Underground Metal for Underground Maniacs!

Can you feel them? My hands have traveled far to meet you.
Through barren lands, fiery sand-blown hellscapes, ripping through the ethereal walls that confine space and time.
Callused and worn, these ancient gray hands bring that which you crave. Heaviness, power, speed, truth.
Your eyes grow wide as my fingertips slide around your pathetic neck.
A ringing reverberation creeps into the edges of your perception and we begin.
You gasp as the thrumming and thumping commence. Wild harmonies locked into galloping chaos. Thundering lines echoing through endless chasms.
Your pulse quickens as I grip harder. You reject the drivel that is hashed and rehashed but your bloodshot eyes are an easy read – you were not prepared for this.
I feel the familiar crack as your body falls limp and the crux of our test is here.
Your entity steps away from the languid earthly form and turns.

 Follow me to SCEPTRE.

Join my legion and travel to an alternate reality where true heavy metal lives on.
Where, amongst rivers of molten iron, the flame still burns bright.
An aberration filled both with heavenly delights and twisted eternal torment.
Come with me and blaze as a million suns… or return to your flesh suit and rot.

* * *

Gates Of Hell Records is proud to announce the signing of Washington State true metallers VISION MASTER. The label will release the band’s debut full-length, “Sceptre”, on August 25.
VISION MASTER comprises Reuben Storey (Christian Mistress, Lords of Quarmall, ex Funerot) on drums/bass and Dan Munro (ex Funerot) on vocals, guitar.
“Sceptre” was recorded at Storey and Munro’s home studios, Melted Universe in Snohomish, Washington and I.J.D. Studios in Olympia, Washington. Tony “Baloney” Jefferson provided additional
engineering. The album was later mastered by Justin Weis at TrakWorx studio.
The cover art was handled by Seventh Bell Artwork and is based on an experimental photographic collaboration between Dan and David Hoekje, revealing the Vision Master in his realm: “Between night and day, slumber and wakefulness, reality splits and the universe cracks asunder. This is the domain of the VISION MASTER.”

For fans of: Brocas Helm, Mercyful Fate, The Lord Weird Slough Feg, and cosmic horror.

TRACKLIST:

  1. Wolves in the Shadows
  2. Wet Net
  3. Gossamer Sky
  4. Knife in a Velvet Glove
  5. Walls of Bone
  6. Sandstone
  7. Arc Terminal X
  8. Dust Within
  9. Beyond
  10. Thin Veil

 

BLAZON RITE to release “Dulce Bellum Inexpertis” MLP in September

BLAZON RITE – “Dulce Bellum Inexpertis”
RELEASE DATE: SEPT 25, 2020
FORMAT: MLP
PRE-ORDER: https://tinyurl.com/y7zdc35m

 

                                

Primal and epic metal from the dungeons of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania!
Dungeons and Dragons-influenced metal that deals a deadly dose of NWOBHM and power metal complete with a resounding four-song concept.

Upon the 2019 formation of Blazon Rite, guitarist and primary songwriter James Kirn had quite the simple, but universal edict: He wanted “heads to bang.” While such an approach has defined metal for the past 40 years, Kirn wanted to put his twist on the genre by combining his love of obscure ’70s hard rock and power metal while exploring the vast fantasy world of Dungeons and Dragons. In the span of a few months, Blazon Rite had assembled and recorded the four songs that would comprise their debut four-song EP, Dulce Bellum Inexpertis, which is being released worldwide via Gates of Hell Records.

Recorded and mastered by Rich Scott at 8th House Recordings in 2019, Dulce Bellum Inexpertis finds Blazon Rite (who are rounded out by bassist-turned-vocalist Johnny Halladay, drummer Ryan Haley and bassist, lead guitarist and keyboardist, Pierson Roe) expertly crafting punchy, anthemic numbers that jousts between vintage, NWOBHM-inspired metal and dramatic European acts such as Blind Guardian and Helloween.
Dulce Bellum Inexpertis is highlighted by a Kirn-created concept that follows a man’s transformation from a warrior pledged to an earthly cause to a wilderness wanderer to ultimately being a king on earth under the will of a mysterious horned demi-god. Here, the co-mingling of Dungeons and Dragons and epic metal come together in perfect harmony. Kirn uses the D&D world as a backdrop to tell stories ranging from solitude, love and passion, to anger and aggression — the perfect backdrop for the EP, with all four cuts serving as the perfect introduction to the epic power metal world at large.

2020 started off fast for Blazon Rite — the independent release of Dulce Bellum Inexpertis was immediately embraced by the underground metal scene, drawing both surprise and elation from the band. But, like so many of their contemporaries, Blazon Rite must bide their time until live shows resume. (To date, the band only has one live appearance to their credit.) Until tha happens, Dulce Bellum Inexpertis is the primal, adventurous true heavy metal soundtrack to the quarantine!

 

Preorder for CHEVALIER’s “Chapitre II” MLP with exclusive bonus track starts now.

