2012 METAL IN THE FORGE (PART 2)

January ended four days ago, so it’s past time for our usual monthly round-up of news about forthcoming albums. I have to confess that this list is even more spotty and sporadically assembled than usual — which is saying something. Various distractions prevented me from keeping a sharp eye out for news about new releases, so I have no doubt this list is incomplete.

Here’s how this round-up usually works: 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, I 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 earlier than the last 30 days, we probably 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. For example, on this list you won’t see such notable releases as the forthcoming albums from Meshuggah, Enthroned, Unleashed, Psycroptic, Goatwhore, Asphyx, Naglfar, or Autopsy, because we’ve mentioned them elsewhere. Or at least I think we did.

Having said all that, please 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!

7 HORNS 7 EYES: “Progressive, atmospheric, death-metallers 7 HORNS 7 EYES will be releasing their debut full-length album, Throes Of Absolution, on April 23rd, 2012 throughout Europe via Basick Records. Featuring a guest appearance by Jeff Loomis (ex-NEVERMORE) and already named one of Metal Sucks’ “Albums That Will Fuck Your Face Off In 2012”, this highly anticipated album has been many months in the making, but worth the wait!”

ANTIGAMA: “Warsaw, Poland’s revolutionary grind/metal assassins ANTIGAMA announce their return to Selfmadegod Records! Following two full-length releases via Relapse Records over recent years, ANTIGAMA have re-signed with their longtime friends at Selfmadegod and are currently locked away in Warsaw’s Progresja Studio with sound engineer Pawel “Janos” Grabowski. The band are in the process of recording several brand new tracks for two different upcoming releases — a 3-way split with Noisear (USA, Relapse) and  The Kill (Australia), as well as a MCD tentatively entitled Stop The Chaos. The session started on February 1st 2012, and final mixes and mastering duties will be completed by none other than the band’s long time friend and famous Polish music producer Szymon Czech (Nyia, Third Degree). Both releases are due this Spring via Selfmadegod Records, and plan on recording a new full-length for the label later in the year as well.”

BENEATH THE MASSACRE: “The lyric video for “Left Hand”, a new song from Montreal’s monsters of tech-death mayhem BENEATH THE MASSACRE, has been released. The track comes off the band’s new album, “Incongruous”, which will be released in the U.S. on February 14, in the U.K. on February 20, in mainland Europe on February 24 and in Canada on February 28 via Prosthetic Records. The CD was produced and mixed by Chris Donaldson (CRYPTOPSY) and mastered by Alan Douches (HATEBREED, SHADOWS FALL, CONVERGE).”

BORKNAGAR: “Norwegian avantgarde metallers BORKNAGAR have completed work on their new studio album with Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios (OPETH, PARADISE LOST, KATATONIA) in Örebro, Sweden. Entitled“Urd”, the CD will be released on March 26 in Europe and March 27 in North America via Century Media Records.”

CANNIBAL CORPSE: “Florida-based death metal veterans CANNIBAL CORPSE will release their twelfth studio album, “Torture”, on March 13 via Metal Blade Records. The follow-up to 2009’s “Evisceration Plague” offers up 12 tracks of maniacally precise, soul-searing death metal.”

DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT: From a DT Facebook post on Jan. 15: “Just finished writing track one for Z2! (Ziltoid 2) It’s about a year and half away now… scary! :)”

ENSHADOWED: “Greek misanthropic blackmongers ENSHADOWED have inked a deal with Pulverised Records. Due later in the year, the band’s third full-length effort, entitled “Magic Chaos Psychedelia”, is “the ultimate combination of orthodox black metal with experimental grotesquery parts. Chaos, ritualism, paranoia — the formulas of how it can be harmonized with the chaos and the utter,” according to a press release.”

GENERAL SURGERY: “A Collection of Depravation, a compilation of 30 GENERAL SURGERYchoice cuts will see its official release via Relapse on March 27th and is available for pre-order now.  The collection was digitally remastered by Pig Destroyer’s Scott Hull and contains a 24 page booklet with extensive liner notes from the band.”

GOROD: “French progressive technical death metal act GOROD has officially joined the LISTENABLE RECORDS roster. Fall 2011 the band entered the studio with talented french metal producer Frederic “Elmobo” Motte. Their fourth full-length A Perfect Absolution will be released  in March 2012. The lyrical concept of this album is based on the history of Kievan Rus during the 10th century. Heavier, more progressive, catchy songs, awesome guest solos by Christian Muenzner (Obscura) and Mike Keene (The Faceless).”

HOODED MENACE: “Finnish death / doom bringers HOODED MENACE have entered the studio to record their highly anticipated new album and first for Relapse Records. The new record, entitled Effigies of Evil, is being self-recorded by the band at their very own Horrisound Studios, the group’s personal compound of stench and decay. Drums are being tracked at SF Sound and the band plans to complete recording in mid February for a Summer 2012 release.”

HOUR OF PENANCE: “Italian death metal band HOUR OF PENANCE has set “Sedition” as the title of its fifth album, due on March 27 in North America, April 2 in the U.K. and April 6 in mainland Europe via Prosthetic Records. The follow-up to 2010’s “Paradogma” (Unique Leader) was recorded at Cellar Studio in Rome with producer Stefano Morabito.”

IMPENDING DOOM: “IMPENDING DOOM will release their brand new full length album entitled Baptized in Filth on March 13, 2012. Produced by Andreas Magnusson (The Black Dahlia Murder) and Machine, this is the band’s fourth full length and most ferocious effort to date.”

