Posted in Whathaveyou on February 1st, 2023 by JJ Koczan
Not an insignificant bit of touring here as Conan go coast to coast and (just about) top to bottom in the US in support of their latest full-length, 2022’s Evidence of Immortality (review here), in 20 days. They start in Chicago, start out the East Coast in Boston then head south before turning west to go through New Orleans and Austin, Texas — those drives alone — and back up the West Coast until, on May 25, they hit Northwest Terror Fest in Seattle and the tour ends. Shit, I’m exhausted just looking at it.
Before they reach American shores, the e’er-devastating trio will at least be in London for Masters of the Riff II (info here) in March and in April they’ll be at Heavy Psych Sounds Fest in Italy (info here), so it’s possible more tour dates are impending for Europe. One way or the other, dudes keep busy, and that’s about the end of my insight on the topic.
Dates follow. Tickets are on sale at the link below:
CONAN – ***ANNOUNCEMENT*** US TOUR – MAY 2023
We are super excited to revisit the USA, this time the fucking insanely cool THRA!!! @thra_phx in just a few months. We are touring to support the release of our new album EVIDENCE OF IMMORTALITY. See you there!! Go check tickets atwww.linktr.ee/hailconan
Fri 5/5 – Chicago, IL – Reggies Sat 5/6 – Detroit, MI – Sanctuary Sun 5/7 – Youngstown, OH – West Side Bowl Tue 5/9 – Boston, MA – Middle East (Upstairs) Wed 5/10 – Brooklyn, NY – Saint Vitus Thu 5/11 – Philadelphia, PA – Warehouse on Watts Fri 5/12 – Baltimore, MD – Metro Sat 5/13 – Raleigh, NC – Pour House Sun 5/14 – Piedmont, SC – Tribble’s Mon 5/15 – Atlanta, GA – The Earl Tue 5/16 – New Orleans, LA – Siberia Wed 5/17 – Austin, TX – Lost Well Fri 5/19 – Albuquerque, NM – Sister Sat 5/20 – Mesa, AZ – Nile Underground Sun 5/21 – Los Angeles, CA – Resident Mon 5/22 – Oakland, CA – Golden Bull Tue 5/23 – Sacramento, CA – Café Colonial Wed 5/24 – Portland, OR – Polaris Hall Thu 5/25 – Seattle, WA – Northwest Terror Fest
CONAN is: Jon Davis – Guitar, Vocals Chris Fielding – Bass Johnny King – Drums
Posted in Reviews on January 23rd, 2023 by JJ Koczan
This year marks the 30th anniversary of Katatonia‘s debut, Dance of December Souls, and as the Swedish melancholic masters shift from Peaceville Records — a home since 1999’s Tonight’s Decision, their fourth full-length — to Napalm Records, they offer a collection that emphasizes the journey their sound has undertaken across those three decades. Sky Void of Stars is their 12th album, and its 10-song/45-minute run follows 2020’s City Burials (review here) in its maturity of voice, its awareness of who and what Katatonia are as a band, and how after all this time, they’re going to keep both themselves and their audience engaged. Katatonia‘s music has never been party rock. Rooted in death-doom, guitarist Anders Nyström and vocalist Jonas Renkse — both founding members — have more than a few genuine slogs under their belt.
But as their contemporaries in bands like My Dying Bride and Paradise Lost have in recent years shifted back toward darker and heavier, more extreme and aggressive sounds, Katatonia remain more fiercely committed to melody, to creating an aural sphere that is as lush as it is grim, so that even a song like “Author,” with its harder twist in the chorus, or the album’s prog-metal six-minute finale “No Beacon to Illuminate Our Fall” — one of just two songs on the album with a title longer than a single word; the other is the political lyric “Colossal Shade” — can coexist fluidly with Katatonia‘s core tonality, vocal and production styles as a backdrop. From the dive-right-in intensity of opener “Austerity” to the push in the hook of “Birds” and the memorably wistful penultimate cut “Atrium,” which might be a defining moment for the album as a whole, Katatonia are themselves — Renkse and Nyström are joined in the band by bassist Niklas Sandin, guitarist Roger Öjersson and drummer Daniel Moilanen — even as they continue to evolve the scope of what that means.
To some extent, having such a well crafted sonic persona means that an established audience will both to a certain extent know what’s coming from a new release and have expectations in that regard. Maybe that’s unavoidable for an act like Katatonia, who are both long-tenured and have had a marked influence on death-doom, goth rock and depressive heavy music more generally along their way — they are a known quantity. Sky Void of Stars, when you zoom out on it, is not a radical change to the format of Katatonia. It’s easy to imagine some of these songs worked alongside the requisite older cuts into setlists for festivals and tours (the cycle has been underway since last Fall), while others are kind of left behind over time — if a later piece like “Sclera” is one of the latter, it would be a shame; its choral melody is quintessential Katatonia; you could use it as a primer to introduce people to the band — and some hit harder than others.
It’s a dynamic collection, professional in its level of production and sound, and part of the band’s core stylistically is a fluidity that comes not the least from Renkse‘s vocals, so yes, it flows from front to back with a kind of grace rare in or out of metal. They know what they’re doing even as they lean to one side or another between the more aggressive instrumental stretches — that opening shove into “Austerity” would be one, the culmination of “Author,” that chug in “Colossal Shade” peppered with other ambient layers as it is, and certainly they save the heaviest for last in “No Beacon to Illuminate Our Fall” guitar-wise — and the dancier pieces like “Opaline,” a brooding post-metal exploration in “Impermanence,” with SOEN‘s Joel Ekelöf on guest vocals and the more gently-delivered verse of “Sclera,” which tells a story lyrically that comes across as personal while somewhat opaque. They are, as noted in the first sentence above, masters.
