It’s Labor Day Weekend, August is a thing of the past, and as some people count it, summer is over. School is on the verge of resuming for people still attempting to educate themselves, and a ton of new metal tours are looming on the horizon for the fall. And of course, the fall will be filled with new album releases, too. Which brings us to the latest monthly edition of METAL IN THE FORGE.

You know the drill:  In these posts, we collect news blurbs and press releases we’ve seen over the last month about forthcoming new albums from bands we know and like (including occasional updates about releases we’ve included in previous installments of this series), or from bands that look interesting, even though we don’t know their music yet. In this series, we cut and paste those announcements and compile them in alphabetical order.

Remember — this isn’t a cumulative list. If we found out about a new album before August, we wrote about it in previous installments of this series. So, be sure to check the Category link called “Forthcoming Albums” on the right side of this page to see forecasted releases we reported earlier. This month’s list begins right after the jump. Look for your favorite bands, or get intrigued about some new ones. And feel free to tell us about how we fucked up by omitting releases that you’re stoked about.

ABSU: “ABSU’s forthcoming sixth full-length opus, Abzu, is set for North American release on October 4. The band’s second album for international heavyweight Candlelight Records, Abzu is the second part of a trilogy of recordings from the band.”

THE AGONIST: “Mixed by Tue Madsen (THE HAUNTED, DARK TRANQUILLITY, SUICIDE SILENCE), THE AGONIST‘s new full-length album is slated for an early 2012 release via Century Media Records.”

AMEBIX: “Cult British underground heavyweights AMEBIX recently parted company with Alternative Tentacles Records after 26 years. The band has decided to step up to the challenge of releasing its own work and has founded Amebix Records in conjunction with Easyaction. They are releasing the new album and back catalogue under the new label while Profane Existence will continue to manufacture and sell the band’s work as high-quality vinyl releases, with global distribution through Cargo Records. AMEBIX‘s new album, “Sonic Mass”, will be made available on September 23 as a CD and gatefold vinyl LP, as well as a digital download.”

BRUTAL TRUTH: “BRUTAL TRUTH’S new full-length album, “End Time”, will be released on September 27 in North America via Relapse Records. The CD was recorded with Doug White at Watchmen Studios in Lockport, New York and was mixed by Jason P.C. at Goatsound Studios. Mastering duties were handled by Scott Hull at Visceral Sound.”

COLDWORKER: “COLDWORKER — the Örebro, Sweden-based “blasting” death metal band consisting of current and former/current members of such acts as NASUM, RELENTLESS, RUIN and PHOBOS — has inked a deal with Listenable Records. The group’s third album, “The Doomsayer’s Call”, will be released this winter.”

CONDEMNED: “San Diego, California-based death metallers CONDEMNED will release their second album, “Realms Of The Ungodly”, on November 8 via Unique Leader Records.”

DARKTHRONE: “Peaceville Records has set a September 5 release date for the reissue of DARKTHRONE‘s seventh album of primitive black metal, “Ravishing Grimness”, featuring new artwork selected by the band, plus a bonus commentary disc with Fenriz and Nocturno describing their inspirations, as well as memories from the time of recording.”

ELUVEITIE: “Swiss melodic-folk-death-metallers, ELUVEITIE, has just launched a brand new and completely redesigned website and has taken the occasion to announce the title and production status of their upcoming album Helvetios.”

ENTRAILS: “You’ve been waiting for this one! If you thought Entrails’ Tales from the Morgue was one of the best old school Swedish death metal releases of 2010 (and many of you did), then be prepared to crown The Tomb Awaits king for 2011. The album is set for a September 9th release on Dark Descent Records in North America and on FDA Rekotz in Europe. Once again mixed and mastered by the legendary Dan Swano, The Tomb Awaits also features guest vocals by Swano and cover art by Daniel Devilish. Expect nothing less than festering, rotten death metal.”

FALLUJAH: “Northern California’s FALLUJAH will release its new album, “The Harvest Wombs”, on November 22 via Unique Leader Records.”

FESTER: “Norwegian black/death metallers FESTER have completed work on their first studio album in 17 years, “A Celebration Of Death”, for a late 2011/early 2012 release via Abyss Records. Original member Bjørn “Tiger” Mathisen has recruited Thomas Andresen (ALGOL) on vocals, Jon Bakker (KAMPFAR) on bass, and jazz musician Audun Kleive on session drums.”

FUCK THE FACTS: “FUCK THE FACTS has recently completed work on their brand new full-length, Die Miserable. Die Miserable was recorded in-between touring at the band’s home studio and has been set for an October 11th North American release date.”

HATESPHERE: “The infamous Danish institution responsible for delivering the heaviest of riffs unleashes its latest album “The Great Bludgeoning”: a merciless and brutal inferno that will leave a trail of destruction in its wake. Guitarist and mastermind Peter “Pepe” Hansen and his accomplices confirm the band’s supremacy and reach new heights with blistering tracks, such as “Venom”, “Need to Kill”, and “Smell of Death”. High-speed riffs, furious solos, and grueling drums are the foundation of HateSphere’s sound, in which technical prowess and appeal brilliantly unite. Esben “Esse” Hansen, the new man on the mic, emerges as a driving force, using his aggressive vocals to push the band even further. As a result of this perfectly balanced cooperation, HateSphere delivers a compact and uncompromising album that will outflank even the band’s previous classic releases. “The Great Bludgeoning” is scheduled for release on September 27 in North America and a day earlier in Europe.”

