NACHTMYSTIUM NEWS

"The impact the Chicagoans have left on the face of extreme music

since 2004's Eulogy IV EP is undeniable." - Metal Maniacs

"...the year's most bleakly anthemic metal songs." - Decibel

Chicago’s ever-evolving NACHTMYSTIUM will join their similarly sonically expansive brethren in Boris and Torche for a week-long run through parts of Canada and the U.S. The tour will see the band play from Montreal to Milwaukee in mid-July, when they can then pull from both the Worldfall EP and their June 8th full-length Century Media debut, Assassins: Black Meddle Part I. Two tracks from the album are posted on Nachtmystium's MySpace page now.

Made available exclusively through CM Distro and iTunes, the recently released Worldfall EP features two new tracks, a re-recorded track from Demise and two cover songs. Worldfall is a prelude to the Sanford Parker (Rwake, Minsk, Pelican, etc.) produced Assassins... The phrase “expect the unexpected” is often used but it could not be more applicable to NACHTMYSTIUM’s first venture with their new label. Co-founder / guitarist Blake Judd recently described the album to Decibel: “If you stripped all the leads and E-bow stuff off of Instinct, it’s just a raging black metal record. Do the same thing to this one, and it’s still a psych-y, borderline rock album.”

From the addition of studio drummer Tony Laureano (ex-Nile, Dimmu Borgir, 1349) to the insanely heavy Parker production, Assassins is still firmly rooted in heavy metal but the 70s rock influences are unmistakable and the album-closing trilogy, "Seasick," only hints at one-dimension of the band’s new direction. You can hear and see it for yourself at any one of the following dates:

Also note, the Assassins... record release show previously announced as happening May 30th has been pushed back until June 21st (same venue/same lineup), following their appearance at Dudefest the previous day.

06/20/2008 The Emerson Theater - Indianapolis, IN

Dudefest - Nacht play Friday night w/Coliseum, Torche, The Red Chord, etc.

06/21/2008 Reggie's - Chicago, IL

Assassins... record release show w/Minsk, Yakuza, Lone Wolf And Cub

Nachtmystium w/Boris, Torche
07/12/2008 La Sala Rossa – Montreal, QC
07/13/2008 Babylon – Ottawa, ON
07/14/2008 Lee’s Palace – Toronto, ON
07/15/2008 Tralf – Buffalo, NY
07/16/2008 Grog Shop – Cleveland Heights, OH
07/17/2008 Diesel – Pittsburgh, PA
07/18/2008 St. Andrews Hall – Detroit, MI
07/19/2008 Turner Hall – Milwaukee, WI

http://www.myspace.com/nachtmystium

http://www.centurymedia.com

THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!

IRON MAIDEN LIVE IN PHOENIX, ARIZONA 5/26/08 AT CRICKET PAVILION
Well I foreshadowed their set in my last post, just a few days before I would be blessed seeing Maiden a third time. Like fine wine, some things just get better with age. You can argue all you want about which albums are the best and why, and also whether or not the Paul Di'anno or Blaze Bayley material are worth owning. I'll be so bold and say I like ALL their material, and while some stuff is definitely lacking here and there and the band has had some slumps, you can't deny that there may well be no other band with a 30 year or plus history that has so much truly GREAT material. Rush? Nope. Aerosmith? They actually were a rock band once, right? The Rolling Stones? Do you even care that they still release new material when all you want to hear is the classics anyway? Judas Priest? Still has yet to come anywhere near topping "Painkiller" from almost 20 years ago. To make a tired point, these guys have been going at it longer than many of us have been alive, they don't show any signs of slowing down, and judging by the number of young people there (some with their parents, how cool is that!), their rabid fan base is ever-growing. As you may or may not know, this tour is dubbed "Somewhere Back in Time" with no material going beyond the "Fear of the Dark" album. Oddly, "Killers" and "No Prayer For the Dying" were skipped completely (I've griped about not hearing any "Killers" material live in the past).Opening up for around a half hour was Lauren Harris, Steve Harris's uber-smokin' hot daughter and her band. More rock and slightly poppy, she definitely had some stage presence and a ton of energy. Shame on me for not knowing any of her material, as I have tried my best through the years to keep up with the many branches on the Maiden family tree. With about a 30 thirty minute set change, the lights went dim and we were treated to some behind the scenes footage of the tour on giant video screens while "Transylvania" played. And then, just like the old music video, archival film footage of Churchill's Speech heralded "Aces High", about as good a song to kick off the night to as any. You can see the rest of the set list below. Of course the creepy spoken intro to radio and now Guitar Hero favorite "The Number of the Beast" (which even non-fans will often refer to as "the song that goes '666'", it's that recognizable) was present, and it was damn cool to hear "Revelations" live and strange at the same time, since it really is a more obscure song. A group of people, presumably local radio station contest winners or other VIPs, ran onstage to "WOAH-OH-OH, WOAH-OH-OH-OH-OH-OH WOAH-OH-OH, WOAH-OH-OH-OH-OHHHH!", during "Heaven Can Wait", and literally ran off after that verse in the song. I have a special emotional attachment to "Fear of the Dark", the song that was basically my personal anthem through high school. A robotic Eddie mummy "Powerslave"-style peered through the pyramid chamber doors during "Iron Maiden" (seemingly always either the song before the encore or the absolute final song) and the walking Eddie graced the stage to an arena full of cheers during "The Clairvoyant", oddly in his "Somewhere in Time" getup with gun and all, seeing as to how that album differs from the one featuring the song that was playing. 16 songs overall, plenty of backdrop changes as always, and a packed house that I will confidently guess was 99% full. Much to my delight, I didn't see ONE SINGLE AC/DC shirt at all, a good sign that hopefully that plagued is dying off. Granted, I wasn't everywhere at once and there were most likely over 10,000 people attending, but not only did I not see the usual shirt on every third person, I didn't see a frickin' one! Thank hell for small favors! If this tour comes to your neck of the woods, do not dare miss it unless you actually want to kick yourself in the ass until the next time they come 'round! Gentlemen, may you tour, record, and raise hell for another 30 years! (FA)

