Metal Blade Inducted Into Hall Of Heavy Metal

Last week (Wednesday, January 18th), The Hall of Heavy Metal History inducted Metal Blade Records for the label's 35th anniversary.

The all-star ceremony was hosted by television and radio legend Eddie Trunk and included performances by the Dio Disciples (with Craig Goldy, Simon Wright, Scott Warren, Bjorn Englen, Tim 'Ripper' Owens, and Joe Retta), Ross "The Boss" (with iconic guitarist Ross 'The Boss' Friedman, Rhino, vocalist Marc Lopes, and Mike LePond), among others - plus, a special appearance by Slayer's Kerry King, who presented Metal Blade Records CEO/founder Brian Slagel with the award.

Brian Slagel comments: "We are totally honored to be inducted into such a great organization. I am awestruck at the names that stand beside us, and so thankful for everyone who has helped us along the way. Huge thanks to all at the 'Hall of Heavy Metal History' for this great honor." More...

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Lantern Reveals Album Details

Lantern is gearing up to release "II: Morphosis" via Dark Descent Records on March 17th, 2017. The label issued this press release about the band and impending album:

"Since Lantern's debut full-length album 'Below' perfectly got the zeitgeist of the mid-10’s dark and arcane DM revival Dark Descent Records has almost become synonymous for, it would have made perfect sense for those Finns to simply so to speak return to very same cave and lock themselves up down there with no heat nor light for two weeks straight to conjure the same type of pitch black music.

"But this is where you draw the line in between those happy with their little niche and the real artists, destined to expand their horizon no matter what… Fear not, ‘II – Morphosis’ isn’t trying to reach for the light either and still reeks of the ancient metal ov death foul stench. And even if they’ve now officially integrated the three extra members the initial duo had with them since 2011 for live activities and recorded it as a five piece, there’s still here a palpable sense of obscurity throughout those nine songs, as if being seen through a veiled curtain.

"But many actually will probably be quite surprised by how articulate but also strangely melodic the ‘new’ Lantern is. While a track like 'Cleansing of the Air' or the epic instrumental 'Necrotic Epiphanies' carry a strong thrash influence that can also be found in Necrophilos’ scruffy vocals, the album is first and foremost packed with twisted riffs that spiral on and off that pierce through the thick fog it conjures like razors. But no matter how hectic the whole thing gets, they never loose control, like some kind of bizarre version of Treblinka not led by clueless teenagers but proper musicians determined to get on a short leash the madness that drives them.

"Like on ‘Below’, the album’s brilliantly detailed yet disturbing artwork courtesy of Zbigniew M. BIelak is a collage of various concepts developed in the songs while Dan Lowndes of Resonance Sound Studios took care of the mixing and mastering duties, resulting in an album both daring and unique." More...

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Voodoo Circle Posts Song With New Vocalist

Voodoo Circle has released a re-recorded version of "Heart Of Stone" with the band's new vocalist on board. Regarding that lineup change, Voodoo Circle also comments:

"Here we are... with the announcement many of you have been waiting for.... Voodoo Cirlce's new vocalist in none other than the fabulous... *drumroll*... HERBIE LANGHANS!

"You probably know Herbie from his participation in Avantasia and Sinbreed. We're very happy that he decided to become a part of the Voodoo Circle and we're looking forward to release a great new album together this year!" More...

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Bathsheba Streaming "I, At The End Of Everything"

Blackened Belgian doom/sludge cult Bathsheba has released new track "I, At the End of Everything" for streaming online.

The track hails from the band's debut album, "Servus," which is set for international release on February 24th via Svart Records. The full "Servus" track listing is as follows:

1. Conjuration Of Fire
2. Ain Soph
3. Manifest
4. Demon 13 (streaming here)
5. The Sleepless Gods
6. I, At The End Of Everything More...

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Legionary Finishing New EP

Following the "Dominate & Depopulate" release from back in 2015, Legionary is now working on a new mini-album coming next month. The band comments:

"We're getting closer to the finish line with our new EP 'The Final Stage Of Awakening.' Just the bass recording remains! You can fully expect this EP to be out sometime in February (likely late February at this point because we're aiming for our best mix/master to date). Here are the details for this EP."

