MALOMBRA - Malombra - BWR003
The dark prog sound is back. The atmospheres of Black Sabbath, Black Widow with the King Crismon’s guitar sound on this incredible new band. They played with Hawkwind in Italy in October ’94!
STANDARTE - Standarte - BWR007
Hard Psych concept with floating Mellotron and aggressive Hammond. Available now reissue Lp with 2 bonus tracks!!
Dedicated to Vincent Crane. Superb!
MALOMBRA - Our lady of the bones - BWR009
Still obscure and macabre but more progressive than their first.BALLETTO DI BRONZO "Ys" meets HIGH TIDE "Sea Shanties"... a journey through the mind!
RUNAWAY TOTEM - Zed - BWR013
Really esoteric music at the invisible edge between HIGH TIDE, MAGMA and BLACK SABBATH! Soundtrack of the Ancient Ones' coming! Two suites to open the Gates!
PRESENCE - Black Opera - BWR014
After "The Sleeper awakes" the heavy symphonic sound of Presence meets classical genius of Giuseppe Verdi into an incredible suite dedicated to him. Another pleasant surprise!
STANDARTE - Curses and invocations - BWR015
Try to imagine the best Gracious, Czar, Raw Material and Atomic Rooster; the result is the second powerful album of Standarte. An avalanche of mellotron, hammond and moog effects!
THE BLACK - Apocalypsis - BWR016
The sound of the Apocalypse to come!Symphonic, aggressive, doomy melodies in the name of Divine Forces! Orchestral keyboards, great guitar in Black Sabbath vein. A masterpiece of Heavy Dark Metal!
IL SEGNO DEL COMANDO - Il segno del comando - BWR017
Plunge into early 70s occult TV movies and find the nature of Il Segno del Comando from a past that becomes future! Goblin and Jacula are the inspirators of this opera which represents the enclosing of the esoteric musical trilogy in Italy!
ABIOGENESI - Il giocoscuro - BWR018
2nd album with a long suite in URIAH HEEP - BLACK WIDOW vein; at the edge of the wood Abiogenesi raised their axe!
70s dark prog at its best!s" covers! Lot of keys, superb guitar. Let your freak flag fly!
ARCHITECTURAL METAPHOR - Creature of the velvet void - BWR019
Fabulous psych-prog album with female vocal including HAWKWIND "Golden Void" and VELVET UNDER GROUND "All tomorrow's parties" covers! Lot of keys, superb guitar. Let your freak flag fly!
ST37 - Spaceage - BWR020
New album of this space psych rockers from Texas. 70 min. of cosmic travel between Can, Hawkwind and Chrome atmospheres. Their really best! The album include "Orgone Accumulator" (Hawkwind), "Vitamin C" (Can), "Deutsch Nepal" (Amon Duul) covers!
NORTHWINDS - Great God Pan - BWR021
The real doom feeling with the magic power of prog rock like the perfect union of Black Sabbath and celtic music! Monsters for an impossible dream!
UNIVERSAL TOTEM ORCHESTRA - Rituale alieno - BWR022
Real space progressive music, an incredible orchestra with Flutes, Violins, Sax, Organ, Choirs, Carmina Burana meets Magma on Mars! Creatures from another planet.
RISE AND SHINE - FlowerPowerMetal - BWR023
Swedish powerful band with the strong voice of beautiful Josa. Psych hard doom like a misture of Grand Funk, Black Sabbath,
J. Joplin and Kyuss. A Killer!
VV.AA. - E TU VIVRAI NEL TERRORE - Tribute to Horror & Gothic Movies (2CDs + book) - BWR025
Great project which joins music and cinema;inspired to horror movies masterpices. Contains a book with reviews and a lot of rare photos.Dedicated to great Lucio Fulci and Mario Bava.The cover is made by H.R. Giger!
GIAN CASTELLO - Taliesin - BWR027
First album (but not first work) of this incredible band which plays a great Irish Progressive Folk with classical instruments inspired by the Book of Taliesin; female choir, harpsicord, organ, flute, violin... my God, this is true folk prog!!
STANDARTE - Stimmung - BWR028
Third album for this band influenced by great obscure underground 70's monster as Atomic Rooster, Gracious, Monument, Writing on the wall... A side with new studio material, B side include unforgettable live in Stockolm during Prog Festival 97, a beautiful cover of "Yellow Cave Woman" of Velvet Fogg!
ALAN (The Elf) DAVEY - Chaos of delight - BWR033
New solo album mythic 15 years Hawkwind bass player! totally dedicated to Sci-Fi series as Space 1999, Star Trek, UFO S.H.A.D.O.
great cover version of the original UFO soundtrack! Hawkwind and Motorhead echoes!
AKRON - La signora del buio - BWR034
Great concept album with symphonic doomy atmospheres in the vein of Jacula, Metamorfosi, Pholas Dactilus...
BLUE EXPLOSION - Tribute to Blue Cheer - BWR035
Tribute to one of the most powerful band ever existed! You'll hear new version of Out of Focus, Doctor Please, Peace of Mind and many others masters with the vein of their disciples. With PENTAGRAM, INTERNAL VOID, HOGWASH, THUMLOCK, NATAS,
FIREBALL MINISTRY, NORRSKEN, GARYBALDI, RISE AND SHINE, WICKED MINDS, STANDARTE, SPACE PROBE TAURUS, DRAG PACK, VORTICE CREMISI and UFOMAMMUT.
THE BLACK - Golgotha - BWR036
Back to the 70's with a great concept album with a strong hard prog vein and 2 beautiful versions of Giudizio Avrai by Rovescio della Medaglia and Sospesa a un filo by I Corvi.
RISE AND SHINE - RoadFlower - BWR037
Second album of this powerful Swedish Hard Psych band with double guitar and absolutely immense Josabeth lead vocal! Best inspiration of Heavy Psych and Southern of the 70s with Blue Cheer, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Grand Funk influences!!
BEYOND THE REALM OF DEATH SS - Tribute to Death SS - BWR038
Finally a right tribute to one of the most important Dark Metal Band from Italy together with The Black. With TENEBRE, INTERNAL VOID, CHURCH OF MISERY, MONUMENTUM, NORTHWINDS, CULTUS SANGUINE, MALOMBRA, STONE IMMACULATE, STORMLORD, EQUINOX OV THE GODS, LORD BRUMMEL, THE TEMPTER, ABYSMAL GRIEF and DRASTIC.
KING OF THE WITCHES - Tribute to Black Widow - BWR039
A tribute to the great occult progressive UK band from Leicester with a special dedication to the High Priest Alex Sanders described as "the most powerful man in Europe" in the early 70's.CLIVE JONES (Original Black Widow member), DEATH SS, MALOMBRA, NORTHWINDS, ARS NOVA, TEMPTER, THE BLACK, CHURCH OF MISERY, ETERNAL ELYSIUM, WHUTERING,
STANDARTE, FANTASYY FACTORYY, ABIOGENESI, WIDOW with Kip Trevor the Black Widow singer.
