Survival Of The Sickest (Napalm Records) sees the return of Bloodbath, European death metal’s number one super-group, a band created in homage to the old school masters of the grisly art in 1998, by Jonas Renkse and Anders Nystrom of Katatonia, Mikael Akerfeldt of Opeth and Dan Swano (Edge Of Sanity).
Gorguts at MDF 2014, photo by Hillarie Jason Photography
In a statement posted on social media, Maryland Deathfest has announced they will return! After a hiatus for 2023 the fest will return from May 23rd to May 26th, 2024. In a message to fans the co-founders of MDF discussed the hiatus and the the return as well as new dates for 2024. MDF 2024 will be their 20th fest in Baltimore. They did announce that aftert the upcoming London Desertfest, they are discontinuing all other festivals they have put on, Netherlands Deathfest, California Deathfest, and more will be no more. You can read a statement from the co-founders Ryan and Evan, below. MDF has operated for almost 20 years, put on 19 fests, and expanded to a global footprint, all while giving a greater voice to Death Metal, Avant-Garde Metal, Stoner Doom, and more genres, perhaps as much or more than any fest in the world. Continue reading
Although unable to play live for over a year due to the Coronavirus pandemic, Indianapolis based death metallers Obscene were still fortunate enough to release their debut album The Inhabitable Dark in mid-2020. Finally back on stage last year, the four-piece didn’t hang around, taking the time to write the bleakly titled follow-up From Dead Horizon to Dead Horizon (Blood Harvest).Continue reading
Gorguts at MDF 2014, photo by Hillarie Jason Photography
In a statement posted on social media, Maryland Deathfest is going on hiatus after the next MDF event in May 2022. That means in 2023 all of their related festivals are going on hiatus, including MDF, Netherlands Deathfest, California Deathfest, and more. You can read a statement from the co-founders Ryan and Evan, below. MDF has operated for almost 20 years, put on 19 fests, and expanded to a global footprint, all while giving a greater voice to Death Metal, Avant-Garde Metal, Stoner Doom, and more genres, perhaps as much or more than any fest in the world. Continue reading
Consistency and identity – albeit a distorted, perturbed sense of being – are the cornerstones of the second album of The Lurking Fear – the “ugly step-child” (according to Tomas Lindberg Redant) of Swedish melodeath rejuvenants At The Gates. There has been a conscious effort to double down and to make clear what was originally “just” a side-project is, why it exists, and just what it’s purpose is. Indeed, as the parent group have taken further strides to redefine and push themselves since their return, particularly this year, so too the offspring has engaged in a campaign of scent-marking; defining their own identity on Death, Madness, Horror, Decay’(Century Media).
Would you like to know what’s one of my favorite aspects of metal? It’s that it’s too goddam stubborn to ever go away. As long as there is breath in a metalhead’s lungs they’re going to find ways to tune lower or crank in even more blast beats into a song. As To The End (Reaper Entertainment) roared from my car’s stereo is when I realized that Memoriam is Karl Willets’ latest musical endeavor despite already having a hall of fame run with Bolt Thrower. Bless that man.
With another Guest Post on tap, it’s time to share more of these End of Year lists from our favorite bands, partners, music industry peers, and other folks we respect across the globe. Chris Anderson of psychedelic Stoner Rock band Owl Maker released their excellent new EP Sky Road earlier this fall. Check out Chris’ Top 10 albums of 2018, in no particular order.Continue reading
As the largest Metal label in the world, Nuclear Blast and it’s subsidiaries (SharpTone and Arising Empires) has a conveyor belt of exceptional talent at their disposal. Joe Naan joined their PR team earlier in the year and has been a regular in our inbox ever since, representing their incredible roster.Continue reading
Once again, Satyricon frontman Satyr Wongraven’s Wongraven Wine Tasting event will return to this years’ Inferno Metal Festival in Oslo, NO this March. As an extension of Satyr’ Wongraven Wines, he will lead a tasting and discussion exploring his passion and gift for winemaking. These events sell out yearly, so get your tickets now. Inferno Metal Festival is the longest running and most extreme metal festival in Norway and one of the most important metal festivals in the world. Continue reading
Excellent kvlt metallers Batushka were recently announced for Inferno Metal Festival in Oslo, Norway. However, they dropped out with no notice this week. Stepping in to replace their will be Aura Noir. The veteran local thrashers join a lineup that includes Opeth, Dimmu Borgir, Hypocrisy, Bloodbath, Taake, 1349, Vomitory, Gaahls Wyrd, Carach Angren and more. The full lineup and ticket options can be seen below. Continue reading