Black Lava Reign Supreme on New Guitar Playthrough

July 23, 2024

"Perhaps the best thing to come out of Australia since the Bloomin' Onion" - Metal Injection

"Familiar yet undeniably creative, heavy and a clear statement in the darkness of music" - Metal Roos

"A fantastic album...wrapped up in a package that is so tight, you couldn't squeeze in between the layers if you were as thin as paper." - Metal Temple

"Black Lava scrachtes a particular itch when you need music that is heavy, groovy and gritty" - Metal Epidemic

"Riff after riff, chug after chug, these songs bleed with strength and perseverance" - Monuments in Ruin

On their new album, Black Lava summon another perfect storm. The Savage Winds to Wisdom swirls together eerie blackened countermelodies and hexing prog with a heavy load of old-school headbanging. The riffs on "Dark Legacy" loom large, casting a fiery shadow over the kingdom of metal that warns of the band's growing legend.

“We sharpened our tools with this album”, Black Lava says. “We went a little more brutal and that sets the tone for where we’ll head in the future".

Watch the guitar playthrough for "Dark Legacy" below.

The Savage Winds to Wisdom is out now on Season of Mist.

Order & Stream
https://orcd.co/blacklavathesavagewindstowisdom

Black Lava erupted out of Australia's metal scene during the first trying year of the pandemic. But the band came together with all the ease of a natural stream. All four members have crossed paths around the various corners of the Melbourne underground. Guitarist Ben Boyle also shreds alongside bassist Nick Rackham in Hadal Maw and A Million Dead Birds Laughing.

Their potent alchemy is the skeleton key that unlocks "Dark Legacy". With the tap of his fingers, Boyle casts a menacing spell from gloomy minor chord dissonance and technical wizardry. Though it's Rackham's monstrous bass groove that hits like a spear straight through the heart.

“We took greater care with compositions on The Savage Winds to Wisdom”, Boyle says. “There’s more depth and layering to the riffs and melodies. By calling on a broader list of inspirations and tones, the album has a real sense of balance, a certain quality that will lend itself to repeat listens and attention to detail, while still staying true to what we set out to do with Black Lava; create heavy, energetic and catchy tunes that emanate a sense of atmosphere and power for the listener.”

The guitar playthrough of "Dark Legacy" was shot at Bushido Studios. It was filmed, edited and coloured by Black Lava's drummer Dan Presland.

Like any good sorcerer, Black Lava cast a wicked array of spells. Dan Presland, Ben Boyle and Rob Watkins treated Outburn magazine to a list of the band's potent influences and most punishing songs.

Read Black Lava's Influences & Essentials

https://outburn.com/all-features/black-lava/

On The Savage Winds to Wisdom, Black Lava conduct a perfect storm.

Recording line-up
Dan Presland (drums)
Ben Boyle (guitar)
Ben Boyle (bass)
Rob Watkins (vocals)

Guest musician
Benjamin Baret (Ne Obliviscaris, Vipassi) plays the guitar solo on "The Savage Winds to Wisdom".

Live line-up
Dan Preslans (drums
Ben Boyle (guitar)
Nick Rackham (bass)
Rob Watkins (vocals)

Recording studio
Bushido Studios in Melbourne, Australia

Producer and sound engineer
Troy Mccosker

Mastering, mixing and engineering
Studio Fredman and Fredrick Nordstrom

Cover art
Paolo Girardi

Pre-order & Stream: https://orcd.co/blacklavathesavagewindstowisdom

Follow Black Lava
https://www.facebook.com/BLACKLAVA00
https://www.instagram.com/blacklava.aus/
https://blacklava-aus.bandcamp.com/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/1KnUaYbFhPHqEgEvySQYxw?si=IboyCWpOTa2e4fqiUfG2XQ

Available Formats
Digital Download
CD Digipack
12" Vinyl Gatefold (Black)
12" Colored Vinyl Gatefold (Gold with Silver Splatters)

Dive Into Black Lava's New Album A Few Days Early

July 8, 2024

Blackened, grooving heavy metal from members of Vipassi, Hadal Maw and Ne Obliviscaris

"A fantastic album...wrapped up in a package that is so tight, you couldn't squeeze in between the layers if you were as thin as paper." - Metal Temple

"Practically forces you to headbang" - Metal Injection

"Familiar yet undeniably creative, heavy and a clear statement in the darkness of music" - Metal Roos

Just two years removed from their smoldering debut, Black Lava are once again ready to erupt. The Savage Winds to Wisdom spills from the band's sacred cauldron of influences. Blackened countermelodies and hexing prog rhythms boil amidst old-school death metal. Only this time, these Australian sorcerers have added a heavy dose of atmosphere, conjuring medieval fantasies that are bound to whisk metalheads straight into the pit.

The Savage Winds to Wisdom comes out this Friday, July 12 on Season of Mist, but you can get blown away by all nine gale-force songs today by listening to the full album stream on Season of Mist's YouTube channel.

Listen to The Savage Winds to Wisdom Below

Pre-order & Stream

https://orcd.co/blacklavathesavagewindstowisdom

Though they formed during pandemic lockdown, Black Lava came together with the ease of a natural stream. When he's not touring with Ne Obliviscaris, Dan Presland also drums alongside Hadal Maw guitarist Ben Boyle in the labyrinthine all-instrumental band Vipassi. Those two have crossed paths with vocalist Rob Watkins around Melbourne's metal underground for the past decade. But the band took their time summoning The Savage Winds to Wisdom. It's not until opener "Colour of Death" has bubbled to a nice, sludgy head that Watkins unleashes the first of his many blood-soaked roars.

"There was greater care taken with the compositions", Boyle says. "There's more layering to the riffs and melodies. We called on a more broad list of inspirations and tones to give the album a greater sense of balance while keeping the same attention to detail. The Savage Winds to Wisdom is the kind of album that lends itself to repeat listens".

