Samael
Formed: 1987
From:
Sion,
Switzerland
Last Known Status: Active
Latest Samael News
Below is our complete Samael news coverage, including columns and articles pertaining to the band. Some articles listed may be indirectly related, such as side projects of the band members, etc.
Note: We began associating news directly with bands in late 2003. Therefore, earlier band news may not be listed on this page.
Displaying records 1 - 20 of 205 1 2 3 ... 10 11 Last
Samael Releases "Hidden Empire" Video
Following the fierce comeback statement "Black Matter Manifesto," Samael unveils "Hidden Empire," the second track featured on their upcoming limited 12" maxi single vinyl, arriving April 24, 2026 via Napalm Records mailorder and the band’s official shop.
The new song explores the unseen structures shaping modern existence, translating its dark themes into a tense and weighty sonic landscape. Beginning with echoes of Samael's classic era before evolving into a crushing blend of heavy riffs and mechanical intensity, "Hidden Empire" showcases the band’s ability to balance oppressive atmosphere and hypnotic melody. Together with "Black Matter Manifesto," the track forms a powerful two-song statement that proves the Swiss pioneers remain as uncompromising and forward-thinking as ever.
Samael on “Hidden Empire”:
"Hidden in plain sight, right in front of us, everywhere and at all times. We no longer see what we are used to seeing, it is our reality, a reality to which we willingly submit in order to lead a painless but meaningless existence.
"Musically, the beginning of the song is somewhat reminiscent of Samael's classic track ‘My Saviour’, but it quickly evolves into something more unusual for the band. It is a heavy song with an industrial touch that maintains high tension from start to finish." More...
Brutal Assault Add Dozens Of Bands To 2026 Lineup
Brutal Assault added over 30 bands to next year's line-up. From djent masters Fit For An Autopsy and deathcore crushers Periphery or Katatonia through dark electronic invasion led by Perturbator KMFDM and Cradle of Filth to absolute legends Thy Art Is Murder and Od.
Brutal Assault will take place in the Czech Republic at the Josefov Fortress during August 6-9, 2025.
Festival passes are available HERE! More...
70000 Tons Confirms First Third Of 2025 Lineup
There are your standard Heavy Metal festivals – and then there’s 70000 Tons Of Metal.
Envision this: Lounging on a Caribbean island, soaking up the sun on a pristine white beach. Later on, you feel the warm wind blowing in your face, now sitting in a hot tub on a giant luxurious cruise ship, in front of The Pool Deck Stage, The World’s Biggest Open Air Structure to Ever Sail the Open Seas. Surrounded by Metal fans from all across the globe (known as the United Nations of Heavy Metal at Sea), you headbang to your favorite band. Sounds perfect? Well, it is. Get ready for 70000 Tons Of Metal 2025!
The thirteenth edition of 70000 Tons Of Metal will take place from January 30th to February 3rd, departing from Miami, Florida – Cruise Capital of the World – to Ocho Rios, Jamaica and back aboard the Independence of the Seas.
This unique festival will once more see 60 Heavy Metal bands from various subgenres taking the four stages on board, with 3000 metalheads from around the world in attendance. Every band will play twice during the trip, ramping the total amount of shows played up to 120! 70000 Tons Of Metal has revealed 20 of the 60 bands for the 2025 lineup: More...
Samael To Release New Live Album Next Month
Industrial black metal icons Samael have released the mesmerizing Gothic and piano driven single "Moonskin." Taken from the band’s upcoming live album, "Passage - Live," out on February 16, 2024 via Napalm Records, the song and lyric video unveil a necrophiliac ballad for dark romantic souls, blending the forces of Eros and Thanatos in an unforgettable gloomy atmosphere.
"Passage - Live" offers a fresh, fully live take on the highly influential and iconic 1996 album. Recorded during a sold-out concert in Krakow on the last day of the European leg of the "Passage 25th Anniversary Tour", the album gets a makeover and adds a further new touch and elements to the album and sound.
