Swedish black metal band DARK FUNERAL has set Angelus Exuro Pro Eternus as the title for its upcoming new full-length scheduled for release this November. Said guitarist Lord Ahriman in an update: “Peter Tägtgren of HYPOCRISY is currently mixing our new album at his Abyss Studios. Once we have approved the final mix, Jonas Kjellgren (SCAR SYMMETRY) will be mastering it.
Metal Blade Records has signed Los Angeles black metal band LIGHTNING SWORDS OF DEATH. The band’s album for the label is now due in early 2010.
London, Canada’s HEAVEN ABLAZE has recruited drummer Jason Longo (BLOOD OF CHRIST, and BLASTOMYCOSIS) to its ranks.
Swedish thrashers DECADENCE will release a new album, called Chargepoint, in October through Japan’s Spiritual Beast.
After losing drummer Terry Barajas in April and using Ken Bedene of BLOOD OF CAIN on the last two tours, ABYSMAL DAWN is seeking a permanent replacement. The band can be contacted at abysmaldawn@gmail.com. The group’s most recent tour was cut short because SWWAATS and ABIGAIL WILLIAMS had to go home early. ABIGAIL WILLIAMS claimed it was winding down dates for the Conquered & Cursed Tour due to sickness and flu within the band.
In 2006 SINISTER visited Poland to play a concert in Warsaw. The band’s performance that night was captured on film and released as its first DVD, Prophecies Denied. This material is available now on CD through Metal Mind Productions.
My Kingdom Music has signed INFERNAL ANGELS. The black metal band’s Midwinter Blood is its second full-length and will be released at the end of September. The label has also recruited Siberian death metal act DEFECT DESIGNER for the release of its debut album, Wax. The release date is fixed for Sept 7th.
Following three U.S. appearances in August in Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York (effectively breaking their streak of visa issues), MARDUK will return for a full North American headlining tour this November. The band will be joined by NACHTMYSTIUM, MANTIC RITUAL, MERRIMACK and BLACK ANVIL (on select dates). Dubbed U.S. Plague Tour 2009, the trek will kick off on November 20th at the Palladium in Worcester, MA and run through 21 more dates before coming to a close in New York City on December 16th at the Gramercy Theater.
Rob Dukes, lead singer for Bay Area thrash band EXODUS and a motorcycle enthusiast, will soon embark on his third cross-country trip by bike. He departed from New York City on Sunday, August 30th. No news whether he considers himself an environmentalist or a compassionate conservative.
Spanish death metal band EXQUISITE PUS has inked a deal with Xtreem Music for the release of its debut album, “Dead [Forgotten]” due for immediate release on September 10th. The band was formed in 2004 as a one-man project. The label has also picked up Spanish black metal band CRYING BLOOD for the imminent release of its third album, Animae Damnatae.
MASTER has entitled its upcoming tenth full-length, The Human Machine. The band is expected to enter the studio in December following a string of Mexican and South American tour dates.
HELLWITCH’s Omnipotent Convocation is finally out through Spain’s Xtreem Music.
A DIFFERENT BREED OF KILLER has announced the band is preparing its second full-length to be entitled The City. The album will be produced by the band’s drummer Nija Walker. This recording is planned to be recorded, mixed and mastered in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround sound. The band states, “to our knowledge this is the first time this process has been applied to a death metal record.” The band has also announced that it has left Rise Records and is in the process of securing a new label for The City.
INSOMNIUM has completed work on Down With the Sun, its new video from the band’s forthcoming fourth album Across The Dark. The video, now available for viewing at the band and Candlelight Records’ American and English sites, was filmed in high-definition and captures the band in a live soundstage setting.
San Francisco Bay Area’s CORMORANT will issue its new demo, Metazoa, this month. The demo will initially be released as a six panel Digipack by Saturnine Media, while a vinyl version will be made available in the coming months.
Guitarist Mike Sifringer of DESTRUCTION broke his middle finger at the Vlamrock festival in Belgium last month. He was hit by a moshing fan of a hardcore act.