CANNIBAL CORPSE: George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher – vocals Erik Rutan – guitar Rob Barrett – guitar Alex Webster – bass Paul Mazurkiewicz – drums
Cannibal Corpse, a revered name in death metal, unleashes their sixteenth studio album, “Chaos Horrific,” via Metal Blade Records. This band needs no introduction, but what about their latest offering? Well, it’s exactly what you’d expect from these veterans of brutality.
“Chaos Horrific” delivers the classic Cannibal Corpse experience, with unrelenting speed, brutality, and the unmistakable growls of George ‘Corpsegrinder’ Fisher. The album kicks off with the thunderous “Overlords of Violence,” setting the tone for a fast-paced, riff-packed onslaught that rarely lets up. Clocking in at a tight 39 minutes, it’s refreshingly concise in an era of overstuffed albums.
Erik Rutan’s influence on guitar, alongside Rob Barrett, injects new life into the band’s sound. The solos add melodic nuance to the chaos, as seen in tracks like “Frenzied Feeding” and “Summoned for Sacrifice.” There are moments of monotony, but the album finishes strong with “Pestilential Rictus” and “Drain You Empty.”
The production packs a punch, although the mastering is a bit loud, but death metal is supposed to be experienced loud. George ‘Corpsegrinder’ Fisher’s vocals remain a force to be reckoned with, and drummer Paul Mazurkiewicz provides a rock-solid foundation.
“Chaos Horrific” doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it’s a testament to Cannibal Corpse’s consistency and vitality. For long-time fans, it’s a solid addition to their discography, while newcomers will find it a brutal introduction to the band’s world.
Vince Locke’s gruesome artwork perfectly complements the carnage within. When Cannibal Corpse releases an album, you know you’re in for a blood-soaked ride. “Chaos Horrific” lives up to the legacy, proving that these death metal pioneers still reign supreme. Don’t miss their upcoming tour with The True Mayhem, where these songs are bound to ignite mosh pits and headbanging galore. “Chaos Horrific” is out now, so prepare for a relentless onslaught of death metal fury.
Chaos Horrific track listing: 1. Overlords Of Violence 2. Frenzied Feeding 3. Summoned For Sacrifice 4. Blood Blind 5. Vengeful Invasion 6. Chaos Horrific 7. Fracture And Refracture 8. Pitchfork Impalement 9. Pestilential Rictus 10. Drain You Empty
Coinciding with the release of Chaos Horrific, CANNIBAL CORPSE will embark on a month-long North American co-headlining tour with Mayhem. The journey begins September 22nd in Nashville, Tennessee and runs through October 21st in Louisville, Kentucky. Support will be provided by special guests, Gorguts and Blood Incantation! See all confirmed dates below. CANNIBAL CORPSE w/ Mayhem, Gorguts, Blood Incantation: 9/22/2023 Marathon Music Hall – Nashville, TN 9/23/2023 The Fillmore – Charlotte, NC 9/24/2023 The Mill & Mine – Knoxville, TN 9/26/2023 Stage AE – Pittsburgh, PA 9/27/2023 Rebel – Toronto, ON 9/28/2023 L’Olympia – Montreal, QC 9/29/2023 The Palladium – Worcester, MA 9/30/2023 Brooklyn Steel – Brooklyn, NY 10/02/2023 The Royal Oak – Detroit, MI 10/03/2023 Hard Rock Live – Gary, IN 10/04/2023 The Fillmore – Minneapolis, MN 10/06/2023 Mission Ballroom – Denver, CO 10/07/2023 The Depot – Lake City, UT 10/09/2023 Temple Theatre – Tacoma, WA 10/10/2023 Knitting Factory – Spokane, WA 10/11/2023 Knitting Factory – Boise, ID 10/13/2023 The Warfield – San Francisco, CA 10/14/2023 SOMA – San Diego, CA 10/17/2023 The Aztec Theatre – San Antonio, TX 10/18/2023 The Factory – Dallas, TX 10/20/2023 The Eastern – Atlanta, GA 10/21/2023 Paristown Hall – Louisville, KY
Line-up Morean – guitars, vocals Christian Münzner – guitars Linus Klausenitzer – bass Hannes Grossmann – drums
Alkaloid are metal’s maddest scientists. The Bavarian band have crafted songs about what lies beneath the Arctic crust, on top of an ongoing, multi-part saga about a galactic civilization that ascends to god-like levels of domination.
‘Numen’ is their most intricate, thought-provoking and batshit insane album yet. Alkaloid are still bonded together by their love of extreme metal. After all, they are a super group that’s assembled from foundational members of Obscura, Dark Fortress, Triptykon and other genre heavyweights. The fiery, finger-tapped solo that squiggles loose halfway through lead single “Clusterfuck” is crushed like an ant between colliding moons. But their new album finds the band playing around with all kinds of experiments. “The Cambrian Explosion” flips death metal on its horned head with seductive flurries of jazz and flamenco, while the title track is a dizzying seven-minute yarn of how a supermassive black hole came to burp up an unheard-of cosmic artifact that gives both the song – and the album – its name.
“We proudly present our third album ‘Numen’, says Alkaloid. “Where ‘The Malkuth Grimoire’ dealt with the rearrangement of existing particles into new forms, and ‘Liquid Anatomy’ with the creation of new particles, this album looks at the universe from the perspective of imaginary deities detached altogether from the cycle of life and death of incarnated organisms. This hypothetical viewpoint is reflected on the scales of both biological and cosmological processes. If one could shape and manipulate life and the cosmos itself, how would one go about it, and what would it mean for everything in that cosmos?