HULL: “Hailing from the streets of Brooklyn, New York, HULL has yet again emerged with a creation to outlive the ages. Hard at work since the release of their 2009 debut, Sole Lord, ideas were envisioned and the mighty wind of creativity brought upon this Earth the latest saga, Beyond The Lightless Sky. Beyond The Lightless Sky will be released on October 11, 2011 via The End Records.”

IMPENDING DOOM: “California-based Christian death metallers IMPENDING DOOM will enter the studio this week to begin recording their as-yet-untitled new album. The CD will be produced by Andreas Magnusson (THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, THE FAMINE) and will be mixed by Machine, who has previously worked with LAMB OF GOD, SUICIDE SILENCE and DEMON HUNTER, among others.”

KILLSWITCH ENGAGE: “Massachusetts metallers KILLSWITCH ENGAGE are preparing to enter the studio to begin working on the follow-up to their 2009 self-titled album. Guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz writes on the band’s Facebook page, “YO! It’s Adam D! We’re about to begin writing our new record. Thanks to all of our fans for waiting so friggin’ patiently … now let’s turn on the ‘riff faucet’ and RAGE.”"

MARTYR: “Metal Blade Records has set a November 8 North American release date for “Circle Of 8″, the long-awaited new album from Dutch metal veterans MARTYR.”

MORS SUBITA: “The Oulu, Finland- based MORS SUBITA have inked a deal with Violent Journey Records. The band’s highly anticipated debut titled ”Human Waste Compression” is scheduled to be released on 21. of September.”

PAGAN RITES: “Swedish black metal veterans PAGAN RITES have completed work on a new mini-album, “Preachers From Hell”. The CD was recorded in Sonic Train Studios in Varberg, Sweden with Stefan Karlsson (ex-SOUL REAPER) and was mastered by Andy La Rocque (KING DIAMOND). “Preachers From Hell” will be released later in the year via Unexploded Records.”

REDSCREAM: “Three members of the legendary Swedish death metal band GRAVE have joined forces with Florida-based guitarist Ralph Santolla (OBITUARY,DEICIDE) in a brand new group called REDSCREAM. The project is currently writing material in Stockholm while seeking a lead singer to complete the band’s lineup.”

SVARTTJERN: “Norwegian black metal outfit SVARTTJERN — featuring vocalist HansFyrste from RAGNAROK, and guitarist Haan and bassist Terror from BLOODSPAWN — will release its new album, “Towards The Ultimate”, on September 27 in Europe and October 25 in North America via Agonia Records.”

TEXTURES: “A six-minute YouTube featuring audio samples of all the tracks that will appear on “Dualism”, the new album from the Dutch progressive technical metal band TEXTURES, can now be heard. Due on September 23 in Europe, South America, Asia and Australia and September 27 in North America, the “Dualism” CD can be pre-ordered from Nuclear Blast USA‘s webshop.”

THREAT SIGNAL: “Canadian modern metal masters THREAT SIGNAL will release their third, self-titled album on October 7 via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was recorded at Planet Z studios in Hadley, Massachusetts with producer Chris “Zeuss” Harris (CHIMAIRA, HATEBREED, ALL THAT REMAINS, THE ACACIA STRAIN, BORN OF OSIRIS, SHADOWS FALL).”

THRONE OF KATARSIS: “Norwegian black metal act THRONE OF KATARSIS will release its new album, “Ved Graven”, on October 24 in Europe and November 1 in the U.S. via Candlelight Records. According to a press release, “the album title ‘Ved Graven’ can be translated to ‘At the Grave’, and is by far the darkest material written by the band to this date.”

THULCANDRA: “Obscura mastermind Steffen Kummerer continues his musical journey through time by taking Thulcandra’s latest album, “Under a Frozen Sun”, back to the Sweden of the early 90s. The entire band is deeply rooted in the infamous sound of Sweden’s black death metal, which combines scorching riffs, anthemic melodies, delicate solos supported by driving drums, and intense vocal renditions. Thulcandra is able to find a balance between ice-cold heaviness and melodic appeal. “Under A Frozen Sun” is scheduled for release later this fall on Napalm Records.”

VALLENFYRE: “Century Media Records has revealed more details about its latest signing, the U.K. death metal band VALLENFYRE. The group is the brainchild of Gregor Mackintosh, songwriter and guitarist of PARADISE LOST, and features members of MY DYING BRIDE, AT THE GATES andDOOM. . . . “A Fragile King” will be released on October 31 in Europe and on November 1 inNorth America.”

WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM: “Today, Pitchfork Media are hosting a stream of “Thuja Magus Imperium,” the opening track from the WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM clans’ new astral black metal document, Celestial Lineage. Weighing in at over eleven and a half minutes, the anthem beholds some of the band’s most elemental blackened prowess, their signature cavalcade of percussion, and the contrast between both scathing and beautiful clean vocals, the track also boasts some of the most epic guitar leads the band has ever put to tape. Hear the mammoth hymn at this location. With Celestial Lineage set for release via Southern Lord in less than two weeks, WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM have already embarked on their latest tour to promote the new material.”

In recent years, people have written books with the intent of dispelling various so-called “myths” about wolves. I haven’t read any of them, but they’re probably trying to tell us that wolves are actually warm, loving creatures who are good parents and self-sacrificng friends.

