Chicago, IL deathcore band, OCEANO have already had a set of misogynist promo photos banned from MySpace and now the band is being banned from several clubs around the country, due in part to those very photos.

Thanks to the overwhelming hysteria surrounding OCEANO’s controversial promo pictures, a large number of messages have been pouring into the band’s MySpace page from clubs across the country. Here’s an example: “It has been brought to our attention that there were some images of the band that were banned from myspace. Because we are an all ages, family friendly venue we pride ourselves on providing a positive atmosphere for the kids that come in to see shows. Unfortunately, because of those images and the lyrics to the songs we have found there is no way you guys will be able to meet those guidelines”

Check out the photos below:

Members of OCEANO have been in contact with several local promoters and club owners to try and explain their side of things. However, between the shock of the banned photos and the band’s ever-growing reputation as a dangerous live act, OCEANO’s words have been to little avail. “Everyone’s been getting word that we’re crazy and our fans are even crazier;” says OCEANO guitarist, Andrew Mikhail. “We’re pros! We’re not out to kill anyone. There are some promoters who have refused to book us because of the type of music we play and how crazy we can make our fans.”

Due to the overwhelming response from fans in Ohio, OCEANO were able to play a previously-banned club on their most recent U.S. tour. According to the intimidating OCEANO ax man, “It was a very nice Christian venue, so with the content of those banned photos, I could see why they initially had a problem with us. It was because of our fans, though, that they were willing to listen to us and we ended up playing the show after all.” The same cannot yet be said about the other venues that refuse to book the heaviest, most pissed off band on the planet.

At this point, according to Mikhail, “Maybe it’s time to start living up to people’s expectations and become a truly deadly band.” Sarcastically, he jests “If people think that we’re going to go out and chop up some girls like pieces of meat (like in those pictures), maybe we should just start murdering people on stage…that’ll show em.”

Photos by Kyle Lamere.

Right-click to download “Ritus”

If you’re a doomrider who enjoys soundscapes of whirring synths, washed out ambiance, brutally slow cymbal sizzle and shimmering keyboard drones, then chances are you’re already familiar with England’s Moss. In fact you most likely own their first full-length, Cthonic Rites, and the numerous seven-inch records they’ve released over the years.

If you’ve not yet heard of Moss and this description entices you, then you should snag the band’s sophomore album Sub Templum (Rise Above Records). Sub Templum is over an hour (74 minutes and 14 seconds to be exact) of down-tuned, crushing doom with a tempo only slightly faster than the growth of actual moss.

Moss still sound familiarly gnarled and sludgey on Sub Templum, but fans will notice that something has definitely changed since the band’s last outing. First of all Sub Templum’s sound is not nearly as filthy and harsh, and could even be described as somewhat pretty. That’s not to say Moss have lost their edge: this is still some bleak, black and harsh shit.

The distortion is dense—guitarist Dominic Finbow’s long, drawn-out chords seem to crumble at their edges—and the drums are way spaced out in that classic doom style. But somehow drummer Chris Chantler’s execution sets him apart from your average doom timekeeper.

Singer Olly Pearson’s vocals are utterly harsh and howling, but still manage to go down smoothly. This may be due to the fact that they reside further down in the mix—treated like just another sonic layer of howling fuzz.

The final, and hands-down strongest, track on Templum is the epic “Gate III: Devils From The Outer Dark.” Clocking in at over 35 minutes, “Gate III” begins with a churning sea of down-tuned rumble and buzz, which builds in tension until the first drum crash falls.

To call this track a dirge is to oversimplify the glacially slow pace that it assumes. It is so resolutely slow that it makes the track before it—a properly doom-paced affair—sound like thrash metal. The guitars are thick and corrosive, chords ring way out and fade away before the next batch drops in, which results in a very fluid, dreamlike and mesmerizing vibe.

