CD

Hin helga kvöl (The Holy Suffering) is a profound exploration of raw emotion and stark beauty, deeply inspired by Sólstafir’s cultural heritage and Iceland's breathtaking landscapes. Sólstafir, meaning "crepuscular rays" in Icelandic, refers to sunlight piercing through dark clouds at dusk, capturing the essence of Hin helga kvöl, a beacon of hope shining through the heaviest of times. Sólstafir confronts inner demons and transcends rock and roll decadence, creating music that resonates with the universal struggle and triumph over hardship. Recorded at Flóki Studios in the remote Skagafjörður, Iceland, the change of scenery has profoundly influenced the album's atmosphere. Hin helga kvöl features eight tracks blending Sólstafir's signature melancholic sound with elements from their past, merging black metal roots with tuneful, anthemic rock. Reflecting on the album's title, Tryggvason shares: "We all suffer in life, and even nature suffers. It can be found in religion and spirituality as well. Hin helga kvöl means 'The Holy Suffering,' representing the struggle we all face." The album’s stunning cover art by Rowan E Cassidy, featuring charcoal shadows, perfectly illustrates the emotional depth and breathtaking altitudes of Hin helga kvöl. Tryggvason describes the music with one word: "alone," capturing the essence of Sólstafir's unfiltered and ardently emotional sound. Sólstafir’s music is shaped by diverse influences, including Black Metal, Classic Rock, Post-Rock, Punk, and the stark beauty of Icelandic nature, crafting a unique sound all of their own. Hin helga kvöl promises to be a bright, shining milestone in Sólstafir’s illustrious career, illuminating the path from darkness to light. This November, let that undiluted haunting beauty and spiritual raw power of Hin helga kvöl run free in your mind. Suffering has never felt this enlightening. The album is available as: Ltd. CD Box Set, Ltd. CD Digipak, black LP, Ltd. Gatefold red LP & Art print, Digital Album

Gabriele Gramaglia is back with his main solo output COSMIC PUTREFACTION for another chapter of his own tale under the banner of his new LP “Emerald Fires Atop The Farewell Mountains” set for release on Oct 4th. Taking place right after “Crepuscular Dirge for the Blessed Ones”, “Emerald Fires...” takes us to an even deeper and ineluctable journey. Now that the empyrean inhabitants have fallen down for good and all the debris of physical worlds are scattered around, the main character of the tale has in-fact to walk his very last path counting only of his very last strengths to face eternal solitude and death; a path exploring both the widest astral distances imaginable and the most twisted labyrinths of the inmost self. Musically speaking, the concept is depicted through an even broader palette of influences compared with its predecessor, ranging from the most hammering death metal riffs, to progressive veins and even shades of symphonic black metal, embraced through an almost omnipresent wide atmosphere and multilayered arrangements of distant guitars, cellos and synths. Giulio Galati (ex-Hideous Divinity, Nero di Marte), once again teamed up with Gramaglia as a session drummer, to complete his effort through an extremely powerful and dynamic performance behind the kit. COSMIC PUTREFACTION was formed in 2018 as the death metal sonic incarnation of the multi-instrumentalist Gabriele Gramaglia (also behind The Clearing Path and part of Turris Eburnea, Vertebra Atlantis and Hadit), which summoned the aforementioned musical entity to re-arrange and complete the unreleased album of his first band Oaken/Throne, which begun in 2012 but was left uncompleted because the combo disbanded. This album was completed and released in 2019 under the name of “At the Threshold of the Greatest Chasm”, which comprehended six-and-a-half tracks taken from the unreleased Oaken/ Throne album. He later refined his formula through the second album “The Horizons Towards Which Splendour Withers” and Crepuscular Dirge for the Blessed Ones” which expanded the death metal roots with the multifaceted range of influences Gramaglia has developed throughout the years. For fans of Blood Incantation, Artificial Brain, Wormed, and Tomb Mold.

Digipak with 12 pages booklet

The last album Metamorphosis, released in 2021, was their first under the
renowned label AOP Records and reached number 29 on the official
German album charts. Additionally, it was named one of the top 5 black
metal releases of 2021 by German Metal Hammer. These recent
successes, along with past achievements, highlight the band's continuous
development.
 