At the same time, they bring as sure a hand to “No Beacon to Illuminate Our Fall,” which hits as hard in guitar as keyboard, has jazzier prog metal flourish and ends in a drift rather than a huge blowout. “Author” is death metal with clean singing over it. Even “Birds,” which is emotionally urgent in its beginning and answers that with a satisfying shove in its second half, finds Katatonia steady in their stance, feet on the ground structurally, while speaking to different sides of their approach. Perhaps it’s just that after three decades, that root definition of who Katatonia are as a band and what they can do while still sounding like themselves has become so encompassing that “Impermanence,” “Sclera,” “Atrium” and “No Beacon to Illuminate Our Fall” can coexist smoothly after songs like “Opaline” and “Drab Moon” have already marked out so much ground being covered.
Lyrics are another tie bringing the songs together. There are a few specific references; the year 1988 is namedropped in “Austerity,” and Renkse mentions being 46 in “Opaline,” while the bridge of “Atrium” takes place in the Marriott presumably at 7th and 46th in Manhattan — the rest of that song would seem to be in a divorce lawyer’s office — but these are part of skillful, thoughtful storytelling that’s enhanced by the emotive presence and delivery of the vocals, and true to form in meeting listener expectations there as well.
Maybe the ultimate story of Sky Void of Stars — the title-line delivered in “Author” — is one of Katatonia playing to their strengths. Outside perhaps the finisher, the album doesn’t feel like it’s actively pushing back on the band’s identity or trying to take what’s so immediately recognizable about their work (at least to the converted) and throwing it out the window of that Marriott suite. But in the case of Katatonia, this particular band, the idea of “playing to strengths” covers a significant range; there are many strengths toward which to play. Sky Void of Stars will keep them on the road — the 12th chapter in an ongoing narrative of their evolution — will please their listener base while giving reason to proselytize, and has enough details in its sound and overarching breadth to dive into for the band and audience alike over a longer term than week-of-release or current-tour-cycle. You wouldn’t necessarily call it groundbreaking, but it does carve its own space in their discography, serving as a reminder of how much Katatonia have accomplished as they push ever and reliably forward.
Posted in Whathaveyou on January 20th, 2023 by JJ Koczan
The dates here matter. First, it should be noted that Villagers of Ioannina City released the live album, Through Space and Time (Alive in Athens 2020), on their own in 2021. Second, any live record recorded in 2020 should probably raise eyebrows just on its face, and sure enough, this show — which sure looks like a good time in the video below — took place on Feb. 15, less than two weeks before the country reported its first case of covid-19 and a month before the lockdowns started and live music went away like so much else. Obviously nobody in the general public knew at the time the course the plague would take, but it does make this something of a poignant moment in the life of the band — really for the concert-going experience as a whole, but definitely for these guys — and though it wasn’t that long ago, there’s even more of a nostalgic aspect here than usual for live records. I’d imagine if you were there you already own it.
Villagers of Ioannina City‘s Age of Aquarius turns four later this year, so if the band are thinking about a follow-up, that would make sense. Given the scope of that record, I’m sure there’s no small amount of consideration into how their next studio offering should and will sound. Until then, this from the PR wire:
VILLAGERS OF IOANNINA CITY Announce New Live Album, ‘Through Space and Time (Alive in Athens 2020)’, Out March 3, 2023 via Napalm Records!
Official Live Video for Impressive First Single, “Father Sun”, Unveiled
Deeply influenced by Greek nature and cosmic phenomena, psychedelic stoner rockers VILLAGERS OF IOANNINA CITY take you to new atmospheres with their first live album, ‘Through Space and Time (Alive in Athens 2020)’, to be released physically for the first time via Napalm Records on March 3, 2023.
The album’s first single, “Father Sun”, arrives alongside a live video which will take the listener into unexplored universes via the catchy rhythm of the hypnotizing bagpipe and entrancing guitar riffs, rising up to an enormous storm. The powerful, rough voices praising Mother Earth entangle with the instruments, producing a homogeneous atmosphere.
VILLAGERS OF IOANNINA CITY gather their strengths from Greek nature and cosmic spirits, letting it flow right into their phenomenal psychedelic stoner rock. Delivering amazing performances, the band ascends forth to create their first live album, ‘Through Space and Time (Alive in Athens 2020)’.
With their short but very mesmerizing discography, the live show is centered around the band’s most recent studio album, ‘Age of Aquarius’ (2019), as they play the album in sequence and spice it up with songs from their debut album and singles.
Starting with the fascinating “Welcome”, “Age of Aquarius” and “Part V” all in sequence, VILLAGERS OF IOANNINA CITY represent their ability as great storytellers underlined by great visuals. The band then jumps straight into their debut album, ‘Riza’ (2014), playing “Nova”, “Perdikomata” and “Skaros”. Fans are blown away from the dedication of the clarinet, bagpipe, and guitar!
