Swedish metallers AVATAR have shared another new track, "Construction Of Souls". It is described in a press release as "AVATAR's version of a holiday song."

"This song will be to Christmas songs what 'Die Hard' is to Christmas movies," the band says. "It wasn't intended to be that, but ultimately, it makes a lot of sense. It's about us — meaning the robots taking over the great human project of our ancestors, building our way out of the planet on sandy soils, saturated with the withering bones of our ancestors."

The track is being released together with a children's book portraying the "not very child-friendly everyday life" in Santa's workshop in the parallel universe of AVATAR. The book will be available on Sunday, November 28. Get it here.

Earlier this fall, AVATAR, who are known to smash the boundaries between band, theater troupe, and cinematic masterminds with a series of celebrated albums and videos, and the immersive world of Avatar Country, a fantastical land where metal rules supreme, released three new songs. AVATAR also previously announced they signed to Thirty Tigers and have launched their own Black Waltz Records imprint.

Last month, AVATAR postponed the last five shows on its "Going Hunting" U.S. tour after vocalist Johannes Eckerström tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. Those concerts will now take place in late January and early February.

Finnish symphonic doom/death metal band Depressed Mode has returned. The band was formed in 2005 and they released two studio albums via Firedoom Music (Ghosts of Devotion in 2007 and ...For Death in 2009). The band went on a hiatus on 2010 but returned on 2020 and are now set to release their third studio album Decade of Silence on May 6th, 2022 via Inverse Records. 


First official single "Endless November" featuring Veronica Bordacchini (Fleshgod Apocalypse) is released today and music video for the track is below.


Vocalist Otto Salonen comments: "Endless November tells of immense loss and sorrow. The song is painted in gloomy waters, the ocean of sorrow, forests of death, and fields of pain. The heart can break from painful memories, and its own existence.
 
The birth of the song was the first of its kind in almost ten years. It went all the way to the mastering of the project under the name of Doom1, and it was great to hear it completely ready, as well as the whole album, of course! Veronica’s contribution to the song was, in my opinion, a pure diamond, and it wouldn’t have become as massive without her.
 
In the summer of 2020, when I announced in social media that new music was being made for Depressed Mode, Inverse immediately contacted us about the release. The first draft contract was received in early 2021, but it was left to cook when a few other contract proposals were received at the beginning of the year also. The spring and summer went a little as it went, and negotiations did not progress due to communication problems until the connection was restored in September and an agreement was reached. It felt good and natural to make a deal with Inverse Records, as the same guys do the job as in our previous label, but with a bigger vibe. Now that the album’s release date has finally been set, although not until next spring, it still feels pretty good!" 







Photo by Jamppa Lamminpää

German death metal outfit Atrocity will release their new EP, Unspoken Names (Demo 1991), on January 7, 2022 via Massacre Records.


The four-track EP will contain demo versions of songs that were later featured on the band's successful album Todessehnsucht; three of them are previously unreleased.


Atrocity vocalist Alex Krull mastered the demo songs, that were originally mixed by Falk Gruber and himself back in 1991. Unspoken Names (Demo 1991) will be available as a Digipak CD, as well as strictly limited 12" vinyl. Pre-order the EP now at this location.




Unspoken Names (Demo 1991) artwork, created by Stefan Heilemann, and tracklisting:





"Sky Turned Red"
"Unspoken Names"
"Defiance"
"A Prison Called Earth"


 


 

Finland's Apocalyptica has issued the following unfortunate announcement in regard to their Epic Apocalypse Tour with Epica, which was supposed to run from January to March 2022:


"We are more than sad realizing we have to move ‘The Epic Apocalypse’ Tour once more. But looking at the worsening situation of Covid all around Europe, we simply cannot play these shows. We are very much looking forward to play these shows in 2023 when we hopefully can go back playing shows like we did before these shaky times! We hope to see you soon! Stay safe!"







(Photo - Ville Juurikkala)


 


 

Svart Records is set to release A Nocturnal Crossing, the new album from rising French occult doom rock band, Deathbell.


