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Katatonia – Dead Air 2LP incoming

KATATONIA PERFORM AN EXTENSIVE AND MAJESTIC SET OF FAN FAVOURITES, CAPTURED DURING THEIR 2020 LOCKDOWN SESSION.

With a somewhat unforeseen global event transpiring this year which resulted in touring being made all but impossible for artists internationally, Katatonia conducted a more intimate ‘lockdown’ show which was streamed live from Studio Grondahl, Stockholm on May 9th. “Dead Air” offers fans a full 88-minute set containing 20 tracks from the band’s extensive and illustrious repertoire to date, with inclusions spanning two decades of dark progressive greatness, and essentially also debuting three of the “City Burials” album tracks in a live setting. 

The tracklisting itself contains a very literal selection of fan favourites overall, having being voted for exclusively by the band’s worldwide fanbase, flawlessly flirting between earlier singles such as metallic anthems ‘My Twin’ & ‘July’, to the stirring emotional grandeur of new song, “Lacquer”. 

The recording, mixing & engineering work was orchestrated by David Castillo, notable for his extensive body of work with Katatonia to date, and the performance itself was professionally filmed by Blackbox Video. 

Behind The Blood live from Dead Air

This version is truly improved from the studio version. Top notch!

Lacquer live from Dead Air

“Lacquer” from “Dead Air” is so bright, so tender, but yet so strong. Album version had an overall electronic feel, that is completely addressed in this excellent version.

Tracklisting

  1. Lethean (06:00)
  2. Teargas (03:17)
  3. Serein (04:47)
  4. Deliberation (03:57)
  5. The Winter Of Our Passing (03:08)
  6. Ghost Of The Sun (04:07)
  7. The Racing Heart (04:26)
  8. Soil`s Song (04:07)
  9. Old Heart Falls (04:25)
  10. Forsaker (04:10)
  11. Tonight`s Music (04:22)
  12. In The White (04:57)
  13. Leaders (04:17)
  14. Lacquer (04:51)
  15. Omerta (03:09)
  16. My Twin (03:38)
  17. Unfurl (04:52)
  18. July (04:48)
  19. Evidence (05:29)
  20. Behind The Blood (05:06)
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Hellenic black metal legends Varathron return with a brilliant live album – “Glorification under The Latin Moon”

“Glorification under The Latin Moon” was recorded in its entirety on August 4th, 2019 in São Paulo (Brazil) during the final show of Varathron‘s 30 Years Of Darkness Tour, the historic setlist boasts some of the bands finest compositions, from 1988 and beyond, most notably including the entirety of classic “His Majesty At The Swamp” from 1993, to most recent songs, taken from the acclaimed “Patriarchs Of Evil” album, which made it to an awful lot of year-end lists in 2018. We took the opportunity to catch up with Hellenic black metal legend Varathron‘s vocalist Stefan Necroabyssious…

Hello Stefan, please tell us about your new great live album “Glorification under The Latin Moon”.

Thank you for your great support to my band. Our first official live album and the whole situation is amazing. That album was recorded in Sao Paulo of Brazil, my second homeland as I said there, because we received so much love, passion and respect for our band. The sound was very good and the passion of the crowd awesome. We played the entire “His Majesty at the Swamp” album and some new tracks. Infernal night – I’ll never forget it!

Sounds amazing! It is great with represses and the live album! We’re wondering, is there possibly some new material round the corner?

Yes, we’re working on new material now! The new album will follow the path of “Patriarchs of Evil”, but even more abysmal and evil. I think it will be very good stuff!

Any other news about Varathron?

I hope the best for the near future and our musical community, and that we can start playing live shows and spread the words of evil… Soon I wish!

/Stefan Necroabyssious

We’re certainly looking forward to the follow-up to the successful “Patriarchs of Evil”. Meanwhile, we will enjoy “Glorification under The Latin Moon” – please check out the legendary “Son of The Moon” below.

Tracklist

A1Cultum Deus Aeternum (Ιntro)
A2Ouroboros Dweller
A3Cassiopeia’s Ode
A4Tenebrous
B1Saturnian Sect
B2His Majesty At The Swamp
B3Son Of The Moon
B4Unholy Funeral
C1Nightly Kingdoms
C2Lustful Father
C3Flowers Of My Youth
C4The River Of My Souls
D1The Tressrising Of Nyarlathotep
D2Genesis Of Apocryphal Desire
D3Sic Transit Gloria Mundi (Outro)
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French black metal label Les Acteurs De l’Ombre Productions added to our catalogue

We welcome the French underground label Les Acteurs De l’Ombre (LADLO) to our rooster. They release some of the finest black metal. We took the chance to catch up with label founder Gérald.

Read that LADLO started as a magazine and concert organizer. Could you elaborate on that and the philosophy and purpose?

“It all started back in 2001, when I decided to create the association LADLO, with two of my friends. At the beginning, it was a webzine for which 50 writers have worked. I had to leave the presidency of the association in 2008 due to a professional transfer, and that is when I requested the creation of the label for the association.

I had this idea in my mind since a few years, but I was lost in the downward spiral of the webzine and the organization of gigs, so I had no time to think about this…

It has been very exciting indeed. Because I always worked for the association as a volunteer, I had no risk of losing money, which allowed me to fully enjoy this new project. Pensées Nocturnes was the solo project of one member of our association that organized gigs : this way, we stayed ‘in family’ so to say – no pressure, only happiness and a burning desire to discover a new universe and meet new persons…

Before, I used to organize gigs all around Paris, among which three annual festivals: Black Metal, Pagan, and Doom Metal for 10 years. The team quickly got bigger; we organized more than 100 shows and more than 500 bands played for us.

Today the label has more than 20 volunteers, and we have no other desire than to have fun and do things the best we can. Making people discover our favorite bands is a main motivation for us.”

French black metal seems relatively big and we also get many orders from France. What do you think about the development of black metal in France?

“I think French scene always generated some interest abroad. It never was a reference, but since black metal was born, it has always offered qualitative bands starting with Mütiilation in 91, Nehëmah in 92 and others. Our bands never really exported themselves, but we got a critical success with a few avant-garde bands such as Blut Aus Nord, and Deathspell Omega, that stood out. While the traditional black metal scene has known its share of great bands, others wanted to try new things, with new inspirations, freeing themselves from their influences and rebelling against conventions. I’d say it’s kind of our trademark: we do what we like, here in France. I think our bands have improved, even if I feel like we were always slow on the uptake. Today, some think we have qualities and follow our flourishing scene very closely. But let’s not be mistaken, French scene remains anecdotal in black metal universe. World is full of so many great bands…”

Thanks a lot Gérald for your words and good luck with everything going forward!

Make sure to visit the homepage of LADLO, and below you’ll find the recently added titles from this fine label…