Metallian Heavy

Sweden-based black metal band VALKYRJA’s Throne Ablaze is out through W.T.C. Productions.

Iceland-based ÖRMAGNA’s self-titled record is due out through Signal Rex on the 1st of February.

USA-based death metal act WHITECHAPEL will release its next full-length album, called The Valley, through Metal Blade Records in March.

SKELETHAL and CADAVERIC FUMES have released the Heirs Of Hideous Secrecies split 7″ EP through Hells Headbangers.

Japan-based electro-metal HETEROGENEOUS ANDEAD has signed a distribution deal with WormHoleDeath for the release of its debut album Deus Ex Machina. It is out now.

Italy-based death metal band AGONY FACE’s CXVI Evolving Discharges album was issued by Sliptrick on November 8th.

USA-based grind/violence band INOCULATED LIFE’s Exist To Decay album is out through Redefining Darkness Records since November 30th. The band’s lyrics are socially conscious.

France-based thrash metal group HEXECUTOR will issue Hangmen Of Roazhon through Dying Victims Productions on 23.12.2018.

Brazil-based ATTOMICA is back with an album called The Trick. The group, which is André Rod – vocals/bass, Marcelo Souza – guitar and Argos Danckas – drums, gas a video for the song Kill The Hero.

VENOM will release a full-length album, entitled Storm The Gates, through Spinefarm Records this month.

Brazil-based TORMENTOR BESTIAL has a new album called Supplicium Plus Quam Bestia through on Music-Records on April 5th. This album was recorded, mixed and mastered by Niko Teixeira at Audiolab Vintage Studio.

Portugal-based GRAVES’ Liturgia Da Blasfemia LP/CD is out through Iron Bonehead in February.

Ireland-based THE CRAWLING’s Wolves And The Hideous White album is out through Grindscene Records.

Spain-based dark/doom sextet ONIROPHAGUS has an album called Endarkenment (Illumination Through Putrefaction), which shall be released through Xtreem Music on 19.02.2019.

Death metal band MUSMAHHU’s Reign Of The Odious is out through Iron Bonehead on the 18th of January.

ODIOUS DEVOTION’s self-titled album is out through Wolfspell Records this month. The Finland-based band abides by the trend of not revealing its membership.

Portugal-based symphonic death metal act DALLIAN will see its debut released through Nox Liberatio Records on November 9th.

WHITEMOUR’s The Devil Inherits The World album is out through Art Gates Records now.

OPPROBRIUM has signed a worldwide deal with the Germany-based label High Roller Records and will release a new album, entitled The Fallen Entities, which is scheduled for a worldwide release on February 22nd.

SEPTICFLESH, XAON, KRISIUN and DIABOLICAL are touring Europe in March.

Self-cover version band: TRIUMPH OF DEATH, featuring Tom Warrior of HELLHAMMER and CELTIC FROST, will play HELLHAMMER’s music live in 2019. The band will perform at Hellfest festival on June 21st in France.

Spain-based ALTARAGE has a full length called The Approaching Roar through Season Of Mist on January 25th.

Germany-based (THE TRUE) VEILED’s In Blinding Presence is out through Into Endless Chaos on the 7th of January.

KHORS’ Beyond The Bestial is out through Ashen Dominion.

CROWS OVER BRÁVELLIR’s Spells Of The Dead/Into Kingly Death was issued by Dawnbreed Records on AUGUST 1st. The band is described as blackened doom.

POUGHKEEPSIE makes its Horror Pain Gore Death Productions debut with the Macrocosmic Demise EP. Despite the band name, Poughkeepsie is a Los Angeles-based deathgrind three-piece, taking its name from the murders that took place in Poughkeepsie, New York in the 1990s.

Lithuania-based STRANGULIATORIUS’ Rope, Soap, Tabouret is out through Horror Pain Gore Death.

France-based NAZRAK’s Cantiques Funebres is out through Wolfspell Records on the 21st of December.

