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Candlemass Speaks On Being Nominated For Grammy

Candlemass are truly the manifestation of pure doom metal. Early 2019 saw the release of their latest album, "The Door To Doom," via Napalm Records - an offering that features an unforgettable pairing with legendary Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi on the track “Astorolus - The Great Octopus”. The song has now been nominated for a 2020 Grammy Award in the “Best Metal Performance” category. This is the first nomination for the band and the first nomination for Napalm Records.

The Grammy Awards ceremony will be held on January 26 and broadcast on CBS. More...

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Interview

Lacuna Coil Sheds Light On "Black Anima"

It's been twenty years since Milan's Gothic metal favourites Lacuna Coil released their debut full length album, "In A Reverie" and with every record since, the band has only gotten stronger. Celebrating this milestone, the band released their new album, "Black Anima" last month, to overwhelmingly positive reviews and delighting many fans by bringing back older elements such as growled vocals.

Currently, the band are on the road as part of a co-headlining European run with Swiss folk metal outfit Eluveitie and will be heading back to North America next year as special guests to Apocalyptica. At the band's recent show in Bristol, I caught up with vocalist Andrea Ferro to talk all about "Black Anima," the band's first book, "Nothing Stands In Our Way," the possibility of doing an album completely in Italian and more. You can listen to it in full below, while some excerpts read as follows:

Diamond Oz: The new album, "Black Anima" is out now. It's brilliant!

Andrea Ferro: (laughs) Yeah it seems to be doing really well, both from the new fans and the old school fans and also most of the critics have been very positive.

Oz: It's a very heavy album, a very dark album, as the title implies. What led you to this darker musical path?

Andrea: Basically, I think it's a process we started subconsciously on the last record, "Delirium," where we were introducing a bit more double bass, heavier riffs and growled vocals. We felt it was time to refresh our sound a little bit because we've been around, we do have our signature sound that you can recognise in every release, but we also want, for ourselves and for the people, to hear something fresh from us so that it's still exciting for us to write, record then play for a long time.

We really just wanted to follow the inspiration without thinking too much, or focusing on the past. I think there are certain elements that, no matter what, are going to be in our music and there's nothing we can do about it because of the dual vocals or certain atmospheric parts that will always be there because it's in our musical DNA, but I think it's also important that we do something interesting. We still listen to new bands and with our record, we write for the year it's released. Obviously it's our record but it's 2019 so we want something that's meaningful for this year and time.

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Exmortus Experiences Van Crash

Los Angeles death/thrash metal outfit Exmortus, who are currently on tour with Death Angel, experienced a frightening incident yesterday their van crashed en route to Edmonton, Alberta from Vancouver, British Columbia. Everyone is fine, but unfortunately the van has been written off. A message from the band reads as follows:

"While on tour on our way to Edmonton, Alberta from Vancouver, BC, Canada we lost control on black ice and crashed into and slid on the shoulder rail next to a ditch. Thankfully, no one is hurt but the van & trailer are ruined. The tour with Death Angel and Hellfire just started and we really don't wanna miss the rest of the dates. So, we would like to raise money for a new ride and trailer ASAP so that we may finish the tour. Please donate what you can! Anything helps! Every dollar counts!"

You can donate to the band here

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Beggar Posts New Music Video Online

Emerging from the nihilistic quagmire of London, four-piece Beggar propound a kind of sludge-meets-extreme-metal carnival of tar thick riffs, blasts, emotional discharge and anguish.

Today the band have released standalone track and video "Nine Atmospheres" which showcases the band at their most raw and misanthropic point. Recorded with Wayne Adams (responsible for recent works by Green Lung, 11Paranoias and Terminal Cheesecake) at Bear Bites Horse, London and mastered by the master of noise himself, James Plotkin (Sunn O))), ISIS, Pelican and Earth), the track comes ahead of their debut album Compelled To Repeat which is scheduled for release in April 2020 via APF Records.

Commenting on the track vocalist Charlie Davis says: "The track 'Nine Atmospheres' is about pressure, anxiety, the corporate world and the environment. It’s about the banality and the aggression of the contemporary world and the struggle to reconcile yourself to social and economic norms and to the destruction of nature. However, in a larger way, it’s also about the moments in which you can see straight through that world to something a bit older and darker (‘liquid magma lakes’, blistering lava’, etc.) The title ‘Nine Atmospheres’ refers to the amount of pressure measured in atmospheres that the human body can withstand underwater before it begins to rupture (like the track begins to rupture towards the end)." More...