Vinyl release of Chevalier’s sold-out 2018 Chapitre II EP will be out on 12” MLP on September 21, concurrently with CHEVALIER’s show at HARDER THAN STEEL festival with Omen, Oliver Dawson Saxon, Ashbury, Cauldron and more.

Chapitre II,  was specially re-mastered for this vinyl release and features an exclusive BROCAS HELM cover version of “Fly High”.
MLP is limited to 500 green vinyl copies and includes one A4 insert. Layout by Annick Giroux.

PRE-ORDER HERE!

Too often, hitting the “rewind” button on speed or thrash metal reveals bands more interested in rehashing past glories than offering something new. The speed/thrash explosion of the mid-’00s displayed that if anything, it’s far too easy to slap on a jean jacket, queue up Bonded by Blood, form a band, “borrow” some riffs and release subpar, uninspired material. Which brings us to Helsinki, Finland for an introduction to Chevalier, one of the most fiery and unique bands to hit the speed metal pavement in recent memory.

Formed a mere two years ago, Chevalier (who consist of vocalist Emma Grönqvist, the guitar tandem of Tommi and Mikko, bassist Sebastian Bergman and drummer Joel), immediately got to work in their rehearsal room, whereupon they recorded their A Call to Arms debut EP. While their recent split with Legionnaire recorded in a traditional studio, the band opted to return to the comfortable environs of their rehearsal room for the tracking of Chaptire II. Sure enough, it has given Chevalier a throttling, reverb-soaked sound that catapults speak not only to the band’s speedy roots, but the labyrinthine song constructions similar to NWOBHM upstarts Hell and Mercyful Fate.

Chapitre II is the band’s most diverse release to date, as evidenced by the expanded song lengths and oftentimes adventurous song layouts. Grönqvist, in her banshee-wailing, scream-queen glory, turns in a riveting performance, holding steady against relentless thrash beats and triumphant gallops. The songs themselves tackle a wealth of topics: “The Messenger” is about the rush to deliver a crucial message to one’s kingdom before paranoia kicks in; “Wrath of Steel” details a warrior’s thoughts on a bloody battlefield, and “The Curse of the Dead Star” is about impending doom from outer space.

The combination of fantasy and science fiction lyrics along with urgent, challenging, melody-laden speed metal instantly sets Chevalier apart from the pack, where every song is more than just a simple headbang-a-thon — they are journeys onto themselves.

Chapitre II track listing:

  1. The Messenger
  2. Wrath of Steel
  3. The Curse of the Dead Star
  4. Fly High (Brocas Helm cover)

CHEVALIER “A CALL TO ARMS” FINALLY ON VINYL

Gates of Hell Records is proud to announce the release of CHEVALIER’s “A Call To Arms” on MLP!

Relentless, uncompromising, raw speed metal from Finland influenced by US epic/power metal and Euro metal (French speed metal in particular).
Medieval melodies united to fast riffing, tons of blitzkrieg guitar solos and leads, tight bass and drumming and powerful vocals by Emma Grönqvist, will appeal to fans of ADX,  Brocas Helm, Acid, Judas Priest, Mercyful Fate, Iron Maiden and obscure, old school Heavy Metal. An unpolished recording, done at the rehearsal room, places this band out of time. Such music needs to be heard on vinyl!

“A Call To Arms” will be released by Gates of Hell Records  on April 27 on VINYL, featuring specific remastering and revamped layout by Annick Giroux. The MLP comes with  insert with lyric and exclusive promo photograph!

CHEVALIER/LEGIONNAIRE SPLIT AVAILABLE FOR PREORDER

 

Chevalier and Legionnaire split 7” is an unique mix of ancient epic metal and speed metal, featuring raw and melodic medieval tunes played hell for leather, powerful vocals, epic twin guitars, and an analogue recording that will raise the dead.

One unreleased song for each band.

CHEVALIER: The Greed of The Cross
LEGIONNAIRE: Born Of Ash And Blood

Limited to 500 copies. Out on Feb 23rd.

Preorder starts now.

For fans of Brocas Helm, Judas Priest, Slough Feg, Mercyful Fate, ADX, Iron Maiden and old school Heavy Metal.

VULTURES VENGEANCE ANNOUNCE DEPARTURE OF GUITARIST NAIL; ENLIST REPLACEMENT TONY L.A.

Italian epic fantasy metal outfit VULTURES VENGEANCE have announced the departure of long-time guitarist Nail.

Comments the band: “After seven years, Nail has decided to leave the band due to personal problems. We wish him all the best in his life and future career endeavors. He’s an extremely talented musician and his technique and personality were essential in the development of both the ‘Rising’ demo and ‘Where The Time Dwelt In’ EP.

“It hasn’t been easy to find an adequate replacement, but after a long search we’re happy to introduce Tony L.A., a great guitarist and the perfect personality for a band like VULTURES VENGEANCE. ”

“The new album’s songs are complete and in the coming months we will begin work on our first full-length.”

For booking, contact vultures.vengeance@gmail.com