I haven’t read those books because I’d rather continue to think of wolves as vicious, red-eyed pack animals that would just as soon rip out your jugular as look at you. Life is too civilized as it is without having someone domesticate my mental image of the wolf.

Besides, that would detract from the awesomeness of Wolvhammer as a metal-band name. It would turn it into something like Puppyhammer. Or Puppyhummer. Or something equally tame. And Wolvhammer is anything but tame.

We first heard about Wolvhammer’s debut album, Black Marketeers of World War III,  via a feature in the current issue of DECIBEL magazine, which punched many of our buttons — so much so that we ran out and bought the album fast. And we are so glad we did.  (more after the jump, including a mixtape of music inspired by Wolvhammer . . .)

Black Marketeers is a dark-roasted brew of stripped-down black metal, mid-tempo punk rock, death ‘n roll, and grinding stoner sludge. It’s raw and feral, and very much like its namesake — the predatory wolf in all its aspects.

More often that not on this site, we write about rip-roaring, cathartic music that rattles your cage fast enough to unmoor your mind. That’s not what Wolvhammer is about. But it’s no less gripping, and no less capable of plugging into the primitive coil that heats the predator within you.

The wolfpack slinks through a dark forest, stalking its prey, their red eyes gleaming like coals — and Wolvhammer sets the mood with slow, post-metal crunches, down-tuned and massively pounding.

The prey senses its peril and begins to run — and the pack begins to lope ahead, faster and faster — and Wolvhammer segues from those slow, ominous intros into faster-paced, tremolo-picked chords, rapid-fire drumming, and high-pitched shrieking.

The prey pauses, knowing it will not outrun the pack, and wondering what it can possibly do to evade the onslaught — and the pack slows with it, as Wolvhammer glides back down to a slow rhythm, with death ‘n roll chords and methodical, head-snapping drums.

The prey makes one last, frenzied attempt to find freedom — and Wolvhammer’s pack charges again as the band shifts back to black-metal picking and machine-gun drumming.

But in fact, there is no hope, and the music yields none either. There is rending and tearing and unleashed mayhem at the end — and we do mean the end, of the last, longest song on the album, “Monolith”, when a cacophony of feedback, berserker chords, throbbing pulses, and all manner of other dark, distorted, frying electric noise erupts and then fades out of existence.

Many of the songs on the album are organized around infectious, recurring punk riffs — riffs that connect the shifts in rhythm and musical style. But that raw punk sensibility doesn’t change the dominant motif — which is one of menace and doom, the loss of the race, the ending of existence.

Wolvhammer’s particular blend of styles vividly puts us in mind of Darkthrone, just as it did DECIBEL‘s reviewer — a similar combination of nasty, slow, down-tuned menace, raw punk chords and rock rhythms, and black-metal influence in the vocals and tremolo-picked leads.

We’re reminded of other bands as well — bands like early Entombed and more recent juggernauts like The Helm and Gaza.

Wolvhammer certainly stands on their own, regardless of influences. We’re just sayin’ they put us in a certain frame of mind — and this music is more about mood than anything else. So we thought we’d share with you the path of musical progression that we followed after Wolvhammer set us on our way.  Hope you like it as much as we did.

Wolvhammer: Das Kult

Darkthrone: Sacrificing To the God of Doubt

Entombed: Eyemaster

The Helm: Because We Can

Gaza: Windowless House

Wolvhammer’s debut album is available at iTunes, Amazon, and elsewhere, and the band is still making its two EPs available for free download at their blog (here).

I’ve been a latecomer to black metal, but it’s been growing on me, sorta like rash that just spreads the more I scratch it. I’ve been trying to further my black-metal education (though still, I haven’t read Hideous Gnosis) while at the same time trying to keep up with interesting new releases across many extreme metal genres — which hasn’t been easy. Only so many hours in the day, unfortunately.

Basically, when it comes to black metal, I feel like a small child. In black diapers. Actually, I gave up the black diapers last week.  Figured it was time.  Because they weren’t black when I started wearing them.

Anyway, I’ve been trying to get educated. One thing I’ve learned is that the term “black metal,” standing alone, really doesn’t tell you very much. Bands that work under that banner can sound remarkably different from each other. I suppose I still associate that genre label with tremolo picking, blast beats, and evil-sounding shrieking in the vocals — but I’m discovering that’s a gross generalization that fails to capture the musical variety of “black metal.”

For example, I’ve listened to three new/forthcoming releases in the last couple weeks that are all classifiable as “black metal” but that sound dramatically different from each other — one from a legendary Norwegian band whose members are pictured above and whose name will be found in every history of the genre that has been or will be written — Darkthrone — and two from bands that are painfully obscure outside their home countries (and maybe even within their home countries) — Nydvind and Bustum.

I really like all three releases, though they sound nothing alike. Collecting some thoughts about each of them in this roundup and allowing you to stream some excerpts is as good a way as any to illustrate the variety in black metal, even as it’s being practiced today. (read on, after the jump . . .)

You black metal afficionados out there in the audience will probably know exactly how these different interpretations of black metal fit into the genre’s rich history. I don’t have to be an expert to know that what Darkthrone is doing is completely original.