‘Through Space and Time (Alive in Athens 2020)’ presents the sextet’s attention to detail with great production, amazing musicianship, a bombastic live presence, and the yearning to play more amazing shows in the future. This won’t be the last time VILLAGERS OF IOANNINA CITY will transcend fans into the heavens of Mount Olympus – this is only just the beginning!
‘Through Space and Time (Alive in Athens 2020)’ Track List: CD 1: 1. Welcome (live) 2. Age of Aquarius (live) 3. Part V (live) 4. Nova (live) 5. Perdikomata (live) 6. Skaros (live) 7. Dance of Night (live) 8. Zvara (live)
CD 2: 1. Arrival (live) 2. Father Sun (live) 3. Millennium Blues (live) 4. Ti Kako (live) 5. Audience I (live) 6. Cosmic Soul (live) 7. For the Innocent (live) 8. Audience II (live) 9. Karakolia (live)
‘Through Space and Time (Alive in Athens 2020)’ will be available in the following formats: => 6 Page Digisleeve 2 CD Edition => Digisleeve & Shirt => 3LP Gatefold Black => 3LP Gatefold Marbled Orange/Black => 3LP Gatefold Gold
Posted in Reviews on December 30th, 2022 by JJ Koczan
What might legitimately be called a ‘return’ since it’s their first studio album in eight years, Ahab‘s The Coral Tombs (on Napalm Records) brings the perhaps-inevitable meeting between the nautically-themed Heidelberg, Germany, death-doom metallers and the subject matter of Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. That rare bit of sci-fi that’s become part of the literary canon, the tale of Captain Nemo, Professor Pierre Arronax, and the undersea vessel Nautilus is a story that’s been told and retold, adapted across media that didn’t even exist when it was written, and interpreted by the public domain since its first serialized publication in 1869-1870, the story and the band — whose most recent studio album was 2015’s The Boats of the Glen Carrig, also based on a 1907 novel by William Hope Hodgson; does nobody write about the ocean anymore? — are well suited to each other.
Here, the sound is bleak, extreme, and duly funereal for an offering with ‘tombs’ in its title, and in the mournful severity of a song like “Mobilis in Mobilii,” which is third in the seven-song sequence after “Prof. Arronax’s Descent Into the Vast Oceans,” featuring a guest vocal contribution from Chris Dark of Köln’s Ultha, and “Colossus of the Liquid Graves,” which is the shortest inclusion at 6:25 and a work of lurching, consuming death resolved in its own dirge march in its second half, The Coral Tombs brings an inescapable sense of all-sides crushing pressure. Both because of the band’s stated theme, their obvious awareness of their own intentions five albums and 18 years into their tenure, and the general nature of doom itself — they are by no means the only ones to relate slow, undulating riffs to salty waves — it’s somewhat hard to get away from watery metaphors, but even in its quietest, creepier stretches, the purposefully overwhelming 66 minutes of The Coral Tombs is farther down than the sun goes, atmospherically speaking, and monstrous like the unknown.
A return to producer/engineer Jens Siefert at RAMA Studios in Mannheim assures that the four-piece — founding guitarists Daniel Droste (also vocals and keys) and Christian Hector, as well as bassist Stephan Wandernoth and drummer Cornelius Althammer, who, yes, has the most righteous name a drummer could possibly ask for; I do not know if he was born with it, but kudos either way — sound duly masterful in their approach, and, on the most basic level, huge. One cannot manifest the impossible reaches and deadly wondrousness of the Earth’s waters, which threaten to drown even as they hypnotize with its beauty, in minor fashion, and Ahab have been at this a while now, so it should be no surprise they know what they’re doing. The Coral Tombs‘ songs are shorter on average than were those of The Boats of the Glen Carrig — the band also released Live Prey (review here) in 2020; they have not been absent these last eight years — as that album had one of six pieces under 10 minutes long and this one has three of seven and nothing that reaches longer than 12, but long or short, it is the ambience and the willful slog that make the most resonant impression, such that the sheer heft of their tonality, tectonically significant as it might be, is only part of their aesthetic.
The mood of centerpiece “The Sea as a Desert,” for example, feels even more crucial than the impact, particularly as Droste departs from low death metal growling in favor of a wistful clean-sung midsection and ending that is worthy of comparison to Warning. That’s not his first trade between harshness and melody on The Coral Tombs, but it is one that works particularly well amid the swaying progression that backs it, and as “The Sea as a Desert” is the first of four cuts all of which top 10 minutes — a monolith that comprises the bulk of the record that would be a full-length unto itself, if incomplete in narrative — it also draws the listener deeper into the grim grandeur that continues to unfold across “A Coral Tomb,” “Ægri Somnia” and closer “The Mælstrom,” which bookends Chris Dark‘s guest appearance on “Prof. Arronax’s Descent Into the Vast Oceans” by welcoming Greg Chandler of experimentalist doom extremists Esoteric for a corresponding vocal spot.
While the ocean teems with life — less so thanks to humans and our collective affinity for habitat destruction, but still — “A Coral Tomb” is relatively minimal, holding a persistent threat across its first eight minutes that even when it surges to full crescendo remains consistent in its atmospheric lean, and “Ægri Somnia” follows suit with a beginning of softly meandering guitar that seems to grow more mysterious and sinister as it develops toward the eventual crash and growls, which, as with the song before, give way to melodic singing that is sustained through the ending. One wonders if Droste needs to growl at all at this point, but the honest answer is probably yes. With a feedback ending awaiting, “Ægri Somnia” arrives at a viciously heavy apex, and lets “The Mælstrom” with its more immediate and clean-vocals-up-front start serve as the capstone for The Coral Tombs‘ entire procession.
