Metallian Heavy

Test Your Metal Records has signed Vancouver, Canada-based thrash metal band TERRIFIER for the release of its next album Weapons Of Thrash Destruction, which is set to be released in January. The release will be the follow-up to 2013’s Metal Or Death and 2012’s Destroyers Of The Faith. The first single from the release is Reanimator and is inspired by the band’s love for the horror movie of the same name.

Following its recent tour with MADBALL and performances at Mexico’s Off Limits Festival and Arizona’s Southwest Terror Fest, POWER TRIP prepares to head back out on the road next week joining the likes of NAPALM DEATH, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, PIG DESTROYER, ABNORMALITY and more. Additionally, POWER TRIP has completed the full-length follow-up to its 2013-released Manifest Decimation LP and is preparing to release Nightmare Logic in early 2017 through Southern Lord.

Art Gates Records has signed Spain’s [IN MUTE]. The band is recording process its new album, which is expected to be released in the first quarter of 2017.

Germany-based PRECIPITATION’s has an album called The Power Of through Sliptrick Records. The band is described as “post/prog melodic death metal.”

Death/thrash metal band SCUM will release an album called Humana through Sliptrick Records. The band is based in Italy.

Finland-based MARIANAS REST’s Horror Vacui album is out through Sliptrick Records. The band is described as “melancholic death metal.”

Sweden-based IN MY EMBRACE has an album called Black Waters Deep through Sliptrick Records. The band describes itself as black/death metal.

Black metal band LARVA OV CUM has issued an album called Internazionalismo through Sheep United Productions.

The UK thrash metal band SOLITARY is back after eight years and has signed a new deal with UKEM Records to release a new record. The album’s name is not yet available, but the band has issued a single called Unidentified.

Malta-based death metal group BEHEADED will release its next full-length next year through Unique Leader Records. Entitled Beast Incarnate, the eight-track production is the follow-up to 2012’s Never To Dawn. It features new drummer Davide Billia and guitarist Simone Brigo.

Southern Lord has signed Ohio-based CRYPT ROT – formed by several current/former members of HOMEWRECKER – for the release of its Embryonic Devils debut in early 2017.

The Eindhoven Metal Meeting has announced that the eighth edition of the annual festival is taking place December 16 and 17th at the Effenaar venue in Eindhoven, The Netherlands. Bands playing including HARAKIRI IN THE SKY, PROTECTOR (SE), HAIL OF BULLETS, HELL (UK), ILLDISPOSED (DK), DESTRUCTION.

MAYHEM has announced North American and European dates for winter and spring of 2017. The black metal band will embark on the De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas tour performing its debut album in full. The band is also performing at Eindhoven.

AMON AMARTH will tour Europe next year with support from DARK TRANQUILLITY and OMNIUM GATHERUM.

ANTHRAX will celebrate the 30th anniversary of its Among The Living album by performing the album in its entirety on a European tour in February and March.

Germany-based BURN DOWN EDEN has issued Ruins Of Oblivion through Sliptrick Records. The band’s style is described as melodic death metal with punk influences.

Greece-based black metal band NATVRE’s Wrath album is issued through Argento Records.

MARIANAS REST’s Horror Vacui album was issued last month through Sliptrick Records. The band hails from Finland.

ALTERED SHADE is a death/thrash metal band from France, which has signed a deal with Wormholedeath for the worldwide release of its album The Path Of Souls.

DARK RITES has signed with Sliptrick Records for the worldwide release of its self-titled album. The band was formed in early 2016.

ARCH ENEMY will release a new live DVD, called As The Stages Burn!, on March 31st, 2017 through Century Media. The footage includes a show from last summer at the Wacken Open Air.

German pagan/black metal band THORMESIS shall release its next album, Trümmerfarben, through MDD Records on February 10th.

USA-based THE DRIP will release a full-length album called The Haunting Fear Of Inevitability through Relapse in January. The band plays grindcore.

OVERKILL has recruited former GRIP INC. guitarist Waldemar Sorychta on second guitar for its European headlining tour. Waldemar is filling in for Dave Linsk who is unable to tour for undisclosed reasons.

Metal Blade has signed Swedish death metal unit EVOCATION. The band’s next full-length album will be released in the winter of 2017.

Century Media has signed French death/black metal band SVART CROWN.

Calgary, Canada-based KREPITUS has issued a demo called The Eyes Of The Soulless.

New York City-based BLACK ANVIL is back with As Was, a fifty-minute follow-up to 2014’s Hail Death. It will be out in January through Relapse.

Clavis Secretorum is releasing THRON’s self-titled debut album on digipack CD this January. The band is based in Germany.

