BLACK ANVIL Announces Two-Hour Guest DJ Special via Gimme Radio

November 15, 2022

New York City black metal collective BLACK ANVIL will be hosting a two-hour guest DJ special via Gimme Metal tomorrow, November 16 @ 3:00 P.M. EST! The band is supporting the release of their brand new full-length, 'Regenesis,' which is out NOW! Members of the band will be in the live chat and as always, it is FREE to sign up at THIS LOCATION.

In addition, BLACK ANVIL is currently in the midst of a massive North American tour in support of CANNIBAL CORPSE along with DARK FUNERALand IMMOLATION! Several shows are already sold out or have posted low ticket warnings. The full itinerary and tickets can be found below!

ICYMI: BLACK ANVIL has recently revealed their very own signature beer in collaboration with Wake Brewing! Fermented and aged on wood, the Black Anvil Stout will be officially released in tandem with the band's performance at the upcoming winter edition of Decibel Magazine's Metal and Beer fest, which will take place from December 2-3 in Denver, CO! Tickets for the festival can be found HERE.

'Regenesis' is out now and can be streamed, ordered, and downloaded HERE.

BLACK ANVIL Live Dates (w/ CANNIBAL CORPSE, DARK FUNERAL, IMMOLATION)

11/15: Calgary, AB @ Palace Theatre [TICKETS] **SOLD OUT**

11/17: Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw Theatre [TICKETS] **SOLD OUT**

11/18: Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw Theatre [TICKETS] **SOLD OUT**

11/19: Seattle, WA @ The Showbox [TICKETS] **SOLD OUT**

11/21: San Francisco, CA @ The Regency Ballroom [TICKETS]

11/22: Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern [TICKETS] **SELLING FAST**

11/23: San Diego, CA @ The Observatory [TICKETS] **SELLING FAST**

11/25: Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues [TICKETS]

11/26: Tucson, AZ @ Encore [TICKETS]

11/28: Austin, TX @ Empire Garage [TICKETS]

11/29: Dallas, TX @ House of Blues [TICKETS]

11/30: Oklahoma City, OK @ Diamond Ballroom [TICKETS]

12/02: Denver, CO @ Decibel Metal & Beer Fest* [TICKETS]

12/03: Lawrence , KS @ The Granada [TICKETS]

12/04: Lincoln, NE @ Bourbon Theatre [TICKETS]

12/05: Belvidere, IL @ The Apollo Theater [TICKETS]

12/06: Indianapolis, IN @ The Vogue [TICKETS]

12/08: Knoxville, TN @ The Concourse at the International [TICKETS]

12/09: Athens, GA @ Georgia Theatre [TICKETS]

12/10: St. Petersburg, FL @ Jannus Live [TICKETS]
*Festival date

New York City has always served as a cultural epicenter for musical innovation. Even more so than incubating genres in their infancy such as hardcore and even glam metal, for which bands like Twisted Sister and KISS long set the stage before the Sunset Strip took the reigns, the empire state has a storied and unique history of taking genres whose roots lie elsewhere and making them its own; whether it be Anthrax reinventing Bay Area thrash, Suffocation and Immolation planting their flag as death metal purveyors at a time when it was a primary export of Florida, or bands like Blondie and the Ramones rivaling the British punk scene, the city has always been at the forefront of musical excellence. And when it comes to New York’s answer to black metal, Black Anvil have not only been a driving force for USBM, but have taken the black metal genre as a whole and made it entirely their own. Now, with full-length number five, the band has once again leveled up their game, presenting a “regenesis” of black metal.

Here you have 12 tracks of unrelenting yet thought provoking evil, sure to have you take a second & thoroughly re-examined view of what you thought black metal was supposed to be. “This is a more stripped down and aggressive song writing approach. Having time to digest ‘As Was,’ to understand where we were then versus where we are now was key. We always focus inward with our writing, never wanting to repeat ourselves, while also not losing our identity in a stretch to sound different,” explains Black Anvil bassist/vocalist P.

Challenging the norm has always been a core part of Black Anvil’s DNA since their formation in 2007. Upon the release of their debut full-length, Time Insults the Mind, the band quickly garnered the attention of Relapse Records and were presented with a deal. When it came to album number two, the band diverged from the typical approach of their contemporaries and sought an unlikely counterpart to render their vision, tapping engineer “General” George Fullan (The Rolling Stones, Dream Theater) at Mark “The Animal” Mendoza’s (Twisted Sister) Diamond Drop Studio on Long Island, NY. Released in September 2010, sophomore offering Triumvirate received much critical acclaim, notably being revered as an "all-around monster metal album."

Four years after its release, Triumvirate was followed by Hail Death, a 70-minute journey of intensity that further established Black Anvil as a modern black metal powerhouse. The album was met with praise by publications including Noisey, Pitchfork, Stereogum, Metal Injection, and many more. With the album’s success, the band’s profile rose as they were tapped to participate in numerous prominent tours with black metal legends such as Mayhem, Watain, Urfaust, Marduk as well as dates with Aura Noir, Nachtmystium, Immortal, Eyehategod, Cannibal Corpse, etc. Additionally, the band has appeared at various prestigious festivals including the Scion Rock Fest, Beyond The Gates in Bergen, Norway and the renowned Roadburn Festival in The Netherlands.

In 2017, Black Anvil dropped their fourth studio-album, As Was. Atmospheric and melodic without relenting on any of the ferocity that the collective has always been known for, As Was seamlessly weaves through eight monumental passages of extreme metal art, more diverse, complex, and thought-provoking than anything they've done before. The record proved itself to be a stellar representation of modern black metal and of Black Anvil’s continuous progression and songcraft.

Now, nearly six years after As Was made its mark, Black Anvil is returning with its aptly titled fifth full-length, Regenesis. With a new record label, a new album, and a newfound exploration of dark and black metal, Regenesisrepresents a new dawn for the New York City collective. “The concept is renewal, as well as the process/journey to get here outgrowing our past,” explains P. “Black Anvil has always been a departure from our past, a vehicle for us to grow as individuals, like a snake constantly shedding its skin. We don’t look back, but never forget.”