As for the other two, you experts out there, unlike me, could probably trace the sounds/styles of Nydvind and Bustum back down the branchings of black metal and identify their precursors. For all I know, their music is completely derivative of something further back along those pathways of time — but I don’t yet know enough to tell.  We don’t get many comments here at NCS, but I really want to encourage some on this post if you feel up to it. What do you hear when you listen to this music? Do you think it’s good or imitative? Or both? Help further my education!

DARKTHRONE

You don’t have to read much about the history of black metal before coming across the name Darkthrone. This two-man creative force (Fenriz and Nocturno Culto) has been making music for more than 20 years and was a pivotal element in the so-called second wave of black metal that began in the early 90s. Darkthrone’s latest album (their 14th), Circle the Wagons, is scheduled for an April 5 release on Peaceville Records, and it’s one of the best things I’ve heard this year or last.

Put aside your expectations, unless maybe you’ve listened to the last two Darkthrone albums, which apparently began the sharp turn in direction that the new one continues. Think of this: a combination of punk rock rhythms, thick guitar riffing (downright sludgy in places), screaming solos, classic rock-n-roll drum rhythms and high-hat work (no blast beats — Fenriz seems to detest them), a combination of gravelly harsh vocals and dramatic clean singing, and yes — some tremolo picking. I can’t think of anything I’ve heard that sounds quite like this.

The pace varies from up-tempo rockers to down-tempo doomy numbers, and the songs invoke widely different emotions, but they’re all just primitively appealing. A lot of that elemental appeal comes from the production — intentionally designed to produce a raw, garage-band sound. When most extreme metal bands are taking full advantage of the sophisticated recording and mixing technology that’s now available on a DIY basis, Darkthrone have thrown themselves back to another era — or maybe just staying connected to the underground in the current era.

Take it from the ever-interesting Fenriz himself, as quoted on the Peaceville web site:

Album by album we gnaw away at the overwhelming mass of so-called raw metal out there – well, the only time i saw something raw wrapped in plastic was when it was DEAD meat. And so in the long run, all raw bands with old raw sound WINS – and your plastic paradise instant gratification sound vanishes with time.

Picking a song to share with you from Circle the Wagons was hard as hell, but I finally decided on “Stylized Corpse”. It includes more awesome riffs than anyone has a right to. It starts slowly, but by the time it ends, it twists your head right off at the roots. Man, I just love it! (Circle the Wagons is available for pre-order from the usual retail merchants — go spend yo money!)

Darkthrone: Stylized Corpse

NYDVIND

This pagan/black metal band from France has been around for ten years, but the recorded output has been notably scarce: The first full-length was released in 2006 (Eternal Winter Domain), and the second (Sworn To The Elders) only emerged this year, on a German label called Trollzorn. We’re guessing the low output has something to do with, you know, figuring out other ways to pay the monthly bills, so we’re definitely not being critical.

The band describes itself as “Nordic Heathen Metal,” which presumably refers to the incorporation of folky, pagan melody into the music — and it’s an interesting and very appealing blend of traditions.

Sworn To The Elders includes eight songs — and the first one of those is an instrumental Intro, an ominous but epic-sounding orchestral overture, heavy on the bassoon, plus the cawing of crows and what sounds like the grinding of a rack or the crawling of wagon wheels across rocky ground. That Intro abruptly shifts into a wash of buzzing, tremolo-picked guitar and a mix of howling and clean vocals on “Son of Fire.” That song — like all others on the album — is very catchy, quite melodic, and darkly beautiful.

The music throughout the songs that follow the intro shifts back and forth between buzzing waves of guitar, blast beats, and shrieked vocals, on the one hand, and more traditional melodic pagan metal stylings on the other, with the transition marked by shifts in tempo. The songs have an anthemic quality to them, and include unusual elements (at least within conventional black metal) of prominent bass lines and the use of acoustic instruments in places. Vocalist Richard Loudin is adept at both the mid-range howling and the clean vocals and the rest of his bandmates are quite good at what they do, too.

The production is clean and sharp — which may be exactly the kind of thing Fenriz is complaining about. Granted, Nydvind doesn’t sound as raw as Darkthrone or the next band featured in this post, but for the kind of music Nydvind is creating, it’s a plus — and I like it a lot.

Have a listen to this track from Nydvind’s Sworn To The Elders:

Nydvind: Son Of Fire

If you like what you hear, you can order in the U.S. from The Omega Order, or you can order directly from the band (with a PayPal account) here, or at the label’s webshop here.

BUSTUM

This band from western Poland has been around for almost as long as Darkthrone (Bustum formed in 1992), but their musical output has been as abbreviated as Nydvind’s — three demos in the mid-90s (later collected in a 2005 compilation) and their first full-length album, The Return of Hate, only last year. (And I thought hate never left us. Who knew?)

Again, we’re guessing that choked output has something to do with frustrating shit like having to pay the rent and put bread on the table. Creating black metal isn’t exactly a lucrative profession in any country, but Poland seems to be a particularly inhospitable place to practice the black metal arts — particularly for a band like Bustum that seems determined to stay underground.

I keep telling myself I shouldn’t like this album, but my self keeps telling me, in a demented voice, to get fucked.  On their rudimentary MySpace page, Bustum describes themselves as “POSSESSED BLACK METAL,” and I’ve got this nagging worry that it’s some kind of legally mandated consumer warning, like “SMOKE THESE CIGARETTES AND YOU WILL DIE COUGHING BLOOD,” instead of band puffery.

