Wednesday, April 17, 2013

TESSERACT Release New Video Trailer for Altered State



UK's progressive rock band TESSERACT has released another video featuring new music from their upcoming album 'Altered State' which will be released on May 28, 2013 in North America via Century Media Records. Divided into four movements: Of Matter, Of Mind, Of Reality and Of Energy, 'Altered State' represents the transformations that TESSERACT has gone through over the past few years. The Law of Conservation of Energy states that: In a closed system energy is conserved, nothing is lost. It merely changes from one state to another. 

The new video trailer can be seen here


The band's first trailer release can be view here


Their second trailer here


'Altered State' was produced, mixed, mastered and engineered by TESSERACT guitarist, Acle Kahney, assisted by bassist, Amos Williams at Acle's 4D Sounds studio, and marks the first full release with new vocalist, Ashe O'Hara.

The band is set to head out with longtime friends, PERIPHERY, throughout mainland Europe and then headline dates throughout the UK just prior to album release. Worldwide touring will follow throughout the year.





A PALE HORSE NAMED DEATH Debut New Song on RevolverMag.com





A PALE HORSE NAMED DEATH will release their sophomore album Lay My Soul to Waste May 21st in North America on Steamhammer/SPV. Once again the artwork was commissioned by Sam Shearon, who is also responsible for artwork on the band's first release And Hell Will Follow Me.

Today the band has teamed up with RevolverMag.com the online home of Revolver Magazine to premiere the first single from Lay My Soul to Waste entitled "Shallow Grave". Get a first listen to the song HERE.

On the surface, A PALE HORSE NAMED DEATHare impressive. But you'll want to dig deeper and immerse yourself in all the sonic and lyrical layers, because the band isn't afraid to plume the depths of darkness that humanity is capable of. It's murky stuff, but someone has to do it.

Sal Abruscato and Matt Brown have followed 2011's incredible introduction And Hell Will Follow Mewith Lay My Soul to Waste, which keeps the band's patented signature formula of slow, deliberate sludge and head-down doom intact and as flawlessly executed as ever.

Think Alice in Chains, only harder, angrier and with a more perverse view of the world, as if they were reared in a row house in Bensonhurst, as opposed to the rainy landscape of Seattle, all the while feasting on a steady diet of Black Sabbath records.

A PALE HORSE NAMED DEATH arrived with And Hell Will Follow Me. They have firmly implanted their roots in the metal scene with Lay My Soul to Waste. It's a metal album that headbangers who enjoy a walk on the darker side of life will end up revering and responding to.

Lay My Soul to Waste can be pre-ordered on Amazon on both CD and LP.

Lay My Soul to Waste Tracklisting:

1) Lay My Soul to Waste

2) Shallow Grave

3) The Needle in You

4) In the Sleeping Death

5) Killer by Night

6) Growing Old

7) Dead of Winter

8) Devil Came With a Smile

9) Day of the Storm

10) DMSLT

11) Cold Dark Mourning

Philip Anselmo Announces Career-First Solo Project


Philip Anselmo, legendary frontman of Pantera and Down, will release his career-first solo album, Walk Through Exits Only, on July 16 via his own Housecore Records (MRI/Megaforce). Walk Through Exits Only will be available digitally, on CD and on vinyl.

Produced by Philip Anselmo and Michael Thompson, and recorded over the past couple of years at his New Orleans studio, Nodferatu's Lair, with his band The Illegals - Marzi Montazeri/guitar, and drummer Jose Manuel "Blue" Gonzales, Walk Through Exits Only is abrasive, aggressive, anthemic and 100% Anselmo. The album's eight songs are as unstrained as it gets, from "Battalion of Zero" to "Usurper's Bastard Rant," to the album's title track that goes against the grain and right through the exits. Brash, brutal guitars cut through punishing percussion as Anselmo screams with uncompromising ferocity and uncontainable fire.

"It wasn't about doing a paint-by-numbers thrash or heavy metal record," Anselmo explained about the project. "It's an angry album that only I could do. I don't see anybody else out there screaming about the same shit I'm screaming about. On this album, there isn't any wordplay, there isn't any hidden message, it's all right there in front of you."

