ENSANGUINATE

ENSANGUINATE

Ensaguinate is Slovenia’s putrid entry into the death metal grimoire of old, performing sinister sounds inspired by Possessed, Morbid Angel, Grotesque and Nihilist, along with a somber tinge of black metal. The mission statement behind Ensanguinate is to play death metal with an occult 80’s atmosphere that adheres to the original morbid vision of the genre before it experienced mainstream appeal. All of these traits are encapsulated within the group’s catchy and pummeling debut EP, “Entranced by Decay”, featuring four songs of fast, abrasive death, that will be released by Emanzipation in May.

Formed in 2020, Ensanguinate originally released “Entranced By Decay” as a demo to positive reviews in August 2020. Four tracks of blistering death metal described by US heavily trafficked website No Clean Singing as “An electrifying, neck-cracking romp packed with jittery and jolting fretwork as well as monstrous echoing growls and livid howls”.

In addition to garnering online praise, Ensanguinate has also managed to navigate the global plague and perform live; the band is looking to hit the road as soon as the pandemic lets up and is already hard at work on their debut LP to be released by Emanzipation Productions.

“Eldritch Anatomy” was announced in June for a release on September 2nd, 2022. The debut album of the Slovenian death metal upstarts delivered a furious maelstrom of classic 80s extreme metal. Consisting of nine tracks that run the gamut from slow and brooding to fast-paced blasts of energy, “Eldritch Anatomy” had enough extreme underground metal pedigree to satisfy fans of Possessed, Morbid Angel and Death as well as those who are accustomed to the sinister melodic edge of Watain and Dissection. 

Line-up:
Andrej Čuk – guitars, vocals
Jaka Črešnar – guitars
Miha Šinigoj – bass
Matjaž Winkler – drums

Web:
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Tardus Mortem

TARDUS MORTEM

Tardus Mortem is a Blackened-Death metal band from funen Denmark, which sole purpose is to suffocate the listener in ominous tales of Christ and providence by using their instruments to create morbid melodies enchanting the impending Armageddon. The band consists of Dennis Strømberg, age 20 (ex-Black Tritonus ex-Human Mutilation, Apocalyptic Frost, Rancid Pus) on drums and vocals, Lasse Usbeck Andresen, age 22 (ex-Ilumize, ex- Human Mutilation) on guitar and vocals and Christian Baier Rasmussen, age 22 (ex-Error 404 ex-Dark Marshall) on bass and vocals.

Forming back in 2015 with Strømberg, Jonas Jørgensen on bass and Christian Stahl on drums, this lineup only produced one demo the “Reincarnated Through Bloodshed” demo, before the lineup fell apart. Through the years 2016 and 2017 Dennis created and recorded the “As Life Ends” demo, with the goal of continuing the band in a darker and more desolate style of death metal.

The “reformation” came in 2017, where Dennis switched to drums and Lasse and Christian joined the band on guitar and bass. The intention was to create music that echoes the bowels of hell. By using lower tuned guitars, guttural hymns, and intense drums. That vision has remained since then in the band. Though the “Engulfed in Pestilent Darkness” album, the hymns have only gotten more desolate and Apocalyptic. Which has come across the few concerts the band has played from 2017 to now. And that comes across on the new album, “Armageddon”, released on Emanzipation on November 2021.

Line-up:
Dennis Kruse Strømberg: drums, vocals
Lasse Usbeck Andresen: guitars, vocals
Christian Baier Rasmussen: bass, vocals

Web:
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Bandcamp
Spotify
Instagram


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Shiny Daggers

SHINY DAGGERS

Blistering skies above the majestic landscapes in a cloud of misty woods, Shiny Daggers enter the unholy world of Nordic Metal. Fire souls, darkness unite, as the devil inside unlocks lurking spirits in a fascination of sexual lust and strangulation.

Shiny Daggers sharpen its teeth and penetrate deep with bloodred hatred in a vicious battle to protect the values of Nordic Metal And Culture.

Repeat again, again & again. Necro, Necro, Necro. Come to me in death, naked and wide open. Desecrate, and love your hate, don’t suffocate on your own fate.

Come to me. Look at them kick. The devil inside. Every single one of us. To hell…..