Long comet tails of feedback spread out over the wide-open expanses of minimal percussion and warm, warped slow-motion buzz. When the vocals drop out, it becomes something entirely different, finishing off with several minutes of thick low-end drone.

According to the press release I received, the band explains the creation of Sub Templum was a ritual “conducted in the first week of 2008.” They go on to describe that the ritualistic elements employed for inspiration included esoteric books, including Aleister Crowley’s Moonchild, music, Antonius Rex’s 1974 album Neque Semper Arcum Tendit Rex, “a fog of dope smoke” and a long list of obscure films, such as Death Line, A Warning to the Curious, Last House on Dead End Street, Northville Cemetery Massacre and City of the Dead, Death SS: 1977-2007 and She Killed In Ecstasy.

Which, when Sub Templum is spun, makes total sense. However, I don’t get the impression that one would need to be under the influence—of occult ideology or illicit chemicals—to enjoy this record. It’s just too stirring. But it does seem that these influences definitely helped these fellas craft a pretty amazing, multi-layered album.

To help further the listener’s mystical experience with Sub Templum the band even includes their breakdown of the sonic ritual:

“Sub Templum is underground worship. A dirge mass for the hidden spaces, for the altars untouched by man, for the foul cultures spawned and praised in long-petrified canyons. An esoteric system alive to the reality of its own futility, a process of spiritual trauma in four stages:

I. RITUS
A fugue for the summoning.

II. SUBTERRANEAN
The madness, agony and doom of the men who seek to know the unknowable.

III. DRAGGED TO THE ROOTS
Ceremonial sacrifice and the revelation of darkness in motion.

IV. GATE III: DEVILS FROM THE OUTER DARK
i) WALPURGIS ii) THE COMING OF 13 iii) EXITUS TEMPLUM
Unleashed.

But here’s the kicker:

“With Sub Templum, Moss urge the awakening of Earth’s deepest, most destructive secrets—the dreadful final judgment spelled out in the ancient symbols and perverted relics of an almighty elder species, lying in wait to claim the apocalypse.”

What’s left to say…but wow! —Jimmy Hubbard

Right-click to download “Broken Coffin of the Venerable King”

The U.K. instrumental group Capricorns, featuring ex-members from heavyweights Iron Monkey and Orange Goblin, are a bit of an enigma, and not easy to peg genre-wise. Are they stoner rock? Sludge? Post-rock? Metal? Avant-garde?

I’ve always been of the opinion that it doesn’t really matter what you call something as long as the music is good, which is definitely the case with Capricorns’ latest, River, Bear Your Bones (Rise Above Records).

One thing about Capricorns is for sure: these guys sure know their way around their instruments. It’s exactly this aptitude that allows Capricorns to create heavy, textural music that in-and-of-itself is so engaging that you don’t even notice the lack of a singer. It also helps that the dudes have a knack for artful song structures and the ability to fortifying their vocal-like guitar lines with strong, interesting melodies.

As far as an overall vibe, these guys seem to reside halfway between heavy riffage and soundtracky darkness, which is fine by us. We like the mystery, we like the darkness…We like the rock! Again, hard to peg, but we’d venture to say that Capricorns’ sound would appeal to those into, say, Isis, Zombi, Zebulon Pike, old Kyuss, 5ive, and of course Pelican. There are even a few stop-start staccato moments that remind us of Baroness.

But instead of being content to just replicate their influences, Capricorns take the best parts and choicests riffs and whip up something distinctly theirs on River, Bear Your Bones. —Jimmy Hubbard

Right-click to download “Iron Will”

The former stoner-rockin’ Swedes that make up Grand Magus have grown quite a lot since their 2001 self-titled debut. Where that initial outing, along with 2003’s Monument, took a terrific turn into epic doom metal, it wasn’t until their last album, 2005’s Wolf’s Return, that this power trio really started to hint at what it was capable of becoming. Now, with their latest offering, Iron Will (Rise Above Records), the Magus have officially hit their riff-wielding stride, which is to say they’re sounding a helluva lot more viking!

