TANTAL - Suicide

I discovered this band while reading a post about female metallers at Invisible Oranges, and was blown away. Formed in 2004 and hailing from Pushkino, Russia, they released their first album "The Beginning Of The End" on Russian Indie label Mazzar Records.

Tantal uses a good size arsenal when playing, from awesome riffs, to clean vocals (courtesy of vocalist Sofiya Raykova), to a growl that could hold it's own with the best of them (also by Sofiya), to killer machine-gun riffs (which you would expect from a band named after a Polish Assault Rifle) and nice progressive solos. Tantal is definitely a band to keep your eye on.

Check out their first video "Suicide".

Behemoth - At the left hand ov God

Behemoth being that metal powerhouse that they are, never seem to disappoint with their videos. And "At the Left Hand Ov God" is no exception.

Directed by D.Szermanowicz & M.Dutkiewicz for Grupa13 productions, it's a much more theatric video than others you may have seen. Encorparating scenes of the Temptation of Eve, Fallen Angels and writhing masses of tortured souls, it would be missing something without some shot of "Lord" Negral basking in the adoration of his minions.

Vreid - Pitch Black

Formed from the remains of norwegian black metal band Windir, Vreid came to light (or darkness) in 2004 following the death of Windir frontman Valfar. Hailing from the frozen lands of Norway, Vreid has secured their footing in the metal community with their heavy blend of black and thrash metal.

This song off of Vreid's 2nd album "Pitch Black Brigade" (Tabu Records, 2006), has a very DIY approach to it. Incorporating grainy archive military footage and equally grainy footage of the band playing in what could only be described as their practice space, they still manage to convey the imagery of and attack by a Pitch Black Brigade.

Their latest album, Milorg (Indie Recordings, 2009) is out now, and they are also touring the US on the Heathenfest Tour. Enough chat... check out Pitch Black.

Ramesses - Khali Mist

This is probably one of the most awesome video's I've seen in a long time.
It was produced/directed by Hans Lo. It's a VHS video collage promo that Hans says "was compiled and edited over 4 months, taking elements from over 50 movies." And goes on to say "this was an intuiative alchemic reaction to Ramesses' incredible monolithic freeform sounds".

Ramesses was formed by ex-Electric Wizard members Tim Bagshaw and Mark Greening, and are joined by Adam Richardson of Lord of Putrefaction. they have a great heavy, sludgy sound that just rolls over you and pulls you along with it, before plunging you into a realm of heavy psychedelia and filling you with a sense of doom.

Go ahead and smoke one, sit back and get ready to blown away.

NEUROSIS - A Sun That Never Sets

Being that i'm still a bit hungover from all the Halloween escapades this past weekend, we'll keep this one short and let you get to the video.

Neurosis have been creating some of the best Doom/Sludge/Ambient/Stoner Post-Metal (whatever you want to call it) around since 1985. This single, off the album of the same name, completely enthralls you in it's rising sound before fading slowly out and leaving you feeling like your missing something.

Wait... Hold The Phone! Mastodon was on Late Night w/ Jimmy Fallon?

So last night Mastodon played "Divinations", off Crack the Skye" (2009), on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.
Sam Rockwell was the guest prior to the bands performance, and when asked by Jimmy if he'd ever heard of them he replied "Oh, I Googled the hell out of them before the show."

I'm not sure most of the people in the studio, Jimmy Fallon, Sam Rockwell, or the sound guy knew what they were getting into.
Especially the sound guy. The first 20 sec or so of them playing, the sound is a bit all over the place. But to give credit where it's due, he did get it dialed in pretty quickly. And for that matter I'm sure it was damn loud in there.



There must have been a Yeti Warning in effect in the Late Night studio's that night.

Amon Amarth - Twilight Of The Thunder God

Amon Amarth has maintained position as one of my of favorite Viking Metal bands. This video gives you everything you want from a good viking metal song. Strong riffs, powerful drums, more Nordic imagery you can shake a stick at, and guitar solo that's armed and ready for battle.

So put on your helmet, grab your sword and shield and get ride, for the Twilight of the Thunder God approaches.

TOXIC HOLOCAUST - Nuke the Cross

Toxic Holocaust recently felt the scorn of the christian community in Nashville earlier this week for a show booked at a christian teen hangout in Nashville (Click HERE for the story from the Nashville Gospel Music & Entertainment Examiner) with the Black Dahlia Murder for a Halloween Show on Oct. 27th.

So this post is, if anything, to show you what scared the crap out of those god fearing christians.

HeathenFest America Tour Starts Nov. 3rd

It's that time of the year again. The days are getting shorter. Gloom is in the air, and Heathenfest is getting underway next week. The tour gets started on Nov. 3rd and covers a good amount of the U.S. and ends it's 22 day run in Vancouver, BC.

