IA MARDUK!

MARDUK: More Wormwood Details Revealed + Tour Update

Swedish black metallers MARDUK are currently holed up in Endarker Studios in Norrköping, Sweden mixing their 11th studio album, Wormwood. The album will contain 10 tracks. View the cover art here:

http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=451309518&blogId=502451407

Said guitarist Morgan Håkansson from the studio, "Greetings, we are just working out the final details for the upcoming album set to be released in September [via Regain Records]. The recordings are coming along just fine. The studio work is being [split] with rehearsals for the upcoming festivals and the US dates coming up in August. Be prepared for the great day of wrath! More news to be unveiled within the coming days!"

Wormwood Track Listing
1. "Nowhere, No-One, Nothing"
2. "Funeral Dawn"
3. "This Fleshly Void"
4. "Unclosing The Curse"
5. "Into Utter Madness"
6. "Phosphorous Redeemer"
7. "To Redirect Perdition"
8. "Whorecrown"
9. "Chorus Of Cracking Necks"
10. "As A Garment"

Following a last minute visa issue that forced the band to sit out Blackenedfest, MARDUK, have scheduled the following US tour dates with support from Withered and Black Anvil. “We are excited to finally be over in the states and do these shows after all the problems with the visas," said Håkansson. "The three shows in August are just the start. We are preparing for a full tour in the winter that will cover all the areas we missed on Blackenedfest. Please join us as we raise the Banner Of The Wolf!”

MARDUK Confirmed Dates:
8/12/2009 Sonar - Baltimore, MD
8/13/2009 Johnny Brenda's - Philadelphia, PA
8/15/2009 Gramercy Threatre - New York, NY also w/Tombs

http://www.marduk.nu
http://www.myspace.com/truemarduk
http://www.regainrecords.com

THERE WILL BE BLUT.

French BLUT AUS NORD decided to leave Candlelight Records and unite with Debemur Morti Productions. The faceless Entity is currently recording its upcoming, vinyl-only, album entitled "What Once Was..." to celebrate its return to the Underground realm.

Prepare to embrace The Supreme Abstract once more !

Band website : www.blutausnord.com
Label website : www.debemur-morti.com

THE SUNN O))) NEVER SETS.

SUNN O))) and EAGLE TWIN - East and Southern US Aktions Announced

The third wave of SUNN O))) live aktions on American soil in support of Monoliths & Dimensions have been announced, this time blanketing the East Coast. As on their previous Midwestern and upcoming West Coast tours this summer, label mates EAGLE TWIN will be joining SUNN O))) on these dates, in support of their debut full-length The Unkindness of Crows, which was released this week. A very special night on the tour will at Brooklyn's cavernous Masonic Temple in Fort Greene, where SUNN O))) and EAGLE TWIN will also be joined by Southern Lord brethren EARTH and PELICAN.

SUNN O))) w/ EAGLE TWIN East and Southern 2009

9/17/2009 Mr Small's - Pittsburgh, PA
9/19/2009 AS220 Broad Street Studio - Providence, RI
9/20/2009 First Unitarian Church - Philadelphia, PA
9/22/2009 Brooklyn Masonic Temple - Brooklyn, NY w/ Pelican, Earth
9/23/2009 Sonar - Baltimore, MD
9/24/2009 Bijou Theatre - Knoxville, TN
9/25/2009 The Orange Peel - Asheville,NC w/ Faust
9/26/2009 Legends Banquet & Special Event Center - Atlanta, GA
9/27/2009 Seney-Stovall Chapel - Athens, GA
9/28/2009 Seney-Stovall Chapel - Athens, GA
9/30/2009 Mercy Lounge - Nashville, TN

MAXIMUM VOLUME YIELDS MAXIMUM RESULTS.

http://www.ideologic.org
http://www.myspace.com/eagletwin
http://www.southernlord.com
http://www.myspace.com/southernlordrecordings
http://blog.southernlord.com

WANNA DO ANAAL?

ANAAL NATHRAKH: New Record In Stores July 28th!

New ANAAL NATHRAKH long player, In The Constellation Of The Black Widow, hits North American record shelves on July 28th! The record is being released via Candlelight Records.

In The Constellation Of The Black Widow track listing:
1. "In The Constellation Of The Black Widow"
2. "I Am The Wrath Of Gods And The Desolation Of The Earth Music"
3. "More Of Fire Than Blood"
4. "The Unbearable Filth Of The Soul"
5. "Terror In The Mind Of God"
6. "So Be It"
7. "The Lucifer Effect"
8. "Oil Upon The Sores Of Lepers"
9. "Satanarchrist"
10. "Blood Eagles Carved On The Backs Of Innocents"

Commented ANAAL NATHRAKH vocalist V.I.T.R.I.O.L. on the new material: "Constellation is faster, more insidious, more ominous, more musically dextrous and wilder than ever before. The album features a curve ball guest appearance from Zeitgeist Memento of Mexican extremists REPUBLIKA."

Formed in 1998, ANAAL NATHRAKH have recorded five full-length albums. Based in Birmingham, the band fuses traditional black metal with elements of industrial, grindcore and early-day death metal resulting in a one-of-a-kind soundscape that has earned it high acclaim from media and fans around the globe.

What press folks are saying:

"In The Constellation Of The Black Widow is another crushing example of why this two-man band accomplishes much more than most fully equipped metal stalwarts. ANAAL NATHRAKH are more like great weavers of music and ideas than just a band in that they bring together some really inventive views on structure and dynamics but then hide them underneath this aural assault that can only be likened to being run over by a 16 wheeler with spikes on its treads, on fire, while acid leaks from the bottom." -- Crave.

"Their sound is a weapon... music of mass destruction. Hell, if these Brits get any heavier the music will cross over into pure white noise, the kind that would tear at the very fabric of reality as we know it." -- The Metal Observer

"ANAAL NATHRAKH's latest is a return to bestial form, full of impossibly fast blast beats, black/death-grind hybrid riffs, and ridiculously tortured vocals. Though not the band’s best, In the Constellation of the Black Widow is a stern reminder of why ANAAL NATHRAKH are often mentioned in the same breath as today’s most notable black metallers." -- Metal Sucks

http://www.myspace.com/anaalnathrakh
http://www.anaal-nathrakh.tk/
http://www.candlelightrecordsusa.com/
http://www.myspace.com/candlelightrecordsusa

ROT THROUGH THE JUNGLE!