"Unsheathing Nightmares" lures you in before hooking its claws into your skull. The drums crash and rumble behind clouds of buzzing distortion, only for a riff to reign down with the crushing force of an executioner. You can practically hear Watkins' eyes rolling into the back of his head as he calls upon an ancient evil amidst hellish, rain-soaked ambience. "Speak to me, O silent one" .

"I try and stay true to the spirit of metal", Watkins says about crafting lyrics. "For 'Ironclad Sarcophagus', I pictured this ancient wizard sending out evil vibes into the world in hopes of tricking someone into opening his coffin". The video for the album's lead single also has more to it than meets the eye. What appears to be just another Satanic ritual turns on a knife's edge into something even more bloody and sinister.

The Savage Winds to Wisdom swirls with a deeper and darker sense of atmosphere, but the album still cuts all the way to the bone. The towering riff on "Dark Legacy" reigns down nothing but dread. "There's more depth to this album, but it still stays true to what we set out to do with Black Lava: create heavy, energetic and catchy tunes that make our listeners feel powerful".

Winding over the course of seven eventful minutes, the title track is big enough to stand as its own mythical kingdom. Stirred by a screeching solo from Ne Obliviscaris' Ben Baret, the song whirls into a torrential finale that makes The Savage Winds to Wisdom a perfect storm of blackened, groove-laden heavy metal.

"We sharpened our tools with this album”, Black Lava says. "The Savage Winds to Wisdom is a step up in all aspects. We went a little more dark and brutal and that's exactly where we want to take our music".

Like any good sorcerer, Black Lava cast a wicked array of spells. Dan Presland, Ben Boyle and Rob Watkins treated Outburn magazine to a list of the band's most potent influences and most punishing songs.

Read Black Lava's Influences & Essentials

https://outburn.com/all-features/black-lava/

Not even the most stifling period in recent history could contain Black Lava. Despite being kept under strict lockdown during the pandemic, these Aussies were just stewing together, waiting to erupt. Now, only two years removed from their smoldering debut, the band are roaring back with even more mythical firepower on The Savage Winds to Wisdom.

“Our second album is a step up from the first in all aspects”, drummer Dan Presland says. “We took more time on the songwriting. The Savage Winds to Wisdom shows exactly where we want to take our music”.

Though possessed by an ancient and mysterious alchemy, Black Lava formed with the ease of a natural spring. Over the past decade, all four members have crossed paths around the various corners of Melbourne’s metal underground. On top of their progressive all-instrumental vision quests in Vipassi, Presland also drums alongside Hadal Maw guitarist Ben Boyle in the grinding, tech-death, underground curiosity A Million Dead Birds Laughing. But when the two got together to blow off steam amidst quarantine at Presland’s newly minted home studio, they were pleasantly surprised by the darkness that swept over these jam sessions.

“Both of us were dealing with a lot of pent-up frustrations”, Presland remembers. A few weeks before, his flight home from America (where he was supposed to track the drums for Ne Obliviscaris’ fourth album Exul) touched down hours before Australia closed its borders. “But that anger, coupled with our need to keep creating, led us in a different direction”.

Progressive metal was still a clear undercurrent, but the songs that came spewing out were unusually heavy. Death and black metal held more sway, though sludgy rock n’ roll also found its way into the mix. Such a peculiar range of influences required a vocalist with a very particular set of pipes. Fortunately, Rob Watkins jumped at the opportunity to reunite with Presland, who was the drummer in their thrash band Metalstorm. With Watkins’ Blackhelm bassist Tim Anderson added to the fold, Black Lava burst onto the scene in 2022 with their smoldering debut.

“Soul Furnace more than lives up to those lofty expectations”, Distorted Sound hailed, “proving to not only be a late contender for album of the year, but also one of the more impressive debut albums of recent years”.

Black Lava wasted no time in keeping the juices flowing. The band was already hard at work on their second album while the first one was hot on the shelves. The Savage Winds to Wisdom stirs from the same cauldron of influences. Lead single “Ironclad Sarcophagus” echoes from the crypt with eerie countermelodies and a rhythm section that’s more bewitching than a spell book.

“I pictured this ancient wizard sending out evil vibes into the world in hopes of tricking someone into opening his coffin”, Watkins says. “When writing lyrics, I try and stay true to the spirit of metal. But really, I’m just channeling how the music makes me feel”.

If Soul Furnace was like stumbling upon the entrance to an ancient cave, then The Savage Winds to Wisdom is a fiery, full-blown descent into the belly of the beast. “Dark Legacy” rings through the long black night with one sustained roar of a guitar roar, like an angry, one-eyed ogre. But while the songs came quickly, with Presland and Boyle carving out monstrous riffs and scaly grooves for Watkins to splatter his medieval fantasies, Black Lava took their time with this album. It's not until nearly three minutes into the opening number, after “Colour of Death” has boiled to a full headbang, that the first of its many horns-up roars is unleashed.

“There was greater care taken with compositions on The Savage Winds to Wisdom”, Boyle says. “There’s more depth and layering to the riffs and melodies. Calling on a more broad list of inspirations and tones, the album has a real sense of balance, a certain quality that will lend itself to repeat listens and attention to detail, while still staying true to what Black Lava set out to do; create heavy, yet energetic and catchy anthemic tunes that tell a story and emanate a sense of atmosphere and power for the listener.”

True to its name, The Savage Winds to Wisdom swirls within a deeper and darker sense of atmosphere. Whereas before their bang-bang approach to songwriting resembled something closer to a punk rock band, this time around, Black Lava concentrated more on atmosphere. “Unsheathing Nightmares” reveals its root source of terror in careful layers, mutating from raw black metal and razor-sharp tech-death into a rainy, ambient hellscape. “That’s one of the songs that really excited me”, says Watkins, who calls upon a coven of witches by digging into the slimier depths of his baritone.