http://www.ironmaiden.com/

http://www.myspace.com/ironmaiden

www.myspace.com/laurenharrisuk

NEVER HEARD OF THESE GUYS BEFORE...

Iron Maiden kicked off the second leg of their 'Somewhere Back In Time' tour at the Verizon Wireless in San Antonio, Texas Wednesday night. If you were wondering what was on the set-list, here it is:

Aces High
2 Minutes to Midnight
Revelations
The Trooper
Wasted Years
The Number of the Beast
Can I Play With Madness?
Rime of the Ancient Mariner
Powerslave
Heaven Can Wait
Run to the Hills
Fear of the Dark
Iron Maiden
ENCORE:
Moonchild
The Clairvoyant
Hallowed Be Thy Name

http://www.ironmaiden.com/

http://www.myspace.com/ironmaiden

HELP! I'M HAVING AN ANATHEMA ATTACK!

English doom metal band Anathema have finished recording their new album "Hindsight" and have sent the masters to their record label. Hindsight will be a semi-acoustic album composed mostly of classic Anathema tracks, as well as one entirely new song.

Anathema is also currently recording another album, titled "Horizons", which will have entirely new songs. Both albums are set to be released this year, although no specific release date has been announced.

Anathema's lead guitarist Danny Cavanagh will also be touring Norway and Sweden with Anneke Giersbergen, former vocalist of The Gathering, on the following dates:

12th June - Gassheim, Jevnaker, Norway
13th June - Ravnedalen, Kristiansand, Norway
14th June - Blue Garden, Trondheim, Norway
15th June - Buckleys, Oslo, Norway
16th June - Klubb Garage, Marsta/Stockholm, Sweden

http://www.anathema.ws/

http://www.myspace.com/weareanathema

GATHER 'ROUND, IT'S REVIEW TIME.

IN THA UMBRA - THUS OPEN THINE EERIE WINGS LIKE AN EAGLE AND SOAR THE WINDS OF CHAOS
Yeah, I tried saying that five time fast and nearly passed the fuck out. Something just isn't right with these guys. I mean, you'd have to be pretty damn nutso to come up with an album title such as that. What, and these guys claim at all to be sane? I don't buy it. You'd expect some more black metal of the kookie-kutter-kind, but instead end up with something just plain kookie. I don't think these guys left any stone unturned or any bridge uncrossed. Seriously, who sits and thinks to mix death and black in with some rock and some prog and some female vocals and a whole of of just plain weirdness? Evidently these guys do. And with balls as big as theirs, you can make a sure bet the pull it off well. It's in rare form when so many conflicting elements mesh together so well. Thank hell for small favors like In tha Umbra! (FA)
AGONIA RECORDS
www.agoniarecords.com, info@agoniarecords.com, www.pentagramma.net, info@pentagramma.net, www.myspace.com/inthaumbra

ARGHOSLENT - HORNETS OF THE POGROM
I always tend to think of a Mark Twain story gone horribly awry when I think about these guys. It's not as if I really could explain it, what with them singing about empires rising and falling, the Atlantic slave trade, colonialism, and all other ills and evil of history you could imagine. Arghoslent probably has more chips on their should than the guy sitting in front of me at the ball park, and that's exactly how they like it. Remorseless, sadistic death metal with no apologies to anyone or anything. They've been in the game a while, long enough to see the history the sings about come and go with many other things underground. I'm sure by now their main interests are bashing as many skulls as possible and leaving nothing but ashes in their wake. If such is in the case, may you live 100 more years! (FA)
DRAKKAR PRODUCTIONS
www.drakkar666.com, drakkarorder@gmail.com, http://arghoslent.cjb.net/, arghoslent@hotmail.com

SAY NO TO GOD - SUPPORT OPEN GRAVE!

These guys are so cool, they've even been on a split with Krieg! Look for the new album entitled "Fear" to be out in the near future! Click on any of the sites below for more info.

www.myspace.com/satanswar

http://metal-archives.com/band.php?id=1362

http://www.regimentalrecords.com/

A DIRTY DOZEN QUESTIONS FOR BARBAROUS OF GRIMBANE

By Fatherland Almighty, 5/2008

1. Tell us about about your illustrious history, and that of other band members.
My history is I was always into metal. As a youngster starting with (Sabbath and Deep Purple) hard rock was ok but it was love, glam, and frills and not enough substance. I saw a Venom album, they were ok, but when I saw Celtic Frost and Hellhammer that made me feel as though the sound and freedom to say what others weren't was the way to go.