Vorph on "Moonskin":
"We were repeatedly asked to release this song as a standalone single around the time of the album's release. So, a quarter of a century later, we decided to put it in the spotlight with the release of 'Passage - Live.'"
The songs of "Passage - Live" remain the same, but captured in the urgency of a live environment, they appear rawer and heavier than they were originally, and the maturation of a quarter-century makes them more immediate. Passage - Live is the first official recording with the band’s current line-up, and as Drop and Ales both were fans of the album before joining the band, they add new vigor and energy to the music.
"Passage - Live" is a testament to an album that left its mark on a generation of metal fans, as Samael moved towards a more industrial sound, distancing themselves from their roots in black metal, and simultaneously breaking the band into a wider international audience. Passage has stood the test of time, remaining as fresh today as it was nearly three decades ago, and with "Passage - Live," Samael adds new depth to one of the most important albums in the band’s history.
Vorph says about "Passage - Live":
"The blend of metal, industrial and electronica that has been our trademark for almost three decades began with Passage. It's almost ground zero for us, and we're delighted to offer these songs a fresh approach and bring this album to life for our long-standing audience as well as those who have discovered the band recently." More...
Exclusive
Monument of Misanthropy Premiere New Music Video
European technical brutal death institution Monument Of Misanthropy have teamed up with Metalundergound.com to bring their “Serial Roadkill 2022 Pt. II” touring cycle to mainland Europe this fall. The group have just officially announced some shows with Italian death metal upstarts Bloodtruth and Czech death metal veterans Cutterred Flesh as support on some of the dates. Several local support acts will be opening the shows.
Coming along with the announcement of the tour is a new animated music video for Monument Of Misanthropy's single "Midnight" taken from the band's latest album "Unterweger", which chronicling the story of Austrian serial killer Jack Unterweger. Check out now "Midnight" streaming via YouTube and Spotify for you below.
The bands' touring plans in that regard run as follows: More...
Samael Shares New Video "Dictate Of Transparency"
Switzerland’s legendary industrial metal force Samael have just released an intense official music video for "Dictate Of Transparency," taken from their latest full length album "Hegemony" (2017). The song could hardly fit any better with current times. Also out now is a strictly limited 7’’ vinyl release of the track, also including another track, “Against All Enemies”, taken from the same 2017 standout album.
Samael on "Dictate Of Transparency":
"'Dictate of Transparency' reflects the zeitgeist of the digital world. The song is taken from the album Hegemony, and since its release, it manages to even more accurately describe the world we live in.
We do not make predictions, we only make observations." More...
Samael Shares Official Video For Beatles Cover
Switzerland’s industrial black metal force Samael are back with a brand new music video for their cover version of The Beatles 2Helter Skelter." On the occasion of the 53rd anniversary of the release of "Helter Skelter", Samael celebrates the legacy of the band and the birth of heavy metal. The song originally appeared on their latest album, Hegemony.
On "Helter Skelter" the Industrial formation travels way back to the end of the 60s, examining the dark sides of technology and spirituality, including numerous references to the song’s original time frame. With whispering screams, metallic drums, shredding guitar play and targeted string inserts, Samael create a majestic yet intimidating, cuttingly clear soundscape that presents the legendary The Beatles composition in a whole new light while still staying true to its roots.
Samael on "Helter Skelter":
"To the question ‘what is the first Metal song ever recorded‘, we’ve decided to answer "Helter Skelter" from The Beatles! To commemorate the 53rd anniversary of the first release of "Helter Skelter" and consequently the birth of Heavy Metal, we present you with a video of our own version of the song. The video exposes the dark side of technology and spirituality with numerous references to the time frame in which the song was originally released. Musicwise, we've tried to stay true to the original version of the track but we've approached it like it is our own composition. The song appears on our latest album, Hegemony." More...
Dark Funeral To Release New Album In March
Today Swedish black metal legends Dark Funeral announce that their brand new full-length album entitled "We Are The Apocalypse" will be released on March 18th 2022. Only one day later – on March 19th – they will play a very special album release show at Fållan in Stockholm, Sweden, supported by special guest Samael and support act Eleine.