Deathbell is a five-piece band from Toulouse/France, that create eerie and heavy fuzz-laden doom. Having released their debut album With The Beyond in 2018 that garnered underground attention, Deathbell have been lying in wait, taking their time to craft and hone their new juggernaut, A Nocturnal Crossing. Incanting her melancholic and haunting vocals, Lauren Gaynor calls through cavernous walls of funeral organ and distorted slabs of riff-witchery to shepherd A Nocturnal Crossing into a hypnotic otherworld. With morbid clanging trips of psychedelic rhythms and shadowy atmospheres, Deathbell’s brand of mystical Doom is both transcendent and sombre.


Written and recorded between 2018 and 2021 in the French Pyrenees, A Nocturnal Crossing’s lyrics reflect on the metaphysical forces of life and spiritual introspection. Recorded live in April 2021, Deathbell have summoned a demon of occult rock to rival the classic greats of Coven and Pentagram and modern legends such as Jex Thoth and The Devil’s Blood.




For inner journeys alone, or live group ritual worship, Deathbell’s A Nocturnal Crossing works as a gateway or ticket into a wider initiation of doom rock’s inherent ancient power of black magic. Songs like “Silent She Comes” and “The Ladder” are anthemic, and wistful, beautiful gravestones of heavy incantation that deliver the listener into a blissful sonic salvation, with the guitar duo of Bolzan and Commelongue riffing as though oblivion depended on it.


The first single, “The Stronghold And The Archer”, will be released digitally on November 26. A lyric video can be found below.





A Nocturnal Crossing vinyl and CD available worldwide in February. Physical editions available for pre-order here. Pre-order the digital edition here.





Lineup:


Lauren Gaynor - vocals & keys
Bastien Commelongue - guitars & keys
Frederic Bolzan - guitars
Valentin Troï - bass
Robin Draye - drums

Bulgarian death metal combo, Bestia Ater, have signed a licensing deal with Wormholedeath Records for the reissue of their debut album, Anno.Bestia.Chrysallis, due for re-release on December 17.


Anno.Bestia.Chrysallis is the first album from the band Bestia Ater: eight ferocious death metal tracks with a healthy dose of black metal melodies. The lyrics are conceptually linked together, touching on the relationships between humans and demons, both beneficial and detrimental.







Tracklisting:


"Div E Sefid"
"Emma O"
"Forneus"
"Gusion"
"Haures"
"Ipos"
"Jezebeth"
"Krampus"


"Forneus" visualizer:





The project Bestia Ater is the work of Kiril Kirilov (vocals and lyrics) and Dinko Dimov (songwriting, musical arrangements, bass, additional vocals). Kiril Kirilov is known for being the founder and main vocalist of Hyperborea (1997-2016) and featuring as a vocalist for the bands Past Redemption and Terravore. The album's artwork, both the cover and the imposing images of the demonic entities included in CD Edition's special booklet, are the work of Dinko Dimov, who is also a professional artist.


The band has already debuted the album live, at the Sea of Black festival, alongside the two additional musicians who have taken part in the studio recordings – guitars by Villy Neshev (Project Arcadia), Ivo "The Jeep' Ivanov at the drums (Enthrallment) and as second guitar for the live Deyan Videv (Ciroza) joined also. The album will be re-released via Wormholedeath worldwide.

BORN THROUGH FIRE, the new project featuring AS I LAY DYING frontman Tim Lambesis, has released the official music video for a song called "Blood Fire Pain".

Lambesis stated about the track, which features Devin Attard on drums and Taylor Adsit on additional vocals: "'Blood Fire Pain' is inspired by someone I met while incarcerated. After hearing his story, I couldn't help but be moved by his positivity despite the fact that all he had known his entire life was hardship and suffering. He had grown up in one of California's toughest neighborhoods and fought to survive the gang life he was born into. When he was 15, he was ordered to commit an armed robbery. In that moment, he had to decide if he was more scared of the police or older gang leaders who he'd have to answer to if he didn't do it. Though he forever regrets his decision that day, he was given an adult sentence back in an era when the prosecuting attorney (rather than judge or jury) decided that.

"I met him around age 32 when he'd spent almost two decades in prison. He had endured level four prison yards, gang wars, isolation, riots, and countless lockdowns. Despite the struggles of his childhood followed by fighting to survive as an adult, he believed there was hope.