2. Were you on official hiatus from music, or just keeping a low profile to concoct Grimbane?
No, I live in a place where there are no good musicians so the chance to work with the Grimbane members was there so I did it.

3. Now that you're back with a vengeance, what are some of your plans?
We have a new album and we are writing songs for now.

4. What are you crazy Canucks doing that us Yanks aren't?
I spent a lot of time in the US and it's a great place. Politicians sometimes do bad things and it makes the country look bad. Now that being said, same as our country if you go to the middle of the US the people are all good just the same.

5. Let which "Empires Fall", exactly?
The reference is to control systems - schools, churches, governments, people who have their ways to control others.

6. So what is Grimbane the epitome of?
We enjoy playing and we have a certain way of playing that we feel we want to share with anyone who wants to listen. I also get satisfaction in expressing my feelings and views of the way I see the world.

7. What is a Grimbane show like?
Loud, fast, and played to the same way you hear it on the album that is the way bands should play and then the fans get to see and hear the performance that was captured in the studio.

8. What's with so many intros to several of your songs (not like I'm complaining)?
I know that none of the men and women that do reviews buy the album they get them from my company for free. So they don't have the lyrics and liner notes if you had the lyrics you would know what the intros and story throughout the album are referring to.

9. Ever lit anything on fire?
I have many people in my neighborhood that think their front yards are temporary garbage dumps, leaving old couches and trash all over. I would love to light those items on fire and see the fire trucks arrive.

10. If you could be God for a day, what would be the first thing you would do?
Haha. There is no god. You know in a way we are, each one of us a god. And that's a good way to look at it.

11. If there were such thing as "life metal", what do you think it would represent?
I know I'm metal for life. In that the music's ideas and lyrics just represent in detail a way you see the world and you have to agree to enjoying the way it sounds and find it fulfilling to listen to. That's metal for life.

12. Before you DEpart, why not IMpart some words of wisdom upon us mortals.
Take every chance you have to show the people all around you that the fact that Christianity is so accepted is solely based on lies and control.

www.moribundcult.com

THOR WOULD BE PROUD

UNLEASHED - HAMMER BATTALION

With a title like Hammer Battalion, what would you expect? Yeah, possibly the heaviest Unleashed album yet... Out on June 9th, this juggernaut of Swedish death shows the act at their most volatile, and here to talk about it we have Johnny Hedlund (vocals/bass) and Anders Schultz (drums) this coming Tuesday 5/20 and Thursday 5/22. From 11 AM EST onwards to Valhalla, the band will speak.

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The battle call has been raised! With their unstoppable new album Hammer Battalion, Sweden's mighty Unleashed have forged the blood and spirit of their Viking ancestry into a modern weapon of Death Metal mastery. A true rallying cry for the dedicated metalhead legions around the globe, Unleashed has done what previously seemed impossible: raising the intensity level without losing their trademark skill of melding uncompromising brutality with extreme listenability. Experience and believe!

Hammer Battalion takes a battle-hardened axe to the misguided concepts of self-subjugation, transparent corruption and unneeded suffering in the name of religious figureheads and provides a perfect link between the ancient struggles of their Nordic forefathers and the ills of our modern society. The blistering "The Greatest Of All Lies" and "Long Before Winter's Call" take on old religious myths re-cast as pure fact, while "Your Children Will Burn" serves as a warning of the consequences of blind faith. "Whatever is done in the name of different religions is often done against Mother Nature," notes vocalist/bassist Johnny Hedlund. "And she has the means of striking back."

Hedlund and company have not only worn their Viking heritage on their sleeve for years, they've also proven to be one of history's most important flag bearers for metal-heads around the globe. At its heart, Hammer Battalion serves as a testament to these legions of proud fanatics, and delivers a commanding message loud and clear. "Rebellion is rising," notes Hedlund when discussing the album's title track. "We will form a number of battalions all over the world with warriors who are not afraid to fight. We are tired of being sitting ducks for bullshit authorities who know nothing better than to oppress us for reasons they won't explain. We will take command of our own lives and get to work. Either like the chameleon – smoothly changing colors to benefit our survival, or by the furious rage of a Viking warrior - whichever suits us best. To the common man, his various pathetic and hollow forms of music is a hobby. Our music is a way of life. Join your local Hammer Battalion or start one yourself!"

Hammer Battalion proves to be a high point in the career of a band who has had many. For nearly 20 years, the warriors of Unleashed have been the ultimate embodiment of Death Metal - employing a driving fortitude that has helped them to become one of the top extreme bands on the planet. Always unyielding and without a hint of compromise, they have remarkably brought the spirit of the Viking past and the glory of pure Death Metal together in this new century. While the Hammer Battalion hordes are assembling around the globe, Unleashed are preparing their live assault on Europe and North America.

To Valhalla!

www.unleashed.se

www.myspace.com/666unleashed

www.spvusa.com

www.myspace.com/spvusa

SCYTHIAN'S DEBUT ALBUM "TO THOSE WHO STAND AGAINST US..." NEARS COMPLETION

The debut Scythian album now nears its finished state and four years of toil and conflict have nearly come to an end. Solos and extra guitars have now been recorded and final touches are being made, including the sparing use of samples and backing vocals. Volgard is handling all the layered 'choral' work and the intro and outro tracks will be completed before mixing and mastering gets underway.