Tracklist
Disc 1 1. Qliphosis (7:48) 2. The Cambrian Explosion (3:58) 3. Clusterfuck (6:00) 4. Shades of Shub-Niggurath (6:11) 5. A Fool’s Desire (8:10) 6. The Fungi From Yuggoth (6:06)
Disc2 1. The Black Siren (Instrumental) (1:39) 2. Numen (Dyson VII) (7:03) 3. Recursion (Dyson VIII) (3:29) 4. The Folding (Dyson IX) (6:54) 5. Alpha Aur (13:23)
Progressive extreme metallers Alkaloid prepare to unfurl their new many-tentacled full-length, Numen via Season of Mist. Featuring members of Triptykon, Obscura, Dark Fortress, and Obsidious, the Germany-based quartet of Morean (vocals, guitars, concepts), Hannes Grossmann (drums), Christian Münzner (guitars), and Linus Klausenitzer (bass) construct upon, expand away from, and journey between previous full-lengths The Malkuth Grimoire (2015) and Liquid Anatomy (2018) on Numen. In every respect, Alkaloid recommence the purposeful warp of various metallic genres they dimensionally blur. Tracks like the video single for “Clusterfuck,” “The Cambrian Explosion,” and “Numen” posit heavy cosmological/Lovecraftian theoretic themes on top of musically-adept songs that are accessible yet undeniably intricate.
“We’ve all been around the block a few times by now as metal musicians,” says songsmith Morean. “The feeling that we’ve outgrown the narrow niche of pure extreme metal was a main motivator to start this band in the first place, ten years ago. The ‘prog’ tag is handy for us because, per definition, it already encompasses a wider range of possible styles and influences we can get away with than any one specific metal genre. This means we could ensure from the beginning that we’ll always be able to write whatever we want, no matter how crazy our ideas become. The heart of this band is always the songwriting, and we all like complex and virtuosic music in all its diverse manifestations. However, we do share a love for death metal as the smallest common denominator in the band, and we wanted to make sure no one thinks that just because we include melodies, clean guitars, and influences from other genres, we’d automatically sacrifice the brutality and relentless esthetic of extreme metal.”
Alkaloid formed in Bavaria in 2013. While the members, starting with Morean, were already ensconced or had partaken in activities with Necrophagist, Dark Fortress, and Obscura, they saw the band as an outlet of limitless expression, a vehicle for traversing miasmal worlds host to ancient squamous things residing in Cyclopean architecture. Indeed, Morean’s lyrical hard sci-fi subjects are as critical to the totality of Alkaloid as the music. Tracks like “Cthulhu” and “Carbon Phrases” (both from The Malkuth Grimoire), as well as video single “Azagthoth” and “Kernel Panic” (both from Liquid Anatomy), found critical acclaim not just with extreme metal enthusiasts the world over, but also the press, with Metal Hammer Germany calling Liquid Anatomy a “work of art” and Metal Injection enthusiastically stating the album was a “phenomenal juggernaut.” New album, Numen, will undoubtedly rise above its predecessors with its ubiquitous, thought-provoking sophistication.
“Every new Alkaloid album builds on the previous ones,” Morean says. “As we have different songwriters, we also have different stories and styles on every album, which develop in parallel and are picked up again on the next album. We didn’t know this yet back when we started out, but three albums in, we see different song cycles being created across albums; apparently, many of the stories we tell don’t want to end but lead us to new chapters that want to be written. Examples are: the sequence of ‘Funeral for a Continent’ from the first album, which asks the question of what’s under the Antarctic ice sheet, leading in a direct line to Cephalopods becoming the next dominant species on the planet on the second album, and turning into a space-faring race in this installment; the growing ‘portrait’ gallery of the Lovecraftian pantheon, where each of his deities is linked to real-world phenomena in cosmology and biology; and of course, the ever-growing Dyson saga that sketches a path how a galactic civilization is born and climbs to god-like levels.”
Numen was written during the pandemic, but it was planned long before the scourge of disease wracked humanity. As a result, the songwriting sessions were predictably not “in the room” but over the Internet after the band members had isolated and worked on their constituent parts. Demos flew back and forth. Then, Tunker left amicably for personal reasons. Alkaloid could’ve folded, but the close-knit group soldiered on. They intensely relied on the professionalism and dependability of the collective to drive Numen to completion. The complications of the two years it took to sonically inscribe the album into aeonic vastness didn’t fragment the end result. Instead, the process accelerated Alkaloid’s lambent, eldritch explorations. “Clusterfuck,” “The Cambrian Explosion,” “Numen,” and “A Fool’s Desire” expertly bridge the past to the future, where Alkaloid’s originative, daedal storytelling captures (and holds hostage) the imagination.
“‘Clusterfuck’ is a rather moderate track for us,” says Morean. “It’s mid-tempo, not too long, pretty straightforward, has its brutal moments and a catchy chorus, and is the one track where the lyric is more philosophical and less based on imagery. ‘The Cambrian Explosion’ is a nod to tech death, even if we always work hard to escape that niche. Danny conceived it as a less cheerful cousin to ‘Alter Magnitudes,’ another hyper-condensed grenade of excessive shredding; Hannes and I then added elements you’d never find in tech death. ‘Numen’ then shines a light on how the ever-growing Dyson saga continues. Musically, it explores polyrhythms, extended sound design for the guitars, and a unique combination of ingredients that tell a gargantuan story of galactic architecture that needed to be reflected in the many complex layers of the music. ‘A Fool’s Desire’ offers yet another of our personalities, starting as a ballad that becomes an epic rock song before being inevitably ground up in blastbeats towards the end. It’s a perfect example of how Hannes’ songwriting focus these days is happy to sacrifice instrumental virtuosity in favor of an epic character, unashamedly embracing traditional metal without becoming banal in it or denying the other aspects of this band.”
The title, Numen, got its start at the dawning of Alkaloid. It’s a word that Morean fell in love with immediately, and he knew it had a place in his creative endeavors. Whereas The Malkuth Grimoire talked about combining existing elements into new structures, and Liquid Anatomy dealt with the creation of new elements, Numen tries to look at the universe from a kind of meta-perspective from an imaginary god, as if the space that everything happens in was given a voice and a role as observer and shaper of everything that happens. In it, sentient panspermic mycelia are swathed in Lovecraftian nastiness—like Shub-Niggurath and the Fungi from Yuggoth—while the new Dyson chapters interpret the aspiration to reach divinity rather literally, reshaping the entire galaxy by manipulating spacetime itself. Desperate to escape their doom, the Cephalopods from previous songs have returned, too. Numen is dense but not impenetrable. In fact, from the first moments of opener, “Qliphosis,” to the final contemplation of closer “Alpha Aur,” Alkaloid prove to be more charismatic than ever.
