Preordine

Melechesh's sixth album was released in 2015. "Enki" is a unique blend of black and thrash metal with a lot of Middle East inspired influences.
The album captivates with its precise execution, complex riffs, and hypnotic atmosphere inspired by ancient Mesopotamia. Dynamic compositions, an oriental atmosphere, and engaging vocals create very intense album that stands out among the contemporary metal scene.
Fans of later Behemoth, Nile, and Rotting Christ should definitely check out this album. It's perfect for listeners who are fans metal with a unique, oriental sound.

Melechesh's sixth album was released in 2015. "Enki" is a unique blend of black and thrash metal with a lot of Middle East inspired influences.
The album captivates with its precise execution, complex riffs, and hypnotic atmosphere inspired by ancient Mesopotamia. Dynamic compositions, an oriental atmosphere, and engaging vocals create very intense album that stands out among the contemporary metal scene.
Fans of later Behemoth, Nile, and Rotting Christ should definitely check out this album. It's perfect for listeners who are fans metal with a unique, oriental sound.

Melechesh's sixth album was released in 2015. "Enki" is a unique blend of black and thrash metal with a lot of Middle East inspired influences.
The album captivates with its precise execution, complex riffs, and hypnotic atmosphere inspired by ancient Mesopotamia. Dynamic compositions, an oriental atmosphere, and engaging vocals create very intense album that stands out among the contemporary metal scene.
Fans of later Behemoth, Nile, and Rotting Christ should definitely check out this album. It's perfect for listeners who are fans metal with a unique, oriental sound.

Mortem was originally known as the Norwegian cult band which preceded Arcturus. Formed by Marius Vold and Steinar Sverd Johnsen in 1989, Mortem was one of the first black metal bands to crawl out of the woodwork in Norway, releasing the highly coveted & brutal 'Slow Death' demo, with Euronymous and Dead of Mayhem acting as producer and cover artist respectively (whilst also featuring Hellhammer on session drums). After the release of 'Slow Death', the band was laid to rest, with members going on to form and feature in acclaimed titans such as Arcturus and Thorns, both of which would become mainstays in the black metal scene and beyond.

It wasn’t until 2019, when Mortem’s studio debut 'Ravnsvart' was released, and the magic of old undoubtedly returned with that same spirit and brutality of the original incarnation, whilst injecting new elements to form an opus of ferocious yet atmospheric horror. This was followed soon after by the fully re-recorded and re-worked ‘Slow Death’ tracks.

And now Mortem returns with new ode to the dark, ‘Mørketid’. The album presents an expansion and marked progression over the debut, with brooding mid-paced monumental riffs interspersed with periods of hyperspeed black metal. The album presents eight tracks of savage yet eerie and also often epic Black Metal of the highest order, adorned with the indomitable keyboard textures of Sverd, along with Hellhammer’s unmistakable percussive prowess, and the returning vicious snarls of vocalist Marius Vold.

Mortem was originally known as the Norwegian cult band which preceded Arcturus. Formed by Marius Vold and Steinar Sverd Johnsen in 1989, Mortem was one of the first black metal bands to crawl out of the woodwork in Norway, releasing the highly coveted & brutal 'Slow Death' demo, with Euronymous and Dead of Mayhem acting as producer and cover artist respectively (whilst also featuring Hellhammer on session drums). After the release of 'Slow Death', the band was laid to rest, with members going on to form and feature in acclaimed titans such as Arcturus and Thorns, both of which would become mainstays in the black metal scene and beyond.

It wasn’t until 2019, when Mortem’s studio debut 'Ravnsvart' was released, and the magic of old undoubtedly returned with that same spirit and brutality of the original incarnation, whilst injecting new elements to form an opus of ferocious yet atmospheric horror. This was followed soon after by the fully re-recorded and re-worked ‘Slow Death’ tracks.

And now Mortem returns with new ode to the dark, ‘Mørketid’. The album presents an expansion and marked progression over the debut, with brooding mid-paced monumental riffs interspersed with periods of hyperspeed black metal. The album presents eight tracks of savage yet eerie and also often epic Black Metal of the highest order, adorned with the indomitable keyboard textures of Sverd, along with Hellhammer’s unmistakable percussive prowess, and the returning vicious snarls of vocalist Marius Vold.

Mortem was originally known as the Norwegian cult band which preceded Arcturus. Formed by Marius Vold and Steinar Sverd Johnsen in 1989, Mortem was one of the first black metal bands to crawl out of the woodwork in Norway, releasing the highly coveted & brutal 'Slow Death' demo, with Euronymous and Dead of Mayhem acting as producer and cover artist respectively (whilst also featuring Hellhammer on session drums). After the release of 'Slow Death', the band was laid to rest, with members going on to form and feature in acclaimed titans such as Arcturus and Thorns, both of which would become mainstays in the black metal scene and beyond.

