Metal Blade Records announces the signing of epic Heavy Metallers RAVEN BLACK NIGHT from down under!

RAVEN BLACK NIGHT formed in 1999 in Adelaide, Australia to start their campaign to bring their traditional metal sound to a worldwide audience. After numerous gigs throughout their home country they recorded and released their debut album Choose The Dark in 2005.

Choose The Dark garnered praise throughout Australia and Europe, culminating into an invitation in 2007 to perform at the 10th annual Headbangers Open Air in Germany. Several years of touring and festival appearances were to follow where RAVEN BLACK NIGHT played the Hard and Heavy summer nights, the Hamburg Ballroom, and more dates throughout Australia.

RAVEN BLACK NIGHT main men Jim and Rino are prepared to take the RAVEN BLACK NIGHT’s sound of true metal/doom to a global audience. A new partnership with Metal Blade Records and a new album, which is now being written, will firmly RAVEN BLACK NIGHT on the world map of true heavy metal.

Comments RAVEN BLACK NIGHT singer/guitarist Jim Petkoff: “As founders or Raven black night me and my metal brother Rino Amorino are proud and excited to sign with Metal Blade, a label with a rich history and much respected in the metal world. We believe Metal Blade will help bring Raven Black Night to the metal masses and look forward to a great journey together.”

RAVEN BLACK NIGHT is:

Jim Petkoff, the white knight [guitar/vox]

Rino Amoriono, the raven [guitar]

Chris Dorian [bass]

Christiain Jones [drums]

Big Tom [bass] * only live

Dave Griffiths

Indie Recordings are proud to announce the signing of Hacride.

From the beginning HACRIDE has been playing an original and unique kind of metal, always pushing the limits further and showing an indubitable talent for song writing. With their third album «Lazarus», Hacride unleashed an epic album with a natural “rockish” sound filled with tortured songs that swing between rage and progressiveness, between revolt and atmosphere.

Impressive as Tool and polyrhythmic as Meshuggah, HACRIDE victoriously dares to conquer more epical and Opeth-like horizons. Hacride proved that the numerous live shows all over Europe (touring with Dying Fetus and Divine Heresy, festivals such as Graspop, Summer Breeze and Metal Camp) has strengthened the band and put them on top of the modern metal scene.

HACRIDE has built a strongly innovative career in ten years, inviting the listener to a unique musical trip that will, for sure, leave traces and scars. Hacride is now back on a new label and ready to offer a new and ambitious album!

The band had this to say about the signing with Indie Recordings:

“We are very proud to be back with a new project. We have been working on our new album for two years now and we will enter the studio this summer. This new album will be a new era for Hacride with a new label and a new team around us. It’s a pleasure for us to be signed to Indie Recordings, a clever label with open-minded people!

Our last album “Lazarus” was the end of a chapter in our universe and we are very grateful for all the work done by our previous label, Listenable Rec, but it’s now time for us to come back with a strong album and to be back on tour as well with our new and catchy drummer Florent Marcadet.”

Dave Griffiths

Finnish traditional folk metal pioneers KORPIKLAANI reveal first details on their upcoming 8th studio record that at the same time will be their 4th release via Nuclear Blast Records!

The record will be entitled “Manala” and is scheduled for a release on the 3rd of August 2012.

Main man Jonne Järvelä explains the album title for us: “`Manala´ is the realm of the dead – the underworld in Finnish mythology. Tuonela, Tuoni, Manala and Mana are used synonymously. This place is best known for its appearance in the Finnish national epic Kalevala, on which many of our new songs are based. In the 16th poem of Kalevala, Väinämöinen, a shamanistic hero travels to Manala to seek for knowledge about the dead. On the journey he meets the ferrywoman (similar to Charon), a girl, Tuonen tytti, or Tuonen piika (Death’s maid), who takes him across the river of Tuoni. However, on the isle of Tuoni he is not given the spells he was originally looking for and he barely manages to escape the place. After his return he curses anyone trying to enter the place alive.”

For those of you who are now afraid of not being able to understand the mystical Finnish lyrics on the album – don’t worry: “Manala” will come to you with a bonus CD, including the whole album with English lyrics!

Dave Griffiths

German thrash metal heroes TANKARD just revealed the album cover for their upcoming Nuclear Blast debut “A Girl Called Cerveza“

The artwork was brought to life by Patrick Strogulski, who is a student of Sebastian Krüger, the former TANKARD cover artist.

The album is currently being produced at the famous Studio 23 with renowned producer Michael Mainx (BÖHSE ONKELZ, DER W, DISBELIEF, D-A-D) in Frankfurt, Germany.