"TO THOSE WHO STAND AGAINST US..." is scheduled for release in early October 2008 via Galactic Records and PHD.

Scythian are:

S. Vrath: warlord / bass & vocals
A. Satyrus: strategist / guitar
J.C. Volgaard: siege engineer / drums
G. Kul-Oba: reinforcements / live rhythm guitars

www.myspace.com/scythiandeath

Cast your eyes on Scythian's forthcoming live dates!
July 5 | Birmingham, Selly Oak | w/ Terrorama + Salute
August 6 | Metal Heads' Mission Festival, Crimea, Ukraine www.mhm-fest.com
Sepember 4 | The Frontline, Ghent, Belgium | w/ Impiety, Dawn Of Azazel + Spearhead

Scythian's recording blog is available on www.myspace.com/scythiandeath and printed below.

Sunday, March 23, 2008
RECORDING PART III: BASS & VOCALS
Bass and Vocals for the debut album are now complete...
Myself, Vrath and Volgard spent another 2 days at Dreaming Studios with Leon Macey to face the most major task of the recording process so far. Vrath stormed through his vocal tracks aided only by the black brew known as Guiness. Things went downhill however, when alcohol became involved. An arm-wrestling competition ensued, and shamefully I admit that we were smashed by the two members of Mithras. We are sore fucking losers on the other hand and drunkenly proclaimed that we would take revenge on Leon and his seven-foot accomplice, Rayner Coss.
The marvellous state of British engineering ensured that we had a comfortable trip home. Aided by several bottles of whiskey, we spent 5-6 hours on various coaches and terrorised the innocent for every leg of the journey, particularly Volgard, who managed to sit in a phantom pile of puke.
In other news, Vrath or Volgard may have to be replaced. One of them will die in the near future due to an internet bidding war (with each other) over a certain Italian band's entire discography. Vrath has already resorted to dirty tactics and Volgard has promised to make sure the vocalist is deprived of his rent should he obtain these most sacred vinyls.
More to come.
A. Satyrus
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Monday, March 03, 2008
RECORDING PART II: GUITARS COMPLETE!
Rhythm guitars for the as yet untitled album (sorry, we're still squabbling about it) are now finished. I worked alone with Leon Macey for 2 days and together we completed the massive task of recording 8 songs (both left and right channels) and 6,000 riffs (slight exaggeration). Playing every riff you've come up with in the space of 3 years note-perfect over 2 days is a struggle in itself. I am thrilled to say I'll never have to record the likes of "Suffering to the Conquered" (EVER) again and I'm even more pleased to have crushed this obstacle beneath the heel of my boot. Many thanks to Leon for his enduring patience and flawless ear.
We are planning to do a video interview to promote the coming release. It will be posted here on the site and other internet orifices for your viewing displeasure.
A. Satyrus
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Tuesday, February 19, 2008
RECORDING PART I....
Strong hails and salutations.
Phase one of the recording process for the debut album is now complete and we are greatly looking forward to the rest of the endeavour. I accompanied Volgard over the weekend to Dreaming Studios where we successfully completed the drums within the incredible space of 2 days. We are currently arming ourselves to lay down the guitars. In other news, we may have decided on a final title. More to follow shortly.
A. Satyrus

CRUCIAL UPCOMING CRUCIAL BLAST RELEASES

Gnaw Their Tongues - An Epiphanic Vomiting Of Blood

Gnaw Their Tongues, an enigmatic project from the Netherlands that has wowed fans of messed-up heaviosity with the phenomenal Reeked, Pained and Shuddering CD that was released on Paradigms along with a host of super-limited CDR and cassette releases, is joining the Crucial Blast roster for the CD release of the new full length An Epiphanic Vomiting Of Blood, which was released as a limited edition vinyl release at the beginning of 2008 on Burning World Records. This undefinable mass of black amorphic horror is one of the most intense listens we've engaged in recently, a nihilistic pit of howling orchestral strings and blackened abstract doom, operatic female voices plunging into a fetid sewer of filth and blackness, equal parts avant black metal and splattered sludge and symphonic horror movie score. An overwhelming deathscape scrawled in jagged figures across pieces like "My body is not a vessel, nor a temple. It's a repulsive pile of sickness" or "Sawn asunder and left for the beasts", and flecked with moments of unbelievably crushing beauty that may surprise fans of Gnaw Their Tongue's previous work.

MP3 track excerpts from An Epiphanic Vomiting Of Blood:
"My Body Is Not A Vessel, Nor A Temple. It's A Repulsive Pile Of Sickness": http://www.crucialblastshop.net/audio/gnawtheirtongues_mybodyisnotavesselnoratempleitsarepulsivepileofsickness.lite.mp3

"Teeth That Leer Like Open Graves":

http://www.crucialblastshop.net/audio/gnawtheirtongues_teeththatleerlikeopengraves.lite.mp3
"Sawn Asunder And Left For The Beasts":

http://www.crucialblastshop.net/audio/gnawtheirtongues_sawnasunderandleftforthebeasts.lite.mp3

Email interviews are available now.

www.myspace.com/gnawtheirtongues

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Trees - Light's Bane

The debut album from the Portland quartet Trees delivers two epic tracks of monolithic, blackened doom metal with a twisted, noise-damaged approach and a dank basement vibe. Trees craft glacial abstract riffs and rivers of ashen amplifier goo that fans of feedback-laden heaviosity will find highly satisfying, a kind of grinding, slow-motion black hole psychedelia that has a similar hypnotic death-ritual quality as artists like Bloody Panda and Khanate, but with their own unique trance state of swirling guitar textures, horrific jet black dronescapes and ghoulish, excoriating vocals. Features members of the PDX psych-sludge outfit Tecumseh (Important Records).

