Since the release of their debut The Butcher’s Ballroom in 2007 Sweden’s DIABLO SWING ORCHESTRA have gained a loyal fan base of their own. People have embraced their mind bending mix of metal, opera, swing jazz, and spaghetti-western soundtrack with open arms and they have been perceived as a fresh breath of air in a genre getting […]

Arguably surpassing The Black Dahlia Murder as Metal Blade’s media darlings, JFAC have at least weathered the hype and the hate to change styles from their reee filled deathcore to morph into a more respectable death metal outfit, and retain their fan base as 2007s unit moving Genesis proved. However, in these eyes (or ears) […]

One could easily look at the moniker, cookie cutter logo, generic computerized cover art, and Metal Blade’s recent release history, and make the assumption that As You Drown is merely another drop in the generic deathcore bucket. Wrong. As You Drown (previously named Ethereal) hail from Sweden and play death metal. Really good fucking death […]

Hailing from Blekinge, Sweden on the frozen coasts of the Baltic Sea, are the three warlords that form Istapp. Mordechai von Renvaktar, C. Ashuck von Renvaktar and Fjalar have set out on a campaign to destroy the sun and all of its followers. To this end, Istapp has joined forces (or ‘conquered’, if you ask […]

Enigmatic black metal duo CANIS DIRUS have signed to MORIBUND RECORDS for the release of their debut album, A Somber Wind From a Distant Shore. The last burning embers of a dying autumnal twilight, the beckoning shrieks of the oncoming night, the blanket of everlasting darkness inevitable and infinite: CANIS DIRUS’ A Somber Wind From […]

As England’s most extreme export since Napalm Death have made their transition from apocalyptic black metal to grindcore, they have managed to retain some of intensity and ferocity of The Codex Necro, though far less caustic, and have been able to introduce some love ‘em or hate ‘em clean croons amid the mechanical, robotic blasting […]

Midwestern metal warriors SKELETONWITCH, who have performed more than 300 concerts worldwide since the release of their acclaimed 2007 Prosthetic debut “Beyond The Permafrost,” will release their new album “Breathing The Fire” on Oct. 13. The album, produced by Jack Endino (High On Fire, Nirvana, Toxic Holocaust), is currently being recorded in Seattle at both […]

Finnish folk metallers ENSIFERUM have set From Afar as the title of their fourth album, slated for a US release on September 8, 2009 (September 9th for the rest of the world) via Spinefarm Records. The CD was produced by Tero Kinnunen (Nightwish, Amorphis) and Janne Joutsenniemi, who produced the band’s previous offering, Victory Songs […]

I’ll be the first to admit I’ve never been a drone fan and despite being seven albums into their career the apparent pinnacle of the genre, this is my first exposure to the duo of Greg Anderson and Stephen O’ Malley. However, what intrigued me about this release and prompted me to check Sunn O))) […]

You’ve got to respect what Markus Eck and his German webzine have accomplished with the fifth installment of their Metal Message folk/pagan/Viking compilation CDs. For this lavishly packaged release, legendary artist Ed Repka (Megadeath, Death, Atheist, 3 Inches of Blood) has provided the cover and the DVD packaged material is full of endearing artwork, including […]

How often do you meet a band that ties together brilliant songwriting, flawless technique, mad intensity and a thought-provoking lyrical content to boost? When it comes to extreme metal, it’s really difficult to find the complete package. Maybe that’s why “Retaliate” by Misery Index is such an important album. It shows that the impossible is […]

Germany’s heaviest export, Caliban, is gearing up to release their 8th full-length album on August 25th, 2009 – Say Hello to Tragedy. Produced by Benny Richter, co-produced by guitarist Marc Goertz and mixed by Killswitch Engage guitarist Adam D, Say Hello to Tragedy marks some of Caliban’s most accomplished and mature work to date. This […]

Ironclad Recordings, founded by Unearth vocalist Trevor Phipps, is pleased to announce the signing of Chico California’s ARMED FOR APOCALYPSE; a band featuring the talents of former members of Will Haven, The Abominable Iron Sloth, and Ghostride. Ironclad Recordings is set to release ARMED FOR APOCALYPSE’s debut full-length studio album Defeat in the US and […]

