Metallian Heavy

Inspired by KEEL? Venezuela-based death metal band SENTENCIA is back after 25 years and announces its signing with Wormholedeath for a new album called Solve Et Coagula.

Black Metal act NETHER has a lyric video for the new track The Hand Of The Unspoken, which is extracted from its debut Between Shades And Shadows, which is due in October.

Belgium-based death metal BLEEDSKIN is aiming to issue an album this October. The band was founded in 2016.

Death Gifted a Bouquet a new LP by Maine, USA-based funeral doom metal band GREAT COLD EMPTINESS is out this month through Avantgarde. The band has been recording its album in Montreal, Canada.

Norway-based thrash metal band UNDER THE OAK, which is a part-time covers’ band, has announced an album called Ripped Up By The Roots through Wormholedeath. A date is unavailable.

The Netherlands-based BURIAL REMAINS has an album called Spawn Of Chaos through Raw Skull Recordz on 05.09.2020.

USA-based death metal band OXALATE has an EP called Infatuating Sickness through Horror Pain Gore Death in September.

MÖRK GRYNING will release an album called Hinsides Vrede through Season Of Mist on October 23.

UK-based THRASHERWOLF has an album called We Are Revolution on 19.09.2020.

VOID ROT’s Descending Pillars album is out through Everlasting Spew Records on 11.09.2020.

Italy-based death metallers CRAWLING CHAOS has signed a worldwide contract with Time To Kill Records. The band’s XLIX concept album is loosely based on The Prince, the book written by Niccolò Machiavelli in the XVI century, and is scheduled to be released before the end of the year.

Montreal, Canada-based HOMICIDE has a new demo called Left For Dead on August 21st. This is the band’s first offering since the band went dark 25 years ago. Scourge Of God is the first single off the demo.

LOUDBLAST will release a new album, entitled Manifesto, through Listenable Records in November.

VORACIOUS SCOURGE, featuring Adrie Klooosterwaard (SINISTER), Tony Choy (ex-PESTILENCE, ATHEIST), Mike Smith (ex-SUFFOCATION), Jason McIntyre (SUTURE) and Billy Richard, will release its In Death album through Massacre Records in August.

Italy-based INTOLERANT has signed a worldwide contract with Time To Kill Records. The duo has connections to NOCTURNAL DEGRADE and SCENT OF SILENCE and was founded by Soul Devourer and Antihuman War Machine in 2020.

Ottawa, Canada-based SERENE DARK issued its Enantiodromia demo on July 17th. Enantiodromia is pronounced en-an-ti-o-dromia.

MEGADETH‘s previously scheduled North American tour with LAMB OF GOD, TRIVIUM and IN FLAMES has now been rescheduled for 2021 due to COVID-19.

Italy-based ONEIRIC CELEPHAÏS releases its debut EP of technical death, The Obscure Sibyl, through Gore House Productions on August 7th.

Sweden-based blackened death metallers TRIDENT have an album called North through Non Serviam Records in October. The nine-song effort was mixed and mastered by bass player Anders Backelin (also of LORD BELIAL and DEATH TYRANT) at Armageddon Recordings Studio.

Israel-based black/death band DEATHSIEGE is having its Unworthy Adversary demo distributed by Dawnbreed Records on cassette.

Life As A Dream Records has a digital release for GODDESS called The Divine Promise. The band is described as raw black metal.

Italy-based ACROSS THE SWARM will issue its new album Projections through Time To Kill Records on September 4th. The release date was postponed from April due to the pandemic.

USA-based MECHANIK WAR III has a demo called Divine Annihilation out soon. The band calls it an “album.”

Following ABSU’s dissolution Agonia Records has signed PROSCRIPTOR MCGOVERN’S APSÛ, the new act by former ABSU drummer/vocalist Proscriptor McGovern. PROSCRIPTOR MCGOVERN’S APSÛ’s self-titled debut album will be released this autumn.

DEATH ANGEL’s The Enigma Years 1987-1990 is a CD box set featuring The Ultra-Violence, Frolic through the Park, Fall From Grace and “Rarities disc in one wallet. The debut album will include the band’s Kill As One demo.

DARKEST HOUR has lost guitarist Michael “Lonestar” Carrigan.

Metal Scrap Records will issue Freakingface, the sixth full-length studio album by thrash/death Metal band DRUKNROLL, for September 11th.

Argentina/Sweden’s TERSIVEL, a pagan metal band based in Malmö, launches its new single Embers Beneath The Spirit. The band uses synthesizers.

