• CRUCIAMENTUM- ‘Engulfed In Desolation’ 12″MLP and MCD “After 2 years, “Engulfed in Desolation” is finally unleashed. 4 tracks and over 24 minutes of dominating death metal darkness performed the old way.”
• CRUCIAMENTUM – ‘Convocation Of Crawling Chaos’ 10″MLP and MCD — Re-release of the original well received demo tape.

This update will bring our stock current with all available TRM releases. Total Rust Music label page.

Incoming titles:

• Tort – S/T
• Chaos Dei – Arising From Chaos
• Lurk – S/T
• Pyramido – Salt
• Highgate – Black Frost Fallout
• Abysmal Darkening – No Light Behind

Event page: http://www.facebook.com/events/236344476419425/

CD, Digipack and CD Boxset editions are available (CD & Digi in stock now).

• Saturday 21st Jan 2012 at the Dev/Hobgoblin in Camden, London with Decrepid
• Sunday 5th Feb 2012 at the Croft in Bristol with Towers Of Flesh

As we move towards the end of 2011, here’s a worthy record that we overlooked the first time around earlier this year. Lovingly pinched from Lurker: Our daily lives are awash in seas of egoistic, materialistic, ideologic-less whisperings. We are slowly but surely destroying the earth.

Religious fundamentalists are sharpening teeth. Consumerism is destroying society as the channels of power narrow and suffocate. Insignificance ignored. Self destruction assured. A large chunk of black metal offerings revolve around some childish denial of the world they inhabit. Shadowy figures of melancholy rage that hide in bedrooms on breaks between shifts at the local fast food joint.

For a brief moment, the depressive black metal paradigm offered a more honest kind of hate. DSBM acts flirted with the concept of acceptance. A difference cannot be made. Denial is not enough. Accept the fate we have borne. We are clumps of bumbling matter on a greater, less sentient clump of matter floating endlessly in a sea of faceless clumps of matter and we are destroying ourselves. If the cold war didn’t do it, our own goddamn greed and ignorance will. DSBM soon boiled out. Too much of feeling sorry for yourself is a bad thing.

Move is different. A meeting of aggression and self-surrender married beautifully under a post-punk, industrial monicker. All the influences from Famine are still there. Intensified perhaps. Birthed a uniqueness Hateful Adandon can call their own. Vin and Swine walk the line. The music on offer plays on this combination of sincerity in acceptance of fate and an unwillingness to submit.

Listen to those bellowed, enraptured vocals and tell me they don’t believe. Trace the faint, melancholy keyboard arrangements that appear throughout the album. Then focus on the hatred. The pissed off momentum at the heart of the title track ‘Move’. Or the industrial hymn of ‘Spies in the Wires’. Move is incredibly varied, with Vin’s versatile voice and the bands ability to move with ease between genres and melodies as the focal points.

http://www.roadburn.com/2011/12/album-of-the-day-hateful-abandon-move/

Misanthropically dark pop music filtered through the dirty lenses of Godflesh and a slew of post punk bands, Hateful Abandon’s second album sees them at full potential. Gone are the nods to black metal that were present on their debut and its place comes a much more focussed beast that loses none of its oppression and bleak world view. This is the soundtrack to a million heroin ridden tower blocks, empty housing estates, broken Britain. It’s ugly, dark and oppressive but at the same time, to those like me, utterly compelling and comforting to know that there is finally a band making the soundtrack to my journey through this…

http://www.roadburn.com/2011/12/roadburn-hq-favorite-albums-of-2011/

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLE39D040410B0E719

Scheduled for a January 9th release in the following formats:

Alcest – Les Voyages de L’Ame (CD)
Alcest – Les Voyages de L’Ame (Digipack)
Alcest – Les Voyages de L’Ame (CD and DVD Artbook)
Alcest – Les Voyages de L’Ame (Vinyl – Black)
Alcest – Les Voyages de L’Ame (Vinyl – White)

Alcest – that is music from another world, a world that is real, but that exists beyond ours and cannot be grasped by our senses. A world where all appearances – trees, glades, streams – emit a pearly light and where a faraway and celestial music fills the air like sweet perfume. A world inhabited by infinitely benevolent and protective beings of light, communicating in a wordless ‘language’ directly from one soul to another. A world where the soul knows neither pain nor sickness nor sorrow, but is filled with a deep peace and an ineffable bliss. A world that lies ‘before’ and ‘after,’ ‘beside’ and ‘behind’ our world and the awareness of which stills mankind’s fears of death.