Combining the doom of countrymen Candlemass with the power and melody of early NWOBHM, the Magus rock proudly through nine tracks of true epic metal, all the while brandishing the leather-clad attitude of true metal warriors. This is damn good metal—nice and groove heavy with some frickin’ great songs.

From Iron Will’s triumphant, battle-cry opener “Like the Oar Strikes the Water” (it even includes a mandolin intro!), the band gallop through this action-packed album, often conjuring the vibe of Sad Wings of Destiny–era Priest.

Guitarist/vocalist JB (who’s also in the Spiritual Beggars) kicks ass, his voice showing much more strength and personality than past recordings. JB is also a veritable riff machine, as the standout title track, “Silver Into Steel” and “The Shadow Knows” prove. And while he’s not a shredder, he is certainly gifted with some great melodic leads.

If ever in question, Iron Will’s viciously heavy, head-banging fare is proof positive that these magi are, in fact, grand. —Jimmy Hubbard

Metallica have just released the first single off their upcoming album, Death Magnetic. The epic track is entitled “The Day That Never Comes” and it’s now available for purchase through iTunes. The band recently filmed a video for the track with Danish film director Thomas Vinterberg which will premiere soon.

To listen to the full track, go (more…)

Sweden’s IN FLAMES have announced a North American headlining tour in support of its new album, A Sense of Purpose. The month-long IN FLAMES tour will launch on November 6 in Montreal, QC and will run through December 10 in Milwaukee, WI.

Check out MetalKult’s lesson with IN FLAMES HERE.

This tour is the band’s first North American headlining trek in support of A Sense of Purpose and follows the quintet’s summer North American “Gigantour” live dates as hand-picked direct support for heavy music legends Megadeth. Support on the IN FLAMES fall tour will be provided by Massachusetts’ All That Remains, France’s Gojira and Alaska’s 36 Crazyfists.

Advance ticket pre-sales for the IN FLAMES tour will begin on August 26 via Artist Arena (http://tixx1.artistarena.com/inflames/ [Username: inflames / Password: tickets]), with general public on-sales slated to start on the weekends of September 5-6 and 12-13.

In advance of the fall tour, IN FLAMES will release the song “Alias” as the second single from A Sense of Purpose. The band recently shot a video for “Alias” just outside of its hometown of Gothenburg. Additionally, IN FLAMES will release a special Hot Topic-only EP on October 14. The exclusive EP will contain the roll out single from A Sense of Purpose (“The Mirror’s Truth”) as well as the unreleased tracks “Eraser”, “Tilt” and “Abegnation”.

IN FLAMES is one of the pioneers of what has become known as “the Gothenburg sound” (also referred to as “melodic death metal”) and have influenced scores of metal / hard rock acts since its formation in 1990.

IN FLAMES features Anders Fridén (vocals), Björn Gelotte (Guitar), Peter Iwers (Bass), Jesper Strömblad (Guitar) and Daniel Svensson (Drums).

/ www.myspace.com/inflames , the KOCH Records website: www.kochrecords.com and the ACTION! PR website: www.action-pr.com .

IN FLAMES tour dates:

Fall, 2008 North American “A Sense of Purpose” Tour (With support from All That Remains, Gojira and 36 Crazyfists): (more…)

Post-punk vocalist JARBOE will release her new album on October 14th in the US through eclectic Brooklyn-based label THE END RECORDS. The project, entitled MahaKali, follows on the heels of JARBOE’s highly successful J2 collaboration with Justin K Broadrick (Godflesh, Jesu), released earlier this year by THE END.

Check out our video interview with JARBOE HERE.

The album is named after the mythical Indian goddess of death and destruction (Maha is “great”; Kālī is the feminine of kāla, “darkness”), as mentioned in the Mahabarata and other Indian epics.

