Chelsea Wolfe's "Feral Love" official video

The official video for Chelsea Wolfe's track "Feral Love" from the album Pain is Beauty has been released yesterday. Directed by Mark Pellington, the clip consists of an excerpt from a longer film named Lone, due to be released later in this year. Here it is, ladies and gentlemen.

Alfahanne - Såld På Mörkret

We have a couple of days ahead of us until the much awaited release of Alfahanne’s debut “Alfapokalyps”. I can’t say much about the band, considering that I only know the track shared below, which will feature in the forthcoming full-length, besides their vocalist’s performance as a guest musician in Shining’s latest album, “8 ½ - Feberdrömmar i vaket tillstånd”. Therefore, as the unrepentant lazy bastard that I am, I’ll simply quote the words of their manager, Patricia Thomas:  

“With ALFAHANNE’s first full-length album “Alfapokalyps” set for release in less than a month, DARK ESSENCE RECORDS have today debuted the track “Såld På Mörkret” from the album.  “Alfapokalyps” was mastered by Tore Stjerna at the Necromorbus Studio and includes guest appearances from SHINING’s Niklas Kvarforth and HELHEIM’s V’gandr, as well as TAAKE’s Hoest, who features on the newly debuted track “Såld På Mörkret” which can be heard above and at http://soundcloud.com/dark-essence-records/alfahanne-s-ld-p-m-rkret.

Formed in Sweden in 2010 ALFAHANNE’s lineup includes musicians who have been on the Black Metal Scene since the early ‘90’s in bands such as VINTERLAND and early MAZE OF TORMENT, and who have come together to play what they call ”Alfapocalyptic Rock”. Playing a mixture of Black Metal, Classic Rock and Punk with some Goth influences, ALFAHANNE’s first release was the “Grym” split 7” with Sweden’s SHINING in 2013.

ALFAHANNE’s current lineup includes Pehr Skioldhammer on Vocals and Guitar, Fredrik Sööberg on Guitars, Niklas Åström on Drums and Jimmy Wiberg on Bass, and the band’s next live appearance will be on the 16th of April at the DARK ESSENCE RECORDS Club Night at the Inferno Festival in Oslo.  ALFAHANNE is also set to appear at the Tons of Rock Festival alongside SABATON, SEPULTURA and SOILWORK in June.

“Alfapokalyps”, will hit the streets on the 10th of February in both CD and vinyl versions, and is already available to pre-order from http://shop.karismarecords.no/ .  Tracklisting as follows:

1. Bättre Dar – guest vocals from Niklas Kvarforth (SHINING)

2. Ormar Af Satan

3. Såld På Mörkret – guest vocals from Hoest (TAAKE)

4. Dödskult

5. Rocken Dör

6. Syndarnas Flod

7. Alfa Hordes

8. Indiehora – guest vocals from V’gandr (HELHEIM, TAAKE)

9. Där Drömmarna Dör

10. Alla Ska Mé

More information aboutALFAHANNE can be found on the band’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/alfahanneofficial”.

Judging from the song made available by Dark Essence Records and the announced participation of well-known musicians in the black metal milieu like Niklas Kvarforth and Hoest, this release is very promising, to say the least. 

Lament Cityscape: Live Projection (video)

Lament Cityscape have the visual effects from their live shows up on youtube. It's great to watch while you sit back and enjoy their fantastic music. Check it out:

Stabat Mater

Today I bring you a slice of Finnish funeral doom metal: the title track of the 2009 self-titled album by Stabat Mater. The twisted mind behind Stabat Mater is Mikko Aspa, otherwise known for his work in Clandestine Blaze (one of the best Finnish black metal acts, in my opinion) or as a vocalist in Deathspell Omega, among other numerous projects.  Aspa is also the owner of Northern Heritage Records, which counts in its roster with top-notch bands like Mgła. While not being anything groundbreaking and in no way comparable with the fabulous compositional work Aspa performs in Clandestine Blaze, Stabat Mater’s album is a fairly good sample of decent funeral doom. May it infuse your heart with blissful hopelessness along this morose, slow procession towards our ultimate grave; a journey which many insist on calling “life”.

John Baizley & Katie Jones - If I Needed You (Townes Van Zandt cover)

Being portuguese, I often miss pretty obvious references to american music. That would be particularly true of folk music from any country - especially those whose culture is furthest away from mine, for both geographic and linguistic reasons - but the widespread of american culture often leaves us at the rest of the world with a sense of knowing, if just a little bit, what's going on at that side of the Atlantic.

So it was great to have been proven ignorant when I found out about country icon Townes Van Zandt through Neurot Recordings' first rendition of Songs Of Townes Van Zandt, featuring covers by Neurosis bandmembers Scott Kelly and Steve Von Till as well as doom pioneer Wino from St. Vitus. By now I've grown into a fan of Townes' music and persona, even drawing me further into the americana folk music that dodged the global exposition of regular american pop. I've dug a bit through the several youtube pages and blogs and found some pretty good, fascinating stuff. So I can only be pleased to hear of a second release in the series, this time featuring Mike Scheidt (YOB), John Baizley (Baroness), and Nate Hall. Though I kind of wish they wouldn't repeat songs already covered in the first album (such as this one).

This version of If I Needed You is nice, but certainly not too interesting when compared to the original. I liked Steve Von Till's version better. Still, the proposition is a good one and I hope other people do as I did and research a bit about Townes Van Zandt and his work.

Check out the song at Noisey through this link.