DARKNESS Present First New Song In 23 Years

No kidding, fellow thrashers! You can now listen to the first new song by German Ruhr Area thrash legends DARKNESS in more than 23 years on Soundcloud: DARKNESS had officially announced their reunion in August 2013, introducing Bony (guitar, ex-JAPANISCHE KAMPFHÖRSPIELE), Mike (guitar, TRAPPED INSANITY) and KREATOR bassist Christian “Speesy” Giesler as new members joining founding member Andreas “Lacky“ Lakaw (drums) and now vocalist Arnd Klink. Commented Speesy: “There’s just two bands I’d like to play music with - KREATOR and DARKNESS.”

Out of the three albums DARKNESS had released from 1987 to 1989, especially their debut Death Squad is commonly regarded as a genre classic and serves as a blueprint for Thrash Metal to the day.

DARKNESS celebrated their 25th anniversary at the cathedral of Teutonic Thrash, Essen-Altenessen’s Zeche Carl, in December 2012 and are in preparation of an extended tour schedule and new songs for 2014.

Pic by Jörg Litges | lautundinfarbe.de

FINAL DEPRAVITY - Thrash Is Just The Beginning Album Cover Revealed; Release Date Announced

German Ruhr Area thrashers FINAL DEPRAVITY have revealed the cover artwork for their upcoming new album, Thrash Is Just The Beginning. The artwork has been designed by renowned design studio Killustrations (a.o. Dew-Scented, Nervecell, Hackneyed, The Very End), run by German artist Bjoern Goosses.

Thrash Is Just The Beginning will be released on December 13th via Nihilistic Empire Records / New Music Distribution. Two ‘Making of’ clips feat. previously unreleased audio samples of the album title track and Tale Of Woe plus behind-the-scenes footage from the recording sessions can be seen below.

Thrash Is Just The Beginning has been produced by Sascha Risseler and mastered by Dennis Koehne (a.o. Sodom, Exumer, The Very End). The 'Making Of' video trailers have been created by Carsten Loer for Cyphers X.

FINAL DEPRAVITY from the Ruhr Area of Germany (known as the homebase of legends like Kreator & Sodom and most vital center of today's German metal scene) have been founded in December 2007.

The band came up with a highly praised 3-track demo in 2008 and shared stages with acts like Sodom, Legion Of The Damned, Artillery and The Very End since then.

The debut album, Nightmare 13, has been released in October 2010. Due to the bankruptcy of Twilight Distribution the album download is currently not available, but Nightmare 13 can be streamed in its entirety via SoundCloud.

FINAL DEPRAVITY played more than 70 live shows since the album release with the likes of e.g. Arch Enemy, Accu§er and Warrant. The band supported Onslaught and Suidakra on the Scream For Violence European Tour (20 shows) and performed at Metalfest Germany in 2011.

In June 2012, FINAL DEPRAVITY have announced Jerome Reil (son of Kreator drummer Jürgen "Ventor" Reil) as their new drummer. 

Bandsintown
FINAL DEPRAVITY is:
Dennis 'Blaze' Baron - Vocals, Guitars
Oliver Hey - Guitars, Vocals
Alex Voss - Bass
Jerome Reil - Drums

Join FINAL DEPRAVITY on Facebook.

Contact / Booking:
Featured Artists Promotions
featuredartists@t-online.de

FINAL DEPRAVITY Present Second 'Making Of' Video For New Album

German Ruhr Area thrashers FINAL DEPRAVITY have presented the second part of the 'Making of' video trailer for their upcoming new album, Thrash Is Just The Beginning.

The clip features previously unreleased audio samples of the second album track, Tale Of Woe, behind-the-scenes footage from the recording sessions and can be seen below.

Thrash Is Just The Beginning has been produced by Sascha Risseler and mastered by Dennis Koehne (a.o. Sodom, Exumer, The Very End). The album artwork and band photography come from the renowned design studio Killustrations (a.o. Dew-Scented, Nervecell, Hackneyed, The Very End), run by German artist Bjoern Goosses.

The 'Making Of' video trailers have been created by Carsten Loer for Cyphers X.

FINAL DEPRAVITY from the Ruhr Area of Germany (known as the homebase of legends like Kreator & Sodom and most vital center of today's German metal scene) have been founded in December 2007.