MP3 track excerpts from Light's Bane:
"Nothing": http://www.crucialblastshop.net/audio/trees_nothing.lite.mp3
"Black" : http://www.crucialblastshop.net/audio/trees_black.lite.mp3

Email interviews are available now.

www.myspace.com/trees00

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Nadja - Desire In Uneasiness

Following a wave of recent reissues and re-recorded versions of older CD-R titles, Desire In Uneasiness is an album of all new material from the acclaimed Canadian dreamsludge weavers Nadja. Five colossal jams of eternally-fuzzy, ethereal dirge that are powered by the interlocking bass guitars of Leah Buckareff and Aidan Baker, who set loose a wave of monstrous grinding bass riffs amidst a fog of beautiful, swirling electronic effects. Desire In Uneasiness also marks the first Nadja album to feature a live drummer in place of the drum machine programming that has driven the band's previous recordings, and the difference in the band's sound is apparent from the first crushing beats of album opener 'Disambiguation'. The organic drumming here takes Nadja's music into new realms of spacious jazzy exploration, dubby rhythms and cavernous psychedelia, while also delivering some of the band's most grooving, crushing hypno-bliss yet. Desire also stands out from the rest of the Nadja catalog for it's bizarre artwork that Aidan commissioned from his friend The Reverend Aitor. Aitor's bright, bold lines and textured magic marker artwork gives the gatefold jacket we've presented this disc in the look of a twisted children's book on acid, with weird images of chickens, trees growing through chairs, and more.

upcoming Nadja shows:

05/04/2008 Wavelength @ Wneaky Dee's - Toronto, ON
05/17/2008 Fimav - Victoriaville, QC
05/23/2008 Obey Convention II - Halifax, NS
06/20/2008 Wexner Center For The Arts - Columbus, OH w/Grails
06/22/2008 The Empty Bottle - Chicago, IL w/Grails
06/23/2008 National Bohemian House - Detroit, MI w/Grails
06/24/2008 Garfield Artworks - Pittsburgh, PA w/Grails
06/25/2008 Johnny Brenda's - Philadelphia, PA w/Grails
06/26/2008 Knitting Factory - New York, NY w/Grails
06/27/2008 The Middle East - Boston, MA w/Grails
06/28/2008 Cherry St. Station - Wallingford, CT w/Grails

MP3 track excerpts from Desire In Uneasiness:

"Disambiguation": http://www.crucialblastshop.net/audio/nadja_desire_Disambiguation.lite.mp3
"Uneasy Desire": http://www.crucialblastshop.net/audio/nadja_desire_UneasyDesire.lite.mp3

Email interviews are available now.

www.myspace.com/nadjaluv

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Noism - ±

Crucial Blast will release the debut CD from Japan's instrumental avant-death shred machine NOISM on August 26th. Noism was formed by guitarist Yoshiro Hamazaki and programmer Tomoyuki Akiyama in 1999 in Tokyo, Japan, and from the beginning the band has focused on creating intensely complex and crushing death/grind using programmed drums, brain-melting riffs and dissonant shred, which is chopped up and processed into abstract death blasts that defy physics. Early on, Noism utilized vocals and bass guitar but as the band continued to develop their unique, glitched-out chop shop of Planet Mu-style beats delivered at truly meth'd levels of chaos fused with sweeping technical death metal, those more "organic" elements were phased out. The band self released a few demos, like 2000's Brutality And Complexity, released songs digitally through the Net, and appeared on the 2006 compilation Drummachinegun from Relapse Records, but prior to 2008, they had yet to release a real body of work. When Tomoyuki relocated to the US in 2002, the members of Noism began to compose new music long-distance through file sharing, and finally created their first mini-album, ± , which is being issued through Crucial Blast in summer of 2008.

More info coming soon on this release...

www2.ttcn.ne.jp/~noism | www.myspace.com/noist

www.crucialblast.net

www.myspace.com/crucialblastrecords

UPCOMING SLEASZY RIDER RELEASES (CLICK TO ENLARGE)

CROCODILE DUNDEE IN CHICAGO

DESTROYING TEXAS FEST FLYER

SACRIFICE OF THE NAZARENE CHILD IX ITINERARY

Below are the times of apperance per each band. This is just an estimation as some bands will not play a full 45 minutes due to their decision of songs they wish to play.

Please spread this information for others to come and see it:

Rituals Of A Blasphemer 2pm-245pm

Nuclear Desecration 3-345pm

Thornspawn 4-445pm

Father Befouled 5-545pm

Prosanctus Inferi 6-645pm

Obeisance 7-745pm

Devestator 8-845pm

Nosvrolok 9pm-945pm

Cemetary Urn 10-1045pm

Profanatica 11-1145pm

Gospel Of The Horns 12pm-1245am

Holocaust Wolves Of The Apocalypse1am-2am

BLACK TEARS OF DEATH DISTRO KICKS ASS!

