Anaal Nathrakh, Bossk, Unfathomable Ruination, Kurokuma Booked For Ritual Festival 2017


The Leeds, UK, based Ritual Festival, centre of all doom and death have revealed the final four bands for their upcoming smorgasbord of metallic intensity.

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Ihsahn, Misery Index, The Afternoon Gentlemen, Crepitation, Corrupt Moral Altar Booked For Ritual Festival 2017


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Ritual Festival has announced its return with a killer lineup for next spring. Already set to perform are Ihsahn, Misery Index, The Afternoon Gentlemen, Crepitation, Corrupt Moral Altar and more bands to follow. Continue reading


Grassroots Honesty – Tom Dring of Corrupt Moral Altar


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Corrupt Moral Altar are men of few words, but who needs words when their releases conveys their hate, anger and darkness as it is? Stating their music is born out of regret, depression, denial, desperation and drinking, they know exactly how to convey that to maximum impact, mixing in a combination of grindcore, hardcore and sludge. It’s hardly surprising then that two years after launching themselves onto the scene they have enjoyed so much success.

Despite this, there were no grand beginnings for the band, as drummer Tom Dring explains. “It was quite spontaneous, we had all recently moved to the Northwest for various reasons, had a few beers together and decided we may as well kill two birds with one stone and make music while having said beers.”

 

Although they came together on a simple premise, their lyrics never shy away from tackling bigger topics. They might delve into politics but they retain grassroots honesty throughout their work.

Life experiences/poor decisions/getting overly smashed. Also politics, but more so how they translate on a personal scale, how your friends and family are directly affected by the bigger things going on in society.”

 

Ester Segarra

 

2014 saw the release of the bands debut full-length album, Mechanical Tides (Season of Mist). As with their other work, the subject matter is deeply rooted in current events.

Reese had the image of a sea of bodies, victims of modern life all washing up on a shore in his mind for some time, and the title reflects that image.”

 

From the concept to the cover, Mechanical Tides brutality and unrelenting sound is captured perfectly by the cover art. “We commissioned Lucas Ruggieri to bring the concept to life and it turned out way better than we had imagined! Can’t recommend him enough.”

Mechanical Tides may be the first full-length studio album to hit the shelves since their conception, but Corrupt Moral Altar have been nothing short of prolific previous to that, with a demo out in 2012 and two EPs in 2013. Writing for this band has progressed far further than just an occasional creative outlet.

 

We’re always writing, even when we try not to. We’ll take a break at practice, John will be messing around on his guitar then I feel an instant need to sit back at the drum kit and start playing along. We may be addicts…”

It just seems to come naturally, it helps that I have a studio so we can record as soon as we feel we have enough songs for a release. Once it’s mixed we get bored if we don’t stay productive, in between tours we can’t just keep rehearsing the same songs so we need to fill a creative void by writing new stuff!”

For the most part, we’d just jam a few riffs together and come up with a song in about 30 minutes. We tend to refine them all the way up to the last part of the recording process though, adding little weird bits of vocals or noise wherever we feel necessary.”

 

CMA admat October 2014 web

 

It’s not just writing that comes naturally to these guys, their rigorous touring schedule has already seen the playing extensively across the UK this year, and has landed them a spot at Leeds very own Damnation Festival in November amongst others. Talking about recent shows Dring mentions some dates that really stand out for the band. “Back in March we did 3 dates in The Netherlands which was a lot of fun, we’re back there for Incubate Festival in September and Blooshed Fest in October so really looking forward to that!”

For a band that never takes anything too seriously, their time on the road seems remarkably tame, as Dring goes on to explain.

 

Most tours consist of a crap in-joke developed in the first few hours, which lasts the duration of the rest of the dates, they would be far too unfunny to list here. We’ve only done 3 short tours to date so there’s still plenty of time for a decent ‘major incident’ to happen.”

 

Predictably, it wont be too long before we hear more from the band. Just 2 months after the release of their album, there are already plans to get back into the studio for more recording.

We will be recording for a split 7” very soon and shortly after that we will begin tracking our next album, also more tours are in the works so watch this space!”

Ester Segarra

Corrupt Moral Altar on Facebook

CAITLIN SMITH


Damnation Festival 2014 Completes Line Up


Damnation Festival 2014, final line up poster

 

French doom monoliths Monarch complete this years Damnation Festival line. They will be joining the likes of Saint Vitus, the reunited Raging Speedhorn, Cannibal Corpse and the events headliners Bolt Thrower at the events ten year anniversary bash at the Leeds University in November.

 

Press Release:

French drone doom outfit MONARCH! will play their only UK show of 2014 at Damnation Festival.

Their live “sonic assault” completes a PHD Stage cast of Ahab, Solstafir, Black Moth, H A R K, Atlantis and Corrupt Moral Altar.

While the Eyesore Merch Stage makes its return to Damnation, this year with a more sinister black metal billing of Fen, Wodensthrone, A Forest of Stars, , and Falloch, who’ll join previously announced Bast and Obsidian Kingdom in Mine.

The final additons to this year’s event – which will be hosted at Leeds Universtity Union on Saturday, November 1 – are orchestral metal quartet Xerath and Welsh death metal standard bearers, Amputated, who make their debut at Damnation Festival opening a Terrorizer Stage which boasts the brutality of Cannibal Corpse, Anaal Nathrakh, Revocation, Winterfylleth and Aeon.

Completing the line-up is the main Jagermeister Stage offering of Bolt Thrower, Saint Vitus, Orange Goblin, Raging Speedhorn, Stampin’ Ground and October File.

Commenting on their return to Damnation, Fen said: “We are honoured to be invited to play Damnation after our first appearance four years ago.

“It was one of the highlight gigs of our career – this festival (and the audience in particular) – is a very special one for us and we cannot wait to head back to take to the stage again.

“Fen has progressed significantly over the last four years and we are really looking forward to taking the discerning Damnation crowd by storm once more!”

A Forest of Stars added: “We’re extremely excited and honoured to be asked to play the wonderful Damnation Festival.

“We hope we won’t let everyone down too much – especially considering the impressively amazing line up – and look forward to devouring vast quantities of claret and opiates in celebration of the occasion, and maybe even playing a song or two.”

Festival Director Gavin McInally said: “This year’s line-up is fitting of a tenth anniversary party and with tickets on track to have 4,000 friends with us, it’s going to be a bash to remember.”

The complete line-up for Damnation Festival is Bolt Thrower, Cannibal Corpse, Saint Vitus, Ahab, Raging Speedhorn, Orange Goblin, Anaal Nathrakh, Monarch!, Stampin’ Ground, Revocation, Solstafir, Winterfylleth, Fen, Aeon, Black Moth, Wodensthrone, H A R K, Amputated, A Forest of Stars, October File, Xerath, Falloch, Bast, Atlantis, Obsidian Kingdom and Corrupt Moral Altar.

Fans who arrive in Leeds the night before can warm-up for Damnation Festival with A Night of Salvation at The Belgrave Music Hall, featuring Dyscarnate, Hang the Bastard, Latitudes, The Atrocity Exhibit and Cattle. Tickets priced £6 are available on the door.

Tickets for Damnation Festival are priced £36 and on sale now from
http://www.damnationfestival.co.uk/
http://www.facebook.com/damnationfestival
http://www.leedstickets.com/