Napalm recording artists JUNGLE ROT announce a handful of US tour dates before they head off to Europe in September in support of Six Feet Under. Touring behind the latest critically acclaimed album (and first for Napalm), What Horrors Await, the Wisconsin death metal masters will hit the following cities:

July 24 – Chicago, Illinois @ Nite Cap
August 8 – Kenosha, Wisconsin @ Ruether High School (w/Lazarus A.D., DNR,
Corruptor, Conniption) ALL AGES
August 9 – Michigan City, Indiana @ White Eagle Park (w/After The Quarrel,
Beresith, Jarvis) ALL AGES
August 21 – Aurora, Illinois @ Rockhouse
August 29 – Milwaukee, Wisconsin @ Liquor Sweets
***The Midwest Heshfest w/ Vadim Vom, Beltfed Weapon, Demized, Evil
Incarnate, Ominous, Cyanosis, Hammered, Blood Obsession, Carnal
Befoulment, Meth Tooth, 40oz Fist, New Society Of Anarchists, Rictus
Grin, Memories Wither



All dates and venues are CONFIRMED. For more info, consult www.junglerot.net, www.myspace.com/junglerot, and www.napalmrecords.com .

IN THE CANDLELIGHT, OH BOY WHAT A SIGHT!

CANDLEIGHT USA Tour Update - ABIGAIL WILLIAMS, HAVOK, SOURVEIN


Candlelight artists ABIGAIL WILLIAMS are on the road now, as part of the Conquer & Curse Tour alongside Goatwhore, Abysmal Dawn and Daath. The tour, which began last week, has more than a month remaining. ABIGAIL WILLIAMS have been touring steadily for the past year in support of their 2008 full-length In The Shadow Of A Thousand Suns.

HAVOK will thrash it up in August with a mini-tour beginning in their hometown of Denver through the Southwest and up through California. The band's debut Burn is out now on Candlelight Records, receiving great response from the press. Much more news soon on this unit...

Southern sludge-mongers SOURVEIN have just announced a week of gigs late this month, hitting some East Coast and Midwest towns alongside Saviours. Candlelight released the limited edition Imperial Bastard EP last year, and plans for a new full-length are in the works...

All dates are posted below.

-----
THE CONQUER & CURE TOUR 2009
ABIGAIL WILLIAMS, GOATWHORE, ABYSMAL DAWN, DAATH

7/17/2009 Cheyenne Saloon - Las Vegas, NV
8/18/2009 Gator’s - Farmington, NM
7/19/2009 Larimer Lounge - Denver, CO
7/20/2009 Riot Room - Kansas City, MO
7/21/2009 The Muse - Nashville, TN
7/22/2009 Plan B - Danville, VA
7/23/2009 The Blender Theatre at Grammercy - New York, NY
7/24/2009 Jaxx - West Springfield, VA
7/25/2009 Webster Underground - Hartford, CT
7/26/2009 FouFounes - Montreal, QC
7/27/2009 Wreck Room - Toronto, ON
7/28/2009 Penny Arcade - Rochester, NY
7/29/2009 Peabody’s - Cleveland, OH
7/30/2009 Pearl Room - Mokena, IL
7/31/2009 Canopy Club - Urbana, IL
8/01/2009 Rave - Milwaukee, WI
8/02/2009 The Hub - Edelstein, IL
8/03/2009 Marquee - Tulsa, OK
8/04/2009 The Conservatory - Oklahoma City, OK
8/05/2009 Scout Bar - Houston, TX
8/06/2009 Scout Bar - San Antonio, TX
8/07/2009 Lola’s - Ft. Worth, TX
8/08/2009 Red 7 - Austin, TX
8/09/2009 The War Legion Underground - Amarillo, TX
8/10/2009 The Compound - Albuquerque, NM
8/11/2009 The Rock - Tucson, AZ
8/12/2009 U.B.’s Bar - Mesa, AZ
8/13/2009 Chain Reaction - Anaheim, CA
8/14/2009 Jerry's Pizza - Bakersfield, CA
8/15/2009 The Exit - Fresno, CA
8/16/2009 Modesto Virtual - Modesto, CA
8/17/2009 Moose Lodge - Rosamond, CA
8/18/2009 Tonic Lounge - Reno, NV
8/19/2009 Club Vegas - Salt Lake City, UT
8/20/2009 American Legion - Casper, WY
8/21/2009 Sheridan County Fairgrounds - Sheridan, WY


HAVOK

8/06/2009 3 Kings Tavern - Denver, CO w/Saviours
8/07/2009 The Compound - Albuquerque, NM w/ Dread, Tedbrudos, Vetalas
8/20/2009 The Bunkhouse - Las Vegas, NV (21+)
8/21/2009 UB’s Bar - Mesa, AZ w/ PinHed (members of Divine Heresy, Mushroomhead)
8/22/2009 Vaudeville - Tucson, AZ w/ The Besmirchers, Limbless Torso, Chainsaw Justice
8/24/2009 Music Trader - San Diego, CA (free show - record store) w/ Nihilist
8/25/2009 Royal Dive - Oceanside, CA (21+) w/ Nihilist
8/26/2009 Paroah’s Den - Riverside, CA w/ Witchaven, Nihilist, Kombat
8/27/2009 Pizza Factory - Modesto, CA w/ Witchaven, Nihilist, Kranial Damage
8/28/2009 Four Eighteen Projecct - Santa Cruz, CA w/ Witchaven, Nihilist
8/29/2009 Kennel Club - Sacramento, CA w/ Psychosomatic, Cheapskate


SOURVEIN

7/26/2009 Smiling Moose - Pittsburgh, PA w/ Saviours
7/29/2009 Union Pool - Brooklyn, NY w/ Saviours, Children
8/01/2009 Krug's Place - Frederick, MD w/ Ol' Skratch, Savious
8/02/2009 The Summit - Columbus, OH w/ Saviours
8/03/2009 Subterranean - Chicago, IL w/ Saviours
8/04/2009 Cactus Club - Milwaukee, IL w/ Saviours

http://www.myspace.com/abigailwilliams
http://www.myspace.com/havok
http://www.myspace.com/sourvein13
http://www.candlelightrecordsusa.com
http://www.myspae.com/candlelightrecordsusa

IN NOMINE SATHANAS.