This world is no dream and no fantasy. Neige, the creative mind of Alcest, knows it – he has experienced it and keeps memories of how it revealed itself to him in the form of esoteric experiences in his early life. Alcest is his medium to come to terms with these memories and to share them with others.

The release is presented beautifully by Byelobog Productions, aesthetically speaking continuing the traditions of the past, depicting simple but mysterious nature photography and Gothic script. The title “Belus” referring to the archaic name for the the Norse life / rebirth deity Baldr and continuing the inspiration drawn from Mythology that has become integral to BURZUM releases. These elements suggest that BURZUM was to continue what had started so many years before, however, the music itself does not quite live up to previous efforts. The release was intended as a conceptual journey of Belus through his death, passing through the underworld and finally his return to life. This story is told through both instrumental and Metal compositions that are successful in creating those magical atmospheres that are so recognisable for BURZUM. However, although this is positive and essentially “Belus” comprises of well-written songs, the release is severely let down by the vocal delivery. One of the things that always made BURZUM so haunting and eerie was the inhuman high-pitched screams present. These vocals have now been replaced with a lower, more guttural shriek that really is nothing special and is devoid of any real character. At times there are parts sung in a clean voice and though these parts compliment the tracks, they do little to take the attention away from the main vocals. This is not to say that this is a poor release, far from it, however it would be fair to say that the vocals on “Belus” make this an average release when it had the potential to be outstanding.

Overall there are many positive elements despite the vocal criticism; the hypnotic melodies, sincere approach, effective old school lo-fi production and dark esoteric undertones. “Belus” should be commended for its loyalty to the sensibilities of times past and keeping the flames of nostalgia very much alive.

Whereas “Escaping the Abyss” tended to draw more upon outside inspiration & influences, “The Death of a Rose” sees the band begin to develop their own identity & sound further when it comes to technicality which is even more awe-inspiring on this release. Therefore the original influences are still detectable, but to slightly less of a degree and work more to compliment the overall sound. So yes, there are still obvious comparisons to bands such as OPETH and ENSLAVED to be made as the compositional style & progressive nature of FORNOST ARNOR does bear resemblance to these bands. The comparison to OPETH is still by far the most striking and in particular to their early material such as “Blackwater Park”. Though it would be fair to say that FORNOST ARNOR err more on the technical side of things as this element is what really stands out as a strength throughout “The Death of a Rose”. The band also experiment more with the use of clean vocals, both female and male which add a neo-classical edge at times. The female vocals are sung in an angelic, folky style and work well to create an atmosphere full of both beauty and lamentation. The clean male vocals are also more varied in their delivery than on the previous release and this adds to the overall depth of the release, especially when laced into the heavier sections of songs. The schizophrenic approach to song structures also seems more pronounced for this release; the acoustic sections, heartfelt song & dark piano melodies appear more poignant when combined with the extra cold, fast blackened riffs, lead guitar wizardry, brutal death growl and a whole battalion of blastbeats!

“The Death of a Rose” comprises of eight epic compositions of which you can expect extremely high quality from all angles; both in terms of creative content and production. FORNOST ARNOR have achieved the sort of results equal to those of OPETH and basically carry on the progressive tradition from this Swedish band whilst also building elements from different genres into their sound so it ranges from Black Metal, Doom, Death, Jazz and nature-inspired Pagan / Folk Metal. The capability to equal OPETH in the skill stakes deserves great credit, however, for future releases it would be good to see FORNOST ARNOR develop their personal approach / techniques further. They certainly have the ability to do so and building on originality may just achieve perfection.

The brand new Nuit Noire album will be available very soon! Here is a sample, track 8: Night always links us, from the CD…

” …what puts this over the edge – and even more so than the very-not-inconsiderable Famine – is the absolutely engaging, engrossing songwriting; when it comes down to brass tacks, whether it’s dark post-punk or dark heavy metal, that’s ultimately all that should matter. And across that exemplary standard of songwriting are writ a relatively vast variety of textures, each one a key to another corridor of your psyche, your soul, wherever you wanna go. It’s time to Move: fucking right. ”

THE INDUSTRIAL RECORDS STORY
from TG-CD1

Industrial Records began as an investigation. The 4 members of Throbbing Gristle wanted to investigate to what extent you could mutate and collage sound, present complex non entertaining noises to a popular culture situation and convince and convert. We wanted to re-invest Rock music with content, motivation and risk. Our records were documents of attitudes and experiences and observations by us and other determinedly individual outsiders. Fashion was an enemy, style irrelevant.