Because “possessed” is kinda how I feel after listening to The Return of Hate a few times. The music is mainly fast and furious — the blast beats come so inhumanly fast that they fuse into a solid wall of sonic force, and the distorted tremolo picking keeps pace, covering you in mournful, cascading chord progressions. Just when you think this is all there will be, the music breaks down into heavy, headbanging riffs or sludgy, funereal marches and somewhat more conventional drum fills. I’m pretty damned impressed with the instrumental work — it sounds like people who have been playing for 20 years and have learned a few things along the way.

A word about the vocals: They’re supplied by a session artist called Necro, and they consist of completely demented shrieking, mainly high up in the register. I don’t speak Polish, but I’m not sure the vocals use words in any language. These are the sounds I imagine would be made by someone in the process of being drawn and quartered. But, you know, they fit.

In a nutshell, Bustum’s music is some raw, filthy, evil-sounding stuff — and nothing remotely like the first two albums we reviewed above. But I like it! Put away everything with a sharp edge to it, make sure no children or small animals are in the room, and listen to the title track from The Return of Hate:

Bustum: The Return of Hate

Finding this album on Internet download sites isn’t difficult. Finding a way to buy it is more challenging. Bustum released The Return of Hate on Darker Than Black records, and the label’s worldwide distributor (in Germany) has an online store where you can order the album via this link with a PayPal account (which is what we did). No idea whether the band will see any of the money, but we can hope.

We’re now almost two months into 2010, and it’s already time for our second update to the list of forthcoming new albums we posted on January 1.  (See the original list here and the first update here.) Below is a list of still more projected new releases that we didn’t know about on January 1 or at the time of our last update about a month ago — and there’s a lot of them.

Once again, we’ve cobbled together news blurbs about bands whose past work we’ve liked, or who look interesting for other reasons. Needless to say (but we’ll say it anyway), these are bands that mostly fit the profile of music we cover on this site.

So, in alphabetical order, here’s our list of cut-and-pasted blurbs from various sources over the last month about forthcoming new releases:

1349: “Prosthetic Records will release the brand new album from Norwegian black metal legends 1349 in North America via an agreement with Indie Recordings. The new CD, which promises ‘a return to the band’s more traditional, raw-yet-technical black metal sound,’ is due on April 13. In support of the yet-to-be-titled record, 1349 will embark on a North American tour in April and May as the support act for CANNIBAL CORPSE (alongside SKELETONWITCH and LECHEROUS NOCTURNE).”

ABACABB: “ABACABB are currently out on the road headlining the Hot Dice On Black Ice Tour featuring Upon A Burning Body!. The tour just hit Texas and will be in California this weekend. Following the tour ABACABB will enter the studio with producer Will Putney at Machine Shop in New Jersey and will have a new album to be released sometime this summer.”

AEON: “Swedish death metallers AEON have set Path Of Fire as the title of their third album, due later in the year via Metal Blade Records. The CD was recorded in September 2009 at Empire Studio in Östersund, Sweden and was mixed the following month at Mana Recording Studios in St, Petersburg, Florida by Erik Rutan (HATE ETERNAL, MORBID ANGEL, CANNIBAL CORPSE). The mastering was handled by Alan Douches at West West Side Music (CONVERGE, HATEBREED, THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN) in New Windsor, New York.”

AMORPHIS: “AMORPHIS will release its first-ever live DVD, Forging The Land Of Thousand Lakes, in early June via Nuclear Blast, in time for the band’s 20th anniversary. The filming took place on November 20, 2009 at Club Teatria in Oulu, Finland, where AMORPHIS was supported by STRATOVARIUS and BEFORE THE DAWN. In addition to the full-length live show, the anniversary DVD will include plenty of bonus material documenting the band’s impressive career.”   (much more after the jump . . . )

ANTERIOR: “Welsh metallers ANTERIOR have announced the addition of drummer James Cook to the group’s ranks. ANTERIOR is planning to enter the studio in early 2010 with producer Scott Atkins (SYLOSIS, ROMEO MUST DIE, MADMAN IS ABSOLUTE) to begin recording the follow-up to 2007′s This Age Of Silence for a late 2010 release via Metal Blade Records.”

ARMA GATHAS: “The eminent metal outfit ARMA GATHAS has just signed an exclusive worldwide deal with Metal Blade Records. The band’s debut, Dead To This World, will be released the 23rd/26th of April in Europe and the 27th of April in North America. Arma Gathas, consisting of former Cataract guitarist Simon Fülleman, ex-Born From Pain singer Ché Snelting, Machinemade God and ex-Cornelius guitarist Marc Niedersberg, ex-Disloyal drummer and talented drum student Max van Winkelhof and Alex Härtel on bass, recorded their debut album Dead To This World in November 2009 at the Barracs Studios together with Sky Hoff as a producer, who worked with Caliban in the past. Mastering was done by the legendary Alan Douches at the West West Side Studio in New York together with Simon in early-December.”

BLACK ANVIL: “New York’s BLACK ANVIL recently entered Mark “The Animal” Mendoza‘s (TWISTED SISTER) studio in Long Island with engineer “General” George Fullan (THE ROLLING STONES, DREAM THEATER) to begin recording its sophomore album. Entitled Triumvirate, the follow-up to Time Insults The Mind will include the tracks “The Evil Of All Roots”, “What Is Life If Not Now!”, “Angels To Dust”, “Ultimate Reality”, “With Transparent Blood” and “Dead and Left”. . . . A late spring release via Relapse Records is expected.”

