EVENT HORIZON November 2019

That’s October over! Another quality month of Metal releases – Vukari, Insomnium, Esogenesi, Gatecreeper, In Mouring, 1349, the list goes on! Hope you found something that interested you. If October didn’t satisfy, well, as Blackie Lawless would say…”The Torture Never Stops” –The end of the year, end of the decade for that matter, in nigh – Welcome to the Month of November. Still, the Metal flows…

With only a selected sample of what the next month will offer, we present 10 for this, the 8th installment of Event Horizon.

PAGANIZER – The Tower of the Morbid
RELEASED: November 1st
STYLE: Swedish Death Metal
LABEL: Transcending Obscurity
LINK: Bandcamp

After the success of PAGANIZER’s landmark album, Land of Weeping Souls, Rogga Johansson and crew have taken things up a notch, working harder than ever before to present an album with the best possible qualities that the band is known for over the years. Featuring jaw-dropping artwork from the master himself, Dan Seagrave, steps have been taken to ensure that nothing falls short with this release in any way. Musically, it’s the same crushing death metal machine laden with catchy hooks and riffs that embed themselves in your memory for aeons while ever so deftly switching tempos without letting go of the brutality. This here is Swedish death metal at its finest. The maniacal rush is tempered beautifully with reflective leads and shades of wistful melancholy, which is something Rogga Johansson is getting adept at, as evidenced by his recent solo band material. The Tower of the Morbid stands tall among its peers for creating timeless, perfected death metal meant for fans of all schools, old and new. (From TO Bio)

NILE – Vile Nilotic Rites
RELEASED: November 1st
STYLE: Death Metal
LABEL: Nuclear Blast
LINK: YouTube 

Vile Nilotic Rites was recorded and produced by Karl Sanders at Serpent Headed Studios in Greenville, South Carolina with the exception of the drums which were recorded at Esoteron Music Studios in Athens, Greece with engineering handled by Jim Touras and George Dovolos. The album was mixed and mastered by Mark Lewis at MRL Studios. For the album artwork, the band returned to artist Michał “Xaay” Loranc who has worked with the band for over 10 years.

This full length marks the band’s recording debut with vocalist and guitarist Brian Kingsland, who replaced long-time member Dallas Toler-Wade in 2017. It’s also the first for bassist Brad Parris, who joined in 2015 following the exit of Todd Ellis.

It’s a seamless transition for the group who still retain the distinct vocal characteristics Toler-Wade brought to the band and “Long Shadows of Dread” delivers a pummeling four minutes of blistering, spidery guitar work and George Kollias’ blast beat marathon endurance fraught with crunching doom.

“I am thankful the day has finally arrived that we can share with fans the first single from Vile Nilotic Rites. It’s the opening track on the new disc, and a song we will be thoroughly enjoying playing live on our upcoming European and USA tours,” commented founder, guitarist and co-vocalist Karl Sanders.

He continued, “‘Long Shadows’ was chosen as the first song we want people to hear from this upcoming album as this crushing track should leave NO DOUBT in anyone’s mind concerning the uncompromising, brutal, destructive intent evident throughout the entirety of the Vile Nilotic Rites album. I would also like to thank our fans who have been patiently waiting while we worked tirelessly to make this record undeniably the best Nile record in many years.”

“im super excited for the release of our new album and very happy our fans will finally get their first taste! It’s a special album for all of us since each member contributed on this a lot,” added Kollias.” I feel it represents the team work spirit Nile has right now and that shows on stage as well. I look forward to touring and playing these songs live for all the Nile fans!!” (From Nile bio)

VOYAGER – Colours in the Sun
RELEASED: November 1st
STYLE: Melodic Progressive Rock
LABEL: Season of Mist
LINK: Bandcamp

VOYAGER explode like a supernova onto the worldwide stage with their new album ‘Colours In the Sun’. The Australians radiate an ultra-modern and prismatic hard rock that delivers on their promise of “epic electro progressive power pop metal.” Each of the albums ten tracks are bright, vibrant hook-laden affairs that resonate long after listening. VOYAGER deliver the perfect storm of modern hard rock song craft, and ‘Colours In the Sun’ is a vivid, uplifting, and exhilarating album experience. (From Voyager bio)

SCHAMMASCH – Hearts of No Light
RELEASED: November 8th
STYLE: Black Metal
LABEL: Prosthetic Records
LINK: Bandcamp 

Since their inception in 2009, Switzerland’s Schammasch have blazed a path of creative evolution. Expanded as a five-piece, the band presents their fourth full-length album ‘Hearts Of No Light’. Presented over nine challenging tracks, ‘Hearts Of No Light’ lays its foundation in the heights of their past work whilst presenting their most flowing and organic approach to date. Limited 2LP in gatefold sleeve.  