“The idea of a ‘goddess of destruction’ is one that I’ve cherished for a long time. Cedric [Victor, bassist and visual collaborator] mentioned Kali when we were recording because of the thematic similarities to the songs I had already written,” says JARBOE. “As we progressed, everything seemed to come together around this theme of respect/reverence for strength and simultaneous repulsion/fear of power. Kali’s narrative also discusses Nietzsche’s old adage that ‘in fighting the monster, one must be careful that one does not become the monster’ which seems to be a relevant message.”

The album is signature JARBOE, with her voice embodying numerous “characters.” Listeners will hear metal, epic-era Swans, ambient/noise references, even orchestral instrumentation. In keeping with her characteristic collaborative method, the album features all-star line-up with special guest appearances by Philip Anselmo (Down, Superjoint Ritual, Pantera) and Attila Csihar (Mayhem). Also appearing are Josh Graham (A Storm of Light, ex-Red Sparowes), Kevin Hufnagel (Dysrhythmia, Byla), and spoken word recitations with collaborator/bassist Cedric Victor.

MahaKali will be available in two formats in the US. While both jewelcase and digipak versions contain 15 tracks, each track list contains slightly different material, with additional remixes, spoken word and alternate versions of the main songs. More information about the album’s concept will be made available at TheLivingJarboe.com at the time of release.

Check out “The House of Void (visceral mix)” on THE END RECORDS’ MySpace page.

CD Jewel Case | TE118 | The End | 10/14/08
Tracklisting:
1. MahaKali, of Terrifying Countenance
2. And the Sky Which Was Once Filled With Light…
3. The House of Void
4. Transmogrification
5. From Afar, Upon the Back of a Tiger
6. The Soul Continues (feat. Attila Csihar of Mayhem)
7. A Sea of Blood and Hollow Screaming…
8. Overthrown (feat. Philip H. Anselmo)
9. Mouth of Flames
10. Bornless
11. Ascend
12. Overthrown (reprise — Jarboe version)
13. Mouth of Flames (Jarboe demo version)
14. Kali Lamentation III [TE118 only]
15. Empty Mouth [TE118 only]

Nuclear Blast Records has announced the release of Vertebrae from Norway’s ENSLAVED on October 28th for the North American territory.

Founding member & guitarist Ivar Bjørnson shares his thoughts on the new partnership:

“The U.S. and Canada have become increasingly important territories for ENSLAVED with their increasing sales and feedback from the fans and the scene both within and outside hard-line metal. The two tours we did in 2007 proved our live show qualities to the scene, and the scene proved its dedication to us. We are therefore extremely happy to be working with Nuclear Blast – a formidable force in the record industry.

“Having met members of the U.S. staff on several occasions, we know that their dedication and professionalism will take ENSLAVED a great step further. Vertebrae is by far our strongest album, one that we are extremely proud to present to the U.S., to Canada, Mexico, and all other territories. We are very pleased to present it in tandem with Nuclear Blast.”

Possessing the reputation as one of the very finest live acts in metal, ENSLAVED’s members knew their latest studio offering for 2008 had to contain the very best material to showcase the pinnacle of their signature Viking/progressive black metal sound. In no uncertain terms, Vertebrae easily meets that incredibly high level of expectation.

Recorded in the first quarter of 2008, mixed by Evil Joe Barresi (TOOL, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE), mastered by the legendary George Marino (METALLICA, IRON MAIDEN, LED ZEPPLIN) at Sterling Sound, Vertebrae was produced by Ivar Bjørnson, Herbrand Larsen, and Grutle Kjellson themselves. Considered by all band members to be their strongest album in the seventeen years of their existence, Vertebrae’s sound, songs, seasoned guitar tone and time-travelling solos, and overall atmosphere marks a crowning achievement for the band and the genre as a whole.

ENSLAVED will be embarking on a European tour of 41 shows in support of Vertebrae that will launch in early November in Copenhagen, Denmark and end in late December in Bergen, Norway.

