#96 July 10, 2016 (no.2 in July) Washington state, U.S. www.metalbulletin.blogspot.com www.twitter.com/MetalBulletinZn www.facebook.com/The-Metal-Bulletin-paper-zine-238441519609213

Denner/Shermann Castle (U.S.) Stane (Botswana)

Helleborus (U.S.) Abominant (U.S.) Bushwhacker (Canada)

Striker (Canada) Darkend (Italy) Vyson (Japan) Giant of the Mountain (U.S.)

plus: Severed Heaven (U.K.), Dominhate (Italy), Scar of the Sun, National Suicide (Italy), Angarthal (Italy), Internal Suffering (Colombia/Spain), Sheidim (Spain), Aenygmist (Canada), Elderblood (Ukraine), Post-Mortem (France), Ragehammer (Poland), Bloodthirst (Poland), Killing for Company (Norway), Neurogenic, Unmerciful (U.S.), Mistur (Norway), Diabolizer (Turkey), War Curse (U.S.), Final Sign (U.S.), Dark Avenger (Brazil), Revocation (U.S.), Hammers of Misfortune (U.S.), Ghoulgotha (U.S.), Solanum (Canada), Mausoleum Gate (Finland), Krossfire (Bulgaria), Vibrion (Argentina/Belgium), Gojira (France), Fallujah (U.S.) Seattle area concert calendar: many metal shows coming up! for issues online, videos, humor and more see: www.fuglymaniacs.com

2

— Metal Bulletin Zine P.O. Box 1339 Lake Stevens WA 98258 USA Metal Bulletin Zine #1-20: (2006-2009): Wisconsin #21-26: (2009-2010): Texas #27(2010)--now; Washington state All album reviews, news, updates below are by MMB, unless stated otherwise. ** Denner / Shermann Masters of Evil Metal Blade Records release: 24 June 2016 Perhaps before going any further there is one question that should be answered right away. Does the idea of glass-shattering, ear-piercing high screaming vocals seem attractive? Is it appealing to hear a singer belt it out big time as much as possible? If the answer is a firm "no" or "no way, under no circumstances," then this album is of no use because air raid siren screaming singing is a crucial part of it. Support for the album really does hinge on whether the high screaming sounds are pleasant to the ears or not, for if they are this will be a treat, and if they are not, this work will be quite jarring. If opinion is favorable towards the vocals, then what awaits is serious, traditional guitar work in which the riff rules the realm. Denner and Shermann turn in work that is worthy of their name and legacy, and worthwhile for the public that follows the happenings of the twin guitar maestros. Time and again they come up with hooks and melodies that sound particular to the two Danes. The songwriting aims for the classic tropes that their supporters know and they want people to make the connection between now and their past

songwriting. For works from musicians that have a long history and a large back catalogue, it is often the case that reviewers feel compelled to do a comparison between the new album and the past ones. Such reviews frequently engage in an act of fighting shadows and imaginary arguments, and it can get rather silly. Of course, an album from elderly artists will be different in many ways from the works of their youth, and loyalists already have their favorite albums, sometimes based on nostalgia. This new album has the fundamental stylistic traits for which people know Denner and Shermann. As to where this title stands in the fictitious list of favorites for audiences, it is better to leave it to you. You will be the one to decide that.

OFFICIAL INFORMATION: Twin guitar lengends of Mercyful Fate Michael Denner & Hank Shermann will release their new Denner / Shermann full-length album, Masters Of Evil, on June 24th via Metal Blade Records. Masters Of Evil contains 8 new Denner / Shermann tracks that continue right where the EP, Satan's Tomb (2015), left off. Building upon the musical foundation of Satan's Tomb, these songs cover the entire gamut of heavy metal

3

nuances and take the listener down a mysterious path where tales of dark, supernatural fantasies are told, transporting you to places that can only be found in the most vivid, blood curdling nightmares. Fully loaded to satisfy the old fans with just what they would expect, Masters Of Evil is also injected with menacing, sinister, new surprises that could only come from the sonic DNA of Michael Denner and Hank Shermann. "After 'Satan's Tomb', we continued aggressively writing and recording ideas, except for the short break we took to do all the press for the release of the debut. We are very excited with the outcome, and the full-length album is ready to be unleashed this summer," says guitarist Hank Shermann. Vocalist Sean Peck comments, "This record really has it all I think. Working with Hank and Michael and the guys creating this record, was the ultimate metal thrill ride for me! I can't wait to hear the fan reaction to this sinister sonic salvo of savagery!" Michael Denner also adyoutus, "This new record really shows how the five of us have grown as a band and bonded as songwriters. It contains the kind of compositions I believe our fans would expect from us. I think this release will serve as kind of a tribute to our incredible fans worldwide, as we recognize and acknowledge their die hard loyalty over the years." The album cover for Masters Of Evil was painted by Swedish artist Thomas Holm, who also created the artwork for Satan's Tomb - and who is very well known amongst fans for his standout pieces over the past three decades! The mixing was once again handled by Arnold Lindberg at Sound Industry Studio in Gothenburg, Sweden - who also engineered Satan's Tomb. Mastering was done once again by Maor Appelbaum in Los Angeles, California. The vintage sound on the new record harkens one back to the days of 2 inch tape machines, long nights in dark

studios, and huge consoles glowing under dim incandescent light. Once the guitars hit your ears, the unmistakable trademark guitar sound of Michael Denner and Hank Shermann is instantly recognized. Prepare yourself for a heavy metal thrill ride! Denner / Shermann line-up: Michael Denner - guitars Hank Shermann - guitars Sean Peck - vocals Snowy Shaw - drums Marc Grabowski – bass www.facebook.com/dennershermann www.twitter.com/dennershermann ** NEWS: Castle Welcome To The Graveyard Ván Records release: 15 July 2016

The constant-touring, rocking heavy metal doom road warriors Castle will have a new album out shortly. You'll notice that they have been tagged, labeled and sealed a "doom" band by the press. Be that as it may, but don't

4

confuse this band with the slow-poke-drone-sludge-no-song category of music. This band does rock and they do have songs, and they are not some type of strange-experimental-sound band. Anyway, "doom" means a lot of things to a lot of people in 2016, but this is Castle and it's better to hear for yourself the new track available now below. By the way, they will be here in Seattle soon: 7/22/2016 Funhouse – Seattle, WA. Below is some official information about the band. OFFICIAL INFORMATION: Welcome To The Graveyard is the forthcoming new full-length from West Coast doom metallers, CASTLE. Captured by Billy Anderson (Sleep, Neurosis, Brothers Of The Sonic Cloth, Eyehategod, Ommadon et al) at Type Foundry Studios in Portland, Oregon this past Winter, the eight-track offering will see official release July 15th via Ván Records. Welcome To The Graveyard sees CASTLE merge their doom-powered riffing with soaring 1970s rock . The album features a new level of confident songwriting and is a creepy-crawl through the wastelands of the band’s new Los Angeles’ --home; a hard-boiled barrage of classic heavy metal riffery tempered with blasts of melodic orchestrated doom. The perfect soundtrack for a Hollywood cult initiation. Elizabeth Blackwell’s haunted vocal style draws a sigil of death and madness — envision the Wilson sisters singing hymns from the stygian void, while lyrically CASTLE adapt the stark and compelling vistas of Aleister Crowley’s Amphora for the song “Traitors Rune” and Eliphas Levi’s Transcendental Magic, whose mystic rumination inspires the lyrical backdrop for the lead-off single “Flash Of The Pentagram.” CASTLE was forged in San Francisco in 2009 and released their debut full-length, In Witch Order, on Germany’s Ván Records in 2011. The album brought light to the newly-formed

band and earned them “Album Of The Year” honors from Metal Hammer Norway, as well as Roadburn Festival’s “Newcomer Of The Year.” Shortly thereafter, the band joined the Prosthetic Records roster in North America and released their critically-adored sophomore album Blacklands. The record led to a Canadian JUNO nomination for “Metal/Hard Music Album Of The Year.” Since the release of Under Siege in 2014, CASTLE, which consists of vocalist/bassist Elizabeth Blackwell, guitarist/vocalist Mat Davis and drummer Al McCartney, has maintained a relentless touring schedule with multiple expeditions throughout the US, Europe and Canada including stops at the 2015 edition of Heavy Days In Doomtown Fest in Copenhagen, Denmark, and the Acherontic Arts Fest in Oberhausen, Germany. www.heavycastle.bandcamp.com/track/down-in-the-cauldron-bog www.facebook.com/CastleSF ww.twitter.com/heavycastle ** Stane Stane is death metal from Botswana. Below you will official information about the band and a link where you can hear the music for yourself.

STANE was born in mid 2005 and staged its first ever show in Nosey Road club, Lobatse in Oct 2005, along Stealth. They then staged with Metal Orizon, Wrust and Vitrified in December the same year. The band started playing as a four (4) piece band (Slayar, T’X, Ace and

5

Stranjar), without E-Force, who was engaged by duties in UK since 2004. But from its formation (around 2003), E-Force has been one of the founding members of the band. Throughout the years, STANE has played alongside a number of local bands (Metal Orizon, Crackdust, Nosey Road, Wrust, Vitrified, Nodd, Stealth, Skinflint, Overthrust, Dust ‘N Fire, Remuda, Evergreen, etc) and a few exotic bands [Rhutz (now Boargazm), Architecture Of Aggression, Jaggernaught, Far Beyond Driven]. The return of E-Force from the UK in 2008 has boosted the soloing part of the band and has made the band even tighter. In 2009, STANE recorded their first demo album of five (5) tracks, titled Maintainers Of Brutality. In October 2010, STANE recorded a live gig video called ‘Last Breath Madness Metal Festival’. The DVD based on this recording was then released in March 2011, titled ‘STANE – Live at GCC’. STANE went through a restructuring exercise in mid 2011 and this saw the band remain as a four-piece band, downgrading from five-piece. In 2012 the band focused in writing and composing more material and ultimately started recording their 11 track album, titled ‘Human Error’. In 2012 the band appeared only once, in December. The hibernation in 2012 gave birth to release of an eleven tracks album titled ‘Human Error’ in 2013, which was officially launched on 30th March 2013 alongside other local bands. 2013 saw STANE actively playing all major annual gigs like Last Breath, Augustus, Rockcember, Woodstock Maun to promote the Human Error album.

2013 also saw the coming of new drummer "Cool" in replacement of "Ace", who has since joined the management team. Cool was officially launched at Augustus gig in Aug 2013. The motherf**er fited like a glove into the Stane family. 2014 started with free gig on 1st Feb at Trekker's (Gabs) to welcome the year. It's now hibernation time for half a year!!! Shshshshshhh!! www.soundcloud.com/stane-2 www.facebook.com/Stane-115712401813002/ ** Helleborus The Carnal Sabbath Satanath Records (Russia)/ Black Plague Records (USA) Release: 17 June 2016

Helleborus is a black metal entity by Jerred Houseman and Wyatt Houseman, brothers from Colorado, U.S. who also have another musical project named Akhenaten which is uptempo atmospheric metal with Middle Eastern elements. This publication has previously stated about Akhenaten:

6

Akhenaten (Colorado, U.S.) is the work of two metal blood brothers, Wyatt Houseman (vocals, lyrics) and Jerred Houseman (guitars, drums, bass), who have two projects that I am a bit familiar with: Akhenaten and Helleborus. I guess it was last year, 2015, that I heard the black metal of Helleborus and I immediately liked the vocals. I liked the music, too, but I noticed the vocals, which, in my opinion, are possibly the best new extreme metal vocals that I heard in 2015. For me, the vocals stood out a lot and I remember thinking that they were especially good. Thus, I was looking forward to getting to know this Akhenaten album on account of the vocals of Wyatt Houseman. Akhenaten is an entity that is something like “exotic” extreme metal with major Middle Eastern/Arabian elements: "Middle Eastern ethno dark industrial black metal." There is a symphonic vibe and the Middle Eastern/Arabian components are upfront, an indispensable part of the music, not just low-volume background sounds. In this music, despite the “world music” sounds, the black metal does not disappear completely. The guitar is present, even if it’s not raging all the time, obviously. I like the fact that the percussion is present throughout, too. If there is a beat, then that keeps my interest. I am not looking for long periods of ambience or yoga music, you understand. Anyway, like I was saying, I like the vocals, but I knew that coming in. That was part of the deal. I expected those vocals to be present because if they were not, then I was probably going to go find the exit door. I usually see the word “industrial” and I’m out the door. Mr. Houseman screams/growls similar to prime-time Chuck Schuldiner/ Mikael Åkerfeldt/David Vincent. There is a thickness to Mr. Houseman’s voice. I hope that he can actually do the vocals for real, and not just

studio magic. The vocals are closer to black metal in feel, but they do not sound annoying like screechy vocals do for some people. There is a certain smoothness to them. There is definitely an expressiveness to them, too, that’s for sure. The “exotic” elements are upbeat, like belly-dancing music, in a similar way that Nile or Melechesh is belly-dancing music. Akhenaten sounds very melodic due to these elements. Given that this is supposedly just two people, there are several issues that you might be pondering. It sounds like the drumming is drum programming and not real drums. What about all that Middle Eastern instrumentation? Is it real instruments? I cannot find anywhere where it says that Mr. Jerred Houseman plays other instruments besides guitar and bass. Don’t trust what I say, though. Hear the album for yourself at the Bandcamp link below. Now, on to Helleborus. This is very interesting black metal music. Atmosphere and black metal have been incorporated into surprisingly memorable songs of dark extreme metal. Moreover, atmosphere here does not mean ambient or doom or postrock, styles that have severe problems with song-centered music. Instead, these are memorable songs. I continue to find the vocals to be a very attractive proposition: quite a bit of the words are intelligible, which if you think about it, it's curious because that is usually not the case in extreme metal. I can think of a couple of exceptions besides this band, but not too many. In addition, it is important to recognize that Helleborus has very good guitar work and the guitar shows a focus on dark, catchy and melodic songs. The riffs do make these songs:

7

in every song there are riffs or hooks or melodies that make the songs easy to remember and encourage repeated plays. It's also a nice change of pace to hear melodies in a way that fits the dark and heavy vibe of the music. The album has programmed drumming, unfortunately. It's easy to see why musicians do this. It's easier than to deal with another human being; it's cheaper than going through the process of recording drums, which can be difficult if there's little experience; it's more efficient than to explain to a drummer what beats one is hearing in one's own imagination for the songs. Sometimes one lives in a small town and there are no drummers that can handle this music. There are plenty more reasons to use drum programming, but all those reasons have to be rejected. In metal music the audience wants to see a human playing drums in concert, for instance. If a band is asking for money for its album or wants to be taken seriously, it's necessary to be serious about the music, too. This calls out for an adventurous and skilled drummer to bring it to life. Support this band, listen to the music and show Helleborus that you appreciate quality metal like this. Greatness awaits Helleborus, and only real, live drums on the albums will do. www.helleborusblack.bandcamp.com/releases www.facebook.com/HelleborusBlack www.akhenatenmusic.bandcamp.com/album/incantations-through-the-gates-of-irkalla www.facebook.com/akhenatenmetal/ **

NEWS: Abominant Napalm Reign label: Deathgasm release: 29 July 2016

Abominant is a metal institution since 1993, with an impressive stability of personnel, a massive catalogue of recordings and a consistency/dedication that you can trust. They have a new studio album coming up, of which two songs are now available for listening. The band is primarily known as death metal and they play as fast and heavy as can be, but their music is built upon both classic metal and extreme metal and those traits are relatively easy to hear, once you get used to the blasting speeds, inhuman growling and the total barrage of extreme metal that will come your way. Give the band a bit of your time, and you will notice that they play their music unafraid, even to the point of showing quite a bit of traditional heavy metal churning with the death metal. They also write songs that the listener can understand. They are a death metal band with roots in traditional heavy metal, and as the years have gone by

8

they have become very skilled at playing their style, which they call "goat metal." This new album shows the band as the total Abominant sound: there are no rules in "goat metal," just play the music that you want, a lot of it is blasting extreme metal, but there's classic heavy metal rolled into the sound and at this point they are experts at what they do: headbanging metal. Below you will find the official information about the band and the new album. OFFICIAL INFORMATION: For twenty-three years, ABOMINANT has done their best to write individual songs rather than repeating the same style, in the process simultaneously enticing or alienating much of the metal underground, causing them to maintain a purely cult status. With no interest in trends or genres; they have always carved their own path through the metal underworld, recognizing the appeal of individuality and attempting to separate themselves from getting lost in the sea of brutality. The band’s relentless eleventh album, Napalm Reign was recorded, mixed, and mastered by Scott Briggs and ABOMINANT inside Velocity Studios during the Winter months of 2015/16. Napalm Reign spews forth eleven brand new aural assaults and showcases the band executing their subterranean thrash-tinged blackened death with the passion and vehemence of true scene veterans. ABOMINANT has shared the stage with dozens of national and international acts including Deicide, Aborted, Rotting Christ, Death Angel and Belphegor as well as personal underground favorites like Nunslaughter, Incantation, Deceased, and too many others to list. Expect new tour dates in support of Napalm Reign to be announced in the coming weeks. ABOMINANT was formed in 1993 in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, following the demise of several local death metal acts. Guitarist Tim

Ball and bassist Mike May from Sarcoma joined forces with guitarist Buck Wiedeman and drummer Craig Netto from Effigy to start a new project with darker, heavier roots than their previous outfits. In early 1994 they released their Never Truly Dead demo, and soon after, Wiedeman left to join the Air Force. Acquiring Mike Barnes from Louisville’s Cataclysm on vocals, they released another demo in late 1994 which led to a union with Wild Rags Records. Wild Rags released ABOMINANT’s debut, Unspeakable Horrors, in 1996. Wild Rags also opted to issue the Never Truly Dead demo on MCD format. The band released two more full-lengths through Wild Rags — 1997’s In Darkness Embrace and 1999’s The Way After — before the label’s demise. While in between records and labels, Wiedeman returned to the fold, increasing the band to a five-piece and doubling the material needed for a new record. ABOMINANT soon connected with Deathgasm Records for the release of 2000’s Ungodly which garnered the most success and positive reviews for the band yet. After 2002’s Upon Black Horizons, Deathgasm also officially repressed The Way After. Following the band’s 2004 full-length Conquest, ABOMINANT parted ways with its original drummer and brought in Jim Higgins who had been in multiple local bands, including Cataclysm with Mike Barnes, which helped usher in a more black metal influence and also reinvigorated the band. Not long after, they recorded 2006’s Triumph Of The Kill, however upon its release, Wiedeman decided to bow out of the band for a second time. The quartet released 2008’s Warblast and 2010’s Where Demons Dwell with Deathgasm before opting to self-release an MCD with two covers and two new songs for 2012’s Battlescarred. By 2013, the label released the band’s most fully-realized album yet, with Onward To Annihilation. Now, in 2016 ABOMINANT and Deathgasm Records are proud to present the

9

band’s eleventh full-length album, Napalm Reign, celebrating their twenty-third year as a band. Truly fans of metal themselves, and the epitome of a brotherhood, ABOMINANT hopes all fans of death metal will enjoy the new record and possibly dive into their extensive back catalog. ABOMINANT: Tim Ball: guitars, strings and tendonitis Mike Barnes: growls, screams and the belly of aaaargh Jim Higgins: drums, cymbals, sweat and exhaustion Mike May: bass, strings and headbanging neck pains www.deathgasmrecords.bandcamp.com/album/napalm-reign www.facebook.com/Abominant-152430868173200/ ** Bushwhacker This prog extreme metal band was born to run, they were born to dream, the craziest boys you ever seen, they gotta do it their way or no way at all. They turned loose from Yukon to Vancouver, Canada and they’re loving every minute of it. They’re not men or machines, they’re just something in between. Everyone’s watching to see what they will do, everyone’s looking at them, oh, everyone’s wondering will they come out tonight, everyone’s trying to get it right, get it right. This band does not wear hot leather pants nor red headbands, but they do play prog extreme metal and they want something from you: “Tell people about us, come to our shows, bring your friends and buy our music and merch.” When this publication sent them some questions, this is what they said. Listen to their latest album The False Dilemma in full at the

link below and take it from there. Greetings! How’s life in Canada treating you? Oh, hi there, Metal Bulletin! Yes, we are in Canada... Vancouver, British Columbia to be exact. It's just north of Seattle on the Pacific coast to give people an idea, if they don't already know. Vancouver is the third largest city in Canada (after Toronto and Montreal, respectively), so the heavy music scene here is not too shabby in comparison to other cities in Canada. There's a ton of well established bands, great promoters and devoted festivals that have helped pave the way for up and coming bands, while also encouraging a lot of bands from abroad to make Vancouver a regular tour stop.

Here is the band’s official biography. “In an era of over-classified genre taxonomies, it's a breath of fresh air to find a metal band that just makes music. Vancouver's Bushwhacker is one such. Their sound combines influences from many decades, from traditional death and black metal genres to 60s and 70s British prog and psychedelia, and even further to jazz and darker 1800s-era classical. The result is a complex and thoughtful arrangement that

10

both challenges and pleases the ear, defying classification. Though Bushwhacker now resides permanently in Vancouver, the stark wilderness and mountainous landscapes of their Yukon homeland still shine through in the power and intensity of their music. Formed in Whitehorse in 2008, Bushwhacker began with four high school friends that shared a love of old-school thrash metal. With Geoff Woods on guitar and vocals, Cavan Egan on guitar and vocals, Sean Komaromi on drums and Keenan Dennehy on bass, the quartet began to write and perform original music. They released their self-titled debut in July 2011 and followed it with a tour through BC and Alberta that ended in Vancouver, their chosen new home. After settling in Vancouver, the band parted ways with Dennehy and brought in fellow Yukoner Rory O'Brien on bass and vocals in October 2012. With the addition of another composer and vocalist, Bushwhacker then began a new era of songwriting; inspired by all the variety and opportunity the city had to offer, they began to explore new avenues and sounds. August 2013 saw them in the studio at Rain City Recorders, putting the finishing touches on their newest work, a one-song, 20-minute EP called Fish Guy. A shining example of evolution done right, Fish Guy features all the passionate metal fury of their earlier works, while still boiling, now carefully honed into effective, driving riffs and passages, framed and punctuated by evocative, dexterous psychedelic breaks and solos. Classic thrash vocals have expanded into a medley of layered harmonies, eerie growls and epic choruses, carrying lyrics full of ancient nautical superstition. In 2014 the band again entered Rain City Recorders in Vancouver to record what would

become a career high water mark in The False Dilemma. Engineered by Stu McKillop and Mark McKitrick, and mixed/mastered by McKillop, The False Dilemma is a profound slab of Heavy that drips of Black and Death Metal whilst delving deep into the realms of psychedelia, which sees the quartet evolving into a darker, fine-tuned machine of cynicism The False Dilemma will be released on March 5, 2016 through Bandcamp.” For new listeners reading this interview, what should they expect? Can you tell us a bit about your recordings? We've got 3 recordings available at the moment: our self-titled debut, the Fish Guy EP and our most recent full-length The False Dilemma. All of out releases are available on ITunes, but our latest album is also available on most streaming platforms (Spotify, Google Play, etc.) As far as what to expect from us musically, there is no easy way to describe our sound; there isn't a "go to sub-genre" that we fit into neatly. With every Bushwhacker release we've evolved and progressed in a way that reflects our personal tastes, musical environment, and development as musicians; however, there is a certain something that we feel unifies our releases and makes them "us". The first album was very much influenced by old-school thrash metal, with some progressive/psychedelic leanings. Our second release, Fish Guy, is much more refined and delves deeper into our progressive/psychedelic side (it's one 20 minute long track) and the writing is more technical, while showcasing more of our sludgy and extreme metal influences. Our latest release, The False Dilemma is more pseudo-proggy extreme weirdo heaviness. Basically, that's our vibe. Make things heavy and crunchy, but then mess with people's preconceived ideas by throwing some

11

spaced out riffs in the mix. As for the recording process, we did The False Dilemma at Rain City Recorders with Stu McKillop and Mark Mckitrick (where we also recorded our Fish Guy EP). They're rad dudes to work with, so we've been very happy with the way both those releases turned out. We'll likely go to Rain City again for our next recording, but it will be in a new, larger studio space, as they've since moved locations. How do you see the music of your band? Every time we attempt to classify ourselves into a metal sub-genre some nerd tells us that we don't fit their criteria for whatever sub-genre we tag ourselves with. This coupled with the fact that we don't give a flip anyway means that it is up to the listener to decide because we really could not care less. We make music that is often heavy and if you like it good, if not is it too late now to say sorry? What led you to the life of a musician? Living in a small town can be really boring. Many people turn to drugs to kill the boredom. We simply added music to this formula to create a cocktail of non-boring. Do you plan to tour? We have a few gigs lined up this summer: July 9 in Vancouver, BC with Mos Generator, Wake, M16, Skull Vultures and Year of the Cobra, and July 16 in Whitehorse, Yukon with The Vagitarians) The show in Whitehorse will be our first gig in our hometown since we relocated to Vancouver 4 years ago, so it will definitely be a very special occasion for us. We don't have any touring plans lined up yet, but we would like to hit the road extensively again in 2017, after we release our next record, which we are currently writing. What type of lyrics is important to you? Our lyrics are better than Loverboy and we

are also from Vancouver, so I think we are doing just fine. But if you want a piece of my heart you better start from the start. What is the connection between your personal beliefs and your lyrics? All of our lyrics touch on sociopolitical, religious, and philosophical issues. This is because we are all thinking about these issues all the time. We can't be afraid of discussing these things because if we were we would not be true to ourselves and that is more important than any business we might obtain. Many of our lyrics are metaphorical, this might not always be obvious, but if you dig into a song of ours that doesn't have an obvious meaning there is probably something there if you dig a little deeper. What other news do you have? Our next album will be lit. Stay tuned. www.bushwhackeryukon.bandcamp.com www.facebook.com/BushwhackerYukon/ ** Striker Stand In The Fire Record Breaking Records Release: 5 February 2016

One of the purposes of a review is to present an opinion on an upcoming album. Thus,

12

given that this album has been out for months now, this review is a fail in that regard. The quality of the album merits that audiences supportive of traditional heavy metal, which Striker executes like champs, give it thought, if they have not done so. Infectious and addictive, Striker is all about melodies and memorable of classic heavy metal, but this is not retro, it is a modern band playing the classic metal of today. Striker plays traditional heavy metal and it just so happens that they are really good at it. They run the gamut from thrashy stompers to anthems and songs that are meant to sound like hit singles. They began in 2007 and this is their fourth title. Devoted followers of traditional metal, especially in the band's home country of Canada, already know the band because they are not exactly a secret anymore. The cat is out of the bag and supporters of the genre already know. On this new album the band has created a problem for themselves: most of the songs sound like hits and anthems and now they will have to figure out how to top it. Ah, but that's their problem, not the listener's! You'll have your favorite songs and you might even change your mind about your favorite tracks the more you get to know the album. There is one requirement that you need to meet: if catchy songs is something that you are seeking, then get ready to rock. Yes, it all seems very clichéd, but it is not until you hear this little monster that you'll understand. Let's sum up the situation: classic heavy metal reinterpreted for today and it is made to sound like hit songs, which they would be, if heavy metal were on the radio. Avoid this album if you hate melodic singing and songs that you can remember. Striker is out for blood and it's not too late to stand with them in fire. Uptight snobs and cynical people won't like it, but that's ok, Striker doesn't need them,

anyway. Heavy metal thunder, indeed. OFFICIAL INFORMATION: “Full Speed or No Speed”: prophetic words to live by from Striker’s debut full length release “Eyes in the Night”. Since forming nearly 8 years ago, not a day goes by without the pedal to the metal attitude that smashes through the traffic jam of modern metal. “Stand in the Fire”, Striker’s 4th studio album, prepares to shift the band into high gear and leave the competition in the dust. Guest performances from some of metal’s premiere players as well as other unprecedented collaborations prepare a high octane mix that is ready for ignition. This will be Striker’s strongest album to date, living a life set by one rule: no limits! Striker has come a long with since their 2007 formation in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The band’s first demo immediately caught international attention from notable German record label, Iron Kodex. Backed by the label’s support, Striker went on to record and release their first EP, “Road Warrior”, in early 2009. The EP spread like wildfire among metal fans in Canada, Germany, and Spain. It was this first major stepping-stone in kick starting a promising career. In 2010 the band released their first full-length recording, “Eyes in the Night”, which reinforced Striker’s presence in both the domestic and international metal scene. The release initiated the band’s touring career: including Canada coast to coast, and over a dozen European countries with several festival appearances (Metal Assault Festival, and Headbangers Open Air) overseas. This established the credibility of Striker as a hardworking, dedicated band, willing to take the risks necessary to make it to the next level of their musical career.