It wasn’t until 2019, when Mortem’s studio debut 'Ravnsvart' was released, and the magic of old undoubtedly returned with that same spirit and brutality of the original incarnation, whilst injecting new elements to form an opus of ferocious yet atmospheric horror. This was followed soon after by the fully re-recorded and re-worked ‘Slow Death’ tracks.

And now Mortem returns with new ode to the dark, ‘Mørketid’. The album presents an expansion and marked progression over the debut, with brooding mid-paced monumental riffs interspersed with periods of hyperspeed black metal. The album presents eight tracks of savage yet eerie and also often epic Black Metal of the highest order, adorned with the indomitable keyboard textures of Sverd, along with Hellhammer’s unmistakable percussive prowess, and the returning vicious snarls of vocalist Marius Vold.

Red vinyl housed in 300 gsm coated carton sleeve with 3mm spine. Includes 8 page lp-sized booklet printed on 140gsm matt paper and double sided A4 replica of 1997 Misanthropy Records infosheet printed on 140gsm scarlet red burano paper.

The classic 1997 return concert officially re-issued in full on all audio formats for the very first time!
Featuring tons of pics and liner notes & quotes from Hellhammer, Necrobutcher, Maniac and Blasphemer.
Experience the chaotic return to the stage after an even more turbulent era which almost everything has been said and written about.
With the ‘Wolf’s Lair Abyss’ EP around the corner the then new line up of Hellhammer, Necrobutcher, Maniac and Blasphemer geared up to not only return with newly recorded material but also bringing the unmatched black metal live to the stage.
Whereas the sound on most of these live recordings can be classified as decent to good the technology aged less at some parts (specifically on "Ancient Skin" and "Buried by Time and Dust"). They still belong to this release in all their rawness.
This timeless audio document takes you on a journey living the dark past, with all its aggression and flaws, yet authentic and unpolished.

Black vinyl housed in 300 gsm coated carton sleeve with 3mm spine. Includes 8 page lp-sized booklet printed on 140gsm matt paper and double sided A4 replica of 1997 Misanthropy Records infosheet printed on 140gsm scarlet red burano paper.

The classic 1997 return concert officially re-issued in full on all audio formats for the very first time!
Featuring tons of pics and liner notes & quotes from Hellhammer, Necrobutcher, Maniac and Blasphemer.
Experience the chaotic return to the stage after an even more turbulent era which almost everything has been said and written about.
With the ‘Wolf’s Lair Abyss’ EP around the corner the then new line up of Hellhammer, Necrobutcher, Maniac and Blasphemer geared up to not only return with newly recorded material but also bringing the unmatched black metal live to the stage.
Whereas the sound on most of these live recordings can be classified as decent to good the technology aged less at some parts (specifically on "Ancient Skin" and "Buried by Time and Dust"). They still belong to this release in all their rawness.
This timeless audio document takes you on a journey living the dark past, with all its aggression and flaws, yet authentic and unpolished.

The classic 1997 return concert officially re-issued in full on all audio formats for the very first time!
Featuring tons of pics and liner notes & quotes from Hellhammer, Necrobutcher, Maniac and Blasphemer.
Experience the chaotic return to the stage after an even more turbulent era which almost everything has been said and written about.
With the ‘Wolf’s Lair Abyss’ EP around the corner the then new line up of Hellhammer, Necrobutcher, Maniac and Blasphemer geared up to not only return with newly recorded material but also bringing the unmatched black metal live to the stage.
Whereas the sound on most of these live recordings can be classified as decent to good the technology aged less at some parts (specifically on "Ancient Skin" and "Buried by Time and Dust"). They still belong to this release in all their rawness.
This timeless audio document takes you on a journey living the dark past, with all its aggression and flaws, yet authentic and unpolished.

4-panel digipack with black tray printed on 300gsm coated carton. Comes with 18-page folded 3x3 panels booklet printed on 135 gsm art paper.

The classic 1997 return concert officially re-issued in full on all audio formats for the very first time!
Featuring tons of pics and liner notes & quotes from Hellhammer, Necrobutcher, Maniac and Blasphemer.
Experience the chaotic return to the stage after an even more turbulent era which almost everything has been said and written about.
With the ‘Wolf’s Lair Abyss’ EP around the corner the then new line up of Hellhammer, Necrobutcher, Maniac and Blasphemer geared up to not only return with newly recorded material but also bringing the unmatched black metal live to the stage.
Whereas the sound on most of these live recordings can be classified as decent to good the technology aged less at some parts (specifically on "Ancient Skin" and "Buried by Time and Dust"). They still belong to this release in all their rawness.
This timeless audio document takes you on a journey living the dark past, with all its aggression and flaws, yet authentic and unpolished.