We wanted to also investigate music as a Business phenomenon and propose models for entirely new and innovative modes of commercial operation. A parody and an improvement. Industrial Records was founded before any of thee better known of the English Independents and was at its close the 3rd largest, yet the most elusive. We wanted to make music and records more effective and relevant to our Industrial society, and we wanted to make business more efficient and creative as well. Industrial Records Limited was born. Named as the most unromantic yet appropriate title we could envisage. Big records companies produce records like cars; we are connected to a contemporary social situation, not a blues orientated past style; we work hard for what we want, we are industrious; we parody and challenge large industrial companies and their debasing ethics and depersonalisation; we work in an old factory; industrial labour is slavery, destructive, a redundant institution so we call it the Death Factory. Music From The Death Factory, from the world, from life. Records in English also mean files, documents, as collected by Government agencies, employers, schools and police forces. Our Records are a combination of files on our relationship with the world and a Newspaper without censorship. Monte Cazazza suggested our business slogan should be INDUSTRIAL MUSIC FOR INDUSTRIAL PEOPLE. You Get what you deserve. Or do you? Well, from the people with a vested interest in controlling and guiding society to follow their recommendations as to what attitudes you should have, what motivations should govern your bebaviour and what goals you should be satisfied with, you DO NOT get what you deserve. You get what you are given, and what you are given is primarily conditioning that pushes you towards blind acceptance, wasted labour, frustrated relationships and a vast sense of hopelessness. We are trained to feel we are not responsible or in control of our society and world so that we will continue to let “Leaders” look after us like parents with retarded children.

Leaders are not essential, we are TAUGHT to believe we need them, that we are not able to assume responsibility for ourselves. Lies created leaders, lies perpetuate leaders, lies destroy joy and creativity and hope. There are NO LIES on these records, no one here is a leader. We assume full responsibility for ourselves. We will not be deflected from our destiny. OUR LIFE.

There is currently a trend back towards total control and safety in the record and music industry. Groups are styled, hyped and successful before they even release a record. Old outlaws and thinkers are opting for security, comfortable records that apply radical discoveries to banal musical ends. Show business and its inherited goals and justifications are triumphant again. The public is seduced and cheated by emptiness packaged alluringly in cheap tinsel. Fear is the Government once more. On this record are people who were not afraid to think, did not avoid risks. People of all ages are here, from 16 years old to 70 years old. Truth and hope have no boundaries, no set style, they are implicit most clearly in the way you choose to live. The title of the last record issued by industrial tells the rest. “Nothing here now but the recordings.”

Or perhaps there is…

It has been 6 long years of waiting for Craft-disciples since the release of the critically acclaimed “Fuck The Universe” album but now CRAFT‘s long awaited new opus, entitled “Void“, will finally be unleashed upon mankind.

1. Intro (John’s Nightmare)
2. Serpent Soul
3. Come Resonance of Doom
4. The Ground Surrenders
5. Succumb To Sin
6. Leaving The Corporal Shade
7. I Want To Commit Murder
8. Bring On The Clouds
9. Void

OLD SILVER KEY, the new band born from the hyperactive mind of DRUDKH mainman Roman Sayenko and consisting of four DRUDKH members plus French artist Neige (ALCEST, AMESOEURS) on vocals, named their debut album “Tales of Wanderings”.

1. What Once Was And Will Never Happen Again
2. November Nights Insomnia
3. Cold Spring
4. Nineteen Winters Far Away From Home
5. Star Catcher
6. Burnt Letters
7. About Which An Old House Dreams

Here is the OLD SILVER KEY that opens the door into a world of witches, cunning foxes, talking wolves, where a poor farmer’s boy wins the hand of a princess while the prince sulks as a frog. “Tales of Wanderings” take you into the fairy tale world of childhood and logs burning in the fireplace. Yet there is often a twist darker than the stories of the Brothers Grimm to these songs. This comes as no surprise as the mastermind behind the musical tales is Roman Sayenko of DRUDKH. Having explored more progressive ways on their latest output “Handful of Stars” (2010), Roman decided it was time to go even further, but in a new project. In ALCEST singer Neige, the Ukrainian found the perfect collaborator and the OLD SILVER KEY was born. All members of Drudkh gladly joined in the making of “Tales of Wanderings” that only offers a murky glimpse of the Black Metal roots and turns to something warmer and lighter without losing the raw earthen spirit, which the band reluctantly calls Post Rock to give their brainchild a name. Yet OLD SILVER KEY offers something more, which is hard to describe, but takes you on a mental journey full of amazement and wonder. Close your eyes, listen carefully and discover a new side to the Ukrainians!