Anselmo and the Illegals will support the new album with a major North American tour planned for this summer. Anselmo, who is up for Best Vocalist at this year's Revolver Golden Gods awards, will make a special appearance at that event.

On Walk Through Exits Only and over his entire career, Anselmo hasn't just paved his own path, he's bulldozed it with his bare hands.

CEREMONIAL OATH releases deluxe re-issue of 'The Book Of Truth' in North America

 
CEREMONIAL OATH - Sweden's pioneers of twisted melodic death metal - have released their legendary debut album, The Book Of Truth, as a digital download in North America! To purchase the deluxe re-issue of The Book Of Truth, please visit iTunes or Amazon for a digital download.


Besides the album tracks found on The Book Of Truth, this download also includes all tracks from the super rare demos, Wake The Dead and Black Sermon (on which CEREMONIAL OATH was still performing under the band's previous moniker DESECRATOR), as well as the two tracks from the legendary Lost Name Of God 7" (originally released on Corpse Grinder Records in 1992).


The Book Of Truth doesn't follow the usual melodic approach that many bands from the Gothenburg scene established during the heyday of the scene from 1994-1999. Being neither pure Gothenburg melodic death metal nor typical old school Swedish death metal in the Stockholm vein, but more a fine mélange of both worlds, spiced-up with some technical finesse a la MORBID ANGEL and NOCTURNUS, The Book Of Truth has justly become a classic death metal album. To this day, the sound of CEREMONIAL OATH has remained surprisingly fresh and unique.


The Book Of Truth deluxe re-issue track-listing:

The Album

Prologue: Sworn To Avenge

Chapter I: The Invocator

Chapter II: For I Have Sinned / The Praise

Chapter III: Enthroned

Chapter IV: Only Evil Prevails

Chapter V: Thunderworld (Welcome To Forever)

Chapter VI: Lords Of Twilight

Chapter VII: Ceremonial Oath

Chapter VIII: The Lost Name Of God

Chapter IX: The Book Of Truth

Chapter X: Hellbound (instrumental)

The Demos (Bonus Tracks)

Intro: The Hour Between Darkness And Dawn

Remains Of Death

Force Of Habit

A Nocturnal Predator

Into The Abyss Of Hell

The Invocator

Necrosis

The Lost Name Of God

For I Have Sinned / The Praise


The Demos (Bonus Tracks) info

Tracks 1 - 4 taken from the Wake The Dead demo (1990, performing as DESECRATOR)

Tracks 5 - 7 taken from the Black Sermon demo (1990, performing as DESECRATOR)

Tracks 8 & 9 taken from the Lost Name Of God 7" (1992)


SPIRITUAL BEGGARS releases new album 'Earth Blues' in North America

Sweden's classic rock heavyweights SPIRITUAL BEGGARS have released their new album, Earth Blues, in North America! To purchase Earth Blues, please head over to iTunes for a digital copy or CM Distro for various physical formats.
 
 

Earth Blues is the band's 8th studio release and marks SPIRITUAL BEGGARS' 20th anniversary as a band. The band's lineup includes current and past members of metal heavyweights ARCH ENEMY, CARCASS, OPETH, FIREWIND and WITCHERY. For previews of Earth Blues, please check out the previously released album tracks below:



 
Earth Blues track-listing

1. Wise As A Serpent

2. Turn The Tide

3. Sweet Magic Pain

4. Hello Sorrow

5. One Man's Curse

6. Dreamer

7. Too Old To Die Young

8. Kingmaker

9. Road To Madness

10. Dead End Town

11. Freedom Song

12. Legends Collapse

In order to promote this upcoming release as well as the band's anniversary, SPIRITUAL BEGGARS have confirmed a European tour for April with support by German rockers ZODIAC, in addition to some summer festivals around the world. See below for all upcoming tour dates:

SPIRITUAL BEGGARS - "Earth Blues Tour" w. special guest ZODIAC + more
Presented in G/S/A by Metal Hammer, Guitar, Eclipsed & powermetal.de
4.16.2013 - Köln (Germany) - Underground
4.17.2013 - Ludwigsburg (Germany) - Rockfabrik
4.18.2013 - München (Germany) - Backstage
4.19.2013 - Pratteln (Switzerland) - Galery
4.20.2013 - Nürnberg (Germany) - Rockfabrik / Rock'n'Roll Overdose Festival
4.21.2013 - Tilburg (The Netherlands) - 013 / Roadburn Festival
4.22.2013 - Paris (France) - La Scene Bastille
4.25.2013 - Madrid (Spain) - Caracol
4.26.2013 - Barcelona (Spain) - Sala Music Hall
4.27.2013 - Erandio / Bilbao (Spain) - Sonora
4.28.2013 - Toulouse (France) - Le Saint Des Seins


SPIRITUAL BEGGARS @ Festivals 2013:
4.20.2013 - Nürnberg (Germany) - Rockfabrik / Rock'n'Roll Overdose Festival
4.21.2013 - Tilburg (The Netherlands) - 013 / Roadburn Festival / www.roadburn.com
5.25.2013 - Mexico City (Mexico) - Circo Volador
6.23.2013 - Clisson (France) - Hellfest / www.hellfest.fr

Earth Blues is the follow-up to 2010's critically acclaimed Return To Zero, and it promises to be another milestone in the band's fertile and challenging musical evolution.

SPIRITUAL BEGGARS discography:
Spiritual Beggars - CD 1994
Another Way To Shine - CD 1996
Violet Karma - 10" EP 1998
Mantra III - CD 1998
Ad Astra - CD/2LP 2000
It's Over - Split 7" EP with GRAND MAGUS 2001
On Fire - CD 2002
Demons - CD 2005
Live Fire! - DVD 2006
Return To Zero - CD/LP 2010
Earth Blues - CD/LP 2013

SPIRITUAL BEGGARS line-up:
Michael Amott (Guitars | ARCH ENEMY, ex CARCASS)
Ludwig Witt (Drums | GRAND MAGUS, ex FIREBIRD)
Per Wiberg (Keys | ex OPETH)
Sharlee D'Angelo (Bass | ARCH ENEMY, WITCHERY)
Apollo Papathanasio (Vocals | ex FIREWIND)

Dan Swano signs long-term worldwide deal with Century Media Records; WITHERSCAPE album completed

It's with great pride and joy that Century Media Records can announce the signing of a long-term worldwide deal with Swedish singer, multi-instrumentalist and producer extraordinaire Dan Swanö.

Most dedicated metalheads will not only be able to call themselves owners of certain releases by one Dan's many outstanding bands/projects (EDGE OF SANITY, NIGHTINGALE, etc.), but also the work at his own Unisound studio will surely have left a mark in everyone's record collection at some point: OPETH, KATATONIA, DISSECTION, MERCILESS, 59 TIMES THE PAIN, DARK FUNERAL, HAIL OF BULLETS, MARDUK, MILLENCOLIN and NASUM, to name but a few.

Swanö has been no stranger to Century Media Records: He was originally involved with the death metal supergroup BLOODBATH (also featuring members of OPETH and KATATONIA), who released the Breeding Death EP as well as the amazing first two albums, Resurrection Through Carnage and Nightmares Made Flesh, via Century Media. Most recently, Swanö has been heavily working again as producer and mixer of albums, including releases by Century Media artists such as ASPHYX, GRAND SUPREME BLOOD COURT, ODDLAND and MORGOTH.

Dan Swanö comments about the signing:

"It's been 23 years since I signed my first ever record-deal, but never before have I been this excited...I have now signed with Century Media Records!

I bought the first release from Century Media back in 1989, and it is amazing to see how much the label has grown over the years.

After working with CM for a few compilation CDs and for two and a half albums with BLOODBATH, I knew it would be the perfect home for me whenever I felt like returning to the recording-industry as a performer again.

And now...I am back! With a vengeance!!!"

The first result of the new cooperation between Dan Swanö and Century Media will be the release of his newly founded metal outfit WITHERSCAPE, which sees Dan teaming with another talented multi-instrumentalist, Ragnar Widerberg, to create an intense concept album-- which should not only musically please fans of earlier Swanö-works like Moontower or EDGE OF SANITY, but also attract fans of contemporary progressively atmospheric metal in the vein of OPETH, BARREN EARTH and AMORPHIS.