KREATOR: “German thrash metal veterans KREATOR have set “Phantom Antichrist” as the title of their new album, due on June 1 in Europe and June 5 in North America via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD is currently being recorded at Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden with renowned producer Jens Bogren (OPETH, KATATONIA, SOILWORK,DEVIN TOWNSEND, AMON AMARTH). ”

LECHEROUS NOCTURNE: “South Carolina-based extreme metal band LECHEROUS NOCTURNE has set “Behold Almighty Doctrine” as the title of its third album, due later in the year via Unique Leader Records. The CD was recorded at SoundLab Studio in Lexington, South Carolina with longtime engineer Bob Moore.”

MASTER: “Legendary death metallers MASTER have set “The New Elite” as the title of their eleventh album, due later in the year via Pulverised Records. The CD, which was once again recorded, mixed and mastered at Shaark Studios, contains “11 tracks of unambiguous death metal in its wretched form, in perfect coalition with the offensive Paul Speckmann-spewed lyrical shitstorm,” according to a press release.”

NEPHELIUM: “Nephelium, the Dubai death metallers whom now reside in Toronto, Canada are now exclusively streaming their highly anticipated debut album “Coils of Entropy” on MetalRecusants.com at the following link here. “Coils of Entropy” is set for release next week on Tuesday, February 7, 2012 and a free download of their first single “Merciless Annihilation” is available here.”

NIGHTFALL: “Greek metallers NIGHTFALL have commenced work on a new album for a late 2012 release. The follow-up to 2010’s “Astron Black And The Thirty Tyrants” will contain 11 tracks.”

OUTCAST: “Listenable Records has set April 4th, 2012 as the North American release date for Awaken the Reason, the third album from French brutal djent metal mongers OUTCAST. Awaken the Reason is the band’s strongest and most solid recording to date and it genuinely captured the band’s musical madness. Expect a modern sounding, yet organic production spiced up by a frenzy of extreme guitar and drums assaults. Awaken the Reason was recorded between January and September 2010 at The Artist The Office Studio. It was mixed at SplitSecond Sound Studio By Jochem Jacobs (Textures) in October /November 2010 and then mastered at West West Side Music by Alan Douches (Mastodon, Dillinger Escape Plan).”

PALLBEARER: ” By encompassing the more traditional metal style of their brand of doom, PALLBEARER’s sound takes cue from such legendary doom metal bands as Candlemass, Trouble, and Warning along with a ‘70s prog influence and some influence taken from “Gothic” era Paradise Lost that finds its way into the band’s epic yet sorrowful odes. PALLBEARER’s debut album Sorrow and Extinction will be released by Profound Lore on February 21 in the U.S. and February 28 in Europe.”

PELICAN: “Thunderous post-instrumental outfit PELICAN have announced the long awaited follow-up to their sprawling 2009 full length What We All Come To Need, a new four song EP Ataraxia/Taraxis to be released via Southern Lord on April 10. With members now residing in separate cities, the EP represents a new chapter in the band’s evolution with a reenergized focus on composition and the utilization of the recording studio as a creative tool in the songwriting process, yielding one of the most diverse efforts in the band’s prolific discography.”

PUTERAEON: “The Death Metal platoon, PUTERAEON, hailing from Sweden which released the incredibly acclaimed debut album “THE ESOTERIC ORDER” (Cyclone Empire) in January 2011, wants to inform you that they will lock themselves up in the studio “RZA Mobile Recording” on the 30th of January 2012. Together with sound engineer Kristian “Risza” Isaksson (Evergrey, Hardcore Superstar, Psycore, Reclusion, Notre Dame, Snowy Shaw) they will record the follow up entitled “CULT CTHULHU”. 
The album will have 11 tracks and, as the debut, will be mixed by none other than super guitarist Andy LaRocque (King Diamond, Death, At The Gates) at Sonic Train Studios and the album is planned to be released in May 2012 via the German label Cyclone Empire.”

SECRETS OF THE MOON: “Prophecy Productions has announced that SEVEN BELLS, the new SECRETS OF THE MOON album, will be out on March 16th, 2012.”

SIX FEET UNDER: “Florida-based death metallers SIX FEET UNDER are currently mixing their new album at Audiohammer studios in Sanford, Florida with producer Mark Lewis (THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, WHITECHAPEL, DEVILDRIVER, TRIVIUM). The band’s frontman, Chris Barnes, writes on Twitter, “The new SIX FEET UNDER CD is sounding fucking unbelievable!! [The] mix [is] almost done!!”

VEIL OF MAYA: “Chicago’s VEIL OF MAYA are back to lead the charge of the American progressive-deathcore assault, with the release of their mind-blowing third album, “Eclipse”, out via Sumerian on 27 February. Produced by djent hero Misha Mansoor of Periphery, ”Eclipse” is a stunningly concise yet diverse metal record, packed full of death-metal chops, tech-metal grooves, progressive arrangements and hardcore rip-yer-throat-out attitude.”

WRETCHED: “Wretched has entered the studio to record their third full-length album, Son of Perdition.  The forthcoming effort is set for a March 27 release and will be produced by Jamie King (Between The Buried And Me, He Is Legend, For Today) at The Basement Studio in Winston Salem, North Carolina.”

WYKKED WYTCH: “Female-fronted extreme metal band WYKKED WYTCH and Goomba Music have teamed up with HailsandHorns.com for an exclusive premier of the song “Despised Existence” off the band’s forthcoming album. The Ultimate Deception. The Ultimate Deception is set to be released on February 14th and is currently available for pre-order through Goomba Music.”