Unearthly Evil Productions

U.S. black / death metal masters SATHANAS will be releasing the follow up to 2009’s Pagan Records release Nightrealm Apocalypse through Unearthly Evil Productions in the United States. Sathanas are currently seeking labels to partake in equal partnership in the international release and distribution of the album. Sathanas guitarist/vocalist Paul Tucker reports the release to be the bands most aggressive and best release to date. Sathanas are seeking labels from the following regions, Europe, Asia, and South America, with North America being handled by Sathanas and Unearthly Evil Productions.

For information contact Paul – sathanaspaul@hotmail.com or Ed – ed@unearthlyevil.com

www.sathanas.net / www.unearthlyevil.com

MUNICIPAL WASTE OF SPACE

Tony from Municipal Waste

By Mike SOS

While catching up with thrash revivalist Municipal Waste's frontman and master of disaster Tony Fontana during the last day of their tour with Lamb of God, we talked about their trek, learned a lot about the Virginia quartet's soon to be released album MASSIVE AGGRESSIVE, and had a great time shooting the breeze about metal.

So talk a little bit about the tour, Lamb of God, man, how’s it’s going?
Well, we haven’t been home for almost seven and a half weeks. We went and mixed the album right at the beginning of the tour, so we’ve been on the road forever, but today’s the last day. Last night, we played Richmond, which is our home town and that was a really crazy show. The tour’s been great. The crowd’s been really receptive to us. The crowd actually goes crazier for the new stuff, so I guess that’s a good sign, just seeing people digging our new songs. We’ve been playing a couple new songs every night just so the crowd can get used to ‘em and it’s been cool...the response has been really good.

What’s the difference between the new stuff and the old stuff? How do you see people reacting different?
Well I hate to say it's more aggressive‘cause that’s the name of the album, but it is. It’s a little bit heavier and a little bit faster and it’s got parts that make people move around. It’s definitely got some circle pit anthems on there.

Talk a little bit about the recording process. What was easy and hard to do, who you worked with, etc.?
We worked with Zeuss, who did our last album, who's famous for all those other crazy bands that he’s done. He really was stressed about making the record sound good and he wanted to be-- everyone to be happy with it. He pushed each band member really hard to get the best performances out of us. He did a really good job man. We’re so proud of it, like, really proud of this record. It came out so good.

Any highlights, song titles, any funny stories from recording?
There’s a song that’s called “Upside Down Church.” It’s the ultimate evil song, ‘cause what’s more metal and evil than an upside down Church? Nothing. Yeah! So, “Upside Down Church" and “Shredded Offering"...those are the two that we’ve been playing on this tour and they're just heavier and quicker, faster, and pissed-ter!

How do you spend your downtime on the road?
Drinking has been quite the thing on this tour. But no, that’s not all we do. There’s a lot of people who think that. But on this tour it’s really just been trying to get to the next place because almost every day off we had, our van would fuck up or we’d have a van problem. It was crazy dude. We’ve been through five vans on this tour. We broke down in the middle of the mountains in Canada. And we had to rent a truck. We rode to the show in the back of a pickup truck. We pulled up to the Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto in a pickup truck. And we always say "Municipal Waste is gonna fuck you up". And so the Lamb of God dudes say, “Municipal Waste is in a pickup truck.” So yeah, that’s been crazy. Usually what we do on our down time is get our fucking van fixed and try to get to the next show. And it’s so weird ‘cause we don’t break down when we have a show. But when we have a day off it’ll fucking break down. So there’s our day off, in a rest area waiting for a tow truck.

I’m sure you guys have some crazy rest area stories, stuff you’ve seen across the country.
I stayed with Lamb of God. I rode in their bus one night. And I was in the crew bus, the crew-- you know, it’s like 15 dudes and we’re all sitting up in the bus, watching movies, drinking beer. And it was five in the morning and both buses stopped at this rest area. We all poured out and it looked like just a crew of drunk zombies walking around this rest area, like a truck stop. I was like, I feel bad for the people that work here. They must probably think all these scary metal zombies are wandering around the place.

That's fodder for a film or something!
I was looking at Randy (Lamb of God) and I was like, yeah, man everyone’s half asleep and everybody’s hair’s fucked up and it’s really funny.

Municipal Waste has always been talked about as being on the cusp of the thrash revival...talk about thrash metal in general and some of the new favorites you’ve seen and some of the old favorites you guys still keep close to your hearts.
I mean a lot of people say that we’re leading a revival or whatever. And I think that’s cool, it’s awesome that there’s bands out there doing that, you know? It’s crazy ‘cause when we started, that was it...there wasn’t anybody. We were playing it ‘cause we loved that type of music, you know? We were playing it in our basements and people’s living rooms and shit, and it’s crazy how over the past eight, almost nine years now, it's come back in full force. It’s cool to be a part of it, you know? It’s also cool, as far as being a part of it, to be able to tour with and meet bands that I used to idolize, like touring with Destruction and shit like that. It’s an honor. And I get to meet rad people all the time. And I think it’s really cool to hear that Scott Ian digs my band. Like I met Kerry King and he told me that he has the Waste in his iPod. I thought that was cool as shit, man. I love being a part of it. I love being a part of something that’s exciting and that people believe in and get behind. It’s exciting.

So for people that don’t know, why should someone come see a Municipal Waste show?
Why should people come to see us? I don’t know. I think we’re definitely a thrash band. But we have our own thing going on. We’re not trying to rip anybody off. We bring our own energy and we bring a good time. We have a fun show and we play ‘cause we love it and we have a good time up there, and I think the crowd feeds off that. You know? It’s a good time. Come out and chin up.

Any memorable shows you can tell us about? Anything that stands out in your mind?
There’s been so many shows. We toured with At The Gates. How many people can say they did that? You know, what a fucking honor. We played with shows with NOFX. We played with fucking Slayer. That rules, ‘cause we’re able to play with so many different kinds of bands. You know? So yeah, I love it, it’s just exciting. I get to see all these killer bands, that I would have to usually pay money to see. What makes us different is we don’t care about being rock stars. We’re just doing it ‘cause we like to have a good fucking time. And I mean even the people that used to be in our band are still good friends with us. I mean we did a reunion show with our first album's lineup playing the entire first album and nobody in the current band gave a fuck, you know? They’re just like, “Oh cool. I get to go see the Waste and I don’t have to play"...just cool like that. There’s no egos...we’re all just doing it ‘cause we love it. We’re having a good time. And I think that people that know our band know that about us.

What are you looking to do that you haven’t done before musically or career-wise or performance-wise with the new album?
Tour Japan. We’ve toured everywhere the world, and we’ve never done Japan. We’ve done Australia. We’ve done Iceland. We played fucking Puerto Rico. We’ve never been to Japan. It’s so weird. So that’s what I want to do damn it.