About the release show Dark Funeral comment:
"Inch by inch we are opening the gates to unleash the fires of Hell and we are proud to present to you, the great artists that will join us on March 19! Samael from Switzerland should need no further introduction, they are genuine legends and a band that never stopped evolving. We are incredibly proud to have them with us as special guests! The Swedish symphonic metal band Eleine will be opening the night and contribute in showing that the Devil’s Music have both width and depth."
Further the band states, "We are looking forward to an incredibly powerful experience on the 19th of March and we encourage you all to secure your tickets to join us. Our new album is finally ready and we can’t wait to include our new music in our set lists. This event will open those gates and we want you to be there with us! Make sure to follow the event page as we will provide information in a steady stream in both Swedish and English. Meanwhile, we will work incessantly in the background." More...
Samael Unveils New Bass Player
Swiss black metal pioneers, Samael, have announced the addition of bassist Ales Campanelli to the band lineup. A message follows:
"We're proud to welcome new bass player Ales in the band! With his versatility and solid groove, Ales was the missing link to cement our sound. He's been playing with Drop (guitarist Thomas "Drop" Betrisey) for many years and understands perfectly well our machines vs humans music but has also known us from our early black metal days.
"Tune in to tohuwabohu.rocks on Sunday (June 21) and watch the first performance of Samael with the new line-up!"
Report
Samael Envelops London In Darkness
What can be said about Samael at this point? The Swiss quartet are one of the most influential bands in black metal, with Darkthrone drummer Fenriz citing their debut, "Worship Him" as "essential" and have continued to evolve their sound over a career spanning three decades. From their third album, "Ceremony Of Opposites," the group began adding electronic and industrial elements to their repertoire and now boast a unique style which no one has been able to match. At their recent show in London, I had the pleasure of not just interviewing frontman Vorph (which can be seen here) but also witnessing their one of a kind live show.
Unfortunately, I was unable to catch opening band, Hangman's Chair, but arrived in the nick of time to see the Swiss stalwarts kick off. Having previously seen Samael at 70000 Tons Of Metal last year, it was interesting to see them in their own environment (and in a more sturdy setting.) With Vorph at the helm, the band charged into battle with the title track from their latest album, "Hegemony," a record which was well represented on the night, as songs like "Black Supremacy" and "Angel Of Wrath" were also brought out to crush the audience.
There was a good mix of material on display however, going back to the aforementioned "Ceremony Of Opposites" album with songs such as "Baphomet's Throne" and "Son Of Earth," as well as the title track representing their third outing. "Solar Soul" and "Passage" were also well advertised, with three songs each boldly showing how strong these records are, including the classic, "Rain" and "Slavocracy." All of this material, fierce as it is, was empowered all the more by the band's natural charisma and image, which when combined makes for one of the most interesting live bands in the world today. Samael's reign is not over, nor it seems, will it ever be.
Samael Posts New Music Video Online
Swiss black metal pioneers Samael has released a new video for the title track off their latest album "Hegemony." You can check it out below. The album was released through Napalm Records in October 2017.
Samael are:
Vorph: Guitars, Vocals
Xy: Keyboards and Programming
Drop: Guitars
Zorrac: Bass More...
Samael Share New Version Of Their Track 'Antigod'
The 2011 album from Swiss industrial black metallers Samael "Lux Mundi", will be reissued in early 2019. A new version of the track "Antigod", off the reissue, can be heard below:
Samael Guitarist Leaves The Band
Swiss extreme metal legends Samael has announced that guitarist Marco "Makro" Rivao has decided to step down from the band. Rather than seeking a new guitarist, bass player Thomas "Drop" Betrisey will be taking over Rivao's spot, with the group instead deciding to seek a new bass player. A message from the band reads as follows:
"Mak is leaving Samuel. The band regrets this, but accepts his decision and we wish him all the best for his future endeavours."
