HELRUNAR/NACHTMAHR Split - 2005/04/20

A new split Mini-CD with exclusive tracks by HELRUNAR and NACHTMAHR is available now. This Mini-CD is strictly limited and released in a luxuary packaging. HELRUNAR are featured with the song 'Hauch wird Sturm'. In a way, this track is the introduction to their forthcoming album "Frostnacht". 'Hauch wird Sturm' concerns the awakening of memories. Repressed, negative recollections are violently forcing their way to the surface. To the Skald, this is the awakening of song. Others get lost in the torrent. The piece by NACHTMAHR is called 'Trollnacht' and marks the beginning of a new chapter for this mysterious group - in terms of the subject matter, but mainly music-wise. A concentration of intense, dramatic atmosphere, magical-moody Black Metal, complemented by two apparently contrasting voices and dramatic keyboards. 'Trollnacht' is part of a cycle called "Trollzauber".

HEKATE live at the Wave-Gotik-Treffen Festival - 2005/03/03

Auerbach Tonträger artists HEKATE will perform live at the Wave Gotik Treffen Festival (13.-16.05.05) in Leipzig this year.

DARK SUNS on tour with Pain Of Salvation (no further support bands) - 2005/03/03

Confirmed Tourdates (more to follow):
19.04.05 D – Essen – Zeche Carl
20.04.05 NL – Zoetermeer – De Boerderij
22.04.05 NL – Helmond – Plato
23.04.05 B – Gavere – Racing (Prog Fest)
24.04.05 F – Paris – La Locomotive
26.04.05 CH – Pratteln – Z7
27.04.05 I – Milan – Rainbow
29.04.05 HU – Budapest – Schiff A-38
30.04.05 PL – Krakow – Rotunda Club

THE VISION BLEAK - News from the recordings - 2005/03/02

THE VISION BLEAK are busy working at the successor of the much acclaimed debut album "The Deathship Has A New Captain". The recordings are going very well! Drums are finished! The recordings went excellent and next week THE VISION BLEAK are going for Rhythm Guitar recordings that will tear your spine apart!
Download short clips from the recordings at http://www.studioe.de

KLIMT 1918 - new album in April - 2005/02/25

"Dopoguerra", the new album of the italian group KLIMT 1918 will be released at 25th April.
For ages, the end of a century has been typified by a weird tension, a feeling of renewal, melancholy. When at the end of the 19th century Gustav Klimt set out to become the pioneer of the 'Wiener Sezession,' he integrated parts of everything that surrounded him at that time into his art. If you immerse yourself in his soft-coloured paintings, if you search for the symbolic meaning behind the compositions - then you begin to understand why the Italian act KLIMT 1918 have chosen this artist and his year of death for their moniker.
Their music contains elements of a great similarity to Klimt's art: it features mosaic-like soundscapes and is painted in soft hues - and all the constituted parts are joined to an intense canvas.
With their new output, "Dopoguerra", KLIMT 1918 depict the slow recovery of a person, the end of an inner conflict. Here, strength and hope are equalled to the last traces of a soul-burdening melancholy: "Our model for 'Dopoguerra' are the poor people living in Italy in 1945, having survived the war and now being confronted by the future," the band explains the album's concept. "We were inspired by the poetry of neo-realistic cinema, directors such as De Sica, Rossellini, Visconti. We translated all that into our music to convey a feeling of ambiguity to the listeners: salvation and despair at the same time."
The musical influences combined by KLIMT 1918 are determined by the fact that they describe their artistic agenda as something beyond mere pastiche of others' works. Their songs are deeply ingrained with originality and boundless musicality even though they might remind you of such diverse artists as the Beatles, Cure, Interpol, Tears For Fears, U2, The Police, Katatonia, or Anathema.
"It is our aim," the band says, "to move the listeners of our music." A simple agenda, one could argue. With KLIMT 1918, however, it succeeded so brilliantly and charming as rarely is the case.
"Dopoguerra" will be released as normal jewel case edition for a special price and as luxuary edition in digipak with bonus CD. On this Bonus CD there will be exclusive songs as well as great alternative versions of some "Dopoguerra" tracks.
Check out a first extract of Dopoguerra here: http://promedia.semperatus.de/mp3/klimt1918_snow-of-85.mp3

