News
Iron Bonehead Productions ready to release Ancient Guard's debut release: "While Runespell's no-less-grandiose sound is oft given to bouts of bloodlust and battle rage, Ancient Guard is pure magisterial march & might as can be expected of such a moniker."
April 16, 2024
Iron Bonehead Productions is proud to present Ancient Guard’s striking debut mini-album, ‘Nightfall Enthroned’, on CD and 12″ vinyl formats.
Ancient Guard is a new creation of Nightwolf, renown for pagan Black Metal vanguard Runespell. As expected, his unmistakable mastery is all across ‘Nightfall Enthroned’, Ancient Guard’s first public work. A surprisingly vast mini-album at four songs in 31 minutes, ‘Nightfall Enthroned’ is immersive to the extreme and almost soothing in its continually cresting swell of sumptuous Black Metal mysticism. While Runespell’s no-less-grandiose sound is oft given to bouts of bloodlust and battle rage, Ancient Guard is pure magisterial march & might as can be expected of such a moniker.
And Nighttwolf’s knack for mesmerizing melodicism holds true here, as well, but if one could make distinctions in this regard, it’s that ‘Nightfall Enthroned’ swirls about to a spacious-yet-thick foundation that’s equal parts stargazing wonder and weight-of-the-universe terror – an infinitely compelling canvas equally suited to adrift dreamers and austere realists alike. Followed by the acoustic lament “Eld,” the synth-heavy epic “A Moonscape Abyss” says exactly everything it needs to about Ancient Guard: awaken to ‘Nightfall Enthroned’!
More info: Ancient Guard; Iron Bonehead Productions;Adversarial back with new album through Dark Descent Records: "The entity known as Adversarial has opened the portal to a timeless realm of suffocation and agony once more."
March 29, 2024
Canada’s blistering, serpentine three-piece Adversarial has announced its forthcoming third album, ‘Solitude with the Eternal’. The band’s first album in nearly 10 years will be out May 31 on CD, vinyl, cassette, and digital formats via Dark Descent Records.
Razor sharp. Slithering. Dual chasms yawn. A Janus-faced entity blinks, looking back and forward through the uncanny gloom. Dual tongues chase each other, slithering past cavities in the broken teeth. Licking against the neck, pulling more offal toward the trough. Each face has a black hole in the iris of each eye. As photons evaporate against the retina on the other side of the event horizon, memory fades. A new knowledge, imbued from the excrement of microorganisms trickles through the throaty slough. Yes, we’ve been here before. Yes, we’ll be here again.
The entity known as Adversarial has opened the portal to a timeless realm of suffocation and agony once more. As Leviathan doubles back on itself, sulfur rises from the point of crossing, a bouquet of putrid yolk. This foul chemical will sustain nigredo, as metal black as midnight is tempered under atom smashing might.
More info: Adversarial; Dark Descent Records;Hells Headbangers ready to release Desolus' debut album: "'System Shock' becomes mandatory listening for those who fly high the flag of hate and still feel persecution mania."
March 25, 2024
Hells Headbangers is proud to present Desolus’ highly anticipated debut album, ‘System Shock’, on CD, vinyl LP, and cassette tape formats.
Hailing from the Mid-Atlantic United States, Desolus formed in 2019 at the beginning of the pandemic. Inspired by Sodom, Kreator, and Dark Angel, Jimmy Frost (guitars and vocals) and Vivek Rangarajan (bass and vocals) wrote songs as an outlet for the feeling of what seemed to be the end of times. As time went by and the dust settled, they traveled north to Baltimore, where they recorded a series of demos with Sebastian Phillips (Exhumed / Noisem / Castle Freak). Phillips engineered and tracked drums on these demos in hopes to release it for the DMV (DC, Maryland, and Virginia) metal scene. While recording these songs, they met Travis Stone (percussion), a former member of Noisem and current member of Pig Destroyer. Stone heard the songs and was on board as soon as the first riff played. Soon after, he began rehearsing with the band day in and day out until they were ready to take their music to the streets. Desolus gained traction within the DMV music scene over the span of a few years and began traveling across the United States to spread their love of old-school Thrash.