13

Over the years Striker continued to refine their public image, hone their product, and solicit support within the music industry. Having completed the Iron Kodex contract with Eyes in the Night, the band looked towards greater achievements and began working with producer Michael Wagener (Ozzy Osbourne, Metallica, Skid Row) in Nashville, Tennessee. After spending over two months recording in the USA the band completed their 2nd album, “Armed to the Teeth”, and was promptly signed by prominent Austrian label Napalm Records July 27, 2012. Hot off the heels of the album release announcement, Striker was selected to directly support heavy metal giants Metallica for 2 sold out shows at Rexall Place in Edmonton. The shows were a huge boost to the band and showed them the inner workings of one of the most successful bands in history. With a newfound work ethic, the band set to work planning their biggest Canadian and European tours to date, breaking into new territories such as the UK and Japan. With the desire to improve and expand to even greater heights, the band remained in Europe after a headlining tour and began to work on the album “City of Gold” with visionary producer Frederik Nordstrom, a founding member of the melodic death metal sound. “City of Gold” was critically acclaimed and propelled Striker forward in the industry, directly supporting veteran acts such as Bullet and Artillery on extensive tours of Europe and the United States. Major European festivals began to take interest, with the band headlining smaller festivals such as Devilstone Festival and Headbangers Open Air, and headlining the second stage at major festivals such as Metal Days Festival to enormous crowds. Working again with Frederik Nordstrom, “Stand in the Fire” sees Striker

taking their destiny into their own hands by releasing the album on their own label “Record Breaking Records”, ushering in a new era of decisive action, dedication and forward thinking. Live life by one rule: No Limits! www.facebook.com/strikermetal www.striker-metal.com www.twitter.com/strikermetal review by MMB ** NEWS: Darkend The Canticle of Shadows release date: April 25th, 2016 label: Non Serviam Records This is a work for the audiences into black metal forms. Darkend is symphonic black metal from Italy and the new album, which is available in full for listening at the link below, strives to be memorable, while remaining committed to an overall fast delivery. Below is the official hype and information about the album and band.

OFFICIAL INFORMATION: "The Canticle Of Shadows" by Italian Symphonic Black Metallers DARKEND, offers the listener so many opportunities to revel in its sonic bombast, its violent tendencies, and its amazing

14

compositions. Besides the already talented musicians of DARKEND supplying their art, the brand new album "The Canticle Of Shadows," features some revered figures of the metal scene. Featuring appearances by Attila Csihar (MAYHEM), Niklas Kvarforth (Shining), Sakis Tolis (Rotting Christ) and Labes C. Necrothytus (Abysmal Grief. A Symphonic Black Metal album that is heavy on the atmosphere, but "The Canticle Of Shadows" sees the group reaching a whole new level. The musicianship is impeccable, the arrangements exciting, and the vibe one of pure apocalyptic dread. A further step towards the Abyss, taking every element to the extreme: a darker, heavier and far more intense monument than ever before. DARKEND's "The Canticle Of Shadows" is the sound of a band at the top of its game. BIO: Darkend stands for Extreme Ritual Art: a combination of ancient ceremonial chants mixed with arcane symphonies, nocturnal ambiences and sulphur riffs engraved on black metal patterns. The first full-length “Assassine” (2010) quickly took the band abroad to tour throughout Europe with ROTTING CHRIST, SAMAEL, MELECHESH & KEEP OF KALESSIN, bringing on stage a unique mix of sound, theatre and occult ceremony: from esoteric epitaphs and incense burning to ghastly skulls, grave candles and dead branches, every single detail is meant to build a spiritual mist of bleakness and horror. With rave reception by fans and critics, the second album “Grand Guignol - Book I” (2012) consolidated the band’s spot on the international metal map and allowed DARKEND to proudly embark on a long, crushing European tour supporting legendary CRADLE OF FILTH & GOD SEED. 2013 and 2014 saw the band perform at well-reputed European festivals alongside MAYHEM, IMMORTAL, MORBID ANGEL, TAAKE, SHINING, NILE, KREATOR, SODOM, INQUISITION,

DESTRUCTION, BELPHEGOR and many other iconic acts. The brand new album “The Canticle Of Shadows”, featuring some revered figures of the metal scene, is a further step towards the Abyss, taking every element to the extreme: a darker, heavier and far more intense monument than ever before. www.darkend.bandcamp.com/album/the-canticle-of-shadows www.facebook.com/darkendofficial ** Vyson Vyson is a death metal from Japan. Due to the lack of information, there is not much to share at the moment. They have a recording called Hominis Dignitati, but other than that, it's not clear what they are up to in 2016. For those interested, below are a couple of places to start finding out more.

www.vysonbrutality.com/discography.html www.facebook.com/vysonbrutality/ www.vysonbrutality.com/index.html www.youtube.com/user/vysonmetal **

15

NEWS: Giant of the Mountain The Empty Quarter release date: May 27th, 2016 label: Burning Dogma Records This recording is available in its entirety for listening at the link below. This work has been out for a little while now, but those interested in up-and-coming and lesser-known bands might be interested in this extreme prog from Texas. A word of caution: This is a real metal band, not a djent nor a core band, just in case you are wondering, given that prog often means hipster/core/djent/postrock bands that do not rock and do not want to rock. The band calls the music "blackened progressive death metal." There are plenty of moments of blasting speeds, with some roomier passages, and the band is concerned with writing good songs. OFFICIAL INFORMATION: GIANT OF THE MOUNTAIN are pleased to announce that they will be releasing their new EP The Empty Quarter on May 27 2016. The band's blend of black and death metal has been widely hailed by the metal press in the past with Decibel Magazine describing the band's sound as "early Mastodon dressed up as Skeletonwitch with occasional forays into sweaty, gusty Americana a la USX or Across Tundras." The new EP takes the sound from their previous albums to the next level with improved production and song writing resulting in the band's best recordings to date. The band commented on the EP ""We have worked harder and longer on our new release, The Empty Quarter, than anything we’ve done so far. It’s without a doubt the most mature, energetic release we’ve conjured." About Giant of the Mountain: Like the beast

of seven heads emerging from the darkest depths of the ocean, Giant of the Mountain has ascended upon mankind with its crushing delivery of Blackened Progressive Death Metal. Giant of the Mountain was created in late 2008 by Cody Daniels and Randi Matejowsky with an idea to form a musical genre unlike any other. Amidst shredding solos and heavy bass lines, Giant of the Mountain’s eclectic influences of blackened, progressive, death, and doom metal come together to create an alluring and enigmatic style. Joining the guitarist/vocalist Cody Daniels and drummer Randi Matejowsky in 2013 is bassist/vocalist Alexander Salazar (DeadTooth, The Earth Dies Screaming). This new addition brought to the altar of the great eye of the night adds a new depth to the vocals, and a foundation of bass GOTM has never seen before. With their newest release, Moon Worship, the band has brought their music to an entirely new level. Giant of the Mountain will only continue to grow from here and bring their unique vision of music with with their new release, The Empty Quarter, on Burning Dogma Records May 27th, 2016.

www.giantofthemountain.bandcamp.com www.facebook.com/giantofthemountain/?ref=ts **

16

Severed Heaven

Severed Heaven is extreme metal from the U.K. The band easily goes from black metal to death metal to doom metal and back, and they appear hell bent on crossing these genres of extreme metal in their songs. Fortunately, it seems like they prefer to stick to the traditional format of a song: the songs stay between four and six minutes. The result is music for headbanging, as it should be. They began in 2007 and they have a couple of recordings (an EP and an album), judging from the information on Metal Archives, which could be correct or maybe not. They appear to have had a predecessor band called Blood Sundae, which dates back to 2004. At any rate, this summer of 2016 in August they are scheduled to play at the Eradication Open Air festival, according to the information on Facebook. In terms of history of the band, the following is bit of official information, but it seems like it has not updated for sometime. Regardless, it sheds light on the beginnings of the band: Initially consisting of Lauren 'Satanica' Price (vocals), Leanne Warren (guitars), Vanessa Murray (guitars), Charlotte Bleasdale (bass) and Anna Stewart (drums), Severed Heaven released their debut, self-titled EP. Well received, the release helped to spread the word and the band soon found themselves gigging regularly. An early sign of their increasing notoriety came when they

appeared on the BBC show 'Singing With The Enemy', alongside London 'cock rock' band Lethal Fixx. With the band's gigging schedule getting busier and covering the length and breadth of the country, the next couple of years saw them share stages with the likes of Gallhammer, Gorgoroth, Hecate Enthroned, Sworn Enemy, Hate, Shining and Nemhain, as well as appearing at the Dames Of Darkness festival. Better yet, the band earned a headlining slot on the unsigned stage at Bloodstock Open Air in 2009, and met the occasion with a stellar performance. In 2010, Severed Heaven's debut full length album, 'Incessant Darkness', was released to excellent critical acclaim, earning a 9/10 review from Queens Of Steel. The album consists of several blistering new tracks, as well as heavier re-recordings of some of the band's earlier material. Following the release of the album, Anna left Severed Heaven's ranks and was replaced by Hayley Morgan (Torture Garden, Daear, Forest Perversions). 2011 was another busy gigging year for the band, and August brought a second lineup change, with Lena Abé (My Dying Bride) replacing Vanessa. www.reverbnation.com/severedheaven www.facebook.com/severedheaven?ref=mf ** NEWS: Dominhate Emissaries of Morning Lavadome Productions Release: 22 April 2016 This recording is aimed at the audiences that are serious about death metal. You know it when you hear it, and this band from Italy has in mind the language that the

17

knowledgeable public will recognize and understand. It's a code, and it is the code of death metal. Luckily for the readers, the recording is available for scrutiny at the link below. Read the hype if you want, but your ears will be more than enough to provide guidance. OFFICIAL INFORMATION: Dominhate retain everything essential about death metal while pushing towards added extremity - devastating rhythms with a dark flavour, unrelenting waves of earth-shattering percussion, formidable infernal roars from what sounds like only a mythical figure, and imagery that is hand-painted but ominous all the same with an undeniable otherworldly aura about it. Dominhate present the new face of death metal - contemporary without losing the ancient morbid touch, forward-thinking while paying tribute to the pillars of the genre. 'Emissaries of Morning' is a new chapter in death metal mastery; it is how you take forward the sound of the genre without betraying the roots. www.lavadome.bandcamp.com/album/emissaries-of-morning www.facebook.com/Dominhate ** NEWS: Scar of the Sun In Flood Scarlet Records release: 20 May 2016 This album will be of interest to the public seeking melodic modern/groove sounds with singing (not growling), with a melancholic vibe present throughout. The band calls itself "modern" and "mainstream," probably due to the lack of screaming/angry elements in the music. Their concern is melodic/melancholic

songs that the listener can remember, and not so much the question of genre definition. Learn more about the group through the information below. OFFICIAL INFORMATION: Scar Of The Sun is a modern metal band formed in 2005 in London, UK. With their first release ‘A Series Of Unfortunate Concurrencies’ Scar Of The Sun has successfully toured Europe three times with the likes of Dark Tranquillity, Moonspell, Pain, Rage, Tyr and are currently about to release their sophomore effort ‘In Flood’. The new album includes guest appearances by Bob Katsionis (Firewind, Serious Black, OutLoud), George Katsanos (solo artist), Nick Syd (Cyanna Mercury), Van Labrakis (Paul Oakenfold, Armin Van Buuren). The band recorded ‘In Flood’ at their own Zero Gravity Studios, where singer Terry Nikas engineered the whole project. For the production the band hired Rhys Fulber (Paradise Lost, Fear Factory, Machine Head) and the mixing and mastering was handled by the up and coming duo Stamos Koliousis and Van Lambrakis of Studios 210 in Berlin (Keep Of Kalessin, Kvelertak, Satan's Wrath). Scar Of The Sun’s sound has matured and has become more focused, modern, heavier and aggressive but also more catchy, reflecting elements of In Flames or Trivium. The first European tour in support of it is currently in the works. More than ever, Scar Of The Sun are ready to head out on the road and play their music for the masses! OFFICIAL BIO: SCAR OF THE SUN is a new and rapidly upcoming modern/mainstream metal band, that through a string of important live appearances and hard work in the studio, it is trying to leave its mark to the contemporary metal scene. The band was formed in London, UK and the current line up consists of