The feeling is duly ceremonial for being both the summary of the record and the end of the story being related, and with Chandler‘s vocals placed near the ending, Ahab effectively cast the finish as something bigger than themselves, a kind of bowing to the immensity that, indeed, they’ve made all along, but is that much truer to what they’re portraying for the choice. It is not a decision one would expect from a new band, but though they haven’t had a studio LP (or 2LP, or 3LP, etc.) in some time, Ahab are nonetheless veterans, with an established aural persona the parameters of which serve as a guide for their ongoing creative development. By its very character, let alone the contextual sphere in which it resides, The Coral Tombs will likely not be universal in its appeal, but while some listeners won’t be able to reach it, others will dive that much deeper for the cold siren calls ringing out from this material.
Posted in Reviews on November 22nd, 2022 by JJ Koczan
The decades-spanning legacy of Swedish doom metallers Candlemass is largely unmatched outside of the band’s main point of inspiration, Black Sabbath. Fueled as ever by the songwriting of bassist/founder Leif Edling, with membership dating back to the mid-1980s in guitarists Mappe Björkman (rhythm) and Lars Johansson (lead) and drummer Jan Lindh, the genre-defining outfit stormed into a new era with 2019’s The Door to Doom (review here) in reuniting with Johan Längquist, who was never actually in the group but nonetheless fronted their landmark 1986 debut and arguably one of the most important doom records of all time, Epicus Doomicus Metallicus, though he’d also joined the band for special live performances as well in the long interim.
A crucial moment, the advent of Längquist as actual-frontman for Candlemass was somewhat overshadowed by the guest appearance of Black Sabbath‘s Tony Iommi on one of The Door to Doom‘s tracks — subsequently nominated for a Grammy — but it was the pivotal change that actually allowed that record to be such a success, the tenures of Solitude Aeturnus‘ Robert Lowe and Mats Levén (who’d worked with Edling in side-projects Krux and Abstrakt Algebra, and featured in a ton of other bands as well) having proved sustainable even if the latter never actually sang on a full-length, only studio EPs. Given the results and reception to The Door to Doom, going in a different direction was clearly the right choice for the band at the time, even if what they were doing was working.
That leaves Sweet Evil Sun — their 13th full-length — with a significant challenge as the follow-up. Apart from vocals on “When Death Sighs” contributed by Jennie-Ann Smith of the Edling-adjacent melodic metal unit Avatarium, and keys by Rickard Nilsson (also Avatarium, among others) there are no guest spots throughout the 10-song/53-minute offering, and alongside producer Marcus Jidell, who also plays in Avatarium and featured in the shelved Edling project The Doomsday Kingdom and as recorded Candlemass since 2016 (he was also in Soen, Evergrey and a slew of others), the band send a clear message throughout the new collection that they’re back to the business at hand of crafting their particular brand of epically riffed doom metal that has influenced more than one generation of acts across the last 35-plus years.
Their intention in this regard is telegraphed clearly in the signature nod of album-opener “Wizard of the Vortex,” and as the CD/three-sided 2LP (there’s also a 3LP version), plays through its brief-at-3:40, hooky title-track with a groove reminiscent of records like 1989’s Tales of Creation and their more dug-in approach generally, before moving into the lumber-into-chug of “Angel Battle,” which is classic in style mostly because of the work Candlemass did in making it that way, topped of with a spoken word piece performed by the actor Kenneth Anger (whose credits include 1972’s Lucifer Rising, a title the band took for an EP in 2008); the full written version of the narrative is in the CD tray, presumably somewhere in the LP layout as well. And as they continue into the Sabbath-referencing “Black Butterfly,” full-on epic doom, their main point of reference indeed seems to be Candlemass. As a band, they’re perhaps taking influence from themselves more than anybody.
Particularly in light of where they’re coming from in answering back The Door to Doom, this feels purposeful, and Sweet Evil Sun emerges as a strong declaration of purpose and a statement of who they are, reminding in that of their then-reunion album in 2005’s self-titled (discussed here) that reignited their career and set them on a path toward reverence from a new generation of fans. There are shades of classic metal throughout, and the reaches toward accessibility in the single “Scandinavian Gods,” “When Death Sighs” and the aforementioned “Sweet Evil Sun” are complemented by the grand dirges of “Devil Voodoo” and “Crucified” — a good bit of headbang fodder in the latter as well as a standout performance from Längquist — so that Sweet Evil Sun carries something of a rocker’s vibe even as it does not shy away from tolling a funeral bell.
This leaning to one side or the other of the established tenets of Candlemass‘ sound gives Sweet Evil Sun a steady flow from one song, one side to the next, and so the record carries a a sense of movement as it heads toward the culmination in “Goddess,” which takes iconoclastic cues from “Wizard of the Vortex” and mirrors the opener’s point of view lyrically in examining who has power and why. “Wizard of the Vortex” is a bit more blatant, asking “Did you surrender, when the demon rose?” where in “Goddess,” it’s “You’re not my goddess, no face of religion.” For all I know the one could be about fascism and the other about divorce, but they’re both using escapist lyrical metaphor to speak about something more terrestrial.