A tour for the U.S. is in the works and more details will be revealed soon. For more info, check out http://www.enslaved.no/.

Photo by Asle Birkeland.

NYC’s ASRA—the latest addition to Tombs front man Mike Hill’s Black Box Recordings—are a young band that builds on the best elements of grindcore’s salad days, which included many brutal works from bands like Napalm Death, Brutal Truth, (early) Carcass, Man is the Bastard, Spazz and, of course, the almighty Discordance Axis.

Over eleven tracks—and in just barely 20 minutes— ASRA explore the middle ground between death metal and old-school grindcore on their debut full-length, The Way of All Flesh.

While many of today’s younger bands are quick to wave their At the Gates and Heartwork–era Carcass flags, ASRA take their cues from the best of underground grind and power violence.

At first look you may mistakenly think this young band— Andrew Hernandez (drums/vocals), Montgomery Hukill (guitar/bass), H. Christos (vocals)—is part of the new wave of MySpace deathcore bands, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find any of the hackneyed howls or canned breakdowns on The Way of All Flesh. Instead, ASRA deliver piercing screams, thundering growls, unbridled blast beats and thick death metal riffing with such brute force that one thing is certain: this band fucking means it.

Behind the kit Hernandez exhibits an impressive amount of versatility, fluidly moving between slower, double-bass-heavy death metal and more up-tempo grindcore beats, all the while screaming his head off backing up barker Christos. When he’s not dishing out punk-infused grind riffage, Hukill provides chunk after chunk of old Bolt Thrower–influenced breaks.

Even though ASRA may not have laid claim to any new musical directions on The Way of All Flesh, their deep knowledge of the genre, undeniable, youthful passion and impressive technical execution will be more than enough to inspire old-school grindcore fanatics. —Jimmy Hubbard

A lot has changed in the world of Wetnurse since the New York post-hardcore/noise/grind five-piece released its self-titled debut four years ago. In the time since, this hardworking band has become a fixture in a growing scene of underground NYC experimental extreme acts, which also includes Tombs, Krallice, Behold…The Arctopus, ASRA, A Strom of Light and Battle of Mice.

A true testament to the community’s DIY ethic, when Wetnurse drummer Curran Reynolds is not laying down the foundation for his band’s dynamic rhythms, he spends much of his free time booking underground bands at a weekly metal party at East Village venue Lit.

The latest fruit of Wetnurse’s labor is the full-length Invisible City (Seventh Rule Records). The first record to feature Garett Bussanick joining Greg Kramer on second guitar, Invisible City finds the band in its fittest form yet. Garett and Kramer’s six-string interplay is remarkable; the two guitarists play off each other so well, there are even moments reminiscent of an extreme version of Slash and Izzy Stradlin.

Overall, Invisible City is a dense, heavy album full of brutal breakdowns, like the one on “Growing Pains.” But what makes the band truly interesting is their ability to blend in some strong psychedelia, lots of angular noise, a few blast-beats, a handful of great acoustic passages and plenty of good-old goddamn rock and roll.

But despite all these musical elements, Invisible City doesn’t turn into a cacophony, thanks in part to Wetnurse’s skill at writing tasty, catchy melodies.

And then there are the vocals. Bizarre and beautiful, Gene Fowler’s vocal style is like nothing we’ve ever heard, ranging from veering death metal growls to hardcore shouts. The “singing” moments (if you can call them that) are in the uncomfortably alluring vein of Oxbow’s oddball crooner Eugene Robinson. Fowler also excels at coming up with some extremely catchy vocal patterns, that is, when he is not bombarding the listener with his polyrhythmic vocal blitzkrieg.

So if you’re a fan of smart, challenging, heavy music and are unfamiliar with Wetnurse, now is the time and Invisible City is the record. —Jimmy Hubbard

Band photo by Jimmy Hubbard.
Live photo by returntothepit.com