Last month, when Castle announced the not-here-yet April 1 release of their live album, One Knight Stands: Live in NY (info here), through their own Black Wren Records imprint, it didn’t seem out of line to think they’d handle the follow-up studio release noted at the time as well. Today, the plot thickens as Hammerheart Records (Trouble, among many others across a range of heavy and/or metal subgenres) steps in to issue Evil Remains this Fall, which will arrive concurrent to three weeks of touring in Europe over the course of Sept. 9-30. That puts them earlier than many of the Fall heavy festivals, but that’s only fitting for a band who’ve always followed their own path.

There are a couple TBAs, and as always, if you can help out, you should. I haven’t heard Evil Remains yet, so can’t tell you much more about it other than it’s six months out from being released, minimum, so I probably shouldn’t have heard it yet either. Let’s assume there will be more details — including the release date — between now and then, and if you’re desperate for something new to dig into, well it just so happens there are two songs from the live record streaming now. See? Everything works out sometimes.

The PR wire sends its regards, hopes you’re well, and had this to say:

Heavy Metal/Doom trio Castle signs to Hammerheart Records for their new album “Evil Remains”!

Hammerheart Records are proud to announce they have signed Castle for a worldwide release of the new album in September 2024 to coincide with a 22 date European tour, their first since 2018.

Castle guitarist Mat Davis states “We’re thrilled to sign with Hammerheart Records and partner together for the release of Evil Remains. It’s our best album to date, the production is huge and really captures the power and nuance of Liz’s vocal performance. We can’t wait to get it out there and start playing these songs live.”

Heavy metal/doom trio Castle have completed recording their new album “Evil Remains” at Rain City Recorders in Vancouver, BC with producer Jesse Gander (Anciients, Brutus, 3 Inches Of Blood).

“Evil Remains”, the band’s sixth full length follows 2018’s “Deal thy Fate” and 2016’s critically-lauded “Welcome to the Graveyard”.

Castle tourdates:
9/9 Bamberg, DE – Live Club
9/10 Karlsruhe, DE – Kohi
9/11 Freiburg, DE – Slow Club
9/12 Marburg, DE – Knubbel
9/13 Weikersheim, DE – Club W71
9/14 Leipzig, DE – Black Label
9/15 Munich, DE – Backstage
9/16 TBA
9/17 Dusseldorf, DE – Pitcher
9/18 Hamburg, DE – Logo
9/19 Malmo, SE – Plan B
9/20 Oslo, NO – Vaterland
9/21 Gothenburg, SE – The Abyss
9/22 Copenhagen, DK – Rahus
9/23 Berlin, DE – Reset
9/24 Prague, CZ – Modra Vopice
9/25 Vienna, AU – Viper Room
9/26 Ljubljana, SI – Channel Zero
9/27 Bologna, IT – Freakout Club
9/28 TBA
9/30 TBA

heavycastle.com
facebook.com/CastleSF
https://www.instagram.com/heavycastle
https://heavycastle.bandcamp.com/

https://blackwrenrecords.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/hammerheartrecords/
https://www.instagram.com/hammerheartrecords666/
https://www.hammerheart.com/

Castle, One Knight Stands: Live in NY (2024)

Hammerheart Records has been dutifully working through the Trouble catalog, reissue by reissue, since the Chicago doom legends signed with the label in 2020. At the time, the band and founding guitarists Rick Wartell and Bruce Franklin — who are about as close as human beings could come to being the bridge between Sabbath‘s doom and Priest‘s double-guitar metal — said at the time that a new album was in the works, and you know what? It probably was. It’s been a hell of a couple years, as you already know, so sometimes these things get put to the back burner of one’s existence.

By the time whatever-the-next-record-is-called arrives, it will have been a decade since 2013’s The Distortion Field (review here), Trouble‘s most recent album in their many-storied career. The album also will be their second with Kyle Thomas (Exhorder, Alabama Thunderpussy) on vocals and their first since the death last year of original frontman Eric Wagner. If 2023 sounds like the future, it is. It’s also like four months away.

