2012: METAL IN THE FORGE (Part 1)

December and 2011 are both over, and with the end of the last month, it’s time to round up what we saw over the last 30 days about forthcoming albums.

We usually try to post these updates on the first of the month, but the first of this month was New year’s Day, and I was moving kinda slowly that day. Plus, I’ve been focusing on year-end lists from a variety of sources, and, well, I’m late with this. I have more excuses, if you’d like to hear them.  No?  Okay, I understand.  I’ll just shut up and get going with this list.

So, here’s the deal:  In these METAL IN THE FORGE posts, I collect news blurbs and press releases I’ve seen over the last month about forthcoming new albums from bands we know and like at NCS (including occasional updates about releases we’ve included in previous installments of this series), or from bands that look interesting, even though we don’t know their music yet. In this series, we cut and paste those announcements and compile them in alphabetical order.

Remember — THIS ISN’T A CUMULATIVE LIST. If we found out about a new forthcoming album before December, we wrote about it in previous installments of this series. So, be sure to check the Category link called “Forthcoming Albums” on the right side of this page to see forecasted releases we reported earlier.

This month’s list begins right after the jump. It includes some real eye-openers. In fact, it’s not too soon to say that 2012 is already looking like yet another royally skull-fucking year for metal. But as usual, this list is half-assed rather than comprehensive. I confess that in December I was even more half-assed than usual in keeping my eyes open for news about new albums. So, feel free to leave Comments and tell all of us what I missed when I put this list together. Let us know about albums on the way that  you’re stoked about, even if you don’t see them here!

ABORTED: “”The Origin Of Disease”, a brand new song from Belgian death metalers ABORTED, can be streamed at NO CLEAN SINGING. The track comes off the band’s seventh studio album, “Global Flatline”, which will be released on January 24, 2012 (one day earlier internationally) via Century Media Records.”

THE AMENTA: “Australia’s extreme metal unit THE AMENTA is working on material for their third album for a 2012 release. Vocalist Cain Cressal states, “All arrangements and lyrics are 90% complete. I’ll be flying over to Sydney soon to finetune vocal patterns/lyrics after much demoing over the last few months. We intend to start tracking the album in January.” Tentatively titled “Flesh Is Heir”, the follow-up to 2008’s “n0n” is a crystallization of THE AMENTA‘s methods.”

ASPHYX: “Deathhammer is the title track of ASPHYX‘s new studio album, which will be released on February 27, 2012 in Europe and February 28, 2012 in North America via Century Media Records.”

BLOODSHOT DAWN: “First formed in 2003, Bloodshot Dawn have evolved from a straight forward, groove orientated death metal band into an unrelenting, hyper speed, extreme-metal machine. Hailed by Terrorizer as a band that delivers “blistering live shows”, Bloodshot Dawn have become a household name in the UK underground.  In September 2011, Bloodshot Dawn entered the studio again, this time at 11th Cellar Studios in Rome (Fleshgod Apocalypse, Hour Of Penance, Inherit Disease), to record their debut full-length release. The album was finished in December 2011 and is set for a limited release on 26 January 2012.”

BORKNAGAR: “Norway’s BORKNAGAR has entered Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden to begin mixing its new album with Jens Bogren, who has previously worked with such acts as KATATONIA, OPETH, PARADISE LOST and AMON AMARTH. The CD is tentatively due in February 2012 via Century Media Records. ”

CANCER BATS: “‘Old Blood‘, a brand new song from Canadian metallers CANCER BATS, was premiered on tonight’s (Monday, January 2) edition of BBC Radio 1‘s “Rock Show With Daniel P Carter”. You can now stream the track in a YouTube clip here. “Old Blood” comes off CANCER BATS‘ fourth album, “Dead Set On Living”, which is due in April via Distort Inc. ”

THE CONTORTIONIST: “Indianapolis, Indiana’s prog-metal prodigies THE CONTORTIONIST will enter AudioHammer Studios in Sanford, Florida in February with producers Jason Suecof (TRIVIUM, CHIMAIRA, DEVILDRIVER) and Eyal Levi (AUGUST BURNS RED, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER) to begin recording their sophomore album for a late spring/early summer 2012 release via Good Fight Music.”

CONVERGE: “Terrorizer have heard on the hardcore grapevine that the mighty Converge are set to start recording their eighth album, the follow up to 2009’s smasher, Axe To Fall. This is to be titled ‘All We Love We Leave Behind’ and it’s due out in the late spring/early summer through Epitaph.”

