German Epic Metal band Atlantean Kodex and Italian label Cruz Del Sur Music announce to have signed a deal for the worldwide release of Atlantean Kodex’s  upcoming debut album „The Golden Bough“.

Atlantean Kodex are one of the most acclaimed newer bands in the European underground metal scene. Rooted deeply in the sound of old Manowar, Viking-era Bathory and classic 1980s-metal, their „Pnakotic Demos“ EP has sold close to 2000 copies and has been praised by critics as one of the best Epic Metal releases ever.
With festival appearances at renowned events like Keep it True XII, Up the Hammers or Hammer of Doom, Atlantean Kodex have also made themselves a name as an intense live band who never fails to deliver the steel.
Says guitar-player Manuel Trummer about the deal: „I couldn‘t have imagined anyone else than Cruz del Sur to release ,The golden bough‘. We‘re highly impressed by the work label-owner Enrico did in the past and we‘re honored to be on the same label like some of our favorite bands such as While Heaven Wept, Slough Feg, Twisted Tower Dire or Battleroar.“
On behalf of Cruz Del Sur Music, label owner Enrico Leccese states: “I am very glad we have the opportunity of working together with Atlantean Kodex. I am definitely impressed by the enthusiasm, the strength and motivation these guys have shown so far; that’s exactly what we’re looking for in a band. And the music contained in “The Golden Bough” is simply fantastic!”

„The Golden Bough“ is scheduled for a release on Cruz del Sur in September 2010.
A deluxe vinyl edition will be released by renowned German high-quality vinyl label Iron Kodex.

Tracklist:

1. The Atlantean Kodex - 8:26
2. Pilgrim (Through the Ruins of Europa) - 10:56
3. The Golden Bough - 1:35
4. Fountain of Nepenthe (Journey to the Island of the Blessed) - 9:30
5. Temple of Katholic Magick - 6:54
6. Vesperal Hymn (For a long-gone friend) - 6:03
7. Disciples of the Iron Crown - 4:24
8. A Prophet in the Forest - 10:49

Band:
Markus Becker - Vocals
Michael Koch - Lead Guitars
Florian Kreuzer - Bass
Manuel Trummer - Rhythm Guitars
Mario Weiss - Drums

CRUZ DEL SUR MUSIC and metalreview.com just set another great contest for you!

Read the metalreview.com statement:

Universally hailed as one of the must-hear acts amidst the current crop of trad / power flag-bearers, Pharaoh certainly delivered the goods on Be Gone, their third full-length. Be Gone came in at Number 21 on our Best of 2008 list, topped Matt Mooring's retrospective, and was bested only by Iron Will in Michael Wuensch's book. An excerpt? "Each song on Be Gone flashes multiple moments of some of the most nimble soloing I've heard in quite some time. And by hell, if I were amongst a troop of war-ready metalheads, I'd need little more than Tim Aymar's raucous, embattling vocal delivery to howl me into avid combat-frenzy.

Most importantly, there's enough exaltatious Pharaoh catchiness on Be Gone to stick each and every one of these tunes in your head for days. But the true gems of this endeavor -- the ones most likely to set adamantium roots and become an essential part of your day -- are surely "No Remains", "Red Honor" (this album's "By The Night Sky"), "Rats and Rope" (one of the most scorching cuts the band's ever written) and the emotive "Cover Your Eyes and Pray..."

So, if you needed proof of this album's might, there it is. In order to properly contain its sonic weight, this killer album has been issued on heavy-duty, 180 gram vinyl and wrapped in a gorgeous gatefold package.  As an added bonus, it also comes with a full-color poster and a 7" EP with two as-yet unreleased bonus tracks. This run has been limited to 500 copies, but three have been set aside for you: the MR faithful.

You have two weeks to enter the competition HERE and win! Good luck!

WHILE HEAVEN WEPT re-releases available on pre-order NOW!  

Cruz Del Sur Music office will be closed from the 18th dec 2009 to the 15th of Jan 2010.
Although the web-store will be up and running, we will not be able to make any shipping in the meanwhile.
All orders will be fulfilled by Monday the 18th 2010.

The pre-order for the WHILE HEAVEN WEPT re-releases will start the same day, the orders will be sent out in time to reach you for the release date (29/1). Both albums will be delivered to our offices before the Xmas break.

We wish you all a great end of the year as well as a great beginning.
And I also would like to personally thank you for the great support shown during these years, hoping to see you on board in 2010 as well!
THANKS!

Enrico & Cruz Del Sur Music staff

Sometimes it’s hard to be aware of the next big-thing in the moment it’s happening…
It can take months, years to achieve the success but not in the case of HIGH SPIRITS, where everything has happened so fast, that it’s very easy to predict a bright future for this Chicago-based band, who has already started its live-activity playing with the likes of Enforcer, Cauldron, Bible of The Devil.

Their first 2009 demo was enthusiastically acclaimed by European medias (9/10 on ROCK HARD GERMANY) as well as Americans (“This four track demo EP is pure 80’s metal. It sounds to me like the early output of Scotland’s Heavy Pettin’ fronted by a singer that sounds somewhat similar to Kevin Griffiths of the NWOBHM band Briar.”- hellbound.ca), immediately bringing to the attention of all traditional metal fans one of the most interesting bands paying tribute to the classic NWOBHM sound.

