[photo by Shane Gardner]
Grimoire Records presents Chronicles, the debut full-length recording from Baltimore, Maryland-based fantasy doom metal act HAZE MAGE. The record will be released in April, and this week, the label has issued details on the sprawling release including album artwork, preorders, and more.
Forged in late 2015, HAZE MAGE creates riff-driven, anthemic fantasy metal that transports listeners to a world of ancient dark forests, savage beasts, and gloomy landscapes engulfed by a menacing miasma of haunting haze. HAZE MAGE weaves their fantasy world through lyrics and sound that draw inspiration from many sub genres of metal including Black Sabbath, Queens Of The Stone Age, The Sword, Clutch, High On Fire, and Sleep to create what they have dubbed “sword and sorcery doom.”
Having quickly gained attention in the Baltimore metal scene thanks to their exuberant and thundering stage shows, HAZE MAGE first caught the ear of local label and friends, Grimoire Records, in the summer of 2016. In 2017, Grimoire recorded and released the band’s Blood Mist debut EP to critical praise from outlets such as The Obelisk, Worldwide Underground, and Heavy Planet, who found it “…bold, psychedelic, and memorable.”
HAZE MAGE has performed at a number of notable annual events including Artscape, Days Of Darkness Festival, Shadow Woods Metal Fest, and Light City, and has maintained a presence in the Baltimore metal scene at clubs such as Metro Gallery, The Ottobar, Rams Head, and Soundstage. Additionally, the band also organizes their own annual spring event titled Grim Reefer Fest, that brings together bands from various metal genres from all over the region.
In Spring 2019, HAZE MAGE will release their first full-length album titled Chronicles through Grimoire Records. Chronicles is an expansion of the fantasy world created in their debut EP. The album and its concept have been in development since 2017 as part of an even broader narrative yet to come. Each song introduces a new character or piece of lore for the listening adventurers to encounter. Chronicles was recorded, mixed, and mastered between fall 2018 and winter 2019 by Grimoire Records’ co-founder and audio engineer Noel Mueller. The artwork was created by John De Campos/Ghost Bat Illustration with additional layout work by Noel Mueller, with photography by Shane Gardner.
Chronicles will see release on limited edition CD, and digital download via Grimoire Records on April 19th. Preorders have been posted HERE.
Watch for audio previews and more from Chronicles to be issued in the days ahead.
Chronicles Track Listing:
1. Haze Mage
2. Storm Blade
3. Bong Witch
4. Fire Wizards
5. Corpse Golem
6. Priest Of Azathoth
7. Harbinger
8. Dread Queen
HAZE MAGE has also booked the new installment of Grim Reefer Fest at the Ottobar in Baltimore, appropriately scheduled for 4/20 in conjunction with the release of the Chronicles album. In addition to HAZE MAGE, the event features sets from Ruby The Hatchet, Heavy Temple, Horseburner, Mountainwolf, Book Of Wyrms, Tombtoker, labelmates Yatra, and more. Watch for additional tour dates to be announced in the weeks ahead.
HAZE MAGE Live:
4/20/2019 Ottobar – Baltimore, MD @ Grim Reefer Fest [info]
HAZE MAGE:
Kevin Considine – guitar
Nick Jewett – guitar
John De Campos – drums
Scott Brenner – bass
Matthew Casella – vocals
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