The band came up with a highly praised 3-track demo in 2008 and shared stages with acts like Sodom, Legion Of The Damned, Artillery and The Very End since then.

The debut album, Nightmare 13, has been released in October 2010. Due to the bankruptcy of Twilight Distribution the album download is currently not available, but Nightmare 13 can be streamed in its entirety via SoundCloud.

FINAL DEPRAVITY played more than 70 live shows since the album release with the likes of e.g. Arch Enemy, Accu§er and Warrant. The band supported Onslaught and Suidakra on the Scream For Violence European Tour (20 shows) and performed at Metalfest Germany in 2011.

In June 2012, FINAL DEPRAVITY have announced Jerome Reil (son of Kreator drummer Jürgen "Ventor" Reil) as their new drummer. 

Bandsintown
FINAL DEPRAVITY is:
Dennis 'Blaze' Baron - Vocals, Guitars
Oliver Hey - Guitars, Vocals
Alex Voss - Bass
Jerome Reil - Drums

Join FINAL DEPRAVITY on Facebook.

Contact / Booking:
Featured Artists Promotions
featuredartists@t-online.de

Reunited DARKNESS To Play First Show In New Line-Up This Saturday

By Featured Artists

Legendary reunited thrashers DARKNESS from Altenessen, Germany are about to play the first show in their reformed new line-up - at Ages Of Metal Festival in Oostrozebeke, Belgium this Saturday, September 28!

Out of the three albums DARKNESS had released from 1987 to 1989, especially their debut Death Squad is commonly regarded as a genre classic and serves as a blueprint for Thrash Metal to the day.

DARKNESS celebrated their 25th anniversary at the cathedral of Teutonic Thrash, Essen-Altenessen’s Zeche Carl, in December 2012 and announced the band’s official reunion this summer. 

The new line-up features a household name: KREATOR bassist Christian “Speesy” Giesler. Commented Speesy: “There’s just two bands I’d like to play music with - KREATOR and DARKNESS.”

Joining original DARKNESS members Arnd (now vocals) and Lacky (drums) are also former JAPANISCHE KAMPFHÖRSPIELE guitarist Bony and guitarist Mike (TRAPPED INSANITY).

Welcome back, death squad! \m/

Pic by Jörg Litges | lautundinfarbe.de

Bang your heads to DARKNESS - Death Squad on Spotify:

KREATOR’s Mille Petrozza On Dying Alive, Melody And Brutality - A Bravewords.com Special Report

By Maria Nayef for bravewords.com

After thirty years and thirteen studio albums, KREATOR is currently enjoying a career high. Having taken their tour showcasing the songs from last year’s acclaimed record Phantom Antichrist across Europe, they are still heating up the festival circuit before heading to China as well as North and South America.

They also have a new live CD/DVD called Dying Alive that recently had a royal-like premier at Germany’s historic Lichtburg cinema in Essen, before landing in the top 10 of the German charts upon its release. All befitting for a band that sits on the throne of Teutonic thrash metal.

Boasting a staggering selection of hits from Kreator’s extensive and influential career, Dying Alive was recorded during the last show of their European tour last December in Oberhausen. Despite being show number 45 of the tour, you won’t see any signs of fatigue from these thrash veterans, who execute each song with exceptional proficiency and intensity.

On stage, frontman Mille Petrozza is fierce. An embodiment of sheer aggression, his harsh riffs fuelled by lyrics vehemently expressing his rage at the atrocities and hardships plaguing humanity while standing before the ghastly figure of the Phantom Antichrist; a metaphor for that which manipulates the masses and steals their souls. It’s a very Orwellian view of a world where what was once considered fiction has become a grim reality.

Speaking from his home in Essen, Petrozza says he’s still feeling fresh despite a bevy of press calls. There’s contentment in his voice, one that stems from an evident and deep respect for metal and Kreator fans.