What are the touring plans for the immediate future?
We're gonna do Europe and the US tours with us headlining. We’re gonna bring out bands that we like. And we’re gonna-- then after that we’re gonna just start doing crazy shit like doing Brazil, Australia, Japan, do a proper Canada run ‘cause Canada was great on this tour.

Stemming from this experience with the Lamb of God guys, what kind of bill would you guys want to put together ultimately or what kind of bill do you guys dream of being on that you haven’t been on yet?
I want to tour with Motorhead and Slayer and Cannibal Corpse. I love Cannibal Corpse. And I think for everyone in our band, those are the three bands that we’re waiting for to call us. Go on and call us dudes. ‘Cause we love ‘em. And yeah, that’s a definite. What other dream tours? If Violence ever did a reunion, I would want to do that.

Who was probably your-- the most underrated thrash band you feel that never got the recognition they deserve?
I think Tankard is pretty underrated. I really liked that band and I don’t think a lot of people really know about them. You’d be surprised whenI tell people about Tankard and they’re like, “What?” I guess because they’re from Germany and the records are a bit harder to find. But I would say they’re pretty underrated. Like they weren’t even in that GET THRASHED movie that much, yet that was one of the first thrash bands I heard.

What initially got you into thrash metal?
I just liked the fact that it was punk. There’s a punk side to thrash, and I guess that was the gateway for me ‘cause I grew up listening to a lot of punk and hardcore and stuff like that. And then I started after hearing SOD and DRI and shit like that kind of opened the flood gates.

Do you still skateboard or have you retired?
I used to skateboard when I was kid, but I was actually more of a surfer. I lived in Florida. But yeah, I can’t do that anymore. I’m not good at all. I suck. I tried it not too long ago and it was miserable.

When you're not working in Municipal Waste isn’t on the road, what do you do back in Virginia?
Well, after getting back tomorrow, I’m leaving in a week to go on a bike trip. I ride bikes a lot. Me and four of my friends are riding our bikes from Richmond, Virginia to Philadelphia, which is pretty far. It’s gonna take seven days to do it. That’s what I do. I like to get out and just hang out with my friends. I love playing basketball and just meeting people, drinking, listening to records, going to hardcore shows. Shit like that man, I still love music so much, I go to shows almost every night when I’m in town, I’m home. When I’m not on tour and listening to bands, I’m at home watching bands or listening to records.

What’s the main thrust regarding the new album you want to really convey to everyone?
The thing that we want to convey most is that if they’re looking for another party album, go buy our last two records because we’re taking it a little bit further. We’re just trying to do something different, be a little bit more creative, and I think we actually did it. The people that have heard it say “Wow, you guys did it, you guys really made something different.” Instead of just doing another thrash record like everybody else, I think we kind of brought our own flavor to it and actually did something creative with the style of music.

Were you guys afraid of not being able to get out of the joke-metal genre and not really get taken seriously?
I don’t mind it. I mean I love having fun and I don’t give shit and if people don’t like that, then whatever. We’ll always joke around and we’ll be funny guys and do our thing. But with this record we just wanted to do something different. And yeah, you know, we’re just-- you know, it feels good to be creative. I don’t want to be a band that just relies on a gimmick. And I think our fans know that and they don’t want that. They want something different too. They want to get their asses stomped by metal.

So I guess it would be safe to say this new album is an ass stomping new direction for you guys?
Yeah, definitely. It’s ass stomping new direction.

MIKE S.O.S IS GOD!

OLDE YORK
EMPIRE STATE
COUNTDOWN
Maintaining the classic NYHC sound and a no frills DIY mindset from the days of yore, Olde York comes barreling down the lane with an authentic 12-track tour de force entitled EMPIRE STATE. Embodying the spirit of hardcore’s CBGB Sunday matinee glory days while skillfully blending the styles of acts such as Cro Mags, Warzone, Sick of It All and Leeway (whose singer Eddie Sutton makes a cameo here) into one big gang chorus pile-on, this Big Apple quartet makes no bones about their roots or their allegiance to the underground by pumping out anthemic pit pleasers like “Five Year Plan” and “Still Believe”. Think hardcore died after CB’s shut its doors? Olde York will make you think twice. www.countdownrecords.com -Mike SOS

CANDLEMASS
DEATH MAGIC DOOM
NUCLEAR BLAST
Swedish doom metal pioneers Candlemass return with a refined sense of confidence with their latest offering, the eight-track DEATH MAGIC DOOM. Comfortably settling into yet another round of changes (most notably on the vocals), Leif Edling and company showcase that they are still able to conjure feelings of dread and despair straight from the Black Sabbath playbook (“Hammer of Doom”) with grace and respect but not without interspersing their own bells and whistles (as well as some kick ass solos) into the mix. This veteran unit maintains mid-paced mauling tempos for the most part, yet at times opt for the upbeat with success (“Dead Angel”) while the powerful tandem of killer vocals and memorable riffs propel tracks like “House of 1000 Voices” into the upper echelon of the slow, deep, and hard. Candlemass snaps back into fine form on their latest affair, exhibiting an unforeseen energy that boldly pushes their brand of doom metal into exhilarating new worlds. www.nuclearblastusa.com -Mike SOS

EMPIRE OF DUST
PROMO 2008
SELF-RELEASED
Modern metal mayhem comes courtesy of NYC’s Empire of Dust, whose four-song sampler displays a unit who sharpened its teeth on a steady stream of Slayer riffs and Swedish thrash with a discernible New York death metal influence. Logistically laying down a genuine sense of brutality in between setting off an array of pummeling grooves a la Lamb of God at their most seething (“2”), this band, which boasts ex-members of NYHC fixture Indecision as well as Entorturement, steamrolls over the opposition with a healthy dosage of metallic melody for the heavier-minded. www.myspace.com/empireofdust -Mike SOS

THE HUMAN QUENA ORCHESTRA
THE POLITICS OF THE IRREDEEMABLE
CRUCIAL BLAST
Patience is required to properly experience the latest offering from The Human Quena Orchestra, as this Bay Area drone duo upkeep a sordid and suspenseful atmosphere throughout the duration of THE POLITICS OF THE IRREDEEMABLE. Immersed in dark waves and dissonant swirls of industrial feedback, this six-track excursion’s calculated slow-crawl accentuates an overall foreboding tone, intensified when scattershot screams of terror and dread rise from the abyss. Yielding a vacuous apocalyptic din, this tandem successfully serve up a sluggish soundtrack to the final days of mankind. www.crucialblast.net -Mike SOS