"This song is dedicated to people who feel their pain goes unseen or that they are forgotten and swept aside."

Earlier in the month, BORN THROUGH FIRE released its first two songs, "Reintroduction" and "Bone By Bone", via Modern Music Empire.

Lambesis stated about the musical direction of the group, on which he has apparently collaborated with WOLVES AT THE GATE guitarist Joey Alarcon: "The best description of the material that I've heard from a close friend who has heard it is this… It's cinematic, heavy, and modern, but it still has classic metal throwback elements at the same time."

The BORN THROUGH FIRE launch came six months after Lambesis was sued by a woman who claimed she suffered second-degree burns when he sprayed a flammable liquid into a fire pit at his parents' house at the end of last year. Tim himself sustained burns to 25 percent of his body in the incident, which he first revealed in an Instagram post on December 16, 2020. At the time, the 40-year-old singer claimed that he was pouring gas into a bonfire when the top slipped off and the liquid ended up getting all over his clothes. He later said that he lost 20 pounds from being bedridden for almost three weeks and suffered some nerve damage. He also assured fans that his "man parts" were not harmed during the incident.

Tim was famously convicted in 2014 for his role in a murder-for-hire plot against his estranged wife.

In May 2014, Lambesis was sentenced to six years in jail after pleading guilty to paying a San Diego police officer posing as a hitman $1,000 to kill his wife. Approximately two and a half years later — on December 17, 2016 — he was discharged from a California detention facility and was transferred to the Division of Adult Parole Operations.

In June 2018, AS I LAY DYING played its first show with Lambesis in five years and released a new single. Lambesis also owned up to his crimes in a long apology on the band's Facebook page after his release.

In September 2019, AS I LAY DYING released its seventh full-length album, "Shaped By Fire", via Nuclear Blast.

Season Of Mist will release Death On A Pale Horse, the sophomore album from epic horror metal act, Opera Diabolicus, on Friday, November 26. An advanced album stream can be found below.


The album features appearances from Mats Levén (Candlemass, Therion, Skyblood, etc.), Snowy Shaw (King Diamond, Mercyful Fate, Therion, Notre Dame, etc.), Andy La Rocque (King Diamond) and Michael Denner (King Diamond, Mercyful Fate).


You can pre-order the new album here.




With Death On A Pale Horse, the Swedes bring you the epic tale witchcraft, the black death and revenge. Artwork by Gyula Havancsák.





Tracklisting:


"Listen Everybody"
"Bring Out Your Dead"
"Second Coming"
"Siren’s Call"
"Darkest Doom On The Brightest Of Days"
"A Song Of Detestation"
"Little Sister"
"Night Demon"
"At Nighttime"


Album stream:





"Bring Out Your Dead" video:





"Siren’s Call" lyric video:





"Darkest Doom On The Brightest Of Days" video:





(Photo - Johan Carlén Photography)

Rockshots Records will release Amoth's third album, The Hour Of The Wolf, on January 28. A lyric video for the new single, "It Ain't Over Yet", can be found below.


Says the band: "This is a full-scale thrash attack with no mercy! The song is about school bullying or bullying in general. We are totally against bullying. Unfortunately, it’s a thing that’s going on all around the world. If you're a bully, remember that it may be over for you but it's never over for the victim. Things might get ugly if the bullied person decides to retaliate…"







Amoth is a melodic progressive heavy metal band with progressive elements from Helsinki, Finland. Their upcoming album The Hour Of The Wolf is a huge leap forward compared to their previous recordings Revenge (2016), Crossing Over (2011), and Wounded Faith (EP) (2008).


"This is by far our best album yet! Superior performances from all of the musicians. Much better production and songwriting. It’s not a fast-food album. Some of the songs are quite complex so it takes probably more than one listen to really get into!” comments Amoth guitarist and main songwriter Tomi Ihanamäki.


Amoth’s roots are strongly founded on ‘80s heavy metal, but branch out in different directions with elements from progressive rock, thrash, and even jazz brought to the table.