Read the entire interview at bravewords.com

WARBRINGER Release Hunter-Seeker Lyric Video

Los Angeles-based thrashers WARBRINGER will release their fourth studio album, IV: Empires Collapse, on October 28 in Europe and October 29 in North America via Century Media Records. A lyric video for the song Hunter-Seeker can now be seen:


IV: Empires Collapse, the studio recording debut for former MANTIC RITUAL members Jeff Potts (guitar) and Ben Mottsman (bass) rounding off WARBRINGER's five-piece lineup, was recorded with producer Steve Evetts (SEPULTURA, THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, SUICIDE SILENCE), mixed by Brett Eliason (PEARL JAM, HEART) and mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side Music (CANNIBAL CORPSE, HATEBREED, CONVERGE). The album's cover artwork was designed by Adrienne Rozzi.

Comments WARBRINGER: "The artwork for Empires Collapse came about from wanting to take a much more focused and simplistic approach. Previous WARBRINGER album covers are extremely detailed, busy works, so it was a conscious decision to have art that was the antithesis of what we had done before.

John Laux came up with the concept, so we had our friend Adrienne Rozzi make up a sketch, which led to us having her follow through with the final piece. It's incredibly different from what most fans would expect for a WARBRINGER album cover, but we wanted the art to visually reflect the music. The piece reminds me of a tarot card illustration and sets a very cryptic, somber vibe which associates well with the music that ties into the album's title."

WARBRINGER will tour North America with KREATOR and OVERKILL between October 27 and November 29. Additionally, WARBRINGER has just been announced to appear at IRON MAIDEN's The Battle Of San Bernardino event on September 13, with additional performances by MEGADETH, ANTHRAX, TESTAMENT, SABATON and OVERKILL, making it a night to remember for fans of heavy/thrash metal.

Said WARBRINGER about the opportunity: "It's an honor to be able to perform alongside one of heavy metal's most influential bands and we want to thank everyone who has given us their support in order to achieve this opportunity. It will be a monumental concert for us and all attending. Up the irons!"

FLOTSAM AND JETSAM And HIRAX's Metal Apocalypse European Tour Canceled

Jeff Keller Management LLC, the management company for FLOTSAM AND JETSAM and HIRAX, has announced that due to circumstances beyond the bands' and management’s control, the Metal Apocalypse European tour that was scheduled to feature both artists has been canceled.

Says Jeff Keller: "Unfortunately, it was in both bands' best interest to not continue with the tour at this time. We apologize to the fans for this unfortunate circumstance, and I can assure the fans that both bands will be in Europe in 2014 for other touring and festival appearances."

FLOTSAM AND JETSAM recently returned to Metal Blade Records to release their new album, Ugly Noise. Ugly Noise is FLOTSAM AND JETSAM's eleventh full-length album, their first release on Metal Blade since 2001 and the follow-up to their 2010 album, The Cold.

HIRAX will release its new album, Immortal Legacy, on October 22 (six days later in Europe) via SPV / Steamhammer. It will be made available as a CD, gatefold colored LP and a digital download. Philip Lawvere, the artist behind such classic album covers as KREATOR's Pleasure To Kill and CELTIC FROST's Emperor's Return, has designed the Immortal Legacy cover.

News via Blabbermouth

KREATOR's Dying Alive DVD Cracks German Top 10

Dying Alive, the new new concert DVD / Blu-ray from German / Finnish thrash metal veterans KREATOR, has entered the German Media Control chart at position No. 9.

Commented KREATOR mainman Mille Petrozza: "I've never expected Dying Alive to crack the Top Ten in Germany! This just shows again that you, our fans, are THE BEST! Thank you for your support! Let me close this with an Ozzy statement: I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!"

Dying Alive was released on August 30 via Nuclear Blast. The set features the band's sold-out homecoming show in Oberhausen, Germany on December 22, 2012 after an extensive 45-day European tour in support of KREATOR's Phantom Antichrist album. The packed and sweat-driven show was filmed by 24 cameras, as well as guitar and even mosh-pit cams.

The DVD/Blu-ray contains footage of the Oberhausen concert, a behind-the-scenes documentary as well as video clips. Approximate total running time: 115 minutes.

The United In Hate performance clip from Dying Alive can be seen here:

KREATOR - Dying Alive Theatrical Premiere At Lichtburg Essen

KREATOR Release Another Clip From Upcoming Dying Alive DVD

German thrash kings KREATOR have posted another full video track off their upcoming live DVD, Dying Alive (Out August 30 Europe / September 2 UK / September 3 US) via Nuclear Blast Records. Check out Death To The World:

The exclusive theatrical premiere for the DVD will take place at the renowned theater Lichtburg in the band's hometown Essen, Germany on August 29, starting at 8pm CEST.
Mainman Mille Petrozza will be present during the premiere and will be available for a Q&A afterwards. Right after that a signing session is planned as well. Tickets can be purchased from lichtburg-essen.de.