1. The Final Stage Of Awakening
2. Controlled Opposition
3. Within The Dome
4. 1,000 Eyes (Death Cover)
*Tracks 5, 6, and 7 will be instrumental bonus tracks of the 3 original songs More...

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Holocausto Releasing "War Metal Massacre"

Nuclear War Now! Productions has set March 1st the international release date for Holocausto's "War Metal Massacre."

It is extremely rare that a band is able to recapture a sound that it first established over 30 years ago but then lost in the process of its evolution on later recordings. With the original lineup from the mid-1980s, Holocausto was instrumental in the development of the unique strain of black metal that emerged from the Minas Gerais region of Brazil at that time.

Known as the original "deathcore" to the most seasoned veterans of that scene and those who have come to understand it from a historical perspective, this variety of metal shares nothing in common with what the term has come to more typically represent in the present day. Instead, it is the savage brand of black metal, primarily popularized by the infamous Sarcófago, which repeatedly pushes itself to the brink of total musical disintegration before somehow managing to resist its own self-annihilation.

1. Massacre
2. Destruição Nuclear
3. Escarro Napalm
4. Intro War
5. Eu Sou a Guerra
6. Corpo Seco
7. War Metal Massacre More...

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God Of Atheists Issues New Delay Update

The delays go marching on! Just under a year ago, Asgeir Mickelson's God Of Atheists project issued the latest update about waiting on five bass tracks before completing the album. Apparently, that's still the same delay. Today the God Of Atheists Facebook page was updated with this statement:

"Talked to Lars the other day. To make a long(er) story short: He's still working on his doctor's degree. Hopefully done this spring.

"I don't want anyone else to do the last five bass tracks so I'll wait. This album WILL eventually be released and then you'll have it forever. – And remember: Music is important, but education is importanter!"

When its done in 2087 or so, the album will feature Trym, ICS Vortex, Carl August Tidemann, Ihsahn, Lars K. Norberg, and Vibeke Stene, and it was (now hilariously in hind sight) named our Most Anticipated Album of 2013.

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Sunday Old School: Edge Of Sanity

Oh Sweden, sometimes you are too good to us. The Scandinavian country has long been one of rock and metal's biggest exporters, giving the world such great punk bands as Anti Cimex and Disfear, as well arguably the most creative death metal in history with the likes of the melodic In Flames and Dark Tranquillity, as well as the brutal, Unleashed and the progressive, Opeth. Speaking of progressive death metal, that's another area we'll be exploring today, as we take a look at another of Sweden's more daring extreme bands, Edge Of Sanity.

Edge Of Sanity were formed in Finspång, a small town in the Östergötland county in 1989 by Dan Swanö, a multi instrumentalist who recruited guitarists Andreas Axelsson and Sami Nerberg, in addition to bass player Anders Lindberg and drummer Benny Larsson to complete the lineup. The quintet recorded their first demo, "Euthanasia" that same year, before releasing three more ("Kur-Nu-Gi-A," "The Dead" and "The Immortal Rehearsals") in 1990. These demos along with a growing live reputation were enough to catch the attention of Black Mark Records, who soon snapped up the band and released their debut album, "Nothing But Death Remains" in 1991. More...

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Destroyers Of All Premieres New Music Video

Portuguese progressive death / thrash metal outfit Destroyers Of All premieres a new music video for "Tormento", taken from the band's latest album "Bleak Fragments", out in stores via Mosher Records. The video was filmed and edited in Coimbra, Portugal, by director Guilherme Henriques (Belphegor, Acranius, Helheim, Wormed, Noctem, etc.).

Check out now "Tormento" below.

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Lantern Debuts New Song "Cleansing Of The Air"

Finnish black/death metal entity Lantern debuts a new song entitled "Cleansing Of The Air", taken from the upcoming new album "II: Morphosis", which will be out in stores on March 17 via Dark Descent Records.

Check out now "Cleansing Of The Air" below.

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Morta Skuld Premieres "Breathe In the Black"

Milwaukee-based reinvigorated U.S. death metal outfit Morta Skuld premieres a new song entitled "Breathe In the Black", taken from the upcoming new album "Wounds Deeper Than Time", which will be released by Peaceville Records on February 17.

Check out now "Breathe In the Black" below.

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