Further to the lyrics, every track on Sweet Evil Sun contains some derivation of the word “sun” in its lyrics except for “Wizard of the Vortex.” The first line of “Angel Battle” says it, “Happened on a Sunday.” In “Devil Voodoo,” it’s, “The evening sun inside my bones,” and so on. It’s too much to be a coincidence, and maybe that’s part of what Candlemass are allowing the listener to process as the bass begins the instrumental outro “Cup of Coffin” — I see what you did there — before the quick epilogue riff and a last bit of applause, somewhat jarring because of the otherwise polished presentation of the album. It’s a quizzical finish, but one might read it as the band saluting their fans, and fair enough. 40 years on from Edling‘s first assembling what was called at the time Nemesis and became Candlemass a couple years later, and particularly in light of the last few years of confusion and tragedy, some of which is portrayed here one way or the other, you could hardly fault the band for expressing appreciation to their dedicated fanbase. That is, ultimately, what has sustained them.
Sweet EvilSun succeeds in pivoting away from The Door to Doom, which honestly is the bulk of its task. Its tracks will speak to fans old and new, and the work as an entirety carries them into the post-pandemic era as the kings of doom that they are. Their presence, their stately delivery, and Edling‘s style of composition, are largely inimitable, and Sweet Evil Sun — familiar in many respects, but welcome in how it speaks to the band’s history and what they’ve already accomplished in this era — reaffirms that in a universe of infinite possibility and a seemingly infinite swath of bands, there’s only ever been and only will be one Candlemass. Long may they reign.
Posted in Whathaveyou on November 14th, 2022 by JJ Koczan
Ahab emerge from the watery depths with new tales of tonal drudgery and doomed plunder. The nautically-themed four-piece haven’t had a studio record since 2015’s The Boats of the Glen Garrig, so yeah, they’re due even with the live album they did in 2020 (review here), and Napalm will issue The Coral Tombs on Jan. 13 as the band tackles 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, because I guess if you’re going to do a thing, go all in. The opening track, “Prof. Arronax’s Descent Into the Vast Oceans,” would certainly seem to do that, with a guest appearance from Ultha‘s Chris Dark, an outright punishment of a beginning, and a slow lurch that emerges as they lead listeners on the downward dive.
The Coral Tombs is a fun title, though I almost can’t help but think of the fact that thanks to the rising temperatures of the oceans and all the garbage humanity as dumped therein, reefs are dying off causing even more devastation to the planet’s ecosystem, so yeah, I guess in addition to the literary there’s another meaning one might take as we actively, daily work to make our home less habitable, but screw it, we’ll get ours. We already are, in fire, flood and plague. Might as well enjoy some classic sci-fi doom while we wait for the other shoe/ice shelf to drop.
Kudos to the band on making their own videos though. I’d watch jellyfish swim and listen to Ahab for a full visual album if it came to it. Actually, that’d be awesome.
The PR wire brings details on the record, shows, all kinds of silly vinyl pressings that people like and so on:
Nautik Doom Metal Masters AHAB Announce New Album, The Coral Tombs, And Share Epic Lyric Video For First Single
Following their much acclaimed, chart-impacting 2015 album, The Boats Of The Glenn Carrig, and the epic Live Prey release (2020), 2023 will see extreme doom metal masters AHAB celebrate their 19th band anniversary in glorious style: On January 13, 2023, the German four-piece will return with their fifth studio album, entitled The Coral Tombs, on Napalm Records! The release will mark their first full-length offering in eight long years.
The kings of nautik doom – a genre they invented – once again interpret a maritime novel, inspired this time by Jules Verne’s masterpiece 20000 Leagues Under The Sea. Throughout seven new tracks, AHAB take their fans on a new musical journey with Captain Nemo and Professor Arronax. Of their entire discography, The Coral Tombs is arguably the closest the band has come to their sound resembling a real soundtrack: it’s evil, it’s longing, it’s sad, it’s meditative, it’s cavernous, it’s vast, it’s ridiculously epic and as heavy as the colossal squid itself!
But give ear, as today AHAB has shared a lyric video for their first single and album opening track, “Prof. Arronax’ descent into the vast oceans”. The song not only features ULTHA‘s Chris Dark on guest vocals, but sees AHAB unleash a colossal thunder of blast beats and pitch black vibes before shifting into the epic grandeur of the melancholic-yet heaviness the band is known and loved for.
“How else could we have started our new album after 8 years wait? I love the unexpected, so it feels kinda natural to start that thunderous,” guitarist Christian Hector comments.
“The song tells the first milestone of “20,000 leagues under the sea“, when the Nautilus attacks and Professor Arronax and Conseil go over board and nearly drown. Of course we also introduce Captain Nemo in the first song. I cut the video myself as Napalm Records asked us for some videos – it’s a lyric nautic video. We’ll do two DIY videos and one professional video.”
The Coral Tombs was recorded, mixed and mastered by Jens Siefert at RAMA Studios in Mannheim, Germany. Along with AHAB’s exceptional vocalist Daniel Droste, the album features guest appearances of ULTHA’s Chris Dark as well as none other than the master of extreme doom himself, Greg Chandler – singer and mastermind of ESOTERIC, who closes the album and an incredible ride through the depths of vast oceans and the abysmal nature of mankind. AHAB not only invented and still steer the ship of their genre, but The Coral Tombs is poised to top 2023 Album Of The Year lists and will see the band sailing again as one of the best extreme doom metal bands of all time!
