Lansko leto je enočlanska black metal zasedba Blackbraid, ki svojo inspiracijo išče v zgodbah ameriških staroselcev, izdala album Blackbraid II. Po krajšem premoru pa zdaj idejni vodja Sgah’gahsowáh sporoča, da je že začel delo z novim albumom, ki bo nosil ime Blackbraid III. Podrobnosti za zdaj še ostajajo skrivnost. Celotno izjavo Sgah’gahsowáha pa lahko preberete spodaj:

»I realize it has been several weeks since I posted on this account which is unusual for me. Rest assured the silence is a temporary but necessary one. The solitude of winter has always been an integral part of my writing and this year is no different.

That being said it should not surprise you that I have recently begun work on a third full length, Blackbraid III. The details of this release are still largely unknown and there is much work to be done in the coming months, just know that my lack of social media presence during the writing process is a necessary one.

As the winter wanes on I will make more updates on the new album as the process progresses. As always, thank you all for your endless support, I promise this is only the beginning.«

Poslušate lahko samonaslovljeni album od Slower, nove superskupine s člani zasedb Kyuss, Fu Manchu, Kylesa, Lowrider, Monolord in Year of the Cobra. Zasedba je na tem albumu priredila pet komadov legendarnih Slayer.

Finski doom/death metalci Swallow The Sun bodo 30. aprila pri Alone Records na vinilu izdali zbirko The Singles Collection (The Spinefarm Years). Kot pove že ime, bo izdaja pokrivala bandovo sodelovanje z založbo Spinefarm Records, natančneje te izdaje:

The Morning Never Came
Ghosts Of Loss
Hope
New Moon
Emerald Forest And The Blackbird
Plague Of Butterflies (EP)

Nemška zasedba Paradox se vrača z napovedjo novega albuma Mysterium. Album naj bi izšel še letos pri založbi AFM Records, točen datum izida pa še ni znan. Spodaj pa si lahko preberete izjavo Charlyja Steinhauerja:

»Friends and fans,
I had a dream. I wanted to start together with AXEL BLAHA, with whom I founded PARADOX in 1981, and end together again at some point. Unfortunately, that is no longer possible because he has said goodbye to this world.
In all these years, AXEL was the only musician who worked with me the way you have to, to achieve a goal. We never danced around at multiple weddings and were always loyal to one band. PARADOX! This was the only way the two classics “PRODUCT OF IMAGINATION” and “HERESY” were possible.
I miss him very much and it is very difficult for me to move on without him, but anyone who knows me knows that giving up is not an option for me.
Not even after 43 years and that's why I can tell you, that I have composed a new PARADOX album, which will hopefully be released worldwide this year via AFM RECORDS. The album will be called “MYSTERIUM” and will contain all the trademarks a Paradox fan wants.
The special thing about “MYSTERIUM” is that I composed all the songs and played all the instruments myself, because I will never again work with project-hungry musician whores who play a few notes on an album but otherwise have nothing to do with PARADOX, or none maintain contact with his colleagues. Unfortunately, this runs like a common thread through the entire career and is the main reason why PARADOX was never able to really get off the ground. To do this you need musicians who work together and pursue a common goal.
It should also be a warning to all young musicians and new bands who want to achieve something with their band. You can find out more about this in the numerous interviews for the new album. You should definitely read this!
I will also be responsible for the mix and the entire production.
The lyrics are written by ACHIM “DAXX” HOEMERLEIN (ex-Vendetta), who also wrote the lyrics for “TALES OF THE WEIRD” and “PANGEA”.
TRAVIS SMITH (Opeth/Nevermore etc) is currently working on the artwork.
“MYSTERIUM” is a very heavy album and contains 10 songs with a playing time of 51 minutes. Dedicated to AXEL BLAHA, my best friend and co-founder of PARADOX!
Cheerz!
Charly«

Legendarna death/doom metal zasedba The Bloody Earth se po sedmih letih zatišja vrača z novim EP-jem Crnoslovlje, ki mu lahko v celoti prisluhnete tukaj. Zajemal bo te komade:

Rise From the Earth, Father
Celestial Tears
Cveta trešnja

Ameriške thrash groove metal legende Exhorder bodo 8. marca pri Nuclear Blast Records izdali (komaj) četrti dolgometražec z naslovom Defectum Omnium. Izdali so tudi že video za prvi komad Year Of The Goat, ki bo seveda na prihajajočem albumu.

Nizozemska enočlanska black metal zasedba Helleruin, ki smo jo lani decembra ujeli v Eindhovnu, se je odpravila v studio in že pripravlja material za nov dolgometražec, ki naj bi izšel že letos:

»2024 has officially started with a new studio session.

Upped the game with more cymbals, more toms and more microphones. Going from 6 to 14 channels to record. As I’m trying different ways to challenge myself, I’m recording for the first time to a Clicktrack. So yes, obviously new music coming this year.«

Avtor fotografije je Žiga Grubelnik.