The new album features Pekka Montin of Ensiferum once again as the lead vocalist and for the first time, there are also keyboards on an Amoth recording. Fans can expect insane vocals and virtuoso-like playing from all members of the band. The nine songs are very diverse, taking sudden twists and turns into unexplored territory. Amoth even offers up two Steve Vai / Joe Satriani-style instrumentals on this new full-length with tracks "Wind Serenade Part I" and "Wind Serenade Part II".


Pre-order at Rockshots Records.





Tracklisting:


“Alice”
“The Man Who Watches The World Burn”
“Wounded Faith”
“Wind Serenade Part I”
“Wind Serenade Part II”
“We Own The Night”
“It Ain’t Over Yet”
“Traces In The Snow”
“The Hour Of The Wolf”


“The Man Who Watches The World Burn” video:





(Photo - Mia Bergius Photography)

Texas-based “mythological occult metal” act Proscriptor McGovern’s Apsû is streaming its self-titled debut album, in advance of its November 26 release via Agonia Records. Listen below.


Proscriptor McGovern’s Apsû constitutes a new incarnation and direct continuation of Absu’s legacy. Touted as one of the most important bands in the history of American Black Metal, Absu was dissolved by drummer/vocalist Proscriptor McGovern (Russ R. Givens) on January 27th, 2020, after 30 years of existence. Since the band’s last, unreleased album was to be penned as “Apsû,” McGovern fused the title with his name to form this new group, Proscriptor McGovern’s Apsû. Securing the ranks, alongside McGovern, are continuing bassist Ezezu (Absu: 2008-2020), new guitar virtuoso Vaggreaz (Possessed, Gruesome) and keyboardist Vorskaath (Zemial, Agatus). With this much anticipated, self-titled album, McGovern’s objective was to append the signature sound of “mythological occult metal,” but to convolute it with bouts of psychedelia, fusion and vintage electronics.


When asked about the album’s final outcome, McGovern stated the following: “Having the opportunity to assemble these band members, in the development of this album, was a remarkable honour and I strongly feel this album captures the band’s true, yet frenzied potential.” McGovern, who also produced and co–engineered the album, added: “I specifically appointed these three to augment and heighten the overall sound portrait of these recordings, hoping that our emphasis on ‘mythological occult metal,’ coupled with progressive and psychedelic elements, clutches the listener’s momentum. Most importantly, I highly commend Agonia Records for migrating our musical and arcane foresight onto the next level.”




The album was chronicled at studios around the world with final mixing handled in Dallas, Texas by both McGovern and J.T. Longoria (Absu, King Diamond, Solitude Aeternus) and mastering by Swedish Grammy nominee Karl Daniel Lidén in Sweden. The album also features guest appearances from Ross Friedman (Ross The Boss, ex-Manowar), Rune Eriksen (Aura Noir, Vltimas, ex-Mayhem), Alex Colin-Tocquaine (Agressor) and The Dark (Agatus).


In assembling the album’s packaging, the band re-commissioned the expertise of renowned Polish artist Zbigniew Bielak (Darkthrone, Portal, Watain). Not only did he administer the front cover, but also was assigned to create eight separate “plate illustrations” tailored around the lyrical conceptions. Regarding Bielak’s work, McGovern stated: “With incredible rapidity, he was able to resuscitate the artistic pulse after I presented the album’s subject speculations and lyrical themes. Some plate illustrations are affiliated with multiple songs; others integrated to only one song, yet Zbigniew perfectly surmounted each piece reflecting my oblique and ‘in–betweeness’ motifs.”


McGovern continues regarding the album’s lyrical approach: “This album was written for those who are curious and unwearied in their quest of arcane knowledge. I have (with vast exertion and detriment of time and space) collected knowledge deemed, in regard to my subject theories of ‘mythological occult metal:’ from Thelemic Magick and The Zos Vel Thanatos Formula to Fractal Ontology and (obviously) Near East Mythology.”