Swanö comments about the upcoming WITHERSCAPE album:

"I have just completed the final mixes of the first album from my new project WITHERSCAPE.
Fans of my 'Moontower' album and the catchier parts of EDGE OF SANITY won't be disappointed!
I sing, both clean and growl, play drums and keyboards. Ragnar Widerberg plays all guitars & bass and has co-written almost all the tracks with me."

Look forward to a late July 2013 release for WITHERSCAPE's The Inheritance via Century Media.

Here are some online links to past works involving Dan Swanö:
BLOODBATH - "Eaten": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBfoMgllphs
HEAVEN SHALL BURN - "Black Tears" (EDGE OF SANITY cover):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PtfyRjkn40
EDGE OF SANITY - "Crimson" (feat. Mikael Akerfeldt of OPETH):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=St6lJaiHYIc

Selected Dan Swanö discography:
EDGE OF SANITY - Unorthodox / Purgatory Afterglow / Crimson I & II
Dan Swanö - Moontower
BLOODBATH - Breeding Death / Resurrection Through Carnage / Nightmares Made Flesh 
ODYSSEY - Re-Inventing the Past
NIGHTINGALE - Nightfall Overture / White Darkness

Dan Swanö will have a new website ready for a summer launch, but in the meantime, you can visit his studio site as reference for his works: http://www.unisound.se

Stay tuned for more details about WITHERSCAPE and The Inheritance to be revealed soon!

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

DARK TRANQUILLITY premieres new track, "For Broken Words"


Melodic death metal pioneers DARK TRANQUILLITY will release their much-anticipated 10th studio album, Construct, on May 27th in Europe and on May 28th in North America via Century Media Records. To get your first preview of Construct, click the link below to hear the album track, "For Broken Words."

DARK TRANQUILLITY comments about "For Broken Words": "This is one of the heaviest and most brooding tracks from 'Construct', so it's a good candidate for the online premiere song position. More music from the album will be presented shortly."

Decades after their inception, Gothenburg's DARK TRANQUILLITY remains at the forefront of the scene that they helped to define as one of the longest-standing melodic death metal bands. Their 10th studio album, Construct, continues in the tradition of their past records by not straying from the band's roots, while also putting a fresh spin on their trademark sound. After over 20 years together, DARK TRANQUILLITY yet again proves that they are more vital than ever.

Some European summer festival appearances have already been announced, and the band is currently working on an EU/UK tour for this upcoming November/December. North American fans can look forward to a full tour being planned for September 2013. Stay tuned for more tour dates coming soon!

DARK TRANQUILLITY live:

5.1.2013--Tunesia, Tunis--Le Plug

5.3.2013--Romania, Bucharest--Arenele Romane

5.4.2013--Turkey, Istanbul--Refresh The Venue

6.1.2013--Germany, Geiselwind--Beastival Festival

6.7.2013--United Arab Emirates, Dubai--Rock Fest

6.28.2013--Czech Republic, Spalene Porici--Basinfire Festival

8.23.2013--Germany, Wörrstedt--Neuborn Open Air

ICED EARTH releases new live video for "Anthem" from 'Live In Ancient Kourion'; new CD/DVD hits stores today

 
 
ICED EARTH's first officially recorded DVD/Blu-Ray, Live In Ancient Kourion, will hit stores today, April 16, in North America! For this live release, the band recorded an epic 2.5 hour show in a 6,000 year old amphitheatre on the island of Cyprus.

In celebration of tomorrow's release, ICED EARTH has uploaded the live video for the song "Anthem," which offers fans yet another preview of this stunning live release here.

For more previews of Live In Ancient Kourion, click the links below:

"Stormrider" live video
"I Died For You" live audio
"Dystopia" live video
"Damien" live audio

Live In Ancient Kourion official DVD trailer
 
Live In Ancient Kourion is now available for pre-order in various formats here.

