Svart HHV Records 494 Items

Svart Records set to release the 10 year anniversary edition of Voivod's Target Earth. 2LP edition, including a booklet with photos and extra graphics. The limited Svart exclusive colorway comes with a slipmat.

Target Earth is the thirteenth studio album, and the sixteenth release overall, by the Canadian heavy metal band Voivod, which was originally released in 2013. This is the first Voivod studio album to feature Daniel "Chewy" Mongrain on guitar (replacing the late Denis "Piggy" D'Amour) and the only one since 1991's Angel Rat with Jean-Yves "Blacky" Thériault on bass.

The main songwriters on Target Earth were Jean-Yves "Blacky" Theriault, in his first songwriting credit with Voivod since 1991, and Daniel "Chewy" Mongrain, who replaced Piggy. As Michel "Away" Langevin explained, Mongrain's role was both challenging and natural: "He had to think from his point of view how Voivod should sound like nowadays...He learned to play guitar listening to Voivod, and he knows all the albums, he's a fan of all the eras, so it feels very natural for him to write Voivodian material."

"Target Earth is somehow, against all odds, the best Voivod album since probably The Outer Limits. It’s super-prog, plenty heavy, and pretty damn weird. And it has something to offer fans of any era of Voivod’s past, while also having its own identity and direction. Welcome back, guys." - The Angry Metal Guy

"For this, VOIVOD's thirteenth studio album, ever present drummer Michel "Away" Langevin and long reinstated vocalist Denis "Snake" Belanger managed the coup of dragging founding bassist, Jean-Yves "Blacky" Theriault out of retirement, making it three-out-of-four original VOIVOD-ers - the better to facilitate new guitarist Daniel "Chewy" Mongrain's unenviable task of filling Piggy's space boots. To his credit, Mongrain blends right in, and so too does "Target Earth" blend in with numerous portions of VOIVOD's itinerant musical past, arguably making it the band's first truly "regressive" - not "progressive" - album, and, as such, likely good news for the band's oldest fans." - Blabbermouth

Dark cloud approaching – Black Magic Six set to release their fifth album in September!

The title of Black Magic Six’s upcoming album Black Cloud Descending really sums up the mood and thoughts of its creators during the album making process. It tells stories of constant escaping, accepting defeat, destinies of outcasts, failures, and drunks. Tales of the wiser, exaggerated lies, vague rumours, fuzzy states of mind and suspicious circumstances – even the thought in the back of your head about the possibility of redemption while standing on the edge of the cliff right before falling in; it’s all there.

The album’s first single Blood of Babylon is a garage rocking song about Sam Berkowitz’s relationship with Sam Carr’s speaking dog. Lyrical themes of the upcoming album are moving between reality and the imaginary world; remembering the moments at Belo Horizonte, how to use the powder that protects you from the evil eye, how it felt to wonder in the same alleyways with the werewolf of Istanbul or diving to safety to the bottom of a pond in Northern Savo.

Musically the album is on a narrow path. All the sounds heard on Black Cloud Descending are produced by Taskinen and Motherfuckin’ Japa. Sure, there are two exceptions; the gong heard in the end of Werewolf of Istanbul was recorded by Sakke Koivula at his home and the church bells in the outro of Full House Blues are ringed by unknown. Previous albums of BM6 had lots of featured vocalists and other guests playing guitar, percussions, and harmonica. People that one could call actual musicians. These past albums have had a softer, more versatile, and maybe even a livelier touch to them. This time around there’s only the core; the percussionist and the singing guitar player. The result is more raw, rugged, and rougher than before.

Black Cloud Descending is out on September 1st on vinyl, CD and digital platforms. The album was produced, recorded, and mixed by Mitro Kylliäinen at Kung Fu Audio along with BM6 during 2022-2023. Original art used for the album cover was made by Greger Grönholm. The band will play selected live shows to celebrate the new album in Finland, Germany, Denmark, and Spain. Dates of these gigs will be announced closer to the release date of the album.

Dark cloud approaching – Black Magic Six set to release their fifth album in September!

The title of Black Magic Six’s upcoming album Black Cloud Descending really sums up the mood and thoughts of its creators during the album making process. It tells stories of constant escaping, accepting defeat, destinies of outcasts, failures, and drunks. Tales of the wiser, exaggerated lies, vague rumours, fuzzy states of mind and suspicious circumstances – even the thought in the back of your head about the possibility of redemption while standing on the edge of the cliff right before falling in; it’s all there.

The album’s first single Blood of Babylon is a garage rocking song about Sam Berkowitz’s relationship with Sam Carr’s speaking dog. Lyrical themes of the upcoming album are moving between reality and the imaginary world; remembering the moments at Belo Horizonte, how to use the powder that protects you from the evil eye, how it felt to wonder in the same alleyways with the werewolf of Istanbul or diving to safety to the bottom of a pond in Northern Savo.