“I’m always most interested in the big picture,” Morean says. “Considering the size and depth of our universe, it is preposterous for dumb little ape-descendants like us to really get there, but I prefer to fail spectacularly in the attempt than to not try at all. You have to reach for the stars to reach the branches. I’d also presume that the only division between the physical and the spiritual world is in our knowledge and perception of it since I’m convinced it’s all part of the same world. Where science offers a wealth of objective understanding of the physical world, we’re still in the dark as far as the mind and soul are concerned. As an artist, I take my poetic license to fill in the blank spots at the edges of both domains and connect them in hopefully original and unexpected futuristic analogies. One development in the album concept is that I’m starting to be able to connect all those different story strands (which I started without much consideration for the future on the first album) with each other on this album, so finally, it’s all coming together in the same universe. And I see a plethora of grand new stories to be told in the future.”
Alkaloid technically recorded Numen individually, each member tracking their songs/parts at their respective homes. Getting everyone into Grossmann’s Mordor Sounds (Eternity’s End, Hannes Grossmann) simultaneously was logistically (and sometimes legally) impossible. So, the able-bodied drummer/producer took the pieces of Numen, stitching them together to form a cohesive, tenebrous whole. Grossman then invited Morean between government-mandated lockdowns to track his vocals. Numen was mixed at Mordor Sounds. What ostensibly started in 2021 finally concluded on the eve of 2022, with American mastering cognoscente Alan Douches (Cannibal Corpse, Death) reprising his Liquid Anatomy role. “Clusterfuck,” “The Cambrian Explosion,” “Numen,” and “The Fungi from Yuggoth” not only sound intense and pyramided but also dynamically awesome.
“How it goes is you wake up, have a coffee, stand before the mike, and scream your guts out for sometimes 8-10 hours in a row until you forget even your name,” says Morean. “Make no mistake, though: we love the absolute concentration of the task at hand, and if we didn’t push ourselves to the absolute limit in everything we do with almost monk-like dedication, we wouldn’t feel we did our job. And we live for this, of course, so I hope we’ll still be doing this when we’re senile in wheelchairs wearing diapers and losing our dentures between takes. No money in the world can buy you the satisfaction of hearing an awesome finished mix of something you worked on for years in the privacy of your own head.”
Alkaloid’s next steps are to release Numen to an eagerly-anticipating world. From there, the Germans aim for traditional tours and unorthodox venues alike. In fact, Alkaloid are already booked to play at a science conference in Germany, as well as the Netherlands Bach Society, which orchestrates a weekend of festivals celebrating the work of Johann Sebastian Bach. The latter might come as a surprise, but not for Morean, whose off-Alkaloid profession is a classical composer for the likes of Netherlands Public Broadcasting (NPO), the Ricciotti Ensemble, the DoelenEnsemble, and others. He won the Paul Jacobs Memorial Award (2002) and was nominated for the Unesco International Rostrum of Composers (2010). Clearly, the backdrop of Alkaloid’s accomplished membership translates to the piquant, transformative qualities of Numen.
FUMING MOUTH is: Mark Whelan – Guitar, Vocals Andrew Budwey – Guitar Pat Merson – Bass James Davis – Drums
The musical ensemble known as Fuming Mouth, hailing from the New England has cultivated a auditory panorama that resides at the nebulous crossroads between the realms of death metal and hardcore. Their inaugural offering, “The Grand Descent,” unleashed upon the world in 2019, stood as a monolithic behemoth, followed swiftly by the 2020 EP, “Beyond The Tomb.”
In the annals of time, Fuming Mouth graced the stage of the America’s Hardcore festival last year, and now, they stand on the precipice of releasing their eagerly anticipated sophomore album. Aptly titled “Last Day Of Sun,” this album was meticulously crafted in collaboration with Converge’s own Kurt Ballou. A concept album that delves headfirst into the enigma of mortality, the inspiration for this was birthed during the trials of battling cancer. In a poignant statement, Whelan, reflects, “What started as a fictional concept album became incredibly real. I was facing certain death, but as I kept writing the album it’s theme became clear. You could die tomorrow.The album’s thematic essence crystallized with uncanny clarity: Tomorrow is not guaranteed, so seize today.”
The offering from this forthcoming masterpiece, titled “The Silence Beyond Life,” resounds with an ethos distinct from Fuming Mouth’s prior compositions. The guitar riffs, dense and weighty as an anchor in the abyss, envelop the listener in an atmosphere shrouded with foreboding. Within the shadows, hints of triumphant melodies emerge, evoking memories of the nineties’ golden age of Swedish death metal. It is a marvel, an embodiment of the profound significance woven into its creation—an anthem that resonates with the fragility of existence.
FUMING MOUTH is back! After years of uncertainty and dire circumstances, the revered and critically praised New England death metal perpetrators have overcome overwhelming obstacles to return this fall for the long-awaited release of their second, full-length album, Last Day of Sun, that’s due out November 3rd from Nuclear Blast.