NORTHWINDS - Masters of magic - BWR040
Long waited second album (double!) for this incredible band coming from Paris: is a concept about Magic. The band is at its best with a sensational mixture of N.W.O.B.H.M., 70's Progressive Rock and Celtic Folk!! Special guest : STEVE SYLVESTER of DEATH SS
PRESENCE- Gold - BWR045
New album! The progressive side of their music is now totally shown with an incredible mixture of Renaissance and Curved Air with the usual beautiful voice of Sofia Baccini, the majestic keyboards arrangements by Enrico Iglio and the inspirated guitar work by Sergio Casamassima: a masterpiece!
ABIOGENESI - Le notti di Salem - BWR046
New album with guests as Gigi Venegoni (Venegoni & Co., Arti e Mestieri), Marco Cimino (Arti e Mestieri) and Clive Jones (Flute and Saxophone of legendary Black Widow!!) in addition to the usual great inspiration of Tony D'Urso guitar work: the definitive masterpiece with Teoremi, Le Orme, Biglietto per L'Inferno echoes... You'll can't believe!
SIMON HOUSE - Spiral galaxy revisited - BWR047
A new solo album for the wizard man of High Tide, Hawkwind, Bowie... A fantastic symphonic space album with incredible violin and keyboards including new masterpieces like Gothyk and Glencoe (19.00 mins) and new versions of Hawkwind tracks like Hall of the Mountain Grill, Force of Vulcan and Kronoglide Skyway.
HELDEN RUNE - The wisdom through the fear - BWR048
Dark project which joint singer Mercy (Malombra - Il Segno del Comando), Claudio Dondo - Keyboards (Runes Order), Franz Ekurn - Piano, Strings (Il Segno del Comando, Malombra) and Tony Tears - Guitars; great decadent atmospheres, Joy Division, Lacrimosa and Ultravox echoes. Gothic and Romantic!
AGONY BAG - Feelmazumba - BWR049
Band formed by Clive Jones and Clive Box, members of legendary Black Widow!! They made a 7 inch in 1980 issued by Monza Records with 2 incredible tracks between Metal, Glam, Punk and progressive: Rabies is a Killer and Never Never Land. The album was recorded in that time but never released! An Explosion of Sex and Violence!!
HIGH TIDE - Open season - BWR050
Final anthology selected by Tony Hill, Pete Pavli and Simon House including unreleased material from 1971 'til 1990 plus two new songs written and played just for this event by Tony Hill and Pete Pavli with the collaboration of Adrian Shaw! To complete the legend of the band of the sea abyss.
JACULA - In cauda semper stat venenum - BWR051
Finally available long time buried explosive material from 1969 never released before!!!! this is a real killer the legendary material recorded by Jacula in an English castle in 1969 is finally back from the grave never released before songs are similar to the ones
released on their masterpiece "Tardo Pede" but this time, along with their classic "pipe-organ versus percussions" sound, you'll find doomy guitar riffs a là Tony Iommi a must have!!!
MALOMBRA - The dissolution age - BWR053
Long time waited third album of the Italian Cult band. Heavy Gothic Progressive vein with nocturnal atmospheres!
The new masterpiece!!
VV.AA. - The tapestry of delights - BWR054
A journey through 60's UK psychedelic movement, features some of the great psychedelic rock bands of the current era revisiting the tunes of their influences. Standarte comb their vast collections and warped recollections delivering 5 tracks of The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown, Atomic Rooster, Gods, Soft Machine and The Action. Beggars Farm have the second set with numbers of High Tide, Tyrannosaurus Rex, Black Sabbath, Pink Fairies and Hawkwind. Fantasyy Factoryy revise obscure gems of Janus, Arcadium, T.Rex and Edgar B. Band. Closing the set on this tribute to early UK psych is fittingly the neo psyche kings Sun Dial doing their fuzziest distortion groove on their version of Soul Thing by Arzachel. A must for fans of thre psychedelic scene - past and present.
PENTAGRAM - Sub-Basement - BWR055
PENTAGRAM (Bobby Liebling and Joe Hasselvander) is a TRUE macabre legend! We are proud to present you with the fifth official Pentagram studio recordings. Heavier, more grim then ever before “Sub-Basement” takes you slowly down a long
dark, doomed vortex. “Cult legend Status” doesn’t even begin to describe the loyalty and respect doom-metal fans have
bestowed on this influential act. Nearly every current doom/stoner band owes their soul (or at least a bunch of riffs) to
Pentagram. Cathedral, Spirit Caravan, Goatsnake, ST. Vitus, Trouble…the list of those touched by the Pentagram “craft” is
endless!True harbringers of despair and gloom!
IL SEGNO DEL COMANDO - Der Golem - BWR057
The myth of Il Segno del Comando is finally back from the fog and darkness of legendary 72 cult movie from which the band is inspired: the magic and arcane atmospheres will capture you in a 70 sound like a mixture between Goblin, Le Orme, Campo di Marte. The real final masterpiece!!!!
ANTONIUS REX - Anno demoni - BWR058
A new renewed reissue of Anno Demoni from 1979; this time the packaging and artwork is beautiful and there are 3 unreleased (malus) bonus tracks!!!!! In the usual obscure vein of Antonius Rex, one of the most esoteric and genial artist of the 70's italian prog.
VV.AA. - Not of this earth (3Cds + Book) - BWR059
This is the hugest release ever engineered by Black Widow Records! It's divided in 3 cds (or 4 Lp) featuring 41 bands for a total running time which goes beyond three hours. The rules are simple: each band chooses a movie it's particularly fascinated by, and composes a song gaining inspiration from the movie. The musical styles range from high class prog-space rock in HAWKWIND, ARCHITECTURAL METAPHOR, ADRIAN SHAW, ALAN "THE ELF" DAVEY, STANDARTE, SUN DIAL ", FANTASYY FACTORYY, CANDLEMASS, MALOMBRA, DEATH SS, UNIVERSAL TOTEM ORCHESTRA, PAUL CHAIN, MALLEUS, QUARKSPACE', KREL's "Track Thru Space"….and it's not all!! "Not of this Earth" is also a book which enhances the three cds in a SPECIAL DELUXE PACKAGE, written in Italian and English and containing articles on cinema, literature, culture linked to science fiction, with a special section dedicated to sci-fi made in Italy. Ominous names collaborated to the book, such as writer Valerio Evangelisti, Luigi Cozzi, Gaetano Mistretta and directly from PRISONER FAN CLUB Roger Langley who wrote a great article about PRISONER!!..and many many more…..
SIMON HOUSE / ROD GOODWAY - House of dreams - BWR060
New, fascinating work by Simon House (Hawkwind, Third Ear Band) this time with Rod Goodway (Ethereal Counterbalance, Magic Muscle); the sound remind the more progressive Hawkwind albums and the David Bowie Berlin trilogy! Simon House and Rod Goodway have been worked on this for many years in a "House of Dreams", they spoke about this from time and it seemed a legend; but now, after years and years they completed mixing and finally this masterpiece is ready!! DO NOT MISS IT!