Make no mistake, Regenesis is not a departure from Black Anvil’s identity, but rather serves as the latest progression in the band’s ever-evolving sound. The record takes what As Was did best and does it even better. The unrelenting and polished aggression hangs in the balance above dark melodic passages, presenting a dynamic soundscape that serves as the band’s most devastating and existential offering to date. As it’s evident that the band pulls inspiration from unlikely corners, they defy all genre standards and make one thing clear - this isn’t just black metal, this is NYBM.

Genre: New York Black Metal

Line-up:
R: Drums
P: Bass/Vocals
J: Guitar

Links:
https://www.facebook.com/BlackAnvil/
https://www.instagram.com/blackanvil/
https://twitter.com/BlackAnvil
https://blackanvil.bandcamp.com/
https://blackanvilmerch.bigcartel.com/

Recording: Colin Marston at Menegroth, The Thousand Caves

Mixing + Mastering: by Tore Stjerna at Necromorbus Studio

Guest vocals:
Danny “Ezec” Diablo on “NYC Nightmares”

Artwork: Metastazis, Paris

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

STRIGOI Announces Two-Hour Guest DJ Special via Gimme Radio!

November 14, 2022

Blackened death doom outfit STRIGOI, the brainchild of Greg Mackintosh (PARADISE LOST, VALLENFYRE) and Chris Casket (VALLENFYRE), will be guest hosting a very special two-hour radio show via Gimme Metal tomorrow, November 15, @ 3:00 P.M. EST! Members of the band will be in the live chat and as always, it is FREE to sign up and listen HERE.

The band is supporting their brand new sophomore album, 'Viscera,' which was released in September 2022 via Season of Mist. The record can be streamed, downloaded, and ordered HERE.

Unsettling: it’s a word which can be used to describe a good swathe of the music which has come from the mind of Greg Mackintosh over the years, but in the context of Strigoi, it feels particularly apt.

Formed immediately after previous side project Vallenfyre had run its course, Strigoi found Greg and Vallenfyre bassist Chris Casket reconfiguring the aesthetics of that band. Their 2019 debut, Abandon All Faith, was a notable transition, taking the crust punk, death metal and grind influences which had defined Vallenfyre and deriving from those an extreme music amalgam which was altogether more...well, unsettling.

But if Abandon All Faith was a record where the memory of Vallenfyre exerted an inevitable, but important, influence, then second album Viscera is where Strigoi define and express themselves on their own terms.

“It’s the second album and we’re pushing those limits,” says Chris Casket. “The longer songs are longer; the shorter songs are shorter. It’s fully realising the concept. When we did the first album, there were certain expectations as we were coming from Vallenfyre. I felt that it was a really good transition from one to the other. But I feel that with this record, it’s more of a fully fleshed out concept. It’s pushing the light and shade further out.”

“The first album was us giving it its own identity separate from Vallenfyre, even though it’s kind of an obvious continuation, in a way,” adds Greg. “But with Viscera, it’s a combination of pushing the envelope a little bit, making it a bit less raw. Because, we had done that to the Nth degree with Vallenfyre. I’d also say there’s a bit of sound design in there, too, to make it very creepy and, yes, unsettling, sound wise.”

With Covid thwarting Strigoi’s plans to do shows to promote Abandon All Faith, Greg and Chris used the down-time to work on what would eventually become Viscera.

“We have a strange way of working,” says Chris. “I will send words, prose, whatever it may be to Greg. He likes that process, because he reads what I’ve written and it inspires the music he comes up with. I’ve never worked that way before. But that and the added time we had, the space away from things, is what I think has made Viscera what it is.”

Greg adds, “If it’s a song where Chris’ lyrics sound angry, I’ll do a song that’s more, I guess, grounded in the essence of early grindcore. Something that expresses that mood. But if it’s something more sombre or unnerving, then I’ll start with a bit of sound design and work towards riffs. I’ve always thought of music in terms of visuals, and that might come from the lyrics. The last song on the album, ‘Iron Lung’, for example: I actually said to Chris that I had an idea for a song where it feels that you can’t breathe, that it feels like you’ve got a weight on your chest. And the result is probably the toughest going song on the record to get through. But I think it does get that across.”

Viscera, then, clearly defines the Strigoi sound and vision – as Chris says, it’s a “mix tape of misery” and points at ways in which the band may develop in the years ahead.

“I get bored easily,” Greg laughs. “I’ve got a very short attention span. I love doom metal, I love funeral doom, crust punk, grindcore...all these things. But usually after two songs of each I’m thinking, ‘Right, what’s next?’ And that’s my problem, but it does determine what this band and this music is like.”

“There’s not much light on this record at all. If there’s any, it’s there just to emphasise how dark the shade is, really. And what I loved about early death metal, which is when I got into it, is that everything had its own feel back then. That was at the back of my mind the whole time when making Viscera – that I wanted to give it its own feel. But the listeners are going to have to decide whether that was successful or not.”

www.facebook.com/strigoibandofficial
www.instagram.com/strigoi_official

Recording Studio: Oregon Studios
Producer/Sound engineer: Jamie Gomez and Strigoi
Mixing studio/engineer: Kurt Ballou - Godcity Studios
Mastering studio/engineer: Brad Boatright – Audiosiege

Recording line-up:
Greg Mackintosh: Vocals and Guitar
Chris Casket: Bass
Guido Zima: Drums
Ben Ash: Guitar

Cover artwork: Brian Sheehan - Legerdemain Art

Pre-sales: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/StrigoiViscera
Pre-save: https://orcd.co/strigoiviscera

Formats:
CD Digipak
Digital
12” Gatefold (Black)
12” Gatefold (Snowy White / limited to 500)
7” + 12” Gatefold (Dracula / limited to 300)

NOCTURNAL GRAVES Announces Two-Hour Gimme Radio Special

January 10, 2022

Australian blackened death outfit NOCTURNAL GRAVES will be guest DJing their very own radio special via Gimme Metal on Tuesday, January 11 @ 7:00 P.M. EST // January 12 @ 11:00 A.M. AEST! Main member J.R. has curated a brutalizing two-hour playlist and will be in the chat to hang out with fans! As always, it is FREE to sign up and listen HERE.

The band is supporting their brand new record, 'An Outlaw's Stand,' which was released last Friday! The record can be streamed, downloaded, and ordered HERE.

