FUNERAL
"PRAESENTIALIS IN AETERNUM"
Funeral Doom Metal
Year:10.12.2021
(SEASON OF MIST)

•    New album of Norwegian funeral doom pioneers FUNERAL known as ‘the most depressing band in the world’.An early progenitor of funeral doom, Norway's FUNERAL have returned with ’Praesentialis in Aeternum,’ their first new album in nearly a decade! The quartet bring forth a soul-rending offering that is rife with agony and pain, providing a fitting soundtrack for the times. Crushing, mournful passages and soaring lead breaks amplify its sorrowful atmosphere, and are certain to rive the heart, mind, and soul of listeners.For fans of: EVOKEN, AHAB, MOURNING BELOVETH ...Cover art: Christopher RådlundTRACKLIST CD/ 2LP:1. Ånd    (08:08)2. Materie (06...

DESTRUCTION
"DIABOLICAL"
Thrash Metal
Year:08.04.2022
(NAPALM RECORDS)

Delivering the most brutal thrash metal for over 40 years!German thrash metal veterans DESTRUCTION celebrates their 40th anniversary by setting the world ablaze with a new, hard-hitting grenade in the form of their new album, Diabolical (out April 8, 2022 via Napalm Records). As one of the most legendary German thrash metal bands in existence, DESTRUCTION grace the wall of fame alongside giants like Kreator, Sodom and Tankard.After the charging start of opener "Under The Spell", DESTRUCTION shows no mercy on title track "Diabolical", with raging drums, bloodthirsty riffs and hellish vocals that sink deep down into your bones. "No Faith In Humanity" relentlessly rages on with non-stop headbanging action, while DESTRUCTION continues to smash eardrums on "Hope Dies ...

AMORPHIS
"HALO"
Gothic/ Doom/ Melodic Death
Year:11.02.2022
(ATOMIC FIRE)

"Halo" is a continuation and expansion of AMORPHIS' sonic universe. This is masterclass melodic death metal." DECIBEL (USA), Chris DickAMORPHIS have created a future classic. A masterpiece for the years to come!" METAL HAMMER (GR), Vassilis Mazaris"This album encompasses the best AMORPHIS of the past and present, giving a glimpse of the future... and the future is bright." RTP (PT), Jorge BotasRock and metal music have always been a haven for those who have bigger stories to tell; who have grander emotions to convey. For more than thirty years, Finnish figureheads AMORPHIS have done their best to carve their very own niche in heartfelt yet aggressive, melancholic yet soothing tunes. On "Halo", their staggering fourteenth studio effort, the Fins u...

SABATON
"THE WAR TO END ALL WARS"
Power/ True Heavy Metal
Year:12.03.2022
(NUCLEAR BLAST)

Since SABATON's inception on the threshold of the 21st century, these fierce Swedes have been conquering battlefield after battlefield –of course, only those musical front lines-and along this intrepid path, the band has practically done and seen it all within the realms of explosive heavy metal.SABATON’s tenth album, „The War to End All Wars“ was written and recorded in 2021 during the COVID global pandemic. The band has crafted a concept album of 11 brand new songs that dive deep into previously unexplored atrocities, miracles and events tied to the early 20th century's World War I. CD:01. Sarajevo02. Stormtroopers03. Dreadnought04. The Unkillable Soldier05. Soldier Of Heaven06. Hellfig...

HAMMERFALL
"HAMMER OF DAWN"
True Heavy Metal
Year:25.02.2022
(NAPALM RECORDS)

"The Swedish saviors of heavy metal HAMMERFALL let the hammer strike again, radiating power on all artistic levels with their twelfth studio album, Hammer Of Dawn! When HAMMERFALL released their debut album, Glory To The Brave, in 1997, they not only brought a breath of fresh air into the metal scene, but also managed to trigger a gargantuan boom for traditional heavy metal. Up until today, HAMMERFALL has released several massive albums bursting with distinctive strength that assuredly won’t disappoint, just as can be expected of Hammer Of Dawn. Hammer Of Dawn starts off with remarkable opener “Brotherhood”, a hymn echoing the deep friendship of bandleaders Joacim Cans and Oscar Dronjak, but also serving as a shout-out to their loyal Templars. Title track “Hammer...

