Update on Jeff Hanneman of Slayer, who has been out of condition with a necrotic spider bite:

Jeff was bitten by a spider more than a year ago, but what you may not have known was that for a couple of days after he went to the ER, things were touch-and-go. There was talk that he might have to have his arm amputated, and we didn’t know if he was going to pull through at all. He was in a medically-induced coma for a few days and had several operations to remove the dead and dying tissue from his arm.

So, understand, he was in really, really bad shape.

It’s been about a year since he got out of the hospital, and since then, he had to learn to walk again, he’s had several painful skin grafts, he’s been in rehab doing exercises to regain the strength in his arm; but best of all, he’s been playing guitar. We were all excited when he joined us onstage for the encore a year ago at The Big Four show at Coachella. Since then, we’ve given him all the time and support he’s needed to continue his rehab so he can come back to the band fully recovered and able to deliver the kind of shows we all want him to.

While Jeff’s been doing some writing and has been coming to rehearsal over the past several weeks, he has decided he needs to take more time to continue his rehab. While we want him back onstage with the band, all of us support his decision. So, we’re very grateful that Gary Holt will continue to fill in for Jeff, and will tour with us until Jeff completes his rehab and is ready to return. How long will that be? The best and most honest answer we can give you is ‘as long as it takes.’

We also wanted you to know that we’ve been doing some writing and recording for the next Slayer album – we’ve tracked a few songs, and will finish the album when we’re off the road later this year. Gary will join us on tour in Europe and the UK in May and June, and then we’ll all see you on this Summer’s Mayhem Festival. – Slayer

Keep him in your thoughts and blasphemic imprecations of desolate transcendence.

Northern Traditions is a yearly publication, of which this is the second volume. Contributions of articles, artwork, translations and poetry are now open.

Topics include, but are not limited to: indigenous Traditions of Northern Euope, Celtic, Norse, Teutonic, history, geography, mythology, culture, literature, linguistics – the range of topics and possibilities are immense.

Numen Books needs people to submit articles for this legendary series.

• Currently accepting submissions

Recorded back in the hazy 1990s, The Dying Truth is a morbid sort of grindcore-influenced death metal that takes a death-doom pace with an eclectic but primitive approach to riffs.

The re-issue of this death/doom classic from 1992 with its original intended track order and “Funeral” (Demo 1990) and “Second Life” (Demo 1991) tracks as bonus.

Release date: May 18th.

CD $7.50
T-shirt $12.75
Combo $18.75

• Cianide – The Dying Truth re-issue pre-order

Neptune Towers’ rare 1994 debut of Ambient Soundscapes available on Peaceville for the first time.

Bleak and evocatively atmospheric, Neptune Towers was the brainchild of Darkthrone’s Fenriz.

The music takes its inspiration from the likes of Tangerine Dream, Klaus Schulze and Kraftwerk.

This edition of Caravans To Empire Algol contains liner notes by Fenriz.

Pre-order now for 11th June 2012 release date.

1. Caravans To Empire Algol (24:32)
2. The Arrival At Empire Algol (12:37)

Glad to see this classic ride again. It’s like a darkwave version of Tangerine Dream, deep cosmic music that came out at a time when all black metal bands were experimenting with ambient. This is better than most however.

• Neptune Towers – Caravans to Empire Algol Preorder (£8.99 GBP)

SARCOFAGO’S Decade Of Decay was initially released in 1995, and official copies of it are virtually impossible to find anywhere… until now. Bearing a total of 20 tracks spawned over the band’s career, this reissue of the compilation album weighs in with over an hour and twelve minutes of blasting SARCOFAGO mayhem and debauchery, and even includes three songs from the Satanic Lust demo, two songs from The Black Vomit demo and two songs from the Christ’s Death demo. This represents the first time that SARCOFAGO demo material is available officially. The entire reissue process for this compilation album has been overseen by SARCOFAGO’s Wagner “Antichrist” Lamounier himself!

The first release in a series of SARCOFAGO albums set for official reissue through 2012 and beyond, the first stateside release of Decade Of Decay will take place in North America on June 5th as a 6-panel/full color digipak CD imported directly from Brazil, featuring a full-color fold-out poster with information on all of the songs included. The packaging features never-before-seen photos from SARCOFAGO throughout their various stages, going from INRI all the way to the Hate album. An ultra-limited deluxe 2xLP edition is to be released later in the Summer with details to be confirmed shortly.

