Archive for August, 2011

ABSU: Mythological Occult Metal Trio Confirm Autumn North American Live Actions

webmaster
Aug 30 |21:45

In support of the release of their upcoming new album Abzu, Dallas, Texas-based mythological occult metal trio Absu will embark upon an exclusive four-show upper East Coast US live exhibition this November invading Richmond, Brooklyn, Reading and Boston. These venues and cities have been chosen with the purpose of Absu performing in previously uncharted barbaric environments, where locals can expect the set list to include a large dose of material from Abzu, in addition to songs spanning the entire Absu discography. Support for this special trek will hail from Philadelphia black thrash derelicts Infernal Stronghold.

Following the short tour, Absu will also take part in Montreal’s Messe des Morts festival, performing as one of the event’s main acts which also includes Inquisition, Glorior Belli, Forteresse and more.

Absu Confirmed Live Rituals:

  • 9/10/2011 An Club – Athens, Greece
  • 10/22/2011 007 Rock Bar – San Antonio, TX
  • 10/29/2011 Aurora Infernalis Festival – Driel, Netherlands
  • 11/10/2011 Strange Matter – Richmond, VA
  • 11/11/2011 Club Europa – Brooklyn, NY
  • 11/12/2011 Reverb – Reading, PA
  • 11/13/2011 TBA – Boston, MA
  • 11/26/2011 Messe des Morts Festival – Montreal, QC

Absu’s forthcoming sixth full-length opus, Abzu, is set for North American release on October 4th. The band’s second album for international heavyweight Candlelight Records, Abzu is the second part of a trilogy of recordings from the band. Recorded at Nomad Recording Studios in Carrollton, Texas, Abzu finds drummer/vocalist Proscriptor and bassist/vocalist Ezezu sharing equal vocal duties and debuts the skills of new guitarist Vis Crom. The record was mixed by J.T. Longoria (King Diamond/Solitude Aeternus), and features original cover art from Polish artist Zbigniew Bielak (Watain, Behemoth, Destroyer 666, Vader).

Today, Candlelight Records USA has posted special preorder packages where fans can order CD/shirt packages for Abzu at THIS LOCATION.

 

XERATH: Experimental Progressive Metallers Unleash New Video

webmaster
Aug 29 |17:49

UK-based experimental progressive metal troupe recently unveiled their latest music video for “Reform Part III.” The song comes off the band’s II full-length, released in North America via Candlelight Records this past May. The video was shot in two locations — Terminal Studios in London near Tower Bridge and a stone masons warehouse in Hampshire — and was directed by David Kenny of Shash Medi [http://shashmedia.com].

Check out “Reform Part III” HERE.

Commented drummer Mike Pitman of the video: “This song was chosen because musically, we knew it would have first impression maximum impact for those who might not be familiar with us. We also knew we could pull off some balls-out visuals to compliment such a song.

Weirdly enough some of the ideas for the storyline actually came from an old Radiohead video for ‘Just.’ It had that notorious ‘subtitled man laid out on a pavement’ interpretive concept that was such a novel idea. We wanted to borrow ideas from that and add a lot more fatalities and blood. The actual plot of our video was created by [vocalist] Rich [Thomason] and director David Kenny putting our heads together and looking for something that would have a climactic feel with a killer ending loosely based around a kind of mercenary, hired goons kind of character set. The dark visuals, abstracts and general mood of the video is more a trademark of Kenny and two of his awesome colleagues — Mike Grimes (cameras) and Sammm Agnew (makeup and gore) — and yes, that’s Sammm with three ‘m’s!

We shot the video in two locations. The band shots where we have instruments in hand were shot at the Terminal Studios in London near Tower Bridge. We basically took one of their large studios and blackened it out almost entirely as we really wanted a super minimal slick feel to the band shots and the guys at Terminal were instrumental in this happening as planned. The second location was a stone masons warehouse down in Hampshire. It had plenty of surrounding areas and interior toys we could exploit for the story part of the video. It also had what appeared to be a thirty-foot deep pit that we really wanted to throw the victim of our story (Jenny Waterhouse) in to. But no such luck thanks to health and safety and all that bollocks.”

Xerath was originally formed in 2007 as an experiment to combine film score composition with extreme groove-based heavy metal. Now a fully functional band with an emphasis on the live stage, Xerath aim to remain on the cutting edge of extreme. Metal Hammer hailed the band for sounding like, “the result of a chaotic experiment to produce the ultimate please-them-all 21st century metal band,” while Blistering added to the sentiment noting, “once you have your head wrapped around the gravitational strength of Xerath’s chug-enforced labyrinthine rhythms and beats, you can sit back and wonder at the sense they make and what compelling fantasy they create.” II features artwork from Colin Marks (Strapping Young Lad, Nevermore, Scar Symmetry).

Order Xerath’s II effort from us directly by clicking HERE.

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“…a crushing 58 minute voyage” — Metal Underground

“…epic…” — Popdose

“…a mind-blowing composition that presents the truly unique and high-class musicianship of XERATH.” — Metal Assault

“…an album you’re going to want to check out, if even just for the originality factor.” — The Metal Register
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SOURVEIN: Original Bass Player To Rejoin Lineup

webmaster
Aug 10 |18:38

Cape Fear doom kings, Sourvein, are excited to announce the return of original bassist, Joshua ”JC Fari” Crapo, who played with the band from 1993 – 2001 and again from 2003 – 2006. Fari held down the low-end duties on both Sourvein’s self-titled full-length and the He’s No Good To Me Dead compilation (featuring Sourvein alongside Grief, Bongzilla, Negative Reaction and Subsanity) among other compilations as well as the Will To Mangle demos. Fari also played guitar on the band’s split with Buzzov*en in 1995.

Fari relocated to Austin after Hurricane Katrina flooded his New Orleans apartment and studio in 2005 and left the band in 2006, following a successful tour of the UK with Remesses, to focus on his family. Since then, he’s been raising his son and working as a recording engineer. As of this summer, Fari is finally able to commit to touring and recording with Sourvein full time.

Fari will join vocalist T-Roy and co. for the band’s West Coast leg of the Black Fangs world tour in October.

The Sourvein collective wishes to extend its gratitude to Ahmasi O’Daniel (The Misanthrone Project) and Dave Sherman (Earthride) filling in on bast the past few tours.

Black Fangs was released via Candlelight Records on June 21. Order it from us directly by clicking HERE.

“These riffs are so filthy and dirty, it’s like being held facedown in mud.” — Decibel

“What really makes them so good, however, is how they’ve nailed the sludge attitude: throughout the album, the band sounds ugly and prickly, like old gizzards creaking out of their cave, squinting at daylight and cursing everyone’s name.” — Revolver

“With killer riffs, grooves and just enough experimental appeal to keep it interesting, this is an essential purchase for 2011.” — Cvlt Nation:

“This is how sludge metal is supposed to sound” — Hellbound

“There’s just so much sinewy stuff here in which to sink your teeth, and their drubbing pace will keep you nodding your head at will with their thrashy melodies.” — Meat And Metal