Sinister villain signed to Prophecy - 2005/02/08

Naming your band after such a ghastly fairy-tale creature as NOEKK, who beguiles young men and women and lures them into the abyss, you’re surely not in for something good ... or are you?
After all, Yugoth and Baldachin (better known under their former names Schwadorf and Helm) were smiling ambiguously when they signed their contract with Prophecy recently. In contrast to Empyrium, Baldachin is now in charge of things, although the atmosphere is still one of Nature mysticism. Still, NOEKK definitely is no smooth transition from EMPYRIUM but rather a band of its own, thanks to the new approach and Baldachin’s distinct fondness of good old Prog and Hard Rock – a band keen on sweeping along their audience, in compliance with the old legend. So what is it that makes the music of NOEKK so irresistible? "Maybe it’s about the spontaneous nature of the recordings," Baldachin guesses. "There were no rehearsals, no fragments of ideas sent from one place to another, we just put my ideas through the mill and recorded it – it was great!"
Apart from his enthusiasm for down-to-earth Rock music, the restless composer and experienced live musician makes no bones about what he considers strong vocals: "In each of our tracks, I have striven for an individual timbre, and in general I believe that a dramatic expression is essential in music." He adds smiling, "... and if that is antiquated, so let us be antiquated!"
"NOEKK aren’t antiquated at all, they’re simply amazingly strong and direct, and on the other hand they’re mystical and unforeseeable, says Martin Koller from Prophecy. “The comparisons they’ve earned so far – Landberk, King Crimson, and last but not least EMPYRIUM of course – hint at the timeless quality of their music and point out the many facets of this band that fills me with great enthusiasm.”

NEUN WELTEN Live - 2005/01/26

22.-24.04.2005 NL - Elf Fantasy Fair (near Utrecht)
21.05.2005 D - Halle/S. - Mittelstraßenfest
19.06.2005 D - Erfurt - Krämerbrückenfest (tbc)

HEKATE Live In Italy - 2004/12/07

HEKATE will perform live in Venice/Italy December 18th. It's the first concert in Italy where HEKATE will play their new songs from the album "Goddess". The concert will be in the Jam Club/Venice. More infos at www.jamclubvenice.com

NEUN WELTEN Live at Tanz und Folkfest Festival - 2004/05/21

NEUN WELTEN will play live at the Tanz und Folkfest Rudolstadt; the biggest german festival for Folk-, Roots and Worldmusic. The festival will be in Rudolstadt from July 2nd - July 4th 2004.
For more information check out http://www.rudolstadt.de/tff

HEKATE album now available - 2003/12/09

"Ten Years Of Endurance", the jubilee album of the ten year old HEKATE is now available and includes
the following tracks. Many of them are from sold out releases or in new versions:

Burning Terror (New recording of the Sanctuary Tape Version from 1993)
Endless Life (New recording of the Track Chorea minor from the 1993 Sanctuary Tape)
Bad Dream Of Colour (The seventh sign CD 1995-96)
The Sign Of The Silence (The seventh sign CD 1995 -96)
Die Gedanken sind frei (Hambach 1848 Vinyl 350.lim 1998)
Das Buergerlied (Hambach 1848 Vinyl 350.lim 1998)
Heckers Traum (Hambach 1848 Vinyl 350.lim 1998)
Unser die Welt, trotz alledem (Hambach 1848 Vinyl 350.lim 1998)
To Break A Heart (Sonnentanz CD 2000)
In Deinem Leben (Sonnentanz 2000)
Dance Of L'Obscurite (Sonnentanz 2000)
Tempo Di Lupi (Tempeltänze 2001)
Ich hab' die Nacht getraeumt (Tempeltänze 2001)
Barbarossa (unreleased; from the upcoming new album)
Sonnentanz (Sonnentanz CD 2000)