At a time when music seems to have lost some of its distinctiveness, Brooklyn’s jazzed-infused-metal experimentalists, Candiria, are back and once again ready to cross the lines of convention as they release a four volume set of rarities and remixes, “Toying With the Insanities“. Volumes One and Two of “Toying With the Insanities” will be […]

That is right, sound the alarms: North Carolina’s sludge pillagers WEEDEATER have been confirmed as support for a full-on North American DOWN tour! The lineup changes throughout the routing; The Canadian dates feature secondary support from VOIVOD, while the bulk of the American dates feature THE MELVINS. Other opening support for the tour will be […]

Sydney Australia-based extreme metal act THE AMENTA will join VADER, DECREPIT BIRTH, WARBRINGER, AUGURY, S.W.W.A.A.T.S. on “Monsters Of Death Tour” presented by Decibel Magazine. “Monsters of Death Tour” kicks off on November 4 in Baltimore, Maryland and will run for 38 dates across North America, also marking the first North American tour for THE AMENTA.   […]

After 5 years of computer failure, illness, lineup-changes and countless other obstacles, Swedish progressive death metallers SKYFIRE will triumphantly return to unleash their long awaited 4th album “Esoteric” this September 8th in North America, 14th in the UK and 18th in Europe via Pivotal Rockordings. Bassist Martin Hanner comments on the band’s new album which […]

American Spellbound Tour to Kick Off July 4th MILAN, ITALY – Italy’s greatest musical export, LACUNA COIL, will make their triumphant return to North America on July 4th embarking on a five-week headlining trek with Kill Hannah, Seventh Void and Dommin. The much anticipated tour also marks the group’s first headliner of North America in […]

The much anticipated second album from Delain is finally here! Originally conceived by ex-Within Temptation keyboardist Martijn Westerholt as an all-star studio project, the success of the debut album Lucidity tipped his hand and Delain evolved into a full blown active band. With Charlotte Wessels on vocals, Ronald Landa on guitar and grunt vocals, Sun […]

Los Angeles, California’s We Are The End has inked a deal with Metal Blade Records! A relatively new addition to the SoCal scene, the band came together in June of 2008 with the timely meeting of Brandyn Love and Shaun-Matthew Paramore, and the eventual addition of vocalist, Spencer Aragon, guitarist Mychal Wright, and drummer David […]

It would be easy for me to simply cut and paste my review Obituary’s real comeback album, 2007s Xecutioner’s Return considering this has the same sort of throwback glorious artwork, sense of album ranging classic Obituary riffage, Ralph Santolla’s leads and oppressive, murky production that made Xecutioner’s Return so good. Ultimately that’s what most of […]

Formed by members of the decidedly non death metal act Ananda (and other hardcore acts), Carmina is the full of death metal assault and only the second release on fledgling Rewolucja Records (owned by Carmina bassist Bif), and it’s a pretty scorching little EP. Clocking in at 25 minutes, the 7 no nonsense songs that […]

Listenable recording artists SYBREED to tour America beginning July 17th!!!  In anticipation for their forthcoming The Pulse of Awakening, due for domestic release this fall through Listenable Records, Swiss industrial-metallers SYBREED will be embarking on a month-long, nationwide tour alongside THREAT SIGNAL, THE AUTUMN OFFERING, and THE AGONIST. Here are the confirmed dates/venues thus far: […]

So here is the first and last album from Amesoeurs, another genre pushing French act featuring Neige from Alcest and Peste Noire fame, and if you enjoy Alcest’s gentler take on black metal as well as the current trend of organic artistic black metal like Wolves In The Throne Room, Fen and Altar of Plagues, […]

Finland’s heavy metal superstars CHILDREN OF BODOM will return to North America this fall to headline a massive, month-long tour. The award-winning band, which features front man and world-renowned guitar hero Alexi Laiho, will launch the tour on Friday, September 18 at Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel in Providence, RI. Presented by ESP Guitars and Spinefarm Records […]