Last Wednesday’s T.O.M.B. set leaves even a verbose guy like myself somewhat at a loss for adjectives. What T.O.M.B. did was execute a through-composed, thoughtfully executed set, of album-like proportions and pacing. Sonically, just to entice you, I could make comparisons to TG’s Mission of Dead Souls, were it laid atop some of the more well-orchestrated doom metal of the day – are you effectively grabbed?

T.O.M.B. Live on WFMU’s My Castle of Quiet, 5.12.2010

NIGHTBRINGER was created as a conduit for our contemplations on the mysteries of death as it is understood in the tradition of the art magical.
Formed in the year 1999 by Nox Corvus (guitars, percussions, bass and vocals) and Naas Alcameth (guitar, bass, lyrics and vocals), the band from Colorado in the United States recorded a two song rehearsal demo, which would be later self-released in 2001 on the CD-R compilation “Horde of Darkenwood” and featured again on the NIGHTBRINGER release “Emanation” put out by Starlight Templer Society in 2010.
Ophis (guitars and lyrics) joined the circle in 2001, and two years later the trio entered Hellion Studios and recorded two tracks, “The Void” and “Mors Philosophotum”, which were to be released via Vae Victis Productions. But the label folded, and NIGHTBRINGER signed to Full Moon Productions soon after.
In 2004, NIGHTBRINGER made their first live appearance at the Gathering of Shadows in the woods of the Colorado Mountains. Since that day they appeared annually at this event until 2011.
In 2005 the split EP with TEMPLE OF NOT, entitled “Rex ex Ordine Throni”, was released via Full Moon Productions. The following year, a split 10” record with brother band SERPENTINAM was released via Forever Plagued Records.
After three years of writing and recording, NIGHTBRINGER’s debut, entitled “Death and the Black Work” (recorded at Hellion Studios, now re-named “Flatline Audio”), was released in 2008 via Full Moon Productions in CD format and Forever Plagued Records in 3x LP box set format.
The same year, the Americans were joined by members Valfor (percussions) and Horridus (bass) formerly of the cult Black Metal act DEMONCY. With the live line-up completed, NIGHTBRINGER played a handful of live fests on both the US coasts and opened for WATAIN in Denver in 2009. Shortly after, members Horidus and Valfor split ways with the band and session members were used for future live gigs.
NIGHTBRINGER signed to The Ajna Offensive in 2009 and the following year was featured on the four-way vinyl split “On the Powers of the Sphinx” alongside SATURNALIA TEMPLE, NIHIL NOCTURNE and ALUK TODOLO. The same year, their second debut “Apocalypse Sun”, recorded once again at Flatline Audio, was released via The Ajna Offensive in North and South America and by Avantgarde Music in Europe.
At the close of 2010, Starlight Temple Society released a compilation of NIGHTBRINGER’s unreleased and rare tracks entitled “Emanation”. In the summer of 2010, NIGHTBRINGER did a West coast mini-tour for one week with Australian Black Metal act NAZXUL followed by an appearance alongside KRIEG and PROFANATICA at The Return of Darkness and Evil fest.
2011 saw the return of Valfor to the lineup. The same year, the Americans signed with Season of Mist and, in March, entered Flatline Audio once more to record their third full length entitled “Hierophany of the Open Grave”. Conjuring up unholy sounds that draw from the blackest sources ranging from the majestic elegance of early EMPEROR to the fierce aggression of MARDUK, their third full-length gives rise to a mighty demon. Strings are screaming frosty hymns burning with bitter buzzing melodies, over which deviously arranged multilayered vocals are hissing incantations and spew forth throat-grinding blasphemies. This album also featured the lyrical additions and guest vocal work of Ar-Ra’d al-Iblis (Carl Nordblom) of the acts ACRIMONIOUS and MORBID INSULTER. Discover the new American darkness!