BEHEMOTH
"IN ABSETIA DEI"
Blackened/ Death Metal
Year:17.12.2021
(NUCLEAR BLAST)

“PRETTY DAMN METAL” - Decibel“IN ABSENTIA DEI IS AN ACT OF DEFIANCE” - Kerrang“BEHEMOTH HAVE MASTERED A NEW ELEMENT OF THEIR REPERTOIRE THAT PLAINLY ASSERTS THAT THEY ARE ONE OF THE MOST COMPLETE ARTISTS IN ANY GENRE.” - KnotfestBEHEMOTH are proud to present ‘In Absentia Dei’ as Blu Ray, Vinyl and CD for the first time. The ground-breaking immersive livestream spectacular which first broadcast in September 2020 from Poland offered fans a much welcomed escape during the height of the pandemic. The event was said to set a new standard for streaming events in the future and this was something Behemoth set out to achieve from the start, Nergal explains:‘In Absentia Dei was a massive challen...

MYSTIC CIRCLE
"MYSTIC CIRCLE"
Black Metal
Year:04.02.2022
(ATOMIC FIRE)

Twenty-two years after going their separate paths, the visionary heads of MYSTIC CIRCLE have reunited continuing right where they left off in 1999. It’s a blasphemous comeback, a renewed pact with the devil, and a return to form with their old logo, fury in their hearts, and fresh darkness in their souls!

Limited edition digipak incl. bonus track "Death Metal".

TRACKLIST CD/ LP:

1. Belial is My Name
2. Seven Headed Dragon
3. Hell Demons Rising
4. Letters From The Devil
5. Darkness in Flames
6. The Arrival of Baphomet
7. Curse of the Wolf Demon
8. Satanic Mistress
9. Death Metal (POSSESSED Cover) - CD bonus

SARCASM
"STELLAR STREAM OBSCURED"
Death Metal
Year:21.01.2022
(HAMMERHEART RECORDS)

•  One of the oldest still active extreme Metal bands from Sweden, with a huge Cult following worldwide.•  Fits right in with other Cult bands as Necrophobic, Unanimated, Dawn, Eucharist and Dissection.•  Go bang your head to this one if you like dissection, unanimated, dawn and Necrophobic.Sarcasm is back! A return to the roots attack that takes their blazing Cosmic Death Metal unto a concept-based next level of insanity!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 short-lived reunion in 1997, they would come back into the fold in 2015 with a new re-designed version of their lineup.Now they ...

STEVE VAI
"INVIOLATE"
Heavy Metal/ Shred
Year:28.01.2022
(MASCOT LABEL GROUP)

Over the course of a more than 40-year career, Steve Vai has routinely transformed what would appear to be outrageously impossible into something very, very possible… and still also pretty outrageous. From his days as Frank Zappa’s “stunt guitar” player to his more recent expansive and exploratory solo work, Vai has continually challenged notions of traditional guitar playing and composition – and on more than one occasion even reimagined the very instrument itself. Which, he’ll admit, is not necessarily his intention.“I don’t sit around and say, ‘Okay, what can I do now that pushes the boundaries?,” Vai explains about his approach to the guitar. “What I do say to myself is, ‘Okay, Vai – what are ...

ERIC GALES
"CROWN"
Blues/ Rock
Year:28.01.2022
(NUCLEAR BLAST)

    ‘Crown’ was produced by Joe Bonamassa and Josh Smith, and features contributions from ace songwriters Keb Mo, Tom Hambridge and James House.    Eric Gales’ most recent album, 2019’s ‘The Bookends’, debuted #1 on the Billboard Blues Album chart and that year Eric won a Blues Music Award for Blues Rock Artist Of The Year.Eric Gales is a blues firebrand. Over 30 years and 18 albums, his passion for the music and his boundless desire to keep it vital has never waned, even when his own light dimmed due to his substance struggles. Throughout it all, he continued to reinvigorate the art form with personal revelation in his lyrics and bold stylistic twists in his guitar playing and songwriting.Fi...