NOCTURNAL GRAVES sound the charge with their venomous new offering, ‘An Outlaw's Stand.’ Coalescing the nastiest and rawest elements of death, thrash, and black metal, the Australian outlaws’ brand of apocalyptic metal explodes like an atom bomb, leaving utter devastation in its path. The relentless onslaught of pure brutality makes one thing clear – Long live death!

NOCTURNAL GRAVES were originally formed in Victoria, Australia in 2004. Two well received demos, ‘Profanation of Innocence’ and ‘Deathstorm,’ followed in the same year. Quickly securing a deal, the band officially released the ‘Necromancer’ 7″ vinyl in 2006 before unleashing their cult debut full-length, ‘Satan’s Cross,’ the following year. The iconic album was later re-issued with the stunning cover art by renowned painter Paolo Girardi (INQUISITION, MANILLA ROAD, HIEROPHANT) in 2017.

When the Australians first hit Europe in 2009, they celebrated the event with ‘The Gravespirit Sessions’ split. Former DESTRÖYER 666 and RAZOR OF OCCAM guitarist Shrapnel, as well as drummer L.W., joined in 2012.

NOCTURNAL GRAVES widely extended their international fanbase with the release of sophomore album ‘…From the Bloodline of Cain’ (2014), which resulted in an invitation to the 2016 edition of Maryland Deathfest and more shows in the United States. The band supported the tour with a limited 7″ EP ‘Sharpen the Knives / Lead us to the Endless Fire.’

Upon a line-up change in 2018 in which L.W. departed from the band and J. took his place back behind the drums, the band saw their third album, “Titan,” released through Season of Mist. An Australian/New Zealand tour with WATAIN followed in support of the album’s release.

In 2019, NOCTURNAL GRAVES joined forces alongside DESTRÖYER 666, DEAD CONGREGATION, and INCONCESSUS LUX LUCIS and embarked upon the Sons of Rebellion tour throughout Europe.

At the onset of the world plunging headfirst into the pandemic, the band locked themselves away to write and record their fourth assault, ‘An Outlaw’s Stand.’ Upon reflection, this new offering encompasses the entire history of NOCTURNAL GRAVES, compiling eight tracks of sheer ferocity and raw, untamed black and death metal.

Style: Death Metal Savagery

Links:
https://www.facebook.com/nocturnalgraves
https://www.instagram.com/nocturnal_graves_official

Lineup:
J.R. : Drums, Rhythm Guitars, Bass, Lead Vocals
Decaylust: Lead Guitars, Vocals
Shrapnel: Lead Guitars
Prain: Vocals

Produced by: Nocturnal Graves, engineered by Jarro Raphael
Recording studio: I-HQ Recordings, Australia
Mixing: Jarro Raphael
Mastering: I-HQ Recordings, Jarro Raphael

Cover art: Simon Turner

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

Album formats:CD Digipak
12” Gatefold vinyl (Black)
12” Gatefold vinyl (Dracula / 250 copies)
12” Gatefold vinyl (Smokey / 400 copies)

Digital

Gaahls WYRD Announces Gimme Radio Special

November 5, 2021

Esoteric dark metal formation Gaahls WYRD will be hosting a very special radio show via Gimme Metal on Monday, November 8 @ 11:00 A.M. EST // 17:00 CET! This special extended double episode that will take place for three hours features vocalist Gaahl and guitarist Lust Kilman in talks with Fredrik Saroea as well as an epic playlist curated by the two band members. In addition, both Gaahl and Kilman will be in the live chat, giving fans a rare opportunity to speak in candid conversation with the legendary musicians. To listen for FREE, sign up at GimmeMetal.com or download the app!

Gaahls WYRD is supporting the release of their brand new five song mini-album, 'The Humming Mountain,' which is out TODAY! The band is now streaming the record in its entirety ahead of the release. Listen at THIS LOCATION.

Buy 'The Humming Mountain' now HERE.

Norwegian Grammy (Spellemannprisen)-winning metal outfit Gaahls WYRD return with new mini-album The Humming Mountain. Spanning five thought-provoking songs over 30-plus minutes, the mini-album continues from but challenges the tenets of the group’s lauded debut full-length, GastiR - Ghosts Invited. Conceptually, The Humming Mountain intrinsically ties into the pre-history of its forebear, where heady, fastidious topics of origin, creation, and consciousness are pondered, explored, and conveyed to a riveting score of reflective, if sometimes vicious metal. The Humming Mountain resides between spaces but is wholly its own artistic entity.

“I like the concept of a mini-album instead of an EP,” says Gaahl (aka Kristian Espedal). “I like the format of a mini-album. Back in the day, bands like Hellhammer and Celtic Frost used this format. The audience gets more from this format. To me, it’s more serious than if it’s just a few tracks. Plus, the concept of The Humming Mountain isn't big enough for a full-length album. The concept was something I had to get out of my head."

Three of The Humming Mountain’s tracks were originally slated to appear on GastiR - Ghosts Invited but were eventually shelved when Gaahl determined that they weren't a conceptual fit with the rest of the album’s tracks. Indeed, not one to let good ideas die on the proverbial vine, Gaahl worked with guitarist Lust Kilman (Ole Walaunet) and producer Iver Sandøy to refashion them. Through creative process and artful invention, “Awakening Remains - Before Leaving,” “The Dwell,” and the title track were born again for The Humming Mountain. The mini-album’s introspective bookends—opening epic “The Seed” and filmic closer “The Sleep”—came during and after, one song to remind listeners that patience is a virtue and the other to send them off into dream-like cogitation.

“The title track ‘The Humming Mountain’ dictated how the mini-album would go forward,” Gaahl says. “‘The Humming Mountain,’ however, has connections to GastiR - Ghosts Invited recording-wise, but it’s been reshaped. ‘The Dwell’ and ‘Awakening Remains - Before Leaving’ are more from the same foundation. We did change how we approached these songs by adding keyboards and removing bass grooves, especially on ‘Awakening Remains - Before Leaving.’ We got a different flow and pace to the final versions of the songs.”

While The Humming Mountain is a real place called Gnolloden near the Svalbard archipelago, it has no relation to the mini-album's title or contents. Lyrically, The Humming Mountain is about patience. Not in the human sense of the word—though that certainly can be applied to nine-minute opener “The Seed”—but in the universal sense. The vibrations (hums) of creation ebb and flow sub-glacially. The intent of creation spans eons. Even the mini-album’s artwork—captured and designed by Gaahl—is part of the overall theme. The closer to The Humming Mountain, the farther away it appears.