SAD MINSTREL - The flight of the Phoenix - BWR062
"The Flight of the Phoenix" is the title of the awaited debut album by Fabio Casanova, former keyboardist in MALOMBRA. Many musical ideas in "The Flight of the Phoenix" were previously thought for MALOMBRA, but after the split Fabio has worked hard on shaping them as a new full-length album for a new and different project. Expect SAD MINSTREL to bring you through enchanted realms, where prog and psych ambiences a la Jethro Tull mix with folk influences, specially from Ireland and Occitania. Some titles are already available: "The Butterfly", "The Flight of the Phoenix", "Silent Revolution", "Mad Minstrel", "The Night of Beltaine", "The Wood of Memories", "Canzone della bambina di Triora" (this one is sung in dialect )and "Silent Revolution" is his personal tribute to Italian chansonnier Fabrizio De Andre')
CRYSTAL PHOENIX - The legend of the two stonedragons - BWR063
CRYSTAL PHOENIX: remember the FIRST Black Widow Records' release? Around a decade has passed since "Crystal Phoenix", debut album from the band which was finally reprinted on cd by BWR. Many years have gone, and CRYSTAL PHOENIX are finally ready with their second album, titled "Twa Jørg-J-Draak Saga". Ranging from fantasy to science-
fiction, the album is divided in two parts, which symbolize past and future. In connection to the lyrics the music ranges from hard rock to acoustic moods with baroque echoes. "Twa Jørg-J-Draak Saga" has a complex plot behind itself, with starts in the future to explore different ages and characters, which will also take part of the next album.
PENTAGRAM - A keg full of dynamite - BWR065
In 1977 Bobby and I began our long musical odyssey together. Our goal was to finally bring Pentagram to the forefront in a big and dramatic way. Something the previous line up had failed to do. This recording documents our humble beginning. This was when the real groundwork was actually laid. We played anywhere and everywhere. This was pure shock rock in it's rawest form. I saw people banging their heads off and others in tears running out the door screaming in sheer horror! That's when I knew we were on to something. The keg was a well known rock club in the Georgetown section of Washington D.C. that catered to original music unlike other venues that demanded cover songs. Lots of bands had cut their teeth there - the cherry people (featuring legendary guitarist Punk Meadows from Angel), the nighthawks, Link Wray and even Rory Gallagher had performed once.
ANTONIUS REX - Neque semper arcum tendit rex - BWR066
ANTONIUS REX is a TRUE occult legend! We are proud to present you the unreleased studio album recorded in 1974. "Neque Semper" takes you slowly down a long dark vortex.
In 1974 Antonius Rex went to London where knew Albert Goodman, an aristocratic practioner of the occult, wealthy owner of country estates with his own castle and the independent record label Darkness. After ten days of intense rehearsal, the band, together with engineer Coldweiss, went into the Mondial Sound Studios in Milan, and recorded the third album (the first as Antonius Rex), entitled "Neque Semper Arcum Tendit Rex". Produced by Mr. Albert Goodman....
The six recorded tracks are typically dark-progressive with some Black Sabbath influences.
AKRON - Il tempio di ferro - BWR067
Second album by Italian dark progressive band guided by The Black bass player Enio Nicolini; this is a concept album based on Templars' legend, musically remind the most legendary Italian Progressive Bands of the 70's like Pholas Dactilus, Rovescio della Medaglia (Contamination album), Osanna, Metamorfosi, Edgar Allan Poe…
The Sound is a really dark doomy progressive with great Hammond Organ and symphonic arrangements, epic-theatrical male and female vocals, deep bass lines and a ritual-hypnotic drumming…a really dramatic opera with an original tragedy's feeling…
ST 37 - Insect hospital - BWR068
This time ST 37 bring you among old Sci-Fi cult classics Solaris and Metropolis with two suite perfectly into the movies feeling; not simply a Space Band, ST 37 have many influences from all the Psychedelic Acid Space Kraut Punk Dark Wave world (Roky Erickson, Hawkwind, Joy Division, Can, Chrome, Brian Eno….) with the personality which make ST 37 one of the most reality of the actual Psych scene…after years and years they maintain an incredible freshness and have now an artistic maturity which take them at top level!! Do not miss it!
PRESENCE - The sleeper awakes (2Cds) - BWR069
At least available for the first time on Lp “The Sleeper Awakes” released as a Cd only in 1994 with the addition of a Live album recorded between 1994 and 2002 including a superb cover version of classic “Kashmir” from Led Zeppelin…
The Sleeper Awakes tell about a pact with Lucifer. An enticer (Enticer) decides to sign it and then he tries to protract the term (The other weight of sense). He makes a person (Stranger again) ask another term of 24 years after the first one for another man, giving this person’s soul in exchange for it (Veer).
RIPPER - And the dead shall rise - BWR070
Originally released by Iron Works Records (Los Angeles) in 1986, in very limited numbers (including picture-discs and various coloured-vinyl pressings), "And The Dead Shall Rise" has become a collectible icon... Recorded at Rampart Studios (Houston) in 1985, "And The Dead Shall Rise" embodies everything that made 80's metal-music great, and then some... Haunting keyboards (Courtesy of Steve Bogle/The Hunger) set the tone and feel for this metallic masterpiece... Four eerie lead-vocalists woven through a web of powerful guitars, ominous bass and thunderous drums, take the listeners of "And The Dead Shall Rise" down a road seldom travelled..
"..And the Dead Shall Rise" is a cult masterpiece of Horror Metal incredibly into early Death SS and Mercyful Fate vein.. do not miss it!!!
AREKNAMES - Same - BWR071
We are proud to present this new Italian band that will take you back to the magic of the 70s, strongly influenced by Still Life, VDGG, Necronomicon, Quatermass, Monument, Czar, Bram Stoker, Black Widow, Egg with wonderful Mellotron, Organ arrangements plus heavy guitar in 6 long tracks in the best 70's tradition. A real dive in to the Doom Progressive sound with a strong personality and freshness...what a surprise! You won't believe it!
THE BLACK - Peccatis nostris / Capistrani pugnator - BWR072
Mario “The Black” Di Donato, last defender of the Italian Heavy Metal, is back with two new works in 1 Cd and 2 separate vinyls; “Peccatis Nostris” (The Seven Deadly Sins) and “Capistrani Pugnator” inspired to the Capestrano’s Warrior, VI siecle’s statue: never the band has so powerful and never has a so good and accurate production in the Bess Studio, an old studio where many Italian Heavy Metal Bands recorded in the 80s. Two albums because are two different concepts, two works but the same obscure magic sound that Mario “The Black” Di Donato plays with his great experience and personality. A legendary return to the Heavy Doom Metal, a perfect fusion between deep Sabbath and epic Warlord! A MUST!!