Formats:


- Jewelcase CD
- Digi Slipcase CD
- Clam–Shell Box CD (Limited To 1000 Numbered Copies With Pin & Front Cover Flag)
- Black LP
- Swamp Green LP
- Gold LP
- Mercurial Silver LP
- Ultra Clear LP
- Picture LP
- Mephitic Vapour Splatter LP
- Cassette
- Digital


Clothing:
- T-shirt 1 – Quasaric Pestilence (White On Black)
- T-shirt 2 – Tantrums Of Azag-Kkû (Black On Gray)
- T-shirt 3 – Logo With Sleeve Prints (Red On Black)
- Black HSW Zipper


Pre-order here





Tracklisting:


"Amenta: Accelerando: Azyn including Hierophantasmal Expounder"
"Esoterically Excoriating The Exoteric"
"Quasaric Pestilence"
"Mirroracles"
"In-Betweeness Gateway Commuters"
"Jupiter In Capricornus"
"Dedicated To Thoth, But Azathoth Wasn’t Listening (A Necroloquy)"
"Caliginous Whorl"
"The Coagulating Respite"
"Prana: Therion: Akasha"
"Tantrums Of Azag-Kkû"
"Every Watchtower Within Is The Axis Of A Watchtower Without including Totemic Thresholds"


Album stream:





Lineup:


Proscriptor McGovern – Drums/Percussion, Lyricism, Maestro Echoplex, Papago Flute, Digital Synthesizers & Voices (Protagonist/Dramatic Monologue Versus Omniscient/Interior Monologue)
Vorskaath – (Analogue & Digital) Synthesizers, Classical/Acoustic Guitar, Mellotron & Signal Generator
Vaggreaz – Electric Lead, Rhythm, Acoustic & Bass Guitar
Ezezû – Electric Bass Guitar & Implements





(Photo - Scott Kincade & M. Zvyagina)

Australian  powerhouse, Be'lakor, will release their new album, Coherence, on Friday, October 29 via Napalm Records. Ahead of the release, the band are streaming the entire record. Listen below.


The eight tracks on Coherence display Be'lakor’s impressive spectrum of musical abilities, ranging from the 12-minute-long journey of “Much More Was Lost” to the atmospheric, fully instrumental “Sweep of Days”. Be'lakor are not afraid to focus on extensive, cohesive songwriting, and Coherence is full of details that reveal more and more with every listen of the album. Thanks to the marvelous, larger-than-life mix by none other than Jens Bogren (Opeth, Katatonia, Leprous, At The Gates among others), Be'lakor are as bold and majestic as ever on Coherence!







Coherence will be available on black 2LP gatefold with etching, as well as limited 2LP gatefolds in gold, silver and white. The exclusive Die Hard Edition of the album will feature a metal plate with the lyrics and a slipmat, and a deluxe wooden box (jewel case) limited edition will include a collector’s coin, wall flag, wrist band and pick set.


Pre-order here.





Coherence tracklisting:


"Locus"
"The Dispersion"
"Foothold"
"Valence"
"Sweep Of Days"
"Hidden Window"
"Indelible"
"Much More Was Lost"


Album stream:





“Valence” video:





“Foothold” video:





"Hidden Window" video:





Lineup:


George Kosmas - Vocals, Guitar
Shaun Sykes - Guitar
John Richardson - Bass
Elliott Sansom - Drums
Steven Merry - Piano and synths


(Photo - Oli Sansom / olisansom.com)

Thomas Zwijsen has released the new video below, featuring an acoustic cover of Iron Maiden's "Darkest Hour". The song is featured on Iron Maiden's new album, Senjutsu.





Zwijsen previously released the video below, in which he performs an acoustic cover of Iron Maiden's "Heaven Can Wait". The song originally appeared on Maiden's 1986 album, Somewhere In Time.

Guitarist Gus G. (Firewind, Ozzy Osbourne) recently got together with his friends Strutter (bass) and Achilles (drums) to rehearse some of the tracks off his new album, Quantum Leap.


"We set up a few cameras and pushed the 'record' button," says Gus G. "We approached this as if it was a livestream. The video edit is done on the spot and the audio is raw with no overdubs. Engineered, recorded and mixed by Strutter at Valve Studio in Thessaloniki, Greece. Camera edit operation by Jimmy Tott."