The title track is big enough to stand alone as its own self-contained world. Winding over the course of seven eventful minutes, it’s the longest and perhaps most ambitious song in Black Lava’s musical geology. Blast beats pound like hail beneath waves of distortion that crash with the force of a monsoon. “The silents of fate” Watkins reckons, like a sea captain stranded among the wreckage. “The thousand winds swirl the soul”. Swept up by a screeching solo from special guest Ben Baret (Ne Obliviscaris), the song whirls into an unstoppable force, a torrential finale that brings this album to a truly epic conclusion.

“We sharpened our tools with this album”, the band says. “We went a little more brutal and that sets the tone for where we’ll head in the future.

On The Savage Winds to Wisdom, Black Lava conduct a perfect storm.

Recording line-up
Dan Presland (drums)
Ben Boyle (guitar)
Ben Boyle (bass)
Rob Watkins (vocals)

Guest musician
Benjamin Baret (Ne Obliviscaris, Vipassi) plays the guitar solo on "The Savage Winds to Wisdom".

Live line-up
Dan Preslans (drums
Ben Boyle (guitar)
Nick Rackham (bass)
Rob Watkins (vocals)

Recording studio
Bushido Studios in Melbourne, Australia

Producer and sound engineer
Troy Mccosker

Mastering, mixing and engineering
Studio Fredman and Fredrick Nordstrom

Cover art
Paolo Girardi

Black Lava's Legend Grows on New Single

June 11, 2024

"Familiar yet undeniably creative, heavy and a clear statement in the darkness of music" - Metal Roos

"Practically forces you to headbang" - Metal Injection

"One of the more impressive debuts of recent years" - Distorted Sound

Like any good sorcerer, Black Lava cast a wicked array of spells. On their new album, this blackened band of Aussies swirl together howling old-school death metal, eerie melodic dissonance, technical wizardry and sludgy grooves into haunting fantasies. Today, they're releasing the third single off The Savage Winds to Wisdom, which is bound to stand as another crushing pillar in the band's growing legend.

Listen to "Dark Legacy" below

The Savage Winds to Wisdom comes out July 12, 2024 on Season of Mist.

Pre-order & Stream: https://orcd.co/blacklavathesavagewindstowisdom

Heading into The Savage Winds to Wisdom, Black Lava were hellbent on tapping deeper into the medieval witchcraft that they conjured on their debut album. "Our first time in the studio, we were dealing with all these frustrations that had boiled up during the pandemic", says Dan Presland, who's nimble pounding on the drum kit has helped shape Vipassi, A Million Dead Birds Laughing and Ne Obliviscaris. "That anger led to more of a bang-bang, punk rock approach. This time around, we took more time on the songwriting with the hope of conjuring a deeper and darker sense of atmosphere".

Black Lava got their wish. "Dark Legacy" leaves even the most ghoulish of metal heads shivering in its wake. Presland slithers between hissing cymbals as Hadal Maw guitarist Ben Boyle rips through the long black night with a sustained roar of reverb, like an angry giant that's been disturbed from its cave. "I have walked / I have seen", Rob Watkins waxes and wanes, so drunk on witches' brew that he's begging for death's cold embrace.

"There was greater care taken with the compositions on The Savage Winds to Wisdom, while still staying true to what we set out to do with Black Lava", Boyle says. "Create catchy, anthemic tunes that are heavy-but-energetic and give a sense of power to the listener".

While it's not short on dread-inducing ambience, "Dark Legacy" cuts all the way to the bone. After some stormy feedback, the song opens with a riff that comes cracking down like a bolt of lightning. When Watkins summons his death growl for a dance with the grim reaper, it cuts straight through the iciest of heart.

"We sharpened our tools on this album", Black Lava says. "The Savage Winds to Wisdom is a step up in all aspects. We went a little more dark and brutal and that's exactly where we want to take our music".

Black Lava Dig Deeper and Darker on New Single

May 14, 2024

Though they formed with the ease of a natural stream, Black Lava whisk together a wickedly wide cauldron of influences. Sludgy grooves boil with melodic dissonance and old-school death metal, bubbling over into medieval fantasies.

The Australian band are now adding a fresh layer of dark and doomy atmosphere to this potent concoction with their upcoming second albumThe Savage Winds to Wisdom. Today, they're revealing "Unsheathing Nightmares", the album's second single, which summons a coven of witches amidst a punishing thunderstorm.

Watch the video for "Unsheathing Nightmares" Below.

The Savage Winds to Wisdom comes out July 12, 2024 on Season of Mist.

Pre-order & Stream: https://orcd.co/blacklavathesavagewindstowisdom

As with all things that go bump in the night, "Unsheathing Nightmares" lures you in before hooking its claws into your skull. Drummer Dan Presland (Vipassi, ex-Ne Obliviscaris) crashes and rumbles behind clouds of buzzing distortion, only for a riff to reign down with the headbanging force of an executioner.

"There was greater care taken with compositions on The Savage Winds to Wisdom", says guitarist Ben Boyle, who also handles axe duties for Vipassi. "Our new album has a greater sense of depth than our first one. The riffs and melodies are more layered, while staying true to what Black Lava does: heavy but catchy anthems that tell an epic story with a real sense of atmosphere".

On "Unsheathing Nightmares", Rob Watkins still growls with all the towering menace of a ravenous ogre. "Speak to me, O silent one!". But beneath the song's snaking leviathan of a bass line stirs an even more menacing and elusive force. You can practically hear his eyes rolling into the back of his head as he calls upon an ancient evil amidst hellish, rain-soaked ambience.

"When writing lyrics, I try and stay true to the spirit of metal, but really I'm just channeling how the music makes me feel," Watkins says. "'Unsheathing Nightmares' is one of the songs on The Savage Winds to Wisdom that really excited me. I hope our fans will feel that way, too".

The video for "Unsheathing Nightmares" was filmed and directed by Colin Jeffs. It was edited and coloured by Dan Presland and produced by Black Lava.