ZESS - Et in Arcadia ego - BWR073
This track-list springs from a series of live-recording sessions performed at Genoa’s Hobbit Studios between December 1987 and February 1988 and it’s the one that at that time was selected to create the beginning record of this band. Unfortunately things went differently. The reborn interest in real Doom and Dark Metal, especially for its personal “Italian school” of these genres, the way out of some legal bones and the desire to do partial justice to a band truly involved in a beloved tradition, today make possible the sanguine re-proposal of Zess’ Dark Sound. Later Mercy would been founder member of Malombra The original tracks, recorded over an 8 tracks recorder, have been digitally restyled and totally re-mastered. Live session contains overdubs.The restoring operations had care to safeguard the savage and Spontaneous mood of the original tracks. It’s time of Doom, again!
ANTONIUS REX – Praeternatural - BWR074
.. demon and wizard , vampires and witches, darkness and shadows, obsessions and nightmares, fear and anxiety, shivers down the spine…Antonio Bartoccetti and Doris Norton bring at the end of the First World of Antonius Rex era….this is the last episode recorded in 1980… ... black magic sound ... the music of the ghost the rhythm of the hell….in the Land of Magic…
WICKED MINDS - From the purple skies - BWR076
From Italy, 80 minutes of seventies hard rock with psychedelic and progressive elements, many organ/guitar battles and fantastic lead singer in David Byron/Paul Rodgers vein, shooting the spirit of Warhorse, Deep Purple, Uriah Heep, May Blitz, Indian Summer, Quatermass, Necronomicon, 2066 and Then, Orange Peel, Arzachel and Waterloo…contains two wonderful cover of Pentagram (Forever my Queen) and Uriah Heep (Gypsy).
MINOTAURI - Same - BWR077
1st full length album for this Finnish Heavy Doom band influenced by Black Sabbath, Pentagram and Sarcofagus!! Available as Cd and double Lp. The "album" has 8 tracks and there are 7 bonus tracks ("Doom Metal Invasion" 10", "Pain of Life/Violence" 7" and a live track).
PENTAGRAM - Show 'em how - BWR078
“Further infections to feed your disease” – Pentagram come back with a new full length album with Mike Smail (Cathedral, Penance - Drums), Adam Heinzmann (Internal Void, Bass), Kelly Carmichael (Internal Void, Guitars) and of course legendary Bobby Liebling (all vocals)…more 70s feeling, heavier than ever! A must have!
PAUL ROLAND - Strychnine...and other potent poisons - BWR080
Of all the albums that I have recorded, ‘Strychnine’ was the one that lost me the most sleep. As a songwriter I was never comfortable with the idea of recording an album of cover versions (albeit a mini-album), but I allowed myself to be persuaded that it could be an interesting project. I was pleased when it became the first of my albums to be licensed to Japan (thereby satisfying an early ambition of mine), but I soon realised that in my haste to complete it I had produced more of a sketch than a finished album. For years afterward I yearned to return to it and add those subtle but significant improvements that I knew would complete it and would give me the satisfaction of having made an album I could enjoy without pangs of regret.I was therefore pleasantly surprised when Black Widow asked me to join their label and make ‘Strychnine’; the first of our projects together.I know that my decision to omit a few tracks (covers of ‘Meadows Of The Sea’ and ‘I’m Not Like Everybody Else’ from ‘Sarabande’ and the demo of ‘Solitude’) might disappoint those expecting me to include all the cover versions that I have recorded, but unfortunately my vanity and perfectionism prevents me from allowing them to be heard again. I apologise and hope that the completists will forgive me. But I hope to re-record these tracks in significantly improved versions at a later date.
L'IMPERO DELLE OMBRE - Same - BWR081
Italian band formed by Giovanni Cardellino (vocals, visions & occult lyrics) with his brother Andrea (Guitars) and the two rythm base from legendary 80s Heavy Metal Band Sabotage Enrico Caroli (Bass) and Dario Caroli (Drums) in a original Heavy Dark Progressive style between 70’s Dark Prog (Black Widow, Jacula, Black Sabbath), obscure NWOBHM (Angel Witch, Witchfynder General) and Italian Heavy Metal (Death SS, The Black, Malombra, Paul Chain, Abiogenesi). Soon with Death SS on tour.
MORTICIA - Exhumed - BWR082
Matt Batchelor and Jodie Tanaka formed the rock group Morticia in 1985. They both shared a passion for alternative music and bad horror flicks.With musical influences The Damned, 45 Grave, Alice Cooper, The Runaways, Blondie and 60s icons The Doors, Morticia set out to create a genre of music that was to become known as Goth. In 1986, they put out a 45 rpm on their own label Bat Records– “Zombie Love” B/W “You Scare Me to Death”. Enlisting the voice over of campy horror movie host Jake Esau (TV’s Count Dracula), the single debuted on the notorious Dr. Demento radio show before becoming a season standard on many Halloween programs and events. In 1987, independent record label Channel 83 signed the band to record their first full length LP, Mortal Fear. Joining Jodie and Matt were androgynous bass player extraordinare Chrystopher Winter and Carmilla Casquette on lead guitar. Morticia live performances started with Jodie’s emergence from a custom built coffin, and would end with Matt’s trademark drum solo, during which he set his kit on fire and breathe and blow flames. 1988 was to be the biggest year for the band. A short independent film called “The Blood Club” was filmed.
ANTONIUS REX - Magic ritual (DVD + Cds) - BWR083
Side A = dvd video - Side B = audio cd
Video contents: original dark movie with original images, scenes and rituals Antonius Rex Group
Audio contents: unpublished master track in mystic, dark, esoteric, doom, progressive Antonius Rex cult sound
WYXMER - Feudal throne - BWR086
Back after 14 years the new WYXMER album!! Strong Metal Epic Progressive band from Florence, authors of legendary “The Syre of..” in 1991, a gem for collectors…they are finally back with this new “Feudal Throne” which includes a wonderful cover version of “Futilist’s Lament” from HIGH TIDE with a powerful performance of the talented singer Astor Pride! Strongly influenced by Warlord, Genesis, Uriah Heep, High Tide with great classical symphonies à la Beggars Opera, they’ll bring you in a fantastic journey through the true Heavy Progressive sound..
BEDEMON - Child of darkness (from the original master tapes) - BWR087
The first legitimate release of the legendary BEDEMON sessions! Assembled in the early 70s by sometimes-fifth PENTAGRAM member and friend of the band Randy Palmer, this was a private project to record his doomy Black Sabbath-like songs filled with imagery of demons, darkness and drugs. Along with high school pal Mike Matthews on bass, Palmer called on PENTAGRAM buddies vocalist Bobby Liebling and drummer Geof O’Keefe to perform on the recordings, which took place sporadically during the early to mid 70s. Never originally intended for release, these rough garage-style recordings got passed around through fans in the form of unauthorized CDs and LPs, and the legend grew about this cult PENTAGRAM offshoot. Now for the first time, the original master tapes have been used and the sound mixed and fixed to bring the best versions of these recordings, available officially for the first time ever.
