Prophecy Fest Books Triptykon and Farsot for 2024 Festival


Prophecy Fest are thrilled to announce Triptykon for the 2024 billing! The innovators of dark avant-garde metal will grace the Cave of Balve with a journey to their masterpieces – and as a generous nod to the special location, they will even briefly visit the legendary Celtic Frost classic “Into The Pandemonium”! On more exciting and forward looking news, game-changing black metal outfit Farsot has also agreed to perform in the cave next year. The Germans will not ‘only’ bring a brand new album to Balve but also perform a special 25th anniversary show!Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Strange New Dawn – New Nights of Euphoria


Often our expectations of metal’s various sub-genres can paint bands into neat play-list folders in our minds and deviation can sometimes cause dissonance. A band that manages to defy genres with grace is Norway’s Strange New Dawn which features members of Green Carnation and In The Woods.

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Strange New Dawn (In The Woods, Green Carnation) Share Video for “Sons Of Galaxy” – New Album Imminent


Spawned by founding members of In The Woods and Green Carnation, Norweigan heavy psych doom band, Strange New Dawn have just unveiled their video for the track “Sons Of Galaxy.” It is taken from thei new album New Nights of Euphoria, out tomorrow, 24th of November, via Svart Records. Find the video and more below.

 

Pre-order New Nights of Euphoria here.

Stream here.

 

Strange New Dawn’s mission is clear: to provide listeners with an uplifting perspective on the world, coupled with a deeply euphoric journey through their musical landscape. The excitement felt by the band’s emergence is shared equally between listener and creators: “We are thrilled with the album and believe we’ve created something truly special,” says Xbotteri. “Our collaboration has been exceptional, and this journey has been a source of inspiration and fulfilment for all of us.

 

The band’s inception traces back to the year 2000 when the idea took root in the mind of Xbotteri. However, it wasn’t until 2012 that this idea blossomed into reality, with Xbotteri recruiting CM Botteri on bass (both founding members of Green Carnation and In The Woods), Sven Rothe on drums, and the powerhouse vocals of Geir Solli (formerly of Green Carnation). This star chamber of talents, culminated in the creation of New Nights of Euphoria, that pushes the boundaries of heavy prog metal, creating something entirely new with fascinatingly familiar origins.

 

Through the twists and turns of the creative process, some original members embarked on personal journeys of their own, making room for fresh talent. An old friend, Ex-Royal, took the helm as the vocalist, and Sven’s brother, Muld, joined on keys and samples, adding a layer of depth and creativity that reinvigorated the band and helped make New Nights of Euphoria richer and more eclectic in form. The addition of Bjørn Harstad (known as lead guitarist from In The Woods and Green Carnation) as the lead guitarist in Strange New Dawn solidified the band’s foundation.

 

With Xbotteri as the primary songwriter, Strange New Dawn’s sound naturally carries the echoes of In The Woods, which will delight fans who have missed that definitive signature. However, New Nights of Euphoria also ventures into a diverse array of genres, with an unwavering focus on creating atmospheres that captivate the heart and soul.

 

The album’s recording journey, spanning just under a year, was marked by trial and error, but the end result is nothing short of mesmerizing. To craft their harmonious resonance, Strange New Dawn chose to work on drums, guitars, bass, keys, and sample at Burnhill Studios which provided the ideal setting for their deep expedition into unknown musical landscapes, while Ex-Royal and Bjørn Harstad sculpted vocal and guitar magic at Endre Kirkesola‘s Dub Studio.

 

Watch previous video “Journey Within” here.

 

More from Strange New Dawn:

Drawing inspiration from luminaries like Pink Floyd, Candlemass, Arcturus, and Thule, as well as sci-fi films, esoteric documentaries, and cosmic literature, Strange New Dawn has harnessed their collective creativity to craft a sonic odyssey that defies boundaries.

 

New Nights of Euphoria is a testament to the boundless creativity of Strange New Dawn, and as with their past work, it is destined to be a milestone in the world of heavy music. Look out for this Strange New Dawn rising!

 

Follow Strange New Dawn:

https://www.facebook.com/Strangenewdawnnorway

https://strangenewdawncom.bandzoogle.com/home

 


ALBUM REVIEW: Nattehimmel – Mourningstar


 

From Norfolk to Norway might sound like the title of a particularly niche folk album or a random distance check on Google Maps but it actually sums up international act Nattehimmel pretty well. Formed in 2022 and featuring both Christian and Christopher Botteri of In The Woods… and Green Carnation, the rest of Nattehimmel consists of Norwegian drummer Sven Rothe (Strange New Dawn), Orcrypt guitarist David Carter and James Fogerty of Ewigkeit and Jaldaboath on vocals and keyboards, the UK contingent hailing from Norwich and Brighton respectively.

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ALBUM REVIEW: In The Woods… – Diversum


 

Authenticity.

 

The concept defies explanation, evades forensic inspection and can tie even the greatest philosophers in knots. Yet it’s something that we seek in artistic expression, and somehow we instinctively know when we encounter it.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Green Carnation – Leaves of Yesteryear


When Green Carnation, the progressive Norwegian sextet that gave birth to avant-Black pioneers In The Woods, split for the second time in 2007, no-one gave it a cat in hell’s chance of reformation. Yet the green (ahem) shots of recovery spawned with 2018’s live album Last Day of Darkness (Prophecy Productions), and here we are with the band’s sixth album Leaves of Yesteryear (Season of Mist), in what is the 30th anniversary of its formation.Continue reading


In The Woods… – Cease The Day


Following their return from hiatus in 2014, much to the delight of a sharp, in-the-know fanbase, Norway’s In The Woods… showed a glorious return to form with 2016’s Pure (Debemur Morti), an album that wasn’t a re-treading of past glories, but an alternate and matured direction for the band that highlighted their esoteric nature. Ever the shape-shifters, latest release Cease The Day (Debemur Morti) sees further subtle alterations, in what is their most commercially ambitious and accessible (within reason) to date.Continue reading


Maryland Deathfest 2017 Part II, Baltimore, Maryland


Hitting the halfway point of Maryland Deathfest is usually a milestone that no one really notices and those who do will actually not speak of it. No one wants to think the weekend is going to end nor that the end is already halfway here. Instead, hangovers are nursed, more questionable food is consumed, and everyone marches back to Rams Head Live and Baltimore Soundstage for another day of partying. Fortunately for myself and my party of friends, we know how to party but dodge the hangovers. So, we made sure to be on time for Soundstage opening up with the first band playing slightly before four in the afternoon. That included polishing off a bottle of vodka left behind by the previous renters of the Air BnB. Thank you to those unnamed heroes! Continue reading


Maryland Deathfest 2017: Part I – Baltimore Maryland


Memorial Day weekend in the United States is a time to remember our veterans who have served in the country’s military and most will commemorate such an occasion with cookouts. In Baltimore, Maryland, the partying starts a few days before the weekend but the celebration is about extreme music. This weekend is known to the fans as simply, MDF, or in full, Maryland Deathfest. Doom metal, black metal, grindcore, punk, and of course, death metal, take over multiple venues in the Inner Harbor area of the city all weekend long as the streets run black with hideous, graphic band t-shirts. For me, this is my sophomore year of the festival and could not be more excited to return.Continue reading