ICED EARTH live:

6.8.2013 - Burning Sea Festival - Croatia

6.20.2013 - Metalfest - Germany

6.21.2013 - Dokk'em Open Air Festival - Netherlands

6.22.2013 - Rock am Härtsfeldsee - Germany

7.12.2013 - Rock Harz Open Air - Germany

7.13.2013 - Bang Your Head Festival - Germany

8.8.2013 - Getaway Rock Festival - Sweden

Monday, April 15, 2013

Purson's "Well Spoiled Machine" Streaming via Pitchfork; Debut Album "The Circle and The Blue Door" out April 30



Purson, the female-fronted UK band that Kerrang has described as having “the best bits of ‘60s and ‘70s rock – think Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Cream… brought to 2013 in a sweet-smelling musical haze,” premiere the song “Well Spoiled Machine” today via Pitchfork.

The London-based band’s debut album, The Circle and The Blue Door, is set for an April 30 release via Metal Blade/Rise Above Records. Decibel Magazine’s Editor-in-Chief Albert Mudrian dubbed the album the “best debut of 2013” and overseas outlets like the BBC (“a modern demonic sound”), Terrorizer (“their brand of gothic psychedelia is set to take 2013 by storm”) and Subterranea/Metal Hammer (“Purson are the UK’s new ambassadors for the otherworldly”) are all championing the young English band.

Spiderwood Farm,” a song singer Rosalie Cunningham penned after flipping through a copy of Sounds from 1972, is streaming via Decibel. A video for “Leaning On A Bear” debuted last month and is viewable here. Directed by Chris Martin, Rosalie said of the video's setting: “We found this great place in Brixton, South London called Café Cairo that look as though it has been transplanted there from the souk in Marrakesh.” The clip gives a perfect visual to the band’s trippy psychedelia, or as they call it “vaudeville carny psych.”

The Circle and The Blue Door will be streaming in its entirety next week via Spin. Pre-orders of The Circle and The Blue Door are available via Metal Blade at this link: www.metalblade.com/purson. Purson will make their debut U.S. performances this fall with tour dates forthcoming.

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

THE AGONIST to kick off North American tour this week with DANZIG and CORROSION OF CONFORMITY

Extreme metallers THE AGONIST will be hitting the road this week with DANZIG, CORROSION OF CONFORMITY, and more in support of their recently released new album, Prisoners! Check the dates below to see when THE AGONIST will be coming to a city near you.


THE AGONIST tour dates

4/13--The Level--Kelowna, BC
4/14--Studio Seven--Seattle, WA
4/17--House of Blues--Las Vegas, NV **
4/19--Ogden Theater--Denver, CO **
4/20--Sunshine Theater--Albuquerque, NM **
4/22--Stubbs BBQ--Austin, TX **
4/23--Concrete Street--Corpus Christi, TX **
4/24--Palladium--Dallas, TX **
4/26--Marquee Theater--Phoenix, AZ **
4/27--Fox Theater--Pomona, CA **
4/28--Ventura Theater--Ventura, CA **
5/1--Chameleon Room--Oklahoma City, OK
5/2--The Riot Room--Kansas City, MO
5/3--Smith's Downtown--Mishawaka, IN
5/4--Club Envy--Muskegon, MI
5/5--Mojoe's--Joliet, IL
5/6--Broadway Joe's--Buffalo, NY
5/7--WreckRoom--Toronto, ON
5/17--Resto-Bar Le Top Shot--Lachute, QC
5/18--K-Baret (Maison des Musiciens)--Jonquiere, QC
7/13--A2 Fest--Ann Harbor, MI
7/15--Vaudeville Mews--Des Moines, IA
7/16--RSR Stage--Madison, WI
7/17--Diamond Pub & Billiards--Louisville, KY
7/18--Headliners Middle Room--Toledo, OH
7/19--Rock the Farm Fest--St. Paris, OH
7/20--Tammany Hall--New York, NY
7/21--Upland Theatre--Utica, NY
7/22--Montage Music Hall--Rochester, NY

**=with DANZIG and CORROSION OF CONFORMITY


If you still haven't heard Prisoners, watch the video for the album track "Panophobia." 


The album is available for purchase at iTunes here and CM Distro here.


