by BBG

Influential US Black Metal great Xasthur is calling it quits. Malefic has officially declared that his new album, Portal of Sorrow will be his last metal album and that the "honorable thing to do is to end the band". He cites more than one reason including not wanting to "turn into one of those bands who rely on too many guests and session musicians to make people interested in their music again". At the end of the letter he posted on his blog, he thanks Marissa Nadler (a guest who is definitely making lots of people interested in the new album) "for taking her voice to another level" on the new record. Read the full letter below...

Continue reading "Malefic says the Xasthur record will be his last (metal) album"

DOWNLOAD: Marissa Nadler - I Love My Man (MP3) (via)

Definitely looking forward to the previously reported Marissa Nadler black metal collaboration. Here's a bit of news from her about that:

Portal of Sorrow, Xasthur's new full length record, will be available in early April, featuring some vocal contributions by me. As soon as It is available, I will tell you where to find it. As seemingly disparate the worlds of ambient black metal and whatever it is you want to call my music are, this collaboration actually gels quite well. It is really dark and heavy and ethereal. Xasthur (rhymes with disaster) is a one man ambient black metal machine.

In the meantime there's a Buffetlibre Amnesty International comp with a new song (downloadable for free above) to tide us over (full album out April 12th after a slight delay) and two live dates:

Continue reading "Marissa Nadler track on Amnesty International comp (MP3), voice on Xasthur record (out soon), 2 live shows (Littlefield)"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Coalesce - "Questions To Root Out Fools" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Brutal Truth - "Sugardaddy" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Agoraphobic Nosebleed - "Agorapocalypse Now" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: General Surgery - "Restrained Remains" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Lord Mantis - "Lord Mantis"
DOWNLOAD: Mournful Congregation - The June Frost Medley (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Atomic Bitchwax - "Revival"
DOWNLOAD: Weekend Nachos - "Pain Over Acceptance" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Weekend Nachos - "Shot In The Head" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Ruins - "Suicidal Pulse" (MP3)

Coalesce LIVE at Scion Rock Fest (photo by Mike White)

Relapse is KILLIN' IT in the 09 so far. In one month's time, Relapse will destroy the Earth with THREE grind releases that could all potentially make my list of favorites for the year! First up, Mumakil's new album Behold The Failure which is out NOW on Relapse. Made up of ex members of Knut, Behold The Failure has been in constant rotation since it dropped on Mar 31st. Hear the whole thing here. Then on April 17th, Relapse aims to make you empty your wallets, by releasing both the new Brutal Truth (Evolution Through Revolution) and Agoraphobic Nosebleed (Agorapocalypse) on THE SAME DAY. In other ANb/Brutal Truth news, if you skate, dig on the ANb, Total Fucking Destruction (featuring Richard Hoak of BT), Crom, and Cryptic Slaughter decks for sale here. ANb and Crom dropped a split 7" which is fading fast.... head here to scoop it before it goes bye-bye.

A month or so after the grind mayhem, Relapse will drop the new Coalesce, Ox, their first record since the classic 0:12 Revolution is Just Listening which was release TEN YEARS AGO. The quartet recently debuted two new tracks; check out "Wild Ox Moan" streaming at their myspace and download "Questions To Root Out Fools" above!

Swedish gore-grinders General Surgery will drop their new album Corpus In Extremis on Listenable Records on April 7th, which includes the massive "Restrained Remains" available for download above! Check out their myspace page or their home page for a preview, dig on the album cover (to the right), and swing way low for tour dates.

Malkuth's latest record Sefirah Gevurah is out NOW on Hospital Productions. Pick it up here. The band has one show on their itinerary... May 9th at Starr Space in Bushwick. Mark your calendars.

Mournful Congregation recently dropped their new LP, The June Frost, on Enucleation Records, and if you like your guitar chords served up in first-gear (or maybe even in neutral) this funeral doom opus is for you. Check out the above snippet MP3 featuring moments from The June Frost above, and pick that record up here. For more on the band, check out an interview with Mournful Congregation here.

The Atomic Bitchwax will re-release their LP TAB4 on Tee Pee Records. Check out "Revival" available for download above and look for the record on 4/21.

The previously mentioned Atheist tour has expanded. Check out current tour dates below. Tickets for their July 12th show at BB Kings are currently on sale.

Weekend Nachos have offered up two new songs from their upcoming LP Unforgivable due on Deep Six Records in May. Check out "Pain Over Acceptance" and "Shot In The Head" downloadable above.

Xasthur's new full length LP on cassette, All Reflections Drained has sold out. "The 2xLP should be out shortly"

More on The Auditory Assault Festival, Om, Coffins, Dark Castle, Lord Mantis, The Holy Mountain, Church of Misery, Minsk, and sooo much more as The Week In Metal continues...

Continue reading "This Week In METAL (04/09/09)"