EAST FOREST
THE EDUCATION OF THE INDIVIDUAL SOUL
AQUILO
East Forest is NYC by way of Pacific Northwest entity that provides a unique musical endeavor that melds field-recorded nature sounds, pulsating New Age beats, and meditative piano into its framework of THE EDUCATION OF THE INDIVIDUAL SOUL. Bolstered with a picturesque soundscape whose airy ivory tinklings and puffy bass lines radiate relaxing hues of transcendental light, this one-man project concocts an ambitious journey into the fragile human psyche, thwarting modern life’s static with a translucent barrage of calming music exposing the duality of the human existence. www.eastforest.org -Mike SOS

IGNOMINIOUS INCARCERATION
OF WINTER BORN
EARACHE
UK death metal mavens Ignominious Incarceration’s truncated technical torrents of dastardly death metal is bound to garner the quintet the well-deserved attention and accolades from those who appreciate bands who exercise the difficult task of balancing ferocity and brevity. Manning a full-on ambush with all of the expected death metal tactics and weaponry in tow, the path this neophytic unit follows seems a bit too well tread on the surface, but upon closer inspection this squad manages to expertly compose elements of old school devastation and beatdown deathcore together to coexist in utter disharmony (“In The Face of Absolution”), working in symbiosis in fighting the same battle to destroy at all costs. Explosive yet refined for such a young act, if you've ever pined for a cross between the brain-rattling dynamics of Suffocation and the warmongering malice of Amon Amarth (“Of Winter Born”, “Elusion of Mortality”), this band delivers. www.earache.com -Mike SOS

BLINDING EYE DOG
PROLOGUE
SELF-RELEASED
Maryland quintet Blinding Eye Dog exhibit a boisterous brand of punk on the troupe’s 18-track offering PROLOGUE. Fueled with an irreverent sense of humor (“Super Action Monster Man”, “Duck Duck Goose (In A)”) that matches the lo-fi high energy vibes (“Assassin”) and pervasive beer-swilling devil may care street punk attitude on cuts such as “Barbara” and “The Line”, this freewheeling act makes it pretty apparent that it doesn't take itself too seriously yet still pumps out a raucous strain of reckless rock (“Shame”). Definitely sounding best after a couple of pints while some of your more mischievous friends plot the ensuing evening’s shenanigans, Blinding Eye Dog reinforce the simple yet effective piss and vinegar punk rock straight from the back alley. www.myspace.com/blindingeyedog -Mike SOS

THINNING THE HERD
DEVIL MASK
SELF-RELEASED
Scraping the seedy underbelly of the Big Apple with enormous rock riffs,NYC trio Thinning the Herd return with another batch of stonerriffic hard rock chock full of grit and substance on the five-track DEVIL MASK. Bridging the gap between the heavier side of grunge and the groovier side of metal, tracks like “Kitchen Sink” summon a ‘90s power rock vibe kind of like Monster Magnet meeting up with Soundgarden while “Uninformed” strikes with the subtlety of a punch square in the gut and “Simple Job” rocks like the best song your favorite Swedish stoner rock band never wrote. If you enjoy in your face music with an exhilarating rock ‘n roll aura, Thinning the Herd is a bonafide choice for a hellacious good time. www.myspace.com/castrosbeard -Mike SOS

VANMAKT
AD LUCIFERI REGNUM
PULVERISED
Far from reinventing the wheel yet capable to drum up some scare with their competent yet common strand of evil blackened metal, nefarious Swedish troupe Vanmakt blast their way through nine-tracks of misanthropic misery on AD LUCIFERI REGNUM. Dispersing a maelstrom of tremolo-picked madness (“Reincarnation Hatred”, “The Ascension”), this band employs a large sum of tried and troo genre tactics and nuances to hammer its menacing message through unsuspecting skulls, yet it should be noted that if you already pledge allegiance to the most sadistic from the Nordic states, there’s nothing here you haven't experienced before. Nonetheless, Vanmakt does an acceptable job of conjuring the spirits of the underworld and should appeal to those who like a mix of symphonic death metal with a bit more bite. www.pulverised.net -Mike SOS

VARIOUS ARTISTS
DOOM (TRANSITIVE VERB)
SELF-RELEASED
A triple slab o’ doom oozes from your speakers courtesy of a three-way split disc from a caustic mix of bands rising up from the recesses of the deep sure to give little children nightmares and keep neighborhoods on lockdown. Up first is Evoken, a veteran New Jersey funeral doom troupe whose chilling offering “In Solitary Ruin” masterfully sets the bleak tone for this collection with a firm handle on down tempo despair. Oak take the reigns next with an understated touch of death metal sprouting up in between the detached devastating riffs heard on “Gates Are Open”. Rounding out the triad of tragic triad, Black Roller Crop Rotation takes the affair to a whole new level of grim thanks to “Prayers From the Rotten Soil”, featuring a bevy of experimental leanings forming a cacophony of undistinguishable vocal squeals, jet-propeller-esque swirls of dissonance, and hypnotic industrial noise. You've been warned. www.myspace.com/oakdoom -Mike SOS

CELAN
HALO
EXILE ON MAINSTREAM
Celan is a noise rock supergroup of sorts, featuring musicians from flu.ID, Unsane, Oxbow, and Einsturzende Neubauten collaborating to form a massive musical force which defies convention yet keeps an hand on the aggression throttle. This collective’s debut offering HALO melds acerbic abrasive noise rock, atmospheric ambience, bluesy melancholy, and clobbering hardcore into 11 engaging tracks custom made for those who demand post-hardcore explorations to plow deeper. With Chris Spencer’s trademark belligerent bark leading the charge, tracks like “All This and Everything” pack a familiar yet ferocious wallop while a judicial keyboard presence float in and out, allowing for an unpredictable array of shapeshifting moods to proliferate (“One Minute”, “Sinking”, “Washing Machine”). Ambitious without alienating its built-in audience, Celan boldly goes into new lands with all of the member’s strengths on full blast. www.mainstreamrecords.de -Mike SOS