Pre-order & Stream: https://orcd.co/blacklavathesavagewindstowisdom

Follow Black Lava
https://www.facebook.com/BLACKLAVA00
https://www.instagram.com/blacklava.aus/
https://blacklava-aus.bandcamp.com/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/1KnUaYbFhPHqEgEvySQYxw?si=IboyCWpOTa2e4fqiUfG2XQ

Available Formats
Digital Download
CD Digipack
12" Vinyl Gatefold (Black)
12" Colored Vinyl Gatefold (Gold with Silver Splatters)

London's SABATTA unveils fiery instrumental rockout 'Take You There' with new video

January 24, 2024

"An unholy amalgamation of sounds... Refusing to obey genre lines, they eventually realised that their misfit sound was what defined them – and they didn't want to fit in anyway" ~ Clash Magazine

"Charismatic and wild,... psychedelia, grunge punk and funk with some great shredding and even falsetto heights.... a blaze of fiery, magnetic vocals, funked-out bass and thrashing guitar" ~ The Spill Magazine

"The grit and the glory... a powerful calling card for the album... You can hear the London concrete embedded in their sound and it is brutalist and compelling" ~ Joyzine

"2024 may be young as far years go, but it may very well already have its best instrumental track... a riff heavy workout that’s full of bluesy bliss and pure hard rock groove... bona fide melodic muscle" ~ Stereo Embers Magazine

"Exhibiting a style that can be closely linked to punk legends Bad Brains and Dead Kennedys... uncompromising modern punk rock music" ~ Fortitude Magazine

To kick off 2024, London-based alternative-psychedelic rock artist Sabatta presents the single 'Take You There', a special rollout for rock lovers! Unashamed and unabashed, Yinka lets his guitar rip in a similar vein to Van Halen’s 'Eruption' with the soul-wrenched vibes of Hendrix. This powerhouse song packs more rock and roll integrity into just a few minutes than many offer in an entire album. Breathe it in! This song is lifted from his new album 'How To Get Even’ (out now via Blackfriars Entertainment).

Revolving around guitarist and songwriter Yinka Oyewole, who was raised in Essex and is of Nigerian lineage, Sabatta crafts a raw and individual sound with spiky guitar and an inimitable voice, like a mix of Hendrix, QOTSA and early Red Hot Chili Peppers, strained through the sieve of South London. It's no wonder with musical influences ranging from Curtis Mayfield, Prince, Tupac and Hendrix to Bad Brains, Thin Lizzy, Parliament / Funkadelic and Black Sabbath.

"'Take You There' is an "extraterrestrial blues riff fest, a 2-minute instrumental cosmic slop with furious guitar antics," says Yinka. "I wanted this album to be authentic from start to finish to the spirit of Sabatta. Anyone who’s seen Sabatta live knows there’ll be points in the show, sometimes at the start and elsewhere in the set where I just left to fly on the guitar - I improvise and basically let the spirit take me and let the guitar howl, growl and scream - outside of song. This single is kind of like henresing that energy for 2 mins. If you love this genre of music, you'll love this tune!

Earlier, Sabatta also released the groove-laden singles 'Get Over Yourself' and ''Get Your Shit Together'. From the opening drum rolls of the album’s first track 'Something' to the lilting final notes of album closer 'Small VIctories', 'How To Get Even' is a bit like sitting in a South London dive bar with singer/guitarist , setting the world to rights until the sun comes up. The chorus of the opener defiantly announces ‘I can’t be something you want that I know I’m not!’, a sentiment that runs throughout the album, explored against the backdrop of a raw, spiky guitar sound and inimitable voice.

He shares, "While songs like 'To Love Me Is To Know Me', 'Not Today' and the title track 'How To Get Even' show a defiant and indomitable spirit, 'Plugged In' and 'Here I Go Again' respectively celebrate the importance of living in the moment and finding new love. Back-to-back tracks 'Blood, Sweat and Tears'and 'Get Over Yourself' are almost like a yin and yang to each other, the former acknowledging struggle and the latter warning not to take it all too personal. 'Get Your Shit Together' is a mantra we all need to hear sometimes, while 'One Chance’ is a deeper, darker tale of survival."

Produced and mixed by Oyewole, this album was recorded by Alex Franklinos at Shrunken Heads Studio (King Krule, Ghostpoet, Songdog, Domino Records)and mastered at London's EC Mastering (Sony, Universal, BBC).

Yinka Oyewole began making noise with Sabatta's debut album 'Middle Of the Night' in 2015, their sound compared to Hendrix and QOTSA, but with an edge like Bad Brains and The Clash, the album’s lead single 'Politician' garnered national play on BBC 6 Music, setting the band off touring nationally.

The ‘How To Get Even' album is out now, available from all fine digital music platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp, with a CD release anticipated later this spring.

CREDITS
Music & lyrics by Yinka Oyewole
Recorded by Alex Franklinos at Shrunken Heads Studio, London
Produced & mixed by Yinka Oyewole for Blackfriars Entertainment
Mastered by Aaron McIntosh at EC Mastering, London
Yinka Oyewole - guitar, vocals, bass
Adam Frederick Jacques - drums
Cover artwork by Tilt Designs
Artist photography by Marisa Knight
'Get Over Yourself' video shot & directed by Rodney Victor Williams
Co-directed by Yinka Oyewole
Edited by Alan Schaaf for Otter Studios
Filmed on location in Borough, South-East London
Aaron Scars - bass (video)
Sebastian Fernandez - drums (video)
Location manager - Art Terry

Keep up with Sabatta
Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Soundcloud | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music | Booking contact | Press contact

Keep up with Shameless Promotion PR
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Soundcloud | LinkedIn | Email

BLACK LAVA Touring with Obituary + Psycroptic

October 19, 2023

After coming together over frustrations with the pandemic, Black Lava boiled to a nicely charred head on their debut album. Despite surfacing toward the end of 2022, 'Soul Furnace' burned with such fury that Distorted Sound dubbed it a contender for album of the year. The blackened riffs spilled all the way to #2 on Australia's Independent Albums chart, while Dan Presland's heavy grooves and blast beats melted away Sick Drummer.

