Of East Anglia, Norwich – 18th October 1998, Volume 3: Live At KB Hallen, Malmö – 17th November 2000, Volume 4: Live At Sporthalle, Heilbronn – 29th December 1984 and Volume 5: Live At Download Festival, Donington, England – June 13, 2008. Despite the name, Volume 1 to 4 had been released previously.

In addition to the band itself, GOO GOO DOLLS, BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, JELLY ROLL and others are performing at the MusiCares Person Of The Year gala honouring Jon Bon Jovi in Los Angeles, USA on February 2nd. Elsewhere, a documentary on the band is available now and called Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story.

RATT’s singer Stephen Pearcy will commemorate the 40th anniversary of the band's debut album Out Of The Cellar by performing it in its entirety at select concerts in the USA this year.

DOKKEN is playing select concerts on both sides of the Atlantic this spring and summer. These include Wacken, Alcatraz Metal Fest and Leyendas Del Rock.

The Quantum Phase is the title for the new album by THE END MACHINE, which features former DOKKEN members guitarist George Lynch and bassist Jeff Pilson. Singer Robert Mason has been replaced by Girish Pradhan who was a suggestion from Frontiers Records.

RIOT V and TAILGUNNER will tour Europe in May. RIOT V’s album Mean Streets is due in April now. The band will also appear at Rock In Rautheim and Rock Hard Festival. A RIOT documentary entitled Immortal Soul: A Riot Tribute & Concert Film Series is airing on NYC Rocks TV in the USA. It focuses on the band’s history and fans and the group's appearance at the Keep It True festival in Germany.

Guitarist Tommy Johansson and SABATON have parted ways. He will tour with keyboard damaged popsters MAJESTICA and continue his solo career. A replacement has not been announced.

Sweden-based BULLET will conduct a mini-tour of Australia’s east coast in April.

DIXIE DREGS, featuring former DEEP PURPLE bassist Steve Morse, has invited DREAM THEATER keyboardist Jordan Rudess to again join the band on the road in the USA for concerts this April.

MEANSTREAK, featuring the wives of DREAM THEATER members, will release an EP called Blood Moon through Step Off Records in February. A song called Giant Speaks is available now.

On the occasion of its 43rd anniversary, MÖTLEY CRÜE has launched a website called Crüeseum, which gives visitors a historical record of the band’s career.

USA-based act RIVETSKULL, which was founded partly to pay homage to DIO's songs, has a demo called Absence Of Time. The band and POTENTIAL THREAT are touring the USA’s West Coast.

The USA-based power metal band OLATHIA has a demo called The Forest Witch. There is a video for the title track.

Yet another side-project: SULPHUR AND MERCURY is a heavy metal act featuring Jason Netherton (MISERY INDEX, ASPHALT GRAVES, ex-DYING FETUS, etc.) on vocals, Francesco Conte (SPIRITUAL FRONT, NERO OMEGA, ex-KLIMT 1918, etc.) on guitar, Marco Mastrobuono (HOUR OF PENANCE, INNO, BUFFALO GRILLZ, etc.) on bass and Dario Casabona (GRIEFBRINGER, ex-SCHIZO, SINOATH, etc.) on drums. Time To Kill Records is releasing the debut EP, Alchemia Prophetica. It features two cover versions.

OMEGA DIATRIBE’s Deviant is out through Hungarian label Metal.hu Records now. It is co-produced, mixed and mastered by Tue Madsen at Antfarm Studio in Denmark.

IN FLAMES, GATECREEPER and CREEPING DEATH are touring the USA in May. The mallcore creeps kick off in Maine on May 1st.

Sweden-based heavy metal band SCOLD´S BRIDLE has a self-titled demo, which includes twelve original songs. The solo act started back in 2019 when drummer Oskar Romell decided to pick up the guitar for the first time. Guest singers include Mauro Elias (Argentina) as the primary singer, Craig Cairns (UK) performing on two songs (Zombie and Blizzard) and female singer Martina Questa (Argentina).

STRYPER will embark on the To Hell With The Amps: The Unplugged Tour in late May. It will perform its song acoustically in the USA.

Italy-based hard rock band SPEED STROKE has renewed its promotion of its 2020 album Scene Of The Crime through a new vinyl edition and several gigs. The pandemic had stopped the band from promoting its record. The band is also working on a new album for Burning Minds Music.

HIGH ON FIRE has announced a European tour for the summer.