Tracklist: 01. Prof. Arronax’ descent into the vast oceans 02. Colossus of the liquid graves 03. Mobilis in mobili 04. The sea as a desert 05. A coral tomb 06. Ægri somnia 07. The Mælstrom
The Coral Tombs will be available in the following formats: – 1CD Digisleeve – 2LP Gatefold BLACK – 2LP Gatefold CURACAO – 3LP Die Hard/Slow Vinyl Edition CLEAR/ORANGE MARBLED in Slipcase – Musicassette – Ltd. Edition Musicassette (Clear Frosted / recycled plastic) – 2LP Gatefold Glow In The Dark (Band only) – Digital Album – CD Digisleeve + Shirt Bundle
[ Artwork by Sebastian Jerke ]
In support of their upcoming album release, AHAB will be playing a series of exclusive shows, where they will also debut a bunch of new songs live. Make sure to catch them at the following dates:
17.11.2022 (DE) Jena / Kuba* 18.11.2022 (DE) Berlin / ORWO Haus (only 150 tickets available)* 19.11.2022 (DE) Hamburg / MS Stubnitz (Live show on a boat!)* 20.11.2022 (DE) Oberhausen / Helvete (only 200 tickets available)* * with STAGWOUNDER 17.12.2022 (DE) Stuttgart / Club Cann 14.01.2023 (DE) Braunschweig / Jugendkirche Braunschweig (Album Release Show in a Church + Reading by Krachmucker TV’s Ernie Fleetenkicker!)
AHAB is: Cornelius Althammer – drums & percussion Daniel Droste – vocals & guitar Christian Hector – guitar Stephan Wandernoth – bass
Posted in Whathaveyou on October 26th, 2022 by JJ Koczan
Sweet, new Katatonia. That’ll be a reliable bet to take, as the long-running Swedish melancholic doom innovators are set to issue their new album, Sky Void of Stars, on Jan. 20. I’ve been through like 15 iterations of the title trying to type it right because in my head, it’s close to something similar from Star Trek even though, as I look it up, I’ve got that wrong too. If you see it wrong anywhere here — it’s called Sky Void of Stars, remember — Sky Void of Stars. Sometimes the mind plays tricks on you.
Sorry to derail, but hey, we know what’s coming a little bit here, right? And I don’t necessarily think that’s a bad thing. Katatonia‘s track record is 12 albums deep. There’s gonna be a reliably downer aesthetic and atmosphere — as seen above and below — and maybe moments with a bit more crunch to keep the headbangers happy along with the more melodic and heavy-progressive moments to show that they’re keeping themselves interested after passing the 30-year mark. I’m not saying it can’t be the album of their career. What I’m saying is the very worst it’s probably ever going to be is really good.
If you can make it scrolling past all their upcoming tour dates on various continents, you’ll find Katatonia‘s new video below for “Atrium.” The song rules.
From the PR wire:
Melancholic Metal Masters KATATONIA Announce New Album, Sky Void of Stars, Scheduled for Worldwide Release on January 20, 2023 via Napalm Records
Official Music Video for First Single, “Atrium”, Revealed
Meritorious masters of melancholic metal KATATONIA carry on their legacy of rearranging the order of the heavy music universe, proudly presenting their hauntingly beautiful next studio album, ‘Sky Void of Stars’, out January 20, 2023, via Napalm Records.
Founded in 1991, KATATONIA have continually embraced the dark and the light alike and, living through genre evolutions beyond compare, ripened their own particular form of expression. From doom and death metal to soul-gripping post rock, they’ve explored endless spheres of the genre, accumulating only the very best aspects. After signing with Napalm Records, the entity around founding members Jonas Renkse and Anders Nyström is ready to showcase its brilliance and illuminate the void in the scene once more with ‘Sky Void of Stars’.
With the first single, “Atrium”, KATATONIA hit with highly energetic atmosphere, holding a gloomy ambience with epic sounds and poetic lyrics to get lost in. The heartfelt piece of sound goes in line with a gripping music video, underlining the exceptional atmosphere the five-piece is creating with every single note. “Atrium” is now available via all digital service providers worldwide.
KATATONIA on the new album, ‘Sky Void of Stars’:
“Our 12th album, ‘Sky Void of Stars’ is a dynamic journey through vibrant darkness. Born out of yearning for what was lost and not found, the very peripheries of the unreachable, but composed and condensed into human form and presented as sounds and words true to the KATATONIA signum. No stars here, just violent rain.”
