Olaf Zissel is OUT of Tankard. Know the new drummer.

Reading time: 1 minute and 30 seconds.

Drummer was in the band for 30 years.

Olaf Zissel the drummer of Tankard since 1994 has opted out of the band. His successor comes as Gerd Lücking (on the photo).

Says the band about it:

After more than 30 years, we regret to announce the departure of our drummer Olaf Zissel. Olaf, who has been behind the drum kit since the Two-Faced Tour (1994), is leaving the band at his own request.

His successor is no stranger: Gerd Lücking, the our FOH/sound engineer of many years’ standing, who has already filled in for Olaf a few times, will now take over the post permanently. Gerd is certainly known to many as the drummer of bands such as HOLY MOSES, BONDED, VERITAS MAXIMUS, COURAGEOUS or LIGHTMARE.

Olaf comments:

“After over 30 years of double duty (job & band) the motivation has gone. I’d like to give in to the physical decline and the desire to be able to do normal things again. Something like brewing beer, getting a fishing license or buying hand grenades on the darknet…”

Gerd adds:

“It was just over 36(!) years ago in 1988, when I was just 13 years old and cheered on the guys from Tankard at the Volksbildungsheim in Frankfurt and I immediately realized that one day I also want to be able to drink that much beer in just 90 minutes.

Today, after hard work to acquire this talent and an incredible 25 years at the mixing desk in between (plus the jump in on drums at one show or another), I’m taking on a great legacy by taking over the drum stool in the hope of availability of reproducing my predecessor’s joy of playing and keeping up with the band’s massive stage presence. Thanks to my friends and brothers from Tankard, for their great trust in me.”

The band’s latest album is Pavlov’s Dawgs released on September 30^th 2022 and it was recorded with Olaf Zissel on drums.

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Roderick Blutrache

Einherjer releases new single today.

Reading time: 40 seconds.

Norwegian act is back.

Although there is no new about a new album, Norse legends of viking black metal Einherjer, releases today their single Deaf Forever, an homage to Motörhead with a cover song in time for their upcoming apparitions on festivals such as Tons of Rock(Norway) , Summer Breeze Open Air(Germany) and Wacken Open Air(Germany).

Say the press release about the new single:

“‘Deaf Forever’ is a homage to one of the most iconic bands in heavy metal history. Motörhead has always been an inspiration for us. ‘Deaf Forever,’ with its relentless energy, gritty vocals, and driving rhythm, makes it a good fit for Einherjer. We fused the thunderous legacy of Motörhead with the mythic resonance of our Norse Heavy Metal. I think it turned out great!”

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Roderick Blutrache

SWELLING REPULSION – Fatally Misguided (Transcending Obscurity Records)

Reading time: 1 minute and 25 seconds.

Technicality is not dead!

Swelling Repulsion is a band from Colorado and they reach their sophomore album in Fatally Misguided, a sample on how the brutality and technicality can walk side by side.

Vanquish, the opener, abounds with weird but rad time signatures, angular riffs, and drumming from hell, with a dissonant vibe that will entertain those who love this kind of sound, while in the subsequent track Basking In Fumes Of Failure, the dementia of juxtaposing instruments and continuing changes of tempo in a flow of unstoppable death metal dexterity, destroys the listener who try to get it in a few spins: it is a little more complicated than that!

The influx of convoluted riffs and whatnot, indeed, is the central thing on this album, with a modern take on the style, and even if it’s not for any ear and it is (as aforementioned) difficult to grasp, it’s impossible to not note (inside this logic) the cohesive factor of the album, as presented in tracks such as Sacred Doom and Cesspool of Dismembered Memory. Both tracks present a vortex of determinate proficiency not heard everyday inside the style.

Intricacy and lunatic attacks are what the track called Failure has to offer, putting the listener more and more into the quicksand music they propose, although some patterns can be clearly identified in this number as well as in the long Sullen Light of Expired Stars that kind of saturates the fan in a infinite whirlpool of instrumental madness.

All in all, Fatally Misguided by Swelling Repulsion, although not an easy listening, will find its way through the path of fans of serpentine death metal.

Fatally Misguided is out now on Transcending Obscurity Records.

Rating: 8/10

LINKS:

Swelling Repulsion Bandcamp

Official Transcending Obscurity Site

Transcending Obscurity Facebook

Swelling Repulsion Facebook

Official Label YouTube Channel

Label US Store

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Roderick Blutrache

Kerasfóra – Six Nights Beyond the Serpents Threshold (Iron Bonehead)

Reading time: 2 minutes and 10 seconds.

Maybe the best atmospheric black metal of 2024.

Kerasfóra is back with its unapologetic form of Atmospheric Black Metal one can play, presenting in this sophomore release some very organic forms of keyboard probably recorded on true tape to give it the effect it does, something like a trembling phantasmagoric sound that is very Burzum-esque and it appears right on the first track called Of Night and Fire and gives shrills down one spine with the tortoise of the melody and the ensuing track, named Of Omniscience and Mystery is even more eerie with that cursed keyboard in a looping repetition while the buzz-saw guitars are played in the backdrop with bellows coming from the forests unknown. A helluva way to start an album and make a point!