Sweden-based TERSIVEL, a pagan metal band based in Malmö, will release a new single, the successor to the single Satyrs Wine Part II (2018) and the demo Worship Of The Gods.

Spain-based black metal band SLIT YOUR GODS shall release its debut EP through Comatose Music on September 11th. It is called Dogmatic Convictions Of Human Decrepitude.

NAPALM DEATH will release a new album, entitled Throes Of Joy In The Jaws Of Defeatism, through Century Media Records on 18.09.2020.

VENOM’s collection of early demo material is entitled Sons Of Satan and will be issued through BMG in August. The Material was included with the In Nomine Satanas vinyl box last year.

USA-based VISCERAL VIOLATION has an album called Carnival Cannibal through Horror Pain Gore Death this month. The band is compared to VADER.

Florida, USA-based INTOXICATED has an EP called Walled through Seeing Red Records on 28.08.2020.

USA-based black metal band WORSEN has a video for Open Grave The track comes off the band’s debut full-length, Cursed To Witness Life, which was originally released on CD/Cassette/Digital formats in June 2019. After months of delay due to COVID-19, it will see its first vinyl release through Wolves Of Hades.

Hungary-based quartet PARAGON ZERO released A new EP, entitled OMASS, in collaboration with Neverheard Distro and Pest Records last month.

USA-based black metallers AYR released a full-length, entitled The Dark, on 24.07.2020.

Serbia-based all-girl band NEMESIS has issued an album called The War Is On through Grom Records.

Norway-based black/death band BROTTHOGG has a new album called The Die is Cast. The album is the follow-up to last year’s Echoes Of The Past. The Die is Cast will be released through Black-Roos on August 1st.

North Carolina, USA metalcore/groove metal outfit WOR is gearing up to release its debut album Prisoners through Bungalo Records/ Universal on August 7th.

Horror Pain Gore Death presents a release for Taiwan-based grindcore band BRAIN CORROSION and Taiwanese-American death metal band RIPPED TO SHREDS for a split entitled Exhumed From Eastern Tombs this month.

George Katsamakis’ groove/thrash metal project H2OCEAN has signed with Wormholedeath for the release of its debut album The Horned Goddess. No date has been announced.

Not a reference to right-wing politicians: Germany-based black metal band SARGERAS’ Return Of The Dancing Whores is out through Crawling Chaos on the 7th of August.

Comatose Music will release an album by ABORTED FETUS. Pyramids Of Damnation is out on September 11th.

Los Angeles, California, USA-based death metal act BLOODFEAST RITUAL has a demo called Altars Of Sacrifice.

USA-based Groove metal act WOR has a single called VI Kings from its Prisoners demo. It is slated for 07.08.2020.

Loud Rage Music is issuing AKRAL NECROSIS’ Hostilities, which features new drummer Philip Philipov. ORDINUL NEGRU is issuing its latest two albums, Sorcery Of Darkness and Faustian Nights on limited edition tape version. COMMAND THE MACHYNE has released its self-titled debut album in collaboration with Pest Records.

Grindcore act PIG DESTROYER has a new EP, called The Octagonal Stairway, through Relapse this month.

Canada-based solo act SNAKEBLADE has a demo called The Kingdom.


Metallian Hard

Sweden-based hard rock group BÜRNER will release a new album, called Baptized In Gasoline, through Time To Kill Records on 30.09.2020.

Italy-based pomp rock band FROM THE DEPTH has a single called Spread Your Fire from its new full-length album Moments, which is set for release through Rockshots Records on 28.08.2020.

Sweden-based PAIN OF SALVATION returns with an album entitled Panther through InsideOut Music on August 28th.

After finishing the recordings of its debut album, Brazil-based heavy metal band IGNITED has signed a deal with Voice Music for the release. The full-length is entitled Steelbound.

VICIOUS RUMORS will release a new album, entitled Celebration Decay, through SPV/Steamhammer on 21.08.2020.

BLUE ÖYSTER CULT will issue 45th Anniversary - Live In London on CD/DVD in August. It was recorded in London England at the Stone Free festival.

The next DOKKEN album will feature a song called Hail to The King and will deal with the “unhinged” Donald Trump. Jon Levin is sitting out two shows due to CVID-19 and Reb Beach is stepping in.

Norway-based WAIL will issue the Civilization Maximus album through Wormholedeath/The Orchard on 18.09.2020.

LYNCH MOB will celebrate the 30th anniversary of its Wicked Sensation with a special limited edition of the album through Rat Pak this month.

