SOWULO Signs to Season of Mist
Posted on February 26, 2025
It was a heavy road, but after soul searching through the Canadian wilderness, at long last, Anciients have come full circle. Seven years removed from winning a JUNO Award for their last album, the hard-hitting Canucks are nominated once more for the band’s latest heady and heartfelt opus Beyond the Reach of the Sun.
Celebrating over three decades of defiance and dominance, ROTTING CHRIST continue to reign supreme as spearheads of the ‘Hellenic’ black metal sound. From their origins with “Satanas Tedeum” and “Passage to Arcturo” in the early ’90s, to pioneering their signature ‘Hellenic’ melodic black metal sound with albums like “Sanctus Diavolos” and “Theogonia,” and crafting monumental works such as “Rituals” and “The Heretics” under the Season of Mist banner, ROTTING CHRIST have consistently shattered expectations and expanded their sonic horizons. The powerhouse duo of Sakis and Themis Tolis is not only reflected in their formidable discography but also in their electrifying live performances. Having played over a hundred shows internationally in 2024, their live prowess continues to impress fans across the metal spectrum, time and time again.
Since 1991, Nightfall have stood alongside Rotting Christ and Septicflesh as the pioneering trinity of Greek metal. The blackened death metal band sound as vengeful as ever. But the Athenians’ upcoming eleventh album is their darkest and most epic creation yet. Backed by monumental production, a powerful message and the biggest choruses in the band’s 30-year history, with Children of Eve, Efthimis Karadimas and his fellow rebels are set to unite blackened souls everywhere.
In a solitary homage to the divine elegance and electronic mysticism of Jean-Michel Jarre, the harbingers of Lovecraftian nightmares breathe new life into his legendary “Second Rendez-Vous.”
HEILUNG is set to traverse the sacred lands of Albion, Eiru, and Erop on their penultimate pilgrimage. In one of their final calls before an indefinite slumber, HEILUNG, joined by the ethereal Faroese enchantress Eivør will awaken the ancestral spirits across 15 unique dates across the UK, Ireland & Europe. HEILUNG‘s ceremonies are neither mere performances nor concerts; they are full immersions into the very essence of nature and spirit. These sacred rituals reach back in time amplifying history through neofolk music, dancing, and spirituality. Envision the ancient runes breathed to life amidst the sounds of bones, skin-drums, and the communal voice of the tribe. Albion, Eiru Ok Erop Ferdhast 2025 Tour: 07 March: Helsinki, FI @ Ice Hall 09 March: Stockholm, SE @ Hovet 12 March: Oslo, NO @ Spektrum 14 March: Aarhus, DK @ ACC 16 March: Copenhagen, DK @ Black Box 19 March: Oberhausen, DE @ Turbinehalle 21 March: Zurich, CH @ Hallenstadion 23 March: Esch-sur-Alzette, LU @ Rockhal 15 April: London, UK @ O2 Brixton Academy 17 April: Dublin, IR @ 3Arena 19 April: Edinburgh, UK @ O2 Academy 21 April: Manchester, UK @ O2 Apollo 23 April: Lille, FR @ Zenith 25 April: Lyon, FR @ Halle Tony Garnier 27 April: Milan, IT @ Teatro Arcimboldi
Since their inception, the swedish THIS GIFT IS A CURSE has been a beast, a harbinger of the apocalypse, leaving a trail of desolation in their wake. HEIR, recorded at the haunted Overlook Studio under the spectral vigilance of producer William Blackmon, is a relentless pursuit of extremity. Every track is an ode to the darkness within humans, but Void Bringer stands as a monumental epitaph to human suffering and the void that consumes us.
After hearing firsthand how land developers are tearing down Costa Rica’s rain forest, two angry metal heads decided they weren’t going to sit around and rust in peace. Megadeth drummer Dirk Verbeuren and his old guitarist Sylvain Demercastel started Savage Lands, the music industry’s first artist-run environmental non-profit.
A bold new chapter in progressive death metal unfolds with the unveiling of Abyss, the leading single from CHANGELING’s forthcoming album set to be released in April 2025. This auditory journey invites listeners to the deepest recesses of the subconscious where the boundaries of reality blend with the infinite possibilities of the imagination. CHANGELING stands at the confluence of audacious innovation and intricate artistry, a place where the fretless guitar sings in harmony with jazz fusion, and where progressive and death metal waltz with a 50-piece orchestral ensemble. Conceived by the virtuoso Tom Geldschläger, also known as Fountainhead, CHANGELING is a project that defies categorization and transcends the ordinary confines of genre. Abyss, the album’s sixth track, encapsulates the ultimate immersion into the subconscious, where Georgi Ligeti-inspired microtonal choir arrangements and an orchestration that defies gravity meld into an experience of ego-death and transcendence. Composed with meticulous precision, the track features the talents of Tom Fountainhead, Morean’s haunting vocals, Arran McSporran’s evocative fretless bass and Mike Heller’s relentless drumming.
Feast your eyes on the blockbuster video for their star-studded new single and even those outside of the metal scene will know that Savage Lands are fierce defenders of our natural habitat. But this supergroup aren’t acting when it comes to preserving the world’s ecosystems.
ROTTING CHRIST have stood the test of time for over three decades. From their humble beginnings on Satanas Tedeum & Passage to Arcturo in the early 90’s, the genesis of their ‘Hellenic’ melodic black metal sound in the 2000’s with Sanctus Diavolos & Theogonia, all the way to their later masterpieces Rituals & The Heretics, released through Season of Mist – ROTTING CHRIST are a force of their own. The true strength of ROTTING CHRIST lies not only in their discography, however. The Tolis brothers bring with them an unmatched energy across international stages, performing over hundreds of shows in 2024. Celebrating their 35 year existence, ROTTING CHRIST culminated their performances with a one-of-a-kind showcase of their discography at the Lycabettus Hill Theater in Athens, Greece – the band’s hometown. A two-hour long, career-spanning set with long-time classics from their early days dabbling in the rougher ROTTING CHRIST sound, to the newer, ‘Hellenic’ anthems such as The Raven or Demonon Vrosis.
Eight years ago, the underground lost a unique leader when Spawn of Possession crawled into their hallowed crypt. Foul-mouthed disciples still utter the name SoP with reverence, but while others tried to crack the band’s forbidden cabinet, these accursed innovators were secretly festering in their grave, plotting to return and haunt the world of extreme metal once more.