Killswitch Engage Summer Tour In Support Of Disarm The Descent

Grammy-nominated, Massachusetts-based hard rockers Killswitch Engage –singer Jesse Leach, guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz, bassist Mike D'Antonio, guitarist Joel Stroetzel and drummer Justin Foley- have announced their first headline tour in support of their just-released new album Disarm the Descent, which enjoyed an astounding first week in stores, debuting at #7 on the Billboard Top 200 and at #1 on both the Rock Albums Chart and the Hard Music Chart.

Joining Killswitch Engage on this tour will be their longtime friends from San Diego in As I Lay Dying. Ohio will also be well-represented on this tour, with Miss May I and Affiance rounding out the bill.

Tickets go on sale on April 12 or April 13, depending on the market.


"Everyone in the Killswitch family is excited to get out on our first U.S. headlining tour in support of our new record," Leach said. "We are hitting some great cities and have a great mix of songs from every era of Killswitch as well as of course a handful of new ones."


Leach continued, "We look forward to sharing this tour with our old friends and brothers in metal As I Lay Dying. I personally have never had the chance to tour with them and I am looking forward to having such a quality band out with us to give this tour even more fire! We will also be joined by a talented and up-and-coming band Miss May I and a new band we're all excited to see live called Affiance. Thanks to all the U.S. fans for your support! Our live show will be full-on energy with all of us ready to take this to a whole new level."

Bassist Mike D. concurred, saying, "We are super excited to be back out with our good buds in As I Lay Dying! They are some of our favorite dudes to hang with on the road, so assumptions are high that utter chaos shall ensue. There will be so much metal riffage -- you could build your own Carnival Cruse Ship. That's right, 'CHUGGA CHUGGA Paralysis' is surely imminent."
With that kind of enthusiasm and excitement, you'd be ill-advised to miss this tour!



TOUR DATES:

May 30 Oklahoma City | Diamond Ballroom
May 31 Austin, TX | Stubbs BBQ
June 1 Houston, TX | | House of Blues
June 3 Orlando, FL | House of Blues
June 4 Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Revolution
June 6 Richmond, VA | The National
June 7 Syracuse, NY | F Shed at The Market
June 8 Hampton Beach, NH | Hampton Beach Casino
June 9 Philadelphia, PA | Trocadero
June 11 New York, NY | Best Buy Theater
June 12 Silver Spring, MD | Fillmore
June 14 Montebello, QC | Montebello Marina/D-Tox Rockfest
June 15 Guelph, ON | Guelph Concert Theater
June 16 Grand Rapids, MI | Intersection
June 17 Cincinnati, OH | Bogarts
June 18 Sauget, IL | Pops
June 20 Denver, CO | Summit 
June 21 Salt Lake City, UT | Salt Air
June 22 Las Vegas, NV | House of Blues
June 23 Phoenix, AZ | Marquee
June 25 San Francisco, CA | Regency Grand
June 27 Vancouver, BC | Commodore
June 28 Spokane, WA | Knitting Factory
June 29 Billings, MT | Shrine Auditorium
July 1 Fargo, ND | The Venue
July 2 Omaha, NE | Sokol Auditorium
July 3 Wichita, KS | Cottilion
July 5 Milwaukee, WI | Rave
July 6 Cleveland, OH | House of Blues
July 7 Detroit, MI | Crofoot
July 8 Joliet, IL | Mojoes


Watch the video for first single "In Due Time"





Prosthetic to release Record Store Day edition of LAMB OF GOD debut

To celebrate Record Store Day on April 20th, Prosthetic Records will release a special gray marble vinyl re-pressing of LAMB OF GOD's groundbreaking 2000 release, "New American Gospel." Limited to 500 copies, the Record Store Day edition will feature the remastered "2006 versions" of the album's original track listing. All proceeds will go toward the Justice Now defense fund for vocalist Randy Blythe, who -- despite being exonerated earlier this year -- still faces substantial legal bills in the wake of his recent trial in the Czech Republic. You can also make a donation to Justice Now directly by clicking here




Produced and engineered by Steve Austin (Today Is The Day), "New American Gospel" -- the band's Prosthetic debut, and their first release under the LAMB OF GOD moniker -- is a "groove metal" landmark, and an important step in the band's ascent to the top of the "New Wave of American Heavy Metal" scene. Praised by Revolver as one of the "69 Greatest Heavy Metal Albums of All Time" and by MetalSucks as one of the "21 Best Metal Albums of the 21st Century...So Far," the album has sold more than 100,000 copies in the U.S. alone. 
For a list of participating retail outlets, visit www.recordstoreday.com.