Logo by Tørchel

WE HAIL NORDIC METAL AND CULTURE

Line-up:
Obesitus Shreddius: strings
Monachos: battery
Arkan The Black: keys
Galeopithecus: howls


SOLSTICE

SOLSTICE

Solstice was formed in 1990 by Rob Barrett, Alex Marquez, and Dennis Munoz in Miami, Florida. Soon after their first demo, the band signed to Steamhammer/SPV, the German label that released their first two albums. However, after Rob left to join Cannibal Corpse and with Alex increasingly busy with Malevolent Creation and Demolition Hammer, the band went into a long hiatus. After a few hints to reunite, the third album finally saw the light of day in 2009.

In 2021, powered with the new blood brought by Taylor and Marcel Salas, Solstice was back in full force, with an impressive display of power in the form of the fourth album, “Casting The Die”, released via Emanzipation.

At the same time, Emanzipation also re-released, in highly collectible CD and LP editions, the albums “Pray” (originally released in 1995) and “The Sentencing” (1992), as well as the 1991 demo,  with remastered sound and renewed artwork.

In 2022 it was time for “To Dust”, the 2009 Solstice album, to get a full reissue treatment, being re-released in golden vinyl.

Line-up:
Ryan Taylor: vocals, guitar
Alex Marquez: drums
Dennis Munoz: guitar
Marcel Salas: bass

Web:
Facebook


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STASS

STASS

STASS is the death metal vehicle for Felix Stass, of the mighty german gothmetal giants Crematory.

The band was formed after Felix and Rogga Johansson (Paganizer, Ribspreader, etc) met at a show, and later collaborated on a song for one of Rogga’s other bands.

After this the need to make more music together arose and the debut album “The Darkside” came in 2017, showcasing dark and melodic death metal.

For the following album, however, Felix had another idea though, and wanted to go full-on dirty but massive old-school death metal. Still melodic but with the groove and grit from the old Swedish sound both in songrwriting and in the albums sound.

The result is “Songs Of Flesh And Decay”, heavily leaning towards the old Sunlight Studio sound and with songs that are both heavy and catchy. To be released on January 2021 via Emanzipation.

Line-up:
Felix Stass – Vocals (CREMATORY)
Rogga Johansson – Guitars (PAGANIZER, REVOLTING, DEMIURG, RIBSPREADER)
Kjetil Lynghaug – Lead guitars (MORDENIAL)
Thomas Ohlsson – Drums (APOSTASY)

Web:
https://www.facebook.com/stassband

 


Creeping Flesh

CREEPING FLESH

Established in Swedish Death Metal haven Gothenburg in 2013, Creeping Flesh started on a mission to play old school death metal in the style of bands such as Bolt Thrower, Asphyx and Obituary, mixed with Swedish melody and sound.

One year later, their first release, the EP “Unravelled by War” (2014) firmly established the sound of the band. The release was soon to be followed by two more EPs; “Rising Terror” (2015) and “Scorched” (2016).

Formed by William Persson Öberg, Sofus Stille, Martin Kadhammar (also in Strykjärn), Robert Karlsson (ex-Misfire), and Conny Nyberg, the band did several successful live shows, including a debut gig at Gothenburg Deathfest in 2015, and a tour of England in 2017.

Following the departure of bass player Conny Nyberg, friend of the band Korp Thidrandir joined to complete the lineup, and saw the band play bigger stages with festival shows at both House of Metal and Gefle Metal Festival in Sweden. After two years of intense song writing they released their first full length album “Into the Meat Grinder” in September of 2019.

In 2021 the band signed a deal with Emanzipation Productions and recorded their second studio album, “…And Then the Bombs Came”, which was released on February 11th, 2022.

Line-up:
William Persson Öberg: guitar
Sofus Stille: guitar
Martin Kadhammar: drums
Robert Karlsson: vocals
Korp Thidrandir: bass

Web:
Official Site
Facebook
Spotify
Apple Music
Bandcamp


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Shadowspawn

Shadowspawn

Shadowspawn is a Danish death-metal act with old school death and thrash metal influences. With a cocktail of traditional death metal, thrash and technical metal, Shadowspawn comes your way with aggressive and powerful riffs in a groovy metal blend. The band was formed in November 2012. And shortly after releasing a 4-track Promo in 2014, Shadowspawn signed a deal with US label HPGD Productions securing the release of the first official album entitled “Ashes Of Sorrow”, released on February 2015.

