Death Metal is in rude health. It is a status that has been brewing and broiling over the last ten years, with pushes and spurts in pocketed sub-sub genres, until now the whole scene, and its multitude of variants and mutations and off-shoots, feels like it is not just doing alright, but burgeoning with a lush virility unseen since it’s fomentation some thirty years ago.
Devastating news as legendary Death Metal vocalist Lars-Göran Petrov, formerly of Entombed and Entombed A.D., has died, losing his battle with bile duct cancer. He was 49. We brought you the news in 2020 that LG was diagnosed with terminal cancer and a GoFundMe was set up to help him.
Not content with being hailed as one of the leaders of a New Wave of Death Metal bruisers (NWODMb anyone?) taking inspiration from the founding fathers of three decades past along with Blood Incantation and Tomb Mold – a pack that looks likely to be joined by impressive newcomers Frozen Soul and their glacial Bolt Throwerisms – Arizonian quintet Gatecreeper have taken it upon themselves to mix things up and show some gnarly dexterity in style and idea, and try and shake things up a little in response to the current COVID landscape and restrictions.
Gatecreeper will surprise drop a new album An Unexpected Reality tomorrow, January 13th, 2021via Closed Casket Activities. The band last released their acclaimed full-length Deserted in 2019, along with a split release with Exhumed via Relapse Records. The band has commented:
Ghost Cult is proud to team up with brutal Portland Death Metal band Sea Sleeper on their new lyric video for their track “Salt.” The song comes off of their forthcoming debut album Nostophobia, due out February 4th via Metal Assault Records. Due out February 4th via Metal Assault records. The track is a hellish slide of Tech Death greatness, but surprising moments of both prog and OSDM vibes too. Check out the lyric video to “Salt” now! Continue reading
Polish Death Metal crushers Dira Mortis are releasing their next album, Ancient Breath Of Forgotten Misanthropy, later this month, December 25th, via Selfmadegod Records. The band has teamed up with Ghost Cult today to debut their new single, “Twilight Of Divine Purgatory!” The track is a bleak unflinching OSDM style neck-snapper, with the requisite ghastly vocals, furious drums, but also with a ton of sophisticated riffs and licks to serve notice to modern tastes. Check out the track here:Continue reading
What’s the best strategy when it comes time to record a follow-up to a critically acclaimed album like 2017’s Blood Offerings? Well, for Necrot it seems as simple as following the course. Yes, that approach on paper does come across a little reductionist and it may imply that Mortal (Tankcrimes) is merely a rehash. But while Necrot may not be reimagining the genre on Mortal they are serving up some of the most satisfying Death Metal today.
Death Metal legends Incantation has shared a new single and video, “Fury’s Manifesto’ via our pals over at Decibel Magazine. Their new full-length album, Sect Of Vile Divinities, set for release August 21st via Relapse Records.Continue reading
Ghost Cult was honored to chat with musician and artist Jacob Bannon of Converge, Wear Your Wounds, and his new band Umbra Vitae. That group just released their debut album, Shadow of Life, (read our review here), a brutal, OSDM flavored album created by Jacob and a group of master musicians and friends such as Mike McKenzie (The Red Chord, WYW) and Sean Martin (Twitching Tongues, ex Hatebreed, WYW) Greg Weeks (The Red Chord, Labor Hex) and Jon Rice (Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats, Job For A Cowboy). In a frank discussion with our editor Keefy, Jacob discussed the impact coronavirus has had on the music world and more specifically his bands and his label Deathwish Inc., what are the Death Metal inspirations of the group, how Umbra Vitae came together, how this is a full band and not side-project, the poem that inspired the band name and the entire album, an update on new Converge and WYW music, and much more. Jacob is working to stay focused and creative during the pandemic to keep his bands and Deathwish Inc. alive in all of this and if you can, please support his music, art activities at these links.
Buy the album here https://orcd.co/umbravitae
Support all of Jacob here:
Love was not in the air on this Valentine’s Day. Nope. Instead, it was psychotic screams, blastbeats, shred guitar and a lot of headbanging, beer, and B.O. We assembled on a bitterly cold night in February to a fitting place. The Warsaw is the Home for Polish American’s in Brooklyn, set to welcome the 30-year and counting extreme metal legends, also from Poland, Vader. Vader is preparing a brand new album and recently released a new single, the brutal ‘Shock and Awe’ so lots of good fun was on tap. The Warsaw has actually become one of the better venues in Brooklyn with great beer, awesome bartenders, great event staff, Polish food (pierogies and more) and great sound and lights. We love coming here! The freezing cold night was no match for the sold-out show and a bunch of Brooklyn rowdy metal heshers and hesherettes. Continue reading