OverMaster are finishing the recordings and mixing of their debut album at Fear Studios in Alfonsine (RA-Italy).
The album, that will be released in March 2010 by Cruz del Sur Music, will be entitled “Madness of War”. Soon a first song will be online on the band’s MySpace page and on our myspace .

Gli storici blacksters toscani HANDFUL OF HATE, in occasione dell’uscita del nuovo disco “You Will Bleed” prevista per il 6 novembre 2009, si esibiranno in un mini-tour Italiano che toccherà le seguenti città:

7 novembre,  Prato (Siddharta)
14 novembre, Milano (Club 71, supporto ai NECROPHOBIC SWE)
15 novembre, Roma (Jailbreak Club con Firbholg, Opus Maledicta, Operation Genocide)
28 novembre, Padova (Country Star)

Registrato nella prima metà del 2009, “You Will Bleed” si preannuncia come uno dei capitoli più violenti ma anche più tecnici della storia degli HANDFUL OF HATE e segna il ritorno sulle scene della formazione guidata da Nicola B. con un cambio radicale di line up rispetto al precedente “Gruesome Splendour” uscito nel 2006 per la Cruz Del Sur Music.

IGNITOR's new album, “The Spider Queen”, will be released on vinyl by German HIGH ROLLER RECORDS in January 2010, in a limited edition of 300 copies.

HIGH ROLLER RECORDS is one of the longest-running and most important “vinyl-only” Metal labels in Europe and has already released IGNITOR previous album (“Road of Bones”) on vinyl back in 2007.
On a related news, a release party for “The Spider Queen”  was organized on the 3rd of October in their hometown of Austin, TX.
The result was a great night of Metal, with fans and local musicians (including Ignitor’s previous singer Erika) showing up their support to the band.  Here are some pictures, more on IGNITOR’s myspace page.

For “The Spider Queen” complete streaming,CLICK HERE:

06/10/2009 - WHILE HEAVEN WEPT to play HAMMER OF DOOM III

WHILE HEAVEN WEPT have just confirmed their presence to the 3rd edition of the HAMMER OF DOOM festival taking place in Würzburg, Germany on the 6th of Feb, 2010.

Headlined by SAINT VITUS, the festival promises to be one of the most remarkable live events of the beginning of the new year featuring other great Doom acts such as GRIFTEGARD (SWE), ATLANTEAN KODEX (GER),  and THE WIZAR’D (AUS) plus others that will be announced shortly.
The release of WHILE HEAVEN WEPT’s  long-awaited new album “Vast Oceans Lachrymose” has created  much of a stir in the metal community, with enthusiastic reactions both from medias and fans.
“VOL” has soon been described as one of the year’s highlights, causing much expectation for its release on the 3rd of November in US/Canada and on the 6th of November in Europe, via Cruz Del Sur Music.
The tickets for the festival will be first on sale at the Hammer Of Doom II, taking place on the 17th of October 2009.
For more infos: http://www.myspace.com/hammerofdoomfestival

Cruz Del Sur Music team has created two streaming pages for our September releases, in accordance to our policy of always giving a chance to (legally) listen to our releases before eventually buy them.
IGNITOR’s “The Spider Queen” can be listened in almost  its entirety at myspace.com/thespiderqueenstreaming.
Due to myspace track upload policy (10-song restriction), we had to remove track #2 (“Evil Calling”) from the stream. This song can be listened through our myspace as well as directly from the band’s my space.
“The Spider Queen” was released worldwide (with the exception of US and Canada where it will be released through Heavy Artillery on the 13th of Oct 2009) by Cruz Del Sur Music on the 14th of Sept 2009.

Described as “one of 2009's more impressive debuts in the power/prog realm” (metalreview.com), FOOL’S GAME’s  “Reality Divine” is also available on streaming from myspace.com/realitydivinestreaming.

Don't miss your chance to listen to this sort of “super group” featuring Matt Crooks (ex Division) on Guitars, Lars F. Larsen (Manticora) on Vocals, John Macaluso (Starbreaker, ex-Yngwie, ex-ARK, etc.) on Drums, Nick van Dyk (Redemption) on Keyboards, plus Matt Johnsen (Pharaoh) on Lead Guitars!

08/09/2009 - IGNITOR'S FIRST VIDEOCLIP FROM "The Spider Queen" AVAILABLE!

US heavy metal band IGNITOR, featuring Jason Mc Master (Watchtower/Dangerous Toys) and Stuart Laurence (Agony Column), has released  a first video clip from their upcoming album “The Spider Queen”.
The song chosen is “Construct of Destruction”, and it was shot by Dave Prewitt of CapZeyeZ Productions; the clip also contains some live footage from IGNITOR’s August  show at the Red Eyed Fly in Austin, TX.

08/07/2009 - IGNITOR: “The Spider Queen” licensed in US/CANADA to HEAVY ARTILLERY RECORDS

With great pleasure CRUZ DEL SUR MUSIC announces to have physically licensed the new album of Heavy Metal act IGNITOR to NY-based company HEAVY ARTILLERY RECORDS.
With such move we are confident to have chosen the best decision to strengthen the name of IGNITOR in US, being HEAVY ARTILLERY one of the steadiest defender of old-school heavy metal, and the perfect partner in terms of release-quality and genre for the band and our label’s profile.
IGNITOR features among his ranks veteran musicians of the US METAL scene such as his founder and main-songwriter STUART LAURENCE  (Batlord) from AGONY COLUMN, and the new addition JASON MCMASTER the well-known singer of DANGEROUS TOYZ and WATCHTOWER.