BLACK TEARS

(b.t.o.d.)

LABEL + MAILORDER since 1996

new online store (ebay-store), new myspace profile and new trade list

For all of you, old and new:

Friends, Customers, Private Traders, Labels, Mailorders and bands.

BLACK TEARS is still alive, and now you can find our traces online as extreme-metal online store at the following link:

http://stores.ebay.it/BLACK-TEARS-extreme-metal-store

It's new the BLACK TEARS myspace profile!!

You can read label history, and listen to some mp3 from last BLACK TEARS release, SPELL FOREST "LUCIFER REX" CD

www.myspace.com/btodmailorder

click and add me to your friends list!!!

To know something more about past releases, official BLACK TEARS HOMEPAGE is still the same:

www.btod.com

new e-mail:

btod@fastwebnet.it

SEND YOUR CURRENT TRADE LIST, IF YOU ARE INTO TRADES, THEN I'LL SEND YOU A NEW TRADE LIST ON SEPARATE MESSAGE.

ARCH ENEMY TOURS IT UP.

Fan favorites ARCH ENEMY are coming back to America for a tour – and we couldn't be more excited about it! The death metallers are teaming up with label mates DARK TRANQUILLITY, DIVINE HERESY and FIREWIND for a handful of May dates that you don't want to miss out on.

Vocalist Angela Gossow will be keeping a tour journal on Guitar World's MetalKult website (http://blogs.guitarworld.com/metalkult/) that will feature updates and candid pictures that you won't find anywhere else. The 'Tyranny & Bloodshred Tour' will be the best guitar-shredder package of the year … your face will be melted, be forewarned!

Tyranny and Bloodshred Tour w/Dark Tranquillity, Divine Heresy & Firewind
05/09 The Fillmore – Philadelphia, PA

05/10 Recher Theater – Towson, MD

05/11 Irving Plaza – New York, NY

05/13 Le Medley – Montreal, QC

05/14 L'Imperial – Quebec City, QC

05/16 The Opera House – Toronto, ON

05/17 The Majestic Theater – Detroit, MI

05/19 House of Blues – Chicago, IL

05/20 Station 4 – St. Paul, MN

05/21 The Garrick Centre – Winnipeg, MB

05/23 MacEwan Ballroom – Calgary, AB

05/24 Starlite – Edmonton, AB

05/27 The Showbox – Seattle, WA

05/29 Slim's – San Francisco, CA
05/30 House of Blues – W. Hollywood, CA

Click here for links to purchase tickets!

ISRAEL AT 60

From The International Herald Tribune (www.iht.com):

The Jewish people are marking the 60th anniversary of their national rebirth, the founding of Israel, on Thursday with the usual military flyovers, flag buntings and televised reminiscences of aging pioneers.

But there is another form of celebration planned, and its sponsors believe it says something about the national character: a three-day conference of some of the best minds from around the world on some of the biggest challenges facing humankind — and especially the Jews — in the coming decades.

"The brain enriches the pocket, not the other way around," Shimon Peres, Israel's president and the patron of the conference, said in an interview. "We are a small land and a small people, but we can become a daring world laboratory, and that is our desire and plan."

Nearly 700 guests are expected to take part next week in 35 discussion groups. They include statesmen like Henry Kissinger, Vaclav Havel, Tony Blair and Joschka Fischer, but also Sergey Brin of Google, Terry Semel of Yahoo and Rupert Murdoch, along with seven Jewish Nobel laureates and President George W. Bush.

Given the guest list, the topics are naturally big and ambitious, including the shift in global power from West to East (and south), nuclear proliferation and climate change. But much of the focus will also be on topics closer to home like Islamic extremism, the rise of Iran and sovereignty in Jerusalem.

In fact, what are billed as global challenges — terrorism, Iran — seem to be somehow especially Jewish and Israeli ones. The organizers say this is not coincidental or unusual and point as an example to Hitler, who posed an enormous threat to the world but focused particularly on the Jews.

"Cataclysms always seem to affect Jews first," remarked Stuart Eizenstat, a senior official in the Clinton and Carter administrations, who wrote an essay that forms a basis for the conference. "Go back to the Black Plague. It was not a Jewish issue, but it had particular impact on Jews because they were blamed for it."

There will be a number of senior officials from Central Europe and Africa, including the presidents of Georgia, Poland and Burkina Faso.

Missing from the conference will be any serious Arab representation. Arab leaders and thinkers from Egypt, Jordan and the Palestinian areas have been invited, but none have confirmed partly because simultaneously the Arab world will be marking Israel's 60th anniversary as a catastrophe known as "Nakba Day," which will involve its own conferences and demonstrations. The organizers in Jerusalem are still hoping a few Arab leaders will come.

Peres said that to him the idea was to bring thoughtful Jews and non-Jews together in the perhaps idle hope of "making the Jews more worldly and making the world more Jewish."

He gave as examples Israel's innovative approach to irrigation and its strong presence in medical equipment production worldwide.

"In China, they may not know who Moses was, but they do know about our drip irrigation systems," he said.

