2012 METAL IN THE FORGE (PART 3)

For a change, I actually remembered on the second day of the new month that that the preceding month had ended; usually takes longer than that. My creditors would be happy, except I think their bills need to age a while longer. But yes, February is history — and that means its time to post our usual monthly round-up of news about forthcoming albums. Today’s list is a little more comprehensive than the half-assed job I did at the end of January, which means it’s about three-quarters assed. One of these days it will be fully assed.

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 I found out about a new forthcoming album earlier than the last 30 days, I 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.

Having said all that, please feel free to leave Comments and tell all of us (me and your fellow readers) what I missed when I put this list together, because I’m abso-fucking-lutely certain that I missed all sorts of shit. So let us know about albums on the way that  you’re stoked about, even if you don’t see them here!

ACCEPT: “Back with an even more devastating album in 2012, ACCEPT’s Stalingrad will be unleashed on April 6th in Europe and April 10th in North America. The follow-up album to the runaway success of 2010’s Blood Of The Nations, the eleven tracks produced by Andy Sneap that constitute Stalingrad are filled to capacity with everything that made ACCEPT famous: exceptional songwriting, soaring guitar solos, a propelling dual-guitar attack, a no-holds-barred rhythm section and chanted background vocals.  Practically every track is destined to become a live anthem!”

AETERNUM: “Quebec, Canada-based metallers AETERNAM will enter Badass Studios with engineer Jean-François “Jef” Fortin this spring to begin recording their new album, “Moongod”, for a late 2012 release via Galy Records.”

ALLEGAEON: “Colorado-based modern melodic death metallers ALLEGAEON entered Lambesis Studios in San Marcos, Caliornia last month with producer Daniel Castleman (AS I LAY DYING, IMPENDING DOOM, CARNIFEX, WINDS OF PLAGUE) to begin recording their new album, “Formshifter”. “Formshifter” will be released on May 8 via Metal Blade Records.”

APOSTASY: “Swedish death/black metallers APOSTASY will enter the studio on March 30 to begin recording their fourth album for a late 2012 release.”

BELPHEGOR: “Guitarist/vocalist Helmuth Lehner of the Austrian blackened death metal outfit BELPHEGOR has revealed that the group is working on material. The band’s as-yet-untitled new album [is] tentatively slated for a late 2012 release.”

BLACKLODGE: “French act BLACKLODGE has inked a deal with Season Of Mist‘s Underground Activists division. The industrial black metallers’ fourth album is already in the can and should hit the stores later this year.”

BLINDED BY FAITH: “Québec-based death metallers BLINDED BY FAITH will release their new album, “Tchernobyl Survivor”, on March 10 via Galy Records.”

CARACH ANGREN: “Dutch symphonic black metal act CARACH ANGREN will release its third album, “Where The Corpses Sink Forever”, on May 18 via Season Of Mist. The CD was recorded Tidal Wave studio in Karlsruhe, Germany.”

CATTLE DECAPITATION: “Cattle Decapitation wrapped up recording their new album last week and have returned home for a couple weeks before heading out for their European tour with Suffocation! The album was produced, engineered, mixed and mastered by Dave Otero of Denver’s Flatline Audio. The humans of earth can expect a much more updated production, complete with some surprising guest appearances and the kind of musical exploration that garnered the band droves of new fans with 2009′s The Harvest Floor.”

THE CONTORTIONIST: “Indiana progressive metal powerhouse THE CONTORTIONIST made the trek down to Audiohammer Studios in Orlando, FL earlier this week to begin the recording process for the follow-up to their stunning 2010 debut, Exoplanet. Famed producers Jason Suecof and Eyal Levi (August Burns Red, The Black Dahlia Murder) will be behind the boards for the new release, which is set to hit stores in late spring/early summer 2012.”

DARKTHRONE: From a Darkthrone Facebook status on Feb 17: “March 17th, the date that Darkthrone will continue with recordings after a two year break.”

DAWN OF DISEASE: “German death metallers DAWN OF DISEASE will release their sophomore album, “Crypts Of The Unrotten”, on April 27 via NoiseArt Records. The CD was once again recorded at Soundlodge Studio in Rhauderfehn, Germany with producer Jörg Uken (GOD DETHRONED, DEW-SCENTED, SINISTER).”

