SHADE EMPIRE, DEATHEMBER, MOSS, AND BEHEMOTH

Time for another round-up of new music. What grabbed my attention this morning were the following new songs from Shade Empire (Finland), Deathember (Sweden), and Moss (UK), plus a small video announcement by Behemoth (Poland).

SHADE EMPIRE

Shade Empire are a Finnish metal band whose massive, 74-minute-long fourth album — Omega Arcane — will be released by Candlelight Records on May 3 in Finland, on May 6 in the rest of Europe, and  sometime in June in North America.

June is so far away that it might as well be Pluto, but although patience will be tested, I’m absolutely convinced the wait will be worthwhile. Why? Because Shade Empire have just released an official video for an edited version of the album’s first single, “Ruins”, and it’s really impressive.

The song is scathing, sweeping, and soaring, a riveting mixture of styles that include elements of black metal, melodic death metal, and doom, with orchestral touches that enhance the drama rather than clog the arteries with cheese. Fans of bands such as Insomnium and In Mourning would do well to pay attention — especially because the video itself is just as magnetic as the music. Beautifully filmed and edited, it’s a badass feast for the eyes.

I have Finnish NCS backer jeimssi to thank for the discovery of this thing. Check it out below. Pre-orders for Omega Arcane can be placed here.

http://www.facebook.com/shadeempireband

 

DEATHEMBER

Deathember are a Swedish band I’ve been following since the fall of 2010 when I reviewed their first EP in a MISCELLANY post. They’ve now finished a debut album, Going Postal, which they plan to release on April 5 (it can be ordered here). In early February they posted a video for “Quietly”, one of the new album’s songs, which we featured here. Later that month they also premiered a second track, The Deprivation”, which featured guest vocals by Daniel Ädel (Vildhjarta, Uneven Structure). And today brought us yet a third single.

The latest track is called “Hailing Down”, and this one includes a serpentine guest solo by the legendary Ralph Santolla (Deicide, Obituary, Iced Earth). I do plan to review this album, so for now I’ll just say that the latest song rips, roars, and rends.

Check out “Hailing Down” right here, and below that I’ve also included the video for “The Deprivation”.

http://www.facebook.com/Deathemberband/

 

MOSS

Moss are a British doom/sludge/drone band who are a new discovery for me. Their third full-length album is entitled Horrible Night, and it was released digitally by Rise Above Records on March 25; a CD version will follow soon.

I haven’t heard the whole album yet, but I did check out the song “Horrible Nights”, which is a “name your price” download at Bandcamp (here). Almost 11 minutes in length, it moves like a lava flow congealing as it cools. Massive, distorted chords and rumbling drums flow through the song’s foundation while wailing vocals and writhing guitar notes echo in the vault above. It’s both narcotic and unsettling, the portrait of a horrible night indeed. I like it very much.

http://www.facebook.com/mossdoomcult

 

BEHEMOTH

This final item is less than a minute long, a little announcement from the studio by Behemoth’s Nergal about the band’s impending participation in the 2013 Rockstar Mayhem Festival, which kicks off in late June and runs into early August.  It’s also a fresh reminder that Behemoth will have a new album for us this year. Be still my beating heart.

http://www.facebook.com/behemoth