Photo by Lani Lee
New York City’s BLACK ANVIL will begin their North American live ambush tonight supporting black metal legends Mayhem. The journey will run through December 2nd with additional support provided by Immolation. See all confirmed dates below.
BLACK ANVIL will be touring in support of their As Was full-length, unleashed earlier this year via Relapse Records. Reaping critical accolades globally, Pitchfork wrote, “Like Celtic Frost before them, BLACK ANVIL finds ways to summon profound darkness without tapping into black-metal clichés. Their latest ebbs and flows with effortless grace.” Metal Injection called As Was, “a great addition to BLACK ANVIL‘s career. If you enjoy having more atmosphere and gloom while you bang your heads, this is going to be an absolute winner for you. BLACK ANVIL has always been able to balance atmosphere into their metal, but As Was might be their best effort yet,” while Noisey lauded the record’s, “evil riffs, vicious grooves, and an uncharacteristic abundance of soaring clean vocals.” Decibel noted, “While maintaining their familiar scorched palette, they also employ breezy prog excursions, sunbaked steel guitar, and white hot Priestian trad metal,” while Bandcamp, in their Album Of The Day honors, added, “Thematically, the album tends toward a cerebral interpretation of the Satanic; rather than focusing on the demonic mythos, BLACK ANVIL are more concerned with internal struggles, and the necessary balance between darkness and light (See: ‘As an Elder Learned Anew’ and ‘Two Keys: Here’s The Lock’). And indeed, BLACK ANVIL prove themselves here as masters of equilibrium – the fluidity of stylistic and thematic tensions results in an album that is creative and challenging, the next step in their quest to push USBM forward, with hearty hails to the dark energies of the recent past.”
As Was is out now on Relapse Records on CD, 2xLP, and digital formats. Physical orders and bundles are available via Relapse.com HERE and digital downloads can be ordered via Bandcamp at THIS LOCATION where the record can also be streamed in full.
BLACK ANVIL w/ Mayhem, Immolation:
11/03/2017 Montage Music Hall – Rochester, NY
11/04/2017 Elements – Kitchener, ON
11/05/2017 St. Andrews Hall – Detroit, MI
11/06/2017 Skully’s Music Diner – Columbus, OH
11/07/2017 The Majestic – Madison, WI
11/09/2017 The Forge – Joliet, IL
11/10/2017 The Ready Room – St. Louis, MO
11/11/2017 The Granada – Lawrence, KS
11/12/2017 The Waiting Room – Omaha, NE
11/14/2017 El Rey Theatre – Albuquerque, NM
11/16/2017 Ace of Spades – Sacramento, CA
11/17/2017 The Observatory Northpark – San Diego, CA
11/18/2017 The Fonda – Los Angeles, CA
11/19/2017 The Rialto Theatre – Tucson, AZ
11/21/2017 Mohawk – Austin, TX
11/22/2017 White Oak – Houston, TX
11/24/2017 The Orpheum – Tampa, FL
11/25/2017 Mavericks – Jacksonville, FL
11/26/2017 Saturn – Birmingham, AL
11/27/2017 Cannery Ballroom – Nashville, TN
11/28/2017 Neighborhood Theatre – Charlotte, NC
11/30/2017 Mr. Smalls Theatre – Pittsburgh, PA
12/01/2017 Baltimore Sound Stage – Baltimore, MD
12/02/2017 Irving Plaza – New York, NY
Atmospheric and melodic without relenting any of the ferocity BLACK ANVIL has always been known for, As Was seamlessly weaves through eight monumental passages of extreme metal art. More diverse, complex, and thought-provoking than anything they’ve released previously, As Was is a stellar representation of modern black metal, and of BLACK ANVIL‘s continuous progression and songcraft. As Was was recorded at Menegroth by Colin Marston (Krallice, Gorguts, Panopticon) with mixing and mastering done by Tore Stjerna at Necromorbus Studio (Tribulation, Funeral Mist, Watain), and features cover art by Metastazis (Behemoth, Watain, Morbid Angel).
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