Decade of Decay Track Listing:
1. The Lost Of Innocence
2. Orgy Of Flies
3. Hate
4. The God’s Faeces
5. Song For My Death
6. Midnight Queen
7. Screeches From The Silence
8. Piercings
9. Crush, Kill, Destroy
10. Nightmare
11. Rotting
12. I.N.R.I.
13. Desecration Of Virgin
14. Recrucify
15. The Black Vomit
16. Satanic Lust
17. Christ’s Death
18. The Anal Rape of God
19. Satanas
20. Third Slaughter

Florida-based Greyhaze Records is now the official North American distributor for Brazilian label Cogumelo Records. Cogumelo is well-respected throughout the extreme metal world, having been founded over thirty years ago, and having released a steady arsenal of quality death, thrash and grind from acts including Sarcófago, Mutilator, Holocausto, Sextrash, Impurity, Chakal, Psychic Possessor, Ratos de Porão, Vulcano, Headhunter DC, Drowned, Defacer, Calvary Death and more. Cogumelo was responsible for the initial release of the Sepultura’s seminal first three albums — Bestial Devastation, Morbid Visions and Schizophrenia — now exclusively under license to Roadrunner Records.

http://www.greyhazerecords.com
http://www.facebook.com/greyhazerecords
http://www.cogumelo.com

• Sarcofago – Decade of Decay Digipak CD $15

Never has doom been so comforting, yet I never considered the band doom per say. Ceremonium “Dreams We Have Written” is in my hands now, and looks and sounds amazing so far…Fantastic work by WTP…For me its still sinking in this band had an eleven year chapter. Get this double CD for $20 US including shipping..World inquire…Fitting end to the gloomy madness…

Ceremonium – “Dreams We Have Written” Double CD $20

The SIXTH issue of The Convivial Hermit Magazine is nearing completion and it’s time to notify everyone about advertising rates. If you have received this message it means that I have either interviewed a band on your label, reviewed an album on your label and/or I am simply interested in working with you. The specs of #6 are the following (with total pages liable to change).

104 pages B&W, 8 1/2 x 11 inch (21.59 x 27.94 cm) perfect bound flat spine, gloss B&W cover with metallic ink/foil stamping.

EXCLUSIVE (23) interviews with the following artists/persons:

JOE ABERCROMBIE (UK) • BERGTHRON (Deu) • BLUT AUS NORD (Fra) • CHRISTICIDE (Fra) • CRIPTA OCULTA (Por) • CRUCIAMENTUM (UK) • DAGOR DAGORATH (Isr) • DALINA (Blr) • DIGITAL FERRET RECORD STORE (USA) • FALLS OF RAUROS (USA) • FUNERARY BELL (Fin) • GJÖLL (Ice) • INFESTUS (Deu) • KTAOABC (Ned) • LARRNAKH (Hun) • MONOLITHE (Fra) • MOVIMENTO D’AVANGUARDIA ERMETICO (Ita) • NEUTRAL (Rus) • PURTENANCE (Fin) • RIPPIKOULU (Fin) • TEMPLE OF TORTUROUS (Swe) • THE SULLEN ROUTE (Rus) • VSPOLOKH (Rus)

+ Over 17 pages of reviews
+ 10 Articles

————————————————

Advertising rates and information are as follows:

Full page = 8.5 x 11 inch (21.6 x 27.9 cm)
Half page = 4.25 x 11 inch (10.8 x 27.9 cm) WIDE
Half page = 8.25 x 5.5 inch (21.6 x 14 cm) TALL
Quarter = 2.125 x 2.75 inch (5.4 x 7 cm)

IMPORTANT: Bleeds = 1/4 – 1/2 inch (.6 – 1.3 cm)

DPI = 300 to 600 (preferably 600)

Back cover gloss Full page €250 / $325
Inside covers gloss Full page €200 / $255
Inside Full page €120 / $155
Inside Half page €80 / $105
Inside Quarter page €40 / $50

————————————————

PAYMENTS ON ADS THAT ARE UNUSED, FOR WHATEVER REASON – LACK OF SPACE, LACK OF TIME, ETC – WILL BE REFUNDED. Additionally, since all money will be absorbed into the printing costs, trades will be EXTREMELY limited. I am willing to work things out with a few people if necessary, but these will be rare exceptions. Please contact me for more details on any of the above if required.

The debut album of Jess and the Ancient Ones now available for pre-ordering as CD and LP. Will be released on May 19 and shipped the day before. Featuring Antti Boman of Demilich and other talented stalwarts of the Finnish uebermetal pool. Rumored to be psychedelic/funeral doom crossover.

• Jess and the Ancient Ones – S/T CD, LP and Tshirt
• Jess and the Ancient Ones website
• Jess and the Ancient Ones logo tshirt

One of the oldest still functional speed metal bands still around, still making avantgarde arty speed metal, but they’ve updated the sound a bit to be post-modern-metal.

Prong Carved Into Stone CD

INCLUDES A DIGITAL DOWNLOAD OF THE RECORD ON TUE 4/24 at 12:01AM (Open your account and look in MY DOWNLOADS)

Tracklisting
1) Eternal Heat
2) Keep on Living in Pain
3) Ammunition
4) Revenge … Best Served Cold
5) State of Rebellion
6) Put Myself to Sleep
7) List of Grievances
8) Carved Into Stone
9) Subtract
10) Path of Least Resistance
11) Reinvestigate

• Prong – Carved in Stone CD $12

Ceremonium “Dreams We Have Written” double compilation CD will arrive in a few weeks. I will get copies and ship anywhere. Send message to order and any interviews sent will be vomited back asap. There maybe flyers soon to follow…