The album features classical pianist Lillian Liu, guest vocalist Aldrahn (ex-Dødheimsgard/Thorns) on “I Burn With You,” and Dehn Sora (Treha Sektori, Throane, Ovtrenoir) on “Innermost, Lowermost Abyss.” “Today a new chapter begins for Schammasch, one with realigned focus, that is stripped of aged skin, under a darkness that burns vividly. Hearts Of No Light opens a new cycle of work, spreading a different kind of rays,” frontman C.S.R. tells Metal Hammer.

The first single is “Rays Like Razors,” which is blends heaviness, experimentation, and melody in very appealing ways, and you can hear it below.

Schammasch will make their US debut at Decibel Metal & Beer Festival in LA this December, and will tour Europe in January with Enthroned. (From band bio)

THE DROWNING – The Radiant
RELEASED: November 8th
STYLE: Death/Doom
LABEL: Transcending Obscurity
LINK: Bandcamp

THE DROWNING from UK pay tribute to the death/doom pioneers of the style but they add their own dynamics to the affair, balancing poignancy with pummelling aggression. Rarely has this been pulled off without disrupting the mood but THE DROWNING are surprisingly adept at it. It’s as if the pent up emotions are being channelled after an eloquent, meaningful expression. This keeps happening during the course of the wonderfully varied and interesting album, that adds a dimension to the standard UK death/doom that we’re well-acquainted with. The organic and sonorous production works with both aspects of their sound and only makes the emotions that much more palpable. Structurally rich, this album grows on you with each listen, and the outstanding performance by the vocalist in expressing grief and rage elevates it above other albums of this ilk. (From TO Bio)

ESOTERIC – A Phyrric Existence
RELEASED: November 8th
STYLE: Funeral Doom
LABEL: Season of Mist
LINK: Bandcamp 

Funeral Doom titans ESOTERIC return with the monolithic ‘A Pyrrhic Existence,’ the collective’s first new album in eight years. Their undeniable power and time-warping arrangements are unparalleled even by doom metal standards, taking on an almost psychedelic hue at times here. As each of the six songs in this 2CD set roar to life, including the 27+ minute epic “Descent,” the gravity swallows’ listeners up as they are pulled into their depths. ESOTERIC are, quite literally, one of metal’s heaviest bands, and the somber ‘A Pyrrhic Existence’ is further proof of their mastery (From band bio)

NECROPANTHER – The Doomed City
RELEASED: November 15th
STYLE: Thrash/Melodic Death
LABEL: Earsplit/Self
LINK: Bandcamp 

Colorado extreme metal troupe NECROPANTHER will unleash their third full-length this November. Titled The Doomed City, the fiery thirteen-track effort pays homage to the sci-fi classic Logan’s Run which depicts a utopian future society on the surface where the population and the consumption of resources are maintained in equilibrium by killing everyone who reaches the age of thirty.

“We chose Logan’s Run as a deliberate challenge to youth culture. Rebellion is not about decadence.  Fundamentally, it’s about ethical beliefs that undermine authority and power,” notes guitarist Joe Johnson. Adds bassist Marcus Corich, “The story of Logan’s Run is thematically rich. I think we each found areas of relevance in the story and made those portions our own.”

The Doomed City, which serves as the follow-up to NECROPANTHER’s 2018 critically lauded, Dune-inspired Eyes Of Blue Light full-length, was recorded at Green Door Recordings with Felipe Patino (NOFX, Rise Against, Casualties etc.) and mixed and mastered at Flatline Audio by Denver’s own Dave Otero (Cattle Decapitation, Allegaeon, Khemmis, Primitive Man).

“I feel like we are really reaching our stride in our songwriting and recording process,” says vocalist/guitarist Paul Anop of The Doomed City. “The drum performances Haakon [Sjogren] put down are some of the best I’ve ever heard and working with Dave was great. He had an ear for what we wanted so it went really smoothly.”