Norveška black metal zasedba Mork, katere ustanovitelj in vodja je Thomas Eriksen, sporoča, da je ostala brez basista Roba Saxa. Zamenjava še ni znana, spodaj pa si lahko preberete izjavo banda:

Progresivni death metal duet Iapetus sporoča, da je podpisal pogodbo z založbo Willowtip Records. Band je trenutno v fazi priprave materiala za tretji album, spodaj pa lahko preberete izjavo banda ob začetku sodelovanja z novo založbo:

»We are honored, humbled, and thrilled to announce our partnership with Willowtip Records - to join their incomparable roster, both past and present, and to stand alongside so many incredible bands that we have long admired both as fans and peers.Willowtip is and has always been dedicated to pushing the boundaries of metal - to championing the off-beat and the unfamiliar - and so we feel resolutely at home beneath their legendary, ever-innovative banner. This partnership is, for us - and in so many ways - a perfect fit. We could not be more excited for the endeavors ahead.

Writing for our next album has been ongoing for years, and is still well underway - while it's still too far-off for specific details, we can promise that it will be our darkest record yet - an 80+ minute conceptual rumination on hopelessness, mortality, and meaning in an uncaring cosmos. More news will become available as the album progresses.

And, as always, our unending gratitude for the continual support of our fans across the globe - if you haven't already, check out some of our new, outstanding labelmates - An Abstract Illusion, Countless Skies, Hath, Slugdge, The Anchoret, and more!

Cheers, and Happy New Year!«

Behemoth, ki so bili nedavno potrjeni kot headlinerji naslednje edicije festival Tolminator, za 30. aprila naslednje leto napovedujejo prav poseben koncert. Dogodek z imenom Outliving Christ – 33 Years Ov Behemoth napoveduje koncert ob 33. obletnici delovanja banda, ki se bo zgodil v filharmoniji Grande Salle Pierre Boulez v Parizu. Predvozači bodo Regarde Les Hommes Tomber, celoten koncert pa bo moč v živo spremljati preko live streama, ki ga bo omogočila televizijska hiša Arte.

Ob praznovanju 20. obletnice delovanja so TrollfesT, pionirji »True Norwegian Balkan« metala, napovedali izid nove kompilacijske plošče z naslovom 20 Years in The Wrong Lane. Ta vsebuje mešanico starih demo posnetkov, jam sessionov, neobjavljenih skladb, bonus materiala in nekaj remiksov, ki povzemajo divje in veselo potovanje skupine skozi svet metala. Tracklista:

Stran A
Atlantis
...Skogfest
Smoldering Failure
A Shot of Trolljoy
Drinking Beer
Happy Little Boozer (Korpiklaani cover)
Dance Like a Remix

Stran B
Der JegerMeister
Drinking Song From Hell
Gigantic Cave (live)
Flamongous (live)
Kjetteren Afterski

Švedska progresivna death metal zasedba Carnosus sporoča, da je sklenila sodelovanje z Willowtip Records. Poleg naznanitve nove založbe band še sporoča, da bo kmalu začel z delom na tretjem albumu:

»As the year ends we are buckling up and getting ready to record our third album. We are happy to announce that this time we are working with Willowtip Records and joining their roster of amazing bands!

Expect more ‘Visions’ as we venture into our third installment, with tales of the vicious majesty and the world it lives in. This project comes with some of our finest riffs to date and is a bit more progressive than our last album. We will, once again, team up with the trustworthy and excellent producer Robert Kukla at Obsidian Recording Studios in Gothenburg, Sweden. We are beyond stoked to let this material come to life, and we hit the studio early 2024! Giddy up!«

Brazilske legende Sepultura so konec prejšnjega tedna nepričakovano sporočile, da se po 40 letih delovanja poslavljajo. Pred upokojitvijo se bo band odpravil še na daljšo turnejo okrog sveta. V Evropo naj bi se podali konec oktobra, datume turneje pa najdete na priloženi sliki. Krajšo izjavo banda lahko preberete spodaj:

»Sepultura has reached the end of the road and has chosen to depart via a conscious and planned death.

Throughout the next 18 months we will celebrate 40 years of existence together along with our loyal fans on a farewell tour across the entire globe.

It will be a celebration of the past and the present for one final time.«

Ob 20. obletnici Yearning for the Grotesque, tretjega dolgometzražca legendarnih španskih death metalcev Avulsed, bo band s pomočjo Xtreem Music tega ponovno izdal, in sicer:

na kaseti,
zgoščenki,
»splatter« in črnem vinilu,
in digitalno.

Novi plošček prinaša tri bonus pesmi, live posnetke iz madridskega kluba Copernico Nova iz leta 2005:

Wormeaten
Devourer of the Dead
Pale Red Blood
Sick Sick Sex
Daddy Stew
I Feel Good... Eating Human Flesh
Foetivorous Marriage
Morbid Chef
Cadaver Decapitado
Decrepit Sigh
Amidst the Macabre (live)
Stabwound Orgasm (live)
Exorcismo Vaginal (live)

Moldavska zasedba Infected Rain sporoča, da bo 9. februarja naslednje leto preko založbe Napalm Records luč sveta ugledal njen nov album z naslovom Time. Seznam komadov je sledeč:

Because I Let You
Dying Light
Never To Return
Lighthouse
The Awnser Is You
Vivarium
Pandemonium
Enmity
Unpredictable
Game OF Blame
Paura
A Second Or A Thousand Years