“I’m always searching,” says Gaahl. “I’m trying to find the core of self, the core of everything. GastiR - Ghosts Invited dealt with being conscious about the subconscious. The Humming Mountain is more direct in dealing with that topic. Creation is something that happens very slowly, I believe. I connected it to ice, in a way. It's a Norse concept, where a witch 'hummer' is feeding on salty ice. Out of this comes the first conscious. In Norse creationism, creation originates with sound. Of course, fire and ice are the two opponents, but every being, which are manifestations of something, are connected to humming or noise, the vibrations created by it. That's how I arrived at The Humming Mountain, a slow vibration from the mountain and the slow movement of ice.”

Gaahls WYRD revisited Sandøy’s Solslottet Studio (Wardruna, Crippled Black Phoenix) periodically from August 2020 through May 2021 to track and complete The Humming Mountain. The sessions were set apart for various reasons (schedules mostly), but the team first focused the groundwork on sound design. Gaahl, Lust Kilman, and Sandøy then pivoted to Spektre’s (aka Kevin Kvåle) drums. From there, vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards, and piano were laid down. Sandøy also helmed the mix and master.

"The first thing we did was to work through the songs," Gaahl says. "This was to find the foundation of the sound and how we could reshape the sound. We focused on the sound (or voice) of the drums. We didn't want them to be too close to the drum sound on GastiR - Ghosts Invited. I’ve worked on three albums with Iver this year. It's very easy to work with him. He's good at bringing himself into my philosophical mindset. He's tuned into why I choose to do this or that. Usually, before we start, I explain my direction so that he can understand it, and together we can expand upon that direction. On this EP, he's done a lot of the keys and piano parts. He's contributed quite a lot."

Though The Humming Mountain reveals a more contemplative side to Gaahls WYRD, fans of stunners “Ek Erilar,” Carving the Voices,” and “Through and Past and Past” will find new tracks “The Dwell,” “Awakening Remains - Before Leaving,” and the title track equally engaging, while “The Seed” and “The Sleep” are destined to open new doors with their mercurial angst and picturesque, if involuted themes. Indeed, The Humming Mountain sets the stage for Gaahls WYRD’s next chapter.

"We'll release the mini-album next," says Gaahl. "After that, it all depends on how things open up for us to tour. There will be shows in Europe for sure, though. In a way, I hope the pandemic situation may continue for a bit longer. It's a good time for studio work. So, I hope not to be too disturbed by touring to continue to do more studio work. We're about to enter the studio for the next full-length."

Links:
https://www.facebook.com/gaahlswyrd
http://www.gaahlswyrd.com
https://gaahlswyrd.bandcamp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/gaahlswyrd/

Line-up
Gaahl (Kristian Espedal) - vocals
Lust Kilman (Ole Walaunet) – guitars
Eld (Frode Kilvik) – Bass
Spektre (Kevin Kvåle) – Drums

Style: Expressive, esoteric extreme metal

Guest Musicians:
Iver Sandøy – keys on all tracks

Recording Studio:
Solslottet Studio

Producer, Sound Engineer, Mixing, Mastering:
Iver Sandøy

Cover Art:
Kristian “Gaahl” Espedal

Biography:
Chris Dick

Shop: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/gaahls-wyrd-thm

THE LION'S DAUGHTER Announces New Two-Hour Gimme Radio Special

July 12, 2021

Following the success of their Gimme Metal radio special back in April, St. Louis horror metal trio THE LION'S DAUGHTER will be hosting a brand new two-hour radio show through the platform on Tuesday, July 13 @ 11:00 A.M. EDT! As always, it is FREE to subscribe and sign up! Tune in HERE.

The band is supporting their latest release, 'Skin Show,' which is out now!

'Skin Show' could serve as the soundtrack to Times Square in the 1970s - the epicenter of sin and salacious misdeeds; a haven for sex, drugs, and crime beneath the inviting glow of neon signs from sleazy adult video stores; a place one would not dare walk alone after midnight unless tempted by devil himself. Its deviant, raw, nasty, disturbing, and yet, the most lively, evolved, and polished version of the trio yet.

'Skin Show' can be streamed, downloaded, and ordered HERE.

Skin Show could serve as the soundtrack to Times Square in the 1970s - the epicenter of sin and salacious misdeeds; a haven for sex, drugs, and crime beneath the inviting glow of neon signs from sleazy adult video stores; a place one would not dare walk alone after midnight unless tempted by devil himself. Its deviant, raw, nasty, disturbing, and yet, the most lively, evolved, and polished version of the trio yet.

For the first part of its career, The Lion’s Daughter was deeply rooted in blackened sludge metal. However, when it came time for album number three, the St. Louis trio abandoned all tradition and traversed into new territory through bold experimentations with Future Cult, a synth-laden metal record that could easily serve as the score to a Dario Argento film. Now, the band picks up where it left off, once again delivering an opus that cannot be labeled or defined. “The synths were always something that I heard in my head, but just couldn't figure out the logistics,” explains frontman Rick Giordano regarding the distinct directional change. “I also had to completely stop giving a fuck about how anyone might react to them. Most of the synths on Future Cult are very aggressive and rooted in horror, which I think was a safe way to use them. For this record, I wanted to stop playing it safe. I wanted to use more natural synth sounds and let things take on soft and somber tones at times, rather than just screaming alongside the guitars at all times. There was a lot of experimenting to see what other roles the synths could play in the music and what shapes they could create. I think we spent our early years as a band just trying to figure out who we were, and on Future Cult, the answer became clear to us. Instead of changing that formula, we chose to expand on it and see where else it could lead.”

