Mental Cruelty comments on the new song: We are thrilled to unveil the re-imagined piano version of SYMPHONY OF A DYING STAR, beautifully arranged by the talented MISSTIQ. This rendition brings the song full circle, returning it to its origins as a piano melody, yet with a renewed sense of depth and emotion. The uplifting and cinematic qualities of the original track shine through in this arrangement, showcasing the song’s ability to connect with listeners on a more intimate level. Misstiq's masterful touch breathes new life into the composition, allowing the piano to carry the weight of the melody and reveal nuances that may have been hidden before. This version offers a fresh perspective while staying true to the heart and soul of the song.
STREAM AND WATCH THE REIMAGED SINGLE
“SYMPHONY OF A DYING STAR” (PIANO VERSION) FEAT. MISSTIQ” HERE
Featuring 22 tracks, including all the original, instrumentals and beautifully reimagined orchestral and piano versions, Zwielicht (Deluxe Edition), is the perfect addition fans have been waiting for.
Artwork by Lewandowski with alternative deluxe logo
After a very successful North American run, MENTAL CRUELTY joins now forces with Cradle of Filth, Butcher Babies and Black Satellite for some last dates across Europe this 2024, hitting cities in Germany, France, Spain, Denmark, Switzerland and more. The tour “BY THE ORDER OF DRAGON” is kicking off November 11th in Cologne, Germany and wrapping up December 8th in Tilburg, Netherlands.
EU Tour (w/ Cradle of Filth, Butcher Babies, Black Satellite):
Zwielicht (Deluxe Edition) will be available via Century Media Records on December 13!
Across four releases, beginning with 2016's Pereat Mundus EP, Mental Cruelty has woven together a violent tapestry of black metal, death metal, deathcore, and a madness of their very own. With 2021's landmark LP, A Hill To Die Upon(Unique Leader), the German quintet not only set a new standard for themselves, but also the genre as a whole.
Rising from the ashes of personal and professional chaos, Mental Cruelty spent the first half of 2021 seeking out a voice to continue to cement them as an uncompromising force in the German metal scene. After locking in Lukas, the band (rounded out by guitarists Nahuel Lozano and Marvin Kessler, bassist Viktor Dick and drummer Danny Straßer) reemerged bloodied but unbowed, ready to continue their path to becoming an international force.
Armed with new vocalist Lukas Nicolai, Mental Cruelty usher in a new epoch of unlight and grim determination that's at the heart of their album, Zwielicht (translated in English as "Twilight"). Once again working with producer and mixer Josh Schroeder (Lorna Shore, Ov Sulfur, Signs of the Swarm, The Browning), they've pushed their sound to new blacker intensities forged in emotional riffing, heavy "back to the roots" breakdowns, and epic orchestral arrangements that surpass the already elite standards that have become synonymous with their name.
Hailing from Southern California, (Un)Worthy are a two piece band who summon up some of the heaviest and most uncompromising deathcore that has ever screamed out its rage at the world. Driven by their passionately held beliefs, vocalist Dennis and multi-instrumentalist Jordan have built their reputation upon releases like their 2021 debut album In The Face Of Death and 2023s monstrous EP, Where Light Divides - one of the fastest selling releases in label Rottweiler Records’ illustrious history! Now in 2024, those who thought they understood the magnitude of (Un)Worthy’s unflinching dedication and intensity, the extent of their devastating sonic fire power, are about to realise the error of their ways…
“Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani - my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
- Mark 15:34
(Un)Worthy’s second album for Rottweiler Records, This Present Darkness, opens with first single, ‘Forsaken By God’ - and suffocating clouds of unnerving darkness gather like carrion crows, as the agonised words of Christ upon the cross are howled out in a desperate repeated mantra; the pressure building, the fear, the sense of disquiet constantly escalating, winding the nerves tighter and tighter before the punishing heaviness is unleashed in an all-consuming tidal wave of searing agony and despair. Blow after bone-breaking blow lands with bludgeoning force while an exotic melody winds its way through the darknesses in between. Complete with additional violent vocal exhortations from Voluntary Mortification’s Conner Luttig, ‘Forsaken By God’ flings wide the gates upon the implacable storm of brutality that is This Present Darkness. The light of salvation is hard to see as the seething sludge-ridden force of the album’s title track rains down upon you like burning magma, before the jagged leads of ‘Satan Whispers’ wound and scar. The moribund, mournful jeremiad of ‘Psalm Of Lament’ explodes into the absolute annihilation of ‘This Too Shall Pass’, featuring Holy Name guitarist Joe Holt and there is no respite as the album rampages on, no slackening in the fearsome pace or shattering heaviness…and when silence finally returns you will be left in a state of shock - stunned and brutalized. This Present Darkness sets new limits in terms of just how impactful and affecting deathcore can be.