Rivao added: "As some of you might know I’ve spent the last 16 years playing guitar for Samael. During those years I had the chance to meet lots of lovely people/fans, which in some cases turned into friendships, and so this statement goes to all of you.
"I’ve always been a fan of Passage, Rebellion, Ceremony Of Opposites and when I received a phone call in 2002 from Samael asking me if I’d like to join the band, it felt like an honor and also a chance to make a living out of music. All together we’ve shared a great amount of good times and I’d like to thank everyone of you for making these moments real.
"Samael is Vorph and Xy’s story and I’ve been mostly a live interpreter for their music, and I’d like to thank them too for offering me this opportunity. Now it is time for me do something different and so I am leaving Samael.
"Vorph, Xy, Drop and all of the outstanding crew members I’ve worked with during those years are like family to me and so it shall remain.
"Thanks again to all of you for making these past years such an awesome journey with Samael!”
Obsydians Debut "False Light Constructs"
Obsydians - featuring guitarist Thomas "Drop" Betrisey (ex-Sybreed, Samael), bassist Ales Campanelli (ex-Sybreed, The Erkonauts), drummer Kevin Choiral (ex-Sybreed, The Erkonauts) - debut a new single titled "False Light Constructs". The track features Jon Howard (Imonolith, Threat Signal) on vocals.
Check out now "False Light Constructs" below.
Report
70000 Tons Of Metal: Day Four
All good things must come to an end, as they say. After three fantastic days at sea with sixty one metal bands, it almost time to head up. Fret ye not however, as there was still one more day filled with metal for those on board to enjoy.
Up first (at least for me,) was sunshine, fresh air and German thrash metal, as Destruction took to the stage for their second set of the cruise. The setlist wasn't changed enormously from their first, though this time "Nailed To The Cross" went down particularly well as there were two men dressed as Jesus in the mosh pit. Sacrilicious. Fortunately, the teutonic trio faced no visible technical problems this time around and put on a hell of a show, despite playing in the earliest slot of their career. It shouldn't be necessary to say this, but Destruction are one of the top thrash bands in history, still to this day, thanks not only to their superb catalogue, but to their towering stage presence and scorching live performances.
Following some lunch and finally being able to get into the merch room, it was a trip to the Alhambra Theater for something very special; The All Star Jam, hosted by Annihilator founder Jeff Waters. Members from many bands on board joined together to perform metal classics and favourites. Naturally, some groupings and songs went down better than others, with highlights including Riot's, "Swords and Tequila" performed by Snake from Voivod, Mike Silfringer of Destruction, Metal Church drummer Stet Howland, Korpiklaani bassist Jesper Anastasiadis and Primal Fear guitarist Tom Naumann, as well as the AC/DC classic, "Hells Bells," sung by Battle Beast's, Noora Louhimo, with Elias Viljanen if Sonata Arctica and Jeff Waters on guitar duties, Primal Fear's Mat Sinner on bass and Enslaved drummer Cato Bekkevold, all before the final number, which saw the dreams of thrash metal fans come true as Kreator frontman Mille Petrozza joined Destruction's Schmier and Vavver on stage to perform Metallica's, "Whiplash," in a lineup that was rounded up by Andreas Kisser of Sepultura and Matt Harvey of Exhumed performing guitars. A one of a kind experience which is a real treat for metal fans. More...
70000 Tons Of Metal Lineup Completed
The organisers of the 70000 Tons Of Metal cruise has announced the last four bands to perform at this year's event. Canadian death metal veterans Kataklysm will be performing, in addition to American power metal outfit Seven Kingdoms has been confirmed for the journey, as well as Belgian groove metal band Diablo BLVD and Colombian speed metal group Revenge. The cruise will set sail from Port Lauderdale, Florida on February 1st and head to the Grand Turk and Caicos Islands and back in a trek that will last until February 5th.
The current list of confirmed bands is as follows: More...