Speaking of Israel and China in the same breath, which will occur many times at the conference, raises some complex questions and offers some staggering contrasts. According to Eizenstat's paper, Israel has more engineers per capita than any country in the world — 135 per 100,000. (There are 85 per 100,000 in the United States.) But even so, the total number of Israeli engineers — nearly 100,000 — is tiny compared with the number China is producing every year, about 600,000.

The back work for the conference has been done by a relatively new institute known as The Jewish People Policy Planning Institute, which was the brainchild of a former Israeli journalist named Avinoam Bar-Yosef and whose chairman is Dennis Ross, the former top Middle East peace negotiator for the United States. The institute seeks to incorporate strategic planning into Jewish life here and abroad and to make sure Israel and world Jewry understand their common interests.

One significant development of recent years that will be discussed here is the shift in the relationship between Israel and diaspora Jewry. For decades, Israel was the needy child depending on contributions and support from abroad as it struggled to survive.

Today Israel's Jewish population of 5.5 million is the world's largest, just ahead of that of the United States, which is slowly declining through low birth rate and intermarriage. Israel has in fact become the center of Jewish life and is increasingly being asked to act like the older brother to Jewish communities elsewhere.

"This imposes certain responsibilities on Israel as the center of Jewish culture, literature and religious thought," Eizenstat said. "Because Israel has been so focused on its security, it has not reached out enough in the past to strengthen the diaspora. Such a move also ran counter to Zionism, which foresaw all Jews moving to Israel. But that is not going to happen, and Israel is starting to understand that a weak Jewish diaspora means a weak Israel."

Bar-Yosef said for him the point of the gathering was to nurture the hope of change in Israel, "to have the willingness to repair what needs repairing and also to take a breath and acknowledge what has been accomplished in just 60 years."

NECROSTORM DEBUT

www.myspace.com/necrostorm666

NECROSTORM "NECROSTORM" DEBUT RELEASE OUT NOW THROUGH SVARTGALGH RECORDS (HOLLAND) & SOUND OF CHARGE REKORDZ (FRANCE)

NEW ISSUE OF BAST MAGAZINE OUT

Issue 5 is out! Buy your copy today. $6 US/$9 Int'l (includes postage). Buy it with Paypal or send a check/money order.

all info is at our office website:

www.bastmagazine.com

We're taking reservations for ad space for Issue 6. I promise it will not take so long to get this one out.

If you're an unsigned band or with a label that doesn't support you promotion-wise, you can get ad space for as little as $20! Twenty bucks gets you 1/8th page!!!

If you're a label, if you make metal-type clothes, gear or anything else you think metalheads might like to hear about (and buy!!!) get in touch.

Ads are dirt cheap!!!!

Also, if you like mountain biking, respond to me. We have a section about activities and would love to include you.

Cheers,

Black Metal Martha

CRITERION GOES BLU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

From www.thedigitalbits.com

There's more significant Blu-ray news to report this afternoon. The Criterion Collection has just officially revealed (in their latest newsletter) that they're going Blu later this year, and that their first dozen or so titles on the format will begin to arrive in stores in October. All will feature new high-def restorations and will include ALL of the extras from the DVD editions. They'll even be priced to match the DVDs. Among the first titles will be the likes of The Third Man, Bottle Rocket, Chungking Express, The Man Who Fell to Earth, The Last Emperor (available both as a special edition box set and standalone theatrical version, each on both Blu-ray and DVD), El Norte, The 400 Blows, Gimme Shelter, The Complete Monterey Pop, Contempt, Walkabout (an updated edition, also on both Blu-ray and standard DVD), For All Mankind and The Wages of Fear. Great news indeed!

CATTLE DECAPITATION UPDATE

For immediate release

Dated: May 6, 2008

Cattle Decapitation to debut new songs in June to live audiences!

After 6 months of hibernating constructing new songs for their upcoming album due late in the year via Metal Blade Records, CATTLE DECAPITATION will schedule a week worth of dates to debut the new material in front of a live audience. These new songs will feature the most recent addition and talent of David McGraw to the song writing process.

Vocalist Travis Ryan commented on the new material "The guys have been writing like crazy, we're already
4 songs in! I've got lyrics to a couple and we'll be playing 'em at the upcoming shows! All I can say is this new stuff is completely insane."

"We have reached a new level of intensity that in my opinion completely annihilates anything we've ever done."

"That goes for the first 2 Cattle records as well! Just too damn intense for words... you gotta come check it out for yourself!"

The dates are listed below.

June 18 The Jensen Mainstage Santa Barbara, CA
June19 The Castle Soledad, CA
June 20 Annie's Social Club San Francisco, CA
June 21 The Boardwalk Orangevale, CA
June 22 The Kung Fu Corner Westlake Village, CA
June 23 The Knitting Factory Hollywood, CA
June 24 TBA TBA
June 25 Club Karma Victorville, CA

For more information visit the following resources:
www. myspace. com/cattledecapitation
www. cattledecapitation. com

NO SOULS LOST OUT NOW

AND ALSO TO LOS ANGELES (LIKE THERE WOULD BE ANY DIFFERENCE!)

HELL COMES TO HOUSTON

WANNA GET THE PLAGUE?