France-based hard rock and doom metal band ECCLESIA has an album called Ecclesia Militans through Aural Music on the 8th of March.The lyrical themes deal with the 12th Century dark medieval age of Holy Inquisition.

Hard rock band PRONOIAS has a demo called Creamos Nuestra Propia Realidad. While the majority of musicians are based in Chile, the two main composers, namely Lucas and Felix are respectively in Germany and Finland.

FATES WARNING singer Ray Alder and guitarist Jim Matheos have a new project called NORTH SEA ECHOES. The debut album, entitled Really Good Terrible Things, is out through Metal Blade on 23.02.2024.

METRO SOCIETY, the brainchild of guitarist/songwriter Chris Mangold and bassist Ian Ringler (MAGNITUDE 9/PSYCO DRAMA), has a video for the track City Streets. It is taken from The London Conspiracy Chapter I 1898, which is a concept demo. The demo features vocals from George Margaritopoulos (WARDRUM) and Will Mangold, Chris' father who contributed to the drum tracks.

METAL CHURCH has cancelled all 2024 tour dates due to "ongoing back issue" on the part of guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof. He has opted to undertake treatment after having to sit down during gigs.

VICIOUS RUMORS and RAVEN are touring Canada and the USA from March 22 to May 4th. LUTHARO and WICKED will open select concerts.

Zero Dimensional Records is releasing CHARLOTTE THE HARLOT’s Unchained EP this month.

The estates of the JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE bassist and drummer, Noel Redding Estate Ltd and Mitch Mitchell Estate Ltd have been given go-ahead to sue Sony after launching action in 2022. They are seeking a share of the sound recording copyrights of the first three JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE albums. Redding received $100,000 in 1973 and Mitchell received $247,500 in 1974 in order to withdraw lawsuits in the early 1970s.

Reigning Phoenix Music (RPM), which signed DEICIDE last year, has acquired Atomic Fire Records including Fireflash Records.

My band is black metal. Our band is death metal. Atmospheric black metal! Blackened death metal!! War on the holy!!! Serpent of evil!!! Hail darkness! Follow us on Instagram and don’t forget to hit like and tag us on Facebook!! Lmao


Metallian Demos

RADDAR - DISCOVERY
The reconstituted Texas, USA-based Raddar is back with a new demo and true to its monicker, and previous titles, has named its latest Discovery. An astral cover artwork fronts it.
The band really is doing its own thing, but in general Raddar occupies the same universe as newer Deep Purple, MSG, ZZ Top and Ram Jam. The ten tracks are roughly comprised of five new compositions and five older tracks with the occasional electronic organ kicking in. Drummer Bodo Schopf (MSG) joins main men Razar King and Randy Lee to form the current group. There is a joy to the band’s music that goes from honest to goodness boogie woogie to hard and heavy rock that is long extinct, dead and gone and yet here it is again courtesy of Raddar in 2024. Sing Me Away is quite a pop ditty that could have come from say Smokie or Supertramp. There is a smoky vocals with a gritty feeling on this. The vocals turn to dual channels often. Dream Of You showcases impressive pipes. United We Stand seems to be singing “United we stand united we fall,” which cannot be right so I must be mishearing it. They are all here. The band can be found at www.raddartheband.com. - Ali “The Metallian”

NIGHTS HORN - BLOOD SOUL
Nights Horn, the domain of musician Thomas Lhairaud based in western France, is one of the man's several solo acts. Each band plays a different style of underground metal. Nights Horn cranks out the black death metal and it is not bad at all given the limitations of a project entirely run independently by one person. It is not perfect either.
The rough recording is adequate for the task and reminds me of Unanimated and not just because the logos resemble one another. Merge the Unanimated and Bloodbath logos with Overkill’s Chaly and voila. The old school sound is a mixture of Unanimated, Gates Of Ishtar and early Death. The underground production is very 1991 and adds to the bottom-heavy atmosphere. The first and last song are generally fast, but this never speeds up drastically and remains in the mid-tier of black/death bands sweepstakes, but when it slows down like Dissection to inject some feeling it is sure to speed up again before long. There is a short welcome solo on track two (of three) Embryo Of The Fallen World. The snag is the drum machine. Soulless and powerless. Get a real drum. Still, like to hear more from this and curious to hear the man’s other incarnations. Order the tape at https://nightshorn.bandcamp.com/album/blood-soul - Anna Tergel