Vardan are a very productive solo-outfit by an Italian guy called Vardan, whom you might know from e.g. Nostalgic Darkness, Anwech, Tomhet, Magnus Obscurus or Leaden. I do not have all their material in my possession (I bought / received four or five Vardan-albums in the past), but what I do have is of a very satisfying quality. Enjoy Of Deep Sadness just strengthens this statement.
Despite two decades of activity, and despite an enormous fan-base (Solitary have a well-populated fan club, listening to the name of The Unidentified), I Promise To Thrash Forever isn’t but the first live album by UK Thrash-masters Solitary. Okay, they are not known for a constant release of studio material either, as you might know. The material on this live registration was recorded at the end of last year in Selby, England.
Lower-Saxony-based Pest were formed during the second half on the nineties. After a first demo, they recorded four full lengths and an EP, which undersigned does like with passion, pleasure and pain. Unfortunately the band split-up after the decease of Artur ‘Mrok’ Bialkowski, but Pest had one more recording finished. The other members of the band decided to release that album posthumously, appropriately entitled Buried (released earlier this year via Primal Vomit Records).
Opium Warlords is the brainchild (at least one of the many) of Sami Albert ‘Witchfinder’ Hynninen, whom you might know from e.g. defunct Reverend Bizarre, Azrael Rising, Spiritus Mortis, Armanenschaft, Lohja SS, March 15 (review of their new record posted on April 27th 2014, by the way), Punisment, KLV, and several more.
Nebula Orionis are a very young project from Russia. There was a first EP in early 2013, called Aena, followed by a second one at the very end of 2013 (Glacie), and a full length in early 2014 (Summer). All of them have been self-released, but Kunsthauch will give a proper distribution right now, at least on the second record, Glacie. Let’s hope the rest will follow soon.
Quintet Liber Necris were formed in 2010 in Leeds, U.K., and they debuted in December 2011 with the EP The Immutable Aversion, which was self-released, and entirely produced, engineered, mixed and mastered by the famous Wieslawski-brothers Wojtek and Slawek (think: Behemoth, Sideblast, Vader, Unearthly, Hate etc.).
Mysterium Coniunctionis opens with a short, slightly horrifying intro (no idea who created this piece) before bringing excellent material by two great acts, Italian five-piece Krowos and French quartet Malepeste. The stuff will be released via Minnesota-based Winter Solace Productions.
Incarnated are a Polish horde, formed more than two decades ago (!) by Pierscien (vocals, bass and guitars). During the nineties, Incarnated released several demo and a split with Damnable, and in 2001 there was a first full length, called Human Flesh. In 2006 they returned with another studio album, Pleasure Of Consumption, followed by another split, this time with Reexamine and Parricide (2008).
The very young Tampere, Finland-based label Saturnal Records suddenly appear out of the blue with some highly interesting releases; On Death’s Wings by Blood Red Fog and Hellspirit with Dawn Under Curse will be the first releases, available as from May 26th on, and at the end of July one can expect Anticipation For Blood Leveled In Darkness by super-group Voodoo Gods. Look out for the upcoming reviews.
Ad Patres are a French combo that recently signed to Grind / Death label Kaotoxin. As a first result of this collaboration, there will be a re-issue of Scorn Aesthetics. Scorn Aesthetics is an album originally released in 2012 on CD, and it will be available right now on vinyl (limited to 500 copies only, amongst which half of them on red vinyl) and on cassette (limited to 100 copies), albeit remastered.
