ALBUM REVIEW: Hour of 13 – Black Magick Rites


A lot has changed since Hour of 13’s last album, 333, came out in 2012. The project is now a one-man affair with bandleader/multi-instrumentalist Chad Davis playing all the parts himself, including vocals with Phil Swanson long out of the picture. That nine-year gap also saw a minor genre tug ‘o’ war take place as singles and EPs were torn between the Traditional Doom of albums past and Samhain-style Deathrock, often determined by whether the 13 was retained as a number or spelled out. With this somewhat convoluted frame in mind, it’s a relief to see the former style win out on their fourth full-length, Black Magick Rites (Shadow Kingdom Records).

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ALBUM REVIEW: Pounder – Breaking The World


When listening to Pounder’s second album, Breaking The World, one immediately notices an improvement in lead singer/guitarist Matt Harvey’s (Exhumed/Gruesome) vocal performance. His voice still has the husky, untrained timbre that was an unfortunate liability on 2019’s Uncivilized, but also has more conviction and grit behind it this time around. It may still be a dealbreaker for some listeners, but at least they didn’t attempt to put a power ballad on here…

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Haunt Surprise Releases A Brand New EP


Just weeks after digitally releasing their new full-length album If Icarus Could Fly, Haunt is back with a brand new unannounced EP! Mosaic Vision is out now via their Bandcamp page. The release will also see a physical release on CD, 12″ vinyl, and cassette tape formats via Shadow Kingdom Records by the end of May 2019. Haunt is a rising Trad metal band from Fresno, California began life as a solo project of Beastmaker frontman Trevor William Church and promptly self-released its debut EP, Luminous Eyes, during the summer of 2017.Continue reading


The Mon – Doppelleben


So here’s me expecting The Mon to be a product of a maniacal Scottish ego. Imagine my surprise to find that it’s an alter-ego of Urlo, bassist and vocalist of Italian heavyweights Ufomammut: and, far from that trio’s cosmic crescendo, Doppelleben (Shadow Kingdom Records) is far more introspective and pared back.Continue reading


Alms – Act One


The state of Maryland has a truly grand Doom legacy, and new quartet Alms aim to carry that on. Described by some as purveyors of a Funeral brand, the Baltimore outfit’s roots and product lean more towards seventies Occult Rock, despite the slow speed of some tracks.Continue reading


Night Demon Shares Live Performance Video, Live Album Due Out This Summer


Night Demon will release their first-ever live album and DVD this August 10th, dubbed Live Darkness via SPV/Steamhammer in Europe, and Century Media Records and Shadow Kingdom Records in the USA. The recording is a document of the bands’ incendiary show from December 2, 2017 at Cleveland, Ohio’s Beachland Ballroom. Night Demon played a career-spanning setlist, plus a rendition of Midnight’s ‘Evil Like a Knife, featuring a guest appearance from Athenar himself. Watch it now!Continue reading


Trailer: Venomous Maximus – Though the Black


Venomous Maximus: Trevi Biles (Bass), Gregg Higgins (Vocals, Guitar), Bongo (Drums) and Christian Larson (Guitar).Photo Credit: Jessica Brungardt (@jessaberrant)

Venomous Maximus: Trevi Biles (Bass), Gregg Higgins (Vocals, Guitar), Bongo (Drums) and Christian Larson (Guitar).Photo Credit: Jessica Brungardt (@jessaberrant)

Houston metallers Venomous Maximus is streaming “Though the Black” here, off their forthcoming album Firewalker on May 19, 2015 via Shadow Kingdom Records. The album was recorded at the Diamond Factory in Austin, TX with engineer Travis Bonner (Ancient VVisdom) and mastered by Paul Logus (Satyricon, Clutch, Anthrax).

Firewalker track listing:

01: Intro
02: White Rose
03: Through the Black
04: Dark Waves
05: October 14
06: Firewalker Theme
07: Angel Heart
08: My Machine
09: Fire in the Night
10: Take On the Grave

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Ironsword Releasing None But The Brave May 19th


IRONSWORD (L to R: Tann (Guitars & Vocals), João Monteiro (Drums) and Aires (Bass)

IRONSWORD (L to R: Tann (Guitars & Vocals), João Monteiro (Drums) and Aires (Bass)

Portuguese metallers Ironsword will be releasing their long awaited new album None But The Brave on May 19, 2016 via Shadow Kingdom Records. Formed in 1995 as a one-man project of guitarist / vocalist Joao “Tann” Fonesca, it celebrates 20 years of delivering colossal, fantasy-fueled heavy metal with the release of None But the Brave. The band’s fourth full-length release is huge and heavy as a war hammer. Gloriously metallic songs, rife with fist-pumping refrains abound, as Ironsword mashes pulverizing power and triumphant choruses to create its finest effort to date. Killers such as “Forging the Sword”, “Kings of the Night”, “Vengeance Will Be Mine” and “Eye For An Eye” are not mere songs, but rather, towering anthems to the everlasting pantheon of Heavy Metal music.

ironsword none but the brave

Track listing:

01.) Forging the Sword
02.) Kings of the Night
03.) Calm Before the Storm
04.) None But the Brave
05.) Ring of Fire
06.) Betrayer
07.) The Usurper
08.) Army of Darkness
09.) Vengeance Will Be Mine
10.) Cursed and Damned
11.) Eye For An Eye
12.) The Shadow Kingdom


Venomous Maximus Releasing Firewalker on May 5th


Venomous Maximus: Trevi Biles (Bass), Gregg Higgins (Vocals, Guitar), Bongo (Drums) and Christian Larson (Guitar).Photo Credit: Jessica Brungardt (@jessaberrant)

Venomous Maximus: Trevi Biles (Bass), Gregg Higgins (Vocals, Guitar), Bongo (Drums) and Christian Larson (Guitar).Photo Credit: Jessica Brungardt (@jessaberrant)

Houston metallers Venomous Maximus will release their new album Firewalker on May 5, 2015 via Shadow Kingdom Records. The album was recorded the album at the Diamond Factory in Austin, TX with engineer Travis Bonner (Ancient VVisdom). The record was mastered at PLX Mastering by Paul Logus (Satyricon, Clutch, Anthrax), with early reports indicating the band’s new music to be “big, bold and bad ass.”

venomous maximus firewalker

Firewalker track listing:

01: Angel Heart
02: Dark Waves
03: Fire in the Night
04: Ghost Beast
05: My Machine
06: October 14
07: White Rose

Venomous Maximus on Twitter