Now, at long last is Desolus’ imminent debut album ready. Titled ‘System Shock’, the power-trio’s first full-length consists of nine ripping songs featuring themes of horrors beyond this world, Satanic science fiction, and a dystopian future that is seemingly within arm’s reach. While there’s no shortage of bands still Thrashing like the 1980s never ended, Desolus immediately and irrevocably prove that they’re indeed the Real Deal: ‘System Shock’ pumps adrenaline and stirs bloodlust with an energy and elan that are impossible to ignore – and even more impossible to deny. But beyond the band’s energy overload is a deeply ingrained understanding of what made those aforementioned legends of Sodom, Kreator, and Dark Angel so vital: strong songwriting, and the razor-sharp execution to back it up. Each member here is superlative with his given instrument, locating that elusive middle point between ultra-tight and ultraviolent, and the trade-off vocals between Rangarajan and Frost in particular impart a madman’s touch to this already overflowing buffet of high-speed metal. Add to this an absolutely devastating production courtesy of Phillips and ‘System Shock’ becomes mandatory listening for those who fly high the flag of hate and still feel persecution mania. Desolus are here to reanimate the graves of the old gods!
More info: Desolus; Hells Headbangers Records;Mütiilation back from the grave: "This entity, buried but not dead, whose return you hoped for but no longer expected..."
March 22, 2024
Meyhnach stated the following on the official Mütiilation Facebook page:
From Hell,
It all began over 30 years ago… The elder ones remember, and some of you have been following my work since my early days with Mütiilation. I’m addressing you in particular, you who have supported me throughout my work, but also through my other musical projects, which are merely satellites of a much darker entity. This entity, buried but not dead, whose return you hoped for but no longer expected, has just given birth to its seventh son. I am honored to announce the return of the black metal cult. It is alive, keep an eye opened.
Meyhnach Von Mutiil
Limbonic Art signs with Kyrck Productions & Armour and announces new album: " I am confident that this long-awaited offering will have a strong impact on the metal scene and maintain the legacy of Limbonic Art"
March 14, 2024
Limbonic Art will release their forthcoming ninth full-length via Kyrck Productions & Armour.
Limbonic Art’s Vidar “Daemon” Jensen stated:
“It is with great pleasure that I can confirm our signing to Kyrck Productions & Armour. Following two decades of friendship and collaborations, label founder Iannis Mantzoros, kindly introduced me to the new owner Martin Koller from SPKR. Martin and his team have done an outstanding job on my upcoming new album. With such great backing, I am confident that this long-awaited offering will have a strong impact on the metal scene and maintain the legacy of Limbonic Art.”
More info: Limbonic Art; Kyrck Productions & Armour;Severe Toture ready to unleash 6th album: "As the anticipation mounts for the release of 'Torn from the Jaws of Death', you can be sure Severe Torture remains alive and thriving in the heart of brutal Death Metal"
March 12, 2024
For over 25 years, Severe Torture has embodied the ethos of Brutal. Death. Metal. A genre-defining titan, they’ve held a commanding presence in the metal universe since 1997, blending intense performances with a relentless commitment to their visceral, raw sound.
Born from the bowels of the Dutch underground, the band emerged onto the world stage with their debut album ‘Feasting On Blood’, hailed as an epic watershed in the nascent wave of brutal Death Metal in 2001. Their hard-hitting, merciless sound has since rippled across North and South America, Europe, and Mexico; their trail marked by five ground-breaking releases over the past quarter-century.
Remaining relevant in the ever-evolving realm of metal is no small feat, a task Severe Torture met by continuously levelling up. In pursuit of rejuvenation and to capture the aggression and energy befitting of a new era, they amicably parted ways with original drummer Seth in 2018, bringing Damiën Kerpentier into the fold. The move signified a new chapter for the seasoned ensemble, marking a seismic shift that breathed fresh air into their creative process, leading to some of their darkest, most profound work yet.
This invigorated spirit came to life in 2022 with the release of the EP ‘Fisting The Sockets’ – the band’s first release in an astounding 12 years. The record served as a triumphant herald for their resurgence, re-signing with Season of Mist and rekindling the flame of their brutal origins amidst a pandemic-stricken world.