Following a devastating diagnosis of leukemia in late 2021, vocalist/guitarist Mark Whelan spent nearly a year battling cancer through chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant, and emerged in remission in 2022. Now cancer free, the beloved frontman returns rejuvenated with renewed determination, perspective and creativity in a new lease on life and the band’s most crucial and ferocious record yet. Commenting on the incoming record, Whelan says:
“What started as a fictional concept album became incredibly real. I was facing certain death, but as I kept writing the album it’s theme became clear. You could die tomorrow. Seize the day.“
Today, FUMING MOUTH has revealed the record’s first single, ‘The Silence Beyond Life,’ and coinciding video. Adding about the song, Whelan states:
“‘The Silence Beyond Life’ is our most melodic and heaviest song to date drawing influence from God Macabre, Gorement, and other melodic Swedish death metal acts of the time like Therion and Cemetary. It’s a song about trying to live while longing to die and overcoming that.“
Last Day of Sun Track List: 1. Out of Time 2. Respect and Blasphemy 3. The Silence Beyond Life 4. The Sign of Pain 5. Leaving Euphoria 6. I’ll Find You 7. Disgusterlude 8. Kill the Disease 9. Last Day of Sun 10. R.I.P. (Rest in Piss) 11. Burial Practices 12. Postfigurement
About FUMING MOUTH:
A fiery, resurrected rage barrels its way out of hell’s erupting chasms with blistering fury; Fuming Mouth has returned. Lead singer, guitarist, and founder Mark Whelan emerges triumphant after a life-threatening battle with Acute Myeloid Leukemia, rekindling the inferno of their music with Fuming Mouth’s second full-length album, Last Day of Sun.
What initially began as a full-on, fictional concept album underwent a profound transformation into a concept-reality hybrid, largely influenced by Whelan’s harrowing conflict with his health and anear brush with death. Just three weeks away from recording the album, Whelan was struck with a devastating cancer diagnosis. While bravely fighting the illness, he rewrote melodies, drum sections, and lyrics, infusing the music with his personal journey of struggle and hope.
The recording sessions began in October 2022, with Grammy Award winning Kurt Ballou of Converge at his studio, God City, inSalem, Massachusetts. Ballou reached out to Whelan after his battle with cancer and encouraged him to get back to their previously scheduled recording session.Working closely with Ballou in both engineering and production, the band found a wonderful and collaborative experience, as Ballou invested himself wholeheartedly in shaping their sound and vision. Salem itself also helped shape the album, as the Halloween Season had begun. Droves of tourists and residents mixing with people in costume made the streets of Salem seem like Last Day of Sun had come to life. The city where the Witch Trials took place presented the perfect setting for the album to be recorded.
At the genesis of this record, there was no other artist that could have captured the album’s essence better than Mariusz Lewandowski, with whom the band had already established a creative relationship through his work on the cover art of The Grand Descent. Tragically, Mariusz passed away while working on the album artwork, presenting the band with an immense obstacle to overcome. In tribute to his spirit and legacy, they joined forces with the talented artist Stefan Todorovic who crafted an evocative album cover depicting a Faustian city crumbling amidst the gray and sandy storms of the apocalypse. A colossal monster blocks the sun and hovers above the city as it burns, smoky buildings topple to the ground; all a visual representation of the chaos and darkness that permeates the album.
Fuming Mouth stands resilient, a testament to the indomitable human spirit. Amidst the carnage and depression lies a flicker of hope – a beacon of light that emanates from within. But as the last rays of the sun cast their shadow, the question remains. Will the people in Last Day of Sun survive? Will their worst inhibitions play out, will they rip each other to shreds, will they give up? Will everything they’ve built have been for not? Will they find a way to overcome, or will their panic lead to failure?
The wait is over…Canadian extreme-metal legends CRYPTOPSY have unleashed their massively-anticipated, catastrophic new album, As Gomorrah Burns, today with Nuclear Blast Records. The tech-death masters’ 8th album, and first full-length in over a decade, arrives with a throat-punch of brutality as witnessed on singles like ‘Flayed The Swine‘ and ‘In Abeyance.’
Now fully revealed, As Gomorrah Burns seethes with barbaric savagery over the course of 8 vicious songs. Pure, unrelenting death metal made with no constraints or contritions orchestrated around a concept pitting the Biblical story of Sodom and Gomorrah against the modern-day Internet, both being origins invention and a cesspool of exploitation. The stories told on the record are based on real-life incidences—online stalkers, cults, misinformation, isolation, and intimidation—but ornamented deviously to enhance their potency.
Today, CRYPTOPSY has revealed a lyric video for their song ‘Godless Deceiver,’ which takes listeners on a horrific tale of severe violence.
Vocalist Matt McGachy says of the song:
“The lyrics of ‘Godless Deceiver’ are extremely vulgar and disgusting. As I was doing research for the album, I came across the story of Fabiane Maria de Jesus. A 33 year old woman from Guarujá, Brazil, which is a city outside of São Paulo.
She was brutally murdered by a mob of people that thought she was responsible of kidnappings in the area, following a Facebook post by a local news outlet. The newspaper reported that a woman had been seen abducting children, and many believed her motivation was witchcraft. A sketch of the woman the news outlet claimed was a child abductor was included with the alert, and resembled the victim. It turns out in the end that she was innocent. This group of vigilantes killed her for no reason whatsoever. It really brings into light the importance of never trusting what you see, read or hear about on the internet.
I decided to write the lyrics from the mobs perspective, which is why they are simplistic. Brutal lyrics about an extremely violent act. The mob never questions if they are doing the right thing, they just acted in unison.
It is one of the nastiest song I have ever written.“
1. Lascivious Undivine 2. In Abeyance 3. Godless Deceiver 4. Ill Ender 5. Flayed The Swine 6. The Righteous Lost 7. Obeisant 8. Praise The Filth
CRYPTOPSY is currently slaying audiences on the “Carnival of Death” on tour with special guests ABYSMAL DAWN, HATE and VISCERAL DISGORGE. Tickets are available now at https://www.bandsintown.com/a/2941-cryptopsy.
