Corpse Garden Reveal Details of New Album 'Entheogen'

Corpse Garden, the five-piece death metal outfit from Costa Rica are proud to announce that their second album, Entheogen will be released this May 15th through both Russian Label Satanath Records and German Label RTM Productions.

Album review corpse-garden-entheogen

The title Entheogen refers to a chemical substance that is often used in religious or spiritual practices to aim for transcendence. Vocalist Felipe Tencio elaborates further,

“We think [Entheogen] is what really describes the music and the sound we accomplished with this album as well as it being an analogy for the transformation the band suffered, and the lyrical concept. The lyrics go through each one of the seven operations of alchemical transformation and Carl Jung's studies on Individuation.”

Satanath Records Owner Aleksey had this to say on the label’s newest signing,

 “I like this young and talented band. Their music is mysterious and meets all the canons of the style that I love. The album spews out energetic and technical death metal with a delicious bass in the spirit of old school death metal. Yet Corpse Garden do not fixate on the [old school vibe] and thereby retain their originality. Verdict: It is impossible not to release!”

The Entheogen artwork was designed by Alexander L.Brown [BNB Illustration and Design].

Formed in 2009, Corpse Garden released one EP before settling down to record their debut full-length release Burnt By The Light [2012]. Riding high from the great response from their debut, the band powered on to win the Central American heat in the worldwide Wacken Metal Battle competition and represented the area at the 2012 Wacken festival in Germany. With a comprehensive line-up change in 2013 to what is their current set-up, Corpse Garden settled down to compose and write what would become Entheogen. Entering the Bushido Audio Production Studio in 2014 with producer Juan Pablo Calvo, the album was mastered by Eri Román at SoloHit Studios in San José.

'Entheogen' Track Listing

1. The Quantum Rapture

2. In the Womb of Chaos

3. Portal to the Oneiric

4. The Arrival of Saturn

5. Suspended Over the Abyss

6. Evoking a Dead Sun

7. Sulphur

8. Neux Ex Machina

9. The First Incarnation

10. A Balance of Opposites

11. The Emerald Vision

12. Red Pulvis Solaris

13. Enantiodromia

.thecorpsegarden.com

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DEATHBLOW to release 'The Other Side of Darkness' EP April 21

Salt Lake City, UT Thrash Metallers DEATHBLOW will release new EP The Other Side of Darkness on April 21. The sophomore release continues the scorched earth campaign launched with 2014 debut full-length Prognosis Negative, upping the intensity level, sharpening the songwriting, and leaving any fan of true blue Thrash Metal in a state of pure bliss.

1. Beyond Obsession

2. Means To An End

3. The Other Side Of Darkness

4. Headless Throne

5. Death Wish

Stream the title track from The Other Side of Darkness at this location.

The Other Side of Darkness was recorded by Andy Peterson and DEATHBLOW. Peterson also handled mixing and mastering duties. Cover art comes courtesy of Andreas Marschall. The Other Side of Darkness is without question recommended for fans of KREATOR, SODOM, VOIVOD, and DESTRUCTION.

MUTANK Announce New Guitarist Jordan Kelly To Line Up

After co-founding member Steven "Steve-In" Breen decided to part ways with MUTANK in January to return to his hometown of St. John's, NL, the Montreal based thrashers and 2014 Wacken Metal Battle Canada winners found themselves in search of a new machine to fire up the fret boards.

In a statement issued by the band:
"The selection process wasn't easy by any means. Breen was such an enormous presence, regarding one a of a kind writing style, a flawless, yet savage stage performance and overall possessing the ideal chemistry the band needed to grow and evolve. 
We aren't just musicians in this band, we clearly are lunatics with instruments, and we need the type who can juggle swords and laugh about their scars later.
Standing apart during initial auditions was Jordan Kelly, a previous band mate of front man Stephen "Steve Out" Reynolds, also hailing from Newfoundland who had relocated to Montreal to further his musical career.
Being well versed in many underground styles, with a proven road ready dedication and drive with musical ability to match, the band decided on Jordan even before Breen had left Montreal. 
Keeping the "M.E.C.H. Metal" spirit as true as ever, MUTANK with our members current and past, are continuing to bust heads and wreak havoc on the scene. 
We had a lot of interest shown when Breen had made his choice to split final, and to those who had came down to audition - we say TANK MU! We are honoured to have had such great energy from distinctly styled guitarists who had tried out. 
Stay tuned for upcoming concert announcements, tonnes of heavy new music and more in the very near future. 
You've been warned......"