According to his wife, EYEHATEGOD singer Mike Williams needs to urgently undergo a lifesaving liver transplant. They have launched a crowdfunding appeal.

DEICIDE and former CANNIBAL CORPSE guitarist Jack Owen have parted ways. The band has instead picked up Mark English (MONSTROSITY). Owen was playing on the road with CARACH ANGREN last summer.

Italy-based ANTICLOCKWISE has an album called Raise Your Head through Revalve Productions. The band was formed back in 2004 by Michele Locatelli and Pietro Baggi (former members of NASHTIR).

Swedish death metal project DIATONIC has a demo called I Am The One. DIATONIC is the solo project of Joakim Antman, a Swedish musician who plays bass in the likes of THE UGLY, SKITARG and OVERTORTURE. For this project, the musician shows his multi-instrumental capability and teams up with MARDUK‘s drummer Fredrik Widigs.

Base Records has issued THE DOWNSPIRAL TO HELL’s Unusual Methods To Dismember The Spiritual Halo album. The band plays black metal.

White metal band ORATIONEM has released a full-length entitled Your Presence And Strength through Vision Of God Records. The lyrics stem from the bible.

Sri Lanka-based black metal band PLECTO ALIQUEM CAPITE has an EP called The End.

Italy-based death metal band WORSTENEMY is recording a new album at Mathlab Studio with producer Jonny Mazzeo. The record will be mixed by Christian Donaldson (CRYPTOPSY) in Montreal, Canada.

MDD Records has issued PESSIMIST’s Call To War and ACROSS THE BURNING SKY’s The End Is Near albums.

The Messe Des Morts featival, which was scheduled to take place in Montreal, Canada on Saturday, November 26th was cancelled “for safety reasons” following a campaign and protest by anti-fascist organizers against Poland’s GRAVELAND, which is a NAZI and white supremacist band. This would have been GRAVELAND’s first show in Canada.

Metal Scrap Records has issued Italy-based death metal band FROM THE SHORES’ Of Apathy album.


Metallian Hard

Fredericton, Canada-based TACTUS has issued a demo called Bending Light.

DEEP PURPLE has picked Infinite as the title for its 2017 album, which is due in April through earMUSIC. It was produced by Bob Ezrin.

Toronto, Canadian-based ANVIL will tour the U.S. in early 2017. The tour will begin in March and end in April with support coming from NIGHT DEMON and GRAVESHADOW.

PAIN OF SALVATION will release a new studio album, called In The Passing Light Of Day, on January 13th through InsideOut Music.

DESOLATE PATHWAY’s End All Life album is out through Doomageddon Records. The band hails from the UK.

Italy-based ROXIN' PALACE has issued Freaks Of Society through Sleaszy Rider. The sleazy hard rock band was founded in 2011 by Crown, guitar player in the bands REVOLTONS and HELL and ex-drummer of ELVENKING.

Tanzan Music has issued Italy-based SOUL SELLER’s Matter Of Faith.

Former CANDLEMASS singer Mats Levén made his stage debut with TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA last month in Iowa, USA.

Switzerland-based heavy metal band INVISIBLE MIRROR has signed a deal with Wormholedeath for the worldwide release of its album On The Edge Of Tomorrow in February.

Set to release its new demo Ritualis Aeterna on December 2nd, Canadian “horror inspired symphonic power metallers” MALACODA has a music video for the first single Penny Dreadful.

THE GREAT KAT has shot a video for the song terror, which she wrote after 9/11. She is releasing the video on the fifteenth anniversary of the song and event.

ARMORED SAINT has signed up with PledgeMusic for an upcoming live album called Carpe Noctum. Most recently, the band’s drummer Gonzo came out in support of establishment candidate, billionaire elitist Donald Trump in the USA election.

KROKUS will release a covers’ album, called Big Rocks, on January 27th with versions of music by LED ZEPPELIN, THE WHO and others.

Mexico-based MATALOBOS has an album called Arte Macabro through Concreto Records. The band plays doom metal.

Austria-based RELINQUISHED has issued an album called Sinister Dreams through NRT Records.

JUDAS PRIEST is entering the studio next month recording a new album due end of 2017. The band, which publically promised to never tour again, will tour in 2018.

Russia-based KARMA RASSA has issued an album called Talks To Innerself through Sound Age. The band’s style is described as atmospheric/progressive metal/rock.

One year after the Total Metal Domination Tour part III in Ukraine, Greek melodic metal band SUNLIGHT returns to the road with shows in Greece, Bulgaria and elsewhere.

TÁLESIEN’s self-titled album is out now through Suspiria Records.