Two More Confirmed For 70000 Tons Of Metal
Comedy metal act Psychostick and Mexican doom metal band Majestic Downfall are the latest groups announced to play this year's edition of the 70000 Tons Of Metal cruise, which sets sail in only six days. This brings the total number of confirmed bands up to fifty six, with only four more to be confirmed. The organisers have said that the next three bands to be confirmed will all hail from different continents. The cruise will set sail from Port Lauderdale, Florida on February 1st and head to the Grand Turk and Caicos Islands and back in a trek that will last until February 5th.
The current list of confirmed bands is as follows:
Aborted
Aeternam
Alestorm
Amberian Dawn
Battle Beast
Belphegor
Benediction
Benighted
Beyond Creation
Cannibal Corpse
Dark Tranquility
Destruction
Enslaved
Evergrey
Evertale
Exciter
Exhumed
Freedom Call
Goatwhore
Gyze
In Extremo
In Mourning
Insomnium
Internal Bleeding
Korpiklaani
Kreator
Leaves' Eyes
Majestic Downfall
Masterplan
Meshuggah
Metal Church
Metsatöll
Naglfar
Necrophobic
Obscura
October Tide
Primal Fear
Psychostick
Rhapsody
Sabaton
Samael
Septicflesh
Sepultura
Seven Spires
Sinister
Sirenia
Sonata Arctica
Swallow The Sun
Threshold
Triosphere
Voivod
Witchery
Witherfall
Wolfchant
Wolfheart
Belphegor Confirmed For 70000 Tons Of Metal
The organisers of the 70000 Tons Of Metal cruise has announced that Austrian blackened death metal veterans Belphegor will be performing at this year's edition of the 70000 Tons Of Metal cruise. This brings the total of confirmed bands to fifty four, with only six more to be revealed. The cruise will set sail from Port Lauderdale, Florida on February 1st and head to the Grand Turk and Caicos Islands and back in a trek that will last until February 5th.
The current list of confirmed bands is as follows: More...
Samael Posts New Video Online
Swiss extreme metal legends Samael (whose frontman Vorph was recently interviewed here,) has posted a new video online for the song, "Rite Of Renewal." Speaking about the video, the band stated:
"This is the first song from 'Hegemony' that we presented live and it became an instant classic. The video was shot in Les Docks in Lausanne during the first show that followed the release of 'Hegemony,' it was latter edited by Sergey Ulyanov who previously worked on other visuals for us. The song itself is a mid/up tempo track that shows a more technical side of our music. The dynamic is kept by altering fast and dense parts with open and heavy ones until the grand final with super heavy riffs and apocalyptic keyboard parts. What better title for a song than 'Rite of Renewal' to start a new year? 2018 here we go!" More...
Evertale Confirmed For 70000 Tons Of Metal
German power metal band Evertale has been announced to perform at this year's edition of the 70000 Tons Of Metal cruise. This brings the total of confirmed bands to fifty three, with only seven more to be revealed. The cruise will set sail from Port Lauderdale, Florida on February 1st and head to the Grand Turk and Caicos Islands and back in a trek that will last until February 5th.
The current list of confirmed bands is as follows:
Aborted
Aeternam
Alestorm
Amberian Dawn
Battle Beast
Benediction
Benighted
Beyond Creation
Cannibal Corpse
Dark Tranquility
Destruction
Die Apokalyptischen Reiter
Enslaved
Evergrey
Evertale
Exciter
Exhumed
Freedom Call
Goatwhore
Gyze
In Extremo
In Mourning
Insomnium
Internal Bleeding
Korpiklaani
Kreator
Leaves' Eyes
Masterplan
Meshuggah
Metal Church
Metsatöll
Naglfar
Necrophobic
Obscura
October Tide
Primal Fear
Rhapsody
Sabaton
Samael
Septicflesh
Sepultura
Seven Spires
Sinister
Sirenia
Sonata Arctica
Swallow The Sun
Threshold
Triosphere
Voivod
Witchery
Witherfall
Wolfchant
Wolfheart