Black Lava are riding that torrential wave all the way into 2024. The blackened heavy metal Aussies are touring the land down under with fellow countrymen Psycroptic and legendary swamp monsters Obituary.

Get tickets: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/Blcklava-tix

2024 Barely Alive Australia Tour w/ Obituary + Psycroptic
01/11    Hobart, Tasmania @ Altar [TICKETS]
01/12    Melbourne, Australia @ The Croxton [TICKETS]
01/13    Sydney, Australia @ Manning Bar [TICKETS]
01/16    Brisbane, Australia @ The Triffid [TICKETS]
01/18    Adelaide, Australia @ Lion's Arts Factory [TICKETS]*
01/19    Perth, Australia @ Magnet House [TICKETS]*

*No Psycroptic

Watch Black Lava burn through the blistering "Baptised In Ice".

During the turbulent and uncertain years of 2020-2021, perhaps none were plunged deeper into darkness than those from down under as Australia imposed some of the strictest, harshest, and most devastating lockdown measures in the world, forcing their civilians into years of isolation. However, through solitude and desolation, some of the greatest art is created, as is the case with BLACK LAVA, the emerging blackened death metal quartet from Melbourne (AU). Founded by drummer Dan Presland (Vipassi, AMDBL, ex-Ne Obliviscaris) and guitarist Ben Boyle (Vipassi, AMDBL, Hadal Maw), BLACK LAVA draws influence from old school death and black metal bands while injecting groove-laden melodies and progressive elements to create their own experimental sound.

“The idea came about from just pure frustration of the situation at hand during 2020/2021,” explains Presland of the band’s formation. “Ben and I live locally together, and in the beginning of the pandemic, I built a working studio, so we got together to just initially jam to release some frustrations and vent some music around the second half of 2021. We had a pretty casual jam together and Ben came back with a few fleshed out ideas a few days later.” As the ideas started to come to fruition, the duo quickly realized that the project had more potential than just a jam session. “Both of us were really into the direction Ben pushed,” continues Presland, “and it was something pretty new to both of us - we have worked together quite extensively over the years within music, playing in several bands together (Vipassi, AMDBL, Aphotic Dawn and more) - so to go in a totally new direction was pretty refreshing.”

As the pair fleshed out more ideas, they turned to their good friend Rob Watkins of Blackhelm to fulfill vocal duties. “Within 10 minutes we had found a vocalist and the search for a bassist was on. Tim Anderson (Blackhelm) was found pretty quickly and was keen to jump on board the idea also, so within a very short time frame we had a full lineup, a record ready to go, and 4 guys full of enthusiasm to push something new.”

Sharing a diverse love for black metal, death metal, and progressive music, the quartet quickly found their sound and hit a stride. And thus, Soul Furnace was born - a searing 34-minute aural assault that conjures up nostalgia while still sounding fresh and current. While the record promises to usher in a new musical era of the 2020s with its forward-thinking and contemporary energy, the lyrics dwell somewhere between fantasy and the old world.

“In the world of Black Lava, the lyrics are set in a time and world long gone and forgotten, mostly made up of fantasy and a medieval theme, fitting for the realms of our style of music,” explains vocalist Rob Watkins of the album’s themes and inspirations. “We draw inspiration from the natural environment and mother nature, ancient witchcraft and the glory of warriors in battle. I picture Black Lava as visiting an ancient beast in a cave giving you a chance to escape the outside world through its tales and mythology.”

With a new deal with Season of Mist and a team of some of the music industry’s most revered artists, producers, engineers, and professionals behind them to help render their vision, Black Lava is ready to make its debut and unleash its fury upon the masses.

Lineup:
Dan Presland (drums)
Ben Boyle (guitar)
Rob Watkins (Vocals)
Tim Anderson (bass)

Links:
https://instagram.com/blacklava.aus/
https://facebook.com/BLACKLAVA00
https://blacklava-aus.bandcamp.com/

Recording Studio: Bushido Studios, Melbourne

Producer / sound engineer: Troy Mccosker

Mixing studio and engineer: Kurt Ballou

Mastering studio and engineer: Alan Douches

Artwork: Paolo Giradi

Pre-sales: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/BlackLava

Pre-save: https://orcd.co/blacklava-soulfurnace

For more on SEASON OF MIST artists, visit our official WEBSITE, FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, YOUTUBE, and TWITTER.

BLACK LAVA Shares New Live Video for "Baptised in Ice"

March 7, 2023

Emerging blackened death metal quartet BLACK LAVA (ft. members of VIPASSI, ex-NE OBLIVISCARIS, AMDBL, HADAL MAW, etc.) is now sharing a brand new live video for their performance of the song "Baptised in Ice!" The song is taken from the band's debut opus, 'Soul Furnace,' and can be seen below.

'Soul Furnace' was released in November 2022 via Season of Mist and landed coveted chart placements for the Australian Independent Record Labels Association, debuting at #2 on the 100% Independent Albums chart and #4 on the Independent Label Albums chart! Additionally, 'Soul Furnace' was named among Sick Drummer Magazine's "Favorite Drumming Albums of 2022!"

'Soul Furnace' can be streamed, downloaded, and ordered HERE.

During the turbulent and uncertain years of 2020-2021, perhaps none were plunged deeper into darkness than those from down under as Australia imposed some of the strictest, harshest, and most devastating lockdown measures in the world, forcing their civilians into years of isolation. However, through solitude and desolation, some of the greatest art is created, as is the case with BLACK LAVA, the emerging blackened death metal quartet from Melbourne (AU). Founded by drummer Dan Presland (Vipassi, AMDBL, ex-Ne Obliviscaris) and guitarist Ben Boyle (Vipassi, AMDBL, Hadal Maw), BLACK LAVA draws influence from old school death and black metal bands while injecting groove-laden melodies and progressive elements to create their own experimental sound.