SCORPIONS has announced a full tour of USA for 2021.

Calgary, Canada-based BLOODY MONROE has a new video for Over Again for its 2019 demo. The band considers itself metal, hard rock and alternative.

FnA Records has issued STEELER’s Steeler: Come Hell Or Hollywood, a collection of remastered rare recordings from 1981-1982. The band featured Ron Keel.

ALCATRAZZ will take its new album Born Innocent on the road kicking-off a European Tour with GIRLSCHOOL in Switzerland on August 26th.

STRIKER was the winner in the Metal/Hard Music Album Of The Year category at the 2020 Juno Awards in Canada.

Lion Music has issued progressive metal band MINDSPLIT’s Through The Eyes Of A Child album.

Thailand-based “symphonic & progressive power metal act” MELODIUS DEITE has signed with Art Gates Records. The band’s new album Elysium is due in October.

Metalville Records will issue an album by DIESEL MACHINE called Evolve in August. DIESEL MACHINE was founded in the mid-‘90s by former members of HALFORD, WORLD IN PAIN and ELEVENTH HOUR.

Canada-based RED CAIN has a demo called Kindred: Act II this autumn.

Goth rockers MOONSPELL have replaced original drummer Miguel "Mike" Gaspar with Hugo Ribeiro. The band will also enter the studio to record its new album with producer Jaime Gomez Arellano (PARADISE LOST) in September. It shall be issued through Napalm Records next year.

Moscow, Russia-based heavy/power metallers SELENSEAS has a single called The Mirror from the forthcoming album The Outer Limits due through Rockshots Records this month.

LUFEH, based in the USA, has a demo called Luggage Falling Down. The band is compared to RUSH.

MY SILENT WAKE’s Damnum Per Saeculorum is out through Opa Loka Records.

Jolly Roger Records presented a new video clip for the song A Taste Of Winter by the ‘70s’ Italian hard rockers WITCHWOOD. It is taken from a new album entitled Before The Winter, which shall be released as 2-LPs and CD this Autumn.

AYREON will release a new album, entitled Transitus, through Music Theories Recordings in September. Marty Friedman and Joe Satriani guest.

Showtime Documentary Films is working on a documentary by director Martin Scorsese on the subject of David Johansen, the singer for the NEW YORK DOLLS.

Malignant virus list: COVID-19, SARS-CoV and right-wing sheeples.


Metallian Demos

UDI LEVY – ANIMAL WITHIN
Incongruities abound! That is the story of this man and this CD, which is Udi’s 2020 full-length release. Firstly, and should you want to stop reading, Levy is not a heavy metal maniac and this album does not purport to be heavy. Secondly, the cover depicts an enraged beast unleashing his primal fury. Animal Within – hence the cover – is barely an MMA fanatic’s chest pounding, white trashing, hillbilly crudity. Instead, it is diverse, well-recorded and clearly gifted.
Levy begins the release with Folksy, a song that harks back to When The Levee Breaks. Does that count as a pun? It has a good sound and is a light, but rocky affair. Levy is more steak and less sizzle as the disc progresses. A variety of moods, styles and tempos are explored. Animal Within is a progressive track that ventures into Dream Theater territory. Beautiful Minds comes in three short parts. Part III harbours a wallop of a feeling. In contrast the R&B Let It Slide could have appeared on the soundtrack to Roadhouse and logically follows the charmingly titled Take It Bitch. Levy is American so may be channelling Donald Trump’s feeling (watch the home video!) for Ivanka. Apparently, the younger Trump has a romantic streak and likes to take it nice and slow. In-between all this is sandwiched Serduszko like a Polish sausage and may soon become a staple at spas everywhere.
Two notes and a conclusion before wrapping things up with the Animal Within. Levy is wise enough to have incorporated real and significant drumming on this disc. It abets the songs. With that said, on one track like Animal Within there is some impressive drumming with fills courtesy of one Juan Pablo Pastor and then the next track has a simple and mundane rattle instead! Levy can also solo and he should do it more. Finally, Levy may not be a hard rock or heavy metal guitarist, but he is good enough and should consider doing what Vinnie Moore ended up doing, which is bite the bullet and join a real band like UFO. Udi can cut it and is clearly has the chops, but the question is does he want to and, if so, is he so dedicated to jazz to make a rock band an irritation to him. Ask him by visiting www.udilevy.com where he makes absolutely no mention of this disc. – Ali “The Metallian”