Vinyl

Brothers and sisters, we are gathered here to worship the gods at the altar of heavy metal. HIGH PRIEST have come forth from Chicago, Illinois in the United States of America to brighten your days with a message of hope and doom, one that is hammered into metal, stone and rock to assume the shape of their debut album "Invocation". HIGH PRIEST have taken the prophecies of the elders to their hearts. Their glorious harmonies and melodies bear the catchy mark of THIN LIZZY. There is dark heaviness foretold by BLACK SABBATH and renewed by ELECTRIC WIZARD, and even a touch of METALLICA’s more classic riffs. From the scriptures of grunge comes an emotional force that has been received through prayers directed at ALICE IN CHAINS. All of this is set forth in a new testament of blues-laden guitar-riffs and soulful vocals. With the friends playing together in various bands and line-ups since their youth, HIGH PRIEST came into being with a clear vision in mind. While watching an ELECTRIC WIZARD show in 2015, they spontaneously and simultaneously concluded that they wanted to play doom and old school metal from that day on (all while transfixed by the performance and having to shout their agreement over the din of the PA). Their first public declaration of the metal gospel was the 2016 EP "Consecration", which got HIGH PRIEST much attention throughout the doom and stoner metal scene as well as a record deal with Magnetic Eye, which led to the release of second EP "Sanctum" in 2019. And now the time has come to rejoice: HIGH PRIEST deliver their eagerly anticipated debut full-length, and "Invocation" doesn't just live up to what the two EPs promised, but will carry you straight to the heavens on a chariot of fiery riffs. Amen!

Released in 1998, "Odin Owns Ye All" is the second full-length studio album by Einherjer. It’s a fascinating, if slightly polarizing, chapter in the history of Viking Metal because it marked a distinct departure from the cold, black-metal-influenced sound of their debut "Dragons of the North". While their earlier work was rooted in the atmospheric and aggressive Second Wave of Black Metal, "Odin Owns Ye All" leans heavily into Heavy Metal territory. The guitar work is much more rhythmic and "groove-oriented" than the tremolo-picking found in traditional Norwegian metal and the sound is cleaner and punchier, losing the raw, lo-fi aesthetic of the mid-90s in favor of a more polished, rock n' roll Viking vibe. One of the most notable changes is the vocal delivery of Ragnar Vikse: instead of the typical black metal shriek, Vikse utilizes a unique, raspy, and melodic approach. It feels more theatrical and storytelling-driven, which fits the epic themes of Norse mythology but was quite a surprise to fans at the time.

Clear Red

DYMNA LOTVA are taking a quantum leap in their rapid musical evolution with their fourth album "Vyraj". The rebellious Belarus dissidents are powerfully demonstrating that they are far more than a 'one-trick pony' in every conceivable artistic aspect. Although "Vyraj" is still based on a solid foundation of black and post-black metal, DYMNA LOTVA move far beyond any easy labelling by also drawing inspiration from doom, heavy, and progressive metal, while venturing even deeper by incorporating elements from electronic music, goth, and folklore. The album is a cornucopia of great songs that are atmospherically dense and invite the listener onto an emotional roller-coaster ride from the darkest depths of depression and fear, via raw anger and defiance, to heights of ecstatic exhilaration. "Vyraj" is a musical kaleidoscope with ever changing patterns and sonic colours of remarkable beauty – that often dissolves into captivating melodies that at times even achieve a pop-like appeal. DYMNA LOTVA continue to carry the torch of rebellion, which is only natural as the founding members had to flee their native Belarus due to political persecution and continued attempts by the Lukashenka regime to censor and suppress their art. Yet on "Vyraj", they put their lyrical focus elsewhere. The album's main concept could be described as 'Belarusian ethno-astronomy.' In Slavonic legends, the starry sky is associated both with the afterlife and with journeys, which becomes closely intertwined with the musicians' personal experience of forced emigration. This idea is captured in the album title "Vyraj", which is a mythical realm to where birds migrate for the winter, and where the souls of the departed find their final rest. DYMNA LOTVA take another big step with "Vyraj" in their breathtakingly rapid artistic evolution. It is easy to predict that this unique and highly original band will soon appear on even bigger festival billings and European stages.

What one could describe as resolutely nihilistic Black Metal, fueled by the layered experiences of its contributors, is based on the cold pronouncement of an undeniable truth: all is vanity; all that exists is doomed to fade into naught.

Thy Killing Hand, a faceless Polish duo, wields Black Metal stripped to bone and rust. Their debut full-length, "Infernal Commands", follows two tape-borne warnings - "Scarlet Ceremonies" (2023) and "Ixaxar" (2024) - and distils those impulses into a heavier, more oppressive form.

Second press

Limited edition, gatefold colored vinyl with transparent "black ice" vinyl

Bleak French raw black metal full of disgust and pessimism. The 2003 debut EP for the first time on vinyl. A primeval and unpolished piece of death-glorifying negativity. There is absolutely no gothic here, just rotten black metal with agonized, inhuman lamentations and total necro sound. A legendary and much sought-after EP recorded by Noktu and Neige, unearthed from the Southern French sepulchres for a limited pressing on vinyl. Released on single-sided 12″ record for much better quality compared to the 7″ format.