“We went on tour in 2012 and played Philly. We had never played there before and I think that’s how Relapse found out about us. I’ll speak for myself, but I think I’m speaking for all of us when I say we were very surprised when they contacted us!” While much of the music industry cognoscenti will beak off until they’re as blue in the face as they are in the balls about the irrelevancy of record labels in the digital age, Lesley Wolf, bassist/vocalist for New York blackened sludge trio Mortals, begs to differ. Their debut full-length, ‘Cursed To See The Future’ may not hit the streets until July 7 and their collective blood dripped onto Relapse’s dotted line may be their first real experience with the industry part of the music industry, but Mortals, at the very least, have the venerable label to thank for motivating them to get to where they are. “It definitely changed the game,” explains Wolf. “We were writing stuff without any real plan. We were maybe going to find a band to do a split with or eventually record a full-length, but there wasn’t anything definite. When Relapse stepped into the picture it definitely put … Read More

When your vocalist sounds like a young Martin Van Drunen and you ask legendary designer Dan Seagrave to do the artwork for your debut album, the message is pretty clear, isn’t it? Try to tickle Rude’s guitarist and frontman Yusef Wallace by stating that their debut album ‘Soul Recall’ is “a classic death metal sounding record stuck in 1991” and he’ll answer: “I guess that’s a compliment. I’d have to say most anything from 1995 onward, until the last couple of years, sounds like crap, so I’d rather be on the good side of things.” Formed in 2008, initially Rude had a thrashier vibe and even switched monikers to suit their more straight-forward and primitive sound, calling themselves Forsaker. But after one self-titled demo, they turned back to both their initial name and a more death metal direction. “We still have that thrash aspect in our music but with a different second guitar player and we’re now tuned down half a step,” Yusef admits. “I like that genre still, not the corny stuff though, but I don’t think it’s what makes us different. I’m leaning more towards us playing death metal in E flat. I do like listening to bands in … Read More

Inspired by classic heavy metal and thrash in equal measures, Dungeon Beast was conceived as a one-off project by Matt Preston, guitarist for the likes of Ghost Tower, Infectonator and Borrowed Time and the resulting sole offering, a sole demo entitled ‘Skeletal Assailants’ (that also featured Johan Skuldronus (ex-Funeral Dirge) and Dave Benson (Acephalix) was recorded in July 2005, shortly before Matt relocated from Olympia, Washington back to his home town in Pennsylvania and dissolving the band. Seven years later, Matt got the bug to bring Dungeon Beast back to life. “In late 2012 I had a few song ideas that I wanted to record and I did so with the drumming and vocal talents of friends where I now live in Lansing, Michigan,” says Matt. “I had thought about naming this project something different since nobody from the first incarnation of Dungeon Beast was involved besides me, but since it was mostly just planned as a project demo with no certain continuation as a band after recording, it seemed fitting to use Dungeon Beast for the band title once again.” Recruiting new members in the form of vocalist/bassist Matt Watrous (Harbinger) and drummer Reverend Ceckowski (Demon Bitch), Matt released a highly … Read More