Adorned in unsettling, monochromatic artwork - a vision of fear and solitude, a soul beset by nightmares - This Present Darkness will be released by Rottweiler Records on May 17th and nothing will stand in its way. A simply staggering collection of songs, steeped in atmosphere, built upon surging, rhythmic riffs and utterly colossal drums and shaped by a supremely caustic sound, This Present Darkness will smash through the opposition, tearing down boundaries and barricades, propelling the defiant deathcore of (Un)Worthy into the hearts and minds of advocates of absolute extremity worldwide.
Line-up:
Dennis - All Vocals
Jordan - All Instruments
Genre: Deathcore
For fans of: Desolate Tomb | Osiah | Voluntary Mortification | Oceano
MENTAL CRUELTY has become standard-bearers for the sound of European extreme metal. Zwielicht, the latest full-length album from blackened deathcore outfit MENTAL CRUELTY, will be made available via Century Media Records on June 23.
The band comments on the release: “Let us embrace a new era of darkness by bringing the “black” into blackened heavy music. Join us on the way down to infernal gates of hell to be rebirthed back to life. The album will contain the most mind-bending variety of different heavy musical influences and sounds. Epic symphonic orchestras accompanied by slam breakdowns; this will have it all. Inspired from metaphors written by nature, death, and inner demons.
We can´t put into words the level of excitement we feel by announcing this album to you. We hope you feel the same way! Thank you for being with us and stay tuned for upcoming news!”
Throughout four releases, beginning with 2016’s Pereat Mundus EP, the German quintet has woven together a violent tapestry of sounds informed by Black Metal, Death Metal, Deathcore, and a madness of their very own. With 2021’s landmark LP, A Hill To Die Upon (Unique Leader), MENTAL CRUELTY set a new standard for not merely themselves, but the genre as a whole. Said No Clean Singing: “The production is huge; the symphonic sound grand and provide much of the melodic work as the vocal work between their main guy and the rest of the band is intense and the music just moves from one bludgeoning hammer to another.”
Armed with new vocalist Lukas, MENTAL CRUELTY usher in a new epoch of unlight and grim determination that’s at the heart of their upcoming album, Zwielicht (translated in English as “Twilight”). Once again working with producer and mixer Josh Schroeder (Lorna Shore, The Browning), they’ve pushed their sound to new blacker intensities forged in emotional riffing, heavy “back to the roots” breakdowns, and epic orchestral arrangements that surpass the already elite standards that have become synonymous with their name.
Rising from the ashes of personal and professional chaos, MENTAL CRUELTY (rounded out by guitarists Nahuel Lozano and Marvin Kessler, bassist Viktor Dick and drummer Danny Straßer) spent the first half of 2021 seeking out a voice to continue to cement them an as uncompromising force in the German metal scene. After locking in Lukas they’ve reemerged bloodied but unbowed, ready to continue spreading themselves into an international force. Zwielicht is coming. MENTAL CRUELTY’s reign of darkness is just getting started.
On March 24th, blackened deathcore outfit Ov Sulfur will release their debut full-length, The Burden Ov Faith, via Century Media Records. For a preview of The Burden Ov Faith, the video for the new single, "Befouler" - directed/animated by Anastasia Solti with additional effects by Dylan Gould, and featuring Alex Terrible! - can be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IymKky93qr8
Vocalist Ricky Hoover comments: "Breaking away from our constant blasphemy, 'Befouler' focuses on real-life heretics who say one thing to your face but believe another. They use this false front as a pathetic defense to slowly plot your demise. This type of life became foreign to me in my years away from the music industry, but it seems the more you're in the public eye, the more you face dissenters and weaklings. I've made so many great friends through the industry, but this one is a middle finger to those who are too cowardly to even spit in your face because they only open their mouth while hiding theirs."