Keeping the momentum up, the group released the full-length album “Hope Lies Dormant” in November 2017. Critics have received this album very well, and the notable metal magazine Heavymetal.dk announced it “Danish album of the year 2017”. The album featured 11 tracks of pure groovy death and thrash metal!

In 2021, Shadowspawn signed a deal with renowned Danish label Emanzipation Productions, and released “The Biology of Disbelief”, taking another step forward towards world domination.

Now, in 2023, “Blasphemica”, the new album from the Danes demonstrates the band’s growth and evolution, while still retaining their signature no-frills-death-metal sound. However, “Blasphemica” walks the extra mile for the band and pushes the boundaries of their musicality, incorporating elements of groove, darkness, and brutality into a cohesive whole. The album showcases the band’s maturity as songwriters and their ability to craft intricate, yet headbanging-worthy compositions.

With ten groovy death metal tracks, set in an abstract lyrical world of steampunk and religious criticism in the pocket, the band visited Tue Madsen at the renowned Antfarm Studios, for drum recording and, later, for mix and mastering, ensuring the best possible sound for their new opus. This will be also Shadowspawn first album with their new drummer Lukas Meier, known from The Petulant and Sacrificial.

“Blasphemica – Absolution Carved From Flesh” will be released on LP (black vinyl, limited to 300) and digital formats via Emanzipation Productions on October 27th, 2023. 

Lineup:
Bue T. Jensen – vocals
Nicolai Cheung – guitars
Oliver Ragnar – guitars
Kelvin Dam – bass
Lukas Meier – drums

Web:
www.shadowspawn.dk
www.youtube.com/shadowspawnmusic
www.facebook.com/shadowspawn

Band photo by Mark Stoumann


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BRUTALITY

BRUTALITY

One of the most important US death metal bands alongside Deicide & Morbid Angel, Brutality  from Tampa, Fl. has been devastating the underground since 1986

In 1988 they released their first demo “Brutality” which gained them recognition in the underground fanzines.

Their 2nd demo “Dimension Demented” was recorded in 1990 releasing a 7-inch EP on Gore Records called “Hell on Earth”.

1991 saw the release of “Metamorphosis” a cassette EP that received worldwide distribution on Wild Rags Records.

After necessary lineup changes in 1992, the band propelled forward and into the studio to record a new demo. The band utilized this demo to shop for a record deal and found interest from many different labels. They signed with Nuclear Blast Records and released a 2-song, 7-inch EP called “Sadistic”.

Brutality’s first album “Screams of Anguish” was released in 1993. They toured with Hypocrisy in Europe and crushed venues with their dark metal riffs.

The band’s 2nd album “When The Sky Turns Black” was released in 1994. The release of “When The Sky Turns Black” spawned a European-wide venture where they toured with Bolt Thrower & Cemetery.

With continued efforts to improve their sound and direction, additional lineup changes were made in 1995 and they started writing their 3rd album “In Mourning”. This, their 3rd and most recent album was released in 1996.

After years of success Brutality’s band members decided to disband, to pursue personal gain with family and their careers.

All three of Brutality albums were re-mastered and released in 2008 on Metal Mind Productions with unreleased bonus tracks.

Mid-2012 Brutality reformed and released the EP “Ruins Of Humanity” on CD in the US and on 7″ep vinyl in Europe through Mighty Music.

The comeback album “Sea Of Ignorance” was released in the States and South America through the band’s own label in 2016. In May 2017 the album did finally get a proper release through Mighty Music in Europe on CD, LP and digital.

Come May 2019 and the band announced a new record deal with Emanzipation Productions.

In October 2020, however, the band announced they were going to split up. Emanzipation Productions got in touch right away to see if Brutality were interested in releasing a “swansong” album before they were done for good. The band was renitent at the beginning but were slowly convinced to work on a new release, amidst all Covid madness. Two new songs were already written, to which Brutality added two old tracks, re-recorded in 2018 for a limited self-released 7″ EP. To complete the release, four tracks recorded live at the Maryland Death Fest in 2019 were also added. The final result is “Sempiternity”, the new Brutality record, released in May 2022. Will it be their last? 