ABIOGENESI - Io sono il vampiro - BWR088
4th album by Tony D’Urso, this album is the soundtrack of the italian horror movie “I am a Vampire” in the usual Dark Prog style but also exploring a more psychedelic touches with the addition of great cover versions of Never Let go (Camel), Lady in Black (Uriah Heep) and Mary Clark (Black Widow) and with the help of Marco Cimino (keys) and Gigi Venegoni (Guitars) from 70s Italian band Arti e Mestieri…
NORTHWINDS - Chimeres (Cd + DVD) - BWR089
Long waited third album for the French group influenced by Ange, Witchfynder General, Black Sabbath, Alan Stivell, Jethro Tull, Horslips, Hawkwind…..they confirm their personality and maturity with great compositions between the magic lands of Progressive, Heavy Doom, Celtic Folk; the album includes great cover versions of Le Soir Du Diable (Ange), Friends of Hell (Witchfynder General) and Dragon and Fables (Hawkwind).
ORNE - The conjuration by the fire - BWR091
ORNE, known as Mesmer between 1997 and 2002, is a dark progressive group who play sorrowful music with a touch of folk, doom, and beauty. This seven-piece is more or less located to the city of Turku, Finland, and has all three members of doom metal group Reverend Bizarre within the lineup that performs the album. The key influences are Van der Graaf Generator, Black Widow, early Genesis, King Crimson, Pink Floyd and Black Sabbath. Guitar player, once baptized Kimi Kärki and also known to some as Peter Vicar, writes the songs to reflect his interests that on this album include horror, the occult, history, war, childhood memories and religion. Fire is the element of power, it consumes but does also create, it is always restless, always hungry. Hail Victory, Hail Ever-Burning Rosicrucian Lamps & Watch-Towers of the Elements! AMEN!
WICKED MINDS - Witchflower (Cd + DVD) - BWR093
Second album recorded for Black Widow after the acclaimed "From the Purple Skies" by this very exciting italian hard-progressive band! Powerful hard-rock tracks in Deep Purple, Uriah Heep style, together with some more progressive compositions played with vintage instrumentation (hammond organ, mellotron, Moog, sax and flute, acoustic guitar) make this release a real masterpiece! Including a fantastic cover version of the Deep Purple anthem "Soldiers of Fortune".....
AREKNAMES - Love hate round trip - BWR094
"Love Hate Round Trip" is the band's second album. It features twelve tracks and represents an important turn from "Areknamés", resulting in a more modern and varied album. The compositions span across different genres, delving into prog rock, jazz-rock, psychedelic rock, classical and electronics.
GOAD - In the house of the dark shining dreams - BWR095
GOAD -The band was born near Florence, thanks to the work of the Rossi brothers, Gianni and Maurilio: The latter, twenty years later, is sill the perfect incarnation of the essence of the band. At the end of 1983, Rossi and the group put out the album Creatures for Northcott Production, a New York label that had already put out their album of covers, Who Can It Be in the USA. The album was published by Emmegi (distributed by Polygram) in 1985. In spite of the lack of support from the label, another album was finished. Perfume is a collection of pieces written and recorded from 1985 to 1988. The album was never published. Maurilio started work on a project dedicated to Edgar Allan Poe. The recording took place in the summer of 1994. The band, aside from Rossi (vocals, keyboards and bass) was made up of the drummer Giancarlo “Bronco” Gaglioti and various guests, among whom were guitarist Marcello Becattini and the late Marcello Masi, formerly of Strana Officina. Tribute to Edgar Allan Poe was published in 1995 and distributed in the same year by Multipromo. This time the tone was very different from the other two albums: It was more atmospheric and evocative progressive rock.
PAUL ROLAND - Re Animator - BWR096
‘Re-Animator’ features several songs with an H.P.Lovecraft theme and includes contributions from musicians who have recorded with Caravan, Jimi Hendrix and Steve Hillage.
Those who relish Paul’s atmospheric tales of Victorian serial killers, mad women in the attic, Dickensian underworld characters and eccentric Edwardian inventors will know what forbidden pleasures await them for the occult figures strongly in Roland’s fantasy world. But this continuing fascination with the supernatural is no mere window dressing.
ABYSMAL GRIEF - Same / Mors eleison - BWR097
The concept of the music of Abysmal Grief is based on the medianic relations with the World Beyond and the inner spiritual research by the divination of the deceased. The deep contemplation of the funereal mysticism (far from every kind of religious conviction and connected to a serious and objective interpretation of occult texts) provides the starting point for the drawing up of the lyrics, often inspired also by the interest in the Horror cinematography and literature. The music is partly influenced by the Dark Rock of the Seventies and mostly by the tradition of the Italian Dark Sound, and must be considered as a sort of soundtrack for the narrations. Moreover, the songs contained in this work go back to the period 1999\2004 and have been assembled here for the same esoterical contextualization, as the sum of the occult studies of the band so far. Essential for fans of early Death SS, Candlemass, S. Vitus, Cathedral, Black Sabbath, Paul Chain, Jacula & Antonius Rex!
JET JAGUAR - Space anthem - BWR098
Formed in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 2001, Jet Jaguar is Charles Van de Kree (guitars, synths, keyboards, vocals), Ron Grissom (bass, synths, vocals), Roland Thoms (drums, brass, sax, flute) and Joey Mach (drums, percussion, sampler). Named after a robot in a Godzilla movie, the group combines the high energy of punk and the heavy riffing of metal with the robotic, technology-laden sound of industrial and the drifting dreamscapes of ambient. Obsessed with visions of science-fiction apocalypse, the group's songs are terminally preoccupied with aeronautics, interstellar exploration, androidology, virtual reality, biomolecular mutation and nuclear genocide. Thus far, the group has released two full-length albums and two EPs. The group's new projects, Space Anthem live album and 3rd Millennium Power Drive (studio album). For fans of: Hawkwind, Chrome, Pink Floyd, Faust, Can, Amon Duul II, Ash Ra Tempel…..
ANTONIUS REX - Switch on dark - BWR099
The new Antonius Rex album is an esoteric vision of a haunted Castle lived in by Witches, Demons, Wizards, Ogres, Gnomes, Fairies… is obscure, dark and mystic….is fascinating, sinister and occult.
Hear it in the darkness, near the light of a candle, it brings you a in magic, occult world from where you will be not able to come back.
DELIRIUM - Vibrazioni notturne live - BWR100
Formed at the end of the seventies under the name of "Sagittari" (Pino Di Santo, Ettore Vigo, Mimmo Di Martino, Marcello Reale) later jioned by Ivano Fossati in 1970. In 1971 the band presents their first album "dolce acqua" which offers an atmosphere based on a soft acoustic sound mixed with soft rock and a touch of jazz, enriched by Fossati’s flute creating a sort of latin version of the more famous Jethro Tull. The popularity of the band took a giant step in 1972 by appearing at the Sanremo song festival with the song "Jesahel" soon becoming a number 1 seller with over a million copies sold. Despite Fossati leaving the band (for military service) and being replaced by english flute and sax player Martin Grice, Delirium record their second album "Lo Scemo e il Villaggio" reaching a new level of full artistic maturity with a splendid album of progessive rock jazz.