AD NAUSEAM to Release 'Nihil Quam Vacuitas Ordinatum Est

On March 31 Lavadome Productions will release Nihil Quam Vacuitas Ordinatum Est, the debut album from Italian quartet AD NAUSEAM. The album is bound to impress with its heaviness and destructive insanity. The eight technically complex, yet infinitely memorable tracks results in a timeless piece of Death Metal. Album track "My Buried Dream" is streaming here and "Terror Haze" here. Both tracks are also streaming on the label's YouTube channel.

The CD can be pre-ordered at this location. Digital pre-orders (with the above mentioned track streams) are being taken here.

1. My Buried Dream

2. Key To Timeless Laws

3. La Maison Diev

4. Into The Void Eye

5. Terror Haze

6. Lost In The Antiverse

7. The Black Veil Of Original Flaw

8. Superimposing Mere Will And Sheer Need

Nihil Quam Vacuitas Ordinatum Est was five years in the making and well worth the wait. The band has recorded and mixed the album in their own studio, even making some of its own equipment to capture the sound exactly as intended. The painstaking effort was driven by passion, energy, and creativity, collectively harnessed to ensure that mediocrity was crushed in the quest to create something relatively unique without abandoning familiar (and beloved) Death Metal constructs. Nihil Quam Vacuitas Ordinatum Est will undoubtedly appeal to fans of Gorguts, Ulcerate, Hate Eternal, Deathspell Omega, Human Remains, Ved Buens Ende and other genre visionaries. Confidence and determination permeates the sound of this debut, as AD NAUSEAM succeeds in capturing a potent mixture of darkness, iniquity, and extreme aggression.  To discover Nihil Quam Vacuitas Ordinatum Est is to discover a rare Death Metal gem.

Lectern - Exclusive interview

It is a pleasure to introduce our readers to the band Lectern.

Hello and welcome, please tell our readers a little about the band? Where are you from? How did this group come to be?

Fabio- "Rome, Italy and active since 1999".

How was the writing process conceived for this new material? Is it easier to compose music with the current line up?  Who writes the material?

Fabio- "Enrico our guitarist. We spent more than two years, even the lyrics were ready, and a sketch for the artwork".

The previous ep's, Salvific Of Perhaps Lambent and Lectern were released independently, did these two releases gain much attention without label support?

Fabio- "No and yes. We did everything on our own, as promotion and live shows. It's difficult if you're not famous, if you haven't a manager, a label or an agency which make your interests on the market. For many reasons, bands failed. We're still here, after all this time, as the demonstration that even with all the troubles you can have, you
have to carry on!".

Fratricidal Concelebration is the bands' first full album, what is the meaning of the title?

Fabio- "The demon on the cover, has four arms and hands. Those represent the band, in a brotherish affection, in a blood tie. Horns are the omnipotence, fire eyes the ambition, claws and the demon stand for evil and the easy prey we're gonna chase!".

How is the audience reception to your live performances? Any memorable experiences on the show circuit?

Fabio- "In Finland we kicked some asses! Great experience, in Italy is different, outside, we'll see and I will tell you next time!".

How is the death metal scene in your area? Has it grown since your band became established back in 1999?

Fabio- "Yes. Now is full of bands. Everything is faster now, if you pay you could have the best sounds in great studios, the best instruments and promotion. If you have a computer you can record and print an album, doing a sort of promotion by yourself. At the end of the 90's you had to be a skilled musician, playing in awful rehearsal rooms and at the cheapest fares. We were behind more than the other countries and bands. Always United States, England and Germany were leading".

Name some of  your most notable accomplishments? Any big bands that have shared the stage with you?

Fabio- "Not so much!".

How difficult was it to get the band's music noticed in the beginning?

Fabio- "A lot, especially for the growing Internet approach. We used a lot demo-trades, and fanzines, we got used in a primitive way, if we think to that times today! Writing letters to the bands: who does this now? But it was the only way, and if you were lucky you could become someone!".

With the release of the new full length, are there any tours or major shows in the works for 2015?

Fabio- "We're booking something, there are many offers to be evaluated".

Are there any plans to play shows in USA?

Fabio- "I hope so, as my brother-in-law lives in California, Union City we are waiting for his invitation! Hey John, we're still there! Don't forget to mention us on your next book, sucker!".

If booking agents/news/press want to get in contact with you, what is the best way to reach the band?

Fabio- "With an e-mail at lectern@mail.com please".

Thanks so much for participating in my 'zine, the last lines are for you, any final thoughts?

Fabio- "Go, reverse the cross!".