DAYLIGHT DIES: “North Carolina’s DAYLIGHT DIES has issued the following update: “We’re proud to announce that the fourth full-length DAYLIGHT DIES album will be mixed by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios in Sweden. Mixing will begin on April 1st.”

DEADBORN: “German death metallers DEADBORN, who feature in their ranks former members of NECROPHAGIST and JACK SLATER, have inked a deal withApostasy Records. The band’s sophomore album, “Mayhem Maniac Machine”, will be released on April 20. The nine-song CD was again recorded at Iguana Studios (NECROPHAGIST) with producer Christoph Brandes.”

DEMON HUNTER: “Seattle-based Christian metallers DEMON HUNTER will release their sixth full-length album, “True Defiance”, on April 10 via Solid State Records.”

DE PROFUNDIS: “U.K. progressive black/death metallers DE PROFUNDIS have completed work on their third album, “The Emptiness Within”, to be released in April/May.”

DERELICT: “Montreal, Quebec, Canada-based technical death metallers DERELICT will release their new album, “Perpetuation”, on April 20. Vocalist Eric Burnet states, “The date coincides with our Montreal CD-release show, which will kick off a run of similar events around Quebec and Ontario, followed by some tours in the summer and fall.””

DEVIOUS: “Dutch death/thrash metallers DEVIOUS have entered Soundlodge Studios in Rhauderfehn, Germany to begin recording their new EP, tentatively titled “Wolfhagen”. Due on May 11, the seven-minute effort will include five new songs and two previously unreleased bonus tracks. The bass tracks on the new EP are being laid down by Alwin Zuur (ASPHYX) following the departure of Daniël Centiago.”

DIRGE WITHIN: “Chicago’s DIRGE WITHIN will release its sophomore full-length album,“There Will Be Blood”, on April 10 via Rocket Science Ventures/THC: Music.”

DREAMING DEAD: “Los Angeles-based progressive/melodic death metal act DREAMING DEAD has set April 20th as the release date for their highly anticipated sophomore effort, Midnightmares. The follow up to 2009′s Within One, Midnightmares showcases DREAMING DEAD’s ability to meld elements of black, death, thrash and Schuldiner-inspired progressive metal into one thought-provoking and intense sonic assault. . .”

ENABLER: “ENABLER, the brain-melting hardcore punk/metal crossover band from Milwaukee, will release its brand new album via Southern Lord. Entitled“All Hail The Void”, the CD will be produced with guitarist Greg Thomas (MISERY SIGNALS, SHAI HULUD, THE RISK TAKEN).”

ENGEL: “Gothenburg, Sweden-based metallers ENGEL will release their third album, “Blood Of Saints”, on May 18 via Season Of Mist. The CD was recorded at Antfarm studios in Aabyhøj, Denmark. According to the group, the new album “is going to be a good mixture between both [previous ENGEL efforts] ‘Threnody’ [2010] and ‘Absolute Design’ [2007], but with some new angles as well! If you liked ‘Threnody’, you will LOVE ‘Blood Of Saints’!””

ENSIFERUM: “Finnish folk metallers ENSIFERUM have entered the studio to begin recording their fifth album for a late spring/early summer release via Spinefarm Records.”

ESSENCE: “Danish thrashers ESSENCE have entered Abyss Studio with producer Peter Tägtgren (MARDUK, IMMORTAL, DIMMU BORGIR, AMON AMARTH, CHILDREN OF BODOM) to begin recording their sophomore album, to be released later in the year through an as-yet-undetermined record label.”

EXHUMER: ““Fire & Damnation”, the first album in 24 years from German thrash metal veterans EXUMER, will be released in North America on April 10 via Metal Blade Records. ”

FEAR FACTORY: “Candlelight Records today confirms June 5 as the North American release date for FEAR FACTORY‘s new album, The Industrialist. Produced by the band with Rhys Fulber (Front Line Assembly), the album was mixed by Greg Reely (Paradise Lost/Skinny Puppy/Machine Head). It features additional tracking by Logan Mader (Gojira/Divine Heresy/Five Finger Death Punch) and artwork by Anthony Clarkson (Devin Townsend)”

FESTER: “Norwegian blackened death metallers FESTER have risen from their grave to unleash the fury that is “A Celebration Of Death”. The band’s first collection of new material in 17 years is a whirlwind of dark musical flavors mixing black, death, thrash, heavy metal and jazz.”