Musically the album is on a narrow path. All the sounds heard on Black Cloud Descending are produced by Taskinen and Motherfuckin’ Japa. Sure, there are two exceptions; the gong heard in the end of Werewolf of Istanbul was recorded by Sakke Koivula at his home and the church bells in the outro of Full House Blues are ringed by unknown. Previous albums of BM6 had lots of featured vocalists and other guests playing guitar, percussions, and harmonica. People that one could call actual musicians. These past albums have had a softer, more versatile, and maybe even a livelier touch to them. This time around there’s only the core; the percussionist and the singing guitar player. The result is more raw, rugged, and rougher than before.

Black Cloud Descending is out on September 1st on vinyl, CD and digital platforms. The album was produced, recorded, and mixed by Mitro Kylliäinen at Kung Fu Audio along with BM6 during 2022-2023. Original art used for the album cover was made by Greger Grönholm. The band will play selected live shows to celebrate the new album in Finland, Germany, Denmark, and Spain. Dates of these gigs will be announced closer to the release date of the album.

Natural/turquoise marble vinyl, limited to 500 copies.

Official reissue of the debut album by Blood Money, originally released on Ebony Records in 1986.

Blood Money were the ultimate Nwobhm cult act, playing frantic thrashing heavy metal at a breakneck pace like no one else. Being active during the latter days of the Nwobhm movement, Blood Money took more influence from speed metal bands like Agent Steel and the unpolished punk metal of early Venom than the classic rock groups and Black Sabbath that influenced their earlier Nwobhm brethren. Recommended for anyone into obscure but great 80's metal in the vein of Agent Steel, Carnivore, Venom, Piledriver, Savage or Tank.

A ruthless album all in all and a true classic in its genre!

Natural/red marble vinyl, limited to 500 copies.

Official reissue of the second album by Blood Money, originally released on Ebony Records in 1987.

Blood Money were the ultimate Nwobhm cult act, playing frantic thrashing heavy metal at a breakneck pace like no one else. Being active during the latter days of the Nwobhm movement, Blood Money took more influence from speed metal bands like Agent Steel and the unpolished punk metal of early Venom than the classic rock groups and Black Sabbath that influenced their earlier Nwobhm brethren. Recommended for anyone into obscure but great 80's metal in the vein of Agent Steel, Carnivore, Venom, Piledriver, Savage or Tank.

An absolute masterpiece and a must have for all heavy metal fanatics!

Blood Money were the ultimate Nwobhm cult act, playing frantic thrashing heavy metal at a breakneck pace like no one else.

This is the complete collection of all existing recordings by Blood Money. It features remasters of both of their studio albums, Red Raw And Bleeding and Battlescarred, plus demos and radio live tracks, and a scrapbook zine with photos and other materials. The demo/live LP and the zine are available in the box set only.

Being active during the latter days of the Nwobhm movement, Blood Money took more influence from speed metal bands like Agent Steel and the unpolished punk metal of early Venom than the classic rock groups and Black Sabbath that influenced their earlier Nwobhm brethren. Recommended for anyone into obscure but great 80's metal in the vein of Agent Steel, Carnivore, Venom, Piledriver, Savage or Tank.

Approved by the band, this is the last and perhaps the final word on Blood Money, containing every song the band left on tape during their short lifespan in the late 80's.

This September, coffins will shake and graves shall release their dead

Darkness is falling. A cold wind blows from the snow-covered Carpathians, making the windows rattle and the corners of the house creak. Something is coming, eyes flashing red in the night and its footprints filled with grave dirt. What nocturnal terror is this? Why, it’s the arrival of the long-awaited third album by The Coffinshakers, folks.

While most bands quickly lose the spark, The Coffinshakers have stayed relevant – eternal like the undead. Though humor is their hallmark, there is also poignancy and something genuinely spine-tingling in their rugged, melancholy ballads. And this new offering shows them at the height of their baleful, campy power. They truly are a band that ages like fine wine – although vampires, of course, never drink… wine.

Much will be familiar to dedicated fans. Rob’s trademark malevolent chuckles still reverberate with sardonic glee, the deep rumble of his voice continuing to send all yellow-bellies hiding behind the barn. At the same time, his vocals have gained in both power and subtleness. The same goes for the guitar, bass, and drum work, now incorporating a broader array of classic Americana influences. These unholy badmen have drunk the blood straight from the neck of the authentic country, bluegrass, folk and other rootsy music of inbred US backwaters – and it has made their fangs sharper than ever.

And though The Coffinshakers still ride forth with tongue firmly planted in cheek, there is a new apocalyptic urgency to their third offering. From the marching drums of the desolate “Graves, Release Your Dead” to the echoing vocals of “River of Souls” and the cathartic cataclysm of “Down in Flames”, it all forebodes the imminent end of the whole dirty enchilada of existence. The band’s flippancy comes with a genuinely unsettling kernel of darkness – and black humor is always the most satisfying. Vampires may not cry, but we all know they laugh wickedly as they rise from the bone orchard.