IL BACIO DELLA MEDUSA - Same - BWR101
Fantastic debut album for this young Italian band coming from Perugia; they bring us directly in a real 70s Italian Progressive Rock atmosphere….Quella Vecchia Locanda, Il Banco del Mutuo Soccorso, Osanna, le Orme, Pierrot Lunaire, Delirium, Corte dei Miracoli seem to rise again…Italian lyrics!
IL BACIO DELLA MEDUSA - Discesa agl'Inferi d'un giovane amante - BWR102
Second album! The band from Perugia confirm their great and natural 70s attitude, they play great progressive (BMS, PFM, DELIRIUM, BLACK WIDOW, J.TULL style) with great feeling, long tracks, great lyrics and great arrangements with the addition of Violin…
SPIRITS BURNING - Alien injection - BWR103
SPIRITS BURNING is a free-will multi-participant association founded by American musician, composer and producer Don Falcone Alien Injection is the fourth album…mostly vocal affair that weaves through the sounds of space progressive rock, past, present, and future. Crew members include Daevid Allen (Gong), Michael Moorcock (Hawkwind), Pete Pavli (High Tide), Adrian Shaw (Bevis Frond), Bridget Wishart (Hawkwind), and many others….. Damn… nearly every track is a winner on this one and I'm tempted to go on at length on all of them, but I'll control myself and just describe a few of the other standouts so you'll get the idea. Anyway, "Augustus" starts off as a jazzy-proggy cosmic instrumental with a great electric/acoustic guitar combo from Doug Erickson and Dave Figoli, more tron from Don, and sax leads from Purjah (Quiet Celebration) that go beautifully with the mellotron lines. It flows along for a bit but then took me by surprise by launching into a killer space rock and prog jam.
DR. HASBEEN - Signs (2Cds) - BWR104
Technicians of spaceship Earth, take note: the legacy of Hawkwind lives on in Dr. Hasbeen's newest release. If you're looking for the psychedelic meltdown euphoria of The Space Ritual or the earth-shattering space rock of Doremi Fasol Latido, your search is over. Signs, is the first official release of studio & live tracks from various venues, evokes fond far flung memories of Hawkwind at its best: blasting off live in all its acid glory for the heart of the sun.
PRESENCE - Evil rose - BWR105
Evil Rose is the 7th official Presence album, the first including two covers, The Prophet's Song, written by Queen's guitar hero Brian May, featured on Night at the Opera album and Gates of Babylon taken from Rainbow's Long Live Rock'n'Roll written by Ritchie Blackmore and Ronnie James Dio.The album also includes a 22 minutes suite called Evil Rose, a five part concept about a broken love scene between two lovers, developed in real time. Cassandra and Subterreans are two Presence's trademark songs with Sofia Baccini and Sergio.Casamassima in great evidence. Funebre Dea (impressions from Eraclito's script in the 535 a.c.) is a visionary instrumental dark gothic song, and No Reason Why a full of atmosphere piano/guitar/vocals ballad. The album concludes with one of the most intensive Presence's song, Orphic: it tells about the birth of a creation, touchin' some kind of music styles as jazz, blues and classical mixed in one heavy/progressive track, with an excellent Sofia Baccini performance, all painted with the multiform Enrico Iglio's keyboards.
UNIVERSAL TOTEM ORCHESTRA - The Magus - BWR106
“The Magus” is the second album from Universal Totem Orchestra after the debut titled “Rituale Alieno” (Black Widow Records, BWR 022, 1999), and describe a host of influences to create a dark and dense experience such a combination of the grandeur of the best symphonic rock with the repetitive intensity of zeuhl music.
It's a jazz/rock simphonyc composition which concludes a Trilogy (“Hidden Opera”, "Rituale Alieno", "The Magus") dedicated to the Human Alienation; from the most esoteric state to the most psychal complex one, crossing extreme forms of analysis and autoanalysis
The Orchestra musicians are: the drummer, composer and founder Uto G.Golin; the vocalist Ana Torres Fraile and the saxophonist Antonio Fedeli (they both performers on "Rituale Alieno").
The new members, who had composed the music of “The Magus” together with UTO G.Golin, are: bassist Yanik Lorenzo Andreatta, keyboardist Fabrizio Mattuzzi and the guitarist The Unknown Daniele Valle.
Real progressive music from another planet!
JACULA - Tardo pede in magiam versus - BWR108
The Jacula mystic-psycho-dark band was founded by the eclectic philosopher-composer-guitarist Antonio Bartoccetti (Antonius Rex lead guitar), the musician Charles Tiring (church organ), and the experimental sound enginneer, vocalist and keyboards player Doris Norton... The band is considered by the international critics as "the most authoritative band of the deeper parabiblical mystic sound". The band is characterized by the unique parapsychological style of the works, esotheric messages, fight against pollution and against any kind of war and violence. Antonio Bartoccetti also is the founder of the Antonius Rex cult group. Jacula band released the albums "In Cauda Semper Stat Venenum" (1969) and "Tardo Pede in Magiam Versus" (1972). In the 2007 "Tardo Pede in Magiam Versus" is released as the "35th Anniversary Edition". It also includes the previously unreleased track 'Absolution' (song composed by Bartoccetti-Norton). The thirth Jacula album entitled "Pre Viam" will be released in 2008.
IL CERCHIO D'ORO - Il Viaggio di Colombo - BWR109
Il Cerchio d'Oro, from Savona, only released three singles at the end of their career, that had begun in 1974.
Their beginnings were as one of the many symphonic oriented bands active in their area, with a strong influence by Le Orme. In fact their surviving recordings even include some early tracks played as a trio of keyboards/bass/drums.Unfortunately they couldn't manage to get a recording deal while still in their progressive years, and their only record releases are three singles, issued between 1977 and 1979, in a very commercial style. Two posthumous releases are useful to know this group, a 1999 CD by Mellow, with 12 tracks recorded around 1976, including their first single Quattro mura, and three later tracks in an almost disco-style.
Much better is the recent LP La quadratura del cerchio, issued in 2005, that contains 9 unreleased recordings, some of which are covers of tracks by Le Orme, New Trolls, The Trip, along with some originals, and though they come from rehearsal tapes, they show good quality and arrangements. After 25 years of silence the group found again the motivating force to start again playing with the original line up; hence they conceived the idea to write a concept album in the italian prog style mainly influenced by groups like Le Orme, New Trolls, Trip, Osanna, Il Balletto di Bronzo. The definitive title is IL VIAGGIO DI COLOMBO; the tracks don't tell the story of the discovery of the new continent but the one of a journey, wished, searched for, and conquered, a hard travel aggravated by the fear of the unknown. It's a metaphor of every man's life, with his projects, disappointments, satisfactions of reaching the marks which often become the starting points to another journey. The spring of it all is the wish of knowledge, of discovery, to have a project and trying to accomplish it even if we eventually find out that the targets aren't what we expected at first.