CRYPTOPSY Tour Dates: 09.08. US. Brooklyn, NY – Meadows 09.09. US. Clifton, NJ – Dingbatz 09.10. US. Pittsburgh, PA – Preserving Underground 09.11. US. Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade (Hell) 09.12. US. Tampa, FL – The Brass Mug 09.14. US. Houston, TX – Scout Bar 09.15. US. Austin, TX – Come And Take It Live 09.16. US. Dallas, TX – TBC 09.17. US. Albuquerque, NM – Launchpad 09.18. US. Las Vegas, NV – Backstage Bar 09.19. US. Mesa, AZ – Nile Underground 09.20. US. San Diego, CA – Brick By Brick 09.21. US. Los Angeles, CA – 1720 09.22. US. San Francisco, CA – DNA Lounge 09.23. US. Roseville, CA – Goldfield Trading 09.24. US. Portland, OR – Dante’s 09.25. US. Seattle, WA – El Corazon 09.26. CA. Vancouver, BC – Rickshaw Theater 09.27. US. Boise, ID – The Shredder 09.29. US. Denver, CO – HQ 09.30. US. Lincoln, NE – Cosmic Eye Live 10.01. US. Joliet, IL – The Forge 10.02. US. Grand Rapids, MI – The Pyramid Scheme 10.03. CA. Toronto, ON – Lee’s Palace 10.04. CA. Kingston, ON – Overtime Sports Bar 10.05. CA. Quebec City, QC – La Source De La Martiniere 10.06. CA. Montreal, QC – Foufounes Electriques
About CRYPTOPSY:
Death metal juggernaut Cryptopsy return to pummel our collective senses anew with their new album, As Gomorrah Burns. Their first for Nuclear Blast, the Montreal-based quartet—featuring founding member/drummer Flo Mounier, guitarist Christian Donaldson, vocalist Matt McGachy, and bassist Olivier “Oli” Pinard—advance their signature Northern power as they celebrate 30-plus years of extremity. The merciless blasts of ‘Lascivious Undivine’ and ‘Flayed the Swine’ offer Cryptopsy at their most intense and maniacal, while ‘In Abeyance’ and ‘The Righteous Lost’ groove savagely. As Gomorrah Burns underscores the animus of fan-favorite None So Vile (1996) and the meticulous technicality of And Then You’ll Beg (2000) with a strikingly sinister vibe.
Formed in 1992, Cryptopsy has released eight full-lengths—counting As Gomorrah Burns—to date. Out of the gate, the Quebecers set new standards in death metal with their no-compromise attack and next-level musicality. Debut album, Blasphemy Made Flesh, shell-shocked all that encountered it, as follow-ups None So Vile, Whisper Supremacy (1998), and Once Was Not (2005) positioned the Canadians as apex predators. Throughout their storied career, the group embarked on high-profile tours, such as the inaugural Death Across America tour in 1998, the Summer Slaughter Tour in 2008, and the Devastation on the Nation tour in 2017. To date, they’ve performed over 1,000 shows across 47 countries. The release of As Gomorrah Burns on Nuclear Blast re-positions Cryptopsy for yet another reign of death metal domination.
As Gomorrah Burns isn’t merely the follow-up to EPs The Book of Suffering – Tome I (2015) and The Book of Suffering – Tome II (2018). It’s another beast entirely. Crafted over two years during the pandemic, the initial sessions took place in a cabin in the forests of Quebec. McGachy calls the horror-like backdrop “surreal,” but, as with everything Cryptopsy, the songwriting process was expectedly arduous. Donaldson was the primary motivator behind As Gomorrah Burns. The guitarist and producer served as taskmaster and advocate, grinding out of his bandmates in McGachy, Mounier, and Pinard eight slabs of unadulterated barbarity. If Cryptopsy were formidable before As Gomorrah Burns, they’re absolutely monstrous now.
Conceptually, As Gomorrah Burns pits the Biblical story of Sodom and Gomorrah against the modern-day Internet. McGachy’s idea was to show how it’s both the birthplace of invention and a cesspool of exploitation. The stories are based on real-life incidences—online stalkers, cults, misinformation, isolation, and intimidation—but ornamented deviously to enhance their potency. Cryptopsy commissioned Italian artist Paolo Girardi (Power Trip, Temple of Void) to complement the old-world lyrical themes. If Renaissance masters Hieronymus Bosch and El Greco were thrust into McGachy’s modern mind, the stunning cover of As Gomorrah Burns would be the outcome.
As with The Unspoken King (2008) and the self-titled (2012), Cryptopsy enlisted their bandmate Donaldson to helm the production, mixing, and mastering of As Gomorrah Burns. Dom Grimard, of Ion Dissonance fame, also came into the production fold. McGachy says the time in the studio took much longer than anticipated, but with Donaldson directing and everyone finally in the same room again post-pandemic, Cryptopsy were able to capture newfound vigor (and velocity) on As Gomorrah Burns. Tracks such as ‘Godless Deceiver,’ ‘Ill Ender,’ and ‘Praise the Filth’ demonstrate Donaldson’s death metal mastery.
Aggressive to a fault yet thoughtful in its entirety, As Gomorrah Burns—with songs such as ‘In Abeyance,’ ‘Flayed the Swine,’ and ‘Lascivious Undivine’—pierces mundanity thoroughly and relentlessly. This is no-quarters death metal, the kind our bellicose world needed and only Cryptopsy could deliver.
“We are back,” says McGachy. “I want our fans to know we’re more than a legacy band. Yes, we have had massive cult favorite albums—like None So Vile—but we are creating modern and relevant extreme music 30 years later. We’re so proud of As Gomorrah Burns, and we can’t wait for you to hear it!“
Arizona death metallers JOB FOR A COWBOY return after a near decade long hiatus with their brand new single and accompanying video for “The Agony Seeping Storm.” The track comes by way of the band’s first new full-length in a decade, set for release in 2024 via Metal Blade Records!
JOB FOR A COWBOY released their Sun Eater full-length in 2014. The record received an overwhelmingly positive response, with Decibel Magazine confessing, “Fuck it, I can admit when I’m wrong… while I was busy pointedly not paying attention to them, these deathcore progenitors actually became a pretty damn good band.” In a 4.5/5 review, Alternative Press championed, “a full-on progressive death metal band… the songs have progressive sweep and epic power, at times recalling Opeth’s heavier work,” adding, “Sun Eater is one of 2014′s best metal albums, period,” while Metal Injection hailed an album, “that will be a solid brick in the foundation of the death metal genre with no gimmicks or trends to back it up.”