Check out the dates below, and get out there and rock you heathens!

Nov 3 Worcester, MA @ The Palladium
Nov 4 Toronto, ON @ The Opera House
Nov 5 Montreal, QC @ Le National
Nov 6 New York, NY @ The Gramercy Theater
Nov 7 Cleveland, OH @ Peabody’s
Nov 8 Detroit, MI @ Blondie’s
Nov 9 St Paul, MN @ Station 4
Nov 10 Chicago, IL @ Jaguar Club
Nov 12 Springfield, VA @ Jaxx
Nov 13 Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade
Nov 14 Orlando, FL @ Central Station
Nov 16 San Antonio, TX @ Warehouse Music Venue
Nov 17 Ft Worth, TX @ Ridglea Theater
Nov 18 Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad
Nov 19 Tempe, AZ @ The Clubhouse
Nov 20 Ramona, CA @ Ramona Mainstage
Nov 21 Los Angeles, CA @ Ultra Violet Night Club
Nov 22 San Francisco, CA @ DNA Lounge
Nov 23 Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theater
Nov 24 Seattle, WA @ Studio Seven
Nov 25 Vancouver, BC @ Red Room

Fun with Black Metal

Ok... we all like Black Metal (well some do), but sometimes you come across some images that make you wonder what they were thinking.

Like this one called Black Metal Suburbia

You gotta give these kids some horns up to wake up in the morning, put on their corpse paint and spiked accessories, grab their scythe ( and what appears to be a wisk) and stroll through their suburban hood.

But wait....It get's better

This is just a Fail anyway you look at it. That tree behind them must see more doom and gloom than these people. It's a wonder why most people don't take black metal serious when they see things like this.

Speaking of serious...


I'm not sure there is much else to say about this. I'd vote for him.

Savage Circus - Evil Eyes

Came across this video while checking out Shreddit (a metal page on Reddit). This is an overall good track. It has a great power metal feel to it, some good solo's and is great song to pump your fist to.

Despite it's lack of normal power metal themes, Evil Eyes by Savage Circus , gives you plenty of intense staring at the camera, leg up on the monitor guitar solos, and maybe one too many slips in to slow motion (one is enough people.. come on). But over all this is great track and is worth time watching it. Enjoy

Live in Chicago? Check out Kuma's Corner

This has to be the most awesome food establishment that I've ever seen. At least the most metal one.
Kuma's Corner is a Chicago based burger joint that asks the question "Have you been looking for a place with the most mouthwatering meat laid upon pretzel rolls in a dazzling presentation made for Odin himself while listening to bone crushing metal and rock and roll?"
The answer, of course, is Yes... Yes we have!

With such sandwiches as the Pig Destroyer (Slow-cooked Pork and BBQ Sauce on a Pretzel Roll) and Hate Beak. Their Burger selection is where they really shine. Walk in and order the Pantera or the Dark Thone. Maybe you feel like the Neurosis, or how about the Bongzilla. Be sure to wash it down with one of the 40+ beers they have in house. Cuz we know you like the beer.
With many more awesome selections and what seems like a great food and beer menu, I'll most certainly be hitting up Kuma's Corner the next time i'm in Chi-town.

Behold the WalNar

Yes. Your eyes do not deceive you. That is a still blood stained walrus skull mounted atop a Narwal Tusk.

I came across this gem while trolling the depths of the Internets. There aren't many words for the awesomeness that is portrayed with this image. One can only imagine what it would be like to have this set up in your living room, bedroom or bathroom for that matter ( just to scare the crap out of your guests - Pun fully intended).

This was found at the Boone Trading co. This place has all kinds of random skulls, antlers, and even Mammoth tusks (No Joke)

Belphegor - Der Geistertreiber

In yesterday's post I mentioned that "Repulsion Salvation" lacked desolate, foggy forests and scenes of dark rites. Well the following video has just that, and to make things just a little more redonkulous, the guys from Belphegor have decided to add flying goats rocketing fire from their ass (skip to 0:45).

But overlooking such things like Morluch being omitted from the video and having to cut to Serpenth playing bass during the solo, the first single off of Belphegor's new album Walpurgis Rites - Hexenwahn is pretty good, if not a little subdued from the rest of the album. (streaming here)

Skeletonwitch - Repulsion Salvation

When I first saw the video below for "Repulsion Salvation" I was pleased to see that Skeletonwitch has not disappointed us with their third studio album "Breathing the Fire", out on Prosthetic Records.

The video by director David Brodsky seems to convey the energy of the band and the song. No desolate, foggy forests. No frozen wastelands or scenes of dark rites, just 5 dudes giving it there all in the corner of a dimly lit bar. Watch and see for yourself.




At the time of this post, the band was still streaming Breathing the Fire on their Myspace here.