Inspired by KEEL? NASTY SAVAGE has reformed once again and played a show on November 19th at the Crowbar in Ybor City, Florida. Aside from NASTY SAVAGE members singer Ron "Nasty Ronnie" Galletti, guitarist David Austin and bassist Fred Dregischan, Demian Gordon of INSATANITY and DARK DISCIPLE was on second guitar and SIX FEET UNDER’s Greg Gall drummed.

Heaven and Hell Records has re-issued New Pennsylvania-based DESTROYER’S debut demo Optimum D.S.I from 1988. This band later regrouped as SLIK HELVETIKA. The label has also reissued LADY KILLER’s self-titled debut from1983 on CD.

Italy-based band WINDSHADE released a demo called Crucified Dreams on November 18th.

HELLOWEEN will be rejoined by ‘80s’ members singer Michael Kiske and guitarist Kai Hansen for a world tour in 2017 and 2018. Using the Pumpkins United monicker, the tour will also feature current singer Andi Deris and guitarist Sascha Gerstner performing songs from throughout the band’s catalogue.

UNITY is a new project founded by guitarist Henjo Richter and drummer Michael Ehré of GAMMA RAY. The band has signed a deal with Steamhammer/SPV and is recording its debut album for an early 2017 release.

Italy-based BAD BONES has an album called Demolition Derby through Sliptrick Records.

Test Your Metal Records has signed Japanese heavy metal band SOLITUDE for the North American release of Reach For The Sky on November 25th. The release is the band's third album and was issued in Japan in 2015 by Spiritual Beast.

TESLA is touring the USA next February and March.

BATTLE BEAST will release a new album, called Bringer Of Pain, on February 17th through Nuclear Blast Records.

IVORY TOWER is seeking to support its album IV through touring The band is under contract with DOTT Music.

DOOMCULT’s End All Life is out through Morbid Syndicate. The doom metal band is based in The Netherlands.

RHAPSODY OF FIRE has recruited singer Giacomo Voli as a replacement for Fabio Lione who left in September. RHAPSODY, in the meantime, has reunited with its most famous line-up to commemorate the band’s 20th anniversary and play the Symphony Of Enchanted Lands album in full as a farewell event.

GMR Music has announced that ‘80s Swedish power metal band ICE AGE is in the studio to record a long-promised debut album. The tentative title is Breaking The Ice.

Drummer Steven Adler rejoined GUNS N' ROSES on stage Friday November 4th and Saturday November 5th at River Plate Stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Former GUNS N' ROSES keyboardist Chris Pitman has settled a lawsuit against Axl Rose over an unpaid debt for work he provided to the group for years. He claimed he was owed $125,000 (US) by Rose and the band.

Long-time bassist for mallcore band IN FLAMES has quit the act. Peter Iwers will depart following the current bout of touring.

Reunion 2018? A reported 13,000 people attended the latest iteration of BLACK SABBATH’s final North American show on the 12th of November at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. The band will play the most recent farewell shows in South America and Europe next.

Reunion 2018? TWISTED SISTER played what they announced as their last concert on Saturday, November 12th at the Corona Northside Rock Park Meeting Fest at Fundidora Park in Monterrey, Mexico. Also on the bill were CARCASS and SEPULTURA.

Polish heavy metal band CRYSTAL VIPER has a new album called Queen Of The Witches.

Scotland-based FRASER EDWARDS has issued a demo called I Am God. The act’s sound is described as power metal.

World tour 2019? AEROSMITH has announced a European tour for 2017, which is billed as the group’s farewell tour using the Aero-Vederci Baby! monicker.

FIREWIND will release a new album, called Immortals, on January 20th through Century Media.

Valery Records has announced the release of the album Hell’s Crows by Italy-based HELL’S CROWS.

Fort Lauderdale, Florida-based NONPOINT has a video for the song Divided… Conquer Them, which is taken from the The Poison Red album.

Sweden-based ATLAS’ Death & Fear demo is out now. The band mixes heavy, doom and stoner metal.

It is time for metal bands and fans to rise up and stand strong against terrorism, hate, racism, lies, war and Donald Trump and his groupies like Dave Mustaine and Ted Nugent.