KISSIN DYNAMITE
"NOT THE END OF THE ROAD"
Heavy Metal/ Hard Rock
Year:21.01.2022
(NAPALM RECORDS)

" Die 2007 gegründete deutsche Heavy-Metal-Formation KISSIN DYNAMITE hat sich mehr als nur einen Namen in der Szene gemacht: Mit sechs Studioalben und diversen Chart Erfolgen (#7 in den GER-Albumcharts mit dem 2018er Full-Length Ecstasy) etablierte die Band ihren Trademark-Stil - geprägt von modernen Sounds, wuchtigen Hymnen und eingängigen Hooks, gepaart mit 80er-Jahre-Stadionrock-Attitüde und einem außergewöhnlichen Look. Nun steht die Kombo in den Startlöchern bereit, ihr Napalm Records-Debüt Not The End Of The Road zu veröffentlichen und mit 12 kraftvollen Tracks den Weg des Metal im Jahr 2022 zu ebnen.The new studio album was produced, recorded and mixed by vocalist Hannes Braun (Südland Music) himself, who has also wor...

EARTHLESS
"NIGHT PARADE OF ONE HUNDRED DEMONS"
Progressive Rock/ Hard Rock/ Stoner/ Rock
Year:28.01.2022
(NUCLEAR BLAST)

There’s an ancient Japanese legend in which a horde of demons, ghosts and other terrifying ghouls descend upon the sleeping villages once a year. Known as Hyakki Yagyo, or the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons, one version of the tale states that anyone who witnesses this otherworldly procession will die instantly—or be carried off by the creatures of the night. As a result, the villagers hide in their homes, lest they become victims of these supernatural invaders. Such is the inspiration for the latest album from EARTHLESS. “My son is really into mythical creatures and old folk stories about monsters and ghosts,” bassist Mike Eginton explains. “We came across the ‘Night Parade of One Hundred Demons’ in a book of traditional Japanes...

CYNIC
"ASCENSION CODES"
Technical Death/ Progressive Metal
Year:26.11.2021
(SEASON OF MIST)

3 years after their latest single 'Humanoid', American progressive metal pioneers CYNIC are releasing their long awaited new album "Ascension Codes". As frontman Paul Masvidal comments: "'Ascension Codes' is a portrait of contrasts, like those between struggle and stillness, or the immediate against the limitless.”  For fans of Atheist, Opeth, Death ...TRACKLIST CD/ 2LP:1. Mu-54* (0:32)2. The Winged Ones (5:08)3. A'-va432 (0:28)4. Elements and their Inhabitants (3:09)5. Ha-144 (0:30)6. Mythical Serpents (6:24)7. Sha48* (0:19)8. 6th Dimensional Archetype (4:07)9. DNA Activation Template (5:25)10. Shar-216 (0:23)11. Architects of Consciousness (6:20)12....

EPICA
"OMEGA ALIVE"
Symphonic Female Heavy Metal
Year:03.12.2021
(NUCLEAR BLAST)

For many years now, the comparative of epic has simply been EPICA. Since their formation in 2002 and their quick ascension to stalwarts of symphonic metal noblesse with trailblazing masterpieces “The Divine Conspiracy” (2007) or “Requiem for the Indifferent” (2012), Dutch metal titans only knew one way: Up. Especially with their last three releases “The Quantum Enigma”, “The Holographic Principle” and this years’ “Omega”, forming a metaphysical trilogy that’s both alpha and omega of all things symphonic metal, EPICA became rightful monarchs of a genre they themselves helped made become a global phenomenon.Yet, as every other band, EPICA couldn’t take their latest installment of breathtaking cinemat...

CRYSTAL BALL
"CRYSTERIA"
Hard Rock/ AOR
Year:28.01.2022
(MASSACRE RECORDS)

The album "CRYSTERIA" opens a new chapter in CRYSTAL BALL's history. In their 3rd decade, the band is far from just repeating itself, and you can find new, fresh, and energetic elements in their music.CRYSTAL BALL took its time during the pandemic-related break to write lots of new material, so they could choose from over 30 Songs for the "CRYSTERIA" album. CRYSTAL BALL's new guitar player Peter Berger also contributed many songs and ideas to this album. He was a very refreshing and motivating input. The production of "CRYSTERIA", that was taken care of by Stefan Kaufmann, improved even further and reflects the bands live energy perfectly. The album features the vocal duet "Call Of The Wild" with Ronnie Romero (Rainbow, MSG) whom the band got to know at a festival ...