As far as the keyboards goes, the next song – Of Consternation and Ecstasy – is not so different, and what it warns us is totally somewhat divergent and more melodic riffs, but the tempo is almost the same, also finishing with an acoustic guitar, like the previous song but this is not a flaw here, it’s just what keeps the album going, but the song structure (and the keyboards) on the song Of Enlightenment and Fall is totally on a expressionist way, being even more phantasmagoric and paradoxically even more equal to other songs, although in this specific case the phrases of the song by the middle of it goes from mid paced to snail paced and it’s kind of despondent and killer at the same time with guitars covering the rest of the song.

Okay, if one is not convinced that the keyboards are the main feature here, the song Of Darkness and Confusion with its “stellar” and outer space take that at the same time is really nocturnal will cement that doubt for good: somewhat like a headbanger, a kind of Filosofem, but more metal, this song has a vibration that will take even the most hardcore fan of atmospheric black metal by the balls.

Of Serpent and Return functions as a summary for the whole album but is not a dull song, it is indeed a completion and the album go full circle with this closer.

Six Nights Beyond the Serpents Threshold by Kerasfóra, is something different and special that fans of the style cannot lose mainly because it is a great album and because it is not every day one gets the feeling of the weirdness this album gives at every single minute along the way.

Six Nights Beyond the Serpents Threshold is out NOW on Iron Bonehead.

Rating: 9/10

MORE INFO:
www.kerasfora.bandcamp.com 
www.ironbonehead.de
www.ironboneheadproductions.bandcamp.com
www.facebook.com/ironboneheadproductions

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Roderick Blutrache

KRATTI – Matka Kohti Kosmista (Signal Rex)

Reading time: one minute and 20 seconds.

Victorious black metal from Finland.

Over again, (and I may have said that one million times) Finland presents its trademark of Black Metal so characteristic, true and cult.

This time around it is the debut album of Kratti, an entity from Espoo, called Matka Kohti Kosmista that brings about hateful black metal they it ALWAYS must be!

Revising and improving the classic black metal riffs from the second wave thirty years ago, the opener shows a somewhat melancholic yet raw aggressive music and guitar with the track Pyhä alttari which also serves as the opener and this kind of dramatic but very crude and organic riffage repeats itself, but in a greater manner in the subsequent track called Haudanvartija.

Following with iterations of fast drumming and Nordic feeling comes the title track in which, paradoxically, shows another number of grandiosity even if the riffs are hypnotic and the same can be said of the ensuing track Sota Viimeinen that sounds like bands such as Horna or Sargeist for example. Very raw and true (and warlike)

The penultimate song called Ääni Hiljaisuuteen Katoava is something more like a mid-tempo biz with an astonishing sound but somewhat less “hooking” than the others while the last song named Synkissä Muistoissa resounds like the most glorious days of Darkthrone (A Blaze In The Northern Sky phase) and needless to say it is the best song of the album.

This is another sample of the grandiosity of the Suomi scene that seems to have no end in sight providing more and more quality bands for the sake of the true black metal agenda.

 Matka Kohti Kosmista is out now on Signal Rex.

Rating: 8/10

MORE INFO:
kratti.bandcamp.com // signalrex.com // signalrex.bandcamp.com 

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Roderick Blutrache

Metalhead kills bar owner in Brazil.

Reading time: 1 minute.

Case happened in the city of São Paulo.

According to the G1, a metalhead called Diego Pereira killed a rock bar owner called Carlos Monteiro in the city of São Paulo last Saturday.

According to the report, Pereira , who wasn’t known for the clients of the Malta Rock Bar, sexually harassed a female worker of the bar, and she had given him a punch. After that, Monteiro, the bar owner, intervened in his worker favor, and expulsed Diego Pereira from the bar, when, already outside, he got a dagger he was wielding and aimed for the neck of the victim who died bleeding from his wounds.

Diego Pereira was sporting an Enthroned tee, and coincidentally the band is touring the country. According to people who entered in contact with DSU he is well known in Brazilian metal scene.

There is a video of the aftermath of the incident where the body of Carlos Monteiro lies on the floor covered and people is holding Diego Pereira while they call the police circulating but DSU opted to NOT show it due to its graphic content.

According to the police (and to G1), the murderer was drunk and probably drugged. He follows incarcerated.

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Roderick Blutrache

Marcelo Vasco to be substituted on the upcoming The Troops of Doom tour.

Reading time: one minute and 10 seconds.

Two other guitarists will cover up for the guitarist

Marcelo Vasco won’t be playing in the upcoming tour of The Troops of Doom formed by the original Sepultura member Jairo Guedz. The disaster that happened in the southernmost Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul played a pivotal part in that since the guitarist/ painter lives there. Also, although the band is officially located in Balo Horizonte in the state of Minas Gerais the members are spread in three states.

