Ukraine's most ferocious metal export Jinjer have officially begun work on their highly anticipated third album and follow up to their Napalm Records debut King Of Everything (2016) and their amazing “Micro” EP (2018). Once again teaming up with sound producer Max Morton at Kaska Studio in Kiev, the as of yet untitled album is expected to be released sometime in fall 2019 and promises to be their best and most fierce material to date.
 
     "No rest for the wicked! Together with our long time friend and producer Max Morton, we are pleased to announce that we’ve entered Kaska Studio in Kiev to begin recording our third full album, to be released later this year. Trust us, it’s gonna blow your heads off," says the band.
 
Hot off the heels of the news that numerous North American dates with special guests The Browning being upgraded to bigger venues and some shows near the sell out point, Jinjer have also announced a full blown European Headline Tour in November/December to coincide with the release of their new album.
 
Jinjer seem determined to take over the world one country at a time and by any means necessary:-

     “Europe! We are coming for you! The time has come to show you the fiercest side of Jinjer ever, with a new album, new songs as well as all our older hits and a few surprises in-between. We know a lot of you have been waiting for us to do a proper headline tour with our own production and that time has finally come! Join us this November/December throughout Europe and the United Kingdom and help us celebrate this new era with a bang!”
 
Do not miss your chance to see Jinjer somewhere in Europe or North America this year!

Slovakian black metal vanguad Malokarpatan stream the entirety of their a special new EP Cesta podzemnými sálami Kovovlada at heavily trafficked web-portal NoCleanSinging.com. Set for international release on April 8th via Sun & Moon Records on 7" vinyl format, hear Malokarpatan's  Cesta podzemnými sálami Kovovlada in its entirety exclusively HERE.

Simply put, Malokarpatan are Slovakian black metal both at its finest and most adventurous. Since the band's humble beginnings in 2014, the band have swiftly and almost effortlessly built a challenging body of work with two now-cult, critically acclaimed albums. A grass-roots movement if there ever was one, nearly everyone agrees: there's simply no other nowadays black metal band who are so vividly able to straddle staunch traditionalism and boundless adventurousness quite like Malokarpatan.

Ever restless, the maverick quintet return with a special two-song EP, Cesta podzemnými sálami Kovovlada. Originally self-released on digital format, Sun & Moon steps forward to unleash these two brand-new songs on physical format, as they so deserve, which are strictly exclusive to this release and will not appear on a future album. The material here deals with a mythological theme of Kovovlad – master of the underworld and its treasures, who abducts a maiden from the world above to become his bride. This is reflected directly in the music, with the first ambient part painting a psychedelic picture of strange underground halls and the second metal part expressing the darkness of the maiden's fate, left forever to dwell in this world of night.

While Cesta podzemnými sálami Kovovlada comprises two songs, let it be emphasized that this is not just a mere "single" but rather a thematically unified work that should be considered an EP. But, whether long-format or short, Malokarpatan refuse to be shackled in the creativity, and Cesta podzemnými sálami Kovovlada is yet another sterling 'n' stirring chapter in their increasingly bold story.

In the lead-up to its 7" vinyl release next Monday, hear Cesta podzemnými sálami Kovovlada in its entirety exclusively HERE, courtesy of InvisibleOranges.com.

www.facebook.com/malokarpatan

www.sunandmoonrecords.com
www.facebook.com/sunandmoonrecordstransylvania 

Slovakian death/black metal duo Ceremony Of Silence will unleash its mind-bending debut album  Outis this spring on Willowtip Records.

Drummer Svjatogor comments on the album's lyrical themes:

     “The main lyrical concept behind ‘Outis’ deals with a mystical path of a man—a confrontation with his innermost self and his direct experience of the ultimate perennial wisdom, while releasing all his attachments to the mundane world. Various stages of this path are concealed in a series of metaphorical visions that add another layer to the music itself.”

Decibel Magazine has launched the exclusive, worldwide premiere of "Ceremony of a Thousand Stars," the first track from Outis to be released. Listen to "Ceremony of a Thousand Stars" at this location

Willowtip Records will release Outis on CD Digipack, LP and digital formats on April 5.