“A Girl called Cerveza” will be released July 27

Dave Griffiths

Mention the word Blodhemn in metal circles and usual people instantly think of the classic Enslaved album, but now that maybe about to change, because out of Norway comes Blodhemn, a one band that is certainly showing the black metal world a thing or two.

And while this is certainly a good album Invisus’ (the man behind Blodhemn) claims that his debut album Homengraa is a return to true Norwegian black metal isn’t entirely true as some tracks certainly feature elements from other metal (and even non-metal) genres.

Blodhemn eases into things with the melodic instrumental ‘Galgebakken’ but then the real stuff happens with ‘Rettersted’ which explodes from your stereo with fast riffs and growls that would put a lot of black metal artists to shame.

‘Djevelen I Menneskeform’ seems to have borrowed some punk riffs in parts but once again Invisus’ vocals lift the song and keep it grounded in the black metal vein. The fact that one man is behind the epic ‘Thingvellir just shows how talented Invisus, because the track is perfect when it comes to both instrumentals and vocals.

‘Nekromnai’ revelas a faster paced and more brutal sound to Blodhemn while the brutality then continues in Invisus’ vocals on ‘Maanelyst’. Homengraa closes with another two epic tracks. Firstly, the slower ‘Telehiv’ and then ‘Black Horizons’. Both are close to true black Norwegian metal but you would have to say that they also feature (some might say are tainted by) elements of Gothic metal as well. Having said that though, these two are clearly the best tracks on the album and that is something that Blodhemn should really take on board.

A stunning debut from a one-man band, let’s just see where Blodhemn goes from here.

Dave Griffiths

It’s certainly been a long time between drinks for German thrash metal group Exumer. It is exactly 25 years since their last album Rising From The Sea surfaced. Now the band picks up where they left of with their new release Fire & Damnation.

I’ll be the first to admit that it does take a couple of listens for you to truly appreciate this album… and if you’re not a fan of old school thrash metal then don’t bother even giving it a listen because this is seriously old school, with just the right mix of new technology to make it a winner.

Fire & Damnation kicks off with scream from Mem V. Stein on the title track and it doesn’t look back, however it’s on ‘Vermin Of The Sky’ where the album really hits its straps. It’s aggressive in your face nature puts a lot of modern thrash bands to shame.

‘The Weakest Limb’ and ‘A New Morality’ marry the old and new sounds together well and but both are songs you feel will sound better live rather than being put together in a studio. There’s certainly an energy there but you feel it has been lost on CD.

‘Walking The Fire’ sees Exumer skate the fine line between thrash and punk, but once again it is Stein’s vocals that are the standout. Exumer gets more aggressive on ‘Fallen Saint’ and ‘Crushing Point’, and to be honest this is the sound that seems to sit best with the band… it is certainly when they are at their best.

Matthias Kassner’s skin work steps up on ‘Devil Chaser’, as do the guitar riffs and despite being the shortest track on Fire & Damnation it packs on of the biggest punches. In fact it is only overshadowed by ‘I Dare You’ a definite battle song that just makes you want to smash things.

‘Tribal Furies’ is a bit of a let down as a final track, but even sadder is the fact that the whole album is over within 33 minutes, just as you getting into it the album is over.

Exumer are back and make a real impact with Fire & Damnation. Let’s hope it’s not another 25 years before they release something else.

Dave Griffiths

Hailing from Colorado in the good ol’ United States, Allegaeon arrived on the metal scene making a big noise in 2010 when their debut album Fragments Of Form & Function was lapped by fans and critics alike.

Now of course comes that difficult second album, the one that normally defines whether a band is going to make it or not. The good news for Allegaeon is they have delivered a fine follow-up with Formshifter, and it is an album that really does show why they are one of the bands that deserve to be mentioned at the forefront of U.S. metal at the moment.

Tracks like ‘Behold (God I Am)’ show a real maturity and grit. A slow start builds momentum until Ezra Haynes’ vocals kick in, and oh boy it would be a crime not to say that he is one of the best melodic death metal vocalists out there at the moment.

‘Tartessos: The Hidden Xencryst’ sees Allegaeon pick up the pace a little while ‘A Path Disclosed’ is the only downer on Formshifter… and if it weren’t for a great guitar work by Greg Burgess and Ryan Glisan.

‘Twelve’ is an absolutely stunning track that shines due to its epic vocals and melodic guitar riffs, but you must question that whether with its acoustic finish whether it would have been best used as the final track on the album, rather than sitting comfortably at track number four. Still it’s a great song, but then is seriously outclassed by ‘Iconic Images’, a track’s which melodic chorus is a standout and easily makes it the best track on the album.

