The Sludgelord Presents: Slomatics - "Future Echo Returns" Artwork Reveal, Video Premiere and "Electric Breath" Stream

By: Aaron Pickford

Few bands in my tenure at The Sludgelord have captured by my attention more that today’s featured band, Slomatics.  Having reviewed their eighth release “A Hocht” way back in 2012, their gargantuan riffs coupled with wistful psychedelia truly captivated me.  You may be thinking, “captivated you, that’s a bit strong innit”, however I wholeheartedly stand by those words, because Slomatics have become one of my favourite bands and really, if you don’t know this band, you’ve caught the wrong train my friend.

Following the release “A Hocht” in 2012 and with each subsequent release the band have grown stronger as a unit and with their latest release “Future Echo Returns”, they have created their most intelligent and monolithic record to date, indeed when an album renders you incapable of putting into words how you feel about it, you know you have encountered something incredibly special indeed and to me, “Future Echo Returns’ is exactly that. 

With the release of the record scheduled for September, it would be foolish to keep you waiting that long without tantalising you with more info.  So, today, I am delighted to present a Slomatics triple header, with exclusive Gatefold artwork reveal, “Future Echo Returns” video premiere and their track “Electric Breath” in full and you can check it out below.  

"Future Echo Returns" Gatefold art, by Tony Roberts

Here’s what the band had to say about the video

“We've collaborated with Dermot Falloon before, so when he approached us about doing something for the new record we jumped at the chance. Dermot shares an interest in our thematic approach, and he really let the dark recesses of his imagination run wild this time. His work doesn't so much fill in the blanks with our music, as much as drive it to it’s illogical, twisted, dystopian conclusion”

Now if we’ve still got your attention, here’s track 2 from the album “Electric Breath” in full

“Future Echo Returns” will be released on 2^nd September via Black Bow Records and can be pre-ordered here

“Future Echo Returns” track listing:

1). Estronomicon

2). Electric Breath

3). In The Grip of Fausto

4). Ritual Beginnings

5). Rat Chariot

6). Super Nothing

7). Into The Eternal 

Band info: facebook

The Sludgelord News: FEAR FACTORY: "Genexus" Artwork and Track Listing Revealed!

The pioneers of industrial-tinged extreme metal, FEAR FACTORY, will release their 9^thstudio album and Nuclear Blast Entertainment debut, entitled Genexus, on August 7^thworldwide. Genexus was produced by vocalist Burton C. Bell and guitarist Dino Cazares, and co-produced by long-time collaborator Rhys Fulber. The album was mixed by famed British producer and engineer, Andy Sneap (ARCH ENEMY,TESTAMENT, EXODUS, MACHINE HEAD). Artwork was once again handled by artist Anthony Clarkson. Drums on Genexus were performed by Mike Heller(MALIGNANCY).

The album is available for pre-order now
Digipack CD/T-Shirt bundle
http://www.nuclearblaststore.co.uk/shop/nuclearblast/proddetail.php?prod=NBL_FF_GenexusBUNDLE
Limited Clear Vinyl
http://www.nuclearblaststore.co.uk/shop/nuclearblast/proddetail.php?prod=NBL_FF_GenexusCLEAR
Limited Gold Vinyl
http://www.nuclearblaststore.co.uk/shop/nuclearblast/proddetail.php?prod=NBL_FF_GenexusGold

“The word genexus is a hybrid of two words; genesis and nexus,” explains vocalist Burton C. Bell. “This word describes the next transition in human evolution as man moves forward to a ‘mechanical’ state of being.  Ray Kurzweil predicts that the singularity will occur around 2045. Genexus is the term for that next evolutionary process. Where humans are machines, machines are human, and the differences are oblivious to the naked eye.

“This album is a record of thought patterns, psychology and struggles of the Genexus generation. The cognitive machine has arrived, and it wants autonomy from the industry that created it. This machine struggles, like every other human has throughout the course of history. This is the story of every one of us.”

Genexus track list:

1. Autonomous Combat System
2. Anodized
3. Dielectric
4. Soul Hacker
5. Protomech
6. Genexus
7. Church Of Execution
8. Regenerate
9. Battle For Utopia
10. Expiration Date

LIMITED DIGIPAK BONUS TRACKS:
11. Mandatory Sacrifice (Genexus Remix)
12. Enhanced Reality

Formed in Los Angeles, California in 1989, FEAR FACTORY changed the world of metal and have become a huge influence on the genre ever since their inception. The band’s unique sound helped bridge the gap between death metal, grindcore, thrash, and industrial on landmark releases like Soul Of A New Machine, Demanufacture, and the gold-selling release, Obsolete.