G.C. NERI - Logos - BWR110
Logos is the debut album of G.C.Neri from Genoa; it was composed as a concept album and portrays the spiritual travel of the artist who also played all the instruments but the drums performed by Roberto Maragliano.
It's a fascinating spiritual travel planned by G.C. Neri, an artist who has always believed that music is the last voice from the divine, a message capable to gift some relief to our poor souls which sublimates itself as a sort of sonic prayer.
Logos is also a tribute to the roots which moulded the artistic shaping of G.C. Neri, to those artists that helped him to become what he is now, from Led Zeppelin's hard blues to the romanticism of Genesis, from the symphonic attitude of ELP and Yes to the nervy rhythms of King Crimson, from the melodies of Le Orme , PFM and Osanna to the psychedelic tunes of Gong. At last Logos wants to be a path through tradition, the will to feel and create music according to the aesthetic and the sounds of the Seventies.
www.myspace.com/giorgiocneri
RIPPER The Dead Have Rizen - BWR111
FINALLY! The long awaited sequel to 1986's "And The Dead Shall Rise", written just one year later by Rob Graves in Los Angeles, though prematurely laid to rest with the band, never again to see the light of day, until NOW! RIPPER officially reformed in 2006, and immediately began working on this destined horror-metal masterpiece entitled 'The Dead Have Rizen', a dream come true for both the band, and their loyal fans! Watch the skies, theres a storm brewing in Texas!
WITCHFIELD - Sleepless - BWR112
New musical project born almost casually from a meeting between the former drummer of Death SS, ThomasHand Chaste, the former bass player of Paul Chain and Boohoos, Baka Bomb, and the two Cardellino brothers, the vocalist John Goldfinch and the guitar player Andy from the dark-prog band L’Impero delle Ombre
DELIRIUM I.P.G. - Il Nome del Vento - BWR113
DELIRIUM (International PROGressive Group) finished recordings of the new album "Il Nome del Vento", 60 mins of Progressive Jazz Rock a work which shows the 70s DELIRIUM music trade mark, Pop meets Progressive Jazz Rock...with lyrics by Mauro La Luce, authors of all texts of "Lo Scemo e il Villaggio" and "Delirium III"...
The album will be ready within the end of the year....edited by RAI TRADE
SOPHYA BACCINI - Aradia - BWR114
Lead vocal of Precence, with LINO VAIRETTI (OSANNA), MARTIN GRICE (DELIRIUM) AS SPECIAL GUESTS!!
LE ORME - Live Orme (2 Cds) - BWR115
Originally released in Japan by Nexus/King Records label over 20 years ago, this new reissue contains various wonderful live performances of one of most known Italian progressive band captured during the 70's, includes some covers like Whole lotta love and Aqualong and many of their most known compositions like Regina al Troubadour, Sguardo verso il cielo,, Era inverno, Cemento Armato....
This release has completely remastered by Studio Maia, Genova giving back the feeling of the original Orme performances.
Contain five bonus tracks (Los angeles, Amico di Ieri, Laurel Canyon, Sera, La porta chiusa) not included in the original Japanese pressing.
DEATH ROW - Alive in Death (2 CDs) - BWR116
US band founded by lead guitarist Victor Griffin (Pentagram, Place of Skulls) with the drummer Joe Hasselvander (Pentagram, Raven, Electric Warrior, Blue Cheer) and one of the old bassist of Pentagram, Lee Abney at the end of the '70's. . .Death Row "Alive In Death" included the first original home session (with some Black Sabbath numbers) that Victor and Joe first recorded, to give you, the listener the complete overview of the band's journey from obscurity to fame. The demo "Whore " contains three songs: Whore, The World Will Love Again, Madman . Live part is a rare recording from the band's performance in Knoxville, Tennessee in 1982 along with other live rarities for your listening enjoyment and Doom Metal needs!
VICTOR PERAINO's KINGDOM COME - No Man's Land - BWR117
VICTOR PERAINO was the American keyboard player for Arthur Brown's Kingdom Come, a band often overlooked in the pantheon of UK progressives. Following the group's final album "Journey", Peraino returned to the States, and somehow retained the rights to the group name. Details are sketchy, but according to legend only 100 copies of " No man's Land" were pressed making this a major rarity selling for four figures more often than not. A follow-up EP "We’re Next", contains a new version of the big hit "Fire", was recorded and released in 1981 which almost just as rare. Both releases were put together on this CD. The vinyl format is a limited 500 copies and contains the 7" EP. Peraino's Mellotron use is, again, quite magnificent, with lashings of strings, choir, cellos and brass all over the album. There are too many individual highlights to name but some of them deserves a special mention: "Lady Of The Morning" has especially good use on all fronts, the brilliant opening "San Sets Sail", the strong "Demon of Love" , with a Deep Purple guitar riff, "Garden of Death", a little in Hawkwind style and "Empires of Steel", the longest track of the album. is a true prog masterpiece. An absolute Mellotron Monster, so highly recommended to all the progressive rock fans.
www.myspace.com/victorperainokingdomcome
ANTONIUS REX - Zora - BWR118
32nd Anniversary Edition of the legendary occult prog album by Antonius Rex, with an unreleased song (Monastery) and original "nude witch" cover. Probably the most charismatic figure of all the Italian prog scene, Antonio Bartoccetti (Antonius Rex) began his career going to Milan from the Marche, forming Jacula, Dietro Noi Deserto (even with a single on Decca in 1971!), and Invisible Force (another lonely single in 1971). Not real bands but just a group of musicians working beyond the leading figures of Bartoccetti and Doris Norton (aka Fiamma Dallo Spirito). The album was planned for release on drummer Albert Goodman's Darkness label, but it never went over a promo issue. So the first real commercially released Antonius Rex album is Zora from 1977, on the small Tickle label and, again, with an outrageous cover that was replaced with a different one a year later. Zora includes a reworking of a Jacula's Tardo pede in magiam versus track (Morte al potere is a third revised version of U.F.D.E.M.); their main elements are as usual church organ, dark atmospheres, lyrics dealing with occultism. Originally album has four tracks and "Gnome" bonus track was presented in the later issue with different cover in 1978...now this renewed version with the original artwork includes new photos and an unreleased track titled Monastery never heard before!
WITCHE'S BREW - White Trash Sideshow - BWR119
Witch’s Brew band was born from the association of two well-known soloists of the Italian music scene: Mirk’O ZOnca, pioneer of the Psychedelic Grunge in the late 1980s, and Mirko Bosco, ex guitar player of the historic DISPER-AZIONE band (1985 – 89), recently back in Italy after a ten-year adventure in the USA. Confident of their many years’ experience as musicians, Witch’s Brew immediately started to work on new productions and re-editing of music pieces from the personal repertoire of the members.