I’m curious who’s producing — Chicago’s not short on quality in that regard, from Steve Albini to Sanford Parker and beyond — but there’s time for discovery. For now here’s the doing-a-thing announcement from the label via the PR wire:

TROUBLE ANNOUNCES RECORDING OF NEW ALBUM

Last week Trouble founding member Rick Wartell announced that Trouble has begun recording a new album, yes finally! The last album “The Distortion Field” dates back to 2013. When Trouble announced their co-operation with Hammerheart Records in January 2020 it was already planned to record a new album in the Summer of 2020. We all know that did not happen, because the World was a different place in 2020 (and in 2021 as well). But recording has finally started in July 2022.

Hammerheart Records expects a release in 2023. When asking Rick Wartell what to expect he said it will be a real Trouble album, with all the trademarks. Trouble is: Kyle Thomas (vocals), Rob Hultz (bass), Mark Lira (drums) and as always on guitars: Bruce Franklin and Rick Wartell!

Trouble is:
Kyle Thomas : vocals,
Bruce Franklin : guitar,
Rick Wartell : guitar,
Rob Hultz : bass,
Marko Lira : drums

https://www.facebook.com/TroubleMetal/
https://www.facebook.com/hammerheartrecords/
https://www.instagram.com/hammerheartrecords666/
https://www.hammerheart.com/

Hammerheart Records picked up Chicago doom legends Trouble earlier this year and announced that the band’s entire discography would be reissued. For sure plenty of their records could stand a little renewed appreciation. The Skull and Psalm 9 are out now through the label and though I haven’t seen much word about the new album that was said to be in the works for the back end of 2020 — also 2019, as I recall — the fact that the band are set to travel abroad in June 2021 makes it seem ever more possible that such a thing might happen. It would be the first Trouble record since 2013’s The Distortion Field (review here); a seven- or eight-year divide between LPs that, while not insubstantial, is not at all the longest of Trouble‘s career. It was 12 between 1995’s Plastic Green Head and 2007’s Simple Mind Condition. So there you go.

Only four live shows have been announced thus far. There may or may not be more coming or an actual tour announcement, I have no idea. I saw these posted by the band on thee social medias, each with their own separate post, and pieced it together accordingly. Not sure I’d do that for every band in the universe, but well, Trouble have been around in one form or another since 1978 and sometimes you make the extra effort to cut and paste. Again, so there you go.

If I see more, I’ll update:

There will be Trouble in #Wolverhampton at KK’S Steel Mill – Live Music ¥
Info / ticketing link: https://www.kkssteelmill.co.uk/event-trouble.php

JUST ANNOUNCED: American doom metal pioneers Trouble are back in the studio writing new material and we cannot wait to welcome them to London’s O2 Academy Islington on Monday 14 June 2021.

On O2 Priority Tickets on sale now and Ticketmaster United Kingdom 10am Saturday 29 August.

*Announcement* Doom metal overlords Trouble will hit Belfast and Dublin in June 2021. See them at Limelight Belfast on the 15th and The Grand Social, Dublin the following night. Tickets on sale Monday 10am. Please note that tickets from the cancelled shows this year will not be valid so if you haven’t already gotten your refund on those shows, please do so.

Trouble is:
Kyle Thomas : vocals,
Bruce Franklin : guitar,
Rick Wartell : guitar,
Rob Hultz : bass,
Marko Lira : drums

https://www.facebook.com/TroubleMetal/
https://www.facebook.com/hammerheartrecords/
https://www.instagram.com/hammerheartrecords666/
https://www.hammerheart.com/

Signing on to reissue the entire Trouble catalog is no minor commitment for a record label to make. Hammerheart Records will reportedly not only reissue the Chicago doom legends’ entire discography — that’s eight full-length albums, mind you — but will do so on remastered vinyl, 2CD and tapes, as well as the standard downloads, and that includes giving 2013’s The Distortion Field (review here) a proper look. That’s a huge deal. Plus they’re announcing that Trouble will have a new record out before the end of this year — stranger things have happened but I’m on a believe-it-when-I-see-it basis when it comes to doom LPs — and that they’ll put that out as well.