18

Terry Nikas (vocals), Alexi Charalambous and Greg Eleftheriou (guitars), Panagiotis Gkatsopoulos (bass) and Thanos Pappas (drums). After a very successful promo CD, SOTS entered the studio in order to record their debut album. The band managed to stir the interest of high-profile producer Rhys Fulber (PARADISE LOST, FEAR FACTORY, MACHINE HEAD, etc) who co-produced and mixed the album. Apart from Rhys Fulber, the band also had the honour of collaborating with Greg Reely (STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, THEATRE OF TRAGEDY, THE TEA PARTY, COLDPLAY etc.), who took over the mastering process of the album and along with Rhys Fulber created an outstanding result. The debut album is titled "A Series Of Unfortunate Concurrencies" and contain guest appearances by Mikael Stanne (DARK TRANQUILLITY), Bob Katsionis (FIREWIND), Marios Iliopoulos (NIGHTRAGE), Chris Antoniou (SEPTIC FLESH) and Leah Randi (CONJURE ONE). The sound of the album is multi-dimensional, blending smoothly many elements and influences, but the sound of the band can be described overall as modern atmospheric metal with lots of heaviness and drama, all funnelled through SOTS' unique style of sound. For the promotion of the album the band shot two videos with famous director/animator/designer Achilleas Gatsopoulos, along with Bob Katsionis (FIREWIND), for the songs "Swansong of Senses" and "Disciple Of The Sun." After a series of very successful one off live appearances both in Greece and in Europe along bands like PAIN OF SALVATION, DARK TRANQUILLITY, PARADISE LOST, FIREWIND, KATATONIA etc and a slot on Greece’s biggest summer festival ‘ROCKWAVE FESTIVAL’ next to SLIPKNOT, MASTODON, DOWN, and many others, SOTS signed a deal with famous Italian

record label Scarlet Records, and the debut album was released worldwide in June 2011. The release of the album was supported by two very successful European tours within 2012, the first being Metal Firestorm tour with RAGE, TYR and COMMUNIC, and the second being Into Darkness tour, with PAIN, MOONSPELL, SWALLOW THE SUN and LAKE OF TEARS a few months later. Currently the band is working on their new album, and a release date will be announced soon. www.facebook.com/scarofthesun www.twitter.com/scarofthesun ** NEWS: National Suicide Anotheround Scarlet Records release: 22 July 2016 This thrash album is coming up this month. These Italians are passionate about their thrash and it shows. For the moment, the information below will have to do. In particular, people that support thrash will benefit from hearing this music. OFFICIAL INFORMATION: National Suicide is one of the most promising Thrash metal bands on the European soil. Their first album ('The Old Family Is Still Alive') came out in 2009 and attracted immediate attention from fans and media alike, and was followed by an extensive tour that included high profile festival appearances in Italy (Rock Hard Festival, Play It Loud), Germany (Thrash Assault), Spain (Keep It Thrash, Metal Cova) and more. Since their inception the band took the stage with Napalm Death, Assassin, Onslaught, Artillery, Exciter, Jag Panzer, Jaguar, Raven, Whiplash, Fueled By Fire, Satan, Sodom, Tankard, Omen, Savage

19

Grace, Legion Of The Damned, Attacker and many other international acts. National Suicide's new album 'Anotheround' will be released on July 22nd on Scarlet Records. The band's sound is faster and sharper than ever, with deep roots in the American thrash metal scene of the Eighties and some distinctive features that make it instantly recognizable. www.facebook.com/National-Suicide-Official-281887498501070/ ** NEWS: Angarthal Uranus And Gaia release date: April 29, 2016 label: Bakerteam Records Below you will find information about the traditional prog/virtuoso album by Angarthal (Italy). The album focuses on the quality of the music and will especially appeal to the audiences that appreciate serious guitar work and prog/intellectual metal music. OFFICIAL INFORMATION: Angarthal is the new metal project by guitar virtuoso Steve Angarthal (Fire Trails, Dragon’s Cave). Featuring Luca Saja (Dragon’s Cave) on drums and guests drummer Sergio Pescara (Groovydo), Angelo Perini (early bass player of Fire Trails) on bass and keyboardist Mauri Belluzzo (Alchemy Divine), the band's debut album 'Uranus And Gaia' perfectly mixes epic metal melodies and progressive structures, flamboyant guitar parts and a strong Seventies Hard Rock feeling, with Steve taking on multiple roles as main composer and singer along with guitar duties. The album takes the listener on an epic journey through Greek mythology ('Sailing At The End Of The World', 'Uranus And Gaia') and Celtic mythology ('Morrigan', 'Holy Grail'),

biblical symbolism ('Leviathan Rising' and 'Miles In The Desert'), and fantasy literature ('Wielders Of Magic' and 'The Abyss Of Death' are inspired by the novel 'The Sword Of Shannara'), including a tribute to Ronnie James Dio ('Unbroken'), classic metal tunes ('Punch', 'A Lie' and 'After The Rain') and a beautiful acoustic ballad ('Losing My Direction'). Steve's musical influences come from Rock and Metal but also Classical Music and with this project he can finally combine powerful tunes and an addictive rhythm section with orchestral arrangements. OFFICIAL BIO: The guitar player and songwriter for italian metal band Fire Trails is on his first solo project since 2010, where he writes music and lyrics, plays the guitar and has also taken the singer role; he is also present as guest musician in Rezophonic’s live shows and recordings. In 2010 indipendent label Asgardh Music has released Dragon’s cave (This is the early name of Steve solo project) first cd called "Elektro motion" and sold it through Cdbaby and all digital stores. This work features a long selection of tracks focused on Steve guitar style ranging from progressive rock instrumentals to ethereal acoustical pieces and amazing rock songs that showcase Steve singing style. His previous experience with Fire Trails, founded with Italian rock icon Pino Scotto, saw Steve releasing two albums "Vanadium tribute" (Underground Symphony Records) and "Third moon" (Valery Records). The touring activity for this band lead him to play all around Italy in the most important events such as "Gods of metal", "Heineken Jammin festival", "Agglutination metal festival" and supporting the shows of artists like Deep Purple, R.J.Dio, Iron Maiden, Glenn Hughes, Joe Lynn Turner.

20

His mastery is supported by a long and varied educational path. He started studying classical guitar with M° Marco Biassoni then he qualified, under the guidance of M° Filippo Daccò, in Composition and arrangement for big band ; studied Jazz Rock guitar with Shaun Baxter. He is self taught in classical orchestra writing and arranging and his collaboration with violinist M° Mauro Catalano brought to the foundation of Cordis ensemble, a baroque orchestra featuring Steve on the electric guitar as solo instrument. In 2014 London College of Music of the University of West London awards Steve with the title FLCM (7th level of EQF) in Electric Guitar Performance. Teaching is another key point in Steve’s activities: from 1997 to 2001 he’s part of teacher’s roster at Milan’s SAE (school of audio engineering) where he shared his previous experiences as sound engineer and programmer. From 2006 he is guitar teacher at "Il borgo della musica" and guitar, musical theory and live music classroom teacher at "Rock tv school." He’s been also present in different studio recordings of italian artists like Rezophonic, Myland, Pino Scotto and MC project. In summer of 2013 he starts two exciting new projects: Nothing easy and Le Tentazioni Di Alice. The former is an acoustical duo with keyboardist Mauri Belluzzo (Alchemy Divine) playing rock songs from 70's and 80's, while the latter is a modern rock trio featuring Hermes Locatelli ( Rad1) on bass and Federico Paulovich (Destrage) on drums. From the summer of 2014 He is busy with the final production stage of his upcoming album due to be released in early 2015. Steve Angarthal endorses Loud guitars by Molinelli since 2000 and Reference Laboratory cables since 2011. He’s also product specialist for Reference Laboratory products and their associated brands Bricasti, Audix, Source

Audio and Morpheus in important events such as Second hand guitars 2011, Frankfurt Musik Messe 2012, Dubai Palme 2012 and L.A. NAMM 2013. In 2015 Steve begins his partnership with italian brnads Mezzabarba Custom Amplification and Masotti Guitar Devices. www.facebook.com/angarthal/ ** NEWS: Internal Suffering Cyclonic Void Of Power label: Unique Leader release: 24 June 2016 The ultratotalitarianist brutalextreme blasting death metal alliance known as Internal Suffering now has a new album. This album has been made exclusively for the most dedicated public into the dizzying, fastest nonstop blasting extreme metal possible today. This is not a core/hardcore/deathcore band nor a djent band. This band's style in line with Suffocation and Origin, not core. OFFICIAL INFORMATION: Long-running brutal death metallers, INTERNAL SUFFERING, will unleash their long-awaited fifth full-length this June via extreme metal power station, Unique Leader Records. Titled Cyclonic Void Of Power, the scathing new offering was captured at 16th Cellar Studios in Rome (FleshGod Apocalypse, Hour Of Penance, Hideous Divinity, etc.) by Italian death metal mastermind Stefano Morabito (Eyeconoclast, ex-Hour Of Penance) and delivers ten brand new tracks of the band’s traditionally fast yet chaotic and technical brand of brutality. A concept album divided into three separate chapters, Cyclonic Void Of Power follows the mystical, mythological and magic chaotic universe the band has explored on previous

21

outings but now taken to a far more complex (and cosmic) level. Spawned in 1996, INTERNAL SUFFERING relocated from their home base in Pereira, Columbia to Madrid, Spain. Notorious for their apocalyptic brand of brutal, blasting, technically proficient death metal, the band’s bestial discography includes four full-lengths: 2000’s Supreme Knowledge Domain (Repulse Records), 2002’s Chaotic Matrix (Displeased Records), 2004’s Choronzonic Force Domination (Displeased Records) and 2006’s Awakening of the Rebel (Unique Leader Records), the last two of which featured the production of extreme metal sound-wizard Erik Rutan (Hate Eternal/ex-Morbid Angel). A maniacal work ethic and thirst to spread their audio peril globally has allowed INTERNAL SUFFERING the opportunity to ransack stages throughout the US, Europe and Asia along the iconic likes of Cannibal Corpse, Sodom, Incantation, Exodus and Origin, among many more. The band has also graced the bills of some of the most important extreme metal festivals in the world including the Maryland Deathfest, Ohio Death Fest, Central Illinois Metal Fest, Extreme Fest, Neurotic Death Fest, Barroselas Metal Fest, Tokyo Death Fest, Bangkok Deathfest, Fuck The Commerce Fest, Obscene Extreme Festival, Bands Battle Fest, and Kaltenbach Open Air Fest as well as an appearance at the massive Rock At The Park. One of the most populated open air fests in Latin America, Rock At The Park draws over 100,000 headbangers annually. In addition, the band made an appearance at Convivencia Rock Fest in South America spreading their sonic sickness to over 30,000 metal fanatics. www.facebook.com/InternalSuffering www.twitter.com/ISuffering **

NEWS: Sheidim Shrines of the Void Dark Descent Records release: 24 June 2016 Traditional black metal band Sheidim has a new album out now. There is not much information available at this point, but the audiences that support raw and cult black metal will be the most interested in this band from Spain. OFFICIAL INFORMATION: Spanish black metal scourge Sheidim has entered a blood pact with Dark Descent Records for the release its first full-length album. “Shrines of the Void” follows the band’s 2015 7-inch vinyl EP, “Amidst the Ashes of Consciousness / In the Light of the Dying Stars” with seven brand new deadly hymns. The album was recorded and mixed by J. Félez at Moontower Studios and mastered by D. Lowndes at Resonance Sound Studio. tracklist: 1.First Poison 2.Shrines of the Void 3.Deviant Kingdom 4.Sunken Nigredo 5.Amrita 6.Without Reins 7.Remnants www.sheidim.bandcamp.com www.facebook.com/sheidimband ** Aenygmist Aenygmist was a melodic black metal from Quebec, Canada. Their lasting testament is the album "Creation Born of Trauma" from 2010. Even though the band ended in 2012, they left a full-length album that is available

22

for listening in its entirety at the link below. The album track list is listed below. 1.Élixir 08:10 2.Paroxysme 05:27 3.Clandestin 05:25 4.Rest in Peace 06:17 5.Hold in Poisoned Hands 05:45 6.Interférences 06:23 7.Internal Hemorrhage 06:59 total time 44:26 www.aenygmist.bandcamp.com/releases www.facebook.com/Aenygmist ** NEWS: Elderblood Messiah Osmose Productions Release: 27 May 2016 "Symphonic black death metal" is how this band from Ukraine identifies itself. This is their second album, a professional recording of symphonic extreme metal. Find out more below. OFFICIAL INFORMATION: Elderblood is a symphonic black/death metal band from Ukraine, founded in 2011 by frontman and guitarist Astargh. At the same time, drummer Odalv joined the band. In February 2012, Hagalth joined the band as a bass guitarist. On June 25, 2013, Son of the Morning - recorded at Dark Essence recording studio - was released by Paragon Records. In autumn 2013, Topheth joined the band as live guitarist. In December 2013, ELDERBLOOD played at Via Sinistra fest and Oscorei fest. In July 2014, the band presented their debut music video, "My Death," and played at Carpathian Alliance festival. In February 2015, Hagalth was fired and Blodorn joined the band. In

June 2015, ELDERBLOOD finished work on the second album, Messiah, and played at Hell Fast Attack festival. The band then inked a deal with OSMOSE PRODUCTIONS. Today, ELDERBLOOD are considered as one of the main important symphonic black metal bands, but completely underrated while their previous album was already a massive attack in the genre. www.facebook.com/Elderblood218 ** NEWS: Post-Mortem God with Horns Release date: February 15th, 2016 Label: Great Dane Records Post-Mortem is a death metal from France that began in the 1990s. They have a new album in 2016. The entire album is available for listening at the link below. OFFICIAL INFORMATION: Long-running French death metal band Post-Mortem have remained relevant since 1995. They've reinvented themselves as very few bands are able to do, and their new material is potent and powerful enough to put the younger ones to shame. With music that bears an undercurrent of thrash while going all-out with chunky death metal pummeling and hooks, Post-Mortem are bound to find appeal in fans of Hour of Penance, Massacre, Vader and Affliction Gate. The music is a mix of old and new, with flashes of innovation littered throughout the hard-hitting album titled 'God with Horns'. Listening to it is an engrossing experience, as you marvel at the contemporary sound that's backed with time-tested songwriting skills and superior riffing. Post-Mortem are here to stay; let the message be known to one and all.