Ten years later, the band returns with their most volatile work to date. The as-yet-untitled full-length is at once musically multifaceted, unabashedly brutal, and compellingly conceptual. First single, “The Agony Seeping Storm,” is a mathematically mind-blowing hybrid of bludgeoning death metal specializing in unconventional riffing that echoes the resemblance of legendary experimentalists like Cynic, Atheist, and Gorguts. A newly refreshed and reinspired lineup — vocalist Jonny Davy, guitarists Tony Sannicandro and Al Glassman, bassist Nick Schendzielos, and drummer (since 2020) Navene Koperweis — seamlessly pick up the mantle where Sun Eater left off.
Issues Davy, “‘The Agony Seeping Storm’ gives a slice of our upcoming concept record. Regarding the video, the band collaborated extensively with director K. Hunter Lumar (Digital Mile), while our bassist, Nick Schendzielos, co-directed. The concept was inspired by a close friend who embarked on a relentless quest for profound enlightenment through the incessant abuse of hallucinogenic drugs. However, as they delved deeper into their religious-like experimentation they began exhibiting symptoms of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. They came to believe that they could access an alternate, esoteric reality through hallucinogenic intoxication, where they encountered gnostic and biblical figures and imagery.These songs reflect their thoughts, ideas, and experiences.”
Watch JOB FOR A COWBOY’s “The Agony Seeping Storm” video HERE.
Further info on JOB FOR A COWBOY’s new full-length will be revealed in the coming weeks. Stay alert!
JOB FOR A COWBOY’s official comeback show will take place at this year’s edition of Blue Ridge Rock Fest with additional live dates to be announced soon.
JOB FOR A COWBOY Live:
9/08/2023 Blue Ridge Rock Fest – Alton, VA
JOB FOR A COWBOY hails from Glendale, Arizona. Formed in 2003, the band’s debut album, Genesis, was released in 2007, peaking at #54 on the US Billboard 200 and selling 13,000 copies in its first week of release. The second album, 2009’s Ruination, sold 10,600 copies in the United States in its first week to debut at position #42 on the Billboard 200 chart! The band has been described by The New York Times as “an Arizona band with a guttural, brute-force sound descended (indirectly) from hardcore punk,” and a, “straightforwardly brutal act,” by Rolling Stone Magazine. The band has appeared on numerous music festivals both stateside and abroad, including Sounds Of The Underground, Download Festival, Mayhem Festival, Summer Slaughter, Graspop Metal Meeting, and Wacken Open Air, among others.
Death Metal Quartet CRYPTA Announces First US Headlining Tour Shades Of Sorrow Over North America 2024
Beginning January 27, 2024 in San Juan, Puerto Rico Tickets On Sale Now!
Latest Album, Shades of Sorrow, Out Now via Napalm Records Order HERE
World-renowned Brazilian death metal unit CRYPTA are thrilled to announce their first ever US headlining tour! The “Shades Of Sorrow Over North America 2024” tour kicks off in San Juan, Puerto Rico on January 27, visiting several major cities along the central and western United States before coming to an end on March 2 in Seattle, WA.
Tickets are on sale now! Check local venues and the band’s official website for tickets and more information.
CRYPTA offers: “We are so happy to be back in the US! Since we were confirmed for 70000 Tons, we thought it would be a good idea to be back in the US to mainly cover territories we haven’t been to yet on our previous run there, so it’s gonna be awesome to reach fans who haven’t had the chance to watch us yet in the states we’re visiting for the first time. Also, bringing the new album setup on a first ever headlining tour around there is gonna be extra special for us!”
CRYPTA North American Headline Tour Dates
01/27/24: San Juan, Puerto Rico @ La Respuesta 01/29/24 – 02/2/24 Miami, FL @ 70,000 Tons Of Metal 02/03/24: Orlando, FL @ Conduit 02/04/24: Tampa, FL @ Orpheum 02/06/24: Jacksonville, NC @ Hooligans 02/07/24: Greensboro, NC @ Hangar 1819 02/08/24: Louisville, KY @ Headliners Music Hall 02/09/24: Covington, KY @ Madison Live 02/10/24: USA – Spartanburg, SC @ Ground Zero 02/11/24: Atlanta, GA @ Boggs Social & Supply 02/12/24: Nashville, TN @ Drkmttr 02/14/24: Fayetteville, AR @ Majestic Lounge 02/15/24: Houston, TX @ Rise Rooftop 02/16/24: Dallas, TX @ Trees 02/17/24: Austin, TX @ Come and Take It Live 02/19/24: El Paso, TX @ RockHouse Bar & Grill 02/20/24: Alburquerque, NM @ Launchpad 02/21/24: Mesa, AZ @ The Underground 02/23/24: San Diego, CA @ Brick By Brick 02/24/24: Los Angeles, CA @ Whisky a Go Go 02/25/24: Las Vegas, NV @ Backstage Bar & Billiards 02/27/24: Sacramento, CA @ The Starlet Room 03/01/24: Portland, OR @ Dante’s 03/02/24: Seattle, WA @ El Corazon
CRYPTA recently released their sophomore record Shades of Sorrow via Napalm Records. Impressively, the album debuted at #5 on the US Top New Artist Albums Chart, #7 on the US Current Hard Music Albums Chart, #4 on the Canadian Hard Music Albums Chart, #17 on the UK Official Rock & Metal Album Charts, #23 on the Official German Album Charts, and landed at more top positions on charts around the world!
The band presents the very best of their technical ability and songwriting skills on this 13-track onslaught. Formed in 2019 by former NERVOSAmembers Luana Dametto (drums) and Fernanda Lira (vocals), and now featuring guitarists Tainá Bergamaschi and Jessica di Falchi, CRYPTA once again stay true to the unique sound introduced on their first full-length, blending classic and modern death metal with significant extreme and black metal elements. Shades of Sorrow was recorded at Family Mob Studio, mixed by Daniel Bergstrand at 33 Stockholm, Sweden and mastered by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studio.
With millions of video views and performances at the famous Wacken Open Air among other premium festivals, and a recent US tour supporting Morbid Angel and Revocation, the band will add another highlight when supporting Ghost at two shows later this year.