Metallian Demos

ORACLE – BEYOND OMEGA
How many record companies will issue an album this year as impressive as Oracle’s Beyond Omega demo? The answer is that very few albums will be as finely crafted as this independently released CD. Beyond Omega is beyond impressive.
It is consistently surprising to see the rare band like Oracle emerge from uneducated backwaters like Alabama and deliver and impress. How is it possible that US states like this that shops at Wal-Mart, jails its black population as a form of vote suppression, cuts taxes on multibillion dollar corporations and rich people and then denies service to human beings and votes like a lemming retard for Trump produces music like this? Shelf that one along the mysteries of the pyramids and the hanging garden of Babel. Actually, nix that. This is what metal's tradition has been. Metal is there to be the fist to the face of mainstream society and be superior to it.
This CD is nigh on perfect, save on certain piano parts, and needs to be purchased and heard. From the beginning track Aeons Of Madness to Blood Stained Epitaph Oracle crafts crushing speed death metal. The material is as fast as any metal fan would desire and only rarely slows down like on a song called On The Wings Of A Martyr where the guitars have the same buzzing sound as Iron Maiden’s Powerslave. The militaristic riffs and alternately pounding/speeding drums, which sometimes make one think of a drum machine, are winners. The deep growl of vocals are often recorded in multi-channel format and moreover occasionally backed up. There is little room to criticize an act that executes so well.
Take away the seldomly heard piano impurity and the website www.oracleextrememetal.com as all metal is by definition extreme and Beyond Omega is just what the doctor at Metallian Towers ordered. – Ali “The Metallian”

ILLYRIAN – ROUND 2: FIGHT!
The band was originally founded as Hellborn Death Engines, a monicker its biography now calls “reviled.” The band is also described as once being “goofy” something which the Calgary, Canada-based band is currently clearly not. Calgary the city, on the other hand, is not so much goofy as one of the centres of ignorance, retrograde and dangerous anti-human activity dedicated to sending foul politicians and emissions to ruin the planet, destroy humanity and defile nature to the detriment of you, me, our relatives and pets. It is thus very fine to see a band play heavy metal in such an environment. It is a breath of fresh air to have the music of gods play in such an oppressive atmosphere.
Illyrians were a minor belligerent kingdom of ancient Greece. Round 2: Fight! follows Round 1: Train! which was such a limited edition release that the sole copy is stored in the dungeons underneath Metallian Towers. The new demo-CD is comprised of ten tracks of pseudo-thrash metal complete with two styles of vocals, gang backing vocals, a tight rhythm section, a drummer who loves his toms and most superlatively expertly impressive guitar leads which do the band a lot of credit. Illyrian benefits from all of the above, and especially leads on tracks like the title track, Zeta Reticulan – incidentally the chants of “zeta zeta..” sounded like “Satan, Satan.. upon first listen - and the Megadeth-inspired Mindbender, to impress the listener. The music veers between the fast and mid-paced. If a comparison is needed the band is a cross between Assassin and Rage were the latter band better and could write more than one good song.
The band has a corporate website at illyrian.bandcamp.com and could be reached through ashermedia@gmail.com. - Ali “The Metallian”

INIRE - CAUCHEMAR
This Gatineau, Canada quintet has been around since 2007 and Cauchemar (‘nightmare’) is the second full-length with the debut full length Born The Wicked, The Fallen, The Damned dating back to 2009. After the intro, Avidya, the band jumps into Wide Awake, a clear attempt at sounding like Pantera with some added mallcore, nu-metal and grunge influences. The guitar sound and production (by drummer Chris Bonavia) also clearly try to replicate the Pantera sound and that extends to the singing style of Dre Versailles. As the album moves forward the band occupies some of the space between the aforementioned band and less heavier version of it and does not escape the grungy or lighter elements. There are hints of progressive and hard rock too, for example in Next Of Kin. Endless features a good solo, as does Crash, but they both delve into the non-metal. Hell Is Us features a thrashy and hardcore-ish chorus. The 11th song is Into The Labyrinth, a two minute intermission with an almost mystical near eastern feel, it is followed by the title track, a higher tempo song. The CD insert is practically illegible, if the final product has been issued with these dark colours and faded font then it is pretty much wasted. Check the band at http://inireqc.bandcamp.com/. – Anna Tergel

WASTAGE – SLAVE TO THE SYSTEM
Wastage is a pounding metal band whose sound is bottom-heavy due to its style and the scarcity of guitar solos which is why the scarce leads are so welcome as a-because this is metal b- because Wastage's are actually really good and c- they offer a variance to the crunch here. The anti-treble sound is abetted by the crunch of the bass guitar, another loud variable. On the title track the bass is Overkill-ish. Incidentally, this is one tight track.
The vocals are gruff, angry and preachy and not difficult to decipher. Not to insult Wastage, but the voice does remind one of human waste Anselmo at times. Backing vocals are a constant presence and often in tune with the main voice, but do sneak in a mouse-like Macabre sound as well.
In addition to the leads the occasional move from the mid-pace to a faster tempo like on No Way Out or Nobody are also welcome and work. The drums do shine on Let Me Go the moshier of the tracks.
Wastage is not quite standard heavy metal nor death metal so let us split the difference and let the pounding metal tag remain. The band is good but could be much bettered - just listen to the short ripping lead on Let Me Go - but in the meanwhile this is far from something you should avoid. - Ali "The Metallian"