23

Post-Mortem was founded in Alsace in 1995 by Fabrizio, Sam and Lawrence. Guitarist after several changes, the lineup stabilized in March 1999 with the arrival of Jack on guitar and Manu, ex Behind vocals. Then the practiced style, is a melodic death thrash with various influences (Paradise Lost - Dark Tranquility - Amorphis) and it is in this musical direction comes 1st MCD Group in March 2000 "Mystic Delights" or mingle great rhythmic , melodies, guttural voice, clear voice and violin keys and keyboards. The disc received encouraging reviews but the group already evolving into a more aggressive death. For his many first parts (Yattering - Inhumate - Gojira - Carcariass - Apoplexy - Nostromo ...) the group is reinforced in a more brutal approach. Summer 2001 Post-Mortem returned to the studio to record their 2nd MCD "Mankind Autopsy" in a brutal style US death, more in line has its influences then: Dying Fetus - Cannibal Corpse - Cryptopsy - Six Feet Under as well as hardcore contributions (Nostromo - Pantera) or thrash (Slayer). Critics and chronicles received for the second MCD are very encouraging and Post Mortem makes many concerts in France and abroad seeking to make themselves known and to play to the maximum. In 2004, Manu left the group and sees substitute Sylvain In parallel Jack and Sam join the ranks of Karelia and some time later the group will finally be put to sleep, unable to bear the many activities for everyone ... until early 2012 or inhabited by the lack of metallic fury Manu, Sam, Laurent and Fabrice decided to put the cover, more motivated than ever to the idea of sharing the thick music. Appointment is made on the roads!! www.post-mortem-official.bandcamp.com/releases www.facebook.com/postmortem68500/?ref=page_internal

** NEWS: Ragehammer The Hammer Doctrine Release date: April 8th, 2016 Label: Pagan Records According to Poland's Ragehammer, modern metal music is garbage. They look back to Venom and the early days of extreme metal. Listen to the recording at the link below. OFFICIAL INFORMATION: The highly anticipated debut album from Poland’s RAGEHAMMER. Raw and satanic METAL in its most primitive form forged by the standards set by the Gods in Venom, Sodom, Impaled Nazarene or Bathory. Quoting the band, the album was created “with cold hatred of the modern world and contempt for the values of love and humanity”. This is not another album about beer, pizza and the 80s. This is WAR. The Hammer Doctrine was recorded during the end of 2015 at No Solace Studio and was mixed and mastered by M. of Mgła fame. The full-length consists of eight original tracks along with a Polish rock cover of Krzysztof Klenczon i Trzy Korony, “Spotkanie z Diabłem” (translates to: “Meeting with the Devil”). www.paganrecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-hammer-doctrine ** NEWS: Bloodthirst Glorious Sinners Release date: April 8th, 2016 Label: Pagan Records "Hateful Antichristian Thrash" is how these Polish musicians see themselves. The complete recording is available for listening. Find out

24

more below. OFFICIAL INFORMATION: BLOODTHIRST returns with a mini-album. "Glorious Sinners" contains five brand new tracks following the thrash/black path which the Polish act has paved so far. The lyrics and artwork of Glorious Sinners create a concept about the deceitfulness of the Vatican hierarchy. BLOODTHIRST sound is based on the classical thrash pounding but also widely influenced by black and death metal of the 90s. Over the years they have proven themselves in the metal scene to be one of the most respected Polish black/thrash ensembles. Never part of the pathetic “old-school” hype, always spitting in the face of the modern trend, the four emissaries of hellfire and malice, have trodden their own path of Hateful Antichristian Thrash. Bloodthirst - Polish black/thrash metal act coming from Goat City - Poznań. Formed over a decade ago after couple of demos & split releases have signed to highly acclaimed Pagan Records and released two full length albums: Let Him Die (2007) and Sanctity Denied (2009). Although the music is based on classical thrash pounding, it is widely influenced by black & death metal of the 90's, which resulted a solid background in the scene. The band shared stage with cult names like Destroyer 666, Nunslaughter as well as most recognizable Polish metal groups. Never a part of the pathetic “old school” hype as seen today, always spitting in the face of the modern trend, the three emissaries of hellfire and spite have ever since trod their own path of Hateful Antichristian Thrash. Having solidified the current line-up (Szlecker since 2012 is handling the second axe), holding their heads up high and proudly drinking to the diabolical glory, Bloodthirst are

about to release their third album in 2013. www.paganrecords.bandcamp.com/album/glorious-sinners www.facebook.com/bloodthirstpl/ ** NEWS: Killing for Company House of Hades Release date: April 30th, 2016 Label: Via Nocturna Death metal from Norway is the plan and the purpose of Killing for Company on this 2016 album. The album in its entirety can be heard at the link below. OFFICIAL INFORMATION: Killing For Company are a Norwegian death metal band from Trondheim. They formed in 2004 and recorded four songs for their first EP, which remained unreleased. Shortly after, they disbanded due to other commitments. In 2014, the band formed again to finish what they started and now their debut “House of Hades will be released on April 30, 2016 on Via Nocturna. The album is highly recommended for fans of Swedish death metal. www.killingforcompany.bandcamp.com www.facebook.com/killingforco ** NEWS: Neurogenic Ouroboric Stagnation Comatose Music Release: 2 September 2016 Watch out, boys and girls, Neurogenic will chew you up with super tight ultra brutal death metal reserved only for the true blue straight up dedicated public. Believe the hype! This music is untouchable. This band is not pretending to be all things to all people.

25

It's a feeling. It's something that you feel when this music begins to play. You like it, you love it, you want more of it. It sounds very good. The musicians' objective is to take it to the maximum and keep pushing as much as possible. Below you can hear one song. That's all that there is right now for the public, but you will get the picture, big time. The whole album follows that idea. If you want the ultra death metal, this project will make your dreams come true. OFFICIAL INFORMATION: Comatose Music and Neurogenic have teamed up to bring you what will certainly be one of the most devastating releases of 2016! 'Ouroboric Stagnation' is a brutal overdose of scorching guttural death metal in the vein of Putridity and Disgorge (USA). Neurogenic is comprised of an elite international line-up formed in early 2012 by guitarist Vlad Melnik (Derogation) of Ukraine. He soon recruited the superior drum skills of Marco Pitruzzella (Six Feet Under) from the United States, and followed by adding Russian bassist Anton Zhikharev (Fleshbomb). While recording their two song demo entitled ‘Subdural Breeding’, vocalist Matteo Bazzanella (Indecent Excision) from Italy joined the band to complete the line-up and make Neurogenic an underground death metal juggernaut. In addition to this amazing line-up there are also several respectable guest performers on this album. Don't miss out on this extreme debut release! www.neurogenic.bandcamp.com/releases www.facebook.com/Neurogenicmetal ** NEWS: Unmerciful Ravenous Impulse Unique Leader Release: 22 July 2016 This is an upcoming album directed squarely

at the blasting brutal ultra death metal audiences. The album features former and current members of Origin and the band gets quickly to the point by underlining that they like Suffocation, Dying Fetus, Cannibal Corpse, Hate Eternal, Origin, Nile, and Decrepit Birth. The album art depicts a raging monster arising and that is the same basic theme with the band itself: a return to what they do best: the ultra death metal from Topeka, Kansas, U.S. See the link below to hear a new song. OFFICIAL INFORMATION: Kansas death metal squad, UNMERCIFUL, will drop the devious fruits of their long-awaited new full-length this Summer via Unique Leader Records. Titled Ravenous Impulse, the record features the drum demolition of John Lonstreth (Dim Mak, Origin, ex-Gorguts etc.). Comments UNMERCIFUL guitarist Clint Appelhanz (ex-Origin) of the band’s forthcoming full-length, “It’s been ten years since the release of Unmercifully Beaten and we’ve had an up and down ride through the years. We are proud to announce the release of Ravenous Impulse to mark a new time for the band. Ravenous Impulse features a collaboration of song writing styles from [bassist] Jeremy [Turner; ex-Origin], [guitarist] Justin [Payne] and myself. Coupled with John Lonstreth’s approach to drums and Kris [Bolton; D.F.W.B.]’s vocal delivery, we feel that our sound is in a new place while still maintaining the band’s identity. Concepts behind most of the lyrical content mainly deal with violent instinct and diabolical human behaviors. We feel these subjects and themes are more realistic and relative to everyday society and more terrifying. Expect a classic death metal sound with modern speed.” Founded in 2001, UNMERCIFUL released its debut, Unmercifully Beaten, in 2006. With

26

intensive tour runs from 2006 through 2009 with the likes of Cannibal Corpse, Dying Fetus, Necrophagist, Decrepit Birth, Cryptopsy, and more, the band went through various personnel changes before deciding to disband in 2009. What started out as just a reunion show in 2012, quickly returned the band to working status. With consistent live shows and numerous metal fest appearances, the band released a self-titled demo in 2014 as a first step in the process to completing its first full-length release in nearly a decade. After the abrupt departure of drummer James King, John Longstreth was enlisted to record drums for Ravenous Impulse. In July 2015, UNMERCIFUL entered Chapman Studios (Origin, Tech N9NE) to work with longtime producer and friend, Robert Rebeck. Longstreth laid down a phenomenal recording on drums. The rest of the album was recorded and mixed at Clint Appelhanz’s own Waveworks Studio. The process was long and tedious, but the end result is nothing short of sonically devastating. Ravenous Impulse raises the bar of relentless, unmerciful, aggressive, and plainly brutal death metal. Look for Ravenous Impulse July 22nd, 2016 on Unique Leader Records. www.facebook.com/Unmerciful-347016405378181/ www.twitter.com/Unmerciful16?lang=en ** NEWS: Mistur In Memoriam Dark Essence Records Release: 27 May 2016 "Sognametal" is the name that this Norwegian band gives to its melodic black metal music. Find out more about them and listen to the album at the link below.

OFFICIAL INFORMATION: It’s been a long wait since Norway’s MISTUR made its mark on the world with their critically acclaimed debut, Attende. Fortunately, the wait has not been in vain. The band’s latest full-length, In Memoriam, sees MISTUR return with a masterpiece fielding long and layered arrangements, clever melodies and progressive elements mixed with its signature brand of “Sognametal.” MISTUR was forged in Sogndal, Norway by Espen Bakketeig and Andre Raunehaug, and joined shortly thereafter by Stian Bakketeig (Vreid, ex-Windir, ex-Cor Scorpii). Following just one demo, they landed a deal with Einheit Produktionen, who would release the band’s critically-adored Attende debut in. Apart from some festival shows and a tour however, the band fell dormant for a short time, before the work on the follow up album started. With new vocalist Oliver Øien and new drummer Tomas Myklebust, MISTUR is back and more potent than ever bevore. In Memoriam was captured in Conclave and Earshot Studios as well as the band’s private studio, produced by MISTUR mainman Espen Bakketeig, and mixed by Bjørnar E. Nilsen (Black Hole Generator, Vulture Industries). With In Memoriam, MISTUR brings new elements into the “Sognametal” style without loosing its unique core. The album is a must for all fans of Windir, but will certainly appeal to fans Amon Amarth, Insomnium, and Månegarm. In a 4/5 review, Sputnik Music elaborates, “the ’bigger is better,’ or in this case, the ‘grandeur is grander, attitude has been taken into account in more ways than just one with MISTUR's latest… Every motif, every change of direction, every placement, all points towards a larger image. The unknown, impending doom induced by MISTUR's ruinous forays is magnificent. It may not extend its arms into the realms of pure ingenuity, but In Memoriam

27

is 2016's Brobdingnagian king.” In an 8/10 rating, Soundscape Magazine concurs, “In Memoriam is a great album, and one you’ll keep wanting to come back to. A highly recommended listen, particularly for those who are fans of Windir,” while Eternal Terror notes in a near-perfect 5.5/6 verdict, “The dark vocals are superb, while the clean version adds to the national-romantic feel of the music, add flawless sound and production and MISTUR is definitely a force to be reckoned with, and a serious contender to album of the year.” Adds No Clean Singing of the track “Distant Peaks,” specifically, “The song really does sound like the majestic soundtrack to a mythic saga — it’s panoramic, sweepingly powerful, and warlike, and the guitar and keyboard hooks are sharp as scalpels. When the storming pace slows, the music becomes heart-aching, but no less compelling. The tale told in the lyrics fires the blood, too.” OFFICIAL BIO: MISTUR is a Norwegian black metal band hailing from the mighty fjords and mountains of Sogndal. The sound is a mixture of melodies, atmosphere and raw black metal. The lyrics are written in norwegian and the themes are viking related. The band has existed since the summer 2005, when the demo "SKODDEFJELLET" was released. "SKODDEFJELLET" received great reviews in magazines and sites like heavymetal.no, Scream and Vampire magazine. Alltogether it sold about 800 copies in Norway and abroad. Many of the reviews are available on this website. You'll also find quite a few interviews. In September 2006 MISTUR also participated on the metalsampler Metalmessage Vol.III, with the title track from the demo "SKODDEFJELLET". The coverart was done by Kris Verwimp and the CD is sold out. It all started as a metal project by Espen