While Skin Show is rife with the trepidation of eerie synths and a cinematic atmosphere much like its former, it is not a replica, nor does it follow the same formulaic approach. Future Cult delivered darkness in excess – heavy, unnerving, and unmistakably inspired by vintage horror and sci-fi movie scores. In contrast, Skin Show is its brighter counterpart, capturing an essence that, on the surface, might seem tamer and more palatable in comparison. However, the album still dwells deep in deviance. Each passage, no matter how glossy, is offset with belligerent vocals and lyrics that detail sexual violence, shame, abuse, desperation, and paranoia. It’s the type of record that can easily garner coveted radio airplay, and yet, it can also serve as the background playlist for a BDSM orgy in an illegal dungeon or abandoned warehouse. “This was our attempt at a straight-forward pop record,” says Giordano. “It, of course, all still came out fucked because it's us creating it. But I tried to imagine our band playing a giant arena and what that would sound like. I wanted to strip away some of the chaos and just write stronger songs. I didn't want the band to mellow out, but I did want to see if we could mature a bit. If the previous album was an intense sci-fi slasher, this one would be closer to a Hitchcock or DePalma film.”

Make no mistake, while there is a blatant antithesis between the band’s two personalities, the duality is a major part of Skin Show’s identity. Reflected not only in the music, but also through the ominous and unsettling artwork created by Mothmeister. When asked about the collaboration, Giordano says, “We worked with Mothmeister again for the album art and used a similar approach as we did with the music. Things are stripped down, more direct, more focused. There's a sense of fear, isolation, and madness that very much correlates with the music. The character on the outside is in white and surrounded in light, while the character on the inside is in black surrounded by darkness. But it's ultimately two sides of the same character. I think that's a good representation of the themes within the album, dark things within people that they may want to keep hidden.”

The Lion’s Daughter may elude all characterization, fitting in all boxes while also fitting in none at all, but one thing is for certain, the genuine artistry behind Skin Show is forthright and undeniable. Whether it be a poppy opus like the title track or the haunting and sludgy vibes of “The Chemist,” all ten tracks are guaranteed to be bangers, holding the listener at knifepoint and demanding their attention with each and every note.

Recording Lineup:
Rick Giordano - Guitars, vocals, synths, bass
Erik Ramsier - Drums and percussion
Scott Fogelbach - Vocals

Live Lineup:
Rick Giordano - Guitars, vocals, synths
Erik Ramsier - Drums and percussion
Scott Fogelbach - Bass, vocals

Recording Studio: Firebrand Recording (St. Louis, MO, USA)

Producer/Sound Engineer: Sanford Parker

Mixing Studio & Engineer: Sanford Parker @ Hybercube (St. Louis, MO, USA)

Mastering Studio and Engineer: Colin Jordan @ The Boiler Room (Chicago, IL, USA)

Cover Art: Mothmeister

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

For more info on THE LION'S DAUGHTER, visit the band's official FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, and BANDCAMP.

THY CATAFALQUE to Host Two-Hour Gimme Radio Special

June 22, 2021

Mastermind Tamás Kátai of Avant-Garde entity THY CATAFALQUE will be hosting a very unique and special radio show via Gimme Metal on Thursday, June 24 @ 11:00 A.M. EDT! Not only will Kátai be in the live chat to hang out with fans, but there will also be opportunities to win some THY CATAFALQUE CDs and vinyl! You can sign up for free and tune in HERE.

THY CATAFALQUE is supporting its tenth masterpiece, 'Vadak,' which is out on June 25! Pre-orders are now live HERE.

THY CATAFALQUE’s humble genius Tamás Kátai abandons any and all prenotions of tradition. Intertwining elements from a vast swath of unrelated genres, from jazz to pop to folk, and everything in between, THY CATAFALQUE masterfully crafts an eclectic sound that breaks down any generic barriers or borders. Following the massive success of 2020’s critically-acclaimed ‘Naiv,’ the entity returns with ‘Vadak,’ another esoteric monument in its already storied catalog.

Meaning “Wildlings” in Hungarian, the album title is a deliberate clue to the exotic and feral essence of ‘Vadak.’ Like seedlings scattered throughout the forest by the mere forces of nature, THY CATAFALQUE’s imaginative sound grows with an organic sense of whimsy, cultivated within the vast influences of our megacosm. Thematically, ‘Vadak’ is a foreboding lesson in mortality. Emphasizing the fragility that is shared by man and beast alike, the record explores our Freudian life instincts, in which we inherently fear and run from the ultimate goal of existence: death.

Originally, THY CATAFALQUE emerged as a black metal band founded by singer/keyboard player Tamás Kátai with the aid of guitarist/bassist János Juhász. Following their joined debut 'Sublunary Tragedies' (1999), the Hungarians evolved into quite different directions, but steadily gaining more followers in the process through the following albums, 'Microcosmos' (2001) and the self-released 'Tűnő idő tárlat' (2004).

On their fourth full-length, 'Róka hasa Rádió' (2009), THY CATAFALQUE invited Ágnes Tóth from neo-folk outfit THE MOON AND THE NIGHTSPIRIT and Attila Bakos to add their haunting vocals. With fifth album 'Rengeteg' (2011), Tamás Kátai finally went solo with the help of guest musicians that again included Ágnes Tóth an Attila Bakos. Dubbing his eclectic musical amalgamation avant-garde metal, the Hungarian explored new sonic possibilities with 'Sgùrr' (2015). The sixth full-length turned out to be slightly more complex than its successor, 'Meta' (2016), which returned to a more direct approach without losing the steadily growing sonic diversity. In 2018, THY CATAFALQUE continued this path with the release of ‘Geometria’. THY CATAFALQUE delivered another spectacular musical mosaic with their ninth full-length entitled ‘Naiv’, inspired by the “Naïve Art” movement.

At its core, ‘Vadak’ expresses the familiar hallmarks that are unique to only THY CATAFALQUE, and yet, it is an unpredictable magnum opus, showcasing the latest evolution from Kátai and his esteemed co-conspirators. The album puts forth an elegance that cannot be matched or rivaled by any musical contemporary, taking fans on an adventure that is rife with excitement, drama, and unbridled craftsmanship.

