DARKNESS
"BLOOD ON CANVAS"
Thrash/ Speed Metal
Year:26.04.2024
(MASSACRE RECORDS)

"Blood On Canvas" is the most ferocious album to date from the thrashers DARKNESS from Essen, Germany. The songs are more aggressive and heavier than anything else in the DARKNESS discography to date.Although it is not a concept album, "Blood On Canvas" is not a mere collection of nine songs created in one period, but a multi-faceted sound painting, painted with the colors of wrath.Musically, DARKNESS deliver the uncompromising and fast thrash metal they have been known for since their debut album "Death Squad" (1987). However, the compositions on this album are more complex and detailed than usual, without losing any of the aggression, heaviness and authenticity.The lyrics are no longer just a description of the madness that determines the course of this world, but get to the heart of the...

CEDRIC BURNSIDE
"HILL COUNTRY LOVE"
Blues
Year:05.04.2024
(MASCOT LABEL GROUP)

Cedric Burnside previous album, ‘I Be Trying’ from 2022, won a Grammy for Best Traditional Blues Album!Provogue Records is proud to announce the latest studio album from Grammy-Award Winning Bluesman, Cedric Burnside, entitled ‘Hill Country Love’.To Cedric Burnside, ‘Hill Country Love’ is a culmination of a career that’s already seen astonishing accomplishments and only keeps growing. When Cedric Burnside prepared to record ‘Hill Country Love’, the follow-up to his 2021 Grammy-winning album ‘I Be Trying’, he set up shop in a former legal office located in a row of structures in the seat of Tippah County, a town with 5,000 residents that’s known as the birthplace of the Hill Country Blues style. The fourteen songs on th...

FEUERSCHWANZ
"WARRIORS"
Folk Metal/ Viking Metal
Year:19.04.2024
(NAPALM RECORDS)

"For the first time in English! Celebrating their 20th anniversary, Feuerschwanz releases 2 brand-new English songs and 10 hits rearranged in English".CD/ LP:01    Highlander (English Version)02    The Unholy Grail (feat. Dominum, Orden Ogan)03    The Forgotten Commandment    04    Memento Mori (English Version, feat. Lord of the Lost, Chris Harms) 05    Death on the Dragonship    06    Wardwarf (feat. Francesco Cavalieri)07    Circlepit of Hell    08    Song of Ice and Fire (feat. Patty Gurdy)09    Purgatory    10    Bastard of Asgard    11    SGFRD Dra...

SARCASM
"MOURNINGHOUL"
Thrash/ Death Metal
Year:12.04.2024
(NAPALM RECORDS)

Sarcasm delivers a furious and energetic trip to the early days! Multifaceted entertainment for sophisticated Death Metal freaks!Sarcasm has had a storied career. Originally formed in Sweden in 1987, Sarcasm would release blistering Death Metal throughout the early and mid 90’s. After a shortlived reunion in 1997, they would come back into the fold in 2015 with a new re-designed version of their lineup. Now they return with their new full-length album “Mourninghoul”.“Mourninghoul” is Sarcasm’s fifth album, it was recorded during six months of the last year. Mixed and mastered by Lawrence Mackrory at Rorysound. With the new drummer Jesper Ojala the band has recorded their most dynamic and innovative album to date, while the band keeps evolving and raises ...

DEAD HEAD
"SHADOW SOUL"
Thrash/ Death Metal
Year:29.03.2024
(HAMMERHEART RECORDS)

Über Thrash Metal that might cause serious damage to body, mind & soul. Dead Head celebrates 35th anniversary with “Shadow Soul”!

• 35th anniversary release, proving Dead Head is stronger than ever!
• Recorded by Erwin Hermsen at Toneshed Studio (Trouble, Pestilence, Malevolent Creation) resulting in a crushing Thrash attack.
• Killer artwork by Vladimir Chebakov (Katalepsy, Hidious Divinity).

For fans of: Slayer, Kreator, Sadus, Dark Angel...