Basically what this means is that Trouble have a new home. The reissues are starting this May with Psalm 9 and will proceed onward from there, and it’s obvious that Hammerheart is passionate about the project, otherwise they wouldn’t even take it on. It’s awesome to see and hopefully it introduces Trouble‘s most essential works to a new generational audience, because frankly the more people who are exposed to it, the better.

Here’s news:

Hammerheart Records announces partnership with metal legends Trouble

Hammerheart Records will partner with the legendary metal band Trouble to re-release their entire musical catalogue, in addition to their upcoming album.

Hammerheart Records is thrilled to announce their biggest achievement to-date with the signing of doom metal legends Trouble to their label. This partnership that will see the distribution of the band’s entire library of music that spans over three decades.

“We are very excited to be partnering with Hammerheart Records and joining their roster of bands”, stated Rick Wartell, Trouble founder/guitarist. “Our entire back catalogue of music will be made available to our fans worldwide, as well as our upcoming release scheduled for later this year.”

Hammerheart Records and Trouble will re-issue the full catalogue with each album remastered and reworked with the respect to the original recordings. Every album will be reissued on a deluxe 2-CD edition, vinyl, music cassette, and digital offerings. Releases will be scheduled chronologically, starting in May 2020 with the album now known as Psalm 9, which was originally released on Metal Blade Records in 1984 and is hailed as one of the Trouble of doom metal music.

Other Trouble releases will follow including other 80’s heavy classics, the 90’s psychedelic era, and more recent releases including the critically-acclaimed The Distortion Field. All equally essential to Trouble fans, and lovers of heavy metal everywhere.

A new Trouble album is planned for release at the end of 2020 and will be heavier than ever.

Trouble is:
Kyle Thomas : vocals,
Bruce Franklin : guitar,
Rick Wartell : guitar,
Rob Hultz : bass,
Marko Lira : drums

https://www.facebook.com/TroubleMetal/
https://www.facebook.com/hammerheartrecords/
https://www.instagram.com/hammerheartrecords666/
https://www.hammerheart.com/

Trouble, Live on TV in 1982

Swedish historians Ereb Altor have signed to Hammerheart Records and will release their new album, Ulfven, in July. Okay, so maybe they’re not historians. More Viking metallers. Even so, the band’s loyalty to the stylistic tenets laid forth by Bathory has always fascinated me, so I’m eager to hear what they bring to that sound this time through. Pls lyrics in Swedish never hurt. Ereb Altor have had some ups and downs in their career, starting out more on the doomed side and shifting gradually toward more extreme fare, but as metal as they’ve gotten, their truest heart has always resided under the sign of the black mark.

Also Blood Fire Death. Ha.

The PR wire brings details about Ulfven:

Hammerheart Records proudly announces the signing of Ereb Altor

Returning to the label’s roots by working with epic pagan/viking metal Ereb Altor, that is the best way to announce this co-operation!

Ereb Altor has earned a big reputation through their career for being right there at the front of epic metal, with pagan/viking elements added, sounding like the true son of Bathory’s most epic side.

This July the new album “Ulfven” will be released on several formats.

The founders Mats and Ragnar grew up with Bathory’s epic era in their hearts, so it comes as no surprise that their music would somewhat flaunt the influence of their house god Quorthon. So with Bathory’s anthems as their spiritual foundation, they set out to find their creative and unique niche within the epic Viking metal genre.

It all begun 2003 when Mats and Ragnar heeded the call of the one-eyed elder to begin their epic journey and since then they have released fullength albums through I Hate Records, Napalm Records and Cyclone Empire. Each and every release that has been unleashed to the masses has carried the legacy of pure Scandinavian Epic Metal from the heart. During these years Ereb Altor has developed their own unique sound within the Viking Metal genre and the ever increasing fan base is thriving.

In april 2015 the latest Ereb Altor album “Nattramn” saw the light of day. An album that continues on the path set out by the predecessor ”fire meets ice” with the more epic side, with huge atmospheres built by echoing choirs from the snow covered mountains which at times are shred apart by fierce and aggressive parts with screams from the darkest forests of Scandinavia creating a dynamic and varied piece of art. The lyrics in the world of Ereb Altor always connects to the inheritance of Scandinavia and Ereb Altor is telling stories from the Norse mythology as well as dark legends that have been told from man to man centuries ago in Sweden.