Thrash metal group TOXIK ATTACK’s Assassinos Em Série is out through Helldprod Records on the 31st of January 2019.

Thrash metal project CREATE A KILL has an album called Summoned To Rise through Redefining Darkness Records (USA) and Raw Skull Records (Europe) on 21..12.2018. The act features Gus Rios and Alex Marquez. Summoned to Rise includes a previously unreleased track and tribute to dead former MALEVOLENT CREATION vocalist Bret Hoffman, which features Matt Harvey (EXHUMED/GRUESOME) on vocals.

Denmark-based black metal band MYRD’s Negativisme album is out through Purity Through Fire Records since the summer. The label also issued K.F.R’s Par Le Sang album. This band is based in France. The company also released Finland-based SHADOW’S MORTUARY’s Tulen Valtakunta.

MALEVOLENT CREATION’s The 13th Beast is out in January. The ever revolving line-up includes singer/guitarist Lee Wollenschlaeger (THRONE OF NAILS and IMPERIAL EMPIRE), Josh Gibbs (bass) and Phil Cincilla (drums).

France-based band MORTAL SCEPTER has signed a deal with Xtreem Music for the release of its debut album, Where Light Suffocates, which is scheduled for January.

Mexico-based RAVENOUS DEATH’s Chapters Of An Evil Transition is out through Memento Mori on the 21st of January.

FLESHREAPER’s Blue Skies Laced With Pesticide album is out through Horror Pain Gore Death this month. The band hails from the land of red algae and rednecks.

BLOOD FEAST’s Chopped, Sliced And Diced (CD, 12″ MLP and tape) is out through Hells Headbangers this month.

Canada-based NECRONOMICON is promising an album for 2019. The band has a November show with HIDDEN PRIDE in Montreal.

More re-releases: Xtreem is issuing DISGRACE’s Grey Misery alongside the Debts Of Gods EP ’91 and Inside The Labyrinth Of Depression demo ’90 in a limited edition of one hundred. The label had the Grey Misery booklets left over and decided to press the CD as a black disc.

INTERNAL CHRONICLES’ Crimson Storm is out through Guts’ N’ Blood on January 2nd. This is a Croatia-based one-man act.

MÜTIILATION’s The Lost Tapes are re-recordings stemming from 2009 and 2010. Osmose Productions is issuing them this month.

NEKROFILTH’s new record Worm Ritual is out through Hells Headbangers this month.

CANNIBAL CORPSE, MORBID ANGEL, NECROT, BLOOD INCANTATION and IMMOLATION for the final week will tour together in USA in March 2019.

Former MORBID ANGEL/PATHS OF POSSESSION guitarist Richard Brunelle has a new project called MOSAIC COVENANT. Also in the band is drummer called Brandon Thomas Lyons. A couple of MP3s are available now.

SISTERS OF SUFFOCATION will release an album, called Humans Are Broken, through Napalm Records on March 1st. The label signed the band three months ago.

ROTTEN SOUND will tour Europe in February and March. The band will first support NAPALM DEATH on its Finnish shows starting on the 20th of February in Helsinki. ROTTEN SOUND will continue to tour through ten more European countries.

Portugal-based DESTROYERS OF ALL shall release a new album The Vile Manifesto through Mosher Records on February 2nd.

French Canada’s NACHTEULE one-man project has a release called Bergdorf through Wolfspell Records this month.

Ukraine-based SICHGART’s Chest’ Ta Krov is out now. The thrash metal band was founded in 2008.

UK-based BARSHASKETH’S Barshasketh album is out through W.T.C. Productions on the 15th of January.

France-based CROC NOIR’s Mort is out through Wolfspell Records this month.

BUCKSHOT FACELIFT’s Ulcer Island is being reissued by Paragon Records for some reason.

ULVDALIR’s …of Death Eternal LP/CD is out through Iron Bonehead on 25.01.2019. The band shares members with label-mates KHASHM.