DRUDKH: “Unconventional, dramatic and mysterious, Ukrainian black metal outfit Drudkh are announcing a new album called Eternal Turn of the Wheel out February 24. The new album “marks a return to the band’s roots and early sound,” according to Season of Mist, the French label that has been releasing Drudkh‘s albums since 2009.”

DYING FETUS:  “John Gallagher, guitarist and vocalist of Dying Fetus, has announced that the group has entered the studio to record a new full-length album. The band will once again be working with long-time producer Steve Wright (Slipknot, Misery Index) at Wrightway Studios in Baltimore, MD. Set to be released in mid 2012 through Relapse Records, the album will feature nine tracks and is a “return to roots” with production focused slightly more on slam than in the band’s last few works.

DYSRHYTHMIA: From the band’s facebook page: “Happy new year, all. We are excited to announce we will be working with Profound Lore Records, for the release of our next album! Recording will commence this Spring with Colin Marston, with a projected late Summer/ Fall release date. We’re gonna do our most to make this the best Dysrhythmia yet.”

ELUVEITIE: “ELUVEITIE’S fifth studio album, Helvetios, will be released on February 10 (Europe) and February 28 (North America) 2012 via Nuclear Blast.”

ENOCHIAN THEORY: Life . . . And All It Entails, the new album by UK progressive metallers Enochian Theory will be released on Feb 12, 2012 by Mascot Records and is available for pre-order here, where the album art is also on display.

ENTHRONED: “Belgian black metallers ENTHRONED have inked a two-album deal with Agonia Records. The band’s new album, “Obsidium”, will be released in early 2012.”

GOATWHORE: “New Orleans’ GOATWHORE has set “Blood For The Master” as the title of its new album, due on February 14 in North America via Metal Blade Records. The follow-up to 2009’s “Carving Out The Eyes Of God” was recorded at Mana Recording Studios in St. Petersburg, Florida with producer with Erik Rutan.”

HEIDEVOLK: “Dutch folk/viking band Heidevolk announced that it will release the band’s fourth LP entitled “Batavi” on March 2, 2012 through Napalm Records. The album is the follow up to the 2012 release “Uit Oude Grond.” More details on the album are expected shortly.”

HIGH ON FIRE: “Oakland, CA hard rock band HIGH ON FIRE has entered Salem, Massachusetts’ GodCity Studios to begin tracking their as-yet-untitled new album. The world renowned group featuring drummer Des Kensel, bassist Jeff Matz and guitarist / vocalist Matt Pike (also of legendary stoner metal trio SLEEP) is collaborating with producer and Converge guitarist Kurt Ballou on the new effort; the band’s sixth studio recording and follow up to 2010′s Snakes for the Divine which debuted at #62 on the Billboard Top 200 and has been called “wonderful” by The New York Times and “an exhilarating rush” by The Chicago Tribune. A mid-2012 release date is expected via eOne Music.”

MAGENTA HARVEST: “MAGENTA HARVEST, the Finnish death metal band featuring current and former members of FINNTROLL, CHTHONIAN, MYGRAIN and …AND OCEANS, will enter the studio later this month [December] to begin recording its second demo. According to a press release, the new effort will see the group widening its soundscape with the help of Aleksi Virta of FINNTROLL, who “will create some epic keyboard stuff” to go along with the material. An early 2012 release is expected.”

MESHUGGAH: “Swedish experimental extreme metallers MESHUGGAH have issued the following update: “After a long time of deep soul searching and intense wrecking of the psyches, the new album is finally done. Soon you will meet this colossus that will pulverize your being. Welcome to the other side on March 27.””

MORBID ANGEL: “On February 24, 2012 (February 28 in North America), Season of Mist will release a compilation of remixed tracks from MORBID ANGEL’s latest album, “Illud Divinum Insanus”. Far from being just revamped versions of the seminal extreme metal band’s newest songs, this collection will present the work of 39 artists from the electro / industrial, techno and club scene.”

MUNICIPAL WASTE: “Virginia crossover thrash metal band MUNICIPAL WASTE has completed work on its fifth studio album, “The Fatal Feast”, for a spring 2012 release via Nuclear Blast Records.”

