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THE BANDS If Martin’s enthusiasm for his rather envy-inducing roster has infected you, you’ll be pleased to find out that there’s a buzz of activity around the Dark Essence camp, with a host of albums, tours and events planned for 2009. Below is an in-depth guide to each band, containing current activities and all the links and contacts you could possibly need to discover more. There are also a few surprise appearances from people who couldn’t resist the opportunity to turn the tables and talk about their experiences with Dark Essence… AETERNUS Formed way back in 1993, Aeternus have been a permanent fixture in the Norwegian extreme landscape since their masterpiece debut, "Beyond the Wandering Moon", hit the scene in 1997. With a members list reading like a who’s who of Nordic black metal, Aeternus will always fascinate fans, as evidenced by their reception at live events in the past few years. 2009 sees no end to this band’s sixteen year legacy, as they will be taking their dark metal creations back out on the road once more… Myspace: www.myspace.com/aeternusnor BOURBON FLAME Reflective of the diversity of the Dark Essence roster, Bourbon Flame sees members of Aeternus and Hades Almighty let down their hair and bring us ‘sexy, raw rock’n’roll’. Their sincerity, flair and sheer bad-ass spirit already having been noted by a number of critics, it’s hoped that Bourbon Flame will find the time to follow up on 2007’s self-titled debut sooner rather than later! GET LIQUORED! Myspace: www.myspace.com/bourbonflame DEAD TO THIS WORLD The world waited with baited breath to see what Iscariah would create following his departure from Immortal, and what an answer we finally got; Dead to this World turned out to be one of the best bands in recent times to blend the ‘ancient’ mixure of black, speed and thrash metal. Dark and evil 2007 debut "First Strike for Spiritual Renewance" is about to receive worldwide distribution licenses, and the band have already line up live appearances, such as the Festung Open Air in May. Coupled with a rumoured follow-up later in the year, this will no doubt ensure 2009 is the year Dead to this World became the name on everybody’s lips. Myspace: www.myspace.com/deadtothisworld DEATHCON "Deathcon is not a project; it is a mighty brutal force to be reckoned with"; and you’re not going to argue with that, not least because they mean it, and the remorseless heaviness of this act is nothing short of intimidating. Deathcon released an impressively aggressive debut, "Monotremata", with Dark Essence back in 2006, and given the pedigree of the band’s members, it’s no surprise that this is a worthy contender for your playlist space. Myspace: www.myspace.com/zerohuman DEATHCULT Cruel, nasty and bleak as hell, Deathcult craft anti-human black metal of the grimmest order. Masterminded by Taake live guitarist Herr Ekkel, this band is a joy for the lover of pure black metal spite to hear. Debut "Cult of the Dragon" drew acclaim from all corners in 2007, with critics placing particular emphasis on the visceral nature of the music; the vomit, spit and bile of Deathcult’s creation had huge impact on those seeking a true Norwegian thrill. Myspace: www.myspace.com/cruelcelestialspirits DIMENSION F3H I’m not sure at what point I decided Dimension F3H’s "kickass bladerunner thrash" was sheer genius, but I hold a suspicion it was sometime towards midnight, in the small town of Roermond, southern Netherlands, in the summer of 2007. Having just released second full-length "Does The Pain Excite You?" the band were mid-way through a simply storming set that brought smiles, respect and plenty of headbanging all round, when they decided to unleash The Prodigy’s "Breath" on their unsuspecting audience. Oh, I fell HARD in love. And it’s not just me; should any more dark, aggressive thrash ideas tumble from the mind of Limbonic Art’s Morfeus anytime soon, there will be one hell of a queue trying to get hold of the results. Myspace: www.myspace.com/dimensionf3h HADES ALMIGHTY Unique, awesome and legendary, Hades Almighty have a history stretching back to 1992. Always dark, innovative, atmospheric and epic, the band continue to represent something special and precious for fans worldwide. Hades Almighty are currently working on material and seeking live dates, and so there’s no doubt they will be staying in the extreme metal consciousness for yet more years to come. Myspace: www.myspace.com/hadesalmightynorway HELHEIM 2008’s "Kaoskult" was arguably the jewel in Dark Essence’s crown; a classy, moving, epic, pacy Viking metal voyage with dark, brooding melodies, characterised by strikingly accomplished musicianship. The ‘quiet ones’ of the Norwegian old guard, it’s sometimes easy to forget that Helheim have been with us since 1992, and have ratcheted up six full-length albums, each one strong and memorable. A flurry of touring activity, including a trip to a kindergarten to spread the message of Odin, made 2008 busy for Helheim but there’s no hint that the pace will slacken soon; a follow-up and further tours await our chainmailed heroes in 09. Myspace: www.myspace.com/helheimnorway