BLEEDING THROUGH: “Orange County, California’s BLEEDING THROUGH will release its new self-titled album on April 13 via the Portland, Oregon-based independent record label Rise Records. The CD was recorded at Planet Z Studios in Hadley, Massachusetts with producer Chris “Zeuss” Harris, who has previously worked with MUNICIPAL WASTE, AGNOSTIC FRONT and HATEBREED, among others.”

BRAIN DRILL: “In preparation for their recently completed, second full-length album Quantum Catastrophe, Santa Cruz, CA technical death metallers BRAIN DRILL have completely redesigned their MySpace page to feature the cover art created by Par Olofsson(www.parolofsson.se). In addition to the complete overhaul of the band’s page, BRAIN DRILL have also posted the new track “Monumental Failure”. Quantum Catastrophe will be available everywhere on May 11th.”

BURNING THE MASSES: “California metal band BURNING THE MASSES has officially added vocalist Cameron Argon (aka “Big Chocolate”) to their line-up. Argon replaces David Montenegro, who parted ways with the group in December. The group’s new album, Offspring Of Time, will hit stores this summer via Mediaskare Records.”

CANCER BATS: “Canada’s hardcore/metal band CANCER BATS has posted a brand new track titled “Scared To Death” on the group’s MySpace page. The song is taken from CANCER BATS‘s forthcoming album, Bears, Mayors, Scraps and Bones, which will be released in the United States and Canada on April 13. CANCER BATS has also announced that it will issue a digital EP ahead of the album release. The EP will contain “Scared To Death” and the band’s take on the BEASTIE BOYS classic “Sabotage”. It will be available from iTunes as of March 1.”

CAVALERA CONSPIRACY: “Former SEPULTURA members Max (guitar, vocals) and Igor Cavalera (drums) will return to the studio in April 2010 to begin recording the follow-up to CAVALERA CONSPIRACY‘s 2008 debut album, Inflikted. A late 2010 release via Roadrunner Records is expected.”

DAATH: “Atlanta-based extreme metal quintet DAATH has commenced work on the follow-up to last year’s The Concealers for a late 2010 release via Century Media Records. Commented the band: ‘Unpredictability and chaos are two themes defining the times we live in. Everything about DAATH‘s career has been married to these themes. We’ve accepted them as beautiful and have learned to love the ride. Despite the chaos there is one thing that is for certain: we will always be pushing the boundaries of what we do. This fall we will bring you a record you are not expecting to hear from us. This venture will have more to offer than our previous efforts.’”

DARKTHRONE: “The unrelenting Norwegian duo, DARKTHRONE, will welcome a new decade with a new album, to be released on Peaceville Records. Circle The Wagons, a creative feast of metal and punk, will initially be released on vinyl on March 8th, through the Peaceville Records webstore, as an exclusive taster for the legions of metal supporters out there who still care about great music delivered the classic way.  The vinyl will also include a link to download a digital version of the album, which will be available when the regular and special edition CD versions of the album are released on April 6th.”

DEAD BEYOND BURIED: “U.K. death metallers DEAD BEYOND BURIED will release their second album, Inheritors Of Hell, on April 5 through Siege Of Amida Records. The CD was recorded and a produced by the bandmembers themselves and was mastered by Tim Turan (BEHEMOTH, CANNIBAL CORPSE). The cover artwork was designed by Khaosart (MORBID ANGEL).”

DEAD SHAPE FIGURE: “Finnish modern thrash/death-influenced metal band DEAD SHAPE FIGURE will perform material from its recenty completed second album, The Disease Of St. Vitus, for the first time on March 26 at Vernissa in Tikkurila, Finland. . . . The Disease Of St. Vitus is scheduled for release in late April via Dynamic Arts Records.”

DEMON HUNTER: “The World Is A Thorn, the new album from Seattle-based Christian metallers DEMON HUNTER, is scheduled for release on March 9. The band’s fifth album follows the landmark documentary 45 Days, last year’s Live In Nashville collection and a catalog of landmark releases that have made the band one of the most important in the genre.”

EMBRYONIC DEVOURMENT: “EMBRYONIC DEVOURMENT have just finished recording their newest full length titled Vivid Interpretations of the Void. The new release will feature 8  songs recorded by engineer Juan Urteaga of Trident Studios. To catch a sneak peek of new music, head to their MySpace where the band has posted 2 of the new tracks – ‘Militarized Reptoids’ and ‘Darken Thy Fluids’.”

FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE: “Rome, Italy-based death metal band FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE has completed work on a new EP entitled Mafia at 16th Cellar Studios in the group’s hometown with producer Stefano “Saul” Morabito. The CD will be released on June 8 via Willowtip Records.”

THE FUNERAL PYRE: “California death metal/black metal outfit THE FUNERAL PYRE is currently recording their next album. The group has issued the following update: ‘We have eight songs tracked (drums only) and are shooting for the end of this week to wrap all of the drums up. Then, we’ll start the guitars and proceed from there. I can give you two song titles, one of which we’ve played live, “Vultures” and “Monolith” are two tracks that will be on the record. We’re still mulling over what the name of the record will be.’ The effort is expected to surface this summer via Prosthetic Records.”

