SEEN BUT NOT HEARD: NILE, SOILWORK, DRAGGED INTO SUNLIGHT + GNAW THEIR TONGUES, ANTROPOFAGO

 

Did you see what I did there? I actually do have a small round-up of new songs coming a bit later today, but this collection of new discoveries mainly consists of interesting announcements — though there is one new live Soilwork video embedded below.

NILE

Nile are finishing up the mixing work on a new album entitled What Should Not Be Unearthed, which Nuclear Blast plans to release in the late summer of this year. Along with that announcement the label revealed the cover art, which I think is quite good and which was created by Michal “Xaay” Loranc. It includes hieroglyphs taken from The Book of the Dead as well as the protective sign of the winged scarab in the center. The concept seems to posit the existence of an ancient elder civilization that pre-dated and gave rise to the old Egyptian civilization.

Along with the announcement and the artwork came this quote from Karl Sanders, which I found particularly enticing (I bold-faced the words of interest):

“All of us in NILE are happy to announce our newest album What Should Not Be Unearthed. It’s our 8th official album, and this time we believe we have a truly crushing disc to bring to metal fans. The focus this time around is on brutally heavy metal riffing and songwriting; kind of like an Annihilation Of The Wicked approach but very streamlined to achieve maximum destructive impact. Our last record, At The Gates Of Sethu, was super surgically clean and very “musicianship oriented” whereas the new disc is a polar opposite; Unearthed is aimed straight at utter metal heaviness and memorable songwriting. Although Unearthed is still full of the kind of undeniable musicianship people have come to expect from NILE over the years, it’s the songs themselves that will hit listeners over the head this time around. These songs will be a blast to play live, and we are stoked at the opportunity to bring these songs to metal fans everywhere. See you on tour!”

http://www.facebook.com/NILECatacombs

 

 

SOILWORK

Also yesterday, Nuclear Blast announced that Soilwork’s tenth album, The Ride Majestic, will be released worldwide on August 28, 2015. The cover art for this one was created by Róbert Borbás of Grinddesign. This announcement also came with a quote that I found enticing, per Björn “Speed” Strid:

“We just put the final touches on our new album, The Ride Majestic, and all we can say is that it’s going to be massive. It definitely picks up where we left off with The Living Infinite, but slightly darker, atmospheric and almost anthemic, with some really interesting twists and turns. Can’t wait to play this epic beast live! Await The Ride Majestic ladies n’ gents!”:

I was an enthusiastic fan of The Living Infinite, in part because it really did include some twists and turns. More twists and turns will be welcome.

Along with the foregoing news, the band released a music video for one of my favorite late-stage Soilwork tracks, “Let This River Flow”, from The Panic Broadcast. The video is a live performance that features a guest appearance by singer Floor Jansen (Nightwish, Revamp) and it’s excerpted from Soilwork’s DVD/Blu Ray release, Live In The Heart Of Helsinki! I’m not embarrassed to admit that I got chills when they hit the first chorus.

Okay, yes, I’m embarrassed to say that, but it’s true. I’m among friends, aren’t I?

https://www.facebook.com/soilwork

 

 

 

 

 

DRAGGED INTO SUNLIGHT + GNAW THEIR TONGUES

Over the weekend I saw this announcement, accompanied by the above artwork, by Dragged Into Sunlight:

Dragged Into Sunlight has finished its collaboration with Gnaw Their Tongues.
Expect a vortex of audio madness inspired by the likes of Godflesh, Merzbow, Napalm Death, Terrorizer, Mugwart and Esoteric, and of course our good friends Gnaw Their Tongues.
Scheduled for release in Late 2015. More soon.

I’m unable to wrap my mind around what this could sound like, especially with that interesting and diverse assembly of band references in the quote. Both bands involved in this project have at different times splintered my sanity (most recently when I heard Gnaw Their Tongues at Maryland Deathfest last weekend). The thought of a collaboration between them is both fascinating and terrifying. I can hardly wait.

https://www.facebook.com/draggedintosunlight
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gnaw-Their-Tongues/128655237208690

 

 

 

ANTROPOFAGO

This French band’s second album has been a long time coming. It was recorded in August 2013 and details of the release were first announced not long after that. But finally the album has a worldwide release date (via Kaotoxin Records) of August 15, 2015.

Entitled Æra Dementiæ, the album will feature guest appearances by members of Gorod, Insain, Nephron-Ka, and Savage Annihilation. It will be released as a double-CD, with the second disc consisting of an expanded edition of the band’s 2012 EP Between Fear and Madness (which is what got me interested in this news in the first place). Both Æra Dementiæ and Between Fear and Madness [redux] will be separately released digitally on the same day as the official CD release.

This should be interesting.

Very cool cover art, too — though I haven’t yet seen the name of the artist. Check out the EP below.

https://www.facebook.com/antropofago.deathmetal
http://www.kaotoxin.com