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:

"Kingmaker"

"Turn the Tide"

"Wise As A Serpent"

 

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!

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