IMPIETY
TERROREIGN
AGONIA
As brutal as a Singapore cane shot to the skull, Impiety does their homeland proud once again with another blistering blackened thrash release entitled TERROREIGN. Laden with a diabolical attitude which assists the impending decent into hell (“As Judea Burns”), this 10-track sojourn into the chasm of evil melds crass old school death metal ideologies a la Hellhammer and Morbid Angel with a genuine sense of hatred fueling the apocalyptic one-two vocal assault and divebomb friendly guitar combination (“Bestial to the Bone”). Maintaining a frantic pace throughout while summoning the minions of the underworld to rise and fight the light to the death (“Goatfather”), Impiety’s caustic delivery and over the top metal wares catapult this veteran unit back to the head of extreme metal’s most sadistic acts. www.agoniarecords.com -Mike SOS

SLOUGH FEG
APE UPRISING!
CRUZ DEL SUR
Veteran underground traditional metal outfit Slough Feg have been known to walk a bit on the wild side throughout the course of their twenty plus year proto-metal existence and this unit’s latest release bares no exception. Interspersing the squad’s patented eccentricities with a confident swagger straight out of 1978 for all to see, the triumphant and tumultuous eight-track endeavor APE UPRISING takes it back to a time when metal was still in its gestation stage, slugging it out with punk rock rebellion and glam rock excess. Customarily springing from an impenetrable foundation of Sabbath, Maiden, and Thin Lizzy, Slough Feg have comprised a sci-fi concept album based around a simian overtaking of the world to a pulsating old school metal soundtrack laden with the sort of killer vintage tones and stellar musicianship that marvelously melds the dazzling twin guitar and pounding rhythmic wares of UFO, Judas Priest, and other luminaries from the seminal NWOBHM days. Slough Feg’s most recent disc renders a durable and dependable lesson in metal with a smorgasbord of exhilarating twists and turns along the way. www.cruzdelsurmusic.com -Mike SOS

BURIAL HORDES
DEVOTION TO UNHOLY CREED
PULVERISED
Greek black metal merchants Burial Hordes employ the primitive approach on their evil eight track sojourn into the abyss titled DEVOTION TO UNHOLY CREED. Armed with raw production values for an authentic black metal in the basement feel (“Hellborn”), a slew of skewered guitar riffs that range from jarring to muddy, and an unearthly vocal presence that sounds as if it crawled out of the catacombs, tracks like “Infernal Necromancers” beguiles diabolical urges to come to fruition while “God’s Cutthroat” and “Abysmal Goatfeast” carry an impact to stand on their own, yet are forebodingly sandwiched in between a disturbing chant whose ominous tone solidifies each track’s morbid sense of dread and despair. Sinister and sinewy with a vicious bark and venomous bite, Burial Hordes have unleashed a vitriolic album that gives praise to its predecessors while unrepentantly damning the rest of society. www.pulverised.net Mike SOS

OCEANO
DEPTHS
EARACHE
Chicago-bred quintet Oceano stake a claim of being the most pissed-off band on the planet, and if you could decipher the cavernous musings of vocalist Adam Warren and what he was screaming and growling about, they may be right, as the viscous racket adorning cuts like the slow-churned "Disgust for Your Kind" and the frantic fury of "District of Misery" do work as evidence for a lively debate. Make no mistake, the vocals (despite hard to comprehend) are a strongpoint, solidifying this outfit's abrasive viciousness with a twist to rival peers like Emmure, Misery Signals, and All Shall Perish for the new heavy crown. The 13-track debut DEPTHS firmly stands its ground with a batch of rote yet bombastic low-end grooves, keeping things both excruciatingly bottom-heavy and brutal, yet resonate with an all too standard delivery within the deathcore paradigm. Luckily, Oceano picks up momentum as the album rolls along, managing to venture a bit off the threadbare path of palm-muted breakdown bliss in key spots to implement nuances such as symphonic black metal texture and crisp solos, yet ultimately fall flat in relying on prototypical old hat genre maneuvers that undoubtedly score big in a moshpit of dayglow shirts and bad haircuts yet yield overwrought results on disc. www.earache.com -Mike SOS

DEVILS WHOREHOUSE
BLOOD & ASHES
REGAIN
Devils Whorehouse unashamedly mimic virtually every significant nuance from the Danzig playbook, starting with the rebel punk of The Misfits, bridging into the experimental discord of Samhain before culminating with a hybrid of the multitude of sounds from Glenn's eponymous offerings through the years, so if you're looking for something original, you've been warned. If you want to hear worship and tribute done to perfection (by a band who were once a Misfits/Samahain cover band no less) however, this Swedish squad's admirable affection of the works of the Evil Elvis is spot-on, covering all eras faithfully while producing an uncanny vocal likeness that this lot (featuring members of Marduk) nail down with howling furies intact. In fairness, this crew conveys a bit more than blind Danzig homages, as their admirable death 'n roll packs a wallop here as well, but BLOOD & ASHES' most glaring point of reference precariously sits as its biggest strength and crippling weakness. www.regainrecords.com -Mike SOS

MOTHRA
DYES
SELFMADEGOD
Polish metalcore quartet Mothra present a succinct seven-track excursion on DYES. This offering blends a potpourri of extreme styles together to form a math-y, sludgy monster that channels death metal aggression and hardcore abrasiveness with hints of grindcore madness ("Squant") and dastardly dissonance for an extra bite ("Hooloovoo"). Creating a sonic atmosphere where brevity and brutality go hand in hand, this unit fuses a slew of off-kilter elements from all corners of the extreme metal paradigm forming a brash offshoot of band reminiscent of the likes of Poison the Well, Entombed, Gojira, and Botch, making this act essential for those who champion a heavy hybrid spirit. www.selfmadegod.com -Mike SOS

DESTROY DESTROY DESTROY
BATTLE SLUTS
BLACKMARKET ACTIVITIES
Destroy Destroy Destroy's sophomore effort showcases a multi-faceted metal attack that blends Viking metal might and symphonic black metal grandiosity with a perpetual classic metal vibe running throughout this unit's 12-track affair entitled BATTLE SLUTS. Meshing the styles of 3 Inches of Blood, Manowar, and Children of Bodom within the confines of a war-torn battlefield, this battle-hungry sextet bash out a histrionic blast of fantasy metal that goes perfect with a pair of 12-sided dice and a stack of Conan the Barbarian novels ("Agents of Hypocrisy"). Borrowing a chunk of their style from the epic and power metal fields (especially referenced via the atmospheric keyboard presence permeated throughout) while slaying with a convincing twin guitar battering ("Born of Thunder", "The Wretched Forrest"), those who enjoy metal with a medieval twist will have little problem tuning into this band of warrior's theatrical offering. www.blackmarketactivities.com -Mike SOS