Line-up
Tamás Kátai - guitars, bass, synths, programs and vocals

Guest musicians
Martina Veronika Horváth | vocals on track 1, 2, 9 and 10
Breno Machado | lead guitar on track 1, 2, 5 and 9
Gábor Dudás | vocals on track 1
Andrei Oltean "Solomonar" | redpipes on track 2
Gábor Veres | vocals on track 5
Julia Pfiffner | female voice on track 6
Patricio Böttcher | saxophone on track 6
Carolina Díez | acoustic guitar on track 7
Artem Koryapin | alto and tenor saxophone, trombone and trumpet on track 7
András Vörös | vocals on track 8
Dadan Bogdanović | saxophone, trombone and trumpet on track 8
Sean Pádraig | Armenian duduk on track 8
Loay Makhoul | tabla, dumbek and riq on track 8
Péter Jelasity | saxophone on track 9
Chris Lyons | violin on track 9
Artem Litovchenko | cello on track 10

Recorded in: Budapest, Hungary | Edinburgh, Scotland | Újvidék / Novi Sad, Serbia | Kolozsvár / Cluj-Napoca, Romania | Kharkov, Ukraine | Tuapse, Russia | Alicante, Spain | Quarten, Switzerland | Haifa, Israel | Austin, Texas, U.S.A. | São Paulo, Brazil and Buenos Aires, Argentina in 2020 / 2021.

Mixed by: Tamás Kátai in Budapest, Hungary, January 2021.
Mastered by: Colin Davis at Imperial Mastering, Texas, U.S.A., February 2021.
All music and lyrics written by Tamás Kátai except track 6 music by János Juhász and Tamás Kátai. Sound samples on track 5 and track 8 taken from Orosz nyelv általános iskola 5. osztály by Lajos Szilvási, 1987. Speech on track 4 made using iSpeech.org.

Cover art & lay-out: Tamás Kátai.

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

Available formats:
CD Mediabook
LP in various colours
Digital

For more on THY CATALFAQUE, visit the official BANDCAMP, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, and FACEBOOK.

Gimme TV Announces Season of Mist Concert Marathon

June 8, 2021

GIMME TV
Announces Season of Mist Concert Marathon

GIMME TV will be airing a Season of Mist concert marathon on this Friday, June 11, starting at 7:00 P.M. EDT! The video streaming platform will be airing the following five films from our archive:

1. ETHS Live At Hellfest 2015
2. Imperium Dekadenz Live at Summer Breeze 2014
3. Rotting Christ Live at With Full Force
4. Tsjuder Live at Tribute in Sandnes
5. Tombs Clandestine Ritual Show

The marathon can be viewed via the Gimme TV app at THIS LOCATION.

Launched early last fall, GIMME METAL TV combines the power of MTV-like linear broadcasting with livestreaming, and offers music videos, short form artist-created content, long form music documentaries, movies, and so much more!

For more on GIMME METAL, visit their official WEBSITE, FACEBOOK, TWITTER, and INSTAGRAM.

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

THE LION'S DAUGHTER to Host Two Hour Radio Special via Gimme Metal on April 9

April 1, 2021

St. Louis horror metal trio THE LION'S DAUGHTER will be hosting a two-hour radio special via Gimme Metal on April 9 @ 3:00 P.M. EDT to celebrate the release of their new full-length, 'Skin Show,' which drops the same day! Frontman Rick Giordano has cultivated a very special playlist and will be present in the live chat to interact with fans! As always, it is FREE to subscribe and sign up! Tune in HERE.

Moreover, THE LION'S DAUGHTER will also be supporting the new offering with a brand new live stream! The stream is part of a four night event by Sinkhole and will air on Sunday, April 11 @ 8:00 P.M. EDT. The band will also be joined by HELL NIGHT for a double feature! Tickets and merch bundles are available at THIS LOCATION.

The band will also be hosting an in-person album release party and merch pop up in their hometown of St. Louis, MO on April 8 on the Punk Patio of The Record Space. Fans who attend the event will be able to purchase the record one day in advance of the release and will have an opportunity to meet and greet the band. 4 Hands Brewing will be sponsoring the event and providing free beverages to those who are 21+. The event is free to attend and will occur from 4:00 - 8:00 P.M. CDT. RSVP HERE.

'Skin Show' could serve as the soundtrack to Times Square in the 1970s - the epicenter of sin and salacious misdeeds; a haven for sex, drugs, and crime beneath the inviting glow of neon signs from sleazy adult video stores; a place one would not dare walk alone after midnight unless tempted by devil himself. Its deviant, raw, nasty, disturbing, and yet, the most lively, evolved, and polished version of the trio yet.

'Skin Show' is due on April 9 and is available now for pre-orders HERE.

Make no mistake, while there is a blatant antithesis between the band’s two personalities, the duality is a major part of Skin Show’s identity. Reflected not only in the music, but also through the ominous and unsettling artwork created by Mothmeister. When asked about the collaboration, Giordano says, “We worked with Mothmeister again for the album art and used a similar approach as we did with the music. Things are stripped down, more direct, more focused. There's a sense of fear, isolation, and madness that very much correlates with the music. The character on the outside is in white and surrounded in light, while the character on the inside is in black surrounded by darkness. But it's ultimately two sides of the same character. I think that's a good representation of the themes within the album, dark things within people that they may want to keep hidden.”

The Lion’s Daughter may elude all characterization, fitting in all boxes while also fitting in none at all, but one thing is for certain, the genuine artistry behind Skin Show is forthright and undeniable. Whether it be a poppy opus like the title track or the haunting and sludgy vibes of “The Chemist,” all ten tracks are guaranteed to be bangers, holding the listener at knifepoint and demanding their attention with each and every note.

Recording Lineup:
Rick Giordano - Guitars, vocals, synths, bass
Erik Ramsier - Drums and percussion
Scott Fogelbach - Vocals

Live Lineup:
Rick Giordano - Guitars, vocals, synths
Erik Ramsier - Drums and percussion
Scott Fogelbach - Bass, vocals

Recording Studio: Firebrand Recording (St. Louis, MO, USA)

Producer/Sound Engineer: Sanford Parker

Mixing Studio & Engineer: Sanford Parker @ Hybercube (St. Louis, MO, USA)

Mastering Studio and Engineer: Colin Jordan @ The Boiler Room (Chicago, IL, USA)

Cover Art: Mothmeister

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

For more info on THE LION'S DAUGHTER, visit the band's official FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, and BANDCAMP.

TOMBS To Host Two-Hour Radio Special via Gimme Metal on Friday, December 11

December 8, 2020

Subscribe to Season Of Mist for new releases : https://som.lnk.to/YouTubeTaken from the album 'Under Sullen Skies'. Release Date: November 20, 2020. Order he...

New York/New Jersey metal formation TOMBS will be hosting their own very special two-hour radio special via Gimme Metal on Friday, December 11 @ 3:00 P.M. EST. In addition to curating a very special playlist, members of the band will be present for a live Q&A. You can sign up and tune in for FREE at THIS LOCATION.