Hails,

Most of our CDS are now on sale for only $5.00 each for a few months. ALL sale CDS are shipped without jewel cases. Shipping rates remain the same for all items.

PLEASE LIST ALTERNATES WITH YOUR ORDER!!!

Heathen Regards,

Mike/BPR

~ BLACK PLAGUE RECORDS ~

SPREADING THE UNDERGROUND PLAGUE WORLDWIDE!!!

http://www.blackplaguerecords.com

http://www.myspace.com/blackplaguerecords

Address:
BLACK PLAGUE RECORDS
PMB 187
17602 17th Street #102
Tustin, CA 92780 - USA

SCHMIER THE QUEER

DESTRUCTION/HEADHUNTER frontman Marcel "Schmier" Schirmer will be IRON MAIDEN frontman Bruce Dickinson's guest on Friday, May 23 during Bruce's weekly BBC 6 Music radio show, aptly named "The Bruce Dickinson Friday Rock Show". Listen to the program live via the Internet between 10:00 p.m. and 1:00 a.m. U.K. time at BBC.co.uk.

As previously reported, HEADHUNTER has posted its cover of the SKID ROW classic "18 And Life" on the group's MySpace page. The track comes off the band's forthcoming album, "Parasite of Society", which is scheduled for release in the U.S. on June 10 via Candlelight Records. The CD was mixed by Achim Köhler in Stuttgart, Germany.

Schmier previously stated about the album, "This record really made my day in difficult times and goes back to the roots of metal. My roots of music. I'm fuckin' honored that I had the chance again to play with my mates, Schmuddel and Jörg, after all those years."

"Parasite of Society" track listing:

01. 3rd Man Introduction
02. Parasite Of Society
03. Silverskull
04. Remission
05. Doomsday For The Prayer
06. 18 And Life
07. Read My Lips
08. Backs To The Wall
09. Egomaniac
10. The Calling
11. Payback Time
12. Rapid Fire

HEADHUNTER had its trio of albums originally issued during Schmier's years away from DESTRUCTION — "Parody of Life" (1990), "A Bizarre Gardening Accident" (1992), and "Rebirth" (1994) — re-released on September 7, 2007 via AFM Records.

HEADHUNTER has been confirmed for this year's installment of the Wacken Open Air festival, set to take place July 31 - August 2, 2008 in Wacken, Germany.

TALES FROM THE KRYPT

KRYPT - PRELUDES TO DEATH
Just when you thought nothing good was coming out of Norway these days, along comes Krypt with some utterly filthtasitc blackened hell with thrash-tinged insanity. Featuring excavated remnants of the old Tsjuder and formed in 2006 and will no doubt appeal to fans of that well-established act. What, you thought the hammer of Satan was that easy to escape? Krypt unleashes furies like many a devil's advocate does with no shame and no remorse. This also includes the two track from their 2007 EP "I Am God". Well truth be told, Krypt is further proof that there really, honestly is no God. (FA)
AGONIA RECORDS
www.agoniarecords.com, info@agoniarecords.com, http://krypt.tsjuder.com/, www.myspace.com/krypt666

GLORY BE UNLEASHED

Warriors !!!

Unleashed are once again ready to attack the shores of North America/Vinland, this time we'll join forces with Obituary for a full tour in September/October!!

Johnny & The Boys
www.unleashed.se

April 28, 2008
World Management and Unleashed would like to announce that the mighty Unleashed will be team up with Florida's OBITUARY for a U.S. tour in September/October.

Supporting on this run of dates will be San Diego
death metallers CARNIFEX.

Unleashed newest release "Hammer Battalion" will hit the stores on June 10th.

The album is full of some of the best material ever written by Unleashed and will be on SPV world wide.

The band are currently playing a
number of Euro festivals and will shortly film a video for the song
"Black Horizon" (video will be filmed in Serbia).

Video Director is Ivan Colic.

Producer is Stanimir Lukic (Type O Negative/ Kamleot / Symphony X).

Johnny and the boys are excited to return to launch the " Hammer Battalion North America Tour".

Confirmed dates are as follows:

SEPTEMBER

16 - Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade

17 - New Orleans, LA @ House of Blues

18 - Ft. Worth, TX @ Ridglea Theater

19 - Houston, TX @ Scout Bar

20 - San Antonio, TX @ Scout Bar

22 - Mexicali, MX @ The Metro

24 - West Hollywood, CA @ House of Blues

25 - San Francisco, CA @ Slims (w/ POSSESSED)

26 - Orangevale, CA @ The Boardwalk

27 - Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theater

28 - Seattle, WA @ Studio Seven

30 - Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater

OCTOBER

01 - Kansas City, MO @ Beaumont Club

02 - St. Paul, MN @ Station 4

03 - Mokena, IL @ Pearl Room

04 - Cleveland, OH @ Peabodys Down Under

05 - New York, NY @ BB King Blues Club & Grill

07 - Philadelphia, PA @ Trocadero

08 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Rex Theater

10 - Worcester, MA @ Palladium

11 - Baltimore, MD @ RamsHead Live

12 - Louisville, KY @ Uncle Pleasants

13 - Charlotte, NC @ Amos Southend

14 - Charleston, SC @ Music Farm

Tickets for all shows are now on sale through www.enterthevault.com exclusively until May 21, at which point tickets will be made available through all normal ticketing systems.