Shining Announces Rare North American Appearance

Controversial Swedish metal band Shining has announced a rare North American festival appearance at Montreal's Messe Des Morts Festival.

Messe Des Morts runs from April 2nd - 4th and sees the band playing alongside other underground stalwarts Samael, Cult Of Cure, and Mitochondrion.

Shining (Niklas Kvarforth [Vocals, Concept, Guitars], Rainer Tuomikanto [Drums], Christian Larsson [Bass], Euge Valovirta [Guitar], Peter Huss [Guitar]) has also released photos taken during a recent video shoot for a track from the band's upcoming new record, which is set to be released by Season of Mist in the spring. The photos, by Assi Viljanen, can be seen at Shining's official Facebook page.

Founded in 1996, Shining has since earned notoriety within the black metal underground as a result of the band's innovative and ever-evolving sound, in addition to main-man Niklas Kvarforth's frightening and abrasive stage persona. Characterized by Kvarforth's philosophy on suicide, Shining was originally conceived as a "suicidal black metal" band, inciting violence within a rabid fan-base through the band's provocative lyrics and self-destructive imagery.

Refusing to be bound by the confines of the genre, Shining later expanded its unique approach to songwriting and themes, incorporating melodic death metal passages and dynamic vocals ranges.