FORMLOFF: “Avant-garde black metal act FORMLOFF will release its new album,“Spyhorelandet”, in North America on March 12 via Eisenwald. The follow-up to 2006’s “Adjø Silo” finds the eclectic Norwegian duo — Bernt Karsten Sannerud and Marius Sjøli – exploring the darker, more atmospheric realms of their past. Several session musicians were recruited to complete the nine-track recording, including two bass players, a drummer and a saxophonist.”

GALAKTIKON: “Brendon Small, co-creator of “Metalocalypse”, the smash hit animated series on Adult Swim featuring the fictitious metal band DETHKLOK, has written and produced BRENDON SMALL’S GALAKTIKON “A High Stakes Intergalactic Extreme Rock Album”, the debut release from his long-awaited side project. Due in April, the CD’s arrival will coincide with the Season 4 premiere of “Metalocalypse”.”

GORY BLISTER: “Italian technical death metallers GORY BLISTER will release their long-awaited new album, “Earth-Sick”, on April 23 via Bakerteam Records. The follow-up to 2009’s “Graveyard Of Angels” contains ten brand-new technical and brutal death metal tracks in the signature style that has always identified the band over the past 20 years. The CD also features NILE frontman Karl Sanders who guests on two tracks, including “Soul-Borne Maladies”.

HOLOCAUSTO CANIBAL: “HOLOCAUSTO CANIBAL recently inked a deal with Xtreem Music for the worldwide release of “Gorefilia” (in Portugal, the CD will be made available through Raging Planet Records and Raising Legends Productions). Due in April, the 18-song effort was recorded at 213 Studios in Portugal and was mixed and mastered at Hertz Studio (BEHEMOTH, VADER, KRONOS, DECAPITATED, ABORTED) in Bialystok, Poland.”

IMPIETY: “Back with a Vengeance only to assert full-scale power and domination, IMPIETY bombards the world on April 2 with their 8rth full length Album ‘Ravage & Conquer’. 8 songs in total, ecorded this Jan-Feb 2012 at Studio 47, Singapore.”

THE INIQUITY DESCENT: “THE INIQUITY DESCENT, the extreme-metal project featuring vocalist Mathias “Vreth” Lillmåns of Finnish folk metallers FINNTROLL, will release its debut album, “The Human Apheresis”, on May 25 via Massacre Records.”

KALMAH: “KALMAH has commenced the songwriting sessions for its seventh full-length album album, which the band hopes to begin recording at the end of the year. The group states, “So far we have four songs on the way — fast and warped. [A] new video will be shot next summer with mosquitos and Finnish swamp soil. [The] song for the video has already been chosen.””

KATAKLYSM: “Montreal, Quebec, Canada-based extreme metallers KATAKLYSM will release a multidisc DVD, “The Iron Will: 20 Years Determined”, in the spring via Nuclear Blast. The set will depict the ups and downs of the band’s long, turbulent career, as well as footage of KATAKLYSM‘s performance at last year’s Summer Breeze festival, which took place August 18-20, 2011 in Dinkelsbühl, Germany.”

KATATONIA: “Swedish dark rockers KATATONIA recently entered the studio to begin recording their ninth album, to be released later in the year.”

MAKE THEM SUFFER: “Perth, Australia-based deathcore/black metal band MAKE THEM SUFFER is officially the first act to graduate from SignMeTo — Roadrunner Records‘ dynamic free service that mimics the actual A&R process using social networking tactics — to a deal with Roadrunner. Now in 2012, MAKE THEM SUFFER is preparing the impending release of its debut full-length album, “Neverbloom”. “Neverbloom” will be released on May 25 on Roadrunner Records in Australia.”

MARDUK: “Marduk is currently in the studio finalizing the recording of their 12th studio album. The title has been set for “SERPENT SERMON”! The album is set for a late spring release. Tracklisting and more info will be unveiled shortly.”

MASSIVE AUDIO NERVE: “MASSIVE AUDIO NERVE (formerly known just as M.A.N) — the Swedish metal-hardcore-progressive four-piece featuring TRANSPORT LEAGUE/ex-MNEMIC frontman Tony Jelencovich — has entered IF Studios, the IN FLAMES-owned facility in Gothenburg, Sweden, with producer Roberto Laghi (IN FLAMES, SONIC SYNDICATE, HARDCORE SUPERSTAR) to begin recording its fourth album, “Cancer Vulgaris”.”