GUS DRAX: “22-year-old Greek guitarist Gus Drax (BIOMECHANICAL, PARADOX) has posted two songs — “Kiss Of Life” and “In Loving Memory” — from his upcoming solo album, In Search Of Perfection. The CD will feature guest appearances by keyboardist/guitarist Bob Katsionis (FIREWIND,OUTLOUD) and Steve Smyth (FORBIDDEN, ex-NEVERMORE,TESTAMENT).”

KALMAH: “Finnish metallers KALMAH will film a video for the song “12 Gauge” later this week. The clip will make its online debut in late February/early March. “12 Gauge” is the title track of KALMAH‘s sixth album, which is scheduled for release on March 3 via Spinefarm Records. The CD, which which will be made available in Japan on February 24, was recorded between June and August 2009 at Tico Tico studio in Kemi, Finland and was mastered at the Cutting Room in Sweden.”

KATATONIA: “Swedish masters of melancholy KATATONIA will release a new EP, The Longest Day, on March 15 via Peaceville Records. In addition to the album cut “The Longest Year”, the EP features the previously unreleased song “Sold Heart”, “Day And Then The Shade” (remix), and an alternative version of “Idle Blood”.”

LAIR OF THE MINOTAUR: “Emerging from the caustic burrows of Chicago comes the monolith of metal known as LAIR OF THE MINOTAUR, a sonic ‘fuck you’ to the current trends and sub-genres of metal who carry the torch of metal’s roots (CELTIC FROST, SLAYER, MOTÖRHEAD) with a death breath of fresh air, and spitting gas on the flames. The Greek mythology-inspired carnage continues on LAIR OF THE MINOTAUR‘s upcoming fourth full-length, Evil Power. The CD and digital download will be released on April 13, 2010 on The Grind-House Records.”

LEVY/WERSTLER: “DAATH‘s Eyal Levi and Emil Werstler will unleash their new collaboration, Avalanche Of Worms, on April 20 via Magna Carta Records. Both accomplished guitarists, their interplay allows Levi’s compositional style and Werstler’ virtuosic guitar abilities to compliment each other fully; this unique alchemy prevents this album from being classified under any one genre. ‘We work in metal but the vibe of this is just coming from somewhere else,’ Werstler says. ‘It’s hard to put your finger on what it is. . . . Drummer Sean Reinert (CYNIC, ex-DEATH) proves yet again to be unparalleled in his intensity and musicality.’”

M.A.N.: “M.A.N — the group formed out of the ashes of Sweden’s TRANSPORT LEAGUE (featuring former MNEMIC frontman Tony Jelencovich) — has posted a new song, “Logocide”, on the band’s MySpace page. The track comes off M.A.N‘s third album, Massive Audio Nerve, which will be released on March 26 via the German label Tiefdruck Musik.”

OBLIGE: “OBLIGE is proud to announce the addition of bassist Mike Bodkins (ex-Suicide Silence) and rhythm guitarist Greg Pewthers (ex-Impending Doom).  The band has been extremely busy finishing up their new album, with plans to record and release this year. A pre-production track has been premiered online, and can be found over at www.myspace.com/oblige. In addition, OBLIGE has also respectfully parted ways with former label Stillborn Records.”

THE ORDER OF APOLLYON: “THE ORDER OF APOLLYON, the new black/death metal project featuring current/former members of ABORTED, AKERCOCKE and CRADLE OF FILTH, has inked a three-album deal with Listenable Records. The band’s debut album, The Flesh, is scheduled for release in April.”

OV HELL: “The Underworld Regime, the debut album from OV HELL — the new black metal project featuring DIMMU BORGIR vocalist Shagrath and ex-GORGOROTH bassist King — will be released in North America on April 13 via Prosthetic Records. . . . The Underworld Regime was released in Europe on February 8 via Indie Recordings. The CD was recorded at Earshot Studio and features Shagrath on vocals, King on bass, Frost (SATYRICON) on drums, Ice Dale (ENSLAVED) on guitar and Teloch (NIDINGR, GOD SEED) on guitar.”

PATHOLOGY: “Recently signed to Victory Records, San Diego ’s PATHOLOGY will enter Doubletime Studios today to record their label debut. The band feels very comfortable there with producer/engineer Jeff Forrest, having worked together on the group’s previous recordings. Doubletime has been going for 20 years and has a great and diverse client list including As I Lay Dying, Atreyu and Bleeding Through. Upon completion of the tracks, the album will be mixed in March by Hate Eternal guitarist Erik Rutan at his Mana Studios (Cannibal Corpse, Vital Remains) for an anticipated early summer release.”

PURIFIED IN BLOOD: “Norwegian metallers PURIFIED IN BLOOD have set Under Black Skies as the title of their sophomore full-length album, tentatively due this spring. The CD was mixed in Seattle, Washington mixing with Matt Bayles (MASTODON, ISIS, BOTCH).”

SLUMBER: “Swedish melodic doom/death metallers SLUMBER have finished recording the instrumental parts for their new album, entitled Resonance, at Panic Room Studios in Skara, Sweden for a tentative late spring release.”

SOLUTION .45: “Swedish/Finnish progressive metal “supergroup” SOLUTION .45, which features in its ranks former SCAR SYMMETRY vocalist Christian Älvestam and Jani Stefanovic (MISERATION, ESSENCE OF SORROW), will release its debut album, entitled For Aeons Past, on April 9 in Europe via AFM Records.”