“The idea came about from just pure frustration of the situation at hand during 2020/2021,” explains Presland of the band’s formation. “Ben and I live locally together, and in the beginning of the pandemic, I built a working studio, so we got together to just initially jam to release some frustrations and vent some music around the second half of 2021. We had a pretty casual jam together and Ben came back with a few fleshed out ideas a few days later.” As the ideas started to come to fruition, the duo quickly realized that the project had more potential than just a jam session. “Both of us were really into the direction Ben pushed,” continues Presland, “and it was something pretty new to both of us - we have worked together quite extensively over the years within music, playing in several bands together (Vipassi, AMDBL, Aphotic Dawn and more) - so to go in a totally new direction was pretty refreshing.”

As the pair fleshed out more ideas, they turned to their good friend Rob Watkins of Blackhelm to fulfill vocal duties. “Within 10 minutes we had found a vocalist and the search for a bassist was on. Tim Anderson (Blackhelm) was found pretty quickly and was keen to jump on board the idea also, so within a very short time frame we had a full lineup, a record ready to go, and 4 guys full of enthusiasm to push something new.”

Sharing a diverse love for black metal, death metal, and progressive music, the quartet quickly found their sound and hit a stride. And thus, Soul Furnace was born - a searing 34-minute aural assault that conjures up nostalgia while still sounding fresh and current. While the record promises to usher in a new musical era of the 2020s with its forward-thinking and contemporary energy, the lyrics dwell somewhere between fantasy and the old world.

“In the world of Black Lava, the lyrics are set in a time and world long gone and forgotten, mostly made up of fantasy and a medieval theme, fitting for the realms of our style of music,” explains vocalist Rob Watkins of the album’s themes and inspirations. “We draw inspiration from the natural environment and mother nature, ancient witchcraft and the glory of warriors in battle. I picture Black Lava as visiting an ancient beast in a cave giving you a chance to escape the outside world through its tales and mythology.”

With a new deal with Season of Mist and a team of some of the music industry’s most revered artists, producers, engineers, and professionals behind them to help render their vision, Black Lava is ready to make its debut and unleash its fury upon the masses.

Lineup:
Dan Presland (drums)
Ben Boyle (guitar)
Rob Watkins (Vocals)
Tim Anderson (bass)

Links:
https://instagram.com/blacklava.aus/
https://facebook.com/BLACKLAVA00
https://blacklava-aus.bandcamp.com/

Recording Studio: Bushido Studios, Melbourne

Producer / sound engineer: Troy Mccosker

Mixing studio and engineer: Kurt Ballou

Mastering studio and engineer: Alan Douches

Artwork: Paolo Giradi

Pre-sales: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/BlackLava

Pre-save: https://orcd.co/blacklava-soulfurnace

BLACK LAVA Streams New Album 'Soul Furnace' in Full

November 22, 2022

Emerging blackened death metal quartet BLACK LAVA (ft. members of VIPASSI, ex-NE OBLIVISCARIS, AMDBL, HADAL MAW, etc.) will release its debut full-length, 'Soul Furnace,' this Friday, November 25, 2022 via Season of Mist! The band is now streaming the album in its entirety ahead of its release!

Pre-orders for 'Soul Furnace' are now live HERE and can be saved on all digital streaming services HERE.

During the turbulent and uncertain years of 2020-2021, perhaps none were plunged deeper into darkness than those from down under as Australia imposed some of the strictest, harshest, and most devastating lockdown measures in the world, forcing their civilians into years of isolation. However, through solitude and desolation, some of the greatest art is created, as is the case with BLACK LAVA, the emerging blackened death metal quartet from Melbourne (AU). Founded by drummer Dan Presland (Vipassi, AMDBL, ex-Ne Obliviscaris) and guitarist Ben Boyle (Vipassi, AMDBL, Hadal Maw), BLACK LAVA draws influence from old school death and black metal bands while injecting groove-laden melodies and progressive elements to create their own experimental sound.

“The idea came about from just pure frustration of the situation at hand during 2020/2021,” explains Presland of the band’s formation. “Ben and I live locally together, and in the beginning of the pandemic, I built a working studio, so we got together to just initially jam to release some frustrations and vent some music around the second half of 2021. We had a pretty casual jam together and Ben came back with a few fleshed out ideas a few days later.” As the ideas started to come to fruition, the duo quickly realized that the project had more potential than just a jam session. “Both of us were really into the direction Ben pushed,” continues Presland, “and it was something pretty new to both of us - we have worked together quite extensively over the years within music, playing in several bands together (Vipassi, AMDBL, Aphotic Dawn and more) - so to go in a totally new direction was pretty refreshing.”

As the pair fleshed out more ideas, they turned to their good friend Rob Watkins of Blackhelm to fulfill vocal duties. “Within 10 minutes we had found a vocalist and the search for a bassist was on. Tim Anderson (Blackhelm) was found pretty quickly and was keen to jump on board the idea also, so within a very short time frame we had a full lineup, a record ready to go, and 4 guys full of enthusiasm to push something new.”

Sharing a diverse love for black metal, death metal, and progressive music, the quartet quickly found their sound and hit a stride. And thus, Soul Furnace was born - a searing 34-minute aural assault that conjures up nostalgia while still sounding fresh and current. While the record promises to usher in a new musical era of the 2020s with its forward-thinking and contemporary energy, the lyrics dwell somewhere between fantasy and the old world.

“In the world of Black Lava, the lyrics are set in a time and world long gone and forgotten, mostly made up of fantasy and a medieval theme, fitting for the realms of our style of music,” explains vocalist Rob Watkins of the album’s themes and inspirations. “We draw inspiration from the natural environment and mother nature, ancient witchcraft and the glory of warriors in battle. I picture Black Lava as visiting an ancient beast in a cave giving you a chance to escape the outside world through its tales and mythology.”