FINAL DEPRAVITY Present First 'Making Of' Video For New Album

German Ruhr Area thrashers FINAL DEPRAVITY have presented the first part of the 'Making of' video trailer for their upcoming new album, Thrash Is Just The Beginning.

The clip features previously unreleased audio samples of the album title track, behind-the-scenes footage from the recording sessions and can be seen below.

Thrash Is Just The Beginning has been produced by Sascha Risseler and mastered by Dennis Koehne (a.o. Sodom, Exumer, The Very End). The album artwork and band photography come from the renowned design studio Killustrations (a.o. Dew-Scented, Nervecell, Hackneyed, The Very End), run by German artist Bjoern Goosses.

The 'Making Of' video trailer has been created by Carsten Loer for Cyphers X.

FINAL DEPRAVITY from the Ruhr Area of Germany (known as the homebase of legends like Kreator & Sodom and most vital center of today's German metal scene) have been founded in December 2007.

The band came up with a highly praised 3-track demo in 2008 and shared stages with acts like Sodom, Legion Of The Damned, Artillery and The Very End since then.

The debut album, Nightmare 13, has been released in October 2010. Due to the bankruptcy of Twilight Distribution the album download is currently not available, but Nightmare 13 can be streamed in its entirety via SoundCloud.

FINAL DEPRAVITY played more than 70 live shows since the album release with the likes of e.g. Arch Enemy, Accu§er and Warrant. The band supported Onslaught and Suidakra on the Scream For Violence European Tour (20 shows) and performed at Metalfest Germany in 2011.

In June 2012, FINAL DEPRAVITY have announced Jerome Reil (son of Kreator drummer Jürgen "Ventor" Reil) as their new drummer. 

Bandsintown
FINAL DEPRAVITY is:
Dennis 'Blaze' Baron - Vocals, Guitars
Oliver Hey - Guitars, Vocals
Alex Voss - Bass
Jerome Reil - Drums

Join FINAL DEPRAVITY on Facebook.

Contact / Booking:
Featured Artists Promotions
featuredartists@t-online.de

KREATOR - Phantom Antichrist Is Coming To Russia

After extensive North American and European tours in 2012, KREATOR continue to bring the Phantom Antichrist to thrashers worldwide and are about to enter Russia in March.

Commented vocalist/guitarist Mille Petrozza: "Only a few weeks left until we do our very first 16 dates russian tour. In the past we have played only up to four dates but this tour will bring the band to cities that we have never played before. 

We are so looking forward to meet new fans and friends. Be prepared for a night of torture, pain and violence! Будьте готовы к Kreator в России. Пойдем!!".

See dates, cities and locations below.

KREATOR European Tour Finale - Pictures By Daniel Horlbogen Photography

By Featured Artists

The schedule of KREATOR’s latest European tour had set Oberhausen in the German Ruhr Area for the grand finale on December 22, 2012 - and the home match for Essen’s thrashers was even more triumphant than already expected.

The accompanying supports FUELED BY FIRE, NILE and MORBID ANGEL had given people a grilling in the sold-out venue, but Kreator topped things off easily and the crowd of approx. 2.500 maniacs just went nuts. 

No doubt about it: Phantom Antichrist, the band’s first release via their new partner Nuclear Blast Records, means another major step forward even for a band already being on top of their game like Kreator are for years now, if not decades.

The pictures by Daniel Horlbogen Photography below will give you a first impression of that night, follow the links to browse the full galleries and make sure to visit Daniel’s Facebook page.

The entire Kreator show has been filmed for a future DVD release, FA will keep you updated on the release date.

KREATOR 

MORBID ANGEL

NILE

FUELED BY FIRE 

Under The Sign Of Thrash - 1986 Succeeded By 2012?!

By Featured Artists

New albums by almost every major force in the game - all killer. Great returns to the arena of essential, but immersed heroes from the founding time of the genre. Insanely gifted, uncompromising hordes of “next generation” thrashers keeping the spirit alive and the veterans on the go.