The music itself can be described as death metal with a dissonant, yet atmospheric feel, powered by rapid-fire blast beasts and dizzying tremolo riffs. The lyrics deal with mysticism and death, concepts that carry over into the album’s cover art - a traditional woodblock print designed by Svjatogor.

Outis was recorded, mixed and mastered in 2017 by Miroslav Spevák at SPK Audio (Badin, Slovakia). Lyrics and album art by Svjatogor.

Guitarist Vilozof and drummer Svjatogor – both already deeply-rooted in the Slovakian underground metal scene – formed Ceremony Of Silence in 2015. The duo spent countless hours immersed in free-flowing, improvised jams and writing sessions.

Those sessions evolved from a frenzied and spirited expression of the duo’s combined energies to a more focused exploration of the shapeshifting and misted musical horizons in the distance. The result of their journey became the band’s seven-song debut album Outis.

​facebook.com/CeremonyOfSilence

willowtip.com
willowtip.bandcamp.com/
facebook.com/willowtip/

Slovakian Power Metal Group Eufory are back with their new album Higher And Higher and it’s different in almost every aspect when compared to their previous album. From the members’ songwriting capabilities, the technical proficiency, the lyrical thoughts to the resulting sound – all of these things have moved to another level and changed through several gears, providing the greatest amount of pleasure possible to the listeners ears. The only thing that has remained untouched is the urge to push the “Play” button once again, even after repeated spins of the album.

The material was recorded in PureSound Studio in Slovakia and GM Recording Studio in Czech Republic. Higher And Higher got its final touches thanks to the mixing and mastering skills of Roland Grapow (Grapow Studios), who is also known as the former guitarist of Helloween and co-founder of the Masterplan band. His creative ideas greatly contributed to how the final of the album. This is straight ahead, old-school influenced power metal with a modern attitude. Eufory are back with 9 tracks (including a killer Motorhead cover) and a great new sound to get the juices flowing!

Higher And Higher | Released on May 29th, 2018 on Sliptrick Records

Lubos Senko – Vocals | Stevo Hodon – Guitar | Peter Drabik – Guitar | Miriama Hodon – Drums | Adrian Benca – Bass

Official Website | Facebook | Youtube | Instagram | On Sliptrick

Prog-melodic metal band Etterna hail from Presov, Slovakia and official started in August 2016. Duo Tomas Visnovsky (drums) and Feral Inferis (guitar) decided to continue in common cooperation after their former band had disbanded. The Etterna line-up is completed by singer Ady Hnat, guitarist Adam Manko and bassist Peter Jakub. The band focuses on strong rhythms and melodies whilst pushing boundaries and taking the music progressively further. Due to different musical influences of band members, it wasn’t hard to combine and thus create Etterna’s own music style.

The band set to work and very quickly 2 songs were ready to be recorded. The first song, Demon, was released as a lyric video and the second, Secreto en Fragopolis, was published as the groups first official music video. 2017 saw the band gigging extensively and working hard on their debut album Chaotic due for release via Sliptrick Records in 2018. The future looks bright for Etterna and they will continue to move ever forward and upward when they present their new material on stage after the albums officially release.

Chaotic | Released TBA, 2018 on Sliptrick Records

Etterna are:

Ady Hnat – Vocals
Adam Maňko – Lead Guitar
Feral Inferis – Rhythm Guitar
Peter Jakub – Bass
Tomáš Višňovský – Drums

Official Website | Facebook | Youtube | Instagram | On Sliptrick

Joining the ranks at Sliptrick Records this week:

Eufory (SK) Metal | Power Metal | Melodic Metal

Old-school metal influenced act with modern attitude – this is Eufory, a group from the Slovak Republic led by highly experienced singer, Lubos and backed by their exotic drummer girl, Miriama. Starting out as a Def Leppard tribute band and after spending time searching for the right direction, the decision to write and record their own material was the obvious way ahead. After stabilizing the previously uncertain line-up, Eufory released their debut album Flying Island Eufory and presented it on tour in Slovakia, Poland and Czech Republic. The band wasted no time in starting work on their follow up album which will be entitled Higher And Higher and is set for release worldwide via Sliptrick Records in 2018.

Over the coming months, the band plan to perform more shows incorporating most of the new songs from Higher And Higher into their set-list. For their upcoming stage appearances, the band promise more effects, more movement and even more sweat every single night. This band know how to to rock!