CRYPTA opening for Ghost: 09/20/23: BR – São Paulo @ Espaço Unimed 09/21/23: BR – São Paulo @ Espaço Unimed
Shades of Sorrow tracklisting: 1 The Aftermath 2 Dark Clouds 3 Poisonous Apathy 4 The Outsider 5 Stronghold 6 The Other Side of Anger 7 The Limbo 8 Trial of Traitors 9 Lullaby for the Forsaken 10 Agents of Ch1aos 11 Lift the Blindfold 12 Lord of Ruins 13 The Closure
Shades of Sorrow will be available in the following formats: Deluxe Wooden Box Set (incl. 1 CD Digisleeve, Pendant, Guitar Pick, Shaped Woven Patch, Flag) – ltd. to 500 copies worldwide 1 LP Gatefold SPLATTER RED YELLOW BLACK (incl. Slipmat) – ltd. to 500 copies worldwide 1 LP Gatefold SUN YELLOW – ltd. to 400 copies worldwide Music Cassette (BLACK w/ Gold print) – ltd. to 200 copies worldwide 1 CD Digisleeve + T-Shirt bundle 1 CD Digisleeve Digital Album
1 LP Gatefold SPLATTER RED YELLOW BLACK (incl. Slipmat) – ltd. to 500 copies worldwide
Legendary death metallers CANNIBAL CORPSE today unleash their latest single and accompanying video for “Summoned For Sacrifice.” The pulverizing new hymn comes by way of the band’s sixteenth studio album, Chaos Horrific, set for release on September 22nd via Metal Blade Records.
Since their 1988 inception, CANNIBAL CORPSE has remained at the forefront of death metal, shaping and defining the genre. In 2021, they raised the bar again with their Violence Unimagined offering. And in celebration of their thirty-fifth anniversary, this year’s monolithic Chaos Horrific full-length, written shortly after the conclusion of the Violence Unimagined sessions, continues the trajectory.
While the band is notorious for technicality and complex songwriting, that doesn’t define where the writing process takes them. With Chaos Horrific, CANNIBAL CORPSE had no master strategy, approaching each track with an open mind, intent on simply composing the best songs possible. Produced again by guitarist Erik Rutan, who has now produced six of the band’s albums, starting with 2006’s Kill, (Chaos Horrific marks Rutan’s second release as a full-fledged member, since officially joining the band in 2020), the record is, without question a full-on, CANNIBAL-style death metal outing, straight down to the themes, which include zombie warfare, resetting the human race through mass mutilations, and the violent revenge of victims of human trafficking, as well as its cover art by longtime collaborator Vince Locke.
Of the band’s second single, “Summoned For Sacrifice,” themed around the selection of an individual to be dismembered, drummer Paul Mazurkiewicz elaborates, “One person is randomly selected to die. Thirteen people are randomly selected to kill this person by violently removing pieces of his body until he breathes no more.”
Watch CANNIBAL CORPSE’s “Summoned For Sacrifice” video, directed by David Brodsky and produced by Allison Woest of My Good Eye: Music Visuals, at THIS LOCATION.
Watch CANNIBAL CORPSE’s previously released video for “Blood Blind”HERE.
Chaos Horrific will be available on digipak CD, deluxe box set (Dried Blood Marbled vinyl, 24p 12” booklet, puzzle, pin, poster and art print – limited to 1500 copies), cassette (limited to 500 copies), digitally, and on vinyl in the following variants:
– 180g Black (EU exclusive) – Burned Flesh Marble (EU exclusive) – Slate Blue Marble (PIAS exclusive – limited to 600 copies) – Charcoal Brown Marble (Sound Pollution exclusive – limited to 500 copies) – Pearl Violet Marble (EU exclusive – ltd. 500 copies) – Bloodsun Marble (EU exclusive – ltd. 500 copies) – Clear Red & Yellow Splatter (EMP exclusive – ltd. to 300 copies) **SOLD OUT** – Clear & White/Blue Splatter (EU exclusive – ltd. to 300 copies) – Turquoise & White Splatter (Napalm exclusive – ltd. 300 copies) – Clear Orange & Red Splatter (Nuclear Blast exclusive – ltd. 300 copies) – Clear Blackdust (Eyesore exclusive – ltd. 300 copies) – Red Blackdust (Metal Blade Shop exclusive – ltd. 300 copies) **SOLD OUT** – Fog Marbled (US exclusive) – “Charred Remains” (US exclusive) – Orange/Red Inkspots (US exclusive) – Black & Brown Marble (US Band store exclusive) **SOLD OUT** – Silver w/ Red Streaks (US Band store exclusive) – Electric Smoke (US tour exclusive)
Coinciding with the release of Chaos Horrific, CANNIBAL CORPSE will embark on a month-long North American co-headlining tour with Mayhem. The trek will commence on September 22nd in Nashville, Tennessee and run through October 21st in Louisville, Kentucky. Support will be provided by special guests, Gorguts and Blood Incantation! Tickets are on sale now. See all confirmed dates below.
CANNIBAL CORPSE w/ Mayhem, Gorguts, Blood Incantation: 9/22/2023 Marathon Music Hall – Nashville, TN 9/23/2023 The Fillmore – Charlotte, NC 9/24/2023 The Mill & Mine – Knoxville, TN 9/26/2023 Stage AE – Pittsburgh, PA 9/27/2023 Rebel – Toronto, ON 9/28/2023 L’Olympia – Montreal, QC 9/29/2023 The Palladium – Worcester, MA 9/30/2023 Brooklyn Steel – Brooklyn, NY 10/02/2023 The Royal Oak – Detroit, MI 10/03/2023 Hard Rock Live – Gary, IN 10/04/2023 The Fillmore – Minneapolis, MN 10/06/2023 Mission Ballroom – Denver, CO 10/07/2023 The Complex Salt – Lake City, UT 10/09/2023 Temple Theatre – Tacoma, WA 10/10/2023 Knitting Factory – Spokane, WA 10/11/2023 Knitting Factory – Boise, ID 10/13/2023 The Warfield – San Francisco, CA 10/14/2023 SOMA – San Diego, CA 10/17/2023 The Aztec Theatre – San Antonio, TX 10/18/2023 The Factory – Dallas, TX 10/20/2023 The Eastern – Atlanta, GA 10/21/2023 Paristown Hall – Louisville, KY
New Zealand death metal trio ULCERATE will finally make their return to North American soil for a Fall headlining run. The thirteen-date Stare Into Death North America MMXXIII Tour will commence on November 7th in North Hollywood, California and close November 25th in Brooklyn, New York. Support will be provided by Altars.