ENSOPH
REX MUNDI X-IIE
CRUZ DEL SUR
Industrial Italian act Ensoph create a chaotic cybermetal experience on the 12-track REX MUNDI X-IIE, setting their apocalyptic visions to a frenetic soundtrack that chillingly juxtaposes harsh electronic noises, Gothic overtones and metallic aggression ("Shame on You!"). Tracks like "Dance High and Shine, Shiva!" shares as much in common with the eeriness of Marilyn Manson as it does the synthetic throb of KMFDM, while "Thir(s)ty Pieces of Silver" sounds like a Dream Theater track defiantly trapped in a Tron-like maze. Championing a futuristic tone chock full of Front Line Assembly-esque mechanical madness leading the charge, this sinister shapeshifting unit's presentation is far from fresh yet it yields enough intriguing moments (their cover of "Would" by Alice in Chains in particular) to keep the middling PVC-donned EBM and darkwave contingent content. www.cruzdelsurmusic.com -Mike SOS

ORCUSTUS
ORCUSTUS
SOUTHERN LORD
An authentic blast of malefic black metal arrives from the depths of depravity courtesy of Norwegian troupe Orcustus, whose eponymous full-length debut comes some seven years after this troupe's initial introduction. Serving a barrage of vintage buzzsaw riffs ("Jesus Christ Patricide") and hellacious vocal rasps that wouldn't sound out of place from lauded black metal affairs of yesteryear ("Of Sophistry, Obsession, and Paranoia"), this unit (who can't seem to keep a lineup intact) project grim ideals direct from the bowels of the abyss. Featuring ex-members of groundbreaking outfits Gorgoroth and Enslaved, this squad's display of volatility and viciousness renders a bleak and raw old school assault ("Conversion"), conjuring an ominous sense of hatred and dread with every drum blast and bombastic bass reverberation ("Death and Dissolution"). Perfect for those who flock to the darkness, Orcustus has made a simple yet effective album cloaked in chaos and evil to the bone. www.southernlord.com -Mike SOS

ARISE
THE RECKONING
REGAIN
Swedish death thrash outfit Arise provide 10-tracks of straight from the textbook Gothenburg-style metal on THE RECKONING. Despite this nimble quintet far from groundbreaking delivery, the spot-on fury ("No Memory of Light") and enormous arsenal of breakneck riffs and melodic breaks they employ are cleverly composed with a well-proportioned mix of familiar twists and meat and potatoes mashings which effortlessly fuses The Haunted and In Flames ("End of Days"). Exhibiting metalcore sensibilities with a reverence for the genre's pioneers in mind, the latest from Arise is a solid and satisfying affair whose unwavering by the numbers approach rings out with sinister sincerity. www.regainrecords.com -Mike SOS

DECEIVER
THRASHING HEAVY METAL
PULVERISED
There's nothing deceptive regarding the 10-track lean and mean high-grade meets lo fi old school assault Sweden's Deceiver lays on the ears, as this trio's tumultuous din captures the darker nuances of the golden age of thrash without sounding rehashed or forced. Whether it be the tortured vocals and primitive skin bashing tandem heard on "Dead to the World" and "Machinery of God" or the grimly grandiose feel emanating from "Graveyard Lover" and the instrumental "Legacy", even though THRASHING HEAVY METAL yields a strange sensation that you've heard this all before if you own a Priest, Entombed, or Mercyful Fate album or two, this squad's inspired interpretations rise above usual reference points to provide an enjoyable travel back through time. Tacking on a vicious streak laden in vitriolic vehemence, this unit's display of vintage metal will get the job done for fans of the rawer side of extreme metal's first wave. www.pulverised.net -Mike SOS

LANDING PROJECT
HERE GOES EVERYTHING
SELF-RELEASED
NYC poppy punk rock troupe Landing Project return with HERE GOES EVERYTHING, a solid seven-track excursion that exhibits the unit's versatile array of angsty anthems bursting with melody ("Yea, Exactly"). Taking cues from acts like Against Me, this quartet writes hook-laden tunes sizzling with barbed lyrical bite, opting to sing about more personal topics instead of social messages ("Turn Up Your Stereo"). Tapping into the sound of punk rock's bare essentials with a flair for dramatics ("Butterscotch"), Landing Project inject their simple yet effective approach with an honest heaping of soul, giving the slightly undercooked production with punchy delivery a raw emotional rush that copiously spills from the speakers. www.myspace.com/landingproject -Mike SOS

ENDSTILLE
VERFUHRER
REGAIN
Warmongering German black metal squad Endstille attack once again with VERFUHRER, a scathing and abrasive nine-track affair. Incessantly blasting your skull with pounding percussion and decaying your ears with blood-curdling vocal rasps, this maliciously militant outfit doles out diabolical doses of mid-paced malevolence ("Symptoms") whose razor sharp buzzsaw guitars cut to the bone ("Depressive/ Abstract/ Banished/ Despised"). Assuredly exhibiting a keen sense of dynamics by implementing slower waves of intensity to its arsenal ("Endstille") while maintaining the band's trademark penchant for administering skull-crushing barrages of monolithic crust-laden fury ("Hate Me...God?"), Endstille 's blackhearted single-minded approach conveys intense waves of blast beated and tremolo picked madness with just the right touches of innovation to shape this release's belligerent battlefield aura. www.regainrecords.com -Mike SOS

CAULDRON
CHAINED TO THE NITE
EARACHE
Canadian metal trio Cauldron provide a traditional slab of metal that conjures up a slew of intertwined influences on the nine-track CHAINED TO THE NITE. From the album's Spinal Tap-esque artwork depicting a naked woman bound in chains to the unit's darkened blend of 80's melodic metal and NWOBHM, Cauldron's points of reference are prickly and don't always gel well together, resulting in quite a few instances of clunky cheekiness whose waning flashes of power quickly fizzle out before they can attain any sense of momentum. While displaying moments of promise ("Midnite Hour"), this release takes a while to warm up to, ultimately rendering a confusing listening experience that radiates with an oddball sense of familiarity that keeps only the most ardent of metal purists intrigued. www.earache.com -Mike SOS