Now, in 2024, Severe Torture is set to escalate to new heights of sonic savagery with their sixth full-length album, ‘Torn from the Jaws of Death’. Recorded at the infamous Torture Compound Studios, the album stands as a testament to the raw energy, blood, sweat, and relentless brutality that the band represents.
From the aggressive whirlwind of riffs in ‘The Death of Everything’, to the haunting Black Metal nuances of the title track ‘Torn from the Jaws of Death’, the album is a Death Metal cogitation on murder, torture, and the madness of organized religions. Crafted with an unwavering commitment to the genre, ‘Torn from the Jaws of Death’ is a grim reflection of the world, drenched in the band’s signature brutal Death Metal sound.
As the anticipation mounts for the release of ‘Torn from the Jaws of Death’, you can be sure Severe Torture remains alive and thriving in the heart of brutal Death Metal, pushing boundaries, and refusing to bow to conventions. A quarter-century in, these stalwarts of the scene are just getting started. Stay tuned to witness their relentless progression as they continue their incessant march through the annals of metal history.
More info: Severe Torture; Season of Mist;Necrophagia has reawakened with Incantation's John McEntee: "Once again the bastard children of horror and gore capture the true essence of what Necrophagia is all about"
March 11, 2024
After many years of silence, the legendary Death Metal force of Necrophagia, one of the very first Death Metal acts, has reawakened. The band’s revamped line-up have signed to Time To Kill Records for the release of their final album, ‘Moribundis Grim’. The album is set to be released on May 10th 2024.
Guitarist Serge Streltsov commented:
“‘Moribundis Grim’ is a song I co-wrote with Killjoy and Shawn back in 2017. Shawn had a couple riffs that I ended up adding to and making a whole song. Killjoy took care of the lyrics. Unfortunately, Killjoy passed away in the middle of tracking the vocals for this song; it was never finished vocally until John (McEntee) stepped in to finish it. Killjoy and John were great friends so it made perfect sense to bring him along”.
In the years of 2016-2018, the band’s last line-up – Killjoy, Serge Streltsov, Shawn Slusarek and Jake Arnette – composed and started recording what became their final opus, ‘Moribundis Grim’.
Unfortunately, in 2018 Killjoy passed away before finishing the album. In 2022 with the help of special guests and former Necrophagia members – John McEntee from Incantation, Titta Tani (ex Goblin) and Mirai Kawashima from Sigh – the album was finally completed.
In a way, it is quite sensational to see another Necrophagia album released at this point in time, meaning 40 years after their first demos were released!
Serge Streltsov adds:
“‘Moribundis Grim’ is Killjoy’s final album. These are his last vocal performances. The album features the last Necrophagia live line up: Killjoy Desade, Serge Streltsov, Shawn Slusarek and Jake Arnette, along with special guest John McEntee and previous members Titta Tani and Mirai Kawashima. These songs are the demos the band and Killjoy worked on up until Killjoy’s passing. Also featuring re-worked versions of songs from the first album and a Samhain cover. Once again the bastard children of horror and gore capture the true essence of what Necrophagia is all about. Killjoy and Fulci Live! Gore Forever!”.
John McEntee adds:
“With the utmost respect to my fallen brother Frank “Killjoy DeSade” Pucci, I was deeply honored when Titta Tani (Necrophagia, Goblin, and many more) asked me to help finish a song that Killjoy unfortunately was not able to complete before his untimely passing. This was a very difficult undertaking for me, because Killjoy was not only a huge influence on me, but also a cherished friend. Not gonna lie, I had my doubts. I spent a lot of time thinking about it and talking with my wife and close friends of Killjoy before taking on this honor. It was very important to me to pay tribute and ensure that it was done with 100% respect for Killjoy’s vision and honor.
Completed from a remote creative exchange, with ideas being bounced back and forth between all members to create an eight-track barrage of Death Metal, ‘Moribundis Grim’ is an incredible achievement.
More info: Necrophagia; Time to Kill Records;Funebrarum back in business with new album and split EP: "Funebrarum's ten-song magnum opus of Death Metal darkness and brutality will soon be mangling your feeble brains..."
March 11, 2024
Things have be eerily silent here for a while but the band is slowly arising, from ancient crypts unseen…
Funebrarum’s new album entitled ‘Beckoning The Void of Eternal Silence’ will be released this year on Singapore’s Pulverised Records on LP / CD and Cassette formats.
