Disharmonium – Nahal (Debemur Morti Productions) is the sixteenth full-length release from Blut Aus Nord, the enigmatic French avant-garde black metal band that have now existed for thirty years. Following on from last year’s Disharmonium – Undreamable Abysses, this new record also draws inspiration from H.P Lovecraft and is claimed by its accompanying press release to be “womb-like, detail-rich, disturbed and transformative”.
Thirty-one years after the release of their sophomore Godflesh album Pure, Justin K Broadrick and Ben Green (and Machines) allude to this one aspect of the band’s crushing history with new album Purge, releasing on June 9th on Avalanche Recordings.
Jaaw is an intriguing collaboration, bringing together a group of musicians that few people may have predicted hitting the studio together. The ‘super-group’ fronted by Therapy?’s veteran singer and guitarist Andy Cairns, joins Wayne Adams (Petbrick/ Big Lad), Jason Stoll (Mugstar / Sex Swing), and Adam Betts (Squarepusher / Goldie) in creating their debut record Supercluster (Svart Records) at Adam’s notorious Bear Bites Horse Studio in London.
Bursting onto the scene, as Potteries pounders Black Coast did with Outworld their 2021 debut, is one thing, keeping the momentum going is another, and from the onset of the raging ‘REAL (Are You Listening)?’, it’s clear the five-piece contemporary metal outfit are not just looking to do that, but they intend not to waste the opportunity this five-song offering gives to remind people just how good and how potent they are ahead of any subsequent longer releases.
Crowd at Damnation – Credit: Rich Price Photography
Following the highly successful 2021 post-lockdown return of Damnation Festival to Leeds University, 2022 sees the event move back to its original home city of Manchester, now expanded to take place in the 6000-capacity BEC Arena.
The move, whilst probably inevitable, was always going to be something of a gamble. Some of the smaller rooms at the Leeds, Damnation were getting dangerously crammed, and the festival’s repute, ticket-buying demand, and band-booking clout had outgrown its former venue. But, on the other hand, many had come to regard the Leeds University Union, for all its quirks and eccentricities, as Damnation’s home.
Lykotonon are a Denver side-project composed of members from Blood Incantation, Wayfaerer and Stormkeep to name but a few. The band, who have assumed aliases for the purposes of the project; pseudonyms so unusual that they give Elon Musk‘s son X Æ A-12 a run for his money.
Heavy music legend Justin K. Broadrick, best known for Godflesh, has surprised released a brand new album under his JK Flesh project – Sewer Bait, via label Pressure Records. The sixth album from JK Flesh, the project continues to explore eclectic, electric sounds. You can purchase and stream the album from Pressure Records below. Justin will perform at Damnation Festival this weekend with Godflesh, performing his classic Streetcleaner album in full, for the first time in the UK.
Inferno Metal Festival chas added more great acts to the 2023 festival! Joing the ever evolving lineup for next year are ABBATH, Beaten To Death, and Blodhemn. Taking place April 6th – 9th 2023 in Oslo, Norway, the fest also features Cannibal Corpse, Dark Funeral, Uada, Odium, Sakis Tolis, Harakiri for the Sky, Urgehal, Djevel, Nekromantheon, Mork, Darvaza, Nervosa, 1914, Svalbard, Vredehammer, Lili Refrain, Dwaal, Afsky, Mutilated Tyrant, Godflesh, Urgehal, Cowbar, Vemod, and Gaerea, Masacre, and many more to be announced. For tickets and more info, click the link below!
We chatted with Damnation Festival Director, co-founder, and booking agent Gavin McInally to preview this weekend’s 2022 festival in Manchester, UK. Gav discussed this year’s festivals, what goes into planning a festival, booking artists to perform exclusive sets (Converge, Godflesh, Pig Destroyer, At The Gates), how the fest pivoted to new headliners when they lost one (Ministry), booking the “Night of Salvation” event, the move from Leeds to Manchester, the current state of the UK heavy music scene, and more!