With nine releases, including six full-length albums, Agrypnie has created
an extensive discography that reflects the variety and depth of their
musical universe. This year (as of 2024), the release of their seventh
album is planned, while the drum recordings for the eighth album are
already completed.
 
Over time, Agrypnie has completed numerous tours and festival as well as
club performances, captivating their audience with their intense stage
presence and powerful performances.

A DEEP, INNOVATIVE & ECLECTIC CONCOCTION OF NORTHERN MAJESTY, FOR THE SEVENTH STUDIO OPUS IN THE MORK SAGA, AS THE BAND MARKS THE MILESTONE OF TWENTY YEARS OF EXISTENCE.

Following on from mastermind Thomas Eriksen’s self-titled Udåd project debut earlier this year; a dark release which explored the more underground & murkier-sounding waters of primitive black metal from a by-gone era, ‘Syv’ emerges as the new pinnacle of Mork’s and Eriksen’s ever-evolving journey, as well as a creative expansion both sonically & compositionally over all prior works.

June 14th will see the release of the new BALWEZO WESTIJIZ album “Tower Of Famine”. Featuring prolific multi-instrumentalist Swartadauþuz (Bekëth Nexëhmü, Trolldom, Gardsghastr, Ancient Records etc.) and vocalist Lik (Bekëth Nexëhmü), BALWEZO WESTIJIZ began as a ritualistic dark ambient project but has now transmuted into a towering black metal force. “Tower Of Famine” is comprised of nine tracks of somber, monumental, and melancholic black metal dread.

For one song preview click here 

Six panels digipak CD

From the ever-creating mind of Finnish musician Juuso Peltola (Warmoon Lord, Argenthorns, Old Sorcery, Tenebrarium and many more) comes Oneironaut, a brand new music journey along the German ambient tradition.
Oneironaut can be viewed as a distant cousin of Old Sorcery, spawned beyond a weird horizon, in another dimension alien to sword & sorcery. Slumbering in retro science fiction themes and powered by vintage synthesizers both cosmic and esoteric, Alien Gnosis aims to take the listener to a profound journey through the borders of imagination.
Oneironaut is a new piece in the collaboration between Avantgarde Music and the Finnish artist, expanding towards new galaxies. Adorned with a beautiful painting by Mara Hiltunen, Alien Gnosis is a long, fascinating path through galaxies far, far away…

Song preview CLICK HERE

Six panels digipak

From the creative mind of Ville “V-KhaoZ” Pallonen (Vargrav, Olio Tahtien Takana, Dim Lights, Druadan Forest and many more) a new project is born to walk the streets of rage.
Destro is the latest output from the Finnish multi-instrumentalist and professional composer, a tribute to the days of his youth in a synthwave, neon purple guise.
As Pallonen himself describes it: “Night of Vengeance is a story based in a dystopic and crime-ridden world where a group of people are trying to survive when machines start to come alive and become homicidal. Musically and production-wise, it is strongly inspired by 80s sci-fi and horror movie soundtracks.
On a personal level, the entire Destro concept is a trip down the memory lane to an era that sparked the love for music and storytelling”.
Compared to your usual, flashy retrowave record, Destro comes a bit darker, menacing and desolate than what this genre generally represents, as it is to be expected seen V-KhaoZ’s background.

Never, Neverland is the album that turns the page for UNTO OTHERS. Their third LP, following underground classics, Mana and Strength, it's the sound of harsh light breaking through the Portland quartet's darkened gothic and classic metal motifs. After significant radio play and hundreds of live shows around the world in the company of Behemoth, Arch Enemy, and King Diamond (amongst many others), frontman Gabe Franco and Co. have teamed up with producer Tom Dalgety (Ghost, The Cult), taking the next step from dark sunglasses and chugging metallic riffs to the more melodious gloom of lead track, "Butterfly", the crunching, punkish abandon of "Suicide Today" or the grandiosity of "Angel of the Night". It's the album that continues to mark UNTO OTHERS not only as the successors to Type O Negative or the Sisters of Mercy, but as a great rock band on the verge of something unholy and massive.