Purson Premiere "Spiderwood Farm" via Decibel Magazine; Debut Album Out April 30



Purson, the female-fronted UK band that the BBC has said are “channeling the power of the psychedelic ‘70s,” premiere the song “Spiderwood Farm” today via Decibel.
 
The London-based band, having already made a name quite a splash overseas with their glam-influenced psych-rock, release The Circle and The Blue Door on Apr. 30 via (Metal Blade/Rise Above Records).  Kerrang said singer/guitar player Rosalie Cunningham “will have you spellbound” and added that Purson’s music is “like the best bits of ‘60s and ‘70s rock – think Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Cream and loads of other classic rock cats – brought to 2013 in a sweet-smelling musical haze.”
 
Spiderwood Farm is about ghosts,” explains Rosalie (who is also known for her previous stint as the front woman in the all-girl goth outfit Ipso Facto).  “I was looking through a copy of Sounds from 1972 when I saw a band mentioned called Spiderwood Farm.  From there I thought of a song about ex-dwellers, who are, of course dead.  The council is trying to evict them, but they’re not doing anything wrong.”
 
A video for “Leaning On A Bear” debuted last month and is viewable here.   Directed by Chris Martin, Rosalie said of the setting: “We found this great place in Brixton, South London called Café Cairo that look as though it has been transplanted there from the souk in Marrakesh.”  The clip gives a perfect visual to the band’s trippy psychedelia, or as they call it “vaudeville carny psych.”
 
Decibel has been an early champion of the band with Editor-in-Chief Albert Mudrian calling The Circle and The Blue Door “the best debut of 2013” and featuring the band in their May issue.
 
Pre-orders of The Circle and The Blue Door are available via Metal Blade here.  Purson will make their debut U.S. performances this fall with tour dates forthcoming.

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Kylesa Premiere "Vulture's Landing" Via Loudwire; Spring Tour Tickets On-Sale


 Kylesa stream new song, “Vulture’s Landing,” via Loudwire.
 
The song comes from the Savannah band’s forthcoming album, Ultraviolet, which is available for pre-order via Season of Mist’s e-shop.  Release date is May 28 via Season of Mist.
 
Kylesa recently announced a Spring tour, which kicks off on May 10 in Gainesville, Fla. at The High Dive.  Openers are Bloody Ceremony, White Hills and Lazer/Wulf.  Tickets are on-sale now.
 
Vulture’s Landing” is the third track to be previewed from the forthcoming album.  Spin previously premiered “Quicksand” saying the song  “joins the melodies of ‘90s shoegaze with the churn of modern sludge.”  Season of Mist unveiled “Unspoken” via the label’s Soundcloud player upon news of an Ultraviolet release date.  Pitchfork called the track “a heaving, goth-metal juggernaut.”
 
Tour dates:
 
April 19     Savannah, GA     The Dollhouse (Free show)
 
May 10     Gainesville, FL     High Dive
May 11     Orlando, FL     Backbooth
May 12     Miami, FL     Churchhill’s
May 13     Tampa, FL     The Orpheum
May 15     New Orleans, LA     One Eyed Jack’s
May 16     Houston, TX     Walters
May 17     Dallas, TX     Trees
May 18     Austin, TX     Mohawk
May 20     Albuquerque, NM     Blackwater
May 21     Denver, CO     Marquis Theater
May 22     Salt Lake City, UT     Urban Lounge
May 24     Santa Cruz, CA     Catalyst
May 25     San Francisco, CA     Slim’s
May 27     Portland, OR     Star Theater
May 28     Seattle, WA     Chop Suey
May 29     Vancouver, BC     Electric Owl
May 31     Calgary, AB     Dickens
Dickens
 