NOCTAMBULIST (USA) has its debut album Atmospheres Of Desolation out through Blood Harvest on the 21st of January 2019.

The Grand Slam European 2018 Tour occurred between November 9th to 24th and featured SINAYA, PYREXIA, PATHOLOGY, EPICARDIECTOMY and KRAANIUM.

HISS FROM THE MOAT – founded by drummer James Payne (VITAL REMAINS, HOUR OF PENANCE) – will release The Harrier album through M-Theory Audio in February.

Finland-based death metal outfit FESTERDAY has a new album called iihtallan. The band’s debut full-length is slated for worldwide release through Season Of Mist’s Underground Activists in January.

Australia-based HORRISONOUS’ A Culinary Cacophony is out through Memento Mori on 21.01.2019. The band is compared to ASPHYX.

Seven years after the release of the Fuimus, Non Sumus… album, funeral doom trio COMATOSE VIGIL returns with the new album, Evangelium Nihil. The band had been in slumber since 2016. A.K. iEzor has reawakened the band under the name COMATOSE VIGIL A.K. monicker with the help of David Unsaved of ENNUI and John Devos of MESMUR.

HETEROGENEOUS ANDEAD (symphonic death metal from Japan) album Deus Ex Machina is available through Wormholedeath.

Eindhoven Metal Meeting is taking place on the 14th and 15th of December in that town. Bands appearing include DEAD HEAD (NL), DESASTER (DE), FLESHCRAWL (DE) and GAMA BOMB (IE), BENEDICTION and IMPALED NAZARENE (FI – special ‘Suomi Finland Perkele’ setlist).

EXHORDER has signed with Nuclear Blast. The label employs Monte Conner who A&Rd at Roadrunner where the band was signed and dropped in the ‘90s.

Australia-based ONE STEP BEYOND’s In The Shadow Of The Beast is out through Wormholedeath now.

PROJECT INFINITY’s Universe album is out through Suspiria Records. The death metal band is based in Ukraine.

Ukraine-based BERGRIZEN’s Einsamkeit Im Wintersturm album is out through Purity Through Fire Records.

Avantgarde has issued LUMNOS’ The Heliosphere Singularity.

PERVERTICON’s Wounds Of Divinity shall be released through Iron Bonehead in January.

FORNACE’s Deep Melancholic Wrath is out through Paragon Records. The band was formed by bassist Possessed and drummer/vocalist Gnoll back in 2000. The two men inspired by ROTTING CHRIST and VARATHRON.

HECATE ENTHRONED will release a new album called Embrace Of The Godless Aeon through M-Theory Audio in January.

OVERKILL will release its latest album, The Wings Of War, through Nuclear Blast in February. The album was recorded at Gear Recording Studio.

CRADLE OF FILTH is touring North America with WEDNESDAY 13 and RAVEN BLACK.

CHILDREN OF BODOM will release an album called Hexed through Nuclear Blast in March.

Calgary, Canada-based BLACKRAT has issued an album called Dread Reverence through Shadow Kingdom on 23.11.2018.

Australia-based VILE APPARITION’s Depravity Ordained will be issue through Memento Mori on 21.01.2019.

Death metal group OPEN SURGERY’s After Birth Abortion is out through BVR Records on 17.12.2018.

Canada-based black metal band CALVAIRE’s Je Me Souviens album is out through Purity Through Fire Records since last month.


Metallian Hard

A compilation called Trapped Under Ice Vol. 1: The New Face Of Canadian Heavy Metal will be issued through Temple Of Mystery on the 25th of January. Bands include METALIAN and SPELL among others.

Canada-based power metal band LUTHARO’s Unleash The Beast demo is available now.

BENEATH THE HOLLOW’s Nihilist demo is out now.

Germany-based WITCHING HOUR’s ...And Silent Grief Shadows The Passing Moon is out through Hells Headbangers this month.