- Per Faxneld, Södertörn University department of religion and vampirism, author of Satanic Feminism, Offerträdet, The Devils Party and others

The Coffinshakers' past nocturnal glories include the debut album "We Are The Undead" (1998) and the eponymous sophomore record (2007), after which the cadaverous quartet retreated to the silence of the tomb, having vacated their respective coffins only sporadically when invoked to perform undead rituals in front of a live audience. Now, many moons since they last haunted the earthly domain, the hour has come for another foray into the realm of the living. Yet again the dead shall live, the living die, and Musick shall untune the sky.

Svart Records will release Graves, Release Your Dead by The Coffinshakers on September 15th on long playing vinyl, compact disc and digital formats, including an exclusive variant with a 3D cover.

This September, coffins will shake and graves shall release their dead

Darkness is falling. A cold wind blows from the snow-covered Carpathians, making the windows rattle and the corners of the house creak. Something is coming, eyes flashing red in the night and its footprints filled with grave dirt. What nocturnal terror is this? Why, it’s the arrival of the long-awaited third album by The Coffinshakers, folks.

While most bands quickly lose the spark, The Coffinshakers have stayed relevant – eternal like the undead. Though humor is their hallmark, there is also poignancy and something genuinely spine-tingling in their rugged, melancholy ballads. And this new offering shows them at the height of their baleful, campy power. They truly are a band that ages like fine wine – although vampires, of course, never drink… wine.

Much will be familiar to dedicated fans. Rob’s trademark malevolent chuckles still reverberate with sardonic glee, the deep rumble of his voice continuing to send all yellow-bellies hiding behind the barn. At the same time, his vocals have gained in both power and subtleness. The same goes for the guitar, bass, and drum work, now incorporating a broader array of classic Americana influences. These unholy badmen have drunk the blood straight from the neck of the authentic country, bluegrass, folk and other rootsy music of inbred US backwaters – and it has made their fangs sharper than ever.

And though The Coffinshakers still ride forth with tongue firmly planted in cheek, there is a new apocalyptic urgency to their third offering. From the marching drums of the desolate “Graves, Release Your Dead” to the echoing vocals of “River of Souls” and the cathartic cataclysm of “Down in Flames”, it all forebodes the imminent end of the whole dirty enchilada of existence. The band’s flippancy comes with a genuinely unsettling kernel of darkness – and black humor is always the most satisfying. Vampires may not cry, but we all know they laugh wickedly as they rise from the bone orchard.

- Per Faxneld, Södertörn University department of religion and vampirism, author of Satanic Feminism, Offerträdet, The Devils Party and others

The Coffinshakers' past nocturnal glories include the debut album "We Are The Undead" (1998) and the eponymous sophomore record (2007), after which the cadaverous quartet retreated to the silence of the tomb, having vacated their respective coffins only sporadically when invoked to perform undead rituals in front of a live audience. Now, many moons since they last haunted the earthly domain, the hour has come for another foray into the realm of the living. Yet again the dead shall live, the living die, and Musick shall untune the sky.

Svart Records will release Graves, Release Your Dead by The Coffinshakers on September 15th on long playing vinyl, compact disc and digital formats, including an exclusive variant with a 3D cover.

Legendary Finnish hardcore punk band Bastards’ discography to be released in a glorious box set in December

Bastards was one of the first Finnish hardcore punk bands coming from Finland in the early 80’s. The band released three albums between 1982-1983: Harhaa (1982, originally only on cassette tape), Järjetön maailma (1983) and Siberian Hardcore (1983). Propaganda Records, the oracle of its time, released the Maailma palaa ja kuolee EP when the band was still active, and some single tracks also appeared on Finnish and international compilations.

Bastards gained international attention and were the first Finnish hardcore band to tour Europe, yet they still ended up quitting the band in December 1983 after just a few active years. Svart Records have now put together all the recorded material by Bastards. Arctic Hardcore – Complete Studio Recordings & Rare Rehearsal Tapes -box set was done as a tight co-operation between the record company and members of the band. The nearly four-hour long compilation contains 136 songs, of which fifty are never released versions or completely unheard material, until now. The box set also contains a thick booklet with the band’s history, lyrics, complete song information and a lot of photos from the band’s active years.

Svart Records proudly presents Arctic Hardcore – Complete Studio Recordings & Rare Rehearsal Tapes on a Svart exclusive red 6LP box set (limited to 100 copies, contains a A2 size poster), black 6LP box set and a 3CD edition. Release date December 8th.