Ezra Haynes again shines on ‘From The Stars Death Came’ and ‘Timeline Dissonance’… the former also again boasting some fine axe work. The title track from Formshifter should help restore faith to those who have have been doubting American death metal music, while the album closes with the sensational ‘Secrets Of The Sequence’. The changes of pace in this track (it glides from brutal to melodic with ease) and stunning chorus make this one of the finest metal tracks you will hear this year.

Formshifter reeks of an album that has been produced by a band wanting to scream at the world ‘take a listen at how good we are’… and hell when you are this good then why the hell not.

Dave Griffiths

Swedish Viking Metallers KING OF ASGARD made an astonishing impact on the scene with their debut album Fi’mbulvintr, released in 2010. After playing a bunch of festivals and club shows in 2010 and 2011, KING OF ASGARD have now finished recording their second album …To North at the infamous Sonic Train Studios with engineer Andy LaRocque (KING DIAMOND) at the helm.

Comments bassist Jonas Albrektsson on the recording process and what to expect from …To North: “The “…To North” master just arrived and it sounds astonishing! Andy LaRocque made a great job on the production and the mastering along with Olof Berggren. It’s upright and powerful. We feel very proud of what we achieved on this recording and merely the sound of it makes it a worthy follow-up to the firstborn “Fi’mbulvintr”. Songs and sounds came out much as of what we planned, with power and a great variety. “…To North” takes off pretty much where “Fi’mbulvintr” left off so to say, with a natural development, more varied songs and structures. It’s a development of our sound which will be recognized by old fans as well as bring some new ones to the horde. This time around I’ve been more involved in the writing process along with Karl, which kind of shines through, giving the songs a wider perspective. Expect some very strong songs on “…To North”, where epic meets with brutality! The lyrical theme this time is basically in the same vein but has different twists. Not as obvious as before. “…To North” will make The Nine Worlds Burn… and Varberg was just left behind.”

First song titles include ‘Gap Of Ginnungs’, ‘Plague-Ridden Rebirth’, ‘Nordvegr’, ‘Upon The Mountain’ and ‘The Nine Worlds Burn’.

…To North – the first KING OF ASGARD album featuring second guitar player Lars Tängmark – will be released in July 2012.

Dave Griffiths

Having spent several years lauded as one of the frontrunners in their genre, in 2012 WHITECHAPEL stand as a defining force in contemporary heavy music. Building dramatically on the trademarked bludgeon of their first three releases, with Whitechapel the Tennessean sextet have inarguably delivered their most intense, dynamic, and downright hostile record to date. Drenched in atmospheric darkness, the record is also rife with gripping melodies that drag the listener in to the tumult, willing or otherwise, and across its ten tracks it is infused with an emotional depth that pointedly separates the band from the plethora of two-dimensional mosh-starters that have sprung up in their wake.

Whitechapel, the band’s self-titled fourth album is slated for a June 19th release.

The album was engineered and mixed by Mark Lewis (Black Dahlia Murder, DevilDriver), who also handled production duties alongside the band. The album artwork was created by Aaron Marsh of Forefathers Group with art direction provided by WHITECHAPEL.

Dave Griffiths

Ancient Egypt-themed Death Metal act NILE have just revealed the cover artwork of their upcoming album: ‘’At The Gate Of Sethu’’

Artwork was handled this time by a true genius of darkened visuals, Seth Siro Anton (Soilwork, Paradise Lost, SepticFlesh).

Band mastermind Karl Sanders commented:

“Seth Siro Anton has designed the cover. I have been a fan of SEPTIC FLESH a long time, and as Seth expressed interest,  I knew that he would deliver a great job.

I would say his work is easily the best we’ve ever had. He has captured the darker side of the sound of NILE and reflected the music and ideas, the heart and soul of

NILE are forming. Seth is a very talented man and understands exactly who we are. ”

Seth Siro Anton states:

“It is no secret that I admire the powerful stylistic lines of the magical symbols that still transmit the aura of ancient Egypt, preserving in time the ancient mysteries.

Also, I am fascinated from the final frozen moment of the flesh captured in an eternal sleeping stasis, at the completion of the mummification process.

So, with a great pleasure I accepted the challenge, to visualize the new masterpiece of Nile ‘’At the gate of Sethu’’.

‘’At the gate of Sethu’’ will be released June 29, 2012 via Nuclear Blast.

Dave Griffiths