More than half a century into its life, what exactly is heavy metal? Is it a kind of belief system? Is it something to be observed as a relic, or an exhibit in a museum? Or is it, to paraphrase Christopher Lee’s Due de Richeleau in The Devil Rides Out “A living force, which can strike at any moment of the night”?

Needless to say, SPELL, Vancouver’s next-level metal magicians, have plenty of thoughts on the matter. And as far as they’re concerned, heavy metal is something that needs to evolve to stay vibrant and exciting. This has been the fuel for their fifth album, the brashly confident Wretched Heart. What’s more, this relentless evolutionary momentum has led to them creating their strongest record to date - a thunderous celebration of individualism and eccentricity which stalks its nocturnal realm with savage finesse and beguiling charm.

“Heavy metal can often be a regressive genre, almost by definition. But it doesn’t have to be!” emphasises the band’s singer. bassist and co-pilot Cam Mesmer, “I think that getting set in your ways is death. You have to be open to learning from new influences, or you’re washed up and a caricature of yourself. I consider SPELL to be a heavy metal band, and therefore whatever music we make, will therefore be heavy metal, rather than the other way around, where you try to make your band fit into whatever narrow niche you think heavy metal is supposed to sound like”.

Therefore whilst Wretched Heart is possessed of no shortage of stirring harmony guitars, blazing solos and foot-on-monitor bravura, it also delves into fresh psychic terrain, building on the gothic flourishes that emboldened 2022’s Tragic Magic and embracing an emotional resonance that elevates its viciously catchy songs into the stratosphere. Central to this is the chemistry of the new SPELL line-up, which consolidates the duo of Cam and drummer/guitarist/co-vocalist Al Lester with keyboardist/guitarist Gabriel Tenebrae and lead guitarist Jeff Black. Having honed this incarnation through touring with the likes of Green Lung, Wytch Hazel and Angel Witch, they’ve forged a union which throws the band firmly from the realm of retro chic into a new, bolder direction which, in the words of Baudelaire, extracts the eternal from the ephemeral.

“I feel that the core of SPELL is more of a feeling or an atmosphere than a specific sound, and by the time a song goes through our filter it always sounds like us anyhow.” reasons Cam. “I’ve never really cared for happy songs. Excited, maybe. Desperation. adrenaline. melancholy, but in a wild and passionate way”.

All of these attributes and more are to be found herein. Aided and abetted by long-time collaborator Felix Fung on mixing desk and “fifth Beatle” duties, and resplendent in a sleeve by macabre visionary Adam Burke; Wretched Heart is a glorious testimony to a band ready to transcend its influences in search of fresh glory. “Lilac”, the album’s lead single (which also features a guest guitar solo from former Spirit Adrift, Carcass and Angel Witch man Tom Draper) is their most addictive and bittersweet moment to date, channelling both stadium-sized passion and wistful longing. “Take My Life” is an existential mid-paced stomper with a chorus that a Spandex-clad ‘80s warrior would kill for yet an emotional depth that they might be perplexed by.

“Oubliette” meanwhile tackles the feeling of being trapped under the wheels of capitalism with bleak fortitude, and the gloriously stirring finale title track maps out a curious hinterland where Maiden-esque gallantry can share space with Kraftwerk-style vocoder stylings.

Having previously dealt heavily with the mystical and fantastical, Wretched Heart also showcases a new kind of emotional directness, reflecting the band’s own personal lives, as Cam attests “I challenge all lyricists: don’t be a coward! Whatever you’re feeling, have the courage to write about it! Being afraid to be cringe is the worst disaster to befall art”

 “I’m always looking for that subconscious, under-the-skin feeling that we all got when listening to our first favourite bands in high school, where it’s just pure and exciting and takes hold of you” he reckons. “I’ll always worship Maiden, Sabbath and Priest, but I’d hate to be that guy who just goes back to putting on the same records every day. There is always new ground to be broken by those willing to risk it. I hope we succeeded in writing a catchy, exciting, personal record, which also pisses off a few of the more rigid traditionalists”.

Wretched Heart, in all its gory glory, thus embodies a very vital paradox - a record made by true believers who yearn for catharsis beyond. The oxymoron of anthems forged from steel, yet with a very human heart. Even the most cynical bystander will likely struggle not to be bewitched.

This album is for anyone going through it” summarises Cam, “Anyone who’s not afraid to lay it all out in the open and feel something real!