CD/ LP:

1. Litany of the Weak
2. Serpents of Fame
3. Caverns of Fate
4. Defiance
5. The Age of Hype
6. The Run
7. Opulent Disruption
8. Dark Emptiness

HAMMER KING
"KONIG UND KAISER"
Power Heavy Metal
Year:22.03.2024
(NAPALM RECORDS)

German heavy metal/power metal unit HAMMER KING are back with a brand-new bombastic full-length full of true headbanger hits! The new offering, entitled König und Kaiser, continues the storyline of the band paying homage to the mighty Hammer King, and is set for release on March 22, 2024 via Napalm Records. HAMMER KING, led by ex-Ross The Boss vocalist Titan Fox, was formed in 2015 and has captured the scene with their five previous offerings and live performances, among others at Summer Breeze Open Air following their last album, the massive (?) 2022 release Kingdemonium. On König und Kaiser the band is joined by noteworthy guest features from the likes of The Tribune (of labelmates WARKINGS), with whom HAMMER KING is heading out on a huge European tour with in spring 2024. Hamm...

ROTTING CHRIST
"PRO XRISTOU"
Black Metal
Year:24.05.2024
(SEASON OF MIST)

For over three decades, Tolis brothers Sakis and Themis have carved a blackened path through the metal world. Architects of the Hellenic black metal, ROTTING CHRIST have been blending histrionic atmospheres, mesmerizing choirs, and neo-classical arrangements for 35 years.Now, the Greek metal legends present their 14th studio album: ‘Pro Xristou’. Translating to “Before Christ” in Greek, this album is a fervent tribute to the last Pagan kings who stood resilient against the Christian tide, safeguarding ancient values and knowledge. Dive deep into the legacies of figures like Flavius Claudius Julianus and Nordic mythological kings through tracks such as "The Apostate" and "Ygdrassil".‘Pro Xristou’ encapsulates the essence of Rotting Christ's signature...

D-A-D
"GREATEST HITS 1984 - 2024"
Hard Rock/ AOR/ Glam
Year:10.05.2024
(AFM RECORDS)

The biggest Danish rock band celebrates its birthday! D-A-D turns forty years old. Of course, it's time to celebrate. And how! A best-of release that's really something. All of the band's hits from four decades of music history, compiled on one album. The absolutely true greatest hits. And the icing on the cake? Of course, the strictly limited edition vinyl version with four alternative covers. Only while stocks last! And we'll go one better: for the CD lovers among you, a strictly limited version of the digipak is only available in the AFM Shop, with several surprises in store. That's all? Nonsense! In the AFM Shop you can also get the vinyl covers as a bundle at a lower price - so it's best to buy all four versions directly! Congratulations to the band and h...

LUCASSEN/ SOETERBOEKs PLAN NINE
"THE LONG-LOST SONGS"
Hard Rock/ Melodic Metal
Year:17.05.2024
(MASCOT LABEL GROUP)

- Lucassen & Soeterboek's Plan is released on the same date as Ayreon - 01011001 - Live Beneath The Waves, another project of Ayreon master mind Arjen Lucassen.It was the early nineties, and musical polymath Arjen Lucassen had begun working on several projects: a solo album, a progressive-rock opera and a rock album. Around this time, he watched singer Robert Soeterboek perform live with Bodine, his former early-eighties heavy metal band. "His vocals truly impressed me, a rarity!" Lucassen recalls. "He had the charisma and power of singers like David Coverdale and Robert Plant. Discovering that we really got along personally, we decided to collaborate on some songs, just for fun.""We started writing songs together and found a natural flow, leading to a wealth of ideas," remembers ...

SIX FEET UNDER
"KILLING FOR REVENGE"
Death Metal
Year:10.05.2024
(METAL BLADE RECORDS)

Killing for Revenge marks the second album that Barnes and guitarist Jack Owen (ex-Cannibal Corpse) have created together since reuniting for 2020’s Nightmares of the Decomposed, an album one critic praised an “often slow-ish and doomy yet crushing death metal” which offered an “uncompromising show of strength.” Owen also produced Killing for Revenge. “We worked well together in Cannibal Corpse,” Barnes says. “ I loved him to death as a friend and a musician, so I'm really comfortable giving him the reins because I just have such great respect for him as an artist.”Six Feet Under was initially formed as a side project for Barnes during his final years with the band that he co-founded, Cannibal Corpse. It became the frontman’s...