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Follow The Cipher Introduces New Drummer

There is some news from the Follow The Cipher camp, who are currently working on the songwriting for their second studio album, which is scheduled to be released in the second half of 2020. Today, the band announces the departure of their drummer Karl Löfgren.

Karl Löfgren commented: "After some long consideration, I decided that I will not be the drummer for Follow The Cipher anymore. There’s no bad blood behind this decision, it’s just that we have different goals with our musicianship. I love playing drums, but doing it at a professional level with extensive touring and big visual concepts isn’t for me anymore. Happiness for me is playing double bass drums in a sweaty rehearsal room, doing a gig here and there at the local pub and since the end of July when my beautiful son was born, it’s also hanging out with him and my awesome fiancée. Follow The Cipher deserves to take it to the next level and to do so, they need a drummer that gives it a 100% and loves everything that FTC stands for. With that said, I love the whole crew and I will probably continue to do some work behind the scenes with Vlogs, drum tech work and more.

"To end this message, I would like to thank Ken, Viko, Linda & Jonas for all the good times we have had on and off stage, it has for sure been an overwhelming ride. Last but definitely not least would I like to thank everyone that has showed up to our shows, bought our music & merch, joined us at the merchandise booth after the shows, bought & made us gifts and freakin tattooed Follow The Cipher art on your bodies. YOU ARE FOR SURE AN AWESOME GROUP OF PEOPLE!

"Follow The Cipher has already found the new drummer that will bring the band to the next level, so I now pass the torch to the mighty Daniel Sjögren. Give him your warmest welcome!"

Daniel Sjögren adds: "It is with great pleasure and high expectations that I step into the role as the new drummer of Follow The Cipher! Actually, as some of you might know, I was a member of the band when it all started. However certain circumstances led to an early departure. Anyway, I’ve been following the band‘s journey through the years and I also got the pleasure to tour with them. I absolutely love the music and being able to play songs live, that took their first breaths while I was still around, filled my heart with joy. That combined with masterpieces created by some of the best songwriters around was such an honour and a great experience! I can’t wait to hit the road with the guys once again!

"I would like to take the opportunity to wish Kalle all the best in the future! Him and I have been good friends for many years and we’ve kind of followed in each other’s footsteps. He’s a great guy and a killer drummer! I feel very humble about taking on the project he left and I hope to do so in the best way I possibly can.

"Also a huge thanks to Linda, Ken, Viko, and Jonas for giving me the opportunity to once again be a part of the Cipher Army - see you on the road!“

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Any Given Day Posts New Music Video Online

Metal rising stars Any Given Day, from the heart of the German Ruhr area, have released a brand new music video for their track "Never Surrender" off their new album "Overpower," which came out earlier this year in March via Arising Empire! Watch the brand new video for "Never Surrender" below.

Any Given Day will be embarking on their big European headline-tour in December this year! Label mates Landmvrks from Marseille, France and Scottish metallers Bleed From Within will support them on the 16-date run!

'Overpower Europe Tour 2019'
with special guests: LANDMVRKS, BLEED FROM WITHIN
03.12.2019 D Nürnberg - Hirsch
04.12.2019 AT Wien - Arena
05.12.2019 CZ Prag - Futurum
06.12.2019 D Berlin - C-Theater
07.12.2019 D Bremen - Tower
08.12.2019 BE Antwerpen - JC Bouckenborgh
11.12.2019 FR Paris - Backstage
12.12.2019 CH Aarau - Kiff
13.12.2019 D Stuttgart - Jugendhaus Hallschlag
14.12.2019 D Augsburg - Neue Kantine
15.12.2019 AT Salzburg - Rockhouse
18.12.2019 D Wiesbaden - Schlachthof Halle
19.12.2019 D Münster - Sputnikhalle
20.12.2019 D Hamburg - Gruenspan
21.12.2019 D Jena - F-Haus
22.12.2019 D Oberhausen - Turbinenhalle More...

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