Vasco also must fulfill his paint duties which is conflicting with the band’s agenda as highlighted by their official note. He has painted covers for bands such as Borknagar, Enslaved and Slayer for example.

Follows the official statement:

Unfortunately, we have to announce that guitarist Marcelo Vasco will not be with the band for the shows in São Paulo in July or the European tour, as he needs to fulfill his commitments as a graphic artist and adhere to his schedule. Additionally, the recent flooding in Rio Grande do Sul has further complicated matters, including the closure of Salgado Filho Airport in Porto Alegre. For the shows in July in Brazil, guitarist Vinnie Tex from the band Leather will be stepping in for Marcelo. And for the European tour, Fabio Caputo from the Rio-based band Deathrite will be taking his place. We appreciate everyone’s understanding and are excited to put on incredible shows despite this setback.

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Roderick Blutrache

Sóltafir returns to its roots… Signs with Century Media

Reading time: 1 minute and 30 seconds.

The Icelandic band unveils new video single.

Sólstafir, the behemothic Icelandic band has just announced their signing with Century Media, plus unveils their new single called Hin Helga Kvöl, that it is a return to its metal roots and why not to say, black metal ones?

The band has been known as of late for their post-black metal rock approach, but it seems they just have went back in time.

Plus they announced they signed with Century Media and the announces says:

Legendary Icelanders SÓLSTAFIR have just unleashed “Hin Helga Kvöl”, after announcing their signing to Century Media Records!

 “It is a song about dying,” says Aðalbjörn Tryggvason (guitar, vocals) about “Hin Helga Kvöl”. “It is about the realization that you will die sooner than later and consciously witnessing the end of your own world. It is one’s own personal idea of Ragnarök – or Armageddon. What happens afterwards? Are we reborn or are we simply food for the worms…”

SÓLSTAFIR are no strangers to the music world with their 20+ years of performing across the globe, consistently amazing audiences with their hearts on their sleeves from the first note. With a full catalog of truly exceptional timeless hits (as well as some much-anticipated new music), the atmospheric Icelandic rock ‘n’ roll sound that is uniquely SÓLSTAFIR always delivers to those who bear witness to their epic sets that take you on a journey through the ice and snow, fire and lava and breathtaking soundscapes of their homeland.

After the release of their upcoming album, SÓLSTAFIR will embark on the “Nordic Descent Tour 2024” that features a very special line-up with Oranssi Pazuzu, while the opening slot will be split between Hamferð (13.11 – 24.11) and HELGA (26.11 – 9.12).

#solstafir #postmetal #blackmetal #icelandicmetal #centurymedia

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Roderick Blutrache

Ascalapha – Somber Vampyric Night (re-release) – (ATMF)

Reading time: 2 minutes

Atmospheric and melodic business.

Is melodic black metal still a thing? As Somber Vampyric Night by Ascalapha shows it seems it is. The album was originally released independently last year and now it is finally gaining a distribution.

The first sound for example, simply called Dark Moon, shows 3-minute unpretentious melodic song that doesn’t exactly function as an introduction as it is a proper song, but it sounds right as the opener, not too heavy and a little bit melancholic.

Caseless Drought goes to a faster and heavier territories without losing its atmosphere and one doesn’t need to be caught by the simplicity of the song, as it shows a lot, but, over again it is short in time.

The simply and repetitive Nameless Path is very cohesive with the whole album, but this time around returning to a middle-paced style with a familiar riff played before. Up to this point the album sound like the songs are just samples of themselves and the quality of this is that while one is get acquainted with the band, the assimilation can be very easy! The only fault here is the blatant machine drum while the drum fills are shown without other musical instruments as the song fades out.

The title track returns (to) true black metal biz, fast, with Darkthrone vocals from beyond, like an infernal curse, and the normies who like BM will sure admire this one. Although tokens of raw black metal, this song is in fact very melodic.

After the 2-minute Burzum-like interlude called Our Lives Intertwined, the band returns with more darkness in the beefy Noche Sombria that is the most complete of the album with changes of phrases and heaviness all along. This song summarizes the whole album.

For its turn, Una Vida Que No Es Mia, shows a very melancholic side of the band with sad keyboards and all the brouhaha, more like a gothic song than proper black metal.

Remorse is a track that is overflow with melody and the middle-paced to fast tempo gets the imagination of the listener. Kind of repetitive that’s what it is.

The album closes with a short postlude called Nightbringer very ambient a quiet.

This album is for those who are not radical. It won’t change the face of black metal either but is pretty decent and honest in its proposal and nobody will feel betrayed by the sound of Ascalapha.

 Somber Vampyric Night is out TODAY on ATMF.

Rating: 7/10

preorder link:
https://metalodyssey.8merch.us/product/ascalapha-somber-vampyric-night-cd-pre-order/

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Roderick Blutrache