CARACH ANGREN
The Dutch masters of horror are back! On ‘Franckensteina Strataemontanus’, CARACH ANGREN resurrect the gruesome story of troubled soul ‘Conrad Dippel’; the inspiration of Mary Shelly’s novel ‘Frankenstein’.
CARACH ANGREN set out to tell ghost-stories with a set of paranormal cases recorded on the demo ‘The Chase Vault Tragedy’ (2004). This was soon followed by the official release of the ‘Ethereal Veiled Existence’ EP (2005) as a prelude to the haunting ‘Lammendam’ (2008). Their full-length ‘Death Came through a Phantom Ship’ (2010) witnessed the band setting sail to bring their eccentric and capturing live performances to audiences and festivals all over Europe. In the wake of third album ‘Where the Corpses Sink Forever’ (2012), the haunting had reached the US and started to spread rapidly. While firmly remaining in the horror genre, their tales revolve around the evils of war. This mature streak was taken a step further with the fourth full-length ‘This Is No Fairytale’ (2015), which is on the surface a darker variation of the “Hansel and Gretel”, but also deals with a dysfunctional family. With ‘Dance And Laugh Amongst The Rotten’ (2017), the band returned to pure story telling that centred on a girl playing a little too long with a Ouija board.
CARACH ANGREN return with the monster ‘Franckensteina Strataemontanus’, where the Dutch have pushed their unashamedly theatrical style to new heights. Press play and have your soul transferred with this new elixir of life!
MORS PRINCIPIUM EST
In 1999, Mors Principium Est was established by singer/lead guitarist Jori Haukio, guitarist Jarkko Kokko and keyboardist Toni Nummelin. Drummer Mikko Sipola joined in late 1999, soon followed by the arrival of new vocalist Ville Viljanen in early 2000 when Jori decided to focus on his guitar work. With the first demo “Before Birth” released in 2001, and after Listenable Records became interested, bassist Teemu Heinola was appointed.
One year and two demos later, Mors Principium Est signed a three-album contract with Listenable Records in 2002. Their debut album, “Inhumanity” was recorded and mixed by Ahti Kortelainen in Finland at Tico-Tico Studios, and mastered at Finnvox Studios. The album was released in 2003.
The second album, “The Unborn” was recorded at Tico-Tico Studios, and mastered at Finnvox Studios. The album was released in 2005. Following the release, the band played at Brave Words and Bloody Knuckles Six-Pack Metal Festival in Cleveland, USA, their first gig outside Finland.
Their Listenable Records contract was completed by their third album “Liberation = Termination” released in 2007. The album was recorded in many locations, including Astia Studios, and was mastered at Imperial Mastering in California, USA.
Between 2007 and 2011 there were a series of line-up changes which led to a hiatus. In 2011 the band announced that they would search for members worldwide. After over 200 applications, Andy Gillion from the UK was found as main songwriter and lead guitarist, to feature alongside Ville, Teemu, and Mikko.
In 2012, The band signed to German record label, AFM Records, alongside Marquee Records (Japan), and Truth Inc Records (Australia). Following this, the fourth studio album, “…and Death Said Live” was released, mixed and mastered by the legendary Thomas ‘Plec’ Johansson at the “The Panic Room”, Sweden. In 2013 the band began to tour again, starting in South Korea and Japan, as well as an European tour with The Agonist.
“Dawn of the 5th Era” was released in 2014, mixed and mastered again by Thomas ‘Plec’ Johansson at the “The Panic Room”, Sweden. After the release of the album, the band played, for example, Summer Breeze Festival, Brutal Assault Festival, as well as several shows in Japan, China and Hong Kong, to name but a few.
In 2017, Mors Principium Est returned with their latest album, “Embers of a Dying World”, mixed and mastered by none other than Thomas ‘Plec’ Johansson at the “The Panic Room”, Sweden. Following the release, the band played 70,000 Tons of Metal Cruise, Summer Breeze festival, and shows in Russia, Japan and Singapore.
The band continue to tour, with more shows to be announced soon…
WOLFHEART
After years of pouring his creative juices to projects too numerous to count, since the end of 2012 Saukkonen has focused on just one labour of love, WOLFHEART.
Be the approach melodic and hopeful, acoustic and fragile, harsh black/death metal or atmospheric doom, ‘WINTERBORN’ has it all, in a mix like of which you haven’t heard before.
Saukkonen recorded and released ‘WINTERBORN’ entirely by himself playing all the instruments and doing all the vocals, with Mika Lammassaari (Eternal Tears Of Sorrow, Mors Subita) as his only guest, playing guitar solos.
‘WINTERBORN’ proved a roaring critical success scoring high ratings in reviews left and right. To cap off a great year for his project, ‘WINTERBORN’ was elected the best debut album of 2013 in the annual Record Store Äx customers’ poll. WOLFHEART deserved to be a fully operating band.
2014 / 2015 took the band on the road to the national stages with Shade Empire and Finntroll, into the international stages with the first European tour with Swallow The Sun and even to Tokyo with Sonata Arctica etc.
Also big european / scandinavian festivals were targeted and the climax of the 2015 was the 2nd album ‘SHADOW WORLD’ which continued the path of critical praises and was the first product from the co-operation with Spinefarm records (Universal).
After a rapid ride since the release of the debut and second album the band cleared the calender in the beginning of 2016 and started the pre-production of the 3rd album in the legendary Petrax studios (CoB, HIM, Korpiklaani etc). Only few selected festival shows were booked to break the studio cycle but the focus has been intense and the scheduled release of the ‘TYHJYYS’ -album was set to the march of 2017.
January 2017 Wolfheart headed back to tour in Europe with Insomnium and Barren Earth for 19 concerts.
March 2017 started with the release ‘TYHJYYS’ (finnish meaning emptiness) -album via Spinefarm Records. The album received dozens of high-rated reviews across the globe. March 2017 continued with a headliner tour in Spain and with two concerts with Dark Tranquillity in Finland and with autumn tour in Europe with Ensiferum and Skyclad.
Festivals 2017: Dark Troll Festival (GER), Nummirock (FIN), Rock Harz (GER), John Smith (FIN), Gothoom (SVK), Wacken Open Air (GER), Rockstadt Extreme Fest (RO), Brutal Assault (CZ), Bloodstock (UK), Summer Dying Loud (PL), Iberian Warriors (ESP)
At the beginning of 2018 the band performed in the legendary 70000tons of metal cruise (US) and Nordic Metal Cruise (SWE) and soon the band will hit the stage in Ragnarök festival in Germany. The band has also announced so far their headlining tour in Canada and summer festivals; Rock Fest Barcelona (ESP), Gefle Metal Festival (SWE), Party San Open Air (GER) and Summer Breeze festival (GER).
Wolfheart signed to Napalm Records at the beginning of 2018 and is currently making their 4th album.
Wolfheart has four members:
Tuomas Saukkonen – lead vocalist & guitar (Before The Dawn, Black Sun Aeon, Dawn Of Solace, Routasielu)
Mika Lammassaari – guitar (Eternal Tears of Sorrow, Mors Subita)
Lauri Silvonen – bass & backing vocals (Bloodred Hourglass)
Joonas Kauppinen – drums (Disease of the Nation)
Endorsements: Amfisound, Birdz Customz, Yamaha, Dingwall, Impression, Silverblade, Fazer etc…
BLOOD OF THE WOLF
Blood of the Wolf is a blackened death metal band from Chicago, Illinois. Formed in 2012, Blood of the Wolf combines razor–sharp riffing with memorable melodic passages, relentless drumming and intense vocal delivery. For fans of: Belphegor, God Dethroned, Marduk, Vader