Eufory are:

Lubos Senko – Vocals
Stevo Hodon – Guitar
Peter Drabik – Guitar
Miriama Hodon – Drums
Adrian Benca – Bass

Band links: Official Website | Facebook | Youtube | Instagram | On Sliptrick

2018 marks the return of Oxford-based sludge-metal titans Desert Storm as they prepare to follow the release of 2014’s critically-acclaimed ‘Omniscient’ album with their new opus ‘Sentinels’, confirmed for release this coming March 16th via APF Records. 

Recorded with engineer Jamie Dodd (Orange Goblin) at Flesh & Bone Studio's, Hackney and tracked by Steve 'Geezer' Watkins at Woodworm studios (which has also been used by legendary Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi), ‘Sentinels’ is a colossal sounding record, it’s ten tracks punching the listener with an oppressive towering monolithic sound that batters, but never dulls the senses. 

“This album is a natural progression from our previous releases,” explains guitarist Ryan Cole. “It has the Desert Storm sound, but has moved in a much harder, darker and heavier direction.”

Today we get to hear the first rumblings from ‘Sentinels’ in the shape of ‘Too Far Gone’, a brutal, pounding powerhouse of a track that tackles the bleak subject of excessive binge drinking. “It’s the paradox of hard liquor being both the cause and the remedy of the sickness,” states vocalist Matt Ryan. “Self destruction and punishment of the body. It’s inspired by the tragic tales of Bon Scott and John Bonham, along with fictional characters Ben Sanderson of Leaving Las Vegas and to a lesser extent, Jim Lahey of Trailer Park Boys. It’s a miserable outcome as our song begins with alcoholism and ends in death.”

Stream ‘Too Far Gone’ here: https://soundcloud.com/apf-records/desert-storm-too-far-gone/s-oelmn

Pre-order ‘Sentinels’ here:  http://apfrecords.bigcartel.com/

In addition to the album’s release, the band will be hitting the road hard throughout February, March and beyond in the UK and Europe. This is a band that have never been afraid to get in the van and have shared stages with a who’s who of heavy talent over the years, including Karma To Burn, Corrosion Of Conformity, Red Fang, VoiVod, Orange Goblin, Crowbar, Weedeater, Valient Thorr and many more.

Catch Desert Storm live at the following dates in the UK and Europe:

03.02.18 | United Kingdom | Manchester | The Bread Shed 
17.02.18 | United Kingdom | Birmingham | o2 Academy 
22.02.18 | United Kingdom | London | The Devonshire Arms 
23.02.18 | Netherlands | Rotterdam | Baroeg 
24.02.18 | Netherlands | Eindhoven | The Jack Cafe 
25.02.18 | France | Douai | Red Studio 
26.02.18 | Belgium | Antwerp | Kids Rhythm & blues bar

27.02.18 | Germany | Berlin | Urban Spree 
28.02.18 | Germany | Weimar | Gerber3 
01.03.18 | Germany | Dresden | Chemiefabrik
02.03.18 | Czech Republic | Prague | Theremin
03.03.18 | Poland | Warsaw | Hydrozagadka 
04.03.18 | Slovakia | Bratislava | Fuga 
05.03.18 | Slovakia | Kosice | Collosseum 

06.03.18 | Poland | Katowice | Klub Faust
07.03.18 | Poland | Wroclaw | Black Moon 
08.03.18 | Germany | TBC
09.03.18 | Netherlands | Zwolle | Jacks Bar 
10.03.18 | Belgium | Brussels | Rock Classic 
07.07.18 | United Kingdom | Bradford | Underground 
28.07.18 | United Kingdom | Bournemouth | The Anvil

04.08.18 | United Kingdom | Abingdon | Abingdon Town F.C 
25.08.18 | United Kingdom | Bolton | Alma Inn 
29.09.18 | United Kingdom | Sheffield | o2 Academy


Desert Storm is:

Matt Ryan - Vocals
Chris White - Guitar
Ryan Cole - Guitar
Elliot Cole - Drums
Chris Benoist - Bass

www.facebook.com/desertstormuk
www.twitter.com/desertstormuk
www.desertstormband.com
www.desertstorm.bandcamp.com
www.instagram.com/desertstormuk

The 'Releases Of The Year' series are albums chosen by myself as the best release from each country / dependency known to have an official release in the year 2017. These are alphabetized in country order so are easy to navigate. Each award has national flag featured alongside the band name, Release Of The Year' and Facebook link (where provided)

Portugal's Dark Metal pioneers in Moonspell are set to release their brand new and hotly anticipated album, titled '1755', on November 3rd 2017 with Napalm Records.