Bakketeig and Andre Raunehaug. Seeing the opportunity to do live shows, the band increased to a full line-up. Among the members in MISTUR, you will find lead guitarist Strom from the legendary black metal band WINDIR. The lineup: Oliver F. Øien on screams, Espen Bakketeig on synth and clean vocal, Stian Bakketeig on lead guitar, Andre Raunehaug on rythm guitar and clean vocal, Ole Hartvigsen on bass and Kenneth Mellum on drums. Mistur did some great live shows in 2007, at a packed club Maiden in Oslo and at the Stoy festival in Sogndal. Mistur headlined also Fresn festival 07 in Fresvik. In September 2008 MISTUR recorded the full-length debut album in the famous AKKERHAUGEN STUDIO just outside Notodden, Norway. The album is produced by MISTUR and Thorbjorn Akkerhaugen and it is mastered by Peter in De Betu at Tailor Maid, Sweden. It is a full produced masterpiece containing 7 songs with a raw black metal sound. Thorbjorn Akkerhaugen has produced albums for bands such as EMPEROR, ZYKLON and WINDIR. The Belgian coverartist Kris Verwimp has created an exclusive oil painting for the album. He has done artwork for bands such as THYRFING and OLD MANS CHILD. Kris Verwimp's masterpiece is a viking motive painted in oil. The landscape is taken from the place Kaupanger in Sogndal, on the vestside of Norway. The fjord with the viking ships is the famous fjord called SOGNEFJORDEN. This is the place where MISTUR originally come from. "ATTENDE" was release in cooperation with the German label EINHEIT PRODUKTIONEN the 29th of August 2009, and has sold more than 2000 copies so far. The album has recived great reviews and many of the them can be read on the bands website. The first show after the release found place in Sogndal. MISTUR played at the INFERNO FESTIVAL 2010, and KARMØYGEDDON 2010, and a European Tour

28

with Vreid and Carach Angren in 2012. www.mistur.bandcamp.com www.facebook.com/Mistur-334339291694/?fref=ts ** NEWS: Diabolizer Apokalypse Third Eye Temple Release: 8 July 2016 This is modern, blasting extreme metal from Turkey. To find out more about the band see the link below, where you can hear a teaser of the album. Below is some of the usual, hyperbolic official hype and information about the band, which specializes in to-the-point, competent death metal with gruff growling, with sharp riffing, including a good amount of tremolo picking. OFFICIAL: Third Eye Temple are pleased to announce that they will release Apokalypse by Turkish death metal horde DIABOLIZER on July 8th 2016. The blades are sharpened, the screams of vengeance and death grow louder, and far beneath the pits of Kadiköy's underground, the blackest flames of impurity rise up to the skies. Diabolizer, the daemonic Death Metal entity consisting of members of Decaying Purity, Engulfed, Deggial and Godslaying Hellblast have finished first MCD Apokalypse. Apokalypse offers 5 tracks of relentless death metal containing diabolical skills, unending wrath and worship of destruction. As a bonus, the CD will also contain two tracks from their very limited 2012 promo Shadows Of Impending Decimation. Expect nothing but cruel, punishing and relentless death metal madness! www.facebook.com/diabolizer **

NEWS: War Curse Final Days Static Tension Recordings Release: 17 June 2016 War Curse is a thrash band from the U.S. Fortunately, the complete album is available for listening at the link below and you can hear the band's take on traditional thrash. Who they are is explained in the official information below. OFFICIAL: Static Tension Recordings is pleased to announce that they will be doing a CD release of Final Days by heavy metal thrashers WAR CURSE. The cassette and digital versions have been such a success that the label and band have decided to release the EP on CD in order to bring the album to an even wider audience. The CD will be released on June 17 2016. Final Days is highly recommended for fans of Kreator, Megadeth, Slayer, Testament and Metallica. About WAR CURSE: War Curse began melting faces around the Mid-West in 2014. They have since taken over the Ohio metal scene, sharing the stage with notable bands like Raven, Havok, Metal Church, and many more. Listening to War Curse’s debut EP “Final Days” reveals influences from early thrash metal icons Exodus and Testament, heavy metal titans Metallica and Megadeth, and draws subtle inspiration from the band’s love of punk rock. The initial response to Final Days has been overwhelmingly positive, gaining War Curse press and praise from around the globe, and landing them on Static Tension’s roster. Since recording Final Days, War Curse has already returned to the studio to record their follow-up album, tentatively set to release in Q4 2016. You can see them live in select markets this summer on their first U.S.

29

tour, supporting Miami death thrash pioneers Solstice. War Curse was formed in late 2013 by guitarists Justin Roth and Joshua Murphy, and drummer James Goetz. In 2014 the decision to pursue the project led to the recruitment of vocalist Tarek Puska, and a bassist named Death Metal Doug (who wouldn’t last long). Two bassists later, Eric Payne completes the line up and War Curse is melting faces around the mid west, sharing the stage with notable bands like Raven, Viking, Unleash the Archers, and many more. Listening to War Curse’s debut EP “Final Days” reveals influences from early thrash metal icons Exodus and Testament, heavy metal titans Metallica and Megadeth, and draws subtle inspiration from the band’s love of punk rock. War Curse has been called thrash enough for the thrash heads and heavy metal enough for the guys who grew up listening to Iron Maiden. With no plans on slowing down, War Curse will be heading back into the studio in early 2016 to record a follow up to “Final Days”, hoping to showcase their evolution as a band and songwriters. War Curse “Final Days” is available now on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, Amazon, and all of your favorite platforms. www.warcursemetal.bandcamp.com www.facebook.com/warcursemetal ** NEWS: Final Sign Hold High the Flame Tridroid Records Release: 28 October 2016

Final Sign is heavy metal from the U.S. Learn more about the band and its music at the link below and the following official information. OFFICIAL: The newly revamped Tridroid Records is pleased to announce that they will release the cassette version of Hold High the Flame by traditional metal band Final Sign, on October 28th 2016. The album was originally released in 2015 and contains 8 tracks of pure metal for true metal heads. This is the first release from Tridroid since being revived by new owner Christine Kelly. Christine used to write for the highly regarded metal zine Worm Gear and is a lifetime metalhead looking to put out the highest quality tape releases. Christine commented about the release "I am extremely proud to present the debut album from Final Sign to the fist-raising masses eager for the sound of metal that is just plain heavy. Thrash, power, traditional - whatever you call it, Final Sign delivers on every track." The band further commented "We are thrilled to have Final Sign be part of the Tridroid Records family! Tridroid has a fantastic rep in the underground and we could not be happier for them to be handling our cassette release!" About Final Sign: The musical partnership between vocalist Shawn Pelata and guitarist Brian "Hellstorm" Williams dates back to 1999, when Brian contacted Shawn with the hope of recruiting him to sing for a new project he was putting together. That short-lived endeavor became K-OCTAVE—yielding a single, highly praised album, Outer Limits, issued via Germany's Hellion Records in 2001. Williams then continued with his main band, underground metal giants OCTOBER 31; while Pelata released two albums with melodic rock outfit LINE OF FIRE, as well as working with metalcore cultists KILLWHITNEYDEAD. The two kept in touch, vowing to one day work together again when the time was right. That

30

time, it seems, is now. An unstoppable riff machine (he's not called "Hellstorm" for nothing), Brian soon found himself with new players, and eight new songs in need of the right voice. He knew just who to call: Shawn was brought on board and—alongside Kevin Haverlah (drums) and Howard Baker (bass)—FINAL SIGN was born. OFFICIAL: FINAL SIGN is a North Carolina based Heavy Metal band. Incorporating elements of Thrash Metal, US Power Metal and Traditional Heavy Metal, FINAL SIGN delivers the goods. Made up of veterans from the Metal scene, FINAL SIGN is a band ready to charge headlong into the swirling masses of Metal fans around the world! The musical partnership between vocalist Shawn Pelata and guitarist Brian "Hellstorm" Williams dates back to 1999, when Brian contacted Shawn with the hope of recruiting him to sing for a new project he was putting together. That short-lived endeavor became K-OCTAVE - yielding a single, highly praised album, Outer Limits, issued via Germany's Hellion Records in 2001. Williams then continued with his main band, underground metal giants OCTOBER 31; while Pelata released two albums with melodic rock outfit LINE OF FIRE, as well as working with metalcore cultists KILLWHITNEYDEAD. The two kept in touch, vowing to one day work together again when the time was right. That time, it seems, is now. An unstoppable riff machine (he's not called "Hellstorm" for nothing), Brian soon found himself with new players, and eight new songs in need of the right voice. He knew just who to call: Shawn was brought on board and alongside Kevin Haverlah (drums) and Howard Baker (bass) - FINAL SIGN was born. Since the release of 'Hold High The Flame' on Divebomb Records in October 2015, Howard stepped down and

has been replaced by Jim "Heavy Metal Warlock" Hunter. www.facebook.com/FinalSignOfficial/timeline ** NEWS: Dark Avenger Tales Of Avalon: The Lament Scarlet Records Release: 24 June 2016 Metal Archives says that this album is from 2013. Dark Avenger is a traditional heavy/power/prog metal band from Brazil. The band began in 1993. This publication, unfortunately, is not able to clarify the confusion about this album. Below is the official information available to this publication. One thing is certain: this album is a professional, quality recording for supporters of traditional forms of metal, especially the more mature styles, like prog and melodic metal. Expect real singing and an intellectual edge to the album. Find out more about the band below. OFFICIAL: “Astonishment”. With this great feeling Dark Avenger present and lead the listener through the ‘Tales Of Avalon’, a play in two acts: ‘The Terror’ and ‘The Lament’. Dialogs of love and hatred, honor and despise, compassion and vindication, hopes and farewells, in a frantic unfolding journey through the emotions shared by Morgana, Arthur, Guinevere, Merlin, Mordred and all the ones who dwell in the Arthurian atmosphere of the album. ‘Tales of Avalon: The Lament’ was produced and recorded at Rossom Records by Tito Falaschi and R. Schumann using the ultimate technology in the musical industry. The band and producers brought to life the atmosphere originally conceived for

31

the songs, adding their combined talents to the musical work. The mix and master process was in charge of the renowned Sound Engineer Michael Wagener, who created masterpieces such as ‘Master of Puppets’ (Metallica), ‘No More Tears’ (Ozzy Osbourne), ‘Slave To The Grind’ (Skid Row), ‘Balls to the Wall’ (Accept), among others. www.facebook.com/darkavengerofficial/ ** NEWS: Revocation Great Is Our Sin Metal Blade Records Release: 22 July 2016 Revocation is a modern metal band from the U.S. They are about to let the world hear their new album, which continues the band's tendency to mix several styles into a ball of modern melodic extreme metal of thrash, groove and growl metal. The band is known for consistency, and the new album adds a few twists, but retains the sound that they have building throughout the years. At the link below you can find out more about the album. Here is the official information about their new work. OFFICIAL: Having delivered five killer albums boasting some of the most potent, technical and abrasive metal unleashed over the last decade, it would be easy for Revocation to sit back and rest upon their laurels. However, with their constant drive to push their sound ever forward and refusal to compromise their integrity, this could never be the case - and Great Is Our Sin is their most dynamic, boundary-pushing and weighty release to date. For vocalist/guitarist Dave Davidson, the goal has never been about trying to please others. "Thinking critically about my own style and being self-motivated has had a very

strong impact on me as a musician and songwriter. We try not to think too much about extraneous forces when we're writing so we can focus on creating music for ourselves first and foremost." Hitting the road with 2014's Deathless, the band shared stages with the likes of Crowbar and the mighty Cannibal Corpse, drawing in legions of new fans. When it came time to follow it up, the quartet - rounded out by guitarist Dan Gargiulio, bassist Brett Bamberger, and recently recruited drummer Ash Pearson - had their work cut out for them, and their response to the challenge is a record that grabs you by the throat and refuses to let go. Never forcing anything, the songs that would comprise Great Is Our Sin came together organically, and while the members being spread all around North America would have been an impediment to some, Revocation drew strength from it. "Writing comes pretty naturally for us, but logistics are more of an issue since everyone lives in different places. Ash would fly in from Vancouver, and he and I would jam together at our practice space in Boston. We didn't have the luxury of getting together to jam whenever we felt like it, but in a way I think it actually made us more focused, since we had to make the most of our time together and not procrastinate. Added to that, Ash is an incredible player and he has a really diverse style which we've utilized a lot on the album. He can really go off behind the kit, playing some very intense technical stuff, as well as bringing in some more diverse elements drawn from his influences outside the metal realm." Reuniting with producer Zeuss (Hatebreed, Bleeding Through), who also helmed Deathless and 2012's Teratogenesis EP, the record packs the requisite punch, yet retains the organic feel with which it was conceived. Known for their technical prowess, the band remained

