Press on, intrepid reader, to find out our top albums of 2022, as voted for by the cast, crew and hangers-on of the good ship Ghost Cult. Over 275 albums were nominated (including one stray and errant vote for Stryper… we’ve had words), some people lauded albums as the greatest of all time that no one else noticed, other albums picked up a steady stream of votes across the board without tickling the top of anyone’s charts, but through it all, we’ve been able to compile our team list of the best 75 albums of the year. And there are some absolute corkers, here. 75 of them, to be exact…
In the world of heavy music, there needs to be some degree of weird, strange, maybe even taboo. Without this, all we have is anger and aggression with little bursts of sadness. This need is currently being filled by that of Pennsylvania’s own duo dissonant black/death metal group, Veilburner. These two have been dropping full-length releases consistently since 2014 (first I am hearing of it, color me interested) but now the sixth record has disturbed the planet in the form of VLBRNR (Transcending Obscurity). Sometimes the most comforting music, given the right environment and levels of vulnerability, is actually the most uncomfortable music.
As we move into the meaty part of the Ghost Cult albums of the year for 2022 (as chosen solely by the team that dedicate their time to promote, analyse and share the love for the great alternative music that we exist to talk about), we find a mix of old favourites and a sprinkling of new rising and shining stars…Continue reading →
Inferno Metal Festival chas added more great acts to the 2023 festival! Joing the ever evolving lineup for next year are ABBATH, Beaten To Death, and Blodhemn. Taking place April 6th – 9th 2023 in Oslo, Norway, the fest also features Cannibal Corpse, Dark Funeral, Uada, Odium, Sakis Tolis, Harakiri for the Sky, Urgehal, Djevel, Nekromantheon, Mork, Darvaza, Nervosa, 1914, Svalbard, Vredehammer, Lili Refrain, Dwaal, Afsky, Mutilated Tyrant, Godflesh, Urgehal, Cowbar, Vemod, and Gaerea, Masacre, and many more to be announced. For tickets and more info, click the link below!
Back in the saddle after a prolonged hiatus I got to cover some Black Metal for Ghost Cult Magazine in 013 Tilburg on the 29th of September 2022. It’s good to walk the halls of the familiar venue again after a few years of mostly quiet, and several months since Roadburn. Tonight we come for Watain’s new album tour, The Agony & Ecstasy of Watain. They are joined tonight by Bölzer, Tribulation and Abbath, an excellent package.
Flying the Viking flag since 1995, Swedish folk/black metallers Månegarm return with their tenth full-length studio album, Ynglingaättens Öde (Napalm Records). Loosely translated as “the fate of the Ynglinga kin” and based on an old Norse poem entitled Ynglingatal, the band keeps with their tradition of songs recalling paganism, ancient myths, warriors, and kings, their latest offering telling the story of the house of Ynglinga, an old Nordic dynasty.Continue reading →
Upon hearing there was a forthcoming third Abbath album about to drop, to say I was excited would be a serious understatement. The first two really kicked some ass but, with that being said I always try to approach every new album I get whether doing a review or not with a completely open mind. I do my best to try and not compare it to anything and just let it stand alone. Dread Reaver (Season of Mist) will definitely stand on its own.
With only founding guitarist Prika Amaral remaining from their original 2010 line-up, Brazilian thrashers Nervosa return with a much more international look on their fourth full-length studio release, Perpetual Chaos (Napalm Records). Joining Amaral this time is Spanish vocalist Diva Satanica, Greek drummer Eleni Nota, and former Abbath bassist Mia Wallace.
Immortal’s members Harald “Demonaz” Nævdal and Reidar “Horgh” Horghagen are involved in a legal dispute over the rights to the band’s name. One of Norway’s first and most successful black metal acts, Immortal was formed by Demonaz and Olve “Abbath” Eikemo in 1990. Horgh joined the group in 1996. Six years ago, Abbath and the rest of the group went through a bitter breakup.Continue reading →
Abbath has announced that the band has been nominated for two awards in the 18th annual Independent Music Awards for the 2019 album Outstrider, out now via Season of Mist. They are nominated for Outstrider in the category of Best Metal / Hardcore album and for
‘Harvest Pyre’ in the Best Metal / Hardcore song category. Abbath had their North American co-headline tour with fellow legends Mayhem, The Decibel Magazine Tour, canceled due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), pandemic. Check out this message from Abbath and vote for the band to win!
A small bit of news in the chaos of the times… Abbath has received 2 nominations in the 18th annual Independent Music Awards in a few categories. They are as follows:
* Outstrider in the category of Best Metal / Hardcore album
* Harvest Pyre in the Best Metal / Hardcore song category
Voting is allowed in the song category, and if you’d like to you can do so here – https://fans.independentmusicawards.com/song_category/metalhardcore
Voting does require a sign-up however.
Work continues behind the scenes. We look forward to sharing more news soon,
Be safe,
Abbath had previously sent a message to fans thanking them for their support and about his excitement for a 2020 full of tour dates.