With a new deal with Season of Mist and a team of some of the music industry’s most revered artists, producers, engineers, and professionals behind them to help render their vision, Black Lava is ready to make its debut and unleash its fury upon the masses.

Lineup:
Dan Presland (drums)
Ben Boyle (guitar)
Rob Watkins (Vocals)
Tim Anderson (bass)

Links:
https://instagram.com/blacklava.aus/
https://facebook.com/BLACKLAVA00
https://blacklava-aus.bandcamp.com/

Recording Studio: Bushido Studios, Melbourne

Producer / sound engineer: Troy Mccosker

Mixing studio and engineer: Kurt Ballou

Mastering studio and engineer: Alan Douches

Artwork: Paolo Giradi

Pre-sales: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/BlackLava

Pre-save: https://orcd.co/blacklava-soulfurnace

BLACK LAVA Unleashes Music Video for New Song, "Northern Dawn"

October 17, 2022

Emerging blackened death metal quartet BLACK LAVA will release its debut full-length, 'Soul Furnace,' on November 25, 2022 via Season of Mist! The band is now sharing a blistering performance video for the brand new single, "Northern Dawn." The video, which was filmed and edited by Colin Jeffs and produced by BLACK LAVA and Ten of Swords, can be found below.

BLACK LAVA drummer Dan Presland comments:
"After shooting up in the mountains for two days for the 'Eye of the Moon' video, we drove straight down to our next location the next morning - to take one extreme, the freezing fucking cold, to the other, hot as fuck! We present to you our final single for our debut record 'Soul Furnace' - we hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed making it!"

Pre-orders for 'Soul Furnace' are now live HERE and can be saved on all digital streaming services HERE.

During the turbulent and uncertain years of 2020-2021, perhaps none were plunged deeper into darkness than those from down under as Australia imposed some of the strictest, harshest, and most devastating lockdown measures in the world, forcing their civilians into years of isolation. However, through solitude and desolation, some of the greatest art is created, as is the case with BLACK LAVA, the emerging blackened death metal quartet from Melbourne (AU). Founded by drummer Dan Presland (Vipassi, AMDBL, ex-Ne Obliviscaris) and guitarist Ben Boyle (Vipassi, AMDBL, Hadal Maw), BLACK LAVA draws influence from old school death and black metal bands while injecting groove-laden melodies and progressive elements to create their own experimental sound.

“The idea came about from just pure frustration of the situation at hand during 2020/2021,” explains Presland of the band’s formation. “Ben and I live locally together, and in the beginning of the pandemic, I built a working studio, so we got together to just initially jam to release some frustrations and vent some music around the second half of 2021. We had a pretty casual jam together and Ben came back with a few fleshed out ideas a few days later.” As the ideas started to come to fruition, the duo quickly realized that the project had more potential than just a jam session. “Both of us were really into the direction Ben pushed,” continues Presland, “and it was something pretty new to both of us - we have worked together quite extensively over the years within music, playing in several bands together (Vipassi, AMDBL, Aphotic Dawn and more) - so to go in a totally new direction was pretty refreshing.”

As the pair fleshed out more ideas, they turned to their good friend Rob Watkins of Blackhelm to fulfill vocal duties. “Within 10 minutes we had found a vocalist and the search for a bassist was on. Tim Anderson (Blackhelm) was found pretty quickly and was keen to jump on board the idea also, so within a very short time frame we had a full lineup, a record ready to go, and 4 guys full of enthusiasm to push something new.”

Sharing a diverse love for black metal, death metal, and progressive music, the quartet quickly found their sound and hit a stride. And thus, Soul Furnace was born - a searing 34-minute aural assault that conjures up nostalgia while still sounding fresh and current. While the record promises to usher in a new musical era of the 2020s with its forward-thinking and contemporary energy, the lyrics dwell somewhere between fantasy and the old world.

“In the world of Black Lava, the lyrics are set in a time and world long gone and forgotten, mostly made up of fantasy and a medieval theme, fitting for the realms of our style of music,” explains vocalist Rob Watkins of the album’s themes and inspirations. “We draw inspiration from the natural environment and mother nature, ancient witchcraft and the glory of warriors in battle. I picture Black Lava as visiting an ancient beast in a cave giving you a chance to escape the outside world through its tales and mythology.”

With a new deal with Season of Mist and a team of some of the music industry’s most revered artists, producers, engineers, and professionals behind them to help render their vision, Black Lava is ready to make its debut and unleash its fury upon the masses.

Lineup:
Dan Presland (drums)
Ben Boyle (guitar)
Rob Watkins (Vocals)
Tim Anderson (bass)

Links:
https://instagram.com/blacklava.aus/
https://facebook.com/BLACKLAVA00
https://blacklava-aus.bandcamp.com/

Recording Studio: Bushido Studios, Melbourne

Producer / sound engineer: Troy Mccosker

Mixing studio and engineer: Kurt Ballou

Mastering studio and engineer: Alan Douches

Artwork: Paolo Giradi

Pre-sales: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/BlackLava

Pre-save: https://orcd.co/blacklava-soulfurnace

BLACK LAVA Reveals Music Video for New Song, "Eye of the Moon"

September 19, 2022

Emerging blackened death metal quartet BLACK LAVA will release its debut full-length, 'Soul Furnace,' on November 25, 2022 via Season of Mist! The band is now sharing an epic music video for their brand new single, "Eye of the Moon!" The video, which was filmed and edited by Colin Jeffs and produced by Black Lava and Ten of Sword,s can be found below.