MURDER CONSTRUCT: “MURDER CONSTRUCT, the Los Angeles, California-based band featuring Travis Ryan (CATTLE DECAPITATION) on vocals, Leon del Muerte (EXHUMED, PHOBIA, IMPALED) on guitar and vocals, Kevin Fetus (FETUS EATERS, WATCH ME BURN) on guitar, Danny Walker (INTRONAUT, EXHUMED, UPHILL BATTLE) on drums, and Caleb Schneider (BAD ACID TRIP) on bass, has entered the studio to begin work on its full-length debut full-length for a mid-2012 release via Relapse Records.”

NAGLFAR: “Swedish black metallers NAGLFAR have completed work on their sixth album, “Téras”, for a March 2012 release via Century Media Records. The drum tracks on the CD were laid down by Dirk Verbeuren (SOILWORK).”

NAPALM DEATH: “NAPALM DEATH will release its 14th studio album (excluding the cover album “Leaders Not Followers”), “Utilitarian”, on February 27 in Europe and February 28 in North America via the band’s longtime partner, Century Media Records. ”

PALLBEARER: “Little Rock, Arkansas doom metal disciples PALLBEARER have completed work on their debut album, “Sorrow And Extinction”, for a February 21, 2012 release via Profound Lore Records.”

PSYCROPTIC: “Pre-orders are now available for Tasmanian technical death metal outfit PSYCROPTIC’s upcoming fifth studio album, The Inherited Repression. The Inherited Repression will be released in Europe on February 7th in North America and on February 10th in Europe on Nuclear Blast Records.”

SEAR BLISS:  “Eternal Recurrence, the 7th album from Sear Bliss, is set to be released in February, 2012 through Candlelight Records. The songs are dramatic and unsettling, dark and painful.”

SHINING: “Sweden’s SHINING the, extreme metal band founded by controversial front man Niklas Kvarforth, has today [Jan 2] entered the Sonic Train Studios in Varberg, Sweden, with producer Andy La Rocque to begin recording the band’s eighth full-length album, which, as is usual with SHINING, currently only bears the working title VIII.”

SIGH: “Japan’s SIGH will release its ninth album, “In Somniphobia”, in March 2012 via Candlelight Records. According to a press release, the CD is “by far more musically varied” compared to the [band’s] last two albums. Put heavy metal, classical music, jazz, Indian traditional music, Stockhausen, and Xenakis into a cauldron of hell and stir it, you’ll get ‘In Somniphobia’. It is a pure sonic nightmare that lasts more than an hour.”

SOILWORK: “After a highly successful run of European festivals and select club shows, Swedish melodic metal maestros SOILWORK have started writing music for the follow-up to The Panic Broadcast, which debuted the US Billboard charts at #88 upon its release in July 2010.”

SOREPTION: “Soreption will enter the studio in February to begin the recording of the next album. The release is not set yet, but we´re aming for fall next year.”

SPAWN OF POSSESSION: Swedish tech-death assassins SPAWN OF POSSESSION have completed work on their third full-length album, “Incurso”, for a March 13, 2012 release via Relapse Records. The CD, which will contain nine tracks plus an instrumental intro, was recorded at Pama Studios in Kristianopel, Sweden with engineer Magnus “Mankan” Sedenberg.

SWALLOW THE SUN: “SWALLOW THE SUN’S fifth full-length album, “Emerald Forest And The Blackbird”, will be released on February 1 via Spinefarm Records. The CD was recorded during September and October 2011 by Mikko Karmila (NIGHTWISH, AMORPHIS, CHILDREN OF BODOM) at Drumforest Studios in Viitasaari and Sonic Pump 2 in Helsinki, and by Hannu Honkonen at Noisework Studios in Helsinki. The effort was mixed by Hiili Hiilesmaa (HIM, APOCALYPTICA, AMORPHIS, MOONSPELL) and will be mastered by Mika Jussila (NIGHTWISH, AMORPHIS, SENTENCED) at Finnvox Studios.”

TESTAMENT: “TESTAMENT‘s new album, “The Dark Roots Of Earth”, is tentatively due in late April/early May 2012 via Nuclear Blast Records. Due to a “serious injury,” TESTAMENT drummer Paul Bostaph was unable to take part in the recording sessions for the CD and was replaced by Gene “The Atomic Clock” Hoglan (DARK ANGEL, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, FEAR FACTORY, DETHKLOK). Bostaph has since announced his departure from the group.”