Sky Void of Stars track listing: 1 Austerity 2 Colossal Shade 3 Opaline 4 Birds 5 Drab Moon 6 Author 7 Impermanence (feat. Joel Ekelöf) 8 Sclera 9 Atrium 10 No Beacon to Illuminate Our Fall 11 Absconder (Bonus Track)
Ltd. Deluxe Wooden Box (incl. Mediabook + Digipack Atmos Mix BluRay + Crow Pendant + Star Chart Artprint + Pin) – Napalm Records exclusive Die Hard Edition 2LP Gatefold Ink Spot / FOREST GREEN (incl. Slipmat, Patch, 12 pages poster) – Napalm Records exclusive 2LP Gatefold DARK GREEN – Napalm Records exclusive 2LP Gatefold MARBLED TRANSPARENT/DARK GREEN – OMerch exclusive 2LP Gatefold MARBLED CRYSTAL CLEAR/BLACK – OMerch exclusive 2LP Gatefold BLACK 1CD Ltd Mediabook (incl. Bonus Track) 1CD Jewelcase Digital Album
KATATONIA – 2022 North American Tour w/ The Ocean Collective and Cellar Darling 11/09/22 – Washington, DC / Black Cat 11/1022 – Worcester, MA / Palladium 11/11/22 – New York, NY / Sony Hall 11/12/22 – Philadelphia, PA / Underground Arts 11/13/22 – Harrisburg, PA / Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center 11/15/22 – Quebec City, QC / Impérial Bell 11/16/22 – Montreal, QC / Le Studio TD 11/18/22 – Toronto, ON / Opera House 11/19/22 – Pittsburgh, PA / Thunderbird Music Hall 11/20/22 – Chicago, IL / Metro 11/22/22 – Denver, CO / Oriental Theater 11/23/22 – Salt Lake City, UT / Soundwell 11/25/22 – Portland, OR / Hawthorne Theatre 11/26/22 – Vancouver, BC / Rickshaw Theatre 11/27/22 – Seattle, WA / The Crocodile 11/29/22 – Roseville, CA / Goldfield Trading Post 11/30/22 – San Francisco, CA / Great American Music Hall 12/02/22 – Los Angeles, CA / 1720 12/03/22 – San Diego, CA / Brick by Brick 12/04/22 – Mesa, AZ / Nile Theater 12/06/22 – Austin, TX / Come and Take It Live (+Soen as direct support) 12/07/22 – Dallas, TX / Amplified Live (+Soen as direct support) 12/09/22 – Atlanta, GA / Hell at The Masquerade 12/10/22 – Tampa, FL / The Orpheum
KATATONIA – 2023 UK & Europe Tour w/ Sólstafir and SOM 20.01.23 FI – Tampere / Tampereen Tullikamari (Pakkahuone & Klubi) 21.01.23 FI – Helsinki / Kulttuurital 22.01.23 EE – Tallinn / Helitehas 24.01.23 PL – Warsaw / Klub Stodoła 25.01.23 DE – Berlin / Huxleys Neue Welt 26.01.23 DE – Cologne / Essigfabrik 27.01.23 DE – Stuttgart / LKA Longhorn 28.01.23 CZ – Prague / ROXY Prague 29.01.23 AT – Vienna / Arena Wien 31.01.23 HU – Budapest / Akvárium Klub 01.02.23 DE – Munich / Backstage Werk 02.02.23 CH – Zurich / Komplex 457 03.02.23 IT – Milan / Live Club 04.02.23 FR – Lyon / Ninkasi GERLAND 06.02.23 ES – Madrid / Kapital 07.02.23 ES – Barcelona / La Salamandra 08.02.23 FR – Toulouse / Le Metronum 10.02.23 GB – London / O2 Forum Kentish Town 11.02.23 GB – Manchester / O2 Ritz Manchester 12.02.23 GB – Bristol / Marble Factory 13.02.23 GB – Glasgow / The Garage 14.02.23 GB – Wolverhampton / KK’s Steel Mill 16.02.23 DE – Frankfurt Am Main / Batschkapp 17.02.23 NL – Haarlem / Patronaat 19.02.23 FR – Paris / Le Trianon 20.02.23 LU – Luxemburg / Rockhal 21.02.23 BE – Antwerp / Muziekcentrum Trix 22.02.23 DE – Hamburg / Gruenspan 23.02.23 DK – Copenhagen / Amager Bio 24.02.23 NO – Oslo / Rockefeller Music Hall 25.02.23 SE – Stockholm / Fryshuset Arenan
KATATONIA – 2023 Latin American Tour 17.03.23 MX – Guadalajara / C3 Stage 18.03.23 MX – Monterrey / Cafe Iguana 19.03.23 MX – Mexico City / Cafe Auditorio 22.03.23 CH – Santiago / Club Chocolate 24.03.23 AR – Buenos Aires / El Teatrito 25.03.23 BR – Sao Paulo / Carioca Club
KATATONIA are: Jonas Renske – Vocals Anders Nyström – Guitars Roger Öjersson – Guitars Niklas Sandin – Bass Daniel Moilanen – Drums
Posted in Whathaveyou on September 15th, 2022 by JJ Koczan
Belgium’s Black Mirrors will release their second album, Tomorrow Will Be Without Us, on Nov. 4 in continued alliance with Napalm Records. What a four years it’s been since the band issued their debut, Look into the Black Mirror, and one gets the sense from the title of the new record, the in-the-crematorium-with-the-body cover art, and the album info wrought by the PR wire below that there’s been some shift in perspective on the part of the group, perhaps pulling back from the Native American-informed imagery and lore in favor of a more real-world outlook.
Which means — given the ‘real world’ we’re living in — that maybe they’ve gotten somewhat darker in the last couple years. Black Mirrors are by no means alone in expressing anxiety about the unfolding effects of climate change on the planet, and since damn near everything everywhere is political all the time, I guess on some level Tomorrow Will Be Without Us probably is too, at least if “Anthropocene” and “Ode to My Unborn Child” are anything to guess by. I haven’t heard the record yet, so can’t speak to how it all plays out, but cool that Alain “Never Gonna Hurt a Record to Have Him Involved” Johannes makes an appearance, and if Black Mirrors are expanding in sound and mindset, that’s only going to result in more interesting music as far as I’m concerned. So here’s to that.