Visit FEAR FACTORY online at www. FEARFACTORY.com.
Like: www.facebook.com/FEARFACTORY
Follow: twitter.com/FEAR_FACTORY
Watch: www.youtube.com/fearfactorymusic

Source and promo info: Nuclear Blast UK

The Sludgelord Presents: Belzebong 'Greenferno' Artwork & New Song Exclusive

Formed in Kielce, Poland in 2008, Belzebong have become something of a cult name on the underground scene and have created such a following, they have toured Europe many times over including an appearance at ‘Desertfest’ in 2013.  The band was last seen leaving their bong vapour across Europe in November of 2014, on their appropriately named ‘Bake the Dead’ tour. 

Having been signed to Emetic records a few years back, fans were treated to reissues of their debut record ‘Sonic Scapes & Weedy Grooves’ on vinyl for the first time, as well as the reissue of their 2013, release ‘Dungeon Vultures’ which included their original 2009 demo.  It has now been 2 long years since their last new material and 4 years since their last full length. 

The Sludgelord are psyched to see them back and present details of their forthcoming album.  Unsurprisingly they have chosen 20/4 of all days to debut new music in the form of ‘Diabolical Dopenosis’. 420 is a code-term which refers to the consumption of cannabis.  So I’ll leave it up to Belzebong to tell you more

‘Happy 420!! On this glorious day, we're presenting you with information about our second album "GREENFERNO".  It will be released later this summer by Emetic Records as a LP, CD and cassette’.

As well as releasing the official artwork for the first time, the track listing of ‘Greenferno’ is as follows

1. Diabolical Dopenosis
2. Inhale in Hell
3. Goat Smokin' Blues
4. The Undertoker

Now, hit one and listen to "Diabolical Dopenosis"



For more information

http://belzebong.bandcamp.com/ | http://www.soundofliberation.com/
david@soundofliberation.com | http://belzebong.8merch.com/

The Sludgelord News: Drudkh stream new song and reveal artwork and track list

DRUDKH are premiering the first new song taken from their forthcoming full-length 'A Furrow Cut Short', which has been scheduled for release on the 20th of April 2015. The track "Till Foreign Ground Shall Cover Eyes" is now exclusively streaming via these official media partners and we can reveal the new artwork above. 

Stormbringer (AT)
Inferno (FI)
Radio Metal (FR)
Lángoló Gitárok (HU)
Metal Wani (IN)
Andfari (IS)
Metalitalia (IT)
Marunouchi Muzik (JP)
Musick Magazine (PL)
Against (PT)
Lords of Metal (NL)
Eternal-Terror (NO)
Close-Up (SE)
Metal Hammer (UK)




'A Furrow Cut Short' is now on pre-sale in various formats including a limited collector's edition with wood cover, which can only be ordered from the Season of Mist shop! 'A Furrow Cut Short' track listing can be found below

1). Cursed Sons I
2. Cursed Sons II
3. To the Epoch of Unbowed Poets
4. Embers
5. Dishonour I
6. Dishonour II
7. Till Foreign Ground Shall Cover Eye

With 'A Furrow Cut Short', DRUDKH are continuing on the course charted with their previous release 'Eternal Turn of the Wheel' (2012), where the black and bleak sound of the band's roots seemed to overshadow the progressive and lighter tone of 'Handful of Stars' (2010). This continuity is a rather rare occurrence in the history of the Ukrainians. In an ever evolving metamorphosis, DRUDKH have at times returned to their early legacy from the Nordic Black Metal inspired debut ‘Forgotten Legends’ (2003). Yet they also came back to the cinematic soundscapes of ‘Autumn Aurora’ (2004) and traditional influences that had risen on ‘The Swan Road’ (2005). The Ukrainians took more turns in their impressive career. On ‘Blood in Our Wells’ (2006), progressive elements surfaced, while after the instrumental and partly acoustic ‘Songs of Grief and Solitude’ (2006) a sharp contrast was delivered by the harshly black ‘Estrangement’ (2007). Their 2009 masterpiece ‘Microcosmos’ seemed to tie up the different strands of DRUDKH's previous works, before embarking on a quest to more outlying realms with ‘Handful of Stars’ that led to Roman Sayenko to found OLD SILVER KEY, in which he was joined by ALCEST vocalist Neige. The band's mastermind has often penned his own lyrics, but also continuously rediscovered forgotten poets of his home country. On 'A Furrow Cut Short', Roman is heavily drawing inspiration from 20th century Ukrainian poetry once more, which often deal with the bloody struggle of this old country to build a nation from foreign oppression. DRUDKH still refuse any kind of interview or promotion and demand to be understood through their music alone. This album equally represents the blood soaked sound of black despair and full hearted resistance to vile treachery and evil as well as the beauty of landscapes and culture. Listen carefully to hearts breaking.