The band's 13rd studio record will not only outclass all standards you have ever heard from your favourite Portuguese before, sung in their native language it's the musical version of the year of horror when a giant earthquake wrecked Moonspell's home town Lisbon. This album is a dark adventure, breathtaking and completely earthshaking!

Moonspell's '1755', coming as CD digipak, digital download & LP gatefold editions, is now available to pre-order HERE!

For the first time ever, Moonspell recorded their new album in Portuguese only, but there will be one bonus track appearing in Spanish, and today the band has released this stunning version for the song 'Desastre'! Dive into the brand new tunes by the masters of dark art and check out Moonspell's upcoming album - bonus track right HERE!

Says vocalist and creative spirit Fernando Ribeiro:

      "Desastre is a homage to all our Spanish-speaking fans around the world. In the late 18th century, in our streets a mixture of Spanish and Portuguese was spoken and guess what that’s exactly what we do here! This song is about how the earthquake took Lisbon by surprise and how we are nothing but a a human leave left alone to break when a strong winds blows. Enjoy Desastre, gracias y saludos!“

In support of Moonspell's upcoming release, the band will be heavily hitting the road this year, while kicking off in Portugal and Spain first, followed by an extensive tour with CRADLE OF FILTH in early 2018! Make sure to catch the masters of dark art live on the following dates:

30.10.17 PT - Lisbon / Lisboa Ao Vivo (Special album release show)
31.10.17 PT - Lisbon / Lisboa Ao Vivo (Special album release show)
01.11.17 PT - Porto / Hard Club (Special album release show)

with special guests Bizarra Locomotiva and Norunda:

03.11.17 ES - Santiago / Malatesta
04.11.17 ES - Bilbao / Santana 27
05.11.17 ES - Valencia / Rock City
06.11.17 ES - Barcelona / Salamandra
07.11.17 ES - Zaragoza / CC Delicias
08.11.17 ES - Madrid / Sala Caracol

09.11.17 PT - Arcos De Valdevez / Casa das Artes ( special theatre show! )
10.11.17 PT – Aveiro / Teatro Aveirense ( special theatre show! )
12.11.17 PT - Castelo Brnaco / Cine Teatro Avenida ( special theatre show! )
07.12.17 PT – Loulé / Cineteatro Louletano ( special theatre show! )



with CRADLE OF FILTH:

18.01.18 CZ Prague, Roxy
19.01.18 CZ Ostrava, Garage
20.01.18 SK Bratislava, MMC
21.01.18 HU Budapest, A38
23.01.18 PL Krakow, Kwadrat
24.01.18 PL Warsaw, Progresja
25.01.18 PL Gdansk, B90

27.01.18 DE Leipzig, Hellraiser
28.01.18 DE Berlin, C-Club
29.01.18 DE Hamburg, Grünspan
30.01.18 DE Bremen, Schlachthof
01.02.18 NL Tilburg, 013
02.02.18 NL Haarlem, Patronaat
03.02.18 DE Osnabrück, Hyde Park

04.02.18 DE Cologne, Essigfabrik
06.02.18 DE Bochum, Zeche
07.02.18 DE Frankfurt, Batschkapp
08.02.18 DE Nürnberg, Hirsch
09.02.18 DE Saarbrücken, Garage
10.02.18 CH Pratteln, Z7
12.02.18 IT Milano, Live Club

13.02.18 IT Bologna, Zona Roveri
14.02.18 FR St. Etienne, Le Fil
15.02.18 ES Barcelona, Salamandra 1
16.02.18 ES Madrid, Mon Live (former Penelope)
18.02.18 FR Limoges, CC John Lennon
19.02.18 FR Paris, La Machine Du Moulin Rouge
20.02.18 FR Lille, Le Metaphone