Band members:
Fabio Bava: vocals, bass
Pietro Sabato: guitar
Enrico Romano: guitar
Marco Valentine: drums

Discography:
Bisbetical (1999)
Salvific Of Perhaps Lambent (2010)
Lectern (2013)
Fratricidal Concelebration (2015)

www.lectern.in
www.facebook.com/lectern666
www.reverbnation.com/lectern
www.myspace.com/lecternband
www.metal-archives.com/bands/lectern
www.twitter.com/lectern666

Be sure to read the interview exclusive to this blog at this link Lectern-fratricidal-concelebration review

Fetid Zombie - Grotesque Creation

Fetid Zombie is a band conceived by artist Mark Riddick and various contributing musicians. Genre described as Death/Thrash Metal. Band origin; Leesburg, VA / USA.

Grotesque Creation album released on February 15th, 2015 Metalhit. My first impression, classic and intense death metal sounds. I spent several weeks listening to this album. To be honest this music resonates with me on all levels. Not just a standard death metal template of tracks. Each song has a certain character and substance and is memorable in its own way. At first, I did not expect it to be as monumental as it turned out to be. Take the song Into the Unknown, it starts like an early nineties metal song then it transcends into a darker and horror filled composition. The solo is great, simple and very memorable. I played this song numerous times. The title track "Grotesque Creation", features some creative bass lines than stand out in my head. In my mind this song is sure to be a classic. Some of the things that catch my ears are the subtle keyboards as well as creepy passages that resemble those of legendary horror film soundtracks such as those of Bava or Argento. Razor-Sharp Attack, I get a sense of thrash metal like that of Accept or Kreator. The Way of Mortality, the roots of early metal can be felt right from the start. Simple, yet very effective progression into some wicked sounding bass lines. Utterance of Doom (featuring Microcosm), the melodic passage half way into this song just mesmerizes me, then the solo comes in and just tops it off perfectly. The song that completely blew my mind away was "The Outstretched Hand of Rotten Death", it is an epic and devastating track. The beginning starts with a very melodic and intense bass line. The verse line comes in with a big solo that just makes my head move. The ending is by far the most moving piece of music for me, it conjures up images of all the classic horror films of the 80's and early nineties. I found myself playing this track over and over again and I can't say enough about it other than you have to experience it for yourself.

I have been a long time fan of Riddicks artwork and it is a pleasure to hear his music. It is just as amazing as his artwork and fits perfectly as a full package of horror and dark atmosphere.

For those interested to know who the contributing musicians on this project are, here is a quote right from the FZ facebook page Riddick regularly recruits special guest appearances by other distinct talents from bands like NUNSLAUGHTER, BONE GNAWER, ROTTING CHRIST, SWAMP, VARATHRON, NECROMANTIA, LOCULUS, ARSIS, GRAVEWURM, DEVOURMENT, RUDE, HORRENDOUS, CRUCIFIER, SKELETAL SPECTRE, etc.

In conclusion, the music is raw to the bone like the early death metal recordings of bands like Grave, Hypocrisy, Sinister and Gorguts. Each song holds a certain characteristic that set them apart from each other. The album is certain to be a cult classic. Fans of the old school dm as well as the new comers to the underground music should most definitly add this to their collection. ~Artemortifica

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Cyrax - Pictures

Cyrax is a five piece band consisting of Marco Cantoni - Lead Vocals, Filippo Ferrari - Lead and Rhythm Guitar, Paolo Musazzi - Lead and Rhythm Guitar, Cesare Ferrari - Bass, Lorenzo Beltrami - Drums. Genre described as heavy/Power/Prog/Thrash/Industrial Metal. Band origin Milano, Italy.

Pictures album to be released on March 31st through Bakerteam Records. Here we have nine tracks of power and progressive themes. A combination of both metal and melodic arrangements. The vocals and chorus parts are very elaborate. For example the song The 7th Seal, features choir type of chorus along with high screams and a dash of can be best describe as Merciful Fate style of vocals, very well executed. In terms of production, it is excellent, with all the different instruments. Everything is solid and pronounced. Some of my favorite tracks would be Oedipus Rex, These Greenvalleys and Shine Through Darkness pt. I, II, III. Complex and melodic solos can be found in each and every passage. Another thing that catches my ears is the amount of twist and turns you will hear. Rather than a standard format of song arrangements, there are some clever compositions that will keep you guessing as to what you will hear next. 

In conclusion, the music covers a wide field of genres and does it without any effort. Everything flows together well and with powerful intention. ~Artemortifica

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