Line-up:

Scott Reigel – vocals
Jeff Acres – bass/vocals
Jay Fernandez – guitar
Jarrett Pritchard – guitar
Ronnie Parmer – drums   

Web:
www.brutalitytheband.com/
www.facebook.com/BrutalityTheBand/
twitter.com/tampabrutality


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Toxaemia

TOXAEMIA

Toxaemia has been around since January 1989, one of the pioneering bands of Swedish death metal. They made some line-up changes but the core is still intact. In three years the band has managed to record two demos and two 7” Eps. Unfortunately, Toxaemia never released the second EP, since they played and released material until 1992 when, for various reasons, took a break. It just happened they practiced less and less and eventually, it just stopped. Life stepped in and all the members left Motala. It was to be 25 years before they were all back living in the same town again. Once that happened it didn’t take them long to reform!

Toxaemia reformed in 2017 and started playing some old tunes and writing new material. Initially, it was all just to have some laughs and play some music again. The band members took it all slow and started rehearsing a little bit. Slowly they started to gel again musically. Some of the musicians had not touched their instruments since 1992 when they quit playing.

In September 2018 Toxaemia got an offer to play a local Extreme Metal Festival – Bomber Fest (Winter Edition) in thir hometown Motala on the 29th of December. This was the spark needed to light the fire in their hearts. They wrote three new songs and relearned some old tunes, and started practicing like crazy. But still, there was something missing and mid-November was when their new lead guitar player Rasmus Axelsson joined Toxaemia.

The 29th of December came and they were set to Headline a four-day festival, and after what felt like a very long day. They took the stage just before midnight and released all the band’s energy and soul into the set in front of a sold-out Bomber Bar in Motala. After this Dennis Johansson joined the band on vocals as they commited to being the best Toxaemia they could possibly can. About two weeks before Scandinavia Deathfest they found out that their friend and drummer Emil could not perform with them anymore. This was a decision not taken lightly and no shadow will fall on Emil, all the band stand behind him in that. So the five-piece managed to secure the services of Perra Karlsson on drums.

Currently, Toxaemia is open for bookings and they are in the process of recording their first album.

Line-up:
Stevo Bolgakov: guitar, vocals
Pontus Cervin: bass
Rasmus Axelsson: lead guitar
Dennis Johansso: vocals
Per ”Perra” Karlsson: drums

Web:
https://www.facebook.com/ToxaemiaSweden


BURN THE MANKIND

BURN THE MANKIND

Guitarist Marcos Moura started the project after the split-up of NEPHASTH, one of the most prominent Brazilian death metal bands in the early 2000s, of which he was a member. The band recorded an EP in 2010, influenced by Death Metal, Grindcore and Thrash Metal.

During the recording of the first album, there were changes in the line-up: guitarist Rafael Barros, another former member of NEPHASTH, was invited to join the band. With the album recorded by the original line-up, leaving only the recording of a few backing vocals by Barros and the final production and mixing, the band released the album titled “To Beyond” in December 2015 with physical and digital worldwide distribution by Danish label MIGHTY MUSIC and the following year in Brazil by CIANETO DISCOS.

The album received praise from the international and Brazilian specialized media. Critic and editor Dom Lawson of the renowned English magazine METAL HAMMER in February 2016 issue commented: “In addition to the rare joy of hearing a young death metal band that truly grasp what makes the genre great, To Beyond proves that Brazil’s love affair with underground extremity has spawned a terrifying new monster. “. In July 2017 there is a new lineup change, Brazilian Black Metal band SYMPHONY DRACONIS singer, Marcelo Nekard, takes over vocals and bass. The band continued to perform and in February of the following year, they were part of the cast at the important OPEN THE ROAD OPEN AIR FESTIVAL in Londrina (Brazil), which brought together more than 30 bands from various countries in South America.

In 2018, drummer Sandro Moreira (REBAELLIUN, EXTERMINATE) joined the band. So, in December the new lineup was officialized with the announcement of the beginning recordings of a 4 tracks EP. In November 2019, the band announced that “Chaos Matter” will be the name of the new record. The production is once again signed by Henrique Fioravanti of FROM HELLCORDS STUDIOS (Porto Alegre/Brazil). As a preview of this release, the digital single “Sudden Inversion” was released on 13 December 2019.

The EP will be released in July 2020 by CIANETO DISCOS in Brazil and worldwide via danish label EMANZIPATION PRODUCTIONS in physical format and digital.

Line-up:
Marcelo Nekard: bass, vocals
Rafael Barros: guitars, backing vocals
Marcos Moura: guitars
Sandro Moreira: drums

Web:
https://www.facebook.com/burnthemankind/