DVNE
"VOIDKIND"
Epic Progressive Metal
Year:12.04.2024
(METAL BLADE RECORDS)

Formed in Edinburgh in 2013 by displaced Frenchman Victor Vicart and native Scot Dudley Tait, progressive post-metal/sludge artisans DVNE have been building a powerful head of steam since their second album, 2021’s kaleidoscopically mesmerizing Etemen Ænka. Their first release for the legendary Metal Blade Records label, the LP was a concerted hike up the greasy pole for this enigmatic outfit, enabling DVNE to embark on UK and European headline tours and win spots at such discerning festivals as Hellfest, ArcTanGent, Desertfest, Damnation, and Resurrection.Now in 2024, stunning third album Voidkind looks set to propel this expanded five-piece line-up (welcoming Maxime Keller on keyboards) to the top of their game.Voidkind succeeds in finding new modes of expression for DVNE. Th...

TYR
"BATTLE BALLADS"
Folk Metal/ Viking Metal
Year:12.04.2024
(METAL BLADE RECORDS)

Týr returns with their ninth full-length studio album, Battle Ballads.Mixed and mastered by renowned producer and engineer, Jacob Hansen (Volbeat, The Black Dahlia Murder).Battle Ballads features stunning art by Gyula Havancsak.The follow-up to the band’s 2019’s powerful progressive folk-metal album Hel, the new Battle Ballads is aptly named – a crushing, soaring, batch of classical embellished songs that conjure images of galloping steeds, clashing swords, and hard-fought victories. And, as if it needs to be stated, the title Battle Ballads has nothing in common with the lighter-raising songs so prevalent in the 1980s.CD/ LP:01. Hammered02. Unwandered Ways03. Dragons Never Die04. Row05. Torkils Døtur06. Vælkomnir Føroyingar07. Hangman08. Axes09...

PESTILENCE
"LEVELS OF PERCEPTION"
Technical/ Progressive Death Metal
Year:26.04.2024
(Agonia Records)

• Pestilence is a progressive death metal phenom, labeled on the same genre-defying scale as Death, Cynic and Atheist.• Founded in 1986, the band blazed the trail for generations of progressive death metal artists.• Invariably guided by the long-established personality of founder, vocalist & guitarist, Patrick Mameli.• Last album "Exitivm" (2021) ranked on Billboard charts, most notably including Billboard 200.• 12 re-recorded, classic & distinctive Pestilence songs from their entire career.• Drums were re-recorded in 2021, during a live stream held in T Paard (The Hague, NL). • Guitars, bass & vocals were re-recorded at On Duty Studio (Mijdrecht, NL). • Fine-tuning and re-recordings were done with Reaper behind the console.• Enginee...

EXHORDER
"DEFECTUM OMNIUM"
Thrash/ Death Metal
Year:08.03.2024
(NUCLEAR BLAST)

EXHORDER is a legendary thrash band from New Orleans, Louisiana. Emerging from the late 80’s, EXHORDER quickly gained recognition for their aggressive and innovative approach.In fact, the band is also often credited for heavily influencing PANTERA and the groove metal genre. After an extremely successful comeback record in 2019, the band is back to solidify their place in thrash metal royalty. Joined by new lead guitarist Pat O’Brien (ex-CANNIBAL CORPSE).Produced by Jens Bogren (AMON AMARTH).CD:1 Wrath of Prophecies2 Under the Gaslight3 Forever and Beyond Despair4 The Tale of Unsound Minds5 Divide and Conquer6 Year of the Goat7 Taken by Flames8 Defectum Omnium/Stolen Hope9 Three Stages of Truth/Lacing the Well10 Sedition11 Desensitized12 Your SixLINE UP:Kyle Thomas | Vocals, Gu...

LUTHARO
"CHASING EUPHORIA"
Melodic Death Metal
Year:24.03.2024
(ATOMIC FIRE)

Canada’s new heavy/melo death metal force LUTHARO with its Atomic Fire Records label debut!LUTHARO is a heavy/melo-death metal band from Hamilton, Canada. Formed in 2014, LUTHARO strive to form an epic sound that collides aspects of power and death, combining artfully crafted melodies, harmonies and precision with power.Following the self-released debut album "Hiraeth" in 2021, singer Krista Shipperbottom and her band are now presenting their official label debut on Atomic Fire Records - and it's a real treat. Enter: "Chasing Euphoria"! The Canadians, who have always been an active live band and have already toured with Unleash The Archers, Alestorm and The Agonist, among others, deliver an amazing piece of work that leaves a lasting impression with its perfect balance between p...