THE MELVINS: “The Melvins will release a brand new studio album with the delightful title Freak Puke on June 4. Nothing ever stays entirely in one place very long around the Melvins, and the constantly evolving underground hard rock geniuses have undergone a temporary lineup and name change for the recording of Freak Puke. While their last three albums featured a two-drummer, four-piece roster augmented by Big Business members Jared Warren and Coady Willis, the new record finds the group in a more familiar three-piece setting. Founding guitarist / singer Buzz Osbourne and his longtime drumming partner Dale Crover will be joined by bassist Trevor Dunn for this record, and the trio will operate under the name Melvins Lite. The Melvins Lite lineup is in addition to, not replacing, the four-piece version of the band.”

MUTILATION RITES: “Brooklyn’s “filthy black metal” band MUTILATION RITES has completed recording its debut album in Baltimore, Maryland with Kevin Bernsten (TRIAC) for a spring release via Prosthetic Records. The band has also announced a string of dates in March which will see them playing several shows at Austin’s annual South By Southwest (SXSW) music conference.”

NECROWRETCH: “Century Media Records has announced the signing of France’s NECROWRETCH. Combining influences from the early works of bands such as MERCILESS, MORGOTH, GROTESQUE and tons of others unforgettable acts with their own vision, NECROWRETCH is currently one of the most promising young death metal bands. NECROWRETCH will start writing its first album after the release of the band’s first seven-inch EP on Detest Records. This EP will be released March 10.”

ONE-WAY MIRROR: “ONE-WAY MIRROR — the French band featuring Guillaume Bideau (MNEMIC) and David and Franck Potvin (LYZANXIA, PHAZE I) — will release its sophomore album, “Destructive By Nature”, on April 16.”

PTAHIL: “Indiana black metal conjurers PTAHIL have emerged from the Temple Of Da’at Studios once again with seven new songs for an upcoming full-length slated for release through Wraith Productions later this year. Further details to be announced in the coming weeks…”

SHADOWS FALL: “SHADOWS FALL drummer Jason Bittner has revealed via the comments section of his official YouTube channel that the band’s seventh album,“Fire From The Sky”, will be released on May 8 via Razor & Tie. The CD was recorded at Zing Studios in Westfield, Massachusetts with longtime friend, producer/engineer and KILLSWITCH ENGAGE/TIMES OF GRACE guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz.”

SONS OF AEON: “SONS OF AEON, the new Jyväskylä, Finland-based metal band featuring members of GHOST BRIGADE, SWALLOW THE SUN, CODE FOR SILENCE and ENDSTAND, is putting the finishing touches on the songwriting process for its debut album, to be released later this year via Lifeforce Records.”

STORM CORROSION: “Roadrunner Records has announced the signing of STORM CORROSION. STORM CORROSION is the long-discussed and highly anticipated collaboration between two of the modern progressive rock scene’s most innovative and multi-talented artists: Mikael Åkerfeldt of OPETH and PORCUPINE TREE‘s Steven Wilson. The pair will release “Storm Corrosion” on April 24.”

TANKARD: “German alcoholic thrashers TANKARD have inked a deal with Nuclear Blast Records. The band’s new album is tentatively due this summer.”

TESTAMENT: “TESTAMENT‘s forthcoming album, “The Dark Roots Of Earth”, is tentatively due on April 27 via Nuclear Blast Records.”

TORTURE KILLER: “Finnish death metallers TORTURE KILLER will release a new three-song EP entitled “I Chose Death” on March 7 via Dynamic Arts Records. It contains two new tracks and a cover version of DEMIGOD‘s “Succumb To Dark” song from the “Unholy Domain” demo tape. The cover artwork was created by Mark Riddick.”

WHILE HEAVEN WEPT: “Virginia’s epic doom metal unit WHILE HEAVEN WEPT has completed writing the music for the follow-up to last year’s “Fear Of Infinity” and will spend much of this year rehearsing with the intention of recording it in the autumn.”

THE WRETCHED END: “THE WRETCHED END — the Norway-based band featuring guitarist Samoth (EMPEROR, ZYKLON) and bassist Cosmo (MINDGRINDER) alongside Swedish drummer Nils Fjellström (DARK FUNERAL, IN BATTLE, AEON) — will release its sophomore album, “Inroads”, on April 23 via Nocturnal Art Productions/Candlelight Records.”