The Ajna Offensive have just announced that March 17 will mark the international release date for Venenum‘s highly-anticipated debut album, ‘Trance Of Death’, saying “It makes a difference in effort and time, either to dig six feet deep or to build a necropolis. Venenum decided for the latter…and it was worth every fucking second of waiting.”

Five years after the self-titled mini-album, Venenum strike with their debut full-length. According to the label, who will co-release the album with German death metal stable, Sepulchral Voice (the masters behind Degial and Charon); “The album presents Venenum on a new level of devotion and continues new and never-before-heard layers of darkness. The six new compositions and introduction theme are a grand melding of unique visions and unaltered traditions woven and blended into a complex unit of sacred horror. ‘Trance Of Death’ is far away from being another one-dimensional tribute to the grave: it is reverence and praise, a hymn to the impending end of all things.”

Artwork and layout is by Iron Fist favourite Timo Ketola (Dissection, Deathspell Omega).

From their debut mini-album:

Venenum by Venenum

It may seem like aeons since our last issue but we’re back and raring to go and continue our indulgence in all things denim, leather and everything in between! Heavy metal will never die! Patience is a virtue and we hope you’ll be rewarded with the enjoyment everything in these 100 pages will bring.

The Queen of metal, Doro graces our cover to celebrate her 30th anniversary in service. And as well as our chat with Ms Pesch, this issue features some of the most revered bands including the ultimate power trio Budgie, the UK’s longest serving thrash band Onslaught, a retrospective look at one of Germany’s best metal labels, Noise Records and a welcome return to Aussie underdog Hobbs Angel Of Death. Staying Down Under, we talk to the notorious Destroyer 666 about how wildfire is needed to create a new underground and Annick Giroux heads beneath the Southern Cross in her regular World Downfall column. We also launch a brand new regular section, Pictured Life, that casts a well -deserved spotlight on some of the great cover art artists from the world of heavy metal, kicking off with a close look at the latest coffee table book featuring art from Timo … Read More