Chimes Sjogren “This album is unique – every member wrote music and lyrics. It was a very collaborative effort. I think we succeeded in creating a strong album fusing multiple voices and sub-genres.”

NECROPANTHER’s The Doomed City, which comes swathed in the cover art of Denver graphic artist Max Sherman, will be self-released November 15th on CD and digitally. (From Earsplit Bio)

ABIGAIL WILLIAMS – Walk Beyond The Dark
RELEASED: November 15th
STYLE: Black Metal
LABEL: Blood Music
LINK: YouTube 

The black sheep of the black metal scene ABIGAIL WILLIAMS returns with its boldest and most diverse offering to date, “Walk Beyond The Dark”, available November 15 via Blood Music.

The band recently revealed the first single from the album, “I Will Depart”, whetting fans’ appetites for ABIGAIL WILLIAMS’s fifth album. Watch the lyric video below.

“It’s been four years since the last album,” says ABIGAIL WILLIAMS leader Ken Sorceron. “That seems like quite a long time. Life, death, countless other musical endeavors, and all sorts of distractions kept getting in the way, delaying its completion again and again. Over that time, I wrote over 20 songs that I was actually pretty happy with. When it finally came time to record, I narrowed it down to the seven that appear here, as they seemed to fit the best together and make the statement I wanted to make here and now.”

Equal parts introspection and extremity, “Walk Beyond The Dark” is a testament to the band’s journey across the years — all the miles they’ve travelled, all the trials endured, all the mud thrown at them, all to keep doing what they love, on their own terms and without compromise.

KING – Coldest of Cold
RELEASED: November 22nd
STYLE: Black Metal
LABEL: EVP Recordings
LINK: Bandcamp 

KING return to the front after three years with their sophomore album ‘Coldest Of Cold’. Battle hardened and steeled for the next campaign, and once again Indie Recordings and EVP Recordings are proud to stand alongside KING to deliver this bellowing war-cry. This time there will be no mercy given and none expected. The melodic black metal trio from Australia is a force to be reckoned with.

KING have spent the last two years painstakingly writing ‘Coldest Of Cold’ with supreme focus and vision on forging black metal of the most monumental scale. As evidenced on their debut album ‘Reclaim The Darkness’, KING have a master’s grasp on creating music that evokes the scathing and pristine art of their forebears, such as Immortal and Satyricon. They inject it with even more triumphant melodic elements and dynamics, giving it an immense musical and emotional scope. Coldest Of Cold takes that initial statement of intent and expands on it. No less grandiose and magnificent. With this album, KING have looked into the heart of darkness and delivered a truly savage and callous piece of work, even more richly evocative and transportive.

The time spent on making this album combined with the talent of the three musicians makes a powerful black metal release. ‘Coldest of Cold’ by KING is being released on November 22nd via EVP Recordings and Indie Recordings! (From EVP Bio)

OBSEQUIAE – The Palms of Sorrowed Kings
RELEASED: November 22nd
STYLE: Castle Metal
LABEL: 20 Buck Spin
LINK: Bandcamp 

20 Buck Spin presents the third full-length album by beloved Minnesota-based castle metal act OBSEQUIAE, announcing The Palms Of Sorrowed Kings for November release. Alongside its artwork and details, the LP’s first two songs “L’autrier M’en Aloie” and “Ceres In Emerald Streams” have been posted.

For the third time in a decade, a new dawn rises over the castle ruins. OBSEQUIAE once more lowers the gates and emerge from the keep, to regale the townsfolk with tales of another age via heroic hymns of majesty and high adventure on The Palms Of Sorrowed Kings.

The most immersive and hyper-focused album from OBSEQUIAE to date, The Palms Of Sorrowed Kings features a heightened sense of rhythmic definition, greater care in the depth of layers and a shimmering clarity that elevates the uniquely realized character of a band unlike any other. Sweeping and vast, the otherworldly scope of the guitars, the anachronistic harp interludes, the percussive precision and the range of ancient melodic beauty open portals to the immemorial.

An album singularly concerned with creating a captivating world to become willfully lost in, The Palms Of Sorrowed Kings sets itself on a path that few now trod but a realm that OBSEQUIAE towers over like the noblest kings (From 20BS Bio)

Carefully selected by KMaN

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