Watch "Quantum Leap" from the session below:







"Force Majeure" and "Into The Unknown" from the same session can be seen below:








Quantum Leap artwork and tracklisting:





"Into The Unknown"
"Exosphere"
"Quantum Leap"
"Chronesthesia"
"Enigma Of Life"
"Judgement Day"
"Fierce"
"Demon Stomp"
"Night Driver"
"Not Forgotten"
"Force Majeure" (feat. Vinnie Moore)


"Into The Unknown" video:





"Enigma Of Life" video:





"Fierce" video:





"Exosphere" video:

British Lion, the ‘up close and personal’ side project band of Iron Maiden bassist & founder Steve Harris, launched their UK headline club & pub tour on November 18 at The Crown in Hornchurch. The band have released this new recap video:





A previous recap can be seen below:







The dates listed below are confirmed for November/December.





November
22 - Bristol, UK - The Fleece
23 - Southampton, UK - Engine Rooms
25 - Leeds, UK - Warehouse
26 - Buckley, UK - Tivoli
28 - Nuneaton, UK - Queens Hall
29 - Manchester, UK - Rebellion
30 - Newcastle, UK - Riverside


December
2 - Grimsby, UK - Yardbirds
3 - Wolverhampton, UK - KK’s Steel Mill
4 - London, UK - Underworld **
6 - Reading, UK - Sub 89
7 - Milton Keynes, UK - The Craufurd Arms
8 - Colchester, UK - Arts Centre


Support act for the tour is Airforce. There will be no support in London. Tickets are on-sale now and available here.


British Lion previously announced a European club tour for summer 2022.


Says the band: "We're thrilled to announce a nine date European headline club tour in summer 2022, in addition to the three festival shows already announced for Finland, England and Belgium, working in conjunction with the routing for Maiden’s 2022 Legacy Of The Beast tour. Five of the cities are there to make up for the shows that were cancelled back in 2020."


Tickets are on-sale now, here.





Dates:


June
3 - Hyvinkaa, Finland - Rockfest Festival
10 - Donington, England - Download Festival
17 - Dessel, Belgium - Graspop Festival
19 - Prague, Czech Republic - Lucerna Theatre
25 - Paris, France - Trabendo


July
1 - Cologne, Germany - Kantine
3 - Berlin, Germany - Hole 44
8 - Stuttgart, Germany - LKA Longhorn
19 - Bremen, Germany - Aladin
23 - Warsaw, Poland - Progresja
25 - Frankfurt, Germany - Batschkapp
30 - Lisbon, Portugal - LAV Lisboa ao Vivo


The support for each show will be advised shortly.


British Lion's official video for "Bible Black", the fifth single from their 2020 album, The Burning, can be seen below:

German thrash metallers, Bonded, recently released their sophomore album, Into Blackness, via Century Media Records. The album entered the official sales charts in Germany at #77 in the first week of release.


In order to continue promoting the album, Bonded have launched a new video, directed by Nico Schiesewitz / VIZO Films, for the track “Watch (While The World Burns)”.


Says the band: “Today, we are excited to launch the new Bonded video, which was once again directed by Nico Schiesewitz / VIZO Films. This might be our best clip yet and we created it for the track 'Watch (While The World Burns)', which is the powerful first full song on our second album Into Blackness. And yes, we just heard the good news that Into Blackness entered the official album sales charts in Germany on #77, so thanks to everyone who supported us and our music so far. We hope you will continue to enjoy Into Blackness and hopefully see you all on the road soon!”







Bonded, the group formed by former Sodom members Bernd “Bernemann” Kost (Guitars) and Markus “Makka” Freiwald (Drums) alongside second guitarist Chris Tsitsis (ex-Suicidal Angels), bassist Marc Hauschild and vocalist Ingo Bajonczak (Assassin), have decided to stick to their guns and once again collaborated with producer Cornelius Rambadt (Sodom, Disbelief, Onkel Tom) at the Rambado Recording Studio in Essen, Germany and also had Björn Gooßes / Killustrations (Aborted, The Crown, Carnal Forge) create the album’s artwork, just like on their Rest In Violence debut album from 2020.


The album’s limited first-pressing CD edition comes with O-Card packaging, a sticker and two bonus tracks: "Humanity On Sale" and "Will To Survive". Into Blackness is also available as 180g black vinyl on the LP format. Order here.