32

dedicated to upping the ante without ever losing sight of the importance of good songwriting. Opener "Arbiters Of The Apocalypse" makes this abundantly clear, blending together breakneck thrash, crunching death metal flavors, plenty of visceral fret abuse as well as compelling yet unforced melodies. While they rarely hold back the aggression, it is very much pushed to the fore on the likes of "Communion" and "Copernican Heresy", which are as savage as the band have ever sounded. However, they also retain and build upon the proggier aspects of their sound, as well as embracing triumphant "fist-in-the-air" moments, most notably on the chorus of "Arbiters" and the blistering solo that slashes through "Crumbling Imperium". "We've always had a bit of a prog element to our sound, I think we've all just gotten better as musicians so we feel more comfortable pushing the envelope even more than before," Davidson states."Likewise, I try to write melodies and solos that aesthetically fit the mood of the part, and for me both those sections needed something really epic sounding, especially on the 'Arbiters' chorus. I was initially planning on screaming for that part, but the riff felt very anthemic to me, so I came up with a melody that was more in line with the triumphant nature of it." That legendary shredder Marty Friedman unleashes a solo on "The Exaltation" was a dream come true for Davidson, and certainly gives the track an extra kick in the pants. "Marty has always been a huge influence on me and is someone I really respect. His solo on 'The Exaltation' has all the elements that I love in his playing, especially the element of surprise." While the songs come together to make for a cohesive record that is engaging from front to back, they are further united by the lyrical concept penned by Davidson. The title itself appropriated from Charles Darwin's quote: "If the misery of the poor be caused not by the

laws of nature, but by our institutions, great is our sin", Davidson went about building a theme that was not only fittingly expansive, but also had real resonance with regard to contemporary society. "The concept revolves around the folly of man throughout the ages. Some themes come from historical references that are hundreds of years old, yet sadly these themes are still very relevant today due to mankind's refusal to learn from the lessons history has taught us, time and time again." To this end, the vocalist tackles issues such as political corruption and the buying and selling of lawmakers on "Only The Spineless Survive", while on "Theatre Of Horror" he reflects on the place of public execution in Medieval times, and the manner in which it was supposed to shock and entertain the populace. Furthermore, he vents his anger and frustrations over the very real problems presented by climate change on epic closer "Cleaving The Ice Giants", and the aptly titled "Monolithic Ignorance". Regardless of the state of the world, nothing is going to slow Revocation down any time soon. Whilst the lineup has changed over the ten years the band has been in existence, Davidson's passion has never waned, and they are arguably sounding better than ever as they look toward the future. "We can't wait to bring these songs out on the road and perform them for different audiences all over the world. 'Great Is Our Sin' is a new chapter for the band, and collectively we feel that it is our defining record to date." www.facebook.com/revocation www.twitter.com/revocation **

33

NEWS: Hammers of Misfortune Dead Revolution Metal Blade Records Release: 22 July 2016 It's been some years since this prog metal band had a new album, but they are finally back. The U.S. band seems to cause listeners to disagree as what the music is. Some say it's 70s prog through the lens of heavy metal, others think that they are kind of bunch of typical San Francisco hippies or hobos, or something like that. What they are and what they sound like, is something that depends on the listener, apparently. Well, if that's the case, then you've got some investigating to do. Let's start here. OFFICIAL: When West Coast progressive heavy metallers Hammers of Misfortune are asked what took so long to follow-up 2011's acclaimed 17th Street, principal songwriter and guitarist John Cobbett is likely to throw out a Lennon lyric,"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." Though he's had Hammers of Misfortune on the brain for a good five years, life is exactly what's halted Cobbett and company from marching forward on what would turn into the group's sixth full-length, Dead Revolution. One, Cobbett and keyboardist Sigrid Sheie welcomed a baby. Two, frontman Joe Hutton was sidelined after being involved in a severe motorcycle accident. And three, while Hammers of Misfortune were away, Cobbett and Sheie blazed a crusty northern sky in Vhöl, guitarist Leila Abdul-Rauf had her coffin full with death metallers Vastum, bassist Paul Walker extolled doom metal's virtues in The Worship of Silence, and drummer Will Carroll - who replaces Chewy Marzolo - was sticks up with legendary Bay Area thrashers Death

Angel. Indeed, Lennon was right. Then again, Dead Revolution was finished in 2015. It's been sitting on Hammers of Misfortune's shelf between copies of Roxy Music's For Your Pleasure and Scorpions' In Trance. Well, not literally. "Mostly, the delay was my fault, trying to finish the cover art," admits Cobbett. "Specifically the gatefold/booklet, which is hand drawn and hand lettered (while holding a baby), took me a long time. Sorry! The front and back covers are by Robert Steven Connet, and are beautiful. I absolutely can't wait to hold the vinyl in my hands."Hammers of Misfortune's legion of heavy metal maniacs can't wait for the vinyl either. Formed in 2000, the Fog City metallers have enjoyed the majority of their catalog - save for 2001's The Bastard and 2006's The Locust Years - on precious wax. It's Cobbett's preferred format as a fan of '70s music like The Sweet, David Bowie, and various progressive rock bands. But that's not to say the songwriting for Dead Revolution was informed by the promise of a double vinyl or timeworn groups Cobbett holds dear. In fact, Hammers of Misfortune's sixth full-length started off, more or less, like previous efforts. "Sometimes I feel like we're too metal for the progs and too prog for the metals," the guitarist rifles before getting into his songwriting routine. "A cup of coffee, a guitar and a keyboard. The riffs come easy; lyrics, and arrangements are murder. Most of it comes down to making decisions, deciding what to cut out and what to keep. At least half of the music I write gets thrown away. Not very glamorous." As for differences between Dead Revolution and its predecessor 17th Street, Cobbett says it's more varied, using different tones. The mainman also thinks it's a darker and heavier effort. If trends and opinions are anything to go by, it would appear Hammers of Misfortune are sliding

34

slowly into, well, darker and heavier territory. 17th Street, by comparison, was fiercer than Fields / Church of Broken Glass. Likewise, Dead Revolution eats its forebear 17th Streetfor proverbial breakfast. To wit, there's no power ballad ("Summer Tears") on Hammers of Misfortune's newest. Then again, with tracks like the awesome "Sea of Heroes", the stupendous "The Precipice", the raging "Flying Alone", and the title track's riff-organ fest, fans expecting a continuation or expansion of "Summer Tears" will be placated by a more musically active Hammers of Misfortune. That's not to say Dead Revolution is without its slow-burners. "Here Comes the Sky" pivots off a Pink Floyd axis (think "A Pillow in the Wind") - with its soft strums, careful vocal interplay, and delicate percussion - before jettisoning into traditional heavy metal motifs. Dead Revolution's no musical slouch, that's for sure. "Of course, every song stands out to me,"says Cobbett. "I've no idea how listeners will react to them. 'The Velvet Inquisition' is probably one of the most ambitious compositions we've ever recorded. I was trying some different writing methods and the results are...interesting. 'Days of '49' is an attempt to repurpose an old traditional folk song, which is new for us." To realize Dead Revolution, Hammers of Misfortune altered the studio and studio personnel. Whereas previous efforts - going all the way back to 2001's The Bastard - were handled by engineer Justin Weis, this time around the group enlisted Nick Dumitriu (Vhöl, Ritual Chamber) to control the sound. The result is a warm, sharp sound that harkens back to productions like John Leckie's treatment of Pink Floyd's Meddle or David Hitchcock's master work in Camel's Mirage. "We recorded at Light Rail Studios in San Francisco," Cobbett reveals. "We recorded half the album before our son was born, and half after. We used no auto-tune, no digital

reverb, no amp sims, no simulated keyboards, practically no plug-ins. It's pretty raw." If there's anything Cobbett is coy about, it's the lyrics to Dead Revolution. As with 17th Street - an album about "loss and endings" - so too Hammers of Misfortune's latest, lyrically it's very personal. "As usual, I'm reluctant to talk about it," says the six-stringer. "It has a lot to do with what's been going on around me where I live, which just so happens to be going on seemingly everywhere. I live in San Francisco's Mission District, and have for over two decades. A little research into what's been going on here would explain a lot to the curious." What Cobbett and the rest of Hammers of Misfortune are excited about - besides the long-awaited release of Dead Revolution - is getting out there and playing the new songs live. And maybe writing a new song or two. "Playing some gigs and eventually writing some more songs," settles Cobbett. "I'm hoping we get to play some festivals this time. That would be excellent!" www.facebook.com/hammersofmisfortune ** NEWS: Ghoulgotha To Starve the Cross Dark Descent Records Release: 13 June 2016 This is death doom from California, U.S. In this case the complete album is available for listening, therefore supporters of old death metal with doom influences can hear directly from the horse's mouth what the band is all about. OFFICIAL: Southern California's Ghoulgotha have re-emerged from the depths with the release of To Starve the Cross. The band's 2015

35

debut - The Deathmass Cloak - was praised by critics for its demented revisioning of doom-infused, old-school death metal. To Starve the Cross sees Ghoulgotha twist an already abstract reality into forms never before experienced. Cvlt Nation, in response to the release of The Deathmass Cloak, said it was time to "posers the door." To Starve the Cross is the 10-headed beast ready to devour those who didn't heed that warning. This album, simply put, is a masterpiece of atonal and dissonant death metal delivered straight from the warped mind of Wayne Sarantopoulos (Decrepitaph, Encoffination, et. al). To Starve the Cross was mixed and mastered by Damian Herring at Subterranean Watchtower Studios with artwork by Mattias Frisk. www.ghoulgotha.bandcamp.com www.facebook.com/ghoulgotha666 ** NEWS: Solanum I.T.S.C. Horror Pain Gore Death Productions Release: 2 October 2015 Solanum is a thrash band from Canada and they have their album available for listening now. If you have not heard this crossover thrash, check it out at the link below. OFFICIAL: SOLANUM make their highly anticipated return to Horror Pain Gore Death Productions with the new vicious full length album I.T.S.C. (aka Into the Sinner Circle). Fresh off of the intense HPGD split album Passages To Lunacy with fellow Canadians Epi-Demic, the four piece terror unit known as SOLANUM continue their reign of devastation, raging straight out of the frozen prairies of their home town Winnipeg. I.T.S.C. features seven uncompromising lacerations of deadly Crossover Thrash, designed to leave the

listener pacing and primed for mayhem. No bullshit, no filler... this is nothing but sick unhinged riffs, adrenaline spiked drums and rapid fire vocals! A must have album for fans of Attitude Adjustment, Broken Bones, Cro-Mags, Crumbsuckers, Demolition Hammer, Destruction, DRI, English Dogs, Excel, Iron Reagan, Kreator, Lethal Aggression, Ludichrist, No Mercy, Nuclear Assault, SOD, Vio-lence and Wehrmacht. www.solanum-crossover.bandcamp.com/album/into-the-sinner-circle www.facebook.com/solanum.crossover www.twitter.com/SolanumWPG ** NEWS: Mausoleum Gate Metal and the Might Cruz Del Sur Music Release: 17 June 2016 Mausoleum Gate is vintage heavy metal from Finland. They figured out how to travel back in time through music. If you have not heard them before and you are not used to hearing old heavy metal done this way, get ready for quite the head trip into the past. The band also happens to be good at what they do. OFFICIAL: Following MAUSOLEUM GATE's 2014 critically acclaimed self-titled debut album comes the two-track 7" vinyl release of Metal and the Might. The release contains two new songs to please all their fans and keep the flame alive. Reflecting once more the eccentricity and uniqueness of these Fins, the title track is a straight in your face metal offering. The B side is occupied for over 6 minutes by the fantastic “Demon Soul," representing the band's progressive essence.

36

BIO: In October 2014 the release of MAUSOLEUM GATE's self-titled full-length debut album caught the world of Heavy Metal by surprise. Out of nowhere MAUSOLEUM GATE garnered genuine, unexpected attention, considering they do not play your average kind of metal. With an unusual offering that incorporates elements of late 70s proto-metal and a genuine, breathtaking affiliation with the spirit of the NWOBHM, MAUSOLEUM GATE soon rose to the status of “cult-band," a condition that brought them to play prestigious German Keep It True festival in 2015. MAUSOLEUM GATE was formed in 2008 by Count L.F. (gt) and Wicked Ischanius (bs) and two years after recorded their debut EP Gateways For The Wicked. In the spring of 2013 the band released Obsessed By Metal 7'' and reached a deal with Cruz Del Sur Music to release their self-titled debut album in October 2014. The band has recently hired the services of new bass-player Nino Karjalainen (not playing on the 7’’ though) while Wicked Ischianus has moved to keyboards full time. www.facebook.com/MausoleumGate ** NEWS: Krossfire Shades of Darkness Release date: June 3rd, 2016 Label: Pure Steel Records Krossfire is a prog/power metal band from Bulgaria. They have a new album, from which the band has made a video and has posted on their Facebook page. Learn more about the band, its album and its history through the official information below. OFFICIAL: KROSSFIRE shows us a dozen new songs full of power and emotions. A small progressive influence and a light symphonic

attitude is supported by high, but always fine vocals. A female voice is also added without affecting the whole impression of the music. The choirs in "The last ride" may lead to a special direction, but KROSSFIRE would not be KROSSFIRE, if the power of the songs wasn't strong enough during the whole album. Songs like "Destiny's calling" comes like a tsunami and "Annabelle" tells a story from different angles. If you don't feel trembling and increasing heat in your body now, you are definitely not a fan of Power or US-Metal. "Shades of Darkness" is an album full of emotions - negative and positive ones. It brings dark themes and explores human nature's deepest fears. However, through it's dark clouds a bright light shines. We put a lot of efforts in bringing our ideas to life, not only when composing, but when recording as well. It was quite challenging making this album, but the final result is outstanding to us. This is big step forward for the band. We love what we do and we do it with passion. KROSSFIRE OFFICIAL: The band was formed in 2001 from George Driev - bass, George Kushev - guitar and Spas Markov - drums. Later joined Zachary Shinikchiev - vocals and Nikola Ivanov - guitar. Various clubs performances in Plovdiv follow. The group already has a lot of fans - mostly friends. They are everywhere, where five have appear and strongly support them. So, after a year of concerts and rehearsals comes time to change. Nicola left the band briefly for official duties and Spas is called for compulsory military duty in 2003. Behind the drums temporarily stood Svetoslav Nachev. At the end of 2003, Nichola and Spas return. The last concert for Zachary is in club "XXL". His