Line-up
Roman Sayenko: guitars
Thurios: guitar, vocals
Krechet: bass
Vlad: drums, keyboards

www.facebook.com/Drudkh.Official

Source: Season of Mist

The Sludgelord News: CONTINUUM: Bay Area Death Metal Unit To Release New Full-Length Via Unique Leader Records; Artwork + Track Listing Revealed

Bay Area death metal henchmen and recent Unique Leader signees, CONTINUUM, are readying to unleash their debut full-length, The Hypothesis, this Spring.

The brain child of lead guitarist/composer Chase Fraser Decrepit Birth, Animosity), CONTINUUM was forged in 2009 and features the current working lineup of Fraser alongside guitarist Ivan Munguia (Arkaik, Deeds Of Flesh), vocalist Riley McShane (Son Of Aurelius), bassist Nick Willbrand (Flesh Consumed) and drummer Spencer Edwards (Son Of Aurelius). Together the CONTINUUM collective provides a sound that rocks the very foundation of modern death metal.  

Recorded mainly by Fraser with additional tracking and mixing by Zack Ohren (Suffocation, Fallujah, All Shall Perish et al.) at Castle Ultimate Studios, The Hypothesis delivers a scathing assemblage of engaging and abrasive compositions steeped conceptually in the mysteries of the infinite and the early but no-less-relevant and unsolved theories of the "continuum hypothesis." This hypothesis was studied by a number of mathematicians including Georg Cantor in 1878, many of whom committed suicide before reaching a conclusion to the unfathomable question of infinity. This theme is brought to life by the lyrics of Mcshane, the artwork of Raymond Swanland (Deeds of Flesh, Psycroptic, Suffocation), and the mathematical compositions of Fraser. A monolith of progressive technical death metal awaits!

The Hypothesis Track Listing:
1. Hypothesis: A Profound Discovery
2. The Epiphany
3. Hypothesis: Evolution
4. Absolute Zero
5. The Awakened Creator
6. Wasps In The History Of The Weak
7. Perspective
8. Where The Worlds Were Left
9. A Surreal Descent
10. The Steppes To Ascension

The Hypothesis will be released via Unique Leader Records on April 21st, 2015 with teaser tracks and preorder packages to be announced in the coming weeks. Stand by.  

https://www.facebook.com/continuumDM

http://www.uniqueleader.com
http://www.facebook.com/UniqueLeaderRecords
http://www.twitter.com/UniqueLeaderRec
http://www.youtube.com/uniqueleaderrecords

Source: Earsplit PR

The Sludgelord News: Inquisition unveil new artwork and start pre-sale

INQUISITION have unveiled their new artwork for the reissue of their 2004 classic 'Magnificent Glorification of Lucifer', which has been scheduled for release on the 23rd of March 2015.

All re-releases come with new artwork by the renowned artist Paolo Girardi, who already created the cover art for INQUISITION's latest album 'Obscure Verses For The Multiverse' (2013). The original artwork will be each time included as well. Girardi's covers are part of an overarching concept and should be seen in conjunction. More details about his mysterious work will be revealed with the final reissue.

'Magnificent Glorification of Lucifer' is available for pre-order at the Season of Mist shop in various formats including strictly limited leather sleeves. This reissue furthermore comes with two rare tracks as bonus: "Within The Red Hellfire We Burn" and "May The Rays Of A Fullmoon Shine Upon Us"!

The new artwork of 'Magnificent Glorification of Lucifer' can be viewed below

INQUISITION are about to finish the Western European leg of their black headlining campaign through Europe. The American black metal duo are joined for their black celebration by Finland's ARCHGOAT, the Swedes ONDSKAPT and BLACKDEATH from Russia - except for the last four eastern dates..

05/02/2015   CH    Zürich           Alte Kaserne           

06/02/2015   BE    Huy               Atelier Rock           
07/02/2015   DE    Weinheim      Cafe Zentral

11/02/2015   LV   Riga                 Nabaklab
12/02/2015   EE   Tallinn               Tapper
13/02/2015   RU   Saint Petersburg  Phoenix
14/02/2015   RU   Moscow               Seven

Source: Season of Mist