21.02.18 FR Besancon, La Rodia
23.02.18 DE Stuttgart, LKA Longhorn
24.02.18 DE Mannheim, MS Connexion Complex
25.02.18 AT Dornbirn, Conrad Sohms
26.02.18 AT Wien, Simm City
27.02.18 DE München, Backstage Werk

01.03.18 BE Antwerp,Trix
02.03.18 DE Flensburg, Roxy
03.03.18 DK Odense, Posten
04.03.18 NO Oslo, Vulkan Arena
05.03.18 SE Stockholm, Fryshuset Klubben

www.moonspell.com 
www.facebook.com/moonspellband 
www.twitter.com/moonspell 
www.facebook.com/almamaterrecords 
www.moonspell.rastilho.com

Slovakian black metal alchemists Malokarpatan premiere the new track "V okresném rybníku hastrman už po stárocá vycína (In the provincial pond, a water goblin has been raging for centuries)" at Decibel magazine's website. The track hails from the band's highly anticipated second album, Nordkarpatenland, which shall be fittingly released on Halloween on both sides of the Atlantic: Invictus Productions shall be handling the album's release in Europe, while The Ajna Offensive will be handling North America. Hear Malokarpatan's "V okresném rybníku hastrman už po stárocá vycína" in its entirety exclusively HERE.

Just last year, Invictus brought Malokarpatan's debut album, Stridžie dni, to worldwide attention. Although originally released in limited editions in late 2015, the album's bewitching charm soon entranced all who heard it; some even consider it a modern classic. With its filthy-yet-atmospheric sound half steeped in primitivism and half steeped in a strange, sincere desire to push black metal in weirder, more personal directions, Malokarpatan were proudly carrying on the spiritual legacy of vanguard Eastern Bloc bands like Root and Master's Hammer - but, of course, with their own idiosyncratic touch. But as mighty 'n' mesmerizing as Stridžie dni may be, the now-quintet take the listener to the hinterlands of the grotesque and glorious here across Nordkarpatenland. 

Truly a trip to the darkest corners of Eastern European folklore, Nordkarpatenland suitably stretches itself across more and weirder sonic landscapes. Whereas Stridžie dni steeped itself in the grit and grime of rural life, from witchcraft to drunkenness, there's a more stately and ominous aspect to Nordkarpatenland that suggests a none-more-tweaked ambition on the part of Malokarpatan, as they push the extremes latent to their witching metal further and further, wilder and more wanderlusting.

Not for nothing did they record the album at the very same studio the mighty Master's Hammer recorded their infamous The Mass demo: exuding space and shade as well as iron-fisted force, Nordkarpatenland sees Malokarpatan matching form with content in a most masterful fashion. Simultaneously more direct and more refined than its no-less-powerful predecessor, Nordkarpatenland drinks even more deeply from the ancient well of Heavy Metal Wisdom, pushing forward a masterclass in timeless metal songcraft and epic storytelling alike whilst never losing the delirium-inducing iconoclasm the band made its foundation from day one.

No retro, no future, "on the surface" vs. "far below that surface," and once again pulled off without the least bit of self-consciousness or cloying insincerity: simply, Malokarpatan are just being, and Nordkarpatenland simply EXISTS. Except, this is a world like no other. How far and free will you roam in Nordkarpatenland?

The next entrance can be found HERE, courtesy of Decibel, North America's only monthly metal magazine. Previously-revealed entrances can be found HERE, courtesy of Bardo Methodology, as well as at Invictus' Soundcloud HERE.

1. Nordkarpatenland
2. V okresném rybníku hastrman už po stáročá vyčína
3. Ked starého Bartolína ze šenku na táčkach zvážali
4. Ked svetlonosi započnú v močariskách nazeleno svícit
5. Nedlho po púlnoci opacha sa doplazila z dzíry
6. V hustej hore na stračích nohách striga chalupu svoju ukrýva
7. Ked gazdovi upeleší sa v chyži nezdoba zmok
8. V rujnovej samote pocichu dumá lovecký zámek zvlčilého grófa
9. Na horárni ve folvarku šafári rohatý jáger
10. Ve starém mlyne čerti po nocách mariáš hrávajú