Horros, the third album by Finnish sonic voyagers Virta, is set to be released on Svart Records on October 6th

With Horros, Virta build on and take into new terrain the questing, jazz-tinged electroacoustic adventures of their last album, December 2016’s Hurmos, and its predecessor, their November 2012 debut Tales From Deep Waters. Still recognisable as who they were, the Virta of 2023 now delves further than ever before into their inner world to craft their most affecting, most atmospheric and most cinematic music to date.

Even so, Horros does not need to be accompanied by images – it envelops so much that signposts are unnecessary. The music itself is the guide through this sound world.

The creators of this environment are Antti Hevosmaa (electronics, flugelhorn, trumpet, vocals), Erik Fräki (electronics, drums, percussion, vocals) and Heikki Selamo (bass, electronics, guitar, lap steel, vocals). Together as Virta – which translates from Finnish as electricity, energy or stream – the trio were acclaimed as a “cornerstone of Finnish experimental music” by Finnish daily by newspaper Savon Sanomat in 2016. Horros will ensure this status becomes the case internationally. Beyond Finland, Virta already have dedicated listeners in Canada, France, Germany, Poland, the United States and the UK.

Reflecting on Horros, Antti says “We’ve always made music we want to listen to ourselves. We’ve asked what is the sound we want to listen to? We are digging deeper now, with new elements – more vocals. Lyrics too, which we haven’t done before.” Without sacrificing who they are, Virta now have a wider scope than ever.

“A key idea with Virta is to make the music you hear in your head and share it with people,” adds Heikki.

“Yes, to share what is in our heads,” agrees Erik. “But also, it becomes live music, that’s the point – to make music we share, to make connections.”

Practically, some things have changed. Erik and Heikki are supplementing their traditional instruments with more electronic gear than before. The band formed in Kuopio and had moved to capital city Helsinki. Nowadays, they are dispersed across Finland. Nonetheless, they remain creatively and spiritually united as Virta.

Coming together on Horros, Antti, Erik and Heikki have fashioned an album with a flow, which, although not explicitly stated, has a narrative drive. “It is as if you are arriving on a strange planet,” explains Erik. “It is quite solitary at first. The opening track ‘Aelita’ feels like entering some kind of unfamiliar atmosphere which you come through to see a landscape. Then, with ‘Tunneli’, exploring begins. It’s quite chaotic, you don’t know where you are. With ‘Sola’, the landscape starts to open up a little. When the album’s second side is reached, the mood is warmer, you understand where you are.” The album’s cover image portrays how the seemingly impenetrable atmosphere appears on reaching this world.

The Finnish-language lyrics and title reflect this voyage of discovery. Horros translates as hibernation – which has two meanings: Virta have reawakened, and the album’s journey is an awakening too. The opening track “Aelita” asks “Ei kai oo valoo ilman varjoo?” – “I guess there’s no light without a shadow?” The album ends with “Aamu”: “Hei aamu, Tummuu, Yön kaipuu” – “Hey morning, Getting dark, Longing for the night.” This place has become somewhere comfort can be found, where the coming of night presents no anxieties.

When they began composing what became Horros in early 2020, Virta already had the rough drafts of some of the building blocks. Elements of “Aelita” had been performed during a live performance film soundtrack project. “Toukokuu” grew from improvisations Erik and Heikki had undertaken in 2018. Virta had performed for weekly live streams in 2019, some themes from which also fed into Horros.

And although Virta did not discuss the music they were currently listening to – in the past, they would say “hey, have you heard this?” to each other – when they began recording at Erik’s summer cottage in the middle of 2020, there were some subliminal, long bedded-in touchstones: the original animé film of Ghost In The Shell and its soundtrack, seminal Finnish cross-genre outfits Nuspirit Helsinki and RinneRadio, the pioneering 3D video game Metroid Prime and the earlier role-playing video game Chrono Trigger. Mostly, the trio talked about immersion in music and sound.

Once they had assembled, they spent two weeks recording Erik’s drums and Heikki’s guitars live. All the while, Antti worked out where to play and sing. Then his contributions were recorded as Erik finished his drum tracks. What was captured was shaped and reshaped – Erik says “we all threw ideas in to help the music find its final form.”

“There were happy accidents which ended up on the album in post-production,” adds Heikki.

Antti stresses that “It’s organic, we wake music together as a band. We started making music in 2011 and we already knew each other before then – the music comes from all three of us, Virta is never the one person.”

Such empathy means that when Horros is played live, room is there for improvisation. “We may expand the sonic palette live, stretch out,” reveals Antti. “We might do some jamming to fit the ambience of the show.” The journey taken by the album is not over.

Horros is more than an album for Virta. It is also an expedition into fresh territory for Antti Hevosmaa, Erik Fräki and Heikki Selamo – creatively, musically and metaphorically. The spell it casts instantly captivates. Once this world is entered, it is not possible to depart.