SAMAEL
ABOVE
NUCLEAR BLAST
Decisively leaning towards the black metal roots of their early endeavors, Swiss metal veterans Samael return with a pummeling 11-track offering entitled ABOVE. Toning down the industrial elements commandeering the band's more recent discs (although a protruding electronic drum trigger is seamlessly inescapable) while amping up the vitriolic black metal velocity to previously unheard levels ("God Snake", "Virtual War"), Samael's brazen assault is adorned with layers of symphonic keyboards and bludgeoning tremolo guitars ("Illumination") fortifying a listening experience laden in scorn. Realizing their sojourn back to the glories of their early days while carrying over a handful of the strongest nuances from their latter-day releases for a modern twist on old themes ("On the Top of it All"), by manipulating metal's darker side and embracing their past, Samael snaps back to a furious form that leads the quartet back into the depths of the abyss. www.nuclearblastusa.com -Mike SOS

EPHEL DUATH
THROUGH MY DOG'S EYES
EARACHE
Experimental Italian outfit Ephel Duath are renowned for developing collections of distinct metallic left turns, but this time this now-reduced down to a trio readily take on a different yet equally daunting task of conveying a canine's perspective of the world to music on their latest disc THROUGH MY DOG'S EYES. This ambitious nine-track excursion is chock full of dizzying riffs that part the seas between noisy jazz and avant garde metal ("Guardian") woven into a barrage of non-linear compositions stockpiled with heady interludes and juggernaut vocals ("Bella Morte") set to a warped array of odd-time signatures ("Bark Loud") . Despite the album's preposterous premise, Ephel Duath manage to keep the subject matter blunt and concise. turning out an provocative batch of progressive metal in the process. Challenging to novices, Ephel Duath continue to carve their own unique marks into the metal tree of life. www.earache.com -Mike SOS

PRONG
POWER OF THE DAMN MIXXXER
13TH PLANET
Tommy Victor turned the original mixes from Prong's latest disc POWER OF THE DAMAGER over to some of his technically-advanced musician friends to remix and POWER OF THE DAMN MIXXXER is the end result. This 13-track endeavor showcases the behind the boards prowess of metal peeps such as Jon Clayton (Pitchshifter) and Greg Puciato (Dillinger Escape Plan) whose cosmetic cleansings and synthesized twiddlings give tracks like "The Banishment" (a song covered by two different mixes here) a throbbing makeover that pulsates with a bastardized concoction of industrial metal heft and electronic bounce ("Changing Ending Troublng Times"). Providing a ton of opportunities to take the rage to the dance floor ("Looking for Them") while laying a virtual perfect soundtrack down to a dark and futuristic action-adventure flick, Prong's latest is not only is a show of respect from the artists who contributed their own spin to Prong's genuine rawness but supplies a great deal of industrial strength metal to take the party into the morning light. www.prongmusic.com -Mike SOS

I SEE STARS
3-D
SUMERIAN
Young Michigan troupe I See Stars have melded elements of modern hardcore and screamo with electronica on their debut 3-D to create a catchy but disheveled 11-track affair. Haphazardly cut and pasting modern dance synths into power punk rock songs, this quintet's ready for Warped Tour juxtaposition of styles comes off forced and even clumsy at times (especially during the heavier moments) yet renders momentary flashes of triumph when the vocoder-enhanced vocals meeting chugging choruses that alt rock radio crave come a knockin' ("3D", "The Big Bad Wolf"). Throw in a cameo from one of the rappers from Bones Thugs N Harmony and instant street cred gets applied, yet this troupe's tepid attempt to get to the top of the Hot Topic list falls flat, especially when redundant breakdown parts from screechy melodies rears its worn head. www.sumerianrecords.com -Mike SOS

CRESCENT SHIELD
THE STARS OF NEVER SEEN
CRUZ DEL SUR
California power metal unit Crescent Shield display a gallant galloping metal assault on their latest nine-track disc THE STARS OF NEVER SEEN. Championing a traditional metal style bursting with steel-plated melodies, this quartet's histrionic choruses are contagious ("Temple of the Empty"), rivaling those at the top of the power metal mountain ("The Bellman", "10,00 Midnights Ago") while the rampant guitar and soaring vocal combination elicits a much-warranted delight for headbangers of all ages to embrace ("The Grand Horizon"). This troupe exhibit the versatility to both shred and alter mood, shifting focus between rousing metal and pensive moments of reflection for a well-rounded all killer no filler feel. Seamlessly meshing the best of Blind Guardian, Iced Earth, and Queensryche while contorting elements from metal's pioneers such as Dio and Maiden, Crescent Shield's formidable flurry of aggression is fortified with an articulate attention to detail which ties their thunderous heavy metal roar with a supple dash of passion. www.cruzdelsurmusic.com -Mike SOS

EBENEZER
A TRIUMPH OF COLOSSAL ACHIEVEMENTS
SELF-RELEASED
Taking the DIY hands-on approach with their music to the extreme, Pennsylvania instrumental duo Ebenezer provide a well-measured blend of style and substance on their six-track offering A TRIUMPH OF COLOSSAL ACHIEVEMENTS. Besides teaming jaw-dropping flashes of virtuoso percussion and fretwork with a wise beyond their years sense of composition that channels everyone from Maiden to The Fucking Champs ("Warlock Owl"), this tandem's release comes inside of a hand-sewn fabric case, rendering an exquisite hearftfelt vibe that most run of the mill locals just can't match up to. If you have a hankering for vocal-less music with an eye opening showcase of balls and bite, look no further than Ebenezer's latest affair. www.myspace.com/epicebenezer -Mike SOS

THE BAKERTON GROUP
EL ROJO
WEATHERMAKER
Bonafide 21st Century bluesmen The Bakerton Group unleash their second experimental musical adventure the 10-track offering EL ROJO. Yielding a galactic listening experience chock full of heady jams and wicked instrumental breaks, this alter ego outfit of alt metal kingpins Clutch (with vocalist Neil Fallon trading in cunning lyrics and clever vocal deliveries for rhythm guitar) perfectly displays the sound of world class musicians collectively digging deeper, unearthing a smorgasbord of styles that implementing dub rock ("Work 'Em"), funk ("Chancellor"), and freewheeling jazz rock laden with '70s keyboard explosions (thanks to Opeth's Per Wiberg ), and alto sax flourishes. Taking their main band's patented left of center approach off to uncharted territory, The Bakerton Group's odyssey is undeniably constructed from Clutch's impenetrable foundation, yet EL ROJO independently stands as a next level triptastic delight for fans of groovy improvisational rock to imbibe and enjoy. www.weathermakerrecords.com -Mike SOS