Power metal band ARRAYAN PATH has issued a new album, called Archegonoi, which features drummer Mark Zonder.

CYNIC is issuing Humanoid on limited edition 10" vinyl.

The reunited progressive band CONCEPTION has a new demo entitled My Dark Symphony.

RAVEN will release a live album called Screaming Murder Death From Above: Live In Aalborg in January.

AEROSMITH guitarist Joe Perry was rushed to the hospital due to congestion of his breathing passageway after performing with Billy Joel in New York City, USA on November 10th. He is doing well now, but has cancelled his autumn tour.

Sweden-based LUGNET has an album called Nightwalker through Pride & Joy Music on 25.01.2019.

HELIX drummer Greg "Fritz" Hinz was placed in a medically induced coma by the ambulance orderlies after fracturing his skull during a fall from the roof of his house where he was conducting minor repairs. The band’s immediate shows went on with Jamie Constant of SYRE.

SCORPIONS was forced to cancel its concert with DEF LEPPARD in Sydney and Melbourne due to Klaus Meine’s voice being shot. He had to rest and recuperate his vocals.

FIEND’s Seeress is out through Deadlight Entertainment. The France-based band is a stoner and doom act.

TYGERS OF PAN TANG will release Hellbound Spellbound Live 1981 this month. The concert was recorded by Chris Tsangarides at Nottingham Rock City in 1981. The band was Jon Deverill – vocals, Robb Weir and John Sykes guitars, Rocky – bass and drummer.

DOKKEN is recording a new album in February. The new album will be released through Silver Lining Music, the label of Wacken’s Thomas Jensen. Don notes that the record will contain the band’s original sound.

CIRCLE OF WITCHES’ new album Natural Born Sinners is produced by Alex Azzali and Nicholas Barker (CRADLE OF FILTH, DIMMU BORGIR, TESTAMENT and a million other bands).

Spain-based EXCALIBUR has had its Generación Maldita album reissued by Fighter Records. The 30th anniversary of Generación Maldita will include two re-recorded songs as bonus, which were intended for the original version, but were not recorded due to lack of budget. And out in the winter.

QUEENSRŸCHE and its former singer are working on a rerelease of the Empire album on the occasion of its thirtieth anniversary.

Uli Jon Roth is in the midst of his 50th-anniversary tour in Europe. The tour will come to North America in March.

Epictronic has signed Spain-based hard rock band IMPERIAL JADE. The new album On The Rise will be issued worldwide - excluding Spain - through The Orchard (part of Sony Music Entertainment) this month.

WHITESNAKE will support its Flesh & Blood 2019 album with a world tour. The album is out through Frontiers in May.

GUNS N' ROSES’ concert in the United Arab Emirates was cut short on November 25th as singer Axl Rose was "severely ill." He told the crowd he had been on IV and vomiting. The band pulled off 45 minutes’ of music nevertheless.

SEASON OF TEARS’ Dark Card demo is out now.

Fighter Records has signed VIUDA NEGRA for the release of its debut album after over thirty years of existence. The release will come in form of a double-CD containing the same album, but sung in Spanish on CD 1 and sung in English on CD 2.

Finally a man with a heavy metal attitude: IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson has come out against participating in a Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame ceremony should the band ever be inducted.

Coming off its Canadian debut performance at Indie Week in Toronto in November, India-based OVERHUNG has recruited drummer Pritesh Prabhubane who is also an accomplished live sound engineer who has mixed the likes of WOLFMOTHER and PUDDLE OF MUDD. Prabhubane replaces the band's long time drummer and founding member Sheldon Dixon.

Doom metal band THE SABBATHIAN’s Latum Alterum is out through Svart Records on the 25th of January. The band, formed by Chad Davis (HOUR OF 13 and many more) and Anette Uvaas Guldbrandsen (NÀTTSÒL), released its debut EP Ritual Rites on Svart Records in 2014.