BLACK LAVA comments:
"'Eye of the Moon' tells a story of a man embarking on a journey through harsh landscapes - such as snow, forests and mountains - in search of a witches lair, looking for strength and guidance. The clip was shot in the beautiful scenes of Mt Buffalo, in Victoria, Australia. With its stunning landscape, dramatic cliffs and peaks, it was the perfect location for the story to take place. Filmed in the heart of winter over three days, the conditions were extremely difficult with temperatures dropping from -1 to -7 Celsius, which proved especially hard on camera equipment and the crews, with the constant snow, rain, and wind, made it near impossible to capture the artistic vision. Our hands were freezing at times and could hardly move, but with an amazing dedicated team we persevered with its creation, and what you see is the result.

"We are extremely proud to present 'Eye of the Moon.'"

Pre-orders for 'Soul Furnace' are now live HERE and can be saved on all digital streaming services HERE.

Release Date: November 25, 2022
Genre: Blackened Death Metal

During the turbulent and uncertain years of 2020-2021, perhaps none were plunged deeper into darkness than those from down under as Australia imposed some of the strictest, harshest, and most devastating lockdown measures in the world, forcing their civilians into years of isolation. However, through solitude and desolation, some of the greatest art is created, as is the case with BLACK LAVA, the emerging blackened death metal quartet from Melbourne (AU). Founded by drummer Dan Presland (Vipassi, AMDBL, ex-Ne Obliviscaris) and guitarist Ben Boyle (Vipassi, AMDBL, Hadal Maw), BLACK LAVA draws influence from old school death and black metal bands while injecting groove-laden melodies and progressive elements to create their own experimental sound.

“The idea came about from just pure frustration of the situation at hand during 2020/2021,” explains Presland of the band’s formation. “Ben and I live locally together, and in the beginning of the pandemic, I built a working studio, so we got together to just initially jam to release some frustrations and vent some music around the second half of 2021. We had a pretty casual jam together and Ben came back with a few fleshed out ideas a few days later.” As the ideas started to come to fruition, the duo quickly realized that the project had more potential than just a jam session. “Both of us were really into the direction Ben pushed,” continues Presland, “and it was something pretty new to both of us - we have worked together quite extensively over the years within music, playing in several bands together (Vipassi, AMDBL, Aphotic Dawn and more) - so to go in a totally new direction was pretty refreshing.”

As the pair fleshed out more ideas, they turned to their good friend Rob Watkins of Blackhelm to fulfill vocal duties. “Within 10 minutes we had found a vocalist and the search for a bassist was on. Tim Anderson (Blackhelm) was found pretty quickly and was keen to jump on board the idea also, so within a very short time frame we had a full lineup, a record ready to go, and 4 guys full of enthusiasm to push something new.”

Sharing a diverse love for black metal, death metal, and progressive music, the quartet quickly found their sound and hit a stride. And thus, Soul Furnace was born - a searing 34-minute aural assault that conjures up nostalgia while still sounding fresh and current. While the record promises to usher in a new musical era of the 2020s with its forward-thinking and contemporary energy, the lyrics dwell somewhere between fantasy and the old world.

“In the world of Black Lava, the lyrics are set in a time and world long gone and forgotten, mostly made up of fantasy and a medieval theme, fitting for the realms of our style of music,” explains vocalist Rob Watkins of the album’s themes and inspirations. “We draw inspiration from the natural environment and mother nature, ancient witchcraft and the glory of warriors in battle. I picture Black Lava as visiting an ancient beast in a cave giving you a chance to escape the outside world through its tales and mythology.”

With a new deal with Season of Mist and a team of some of the music industry’s most revered artists, producers, engineers, and professionals behind them to help render their vision, Black Lava is ready to make its debut and unleash its fury upon the masses.

Lineup:
Dan Presland (drums)
Ben Boyle (guitar)
Rob Watkins (Vocals)
Tim Anderson (bass)

Links:
https://instagram.com/blacklava.aus/
https://facebook.com/BLACKLAVA00
https://blacklava-aus.bandcamp.com/

Recording Studio: Bushido Studios, Melbourne

Producer / sound engineer: Troy Mccosker

Mixing studio and engineer: Kurt Ballou

Mastering studio and engineer: Alan Douches

Artwork: Paolo Giradi

Pre-sales: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/BlackLava

Pre-save: https://orcd.co/blacklava-soulfurnace

BLACK LAVA Signs to Season of Mist

March 8, 2022

Season of Mist is proud to announce the signing of BLACK LAVA, the newly born experimental groove metal band from Australia! The band is gearing up to release their debut album via Season of Mist - stay tuned!

BLACK LAVA comments on the signing:
"We are delighted to announce our partnership with SoM, and it was literally our first choice of label to work with, so to be accepted and be amongst the SoM team once again is a dream for us.

"Ben Boyle and Dan Presland have worked with the team before (Vipassi, Ne Obliviscaris), so we knew this would be the perfect fit for the band. Exciting things are planned on the horizon, and we are eager to push forward with the support of SoM!"

For a glimpse of what's to come, the band has shared a teaser clip of one of the new singles, which you can hear below.

Genre: Experimental Groove Metal

Formed late 2021, after months of setbacks and turbulence of the uncertain 2020/2021 period - Ben (Vipassi, AMDBL, Hadal Maw) and Dan (Vipassi, AMDBL, Ne Obliviscaris) got together for a creative session to try and inject some spark back into their musical lives.

Some ideas were formed, and before long, an idea and concept came to mind. Quickly realizing the project's sound, Tim Anderson (Blackhelm) and Rob Watkins (Blackhelm) were recruited, and two months later an entire record was written. The band then entered Bushido studios to record their debut between Christmas and New Year in 2021. The record was then mixed by Kurt Ballou (Converge, The Dillinger Escape Plan) and mastered by Alan Douches at West West side.

Line Up:
Dan Presland (drums)
Ben Boyle (guitar)
Rob Watkins (Vocals)
Tim Anderson (bass)

Links:
https://www.instagram.com/blacklava.aus/
https://blacklava-aus.bandcamp.com/