Totenheer are a band from Lucerne, Switzerland, formed as a quartet in early 2010. The band’s moniker means something like ‘army of the dead’ in the Alemannic language (Swiss-Germanic). In autumn 2011, the band entered the Helvede Studio with Stefan Walker in order to record their debut full length, Wüetisheer (‘wild army’ or ‘wild hunt’), but it took another year to have the material mixed and mastered. This was done by nobody else but Gurd / Pulver-frontman V.O.
Skygge were formed a couple of years ago in the mighty city of Bergen, Norway, by multi-instrumentalist and composer Kuldegys (of Viðr-fame) and vocalist / lyricist Dáublódir (think: Doedsstraff or Gandreid). They released a first demo in 2012, called Heksekunst, which drew attention of Naturmacht Productions.
Ragnell are a young Mexican collective with one single official recording on their name: Black Requiem, released via one of the strongest Russian labels, Satanath Records. Black Requiem clocks less than half an hour, and it was recorded by the trio Eduardo (b, v), Carlo (d) and Mauricio (g, v) in early 2013.
Hailing from Tampere, Finland, Profetus are a Doom-combo with two full lengths on their name, Coronation Of The Black Sun (2009) and …To Open The Passages In Dusk (2012). And it is within the very same vein that this third full length studio release continues. The band signed to Svart Records in mean time, the fantastic label that is now to release this newest epic.
Obsessör are not that ‘old’, but they did impress several times with a fine mini-album in 2009 (Black Thrashing Blasphemy), an interesting split with Malaysia’s Storming Steels (Ultimate Thrashing Demons, released in 2012), and of course their grandiose debut full length Blitzkrieg battalion (2011). Earlier this year they released a split-EP with Germany’s Hellhunt, and last year they recorded a 7”EP, called Black Magic Rites.
Miseo are a very young German band that released a first EP, called The Dead Will Predominate, in 2013. Earlier this year, the members entered the Marburg Records Studio and the Cubeaudio Studio to record their first full length. Blacksmith Records’ Timo Rotten took care of the mix, and the mastering was done at the Desert Inn Studio with Thilo Krieger.
I hadn’t heard of this band before, but apparently these four guys from West Yorkshire (U.K.) hadn’t released but one single ep, The Extent Of Human Error (late Autumn 2012). Then the band recorded some new songs, which were send out to e.g. Ukem Records. Label manager Chris Newby listened to it and he was convinced as from the very first listen. Logical result: he was prepared to have this material released on his label.
German horde Hroptatyr was formed as a trio in 2008 in the Bavarian region (briefly as Drunken Warriors). In 2010 the band debuted with Auf Zu Neuen Ufern via recently defunct Düsterwald Produktionen, and now they come with the sophomore album, called Hroptatyr, having a total running time of forty two minutes.
HellHate are a Ukrainian act that were formed in 2008, but despite five years of career, they didn’t release but one EP / MCD, called retsonretap (got the meaning? does it reek of blasphemy? Look at the artwork and indeed, the Horned One must be a close friend of this trio). Noxious (b), Ugrum (v, g) and Bloodsucker (d) recorded this material in very early 2013 at the P.A. Studio, and the five tracks last for fifteen minutes and a half.
Chaos Moon are a one-man project by Alex Poole, who’s currently of formerly involved with bands and projects like In Ruins, Lithotome, Esoterica (I would invite you to see read the review on the superb new album Aseity, posted on March 24th 2014 on this site), Coffin or Krieg a. o. He started this project with the goal to create his own vision on Black Aural Art, and he recorded some EP’s and two full length albums.