The result is a sound that widely hints to the Seventies atmosphere, with blues and psychedelic nuances but the same strength as Black Sabbath. After an initial period of adjustment, the band (under the final form of a Power Trio) set out for a journey that would have led it to perform <>
www.myspace.com/witches.brew
AREKNAMES - In Case of Loss - BWR120
AREKNAMÉS are a new Italian band that will bring you straight back into the magical 70's. Strongly influenced by both VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR and the Canterbury scene, they are nevertheless free of any clichés and successfully manage to mix those influences with their own very personal style. They are masterminded by composer, producer, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Michele Epifani who handles the Hammond organ, piano, mellotron, synths, harpsichord, acoustic and electric guitars as well as the recorder. Their first album, released by Black Widow in 2003, is made up of six fairly long tracks that feature a lot of mellotron, which plays a prominent role in the arrangements along with some heavy guitar riffs. All tracks feature many dramatic mood changes, constantly alternating between melodic parts and furious passages, between classic symphonic rock and outright 'doom' prog, never staying long in anyone spot. It is a well-balanced and consistent album, featuring a good vocalist (who sounds much like Peter Hammill) and great musicians who obviously concentrate on creativity rather than a show of technical prowess. The third album "In Case of Loss" is another magical trip through the '70's dark, dramatic, symphonic atmospheres of progressive rock influenced by VDGG, Canterbury scene, Still Life, Quatermass, Indian Summer...and contains a wonderful suite almost 20 minutes long, and some beautiful arrangements of violin, cello and saxophone!
www.myspace.com/areknames
SANCTA SANCTORUM - The Shining Darkness - BWR121
SANCTA SANCTORUM is a group of "sacred names" in the temple of Italian Rock, that has formed an alliance with the intent of leaving an indelible sign in the realm of the Dark- Hard Rock Sound.
The band was formed in 2007 from the renewed collaboration between Steve Sylvester, mythical singer and founder of the seminal DEATH SS, and Thomas Hand Chaste, drummer in the first line-up of this historic italian cult-band , ( 1977/84 era). The purpose was to combine their respective experiences, matured in more than 25 years of artistic-musical career, in order to create a new entity that, starting from the dark sound of their mother band ,could lead them to broader and more experimental musical horizons, converging their respective musical influences based on the hard- progressive sounds of the 70es and freeing themselves from the esoteric themes and complex theatrics of the original combo. Another " survivor" of the original legendary DEATH SS line-up is the bass-player Gabriele Tommasini, in art Danny Hughes, known after the DEATH SS experience as bass-player for the Violet Eves (a jazz-POP-rock group that gained a certain success in the ' 80es) and going on to become a demanded session musician as well as manager of his own recording studio. The line-up is completed with the younger, but not for this less skilled Frederick Dope, a talented guitar-player, emulous of the most inspired Tony Iommi, and John Di Lallo who, with his lisergic and evocative keyboards, contributes to enrich the powerful and 70es-oriented sound of the band.
IL TEMPIO DELLE CLESSIDRE - Same - BWR123
Il Tempio delle Clessidre is a new Italian band that tries to express ideas and music with the typical ’70 progressive rock sound. Elisa Montaldo, a keyboardist and composer fond of progressive rock and Stefano “Lupo” Galifi, exceptional singer in “Zarathustra”, the progressive masterpiece by the famous Italian band Museo Rosenbach, met in 2006 and started the project Il Tempio delle Clessidre (evocative name inspired by part of the suite “Zarathustra”, rivisitated in meaning and concept) . The band performs the whole “Zarathustra” in two concerts and the voice of Stefano returns to the audience with the original strenght and his typical “blues hue”. After several changes in line-up the band, finally formed by Stefano “Lupo” Galifi on vocals, Elisa Montaldo on keyboards, Giulio Canepa on guitar, Fabio Gremo on bass and Paolo Tixi on drums, starts to work on their own new compositions and ideas: improvisations, studies, efforts and research of sounds are all important parts in the birth of the omonimous opera: the songs all enclose the passion for progressive, hard rock, doom and symphonic music and it’s a spontaneous stream of emotions and melodies. In this album there are light and darkness, joyful and doomy moments, fast and slow parts; all musicians are involved and put their personal touch into the music. There could be found influences of King Crimson, Genesis, Gentle Giant and even a strong link to Italian progressive like Le Orme, Banco del Mutuo Soccorso, Balletto di Bronzo, Museo Rosenbach. Il Tempio delle Clessidre inserted also some acoustic instruments to make the sound warmer and true: acoustic guitar, acoustic piano, concertina, occasional and strange percussions, even a church organ for the final of the song “Faldistorum” to give more mysticism and gothic attitude to this two-parts instrumental suite describing a witches’ Sabba.
Stefano “Lupo” Galifi makes a stab at singing new songs after more than 30 years from “Zarathustra” and his energy gives life to a new entusiasm where the voice expresses his incredible passion for music: powerful in the hard rock style songs, warm and deep in ballads.
Il Tempio delle Clessidre tries to bring the listener into their many-sided world and to shed some light to make reflections on human condition. Music is a metaphor of life itself and for Il Tempio delle Clessidre progressive is the best “musical” way of speaking to sensible and intellective souls.
www.myspace.com/iltempiodelleclessidre
ABYSMAL GRIEF – Misfortune - BWR125
The long awaited second album from the masters of necromantical Horror Doom Metal! The album is based completely on the arts of necromancy and divination and the songs are more gloomy and doomy than ever before! Extremely simple and twisted at the same time – as only Abysmal Grief could compose the songs! Comes in deluxe foldout digipack with a bonus video clip!!
Also available the white vinyl version in heavy gatefold cover with inner sleeve! - limited only 300 copies
www.myspace.com/regengraves
ANTONIUS REX - Per Viam - BWR126
The Antonius Rex band behind the global phenomenon Switch on Dark (2006) returns for the highly anticipated PER VIAM, basedupon the esoteric compositions (2007, 2008) by Antonio Bartoccetti. Doris Norton reprises his role as keyboard player, arranger, sound engineer, sound construction and computer programming. The new incredible album (2009) once again finds that invisible forces are able to penetrate in each human being involved in a personal supernatural research by a praeternatural fusion of magic and extreme mystic experiences.The album releases a series of no rational blue-black visions, sometimes heavenly, sometimes terrifying, making each vision available to the listener for reaching the subliminal fusion. The mortals, listening to the album, get a praeternatural power and become able to live free, away from stupid, demented and alienating problems of the daily life.The guitarist Antonio Bartoccetti, as for the previous album, first wrote the video screenplay for each track, then composed the audio tracks and recorded all the album: all the work lasted 14 months. PER VIAM .... the most exceptional, fantastic, hyperbolic, mystic, progressive, dreaming, visionary, charming and terrifying Antonius Rex new album