Comments drummer Jamie Saint Merat, “After three long years of pandemic interruption, we are very proud to finally announce the first shows on North American soil to showcase Stare Into Death And Be Still. Originally booked for 2020, to finally have this come to fruition is nothing short of cathartic. Joining us as special guests are our Australian brothers Altars – together offering a deadly Antipodean assault that will truly be a sight to behold.”
Tickets are on sale now. See all confirmed dates below.
ULCERATE w/ Altars – Stare Into Death North America MMXXIII Tour: 11/07/2023 Knitting Factory – North Hollywood, CA 11/08/2023 Neck Of The Woods – San Francisco, CA 11/10/2023 Bossanova Ballroom – Portland, OR 11/11/2023 Alma – Tacoma, WA 11/12/2023 Rickshaw Theatre – Vancouver, BC 11/16/2023 Reggies – Chicago, IL 11/17/2023 Sanctuary – Detroit, MI 11/18/2023 Hard Luck – Toronto, ON 11/19/2023 Piranha Bar – Montreal, QC 11/21/2023 Middle East – Boston, MA 11/22/2023 Warehouse On Watts – Philadelphia, PA 11/24/2023 Metro – Baltimore, MD 11/25/2023 Saint Vitus Bar – Brooklyn, NY
ULCERATE released their critically lauded full-length, Stare Into Death And Be Still, in the Spring of 2020 via Debemur Morti Productions. A next-level exploration of melody, harmony, and power, the band’s signature, ultra-atmospheric blend of unorthodox death metal with the textures of futurist black metal is here pared-down with the consummate hand of experience, giving stunning credence to the riff, the song, and the meaning.
Thematically, the album explores the concept of “death reverence” – drawing on personal experience to confront the truism that death and tragedy aren’t always sudden or violent, that people are often passive observers trapped “in the silent horror of observing death calmly and cleanly.”
Stare Into Death And Be Still is the deepest, purest, and most meticulous form of ULCERATE: a soul-searching conflagration of atypical melodicism, immaculate virtuosic dexterity and sublimated psychological upheaval. A breathtaking new beginning for one of the most uniquely talented bands in extreme music.
Stare Into Death And Be Still is available on CD, LP, and digital formats at THIS LOCATION.
“… Michael Hoggard’s guitars billow like noxious clouds, as bassist-vocalist Paul Kelland roars ominously over the top, and drummer Jamie Saint Merat expertly juggles crushing density and lean groove… the way the guitars and drums dance around one another makes it feel like time is warping… one of its grandest, most unsettling tracks to date…” – Rolling Stone on Stare Into Death And Be Still’s title track
“It’s as if everything the band recorded through 2016’s Shrine Of Paralysis is made of Legos, and Stare Into Death And Be Still is a fucking universe: brand-new, raw, seething and festering with possibilities redolent of life as much as death — but first and foremost cosmic.” – Decibel
“ULCERATE have spearheaded a singular sound and vision: seasick and disharmonic, chaotic and otherworldly, Lovecraftian in its cosmic horror. The group’s latest LP continues ULCERATE‘s fearless exploration of atmosphere and aggression while, thematically, delving into the concept of ‘death reverence.’” – Revolver
“Their core sound always showed insane promise, wedding the experimental edge of Immolation’s best records to the wilder side of Deathspell Omega and Gorguts, then polishing it to an industrial shine… Here the songs breathe, edging away from the airless aggression of the older records. Melody creeps in, and with it a thin shaft of light.. it’s really no less punishing. The melody just helps it go down. This is how I relax now…” – Stereogum
“…a truly intense musical expression, but not in the typical sense… Stare Into Death And Be Still isn’t an easy release to consume, but it’s rewarding on the deepest and most profound levels for those who are patient enough to allow ULCERATE to work their magic.” – Blabbermouth
A Deubenton’s bat. (K-Kucharska_D-Kucharski/GeorgeCorpsegrinderFisher death metal vocalist for Cannibal Corpse iStock/Getty Images Plus
Bats are a prominent part of modern folklore. We imagine them as the transformed bodies or souls of dead people who are not at peace and who prowl the night sucking the blood of human victims. Besides looking cool and being creatures of the night its now discovered that bats growl like death metal singers to communicate with each other. What exactly they are saying is not known but we can use our imaginations.
When a musician sings in death metal growls they move their false vocal folds so they oscillate with the vocal folds, which makes them “heavy and therefore they vibrate at very low frequencies” explains Jonas Håkansson first author of the study.
Researchers do not yet know the meaning of all their sounds and songs, but they are learning more and more about how all these sounds are made.
Now a new study in the journal PLOS Biology reports that for some sounds, bats use the same technique as human death metal singers and throat singing members of the Tuva people in Siberia and Mongolia. The study comes from a research team at University of Southern Denmark, led by Professor Coen Elemans, Department of Biology. The team has for the first time filmed what goes on in a bat’s larynx when it produces sound.
Five larynxes from Daubenton’s bats were extracted, mounted and filmed while applying air flow to mimic natural breathing. The high-speed videos shows vocal membranes and false vocal folds vibrating at different frequencies.
Growling sounds are often produced when bats fly in or out from a densely packed roost. The researchers do not know for sure, what a growling bat intends to communicate, when it uses its false vocal folds to produce low sounds in the range of 1 to 5 kHz.
Vampire or death metal act, we think bats are pretty metal!