SOREPTION: “Swedish death metallers SOREPTION have had their album release date for Deterioration Of Minds pushed back to March 10. To offset the delay, two new clips from the album are up for prelistening on their MySpace at http://www.myspace.com/soreption. More clips from the album will be posted closer to the release.”  (Yeah, we already included these dudes in one of the earlier “forthcoming” lists, but we’re so hot for the full-length we thought we’d include this update here — bummer though it is.)

SUFFOKATE: “SUFFOKATE will release its new album, “No Mercy, No Forgiveness”, on February 23 via Mediaskare Records. . . . SUFFOKATE has amassed a rabid and extremely loyal following since releasing the band’s self-financed debut in 2004. Since then, the group has refined its lineup and sound to an amalgamation of angst-ridden hardcore, fused with a Bay Area thrash backbone.”

SHINING: “SHINING has completed work on its seventh album, “Shining VII – Född Förlorare” (English translation: “Born Loser”), for a March/April release via Indie Recordings. . . . According to vocalist Niklas “Kvarforth” Olsson, “Shining VII – Född Förlorare” will see SHINING ‘tak[ing] a deep dive into the darkest of all musical genres you could imagine.’”

THE SWORD: “THE SWORD entered the studio earlier in the month [February] with producer Matt Bayles (MASTODON, ISIS, MINUS THE BEAR) to begin recording its third album for a late 2010 release via Kemado Records.”

THULCANDRA: “THULCANDRA — the reactivated German black/death metal band featuring members of OBSCURA, DARK FORTRESS and HELFAHRT — has tapped Kristian Wåhlin (a.k.a. Necrolord; AT THE GATES, DISSECTION, EDGE OF SANITY, EMPEROR, DARK FUNERAL, SACRAMENTUM) to create the artwork for the group’s new album, Fallen Angels Dominion. The CD was recorded at Woodshed Studios with producers V. Santura and Steffen Kummerer for a 2010 release via Napalm Records.”

TRIDENT: “TRIDENT, the Swedish death metal band formed by guitarist Johan Norman (DISSECTION, SOULREAPER), will release its long-awaited debut album, World Destruction, on March 22 via Regain Records. The CD was recorded at Andy La Rocque‘s (KING DIAMOND) Sonic Train Studios in Varberg, Sweden. . . . Three songs from the CD — “Slaves To Anguish”, “World Destruction”and “Jaws Of Satan” — are available for streaming on the group’sMySpace page.”

WORLD UNDER BLOOD: “WORLD UNDER BLOOD, the melodic death metal side project featuring CKY guitarist/vocalist Deron Miller alongside Tim Yeung (DIVINE HERESY, VITAL REMAINS, HATE ETERNAL) on drums, Risha Eryavec (DECREPIT BIRTH) on bass, and Luke Jaeger on guitar, is continuing work on its debut album, “Tactical”, for a tentative July release via Nuclear Blast Records.”

Those gun-jumpers at Decibel magazine are at it again. Not content to select their list of the Top 40 albums of 2009 in about October (see our previous post about that), the issue that just hit my mailbox (optimistically dated February 2010) includes a feature called “The Top 25 Most Anticipated Records of 2010.” At least Decibel‘s writers poke fun at themselves in the intro that precedes their many following pages of prognostications:

“Decibel‘s always been about more than more past and present: Our powers of clairvoyance increase exponentially with each new day.  Hell, our grip on the future is such that we’re thinking about covering the coming decade’s 100 best metal albums before summer, just to get them out of the way.  As for the list below, remember this: We’ve heard — and utterly endorse — everything on it . . . including the stuff not yet written.”

To be honest, we were thinking of putting together our own list of bands whose new albums we’re stoked to see in 2010.  Might still do that if holiday laziness doesn’t completely gobsmack us. And we really do enjoy reading Decibel every month. But still, just can’t resist poking a little fun.

And in the poking-fun vein, we also came across Decibel‘s 2010 Media Kit. This is the sales piece that the mag provides advertisers to convince them how much folding green metalheads have to spend (yeah, right) and how all you gotta do to collect it is advertise in Decibel. Lot’s of amusing stuff in there, which you can peruse here. There’s a page of demographic data about Decibel‘s audience that’s especially juicy.

So, after the jump, we’ll show you the bands that Decibel has pegged for the The Top 25 Most Anticipated Releases of 2010. We’ll highlight the ones that prompted us to say “Fuckin’ A!” Our reactions to the rest are some combination of “maybe,” “huh?”, and “Uh, no.” And just for kicks we’ll show you that page from Decibel‘s 2010 Media Kit that provides potential advertisers with demographic data about Decibel‘s readers. Enjoy.

Here’s the page from Decibel‘s 2010 Media Kit:

And here’s the list of bands Decibel has picked to produce the Top 25 Most Anticipated Releases of 2010:

Anthrax

Atheist

Cretin

Electric Wizard

Dillinger Escape Plan

Darkthrone

Dimmu Borgir

Down

Fear Factory

Genghis Tron

Hate Eternal

High On Fire

Intronaut

Ludicra

Meshuggah

Nachtmystium

Origin

Salome

Pig Destroyer

Holy Grail

The Sword

Torche

Trap Them

Watain

Witchcraft