#BAZUndergroundUpdates XCX
5 min read
As each time before it looks as if we managed to get through another week which means that a brand-new week is upon us and so our writers Julia Katrin and Tom Osman are back at it with a new installment of The Underground Updates!
So, let’s see what’s out there…
THE GREAT OLD ONES Now releasing a new live video for the track When the Stars Align, we now get to enjoy Lovecraftian black metal group The Great Old Ones once again as the live clip was recorded at Omega Sound Festival in October of last year. While we wait for more shows in the coming months where the group is scheduled to appear such as Hellfest Open Air and Graspop Metal Meeting, you can head over here to the official Season of Mist YouTube Channel and enjoy the video!
METAL BLADE RECORDS On March 19th, Metal Blade Records will be hosting a live stream on Bandcamp at 11:00AM PDT. In March last year, Dvne released their seminal second album titled Etemen Ænka. While being eager to bring the new album to the stages the group was, like all others, setback by the pandemic. Thanks to relentless work however Dvne managed to play two successful European tours and now for the first anniversary of Etemen Ænka the group decided to set up a live stream of four tracks. The live performance was recorded in Edinburgh and for the first time the group performed alongside special guest Lissa Robertson on violin and vocals! Head over here to get your ticket!
MALEVICH In two weeks’ time, Malevich will be heading on their first tour in…well, two years? If you don’t already follow the group on Instagram, we encourage you to head over here and give them a follow, and keep an eye on updates for tickets and tour dates!
SORM Having been busy completing their debut album that is scheduled for a release later this year, the Swedish Sorm partnered with the growing German based Noble Demon Records which re-released the group´s EP Hellraiser and now, for a taste of what´s to come you can head over here for Sorm´s most recent single Demon Child and, if you happen to find yourself in Sweden, keep an eye out for March 12th as Sorm is scheduled to appear alongside W.A.S.P lead guitarist Doug Blair at Backstage Rockbar in Trollhättan!
STEVE VON TILL This summer Steve Von Till is happy to announce that he will be heading out to 27 cities across the US to perform his album No Wilderness Deep Enough alongside musicians such as Helen Money on cello, Dave French on synths, guitar and percussion, and Sanford Parker on keys and synths. Tickets went on sale last Friday, so head over here for tour dates and tickets!
XENOKORP Back in 2015 on March 6th, under the name Kaotoxin, the 47th production of Xenokorp was released in the form of Dehuman´s second full length album Graveyard of Eden. In celebration of this milestone, you should first of all head over here and blast Crypts of Blood music video and second of all head over here in order to download the complete Dehuman discography for free at Bandcamp! Oh and of course, third of all head over here to get the album on CD and vinyl and save 20% on bundles with merch!
TRANSCENDING OBSCURITY RECORDS Much to our pleasure, the TO vinyl subscription club is finally live! With three categories to make it affordable for all you can opt for 3 LPs, 5LPs or even 10LPs and they all come with their own benefits. For further information head over here but keep in mind that since this is quite new, the subscription is only available to the first 50 members for now as the chance is first given to those who follow the label´s activities closely, before going public with it all.
CODE Progressive black metal shape shifters <code> returned with their first new album in six years last year, the excellent Flyblown Prince. Now the band has made available a very early recording from all the way back in 2003. If you’d like a peek into the band at their earliest, embryonic phase, you can pick up a digital copy name your price here.
SEPTICFLESH Looking for some symphonic black/death metal? Well Greece’s Septicflesh may have the tonic for you. Modern Primitive is the band’s first in five years and by the sounds of the preview track, it’s gonna be a belter. The album will be out on May 20th on Season of Mist. If you want a copy of the album on 2LP coloured vinyl, you better not dilly dally because they’re selling out fast. Listen to the teaser track and pre-order the album here.
SUNN O))) Washington’s finest drone metal masters have added a bunch of merch to their bandcamp page, including hoodies and t-shirts. You can check them all out here.
Having to pay gigantic sums for international postage is a real gear grinder. While it’s our default setting to link Bandcamp pages in the case of new and pre-releases, we thought it would be helpful to add some online stores that might provide a useful alternative. So if you see a release you fancy, but it’s being sold in a far off land and you don’t want to fork out on exorbitant shipping, see if any of the links below can remedy the situation.
Dark Essence (Norway) Dark Essence (US)
eOne Heavy (EU) eOne Heavy (UK) eOne Heavy (US)
Napalm Records (Germany)
Prophecy Productions (Germany) Prophecy Productions (US)
Rough Trade (UK) Rough Trade (US)
Season of Mist (EU) Season of Mist (US)
Southern Lord (EU) Southern Lord (US)
Throne Records (World)
Transcending Obscurity (EU) Transcending Obscurity (US)
What we have noticed so far in this year is that more and more musicians are announcing tour dates and live shows. We take that as a very good sign of hope that this summer will be like what we used to know two years ago, so for now let us not go and do anything stupid to mess that up! Wash and satanize those horns, take advantage of activities and merchandise offered to us and of course, keep persistent!
By Julia Katrin and Tom Osman
**Please support the underground! It’s vital to the future of our genre.**
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