Norwegian viking folk metal band Ásmegin has been in existence since 1998 yet Arv is just their second full length release. I have known of their existence for some eight years, ever since Marius tried to set up a multiple language interview between me and a band on his label. The positive that came out […]

THE HAUNTED ‘WARNING SHOTS‘ 2 DISC COMPILATION SET FOR RELEASE Celebrated Swedish heavyweights THE HAUNTED have announced details of new double disc compilation that details the bands time with EARACHE RECORDS from 1998 – 2003. Titled WARNING SHOTS, the album contains 28 of THE HAUNTED’s most killer tracks, including a second disc with many rare […]

Northern/Southern California’s progressive/goblin-inspired metal outfit Nekrogoblikon have offered an update on their new album’s writing and production: “Hails, goblin fans. Here’s a quick update on what we’ve been up to: album album album. As many of you know, we’ve been hauling ass writing songs for almost two years now. Thankfully we can start to see […]

Virginian thrashers MUNICIPAL WASTE are set to return to Europe this Summer to play a string of festivals. MUNICIPAL WASTE guitarist RYAN WASTE states: “The Waste will be coming over to Europe again this Summer for quite a few festivals. We’re pumped to play to some larger crowds, but we are still going to play […]

Earache Records is proud to announce the forthcoming release of HEAVY METAL KILLERS – a compilation featuring the very best bands from the emerging “New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal” scene. HEAVY METAL KILLERS features 13 new tracks from the best fresh, young bands who share one common goal – to bring back the glory […]

2008 A HUGE YEAR FOR TESTAMENT AND THE FORMATION OF DAMNATION CHUCK BILLY PERFORMS LIVE IN AMSTERDAM WITH FULL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA…UPCOMING PRIEST FEAST TOUR IN FEBRUARY AND MARCH   TESTAMENT just wrapped up a HUGE year in 2008 which included the following accolades for their latest studio album, The Formation of Damnation:   #9 Rock Album […]

After hitting the melodic death metal jackpot with Arsis’s debut back in 2004, after a small wait, Willotip appear have tried their hand in uncovering another melodeath band in Houston’s As Eden Burns, though it has less spectacular, if solid results. While certainly a busy melodeath metal band similar to Arsis, there’s a lack of […]

The UK is known for loads of metallic Doom and Gloom. One could chalk it up to the weather, which I’ve heard is not too pleasant a lot of the time. I’ll choose, however, to chalk it up to sheer musical affluence and superiority. At any rate, The Drowning are here to carry on the grand traditions of their dark and dreary forefathers. I had the privilege of conversing with lead singer James Moore and lo, here is the resulting exchange.

Sadly, albums released at the end of a year usually tempt a cruel fate of being left out of the majority of top lists, which is sometimes nothing else but a gross injustice towards some exceptional pieces of value. Thus, Screenslaves, the ninth full-length release from Hamburg-based metallers Paragon is unconditionally one of the nominees […]

Like a sedulous apprentice, Australia looks up to its masters from Europe and America and seems to benefit a lot from the lessons given by them. Sometimes the end result is just superb, to say the least! Not only does this country’s metal scene take over the best achievements of the two biggest metal continents […]

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 8 — Scale The Summit, the Texas-based progressive instrumentalists, continue to share more behind the scenes footage from the recording of their Prosthetic Records debut, Carving Desert Canyons (Feb. 17 release), with a new studio video posted on their YouTube (youtube.com/scalethesummit) and MySpace pages (myspace.com/scalethesummit). This video features the guitar work behind […]

Candlelight Records confirms the signing of Denver-based thrashers Havok. The band are currently completing their debut album titled Burn which is expected for release early spring. The album, produced by vocalist/guitarist David Sanchez at Dirty D Studios and mixed by Bart McCrorey at Motaland Studios, contains twelve songs from the youthful band featuring guitarist Shawn […]

Trinacria started as a joint collaboration between Ivar Bjornson of Enslaved and the two members of Norweigan electronic/noisecore outfit Fe-Mail. Afterwards, the project grew, pulling in Arve and Grutle from Enslaved for an experimental blend of both bands’ sound. Given Enslaved‘s absolutely stellar output over the years, anything these guys are involved in is sure […]

I knew nothing about this band before tossing it in, other than that fact that the album was recorded in Turkey. I’ve heard metal from all over the world, but Turkish metal is a new one for me. Wonder what it sounds like. “Cynical Code” opens with rumbly death metal churn, and a melodic solo […]

What was formerly Count Nosferatu Kommando is now The Cosa Nostra Klub, as The CNK have reinvented themselves from industrial/symphonic black to a more martial, pompous brand of electro and metal. Based on the 1930’s goth-military uniforms and the propaganda cover art, I’m already hooked. Perhaps this will deliver what similarly-themed offerings – like Marilyn […]

Biclops (ex and current Postman Syndrome / East Of The Wall / Day Without Dawn) will be entering the studio on March 15th to record their debut full-length for a to-be-determined label. Recording and mixing will be handled at The Machine Shop (Clutch, King Crimson, Lamb Of God) by producer Will Putney. In addition, two […]

If you’ve heard Textures’ debut Polars or their stellar sophomore effort Drawing Circles, then you more or less know what to expect from their third release. Or do you? Silhouettes may very well be a coming of age for this talented outfit. If you’ve read the buzz about this album then you know Textures don’t […]

There’s something about Celtic music that I just find totally enthralling. It’s something I can never explain, but taps into a very deep part of me. That being said, my lineage traces to Poland and France, so I can’t even claim to be nationalistic about it. But no other music just completely detatches me from […]

Twenty years ago, an underground cult movement surfaced in Tampa, Florida that revolutionized the metal world. The pioneers of this burgeoning scene, DEICIDE, are still striking fear into hearts of the masses to this day. Century Media Records are extremely proud to announce a worldwide deal with DEICIDE, one of the founding fathers of death […]

German black metal outfit Inarborat takes its name from a track off Negura Bunget’s excellent Om. While their sound isn’t quite as exotic or evocative as that band’s, it’s still a well-written, convincing example of the genre. There are actually two sounds at work here – in its more frenzied moments, Inarborat conjures the frosty […]

Selfmadegod Records is proud to announce the signing of one-man alternative metal band Egoist from Bielsko-Biala, Poland. Egoist was founded and lead by the very young and enormously talented musician Stanislaw Wolonciej (guitars, bass, drums, vocals, synthesizers, production, artwork). The artist was born in 1986 in Bielsko-Biala, Poland. In his 20s, Stanislaw’s father was a […]

Scott “Wino” Weinrich needs absolutely no introduction to Metal fans. Even if you’re not a fan of any of his bands (The Obsessed, Spirit Caravan, The Hidden Hand, Saint Vitus) then you’ve surely at least heard his name mentioned in reverence. His name is synonymous with raw, ugly American Stoner/Doom Metal. His guitar style and […]

In this, their 30th year since the self-titled debut, Saxon releases album number 27 Into The Labyrinth. Now, when a band lasts this long there are always hills and valleys in the discography; some inspired and some less so. After spinning this CD a few times now, I am happy to report that Into The […]

It’s ironic that one of the dictionary definition of the word ‘attrition’ is “A gradual, natural reduction in membership or personnel”, and though I’m sure John Gallagher and his cohorts surely meant the more militaristic definition of the word, the fact is, now back as a four piece and minus vocalist Vince Matthews, who I […]