37

place was taken by former lead singer of "Rappel Rack" - Dimo Petkov. Preliminary talks were held with him in December 2003 and early 2004 started rehearsals. In 2004 appeared their new web site - www.krossfirebg.com. History, news, pictures and latest information are available for the fans. Largest and most significant event untill then in the band's history is invitation from Albena Tsolova (SinBSin / EAST METAL RECORDS) for supporting act of American power-metal legends "JAG PANZER" in Sofia. This was a reward for their effords during those years, which was deployed with full force on 08.11.2005 in club "Fans". The band played about an hour, "in front of small, but high quality heavy metal audience and give a perfect opening for the metal veterans". Excellent reviews in the press and the internet follow. In 2006, the band warmed up once again for Austrian legends "Pungent Stench" in club "Snatch" - Plovdiv, with band from city of Burgas - "Vrani Volosa". From June of 2007 the band has a new member - Peter Boshnakov - keyboards, replaced Nikola Ivanov (guitar). In late 2007 Krossfire recorded the song "Angels Cry", and in early 2008 - the song "Touch Of Destiny". Records were made in "F.1Sound Studio" (www.f1soundrecords.com) in Plovdiv with sound engineer Vasil Valchev and subsequently released single "Touch Of Destiny". Good reviews appeared, both in Bulgarian and international press. In June 2008 concert was filmed at club "POLINERO Place", which was released on Home DVD in November 2009 under the title

"7 years on stage". In 2008 and 2009 continued live performances in clubs in Bulgaria and motor fairs in the country. In June 2009 the song "Touch Of Destiny" participate in CD compilation of the German magazine "Heavy". It was published in Germany in the second half of the month. The song of the band is first one on the list, which gives a great advantage - each having CD will hear the song. Brief information and photo of the band were published in the magazine, along with information about the other bands in the compilation. Also, songs from the CD were played on the festival "Bang Your Head !!!", which was held in the town of Balingen at the end of June. In early 2010 from "HEAVY" magazine was held an interview with Georgi Kushev and Dimo Petkov, which was printed in the edition of the magazine in April. Also, review of "Touch Of Destiny" was published in the magazine "Rock Hard" in July, issue number 28. Between October '10 and March'11, Krossfire recorded their debut album "Learning To Fly" in "F.1Sound Studio" in Plovdiv, Bulgaria and then mastered the material in "Master Vargas Studio" in New York, USA. The album was released on 15th of May 2011. The band embarked on their massive, more than thirty dates tour throughout Bulgaria on 15th of February 2011. At the end of the year Krossfire signed a deal with German label "PURE STEEL RECORDS". The album was released worldwide via label on 27th of January 2012. A lot of excellent reviews appeared in international press and online webzines afterwards. www.facebook.com/krossfirebg/

38

** NEWS: Vibrion Bacterya Release date: March 21st, 2016 Label: Xtreem Music At the link below is the band's complete album available for listening. They are a death metal band that started in Argentina and now the band is based in Belgium. Below you will also find the official information and hyperbolic hype. OFFICIAL: Argentinian legends Vibrion, who've been around since the early '90s and have singlehandedly put their country on the map for metal, are back with a new full length album. And it's every bit worth the wait. With better songwriting and a never-say-die approach, they've come up with a set of 10 songs that are as relevant as they can get. Not just that, they're actually pushing the sound forward the way some of the old school legends forgot how to do. Bands like Morgoth, Death, Immolation, Morbid Angel, Sepultura, Malevolent Creation and Pestilence would be proud to have been instrumental in some way in forging the sound that Vibrion peddle in. Each song is pulsating with a unique riff pattern, and with vocals that are as vile as ever, it gives the music a new, exciting dimension, something that the newer bands lacking imagination and power fail to do. 'Bacterya' is one of the most potent albums to come from a band over two decades old that have outlasted all trends and perceptions. It's an album setting new standards and opening up possibilities for that old school sound to evolve, without diminishing any of the raw, unbridled appeal. OFFICIAL: Emerged back in '89 under the monicker of Chacal, they later changed into

Vibrion in 1992. On that year, they infected the international underground scene with their first demo album "Erradicated Life" positioning them as a cult act worldwide, soon after released on EP by the swiss label Witchhunt Records and with two songs featured on 1994 Nuclear Blast's "Grindcore" compilation. Followed by their first full-length album "Diseased" (1995) , full-length album "Closed Frontiers" (1997- recorded at the famous Sunlight Studios, Sweden and produced by Tomas Skogsberg) and "Instinct" EP (2002) the band developed an unique style combining the most violent death-grind attacks, which come unexpected after their slow bending and "tango-ish" riffs, all combined with their trademark double blast technique which they named "Cuatrijera". In 2015 Vibrion just finished the recording of their long awaited new album "Bacterya". Vibrion touring: During their first years, Vibrion started playing many gigs in Buenos Aires and surroundings, later in the whole Argentina as well as in Uruguay and Bolivia. In April of the same year, their most important gig was played supporting Kreator in front of 2500 people. In '94 and '95, the band did European tours in Belgium, France, Spain, Germany, Holland, Finland and Switzerland. After a long hiatus, the band re-formed in Belgium in 2013 and with two new members. Disembodied Records released the full remastered discography and took Vibrion on a 10 dates Argentinian Tour, followed by some dates in Belgium and a performing at Extremefest (Hunxe, Germany). Bacterya: Bacterya was recorded in September 2015 at Blackout Studios, Brussels, Belgium. Mastered by Andy Classen at Stage One Studios, Borgentreich, Germany. It has been released in Argentina by Disembodied Records and in the rest of the world by Xtreem Music. Today based in Belgium, the unfrozen

39

evil is back again, and a new plague will be unleashed. www.xtreemmusic.bandcamp.com/album/bacterya www.facebook.com/VibrionOfficial www.twitter.com/vibrionband ** Gojira Magma release date: June 17th, 2016 label: Roadrunner Records Gojira is a postrock band that many people love. Actually, the fundamental sound of Gojira is groove rock, a rather simplistic and repetitive guitar sound that captivates the attention of the listeners due to the simple/chugging qualities. The reviews do not hesitate to say that the music is the work of genius: the groove and postmodern sounds really have hit a nerve with certain people. The new album is no different. The band's combination of chug/groove/simple sounds and the indie/alternative rock influences have attracted the attention of the publications and obviously the listeners, too. The vocals alternate between shouts and emo/spacey/indie-type attempts at singing. The vocalist obviously cannot sing, does have the natural ability to sing, but he can vocalize without shouting and it is enough of a contrast to please the band's audience. The band is probably considered genius also due to its habit of making very irritating/repetitive sounds, which are the result of the band playing around with its equipment, making weird sounds, finding strange little noises, experimenting and then using those annoying sounds over and over and over again until one cannot take it anymore and has to stop listening to the album because it is not possible to keep listening to something that is this utterly annoying.

Gojira are considered genius. ** Fallujah Dreamless release date: April 29th, 2016 label: Nuclear Blast America "Stellar" and "grand" and "terrific" and "gorgeous" and "brilliant" and "cherished" are just a few of the words used to talk about Fallujah. Fallujah is a melodic/extreme hardcore/growlcore band with postrock/posthardcore elements. They are about to start a tour in Europe and their tour's first show is at the famous music festival called Hellfest Open Air Festival in France, which boasts more than 140 bands this year, if the information on hand have is correct. Of course, that is many, many bands, but just the fact that this band is on the bill says that they are doing well, or not doing too bad, at worst. Their previous album The Flesh Prevails (2014) was received very well, too. This year they have a new album. The band, according to some people, is on the cutting edge of extreme rock music. Their use of hardcore/metalcore/growlcore vocals with chugging rhythms, mixed in with melodic/ambient/yoga/meditation music sounds have been welcomed by people who see themselves as looking for something new, different and supposedly revolutionary. The band also prefers the use of spacey singing voices here and there to contrast with the hardcore/deathcore sounds. The music is difficult to tolerate because the combination of aggravating music (hardcore/deathcore/punkcore) with discombobulated components (sleepy-time music) works very well for causing quick repudiation. The self-conscious so-called spiritual/world-music vibe cannot go far

40

before one comes to her or his senses and realizes that this music by these California hipsters is really very gimmicky and self-important. It's not too long before the time for patience runs out and one has to press stop. Some people believe that this is the cutting edge of extreme rock music today. **

concert calendar Seattle area concert calendar by Metal Bulletin Zine (Washington state). If you know of other metal concerts in the area, please get in contact with Metal Bulletin Zine. July 16 Holy Grail, Spellcaster, Exmortus at Highline, Seattle, WA July 16 Washington Deathfest at The Charleston, Bremerton, WA: Funeral Age, Sarcalogos, Primordial Atrocity, Dead Nexus, A Flourishing Scourge, Species Splicer, July 17 Ne Obliviscaris, Black Crown Initiate, Starkill at The Shakedown, Bellingham, WA July 18 Ne Obliviscaris, Black Crown Initiate, Starkill at The Crocodile, Seattle, WA July 19 Inter Arma, Withered at Barboza, Seattle, WA July 20 Anthrocene, Oxygen Destroyer at Funhouse, Seattle, WA July 21 Arkaik, Vale Of Pnath, Singularity, Devils of Loudun, Odyssian at Studio Seven, Seattle, WA July 22 Castle, Disenchanter, Year of the Cobra at Funhouse, Seattle, WA

July 22 Undergang, Spectral Voice, Temple of Abandonment, Of Corpse, Cerebral Rot at Highline, Seattle, WA July 25: Atriarch, Sabbath Assembly, Eye of Nix, Nox Velum at Highline, Seattle, WA July 28 Riot V at Studio Seven, Seattle, WA July 28 Inquisition, UADA, Hissing, Sacrament ov Impurity, guests at Wild Buffalo, Bellingham, WA July 29 Inquisition, UADA, Necrosomnium, Sacrament ov Impurity, Guests at Studio Seven, Seattle, WA August 5 Come To Grief, Bell Witch, Hissing, Dilapidation at Highline, Seattle, WA August 8 Summer Slaughter: Cannibal Corpse, Nile, After the Burial, Suffocation, Carnifex, Revocation, Krisiun, Ingested and more at Showbox SODO, Seattle, WA August 8 WRVTH at The Pin, Spokane, WA August 12-14 Migration Festival at the Capitol Theater in downtown Olympia, WA: Alaric, Auroch, The Body and Krieg collaborative performance, Christian Mistress, Dead to a Dying World, False, Fórn, Full of Hell, Hell (U.S.), Khemmis, Kowloon Walled City, Krallice, Magic Circle, Mizmor, Mournful Congregation, Mutilation Rites, Nightfell, Obsequiae, Pale Chalice, Panopticon, Thou, Vastum, Vhol, Yellow Eyes August 16 Krallice, Pale Chalice, Addaura, A God or an Other at Highline, Seattle, WA August 19 The Dread Crew of Oddwood at Funhouse, Seattle, WA August 20 The Dread Crew of Oddwood at

41

WMRF, Bonney Lake, WA August 20 Lord Dying, Child Bite, Joel Grind at Highline, Seattle, WA August 21 The Dread Crew of Oddwood at WMRF, Bonney Lake, WA August 21 Neid, Genocide Method, Truth Decay, Darkmysticwoods at Highline, Seattle, WA August 21 Anthrax, White River Amphitheater, Auburn, WA August 22 Master, Sacrificial Slaughter, The Black Order, VX36, Xoth at Substation, Seattle, WA August 22 Belphegor, Origin, Shining, Abigail Williams, Ashen Pyre guests at Studio Seven, Seattle, WA August 24 Sammy Hagar at The Tulip Amphitheatre, Tulalip, WA August 28 The Devils Of Loudun, A Sense Of Gravity, A World Without, Children Of Seraph, Thieves of Eden, Vesuvian at El Corazon, Seattle, WA September 1 Cobalt, Mantar, Into the Storm at Highline, Seattle, WA September 5 Volbeat, Killswitch Engage, Black Wizard at WAMU Theater, Seattle, WA September 13 Black Nights Rising at Studio Seven, Seattle, WA September 16 Marduk, Rotting Christ, Carach Angren, Necronomicon, Funeral Age, Inquinok at Studio Seven, Seattle, WA September 30 Kataklysm, Deathmocracy, A

Flourishing Scourge at Studio Seven, Seattle, WA October 1 Def Leppard at Tacoma Dome, Tacoma, WA October 6 Discharge, Eyehategod, Toxic Holocaust, Oxygen Destroyer, Disciples of Dissent at Studio Seven, Seattle, WA October 11 Gojira, Tesseract at Showbox SoDo, Seattle, WA October 12 Brujería, Cattle Decapitation, Piñata Protest at Studio Seven, Seattle, WA October 14 Between the Buried and Me, Devin Townsend Project, Fallujah at Studio Seven, Seattle, WA October 15 Saint Vitus, The Skull, Witch Mountain at El Corazón, Seattle, WA October 15 Skeletonwitch, Iron Reagan, Oathbreaker, Gatecreeper at Highline, Seattle, WA October 25 Opeth at The Moore Theater, Seattle, WA October 29 Himsa at El Corazón, Seattle, WA November 5 Ulcerate, Zhrine, Phobocosm at Highline, Seattle, WA November 15 Armored Saint, Queensrÿche, Midnight Eternal at Showbox at the Market, Seattle, WA November 16 Epica, FleshGod Apocalypse, Arkona, The Agonist, Xandria at Studio Seven, Seattle, WA November 26 Dark Tranquillity, Swallow the Sun, Enforcer, Star Kill at El Corazón, Seattle,

42

WA November 29 Sonata Arctica, Leaves’ Eyes, Omnium Gatherum at El Corazón, Seattle, WA January 18 Udo Dirkschneider "Back To The Roots - Farewell To Accept" at El Corazón, Seattle, WA January 28 Blue Öyster Cult at Historic Everett Theatre, Everett, WA — metal programs (these are Pacific Times) Mosh Pit (Madison, WI): Monday night 9:30pm-12am WORT 89.9 fm www.wortfm.org Sweet Nightmares (Houston, TX): Thursday night 9pm-12am KPFT 90.1 fm www.kpft.org Excuse All the Blood (Olympia, WA): Friday night 11pm-1am www.kaosradio.org Metal Shop (Seattle, WA): Saturday 11pm-3am KISW 99.9fm www.kisw.com — This zine is available at: www.issuu.com/metalbulletinzine