June 1     Regina, SK      The Exchange
June 2     Winnipeg, MB     The Pyramid
June 3     Minneapolis, MN     Triple Rock Social Club
June 4     Iowa City, IA     Gabe’s Oasis
June 5     Chicago, IL     Bottom Lounge
June 6     Grand Rapids, MI     Pyramid Scheme
June 7     St. Louis, MO     The Firebird
June 8     Columbus, OH     Ace of Cups
June 9     Lexington, KY     Cosmic Charlies
June 11     Toronto, ON     Lee’s Palace
June 12     Ottawa, ON     Maverick’s
June 13     Montreal, QC     Il Motore
June 14     Brooklyn NY      Northside Fest (Music Hall of Williamsburg)
June 15     Albany, NY     Bogie’s
June 16     Boston, MA     Middle East Downstairs
June 18     Philadelphia, PA      Underground Arts
June 19     Washington, DC     Rock & Roll Hotel
June 20     Asheville, NC     Asheville Music Hall
June 21     Atlanta, GA     The Earl
June 22     Savannah, GA     The Jinx
 

SKELETONWITCH BEGIN RECORDING NEW ALBUM


 Metal heathens SKELETONWITCH recently began recording their fifth album with Kurt Ballou (Converge, Kvelertak, Black Breath) at GodCity Studio in Salem, Mass. Tentatively set for a fall release, the as-yet-untitled recording is the follow-up to 2011's "masterclass in modern metal" (Terrorizer) "Forever Abomination," the group's second consecutive album to crack the Billboard Top 200. More details will be revealed in the coming weeks.

Last month, SKELETONWITCH headlined Pitchfork's "Show No Mercy" showcase at South By Southwest in Austin, Texas, where they debuted a brand new song. You can view their entire performance, which starts around the 1:40 mark, HERE. The band, who spent most of 2012 touring (including a rigorous 10-week headlining run during which they played 63 shows in 65 days), will headline the Calgary Metal Fest in June. Further information and tickets can be found at calgarymetalfest.com


Stay tuned to the band's Facebook (facebook.com/skeletonwitchmetal) for behind-the-scenes info and a tour announcement in the coming days.

CEREMONIAL OATH to digitally release deluxe re-issue of 'The Book Of Truth' on April 16th


CEREMONIAL OATH - Sweden's pioneers of twisted melodic death metal - will release their legendary debut album, The Book Of Truth, as a digital download in North America on April 16th via Century Media Records. Besides the album tracks found on The Book Of Truth, this download will also include all tracks from the super rare demos, Wake The Dead and Black Sermon (on which CEREMONIAL OATH was still performing under the band's previous moniker DESECRATOR), as well as the two tracks from the legendary Lost Name Of God 7" (originally released on Corpse Grinder Records in 1992).

The Book Of Truth doesn't follow the usual melodic approach that many bands from the Gothenburg scene established during the heyday of the scene from 1994-1999. Being neither pure Gothenburg melodic death metal nor typical old school Swedish death metal in the Stockholm vein, but more a fine mélange of both worlds, spiced-up with some technical finesse a la MORBID ANGEL and NOCTURNUS, The Book Of Truth has justly become a classic death metal album. To this day, the sound of CEREMONIAL OATH has remained surprisingly fresh and unique.

The Book Of Truth deluxe re-issue track-listing:
The Album
Prologue: Sworn To Avenge
Chapter I: The Invocator
Chapter II: For I Have Sinned / The Praise
Chapter III: Enthroned
Chapter IV: Only Evil Prevails
Chapter V: Thunderworld (Welcome To Forever)
Chapter VI: Lords Of Twilight
Chapter VII: Ceremonial Oath
Chapter VIII: The Lost Name Of God
Chapter IX: The Book Of Truth
Chapter X: Hellbound (instrumental)
The Demos (Bonus Tracks)
Intro: The Hour Between Darkness And Dawn
Remains Of Death
Force Of Habit
A Nocturnal Predator
Into The Abyss Of Hell
The Invocator
Necrosis
The Lost Name Of God
For I Have Sinned / The Praise

The Demos (Bonus Tracks) info
Tracks 1 - 4 taken from the Wake The Dead demo (1990, performing as DESECRATOR)
Tracks 5 - 7 taken from the Black Sermon demo (1990, performing as DESECRATOR)
Tracks 8 & 9 taken from the Lost Name Of God 7" (1992)