Guitarist/vocalist Chase Wilson adds: "This is easily our most energetic song. The technical riffing keeps you banging your head so hard you just might get lightheaded while singing along to the anthemic chorus - shout out to Ricky! By the time you get to the end, you've basically given yourself short-term memory loss and forgotten that Alex Terrible comes in to just bludgeon you to death on the final breakdown. For the video, we went with a tale of revenge that ties our early single and EP artworks to 'The Burden Ov Faith'. Rather than go with the typical animated video, we wanted it to be almost like a moving painting or storybook, complete with hyper-stylized art from the super talented Anastasia Solti. We had our friend Dylan Gould add some extra effects to really make it pulse with the music, and we're very excited to have a unique visual for one of our collective favorite songs from the album!"
The previously released singles/videos can be viewed below:
Pre-order The Burden Ov Faith now at: https://OvSulfurBand.lnk.to/TheBurdenOvFaith - where the record is available in the following versions:
--Standard CD jewel-case
--Black LP
--Silver LP available from USA retail (limited to 500 copies)
--Transparent red LP available from CM Distro Wholesale EU and CMdistro.de (limited to 300 copies)
--Golden LP available from Ov Sulfur (limited to 300 copies)
--Digital album
Crafted by the band alongside producer Morgoth Beatz (Winds of Plague, Scarlxrd), then mixed/mastered by maestro Josh Schroeder (Lorna Shore, Tallah), The Burden Ov Faith sees the two split engineering of vocals and drums, respectively, with former Machine Head guitarist Logan Mader stepping in to capture the guitars and bass. The resulting album spans the stygian planets of deathcore, black metal, and metalcore, creating something as majestic as it is hook-laden. "It's the 'Oblivion' EP (2021) on steroids," says founding guitarist/vocalist Chase Wilson, joking, "I would almost call it 'Arena Black Metal' at points!"
The Burden Ov Faith kicks off with the slamming sulfuric firestorm of opener, "Stained In Rot," which teases Ricky Hoover's expanding vocal range via singing, in stark contrast to the gnarliest gutturals he's conjured from his forked tongue. "Befouler" follows with technical death metal riffing and climaxes into an unexpectedly catchy chorus, before crumbling into a brutal breakdown featuring vocalist Alex Terrible. That Hoover keeps up with the likes of that masked madman, plus guests Taylor Barber (Left To Suffer) and Kyle Medina (Bodysnatcher) is impressive though not entirely surprising. That he holds his own on an album featuring Howard Jones (Light The Torch, ex-Killswitch Engage), however, is. Throughout and on the epic closing title track, his injection of melody is beautified by Lindsay Schoolcraft, formerly of Cradle of Filth.
"I wanted to put something out there that was as blasphemous and heavy as it was thought-provoking; I just had no idea how many people felt the same way," comments Hoover. Since their formation in 2021, Ov Sulfur has burned as bright as a Norwegian church in the night, and with a reception warmer than hell and a set of principles to guide them along their left-hand path, The Burden Ov Faith promises to be only the beginning for the rising Las Vegas collective.
The Burden Ov Faith track-listing
1. Stained In Rot
2. Befouler (ft. Alex Terrible)
3. Unraveling (ft. Left to Suffer / Taylor Barber)
4. Death Ov Circumstance
5. Earthen
6. A Path to Salvation?
7. I, Apostate
8. Wide Open (ft. Light The Torch / Howard Jones)
9. The Inglorious Archetype
10. The Burden Ov Faith (ft. Bodysnatcher / Kyle Medina and Lindsay Schoolcraft)
Ov Sulfur live
Feb. 24, 2023 - Roseville, CA @ Goldfield Trading Post ^
Feb. 25, 2023 - Santa Cruz, CA @ Catalyst ^
Feb. 26, 2023 - Fresno, CA @ Full Circle Brewing Co. ^
Mar. 17, 2023 - Las Vegas, NV @ Backstage Bar & Billiards *
Apr. 13, 2023 - Phoenix, AZ @ The Nile +
Apr. 14, 2023 - Anaheim, CA @ House of Blues +
Apr. 15, 2023 - Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades +
Apr. 16, 2023 - San Diego, CA @ House of Blues +
Apr. 18, 2023 - Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex +
Apr. 19, 2023 - Denver, CO @ The Oriental Theater +
Apr. 20, 2023 - Lincoln, NE @ Bourbon Theatre +
Apr. 21, 2023 - Minneapolis, MN @ The Cabooze +
Apr. 22, 2023 - Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge +
Apr. 23, 2023 - Grand Rapids @ Elevation +
Apr. 25, 2023 - Lexington, KY @ Manchester Music Hall +
