Hecate Enthroned "Virulent Rapture [Italy, Crank Music Group, CRK-003]"

Virulent Rapture is the fifth studio album by British band Hecate Enthroned, and their first album of new material since 2004's Redimus. It was released on 25 November 2013 via Crank Music Group, being their first album to be so, as well as their only release with vocalist Elliot Beaver and first with drummer Gareth Hardy on the line-up, who replaced long-time vocalist and drummer Dean Seddon and Robert Kendrick, respectively (both were fired in 2012).

The album was initially announced on a 21 January 2013 interview with webzine RoarRock.

The band announced on their official Twitter on 8 July 2013 that the new album was finished, "aside from some mixing and mastering issues", and that they were "looking at a self-release in the next few months". According to the band by then, the album was scheduled to be released on late November or early December 2013.

On 18 September 2013, Hecate announced they signed to a new label, Crank Music Group, and that it would release their album circa November.

On 23 October 2013, the artwork for Virulent Rapture was unveiled via Blabbermouth.net, and its release date was revealed as being on 25 November 2013. On the same day, a small, 21-second teaser of the track "Unchained" was posted by Crank Music Group on their official YouTube channel.

The track "To Wield the Hand of Perdition" was released online (via Crank Music Group's YouTube channel) on 19 November 2013.

Sarah Jezebel Deva, famous for her work with Angtoria and Cradle of Filth, provides additional vocals for the album's self-titled track.

On 20 June 2014, a music video was made for "Abyssal March". It is Hecate Enthroned's first music video since "An Ode for a Haunted Wood", made in 1995.

Track listing

The album's track listing was unveiled by Crank Music Group on their official website on 28 October 2013.

1. "Thrones of Shadow" 4:46
2. "Unchained" 4:37
3. "Abyssal March" 4:08
4. "Plagued by Black Death" 7:59
5. "Euphoria" 4:43
6. "Virulent Rapture" (feat. Sarah Jezebel Deva) 5:30
7. "Life" 5:19
8. "To Wield the Hand of Perdition" 3:05
9. "Of Witchery and the Blood Moon" 5:33
10. "Immateria" (instrumental) 3:05
11. "Paths of Silence" 6:43

Time:  55:28

All music written by Hecate Enthroned.

Recording information:

Recorded during 2013 "in a never ending hell" at Velocity Raptor Studios, Birkenhead UK.

Co-produced/engineered by Hecate Enthroned.

Mastered at KKDigital recording studio.

Mike Smith – production, engineering, mixing

Kami Kopat – mixing, mastering, graphic layout

Néstor Avalos – cover art

Hecate Enthroned "Upon Promethean Shores (Unscriptured Waters) (EP, USA, Death Records, 3984-14139-2)"

Upon Promeathean Shores (Unscriptured Waters) is an EP and the first studio release by the British symphonic black metal band Hecate Enthroned. It was released by Blackend Records on 7 July, 1995. This is essentially their An Ode for a Haunted Wood demo reworked and released as the first album under their record label.

Stylistically this found the band in a more "true" black metal sound, with squashed production, growled vocals, raging tempos, blast beats and symphonic arrangements. Accusations of the band being a "Cradle of Filth rip-off" began to manifest as the band's name got bigger.

The album was remastered and re-released in 1998 by Blackend with two bonus tracks and a different cover art.

A music video was made for the track "An Ode for a Haunted Wood".

A picture of the famous ruins of the Whitby Abbey was used as the cover.

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Jon Kennedy; all music is composed by Hecate Enthroned (Kennedy, Nigel, Marc, Mark Watson-Jones, Steve, Andy O'Hara – 1995).

1. "Promeathea (Thy Darkest Mask of Surreality)" 2:15
2. "The Crimson Thorns (My Immortal Dreams)" 4:26
3. "A Graven Winter" 7:30
4. "To Feed Upon Thy Dreams" 6:46
5. "An Ode for a Haunted Wood" 7:13
6. "Through Spellbinding Branches (Deepest Witchcraft)" (instrumental) 2:08

Time:  30:18

The EP is, essentially, a remastering of their "Ode for a Haunted Wood" demo. In the year between the demo's recording and the band's signing to Blackend, they changed their bassist, drummer and keyboardist, and new members Paul, Michael and Craig are erroneously referred to their at-the-time current roles in the album booklet with former members Mark, Steve and Andy getting just a mention.

The Death Records printing has a typo on the CD case spine: the title is misspelled as "Upon Prometheau Shores".

Recording information:

Recorded in summer 1995.

Remixed in winter 1995 at Academy Studios, Dewsbury, Yorkshire.

Co-produced and co-mixed by Hecate Enthroned.

Art direction by Hecate Enthroned and pod communication.

Robert "Mags" Magoolagan – production, mastering

Simon Marsden – cover art

Heavy Bones "Heavy Bones (Japan, Warner-Pioneer Japan, WPCP-5084)"

Heavy Bones formed in 1990 in Hollywood, California. The band consisted of Joel Ellis, Gary Hoey, Rex Tennyson, & Frankie Banali. The band released one album, aptly titled Heavy Bones, in 1992. Produced by Ritchie Zito, two singles were released to support the album, "4:AM T.M." and "Turn it On". The album did not sell very well and the group disbanded shortly thereafter.

It was a typical story. Some of the members started getting drug habits, and not really wanting to work as hard as I did. Things started going wrong and I said I’d rather do a solo career, do music I love and not have to worry about other people ruining my future. - Gary Hoey from HippoPress interview

Their one and only album was released on Reprise Records in 1992.

Tracklist:

1. The Hand That Feeds
2. 4:AM T.M
3. Turn It On
4. Anna
5. Dead End St.
6. Where Eagles Fly
7. Enormodome
8. The Light Of Day
9. Your Love Won't Let Me Down
10. Beating Heart
11. Summers In The Rain
12. Where The Livin' Is Easy

With OBI strip and 4-panel insert in Japanese with notes and lyrics.

Recording information:

Recorded and mixed between November 1991-April 1992

Produced by Richie Zito

Mastered by George Marino

Heavens Gate "Planet E. (Japan, Victor Entertainment, VICP-5779)"

Planet E. is the fourth album by German Power Metal band, Heavens Gate, released September 28th, 1996.

Tracklist:

1. Terminated World (ターミネイティッド・ワールド) 03:59  
2. Planet Earth (プラネット・アース) 05:00
3. Back Fom the Dawn (バック・フロム・ザ・ドーン) 06:10  
4. On the Edge (オン・ジ・エッジ) 03:31  
5. The Children Play (チルドレン・プレイ) 04:44  
6. Rebel Yell (レベル・エール) 03:49
7. Black Religion (ブラック・リリジョン) 06:59
8. Animal (Lisa Dalbello cover) (アニマル) 04:25
9. Noah's Dream (ノアズ・ドリーム) 10:04
10. This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us (Sparks cover) (ジス・タウン) 03:08   
11. The Sentinel (Judas Priest cover) (死の番人) 05:01

Time:  56:50

- Part of the label's Pure Metal series.

- Issued in standard jewel case with twenty-two page booklet with English liner notes and lyrics, Japanese lyrics and commentary and with Obi strip.

- Track 11 taken from the 1996 Century Media A Tribute to Judas Priest: Legends of Metal Vol. 1 compilation.

Recording information:

Tracks 1-10:

- Recorded and mixed between March-July 1996 at Gate Studio, Ehmen, Wolfsburg, Germany.

- Co-produced by Heavens Gate.

Track 11:

- Recorded and mixed between at Gate Studio, Ehmen, Wolfsburg, Germany.

- Co-produced by Heavens Gate.