Currently, TOMBS mainman Mike Hill also hosts Gimme Metal's flagship podcast, Metal Matters, which can also be heard HERE.

TOMBS is currently supporting their latest full-length, 'Under Sullen Skies,' which was released in November of 2020. The record has been named one of the best metal releases of 2020 by Metal Insider, Decibel Magazine, and others while drummer Justin Spaeth has been dubbed one of the best drummers of 2020 by Sick Drummer Magazine.

In addition, TOMBS previously premiered the official music video for their new song, "The Hunger," which pays homage to cinema's most infamous vampires! The song and video, which was created by Jaclyn Sheer

'Under Sullen Skies' can be streamed, downloaded, and ordered HERE.

There’s a line from Mike Hill’s audiobook/tour diary of ANODYNE’s 2004 European tour in which the gravel-throated frontman affirms, “I will always outwork you.” In that case, Hill was referring to an incident in Germany early on during a six-week long overseas jaunt with his previous band. In actuality, however, he could have been talking about any instance between when he first picked up a guitar as a teen and the present. Whether it’s his history dating back to previous bands OTIS, ANODYNE, KING GENERATOR or VERSOMA, his ongoing solo work in VASILEK, the more recent SCORPION THRONE project or his thirteen year reign as the driving force and nerve center of post-black metal institution TOMBS, hard work is second nature and nothing will keep the guitarist/vocalist from creative endeavor and expression. And it’s not just music in which his propulsive work ethic has gleaned results: Hill also is the CEO and roast master at Savage Gold Coffee (a labelling nod to TOMBS’ 2014 album of the same name), the host/producer/creator of the Everything Went Black podcast, host and producer of Gimme Radio’s Metal Matters flagship podcast, the creator and co-host of horror podcast Necromaniacs as well as a stalwart in the print and online journalism world covering music and MMA fighting. His is, has been and always will be a life steeped in dedication and with unassailable drive in the cross hairs. And despite the world being put on pause, Hill refuses to curtail his innate determination and ongoing tenacity with the result being TOMBS emerging with the next chapter in its impressive catalog and growing legacy: the band’s fifth full-length, 'Under Sullen Skies'.

“The week VERSOMA broke up in 2007, I started TOMBS,” he says, recalling how, characteristically, the band started before any dust was permitted to settle. “The initial rehearsals ended up being the bulk of material that showed up on the first [self-titled] EP. The intent from the beginning was to get back to playing music I wanted to hear and to not be so concerned with genre or satisfying anyone else’s desires. It was to do music on a personal level and be a reflection of the darkness I’ve felt throughout my life.”

Formed in the gritty corners of pre-gentrified Brooklyn, NY, TOMBS’ early mandate was steeped in the harshness and atonality of black metal but dosed with trace amounts of the varied influences and inspirations ingrained in Hill’s musical muscle memory by previous bands. “The canon of music TOMBS has created has spanned several different genres, but I’ve always had it my intent for there to always be a certain amount of violence and hardness lurking the background.”

Those early years delivered splits and singles, the highly revered 'Winter Hours' debut in 2009 and Decibel’s 2011 Album of the Year, 'Path of Totality'. Never one to sit still, 'Path of Totality' was followed by appreciable and impressive amounts of touring in accordance with the lauding afforded by critics and fans and the braying of foes, which only served as fuel for Hill’s perseverance. Savage Gold came three years later after which a restless Hill began nudging TOMBS’ black metal base into territories populated by gothic and death rock artists like FIELDS OF THE NEPHILIM and SISTERS OF MERCY as well as avant-garde purveyors Caspar Brotzmann and Live Skull while never forgetting – or being able to – scrape the grime of NYC from under his fingernails. The addition of a second guitar and live keyboards/samples brought a fuller sound and allowed noise sequences and soundscapes to be brought to the live show. It was around the time of 2016 'All Empires Fall' EP that TOMBS punctuated its iconoclastic spirit and thought process. Despite then-being part of the Relapse Records family, the band struck out with the intent of self-releasing the EP in order to retain as much independence as contractual obligations would allow – retaining the digital and publishing rights while eventually licensing the record back to Relapse. A one album stint in 2017 under the Metal Blade banner birthed 'The Grand Annihilation' into the world where TOMBS took broader and more daring steps into buffering black metal with morose melody, sullen death rock and classic METALLICA chugging. Following a parting from Metal Blade, the band – now completed by drummer Justin Spaeth, guitarist Matt Medeiros and bassist Drew Murphy, who are also 3/4ths of New Jersey death metal crew KALOPSIA - quickly found a home on Season of Mist and issued the 'Monarchy of Shadows' EP literally a week before the world went into Coronavirus lockdown.

“The original strategy assumed we would be on the road for most of 2020,” says Hill with a lamenting laugh. “We had a sick tour with Napalm Death planned right after the EP’s release. We were going to record the new full-length before the tour and have it come out in the fall. There was all kinds of tour talk and plans and 2020 would have been a tour-de-force of TOMBSactivity in the United States and Europe. Obviously, none of that is happening, but we’re still going ahead with the record.”

Of course they are. Throw a hurdle in front of Mike Hill and he’ll never shy at rolling up his sleeves and taking on the challenge. Even with the world in shutdown mode, Hill is still brimming with enthusiasm about the input and work ethic of the current TOMBS lineup and how Spaeth, Mederios and Murphy stepped up to the plate in the creation of 'Under Sullen Skies'.

“Everyone contributes on this record and the door has always been open for others to do so. There has always been this misconception that I’m some sort of tyrant always telling people what to do and play. The fact of the matter is that most of the time I outwork people; that’s just the way I am. No one is ever going to outwork me on any level in any area of my life and I was always coming up with material. Now, I have these maniacs in the band who are equally motivated and there’s a whole new life injected into TOMBS. That’s awesome and I love it. These days we’ll try anything and we actually write stuff and throw it out because it’s not perfect. It’s more like a writing committee, which I really appreciate. It’s not just me writing everything. It’s a big difference from 'The Grand Annihilation' which was basically a solo record.”

'Under Sullen Skies' is this lineup’s second kick at twisting black metal’s DNA around dank emotional corners, psychological turmoil and the urban underbelly all of which is unavoidably coloured and touched by the present-day status of life on this here Earth.