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MALSAIN Malsain represent something slightly different to their label-mates, with their uniquely dark, doomy and claustrophobic metal having garnered them much attention following 2007’s "The Disease", leading to a number of prestigious support slots. Plans for 09 are as yet unknown, but the sound of Skumring’s strikingly extreme vocals echoing off a stage somewhere in the world would certainly be a most welcome addition to our gig-going plans. Myspace: www.myspace.com/malsain NIDINGR Featuring none other than Teloch (1349, Gorgoroth, Orcustus, Umoral), in collaboration with Captain Estrella Grasa, Blargh, Seidemann and Tony Laureano, it’s no surprise that interest in Nidingr has been high since the release of 2005’s debut full-length "Sorrow Infinite and Darkness". The band continue to promote this material, with digital distribution seeing them spread the word beyond the usual boundaries. Myspace: www.myspace.com/nidingr OBSCURE Obscure have just burst into the world’s line of sight with their excellent, powerful debut, "On Formaldehyde", a muscular blending of classic rock and doom-laden heavy metal. As weighty as Sabbath but as lively as Thin Lizzy, Obscure have a very unique approach, and will no doubt be much lauded as this cracking album makes its way around the world; read Ellen’s review HERE. Myspace: www.myspace.com/obscurebergen PANCHRYSIA Belgium’s Panchrysia celebrated ten years of existence in 2008 with their best album to date, the savage and thundering "Deathcult Salvation", which featured guest vocals by Mortuus of Marduk fame, and received shining reviews across the board. Having recently completed their ‘Vikings, Villains and Vultures’ tour, Panchrysia are scheming up new tricks for 2009, and it can only be hoped that we will be blessed with their magnificent stage presence again soon. Myspace: www.myspace.com/panchrysia
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RAVENCULT Ravencult hail from Greece, but spiritually and aurally they are firmly entrenched in climes more Nordic, creating as they do a particularly wicked and traditional black metal racket. 2007’s "Temples of Torment" whetted the world’s appetite for more, and Ravencult will soon deliver, with a new album in pre-production, and 2009 set to be a very busy year indeed. Myspace: www.myspace.com/ravencultbm SKALDIC CURSE Masters of misanthropic black metal, Skaldic Curse are Dark Essence’s sole British representatives. Having garnered a considerable fanbase with their dedication to playing live, the band have released a number of demos, and 2006’s full-length "Pathogen", the eagerly-awaited follow-up to which will be the first Dark Essence release of the year- "World Suicide Machine". Myspace: www.myspace.com/skaldiccurse TAAKE Infamy and controversy are the privileges of the artist, and to be honest, the apologising and theorising over Hoest’s acts get a little bit boring; let’s leave the sting IN and refuse to comment. Much more exciting is the not-insignificant musical impact of the man. Now a solo act with live accessories, Taake continues to be one of the most influential black metal acts in the scene, with a true and organic sound that many seek to emulate. A self-titled album at the tail end of 2008 silenced the doubters; read our scribe Satanic Muttley’s impressions HERE. Myspace: www.myspace.com/taakeofficial THE BATALLION What do you get when a gang of experienced figures from the extreme scene come together in manly pursuit of bad-ass death-thrash assault? Well, in the case of The Batallion, the result was 2008’s slice of shredding destruction, "Stronghold of Men". Imbued with a genuinely classic spirit, The Battalion are much-loved in Bergen and beyond for their attitude and authentic sound. Myspace: www.myspace.com/thebattalion666 TYRANN "Tyrann’s music will do you no good and should be avoided at all costs". Consisting of members from 1349 and Tsjuder, Tyrann is the beast that refuses to die, spewing forth their "offensively necrotic and clinically mentally destructive" black metal filth with no regard for the health of the listener. "Shadows of Leng" will be appearing on the label at the beginning of the year for those who always found health warnings to be a bit of a turn-on. Myspace: www.myspace.com/tyrannlegion VULTURE INDUSTRIES Vulture Industries must be special, because they stand out as something different and exciting in a place saturated with excellent metal; Dark Essence’s hometown of Bergen. Their sound is progressive and experimental, extreme yet melodic, and difficult to pin down. Headed up by creative force Bjornar E. Nilsen, the band made a huge impact with 2007’s "The Dystopia Journals", and have been familiar faces on Europe’s touring circuit. A follow-up is touted for 2009. Myspace: www.myspace.com/vultureindustries So there you have it; Dark Essence Records occupies an enviably strong position moving into 2009. As our interview no doubt impressed upon you, Martin and his team have the dedication, knowledge and passion for music necessary to carry the torch despite difficult economic circumstances, and in the face of competition from other companies and the darkened realms of internet downloading. The overall sense one gains talking to people surrounding this label is that those involved have managed to make something they love into a viable business prospect, without losing sight of their original enthusiasms and loyalties. They’re still deeply into it. Fans of the small galaxy of extreme metal stars described above, therefore, can sleep soundly in the knowledge that their heroes are in very good hands. Dark Essence Webpage: www.darkessencerecords.no Karisma Webpage: www.karismarecords.no Contact: post@karismarecords.no |