The outer and inner cover oil paintings and layouts are being created and designed by the band’s vocalist, Daryl Kahan. We are very proud of the work accomplished and look forward to the album’s release.
Directly before our ‘Beckoning the Void of Eternal Silence’ LP, we are also planning a split 7″ vinyl EP with our friends, Pestigore from Finland. This bludgeoning death release will be out on Morbid Wrath Records, in possible collaboration with a label overseas.
Future Funebrarum recordings and touring for this album are both in the works.
Funebrarum’s ten-song magnum opus of Death Metal darkness and brutality will soon be mangling your feeble brains..
Thank you to our fans and supporters worldwide.
More info: Funebrarum; Pestigore; Morbid Wrath Records; Pulverised Records;Chaos Records planning to re-release Degraved's both 'Whispered Morbidity'EP & 'Exhumed Remnants' demo as a compilation: "Still old-school to the bone, eerie synth lurked between slabs of guitar and guttural onslaught, proving Degraved's intent to desecrate the tarnished earth."
March 5, 2024
Chaos Records is proud to reissue Degraved’s both ‘Whispered Morbidity’EP & ‘Exhumed Remnants’ demo on CD format.
With roots in the dismal and damp soil of the Pacific Northwest, the members of Degraved are not newcomers to the sordid landscape of Death Metal. Originally a recording project of members of Cavurn, the duo found themselves needing an outlet for faster downtuned riffs in the harrowing American tradition.
In 2020, Degraved released their first demo, ‘Exhumed Remnants’. Absolutely gutsfucking, this four-song salvo conspicuously nodded to the gods of downtuned Death Metal – Cianide, Funebrarum, and early Necros Christos – but did so with the feral force and gutter-drenched ritualism.
That gutter-ward descent continued with the band’s second short-length offering, 2023’s ‘Whispered Morbidity’. On this EP, the band doubled in size to a quartet, and their base barbarity received a razor-sharpened refinement, somehow becoming heavier and more heaving in the process.
Still old-school to the bone, eerie synth lurked between slabs of guitar and guttural onslaught, proving Degraved’s intent to desecrate the tarnished earth.
Now compiled onto one convenient CD, both Whispered Morbidity and Exhumed Remnants will together entrance the listener with their more-than-faint call of death beckoning.
More info: Degraved; Chaos Records;Temple of the Beast and Iron Bonehead Productions team up to release debut EP: "...oft-lumbering ritualism that slithers its way into hammering primitivism, recalling the earliest works of Samael, Mystifier, Demoncy, and 'Drawing Down the Moon'-era Beherit..."
March 4, 2024
Iron Bonehead Productions is proud to present Temple of the Beast’s highly anticipated debut mini-album, ‘Geminian Arcana’, on CD and 12″ vinyl formats.
Temple of the Beast is the work of one DarkWvlf, well known in the Black Metal scene as Blackthorn, founding vocalist/drummer of the long-running Thornspawn. But those expecting a blitzed assault of classic Norsecore will be in for a surprise with Temple of the Beast: oft-lumbering ritualism that slithers its way into hammering primitivism, recalling the earliest works of Samael, Mystifier, Demoncy, and ‘Drawing Down the Moon’-era Beherit but exuding its own strange, ethereal identity.
Preceded by a demo and a single, Temple of the Beast now arrive with a 30-minute-long mini-album, ‘Geminian Arcana’. Due to its generous length – five monolithic hymns are contained herein – the band’s full potential is displayed in diabolic, Dionysian splendor. Indeed, Temple of the Beast’s central themes are arcane magick and bacchanalian bloodletting, ancient lore and mysteries only found in the innermost catacombs. Sonically, DarkWvlf illustrates this with tones that are tar-thick yet somehow atmospheric, layering the patient pulse with ritual bells and cosmic synths; likewise, his vocal tones go far deeper than his characteristic screech in Thornspawn.
As such, Temple of the Beast in general and ‘Geminian Arcana’ in particular are equally recommended to maniacs of the early Greek Black Metal scene as well as the aforementioned legends. Debauch under the full moon!
More info: Temple of the Beast; Iron Bonehead Productions;