2012 could justifiably be regarded as the single most important year for Thrash Metal since the glorious days and albums of 1986.

Even if you should think that’s too far fetched, 2012 will at least remain in the memory of fans as a year of maximum thrash entertainment. That itself is quite something!

Compiling top lists is never too easy. In this case it might even have been easier to point out just five albums that completely sucked over the past year, rather than mentioning only the five particular albums that placed themselves a bit above an armada of great shit.

That’s why you’ll get to see six albums in my personal 2012 Top 5 Thrash Metal Albums list... Let’s go!

Presented with an “honorable mention” are KREATOR’s Phantom Antichrist and HAVOK’s Point Of No Return. If the latter would have been a full-length album, cards have had to be reshuffled.

5. TESTAMENT - Dark Roots Of Earth

4. FUELED BY FIRE - Plunging Into Darkness

(Originally released 2011, licensed in Europe 2012)

3. OVERKILL - The Electric Age

2. BONDED BY BLOOD - The Aftermath

So that was 4 of 5 and we’re right in the middle of a luxury problem. Until late September, my favorite thrash album of the year had an undisputed claim to the throne - and then LICH KING dropped their bomb. Where do we go from here?

Fuck maths, credit where credit is due! My two Thrash Metal albums No. 1 in 2012 (alphabetical order...):

1. EXUMER - Fire & Damnation

and

1. LICH KING - Born Of The Bomb

Follow the links to connect with the bands, check out the YouTube playlist below feat. an official clip / song of each album and then - go buy 'em all!

FINAL DEPRAVITY Provide Year-End Update And Present New Logo

German Ruhr Area thrashers FINAL DEPRAVITY check in with a year-end update and present their new logo:

“Friends & companions, we don’t want to let you enter 2013 without sharing a brief year-end update and latest mission reports with you guys.

2012 was the 5th year of Final Depravity since the very beginnings on December 21, 2007 and once more, change was the formula.

Tristan Maiwurm left us in January 2012 to concentrate on studying drums in the Netherlands.

Our one and only candidate was Jerome Reil from Essen-Karnap - first rehearsals with our new drummer began early February. For those familiar with his last name, Jerome is the son of Kreator drummer Jürgen “Ventor” Reil.

Recordings for the second album Thrash Is Just The Beginning started in July and we’re currently recording final vocal parts and some clean guitars. Mixing will be finished mid January, and Dennis Koehne (Sodom, Exumer, The Very End) is totally entitled to give the album the ultimate punch at mastering then.

We would have preferred to let you hear new thrashing tracks now to commemorate this occasion, but we’re not quite ready to do so yet.

Instead, we proudly present the new Final Depravity logo before this year ends! So many changes had to be expressed by something as new as the band itself, and our own Jerome Reil has designed and drawn this mean bastard of a band logo!

All of us here at FD HQ wish you and your families a safe trip over to 2013, we’re gonna keep preparing some Thrash Metal for you to kick off January the right way.

Thanks everybody!
Thrash is just the beginning...”


Here’s what made 'em bang their heads most this year:

Dennis Baron (Vocals, Guitars):
1. KREATOR - Phantom Antichrist
2. TESTAMENT - Dark Roots Of Earth
3. LAMB OF GOD - Resolution
4. OVERKILL - The Electric Age
5. EXUMER - Fire & Damnation

Oliver Hey (Guitars, Vocals):
1. LAMB OF GOD - Resolution
2. KREATOR - Phantom Antichrist
3. TESTAMENT - Dark Roots Of Earth
4. HELLYEAH - Band Of Brothers
5. DESTRUCTION - Spiritual Genocide

Alex Voss (Bass):
1. KREATOR - Phantom Antichrist
2. TESTAMENT - Dark Roots Of Earth
3. CANNIBAL CORPSE - Torture
4. EXUMER - Fire & Damnation
5. OVERKILL - The Electric Age

Jerome Reil (Drums):
1. KREATOR - Phantom Antichrist
2. RUSH - Clockwork Angels
3. KISS - Monster
4. GRAVEYARD - Lights Out
5. MUNICIPAL WASTE - Fatal Feast