UK-based doom band OF SPIRE & THRONE’s Penance album is out through Aesthetic Death this month.

Finland-based fuzz/doom metal band MUSTA RISTI’s Musta Risti album is out through Svart Records.

Italy-based MALAMORTE will issue Hell For All on Rockshots Records on the 25th of January.

Hard rock band UNTO THE WOLVES’ Year Two demo is out this month. The lyrics are inspired by Mexican folklore.

ROTTING CHRIST will issue the upcoming album The Heretic through Season Of Mist on February 15th.

Inspired by KEEL? German ‘80s hard rock band ROSY VISTA has reformed. The band will issue an album called Unbelievable through SPV in February.

Spain-based hard rock band OVERLOUD has re-released its Loud Machine demo.

QUIET RIOT's show at Frontiers Rock Festival 2018 is being released on CD/DVD and Blu-ray. entitled One Night In Milan, the product is due through Frontiers on January 25th.

Laughable: OZZY OSBOURNE will continue touring in 2019 under the monicker No More Tours. MEGADETH is supporting.

ACCEPT has release its Symphonic Terror - Live At Wacken 2017 through Nuclear Blast last month. The band is taking its Symphonic Terror shows with orchestra on the road beginning with Germany in April. In the meantime, bassist and mainstay Peter Baltes has quit the band.

DREAM THEATER’s Distance Over Time album is slated for February. The band is on InsideOut. A North American tour is already announced.

RHAPSODY OF FIRE will release an album, called The Eighth Mountain, through AFM on February 22nd. The album will feature new vocalist Giacomo Voli and drummer Manu Lotter.

One time KISS guitarist Ace Frehley rejoined his former bandmates on at the so-called Kiss Kruise in order for an acoustic set of old KISS songs. As announced earlier the band has announced its latest farewell tour, which will take place over the next several years.

Former KISS guitarist Vinnie Vincent's announced shows in Memphis, USA for December 7 and December 8 have been postponed to February 8 and February 9 in Nashville. Logistical reasons is cited.

Long-running Japan-based heavy metal act ANTHEM has signed with Nuclear Blast Records for the European territory. The first release under the new contract will be a greatest hits album featuring re-recordings of the band's better known songs sung in English.

Japan-based LOVEBITES has signed a deal with Arising Empire. The band's next full-length album, entitled Clockwork Immortality, will be released on December 7th.

Authentic Hendrix is a new JIMI HENDRIX inspired clothing line. Ironically, the businesspeople in charge call the line “luxury.”

Every band has its own beer, vodka, whiskey, cruise, sneakers and hot sauce.


Metallian Demos

STRIKER - PLAY TO WIN
The prolific Canadians are back with a sixth full-length, all 41 minutes of it. The quintet can now lay claim to be an award nominated band as well, with a nod in the latest edition of Canada's Juno awards. The opener is a speed metal-ish piece that would make it as a Pretty Maids song and album opener. Dan Cleary and co mix cliché levels of 80's riffs, catchiness, lyrics and choruses. While the band and bio writers might want to attach Striker to Judas Priest for example the reality is a more commercial offering, one that is at times well within power ballad territory. Head First, somewhat ironically, is one such song. The band does not shy away from this and On The Run that follows the preceding stays in the same category as well. The Front is very much like a time machine into the glam era. The title track can claim to be inspired by Skid Row, even if this may remain unsaid by many. Lyrically the band sticks to the times as well and stay minimal with "Play To Win" repeated far too many times in a less than four minute span. Standing Alone is yet again more ballad like, effective perhaps but far from original allowing the listener to reminisce of 80s Whitesnake. Summoner is the eighth song and it is on the heavy side of Play To Win with great emphasis on guitar prowess. Heavy Is The Heart sees the Canadians fully embrace the power ballad and there is something a la Tad Morose buried in here as well. Hands Of Time closes Play To Win, it opens with a cheesy section and again doesn't escape the cliché. www.striker-metal.com – Anna Tergel