Video for “Hateful Hate, I’ll Kill You” is down at the bottom of this post. Preorders are up and the link is in the info here twice, just in case you miss it the first time out:
BLACK MIRRORS Announces New Album, ‘Tomorrow Will Be Without Us’ Out November 4, 2022 via Napalm Records!
Watch the Music Video for First Album Single “Hateful Hate, I’ll Kill You”!
2017 saw Brussels-based rock sensation BLACK MIRRORS take the world by storm with the debut of their awe-inspiring ‘Funky Queen’ EP. Feverishly acclaimed live appearances and a powerful festival showcase later, the band, fronted by extraordinary vocalist Marcella Di Troia, quickly inked a worldwide deal with leading rock and metal empire Napalm Records, soon gaining further praise with the release of their first full-length album, ‘Look into the Black Mirror’.
Continuing to exceed expectations, the unstoppable BLACK MIRRORS have now crafted a new masterpiece and one of rock’s leading highlights of 2022 – their upcoming release, ‘Tomorrow Will Be Without Us’, out November 4, 2022 via Napalm Records!
Are we killing our own planet? No, BLACK MIRRORS don’t believe that we as humans have the power to destroy mother earth. However, as the album cover below portrays, it’s clear who will end up burning – all living creatures, us. ‘Tomorrow Will Be Without Us’ is a clear statement impacting every single one of us living on our planet. As first album single “Hateful Hate, I’ll Kill You” proves, the band pushes their fuzz pedals to the max, delivering a powerful rock anthem you can’t help but move and groove to, yet perfectly showcases BLACK MIRRORS’ unforced, versatile and organic talent.
BLACK MIRRORS about their first single: “‘Hateful Hate, I’ll Kill You’ is one of the first songs we wrote and recorded for this album. We felt the song really helped us to shape the album as it embraces a lot of different influences like Nirvana and Hole, but also Queens of the Stone Age, Jack White and even Radiohead. The song is a shout out to the bitter world we’re living in, a shout out to our consumerist society! Our beautiful planet has its limits! We are on a sinking ship. We have left so many living beings to die, to disappear even. We need to change now more than ever – we have to change our ways.”
About the new video, the band states:
“The energy of “Hateful Hate, I’ll Kill You” video is pretty close to what you can expect from a live show of Black Mirrors. Furthermore, we focused on what’s behind the lyrics. The colors, mainly yellow and red, were used as a symbol of the burning of our forest, our planet. One of the outfits Marcella’s wearing is a nod to the last mass extinction to warn us of the 6th mass extinction we are currently living in. At the end, she even changes into a tree to embody the return to nature.”
BLACK MIRRORS’ sophomore outing is a deep, soulful and vividly textured 90’s inspired rock record with umpteen layers begging to be picked apart with each spin, and lyrically, traverses humankind’s increasing apathy towards the world around them. The grunge-infused guitar lines meld in harmony, giving way to memorable riffs, rhythmic gems, big grooves and the addictive, beautifully unchained vocals of Di Troia. The album fluxes from fierce and blustery to often gentle and calming, channeling the flavor of MTV’s glory era showcasing acts such as Nirvana, Radiohead, Hole, Alain Johannes, Alice in Chains and beyond.
Contrary to the album’s title and its evocative themes about today’s society and a world falling apart, tomorrow does belong to BLACK MIRRORS – there is no doubt they will own the next decade, providing us with the finest in heavy rock and melodic grunge grandeur the world of tomorrow unconditionally needs.
“Like all of us, we had to go through a lot during these past years. ‘Tomorrow Will Be Without Us’ is our answer to all the questions we had during that time, our reflection on the ecological catastrophe we’re all witnessing, our thoughts on our consumerist society, …”, the band comments. “Writing these songs gave us the strength to go forward and to heal us, it was our catharsis. We deeply hope it will bring you some light in these dark times.”
Together with the touch of worldwide-acclaimed producer Alain Johannes (Eagles of Death Metal, Queens of the Stone Age, Arctic Monkeys, No Doubt), BLACK MIRRORS have reset the bar to unexpected heights, and their new album promises to leave its mark on today’s rock scene worldwide! One can be sure, the music world of tomorrow would be a lonely place without BLACK MIRRORS, and ‘Tomorrow Will Be Without Us’ locks them at the top.
‘Tomorrow Will Be Without Us’ will be available in the following formats: – CD Digisleeve – LP Gatefold BLACK – LP Gatefold Marbled BLACK/GOLD (ltd. 300) – Digital Album
Album Track List: 1. Snake Oil 2. Lost in Desert 3. Tomorrow Will be Without Us 4. Hateful Hate, I’ll Kill You 5. Ode to my Unborn Child 6. Through the Eyes of a Giant 7. Collapsology (Raise Your Voice), feat. Alain Johannes 8. Anthropocene 9. Tears to Share 10. Say it Again
BLACK MIRRORS Live: 11/3/22 (DE) Hamburg – Headcrash (Exclusive Album Release Show!) 11/4/22 (DE) Berlin – Cassiopeia (Exclusive Album Release Show!) 11/18/22 (BE) Brussels – Botanique (Exclusive Album Release Show!)
BLACK MIRRORS Current Line-Up: Marcella Di Troia (Vocals) Pierre Lateur (Lead Guitar) Yannick Carpentier (Drums) Pierre Guillaume (Guitar, Synths, Backing Vocals)