Into Blackness tracklisting:


"The Arsonist"
"Watch (While The World Burns)"
"Lilith (Queen Of Blood)"
"The Holy Whore"
"Division Of The Damned"
"Into The Blackness Of A Wartime Night"
"Destroy The Things I Love"
"Final Stand"
"Ill-Minded Freak"
"Way Of The Knife"
"The Eyes Of Madness"
"Humanity On Sale (First pressing CD bonus track)
"Will To Survive" (First pressing CD bonus track)


"Lilith (Queen Of Blood)" video:





"Into The Blackness Of A Wartime Night" lyric video:





Bonded lineup (from left to right on photo by Sebastian “Konz” Konopka):


Markus “Makka” Freiwald – Drums
Chris Tsitsis – Guitar
Ingo Bajonczak – Vocals
Marc Hauschild – Bass
Bernd “Bernemann” Kost – Guitar


(Photo - Sebastian “Konz” Konopka)

New York death metal giants, Immolation, have released a music video for "Rise The Heretics", featured on their 2017 studio album, Atonement. The clip, created and directed by Robert Vigna, can be found below.


Says the band: "We want to thank all our fans for their tremendous support and patience during the last few years. We have one last offering from the Atonement album that we would like to share with everyone before we begin the next chapter for Immolation. We have more news on the way and look forward to seeing everyone again real soon! Stay safe and stay well!!"







Immolation will perform at Irving Plaza in New York, NY on March 19 with Demolition Hammer, Mortician, Black Anvil and Funeral Leech. Get tickets here.

BLACK SABBATH guitarist Tony Iommi has released "Scent Of Dark", his first musical composition since writing a classical piece for the Birmingham Cathedral in 2017 and his first rock song since SABBATH's "13" album in 2013.

To coincide with "Scent Of Dark"'s arrival, Iommi has announced that he will also release a fragrance, designed in collaboration with luxury Italian perfume house Xerjoff and Sergio Momo.

Written by Iommi, "Scent Of Dark" features Tony alongside Momo on guitar, Jimmy Crutchley on bass, Ash Sheehan on drums, Rebecca Rose on cello and Julianne Bourne on the violin.

"I've had the riff for quite a while and I'd never done anything with it,” Iommi commented, "but it gave us a base to start from. We built up the track with programmed drums at first and then Mike Exeter demoed bass and keyboards on it, and I added my guitar solos, just to give us an idea of how it was going to sound. Then we added the strings. I'd worked with string sections on SABBATH albums before, but this was a whole new experience."

In an interview with Rolling Stone, Iommi spoke in more detail about how "Scent Of Dark came together. "I've recorded a lot of riffs and tracks [in recent years] with Mike Exeter," he said. "And with this one, I couldn't imagine who would sing on it; it just seemed ideal to put it down as an instrumental. I've had the main part for a while, and I just added some new parts to it. Then I added these other gloomier riffs to make it blend in with this perfume idea. I really liked the idea of using some violins and cellos and stuff, and so we did on this track."

As for Iommi's involvement in the aforementioned fragrance, he said that it was the result of his friendship with Momo. "It's something I've always been interested in, ever since the early days of products like Brut and Old Spice, which I'd always get given for Christmas," Iommi said. "Once I started touring the world with SABBATH though, I started discovering different sorts of fragrances from other countries and began collecting them. I met Sergio through another friend of mine, and Sergio kindly sent me a box of his fragrances and asked if I'd be interested in creating my own, which I certainly wasn't expecting. Sergio suggested I come up with a list of things I like the smell of. He developed some different samples made up from my suggestions and I picked the one I like."

Iommi's signature scent will be available from November 29 from selected retailers or the official Xerjoff web site.

Iommi + Momo photo credit: Max Sticca






TotalRock interviewed Sabbath legend Tony Iommi earlier this week about his new song and accompanying fragrance ‘Scent of Dark’.

Hear the full interview on Monday’s ‘The Collective’. #blacksabbath #tonyiommi

Posted by TotalRock on Thursday, November 25, 2021



Posted by TotalRock on Thursday, November 25, 2021