In 2016 Ereb Altor paid tribute to the late grand master Quorthon. Seven Bathory songs were recorded and released on vinyl. The release were praised by media and by the fans. The words ”the true heirs of Quorthon” was mentioned several times.

The next chapter of the Ereb Altor saga is about to begin with a new album in 2017 and a new label. Ereb Altor will join forces with Hammerheart to spread the Scandinavian darkness once again. This time Ereb Altor will use their mother language on several songs and seamlessly unite Black Metal with Epic Viking hymns.

During the first years Ereb Altor only made live appearances at festivals around Europe but since drummer Tord joined theband in 2012 and Bassist Mikael in 2013 Ereb Altor has become a touring band and have toured with bands like Borknagar & Månegarm. Now Ereb Altor has made it to the bigger festivals like Wacken, Hellfest and Summer Breeze & Ereb Altor will also set sail and travel over the Atlantic Ocean for the first time 2017.

The rumour is growing of this fantastic live act where the audience will be drawn in to the atmosphere Ereb Altor is building with all the choirs and a massive wall of sound. With a stage presence beyond belief and with war paint this is a live act you’re not willing to miss.

Ereb Altor is:
Mikael (bass & vocals)
Mats (lead vocals & guitars)
Ragnar (guitars & vocals)
Tord (drums)

www.erebaltor.com
www.facebook.com/ErebAltorOfficial
www.hammerheart.com
www.hammerheartstore.com
www.facebook.com/hammerheartrecords

Ereb Altor, “Twilight of the Gods” official video

Last night as I watched the season finale of Game of Thrones, I couldn’t help but be reminded of instrumental Belgian bashers SardoniS. To herald the release of their aptly-titled second album, II, on CD/LP through Hammerheart Records, SardoniS will be hitting the road for a five-night tour that will hit the UK, the Netherlands and their native land. The bands they’re touring with? Oh, it’s just Saint Vitus and Acid King. You know, no biggie.

Oh wait, I’m sorry, that’s a huge biggie. Really, it’s the kind of show that makes you go, “dude!” and promptly rearrange your life so that you can go to it. Saint Vitus, Acid King, SardoniS. Three different modes of heavy that will still put you on your ass in a live setting. The core duo behind SardoniS of Jelle Stevens and Roel Paulsson offer a clear focus on tonal meatiness and battle-ready grooves, so if you’re lucky enough to get to one of those gigs (dates are below), do it up and let me know how it goes.

And the album, which is due out June 18, is a monster. You can hear for yourself by checking it out on the player below, and when you’re done with that, make sure you drop a comment on this post to enter to win a copy of SardoniS‘ recently released split 7″ with Dutch fellow instrumetallers Tank86, as seen below. In addition to letting me host the album, the band was kind enough to give me three copies of the split to give away, so please make sure you get on that. Doesn’t cost anything, just make sure to enter your email address in that form so I can get in touch with you if you win.

Just in case you’d like to put your eyes on the prize:

Here’s the stream of II, followed by those tour dates and some other release info. Make sure you listen now, because it’s only going to be up for a week:

[Please note: This stream has now expired. Many thanks to all who listened and entered the contest, which is also now over as of 06.11.12]

SardoniS‘ II is out June 18 on CD and black, gold or clear vinyl through Hammerheart Records. The band is taking preorders now at their BigCartel store. The label also has copies available. For more info and updates, check out SardoniS on Thee Facebooks or at their website. In addition to the shows with Saint Vitus and Acid King, SardoniS will be playing Yellowstock in Belgium this coming August, alongside Sons of Otis, My Sleeping Karma, Electric Moon and many more. Here are the dates:

06/11 Underworld London (UK) (w/ Acid King & Saint Vitus)
06/12 Academy 3 Manchester (UK) (w/ Acid King & Saint Vitus)
06/13 The Fleece Bristol (UK) (w/ Acid King & Saint Vitus)
06/14 Willemeen Arnhem (NL) (w/ Acid King and more)
06/15 La Zone Liège (BE) (w/ Acid King and more)
08/18 Yellowstock Geel (BE) (w/ Sons of Otis and more)