“The album’s title came during all this and the sort of post-apocalyptic world we’re living in,” Hill explains. “It encapsulates an overall feeling of gloom and depression which is pretty much how we’ve been living for most of this year. The title was the last piece to fall into place. I remember standing on the roof of the building I was living in at the time on a grey day and it was raining – actually, it wasn’t even raining; it was a half-assed attempt at rain! – and depressing and I just thought, ‘What a sullen sky’ and it just stuck with me.”

The album starts with “Bone Collector,” a furious blast of melodic black metal that shifts gears towards an anthemic fist-pumping slog through the goth rock-thrash metal VENN DIAGRAM. “Void Constellation” takes as many cues from Peaceville Three gloom and doom as it does the death metal stomp of OBITUARY and INCANTATION. “Descensum” mines the various well-worn parts of Ride the Lightning for influence before blasting the doors open with some startlingly spacious chromatic single-note atonality. As the album progresses, further textures and moods are employed via acoustic instrumentation and keyboards as well as sampled soundscapes all butting heads with furious second wave black metal and sly to nods to death rock heroes SISTERS OF MERCY and FIELDS OF THE NEPHILIM, all of the band’s motivations and interests being dropped into the chameleonic pair of tracks closing the album, “Sombre Ruin” and the appropriately titled “Plague Years.”

“‘Barren’ stands out as the song that’s most collaborative,” notes Hill. “Justin wrote the bulk of the riffs on that one, that sort of NWOBHM/SCORPIONS ending part is something I came up with, Matt added a bunch of guitar harmonies over it and Drew’s bass is laid thick underneath. That one is one of the biggest group efforts and one of the strongest songs on the record.
“I explore a lot of the archetypes that are used in folklore on this record, like werewolves and vampires which I’ve always been interested in, and on a song like ‘Secrets of the Black Sun’ I talk about the finite nature of our time on this planet, that nothing is really permanent and being aware of that whether as an individual or as a civilization, which I guess fits in with the pandemic and the changes that are going on. There are all kinds of other people, civilizations and creatures that have come and gone long before us and if you think about it over a long enough time span, everyone’s life expectancy goes down to zero.”

The new album not only sees Hill expanding his creative and collaborative comfort zone by wholly embracing the offerings of his band mates, but he’s also let down the drawbridge to allow folks from beyond the immediate TOMBSfamily to include what he describes as “mad guest spots.”

“There’s Cat Cabral, who does the spoken word piece on ‘Angel of Darkness.’ She’s not a musician per se; she’s more from the occult and witchcraft world. I’ve been friends with her for a really long time and she’s a great resource for esoteric knowledge. She’s also an actress who has done plays and commercials and been in films, so I figured she’d be the perfect person to deliver dialogue in an emotionally deep way, and be good at taking direction. Ray Suhy from SIX FEET UNDER rips the guitar solo in ‘Barren’ and that solo is its own masterpiece, in my opinion. BLACK CROWN INITIATE and former TOMBS live guitarist Andy Thomas contributed a guitar solo in ‘Void Constellation.’ Todd Stern from PSYCROPTIC plays the solo in ‘Mortem.’ Sera Timms from IDES OF GEMINI and BLACK MATH HORSEMAN does guest vocals on ‘Secrets of the Black Sun.’ We’ve got INTEGRITY’s Dwid Hellion singing the chorus on ‘The Hunger’ and BLACK ANVIL’s Paul Delaney also doing a couple of verses on ‘Angel of Darkness.’ So, yeah, there are a bunch of people on there and it’s like a community effort which I enjoy. I like involving people I respect and having them be a part of the whole thing.”

After spending his entire adult life navigating the pitfalls and pratfalls of the industry for expressive and creative opportunity, Hill has amassed an impressive legacy, one that 'Under Sullen Skies' contributes to admirably and irreverently. Like most, the extreme music underground lifer and veteran is probably justified in approaching the future with very muted optimism, but while the world works at screwing its head back on straight, Hill is going to do what he wants to do as well as he possibly can. Uncertainty may reign at the moment, but Hill and TOMBS are still going to do their thing and will be content to please themselves in the process. If anyone else happens to be along for the ride, then welcome aboard.

“'Under Sullen Skies' is a dark and introspective album,” he asserts. “It’s not a happy record that anyone is going to use to get pumped up on a Friday night. We wanted to pull out the stops, go full-on and make a nice body of work. I could care less if anyone likes the band or not because I’ve been through so many ups and downs with this thing that I don’t give a fuck if people enjoy the music. I know I like it, I know the guys in the band like it and we’re just rocking and rolling. This record and the EP came out about as close as I could imagine to what I have in my brain about how this band should sound. The whole trajectory of the band has had each record never quite hitting, but 'Monarchy of Shadows' and 'Under Sullen Skies' have both really come out how I envisioned the songs to be.”

Line-up:
Mike Hill – guitars, vocals, electronics, synth
Matt Medeiros – guitars
Drew Murphy – bass, vocals
Justin Spaeth – drums, guitars, electronics, synth

Guest Musicians:
Cat Cabral – Spoken Word Dialog on “Angel of Darkness”
Paul Delaney (BLACK ANVIL) – additional vocals on “Angel of Darkness”
Dwid Hellion (INTEGRITY) – additional vocals on “The Hunger”
Todd Stern (PSYCROPTIC) – guitar solo on “Mordum”
Ray Suhy (SIX FEET UNDER) – guitar solo on “Barren”
Andy Thomas (BLACK CROWN INITIATE) – guitar solo on “Void Constellation”
Sera Timms (IDES OF GEMINI, BLACK MATH HORSEMAN) – additional vocals on “Secrets of the Black Sun”

Recording and Mixing: Fright Box Studios, Clifton, NJ, USA

Mastering/Producer/Sound Engineer: Bobby Torres

Cover Art: Valnoir

Bio: Kevin Stewart-Panko

Links
https://www.facebook.com/TombsBklyn/
https://www.instagram.com/tombscult/
https://twitter.com/TOMBS666
https://tombscult.bandcamp.com/
EverythingWentBlack.podbean.com

Shop: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/tombs-skies

For more on TOMBS, visit their official FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, and BANDCAMP.